THE Flying Serpent, OR, Strange News out of ESSEX BEING A true Relation of a Monstrous Serpent which hath divers times been seen at a Parish called Henham on the Mount within four Miles of Saffron-Walden.  
Showing the length, proportion, and bigness of the Serpent, the place where it commonly lurks, and what means hath been used to kill it.  
Also a discourse of other Serpents, and particularly of a Cockatrice killed at Saffron-Walden.  
The truth of thy Relation of the Serpent is attested.  
By 


Richard Jackson Churchwarden▪  
Thomas Presland-Constable.  
John Knight Overse●● for the Poor.  


Householders.  
Barn 〈◊〉 Thurgood  
Samuel-Garre●  
Richard Seely  
William Green.       
With Allowance.  
LONDON, Printed and sold by Peter Lillicrap in Clerkenwell.   

 woodcut of serpent and armed men   

Strange News out of Essex, OR, The Winged Serpent.  
Guest's, Fish, and news grow stolen in three days time, and nothing delights an English-Mans fancy so much as new novelties, for like the Athenians we have still itching Ears after News, which once told we soon grow weary of it and hearken after more; being still desirous of that which is new, which makes so many tautoligies in the title of Books; some styling them new news, whereas if it be news it must needs be new; so also a new Almanac for the Year, 1669. Whereas an Almanac for such a year were as proper, if not properer; or if it be only for that year it can neither be new nor old for any other. But this news which I shall now relate, as it is certain; being attested by many credible persons, so it is also new, the venomous creature being still living though oftentimes attempted by the inhabitants to be killed.  
The place of his abode and where he hath been oftentimes seen, is called He●ham, but most commonly Hc●ham on the Mount, the Town standing upon a Hill, having many fair Farms and Granges belonging to it, in one of which named the Lodge, near to a Wood called Bir●h-Wood, by reason of the many Birches growing there, in a pasture ground close by the same, hath this monstrous Serpent been often seen as he hath lain upon the sides of a Bank, beaking and stretching himself out upon the same, at such time as Sel did parch the earth with his refulgent beams.  

Then when the Sun shines hot he nimbly hurls  
His wanton body into numerous curls;  
Gathered in folds, shoots out his forked tongue  
To save himself, and give his foes the wrong.   
The first time that he was seen was about the 27 or 28 of May last a Gentleman's way lying by the place where this Serpent keeps hi● station, as he rid carelessly on, expecting to receive no hurt as he intended none, on a sudden this Serpent assailed his Horse, affirighting the Rider so much with his monstrous proportion and bold courage to give such an onset, that all in a maze he spurred his Horse, who almost as much afraid as his Master, with winged speed hasted away, glad that they had escaped such an eminent danger.  
Being come home he acquaints his Friends and Neighbours with what he had seen of this monstrous Serpent, especially makes it known to a Neighbour in whose grounds this Serpent doth lurk, wishing him to beware of his Cattle, and to use his best endeavour for destroying it, least by protraction of time it might do much mischief when had I witted would be but small comfort to him for the losses he might sustain.  
Not long after two men of the same Parish walking that way, espied this Serpent as he lay on a Hillock beaking himself against the Sun, where they beheld his full proportion, being as near as they could guests 8 or 9 foot long, the smallest part of him about the bigness of a Man's Leg, on the middle as big as a Man's Thigh, his eyes were very large and piercing, about the bigness of a Sheep's eye, in his mouth he had two row of Teeth which appeared to their sight very White and sharp, and on his back he had two wings indifferent large▪ but not proportionable to the rest of his body, they judging them not to be above two handfuls long, and when spreaded, not to extend from the top of one wing to the utmost end of the other above two foot at the most, and therefore altogether too weak to carry such an unwieldy body. These Men though armed with clubs and staves, yet durst not approach to strike this Serpent, neither it seems was the Serpent afraid of them, for raising himself upon his breast about the height of two foot, he stood looking on them as daring them to the encounter, like to that of the Theban Serpent, of which thus the Poet.  

Which with a hissing from his Den appears  
Amazing both at once the Eyes and ears,  
Fire from his threatening eyes like lightning shot  
And Stygian blasts exhaled from his dire throat.   
Not knowing on a sudden what to do, at last it was resolved by them that the one should go to the Lodge (which was not far off) to fetch a Gun, and the other in the mean time to watch the Serpent, who still stood facing them as though he dreaded no danger that could happen to him; being as fierce and undaunted as that Serpent of which the Divine Dubartas giveth us this description.  

