Injuries and accidents.

Light hurts proven mortal.

A Brother of mine called Captain Saint Martin being three and twenty years old, who had made sufficient proof of his valour, playing at tennis, he received a blow with a ball, which did hit him a little above the right ear, without any show of contusion or hurt. He did neither set down, nor took any rest for it: but five or six hours after he died of an apoplexy, which this blow did cause.
A quarrel being betwixt two young men, the one gave the other a box [punch] under the ear, whereupon he fell into an apoplexy and died within few hours after. He that had stricken him was presently put in prison, and the physicians were called for, to know their opinions upon the cause of this young man’s death. Some did attribute it to the blow itself, saying that the matter had been moved there with others imputed it to repletion and superfluity of humors, caused through excess eating and drinking others to the humidity of the place, whereas death had before long slept.
This diversity of opinions stayed the judge from pronouncing of a definitive sentence. We have also known a fuller of cloth, called Peter, who slew a young man with his fist, hitting him on the stomach
ANT. BENIVENIVS in the 110. Chap. of his Physicall examples.

Ardovin [Ardouin, Ardouvin] du Ferrier, a young youth of 13 years age was lightly hurt with a […] allow staff on the head, being cast by chance out at a garret window. There was no fracture nor breach to be seen at all, but the sixth day, there grew an inflammation in the wound the next, day a convulsion and a palsy [paralysis] in the right thigh and left arm, with a fever and a frenzy, and the eleventh day he died. FR. VALLERIOLA in the. 1. obseruation of his 3. booke.

Wounds cured.

Francis, Duke of Guise

 

Francis of Lorraine Earl of Aumale and afterward Duke of Guise, slain before Orleans, was sore wounded before Boulleyne with a lance, the which entered under the right eye declining towards the nose, and past throgh betwixt the nape of the neck and the ear with such violence, as the head with a piece of the lance was broken, and stuck in his head so fast, as they could by no means draw it out, but with a smith’s pincers. Notwithstanding all this great violence which was not without some fracture of bones, sinews, veins, arteries, and other parts, yet he was cured and lived many years after, he was afterwards slain at the siege of Orleans, in the end of the first civil wars in our time in France. The Historie of our time.

Henry of Lorraine his son, in an encounter near unto Dormans, in the year 1575. Having had the better and pursuing some that fled, received a shot with a pistol in the cheek; some said it was with a arquebus, with the which he fell down half dead upon the place, yet he was cured, and afterwards slain at Blois in the year 1588.
History of HENRY the 3. The Seigneur of Saint Iean. One of the stable to King Henry II at a tourney before the house of Guise, received a blow with the splinter of a lance within his visor, of the length and bigness of ones finger, under the eye, which ran three fingers into his head.
I had him in cure, being assisted by many learned physicians and surgeons, and although the wound through the violence of the blow, were very dangerous, yet he was cured, with the help of God.
M. AMB. PARE, lib. 9. Chap. 9.
A servant of the Seigneur of Champagnes, a gentleman of Anjou, was wounded in the throat with a sword, so as one of the angular veins was cut, with the artery of the windpipe by means whereof he had a great flux of blood, neither could he speak at all, until his wound were sewed up and dressed. Whilst that the medicaments were liquid, he drew them through the stitches, and put them out at his mouth. So as considering the greatness of the wound, and the nature of the parties that were wounded, especially of the artery of the windpipe and of the angular vein, the which are spermatic, cold and dry, and there hard to join together again, besides also that the artery is subject unto motion, which is made in the swallowing, by reason of the inward film, the which holds to that of the esophagus (which is the passage for eating and drinking) the one obeying the other by a reciprocal motion considering also the use of the said parties, which is that the artery serves for respiration, the which is necessary for the symmetry and vital heat of the heart and that the angular veins is very necessary for the nourishment of the superior part. Moreover having regard unto the great quantity of blood which he had lost by his wound (the blood being the treasure of nature, the preserver of natural heat and of the vital spirits) and other accidents: I did conclude that he was but a dead man: yet I can assure you that he escaped: the which I believe happened rather through the grace of God, then by any help of man or medicaments.
M. Amb. Pare. lib. 9. c. 31.

