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THE last mentioned creatures were wonderfull in their originall, or ra∣ther in their growth: but these which follow, though they be not won∣derfull of themselves, as those that consist of their owne proper nature, and that working well and after an ordinary manner; yet they are won∣drous to us, or rather monstrous, for that they are not very familiar to us. For the
rarity and vastnesse of bodies, is in some sort monstrous. Of this sort there are many, especially in the Sea, whose secret corners and receptacles are not pervious to men: as Tritons, which from the middle upwards are reported to have the shape of men. And the Sirenes, Nercides or Mere-maides, who (according to Pli∣ny) have the faces of women, and scaly bodies, yea where as they have the shape of man: neither yet can the forementioned confusion and conjunction of seeds take a∣ny place here, for, as we lately said, they consist of their owne proper nature.
When Mena was President of Aegypt, and walked on the bankes of Nilus, he saw a Sea-monster in the shape of a man, comming forth of the waters: his shape was just like a man even to the middle, with his countenance composed to gravity, his haires yellow, yet intermixed with some gray, his stomack bony, his armes orderly made and jointed, his other parts ended in a fish. Three daies after in the morning there was seene another Sea-monster, but with the shape or countenance of a woman, as appeared by her face, her long haire, and swollen breasts: both these monsters con∣tinued so long above water that any one might view them very well.
In our times, saith Rondeletius, in Norway was a monster taken in a tempestuous sea, the which as many as saw it, presently termed a Monk, by reason of the shape which you may see here set forth.
Anno Dom. 1531. there was seene a sea-monster in the habite of a Bishop, cove∣red over with scailes: Rondeletius and Gesner have described it.
Gesner professeth that hee received from Jerome Cardane this monster, having the head of a Beare, the feet and hands of an Ape.
Not long before the death of Pope Paul the third, in the midst of the Tyrrhene sea, a monster was taken, and presented to the successour of this Paul: it was in shape and bignesse like to a Lion, but all scaily, and the voice was like a mans voice. It was brought to Rome to the great admiration of all men, but it lived not long there, be∣ing destitute of its owne naturall place and nourishment, as it is reported by Philip Forrest.
Anno Dom. 1523. the third day of November, there was seen at Rome this sea-mon∣ster, of the bignesse of a child of five yeeres old, like to a man even to the navell, ex∣cept the eares; in the other parts it resembled a fish.
Gesner makes mention of this Sea-monster, and saith that he had the figure there∣of from a Painter, who tooke it from the very fish, which hee saw at Antwerpe. The head lookes very ghastly, having two hornes, pricke eares, and armes not much un∣like a man, but in the other parts it was like a fish. It was taken in the Illyrian Sea, as it came a shore out of the water to catch a little child: for being hurt by stones cast by fishermen that saw it, it returned a while after to the shore from whence it fled, and there died.
Gesner tells that a Sea-monster with the head, mane, and breast of a horse, and the rest of his body like a fish, was seene and taken in the ocean Sea, brought to Rome, and presented to the Pope.
Olaus Magnus tells that a Sea-monster taken at Bergen, with the head and shape of a Calfe, was given him by a certaine English Gentleman. The like of which was presented lately to King Charles the ninth, and was long kept living in the waters at Fountaine-Bleau, and it went oft times ashore. This is much different from the com∣mon Sea-calfe or Seale.
This great monster was seene in the Ocean sea, with the head of a Bore, but lon∣ger tuskes, sharpe and cutting, with scailes set in a wonderfull order, as you may see by this figure.
Olaus Magnus writes that this monster was taken at Thyle an Iland of the North, Anno Dom. 1538. it was of a bignesse almost incredible, as that which was seventy two foot long, and fourteene high, and seven foot betweene the eyes: now the li∣ver was so large that therewith they filled five hogsheads, the head resembled a swine, having as it were a halfe moone on the backe, and three eyes in the midst of his sides, his whole body was scaily.
