and drunke with Wine Remedies of Diophantes against the bytings of Phalangies Take of Astrologe or hartwort 4. drams of Pelletorie of Spaine as much Pepper 2. drams Opium one dram make thereof Trochisces to the quantity of a Beane take two of them in a good draught of pure Wine Another more excellent Take of the seedes of wilde Rue Rocket-seede Styrax Sulphur viuum of either alike much sixe drammes of Castoreum two drammes commix them to make Trochisces as before with the bloud of a Creuish The dose is one scruple and a halfe in Wine Another Take of Myrrhe Castoreum and Styrax of either one dram Opium two drammes of Galbanum three drammes Smallage-seedes and Annise-seedes of either alike two ounces and a halfe Pepper thirty graines make them vppe with Wine so much as is sufficient Another Take of Myrrhe fiue ounces of Spiknard sixe drammes of the the flower of Iuncus Rotundus two drammes and a halfe Cassia foure drams Cynamon three drammes white Pepper one dramme and a halfe Frankinsence one dramme and halfe a scruple Costus one dramme make them vp with Atticke Hony The dose is the quantity of a Hasell-Nut to be taken either in Mulse or water Remedies out of Apollodorus TAke of wilde Comin two ounces and a halfe the bloud of a Sea-Tortoyce foure drammes the rennet of a Fawne or Hare three drammes the bloud of a Kid foure drams make them vp with the best Wine and reserue it to your vse The dose is the quantity of an Oliue in a draught of the best and purest Wine Another Take of the seedes of Trifolium Bituminosum of round Astrologe the seeds of wilde Rew the seedes of Ervum dryed in the Sunne of each alike 6. drams worke them with Wine and make Trochisces thereof euery one of them weighing foure drams The dose is one Trochisce Read more in Galan in his second booke De Antid where any man may finde many for the same purpose which he had gathered and selected from diuers Authours Out of Aetius and Paulus Aegeneta TAke of Sulphur Viuum and of Galbanum of either foure drammes of bitter Almonds excorticated one dramme of the Gumme called Benzoin foure drammes temper them in Wine and after their Maceration worke them vp with some Hony to be taken inwardly Being thus prepared it may likewise be applyed outwardly Another Take of Ameos two drammes roots of Floure-deluce one dram or else of Saint Iohns-wort or Trifolium Bituminosum drinke them out of Wine Or take of Annise-seedes wilde Carrets Comin Nigella Romana Pepper and Agaricke of either one dramme and drinke them Or take the leaues of the Cipres-tree or the Nuts beaten in Wine and three quarters of a pinte of the best Oyle and giue it to drinke And to this end they doe prescribe Bay-berries Scorpion-grasse wilde-Timbe Calamint Chamepytis either to be taken by themselues alone or with Rew and Pepper Asclepiades vsed these that follow Take of the seedes of Angelica and Calamint of eyther alike much and powned together to bee taken in sixe ounces of Wine oftentimes in a day Another Take of Benzoin the seedes of the wilde-Carret of dry Mintes and Spicknard a little quantity temper them vp with Vineger The dose is one dramme with pure water and Vineger mixed together about fiue or sixe ounces Another more excellent Take Garlicke and eate it and a bath made of the same with Wine and likewise al those Medicines which doe heale the bytings of Vipers are notable in these cases Paulus Aegineta commendendeth all these very highly and so dooth hee the seedes of Agnus Castus or the leaues of the White-Popler Out of Nicander TAke of the purest Turpentine that distilleth out of the Pine-tree and eate or drink it for this is a very effectuall medicine which as Bellonius reporteth he hath found to be true by experience Out of Auicenna THE fruite of the Mirtle-tree Doronicum Masticke Assa Faetida Dedder or With-wind and his root the Nut of India and white Bdellium drunke with wine Take of the rootes of Aristolochie rootes of Floure-deluce of Spicke Pellitory of Spaine the seedes of the wilde Carrot blacke Hellebor Commin the rootes of the true Daffadill of the fruite of the Carob-tree the leaues of Dates toppes of Pomgranates Cynamon of the iuyce of Rue Crai-fishes Styrax Opium and Carpobalsamum of eyther alike one ounce all of these being powdered make thereof Trochisces the weight of one dramme or foure scruples which is their dose Take also in Wine the decoction of the seedes of Trifolium Bituminosum Cipres-Nuts and the seedes of Smallage Besides let him drinke the graynes or fruite of the Pine-tree Comin of Aethiopia the leaues and rinde of the Plane-tree the seedes of Siler Montanum blacke and wilde Cicers the seeds of Nigella Sothern-wood and Dill Astrologe or Hartwort the fruite of the Tamariske tree for all these are very effectuall to cure the hurtes that come by byting of any venomous Spyder The iuyce also of wilde Lettice and of Houselike is excellent The decoction of Cypres Nuts beeing boyled especially with Cynamon the broath of Crai-fishes and of Goose-flesh and likewise the decoction of the rootes of Asparagus in Wine and water Another Take of Astrologe and Comin of each three drammes to be drunk in warme water an excellent and approoued antidote Take of the seeds of Git or Nigella tenne drammes Comin-seede Dancus-seede or wilde-Carret of either fiue drammes Spiknard Bay-berries round Aristolochie Carpobalsamum Cynamon roots of Gentian seedes of the Mountaine Siler and Smallage of euery one alike two drams make a confection with Hony The dose is the quantity of a Nut with old Wine A confection of Assa Take of Assa Faetida Myrrhe and leaues of Rue of euery one alike quantity temper them together with Hony The common is one dram or two at the most in Wine Certaine other selected Medicines out of Absyrtus Albucasis Lullus Rhazes and Ponzettus TAke of white Pepper thirty graynes drinke it often in a draught of old Wine Giue also the Hearbe Tymbe in Wine Absyrtus Let him drinke after it a Spoonefull of Wine distilled with Balme Lullus Take of dry Revv of Costus Horsemint Pelletory of Spayne Cardamomum of each alike of Assa Faetida a fourth part Honny so much as is sufficient commixe them The dose is the quantity of a Hasell Nut in drinke Albucasis The brayne of a Hen drunke vvith a little Pepper out of sweet Wine or Vineger and Water myxed together A notable Treacle or Antidote against the bytings of Phalangies or venomous Spyders Take of Tartarum six drammes of yellovv Sulphur eyght drammes Rue-seedes three drammes Castoreum and Rocket-seede of eyther tvvo drammes vvith the bloud of a Sea-Tortoyce make an Opiate The dose is tvvo drammes to bee taken in Wine Another Take of Pellitory of Spaine and the roote of the round Aristolochie of each one part of White Pepper halfe a part Horehouud foure parts temper them vp vvith Honny the dose that
is to bee giuen is one dramme Another Take of the rootes of Capers the rootes of long Aristolochie or Hartwort Bay-berries rootes of Gentian of each a like quantity to bee taken in Wine or let him drinke Diassa with svveete strong Wine Comin and the seedes of Agnus Castus Another Take of the seedes of Nigella tenne drammes of Daucus and Comin-seedes of each alike fiue drammes seedes of wilde Rue and Cypres Nuttes of eyther three Drammes Spiknard Bay-berries round Astrologe Carpobalsamum Cynaomn the root of Gentian seeds of Trifolium Bituminosum and of Smallage-seede of either two drammes make a confection with Hony so much as is sufficient Giue the quantity of a Nut with old Wine Rhazes Out of Pliny Celsus and Scaliger IT is good to giue fiue Pismires to them that are bitten of any Phalangium or the seedes of Nigella Romana one dram or Mulberries with Hypocistis and Hony There is a secret vertue and hidden quality in the root of Parsely and of wilde Rue peculiarly against those hurts that Spiders infect by their venome The bloud of a Land-Tortoyce the iuyce of Origanum the roote of Behen Album Veruaine Cinquefoile all the sortes of Sengreene Cipres-roots the Iuie of Iuy roots being taken with some sweet Wine or water and Vineger mixed and boyled together are very speciall in this griefe Likewise two drams of Castoreum to prouoke vomiting being relented in some mulse Apollodorus one of the disciples of Democrates saith there is an herb called Crocides which if any Phalangium or other poisonous Spider do but touch presently they fal down dead and their poyson is so dulled and weakened as it can doe no hurt The leaues of the Bull-rush or Mat-rush which are next to the root being eaten are found to giue much help Pliny Take of Myrrhe of Vna Taminea which is the berry of the herb called Ampelos Agria being a kind of Bryony which windeth it selfe about trees and hedges like a vine of some called our Ladies seale of either alike and drink them in 3. quarters of a pinte of sod wine Item the rootes of Radish or of Darnell taken in Wine is very effectuall Celsus But the excellentest Antidote of all other is that which Scaliger describeth whom for his singular learning and deep conceit I may tearme Nostris orbis seculi ornamentum The forme whereof in this place I will prescribe you Take of the true and round Aristolochia of the best Mithredate of either one ounce Terra Sigillata halfe an ounce of those Flyes which are found to liue in the flower of the Herb called Napellus in number 18. iuyce of Citrons so much as is sufficient mixe them altogether For against this mischiefe of Spyders oragainst any other shrewd turnes grieuances or bytings of any Serpents whatsoeuer Are as yet neuer found out so effectuall a remedy or so notable an alexipharmacall Thus far Scaliger The iuyce of Apples being drunke and Endiue are the propper Bezoar against the venom of a Phalangie Petrus de Albano Thus much of inward now wil I proceed to generall outward medicaments and applications Fiue Spiders putrified in common Oyle applyed outwardly to the affected place are very good Ashes made of the dung of draught beasts tempered with vineger and vsed as an ointment or instead of vineger water and vineger boyled together and applyed as before are proued to be singuler Take of vineger 3. pints and a halfe Sulphur viuum two ounces mix them and foment bath or soke the wounded part with a Spunge dipped in the liquor or if the paine be a little asswaged with the fomentation then wash the place with a good quantity of sea-Sea-water Some hold opinion that Achates which is a precious stone vvherein are represented diuers forms whereof some haue the nine masts some of Venus c. will heale all bitings of Phalangies and for this cause being brought out of India it is held at a very deere rate in this Country Pliny Ashes made of fig-tree-leaues adding to them some Salt and wine The roots of the wilde Panax being beaten to powder Aristolochie Barly Meale kneaded together and vvrought vp with vineger Water with hony and salt applyed outwardly for a fomentation The decoction of the herb Balme or the leaues of it being brought to the forme of a Pultes and applyed but we must not forget to vse warme bathes and sometimes to the place agrieued Pliny Cut the vaines that appeare vnder the tongue rubbing and chafing the swelled places with Salt and good store of Vineger then cause the patient to sweat carefully warily for feare of cold Vigetius Theophrastus saith that practitiones do highly commend the root of Panax Chironia Moysten the wound with Oile Garlike bruised Knot-grasse or Barly-meale and Bay-leaues with wine or with the dregs or Lees of wine or wilde Rue applyed in manner of a Cataplasme to the wounded place Nonus Take of Sulphur Vivum Galbanum of each alike 4. drams and a halfe of Euforbium halfe a dram Hasell-nuts excorticated two drams dissolue them and with wine make towardes the curation Flyes beaten to powder and applyed vpon the place affected The fish called a Barble cureth the bitings of any venomous Spider if being raw it be slit asunder in the middest and so applyed as Galen saith Annoint the whole body with a liquid Cerote and foment the place affected with Oyle wherein Trifolium Bituminosum hath beene infused or bath it often with Spongies soked in warme Vineger then prepare make ready cataplasmes of these Ingredients following that is of Knot-grasse Scala Caeli called Salomons-seale Leekes Cheesill or Branne decocted in Vineger Barley-Meale and Bay-berries and the leaues boyled in Wine and Hony Some doe also make Cataplasmes of Rue or herb-grace Goats dung tempered with wine Cypres Margerom and wilde Rue with Vineger An emplaster of Asclepiades Take of the seedes of wilde Rue and Rocket-seeds Stauesackre Rosemary-seedes Agnus-Castus Apples and Nuts or in stead of these two of the leaues of the Cipres-tree of each alike beate and temper them altogether with vineger hony Aetius Apply the decoction of Lupines vpon the affected place the eschar being first remoued then annoint it in the warme Sun-shine or against the fire with the fat of a Goose tempered with wilde Rue and Oyle or else of the pap of Barly and the broth of Lupines make a cataplasme Oribasius The Filberd-Nut that groweth in India healeth the bytings of the Phalangies Auicenna Goates dung dissolued with other conuenient Cataplasmes and Oyle of Worme-wood and the iuyce of Figs helpeth much Kiranides Apply oftentimes a cold peece of iron to the place Petrus de Albano Foment the place very often with the iuyce of the Herbe Plantine Hildegardis The artificiall Oyle of Balme is singular Euonimus A fomentation made of the leaues and stalkes of Imperatoria called Master-wort and continued a good space or else Veruaine bruised and stamped the iuyce being taken in wine and
