¶ Certain Secret wonders of Nature, containing a description of sundry strange things, seeming monstrous in our eyes and judgement, because we are not privy to the reasons of them.  
Gathered out of divers learned authors as well Greek as Latin, sacred as profane. By E. Fenton.  
Apres fortune espoir.  
¶ Seen and allowed according to the order appointed.  
¶ Imprinted at London, by Henry Bynneman dwelling in Knightrider street, at the sign of the Mermaid. ANNO. 1569.  
cum PRIVILEGIO AD IMPRIMENDUM SOLUM.   

¶ To the right Honourable and his singular good Lord, the Lord Lumley, Edward Fenton wisheth a happy life, with much increase of honour and continuance of the same.  
THe most ancient and famous Philosophers (right honourable) albeit they never had any certain knowledge of God, yet nature by her instinct of reason, dealt so beneficially with them, that beholding the wonderful power of God in all his creatures, they doubted not to confess that there was one who had made these things, and with all had a special care over them: Besides this, after the dissolution of this life, they aimed very near at the immortality of the soul: who in the end being overcome with the depth of so divine a Mystery, as a matter not to be measured by man's reason, were constrained to leave of to be curious in the inquiry after such questions, and fell to the study of such things as they thought would serve best to stay their appetite from the attempting of any uncomeliness, and stir their minds to the attaining of most commendable virtues. Wherein as they have left behind them so great store of necessary precepts, as we can not (so long as we direct our doings by their good discipline) but of necessity we must tread the path that leads to perfect happiness. So besides this (as men reputing it a shame to be ignorant in any thing that by travail they might attain unto) they have found out to their great praise and our singular profit and pleasure, the secret and hidden reason of many things, which nature hath kept unknown from us (as it should seem of set purpose) to the end we might the rather find ourselves occupied in the search and knowledge of the same. And like as some of them by reason they are ordinary and common, the cause thereof being also natural, together with the familiarity and acquaintance we have with them, and that they happen as it were of custom, do move us the less or nothing at all to have them in admiration when they chance or happen: Even so on the contrary part there are other effects of nature, which when we behold, they do the more amaze us, because we be not able to comprehend the causes and reasons thereof, but imagine strait way that nature is abused, or at least hath lost her rule who in deed is always one and uniform, and cannot be but one cause working diversly, according to the diversity of her subjects. Touching things supernatural or above nature, we are to think they are not so called in respect of nature, as though she had made aught by chance, whereof she was not able to yield a reason, but rather having regard to us, whose weak understanding cannot conceive her secret means in working. And therefore we must think they have their proceeding from God or some divine inspiration, either directly or indirectly, immediately or by a mean, seeing that God oftentimes both to warn us of his justice and to punish our offences, layeth his hand and rod upon us in divers sorts, as when we feel the raging whirlwinds and tempests by sea, the terrible earthquakes by land▪ the fearful flames of lightning, and cracks of thunder in the air, and all these things without us. But to come nigher unto ourselves when we feel any distemperature in our bodies, whereupon do grow some grievous diseases: All which albeit they have their being and motion by natural means, yet seem they the rather prodigious because they be rare and happen but seldom. But those things which are called supernatural because the reason is hidden from us, they come by the permission or special appointment of God, as when we be troubled with wicked spirits offering to abuse our simplicity with false miracles, feigned visions, and other such devilish illusions. Whereof as I shall not need to speak either particularly or in general, so seeing that besides the reasons and authorities which are gathered together in this slender volume, the writers of Histories in both kinds have given out sufficient matter touching an absolute resolution that way, which as I hope may suff●●● to discharge me of a s●cond travail, with a particular d●scription of such things as the book itself doth amply and more at large contain: So leaving to deal in the offences of some such persons as use and abuse their bodies through an inordinate lust against the prescript of nature, whereupon happeneth oftentimes both a superabundance and default in the creatures brought into the world: As I hope also it is needless for me to mention in this place the generation of precious stones with their sundry properties, the force and virtues which by experience we find to be in plants and herbs proceeding out of the sap and substance of the earth, with sundry other qualities, serving against the inconveniences that come by the air, by fire, by scalding lead● or other metals melted & burning, because the volume following describes them sufficiently in their several places. The judgement whereof with their several reasons, I humbly submit to the censure of your wisdom, the which if it shall in any part be to your liking, I have the chiefest part of my desire, and shall the less need to regard the variable fantasies and opinions of the multitude: For as much as my travail bestowed herein hath been only in respect of your Lordship, to whom as well for myself as divers of my friends, I am very much bound. Notwithstanding I would be glad that my private travail might universally either profit or pleasure all. For the book itself I am of opinion that neither the description of many things therein 〈…〉 is so commonly known, that the strangeness thereof is not able to delight a great many, neither yet the matter 〈…〉 that ●t shall not yield much fruit that may be applied to sundry purposes. We see in daily experience, with how great earnestness and delight the unlearned sort run over the fruitless History of king Arthur and his round table Knights, and what pleasure they take in the trifling tales of Gavin and Gargantua: the which besides that they pass all likelihood of truth, are utterly without either grave precept or good example. Whereby I am in better hope that this book containing such variety of matter both pleasant to read and necessary to know, being sprinkled throughout with great wisdom and morality, shall be the rather embraced and allowed of all. And in the mean time trusting that as I have taken upon me the translation of this small book, only upon consideration both to acknowledge the duty I own your Lordship, and signify the good meaning I bear towards you, so you will vouchsafe to undertake the patronage thereof, and when your weightier affairs shall give you leave to have recourse thereunto and read it for your recreation. I leave your good Lordship until such time as my better knowledge shall embolden me to present you with a greater matter and more worthy your reading: wishing unto you and the whole race of your noble house, increase and continuance of honour, with the attainment of perfect felicity.  
Your Lordship's most bounden, Edward Fenton.   

The Author's Preface.  
MY Lord, amongst all the things which may be viewed under the cope of heaven, there is nothing to be seen, which more stirreth the spirit of man, which ravisheth more his senses, which doth more amaze him, or engendereth a greater terror or admiration in all creatures, than the monsters, wonders and abominations, wherein we see the works of Nature, not only turned arsy-varsy, misseshapen and deformed, but (which is more) they do for the most part discover unto us the secret judgement and scourge of the ire of God, by the things that they present, which maketh us to feel his marvelous justice so sharp, that we be constrained to enter into ourselves, to knock with the hammer of our conscience, to examine our offences, and have in horror our misdeeds, specially when we read in Histories sacred and profane, that oftentimes, the elements have been heralds, trumpeters, ministers and executioners of the justice of God. As when we see the waters overflow their channels, and that the veins of heaven open by such outrage, that they surpass xu cubits, the highest mountains of the earth. And the fire in like manner, obeying the commandment of his Creator, consumed five famous Cities, committing them presently into cinders. The air also hath been found so corrupt, venomous and infective in divers provinces, that piercing from one to an other it hath in effect smothered and choked the most part of human kind, leaving the earth inhabitable. The earth likewise opening her throat, hath swallowed up an infinite number of proud Cities, with their citizens. And albeit these wonders he but small, yet if we consider, that when the furor of God is inflamed against our sins, he doth not so much respect us, as to chastise us by his elements, But the better to bridle and correct us, he maketh the most weak and abject creatures of the earth, the executioners and punishers of our offences: As that great Monarque Pharaoh proved at such time as the Frogs, Flies, and grasshoppers did assail him even in his bed. Wherefore like as we have showed you before these fearful and strange chastisements, even so we could bring to memory others no less marvelous, than worthy to be noted of those specially which have felt some apprehension of the judgements of God: as when we s●e living creatures borne amongst us, who have had two heads knit and fastened together in one only body, like two bows in the trunk of a tree. Others so well conjoined and glued the one to the other, that by no Art of man they were to be separated. Others be so abominable and deformed, that they seem to be brought into the world as well in contempt of nature, as to the perpetual infamy and grief of their parents. These things being very lively apprehended by the Prophet Oseas in his ix Chapter: where he writes, these be the deeds of their abominable loves, and when they have nourished their children, I will destroy them in such sort that they never shall become men. I will give them an over timely birth, and their paps shall be dry, and their root withered, so that they shall be barren: but if they fortune to engender, I will then destroy the fruit of their body. The like is confirmed by the Prophet Esdras the .v. Chapter, where amongst other cruel cursings, wherewith Babylon was threatened by the Angel, it is expressly said, that women defiled with blood, shall bring forth monsters. But for that the mystery of these secrets is somewhat to hard, and therefore requireth a further leisure, I will leave the rest to the discourse that I have made in my Histories, which be interlarded with no other things, than these strange accidents and wonderful chances, wherewith all the provinces of the world have been astonished sithence the nativity of jesus Christ, unto this our time. But now (my Lord) having fought with Labour, and in mine opinion become thereof victorious, there resteth in me none other thing for the final accomplisment of the same, than to tender, consecrate and give the fruit sprung of my Muses and just tribute of my pains, being drawn thereunto not only by sundry particular bonds, which I will keep secret for this present, but also for the merit of an infinite number of Heroical virtues, which maketh you so marvelous, that you deserve to be celebrated of all those which have written. For besides the Noble blood of the ancient house de Rieux, where you took your first beginning, you are endued with such excellent gifts of the mind and of Nature, a singular knowledge in divers arts and disciplines, bearing an earnest friendship to such as maketh those their profession, yet have you besides these, so noble a desire to martial affairs, such affection and devotion to the service of your Prince, as there hath been no assembly made or addressed in your time to any assault of town or City, skirmish or other Sail into Italy, or else where, where you have not been found the first in rank with such assurance and little regard of your life, that those which knew you, expected no less in you, than of that great Martial de Rieux, your grandfather, to whose fame the Chroniclers and writers have swooned so many praises. Neither ought I in this place to pass over with silence the worthy exploits and valiant acts of Monsieur de Gue de Lisle your brother, who hath accompanied you in all your perils and travails of Fortune, and even in this his young age, hath given such sufficient witness of the same, by so often shedding of his blood in the service of his prince, that for his magnanimity and virtue he meriteth never to be buried in the grave of oblivion: Albeit having reserved to make a more ample description thereof in an other work which I have prepared, so this (my Lord) may suffice for the present, beseeching you not only to take this work in good part which I offer unto you, but also serve to the same as a defence and safe conduct: To the end that it being fortified by the shadow and brightness of your nobleness and virtue, it may the rather pass assured through the perilous straights of our Country of France.   

¶ A Table of the principal matters contained in this Book.  

IN the first history are contained sundry abuses and wonders of Satan. Fol. 1.  
¶ In the second, the wonders and advertisements of God sent upon the City of jerusalem, to provoke them to repentance. 4.  
¶ In the third, mention is made of the death of sundry Kings, Bishops, Emperors, and Monarques, with the wonderful death of a king of Poloigne, and an archbishop of Maience. 5.  
¶ In the fourth, is described the history of Nabuchodonozer, wherein is shed in what peril they be which command, and have the government of public weals. 10  
¶ In the fifth, is declared the causes of the bringing forth of monsters, and other histories to that purpose. 12.  
¶ In the sixth, is recounted a notable history of two maidens engendered in our time, the which were knit together by the foreheads. 14  
¶ In the seventh, a wonderful and horrible monster of our time, upon the discourse of whom, the question is asked whether Devils can engender and use the works of nature. 16.  
¶ In the eight, sundry sorts of Lightnings, with wonderful thunders and tempests happening in our time, with the peril & harms proceeding of the same, and certain defensible means against their fury. 19  
¶ In the ninth a wonderful history of a man in our time, which washed his hands & face in scalding lead. 24.  
¶ In the tenth, wonderful and strange histories of the jews. 26.  
¶ In theleventh, Floods and wonderful inundations of waters which 〈◊〉 happened in our time. 29.  
¶ In the twelfth, the wonderful death of Pliny, with a brief description of the causes of fire, which come of certain openings of the earth. 30  
¶ In the thirteenth, wonders of certain horrible Earthquakes chancing in divers provinces, with a deceit of Satan, who by his craft and subtlety made a Roman knight to throw himself headlong into a gulf. 33  
¶ In the fourteenth, wonders of two bodies knit togethers like two graffs in the trunk of a tree. 35  
¶ In the fifteenth, a history of a monster, who appeared to S. Anthonye in the desert. 37  
¶ In the sixteenth, a wonderful discourse of precious stones, their nature and property, which reasoneth of their procreation, and other strange things breeding in the bowels of the earth. 38  
¶ In the seventeenth, a wonderful history of two Princesses, being committed to the flames, unjustly accused, who were delivered by the virtue of their innocency. 45  
¶ In the eighteenth, a wonderful history of sundry strange fishes, Monsters, Mermaids, and other huge creatures, found and bred in the Sea. 47  
¶ In the nineteenth, wonders of Dogs which did eat Christians. 54  
¶ In the twentieth, a wonderful history of divers figures, Comets, dragons and flames, which appeared in heaven to the terror of the people, and whereunto the causes and reasons of them be assigned. 56.  
¶ In the .21. Flames of fire which have sprung out of the heads of divers 〈◊〉 61.  
〈…〉 22. A history very notable, of 〈…〉 loves, with a description of the dissolute life of three renowned Curtisanes. 62  
¶ In the .23. A wonderful history of a monster, out of whose belly issued an other man, all whole reserving the head. 69.  
¶ In the .24. Notable histories of many plants, with their properties and virtues, together with a wonderful rote of Baata, written of by josephus the Hebrew author. 70.  
¶ In the .25. Wonderful and excessive Banquets. 76.  
¶ In the .26. Certain wonderful discourses worthy of memory touching Visions, Figures and Illusions, appearing as well in the day as in the night and sleeping as waking. 82.  
¶ In the .27. A wonderful history of a monster, seen by Celius Rhodigenus. 98  
¶ In the .28. A monster on live, whose entrails and interior parts, were to be seen naked and uncovered. 100  
¶ In the .29. Of a prodigious Dog which engendered of a Bear and a mastiff bitch in England, seen by the Author at London, with the discourses of the nature of this beast. 101.  
¶ In the .29. A wonderful history of certain women which have brought forth a great number of children: and an other which bore her fruit v. years dead within her belly. 108  
¶ In the .31. A wonderful history of a monster having the shape of the face of a man, who was taken in the Forest of Haveberg, in the year .1531. whose purtraicte Georgius Fabritius sent to Gesnerus, naturally drawn. 110  
¶ In the .32. Of wonderful and strange famines. 112  
¶ In the .33. Of a Bird which hath no feet, and lives continually in the air, being never found upon the earth, or in the sea, but dead. 114  
¶ In the .34. Of a certain monstrous Serpent, having vij heads, bought by the Venetians, and sent into France embalmed. 117.  
¶ In the .35. A strange and wonderful history of two maids knit and conjoined back to back, seen in divers places, the one at Rome, the other at Verona. 123  
¶ In the .36. Of wonderful cruelty, in the which is a discourse of As●iages who caused Arpalus to eat the flesh of his own son. 125  
¶ In the .37. Of a monster brought forth into the world alive, having the shape of a man from the navel upward, and the rest like a dog. 128  
¶ In the .38. A notable complaint made by a monstrous man to the Senate of Rome, against the tyrannies of a Censor, which oppressed the poor people of the river of Danubie with rigorous exactions. 130  
¶ In the .39. Of a monstrous child having four feet and four arms brought into the world the same day that the Geneuois and Venetians were reconciled. 136  
¶ In the .40. A wonderful discourse of covetousness, with many examples touching that matter worthy of memory. 137  
¶ In the .41. A monster having the. wings & feet of a bird, brought forth at Ravenna, in the time of Pope july the second, and king jews the twelfth. 139  
¶ Of a strange monster taken up in the river of Tybre, in the year .1496. Fol. 140  
¶ Of a strange child borne in Almain in the year .1548. having but one leg and no arms, with a crevice or chink where his mouth should be. 140  
¶ Of a child borne in England in the year. 155●. which had two bodies, two heads, four hands, and three legs, and but one belly. 141.  
¶ Of a wonderful and strange monster borne in the year .1554. eod.  
¶ Of two wonderful monsters brought forth into the world in the year 1555. the one in Germany, the other in Savoy. 142  
¶ Of a monstrous Calf brought forth in Germany, in the year .1556. 143  
¶ A monstrous child borne in Germany in the year .1556. 144  
¶ Of a monstrous calf having the head, beard and breast of a man. eod.  
¶ Of three Suns seen at one time. 145  
¶ Of a shining Cross with a star at the top, and a Moon at the lower end, seen in the year .1567. eod.  
¶ Of two monsters. 146  
¶ A wonderful Dance. 147   
¶ The end of the Table.   

SUNDRY ABUSES and wonders of Satan. CHAPTER. j  
ALbeit Satan since the creation of the world hath performed his tyrannous reign in most provinces and places of the earth, with sundry subtleties and sophistical sleights to draw unto him an honour of the people, under a form of divers beasts & other creatures, yet it is affirmed both by sacred & profane authority, that the sovereign and omnipotent God hath given him more scope and liberty of rage against his people, in two places, than in all the world beside, whereof the first was in the Oracle of Apollo (a place very famous by report of histories) where he kept his school & open shop of villainous cruelty, for the space of 1000 or 1200. years, drawing the people not only to fall down & worship him, but also (according to his bloody disposition) he took upon him to give answer to their demands, with constraint for the most part, that afore he performed resolution of their questions, they should honour & perfume his house with incense and quick sacrifice of men, maids, & sometimes the fathers became murderers of their simple and innocent children, such was the blindness of the people, and such the sleight of this subtle serpent to enchant and charm their understanding: wherewith notwithstanding not satisfied, he kept a common storehouse of filthy gain & ravenous covetousness, & that under the pretence of religion, in such sort, that the most part of Kings & monarchs of the earth came to worship him in that place, enriching his temple with infinite treasures, and gifts of precious value, besides a number of stately Images form of massive Gold, the same so enlarging his territory, that of a little cave or hollow vault, wherein he kept residence at the beginning, within a small time he raised it up to a huge & proud City, wherein he so trafficked and practised his abominable trade with Pilgrims and strangers that came from far, setting such price of the pelf wherewith he abused the simplicity of the people, that (as Diodorus writeth) there was found at that time of his treasure above ten thousand talentes, amounting (according to the order of our account) to six Millions of gold. And now touching the description of the scite or situation of the place where this monstrous enemy to the life of man, performed his oracles, it was a desert and traggie mountain planted in Grecia, upon the breach or tip of a high and hard Rock (out of the which issued a sulphur or strong breath) whereupon was hung on high a cold spirit or figure wavering as the wind, and the mouth of this infernal cell did bestride certain grand paunches or big belied priests, cowering one close by an other, as though they would hatch young fry like themselves, who receiving the air or breath of the wind, and participating with the spirit and power of the devil, became as men enraged and without sense, braying out answer to the people upon their demands. This also gave further cause of wonder, touching the place, that he was so carefully guarded by devils, that no mortal man durst assail either him or his treasure amassed from so many parts of the world, the same moving cause of fear to Princes of the greatest power, and also to the mighty conqueror Xerxes, who notwithstanding being upon his conquest of Greece, following his covetous inclination to enrich himself with the spoil of Satan, attempted to pill his Temple, which as he was striving to bring to pass, that part of the Rock where Satan sat in his throne, upon a sudden overwhelmed and fell down upon his soldiers, the Elament began to open and cast forth flames of fire, with such terrible threats of thunder and lightning, that those which were upon the mountain fell down, some schortched to death by the vehemency of the fire, and some torn in pieces by other violence, that (as Trogus affirmeth) that assault was the bane of four thousand of his soldiers, which happened not only to him, for that the Frenchmen undertaking the like enterprise under the conduct of Brenus, who vowing to scale the mountain and sack the temple of Delphos▪ was resisted with a horrible quaking of the earth, which so shaked and disordered the hill, that the greatest part fell upon his army, and smothering who so ever was found either upon or under it, whereupon followed such terrible motions in the Elament, with storms, tempests, wind & hail mixed with sulphur and fume of fatal fire, that the most part of the army was consumed, & Brenus himself so sore wounded, that what with the anguish of his hurt, & impatience of his repulse, he sacrificed himself upon the point of his sword. The other special place where Satan keeps his majesty, usurping upon the people with a reverence as to a God, is yet in being in calicut, one of the most rich and famous cities of the indians, but after a more strange and hideous fashion than in the Oracle of Apollo, for that there he was rather masked than seen openly, where now (jealous belike of the honour of his creator) he is seen and worshipped under the most terrible and monstrous form that ever we see him drawn and painted in any place. And here he hath so surely seeled the eyes of this miserable people of calicut, that although they acknowledge God, yet do they worship and reverence the Devil with Sacrifice, incense, perfume and erection of Images, as if he were one of the Deity in deed. And albeit all that Province, which is of great circuit, together with their Kings & Rulers of the same, are resolved of the unity of one God, maker of heaven & earth, with other Elamentes and the whole World beside, yet Satan the father and first founder of all untruths, hath so prevailed amongst them with such subtle and sinister persuasions, that they believe that God being weary to debate the causes and controversies happening among men, hath committed unto him the charge of judgement upon earth, the same inducing this poor and ignorant people to think that God hath sent down that spirit of torment with power to do justice and reason to every cause and question amongst them: they call him by the name of Deumo, whose portrait the King keeps with great devotion in his Chapel, as a sanctuary or holy relic, placed in a stately chair with a Crown upon his head after the form of a Méetre, with a garnish of four horns, four huge teeth growing out of a monstrous mouth, a nose and eyes of the like proportion, his hands like to the paws of an Ape, and feet fashioned like a Cock, whose form (as you see) is both fearful and monstrous: so it agreeth with the furniture of the chapel wherein it is enclosed, being garnished with no other tables or pictures, than figures of little devils of the like regard. And yet is not this all: for their priests which they call Bramynes, have express charge to wash this Idol with sweet water and odoriferous balms: and then upon the sound of a bell to fall prostrate, and do sacrifice: neither doth the King eat any meat which is not offered afore by iiij. of those Priests to the mouth of the Idol, wherewith not satisfied with this ambitious abuse and usurpation of reverence in the Oratory of the King, is content (in more derogation of the honour of God) to suffer them to build him a stately Temple in the midst of an Island, form after the ancient manner, with two rows of Pillars, like to S. john's Church in Rome, wherein is placed with great ceremony, a huge Altar of stone, upon the which (by an ordinary custom is offered the twenty of December, being Christmas day, yearly by all the Gentlemen and priests within xxv days journey about, sacrifice and incense, with great assistance of all degrees of common people, who coming thither to get pardon and remission of their sins, are first anointed in the head with a certain oil, and then (by commandment of the Priests) they fall down afore the said Image set in great pomp upon the Altar, whom having worshipped in this extreme devotion, every man returns to his place of abode: besides (during the time of these ceremonies, which lasteth three days, there is free liberty proclaimed thorough all the land, that all murderers and heinous offenders whatsoever, shall come with assurance to this general remission, the same making the assembly so great, that (according to the witness of such as write of it) there are found yearly during that time above an hundredth thousand persons, whom this enemy to mankind hath so enchanted, with illusions, that they believe their sacrifice is done to God, & merits pardon at his hand, where in deed they honour the chief enemy to their own salvation: which ought to serve for example to such as participate with the light of God & his Gospel, to the end they labour to make appear their talon, and make a special treasure of the grace wherewith he hath endued them, seeing that the servant which knoweth the will of his Lord, and doth it not, standeth in more danger of blame before God, than he that is ignorant of it. And now to prevent all doubts and suspicion in such as may think these wonderful discourses to be made in the air, or matters of vain devise above the sun, I commend them to the authority of Paulus Venetus, Ludovicus Patricius Romanus, and of Vartomanus, in their Chronicles of the indians, by whom is set out a more large description of those wonders, not as understanded by others, or red in any author, but as things seen and assisted by themselves, and in their presence, assuring (for mine own part) all such as shall peruse my translation, not to commend throughout this whole book, any thing which is not confirmed with sufficient credit by some notable author, either Greek or Latin, Sacred or Profane. Some late writers affirm that this people of calicut have been reduced of late years to our true Religion, by the great and charitable travail of certain Ambassadors which the Kings of Portugal did send to discover those countries.   

¶ Wonders and advertisements of God sent upon the City of jerusalem, to provoke them to repentance. CHAP. ij.  
LEt us a little consider, Christians, how much this Oracle and wonder divine is differing from that going before: the one habitable, the other decayed: the one lost, despoiled and sacked: the other kept, repaired and dwelled in. And although we have proved how great and wonderful is the bounty and clemency of our God, whom albeit we have offended by an infinite multitude of abominable sins, yet notwithstanding he holds us his hand, calls us, warneth and wills us to return to him, showing by sickness and particular afflictions, sometimes by signs and wonders, which for the most part be messengers, trumpets, and forerunners of his justice, as it is evidently showed upon this miserable City of jerusalem, which remained still so drowned in her sin, that for any strange advertisement sent to her by God, she would not at any time be withdrawn from those vices. The signs and wonders by which the Lord foretold of the destruction of their City, be those which follow, written by joseph in the vij book of the Wars of the jews, and by Eusebe in his history Ecclesiastical. The first message which was sent them from heaven, was a Comet or blazing Star, in the fashion of a sword, which continued the space of a year, casting & hovering his beams over their City. The second chanced the xviij day of April, even when the people were assembled to solemnize the feast of the Azimes, at what time was seen so great a light about the Altar of the Temple, at the ninth hour of the night, that it seemed to them as if it had been plain day, and continued so clear the space of half an hour. The same day of the said feast an Ox (which they had sent to be sacrificed) calved in the midst of the Temple: and besides that, a door of the temple of brass, which was so heavy that there must be twenty men to make it fast at night, being tied with bars and locks of iron, opened the same time of itself, about the sixth hour of the night: Besides, the said joseph affirmeth further, which peradventure might seem a fable or dream, if those that saw them were not at this day living, and that these calamities were not come upon them, as worthy of so unhappy messages. It came to pass that a certain time, before the Sun set, they perceived in the air Chariots running through all the regions of Heaven, the armies which traversed the clouds, & environed certain cities. And the day of the feast, which they call Penticost, the Priests, having done the service divine, heard a certain brute, and incontinent heard a voice which said: Let us go from hence. But the last wonder is most fearful of all, that is: A simple man of the country, of base condition, the son of a peasant, called Nanus, the city being in peace, and full of all wealth, being ●ome to this feast, began at one instant to cry: A voice from the coast of the Orient, a voice from the coast of the Occident, and a voice from the four quarters of the winds: a voice against jerusalem and the Temple, a voice against the new married men and new married women, a voice against all that people: and howling and crying in this sort, went through all the streets of the City: whereof certain of the chief not brooking this summons of their City, made him to be beaten: but he would not answer any word to those that whipped him, but continued the same cry with extreme obstinacy: whereof the Magistrates astonished, knowing well enough that the same proceeded of some divine inspiration, made him to be carried to him which had the government of the Romans, the which made him to be so tormented, that his flesh was pluck from the bones: which notwithstanding, he continued so firm and constant that he would not let fall a simple tear, nor require them to stay their punishment: but to every blow of the whip which they gave him, he exclaimed the more, evil Fortune evil Fortune upon jerusalem: and being asked of Albyn which was judge, where he was borne, and wherefore he so lamented, he made no answer, not ceasing to bewail according to his accustomed manner the desolation of that miserable City. Which was the cause that Albyn judging him mad, suffered him to pass. And that which is most strange, he continued in this sort the space of seven years and five months, until the very destruction of the said City, without ceasing to use his accustomed cries, or making himself hoarse, not yielding thanks to those which gave him meat or drink. But rehearsing this doleful song to all such as came unto him, until the very time the City was besieged, and that Titus had given the assault & encamped before it: and then turning himself to the walls, began a fresh his noise, crying with a horrible voice: Evil Fortune upon the City, temple and all the people: after he had made an end of these words, and evil hap upon myself, a great stone cast by the enemies, suddenly slew him: and incontinent the Emperor Titus sacked and burnt the City, where the slaughter was so great (as joseph writeth) that during that siege there died eleven hundred thousand persons. And the ire of God was so fervent upon the poor jewish people, that after they had eaten all the filthy, sluttish and unclean meats they could get, in the end they were constrained, not only to eat the latchets of their shoes, but also their shoe soles dipped and steeped in water: and also the filthy Rats have served them for meat, and that which was most horrible, the mothers forced to make meat of the flesh of their children: so much was the fury of God kindled against this miserable City.   

¶ The wonderful death of sundry Kings, Princes, Bishops, Emperors and Monarques. CHAP. iij.  
AS amongst all the dignities of the world, there is not any to be found more excellent or wonderful than the magnificence of Kings, nor wherein is figured in more perfect form the very Image of divinity. Even so there is no state more perilous and subject to eclipse or mutation, nor that finds more sharp th●●rrowes and judgements of God, than those which degenerate from the excellent degree of honour, whereunto the voice of God hath called them. The which is sufficiently verified by a number of examples both sacred and profane. Wherein Croesus that great King of Lydie, (if he were risen from death) knew well what to say, the which publishing himself in all places to be the most fortunate King of the world, was in the end vanquished, overcome and burned by Cirus. Polycrates the renowned King of the Samiens, (as Valerius witnesseth) did not feel at any time so much the pricks of Fortune, being vanquished by Darius, as when he was betrayed and killed by his own Provost upon the height of a mountain. Valerius Emperor of the Romans overcome by Sapor king of the Perses, ended his life in such servitude, that the said Sapor made him not only his fot●stoole, but also used him as a stiroppe to alight upon his horse. Also the Emperor Diocletian, having left the Empire, died of the poison which he himself had prepared. But where is now that great King Xerxes, whose Navies and Sails of war overspread the whole Ocean? Or where is that invincible Hannibal, who by his extreme labour trenching the mountains, and making great hills equal with the valleys of the earth, and forced also the frozen Alps to yield passage to his army? In like sort Paulus Emilius, julius Cesar, Pompey, with others of infinite number amongst the Greeks and Romans, what is become of them, or what other pomp remains of their ancient glory and former Majesty, if not a simple fame to feed the succession of their age? yea, what other remembrance have we of them and their doings, if not a monument or register of report, for the which also they are bound to the Historians, in leaving to their posterity so large a pawn & witness of their painful life. Their bodies alas clothed with Purple, their Diadems, Perfumes, and other such vanities be 〈◊〉 consumed to bones & ashes, leaving worms as heirs to the rest of their glory, the which in the end shows herself so vain & slippery, that those which accounted their lives most fortunate, & judged even now to have reached the height of their prosperity, do feel themselves most sharply wounded by their malice. Hercules, albeit he passed so many perils both by sea and land, with the mortal encounters of huge monsters, yet did he embrace his bane in the arms of his delicate Deianeira. Alexander the great, who was of force to make a general conquest of the whole East world, passing each straight and danger of war without any mortal hurt to his person, was not able to shun the fatal cup of poison presented unto him. After julius Caesar had triumphed in .52. battles, with intent to sound the last retreat of war, with expectation to retire his bones from further toil, was killed in the Senate. Zeno, the twelve Emperor of Constantinople (albeit the sundry famous victories which he obtained) died not in his bed, but by the cruel and unnatural commandment of his wife was buried quick, not able to be succoured of any. Asclepius, the brother of Pompey, having been a continual pirate on the seas, the space of .22. years, and escaping the surging waves and terrible tempests of the same was in the end drowned by drawing water at a Well. Mempricius, a King of England, being on hunting, and lost of his company, was by the cruel fate of Fortune, denied other harbour of princely sepulture, than the bellies of the ravening Wolves. Drusus, having vanquished by valiant courage the Perthes, albeit he died not by any wounds gotten in those conflicts, but received with great pomp and triumph upon a Chariot at Rome, was in the end killed with a tile stone. Bazileus, the xxv Emperor of Constantinople, did not end his life in the cruel wars he had with the Saracens, but having taken truce with worldly vanities▪ was in hunting killed by a Hart. Charles king of Naverre, albeit he died not in performing sundry noble and valiant acts, yet being troubled and tormented with the pain of the gout: for whose help it was devised by the counsel of all his Physicians, to wrap the said King in a linen cloth dipped in Aqua vitae, which being kindled, in stead of present succour of his disease, he received his fatal bane, by being burned quick in the same. Otho, the third Emperor of that name, not so well able to foresee the subtle deceits of the wife of Crescentius, as to withstand the force and cruel assaults of war he endured at Rome against Crescentius, was poisoned by a pair of gloves which he received of her. Neither was the fearful and dangerous storms of wars, which Henry the vij Emperor proved during his life, such an impediment to the state of his health, as the cruel and subtle disposition of an abominable Monk, who gave end to his days, by the empoisoning of an host he ministered to him. john the xj Pope, ended not his days by the painful reading of the holy scripture or preaching God's word to his flock and charge, but he finished his term in a cruel prison, smothered with a pillow. Pope Benet the sixth, died not in pampering himself with sundry delicious and dainty banquets, as the most part of those romish prelate's do at this day: but he ended his days in prison by the pinching and gnawing pain of extreme famine. Pope Victor the third, deceased not from this vain and transitory life, as summoned by the messenger of old age, but celebrating the Mass, was compelled to yield up his vital breath by an infectious poison given him in the Chalice. Then if so many Monarches and renowned princes have ended their lives by so sundry and strange kinds of death, it is needful for those which follow, exactly to consider of the warnings & judgements of God, and especially such, by whose vile and detestable order of living, may be seen as in a glass, the due reward appointed for the same: for as the noble Marcus Aurelius saith, that after every evil fortune followeth a good hap, and after every ignominy ensueth great glory: even so I assure you (saith he) that for myself, I had rather my life were less glorious and my death more honourable: for as by an unfortunate death groweth great suspicion of a good life: so a good death often times excuseth an evil life. Wherein if so many kinds of deaths both of Kings and Emperors by us written, seem strange and fearful unto you, than those following will deserve more admiration, the same agreeing with our intent, for they be wonders, by the which we are instructed, that when the justice of God is inflamed against us, and that he shoots his arrows as a sharp punishment for our offences, he maketh his ministers and executors of his just anger, the little and insensible worms of the earth, neither doth his wrath fall altogether upon the vulgar or people of mean condition, but hath also like force upon Princes and degrees of great callings, whereof appears a familiar experience in the monstrous death of a King & Bishop, recorded already under the seal and authority of 40. or 50. Historians, of no less credit than undoubted truth, all which agree in one, that King Popeil reigning in Poloniae, 246. years after Christ, was wont amongst his particular cursings to use this blasphemous oath: If this be not true, I would the Rats might gnaw me: wherein he received the just hire of so execrable an oath, for in the end he was devoured as you shall read hereafter. The father of King Popeill feeling himself to decline from the vanities of this miserable and uncertain pilgrimage, left the government and state of the Realm to the disposition of the two uncles of his son, men no less honoured of all the country for the nobleness of their hearts, than well liked for their sincerity of life towards God. Popeill being come to his full age, his father deceased, and the young man having caught betwixt his teeth the bit of the bridle, began to give himself unto all wantonness and riotous living, in such sort that in few days he became so shameless in evil and abominable doings, that he left no kind of vice unassayed, in so much that in the end he cruelly poisoned his two uncles: which wicked and unnatural fact performed, caused himself to be crowned with a cap of flowers perfumed with precious ointments: & the more to solemnize the first entry of his reign, he caused to be prepared a sumptuous & delicate banquet, whereunto all the Princes and nobles of his Realm were summoned: And as they were banqueting, behold, an infinite multitude of Rats rising from the dead and putrefied corpses of his two uncles, the which he with his wife had empoisoned, began to assail that cruel tyrant amidst his delights: the Archers of his Guard offering to resist the same with main hand, travailed in vain, for they encountered him day and night, that the poor men cried alas, being altogether unable to defend their master from the rage of these beasts, by reason whereof, it was thought good by the advise of his counsel to environ the Prince with fire, & not knowing that the power of man is any way able to resist God's appointment, they performed their devise, which was no impediment or let to the rats, who passing the hot flames of fire without any let, to the admiration of all men, ceased not to gnaw & devour this miserable murderer of his uncles. His counsel seeing their first intent frustrate & of none effect, caused him to be carried in a boat into the midst of a river. But these beasts not fearing the rage of the water, assailed the boat on every side with such rage and impetuosity, that the boate-men defending the same in vain, understanding it to proceed of some divine fury, were constrained to thrust the boat to land, committing the king to the mercy of these beasts, and he seeing himself abandoned of all humane succour, not knowing what to do, he and his wife fled into a tower, where in the end by the fury of these little creatures they received the just guerdon of their unnatural & malicious murder. In like manner the Almain● in all their Chronicles and reports, make mention of the like history of one Hato. the xxxij Archbishop of Magence, at what time there was a cruel famine in the land, this Bishop or ravening Wolf, seeing the poor people surpressed with the gnawing rage of famine (and especially those of his province) determined (I can not tell by what instinct of the devil) to gather together a great number of them into a grange, where in stead of relief in this their great and miserable dearth and hunger, he committed them to the mercy of the furious and raging flames of fire, whereupon he being asked, why he had showed so vile and execrable tyranny on these miserable and innocent creatures, he answered: That he burned them, for that they differed little or nothing from Rats, which served for no other use than to consume corn. Albeit God (as witnesseth the Prophet, having care of the little sparrow) would not suffer this great tyranny unpunished, for immediately he stirred up an infinite numbered of Rats to the utter destruction and ruin of this vile murderer, who fleeing for his more safeguard into a tower built in a water, was by the express commandment of God eaten by these rats to the very bones, which remain at this day, interred in the monastery of S. Albyn, in Magence, and the Tower where this abominable pastor ended his days, is yet in being, and is called Rats tower. Whereof Munster, amongst many others, makes mention in his universal cosmography, to be the place where he was borne. This needs not seem strange to those which have red histories: for Lice (which be much less than Rats) could not be prevented by no kind of physic or medicines, from devouring and consuming the Emperor Arnoull, leaving him nothing but sinews and bones. In like sort, the great Monarch Antiochus, willing to blot out of memory the name of God forth of the ●inagoge, and bring in the worshipping of Idols, saw issue out of himself a great number of worms, and thereby not only plunged in great dolour, but also his whole army infected with the stink of that corruption which issued from him. You may also read in the second book of the Maccabees and the xix chapter, of a King who being full of pride and ambition (took upon him not only to stay the waves of the Sea, and poise in balance great mountains, but also thought himself able to touch the Stars of Heaven) is now by the just judgement of God so much embased, that there is no man able to endure the stink and corruption of his body.   

¶ A wonder of a monstrous King, wherein is showed in what peril they be which command, and others that have the government of the public weal. CHAP. iiij.  
ARistotle, Xenophon, Plato, and generally all those which have treated or written of the policy of man, affirm by their writings, that there is nothing more hard and difficult, than to govern well or command a public weal, for (say they) the abundance of goods and honours into the which most Princes be customably converted, liberty to do evil without controlment, together with the corrupt counsel of those which assist them, be the true matches to light them to all vices: so that if we would but diligently search in order the discourses and histories of both kinds, we shall find the number of evil Kings, Emperors and Monarques given to sedition and wickedness, exceed far the proportion of such as have governed and lived well: for being once invested with the robes of authority, and supping the pleasant juice distilling from the grape of Regal state, they seldom or never bridle their affections, but suffer themselves so to be overwhelmed and fall headlong into the Labyrinth of sundry vices. For an experience whereof we may be bold to prefer the example of S. Paul, whose life and virtue remains of great fame by the sacred records, until the Lord made a trial of him, by calling him to the government of his elected people of Israel, when he fell from the path of his ancient virtue, and became an enemy to his maker, and a contemner of his laws. Solomon in the beginning of his reign, how wonderful was he? whose renown, remembrance and wisdom is spread through all the parts of the world, and being once stalled in the theatre of glory, gave himself over to the delights of women, by which means he became deprived and void of the happy blessing and grace of God. Calygula, Mitredates and Neron, gave not they sufficient shows at their first entry or beginning, of much nobleness and bounty? but the sequel and issue was such that all the earth was infected with their detestable tyrannies and abominable cruelties: and of xxij Kings of juda there were scarcely to be found above five or six which followed the true path of godly living and virtue: wherein who so list carefully to read the lives of the Kings of Israel from jeroboam the son of Naboth, until the very last, which were in number but xix shall find that they were evil ministers and husbands of the public weal. In like sort the Romans, whose common wealth hath been accounted to flourish most of all the world with good governors, have found amongst them Augustus, Vespasian, Titus, Antonius Pius, Antonius Verus and Alexander Severus: but as their lives make just declaration of their noble and virtuous living and politic government, even so the rest as far surmounteth them for wicked and abominable kinds of living. And if you will behold with due regard and judgement, the lives and renouns of the Greeks, Assyrians, Persians, Medes and Egyptians, you shall find more evil spoken for their wickedness, than honour for their virtuous living. All which matters be sufficiently proved and avouched by the great king Antiochus, who the first time he was presented with the Regal sceptre, and before he was therewith crowned (as Valerius writeth) he beheld it with good judgement, crying with a loud voice, said: O Diadem more noble than fortunate, if the most part of the Princes of the earth which by sword and fire seek to obtain thee, were as willing to search with good advise & due regard to shun the miseries & calamities, which (as companions) be annexed unto thee, they would then scarce vouchsafe to lift thee from the earth: & not without cause, for if any ambitious man will measure according to right, and weigh in just balance the delights and honours with the dangers and perils which follow the crown, he will find for one pound of Honey, ten pounds of Wormwood, not counting the peril incident to the poor people wherewith he is charged: for if it chance the Prince be dysordred and of wanton life, the people most commonly frame themselves to imitate his doings, who (as Herodianus writeth) be but the badges of Princes, and do nothing but what they see their Princes do before. Wherefore seeing that Prince's Kings and Monarques be the common fountains whereunto all men should resort and drink, and they be theaters whereupon all the world ought to look for pureness of life, and further serve as torches to give light to all men walking in the dark cave of wicked doings, if these sin (as Plato saith) the example is no less hurtful to all their subjects, than to be abhorred in themselves. Let them therefore use such regard and moderation in their doings, with such respect to an integrity of life, that they be found perfect in the account which they have to yield to the Lord, lest he set abroach the vessel of his anger, and rain the shower of revenge as he did upon the miserable King Nabuchodonosor the four King of the babylonians, who (as Daniel witnesseth in his first chapter) felt so sharply the heavy hand and justice of God, that he was exiled and banished from his kingdom the space of vij years, wandering and living in the deserts with brute beasts, and being naked, remained in that estate beaten not only with heat and cold, but also with hail and dew, until he was covered with hair like unto the Eagle, & his nails like to birds. Here all men may see as in a glass, an example, spectacle and wonder worthy to be noted, that he having at commandment a whole kingdom, and served as a King with all delicate viands, was taken into the deserts, and there fed and banqueted with wild beasts. Yea, he which had been invested with purple and decked with precious jewels, was by the hand of God so much embased, that he was covered with no other garment than with hair, a clothing natural to all brute beasts.   

¶ Of the bringing forth of Monsters, and the cause of their generations. CHAP. v.  
Having showed in order in these chapters before, how Kings, Emperors, Bishops and monarchs be no more exempted from the wonderful judgement of God, than the common or vulgar sort: It resteth now according to our purpose, to search and sift those matters more near a truth, to the end we may bring to light the horrible monsters and fearful wonders found amongst the common people. And that the philosophy and contemplation of those things might be made more manifest, and painted in their true colours, it is needful before we pass any further, to declare the causes whereupon they proceed and are borne. It is most certain, that these monstrous creatures, for the most part do proceed of the judgement, justice, chastisement and curse of God, which suffereth that the fathers and mothers bring forth these abominations, as a horror of their sin, suffering themselves to run headlong, as do brute beasts without guide to the puddle or sink of their filthy appetites, having no respect or regard to the age, place, time or other laws ordained of Nature, wherein S. Gregory amongst divers other examples taught us in his Dialogues, showeth the incontinency and abominable desire of a Nurse, who made herself with child, by an Infant of the age only of ix years: And for a proof herein, S. Hierom affirmeth by oath, that there was an other infant of the age of ten years, the which was so inflamed by the wanton regards and amorous countenances of his Nurse, that she made him to lie with her, being of the age as afore, and got her with child. These be the matters that Osee crieth out of in his ix chapter, saying: These abominable doings, according to their loves, even when they have nourssed their children, I will destroy, in such sort that they shall never become men, yea I will plague the womb where they took their beginning, the breasts that gave them suck, and dry up the very root, that it bring forth no more fruit: and if they craunce to engender, I will also commit to death the fruit of their belly. All which is confirmed by the prophet Esdras in his .v. Chapter, where amongst other cruel cursings, wherewith the Angel threatened Babylon, it is expressly said: That women performing the desire of the flesh being in their Sanguine menstruali, bring forth these monsters. And although this monstrous fruit be very often a witness of the incontinency & sin of the parents: yet it is not always true, nor happeneth in one place: for there be many fathers and mother's chaste and continent, which bring forth their children defective, as S. john showeth in his ix chapter, of a poor man which was blind from his nativity, who having received his sight by the merciful goodness and grace of jesus Christ, was asked of his disciples, whether his own sin, or his parents, were the cause that he was borne blind. But Christ willing to declare to them, that they ought not to accuse the parents for the defaults of their children, answered, that it was neither the sin of him, his father or mother, but to the end to show in him the wonderful and marvelous works of God. The ancient Philosophers amongst others, which have searched the secrets of Nature, have declared other great causes of this wonderful and monstrous childbearing, which Aristotle, Hypocrates, Empedocles, Galene, and Pliny, have referred to an ardent and obstinate imagination, which the Woman hath, whilst she conceives the child, which hath such power over the fruit, that the beams and Charrecters, continue upon the rock of the infant, whereupon they find an infinite number of examples to prove the same, worthy of memory, the which albeit may seem but jests or fables, if the authority and truth of those which writ them, were not their sufficient warrant. And for a further certainty thereof, Damascenus a grave▪ author doth assure this to be true, that being present with Charles, the four Emperor and king of Boeme, there was brought to him a maid, rough and covered with hair like a bear, the which the mother had brought forth in so hideous and deformed a shape, by having too much regard to the picture of S. john clothed with a beasts skin, the which was tied or made fast continually during her conception at her beds feet. By the like means Hypocrates saved a princess accused of adultery, for that she was delivered of a child black like an Ethiopian, her husband being of a fair and white complexion, which by the persuasion of Hypocrates, was absolved and pardoned, for that the child was like unto a Moor, accustomably tied at her bed. Read of this in Genesis upon S. Hieroms' questions, without musing or being curious to bring in the testimonies of Philosophers & other doctors, verifying the same by the authority of Moses the great prophet and secretary of GOD in the thirtieth Chapter of Genesis, where he plainly showeth, how jacob deceived Laban his father in law, and thereby enriched himself with his cattle, having peeled a rod, and put the beasts to drink, to the end the Goats and Sheep, beholding the diversity of the colours of this rod, might bring forth their little ones, marked with sundry several marks. Besides these causes spoken of before of the generation of Monsters, the best learned in the secrets of Nature, have yet assigned us others: for Empedocleus and Dephilus do attribute the same to come of the superabundance or default and corruption of the seed and womb, whereof they prefer divers similes by the disposition of sundry metals and other things, which melts and yields with the heat of fire or sun, for if the matter or substance which a man goes about to melt, be not well boiled, purified and confected, or the mould be not well cast, the image or effect of such work will appear imperfect, hideous and deformed. The Astrologians (as Alcabitius) have referred these monsters to the influence of the stars, judging that if the Moon be in certain degrees and conjunctions when the woman conceiveth, her fruit shallbe monstrous. Even so julius Maternus writeth, & after him very learnedly the lawyer Alciates, upon the title and signification of these words and matters, that sometimes these monsters be engendered of the corruption and filthy unsavoury meats, as burning coals, man's flesh, and other like things that women desire after they have conceived, the which is very contagious and hurtful to their fruit: whereof we have a notable example in Levinius Lemnius in his first book of the hidden Secrets of Nature, in a certain Matron of Belges great with child of two infants, who lusting to eat the flesh of a fair boy, whom she beheld at unwares, and fearing he would refuse her demand, being pressed without measure of that unruly appetite, fell upon him, tearing the flesh of his hand with her teeth, and devoured the same suddenly: All which the infant abode in respect to satisfy her longing. And as she returned to play the like part again, the child grieving at her cruelty, withstood her. Whereof being ashamed and full of despite, after she had lived certain days in continual melancholy, she brought forth two twins, the one alive, and the other dead. Whereupon the physicians called together, to argue upon the cause of this child bearing, found that the denial of the second morsel of the boy's flesh was the occasion thereof. Behold in effect the causes most frequented, touching the bringing forth of monsters, gathered according to the opinion of the best learned authors, both Greeks and Latins. Resting yet over & above all those kind of artificial monsters, who be most familiar to these vagabonds & uncertain people, traveling through all provinces, with divers abuses and deceitful legerdemains, wherewith they abuse the simplicity of the people, in getting their money. These masked pilgrims, or rather absolute hypocrites, studying nothing but the philosophy of Satan, as soon as their children be borne, & whilst their sinews & bones be tender & flexible, with small force, will not stick to break their arms, crush their legs, & puff up their belly with some artificial powder, defacing their noses with other parts of the face: & sometime pecking out their eyes, & all to make them appear monstrous, whereof besides the familiar examples of our miserable time, there was great experience in Asia, in the time of Hypocrates, as appeareth in his book, de aere & locis.   

