we. The feven.and twentieth Booke 
creature of female fex be but touched therewith, it will not live after it onedayto anend. This G | 
was that poifon wherewith Calpburnius Beflis killed two of his wives lying afleepe by his fide, as 
appeareth by that challenge and declaration which M1 .Cacilzvs his acculer framed again{t him, 
And hereuponit was, that in the end of his accufatorie invective, he concluded with this bitter 
{peech, That his wives died upon his finger, The Poéts have feigwed a tale, That this herb fhould. a 
be engendred firft, of the fome that the dog Cerberws let fall upon the ground, frothing fo as hee { 
} 
: 
did atthe mouth for-anger when Hercules pluckt him out of hell: and therefore itis forfooth, . 
that about Heraclea in Pontus(where is to be feen that hole,which leadeth into hell) there grow 
eth Aconit in ereat plenty. Howbeit,as deadly a bane as it is,our forefathers have devifed means 
ee toufeit for good, and even to fave the life ofman:found they haveby experience, that beeing 
given in hot wine,it is a countrepoifon againft the fting of {corpions: for of thisnature itis,that yy 
if it aveet not with fome poifon or other in mens bodies for to kill it prefently fetteth upon them 
and foone brings them to their end: Butifit encountre any fuch, it wreftleth with it alone, as ha- 
ving found wichin,a fit match to dealewith : neither entreth it into this fight, unleffe it find this 
enemie poffeffed alreadie of fome noble and principall parrof the bodie ;andthen beginneth. 
the combat: A wonderfull thing to. obferve,that two poifons both of them deadly of themfelves 
and their own nature, fhould die one upon another within the bodie,and the man by that mean 
only efcape with life. Our aunceftors in times paft,ftayed not thus, but found out and delivered 
unto us proper remediesalfo for wild beafts ; and not fo contented, have fhewed meanes how 
tlsafe creatures {hould bee healed which are venomous unto other: for who knowethnot,that _ 
fcorpions if they be but touched with Aconite, prefently become pale, benummed, aftonied, ~ , 
aind bound, confeffing (as it were) themfelvesto bee vanquifhed and prifoners: contrariwife, let I 
them but touch the white Fllebore, they are unbound and at libertie againe ; they recover (I fay) 
their former vigor and vertue: whereby we may fee, that the Aconite alfo giveth the bucklers to. 
enemies twaine, pernicious poifons both; the one, to it felfe, andthe other to all the world. 
Now if haply any man (hould fay, That the wit and head of man alone couldpoflibly compafle 
the knowledge of thefe things; {urely hee fhould fhew therein his ingratitude and impieue unto 
the gods,in not acknowledging their beneficence. The people about Heraclea, forto kill the 
Panthers which breed in thofe parts, ufeto rub with Aconite certaine gobbets of flefh,which 
they doe lay abont the mountains as a bait and bane for them: and unleffe by this means they 
did deftroy them,no doubt they would fill che whole countrey ;whichis the caufe thatfomecall 3 
it Pardalianches, 4, Libard-bane, But they again on the other fide,prefentlyhaverecourfetothe & 
excrements of aman,as I have before declared,the only countrepoifon wherby they favethem- 
felyes. VWWho doubteth now,but the knowledge of this fecret came firft to them by meer chance? 
and confidering that itis not poffible to render a treafon of the nature and ufageof fuch wild 
beafts (and whenfoever wefee the like to fall out, wee countit ftilla new and ftraunge aceident) 
we muft needs attribute the finding out thereof,to Fortune, — | 
Cuar. 111 : 
e& That of all Creatures and Inventions ia this life, the Author is aGod, 
His Chaunce and Fortune then, by means whereof we attaineto fo many inventions that 
we have, isa divine power,and no leffe indeed than a Ged : by which name alfo we under- 
ftand and call that great mother and miftrefle of all things,dame Nature : and furely,con- 
fidering that conjeCturall itis and doubrfull, Whether thefe wild beafts come by thisknowledge 
day by day ata venture, or were endued naturally at the firft with that perceivance?wee haveas 
great reafon to attribute a divinitie and godhead tothe one,as the other. VVell,be it Chaunce, 
or be it Nature,that hath thus ordered the matter, certesa great fhame it had been, that all other 
creatures fhould have knowne thus (as they doe) what is goodand profitable forthem, and man 
onely remaine ignorant, But {uch was the induftrie and goodnefle of thofe aunceftors of ours, 
in times pat, that they not only devifed means but alfo delivered to pofteritie, howthis veno- M 
mous hearbe Aconitum might be mott {afely and commodicufly mingled in thofe collyries and _ 
medicines which be ordained for the eyes : An evidentargument and plaine proofe,] aflure you, 
that there is nothing fo bad butit hath fome goodnefle in it,and may beufed well. And therfore 
difpenfed withall 1 looke tobe, if I who hitherto have written of ne poifons, put ng) thede- 
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