depriued of vnderstanding as hee laies the dagger vpon the table The husband beeing freed regards not this forced promise but seazeth sodenly vpon his dagger and then with a new fury with the helpe of his wife laies hold vpon his enemy binds him fast and presently gelds him and so sends him home bleeding to his lodging where hauing continued long sicke in the end hee was cured but he left running after women A Germains wife of Voitland was so vnchast and impudent as of many that did entertaine her to call three to a banket which shee had prepared for them But the husband who had not beene sommoned came to make it a bloudie feast for hauing a Pertuisan in his hand hee entred into the Stoue kills him that was set neerest vnto his wife runnes after the two other who being seized on with feare leape out at the windoes and so kill themselues He returnes to his wife and perceth her through A Germaine Gentleman hauing dishonestly allured the Wife of a certaine Cittizen the husband desirous to bee reuenged of this insupportable affront hid himselfe in a secret corner of his house and sees his enemy come who continues his insolencies Night beeing come these two wretches retier themselues into a chamber where they sup and lie The husband comes out of his hole goes into the kitchin and being desirous to drinke he made a noise in setting the water pot in his place The wife would haue called vp her seruants but hearing no more noise she returned to her Adulterer In the meane time the husband was entred into the Stoue to take a Caske and his Curirasse The wife awakes at this noise she riseth comes into the Stoue and demands who is there The husband saieth nothing but followes her so neere as he enters sodenly into the Chamber and at the first kills the Gentleman notwithstanding any resistance he could make with a Pertuisan which stood neere vnto his bed His wife had cast her selfe on the other side of the bed to whom the husband discerning her through the light of a candle cryed come out you strumpet else I will thrust thee through Shee hauing often cryed him mercy comes forth and not able to pacifie him she beseecheth him to suffer her to bee confest and to communicate before she died Why then saith he dost thou repent thee withal thy heart for thy offence Alas I answered she At that word he thrust her through with his sword then laying the one by the other hee shuts the chamber The next day all was published and the husband charged for this execution by the aduise of his friends absented himselfe least hee should fall into the hands of the Gentlemans friends A Gentleman of Hungary hauing taken one in his chamber that came to commit Adultery with his wife cast him into a prison resoluing there to famish him And to torment him the more hee caused a rosted Hen to be somtimes presented vnto him that the smell therof might sharpen his appetit make his hunger the more violent to the end this punishment might hasten his miserable death Hauing continued sixe dayes in this torment the seuenth he was visited where they found that he had eaten the brawnes of both his armes We read the like historie of a Germaine Nobleman in Thuringe who vsed a Gentleman that had cōmitted adultery in the like sort who liued 11. daies with the smel of delicate meats that were presented vnto him his foule offence being punished by this cruell torment The like is reported by three famous writers of a man who vnder colour of deuotion did corrupt many women who were before reputed honest as in old times TYRANNVS SATVRNS Priest did in Alexandria Beeing discouered and conuicted he was put to death An other learned man and of great reputation being taken in Adultery was stab'd and left dead in the Chāber Among other guifts which he did wickedly abuse he spake French Italian Spanish Germaine Polonian and Latine perfectly was much fauoured by the Emperor and the Princes it was about 80. yeares since About the same time an other famous man seeking to rauish the honour of a Woman in steed of a Bedde he fell into a Caue where hee brake his neck A Surgion disdayning his honest wife had abandoned himselfe to a strumpet Going on a time to horse-backe and asked by his wife whether he went hee answered skornefully To the Stewes Going presently to his Adulteresse after a while hee returnes to Horse and offring to manage his round the Horse leapes and bounds and casts this wretched Man out off the saddle in such sort as one of his feete hung in the Bridle The Horse being hot beganne to runne so furiously vpon the stones as hee beat out his braines and neuer stayed vntill he came before the Stewes where this miserable man remained dead vpon the place In the yeare 1533. a certaine man in the towne of Clauenne in the Grisons Country hauing lookt vpon a faire yong Maide with an vnchast eye he tryed often to corrupt her Hauing no meanes to obtaine his desire vnder the colour of apparitions and reuelations abusing the sacred name of GOD and of the blessed Virgin after an execrable manner the which I will forbeare to report for that I will not offend the eye nor eare of any honest and deuout Reader he seduced this poore maide who hauing too late descouered the Imposture the wretch was committed to prison notwithstanding the allegation of his order immunities and freedome and beheaded publikely and his body burnt to Ashes Stumpfius in his 10. Booke of historie of Suisse Agilitie and force IT is put in the number of the wonders of Nature the flying and ballancing of those which runne and guide themselues vpon a rope Some few yeares since there was one well knowne throughout all Italy called the little Venetian as well for that he was borne at Venice as for his small stature but so nimble and expert to runne vpon a rope without any difficulty as some-times hee tyed himselfe vp in a Sack hauing nothing but his hands free to manage his counterpeize Some times he put a round Basin vnder eyther foote or Balls vnder his heeles and so did runne with an incredible swiftnesse vpon a long rope tyde to the top of a house Moreouer he was so strong as with his knee he would b◅eake the thigh bone of an Oxe how bigge soeuer With his hands hee would wrest in sunder three great Nayles as big as a mans little finger as if they had beene soft and plyable Hee would take vpon his shoulders a beame of aboue twenty foote long and a foote thick supporting it long without any helpe of hands and then would hee remoue it from one shoulder to an other THEODORE a Doctor of the Lawe who had seene these feates of agilitie and force with many other witnesses haue reported it vnto mee A Physition of our time makes mention of the same or
him twise in this sort but seeking to returne the third time hee refused her and went his way This poore woman a while after was brought in bedde of three children whereof two were aliue and lusty and the third dead An other woman with Child longing for a Bakers shoulder which carried her bread vnto the Ouen she reiected all other meate and drempt onely of that Her husband desiring to content her wrought so with the Baker as for a certaine some of money he was content his wife should tast of that shoulder shee had so much desired Hee had endured her teeth twise but she had bitten him of sore as he would not endure a third charge The woman Longing still sell in Labour of three Sonnes two aliue and the third dead In a village not farre from Andernac a Towne seated vpon the Rhine belonging to the Bishop of Colleyn a Country woman being with Child and distasted did long to eate of her husbands flesh Her desire was so furious as she killed him eate halfe his body and pouldred vp the rest soone after the rage of her appetite being gon she confessed the fact willingly vnto her husbands friends that sought for him At Lymbourg in Silesia the Towne where I was borne a man coming out of a Bathe bare Legged with his pantofles hee was followed by a woman with Child who desirous to tast of such meate gets hold of one of his thighes and with her teeth pulled of a peece of his heele the man crying out murther yet would she not leaue her hold vntill she had done I cannot passe ouer with silence what happened to a Noblemans Concubine who diuers mornings did eate whole handfulls of flâ—…xe or towe being redie to spinne Beeing falne sicke through this disordred appetite an olde woman brought me her water hauing vnderstood that she was distasted and being demanded of the olde woman what I thought of the Vrine I answered her that the gentlewoman did winde more flaxe with her mouth then with her spindle The olde woman thinking that the inspection of the Vrine made me to diuine this gaue it out that I was an excellent diuiner the which purchased mee such credit as afterwards euery man regarded me with admiration EVE SIBYLLE my wife had a sister called GENEVIEFVE sometimes married to PETER le FEVRE of Heidelberg who being with Child in the yeare 1562. and very bigge went to the Bouchery to buy some peece of flesh Hauing attended long and not able to stay any longer she snatcht vp a peece of flesh intreating the Butcher to wey it This rude vnciuill fellow pulls it out of her hand weyes it and giues it to an other woman that was by where-with she was so mooned as her nose began presently to bleed The which she wiping aboue the vpper lip the Child where-with she went receiued such an impression as after some weekes her time being expired she was deliuered of a Son who had only the nether lip and so liued thus deformed a whole yeare then died of the plague N. IAMES FVTER in his Obseruations of Physick I haue knowne women with Child which haue deuoured quicke Eeles not leauing any part In Delft there was one which did eate a whole sheepes skin with the woole An other in the Towne of Alcmar did swallowe downe whole ladles full of Tarre where with marriners vse to calke their ships as if it had bin sauory pottage Such furious longings do not only torment women with child but euen men children MARY daughter to PETER SASBOT being with Child did eate great aboundance of chalke We may produce diuers examples of women who during their being with Child insteede of bread good meate haue eate nothing but earth ashes and coales of the harth plaster pulled out of the walles salt-peter in sellers Snailes Frogges Peares Apples and Plummes not halfe ripe and when their desire hath not beene fully satisfied their Children haue suffred for it And as for signes and markes scarse shall you finde ten among a hundred that haue not some token of this violent passion of their Mothers Some-times if in these appetits in women with Child do not sodenly get what they long for they feele of it long time after they are deliuered In a village called Schuueden in the Bishoprike of Fulde there was a woman with Childe who passing by the way met with a fisher-man whom she intreated to sell her all the fish he had taken but this rude fisher-man refused her not caring for her earnest request Being returned very sad to her house she began to weepe bitterly for that shee had beene so frustrated of her desire There-vpon shee fell sodenly to haue an extreame desire to drinke water but the more she dronke the more her desire encreased so as in one day she did drinke aboue thirty pound waight of water the which she voided presently by Vrine She continued sixe monethes after her deliuery to drinke daylie without interruption foureteene pounds of water In the end she came to aske aduice of me and to seeke some remedy for this passion being accompanied by other women her kins-folkes and friends who with othes did confirme this extraordynarie drinking to be true and that during her lying in she did drinke euery daie twenty pounds waight of water The wife of FRANCISCO BARBARIN a magnifico of Venice during the time of her being with Child did eate at diuers times about 20. pounds waight of Pepper and not miscarried After her deliuery she had a menstruos fluxe the which was cholerike and thinne the which caused an vlcer in the Matrix whereof she died M. N. of Florence Cha. 30. of the 4. treaty sermon 5. I haue seene a woman which hath continued with this extraordinary and disordred appetite a yeare after her deliuery the which made her pale flegmatike and very leane Her Child did not liue long GESNER in the History of birds speaking of the Pie. Rash Attempts punnished MArc Sâ—…hutigius a Cittizen of Misnia hauing a quarrell with an other of the same Towne and meeting him vnarmed he began to prouoke him with iniuâ—…ious speeches the other approching neere him pulls his sword from him there-with giues him eight wounds whereof he died presently the 25. day of August 1564. In many Combats allowed in our time especially in France it hath often happened that the Challengers haue bin slaine vpon the place by the defendants There is not any one but may remember diuers examples of this kinde GOD doth Iudge and is to be feared Not long since a French gentleman much giuen to quarrell presuming vpon the skill he had of his weapon he caused a dagger to be made and these words to bee grauen vpon it I respect not any man He did vsually carry this dagger and playing one day it fell out of the sheath and he vpon it where-with he was so wounded in the thigh as hee had almost died I knowe not whether this made him
that way they let downe a great bucket willing him to put his right foote in it and with his hands to hold fast by the chaine of the Well By which meanes he was drawne vp hauing beene as it were frozen in the Well they carried him to bedde where he lost his speech and opened his eyes very seldome and that with paine Being sent for to visit him I spent all that daie in fighting with the apoplexy At length hee began to stirre a little and to mutter forth some words but vomyting exceedingly The next daie I found him come to himselfe againe and talking hee tould mee howe that night that hee was so in the well hee dreamt that hee was walking and with stumbling had like to haue fallen and that him thought hee had beene ouer head and eares in water Finally after afewe daies hee was thoroughly recouered againe The same A Spanish gentleman surnamed TAPIA rose oftentimes in his sleepe and did many things about the house going from one place to another without awaking but to the end no mischance should come vnto him he had alwaies a basen of water set by his bedde side Nowe one night in the sommer-Sommer-time he arose in his shirt put a cloake about him got him forth a dores beeing all this while fast asleepe and met as him thought with another man who demanded of him whither hee went so late It is so hot answered TAPIA that I meane to go wash my selfe And so will I quoth the other come le ts go along togither Withal my heart sayth TAPIA Thervpon they got them to the riuer where TAPIA putting of his cloake and shirte was going into the water but the other ieasting beeganne to say you cannot swimme I am sure marrie but I can replyed the gentleman and it may bee better then you Well quoth the other then followe mee And saying so hee gotte him vp on a bridge that was thereby and leaping downe into one of the deepest places of the Riuer swamme vppe and downe and called to the Gentleman since you bragge so much doe as I haue donne TAPIA followes him and leapes into the Riuer as all this was donne in his sleepe so assoone as his feete touched the water hee awaked and laboring all that possiblie hee could hee beganne to call that other who was not to bee seene Wherevpon fearing it was some euill Spirit that had drawne him into that danger after hee had recommended himselfe vnto GOD hee swamme ouer the Riuer tooke vp his cloake and shirte and returned home recounting that which had happened vnto him and afterwardes vsed meanes not to fall into the like perrill againe A de TORQVEMADOE in the ende of the third date of his Hexameron There haue bin many found who rysing thus sleeping and going vp into windowes that haue beene open haue falne downe to the ground breaking their Armes and legges others haue beene found starke dead and some so grieuously wounded as they haue soone after giuen vp the ghost But it sufficeth vs to propound such as haue escaped the which are set downe in Bookes that wee haue seene vntill that time may discouer the rest by some man more diligent then my selfe who may note all if it please him I haue heard of a young Maiden at Paris which did vsually euery night goe to bathe her selfe in the Riuer being a sleepe The which shee continued long vntill that her Father being aduertised thereof watched her in the Streete and whipt her well to make her leaue this custome whereat the Maide awaked and was much ashamed to see her selfe naked in the streete Maister L. IOVBERT lib. 3. chap. 10. It is also reported that a Scholler hauing had a quarrell the night before with one of his companions rise vp in his sleepe and went and slue his enemie lying in his bed in another Chamber and then hee returned to his owne bed without waking as it was supposed for the next day the Iustice being called by the Host found him a sleepe and his Dagger bloudie confessing that hee had dreampt that he had slâ—…ine him who they sayd was murthered In the same Author There are said he vpon this report many such examples by the which we may conclude that besides the naturall and vitall faculties of the soule the which he affirmes to be very powerfull in sleepers these also that are dedicated and subiect to our willes do labour caused by the meanes of the Muscles as to go to imbrace to speake Strange efficacie and power of Satan MAster THEODORE Sonne to CORNELIVS some-times Consull of Goude in Holland reported this History vnto mee that followeth auouching it to bee verie true In a village called Ostbrouch neere vnto Vtrech there dwelt a widowe who had a seruant whome shee imployed about necessary affaires of the house He hauing obserued as seruants are often curious that this widowe went late in the night when all were at rest into one certaine place in the stable stretching forth her hands vpon the racke whereas they vsually put haie for their Cattell Hee wondring what it ment resolued to do as much without the priuity of his Mistresse and to trie the effect of this ceremonie Soone after following his Mistresse who was gone into the stable hee goes and takes hold of the racke Sodenly hee feeles himselfe to be lifted vp into the aire and to be carried into a Caue vnder grownd in a little Towne called Vuich whereas hee found a Synagoge of Sorcerers deuising togither of their witch-crafts His Mistresse amazed at this vnexpected presence asked him howe hee came into that companie to whome hee reported what had happened She beganne to bee in a great rage against him fearing least those mighty assemblies should be descouered by that meanes yet shee consulted with her companions what was to be done in that difficultie In the ende they concluded to entertaine this new guest friendly forcing a promise from him to keepe silence and to sweare not to descouer the secrets which then had beene made knowne vnto him beyond his hope or merit This poore man promiseth wonders and flatters euery one and least hee should bee more toughly handled he makes a shew to bee admitted of that Sinagogue if it pleased them In these Consultations the time was spent and the houre of departure approched Then they make an other consultation at the instance of the Mistresse whether for the preseruation of many it were not expedient to cut the seruants throte or to carrie him backe By a common consent they inclyned to the milder course to carry him backe againe seeing hee had taken his oath not to reueale any thing The Mistresse vndertakes this charge who after protestations made takes him vpon her backe promising to carrie him backe vnto her house But hauing made part of the way they discouered a Lake full of reedes The Mistresse meeting with this occasion and fearing still that this young man repenting himselfe that hee had beene admitted
