to participate with the enchauntement of the Torpedo of whose properties although the authours had made no mention yet the common experience of euery fisher maketh good no lesse of hym It is defended to sell him in the open market at Venise bycause of his poyson Moste parte of oure Phisitions nowe a dayes write that his fleshe is moiste softe and of an vnpleasant taste Yet Galen in his thirde booke de Alimentorum facultatibus and in his booke de Attenuante Victu and in the eyghte of his Methodes doth allowe it onely there hath bene great cōtrouersie amongest the Auncients to know in what parte of his bodie consistes the venom of his charme that casteth both fishe and the parts of men into a sleepe some giue out that it lyeth in one parte some saye in an other but moste agrée that it is deuided throughout euen vnto the gall whiche they confirme by the witnesse of Plinie which saith that the gall of a Torpedo on lyue being applied to the genitors or priuye partes represseth the desire of the fleshe wherein we will ende the discourse of that fishe and his propertie and visite other maruels founde in other fishes Althoughe the water is the proper Element mansion house and place of abode for fishes where they féede liue disporte encrease and exercise all their other functions yet is there of them whiche leaue the Sea floudes and riuers and leape vppon the lande eate and féede vppon hearbes vse recreation in the féeldes and sléepe there now and then Theophrastes affirmeth that neare vnto Babylon when the riuers retire within their bākes there be certain fishes lefte within caues and hollowe places which issue out to feede marching vpō their wings or with their often mouing of their taile whē any offreth to offend or assault them they flie forthwith into their caues as their refuge The auncient Philosophers affirme that there haue bene founde fiishes vnder the earth who for that cause they called Focilles whereof Aristotle makes mention and Theophraste speaking of Paphlilagonia where men drawe fishe and they be very good to eate out of déepe diches and other places wherein no water doth remaine Polybe writes in lyke sorte that neare to Narbone hath bene founde fishes vnder the earth We maye also bring in amongest other wonders of the Sea a kind of fishe called Stella or Sea starre bycause it hath the figure of a painted starre this fishe is of a Nature so hote that he endureth assoone as he hath deuoured which Aristotle approueth in his .v. booke De Historia anima where he gyueth such hotnesse to this fish that she boyleth what she taketh Plinie and Plutarch do likewise affirme that the starre by hir onely touche doth melte boyle and burne whatsoeuer she toucheth and knowing hir vertue she suffreth hir selfe to be touched with other fishe to the ende she maye burne them Monsieur Rondelet a man liuing at this daye and aswel worthie of credit as the best that write in his histostorie de piscibus affirmeth that he hath séene many starres of the Sea but one amongest the reste containing almost a foote in length which he opened in maner of Anotomie and founde in his bellye three Coquylles whole and twoo Remollies halfe digested such is the greate furious heate of this litle creature all which may seeme wonderfull examples of the wonders of the Sea yet are they nothing in respect of those whiche we meane to treate hereafter the same mouing both feare and amaze to suche as haue most nearely sifted the secretes of the Sea For this litle beast which so amazeth y e world is called in Greeke Ethneis and of the Latins Remora to whome is gyuen that name bycause she doth stay Ships as hereafter you shall heare more at large Opyanus and Aelian write that he delites moste in the high sea he is of the length of a cubite of a browne colour like vnto an Eele Plinie maketh hym like to a greate Limace whiche he proueth by the witnesse of suche as sawe one of them that stayed the Galey of the prince Caius Caesar. In his .ix. booke he brings in diuers opinions of sundry authors touchyng this fishe who although they differ in his description yet they agree all that suche one there is and is of power to stay shippes Whereof also many Philosophers of late dayes whiche haue trauailed by many ports and hauens in Asia and Affrica beare witnesse in that they haue séene hym made an Anatomie and proued his vertues with wonderfull effectes It is sure a maruellous and monstrous thing in Nature to finde a fish or creature in the water of y e gretnesse of a Limace which is of force by a secrete propretie of nature to stay immediatly what she toucheth be it the moste huge and tal ship or galey that vseth to scumme the sea whiche made Plinie crie out in this sorte Oh straunge and wonderful thyng sayth he that all the windes blowyng from all partes of the worlde and the moste furious tempestes raging vpon and ouer the waues and contendyng wyth extreme violence against the vessels that sayle thervpon stand in awe of a little fishe of the greatnesse of a Limace whose power preuaileth ouer their furie can restraine and bridle theyr rage and is of more force to stay the strongest shippe that is than all their ankers cables tackles or any other engine employed or vsed about the same This fishe encountred Anthonie in hys warres and restrained hys shippe Adamus Louicerus Lib. de Aquatilibus cōfirming Plinies opinion rauished as it were with suche straunge conditions in a fishe hath trauailed with great paines to searche out the cause in nature wherof being not able to giue any reason by any learnyng or diligence he vsed gaue it ouer with this exclamation Who is he of so dumbe and grosse iudgement whiche wyll not enter into admiration if he beholde at leysure the propreties and power of this little fishe I knowe sayth he that the Adamant hathe power to smell and drawe yron the Diamont sweateth and distilleth poyson the Turkeys doth moue when there is any peril prepared to him that weareth it the Torpille infecteth and maketh slepe the hande and arme of the Fisher and I know that the Basilicke is so venomous that with his onely viewe and regard he poisoneth man of all which notwithstandyng their straungenesse a man maye yelde some reason but of the vertue of this fish we may not argue bicause it is supernaturall for he lyueth in the water taketh his nouriture in the water as other fishes doe and doth no exercise but in the water his little stature approueth that he can do no great violence and yet is there no power equal with his nor force able to resist him there is neither storme nor engin by hande of power to moue a ship after he hath once plyed him selfe to it wer it that the whole windes and violence of the Element
seuere punishement as well to al the Iewes as Lepres thorough out all the prouince of Europe being founde culpable therof that their posterities smell therof til this day for they hauing proued so many kindes of torments and martirdoms that vpon theyr imprisonments they had greater desire to kil and broile one an other than become subiecte to the mercie of the Christians And as Conradus of Memdember of equall fame in the studie of Philosophie and artes Mathematicall writeth that ther died in Almayn for this cause aboue xij thousand Iewes Wherfore as it was strange to behold their afflictions Euen so it was as extreme to sée the poore Christians haue in horrour abhomination the water of theyr welles and fountains that they rather choosed to die of the drought than to receiue any drop therof into their bodies but hauing recourse to rain water or to riuers whereof they had greater want than any store or plentie at all finding not at al times to serue theyr turnes they preuented sundry times the perill of the poison And as these false deceiuers were of all nations much detested so they often times proued diuers kindes of calamities as the Historians testifie the same CoÌ„radus Licostenes amongst others reciteth a strange deuice hapening in the yere .434 about which time he fouÌ„d by fortune in the Isle of Creâ—e a seducer and false prophet or rather a wicked spirite â–ª as they might coÌ„iecture by the issue of his enterprises This prophet preched opeÌ„ly through al the Isle that he was the same Moyses which brought the Israelites from the seruitude of Pharao and that he was sent againe from God to deliuer the Iewes froÌ„ the bondage seruitude of the Christians wherin hauyng thus planted the rootes of his pestilent doctrine he therby woon the people by false miracles and other diabolicall illusions that they began to forsake their houses lands possessions and al the goodes they had to folow him in such sort that they founde no other matter in that couÌ„trey but a great troupe of Iewes accompanied with their wiues and children which folowed this holy man as their chief And after he had wel led theÌ„ in this miserable error he made them mount in the end to the height of a rock ioyning to the sea and there tolde them that he would make theÌ„ passe through the sea on foote as he had tofore brought the people of God thorough the floude of Iordain whiche he coloured so finely by his deceyuable arte that he persuaded them very easily and in such sort that the pore people gathered together on a heape dyd caste them selues headlongs into the sea Whereby the