further the hearb outwardly applyed is much commended of Turneiser Beate and stampe Hearb-agrace with Garlicke and some Oyle and apply it outwardly Celsus There bee but a fevv particular cures for the bytings of Spyders that Physitions mention yet some they doe although the generall bee most effectuall Pliny against the byting of the Formicarion or Pismire-like Phalangie that hath a red head commendeth much another Phalangie of the same kind onely to be shewed to the wounded patient to looke vpon and to be kept for the same purpose though the Spyder be found dead Also a young Weasell dryed and the belly thereof stuffed with Coriander-seede and so kept till it be very old and stale and drunke in wine being first beaten to powder is likewise good for the same intention There is a certaine little beast called Ichneumon of some it is called Mus Pharaonis Pharoes Mouse and for the enmity vnto Serpents it is called Ophiomorchus as Bellonius reporteth being bruised and applyed to the byting of any Waspe-like Phalangie doth vtterly take away the vemone of them It often entereth and searcheth out the seats and holes of venomous Spiders and Phalangies and if it finde any of them shee haleth and tuggeth them cleane away as a Pismire doth a small graine of Corne and if the Phalangie offer any resistaunce the Ichneumon sparing no labour pulleth her the contrary way and by this struggling and striuing sometimes it so falleth out that the Ichneumon is wearied and then she breatheth a little and gathering new strength and courage setteth againe vpon the Phalangie with a fresh assault and woundeth her many times so that at length she carieth her to her owne lodging there to be deuoured If the Tarantula haue hurt any one the best remedy is to styrre and exercise the body continually without any intermission whereas in all hurtes that are caused by any other Spyders rest and quietnesse are the best meanes as Celsus affirmeth But their Antidote is Musicke and singing Christophorus de Honestis counselleth to take forth with Theriaca Andromachi without any delay He also aduiseth to take Butter tempered vvith Hony and the roote of Saffron in Wine His propper Bezoar saith he or the greene Berries or seedes of the Lentiske-tree Ponzettus in his booke De venenis aduiseth to take ten graynes of the Lentisk-tree in Milke or an ounce and a halfe of the iuyce of Mull-berry-leaues In the encrease of the griefe he cureth them with Agaricke or the White Vine and after much sweating they are to be comforted and refreshed or strengthened with colde Medicines as with the Water of Poppy and the like Meruâ—a saith they are to be remedied with the stone of Musicall Instruments dauncing singing and colours concerning the three former I will not contend but howe they should receiue any part of helpe or health from vewing of any colours I doe not well vnderstand considering that the eye-sight of all those that are bitten of a Tarantula is quite taken away or they see but obscurely as being mightily deceiued in their obiects Andreas Matthiolus in his Commentaries vppon the sixth booke of Dioscorides Chap. 40. reporteth a verie strange story of a cerraine Hermit his olde friende and acquaintance dwelling neere vnto Rome who cured all those who were bitten or hurt of any venomous Wormes or Serpents which in this last place I will insert although some may say that it is needlesse and belongeth not at all to this discourse in hand or else will not beleeue it For when as any of the Inhabitants in those parts were wounded of any poysonous Serpent by a Messenger forthwith fignified the same to the old Hermit who by and by demaunded of the Messenger whether he could be content to take or drinke any Medicine in the stead of the sicke patient which if the other assented too promising to take it the Hermit commaunded him without any further delay to pull off his right foot shoe and to set his foote on the earth drawing a line round about the foot with his knife then he willed him to take away his foote and within the space of the line so marked he writ or engraued these words following Caro Caruze sanum reduce reputata sanum Emanuel paracletus Then immediatly he pared away the earth with the same whittle so that all the Characters were quite defaced putting rhe same earth into a little earthen vessell full of Water letting it there so long remaine vntil the earth sunke to the bottome Lastly he strayned the water with a peece of the Messengers shirt or some other Linnen that hee wore next to his skin and being signed with the signe of the crosse gaue it him to drinke but surely saith Matthiolus it was marueylous strange and a wonderfull thing to consider how that the wounded patient was perfectly healed euen at that very houre and moment of time that the Messenger tooke the aforesaide potion of the Hermit as it is plainely knowne vnto my selfe and to all the people that dwell round about in that Territory or Shire And thus much of this heremiticall curation by the way Now will I come into my path againe A man may find a great sort both of these and the like remedies both in Pliny Dioscorides and other concerning the hurts of Spiders but I thinke I haue beene a little to tedious and you may imagine that I do nothing but Ta arachina hiphainein Aranearum telas texere That is In a friuolous matter and of small moment spend infinite and curious labour so that I had more neede to craue pardon for my long discourse about this subiect wherein though many things may want to the satisfaction of an afflicted searching head yet I am sure here is inough to warrant the discharge of my good will to repell the censure of the scrupulous Nunc imus ad illam Artificem mens nostra cui est conformis Arachnem Quae medio tenerae residens in stamine telae Quà ferit eurus atrox trepidat volitantibus auris Tangitur veresono vagus illi byssus ab aestro In English thus Vnto Arachne skilfull mistrisse let vs come To whom conformed seemes the mind of man She sits in middest of web her tender feet vpon Whiles she is tost with Eastwind now and than She trembleth at the noyse of ratling winds As when the humming Fly hard wagging finds OF THE TAME OR HOVSE Spyder ARistotle that diligent searcher and seeker out of Nature and naturall causes termeth this kind of Spyder a very gallant excellent wise creature King Salomon himselfe at whose high wisedome all succeeding ages haue and will admire amongst those foure small creatures which in wisedome doe out-strippe the greatest Phylosophers reckoneth the Spyder for one dwelling as he saith in Kings courts and there deuising and weauing his inimitable webbe The Poets fayne that the Spyder called Arachne was in times past a mayden of Lydia who beeing instructed of Minerua in the cunning
morall such are crafty and polliticke Princes and people yet Moses shoulde take them as he did his Serpent by the tayle and cause them to bende vnto him like as it were a wand or else some other little walking staffe and also that his power should be vnresistable because his Serpent deuoured others The Magitians or Sorcerers as Iannes Iambres resisted him and also turned their rods into Serpents But Moses did it by true pietie they by diabolicall delusions as false Christians many times worke miracles by outward signes of true pietie and therefore Moses rodde ouer-came the Sorcerers Serpents because the end of fraude and falshood is to be ouercome by truth pietie From this changing of rods into Serpents came the seuerall metamorphosing of sundry other things into Serpents also as that tale of Orpheus head after he was torne in pecces by the Thrasian women and the same throwne into a Riuer was taken vp in Lemnos The Poet describeth it thus Hic ferus exposito peregrinis anguis arenis Os petit spar sos stillanti rore capillos Lambit hymniferos inhiat diuellere vultus Tandem Phoebus adest morsusque inferre parantem Arcet in Lapidem rictus Serpentis apertos Congelat patulos vt erant indurat hiatus In English thus No sooner on the forraine coast now cast a-land they were But that cruell natur'd Snake did straight vpon them fly And licking on his ruffled haire the which was dropping dry Did gape to tyre vpon those lippes that had beene wont to sing The heauenly hymnes But Phoebus straight preuenting that same thing Dispoints the Serpent of his baite and turnes him into stone With gaping chaps c. So Isacius Tzetzes writeth that when Tiresia found Serpents in carnall copulation in Cithaeron he slew a femall who presently after death was turned into a Woman then also he slew a male who likewise beeing dead was in the same place and manner turned into a man When Cadmus was sent by his Father to seeke out his sister Europa that vvas rauished by Iupiter with straight charge not to returne backe againe except he could finde her hauing spent much time in seeking her to no purpose because he could not find her and not daring to goe backe againe to his father hee was warned by the Oracle that hee should goe into Baeotia to build a Cittie Comming thether he sent his companions to the Fountaine of Mars that was in the Countrey to fetch water where a great Serpent came and killed them at the last Cadmus not finding their returne went likewise to the same Fountaine where he found all his men slaine and the Serpent approching to assaile him but he quickly killed it Afterward he was admonished by Pallas to strew the teeth of the same Serpent vppon the ground which he performed and then out of those teeth saith Ouid arose a multitude of Armed-men who instantly fell to fight one with the other in such cruell and bloodie manner that at the last there were but fiue of them all left aliue which fiue by the will of Pallas were preserued to be the Fathers of the people of Thebes And so Apollonius faineth that with the helpe of men bred of Serpents teeth came Iason to obtaine the Golden-Flecce They faine also that Achelous when hee stroue with Hercules about Deianira turned himselfe into diuers shapes and last of all into a Serpent or as some say into a Riuer So likewise Cadmus afore-said beeing ouer-come with the sight and sence of his owne miseries and the great calamities that befell to his Daughters Nephewes forsooke Thebes and came into Illyrium where it is said that hee earnestly desired of the Gods to be turned into a Serpent because a Serpent was the first originall of all his extremities Antipater faineth Iupiter to be turned into a Serpent and Medusa refusing the loue of Neptune is also fained by Ouid to be turned into a Serpent when he writeth Hanc pelagi rector templo vitiasse Minerua Dicitur aversus est castos Aegide vultus Nata Iouis texit neue hoc impune fuisset Gorgoneum crinem turpes mutauit in Hydros Nunc quoque vt attonitos formidine terreat hostes Pectore in aduerso quos fecit sustinet angues In English thus It is reported how she should abusde by Neptune be In Pallas Church from which fowle fact Ioues daughter turnd her eie And least it should vnpunisht be she turnd her seemely haire To loathsome Snakes the which the more to put her foes in feare Before hir breast continually she in her hand doth beare Pierius writeth that the myrtle rod was not lawfull to be brought into the Temple of Necates and that a Vine braunch was extended ouer the head of her signe and whereas it was not lawfull to name wine they brought it into her Temple vnder the name of milke and that therein continually liued harmelesse Serpents The reason of al this was because that her owne father Faunus fell in loue with her whom she resisted with al modesty although she were beaten with a myrtle rodde and made to drinke Wine but at last the beastly father was transformed into a serpent and then hee oppressing her with the spyres of his winding body rauished her against her minde These and such like stories and Fables are extant about the beginninges of serpents all which the Reader may consider to stirre vp his minde to the earnest and ardent meditation of that power that of stones can make men of Rocks water of water wine and of small roddes great serpents Then thus hauing expressed the originall of serpentes in their creation it followeth now to adde the residue of this Chapter about their generacion It is a generall rule that all beasts wanting feet and haue long bodies performe their worke of carnall copulation by a mutuall embracing one of the other as Lampreys and serpentes And it is certaine that two serpents in this action seeme to be one body and two heads for they are so indiuisibly vnited and conioyned together and the frame of their body is altogither vnapt for any other manner of copulation When they are in this action they send forth a ranke sauour offensiue to the sence of them that doe perceiue it And although like vnto many Fishes they want stones yet haue they two open passages wherin lyeth their generatiue seed and which being filled procureth them to their veneriall lust the seede it selfe being like a milky humour and when the female is vnder the male she hath also her passages to receiue the seed as it were into the celles of hir wombe and there it is framed into an egge which she hideth in the earth an hundred in a cluster about the quantity of a Birdes egge or a great bead such as are vsed sometime by women And this is generall for all serpents except Vipers who lay no egges but hatch in their wombes their young ones as
