all the liuing creatures in the water draweth a certaine thin bright skinne from his fore-head ouer his eyes where-withall hee couereth his sight and this I take to be the onely cause of his dimme sight in the waters The head of this beast is very broade and his snoute like a Swynes When hee eateth or byteth he neuer mooueth his neather or vnder chappe Whereof Aristotle giueth this reason that seeing Nature hath giuen him so short feete as that they are not able to hold or to take the prey therefore the mouth is framed instead of feete so as it may more vehemently strike and wound and also more speedily mooue and turne after the prey and this is better done by the vpper thē the nether chap. But it is likely that hee was not deceiued although he speaketh of Crocodilus Marinus a crocodile of the sea vvheras there is no Crocodile of the Sea but rather some other monster like a Crocodile in the sea and such peraduenture Albertus saw and there-vpon inconsideratly affirmed that all Crocodiles moue theyr vnder-chapps except the Tenchea But the learned Vessalius prooueth it to be otherwise because that the nether chappe is so conioyned and fastned to the bones of the temples that it is not possible for to be moued And therfore the Crocodile onely among all other liuing creatures moueth the vpper-chap and holdeth the vnder-chap vnmoueable The second wonder vnto this is that the Crocodile hath no tongue nor so much as any appearance of a tongue But then the question is how it commeth to distinguish the sapours and tast of his meate Where-vnto Aristotle aunswereth that this Crocodile is such a rauening beast that his meate tarrieth not in his mouth but is carryed into his stomacke like as other water-beasts and therefore they discerne sapours and rellish theyr meate more speedily thē other for the water or humour falleth so fast into their mouthes that they cannot stand long vppon the tast or distaste of their meate But yet some make question of this and they aunswere that most men are deceiued heerein for whiles they looke for his tongue vpon his nether-chap as it is in all other beasts and find none they conclude him to want that part but they should consider that the tongue cleaueth to the moueable part and as in other beasts the nether-chap is the seate of the tongue because of the motion so in this the tongue cleaueth to the vpper-chappe because that it is moueable and yet not visible as in other and therefore is very hardly discerned For all this I rather conclude with the former Authours that seeing it liueth both in the waters and on the land and therefore it resembleth a fish and a beast as it resembleth a beast locum obtinet lingua it hath a place for a tongue but as it resembleth a fish Elinguis est it is without a tongue It hath great teeth standing out all of them stand out before visibly when the mouth is shut and fewer behind And whereas Aristotle writeth that there is no liuing creature which hath both dentes prominentes serratos that is standing out and deuided like a saw yet the Crocodile hath both These teeth are white long sharpe a little crooked and hollow their quantity well resembling the residue of the proportion of the body and some say that a crocodile hath three rowes of teeth like the Lion of Chius like the Whale but this is not an approoued opinion because they haue no more then 60. teeth They haue also 60. ioynts or bones in the back which are also tied together with so many nerues The opening of his mouth reacheth to the place of his eares and there be some Crocodiles in Ganges which haue a kind of little horne vpō their noses or snout The melt is very small this somesay is onely in them that bring forth egges their stones are inward cleaue to their loynes The taile is of the same length that the whole body hath and the same is also rough armed with hard skin vpon the vpper part the sides but beneath it is smooth tender It hath finnes vpō the tayle by the benefit wherof it swimmeth as also by the help of the feete The feet are like a Beares except that they are couered with scales in stead of haire their nailes are very sharp strong for if it had a thumbe as well as it hath feet the strength thereof would ouer-turne a ship It is doubtful whether it hath any place of excrement except the mouth And thus much for the seuerall parts of the Crocodile The knowledge also of the naturall actions inclinations of Crocodiles is requisite to be handled in the next place because that actions folow the members as sounds do instruments First therfore although Aristotle for the most part speaking of a Crocodile calleth it aquatilis fluuiatilis yet it is not to confine it to the waters riuers as though it neuer came out of thē like fishes but onely to note that particuler kind which differeth frō them of the earth for it is certaine that it liueth in both elements namely earth water for the time that it abideth in the water it also taketh ayre not the humour or moistnes of the water yet can they not want either humor of the water or respiration of the ayre and for the day time it abideth on the land in the night in the water because in the day the earth is hoter then the water in the night the water warmer then the earth while it liueth on the land it is so delighted with the sun-shine lieth therein so immoueable that a man would take it to be stark dead The eyes of a Crocodile as we haue said are dull blind in the water yet they appeare bright to others for this cause whē the Egyptians wil signifie the sun-rising they picture a Crocodile in the water looking vpward to the earth when they will signifie the west they picture a Crocodile diuing into the water and so for the most part the crocodile lyeth vpon the banks that he may either diue into the water with speed or ascend to the earth to take his prey By reason of the shortnes of his feet his pace is very slow therefore it is not only easie to escape from him by flight but also if a man do but turne aside wind out of the direct way his body is so vnable to bend it selfe that hee can neither wind nor turne after it Whē they go vnder the earth into their caues like to all other foure-footed egge-breeding serpents as namely Lizards Stellions Torteises they haue all their legs ioyned to their sides which are so retorted as they may bend to either side for the necessity of couering their egges but when they are abroad and goe bearing vp all their bodies then they bend only outward
destroyeth him Others say that the crocodile weepeth after he hath deuoured a man How-soeuer it be it noteth the wretched nature of hypocriticall harts which before-hand will with fayned teares endeuour to do mischiefe or els after they haue done it be outwardly sorry as Iudas was for the betraying of Christ before he went and hanged himselfe The males of this kind do loue their females aboue all measure yea euen to iealousie as may appeare by this one history of P. Martyr About the time that hee was in those countries there were certaine Marriners which saw two Crocodiles together in carnall copulation vpon the sands neere the Riuer from which the water was lately fallen into a certaine Iland of Nilus the greedy Marriners forsooke their ship and betooke themselues to a long boate and with great shouting hollowing crying made towards them in verie couragious manner the male at the first assault fell amazed greatly terrified ran away as fast as he could into the waters leauing his female lying vpon her backe for whē they ingender the male turneth her vpon her backe for by reason of the shortnes of her legges she cannot doe it her selfe so the Mariners finding her vpon her back not able to turne ouer her selfe they easily slew her and tooke her away with them Soone after the male returned to the place to seeke his female but not finding her and perceiuing blood vpon the sand coniectured truly that she was slaine wherefore hee presently cast himselfe into the Riuer of Nilus againe in his rage swam stoutly against the streame vntill hee ouertooke the ship wherein his dead femall was which he presently set vppon lifting vp himselfe and catching hold on the sides would certainly haue entered the same had not the Marriners with all their force battered his head and hands with clubs and staues vntill he was wearied and forced to giue ouer his enterprise so with great sighing and sobbing departed frō them By which relation it is most cleere what naturall affection they beare one to another and how they choose out theyr fellowes as it were fitte wiues and husbands for procreation And it is no wonder if they make much of one another for besides thēselues they haue 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 owne belly for while the Crocodile greedilie eateth there sticketh fast in his teeth some part of his prey which troubleth him very much many times ingendereth wormes then the beast to helpe himselfe taketh land and lyeth gaping against the sunne-beames westward the bird perceiuing it flyeth to the iawes of the beast and there first with a kind of tickling-scratching procureth as it were licence of the Crocodile to pull foorth the wormes and so eateth them all out and clenseth the teeth thoroughly for which cause the Beast is content to permit the Bird to goe into his mouth But when all is clensed the ingratefull Crocodile endeuoureth suddainely to shut his chappes together vppon the Bird and to deuoure his friend like a cursed wretch which maketh no reckoning of friendship but the turne serued requiteth good with euill But Nature hath armed this little bird with sharpe thornes vpon her head so that while the Crocodile endeuoureth to shut his chaps and close his mouth vpon it those sharpe thornes pricke him into his palate so that full sore against his vnkind nature hee letteth her flye safe away But where as there be many kinds of Trochili which are greedy of these wormes or clensings of the Crocodiles some of them which haue not thornes on theyr heades pay for it for there beeing not offence to let the closing of the Crocodiles mouth they must needes be deuoured and therefore this enforced amity betwixt him and the Crocodile is onely to be vnderstoode of the Claedororynchus as it is called by Hermolaus There be some that affirme that he destroyeth all without exception that thus come into his mouth and other-some say he destroyeth none but when he feeleth his mouth sufficiently clensed he waggeth his vpper chappe as it were to giue warning of auoydance and in fauour of the good turne to let the bird flie away at his owne pleasure Howbeit the other and 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 Affrica that the Crocodile deuoureth all for theyr loue and kindnesse except the Claedororynchi which they cannot by reason of the thornes vppon their head That there is an amitie and naturall concord betwixt Swine and Crocodiles is also gathered because they onely among all other liuing foure-footed beastes doe without danger dwell feede and inhabite vppon the banks of Nilus euen in the midst of the 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 vnwoorthy of loue among all creatures that neuer in nature hath but two in heauen or earth ayre or water that will aduenture to come neere it and one of these also which is the best deseruing it deuoureth and destroyeth it it get it within his danger Seeing the friendes of it are so few the enemies of it must needes be many and therefore require a more large catalogue or story In the first ranke whereof commeth as worthy the first place the Ichneumon or Pharaohs-mouse who rageth against their egges and their persons for it is certaine that it hunteth with all sagacity of sence to finde out theyr nests and hauing found them it spoyleth scattereth breaketh emptieth all theyr egs They also watch the old ones asleepe and finding their mouthes open against the beames of the Sunne suddenly enter into them and being small creepe downe theyr vast large throates before they be aware and then putting the Crocodile to exquisite and intollerable torment by eating their guttes asunder and so their soft bellies while the Crocodile tumbleth to and fro sighing and weeping now in the depth of water now on the Land neuer resting till strength of nature fayleth For the incessant gnawing of the Ichneumon so prouoketh her to seek her rest in the vnrest of euery part herbe element throwes throbs rowlings tossings mournings but all in vaine for the enemy within her breatheth thorough her breath and sporteth her selfe in the consumption of those vitall parts vvhich wast and weare away by yeelding to her vnpacificable teeth one after other till shee that crept in by stealth at the mouth like a puny theefe come out at the belly like a Conquerour thorough a passage opened by her owne labour industry as we haue also shewed at large in the story of Ichneumon But whether it be true or no that
then is the question at an end but if it be not then must the generation of it be sought for in some other place Thus leauing the stone of the Toade we must proceede to the other parts of the story and first of all their place of habitation which for them of the water is neere the vvater-side and for them of the earth in bushes hedges Rockes and holes of the earth neuer comming abroade while the Sunne shineth for they hate the sunne-shine and theyr nature cannot indure it for which cause they keepe close in their holes in the day time and in the night they come abroad Yet sometimes in rainy-weather and in solitary places they come abroade in the day-time All the Winter-time they liue vnder the earth feeding vppon earth herbes and wormes and it is said they eate earth by measure for they eate so much euery day as they can grype in theyr fore-foote as it were sizing themselues least the whole earth should not serue them till the Spring Resembling heerein great rich couetous men who euer spare to spend for feare they shall want before they die And for 〈◊〉 in auncient time the wise Painters of Germany did picture a woman sitting vpon a â—oade to signifie couetousnes They also loue to eate Sage and yet the roote of 〈◊〉 is to them deadly poyson They destroy Bees without all danger to themselues for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reepe to the holes of their Hiues and there blow in vppon the Bees by which â—…y draw them out of the Hiue and so destroy them as they come out for this 〈…〉 at the water-side they lye in waite to catch them When they come to drink in â—…me they see little or nothing but in the night time they see perfectly and thereâ—…ey come then abroade About their generation there are many worthy obseruations in nature somtimes they are bredde out of the putrefaction and corruption of the earth it hath also been seene that out of the ashes of a Toade burnt not onely one but many Toades haue been regenerated the yeere folowing In the New world there is a Prouince called Dariene the ayre whereof is wonderful vnwholsome because all the country standeth vpon rotten Marishes It is there obserued that when the slaues or seruants water the pauements of the dores from the drops of water which fall on the right hand are instantly many Toades ingendered as in other places such drops of water are turned into gnats It hath also beene seene that women conceiuing with child haue likewise conceiued at the same time a frog or a toade or a Lizard and therefore Platearius saith that those thinges which are medicines to prouoke the menstruous course of women doe also bring foorth the Secondiues And some haue called BufoneÌ„ fratrem Salernitanorum et lacertum fratreÌ„ LombardoruÌ„ that is a toade the brother of the Salernitans the Lizard the brother of the Lombards for it hath been seene that a woman of Salernum hath at one time brought forth a boy and a toade and therfore hee calleth the toade his brother so likewise a woman of Lombardy a Lizard therefore he calleth the Lizard the Lombards brother And for this cause the women of those countries at such time as their child beginneth to quicken in their wombe do drink the iuyce of Parsly Leekes to kill such conceptions if any be There was a woman newly married and when in the opinion of all she was with child in steed of a child she brought forth foure little liuing creatures like frogs and yet shee remained in good health but a little while after shee felt some paine about the rymne of her belly which afterward was eased by applying a fewe remedies Also there was another woman which together with a man-child in her secondines did also bring forth such another beast and after that a Marchants wife did the like in Anconitum But what should be the reason of these so strange vnnaturall conceptions I wil not take vpon me to discide in nature least the omnipotent hand of God should be wronged and his most secrete iust couÌ„sell presumptuously iudged called into question This we know that it was prophesied in the Reuelation that Frogs Locusts should come out of the whore of Babylon and the bottomlesse pit and therfore seeing the seate of the Whore of Babylon is in Italy it may be that God would haue manifested the deprauation of Christian religion beginning among the Italians and there continued in the conioyned birth of men serpents for surely none but deuils incarnate or men conceiued of Serpents brood would so stifly stand in Romish error as the Italians do therefore they seeme to be more addicted to the errors of their Fathers which they say is the religion wherin they were borne then vnto the truth of Iesus Christ which doth vnanswerably detect the pride vanity of the Romish faith But to leaue speaking of the conception of toades in women we wil proceed further vnto their generation in the stomacks bellies of men wherof there may more easily a reason be giuen then of the former Now although that in the earth toades are generated of putrified earth waters yet such a generation cannot be in the body of man for although there be much putrifaction in vs yet not so much as to ingender bones other orgynes such as are in toades as for wormes they are all flesh may more easily be conceiued of the putrifaction in our stomacks But then you wil say how comes it to passe that in mens stomacks there are sound frogs toades I answer that this euill hapneth vnto such men as drinke water for by drinking of water a toades egge may easily slip into the stomack there being of a viscous nature cleaueth fast to the rough parts of the ventricle and it being of a contrary nature to man can neuer be disgested or auoyded and for that cause the venome that is in it neuer goeth out of 〈…〉 stance to poyson the other partes of 〈…〉 med into a Toade without doing 〈…〉 are bredde in the bodies of men 〈…〉 the midst of Trees and Rocks and 〈…〉 are bredde in For the venome is so 〈…〉 ripenesse euen as wee see it is almost an vsuâ—… shall not be perceiued till many dayes weekes 〈…〉 For the casting out of such a Toade bredde in thâ—… They take a Serpent and bowell him then they cut ofâ—… of the body they likewise part into small peeces which 〈…〉 fatte which swymmeth at the toppe which the sicke person 〈…〉 he auoyde all the Toades in his stomacke afterwards he must 〈…〉 ticall medicines And thus much may suffice for the ordinary and 〈…〉 tion of Toades These Toades doe not leape as Frogges doe but because of their 〈…〉 short legges theyr pace is a soft creeping-pace yet some-times in anger they lift vp 〈◊〉 selues endeuouring to doe harme for great is theyr watch obstinacie and desire to be 〈…〉 uenged