¶ The general causes of the generation of Monsters, with many notable Histories touching the same. CHAP. vj.  
THe Ancients of old time had these monstrous creatures in so great horror, that if they fortuned to meet any of them by chance in their way, they judged it to be a foreknowledge of their misfortune: and to believe it the more, the Emperor Adryan, chancing to see a Moor at unwares, assured himself to die immediately. The soldiers of Brutus, being ready to join battle with the army of Octauus Caesar, having encountered an Ethiopian in their way, prognosticated that they should lose the battle, which happened according to their imagination. In like manner, the ancient Romans had these deformed creatures in such disdain, that they straightly charged, that the misshapen, or having any other vice upon their body, should not be received amongst the virgins Vestales, 
Gellius lib. j cap. 12.  as Fenestellus teacheth in his book of the Magistrates and worthy men of Rome. But that which is most to be marveled at, is that God forbade Moses, not to receive them to do sacrifice amongst his people, as you may read more at large in the first chapter of Malachy, & the xxj of levit. Wherein S. Hierom having fully considered these abuses, in an Epistle written to a virgin called Demetriade, complains of those Christians which offer unto God those children, or put them into religious houses, being crooked, lame, & deformed, having yet a matter more strange, which julius Obsequius, and other authors have written of among the Roman wonders, wherein they credibly report, that the ancient Romans had these little monstrous creatures in such abomination, that as soon as they were borne, they were immediately committed to the river of Tiber, there to be nourished. But we being better brought up, and fostered in a school of more humanity, knowing them to be the creatures of GOD, suffer them to be brought to the church, there to receive the holy sacrament of Baptism, as may be seen in the figure of these two Maids, embracing each other, joined together by a strange infirmity of nature, who were seen to live in our age of many thousand persons, in form or shape such as you see them portraited. And to the end the history of their nativity might be the better understanded, I will declare that which Sebastian Munster writeth, who saw them, and beheld their unnatural order at large, in the year, as he said, a thousand four hundred fourscore & xu and in the month of September, A woman brought forth a monster nigh to the city of Worms, upon the right side of the river of Rhine, in a village called Bristante, which was two maids, having their bodies entire and knit together by the forehead, so that there was not any artificial or humane policy to divide them asunder, as mine author saw them at Magence, in the year .1501. and being six years of age were constrained to go together, which was pitiful to behold: for as the one marched forwards, the other of force recoiled backwards: they rose together, and slept together, their noses touching so nigh, that they could not turn their eyes but one way, their foreheads joining togethers, hanged over their eyes, letting thereby the just course of their sight: and living till they were ten years of age, the one of them died, who being separated and taken from the other, the hurt she received in the separation from her dead sister, was the only cause she died immediately. Behold here (saith he) the cause of this monstrous birth, two women talking together, the one of them being great with child, there came a third woman (not knowing that either of them were with child) and suddenly thrust their heads togethers as they talked, wherewith she with child was astonished, whereupon grew this monstrous child bearing. And to confirm the same to be of more troth, Cardan affirmeth in his books de Subtilitate, saying: That the astoonishment was some help to tie these two infants togethers: albeit he alleged further cause of this unnatural birth.   

¶ A wonderful and horrible monster of our time, upon the discourse of whom, the question is asked, whether Devils can engender and use the works of Nature. CHAP. seven.  
THis hideous monster, whose portrait is here set out, was born in base Pologne, in the noble city of Cracovie, in the month of February and year of grace .1543. or as some writ) 1547. and upon the even of the conversion of S. Paul: who although he were begotten of honourable parents, yet was he most horrible, deformed and fearful, having his eyes of the colour of fire, his mouth and nose like to the snout of an Ox, with an horn annexed thereunto like the trump of an Elephant, all his back shag hairde like a dog, and in place where other men be accustomed to have breasts, he had two heads of an Ape, having above his navel marked the eyes of a cat, and joined to his knee and arms four heads of a dog, with a grinning and fierce countenance: the palms of his feet and hands were like to those of an ape: and amongst the rest, he had a tail turning up so high, that the height thereof was half an elle: who after he had lived four hours died, saying only: Watch, the Lord cometh. And although this creature were monstrous, yet have not sundry learned authors failed to deck him with their pens, as Gasparus Pucerus in his books of Teratoscopia, of Hieronymus Cardanus, of Munsterus, and amongst all the rest very excellently written of in the Latin tongue by Gasparus Bruchius. But albeit Egidius Facius, having made mention of this monster in his book de Cometa, saith that he can not be persuaded, that a creature so horrible and monstrous should be begotten of a humane creature, but rather of some wicked spirit. Me seems that in searching and canvasing this matter, the most excellent and learned Philosophers sithence the creation of the world, till our time, have greatly molested and troubled themselves, in deciding the doubts of this question, which is, Whether devils can engender, conceive, and use the works of nature as other creatures do. Some thought they could: and for a more testimony therein, do assure us by their writings, that Plato was begot of a maid, by one in the likeness of Apollo, wherein the ancient Annatists and Chroniclers, which have committed to memory the sundry acts of Almaigne, have thereby showed, that the women of the Goathes as they were wandering by the deserts of Scythie, were got with child of Devils, whereupon one of them brought forth a monster. And others, as Pisellus, were not content only to say, that devils could engender, and that the most part of the beasts of the earth were by them brought forth and engendered. Wherefore Lactantius Firmian a grave author, whom S. Hierom before exalteth, believeth that these devils were capable of generation, and that they have engendered, as he showeth in the ten chapter of the second book of his divine institutions. Agrippus in every of his books, and Hieronymus Cardanus in his treatise De rebus contra naturam, seams to have followed this opinion: and the more to confirm his saying, he reciteth one history of a young damsel of Scotland which was got with child of an enchanting devil, thinking that he had been a fair young man which had lain with her, whereupon she brought forth so horrible a monster, that he feared all those which assisted her in her travail, in such sort that the midwife and all the rest of the sage and grave women, were constrained incontinent to cast him in the fire: the said Cardanus reciteth yet an other like example, rehearsed by Thomas Liermont, of an other woman which was got with child of a wicked spirit, and for confirmation of the matters heretofore rehearsed, all the writers of the Chronicles of England, marvel not so much at any thing, as at the strange nativity of the prophet Marlin, who persuade absolutely that he was begotten of a devil: which with many other like matters although many notable persons have assured to be things of truth, yet truly they be altogether false, deceitful, and not only repugnant to nature, but also to our religion, by the which we are taught to believe that there was never any man begotten without humane seed, saving the son of God. But as Cassianus saith, what an absurdity, repugnancy and confusion would it be to nature, if it were lawful for devils incube and succube, to conceive men, or men to be conceived and brought forth of them: and although that sithence the creation of the world, even till our time, devils have begotten monsters through out all mankind, casting therein the intrailles of beasts, believing that by the perturbations of their seed, they have brought forth a great number of monsters and wonders, confessing very well: (such as S. Augustine hath not denied) that these devils transforming themselves very often into the shapes of men and women, may use the works of nature, and have to do with women & men, for to entice & stir them to the filthy lust of the flesh, the rather by that means to beguile and deceive them, as the ancients heretofore have not only proved, but it is also experimented at this day, in divers provinces and places, that devils by transforming them into the shapes as afore is rehearsed, have to do with divers persons: whereof james Ruffus in his books De conceptu & generatione hominis, testifieth, that in his time there was a wicked spirit had to do by night with a common woman, being transformed into the likeness of a man, whereupon she became immediately with child, which when she perceived, she fell into so strange a kind of disease, that her entrails fell from her belly, which could not be holp or made sound by any device of physic. He writes an other like unto this of the servant of a butcher, who being extremely plunged in the vain cogitations of filthy and wicked lust, and thereby astonnished, he saw incontinent before his eyes a devil in the shape or figure of a fair woman, with whom he had to do, & immediately his privy part & members were in such sort inflamed, that he judged there was burning within his body a continual fire, whereof as I have brought forth these two examples, so could I justify the same with divers others, written not only by Philosophers, but also by the Ecclesiastical writers, who confess that devils by the permission of God, or rather for a punishment of our sins, might so abuse both men and women: but to say, that any such conjunction could engender any such matter as we have aforesaid, that is not only false, but altogether repugnant and contrary to our law.  
And as concerning the Prophet Marlin, and many other like examples, whose nativity hath abused very many, steadfastly believing that he was begotten of a devil, we confess therein as we have done before, that his mother might have the company of a devil, but that she could engender is no less unlikely than impossible, albeit it may be presumed and believed that she was with child, considering the authorities of diverse histories, approving therein chiefly the legerdemain and subtlety of the devil, to whom they allow a certain possibility with the assistance of his Charms to make the belly swell, troubling and corrupting the humours of the body, which women taste in the time of child bearing, and at the instant of delivery he may so enchant the eyes of the wives and company assistant, having also a strange child stolen from some other place, to exchange for the creature new borne, that the simple mother may also be persuaded that such conception and generation proceeded of the devil: whereof, besides the confirmation of antiquities, we have a familiar example remaining yet within memory and view, in a young Damsel of Constance called Magdaleine, in service with one of the richest magistrates of the town, who, reporting to all men in common, that the devil one night had lain with her and gotten her with child, was by and by put in prison by the officers, to see an effect and end of her big belly, the painful hour whereof being come, after she was pinched with every pang, which do happen to women in that torment, and the women in expectation to receive the fruits of nature, her womb opened, and yielded into the hands of the Midwife certain iron nails, thick tronchions, or ends of knotted staves, glass, bone locks of hair, hurds of flax, hemp & stones, with other trumpery of loathsome & hideous regard, whereof the devil by his conjuration and other hellish art, had made an assembly in that place, to abuse the simplicity of such as are apt to repose certainty in such vain and deceitful charms: all which is advouched by Licostenes Amberlachius, & jacob. Ruffus, a notable physician of Zurick in his book de hominis generatione. Neither need it seem either strange or incredible to such as have noted the epistles and records of S. Paul, where he did only change his shape into the likeness of an Angel of light, to deceive the people, but also in diverse places addressed himself to our saviour Christ, with intent to seduce him. But because we have better occasion to discourse at large of such villainies in an other part of this work, where we mean to move question whether they have bodies or no, we will end for this time, with this resolution that albeit such wicked spirits may communicate with the lusts and provocations of the flesh, yet are they both void of seed, and without mean of generation: for that as there is no difference nor division of kind between them, so they can not be neither man nor woman.   

¶ Sundry sorts of lightnings, with wonderful thunders and tempests happening in our time, with the peril and harms proceeding of the same, and certain defensible means against their fury. CHAP. viii.  
WHo goeth about to make particular description of the desolation and destruction of divers ancient and rich Cities, Theatres, Castles, towers, piles, pillars, & churches, of sumptuous and of stately regard, overthrown and defaced by the violence of lightening, thunder, and other raging fury and tempests of the air, had need of the assistance of long time, and a large volume to pack up such great and strange matters, which maketh me leave all antiquities & records of ancient date to a long leisure, and touch only in this treatise such things as happening amongst ourselves, are also confirmed by our own view and memory, the same being of familiar experience, may also stir up in us speedy remorse of conscience, with a more dutiful regard & fear of the marvelous effects of the infallible justice of god. At such time then as the french garrison was within Milan, which according to the chronicles was anno. 1521. the said town was so assailed with sundry strange storms of lightning, that the citizens despairing of longer life, yielded to the mercy of God, with expectation to be presently consumed with the flame of that torment, which amongst other places of the town, seemed to thunder his most force upon the castle, wherein was kept both the treasure of the town, munition, & other furniture of war, with great store of Canon powder commonly called Gunpowder, which, being of itself rather apt to yield to the lest spark of fire that is, than able to contend with any thing that is hot, was immediately all in a flame by force of such flashes as came from the opening of the element, & so raged upon the tower wherein it was laid, that in one instant it was razed and made flat with the earth, burning & blowing up sundry lodgings & bulwarks of the Castle, in such sort, that what with the strength of the powder and fury of the fire, there were forced up into the air stones of an unreasonable bigness, whereof certain of them fell & redounded upon the two chief Provosts, whom they bruised and burned to ashes: other brake in pieces the arms, legs, and other parts of all such as unhappily were within their power, the same performing such effects of mortality upon the garrison there, that of two hundred soldiers, were scarcely 〈◊〉 on live a dozen, being also of no less marvel to behold the number of huge corner stones cast out into several places of the city and fields thereabout, the space of .v. or uj C. passes, of such weight and greatness, that the strength of twenty Oxen were scarce able to remove them from the earth: and yet is there not such cause of wonder in these terrible messengers and tokens of God's wrath, as we read fell upon the late miserable and desolate city of Malynes▪ parcel of the dominion of the Spanish King, within his Duchy of Brabant, the vij of August .1521. about xj of the clock in the night, which was afflicted with such horrible calamity that way for the time, that the like hath not been remembered by any report, nor seen in any age afore. For the thunder made tremble and shake in such sort this miserable city, that the townsmen looked when the earth should open and swallow them into her entrails: After which fearful brute and horrible noise in the clouds, began to appear in the bottom of the Element, a flame resembling a burning torch, casting a stink or loathsome smell like unto sulphur and brimstone, driving the people into such indifferent fear & amaze, that they were neither able to take counsel of the case, and much less judge the cause of so tragical a view, until at last the cry was thorough the whole town, that the fire of heaven was fallen upon the strong tower and gate of brass, wherein did lie eight or ix barrels of gunpowder: which immediately grew to such a mortal confusion of all degrees of people within the walls, that the very remembrance of so monstrous a slaughter, may move terror to any heart with what metal of hardness soever it be stamped: for the noise was no sooner begun, but the tower was converted into ashes, & the gate divided into 10000 pieces, with like fury upon the walls next adjoining, who were so thoroughly defaced & turned up, that the very foundation was disclosed, & their greatest stones conveyed furthest from the City, their ditches and ponds full of water drained and made dry by the extreme heat of the fire: the day after were found (according to the authority of the chronicle) about the said tower & gate above .400. dead bodies, besides .140. mortally wounded and almost torn in pieces, amongst which was found a big bellied woman stricken dead, whose womb being ripped, did yield a child on live, and after baptized, whose picture or figure appeareth in the portraicte. Some had their heads taken from their bodies, as cunningly as it had been carved with a sword or sharp axe for the nonce: other some as they were playing at cards in a Tavern or tippling house, were all destroyed with the lightning, and converted into cinders, except the hostess or her maid that was gone into the cellar for wine. Amongst such as were reserved on live in this horrible slaughter, was one man, who hiding himself in a stony vault during the extremity of the storm, durst not come out for any persuasion, for three days after the tempest, when he demanded with great fear whether the world stood still or not. To conclude, there was neither temple, chapel, nor other place of sanctuary free from the fury of this tempest, nor any corner of the town dispensed withal for his malice, the same raging indifferently upon the whole city, leaving it so tottered and defaced, that if there were pain in enduring the afflictions, there is no less cause of pity now to remember so great a desolation. Neither is it enough for the contentment of the reader, nor sufficient to the discharge of my intent, to prefer (as it were) patterns and familiar experience of these monstrous quarrels (skirmishes of the air and Element above (if in some sor●e I make you not privy to the causes and motions of the same▪ Whereof for a first authority, Aristotle in his Metheors and books of the world, giveth this reason: There be two sorts of vapours (saith he) which ascend continually from the earth into the air, whereof the one is hot & moist, and withal very massy and heavy, which makes a stay of them in the middle region of the air, where they are converted into a heavy thickness or gross corruption, and in the end dissolved into watery humours, as rain, hail, snow, and other like: the other exhalations derived of the humours of the earth, and drawn up by the violence of the air, be of a more dry and hot disposition, which makes them lighter in weight, the same procuring them to a higher Mount, even to the uttermost region, where the extremity of the heat forceth them to a fiery flame, whereof proceed those blazing Comets, dragons, and other like wonders in the Element, which stir up an amaze in the people being ignorant of the cause. And if it happen that those dry vapours get place within any cloud, they do so pierce and penetrate the most subtle part of it, that there is forced a present vent, which is the lightning and trembling of the heaven, from the vehemency of which conflict within the clouds, do proceed the thunders and rattling of the skies, in such sort, that it seemeth most often that the noise is in the air and the trembling in the earth. And yet be not all tempests and storms of wether, referred altogether to causes natural (albeit it be the opinion of Aristotle, and by him very diligently searched: for that at certain times, devils and evil spirits) (whose dominion and power (as S. Paul writeth) is chief in the air▪ do stir up and breed such monstrous motions, when God is contented to give them that liberty, which is very well approved by divers examples▪ as well of profane as sacred record. And first of all in job, where Satan having obtained (as it were) a licence or safe conduct of the Lord, consumed by tempest and fire, the servants and cattle of the Prophet: the like being also in experience amongst the ethnics, for that (according to diverse of their records of credit) at such time as the temple of Hamon, of so great estimation among the Lybians, flourished, Satan abused the people by many false miracles and sleights of slender substance, making them worship him under the form and figure of a Belier, or by which means having heaped together an infinite treasure, and Cambyses king of Persia, sending his army to spoil it, and sack the temple: the Devil stirred up such storms and angry motions in the Element of thunder and lightnings, that the fury and flame thereof, consumed and smothered above Fifty Thousand persons. Pliny also, with divers others of the ancients affirm, that the etrurians did so curiously observe and mark the signs and motions in the Thunders, that they did not only calculate of the success, but also gave judgement of the effect of divers things, and seemed able (as it were by a predestination and forewarning appearing in these mystical influences of the Heavens) to determine and appoint the very day of the death and life of sundry great estates: for example whereof, not long afore the fatal day of the Emperor Augustus Cesar, the thunder had defaced the first letter of his name, as it stood engraved upon a pillar within the wall, which the Augurers construed to a speedy destruction of the emperor, and that he had but a hundred days to live, the rather because C being taken away, there rested but Esar, which signifieth in the Hetrurian tongue God, and the Romans by the letter C, account an hundred, so that they both agreed, that by the stroke of that thunder taking away C, was figured the death of Cesar, & that within the hundredth day he should be with the Gods. Which chanced accordingly, for that the day of his death agreed with the sentence of their prediction. A thing sure of great wonder, the rather for that therein appeareth a marvelous power and subtlety of the Devil, who by his Art seemeth to discover, and prognosticate the death of so great an Emperor. Aristotle, with divers others of exquisite skill in the study and revelation of such mysteries, have divided the effects and operations of those Lightnings and Thunders into three degrees: the one burneth and consumeth all that cometh within his power: the other scorcheth and maketh black every thing it toucheth: the third exceedeth them all in nature and quality, and is almost utterly unknown to all the Philosophers, for that it draineth and drieth up the Wine or other liquor, without hurting the vessel, or giving it any vent, how close so ever it be, it is of such subtle force that it pierceth through every thing: it melteth Gold and Silver in the bag without hurting the purse: it burneth and consumeth the apparel, without touch of harm to any part of the body that weareth them: it smoothereth also the child unborn within the womb, without doing harm to the mother: whereof the chiefest reason we have of Record, is brought in by Cardanus, in his first Book de Subtilitate, and his fourth book de Varietate rerum, wherein are described at large certain causes and occasions of those things.  
And touching the examples I have alleged, albeit they seem strange and wonderful for the effect of Thunder, yet are they of undoubted truth. Besides we have read and also seen in our time many valiant men put in fear with Thunder, and divers great personages broken in pieces, murdered and slain by such kind of death. The Pope Alexander, celebrating his Mass on Easter day at Syenna, and the devil belike pronouncing the passion, or rather communicating with his Papistical ceremonies, as he was upon this word or clause of Consumatum est, behold such a sudden noise in the clouds, and opening of the Element, began to hover and pierce into the Temple, with such terror, that the Pope being driven to take day in performing the residue of his prayers, abandoned the Church, left his book unshutte for haste, and forsook his Cope and surplice to make himself lighter to flee away, the same being also done by his Cardinals, and every other assistant. Zoroaster, king of the Bractiens, was killed by the fury of a Tempest. Capanus by like means died at the war of Thebes, the emperor Anastasius, after he had reigned .27. years, did end his days by semblable stroke, like as also Carius, and divers other Emperors were subject and consumed by the like force. Marcus Claudius Praetor was burned within his ship by the thunder that fell upon it. julius Obsequens reciteth a wonderful example (as here under appeareth) in the stock of Pompeius Livius, a Roman knight, who returning with his daughter from certain plays which had been performed at Rome, saw his daughter being on horseback suddenly smothered & stricken to death with thunder & lightning, & making her be turned naked to the view of all men, saw her tongue come forth at her secret parts, as if the fire had entered in at her mouth, and forced a vent for itself below: which shall suffice for this time both for examples and causes of these terrible motions of the Elament: and let us now make the ignorant sort privy to some principal means to deliver and defend themselves from such furies. The Ancients amongst their secret experiences, have made proof of diverse things resisting both thunder and lightnings, as amongst the foul and flying Creatures certain feathers of an Eagle, but chief such as she bears in her paunch are ready defences against the blast or bolt of thunder. Pliny and other writers more familiar, describing the disposition of diverse great fishes affirm diverse to have been saved from the violence of lightning and thunder, by wearing a girdle made of the skin of a Seacalf. The Laurel or bay leaf amongst trees, hath his privilege of special defence against such assaults, for which respect the ancients have used to plant it as an assured porter of safety at the entry or door of their houses. Augustus Caesar was always crowned with it: using also to carry certain branches in his hand, for continual fear he had of that fury. Albeit certain Latins write, that since his time, one wearing Laurel was stricken with thunder at Rome, which they put amongst their wonders or matters of admiration. Tarcon Etruscus witnesseth that by a certain secret property the white vine defends from the thunder, affirming that for the same cause in diverse country's subject to such terrible effects, men use to environ their houses with the branches and bows of the same: & yet are not all these in deed of such virtue against such fury of the heavens as the true Hiacinthe, which according to the opinion of Serapio & other old physicians, is of force not only to defend men from peril that way, but also gives assurance by diverse proofs that the Wax stamped or graved with the same, withstands the thunder: which they agree to have been proved in the countries where many perished by such accident, seeing that no man hath ever been touched which hath carried the true stone called Hiacynthe. And now to put to the last seal to our beadroll of these injuries and angry influences of the heavens, I have to prefer certain monstrous stones falling from the Element, of the colour of iron, singed and burned, not much unlike that which the ancients affirm to fall in Thracia, being by estimation of the thickness of a chariot, whereof the great Philosopher Anaxagoras prognosticated many years before. Besides, within our age and memory, and also in a country sufficiently known to sundry travailers. I mean in Sugolye confining upon the borders of Hungary, the seventh day of September in the year a Thousand five hundred and fourteen, in a horrible clap of Thunder and lightning, there fell down from Heaven, a huge Stone, of the weight of two hundredth and fifty pounds, the which the Citizens have made fast with a great chain of iron within their Temple, using to show it, as a thing of great wonder to strangers visiting their province in sort of peregrination. And to make an end, Cardanus in his fourth book De varietate rerum, saith that he hath seen in a field in Italy, a number of hard stones of the colour of iron, casting a smell of Sulphur fallen out of the Air, whereof some of them weighed a Hundred and twenty pound the piece, & others three score, the which being showed to the French King (as a thing of great wonder) in his Royal voyage to Naples, put him into a great marvel how the Heavens could sustain so great a weight the space of two hours, seeing that the noise ceased not, nor the flames to flash out of the Sky from three of the clock until five, when the fall of the stones appeased the brute and horrible Rumbling which was in the Air.   

¶ A wonderful History of a man in our time, which washed his face and hands in scalding Lead. CHAP. ix.  
HIeronymus Cardanus writeth a wondered History in his sixth book De subtilitate, as I might say, repugnant to nature, saving that the same was done in the presence and sight of the whole company of a City, which makes it of more faith and credit. When (saith he) I wrote my works of subtle inventions, I saw a certain man at Milan which washed his face & hands with scalding lead, having washed them before with some other water: wherefore Cardanus, (as he was accustomed with great diligence enforcing himself to search & try out that secret in nature) was of opinion that of necessity it must be, that the water wherewith he first washed was extreme cold, & withal, had a certain obscure & hidden virtue, the which did with stand the heat of the lead, not suffering the same to cleave or stick to his body: & some (saith he) affirm that the water wherein he washed, was made of the sap of Pourpie and Mercurial, for because of the sliminess and lightness thereof, which to me seems not to be true, for that he used the same water very often to wash his whole body, putting but a little on the place where he poured the hot lead, taking a crown for the sight thereof, of all such as came to see his doing therein. And surely if the water had been made of these two herbs, which be of small estimation, in respect of such goodness and virtue, he would have cast a far more quantity on his body than he did. But to conclude it, is thought that the water which he used was metical as that of Stybium. Conferring the particularities thereof with the saying of Cardan & other authors which I have read, I find that in times passed, these doings were not had in so great admiration as they be at this day, seeing we see by common experience, that there be divers things which of nature have not only power to resist the force of fire, but also will not be consumed thereof, as the poulse of Pyrrhus, which when his body was broiled, it could not be consumed by the fire, men's teeth and the diamond cannot be executed by fire. And there springs a certain gum of the Pine male, the which as Theophrastus writeth, being rubbed upon the tables of wood, defends them from the force of the fire, whereof there was sufficient proof made by Silla with his army brought against Archelaus, who having environed on all sides a tower of wood of the said Archelaus with the burning flames of fire, was not thereby able to endamage the same, which Silla much marveled at. Isidorus and many others writeth that there was brought into the presence of Pope Alexander a white linen shirt, the which for pleasure & admiration, he caused to be cast into the fire, at such time as the strange Ambassadors came to see him, sometimes leaving the said shirt in the fire the space of a day, without any hurt to it, but that the same taken from the fire, was become thereby more fairer: whereof some affirm, that the cloth of this shirt was made of the worm, 
Silemander, a worm living in the fire.  which men name Salemander, who (as Aristotle teacheth) liveth in the fire, but whether it be true or no, I leave that to the judgement of those which have waded further in searching the hid mysteries & secrets of nature, than I. Albeit I know that S. Augustin hath made mention in his xxj book, named the City of God, in the .v. chapter, of a Lamp, which was in the Temple of Venus, the which although it were exposed and brought into the wind, 
A Lamp burning without the aid of oil or match.  rain or other weather coming from heaven, yet it burned with so much the more efficacy, without consuming, having neither aid of oil or match. But after the said S. Augustin had by diligent search, sought the marvelous cause of that fire, which did not consume, he resolved in the end in this sort, either it must be (sayeth he) that there is in the said Lamp some piece of the stone called Abseste, growing in Arcady, the which being lighted, cannot be quenched, or it must be (saith he) that the same Lamp was forged by magical art, or else that this wonder was devised by some devil under the name of Venus, to the end not only thereby to make himself worshipped, but still to keep and entertain the people in the same error, whereof, as Ludovicus vives upon the exposition of the same chapter, which hath heretofore added learned comments to S. Augustins' books De civitate Dei, affirmeth in the same to have seen in the time of his study at Paris, matches which the fire could not consume. And for a more proof thereof, it hath been told & recounted in the time of our father's that there was opened a sepulchre enclosed in the earth, wherein was found a burning Lamp, which had remained light without going out the space of four or v. hundredth years (as it appeared by inscription or authority of time, engraved upon the stone) the same, dissolving into powder assoon as it was touched, which I could confirm by divers like examples and authorities of proof, aswell ancient as familiar, who have left sundry experiences of divers things of virtue and force able to resist the fire, like as who dips or rubs his hands in the juice of Maw or Mercurial, shall never be endamaged with the fury of any flame or fire.   

¶ Wonderful Histories of the jews. CHAP. x.  
THis wicked sect of the jews hath from time to time so much disquieted and molested our Christian public weal, that the Historians of our time have attainted them in their writing of sundry misdemeanours and abuses in living, that whosoever shall read their cruel blasphemies & abominable execrations which they continually publish and set forth against jesus Christ the Saviour of all the world, in a certain book common in their synagogues) which they call Talmud, will judge the same a cause sufficient, to exile & abandon them out of all the Provinces and places where Christ is to be honoured. For like as these poor people blinded and led in the mist of error, have not only gone about to defame the name of our Saviour by their writings, but also that which is worse, they have most shamefully travailed to extirp and blot out the remembrance of him for ever. Even so in the year a thousand, a hundred and four score, and in the reign of king Philip, these wicked people in the despite of the passion of jesus Christ, upon good Friday, when they judged that the Christians were most occupied in celebrating that day, they enclosed themselves yearly in a cave, where having stolen a young child, they whipped him, crouning him with thorns, making him to drink gall, and in the end crucified him upon a cross, continuing in this sort of cruel doings, till the Lord grudging greatly with the death of so many poor innocents, suffered them as thieves to be taken with the deed, and after he had caused them to be examined and tormented for the same, they confessed that they had used this many years before, murdering a great number of infants in this sort, whereof king Philip being ascertained, caused them not only to be chased from his realm, but also broiled of them, to the number of lxxx in a hot burning cauldron. After that king Philip seeing himself oppressed with wars, and wanting money to maintain the same, for a better supply of his necessity, he (for a sum of money paid to him in hand by the said jews, for their outrageous living) licensed them to return & travail into France. But even as vices be chained together, drawing one another, so these wicked people yet smelling of this first injury which they had received, determined and fully resolved amongst themselves, to extirp at one instant the name of Christians, destroying them all by poison: And for a further help in these their wicked practices, they allied themselves in consort with divers lepers, by whose succours and means they made an ointment, with a confection of the blood of man's urine composed with certain venomous herbs, wrapped within a little linen cloth, tying a stone to the same to make it sink to the bottom: they nightly cast in the said infection into all the fountains and wells of the Christians. Whereupon this corruption engendered such contagious diseases in all Europe, 
A great infection throughout all Europe by reason the water in their wells was ympoysoned.  that there died well nigh the third person throughout the same: for this plague passing suddenly from city to city, by the contagiousness thereof destroyed and smothered all things bearing life, encountering it. But after the Lord had suffered to reign for a time, the tyranny of these wicked and evil disposed persons, he stopped so their cruel enterprises, that they passed no further therein. And like as in time divers of those wells and fountains became dry, by which means the empoisoned bags were found in the bottom of the water: Even so by conjecture and suspicion, divers of these malefactors were apprehended: and being grievously tormented, confessed the fact, whereupon grew such sharp & severe punishment, as well to all the jews, as Lepres, through out all the province of Europe, being found culpable thereof, that their posterities smell thereof till this day: for they having proved so many kinds of torments and martirdoms, that upon their imprisonments, they had greater desire to kill and broil one an other, than become subject to the mercy of the Christians. And as Conradus of Memdember, of equal fame in the study of Philosophy and arts Mathematical writeth, that there died in almain for this cause above xii. thousand jews. Wherefore as it was strange to behold their afflictions: Even so it was as extreme to see the poor Christians have in horror & abomination the water of their wells and fountains, that they rather choosed to die of the drought, than to receive any drop thereof into their bodies, but having recourse to rain water, or to rivers, whereof they had greater want than any store or plenty at all, finding not at all times to serve their turns, they prevented sundry times the peril of the poison. And as these false deceivers were of all nations much detested, so they often times proved divers kinds of calamities (as the Historians testify:) the same Conradus Licostenes amongst others, reciteth a strange device hapening in the year .434. about which time he found by fortune in the Isle of Cre●e, a seducer and false prophet, or rather a wicked spirit▪ as they might conjecture by the issue of his enterprises. This prophet preached openly through all the Isle, that he was the same Moses which brought the Israelites from the servitude of Pharaoh, and that he was sent again from God to deliver the jews from the bondage & servitude of the Christians: wherein having thus planted the roots of his pestilent doctrine, he thereby won the people by false miracles and other diabolical illusions, that they began to forsake their houses, lands, possessions, and all the goods they had, to follow him, in such sort, that they found no other matter in that country, but a great troop of jews, accompanied with their wives and children, which followed this holy man as their chief. And after he had well led them in this miserable error, he made them mount in the end to the height of a rock, joining to the sea, and there told them, that he would make them pass through the sea on foot, as he had tofore brought the people of God through the flood of jordain, which he coloured so finely by his deceivable art, that he persuaded them very easily, and in such sort, that the poor people gathered together on a heap, did cast themselves headlongs into the sea. Whereby the greatest part of them were drowned, and the rest saved by certain christian Fishermen, which were then in the sea. Whereof the jews perceiving the great deceit whereby he had abused them, could not by any humane Art hear any news, nor discover where was become their prophet, which gave occasion to many of them, not only to think, but also write, that he was a Devil under the shape and figure of a man, which had so deceived them. Sebastian Munster writeth in his book of universal cosmography an other history of them set out in a more gay and brave fashion, saying: That in the year of health .1270. when the County of Steruembergh was bishop of Mandeburgh, one of the chief Priests of the synagogues of the jews, fell by chance upon their Saboth day into a deep jakes, out of which he could not get, and thereby constrained to call for the aid of his companions, who being arrived, said unto him with grievous complaints, that it was their Saboth day, and that it was not lawful for them as that day to yield him the benefit of their hands, but willing him to use patience till the next day following, which was sunday. The bishop of Mandeburgh advertised of this, being a very wise man, gave commandment to the jews by the sound of a Trumpet, that upon pain of death they should from henceforth keep holy and solemnize as their Saboth day the Sunday. By means whereof, this poor martyr remained parfumed till the Monday.   

¶ Floods and wonderful Inundations of Waters. CHAP. xj.  
THe antiquities of foreign times have sufficiently proved the horrible rage of waters, that if I should go about to declare them in order, I should rather want Eloquence to describe them, than matter whereupon to entreat. The first and most worthy of memory, is sufficiently showed by Moses, in the vij chapter of the book of Genesis, at what time God opened the veins of heaven, and sent down such abundance of water upon all the earth for the purifying and cleansing of the sins of men, that the same overflowed the highest mountains above xu cubits. And in the reign of king Henry the fourth, the waters raged with such impetuosity within the provinces of Italy, that there was not only thereby drowned many thousand men, but that which was more strange (as the Historians make mention) the tame & household beasts, as hens, geese, Pehens, & such like, were by the terror thereof so frighted, that they became savage, wandering in the deserts and forests, and never after to be reclaimed. Whereof S. Augustine in the third book called, the City of God, maketh mention, that in the year of health 1446. and on the xvij day of April, in the time of Federike the three Emperor, at what time printing was first found out) there was in holland, so great an inundation of water, and the sea overflowed the banks with such fury, that it broke the causeys running behind Dordrech, covering all the land, as well cities as villages, in such sort that there were drowned not only xuj. parishes, but also .100000. men with their wives, children, and beasts. And in the year 1530. in holland, Flaunders, and Brabant, the sea so swelled, that it broke not only bulwarks and rampires, but also violently carried away both cities and villages together with the creatures in them: & besides made all the haven towns no less navigable, than the open and main sea: which not only chanced in Flaunders, but also the same year the river of Tiber so flowed in Rome, that it mounted above the highest towers and estages of the city, and withal not only breaking down the bridges, but endamaging their goods, as gold, silver, corn, wine, cloth of silk, flower, oils woull, and other riches, to the value of three millions of gold, besides the loss of three thousand persons, as well men as women and little children, which were thereby smothered and drowned. Wherein as all these matters were marvelous: so the ancients and writers at this day, have not made proof of one more strange sithence the universal flood of Noah, than this which chanced in Phrygia, in the year of grace .1230. For even as when they thought themselves most happy, and were banqueting, drinking, and giving themselves over to all kinds of pleasure, behold all the land, nigh to the sea of Phrygia and Halderich, were in one moment so covered with water, and the sea so peopled with men and beasts, crying with pitiful vehemency, that it seemed by them, that God had forgotten his vow made to Noah, wherein he promised never to destroy mankind by water again. Albeit the rage was so cruel that men were forced to climb trees like birds, others ramped upon the mountains, the mothers cast their children upon the ground, to the end they might with more speed flee and shun the fury of the element. And to be short, the desolation was such, that there was not only an infinite multitude of men, women, children, and beasts drowned: but that which was more to be lamented, the corruption which sprang of the putrefied bodies, after the waters were retired to their old channel, so infected the air with a sudden plague, that the rest which were saved from drowning, were destroyed by the miserable infection thereof, in such sort that the Province remained almost desert and inhabitable. Wherein who list to behold Floods more fresh in memory, wherewith other Cities have been tormented, let him read Carrion in the Abridgement of his Chronicles, and all those of Gasparde Contarenus, in his learned book of Philosophy, which he made of the four Elements.   

¶ The wonderful death of Pliny, with a brief description of the causes of fire, which come of certain openings of the earth.  
LIke as it is strange that the fire falling from heaven should burn those places which it toucheth: Even so it is more monstrous to see the same issue from the earth, without knowing where it first took her nurture, beginning and birth, as this, whereof Titus Livius and Orseus make mention, which sprang of the entrails of the earth, in the territory of Calene, which ceased not burning by the space of three days & three nights, until it had committed to cinders about five acres of ground, drying so much the moisture and humour of the ground, that not only the Corn and other fruits, but also the trees with all their roots were burnt and consumed. divers Historians write, that in the old time the most part of the Realm of Scotland was by the like violente irruption of fire springing from an unknown opening and cave of the earth, quite consumed and burned. The cause whereof, the Philosophers have searched with great diligence, and in the end found that Sulphur, Allom, Pitch and Water be the cause of the entertaining of that fire, together with the very fatness of the ground, and that fire after it hath found a vent, can not long continue without issuing with a wonderful violent force. And for the most part these flames have been divers times seen of the people (with great wonder & terror to them) commonly about the sepulchres and Churchyards, and other fat & moist places, which was engendered of the fertility and moistness of the dead bodies, who were there buried: for men amongst all other creatures, be of a very subtle and fat substance, as is plainly showed by that which is discovered in our time of the Sepulchre of Alexander Duke of Florence, which, although it were made of white Marble both massy & heavy, yet notwithstanding, the fatness of the body pierced & distilled through the said Sepulchre, piercing the bottom of the pillars thereof. In like manner the moisture of the body of Alphonsus Aualus, albeit the Physicians had dried the same with salt and sand, and enwrapped his body in leaned, yet the fatness thereof spotted and spoilt not only the stones above the Tomb, but dropped through every part of the lead. And there is also a mountain called Hecla in the Isle of Island, whereof one George Agricola, a man amongst others of our time worthy of memory, hath made mention reporting the same to cast such flames, and making so great a a noise, that it seems to be made, the same casting and darting great stones & withal vomitteth Sulphur, smothering, as in a gulf, all those which approach to behold the nature of that fire: whereby the common people of that country be brought in such an error, that they believe that place to be the prison of the damned. Besides also many Historians write, that there appeared in that place visions, which show themselves visible, and make their service to men: they appear for the most part in the shape and figure of those which by some violent adventure have been either killed or drowned: and when those which they know makes their return to their houses, they answer them with marvelous complaint & wéepingins, willing them to return to the mount Hecla, & so suddenly pass & vanish away. But for my part, I have always thought, that they be certain disciples of the devil, which have vowed them obedience in that place, to deceive the people, being by nature of a Barbarous & gross capacity: whereof, as we have declared before that the cause of these hideous and perpetual flames is natural, so it also cometh of the fertility of the ground, together with the plenty of Sulphur wherewith the merchants load so many ships, carrying them into strange countries. And moreover, the fatness of the ground of this Island, as the Ancients and Historians at these days write, is such (and especially in the low country) that they are constrained to feed their cattle but a small time, least they should surfeit of the sweetness thereof, & so die, as is daily proved. Neither let us muse or be to curious in searching the cause of these flames of the mountains so far from us, for we have the mount Vesuue near to Naples, whereof Martial, Strabo, and Xiphilnius in the life of Severus the Emperor have very often in their writing made mention to be in times pastmost fertile, is now by the continual embracements of the fire utterly ruinous and consumed, and in the time of Titus Caesar, it cast forth such plenty of fire, that it burned two Cities, and the smoke thereof rose so thick and high, that it had well-nigh darkened the Sun, making the days like to the night, and all the fields thereabouts were so full of cinders, that they seemed in height equal with the trees. Wherein Pliny (who reigned in the time of Vespasian the Emperor) desiring to know the cause of the continual burning of this mountain, went to see it, and approaching too near the same, was at the sight thereof so astonished, that he was immediately surprised with the flame, and his body thereby committed to ashes, as you may behold in the pourtraite before: & that which is yet fresh in memory, in the year 1538. where it began again to make so great an irruption, that it feared all the people bordering upon it. We can in like manner bring in amongst these wonderful mountains, the mount Aetna, otherwise called the mount gibel, in Sicily, whereof S. Augustine hath made so often mention in his works, and which Strabo witnesseth, as one that hath not feared to mount to the very height to behold and consider the marvelous effects thereof, whereof Sueton affirmeth, that Caius Cesar, Caligula Emperor of the Romans, having beheld this great store of fire, that the mount vomited forth, was therewith so feared, that he fled by night to Messane, and not without cause, for after the winds had gotten within the events of this mountain, it darted forth mighty stones, and great flakes of burning fire, which consumed all things it encountered. Thucidide maketh mention of three notable embracements of this mount Aetna, which was after the Greeks had gotten to Sicily. And Orose reciteth, that in the time that Marcus Aemilius and Lucius Oresteus were consuls, the same mount suddenly threw out such a quantity of flames of sulphur, that all the country thereabouts was destroyed: by means whereof, the Romans remitted the ordinary tribute which they received of those of Casine for the space of ten years. And the men at those days thought that the matter wherewith the fire was nourished, was quite consumed, for that the same ceased for a time: but in the year .1570. they very well proved the contrary: for as they were astoonished at the great mass of fire, with the light darkened. Even so that light of the sulphur fell from the height of the said mountain to the lowest part thereof, the which by a certain coldness could not be so well governed, but that running here and there, it burned not only fields, stones, forests, but also two villages, and all that it encountered, and the fire being at this time extinguished, the ground by that means brings forth much good fruit, and withal is become fertile.   