greatest parte of them were drowned and the reste saued by certain christen Fishermen whiche were then in the sea Whereof the Iewes perceiuing the greate deceite whereby he hadde abused them coulde not by any humaine Arte heare any newes nor discouer where was becom their prophet which gaue occasion to many of them not onely to thinke but also write that he was a Diuell vnder the shape and figure of a man which had so deceiued them Sebastian MuÌ„ster writeth in his boke of vniuersall Cosmographie an other historie of them set out in a more gay and braue fashion saying That in the yeare of health .1270 when the Countie of Steruembergh was bishop of Mandeburgh one of the chief Priests of the Synagoges of the Iewes fell by chaunce vpon their Saboth day into a déepe Iakes oute of which he coulde not get and therby constrained to call for the aide of his companions who being arriued sayd vnto him with grieuous complaints that it was theyr Saboth day and that it was not lawfull for them as that daye to yelde hym the benefite of their handes but willyng hym to vse pacience til the next day following which was sunday The bishop of Mandeburgh aduertised of this being a very wyse man gaue commaundement to the Iewes by the sounde of a Trumpet that vpon paine of death they shold froÌ„ henceforth kéepe holy and solemnise as their Saboth daye the Sunday By meanes whereof thys poore martir remained parfumed tyll the Monday ¶ Floudes and wonderfull Inundations of Waters CHAP. xj THe antiquities of forain times haue sufficiently proued the horrible rage of waters that if I shoulde goe about to declare them in order I shoulde rather want Eloquence to describe them than matter wherupon to entreate The first and most worthie of memorie is sufficiently shewed by Moyses in the .vij. chapiter of the boke of Genesis at what time God opened the veines of heauen and sent downe such abundance of water vpon all the earth for the purifying and clensyng of the synnes of men that the same ouerflowed the highest mountaines aboue .xv. cubites And in the reigne of kyng Henry the fourth the waters raged with suche impetuositie within the prouinces of Italie that there was not onely thereby drowned many thousand men but that whiche was more strange as the Historians make meÌ„tion the tame houshold beasts as hennes géese Pehens such like were by the terror therof so frighted that they became sauage waÌ„dring in the deserts and forrests and neuer after to be reclaimed Wherof S. Augustine in the third boke called the Citie of God maketh mention that in the yeare of health 1446. and on the .xvij. day of April in the tyme of Federike the .iij. Emperor at what tyme printing was first founde out there was in Hollande so great an inundation of water and the sea ouerflowed the bankes with suche furie that it brake the causeys running behinde Dordrech couering al the land as wel cities as villages in such sort that ther were drouned not only xvj parishes but also .100000 men with their wiues children and beasts And in y e yeare 1530. in Hollande Flaunders and Brabant the sea so swelled that it brake not only bulwarks and rampiers but also violently caried away both cities and villages togither with the creatures in them bisides made all the hauen townes no lesse nauigable than the open and main sea which not only chaunced in Flaunders but also the same yeare the riuer of Tyber so flowed in Rome that it mouÌ„ted aboue the highest towres and estages of the citie and withal not only breaking down the bridges but endamaging theyr goodes as gold siluer corne wine cloth of silke flowre oyles woull and other riches to the value of thrée millions of golde bisides the losse of thrée thousande persons as well men as women and litle childreÌ„ which were therby smoothered and drouned Wherein as all these matters were maruellous so the auncientes and writers at this day haue not made proofe of one more strange sithens the vniuersall floud of Noe than this which chaunced in Phrygia in the yeare of grace .1230 For euen as when they thought them selues most happie and were banketting drinkyng and giuing them selues ouer to all kindes of pleasure beholde all the lande nigh to the sea of
ende that those litle creatures might be the executioners of their offices others for delite sake would make theÌ„ so tame that at the sounde of a whistle they would leaue the water and come and take meate at their handes vpon the bankes of theyr riuers hauing them in suche delite that Lucius Crassius Censor lamented no lesse the death of one of his litle fishes dying out of his pondes than if it had bene for one of his daughters It is not vnknowen also that the Romain Emperours helde fyshes in suche honour and affection that in their moste Royall and pompous banquets they made more daintie deare accompte of fishe than of any kinde of foule or other fleshe reseruing suche reuerend obseruation to some of them and specially the Sturgeon that as some saye he that broughte it to the borde vsed to do it bareheaded sauing a Cornet or garland of flowers and for a more honour of the thing the Trumpettes and drâ—Ì„mes ceassed not to sounde blow so long as that dishe stoode on the table At this day in Grece Turkie y e people for y e most part be more desirous of fish than of flesh which was also the custome of y e Auncientes wherupon both the Greeke Latin Phisitions do most coÌ„moÌ„ly in all their treatises preferre the nouritures soueraine goodnesse of fishe afore flesh haue giuen also the inferiour place of estimation to flesh Like as at this time also the Egiptians do abstaine all their lyfe from eating of fish obseruing the order of our MoÌ„kes in their abstineÌ„ce from eating of flesh which shall suffice for this tyme for the dignitie commendacion of fishes folowing in order to describe how y e Seas bring forth their woÌ„ders with more maruel thaÌ„ y e lande wherof I will lay afore you in this place only the principal such as haue moued cause of astonishmeÌ„t in y e most precise Philosophers of y e world AmoÌ„gest the most woÌ„ders of y e Sea it may séeme miraculous almost incredible that fishes do flye and that those duÌ„me creatures do lifte themselues froÌ„ out of their moyste Element to pierce and breake the ayre as birdes do with their winges whereof although there be diuerse kindes according to the experience of the Sea yet I haue not figured the pourtrait of any in this chapter saue onely the Arundel or swallowe of the Sea that as Gesnerus and Rondelet in their histories of fishes haue drawne it Who desireth to haue a more large description of this fishe let him read Rondelet in his first chapter of his vj. booke wher he affirmeth this fish to be so called by reasoÌ„ of his colour greatnesse in proporcioÌ„ pinions like to a balde Mouse yet saith he who coÌ„sidereth thorowly of this fishe and maner of his flying he may seeme rather to resemble a swallow than a balde Mouse Opianus saith he flieth out of the water for feare he be deuoured of the great fishes Plinius writeth that there is a fishe flying called Arundelle whiche is very like the birde which we comonly cal a swallowe which as he is rare and sheweth himselfe by greate wonder with his greate wings so being taken they vse commonly to drie him and hang him vp in their houses which I thinke was more rare in the time of Plinie than now because there be diuerse founde in sundrie houses in Spaine Italie Fraunce and elswhere Claudius Campensius Phisition to the Lord Marquis of Trans sayd y t not many yeares past the Lord Admiral of EnglaÌ„d made him a banquet where he presented him with a flying fishe And in our time those that haue sayled by the pillers of Hercules affirme that there is such store of flying fishes thereabout that they séeme rather birdes with wings than fishes of the Sea Besides it is not inconuenient to set forth in this place the pourtrait of a fishe flying or rather a water monster which is the chiefe cause that I haue vndertaken this treatise of fishes This fishe or rather monster of the Sea I haue considered with long viewe iudgement and haue caused him to be drawne as neare as I can according to his naturall proportion wherein I maye boldly preferre as witnesses aboue twoo hundreth personnes who sawe him in Paris aswell as I. Amongest the things of woÌ„der to be séene in this beaste it hath chiefly a hydeous heade resembling rather in figure a horrible Serpent than a fishe with wings resemblyng rather the pynions of a balde mouse sauing they be farre more thicke and massiue he containes neare a foote and a halfe in length neyther is he so well dried but he yeldes some sauour or smel of a fishe the reste is to bée discerned in his figure Many learned men of the vniuersitie who considered largely of hym and his forme assured me that it was a kinde of flying Fishe the same notwithstanding agréeing in nothing with the description of the Auncientes touching the Arunâ—elle of the Sea nor of the Mugilatus nor of other flying fishe which makes me thinke that it is a sorte of monstrous fishe vnknowen to the elders Neither am I ignorant that there bee that can counterfaict by arte dyuerse formes of fishes Dragons Serpentes and other like things wherewith many are abused lyke as maister Gesnerus hath acknowledged by his