The Sea Elephant is bigger than the land Elephant, as Hector Boëtius writes in his description of Scotland; it is a creature that lives both in the water and a shore, ha∣ving
two teeth like to elephants, with which as oft as hee desires to sleepe, he hangs himselfe upon a rocke, and then he sleeps so soundly, that Mariners seeing him at sea, have time to come ashore, and to bind him, by casting strong ropes about him. But when as he is not awaked by this meanes, they throw stones at him, and make a great noise; with which awakned, he endeavers to leape back into the sea with his accusto∣ned violence, but finding himselfe fast, hee growes so gentle, that they may deale vith him as they please. Wherefore they then kill him, take out his fat, and divide or cut his skin into thongs, which because they are strong and doe not rot, are much esteemed of.
The Arabians of Mount Mazovan, which runnes alongst the Red Sea, chiefly feed on a fish called Orobone, which is very terrible and much feared by other fish, being nine or ten foot long, and of a breadth agreeable thereto, and it is covered with scailes like a Crocodile.
A Crocodile is a vaste creature, comming sometimes to be fifteene cubites long, and seeing it is a creature that doth not bring forth young, but egges, it useth at the most to lay some sixty egges, no bigger than Goose egges, rising to such bignesse from so small beginnings (for the hatched young one is proportionable to the egge): she is very long lived.
It hath so small and uselesse a tongue, that it may seeme to have none at all. Where∣fore seeing it lives both on land and water; as it lives on land it is to bee taken for a tongue, but as it lives part of the life in the water it hath no use of a tongue, and ther∣fore is not to bee reputed one. For fishes either wholly want tongues, or else have them so impedite and bound, that they serve for little use. The Crocodile onely of all other things moves the upper jaw, the lower remaining unmoveable: for her feet, they are neither good to take nor hold any thing; she hath eyes not unlike those of swine, long teeth standing forth of the mouth, most sharpe clawes, a scaily skill, so hard that no weapon can pierce it. Of the land Crocodile (resembling this both land and water one) is made the medicine Crocodilea, most singular for sore eyes, be∣ing anointed with the juice of leekes, it is good against suffusions or dimnesse of the sight; it takes away freckles, pustles, and spots; the Gall anointed on the eyes, helps Cataracts, but the blood cleares the sight.
Thevet saith they live in the fountaines of the river Nilus, or rather in a lake flow∣ing from the same fountaines, and that he saw some that were sixe paces long, and a yard crosse the backe, so that their very lookes were formidable. They catch them thus; when as the water of Nilus falls, the Aegyptians let down a line, having there∣to fastened an iron hooke of some three pound waight, made very large and strong, upon this hooke they put a piece of the flesh of a Camell or some other beast; which when as he sees, he presently falls upon it, and devoures it hooke and all, wherewith when he findes himselfe to bee cruelly pulled and pinched, it would delight you to see how he frets and leaps aloft; then they draw him thus hooked, by little and lit∣tle to the shore, and fasten the rope surely to the next tree, lest hee should fall upon
them that are about him; then with prongs, and such things they so belabour his belly, where as his skin is soft and thinne, that at length they kill him, and uncasing him, they make ready his flesh, and eat it for delicious food. John Lereus, in his history of Brasil, writes that the Salvages of that country willingly feed upon Cro∣codiles, and that hee saw some who brought into their houses young ones, where∣with the children gathering about it, would play without receiving any harme thereby.
True (saith Pliny) is that common opinion, Whatsoever is brought forth in a∣ny part of Nature, that also is in the sea, and many other things over and above, that are in no other place. You may perceive that there are not onely the resemblances of living creatures, but also of other things; if you looke upon the sword, saw, cow∣cumber, like in smell and colour to that of the earth, that you may lesse wonder at the Sea feather and grape, whose figures I have given you out of Rondeletius.
The sea feather is like those feathers of birds, which are worne in hats for orna∣ment, after they are trimmed and drest for that purpose. The fishermen call them sea-prickes, for that one end of them resembleth the end of a mans yard, when the prepuce is drawne off it. As long as it is alive it swells, and becomes sometimes big∣ger and sometimes lesser; but dead, it becomes very flaccide and lanke: it shines bright on the night like a starre.
You may by this gather, that this which wee here expresse is the Grape whereof Pliny makes mention, because in the surface and upper part thereof it much resem∣bles a faire bunch of Grapes; it is somewhat longish, like a mis-shapen clubbe, and hangs upon a long stalke. The inner parts are nothing but confusion, sometimes distinguished with little glandules, like that wee have here figured alone by it selfe.