dayly happens wee see that many sick folkes haue no appetite by reason their ventricle is stuft with euill humors and they receiue lesse meate in a weeke then they did in a day when they were well But when a man of a sound bodie can but passe one or two daies without meate and not bee an hungred that exceedes the rules of nature and is a Diuine miracle Howe much more admirable is it that such a man should fast fortie daies togither in such manner that hee feeles no hunger hath no neede to resist the desire of eating nor hath any more appetite to meate or drinke then an Angell Wee beleeue that IESVS CHRIST had a bodie exceeding temperate and pure though hee were subiect to our infirmities according to the condition of his humaine natu◅e sinne excepted Wee acknowledge like-wise that MOYSES and ELIAS when they abstayned fortie da◅e togither from meate and drinke were in perfect health at that time and by a certaine prerogatiue exempted from the common life of men Wherevpon it ensueth that they are iustly esteemed for excellent miracles whereby the authority of those Prophets and of IESVS CHRIST were established Nowe it is no nouelty that the like effects should happen by the order of things which our most good and mighty GOD hath prescribed to nature and by an euident miracle against the lawes of the same nature For feauers and diuers other disseases which the Saints haue healed the Physitions doe also cure But the meanes which they vse make great difference in the case For the Saints by their worde or touch alone through the grace of GOD tooke away the causes of such effects with the necessity imposed vpon nature The Physitions do nothing but oppose vnto naturall things other like wise naturall whereby if the vertue of the remedies giuen by the Creator bee of greatest strength and that it be his will it should not bee in vaine at that time the cause which doth offend is defaced IESVS CHRIST throughly healed the inueterate course of menstruall bloud with the onely touch of the hem◅e of his garment and sayd hee felt that vertue was gone out of him for that effect but the womā touched that in faith which presented it selfe to her hand embracing the power of our Sauiour in her thought Wee by the art of Physick whereof he himselfe a mercyfull Father hauing pittie on mans condition is the true author institutor helpe our s◅lues in the like disseasses with certaine medicines So no question may an abundant phlegmatique humor naturally induce fasting as appeared in those before named which felt themselues well through the good pleasure of GOD. But besides these there are infi◅ite miracles that exceede our vnderstanding which neither humane Art nor Nature it selfe can any waie immitate Such is the curing of naturall blindnesse expelling of vncleane spirits out of humaine bodies raysing of the dead halfe rotten and such like which confirme the authority of the Almightie GOD. By this I thinke it appeares that things which are sayd to happen by a certaine Lawe of nature although but seldome reproue not true miracles nor dimynish their credit and that hee no way contradicteth the Chistian fai◅h which diligently examineth the causes of such euentes But rather is not the verity of vnfained miracles thereby confirmed the better in taking away the occasion of impostures therewithall to the ende they should not easily abuse the vnexperienced people For if any of those which liue without eating by reason of their cold intemperature and abundance of flegme should counterfeit the Prophet inspired of the euer lyuing GOD howe many thousands might hee drawe head-long into error and distruction Verily hee is impio◅s and ignorant of true nay dyuine Phylosophy which thinking of these things and considering them shall affirme it to bee wicked and irreligious to go aboute to distinguish with vnpainted reasons betweene the workes and as wee vse to say the miracles of nature and the miracles of GOD Which all good and Godly persons will freely confesse do belong to an honest religious charitable man These are Doctor IOVBERTS owne wordes whose booke was Printed at Paris the yeare 1579. It hath beene told me of a certaintie that there was a Chanon at Salamanca which went to Toledo and backe againe hauing remained there fifteene or twenty dayes without drinking any drop of Wine or Water from the time of his setting forth till his returne But that which puts me into a greater meruaile is that written by PONTANVS in his Booke of Meteors Of a man that in all his life neuer drunke a drop of any thing which LADISLAVS King of Naples vnderstanding made him drinke a little Water that greatly pained him at his stomack I haue also heard of diuers credible persons that in the Towne of Mansill not farre from the Cittie of Leon was a man liuing that vsed to be two or three moneths without drinking and neuer felt any harme or displeasure by it A. de TORQVEMADO in the first day of his Hexameron Imprinted the yeare 1582. Singular Modestie yeelding to a seuere Censure THere are few men to be found especially among them that are called learned which doe not highly esteeme their owne workes and endure reprehensions impatiently If there be any such found they deserue to be admired and imitated MARCILLIVS FICINVS a most learned Philosopher and renowmed Desciple of PLATO in our time hauing vndertaken PLATOES workes to Translate them out of Greeke into Latin cartyed his Translation vnto a very learned Man called MARCVS MVSVRVS CANDIOT to haue hi◅ aduise MVSVRVS seeing that this translation was done hastely and that it would not satesfie the expectation of many which did greatly affect it Beeing loth to haue his friend derided and to discharge himselfe of his promise hee takes a sponge and puts it into an Inck pot and so blots out all the first page of FICINVS translatiō then turning towards him hee sayd thou seest howe I haue corrected the first page if thou wilt I will do as much to the rest FICINVS without any choller answered him It is no reason that PLATO should be disgraced through my fault then he retired himselfe and hauing his second conceptions better refined he made a newe translation worthie both of the maister and the disciple ZVINGER in the 1. tome of his Theater A Mocker mockt A Certaine man remayning at Onzain neere to Amboisse being perswaded by an hostesse who committed the infamous crime of Adulterie with him to make shewe for the freeing of her husband of all future Iealousie that hee would be gelt by one called M. PETER des SERPENS Surgion at Villantrois in Berry he sent for his kins-folks and after that hee had tould them that hee neuer durst discouer his griefe vnto them hee was in the ende brought to that extremity as he was forced to take that course wherevpon he made his will And to make the better shewe of it after that he had
vnto you to admonish you to desist from your enterprise and to proceede no farther If you dispise my aduertisement ill will come to you and to all your followers Furthermore I am enioyned to tell you that if you haunt women too familiarly and follow their counsell it will turne to your shame and ouerthrowe Hauing said thus hee presently thrust himselfe into the presse Euen-song done the king made this old-man to be sought for who could not bee found and that which is yet worthier obseruation diuers that had heard him vse those speaches and desired to vnderstand the particularities could not perceiue what became of him Amongst others there presēt DAVID LINDSEY was one a learned and a wise man and of a sound life who reported this vnto me Not long after the King contemning the good aduise of the principal Lords of his Counsel prosecuting his deseigne gaue battaile to the English in the which he was slaine with al the flower of the Nobility of Scotland G. BVCHANAN in the 13. booke of the Historie of Scotland LEVVIS the second King of Hungary beeing at Buda and the Castle gates shut as the custome is whilst hee was at dinner there came one in the likenesse of a deformed cripple who cried out that hee would speake with the King to whome hee had matters to impart concerning his great good and the peace of the whole realme At first they made no reckoning of him according to the manner of the Court where the poore and simple are despised but hee beganne to weepe and crie out desiryng that with all speede they would goe and tell the King of him so as some of the gard mooued with his speeches and to bee rid of the importunate cries of the man who protested hee would speake to no other eare but the King went and declared it vnto him The King commanded one of his brauest Courtiers to goe and knowe that secret and to feigne himselfe to be the King But the cripple said presently vnto him thou art not the King I haue nothing to say to thee and seeing the King makes no more account to heare me go and tell him he shall perish and that shortly Pronouncing these words he vanished away from before them all The Courtier the Gard and the King himselfe not regarding this lost their liues a little after in a battaile against the Turkes I. LEONCLAVIVS in the Pandects of the Historie of the Turkes Adulteries punnished NInty yeares since or there abouts a No◅leman of Piedmont found that his wife issued from a meane parentage whome hee had married for his pleasure forgetting the honour of GOD the honour which her husband had done her and her owne honour had execrably poluted the house chamber and bed of her Lord and husband by continual adultery with a Gentleman his neighbour whom shee had wickedly allured to her will The Lord meaning to take thē in the fact that they might pretend no excuse hee laied many plots and among the rest he caused a packet of letters to be broght vnto him by the which his Prince called him to Court meaning to send him into France where hee should remaine some time He imparts these letters vnto his wife continues a whole day with her makes very much of her acquaints her familiarly with the whole estate of his affaires leaues her meanes Iewells all that was precious in his house and after a louing faire-wel he departs with al his traine At night he staies with one that kept a Castell of his and descouers vnto him his misfortune and his deseigne In the meane time this wicked woman had sent for her Adulterer who being shut vp in one chamber continued their filthy life The Lord being followed onely by this keeper of his Castell and a grome of his Chamber well armed and furnished of all things necessary in a darke night they came vnto the Castell where the Chastelane made himselfe knowne vnto the Porter saying that hee had letters of importance from his Lord the which he must deliuer presently to his Lady The Porter opes the gate presently to one so well knowne sodenly al enter The Lord forbids the Porter to make any noise commanding him to light a torch hee goes directly to the Lords Chamber where the Chastelane did knocke At this noise an old woman who had bin their baude asked who was their It is I answered the Chastelane who bring a letter vnto my Lady from my Lord who passing hastely by my house cōmanded me to bring it with speed This woman dronke with her vilany cōmanded the old womā to receiue the letter at the dore without entring and she would performe the contents The olde woman opening the doore a little was sodenly ouerthrowne Thē the Lord and the two others enter armed and seize vpon the Adulterers being naked confused in their shame The seruants of the house being sodenly called the Lord hauing giuen a graue and seuere sentence vpon his detestable Wife condemned her to hang vp her vilanous Adulterer with her owne hands in the presence of them all hauing bound him hand and foote with halters This sentance being pronounced the Lord sent for great Cartnales the which he caused to be knockt vpon a beame in the Chamber and calling for a ladder hee forced this wicked woman to tie the halter about her Adulterers necke And for that she had neede of helpe in this execution her Baude was condemned to second her These two togither did hange vp this wretch after whose death the Lord caused the bed to be burnt and all that did participate of their Adulteries and commanding all the other mouables of the Chamber to be carried away he left nothing but a little strawe for these two Mastiues to lie on appointing that the bodie that was hanged should remaine there and that the two women should keepe it vntill the stinke of it had choakt them he caused the windowes and the dore to be walled vp leauing onely a little hole by the which they might giue them bread and water Hauing past some fewe daies in the stench without consolation opprest with griefe and dispaire they ended their miserable liues Written in the Histories of our times In our time an Aduocate of Grasse in Prouence called TOLONIO married a vertuous young Gentlewoman he managed the affayres of the Signior of Chabrie A Gentleman liuing in a Castle not farre from thence comming one day among many vnto this Gentlemans house who was then absent Hauing familiar accesse to him and to the Lady who was about fortye yeares old and the Mother of foure children whereof two were with her young Gentlemen well bred he went vp into the Chamber and found this Lady in bed beeing set downe by her after hee had acquainted her with some businesse for the which hee was come vnto the Castle they entred into strange and detestable discourses against the honour of GOD and all respect of honour and vertue
her maide And then turning her selfe vnto them shee sayd wee haue often heard tell of the last day but wee neuer regarded it till now we see it come which sayd they all fell downe on their knees calling vnto GOD for mercie Therevpon a furious gust of winde tore away the roofe of the house and tearing downe the walles brake the posts seelings and bords of the Stoue all to fitters But in the middest of this feareful tempest the Mother Children Maide remained safe and vnhurt although the timber stones flew as thick as hayle about their eares Satan seeming to bee in the middest of this storme and confounded by the feruent praier of the little flock darted a great beame of twelue foote long as though it had beene an arrowe flying in the aire with the ayde of a violent whirle-winde iust through the windowe of the Stoue at this poore company kneeling against a bench But the holie Angells turned it another way so that it lighted with terrible fury in a corner right against the fornace of the Stoue The same tempest ouerthrewe a Country-mans house vpon his wife and some of their neigbors which were in it at that time and yet they were neuer hurt with the ruine FINCEL in his 3. booke of the meruayles of our time IOHN SPAVGEMBERG Minister of Northuse going to an hot house according to the manner of the Germains and remayning there a good while with his Children bathing themselues assoone as euer they were gone out of it the place sanke and fell downe without hurting any body I MANLIVS in the first booke of his Collections Vpon Easter eue 1565. after horrible whirle-winds thunder lightning hayle and signes of fire in the aire a violent inundation of waters disgorged it selfe vpon a great village named Groesse in the dioces of Friberg in Misnia the torrents and streames wherof swelled with such fury in an instant that they ouer whelmed forty houses in that village without the losse of any creature saue one Childe There were many preserued as it were by miracle two Children with their mother were sound vntouched of the water vnder the ruines of a house in a heape of strawe also two others in a Cellar a nurse with her Childe leaning against a Ladder a blinde man in his entry and diuers others both great and small in high places which with-stood the fury of the water PH LONICER in his Theater of examples in the example of the 3. Commandement pag. 198. I knewe an honorable woman of singular pietie and modestie that some twenty yeares since through an extraordinary and long suppression of her tearmes was a great while and at times very sorely troubled in minde so that she was often determined to haue killed her husband sleeping and her selfe after One day her keeper being gone forth about some businesse shee rose out of her bed and in her smock ranne into a garden behinde her house where by a rope of the well which was seauen or eight fathom she let herselfe downe to the bottom and then by the same rope got vp againe and returned all wet to her Chamber hauing beene vp to the Chin in water Not long after seeming to be some-what better she walked abroad and carryed along with her a Son of hers that is now of very great hope but was then some 4. or 5. yeares old with full entent to drowne him and her selfe in a riuer that was thereby vnto the bridge whereof she made many iournies being still entertained with the Childes comfortable prattle Returning home againe within a while after shee was easily recouered namely by letting of bloud in the Saphena and taking of a gentle purgation After which she had 4. or 5. sweete Children She hath many times told me that in those accidents a man attired in white and of a very pleasing coūtenance appeared vnto her who tooke her by the hand and kindly exhorted her to trust in GOD. Being in the Wel som-what that was very heauy lying on her head and laboring to make her let go the rope for to plunge her ouer head and eares in the water so drowne her this same personage came vnto her tooke her by the arme holpe her to get vp againe which she could neuer haue done of her selfe He also comforted her in the garden and led her very gently to her Chamber where hee vanished away In like manner hee met her as shee was going towardes the bridge and followed her a loofe of vntill such time as she returned home Beeing thorough well shee desired nothing so much as leaue this world and her praiers da◅ely tended to that effect At length GOD heard her and about a moneth before her sicknesse whereof shee dyed going into the kitchen for to wash her handes and her face one of her eye teeth on the right side fell out of her head without any precedent or ensuing paine Wherevpon she went vnto her husband being in bed shewing him the tooth sayd vnto him husband the Lord calls me and it is the accomplishment of my desires O what an happy creature am I Her husband some what mooued there with endeuored notwithstanding to comfort her and falling of purpose into other talke arose went and prayed After that this honorable dame shewed her selfe alwaies merier to her husband and friends then before being graue and seuere to her children and was fairer and lustier then euer she had bin in seauentene yeares that she had liued a wife Towards the end of the moneth there being no apparance of any such matter as she was going to rise betimes in the morning according to her custome for to looke to a young child she had and to tend the affaires of her house shee was constrained to keepe her bed Wherevpon her husband comming in she put him in minde of her tooth and the speeches shee had vsed to him about it and therefore exhorted him to submit himselfe vnto the will of GOD. He being gon vp for to commend his deare moitie vnto him that neuer reiecteth the praiers of his seruants she tooke al her iewells and putting them vp in her purse sent them by her eldest Daughter to him and desired him to keepe them for her sake Hee came downe and gently rebuked her for this apprehension Oh husband sayd shee I haue no neede of any thing in this world for I am going to my GOD. O how blessed am I during her sicknesse which lasted twenty daies I was for the most part present with her beeing tied there vnto for diuers reasons Shee put mee in remembrance againe of that I haue declared before and from so many excellent deliuerances drewe an assured argument of her saluation The day of her decease approching she began to smile and being demanded the cause thereof by mee shee answered softly in mine eare I see my man O how beautifull he is then crying out shee said Stay for mee stay for me All the while