¶ Wonders of certain horrible earthquakes, chancing in divers provinces, with a deceit of Satan, who by his craft and subtlety made a Roman Knight to throw himself headlong into a gulf. CHAP. xiii.  
THe Histories & years of Romans, Greeks, Parthains, Medians, Persians, and others like, have so often made mention of the ruinous chance of many Cities and Provinces, by the trembling of the earth, that I could bring to memory, very near the number of five hundredth greatly renowned, which perished and were destroyed by this kind of torment, as Epheseus, Magnesus, Sardos', Cesaree, Philadelphius, Mirimneus, Apolonius, Nicomedius, Antiocheus and many others, in such sort, that in one night in the time of Tibereus the Emperor under whom the saviour of the world was crucified, twelve of the most proud Cities of Asia were made ruinous in one night by the sudden trembling of the earth, as Plinius and Cornelius write. In like sort at what time Flaminius warred against Hannibal, and as their hosts were ready to join battle the one against the other, the earth begun so vehemently to evente & shake, that many of the strongest parts of the Cities, and divers of the highest mountains were battered and made flat with the earth: and yet (as sayeth Titus Livius) these two armies were so enraged the one against the other, that they forbore not to continue their fury, making no account of these wonders: whereof who listeth to read Dion Niceus and Xiphilinus, in the life of Anthony the Emperor, shall find so strange earthquakes happening in Hellespont and Bithinie, that it cannot seem otherways, but that those provinces should be devoured & swallowed up. The Isle of the Rhodes so much renowned by writings, hath been very often decayed by earthquakes, in so much that the great Idol and Image of the Sun, which shone so greatly in Rhodes, made by Chares Lindius scholar of Lisippus, when he was twelve years of age, the which was in height three score and six cubits, was defaced and broken by trembling of the earth, the lu year after the setting up thereof, which was once again laid on the earth in the time of Pliny, to the great marvel of those which went to see it, in such sort that the very thumb of that Image, surpasseth in bigness the greatest Image which they could find, and the riches of that Image was so marvelous, that when the Sultan of Egipte invaded Rhodes, he loaded with the fragments & relics of Brass of that Image which he found battered, nine hundredth Camels, which he sent by land into Alexandria. And moreover josephus in his first book of the wars of the jews, maketh mention of an earthquake which chanced in Judaea, by the violence whereof there was killed a thousand men, wherein as the Ancients under the government of Eudoxius, willing to celebrate a second Council at Nice, to undo the articles agreed upon by the general council, were suddenly astonished even when their Bishops & Prelates were assembled, with the sudden moving & shaking of the City of Nice, wherein many building sounke, and many thousands of men were devoured and choked, who perceiving that god was not content with their enterprise, were forced to desist from their purpose, and return to their Provinces, (as Fuctius writeth.) Also in the year .1345. & the day of the conversion of S. Paul, was so horrible an earthquake in Venise (as Sabellique writeth) that by the space of five days together, they saw no other thing but houses & building decay, and besides that, all the women being with child during that time, were delivered before their times, & their fruit lost. But to the end we should not consume much time in committing to memory the hurts received in the old time by those shakings of the earth, we have in our age proved the like in the year of our Saviour .1538. the xxuj day of januarie, where the Realm of Portugal was so shaked, by the thrusting together of the earth, that there fell at Lisbon (as the writers at this day report) very near a thousand or twelve hundredth buildings, beside more than two hundredth others which where half decayed, & that torment continuing eight days, the assaults thereof renewed v or uj times a day, by means whereof all the poor inhabitants were so frighted, that they abandoned their houses & lodged in the fields. Titus Livius in his seven. book & i decade, Oroseus in his two book & .v. chap. julius Obsequens, Polidorus Virgilius & many others, have made mention of a strange earthquake in Rome, which me seams worthy of memory in this place for the novelty of an act so strangely happening. They writ that in the time of Servilius Hala, and Lutius Genutius being consuls, the City of Rome was besieged with a sudden shaking of the earth, which being ceased, left a certain cave or depth in the midst of a place of the City, which by no means could be closed or shut up with all the earth or other matter they could cast into it beside: there issued out thereof such a stink of divers pestilent and infective vapours, that the most part of the Citizens of the City were therewith infected: and after they had searched all the means they could to remedy their evil, they determined (as their last refuge) to demand council therein of their divines and soothsayers, who after they had done to them their accustomed ceremonies, they answered that it was not possible by any artificial means to close it up, unless the most precious jewel in all the City were cast into it: wherefore, after that the Ladies and other Roman Citizens had liberally cast into it the most precious jewels that they had in their closerts, without profiting or appeasing the fury of that gulf, Marcus Curtius an excellent and valiant Roman Knight, armed at all points, and mounted upon the best horse in his stable, cast himself headlong into that depth, the which immediately closed up, and so ceased to rage. So much is the deceit of the devil in this world, that men thinking to do sacrifice to their Gods, to deliver their country from captivity, make their souls a willing sacrifice to the devil. Wherewith ending these earthquakes, it resteth now to show the causes of their beginning. Aristotle, Pliny, and generally all those who have treated of the motion of the earth, attribute the causes of that evil fortune to the vapours and exhalations which be enclosed in the intrailles of the earth, by whose force searching to evente and to come forth, the earth is moved and stirred, which is of power in some places to dissunder strong walls and buildings, and make them fall into the earth: and in some place it leaveth a hollow hole or cave, like to that in Rome, whereof we made mention: sometimes these fires issue before any assault or warning given, where divers times at the very same instant, may be heard an horrible sound and murmur, like to the mutterings or clamours of men, according to the quantity of the matter which is shaken, or the forume of the cave by the which the vapour passeth, leaving sometimes a cave which showeth the thing swallowed: and sometimes the earth is made so firm suddenly, that they can find no token thereof, and at other times devoureth whole villages, swallowing sometimes the most part of a country. And that which is to be noted, these earthquakes happen for the most part, rather in the Spring time, and in Autumn, than in any other season of the year.   

¶ Wonders of two bodies knit togethers, like two grafts in the trunk of a tree, whereof S. Augustine in a book of the City of God maketh mention. CHAP. xiv.  
Such need not to be astonied at all of the figure of this monster, which have read the eight Chapter of S. Augustine, in his xuj book written of the City of God, where a little before his time was borne an infant in the east parties, which was double above, and single below, having two heads, two breasts, four hands, and the rest of the body in the shape of one, that is to say, two thighs, two feet, one belly, and the rest from the navel downward, had not but the figure of one man (as he witnesseth in a place before) and living so, many went to see it for the renown and fame thereof. And that whereof also I thought somewhat to speak, for that this whose portrait is presented, is like unto that which S. Augustine writeth of, saving that that had the figure of a man, and this the form of a woman, who was engendered upon the confines of Normandy, and England, at what time Henry the third there reigned. Whereof, if you will well consider, you shall find the same to be a strange spectacle in Nature: for behold, these two bodies were knit together from the top of their heads to their navel, like two grafts in the trunk of a tree, having two heads, two mouths, two noses, with their faces fair, well form and made in every point requisite in nature even to the navel, and from the navel downwards, it had but the figure and shape of one only, that is to say, two legs, two thighs, one nature, and one only conduct whereby the excrements were discharged. And that which was more pitiful, is that they differed in all the actions of nature: for sometimes when the one wept, the other laughed, if the one talked, the other held her peace, as the one eat, the other drank: Living thus a long season, till one of them died, the other being constrained to trail the dead body after her for certain years after, where by the stink and corruption of her who was dead, in the end she was infected, and died also. The Authors of this be Cuylerinus, Mattheus Palmerius, Vincentius in his xxuj book and xxxviij. Chapter. Hieronymus Cardan, an excellent Millanois Physician, searching greatly the secrets of Nature, which at this day is living, affirmeth in his xiiij book of his books of diverse histories, that in the year .1544. & in the month of january, the like monster was engendered in Italy, which he describes in points like unto this, and the mother brought it forth in the end of the ix month, very well form in all respects, and withal corpulent, notwithstanding it died immediately after the mother was brought to bed, by means that the sage women had used to much force and violence in taking the same from the body of the mother. And further he describes afterwards a thing worthy to be noted: which is, that there was a surgeon named Gabriel Cuneus, a man very expert in his art, who heretofore had been his disciple, made an Anatomy of this monstrous maid, committing her into pieces: and after he had opened the interior parts, he found a double womb, all the intestines double, saving that which they call rectum, besides he found two livers, and so almost all the other parts, reserving the heart, which was single: the which moveth us to think (saith Cardan) that Nature would have created two, saving that by some defect she imperfected the whole.   

¶ A History of a Monster, whereof S. Jerome maketh mention, who appeared to S. Anthony in the desert. CHAP. xv.  
SAint Hierom, Licostenes, and Isidorus make mention of a monster, who upon a sudden appeared to S. Anthony, whilst he did penance in the desert, having (as it is written) the form of a man, his nose hideous & hauked, two horns on his head, and his feet like to a goat, according to his figure appearing in this portrait, whereof that holy man being afraid to behold so wonderful a creature in the desert, he conjured him in the name of God to tell him what he was, who answered him, I am a mortal man as thou art, appointed to dwell in this wilderness, which the common people (deceived) are persuaded to be one of these hurtful satires, wandering by the deserts, or else some enchanting devil: whereof also the holy man S. Augustine in his first book and third question of Genesis maketh mention, in that he reports so diversly of certain devils (hurtful specially to women) that it is neither easy nor seeming to pronounce a resolution, albeit in the xxv chapter and xu book of the city of God, he speaketh more frankly, affirming by the authority of scripture, that angels have appeared to certain men with mortal shape, and have not only been seen of them, but suffered themselves to be touched by such as they have appeared unto. besides there be many of opinion now a days by report of others, and thousands who have proved it true by experience in themselves, that there be certain imps and gliding spirits in the woods and savage places, which the common sort call Nymphs, who desire the company of women, & have had to do with them, delighting chief in such unclean and filthy exercise: which albeit is sufficiently and absolutely approved by so many, that it is not almost to be denied, yet for my part I dare not affirm, and much less assure, that the spirits that have their bodies of the air, & participate with that element, can either desire or perform effects of such unclean pleasure: wherein notwithstanding, who seeketh to be more largely resolved, let him read Guilielmus Parisiensis, in the third part of his treatise de succubis and Incubis, who albeit he hath gathered the opinion of most of the Theologians, yet Lodovicus vives in the xxiij chapter of his fift book de civitate Dei, despising such vanity, maketh them of the isle of Cypress, a mocking stock, because they glorify their original, as moving first from the devils succubi and incubi, whereof you have heard a large description before.   

¶ A wonderful discourse of precious stones, their nature and property, which reasoneth of their procreation, and other strange things, breeding in the bowels of the earth. CHAP. xuj.  
Amongst all and every cause of wonder in Nature, there is none that more moveth marvel in men, nor half so meritorious of philosophical contemplation, than the excellent propretle of precious stones, who being once drawn out of the entrails and womb of their mother and nurse the earth, do so amaze our sight and ravish our senses, that they seem to contain some charm or new mystery sent by nature to dazzle our eyes▪ Ludovicus Vartomanus a Roman writeth, that he hath seen the king of P●g●, a famous city in India, have Carbuncles, which the Grecians call Pyropi, so great & shining, that who beheld them in any dark or shaded place, seemed to have his body distempered, and almost transformed by imagination: such was the light and piercing glimmers of these stones, seeming of no less force to penetrate than if they had been assisted with the most hot and vehement reflection of the Sun. The most part of the Greek and Latin philosophers, as Theophrastes, Mutianus, Pliny, Ruffus, with other of no less credit than they, have so precisely searched the property and procreation of stones, that they affirmed, that they do not only engender, but also do suffer diseases, old Age, and Death. And touching the procreation, they are of diverse opinions. For some say, they engender between rocks, when the sap or juice of other stones distills within the crevices or hollow places of she same, even as the child taketh his beginning of his mother: some affirm, that they conceive of the sap & marry of precious metals, like as oftentimes is found the reason in diverse mines of gold & silver: some again, who take upon them to sift more narrowly the secrets of Nature, are of opinion, that they come and grow in the earth, as knots in wood, waxkernels in men, or seed in herbs: whereunto as there may be credit given according to reason that moveth it, so there be other Philosophers, either more ignorant of the truth, or more precise than standeth either with learning or natural persuasion, 
The Adamant smelleth and ●●eleth.  who doubt not to assure absolutely, that they have sense & motion, whereof they prove the first by the Adamant, which smells iron, & draweth it to him, whose virtue shall follow at full hereafter. And for the second, they make good their opinion by a common experience in a little stone not rare in France & italy called by them Astroites, which being put within either vinegar or wine, moveth of himself, with crooked pace not unlike to an Ox or Cow reeling here and there: and yet I think these several opinions, intend rather to advance the estimation and property of stones, than to persuade a credit that they have either motion or feeling, albeit touching this stone called Astroites, it is most certain that it stirs being put in wine: whereof notwithstanding mine eyes have been often witnesses, yet is it not sufficient to assure, albeit it is not altogether void of cause & reason in nature to prove his moving, seeing it is not clear nor shining, but covered with spots or stains like ashes presenting a duskish hue or complexion, the same being made of an humour very subtle, which may be converted into vapour by force of the wine, which vapour searching ways to go out and can find no issue, thrusts (as it were and giveth motion to the stone which is light,) like as the true sign and argument of the subtle vapour is proved chief in that the stone is full of little knobs which persuades it to be corrupt or rotten, and to have both holes and conduits▪ Here as it may be that some have a precise opinion of my diligence in searching so narrowly the cause of moving in this stone, (which notwithstanding), as I account such Philosophy neither unnecessary, nor unprofitable, seeing it giveth cause of wonder to such as see it stir alone, without understanding the reason. So, were it not that tediousness would take away the delight of the readers, and peradventure include some discredit touching the thing itself, I could prefer matters of more wonder in stones, and such as have passed by proof and familiar experience. Hector Boetius makes mention of a spunging stone in scotland, which being dipped in the Sea, altereth the taste thereof, and makes it pleasant. Other historians bring in a kind of stone which is piercing and somewhat pale, which they call Nicolaus, the same making him that weareth, it sad and melancholic, and so wrists the spirits and inward parts that it stirs up wonderful passions in the mind: they have left also remembrance of a wonderful virtue in the jewel hanging about the neck of Hermion, which makes as many perish as wear it: it is most certain that in arcady a country in Scotland, there is a kind of stone, which being laid any small time upon straw or other like dry substance, it kindles and grows to flame without the assistance of fire: all which because thy seem wonders exceeding our reason, & things rather mystical than agreeing with our capacity, I will now stay to commit them any more to the judgement or contemplation of the reader, and enter into the search and discourse of the being and property of those that be both familiar with ourselves & common in our use. Amongst the most rich & precious treasures which the earth bred in her intrailles, or cast up for the use of man, the Diamond deserves most estimation, who besides his violent clearness which of itself hath power to dim our eyes as if it were the sudden flash of a thunder, is of a hardness so infringible, that it resistes not only the hammer or stroke of other metal, but it is also invincible against fire or flame. Pliny in his last book of his natural histories writes, that in his time, the Diamond was not found but in the Courts of Princes, and that very rarely: but now nature, which since his age is become more bountiful, doth yield us such plenty of it, that there is not so mean a merchant man's wife at this day, whose fingers are not decked with that jewel. Ezechiel and Zacharie, two of the most famous Prophets in the Church of GOD, have given great honour to this stone, and not without cause, for besides his common properties to withstand venom, poison, charms, dreams, enchantments, and visions of the night, yet hath he a most wonderful virtue to resist fire, according to the opinion of some Philosophers, whose experience warrants it to be of force to endure amids the most hot burning coals that be, for nine days continually, without diminushing any part of it: such is the excellency of this stone that way, albeit in this place it cannot seem impertinent to my intent of true descriptions of stones, to impart to the readers, wherein both the Ancient and late writers have erred touching the reservation of the properties of this stone. Pliny, with most that were afore him, and Francisce rule professor of Physic, with Morbodeus a latter Poet, (writers not long since) have greatly abused the simplicity of a number of people, in persuading, that the Adamant hath no power over the iron, neither to smell nor draw it, if the Diamond be in place, seeing the contrary is proved by common and daily experience, even so they have erred no less in that they assure the Diamond not to be vanished either by fire, iron or other mean, except only by the blood of a● he goat, for it is most certain that the hammer is of force to bruise and bring him in pieces, being stricken with a strong hand. I will not deny but that it exceeds all other stones in hardness, and that it divides and confounds all other precious stones by his solidity, neither is he with ease to be polished or framed with other thing than with his own lime, powder or dust, with this further argument of his subtlety & hardness, which the Ancients did practise with great marvel, that the point of a dart, dagger or other instrument cutting, being dipped in the powder or forge of Diamond, doth penetrate or pierce any armour, for the iron & steel being chafed or stirred with the blow, with the vehement hardness of the forge, makes it of power to pierce easily whatsoever resistes it. Nature hath yet given to the Diamond another secret & singular property, no less marvelous than the other, which is, that being cha●ed it draws a rush or light straw, as the jet doth, but not with such vehemency. Many other strange conditions in a diamond could I prefer, and the same approved both by foreign and familiar writers: but because they bring with them a suspicion of lightness or discredit, I will reserve them for an other use & time, and note unto you in this last discourse of the diamond, how nature in counterpoise of the sundry graces and good gifts bestowed upon it, hath infected it with one special and mortal vice, for that it is most venomous, and of such fatal operation, that it stops breathe assoon as it is drunk in powder, which some affirm to proceed of his extreme coldness, and other hold it to move by a violent gnawing in the bowels. The greatest diamond that ever was seen, exceeds not in greatness an Almond, which as I have heard, remains amongst the jewels of Solyman, late Emperor of the Turks. 
The nature of the Emeraud.  Most writers have given the second place of honour for stones to the Emeraud, because that by his lively verdure he doth not only solace the eye more than any other stone, but also for delight and flourishing view, it so surmounts both forests, trees, and herbs, that nature seems to contend with the earth, to whom the price of greenness is due, either to the Emeraud or the plants. Touching the excellency of this stone, they writ that it abhors all unclean and filthy livers, 
The Emeraud enemy to uncleanness.  and is a special friend to chastity: the which they make good by an example & experience in the King of Hungary, who lying with his wife, and having an Emeraud on his finger, marveled to see it break and convert to many pieces, which might also happen aswell by chance, as come of any virtue in the stone, seeing that (of all other stones) it is most frail & tender. The most true and credible properties attributed to this stone by most learned men be these. First Aristotle gives council to hang it at the head of him that hath the falling sickness. Rabie persuades that if a man drink ix. grains of it, it drieth up evil humours. Sana Verola affirmeth that if it be laid to the thigh of a woman feeling the pain of child bearing, it procures delivery. Rasis & Dioscorides will such as be infected with leprosy to drink the powder of an Emeraud, whereunto as are diverse other singularities, so because they be not grounded upon good substance, let them persuade credit, according to the wisdom of such as can judge of them: for my part in such causes of difference and doubt, I had rather be careful than curious: but for a familiar example of the estimation and value of the Emeraud, I may boldly commend and bring in the honour of King Edward, who having received a book from Erasmus, presented him with an Emeraud, valued after his death at three thousand crowns, whereof that famous clerk made so dear account, that he had it on his finger even at the instant of his death. Suetonius writes that Nero was wont to discern the eyes and looks of ruffians and dashebucklers within an Emeraud. Good Emeralds do prove themselves by the touch stone called Lydia, which if they be natural and true, they leave a mark like the touch of brass. Saint john in his Apocalypse hath given great honour to this stone. That which the Ancients called a Carbuncle, is no other thing than that which we commonly call a Ruby, which takes his name by the similitude he hath in light with the burning coal: the same being committed to the flames doth not only resist their force, but exceeds them in clearness: touching his gifts and properties, the Philosophers most commonly commend it of a virtue to chase away melancholy, defend dreams and illusions of the night, and to serve for a counterpoison against all corrupt air. There be of them diverse kinds, as the Grenat, and such other, whereof I will speak particularly hereafter. The sapphire gives no place at all to the Ruby, seeing that as the one representes unto us fire when he is in his most vehement and penetrant heat: so in the other we discern a likeness of the azured Sky being most calm and clear. Besides, there was no stone of more price amongst the ancients for the use of P●●sike than the true sapphire. For Avicenne witnesseth that it is of a virtue so binding, by reason of his coldness, that it staunches presently bleeding at the nose. Galene and Dioscorides assure it to restrain webs, bushes or boils, and other things that else would offend the eyes. The Physicians of late time have put it with great effect under the tongues of such as have suffered hot and burning fevers, finding that the great cold in the stone hath mortified the heat of the disease. It serves as a country poison against all venoms, and defends all infections of air from such as wear it in pestilent times, as Isodorus and Rufus write: some say they have read in Dioscorides, that the Sapphire enclosed in a box with a spider, kills her suddenly, such is his power over her poison. The Amethyst in Aristotle's time (as it is written) was not commended, for any thing, saving that it resisted drunkenness. The Hiacintha, withstands thunders, as is already showed in the History of thunders, for a more proof whereof, Serapius affirmeth that no man hath been ever offended with thunder which carried the Hiacinthe about him. The Turquise (according to the most Philosophers) is of no singular property, but to chase away thoughts and troubles of the brain. The best of them come from a town in Persia, called Balascha, where there is great store. For the Agate, this is the most wonder and virtue that I find in it, that the Arabians used to try the maidenhead of their wives afore they married them, by giving them of the powder of the Agate in wine, which according to their lightness I pass over for this time, like as also I forbear to interlard my treatise with descriptions of pearls, the stones of Aquilin, Alectre with many other, because God willing, many years shall not pass afore I set before your eyes an universal description of all the ●●●cious stones whereof the Arabians, Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks and Latins have left memory in their writings, together with the secrets in making artificial stones, which I doubt not will be of profit to the common wealth, seeing that by that means shall be cut of every mean and way to the fine Italiens and others, whose study tends not but to corrupt, counterfeit and abuse that which is sent unto us by Nature, both perfect, sincere and without spot. Besides the peculiar pleasure redounding to noble men and Gentlemen, who in their private houses may discern the devices in artificial stones, and practise the like if they list, and that at small charges by the aid of my endeavour only, which according to my talon, I will frankly impart amongst them: wherewith leaving to treat further of the virtues in stones, till their time agree to bring them to light, it is now necessary to distribute (in manner of a counterpoison) their several faults and vices, with means to discern the true from the false. The most common faults which are found in stones, consist for the most part, in fumes shadows or clouds, which do so darken them, that in some part they do diminish their beauty & clearness: some again be thick, formed with a sharp point, interlarded with certain veins & strokes, wihich do some way take away the estimation of their value. You may discern the true & perfect from the false & corrupt, by the judgement of the eye, lime, substance & touch: by the view, because the clearness of the true stone is more shining, constant, & of greater contentment to the eye, and not so dim or dull by the light of the candle, as that which is form of artificial matter, the same in deed being the best mean to try a perfect stone. They are also known by their lime, being of force to resist the lively temper, so that, that hardness cannot be counterfeited by any artificial imitation. The third judgement of stones is by their substance & touch, because they be more light and cold than those that be imperfect: which is a direct experience amongst the Indians, who being the most excellent Lapidaries of the world, do prove them by the touch of the tongue, buying such for the best as they find most cold. There be also certain precious stones found in the bellies of beasts, which Georgius Agricola witnesseth by a stone called Alectorius, found in the entrails of old capons, whereof also Pliny makes mention, speaking of the conquest of Milo Crotoniatos. In an other country of the Indians is found a stone in the heads of old and great toads, which they call Borax or Stelon, which Brasavolus approveth, is most commonly found in the head of a he toad, and yet is of opinion that it is rather a bone than a stone, which some affirm to be of power to repulse poisons, and that it is a most sovereign medicine for the stone. There is a certain stone found within the gall of an ox, and the same in ordinary practice of physic at this day in Turkey: some such be found in France, but not so common. There is a late writer of physic who affirmeth that not long since there was a stone found in the bladder of a man's gall, infected with leprosy: which I may boldly affirm with the like, for that I saw in Paris, an Anatomy of a man's body, dead upon the disease of the stone, which had in his bladder a stone as big as a pigeon's egg. There be stones engendered in the heads of fishes, as Aristotle writes of the Maugre and many other, which I reserve (as I said afore) to describe more plentiful hereafter, treating lastly and for end of our disputation, of stones of the virtue of the Adamant, which hath so amazed many of our late Philosophers, that they doubt not to believe, that it hath both vital motion and feeling. The ancients for want of knowledge of the true property and condition of this stone, have been so troubled in their navigation, that they have not been able to discover either country or company on the sea, whether it were in peace or war, but by judgement of the Sun or stars: but now that God hath more plentifully set abroach the vessel of his grace by the benefit of the Adamant, navigation is both so easy and so plain, that a man of mean courage or skill may be bold to prove the peril of the sea, and hazard himself and goods in a little pinnysse against all assaults and dangers of storms, which the Elders durst not do, because their needle and quadrante was not tipped or wrought with the Adamant stone: in whom also are found two virtues of a contrary disposition, for one of the ends maketh the needle behold always the north, and the other the south. He that first found out the use of this stone was named Flavius, but the first that wrote of his virtue was Albertus Magnus. Aristotle knew well that it was of a nature attractive, and could draw iron unto it, but yet he was ignorant to use it in the Art of Navigation: for if he had understood so far of it, he had prevented a numbered of miserable shipwrecks and dangers of sea, which overwhelmed his countrymen, for want of direction by virtue of this stone. Neither was it without cause that Pliny (giving singular estimation to this stone) did form his cruel complaints against nature in that she was not only content to give a voice unto rocks to send or return certain cries and calls in manner of an Echo, but also to give feeling, motion, and hands to stones, as to the Adamant, wherewith he smelleth and holdeth iron, and seemeth to be jealous when any offereth to take it from him: he not only allureth iron, and holdeth it when he hath it, but also is contented to impart and transfer his virtue to any thing that toucheth it, which hath not been only an experience among the profane, but Saint Augustine himself confesseth to have seen the Adamant draw unto it a ring of iron, which being rubbed or touched with the Adamant, drew another ring, and so the third drew the fourth, and so consequently, in such number, as he made a large collar of rings in the form of a chain, by the only aid and touch of this stone, such is his property and such his wonderful virtue, which also hath been verified by many familiar experiences, and chief by a late trial, which I saw in France in this sort: There was a knife laid upon a square thick table, and underneath the board was held in a man's hand, a piece of an excellent good Adamant, whose virtue piercing through the table that was between it and the metal, made the knife move & turn alone, to the great wonder of the assistants. These properties of the Adamant be common, therefore we will sift out of it a more secret wonder, which with the profit may also bring pleasure to the Reader. There is now a days a kind of Adamant which draweth unto it flesh, and the same so strongly, that it hath power to knit and tie together two mouths of contrary persons, and draw the heart of a man out of his body without offending any part of him, with this further property, that if the point of a needle be touched or tempered with it, it pierceth thorough all the parts of the body, without doing any harm, which would not seem credible, were it not that Experience did warrant it with great wonder. Hieronymus Cardanus writeth, that a Physician of Tours called Laurentius Crascus, had of this stone promised by the mean of the same to penetrate any flesh without grief or sorrow: which Cardanus did either doubt or lightly believe till the experience assured the effect, for he rubbed a needle with this Adamant, & then put it through his arm, where he let it remain without any sorrow many days after, but that which maketh this experience and virtue of the Adamant more famous, is, that he respected neither veins nor sinews, but thrust in his needles or irons indifferently without sparing any place. This Adamant which he had, exceeded not the bigness of a bean, and was of colour like iron, distinct of veins, and peysing about the weight of twelve grains of corn. By this Admant many people were deceived, like as also it was the occasion to entertain an error amongst many persons, which mine author confesseth to have seen by experience about xv or xuj. years past, being in the university of Poitiers, whether came in great pomp a stranger, naming himself to be a Greek borne, who in the presence of the people, gave himself many and great blows with a dagger, both upon his thighs, arms, & almost every part of his body, which being rubbed with a certain oil, which he called the oil of Balsamyn, it did so refresh & consolidate his hurts, as if the iron had never touched them. There is also at this day in Italy one Alexander of Verona, who practised the like artificial experience with his servants, who pinched them in the presence of the people, with pincers, tongues, daggers, and other tormenting instruments, and that with such horror, that it grieved the eyes of the assistants, and then rubbing their wounds with a certain oil, he made them hole again presently, which so abused the simplicity of the assistants, that they bought of his oil, which he assured to be as profitable to all kind of diseases what soever, which was such a gain to him, that there scaped no day wherein he got not ten or twelve crowns above his hire for the cure of those that were sick. The mystery whereof, did drive Cardanus into such a wonder, that he was very curious to search the cause: and falling for that matter into an intricate Labyrinth of Philosophy, he could not find nor give any other reason of it, than that the people were enchanted: touching the oil which he sold, and wherewith he feigned to heal his servant being hurt, he confessed it was a fiction and a thing nothing worth, for that those that bought it of him, could do no cure on themselves, or any other. And now to draw to end and resolution of all these things, it is most like, that this Greek and Alexander of Verona, and all the rest that have been seen to cut and tear their flesh in pieces in sundry parts of the world, did not heal them by either their oils or balms (as they feign) but it is more likely they rub their daggers, pincers, and instruments wherewith they hurt them with this second kind of Adamant, the same having a certain secret and hidden virtue to consolidate that part that is hurt, and to resist all sorrow and grief in the wound: wherein for a more credit I commend you to the authority of Plaudanus in his second Book De Secretis orb●●, & rerum miraculis.   

¶ Wonders of certain Princesses, being committed to the flames unjustly accused, who were delivered by virtue of their innocency. CHAP. xvij.  
IT is no new thing, neither chanceth it often, that the innocent creatures could not be endamaged by the flames of fire, as it is verified in many noble persons found and spoken of in the holy Scriptures. But it is a strange thing at these days, wherein sin so aboundeth, and we seldom see such miracles, that such like should happen amongst us. For as Polydorus Vergilius witnesseth in the eight book of his histories of England and as others writ before his time, making mention of one Goodwin prince of England, who accused unjustly of many vices, Emnia mother to Edward the second, King of England, and wrought therein so much by his false suggestions & accusations, that the King her son despoiled her not only of all her goods, but in process of time, as one sin draweth another, he so continuing his wicked enterprise, would not be satisfied with her goods, but sought to divest her of her honour, accusing her a fresh that she had committed adultery with the bishop of Winchester: whereof king Edward storming out of measure to hear her accused of such execrable vices, who had given him suck within her entrails, resolved to put her to death, and in the mean time whilst all the court was molested with the inquisition of this offence, he committed her and the bishop into several prisons, where she being grieved, demanded one day amongst others, to talk with the king her son, in whose presence she cast herself headlong into the burning flames, crying with a loud voice, that those hot burning flames might consume her body▪ if she were culpable of the faults whereof she was wrongfully accused: and having ended this talk, she issued out of the fire in good safety, without diminishing any part of her body. Whereat the king was much astonished. Crantius in his chronicles of almain and many others which have written of their Histories, report the like of lame Henry the xu Emperor of the Romans, a man very religious, who married with the daughter of Sigeroy, Palatin of Rhine, called Gunegonde, a woman chaste, and of good life, if ever there were any, with whom the emperor lived in marvelous continency and chastity, loving her only. Albeit, a certain Gentlewoman of his house, persuaded by some wicked spirit, repining to see their continencies, determined to sow some jealousy betwixt them: who finding the Emperor at convenient leisure, told him that she did behold the Empress using the company of a knight in unhonest manner. Whereof the Queen being advertised, commanded there should be made ready secretly, six great coulters of iron, and to bring them into the presence of the Emperor, who ignorant of the occasion, was suddenly amazed to see his wife march so hardly barefooted, and without any fear at all, and stand upon those burning irons: Whom she beholding attentively, said unto him: Behold Emperor, as I am not hurt with this fire, even so am I clear from all immundicitie. Whereof the Emperor was astonished, and began to think of the vain superstition, the which he had believed, prostrating himself suddenly upon the earth, and required pardon at God's hands for his rash judgement in the same. Wherein as these innocent doings proved by those flames seem strange, so do the lives of these two persons, whereof the Historians write, seem to me no less wonderful, for that they lived togethers like maids, without knowing one the other, during all their lives, in such sort, that the Emperor feeling death to approach, caused her parents to be sent for, & said to them: Like as the first day ye gave me your daughter in marriage she was a maid, even so I render her unto you again a maid, with commandment to use her in faithful & trusty manner. The Emperor with his maidenlike wife were buried in the cathedral church of Bambergh, which heretofore was subject to the archbishop of Maiencey. Preferring further as of good right into the number of two virtuous princesses, the history recited by Eusebius Cesariensis, in his ecclesiastical history of Policarpus, 
Volateranus writeth a like example in his geography  which during the great butchery and persecution of the christians which they made under the emperor Verus, were brought to the fire to be burned quick: and after they had lifted their eyes to heaven, and made their prayers to god, they were cast headlong into a great hot burning fire: albeit in the place where the flame ought to have consumed them, & brought them to cinders, it began (with great marvel) to revolt: flying far off from the bodies of the martyrs in manner like the sail of a ship, which is tossed and carried by the winds in the midst of the sea, which appeared as evidently as the gold or silver which they melt in the furnace. And when these wicked monsters saw that their bodies consumed not, they commanded the tormentor or hangman to thrust them through with a sword, when behold (saith he) there issued out of their bodies such quantity of blood, in such great abundance, 
A wonderful providence of God.  that the fire was clean extinct, giving to the lookers on, such a grievous remorse of conscience, that they fled altogethers: whereof you may read more at large in the fourth book of the History Ecclesiastical of Eusebius, and the xlj chapter.   

¶ A wonderful history of sundry strange Fishes, monsters, Mermaids, and other huge creatures, found and bred in the sea. CHAP. xviij.  
Amongst most of those things which merit Philosophical contemplation, touching the universal subject of creatures without reason, I think such are most wonderful, whose nature is furthest from our understanding and judgement, as especially huge fishes and other monsters of the water, who being shrined in the bottom and belly of the Sea, and buried in the depth of diverse lakes, do exceed most commonly the opinion and iudgemeat of such as be most curious to search and fift their manners and conditions, the same being so rare and strange, and specially in the exercise of their natural actions, that I think they be of force to move equal delight & desire to many men to participate for a time with their society in the Elament where they dwell, to the end they might come to a more free and perfect knowledge of their virtues, which was plentifully approved by the Emperor Antonine, who having received a certain work of Opian, treating of the order of fishing and disposition of fish, gave him as many Crowns as there were verses in his books. Conradus Celtis and after him, Gesnerus showing the desire and affection that the Ancient Emperors had to be privy to the property, age, manners, and condition of fishes, writ, that in the year .1497. was taken in a pool near to Haelyprum the Imperial City of Sweura, a Brochet, which had a hoop or ring of leather tied to his ears, wherein was written in Characters of Greek this which followeth. I am the first fish that was put into this River, by the hands of Federike, second Emperor of the World, the fift of October, a thousand two hundred and thirty, which proved by the witness of those letters, that the said Brochet had lived in that water 297. years. Wherein also it seems that this good Emperor Federik observed in fishes, that which Alexander used in Hearts or dear, who (according to Pliny) would cause very often chains of gold with inscriptions to be tied about their necks, & then gave them the liberty of the wild forests the same being found a hundred or two hundred years after, keeping the same collar & letters about their necks. The Romans for the estimation they had of fishes & pleasure to behold them, would sometime cast condemned men all quick into their rivers & Lakes, to the end that those little creatures might be the executioners of their offices, others for delight sake would make them so tame, that at the sound of a whistle they would leave the water, and come and take meat at their hands upon the banks of their rivers, having them in such delight, that Lucius Crassius Censor, lamented no less the death of one of his little fishes dying out of his ponds, than if it had been for one of his daughters. It is not unknown also that the Roman Emperors held fishes in such honour and affection, that in their most Royal and pompous banquets, they made more dainty & dear account of fish, than of any kind of foul or other flesh, reserving such reverend observation to some of them, and specially the Sturgeon, that (as some say) he that brought it to the board used to do it bareheaded, saving a Cornet or garland of flowers, and for a more honour of the thing, the Trumpets and dr●̄mes ceased not to sound & blow, so long as that dish stood on the table. At this day in Grece & Turkey, the people for the most part be more desirous of fish than of flesh, which was also the custom of the ancients, whereupon both the Greek & Latin Physicians do most commonly in all their treatises prefer the nouritures & sovereign goodness of fish afore flesh, & have given also the inferior place of estimation to flesh. Like as at this time also the Egyptians do abstain all their life from eating of fish, observing the order of our Monks in their abstinence from eating of flesh, which shall suffice for this time for the dignity & commendation of fishes, following in order to describe how the Seas bring forth their wonders with more marvel than the land, whereof I will lay afore you in this place only the principal, & such as have moved cause of astonishment in the most precise Philosophers of the world. Amongst the most wonders of the Sea, it may seem miraculous & almost incredible, that fishes do fly, and that those dumb creatures do lift themselves from out of their moist Element to pierce and break the air, as birds do with their wings: whereof although there be diverse kinds according to the experience of the Sea, yet I have not figured the portrait of any in this chapter, save only the Arundel or swallow of the Sea, & that as Gesnerus and Rondelet in their histories of fishes have drawn it. Who desireth to have a more large description of this fish, let him read Rondelet in his first chapter of his vj. book, where he affirmeth this fish to be so called by reason of his colour, greatness in proportion, & pinions like to a bald Mouse, yet (saith he) who considereth thoroughly of this fish, and manner of his flying, he may seem rather to resemble a swallow than a bald Mouse. Opianus saith he flieth out of the water for fear he be devoured of the great fishes. Plinius writeth that there is a fish flying called Arundelle, which is very like the bird which we commonly call a swallow, which as he is rare, and showeth himself by great wonder with his great wings, so being taken, they use commonly to dry him and hang him up in their houses: which I think was more rare in the time of Pliny than now, because there be diverse found in sundry houses in Spain, Italy, France, and elsewhere. Claudius' Campensius, Physician to the Lord Marquis of Trans, said, that not many years past, the Lord Admiral of England, made him a banquet, where he presented him with a flying fish. And in our time those that have sailed by the pillars of Hercules, affirm that there is such store of flying fishes thereabout, that they seem rather birds with wings than fishes of the Sea. Besides it is not inconvenient to set forth in this place the portrait of a fish flying, or rather a water monster, which is the chief cause that I have undertaken this treatise of fishes. This fish or rather monster of the Sea, I have considered with long view & judgement, and have caused him to be drawn as near as I can according to his natural proportion, wherein I may boldly prefer as witnesses above two hundredth persons who saw him in Paris, aswell as I   

 
Amongst the things of wonder to be seen in this beast, it hath chief a hideous head, resembling rather in figure a horrible Serpent than a fish, with wings, resembling rather the pinions of a bald mouse, saving they be far more thick and massive: he contains near a foot and a half in length, neither is he so well dried, but he yields some savour or smell of a fish: the rest is to be discerned in his figure. Many learned men of thee, university who considered largely of him and his form, assured me, that it was a kind of flying Fish, the same notwithstanding agreeing in nothing with the description of the ancients touching the Arun●elle of the Sea, nor of the Mugilatus, nor of other flying fish, which makes me think that it is a sort of monstrous fish unknown to the elders. Neither am I ignorant that there be that can counterfeit by art diverse forms of fishes, Dragons, Serpents and other like things, wherewith many are abused: like as master Gesnerus hath acknowledged by his writings to have been circumvented with the like. Yet of all those which beheld this fish, & argued upon his condition, there was not one that could discern other artificial sleight than as Nature brought him forth, & formed him.  
The Sea hath also other monsters, which be more wonderful than these, as the fish which they call in Latin Torpedo, most common in Haven towns, and is accounted to resemble most of all those fishes that be hard skinned: and she hath a hidden property, which is very strange, for being hidden within the sand, or moudde, she sleepeth by a secret virtue, and making also all the fish that be near her immovable and without sense, she feeds upon them, and devoureth them, neither doth her charm of sleep extend only against fishes, but also against men, for if a man touch her with his Anglerod, she enchaunteth forthwith his arm. And if she feel herself taken with the line and hook, she hath this policy, to embrace the line with her wings, and so making her poison mount all along the line and the road, so tormenteth the arm of the fisher, that often times he is constrained to abandon his prize. The authors hereof be Aristotle in his ninth book and xxxvij. chapter, De historia animalium. Pliny in the xxxij book and second chapter: Theophrastus in libro De his quae hyeme latent: Galen, Opianus, Plutarch in libro utrum anima etc. Plato also makes like mention in Mem●o, where Socrates is compared to the Torpedo, in that by the violence and subtlety of his arguments, he so graveled those against whom he maintained disputation, that they seemed to participate with the enchantment of the Torpedo, of whose properties although the authors had made no mention, yet the common experience of every fisher maketh good no less of him: It is defended to sell him in the open market at Venise, because of his poison. Most part of our Physicians now a days write, that his flesh is moist, soft, and of an unpleasant taste. Yet Galen in his third book, de Alimentorum facultatibus, and in his book de Attenuante Victu, and in the eight of his methods doth allow it: only there hath been great controversy amongst the Ancients, to know in what part of his body consists the venom of his charm, that casteth both fish and the parts of men into a sleep: some give out that it lieth in one part, some say in an other, but most agree that it is divided throughout even unto the gall, which they confirm by the witness of Pliny, which saith, that the gall of a Torpedo on live, being applied to the genitors or privy parts, represseth the desire of the flesh: wherein we will end the discourse of that fish and his property, and visit other marvels found in other fishes.  
Although the water is the proper Element, mansion house and place of abode for fishes, where they feed, live, disport, increase and exercise all their other functions, yet is there of them which leave the Sea, floods and rivers, and leap upon the land, eat and feed upon herbs, use recreation in the fields, and sleep there now and then. Theophrastes affirmeth, that near unto Babylon, when the rivers retire within their banks, there be certain fishes left within caves and hollow places, which issue out to feed, marching upon their wings, or with their often moving of their tail, & when any offereth to offend or assault them, they fly forthwith into their caves as their refuge. The ancient Philosophers affirm, that there have been found fiishes under the earth, who (for that cause) they called Focilles, whereof Aristotle makes mention, and Theophraste speaking of Paphlilagonia, where men draw fish (and they be very good to eat) out of deep ditches, and other places wherein no water doth remain. Polybe writes in like sort, that near to Narbone hath been found fishes under the earth. We may also bring in amongst other wonders of the Sea, a kind of fish called Stella, or Sea star, because it hath the figure of a painted star: this fish is of a Nature so hot that he endureth assoon as he hath devoured, which Aristotle approveth in his .v. book De Historia anima. where he giveth such hotness to this fish, that she boileth what she taketh. Pliny, and Plutarch do likewise affirm that the star by her only touch, doth melt, boil and burn whatsoever she toucheth, and knowing her virtue, she suffereth herself to be touched with other fish, to the end she may burn them. Monsieur Rondelet, a man living at this day, and aswell worthy of credit as the best that writ, in his histostorie de piscibus, affirmeth that he hath seen many stars of the Sea, but one amongst the rest containing almost a foot in length, which he opened in manner of Anatomy, and found in his belly three Coquylles whole, and two Remollies half digested, such is the great & furious heat of this little creature, all which may seem wonderful examples of the wonders of the Sea, & yet are they nothing in respect of those which we mean to treat hereafter, the same moving both fear and amaze to such as have most nearly sifted the secrets of the Sea. For this little beast which so amazeth the world, is called in Greek Ethneis, and of the Latins Remora, to whom is given that name, because she doth stay Ships, as hereafter you shall hear more at large. Opyanus and Aelian write that he delights most in the high sea: he is of the length of a cubit, of a brown colour like unto an Eel. Pliny maketh him like to a great Limace, which he proveth by the witness of such as saw one of them that stayed the Galley of the prince Caius Caesar. In his ix book he brings in divers opinions of sundry authors touching this fish, who although they differ in his description: yet they agree all that such one there is, and is of power to stay ships. Whereof also many Philosophers of late days, which have travailed by many ports and havens in Asia and Africa, bear witness, in that they have seen him made an Anatomy, and proved his virtues with wonderful effects. It is sure a marvelous and monstrous thing in Nature to find a fish or creature in the water of the greatness of a Limace, which is of force by a secret property of nature to stay immediately what she toucheth, be it the most huge and tall ship or galley that useth to scum the sea, which made Pliny cry out in this sort: Oh strange and wonderful thing (saith he) that all the winds blowing from all parts of the world, and the most furious tempests raging upon and over the waves, and contending with extreme violence against the vessels that sail thereupon, stand in awe of a little fish of the greatness of a Limace, whose power prevaileth over their fury, can restrain and bridle their rage, and is of more force to stay the strongest ship that is, than all their anchors, cables, tackles, or any other engine employed or used about the same. This fish encountered Anthony in his wars, and restrained his ship. Adamus Lovicerus Lib. de Aquatilibus, confirming Pliny's opinion, ravished (as it were) with such strange conditions in a fish, hath travailed with great pains to search out the cause in nature, whereof being not able to give any reason by any learning or diligence he used, gave it over with this exclamation: Who is he of so dumb and gross judgement, which will not enter into admiration, if he behold at leisure the properties and power of this little fish: I know (saith he) that the Adamant hath power to smell and draw iron, 
The natures of sundry stoves.  the Diamond sweateth, and distilleth poison, the Turkeys doth move when there is any peril prepared to him that weareth it, the Torpille infecteth and maketh sleep the hand and arm of the Fisher, and I know that the Basilicke is so venomous, that with his only view and regard he poisoneth man: of all which notwithstanding their strangeness, a man may yield some reason, but of the virtue of this fish we may not argue, because it is supernatural: for he liveth in the water, taketh his nurture in the water as other fishes do, and doth no exercise but in the water: his little stature approveth, that he can do no great violence, and yet is there no power equal with his, nor force able to resist him, there is neither storm nor engine by hand, of power to move a ship after he hath once plied himself to it, were it that the whole winds and violence of the Element were assembled in one, and blew with main force against the sail: and yet after he hath left off to hold the ship, she moveth and saileth as before: beside, in this little fish is discerned a fatal prognostication, wherein she seemeth to give us some forewarning of the evils that are like to befall us. For did she not stay the Ambassadors ship of Periander? and also the bark of Caius Caesar, who soon after was killed at Rome, seeming thereby in her kind to take pity of the mishap whereunto she saw him predestinate: the which is all in effect, that Adamus Lovicerus writeth of this fish. I know again, that Aristotle, Pliny, and others, do give unto her sundry other properties, as to serve in special use in matters of love, to draw children from the wombs of their mothers, with other like qualities, which according unto their small credit, I do pass over for this tyme. Plutarch in Symposiacis .2. problem .7. searcheth the reason why that this fish doth stay ships, which shall also give end unto the description of his Wonders. And because the Reader may be fully satisfied touching the marvels of the Waters, we will now enter into the treaty of a chief member thereof, the same since the creation of the World until this age, having much troubled the Philosophers and other learned men by the curious search, to know whether there have been in the sea Seamen, Tritons, Nereids, and other like Monsters, carrying the figure of man, which in times passed the ancients do witness to have seen in Floods, Rivers, Fountains, Rocks, and Lakes. Those which have persuaded themselves, that there is none such, justify their opinion by the authority of the Scripture, which making no mention of such things, affirmeth absolutely, that the earth is the only house and tabernacle of man, wherein he is to remain and keep his residence until that it please the Lord to call him home, as the Prince or captain doth by the Soldier that he putteth in his garrison. Those which defend the contrary, do prefer the Experience and witness of so many learned persons, whose gravity and wisdom would not leave to a general posterity, their books full of such vanities and dreams, to entertain the children, parents, friends, and universally all such as should come after them, in error. Besides (say they) it is no less impertinent to believe, that there be Men monsters in the sea, than to give faith to those that writ, that there be woody Nymphs, satires, and other savage Monsters, approved for truth by some of our Ecclesiastical writers, like as also the other is given out for a matter of faith by sundry men of credit, who have seen them with their eyes. Pausanias' amongst other of the ancients doth affirm, that he hath seen at Rome, a Triton. And those which have recorded the chronicles of Constantinople, whereof one part concerneth the state of Europe, writ that in the .29. year of the Emperor Mauritius, the provost of Delta in Egypt, walking amongst other people against the rising of the Sun, was astonished when he saw upon the bank of the flood of Nile two creatures, bearing the figure of humanam figuram, whereof the one that did most resemble a man, seemed of fierce and stout regard, with a curled hair standing right an end, and oftentimes in their presence would show himself above the water, to the secret parts, and then suddenly sink again into the water unto the navel, giving (as it were) to know unto the people, that for a duty and reverence to nature, he sought to cover the rest. Which moving such indifferent marvel and fear to the Provost and rest of his company, that they adjured him in the name of God, that if he were any wicked spirit, he should retire to the place ordained for him by his creator: but of the contrary, if he were one of those which were created for the glory of his name, that he would make some abode there for the contentment of that poor people so desirous of such a strange sight. This creature bound (as it were) by the virtue of this conjuration, remained long amongst them. Immediately after which time, chanced a sight no less strange than this: it was an other creature representing the form and shape of a Woman, who began to cut the waves, and approach the bank of the river, having a great bush of hairs dispersed, a white face, and of pleasant regard, her fingers and arms well proportioned her dugs somewhat round and big, showing herself in this order, namely until the navel, the rest (with a like reverence to nature as the other) she concealed within the waves. And after these two creatures had long delighted the eyes of the people with their sight, they gave place to the darkness of the night, and vanished away, without ever being seen afterward. Whereof after the Provost had taken witness of the assistants, he dispatched immediately a messenger to the Emperor Mauritius with the news. baptist Fulgose, writeth a like history of a Sea monster, which was seen of a numbered of men, in a certain port or haven of the sea, in the time of Eugenius the fourth. This monster (saith he) was a man of the sea, who having left the water, made a road upon the land, and caught a child as he disported himself upon the bank, which being desirous to carry with him into the sea, he was so speedily pursued with men, and hurt with stones, that he was not only forced to leave his prey, but also had much to do to recover the water: his figure resembled the form of a man, saving that his skin was like the sloughe of an Eel, and had two little horns on his head: he had on either hand but two fingers, and his feet did end like two little tails, and on his arms he had two little wings, as a bald Mouse hath. Conradus Gesnerus writeth that there was seen at Rome in the great river, a sea man, or monster of the sea. Theodorus Gaza, a man learned, and as well studied as any of our time, writeth, that on a time when he was in Greece upon a certain coast of the sea, after the rage of a wonderful tempest, having taken upon the shore a good quantity of fish, he saw amongst certain other wonderful things, a Mermaid or fish, having the face of a woman, fully perfect in every thing requisite in Nature unto the waist, from which part downward she carried the form of a fish, finishing in the tail like an Eel, even as we see them ordinarily drawn by the painter. This Mermaid (as it is written) was upon the gravel or sand, and showed by her jests and countenances to suffer such passions, as the said Theodore Gaze moved to pity, considering that she had a desire to return to the sea, took her, and conveyed her into the water. Pliny likewise writeth, that in the time of the Emperor Tiberius, the inhabitants of Lysbona, a town in Portugal, sent Ambassadors to the Emperor to certify him that they had seen many times a Tryton, or man of the Sea, hide and withdraw himself into a cave, near unto the Sea. There was also advertisement sent to the Emperor Octavian Augustus, that upon the coast of France were found certain Mermaids dead upon the bank of the river. In like sort Georgius Trapezuntius, a man very famous in learning, affirmeth to have seen upon the border of the river, appearing out of the water in the form of a Woman until the navel, whereof seeming to marvel, and beholding her somewhat nearly, she retired into the water. Alexander ab Alexandro, a great civilian Philosopher in the eight Chapter of his third book assureth for certainty, that in Epire, now named Romain, is a certain fountain near the Sea, from whence young Maids for the necessity of their houses, did draw water, and that hard by issued a Triton or Sea man, and caught a little damsel, whom he carried oftentimes into the sea, and after set her on land again: whereof the inhabitants being advertised, used such watch and guard, that they took him, and brought him afore the justice of the place, afore whom being searched and examined, found in him all parts and members of a man, for which they committed him to certain guard and keeping, offering him meat, the which he refused with sorrowful lamentations after his kind, not tasting any thing that was offered him, and lastly died of hunger, seeing himself restrained from the Element wherein he was wont to dwell. Many writers now a days do witness a thing more strange than any of these, if it be true, which is, that the Archduke of ostrich, third son of the Emperor Ferdinando, made to be carried with him to Gennes, in the year .1548. a Mermaid dead, the same so astonishing the people, that the most learned men in Italy came to visit and see him. I could yet make of more Watermonsters seen in our time, as that which was figured like a Monk, an other like a Bishop with other of like resemblance: which import the more faith, because they are preferred by three of the most notable Fishers in Europe, being also figured so amply in the universal History of fishes, that I need not to enlarge their descriptions, for they have so learnedly discoursed of the properties of the same, that they have cut of all hope to such as shall come after them, to advance it with further addition.   

