forsook the Mountains and Woods to come and live in fruitful and fertil soils it did fore-shew some great drought and the like divination did Agarista the Mother of Pericles make upon her dream when she was with childe for she thought she brought forth a Lion and so in short time after she brought forth Pericles who was a valiant man and a great Conqueror in Graecia The sight also of a Lion as a man travelleth by the high ways is very ominous and taken for an evil signe There was also a Prophesie given out by Pythias concerning Cypselus the son of Action which said in this manner Concipit in petris aquila enixura Leonem Robustum saevum genua qui multa resolvet Haec bene nunc animis versate Corinthia proles Qui colitis pulchram Pallenem altamque Corinthum In the year of our Lord 1274 there was a certain Noble woman in the Bishoprick of Kostnizer which brought forth a childe like to a Lioness in all parts but it had the skin of a man Unto this discourse I may add the Images of Lions both in Temples and also upon shields and first of all in the Temple where the shield of Agamenmon hung up as Paucennius writeth there was the picture Fear drawn with a Lions head because as the Lion sleepeth little and in his sleep his eyes be open so is the condition of Fear for we have shewed already that the Lion when he sleepeth hath his eyes open and when he waketh he shutteth them and therefore the Ancients did symbolically picture of a Lion upon the doors of their Temples and upon the Ships also in the fore-part of them they ingraved the figure of Lions according to this saying of Virgil Aeneia puppis Prima tenet rostro Phrygios subjecta Leones It was also a usual custom to picture Lions about Fountains and Conduits especially among the Egyptians that the water might spring forth of their mouths Quoniam Nilus arvS◠Aegypti novam uquam invehit sole transeunte Leonem because that Nilus did ove◠flow the fields of Egypt at what time the Sun passed through the sign Leo. Therefore also the River Alpheus was called Leontios poros the Lions fountain because at the heads thereof there were dedicated the pictures of many Lions There was a noble Harlot called Leaena which was acquainted with the tyrannies of Harmodius and Aristogiton for which cause she was apprehended and put to grievous torments to the intent she should disclose them but she endured all unto death never bewraying any part of their counsel After her death the Athenians devising how to honour that vertue and because she was a Harlot or common Curtizan they were not willing to make a statue for her in the likeness of a Woman but as her name was Leaena that signifieth a Lioness so they erected for her the picture of a Lioness and that they might express the vertue of her secresie they caused it to be framed without a tongue Upon the grave of Lais there was a covering containing the picture of a Lion holding a Ram in his fore-feet by the buttocks with an inscription that a Lion held the Ram so do Harlots hold their lovers which Alciatus turned into this Epigram Quid scalptus sibi vult aries quem parte Leaena Vnguibus apprensum posteriore tenet Non aliter captos quod ipsa teneret amantes Vir gregis est aries clune tenetur amans There was also a Lion at Delphos which weighed ten talents of gold and at the entrance of Thermopylae upon the Tombe of Leonides the Captain of the Spartans there stood a Lion of stone Upon the steps of the Capitol of Rome there were two Lions of black Marble touch-stone And the Cyziceni ingraved upon one side of their money the picture of a Lion and on the other side the face of a woman King Solomon built his Ivory Throne upon two Lions of Brass and upon the steps or stairs ascending up to that Throne were placed twelve Lions here and there And from hence it came that many Kings and States gave in their Arms the Lion Rampant Passant and Regardant distinguished in divers colours in the fields of Or Argent Azure and Sables with such other terms of Art The Earth it self was wont to be expressed by the figure of a Lion and therefore the Image of Atergas was supported with Lions Cybele the faigned Goddess of the Mountains was carryed upon Lions And it is faigned that the Curetes which nourished Jupiter in Creet who was committed to them by his mother Rhea by the anger of Saturn were turned into Lions who afterwards by Jupiter when he reigned were made the Kings of beasts and by him enjoyned to draw the Chariot of his Mother Rhea according to this verse Ei junctae currum Domina subiere Leones There is a constellation in Heaven called the Lion of whom Germanicus writeth in this sort that he is the greatest and most notable amongst the signes of the Zodiack containing three stars in his head and one clear one in his breast and that when the Sun cometh to that signe which happeneth in the month of July at which time the vehement heat of Summer burneth the earth and dryeth up the Rivers And therefore because the Lion is also of a hot nature and seemeth to partake of the substance and quantity of the Sun he hath that place in the Heavens For in heat and force he excelleth all other beasts as the Sun doth all other stars In his breasts and fore-part he is most strong and in his hinder-part more weak so is the Sun encreasing until the noon or fore-part of the year until the Summer and afterwards seemeth to languish towards the setting or later part of the year called the Winter And the Lion also seemeth always to look up with a fiery eye even as the Sun which is patent with the perpetual and infatigal sight upon the earth The Lion also is a signification of the Sun for the hairs of his m 〈…〉 e do resemble the streaming beams of the Sun and therefore this constellation is styled with the same Epithets that the Lion and the Sun are as heat-bearing aestive ardent arent calent hot flammant burning Herculean mad horrible dreadful cruel and terrible It is feigned of the Poets that this Lion was the Nemaean Lion slain by Hercules which at the commandment of Juno was fostered in Arcadia and that in anger against Hercules after his death she placed him in the heavens To conclude this story of the Lions it is reported of the Davils called Onosceli that they slew themselves sometimes in the shapes of Lions and Dogs and the Dog of Serapis which was feigned to have three heads on the left side a Wolfs on the right side a Dogs and in the middle a Lions We have shewed already that the people called Ampraciotae did worship a Lioness because she killed
earth for it is certain that it liveth in both elements namely earth and water and for the time that it abideth in the water it also taketh air and not the humor or moistnesse of the water yet can they not want either humor of the water or respiration of the air and for the day time it abideth on the land and in the night in the water because in the day the earth is hotter then the water and in the night the water warmer then the earth and while it liveth on the land it is so delighted with the Sun-shine and lyeth therein so immoveable that a man would take it to be stark dead The eyes of a Crocodile as we have said are dull and blinde in the water yet they appear bright to others for this cause when the Egyptians will signifie the Sun-rising they picture a Crocodile looking upward to the earth and when they will signifie the West they picture a Crocodile diving in the water and so for the most part the Crocodile lyeth upon the banks that he may either dive into the water with speed or ascend to the earth to take his prey By reason of the shortnesse of his feet his pace is very slow and therefore it is not only easie to escape from him by flight but also if a man do but turn aside and winde out of the direct way his body is so unable to bend it self that he can neither winde nor turn after it When they go under the earth into their caves like to all fore-footed and egge-breeding Serpents as namely Lizards Stellions and Tortoises they have all their legs joyned to their sides which are so retorted as they may bend to either side for the necessity of covering their egges but when they are abroad and go bearing up all their bodies then they bend only outward making their thighs more visible It is somewhat questionable whether they lye hid within their caves four months or sixty days for some Authors affirm one thing and some another but the reason of the difference is taken from the condition of the cold weather for which cause they lye hid in the Winter time Now forasmuch as the Winter in Egypt is not usually above four months therefore it is taken that they lie but four months but if it be by accident of cold weather prolonged longer then for the same cause the Crocodile is longer time in the earth During the time they lie hid they eat nothing but sleep as it is thought immoveably and when they come out again they do not cast their skins as other Serpents do The tail of a Crocodile is his strongest part and they never kill any beast or man but first of all they strike him down and astonish him with their tails and for this cause the Egyptians by a Crocodiles tail do signifie death and darknesse They devour both men and beasts if they finde them in their way or neer the bankes of Nilus wherein they abide taking sometimes a calf from the Cow his Dam and carrying it whole into the waters And it appeareth by the pourtraiture of Neacles that a Crocodile drew in an Asse into Nilus as he was drinking and therefore the Dogs of Egypt by a kinde of natural instinct do not drink but as they run for fear of the Crocodiles where-upon came the proverb Vt Canis è Nilo bibit fugit as a Dog at one time drinketh and runneth by Nilus When they desire fishes they put their heads out of the water as it were to sleep and then suddenly when they espy a booty they leap into the waters upon them and take them After that they have eaten and are satisfied then they turn to the land again and as they lie gaping upon the earth the little bird Trochilus maketh clean their teeth and is satisfied by the remainders of the flesh sticking upon them It is also affirmed by Arnoldus that it is fed with mud but the holy Crocodile in the Provinte of Arsinoe is fed with bread flesh wine sweet and hard sod flesh and cakes and such like things as the poor people bring unto it when they come to see it When the Egyptians will write a man eating or at dinner they paint a Crocodile gaping They are exceeding fruitful and prolifical and therefore also in Hieroglyphicks they are made to signifie fruitfulnesse They bring forth every year and lay their egges in the earth or dry land For during the space of theescore days they lay every day an Egge and in the like space they are hatched into young ones by sitting or lying upon them by course the male one while and the female another The time of their hatching is in a moderate and temperate time otherwise they perish and come to nothing for extremity of heat spoyleth the egge as the buds of some trees are burned and scorched off by the like occasion The egge is not much greater then the egge of a Goose and the young one out of the shell is of the same proportion And so from such a small beginning doth this huge and monstrous Serpent grow to his great stature the reason whereof saith Aristotle is because it groweth all his life long even to the length of ten or more cubits When it hath laid the egges it carryeth them to the place where it shall be hatched for by a natural providence and forelight it avoideth the waters of Nilus and therefore ever layeth her egges beyond the compasse of her floods by observation whereof the people of Egypt know every year the inundation of Nilus before it happen And in the measure of this place it is apparent that this Beast is not indued only with a spirit of reason but also with a fatidical or prophetical geographical delineation for so she placeth her egges in the brim or bank of the flood before the flood cometh that the water may cover the nest but not her self that sitteth upon the egges And the like to this is the building of the Beaver as we have showed in due place before in the History of four-footed Beasts So soon as the young ones are hatched they instantly fall into the depth of the water but if they meet with Frog Snail or any other such thing fit for their meat they do presently tear it in pieces the dam biteth it with her mouth as it were punishing the pusillanimity thereof but if it hunt greater things and be greedy ravening industrious and bloudy that she maketh much of and killing the other nourisheth and tendereth this above measure after the example of the wisest men who love their children in judgement fore-seeing their industrious inclination and not in affection without regard of worth vertue or merit It is said by Philes that after the egge is laid by the Crocodile many times there is a cruel stinging Scorpion which cometh out thereof and woundeth the Crocodile that laid it To conclude they never