writings to haue bene circumuented with the like Yet of all those which behelde this fish argued vpon his condition there was not one that could discerne other artificiall sleyght than as Nature brought hym forth formed him The Sea hath also other monsters which be more wonderfull than these as the fishe which they call in Latine Torpedo most coÌ„mon in Hauen townes and is accompted to resemble most of all those fishes that be harde skinned and she hath a hidden propertie which is very straÌ„ge for being hidden within the sand or moudde she slepeth by a secret vertue and making also al the fishe that be neare hir immouable and without sense she féedes vppon them and deuoureth them neither doth hir charme of sleepe extende onely againste fishes but also against men for if a man touch hir with his Anglerod she enchaunteth forthwith his arme And if she féele hir selfe taken with the lyne and hooke she hath this pollicy to embrace the lyne with hir wings and so making hir poyson mounte all along the lyne and the rode so tormenteth the arme of the fisher that often times he is constrained to abandon his prize The authours hereof be Aristotle in his ninth booke and xxxvij chapter De historia animalium Plinie in the .xxxij. booke and second chapter Theophrastus in libro De his quae hyeme latent Galen Opianus Plutarch in libro vtrum anima c. Plato also makes lyke mention in Memâ—o where Socrates is compared to the Torpedo in that by the violence and subtiltie of his argumentes he so grauelled those against whome he maintained disputation that they séemed
they differ in disposition for some of them will appeare and do no harme to the workmen but some haue so offended their worke and tormented themselues that they haue abandoned the place and so lose the reuenue of their Mynes The lyke auouched by Georgius Agricola a notable Philosopher and by whome passed the conuey of the Emperours Mynes in Almayne who amongst other places writeth that in the Myne at Anneberg was a mettall spirite which killed .xij. workmen the same causing the rest to forsake the myne albeit it was very riche There were also such like wicked Spirites at such tyme as our Sauiour Christe was on earth who kéeping moste commonly in the graues of dead men became so terrible â–ª that fewe durst passe that way This is most certain that Porphyrius Psellus Plotinus Proclus Iamblicus and certain other of late dayes assure that the vppermoste region of the ayre swarmeth as full of spirites whiche we call in Greke Daemones as oure ayre is full of birdes foundyng their opinion I thinke in that the ayre and skies whereby the Quindecines be as great and the regions so delitefull and full of pleasure as we sée the earth replenished with liuely substance mettals stones plants The water hath hir fishes and the weake ayre here below bringeth forth creatures that breath and liue Whereupon may be persuaded that the greate masse of the superiour ayre is full of those spirites whose excellencie farre excedeth the inferiour creatures bicause their region is more cleare and pure which bicause they seeme things vnworthie of our christian Philosophie we will ceasse to argue so farre as the matter requireth And bicause none maye iustly thinke that we giue suche scoape to diuels as they haue power to abuse the creatures of God bought so derely by the precious bloud of his sonne it is needefull so to tempre and direct the reason of those things that we giue them not such authoritie ouer vs as the Cat hath ouer the Mouse or the foole is fearefull of the whip for if it were y t their power were not gouerned by y e mighty hand of God hating so mortally the kinde of man in whoÌ„ is graueÌ„ the very image of God their tiraÌ„nies cruelties had long ere this extirped both stocke roote of suche generation for if they could not of theÌ„selues enter within y e bellies of hogs without asking leaue according to y e scripture how much more ought we to be assured y t without the permission of God they caÌ„not offend vs who are y e paunes of his redeÌ„ption his house wherin he hath taken harbor and carie his marke figure and affinitie besides what greater witnesse can we haue of the debilitie small power of the Dyuell than that whiche he dothe acknowleage in Iob where demaunding leaue to persecute that Prophet he sayde not Suffer me to hurt him but crauing of god to stretch forth his hand touch his flesh sayd Mitte manuÌ„ et tange carnem eius as though he were not but the organe to execute the wil of God calling his permission his hande whereof also we haue a like testimonie in S. Luke where our Sauiour comforting Symon tolde him that Sathan had asked leaue to torment hym and to syfte him as they fanne corne but he prayed for him to the ende his faith shoulde not fayle Whiche may sufficiently persuade that the Dyuell can not offende vs without leaue seing he durste not addresse hym to the Apostle without he obtained hys saufconduict of God wherein that greate Oracle of God S. Augustine who oftentymes had endured many and furious assaultes of Sathan giueth vs one speciall consolation saying Let the Diuell forge and stirre vp bothe day and night so many illusions as he will and presente thée with visions of bodies which be none in déede what doth all that hurt thy soule seyng thou dost not consent to the vision liue then assured for thou art not within his danger without leaue and yet the permission which is gyuen hym is not to condemne thée but rather to rebuke thy synnes and make a proufe of thy faith S. Paule also in his second Epistle to the Corinthians and .xij. chapter affirmeth that God suffred Sathan to buffet him for feare he shoulde be lifted vp aboue measure doing yet more as himself witnesseth in his first Epistle to Timothe where he giueth Timothe to vnderstande that he hath gyuen Hymeneus and Alexander to Sathan to the ende they learne to blaspheme no more Whereby we may sée howe the Lorde doth vse sometymes wycked spirites as good for oure health whyche are oftentymes transfigured in dyuerse fourmes and fygures of daye and nyghte to resiste vs and drawe vs to the Combate But none shall weare the Crowne that dothe not manfully fyght Lette vs then learne from hensforth of y e apostle to put on the armour of God seyng wée haue not to make warre onely as it is written in the Ephesians against fleshe and bloude but agaynst principalities and powers and such as gouerne the world and the darknesse of the same Let vs then stande vpon our gard least we be circumuented and abused by that false enchaunter who is nowe more shamelesse and of greater rage and furie than euer he was â–ª Whereof what greater witnesse can we haue than that whiche is written in the Prophete Micheas where he séeth him afore â–ª God crying and houlyng I shall go forth and become a lyer afore the face of all the prophets of Achab And in Zacharie who is alwayes vpon the right hand of the Priest to let that there discend no benediction vpon IerusaleÌ„ which being very liuely apprehended by that great bishop of Hipponenses S. Augustine crying after the Lorde saying Deliuer vs O Lord of our common enimie who whether it be in riches or in pouertie ioy or sadnesse speaking or in silence sleeping or waking drinking or eating or in any other our humain actions dothe watch vs folow vs prompe and prick vs lay his netts to entrap vs discharge his arrowes to hurt vs and dresse his engins and snares to entangle our poore soules And then with the Psalme he concludeth and crieth againe Deliuer vs good Lorde from the snares of the hunters But nowe seing contrary to our hope and expectation we be so depely anckred in the profound depth or Labyrinth of visions it is also conuenient afore we hoyse saile to bring in the last member that they depende vpon There is yet an other sort of visions which do not procéede of any diabolicall illusion nor by any other secret mysterie of the Angels but they engender of the corruption of humors or by some indisposition of the imagination or some other infirmitie of nature as when we séeme to sée those things which be not in déede and such kindes of imaginatioÌ„s do torment most commonly the melancolike men as Galene wriâ—eth of him that thought him transformed into a Cocke séeming to