good and heauenly inspiration seeing hee spake so holylye and deuoutly of the excellencie of Christian religion Although the sicke man knew well that these admonitions proceeded from a sincere and true heart yet for that hee had diuerse times reiected them hee began to frowne saying vnto the Bishop You beleeue as I thinke that I doe willingly nourish this obstinacie in my minde and that I take delight in this vehement passion of despaire If you bee of that opinion you are deceiued I will tell you to the ende you may knowe my resolution that if I could bee perswaded that the iudgement of GOD might by any meanes bee changed or mitigated for mee it should not greeue me to bee tormented ten thousand yeares with the sharpest paines of Hell so as I might haue any hope of rest after this long sufferance But euen in that whereby you doe exhorte me to gather some hope I see all meanes of health and pardon taken from mee For if the testimonies of holye Scripture haue any authoritie as they haue doe you thinke that IESVS CHRIST hath sayd in vaine That he which hath renounced him before men hee will renounce him before his heauenly Father doe you not see that it concernes mee and that it is as it were particularly verified in my person what shall become of him whom the Sonne hath disauowed before his Father when as you say that wee must hope for no saluation but in IESVS CHRIST Therevpon hee did expound certaine passages of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the second Catholike Epistle of Saint Peter out of the which hee drewe terrible conclusions against himselfe Wee cannot beleeue with what grauitie and vehemencie his wordes were deliuered neyther was there euer man heard pleading better for himselfe then SPIERA did then against himselfe Hee did alledge notable things of GODS Iustice detesting his fore-passed life admonishing all that were about him very earnestlie not to thinke that a Christians life was a light thing and easily discharged That it doth not consist onely in hauing the head Baptized in reading certaine verses and Texts of the Gospell and to bee termed an honest man but it was needfull he should liue as the doctrine of trueth doth command him Therevpon hee repeated a Text out of Saint Peter exhorting vs to shewe through holynesse of life certaine signes of the loue of GOD towards vs and of the confidence wee should haue in him Hee sayde moreouer that hee had knowne many who after they had tasted the sweetnesse of true felicitie they suffered them-selues to bee so carryed away as they had no longer care to performe that which belonged to a Childe of GOD. Hee protested that hee had some-times imagined that his sinnes had beene hidden and that hee could not bee punished for that CHRIST had made satisfaction for them but then hee knew too late that those things belonged onely to the elect and chosen of GOD betwixt whose sinnes and the heauenly and celestiall Throne IESVS CHRIST setts his precious bloud and the dignitie of his obedience as a vale and shadowe to couer them and doth plant them against the diuine vengeance as a high and strong Rampar that sinners repenting them might not bee opprest nor drowned with the deluge and ouer-flowings of their offences and sinnes As for himselfe seeing that hee had renounced our Sauiour IESVS CHRIST hee had as one should say ouerthrowne this strong Rampar with his owne hands so as after this ruine and ouer-flowing the deluge of waters of this vengeance had couered and swallowed vp his soule One of his most familiars said vnto him that he did hold the cause of this his great torment to proceed from aboundance of melancholie humours which did so trouble his braine SPIERA remembring that hee had many times refuted that opinion and seeing they were to begin againe sayd vnto the other you may thinke what you please but GOD in trueth hath troubled my spirit and depriued mee of iudgement seeing it is impossible for mee to haue any hope of my saluation Hauing continued in such and the like speeches during his aboad at Padoua they carryed him backe to his house at Ciuitelle where hee dyed in this despaire This which is worthy of consideration among the Histories of our time is drawne out of a discourse published by Maister HENRIE SCRINGER a learned Lawyer who was then at Padoua did see and many times talke with this poore SPIERA About twenty yeares before a very famous Doctor throughout all Germanie called KRAVS remaining at Halle in Swabe hauing often-times turned his conscience sometimes towards GOD sometimes towards the worlde hauing inclined in the end to the worser part sayd and confest publikely that hee was vndone and fell so deepe into despaire as hee could neyther receiue nor take any comfort nor consolation so as in this miserable and wretched estate of his soule hee slew him-selfe most miserably In the Historie of Germanie Cardinall CRESCENCE being at Verona to passe on farther about some matters of importance was much troubled the 25. of March with writing and hauing laboured very late at night rising a little out of his chaire to take breath he imagined that he did see a black Dog of an exceeding greatnesse hauing fiery eyes and his eares hanging to the ground which came directly towards him and then hid himselfe vnder the Table Hee was presently like one in a sowne but beeing come againe to himselfe hee cryed out alowd calling his seruants that were in the former Chamber and commanded them to seeke this Dogge with a light But not finding him there nor in the anti-chamber a Feauer seized on him and encreased in such sort as hee dyed Towards the ende of his life hee cryed often to his seruants Driue away this Dogge which comes vp to my bed It was not possible to resolue nor to comfort him But hee died in great despaire at Verona Historie of our time SLEIDAN lib. 23. of his Comentaries Vnder the raigne of King FRANCIS the second the Kings Aduocate in the Parliament of Daulphiné called PONSENAS after that he had sold his patrimonie his wiues and borrowed much money of his friends to buie this office hee consumed what remained in keeping of open house hoping to be soone recompenced to the double But beeing falne sicke of a disease vnknowne to the Physitions hee fell into despaire of GODS helpe and mercy and representing daylye vnto himselfe the death of some innocent persons executed at Romans and at Valence whome hee had pursued Hee denyed GOD called vpon the Diuill and made all the horrible curses and Imprecations that might bee imagined His Clarke seeing him in this despaire spake to him of the mercies of GOD alledging certaine passages of the Scripture to that purpose But insteed of turning vnto GOD and asking pardon for his offences he sayd vnto him O STEPHEN how black thou art the young man who was redish hayrd excused himselfe the Aduocate replyed againe
Then hauing eased herselfe by Lotions Fomentations Bathes and other fit helpes shee recouered her perfect health R. SOLENANDRE in the 5. booke of his Councells Chap. 15. art 40. Children miraculously preserued THe yeare 1546. in the Towne of Misnia in Saxony a seruant of THOMAS le FEVREs hauing a little Childe in her armes and looking out at a windowe three stories high by mischance let it fal into the streete whence it was taken vp not beeing hurt nor bruzed in any part of the bodie GEORGE la FEVRE in his Annales of Misnia lib. 3. pag. 200. In the moneth of Iune 1552. a girle of PETER PELICES a Cooke in the same Towne and the same streete fell out of the garret windowe of a house and had no harme The same Author pag. 207. The Sonne of SIMON CRAMES a Councellor of the same Towne and dwelling in the same streete fel from an high window downe on the pauement which was of hard stone and yet not hurt in any part of his body it happened in the yeare 1559. In the same Booke pag. 214. Of these three deliuerances GEORGE le FEVRE makes mention in these verses Hoc vidit vâ—…bs quae nobili Prouincia nomen dedit Vna in platea tres tribus Vicibus cadentes Angelo Custode vitam ducere In the moneth of September the yeare 1566. a Maide of SIMON RICHTERS a Citizen of Misna dwelling by Wolfgang Ber let a little Boy which shee held in her armes fall from a very high window Hee lighted first on the end of a Waggon and then on the pauement but was not any way hurt In the same Booke pag 227. 228. The yeare 1568. in the moneth of Iune ERASMVS the sonne of WOLFGANG BEME being but foure yeares old fell out of a window of his fathers house into the street had no harme In the same pa. 229 In a Village hard by Cygne a certaine Countri-woman willed a little boy shee had to go and fetch home their Oxen that were feeding by a woods side Whilst the child was away there fell so much Snowe that vpon a suddaine all the wayes were couered the night came on so fast that the boy was enclosed in the mountaines and could not get out The father mother taking more care for their child then Oxen rose betimes in the morning to go seeke him but the snow was so great that they knew not where to looke him The next day they traced the forrest to finde the body which they were verily perswaded was voide of life but at last they found him sitting on a banke which the Snowe had neither couered nor touched They asked him why he came not home all that while The child answered hauing felt no colde nor harme at all that he staied till it was euening Then they asked him whether hee had eaten any thing or no. A man that I knew not said he came hether gaue me Bread Cheese wherat exceeding ioyfull they carried him home I. MANLIVS in the first booke of his Collections The yeare 1565. about the end of September a maide in the towne of Misna that was an Ideot lead a little girle of three yeares old out of the Towne vnperceiued of any and hauing carryed her to a riuer called Trebisa which was risen some-what high with raine that was falne stripped the girle tooke her vpon her shoulder and waded ouer the riuer then returned and made the child ready againe but being weary of her carriage she left the poore infant in the winde the raine which was then very sharpe and bleake The girle remained all the whole night and halfe the next day on the bare ground where she was found as GOD would by a Countrie wench who tooke her vp in her armes carried her to a farme there by From whence she was conueyed to her Father and Mother that were in great perplexitie for the losse of their child GEORGE FEVRE in the 3. booke of his Annales of Misna The yeare 1558. there fell such an horrible raine and tempest in Thuringe that in an instant it ouer-threw diuers houses and the torrent was so furious that it carried away a great number of persons of all ages Amongst the rest a vyolent inundation of waters ouerwhelmed a poore labourers house of Burcktonne where his wife lay newly deliuered of a Sonne and swallowing vp the wretched Mother carryed away the young infant that a little before had beene laide in a Trough made like a kneeding-tub which was stayed by the bough of an Apple-tree where the childe remained and was found safe and sound after the rage of the waters was alayed euery one acknowledging the truth of this notable sentence that GODS assistance doth appeare when mans doth faile PH. LONICER in the Theater of Examples pag. 196. H. HVSANVS a Lawyer describes in excellent Latin verse such a like miracle which happened about that time in a certaine place of the same Countrie on the behalfe of a little Childe lying in a Cradle which was carryed away very farre by the furie of the waters and then layde gently in a safe shore where it was found aliue ANDREVV MERCKTER recites in a certaine funerall Oration by him written touching afflictions that being a little boy he had beene miraculously preserued from waters from manifest danger of drowning three seuerall times first at Sechouse next at Wittenberg and lastly at Perleberg where this which ensueth hapned vnto him As hee was standing on the bridge of that place which was very high certaine Roysters thronging along in great number and hast pushed him ouer the bridge into the middest of the streame It was in Winter and the Ice couered him so that carried from the top of the water vnder the Ice hee was driuen to a Mill that stood in the riuer where the water not being frosen by reason of the continuall motion which the wheeles of the Mill made he was taken vp and saued PH. LONICER in the same Theater in the examples of the third commandent pag. 198. In a Village called Zum Heniâ—…hen hard by Friberg in Misna a little Boy sonne to a certaine Weauer playing about the house fide fell into a great channell of water that serued to driue a Mill and was suddainly carried by the streame which ran very stiffe vnder his fathers house standing ouer the channell and then vnder a bridge so farre that it was enough to haue drowned him a dosen times without the protection of Heauen which would haue the childe carried to the Mill where he tooke hold with his little hands on the barre which serued to shutte the water-gate and cryed out as lowd as he could An old woman heard him who ran thither and called the Miller so that the Boy was taken vp safe out of the furious waters The same In the yeare 1565. the 10. day of March about seuen of the clock in the morning the Treasurer of Rofenbourg a towne situate on the
riuer Sala going from the towne to the Castle went as of necessity he was to do ouer the bridge followed by a pritty little boy his sonne who gazing on the swiftnes of the streame going to take away some durt that stuck on his shooes slid in such maner in an open slippery place of the bridge that he fell into the bottom of the riuer A fisher-man being in a garden not far of hearing the noyse of his fall ran thither and with great danger of his life leaped in after the poore childe whom the waues had carried all along the Castle walls He tooke hold on a piece of his coate which tearing the body fell againe into the water he caught him the secōd time by one of his feet carried him to his mother that almost dead with feare staid for him on the banke within two houres after he came to himlsefe two daies after that was as well as euer hee was to the no little ioy of all his friends that praised GOD for his miraculous assistance The same On Easter eue the same yeare about euening a furious inundation of waters rushing on the towne of Islebe in Saxonie did especially and as it were with an agreement made betweene the waters beate vpon the house of an honest Citizen named BARTHOLMEVV VOGT Incontinently the fore-part of the house and a piece of the Stoue fell downe within the Stoue was a little childe in a Cradle The Father and Mother astonished with so suddaine a visitation and hearing the noyse of the cradle tost with the waues got out the childe and carryed it to one MICHAEL FEARES a neighbor of theirs There remained foure other children lying in an high chamber of the house The Father more carefull for their liues then his owne entred againe into present death and hauing past many dangers got into the Chamber tooke vp two of those children in his armes Therevpon the floore sanke vnderneath his feete so that he fell into the water which carryed him to a great stacke of wood whereon hee caught hold and with much paine stayed himselfe by it some halfe an houre loden with his two sonnes and crying out for helpe But no body could get to him by reason of the wonderfull furye of the raging waters Seeing himselfe destitute of all humane assistance and as it were dispairing of his owne life his childrens he humbly commended both himselfe and them to the mercy of GOD calling the Prophet IONAS to mind that was preserued amidst the seas and in the belly of a Fish As he was praying vnto the Lord a great beame driuen along by the waues carried away one of his sonnes another greater then that comming vpon him with great violence made him let go the stake by the which he had held so long whether he would or no caried him with his other sonne into a garden behind his house Being there with their heads scarce aboue water and remembring his other sonne he began to call him the child answered him from a beame wheron the father espied him sitting astride Thether he swam and setting them both on his shoulders he got to a great pile of wood clammering vp on it there rested himself with his two sonnes some fiue houres The next morning betimes the waters being falne he carried them to Feures Stoue where they began to come to themselues As for the other two children lying a bed in the high chamber the goodnesse of GOD preserued them after a meruailous manner The Father because he could not go to them by the accustomed staires got his neighbour to breake open a way through the wall that parted their houses and entring into the chamber found them in their bed fast a sleepe the diuine prouidence hauing with his hand held vp that part of the chamber as it were in the ayre all the rest of the house being ouer whelmed and carried away by the waters assoone as euer he was returned againe through the wall with his children the chamber and the bed fell presently downe Thus were these fiue children miraculously preserued contrary to all hope or expectation The same Children in gratefull and peruerse A Certaine man become rich seeing his father beg was some-what ashamed at it and tooke him into his house One day hauing an exquisite dishe of meate brought to his table hearing his father comming into the roome he made it to be locked vp but when his father was gone hauing willed it to be brought in againe the seruant found the dish full of Snakes where-with hauing acquainted his Maister hee would needs go and see what it was And approching neere vnto them one of the greatest of those Snakes leaped in his face ioyning his mouth in such sorte to the mans that he could neuer eate any meate after but the Snake had his part of it and hee continued in that estate all the rest of his life MANLIVS in his Collections PH. LONICER in his Theater of examples pag. 283. A certaine father being old and poore went and desired his sonne to relieue him The sonne thinking it a great dishonor for him to acknowledge such a Father made as though he knew him not and hauing rayled at him bad him get him away The poore father with teares in his eyes departed but his backe was scarce turned when the ingratefull sonne fell madde and dyed in that miserable estate MANLIVS in his Collections PH. LONICER in his Theater pag. 283. The yeare 1550. in the capitall Cittie of the Duchie of Prussia called Conisprug a Lock-smith being a very lewd fellow killed his father and mother with an Yron Pestle in hope to haue their money Presently wherevpon he went to a Shoomakers shop and bought him a new paire of shooes leauing his old behind him which the Shoomakers sonne threw vnder a bench Two or three houres after the fathers shop hauing bene opened by the commandement of the Magistrate who had vnderstood that the neighbors had heard some great stirre in it they found the two old folkes murthered wherwith the Sonne seemed to bee so exceeding grieued that no man euer mistrusted him to bee the author of so execrable a deede Nowe it fortuned that the shoomaker looking for som what els vnder his bench found the old shoes which the young smith had left behinde him all be sprinkled with bloud And it was also noted by others that the wretch had his purse better lined then it was wont to bee which beeing reported to the Magistrate hee was straight-way aapprehended Wherevpon without any torture hee confessed the fact and was executed as hee deserued They say that the pestle which was set vp ouer the iudgement place doth continuallie shake yet PH. LONICER in his Theater page 284. Vpon the report of one of the greatest Diuynes of our time The yeare 1560 a wicked wretch in the Towne of Basill poysened his owne Father beeing a wealthy man and of an honest conuersation Which being