hand is the making or efficient cause and for the worthinesse of that divine story how God maketh and taketh away Frogs I will expresse it as it is left by the holy Ghost in ch 8. Exod. ver 5. Also the Lord said unto Moses say thou unto Aaron stretch thou out thy band with thy rod upon the streams upon the rivers and upon the ponds and cause Frogs to come upon the land of Egypt Ver. 6. Then Aaron stretched out his hand upon the waters of Egypt and the Frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt Vers 7. And the Sorcerers did likewise with their Sorceries and brought Frogs upon the land of Egypt Vers 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Pray ye unto the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice to the Lord. Vers 9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh concerning me Command when I shall pray for thee and thy servants and thy people to destroy the Frogs from thee and from thy houses that they may remain in the River only Vers 10. Then he said to morrow and he answered Be it as thou hast said that thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God Vers 11. So the Frogs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy people and from thy servants only they shall remain in the River Ver. 12. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh and Moses cryed unto the Lord concerning the Frogs which he had sent unto Pharaoh Vers 13. And the Lord did according to the saying of Moses so the Frogs dyed in the houses and in the Towns and in the fields Vers 14. And they gathered them together by heaps and the land stank of them c. And this was the second plague of Egypt wherein the Lord turned all the Fishes into Frogs as the Book of Wisdom saith and the Frogs ahounded in the Kings chamber and notwithstanding this great judgement of God for the present Pharaoh would not let the people go and afterwards that blinde superstitious Nation became worshippers of Frogs as Philastrius writeth thinking by this devotion or rather wickednesse in this observant manner to pacifie the wrath of God choosing their own ways before the word of Almighty God But vain is that worship which is invented without heavenly warrant and better it is to be obedient to the will of God then go about to please him with the cogitations of men although in their pretended holinesse we spend much time wealth and bloud There was one Cypselus the father of Periander who by his mother was hid in a Chest called Kypsele to be preserved from the hands of certain murtherers which were sent to kill him Wherefore afterwards the said Cypselus consecrated a house at Delphos to Apollo because he heard his crying when he was hid in a chest and preserved him In the bottom of that house was the trunk of a Palm-tree and certain Frogs pictured running out of the same but what was meant thereby is not certainly known for neither Plutarch which writeth the story nor Chersias which relateth it giveth any signification thereof but in another place where he enquireth the reason why the Oracle of Pythias gave no answer he conjectured because it was that the accursed thing brought out of the Temple of Apollo from Delphos into the Corinthian house had ingraven underneath the Brazen Palm Snakes and Frogs or else for the signification of the Sun rising The meat of Frogs thus brought forth are green herbs and Humble-bees or Shorn-bugs which they devour or catch when they come to the water to drink sometime also they are said to eat earth but as well Frogs as Toads do eat the dead Mole for the Mole devoureth them being alive In the moneth of August they never open their mouths either to take in meat or drink or to utter any voyce and their chaps are so fast joyned or closed together that you can hardly open them with your finger or with a stick The young ones of this kinde are killed by casting Long-wort or the leaves of Sea-lettice as Aelianus and Suidas write and thus much for the description of their parts generation and sustentation of these common Frogs The wisdom or disposition of the Aegyptian Frogs is much commended for they save themselves from their enemies with singular dexterity If they fall at any time upon a Water-snake which they know is their mortal enemy they take in their mouths a round Reed which with an invincible strength they hold fast never letting go although the Snake have gotten her into her mouth for by this means the Snake cannot swallow her and so she is preserved alive There is a pretty fable of a great Bull which came to the water to quench his thirst and whilest the Beast came running greedily into the water he trod in pieces two or three young Frogs then one of them which escaped with life went and told his mother the miserable misfortune and chance of his fellows she asked who it was that had so killed her young ones to whom he answered It was a great one but how great he could not tell the foolish Mother-frog desirous to have seen some body in the eyes of her son began to swell with holding in of her breath and then asked the young one if the Beast were as big as she And he answered much greater at which words she began to swel more and asked him again if the Beast were so big To whom the young one answered Mother leave your swelling for though you break your self you will never be so big as he and I think from this fable came the Proverb Rana Gyrina sapientior wiser then the young Frog This is excellently described by Horace in his third Satyre as followeth Absentis ranae pullis vituli pede pressis Vnus ubi effugit matri denarrat ut ingens Bellua cognates eliserit illa rogare Quantánt Num tandem se inflans sic magna fuisset Major dimidio Num tanto Cum magis atque Se magis inflaret non si te ruperis inquit Par eris haec à te non multum abludit imago Which may be Englished thus In old Frogs absence the young were prest to death By feet of a great Calf drinking in the water To tell the dam one ran that scap't with life and breath How a great heast her young to death did scatter How great said she so big and then did swell Greater by half said he then she swoll more and said Thus big but he cease swelling dam for I thee tell Though break thy self like him thou never canst be made There is another pretty fable in Esop tasking discontented persons under the name of Frogs according to the old verse Et veterem in limo ranae cacinere querelam Nam neque sicca placet nec quae stagnata
Asses are of very foolish conditions and slender capacity but yet very tame not refusing any manner of burthen although it break his back being loaded it will not out of the way for any man or beast and it only understandeth the voice of that man with whom it is laboured knowing also the way whereunto it is accustomed Ammonianus was in such love with an Asse and holdding him of so great a capacity that he had one continually to hear his Lectures of Philosophie Galen affirmeth that an Asse understandeth genus species individuum because if you shew him a Camell that never saw one before he is terrified and cannot indure his sight but if he have been accustomed to such a sight if you shew him never so many he is not moved at them In like sort he knoweth men in general being not affraid of them but if he see or hear his keeper he knoweth him for his keeper or master There was a cunning player in Africa in a City called Alcair who taught an Asse divers strange tricks or feats for in a publick spectacle turning to his Asse being on a scaffold to shew sport said The great Sultan purposeth to build him an house and shall need all the Asses of Alcair to fetch and carry wood stones lime and other necessaries for that business presently the Asse falleth down turneth up his heals into the air groneth and shutteth his eyes fast as if he had been dead while he lay thus the Player desired the beholders to consider his estate for his Asse was dead he was a poor man and therefore moved them to give him money to buy another Asse In the mean time having gotten as much money as he could he told the people he was not dead but knowing his masters poverty counterfeited in that manner whereby he might get money to buy him provender and therefore he turned again to his Asse and bid him arise but he stirred not at all Then did he strike and beat him sore as it seemed to make him arise but all in vain the Asse lay still Then said the player again our Sultan hath commanded that to morrow there be a great triumph without the City and that all the noble women shall ride thither upon the fairest Asses and this night they must be fed with Oates and have the best water of Nilus to drink At the hearing whereof up started the Asse snorting and leaping for joy then said the Player the Governor of this Town hath desired me to lend him this my Asse for his old deformed wife to ride upon at which words the Asse hangeth down his ears and understanding like a reasonable creature began to halt as if his leg had been out of joint why but said the Player had thou lifer carry a fair young Woman The Asse wagged his head in token of consent to that bargain go then said the player and among all these fair Women chuse one that thou mayest carry then the Asse looketh round about the Assembly and at last went to a sober woman and touched her with his nose whereat the residue wondered and laughed shutting up the sport with crying out An Asses Woman An Asses Woman and so the Player went unto another Town Such things do serve to teach us that Asses are not altogether indocible besides in their own nature they know how to refresh themselves in their weariness by wallowing on the ground and being overcome with melancholy humor they naturally look for the hearb Ceterach or Finger-fearne to cure them When the Asses of Maurusium are bound to a journey they set forward so fast that a man would think they rather flew then ran but being overwearyed they are so abased that they send forth tears and then are they drawn at Horses tails to their journeys end The Asse is never at peace with the Crow because it longeth for the Asses eyes likewise the bird Salem for when the Asse cometh to the thornes to rub himself where the said bird buildeth her nest the Asse spoileth it wherefore the said bird maketh continual assault upon him In like sort the Colota or Stellio for it sleepeth in the managers and creepeth up into the Asses nose to hinder him from eating The Wolf is also an enemy to the Asse for he loveth his flesh and with small force doth he compasse the destruction of an Asse for the blockish Asse when he seeth a Wolf layeth his head on his side that so he might not see thinking that because he seeth not the Wolfe the Wolfe cannot see him but the Wolfe upon this advantage setteth upon the beast on the blind side and easily destroyeth the courageless Asse Another argument of an Asses stupidity is that he careth not for his own life but will with quietness starve if meat be not laid before him Wherefore it is apparent that when a dull Scholar not apt to learn is bid to sell an Asse to signifie his blockishness is no vain sentence therefore they which resemble Asses in their head round forehead or great face are said to be blockish in their fleshie face fearful in broad or great eyes simple and like to be mad in thick lips and the upper hanging over the neather Fools and in their voice contumelious and disdainful To conclude the ancients have made many significations of Asses and their shapes making a man with an Asses head to signifie First one ignorant of manners histories and Countryes Secondly immoderate riot of stubborn persons in Scripture is deciphered in an Asse Thirdly impudency and shamelesness because an Asse will not for any stripes forsake his own wayes Fourthly the Jewish people who like Asses could not understand the evident truth of Christ in the plain text of Scripture wherefore our Saviour secretly upbraided their dulness when he rode upon an Asse Fiftly the Egyptians by an Asse noted a man without all divine knowledge wherefore they used to take an Asse and follow him with all despight beating him from place to place till he brake his own neck for they believed that an Asse was possessed of a Devil Sixtly Indocibility by an Asse bridled Seventhly the snares of flatterers for their Priests set an Asse between flowers and ointments neither of both partaining to an Asses skill teaching thereby how mighty men fall by treachery of flatterers Eightly a Woman dissembling her Pregnancy Ninthly by a man weaving a cord and an Asse behind him biting it asunder they signifie a painful husband and a prodigal wife Tenthly a good Vine-dresser for when an Asse did bite of the branch of a vine it was observed that the next year the Vine was more fruitful Finally base servisity trifling sluggishness good fortune Tyrants and fools are Hierogliphically comprized under the discourse of Asses Touching such medicinal vertues as have been tried and found to be in the several parts of Asses by learned and approved writers now in the conclusion of this History they shall