¶ Wonders of Dogs which did eat Christians. CHAP. nineteen.  
IF the bones & ashes of all those which have been persecuted for the name of jesus Christ, 
Damascen writeth, that in the time of Maximinian there were killed and martyred in xxx days xvij thousand christians.  were at this day in being, and to be seen with our corporal eyes, we might then confess, that they were able to build a great and proud City: and withal, if all the blood which hath been shed for his name, were gathered together into one certain place, it were sufficient to make a great flood. For who soever will read in Eusebius, and S. Augustine, the persecutions, burnings, butcheries and slaughters which were made of the poor flock of jesus Christ, in the time of the Emperor Domitian, trajan, Antonius, Severus, Maximinian, Decius, Valerian, Aurelian, Diocletian & Maximian with many others, he shall not find so many thousands slain in the cruel wars of the tyrants, as he shall read to have shed their blood for the name of jesus Christ: neither is the sacrifices of so many Martyrs and companies of the good, so amply spoken of by Saint Augustin in his xviij book lij chap. of the City of God, or by Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history, or that Orseus writeth, so much to be wondered at or strange, 
Cornelius Tacitus lib. 15.  as this whereof Cornelius Tacitus maketh mention is wonderful and worthy to be put in memory amongst the most celebrate pourtraicts & monsters of this world. For it did not only suffice the infamous tyrant Nero, to make to be burned the bodies of the poor Christians, making them serve as torches and blazing links to give light to the Citizens of Rome, but also made them to be wrapped quick in the skins of certain savage beasts, to the end that the dogs, thinking they had been beasts in deed, might tear and commit their bodies to pieces. Which you may now see by the furious assaults that Satan, and his accomplices have builded against the members of jesus Christ: for there is no Religion which he hath not so furiously persecuted sithence the beginning of the world, as this of ours, wherein although he hath set abroach all his subtleties, frauds, malices and inventions to undermine it, yet notwithstanding it remaineth whole and sound, by the virtue and aid of the Son of God: who hath & can bridle & repress the envious rage of his enemies. And although he hath procured the death of many members of the Church, as Abel, isaiah, jeremy, Zacharie, Policarpius, Ignatius, and many thousand Martyrs and Apostles: yet notwithstanding he could never deface any jot thereof: for it is written in like manner, that the gates of hell could not by any means prevail against her, albeit that for a certain time she was put in some peril, and was shaken and tossed like a little bark, by the rage & tempests of the Sea: yet surely jesus Christ did not forsake at any time his espouse, but always assisted her, as the head of his body, watched her, guarded her, and maintained her, as is witnessed in the promises made unto her: when he said, I will not leave you, my Orpheus, I will be with you to the very last consummation of the world. And further he sayeth in isaiah, I will put my word into your mouth, and defend you with the shadow of my hand, and those words which I put into your mouth, shall not be taken from your seed, now nor never. Wherein seeing then that our only religion is true and purified, and that it is signed by the blood of so many Prophets, Apostles and Martyrs, and confirmed beside with the blood of jesus Christ, whereof he hath left to us the true Character and witness of his death, & that all others be unlawful bastards, and invented by the Devils, and men their ministers, to the utter confusion of ours: wherefore if it be so pure and holy, let us then endeavour ourselves to conserve and kep● the same, to the end we may say in the last day to God, as the good king David said, Lord, I hate them that hate thee, I am angry with them that rise against thee, and I hate them with a perfect hate, and hold them for mine enemies.   

¶ A wonderful history of divers figures, Comets, Dragons, and flames, which appeared in heaven to the terror of the people, and whereunto the causes and reasons of them be assigned. CHAP. xx.  
THe face of Heaven hath been at divers times so much disfigured by blazing stars, torches, fireforks, pillars, Lances, bucklers, Dragons, two Moons & two Suns at one instant, with other like things, that whosoever would recount by order, those which only have appeared (sithence the nativity of jesus Christ,) together, searching the causes of their beginning & births, the life of a man would not perform the same: albeit the most notable & worthy to be celebrated, of all others, is the star which conducted the three sage Kings of pierce, to the place where Christ was borne, the which feared not only the common people, but the sight thereof ravished and brought into admiration the most learned of the world, for that it, against the Nature of all other stars (which draw themselves from the Orient to the Occident,) addressed her course into Palestine, which is situated towards the North, causing S. john chrysostom to think, that that star was none of them which we see in heaven, but rather a virtue invisible, figured under the form of a star. Notwithstanding let us leave of to discourse of this star, and come to other strange things, which have appeared from heaven, whereof Gaguin in his sixth book of the gests of the Kings of France, maketh mention of a very marvelous blazing star, which appeared in the Septentrion in the time of Charles the uj In the year .597. which was in the year of the nativity of the false impostor Mahomet, at Constantinople was seen a hairy Comet, so hideous and fearful, that they thought the end of the world approached. another like precedent was seen a little space before the death of the Emperor Constantin, whereof Orseus in his vij book and ix Chapter, and Eutropeus in his second book maketh mention: that in the year that Mitrydates was borne, and in the year wherein he received the Sceptre Royal, there appeared a Comet from heaven, as justin and Vincentius write, which for the space of xxiv. days, occupied so well the fourth part of heaven, casting such a clear light, that the brightness of the Sun was thereby darkened. And also in the year that Tamburlan the Tyrant killed so many men and women in one overthrow of the Turks, that of their heads only he made a great wall (as Matheolus writeth) there appeared a marvelous blazing star in the Occident, 
A wall of dead men's head.  whereof Pontanus and joachinus Camerarius in his book de ostentis, learnedly writeth. Herodian a Greek author, in the life of the Emperors maketh mention that in the reign of Commodeus the Emperor, they saw by the space of a whole day, a number of stars shining as though it had been night: likewise in the year that jews the stutting French King died, they beheld from heaven shining a great number of stars at nine of the clock in the morning, wherein as Hieronimus Cardanus in his xiiij book De veritate rerum, assureth to have seen in the year 1532. the xj day of April, being at Venise, three suns together, clear, bright & shining. Even so in the year that Francis Sforce died (after whose decease grew great wars in Italy) there was in like manner seen at Rome three suns, which did so fright the people, that they fell immediately to prayer, thinking the malice and ire of God were kindled against them for their sins. Also the Pope Pius, second of that name, who was called before he received that dignity, Aeneas Silvius, who died in the year 460. writeth in his description of Europe the liiij chap. that in the sixth year after the jubilee, there was seen amongst them of Sienne and Florence, twenty clouds in the air, who being stirred of the winds, fought one against another, every one in his rank, recoiling and approaching according to the order and manner of battle, and during the conflict of these clouds, the wind was not unoccupied in despoiling, battering, bruising and breaking trees, houses, and rocks, besides lifting of men and beasts into the air. The antiquity of time cannot report or make mention of a more wonder in the air, than of a horrible Comet of the colour of blood, which appeared in the West, the eleventh day of October in the year 1527. being so wonderful and fearful, that it engendered so great terror to the common sort, that divers not only died with the sight, but others fell into strange and miserable maladies. This strange Comet was seen of many thousand, continuing the space of an hour and a quarter, and in the end began to bring herself to the side of the sun, after drawing towards the Midy, the Occident, and the Septentrion, appearing to be of an excessive length, and of the colour of blood, there was seen in the height of the Comet the Character and figure of the stump of an arm, holding a great sword in his hand, as he would have stricken: about the point of the said sword, were three stars, but that which was right upon the point, was more clear and bright than the others: on the other two sides of the beams of this Comet, they saw a great number of hatchettes, knives, sword of the colour of blood, about the which were a great number of humane faces very hideous, with their beards and hair stirring, as may be seen before figured. Shortly after the view of this hideous & wonderful Planet, all the parties of Europe were well-nigh bathed in humane blood▪ so much prevailed the invasion of the turks, besides other hurts which Italy received by the Lord of Bourbon, when he committed Rome to sack, dying at the same instant: like as Petrus Creuserus & john Litchber excellent Astrologians interpret by writing the signification of this wonderful Planet. Even so for that we have promised in the induction of our work, to show the causes & beginnings of these wonders, it is therefore now requisite to search more narrowly the matter, and to decide the question so often debated amongst the Ancients and learned Philosophers. These fantastical figures, as dragons, flames, Comets, & other like of divers forms, which are seen so often in the Element according to the opinions of many wise men, do give to understand, foretell or show many things that shall and do happen, as Albumazar, Dorotheus, Paulus Alexandrinus, Ephestion Maternus▪ Aomar, Thebith, Alkindus, Paulus Manlius, Alberanger, and generally the most part of the ancient Greeks, hebrews, Caldees, Arabec and Egyptians, who have written and attributed so much to the stars, and their influence, that they have assured the most part of the humane actions, to depend of the celestial constellations. Whereof Cicero in his first book De fato●, seems to favour them much, when he affirmeth darckely▪ that those which are borne under the Planet De Canis, shall not be drowned. In like manner Faber Stapulensis in his Paraphrase of Metheores, maketh mention that the Commettes, which appeared from heaven, signified scarcity of goods, abundance of great winds, wars, effusion of blood and the death of Princes, Hieronimus Cardanus a late Philosopher, writeth in his fourth book De subtilitate, and xiiij book De veritate rerum, that the hairy and bearded Comets and other like monstrous figures which appear from heaven, be as foretellers and messengers of famine, pestilence, wars, mutations of Realms, and other such like hurts which happen to the generation of man. And he further believes, that the greater and hideous these figures appear, they purport and show the greater evils. Whereof, Proculus one of the most excellent Astrologians which Grece at any time nourished, followeth the interpretations of such predictions, by all the signs of heaven, recounting by order the marvelous powers which these stars have upon the actions humane. And there be others as Ptolemy, which have written, that if any infant in his nativity be borne under certain constellations, he shall have power over devils: there be also others of opinion, but they be most shameless & full of blasphemies, who have so much referred themselves to the disposition of stars, that they have not feared to write, that if any from their nativity were borne under the aspect of certain stars, that they should have the gift of prophecy, and should foretell things to come. And that jesus Christ the saviour of all the world, was borne under certain fortunate constellations, being the cause that he was so perfect & wrought so many miracles. Here you may see the cruel & horrible blasphemies, which these detestable & infamous Astrologians judicial bring forth, which is the cause that S. Augustin hath banished them from the City of God. Basil and S. Cyprian detest them. chrysostom, Eusebius, Lactantius, and S. Ambrose abhor them. The council of Tollete reject them. the civil laws punish them by death. And the Ethniques also, as Varro, Cornelius Celsus, and many other, defame them. But far more diversly amongst Princes than any other, hath Picus Mirandula showed himself, who hath so very well brought to light, and discovered the Labyrinth of their dreams in a Latin work, which he made against them, that they scarcely dare once lift up their horns. Wherefore let us now return to our purpose and show so near as we can, whether these strange figures and Comets which we see from heaven, be foretellers of things which shall happen, or that they be natural: wherein as Aristotle in his first book of Metheores, treating very learnedly of the nature of Comets, and of these other impressions, Characters, and figures which be made from heaven, saith, that they be made only by nature, without making mention that they either foretell or appoint any thing which shall happen: even so it is to be presupposed, that if Aristotle, who is the first and most excellent of all those which have written at any time in this Art, had found never so little conjecture or reason in nature, that they were appointers of any thing which should come to pass, he would have kept them no more secret or hidden, than he hath done the other secrets of philosophy, which he hath left to us by his writings. Wherefore it is then certain, that these fantastical flames and other figures, which we see from heaven, be natural and grow upon this occasion following. There be three regions in heaven, one which is most high, who receiveth into her a marvelous heat, for that she is next neighbour to the Element of fire: the other which is lower, receiveth the beams of the Sun beaten back of the earth, whereof I have made mention in my description of the cause of thunders. The third is in the midst of these two, to the which do come the force of the heat, which cometh from the uppermost part, like to the heat of the beams of the Sun, beaten back when it cometh from the lowest or inferior region. For as Pliny witnesseth, the stars be continually nourished of the humour proceeding of the ground, which be the chiefest causes of these celestial flames: for the earth as Aristotle showeth in his first book of Metheores, being chafed of the Sun, rendereth double ayrely substance, the one vapour which we may properly name exhalation hot and dry, the other is hot and moist: and because the first vapour is most light, she is suffered to come to the highest region of the air, where she is set on fire: whereof proceedeth these fires and flames from heaven, which in the forms of divers strange shinings appear in the Clouds in sundry figures, as in the shape of burning torches, of ships, heads, lances, bucklers, sword, bearded and hairy Comets, with other like things, whereof we have made mention here before: 
The cause of the flames of fire from heaven.  the which engenders great terror and astonishment to those, who be ignorant of the causes, wherein as it happened oftentimes amongst the Romans, in the wars of the Macedons, who being brought into such fear and terror, 
The Romans fearful of the Eclipse of the Moon.  by the sudden appearing of the Eclipse of the Moon, that their hearts began to fail them: Even so Cneius Sulpitius seeing them continuing in this fear (by a wonderful eloquence) showed unto them by probable reasons, that such mutation in the air was natural, and that the Eclipse proceeded of no other thing, 
The cause of the Eclipse of the Moon.  than of an interposition of the Moon betwixt the Sun and us, and of the earth betwixt us and the Moon, by which means they were delivered of their error, not knowing till that hour, the cause of the said Eclipse. The like may be said of the raining of blood, the which hath so much frighted the people in the years passed, for because they were ignorant whereupon it proceeded, as that which fell from heaven, in the year of health 570. in the time that the Lumbards' were under the conduct of Albuyn, traveling through Italy. And also there fell the like yet fresh in memory near Fribourgh, in the year .1555. the which stained and made the garments and trees which it touched, of the colour of red, and notwithstanding although that this seemeth wonderful, yet oftentimes it is natural. For like as the earth giveth divers colours to many bodies: even so she coloureth the water of the rain, for if the earth be red, she rendereth those vapours and exhalations red, the which being converted into rain, the heaven in like manner sendeth them to us red, and coloured as they were attired and lifted in height: and falling so upon certain habits, she maketh them of the colour and die of red. Wherefore many Historians, as well Greekes as Latins, amongst their great marvels and rare wonders from heaven, have made mention of these bloody showers. It resteth now to put to the last seal this chapter, and to appoint the causes of the number of Suns and Moons, which appear oftentimes from heaven, as the three Suns, 
iij suns seen by Cardanus.  the which Cardanus reporteth to have seen in our time, being at Venice. And like as we have said, that these figures which appear from heaven be natural, even so we must speak of the multitude of Moons and Suns, the which appear, for that oftentimes, and specially when a certain thick cloud is ready to rain, 
The causes of the shows of so many suns and moons.  being found on the side of the Sun, the same by a like reflection on her beams, imprinteth her image in the same cloud: by the which means we judge to see divers suns. We may also see the like in a table well painted and polished, which when we behold, there appeareth to us the shape of two or three being but one in deed, and as much we may say of the Moon. Thus have we declared the very true causes wherefore appear so often two or iij Suns & Moons: let us therefore now from henceforth search in nature the cause and beings of these things, and stay no more at these fripperies, deceipts, and dreams of the Astrologians judicials, who thereby have so oftentimes deceived & beguiled us, that they ought and deserve to be banished & exiled from all common wealths well governed: for what trouble, perplexity and terror have they engendered in the consciences of a numbered of poor people. As for example, in the year 1514. when they feared not with obstination to publish openly in all places, that there should be in the month of February well nigh an universal flood, for that the conjunction of all the planets were in the sign of Pisces, and notwithstanding the day which should have brought forth these waters, was one of the most fair and temperate days of the year: albeit many great personages, fearful of their prophecies, made provision of biscuit, flower, ships and other like things proper to sail withal, fearing to be surprised and drowned with the great abundance of water, which they before had told of. Let us further from henceforth learn with Henry the vij king of England, who reigned in our time, making no account of their deceits, but chastised their dream, who upon the sudden being made to understand, that one of the most famous Astrologians of England had published in all places, that he had found amongst the most hidden secrets of Astrology, that the King should die before the next feast of Christmas, commanded that he should be brought before him, who after he had asked him whether this talk were true, and that the prognosticator had answered him that it was certain, and that he had found this infallible in his constellation and nativity, I pray thee than said the King, tell me where the stars tell thee thou shalt keep thy Christmas this year? To whom he answered, he should be in his own house with his family: but I know very well said the King, that thy stars be liars: for thou shalt neither see Moon, Sun, Stars, heaven, nor thy family this Christmas, putting him presently in the most strait & dark prison, in the great tower of London, where he continued till the feast was passed. Here you may see how this true Astrologian was used, remaining prisoner in extreme misery, until after the feast kept of the nativity of jesus Christ.   

¶ A wonderful History of Flames of fire, which have sprung out of the heads of divers men. CHAP. xxj.  
IF there were but one only Author which had made mention of the History following, although the truth thereof be sufficiently proved, for which cause I have the rather at this time placed it in these my wonders, as a chief argument or conjecture in nature, whereupon may be founded the cause: notwithstanding, seeing so many learned men have busied themselves to write thereof, together with so great a number of faithful authors witnessing the same in their works, we ought the rather upon their credit to believe that which they have said therein. Titus Livius in his third book and third Decade, Cicero in his second book De divinatione, Valerius the great in his first book and uj chapter, Frontinus in his second book and ten chapter, writ, that after the Scipions were surprised by their enemies, and overthrown and killed by the Spaniards, and that Lucius Martius, a Roman knight, making an oration to his soldiers, exhorting to revengement, they became astonished to see a great flame of fire issuing from his head, without doing to him any hurt, which caused the armed men, being moved with the sight of this wonderful flame, to take heart and run so furiously upon their enemies, that they not only killed xxvij. thousand, but also had a pray of a great number of captives, besides an inestimable riches they took from the Carthaginiens. Neither have such fantastical fires sprung from the bodies of certain men, or appeared in one only, but in many. Whereof the same author Titus Livius writeth (in his first book of things worthy of memory sithence the foundation of Rome) the like to happen to Servius Tullius, who succeeded in the imperial seat Tarqvinius Priscus from whose head (being yet but young) and as he slept, they saw issue a flame of fire: whereupon the Queen Tanaquil, wife to the foresaid Priscus, affirmed to her husband, that this flame promised to him great good, honour and prosperity, which afterwards chanced: for he married not only her daughter, but after the death of her husband, he was King of the Romans. And plutarch and others have written the like of Alexander, when he fought against the Barbariens, being in the most heat of the skirmish, they saw him all on fire, which caused a marvelous fear and terror to his enemies. Even so I know a certain Physician at this day, who writeth of the like in divers of his histories, chancing in our time to a near friend of his in Italy, not only at one time, but at many. Whereof, as Plinius not only in an other place, maketh mention of the river Trasimenus, which was seen all on fire, but also maketh a certain discourse of these wonderful flames, which be seen about the bodies of men. Also Aristotle in his first book of Metheores, treateth in like manner. But to tell you mine opinion therein, I can not any ways gather the cause or foundation either of the one or other, although I have promised to show the causes and reasons, whereupon these wonders proceed and take their beginning. For if we will say they be made by Art: As we have seen very often in our time certain Ruffians vomit and cast forth of their mouths, certain flames of burning Fire, which Atheneus in the first book of the Dipnosophistes and fourteenth Chapter doth witness, which could not happen (as I think) to the Histories before mentioned, for that it hath chanced to great lords, upon whom these wonders have been most proved, by which means, they being attended upon with a great numbered and multitude of persons, the fraud thereof was easilier discovered. Wherefore it is most expedient then to believe, that they be wonders and deceits of Satan, who was so familiar in the world passed, that he invented daily new wonders, as is witnessed in Exodus of the Magitiens of Pharaoh, which converted Maids into Serpents, and floods of water into blood, which be matters as difficult, as to make flames of fire issue or come from the bodies of men.   

¶ A History very notable of Prodigious Loves. CHAP. xxij.  
I Am ashamed and almost confused in myself, that I must declare the wonderful love of three of the most renowned Philosophers that ever were at any time in the world. Whereof the one of them so well studied in the perfectness of the soul, 
Plato.  and of the nature divine, with a wonderful diligence in giving wholesome laws for a common wealth, that S. Augustin dare write & affirm of him, saving in some respects, to be a perfect Christian. The second so well seen in the Element, 
Aristotl●.  treating also very learnedly of the secrets of Nature, and other sensible things, that he shone amongst the rest of the Philosophers, as the sun amongst the stars. The third as he was nothing inferior in learning to the other two, so had he beside such a kind of holiness, 
Socrates.  and other ornaments of Civility, that he was numbered amongst the seven fages of Grece, which notwithstanding although they had curiously searched the secrets of the heavens, of Nature, the being and resort of all things contained within the compass of the earth, yet were they not so finely studied nor so well armed in the secrets of their sciences, as either they understand the Nature of so fair and delicate a creature, as a woman is, or other ways be able to defend themselves from their cruel assaults. All the great Mass of Philosophy, wherein Aristotle was so deeply plunged and greatly studied from his birth to his sepulture, was not of sufficient force to subdue in him the motions of the flesh, for he became in love with a common woman named Hermie, the love of whom had so much inflamed him, that he not only consumed in the sight of all men, but that which more was, he became not only a stranger for her sake to Philosophy, which deserves to be noted amongst these wonders, but also worshipped her & made to her sacrifices, as Origene writeth, whereof being accused by Demophilus, he was constrained to abandon Athens, where he had remained and written thirty. years, and saved himself by flight. Plato (who only amongst the Philosophers merited the name of divine) was not so superstitious, but he would aswell know what was humanity, as he had been diligent to search the secrets of the heavens, that he would often times behold and remain with humane bodies, as is well notified of him by keeping company with A●chenasse, who although she had given herself over to a number in her youth, notwithstanding when she was abandoned of others, Plato received her, being so much assotted in her, that he not only loved her, but made certain verses in her praise, lamenting that he should so much in the sight of all men embrace the love of so many old wrinkles, as Atheneus the Greeke author writeth in his xiij book de ses Dipnosophistes. Socrates whose majesty and gravity was so much renowned & celebrated by the Ancients, that they writ this wonder of him, that he was always one man, in sort that for any Eclipse of fortune, prosperity or adversity, they never at any time found mutation in him, notwithstanding he was not so stern or severe in his actions, but the love of his Aspasie did at all times mollify the same, as Clearchus maketh report unto us by writing, in the first book of his Amours. And like as I have brought these three to light, so could I rehearse a great number of others, as Demosthenes, Isocrates, Pericles & many others, whose amorous and lascivious loves the Greek Historians have sufficiently discovered, that in reading of them, I have much marvel that the greatness of their study, science & wisdom, could not moderate such motions & flames, but that the smoke of their wanton dealings remaineth to their posterity. Wherefore Lays, so much renowned amongst the lost women, was one day in a great collar against divers which praised very earnestly the life & manners of all the learned & wise Philosophers of Athenes, & said unto some of them, I know not (saith she) what is their knowledge, neither what is their science, neither what books your Philosopher's study, whom you so much commend, but I know this very well, that I being but a woman, & besides that I never red in the schools at Athenes, yet have I seen very often the wise men come here to my school, where, of grave Philosophers they became foolish lovers. Let us therefore leave these Philosophers at rest, and search out others: for whosoever would make a Calendar of all those, who have made themselves subject to love, should rather make a whole book thereof, than a chapter. Menetor (as Atheneus reciteth) maketh mention of an amorous history, worthy to be noted in our wonders, for that there is nothing more rare in Nature, than to see her which loveth well, willing to make partition to an other of that, which was so dear unto her, the which some times chanced in a notable history that we have to write of. Atheneus maketh mention of a common woman, greatly renowned for her beauty, whose name was Plangon Milesienne, & as she was beautiful, so was she desired of many great Lords: But amongst others, she had a young man called Colophomen, a man exquisite in beauty, whom she commonly played withal, & who above all others enjoyed the best part in her. Notwithstanding, as these lascivious loves be for the most part grounded on tickle & uncertain foundations, that all the building cometh in the end to utter decay & ruin: even so there happened such a jealousy betwixt Plangon & her friend, for that she understood he loved an other called Bachide Samienne, one nothing inferior to her for beauty & other douries of Nature. Wherein being assailed with this new jealousy, she determined to make truce with her love, & to give the farewell to this young gentleman. Whereupon this young man, who wished rather to die than to become a stranger to her, in whom consisted the comfort & solace of his life began to embrace & cherish her as he was wont to do, but she as cold as the ice of the mountain, made no account of all his plaints, sighs & lamentations, requesting that he would shun all places of her repair, without making him further to understand the cause of her displeasure: the young man touched more near the quick with her new refusal, prostrated himself at her feet all bedewed with tears, exclaiming that if she deferred to give him remedy, or otherwise relieve him by the influence of some gracious beam of pity, he should presently perish. Plangon moved with rage, pity, and love, said unto him, let me not find thee during thy life in my presence, unless thou present me with the chain of gold, so much celebrated of Bacchide Samienne: wherefore the young man without other reply went to Bacchide, to whom having made understand from point to point the fury of the flames and ardent amity which he bore to Plangon, vanquished of pity & love, gave unto him her chain, with charge that he should forthwith present it unto her, who had so grievously tormented him: wherein she showed herself very liberal and bountiful, seeing that the Historians write, that all the treasures which she had gathered by little and little during all her life of those which loved her, was melted and put into that Chain, which was of monstrous greatness, and also kept of her with great care for the only relief of her in her old age, if fortune suffered her to be pinched with poverty. The young man having thus caught the pray he most desired, went to find out Plangon, to whom he offered the chain, making her to understand the liberality of his ancient friend, between whom neither time nor distance of place, nor other sinister accident could extinguish their friendship: wherewith Plangon, marveling of the love and liberality of her companion, having a noble heart, and not willing to give place to Bacchide, neither in good will nor bounty, sent to her again her chain, loving then more fervently the young man, than she had done at any time before: and that which is most wonderful, imparted her love to Bacchide, being content the young man should be common to them both. Which made the Greeks with great admiration to name her after Pasiphyle. Wherein being now so anchored in matters of wonderful loves, we must search the most rare & marvelous histories, amongst whom I do not remember, there have been any dames in all the world, which have demeaned their love with more great wonder, neither which have ●●te a more eternal witness to their posterity of their wanton and lascivious lives, than Lamie, Flora and Lays, of whom I will write the life according as Pausanias the Greek, and Manilius the Latin, have written in their books entreating of noble loving women. But above all others I will follow Antonius of Gueuare, Bishop of Mon●demo, in a learned treatise which he hath made of this matter. These three Dames have been three of the most fair & most famous women of the world, which at any time were either borne in Asia or nourished in Europe, and of whom the Historiographers have most talked, and by whom moste Princes have come to ruin and perdition. It is written of them for a wonder, that they so well charmed those which loved them, that they were never left of any Prince which loved them, nor denied at any time, any thing they required: & further it is written that these three women as they never mocked any man, so they were not mocked of any. The Historians writ that these three Courtesans during their life, were three of the most rich Courtesans of the world, & after their decease left most great memory of them, for every of them where they died, did erect a great pillar of stones, to continue a remembrance of them: and besides that every one of them were by Nature beautiful, yet had they a further particular gift to allure & entice their lovers to love them. The engine wherewith Lamie entrapped her lovers, proceeded of regard, for by the drawing of her eyes she inflamed the beholders. Flora wan hers by her wonderful eloquence. And Lays alured by her sweet & pleasant harmony. Wherefore the King Demetrius, suddenly receiving the glance of the eye of Lamie, was taken in the net, and that new fire in process of time gained so much over him, that he lived not but in her, & not only gave her all he had, but also abandoned his wife Euxonie to follow his Lamie. Wherefore Plutarch reciteth in the life of Demetrius, that the Athenians having given unto him xj talents of silver to aid and pay his great army, he made a present of all the said sum to his Lamie, whereat the Athenians were marvelously grieved, to see their money so evil employed. This miserable King Demetrius doted so extremely in the love of his Lamie, that he honoured her as a God, swearing by her, as he accustomed to do by his Gods, till death & fortune which cuts asunder the fillet of those delights, & sends end to all such enterprises, suffered Lamie to die, whereupon that poor King, felt himself so gripped, that as some writ of him, he kissed her, and embraced her after her death: and not content with this Idolatry, he made her be buried before one of the windows of his house, and when any of his friends asked the occasion wherefore he buried her in that place, he answered them, sighing dipely: the law of friendship of Lamie is so strongly graffed in my heart, that I know not wherein to satisfy the love she bore me, & the bond which I own to her for the same, if not to put her in such a place, that by view thereof my poor eyes may bewail daily the death of her, and my sorrowful heart continually think thereof. Whereby the dolour & sorrow that Demetrius had for the death of Lamie, was so great and extreme, that all the Philosophers of Athens were to dispute thereof, whether of these two things were most to be esteemed, either the tears & sorrow which he suffered for her, or the riches which he spent in the obsequies & pomps of her burial. Within a year & two months after the death of Lamie, died King Demetrius. The second amorous Dame, named Lays, spoken of before, was the daughter of a great Sacrificatour of the Temple of Apollo, a man so expert in the art Magical, that he prophesied the perdition of his daughter incontinent after her nativity. This Lays (as her companion) had a King for her friend, who was the renowned Pyrrhus, with whom she went into Italy, in the expedition and wars he made against the Romans, remaining there a long time in his camp, & after returned with him from the wars: notwithstanding it is written of her, that she never gave herself to one man alone. This Lays was so sufficiently furnished with all perfections of beauty, and ornaments of Nature, that if she would have been continent, and not common in her love, there had not been so constant a Prince in the world, which would not have desired her, and not denied to perform what she had demanded of him. Being returned from Italy into Grece▪ she remained at Corinthe as Aulus Gelius writeth, and there was sought unto of many Kings and noble men, whom she courted and dandled with such dissimuled sleights in love, that if her lovers were unfeignedly passioned and burned extremely in the desire of her beauty, she took a singular pleasure to smile and jest at their simplicity and folly, being beside, noted for one of the women of the world, who exceeded the rest in making gain & profit of her love I have red one wonder of her, which I never heard of in any but in her, that is, that she never showed affection to any man, neither was she in love with any man, which could be known. This Lays died in the City of Corinthe, being of the age of lxxij. years: the death of whom, as it was much desired of many honest Matrons, so was it asmuch lamented of many wanton lovers. The third Dame of the world, was named Flora, which was an Italian, far surmounting the two others in generosity & noble descent: for she was issued of a certain Roman Knight, greatly renowned in the feats of war, who deceased with his wife, leaving this young maid of the age of xv. years, no less charged with riches than endued with great beauty, & the only daughter of her parents: In such sort that as the young Damsel was young, rich, beautiful, & enjoying a liberty without controlment, which be the greatest bawds of the world, and chief means to make a woman glide in such slippery paths ● seeing all these means, she did determine to go unto the wars of Africa, where she made sale both of her person and honour: and so flourished in the time of the first wars of Punic, when the Consul Manileus was sent to Carthage, who spent more money in making love to Flora, than in the conquest of his enemies. And like as this Damsel was issued of a more gentle and noble race, than the other two before recited: even so she showed her greatness in the choice of her lovers, for I never red that she gave herself over to mean and petty Companions, as Lays or Lamie did, but caused to be set up a●scrol over her gate, which said: King, Prince dictator, Consul, Censor, Bishop and Questour may knock and enter, not speaking of Emperor or Cesar, for these two famous names, were not of long time after created by the Romans, in such sort, that she never committed herself, but to men of high degree, dignity and great richesses, saying always that a woman of great beauty should be asmuch esteemed, as she values and accounts of herself: Albeit Lays and Flora were contrary in doings, for Lays would be paid her hire before she had performed her work. But Flora, without making account either of gold or silver, would be governed of her lover. And being one day asked the cause of that, she answered. I commit my person to Princes and noble men, to the end they may deal with me, as noble men ought to do, for I swear by all our Gods, that there was never man gave me so little, but that I had more than I looked for, & double to that I demanded: saying that a sage woman ought not to make price of her love, for the amorous pleasure she doth to any man, but rather for the love she beareth to him, for that all things in the world be priced at a certain rate, except Love, which can not be paid but with love. Wherefore all the Ambassadors of the world which came into Italy, carried back as great and several reports of the beauty and nobleness of Flora, as of the Public weal of Rome, for that it seemed as monstrous a thing to see the riches of her house, her beauty, the princes & noble men who daily required her, as also to behold the great presents they made unto her: for look what day she passed on horseback in Rome, the view of her & her attire, gave sufficient occasion to all the Citizens to talk thereof one month after. She died at the age of lx years, leaving her wealth and riches to the people of Rome, as her only heirs, which was esteemed not only sufficient to have edified the walls of Rome, if they had been utterly in ruin and decay, but also to have redeemed the common wealth. Wherewith giving end to the discourses of these Women, there resteth to search out some other cause more strange and rare in our wonderful loves. Cornelius and Suetonius write, that the abominable tyrant Nero, did not only offend grievously in the abuse of a number of honest and chaste virgins, but also causing to be gelded a fair young boy, whom he named Sporus, with intent to transform him into the use of a woman, he married him with open solemnity, using him in the place of his wife, touching the exercise of marriage, and assigned dowry and portion according to the order. And whether may we term it an act of wonderful love or effect of doting folly? Herodotus reporteth of the daughter of Cheopes King of egypt, who having consumed his treasure and revenue in the supply of a hundred thousand workmen, labouring upon a most sumptuous Pile which he made, and being as destitute of money, as void of means to get it, commanded his daughter to commit herself to sensual prostitution, and that with charge, that she should not only rack her honour to a high price, but also refuse none, whose company brought commodity, which she performed accordingly, demanding of every one that dealt with her, a stone, by whose gain was raised so much as builded the Pyramids, or hill which carrieth in the front a hundredth and fifty foot. Ludovicus Vartomanus writeth, that there is an other manner of making of love at this day in use in a certain province of Indie, named Tarnasseri, which is no less wonderful than the precedent before recited, if the experience were to be seen: he declareth, that when a young man is enamoured of any dame, desiring to make her understand the flames of his love, he taketh a piece of woullen cloth dipped in oil, and putting thereto fire, coucheth the same upon his naked arm, enduring that flame until the cloth be clean consumed, without showing any kind of dolour, testifying by this, that he is so strongly embraced with the love of his lady, that there is no kind of torment or martyrdom under the heavens, which he would not taste or be partaker of for her sake. But to the end we should not taste too much of these filthy and stinking loves, I will show you, that there is to be found as great wonders in chaste and virtuous love, which is sufficiently proved by sundry examples, of late written by my brother G. Fenton, in his book of Tragical Discourses. For what is more strange in Nature than to see a man sacrifice himself to accompany to death the person whom he loveth? And notwithstanding they have found a numbered of examples of women, which be more tender & fearful than men. The chaste Porcia, daughter of Cato, loved so entirely her husband Brutus, that after she understood he was slain in Thessaly, in the fields Phillipiques, 
V●serius Max. lib. 4.  for that she could not presently get a knife to kill herself, she devoured burning coals. Cleopatra, late queen of Egypt, nothing inferior in friendship to the party aforesaid, having heard of the death of her husband Anthony, although she was warily guarded by Octavius Cesar, who would not she should kill herself, yet notwithstanding their great care to prevent such a mischief, as Apianus Alexandrinus writeth, she was destroyed by a cruel kind of torment, for she made herself to be devoured of serpents. Neither let us forget Arthemise queen of Carie in Greece, who after she knew the king Mausolus her husband was dead, she drained well nigh all the waterish powers of her body by tears: & after she had sufficiently lamented, she caused to be made so excellent a sepulchre, that it was put amongst the marvels of the world: & not content with this, esteeming the body of him that had been the organ of her life, not sufficiently honoured with so sumptuous a tomb, unless she served him as a sepulchre herself, caused all the bones of her husband to be subtly beaten to powder, which she ordinarily used in her meat & drink till they were consumed. We should not marvel of these wondered flames of love, which enchant & charm so well the humain sense, that they do not only walk incurable by all the most sensible parts of our friends, but the more is, they make us very often to become mad, frantic, & without reason, as appeared by a young gentleman, issued of the best house of Athens, who of extreme sorrow died, for that they would not suffer him to cherish & love an image of Venus, of which he was greatly enamoured. And besides, it is most strange, that the contagious tickling of this amorous venom, doth not only touch the humain creatures reasonable, but also the infection thereof corrupts brute beasts. Which Plutarch witnesseth in an experience of an elephant, who with Aristophanes of Alexandrie, ●oued a maid, to whom the beast did as liberally and frankly impart his amorous desire and zeal by secret and simple signs, as Aristophanes by all the eloquence he could devise: neither is it so strange altogether, that brute beasts do love creatures reasonable, seeing they are oftentimes so pressed and pricked forward with their amorous 〈◊〉, that they are seen in divers sorts & kinds to use force against women. Whereof Edovart in his histories of beasts, giveth an example of a certain kind of rough or shaghaired apes in some countries of India, against whom, the people use a special defence to keep them from their towns and houses, for that when they feel any motion of nature, or rather provoked with desire of filthy lust, they neither spare maid, widow nor wife, nor regard estate, condition, or degree of women. Whereof have been found divers proofs in sundry unhappy women that stand not upon their gar● against the fury of such beasts. Saxonius in his tenth book of the history of the Danes, writeth (as of most credit and truth) that a Bear in Swetya, searching his prey upon the Mountains, met by chance a Shephierds' wife, whom he carried to his den, where in place to devour her, he converted his hunger into pleasure and use of her body. And it is more marvelous, that the fury and violence of Love is so great, that the wild, brutal and cruel beasts do not only feel the same: but (which more is) the Trees and lively plants of the earth, the which we see, show a certain likeness and affinity of love: in such sort that as Theophrastus and Pliny have written, there be divers Trees and Plants, which if you take away the males, and place them far from the females, they presently whither, and continue in perpetual barrenness. As we may see of the vine, who embraceth the Elm, joying and rejoicing much at his presence. In like sort the ivy, which is so great a lover of certain Trees, that it accompanieth them after their death: Which gave occasion to the Ancients, that when they took upon them to depaint perfect friendship, they expressed the same by the trunk of a dead tree, environed about with ivy. Wherefore to put end to these most wonderful things, the secretaries of nature do acknowledge, that there is also a secret amity amongst metals & stones: for proof of the Adamant loving iron draweth it to him, & having caught it, holdeth it insuche sort, that it seemeth to be grieved and touched with a certain jealousy, when they offer to take it from him. There is also showed marvelous puissance of friendship in metals, which discovered, show wonderful effects of amity, the which is sufficiently experimented in gold which we see so manifestly affected to quicksilver, that being plunged therein, seemeth incontinent ravished & captive thereunto, by force of some furious flame of love.   

A wonderful History of a Monster, out of whose belly issued an other man, all whole, reserving the head. CHAP. twenty-three.  
OCellus Lucianus, a Greek Philosopher, in a certain little work which he made, treating as well of the nature of all things, as of generation, showing unto us, that we ought not to go to the holy state of matrimony for voluptuousness & pleasure (which oftentimes is not absent) but that our principal intent ought only to be for procreation, which is not ordained of the Almighty for pleasure only, but for the perpetual conservation & permanency of human society: wherefore being impossible, that a mortal man should live always, God supplied that default by continual and perpetual generation, to the end that the earth might be multiplied, the common weals peopled, & the human societies conserved. In consideration whereof, we must cut of all these generations, which be made against the ordinance of nature: for by the means it often happeneth, that the fruit springing thereby is unclean, miserable, monstrous, vicious, odious & detestable, aswell to spirits & devils, as to men & families. And of these unlawful copulations & licentious dealing, oftentimes were borne monstrous infants: As we may see in beholding this before figured, out of whose belly issued an other man, well form in all proportions & members, reserving the head. Like as this man was of the age of xl years when he was seen in France, in the year 1530. Even so he bore the body betwixt his arms with great marvel to all the world, which assembled in great troops to see him. Whereupon they said, he was begotten of some common woman, who had given herself indifferently to all comers. Min● author seemeth to have seen him at Valence, in the very same form you see him here pictured, at such time as monsier de Coras red the Civil laws there: afterwards they saw him nigh Paris, in a town called Montlehery, as many have witnessed: beside that the good man john Longis, printer in that university, assured me, that having with others taken the said person at the said Montlehery, devoid of the said monster, ●nquired of him what was become of the deformed creature which they had seen in times past spring out of his body.   