Being at Turin, in service with the deceased Lord of Montiean, I was called to dress a soldier called L’evesque [the bishop], born at Paris, who being then under the command of Captain Renouart, had three great wounds given him with a sword, whereof the one was on his right side under his pappe [breast], running into the emptiness of his breast, from whence there had fallen great abundance of blood upon the midriff, which stopped his respiration, neither could he speak but with great difficulty, having a very violent fever, and with a cough he cast blood at the mouth, saying, that he felt an extreme pain on that side that was hurt. The Surgeon who had dressed him first, stitched up his wound in such sort, as nothing could come forth, the next day I was called to visit the patient, where being come, seeing the accident, and death approaching. I was of opinion to unsew the wound in the orifice, whereof I found coagulated blood, so as I caused the patient to be lift up often by the legs, his head downward, leaving a part of his body upon the bed, leaning with one hand upon a stool that was lower then the bed. Being planted thus, I caused him to shut his mouth and his nose, that his lights might swell, and the midriff rise, and the muscles betwixt the ribs, and of the upper part of the belly together, should retire themselves, that the blood fallen into the stomach, might be cast out by the wound: and the better to effect it, I thrust my finger deep into the wound, to dissolve this coagulated blood, so as there came forth near seven or eight ounces, already stinking and corrupted. Then I caused him to be set in his bed, making injections into the wound, with barley water, in the which I had caused Melrosarum [honey of rose] & sugarcandie [sugarcane] to be boiled, then I caused him to be turned from one side unto an other, and again I made him to be lifted up by the legs as before. Then they might see come forth with the said injection little gobbets of blood. This done the accidents decreased, and by little and little did cease. The next day I made him, an other injection, to the which I added Centory, wormwood and aloe, to cleanse it the better, but the patient having told me soon after, that he felt a great bitterness in his mouth and had desire to cast, I found that these bitter injections profiting one way, did hurt an other, so as I did not continue them, but intreating the wound more mildly, the patient was cured beyond my hope. The same Author. lib. 9. Chap. 32.

M. PETER SOLERY a famous Physician of Aurillac, being pursued during the first troubles by certain horsemen, which sought his life, and overtaken a quarter of a league from Argentat in Limousin, as he thought to save himself with others, he received many dangerous wounds and yet was miraculously cured: as it was verified by such as did visit and dress his wounds, first he had a shot with a Harquebus, hitting him above the thigh bone and passing to the other side, then he had an other shot under the left arm four fingers from the shoulder which carried away a piece: he had a pistol shot upon the same shoulder sloping downward. and an other in the face, taking him under the eye, and passing under his jaw. He had four wounds with a sword upon the left arm, from the elbow downward, he was stabbed with a dagger under the left breast, the which meeting with a rib past no farther: he had an other shot with a pistol almost in the same place running betwixt the skin and the ribs, and coming forth behind, and a great wound with a sword above the eye, and an other upon the head.
Being thus wounded and left as it were for dead, these murderers having taken away his purse and three gold rings, having continued about two hours upon the place, in the end he did rise: and as he labored to crawl he es∣pied a soldier coming towards him with a naked sword, of whom having demanded help in Gods name, it moved the soldier to do him no harm, but seeing him in this estate, he fled as if an enemy had been behind him. Hereupon, creeping forward a little, as well as he could, he meet with a young son of his own bee∣ing but eight years old, who flying also had strayed in the fields, who supporting him of the one side as well as he could, he conducted him unto a village, where all the relief that he could get was that they did not make an end to kill him, although that he were in this pitiful state, and that this poor Infant with tears and lamentations, did offer them his clothes, and would have stripped himself before them, to the end they should succor [aid his poor father, Passing on farther, sometimes standing, sometimes lying down, God presented unto him an other of his sons, about ten years olde, and being supported by him on the other side, God gave him strength enough to come unto an other village, where with some difficulty he recovered two eggs with some hurds [the coarse parts of flax or hemp that adhere to the fiber after it is separated], the which were applied to his greatest wounds: then giving him a little wine, and setting him (as well as they could) upon a mare, they conducted him to an other village, where his wife (who remained with a gentleman that was neighbor to that place) came presently unto him: and was assisted by the singular and extraordinary grace of God so as he recovered his life and health. History of France vnder CHARLES the 9.

