76 CURIOUS CREATURES. 



onely inchaunted images, and shadowes, which that you 

 may beleeve, this your neate bride is one of the Empusce, 

 called Lamia, or Mormolicce, wonderfull desirous of com- 

 merce with men, and loving their flesh above measure ; 

 but those whom they doe entice, afterwards they devoure 

 without love or pittie, feeding upon their flesh.' At 

 which words the wise man caused the gold and silver 

 plate, and household stuffe, cookes, and servants to 

 vanish all away. Then did the spectre like unto one 

 that wept, entreate the wise man that he would not 

 torment her, nor yet cause her to confesse what manner 

 of person she was ; but he on the other side being 

 inexorable, compelled her to declare the whole truth, 

 which was, that she was a Phairy, and that she pur- 

 posed to use the companie of Menippus, and feede him 

 fat with all manner of pleasures, to the extent that, 

 afterward, she might eate up and devour his body, for 

 all their kinde love was only to feed upon beautiful 

 yong men. . . . 



" To leave therefore these fables, and come to the 

 true description of the Lamia, we have in hand. In the 

 foure and thirty chapter of Esay, we do find this called 

 a beast Lilith in the Haebrew, and translated by the 

 auncients Lamia, which is threatened to possesse Babcll. 

 Likewise in the fourth chapter of the Lamentations, 

 where it is said in our English translation, that the 

 Dragons lay forth their brests, in Haebrew they are 

 called Ehannum, which, by the confession of the best 

 interpreters, cannot signifie Dragons, but rather Sea 

 calves, being a generall word for strange wilde beasts. 

 How be it the matter being wel examined, it shall 

 appeare that it must needes be this Lamia, because of 

 her great breastes, which are not competible either to 