The several Snakes that out of Libia's slime  
Are bred, they all in him might well combine,  
Nor could Medusa's head had all the blood  
In one place fallen, produce a deadlier brood;  
Whose speckled belly with more spots is decked  
Then various Theban marble is bespeckt.   
But whilst the one was thus gone for the Gun, the Serpent as if he had waited long enough, folds himself up, and darting forth returns to the Wood, making such a rustling noise in the hedge as if some wild Boar, or other large Beast had been breaking thorough it.  
About 2 days after the same Serpent was seen by another, who gave the same description of it with the two former as is above written.  
Since which time it hath been seen by divers who have fruitlessly attempted to kill it; for now upon the sight of a man, it presently betakes its self to the Wood, where he remains safe, none daring to come nigh it with Clubs, and for their Guns in that place where he can hid himself in Bushes, and Bends, they are altogether useless; yet has there been and is still continued to this day, great watching by several Persons with Muskets and Fowling-peices and such like to shoot it but as yet it hath been no Man's good fortune to light on him.  
The report of this Serpent is so terrible to the inhabitants thereabout that no women, children, nay nor a great many men durst not go near the place where he lurks, yet we hear not of any mischief that he hath yet done, though it be a wonder to most people on what he subsists, and that hunger does not compel him to range f●rther abroad, seeing he wants not for courage, as may be evidenced in his so facing of the two men aforesaid.  
We read in ancient Histories of a Serpent in Tripoli a Country in Asia that was one hundred twenty and five paces in length, he had a mouth so wide, that he could swallow a man on horseback, and each of his Scales were as big as a large shield.  
They also tell us of Hydra, a monstrous serpent on the Lake of Lerna who having one head cut off, immediately had two other Heads grew up in the same place; this Serpent was at last slain by Hercules.  
Pliny tells us of the Rinocerote a small Serpent which winds himself about the leg of an Elephant, who with his Trunk seeking to rid him, when forthwith, the Serpent creeps into the Trunk, and so kills the Elephant, but long he enjoys not the conquest, for the Elephant kills the Rinocerote with his fall.  
He also tells us of the Scorpion a venomous Serpent with 7 feet his sting is in his Tail; sometimes they eat their young ones, and are of divers colours; the Female is the biggest and hath the sharpest sting The Arcadian Scorpion will not hurt their Countrymen, nor the Syrian Snakes, nor Tyrinthian Serpent.  
We also read of a Serpent named Amphisbona, who had a head at both ends, as also of a Serpent called Boas, of that bigness, that being found dead, there was a whole Child in his Belly.  
The Asp is a very venomous Serpent, they always go two and two together, and if one of them be slain, the other will pursue him eagerly that slew him, and if a man chance to be bitten by this Serpent it is present death if he cut not off the member so bitten. Cleopatra Queen of Egypt being taken by Caesar applying these Serpents to her body wilfully slew herself.  
Nor can we here forget the Viper, a most venomous Serpent, the Male hath but one Tooth of each side, the Female more, when they engender, the Male putteth his Head in the Females Mouth, which she biteth off, and their young do gnaw their dams belly, and kill her to get out the sooner.  
But of all Serpents, the Basalisks or Cockatrice is the most venomous of all other; It breaketh stones, blasteth all Plants with his breath, it burneth every thing it goeth over; no Herb can grow near the place of his abode, it is poison to poison, and frighteth away all other Serpents, only with hissing. If a man touch it though with a long pole it kills him, and if it see a man a far off it destroys him with his looks. It is not above a foot in length, of colour between black and yellow, having very red eyes, a sharp head and a white spot thereon like a Crown. It goeth not winding like other Serpents but upright on his breast. One of these most venomous Serpents in former time lurked about the Meads near Saffron-Walden in Ess●x, who by his very sight, killed so many as the Town become almost depopulated, when a valorous Knight making him a Coat of Crystal Glass, boldly went to assail this Cockatrice, but her venomous Nature not able to endure the purity of that fine mettle, she suddenly died in memory where of his Sword was hung up in Walden Church, the effiigies of the Cockatrice set up in Brass, and a Table hanged close by wherein was continued all the story of the adventure; but in these late times of Rebellion, it being taken for a monument of superstition was by the lawless Soldiers broken in pieces, to show they were also of a venomous Nature as well as the Cockatrice.  
We read that in the Reign of King Edward the third, Anno 135. near Chipping-Norton in Oxford-shire, was found a Serpent having two heads, and two faces like Women, one face attired of the new fashion of women's attire, the other face like the old attire, and had wings like a bat.  
Therefore Serpents in this Kingdom are no new thing, and those far more monstrous and prodigious than this, though this be one of the greatest that we have heard of in this latter age. Nor is there any Countries in the whole World exempted from them, saving only Creta or Candy an Island of Greece, for which now there is so much stir betwixt the Christians and Turks, and the Country of Ireland, which two places do neither breed any venomous Worms, nor hurtful Creatures, nor will any live there if they be brought thither from Foreign Countries.  
And to this purpose I shall tell you a story and so draw towards a conclusion. A certain Countryman coming up to London, a friend of his shown him all the rarities of the City, amongst others one was Westminster-Hall, which his friend told him was s●iled with Irish Wood, the Nature of which is such as it would endure ●o venomous Creature nigh it. Ah (said the Countryman) if the seats and bars were made of that Wood, the Lawyers must find some other place to plead in.  
And now for a Corollary to the whole, I shall insert some Verse made by an excellent Poet upon a Serpent found near Milan in Italy.  