¶ Notable histories of many Plants, with their properties and virtues, together with a wonderful root of Baara, written of by josephus the Hebrew author. CHAP. xxiv.  
IF there be any thing worthy to be considered of in all the principal parts of physic, certainly it is that which brings us to the knowledge and searching forth of the nature and property of Plants: for besides the common utility which they bring to mankind, yet shall we discover therein an antiquity so great, as we can not learn or attain unto, without extreme admiration: for like as every art was invented almost as soon as God had created man, & afterward augmented by the industry of man: Even so the herbs & plants immediately after the creation of the elements at such time as there lived no man upon the earth, sprung (following the commandment of the Lord) from the caves and entrails of the earth, garnished with their proper and divine virtues. Which besides that Moses the great Lawyer of God, sufficiently proveth in Exodus, we may also allege the opinion and witness of the ancient Greek poets, as Orpheus Museus, and Hesiodus, who have treated of the praise of Penyroyal, as also hath done Homerus of Alisier, and others, as in like manner Pythagoras, hath commended the Eschallottus, Chrysippus, Chou, and Zeno the Caprier: beside it is a thing most strange, that Solomon king of the jews, Euax, king of the Arabians, juba king of the Mauritans, were so curious, not only to know the names and properties of plants, but also the most part of them have diligently written thereof. Others have entertained great philosophers, and A●borists in divers deserts of Asia, Europe, and Africa, for to discover the secrets of herbs and plants. Further it is a thing most marvelous, that a great number of plants much renowned, have taken their names of many kings, as Gentiane took the name of Gentius king of the Illyrians, Lymachie of Lyzimachus king of the Macedonians, Teucrium was invented by Teucer, Achilea of Achilles, Artemisia, of Arthemise queen of Carie. But now it resteth for us as me seemeth, having searched very narrowly the Antiquity and praises of plants, to be as diligent, following our custom, in seeking forth if we can find amongst herbs, any thing monstrous, wonderful or strange, as we have ●one in the most part of other things contained under the concavity of Heaven. The Ancients have reknowleged, I know not by what means, the marvelous efficacy of a plant, which they called Agnus castus, whose leaves are like unto the Olives: for all those, who have written of the Nature and property of this plant, say that it resisteth the sin of the flesh, and that those which either carry the same about them, or drink the juice thereof, be never tempted at any time to incontinency: for which occasion the maids in old time, bore the branches and bows of that herb in their hand, and made garlands thereof to wear upon their heads, thinking thereby to make die & estinguish the heats of the flesh. Wherefore Discorides in the xu chapter of his first book, treating of the Nature of plants, sayeth that the Greeks named this tree Agnos, that is to say chaste, for by that the Ladies sometime in the City of Athens, guarded their chastity, by making their beads thereof, and doing sacrifice therewith to Ceres. Even as we have described the singularity of Agnus Castus which defends the chastity of such persons as use the same: so are we now to make mention of an other herb altogether contrary to the Nature of Agnus Castus, and as who would say his mortal enemy, for it makes such as use the same, lascivious, prompt and ready to the Venerean acts: The Ancients have named this herb Satirium, for that the Satyrs and savage Gods, were the inventors of this plant, for the better satisfying of their lusts and concupiscence when they went to play by the forests & caves with the Nymphs. Albeit the Greeks call it Orchis or Cmo●orchis, for that, that this root is like the two genitories of a dog, in such sort that it seems that Nature would have left some mark and token in this root, for to show the marvelous effects or works natural. Wherefore those then, sayeth Discorides in his third book and xxij chapter which he writeth of plants, which desire to have the company of women, aught to use this root, for that it makes men prompt & ready to the exercise and work of Venus, and as they say, this root being holden in the hand, provoketh a man to desire the pleasure of a woman. Besides, there is one thing worthy to be considered of in this root, & as who would say wonderful, that is, that as one of these two roots, which resembleth (as we have said before) the genitories of a dog, excites & stirs a man unmeasurably to the wanton acts of Venus, so the other root which is a little lesser, extinguisheth & hindereth the desire of the flesh, in such sort, that as one of these roots provoketh the evil, so the other giveth remedy. Plinius, Dioscorides and Galen be authors of this, and Dioscorides writeth, that the women in Thessaly, gave to men to drink of that most fleshly root, the rather to provoke and stir them to the lusts & abominable desires of the flesh. Wherefore reader, I will not forget to declare that thou shalt not need to doubt of me in all this treatise of the wonders of plants, the descriptions, faculties, temperaments and divisions of them, for that this work would be excessive & exceed the limits of my meaning: Wherein Dioscorides, Theophrastus, Galen, Pliny, Matheolus Fuscheus, Ruel and many others have so well spoken in that, that there is nothing to be desired more than they have written thereof, which I would gladly have told before unto those which think that I had here confounded the diverse kinds of Satirium, like this that the Greeks have called Orchis Serapias, whereof Paulus Aegineta, and Aetius have made mention, which others say to have received that name of Serapius, God of the Alexandrians, by reason of the great & impudent lascivitie, for which cause they worshipped him in a place called Canope, there where he had his Temple of great reverence, & Religion, as Strabo reciteth in his xvij book of his Geographies. Wherefore it sufficeth me in this chapter to write simply, that there is more cause of marvel and wonder in some particular plant, than in every plant. The Ancients as Chrysippus, have found cause of wonder, I can not tell by what means, in the plant which we commonly call basil, who were of opinion that it makes a man, senseless and mad: the goats refuse to eat thereof, which gives just occasion to man to fly the rather from it. They add further, that bruising it and putting the same under a stone, it engendereth a Scorpion, or if they chaw it and set it in the Sun, it brings forth worms. Furthermore, some say, that if a man be stoung of Scorpion the day that he eateth of basil, he shall never be hole, likewise some assure, that bruising a handful of basil with Cancres marins, or of the River, that all the Scorpions far or near will come unto him.  
Wherefore I am not ignorant, that those which came after Crysippus, did so abhor basil, that they never used the same. The herb called of the Latins, Herbae pulicaris, hath such a cold virtue, that being cast into hot boiling water, it will kill the heat thereof. In like manner, as Chameleon albus, serveth unto men in stead of Treacle against poison and all venims: Even so notwithstanding it killeth and destroyeth Rats and dogs eating thereof. It is in like manner a little Thistle growing by the ground, without any stalk, putting up pricks like an Hedgehog, having in the middle a knap full of pricks, in which do appear purple flowers, that grow into plumes, fleeing away with the wind, like as of other thistles, having a white root & sweet, groweth on old lands and bare hills. Also Dioscorides, Pliny, and Pythagoras write, that the herb called Scylla, and of the Apothecaries Squillae, being hanged in a house, delivereth men from charms, sorceries, and enchantments, the root whereof is like a onion. Wherefore the good searchers out of the secrets of plants have found by experience that our Persley, which the Latins call Apium hortense, and the Greeks Selinon, by a certain se●ret property engendereth in us the falling sickness, in such sort that Simeon Sethy writeth that it is necessary for such as be subject to that evil, to take heed they use not the same, for it often happeneth that those which he delivered from that disease, by using of Persley, fall a fresh into the same again. In like manner Pliny writeth, that nurses ought not to eat thereof, for the infant (sayeth he) by sucking the milk of her breast which eateth thereof, very often is persecuted with that disease. Furthermore the Consyre, which the apothecaries (commending with so many barbarous words) do call Consolida maior, hath so great a virtue to knit, and make to grow and join together fresh hurts, for as Pliny and Discorides witness, being put in a pot with sundry pieces of flesh, it will knit and join them together: for which cause the Greeks called it Symphiton for the great virtue it hath in knitting & joining togethers. Even so the Greeks and Romans celebrated always amongst their excellent plants, that which is called in Greek Peristereon, in Latin Verbenaca, and in French Vervain, it hath been named anciently Hierabotane, and Sacra herba, that is to say, a holy herb, for that at Rome in times passed, it served them not only to purify their houses, but also their family was dressed with it, and for a more superstitious estimation of this herb, they hung the altar of jupiter with it afore they performed their sacrifice. Their ambassadors that went upon holy messages were crowned with it, because as Discorides writeth, it was very proper to withstand wicked spirits, and purge the houses, hung or garnished with it. Dioscorides and Pliny be of opinion that the house sprinkled with the water of Vervain makes the people joyful, and those which assist the banquet where is either draw or mention of this water, shallbe replenished with mirth and gladness. The plant which the apothecaries call Ne●uphar, and the Greeks and Latins Nymphea growing moste commonly in Pools and rivers, bearing a great green leaf, hath so great virtue against the hot and wanton motions of youth, that being taken in broth once a day by the space of xl. days, it mortifieth altogether the appetite of sensuality, and eating it fasting among other meat, it defend●s you from unchaste thoughts and dreams of venery: provided always that this must be wrought of the first kind of Neniu●r which hath a yellow flower like to a Flowerdelice, whereof besides the authority of Pliny and Dioscorides (first authors hereof) experience makes it of faith and credit. For in the old time it was applied to Monks and Nuns, and other people of devotion in Religious houses, to pull down and mortify their flesh. The Ancients named it Nimphea, because the virgin Nympha being jealous of Hercules, became lean, pale and so full of mortal passions, that death gave end to her sorrows, and afterward (as they believed) she was changed into this marish and watery herb to delay her heats: It is common in every place and of two sorts, the one hath a white flower, and the other carrieth a yellow flower. ivy called in Latin Hedera, and in Greek Cysses, is a common herb, yet it contains in it many things worthy of commendation, first it troubleth the mind if a man take too much of it: it brings forth an humour or gum, which as Galen saith, burns secretly as a hot plaster, without being perceived: beside it serveth for a depilatour to make fall the hair in every place about man and woman: the little grains or seeds of ivy taken in broth make men become barren. Pliny adds besides to the virtue of this herb, that men that be melancholic and subject to diseases of the Spleen, are easily healed if they do but drink in cups or goblets made of the wood of this ivy. The Mandrake hath moved great cause of wonder to such as have written of his properties and power, Pythagoras calleth it Antropomorphen, by reason it hath a root which resembles the form of a man, others have named it Ciroea▪ as of Circe's, persuading that the root was good to make men love, and that there was in it a certain amorous charm. I saw in a fair at Saint Germains in Paris, a root of a Mandrake, so well counterfeited by art, with roots and branches one linked within another, that it resembled properly the form and shape of a man, which brought such value and estimation to his practice of deceit, that he sold of them for twenty crowns a piece, by which unreasonable gain, his abuse was discovered, and he constrained in the end to carry his root into Italy, from whence he said it first came, which may suffice for the deceits in this root, and now let us return to his singularities and virtues. Dioscorides writes that it is of force to mollify the ivory and make it apt to ply and turn, and fashion in any work or form that a man will, boiling it with the ivory the space of six hours. It is most certain that it is of a marvelous virtue to cast men on sleep, and so to entrance such as are to be opened or cut in any member, that they shall not feel the pain, if first they taste of the juice of this Mandrake: some do use it in perfume for the same purpose. There be two kinds of Mandrake, which grow in many places on the mountains in Italy, but specially in Powylla. Whereof diverse grafters and setters of plants have brought away both Apples and roots. It is as strange, which the Philosopher's attribute unto the plant which the Latins call Nerion, the Greeks Rhododendros, the frenchmen Bosage, and we Roselaurel, it hath the flowers of a Rose, and leaves of a Laurel: but that which is most wonderful, those leaves kill Dogs, Asses, Moils, and many other four footed beasts: and to men or women, if it be taken in breathe with wine, it serveth as a counterpoison or sovereign Medicine against the bitings of all venomous beasts: and yet if goats, sheep, and such like weak beasts do drink of the water wherein those leaves have been dipped, they do swell and die forthwith. Lentile the which of the Latins is called Lens or Lenticula, procures fearful dreams, specially upon his first decoction as Pliny and Dioscorides affirm: & those which have not mean to eat of this meat, become Leepers, as Galen and Pliny say.  
This may suffice (in mine opinion) for the curious searching of the strange properties of plants. There resteth now to discover unto you the wonderful virtues of such as have power to confound and kill man, for the use of whom, not only all plants and herbs, but all other things contained within the pourprise & compass of of this visible world are and have been created, and yet to keep him under, and that he lift not up his horn too high nor swell with pride and ambition, the Lord hath caused to appear out of the earth, certain little roots & plants with power not only to be master over his pride, but also every moment of the day, to threaten him with death and perform it. The Hemlock called Cycuta of the Latins, sufficiently known to most men, is of a property to smother and kill such as do drink it in any broth, whereof the Athenians made a pruofe in Socrates at such time as he was falsely accused by Auytus and Meluycus for speaking blasphemy against the Gods, using this herb (as a common punishment) and made himself perform the office of executioner. Dioscorides in his treatise of poisons and their remedies, doth exaggerate wonderfully the accidents and Symptoms of him that hath eaten of this herb. For (saith he) such as have either drunk or eaten of it, have a visible virtue in their eyes, although they be blind and have their minds so troubled that they are notable to discern any thing, and blood continually, and suffer all extreme colds of the body. And lastly, the poison of this Plant doth so restrain the breath and blast in the reed of the lights that the patientes do die as though they were strangled: and therefore (saith he) this poison ought at the first to be drawn out of the body by vomit, and then by glisters, to the end that, that which is descended to the bowels, do also come out. That which some call Thymeo, and the Latins Tapo, being received at the mouth, is venomous, driving the whole body into such a cold, that it stops the breath in a short time. The herb of Sardania eaten, maketh a man become incensed, and breeds a certain wannesse in the lips, in sort that who hath eaten of it seems always to laugh, from whence moves the wicked proverb, the laughter of Sardanya, which appears at large in Solyn, Dioscorides and specially in Erasmus Chylyads: in like sort the plant which the Latins call Hios●iamus, the Greeks, Hiosciamos, and the frenchmen jusquiane, but chief that which hath the grain black, makes a man sleepy, and to lose his sense according to Pliny and Galen, and as Dioscorides saith, it stirs up such vain ●●llyes as commonly we see in a drunken man. Aelian writeth in his History, that the wild bears feeding of this herb are ready to son, and that not without danger of death if they wash them not presently in water. And now there is a kind of plant called in Latin Aconitum, in French Aconit, and in English a Libardbaine or Wolfbaine, which as last shall seal up our description of venomous herbs, because it is of a more ready and sudden nature of death, than any other, and specially that which they call Pardylyanches, which killeth the Libarde and beareth, a leaf like to a wild cucumber, but it is somewhat less and more sharp: an other kind of Aconite is called Lycothonon, because that wolves having eaten of it die immediately: the first kind growth in every place, but the second is found (& that but seldom) in deep valleys between mountains. All kinds of Aconit perform their poison most by gnawing the entrails, & putrefaction of good humours: The first kind killeth wild Boars and other savage beasts: and those which hunt wolves do often use it to make them die. It is most certain (according to Pliny) that as Aconyt is the most sudden poison that is, so the females of any beast whatsoever, touching it in any sort with their secret parts, do die presently. He saith again, that Aconyt given to a man in hot wine, is present poison and killeth, if he find not some thing in the body of man, which can kill it: for having encountered any thing of like substance to himself, he stirreth and quarreleth as if he met with an other poison in the entrails of the man: but that which maketh it of more marvel is, that two mortal poisons meeting in the body of one man together, the one killeth the other, and saveth the man on live. Wherewith we will now knit up our Discourse of venomous herbs, and bring in those that be more familiar and friendly to man: amongst the which the ancients had in most estimation the Balm, as most wonderful in his virtues. Some writ that this excellent herb of the Balm hath heretofore grown only in the town of Ferico, from whence he fetched his name, for Ferico in the Hebrew signifieth good smell. Pliny preferreth it afore all the other oders, and saith there is none of it now but in juda: it groweth speedily, and must be underpropped and tied as you stay a vine, or else it will fall to the earth: the leaf of a Balm is always green, and resembleth most the Herb Grace, it can not brook that one cut or hurt it with any instrument of iron. Whereof Cornelius Tacitus writeth an experience and saith: that if one offer to touch it with iron, it seemeth to shrink for fear, and therefore it must be handled with instruments of bone, or some other like substance: for if you touch it with iron to have either liquor or oil, it dieth forthwith: but cutting it with instruments agreeing with his nature, it yieldeth a suck or sap which they call Opobalsamum, which is wonderful sweet, although it bring but a little taste. The principal virtue of this Plant consisteth in the humour, the second in the seed, the third in the bark, and the last of all in the weed After Titus the Roman prince had destroyed jerusalem, revenging the death of jesus Christ, the herb & plant of the balm were transported into Egypt. Petrus Bolonus, a diligent searcher of rare things writeth, that in the time of his pilgrimage from Levant, he went to see the garden where grew the Balms, being a good league from Cairo, where he said, he saw not above nine or ten plants, and the same very curiously guarded and enclosed with great and high walls. The last precious virtue of this plant is, to preserve (a long time) from corruption, any flesh that is either rubbed or perfumed with it. There is an other herb which hath been heretofore very rare, albeit now somewhat familiar, called lions foot, which groweth in mountains, and hath leaves like unto the leaf of a Mallow, saving that they be more hard full of sinews, and crispy: it springs in May, and flowers in june: it is most sovereign to consolidate all kind of hurts, and much employed that way by the surgeons of almain. The physicians of late put it among the rare and wonderful plants, because of his wonderful power to consolidate all hurts: they writ that if either maids or wives that be corrupted or have forfeited their virginity do use of it, it maketh them seem maids as at the first, specially if it continue any time in his decoction: as if there be pieces of canvas or linen cloth dipped or bathed within the water of it, and applied or laid upon their dugs, it maketh them shrink and retire, and become round and hard: it gins now to be commonly known in Italy, and of special delight with certain women that stand in need of it. The Coral which is called Lythodendron, that is to say, a Tréestone, is no less meritorious for estimation than the rest, seeing it is a plant that groweth in the sea, which as Dioscorides writeth, being drawn out of the bottom of the sea, becomes hard with the air, & so is made a stone. This little tree or plant of Coraile is green, & soft, being in the sea, and beareth a fruit like unto hor●es, aswell in bigness as in figure: this plant when it is drawn out of the water is all full of moss, and is not red, but coming after into the hands of workmen, they polished it artificially either upon the tornell by force of the file, and so smooth him with the powder of tripoli, to give him his glee and beauty. All kinds of Coral be very common in Italy, because that the people there do fish for them in the sea Tyrenum. The Corals have an hidden virtue against the Epilepsia, or foul evil, being an infection in the head, they defend houses from harm by lightning, they restrain the flux menstrual, they are good for gnawing in the gums, for blains and biles in the mouth and for the flux of seed. Avicen holdeth them most sovereign to glad and comfort the heart. Dioscorides maketh mention but of two kinds of Coral, that is red & black, and yet we read, that in diverse seas in Europe, are found of them that be very white, and they be sponging & light. Dioscorides Schylyen in his xvii book telleth a wonderful history of a plant that was showed to Alexander in a vision, wherewith he healed his people that were hurt with venomous weapons, which me think not much impertinent to put in this place by reason of his wondered effect. After Alexander (saith he) had victory against the brahmin's, whereof the most part were either killed or taken prisoners, he found sundry of his Macedonians sore hu●te and in danger of death, by reason that the end of the Darts and Arrows of their enemies were poisoned, the same moving courage in them to attempt the battle against him. The venom was made of certain serpents, which they killed, and laid them to dry against the Sun, the heat whereof made issue out a sweat, with the which sweat also distilled the poison of the serpent, the which was of such violence, that who was hurt with any weapon dipped in it, lost incontinent his feeling, and by and by turned into wonderful torment by the retraction of sinews, and trembling of all his body, his flesh became black like lead, and by continual vomit, cast up a marvelous deal of choler, besides the which came out of the hurt a black scum, whereof engendered a putrefaction, which as it was firmed and iellied gained forthwith the noble parts, and made the patient die in great martyrdom. The King was not so sorrowful for all the rest of his people, as it grieved him in the pain of Ptolomeus, at that time one of the kings minious, and after his death supplied his place, with no less love & awe of his people than he. And as there was throughout the whole army general sorrow for the martyrdom of Ptolomeus, there chanced a strange case, and the same of more marvel, because (as Diodorus sayeth) many refer it to an express providence of the Gods. The King sleeping in his tent, not without great care for the grief of his Ptolomey, a great dragon seemed to hover afore him as in a vision, holding an herb in his thr●ts, whereof he taught him both the virtue and the place where it grew. Alexander awaking upon this vision, went immediately to seek the herb, and having found it, he ordered it in sort of a plaster, and applying it to the body of Ptolomeus, gave him also to drink of the juice, whereupon he with others were restored and made hole in few days. Diodorus, although he recite the History, yet he feareth to tell the name of the herb: but Pliny treating of a like accident, declareth the name of a certain herb, which was good to cure the hurts of soldiers, speaking in this manner: Sometime (saith he) the use and experience of herbs are found by chance, or rather to speak the truth, by a certain Oracle of the gods, as hath been written of the plant called Cynorthombi, which is a kind of a wild Rose, very good to heal the biting of mad Dogs, his virtue and operation was found by chance: For a woman ha●ing her son in the wars of Spain, and so bitten with a mad Dog, that he was in great peril of life, the which they judged because he began to fear water, or any thing that was moist. This woman dreaming by night on the disease of her son, did imagine in her sleep, that she sent him this herb Cynorthondon, which she had seen the day before, under a wood side, to drink in Milk (conceiving some hope in the effect of her dream) wrote unto her son the next day what had happened her in her vision. Her son obeying the contents of her Letter, was healed by the mean of this Herb, whereupon after it grew to be a common remedy against the like disease. A thing truly of more wonder in that we came to the knowledge of it by such means, approving also the unspeakable goodness, who in sleeping doth reveal unto us remedies to preserve our health. Theophrastes maketh mention of a certain herb of India, which so stirreth and moveth in the body of a man, that it draineth all the seed of nature: Whereupon some have taken occasion to write, that Heracles deflowered in one night a great number of virgins by the only help of this herb. The Scythians in like sort have an herb very common in their country which they do call by none other name than by the herb of Scythia, which being kept in the mouth, represseth hunger and thirst for ten or twelve days.  
Aelyan, a Greek Historian maketh mention of an herb which discovereth treasures that be hidden: And Pliny of an other which openeth the conduits that be closed.  
And now as we have largely dilated upon the virtues and properties of many wonderful herbs and plants, so it is not necessary to omit the noble and wonderful dignity of the root of Baara, so much celebrated by josephus the Hebrew, who because he is of more faith than the most of the rest, and of less suspicion than they all, being a recorder of the Ecclesiastical histories, I think him as worthy of this place as any other. In times past, saith josephus there grew a Root in juda, called Baara, having a colour and brightness of a flame▪ of fire, and gave light in the night like a Lamp, and that in such a wonderful and strange order, that who so went about to touch or gather it before that it were sprinkled with either the blood or urine of a woman, died presently, and yet was not that a sufficient defence or surety. Whereupon after such experience of the poison of this Herb, they were constrained (for their own safety) to tie a Dog to some part of the Plant, who offering to follow his Master, plucked it up by the roots. Such again was the wonderful property of this Plant, that being once plucked up, a man might handle it without peril: And being hanged at the neck of such as were infected with the Falling sickness, or possessed with an evil spirit, it did deliver them presently. Hieronymus Cardanus a Physician of Milan, findeth it not strange, that it killed such as did gather it, enforcing his opinion by reasons of Philosophy, but in this sort: Baaran, whereof this root of Baara hath taken his name, is a Ualey in judea, a country very hot and habounding with Pitch, of which the portion or liquor being very subtle, and too much boiled, did distill from the Mountain: whereof (as it is most like) this Root was engendered, and because that it did grow in continual shadow and darkness, the poison was the more violent, being of a substance exceeding the fire in heat, the which being stirred in the plucking up, and fuming up with an ardent and corrupt vapour, to the brain of him that gathered it, smothered him presently. But touching his reasons for the urine and Milk of a Woman, the which seemed to have some power over the fury of this Plant, although they be strong, and carry with them a great likelihood of credit and truth: yet I think that it is neither in him nor in all the Philosophers of the World, if all their learnings were set in judgement of the matter, to give other reason, than with the Prophet, saying: The Lord is marvelous in all his works, who hath known his secrets, or who hath been his Counsellor? The portrait of this Plant is in the beginning of this Chapter, where the Dog is tied to the Herb.   

¶ Wonderful Banquets. CHAP. xxv.  
IF I have not sufficiently treated in my first book of the Theatre of the world, of the infirmities and maledictions thundered upon us wretches, by that wicked and infortunate vice of gluttony, I have now a larger field to walk in, and a matter more ample, to dilate upon, to the fullness of my pen: but without singing so often one song, it shall suffice me for the present, to describe in this place not only the prodigalities, but also the wondrous & monstrous feeding of the throat, whereof the Ancients and gluttons of late time, have used in their feasts and banquets. The Persians and Greeks (as Herodotus witnesseth) have been so dissolute in their feasts, that they caused them to be proclaimed in public by the cry of an Harolde, and reserved a special price to such as could invent new delights, or drink or eat with most excess: besides they forbade one an other by the way of mockery and bravery, that they should not departed at any time from their feasts, hungry: And their reason was, for that that they should so well stuff their bodies of all kinds of meats and drinks, that they were constrained to render account to nature, and make an inventory of that which they had received afore they parted from the table: and so having discharged their stomachs, became hungry again. Atheneus making mention of the excessive prodigality of Xerxes, king of the Persians, assureth, that after he had remained one day in a City, and that he had dined and supped, the common poor people smelt thereof a year or two after: As if that they had had a certain famine or barrenness of goods in their provinces. And after continuing his purpose, he made mention of the superfluity and sumptuous expenses of Darius' king of the Persians, who (saith he) had many times to accompany him at supper fifteen thousand men: of whom if you will make division, you shall find every one of those guests spent at his supper xuj crowns. Wherein that great cormorant Alexander was nothing at all inferior to Darius or Xerxes, in banqueting or excessive ●harge●: for after he had pierced the Indes▪ he began to give himself in pray to delights, and proclaimed open battle to good drink, with reward to him that got the price or victory of that combat, the same amounting many times to the value of thirty Mines, being three hundredth crowns: or of one talon, 
A drooken combat.  the which is six hundredth crowns. And although the danger of that battle consisted most in the blows of cups or glasses▪ yet he found it in the end so tragical and bloody, that for that time there died to the number of thirty & six, who ended their lives most miserably by the excessive drinking and gurling in of wine, as Charles Mitileneus writeth in the gests of Alexander. Although Esope was not equal to these before rehearsed, neither in goods nor in dignity, yet Pliny reciteth in the tenth of his books, that amongst the most renowned delicacies and prodigality, the dish of Esope hath been in greatest admiration. That dish was of a strange and wonderful invention: for he searched with great curiosity, for the furnishing of one banquet which he made in Rome, all the little birds enclosed in cages, which were to be found in all the City, as Linettes, Larks, Estourneaux, Merles, Calendres, and other like, who were sold more dearer than gold, because of their pleasant and armonious singing, together with the pleasure which men received in the hearing of them, who know very well how to imitate the voice of man: which birds (if we will believe Pliny) did cost six thousand Sesterces the piece, which were prised (according to Budee) at fifteen thousand● crowns. Which may seem strange, or not true, to them which have read those authors, that not only that tragical Esope was so rich, but also after so great● expenses and charges, he left his son so wealthy▪ that he was nothing inferior in prodigal allowance to his father.  
These things be marvelous: but there is nothing read of, so monstrous in Nature, as the riches and nobleness of Pithius, who neither was King, Prince, nor had anya title of dignity: and notwithstanding he received and entertained by the space of a whole day the host of Xerxes, son of the great King Darius, who were in number vij hundredth, four score and eight thousand 〈◊〉 the same being no less strange unto that which Herodotus, Pliny and Budee write of him, when he offered to Xerxes (parting from his house) to relieve and furnish his camp fifty months with Corne. But lest we should exceed the bonds or forsake the path of our first intention, let us retire where we left, to our pomps and banquets, amongst whom, for a first, it behoveth us to place in rank Cleopatra, Queen of Egipte, who (as Plutarch saith) had so pleasant & delectable a phrase in talking, that when she would dispose her tongue to entertain any great Lord, she framed her reason so tunably, as though it had been an armonious instrument of many strings: which was the first gin or snare, wherein th● Pigeon Marcus Antonius was taken: for after he was infected with the sweetness of her divine eloquence, mixed or seasoned with a rare and wonderful beauty, together with an incredible magnificence in feasting and banqueting, determined in place to pursue his causes of importance, to make court unto her, and so being captive to her good behaviour, stood more need to be pitied, than of other help: & although he was at the first master and Lord, yet in the end he became vanquished and overthrown. But now to commend the nobleness of Cleopatra, you must understand, what Plutarch writeth, that Antony going against the Perthes, he sent to summon her to appear personally before him, at such time as he was in Cilicie, to answer to the faults and charges whereof she was accused, knowing that she had given aid and comfort to his enemies against him: but ●he being of a noble mind, & nothing fearful or abashed of his threats, put not on the ap●●●ell of a person accused (as was the custom of the Ancients) but decked herself with the most sumptuous habits she had: & to 〈◊〉 nothing unperformed, that appertained unto the settin● forth of so great a Princess, she caused to be trimmed a galley, wherein she sailed to him by the flood Cydius, the powpe whereof was of gold, the oars of silver, and the sail of purple, being shrouded under a tent trimmed with gold, environed with singers and other heavenly instruments of music, besides all other things which might move pleasure or contentment to a man. Whereupon Antonius knowing of her coming, sent to desire her to supper, but she being of haughty mind, féeling-hir self tickled with such request, sent him word that if it pleased him to come to her, he should be most welcome, so much was her confidence in her beauty, eloquence and good behaviour: for besides her glistering beauty, Nature had so endued her with the perfect understanding of divers languages, that she was able to answer the Arabians, the Syrians, the Hebrews, the Medes, the Partheans, the Ethiopians, and the Troglodytes, without interpreter or construer: which was the cause that Antonius (seeing such store of perfections in this wonderful creature) was incontinent surprised: whereof we have left hereunto to speak, because the magnificence of the banquet made afterwards by Cleopatra to Antonius hangeth thereupon. Which with the sudden encounter of of this new beauty of Cleopatra, made Antonius to commit to oblivion Octavia sister to Octauus Caesar, his lawful wife, the remembrance and regard of whom he seemed forthwith to exchange, for a wanton delight in the braveries & flatteries of his new friend, who by treat of time governed so well his amorous dispositeon with allurements of contentation, that if I would describe particularly her liberal beauty which she used in the entertainment of Antonius (according to the authority of Artheneus a Greek writer) I fear the nobility of it would take away the credit, such was her pomp in herself, and such her prodigality in expenses. Albeit what I prefer therein: I appeal to the testimony of the whole troop of writers, that have dealt in the doings of Antonius & Cleopatra: who having employed all his sleights & policies, in the device of new delights, for the more honour of her Antonio: she became extreme in one thing, which was, as they were in argument of the bounty of the feast, she said, it was not equal and much less exceed that which she was able to do upon far less warning than this: for (saith she) you cannot take me so unprovided, but that I shallbe able to entertain you at the charges of a hundredth Sesterces in one banquet. 
Two hundredth and l crowns and some value them at two C.xxx. and iiij. M.iij. C.lx and v. Ducats.  Antonius which was a very patron of prodigality, provoking an experience of her saying, argued against her: whereupon were judges chosen on both sides, and pawns put in for the proof of the contention. Not long time after, Antonius observing his advantage of time, with intent to visit her without warning, came upon a sudden to sup with her, when albeit he found his table furnished with sundry choices of exquisite meats, yet was he of opinion, that it was far under the value & estimation of her promise, until he perceived her to take from her ears two great and Orient pearls, whereof she dissolved immediately one, & drunk it in his presence, and offering to perform the like of the other, she was stayed by the judges, who assured her the victory. This pearl was of such monstrous greatness (that as Pliny affirmeth) it weighed half an ounce, which contained 80. quarettes, 
A pearl weighing half an ounce.  the same being so massive, that it exceeded in weight the hug'st at this day by a quarter of an ounce: which is the cause that Pliny (commending the excellency of that pearl) calleth it the only chief & principal work of Nature in that kind, and not without reason, seeing the most part of them which have valued it, do give it an estimation of 2500. crowns. And yet was this prodigality little or nothing in respect of the magnifical pomp which the Emperor Gecta used in his public banquets: for he caused himself to be served at the b●rd●, with diversity of meats, as fish and flesh in order of the Alphabet, for all fowl and fish that he could recover▪ that began with A, he caused to be set on his table as a first service, as Austriges and such others, practising the like in the second course with B, as buzzard, Bitter and such like, the same not failing to come immediately after the first service was taken away, and so consequently every letter was honoured with a service till the whole Alphabet was performed, having in deed, Cooks and cators appointed for that purpose only. But what stand we so long in the search of foreign prodigalities in banquets, seeing (amongst a number of others) our time hath stirred up a monstrous example that way, in avignon, at such a time as mine author studied the law under Emilius Farretus, in whose time there was a Prelate stranger, whose name I will conceal, 
A wonderful prodigality in an Italian Prelate.  aswell for the honour of his profession, as to much superstition in himself, who one day invited to a banquet, the nobility of Avignon, aswell men as women, where for a first beginning of his pomp, at the very entry into the hall where the banquet was appointed, lay spread upon a curious board a great beef with his head pulled of, and purged in his entrails, having in his belly a whole Harte or dear of the like dressing, stuff full of little birds, as Quails, Partridges, larks, pheasants and other like, the same being so cunningly enclosed in the belly of the second beast, and they so artificially conjoined the one within the other, that it seemed some excellent mathematician had been the workman thereof: But that which made the matter both strange and wonderful, was, that all the birds so assembled, did roast and turn all alone upon a brooch, by certain compass and conduits without the aid of any man: For the first course and order of the table, his gests were presented with store of curious pastry, wherein were wrought and enclosed many little birds quick, who assoon as the crust was taken of, began to fly about the hall: there were beside, sundry sorts of silver plate, full of jelly, so subtly conveyed, that a man might have seen in the bottom a number of little fishes quick, swimming and leaping in sweet water and musk, to the great delight and pleasure of the assistants: neither is it less strange, in that all the fowls which were served upon the table, were larded with Lampraye, albeit it was in a season when they cost half a crown a piece: but that which seals up the superstitious pomp of this proud Prelate, was, that there was reserved as many quick birds, as he was served with dead fowls at his table, the same containing such indifferent number, that if there were a pheasant sent dreassed to the board, there were Gentlemen (appointed for the purpose) which presented an other alive, and all to show the magnificence of the priest, to whom, what remains for the consummation of his prodigal delights, but that the Gentlemen which served him had their faces covered with a vail, least their breath should offend either him or his meat, all which I have preferred in this place (as most prodigious and monstrous,) not for imitation sake, but rather that all good Christians should detest him and his example, seeing it might be, that whilst his Ship went with full sail, and he in the midst of his Epicures delights, the poor Lazarus perished at his door, for want of food and fire. But alas what could the faithful Saint john, and Peter think of this, who had not one Denier to give in alms to the poor lame man that did demand it at the Temple gate? or what would the other Apostles (constrained with extremity of hunger to eat the ears and awnes of Corn) if they had seen their successor in so hot a kitchen so diversly garnished with delicate meats. This had been a time and place and fit occasion for the wicked judas, if he had been there, to have cried against them, Vt quid perditio haec? potuisse● hoc multum vendi & dar● pauperibus. Who list to be privy to the pomp of other Prelates, let him read Platinus in his treatise De honesta voluptate. There was beside, a Cardinal no less famous this way, than our Italian Prelate, who in the time of Sixtus the Pope, consumed into two years in banquets, ionquets and such other belly vanities 3000. crowns: wherewith many poor members of Christ, and sundry needy scholars and students might have been relieved and kept long time at their books. Let us leave to report of these disorders in our time, and return to our ancestors: who the more manifest their vices were, the greater was their slander, and the tragedy of their life less honourable. Wherefore all that is spoken of before, is but as a shadow or figure of magnificence, in respect of those monstrous and diabolical feasts of that great glutton and devourer of meats, Heliogabalus Emperor of the Romans, who was so disordered in his delights, that s●arce the life of an excellent Historiographer would suffice to dilate thereof at large. That wicked and unhappy minister of Satan, drowned as it were in the ●●nke of unsatiable eating, never made dinner after he was created Emperor, wherein he spen● less than .60. marks of gold, which (according to our computation) amounteth to the sum of 2500 Ducats: beside he was so fantastical and unruly in his appetites, that he used no common meats at his meals, but was ●edde with the combs of cocks, the tongues of peahens: & also being made to understand that there was but one thing rare in the world (which they declared to be the Phoenix) he sent for her to eat, promising I kn●w not how many thousand marks of gold, to him who could furnish him thereof, and said in a common proverb, that there was no sauce but dearth. Wherein not sufficing himself to feed of these rare & exquisite meats, he feasted like wise with as great abundance his gentlemen and champions, causing also his Dogs and Lions to be nourished with the flesh of Pheasants, Pehens, and birds: not ceasing to use only this prodigality in daintiness of his mouth, but (which more is) he was as lascivious and extreme in all other furnitures of his service: for he caused to serve him at his table four maids naked, who were oftentimes carried in that sort through the city of Rome: he neither drank nor eat at any time above once in one vessel or dish, although the same, and all the rest of the implements of his house were of pure gold or silver, the stool wherein he did his excrements not excepted. And in the place of wax candles to give him light, he caused to be put into his lamps an excellent balm, which he caused to brought from juda and Arabia. That unhappy Emperor was so frantic and mad in all his actions, that he invented things which devils themselves could never devise before: for he made to be counterfeited artificially meats of marble, wood, and other things, causing not only the people to be kept hungry, but also to sit at the table, beholding these meats in pitiful sort. He made many banquets to the which he invited eight bald men eight crooked men eight lame men viii. deaf men eight dumb men eight black men eight white men viij lean men, and viii. fat men, to the end that those which did assist the banquet might have cause to laugh: sometimes he made his guests drunk, and then shutting the doors and gates of the place where they were a sleep, put in unto them Bears and Lions without nails or teeth, to the end that when they awaked, they might die for fear, to see them within the danger of such ravenous beasts: some others he would make drink till they burst: and of some again when they had well drunk, he would tie their legs and their hands, and all the conduits of their urine, and so let them die. And being reprehended of these follies, and warned to avoid such extraordinary expense, lest hereafter it were revenged upon him with poverty. His answer was, that he was not subject to any thing he had, 
Some writers have referred this to the Emperor Tiberius.  neither would he have other heir than himself and his wife, not caring for children, lest they should conspire against him. These were the charities and deeds of devotion, wherein this reverend Emperor consumed the revenue of his state, which by reason of their monstrous order, if they seem incredible to any, let him read Aelyus Lampridius, Sextus Aurelius, Victor, Eutropius, julius Capitolinus, and Spartian in the life of Septimus Severus, by whom albeit the matter is plentifully advouched, yet have they not brought to memory the moiety or one half. There resteth now to discover the end of these delights, and what bitter gall attended the pleasant taste of such sugared vanities. 
Xerxes' killed by his provost And Darius poisoned after by Alexander.  What other end had Darius and Xerxes, (whereof we have first spoken) than after so many duties and gluttonous delights done to their filthy bellies, they were miserebly confounded, the like happening rightly to Alexander, whom one drop of poison made digest in one cup, that which he had excessively devoured all the days of his life. 
Mar. Anto. killed himself.  And did it happen better to that prodigal Marcus Antonius, or his liccorishe Cleopatra? What mirror, what spectacle, what example to such as live in this world as in an eternal paradise of delights? but what more shameful punishment and just hire could he receive of his Epicures life, than to be the bloody butcher of himself, the like end attending his Companion in wantonness: 
Cleopatra was stung to death  which according to her dissolute life, was at last devoured of an Aspic, the most venomous of all other creatures. And that sink or gulf of gluttony Heliogabalus, 
Helioga. slain and cast into Tiber.  did he escape the fury or justice of God? no no: for as he had devoured an infinite numbered of sundry sorts of creatures, he was in the end● torn in pieces of them, seeing his own people after many hard experiences of his tyrannies, conspired against him, and killed him, and trailing him as a dead dog along the streets 
THe figure and portrait of Denis Heracleot, who became so gross, that he was costrained to have his blood drawn from him by Horseleeches, as appeareth further in the leaf 82. Galene reporteth the like history of Nicomachus Smyrneus, who was so gross and monstrous that he could not remove.  of Rome, threw him at last into Tiber, where his body was a pray to fishes, whereof his throat (whilst he lived) had murdered an infinite number. The Emperor jovian and Septimus Severus, (as Baptista Ignatius witnesseth) died of the disease of drunkenness. There be also other kinds of banketters, which albeit have not died upon any surfeit of eating or drinking, yet they became so monstrous fat, that they were little better in effect, amongst whom the Emperor Maximyn, may challenge first place, as their chief patriarch, whom they affirm to have such store of grease & kitchen stuff within his paunch, that the breath that came from him, seemed of force to turn about a Windmill, having continually two men to bear up his belly, his hands, and other members by succession of time, being so great, and charged with fatness, that his wives bracelets scarcely served his fingers for rings, as the Histories affirm. In like manner Denys Heracleot gave himself so over to the desire of meat and drink, and other fleshly delights, that he became so monstrous huge and fat, that he durst not show himself to the people, for fear of contempt. By which means and continual keeping in his close house, he became so gross and swelled thorough all the parts of his body, that he was forced to apply continually to certain parts of his body both day and night, a great quantity of Horseleeches to draw the humour that fed his fatness: for otherwise he had died, as may appear in this Portrait adjoining.   

