354. | ~ Thenine and twentieth Booke 
yeeld from their mouths, andthe humour that commeth from their bodies, thereis engendred 
That thefe ferpents when they have thusengendred this egg doe caft it up on high into theaire, 
bythe force of their hiffing ;which being obferved,there mutt be one readic to latch andreceive, _ 
it in the fall againe (before it touch the ground) within the lappetof a coat of arms or foldiours 
caffocke. They affirme alfo,that the partie who carriech this egg away,had need to be well moun- 
ted upon a good horfe and to ride away upon thefpur, for that the forefaid ferpents. will purfue. 
him ftill,and never give over untill they meet with fome great river between him and them,that 
may cut off and intercept their chafe, [hey add moreover and fay,that the onely marke to know 
this egg whether it be right or no, isthis, That it will {wim aloft above the water even againft the 
{treame, yea though it were bound and enchafed with a plate of gold. Overandbefides, thefe 5 
Druidz (as all the fort of thefe magicians bee pafling cautelous and cunning to hideand cover, 
their deceirfull fallacies) doe affirme, That there muft be a certaine {peciall time ofthe moones. 
age e{pied when this bufinefle is to be gone about, as if (forfoorh) it were in the power and dif-. 
pofition of man tocaufe the moone and theferpents to accord togither in this operation of en- 
= 
the egg aforefaid. The priefts of Fraunce called Diuide, are of opinion, and fo they deliver it, | 
eZ 
: 
gendring the egg aforefaid by their froth and falivation. I my felfe verely have feeneoneofthefe ~ 
egs, and to tny remembrance, as big it was as an ordinarie round apple : the fhell thereof wasof 
a certain griftly and cartilagineous fubftance,and the fame clafped all about (as it were) with ma- - 
ny acctables or concavities reprefenting thofe of the fith called a Pourcuttle, which fhee hath a-_ 
bout her legs. And it is the enfigne or badge that the Druidz doe carrie for their arms. And they 
hold it afoveraigne thing, for to proctire readie accefle unto any princes, andtowin theirgrace J. 
and favour; as alfo to obtaine the upper hand over an adverfarie in any fute and proceffe oflaw,. 
if one doe but carrie it about him. But fee how this vanitie and fooli~h perfuafion hath poflefled, 
the minds of men! fot I am able upon mine owneknowledge to avouch, that the Emperor Claas 
dius Cafar commaunded aman ofarms and gentleman of Rome, defcended from the Vocanti-. 
ans,to be killed for no other reafon in the whole world, but becaufe he carried one of thefe egsin, 
his bofome,at what time as he pleaded his caufe before him in the court, This winding and mue_ 
tuall enfolding of thefe ferpents one within another, putter me in mind of one thing worth the: 
obfervation, 1 hatit was not for nought that forrein nations have ordained, that their Embaffa- 
dors who had commifiion to treat of peace,thould carrie with them a certain tod or mace wher- 
in were pourtraied ferpents winding and clafping round about it; to fignifie and fhew,that thefe K- 
creatures, as favage,fell,and venomousas they be otherwife, andas it were made altogither of 
poifon, yet otherwhiles they accord and agree well enough togither: where it is furthermore to - 
be noted, that the manner was not to reprefent in thefe maces and enfigns of peace, any furious 
ferpents with crefts upon their heads, : 
Astouching geefe and their egs, how good and profitable they are, before enter into any 
difcourfe (for my purpofe isto treat of themalfo in this verie booke) I cannot chufe but forthe. 
honour due unto the Comagenes, in regard of an excellent compofition by them made, write’ 
firft of ir, being ofthem called Comagenum: for that alfothe principall and beft of that kind 
was moft ufed and in greateft requeft in Comagene, which js aregion belonging unto Syria, It. 
confifteth of goofe greace ,cinamon,cafia or canelle,white pepper, and an hearbe called likewife yp 
Comagene. Now forthe better mixture and fermentation of thefe ingredients and the whole 
compotition, the veffell which containerh the fame ought to be buried in {row :apleafant finell 
it hath, and is held to be a foveraigne ointment for any through-cold and quivering fit ; for cone 
si. vulfions, for fodaine pains whereof no evident caufe isknowne ; and in one word for all Jaffitudes 
led, becaufe | 4d what infirmities foever be curedby the medicinescalled in Greeke * Acopa: in fuch fort, as, 
they be good thatit ferveth not onely for an outward ointment,but alfo for an inward medicine. This Coma- 
orgs lal genum is made in Syriaafter another manner,namely of the fat or greafe of birds which is clen- 
sineits fed, tried, and purified according as 1 have before faid, with an addition of Eryfifceptron,Xylo-_ 
balfamum, the barke or young thoots of the Date wee, and {weet Calamus, of each as much as 
amounteth to the oie of the greacc aforefaid;and all thefe togither muftbe put into wine and M, 
fer over the fire for to fiver and take two or. three waulms. Now thisis to be noted, that the conve- 
on ae: my nient time of making it isin winter,becanfe it will neuer jellie and growto any thicke confiftence 
theodonte, ia fummer,unleffe there be * wax putinto it. | : 
rous {mell. Many other good medicines and ointmentsthere be made of Geefe, whereat Imarveile a 
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