Arcana microcosmi, or, The hid secrets of man's body discovered in an anatomical duel between Aristotle and Galen concerning the parts thereof : as also, by a discovery of the strange and marveilous diseases, symptomes & accidents of man's body : with a refutation of Doctor Brown's Vulgar errors, the Lord Bacon's natural history, and Doctor Harvy's book, De generatione, Comenius, and others : whereto is annexed a letter from Doctor Pr. to the author, and his answer thereto, touching Doctor Harvy's book De Generatione / by A.R.

CHAP. I.

1. Fishes breath not: the Reasons thereof, and the contrary objections answered. 2. Fossil or earth-fishes. 3. Fishes delight in the light. 4. Fishes of Humane shapes. 5. Fishes are cun∣ning and docible creatures. 6. Why some Fishes have Feet and Wings. 7. Many monstrous fishes.

I. THat Fishes have no breathing, or respiration, is manifest, 1. Because they want Lungs, and other Instruments of breathing: For, though they may receive aire in at the mouth, and let it out again by their gills; yet this is not respiration, which is the a∣ction of the Lungs, Wind-pipe, and Dia∣phragma in attracting the air for refrigera∣tion, and emitting the same. 2. There is no air under or in the water, therefore fishes cannot breath there. For this cause terrestriall creatures die in the waters for want of air, as fishes die in the air for want of water. If any will say, That man dieth in the water, not for want of aire there, but for want of gills, or some other passage to let out the water received into the lungs; I answer, The Dolphin hath a passage, or

Fistula to let out the water; and yet there he could not live without suffocation, if he did not now and then elevate his head above the water to draw breath. If it be be again ob∣jected, That water is a body mixt with air, therefore Fishes doe breath; I answer, That so is wine which we drink, mixed with more air then water is; yet if we did not draw the air above, we should be quickly choked. The quantity of air in the water is so little, that it is discernable by Art onely, not by the senses: and so there is some water in that air which we breath; yet we are not said to breath water, but air. Again, if there were air in the water which the fishes drew, bubbles would appear upon the super••icies thereof, as we see in Mice, or other terrestriall creatures drownd in the water: For as soon as the water fils the breast and lungs, it draws out the air, which tending upward towards the super••••cies, ••auseth bubbles. If it be objected, That fishes breath, and yet ••ake no bubbling, because the air hath a free passage through the gills; I answer, That the freenesse of passage is no hinderance to bubbling, see∣ing any light agitation of the water will make bubbles, when it hath received air within ir, and so we deny not but fishes may make the water bubble, not by their breathing, but by their motion. 3. If fishes breath air in the water, why doe they die when they are in the air? If any say, It is because they cannot endure the coldnesse of the air; I answer, That the water is colder then the air. Again, we see, that the hot∣ter the air is, the fishes die the sooner. Hence it is observed, that ••els live longer in a Northern then in a Southern wind, and these live longer out of the water then other fishes, be∣cause their heat is in a more viscid and slimy humidity then o∣thers. Hence it is, that the parts cut off doe live and move sometime, because their heat is not easily dissipated in so slimy a matter. But some will object, That fishes out of the water gape for air, therefore they breath. Answ: To gape, or open the mouth, is no argument of breathing, except we will give respiration to Oysters which sometimes gape. Again, fishes gape not for air, but for water: so men in the water being al∣most stilled, gape, not for water, but for air. Object. 2. The air penetrateth into the thick earth, therefore much more in∣to the thin water. Answ. I deny that air can penetrate into the thick parts of the earth; for that were to make penetration of dimensions, but onely to avoid vacuity the air enters into, and fills up the holes and cavernosities of the earth: for if the air could pierce the thick earth, there would never be earth∣quakes;