vndoubted Antiquaries and also the euidence of all ages not excepting this wherein we liue wherein are and haue beene shewed publiquely many Serpents and Serpents skinnes I receiue warrant sufficient to expresse what they haue obserued and assured aunswere for all future Obiections of ignorant incredulous and vnexperienced Asses Wherefore as the life of Serpents is long so is the time of theyr groweth and as their kindes be many as wee shall manifest in the succeeding discourse so in their multitude some grow much greater and bigger then other Gellius writeth that when the Romanes were in the Carthagenian warre and Attilius Regulus the Consull had pitched his Tents neere vnto the riuer Bragrada there was a Serpent of monstrous quantitie which had beene lodged within the compasse of the Tents and therefore did cause to the whole Armie exceeding great calamitie vntill by casting of stones with slings and many other deuises they oppressed and slew that Serpent and afterward fleyed off the skinne and sent it to Rome which was in length one hundred and twentie feete And although this seemeth to be a Beast of vnmatchable stature yet Possidonius a Christian Writer relateth a storie of another which was much greater for hee writeth that he saw a Serpent dead of the length of an acre of Land and all the residue both of head and bodie were answerable in proportion for the bulke of his bodie was so great and lay so high that two Horsemen could not see one the other beeing at his two sides and the widenes of his mouth was so great that hee could receiue at one time within the compasse thereof a horse and a man on his backe both together The scales of his coate or skinne beeing euery one like a large buckler or target So that now there is no such cause to wonder at the Serpent which is said to be killed by S. George which was as is reported so great that eight Oxen were but strength enough to drawe him out of the Cittie Silena There is a Riuer called Rhyndacus neere the Coasts of Bythinia wherein are Snakes of exceeding monstrous quantitie for when thorough heate they are forced to take the water for their safegard against the sunne and birds come flying ouer the poole suddenlie they raise their heads and vpper parts out thereof and swallow them vp The Serpents of Megalauna are said by Pausanias to be thirtie cubits long and all their other part answerable But the greatest in the world are found in India for there they grow to such a quantitie that they swallow vp whole Bulls and great Stagges Wherefore I doe not maruell that Porus the King of India sent to Augustus Caesar very huge Vipers a Serpent of tenne cubits long a Torteise of three cubits and a Partridge greater then a Vulture For Alexander in his nauigation vpon the Red-Sea saith that hee saw Serpents fortie cubits long and all their other parts and members of the same quantity Among the Scyritae the Serpents come by great swarmes vppon their flocks of sheepe and cattell and some they eate vp all others they kill and sucke out the blood and some part they carry away But if euer there were any thing beyond credite it is the relation of Volateran in his twelfth booke of the New-found Lands wherein he writeth that there are Serpents of a myle long which at one certaine time of the yeere come abroad out of their holes and dennes of habitation and destroy both the Heards and Heard-men if they find them Much more fauourable are the Serpents of a Spanish Island who doe no harme to any liuing thing although they haue huge bodies and great strength to accomplish their desires In the kingdome of Senega their Serpents are so great that they deuoure whole beasts as Goates and such like without breaking any one of their bones In Calechute they are as great as their greatest Swine and not much vnlike them except in their head which doth farre exceede a Swines And because the King of that Country hath made a Lavv that no man kill a Serpent vnder paine of death they are as great in number as they are in quantitie for so great is his error that hee deemeth it as lawfull to kill a Man as a Serpent All kindes of Serpents are referred to their place of habitation which is eyther the earth or the waters of the earth and the serpents of the earth are moe in number then the serpents of the vvater except the serpents of the Sea And yet it is thought by the most learned Rabbines that the serpents of the Sea are fishes in the likenes of Dragons Nowe the places of Serpents abode beeing thus generally capitulated wee must enter into a farther narration of their habitations and regions of their natiue breeding In the first place India nourisheth many and diuers sorts of Serpents especially in the Kingdome of Morfilium and Alexander the Emperour found among other Beasts sundry kinds of serpentâ— in a long Desert which is on the North-side of India But all the Nations of the World may giue place to Ethiopia for multitude and varietie for there they gather together on heapes and lye in compasse like round hills visibly apparant to the eyes of them that behold them a farre off The like is said of all Affrica for in Numidia euery yeere there are many men women and children destroyed by Serpents The Island Pharus is also by the testimony of the Egyptians filled with serpents The Coastes of Elymais are annoyed by serpents and the Caspians are so annoyed by serpents which come swymming in the floods that men cannot sayle that waies but in the Winter-time For from the beginning of the Spring or aequinoctiall they seeme for their number to approch fauening like troupes and Armies There are also certaine Ilands called Ophiusae insulae named after Ophis a serpent for the multitude bred therein And there are serpents in Candy Ephesus and all hot Countries for this priuiledge hath GOD in nature giuen to the colder Countreys that they are lesse annoyed with serpents and their serpents also lesse nocent and hurtfull and therefore the serpents of Europe are fewer in number lesser in quantity and more resistable for their weakenes and strength There were a people in Campania called Osci because of the multitude of serpents bred among them Likewise there are great store in Lombardy and Ferrara And whereas we haue saide that the most nocent and harmfull serpents are breddâ— in the hotest Regions where they engender more speedily and also grow into greater proportions yet is it not to be vnderstood of any speciall propertie appertayning to them alone for I read in Olaus Magnus his description of the Northerne Regions of serpents of as great quantitie as in any other place of the World but yet their poyson is not halfe so venomous hurtfull as in the hoter Regions especially the Affrican serpents In Botina
head applyed doth cure for where the wound The helpe is also made as in Telephus sence Harmd by Larissus speare by it was cured found And Guil. Varignana saith deuide or cut a serpent and lay it vpon the place and it will mittigate the anguish and paine The seede of Thraspi and of Tithimal which is a kind of spurge is greatlie vsed for this Aut Tithimallus atrox vulnus quae tuta pervngat Some besides these doe put the roote of black Hellebor into the wound because it draweth out the poyson as I by mine owne experience can testifie saith Matthiolus There be also sundry Antidotes and preseruatiues which are taken inwardly that are very effectuall against the bytings of serpents and venomous beasts as namely that which is called Theriaca Andromachi or Methridate the like compositious Galen in his booke De Theriaca ad Pisonem preferreth Theriaca Andromachi before all other medicines either simple or compound for virulent wounds because it performeth that effect for which it is ministred For it was neuer as yet heard that euer any one perrished of any venomous hurt or byting who without any delay foorth-with dranke this medicine and if any man had taken it before he receiued any such dangerous hurt if he were set vppon and assailed by any poysonous creature it hath not lightlie been heard that hee hath dyed of the same There be many Antidotes described by the Ancients which they set downe to be admirable for these passions As for example that which Auicenna termeth Theriaca mirabilis whose composition is as followeth Take of Opium and of Myrrhe of eyther of them a dramme Pepper one dramme and a halfe the roote of Aristolechia longa and Rotunda of each of them three drammes Wine two drammes make them vp with Hony Rocket water so much as is sufficient for an Electuarie the quantitie to giue is foure scruples relented in some fit and conuenient decoction King Antiochus surnamed Magnus had a kinde of Theriaoa which hee vsed against all poysons which is described of Pliny in his 20 booke and last chapter in this wise Take of Wild-time Opopanax and the herbe called Gromell of each a like much two drammes Trifolie one dramme of the seedes of Dill Fennell Smallage Anise and Ameos of euery one alike sixe drammes of the meale of Orebus twelue drammes all these beeing powned and finely searsed must with wine a sufficient quantitie be made into Trochisces whereof euery one must weigh one dramme giue thereof one dram at a time in a draught of wine There is another Antidote and preseruatiue against any poyson described by Paulus Aegineta much like vnto this which is thus Take of Bryonie Opopanax of the roote of Iris Illirica and of the roote of Rosemarie and of Ginger of each of these three drammes of Aristolochia fiue drammes of the best Turpentine of wilde Rue of each three drams of the meale of Orobus two drammes make them into Torchisches with Wine euerie one weighing one scruple and a halfe or two scruples to be giuen also in wine Galen in his second booke De antidotis chapter 49. discourseth of a certaine Theriacall medicament called Zopyria antidotus so taking the name of one Zopyrus which was notable against all poysons bytings of venomous creeping creatures This Zopyrus in his Letters written vnto Mithridates sollicited him very much that he would make some experiment of his Antidote which as he put him in mind he might easily doe by causing any one that was alreadie condemned to die to drinke downe some poyson afore-hand then to take the Antidote or els first to receiue the Antidote after that to drinke some poyson And put him in remembrance to try it also in those that were wounded any maner of way by Serpents or those that were hurt by arrowes or Darts annoynted or poysoned by any destroying venime So all things being dispatched according to his praemonition the man notwithstanding the strength of the poyson was preserued safe sound by this alexipharmaticall medicine of Zopyrus Matthiolus in his Praeface vpon the sixth booke of Dioscorides entreating of Antidotes and preseruatiues from poyson saith that at length after long studie and trauaile he had found out an Antidote whose vertue was wonderfull and worthy admiration and it is a certaine quintessence extracted from many simples which hee setteth downe in the same place He saith it is of such force and efficacie that the quantitie of foure drammes being taken either by it selfe or with the like quantitie of some sweet-senting Wine or els with some distilled water which hath some naturall propertie to strengthen the hart if that anie person hath either been wounded or strooken of any venomous liuing thing that the patients life be therewith in danger so that he hath lost the vse of his tongue seeing for the most part all his other sences yet for all that by taking this his Quintessence it will recouer and raise him as it were out of a dead sleepe from sicknes to health to the great astonishment and admiration of the standers by They that desire to know the composition of this rare preseruatiue let them read it in the Author himselfe for it is too long and tedious to describe it at this time There be besides these compounds many simple Medicines which beeing taken inwardly doe performe the same effect as namelie the Thistle where-vppon Serenus hath these verses following Carduus et nondum doctis fullonibus aptus Ex illo radix tepido potatur in amni That is to say The roote of Teasill young for Fullers yet vnfit Drunke in warme-water venome out doth spit That Thistle which Qu. Serenus heere vnderstandeth is properly that plant which of the Greekes is called Scolymos Yet it is taken somtimes for other prickly plants of the same kind as for both the Chamaeleons Dipsacos or Labram veneris Spina alba Eryngium and some other But Dioscorides attributeth the chiefest vertue against poysons to the Thistles called Chamaeleon albus and to the Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum which some call Sea-hull or Huluer for in his third booke and ninth chapter entreating of Chamaeleon albus hee saith thus The roote of it taken with Wine inwardly is as good as Treacle against any venime and in the 21 chapter of the same booke Eryngium is saith he taken to good purpose with some wine against the byting of venomous creatures or any poyson inwatdly taken And the same Serenus adscribeth the same vertue to the Harts curd or rennet as followeth Cervino ex foetu commixta coagula vino Sumantur quae res membris agit atra venena In English thus Wine mixt with rennet taken from a Hart So drunk doth venom from the members part He meaneth a young Hart beeing killed in the Dammes belly as Pliny affirmeth also the same in his 8. booke and 30 chapter in these words The chiefest remedie against the byting of Serpents is made of the
doe liue in more hazard lye open to diuers iniuries and so more subiect to shortnes of life The brouity of their life is after a sort recompenced and some part of amends made by the rare clammy glewishnes of the same for if you seperate their bulkes from the head the head from the breast they will liue a long while after and thrust out their sting almost as strongly as if they were vndeuidable and free from hurt and deathes harme Apollonius calleth waspes Omoboroi and Aristotle Meloboroi although they doe not onely feede on rawe flesh but also on peares plummes grapes reysins and on diuers and sundry sorts of flowers and fruites of the iuyce of Elmes Suger Hony and in a manner of all things that are seasoned tempered made pleasant or prepared with eyther of these two last rehearsed Pliny in his 11. booke capit 53. is of opinion that some waspes especially those of the wilder feller kind do eate the flesh of Serpents which is the cause that death hath some-times ensued of their poysonous stinging They also hunt after great flyes not one vvhit sparing the harmelesse Bees who by their good deedes haue so well deserued According to the nature of the soyle place they do much differ in their outward forme fashion of their body and in the manner of their qualities and dispositions of their mind for the common waspes beeing acquainted familiarly vsed to the company of men beasts are the gentler but the Hermites and solitary waspes are more rude churlish and tempestuous yea Nicander termeth them Olaus that is pernicious They are also more vnhappy dangerous and deadly in very hote countries as Ouidius reporteth and namelie in the West-Indies where both in their magnitude and figure there is great difference betwixt theirs and ours so that they are accounted farre more poysonous deadly then either the English French Spanish or Barbarian waspes Some of these dangerous generation doe also abound in exceeding cold Countries as Olaus Magnus in his 22. booke telleth vs. Their vse is great and singuler for besides that they serue for foode to those kinde of Hawkes which are called Kaistrells or Fleingalls Martinets Swallowes Owles to Brocks or Badgers and to the Cameleon they also doe great pleasure and seruice to men sundry wayes for they kill the Phalangium which is a kind of venomous Spyder that hath in all his legges three knots or ioynts whose poyson is perilous and deadly and yet waspes do cure their wounds Raynard the Foxe likewise who is so full of his wiles and craftie shifting is reported to lye in waite to betray waspes after this sort The wilie thiefe thrusteth his bushie tayle into the waspes nest there holding it so long vntill hee perceiue it be full of them then drawing it slylie forth he beateth and smyteth his tayle-full of waspes against the next stone or tree neuer resting so long as hee seeth any of them aliue and thus playing his Foxe-like parts many times together at last hee setteth vppon their combes deuouring all that he can find Pliny greatly commendeth the solitary wasp to be very effectuall against a Quartaine-Ague if you catch her with your left hand tyeor fasten her to any part of your body alwayes prouided that it must be the first waspe that you lay hold on that yeere Mizaldus memor Cent. 7. attributeth great vertue to the distilled water and likewise to the decoction of common waspes affirming expresly that if any part be there-with annoynted it straightwayes causeth it to swell monsterously and to be puffed vp that you would imagine them to be sicke of a Dropsie and this course craftie-drabbes queanes vse to perswade their sweet harts that they are forsooth with child by them thus many times beguiling and blinding the eyes of vvarie and expert Midwiues Wherevpon we may very confidently conclude that their poyson is very hote flatuous or windie Some do prole after waspes and kill them by other sleights deuises For when the Labourers do much vse and frequent elmes which they doe very often about the Summer solftice to gather from them some gummy and clammy matter their Dukes and Princes beeing at home not standing still but setling themselues to their busines or trade and helping to hatch vp their young they are suddenly choked with the fume of Brimstone Garlicke the branches of Coleworts or other pot-herbes or els by breaking downe onerthrowing their combes they die through famine VVhen you are minded to defend the Bees from the inuasion and spoyle of waspes you must sette a potte with some peeces of flesh in it neere the Hiue and when the waspes in hope of some prey are entered suddenly clappe ouer the couer and so destroy them or else by pouring in some hot water at the toppe you may scald them all to death in the pot In like sort some doe gently breath vppon Raisins fruites Suger Hony Oyle by which eyther the waspes are chased away or by tasting the oyle doe die And againe some doe mixe corrosiues with Honie as for example Sublimate Vitrioll Auripigmentum c. that they by taking this venomous or poyson-infected drinke may suffer condigne punishment for their intemperate and insatiable gluttony Of the stinging of vvaspes there doe proceede diuers and sundry accidents passions and effects as payne disquieting vexation swelling rednesse heate sweatings disposition or will to vomit loathing and abhorring of all thinges exceeding thirstinesse now and then fainting or swounding especially when after the maner of venomous creatures they haue infected their stings eyther by tasting the flesh of some Serpents or by gathering their foode from venomous plants I will nowe sette before your eyes and eares one late and memorable example of the danger that is in VVaspes of one Allens vvife dwelling not manie yeeres since at Lowick in Northamptonshire vvhich poore woman resorting after her vsuall manner in the heate of the Sommer to Drayton the Lord Mordants house beeing extreamely thirstie and impatient of delay finding by chaunce a blacke Iacke or Tankerd on the table in the Hall she very inconsiderately and rashly sette it to her mouth neuer suspecting or looking what might be in it and suddainly a Waspe in her greedinesse passed downe with the drinke and stinging her there immediatly came a greaâ—tumour in her throate with a rednes puffing and swelling of all the parts adiacent so that her breath beeing intercepted the miserable vvretch whirling herselfe twise or thrise round as though shee had had some vertiginie in her braine presently fell downe and dyed And this is knowne for a truth not onely to me but to most of the inhabitants there abouts being as yet fresh in their memories and therefore their authorities as I take it is vnreproueable Now for feare least I should loose my selfe in this troublesome and vast Ocean of Natures admirable fabricature I wil now discourse of such medicinall meanes as will defend
