Book II II.

by bn^iing ot cncir heads. Ttie Hollanders call tncm ^Pruken^ bccaufe with tneir fharp nofe they will hick faft like bloud- fuckcrs to planks of Snips, Nets, and to mens Bodies, and they
Dried Lam- prey swill barn.
bite hard at all
things ,
prick , crop , and tear them $ there-
The back °f A Lamprey is Nerve and 00
bone*
uhen Lampreys grew fat.
tore becaufc they fallen their fharp teeth in things , they are called Tricken alio.
This fifh hath raughr me an experiment that I fuppofe every man hath not obferved, that hath a natural reafon for it, and you will find it fo, if you try it. For this kind of fifh like to a Candle turned the wrong end upwards, will ferve for a Torch to burn, when it is dried in a Stove or an Oven or Chimney, as the manner is with the Hollanders to keep Herrings, Salmon, Gam¬ mons, and legs of Bacon, fhoulders of Mutton, Flitches, Pud¬ dings, Saucidges dried in the Smoak , or hanged in the cold North-wind, untill Summer be almoll ended. Wherefore this fifh put to the fire, or lighted with fomerhing, as with draw that is dipt in Brirpftone , or Matches, whereby we light Tal¬ low and Wax Candles, Torches, Links, will prefen tly take fire and flame like toa Torch, and give light to the whole family to dotfieir workby at night. For it being full of a Rofiny fat, and very greefy ail about it, fo that broyled on a Gridiron like to an Eel, it will flame luddenly, and burn the fingers of hitn that toucheth it, when it is dried in a fmoky Chimney, with Turf burnt there, the flame of it will do as much fervice as a Candle will.
For being that the Nerve which runs down his back, ferves in {lead of a march or Cord wrapt together, that the flame lyes up¬ on, and the congealed fat_feeds 11 when it is put
to tin fire or flame, it will burn and give a grear light in a Chamber, though it will foon melt away, and not lad very long, ror continue like a Tallow or Wax Candle of Oxe or fhecpsfar, that will rotfo foon be fpent and confumcd. Yet where all forts oflights and Candles are wanting one may ufe the commodity of this fifh , efpecially if you dry them at what time they are very fat, which is wont to be at begin- lug of the Spring in CMarch and Aprils and then again in Au¬ tumn, that isauout the two Equinoctials, when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold.
CHAP. XII.
Of an Egg laid by a Cock, and at what age he ufeth to lay it, then what is bred out of it $ alfo concerning the Cock-ftone, and the Jew - el zsE tites. t ^
THe Cock above others that are tame and houfe-birds- is
. . . very couragious, and hath a red comb danding upright on his
on7 . . head to adorn him j he crows, and daps his wings, andfohe ter¬
rifies
Chap. 1 2.
Of a Cock *s Egg,
261
rifics the Lion that is a generous and undaunted creature : he is full of force that he is not eafily tired by treading of Hens, though he tread them often. And whereas all living creatures af ter copu¬ lation are fad, and forrowful, onely the Cock is joyful], and he AU creatures proclaims it by his crowing, that his fpirits are cheered ; but when ^rlTadafter^ lie begins to grow decrepite, and worn out with old age, which veJery. aW" hapneth to fome at feven years, or nine, or at the mod in the four¬ teenth year, as he is ftrong or weak, or hath trod continually, whereby no living creature but becomes feeble, he layes an Egg in Summer, about the rifing of the Dog-Star, Ifuppofeitis made‘f*w from the corrupt excrement of feed, or confluence of ill humours, aye5anEgg* iris not very long or oval, ashcnEgsare, but it is round, fomc- times of a yellow colour or box-colour, or bright yellow, or divers colour’d, wan, out of which forne think the bafilisk is bred, the Defcnption of Latines call it Regulw, a venemous bead, of a foot and half in mag- the nitude, with three tufts on his forehead, as if he were Crowned with a Kingly Diademe, his body is upright and very dangerous, and his eyes glitter, wherewith he kills thofe that come near him, by a contagious vapour. The common people through all Europe, are of that opinion , that from this Egg comes a bafilisk, if a Toad />•««« cocks chance to fit upon it to toiler it j whether this be falfc ant] a meet Egg' fi&ion, I dare not fay for certain j yet thus much I ha ve had exl perienceof, that the Cock fits upon it, and brings it to peffe&iom So in my memory in the City Zirizea, and within this Ifland, two old Cocks could hardly be driven oft with flicks, but they cJckl Etg! - ' would fit dill upon their Eggs : therefore becaufe the Citizens werefo perfwaded, that a Bafilisk would breed from a Cocks Egg, 'they thought fit to break the Egg, apd kill the Cock. But it is worth enquiry whether a Cockconceives an Egg, knd in tliq whence a C6Cks full time, that is about the nineteenth day, the lheli break and the 15 made' young one come forth. I imagine that from fome putrefa&ion clotted together within, and the fhell fodered by the heat of the Cock, fomefuch thing may breed, efpecially when he ceafcth to tread ; for then the excrement reftrained within, is clottcred, and becomes hard as an Egg, which if it be fodered by the Cock himfelf or any other living creature, a venemous worm, or fome other venemous bead, which men call a Bafilisk, is bred of it 5 which kind of Serpent is proper to Africa, and ocher hoc thirfty Countries. But as worms breed in mans body, by the putrefaction a fmlie from of humours, and are animated by the benefit of heat 5 and as wafps, the nature of beetles, caterpillars, dyes, breed from dung of Oxen, a^d other rvoms*' "CJ corrupt humours, Weevils in Wheat, Worms called Teredines in Oak, Small Nuts, Cheefe, by the warmth and help of the Ambi¬ ent Ayre; fo from this Egg breeds a venemous worm, or fome other kind ofhurtfull and mondrpus creature not unlike to a Bafi¬ lisk, that by touch, or breath, or vapour,and hiding is dangerous & mod hunful. So it is fa id that from the Marrow of a mans back- . bone corrupted, is bred a Snake. Many famous writers deferibe the aMamback^ nature of the Bafilisk, audits condition^ which receives a great
O 0 2 power
2
Of the Bafilisk.