¶ Certain wonderful discourses worthy of memory, touching Visions, Figures and illusions appearing as well in the day as in the night, and sleeping as waking. CHAP. xxuj.  
I Account it to small purpose to argue in this place whether the shadows of dead men do return, or if the spirits having passed the wrack of this mortal life do visit us sometimes or no: Wherein notwithstanding, as it is most credible, that the two most famous pillars of the church Saint Augustine and saint Jerome, and almost the whole rout of the Ecclesiastical writers have stand upon the dissolution of the doubt of Samuel, I mean whether it were the true spirit of the Prophet that appeareth by the invocation of the enchantress, or some sleights of Satan, to abuse their judgements. For my part, I mean to give out mine opinion touching such doubts in order and terms of a philosopher, and with the authority of the most ancient and learned writers now a days, who (for the first) have made of great estimation by their Histories, the discourse of the two Arcadians, whereunto they give no less faith than if it were an Oracle of truth. As also Pope Pius the second of that name avoucheth the same with probable arguments and reasons. Amongst the ancients, Valerius and many other that recorded the affairs of Grece and Rome, affirm, that there were two Arcadians which loved so dearly one an other, with such an affinity of actions and humours, that it seemed they had but one heart divided between them both: They came one day to Megare, a city in Grece, to perform certain business there, where they repaired to several places of abode, the one to a friends house of his, the other (according to his custom) took harbour in an Inn: he that went to the place of his acquaintance, after supper feeling a vehement motion or desire of sleep (the same moved by the weariness of the way) went to bed, where he fell forthwith into a profound sleep of two hours continuance, which notwithstanding was not so quiet, as it escaped without a terrible and fearful dream: for he seemed to see standing afore him, his Companion, pale and of a hideous regard, crying with tears to give him aid against the distress and danger of his host: wherewith he awaked, and giving faith to the vision, and solicited besides with the vehemency of mutual love between them, arose and put him on the way to see his companion, albeit arguing within himself the vanity in dreams, he changed his purpose, and went to bed again, where he had not long lain ere he was assailed with a second remembrance of his first apprehension, but in a more strange order: for he seemed to carry the shape or figure of a dead man, all to be bathed in the bloody floods of horrible murder, preferring this lamentable request: 
A dead man speaketh to his companion in a dream.  seeing thou hast used so small care to secure my life, at the least discharge the office of a friend in revenging of my death: for this body which thou seest so murdered and dismembered afore thee, is at the gate of the City in a chariot covered with dung by the cruelty of mine host. This second summons or rather importunity was of such force in the troubled mind of the other Arcadian that he arose in great sorrow, and with no less compassion, requested diverse friends to accompany him to the gate of the City, where as they found the dead body of his friend, hidden in the dung, in such sort as he appeared to him in his dream. Whereupon the Host being taken and examined, avouched the murder, and received his hire by the loss of his head. The like is affirmed by Alexander ab Alexandro, in the ninth chapter of his second book De ses iours geniaux, which he understood of a familiar and dear friend of his, a man whose learning and virtue acquit him from just imputation of untruth in any sort whatsoever. This man being at Rome, was required by one of his very friends, to accompany him to the baths of Cumes, the intent of which journey, as it was to seek remedy for a disease which had troubled him many years afore: So the other agreed to his request in sort to his own expectation. Neither had they travailed many years together, but this disease grew to such extreme debility through all his body, that what with the anguish of it, and weakness in him to endure the pain, he died, and gave up the ghost in an Inn. To whom after the other had performed such funerals as agreed with the time and place, seeing no cause of need to pass further to the baths, returned to Rome, and being overtaken with extreme weariness of the first days travail, took up his lodging in an Inn by the way, 
another vision appearing to a man that was not a sleep.  where he was no sooner in bed (and afore he had desire to sleep) than the image of his friend, whom he had put into the earth the day afore, presented himself afore his eyes, beholding him with most earnest and pitiful regard, and that in the same lean and deformed estate he was in, during the extremity of his sickness. The same striking such mortal dread into the other, that he was ready to die for fear, and yet was not void of courage and remembrance to ask him what he was: who without making him any answer, put off his ghoastly apparel and robes of a ghost, and went to bed to him, offering to embrace him with great familiarity: which forced the poor man half dead with fear, to leap suddenly out of the bed, and save himself by flight, without that the vision appeared to him afterward. Which notwithstanding could not so well assure him, but the remembrance of that fear, made him fall into a mortal disease, which albeit brought him to the extreme hazard of death, yet the worst being prevented by special remedies, and he returned 〈◊〉 health, amongst the wonderful reports of this vision, he ●●yd, he never felt ice more cold than the feet of that dead body, touching him in his bed. The same author in the xj chapter of his first book confirmeth this discourse with a like example which he hath neither red nor learned by report, but seen the experience himself in one of his trusty servants, a man both virtuous and of upright living, who laid in his bed & fast a sleep, began upon a sudden to sigh, lament & complain in such sort, that he awaked all those in the house. His master in the morning asked him the cause of his trouble, to whom he answered, that these complaints were not vain, seeing that he seemed to see afore his eyes to be buried the dead body of his mother. Whereupon as his master observed the very day and hour to the end he might know whether it did prognosticate any harm to his man: so within certain days after, there came a servant of his mother (the messenger of her death) who discoursing her disease with the order of her dying, & conferring the times together, it appeared that the hour of her death agreed with the very instant of the vision, which (saith Alexander) need not seem either vain or doubtful to such as know certain houses in Rome, at this day of great hate and horror, 
Certain houses at Rome haunted with spirits.  by reason they are haunted with spirits. Whereof Plurarch maketh mention of Damon, in the beginning of the life of Cymon: The same also being confirmed with like example written of Pausanias, Cleonices, and Bizantia the maid, besides the authority of Pliny in his vij book of his Epistles, touching a vision appearing in a house in Athens, and that which Suetonius writeth, when Caligula was killed, whose house was troubled with prodigious monsters and visions many years after until it was burned. And lastly, such like is approved by Marcus Paulus Venetian, who writeth, that at this day, the Tartarians be very strong by enchantments of spirits, being able to change the day into darkness, & bring either light or darkness when and into what ●●ace they list: wherewith whosoever hath been at any time circumvented, escapeth hardly without mortal danger. Whereof Hayronus is a sufficient witness in his history of the Sarmares, wherein he showeth how the Tartarians being almost overthrown, were restored, and became victorious by the enchantment of the Ensign bearer, who made such a darkness overwhelm the army of the adverse part, that it dimmed their sights, and mortified their courages. But here me thinketh we stand too long upon profane examples, seeing we have sufficient confirmation by Ecclesiastical authority, 
S. Augustin approveth enchanting by example.  as Saint Augustine in his twelfth Book and seventeenth Chapter upon Genesis, in the History of a frantic man, prophesying upon the death of a Woman, who as he was banqueting in his own house among●●● certain his familiar friends, falling into question of a woman known to them all, willed them to end their talk of that woman, because she was already dead, which as it moved them, the rather because some of them saw her not long afore, so being asked how he could assure it, said he saw her pass before him carried by such as put her in the ground, which happened accordingly within two days after, for that the dead corpse of the same woman passed afore his gate to be buried, without that she felt any motion of sickness at the hour of the prediction. In like sort the said S. Augustin in the same place treateth so strangely of prodigious visions, that were not the holiness and authority of him that wrote them, they deserved small credit. There was saith he in our City a young man so vexed with a pain in his cods, that by the fury of his grief, he seemed to endure a marvelous torment, having notwithstanding his memory perfect and sound, and yet sometime with the mortal assaults of his passions he became immovable as a trunk or block, having his eyes open, with perfect knowledge of all the assistants, his feeling albeit so far withdrawn that he would not stir or move what pricking or pinching so ever was offered him, but the pang being retired and his body returned to his former state of health & quiet, he would tell of many wonders in that qualm, but most of all of two men appearing afore him as in allision, whereof the one bare the figure of a child, & the other seemed to have a more perfect age, who also in the beginning of Lent appeared eftsoons unto him, with these words in order of special charge, that if he would cause to be cut the prepuce he should not feel any pain for xl days, which he did, and accordingly was delivered of grief for that time, in the just end whereof his sorrows began to return, in sort as they did before, and likewise the same two men presented themselves afore him invisible saving to himself, counselling him to cast himself into the Sea unto the navel, where tarrying a certain time, his grief should cease, and only should remain a certain slimy humour which would pass away, which he did, and found an effect of their advise: what wonderful Philosophy is this of Saint Augustine, and what strange appearance in visions. But what more cause of wonder can be, than to see them privy to the secrets of Physic, all which sure as they breed indifferent doubt and fear in such as read or hear of them, and yet for my part I have not heard nor red either in profane or sacred report any thing more marvelous that way than the vision of Cataldo, Bishop of Tarento, the same appearing in our time, not without infecting many men's consciences with great scruple and doubt, seeing that that vision hath left sufficient matter to trouble the most Theologians and Philosophers of the world. This Cataldo, a man holy in life, being buried a thousand years passed within the Bishopric of Taronto, appeared notwithstanding after▪ the end of such time, in a night to a young infant given altogether to God, with express charge to uncover a certain vault in a place in the earth which he assigned him, wherein he had hidden (whilst he was in the world) a book written with his own hand, which assoon as he had taken out of the ground, he should offer it immediately to Ferdinando, first King of Arragon and Naples reigning at that tyme. This child (for the small faith he gave to the vision) performed not the charge give him. Whereunto albeit he was eftsoons solicited at sundry times, yet he never used regard to the persuasion, until one morning afore day as he was in his prayers in the Church, he beheld Cataldo in his bishops weed and countenance of threatening severity, who appeared & said unto him: as thou haste given slender credit to my words, with less regard to search the book and deliver it to Ferdinando, so assure thyself (this time for all) if thou refuse to perform the charge, or once stay to attend an other summons, thy punishment will be to great for thee to endure: which last threat stirred such fear in the child, that the next morning he imparted the vision to the multitude, who according to the straight and too strange terms of the same, assembled very curiously to accompany the child to the place of charge, where being arrived, and uncovering the earth, they found a little coffer of lead so close and curiously wrought, that the air or sound had no place to enter, in the bottom whereof they took up a book, wherein were written in form of a prophecy, the miseries, plagues and curses, which should happen to the kingdom of Naples, to the King Ferdinando and his children, the same having so directly happened and succeeded since, as it may seem the bishop did not err or write false in one syllable: For such was the infortune of this miserable King Ferdinando, to fall so deep and desperately into the ire of God, that he was killed in the first conflict, the like happening not long after to his eldest son Alfonsus, 
The effects of the bishop's prophecy.  who afore he could settle himself within the state Royal, was put to flight by his enemies, and died in miserable exile. Such was also the chance of Ferdinando his younger son, to whom as the kingdom was due by inheritance, so death prevented his use and possession of it, and that in the flower of his age, being so environed with wars, that he had scarce leisure to take breath. What ot●●r good was reserved to Federike, sons son to the said Ferdinando, than that he saw sacked and burned afore his eyes, his country, his people bathing in the suds of their own blood, and his own life in the end committed to the mercy of his mortal enemies. And lastly if we well consider what fortune hath governed this kingdom of Naples, & withal give faith to the authority of such as have written truly of it, we shall find that of all the kingdoms of the earth, only this state of Naples hath exceeded in revolution, mutation, persecution and loss of blood, the same making it seem in deed, and as it is and may be most properly termed, the very but and mark whereat fortune hath delighted to unloase her cursed and sharp arrow a very gulf and sink out of the which were drawn all the miseries which infected the whole body of Italy: this was in effect the Prophecy and vision of the Prelate Cataldo, according to the witness of Alexander ab Alexandro in his book of the general days, which with the other afore recited, as me think, may suffice for the examples of our visions appearing to men, both by day and night, sleeping and waking, aswell in sickness as health. So there rests now (according to our general intent touching all other matters in this book) to search out the cause of the●● fantastical illusions, and of what substance they are founded or do proceed, which because it doth not include an indifferent or equal respect to all men, I think it most sure and best to follow and march under the ensign of S. Augustine, who (above any other) hath used a more learned diligence to discover this matter, and yet is it necessary afore we pass further herein, (for the better exposition of the circumstance) to make an universal partition, in the deduction whereof we will follow that which he hath written against Adamantum, where he proceedeth in this sort. There be (saith he) diverse kinds of visions avouched by the holy Histories, whereof some do make themselves appear afore the eyes of the body, as the three men which appeared to Abraham, that which Moses saw burning in the bush, and lastly that of Moses and Elyas to the Apostles at such time as Christ was transfigured upon the mountain. The second kind of visions consist in imagination, as when we imagine those things which we feel by the body: seeing that our thought being ravished and lift up to Heaven, and that the beams and reflection of divinity do pierce into the soul, many strange things are manifest to her, and that not by the eyes of the body, ears or other members of the flesh, but seem in deed to be revealed by a divine influence and celestial inspiration: according to that which Saint Peter saw in a vision, the great vessel descending from Heaven in a sheet, wherein were contained all sorts of beasts, 
Act. 11.  and immediately he heard a voice which said unto him, Peter, rise, kill and eat, & so according to the text. The third sort of visions may be called intellectual, because it consists also in the thought, as where the King Balthasar saw a hand writing upon the wall, and many other like visions of Nabuchodonosor, which 〈◊〉 large set forth in Daniel: wherewith having laid thus the first foundation of these fantastical apprehensions resteth now to declare by order what hath been the advise 〈◊〉 augustine touching the same, which he doth above all 〈◊〉 places most amply dilate in 〈◊〉 ●●iij. chapter of his book entitled De cura pro mortuis agenda, there are (saith he) so many and strange opinions of visions of the night, that the disputation may seem tolerable, seeing the question is doubtful: for some say that dead ghosts have appeared to men on live, showing the place where their bodies lay shrined, to the end they might provide their own Sepulchre: which things if we hold to be either false or vain, we resist impudently the authority of a number of faythfuil writers, whereof albeit some have heard, and some assisted such matters with their own eyes, yet ought they not to persuade a belief that such visions participate with either sense feeling or motion: for do we not see sundry times, men on live appear to other in sleeping or waking? and yet being asked whether they have so done or not, they answer that they are utterly ignorant of such matter, neither know they what it meaneth. Then it must follow as Saint Augustine saith, that those visions come by the operation of Angels, to whom it is suffered by the Lord to use such power, which is the effect of the Latin text as near as I can construe it, and yet am I not ignorant for all that, that sometimes these illusions move no other way, although Saint Augustine leave it out in that place, the same notwithstanding being a matter proper to the Ecclesiasticals to whom I refer myself for these things with the judgement of the catholic Church, wherein I pray to the almighty to persist immovable so long as Nature lends me one breath of life in this world. 〈◊〉 also we are deceived by ●he illusions of evil and wicked spirits, as Saint Augustine teacheth in his third book de Trinitate, showing b● a 〈◊〉 arte, 
Cap. 11.  the power of Satan and his complices with these 〈◊〉. It is an easy thing (saith he) for the wicked 〈…〉 their bodies of air, to do many marvelous 〈…〉 things, which exceed the compass of our understanding, being wrapped and buried in bodies of death. And if sometime (saith he) we be drawn into admiration with the view of strange things presented upon theaters or stages, which also we would not believe though they were told us by others, because they are so far without the compass of our understanding, why ought we to find it strange if Devils and their Angels (with their bodies of the Element) do abuse our fragility in showing us visions, Idols, and figures, aswell sleeping as waking, to make us fall: their functions saith he be diverse, seeing that some of them do trouble our thoughts, some offend our bodies, others infect our blood, some assail and attempt our heart, suggesting infinite follies and conceits, and lastly by some we are pressed with diseases according to the text of S. Luke, 
Luke. 11.  where the woman that Christ healed, was so persecuted with pain & grief, that for the space of xviij years, she was so courbed that she was not able to lift up her head and behold the Element above, adding beside in the antiquity of the Devils, 
In his book of the Divination of Devils.  the nobleness of their creation, seeing they be Angels of Nature, their long experience gotten since their creation, the continual conflict which they have with Angels, which makes them able to the wars, the agility of their bodies of air by the which they pass all other beasts and birds in lightness, the sharpness of their wits, their knowledge in all disciplines, aswell divine as humane, a perfect and exquisite skill in the property of plants, stones, metals, and many other like things, all which as they be ●●eir instruments wherewith they forge and fashion their illusions and engines which they bend every hour against us, so they be also snares and baits which they cease not to lay every moment and minute of a day to entangle our poor souls. And by the same mean (saith he) they do prognosticate sometimes things to come, and perform certain holy miracles by which they deceive such as give faith to their dreams, as it happened to those poor women, who seduced with the illusions of Satan, persuade themselves that they go all night on horsacke when thed worship Devils, transfigured into Angels of light, the better to play their part, and sometimes they show themselves in diverse other shapes and figures, presenting unto them sometime pleasant and goodly things, & sometimes sorrowful things, sometimes they prefer to their eyes persons known, & sometimes shapes unknown. All which sure, albeit they are very strange and are found of hard digestion to such as measure the work of God according to the capacity of their gross and rude understanding, yet the discourse of Saint Augustin in his City of God is no less marvelous to my judgement, whereof (plunged in a profound contemplation of the power of wicked spirits) he brings in certain women instructed in the art Magical, reigning in Italy in his time, who giving to eat such as passed by them, a certain fish mingled with cheese, the passengers immediately were turned into mares, and carried their necessaries until they had performed their voyage, and discharged their burdens, when they returned to their former shape. The like happening to the father of Prestantius, who being turned into a horse, carried corn with other victuals of certain knights. All which notwithstanding (saith S. Augustine) ought not persuade, that either the body or thought of the man, could (by any Diabolical illusion) be converted into a beast, or take their shape or members, but rather that their fancy did abuse them in making them seem like unto beasts. And touching the burdens which they carried, it might be (saith he) that the Devils themselves carried them, to entertain the rather the error of those miserable creatures. But now to prevent such opinions as may import that there were no evil spirits: but in S. Augustine's time, or other ancients, I will infer things of no less wonder, whereof the experience hath happened in our own tyme. Gasperus Pucerus in his commentaries the Divinatione, after he hath long argued the reasons touching the Artificial deceit in Devils, brings in an authority no less marvelous than of terror: There was (sayeth he) a certain maid at Bolonia, who by the excellency of her art, carried a great name through all Italy, and yet could not so prevent infirmities in herself, but being overtaken with a mortal disease she died: An other Magician her companion, knowing what profit moved by her art in her life time, with intent to make the same common to herself, by the help of certain evil spirits, she conveyed a certain charm under the dugs of the dead woman, the which made her seem to be on live in every respect: for in common assemblies she was seen play upon the harp, sing and dance as she was wont to do, with other actions and gestures differing in nothing from one bearing life, saving that her colour was wonderful pale. There happened certain days after to come to Bologna an other Magician, who desiring to see whether the excellency and skill of this Woman, agreed with the fame she had in every place, went amongst other to hear her sing and play. But after he had some small time assisted her doings, he cried suddenly to the people: What madness is this? what abuse to your simplicity? what do you hear? or why do you wonder at such deceit? she that feedeth your fond eyes with these pastimes, is no better than a stinking and vile dead carrion. Wherewith afore he had fully ended his exclamation, she fell dead to the ground. Whereupon the sophistry of the devil and the enchantress were discovered. There was also in Pavia, an other woman enchantress in the time of Leovicenus, of no less marvel in her art than this, but somewhat more cunning, because no evil could be so secretly committed in Pavia, which by her means were not forthwith revealed, the same making the Philosophers come from far to visit her: and yet was there in the same university a public professer of Philosophy, a man of very holy conversation, who refusing continually of himself to visit or hear this woman, was won at last by the importunity of his dear friends to see her: and being afore, with intent to sound her to the depth, desired amongst other things, which was the best verse that ever the Poet Virgile made? She answered him with small leisure, that Discite justitiam moniti, & non spernere Divos, was the best and most excellent verse that ever he writ. The same so amazing the Philosopher and his company, that they returned without other reply, marveling not a little how she could form so precise an answer, having never learned so much as to write or read. Such a like Histarie is verified by Hieronymus Cardanus, and the experience to be justified at this day by all the Citizens of Milan, where (saith he) is at this day living, a woman called Margareta, the wife of a Painter, who is not ashamed to publish openly, that she hath a Devil or Familiar, which followeth her continually, saving that he is absent for two or three months in the year. This Woman liveth of no other revenue, nor feedeth of no other gain than of the experience and pleasure, the which this Spirit giveth to the people, who for the strangeness of this sight, will call oftentimes this Woman into their houses. And she when she calleth this Spirit, either putteth down her head into her bosom, or lappeth it in some cloth: and so beginneth to adjure her familiar after her Italian order, neither doth he refuse to appear and answer unto her evocation only his voice carrieth not a sound as though it were near her, but seemeth drawn from far very hollow, as if it were spoken out of a crevice in the wall: and if any man draw near the place, from whence this sound cometh, he may marvel to hear and understand it more plainly in the uttermost corner of the house, than fast by the place which is thought to yield it: Such is the property of the voice, that it is not articulated, nor otherwise form, but it may be understanded, albeit it is very soft and weak, in sort that it may more properly be called a murmur and sound than a voice: she becometh an interpreter to his sayings, imparting the same in plain language to the people: whereof be some women dwelling in the house with her, who observing her use and dealing with it, say, that sometime she encloseth it in a sheet, and that customably it biteth or sucketh her mouth, the same confirmed chief in that she hath most commonly sore lips. This History maketh me remember that which the ancients have noted of the spirit of Socrates, which importeth some vanity in them, because Socrates carried always such regard to the truth, that for any thing he would neither suggest nor support a lie: and yet it is confessed by himself, that he had one, as granted him to follow him from his infancy, the same being a voice (as he confesseth) that is already to dissuade him against any thing that is contrary to him, and yet never move him to do the thing which he ought to do: he affirmeth further of his spirit, whereof he challengeth the witness of Thymarcus to kill Nyceas, (notwithstanding he had warning by the spirit of the inconvenience that fell of it) in his condemnation confessed, that if he had believed the counsel of Socrates, he had both avoided the fact and danger of the deed. Franciscus Picus Mirandolanus, an excellent Philosopher of our time, affirmeth, that there was a Priest of the age of lxxij years, the which for xl years together had always a familiar in his company, who drunk with him, lay with him, spoke to him, and so directed him in all his actions and doings, that the people (not able to conceive the mystery of those things) gave their judgement that he was a fool. This Priest called his spirit by the name of Hermelina. Cardan also avoucheth no less of his father Facius Cardanus, who for the space of xxviij years, used the conference of a Familiar in most of his business. Plutarch in the life of Cymon writeth, that after Damon was slain by treason within the Baths or hot house, there appeared long after spirits with such lamentable voices and sighs, that notwithstanding the gate and entry were rammed up to bar access, yet it is affirmed at this day, that fearful visions be seen, and doleful cries heard. There appear at this day many strange visions and wicked spirits in the metal Mines of the great Turk in Sydero Capsa, who sometime present themselves in the form of great Goats, to the terror of● such as draw metal out of the mines: They are of diverse kinds, and even so they differ in disposition, for some of them will appear and do no harm to the workmen: but some have so offended their work, and tormented themselves, that they have abandoned the place, and so lose the revenue of their mines. The like avouched by Georgius Agricola, a notable Philosopher, and by whom passed the convey of the emperors mines in Almaigne, who amongst other places writeth, that in the Mine at Anneberg was a metal spirit which killed twelve workmen, the same causing the rest to forsake the mine, albeit it was very rich. There were also such like wicked Spirits, at such time as our Saviour Christ was on earth, who keeping most commonly in the graves of dead men, became so terrible▪ that few durst pass that way. This is most certain, that Porphyrius, Psellus, Plotinus, Proclus, jamblicus, and certain other of late days, assure, that the uppermost region of the air swarmeth as full of spirits, which we call in Greek Daemons, as our air is full of birds, founding their opinion, I think, in that the air and skies whereby the Quindecines be as great, and the regions so delightful and full of pleasure, as we see the earth replenished with lively substance, metals, stones, & plants. The water hath her fishes, and the weak air here below, bringeth forth creatures that breath and live. Whereupon may be persuaded, that the great mass of the superior air is full of those spirits, whose excellency far exceedeth the inferior creatures, because their region is more clear and pure, which because they seem things unworthy of our christian Philosophy, we will cease to argue so far as the matter requireth. And because none may justly think that we give such scope to devils, as they have power to abuse the creatures of God (bought so dearly (by the precious blood of his son) it is needful so to temper and direct the reason of those things, that we give them not such authority over us as the Cat hath over the Mouse, or the fool is fearful of the whip: for if it were that their power were not governed by the mighty hand of God (hating so mortally the kind of man in whom is graven the very image of God) their tyrannies & cruelties had long ere this extirped both stock & root of such generation: for if they could not of themselves enter within the bellies of hogs, without ask leave according to the scripture: how much more ought we to be assured, that without the permission of God, they cannot offend us, who are the paunes of his redemption, his house wherein he hath taken harbour, and carry his mark, figure, and affinity: beside, what greater witness can we have of the debility & small power of the devil, than that which he doth acknowledge in job, where demanding leave to persecute that Prophet, he said not Suffer me to hurt him: but craving of god to stretch forth his hand & touch his flesh, said: Mitte manum et tange carnem eius, as though he were not but the organ to execute the will of God, calling his permission his hand: whereof also we have a like testimony in S. Luke, where our Saviour, comforting Simon, 
Cap. 22.  told him that Satan had asked leave to torment him and to sift him as they fan corn, but he prayed for him, to the end his faith should not fail. Which may sufficiently persuade, that the devil can not offend us without leave, seeing he durst not address him to the Apostle, without he obtained his saufconduict of God, wherein that great Oracle of God. S. Augustine who oftentimes had endured many and furious assaults of Satan, giveth us one special consolation, saying: 
Gen. lib. 1●. cap. 14.  Let the Devil forge and stir up both day and night so many illusions as he will, and present thee with visions of bodies, which be none in deed, what doth all that hurt thy soul, seeing thou dost not consent to the vision? live then assured, for thou art not within his danger without leave, and yet the permission which is given him, is not to condemn thee, but rather to rebuke thy sins, and make a proof of thy faith. S. Paul also in his second Epistle to the Corinthians and twelve chapter affirmeth, that God suffered Satan to buffet him, for fear he should be lifted up above measure, doing yet more as himself witnesseth in his first Epistle to Timothe, where he giveth Timothe to understand, that he hath given Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan, to the end they learn to blaspheme no more. Whereby we may see how the Lord doth use sometimes wicked spirits as good for our health, which are oftentimes transfigured in diverse forms and figures of day and night to resist us, and draw us to the Combat: But none shall wear the Crown, that doth not manfully fight. Let us then learn from henceforth of the apostle to put on the armour of God, seeing we have not to make war only (as it is written in the Ephesians, against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and such as govern the world and the darkness of the same. Let us then stand upon our guard, lest we be circumvented and abused by that false enchanter, who is now more shameless and of greater rage and fury than ever he was▪ Whereof what greater witness can we have than that which is written in the Prophet Micheas, 
3. Reg. 22.  where he seeth him afore▪ God, crying and howling: I shall go forth, and become a liar afore the face of all the prophets of Achab? And in Zacharie, who is always upon the right hand of the Priest to let that there descend no benediction upon jerusalem, which being very lively apprehended by that great bishop of Hipponenses. S. Augustine crying after the Lord, saying: Deliver us (O Lord) of our common enemy, who whether it be in riches or in poverty, joy or sadness, speaking, or in silence, sleeping or waking, drinking or eating, or in any other our human actions, doth watch us, follow us, prompe and prick us, lay his nets to entrap us, discharge his arrows to hurt us, and dress his engines and snares to entangle our poor souls. And then with the Psalm he concludeth and crieth again: Deliver us good Lord from the snares of the hunters. But now seeing (contrary to our hope and expectation) we be so deeply anckred in the profound depth or Labyrinth of visions, it is also convenient afore we hoist sail to bring in the last member that they depend upon. There is yet an other sort of visions, 
Visions of the imagination.  which do not proceed of any diabolical illusion, nor by any other secret mystery of the Angels, but they engender of the corruption of humours, or by some indisposition of the imagination, or some other infirmity of nature, as when we seem to see those things which be not in deed: and such kinds of imaginations do torment most commonly the melancholic men, as Galene writeth of him that thought him transformed into a Cock, seeming to be amongst them, song when he heard them crow, & beat himself with his arms, as they do with their wings: As also some other that persuaded them to be transfigured into a vessel of earth, who keeping continually upon the plains & champaigns, dare not come near houses or trees, for fear to bruise or break them in pieces. There was a certain Damsel▪ whereof Alexander Trallianus writeth this history, that by a corruption of the imagination, 
Lib. 1. cap. 20.  she persuaded herself to have devoured a Serpent sleeping, neither could she be delivered from the disease of such thought, until, being provoked to an extreme vomit, there was secretly conveyed into the basin, a quick Serpent: immediately after the which, she was delivered of her disease, persuading that she had vomited the Serpent that stirred in the basin. There be yet visions, which proceed by eating certain poisons, as Pliny and Edwardus witness of him, of those which did eat the brains of a Bear, which being devoured, they imagined that they were turned into a Bear. The like happening in our time to a Spanish Gentleman, who having eaten of a Bear, went wandering by the deserts and mountains, thinking to be transformed into a Bear. Yet there be other sorts of visions which (according to the opinions of certain Physicians,) proceed upon certain Natural causes, as when any man is killed and buried not very deep in the earth, 
Visions by natural cause.  there come (as they say) from the dead body certain exhalations and vapours, which ascend into the air, & do seem to represent the figure or form of him that was put in the earth. We have also many other things, which under the colour of illusions, abuse our understanding, as when the air is troubled with contrary winds, by whose agitations is engendered a bruit or murmur, resembling properly the lowing or noise of beasts, or not much unlike to the complaints of women and little children: sometimes also the air pierceth within the crevices and vaults of rocks and old walls, and being sent back again by his own violence, giveth out so distinct a sound, that it seems a precise or set voice, as we prove oftentimes in that which we call Echo, the same pronouncing for the most part v. or uj words with so great marvel, that it easily persuades such as know not the cause, but specially in the night, that they be some spirits or Devils, the like happening in our time to a counsellor & secretary of a certain Prince, the which by reason of his ignorance in the cause of his Echo, was in danger to be drowned according to Cardanus, in his book of marvelous inventions, who writeth of one Augustinus Lavisarius, Counsellor to a certain Prince, who being in the country and out of his way, 
In his book of marvelous inventions.  and lastly overtaken with night, found himself greatly passioned, and riding all along a River side, began to lament his distress, and after the Italian manner, cried Oh, the Echo which came from a certain rock thereby, replied unto him incontinent with Oh, Lavisarius somewhat comforted with the voice, thinking it was some man which spoke, demanded in his language, unde debo passa? the Echo answered Passa, than the poor secretary being in greater pain than before, demanded, Chi, which asmuch to say as hear: the Echo replied chi: but being yet not well assured, he asked him again, debo passa chi? passa chi? saith the Echo: which words fed him with such comfort of his way, that he took the river, being astonished notwithstanding that his horse at his first entry lost the bottom and begun to swim, and had it not been the goodness of his horse, and mercy of the waves that seemed to take compassion upon his distress, he had taken a moist lodging in the bottom of the river, from the which albeit he escaped so hardly, yet being brought with much ado to the other side, he passed the rest of the night in cold and prayers, without comfort, saving for the pleasure he took in the remembrance of his peril past: whereof certain days after, (being come to Milan,) he made discourse to his dear friend Cardanus, in sort as if it had been the malice of an evil spirit that went about to drown him: & telling the place & every circumstance in order, Cardanus smelled forthwith the ignorance and simplicity of the secretary, knowing that in that place was a wonderful Echo, which yielded such a plain and perfect voice, that it seemed to be form out of the mouth of some creature: for a more assurance and proof whereof, he led him eftsoons to the same place, where they found that his Passa that guided him was none other thing than a reverberation of the Echo: wherein seeing we are now so deeply fallen, I will not forget to infer the authority of mine author in an example, whilst he writ this book at Paris: I have saith he, heard a sound in the borough of Chalenton near Paris, 
Of vij voices or sounds.  which yields and returns, the words that are spoken, whole, entire, distinctly and plainly, and that vij times one after an other, like to the Echo septuplex of the Ancients, and specially commended of Pliny. I have also often marveled that those which have written the Antiquities, and things worthy of memory in Paris, have left such a strange thing without remembrance in their writings, seeing I have neither heard nor seen so rare a thing in all the voyages I have made over the high Alps of italy and Germany. But now there resteth (to put a last seal to our difference and definition of visions) to make some discourse of artificial illusions, 
Artificial visions.  the which being wrought by sundry secret and Sophistical sleights of men, move no small terror to such as behold them, as that, whereof Hector Boetius in his Histories of scotland, maketh mention, wherein as there was a help and furtherance by art, so the effect was no less marvelous and strange, and at last the only cause of conservation of a whole Kingdom in sort as followeth. The Pictes (according to the Histories) have always borne a mortal hate to the Scots, killing after sundry battles and skirmishes) the first King of that country, with the overthrow of most of the nobility of that country. Cenethus second King of the Scots, and son to him whom the Pictes had murdered, desirous to revenge the death of his father, used many persuasions to incense the nobility to fall into arms against them: who in respect of their late infortune in the war, and their lack of power to maintain the quarrel, would not agree to the persuasions of the King, in whom as there remained a more grudge against the death of his father, than in the rest, so finding him insufficient to work it by words or incitation, he reposed a last help and refuge in art: and to give a beginning to his devise, he feigned a cause of conscience and consultation, for the which the nobility were sent for to assist the counsel, where being lodged all together within a castle, and himself also, he got to favour and further his conspiracy, some four or .v. men (whom according to the trust he put in them) he made to be hidden in certain secret corners of the chambers appointed for the noble men, having first attired them in horrible order with skins of seawolves (whereof is great store in that country by reason of the Sea) with every one a staff in his right hand of a kind of old and dry wood which shineth in the night, and in their left hand a great horn of an Ore pierced hollow: these, according to their commandment, kept very close & secret until the Princes were in their first and fast sleep, when they began to appear and discover, with their staves glimmering like the glances or flames of torches, braying out of their hollow horns a hideous voice, containing that they were sent of God to summon them to the war of the Pictes, against whom the sentence of victory was already pronounced, and agreed by the heavens. And so these artificial spirits assisted with the benefit of the night, which is the mother nurse to all illusions, used so fine a convey in the dispatch of their business, that they escaped without being disclosed, leaving the poor Princes so passioned with fear, that they passed the rest of the night in prayers, until the morning when every of them with great solemnity imparted his vision to the king, who also for his part to aggravate the matter with further credit, notwithstanding he was the first founder and forger of the mystery, approved their sayings with the like appearing to himself, albeit he was curious to reveal the secrets of God, until he had more sure advertisement thereof: wherewith some other persuasions on his part to enforce their forwardness, they became as eager and earnest to begin the war, as if Christ himself had been their captain, and so assailed their enemies that they did not only overthrow them in battle, but also made such mortal extermination, that the memory of the day ever since hath been utterly extinct. There be some now a days, that put lighted candles within the heads of dead men, to fear the people, and others that have tied little wax candles lighted upon cockles, tortures & snails, which they put in that order within the church yards by night, to the end that the simple people seeing these beasts move a far of with their flames, might believe that it were some dead spirit returned for some special cause into the world: by which villainous means as they have gotten money of the common and ignorant sort, so let them be assured to render account of their doings to the sovereign judge for abusing the poor flock of his dear son under the colour of visions. There hath been yet of late time in Italy, an other practice of Diabolical visions performed by certain candles made of the grease or tallow of a man, which so long as they were light and did burn in the night, the poor people seemed so overwhelmed with enchantments and charms, that a man might have taken any thing out of their house, without that they were able to stir out of their beds to rescue it: but our God who according to his justice doth leave nothing unpunished, hath suffered that the authors and executors of such vanities, have been taken as the thief with the manner, and being condemned, have yielded tribute to such offences, with the price of their life. And lastly there is an other sort of artificial visions, which are made with an oil or liquor, which cometh of certain worms we see shine in the night, which because they be things not worthy to be handled in argument amongst no christians▪ I will make silence of them for this time, marveling notwithstanding that sundry learned men heretofore have used so large a liberty in discovering such vanities, the rather for that our natures for the most part are more credulous of such shadowed things, than apt to believe a truth.   

¶ A wonderful history of a monster seen by Celius Rhodiginus. CHAP. xxvij.  
TO the end we should taste of these wonderfell visions (which may be thought very strange to the Reader) me seems good to show here the portrait of two marvelous monsters, the one a man, & the other a woman, seen in divers provinces by two as excellent Philosophers, as have reigned in our age. The first being the man, was seen by Ludovicus Celius Rhodiginus, as he writeth in the iij. chapter of his xxiiij book of ancient lessons, following in this manner: There was (saith he) brought forth a monster at Zarzara in Italy, in the year of grace, 1540 and the xix day of March, worthy to be considered off for many causes: One, for that it was brought into the world at such time as Italy was afflicted with the plague and scourge of civil wars. And that this monstrous child was a certain forerunner or messenger, which showed unto them the miseries of those domestical quarrels: the other causes for the which it deserved to be diligently noted, were for the strange and marvelous effects that nature exhibited in this little subject: for in the first place the mother of this infant brought it forth within three months well form, which is a thing monstrous in nature: Secondarily, he had two fair heads well proportioned, and two faces joined one to an other, and tied upon the top of the neck with a proportion marvelous in every of those parts: he had his hair a little long and black: and between these two heads, he had a third head, which exceeded not the length of an ear. And for the rest of his body, it was so well made and proportioned in all things requisite, that it seemed that Nature delighted to frame and make him so fair. Who after he had sojourned a certain time in this miserable world, died: wherein, as he was made a present to one of the king of Spain's lieutenants, governing in that country, so he thought it good to have him ripped and his belly opened, and entrails seen, which being done, he represented unto the sights of the lookers on, things no less marvelous than the precedents written of before: that is to say, he had two livers, two milts, and but one heart. Wherewith endeth the description that Celius hath made of that monster. The second monster is a woman, having two heads, whose figure is before to be seen with the other, and more to be wondered at than the first in one thing, for that she lived many years, which is contrary to the nature of monsters, who ordinarily live not long, for the abundance of melancholic humour, which aboundeth in them, to see themselves so opprobrious to the world, are thereby so dried and consumed, that their lives be short. Which happened not to this maid, which thou seest here portraited: for at such time as Conradus Licostenes, came into the Duchy of Baviere, which was in the year 1541. she was of the age of xxuj years. That learned Philosopher Licostenes writeth one marvelous thing of that monster, for reserving the duplication of the head, nature otherwise had left nothing in her unperfect. These two heads (as he writeth) had desire in like to drink, to eat, to sleep, and to talk together, as also did all her other affections. Wherefore this maid went from door to door searching her living, to whom they gave more willingly for the novelty of so strange a creature, & so new a spectacle: Albeit she was chased through the Duchy of Baviere, to the end she might mar the fruit of women with child, for the apprehension which remaineth in the imagination of the figure of this monstrous Woman.   

¶ A Monster on live, whose entrails and interior parts were to be seen naked and uncovered. CHAP. xxviij.  
IN the time that Servius Galba, and Marcus Scaurus were consuls, a noble and famous woman in Nursive, brought forth a son on live, which had the uppermost part of his belly so open, that men might see his entrails naked and uncovered, and it was so hard and entire in the nethermost part, that I believe if you have red all the Authors Greeks and Latins, which have written of the wonders of nature, you shall scarcely find his like. And although the Romans were always superstitious in those things, yet was this monster a certain Augur and soothsayer of the victory which they obtained against jugurth, as jules Obsequent writeth in the hundredth Chapter of his book of the wonders of the Romans Wherefore if the Greeks and Arabes, (which were so fine in searching out the secrets within the shop of man's body, that they demanded of the king the bodies of the condemned, to open them alive) had had that little monster at their commandment, they need not have exercised such butchery, tyranny and cruelty on the behalf on living creatures as they did: for casting their eyes only upon that little monster, without making further opening or incision, they might have seen and discerned the substance, the greatness, number, figure, situation, commodity and action of all the principal parts of man's body, the lively spirits being within: the which is not of small consideration in nature, seeing that by the ignorance of those things, if that a sinew or muscle be cut, for the most part the feeling is lost, sometimes the moving, and sometimes both the one and the other, and very oftentimes death thereby followeth. Wherefore the ancient kings and princes, as Marcus Antonius, Flavius, and Boetius, (as Galene witnesseth) took so great pleasure in Anatomies and cutting of bodies, that they themselves used that art, who as they observed not the same carefully, so they made err the most renowned Philosophers in the time past, as Aristotle in his first and third book of Histories, treating of Creatures, the vij chapter, where he writeth that the seams of the head, by the which the moist matters of the brain do evapour, be not like, but differ in men and women, notwithstanding we see by common experience the contrary: whereby the same author is also deceived, in that he writeth, that the heads of Dogs have no sinews, although in anotomysing of them, we find they have seams so well as in the head of man: In like manner Cornelius Celsus one of the most excellent, which hath written of physic in Latin, is beguiled in the same matter of seams, in his eight book and first chapter, where he writeth, that those heads which have no seams, be the most sound, and least subject to sickness, though the same be utterly false, as witnesseth Hipocrates, in his first book of men, where he writeth, that the heads which have the greatest number of seams be the most healthful: wherein as I have showed the mistaking of the two matters of the cutting of the body: Even so could I discover unto you a numbered of other errors, which be found in Mundinus Carpus, and others, who in their writings have been often beguiled in the opening of the shop of man's body. But for that we are to entreat of wonders, we will therefore make an end of that matter, without setting before you the faults gathered in the Harvest of Physic.   

¶ An history of a prodigious Dog, which engendered of a Bear and a Mastiff bitch in England, seen by the Author at London, with the discourses of the nature of this Beast. CHAP. xxix.  
LIke as mine Author in the beginning of this Chapter seemeth to prefer in sort of a French flourish or commendation to himself, his being in England, with sundry honours that were done to him by the queens Majesty, and certain nobility, at what time he was brought to the view of this Dog, so (for certain respects, I account it as necessary to leave it out, as to fill or cloy the Reader with such vain folly.) In England then (according to mine Author) was bred this monstrous Dog, whose figure seemeth to resemble indifferently a Dog and a Bear, which argueth him to participate both of the one and the others nature: the same not seeming very strange to such as have observed their conditions at London, 
Paris Garden.  where the Dogs and the Bears do lie in little Cabinets or vaults of wood, one fast by an other: and being in their heats, those that do govern them, will not stick oftentimes to put a Bear and a Dog in one house together, when being pricked with their natural impressions, they convert their cruelty into love: of which conjunctions are engendered oftentimes creatures like unto this, although very seldom: amongst which mine Author hath observed two: Which as they were given to the marquess of Trans, so he made a present of the one of them to the County of Alphestan, the Emperor's Ambassador, and the other he made to be carried with him into France, where mine Author caused this portrait to be drawn, omitting nothing that was necessary to be seen: In whom albeit may appear some cause of wonder by the strange effect of Nature: yet the attestation of sundry famous authors maketh it neither rare nor new. Like as Aristotle, who is of opinion, that diverse beasts may have Coitum, and join together, so that their natures do not much differ, as do the Dog, the Wolf, and the Fox. He writeth in an other place, that the Indian dogs be engendered of a Dog and a Tiger, which is also approved by Polux, and Pliny. Patritius and Senes in their third book of their common Wealth, have affirmed, that the Indians have not only made cover their bitches with beasts of an other kind, but also the ancient frenchmen used to have them engender with wolves, to the end that the fruit of such fierce commixture and seed, might be of the more strength and fury, the same being also confirmed by Augustus Nyphus, in a History, assisted with his own eyes, and not gathered by any report. On a time (saith he) that the Lord Federike of Montforce and I returned from hunting, we lost one of our dogs, which we could not recover by any sound of horn or hollow of the hunters, and yet after we had long sought him, we found him joined▪ with a she Wolf in a corner of the wood, his fierceness being vanquished with the delight he had in her company. Hierom Cardan assureth to have seen a Fox gotten of a Bitch and a Fox. But to return now to the description of our beast, whose figure as it resembleth a cutted Bear, so had he the gestures and other dispositions, more participating with a a Bear than a Dog, and exceeded (as mine Author affirmeth) all other beasts in fury: For there is neither Lion, Bear, Bull, nor other beast, how cruel so ever, which he dare not assault, using withal such a fierceness in his fight, that after he hath fastened his teeth upon him, he will be rather dismembered and torn in pieces by piecemeal, than suffer himself to be taken off. Whereof mine Author preferreth an experience at London, in a battle between him and a Bear, the same also making me remember that which the Ancients have written of a Dog that was given to Alexander, in the Indies, which (as some say) was engendered of a Tiger and a Bitch: but because there is diversity of opinion touching this History amongst many Authors, as Aelyan, Diodorus Siculus, Strabo, Plutarch, Patritius, with others, I will bring in only that which most resembleth a truth.  
In the journey that Alexander had in the Indies, he was presented by one of the noble men of the Country, with a great Dog, engendered of a Tiger, who as he did seem of a huge and fierce regard, likewise Alexander, desiring to prove his doughtiness and disposition of heart, presented him a Bear tied at a stake, where at the dog being couched on the ground, neither moved nor angry, vouchsafed not once to rise from the earth: the king commanded eftsoons to offer him the Bull, and then the wild Boar, which seemed to move the dog no more than the rest, what provocation so ever was made the assistants: Alexander, enuyin▪ (as it were) that nature had planted so fearful a heart in such a huge and massy piece of flesh, commanded to kill him: Whereupon the Lord that first ought him and gave him to the king (being more privy than they, to his valiant disposition), desired Alexander that afore the dog were killed, he should be offered the Lion or Elephant, which being done forthwith, the dog began with a wonderful fury to assail the Lion, and so claw him in his cruel kind, that where he once imprinted his teeth, the characters remained and could not be defaced, being also so fierce upon the Lion, that he could not be taken off by any means, whereat the king seeming to marvel, and the Indian Lord desirous to increase the pleasure he took in his pastime, commanded to cut of his tail, and his four legs one after an other, tearing in effect one leg from an other, notwithstanding which horrible torments he endured, he gave not over the battle, but continued as constant as in the beginning, wherewith to prevent a displeasure in Alexander, who seemed to grieve to see so valiant a dog so loathsomely dismembered, the Lord told him he had two other of the same litter, whereof he made at the same time offer to the King, with charge, that according to their natures, he must prove them against either Lions or Elephants, seeing customably they contemn all other beasts, yielding no glory to the victory which is got of others of base condition. The Ancients have given special commendation to these creatures touching their faith and fidelity to their master, whom they do not only know by view, but understand their whistle, they ●latter them, fawn upon them, are jealous of them, follow them thorough out all the world, and be such sure keepers of their goods, that they will die rather than suffer them to be taken away. Which is very well verified in a dialogue wherein Plutarch seems to dispute whether beasts have reason or not, confirming it by an example of the faith of a strange dog, the same being of hard belief, were it not the authority of him that writ it. The Athenians (saith he) had a Temple called the Temple of Aesculapius, garnished with great treasure and riches, for the guard whereof, they keep only an excellent dog called Caparus, notwithstanding whose barking and other means of defence used by him, certain thieves broke in one night, and took away the most precious jewels that were in the temple: the dog seeing the Sexteus with other Wardens of the church, were not moved with his barking at the thieves, runneth out of the Temple as enraged or mad, and pursueth the thief that fled afore him, not leaving to follow him, notwithstanding his threats and stones which he cast at him. The day being come, the dog stayed always where the thief rested, without coming near him for fear of harm: which being well considered of the felon, who to prevent that which would not be avoided, offered bread to the dog, which he did not only refuse to touch, but also did not forbear to bark without ceasing: which being heard of certain passengers that way, the report came to Athens, by which means hue and cry was sent forth, and the thief taken at Cromion: but the sport was to see the dog skip and leap afore the felon, rejoicing as though the thief were his pray, and taken by his means: for which cause the athenians ordained him to be nourished at the charges of the City, and gave him in custody to the Priests of their Temple. There is also spoken of in divers Histories, a like discourse of the fidelity of a dog, found by the king Pyrrhus as he passed with his army, guarding the dead body of his master slain by the high way side, being not so much astonished at the view of the mortified ghost of him that lay dead, as double amazed when he understood by certain peasants of the Country, that the dog had not stirred out of that place for three days, without desiring either to drink or eat. The king for compassion of the dead carcase commanded it to be buried, and the dog for his faith to his master, to be nourished in some convenient place. And as no inquisition or policy could try out the murder, what diligence so ever was used: so it chanced that certain days after, the King taking a view or muster of his people, assisting it in his own person, the dog attended the King, and lay very still and quiet at his foot, till it came to their turns that had killed his master, to pass along by the king: when the dog upon a sudden (venting as it were the murderers) assailed them with such fury, as if strength had agreed with his good will) he would have torn them in pieces: but being not able to perform the effect of his meaning, he looked here and there, giving out such arguments of pity, according to his dumb kind, as if he had demanded justice of the murder at the king's hands. The same moving in him and the rest of the assistants such suspicion of the fact in them whom the dog assailed, that what with torment and other examination, they confessed the matter, & were punished accordingly. A thing very wondered, & wherein our God showeth himself most just in his judgements, having in such horror such as do spoil and spill man's blood, that he stirreth up sometime little beasts to be his ministers of revenge of their iniquities. Plutarch, Aelyan, and also Tretzes, in the third Chiliade and a hundred thirty and one Chapter, write, that after Darius the last king of the Persians was vanquished by Alexander, and hurt in many places by Bessus and Nabarzenes, he was forsaken of all the world, and void of humane succours, except a dog, which he had nourished and brought up, who never forsook the body of his master, but became no less faithful to him being dead, than he was whilst he lived.  
The Roman histories give also great commendation to the fidelity of the dog of Titus Fabius, who being condemned by the justice of the Senate, and his body laid dead upon the ground, the dog did not only accompany the dead carcase, but made such a pitiful howling and crying, that he stirred the assistants to compassion, who (to appease him) if they offered him bread, he took it, and in the presence of them all by such means as he could, he opened the mortified mouth of his master, and put in the bread, thinking that as he saw his distress, so he would relieve it by means as he best might: but that which is more wonderful touching the faith of this dog, was, in that the body of his master being cast into Tiber (according to their custom at that time to bury dead men) the dog leapt also into the river, not ceasing to contend with the waves, till he had got hold of his master, whom by main strength he did not only support and keep from sinking, but also drew him out to the shore, thinking he had them delivered him from peril. By this and such other may we discern in some respects a more great faith and amity in these brute beasts, than in reasonable creatures, who for the most part now a days observe the order of the swallow, shunning (as they do the roof in the winter) their friends touched with any adversity or sinister fortune: for which cause also Masinissa the great king of Numidia, would never commit the guard of his body by night to the faith of men, but used for his safety that way the company of eight or x▪ great dogs, whom he brought up for the nonce, and made them be shut in his chamber by night, to the end that by their barking he might be warned of any peril: which remaineth in practice at this ●ay in S. Maloes' in Britain, a town of defence environed with the Sea, wherein only a great number of dogs of England do keep watch, and that so truly that the whole guard and protection of that city consists no less in the fidelity of those dogs, than in their strong bands of their old soldiers of Piedmont, neither moveth any charge by them, for either armour or weapon, seeing they content themselves only with their lives, which are reserved by common order, & they nourished continually in certain dark caves, where they are bard to see any light, to the end to give increase to their fierceness: the same in deed giving them such a woodness, that they neither know, nor use regard to any, but such as are appointed to nourish and feed them, in such sort that at night when they are drawn out of their dens, they are driven to sound drums and trumpets as a warning to every body to retire, which hath bred such a custom in those dogs, that after the last retreat be sounded, there is none so hardy to be found afore them, which escapeth not their jaws, without great hazard and danger of his life. There is also mention made in the ecclesiastical histories, how the Emperor Aurelian, forcing Benignus the Martyr to worship Idols, made to be kept fasting for four or v. days, certain great mastiffs, whom he reserved only to feed upon christian men's flesh, afore whom he caused the body of the said Martyr to be brought forth bound: but the dogs refusing to become the ministers of the sin of such a tyrant, in place to devour or tear him in pieces, they licked his hands, and smelled to his body, without either offer or effect of other harm. Which makes me remember an History commended by Appius the Greek, & Aulus Gelius the Latin, jovianus Pontanus lib. 1 amorum, and lastly Anthonio de Gueware bishop of Monodemo. All which albeit they treat of an other beast than a dog, yet because the discourse is no less prodigious, than confirmable to our former arguments, I think it no time evil employed to describe it in sort, as they have left it behind them.  
Titus the Emperor, son to Vespasian, upon his ret●rn from the wars of germany, determined according to an ancient custom of the Nobility there, to solemnize at Rome with great pomp the day of his nativity. For a first entry or beginning whereof, he caused royal triumphs to be made to the Senate, with a bountiful distribution of treasure amongst the Romans: He enjoined withal by special charge, to make provision of Lions, Bears, Hearts, Bulls, wild Boars, Wolves, Camels, Elephants, with a number of other savage and fierce beasts, found most commonly in the deserts of Egypt, and valley of the mount Caucase. In like sort it was decreed sometime afore by the majesty imperial, that to all thieves, felons, murderers, perjurers, traitors, and rebels, their lives should be reserved, to be punished and torn in pieces the day by those beasts: by whom should not only be thundered upon them due revenge of their wicked life past, but also in the combat should appear equal pleasures and delight to the lookers on: wherein this was the order that was observed. One of those miserable men was let out after an other, and committed all alone to a place, which is at this day being at Rome called the Collisea: after the which in the view of all the assistants, was let lose in the same place one of these cruel beasts, who if by chance he tore the man in pieces, the same was the sentence and punishment of his offence: but if the man subdued the cruelty of the beast, and killed him, it served as an absolution or dispense from further punishment. And as they kept hungry of purpose (long time before) these cruel beasts, to the end to add a more fierceness to their wood nature, so amongst the ●est that were brought to the combat, the Emperor seemed chief to see fight a Lion brought out of the deserts of Egypt, who was of a huge body, horrible in regard, fearful in his cries and yelling, and most desperate and cruel in fight, having already committed to morsels .v. or uj men, without devouring them, lest withal he should lose his appetite and delight to fight: albeit the Emperor not liking to keep him any longer without meat, commanded to let lose unto him one of the Captives, whom if the Lion overcame, he should also devour him: whereupon was committed into the place a poor slave, so lean and mortified with imprisonment, that he seemed to delight in no other felicity than sudden death: This fierce Lion setting up his brussels, & making two or three turns about the Coll●sea, seemed to whet his teeth and stomach, to pray upon the miserable man: but that which is no less strange to hear, than wonderful to see, this cruel beast approaching near his prisoner, seemed at a sudden to gaze in beholding his face with great judgement, which having performed and viewed with such leisure as he thought good, he did not only refuse to do him any harm, but also with great humility, he smelled to his hands, and licked his fingers, and falling prostrate afore him, he seemed not only to know him, but acknowledge most thankfully in his kind an ancient debt and good turn done unto him. This brought such indifferent comfort and courage to the poor man, that he converted his former fear into present assurance of safety. The same moving him in token to be thankful of his part, to stroke and cherish the Lion, as if there had been an ancient familiarity between them, which bred such cause of amaze in the Emperor and the assistants, (as never having seen nor heard of the like) that they imagined him to be some Nycromancien, or by some Art to have enchanted the disposition of the lion. And forthwith called the slave unto him, and asked what he was, of what Country, and his name, what was his offence, and for what cause he was there delivered to such distress of the wild beasts: what (saith he) hast thou nourished this Lion or hast thou heretofore stand his life in stead, or delivered him from any mortal danger? Or if then be some enchanter, I enjoin thee upon pain to be here disinembred quick, to yield us a truth, seeing it is now happened to thee, which never hath been seen to chance in Rome since the first foundation. Wherewith the wretched prisoner, having yet the Lion couched at his feet answered the Emperor with an assured and stayed countenance in this sort: Albeit sir, I bear here a miserable body of the malice of my time and fortune, the same with other mortal distresses in prison, making me rather resemble the ghost to a dead man, than seem of state as I have been, yet (sir) the extremity of my case doth not take away the estimation of the house that bred me, being not long since a knight of the country of Eselavonia, and of the line of the Androniques, of no less honour in that country, than the famous Quintus Fabius and Marcus Marcellus through your province and part of Rome: the city whereof I am. is called Mantuca, who as she revolted against the obedience of the Romans, so all such as remained of that miserable calamity, became servile to your city, whereof my fortune (as you see) made me a miserable partaker: but touching your demand to be privy to the discourse of my tragical life, It is now xxuj years since I was first prisoner in my country, and as long since I was brought in that order to this city, & sold in the field of Mars, to a sawyer of wood, who finding me unapt to supply that trade, sold me to the Consuls Dacus living at this day, whose commendation as it consisted chief in wisdom, & profound experience, so had he for a counterpoise of his virtues a vice most familiar to him, the same eclipsing all the rest, as the clouds do the clearness of the Sun: for his covetousness was so great, that I was at a point to starve with hunger in his service, & my toil & travel both day & night so painful & extreme, that during the space of a xj. years (which was the time & scope of my miserable life) I never joyed in other thing than in the desire of death, which being withstanded by my destiny, I thought to abridge my desolation by means as I best might: whereupon I tendered a request to my master, either to sell me to an other, or by some other way to give end to my misery. Wherein if I prevailed, it was in increase of further rigour on his part, seeming rather to aggravate his villainy, than diminish any part of his cruelty: and for myself, feeling the threats of age, and fall of my former strength, I resolved desperately to bury myself and sorrows in the solitary deserts of Egypt: wherein fortune favoured me with a most convenient occasion, for that the Consul my master, leaving Rome, to visit a country called Tamutha, situated between the confines of Egypt and Africa, from whence as he rested one night, and was in the depth of his sleep, I departed without other leave, than that I came with as slender noise as I could, and so taking only with me some reasons dry, and a bottle of water, I committed me (in that state) to the mercy of the night and guide of fortune: But at the dawning of the day, fearing some search to pursue me, and being pressed withal with a wonderful desire of sleep, I laid me down in a cave which I found by chance in that desert place, wherein I had not rested many hours, but I saw enter into my lodging a huge and cruel Lion, having his throat and feet imbrued with blood, the same adding further dread to my former, the rather because I saw me as void of means to flee his fury, as unprovided of force to resist his fury, which made me pronounce secret sentence of mine own death, with contentment that the bowels of the Lion to become the sepulchre of my bruised bones. Wherein as I was in the depth of these mortal cogitations, behold the Lion, which had a little paused at the entry of the cave, began to draw near the place where I was, drawing one of his legs after him with great grief as it seemed: and hovering over the place where I lay upon the earth for fear, he laid his hurt leg upon my hands, in sort as the wisest man would that sought to discover his grief i● an other: which made me take heart, the rather for that the fear which I had of this proud beast, was turned into a desire in himself to demand succours at my hand. His grief was in his foot, by reason of a great thorn which lay within the flesh, the same making it swell, that it was at point to yield matter, to the which I gave a vent by breaking th● impostume, and took out the prick with the point of my knife, and leapt up his wound with a band or shred of my 'sheart. And having performed this work of charity upon the poor beast, he lay with an extreme patience by me all that day & next nght, till the morning following: when I unfolded eftsoons the sore, and pressed out the corpuption with no less sufferance in him than before, who after two or three hours in the morning, seeming to be pinched with hunger he left me and the cave, & went to the desert. When I seeing the honest departure of my guest, prevented the like peril & saved myself by flight: wherein (sir) I could not be so precise as to escape the hands of such as pursued me, by whom I was presented to my master: & from him (amongst others no less infortunate than myself) I was passed prisoner to Rome, where if my good fortune have brought me into the danger of this Lion, and he to return the benefit of my good turn with a compassion & safety of my life, I humbly beseech thy majesty royal to consent to the same, and suffer not thy decrees given out by thine own mouth to be violated with any respect of cruelty. Which moved such indifferent pity & commpassion to the assistants, that there was not 〈◊〉 amongst them all, which with great intercession were not suitors to the Emperor for his liberty & safety of the lion. Whereunto he did not only agree, but also enjoined from that hour, that Andronique and the Lion should use their liberty to pass at all times thorough the streets of Rome: whom the people beheld, not without a singular pleasure, the rather to see the Lion contented to carry great wallets full of bread, and other relief given them in alms. And sometime to get money to his keepers, he would suffer children to leap upon his back: The same moving such cause of marvel to the strangers that came to Rome, that there was question touching the meaning. Whereupon, to satisfy them and all men, was written a little bill, and fastened to the breast of the Lion with this inscription: Hic Leo est hospes huius hominis. And upon the breast of the man were written these words, Hic est medicus huius leonis, whereof the one signifieth: This Lion is the guest of the man, and the other: This man is the physician of the Lion. This is sure a wondered example of charity in a beast without understanding: wherein is also approved the opinion of an Indian Philosopher named Dephilus, who was wont to say, That the great workman dame nature had graved certain laws in beasts, which might be applied to men, as examples to direct the estate of their life: for if we consider and view with discretion the order of doing of diverse beasts, we shall find them to exceed men in many things, and have (as it were) a natural virtue in every affection of courage, wisdom, force, cowardice, clemency, discipline & erudition. They know one an other, & are able to decern amongst themselves: desire things that be profitable, and eschew such as be hurtful, foresee what will fall, and make provision of such things as be necessary for their relief. All which being considered by the ancient Philosophers, they have not been ashamed to dispute and make a doubt whether brute beasts did participate with reason or not: which made Solomon send some of them to the schools of the Philosophers. Like as also Esay reproaching the unthankfulness of the Israelites towards GOD, layeth afore them an example of the Ox and Ass, which acknowledge their master, but Israel hath mistaken and not known her Lord.   