and if that air which is mixt with the substances of the earth, were sufficient for respiration, Moles needed not take so much pains as to work through and make cavities purposely for respiration. For shut up a Mole within a parcell of earth which he cannot dig through, he will die for want of suffici∣ent air. Object. 3. Exhalations and vapours arise out of the water, which shews there is air. Answ. These exhalations are the thinner parts of the water turned into vapours by heat or motion▪ whence it will not follow, that air is in the water actually, or a body separated from the water, in which are not cavities, as in the earth, and much lesse will it follow, that fishes breath in the water, though there were air in it, see∣ing they want the organs of breathing, as is said. Object. 4. Fi∣shes inclosed in a vessel halfe full of water, strive to get up into the air. Answ. This striving to get uppermost, is not to en∣joy the air, which is not their element, but to get out of pri∣son, and to have more scope, being straitned in a narrow vessel: so fishes in the net struggle to get out, and to be at liberty. Object. 5. Fish in a close vessell die for want of air. Answ. They die for want of sweet water, which being included from fresh air, degenerates and putrifies. Hence fish die in a pond that is long frozen; because the water for want of agitation and fresh air, becomes ••nwholsome to the fishes, which yet can live a mone••h together under the Ice, without any air. Scaliger shewes that he hath kept fish in a close vessel, who have lived, and the same in an open vessell who have died. It is also ma∣nifest, that Leaches in a close glasse will live whole years with∣out air. Object. 6. Pliny objects against Aristotle, that as some creatures have not blood, but an humor; so some fishes want lungs, but have some other instrument by which they breath. Answ. It is as easie for us to deny, as for him to affirm that which he could never prove: For neither doth he shew what these fishes be, nor what are these instruments, nor (though there were such) can he prove that they breath by them. And though some creatures have an humor in stead of blood, yet that humor hath not the properties, qualities, nor office of the blood. Object. 7. Fishes gape, therefore they breath. Answ. Here is no sequell; for Oysters gape, which breath not, and many creatures breath which gape not. Again, if with their gaping there were any breathing, we should see (saith Aristotle) the breathing parts move; but there is no motion at all, and it is impossible there should be attraction and emission of the air without motion. Besides, if Fishes breathed, we should see

some bubbles on the water when their breath went out, as in breathing animals when they die in the water. It is true that lunged fishes, such as Dolphins, Whales, Seals, and Frogges, make bubbles, because they breath, which will not prove that all fishes do so. And yet there be other causes of bubbling be∣sides expiration: for rains, tempests, vapours, or any agitation of the water will cause bubbling. Object. 8. The Moon gives increment to shell-fishes, therefore their spirits also do increase. Answ. It's true, if they speak of the animall and vitall spirits; but what is this to breathing, the subject whereof is the air, and not those innate spirits: and if increment of substance doth suppose respiration, then trees must breath as they grow in bignesse. And although the Moon causeth humid bodies to swell, yet she doth not make the air by which we breath, being a part of the Universe. Object. 9. Fishes doe smell and hear, therefore they breath, because air is the matter of all three. Answ. Air indeed may be called the matter of breath∣ing, but not of hearing and smelling; it is not the air we smell or hear, but we smell the odors, and hear the sounds in the air, which is therefore properly called by Philosophers, the Medium, not the mat••er of hearing and smelling. And as the air is to us, so the water is to fishes the medium of hearing and smelling: And if it be the matter of breathing to fishes, then it is not air but water which they breath; whereas indeed wa∣ter cannot be the subject or matter of breathing, nor can they breath at all which want the organs of breath. Object. 10. No animall can live without respiration, therefore fishes breath. Answ. The antecedent is denied; for many animals live with∣out respiration, onely by transpiration, such are insects, so doth the child in the matrix, so do women in their histericall passi∣ons, these breath not, yet they live. Object. 11. Pliny tells us that fishes do sleep, therefore they breath. Answ. Breathing hath no relation to sleep, it is neither the effect, nor cause, nor quality, nor part, nor property, nor consequent of sleep: for some animals sleep, which breath not all that time, as Dormice in Winter, the child in the mothers womb breathes not, as ha∣ving in the matrix or membran within which he lieth, no air at all, but a watrish humor, which if he should suck in by the lungs, he would be presently suffocated; yet at that time the chid sleepeth. There is no community at all in the subject or organ of sleep and respiration, nor in their natures, the one being a rest or cessation, the other a motion; the one consist∣ing in the senses within the head, the other in the lungs, breast,

and Diaphragma. Again, respiration consists rather in the acti∣ons of life and sense, which accompany waking, then in sleep, which resembles death. Respiration is for refrigeration of the heart, which is more heated by the motions of the body whilst we are awake, then by rest when we are asleep; there∣fore men that walk, labour, run, struggle, or whose heart is heated by anger, or Feavers, breath much faster then in sleep, as standing more in need of air for refrigeration. So children be∣cause of their heat breath faster then old men. Therefore we conclude••with Aristotle, that fishes which want lungs & throats, & have gills, breath not; for what needed lungs to draw in air, seeing Nature hath given them gills to let in water for cooling the fishes hear, w^ch is but weak, because they have little blood.