The poisonous Serpent than himself extending,  
His speckled Breast, and flamy main all benaing;  
Above his Main his ugly odious Tail  
And Back with fearful folds does wriggling trail;  
His gagling eyes flashing forth blood and fire  
His hissing mouth sharp tongue does flinch expire;  
With spacious wind rolling on the sand;  
He killeth all that cometh near to hand.    

Postscript.  
Since I am informed by the Neighbours thereabout, that they intent to keep a constant Watch upon it, till such time as they hope to kill it.  
FINIS.   

THIS SERPENT is of that Species called RATTLE-SNAKES, which scarcely being known in this part of the World, it may not be improper to add to this Advertisement, the Description given of it by Dr. Horseman, in his short History of America, viz.  
The RATTLE-SNAKE, says he, is the most surprising Creature that is found in America, if not in the whole Universe; he is so called, from his Snakelike Form, and having several thin hollow horny Substances, resembling the Heads of a Row of Indian Corn, loosely jointed into each other, growing at the end of his Tail, and increasing in their Number Yearly, upon the least tremor of which they strike against each other, and rattle together, so as to be heard at a considerable Distance.  
He is a SERPENT full of Courage, Fire, and Spirit, giveth way to no Creature living, is easily provoked, and when so, always shakes his Rattles, which if not regarded, so as soon to avoid him, he darts or throws himself swiftly forwards, sometimes the whole Length of his Body, with his Mouth wide open, attempting to by't at whoever affronts him. Whatever Creature he bites immediately dies. He has in his Upper Jaw, four Fangs or curved Teeth two of each side; sheathed, and turn over each other, lying backwards with their Points up close to his Jawbone, so that he easily shuts his Mouth, but when he opens it for Mischief he unsheaths them, and throws them forward, as a Lion doth his Talons. These Teeth are hollow quite through, very Sharp and opened, a little above quite down to their Points. As if a part had been sloped off with some Instrument; The Cavities of which are always filled with liquid Poison, so that wherever he wounds, some portion of this Venine Matter must be left in each Puncture, which, tho' not the hundredth part of a Drop in Quantity, is of that infinite Force, Subtilty and Activity, that as soon as mixed with the Fluids of the Animal, it instantly affects the whole Body, by causing such a preternatural Ferment and Rarefaction of the Blood, and Juices, so as to burst all the Vessels and overflow the Channels through which they pass, and at once put an entire end to Circulation and Life together.  
And yet the Flesh of these Serpents is often eaten by the Indians, and the Fat of them; held in high Esteem among them, and is perhaps the greatest Anodyne upon Earth, and no doubt of it, the very Remedy they cure themselves with when bitten by them.  
Nor is this Creature less wonderful in the Manner of Procuring his Prey, than his Power of Destroying it; for as he chief lives upon Birds and small Quadrupedes, so to this end he comes out into some open place near the Woods, draws himself up into a Coil, and in that manner lies, exposing his Body to the Beams of the Sun when in its full Lustre; which being covered with smooth shining Scales of a very solid Texture, adorned with a large Variety of lively Colours most beautifully disposed, reflects the Rays of Light with such Force and Strength, and in such an amazing manner, that Birds that accidentally cast their Eyes upon him are arrested in their Flight, and Squirrels allured from the very Tops of Trees, and so suddenly confounded, they hastily draw near to the charming Wonder till they come within his fatal reach.  
In short, so very powerful are the Charms of this most astonishing Creature when thus exposed that no Human Eye can look steadfastly upon him without being soon ensnared. This I dare venture to affirm, because I have myself, more than once gazed at these Creatures in the Sun, till I had lost almost all my Reason.