In the Sea neere the Island Hispaniola in the West Indies, there may be seene ma∣ny monstrous fishes, amongst which Thevet in his Cosmography thought this most rare and observable, which in the vulgar language of the natives is termed Aloes. For it is just like a goose, with a long and straight necke, with the head ending sharpe, or in a Cone, not much unlike a sugar-peare, it is no bigger than agoose, it wanteth scailes, it hath foure finnes under the belly for swimming, when it is above water you would say that it were a goose.
The Sarmatian, or Easterne Germane Ocean containes fishes unknowne to hot countries, and very monstrous. Such is that which resembling a snaile, equalls a barrell in magnitude of body, and a stag in the largenesse and branches of her hornes: the ends of her hornes are rounded as it were into little balls, shining like unto pearles, the necke is thicke, the eyes shining like to lighted candles, with a roundish nose set with haires like to a cats, the mouth wide, whereunder hangs a piece of flesh very ugly to behold. It goes on foure legges, with so many broad and crooked feet, the which with a longtaile, and variegated like a Tiger, serves her for finnes to swim
withall. This creature is so timerous, that though it be an Amphibium, that is, which lives both in the water and ashore, yet usually it keeps it selfe in the sea, neither doth it come ashore to feed unlesse in a very cleare season. The flesh thereof is very good and gratefull meat, and the blood medicinable for such as have their livers ill affect∣ed, or their lungs ulcerated, as the blood of great Tortoises is good for the Lepro∣sie. Thevet in his Cosmography affirmeth that hee saw this in Denmarke.
In a deepe lake of fresh water, upon which stands the great city or towne of The∣mistitan, in the Kingdome of Mexico, which is built upon piles, like as Venice is, there is found a fish of the bignesse of a Calfe, called by the southerne Salvages, An∣dura, but by those of the place, and the Spaniards the conquerers of that place, Ho∣ga. It is headed and eared almost like a swine; from the chaps hang five long bear∣ded appendices, of the length of some halfe a foot, like the beard of a Barbell. It hath flesh very gratefull and good to eat. It bringeth forth live young like as the Whale. As it swimmes in the waters, it seemes greene, yellow, red, and of many colours, like a Chameleon: it is most frequently conversant about the shore sides of the lake, and there it feeds upon the leaves of the tree called Hoga, whence also the fish hath its name. It is a fearefully toothed and fierce fish, killing and devouring such as it meeteth withall, though they bee biggerthan her selfe: which is the reason why the Fishermen chiefly desire to kill her, as Thevet affirmeth in his Cosmogra∣phy.
Andrew Thevet in his Cosmography writes that as he sailed to America, hee saw infinite store of flying fishes, called by the salvages Bulampech, who rising out of the water, flye some fifty paces, escaping by that meanes from other greater fish that thinke to devoure them.
This kinde of flying fish exceeds not the bignesse of a Mackrell, is round headed, with a blewish backe, two wings which equall the length of almost all their body. They oft times flye in such a multitude, that they fall foule upon the sailes of ships, whilest they hinder one anothers sight, and by this meanes they fall upon the decks, and become a prey to the Sailers: which same we have read confirmed by John Lereus in his history of Brasil.
In the Venetian gulfe, betweene Venice and Ravenna, two miles above Quioza, anno Dom. 1550. there was taken a flying fish, very horrible and monstrous, being foure foot long, it had a very great head, with two eyes standing in a line, and not one against another, with two eares, and a double mouth, a snout very fleshy and greene, two wings, five holes in her throat, like those of a Lamprey, a taile an ell
long, at the setting on whereof there were two little wings. This monster was brought alive to Quioza, and presented to the chiefe of the city, as a thing where∣of the like had not beene formerly seene.