bodie If you take the dryed skinne and lay it vppon the tooth on the inner side it will mittigate the paine thereof specially if it proceede from any hote cause In like sort the same skinne washed with spettle and with a little peece of the taile laid vppon any Impostume or Noli me tangere it will tame and master the paine causing it to putrefie more easilie and gentlie and scarcely leauing behind any cicatrise or skarre And if a woman beeing in extremitie of paine in child-birth do but tye or bind a peece of it on her belly it will cause the birth immediatly to come away So the skinne beeing boyled and eaten performeth the same effects that the Serpent doth The blood of a Serpent is more precious then Balsamum and if you annoynt your lips with a little of it they will looke passing redde and if the face be annoynted there-with it will receiue no spot or fleck but causeth it to haue an orient and beautifull hue It represseth all scabbinesse of the body stinking in the teeth and gummes if they be there-with annointed The fat of a serpent speedily helpeth all rednes spots other infirmities of the eyes and beeing annoynted vpon the eye-liddes it cleereth the eyes exceedingly Item put them into a glassed spot and fill the same with Butter in the Month of May then lute it well with paste that is Meale well kneaded so that nothing may euaporate then sette the pot on the fire and let it boyle wel-nigh halfe a day after this is done straine the Butter through a cloth and the remainder beate in a morter and straine it againe and mixe them together then put them into water to coole so reserue it in siluer or golden boxes that which is not cuaporated for the older the better it is and so much the better it will be if you can keepe it fortie yeeres Let the sicke patient who is troubled eyther with the Goute or the Palfie but annoynt himselfe often against the fire with this vnguent and without doubt he shall be freed especially if it be the Goute All these prescriptions and directions were taken from the writings of a certaine namelesse Author Hippocrates saith that a Hart or Stagge hauing eaten any Serpents the wormes in their guttes are thereby expelled And Absyrtus hath the same words that Harts by eating of a Serpent doc kill and expell wormes from their guttes Hierocles to a certaine medicine which he prepared for the Strangulion in a horse mingled the dung of a Lyzard Stèar herpetou that is as I interpret it the fat of a serpent the blood of a Doue c. Laurence Rusius saith that it is good to giue the flesh and decoction of Serpents to madde beating and striking horses And that the fatte of a Serpent c. doth cure the puffing or swellings that arise in horses backs which come by meanes of any compression or close sitting and thrusting downe Item the vnguent that droppeth from a Serpent whilst he is rosted on a spit is highlie commended for Fistuloes that are in horses hoofes Galen and Rasius doc counsell vs to cut in peeces a snake or serpent and to lay the fat there of vpon a sticke and to annoint the outward parts of the hoofe of any horse Horseleaches liue Mise the greene Lyzard being burned if they be giuen to a Hawke in her meate they do cause a speedie mutation of her feathers or wings and the same effect haue little Riuer-fishes finely beaten or stamped if they be cast vpon any meate Item the Serpent that is speckled and of diuers and sundry colours of all others hath the least poyson and in the German tongue it is called Huf peraduenture it is that which we call a snake if I say you take this serpent and boyle it with Wheate and giue the same Wheate to a Henne to feede vpon beeing mingled amongst her meate and drinke with the venim of a Serpent a Hawke beeing fedde with the flesh of such a Henne forth-with casteth her sicke feathers and is freed from any other disease if she haue any at all as Albertus saith The old skinne of an Adder or Snake that he casts off in the Spring-time if it be rubbed vpon the eyes cleereth the sight as Pliny saith And Galen biddeth vs if any be troubled with blood-shotten eyes to take the old cast-skinne of serpents being beaten with Sea-water ' to annoynt them there-withall And Cardan saith that the cast-skin of a snake if the eyes be rubbed there-with euery morning that they will neuer be very dim of sight nor yet euer haue any pinne or webbe in them Amongst compositions that are made for the eyes they vse to mixe the cast-skinne of snakes as Diocles affirmeth adding further that the old age or cast-skinne of a snake beeing boyled in vvine is an excellent helpe for paine in the eares if a little thereof be dropped into them Boyle the cast skinne of a snake with toppes of Poppy and droppe a little thereof into the cares if any be troubled vvith paine thereof and this is an excellent remedy as Galen in his third Booke De Composit medicam sec loca hath taught vs hauing himselfe learned the same from Archigenes The cast-skinne of serpents being burned in a pot or on a hot burning tyle-shard if it be mingled with oyle of Roses and so dropt into the eares is prooued to be very effectuall against all sores and sicknesses of the eares but especially against the stinking sauour of them or if they be puralent or full of matter then to be mixt with vineger Some vse to mingle Bulls gall there-with and the iuyce of the flesh of Torteises beeing boyled Marcellus saith that if you take the gall of a Calfe with a like quantitie of Vineger and mixe them with the cast-skinne of a serpent if then you dippe a little vvooll into this medicine and put it into the eare that it helpeth very much especially if with a spunge being soked in warme-water you first foment the eare Dioscorides and Galen doe affirme that the cast-skinne of a serpent if it be boyled in Wine doth cure the tooth-ach if the pained place be washed there-with But yet in intollerable paines of the teeth this is prooued more singuler Take the cast-skinne of a Serpent and burne it then temper it with oyle till it come to the thicknes or consistence of hard Hony and couer the tooth being first scoured and clensed there-with annoynting all the neere places to the same and put some of it into the hollownes of the tooth And as Archigenes saith if you lay the cast-skinne of a snake vnto the teeth not beeing burnt they will all fall out It cureth likewise the lowsie euill called Phthiriasis And Galen prescribeth this cast-skin of snakes or serpents for a remedie against the Cholick if it be put into a brasse pot with some oyle and so burnt to powder if then it be dissolued in oyle and the
head applyed doth cure for where the wound The helpe is also made as in Telephus sence Harmd by Larissus speare by it was cured found And Guil. Varignana saith deuide or cut a serpent and lay it vpon the place and it will mittigate the anguish and paine The seede of Thraspi and of Tithimal which is a kind of spurge is greatlie vsed for this Aut Tithimallus atrox vulnus quae tuta pervngat Some besides these doe put the roote of black Hellebor into the wound because it draweth out the poyson as I by mine owne experience can testifie saith Matthiolus There be also sundry Antidotes and preseruatiues which are taken inwardly that are very effectuall against the bytings of serpents and venomous beasts as namely that which is called Theriaca Andromachi or Methridate the like compositious Galen in his booke De Theriaca ad Pisonem preferreth Theriaca Andromachi before all other medicines either simple or compound for virulent wounds because it performeth that effect for which it is ministred For it was neuer as yet heard that euer any one perrished of any venomous hurt or byting who without any delay foorth-with dranke this medicine and if any man had taken it before he receiued any such dangerous hurt if he were set vppon and assailed by any poysonous creature it hath not lightlie been heard that hee hath dyed of the same There be many Antidotes described by the Ancients which they set downe to be admirable for these passions As for example that which Auicenna termeth Theriaca mirabilis whose composition is as followeth Take of Opium and of Myrrhe of eyther of them a dramme Pepper one dramme and a halfe the roote of Aristolechia longa and Rotunda of each of them three drammes Wine two drammes make them vp with Hony Rocket water so much as is sufficient for an Electuarie the quantitie to giue is foure scruples relented in some fit and conuenient decoction King Antiochus surnamed Magnus had a kinde of Theriaoa which hee vsed against all poysons which is described of Pliny in his 20 booke and last chapter in this wise Take of Wild-time Opopanax and the herbe called Gromell of each a like much two drammes Trifolie one dramme of the seedes of Dill Fennell Smallage Anise and Ameos of euery one alike sixe drammes of the meale of Orebus twelue drammes all these beeing powned and finely searsed must with wine a sufficient quantitie be made into Trochisces whereof euery one must weigh one dramme giue thereof one dram at a time in a draught of wine There is another Antidote and preseruatiue against any poyson described by Paulus Aegineta much like vnto this which is thus Take of Bryonie Opopanax of the roote of Iris Illirica and of the roote of Rosemarie and of Ginger of each of these three drammes of Aristolochia fiue drammes of the best Turpentine of wilde Rue of each three drams of the meale of Orobus two drammes make them into Torchisches with Wine euerie one weighing one scruple and a halfe or two scruples to be giuen also in wine Galen in his second booke De antidotis chapter 49. discourseth of a certaine Theriacall medicament called Zopyria antidotus so taking the name of one Zopyrus which was notable against all poysons bytings of venomous creeping creatures This Zopyrus in his Letters written vnto Mithridates sollicited him very much that he would make some experiment of his Antidote which as he put him in mind he might easily doe by causing any one that was alreadie condemned to die to drinke downe some poyson afore-hand then to take the Antidote or els first to receiue the Antidote after that to drinke some poyson And put him in remembrance to try it also in those that were wounded any maner of way by Serpents or those that were hurt by arrowes or Darts annoynted or poysoned by any destroying venime So all things being dispatched according to his praemonition the man notwithstanding the strength of the poyson was preserued safe sound by this alexipharmaticall medicine of Zopyrus Matthiolus in his Praeface vpon the sixth booke of Dioscorides entreating of Antidotes and preseruatiues from poyson saith that at length after long studie and trauaile he had found out an Antidote whose vertue was wonderfull and worthy admiration and it is a certaine quintessence extracted from many simples which hee setteth downe in the same place He saith it is of such force and efficacie that the quantitie of foure drammes being taken either by it selfe or with the like quantitie of some sweet-senting Wine or els with some distilled water which hath some naturall propertie to strengthen the hart if that anie person hath either been wounded or strooken of any venomous liuing thing that the patients life be therewith in danger so that he hath lost the vse of his tongue seeing for the most part all his other sences yet for all that by taking this his Quintessence it will recouer and raise him as it were out of a dead sleepe from sicknes to health to the great astonishment and admiration of the standers by They that desire to know the composition of this rare preseruatiue let them read it in the Author himselfe for it is too long and tedious to describe it at this time There be besides these compounds many simple Medicines which beeing taken inwardly doe performe the same effect as namelie the Thistle where-vppon Serenus hath these verses following Carduus et nondum doctis fullonibus aptus Ex illo radix tepido potatur in amni That is to say The roote of Teasill young for Fullers yet vnfit Drunke in warme-water venome out doth spit That Thistle which Qu. Serenus heere vnderstandeth is properly that plant which of the Greekes is called Scolymos Yet it is taken somtimes for other prickly plants of the same kind as for both the Chamaeleons Dipsacos or Labram veneris Spina alba Eryngium and some other But Dioscorides attributeth the chiefest vertue against poysons to the Thistles called Chamaeleon albus and to the Sea-thistle called Eryngium marinum which some call Sea-hull or Huluer for in his third booke and ninth chapter entreating of Chamaeleon albus hee saith thus The roote of it taken with Wine inwardly is as good as Treacle against any venime and in the 21 chapter of the same booke Eryngium is saith he taken to good purpose with some wine against the byting of venomous creatures or any poyson inwatdly taken And the same Serenus adscribeth the same vertue to the Harts curd or rennet as followeth Cervino ex foetu commixta coagula vino Sumantur quae res membris agit atra venena In English thus Wine mixt with rennet taken from a Hart So drunk doth venom from the members part He meaneth a young Hart beeing killed in the Dammes belly as Pliny affirmeth also the same in his 8. booke and 30 chapter in these words The chiefest remedie against the byting of Serpents is made of the
