The history of four-footed beasts and serpents describing at large their true and lively figure, their several names, conditions, kinds, virtues ... countries of their breed, their love and hatred to mankind, and the wonderful work by Edward Topsell ; whereunto is now added, The theater of insects, or, Lesser living creatures ... by T. Muffet ...

CHAP. XXV.

Of Wall-lice.

THE Greeks call it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Latins, Cimex; the Hebrews, Pischpescz, from seeking; for it seeks after living creatures that are asleep, to suck their bloud. Isidore will have it called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and Cimex, from the herb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which they call Cimicaria; I confess ingenuously I know not what herb it is, unless it be that low and stinking kinde of wilde Orach, which growing near to wals and heaps of dirt, is called by a bawdy name, Vulvaria. For Coris of Matthiolus smels

well, and therefore agrees not with Cimicaria. The Arabians and Barbarians call it Alcarad, Deboliar, Fesases, Coroda, and Corab: the Germans Wantlausz; the English, Wall-lowse; the Saxons Wantzen, that is Wall-lowse; the Brabant people call it not amiss Wuegluys, or Lowse of bedsteds; the Spaniards call them Chimesas; the Italians Cimice; the French Punaise. Now Wall-lice are either home-bred and without wings, or winged and wilde Lice. We spake of these in the first Book, now we shall speak of those that breed in houses.

This home-bred Lowse is a creature naturally disdained, to use the words of Pliny, it is almost like to a Tike, for the body of it is of the figure called Rhomboides, black of colour with a little

[illustration]

red: it hath short feet near the neck, on each side three, and the belly and back marked with incisions; the skin is very thin, that it will break in pieces with the least touch, and send forth a most abominable stink. In the night by biting shatply, it sucks bloud out of mens bodies to sustain it self. For like Moths it cannot endure the light, and when the day breaks it will go into chinks of beds and wals. After it hath bit it leaves behinde purple spots swoln with an itching pain. They are bred, after Aristotles opinion, from moisture that sweats fo••th on the surface of the bodies of living creatures, lib. 5. c. 31. histor. but without doubt they arise from other humours corrupting about beds, and that sweat out of wood by degrees. Also they propagate by copulation, as Pennius observed about Orleance; for whilest he kept company with a Spaniard born at Capera, he strove to draw his sword to cut off a bough: but when he could hardly do it for the rust, he was forced to cut his scabbard, where he found abundance of great Wall-lice, with a great company of young ones, and a multitude of whitish eggs of a watry complexion. Scaliger saith they will breed in Hens nests, and also in a short time they will infinitely increase in the Quails nests. They are frequent in Fir-tree bedstids, and chiefly when the straw growes old. Also they will breed in paper-books. Ludovicus Vives in his Dialogues, thinks that wals overcast with Alabaster are the most ready to breed Worms▪ It is commonly said (saith Josephus Scaliger) that Wall-lice will breed from Wall-lice bruised, which is hardly credible. Cardan that was a fancier of subtilties, writes that the Carthusians are never vexed with Wall-lice, and he gives the cause, because they eat no flesh. The beds at Tolouse (I use Scaligers words) eat no flesh, yet they are noted for breeding Wall-lice. He should rather have alledged their cleanliness, and the frequent washing of their beds and blankets to be the cause of it, which when the French, the Dutch, and Italians do less regard, they more breed this plague. But the English that take great care to be cleanly and decent are seldom troubled with them. In the year 1503. when Pennius writ this, he was called in great haste to a little village called Moreclack near the Thames, to visit two Noblemen, who were much frighted by perceiving the prints of Wall-lice, and were in doubt of I know not what con∣tagion. But when the matter was known, and the Wall-lice were catched. he laught them out of all fear. Against those enemies of our rest in the night, our merciful God hath furnished us with remedies, that we may fetch out of old and new writers, which being used will either drive them away or kill them. For they are killed with the smoke of Oxe-dung, Horse-hair, Swallows, Scolopendra, Brimstone, Vitriol, Arsenick, Verdigrease, Lignum aloes, Bdellium, Fern, Spatula Foetida, Birthwort, Clematitis, Myrt••ls, Cummin, Lupins, Knotgrass, Gith, Cypress, as we read in Aetius, Rhasis, Florentinus, Didymus, and Cardan. But the best way is with curtains drawn about the bed, so to shut in the smoke, that it can have no vent. And for this end un∣guents, oyntments, Embrocations are provided of gall of an Oxe, he Goat, Hedge-hog, Calf, she Goat, Asse, with the leaves of Cucumers and Ivy, Citrons, Ising-glass, Oyl lees, Oxe dung, and the sharpest Vinegar, quick Brimstone, Squils, Capers, wilde Staves-acre, Wormwood, sweet Wine, Lime, Quicksilver, Bayes, black Soap, winter Cherries, juyce of Oranges, Lemons, &c. whereof consult Varro, Palladius, Arnoldus, Didymus and others: what concerns preventional means, Hemp-seed, or winter Cherries laid near the bed, or hanged up drive away Wall-lice. De∣mocritus saith, that Harts-horn or Hares feet hanging about the bed-posts, will do as much: which another author ascribes to a Foxes ear. The dregs of boyled Butter cast where there are Wall-lice, will wonderfully kill them, for they will feed on that till they burst. May be this is that fat whereof Cardan speaks in these words: I knew once, saith he, but I have forgot, a fat, that being smeered on a wooden round circle, would so allure all the Wall-lice unto it, like a charm, that one could scarse see the wood for them. Some say that a half-penny laid under the bed will drive away Wig-lice. Some hang by a sheet wet in cold water, and so by actual cold they drive them away. Oyl of it self or with Vitriol, or Buls gall, or the decoction of black Chamaeleon will drive away Wall-lice. Moreover all things that are exceeding bitter, and have a stronger smell, are doubtless good against Wall-lice. And that strong smels will drive them away, Olaus Mag∣nus shewes by many raw hides heapt up together. Alexander Benedictus saith that when these multiply over much, they foreshew the plague. For it signifies a corruption of the air, or hu∣mours, or both. Bacchus descending to hell, as the Greek Comedian wittily sets it down, desired Jupiter to assign him such Innes in his journey, where there were but few Wall-lice: yet saith Pliny, that concord and discord, which fils all Physick, by the conduct of nature hath produced nothing that in some part is not good for man, and therefore that which that Co∣median