There are so many and different sorts of shells to be found in the Sea, that it may be truely said, that Nature, the hand-maid of the Almighty, desports it selfe in the framing of them. In so great diversity I have chiefly made choice of three to treat of here, as those that are worthy of the greatest admiration. In these lye hid certain little fishes, as snailes in their shells, which Aristotle calls Cancelli, and hee affirmeth them to be the common companions of the crusted and shell fishes, as those which in their species or kinde are like to Lobsters, and use to be bred without shells; but as they creepe into shells, and there inhabite, they are like to shell fishes. It is one of these that is termed the Hermite. He hath two somewhat long and slender hornes, under which are his eyes, alwaies standing out of his head, as those which he cannot plucke and draw in, as Crabbes can. His fore-feet have clawes upon them, where with he defends himselfe, and carries meat to his mouth, having two other on each side, and a third being lesser, the which he useth in going. The female laies egges, which hang forth at her backe part as if they were put upon a thread, being joyned together by certaine little membranes. Lastly, in the opinion of Aelian, the Cancellus or small Cray-fish is borne naked and without a shell, but within a while after, she of many which shee findes empty, makes choice of a fit one, and when as growne bigger, she cannot bee contained or dwell any longer therein, or else being stimulated with a naturall desire of copulation, she removes into a more capacious and convenient one. These little Cray-fishes oft times fight together for their habi∣tation, and the stronger carries away the empty shell, or else makes the weaker to quit possession. Now the shell is either of a Nerita, or Turbo, and oft times of a small Purple; and entring into possession, she carries it about, there feeds and growes, and •…•…en seekes a more capacious one as Aristotle saith in the formerly cited place.
Somethinke that this Bernard the Hermite is that kinde of Cancellus which is by Pliny termed Pinnoter; but in truth the Pinnoter is not a kinde of Cancellus or Cray-fish, but of a little Crab. Now in Aristotle there is much difference betweene Can∣cellus and Cancer parvus, though Pliny may seeme to confound them; for he is bred naked, having his crust onely, but without a shell: wherefore seeing that by nature he wants it, he diligently searches for it, and dwells in it, when as he hath found it: But the Pinnoter is not bred by it selfe alone, but in Pinna and some others, and hee changeth not his habitation, because (as Aristotle thinks) being of the kind of dwarfe Crabbes, it never growes bigge, neither dwells it in empty shells. Now the Pinna, or Pime is a kinde of shell-fish, it breeds in muddy places, and is alwaies open, nei∣ther is it at any time without a companion, which they therefore call the Pinnoter, or Pinnophylax(i. e.) the Pin-keeper, as Pliny saith. Verily that these things are thus, you may plainely perceive by these words of Athenaeus. Chrysippus Solensis 5. de Honest. & Volupt. saith the Pinna and Pinnoter assist and further each other, neither can they liveasunder. The Pinna may be referred to the kinds of oysters, but the Pinnoter is a dwarfe Crabbe: the Pinna opens her shell for the little fishes to enter thereinto; the Pinnoter stands by, observing if any come in, which if they doe, he gives the Pin noice thereof by biting, who presently thereupon shuts her shell, and so they feed together upon that they catch by this meanes. Thus Athenaeus. Shee is also for this her craft mentioned by Plutarch in his writings. The Pinnoter is sometimes cal∣led by Pliny, Cancer dapis assectator.
But that which by these authors is attributed to the dwarfe Crabbe, the same by Cicero is ascribed to the little shrimpe: now the Pinna (saith hee) opening her two large shels, enters into confederacy with the little shrimp for getting of food, where∣fore when little fishes swimme into her gaping shell, then the Pinna, admonished by the shrimps biting her, shuts her shell; thus two unlike creatures get their livings to∣gether. But Plutarch seemes to make the Pinna to be the Pearle Oister, in that work of his, whereas he enquireth whether the craft of Water or Land beastes bee the greater.
But amongst the most miraculous fishes may fitly bee placed the Nautilos, or Say∣ler, of some called Pompylos (it is thought to bee a kinde of Polypus) it comes with the face upwards to the toppe of the Sea, raising it selfe by little and little, that casting forth all the water by a pipe, as if it had a Pumpe, it easily floats; then putting backe the two first tendrills or armes, it extends betweene them a membrane of wondrous fineness or thinnesse, which gathering aire like as a saile, and she rowing with the rest of her armes, she guides her selfe with her taile in the midst, as a Rudder. Thus shee sailes along in imitation of Pinnaces, and if any thing affright her, she presently takes in water, and sinkes herselfe.
