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. VIII.

Concerning the Scolopendrae and Juli.

THE Scolopendrae, and Juli, and Cheeselips march in the last rank. They far surpass in the number of their feet, Catterpillers, Staphylini, and Whurlworms, and all kindes of Insects, whence they are called Many-feet by a peculiar name belonging to them. Aristotle cals this Scolopen∣dra; Theophrastus, Scolopia; Dioscorides (from the destruction of Serpents) cals it Ophioctone; Varinus and Hesychius call it Amphydes phaganon; others, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and some call it Thousand-feet, and Many-feet; the vulgar Greeks call it Scolopetra; the Latines also call this Scolopendra and Sepa, and dirty-hog, and hundred-feet, thousand-feet, many-feet; which three last names also they give to Juli. In Hebrew they call it Ghazam; in Arabick, Alcamptia, and Alamula, as Silvaticus testi∣fies; Albertus cals it Almuga, Altapua; in the Polish Tongue, Stonogroback, Gaflauka; in the Hungarian Tongue, Zones, Hiragopap, Matzkaia; in High Dutch, Ein nassel; in Italian, Cento∣pede * 1.1 Vermi; in French, Chenille, Millepied; in English, Scolopender and Manyfoot. In my judge∣ment it differs as far from Julus, as a sea Lobster from a Crevis. They are indeed like to one ano∣ther, but these are alwaies less, nor are they so mischievous when they bite, nor so veno∣mous.

The great earth Scolopender is as long and thick as you have it pictured; the colour of the bo∣dy is black from brown, and shining. To every incision a yellow little foot is joyned, that is, in the several sides sixty. It goeth forward and backward with equal ease. For it goes with the head forward, and with the tail forward; and therefore Nicander and Rhodoginus call it two heads. It hath the part between the head and belly not single, but manifold; whence it comes to pass that this kinde can live though it be cut in sunder. This Scolopender being provoked bites so sharply, that Ludovicus Armarus (who gave me one brought out of Africa) could scarce endure him to bite his hand, though he had a good glove on, and a double linnen cloth; for he strook his forked mouth deep into the cloth, and hung a long time, and would hardly be shaken off.

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Another was brought from new Hispaniola, which had on the midst of the back a flame co∣loured line to adorn it; and a red side, and colour of the hair set it forth. It had feet like to hairs, and lifting it self upon them all, it ran very swiftly: this is worthy of the greatest admiration, that Nature having given to this creature a small head, yet it hath given memory to it, and the rule of reason, not in pints and pitchers, but in the largest measure. For seeing it hath feet innume∣rable as Rowers, and many of them are from the Rudder the head at a great distance, yet every one knows his own office, and as the head directs, so they all frame their motion.

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Another was brought to us from St. Augustines Promontory out of India, something greater in body and feet: which had 70 black and blew incisions, and twice as many light red feet.

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I doubt not but more sorts of Scolopenders may be found, of almost all colours except green; yet Ardoynus makes mention of one that was green. Each of them hath an inbred property, to go to the roots of sword grass (as Theophrastus thinks). But Robertus Constantinus deserves to be whipt, and so doth Stephanus that followes him, and Ardoynus himself, who invent that a Sco∣lopender is first a Serpent, then hath eight feat, then a horn in its tail, and lastly, it is a slow goer. Albertus, Rhodoginus, Avicenna, are to be blamed also, who affirm rashly, that no Insect hath above twenty feet, and they put the Scolopender in that number. Yet Nicander cals him two headed in these verses:

The Scolopender hath each end a head; And stings with both, untill that men be dead: With feet like ores he wafts himself along, &c.

Yet by the favour of so great an Author, I might say that he hath but one head; though he can as easily move forward or backward with his tail conducting him, as with his head. And this I believe deceived Nicander and others. But he saith farther, that he bites at both ends; which is as false as the former; for he bites only with his forked mouth, and hurts not with his tail, otherwaies than by a venomous touch, and by putting forth poysonous bloud.

Oppianus holds it to be more fierce than the sea Scolopender, and so it is indeed: and I great∣ly wonder that Grevinus Parisiensis, upon no authority, in his Book of Venomes should op∣pose this.