reporteth another story to the building of this City namely that it was called Carthage of one of the daughters of Hercules and that when Elisa and the other companions of Dido came thither for the foundation of the City they found an Oxes head whereupon they were discouraged to build there any more supposing that Omen betokened evill unto them and a perpetual slavery in labour and misery such as Oxen live in but afterward they tryed in another corner of that ground wherein they found a Horses head which they accepted as a good signification of riches honour magnanimity and pleasure because Horses have all food and maintenance provided for them Among the Egyptians they paint a Lion for strength an Ox for labor and a Horse for magnanimity and courage and the Image of Mithra which among the Persians signifieth the Sun is pictured in the face of a Lyon holding the horns of a striving Ox in both hands whereby they signifie that the Moon doth receive light from the Sun when she beginneth to be separated from her beams There is in the Coasts of Babylon a Gem or precious stone like the heart of an Ox and there is another called Sarcites which representeth the flesh of an Ox. The ancients had likewise so great regard of this beast that they would neither sacrifice nor eat of a labouring Oxe wherefore Hercules was condemned when he had desired meat of Theodomantis in Dyâ—pia for his hungry companion the Son of Hyla because by violence he took from him one of his Oxen and slew him A crowned Oxe was also among the Romans a sign of peace for the Souldiers which kept the Castle of Anathon neer the river Euphrates against Julianus and his Army when they yeelded themselves to mercy they descended from the Castle driving before them a crowned Oxe from this manifold necessity and dignity of this beast came the Idolatrous custom of the Heathens and especially the Egyptians for they worshipped him instead of God calling him Apis and Epaphus whose choyce was on this sort He had on his right side an exceeding splendent white spot and his horns crooking together like the new Moon having a great bunch on his tongue which they call Cantharus neither do they suffer him to exceed a certain number of years or grow very big for these causes they give him not of the water of Nilus to drink but of another consecrated well which hindereth his growth and also when he is come to his full age they kill him by drowning him in another consecrated well of the Priests which being done they seek with mourning another having shaved their heads to substitute in his place wherein they are never very long but they finde one and then in a holy Ship sacred for that purpose they transport and convey him to Memphis And the Egyptians did account him a blessed and happy man out of whose fold the Priest had taken that Oxe-God He hath two Temples erected for him which they call his Chambers where he giveth forth his Augurisms answering none but children and youths playing before his Temples and refusing aged persons especially women and if any not sacred happen to enter into one of his Temples he dyeth for it and if into the other it fore-sheweth some monstrous cursed event as they fondly imagine The manner of his answers is privately to them that give him meat taking it at their hands and they observe with great religion that when Germanicus the Emperour came to ask counsel of him he turned from him and would not take meat at his hand for presently after he was slain Once in a year they shew him a Cow with such marks as he hath and alway they put him to death upon the same day of the week that he was found and in Nilus neer Memphis there was a place called Phiala where were preserved a Golden and a Silver-dish which upon the birth or Calving days of Apis they threw down into the river and those days were seaven wherein they affirm that never man was hurt by Crocodiles The Egyptians do also consecrate an Oxe to the Moon and a Cow to Vrania It is reported that Mycerinus King of Egypt fell in love with his own Daughter and by violence did ravish her she not able to endure the conscience of such a fact hanged herself whereupon the King her impure father did bury her in a wooden Oxe and so placed her in a secret place or chamber to whom daily they offer many odours but the mother of the maiden did cut off the hands of those Virgins or Women that attended on her Daughter and would not rescue her from so vile a contempt There were also many other pictures of Oxen as in Corcyra and Eretria and most famous was that of Perillus which he made and presented to Phalaris the Tyrant of Agrigent shewing him that if he would torment a man he should put him into that Oxe set over a fire and his voyce of crying should be like the loughing of a Heifer which thing being heard of the Tyrant to shew his detestation of more strange invented torments then he had formerly used he caused Perillus that presented it unto him to be put into it alive and so setting it over a fire made experiment of the work upon the workman who bellowed like a Cow and was so tormented to death for that damnable and dangerous invention which caused Ovid to write thus Et Phalaris tauro violentus membra Perilli Torruit infoelix imbuit author opus When an Oxe or Cow in ancient time did dye of themselves Viz. if it were an Oxe they buried him under the walls of some City leaving his horn sticking visibly out of the earth to signifie the place of his burial for when his flesh was consumed they took it up again and buryed the bones in the Temples of Venus in other places but the body of a dead Cow they cast into some great River neer adjoyning The Poets have faigned a certain Monster called Minotaurus having in part the form of a man and in part the form of a Bull and they say that Pasiphae the Daughter of the Sun and wife of Minos King of Crete fell in love with a Bull and by the help of Dedalus she was included in a wooden Heifer covered with a Cows hide and so had copulation with the Bull and so came that monster Minos included in a labyrinth and constrained the Athenians who had slain his son Androgeus to send every year seven young men and seven maids to be given to that Monsters to feed upon for he would eat mans flesh At last Theseus son of Aegeus King of Athens came into that labyrinth and slew that Minotaure and by the help of Ariadne escaped out of the labyrinth Other relate the story in this manner that when the Cretenstans would have expelled Minos from his Kingdom he vowed that whatsoever likeness first
nor eat their meat upon the ground except they bend down upon their knees The males in this kinde do only bear horns and such as do not grow out of the Crowns of their head but as it were out of the middle on either side a little above the eyes and so bend to the sides They are sharp and full of bunches like Harts no where smooth but in the tops of the speers and where the veins run to carry nutriment to their whole length which is covered with a hairy skin they are not so rough at the beginning or at the first prosses specially in the fore-part as they are in the second for that only is full of wrinckles from the bottom to the middle they grow straight but from thence they are a little recurved they have only three speers or prosses the two lower turn away but the uppermost groweth upright to heaven yet sometimes it falleth out as the Keepers of the said Beast affirmed that either by sickness or else through want of food the left horn hath but two branches In length they are one Koman foot and a half and one finger and a half in breadth at the root two Roman palms The top of one of the horns is distant from the top of the other three Roman feet and three fingers and the lower speer of one horn is distant from the lower of the other two Roman feet measured from the roots in substance and colour they are like to Harts horns they weighed together with the dry broken spongy bone of the fore-head five pound and a half and half an ounce I mean sixteen ounces to the pound they fall off every year in the month of April like to Harts and they are not hollow The breadth of their fore-heads betwixt the horns is two Roman palms and a half the top of the crown betwixt the horns is hollow on the hinder part and in that siecel lyeth the brain which descendeth down to the middle region of the eyes Their teeth are like Harts and inwardly in their cheeks they grow like furrows bigger then in a Horse the tooth rising out sharp above the throat as it should seem that none of his meat should fall thereinto unbruised This Beast in young age is of a Mouse or Ass colour but in his elder age it is more yellowish especially in the extream parts of his body the hair smooth but most of all on his legs but under his belly in the inner part of his knee the top of his neck breast shoulders and back-bone not so smooth In height it was about twenty two handfuls and three fingers being much swifter then any Horse the female beareth every year as the Keeper said in Norway two at a time but in England it brought forth but one The flesh of it is black and the fibres broad like an Oxes but being dressed like Harts flesh and baked in an Oven it tasted much sweeter It eateth commonly grass but in England seldom after the fashion of Horses which forbear hay when they may have bread but leaves rindes of trees bread and oats are most acceptable unto it It reacheth naturally thirty hand breadths high but if any thing be higher which it doth affect it standeth up upon the hinder-legs and with the fore-legs there imbraceth or leaneth to the tree and with his mouth biteth off his desire It drinketh water and also English Ale in great plenty yet without drunkenness and there were that gave it Wine but if it drink plentifully it became drunk It is a most pleasant creature being tamed but being wilde is very fierce and an enemy to mankinde persecuting men not only when he seeth them by the eye but also by the sagacity of his nose following by foot more certainly then any Horse for which cause they which kept them near the high ways did every year cut off their horns with a saw It setteth both upon Horse and Foot-men trampling and treading them under-foot whom he did over-match when he smelleth a man before he seeth him he uttereth a voice like the gruntling of a Swine being without his female it doth most naturally affect a woman thrusting out his genital which is like a Harts as if it discerned sexes In Norway they call it an Elk or Elend but it is plain they are deceived in so calling it because it hath not the legs of an Elk which never bend nor yet the horns as by conference may appear Much less can I believe it to be the Hippardius because the female wanteth horns and the head is like a Mules but yet it may be that it is a kinde of Elk for the horns are not always alike or rather the Elk is a kinde of