increased when as they did see him rising from his Chaire for then he toucht the plancher of the Chamber with his head the which was very high after the manner of the French floores They sayd hee was a Polonian or a Transiluanian This Gyant had a Wife of a wonderfull large body and verye fatte with-all but verye lowe in comparison of him of whom they had a young Sonne borne who was in shew to proue one daie almost as tall as his Father At the West-Indies descouered some hundred yeares since manie Giants haue beene seene as they witnesse that haue written their Histories Neere vnto the Antartike Pole there are some found of ten or twelue foote of height as also in the Iland of Sumatra or Taprobane which is toward the East-Indies The same Author MELCHIOR NVNEZ in his letters where hee discourseth of the affaires of CHINA reports that in the chiefe Cittie called Paguin the Porters are fiueteene foote heigh In other letters written in the yeare 1555. hee doth auerre that the King of CHINA entertaines and feedes fiue hundred such men for Archers of his gard SIMON MAIOLVS in his Canicular daies Col. 2. LODOVICVS VIVES a learned Spaniard in his Annotations vpon the 15. booke of S. AVGVSTIN de Ciuitate DEI. Chap. 9. Saith that he had seene in the great Temple at Valencia a mans eye-tooth bigger then his fist IOSEPH ACOSTA in his Historie of the Indies sayth that hee had seene one bigger and the rest answerable vnto it But for that it is to be presumed that such teeth were of Men that had beene dead many ages before we will not insist any more vpon them In our time we haue seene among the Archers of the deceased King of Nauarre a Biarnois of so tall a stature as hee did equall his Maister being mounted vpon a great horse so as he did exceede the tallest men in all the Country by the head the shoulders Hee was a goodly man actiue and pleasant And contrarie-wise there was seene at Paris one called the great Smithe a man of an ill fashion but exceeding tal in comparison of many of meane stature ANTONIE PIGAFET a great traueller in his time affirmes that he had seene towards the Antarticke pole so tall a gyant as other tall men did not reach with their heads aboue his nauill and others beyond the straight of Magellan which had their necks a cubit long and the rest of their bodies answerable An extraordinarie Cure A Certaine Italian hauing had a quarrell with another fell so grieuously sicke as they did not hope for life of him His enemie hearing thereof came to his lodging and inquires of his seruant where his master was The seruant answered him hee is at the point of death and will not escape this day The other grumbling to himselfe replied he shall die by my hands whereupon he enters into the sicke mans chamber giues him certaine stabbes with his dagger and then flies They binde vp this poore sicke mans wounds who by the meanes of so great a losse of blood recouered his health So hee recouered his health and life by his meanes who sought his death R. SOLENANDER lib. 5. of his Counsels 15. Cons. 9. sect Hee makes mention in the same place of a woman which did commonly purge her selfe of her termes by the nose for thirteene moneths together during the which beeing let blood in the Saphena vaine and purged shee was cured And of a man who in the space of twentie and foure howres voyded at the mouth twentie and sixe pounds of blood congealed and very blacke and was cured by diet rest and glisters without any inward medicines A peasant falling into a burning feauer was carryed to the hospitall and being carefully tended fell into extremitie The Physition being a learned man sayd vnto him what wilt thou haue my friend how diddest thou gouerne thy selfe here to-fore I was not accustâ—…med answered the sicke man to eate and drinke as I doe now heere I knew not what sirrops drugges nor Phisicke meant I cannot sleepe vpon feathers It is almost twentie yeares since I did lye in a bed my feeding is Onions hard Cheese and such like delicates my bed was vpon Strawe at the signe of the Starre and couered with my clothes that is to say lying in them The Physition suffred him to lye one night vpon the Strawe and gaue him Onions Salt and colde water holding it good to please him in this extremitie But the next day he found his sicke man halfe cured warming himselfe against the fire We haue obserued saith the same SOLINANDER some sick men who hauing ease in their torments haue chewed and swallowed the receits written by their Physitions and haue beene cared by that meanes A certaine man hauing the Dropsie and little looked vnto by the benefit of nature had an ouerture in his body vnder the pappe betwixt the Peritoyne and the Muscles of the belly by the which we drue aboue 200. bladders like vnto Hens Egges the which were soft and full of stinking water In the 15. Councell of the 5. booke A man lame of the Gout preserued IN the yeare 1589. WILLIAM de MICHES an ancient man being crooked and lame of the Goute had a desire to go and visit an Abbay of Monkes aboue Lions called L' Isle Barbe where there was company that day In the morning he takes a boate with his Daughter his sonne in lawe and some neighbours Hauing visited the Abbay done his deuotion and made good cheere hee and his companie imbarke againe The woman that guided the Boate hauing drunke more wine then water when they should passe vnder the bridge of Sarne insteed of gouerning her boate vnder the Arche the which was great and large she ranne against a pyle so as the Boate was ouer-whelmed and all within it drowned except the poore man that was lame of the Gowt who not able to stirre was carryed by the streame vnto the shore where he was taken vp and carryed to his house and after liued some yeares Memoires of Lion A Man before Age. I Haue knowne a man in Spaine who after some yeares became a Friar of the order of Saint FRANCIS and remained in the Couent of our Lady of Val then in that of Soto and afterwards in the Citty zamore he is so little of stature as without wronging him one may call him Dwarffe though otherwise hee bee of a good fashion and hath a well proportioned body Euery man knowes it and many Monkes of his order haue assured mee for certaine that hee was borne in a Village called Saint Tiso and that comming into the worlde hee had all his Teeth which hee had at the age of fiue and twentie yeares and hath had euer since without changing them or any falling out and hee suckt a very little while Comming out of his Mothers wombe hee had his priuie partes as hairie as a man that is come to his perfect age at seauen yeares olde his
well in regard of his sinnes as of Gods mercies in the apprehension whereof hee did quietly yeeld vp his soule in a Towne where hee had long continued and remayned Drawn out off my Memorialls IOHN CRAVEQVIN an Aduocate in the Presidiall Court at Bourges a man of a good spirit and a great practitioner but very ignorant of the written Lawe and of all good learning hauing in the yeare 1533. beene imployed in the pursute of some causes to please the appetite of a most wicked man which abused him hee fell sicke of a Melancholike humour and a wonderfull strange Frenzie imagining all that was brought vnto him to bee crawling Serpents so as after they had tryed all remedies in vaine and brought Witches and Sorcerers vnto him in the ende hee became starke madde and dyed in that estate Histories of our Time vnder FRANCIS the 1. An other learned man making profession of the Ciuill Lawe hauing done some acte vnworthy of his learning and iudgement was so possest with a Melancholike humour and with a frenzie that beeing falne sicke with-out any great affliction in his bodye for his nourishment hee did eate his owne excrements and hauing languished in this misery some time hee died without any repentance Histories of our Times A Gentleman very aged and temperate fell into a continuall feuer in the month of Iuly 1574. thē into a frēzy casting himselfe ou◅ of a window of the second Story of his house and fel vpon the necke of Mons. VATERRE ordinary phisition to the Duke of Alen◅on then to the ground where he hurt his ◅ibs made a great con◅usion vpon the bone Ischion Being carried backe vnto his bed he recouered his right wits by a transport of the matter which caused the frenzie Euen so of late a Gascon beesicke of a burning Feauer fell into a frenzie beeing lodged in the street called Pauee at Paris in the night hee cast himselfe out at a windoe into the street and was hurt in many places of his body to whome I was called to dresse him soddenly being laid in his bed he began to talke sensibly and to loose his mad fits so as within a while after he was quite cured Mons. d'Ortoman a Doctor and the Kings professor in the vniuersitie of Mont pellier did assuer me that a Miller remaining of Broquiers in Albigeois grown franticke threw himselfe out at a windo into the water from whence being drawne he presently lost his frenzie Maister AMB. PARE the last Chapter of his introduction to Surgerie ANNE Nurse to PETER Son to Maister FRANCIS BIORD Lieutenaxnt to the Prouost of Air a young woeman of a whot and drie constitution being toucht in the sharpest time of winter with a frenzie on the left side and a sharpe feuer her breath being short hauing stiches in her side and spitting nothing almost but bloud fell into a madnesse the seuenth day where-vpon she riseth out of her bed opens her cofer where by mischance there was summe Mercury and swaloes downe a bout halfe a dramme and then she giues her selfe many wounds with a knife in the belly and the thighes The same day about mid-night she runs all naked vnto a windoe and cast her selfe downe into a Court paued with very hard stone and there remaines with out any feeling with out speech and with out Pulce stiffe with cold for it was in the winter time vntill that the seruants of the house desirous to knowe what she did came vnto her bed where finding her not they cryed out In the end they found her in that miserable estate the carrie her into her chamber and call for me for that I then dwelt neere I ranne thether with her mistresse a vertuous gentlewoman who intreats me to doe what possibly I could Although I had little hope yet more to make a tryall then otherwise I vsed all diligence and applyed diuers remedies so as she came againe to her selfe and by little and little I got heate in her I prouided both outwardly and inwardly for the Sublymate the which had vlcered both her mouth and her throat and to staie a fluxe which this poisone had caused finally at the end of 6. weekes she was wholy cured of al her griefe by the speciall fauour of GOD and was after wardes more helthfull then euer shee had bene before FR. VALLERIOLA in the eight obseruation of the first booke A Romaine woman growne melancolike for that she had bene married against her will to one whom shee loued not and smothering her furie with a sad silence M. ANTHONIE BRASAVOLE a Ferrarois an excellent Phisition of our time tryed to diuert this humor by many remedies which preuailed nothing And therefore he aduised himselfe of a phisicall pollicie whereof he gaue notice vnto the husband who yeelded vnto it her parents and kinsfolks comming to visit her on a festiuall daie BRVSAVOLE enters into the Chamber salutes her louingly as if shee had beene his wife and approcheth to kisse her she being young and strong thrusts him backe hee contynues it with vehemencie and shee pulls of his Cappe and all that BRASAVOLE carried on his head fitting for his age and the fashion of that time and casts it to the ground All the company breaks out into a great Laughter at this spectacle The yong woman thinking that this Phisition being an old man had bene dronke began also to laugh with open throate After which time her melancholy began to leaue her THOMAS ZVINGER in the seuenth volume of his theater li. 2. A man of some worth about forty yeares old haunted with a spirit felt it comming the blood be ginning to boyle in his breast his sight grew dimme and presently a dizines tooke him then would he begine to crie out and to beat and torment himselfe so as they had great trouble to hold him Although they had let him bloud on the right arme and drawne much blood from him yet this frenzie decreased not He repeated many verses by harte song cryed out amaine danced and sought to cast him-selfe downe head long so as they were constrained to tye him fast and to keepe a good gard ouer him Hauing giuen him fit and conuenient phisicke in the ende he recouered his health But after some weekes he fell into the same disease finally for that the thicke fumes of blood did not ascend any more in quantitie to the head the frenzie ceased but he fell to spitt blood with a vehement ◅oughe and then to spit out his lungs so as his first disease ended with a consumption whereof he died M. RREM◅ERT DO◅ONEVS in his Phisicall obseruations obser 10. I was called to visit a young man a Iewe called RAPHAEL about the euening He was couered with swellings or kinds of Anthracs in diuers parts of his bodie amonge others he had a great one in his necke the which grew presently little againe and then RAPHAEL begane to laugh and would open a veyne to them of the Company with
off Beeing examined how they could gette out off a strong and close prison Why they haue returned and how they could passe ouer Riuers that were large and deepe They answered that no Yrons walles nor doores could hinder their getting out that they returned by constraint and that they did flye ouer Riuers and runne by land Hetherto I haue set downe the wordes of Doctor PEVCER the which shew that this transformation of Licanthropes nor that of Sorcerers mentioned by BODIN haue no affinitie with the transmutation of the King of Babilon nor with that of LOTS wife and that in this Licanthropia there are manifest illusions of Sathan the which ought not to bee confounded with apparent testimonies of GODS visitation vpon some persons as the Diuines which haue expounded these Histories doe shewe more at large Moreouer IOHN WIER is of a contrary opinion vnto BODIN touching the Licanthropes whereof wee speake and disputes at large thereof in the sixt Booke of Diuelish Deuises Chapter thirteenth and foureteenth where hee manifestlie denyes BODINS reall transformation and doth maintayne that it is onely in the fantasie troubled by the indisposition of the person and by the illâ—…sion of Sathan But wee will leaue their controuersie to such as will looke into it and will propound some examples touching mad-men There are two kindes Some growe so by the poyson of the melancholike humour as well throughout all the bodie as principally in the braine the which beeing not redrest in time simple melancholie becomes frenzie that fuâ—…y and in the end rage which is fearefull and not to bee cured whereof M. PHTER SALIVS and MARCELLVS DONATVS learned Physitions do intreate and propound some histories Let vs speake after them and serue them as an Interpreter to our French-men It is a question if the venimous humor called Rage the which breeds in so many sortes of creatures which impart it vnto man as we knowe may beginne by man himselfe and haue inward beginnings without any accidentall contagion without Reason makes vs to yeeld to this opinion seeing that by the consent of all men mortall poisons may be engendred within man that rage should not bee excluded out of this ranke man differing from a Serpent which spitts poyson no more then from other beastes which are subiect vnto madnesse But for that the Ancients for the most part haue held that no man could growe madde if hee had not beene toucht without by some other person or Beast that was madde it seemes wee should not lightly stray from their opinions notwithstanding seeing that experience may resolue this difficulty I will relate what mine eyes haue seene A woman sixe and thirty yeares old troubled with a continuall feuer called me to helpe her I found her seized of a pestilent ague I gaue her Physick so as eleauen daies after shee was cured Eleauen daies after that she was troubled with a greeuious flixe and an ague I was called and began to incounter this disease the which I surmounted within seauen daies after There remained yet some relikes of a feuer the which seeking to take away this woman fell so to abhorre all Liquors as not onelie shee lothed all Physicall potions and all drinkes for her refection but shee could not endure that anie one should drinke in her presence I knewe by this accident alone that shee was toucht with rage the which did so increase as shee could not endure they should bring any light into her Chamber in regard of her feeding detesting all drinkes and all liquid Physicke And for that her feuer and the tediousnesse of her disease would not suffer her to maintayne her selfe well with solide meates shee became exceeding feeble but shee languished seauen dayes after that shee had begunne to reiect all drinke and Liquide notrishment I found in her no other cause of defect but onelie this disdaine of drinking and taking that which was Liquid Neither did shee complaine of any thing but when they presented it vnto her then should you see her mooue her selfe after a strange manner Except this it was a verie quiet infirmitie and asking her if shee had euer beene toucht with the teeth of any madde Dogge her answere was that no Dogge had euer toucht her hauing had none in her house nor beene in companie where anie was Hauing enquired of her Mother if neuer Dogge had toucht her Daughter at anie time in all her life shee assured mee no. This made mee to doubt whether one by internall principles and of their owne corruption might not become madde For hauing in this infirmity no coniecture of Contagion without and this feare of drinke and liquide things beeing not conioyned with the accidents which are accustomed to accompanie them that are bitten with madde Beastes I did coniecture that this disease grewe from some internall cause which was not so violent comming not by the outwards partes through the byting of some enraged Beaste if wee will not say that the force therof was quenched by the counterpoysons that were giuen her in the cure of her pestilent feuer and by reason of her apparent and great euacuation of badde humours in the Dissenterie or fluxe Besides this experience I was confirmed by the authoritie of CAELIVS AVRELIANVS writing that some-times one growes madde with out anie apparent cause and by the Historie which SORANVS reports saying that hee had seene an Infant which did abhorre the Nurces brests without any precedent Contagion PETRVS SALIVS in his Booke of particuler diseases It happened in the yeare 1573. In September that GABRIEL NOVARE a man of fiftie yeares of age and a widower lyuing in the Duke of Mantouas Countrie beeing at dinner hee felt some-thing hee knewe not what to grate his winde-pipe Hee beganne to take the glasse to â—…ase him of this paine but hee coulde by no meanes possible swallowe that which troubled him within Beeing angrie with him-selfe hee runnes to a paile of Water to drinke with his hande but approching to it with his mouth hee fell back-ward hee riseth speedely goes his way and doth not suppe that night The next daie both at dinner and at supper hee feeles the like accident The third daie hee came to mee on horse backe and by the waie as hee rode hee did eate some store of grapes at his pleasure Hauing vnderstood all from him to knowe his greefe exactly I offer to his mouth at two or three seuerall times a glasse full of Water I call my friendes to see and beholde this spectacle at euery time his heart pantes and swells hee trembles hee faintes and seemes like one that were strangled When I drawe backe the glasse hee recouers his spirrites vnderstands and discourseth shewes himselfe vigorous hath no feuer is without paine all his functions are whole and perfect onelie hee cannot drinke I prescribed him counterpoysons but within three daies hee dies I serche I sound I consider all yet finde no apparent cause of this Accident MARCELLVS DONATVS lib. 6. Chap.