Iocheeira reioycing in poison Elikoessa winding Lichmores putting out the tongue Smerdalee fearefull Phoinessa cruelly killing Likewise in Latine dry sleeping drouzy deadly swelling and Aspis Pharia a Pharian Aspe so called of the Island Pharus where they abound It is said that the Kings of Egypt did weare the Pictures of Aspes in their crownes whereby they signified the inuincible power of principality in this creature whose wounds cannot easily be cured And the Priestes of Egypt and Aethiopia did likewise weare very long caps hauing toward their toppe a thing like a Nauell about which are the formes of winding Aspes to signifie to the people that those which resist GOD and Kings shall perish by vnresistable violence Likewise by an Aspe stopping his eare was figured vnderstood a rebell obeying no lawes or degrees of the higher power But let vs leaue this discourse of moralities and come nearer to the naturall description of Aspes There are many kings of Aspes after the Egyptian diuision for one kind is called Aspis Siua a dry Aspe This is the longest of all other kindes and it hath eyes flaming like fire or burning coales another kind is called Asilus which doth not onely kill by biting but also with spetting which it sendeth forth while it setteth his teeth hard together and lifteth vp the head Another kind is called Irundo because of the similitude it keepeth with Swallowes for on the back it is blacke and on the belly white like as is a Swallow We read also in Albertus of Aspis Hypnalis and Hippupex but it may bee that both these names signifie but one kinde This Hypnale killeth by sleeping for after that the wound is giuen the patient falleth into a deepe and sweete sleepe wherein it dyeth and therefore Leonicenus saith Illam fuisse ex cuius veneno sibi Cleopatram suauem mortem consciuit that it was the same which Cleopatra bought to bring vpon her selfe a sweete and easie death There is also an Aspe called Athaes which is of diuers colours But I doe consider that all the kindes may well be reduced to three that is Ptyas Charsaea and Chelidonia Ptyas hurteth by poysoning mens eyes by spetting forth venom Chaersaea liueth on the Land and Chelidonia in the waters The Aspe is a small Serpent like to a Land Snake but yet of a broader backe and except in this differeth not much from the Snake their Neckes swell aboue measure and if they hurt in that passion there can bee no remedy for the stroake of their eyes are exceeding red and flaming and there are two pieces of flesh like a hard skin which grow out of their foreheads according to these verses of Nicander Praeterea geminae calli instar fronte carunclae Haerent sanguineis scintillant lumina flammis That is to say As hard as Brawne two bunches in their face Doe grow and flaming-bloudy-eyes their grace And the dry Aspe so called because it liueth in mid-landes farre from any water hath a vehement strong sight and these eyes both in one and other are placed in the Temples of their head Their teeth are exceeding long and grow out of their mouth like a Boares and thorough two of the longest are little hollowes out of which hee expresseth his poyson They are also couered with thinne and tender skinnes which slyde vp when the serpent byteth and so suffer the poyson to come out of the holes afterward they returne to their place againe Of all which thus writeth Nicander Quatuor huic intra marillae concaua dentes Radices fixere suas quas iuncta quibusdam Pelliculis tunica obducit triste vnde venenum Effundit si forte suâ— se approximet hosti In English thus Within the hollow of their cheekes fiery teeth are seene Fast rooted which a coate of skinne doth ioyne and ouer-hide From whence sad venom issueth forth when she is keene If that her foe she chance to touch as she doth glide The scales of the Aspe are hard and dry and red aboue all other venemous Beastes and by reason of her exceeding drought shee is also accounted deafe About their quantity here is some difference among Writers For Aelianus saith that they haue beene found of 2. cubits length and their other parts answerable Againe the Egyptians affirme them to be foure cubits long but both these may stand together for if Aelianus say true then the Egyptians are not deceiued because the greater number containeth the lesser The Aspe Ptyas is about two cubits long the Chersaen Aspes of the earth grow to the length of fiue cubits but the Chelidonian not aboue one and this is noted that the shorter Aspe killeth soonest and the long more slowly one beeing a pace and another a fathom in length Nicander writeth thus Tam proceram extensa querunt quam brachia duci Tantaque crassities est quantum missile telum Quod faciens hastas docta faber expolit arte Which may be thus englished As wide as armes in force out-stretched So is the Aspe in length And broad euen as a casting Dart Made by a wise Smythes strength The colour of Aspes is also various and diuerse for the Irundo Aspe that is the Chelidonian resembleth the Swallow the Ptyas or spetting Aspe resembleth an ash colour flaming like Gold and somewhat greenish the Chersaen Aspe of an ash colour or green but this later is more rare and Pierius saith that he saw a yellow Aspe neere Bellun of these colours writeth Nicander Squalidus interdum color albet saepe virenti Cum maculis saepe est cineres imitante figura Nonnunquam ardenti veluti succenditur igne Idque nigra Aethiopum sub terra quale refusus Nilus saepe lutum vicinum in Nerea voluit Thus otherwise Their colour whitish pale and sometime liuely greene And spots which doe the ash resemble Some fiery red in Aethiop blacke Aspes are seene And some againe like to Nerean mud Cast vp by flowing of the Nilus floud The countries which breed Aspes are not onely the regions of Affricke and the confines of Nylus but also in the Northerne parts of the world as writeth Olaus Magnus are many Aspes found like as there are many other Serpents found although their venom or poyson be much more weak then in Affrica yet he saith that their poyson will kill a man within three or foure houres without remedy In Spayne also there are Aspes but none in France although the common people do stile a certaine creeping thing by that name Lucan thinketh that the originall of all came from Affrica and therefore concludeth that Merchants for gaine haue transported them into Europe saying Ipsa caloris egens gelidum non transit in orbem Sponte sua Niloque tenus metitur arenas Sed quis erit nobis lucri pudor Indepetuntur Huc Lybicamortes fecimus aspida merces In English thus The Aspe into cold Regions not willingly doth goe But neere the banks of Nilus
from their furious malice The vertue of Mallowes and of Althea called Marsh-mallowe is notable against the prickings of Waspes For the softest and most emollient herbe is applyed as a contrary to a watlike and hurtfull creature whose iuyce beeing annoynted with oyle eyther abateth the rage of vvaspes or so blunteth and dulleth theyr sting that the paine is not very sharpe or byting Pliny lib 21. capit 171. And of the same mind is Auicen Waspes saith he will not come neere any man if he be annoynted with oyle and the iuyce of Mallowes For as a soft aunswere doth frangere iram and as the Graecians haue a saying Edus Megiston estin orges pharmakon logos So also in naturall Philosophy we see that hard thinges are quailed and their edge euen taken off with soft and suppling as yron with a fine small and soft feather the Adamant stone with blood and the stinge of vvaspes Hornets and Bees with oyle and Mallowes What is softer then a Caterpiller and yet if Aetius credite be of sufficience the same beeing beaten with oyle and annoynted vppon any part preserueth the same from the woundes and stinges of vvaspes And of the same vertue is the herbe called Balme being stamped and mixed with oyle The same symptomes or accidents doe follow the stinging of Waspes as of Bees but farre more painefull and of longer continuance to vvit rednesse intollerable paine Apostumes And if any be strooken of the Orenge or yellow coloured vvaspes especially in a sinowie or some sensible part there will followe a convulsion weakenes of the kees swounding yea sometimes death as before I haue touched Against the stingings of vvaspes diuers medicines are prescribed by Phisitions but I will speake of such onely as I haue made proofe of and such as are confirmed by long experience Gilbert the Englishman saith that vvaspes beeing bruised and applyed to the place affected doe cure their owne wounds very strangely The same vertue peraduenture not onely the Scorpion but the greater part of Insects haue if any one would make any dilligent tryall thereof If a man be stinged of any venomous vvaspes which is easily knowne by the blewnes of the place madnes rauing and fainting of the partie and coldnesse of the hands and feete after you haue giuen him inwardly some Alexipharmacall medicine the place agrieued must be launched or rather opened with a Cauterie so beeing thus enlarged and opened the venome must be well sucked out and the paring or shauing of that earth wherein the waspes build their nests must be wrought kneaded with Vineger and so applyed like a Cataplasme A plaister also made of VVillow-leaues Mallowes and the combe of waspes is verie medicinable for the same as by the counsell of Haly Abbas I haue experimented The English-Northerne-men doe prepare most excellent emplaister woorth gold against all stinges of waspes onely of that earth whereof their Ouens are made hauing vineger and the heads of Flyes commixed therewith Let the place be very well rubbed with the iuyce of Citrulls withall let the partie that is pained drinke of the seed of Margerom beaten to powder the quantity of two drammes or thus Take of the iuyce of Margerom two ounces of Bole Armony two drammes with the iuyce of vnripe Grapes so much as is sufficient make an emplaister Another Annoynt the place with the iuyce of Purcelane Beetes or sweet Wine and Oyle of Roses or with Cowes bloud or with the seedes of the Spirting or wilde Cucumber called Nolime tangere beaten with some VVine Thus farre Galen Barly Meale wrought vp with Vineger and the Milke or iuyce of a Fig-tree brine or Sea water are excellent for these griefes as Dioscorides lib. 8. Cap. 20. writeth if the wound be often fomented bathed or soked with any of them To drinke giue two drammes of the young and tender leaues of Bayes with harsh wine and if the part affected bee onely annointed with any of these they are much auaileable In like sort the decoction of Marsh-mallowes drunke with Vineger and water are much commended and outwardly salt with Calues fat Oyle of Bayes draweth out the poyson of VVaspes The leaues of Marsh-mallow as Aetius saith beeing bruised and applyed doe performe the same The iuyce of Rue or Balme about the quantity of two or three ounces drunke with wine and the leaues being chewed and laid on with Hony and Salt or with Vineger and Pitch do help much VVater-cresses Rosemarie with Barly meale and water with vineger sod together the iuyce of Iuy leaues Marigolds the bloud of an Owle all these are very affectuall against the stinging of waspes as Pliny lib. 31. Cap. 9. telleth vs. The buds of the wilde Palme-tree Endiue with the root and wilde Timbe being applyed playsterwise doe helpe the stinging of VVaspes After the vemine is drawne out by sucking the place effected must bee put into hot water the space of an houre and then suddenly they must be thrust into Vineger and brine and forthwith the paine will bee asswaged the tumour cease and the malice of the venemous humor cleane extinguished Rhazes saith that the leaues of Night-shade or of Sengreene do very much good in this case And in like sort Bole Armony with vineger and Champhire and nuts beaten with a little vineger and Castoreum Also take the Combe with Honny applying to the place and hold the grieued place neere the fire immediatly and laying vnder them a few ashes binde them hard forth-with the paine will bee swaged Serapio saith that Sauorie or Cresses applyed and the seed thereof taken in drinke and the iuyce of the lesser Centory mixt with wine are very meete to bee vsed in these griefes he also commendeth for the same purpose the leaues of Basill the Herb called Mercury and Mandrakes with Vineger Ardoynus is of opinion that if you take a little round ball of Snow and put it into the fundament the paine will cease especially that which proceedeth by waspes Let the place be annoynted with Vineger and Champhire or often fomented and bathed with Snow-water Take of Opium of the seed of Henbane and Champhire of each alike much and incorporate them with Rose water or the iuyce of VVillowes and laie it vppon the wounded place applying on the top of it a linnē cloth first throughly wetted in wine Iohannes Mesue who of some is called Euangelist a medicoram prescribeth this receipt of the iuyce of Sisimbrium two drammes and a halfe and with the iuyce of Tartcitrons make a potion The iuyce also of Spina Arabica and of Margerom are nothing inferiour to these forementioned Aaron would in this griefe haue water Lintells called by some Duckes meat to be stamped with vineger and after to be applyed Constantine assureth vs that Alcama tempered with Barley meale and vineger and so bound to the place as also Nuts leaues of vvall-nuts and Bleetes are very profitable in this passion Item