During the said first troubles, among other battles that were given, that of Saint Gilles in Provence is noted being the 27th of September 1562. In the which certain Spanish Captains with their companies, who striking to make it good upon the disrupt, got nothing but blows, and were in a manner all cut in pieces and slain upon the place. Those which survived laid still and did counterfeit themselves dead. Of this number there were two Captains, the one called Alphonso, the other Manric, both were Castilians. Alphonso had seven wounds with a Courtelas [short Italian curved sword in the Middle Ages] upon the head, his caske [helmet] having been beaten of and he overthrown: four of them had entered into his head, the other three had but cut the flesh unto the bone: on either arm he had four great cuts, two about one of his elbows and his wrist, besides he had six thrusts in his thighs. He and Manric with 260. others that were wounded did save themselves as they could and were carried to Arles a near town, where they were dressed. Manric, had many wounds in the head, arms, breast, sides and face, continuing two days without speech or pulse. In fleeing he had cast himself into the river of Rohan [Rhône], where he had remained in the water up to the chin, for the space of 4 hours, sometimes lifting up his head, sometimes playing the dive-dopper, until the night was come, and the victors being retired, he swam over the river. Above a hundred others that were wounded did strive to pass the river, desiring rather to hazard themselves in that sort, then to fall into the hands of the French, who were justly incensed against them. But many of them were drowned, their strength failing them in the midst of the waves. Those which escaped half dead, died in a manner all in the Hospital at Arles. The two above named captains, after they had endured new deaths in the hands of surgeons and physicians were after some weeks set on foot again, but well marked in divers places to serve for a remembrance and an example to their countrymen, who notwithstanding have not well considered of it. Manric had received two thrusts with a halberd betwixt the ribs, but there came not much matter out of his wounds: but at the end of three weeks he voided abundance of rotten filth by his fundament, to the great amazement of the physicians, for that from the breast unto the guts there is no common passage, for any corrupt matter that is in the said breast. In the same battle a footman had a shot with a harquebus, the which pierced the lest [left?] temple, and came out on the other side a little under the right temple, having shattered his head in two: yet he was miraculously cured. He had been dressed at Nismes [Nîmes], but finding himself not well cured, he came to me, and I did succor him with my best skill. Yet he continued blind and deaf of this wound. Neither the brain nor the film of it had not been touched, but the bullet having broken the head had past close by it unto the other side. Moreover, by reason of the blow and the contusion, some little blood dispersing itself into the sinews of the sight and hearing, it caused an obstruction, whereof followed a blindness and deafness. An other borne at Marseilles, being ancient to a company, had a harquebus shot in the breast, so as the bullet came forth at his back, and yet he was cured.