FERDINAND then King of Romains desired to see her to preuent all fraude made her to be carefully kept and looked vnto by the sayd de BVCOLD who hath made this relation confirmed by diuers other wittnesses A Nunne of Saint BARBARAS couent at Delft falling sick of the yellow Iaundise the yeare 1562. kept her bed sixe weekes togither without eating or drinking Al that time she neuer touched any sustenance what-soeuer vnlesse it were a fewe kernells of a limond which shee held in her mouth now then sucked them a little The confessor of the Covent carried me thether not to giue her any Physick but to see her as a miracle by reasō of so long an abstinence The day after I had seene her she departed this world Now this which I will ad is worthy of greater meruaile In the same Towne of Delft about Maie 1566. being accompanied with a Chirurgion I visited a certaine sick maide of 27. yeares of age or thereabout She had kept her bed euer since she was sixteene yeares old eating nothing all that time as her keeper affirmed but once a day a little morcell of drie Cheese Neither was it possible to make her take any kinde of drinke and yet she made Water reasonable well although she went to the stoole but once in eight daies Moreouer she was borne blinde and at 20. years of age had the dropsie but that Water vanishing away insteed thereof shee had a noise in her belly like the croaking of a number of liue Frogs accompanied with a wonderfull heauing and setting of her belly insomuch that doe what I could my hand layd vpon it was lifted vp a good height This motion encreased with grieuous paines at the full of the moone and flowing of the sea but at the wane of the moone ebbing of the sea she felt some ease so it cōtinued with her 7. years hauing her sicknesse euery tenth weeke as her keeper confessed P. FORREST Physition in the 18. booke of his Obseruations Obser. 8. A gentleman that hath worthely acquited himselfe in sundry charges said in a place where I was that he had gone frō Madril to Lisbon in the hottest of sūmer without drinking He beares himselfe passing well for one of his age hath nothing extraordinary in the vsage of his life but this to be 2. or 3. moneths nay a yeare as he hath told mee without drinke Hee feeleth thirst but lets it passe and hee thinkes it is an appetite that easily goes away of it selfe drinks more for company then necessity or pleasure MICHAEL de MONTAGNE in the 3. booke of his Essaies the last Chap. Asmuch is reported of a great Lord in France who hath gone Embassador to Rome and is stil liuing in other honorable emploiments There haue beene many persons both before and in our time which haue fasted very long but hauing no example more remarkeable amongst many others then that which by by I purpose to propound we wil leaue the Reader to the remembrance of such as hee hath either seene or heard it of himselfe In the meane time wee will present this which ensueth On Tuesday the 24 day of Nouember 1584. by the cōmandement of the most illustrious Prince IOHN CASIMIR County Palatine of Rine the gouernor and superintendant of Caiserlanter accompanied with HENRY SMETIVS and IOHN IAMES Theodore Doctors of Physick made enquiry in the village of Schinidweiler in the iurisdiction of Colberberg touching the Maide whose history we relate KVN TONNELIER borne at Spisheim an honest husbandman being examined by those cōmissaries among other articles affirmed that KATHERINE at that instant some 27. years of age Daughter to him and to his Wife likewise named KATHERIN hauing alwaies had her health til such time as she began to haue her monethly purgatiōs at her returne from a certaine wedding caught an ague which tooke away all appetite from her to hot meats for the space of fiue years togither during which time shee felt her selfe well and lusty did her worke was very obedient to her parents deuout in praier vnto GOD well affected to the hearing of his word and throughlie instructed therein Now to bring her to hot meates againe her father and mother besides other ordinary medicines put her into the hands of an Empyrike who in steed of helping her with a certaine drinke quite tooke away her stomach from al meates both hot and cold insomuch that till then namely for the full terme of seauen yeares no meate nor drinke whatsoeuer went downe the throate of this maide who for six moneths after the disgust onely sucked the Iuice of a fewe peares and apples But not able to vse this remedy any longer shee washed her mouth with aqua-uitae but could not swollow a drop of it This lauing some-what refreshed her but being to sharpe she allaied it with a little faire Water Her father added that all this time he could neuer perceiue any euacuation of vrine or other excrement in the said maide or swete or vermine in any parte of her bodie but alwaies found her bedde cleane and her body without spot or speck of filth vnlesse it were that some-times shee seemed to bee troubled with a distillation of the braine which nowe and then made her to spit a little And many times a certaine vapor rose in her side which fumed vp to the heart and caused a paine in her head that made her very faint for the time but it lasted not long and that onely against foule weather The sight or sauor of meates neuer offended her though shee had no appetite nor desire at all to them If at any time shee chanced to faint shee rubbed her temples and stomach with a little sweete Water which very much comforted her The deposition of the mother and neighbors agreed in all pointes heere-with The same KATHERINE visited by the Princes foure Commissaries was found faire of face well colloured full of life and good disposition her eyes cleare and quick sighted like one in perfect health saue that they were some-what sunke into her head and that vnderneath them some times rose a tumor which continued not long Neither had shee any defect in her sences of smelling hearing and tasting Her speach was sweete significant and intelligible Only her mouth was growne so straight by reason of her cheekes which very much pained her as she said her selfe that she could not put so much as her little finger into it but yet without apparance of swelling Her haire was all falne off of her head and began to come againe In this sicknesse or infirmity she had scarce had any speach or sence for three yeares together But the Thursday before Easter 1583. she recouered her speech and sences much better then euer she had had them at any time in her health before and that after an admirable manner as followeth Her Father being gone about that time to a Forrest hard by the village for to fell Timber and her
long a time she had neither eaten nor drunke briefly it was to no other purpose but that once for all the world might be assured of the truth There-vnto the Father and Mother gladly submitted themselues and with kinde entertaine carried thē to their Daughters chamber where the Superintendant spake in the same manner to the Maide as they had done before to her Father Mother and shewed her at large the occasion of their comming Where-vpon the Maide began to complaine demand for what cause they would molest and trouble her so Especially she seemed to be very much grieued for that her Father and her Mother should not lye in her Chamber by her as they had accustomed to doe but incontinently after the departure of the Superintendant ANNE BRENNING dealt in such sort with the said Maide that she willingly agreed to what-soeuer they would and not onely permitted them to carry away the bed where vpon her Father and Mother lay but also suffered them to visit her owne bed nay to take it quite away and make her another in a little Stoue where was no roome for her Father and Mother to lye And when in the day time they entred into the Chamber they came not neere their Daughter nor talked with her in secret Now during this fortnight the foure womē vnderstood of them how this Maides sicknesse first began and how many yeares she had p◅st without eating or drinking which agreed in all points with that which had beene declared before to the Commissa◅ies Likewise the said women found that the said Maide is at some-times weaker and fainter then at other some and they haue alwayes watched with her two by day and two by night And for a more exact assurance of the truth one of the foure lay euery night with the said Maide in her bed so that by no meanes any fraud could happen where vnto they alwaies tooke very diligent heed and watched very carefully both day night but neuer could finde any other thing then as the saide Maide had still before very truely affirmed of her selfe Furthermore all the said foure women especially ANNE BRENNING haue confessed before vs and sollemnly affirmed and assured vpon the saluation of their soules and therein will dye that the saide Maide hath not eaten nor drunke either morcell or drop of any thing what-soeuer Neither hath vo◅ded any Vrine or other execrement nor slept a whit in all that time And that who-so-euer makes any doubt of these things doth the Maiden great wrong This report was sent to Caiserlauter the 19. of February 1585. signed by the Go ◅ernor his Secretary to the Princes Councell at Neusted And within a while after the History of it was Printed in Dutch then turned into French and published the yeare 1587. The Translator a man of quality hauing added to the end of his Booke Dedicated to the Baron of Pardaillan then Embassador for the King of Nau◅r in Germanie these words ensuing The Readers shall be aduertised that the said KATHERINE is still liuing in the same estate and disposition as this relation imports and hath continued and liued so without eating drinking and sleeping the space of nine yeares fully compleat and ended and liueth yet miraculously through a singular and incomprehensible grace of Almighty GOD. Extracted out of the whole History o◅ this matter Imprinted at Francfor◅ by IOHN WECHE◅ the yeare 1587. I vnderstand that at this present there is a man at Auignon of 60. yeares of age that eates very sildome as once in fiue six ten weeke◅ or more Here-with agrees that which ALBERT writes how there was a womā which some-times went 20. nay many times 30. daies together without eating He saith likewise that he had seene a melancholy man which liued seuen weekes without eating or drinking any thing but euery other day a little water It is reported by graue and reuerent persons that a Maid was seene in Spaine which neuer eate any thing and entertained her life onely with drinking water being two and twenty yeares old Diuers haue seene a girle in Languedo◅ which continued three yeares together without eating And we know by that which certaine good and learned personages haue written of it that there was another at Spyre in Germanie which liued as many yeares with-out any other meate or drinke then the ayre WILLIAM RONDOLETIVS affirmes the like and saith that he hath seene another which in the same manner attained to the age of ten yeares who afterwards was maried and had Children IOHN BOCCACE writes of a Dutch-woman that liued thirty yeares without meate PETER ALBANO tells of a Norman that eate nothing in eighteene yeares and of another that went sixe and thirty yeares without meate It is held for certaine that a Priest at Rome liued fortie yeares with the onely inspiration of the aire it being well obserued vnder the custody of LEO the tenth and of diuers Princes and faithfully testified by HERMALAO BARBARO ALLEXANDER BENIVENIVS reports of an Italian that he fasted forty daies togither in the Citty of Venice L. IOVBERT in the 2. paradoxe of his first Decade and in the 2. booke of his popular errors aboute the ende Where hee addeth a notable discourse which I thought good to offer vnto the Reader I well fore-see sayth he that two sorts of people may be mooued either with the only subiect of these discourses touching such as haue liued without eating or of the proofes thereof The one is ignorant of naturall Phylosophy and Physick persons to bee reuerenced for their simplicity and piety as the common people and al those that apply not their studie to examine the causes of each thing The other is diabolicall persecuting that with most impudent stander which they knowe to bee well spoken I will not stand vpon these because they attend not the explication of my speech but with their poyson infect and depraue all that is receiued by their impure thoughts As for the rest mee thinkes it is conuenient I should satisfie them with all sincerity I see then this obiection readie to be vrged against me The fasts of forty daies which IESVS CHRIST ELIAS and MOYSES haue sustayned as the holy Scriptures do testifie should no longer be held for miracles if by any naturall reason one could endure to fast many moneths and yeares tog◅ther Certainely it were true if we did not acknowledge that it was so giuen against the Lawes of nature to men in perfect health through a certaine priuiledge as wee religiously beleeue For exemption from the infirmity of the flesh was Diuinely granted to them for a time insomuch that their condition at this time was other then the condition of mankinde But those which as wee learne out of prophane Histories haue liued certaine yeares without eating if their report bee true it must needes bee that those persons were all vnhealthy and full of much cold iuce wherwith the bodie might be nourished a long time For by that which
honie sugar or any thing that was compounded there-with all which was poyson vnto him and would soone kill him if he did but tast of it He could eate no grapes figges peares plummes quinces poungranets or apples saying that they were sweete but hee could well disgest nuts almonds and pignors Vineger was his sauce and hee tasted salt things well He could drinke no white wine nor malmsey His drinke was water This disposition considered I prescribed remedies fit for his disease where-with he was eased AMATVS a Portugal in the 6. Centur. cure 6. There are some bodies whome milde and gentle Phisicke doth as much offend as that which is violent the which the Physitions haue often obserued in a great Ladie in our time giuing her a little Manna to purge her gently for after that shee had taken it shee complayned of her bellie she had a desire to cast cried out and grewe weake shee sweat after an extraordynarie manner and was tormented with sundrie other Accidents and yet shee hath beene often purged with other stronger potions without any offences A Nephewe of hers a Nobleman that was war-like and learned in all sciences of a cholerick constitution could neuer bee purged by Manna so as this family seemed to haue that peculiar that Manna was contrary to their dispositions MARANTA Booke 3. of the methode to knowe simples Chap. 4. A dolefull Marriage ANTHONIE PERILLE a Neapolitaine a riche yong man but wanting councell hauing spent almost all his estate at Cardes and Dyce sodenly he fell in loue with the Daughter of a notable Marchant and hauing sounded her minde he demanded her in Marriage The Father called PETER MINIO refused him by reason of his ill husbandry so generally knowne PERILLVS stong with shame and loue began to reuiue himselfe and gathering together the remainder hee resolued to make a voyage to Alexandria in Egypt to begin some trafficke To this end he imbarkes with certaine Marchants but hauing past a good part of the way they are surprised with a great storme and after three dayes the ship which carried him was taken by a Pirate Being a Captiue and in great miserie MINIO a rich Marchant and charitable a custome which he had long vsed sent certaine factors of his vpon the Coast of Barbarie to redeeme tenne Neapolitain prisoners out of the hands of the Turkish Pirats of whome if they had any goods in their Countrie hee would seeke satisfaction in time And as for the poore he did gratefie them with their ransome PERILLVS was of the number of these ten and at his returne to Naples hauing conferred secretly with MINIOS Daughter who promised him marriage hee found meanes to paie his ransome and to make a newe voiage into the East where he made a happie trafficke so as in short time he found him-selfe in better estate thâ—…n his Father had left him carrying himselfe moreouer so vertuously as he purchased the loue of al men especially of MINIO of whome hauing the second time demanded his Daughter in marriage shee was graunted him to the great content of all his kins-folkes and friends The marriage was celebrated in Iune with great ioye as these two young copple were in bedde deuising of strange things that were past behold a violent storme ariseth with strange thunder and terrible lightning and in the ende there came a clappe which slue them both imbracing one an other ending the pleasure of their marriage sollemnized that day with the greefe and sigthes of their life They were very honorably interred both together being followed by all the Cittie with great pompe History of Italie Adulterers punnished WHen as LEVVIS the 12. made warre against the Venetians and that all Italie was sore shaken by the fury of this long warre a certaine gentleman of Milan being tired with so many miseries retired himselfe to a 〈◊〉 of his to liue there more priuately He was a Widower about threescore yeares olde hauing one Sonne of twentie yeares of age and an other much yonger His age the misery of the time and his qualitie should haue retayned him in the way of honour but forgetting the dutie of a gentleman hee fell in loue with a poore farmers Daughter of his whom hee bought for readie money of the execrable Father who sold her and deliuered her This strumpet being full of lust and desperatly impudent hauing serued for a time the Fathers villenie fell strangely in loue with the eldest Sonne whome hauing sought with diuers trickes and deuises in the ende on a certaine day taking a Cousin ofâ—…ers that was her Baâ—…de to helpe her shee comes vnto him and after the accustomed prefaces of such impudent Creatures shee discouers her brest and her heart vnto him seeking with teares and sigâ—…hes to drawe him to commit Incest The honest young man amazed at this speech is so fortefied by GOD as not content with a modest and simple repulse he did sharpely apprehend both her that tempted him and the other that did second her threatning them with big words The furious lust of this bitch was presently turned into horrible hatred which makes her to take the way of confusion As soone as the Father was returned this strumpet complaines vnto him saying that his Sonne had sought three or foure times to corrupt her and in the ende would haue forced her if her seruant had not come to helpe her He giuing credit to this wicked report confirmed by the Baude beganne to murmure to him-selfe wher-vpon his Son comes in against whome without speaking any other words but ha wicked Traitor it is against mee that thou darest presume to plaie these partes hee goes with his sword drawne The young Gentleman turning away to auoide the blowe and not remembring that hee was vpon a straite not supported which answered vnto two lodgings hee fell backward downe to the grounde and was all bruzed so as hauing fallen vpon a stone in the botome of the ditch hee died presently The Parricide thinking that hee had leapt downe of his owne accord did runne after him vsing newe threates But beeing come downe and seeing his Sonne in that estate after cries of â—…urie and despaire with a detestation of his former life and of the wickednesse of his strumpet hee thrust himselfe through with his sword falling vpon the bodie of his Sonne which was yet hot and trembling and wallowing in their common bloud went the same way As for the strumpet hearing by the fearefull cries of the seruantes what had happened thrust on by the reuenging furies or rather pursued by the fearefull iudgement of almighty GOD the reuenger of innocent bloud shee flies towards a well in the house and leapes into it where shee was drowned The Iustice of Milan beeing called to see this accident apprehends the seruant and makes her confesse al vpon the racke where-vpon she was hanged Her bodie with the strumpets and the olde mans were cast vpon the dunghill as a preie for Birds and Wolues But