from their furious malice The vertue of Mallowes and of Althea called Marsh-mallowe is notable against the prickings of Waspes For the softest and most emollient herbe is applyed as a contrary to a watlike and hurtfull creature whose iuyce beeing annoynted with oyle eyther abateth the rage of vvaspes or so blunteth and dulleth theyr sting that the paine is not very sharpe or byting Pliny lib 21. capit 171. And of the same mind is Auicen Waspes saith he will not come neere any man if he be annoynted with oyle and the iuyce of Mallowes For as a soft aunswere doth frangere iram and as the Graecians haue a saying Edus Megiston estin orges pharmakon logos So also in naturall Philosophy we see that hard thinges are quailed and their edge euen taken off with soft and suppling as yron with a fine small and soft feather the Adamant stone with blood and the stinge of vvaspes Hornets and Bees with oyle and Mallowes What is softer then a Caterpiller and yet if Aetius credite be of sufficience the same beeing beaten with oyle and annoynted vppon any part preserueth the same from the woundes and stinges of vvaspes And of the same vertue is the herbe called Balme being stamped and mixed with oyle The same symptomes or accidents doe follow the stinging of Waspes as of Bees but farre more painefull and of longer continuance to vvit rednesse intollerable paine Apostumes And if any be strooken of the Orenge or yellow coloured vvaspes especially in a sinowie or some sensible part there will followe a convulsion weakenes of the kees swounding yea sometimes death as before I haue touched Against the stingings of vvaspes diuers medicines are prescribed by Phisitions but I will speake of such onely as I haue made proofe of and such as are confirmed by long experience Gilbert the Englishman saith that vvaspes beeing bruised and applyed to the place affected doe cure their owne wounds very strangely The same vertue peraduenture not onely the Scorpion but the greater part of Insects haue if any one would make any dilligent tryall thereof If a man be stinged of any venomous vvaspes which is easily knowne by the blewnes of the place madnes rauing and fainting of the partie and coldnesse of the hands and feete after you haue giuen him inwardly some Alexipharmacall medicine the place agrieued must be launched or rather opened with a Cauterie so beeing thus enlarged and opened the venome must be well sucked out and the paring or shauing of that earth wherein the waspes build their nests must be wrought kneaded with Vineger and so applyed like a Cataplasme A plaister also made of VVillow-leaues Mallowes and the combe of waspes is verie medicinable for the same as by the counsell of Haly Abbas I haue experimented The English-Northerne-men doe prepare most excellent emplaister woorth gold against all stinges of waspes onely of that earth whereof their Ouens are made hauing vineger and the heads of Flyes commixed therewith Let the place be very well rubbed with the iuyce of Citrulls withall let the partie that is pained drinke of the seed of Margerom beaten to powder the quantity of two drammes or thus Take of the iuyce of Margerom two ounces of Bole Armony two drammes with the iuyce of vnripe Grapes so much as is sufficient make an emplaister Another Annoynt the place with the iuyce of Purcelane Beetes or sweet Wine and Oyle of Roses or with Cowes bloud or with the seedes of the Spirting or wilde Cucumber called Nolime tangere beaten with some VVine Thus farre Galen Barly Meale wrought vp with Vineger and the Milke or iuyce of a Fig-tree brine or Sea water are excellent for these griefes as Dioscorides lib. 8. Cap. 20. writeth if the wound be often fomented bathed or soked with any of them To drinke giue two drammes of the young and tender leaues of Bayes with harsh wine and if the part affected bee onely annointed with any of these they are much auaileable In like sort the decoction of Marsh-mallowes drunke with Vineger and water are much commended and outwardly salt with Calues fat Oyle of Bayes draweth out the poyson of VVaspes The leaues of Marsh-mallow as Aetius saith beeing bruised and applyed doe performe the same The iuyce of Rue or Balme about the quantity of two or three ounces drunke with wine and the leaues being chewed and laid on with Hony and Salt or with Vineger and Pitch do help much VVater-cresses Rosemarie with Barly meale and water with vineger sod together the iuyce of Iuy leaues Marigolds the bloud of an Owle all these are very affectuall against the stinging of waspes as Pliny lib. 31. Cap. 9. telleth vs. The buds of the wilde Palme-tree Endiue with the root and wilde Timbe being applyed playsterwise doe helpe the stinging of VVaspes After the vemine is drawne out by sucking the place effected must bee put into hot water the space of an houre and then suddenly they must be thrust into Vineger and brine and forthwith the paine will bee asswaged the tumour cease and the malice of the venemous humor cleane extinguished Rhazes saith that the leaues of Night-shade or of Sengreene do very much good in this case And in like sort Bole Armony with vineger and Champhire and nuts beaten with a little vineger and Castoreum Also take the Combe with Honny applying to the place and hold the grieued place neere the fire immediatly and laying vnder them a few ashes binde them hard forth-with the paine will bee swaged Serapio saith that Sauorie or Cresses applyed and the seed thereof taken in drinke and the iuyce of the lesser Centory mixt with wine are very meete to bee vsed in these griefes he also commendeth for the same purpose the leaues of Basill the Herb called Mercury and Mandrakes with Vineger Ardoynus is of opinion that if you take a little round ball of Snow and put it into the fundament the paine will cease especially that which proceedeth by waspes Let the place be annoynted with Vineger and Champhire or often fomented and bathed with Snow-water Take of Opium of the seed of Henbane and Champhire of each alike much and incorporate them with Rose water or the iuyce of VVillowes and laie it vppon the wounded place applying on the top of it a linnē cloth first throughly wetted in wine Iohannes Mesue who of some is called Euangelist a medicoram prescribeth this receipt of the iuyce of Sisimbrium two drammes and a halfe and with the iuyce of Tartcitrons make a potion The iuyce also of Spina Arabica and of Margerom are nothing inferiour to these forementioned Aaron would in this griefe haue water Lintells called by some Duckes meat to be stamped with vineger and after to be applyed Constantine assureth vs that Alcama tempered with Barley meale and vineger and so bound to the place as also Nuts leaues of vvall-nuts and Bleetes are very profitable in this passion Item
described by Nicander with whose words I will conclude this Historie of the Cockatrice writing as followeth Quod ferit hic multo corpus succenditur igne A membris resoluta suis caro defluit fit Lurida obscuro nigrescit opaca colore Nullae etiam volucres quae faeda cadauera pascunt Sic occisum hominem tangunt vt vultur omnes Huic similes alia pluuiae quoque nuncius aura Coruus nec quaecunque fera per deuia lustra Degunt étali capiunt sibi tabula carne Tum teter vacuas odor hinc exhalat in auras Atque propinquantes penetrant non segniter artus Sin cogente fame ventens aproximet ales Tristia fata refert certamque ex aëre mortem Which may be englished thus When he doth strike the body hurt is set on fire And from the members falleth off the flesh withall It rotten is and in the colour blacke as any myre Refus'd of carrion-feeding-birds both great and small Are all men so destroyed No Vulture or Bitter fierce Or weather-telling-Crow or deserts wildest beast Which liue in dennes sustaining greatest famines force But at their tables doe this flesh detest Then is the ayre repleate with 's lothsome smell Piercing vitall parts of them approaching neere And if a bird it tast to fill his hunger fell It dyes assured death none neede it feare OF THE CORDYLL ALthough I finde some difference about the nature of this lyuing creature and namely whether it bee a Serpent or a Fishe yet because the greater and better part make it a Serpent I will also bring it in his due order in this place for a venomous beast Gesner is of opinion that it is no other but a Lizard of the Water but this cannont agree with the description of Aristotle Bellonius who affirme the Cordill to haue Gilles like a Fish and these are not found in any Lizard The Graecians call this Serpent Kordule and Kordulos whereof the Latines deriue or rather borrow their Cordulus and Cordyla Numenius maketh this a kind of Salamander which the Apothecaryes do in many Countryes falsely sell for the Scincus or Corcodile of the Earth and yet it exceedeth the quantity of a Salamander being much lesse then the crocodile of the earth hauing gils and wanting fins on the sides also a long taile and according to the proportion of the body like a Squirrels although nothing so big vvithout scabs the back being bald and some what black horrible rough thorow some bunches growing therupon which being pressed do yeald a certain humor like milk which being sayd to the Nosthrils doth smell like poyson euen as it is in a Salamander The beake or snout is very blunt or dull yet armed with very sharp teeth The clawes of his forelegges are diuided into foure and on his hinderlegges into fiue there is also a certaine fleshy fin growing all along from the crowne of his head vnto his tayle vppon the backe which when he swimmeth hee erecteth by it is his body sustained in the water from sinking for his body is mooued with crooked winding euen as an Eele or a Lamprey The inward parts of this Serpent are also thus described The tongue is soft and spungy like as is the tongue of a Water-Frogge wherewith as it were with Glew he draweth to his mouth both Leches and Wormes of the earth whereupon it feedeth At the roote of his tongue there is a certaine bunch of flesh which as I thinke supplieth the place of the lightes for when it breatheth that part is especially mooued and it panteth too fro so that thereby I gather either it hath the Lights in that place or else in some other place neere the iawes It wanteth ribs as doth the Salamander and it hath certain bones in the backe but not like the ordinary back-bone of other such Serpents The heart is also all spungy cleaueth to the right side not to the left the left care whereof supplyeth the place of the Pericadium The liuer is very blacke and somewhat clouen at the bending or sloape side the melt somewhat red cleauing to the very bottome of the ventricle The reynes are also very spungy ioyned almost to the Legges in which parts it is most fleshy but in other places especially in the belly and breast it is all skinne 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 liuing gristly creatures Those Egges are nourished with a kinde of red fatte out of which in due time come the young ones aliue in as great plenty and number as the Salamanders And these thinges 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 thereof OF THE CROCODILE BEcause there be many kinds of Crocodiles it is no maruaile although some haue taken the word Crocodilus for the Genus and the seuerall Species they distinguish into the Crocodile of the Earth and the water Of the earth are sub-diuided into the Crocodiles of Bresilia and the Scincus the Crocodiles of the water into this here described which is the vulgar one and that of Nilus of all which we shall entreat in order one successiuely following another But I will not contend about the Genus or Species of this word for my purpose is to open their seuerall natures so far as I haue learned wherein the works of almighty God may be knowne and will leaue the strife of wordes to them that spend their wittes about tearmes sillables only Thus much I find that the auncients had three generall tearmes for all Egge-breeding Serpentes Namely Rana Testudo Lacerta And therefore I may forbear to intreate of Crocodilus as a Genus handle it as a species or particular kinde The Hebreus haue many words which they vse for a Crocodile Koah Leuit. 11. which the Arabians render Hardun and the Persiâ—ds Sanga which word commeth neere the Latine worde Scincus for a Crocodile of the earth and yet that word Koah by Saint Ierom and the Septuagints is translated a Chamaeleon In the same place of Leuiticus the word Zab is interpreted a kinde of Crocodile where-withall Dauid Kimhi confoundeth Gereschint and Rabbi Salomon Faget The Chaldes translate in 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 eate the Crocodiles of the water In Exod. 8. there is a Fish called Zephardea which commeth out of the waters and eateth men this cannot agree to any Fish in Nilus saue onely the Crocodile and therefore this word is by the Arabians rendered Al Timasch Some do hereby vnderstand Pagulera Grenelera Batrichoi that is great frogs
Aluka by most of the Iewes vnderstand a Horsleach Pro. 30. but Dauid Kimhi taketh and vseth it for a Crocodile For he sayth it is a great Worme abiding neere the Riuers sides and vpon a sudden setteth vpon men or cattell as they passe besides him Tisma and Alinsa are by Auicen expounded for a crocodile and Tenchea for that Crocodile that neuer moueth his neather or vnder chap. shipped by the inhabitants and kept tame by the Priestes in a certaine Lake this sacred Crocodile is called Suchus and this word commeth neere to Scincus which as wee haue said signifieth any Crocodile of the earth from which the Arabian Tinsa seemeth also to be deriued as the Egyptian Thampsai doth come neere to the Arabian Trenisa Herodotus calleth them Champsai and this was the old Ionian word for a Vulgar Crocodile in hedges Vppon occasion whereof Scaliger saith hee asked a Turke by what name they call a Crocodile at this day in Turky and he aunswered Kimpsai which is most euidently corrupted from Champsai The Egyptians vulgarly call the Crocodile of Nilus Cocatrix the Graecians Neilokrokadeilos generally Krocodeilos and sometimes Dendrites The Latines Crocodilus and Albertus Crocodillus and the same word is retayned in all languages of Europe About the Etymologie of this word I find two opinions not vnprofitable to be rehearsed the first that Crocodilus commeth of Crocus Saffron because this beast especially the Crocodile of the earth is afrayd of Saffron and therefore the country people to defend theyr Hiues of Bees and hony from them strow vpon the places Saffron But this is too farre fetched to name a beast from that which it feareth and beeing a secrete in nature it is not likelie that it was discouered at the first and therefore the name must haue some other inuestigation Isidorus saith that the name Crocodilus commeth of Croceus color the colour of Saffron because such is the colour of the Crocodile and this seemeth to be more reasonable◠For I haue seene a Crocodile in England brought out of Egypt dead and killed vvith a Musket the colour whereof was like to Saffron growing vpon the stalkes in fieldes Yet it is more likely that the deriuation of Varinus and Eustathius was the originall for they say that the shores of sands on the Riuers were called Croc◠and Croculae and because the Crocodiles haunt liue in those shores it might giue the name to the beasts because the water Crocodiles liue and delight in those sandes but the Land or earth Crocodiles abhorre and feare them It is reported that the famous Grammarian Artemidorus seeing a Crocodile lying vppon the sands he was so much touched and moued there-with that he fell into an opinion that his left legge and hand were eaten off by that Serpent and that thereby he lost the remembrance of all his great learning and knowledge of Artes. And thus much for the name of this Serpent In the next place we are to consider the Countries wherein Crocodiles are bred and keepe theyr habitation and those are especially Egypt for that onely hath Crocodiles of both kindes that is of the water and of the Land for the Crocodiles of Nilus are Amphibij liue in both elements they are not only in the riuer Nilus but also in all the pooles neere adioyning The Riuer Bambotus neere to Atlas in Affrica doth also bring foorth Crocodiles and Pliny saith that in Darat a Riuer of Mauritania there are Crocodiles ingendered Likewise Apollonius reporteth that when he passed by the Riuer Indus he met with many Sea-horses and Crocodiles such as are found in the Riuer Nilus and besides these countryes I doe 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 quantitie are more plentiful for they are found in Libia in Bithinia where they are called Azaritia in the Mountaine Syagrus in Arabia and in the vvoods of India as is well obserued by Arianus Dioscorides and Hermolaus and therefore I will not prosecute this matter any further The kindes being already declared it followeth that we should proceed to their quantitie and seuerall parts And it appeareth that the water Crocodile is much greater and more noble then the Crocodiles of the earth for they are not aboue two cubites long or some-times eyght at the most but the other are sixteene and sometimes more And besides these crocodiles if they lay their egges in the water saith Bellunensis thē their young ones are much greater but if on the Land then are they lesser and like the Crocodiles of the earth In the Riuer Ganges there are two kinds of Crocodiles one of them is harmelesse doth no hurt to any creature but the other is a deuouting vnsatiable beast killing snoute there groweth a bunch like a horne Now a Crocodile is like a Lyzard in all poynts excepting the tayle and the quantity of a Lyzard yet it layeth an egge no greater then a Gooses egge and from so small a beginning ariseth this monstrous Serpent growing all his life long vnto the length of fifteene or twenty cubits And as Phalareus witnesseth in the dayes of Psammitichus King of Egypt there was one found of fiue and twenty cubits long and before that in the dayes of Amasis one that was aboue sixe and twenty cubits long the reason whereof was theyr long life and continuall growth Wee haue shewed already that the colour of a Crocodile is like to Saffron that is betwixt yellow and redde more inclining to yellow then redde not vnlike to the blacker kind of Chamaeleon but Peter Martyr saith that their belly is somewhat whiter then the other parts Their body is rough all ouer beeing couered with a certaine barke or rinde so thicke firme and strong as it will not yeelde and especially about the backe vnto a cart-wheele when the cart is loaded and in all the vpper parts and the tayle it is impenitrable with any dart or speare yea scarcely to a pistoll or small gunne but the belly is softer whereon he receiueth wounds with more facility for as wee shall shew afterwardes there is a kind of Dolphine which commeth into Nilus and fighteth with them wounding them on the belly parts The couering of their backe is distinguished into diuers deuided shells standing vppe farre aboue the flesh and towardes the sides they are lesse emynent but on the belly they are more smooth white and very penitrable The eyes of a Crocodile of the vvater are reported to be like vnto a Swines and therefore in the vvater they see very dimlie but out of the water they are sharpe and quicke sighted like to all other foure-footed Serpents that lay egges They haue but one eye-lidde that groweth from the nether part of the cheeke which by reason of their eyes neuer twinckleth And the Egyptians say that onely the Crocodile among