All Histories testifie that this creature is dangerous and venomous, and so much the more as it is more hairy. We read in Aelian that the Rhytienses were driven out of their City by the multitudes of these creatures: and Theophrastus affirms the like concerning the Obterietes in Pliny: therefore though we have ranked the Scolopenders in the last place, yet in executing di∣vine vengeance, they may sometimes challenge the first place. Countrey people do judge of fair weather by the frequent coming forth of the Scolopenders; and when they hide themselves they foreshew rain, as Marcellus Virgilius hath noted on Dioscorides. They have these uses in Phy∣sick. If they be boyled in Oyl, they take off hair with a little pricking, Gal. 11. Simpl. and Ae∣tius lib 7. They are enemies to Wiglice, that are most stinking creatures, and kill them with their breath, or eat them alive. Again, Wiglice being either taken inwardly, or anointed out∣wardly, are a remedy for their bitings, by a reciprocal, and as it were emulating antipathy, as is manifest from Pliny, and Ardoynus lib. 6. concerning poysons. When the land Scolopender hath bitten, the place is all black and blew, putrefies and swels, and looks like to the dregs of red Wine, and is ulcerated with the first bite. Aegineta. Aetius adds that the pain is intolerable. Dioscorides saith the whole body pricks. All hold that this bite is incurable, and will admit al∣most no remedy. It hath (saith Anazarbeus) symptomes, prevention, and cure, the same as for the stinging of a Viper, lib. 6. c. 23. Against this disease some things are taken inwardly, some things are applied outwardly.

Amongst inward Remedies, Aegineta commends Trifoly that smels like Bitumen, drank with Wine. Dioscor. approves much of wild Rue, the root of Dragons bruised, the root, seeds, and flowers of Asphodill, the branches and leaves of Serpol, Calaminth, the roots of Fennel and Birthwort, given with pure Wine, or Wine and Oyl. Actuarius gives Nix with Wine. Pliny commends Salt with Vinegar, or rather the froth of Salt as being the better. Also he highly esteems of Horse-mints, or wilde Penniroyal taken in Wine. Aetius bids give Wormwood and Mints with Wine.

As for outward Remedies, first scarifie the place hurt, make deep incision, and draw out the ve∣nome by Cupping-glasses; then put in the juice of the lesser Centory, boyle with a third part of sweet Wine to the consistence of Honey, and binde a leather over it for eight or fourteen daies. Then foment the place with a spunge dipt in hot Wine, and this is a certain cure for the bite of a Scolopender. Anonymus. Pliny also prescribed divers remedies for it, as the dregs of Vinegar, washing the place with Vinegar, the flower of Millet with liquid pitch, Butter with Honey, the green Figs of the wilde fig-tree with Vetches and Wine, the Urine of the patient hurt and of a Wether, burnt Salt anointed with Vinegar and Honey, wilde Penniroyal with Salt, Salt with Tar and Honey, wilde Cummin with Oyl; and all kindes of Maiden-hairs. Diosco∣rides commends Garlick, with Fig-leaves and Cummin, and with Vetch Meal and Wine, also the leaves of Calamint, and burnt Barley with Vinegar; also he commends a Fomentation made

of sowre Pickle: Archigenes bids foment the part with Allum-water: Aegineta saith, with much hot Oyl. Nonius prescribes hot Oyl of Rue.

Some commend exceedingly both outwardly and inwardly such things as are given against the biting of a Shrew. Aristotle writes that the Scolopenders are deluded and drawn forth with the fume of liquid Storax, and are easily taken whilest they stick to the clamminess of it.

Of the Juli.

THE kindes of the Juli follow next: which the Greeks call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; and that as I think not from their down, but from the tails of Walnuts and smal Nuts, whose hair being fastned in * 1.2 a hard substance, represents these Cats-tails, whence they had the names of Juli. I know the Latines call them Juli, but I should call them Galleys. For Lycophron called the Galleys of Pa∣ris that were swift with many ores, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Nicander applies the same similitude to Scolo∣penders; whence it may easily appear, that Juli and Scolopenders are like one to the other. The Spaniards call these Centopeas: the Italians, Cento gambi. It may be the English after me will call them Gally-worms: Numenius also called earth-worms black Juli, as Athenaeus witnesseth lib. 7.