betwixt Frogs and Mise called Batrachomiomachia hath deuised many proper names for Frogs such as these are Lyninocharis Gracediet Peleus Dust-liuer Hidromedousa Water-haunter Phusignathos Nature-cryer Hypsiboas Loud-cryer Leuthaios Lowe-liuer Poluphonos great Labourer Krambophagos Brasile-eater Lymnesios Poole-keeper Kalaminthios Mint-eater Hidrocharis Water-child Borborokoïtes noise-maker Prassaphogos Grasse-eater Pelauseas dust-creeper Pelobates dust-leaper Krawgasides drought-hater Prassaios Grasse-greene and such other like according to the witty inuention of the Author all which I thought good to name in this place as belonging to this History In the next place wee are to consider the diuersity and kindes of Frogges as they are distinguished by the place of their abode for the greatest difference is drawn from thence some of them therefore are Water-Frogges and some are Frogges of the Land the Water-Frogges liue both in the water and on the Land in Marshes standing-pooles running streames and bankes of Ryuers but neuer in the Sea and therefore Rana Marina is to be vnderstood of a Fish and not a Frog as Massarius hath learnedly prooued against Marcellus The frogs of the land are distinguished by their liuing in gardens in Meddows in hollow Rockes and among fruites all which seuerall differences shall be afterward expressed with their pictures in their due places here onely I purpose to talke of the vulgar and common frogge whose picture with her young one is formerly expressed Besides these differ in generation for some of them are engendered by carnall copulation some of the slime and rottennesse of the earth Some are of a greene colour and those are eaten in Germany and in Flanders some againe are yellow and some of an Ashe-colour some spotted and some blacke and in outward forme and fashion they resemble a Toad but yet they are without venome and the female is alwaies greater then the male when the Aegyptians will signifie an impudent man and yet one that hath a good quicke sight they picture a frogge because he liueth continually in the Mire and hath no bloud in his body but about his eyes The tongue is proper to this kinde for the fore-part thereof cleaueth to the mouth as in a fish and the hinder part to the throat by which he sendeth forth his voyce and this is to bee vnderstood that all frogges are mute and drunke except the greene frogs and the frogs of the Water for these haue voyces And many times the voyces of frogs proceedeth from the nature of the Countreyes wherein they liue for once all the frogges in Macedonia and Cyrenia were drunke vntill there were some brought thither out of some other Countries as at this day the frogges of Seriphus are all drunke whereuppon came the Prouerb Batrachos ec Seriphou A frogge of Seriphus because the frogs of that Countrey doe neuer croake although you carry them into any other Country This Seriphus is one of the Islands of the Sporades in Greece wherein is the Lake called Pierius which doth not runne in the Summer but onely in the winter and all the frogs which are cast into that lake are perpetually silent and neuer vtter their voyce whereof there are assigned two causes one Fabulous and the other true and naturall The first the Seriphians say that when Perseus returned with the head of Medusa hauing gone very far till he was weary layd him downe beside that lake to sleep but the croaking frogs made such a noyse as he could take no rest Whereat Perseus was much offended and therefore prayed Iupiter to forbid the frogs from crying who instantly heard his prayer inioyned perpetuall silence to the frogs in that water and this is the Fabulous reason being a meere fiction of the Poets The second and more true reason is that of Theophrastus who saith that for the coldnesse of the water the frogs are not able to cry in that place The voyce of frogges is said by the Latinists to bee Corare and by the Graecians Ololugon peculiar words to set forth this crying now because their tongue cleaueth to the pallet of their mouth and theyr voyce proceedeth but from their throat to their mouth and the spirit is hindered by the tongue so as it cannot proceed directly therefore it hath two bladders vppon either side of the mouth one which it filleth with wind and from thence proceedeth the voyce Now when it croaketh it putteth his head out of the water holding the neather lip euen with the water and the vpper lip aboue the water and this is the voyce of the male prouoking the female to carnall copulation They haue but very small lungs those without bloud ful of froth like to al other creatures of the water which do lay egges and for this cause they do neuer thirst wherefore also Sea-calues and Frogges are able to liue long vnder the Water They haue a double Liuer and a very small Melt their Legges behind are long which maketh them apt to leape before they are shorter hauing deuided clawes which are ioyned together with a thinne broad skinne that maketh them more apt to swimme The most place of their abode is in fennes or in warme Waters or in fish-pooles but yellow and Ashe-coloured frogs abide in Riuers Lakes and standing pooles but in the Winter time they all hyde themselues in the earth And therefore it is not true that Pliny saith that in the VVinter time they are resolued into slyme and in Summer they resume againe their first bodyes for they are to be seene many times in the winter especially in those waters that are neuer frozen as Agrecolaana Mathiolus hath soundly obserued and they haue beene seene in certaine running streames holding small fishes in their mouths as it were sucking meat out of them Sometimes they enter into their holes in Autumne before winter and in the spring time come out againe When with their croaking voyces the Male prouoketh the femall to carnall copulatiō which he performeth not by the mouth as some haue thought but by couering her backe the instrument of geneneration meeting in the hinder parts and this they performe in the night season nature teaching them the modesty or shamefastnesse of this action And besides in that time they haue more security to giue themselues to mutuall imbraces because of a generall quietnesse for men and all other their aduersaries are then at sleepe and rest After their copulation in the waters there appeareth a thicke Ielly out of which the young one is found But the Land-frogges are ingendered out of Egges of whom wee discourse at this present and therefore they both suffer copulation lay their egges and bring forth young ones on the land When the Egge breaketh or is hatched there commeth forth a little black thing like a peece of flesh which the Latines call Gyrini from the Greeke word Gyrrinos hauing no visible part of a liuing creature vpon them besides their eyes and their tailes and within short space after their feet are formed and their taile deuided
colour It is likewise barbarously called Famusus Aracis and Faliuisus The Germans of all other haue a name for it for they call Punter-Schlang and Berg-schlang Other Nations not knowing it cannot haue any name for it and therefore I cannot fayne any thereof except I should lye grosly in the beginning of the History This Serpent is onely bred in Lemnus Samothracia and it is there called a Lyon eyther because it is of very great quantity and bignesse or else bycause the scales thereof are spotted and speckled like the Lybian Lyons or bycause when it fighteth the tayle is turned vpward like a Lyons tayle and as a Lion doth But it is agreed at al hands that it is called Milliaris a Millet because in the spots of his skinne and colour it resembleth a Millet-seede which caused the Poet to write on this manner Pluribus ille notis variatam tingitur aluum Quà m paruis tinctus maculis Thebanus Ophites In english thus With many notes and spots his belly is bodyed Like Thebane herbe Ophtes sightly tryed But not onely his belly for his backe and whole skinne is of the same fashion and colour The length of this Serpent is about two cubits and the thicke body is attenuated toward the end being sharpe at the taile The colour is dusky and darke like the Millet and it is then most irefull and full of wrath or courage when this Herbe or seed is at the highest The pace of this Serpent is not winding or trauailing but straight and directed without bending to and fro and therefore saith Lucan Et semper recto lapsurus limite Cenchris That is And the Millet alway standing in a straight and right line and for this cause when a man flyeth away from it he must not runne directly forward but wind too and fro crooking like an indenture for by reason thereof this Serpents large body cannot so easily and with the like speede turne to followe and pursue as it can directly forward It is a very dangerous Serpent to meete withall and therefore not onely the valiantest man but also the strongest beast is and ought iustly to be afraide thereof for his treacherous deceits and strength of body for when it hath gotten the prey or booty he beclaspeth it with his taile and giueth it fearefull blowes in the meane time fasteneth his iawes or chaps to the man or beast and sucketh out all the bloud till it be fully satisfied and like a Lyon he beateth also his owne sides setting vp the spires of his body when he assaulteth any aduersary or taketh any resisting booty I take this to bee the same called in Scicilia Serpa serena which is sometimes as long as a man as great as the arme about the wrist In the heate of summer they get themselues to the Mountaine and there seize vpon cattel of all sortes as often as anger or wrath enforceth them The nature of it is very hot and therefore venomous in the second degree wherefore when it hath bitten any there followeth putrifaction and rottennesse as flesh where water lyeth betwixt the skinne like as in the Dropsie for besides the common affections it hath with the Viper and the byting thereof alike in all thinges more deadly and vnresistable euils followeth as drouzy sleepinesse and lethargy paine in the belly especially the collicke paine in the Liuer and stomacke killing within two daies if remedy bee not prouided The cure is like the cure of the Vipers byting take the seed of Lettice and Flax-seede Sauory beaten or stamped and wilde Rew wilde Betony and Daffadill two drams in three cups of Wine and drinke the same immediatly after the drinking heereof drinke also two drammes of the roote of Centaury or Hartwort Nosewort or Gentian or Sesamine And thus much for a description of this venomous Serpent one of the greatest plagues to man and beast in all those Countries or places wherein it is engendered and it is not the least part of English happinesse to be freed by God Nature from such noysome virulent and dangerous neighbours OF THE NEVTE OR WATER Lizard THis is a little blacke Lyzard called Wassermoll and Wasseraddex that is a Lizard of the Water In French Tassot and in Italian Marasandola which word is deriued frō Marasso a Viper because the poyson heereof is like the poyson of Vipers and in Greeke it may be termed Enudros Sauros They liue in standing waters or pooles as in ditches of Townes and Hedges The colour as we haue saide is blacke and the length about two fingers or scarce so long Vnder the belly it is white or at least hath some white small spots on the sides and belly yet sometimes there are of them that are of a dusty earthy colour and towards the tayle yellowish The skinne is strong and hard so as a knyfe can scarse cut the same and beeing cut there issueth out a kind of white mattery liquour like as is in Salamanders Beeing taken it shutteth the mouth so hard as it cannot be easily opened neither doth it endeuour to byte although it be plucked and prouoked The tongue is very short and broade and the teeth so short and small as they are scarcely visible within the lippes Vppon the fore-feete it hath foure fingers or clawes but vppon the hinder feete it hath fiue The tayle standeth out betwixt the hinder legges in the midle like the figure of a wheelewhirle or rather so contracted as if many of them were conioyned together the voyd or empty places in the coniunctions were filled vp The tayle beeing cutte off liveth longer then the body as may be seene in euery dayes experience that is by motion giueth longer signes and token of lyfe This Serpent is bredde in fatte waters and soyles and sometimes in the ruines of olde walls especially they delight in white muddy waters hiding themselues vnder stones in the same water if there be any and if not then vnder the banks sides of the earth for they sildome come to the Land They swymme vnderneath the water and are rarely seene at the toppe Theyr egges are not past so bigge as pease and they are found hanging together in clusters One of these beeing put aliue into a glasse of water did continually hold his head aboue the water like as Frogges doe so that therby it may be coniectured it doth often neede respiration and keepeth not vnder water except in feare and seeking after meate There is nothing in nature that so much offendeth it as salt for so soone as it is layde vppon salt it endeuoureth with all might maine to runne away for it byteth stingeth the little beast aboue measure so that it dyeth sooner by lying in salt where it cannot auoyde then it would by suffering many stripes for beeing beaten it liueth long dieth very hardly It doth not like to be without water for if you try one of them and keepe it out of water but one day it