prouinces and places of the erth with sundry subtilties and sophisticall sleights to draw vnto him an honour of the people vnder a forme of diuers beastes other creatures yet it is affirmed both by sacred prophane authority that the soueraigne and omnipotent God hath giuen him more scoape and libertie of rage against his people in two places than in all the worlde besides wherof the first was in the Oracle of Apollo a place very famous by report of hystories where he kept his schole open shop of villanous crueltie for the space of 1000. or 1200. yeares drawing the people not only to fall downe worship him but also according to his bloudy disposition he toke vpon him to giue answer to their demaūds with constraint for y e most part that afore he performed resolution of their questions they should honour perfume his house with incense and quick sacrifice of men maydes sometimes the fathers became murderers of their simple and innocent children such was the blindnesse of the people and such the sleight of this subtile serpent to enchaunt and charme their vnderstanding wherwith notwithstanding not satisfied he kept a cōmon storehouse of filthy gaine rauenous couetousnesse that vnder the pretence of religion in such sorte that the most parte of Kings Monarches of the earth came to worship him in that place enriching his temple with infinite treasures and giftes of precious value besides a number of stately Images formed of massiue Golde the same so enlarging his territorie that of a little caue or hollow vault wherin he kept residence at the beginning within a small time he raised it vp to a huge proud Citie wherein he so traffiqued and practised his abhominable trade with Pilgrimes and straungers that came from farre setting such price of the pelfe wherwith he abused the simplicitie of the people that as Diodorus writeth there was found at that time of his treasure aboue ten thousand talentes amounting according to the order of our accompt to six Millions of golde And now touching the description of the scite or situation of the place where this monstrous enimie to the life of man performed his oracles it was a desert and traggie mountaine planted in Grecia vpon the breache or tip of a high and hard Rocke out of the which issued a sulphur or strong breath wherupon was hong on high a colde spirite or figure wauering as the winde and the mouth of this infernal cell did bestride certaine graund paunches or big belied priests cowring one close by an other as though they would hatch yong frie like them selues who receyuing the aire or breath of the wind and participating with the spirite and power of the diuell became as men enraged and without sense braying out answere to the people vpon their demaundes Thys also gaue further cause of wonder touching the place that he was so carefully garded by diuels that no mortal man durst assaile eyther him or his treasure amassed from so many partes of the world the same mouing cause of feare to Princes of the greatest power and also to the mightie conquerour Xerxes who notwithstanding being vpon his conquest of Greece following his couetous inclination to enrich himselfe with the spoile of Sathan attempted to pill his Temple which as he was striuing to bring to passe that parte of the Rocke where Sathan sate in his throne vpon a sodaine ouerwhelmed and fell downe vpon his souldiers the Elamente began to open and cast forth flames of fire with such terrible threates of thunder and lightning that those which were vpon the mountayne fel downe some schortched to death by the vehemencie of the fire and some torne in pieces by other violence that as Trogus affirmeth that assault was the bane of .iiij. thousand of his souldiers which hapned not only to him for that the Frenchmen vndertaking the like enterprise vnder the conducte of Brenus who vowing to skale the mountaine and sacke the temple of Delphos ▪ was resisted with a horrible quaking of the earth which so shaked and disordered the hil that the greatest parte fel vpon his armie and smotheryng who so euer was founde either vpon or vnder it whervpon folowed such terrible motiōs in the Elament with storms tempests wind haile mixed with sulphure and fume of fatal fire that the most part of the armie was consumed Brenus himself so sore woūded that what with the anguish of his hurt impacience of his repulse he sacrifised himselfe vpon the point of his sword The other special place where Sathan kepes hys maiestie vsurping vpon the people with a reuerence as to a God is yet in being in Calycut one of the most riche and famous cities of the Indyans but after a more strange and hydeous fashion than in the Oracle of Apollo for that there he was rather masqued than séene openly where now ielous belike of the honor of his creator he is séene and worshipped vnder the most terrible and mōstrous forme that euer we sée him drawne and painted in any place And here he hath so surely seeled the eies of this miserable people of Calycut that although they acknowledge God yet do they worship and reuerence the Diuel with Sacrifice incense perfume and erection of Images as if he were one of the Deitie in déede And albeit all that Prouince which is of great circuite together with their Kings Rulers of the same are resolued of the vnitie of one God maker of heauen erth with other Elamentes and the whole World besides yet Sathan the father and first founder of all vntruthes hath so preuayled amongst them with such suttle and sinister persuasions that they beleue that God being weary to debate the causes and controuersies happening among men hath committed vnto him the charge of iudgement vpon earth the same inducing this pore and ignoraunt people to think that God hath sent downe that spirit of torment with power to do iustice and reason to euery cause and question amongst them they cal him by the name of Deumo whose portraite the King kepes with gret deuotion in his Chappel as a sanctuarie or holy relike placed in a stately chaire with a Crowne vpon his head after the forme of a Méetre with a garnish of foure hornes foure huge téeth growing out of a monstrous mouth a nose and eyes of the like proportion his handes like to the pawes of an Ape and feete fashioned like a Cock whose forme as you sée is both fearfull and monstrous so it agréeth with the furniture of the chapel wherin it is inclosed being garnished with no other tables or pictures than figures of litle diuels of the like regarde And yet is not this all for their priests which they call Bramynes haue expresse charge to wash this Idol with swéete water and odoriferous balmes and then vpon the sounde of a bell to fall prostrate and doe sacrifice neither doth the King eate any meate which
Phrygia and Halderich were in one moment so couered with water and the sea so peopled with men and beastes crying with pitifull vehemencie that it séemed by them that God had forgotten his vowe made to Noe wherein he promised neuer to destroy mankinde by water againe Albeit the rage was so cruell that men were forced to climbe trées like birdes others ramped vpon the mountaines the mothers caste their children vpon the grounde to the ende they myghte with more spéede flée and shunne the furie of the element And to be short the desolation was suche that there was not only an infinite multitude of men women children and beasts drowned but that whiche was more to be lamented the corruption which sprang of the putrified bodies after the waters were retired to their olde chanel so infected the aire with a sodain plague that the rest which were saued from drownyng were destroyed by the miserable infection therof in suche sort that the Prouince remayned almoste deserte and inhabitable Wherein who list to beholde Flouds more freshe in memorie wherwith other Cities haue bene tormented let hym reade Carion in the Abridgement of his Chronicles and all those of Gasparde Contarenus in his learned boke of Philosophie whiche he made of the foure Elements ¶ The wonderful death of Plinie with a briefe description of the causes of fire whiche come of certaine openyngs of the earth LIke as it is straunge that the fyre falling from heauen should burne those places which it toucheth Euen so it is more monstrous to see the same issue from the earth without knowing where it firste tooke hir nouriture beginning and birth as this whereof Titus Liuius and Orseus make mention which sprang of the intrailes of the earth in the territorie of Calene which ceassed not burning by the space of thrée dayes thrée nights vntill it had committed to cinders about fyue acres of groūd drying so muche the moisture and humour of the grounde that not only the Corne and other frutes but also the trees with all their rootes were burnte and consumed Diuers Historians write that in the olde time the moste parte of the Realme of Scotland was by the like violente irruption of fire springing from an vnknowen opening and caue of the earth quite consumed and burned The cause whereof the Philosophers haue searched with great diligence and in the ende founde that Sulphur Allom Pitche and Water be the cause of the entertaining of that fire together with the very fatnesse of the ground and that fire after it hath founde a vente can not long continue without issuing with a wonderfull violent force And for the most part these flames haue bene diuers times séene of the people with great wonder terrour to them cōmonly about the Sepulchers and Churchyardes and other fat moyste places which was engendred of the fertilitie and moistnesse of the deade bodies who were there buried for men amongest all other creatures be of a very subtile and fat substance as is plainly shewed by that which is discouered in our time of the Sepulcher of Alexander Duke of Florence which although it were made of white Marble both massie heauie yet notwithstanding the fatnesse of y e bodie pierced distilled through the said Sepulcher piercing the bottome of the pillours thereof In like maner the moisture of the bodie of Alphonsus Aualus albeit the Phisitions had dried the same with salte and sande and inwrapped his bodie in leāde yet the fatnesse thereof spotted and spoiled not onely the stones aboue the Tombe but dropped through euery parte of the leade And there is also a mountaine called Hecla in the Isle of