II. That some small fishes have been found on hills farre from the Sea, is verified by divers; as also that sometimes fishes are digged out of the earth, which we may call Fossil, to distin∣guish them from aquatile, is recorded by grave and ancient Writers: But I believe that these are not true fishes, but rather terrestriall creatures resembling fishes in their outward shape; for as many fishes resemble terrestriall animals, which are not therefore properly terrestriall, so many terrestriall creatures may resemble fishes, which properly are not such; or else where these Fossil fishes are found, there are subterraneall waters not farre off, by which they are conveyed thither. Hence some∣times fishes have been found in deep wells; and I have read of some fishes found in springs of sulphury and allum water: for otherwise fishes can no more live in the earth, then earthy creatures in the water, seeing nothing can live out of its own element, where it hath its originall food and conservation. Or lastly, these land fishes have been such as have fallen out of the clouds: For I have read in good Authors of divers showers or rains of fishes, and of Frogs and Mice, and such like animals, out of the clouds.

III. That Fishes in Moon-shine nights, chiefly when she is in the full, delight to play upon the superficies of the water, is plain by fishermen, who take greatest quantities of them then. The cause of this may be the delight that fishes take in the light, or else they finde some moderate heat in the su∣perficies of the water when the Moon is full: but I rather think it is the pleasure they take in the Moon light, which gives a silver brightnesse to the water, and Nat••re hath given them a quick sight and eminent eyes, whereas the senses of smelling and hearing are in them, yet the organs are so obscure they can∣not

be found; and albeit they have all the senses, yet they are dumb, for they make no sound at all, because they breath not, nor have they the organs of sounding, such as the throat, windpipe and lungs.

IV. That some fishes resemble men in their faces, hands, and other parts, is no fable, for such are not only recorded by the ancients, but also have been seen by late Navigators, Lerius saw none of them, yet relates that an American fisherman cut off the hand from one of those fishes which did offer to get into his boat, the hand had five distinct fingers like ours, and in his face he resembled a man. Scaliger writes that one of those sea-men, or men-fishes was seen by Hierom Lord of No∣••icum, which laid hold on the cable of his ship, this story he related as a truth to Maximilian the Emperor. These fishes were called anciently Tritons, Ner••ides, and Sirenes, one of those Scaliger saw at Parma, about the bignesse of a childe of two years old. In some part of Scythia Pliny shewes that men did feed upon these fishes, which some condemned for Cani∣bals, but injuriously; for it is not the outward shape, but the soul which makes the man; neither doth the soul or essence of man admit degrees, which it must needs do, if those Tritons were imperfect men; neither is it unlikely what is written of the River Colhan in the Kingdom of Cohin among the Indians. That there are some human shaped fishes there called Cippe, which feed upon other fishes, these hide themselves in the wa∣ter by day, but in the night time they come out upon the banks, and by striking one flint against another, make such a light, that the fishes in the water being delighted with the sparkles, flock to the bank, so that the Cippae fall upon them and devour them. This I say is not improbable, if we ob∣serve how many cunning ways nature hath given to the fox, and other creatures to attain their prey. Scaliger wonders why these Cippae do not rather catch their prey in the water, then to take so much pains on the bank; but the reason may be, that either these Cippae are not so nimble and swift as those other fishes, or else that these fishes will not come near them, being afraid of their human shape, which is formidable to all creatures.

V. That Fishes are not dull and stupid creatures, as Cardan and some others do think, is manifest by their sagacitie and cumming they have, both to finde out their prey, and to defend themselves from their enemies. The fish called Uranioscopus, deceives the other fishes by a membran which he thrusts our of

his mouth like a worm, which they supposing to be so, lay hold on it, and so are catch'd. Herrings being conscious of their own infirmitie, never swim alone, but in great shoals, and the whales who prey upon the herrings, by a natural instinct frequent those seas most, where there be most herrings; and I have observed in the Northern seas for a mile or two in com∣passe the sea covered with herrings flying from their enemies, the whales which were in pursuit of them, tumbling like hills on the sea; but by reason of their huge bodies and slow mo∣tion, could not overtake them; and when the herrings are in any danger, they draw as near to the shore as they can, that the whales pursuing them, may run themselves on the sand, where they stick, as often times they do, and so become a prey them∣selvs to man: thus in one year 80 whales run on the Isl••nds of O••kney, where I have been a whole year together; so that the Bishop of those Islands had 8 whales for his Tithe that year. There are also in the Northern seas, fishes about the bigness of an oxe, having short legs like a beaver, and two great teeth sticking out, of which they make handles for knives; these fish∣es are called Morsse, they sleep either on the ice, or upon some high and s••eep place on the shore, when they sleep they have their Ce••tinel to watch, who in danger, by a sound he makes, awakes them, they presently catch their hindmost feet in their mouth, and so roule down the hill into the sea like round hoops or wheels. The cunning also of the Cuttle fish, or Se∣pia may be alledged here, who to delude the fisherman, thick∣neth the water with his black ink, and so escapeth; The Tor∣pedo, and other fishes may be produced for examples of their cunning, and the Dolphins for their docilitie, but these may suffice.