with rage of sandy flankes Nor sayles bend downe to blustering Corus wayne Now can it not the swelling sinewes keepe in hold Deformed globe it is and truncke ore-come with waight Vntoucht of flying foules no beakes of young or old Doe him dare eate or beasts full wilde vpon the body bayte But that they dye No man to bury in earth or fire Durst once come nigh nor stand to tooke vpon that haplesse case For neuer ceased the heat of corps though dead to swell Therefore afrayde they ranne away with speedie pace The cure of the poyson of this Serpent is by the Phisitians found out to be wild Purslaine also the flowers and stalke of the bush the Beauers stones called Castoreum drunke with Opponax and Rew in wine and the little Sprat-fish in dyet And thus much of this fire-burning venomous Serpent OF THE RED SERPENT THis kinde of Serpent beeing a serpent of the Sea was first of all found out by Pelicerius Bishoppe of Montpelier as Rondoletus writeth and although some haue taken the same for the Myrus or Berus of which we haue spoken already yet is it manifest that they are deceiued for it hath gills couered with a bony couering and also sinnes to swym withall much greater then those of the Myrus which wee haue shewed already to bee the male Lamprey This Serpent therefore for the outward proportion thereof is like to the Serpents of the Land but of a redde or purplish colour beeing full of crooked or oblique lines descending from the backe to the belly and deuiding or breaking that long line of the backe which beginneth at the head and so stretcheth foorth to the tayle The opening of his mouth is not very great his teeth are very sharpe and like a saw his gills like scalie fishes and vppon the ridge of his backe all along to the tayle and vnder-neath vppon the ryne or brimme of his belly are certaine haires growing or at the least thinne small things like hayres the tayle beeing shut vp in one vndeuided finne Of this kind no doubt are those which Bellonius saith hee sawe by the Lake Abydus which liue in the waters and come not to the Land but for sleepe for hee affirmeth that they are like Land-serpents but in theyr colour they are redde-spotted with some small and duskie spots Gelliusâ—…th â—…th that among the multitude of Sea-serpents some are like Congers and I cannot teâ—…ether that of Vergill be of this kind or not spoken of by Laocoon the Priest of Neptune Solennes taurum ingentum mactabat ad aras Ecce autem gemini á Tenedo tranqulla per alta Horresco referens immensis orbibus angues Incumbunt pelago pariterque ad littora tendunt Pectora quorum inter fluctus arecta iubaeque Sanguineae exuperant vndas pars caetera pontum Pone legit sinuatque immensa volumine terga Fit sonitus spumante saelo c. Which may be englished thus Whilst he a Bull at Altars solemne sacrifice Behold I feare to tell two monstrous snakes appeared Out of Tenedus shore both calme and deepe did rise One part in Sea the other on Land was reared Their breasts and redde-blood manes on waters mounted But backe and tayle on Land from foaming sea thus sounded OF THE SALAMANDER I Will not contrary their opinion which reckon the Salamander among the kinds of Lyzards but leaue the assertion as somewhat tollerable yet they are not to be followed or to be beleeued which would make it a kinde of Worme for there is not in that opinion eyther reason or resemblance What this beast is called among the Hebrewes I cannot learne and therfore I iudge that the Iewes like many other Nations did not acknowledge that there was any such kinde of creature for ignorance bringeth infidelitie in strange things and propositions The Graecians call it Salamandra which word or terme is retained almost in all Languages especially in the Latine and therefore Isidore had more boldnesse and wit then reason to deriue the Latine Salamandra quasi valincendram resisting burning for beeing a Greeke word it needeth not a Latine notation The Arabians call it Saambras and Samabras which may wel be thought to be deriued or rather corrupted from the former word Salamandra or else from the Hebrew word Semamit which signifieth a Stellion Among the Italians and Rhaetians it retaineth the Latine vvord and sometimes in Rhaetia it is called Rosada In the dukedome of Sauoy Pluuina In Fraunce Sourd Blande Albrenne and Arrassade according to the diuers Prouinces in that Kingdome In Spayne it is called Salamantegna In Germany it is called by diuers names as Maall and Punter maall Olm Moll and Molch because of a kinde of liquour in it like milke as the Greeke word Molge from à melgein to sucke milke Some in the Country of Heluetia doe call it Quattertetesh And in Albertus it is likewise called Rimatrix And thus much may suffise for the name thereof The description of theyr seuerall parts followeth which as Auicen and other Authours write is very like a small and vulgar Lyzard except in their quantitie which is greater theyr legges taller and their tayle longer They are also thicker and fuller then a Lyzard hauing a pale white belly and one part of their skinne exceeding blacke the other yellow like Verdigreace both of them very splendent and glistering with a blacke line going all along their backe hauing vppon it many little spots like eyes And from hence it commeth to be called a Stellion or Animal stellatum a creature full of starres and the skinne is rough and balde especially vpon the backe where those spots are out of which as writeth the Scholiast issueth a certaine liquour or humour which quencheth the heate of the fire when it is in the same This Salamander is also foure-footed like a Lyzard and all the body ouer it is set with spots of blacke and yellow yet is the sight of it abhominable and fearefull to man The head of it is great and sometimes they haue yellowish bellyes and tayles and some-times earthy It is some question among the Learned whether there be any discretion of sexe as whether there be in this kinde a male and a female Pliny affirmeth that they neuer engender and that there is not among them eyther male or female no more then there are among Eeles But this thing is iustly crossed both by Bellonius and Agricola for they affirme vpon their owne knowledge that the Salamander engendereth her young ones in her belly like vnto the Viper but first conceiueth egges and she bringeth forth fortie and fiftie at a time which are fully perfected in her wombe and are able to runne or goe so soone as euer they be littered and therefore there must be among them both male and female The Countries wherein are found Salamanders are the Region about Trent and in the Alpes and some-time also in Germany The most commonly frequent the coldest and moystest places as in the shaddow
It hath eyght feete foure on the one side and foure on the other from whence as we haue shewed already it is called Octopos For the feete and armes therof is very much like vnto the Sea-crabbe and therefore may not vnfitly be called eyther the Mother or the Daughter thereof They haue also tongues where-withall they vse often to licke and smooth ouer theyr owne bodyes And seeing of all other things they loue fresh cleane linnen whereinto they insinuate and wrappe themselues when they can come vnto it then also first of all they clense theyr whole bodyes all ouer with theyr tongues and next to their flesh put on this cleane linnen as a man would put on a shirt As wee haue said alreadie it hath a tayle wherein the sting thereof is placed but what this sting is diuers Authours are of diuers opinions concerning the same some affirming it to be hollow others denying it finding in it no passage at all to containe or couay poyson Aelianus againe sayth that there must needs be in it a passage or cauitie although it be so small as by no meanes it can be perceiued with the eyes of any mortall man and in that sting is the poyson lesse visible which when it striketh disperseth it selfe instantly into the wound But what should this poyson be whether a substance or spirituall humor surely a substaunce which although it be Mole minima yet facultate maxima that is of great power although of small quantitie And therefore another Authour namely Gerardus writeth thereof after this manner Scorpius è centro quod cauum esse creditur emittit humorem venenosum That is to say the Scorpion out of a hollow center sendeth foorth a venomous humour And of this venom wee will afterwards discourse more at large Thus much in this place may serue to make knowne the seuerall parts and members of this Serpent Now then it followeth that we enquire about the manner of their breede or generation which I find to be double as diuers Authors haue obserued one way is by putrefaction and the other by laying of egges and both these wayes are consonant to nature for Lacinius writeth that some creatures are generated onely by propagation of seed such are men Vipers Whales the Palme-tree some againe onely by putrefaction as the louse the flye grasse such like imperfect things some both wayes as myce scorpions emmets spyders Purslaine which first of all were procuced by putrefaction and since their generation are conserued by the seede and egges of their owne kind Now therefore wee will first of all speake of the generation of Scorpions by putrefaction and afterward by propagation Pliny saith that when Sea-crabbes dye and theyr bodyes are dryed vppon the earth when the Sunne entereth into Cancer and Scorpius out of the putrefaction thereof ariseth a Scorpion so out of the putrified body of the Creuish burned arise Scorpions which caused Ouid thus to write Concaua littoreo si demas brachia cancro Caetera supponas terrae de parte sepulta Scorpius exibit caudaque minabitur vnca And againe Obrutus exemptis Cancer tellure lacertis Scorpius exiguo tempore factus erit In English thus If that the armes you take from Sea-crab-fish And put the rest in earth till all consumed be Out of the buried part a Scorpion will arise With hooked tayle doth threaten for to hurt thee And therefore it is reported by Elianus that about Estamenus in India there are abundance of Scorpions generated onely by corrupt raine-water standing in that place Also out of the Baziliske beaten into peeces and so putrified are Scorpions engendered And when as one had planted the herbe Basilica on a wall in the roome or place thereof hee found two Scorpions And some say that if a man chaw in his mouth fasting this herbe Basill before he wash and afterward lay the same abroade vncouered where no sun commeth at it for the space of seauen nights taking it in all the day time hee shall at length find it transmuted into a Scorpion with a tayle of seauen knots Hollerius to take away all scruple of this thing writeth that in Italy in his dayes there was a man that had a Scorpion bredde in his braine by continuall smelling to this herbe Basill and Gesner by relation of an Apothecary in Fraunce writeth likewise a storie of a young mayde who by smelling to Basill fell into an exceeding head-ach whereof shee dyed without cure and after her death beeing opened there were found little Scorpions in her braine Aristotle remembreth an herbe which he calleth Sisimbriae out of which putrified Scorpions are engendered as he writeth And wee haue shewed already in the history of the Crocodile that out of the Crocodiles egges doe many times come Scorpions which at their first egression doe kill theyr dam that hatched them which caused Archelaus which wrote Epigrams of wonders vnto Ptolomaeus to sing of Scorpions in this manner In vos dissoluit morte redigit Crocodilum Natura extinctum Scorpij omnipotens Which may be englished thus To you by Scorpions death the omnipotent Ruines the Crocodill in natures life extinct And thus much for the generation of Scorpions out of putrefaction Now we wil proceede to the second manner of their generation which is by propagation of seede for although Ponzettus make some question about their copulation yet he himself inclineth to that opinion as neerer vnto truth which attributeth carnall copulation vnto them and therefore he alledgeth the example of flyes which admitte copulation although they engender not thereby Wherefore wee will take it for graunted that Scorpions lay egges after copulation which hapneth both in the Spring and Autumne And these are for the most part in number eleuen vpon which they sit and hatch their young ones and when once they are perfected within those egges which are in sight like the little wormes out of which Spyders are engendered then doe they breake theyr egges and driue the young out For as Isidorus writeth otherwise the olde should be destroyed of the young euen as are the Crocodiles Some againe say that the old Scorpions doe deuour theyr young ones Beeing thus produced by generation they liue vppon the earth and those which are bredde of the Sea-crabbe doe feede vppon the foame of the sea-Sea-water and a continuall white mould or chalke neere the Sea But the Scorpions of Ethyopia doe eate all kind of wormes flyes and small Serpents Yea those Serpents whose very dunge beeing troden vpon by man bringeth exulcerations And a tryall that Scorpions eate flyes was made by Wolphius at Montpelier for hauing a young one in a boxe for one whole month together it liued vpon flyes and grew by the deuouring of them bigger beeing put into the glasse vnto him They liue among tyles and bricks very willingly and for this cause they abound in Rome in the hill called Testaceus They are also in Bononia