Islande whereof one George Agricola a man amongest others of our time worthie of memorie hath made mention reporting the same to caste such flames and making so great a a noise that it séemes to be made the same casting and darting greate stones withall vomitteth Sulphur smothering as in a gulphe all those which approch to beholde the nature of that fire whereby the common people of that cuntrie be brought in such an errour that they beleue that place to be y e prison of the damned Besides also manie Historiās write that there appeared in that place visions which shewe themselues visible and make their seruice to men they appeare for the moste part in the shape and figure of those which by some violent aduenture haue bene either killed or drowned and when those which they know makes their returne to their houses they aunswere them with maruellous complaint wéepingins willing them to returne to the mounte Hecla so sodainly passe vanishe awaye But for my part I haue alwaies thought that they be certaine disciples of the diuell which haue vowed them obedience in that place to deceiue the people being by nature of a Barbarous grosse capacitie whereof as we haue declared before y t the cause of these hideous and pepetuall flames is naturall so it also commeth of the fertilitie of the grounde together with the plentie of Sulphur wherewith the marchants loade so many shippes carying them into strange countreyes And moreouer the fatnesse of the groūde of this Islande as the Auncients and Historians at these dayes write is such and especially in the lowe countrey that they are constrained to féede their cattel but a smal time leaste they shoulde surfeit of the swéetnesse thereof so die as is dayly proued Neither let vs muse or be to curious in searching the cause of these flames of the mountaines so farre from vs for we haue the mounte Vesuue neare to Naples whereof Martial Strabo and Xiphilnius in the life of Seuerus the Emperour haue verye often in their writing made mention to be in times pastmost fertil is now by the continual embracements of the fire vtterlye ruinous and consumed and in the time of Titus Caesar it caste forth such plentie of fire that it burned twoo Cities and the smoke thereof rose so thick and high that it had welnigh darkened the Sunne making the dayes like to the night and all the fields thereabouts were so full of cinders that they seemed in heighte equall with the trées Wherein Plinie who raigned in the time of Vespasian the Emperour desiring to knowe the cause of the continual burning of this mountaine wente to sée it and approching too neare the same was at the sight thereof so astonished that he was immediatly surprised with the flame and his bodye thereby committed to ashes as you maye beholde in the pourtraite before that which is yet fresh in memorie in the yeare 1538. where it began againe to make so great an irruption that it feared al the people bordering vpō it We can in like maner bring in amongst these wonderful mountayns the mount Aetna otherwise called the mount Gibell in Sicile whereof S. Augustine hath made so often mention in hys workes and whiche Strabo witnesseth as one that hath not feared to mounte to the
son despoiled hir not only of all hir goodes but in processe of time as one synne draweth another he so continuyng his wicked enterprise would not be satisfied with hir goodes but sought to deuest hir of hir honor accusing hir a freshe that she had cōmitted adulterie with the bishop of Winchester whereof king Edward storming out of measure to heare hir accused of such execrable vices who had giuen him suck within hir intrailes resolued to put hir to death and in the meane tyme whilest all the court was molested with the inquisition of this offence he cōmitted hir and the bishop into seuerall prisons where she being grieued demaunded one day amongst others to talke with the kyng hir sonne in whose presence she cast hir selfe headlong into the burnyng flames crying with a loude voyce y t those hote burning flames myght consume hir body ▪ if she were culpable of the faults wherof she was wrongfully accused and hauyng ended this talke she issued oute of the fyre in good safetie without diminishing any part of hir body Wherat y e king was much astonished Crantius in his chronicles of Almayn and many others whiche haue written of their Histories report the like of lame Henry the .xv. Emperor of the Romains a mā very religious who maried with the daughter of Sigeroy Palatin of Rheyn called Gunegonde a woman chast and of good life if euer there were any with whō the emperour lyued in maruellous continencie and chastitie louing hir onely Albeit a certain Gentlewoman of hys house persuaded by some wicked spirite repinyng to see their cōtinēcies determyned to sow some ielousy betwixt them who findyng the Emperoure at conuenient leysure tolde hym that she dyd beholde the Empresse vsing the company of a knyght in vnhonest manner Whereof the Quéene being aduertised commaunded there shoulde be made ready secretely six greate Culters of yron and to bring them into the presence of the Emperour who ignorant of the occasion was sodainely amazed to sée hys wyfe marche so hardly barefooted and without any feare at all and stande vpon those burning yrons Whome she beholdyng attentiuely sayde vnto hym Behold Emperour as I am not hurt with this fire euen so am I clere from all immundicitie Whereof the Emperor was astonished and began to thinke of the vaine superstition the whiche he had beléeued prostrating hym selfe sodainly vpon the earth and required pardon at Gods handes for his rashe iudgement in the same Wherin as these innocent doings proued by those flames séeme straunge so doe the liues of these two persons wherof the Historians wryte seeme to me no lesse wonderfull for that they liued togethers like maydes withoute knowyng one the other duryng al theyr lyues in such sort that the Emperor feeling death to approch caused hir parents to be sent for sayd to them Like as y e first day ye gaue me your daughter in mariage she was a maid euē so I render hir vnto you again a maide with cōmaundement to vse hir in faithfull trusty maner The Emperor with his maidēlike wife were buried in the cathedral church of Bambergh which heretofore was subiect to the archbishop of Maiencey Preferring further as of good right into y e nūber of .ij. vertuous princesses y e history recited by Eusebius Cesariēsis in his ecclesiasticall history of Policarpus which during the great butchery and persecution of the christians which they made vnder y e emperor Verus wer brought to y e fire to be burned quick and after they had lifted their eyes to heauen and made their prayers to god they wer cast hedlong into a great hot burning fire albeit in the place where y e flame ought to haue cōsumed thē brought thē to cinders it began with great maruel to reuolt flying far off frō the bodies of y e martirs in maner like the sayle of a shippe whiche is tossed and caried by the windes in the middest of the sea which appeared as euidently as the golde or siluer which they melte in the fornace And when these wicked monsters sawe that their bodies consumed not they commaunded the tormentor or hangman to thrust them thorough wyth a sworde when beholde sayth he there issued out of their bodies suche quantitie of bloode in suche greate abundance that the fire was cleane extincte giuing to the lookers on suche a grieuous remorse of conscience that they fledde altogethers wherof you may reade more at large in the fourth booke of the Historie Ecclesiasticall of Eusebius and the .xlj. chapter ¶ A wonderfull historie of sundry straunge Fishes monsters Mermaydes and other huge creatures founde and bredde in the sea CHAP. xviij AMongest most of those things which merit Philosophicall contemplation touching the vniuersall subiect of creatures without reason I thinke such are moste wonderful whose nature is furthest from our vnderstanding and iudgemēt as especially huge fishes and other monsters of the water who being shrined in the bottome and bellye of the Sea and buried in the depth of diuerse lakes do excéede moste commonly the opinion and iudgemeat of suche as be most curious to searche and fifte their maners and conditions the same being so rare and strange and specially in the exercise of their naturall actions that I thinke they be of force to moue equall delite desire to many men to participate for a time with their societie in the Elament where they dwell to the ende they mighte come to a more frée and perfect knowledge of their vertues whiche was plentifully approued by the Emperour Antonine who hauing receiued a certaine worke of Opian treating of the order of fishing and disposition of fyshe gaue hym as manie Crownes as there were verses in his bookes Conradus Celtis and after hym Gesnerus shewing the desire and affection that the Aunciente Emperours had to bée priuie to the propertie age maners and condicion of fishes write that in the yeare .1497 was taken in a poole neare to Haelyprum the Imperiall Citie of Sweura a Brochet whiche had a hoope or ring of leather tyed to his eares wherein was written in Carracters of Greeke this whiche foloweth I am the firste fyshe that was put into this Riuer by the handes of Federike seconde Emperour of the Worlde the fifte of October a thousande twoo hundred and thirty which proued by the witnesse of those letters that the saide Brochet had lyued in that water 297. yeares Wherein also it séemes that this good Emperour Federik obserued in fishes that which Alexander vsed in Hartes or déere who according to Plinie woulde cause very often chaines of golde with inscriptions to be tied about theyr neckes then gaue them the libertie of the wilde forestes the same being founde a hundred or twoo hundred yeares after kéeping the same coller letters about their neckes The Romains for the estimation they had of fishes pleasure to behold them would sometime caste cōdemned men all quicke into their riuers Lakes to the