VI. Though God hath given to some fishes feet, and wings, as well as fins, yet not in vain; for these Amphibia that were to live on the land as well as in the water, stood in need of feet for walking as well as of fins for swimming; and those winged fishes being not such swift swimmers, as to escape the dan∣gers of their enemies, the Ducades, by their sins, were to avoid them by their wings; hence being pursued in the water, they fly in the air till they be weary, or far enough our of danger, then they fall down into the water again. 'Tis commonly thought that they fly so long as their wings are moist; and fall down when they are drie; but I see no reason why moisture should help their flight, when it hinders the flying of birds, which fly swiftest when their wings are driest: Swallows in∣deed

and other birds, do sometimes wet their wings, not to help their flight, but to cool and refresh their heat.

VII. That there are many monstrous fishes in the sea, is not to be denied in a grammatical sense, nor in a Philosophi∣cal, if we speak of individuals; for in such both by land and sea, there be divers aberrations of nature; though there can be no specifical monsters except we will make the first cause to haye erred in his own work, and first production of things; yet in a grammatical sense, even the species of some fishes may be called monsters, à monstrando, for their hidious and uncoth shapes demonstrate Gods greatnesse and power, and his good∣nesse also, in that he makes them to serve our uses, and they may also demonstrate what should be our dutie to God, when we look on them, even to praise and honour him, who hath not made us like one of them. The whale then to us is a monstrous creature, when we look upon his huge bulk, and strange shape, and motion, the quantity of water, and manner of spouting it like flouds out of his head; for each whale hath a prominent spout on his head, and some have two, (though Dr. Brown denies it, yet Olaus an eye-witnesse proves it) by these pipes they breath, and send out the water which they drink in: and it is none of the least wonders that these vast creatures should be caught and subdued by the art of man. In Norway they are taken by the smell of Castoreum, which stu∣pifieth their senses; in the Indies they are taken by stopping their holes and vents by which they breath, so that being sti∣fled they submit to the poor naked conquering Indian who sits upon him, as on horseback, and with a cord drawes him to the shore. Acosta tels us of a strange fish called Manati, which in∣genders her young ones alive, hath tears and doth nourish them with milk, it feeds on the grasse, but lives in the water; it is of a green colour, and like a cow in the hinder parts, the flesh is in colour and taste like veal. The Shark or tiburon is a strange fish, out of whose gullet he did see drawn, a butch∣ers great knife, and great iron hook, and a piece of an oxes head, vvith one vvhole horn, their teeth are as sharp as rasors, for he savv Sharks leap out of the vvater, and vvith a strange nimblenesse snap off both the flesh and bone of a horses leg hanging upon a stake, as if it had been the stalk of a lettice. That vvas a monstruous fish vvhich Scaliger speaks of, having a hogs head vvith tvvo horns, and but one bone in all its bo∣dy, on vvhose back vvas a bunch resembling a saddle. In the lake Amara of Ethiopia is a kind of Conger having a head like

a toad, and a skin of partie colours. In the Ethiopian sea is a fish resembling a hog in his head and skin, vvith long ears, and a tail of tvvo foot in length. No lesse monstruous is the Hip∣pocampus, a fish like a horse in his head and neck, having a long main, the rest of his body is like our painted dragons. He speaks also of a fish like a leather purse vvith strings, vvhich vvill open and shut. There is a fish having the resemblance of a calves head vvith horns. There are fishes that have four ranks of teeth, and in every rank fifty teeth. Rondoletius speaketh of fishes in vvhose bellies have been found men arm'd at all assaies. The Uletif is a fish having a savv on his forehead three foot long and very sharp. Thevet tels us ••f a fish in the Sar∣matique sea, having horns like those of a hart, on the branches vvhereof are round buttons shining like pearl, his eyes shine like candles, he hath four legs, long and crooked pavves, vvith a long speckled tail, like the tail of a Tigre, his muzzle round like a cats, vvith moustaches round about. There are s••a ser∣pents of tvvo hundred cubits long. Some fishes have been found resembling mitred Bishops, others hooded monks, and divers more shapes there are: but none more strange then that vve read of in the Storie of Harlem in Holland, out of vvhose lake vvas fish'd a sea-vvoman, vvhich by a spring tide had been carried thither, vvhen she vvas brought into the Tovvn, she suffered her self to be clothed, and to be fed vvith bread, milk, and other meats, she learned also to spin, to kneel be∣fore the crucifix, and to obey her Mistresse, but she could ne∣be brought to speak, and so remained for divers years dumb. They that vvill see more of fishes, let them read Aristotle, Pliny, Olaus Magnus, Arbian Oppian, Rondoletius, Gesner, Aldrovandus, Belon and others.