Another of Arles, had his head half cut off with a courtelas, so as it had needed to be propped up, the blow being given betwixt the first and second vertebrae (a joint in the body, where the joints so meet, that they may turn as in the hucle-bone) so deep and so large, as they might lay their hand in it, yet he was cured, and lived four years after this wonderful wound. Another called Claude of Savoy, having his head almost cleft in two with a courtelas, he never had fever nor any other accident (the which are usual in such like wounds) but the broken bones being taken out according unto art, in two months he was cured. Two others, the one having his thigh all broken in pieces with a Faucon shot [could be meaning a clean shot], (the bullet whereof was drawn out of it,) and the other wounded in the ankle, after they had suffered much, were cured, without cutting off thigh or leg. FR. VAL∣LERIOLA, in the 4. Booke of his Phisicall obseruations, sets down these histories at large, and the remedies that were applied, and the means that were used to cure these hurt men, the which we describe not, it belonging to learned physicians and surgeons, who besides the medicaments, have respect to many necessary circumstances, which are to be considered of in such accidents. In an encounter near unto Cisteron, a Gentleman called the Cadet of Monstier, was shot with a harquebus, between the fifth and sixth rib: the Bullet crossed his breast, and came forth within two fingers of the back bone.
There were drawn forth with the bullet; twelve rings of a shirt of mail [chainmail] which this Gentleman did wear: many others rings of the same side, remained among the Muscles, betwixt the ribs and the back, and some others driven into the body came forth with the corruption of the wound, whereof he was cured within a year. But he had a difficulty in breathing, the which continued the remainder of his days, by reason of this wound. A servant belonging to the Seigneur of Meianes a Gentleman of Arles, being shot in the right arm, in the same encounter, betwixt the elbow and the shoulder, and ill handled by the surgeons that were in the army, he came to Arles, having his arm putrified and stink∣ing so strongly, as no man could endure him, it was all black, soft, and extremely cold, the patient falling sometimes into a swound [swoon, unconscious]. The surgeons being assembled with me, wee resolved to cut off his arm speedily, to save the rest of the body. Having therefore with a razor cut his arm above the dead flesh, they cut the bone in sunder with a saw, and stopped the flow of blood with canters fit for it: so as within one month the man was cured.
VALLERIOLA in the same Obseruation. At the same encounter, a Provençal soldier was shot into the arm with a musket, the which broke the bones and did so tear all the rest, as the arm did not hold by the thickness of ones finger, from falling. All the surgeons were of opinion to cut it off, except one called Maitre Didier Teste, a man very expert in his art, who in one month cured this soldier, who had in a manner all the motions of this arm thus tattered, whole and sound. An other soldier shot with an harquebus shot in the face, the bullet entering at the mouth, and coming forth at the left side, towards the left temple, having broken the upper jawbone, yet he was well cured.
A certain Porter in the Town of Arles, falling to be a soldier in an encounter, he received a thrust three fingers under the navel, on the left side, given with such force, as it pierced unto the back, betwixt the third and forth rib near unto the bone: yet he was cured by the above named surgeon. We have (saith Valleriola) held these above-named cures worthy the re∣port, that none should despair of difficult things, nor be too confident of those which seem light. For that sometimes we see him die, whom the physicians assured to see soon recovered, and him to escape, of whom they had lost all hope. And that both physicians (and all others that shall read these Accidents) may remember that wonders do fall out in such wounds and cures, as in other works of Nature, to the praise of Almighty God.
In the war of Savoy 1589. and following: a young soldier had a harquebus shot in the forehead, and the bullet remained in his head. he was had in cure by an expert surgeon, so as within few months he returned again to arms. And in a certain Scallado [ladder? Scaffolding?], being fallen from a high wall into a ditch, he did so bruise his head, as he died. The bullet which remained of the precedent wound, was found in the hinder part of his head, without hurting of any part about it. Memomories of our time.
An other in the same war, having a bullet passing betwixt the great gut, the bladder, and the stones, was not hurt in any part of them, but after had been carefully dressed and looked after, he was ever after well, and so continues at this day. In the same Author.
I have dressed many which have been thrust through the bodies with rapiers, and shot through with pistols, and have been cured. For example, I had the clerk of the kitchen to the Ambassador of Portugal in cure at Melun, who had been thrust through the body, whereby the bowels were so hurt, as in dressing him there came out at his wound a great quantity of filthy matter and yet he was cured. I was an other time called by a Gentleman of Paris, whose name was Giles le Maistre, Seigneur of Belle Iambe, remaining in the street of Saint Andrew des Ars, in the presence of Mounsier Botal, ordinary physician to the King and Queen, and Richard Hubert his ordinary surgeon, and James Guillemau the Kings sworn surgeon at Paris, men well practiced in surgery, who had been trusted through the body with a rapier, so as for many days he voided blood by the mouth, and by the siege [stool] in great abundance, which showed that his bowels and inward parts were perished: yet in fifteen or twenty days he was cured.
Maister AMBROSE PARE, lib. 10. chap. 4.
A shoemaker of Avignon, having been sore wounded in the night upon the head with a sword, which had cut him even to the first membrane or film, there followed many fearful accidents, so as after his first dressing and letting blood, he fell into a sounding or swooning, and was seven days without speaking, yet in the end he was cured. The same Author in the 9. obseruation of his 5. Booke.

ANTHONIE my fathers servant, a Fleming by nation, being overladen with wine at Shrovetide, and being mounted up into one of the highest chambers of the house, he leaned at a window that was open, when being oppressws with the fume of wine, his head carried away his body, so as he fell upon the stones in the street, whereas his head was in a manner all beaten to pieces, and he held for dead for he moved no member, had no feeling nor speech but like a stock: and as it were giving up the ghost, he continued seven days together in his bed in that estate: notwithstanding three of the physicians at that time in Montpellier, that is, Grifon the elder, Tramplet and Favcon, accompanied by Peter Alzine, Antonie Barelier, and Nicholas le Blois surgeons, did warrant his life with the help of God. True it is, that he continued almost blind and quite deaf of this fall, all the rest of his life. The same in the 4. obseruation of the 6.

Strange, horrible, and very pitiful Accidents.