were assembled in one and blew with maine force against the saile and yet after he hath left off to holde the shyp she moueth and saileth as before biside in this little fishe is discerned a fatall prognostication wherein she séemeth to giue vs some forewarnyng of the euils that are like to befall vs. For did she not stay the Embassadors ship of Periander and also the barke of Caius Caesar who soone after was killed at Rome séemyng thereby in hir kinde to take pitie of the missehappe wherevnto she sawe hym predestinate the whiche is all in effecte that Adamus Louicerus wryteth of this fyshe I knowe againe that Aristotle Plinie and others doe gyue vnto hir sundry other propreties as to serue in speciall vse in matters of loue to drawe children from the wombes of their mothers wyth other lyke qualities whiche accordyng vnto their small credite I doe passe ouer for thys tyme. Plutarch in Symposiacis .2 problem .7 searcheth the reason why that thys fyshe doth stay shyppes whiche shall also gyue ende vnto the description of hys Wonders And bicause the Reader maye be fully satisfied touchyng the maruelles of the Waters wée wyll nowe enter into the treatie of a chiefe membre thereof the same since the creation of the Worlde vntill this age hauyng muche troubled the Philosophers and other learned men by the curious searche to knowe whether there haue bene in the sea Seamen Tritons Nereides and other lyke Monsters carying the figure of man whyche in tymes paste the Auncientes doe witnesse to haue séene in Flouds Ryuers Fountaines Rockes and Lakes Those whyche haue persuaded them selues that there is none suche iustifie their opinyon by the authoritie of the Scripture whych makyng no mention of such thyngs affirmeth absolutely that the earth is the onely house and tabernacle of man wherein he is to remayne and kéepe hys residence vntill that it please the Lorde to call hym home as the Prince or Capitayne dothe by the Souldiour that he putteth in hys Garryson Those whyche defende the contrary doe preferre the Experience and wytnesse of so many learned persones whose grauitie and wysdome woulde not leaue to a generall posteritie their bookes full of suche vanities and dreames to entertayne the children parentes friendes and vniuersally all suche as shoulde come after them in errour Besides say they it is no lesse impertinent to beléeue that there bée Men monsters in the sea than to giue faith to those that write that there be wooddy Nimphes Satyres and other sauage Monsters approued for trouthe by some of oure Ecclesiasticall writers lyke as also the other is gyuen oute for a matter of faith by sundry menne of credite who haue séene them wyth their eyes Pausanias amongest other of the auncientes dothe affirme that hee hathe séene at Rome a Triton And those which haue recorded the chronicles of Constantinople wherof one parte concerneth the state of Europe write that in the .29 yeare of the Emperour Mauritius the prouost of Delta in Egipt walking amongst other people against the rising of the Sunne was astonished when he sawe vpon the banke of the floud of Nile two creatures bearyng the figure of humanam figuram wherof the one that did most resemble a man séemed of fierce and stoute regarde with a curled haire standing ryght an ende and oftentymes in their presence woulde shewe hym selfe aboue the water to the secrete partes and then sodainly sinke agayne into the water vnto the nauell giuing as it were to knowe vnto the people that for a dutie and reuerence to nature he sought to couer the rest Whiche mouing suche indifferent maruel and feare to the Prouost and rest of his companie that they adiured hym in the name of God that if he were any wicked spirite he shoulde retire to the place ordeined for hym by his creator but of the contrary if he were one of those whiche were created for the glorye of his name that he woulde make some aboade there for the contentment of that poore people so desirous of suche a straunge sight This creature bounde as it were by the vertue of this coniuration remained long amongst them Immediatly after which tyme chaunced a sighte no lesse straunge than this it was an other creature representing the forme and shape of a Woman who began to cutte the waues and approche the banke of the Ryuer hauyng a great bush of haires dispersed a white face and of plesant regard hir fingers and armes wel proporcioned hir dugs somewhat rounde and bigge shewing hir selfe in this order namely vntill the nauell the reste with a lyke reuerence to nature as the other she concealed within the waues And after these two creatures hadde long delited the eyes of the people with their sight they gaue place to the darknesse of the night and vanished away without euer being séene afterwarde Wherof after the Prouost hadde taken witnesse of the assistants he dispatched immediatly a messanger to the Emperour Mauritius with the newes Baptiste Fulgose writeth a like historie of a Sea monster which was séene of a numbre of men in a certaine port or hauen of the sea in the time of Eugenius the fourth This monster sayth he was a man of the sea who hauing left the water made a roade vpon the land and caught a childe as he disported hym selfe vpon the banke which being desirous to cary with hym into the sea hée was so speedily pursued with men and hurte with stones that he was not only forced to leaue his pray but also had muche to doe to recouer the water his figure resembled the fourme of a man sauyng that hys skynne was like the sloughe of an Eele and had two little hornes on his head he hadde on eyther hande but two fyngers and his féete dyd ende like two little tayles and on his armes he had two little winges as a balde Mouse hath Conradus Gesnerus writeth that there was séene at Rome in the great riuer a sea man or monster of the sea Theodorus Gaza a man learned and as well studied as any of our time writeth that on a tyme when he was in Greece vpon a certaine coast of the sea after the rage of a wonderfull tempeste hauyng taken vpon the shoare a good quantitie of fishe he sawe amongest certaine other wonderfull thinges a Mermayde or fyshe hauyng the face of a woman fully perfect in euery thing requisite in Nature vnto the wast from which part dounward she caried the forme of a fishe finishing in the tayle like an Eele euen as we sée them ordinarily drawne by the painter This Mermayd as it is written was vpō the grauell or sande and shewed by hir iestes and countenances to suffer suche passions as the sayde Theodore Gaze moued to pitie considering that she had a desire to returne to the sea tooke hir and conueyed hir into the water Plinie lykewise writeth that in the time of the Emperor Tyberius the inhabitants of Lysbona a towne in Portingal sent
Embassadours to the Emperour to certifie hym that they hadde séene many tymes a Tryton or man of the Sea hyde and wythdrawe hym selfe into a caue neare vnto the Sea There was also aduertisement sente to the Emperor Octauian Augustus that vpon the coast of France were founde certayne Mermaydes deade vpon the banke of the ryuer In like sorte Georgius Trapezuntius a man very famous in learning affirmeth to haue seene vpon the border of the Ryuer appearyng out of the water in the fourme of a Woman vntill the nauill whereof seemyng to maruell and beholdyng hir somewhat nearely shée retired into the water Alexander ab Alexandro a great ciuilian Philosopher in the .viij. Chapter of hys thyrd booke assureth for certaintie that in Epyre now named Romain is a certayne fountaine neare the Sea from whence yong Maydes for the necessitie of theyr houses dydde drawe water and that harde by issued a Triton or Sea man and caughte a little damsell whome he caried oftentymes into the sea and after sette hir on lande agayne wherof the inhabitauntes beyng aduertised vsed suche watche and guarde that they tooke hym and broughte hym afore the Iustice of the place afore whome beyng searched and examined founde in hym all partes and membres of a man for whyche they committed hym to certaine garde and kéepyng offeryng hym meate the whyche he refused wyth sorrowfull lamentations after hys kynde not tastyng any thyng that was offered hym and lastly dyed of hunger séeing hym selfe restrayned from the Elemente wherein he was wonte to dwell Many writers nowe a days do witnesse a thyng more strange than any of these if it be true whyche is that the Archduke of Austriche third sonne of the Emperor Ferdinando made to be caried with him to Gennes in the yere .1548 a Mermayd dead the same so