those places did gather togither made good bread a long time of it A yeare after which was 1551. it rayned bloud ouer Lisbonne in Portugall the same yeare a little before Whitsontide the cloudes opening there fell such streames of Water about Kittengen in Franconia as the flouds vpon the Land drowned manie men and much Cattell almost in an instant A great farme consisting of manie houses was ouerthrowne and almost all that dwelt in it drowned The Bridge at Kittengen was beaten downe and carried awaie and if they had not sodenly giuen passage to the Waters percing the Towne walles all had beene lost There were fiue houses quite ouerthrowne fiue others in a village called Rotolsee and fiue in an other place fiueteene men were drowned at Speckfurt and manie houses beaten quite downe to the grownd as also at Pabemberg whereas the vignes and corne-ground was spoyled after a very strange manner At the same-time betwixt Gethe and Iseâ—…ac in Turinge the continuall raine did make the Riuers to rise and swell in such sort as in the village of Theutlebe fiue houses were carried away with a Farmer and his fiue Children In an other village the Waters did drowne the Cattell that were in the field and the young boyes that kept them Towardes SchlakenVuals where the mines are these deluges did inestymable harme The Riuer of Elbe beeing rissen with the raine Water did much harme in the Countrie and so did other Riuers at the same-time The foureteene of August 1552. a great tempest rysing in the aire ouer Holland there fell aboundance of hayle euerie stone waying aboue one pound beeing all of diuers formes Some were verie like the Sonne others were like vnto a Crowne of thorne some resembled Wheeles and other things The Sonne hauing caused them to melt there came forth a stinking smoke the which infected the aire whereof followed a great mortality of Cattell Some monethes before the Riuers of Sal and Mein famous in Germanie did ouerflowe and ruined manie buildings and drowne manie Men and much Cattell It rayned bloud in France And neere vnto Marpurg there was a poole seene manie times bloudie Budissine a Towne seated at the foote of the mountaines which PTOLOMEâ—… calles Suderes at the entrie of the vpper Lusatia a League from the spring of the Riuer Sueuue did feele the thirteeneth of August in the same yeare 1552. the misery which followeth At night a thicke cloud breaking and falling violently in the vallees where there are manie pooles the same beeing full and the causies broken the Water finding a passage it beganne to runne towardes this Riuer which was neere and made it swell heigher then euer had beene seene hauing of it selfe a swift and sodaine course falling from the mountaines Beeing then accompanied with these violent Waters it did breake ouerthrow and pull vp all the foundations of bridges gardines and buildings that were a mile about so as there were no signes of them to be seene This violent floud did drowne two and thirtie persons which could not recouer the Towne in time Many without saued them-selues in the neere Mountaines It was thought that in this deluge there were aboue a hundred persons drowned In the yeare 1553. the extraordinary raine made the riuer of Rhine to swell and ouer-flowe the which was the spoile of a great Countrie neere vnto the bankes The Towne of Ruffach among others was in danger to be drowned by this floud the which was runne out in a short time leauing in recompence of the spoile it had made great abundance of Fishe vpon the land in the Medowes and Marishes yea euen in the Towne vautes At Erford it rained bloud the fift of Iune the same yeare and at Lipsic the 8. of Iuly In the same moneth some dayes before the Batraile betweene MAVRICE Elector of Saxonie and ALBERT Marquis of Brandebourg towards Heldâ—…sheim there were many Trees and Herbes seene couered with bloud which had fallen from Heauen In the yeare 1554. the 26. of May it rained bloud neere to Dunke a Towne in Germanie The yeare following it did also raine bloud at Fribourg in Misnia And on the sixt of Iune there was seene in the Castell Diâ—…che of Vinaire in Saxonie a Fountaine of bloud There was an other betwixt Erford and Vinaire and a third at Erford which before was cleere and faire water In the yeare 1556. about the twelfe and thirteenth of Maye there fell a dewe from Heauen about Bresle and neere to Don in the Canton of Bearne the which had a taste sweeter then Honie Two dayes after it raigned bloud neere to Schafouze The second of September the raine fell in such aboundance at Locarne as the towne was almost spoiled and in daunger to be ruined These Histories are gathered out of the Collection of Prodigies made by L. LYCOSTHENES In Iune in the yeare 1586. there did rise ouer the Cittie of Constantinople a darke cloude the which being dispersed there followed a shower of Grasse-hoppers which did nippe the fruits and the Leaues of Trees The yeare following in December there happened a thing no lesse strange on the frontiers of Croatia neere to Vithitz a Castell belonging vnto CHARLES Arch-duke of Austria They did see â—… cloud of Ducks and Geese by thousands which falling into a lake neere by the night following they made so furious a fight as all the neighbour Countries heard it In the morning the Soldiars and Country-men ranâ—…e thether where they found a great number of Ducks and Geese that had killed one an other whereof they gathered great numbers some a hundred some two hundred they drest them after their manner and liued thereof a long time Those which remayned of this great armie of Combatants being seene in a medowe they tooke their flight and went else where I. LEONCLAVIVS in the supplement of the Annales of Turkiâ—… Prediction THE tenth of September in the yeare 1513. IAMES the 4. King of Scotland hauing imbraced the partie of France tooke armes against England and grewe so vehement in the quarell as there was a battaile giuen whereas King IAMES and all the flower of the Sâ—…cotish Nobilitie were slaine in the field At that time there was a Scottish Gentleman verie straightly imprisoned at London who sayd openly in the hearing of manie some houres before the Battaile If the two armies English and Scotâ—…ish fight this daie I knowe for certaine that the King my Maister wil be to weake for I doe obserue in this conflict of windes in the ayre that the windes are verie opposite vnto Scotland This speech was neither without reason nor without euent for it is most certaine that the Angells bee the preseruers of publike States and of the holy order appointed by the almightie GOD fight constantly against wicked and euill spirits which take pleasure in murthers and the ouerthrowe of all good order which the Lorde allowes as wee reade in the Historie of Persia whereas the Angell tells the Prophit DANIEL that
for a long time hee had supprest the euill spirit the which did mooue the Greekes to ruine the Persian Monarchie IOACHIM CVâ—…ABVS a learned Phylosopher and Physition of our time in his Annales of Silesia Some yeares before the Emperor MAXIMILIAN the first had made Warre against the Suisses and hauing beene defeated in diuers Incounters certaine Astrologiens and Dâ—…uines aduised him to assayle that nation by some other waie and with newe troupes alleadging that a certaine starre which fauored the Suisses was nowe set and that other starres fauorable to Princes and Monarkes did appeere It succeeded ill with him for that hee beleeued these Diuiners for at the verie first Incounter not farre from Basil the Suisses were victors and wonne all his baggage H. MVTIVS Booke 30. of his Chronicle of Germanie In the following Bookes wee will propounde manie other Histories of Predictions A Prisoner freede A Gentleman of Lombardie named Pâ—…CCHIO valiant and wise but full of the gout beeing in disgrace with a great Noble-man going one daie vnaduisedly vpon his moyle some fewe Leagues from his house hee was pursued and set vpon by this Noble-man who was followed by some Soldiars and then carried prisoner to a stronge Castell out of the waie and shut vp in an heigh Tower and committed to one of his confident seruantes to keepe Hee was fed with bread and water like a crimynall person condemned to perpetuall prison and no man knewe who hee was In the meane time they sought vp and downe for PECCHIO but hearing no newes of him the Iustice of that place where he dwelt thought that hee had beene slayne for they had found his moile and some droppes of bloud vpon him They make dilligent information and two men are charged with whome in times past hee had had a quarrell vppon this presumption they are miserablie imprisoned and greeuiously tortured in such sort as they were forst to confesse that they had slaine PECCHIO so as the one was hanged and the other beheaded But PECCHIO was in prison where hee continued nyneteene whole yeares neuer changing nor putting of the clothes hee had When they tooke him yet full of hope that GOD would one day deliuer him His Sonnes according to the custome made his funerall and the deuided his goods Hee was taken in the yeare 1540. and was deliuered in the yeare 1559. in this manner The Lord who vsed him in that sort beeing dead they intreated PECCHIO after his accustomed manner neither did anie one euer see him or speake to him in all this time It chanced that this Lords heire had an humor to builde neere vnto this Tower and as they pulled downe the Walles which did compasse in PECCHIO who had no light but by a narrowe clifte by the which hee receiued his meate and drinke they spied this man with his clothes tottered his beard long to his knees and his haire hanging vpon his shoulders Euery man runnes to this newe sight Some persons well aduised did wish that hee should not bee brought too sodenly into the light least it should dazell him and that to much aire should make him fainte By little and little hee recouered his sight and strength Then hee lettes them vnderstand what hee was and of all his aduenture in the end hee was knowne reenters into his goods that were sold by his Sonnes and beeing cleerely cured of his gout hee liued the remainder of his daies helthfully The which I haue heard from his owne mouth in Milan where I intreated him to set mee downe this discours the which hee did at large in the yeare 1566. SYMON MAYOL an Italian Bishoppe in his Canicular daies Disc. 4. A Processe ended by an extraordinary meanes DVring the time that GREGORIE the 13. was Pope there was a quarrell and sute for matter of religion against IHON CASIER great Maister of Malta The Iudges appointed the Registers Proctors and witnesses had done all at Malta that might concerne this fact ROMEGAS a Knight of Malta was his principall accuser and as it were a partie All were adiorned to appeare before Pope GREGORIE at Rome in the yeare 1591. where I was and did see ROMEGAS and the great Maister arriue in Nouember In December following ROMEGAS died and presently after the great Maister and they were both interred in the Trinitie Church As for the Iudges Registers Proctors and witnesses being all imbarked in one ship with the Informations and proceedings of the Processe they perished all vpon the Sea in the same moneth and there remained not any leafe of the whole proceeding whereby they might ground any sentence SIMON MAYOL an Italian Bishop in his Canicular dayes Colloq 4. Dangerous Prognostications FRANCIS Marquis of Salusses Lieutenant to King FRANCIS in his armie beyond the Alpes wonderfully fauoured in our Court and bound to the King euen for his Marquisate which had beene forfeited by his Brother hauing no occasion offered him and his affection contradicting it suffred himselfe to be so surprized with feare as it hath beene iustified by the goodly Prognostications which were then spred abroad to the benefit of the Emperor CHARLES the 5. and to our disaduantage euen in Italie whereas these foolish predictions had so great credit as at Rome great summes of money were deliuered out by exchange vpon our ruine that after he had often lamented with his priuate friends the miseries which hee did see ineuitably prepared for the Crowne of France and for his priuate friends he reuolted and changed his partie to his great preiudice not-with-standing all predictions But he carryed himselfe like a man encountred with diuers passions for hauing both Townes and forces in his power the enemies Armie vnder ANTHONIE de LEVA hard by him and wee without any iealousie of him it was in him to haue done worse then hee did for by his treason we lost neyther man nor Towne but onely Fossan and that after it had held out long MONTAIGNE lib. 1. of his Essaies Cha. 11. A wonderfull Ransom THE Spanish Histories write at large of the ransome which ATABALIPA King of Peru payed to bee deliuered out of the bands of PIZARRE valued at manie Millions of golde yet not-with-standing the Spaniards put him to death and spoiled infinite treasures part where of was brought into Europe where it was wretchedly wasted part with those robbers and their ships was lost in the botom of the Sea But in the warre made in our time by the Vaiuod of Valachia against the Turkes in the yeare 1574. certaine Polonian Horsemen hauing defeated a great supply and taken their Commander prisoner who was a man of a tall and goodly stature and so riche as he offered almost an incredible ransom although many did affirme that he had meanes to giue more He offered vnto the Polonians if they would saue his life and not carry him vnto the Vaiuod to pay them twise as much gold thrise as much siluer and once as much in Pearle as he should way This sum
search out some 30. persons all which dyed by the Hangmans Sword onely one was cast aliue into boyling water for that they had receiued presents and money Most of them were great Noble-men and very familiar with the Duke The rest were Marchants of Nowgart with their Wiues Children and Families beeing accused of treason in fauour of the King of Poland Within fewe dayes after a horrible plague entred the Cittie of Moscow and the Countrie about it with such vyolence as in lesse then foure moneths there dyed aboue two hundred and fiftie thousand persons And it was particularly obserued that in eyght dayes from the tenth to the eighteenth of August there dyed 2703. Priests and this Plague continued so strangely as in the ende euery man did wonder if hee mette with any one of his acquaintance as then aliue This extreame misery was followed the yeare after with a strange ruine the 15. of May. The occasion was that the Emperour of the Tartares beeing malcontent that the Muscouite payd him no more a certaine annuall Tribute and hearing on the other-side that the great Duke by his tyrannies and murthers had so wasted his Countries as they could make no great resistance on that side hee did sommon him to paye his Tribute But the great Duke answered him with reprochefull speeches and scornes Where-vpon the Tartar left his Countrie about the end of February hauing an Armie of a hundred thousand Horse who in two moneths and a halfe marched almost fiue hundred Germaine Leagues Being within two dayes iourney of the Dukes frontiers hee resolued to meete them giuing them Battaile but he lost it with a horrible route and slaughter of his men The Duke knowing that the Tartar would seeke after him fledde with great speed as farre off as hee could Hee was but nine Leagues from Moscow when as the Tartares came to inuest the Towne thinking him to bee there They fiered all the Villages about and seeing that the Warre would prooue too long for them they resolued to burne this great Cittie or at the least the Suburbes thereof Hauing to that end disposed of their troupes round about they set fire of all parts so as it seemed a circle on fire Then did there rise so vyolent a winde as in an instant the Towne was fired This fire was so sodaine as no man had any leisure to saue himselfe but where hee was at that very instant The number of them that were burnt in this fire came to aboue two hundred thousand the which happened for that their Houses were all of Wood and the pauementin the Streetes was of great Sappin Trees the which being Oylie made the fire the more violent so as in foure houres space the Towne and Suburbes were quite consumed I and a young-man of Rochell my Interpretor were in the middest of the fire in a ware-house all vaulted of Stone wonderfully strong the Walles beeing three foote and a halfe thicke and had vent but of two sides one by the which they went in and out the which was a good long entrie and had three Yron doores distant some sixe foote one from an other On the other side there was a window hauing three Yron dores one halfe a foote from an other which vents wee did stoppe on the in-side as well as wee could yet there came in so great a smoake as it had beene sufficient to haue smothered vs if wee had not had a little Beere where-with wee did some-times refresh our selues Manie Noble-men and Gentle-men were smothered in Caues whether they retyred them-selues for their houses beeing made of great Trees comming to sincke sodenly smothered them all Others beeing consumed to Ashes stopt all vent so as for want of ayre those that were shutte in perished The poore Country-men twentye miles about who had saued them-selues there with their Cattell seeing the fire retyred them-selues into a great voyde place in the Cittie which was not paued with Wood as the rest were yet they were all so roasted there as one of the tallest men seemed but a Childe the heate of the fire had so shrunke them vp and that by reason of great houses that were about it They were the most hideous and fearefull things to see that could bee imagined In many parts of that place men lay vpon heapes aboue halfe a Pike thick the which did wonderfully amaze mee not beeing able to comprehend how they should bee heapt so one vppon an other This horrible fire made most part of the battlements of the walles to fall and splitted all the ordinance that lay vpon the walles which were made of Bricke after the Anticke fashion with-out any Rampars or Ditche about it Many hauing saued themselues about the walles were notwithstanding roasted among others there were manie Italiens and Wallons of my acquaintance Whilest the fire continued it seemed to vs that a Million of Cannons thundred togither and we drempt of nothing but of death thinking that the fire would continue some daies by reason of the great circuit of the Cittie Casâ—…ell and Suburbes But all this was consumed in lesse then foure houres at the ende whereof the noise ceasing wee had a desire to see if the Tartares were entred of whome wee had no lesse feare then of the fire They bee people made for the Warre and yet they eate nothing but rootes or some such substance and drinke nothing but water and the greatest Lords among them liue vpon no thing but vpon flesh that is sodden betwixt the horse-backe and the saddle wherein hee rides yet they are stronge men apt to endure paine and so are their horses which runne wonderfull swiftly and goe more ground in one daie feeding but vpon grasse then ours will doe in three though they haue store of oates And therefore the Tartares come easily from farre to assayle the Muscouits but they come onelie in Sommer for the commoditie of their horses Their Countrie is temperate from whence they depart in the ende of February to bee in Moscouie in the beginning of Iune and they returne in the ende of it into their Countrie least they should bee surprized with Winter in Russia the which happening they should all die of hunger by reason of the desartes conteyning aboue 300. Germaine Leagues not inhabited and therefore without all releefe of victuells and their horses also hauing no grasse so as they are forced to make this voiage Which is aboue 1200. Germaine Leagues in foure or fiue monethes withall their armie the which doth commonly consist of a 150. or 200. thousand horse but their horse-men are ill armed carrying no other armes but a shirt of maile with a Iauelin and a bowe and aâ—…rowes they knowe not what artillery nor Harguebuzes meanes hauing but two Citties whereas their Emperor keepes his Court without any other Townes villages or houses but they content them-selues to liue in Tentes which they remooue from place to place To returne to our miserie hauing listened a little we might heare