Horse-hart which Aristotle calleth Arrochosius of Arracolos a region of Assya and herein I leave every man to his judgement referring the Reader unto the former discourses of an Elk and the Tragelaphus Of the SEA-HORSE THe Sea-horse called in Greek Hippotomos and in Latine Equus Fluviatilis It is a most ugly and filthy Beast so called because in his voyce and mane he resembleth a Horse but in his head an Oxe or a Calf in the residue of his body a Swine for which cause some Graecians call him some-times a Sea-horse and sometimes a Sea-oxe which thing hath moved many learned men in our time to affirm that a Sea-horse was never seen whereunto I would easily subscribe such Bellon 〈…〉 were it not that the antient figures of a Sea-horse altogether resembled that which is here expressed and was lately to be seen at Constantinople from whom this picture was taken It liveth for the most part in Nilus yet is it of a doubtful life for it brings forth and breedeth on the land and by the proportion of the legs it seemeth rather to be made for going then for swimming for in the night time it eateth both hay and fruits sorraging into corn fields and devouring whatsoever cometh in the way and therefore I thought it fit to be inserted into this story As for the Sea-calf which cometh sometimes to land only to take sleep I did not judge it to belong to this discourse because it feedeth only in the waters This picture was taken out of the Colossus in the Vatican at Rome representing the River Nilus and eating of a Crocodile and thus I reserve the farther discourse of this beast unto the History of Fishes adding only thus much that it ought to be no wonder to consider such monsters to come out of the Sea which resemble Horses in their heads seeing therein are also creatures like unto Grapes and Swords The Orsean Indians do hunt a Beast with one horn having the body of a Horse and the head of a Hart. The Aethiopians likewise have a Beast in the neck like unto a Horse and the feet and legs like unto an Ox. The Rhinocephalus hath a neck like a Horse and also the other parts of his body but it is said to breath
of the old Moon for it will have the same operation you shall therefore take as much or this dung as you can hold in your hand or fist at one time so that the quantity of the dung be unlike and you shall put it in a morter and beat it to powder and cast twenty grains of Pepper into the same fime being very diligently pounded or bruised and then you shall adde nine ounces of the best Hony unro the aforesaid mixture and four pounds of the best Wine and mix the potion in the manner of a compound Wine and the dung or dirt being dryed and beaten first 〈◊〉 on sha 〈…〉 mingle all the rest and put them together in a vessel made of glass that when you have any need you may have the medicine ready prepared to comfort him or her which is so afflicted Of the ICHNEUMON MArcellus and Solinus do make question of this Beast Ichneumon to be a kinde of Otter or the Otter a kinde of this Ichneumon which I find to be otherwise called Enydros or 〈◊〉 because it liveth in water and the reason of this name I take to be fetched ab investigando because like a Dog or hunting Hound it diligently searcheth out the seats of wilde Beasts especially the Crocodile and the Asp whose Egs it destroyeth And for the enmity unto Serpents it is called Ophi 〈…〉 us Is 〈…〉 is of opinion that the name of this Beast in the Greek is given unto it because by the favour thereof the venom and wholesomess of meates is deseried Whereof Dracontius writeth in this manner Praed 〈…〉 t Suillus 〈…〉 cujuscunque 〈◊〉 The Ic 〈…〉 foretelleth the power and presence of all poyson And it is called Suillus in Latine because like a Hog it hath bristles in stead of hair Albertus also doth call it Neomon mistaking it for Ichneumon There be some that call it an Indian Mouse because there is some proportion or similitude in the outward form between this 〈…〉 st and a Mouse But it is certain that it is bred in no other Nation but only in Egypt about the River Nilus and of some it is called Mus Pharaonis Pharaohs Mouse For Iber 〈…〉 was a common name to all the Egyptian Kings There be some that call it Thyamon and Ans 〈…〉 and also Damula mistaking it for that Weasil which is an enemy to Serpents called by the Italians Do 〈…〉 〈◊〉 yet I know no learned man but taketh these two names to signifie two different Bensts The quantity of it or stature is sometimes as great as a small Cat or Ferret and the hairs of it like the hairs of a Hog the eyes small and narrow which signifie a malignant and crafty disposition the tail of it very long like a Serpents the end turning up a little having no hairs but scales not much unlike the tail of a Mouse Aelianus affirmeth that both sexes bear young having seed in themselves whereby they conceive For those that are overcome in combates one with another are branded with a warlike mark of Villanage or subjection to their Conquerours and on the contrary side they which are conquered and overcome in fight do not only make vassals of them whom they overcome but in token thereof for further punishment fill them with their seed by carnal copulation so putting off from themselves to them the dolours and torments of bearing young This first picture of the Ichneumon was taken by Bellonius except the back be too much elevated The second picture taken out of Oppianus Poems as it was found in an old Manuscript When it is angry the hairs stand upright and appear of a double colour being white and yellowish by lines or rows in equal distance entermingled and also very hard and sharp like the hair of a Wolf the body is something longer then a Cats and better set or compacted the beak black and sharp at the nose like a Ferrets and without beard the 〈…〉 a short and round the legs black having five claws upon his hinder-feet whereof the last or hindmost of the inner 〈…〉 de of the foot is very short his tail thick towards the rump the tongue teeth and stones are like a Cats and this it hath peculiar namely a large passage compassed about with hair on the outside of his excrement hole like the genital of a woman which it never openeth but in extremity of heat the place of his excrements remaining shut only being more hollow then at other times A 〈…〉 it may be that the Authors aforesaid had no other reason to affirm the mutation of feeble or common transmigration of genital power beside the observation of this natural passage in male and female They bring forth as many as Cats and Dogs and also eat them when they are young they live both in land and water and take the benefit of both elements but especially in the River Nilus amongst the Reeds growing on the banks thereof according to the saying 〈◊〉 Nemetian Et placidis Ichneumona quaerere ripis Inter arundineas segetes For it will dive in the water like an Otter and seem to be utterly drowned holding in the breath longer then any other four-footed Beast as appeareth by his long keeping under water and also by living in the belly of the Crocodile until he deliver forth himself by eating through his bowels as shall be shewed afterwards It is a valiant and nimble creature not fearing a great Dog but setteth upon him and biting him mortally but especially a Cat for it killeth or strangleth her with three bites of her teeth and because her beak or snout is very narrow or small it cannot bite any thing except it be less then a mans fist The proportion of the body is much like a Badgers and the nose hangeth over the mouth like as it were always angry the nature of it is finding the Crocodile asleep suddenly to run down into his throat and belly and there to eat up that meat which the Crocodile hath devoured and not returning out again the way it went in maketh a passage for it self through the Beasts belly And because it is a great enemy and devourer of Serpents the common people of that Countrey do tame them and keep them familiarly in their houses like Cats for they eat Mice and likewise bewray all venemous Beasts for which cause as is said before they call it Pharaohs Mouse by way of excellency At Alexandria they sell their young ones in the Market and nourish them for profit It is a little Beast and marvellously studious of purity and cleanliness Bellonius affirmeth that he saw one of them at Alexandria amongst the ruines of an old Castle which suddenly took a Hen and eat it up for it loveth all manner of fowls especially Hens and Chickens being very wary and crafty about his prey oftentimes standing upright upon his hinder-legs looking about for a fit booty and when
Nicander Praeterea geminae â—alli instar fronte carunclae Haerent sanguine is scintillant lumina flamis That is to say At hard as Brawn two bunches in their face Do grow and flaming bloudy eyes their grace And the dry Asp so called because it liveth in mid-lands farre from any water hath a vehement strong sight and these eyes both in one and other are placed in the Temples of their head Their teeth are exceeding long and grow out of their mouth like a Boars and through two of the longest are little hollowes out of which he expresseth his poyson They are also covered with thin and tender skins which slide up when the Serpent biteth and so suffer the poyson to come out of the holes afterward they return to their place again Of all which thus writeth Nicander Quatuor huic intra Marillae â—â—nâ—ava dentes Radices fixere suas quas juncta quibusdam Pelliculis tunica obducit triste unde venenum Effundit si forte suo se approximet hosti In English thus Within the hollow of their cheeks fiery teeth are seen Fast rooted which a coat of skin doth joyn and over-hide From whence sad venom issueth forth when she is keen If that her â—o she chance to touch as she doth glide The scales of the Asp are hard and dry and red above all other venomous Beasts and by reason of her exceeding drought she is also accounted deaf About their quantity here is some difference among Writers For Aelianus saith that they have been found of two cubits length and their other parts answerable Again the Egyptians affirm them to be four cubits long but both these may stand together for if Aelianus say true then the Egyptians are not deceived because the greater number containeth the lesser The Asp Ptyas is about two cubits long the Chersaean Asps of the earth grow to the length of five cubits but the Chelidonian not above one and this is noted that the shorter Asp killeth soonest and the long more slowly one being a pace and another a fathom in length Nicander writeth thus Tam proceram extensa quaerunt quom brachia duci Tantaque crassities est quantum missile telum Quod faciens hastas doct 〈…〉 faber expolit artâ— Which may be thus Englished As wide as arms in force out-stretched So is the Asp in length And broad even as a casting Dart Made by a wise Smiths strength The colour of Asps is also various and divers for the Irundo Asp that is the Chelidonian resembleth the Swallow the Ptyas or spitting Asp resembleth an Ash colour flaming like Gold and somewhat greenish the Chersaean Asp of an Ash-colour or green but this later is more rare and Pierius saith that he saw a yellow Asp neer Bellun Of these colours writeth Nicander Squalidus interdum color albet saepe virenti Cum maculis saepe est cineres imitante figura Nonnunquam ardenti veluti succenditur igne Idque nigra Aethiopum sub terra quale refusus Nilus saepe lutum vicinum in Nerea volvit Thus overtherwise Their colour whitish pale and sometime lively green And spots which do the Ash resemble Some fiery red in Aethiop black Asps are seen And some again like to Nerean mud Cast up by flowing of the Nilus floud The Countreys which breed Asps are not only the Regions of Africk and the Confines of Nilus but also in the Northern parts of the World as writeth Olaus Magnus are many Asps found like as there are many other Serpents found although their venom or poyson be much more weak then in Asrica yet he saith that their poyson will kill a man within three or four hours without remedy In Spain also there are Asps but none in France although the common people do style a certain creeping thing by that name Lucan thinketh that the Originall of all came from Africa and therefore concludeth that Merchants for gain have transported them