The better to store this treatise of Monsters, abusing the name with the Poets, we will reckon up the whale amongst the Sea-monsters, by reason of his monstrous and wondrous magnitude. Now the Whale is the greatest by much of all the fishes of the Sea, for most commonly this beast is thirty sixe cubits long, eight high, the slit of his mouth is eighteene foot long, teeth they have none, but in stead thereof in each Jaw horny blacke excrescences or finnes [which we vulgarly terme Whale bones] which by little and little end in small haires like to a swines bristles, which comming and standing out of his mouth, are in stead of Guides, lest whilest he swimmes with a blind and rapide violence, he might runne against a rocke. His eyes are distant one from the other the space of foure elles, which outwardly appeare small, but inward∣ly they are bigger than a mans head; wherefore they are deceived that say that they are no bigger than an Oxes eyes: his nose is short, but in the middle of his forhead he hath a pipe whereat hee drawes in the aire, and casts forth a whole shower or ri∣ver of water, that therewith he will even sinke the vessels or boats of the Marriners; when hee hath filled himselfe beyond measure, hee cryes or roars with so great or strong a voice, that hee may bee heard two miles off. Hee hath two very large sinnes upon his sides wherewith he swimmes, and under which in time of danger he hides his young; hee hath none upon his backe. His taile in site is like to the tailes of Dol∣phines, neither is it much unlike in shape, which when he moves, hee so tosseth the Sea, that he drownes and overturnes the boats that hee toucheth. You may by dis∣secting them finde that a Whale brings forth live young, and gives them sucke; or the male hath testicles and a yard, but the female a wombe and dugges. They are taken in divers places about winter, but chiefly about the coast of Aquitaine, a••a small towne which is vulgarly called Biarris, some sixe miles distant from Bayon: whereunto I being sent by King Charles the ninth when he was at Bayon, to cure the Prince of Roche Sur-You, I was an eye witnesse how they are caught; and also I con∣firmed that which I had formerly read to that purpose, in that excellent and most true history of fishes set forth by Rondeletius. Now at that towne there is a little hill, in the toppe whereof there is a Tower of very great antiquity, from which as from a watch-Tower they keepe watch whether or no any Whales swimme that way. Wherefore the watch-men from the tower, either seeing, or by the horrible noise hearing a Whale to passe by that way, they give warning thereof to the inhabitants by the beating of Drums, and ringing a Bell: which signe once given, they all runne forthwith, as to extinguish the city if it were on fire, being furnished with weapons and all things fitting for that purpose. For the people of that country are very dili∣gent and expert in catching the Whale. Wherefore in each of the boats furnished with all things either to assaile or flye, there are put ten lusty rowers, and divers o∣thers furnished with harping-irons to strike the Whale; which being cast and faste∣ned in her, they loose out huge long ropes fastened to them, untill such time as he be dead, then together with the ropes, and assisted by the waves of the sea, they draw the Whale (wearied with running and labouring, and fainting by reason of the mag∣nitude and multitude of his wounds, being in the time of their conflict diligently chased and driven toward the shore) a land; & merrily part the prey, each whereof hath his share, according to the number of the irons throwne, the magnitude of the wound, and the necessity and excellency of the wounded part for life: each of their harping-irons are knowne by their peculiar markes. In the heat of the skirmish ma∣ny stand up and downe in boats, onely for this purpose, to take up such as chance to fall into the Sea, lest they should be drowned. The males are caught with more dif∣ficulty, the females more easily, especially if their young ones bee with them; for whilest they linger to helpe and succour them, they lose the occasion of esca∣ping. The flesh is of no esteeme, the tongue onely is commendable; for being very large, and of a very laxe substance, it is poudred, and by most Gentlemen accounted for a dainty. The larde is dispersed over many countries, to be boiled & eaten with fish in the time of Lent, that Gourmandizers may have something to serve them in¦stead of flesh which is then forbidden. There is great store of fat in them in the parts under the skin and belly, which melted, concretes not againe, by reason of the sub∣tlety of the parts, they keepe it to burne in lampes, and to use about their ships. The
houses of the fish-eaters are builded with their bones; also orchards in the coast of Aquitaine are fenced with these bones. The finnes that stand forth of their mouths, which are commonly called Whale-bones, being dryed and polished, serve to make buskes for women, whip-staves, and little staves, as also to stiffen garments. Many make seats or stooles of the vertebrae, or spondills of the backe-bone.