In our time, a countryman of Beause, who was reasonably well to live, binding up sheaves in the field, sent his son home to fetch him somewhat, with whom (being returned) he was so angry (because he had stayed longer then he would have had him) that he flung a great clod of earth at his head, wherewith the boy fell down dead to the ground. The Father seeing it, covered him with sheaves, and in great despair got him home to his house, where his wife was bathing her self, and giving suck to a little child, whereof she was newly delivered: and went into his barn and hanged himself. Which being reported to the poor woman, by one that by chance had been in the barn and seen him, with the fear she was in, and hast that she made to run thither, she let her child fall into the bath, where it was drowned. Presently thereupon, the poor woman almost beside her self with the woeful spectacle which she had seen, finding at her return the infant drowned, entered likewise into such despair, that she went back to the barn, and there shutting the door to her, hung herself by her husband. What strange and horrible effects of the choler of an ill advised Father? and how great cause have Fathers, Mothers, and Children, to recommend themselves humbly and incessantly to God. 
Conformity of ancient marvels with moderne.
In the year 1578. a woman in the town of Bochne, bathing her little child, heard a pretty big boy of hers cry very pitifully without doors. Whereupon she ran out in all hast, and found him wounded to the death with a knife that he had in his hand, whereon by mischance he was fallen. The Mother exceeding heau[…]e, returned to the little one in the bathe, and found it drowned. Therewith the husband came in, and being in a mighty rage at such a spectacle, fell on his wife and killed her with beating. Seeing those three so strangely dead, urged by his conscience, and with compassion of such a sight, he sought about for a cord, wherewith he strangled himself. Andreas Dudith in the Treatise of Comets.

In the Marquisate of Brandenburg, a certain mother transported with a wonderful fury, killed her husband and two of her children, and then having tied great stones about their necks, took them and cast them all three into the bottom of the river Oder
 Maister Andreas Hondorf in his Theater of Examples.

The year 1536 in a village of Silesia, named Kukendorff, another woman killed three of her children, in the absence of her husband, and then killed herself. In the same Theater.
The year 1540. in a village by Anneberg, a certain countryman killed and flayed a calf, in the presence of some little children he had. And being gone abroad not long after about business, and his wife forth of doores [doors?], the children which were left at home, with a little one lying in the cradle, went and committed an horrible act. They took a knife, and cut the little ones throat singing, Wee will kill the Calfe. But see∣ing the blood, and the little one dead, they began to be afraid, and went and hide them in the furnace of the stove. The Mother suspecting nothing, came home, and before she went into the stove, kindled a great armful of hemp, and threw them into the furnaces then she went into the stove, and seeing her little one killed and lye bathing in his blood, she ran out into the street, crying for help. The neighbors came to her, and asked her what she ailed: she carried them into the stove, and shewed them the murder. As they were busy looking on the child, the mother asked for the rest. They were called and sought for up and down at length with the noise which the last made giving up the ghost, they were found smothered in the furnace. One of the neighbors had heard them sing, Wee will kill the Calfe.
IOB. FINCEL. in the 2. Booke of the Meruailes of his time.

The twentieth day of November 1551 in a village of Hesse, named Weidenhausen, a woman strangely desperate, having shut all the doors of her house, took a sharp axe, and ran after her eldest son, being some eight year of age. He perceiving his Mothers bad mind, ran away into the cellar, and hid himself behind a barrel. She lit a candle, and sought him up and down in every corner of the cellar. The boy seeing her come, held up both his hands, and with tears begged her to pardon him. But she neither regarding his tears nor prayers, cleaved his head in two, and then cut his arms in pieces. That done, she went out of the cellar, and ran after a daughter she had of five years old, whom she cleaved down to the middle. Behind the door stood a pretty lad of three years old, whom this fury caught by the hair of the head, and dragged him into a little yard, where she cut his throat. There lay an Infant of six months, crying in the cradle, him she drew from his rest, and hurled him into the yard, and at the last chopped off his head. Which done, and no body left, she stabbed herself with a knife into the throat: wherewith notwithstanding she died not presently. The neighbors that too late had heard the children cry, after they had knocked a good while at the door, in the end broke it open, and finding that piteous spectacle, ran to the mother, who come to herself, and remaining a pretty while after alive, declared all that had past, and with great acknowledgment of her sins, and hope of God’s mercy, yielded up the Ghost. IOB. FINCEL in the 2. booke. Maister ANDREVV HONDORF in his Theater.