into Europe saying Ipsa coloris egens gelidum non transit in orbem Sponte sua Niloque tenus metitur arenas Sed quis erit nobis lucri pudor Inde petuntur Huc Lybicae mortes fecimus Aspida merces In English thus The Asp into cold Regions not willingly doth go But neer the banks of Nilus warm doth play upon the sands Oh what a shame of wicked gain must we then undergo Which Lybian deaths and Aspish wares have brought into our lands Their abode is for the most part in dryest soyls except the Chelidonian or Water Asp which live in the banks of Nilus all the year long as in a house and safe Castle but when they perceive that the water will overflow they forsake the banks sides and for safeguard of their lives betake them to the Mountains Sometimes also they will ascend and climbe trees as appeareth by an Epigram of Anthologius It is a horrible fearfull and terrible Serpent going slowly having a weak sight alwayes sleepy and drowsie but a shrill and quick sense of hearing whereby she is warned and advertised of all noyse which when she heareth presently she gathereth her self round into a circle and in the middest lifteth up her terrible head Wherein a man may note the gracious providence of Almighty GOD which hath given as many remedies against evil as there are evils in the World For the dulnesse of this Serpents sight and slownesse of her pace doth keep her from many mischiefs These properties are thus expressed by Nicander Formidabile cui corpus tardumque volumen Quandoquidem transversa via est prolixaque ventris Spira veternosique nivere videntur ocelli At simul ac facili forte abservaverit aure Vel minimrm strepitum segnes è corpore somnos Excutit teretem sinuat mox asperatractum Horrendumque caput porrectaque pectoratâ—llit In English thus This feared Asp hath slow and winding pace When as her way on belly she doth traverse Her eyes shrunk in her head winking appear in face Till that some noise her watchfull eat doth 〈…〉 ish Then sleep shak'd off round is her body gathered With dreadfull head oâ— mounted neck up lifted The voice of the Asp is hissing like all other Serpents and seldome is it heard to utter any voyce or sound at all except when she is endangered or ready to set upon her enemy Where-upon saith Nicander Grave sibilat ipsa Bestia dum ceriam vomit ira concita mortem In English thus This beast doth hisse with great and lowdest breath When in her mood she threatneth certain death That place of David Psalm 58. which is vulgarly read a death Adder is more truly translated A deaf Asp which when she is enchanted to avoid the voyee of the Charmer she stoppeth one of her ears with her tail and the other she holdeth hard to the earth And of this incantation thus writeth Vincentius Belluacensis Vertute qu 〈…〉 dam verborum incantatur Aspis ne veneno interimat vel â—t quidam
draweth out the poyson of Wasps The leaves of Marsh-mallows as Aetius saith being bruised and applyed do perform the same The juyce of Rue or Balm about the quantity of two or three ounces drunk with Wine and the leaves being chewed and laid on with Honey and Salt or with Vinegar and Pitch do help much Water-cresses Rosemary with Barley meal and water with Vinegar sod together the juyce of by leaves Marigolds the bloud of an Owl all these are very effectual against the stingings of Wasps as Pliny lib. 31. cap. 9. telleth us the buds of the wilde Palm-tree Endive with the root and wilde Thyme being applyed plaister-wise do help the stinging of Wasps After the venom is drawn out by sucking the place affected must be put into hot water the space of an hour and then suddenly they must be thrust into Vinegar and Brine and forthwith the pain will be asswaged the tumor cease and the malice of the venomous humor clean extinguished Rhazes saith that the leaves of Night-shade or of Sengreen do very much good in this case And in like sort Bole Armony with Vinegar and Camphire and Nuts beaten with a little Vinegar and Castoreum Also take the Combe with Honey applying to the place and hold the grieved place neer the fire immediately and laying under them a few ashes binde them hard and forthwith the pain will be swaged Serapio saith that Savory or Cresses applyed and the seed thereof taken in drink and the juyce of the lesser Centory mixt with Wine are very meet to be used in these griefs he also commendeth for the same purpose the leaves of Basil the herb called Mercury and Mandrakes with Vinegar Ardoynus is of opinion that if you take a little round ball of Snow and put it into the fundament the pain will cease especially that which proceedeth by Wasps Let the place be anointed with Vinegar and Camphire or often fomented and bathed with Snow-water Take of Opium of the seed of Henbane and Camphire of each alike much and incorporate them with Rose-water or the juyce of Willows and lay it upon the wounded place applying on the top a linnen cloth first throughly wetted in wine Johannes Mesue who of some is called Evangelista medicorum prescribed this receipt of the juyce of Sisimbrium two drams and a half and with the juyce of Tartcitrons make a potion The juyce also of Spina Arabica and of Marjoram are nothing inferiour to these forementioned Aaron would in this grief have water Lintels called by some Ducks meat to be stamped with Vinegar and after to be applyed Constantine assureth us that Alcama tempered with Barley meal and Vinegar and so bound to the place as also Nuts leaves of Wall-nuts and Bleets are very profitable in this passion Item apply very warm to the wound a Spiders web bruised with a white Onion and sufficient Salt and Vinegar will perfectly cure it Guil. Placentinus will warrant that a plate of cold Iron laid upon the wound or Lead steeped in Vinegar will do the deed Gordonius counsel is to rub the place with Sage and Vinegar and afterwards to foment it with water and Vinegar sod together Varignana would have us to apply Chalk in powder and inwardly to take the seeds of Mallows boiled in Wine Water and a little Vinegar Matthiolus much commendeth Sperage being beaten and wrought up with Honey to anoint the place Likewise flies beaten and anointed on the place winter Savory Water-cresses with Oyl of Momerdica give most speedy help Arnoldus Villanovanus assureth us that any fresh earth especially Fullers earth is very available and the herb called Poley used as an Unguent or else Goats milk And Marcellus Empirious is not behinde his commendations for the use of Bullocks dung to be applyed as a poultesse to the stinged part These and many others may any Man ascribe that hath had but an easie tast of the infinity of Physicks speculation for the store-house of Nature and truly learned Physitians which way soever you turn you will minister and give sufficient store of alexiterial medicines for the expulsing of this grief In conclusion one and the self same medicament will serve indifferently for the curation of Wasps and Bees saving that when we are stung with Wasps more forcible remedies are required and for the hurts that Bees do us then weaker and gentler are sufficient In the hundreth and nintieth year before the birth of our blessed Saviour an infinite multitude of Waspes came flying into the Market place at Capua as Julius witnesseth and lighted on the Temple of Mars all which when with great regard and diligence they were gathered together and solemnly burnt yet for all that they presignified the coming of an enemy and did as it were fore-tell the burning of the City which shortly after came to passe And thus much for the History of the Wasp of HORNETS A Hornet is called of the Hebrews Tsirbah Of the Arabians Zabar and Zambor Of the Germans Ein hornauss Horlitz Froisin Ofertzwuble Of the Flemings Horsele Of the Frenchmen Trellons Fonlons Of the Italians Calauron Crabrone Scaraffon and Galanron Of the Spaniards Tabarros ò Moscardos Of the Illyrians Irssen Of the Sclavonians Sierszen Of us Englishmen Hornets and great Wasps The Grecians call them Anthrénas and Anthrenoùs because with their sting they raise an Anthrar or Carbuncle with a vehement inflamation of the whole part about it The Latines call them Crabrones peradventure of Crabra a Town so named in the Territory of Tusculanum where there is great plenty of them or it may be they are tearmed Crambrones of Caballus a Horse of whom they are first engendered according to that of Ovid 15. Metamorphos Pressus humo bellator equus Crabronis origo est That is to say When War-horse dead upon the Earth lies Then doth his flesh breed Hornet flies Albertus tearmeth a Hornet Apis citrina that is a yellow or Orange coloured Bee Cardan laboureth much to prove that dead Mules are their first beginners Plutarch is of opinion that they first proceed from the flesh of dead Horses as Bees do out of a Bulls belly and I think that they have their breeding from the harder more firm and solid parts of the flesh of Horses as Wasps do from the more tender or soft Hornets are twice so great as the common Wasps in shape and proportion of body much resembling one another They have four wings the inward not being half so large as the outward being all joyned to their shoulders which are of a dark brownish and of a Chestnut-like colour these wings are the cause of their swift flight they have also six feet of the same colour and hew that their breast and shoulders are of There is somewhat long of the colour of Saffron their eyes and looks are hanging or bending downwards crooked and made like a half Moon from which grow forth two peaks like
Pericardium The liver is very black and somewhat cloven at the bending or sloap side the milt somewhat red cleaving to the very bottom of the ventricle The reins are also very spungy joyned almost to the legs in which parts it is most fleshy but in other places especially in the belly and breast it is all skin and bone It also beareth egges in her place of conception which is forked or double which are there disposed in order as in other living griftly creatures Those Egges are nourished with a kinde of red fat out of which in due time come the young ones alive in as great plenty and number as the Salamanders And these things are reported by Bellonius besides whom I finde nothing more said that is worthy to be related of this Serpent and therefore I will here conclude the History whereof Of the CROCODILE In the same place of Leviticus the word Zab is interpreted a kinde of Crocodile wherewithall David Kimhi confoundeth Greschint and Rabbi Solomon Faget The Chaldees translate it Zaba the Persians An Rasu the Septuagints a Crocodile of the earth but it is better to follow Saint Hierom in the same because the Text addeth according to his kinde wherefore it is superfluous to adde the distinction of the Crocodile of the earth except it were lawful to eat the Crocodiles of the water In Exod. 8. there is a fish called Zephardea which cometh out of the waters and eateth men this cannot agree to any fish in Nilus save only the Crocodile and therefore this word is by the Arabians rendered Al Timasch Some do hereby understand Pagulera Grenelera and Batra 〈…〉 that to great Frogs Aluka by the most of the Jews understand a Horsleach Prov. 30. but David Kimhi taketh and useth it for a Crocodile For he saith it is a great Worm abiding nâ—â—r the Rivers sides and upon a sudden setteth upon men or cattel as they passe beside him Tisma and Alinsa are by Avicen expounded for a Crocodile and Tenchea for that Crocodile that never moveth his neather or under chap. Strabo saith that in the Province of Arsinoe in Egypt there is a holy Crocodile worshipped by the Inhabitants and kept tame by the Priests in a certain Lake this sacred Crocodile is called Suchus and this word cometh neer to Scincus which as we have said signifieth any Crocodile of the earth from which the Arabian Tinsa semeth also to be derived as the Egyptian Thampsai doth come neer to the Arabian Tremisa Horodotus calleth them Champsai and this was the old Ionian word for a Vulgar Crocodile in hedges Upon occasion whereof Scaliger saith he asked a Turk by what name they call a Crocodile at this day in Turky and he answered Kimpsai which is most evidently corrupted from Champsai The Egyptians vulgarly call the Crocodile of Nilus Câ—catriâ— the Grecians Neilokrokodeilos generally Krocodeilos and