¶ A wonderful history of certain women which have brought forth a great number of children: And an other which ●are her f●●te five years dead within her belly. CHAP. thirty.  
LIke as that great Philosopher Aristotle doth most firmly assure in his writings, that a woman can not bring forth at one time above five children, and that very rare. Even so (saith he) that happened on a time to a servant of Augustus Cesar, who at one burden brought forth five children, who (besides the mother, lived but a short time after. In remembrance whereof, the Emperor Augustus caused to be made and erected a monument, writing on the out side thereof, the numbered of the children which she had born. Wherefore though Aristotle did believe that a woman could not bring forth at one time above the numbered of five children, notwithstanding the contrary hath been proved in many, as is witnessed by many grave authors. Amongst whom, that notable learned Prince Picus Mirandulanus in his commentaries, upon the second hymn assureth, that one Allemande (called Dorothee) brought forth in Italy at two several times twenty children, that is to say, at one time twelve & at an other eight who during the time that she was with child, her belly was so great, that she was constrained to poise the weight thereof with a towel bound about the same for the succoring of her charge. There is none of those which have read the chronicles and histories of Lombardie, which knoweth not that in the time of the reign of Algemont first king of the Lombard's, there was a certain common Woman brought forth vij boys at one time, who for the horror of her sin, cast them into the water. But God by his almighty power and wonderful providence not willing to blot out of memory this wicked and detestable act, brought the same to light, who permitting the king Algemont to walk by fortune nigh the water where she had cast them, espied one of the children in the water on live, who with the crook of a staff which he held in his hand, he plucked out, causing the child to be nourished and brought up in learning and virtue: who as he grew in years, so he in like manner persevered in all perfectious and good gifts: and as the historians make mention, succeeded Algemond, and was named Lanytius second king of the Lombard's. And if thou wouldst read the History of Martinus Cromerus in his sixth book of the worthy acts of Poloigne, thou shalt find an history of a woman of the county of Virboslaus, which surpasseth all the precedents before recited for the multitude of children, wherein like as all these histories be wonderful for the great numbers of children borne at one instant: even so I have not red amongst all the Historians which have written thereof, that for the great numbers of children which they have had, they have had cause to open, bruise, and anatomize or put an iron into their bellies to pluck forth their fruit, as it was strange and marvelous to behold, that a woman for one only child hath been opened, for that she by the space of .v. years carried her fruit in her body dead, as thou mayst understand by the discourse of this history following worthy of remembrance, the which Mathias Cornax, a learned and excellent physician of Vienne, writ in a Latin work, which he sent for a wonder to Ferdinando, Emperor at that day. And although he have dilated on this History sufficiently, yet notwithstanding, I will write thereof more at large in that I shall be able. He writeth to the Emperor Ferdinando, that in the year .1545. there was at Vienne in Austrice, a certain woman named Margareta, the wife of a Citizen of that town called George Wolczer, who being quick with child from S. Bartholomew day to S. Luce, and then upon point to be delivered, she began to feel the sharp and dolorous pangs, which women accustomably taste and suffer in the bringing forth of their children, caused her mother and certain other sage women to be called for her better help therein. But when they came to the great conflict of Nature, and hoped to have received the child, they perceived such a brute & noise as it had been a thunder clap within the belly of that poor martyr, that which made them to think, that the child was dead with the great striving and battle that it had with Nature. The noise being at last appeased, they could not perceive or judge any moving or life in the infant, which was cause after they had employed all their labour and art in vain, thinking to draw the child out of the mother's belly, they were constrained in the end to abandon and leave her for a time to the help and mercy of almighty God. Albeit after certain days her dolour & grief renewed, that she was not only forced to use for help herein, the advises of the most excellent and best experimented physicians in that province, but also all others elsewhere, whose fame was most renowned and celebrated for their excellency in that art: who with all their physic resolutive, attractive, suppurative, were not able to deliver her from this misery, or otherwise comfort her, than with that which the angel said to the Prophet●: Dispone domus tuae, quia morieris. Whereupon she seeing herself void of hope to receive help at man's hands, determined to take truce which nature, and persever constantly in this her martyrdom, the which she continued with extreme dolour the space of four yer●●, carrying this dead carrion in her belly: which being ex●●ed she resolved in herself that it was most expedient to expose some ready death rather than to suffer herself continually to pine by the cruelty of that torment. Wherefore resting upon this deliberation, she made to be called the Surgeons & Physicians, at whose hands she requested to be opened. And in the year .1550. the twelve day of November they opened her belly, from which they drew the child half rotten, which she had carried the space of five years: And after purging and phisiking her, they restored her by the aid of God to such perfect health, that she remaineth at this day on live, and so whole, that she may yet conceive and bring forth children. As it is more amply declared in the Latin work sent unto the Emperor Ferdinando.   

¶ A wonderful history of a Monster, having the shape of the face of a man, who was taken in the forest of Haveberg, in the year .1531. whose portrait Georgius Fabritius sent to Gesnerus, drawn naturally, as he is here figured. CHAP. xxxj.  
LIke as those which admeasure the greatness of the works of God according to the capacity of their understandings, could scarcely be persuaded, that this monster which is here figured, should be natural: Even so in my judgement as I have oftentimes protested, that I will not fill or pester my writings with any fabulous matter or history, whereby I shall not be able to verify the same by the authority, either of some famous author, Greek or Latin, sacred or profane: for as Gesnerus in his History, de quadrupedibus viviparis, writeth that in the Forest of Saxony in the coast of Dace, there was taken certain monstrous beasts, having the shape of the face of a man, whereof the female in chase by chance was killed of hunters, and the male taken by them, was brought alive, who afterwards became domestical and tame, in such sort as he began to talk a little, albeit his words were imperfect and host, much like unto a Goat: and touching the rest of his actions, they were more brutal than humane. For at such time as he was moved by the ardent heats and motions of nature, the women were not in safety with him, for he would endeavour himself by force to violate them openly. And as an other like to this, was taken in the year .1531. in the Forest de la seigneurie de Sal●ebourge in Almain, who would never be made tame, nor yet endure the look of a man: but living in such sort certain days, in the end died of hunger, refusing to be fed of any living creature. Even so in the time that james the fourth king reigned in Scotland, which was in the year 1409. and that he sent jacobus Egilinus in embassage to the French king, who by tempest of the seas was cast on land in a certain Isle of Norway, where he saw monsters like unto these spoken of before, as he witnessed at his return: and inquiring of the people of that country what kind of creatures they were, they answered, that they were certain beasts having the shape of the face of men, who accustomed very often to come by night to their houses, which being not repulsed by dogs, would devour as well their men as children. And I remember that S. Augustine in his book of the City of God, maketh mention of sundry monsters of straungo forms, who were found in deserts or elsewhere, whereupon grew a question, whether they were descended of the first man Adam, or that they had a reasonable soul or not, or whether they should rise as others shall at the general day of resurrection: But for that this matter is a little to long to entreat upon, by reason of the shortness of this Chapter, I will therefore reserve it for another place more fit and apt for the dissolution thereof.   

¶ A wonderful History of sundry strange famines. CHAP. xxxij.  
I Do remember that I have treated in my third book of the Theatre of the world, how famine is one of the most cruel ministers of the justice of God, as he himself witnesseth very often by his Prophets and apostles, sometimes threatening to give them for their wickedness a heaven of brass, and the earth of iron, that is to say, that it shall bring forth nothing: albeit I will not forget in this place to make mention of two notable famines, noted in the book of Ecclesiasticus, to the end that drawing our Histories out of the lively springs of the scripture, the same may move us that rather, and touch us the more with remorse, even upon the hammer of our conscience. It is showed in the four book of the kings and uj chapter of a famine which happened in Samarie, in the time of Elizeus, which was so hard and extreme, that the head of an Ass was sold for xxiiij pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a measure of doves dung for .v. pieces: but that which is most far from all humanity, after that all their victuals were consumed, the mothers eat their children: In such sort that a poor woman of the city, se●ing the King of Israel upon the wall, made her complaint unto him, that one of her neighbours would not perform covenant and agreement made betwixt them, which was: that they should eat together her child, and having so done, that they should also devour the child of her neighbour, which she told the king she had already done, for we have boiled and eaten my son, and now she hides and conceals hers, for fear she should feed or relieve me. Which when the King had understand, his heart began to die for sorrow, and he entered into mortal war with his hair, flesh, and garments: saying: God deal so with me, and so according to the rest of the text. josephus an Hebrew writer, in his vij book and iij. chapter of the wars of the jews, declareth a history almost confirmable to this, but performed in a more strange and bloody manner. He writeth that there was a noble and rich woman, at such time as jerusalem was besieged, who had pacte together some remainder of her goods, which she had in a certain house of the City, and lived husbandlike of that little which remained: but the soldiers and men at arms spoiled her of all within an hour, in such sort that they constrained her to beg: but that which gave increase to her misery was, when she had any thing growing to her by the alms and charity of others, the soldiers took it from her with violence, with the extreme oppression of hunger, and small hope of means to be sustained, forced her to arm herself against the laws of nature, in such sort as beholding with pitiful regard one of her little children, whom she embraced between her arms, cried out with great compassion in this sort: Oh infortunate child, and me most miserable mother, who have unhappily harboured thee in my flanks? What shall henceforth become of thee, considering the desolation of our state, which so rageth against us both, that albeit I had will to save thy life, yet would thy destiny make thee subject to a continual thraldom of the Romans? come then my child, & serve for food and nurture to thy poor mother overcome with hunger. And after she had pronounced this tragical sentence of the death of her child, she stretched her cruel hands over his tender body and killed him, put him on the broach, roasted him, and at one instant eat the one half of him, in which mean time came in again the soldiers, and tasting in their nose the smell of roasted meat, began to threaten her to death, if she did not impart it with them: but she resolved in her rage, and as one most desirous to accompany her dead son, without any astonishment or fear of their threats, said unto them: be content soldiers saith she, for I have reserved a more faith and loyalty than you think, seeing I have kept you as great a part as to myself, wherewith she brought forth the rest of her child, and set it on the table afore them, which moved such confusion and remorse of conscience in them all, that they stood as men enchanted, and had not the heart to answer any one word, but she on the contrary side, as a Tigress full of amaze & cruelty having lost her young ones, preferring in her face both fury and fiery looks, said eftsoons unto them. Now masters: this which you see is the fruit of my body, it is my child, my blood, my flesh, yea and my bones: it is a creature form of my substance, and a regeneration of myself. Why are you more scrupulous or delicate than his tender mother that hath brought him into the world with so many pangs? Do you refuse to eat whereof she hath and will make a taste afore you? which struck such pitiful terror into all the soldiers, that they ran away, leaving her alone with the one half of her roasted child, which was all in effect which their cruelty had left her touching her goods and comfort. And this as it is the proper text of josephus, which I have as near as I could, drawn out according to the contents of the same, so the view of this makes me remember an other History which I have red in Auenzovar a Physician of Arabia touching an extreme hunger which so afflicted the place of his nativity, that after that miserable people had stuffed their bodies with divers sorts of filthy and corrupt meats, as dogs, horses, rats, mice, and such like as they could find by any devise or travel, and yet not being satisfied, nor having wherewithal to quench the rage of their hunger, did not forbear to turn up, and open graves and sepulchres, and feed of the mortified carrions of dead men: for assoon as any were buried (the poorest sort most pinched with hunger) would rise by night and unshroud the ghosts, which made the magistrates at last to establish a solemn watch to guard the sepulchres from such unnatural violation.   

¶ A wonderful History of a Bird, which hath no feet, and lives continually in the air, being never found upon the earth, or in the sea, but dead.  
LIke as this bird, whose figure is here depainted, is both monstrous & wonderful: evenso she yields sufficient matter to trouble all the Philosophers in the world: wherefore who so will consider the great marvels of nature which be found in this little foul, need not doubt to confess that the air wherein she makes her continual abode, nourisheth nothing at all more strange or worthy of admiration: For, for the first part, there hath no man handled her alive, she lives always with the dew, & hath no feet, which is wholly repugnant against the opinion of Aristotle, who writeth that there is no bird without feet, but for that I never saw it before this present hour, I will therefore write simply, that which I have red in the Latin authors at this day, who have seen, handled & written thereof. Gesnerus in his Latin history of Birds (from whence I have taken this portraicte) writeth that which followeth: that Bird whereof thou seest here the portrait, is called the Bird of Paradise, or Apis Indica, whose figure was showed unto me by the most Noble and well learned parsonage Conradus Pentigerus, who affirmeth to have seen one dead like unto this. It is not long sithence there was a Chart at Noremberg, wherein was figured the form of a Bird like to this which is here depainted, the which was sent hither with this inscription: the Bird of Paradise, otherwise called Apis Indica, is of the greatness of a Gripe, but of such wonderful swiftness and light condition, that no ship how so ever she be assisted with winds or weather, is able to make sail equal with the wing of that Bird, whose wings in deed are long and thin, but of a marvelous reflection and light, whose feathers (or more properly shag or long hair) be almost of the hardness of a horn: this Bird hath no feet, she flieth continually without resting in any place, saving that she stayeth against a tree or bough upon the which she hangeth and stayeth by a lock of her long hair: she is of great price, by reason of her strangeness and rarity: the great men of Levant for a bravery do deck the crests of their armours with the plumes of this Bird: they saw it at Noremberg by john Cromerus. The Almains call this bird in their language Luffruogel, which signifieth a bird of the air, either by reason that she liveth in the air, or that they make account she is relieved thereby, the most be of opinion that the female hath one receptacle or retreat under her wings where she layeth and hatcheth her eggs. Wherefore the kings of Marmin in the Isles of Moluques, not long sithence were persuaded & did believe that their souls were immortal, by the consideration of this Bird, being moved by no other argument, if not that they observed one little bird of extreme beauty, which at no time touched the earth, but sometimes fell dead from the height of heaven. And as the Mahometists travailed with them, they showed them this bird, persuading them that she came from Paradise, which was a delicious place, where the dead souls took their repose: whereby that people gross and barbarous, believing that which the Turks declared to them, begun very curiously to examine of their law, and in the end became Mahometists, and follow at this day the Mahomet law: for which cause they name that bird Manucodiata, that is to say, the bird of God, which bird they have in such reverence and honour, that the Kings having her about them, account themselves sufficiently guarded from all peril and danger of war: whereupon the Kings of the Isles aforesaid, did send to Charles the fift Emperor, five of these little birds dead: for as we said before, they were never taken by any man alive. Maximilianus Transsiluanus Gesnerus, pursuing the History of this bird, addeth yet that which followeth: I have (saith he) attained to write these things by the letters of Melchior Guillandin Beruce, a man great in science and doctrine, which were brought unto me to Padove, by the which he writeth her the bird of paradise, as here followeth: Albeit those which have left in writing the navigation of the Spaniards to strange countries, assure and affirm, that there is a little bird bred and borne in the Isles of Moluques, very pleasant and of singular beauty, whereof the body is but little, notwithstanding by reason of the hugeness of her feathers, she seemeth more great, which be broad and hovering, disposed in a round, in such sort that they represent the circuit of a circle. That little bird representeth in greatness and form a Quail, being adorned and decked with feathers of divers colours most fair and bautifull, contenting very much the eyes of those which beheld her: her head proportioned to the body, somewhat more great than a swallow, her feathers which deck the height of her, from the uppermost part of the bones of the scurf of her neck to the midst of her beak, be short, great, hard, thick, and of a yellow colour, and shineth like the purest gold, or the beams of the Sun: the others which cover her chin be most delicate, tender, and resemble a piercing colour like to the green, and not much unlike to those which we see upon the heads of Canardes', being directly against the sun. That bird hath no feet, and is very like a Hearon, touching the feathers of her wings, saving that they be more tender and long, holden of a brown colour, participating with red and black. The male of that bird hath a hole upon the scurf of his back, where the female putteth and hatcheth her eggs, and not relieved by other meat, than the dew of heaven, which serveth them for meat and drink. And who list to visit the inward parts of this bird, shall find her full of fat or grease, whereof I may boldly talk, because I have seen two, without legs, which is contrary to the writing of Aristotle, who affirmeth, that no bird wanteth feet: he dwelleth always in the air. I am sure this would amaze you to write wholly the form of this bird by his particulars, as Gesnerus writeth, according to the witness of the foresaid authors. Albeit, who is desirous to see a more ample description thereof, read that which the said Gesnerus hath written in the chapter, where he treateth of the bird of Paradise, or in the book of Auium natura. Hieromeus Cardanus in his books de subtilitate, or place where he writeth of perfect beasts, reporteth the like to that which followeth. In the said Isles of Moluques, they have found upon the land or in the sea, one dead bird called Manucondiata, which is as much to say in the Indians tongue, as the bird of God, or Bird of Paradise, which they have not seen on live, for that it hath no feet. Which for my part I have seen three or four times, and always wanting those members: she dwelleth continually in the air, and that very high and far of. She beareth a body and a beak much like the sea swallow both in bigness and other form, the quills of her wings and tail be full as big as those of an Eagle, when she advanceth or stretcheth them abroad. Her feathers be very small, and most like (reserving their littleness) to the plumes of a Pehenne or a she Peacock, and differing in that point from the Peacock himself, because these feathers have not such stars or eyes as we see in the tail of a Peacock. The back of the male of this bird is hollow: where by most reason the female doth lay her eggs, seeing her belly is also hollow, the same arguing that by the hollowness of the one and other, she layeth and hatcheth her eggs: there is in the tail of the male, a thread of the length of three shaftments, black in colour, neither round nor square, of an ordinary bigness, not much unlike to a Shoemakers thread, by the which it may be presumed, that the female is tied and joined to his back, whilst she layeth and hatcheth her eggs. It is most certain, that as she remaineth continually in the air, so likewise when her wings and tail be drawn into a roundness, she supporteth herself that way, and being weary, she becometh as she was afore. She doth live by none other food than by the dew of Heaven, which serveth her both to eat and also to drink, the same arguing a wonderful diligence and marvel of Nature, to make such provision for this bird in the air. It seemeth not that she should be nourished of pure Air only, because it is too subtle, and it is not likely that she should be nourished of small Beasts and Flies, because the substance whereupon these Creatures be formed, is not engendered in the air, neither hath there been found any such digestion in the belly of this Bird, as they have written of her that have seen her dead: she hath not her relief of the vapour which ascendeth from the earth, because she was never seen to descend so low: beside, there is often peril in vapours, and this bird is not consumed but by old age: all which prove, that she is only fed and preserved upon the dew that falleth in the night. Wherewith end the opinions of Galene and other late writers touching the properties of this bird. Neither can it much disagree from our purpose of strange birds, to avouch in this place the authority of Hector Boetius, and Saxon, who writ, that they found certain Trees in scotland, whose fruit being lapped within the leaves, and the same falling into the water in some convenient time take life, and turn into a living bird, which they call a Tree bird. This tree groweth in the isle of Pomonne, which is not far from scotland, towards the north, the which is verified in some sort by Aeneas Silvius, affirming that he hath heard, that in scotland is a tree growing for the most part upon the bank of a river, which brought forth fruit of form & likeness to a the Caunes reed, which being ripe, fall off themselves, some into the water, and some upon the land, and those which take the water, are seen to have life, and swim upon the waves: and after certain time to take wings and fly into the air, which notwithstanding by diligent inquisition hath not been found in scotland but rather in the Isles of Orchades.   

¶ A Monstrous Serpent bought by the Venetians in Africa, and sent afterward into France, embalmed as our late writers affirm. CHAP. xxxiiij.  
According to the testimony of Conradus Licostenes (of whom I have borrowed the portrait of this horrible Serpent with seven. h●●●es) this monster was sent out of Turkey to the Venetians embalmed, who not long after made a present of it to Francis de Valois, the French King, by whom for the rareness of it, it was valued at six thousand ducats. Wherein like as (for a more certainty and truth of the matter) I have been curious to search whether there hath been any such monstrous thing within the court or not: so if it be true (as it is to be presumed, in respect of the authority of him that writ it) I think nature hath never brought out or form any thing more marvelous, amongst all the monsters that ever were: for besides the monstrous and fearful figure of this Serpent, there is yet a further consideration and regard touching the faces, which both in view and judgement seem more humane than brutal: but touching the multitude of her heads, me thinketh it ought to argue no great strangeness, to find serpents with two or three heads, seeing we have and mean to make mention of both men and women that have had no less, the same being also witnessed by certain of our late writers, who traveling into India, have seen the same. Ludovicus Vertomanus in his book of the peregrinations of the Indians saith, that he hath seen in calicut, fourfooted serpents breeding within certain marshes, which contain for the height of their body, the bigness of a Hog, but of an ugly foul and deformed head: he maketh also mention of an other kind of serpents which be so venomous, that as soon as they touch or pierce the blood of a man, he falleth forthwith dead to the ground. He saith, that if the King of that country, could discover the place of habitation of these serpents, he would build them little caves or cabinets to defend them from the violence and inundation of waters when there happened any such: beside he held them so dear, that if any of them were oppressed or killed by any of his people, such as committed the fact were sure to pass the same way, the same moving of a fond & superstitious opinion of the king & inhabitants there, that these serpents were certain spirits of God, which if they were not such in deed, they persuaded that their biting or poisoning could not work such speedy death and destruction to man, which maketh that those venomous beasts walk and pass thorough their towns without peril or hurt: and albeit in some one night there hath perished about nine persons of their venomous biting, yet can they lose no credit or estimation with the King or his people: who besides all these vanities, if they meet any of these ugly creatures in the beginning of any voyage or enterprise, they do account it a special good speed in their business, such is their blindness, and such is their mserable superstition.  
jambol, a notable Merchant of Greece, affirmeth that in his traffic to the Indians, he found certain flying Serpents, of the length of two cubits, with wings in their forepart, the which fly by night, and be of so mortal a poison, that if they let fall or distill but one drop of their urine, it killeth forthwith the creature whereupon it falleth. Certain late Ambassadors of Portugal have brought from thence to their Prince, one of these Serpents embalmed, the same carrying such a terror with it, that albeit he were not to be feared, and without cause of fear, yet very few durst approach him. The Ancient Histories enlarge very far touching the wonders of the monstrous Serpent which appeared in Africa to Attylius Regulus, whose fear and force of venom was such, that notwithstanding any strength, torment of war, engine or other policy which he or his people could devise, he could not be vanquished till he had torn in pieces and murdered the most part of his army. They agree all, that the skin of that Serpent contained xxuj foot in length, whose jaws were hung up, and remained there for a miracle until the war of Muancya. Diodorus Siculus in his three book treateth of a serpent that was carried on live into Alexandria to the king Ptolomeus Philadelphus, no less wondered than true, which I will describe particularly, according to the text, the rather because it confirmeth in many respects the circumstance & effect of our purpose: Seing (saith he) the noble and bountiful consideration of the King to such as brought to him any strange or monstrous Beasts: certain Hunters determined to present him in his own country with a quick serpent, wherein although the enterprise imported almost an impossibility, yet fortune so favoured their intent, that within certain days after, by diligence they brought their purpose to effect: for they came to the knowledge of a great Serpent, near the water, of the length of vij toises and an half, who being withdrawn into a circle, and as other beasts went to the water, he advanced himself upon a sudden, and swallowed certain of them forthwith, the rest he kept within the circle of his tail to pray upon afterward. These hunters beholding at large and with discretion the orders and doings of this Serpent, whom they accounted without policy or understanding, began to march near him, thinking to take him with their chords and chains: but being come within his full view, & that they saw his eyes flame as fire, his huge and great teeth: and being astonished withal at the hideous noisemade by his hard scales or fins when he moved on either side, and lastly noting his other fearful regards of his head, they began to stand in more awe of the danger than able to attempt it to the uttermost effect of their meaning: and yet notwithstanding this fear, they cast forth their hooks and cords upon his tail, which so kindled his fury upon a sudden, that he assailed them forthwith with hissing and horrible noise at his mouth, devouring at one morsel him that was next him, throwing his tail about an other of the company, who likewise passed the same way: the same so amazing the rest that they rescued themselves by flight without intent eftsoons to practise their devise: albeit not long after the hope of gain & profit overcame the present peril and danger they were in, for that they proved against him a second experience rather by art and policy than strength, making of great cords hollow as a bow net sufficient big by their estimation, to contain within it the said serpent: and then noting diligently his place of retire with his times of coming and going, as soon as he was gone abroad to hunt for some pray, they stopped the entry of his cave with stones and earth, & by and by made a vault or hollow hole in the ground, near to the other where they laid their net: the effect and success answered fully the meaning of their devise, for after the serpent had fed sufficiently abroad, and repairing towards his place of rest, was amazed when he heard himself pursued with a great noise of trumpets, horses, dogs and men, whose brute made the whole air sound after him, and thinking lastly to save himself in his den, was forthwith overthrown in the net, and so overcharged with blows (notwithstanding his force) that he yielded unwillingly to the snares of the hunters, who, to prevent any mischief by his mouth, knocked out his teeth, and so wrapped in his net as he was taken, they carried him into Alexandria, and presented him to the King, who wondering no less at the strangeness of the beast, than their policy in taking him, gave order from that time forward, to preserve him with a thin diet, to the end to diminish his strength, which being justly observed, made this horrible Serpent, by succession of time so tame and familiar, that he made him to be showed as a thing of great miracle to strangers, that came to visit him: it appeareth in a volume or remembrance of the acts of Alexander, that in the pursuit of Porus king of India, (who fled afore his fury) he found among the deserts & burning sands many Serpents called C●rastes, & other whose terrible hissing procured a fearful brute in the air, and had eyes sparkling with venom, who charged the soldiers with such fury, that notwithstanding their resistcane every way, they killed well nigh twenty men of war & xxx servants: there be also found in hot places an other sort of Serpent, which some call Dipsas, and other Prester, the which is very short, white in colour, with three strokes of black in his tail: such as are bitten of them, become immediately so oppressed with an extreme drought, that they be never afterward satisfied with drinking, being so distempered that way, that the more he drinks, the more he desireth to drink: the same being the cause (as Dioscorides writeth) that the ancient Physicians, finding no remedy able to encounter this venomous infection, have left it at large and uncurable. There is a kind of Serpent considered of by the Historians, which is called Boza, who feeds most commonly of the milk of a Cow: He, if he have time to assist his inclination, becomes very huge and big, which was very well approved in the time of Claudius Caesar, when one of them was taken and killed, in whose belly was found a whole child. plutarch is of opinion, that even as Honey flies are engendered of beasts, wasps of horses, & hornet of asses, so may it be, that of the marrow and carrion of men certain kind of Serpents are bred: which he justifieth in that he affirmeth, that many (by reason of this corruption) have been bred in graves and Sepulchres of men. Which (according to mine author) happened in Avignon, in the time of his study there, where a simple Artisian, opening the lid of a coffer of lead, wherein was a dead man included, was bitten of a Serpent, which was of such mortal operation, that if he had not been speedily rescued, he had died of the infection. Conradus Lychostenes, in his prodigious works, writeth that in September, the year a thousand four hundred ninety and four, there was a woman in Cracovye in a place called the holy Ghost, who was delivered of a dead child, having tied at his back a quick Serpent, which ceased not to devour and gnaw the dead bones of the child: neither is that of less marvel whereof Baptista Leo makes mention in the time of Pope Martin the fifth, when he sayeth was found amongst a sort of rocks or stones, a great Serpent on live, the same being so enclosed with a heavy stone, that there appeared neither place to discern him, nor hole from whence he might either take or yield breath: the wise men which were there assembled to pronounce a reason of his being there, held opinion that he was engendered of the moist substance of the stone, which being putrefied, brought forth such deformity: But when they should resolve touching his respiration or taking of breath, they seemed greatly troubled, because the stone being massive and heavy, had also neither vent nor conduct whereby he might either cast up, or receive any breath, no more than that which was found in the Sepulchre, whereof I have made mention here before, which was so surely closed and stopped with lead on every side, that the air could not pierce into it. But now albeit our sundry histories have here preferred divers cruel and venomous Serpents, yet I think nature and the earth have form none more marvelous than the Basilick, to whom all antiquity hath always given the name of king of the Serpents: this is a kind of those Serpents, which bear in their head a white mark or stroke, seeming upon them in sort and manner of a crown: her head is very sharp, her throat red, her eyes and other colour drawing somewhat near a black: she chaseth with her hissing (as Pliny saith) all the other Serpents: she makes trees die with her breath, scorcheth herbs, breaks stones, and so infecteth the air where she remaineth, that no bird can use wing there without peril: she killeth men with her only regard, like as an unclean woman infecteth and spotteth a glass. And although she contain not above one foot in length, yet is her poison so strong & venomous, as she killeth other Serpents with the very breath that cometh from her fore end: she is so mortally venomous, that she infecteth and overwhelmeth great Cities with the air or breath of her mouth, the same approved not only by the historians profane, as Dioscorides, Pliny Aelian, Lucian, Isidorus, with many more, but also confirmed in some sort by the Ecclesiasticals.  
Hieronimus Cardanus in his books of divers Histories, treating of the wonders of this beast, brings in a strange thing happening in our time which he describes in this sort.  
At such time (saith he) as I made my books of divers Histories, the xxiij of july happened a thing no less worthy of admiration, than memory, which I did assist with mine eyes and presence. jacques Phillippes Cerunse caused to be made under the earth, a vault or cave, which because it should consolidate the better, he made stop very close, and within xviij or twenty days after, made the same to be opened to draw forth certain arches of wo●de which sustained it, whereunto as one of his workmen disposed himself to descend by a ladder, and being in the midst of the same, he fell down dead, the master seeing no return of his man, would prove the experience in himself, who likewise being come so low as the other, fell also dead, after whom the assistants (not doubting any mortal peril) sent a third, a fourth, with many other, which all passed one way: this albeit it gave great indifferent cause of suspicion and fear, yet was it no such terror to the people without the hole, as to make them desist to send any more, but chose out amongst than all a strong huge man of no other regard with them all, than as a fool, who descending as low and to the place of the others, fell not, but with a crook of iron drew one of them that were dead, which gave him such courage that he would once again go down, and being within the mouth of the vault, he began to sink and fall, albeit he was prevented by the diligence of the assistants, who by special remedies recovered him of his trance, but not of the use of his speech till the next day, when I perceiving (saith Cardan) that he began to speak, I asked him many things, but he seemed not to remember to have said or done any thing save only his going down: there was let fall in a cord, a dog whom they also plucked up again half dead, whereby every man that was not able to comprehend the cause of these wonders, judged that there was within the cave a Basilicke, which otherwise is called Serpens Regalis. Wherein as we have now (as I think) treated sufficiently of certain strange and monstrous Serpents found in sundry provinces & parts of the world, it is no less necessary (in mine opinion) to search out certain singular things which are found in some particular kinds of them: those which have treated of the nature of Serpents, have observed chief that their excrements smell sweet, which by natural reason may proceed of their dryness: for Serpents of their own nature be dry, the same arguing that their excrements be well boiled by reason of the straightness of their entrails. Some affirm that Serpents have so odiferous a breath, that it seems as sweet as Musk. There be Serpents which keep their venom after their death, as the Uipers, for otherwise their flesh could little profit to the composition of treacle, if they were altogether without poison. Besides, whereupon could come the excoriation in the Leper that hath eaten them, if they did not reserve some poison? It hath chanced in our time that such as have taken of the hide from a beast, that hath perished of the biting of a viper, die also of the like disease. Dioscorides in his sixth book where he treateth of poisons and venoms, saith that immediately after a man is bitten with a viper, the biting swelleth and becometh dry, and of a whitish colour: there appeareth in the beginning of the biting a fiery anguish, all died with blood, which doth force out of the flesh round about it, certain blisters, as if they had been burnt with fire, then followeth an viceration, than they bleed & swell, touching those parts that be about the liver, whereupon are procured vomits of choler, heavy sleep, shaking thorough the whole body, Passions of the urine and cold sweat. Certain late Physicians are of opinion that the viper is no other thing than the Serpent which we call in France the Aspic. Some do affirm that the viper doth abhor a naked man, and feareth him more than if he were clad with garments. The Physicians are of opinion that if a man's eyes be rubbed every morning with the skin or flough of a viper, his sight shall never be dim nor hurt with suffusion, affirming beside, that if an old floughe be burned when the Moon is full, and in the first part of the sign of Aries, and that the cenders be sprinkled upon a man's head, it stirs up terrible dreams. Pliny and Dioscorides avouch that the earth never receives within her entrails, the Serpent that hath once bit a man, seeming (as it were in respect and reverence of a certain royal benignity) to have in horror him that hath offended the King, chief and Prince of all beasts. Pliny writeth that the spittle of a man, specially of him that is fasting, is venomous to a Serpent, in so much that if he but taste of it never so little, he dieth, and that which more is, if a man but pour it upon him, it offends him no less than if he had scalding water cast upon him. All the Physicians and writers observe that the venomous Serpents hide themselves, or abide within the three leaved grass, because that herb is mortiferous to them. Those that will handle serpents without danger, let them wash their hands first with the juice and sap of Turnips, the same being so great an enemy to their poison, that they had rather die, than once cease upon the place that hath been rubbed with Turnips, whose only smell doth take away both his life and force. Cardanus in his xviij book de subtilitate, and in the Chapter which ●reateth of marvelous inventions, saith: that the wild cucumber, black neezing powder called Eleborum, and the great Serpentine called Drachontium mains, be of so great force against serpents, that such as be anointed or rubbed with their juice, be seldom or never offended or hurt with Serpents: for better confirmation whereof I may boldly bring in a History which I have neither red nor understood, but was privy to the experience of it myself in the time of Pope julia that died last.  
Such as have haunted Italy, know (I am sure) that there be certain charmers which they call Enchanters of serpents, who use to carry about their necks, great boxes full of quick Serpents, under the pretence whereof, they live and sell certain Oils, which they say are most sovereign against the bitings of mad dogs and serpents: amongst those I noted one chief at Rome, who had many of those creatures, amongst which he had one of a foot and a half long, whom in the presence of a thousand persons he made bite him by the tongue, which began forthwith to swell as big as his fist, and besides the swelling it became black and scur●fie, in such sort that every one judged it to be infected with poison: soon after he began to rub his tongue with a certain oil which he called oil Balsamium, which did so qualify the swelling, that in one instant it appeared as fair and natural as before: by which miracle he sold his Oil at what price he desired: wherein as I was very curious to try if he performed that wonder by either Art or sophistical sleight, and not able to discover any deceit at all, even so Plaudanus a notable Physician in Italy, and from whom we attend every day some learned work of such matters avouched unto me by oath, an History very like to this, whereunto I give as great faith, as if mine own eyes had assisted it, the rather by the fidelity of him that told it me, who beside he saw the experience, yet his learning deemeth him to be abused or deceived by either policy or Art: he said that in the year .1533. there was in the famous City of Bresse (governed at this day by the Venetians) two of these Enchanters of Serpents selling their oils in the very same street, wherein for more credit and authority of their traffic, they showed to the people sundry quick serpents, whereby their gain grew the greater: but one of their company borne in Verona, jealous belike of the profit of his fellow, gave it out to the multitude that it was but a deceit, and that the oils which they sold, were a vain substance, confected by sophistical means, which he offered to prove if the Magistrates would assist him with warrant or authority, whereunto they agreed with small entreaty, aswell for a desire they had to have the deceit disclosed, as special delight in seeing the effect of the devise. This gallant of Verona, at the day appointed, having made to be set up a little Theatre, to the end the assistants might behold the experience of his promise, mounted with great majesty upon the scaffold, where calling the other of Padua, who was no less ready than himself, said unto him: If thou hast of the true Oil of Balm (as thou haste given out to the people, to abuse their simplicity, and win their money by deceit) stick not to show in this place and presence an unfeigned proof & trial thereof, wherewith he drew out of his box with his bare hand a great Toad quick swelled with poison, & holding in his hand a certain root, bade him choose whether of those two things he had rather eat, either the root or the Toad, for for my part (saith he) look as thou dost devour the one, I will eat the other, and then shall it be seen which of us two escapeth the best cheap, wherewith the Padovan albeit greatly amazed, yet being pressed with compulsion to do the one, took the root and eat it. The Veronian at the same instant, tore the Toad in pieces with his teeth, and swallowed her into his body, retiring immediately both of them to their drugs, and arming them albeit with their Antidotes or counterpoisons, could not so cunningly convey their sleights, but one remained dead as a pawn, for within .2. or .3. hours the Padovan began to change colour & lose strength so fast, that he was taken in a sound from the Theatre, & (what remedy so ever could be applied to him) within 24. hours after he died, being swelled as one diseased with the dropsy. The other that devoured the toad, understanding the tragedy of his companion, saved himself by flight, being seen notwithstanding .2. or .3. years after, selling his drugs & other confections in divers places in Italy according to his wont: some also which the Greeks call Ophirgenes, are wont to heal the bitings of such Serpents with only laying their hand upon the hurt body, from whence they drew the venom, as also do the Psilles and Marciens, a people of Africa, whose Ambassador called Exagon, for an experience of the matter, being come to declare his message to the Romans, was put naked into a Town full of Serpents, Uipers, and other venomous beasts, who being thus amongst them, in place to offend or do him any hurt, they began to lick and cherish him. Constantine Caesar in his books of Husbandry writeth, that to draw or gather together all the Serpents of a country, it is needful to make a hole or cave in the earth, and to put therein a pot or vessel, wherein hath been of those confections, which (as the Adamant doth the iron,) is of a virtue to draw all the Serpents of that Country into that place.   