making their thighes more visible It is som-what questionable whether they lye hid within their caues 4. months or 60. daies for some Authors affirme one thing some another but the reason of the difference is taken from the condition of the cold weather for which cause they lye hid in the winter-time Now forasmuch as the winter in Egypt is not vsually aboue foure months therfore it is taken that they lye but foure months but if it be by accidēt of cold wether prolonged longer thē for the same cause the crocodile is the longer time in the earth During the time they lye hid they eate nothing but sleepe as it is thought immoueably when they come out againe they do not cast their skinnes as other Serpents doe The tayle of a Crocodile is his strongest part and they neuer kill any beast or man but first of all they strike him downe and astonish him with their tailes and for this cause the Egyptians by a Crocodiles tayle doe signifie death darknes They deuoure both men and beasts if they find them in theyr way or neere the bankes of Nilus wherein they abide taking sometimes a calfe from the cow his damme and carrying it whole into the waters And it appeareth by the portraiture of Nealces that a Crocodile drew in an Asse into Nilus as he was drinking and therefore the dogges of Egypt by a kind of naturall instinct do not drinke but as they runne for feare of the Crocodiles wherevpon came the prouerbe Vt canis é Nilo bibit fugit as a dogge at one time drinketh and runneth by Nilus When they desire fishes they put their heads out of the water as it were to sleepe and then suddenly when they espy a booty they leape into the waters vppon them and take them After that they haue eaten and are satisfied then they turne to the land againe and as they lye gaping vpon the earth the little bird Trochilus maketh cleane their teeth and is satisfied by the remainders of the flesh sticking vppon them It is also affirmed by Arnoldus that it is fedde with mud but the holy Crocodile in the Prouince of Arsinoe is fedde with bread flesh wine sweet and hard sodde flesh and cakes and such like thinges as the poore people bring vnto it when they come to see it VVhen the Egyptians will write a man eating or at dinner they paynt a Crocodile gaping They are exceeding fruitefull and prolificall and therfore also in Hieroglyphicks they are made to signifie fruitfulnes They bring forth euery yeere and lay their egges in the earth or dry land For during the space of three-score dayes they lay euery day an egge within the like space they are hatched into young ones by sitting or lying vpon them by course the male one while the female another The time of their hatching is in a moderate and temperate time otherwise they perrish and come to nothing for extremity of heate spoyleth the egge as the buds of some trees are burned and scorched off by the like occasion The egge is not much greater then the egge of a Goose and the young one out of the shell is of the same proportion And so from such a small beginning doth this huge and monstrous Serpent grow to his great stature the reason whereof saith Aristotle is because it groweth all his life long euen to the length of ten or moe cubits When it hath layd the egges it carryeth them to the place where they shall be hatched for by a naturall prouidence and fore-sight it auoydeth the waters of Nilus and therefore euer layeth her egges beyond the compasse of her floods by obseruation whereof the people of Egypt know euery yeere the inundation of Nilus before it happen And in the measure of this place it is apparent that this beast is not indued onely with a spirit of reason but also with a fatidicall or propheticall geographicall delineation for so shee placeth her egges in the brimme or banke of the flood before the flood commeth that the water may couer the nest but not herselfe that sitteth vpon the egges And the like to this is the building of the Beauer as we haue shewed in due place before in the History of Foure-footed beastes So soone as the young ones are hatched they instantly fall into the depth of the vvater but if they meete with frogge snayle or any other such thing fit for their meate they doe presently teare it in peeces the damme byteth it with her mouth as it were punishing the pusillanimity thereof but if it hunt greater things and be greedy rauening industrious and bloody that she maketh much of and killing the other nourisheth and tendereth this aboue measure after the example of the wisest men who loue their childrē in iudgement fore-seeing their industrious inclination and not in affection without regard of worth vertue or merrit It is said by Philes that after the egge is layd by the Crocodile many times there is a cruell stinging Scorpion which commeth out thereof and woundeth the Crocodile that layde it To conclude they neuer prosper but neere the waters and they liue threescore yeeres or the age of a mans life The nature of this beast is to be fearefull rauening malitious and trecherous in getting of his prey the subtiltie of whose spirit is by some attributed to the thinnesse of his blood and by other to the hardnes of his skin and hide How it dealeth with her young ones we haue shewed already as it were trying their nature whether they will degenerate or no and the like things are reported of the Aspes Cancers Torteyses of Egypt From hence came the conceit of Pietas Crocodili the pietie of the Crocodile But as we haue said it is a fearefull Serpent abhorring all manner of noyse especially from the strained voyce of a man and where hee findeth himselfe valiantly assaulted there also hee is discouraged and therefore Marcellinus saith of him Audax Monstrum fugacibus at vbi audacem senserit timidissimum An audacious Monster to them that runne away but most fearefull where he findeth resistance Some haue written that the Crocodile runneth away from a man if he winke with his left eye and looke stedfastly vppon him with his right eye but if this bee true it is not to be attributed to the vertue of the right eye but onely to the rarenesse of sight vvhich is conspicuous to the Serpent from one eye The greatest terrour vnto Crocodiles as both Seneca and Pliny affirme are the inhabitants of the Ile Tentyrus within Nilus for those people make them runne away with their voyces and many times pursue and take them in snares Of these people speaketh Solinus in this manner There is a generation of men in the Ile Tentyrus within the waters of Nilus which are of a most aduerse nature to the Crocodile dwelling also in the same place And although their persons
or presence be of small stature yet heerein is theyr courage admired because at the suddaine sight of a Crocodile they are no whit daunted for one of these dare meete and prouoke him to runne away They will also leape into the Riuers and swimme after the Crocodile and meeting with it without feare cast themselues vppon the Beasts backe ryding on him as vppon a horse And if the Beast lift vppe his head to byte him when hee gapeth they put into his mouth a wedge holding it hard at both ends with both their hands so as it were with a bridle leade or rather driue them captiues to the Land vvhere with theyr noyse they so terrifie them that they make them cast vppe the bodies which they had swallowed into theyr bellies because of this antypathy in nature the Crocodiles dare not come neere to this Iland The like thing wee haue before in our generall discourse of Serpents shewed to be in the Indian Psylli against the greatest Serpents And Strabo also hath recorded that at what time crocodiles were brought to Rome these Tentyrites folowed droue thē For whom there was a certaine great poole or fish-pond assigned and walled about except one passage for the Beast to come out of the water into the sun-shine and when the people came to see them these Tentyrites with nettes would draw them to the Land put them backe againe into the water at theyr owne pleasure For they so hooke them by theyr eyes and bottome of theyr bellyes which are their tenderest partes that like as horses broken by theyr Riders they yeelde vnto them and forget theyr strength in the presence of these theyr Conquerours Peter Martyr in his third booke of his Babylonian Lagation saith that from the Cittie Cair to the Sea the Crocodiles are not so hurtfull and violent as they are vp the Riuer Nilus into the Land and against the streame For as you goe further vp the Riuer neere the mountanie and hilly places so shall you find them more fierce bloody and vnresistable whereof the inhabitants gaue him many reasons First because that part of the Riuer which is betwixt the Citty Cair and the Sea is very full of all sorts of fishes whereby the beasts are so filled with deuouring of them that they list not come out of the water on the Land to hunt after men or cattell and therefore they are the lesse hurtfull for euen the Lyon and Wolfe doe cease to kill deuoure when theyr bellyes are full But sometimes the Crocodiles beneath the Riuer follow the gales or troupes of fish vp the Riuer like so many Fisher-men and then the Country Fisher-men inclose them in Nettes and so destroy them For there is a very great reward proposed by the Law of the Country to him that killeth a Crocodile of any great quantitie and therefore they grow not great and by reason of their smalnes are lesse aduenturous For so soone as a great Crocodile is discouered there is such watch and care taken to interrupt and kill him for hope of the reward that he cannot long escape aliue Thirdly the Crocodiles vp the Riuer towards the Mountaines are more hurtfull because they are pressed with more hunger and famine and more sildome come within the terrour of men wherefore they forsake the waters and run vp and downe to seeke preyes to satisfie their hunger which when they meet withall they deuoure with an vnresistable desire forced and pressed forward by hunger which breaketh stone walls But most commonly when the Riuer Nilus is lowest and sunck downe into the channell then the Crocodiles in the waters doe growe most hungry because the fish are gone away with the floods and then the subtile beast will heale and couer himselfe ouer with sand or mudde and so lye in the banke of the Riuer where hee knoweth the women come to fetch water or the cattell to drinke and when he espieth his aduantage he suddainely taketh the woman by the hand that she taketh vp water withall and draweth her into the Riuer where he teareth her in peeces and eateth her In like sort dealeth he with Oxen Cowes Asses and other cattell If hunger force him to the Land and he meete with a Cammell horse Asse or such like beast then with the force and blowes of his tayle he breaketh his legges and so laying him flat on the earth killeth and eateth him for so great is the strength of a Crocodiles tayle that it hath beene seene that one stroke thereof hath broken all the foure legges of a beast at one blow There is also another perrill by Crocodiles for it is saide that when Nilus falleth and the water waxeth low the Barkes thorough want of wind are faine by the Marriners to to be tugged vp the streame with long lynes and cordes the subtile Crocodile seeing the same doth suddainely with his tayle smite the same line with such force that eyther hee breaketh it or by his forcible violence tumbleth the Marriner downe into the vvater whom he is ready to receiue with open mouth before he can recouer Yea many times by meanes thereof the Barke it selfe so tottereth and reeleth that the violent beast taketh a man out of it or else cleane ouer-turneth it to the destruction of all that are in it Aelianus saith that among the Ombitae which are in Arsinoe the Crocodiles are harmelesse and hauing seuerall names when they are called doe put their heads out of the vvater and take meate gently which meate is the head and garbage of such sacrifices as are brought thether But in another place hee writeth that among the Ombitae or Coptitae it is not safe for a man to fetch water from the Riuer or to wash theyr feete or walke on the Riuers side but with great caution and warines For euen those beastes which are most kindly vsed by men doe rage against their Benefactours as namely the Crocodile the Ichneumon the Wild-cats and such like And yet Plutarch in his booke Vtra animalium saith that the Priestes by the custome of meate-giuing haue made some of them so tame that they will suffer theyr mouthes and teeth to be clensed by men And it is further said that during the seauen Ceremoniall dayes of the natiuity of Apis there is none of thē that sheweth any wilde tricke or cruell part but as it were by compact betwixt them and the Priestes they lay aside all cruelty and rage during that time And therefore Cicero writeth most excellently saying Egyptiorum morem quis ignoret quorum imbutae mentes prauitatum erroribus quamvis carnificinam potius subierint quam ibim aut aspidem aut crocodilum violent That is to say Who is ignorant of the custome of the Egyptians whose mindes are so seasoned and indued with erronious wickednesse that they had rather vnder-goe any torment then offer violence to an Ibis an Aspe or a holy Crocodile For in diuers places all these and Cats also were worshipped