astonishing the people that the moste learned men in Italie came to visite and sée him I coulde yet make of more Watermonsters séene in oure tyme as that whych was figured lyke a Monke an other like a Bishop wyth other of lyke resemblaunce whyche importe the more faith bicause they are preferred by thrée of the most notable Fishers in Europe being also figured so amply in the vniuersall Historie of Fyshes that I néede not to enlarge their descriptions for they haue so lernedly discoursed of the propreties of the same that they haue cutte of all hope to suche as shall come after them to aduaunce it with further addition ¶ Wonders of Dogges whiche dyd eate Christians CHAP. xix IF the bones ashes of all those which haue bene persecuted for the name of Iesus Christe were at this day in being and to be séene with our corporall eyes we myghte then confesse that they were able to buylde a great and proude Citie and withal if all the bloud which hath bene shed for his name were gathered together into one certaine place it were sufficient to make a great floud For who soeuer will reade in Eusebius and S. Augustine the â—â—rsecutions burnings butcheries and slaughters which were made of the poore flocke of Iesus Christ in the time of the Emperour Domitian Traian Antonius Seuerus Maximinian Decius Valerian Aurelian Diocletian Maximian with many others he shal not finde so many thousandes slaine in the cruell warres of the TirauÌ„ts as he shal reade to haue shed their blood for y e name of Iesus Christ neither is the sacrifices of so many Martirs and companies of the good so amplie spoken of by Sainct Augustin in his .xviij. booke .lij. chap. of the Citie of God or by Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie or that Orseus writeth so muche to be wondered at or strange as this whereof Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention is wonderfull and worthie to be put in memorie amongest the moste celebrate pourtraicts monsters of this worlde For it did not onely suffise the infamous Tiraunt Nero to make to be burned the bodies of the poore Christians making them serue as torches and blazing linkes to giue light to the Citizens of Rome but also made theÌ„ to be wrapped quicke in the skinnes of certaine sauage beastes to the ende that the dogges thinking they had bene beastes in déede might teare and commit their bodies to pieces Which you may nowe sée by the furious assaultes that Sathan and his accomplices haue builded againste the members of Iesus Christe for there is no Religion which he hath not so furiously persecuted sithens the beginning of the worlde as this of ours wherein although he hath set abroche all his subtilties fraudes malices and inuentions to vndermine it yet notwithstanding it remaineth whole and sounde by the vertue and ayde of the Sonne of God who hath can bridle represse the enuious rage of his enimies And although he hath procured the death of many members of the Churche as Abell Esaie Ieremie Zacharie Policarpius Ignatius and many thousand Martirs and Apostles yet notwithstaÌ„ding he could neuer deface any iote therof for it is writen in like maner that the gates of hel coulde not by any meanes preuaile againste hir albeit that for a certaine time she was put in some perill and was shaken and tossed like a litle barke by the rage teÌ„pestes of the Sea yet surely Iesus Christe did not forsake at any time his espouse but alwayes assisted hir as the head of his bodie watched hir garded hir and maintained hir as is witnessed in the promisses made vnto hir when he saide I will not leaue you my Orpheus I will be with you to the verye laste consummation of the worlde And further he sayeth in Esaie I will put my worde into your mouth and defende you with the shadowe of my hande and those wordes which I put into your mouth shall not be taken from your séede now nor neuer Wherein séeing then that our only religion is true and purified and that it is signed by the bloud of so many Prophetes Apostles and Martirs and confirmed besides with the bloud of Iesus Christ whereof he hath lefte to vs the true Charecter and witnesse of his death that all others be vnlawfull bastards and inuented by the Diuels and men their ministers to the vtter confusion of ours wherefore if it be so pure and holy let vs then indeuour our selues to conserue and kepâ— the same to the ende we maye saye in the last daye to God as the good king Dauid saide Lord I hate them that hate thée I am angrie with them that rise against thée and I hate them with a perfect hate and holde them for mine enimies ¶ A wonderfull historie of diuers figures Comets Dragons and flames which appeared in heauen to the terrour of the people and whereunto the causes and reasons of them be assigned CHAP. xx THe face of Heauen hath bene at diuers times so much disfigured by blasing starres torches fireforkes pillours Lances bucklers Dragons twoo Moones twoo Sunnes at one instant with other like things that whosoeuer woulde recompte
which they bring to mankind yet shall we discouer therin an antiquitie so greate as we can not lerne or attain vnto without extreme admiratioÌ„ for lyke as euery arte was inueÌ„ted almost as soon as God had created man afterward augmented by the industrie of man Euen so the herbs plants immediatly after the creation of the elements at such tyme as ther liued no maÌ„ vpon the earth sprong folowing the coÌ„maundement of the Lorde from the caues and entrailes of the earth garnished with their propre and diuine vertues Which besides that Moses the great Lawyer of God sufficiently proueth in Exodus we may also alleage the opinion and witnesse of the auncient Greeke poetes as Orpheus Museus and Hesiodus who haue treated of the praise of Penyroyal as also hath done Homerus of Alisier and others as in like maner Pithagoras hath coÌ„mended the Eschallottus Crisippus Chou and Zeno the Caprier besides it is a thyng most straunge that Salomon king of the Iewes Euax king of the Arabians Iuba king of the Mauritans were so curious not only to know the names and propreties of plantes but also the moste part of them haue diligently written therof Others haue entertained great philosophers and Aâ—borists in diuers deserts of Asia Europe and Affrike for to discouer the secrets of herbes and plants Further it is a thing moste maruellous that a great number of plantes muche renoumed haue taken their names of many kings as Gentiane toke the name of Gentius king of the Illyrians Lymachie of Lyzimachus king of the Macedonians TeucriuÌ„ was inuented by Teucer Achilea of Achilles Arthemisia of Arthemise quéene of Carie. But nowe it resteth for vs as me séemeth hauing searched very narrowely the Antiquitie and prayses of Plantes to be as diligent following oure custome in séeking forth if we can fynd amongst hearbes any thyng monstrous wonderful or straunge as we haue â—one in the moste parte of other thyngs contayned vnder the concauitie of Heauen The Auncients haue reknowleged I know not by what meanes y e maruelous efficaciâ— of a plant which they called Agnus castus whose leaues are like vnto the Oliues for all those who haue written of the Nature and propertie of this plante saye that it resisteth the sinne of the fleshe and that those which either carie the same about them or drinke the iuice thereof be neuer tempted at any time to incontinencie for whiche occasion the maides in olde time bare the braunches and bowes of that hearbe in their hande and made garlandes therof to weare vpoÌ„ their heads thinking therby to make die estinguish the heates of the flesh Wherefore Discorides in the .xv. chapter of his first booke treating of y e Nature of plants sayeth that the Greeks named this tree Agnos that is to saie chaste for by that the Ladies sometime in the Citie of Athens garded their chastitie by making their beads thereof and doing sacrifice therewith to Ceres Euen as we haue described the singularitie of Agnus Castus which defends the chastetie of such persons as vse the same so are we nowe to make mentioÌ„ of an other hearbe altogether contrarie to the Nature of Agnus Castus and as who would saye his mortall enimie for it makes suche as vse the same lasciuious prompte and readie to the Uenerian actes The Auncients haue named this hearbe Satirium for that the Satires and sauage Gods were the inuentours of this plante for the better satisfying of theyr lusts and concupiscence when they wente to playe by the forrests caues with the Nimphes Albeit the Greeks cal it Orchis or Cmoâ—orchis for that that this roote is like the twoo genitories of a dogge in such sorte that it séemes that Nature woulde haue lefte some marke and token in this roote for to shewe the maruellous effects or works natural Wherefore those then sayeth Discorides in his third booke and .xxij. chapter which he writeth of plantes which desire to haue the companie of women ought to vse this roote for that it makes men prompte readie to the exercise and worke of Venus and as they saye this roote being holden in the hande prouoketh a man to desire the pleasure of a woman Bisides there is one thing worthiâ— to be considered of in this roote as who would saye wonderful that is that as one of these twoo rootes which reseÌ„bleth as we haue said before the genitories of a dogge