A 
of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 
we be free from paine and fickneffe 2 No verely; andfar beitfrom me that Ithould fodoe. But 
on thecontrarie fide, I will doe my beft endeavour to perfourme and finifhchis taske allo , how 
longandtediousfoever it may feeme to bee : formy full intent and refolution is, fol may bencfir 
pofteritie and doe good to the common life of man, the leffe to refpect the pleafing of fineears, 
orto expect thanks from any perfon. And to bring this my purpofe about] meane to fearch in- 
to the cuftoms of forreimcountries, yeaandto lay abroad the rites and fafhions of barbarous 
nations, referring thereaders who fhall make {crupleto beleeve my words; unto thofe authours 
whome L alledge for my warrant. And yet herein, this care I have ever had, To make choife in 
my reports of fuch thingsas have been held and in manner adjudged true, oY a generallconfent 
and approbation of all writers; as coveting to ftand more upon the cHioife tubftance, than the 
B varietie and plentie of matter. But before | enter into this argument, Ithinke itverie neceffarie 
to advertife the reader thus much, That whatfoever [have heretofore written of living creatures, 
concerneth the inflin& of Nature wherewith they be endued, and certaine fimples-wherof they 
have giuen us the knowledge (for furely, as much good have they: done unto us by the medict- 
nable hearbs by them found our, as poflibly they can by the remedies which themlelves doe af+ 
fourdfrom their owne bodies : ) Burnow it remaineth, tofhew fimply the medicinable & help- 
full propertiesin themfelves, which notwithftanding in the former treatife were not altogither 
Jefe out and paffed over. And therefore this my prefent difcourfe of thofe creatures howfoever it 
js in nature different, yetit dependeth of the other, Begin then I will at Man himfelfe,to fee what 
Phyfick there may be found in him to helpe hisneighbour. In which frit entrance of mine,there: 
prefentethit felfe unto mine eye, one objec that troubleth and ofienceth my mind exceeding’ 
much. For now adaies you fhall fee them that are fubje& to the falling evill, for co drinke the ve- 
riebloud of Fencersand Sword-plaiers as out of living cups :a thing, thatwhen webehold with- 
in the fame fhew-place,even the tygres,lyons,and other wild beafts to doe we haveitin horrour 
asa moftfearfull and odious {pectacle. And thefe monftrous minded perfons are of opinion} 
That the faid bloud forfooth is moft effeQuall for the cure of that difeafe, if they mayfucke it 
breathing warme out of the man himelfe ; if they may fet their mouth (1 fay) clofe to the veine, 
~ so draw thereby the very heart bloud,Jife and all: how wanaturall foever otherwife it bee holden 
fora manto puthis lips fo muchas to the wounds of wild beafts, for to drinke their bloud. Nay, 
there be others that Jay for the marow-bones, the very brainealfo of young infants, and never 
make ftraunge to find fome good meat andmedicine therein, Yee fhal! find moreover among 
the Greeke writers notafew, whohave defciphered diltinly the feverall tafts as well of every 
inward part, as outward member of mans bodie; and fo nearethey have gone, that they leftnot 
outthe paring of the verie nails, but they could picke out of them fome fine Phyfick: as if health 
confifted in this, Thata man fhould becomeas blondie as a favadge beaft; or that be counted a 
remedie, which in deed is. caufe of a mifchiefe and maladie. And well defervefuch bloud-fuckers 
and cruell leeches to be fruftrat of their cure, andthereby to worke their owne bane and deftru- 
Gtion: for if itbe held unlawfull and abominable to prie and looke into the entrails. and bowels 
of amans bodie,whatis it thento chewandeat them? Butwhat monfter was hee, who firft bro- 
chedthis geare, and devifed fuch accurfeddrugs! Ah wicked wretch, the inventer and artificer 
of thefe monftrofities ; thouthat haft overthrowne all law of humanitie; for with thee will I have 
todoe, againftthee willl whet my tongue andturne the edge of my flyle, who firlt didft bring 
up this brutifh leechcraft, for no other purpofe butto bee ipoken of another day, and that the 
world might never forger thy wicked inventions, What direction had he who thus began to de- 
voure mans bodie lim by lim? nay, what conjeGure or guefle moved him fo todoe ? whatmight 
the originall and foundation be, whereupon this devilith Phyficke was grounded ? what ihould 
he be thatbare men in hand, and would perfuadethe world, That the thing which is ufed as a 
poifon in witchcraftand forcerie, fhould availe more to the health of man, than otherknowne 
and approoved remedies? Set cafe that fome barbarous people ufedfo to doe: fay that firaunge- 
nations and far remooved from allcivilitie,had thefe manners among them, muftthe Greekes: 
take up thofe fafhions alfo, yea & credit them fo muchas to reduce them intoa method,among 
other their goodly arts ? And yet fee what Democritus one of them hath done? there be extant 
at this day books of his enditing and penning, wherein you thall read, That the {cull of a wicked 
malefaCtor, is in fome cafes better than that of an honett perfon; afd inother, That ofa friend 
and gueft, preferred before a ftraungers As for rei another of that brood,hee hath writ- 
C ij tens 
293 