Black Juli that feed on earth are called the earths bowels; yet unless they have many feet, they cannot be numbred or named amongst the Juli. Juli are as I said, short Scolopenders, that for the number of their feet, exceed not only Hoglice, and all Catterpillers, but also all other Insects. Some Juli are smooth, others hairy. I saw a smooth one in a Cabbage Lettice

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as thick as a small river bulrush, and of the same magnitude you see it here: it had a very black head, the back was of a golden co∣lour, the belly was silver coloured from gray, the incisions and * 1.3 hairy feet were so many that they easily overcame both the eyes and memory. The second was all black, except a white line, which was drawn down the back, straight from head to the tail. The third was a decayed yellow, his head and feet were red, the sailyards, and the hairs growing near the tail, were black and blew. If you paint the fourth with a body blackish red, and his feet and sailyards lighter, you have rightly set him out: we caught some of these coming forth of moss growing on the barks of trees, and others lurking under trees and rotten logs. I could meet but with two hairy ones. The first was white of this form and figure, it crept on a wall, the short hairs that grew on twere black. The second had a black and blewish belly, and a back spotted with an uncom∣ly yellow. The mouth was red, a black eye, the hairs were hoary. It lies hid in old decayed trees between the bark and the wood; and also amongst stones that are overgrown with mosie and thick downy hair. All these Gally-worms, if they be touched roll themselves up, and become round. I cannot tell whether they are venomous or not, but if they be, O happy Pennius, who di∣vers times with his bare hand provoked and killed them, and yet was never bitten nor hurt by them. George Agricola tels us of a Gally-worm of a brazen colour (but he cals it a Scolopender) his words art these: A little Scolopender is bred and lives in the logs of trees, or in posts driven into the earth, (whence it hath its name) remove these or stir them, and it will come forth; otherwise it alwaies lurks there. It hath no feathers, but hath many feet: when it creeps it lifts up the middle of a body like a vault: if you touch it with a little wand or any other thing, it rols it self together. It is of a brazen colour, a slender body, not broad, but three fingers long, or at most four.

Also it is found in another form, almost in the very same places, with a slender round body, the thickness almost of a thread, of an allayed bright bay colour, the feet are so many and so small, that it is impossible to number them. It is four fingers broad in length; it remains under rot∣ten trees and plants. Avicenna makes the Scolopender (which is also a Gally-worm) to have 44 feet only, and to be the palm of ones hand long; so small and slender, that it can creep into the ears. Lib. 4. Feu. 6. tract. 5. cap. 19. This creature, saith he, hath no venome, or but very weak, and causeth no great pain: which is presently taken away with the flowers of Asphodils, or with Salt mingled with Vinegar. Our Gally-worms (saith Gesner) if they be in the houses, they will come together to St. Thomas Sugar, that is the most pure, (as Mice do to the best Cheese). Our Countreyman Bruerus (a skilful and laborious searcher of Nature) reports that he hath seen here in England Scolopenders, and kept them, that shined in the night, and in mossy and broo∣my grounds shined with their whole body: who was no lier, and I willingly give credit to him; and so much the rather, because Oviedus saith he observed the same in new Hispaniola in the fields, and Cordus did the like in Germany in moist cellars. It seems strange that Plutarch re∣lates, Lib. 8. Sympos. problem. 9. that a stripling at Athens cast up a small ragged creature, toge∣ther with a great deal of seed: it had many feet, and walked exceeding fast.

The Galley-worm found in cellers, burnt to powder, doth wonderfully provoke Urine. Me∣rula. * 1.4 The bloud of Galley-worms, with the moisture pressed out of Hog-lice, is a divine and excellent remedy to take away the white spots of the eyes. Arnold. Brev. 1. cap. 18.

And thus much for Galley-worms, concerning whose Natures, I passe over the opini∣ons of Hesichius, Aristotle, Nicander, Lycophron, Ardoynus, because they are various, but not true.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Name.
• * 1.2

  The Name.
• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

  The Us••.