¶ A wonderful History of two maids knit and conjoined back to back, seen in divers places, the one a● Rome, the other at Verona. CHAP. xxxv.  
THe Indians and brahmin's have showed themselves for the most part very ceremonious in observing the nativities of their children: For two months after their birth, they caused them to be brought in public, beholding them very diligently whether they were perfect or imperfect, fair, or deformed, meet for war or peace, after which ceremonies so observed, knowing that according to their education, they would be meet to serve in the common wealth, caused them to be instructed and nourished in those arts and sciences which best agreed with their inclinations: but contrary, if they found them monstrous, deformed or wanting any member, repugnant to nature, they caused them immediately to be murdered and killed, like as the Spartins in Grece by the laws of Lycurgus, caused those children whose shape and members were well form to be brought up & nourished: but if nature had not done or performed in them her duty, they being thereby monstrous or broken, were immediately carried into strange regions, or into some Isles and deserts, and so committed to the mercy of their fortune: even so the Athenians immediately after they found any monstrous child in their City, caused him to be cast headlong into the sea, purifying not only their city with a numbered of maids, who went through the same, singing hymns and Psalms, but also making sacrifice to juno. The ancient Romans following the ordinance of Romulus, used to cast such monsters into Tiber, burning their bodies and blowing away the cinders: wherein the Emperor Mauritius (although he were a Christian) followed in this the laws of the Ancients, who forthwith upon the sight of any monstrous child, caused it not only to be killed, but kissed the knife wherewith he committed the butchery. All which I have preferred to memory in this place for the respect of these two maid twins, whose portrait is here to be seen, for if they had been brought forth into the world▪ in the time of the ancient Indians, brahmin's, Spartins, Lacedæmonians, or in the time of the Romans, or in the reign of the Emperor Mauritius, their history and figure had been buried with their bodies, and had not been seen in deed of so many thousands of people. In the year of grace .1475. these two maids that you see so knit together by the rains, even from their shoulders to their haunches, were engendered in Italy, in the famous City of Verona. And for that their parents were poor, they were carried through divers Cities of Italy to get money of the people, being very desirous to see that new spectacle and wonder of Nature. Wherefore some writ, that that monster whom you may here see, was a show and prognostication, foretelling sundry marvelous mutations which happened after in those provinces: for in the same year that they were engendered, Charles Duke of Burgoyne, occupied and governed the country of Lorraine. Ferdinand the great king of Spain divided the realm with Alphonsus, king of Portugal. Mathias and Vladislaus kings, made peace with the Hungarians and Bohemians. Edward king of England, was procured by the Duke of Burgoine to come into France, where was a peace concluded betwixt him and king Lewis. And in the year of grace .1453. an other monster like unto this was brought forth at Rome, with great marvel to all the people, in the time of Pope Alexander the sixth, (who as Polidorus writeth) prognosticated the evils, hurts and miseries which should happen and come to pass in the time of that Bishop.   

¶ A wonderful History of Cruelty. CHAP. xxxuj.  
MAny be astonished to see the great number of marvelous examples of Cruelty, which have reigned not only amongst the Ethniques, but also (the more to be lamented) amongst us Christians, which be all issued out of one vine, form of like elements, incorporate in one church, having one head & Lord jesus Christ, being the children of one father celestial, of one spirit, ransomed by one blood, regenerate of one baptism, nourished of like Sacraments, participating of one Chalice, and fighting under the cross and banner of jesus Christ, having one common enemy Satan, being called a like to one heritage, and yet notwithstanding we be not ashamed to dismember and tear in pieces one an other, with such horror and confusion, that it seemeth we would fight against nature, and drench the earth of human blood, leaving it beside as a desert or place inhabitable. But because you shall not marvel of that that the Historians writ of the great effusion of blood, which was shed in the battle which Edward the four king of England made against the Scots, where he killed & murdered three score thousand men, I will show you a more horrible spectacle in nature, whereof also Sabellicus writeth of Charles martel king of France, and Abidaran, where in one conflict was killed and murdered three hundredth and fifty thousand. But what a butchery and slaughter had the poor flock of jesus Christ in the battle which Ladislaus king of Pavonie had against Amurath Emperor of the Turks? seeing that of the party of the same Turks being victors, was found four hundred thousand dead carcases, as Sabellicus witnesseth, There is scarcely to be found such a wonder or horror in nature, as that whereof josephus writeth in the wars of the jews by that great butcher Alexander, in the bloody battle which he had against Darius, where was slain a million of men. In like manner Cyrus' king of Perses was so unfortunate in the battle which he had against the Scythians, that of two hundred thousand men, which he had in his army, was not found one man to report the news of the overthrow. Albeit reading now amongst the Historians of those that Sylla killed of the Mariens, those that Pompey slew of the soldiers of Mytridates, those that Ptolomeus overthrew of Demetrius, of those that Cesar cut in pieces in ten years, when he sent to fight against the Gauls, those that Lucullus slew in the war which he had against the Armenians, those that Attilla killed, those that Miltiades slew, those that Marcus Claudius & Cornelius killed, with an infinite numbered of like slaughters, which be found by the Historians, Greeks and Latins, you shall find, that if you could see them all put in account, there must needs be invented a new Arithmetic to numbered them: and I believe that if they had made a roll of all the bieves, muttons, veals, goats, and other fourfooted beasts which have been killed in a thousand years within all the butcheries of Europe, their number would not exceed the dead carcases of men slain & murdered: yet it is not sufficient so to kill men in battle by sword, but that they must search new means and inventions to murder them, as Eusebius doth show in his Ecclesiastical History of that infamous butcher Dioclesian the Emperor, who seeing that the Christians which reigned in his time, would not renounce the name of God, and worship his idols, was not content to cut of their noses, and their ears, causing spells of wood to be put under their nails, pouring hot lead upon their privy parts: but in like manner he caused to be bowed by great force four trees, to the which he made to be tied their feet and hands: who being left in this sort, were by the violence and force of those trees dismembered & plucked in pieces, as may be seen by the portrait and figure here before, the which torments have also been practised & put in ure in our time in Piedmont, against a certain soldier, which would have betrayed a city, as le seigneur de Launge writeth in his art of warfare. Astyages that great king of the Medes, hath not only surpassed that precedent in cruelty, but hath also executed that, which you will not only have in horror to read, but also in as great detestation to conceive in your heart. At what time the great Patriarch of tyranny, happening to dream one night of a certain thing touching one of his little children, which he could hardly digest, & withal fearing that it should one day take effect, determined to prevent his misfortune: and the better to execute his intent, he made to be called Arpalus, one whom he most favoured, and the best of his realm, to whom he gave secretly in charge forthwith to kill one of his own sons, without making any man privy thereunto, for certain causes which he would make him to understand more at leisure. Arpalus understanding the sorrowful commandment of the father against his child, began to feel as it were a furious war in his mind: for as the pity and innocency of the infant, withdrew him on the one side, so the commandment of his master tormented him on the other: albeit reason & remorse of conscience in the end so much prevailed, as pity obtained the victory: in such sort that he resolved not only to save the life of the child but also to cause him to be brought up in some secret place, without the knowledge of his master: notwithstanding he could not so well play his part, but that within certain days after, the king Astyages did discover his friend, and that against his will, how he had saved the life of his son, which he dissembled for a time with a good countenance, in such sort, that poor Arpalus thinking himself clear from suspicion, and living in that liberty of mind, was astonished, that his master caused him to be called to accompany him at dinner, having beside made to be killed one of the children of Arpalus, which he caused to be so well seasoned and disguised by his Cooks, that it was hardly to be discerned what meat it was, causing the same to be served at the table, without any knowledge to him thereof: by reason whereof, the poor Arpalus mistrusting nothing, did eat thereof willingly. But that infective tyrant Astyages, never glutted in his cruelties, was not content to cause him to eat the flesh of his own proper child, so abundantly dressed with store of delicate fruit, but made to be brought in in platters, the head, the feet and hands of that little innocent, to the end that the father understanding that it was his flesh, blood and bones which he had eaten, after his rage and cruelty a little appeased, he demanded pleasantly, and in manner scoffingly, if those meats were not well seasoned and well liked of him: to whom poor Arpalus, troubled of an extreme compassion in his mind, fearing him to be angry, answered him soberly, that all was good at the table of a King. These cruelties he great: but those which Maximilian Emperor of the Romans used, were nothing inferior to the rest, who was not only content with the kill of an infinite number of persons, by the fury and force of the four Elements, as broiling some, drowning others, burying some quick, and making others to be smothered: but beside, searching out more great and horrible wonder in nature, he caused the dead to kill the living, by tying the bodies of living men to the bodies of the dead, face to face, and mouth to mouth, leaving them so, till that those which were dead, by their putrefaction had killed the living. Let us pass under silence that butcher of Satan, Tiberius the Emperor, who me seemeth hath surpassed in cruelty all those whereof the Historians have at any time made mention: for he forbade upon pain of death, (that which no man hath read of other, but of him, which was) that for the great number of innocent men which he caused to die, there should no man lament, weep, sigh, or make other like dole: and he had of Satrapa's, and ministers expressly deputed to execute these cruelties, who had no other charge than to spy and mark with regard here & there if any man wept, or sighed from his heart, or gave any other witness of sorrow or grief, to the end he might be brought forthwith to the place of execution, to be punished with the like pain to him, whose innocency he lamented. All these cruelties & tyrannies before specified, be extreme, but those which follow be most brutal, and executed of a rare and strange fashion: for in the first they touched but living creatures, but in these that follow, they fight with those that be dead. Cambyses King of the Persians, was not satisfied with the cruel murdering of Psamenitus king of Egypt and many others: But besides that being at Cairo, be caused the carcase of Damasus to be drawn out of his tomb, causing the same not only most shamefully to be whipped, pricked full of bodkins, as though he had been alive, but in the end broiled it (as Herodotus witnesseth) which he proved not only on the behalf of men, but performed the like on women, to whom the laws of pity be for the most part most familiar. For after that Cyrus' king of the Persians had killed in battle the son of Thomiris Queen of Scythia, having a new supply of soldiers▪ she pursued the king with such fury, that she cut all his rout & army in pieces, whom she encountered, and king Cyrus himself was also slain: but for all that, her rage was such, as it was nothing thereby appeased, for she felt yet the death of her sons, for which cause she caused the head of Cyrus to be separated from his body, putting the same forthwith into a vesse●lful of human blood, and afterwards beholding it with a furious regard, said unto him: Cyrus, thou hast already drenched the blood of my sons, and hast thirsted for mine, but now fill thyself of blood. Tullia the daughter of Tarquin, King of the Romans, hath yet surpassed all the rest in cruelty, for she caused her father to be killed, to the end she might inherit his realm, & please thereby her ruffian or champion: wherefore seeing the body of her dead father lying on the ground, being mounted on her chariot, she passed therewith over him, and although that the horses, (fearful of the dead person) refused to pass that way, and that the Chariter who did guide them, finding in himself some pricks of pity, would have turned them an other way, to the end they should not tear the body of the king, yet that infamous tirannesse, surpassing the horses in cruelty, did constrain them by force to march over the body of him which had engendered her.   

¶ A wonderful History of a monster brought forth into the world alive, who from the navel upwards, had the shape of a man, and the rest like a dog. CHAP. xxxvij.  
THe ancient ethnics have had in so great horror adulterers & fornicators, that there was not amongst them either people, nation, or Province, which were not chastised by some severe law: for like as Strabo writeth in his sixteenth book, that the Arabes punished adultery by death: even so also did the Lombard's and the Egyptians, causing the whoremonger to be whipped through the City, cutting of the woman's nose so taken, to the end her face might by that means become the more deformed. Wherefore justin witnesseth, that the Parthians amongst other vices, punished most severely adultery: so the ●ocrenses plucked out the eyes of those, who were apprehended and taken committing that vice, which their king Zeleucus (who was the author of that law) approved both justly and severely in his own son who being taken for that offence, had one of his eyes plucked out. The ancient Almains (as Tacitus writeth) cut of the hair of their adulterous women, causing them afterwards to be whipped through the streets. In like manner the Romans gave liberty to the husband, of his own proper authority, to kill the whoremonger and his wife, if he took them committing of that abominable vice. Macrin the xix Emperor, caused all such as were apprehended in adultery, to be broiled quick, who being informed, that divers soldiers had violated their hostess chamber maid, he caused the bellies of two great beeves to be opened alive, and made the soldiers to be sowed and enclosed therein, saving their heads which appeared out, to the end that all men might see them, & the one talk with the other. And Aurelius the xxix Emperor, being made to understand that a soldier of his army had deflowered the wife of his host, invented for him to make him die by a new kind of cruel punishment: for he caused two great trees by force to be bowed and plied, whereunto the souldioure was tied, to the end that the trees returning to their place, might tear and pluck him in pieces. Confer these punishments with those written of before, and you shall find no adulterer receive the reward of a better hire: for in the sacred histories▪ by the law of Moses they were smothered, murdered and stoned to death. S. Paul in his xiij to the hebrews, crieth that God will condemn fornicators and adulterers. After in his first book to the Corinthians and uj Chapter, he writeth thus: Do not deceive yourselves, for neither fornicator, idolater or adulterer shall not possess at all the kingdom of God. Wherefore amongst the most principal causes that moved God to drown the world, was chief this wicked vice of whoredom: five famous Cities (as it is written in the book of Moses) became ruinous and overthrown for their disordered and wicked lives. In the book of numbers xii. kings were hanged, and .24000. men killed for committing of whoredom. It is written in Leviticus xxviij. chapter, how the Chananeans were afflicted & punished for their whoredom: well nigh all the line of Benjamin, (as you may read in the xxxix of the judges) was afflicted for committing fornication with the Levites wife. divers grievous punishments were sent unto David, for his whoredom, as you may read in the book of the Kings. Solomon for the same cause and committing Idolatry, became reprobate: wherefore S. jeremy the Prophet recounteth very often the whoremongers and fornicators, were the chiefest causers of the destruction of the City of jerusalem. divers & many Realms (by this detestable vice) have received change and alteration, & become subject to others. Troy the proud became ruinous for the ravishment of Helen. In like manner Thebes the populous was afflicted and scourged for the abusing of Chrisippe, and the incest committed by Eclipus. The Kings of Rome were extirped & banished for the ravishment of Lucretia. Aristotle in the v▪ of his politics, saith: that adulterers and fornicators be the principal and chiefest causers of the ruin and mutation of realms. The King Pausanias so much renowned in Licaonien, who first defiled a maid at Constantinople, and after killed her, was advertised by an Image, of his end and destruction. A thing very strange, that whoremongers should be warned of the pains prepared for them by wicked spirits to their own confusion, which Pausanias proved true, for that the ephors constrained him to die by famine. Wherefore if the Histories both sacred and profane be so fully replenished of grievous pains, cruel punishments, ireful cursings sent by God commonly upon whoremongers, what may then the Sodomites and others look or hope for, who join themselves in the ignominy of God and nature, with brute beasts, as is most plainly showed unto us by this shameful History, whose portrait thou mayst behold in the beginning of this Chapter, of a child who was conceived and engendered between a woman and a dog, having from the navel upwards, the form and shape of the mother, so well accomplished, that nature had not forgotten any thing unperformed, and from the navel downwards, it had the form and figure of the beast who was the father, who (as Volateranus writeth) was sent to the Pope which reigned at that time there, to the end it might be purified and purged. Conradus Licostenes writeth a like History in his wonders, of a woman which brought forth in the time of the Emperor Lothairus, a child and a dog, joined & knit together, by the neither parts, that is to say, from the rains or tip of the back to the haunches. And Celius Rhodiginus in his xxv book and xxxij chapter of his ancient lessons, writeth that there was a Priest called Crathin in Ciba●e, having had the company of a Goat, with whom he used this brutal desire: and afterwards within a certain time brought forth a Goat, who had the head and shape of a man, resembling the Priest which was the father, but the rest of the body was like the Goat. Whereupon S. Paul saith in the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians, that the plague ordained for whoremongers, is, that they become blind and mad, after that they be once forsaken of God, and will not be reconciled by good and wholesome council, but persever still in their wickedness, provoking thereby God's wrath and indignation against them.   

¶ A notable complaint made by a Monstrous man to the Senate of Rome, against the tyrannies of a Censor, which oppressed the poor people of the river of Danube by rigorous exactions. CHAP. xxxviij.  
THat great Monarch Marcus Aurelius, who was as well a philosopher as an Emperor, retiring himself into the fields with a great number of wise men, as well to deceive certain envious times of the year, as to moderate the heat & burning of a fever, which had vexed and troubled him many days, with intent not to be idle, they began to talk of divers matters amongst themselves, as of the corruption of princes, the alteration of common weals, and generally of the universal disorder, which was found amongst all the states of the world: wherein after every man had touched particularly that which seemed good unto him, it pleased the Emperor to become therein a party, and continuing the tal●e, he said unto them: My fr●end, although each of you have very learnedly spoken of the question proponed touching the corruption of Princes and public weals, so it is notwithstanding (as me seemeth) that the original of that contagious evil proceedeth of others, as of flatterers, which serve rather to feed the affections of Princes, and content their delights, than to make them bold to utter unto them the truth. They fill their heads with good words, they are ready to claw afore they do itch, they lull them a sleep with the harmony of their false praises, and fade them fat with their own faults, in such sort, that I know them at this day, whose legs and feet can carry no more, neither the force of their bodies able to sustain them upright, neither their hands sufficient to write, their sight to read, their teeth to pronounce, their jaws to eat, their ears to hear, nor their memory unoccupied: who want no tongues at any time to require for themselves or theirs at the prince's hands, either one good benefit or other: In such sort that these miserable creatures are so much drowned in covetousness, that they neither know nor perceive at all, that even as their greedy desire to heap riches groweth daily in augmentation: so in like manner, their life shorteneth and slippeth away. Which is in deed in effect (my friends) the just cause of the abusing of princes and weals public. And the better to make you understand the difference of the ancient liberty of speaking to kings, and of the covetous servitude and weakness, which reigneth at this day amongst those which assist them, I will recount unto you one history, which I learned of no man, neither read in the books of the ancients, but I saw the effect in my presence: In the first year wherein they did me honour in creating me Consul, there came to Rome a poor villain of the river of Danube, demanding justice in the Senate against a Censor, who tormented the people with tyrannous subsidies & exactions: who was so hardy and barbarous to frame his complaint, that neither most assured captain, nor eloquent Orator in the world knew better how to speak. This villain had a little face, great lips, hollow eyes, a dusky colour, his hair staring, his head uncovered, his shoes of the skin of a porpentine, his cote of goats hair, his girdle of bulrushes, his beard long and thick, his eyebries covering or drawn over his eyes, his stomach and neck overgrown with hair, and a staff in his hand, who being in this attire, when we saw him enter into the Senate, we judged him to be some beast having the shape of a man: but after we understood the majesty of his talk, and the graveness of his sentences, we thought him to participate with god. For as his shape was monstrous, so his talk was wonderful. That villain having paused a little, and turning here and there his ghastly looks, said unto us: Most noble fathers, and people most happy, I a rustical and unfortunate wretch, dwelling in the cities which be nigh Danube, and you other Senators of Rome, which be here assembled, God save you, and I pray to the Gods immortal, not only to give you grace to govern well the common weal, to the which you are now appointed, but also that they will so guide my tongue at this present as I may say that which is necessary for my country, my sorrowful destiny permitting the same, and our angry gods not forsaking me. Our country of Germany was subdued by you Romans, wherein as your glory is now the greater thereby, even so shall your infamy be a● extreme in the world to come, for the cruelties and tyrannies wherewith you have plagued us. And if you see not what you know (neither would know it before this hour) that when we unhappy wretches were brought before the chariots of your triumph, and cried Vive Rome, besides an other part of poor and miserable captives, shedding drops of blood in their hearts, crying to the Gods, justice, justice, Romans Romans, your covetousness is so great to ravin and take away the goods of your neighbours, and your pride so unmeasurable in commanding the lands of strangers, that neither the seas with their depths, nor the land with her largeness be able to contain the same: but be ye assured, that like as you without reason, cast out others from their houses, lands and possessions, and some do sell them: Even with the same reason in the end shall you be chased from Rome & Italy: for it is a law infallible, that a man which taketh by force the goods of an other, shall lose by right that which is his own: and besides, all that the wicked have heaped together by their tyranny in many days, the just gods shall take it away in one day: and contrariwise, all that the good lose in diverse years, the gods will restore to them in one hour. Wherefore if you think to enrich your children by evil gotten goods, and leave the same to their use, you are much deceived. For the Ancient proverb hath been always true, that by the unjust dealing and gain of fathers, doth come afterward just to loss their children. Heap then what ye can heap, and let every man obey your commandments, and know for a certain, that where you think to make them lords of strange provinces, you in the end shall find them but slaves of your own proper riches, and thieves of the sweat and labour of other men's travail. Notwithstanding I would demand (Romans) what action hath moved you, being borne nigh the River of Tiber, to have desire to plant and enlarge your borders to the river of Donnue. Have we showed any favour to your enemies? Have we conquered your lands? Or have you found any ancient law, which affirmeth that the Noble country of Germany ought of necessity to be subject to the proud City of Rome? Are we not your neighbours? And if there hath been any thing amongst yourselves, which hath stirred up this quarrel, truly, you are not thereof indifferent judges: Nor think not (Romans) though you be made Lords of Germany, that it is by any industry of war, for you are no better soldiers, neither more courageous, hardy, or valiant than we: but as we have offended our gods, so have they ordained in their secret judgements, you to be scourges unto us for our disordered livings. And seeing then we be overcomed, not in respect we be cowards, fearful or weak persons, but only for our wickedness, & that we trusted not in our Gods, what hope may you have you Romans, being as we are vicious, and having as you have the Gods angry with you? And if I be not beguiled, we have endured sufficient misery, for the apeasing of the gods: but your cruelties be so great and terrible, that the lives of you and your children, can not suffice to make recompense for your offences. Sufficeth it not (Romans) to take from us our ancient liberty, & to load us with insupportable impositions & subsidies, heaping upon us from time to time all kind of miseries, but you must also send unto us judges that be so bestial and ignorant, that I swear unto you by the God's immortal, that they neither know, nor can declare your laws unto us, and much less they understand ours: And that which worse is, they take all presented unto them in public, and refuse nothing given in secret, and under colour they be Romans, they fear not to rob all the land. What meaneth this (Romans) shall your pride in commanding have never end? nor your covetousness he withdrawn from your neighbour? If we be disobedient, and our services not content you, command to take away our lives: for to be plain with you, cruelty to cut our throats can not so much offend us, as your tyrannies do continually grieve us. If you do it in respect of our children, tie them on your backs, & use them as your slaves: and when you have so done, they can carry no more than they can carry: but of commandments and tributes you have given us more than we be able to sustain or suffer. Wherefore know ye (Romans) to what extremity your tyranny and cruelty hath brought us, that all those of our miserable realm, have sworn togethers, never to inhabit with their wives, and to kill their children before they suffer them to fall into the hands of so cruel and ungodly tyrants as you be: for we rather desire that they may enjoy liberty, than that they should live in thraldom & bondage: beside, as desperate, we have determined to endure as yet the furious motions & assaults of the flesh, by sequestering ourselves fro our wives, to the end they may become barren: thinking it much better for us to continue so twenty or xxx years, than to leave our children perpetual slaves, for if they should suffer that which their poor fathers have endured, it were far more better and profitabler, they were not borne, than living to prove so many wickedness and torments. Wherefore will you understand (Romans) how your officers govern here? If the poor come to demand of them ●ustice, having no money ●o give, nor wine to present, neither oil to promise, nor Silk to offer, neither favour to aid them, nor revenue to relieve them, yet they find the means to make them consume that little they have, nourishing them by 〈◊〉 vain hope or other to obtain their matters and thus being once brought in, they cause them to consume the best part of their life by dilatory delays and afterwards altogether become ruinous and overthrown: the most● part of them assuring his cause to be right, and at last pronounce against him a contrary sentence, in such sort that the poor miserable man, who cometh to complain of one, returneth again into his country, crying out of many, not only cursing his perverse and unhappy Fortune, but also exclaiming against the pitiful add just gods. I have not yet made an end (Romans) but before I proceed further, I will recount unto you my life, and make you to understand and know what be the delights of those in my country: I gather in the Summer Acorns, and sometimes fish, as well for necessity, as to pass the time, in so much that I spend the miserable course of my life alone in the fields or mountains, and if you desire to understand the cause, hearken, and I will tell you. I have seen such tyrannies amongst your censors, such willing robberies & spoils made of the poor miserable people, so great dissensions in our realm: so many hurts and miseries in our common weal, that I am determined (unfortunate as I am) to abandon mine own house and wife to the end I may not see with mine eyes such lamentable things, loving far better to wander alone in the fields, than every hour to understand and hear the sorrowful complaints, sighs and bloody tears of my unhappy neighbours: for being thus bestowed in the fields, the cruel beasts will not offend me, if I offer to them no wrong: but the wicked men in my public weal, though I serve them, will annoy and torment me. Cruel Romans, Romans, do you not understand the things I have spoken of before, seeing that only in bringing them to memory, mine eyes be blind, my tongue foltereth, my members quivereth, my heart panteth, my entrails break, my flesh consumeth? yet is it a more grief unto me to see them in my country with mine eyes, to hear them with mine ears, to touch them with my fingers, and to understand them by proof. Behold (Romans) the iniquity of our judges, together with the misery and desolation of our poor Realm and country: the one of these two things ought to be done, either to chastise me if I lie, or to put your officers from their offices if I have spoken the truth: and if my tongue have offended, having spit out the poison of my heart, I am ready in this place to lose my head, desiring rather to win honour by offering myself to die, than you should gain the same otherways in taking away my life. Wherewith the rustical person ended his matter, and incontinent the emperor Marcus Aurelius cried out, and said: How seemeth it unto you my friends? What kernel in the nut, what gold in the mine, what seed in the straw, what rose in the thorns, what marry in the bones, what reasons so high, what words so well framed, what sentences so aptly applied, what allegations more like a truth, and what covert so well discovered? I swear unto you (saith Marcus Aurelius) that his discourse brought such amaze to us all, that there was never a man so hardy to answer one only word, which made us to determine the next day to provide new judges for the province of Danube, and to do punishment on those which had so corrupted their common wealth: commanding for end, that he give us his oration in writing, to the end it might be recorded in the book of good sayings of strangers, which were in the Senate: and the Rustic was enfranchised, and made rich of the Common treasure. Behold Christians, what holiness, what oracles under the bark of the words of an Ethnic. But have we at this day of such rustics for to reform our Christian public weal, and to discover the deceits, subtleties, frauds and iniquities of the mercenary judges which be found in these provinces? For who would describe plainly the trumpery, sdeceites, enmities and dangerous end of processes, there should be no one man able to write the same with black ink, but rather with lively and pure blood, because that if every man which followeth the law, suffered as much for the christian faith, as he endureth in the pursuit of his process, there should be as many martyrs in courts, Chaunceries, palaces, and justices of princesses, as there hath been at Rome, in the time of the persecutions of the ancient emperors: in such sort that to search or begin processes at this day, is no other thing than to give sorrow to his heart, to his eyes occasion to weep, to his feet and legs to run, his tongue to complain, his hands to be always in his purse, to request & desire his friends, his men to run, and to all the rest of his body pain and travail: beside, he that knoweth not what is the pursuit of a process, let him learn and understand that the effect and conditions of it include no other thing, than of a rich man to become poor, from joy to fall to melancholy sorrow, of a free man to become servile and bond, in place of courage, to be infected with cowardice, in stead of liberal bounty, to use ambitious covetousness, of one beloved indifferently, to be hated generally, and from an honest fear to fall into a miserable despair. In such sort that as we read that the Egyptians were sometime scourged and afflicted with ten plagues at God's hand: so we may say by good right, that the miserable suitors and solicitoures of the law, do participate daily with ten thousands, whereof there is no difference as touching their torments, saving that the Egyptians plague, was moved (through their own occasion) by the providence of GOD, and this of the Pleaders, is incensed by the malice of men: beside, if the Egyptians were afflicted by the biting of beasts, rivers running of blood, their lands swarming with grasshoppers, flies and gnatts, and their people annoyed with Leprosy, Botches, and other loathsome diseases, our poor pleaders are persecuted in attending the Presidents, paying the notaries, bribing the Solicitoures, and anointing their clerks in the hand with double fee, to use duty and reverence to the judge, to clap and kneel to the door keepers, and lastly pawn his land and credit to borrow money to discharge it. All which, beside the toil and travail of their bodies, are incident to the poor pleader, without that he makes any reckoning upon what points he must form his accusation, what delays are awarded to his cause, how he must tender his demand of the one side, and challenge his exceptions on the other, make inquisition, examine witnesses, endure reproaches, and make perfect his process, and after that he must take a copy of it, record it, abbreviate it, and lastly bring it to the opinion of the judge, from whose sentence (for divers respects) he may appeal and remove his process, & bring it to a higher Court, with such infinite toil & disquiet of mind, that who considers of them according to their value and merit in deed, ought rather to be contented to lose one part of his goods, than to get or buy any other at so dear a price, which is the cause in deed, why this learned bishop of M●nodemo, Anthony de Guavara, writ in a certain book of his, that the pleaders were the only true Saints and Martyrs of the world, seeing that of the vij mortal sins they are not to be accused but of three only, because touching the other iiij. although they would commit them, yet had they neither the mean ●or leisure. For how is it possible that they should be proud, seeing that they go continually with their hats in their hands, and sometimes with great humility solicit the judge, reserve a solemn reverence to a pelting procurer, & lastly perform a fat payment to a scribbling Notary. And how can they be touched with the sin of covetousness, seeing their purses be never shut, nor their hands come empty out of them, but making Idols both of master advocate and his wife, do never cease offering unto them, till they have left their purse without a living? And touching the sin of sloth & idleness, they are void of infection that way, seeing that most commonly in place to pass the night in sleep and natural rest, they are tormented with sorrows, sighs, and other passions of grief, and the day slips away in drudging toil, trotting from one place and other, to procure expedition to their cause: And lastly and least of all are they infected with gluttony, seeing they must observe neither times nor hours, to feed their stomach, or procure them an appetite, & most commonly for expedition sake they eat standing with great & gross morsels, ill swallowed, and worse digested, and all to be ready at the palace gate to salute his councillor, pull his advocate by the sleeve, & make a sign to his clerk to remember his cause: wherewith he concludes lastly, that a process is so dangerous and venomous a Serpent, that who would wish any evil or heavy fortune to his enemy, let him not desire to see him poor or miserable, hated of others, banished his Country, afflicted with diseases, nor threatened with present death. But let him pray to God, to give him some crooked or intricate process: for in all the world can not be found a more cruel revenge for a man's enemy, than to see him plunged in a troublesome cause in the law.   

¶ A wonderful History of a monstrous child, which was borne the same day that the Geneuois and Veniciens were reconciled. CHAP. xxxix.  
ALthough that nature (as Galen witnesseth in his xiiij book de utilitate partium) had an earnest desire that her work should have been immortal, if it might have been performed, but for that it was not lawful both by the corruptible matter of the elements & spirit of the air, she made therefore a forge or help & supuly for the immortality: for she found out a wondered mean, that in place of the creature that should die, there should be a supply of an other, and therefore nature hath given to all creatures convenient instruments aswell to conceive, as engender. But it is so that these instruments so ordained by nature, although that she had a care to make them perfect, yet there is found in them both vice and default, as is afterwards showed by the form of this creature: wherein Hypocrates witnesseth in his book De genitura, where he showeth by the similitude of trees, how these children issue from the belly of their mother monstrous and deformed, saying thus: that of force those bodies which cannot move by reason of the straightness of the place, must become the rather misshaped & deformed: like as trees before they issue out of the earth, if they have not liberty and scope to spring, but be with holden by some let or hindrance, grow crooked, great in one part, and small in an other: Even so it is of the child, if in the belly of the mother the parties where he is nourished, be more strait one than the other: and that vice (saith he) cometh of the narrowness of the place to strait in the womb. Whereupon arguing a little before of the same matter, he showeth other reasons, by the which children be made monstrous and deformed, as by the natural diseases of the parents: for if the four kinds of humours, whereof the seed is made, be not wholly contributory to the secret parts, there shall be then some party wanting. Besides this, he addeth further other reasons touching monstrous births, as when the mother receiveth some blow or hurt, or that the child fortunes to be sick in the belly of his mother, either that the nourishment wherewith he ought to be relieved, happen to slip out of the womb: all which things be sufficient causes to make them hideous, wanting or deformed. And if we would consider with judgement, these reasons of Hypocrates, treating upon the generation of monsters, we should without all doubt find, that this whereof thou seest the portrait, is engendered so misshaped by one of these causes which he showed: that is to say, by the narrowness of the place, wherein nature willing to create two, found the womb to strait, which is the cause that she is found to want, in such sort that the womb is congealed and gathered in one, whereupon groweth this form and superfluity of members, in this little male monster, whom thou seest here figured, having four arms, four legs, and but one head, with all the rest of his body well proportioned: who was engendered in Italy, the same day that the Venetians and Genevois (after the shedding of much blood, both of the one side & the other) confirmed their peace, and were reconciled together: and which was baptized and lived a certain time after, as writeth jacobus Fincelius in his book de miraculis post renatum evangelium. And in the same year that Leopolde Duke of Ostrich, vanquished of the Switzers died. And Galea was created viscount of Milan, after the death of Barnabone.   

¶ A wonderful History of Covetousness, with many examples touching that matter worthy of memory. CHAP. L.  
Diogines' Laerce writeth that there was a Rhodian jesting one day with the philosopher Eschines, saying to him: I swear by the immortal gods (Eschines) that I have great pity and compassion of thy poverty. To whom he replied suddenly: and by the same gods do I make the like oath, that I more bewail thee, to see thee so rich, seeing that riches once gotten, breed not only pain, torment, care with heaviness to keep them, but also a more great displeasure to spend them, peril to preserve them, & occasion of great inconveniences and dangers to defend them. And that which yet seems to me more grievous and horrible, is, that where for the most part thou hidest thy riches, in the same place thou leavest thy heart buried. And like as Herodotus writeth, that the inhabitants of the Isles Baleares, watch and defend with great care, that no man entering into their Country, bring or leave behind them, either gold, silver, silk or precious stones: which happened so well unto them, that during the space of .400. years wherein there was most cruel wars not only amongst the Romans and Carthaginois, but also the French & Spaniards, never any of the said nations were once moved to invade their lands, for that they could not find either gold, silver, or other thing of price or value to rob, pilfer, or take away: even so there is yet one other thing more strange, that is, that Phalaris Agringetin, Dionyseus Syracusan, Catilmus Romanus, & jugurth Numidien, being four famous tyrants, never maintained their estates & realms by any virtue which they used, but only by their great gifts & presents which they bestowed on their adherents: wherefore I would wish that all such as be favoured of Princes, should note well this saying, that it is impossible for one being in great favour to continue long therein, being overwhelmed & accompanied with the wicked vice of covetousness. Neither am I out of my matter, having touched the same in the Histories before, for that in these our days, the world is so corrupted therewith, as there is no other talk in our common weals of any thing, but only of the burning rage of covetousness, which reigneth in all the estates of the world, namely amongst the Ecclesiastical people, as our high father with his Cardinals, a thing much to be lamented, considering that they ought to be rather distributers of the goods of the Lord, than affectionated & burning as we see with this greedy desire of riches, that it seems that they would drain all the wealth of the world into their gulfs, & in the end bury the same with their bodies in the grave: whereof I have written more largely in my other works, making mention of the cardinal Angelot. But now I will return to my matter, for sithence that the pestilent venom of covetousness hath sprinkled her poison through the world, that the most part of the provinces remain & be so much infected therewith, that they by that means stick not to make merchandise of men's bodies to obtain money: whereof Celius Rhodiginus in his iij. book of ancient lessons & luj chapter is a sufficient witness, who declareth that in his time divers wicked persons sold the flesh of men so well seasoned, that is seemed to be the flesh of Pork: in which wickedness as they continued till God by his almighty power discovered the same, by suffering them to find the finger of a man mingled amongst their meats, which was the cause that they were taken & cruelly punished: even so this needs not seem strange, or a fable to those which have red galen's xiij book of Elements, who showeth the man's flesh is so like unto pork, having the very taste and savour of it, that those which have eaten thereof, judged it to be the flesh of a Pork. Wherefore in the History of Caelius Rhodiginus it is not strange, but most apparent, that covetousness hath so blinded man, and rageth even to the very tip of iniquity, that they cannot add any thing more thereunto. Albeit Conradus Licostenes recounteth yet one other wonderful History of covetousness, which is nothing inferior to this before, who writeth that in the Dukedom of Wittemberge, there was a wicked host, who presented at supper all his gests, lodged in his house, with the flesh of a Pork, bitten of a mad dog, which was so greatly infected with the venom of that beast, that all those which eat thereof, became not only mad, but also pressed in such sort with the fury and rage of their evil, that they eat and tore in pieces one an other.   

¶ A Monster brought forth at Ravenna, in the time of Pope jule the sec●nde, and king jews the twelve CHAP. xlj.  
REader, this monster which thou seest here depainted, is so brutal and far differing from humane kind, that I fear I shall not be believed in that I shall write there of hereafter: notwithstanding, if thou wilt but confer this with those having faces like Dogs and Apes, whereof I have written in the Histories before, thou shalt then find the other far more monstrous. jaques rule in his books of the conception and generation of men, from whence I have this figure. Conradus Licostenes in his treaty of wonders, johannes Multivallis, & Gasparus Hedio affirm & write, that in the year 1512. at what time pope jule the second, stirred up & caused so many bloody tragedies in Italy, & that he had made war with king Lewis, even at the journey of Ravenna, this monster was engendered & borne at Ravenna aforesaid, (a city most ancient in Italy) having one horn in his head, two wings, and one foot, like to the foot of a ramping bird, with an eye in the knee, it was double in kind, participating both of the man & woman, having in the stomach that figure of a Greek in, & the form of a cross, & no arms. And like as this monster was brought into the world in the time that all Italy was inflamed & molested with wars, & not without bringing great terror to the people, in such sort that all the provinces of Italy & Greece came to see & behold this miserable creature: even so they entered into diverse judgements thereof, whereupon amongst the rest, there was found sundry learned and holy men, which began not only to decipher the misery of this infant, but also the monstrous shape thereof in this sort, saying, that by the horn was signified pride & ambition, by the wings lightness & inconstancy: by default of the arms, want of good works: by the ramping foot, ravishment, usury, and covetousness: by the eye in the knee, too much love or affection to worldly things: by both the kinds, the sins of the Sodomites. All which vices and sins reigned at that time in Italy, which was the cause they were so afflicted with wars: but by this figure Y, & the cross, they were two signs of salvation, for Ypsilon signifieth virtue: the Cross showeth that all those which will return to jesus Christ, and take up his cross, shall not only find a true remedy against sin, but a perfect way to health and salvation, and a special mean to mitigate thereby the ire of the Lord, who is inflamed and ready to scourge and punish them for their wickedness and abominable sins.  
THere is found by sufficient authority in writing, that in the year .1496. was taken up out of the river of Tiber, a monster, having the trunk of the body of a man, the head of an Ass, one hand and arm like to a man, and the other of the fashion of an elephants foot: he had also (according to the portrait you see) one of his feet like the foot of an Eagle, and the other like the hoof of an Ox, his belly like a woman with two dugs and the rest of his body with scales: he had also growing out behind him, a head old and hairy, out of the which came an other head of the form of a Dragon.  
WE read also, that in the year .1548. was borne a child in Almaigne, which had his head divided from his body, he had one leg only, with a crevice or chink where his mouth should be, and had no arms at all: The same happening (as we may easily presume) by a want or default in the seed, as well in the quality, as in the quantity of the same.  
IN the year .1552. was borne in England a child, which had two bodies, two heads and four hands, and yet had but one belly, and one navel: On one side of the body came two perfect legs, and on the other, but one, the same having one foot made like two, tied the one 'gainst the other with ten toes.  
THere was borne in the year 1554. a monster of this proportion, having a great mass or lump of flesh in place of a head, and where one of his ears should be, came out an arm and a hand, he had upon his face writhe hairs like to the Moostachoes of a cat, the other arm appeared out of one side: he had no form of body nor breast, saving a line all along, the ridge of his back: there could not be discerned any figure or likeness of either sex, nor joints in his arms or legs: the ends of his hands and feet were soft and somewhat hanging, as appeareth by his portrait.  
AMongst the rest we must not forget two monsters which came forth in the year .1555. the one in Germany and the other in Savoy, the first was a horse, who (according to his portrait had all his skin chequered and divided into great panes, after the order of the Dutchemens' hose, his neck and body covered with a collar of the same: This is affirmed by john Foucet in his book which he hath made of the marvels of our time.  
THe other Monster of the said year .1555. had two faces, in sort as the poets feigned the God ●anus had. He had like two great pocketts hanging upon his back, wherein were his bowels: He was Vtriusque generis, and that of the one side a male, and the other a female. Also he was so huge above order, that it was impossible to draw him whole from the belly of his mother. It is most likely that this imperfection happened by too great a quantity of matter sufficient to form two children, which might also have happened of a right shape, if by some inconvenience the substance had not been mingled, so that that which should have served for two, made but one creature.  
THe monster that was brought forth in Germany .1556. 〈◊〉 so wonderful as this touching the shape of his body, which maketh it not easy to judge whether there were default of nature in his generation: It was (as you may see by the portraicte) a Calf of perfect form in every respect, saving that he had no legs before: and yet such was his wonderful lightness, that having but two legs behind, he exceeded all other beasts of that kind in swiftness. The same arguing that nature had considered and supplied his other wants with a marvelous agility of his two legs. I remember I have seen heretofore a monster of the same shape, albeit form by some artificial sleight, it was a young Goat, whose forelegs being broken, was brought by custom and necessity to march upon his hinder legs, whereby the simple sort was more than half persuaded that it was a Satire.  
THere was borne in the same year .1556. at Basle, a child sufficiently form of his body, saving the head, which was so monstrous, that it seemed rather the head of a dog or a Cat, than a creature humane: Besides the which, that year was so fertile of prodigious accidents, that according to the witnette of such as recorded them, there happened above fifty monsters, as fires in the air, horrible tempests, burning of towns by fire from Heaven, armed men appearing in the air; fearful Comets, inundations of waters, threatening voices from heaven, skirmishes in the air, as well with men as beasts, with a monstrous show of many Suns at one time.  
THis as you see (resembling most a Calf) hath the head of a man, bearing a beard, with a breast like to a man, and two dugs well form.  
THe year wherein mine author writ this book, seemed no less plentiful of monsters corporal, than wonders spiritual: for it is affirmed that the xxuj of januarie, there appeared about ix of the clock three Suns upon the town of Caffa, a City situated between the Pont Euxin, and the Sea Zabach●, otherwise called Pailus Mertis, in the place which the ancients call Taurica Chersonessus. these iij. suns remained by the space of three hours: & had above them a white bow, & an other underneath the coloured red, green, yellow and Azure, and about noon, the two uttermost of either side vanished and went out of sight, the one towards the East, the other towards the West.  
IN the same year .1567. and .28. of the same month, there appeared in the Element, & over the same place at ten of the clock in the night a shining Cross, with a star in the top, and a Moon at the lower end, retiring immediately after it began to be day, without being seen any more at the time: but touching these sights and visions in the air with their causes, which move in deed by natural means as we behold the figure of ourselves in a glass, or the Rainbow in the Element, I shall not need to use large description of them here, because they are avouched by the Astronomers, Philosophers and others of like profession: beside for mine own self I forbear to wade far therein, until a time & cause more convenient for such purpose.  
THe monsters which are this year come to knowledge be two, the one was in Provence at Arles, and wandered beside thorough France. It was a child rough or hairy on all the body, having the navel in the place where the nose should stand, and the eyes where naturally should stand the mouth: between the which was a certain opening: his ears stood on either side the chin, and his mouth at the end of the same.  
THe other monster of this year .1567. was seen in Flaunders between Anwarpe and Macline, in a village called Vbalen It was a child which had two heads and four arms, seeming two maids joined together, & yet had but two legs.   

Of a wonderful Dance.  
LIke as I am greatly in doubt whether so infer in the number of wonderful Histories that which we now write, not for the matter, but that it is short, and yet worthy of no less memory than admiration: Even so, for that the History may seem of less credit and truth, the same being written in that time, wherein men would scarcely suffer it to be imprinted or taken as a witness of antiquity, albeit it were aided and assisted by a truth or other probable arguments to the like effect, having withal sufficient colour to make men believe that they speak to be such as they recite: notwithstanding for that we be able to justify the truth of this present History by one who as be assureth to have seen it, so hath he taken pain to write thereof himself, which is Othopertus of Saxony, and after him Vincentius witnesseth the same in his xxuj. book and ten chap. and besides Antoni. in his fourth chap. his xuj titles and second tome of his works, where as I need not fear to recite it as it is, or to aggravate the opinion or belief of any further than a truth: So nevertheless I have to prefer and make mention of one History very strange, and not heard of, yet albeit true. Whereof Othopertus writeth, that the year .1012. which was in the tenth year of the emperor Henry the second, in a certain borough or town of Saxony, where he himself, accompanied with xvij other of his friends, which by computation were xviij he accounted, did see xu men and iij. women dancing of a round in a Churchyard, and singing of Wanton songs, not meet for the solace of honest Christians. And albeit there passed by at that instant a Priest, who cursed them in such sort, that they danced and sung there the space of a whole year. Yet that which was most marvelous, is, that as it reigned not (said he) upon them, neither were they hot or desirous of meat or drink, nor left from doing that exercise or labour, so their garments and shoes in all their dancing were not worn or consumed: albeit in the end they sunk into the earth, first to the knees, and lastly to their middles. The year expired, and their dance ended, and they withal come to a perfect understanding in what sport they had spent the year paste, one of the women and two others of that company dye● suddenly, and all the rest slept continually three days and thr●● nights: Whereupon some of them immediately upon their waking, died, & the others deferred to the end to taste more their folly, remained in a continual trembling, through all the parts of their bodies, during the term and space of their miserable and unfortunate lives.  
FINIS.