or presence be of small stature yet heerein is theyr courage admired because at the suddaine sight of a Crocodile they are no whit daunted for one of these dare meete and prouoke him to runne away They will also leape into the Riuers and swimme after the Crocodile and meeting with it without feare cast themselues vppon the Beasts backe ryding on him as vppon a horse And if the Beast lift vppe his head to byte him when hee gapeth they put into his mouth a wedge holding it hard at both ends with both their hands so as it were with a bridle leade or rather driue them captiues to the Land vvhere with theyr noyse they so terrifie them that they make them cast vppe the bodies which they had swallowed into theyr bellies because of this antypathy in nature the Crocodiles dare not come neere to this Iland The like thing wee haue before in our generall 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 folowed droue thē For whom there was a certaine great poole or fish-pond assigned and 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 nettes would draw them to the Land put them backe againe into the water at theyr owne pleasure For they so hooke them by theyr eyes and bottome of theyr bellyes which are their tenderest partes that like as horses broken by theyr Riders they yeelde vnto them and forget theyr strength in the presence of these theyr Conquerours Peter Martyr in his third booke of his Babylonian Lagation saith that from the Cittie Cair to the Sea the Crocodiles are not so hurtfull and violent as they are vp the Riuer Nilus into the Land and against the streame For as you goe further vp the Riuer neere the mountanie and hilly places so shall you find them more fierce bloody and vnresistable whereof the inhabitants gaue him many reasons First because that part of the Riuer which is betwixt the Citty Cair and the Sea is very full of all sorts of fishes whereby the beasts are so filled with deuouring of them that they list not come out of the water on the Land to hunt after men or cattell and therefore they are the lesse hurtfull for euen the Lyon and Wolfe doe cease to kill deuoure when theyr bellyes are full But sometimes the Crocodiles beneath the Riuer follow the gales or troupes of fish vp the Riuer like so many Fisher-men and then the Country Fisher-men inclose them in Nettes and so destroy them For there is a very great reward proposed by the Law of the Country to him that killeth a Crocodile of any great quantitie and therefore they grow not great and by reason of their smalnes are lesse aduenturous For so soone as a great Crocodile is discouered there is such watch and care taken to interrupt and kill him for hope of the reward that he cannot long escape aliue Thirdly the Crocodiles vp the Riuer towards the Mountaines are more hurtfull because they are pressed with more hunger and famine and more sildome come within the terrour of men wherefore they forsake the waters and run vp and downe to seeke preyes to satisfie their hunger which when they meet withall they deuoure with an vnresistable desire forced and pressed forward by hunger which breaketh stone walls But most commonly when the Riuer Nilus is lowest and sunck downe into the channell then the Crocodiles in the waters doe growe most hungry because the fish are gone away with the floods and then the subtile beast will heale and couer himselfe ouer with sand or mudde and so lye in the banke of the Riuer where hee knoweth the women come to fetch water or the cattell to drinke and when he espieth his aduantage he suddainely taketh the woman by the hand that she taketh vp water withall and draweth her into the Riuer where he teareth her in peeces and eateth her In like sort dealeth he with Oxen Cowes Asses and other cattell If hunger force him to the Land and he meete with a Cammell horse Asse or such like beast then with the force and blowes of his tayle he breaketh his legges and so laying him flat on the earth killeth and eateth him for so great is the strength of a Crocodiles tayle that it hath beene seene that one stroke thereof hath broken all the foure legges of a beast at one blow There is also another perrill by Crocodiles for it is saide that when Nilus falleth and the water waxeth low the Barkes thorough want of wind are faine by the Marriners to to be tugged vp the streame with long lynes and cordes the subtile Crocodile seeing the same doth suddainely with his tayle smite the same line with such force that eyther hee breaketh it or by his forcible violence tumbleth the Marriner downe into the vvater whom he is ready to receiue with open mouth before he can recouer Yea many times by meanes thereof the Barke it selfe so tottereth and reeleth that the violent beast taketh a man out of it or else cleane ouer-turneth it to the destruction of all that are in it Aelianus saith that among the Ombitae which are in Arsinoe the Crocodiles are harmelesse and hauing seuerall names when they are called doe put their heads out of the vvater and take meate gently which meate is the head and garbage of such sacrifices as are brought thether But in another place hee writeth that among the Ombitae or Coptitae it is not safe for a man to fetch water from the Riuer or to wash theyr feete or walke on the Riuers side but with great caution and warines For euen those beastes which are most kindly vsed by men doe rage against their Benefactours as namely the Crocodile the Ichneumon the Wild-cats and such like And yet Plutarch in his booke Vtra animalium saith that the Priestes by the custome of meate-giuing haue made some of them so tame that they will suffer theyr mouthes and teeth to be clensed by men And it is further said that during the seauen Ceremoniall dayes of the natiuity of Apis there is none of thē that sheweth any wilde tricke or cruell part but as it were by compact betwixt them and the Priestes they lay aside all cruelty and rage during that time And therefore Cicero writeth most excellently saying Egyptiorum morem quis ignoret quorum imbutae mentes prauitatum erroribus quamvis carnificinam potius subierint quam ibim aut aspidem aut crocodilum violent That is to say Who is ignorant of the custome of the Egyptians whose mindes are so seasoned and indued with erronious wickednesse that they had rather vnder-goe any torment then offer violence to an Ibis an Aspe or a holy Crocodile For in diuers places all these and Cats also were worshipped
in it then can be expressed The bloud of a crocodile is held profitable for many thinges and among other it is thought to cure the bitings of any Serpent Also by annoynting the eyes it cureth both the dregs or spots of bloud in them and also restoreth soundnesse and clearenesse to the sight taking away all dulnesse or deadnesse from the eyes And it is said that if a man take the liquor which commeth from a peece of a crocodile fryed and annoynte therewithall his wound or harmed part that then he shall bee presently rid of all paine and torment The skinne both of the Land water crocodile dryed into powder and the same powder with Vineger or Oyle layd vpon a part or member of the body to be feared cut off or lanced taketh away all sence and feeling of paine from the instrument in the action All the Aegyptians doe with the fat or sewet of a crocodile annoynt all them that be sick of Feauers for it hath the same operation which the fat of a Sea-dogge or Dog-fish hath and if those parts of men and beasts which are hurt or wounded with crocodiles teeth be annoynted with this fat it also cureth them Being concocted with water and Vineger and so rowled vppe and downe in the mouth it cureth the tooth-ach and also it is outvvardly applyed agaynst the byting of Flyes Spyders Wormes and such like for this cause as also because it is thought to cure Wennes bunches in the flesh and olde woundes It is solde deare and held pretious in Alcair Scaliger writeth that it cureth the Gangren The canyne teeth which are hollow filled with Frankinsence and tyed to a man or woman which hath the tooth-ach cureth them if the party know not of the carrying them about And so they write that if the little stones which are in their belly be taken forth and so vsed they work the same effect against Feauers The dung is profitable against the falling off of the hayre and many such other things The biting of a Crocodile is very sharp deepe and deadly so that wheresoeuer he layeth his teeth seldome or neuer followeth any cure But yet the counsell of Physitions is that so soone as the patyent is wounded he must be brought into a close Chamber wher are no windowes and there bee kept without change of ayre or admission of light for the poyson of the Crocodile worketh by cold Ayre and light and therefore by the want of both is to be cured But for remedy if any bee they prescribe the same which is giuen for the cure of the biting of a mad Dog or as Auicen the byting of a Dogge not madde But most proper is the dung of a man the Fish Garum and Mysy pounded together and so applyed or else the broth of salt-sod-flesh such other things as are vulgarly knowne to euery Physition and therefore seeing we liue in a country far from the annoyance of this Serpent I shall not neede to blot any Paper to expresse the cure of this poyson The Crocodile of Nilus onely liueth on Land and water all other are contented with one element the picture of the Crocodile was wont to be stamped vpon coyne and the skinne hanged vp in many famous Citties of the world for the admiration of the people and there is one at this day at Paris in France OF THE ARABIAN OR AEGYPTIAN Land-Crocodile THe figure of this Crocodile sheweth euidently the difference betwixt him and the other of Nilus and beside it is neither so tall or long as is the other the which proportioned beast is onely particular to Aegypt and Arabia and some because of his scaly head legges articles and clawes haue obserued another difference in it from the former yet in his nature māner of liuing preying vpon other cattel it differeth not from that of the Water The tayle of this Crocodile is very sharpe and standeth vp like the edges of wedges in bunches aboue the ground wherewithall when he hath mounted himselfe vp vpon the backe of a beast he beateth and striketh the beast most cruelly to make him go with his Rider to the place of his most fit execution free from all rescue of his Heard-man or Pastor or annoyance of Passengers where in most cruell and sauage manner he teareth the Limbes and parts one from another till he be deuoured The Apothecaries of Italy haue this beast in their shops to be seene and they call it Caudiuerbera that is a Tayle-bearer for the reason aforesaid And thus there being nothing in this beastes nature different from the former besides his figure and that which I haue already expressed I will not trouble the Reader with any more Narration about it OF THE LAND CROCODIE of Bresilia THe figure and proportion of this serpent was altogether vnknowne in this part of the world till of late our discouerers and nauigatours brought one of them out of Bresilia The length of it is about a fathom the breadth as much as ten fingers broad the forelegges haue tenne clawes fiue vppon a foote the hinder legges eight and both before and behind they are of equall length The tayle exceeding long farre exceeding the quantity proportion of his body being marked all ouer with certaine white and yellowish spots The skinne all couered with an equall smooth and fine coloured scale which in the middest of the belly are white and greater then in other parts It can abide no water for a little poured into the mouth killed it and after it had beene two or three dayes dead being brought to the fire it mooued and stirred againe faintly euen as thinges doth that lyeth a dying It is not venomous nor hurtfull to eate and therefore is digged out of his caue by any body safely without danger OF THE CROCODILE OF THE earth called Scincus a Scinke The Graecians call this beast Skigkos and some vnlearned Apothecaries Stincus and Myrepsus Sigk. It is also called Kikeros and the Haebrew Koach doth more properly signifie this beast then any other Crocodile or Chamaeleon or Lizard Some of the Haebrewes doe expound Zab for a Scinke and from thence the Chaldaes and the Arabians haue their Dad and Aldab turning Z into D So we read Guaril and Adhaya for a Scinke or Crocodile of the earth Alarbian is also for the same serpent among the Arabians Balecola and Ballecara Schanchur and Aschanchur and Askincor and Scerantum Nudalep and Nudalepi are all of thē Synonymaes or rather corrupted words for this crocodile of the earth But there are at this day certain Pseudoscinkes set out to be seen sold by Apothecaries that are nothing else but a kind of Water-Lizzard but the true difference is betwixt them that these water-Lizards are venomous but this is not and neither liuing in the Northerne partes of the world nor yet in the water and so much shall suffice for the name and first enterance into
of man and prouoketh lust and for this purpose the greatest and fattest such a one as is taken in the spring time when they burne in lust for copulation is preferred But this is not to be meant of the fleshy partes but onely of those partes that are about the reynes if a man drinke thereof the weight of a groat in Wine afterwardes for the alaying of the heate thereof the Physitions doe prescribe a decoction of Lentiles with Hony and the seede of Lettice drunke in Water The snout of this Crocodile with the feete drunke in white wine hath the same operation but we haue shewed already that these parts are to be cut offand throwne away because if there be any venome in the beast it lyeth in them A perfume being made of the body and intrals of this Crocodile vnder the wombe of a Woman labouring with child is thought to yeald much help for her safe speedy and easie trauaile or flockes of wooll perfumed therewith and layd to her belly But it is the part of good Physions to be very warie in giuing of medicines for stirring vp of lust in any except in marryed persons and then also when they are young to procure a lawfull issue and posterity in the world otherwise they shall both decay the body for all violent helpes of carnall copulation do in the end prooue detriments to nature if they continue any time and also they are hurtfull to the Soule when not onely the vnnaturall desire of lust but also the intemperate pleasure of sinne is increased thereby and that is a miserable cure which killeth the Soule to help one part of the body Besides all kinds of medicines for this purpose amongst which this Crococodile is the cheefe haue their pecuculier venome and when they are ministred either they haue no effect at all through age or ouermuch impotency or else they worke too violently which is most dangerous or some one hurt or other followeth the poyson and so I will leaue the prosecution of this part The dust of the skinne of this Crocodile being annoynted with Vineger or Oyle vpon any part or member which is to be cut off taketh away the sence of paine in the time of execution The bloud is good for the eyes and taketh away the filthy skinne of the body with the spots and burles in the face restoring the first true natiue and liuely colour The fat taketh away the paine in the reines and causeth a distillation of the seede of man yet this fatte touching the hayre of a man maketh it to fall off and a man annoynted heerewith is safe from the annoyance of Crocodiles although they play with him It also cureth the bytinges of Crocodiles the instillation of this Crocodile foulded vp in the wooll of a blacke Sheepe of the first birth and wherein is no other colour hath power to driue away a quartan Ague And Rasis saith that it beeing hung ouer the head of a woman being in trauaile keepeth her from deliuery In the gall of this Serpent there is a power against the falling off of the hayre especially if the medicine bee made of the rootes of Beetes to neese withall and besides the eyes beeing annoynted therewith and with Hony there is nothing more profitable against suffusions The stones reines haue power to prouoke generation and Aetius prescribeth an Antidote to bee made of the taile of this beast against the gout Great is the vertue of the dung or excrement of this Serpent if the same could be casily found but while it is sought for it looseth the vertue It is called Crocodillia and is profitable to giue a good colour to womens faces that is the best which is whitest short and not heauy feeling like Leauen betwixt the fingers that is smelling somewhat sharp like Leauen It is adulterated