the Spaniards who afterwards slue one another spoiled the Land to enrich the Sea as their owne Histories do confesse When as the Emperor made warre against the Princes of Germaine a rich Gentleman turned the chanell of a Riuer which past by his Castle and in a deepe ditch in the sayd chanell hid all that he had of any value and then brought the Riuer to his accustomed course yet the Spaniards discouered this Treasure of them-selues they turned the water and found out all then digging farther they found other goods but almost all was consumed in processe of time PHILIP CAMERARIVS Chap. 63. of his Meditations King PHILIP the last deceased being after a peace made with HENRY the 2. King of France imbarked in the lowe Countries with a great number of ships to be the sooner in Spaine and with him all the riche Iewels that the Emperor CHARLES the 5. his Father had gathered together in Italy and Germany during his prosperous victories with the rich hangings and other stately things made with great charge in Flanders euen as hee arriued in the Port of Saint Iames in Galicia there did â—…ise so great a storme that of all that stately furniture gathered together with so great toyle and time nothing came to a safe port but the Sea was heire to all this riche Treasure in sight of the Spaniards who were in great heauinesse And as for King Philip this torment spared him as little for he had scarse put his foote into an other barke when as the ship in which he went sunke into the Sea so great was the furie of the windes Historie of FRANCIS the 2. The Treasures brought from the Indies in golde siluer Pearles Precious stones and riche Marchandise with-in these hundred yeares are almost innumerable What the fruites haue beene I referre my selfe vnto the Reader It is a subiect for a whole Booke where-of the conclusion shall be All is made vanitie and pernicious in many kindes Traitors punished AMong other strong places which the Turkes haue taken in Hungary from the Christians we may name Alba Iulia the which was yeelded vp by that Traitor LADISLAVS LEREZIN who commanded there in the name of MAXIMILIAN the Emperour in the beginning of Iune in the yeare 1566. although he had beene aduertised that within two dayes he should bee releeued The place beeing yeelded by composition first the Turkes cut all the Soldiers throates except some few which saued them-selues pollitikely As for LADISLAVS he was carryed bound hand and foote to SELIM and accused that hee had cruelly slaine some Turkish prisoners for the which hee was condemned by SELIM and deliuered to his accusers to vse as they pleased They therefore put him into a great Pipe stickt full of long Nailes and then rowled him downe from a high Mountaine so as the Nailes ranne through him and hee dyed in horrible Torments His Sonne partaker of his Treason dyed miserably without meanes and abandoned of all men hauing sold all his lands and his goods and wickedly consumed what he had I. LEONCLAIVS in the supply of the Annales of Turky SOLYMAN father to SELIM did cruelly put to death the soldiers of the garrison of Buda who had forced their Captaine to yeeld that impregnable Fort vnto the Turkes As for the Captaine he was preserued honored A traytor in the Towne of Rhodes did many seruices vnto SOLIMAN vpon a promise to haue one of SOLIMANS daughters in mariage The Iland Towne being wone he presented him selfe to SOLIMAN who caused him to be fleid aliue saying that he was a Christian and that he pretended to marry a Turkish wife they must therefore take off his old skinne Being thus flayed they laide him vpon a bed all couered with Salt where he dyed in vnspeakable torments CAMERARIVS in his Historicall Meditations Chap. 7. Earthquakes THE yeare one thousand fiue hundreth and eight at two of the clock on a wednesday morning the earth began to quake in such manner at Constantinople that diuers Steeples fell downe the Chimneys tumbled to the ground the walles crackt in sunder and many stately buildings were ouer-throwne with the ruines whereof a great number of persons were slaine No Man knew where to saue him-selfe The people running out of their houses gotte into large voide places and Gardens so to escape all danger For the Earth-quake lasted all that morning without intermission and continued forty dayes after in such sort that one might easily feele and discerne it euery houre Annales of Turkie published by I. LEONCLAIVS Doctor GARCEVS in his Meteorologie briefly describes 163. Earth-quakes mentioned in Histories before after the comming of our Sauiour vnto the yeare 1564. We will present that which he speaketh of those of our time following the scope of this our collection of Histories Vpon the 14. day of September 1509. an horrible Earth-quake so shooke the Cittie of Constantinople for the space of eighteene dayes that all the walles towards the Sea and all the houses adioyning were quite ouerthrowne Ditches filled vp with the ruines The Castle was throwne downe where the Turke layes his treasure together with his fiue Towers and the Palace where-as the Lyons are kept In like manner all the conduits that conuey water from Danubius to Constantinople were shaken and spoiled The straight of the Sea betweene the Cittie and the Towne of Pera moued in such manner that the water flashed ouer the walles on eyther side The Custome-house was cleane ouer-turned into the Water Thirteene thousand persons were slaine with ruines in Earthquake The yeare following almost all Italy was shaken with diuerse reiterated Earth-quakes The yeare 1517. an Earth-quake in Germanie ouer-threwe two thousand houses and Granges at Nordlingen and there-about All Portugall was shaken the yeare 1531. Fifteene hundreth fayre great Houses were ouer-throwne in the Cittie of Lisbon and almost all the Churches fell downe This Earth-quake endured eight dayes and seauen or eyght times a day shooke the Cittie exceedingly Also the ground opened in many places whence issued a contagious ayre that engendred a Plague which carryed awaye an exceeding multitude of people Two yeares after there was an Earth-quake at Tergow in Zwitzerland which turned a pritty bigge Riuer from his course where-into it entred not againe till it had vnder-mined and ouer throwne a little Hill that hemmed it in Presently there-vpon the Towne of Basill was shaken very sore with three seuerall Earth quakes in lesse then a moneth In the yeare 1537. the Country of Pouzol was so forely shaken with Earth-quakes for the space of twenty moneths and aboue that not an edifice remained whole and entire But toward the end of September in the yeare following this Earth-quake began againe with such vehemencie and with-out discontinuing eyther night or day that the Sea reculed two hundreth paces backe where-vpon ensued the taking of a huge quantity of Fish The 30. day of the same moneth a great continent of land betweene the foote of
ANTHONY ranne vnto the hatch of the Caruell and tooke the coales and cenders which hee found there and cast them into the Fâ—…igate wher-with some were burnt He was wounded in diuers places but not mortally The Carauell arriued safe at her pretended Port in despight of the Pyrats who after this second fight durst no more approche OSORIVS lib. 12. Chap. 2. Of the History of Portugall MANVEL PACHE CO a Portugall Captaine being sent by the Gouernor of Malaca to the East Indies to annoye them of Pacem who had slaine 25. Portugals freede himselfe carefully of that charge And being desirous to drinke some fresh water he sent IOHN ALMEIDE ANTHONY PAZEGNE ANTHONY DEVERE and FRANCIS GAMAXE resolute soldiers in a skiffe to land neere vnto Pacean to dig for fresh water These soldiars being followed by a Portugall Surgion a valient man entred into the riuer with their Marriners and watered But as they returned towards their shippe behold the enemies came swarming downe on either banke who with a shower of stones and arrowes thought to beate downe the soldiars and to sinke the boate But the soldiars couered themselues so well with their Targetts and the Marriners did their duties so well in rowing as they got out of the riuer into the open Sea But for that the flud cast them backe hauing no winde three great vessells manned with all that was necessary for the warre and which carried many Gentlemen of the Country came to inuest them The Commander called ZVDAMEC was of IAVA who approched with a chiefe barke which carried a hundred and fifty men As for the Portugalls they resolued to die rather then to yeeld to become slaues and after they had recommended themselues to GOD they prepared corragiously to the combate The Barber beganne and layed hold of the prowe of their chiefe vessell with such force as his foure Companions had meanes to enter into it and hee had meanes to leape in after them Then they fell vpon their enemies with such fury as many of them troubled with feare cast themselues ouer-borde ZVDAMEC was hehinde his men whome hee thrust on to the combate holding his sword in his hand and threatning to kill him that should recoyle but seeing that his words preuailed nothing he slue foure The rest knewe not which way to turne them for those that made head against the Portugalls felt the waight of their armes and those which recoyled could expect nothing but death from their Captaine Hauing fought sometime they were all â—…laine or drowned being so transported with feare as they cast themselues head-long into the Sea namely ZVDAMEC who after that he had beene wounded in many places leaped into the waues The other two vessells seeing what had happened durst come no neerer although the fiue Portugalls were so tired and wounded in so many places as they could not stirre arme nor legge The vessell taken from ZVDAMEC was drawne neere vnto PACHECOS fleete and then carried to Malaca and there layed vp and couered to serue for a memoriall of that maraculous fight The King of Pacem amazed at this strange accident demanded and bought a peace which was granted him In the same booke Chap. 4. In the same yeare 1520. Captaine VASQVES FERNAND CAESAR running with a shippe of war along the straight of Gibraltar was inuested by six foysts of Moores They desired nothing more then this prey and thinking it impossible for him to escape them they beganne to shoute for ioye then with their Arrowes Harguebuzes and Muskets they sought to oppresse him CAESAR plaied with his Artillery to keepe them from bording him auoyding their blowes with his rowing and still killing some one of them by meanes whereof their choller was some-what cooled which hee descouering he ranne vpon three of these foysts that were togither the winde hauing driuen away the three others and kept them aloofe The enemies came also to incounter him wherevpon he set fire to a great peece of Ordynance so as the boullet passing from prowe to poupe of one of these three foysts brake all the owers The Moores drewe this may med foyst betwixt the two others and repayred it as well as the time would giue them leaue Then they ioyne againe and charge CAESAR who running vp and downe with a braue resolution and incorraging his soldiars with a loude voice hee did so batter these foysts with his great shot as the Assaylants found a harder partie then they expected final'y a great shot carried away most of the slaues in one of the foysts so as the Moores hauing lost many soldiars slaine with the Cannon seeing two of their foysts broken and that the taking of CAESAR would cost them deere they left the fight This Captaine being alwayes of a valiant spirit followed the foysts but for that they went with oares and hee sailed the winde being scant hee could not ouer-take them so as hee put into the Port of Malaga to burye such men as had beene slaine and to cure the wounded In the same Booke Chap. 2. TRISTAN VASQVES de VEGA a Portugall Captaine a Debaucht and dissolute man but so couragious as neuer any danger did amaze him so as many held him to be madde and desperate seeing the Cittadell of Ormus in danger to be lost for King EMANVELL without any more question he imbarked himselfe in his ship of warre with thirty souldiers onely and directs his course to Ormus where he approcheth and seeing the passage shut vp hee chargeth through the enemies fleete and fights so valiantly with their whole power as in despight of their Canon Harguebuzes wilde fire Darts and Arrowes after that he had done wondrous actes surpassing all humaine force hee past through and came into the Cittadell This valiant exploite did greatly amaze the enemies and filled the besieged with great hope the Commander of them intreated VEGA to returne and to ioyne with Captaine SOVSA who had some vessels to indomage this fleete the more easily where-vnto VEGA yeelded although hee had a priuate quarrell with SOVSA and that hee was hurt Hee therefore with as great hazard as at the first time forced through the enemies fleete againe aduertised SOVSA of the estate of the besieged and when it began to flowe they two with their Souldiers entred fight with them the which continued long and was very furious The enemies lost tenne vessels that were sunck a great number slaine and many hurt Of the Portugals there was but one Souldier slaine and foure score hurte but maugre all the resistance of the Ormusians SOVSA and VEGA arriued safe in the Port of the Cittadell In the same Booke Chap. 29. GALEAS of Saint Seuerin an Italian Lord carrying armes for the King of France at the Battaile of Pauia in the yeare 1524. did as much as valour could performe running among the thickest of the enemies and doing goodly exploits of armes In the end fighting neere the King his Horse being slaine vnder him and hee ouerthrowne calling vnto the Lord
calles a Page of his a Polonian borne commands him expresly to carrie them to Marquis ALBERT and not to deliuer them to any other then to him-selfe The Page desirous to execute his Princes commande prouides for his departure But as hee would haue gone to horse-backe an other page playing with him and handling his Pistoll shot it of vnaduisedly and slue the Polonian Page He was sercht and the letters which hee had about him carried backe by the which the Princes intention was descouered to his Councellers they let him vnderstand what had happened and the stay which it seemed GOD had sent Wherevpon he changed his opynion and followed other expedients pardoning the ill aduised Page who had killed the other vnawares This happened in the yeare 1541. CAMERARIVS Chap. 92. of his Historicall meditations Wormes in mans body THE sonne of a Butcher called LAVVRENCE seuen yeares olde being sicke of Wormes which tormented him continued three dayes as one dead receiuing no sustenance but drinke made with Grasse Water with Vinegar and Sugar The fourth day they made him to take a potion of Aloes Mirrhe and Saffron which made him to voide by the siege an hundred fortye and eight Wormes which done hee recouered his health BENIVENIVS Chap. 85. Of hidden causes I haue knowne a woman aboue forty yeares old who who was oft troubled with great paine in her stomacke with-all shee had no appetite but had a great desire to cast hauing vsed the confection called Hierapigra shee voided about forty great Wormes DODONEVS in his Obseruations vpon the 85. Chap. I had a sick olde man in cure being about 82. yeares old and not knowing at the first sight his infirmitie comming neere vnto him I found his breath to bee very vnsauorie like vnto young Children that are troubled with Wormes I resolued therefore to Phisicke him as one that was full of such filthe Then hee seemed as one dead and the Duke of Ferrarares Steward had commanded that they should prepare all that was necessary for the funerals of that man I caused him to take a drinke fitte for that disease in the which there was Scordium and Sea Mosse by meanes whereof hee discharged him-selfe of aboue fiue hundred Wormes and was cured This was a casuall cure for I should neuer haue thought that a decrepit olde man should haue beene toucht with that disease BRASAVOLE in his Coment vpon the 26. Aphorisme of the 3. Booke of HIPPOCRATES A young Maide a Candiot continued eight dayes without speaking and her eyes open who hauing voided two and forty wormes with out any excrements was cured ALEXANDER BENEDICTVS In the yeare 1545. I did see a certaine Gentlewoman who in few dayes put forth a thousand wormes and in the space of foure houres foure hundred some dead some aliue after the which she was well P. PAVL PEREDA in the 1. Booke of the cure of diseases Chap. 5. I haue seene a sicke body which at one time did voyde by the siege a hundred seuentie and seuen Wormes GABVCIN Chap. 13. in his Commentarie of the Lungs Doctor MANVEL BETVLEIVS had a little boye foure yeares old called SIXTVS the which was troubled with a great and extraordinary â—…euer with a paine in his head a cough a great alteration a shaking in his sleepe and a crying out which made me say that he was full of Wormes So as hauing made him drinke a Decoction of Tanecete three mornings together hee cast aboue a hundred Wormes a foote long a peece and was sodenly cured of his feuer and all other accidents WECKER in his Obseruations A young Maiden hauing cast a great round Worme her Father ript it and found it full of other Wormes The Maide being full of this Vermine dyed within few dayes AMATVS a Portugall in the 5. Centurie Cure 46. A young Boye foure yeares olde much tormented with wormes after many remedies voyded by the seege a round bladder like a Ball. The Mother opening it in the presence of others found inclosed in it many thousands of little wormes The Childe being carefully lookt vnto was soone after recouered In the 2. Centurie Cure 40. I haue seene a Ball full of Wormes tyed one vnto another so as at the first sight you would haue thought they had beene but one The same It is wonderfull what ERASMVS reports in a certaine Oration of his made in the praise of Phisicke Hee saith that hee had seene an Italian who had neuer beene in Germanie nor seene any Booke or man of that Nation or any one that vnderstood it and yet hee spake the Germaine tongue well so as they thought hee had a spirit Hauing beene Phisicked by a learned Phisition and by the meanes of a drinke discharged of a great number of Wormes hee was cured of his infirmitie but hee neyther spake nor vnderstood any more the Germaine tongue CARDAN liber 8. Chap. 43. Of the Diuersitie of Things I haue seene Children so tormented with Wormes as they suffered strange convulsions and so violent as they held them almost from the heele to the head TRINCAVEL lib. 9. Chap. 11. Of the reason of curing the affected parts of mans body IHON BAPTISTA CAVALAIRE a learned Physition hath protested vnto me that hee had seene Wormes come out of the Nauell of a Childe of three yeare olde OMNIBONVS liber 4. Chap. 13. In the Treatise of the cure of children Maister PETER BARQVE a Surgion of the French bands and CLAVDE le GRANDE a Surgion remaining at Verdun haue assured me that they had a woman in cure called GRAS BONNET dwelling in the same place who had an Impostume in her belly out of the which there came with the matter a great number of Wormes as biggeas a mans finger with sharpe heads the which had eate her intrailes so as for many dayes shee voyded fâ—…cale matter by the vlcer and in the end was cured Maister AMB. PARH lib. 19. Cap. 3. A Woman of Delft forty yeares olde being gone seuen moneths with childe fell into a Feuer with other troublesome accidents so as in the end she had an ouerture in her belly out of the which there came namely by her Nauill a yealow and stinking matter like to the ordinarie excrementes In the ende the 19 of September 1579. a Worme being a foote and a halfe long came forth at her Nauill Two dayes after shee cast forth another that was greater Her Feuer encreased the first of October so as I feared shee would bee deliuered before her time The third of the same moneth came forth a third Worme by the Nauill the which was lesse then the former The 15. of October shee was brought in bedde of a Sonne and seuen dayes after shee voyded a fourth Worme at her Nauill and the 24 of October a fiâ—…t as great as the first And for that shee was not carefully lookâ—… vnto by reason of her pouerty and base condition shee languished some moneths before she could recouer her health PETER FOREST liber 7.