The year 1550. in a certain village of the country of Alsace, one Adam Steckman a laboring man, that got his living by dressing of vines, having received wages of a master of his that had set him on work, went to the tavern and lost his money at cards. Being exceedingly grieved, and thereupon taken with a pain in his head, he fell into desperation. Easter come, his wife, constrained by necessity, took her eldest son with her, and went to work in the vines: desiring her husband to look to the house and children til she came again. Being alone, he fell into such thoughts, that overcome with despair by reason of his poverty, he determined to make himself away. Whereupon he took an hammer and sought up and down for a place where he might knock in a nail to fasten a cord on, and hang himself. But finding none to his mind, a girl he had of seven years old, came unto him and asked him what he sought: without answering her, he went into the stove, where a little boy somewhat younger followed him and asked him for bread: bring me a knife, said he, and I will give thee some. The girle ran and fetched him one: wherewith he cut both their throats, and another little ones in the cradle. The mother at her return seeing that piteous spectacle, swooned [fainted], and died with grief. The murderer was apprehended, and executed as he deserved. The same.

In the year 1555. a countryman hard by Aldendor [Altendorf] in Hesse, asking his wife for his dinner, and she otherwise busied, not making such hast as he would have had her, the wretch went and cut off one of the thighs of a little child he had lying in the cradle, and carried it to the Mother, saying: Hold thee, take this gigot [leg of mutton or lamb], and go roast it. GASPAR GOLET VVRM, in the Treatise of Meruailes.
The same year, a woman great with child, in the diocese of the County of Isenberg, gently intreated her husband to invite certain women to dinner, who she meant to have at her labour. He surprised with strange fury, spurned and kicked her with his feet, then stabbed her in divers places with his dagger, and killed her together with her fruit. The same. It is 40 years ago, or thereabout, that a certain Italian named Bartholomew, being overthrown in a certain suite he had at Venice, which concerned his whole estate, so much forgot the power and mercy of God, that he concluded with himself, that his three daughters when they came to age, instead of being honorably married, were of necessity to be prostituted. To prevent the which he found no other means (in his shop of whom he then took counsel, and that had put such a conclusion in his head) then to cut their throats while they were young: which he executed one night, having to that end borrowed a barber’s razor, the evening before. The next day, everyone ran to see that piteous spectacle, and found that one of his daughters had her hand almost half cut off, wherewith it is to be presumed she had thought to have resisted the fathers rage. The report went afterward that this wretch had thrown himself down headlong from the top of a certain mountain, towards the County of Tirol, whither he was fled.

In the treatise of the•… conformity of ancient meruailes with moderne. A Swiss having taken his wife in adultery, and pardoned her for the time, a little while after bethought himself, and revoking that pardon, killed her: alleging he could not endure a woman that had played him such a prank. Afterward, he dispatched his children likewise, saying, he would not have children, that should be called the children of a whore. And it is said, that when he had murdered his wife and children, he also murdered himself, falling down headlong from the top of a high tower, having first written in a paper, which he pinned about him, the fact he had committed, and the reasons which had induced him thereunto, and that knowing he should die for the said fact, he chose rather to execute himself, then to suffer a shameful death. In the same treatise.
A Milanese about the year 1560 understanding in France that his wife played false with him, and (as it is to be supposed) being thereof thoroughly informed, took post horse, and rode home to Milan where alighting, he went not in, but sent for his wife to the door, who coming to him, and seeming to be very joyful of his return, he shot her throughout with his pistol, which done, he suddenly mounted again on his horse, and saved himself. In the same treatise. About the same time, or a little after, a woman of Switzerland having received another into her bed instead of her husband, and perceiving afterward that she had been decieved, and that it was not her husband that had lied with her, was so overcome with anger and grief, that she went and drowned herself.
In the same.
IOVIAN PONTANVS recounts, that an Italian Lord having killed one whom he suspected with his wife, was so straightly besieged by his brother, that out of all hope to escape, he killed her first, and his children after, and then threw himself down headlong from the highest tower of his caste. Whereupon the brother of him that was killed, most cruelly murdered all such as he could meet withal, and knew to be any way of kin to that Italian Lord. In the same Treatise.