excites stirres a man vnmeasurablie to the wanton actes of Venus so the other roote which is a little lesser extinguisheth hindreth the desire of the flesh in such sorte that as one of these rootes prouoketh the euill so the other giueth remedie Plinius Dioscorides and Galen be authours of this and Dioscorides writeth that the women in Thessalie gaue to men to drinke of that moste fleshly roote the rather to prouoke and stirre them to the lusts abhominable desires of the flesh Wherefore reader I will not forget to declare that thou shalt not néede to doubte of me in all this treatise of the wonders of plants the descriptions faculties temperaments and diuisions of them for that this worke woulde be excessiue excede the limits of my meaning Wherein Dioscorides Theophrastus Galen Plinie Matheolus Fuscheus Ruel and many others haue so well spoken in that that there is nothing to be desired more than they haue written thereof whiche I woulde gladly haue tolde before vnto those which thinke that I had here confounded the diuerse kinds of Satirium like this that the Greekes haue called Orchis Serapias wherof Paulus Aegineta and Aetius haue made mention which others saye to haue receyued that name of Serapius God of the Alexandrians by reason of the greate impudent lasciuitie for which cause they worshipped him in a place called Canope there where he had his Temple of greate reuerence ReligioÌ„ as Strabo reciteth in his .xvij. booke of his Geographies Wherefore it suffiseth me in this chapter to write simplie that there is more cause of maruell and wonder in some particular plant than in euery plant The Auncients as Chrisippus haue founde cause of wonder I can not tell by what meanes in the plante whiche we commonly call Basill who were of opinion that it makes a man senslesse and madde the goats refuse to eate thereof which giues iuste occasion to man to flye the rather from it They adde further that brusing it and putting the same vnder a stone it engendreth a Scorpion or if they chawe it and set it in the Sunne it brings forth wormes Furthermore some saye that if a man be stoung of Scorpion the daye that he eateth of Basill he shall neuer be hoale lykewise some assure that brusing a handefull of Basill with Cancres marins or of the Riuer that all the Scorpions farre or neare will come vnto him Wherfore I am not ignorant that those whiche came after Crysippus did so abhorre Basill that they neuer vsed the same The herbe called of
the Latins Herbae pulicaris hathe such a colde vertue that being cast into hot boiling water it will kill the heate therof In like maner as Chameleon albus serueth vnto men in stede of Treacle against poyson and all venims Euen so notwithstandyng it killeth and destroyeth Ratts and dogs eating therof It is in lyke maner a little Thistle growing by the grounde without any stalke putting vp pricks like an Hedgehogge hauing in the middle a knap ful of pricks in which do appere purple floures that growe into plumes fléeing away with the winde like as of other thistels hauing a white roote swéete groweth on olde landes and bare hilles Also Dioscorides Plinie and Pithagoras write that the herbe called Scylla and of the Apothecaries Squillae being hanged in a house deliuereth men from charmes sorceries and enchauntments the roote wherof is like a onyon Wherfore the good searchers out of the secrets of plants haue founde by experience that our Persley whiche the Latins call Apium â—ortense and the Greekes Selinon by a certaine seâ—ret propretie engendreth in vs the falling sicknesse in suche sorte that Simeon Sethy writeth that it is necessarie for suche as be subiecte to that euill to take héede they vse not y e same for it often hapneth that those whiche he deliuered from that disease by vsing of Persley fall a fresh into the same againe In like maner Plinie writeth that nurses oughte not to eate therof for y e infant sayeth he by sucking the milke of hir breast which eateth therof very often is persecuted with that disease Furthermore the Consyre whiche the Apoticaries commending with so many barbarous wordes do call Consolida maior hath so greate a vertue to knit and make to growe and ioine together freshe hurts for as Plinie and Discorides witnesse being put in a pot with sundrie pieces of flesh it will knit and ioyne them together for which cause the Greeks called it Symphiton for the gret vertue it hath in knitting ioyning togethers Euen so the Greeks and Romains celebrated alwayes amongest their excellent plantes that which is called in Greeke Peristereon in Latin Verbenaca and in Frenche Veruaine it hath bene named aunciently Hierabotane and Sacra herba that is to saye a holye hearbe for that at Rome in times paste it serued them not only to purifie their houses but also their familye was dressed with it and for a more supersticious estimation of this hearbe they hong the altar of Iupiter with it afore they perfourmed their sacrifice Their embassadours that wente vpon holy messages were crowned with it bycause as Discorides writeth it was very proper to withstande wicked spirits and purge the houses hong or garnished with it Dioscorides and Plinie be of opinion that the house sprinkled with the water of Veruaine makes the people ioyfull and those which assiste the baÌ„quet where is eyther dâ—awe or mentioÌ„ of this water shalbe replenished with mirth and glaâ—nesse The plante which the Apoticaries call Neâ—uphar and the Greeks and Latins Nymphea growing moste commonly in Pooles and riuers bearing a greate gréene leafe hath so greate vertue againste the hote and wanton motions of youth that being taken in broth once a day by the space of xl dayes it mortifieth altogether the appetite of sensualitie and eating it fasting among other meate it defendâ—s you from vnchaste thoughtes and dreames of Uenery prouided alwayes that this must be wrought of the firste kinde of Neniuâ—r whiche hath a yelowe flower like to a Flowerdelice wherof besides the authoritie of Plinie and Dioscorides first authours hereof experience makes it of faith and credit For in the olde time it was applied to Monkes and Nunnes and other people of deuotion in Religious houses to pull downe and mortifie their flesh The Ancients named it Nimphea bicause the virgin Nympha being ielouse of Hercules became leane pale and so full of mortall passions that death gaue ende to hir sorowes and afterwarde as they beleued she was chaunged into this marrishe and waterie hearbe to delaye hir heates It is common in euery place and of .ij. sortes the one hath a whyte flower and the other carieth a yealowe floure Iuye called in Latine Hedera and in Greeke Cysses is a common herbe yet it containes in it many things worthy of commendation firste it troubleth the minde if a man take too muche of it it brings forth an humour or gumme whiche as Galen saith burnes secretly as a hoate plaster without being perceyued besides it serueth for a depilatour to make fall the haire in euery place about man and woman the little graines or séedes of Iuye taken in broth make men become barreine Plinie addes besydes to the vertue of this hearbe that men that be melancholike and subiect to diseases of the Splene are easely healed if they do but drinke in cups or goblets made of the wood of this Iuye The Mandrake hath moued greate cause of wonder to suche as haue written of his properties and power Pithagoras calleth it Antropomorphen by reason it hath a roote whiche resembles the forme of a man others haue named it Ciroea â–ª as of Circes persuading that the roote was good to make men loue and that there was in it a certaine amorous charme I sawe in a faire at Saincte Germains in Paris a roote of a Mandrake so well counterfaited by arte with rootes and braunches one linked within another that it resembled properly the fourme and shape of a man whiche broughte suche value and estimation to his practise of deceite that he solde of them for twenty crounes a piece by which vnreasonable gaine his abuse was discouered and he constrained in the ende to carie his roote into Italy from whence he sayde it firste came whiche maye suffise for the deceits in this roote and nowe let vs returne to his singularities and vertues Dioscorides writes that it is of force to mollifie the Iuorye and make it apte to plye and turne and fashion in any worke or forme that a man wil boiling it with the Iuorye the space of sixe houres It is moste certaine that it is of a maruellous vertue to caste men on sléepe and so to entraunce suche as are to be opened or cut in any member that they shall not féele the paine if firste they taste of the iuice of this Mandrake some do vse it in parfume for the same purpose There be .ij. kindes of Mandrake whiche growe in manye places on the mountaines in Italie but speciallye in Powylla Whereof diuerse grafters and setters of plantes haue broughte awaye both Apples and rootes It is as strange which the Philosophers attribute vnto the plant whiche the Latins call Nerion the Greekes Rhododendros the Frenchemen Bosage and we Roselaurel it hath the floures of a Rose and leaues of a Laurell but that whiche is most wonderful those leaues kill Dogges Asses Moyles and many other foure footed beastes and to men or women if it be taken in brâ—ath with wine it