with Meale Chalke white-earth or painting but it is descerned by the heauinesse The reason of the vertue of this is because it feedeth vpon the sweetest best smelling Herbs whereby it commeth to passe that it doth not onely smell fragrantly but also containe in it many excellent vertues First therefore it is good for the comelinesse of the face to giue colour to it according to the saying of Horace Colorque stercore fucatus Crocodili A colour in-grained with the dung of a Crocodile and for this cause also is the verse of Ouid Nigrior ad pharij confugit picis opem That is The black Woman goeth to craue helpe of the Fish Pharius to become more beautifull for by the fish Pharius is vnderstood a Crocodile As some thinke eight graynes of this dung or rather the weight of eyght groates with halfe so much Mustard-seede and Vineger cureth the falling off of the haire Arnoldus doth prescribe a composition of the dung and Cantharides for the regenerating and bringing againe of haire that is decayed If a perfume hereof be made and infused by a Tunelli into the holes of Serpents it will driue them away by reason of the sharp and leauenish sauour thereof Tralianus maketh a medicine thereof for an Eye-salue against the whitenesse and bloud-shot-eyes It is good also against dimnesse and suffutions being annoynted with the iuyce of Leekes and to conclude it is drunk in sweetwine and Vineger against the falling sicknesse and also being applyed vnto women stirreth vp their monthly courses And thus much shall suffice for the story of the Crocodile OF THE DART AMong the diuers kindes of Serpents there is one of speciall note which the Graecians call Acontia The Latines Iaculares or Iaculi or Sagitta a Dart or Arrow The Graecians at this day Saetta The Turkes Orchilanne In Calabria and Sicilia Saettone and of the Germans Ein schossz oder angelsch lang The reason of this name is taken from his swift leaping vpon a man to wound and kill him and therfore the Poets say Iaculique volucres speaking of these kindes of Serpentes Albertus and Auicen also calleth them Cafezati and Cafezaci Altararat Acoran and Altinanti The manner of this Serpent is to get vp into trees or hedges and from thence to flie like an Arrow vpon the vpper partes of men and so to sting bite and kill them and of this kind it is thought that was which came vpon the hand of the Apostle Paule whereof the Poet writeth Ecce procul sauus sterilis robore tunci Torsit immisit Iaculum vocat Africa serpens Perque caput Pauli transactaque tempora fugit Nil ibi virus agit rapuit cum vulnere fatum Deprensum est quaefunda rotat quà m lenta volorent Quà m segnis Scythicae strideret arundinis aer In English thus Loe from a farre a cruell Serpent from an Oke Came flying like a Dart in Affrica the same A Dart is cald the head and Temples stroke Of Paule by winding spires to worke his bane But nothing could the poyson there auaile For with the wound he put away his death Faster then swiftest flye or
and therefore I will conclude for my opinion that these Serpents as the highest poyson in nature were sent by GOD to afflict the sinning Israelites whose poyson was vncurable except by Diuine miracle Matthiolus also telleth a story of a Shepheard which was slaine in Italy by one of these as hee was sleeping in the heate of the day vnder the shaddow of a tree his fellow Shepheardes beeing not farre off looking to theyr flockes soddainely there came one of these Dart-Serpentes out of the tree and wounded him vppon his left pappe at the byting whereof the man awaked and cryed out aad so dyed incontinently his fellow Shepheards hearing this noyse came vnto him to see what he ayled and found him dead with a Serpent vpon his breast now knowing what kind of Serpent this was they forsooke their flockes and ran away for feare The cure of this Serpentes byting if there bee any at all is the same vvhich cureth the Viper as Aetius and Auicen writeth and therefore I will not relate it in this place The gall of this beast mixed with the Sythian Stone yealdeth a very good Eye-salue The which Gall lyeth betwixt the backe and the Lyuer And thus much shall suffice for this Serpent OF THE DIPSAS THis Dipsas hath many names for many occasions First Dipsas in Greeke signyfieth thirst as Sitis dooth in Latine and thereof also it is called Situla because whosoeuer is vvounded by this Serpent dyeth It is also called by some Prester and by some Causon because it setteth the whole body on fire but wee shall shew afterwardes that the Prester is a different Serpent from this It is called likewise Milanurus because of his black taile and Ammoâ—tis because it lyeth in the sand and there hurteth a man It is not therefore vnfitly defined by Auicen to bee Vipera sitem faciens That is A Viper causing thirst and therfore Ouid sporting at an old drunken woman named Lena calleth her Dipsas in these verses Est quaedam nomine Dipsas anus Ex re nomen habit nigri non illa parentem Memnonis in roseis sobria vidit equis In English thus There is a woman old which Dipsas may be hight And not without some cause thirsty she euer is For neuer Memnous sire all blacke and sildome bright Did she in water sweete behold in sobernesse They liue for the most part neere the Waters and in salt Marishy places whereupon Lucan saide Stant in margine siccae Aspides Et medijs sitiebant Dipsades vndis That is to say Vpon pits brinke dry Aspes there stood And Dipsads thirst in middest of water floud It is called Torrida Dipsas and Arida Dipsas because of the perpetuall thirst and therefore the Aegyptians when they will signifie thirst doe picture a Dipsas wherevpon Lucianus relateth this story there is saith hee a statue or monument vppon a Graue right ouer against the great Syrtes betwixt Sillya and Aegypt with this Epigram Talia passus erat quoque Tantalus Aethiope cretus Qui nullo potuit fonte leuare sitim Tale nec è Danao nat as implere puellas Assiduis vndis vas potuisse reor That is to say Such Tantalus indured in Aethiope bred Which neuer could by Water quench his thirst Nor could the Graecian maids with water sped That with dayly pourings till the vessell curst The statue was the picture of a man like vnto Tantalus standing in the middest of a Water ready to drinke by drawing in of the Water about whose foote was foulded a Dipsas close by stood certaine women bringing water and pouring it into him to make it runne into his mouth besides there was certaine Egges as it were of Estriches lay pictured beside them such as the Garamants in Lybia seeke after For it is reported by Lucianus that the people of that Country doe earnestly seeke after the Fstryges Egges vppon the sandes not onely to eate the meate that is in them but also to make sundry vessels or instruments of the shell and among other things they make Cappes of them Neare vnto these Egges doe these trecherous Serpentes lie in waight and so while the poore Country-man commeth to seeke for meate suddenly he leapeth vppon him and giueth him a mortall wound Aelianus hath an Embleme which hee seemeth to haue translated out of Greeke from Antipiter Sidonius of a Falconer which while he was looking vppe after Birdes for meate for his Hawke suddainely a Dipsas came behind him and stung him to death The title of his Embleme is Qui alta contemplatur cadere he that looketh hie may fall and the Embleme it selfe is this that solloweth Dum turdos visco pedica dum fallit alaudas Et iacta altiuolam figit arundo gruem Dipsada non prudens auceps pede perculit vltrix Illa mali emissum virus ab ore tacit Sic obit extento qui sidera respicit arcu Securus fati quod ia cit ante pedes Which may be thus Englished Whiles Thrush with line and Larke deceiued with net And Crane high flying pierced with force of reede By Falconer was behold a Dipsas on the foote did set As if it would reuenge his bloudy foule misdeed For poyson out of mouth it cast and bit his foote Whereof he dyed like Birds by him deceiued Whiles bending bow aloft vnto the stars did looke Saw not his fate below which him of life bereaued This Dipsas is inferior in quantity vnto a Viper but yet killeth by poyson much more speedily according to these verses Exiguae similis spectatur Dipsas echidnae Sed festina magis morsictus occupat aegros Parua lurida cui circa vltima cauda nigrescit That is to say This Dipsas like vnto the Viper small But kils by stroke with greater paine and speede whose taile at end is soft and blacke withall That as your death auoyd with carefull heede 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 taile being exceeding little the colour of the forepart somewhat white but set ouer with blacke and yellow spots the taile very blacke Galen writeth that the ancient Marsi which were appointed for hunting Serpentes and Vipers about Rome did tell him that there was no meanes 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 keepe in the dryer Crountries wherfore there are not many of the Dipsades in Italy because of the moystnes of that Country but in Lybia where there are great store of salt Marshes As we haue said already a man or beast wounded with this serpent is afflicted with intollerable thirst insomuch as it is easier for him to breake his belly then to quench his
thirst with drinking alwaies gaping like a Bull casteth himselfe downe into the water maketh no spare of the cold liquor but continually sucketh it in till either the belly breake or the poyson driue out the life by ouer-comming the vitall Spirites To conclude beside all the symptomes which follow the biting of Vipers which are coÌ„moÌ„ to this scrpent this also followeth theÌ„ that the party afflicted can neither make water vomit nor sweat so that they perish by one of these two waies first either they are burned vp by the heat of the poyson if they come not at water to drinke or else if they come by water they are so vnsatiable that their bellies first swell aboue measure and soone breake about their prâ—â—y partes To conclude all the affections which follow the thicke poyson of this Serpent are excellently described by Lucan in these verses following Signiferum iuuenem Tyrrheni sanguinis Aulum Torta caput retrò Dipsas calcata momordit Vix dolor aut sensus dentis fuit ipsaque leti Frons caret inuidia nec quicquam plaga minatur Ecce subit virus tacitum carpitque medullas Ignis edax calidaque incendit visceratabe Ebibit humorem circum vitalia fusum Pestis in sicco linguam torrere palato Coepit defessos iret qui sudor in artus Non fuit atque occulos lachrymarum venarefugit Non decus imperij non moesti iura 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 terris adiuta perustis Scrutatur venas penitus squallentis arenae Nunc redit ad Syrtes fluct us accipit ore Aequoreusque placet sed non sufficit humor Nec sentit fatique genus mortemque veneni Sed putat esse sitim ferroque apertre tumentes Sustinuit venas atque osimplere cruore Lucanus lib. 9. In English thus Tyrrhenian Aulus the auncient-bearer young Was bit by Dipsas turning head to heele No paine or sence of 's teeth appear'd though poyson strong Death doth not frowne the man no harme did feele But loe slye poyson takes the marrow and eating fire Burning the bowels warme till all consumed Drinking vp the humour about the vitall spire And in dry palate was the tongue vp burned There was no sweat the sinnewes to refresh And teares fled from the veine that feedes the eyes Then Catoes lawes nor Empiers honor fresh This fiery youth could hold but downe the streamer flyes And like a mad man about the fieldes he runs Poysons force in heart did waters craue Though vnto Tanas Rhodanus Padus he comes Or Nilus yet all to little for his heate to haue But dry was death as though the Dipsas force Were not inough but holpe by heate 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 kind venoms death But thought it thirst and seeing his veines arise Them cut which bloud stopt mouth and breath The signes of death following the byting of this Serpent are extreame drought and inflamation both of the inward and outward partes so that outwardly the partes are as dry as Parchment or as a skinne set against the fire which commeth to passe by adustion and commutation of the bloud into the nature of the poyson For this cause many of the auncients haue thought it to be incurable and therefore were ignorant of the proper medicines practising onely common medicines prescribed against Vipers but this is generally obserued that if once the belly beginne to breake there can bee no cure but death First therefore they vse scarification and make vstion in the body cutting of the member wounded If it be in the extremity they lay also playsters vnto it as Treacle liquid pitch with oyle Hennes cut asunder aliue and so layde to hote or else the leaues of Purslaine beaten in Vineger Barley-meale Bramble-leaues pounded with Hony also Plantine Isope White-garlicke Leekes Rue Nettles Then must the gouernement of their bodies be no lesse looked vnto first that they be kept from all sharpe and salt meates then that they be made continually to drinke oyle to procure vomit and vvith theyr vomits which they cast out of their stomacke to giue them glysters that so the waters may be drawne to the lower parts Besides some take medicines out of Fishes especially such as are salt and the leaues barke or sprigges of Laurill and to conclude there is nothing better then Treacle compounded of Vipers fleshe And thus much for the Dipsas OF THE DOVBLE-HEAD BEcause the Graecians call this Serpent Amphisbaina and the Latines from thence Amphisbenae because it goeth both waies as if it had two heads no taile and for this purpose it is neuer seene to turne his body as it were to turne about his head When it hath a purpose to auoyde that thing which it feareth or where-withall it is offended hee doth but onely change his course backward as he went forward so that it is as happy a Lyntius whom the Poets faine to be very quick-sighted or as those Monsters which are said to haue eyes in their backs or rather like to Ianus which is sayde to haue two faces one forward and another backward and therefore I haue called it Double-head I trust fitly enough to expresse the Greeke word although compounded of two words together for so is the Greeke word also which the French doe expresse by a like compounded word Double-marcheur that is going two waies It is likewise called Ankesime Alchismus Amphisilenem And thus much may suffice for the name It is said that this Serpent is found in the Iland Lemnus but among the Germans it is vnknowne There is some question whether it may be said to haue two heads or no. Galen affirmeth that it is like a shippe hauing two fore-parts that is one behind another before Pliny also subscribeth here-vnto and maketh it a very pestilent Serpent Geminum habet caput Amphisbena tanquam parum esset vno ore fundi venenum saith hee It hath a double-head as though one mouth were not enough to vtter his poyson according to the saying of the Poet Est grauis in geminum surgitis caput Amphis-benae Serpens qui visu necat et sibilo Which may be englished thus This Serpent Double-head is grieuous to be seene Whose clouen-head doth kill with sight and hissing keene Vnto this also Elianus subscribeth that it is a true Serpent and hath two heads so that whensoeuer it is to goe forward one of them standeth in the place of the tayle but when it is to goe backward then the head becommeth the tayle and the tayle the head So also Mantuan sayth
will be found to be much the worse Beeing mooued to anger it standeth vpon the hinder legges and looketh directlie in the face of him that hath stirred it and so continueth till all the body be white through a kind of white humour or poyson that it swelleth outward to harme if it were possible the person that did prouoke it And by this is their venomous nature obserued to be like the Salamander although theyr continuall abode in the water maketh their poyson the more weake Some say that if in Fraunce a hogge doe eate one of these hee dyeth thereof and yet doth more safely eate the Salamander But in England it is otherwise for I haue seene a hogge without all harme carry in his mouth a Newte afterward eate it There be some Apothecaries which doe vse this Newte in steed of Scinks or Crocodiles of the earth but they are deceiued in the vertues and operation and do also deceiue other for there is not in it any such wholesome properties and therefore not to be applyed without singuler danger And thus much may suffice to be said for this little Serpent or water-creeping creature OF THE PELIAS AEtius making mention of the Elaps and Pelias two kinds of Serpents dooth ioyntly speake of them in this sort saying that the signes of these 〈…〉 common and vulgarly knowne that 〈…〉 among the auncient writers But thâ— Pehas byting 〈…〉 about the wound or bytten place but yet not very dangerous and it bringeth obfuscation or dimnesse to the eyes by reason that as the poyson is vâ—â—ersally distributed ouer all the body so it hath most power ouer the tenderest part namely the eyes It is cured by a Ptisane with oyle in drinke and a decoction of such Docks as grow in ditches and other simple medicines such as are applyed to the curing of the yellow-Iaundise The eyes must be washed with the vrine of a child or young man which neuer knew any woman â—…lly and this may be applyed eyther simply and alone or else by bryne and pickle so also must the head After that the body is purged annoynt it with Balsamum and Hony and take an eye-salue to sharpen againe and recouer the sight and for this cause it is very good to weepe for by euacuation of teares the venom also will be expelled But if the eyes grow to paine then let their eyesâ—lue be made more temperate and gentle to keepe the head and braine from stupefaction And thus much for the Pelias out of Aetius OF THE PORPHYRE THere is among the Indians a Serpent about the bignes of a spanne or more which in outward aspect is like to the most beautifull and well coloured purple the head hereof is exceeding white and it wanteth teeth This Serpent is sought for in the highest Mountaines for out of him they take the Sardius stone And although he cannot byte because hee wanteth teeth yet in his rage when he is persecuted he casteth foorth a certaine poyson by vomit which causeth putrefaction where euer it lighteth But if it be taken aliue and be hanged vp by the tayle it rendereth a double one whiles it is aliue the other when it is dead both of them blacke in colour but the first resembleth blacke Amber And if a man take but so much of the first blacke venome as is the quantitie of a Sesamyne seede it killeth him presently making his braines to fall out at his nostrills but the other worketh neither so speedily nor after the same manner for it casteth one into a consumption and killeth within the compasse of a yere But I find Aelianus Volateran and Textor to differ from this relation of Ctesias for they say that the first poyson is like to the drops of Almond-trees