sometimes Dendrites The Latines Crocodilus and Albertus Crocodillus and the same word is retained in all languages of Europe About the Etymology of this word I finde two opinions not unprofitable to be rehearsed the first that Crocodilus cometh of Crocus Saffron because this Beast especially the Crocodile of the earth is afraid of Saffron and therefore the Countrey people to defend their Hives of Bees and Honey from them strow upon the places Saffron But this is too far fetched to name a Beast from that which it feareth and being a secret in nature it is not likely that it was discovered at the first and therefore the name must have some other investigation Isidorus saith that the name Crocodilus cometh of Croceus color the colour of Saffron because such is the colour of the Crocodile and this seemeth to be more reasonable For I have seen a Crocodile in England brought out of Egypt dead and killed with a Musket the colour whereof was like to Saffron growing upon stalks in fields Yet it is more likely that the derivation of Varinus and Eustathius was the original for they say that the shores of sands on the Rivers were called Crocae and Crocula and because the Crocodiles haunt and live in those shores it might give the name to the Beasts because the water Crocodiles live and delight in those sands but the land or earth Crocodiles abhor and fear them It is reported that the famous Grammarian Artemidorus seeing a Crocodile lying upon the lands he was so much touched and moved therewith that he fell into an opinion that his left leg and hand were eaten off by that Serpent and that thereby he lost the remembrance of all his great learning and knowledge of Arts. And thus much for the name of this Serpent In the next place we are to consider the Countries wherein Crocodiles are bred and keep their habitation and those are especially Egypt for that only hath Crocodiles of both kindes that is of the water and of the land for the Crocodiles of Nilus are Amphibil and live in both elements they are not only in the River Nilus but also in all the pools near adjoyning The River Bambotus neer to Atlas in Africa doth also bring forth Crocodiles and Pliny saith that in Darat a River of Mauritania there are Crocodiles ingendered Likewise Apollonius reporteth that when he passed by the River Indus he met with many Sea-horses and Crocodiles such as are found in the River Nilus and besides these Countries I do not remember any other wherein are ingendered Crocodiles of the water which are the greatest and most famous Crocodiles of all other The Crocodiles of the earth which are of lesser note and quantity are more plentiful for they are found in Lybia and in Bythinia where they are called Azaritia and in the Mountain Syagrus in Arabia and in the Woods of India as is well observed by Arianus Dioscorides and Hermolaus and therefore I will not prosecute this matter any further The kindes being already declared it follows that we should proceed to their quantity and several parts And it appeareth that the water Crocodile is much greater and more noble then the Crocodiles of the earth for they are not not above two cubits long or sometimes eight at the most but the others are sixteen and sometimes more And besides these Crocodiles if they lay their egs in the water saith Dellunensis then their young ones are much greater but if on the land then they are lesser and like the Crocodiles of the earth In the River Ganges there are two kindes of Crocodiles one of them is harmlesse and doth no hurt to any creature but the other is a devouring unfatiable Beast killing all that he layeth his mouth on without all mercy or exorable quality in the top of whose snowt there groweth a bunch like a horn Now a Crocodile is like a Lizard in all points excepting the tail and the quantity of a Lizard yet it layeth an Egge no greater then a Gooses Egge and from so small a beginning a beginning ariseth this
prosper but neer the waters and they live threescore years or the age of a mans life The nature of this beast is to be fearful ravening malitious and treacherous in getting of his prey the subtilty of whose spirit is by some attributed to the thinnesse of his bloud and by other to the hardnesse of his skin and hide How it dealeth with her young ones we have shewed already as it were trying their nature whether they will degenerate or no and the like things are reported of the Asps Cancers and Tortoyses of Egypt From hence came the conceit of Pietas Crocodili the piety of the Crocodile But as we have said it is a fearful Serpent abhorring all manner of noise especially from the strained voyce of a man and where he findeth himself valiantly assaulted there also he is discouraged and therefore Marcellinus saith of him Audax Monstrum fugacibus at ubi audaecem senserit timidissimum An audacious Monster to them that run away but most fearful where he findeth resistance Some have written that the Crocodile runneth away from a man if he wink with his left eye and look sted fastly upon him with his right eye but if this be true it is not to be attributed to the vertue of the right eye but only to the rarenesse of sight which is conspicuous to the Serpent from one eye The greatest terrour unto Crocodiles as both Seneca and Pliny affirm are the Inhabitants of the Isle Tentyrus within Nilus for those people make them run away with their voyces and many times pursue and take them in snares Of these people speaketh Solinus in this manner There is a generation of men in the Isle Tentyrus within the waters of Nilus which are of a most adverse nature to the Crocodile dwelling also in the same place And although their persons or presence be of small stature yet herein is their courage admired because at the sudden sight of a Crocodile they are no whit daunted for one of these dare meet and provoke him to run away They will also leap into the Rivers and swim after the Crocodile and meeting with it without fear cast themselves upon the beasts back riding on him as upon a Horse And if the beast lift up his head to bite him when he gapeth they put into his mouth a wedge holding it hard at both ends with both their hands and so as it were with a bridle lead or rather drive them captive to the land where with their noise they so terrifie them that they make them cast up the bodies which they had swallowed into their bellies and because of this antipathy in nature the Crocodiles dare not come neer to this Island The like thing we have before in our general discourse of Serpents shewed to be in the Indian Psylli against the greatest Serpents And Strabo also hath recorded that at what time Crocodiles were brought to Rome these Tentyrites followed and drove them For whom there was a certain great pool or fish-pond assigned or walled about except one passage for the beast to come out of the water into the Sun-shine and when the people came to see them these Tentyrites with nets would draw them to the land and put them back again into the water at their own pleasure For they so hook them by their eyes and bottom of their bellies which are their tenderest parts that like as Horses broken by their Riders they yeeld unto them and forget their strength in the presence of these their Conquerors Peter Martyr in his third Book of his Babylonian Legation saith that from the City Cair to the Sea the Crocodiles are not so hurtful and violent as they are up the River Nilus into the land and against the stream For as you go further up the River neer the mountain and hilly places so shall you finde them more fierce bloudy and unresistible whereof the Inhabitants gave him many reasons First because that part of the River which is betwixt the City Cair and the Sea is very full of all sorts of fishes where by the beasts are so filled with devouring of them that they list not come out of the water on the land to hunt after men or cattel and therefore they are the lesse hurtful for even the Lyon and Wolf do cease to kill and devour when their bellies are full But sometimes the Crocodiles beneath the River follow the gales or troups of fish up the River like so many fisher-men and then the Countrey Fisher-men inclose them in nets and so destroy them For there is a very great reward proposed by the law of the Countrey to him that killeth a Crocodile of any great quantity and therefore they grow not great and by reason of their smalnesse are lesse adventurous For so soon as a great Crocodile is discovered there is such watch and care taken to interrupt and kill him for hope of the reward that he cannot long escape alive Thirdly the Crocodiles up the River towards the Mountains are more hurtful because they are pressed with more hunger and famine and more seldom come within the terror of men wherefore they forsake the waters and run up and down to seek preys to satisfie their hunger which when they meet withall they devour with an unresistible desire forced and pressed forward by hunger which breaketh stone walls But most commonly when the River Nilus is lowest and sunck down into the channel then the Crocodiles in the water do grow most hungry because the fish are gone away with the floods and then the subtile beast will heal and cover himself over with sand or mud and so lie the bank of the River where he knoweth the women come to fetch water or the cattel to drink and when he espyeth his advantage he suddenly taketh the woman by the hand that she taketh up water withall and draweth her into the River where he teareth her in pieces and eateth her Is like sort dealeth he with Oxen Cows Asses and other cattel If hunger force him to the land and he meet with a Camel Horse Asse or such like beast then with the force and blows of his tail he breaketh his legs and so laying him flat on the earth killeth and eateth him for so great is the strength of a Crocodiles tail that it hath been seen that one stroke thereof hath broken all the four legs of a beast at one blow There is also another peril by Crocodiles for it is said that when Nilus falleth and the water waxeth low the Barks through want of winde are fain by the Mariners to be tugged up the stream with long lines and cords the subtile Crocodile seeing the same doth suddenly with his tail smite the same line with such force that either he breaketh it or by his forcible violence tumbleth the Mariner down into the water whom he is ready to receive with open mouth before he can recover Yea many times by means thereof the Bark it self so