God thought hurtfull, mans posterity hath found beneficiall. Indeed wall-worms are of a corroding quality, yet have they place in Physick; for taken with the bloud of a Tortoise they cure the bitings of Serpents. By their smell the Epilepsie that ariseth from the strangling of the Mother, is discussed. Inclosed in an Egge or Wax or a Bean, and swallowed, are good for an Im∣postume, and a Quartan Ague, and will help them (saith Pliny, Dioscorides, Galen, Marcellus, Aetius, Actuarius.) Drank with Vinegar or but smelt to, they will remove Horsleeches that stick too fast. Also the Verses of Quintus Serenus shew that they are good for Tertian Agues.

Shame not to drink three Wall-li••e mixt with wine, And Garlick bruised together at noon-day. Moreover a bruis'd Wall-louse with an Egge, repine Not for to take, 'tis loathsome, yet full good I say.

Gesner in his writings confirms this experiment, having made trial of it amongst the common and meaner sort of people in the Countrey. The Ancients gave seven to those that were taken with a Lethargy, in a cup of water, and four to children. Pliny and Serenus consents to it in these Verses.

Some men prescribe seven Wall-lice for to drink, Mingled with water, and one cup they think I•• better then with drowsy death to sink.

And he of old sang, that bleeding at the nose would be stayed with the only smell of Wig-lice. Some there are, that cure dark sights by reason of a Cataract, bruising these with Salt and Asses milk. Many anoynt painfull ears with honey mingled with Wall-lice, to good purpose. Also Marcellus saith they stay vomiting, and he saith it is a certain remedy, if a bruised Wall-louse be swallowed in a rear-egge, by one that is fasting, and knowes nothing of it. Pliny seems to prove from thence, that they are good against the stings of all Vipers, Adders, and all kinde of Serpents, because that Hens that feed on these, are free from the stinging of these Creatures. Aetius com∣mends Wall-lice against the Strangury, and to drive forth the Stone. Vegetius in this case puts one Wall-lowse into the ear, another into the passage of the Yard, and with a gentle friction of the parts, he affirms that they will presently make water, which remedy he seems to have bor∣rowed out of Herod in his Hippiatricks. Galen Eup. 5. reports, that Wall-lice will not only pro∣voke urine, but also drank for nine dayes space, will stop childrens water that goes from them a∣gainst their wills. Valarandus Donures an Islander, a most learned Apothecary of Lyons, often said, that these drank with water hot, or wine, or broth, would wonderfully help those that were troubled with the Stone. Moreover, the later writers wonderfully commend the ashes of them with a fit decoction cast in for a Clyster, to bring forth the Stone. If they be bruised and a∣noynted on the passage of the yard, it will presently provoke urine. Marcellus. There are saith Gesner, that for the Colick prescribe four live Wall-lice to drink in wine, in the morning, and then they command to fast two hours after, and they give as many to drink two hours before 〈…〉〈…〉pper, and so again the next day untill they have drank up twelve Lice: truly it is a remedy to be despised, but it is no new remedy in that desperate disease, and it is a present cure. It helped Functius the Governour of Zurick at the second taking, and so it did some of his Kindred also, and he was like to have written a commendation in praise of Wall-lice. What concernt outward diseases. If you pull up the hair by the roots, and anoynt the part affected with the bloud of Wall-lice, and let it dry, it is the opinion of Galen, Aetius, and Nonus, that they will never grow again. Pliny saith that if you anoynt the breasts with Goose-grease and Wall-lice, the pains will abate, the Moles of the matrix will break forth, and scabs of the privities will be cured. Corne∣nelius Gemma in his Appendix of his Cosmocritica, speaks of a woman in whose Skull opened, were found abundance of Wall-lice.