which are congealed into a gumme and the other which commeth from it when hee is dead is like to thin mattery water Vnto this Porphyre I may adde the Palmer-serpent which Strabo wryteth doth kill with an vnrecouerable poyson it is also of a Scarlet colour to the loynes or hinder parts OF THE PRESTER ALthough there be many Writers which confound together the Prester and the Dipsas and make of them but one kind or Serpent of diuers names yet seeing on the contrary there be as many or more which doe distinguish or deuide them and make them two in nature different one from another the Dipsas killing by thirst and the Prester by heate as theyr very names doe signifie therefore I will also trace the steppes of this latter opinion as of that which is more probable and consonant to truth The Graecians call it Praester of Prethein which signifieth to burne or inflame Tremellius and Iunius thinke that the Serpents called fiery Serpents which did sting the Israelites in the wildernesse were Presters We find in Suidas Praester for the fire of heauen or for a cloude of fire carried about with a vehement strong wind and sometimes lightenings And it seemeth that this is indeede a fiery kind of Serpent for he himselfe alwayes goeth about with open mouth panting and breathing as the Poet writeth Oraque distendens auidus fumantia Praester Inficit vt laesus tumida membra gerat Which may be englished thus The greedy Presters wide-open foming mouth Infects and swelleth making the members by heate vncouth When this Serpent hath strooke or wounded there followeth an immeasurable swelling distration conuersion of the blood to matter and corrupt inflamation taking away freedome or easines of aspiration likewise dimming the sight or making the hayre to fall off from the head at last suffocation as it were by fire which is thus described by Mantuan vpon the person of one Narsidius saying as followeth Ecce subit facies leto diuersa fluenti Narsidium Marsi cultorem torridus agri Percussit prester illi rubor igneus ora Succendit tenditque cutem pereunte figura Miscens cuncta tumor toto iam corpore maior Humanumque egressa modum super omnia membra Efflatur Sanies latè tollente veneno Ipse late penitus congesto corpore mersus Nec lorica tenet distenti corporis auctum Spumeus accenso non sic exundat aheno Vndarum cumulus nec tanto carbasa Corâ— Curuauere sinus tumidâ—s iam non capit artus Informis globus confuso pondere truncus Intactum volucrum rostris epulasque daturum Haud impunè feris non ausi tradere busto Nondum stante modo crescens fugere cadauer Which may be englished thus Loe suddenly a diuers fate the ioyfull current stayed Narsidius which Marsinus mirror did adore By burning sting of scorching Prester dead was tayeâ— For fierie colour his face enflam'd not as before The first appearing visage fayld all was out-stretcht Swelling couer'd all and bodyes grossenes doubled Surpassing humane bounds and members all ore reacht Aspyring venom spreads matter blowne in carkasse troubled The man lyeth drownd within swolne bodies bankes No girdle can his monstrous growth contayne Not so are waters swolne
sibi pabula terra Nec licet id magno cupiat studeatqque labore Arescente sitim potis est depellere fauce Which may be englished thus The Scytall like the Double-head thou shalt in feature find Yet is it fatter and tayle that hath no end much thicker is As bigge as crooked hand is wonted for to wind The haft and helue of digging-spade the earth that rifts As long it is as that thinne crawling worme which heauens rayne Begets on fruitefull earth when bowells warmely moystened are And when the mother-Goddesse great sends forth her creepine traine Which is Yeeres-youth fresh time of Spring both calme and fayre Then leaues it off his wonted bed in rocke obscure And in what sunne he stretches out his limbes and sinnewes all Eating the new spring-blades of Fennell-herbe so putting teeth in vre In holes of the declining hills so keepes both great and small Where time in deepest sleepe of buried nature it doth passe And beeing hungry the earth in toppe of hole it eates Quenching the thirst by force of dryest chappes as grasse Though without payne desirelesse it seekes these drinkes and meates The byting of this Serpent is like the byting of the Double-head and therefore the cure is in the same manner wherefore I shall not neede to repeate the signes thereof or the cure in this place And so I will conclude the story of this Serpent OF THE SEA-SERPENTS AMong the manifold kinds of Sea-serpents as well knowne as vnknown wherof some are like the Lamprey some like the Myrus and many other like the Serpents of the earth except in their head as Aristotle writeth for that is more like the head of a Conger then a serpent it peculiarly hath one kind in colour forme not vnlike an Eeele in length about three cubits in the gylls finnes resembling a Conger but it hath a longer snout or beake which is also fortified inwardly with very many small sharpe teeth the eyes not so great a smooth or pield skinne and hanging ouer at the backe hauing no scales so as it may easily be fleyed The belly of it is betwixt redde and white and all the body ouer is set with spires so as beeing aliue it is not handled without danger And this is by Pliny called the Dragon of the Sea which commeth out of the Sea into the Sands and therein with an admirable celerity and dexteritie maketh his lodging place For the snout thereof is sharper then the Serpents of the earth therefore there-with it diggeth and hideth it selfe in the hole or hollow place which it hath made This is also called by Pliny Ophidion but I thinke it better to follow Aristotle who doth call it Ophis thalattios a Sea-serpent the colour whereof is blacker or dymmer then the Conger There be also Vipers of the Sea which are in shew little fishes about a cubit long hauing a little horne in their fore-head the byting or sting whereof is very deadly therefore when the Fisher-men haue taken any one of these they instantly cut off the head and bury it in the sand but the body they eate for good meate yet these Serpents are thought to be none other then the Fishes called Aranei or Spyder-fishes sauing that they are said to haue a sharpe sting in their head and this a horne for all Water or Sea-Serpents haue harder and lesse heads then the Serpents of the Land In the Germaine-Ocean there is found a Serpent about the bignesse of a mans legge which in the tayle carryeth a sting as hard as any horne this haunteth onely the deepest part of the Sea yet is it some-time taken by the Fishermen and then they cut off the tayle and cate the residue of the body Yet I will not expresly define whether this may be called a Sea-Serpent or a Serpentine-fish it may be it is the same that is a Forke-fish or Ray which by reason of the tayle thereof it might giue occasion to Albertus to call it a serpent of the Sea There be also Snakes or Hyders in the Sea for although all water-serpents as well of the fresh salt sweet waters may be called Hyders or Snakes yet there be some peculiar Snakes such are those in the Indian-Sea where they haue broade tayles and they harme more by byting with the sharpnes of their teeth then by any venome that is contained in them and therefore in this they some-what resemble the Snakes of the earth And Plinie vvriteth that once before Persis vppon the coasts of certaine Ilands there were seene of these Sea Hyders very many of the length of twenty cubits where-withall a whole Nauy or fleet of ships were mightily affrighted And the like is reported of three other Ilands lying betwixt the promontory of Carmania and Arabia and such were those also in the Affrican-sea who are said by Aristotle not to be affraid of a Gally but will set vppon the men therein and ouer-turne it And he himselfe saw many bones of great wild-oxen who had beene destroyed by these kind of Sea-snakes or Hyders The greatest Riuer that falleth into the Red-sea is called Sinthus the fall whereof a far off seemeth to the beholders to be like winding Snakes as though they were comming against the passengers to stay them from enterance into that Land and there is not onely a sight or resemblance of Serpents there but also the very truth of them for all the Sea-men know when they are vpon these coasts by the multitude of Serpents that meet them And so do the Serpents called Graae about Persis And the Coast of Barace hath the same noysome premonstration by occurrence of many odious blacke and very great Sea-serpents But about Barygaza they are lesse and of yellow earthy colour their eyes bloody or fierie red and their heads like Dragons Keranides writeth of a Sea-dragon in this maner saying The Dragon of the Sea is a fish without scales and when this is growne to a great and large proportion whereby it doth great harme to other creatures the winds or clowdes take him vp suddenly into the ayre and there by violent agitation shake his bodie to peeces the parcels whereof so mangled and torne asunder haue beene often sound in the tops of the mountaines And if this be true as it may well be I cannot tell whether there be in the world a more noble part of Diuine prouidence signe of the loue of God to his creatures who armeth the clowdes of heauen to take vengeane of their destroyers The tongue of this Sea-dragon saith hee is like a horses tayle two foote in length the which tongue preserued in oyle and carried about by a man safegardeth him from languishing infirmities and the fat thereof with the Herbe-Dragon annoynted on the head or sick-parts cureth the head-ache and driueth away the Leprosie and all kind of scabs in the skinne Heere is also the picture of another Sea-serpent very like to the serpent of the earth being 3.
S. Roch the pestilence notwithstanding that S. Sebastian hath some skill in it also Saint Cosmus and Damian are good for all byles and swelling diseases S. Iob for the pocks S. Appolin for the tooth-ach S. Petronella can driue away all manner of Agues And S. Vitus or Vitulus we may well call him S. Calfe that in times past excelled in the musicall Art doth direct all Dauncers or such as will leap or vault So that if this Saint be invocated and pacified with musicall harmonie and melodious sound of instruments he will be an excellent Apothecarie Doctor for the curation of any that are wounded with a Tarantula Supersticious people fondly imputing that to the Patron and Proctor some-times of Musick which ought rather to be attributed to Musicke it selfe and motion of the body Dioscorides concerning the common bytings of hurtfull Spyders or Phalangies vvriteth thus The accidents saith he that doe accompany the bytings of Spyders are these that follow The wounded place waxeth red yet doth it not swell nor grow very hot but it is some-what moyst If the body become cold there will follow trembling and shaking the groyne and hammes doe much stroute out are exceeding distended there is great prouocation to make water and striuing to exonerate nature they sweat with much difficultie labour and paine Besides the hurt persons are all of a cold sweat and teares destill from their eyes that they grow dym-sighted there-with Aetius further addeth that they can take no rest or sleepe sometimes they haue erection of the yarde and the heade itcheth other-whiles the eyes and calfes of the legges grow hollow and lanke the bellie is stretched out by meanes of wind the whole body is puffed vppe but in especiall the face they make a maffeling with theyr mouth and stammer so that they cannot distinctly be vnderstood Some-times they can hardly voyd vrine they haue great paine in the lower parts the vrine that they make is waterish and as it were full of Spyders-webbes the part affected hath a great pricking and swelling which Dioscorides as you reade a little before will by no meanes yeeld to and it is a little red Thus farre Aetius from whom Paulus Aegineta Actuarius Ardoynus and some others differ but a little In Zacynthus an I le in the Ionian-Sea on the West of Peloponesus if any there be hurt of a Phalangium they are otherwise and more grieuously tormented then in any other place for there the body groweth stiffe and benummed besides it is very weake trembling and exceeding cold They suffer also vomiting with a spasme or crampe and inflamation of the virge besides an intollerable paine in their eares and soales of their feete The people there doe cure themselues by bathes into which if any sound man after that doe enter to wash himselfe or be drawne into the same by any guile or deceitfull meanes hee will foorth-with fall into the same greefes passions that the other sicke patient endured before he receiued remedie And the like to this writeth Dioscorides in his Chapter of Trifolium asphaltites in these words following The decoction saith he of the whole plant beeing vsed by way of fomentation bathing or soking the body ceaseth all those paines which are caused by the byting or stinging of any venomous Serpent and with the same bathing or fomenting whatsoeuer vlcerous persons shall vse or wash himselfe withall he will be affected and haue the same accidents as he that hath beene bitten of a Serpent Galen in his booke De Theciaca ad Pisonem ascribeth this to miracle accounting it a thing exceeding common reason and nature but I stand in doubt that that Booke vvas neuer Galens but rather fathered vpon him by some other man And yet Aelianus writeth more miraculously whē he affirmeth that this hapneth to some helthy persons such as be in good plight state of body neuer so much as making any mention of vlcer or sore Thus much of the symptomes accidents passions or effects which sticke and waite vpon those that are hurt by Spyders And now come I to the cure The generall cure according to the opinion of Dioscorides is that first there must be scarification made vpon the wounded place and that often and cupping-glasses must as often be applyed and fastened with much flame to the part affected Absyrtus counsell is to make a fumigation with egge-shells first steeped in water and then beeing cast on the coales with Harts-horne or Galbanum to perfume the venomed part there-with After that to vse sacrifications to let bloud or to sucke the place or to draw out the venom with cupping-glasses or which is the safest course of them all to apply an actuall cautery except the place affected be full of sinnewes Lastly to prouoke sweat well either in bed couering the patient well with cloathes or it is better by long and easie walking to procure sweating In some to attaine to the perfect curation you must worke both with inward outward meanes such as here shall be prescribed and set before your eyes whereof the most choyce and approued I haue set downe for the benefit of the Reader and first I wil beginne with Dioscorides Inward Medicines out of Dioscorides TAke of the seedes of Sothern-wood Annise Dill the wilde Cicer of the fruite of the Cedar-tree Plantine and Trifolie of each a like quantity beate them to powder by themselues before you doe mixe them The dose is two drammes to be taken in Wine Likewise one dramme of the seedes of Tamariske drunke in Wine is very effectuall Some vse a decoction of Chamaepytis and the greene Nuts of the Cipres-tree in Wine There be some which prayse the iuyce of Croy-fishes to be taken with Ashes Milke and Smallage-seede and this Medicine experience hath approoued and confirmed for the ceasing of all paynes Lye made of Figge-leaues is drunke with good successe against all bytings of Spyders It is good also to take the fruite of the Turpentine-tree Bay-berries leaues of the Balme and the seedes of all sorts of Carrets or to drinke the iuyce of Mirtle-berries of the berries of Iuy or Mull-berries the iuyce of Colewort-leaues and of Cliues or Goose-grease with Wine or Vineger A dramme of the leaues of Beane-Trifoly drunke in wine the decoction of the rootes of a Sparagus Iuyce of Sen-greene or any opening iuyce is good for the same Some vse with very good successe the leaues of the Hearbe called Balme with Niter and Mallowes boyled both leafe and roote and so taken often in a potion The leaues of the Hearbe called Phalangium with his floures and seedes The seedes of Nigella also serue to the same end Medicines out of Galen TAke of Aristolochia of Opium of eyther alike much foure drammes of the roots of Pelletorie of Spayne three drams Make thereof Trochisces to the quantitie of a Beane The dose is two Trochisces with three ounces of pure wine The Ashes of a Ramms hoofe tempored with Hony