where the Inhabitants abhor and condemn the worship of Crocodiles for when they take any of them they hang them up and beat them to death notwithstanding their tears and cryings and afterwards they eat them but the reason of their hatred is because Typhon their ancient enemy was clothed with a Crocodiles shape Others also say the reason of their hatred is because a Crocodile took away and devoured the daughter of Psamnites and therefore they enjoyned all their posterity to hate Crocodiles To conclude this discourse of Crocodiles inclination even the Egyptians themselves account a Crocodile a savage and cruel murthering Beast as may appear by their Hieroglyphicks for when they will decipher a mad man they picture a Crocodile who being put from his desired prey by forcible resistance he presently rageth against himself And they are often taught by lamentable experience what fraud and malice to mankinde liveth in these Beasts for they cover themselves under willows and green hollow banks till some people come to the Waters side to draw and fetch water and then suddenly or ever they be aware they are taken and drawn into the water And also for this purpose because he knoweth that he is not able to over-take a man in his course or chase he taketh a great deal of water in his mouth and casteth it in the path-wayes so that when they endevour to run from the Crocodile they fall down in the slippery path and are over-taken and destroyed by him The common proverb also Crocodili lachrymae the Crocodiles tears justifieth the treacherous nature of this Beast for there are not many brute Beasts that can weep but such is the nature of the Crocodile that to get a man within his danger he will sob sigh and weep as though he were in extremity but suddenly he destroyeth him Others say that the Crocodile weepeth after he hath devoured a man Howsoever it be it noteth the wretched nature of hypocritical hearts which before-hand will with faigned tears endevour to do mischief or else after they have done it be outwardly sorry as Judas was for the betraying of Christ before he went and hanged himself The males of this kinde do love their females above all measure yea even to jealousie as may appear by this one History of P. Martyr About the time that he was in those countries there were certain Mariners which saw two Crocodiles together in carnal copulation upon the sands neer the River from which the water was lately fallen into a certain Island of Nilus the greedy Mariners forsook their ship and be took themselves to a long boat and with great shouting hollowing and crying made towards them in very couragious manner the male at the first assault fell amazed and greatly terrified ran away as fast as he could into the waters leaving his female lying upon her back for when they ingender the male turneth her upon her back for by reason of the shortnesse of her legs she cannot do it her self so the Mariners finding her upon her back and not able to turn over her self they easily slew her and took her away with them Soon after the male returned to the place to seek his female but nor finding her and perceiving bloud upon the sand conjectured truly that she was slain wherefore he presently cast himself into the River of Nilus again and in his rage swam stoutly against the stream untill he over-took the ship wherein his dead female was which he presently set upon lifting up himself and catching hold on the fides would certainly have entered the same had not the Mariners with all their force battered his head and hands with clubs and staves until he was wearyed and forced to give over his enterprise and so with great sighing and sobbing departed from them By which relation it is most clear what natural affection they bear one to another and how they choose out their fellows as it were fit wives and husbands for procreation And it is no wonder if they make much of one another for besides themselves they have few friends in the world except the Bird Trochilus and Swine of whom I can say little except this that followeth As for the little Bird Trochilus it affecteth and followeth them for the benefit of his own belly for while the Crocodile greedily eateth there sticketh fast in his teeth some part of his prey which troubleth him very much and many times ingendereth Worms then the Beast to help himself taketh land and lyeth gaping against the Sun-beams westward the Bird perceiving it flyeth to the jaws of the Beast and there first with a kinde of tickling-scratching procureth as it were licence of the Crocodile to pull forth the Worms and so eateth them all out and clenseth the teeth throughly for which cause the Beast is content to permit the Bird to go into his mouth But when all is clensed the ingrateful Crocodile endevoureth suddenly to shut his chaps together upon the Bird and to devour his friend like a cursed wretch which maketh no reckoning of friendship but the turn served requiteth good with evill But Nature hath armed this little Bird with sharp thorns upon her head so that while the Crocodile endevoureth to shut his chaps and close his mouth upon it those sharp thorns prick him into his palate so that full sore against his unkinde nature he letteth her flye safe away But whereas there be many kindes of Trochili which are greedy of these Worms or clensings of the Crocodiles some of them which have not thorns on their heads pay for it for there being not offence to let the closing of the Crocodiles mouth they must needs be devoured and therefore this enforced amity betwixt him and the Crocodile is only to be understood of the Cledororynchus as it is called by Hermolaus There be some that affirm that he destroyeth all without exception that thus come into his mouth and othersome say he destroyeth none but when he feeleth his mouth sufficiently clensed he waggeth his upper chap as it were to give warning of avoidance and in favour of the good turn to let the bird flie away at his own pleasure Howbeit the other and the former narration is more likely to be true and more constantly affirmed by all good Authors except Plutarch And Leo Afric saith that it was the constant and confident report of all Africa that the Crocodile devoureth all for their love and kindenesse except the Cledororynchi which they cannot by reason of the thorns upon their head That there is an amity and natural concord betwixt Swine and Crocodiles is also gathered because they only among all other living four-footed Beasts do without danger dwell feed and inhabit upon the banks of Nilus even in the midst of Crocodiles and therefore it is probable that they are friends in nature But oh how small a sum of friends hath this Beast and how unworthy of love among all creatures
a mortal wound Alciatus hath an Embleme which he seemeth to have translated out of Greek from Antipater Sidonius of a Falconer which while he was looking up after Birds for meat for his Hawk suddenly a Dipsas came behinde him and stung him to death The title of his Embleme is Qui alta contemplatur cadere he that looketh high may fall and the Embleme it self is this that followeth Dum turdos visco pedica dum fallit alaudas Et jacta altivolam figit arundo gruem Dipsada non prudens auceps pede perculit ultrix Illa mali emissum virus ab ore jacit Sic obit extento qui sidera respicit arcu Securus fati quod jacet ante pedes Which may be thus Englished Whiles Thrush with line and Lark deceived with net And Crane high flying pierced with force of reed By Falconer was behold a Dipsas on the foot did set As if it would revenge his bloudy foul misdeed For poyson out of mouth it cast and bit his 〈◊〉 Whereof he dyed like Birds by him deceived Whiles bending bow alost unto the stars did look Saw not his fate below which him of life bereaved This Dipsas is inferior in quantity unto a Viper but yet killeth by poyson much more speedily according to these verses Exiguae similis spectatur Dipsas echidnae Sed festina magis mors ictus occupat aegros Parva lurida cui circa ultima cauda nigrescit That is to say This Dipsas like unto the Viper small But kills by stroke with greater pain and speed Whose tail at end is soft and black withall That as your death avoid with careful heed It is but a short Serpent and so small as Arnoldus writeth it killeth before it be espyed the length of it not past a cubit the fore-part being very thick except the head which is small and so backward it groweth smaller and smaller the tail being exceeding little the colour of the fore-part somewhat white but set over with black and yellow spots the tail very black Galen writeth that the ancient Marsi which were appointed for hunting Serpents and Vipers about Rome did tell him that there was no means outwardly to distinguish betwixt the Viper and the Dipsas except in the place of their abode for the Dipsas he saith keepeth in the salt places and therefore the nature thereof is more fiery but the Vipers keep in the dryer Countries wherefore there are not many of the Dipsades in Italy because of the moistnesse of that Countrey but in Lybia where there are great store of salt marishes As we have said already a man or beast wounded with this Serpent is afflicted with intolerable thirst insomuch as it is easier for him to break his belly then to quench his thirst with drinking always gaping like a Bull casteth himself down into the water and maketh no spare of the cold liquor but continually sucketh it in till either the belly break or the poyson drive out the life by overcoming the vital spirits To conclude beside all the symptomes which follow the biting of Vipers which are common to this Serpent this also followeth them that the party afflicted can neither make water vomit nor sweat so that they perish by one of these two ways first either they are burned up by the heat of the poyson if they come not at water to drink or else if they come by water they are so unsatiable that their bellies first swell above measure and soon break about their privy parts To conclude all the affections which follow the thick poyson of this Serpent are excellently described by Lucan in these verses following Signiferum juvenem Tyrrheni sanguinis Aulum Torta capuâ— retrò Dipsas calcata momor dit Vix dolor aut sensus dentis fuit ipsaque leti Frons caret invidia nec quicquam plaga minatur Ecce subit virus tacitum carpitque medullas Ignis edax calidaque incendit viscera tabe Ebibit humorem circum vitalia fusum Pestis in sicco linguam torrere palato Coepit defâ—ssos iret qui sudor in artus Non fuit atque oculos lachrymarum vena resugit Non decus imperii non moesti jura Catonis Ardentem tenuere virum quin spargere signa Auderet totisque furens exquireret agris Quas poscebat aquas sitiens in corde venenum Ille vel in Tanaim missus Rhodanumque Padumque Arderet Nilumque bibens per rura vagantem Accessit morti Libyae fatique minorem Famam Dipsas habet teriis adjuta perustis Scrutatur venas penitus squallentis arenae Nunc redit ad Syrtes fluctus accipit ore Aequoreusque placet sed non sufficit humor Nec sentit fatique genus mortemque veneni Sed putat esse sitim ferroque aperire tumentes Sustinuit venas atque os implere cruore Lucan lib. 9. In English thus Tyrâ—henian Aulus the ancient-bearer young Was bit by Dipsas turning head to heel No pain or sense of 's teeth appear'd though poyson strong Death doth not frown the man no harm did feel But loe she poyson takes the marrow and eating fire Burning the bowels â—arm till all consumed Drinking up the humor about the vital spire And in dry palat was the tongue up burned There was no sweat the sinews to refresh And tears fled from the vein that feeds the eyes Then Catoes law nor Empires honor fresh This fiery youth could hold but down the streamer flies And like a mad man about the fields he runs Poysons force in heart did waters crave Though unto Tanais Rhodanus Padus he comes Or Nilus yet all too little for his heat to have But dry was death as though the Dipsas force Were not enough but holp by heat of earth Then doth he search the sands but no remorse To Syrtes floud he hies his mouth of them he filleth Salt water pleaseth but it cannot suffice Nor knew he fate or this kinde venoms death But thought it thirst and seeing his veins arise Them cut which bloud stopt mouth and breath The signes of death following the biting of this Serpent are extreme drought and inflamation both of the inward and outward parts so that outwardly the parts are as dry as Parchment or as a skin set against the fire which cometh to passe by adustion and commutation of the bloud into the nature of the poyson For this cause many of the ancients have thought it to be incurable and therefore were ignorant of the proper medicines practising only common medicines prescribed against Vipers but this is generally observed that if once the belly begin to break there can be no cure but death First therefore they use scarification and make ustion in the body cutting off the member wounded If it be in the extremity they lay also playsters unto it as Triacle liquid Pitch with Oyl Hens cut asunder alive and so laid to hot or else the leaves of Purslain beaten in Vinegar Barley meal Bramble leaves pounded with Honey