Obseruation Chap. 35. Doctor HOVLIER lib. 1. Chap. 54. of inward Diseases writes That others haue had Wormes come forth of their bodies at their Nauils and at their Groynes THOMAS VEGA in his Commentarie vppon the 5. Chapter of the 1. Booke of GALEN of affected places saith that he had seene two men tormented with wormes which felt them in an instant come out by the groine hauing pierced the bowels and the filme which couers them The wound was closed vp for the one but the other had it open all his life by the which he voyded his excrements TRINCAVEL lib. 19. Chap. 11. sayth That he had seene a child fiue yeares old whose belly the wormes had pierst and came out at his Nauill I haue seene come out of a mans body a worme fifteene foote long and of the breadth of a Gourd seed ALEX. BENEDICTVS in the preface of the 21. Booke of his practise In the territorie of Sienna a certaine woman hauing drunke the water of the Bathes that are there and continued it seauen dayes voyded Wormes of that length They were so tyed one to an other as they were foure Cubits long and seeing them a farre off you would haue sayd it had beene but one Worme BENIVENIVS Chap. 87. I did cure an honest man who did drawe out by the siege a Worme almost three yeards long and after-wards although he seemed to be some-what better yet hee was full of Wormes which some-times procured him a wonderfull appetite to eate and other-whiles againe it gaue mee a wonderfull distaste DODONEVS in his Annotations vpon the 87. Chapt. I haue seene such large Wormes and almost of an incredible length at Mirandola to the amazement of all those that were with mee MAINARD in the Epistle of the third Booke An other Physition famous among the Germaines called IAMES CORNARIVS saith that hee had driuen out of a certaine mans body dwelling at Northuse a worme that was very broad like vnto those which the Greekes call Taeniae for that they are long and large like vnto bandes the which was ten Cubites long and hee thinkes that it was but halfe a worme the other halfe hauing beene pulled from him before A young child two yeares and foure moneths old at Recine in Italy in the yeare 1538. voyded one of these broad Wormes whole of a prodigious length to the sight where-of almost all the Towne came running for this Worme being many ells long was preserued aliue almost a day in a Basin full of water where it did mooue like a Worme creeping vpon the earth GABVCIN Chap. 13. of his Commentarie of the Lungs I haue seene a Sclauonian Woman which in coughing did cast vp one of these wormes fashioned like a Serpent the which was foure Cubits long AMATVS a Portugal Century 16. Cure 74. We might produce a dozen Histories of such other Wormes which were at the least an ell long but for that a great number of other remaine to be obserued I will busie my selfe about the principall A Suisses wife of the Canton of zurich young and fertill was sick three yeares together by reason of one of these large and long wormes that was growne within her Bowels shee sent me a peece to zurich that I might see it deliuer my opinion and ease her This peece was aboue fiue ells long without tayle or head couered with scales like a Serpent broad as ones little finger and of the coulour of Ashes In the yeare 1571. when she dyed shee cast vp an other of an incredible length for it was aboue twenty ells the which her seruants had dryed in the smoake to preserue it During her infirmity this Woman was conceiued and deliuered twise of Childe Being fasting these Wormes did gnawe her cruelly and when shee had eaten and drunke shee had some ease This disease was accompanyed and followed by other greâ—…uous infirmities as a Constipation a Chollick and the Dropsy wherof shee dyed THEOD DYNVS Chap. 15. Of his mixtures of Phisicke I remember that I haue caused diuers persons to voide Wormes being thirteene Cubites long C. Gâ—…SNER lib. 3. of his Epistles pag. 90. A Suisses wife brought me a Worme which shee had voyded rowled vp of it selfe as it had beene a bottome of thred as bigge as an Egge the which shee had voyded at her mouth It stirred yet and beeing stretcht out in my presence it was found to bee three ells long with scales of an Ashie coulour like a Serpent A Kins-woman of mine two and twentie yeares old tormented with such Wormes fell to haue an insatiable hunger and a stopping of her monthly courses In the end Nature helping her shee drew forth with her hands by the lower parts peece after peece a Worme many ells long and then shee was soone cured I. SCHENKIVS in his Physicall Obseruations lib. 3. Sect. 208. In the yeare 1561. the sixteenth of February a Vinetrimmer of Arles did voide such a large and long worme by peeces whereof the one was twentye hand bredths long and another eight It was like vnto thinne skins wrinckled of the coulour of Ashes and soft After that the Patient had beene discharged of such filthe he sounded and remained with-out strength or pulce but in the end hee was recouered VALERIOLA lib. 1. Obseru 9. The long and large or fatte Wormes lye some-times along the Bowels and are of a slimie substance with the which one named LVCAS FAREL the Arche-Duke MATHIAS Cooke was tormented euery three moneths very sore and did voyde such rotten filthe by peeces of sixe twelue and fiueteene foote long Thus sayth CAROLOVS CLVSIVS in his Annotations vpon the 3. Booke of Monardus simples I haue seene one which came forth of a woman and was like vnto a serpent aboue a fadome long Where as wee must not wonder seeing that the Ancients write that they had seene some as long as the gutts the which are seauen times as long as our body for that the Bowels of euery man are of that length the which I haue seene and shewed in the Physick schooles at Paris making the dissection of an Anotomy Moreouer IOHN WIER a learned Physition to the Duke of Cleues writes in his worke of the Imposture of Diuills that a Country-man did cast vp a worme eight foote and a halfe long the which had the throat almost like vnto a Duckes-bill M. AMB. PARE Booke 19. Chap. 4. There is a dangerous kinde of wormes breeding of a melancholike humor which receiue their norrishment of the remedies they vse to kill wormes There hath beene one seene in our time at ZVRICH the which was about nineteene foote long BARTLEMâ—…VVE CARRITCHTER in his Obseruations Hauing giuen a purgation to a certaine Germaine woman that was much troubled with the wormes she cast one that was brought vnto me of a prodigious length for it was fiue and forty foote long Afterwards she voided two others which were nothing so long as the first IAMES OETHAEAV in his Obseruations I haue seene a yong
not printed the which happened in Paris in Saint Honores streete at the signe of the redde Horse A Weauer of Lace had taken his Niece home to him beeing an Orphelin One a time the maide praying vpon her Fathers graue where hee was buried at Saint Geruais Sathan presented him-selfe vnto her in the shape of a tall blacke man taking her by the hand and saying my friend feare nothing thy Father and thy Mother are well But thou must saie certaine Masses and goe in pilgrymage to our Ladie of Vertus and they shall goestraight into Paradice The maide demandes of this spirit who was so carefull of mans helth what hee was Hee answered that hee was Sathan and that shee should not bee amazed The mayde did what was commanded her Which done hee sayd she must goe in pilgrymage to Saint Iames. Shee answered I cannot goe so farre After that Sathan did not cease to importune her talking famyiiarly to her beeing alone and doing her worke saying these wordes vnto her Thou art cruell thou wilt not put thy sizers in thy bosome for my sake the which shee did to content him and to bee ridde of him But this done hee demaunded some guifte of her yea some of her haire whereof shee gaue him a locke Some daies after hee perswaded her to cast her-selfe into the water and sometimes to hang her-selfe putting the rope of a well about her necke but shee cryed out in such sort as hee did no more vrge her And yet her Vncle seeking one daie to bee reuenged of him was so well beaten as hee continued aboue fiueteene daies sicke in his bedde An other time Sathan would haue forced her and knowne her carnally and for the resistance which shee made shee was beaten vntill shee bled Amongst many that did see this maide there was one called CHOININ Secretarie to the Bishoppe of Valence who tould her that there was no better meanes to driue awaie this euill spirit then in answering nothing to that which hee should say although hee should commande to praie vnto GOD the which he neuer did but in balspheming and ioyning him alwaies with his Creatures in derision Sathan seeing that the maide answered him nothing nor did anie thing for him tooke her and cast her against the grounde after which time shee see him no more Mounsier ANNOT Bishop of Auxerra nor the Curate where the Maiden dwelt could not helpe her I. BODIN lib. 3. Chap. 6. of his Demonomania ANTHONIE dela CVEVA a Spanish Knight for some reasons vnknowne to vs and by the permission of GOD was in his life time much troubled and tempted with visions so as through custome hee had in the end lost all feare and yet hee had euer light in his Chamber where he did lye One night being in his bed and reading in a Booke he heard a noyse vnder his bed as if it had beene a Man and not knowing what it might be hee see come forth of one side of the bed a naked arme as if it had beene of a Moore the which laying hold of the Candel threw it downe with the Candle-stick and put it out Then the Knight felt this Moore come vp and goe to bed to him hauing imbraced one another they began to wrestle with all their force making such a noyse as those of the house did awake and comming to see what it was they found none but the Knight who was in a great heat and was wet as if he had come out of a Bathe Hee told them his aduenture and that this Moore hearing them come had freed himselfe from him and hee knew not what was become of him The same Author Wonderfull Visions in the ayre IN the yeare 1532. neere vnto Inspruke these Images were seene in the ayre An Eagle vpon the side of an hill very wilde against the which came three other Images as it were to teare it in peeces The first was a Camell stretching forth his necke and enuironed about with fire The second was a Wolse casting fire out at his throate and aboute him a circle of fire The third was a Lion whose haire a man armed at all partes and standing vp right at the entrie of the mountaines did gently handle and it seemed that this Lion reioyced at the man holding forth his pawe to him in signe of salutation GASPAR PEVCER Booke 15. Chap. 5. of his Diuinations Alittle before the death of IOHN Elector Duke of Saxony there was seene in the aire ouer Isenac these visions following first an old drie Tree ouerthrowne Secondly a man on hors-back which carried the tree but all the boughs puld of thirdly there was seene a hound Forthly a great blacke Crosse in a thicke Cloude Fiftly the lightning was seene comming out of this Cloud with so horrible and violent a cracke of thunder and so full of sparkes of fire as they thought it would haue consumed a Village ouer which it was likely to fall and there was a maide so terrefied as with a violent crie to her Mother for helpe shee intreated that shee might bee couered Although I will not enter into the exposition of this vision yet I gather by that which hath since followed that such Images haue represented the changes which haue happened in the house of Saxony togither with the calamities and ruines of Churches The same Author At the same time when as the League in Germanie was made called of SCHMALCAIDE therewere seene shyning in the aire Images which did seeme to fore-tell the issue of all that assosiation First were seene certaine horse-men followed by peasantes that were armed with battes and leuers then there appeered a heigh Tower neere vnto a riuer and not farre from that Tower a man which digged for water after whome came a great dragon The two first figures vanished presently but the two others continued a good long time The same Author In the yeare 1534. the third of Iuly after Noone the skie beeing cleere and bright the Inhabitantes of a little Towne called Scheswitz did see in the aire Lyons running from diuers parts to fight and by them a man on horse-backe armed shaking of a Iauelin Not farre from this man laie a mans head without a bodie wearing an Imperiall diademe Neere vnto it there was a wilde boares head with his tuskes and two Dragons vomyting forth fire Then there appeered an Image of a good bigge Towne alone neere vnto a Lake beseeged by Water and Lande and ouer it a Crosse of the collour of bloud the which by little and little grewe blacke An other horse-man all flaming and carrying on his head an Emperors Crowne presented him-selfe presently beeing followed by a horse without a guide then in the midest of a spacious plaine there appeered two Castles on fire neere vnto a heigh Mountaine vpon the which was a great Eagle hyding halfe his bodie beehinde the Mountaine and there appeered also certaine little Eagles hauing white fethers and verie bright and with all a Lyons