is to bee giuen is one dramme Another Take of the rootes of Capers the rootes of long Aristolochie or Hartwort Bay-berries rootes of Gentian of each a like quantity to bee taken in Wine or let him drinke Diassa with svveete strong Wine Comin and the seedes of Agnus Castus Another Take of the seedes of Nigella tenne drammes of Daucus and Comin-seedes of each alike fiue drammes seedes of wilde Rue and Cypres Nuttes of eyther three Drammes Spiknard Bay-berries round Astrologe Carpobalsamum Cynaomn the root of Gentian seeds of Trifolium Bituminosum and of Smallage-seede of either two drammes make a confection with Hony so much as is sufficient Giue the quantity of a Nut with old Wine Rhazes Out of Pliny Celsus and Scaliger IT is good to giue fiue Pismires to them that are bitten of any Phalangium or the seedes of Nigella Romana one dram or Mulberries with Hypocistis and Hony There is a secret vertue and hidden quality in the root of Parsely and of wilde Rue peculiarly against those hurts that Spiders infect by their venome The bloud of a Land-Tortoyce the iuyce of Origanum the roote of Behen Album Veruaine Cinquefoile all the sortes of Sengreene Cipres-roots the Iuie of Iuy roots being taken with some sweet Wine or water and Vineger mixed and boyled together are very speciall in this griefe Likewise two drams of Castoreum to prouoke vomiting being relented in some mulse Apollodorus one of the disciples of Democrates saith there is an herb called Crocides which if any Phalangium or other poisonous Spider do but touch presently they fal down dead and their poyson is so dulled and weakened as it can doe no hurt The leaues of the Bull-rush or Mat-rush which are next to the root being eaten are found to giue much help Pliny Take of Myrrhe of Vna Taminea which is the berry of the herb called Ampelos Agria being a kind of Bryony which windeth it selfe about trees and hedges like a vine of some called our Ladies seale of either alike and drink them in 3. quarters of a pinte of sod wine Item the rootes of Radish or of Darnell taken in Wine is very effectuall Celsus But the excellentest Antidote of all other is that which Scaliger describeth whom for his singular learning and deep conceit I may tearme Nostris orbis seculi ornamentum The forme whereof in this place I will prescribe you Take of the true and round Aristolochia of the best Mithredate of either one ounce Terra Sigillata halfe an ounce of those Flyes which are found to liue in the flower of the Herb called Napellus in number 18. iuyce of Citrons so much as is sufficient mixe them altogether For against this mischiefe of Spyders oragainst any other shrewd turnes grieuances or bytings of any Serpents whatsoeuer Are as yet neuer found out so effectuall a remedy or so notable an alexipharmacall Thus far Scaliger The iuyce of Apples being drunke and Endiue are the propper Bezoar against the venom of a Phalangie Petrus de Albano Thus much of inward now wil I proceed to generall outward medicaments and applications Fiue Spiders putrified in common Oyle applyed outwardly to the affected place are very good Ashes made of the dung of draught beasts tempered with vineger and vsed as an ointment or instead of vineger water and vineger boyled together and applyed as before are proued to be singuler Take of vineger 3. pints and a halfe Sulphur viuum two ounces mix them and foment bath or soke the wounded part with a Spunge dipped in the liquor or if the paine be a little asswaged with the fomentation then wash the place with a good quantity of Sea-water Some hold opinion that Achates which is a precious stone vvherein are represented diuers forms whereof some haue the nine masts some of Venus c. will heale all bitings of Phalangies and for this cause being brought out of India it is held at a very deere rate in this Country Pliny Ashes made of fig-tree-leaues adding to them some Salt and wine The roots of the wilde Panax being beaten to powder Aristolochie Barly Meale kneaded together and vvrought vp with vineger Water with hony and salt applyed outwardly for a fomentation The decoction of the herb Balme or the leaues of it being brought to the forme of a Pultes and applyed but we must not forget to vse warme bathes and sometimes to the place agrieued Pliny Cut the vaines that appeare vnder the tongue rubbing and chafing the swelled places with Salt and good store of Vineger then cause the patient to sweat carefully warily for feare of cold Vigetius Theophrastus saith that practitiones do highly commend the root of Panax Chironia Moysten the wound with Oile Garlike bruised Knot-grasse or Barly-meale and Bay-leaues with wine or with the dregs or Lees of wine or wilde Rue applyed in manner of a Cataplasme to the wounded place Nonus Take of Sulphur Vivum Galbanum of each alike 4. drams and a halfe of Euforbium halfe a dram Hasell-nuts excorticated two drams dissolue them and with wine make towardes the curation Flyes beaten to powder and applyed vpon the place affected The fish called a Barble cureth the bitings of any venomous Spider if being raw it be slit asunder in the middest and so applyed as Galen saith Annoint the whole body with a liquid Cerote and foment the place affected with Oyle wherein Trifolium Bituminosum hath beene infused or bath it often with Spongies soked in warme Vineger then prepare make ready cataplasmes of these Ingredients following that is of Knot-grasse Scala Caeli called Salomons-seale Leekes Cheesill or Branne decocted in Vineger Barley-Meale and Bay-berries and the leaues boyled in Wine and Hony Some doe also make Cataplasmes of Rue or herb-grace Goats dung tempered with wine Cypres Margerom and wilde Rue with Vineger An emplaster of Asclepiades Take of the seedes of wilde Rue and Rocket-seeds Stauesackre Rosemary-seedes Agnus-Castus Apples and Nuts or in stead of these two of the leaues of the Cipres-tree of each alike beate and temper them altogether with vineger hony Aetius Apply the decoction of Lupines vpon the affected place the eschar being first remoued then annoint it in the warme Sun-shine or against the fire with the fat of a Goose tempered with wilde Rue and Oyle or else of the pap of Barly and the broth of Lupines make a cataplasme Oribasius The Filberd-Nut that groweth in India healeth the bytings of the Phalangies Auicenna Goates dung dissolued with other conuenient Cataplasmes and Oyle of Worme-wood and the iuyce of Figs helpeth much Kiranides Apply oftentimes a cold peece of iron to the place Petrus de Albano Foment the place very often with the iuyce of the Herbe Plantine Hildegardis The artificiall Oyle of Balme is singular Euonimus A fomentation made of the leaues and stalkes of Imperatoria called Master-wort and continued a good space or else Veruaine bruised and stamped the iuyce being taken in wine and
further the hearb outwardly applyed is much commended of Turneiser Beate and stampe Hearb-agrace with Garlicke and some Oyle and apply it outwardly Celsus There bee but a fevv particular cures for the bytings of Spyders that Physitions mention yet some they doe although the generall bee most effectuall Pliny against the byting of the Formicarion or Pismire-like Phalangie that hath a red head commendeth much another Phalangie of the same kind onely to be shewed to the wounded patient to looke vpon and to be kept for the same purpose though the Spyder be found dead Also a young Weasell dryed and the belly thereof stuffed with Coriander-seede and so kept till it be very old and stale and drunke in wine being first beaten to powder is likewise good for the same intention There is a certaine little beast called Ichneumon of some it is called Mus Pharaonis Pharoes Mouse and for the enmity vnto Serpents it is called Ophiomorchus as Bellonius reporteth being bruised and applyed to the byting of any Waspe-like Phalangie doth vtterly take away the vemone of them It often entereth and searcheth out the seats and holes of venomous Spiders and Phalangies and if it finde any of them shee haleth and tuggeth them cleane away as a Pismire doth a small graine of Corne and if the Phalangie offer any resistaunce the Ichneumon sparing no labour pulleth her the contrary way and by this struggling and striuing sometimes it so falleth out that the Ichneumon is wearied and then she breatheth a little and gathering new strength and courage setteth againe vpon the Phalangie with a fresh assault and woundeth her many times so that at length she carieth her to her owne lodging there to be deuoured If the Tarantula haue hurt any one the best remedy is to styrre and exercise the body continually without any intermission whereas in all hurtes that are caused by any other Spyders rest and quietnesse are the best meanes as Celsus affirmeth But their Antidote is Musicke and singing Christophorus de Honestis counselleth to take forth with Theriaca Andromachi without any delay He also aduiseth to take Butter tempered vvith Hony and the roote of Saffron in Wine His propper Bezoar saith he or the greene Berries or seedes of the Lentiske-tree Ponzettus in his booke De venenis aduiseth to take ten graynes of the Lentisk-tree in Milke or an ounce and a halfe of the iuyce of Mull-berry-leaues In the encrease of the griefe he cureth them with Agaricke or the White Vine and after much sweating they are to be comforted and refreshed or strengthened with colde Medicines as with the Water of Poppy and the like Meruâ—a saith they are to be remedied with the stone of Musicall Instruments dauncing singing and colours concerning the three former I will not contend but howe they should receiue any part of helpe or health from vewing of any colours I doe not well vnderstand considering that the eye-sight of all those that are bitten of a Tarantula is quite taken away or they see but obscurely as being mightily deceiued in their obiects Andreas Matthiolus in his Commentaries vppon the sixth booke of Dioscorides Chap. 40. reporteth a verie strange story of a cerraine Hermit his olde friende and acquaintance dwelling neere vnto Rome who cured all those who were bitten or hurt of any venomous Wormes or Serpents which in this last place I will insert although some may say that it is needlesse and belongeth not at all to this discourse in hand or else will not beleeue it For when as any of the Inhabitants in those parts were wounded of any poysonous Serpent by a Messenger forthwith fignified the same to the old Hermit who by and by demaunded of the Messenger whether he could be content to take or drinke any Medicine in the stead of the sicke patient which if the other assented too promising to take it the Hermit commaunded him without any further delay to pull off his right foot shoe and to set his foote on the earth drawing a line round about the foot with his knife then he willed him to take away his foote and within the space of the line so marked he writ or engraued these words following Caro Caruze sanum reduce reputata sanum Emanuel paracletus Then immediatly he pared away the earth with the same whittle so that all the Characters were quite defaced putting rhe same earth into a little earthen vessell full of Water letting it there so long remaine vntil the earth sunke to the bottome Lastly he strayned the water with a peece of the Messengers shirt or some other Linnen that hee wore next to his skin and being signed with the signe of the crosse gaue it him to drinke but surely saith Matthiolus it was marueylous strange and a wonderfull thing to consider how that the wounded patient was perfectly healed euen at that very houre and moment of time that the Messenger tooke the aforesaide potion of the Hermit as it is plainely knowne vnto my selfe and to all the people that dwell round about in that Territory or Shire And thus much of this heremiticall curation by the way Now will I come into my path againe A man may find a great sort both of these and the like remedies both in Pliny Dioscorides and other concerning the hurts of Spiders but I thinke I haue beene a little to tedious and you may imagine that I do nothing but Ta arachina hiphainein Aranearum telas texere That is In a friuolous matter and of small moment spend infinite and curious labour so that I had more neede to craue pardon for my long discourse about this subiect wherein though many things may want to the satisfaction of an afflicted searching head yet I am sure here is inough to warrant the discharge of my good will to repell the censure of the scrupulous Nunc imus ad illam Artificem mens nostra cui est conformis Arachnem Quae medio tenerae residens in stamine telae Quà ferit eurus atrox trepidat volitantibus auris Tangitur veresono vagus illi byssus ab aestro In English thus Vnto Arachne skilfull mistrisse let vs come To whom conformed seemes the mind of man She sits in middest of web her tender feet vpon Whiles she is tost with Eastwind now and than She trembleth at the noyse of ratling winds As when the humming Fly hard wagging finds OF THE TAME OR HOVSE Spyder ARistotle that diligent searcher and seeker out of Nature and naturall causes termeth this kind of Spyder a very gallant excellent wise creature King Salomon himselfe at whose high wisedome all succeeding ages haue and will admire amongst those foure small creatures which in wisedome doe out-strippe the greatest Phylosophers reckoneth the Spyder for one dwelling as he saith in Kings courts and there deuising and weauing his inimitable webbe The Poets fayne that the Spyder called Arachne was in times past a mayden of Lydia who beeing instructed of Minerua in the cunning
this busines or History There be of Torteyses three kinds one that liueth on the Land the second in the sweet waters and the third in the Sea or salt-salt-waters There are found great store of these in India especially of the Wateâ— Torteyses and therefore the people of that part of the Country are called Chelonophagi that is Eaters of Torteyses for they liue vpon them and these people are sayd to be in the East-part of India And in Carmania the people are likewise so called And they do not onely eare the flesh of them but also couer their houses with their shells and of their abundance doe make them all manner of vessels And Pliny and Solinus write that the Sea Torteyses of India are so bigge that with one of them they couer a dwelling Cottage And Strabo sayth they also row in them on the waters as in a Boate. The Islands of Serapis in the Redde-Sea and the farthest Ocean Islands towardes the East of the Red Sea hath also very great Torteyses in it and euery where in the Red-Sea they so abound that the people there doe take them and carry them to their greatest Marts and Fayres to sell them as to Rhaphtis to Ptolemais and the Island of Dioscorides whereof some haue white and small shels In Lybia also they are found and in the night time they come out of their lodgings to feede but very softly so as one can scarcely perceiue their motion And of one of these Scaliger telleth this story One night saith he as I was trauayling being ouer-taken with darkenesse and want of light I cast about mine eyes to seeke some place for my lodging safe and secure from Wild-beasts and as I looked about I saw as I thought a little â—ill or heape of earth but in truth it was a Torteyse couered all ouer with mosse vpon that I ascended and saâ—e downe to rest where-vppon after a little watching I feâ—l asleepe and so ended that nights rest vppon the backe of the Torteyse In the morning when light approched I perceiued that I was remooued farre from the place whereon I first chose to lodge all night and therefore rising vp I beheld with great admiration the face and countenaunce of this Beast in the knowledge whereof as in a new nature I went foreward much comforted in my wearisome iourney The description of the Torteyse and the seuerall partes thereof now followeth to bee handled Those creatures saith Pliny which bring forth or lay egs eyther haue feathers as Fowles or haue scales as Serpents or thicke hides as the Scorpion or else a shell like the Torteyse It is not without great cause that this shell is called Scutrem and the Beast Scutellaria for there is no buckler and shield so hard and strong as this is And Palladius was not deceiued when he wrote thereof that vppon the same might safelie passe ouer a Cart-wheele the Cart being loadâ—d And therefore in this the Torteyse is more happy then the Crocodile or any other such Beast Albertus writeth that it hath two shellâ—s one vppon the backe the other on the belly which are conioyned together in foure places and by reason of this so firme a couer and shell the flesh thereof is dry and firme also long lasting and not very easie or apt to putrefaction This shell or couer is smooth except some-times when it is growne old it hath mosse vppon it and it neuer casteth his coate in old age as other creeping thinges do In the head and tayle it resembleth a Serpent and the great Torteyses haue also shelles vpon thâ—ir heads like a shield yet is the head but short and the espect of it very fearefull vntil a man â—e well acquainted there with And by reason of the hardnesse of their eyes they mooue none but the neather eye lidde and that without often winking The Liuer of it is great yet without any blood It hath but one belly without diuision and the Liueris alwaâ—es foule by reason of the vitious temperature of the body The Melt is exceeding small comming far short of the bodies proportion Beâ—…e the common nature of other thicke-hided-creatures It hath also reynes except that kind of Tortoyce called Lutaria for that wanteth both Reynes and bladder for by reason of the softnesse of the couer thereof the humour is ouer fluent but the Tortoyâ—e that bringeth foorth Egges hath all inward partes like a perfect Creature and the Females haue a singular passage for theyr excrementes which is not in the Males The Egges are in the body of their belly which are of a party-colour like the Egges of Birds Theyr stones cleaue to theyr loynes and the tayle is short but like the tayle of a Serpent They haue foure Legges in proportion like the Legges of Lizards euery foot haâ—ing fiue fingers or diuisions vpon them with nayles vpon euery one And thus much for the seuerall parts They are not vniustly called Amphibia because they liue both in the water and on the Land and in this thing they are by Pliny resembled to Beauers but this must bee vnderstood of the general otherwise the Tortoyces of the Land doe neuer dare come into the Water and those of the Water can breath in the water but want respiration and likewise they lay theyr Egges and sleepe vppon the dry Land They haue a very slowe and easie pace and thereupon Pauuiuâ— calleth it Tardigrada and also there is a Prouerbe Testudineus incessus for a slow and soft pace when such a motion is to be expressed The Tortoyce neuer casteth his coate no not in his old age The voyce is an abrupt and broken hissing not like to the Serpents but much more loud and diffused The Male is very salacious and giuen to carnall copulation but the Female is not so for when shee is attempted by the Male they fight it out by the teeth and at last the Male ouercommeth whereat he reioyceth as much as one that in a hard conflict fight or battaile hath won a fayre Woman the reason of this vnwillingnesse is because it is exceeding paynefull to the Female They engender by riding or couering one another When they haue layde theyr Egges they doe not sit vpon them to hatch them but lay them in the Earth couered and there by the heat of the Sun is the young one formed and commeth foorth at due time without any further help from his parents They are accounted crafty and suâ—tle in theâ—r kinde for subtlenesse is not onely ascribed to thinges that haue a thinne bloud but also to those that haue thicke skinnes hides and Couers such as the Tortoyce and Crocodile haue The Tortoyce is an enemy to the Bariridge as Philes and Aelianus write Also the Ape is as frayde thereof as it is of the Snayle and to conclude whatsoeuer enemy it hath it is safe inough as long as it is couered with his Shell and clyngeth fast to the Earth beneath and therefore came the Prouerbe Oikos philos
