the plains of
Asia" (saith he) "the storks meet on such a set day, he that comes last is
torn in pieces, and so they get them gone." Many strange places, Isthmi,
Euripi, Chersonesi, creeks, havens, promontories, straits, Lakes, baths,
rocks, mountains, places, and fields, where cities have been ruined or
swallowed, battles fought, creatures, sea-monsters, remora, &c. minerals,
vegetals. Zoophytes were fit to be considered in such an expedition, and
amongst the rest that of [3027]Harbastein his Tartar lamb, [3028]Hector
Boethius goosebearing tree in the orchards, to which Cardan _lib. 7. cap.
36. de rerum varietat._ subscribes: [3029]Vertomannus wonderful palm, that
[3030] fly in Hispaniola, that shines like a torch in the night, that one
may well see to write; those spherical stones in Cuba which nature hath so
made, and those like birds, beasts, fishes, crowns, swords, saws, pots, &c.
usually found in the metal mines in Saxony about Mansfield, and in Poland
near Nokow and Pallukie, as [3031]Munster and others relate. Many rare
creatures and novelties each part of the world affords: amongst the rest, I
would know for a certain whether there be any such men, as Leo Suavius, in
his comment on Paracelsus _de sanit. tuend_. and [3032]Gaguinus records in
his description of Muscovy, "that in Lucomoria, a province in Russia, lie
fast asleep as dead all winter, from the 27 of November, like frogs and
swallows, benumbed with cold, but about the 24 of April in the spring they
revive again, and go about their business." I would examine that
demonstration of Alexander Picolomineus, whether the earth's superficies be
bigger than the seas: or that of Archimedes be true, the superficies of all
water is even? Search the depth, and see that variety of sea-monsters and
fishes, mermaids, seamen, horses, &c. which it affords. Or whether that be
true which Jordanus Brunus scoffs at, that if God did not detain it, the
sea would overflow the earth by reason of his higher site, and which
Josephus Blancanus the Jesuit in his interpretation on those mathematical
places of Aristotle, foolishly fears, and in a just tract proves by many
circumstances, that in time the sea will waste away the land, and all the
globe of the earth shall be covered with waters; _risum teneatis amici_?
what the sea takes away in one place it adds in another. Methinks he might
rather suspect the sea should in time be filled by land, trees grow up,
carcasses, &c. that all-de