doth deliuer him from his cough and being bound in a Cranes skinne vnto a mans thigh procureth venerious desires but these are but magicall deuices and such as haue no apparant reason in nature wherefore I vvill omit them and proceede to them that are more reasonable naturall First for the Oyle of Frogs that is the best which is made out of the Greene-Frogs as it is obserued by Siluius and if they are held betwixt a mans handes in the fit of hot burning Ague do much refresh nature and ease the paine For Feauer-heptickes they prepare theÌ„ thus they take such frogs as haue white bellies then cut off their heads and pull out their bowels afterwards they seeth them in water vntill the flesh fall from the bones theÌ„ they mingle the said flesh with Barly Meale made into Paste wherewithall they cram feed Pullen with that paste vpon which the sicke man must be fed and in default of Frogs they do the like with Eeles and other like Fishes But there is no part of the Frog so medicinable as is the bloud called also the matter or the iuyce and the humour of the Frogge although some of them write that there is no bloud but in the eyes of a Frogge first therefore with this they kill haire for vpon the place where the haire was puld off they poure this bloud and then it neuer groweth more And this as I haue said already is an Argument of the venome of this Frogge and it hath beene proued by experience that a man holding one of these Frogges in his hand his hands haue begunne to swell and to break out into blisters Of this vertue Serenus the Poet writeth Praeterea quascunque voles auertere setas Atque in perpetuum rediuiua occludere tela Corporibus vulsis saniem perducito ranae Sed quae parua situ est rauco garula questu That is to say Besides from whatsoeuer bodyes haires thou will Be cleane destroyed and neuer grow againe On them the mattery bloud of Frogs all spread and spill I meane the little Frog questing hoarse voyce amaine The same also being made into a Verdigreace drunke the weight of a Crowne stoppeth the continuall running of the vrine The humour which commeth out of this Frog being aliue when the skinne is scraped off from her backe cleareth the eyes by annoyntment and the flesh laid vpon them easeth their paines the flesh and fat pulleth out teeth The povvder made of this Frogge beeing drunke stayeth bleeding and also expelleth spots of bloud dryed in the body The same being mingled with Pitch cureth the falling off of the haire And thus much shall suffice for the demonstration of the nature of this little Greene-Frogge OF THE PADDCKE OR CROOKED backe Frogge IT is apparent that there be three kinds of Frogs of the earth the first is the little greene Frog the second is this Padocke hauing a crooke back called in Latine Rubeta Gibbosa and the third is the Toade commonly called Rube tax Bufo This second kind is mute or dumbe as there be many kind of mire Frogges such as is that which the Germans call Feurkrott and our late Alchymists Puriphrunon that is a Fire-frogge because it is of the coloure of fire This is found deepe in the earth in the midst of Rocks and stones when they are cleft asunder and amongst mettalls where-into there is no hole or passage and therefore the wit of man cannot deuise how it should enter therein onely there they find them when they cleaue those stones in sunder with their wedges other instruments Such as these are are found neere Towers in Fraunce among a redde sandy stone whereof they make Milstones and therfore they breake that stone all in peeces before they make the Milstone vp least while the Paddock is included in the middle and the Mill-stone going in the Mill the heate should make the Paddocke swell and so the Mill-stone breaking the corne should be poysoned As soone as these Paddocks come once into the ayre out of their close places of generation and habitation they swell and so die This crooke-backed Paddocke is called by the Germans Gartenfrosch that is a Frog of the Garden and Grasfrosch that is a Frogge of the grasse It is not altogether mute for in time of perrill when they are chaced by men or by Snakes they haue a crying voyce which I haue oftentimes prooued by experience and all Snakes and Serpents doe verie much hunt and desire to destroy these also I haue seene a Snake hold one of them by the legge for because it was great she could not easily deuoure it during that time it made a pittifull lamentation These Paddocks haue as it were two little hornes or bunches in the middle of the back and their colour is betweene greene and yellow on the sides they haue redde spots and the feete are of the same colour their belly is white and that part of their backe which is directly ouer their breast is distinguished with a few blacke spots And thus much may serue for the particuler description of the Paddocke not differing in any other thing that I can reade of from the former Frogges it being venomous as they are and therefore the cure is to be expaected heereafter in the next history of the Toade OF THE TOADE TO conclude the story of Frogges we are now to make description and narration of the Toade which is the most noble kinde of Frogge most venomous and remarquable for courage and strength This is called in Hebrew by some Coah the Graecians call it Phrunon the Arabians Mysoxus the Germans Krott the Saxons Quap the Flemings Padde the Illirians Zaba the French â—rapault the Italians Rospo Botta Boffa Chiatto Zatta Buffo Buffa Buffone and ramarro the Spanyards Sapo escu erco the Latines Rubeta because it liueth among bushes and Bufu because it swelleth when it is angry Like vnto this there is a Toade in Fraunce called Bufo cornutus a horned Toade not because it hath hornes for that is most apparantly false but for that the voyce thereof is like to the sound of a Cornet or rather as I thinke like to a Rauen called Cornix and by a kind of barbarisme called Bufo cornutus The colour of this Toade is like Saffron on the one part and like filthy durt on the other besides there are other venomous Toades liuing in sinckes priuies and vnder the rootes of plants There is another kind also like to the Toade of the water but in steed of bones it hath onely grissels and it is bigger then the Toade of the Fenne liuing in hot places There is another also which although it be a Toade of the water yet hath it beene eaten for meate not many yeeres since the mouth of it is very great but yet without teeth which he doth many times put out of the water like a Torteyse to take breath and in taking of his meate which are flyes Locustes
Catterpillers gnattes and small creeping things it imitateth the Camaelion for it putteth out the tongue and licketh in his meate by the space of three fingers in the toppe whereof there is a soft place hauing in it viscous humour which causeth all thinges to cleaue fast vnto it which it toucheth by vertue whereof it deuoureth great flyes And therefore the said tongue is said to haue two little bones growing at the roote thereof which by the wonderfull worke of Nature doth guide fortifie strengthen it And thus much may serue as a sufficient relation vnto the Reader 〈◊〉 â—…uersitie of Toades Nowe wee will proceede to the common description of both kindes together This Toade is in all outward parts like vnto a Frogge the fore-feete beeing short and the hinder feete long but the bodie more heauy and swelling the colour of a blackish colour the skinne rough viscous and very hard so as it is not easie to be broken with the blowe of a staffe It hath many deformed spottes vppon it especially blacke on the sides the bellâ— exceeding all other parts of the body standing out in such manner that beeing smitten vvith a staffe it yeeldeth a sound as it were from a vault or hollow place The head is broade and thicke and the colour thereof on the nether part about the necke is white that is some-what pale the backe plaine without bunches and it is saide that there is a little bone growing in theyr sides that hath a vertue to driue away doggeâ— from him that beareth it about him and is therefore called Apocynon The whole aspect of this Toade is vglie and vnpleasant Some Authours affirme that it carrieth the hart in the necke and therefore it cannot easily be killed except the throate thereof be cutte in the middle Theyr liuer is very vitious and causeth the whole body to be of ill temperament And some say they haue two liuers Theyr melt is very small and as for theyr copulation and egges they differ nothing from Frogges There be many late Writers which doe affirme that there is a precious stone in the head of a Toade whose opinions because they attribute 〈◊〉 the veâ—… of this stone it is good to examine in this place that so the Reader may be satisfied whether to hold it as a fable or as a true matter exemplâ—fying the powerfull working of Almightie God in nature for there be many that weâ—re these stones in Ringes beeing verily 〈◊〉 aded that they keepe them from all manner of grypings and paines of the belly and the small guttes But the Art as they terme it is in taking of it out for they sayâ— must be taken out of the head aliue before the Toade be dead with a peece of cloth of the colour of redde Skarlet where-withall they aro much delighted so that while they stretch out theÌ„selues is it were in sport vpon that cloth they cast out the stone of their head but instantly they sâ—p it vp againe vnlesse it be taken from them through some secrete hole in the said cloth whereby it falleth into a cesterne or vessell of water into the which the Toade lateth not enter by reason of the coldnes of the water These things writeth â—assarius Brasauolus saith that he found such a thing in the head of a Toade but he rather tooke it to be a bone then a stone the colour wherof was browne inclyning to blacknes Some say it is double namely outwardly a hollow bone and inwardly a stone contained 〈◊〉 in the vertue whereof is said to breake preuent or cure the stone in the bladder now how this stone should be there ingendered there are diuers opinions also they say that stones are ingendered in liuing creatures two manner of wayes either through heate or extreame cold as in the Snaile Pearch Crabbe Indian Tortizes and Toades so that by extremitie of cold this stone should be gotten Against this opinion the colour of the stone is obiected which is some-times white sometimes browne or blackish hauing a cittrine or blew spot in the middle sometimes all greene wher-vpon is naturally engrauen the figure of a Toade and this stone is somtimes called Borax sometimes Crapodinae and sometimes Nisae or Nusae and Chelonites Others doe make two kindes of these stones one resembling a great deale of Milke mixed with a little blood so that the white exceedeth the Redde and yet both are apparant and visible the other all blacke wherein they say is the picture of a Toade with her legges spredde before and behind And it is further affirmed that if both these stones be held in ones hand in the presence of poyson it will burne him The probation of this stone is by laying of it to a liue Toade and if she lift vp her head against it it is good but if shee run away from it it is a counterfeyte Geor Agricola calleth the greater kind of these stones Brontia and the lesser smoother sort of stones Cerauniae although some coÌ„trary this opinion saying that these stones Brantia Cerauniae are bred on the earth by thundering and lightning Whereas it is said before that the generation of this stone in the Toade proceedeth of colde that is vtterly vnpossible for it is described to be so solide and firme as nothing can be more hard and therefore I cannot assent vnto that opinion for vnto hard and solide things is required abundance of heate and againe it is vnlikely that whatsoeuer this Toade-stone be that there should be any store of them in the world as are euery where visible if they were to be taken out of the Toades aliue and therefore I rather agree with Salueldensis a Spaniard who thinketh that it is begotten by a certaine viscous spume breathed out vppon the head of some Toade by her fellowes in the Spring-time This stone is that which in auncient time was called Batrachites and they attribute vnto it a vertue besides the former namely for the breaking of the stone in the bladder and against the Falling-sicknes And they further write that it is a discouerer of present poyson for in the presence of poyson it will change the colour And this is the substaunce of that which is written about this stone Now for my part I dare not conclude either with it or against it for Hermolaus Massarius Albertus Syluaticus and others are directlie for this stone ingendered in the braine or head of the Toade on the other side Cardan and Gesner confesse such a stone by name and nature but they make doubt of the generation of it as others haue deliuered and therefore they beeing in sundry opinions the hearing were of might confound the Reader I will referre him for his satisfaction vnto a Toade which hee may easily euery day kill For although when the Toade is dead the vertue thereof be lost which consisted in the eye or blew spot in the middle yet the substaunce remaineth and if the stone be found there in substance