In the river Scalde, ten miles from Antwerpe, Anno Dom. 1577. the second day of July, there was a Whale taken, of a blackish blue colour, shee had a spout hole in the top of her head, out of which shee cast great store of water: she was fifty eight foot long, and sixteene foot high: hertaile was fourteene foot broad; from the eye to the end of her nose was some sixteene foot. Her lower jaw was sixe foot on each side, she had twenty five teeth, which shee could hide in her upper jaw, there being holes for them, it being wholly toothlesse; for which one thing this Whale may bee judged monstrous, for that nature hath denied them teeth, and for that in creatures that are not horned, it is so ordained by nature, that when they have teeth in their lower jaw, they should have others also in the upper to answer to them, so to chaw their meat. The longest of these teeth exceeded not sixe inches.
There is (as Pliny reports) a very small fish accustoméd to live about rockes, it is called Echencis, never exceeding the length of a foot; it is thought that shippes goe more slowly if this stick to them: wherefore the Latines have also given it the name of Remora, for that a ship being under saile with a good wind, may by the Echeneis seazing on her as if she would devoure her, be stayed against the Saylers wills, and stand still as if she were in a safe harbour. Wherefore shee is said in the Actian fight to have stayed the ship of Marcus Antonius, hastening to goe about and encourage his souldierś, so that he was forced to enter into another ship, and thereupon Casars navie came upon them too hastily, and before they were provided.
Shee also staid the ship of the Emperour Caius, comming from Astura to Antes, his ship of all the naive making no way; neither did they long wonder at this stay, the cause being presently knowne; some forthwith leaping into the Sea to finde the cause thereof, there found her about the ship, even sticking to the Rudder, and they shewed her to Caius, being wrath that this so small a thing should stoppe him, and countermaund the endeavour of forty Rowers.
Therefore this little fish tames and infringes the violence and madnesse of the world, & that with no labour, not with holding or any other way, but only by stick∣ing thereto. Certainly how ever it comes to passe, who from this example of holding of ships, can doubt of any power or effect of nature, in medicines which grow natu∣rally? Yea & without this example, the Torpedo out of the sea also may be sufficient, who a farre off, and at a distance, if it be touched with a speare or rod, will benumbe even the strongest armes, and retarde the feet, how ever nimble to runne away.
Lib. 9. cap. 5.
Lib. 5. chron.
This here fi∣gured is the sea-Morse, taken commonly by our men in their Greene-land voyages: and I udge the sea∣••ore and Ele∣phant to be the same, but that, the Painter ha•…•… shewed his skill too much in ••e one: and the other is an old ••orse, as this ••ere figu∣red i a young one.
The Crocodile only moves the upper jaw.
Expende dili∣genter Plinii lo∣cum lib. 23. cap. 8.
Cosmograph∣tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 8. How they, take Crocodiles.
cap. 10.
Lib. 9. cap. 1.
The blood of great sortoises good for the le∣prosie. Tom. 2. lib. 20.
4. de hist. anim. cap. 4.
By crusted is meant Crabs, Lobsters, Shrimps, and such like. The descripti∣on of the Her∣mire cray-fish.
Lib. 7. cap. 31.
They change their habitati∣on for two cau∣ses.
What the Pin∣noter, or dwaf crab is.
What the Pin∣na is.
Lib. 9. cap. 42. Lib. 3. Deipne.
The familiari∣ty and craft of the Pinna and Pinnoter,
Lib. 2. de ••at. de∣crum.
Psin. lib. 9. cap. 29.
How the Whale may be recko∣ned amongst monsters.
A whale brings forth young, & sueklesthem.
How they are caught.
Why the fe∣males are more easily caught than the males.
Whalebone.
Lib. 9. cap. 25. & lib. 32. ca. 1.
The wondrous power of the Remora.
The wondrous force of the Torpedo.