Tortoises one of the Earth a second of the Sea a third called Lutaria and the fourth called Swyda living in Sweet-waters and this is called by the Portugals Cagado and Gagado the Spaniards Galopag and the Italians Gaiandre de aqua There are of this kinde found in Helvetia neer to Zurick at a Town called Andelfinge but the greatest are found in the River Ganges in India where their shells are as great as tuns and Damascen writeth that he saw certain Embassadours of India present unto Augustus Caesar at Antiochia a sweet-Sweet-water Tortoise which was three cubits broad They breed their young ones in Nilus They have but a small Milt and it wanteth both a bladder and reins They breed their young ones and lay their Egges on the dry land for in the water they die without respiration therefore they dig a hole in the earth wherein they lay their Egges as it were in a great ditch of the quantity of a Barrel and having covered them with earth depart away from them for thirty days afterwards they come again and uncover their Egs which they finde formed into young ones those they take away with them into the water and these Tortoises at the inundation of Nilus follow the Crocodiles and remove their nests and egges from the violence of the flouds There was a magical and superstitious use of these Sweet-water Tortoises against Hail for if a man take one of these in his right hand and carry it with the belly upward round about his Vineyard and so returning in the same manner with it and afterward lay it upon the back so as it cannot turn on the belly but remain with the face upward all manner of Clowds should passe over that place and never empty themselves upon that Vineyard But such Diabolical and foolish observations were not so much as to be remembred in this place were it not for their sillinesse that by knowing them men might learn the weaknesse of humane wisdom when it erreth from the Fountain of all science and true knowledge which is Divinity and the most approved operations of Nature And so I will say no more in this place of the Sweet-water Tortoise Of the TORTOISE of the Sea IT were unproper and exorbitant to handle the Sea-tortoise in this place were it not because it liveth in both elements that is both the water and the land wherefore seeing the Earth is the place of his generation as the Sea is of his food and nourishment it shall not be amisse nor improper I trust to handle this also among the Serpents and creeping things of the earth Pliny calleth this Sea-tortoise Mus Marinus a Mouse of the Sea and after him Albertus doth so likewise The Arabians call it Asfulhasch and the Portugals Tartaruga and in Germany Meeâ—schiltkrott which the common Fisher-men call the Souldier because his back seemeth to be armed and covered with a shield and helmet especially on the fore-part which shield is very thick strong and triangular there being great veins and sinews which go out of his neck shoulders and hips that tie on and fasten the same to his body His fore-feet being like hands are forked and twisted very strong and with which it fighteth and taketh his prey and nothing can presse it to death except the frequent strokes of Hammers And in all their members except their quantity and their feet they are much like the Tortoises of the earth for otherwise they are greater and are also black in colour They pull in their heads as occasion is ministred to them either to fight feed or be defended and their whole shell or cover seemeth to be compounded of fine Plates They have no teeth but in the brims of their beaks or or snouts are certain eminent divided things like teeth very sharp and shut upon the under lip like as the cover of a Box and in the confidence of the sharp prickles and the strength of their hands and backs they are not afraid to fight with men Their eyes are most clear and splendent casting their beams far and near and also they are of white colour so that for their brightnesse and rare whitenesse the Apples are taken out and included in Rings Chains and Bracelets They have reins which cleave to their backs as the Reins of a Bugle or Ox. Their feet are not apt to be used in going for they are like to the feet of Seals or Sea-calves serving in stead of Oars to swim withall Their legs are very long and stronger in their feet and nails then are the claws of the Lion They live in Rocks and the Sea-sands and yet they cannot live altogether in the water or on the land because they want breathing and sleep both which they perform out of the Water yet Pliny writeth that many times they sleep on the top of the water and his reason is because they lie still unmoveable except with the Water and snort like any other Creature that sleepeth but the contrary appeareth seeing they are found to sleep on the land and the snorting noise they make is but an endeavour to breath which they cannot well do on the top of the water and yet better there then in the bottom They feed in the night-time and the mouth is the strongest of all other Creatures for with it they they crush in pieces any thing be it never so hard as a stone or such things they also come and eat grasse on the dry land They eat certain little Fishes in the Winter time at which season their mouth is hardest and with these Fishes they are also baited by men and so taken Pausanias writeth that in Africa that there are Maritine Rocks called Scelestae and there dwelleth among a creature called Scynon that is Zytyron a Tortoise and whatsoever he findeth on those Rocks which is stranger in the Sea the same he taketh and casteth down headlong They engender on the Land and the female resisteth the copulation with the male until he set against her a stalk or stem of some tree or plant They lay their Egs and cover them in the earth planing it over with their breasts and in the night-time they sit upon them to hatch them Their Egs are great of divers coloursâ— having a hard shell so that the young one is not framed or brought forth within lesse compasse then a year as Aristotle writeth but Pliny saith thirty days And for as much as they cannot by Nature nor dare for accident long tarry upon the land they set certain marks with their feet upon the place where they lay their Egs whereby they know the place again and are never deceived Some again say that after they have hid their Egs in the earth forty days the female cometh the just fortieth day not failing of her reckoning and uncovereth her Egs wherein she findeth her young ones formed which she taketh out as joyfully as any man would do Gold out of the
Wasps Thus the most soft and supple heâ—b becomes a remedy against the most warlike and injurious creature with whose juice and a little oyl mingled with it and the part anointed doth either mitigate the rage of the Wasp or doth not suffer the sting to enter Plin. l. 22. c. 179. So Avicen the Wasp saith he will not come near any man that is anointed with oyl and the juice of Mallowes for as a soft answer appeaseth wrath and as the Greeks use to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. A milde reply is the best allay to anger so also in physicks we see those things that are most stiffe and unyeelding to be resisted and beaten off with the most soft things as the Iron with featheâ—s the Adamant with bloud the sting of Wasps Hornets Bees with oyl and the juice of Mallowes What is more soft than the Silk-worm which yet Aetius affirmeth being beaten together with oyl and the party anointed with it is a preservative against the stinging of Wasps the same doth the Locust and the herb Balm beaten together with oyl if the Greeks may be credited The stone Garatides if it be the true although dawbed over with honey and born about doth fray away all Flyes and Wasps whatsoever as Sylvaticus out of Albertus doth conjecture The like virtue doth Matthiolus ascribe superstitiously and too confidently to the Iron that hath the figure of the shell-fish Strombus graven in it The symptomes that follow upon the stinging of Wasps are said to be these they suffer all alike as those that are stung with Bees to wit smart redness swelling but the pain is more grievous and of longer continuance especially if they chance to be stung by the citron coloured greater Wasps in a sinewy and tender place for then followes the cramp weakness of knees swouning and sometimes death Physicians have found out many remedies against the stingings of Wasps we shall first speak of those we have tryed and which may challenge your acceptance being confirmed by long experience We finde that Wasps applyed to the wound they made do exceedingly help it being perswaded to use them by Gilbert an English man It may be that not the Scorpion only hath this vertue but the greatest part of Insects have it also if we should make trial diligently But if any man be stung by venomed Wasps which is easily known by the wound of the part by raving and swouning and coldness of the extreme parts then give antidotes against venome and open the place with a knife or rather lay on a caustick when it is laid open and dilated suck it forcibly and taking some of the earth of the Wasps nest make a plaister with vinegar and lay it on the sore Also a Cataplasm made of Mallowes Willows and Wasps combs helps wonderfully as we proved by the cornsel of Halyabbas The North English men make a good plaister against the stinging of Wasps of the earth of furnaces vinegar and flyes heads it is worth its weight in gold Rub the place with juice of Citrals and let the patient drink Marjoram-seed 2 drams or take juice of Marjoram 2 ounces bole Armoniack 2 drams with juice of sowre Grapes what may suffice make a plaister Another anoint the place with the juice of Purslain or Beets or with sweet Wine and oyl of Roses or Cowes bloud also with seeds of wilde Cucumers bruised with Wine Galen Barley meal with Vinegar is good milk of the Fig-tree dropt into the wound Brine or sea-water to foment the wound give in drink 2 drams of the tender leaves of the Bay-tree in sharp Wine which also will do much good in a fomentation Also drink the decoction of Marsh-mallowes with Posca apply Salt and Calves fat Mallowes with Posca is a principal remedy Dioscorid l. 2. c. 42. Aetius joyns an earth named Cimolia to these and Clay and Oxe-dung and Sesamum and many other things with Posca Oyl of Bayes drawes out the poyson of the sting of a Wasp Leaves of Marsh-mallowes bruised and rubbed on cure the venome of Wasps Drink a little measure of the juice of Rue or of Balm with Wine and the leaves eaten and applyed with Salt and Honey or boyled with Vinegar and Pitch are very good Water-mints Rosemary with Barley-meal and Posca juice of Ivy-leaves Golden flower and Owles bloud are excellent against the stingings of Wasps Pliny l. 32. c. 9. Galen praiseth Water-mints and the seed of it drank and Centaury if at the same time you lay on Oxe dung for a plaister Lib. de simplicib ad Paternianâ—m lib. de Centaur ad Papiam A branch of the wilde Palm-tree Endive root and all wilde Betony laid on for a plaister profit very much Also drink wilde Betony 2 drams with Oxymel First suck out the poyson then hold the part hurt in hot water for an hour then sâ—eep it suddenly in Vinegar and fish Pickle so the pain is presently gone and the swelling sinks away and the venome is pacified One half dram of Marjoram seed applied stils the pain or 3 pugils of dry Coriander seed or cool juice drank Avicenna Leaves of Nightshade or Houseleek laid on are good Also bole Armoniack with Camphire and Vinegar Nuts bruised with a little Vinegar and Castoreum apply a honey comb and presently hold the part affected to the fire or put hot ashes under it and the pain will cease forthwith It is good to lay on green Coriander or oyl and ashes mingled Rhasis Savorey or Water-mints applied and the seed of them drank or the juice of the lesser-Centory drank in Wine is excellent So are the leaves of river Basil Mercury Mandragoro with Vinegar Serapio A snow ball put to the fundament takes off all pain chiefly if it proceed from a Wasps stinging foment the part with Camphire Vinegar or oftentimes with snow-water Take Opium Henbane-seed Camphire of each alike mix them with Rosewater or juice of Willowes and apply it lay over it a cloth wet in Wine Ardoynus Take juice of wilde Mints Aurei 2. with juice of sowre Lemmons make a julep Also the juice of the Arabian Thorn and of Marjoram help much Mesue Water-lintels with Vinegar anointed Aaron Rub the part well with the finest leaves of Xyloâ—araster that is sweet Cods of Pliny and the pain presently ceaseth The juice of Lettice doth the same or the juice of Dandelion drank The Mud in the bottom of a vessel where water hath stood long applyed with Vinegar cures the Wasps stinging Simeon Foment the part with Snow-water till it be stupefied Joâ—â—nitius Any new earth especially Cimolia is good Poly smeered on as also Goats milk cures Wasps wounds Arnoldus Alcanna with Barley meal and Vinegar bound to the part Nuts the leaves of Walnuts Blites are very good also lay on hot to the wound a Spiders web beaten with a white Onion and Vinegar it cures Constantinus Rub the place with Sage and Vinegar and after with Posca Guil.