with short breath with passion of the Liuer or Milt with choler with hart-ake with the Faling-sicknes It driueth all kinde of wormes out of the bowells It is the most soueraigne remedy of the Plague Euen to theÌ„ that are in health the often vse of it is wholsome for it promiseth long life and firme health it consumeth excrements it strengtheneth naturall actions it quickneth the wit sharpneth all the sences it preserueth the body from poyson other offences and maketh it scarce subiect to danger by such casualties it begetteth good bloud it corrupteth the ayre and waters neither alone doth it deliuer from instant diseases but also preserueth from those that be emminent OF EARTH-WORMES ALthough there be many and sundry sorts of wormes which doe containe in them some poysonous quality yet for all that at this time my purpose is to discourse especially of Earth-Wormes whereof some are bred onely in the earth and other among Plants and in the bodyes of liuing Creatures Wormes of the earth are tearmed by Plautus and Columella Lumbrici peraduenture as beeing deriued a Lubricitate They are called also Terrae Intestina of the Latines as well because they take their first beginning and breeding in the very bowels and inward partes of the Earth as because being pressed and squised betwixt the fâ—ngers or otherwise they doe voyde foorth excrements after the fashion of liuing beasts that haue Intrals in them The Greekes call them Ges entera Hesichius calleth them Embullous Brunfelsius Otho in his Physicke Lexicon writeth that they are vsually called in the Scilician togue Gaphagas fetching the deriuation of the word Parà Tò gaian phágein for they feede vppon the earth Of the Englishmen they are called Meds and Eearth-wormes Of the French Vers de Terra Of the Germans Eertwurm and Erdwurmem Melet Ode Regenwurm Of the Belgians Pier-wuorm or Ranganwuorm Of the Italians Lumbrichi Of the Spaniards Lumbrizes Of the Polonians Glisti Of the Hungarians Galisza Of the Arabians they are called Charatin Manardus in his second Booke and 40. Epistle writeth that in times past they were called Onisculi and Nisculi There are found especially two sorts of Earth-Wormes which are eyther greater or lesser The greater Earth-wormes are somewhat long almost like in proportion shape to those round Wormes which doe breede in mens bodyes They are halfe a foot long at least and being stretched out in length they are found to be a foote long they are of a whitish colour and sometimes though seldome of a bloudy hue and for the most part they are all adorned with a chaine about their neckes or rather they seeme to weare a certaine collor wherein there is a little bloud contained and they lacke eyes and eye-sight as all sorts of Wormes doe They breede of the slime of the earth taking their first beeing from putrifaction and of the fat moysture of the same earth they are againe fed and nourished and into earth at last are resolued When there falleth any shewer of Raine then this kind of worme creepeth soddenly out of the earth whereupon old Euclio in Plautus beeing very carefull of his pot of Gold speaketh aptly to his Drudge Strobilus in these words Foras foras Lumbrice qui sub terra erepsisti modo Qui modo nusquà m comparebas nunc autem cùm compares peris Which may be englished thus Away away thou VVorme late from the earth crept out Safe thou wast vnseene but seene life fayles I doubt Here Euclio very properly termeth his Bondman Strobilus a Worme because not being espyed of his Mayster before he suddenly came sneaking out from behinde an Altar where he was hid much like a worme that in moyst weather issueth out of the ground Those little heapes which are cast vp and lye shining and wrinkled before the mouth or edges of their holes I take them to bee their miety excrements for I could neuer as yet find other excrementitious substances drossy matter or other feculency but onely bare earth in them whose alimentary Iuyce and moysture beeing cleane exhausted they cast out the remaynder as an vnprofitable burthen nothing fit for nourishment At the entrance of their doores which yet steadeth them to some commodious vse for stopping damming vp theyr holes that the raine cannot so easily soke in they are by these meanes safely defended from many annoyances and daungers that otherwise might light vppon them Their delight is to couple together especially in a rainy night cleauing together vntill the Morning and in the same they are not folded round about one another like vnto Serpents but are straightly closed together side-wise and thus doe they remayne sticking close the one to the other They send foorth a certaine froathy slyme or Ielly when that they ioyne together They doe euer keepe the middle part of theyr body within the earth I meane their hinder parts yea euen in their mutuall ioyning together neither are they at any time so fast glewed and closed but with the least styrring and motion of the ground that can bee imagined they are straight-wayes seuered with-drawing themselues speedily into their lurking holes In Rainy weather they are whiter a great deale then at other times vnlesse it be when they couple together for then they appeare very red I my selfe about the middest of Aprill did once open a thicke Female Worme and within the flesh I found a certain receptacle ringed round about and filling vp the whole cauity of the body hauing a thinne membrance or ceate enclosing it and in this aforesaid stirehouse the earth which she had sed on and wherewith she was susteyned was held and contained Her Egges were found to bee in a safe place aboue the receptacle next to the mouth there were many of them on a heape together being all of a whitish colour The lesser Earth-Wormes for perspicuities sake we with Georgius Agricola will name Ascarides and these are often found in great numbers in Dung-hilles Mixens and vnder heapes of stones Of this sort some are redde which we Englishmen call Duggs these be they that Anglers and Fishers do so much desire for Fishes will greedily deuour them and for that end they with them do bayte their hookes There be some others of these lesser Earth-Wormes that are somewhat of a blew colour othersome againe are yellow onely about the tayle whereuppon they haue purchased the name of Yellow-tayles Some againe are ringed about the Neckes withall very fat Some others there be that haue neyther chaynes nor rings and these commonly be more lanke and slender of body then the former and these I iudge to bee the Males These Wormes doe specially breede in Autumne or at the fall of the leafe by reason then there is but little moysture in the Earth and this is Aristotles opinion Both kindes doe liue long in the water but yet at length for want of sustenance there they dye They mooue from place to place with a kind of reaching or
tender toppes of the Boxe-tree with Olibanum all these being made vp and tempered together to make an Emplaster he counselleth to bee applyed to sinnewes that are layed open cut asunder or that haue receiued any puncture or suffer any payne or aking whatsoeuer Pliny saith that there cannot be a better Medicine found out for broken bones then Earth-worms and field Mice dryed puluerised and so mixed together with Oyle of Roses to be layde in the forme of an emplaster vpon the part fractured Yea to asswage and appease paine both in the ioynts in the sinnewes of Horses there hath not been found out a more notable Medicine as we may well perceiue by the writinges both of Russius Absyrtus and Didymus whereupon Cardan hath obserued that all paynes whatsoeuer may bee mitigated by their apt vsing Carolus Clusius sayth that the Indians doe make an excellent vnguent of Earth-Wormes agaynst the disease called Erysipelas beeing a swelling full of heat and rednesse with paine round about commonly called S. Anthonies fyre And thus it is prepared They first take Earth-Wormes aliue feeding them eyther with the leaues of Moeza or else with fine Meale vntill by this meanes they grow fat afterwards boyling them in an earthen vessell remembring euer to scumme the same they doe strayne them boyling them yet againe to the consistance almost of an emplaster which if it be rightly prepared is of a yellow-collour And this Medicine may well be vsed for any burning or scalding My purpose is not to vouch all those authorities I might concerning the admirable Nature and vertue of Earth-Wormes for so I thinke I might alledge sixe hundreth more which is not meete to be inserted in this place I will therefore now passe to their qualities and medicinall vses for irrationall creatures Pelagonius much commendeth Earth-VVormes as an excellent Medicine for the bots or VVormes that are in Horses and in the bodyes of Oxen and Kine affirming that the best way is to put them aliue into their Nosthrils although without question it were farre better to conueigh them into their mawes by the meanes of some horne Tardinus aduiseth to giue the powder of Earth-VVormes with some hot flesh to Hawkes vvhen they cannot exonerate nature or how Faulkners tearme it I know not For that sayth he will loosen their bellies Moles doe also feede full sauerly vpon them and if they fall a digging it is strange to see with what sudden hast and speede then poore VVormes vvill issue out of the ground In like sort Hogges and Swyne as Varro writeth by their turning vp the mudde and rooting in the earth with their snouts do by this meanes dig vp the Wormes that they may eate them Albertus Magnus saith that Toades doe feede vpon Wormes Bellonius saith that Lizards and Tarentinus that the Sea-fish called Gryff or Grample doth greedily deuour theÌ„ and finally experience it selfe witnesseth that Frogs Eeles Gudgeons Carpes Breames Roches and Trowts doe satisfie their hungry guts by feeding vppon them Aristotle in his eyght booke De Nat. Animal Chap. 3. describeth a certaine Bird that liueth in the waters which Gaza interpreteth Capella though the Phylosopher calleth it Aix and some haue called it Vdhelius that liueth for the most part vpon wormes yea Thrushes Robin-redbreasts Munmurderers and Bramblings Hens Chaffinches Gnat-snappers Bull-finches and all sorts of Crowes will feede vppon them and therefore it is that there bee more Crowes in England then in any other Country in the world respecting the greatnesse because here the soyle being moyst and fat there is aboundance of Earth-wormes seruing for their food as Polydorus Virgilius in his first booke of the History of England which he dedicated to King Henry the eyght hath excellently deliuered The people of India if wee will credit Monardus doe make of these Wormes diuers iuncats as we doe Tarts Marchpanes Wafers and Cheese-cakes to eate in stead of other daynties And the Inhabitants of west India do deuour them raw as Francis Lopez testifieth The people of Europe in no place that euer I heard or read of can endure them to be set on their Tables but for medicinall vses onely they desire them Plautus vseth in stead of a prouerb this that followeth Nunc ab transenna hic turdus Lubricum petit It is an allegorie taken and borrowed from a ginne or snare wherewith Birdes are ta 〈…〉 by which Chrysalus the bondman bringing certain Letters to Nicobolus an old man â—…th and giueth warning that the weake old man was by the reading of the letter no otherwise ensnared intangled deceiued then some birds are taken by subtile and crafty sleights For Transenna is nothing but a deceitfull cord stretched out to take Birdes especially Thrushes or Mauisses withall and Wormes is there proper foode which vvhile they endeuour to entrappe they themselues are deceiued and taken Surely I should not thinke that those Fishers and Anglers to be very wise who to take Wormes vse to poure Lye or water into the earth wherein Hemp Sothern-wood Centery Worme-wood or veruen haue bin long soked or any other strange moysture causing them by this meane to issue forth out of the earth for the Earth Wormes by this kind of dealing being made more bitter vnsauory and vnpleasant no fishes will once touch or tast them but rather seeke to auoyde them But contrary-wise if they will let them lie a whole day in VVheat Meale putting a little Hony to it and then bayte their hookes with them they will be so sweete pleasant and delectable as that the vnwary Fish will sooner bite at it then at Ambrosia the very meat of the Gods Earth-Wormes doe also much good to men seruing them to great vse in that they do prognosticate and fore-tell rainy weather by their sodaine breaking or issuing forth of the ground and if none appeare aboue ground ouer-night it is a great signe it will be calme and fayre weather the next day The ancient people of the world haue euer obserued this as a generall rule that if Wormes pierce through the earth violently in hast by heaps as if they had bored it thorow with some little Auger or Piercer they tooke for it an infallible token of Raine shortly after to fall For the Earth being as it were embrued distayned made moyst and mooued with an imperceptible motion partly by South-wind partly also a vaporous ayre it yeeldeth an easie passage for round VVormes to wind out of the inward places of the earth to giue vnto them moyst food and to Minister store of fat Iuyces or fattish Ielly wherewith they are altogether delighted Some there be found that will fashion and frame Iron after such a manner as that they will bring it to the hardnesse of any steele after this order following They take of Earth-VVormes two parts of Raddish-roots one part after they are bruized together the water is put into a Limbecke to be distïlled or else take of the distilled water of VVormes l. iij.
of the iuyce of Raddish l. j. mixe them together for Iron beeing often quenched in this water will grow exceeding hard Another Take of Earth-wormes l. ij destill them in a Limbecke with an easie and gentle fire temper your yron in this destilled water Another Take of Goates blood so much as you please adding to it a little common salt then bury them in the earth in a pot well glased and luted for thirtie dayes together Then destill after this the same blood in Balneo to this destilled liquor adde so much of the destilled water of Earth-worms Another Take of Earth-wormes of the rootes of Apple-trees of Rapes of each a like-much destill them apart by themselues and in equall portions of this water so destilled and afterwards equally mixed quench your yron in it as is said before Antonynus Gallus It shall not be impertinent to our matter we handle to adde a word or two concerning those wormes that are found and doe breede in the snow which Theophanes in Strabo calleth Oripas but because it may seeme very strange incredible to think that any wormes breede and liue onely in the snow you shall heare what the Auncients haue committed to writing and especially Strabo his opinion concerning this poynt It is saith hee receiued amongst the greater number of men that in the snow there are certaine clots or hard lumpes that are very hollow which waxing hard and thicke doe containe the best vvater as it were in a certaine coate and that in this case or purse there doe breede vvormes Theophanes calleth them Oripas and Apollonides Vermes Aristotle saith that liuing creatures will breede also euen in those things that are not subiect to putrefaction as for example in the fire and snow which of all thinges in the world one would take neuer to be apt to putrefie and yet in old snowe Wormes will be bred Old snow that hath lyen long will looke some-what dunne or of a dullish white colour and therefore the snow-wormes are of the same hiew and likewise rough hairie But those snow-wormes which are found to breed when the ayre is somwhat warme are great and white in colour and all these snow-wormes will hardly stirre or mooue from place to place And Pliny is of the same iudgement and the Authour of that booke which is intituled De Plantis falsely fathered vpon Aristotle Yet some there be that denying all these authorities and reiecting whatsoeuer can be obiected for confirmation thereof to the contrarie doe stoutly maintaine by diuers reasons that creatures can breede in the snow because that in snow there is no heate and where no quickning heate is there can be no production of any liuing thing Againe Aristotle writeth that nothing will come of Ise because it is as hee saith most cold and heere-vpon they inferre that in all reason nothing likewise can take his beginning from snow neither is it credible that husbandmen would so often wish for snow in Winter to destroy and consume wormes and other little vermine that els would prooue so hurtfull to their corne and other fruites of the earth And if any wormes be found in the snow it followeth not straightwaies that therein they first receiue theyr beginning but rather that they first come out of the earth and are afterwards seene to be wrapped vp and lye on heapes in the snow But by their leaues these reasons are very weake and may readily be aunswered thus that whereas they maintaine that nothing can breede in the snow because it is voyd of any heate at all herein they build vpon a false ground For if wee will adhibite credite to Auerrhoes there is nothing compounded and made of the three Elements that is absolutely without heate And Aristotle in his fift booke De Generatione Animalium telleth vs precisely that there is no moysture without heate His wordes are Ouden hugron aneu thermou Now snow is a compact and fast congealed substance and some-what moyst for although it proceedeth by congelation which is nothing els but a kind of exsiccation yet notwithstanding the matter whereof it first commeth is a vapour whose nature is moyst and with little adoe may be turned into water I must needes say that congelation is a kind of exsiccation but yet not simply for exsiccation is when as humidity goeth away it putteth forth any matter but in snovv there is no humiditie that is drawne out but it is rather wrapped in and enclosed more strongly and as it were bounded round Furthermore Aristotle in his first booke of his Meteors saith that Snow is Nubes congelata a clowde congelated or thickned together and that in snow there is much heate And in his fift booke De Generatione Animalium he further addeth that the whitenes of the snow is caused by the ayre that the ayre is hot and moist and the snow is white where-vpon we conclude that snow is not so cold as some would beare vs in hand I well hold that nothing will take his originall from Ise inregard of his excessiue coldnes but yet snow is nothing nie so cold as that So then all the hinderance and let is found to exceede of cold which is nothing so effectuall or forceable as in Ise the cold beeing prooued to be farre lesser there can nothing be alleadged to the contrary but that it may putrefie Now in that snow is such an enemie to wormes and many other small creatures as that for the most part it destroyeth them yet it followeth not that the reason of Aristotle is quite ouer-throwne because as wee daily see that those creatures which liue in the ayre will for the most part be suffocate and dye in the water and contrariwise those that liue in the water cannot endure the ayre Yet here-vppon it followeth not that if they be choked in the water that none at all will liue in the water and the same reason is to be alleadged concerning the ayre Therefore it is no maruell if those wormes that first breede in the earth and liue in the earth be killed by the snow yet it necessarily followeth not that no liuing creature can take his first beeing either from or in the snow But if it can as Aristotle witnesseth it is so farre vnlikely that the same snow should be the destroyer of that it first was bred of as I thinke rather it cannot liue seperately but of necessitie in the same snow no otherwise then fishes can liue without water from which they first sprung and had theyr beginning And to this opinion leaneth Theophrastus in his first booke De Causis Plantarū whose words be these Apanta gar phainet ai ta zoa kai ta phuta kai diamenonta kai genomena en tois oikeiois capois For all creatures saith he whatsoeuer seeme both plants to remaine and to be generated and bred in their owne due and proper places And after this he addeth and vrgeth a little further Aparthe men hupo