A young Spanish maid, having abandoned herself to a Gentleman, upon promise of marriage, which he had made her, though she were but meanly descended, understanding that he was married to another, conceived such hatred against him, that she conspired his death by all the means possible she could devise. And at last used this same she persuaded him by her flattering letters to come again and see her. The time appointed, she at∣tended him, having made all things ready, with the aide of an old woman confederate with her, for to intreat him as her wicked mind, provoked with an extreme desire of revenge, counselled her unto. Wherefore the better to accomplish her design, although at first she had received him with tears and complaints, yet seeming at length to be satisfied with reasons that he alleged, and to be somewhat appeased, she permitted him to use the same priority with her as before. Whereupon the Gentleman got him to bed, and she with him, staying but till he was asleep for to execute her furious enterprise which she performed, and not contented with many mortal wounds that she had given him (for awaking at the first, he found himself so pestered with a cord, which the old woman drew over him, that he was not able to stir either hand or foot) she used diverse cruelties against the dead body, before the furry of her rage could be extinguished. And for this strange murder she was beheaded, having voluntarily accused herself. In the same Treatise.

The Wife of George Wedering of Halberstadt, of the age of 24 years, modest and virtuous, being brought in bed the 15th of November 1557.of a daughter baptized the next day, was not found in her bed. The servant hearing the child cry, came to the bed, thin∣king to find her mistress, and to awake her. Being amazed at her absence, she runs to her Master, who being wonderfully perplexed, takes the child in his arms, and seeks the Mother in every corner of the house. The streets were covered with snow, so as there was no show that she had past out of the house. In the end the husband and the servant with others, went into the cellar, but they here some trampling in the well which was near unto it. The husband much perplexed calls to his neighbors, and tells them his misery, whereupon they heard one in a garden which knocked at the door, and having opened it, they see the poor woman almost dead with cold, complaining that she had been long in the well, as her apparel did witness. Being demanded howe she came into this well being close, and which had but a very little entrance, she could give no reason, neither was there any one that could conceive howe it came. Being afterwards very sick for some days she began to recover her health, so as the 24th of December she did rise, swaddled her child and set her down to dinner. The maid going into the cellar to draw beer, she goes to bed and falls a sleep. The servant being returned finds her mistress asleep, and the cradle empty. Being amazed she runs to the well, coming unto her mind, and sees the Infant upon the water, the which was taken out by two of the senators of the town, in the presence of Conrad de la PERCH, Minister of the Church. The Mother slept soundly. After they had prayed at her beds feet, she opened her eyes, and began to say unto the assistants, why have you awaked me? I did enjoy an unspeakable content. I have seen my the Savior, and I have heard the Angels, falling asleep again, after four hours she did awake, remembers her child and calls for it, and finding it not, she afflicts and torments herself after a pitiful manner.

A certain man named John Guy, Son to Eme Guy a Capper in the town of Chastillon upon Lion, had bin very disordered all his life, caused for the most part by the indulgence of his parents. It happened one Saturday in September 1565 that the son was debauched according to this custom, and returned home very late, whereat the Father was much displeased, saying, that seeing he continued this wicked course, he should be in the end constrained to chase him out of his company. To whom the son (being full of pride,) answered presumptuously, that he was ready to depart, even presently, so as they would give him his clothes upon this dispute the Father went to bed, being forced to threaten his son, if he would not be silent. In the end, seeing that he prevailed not, and not able any longer to bear the proud replies of his son, he rise out of his bed in choler to punish his undutifulness who seeing his Father approach in choler to beat him, he soddenly laid his hand upon his sword, and rebelling against his Father, thrust him through the body. whereupon he fell suddenly to the ground, crying out with a loud voice that he was dead. The neighbors amazed at this cry, came in presently, and soon after the Justice: who found the olde man laid all along ready to give up the ghost, dying presently after. The bloody sword was also found by his son, who warmed himself, to whom the Father (moved with compassion, and forgetting the cruelty he had used against him,) had of∣ten said. Son save thy self. I pardon thee my death: the Mother had also given him the like council to escape: but God by his power did so stay him, as he had no power to flee. Being carried to prison and examined, at the first he covered his patricide, accusing his Father that he had slain himself. But his excuses being found frivolous, he was condemned to have his right hand cut off, then to be pinched with hot pincers, and in the end hanged by the feet upon a gibet, and strangled with a stone of six score pound which should bee hanged at his neck. A wicked counterfeit being prisoner with him, advised him to appeal unto Paris. But having freely confessed the patricide, he revoked his appeal and was executed. The History of our times.