THE Ovum Anguinum, or Druid's Egg, has been already noticed among the physical charms. The reputed history of its formation has been reserved for insertion among the Vulgar Errors. "Near Aberfraw," in the Isle of Anglesey, says Mr. Gough in his " Camden," edit. 1789, vol. ii. p. 571, “are frequently found the Glain Naidr, or Druid Glass Rings (Hist. of Anglesey, p. 41). Of these the vulgar opinion in Cornwall and most parts of Wales is, that they are produced through all Cornwall by Snakes joining their heads together and hissing, which forms a kind of bubble like a ring about the head of one of them, which the rest, by continual hissing, blow on till it comes off at the tail, when it immediately hardens and resembles a Glass Ring. (a) Whoever found it was to prosper in all his undertakings. These Rings are called Glain Nadroedh, or Gemmæ Anguinæ. Glûne in Irish signifies Glass. In Monmouthshire they are called Maen magl, and corruptly Glaim for Glain. They are small glass annulets, commonly about half as wide as cur finger rings, but much thicker, usually of a green colour, though some are blue, and others curiously waved with blue, red, and white. Mr. Lluyd had seen two or three earthen Rings

(a) See also vol. i. p. 257.

of this kind, but glazed with blue, and adorned with transverse strokes or furrows on the outside. The smallest of them might be supposed to have been glass beads worn for ornaments by the Romans, because some quantities of them with several amber beads had been lately discovered in a stone pit near Garford, in Berkshire, where they also dig up Roman coins, skeletons, and pieces of arms and armour. But it may be objected, that a battle being fought there between the Romans and Britons, as appears by the bones and arms, these glass beads might as probably belong to the latter. And, indeed, it seems very likely that these Snake-stones, as we call them, were used as charms or amulets among our Druids of Britain on the same occasion as the Snake-eggs (1) among the Gaulish Druids.

"Thus, continues Mr. Lluyd, we find it very evident that the opinion of the vulgar concerning the generation of these Adderbeads, or Snake-stones, is no other than a relic of the superstition or perhaps imposture of the Druids; but whether what we call Snakestones be the very same amulets that the British Druids made use of, or whether this fabulous origin was ascribed formerly to the same thing and in aftertimes applied to these glass beads, I shall not undertake to determine. As for Pliny's Ovum Anguinum, it

can be no other than a shell (marine or fossil) of the kind we call Echinus marinus, whereof one sort, though not the same he describes, is found at this day in most parts of Wales."

"Dr. Borlase, who had penetrated more deeply into the Druidical monuments in this kingdom than any writer before or since, observes that instead of the natural Anguinum, which must have been very rare, artificial rings of stone, glass, and sometimes baked clay, were substituted as of equal validity."

The Doctor adds, from Mr. Lluyd's letter, March 10, 1701, at the end of Rowland's "Mona Antiqua," p. 342, that "the Cornish retain variety of charms, and have still, towards the Land's End, the amulets of Maen Magal and Glain-neider, which latter they call a Melprev (or Milprev, i. e. a thousand worms), and have a charm for the Snake to make it, when they have found one asleep, and stuck a hazel wand in the centre of her Spiræ."

The opinion of the Cornish, Dr. Borlase continues, is somewhat differently given us by Mr. Carew. "The country-people have a persuasion that the Snakes here breathing upon a hazel wand, produce a stone ring of blue colour, in which there appears the yellow figure of a snake, and that beasts bit and envenomed, being given some water to drink wherein this stone has been infused, will perfectly recover of the poison."

These beads are not unfrequently found in barrows (see Stukeley's Abury, p. 44); or occasionally with skeletons, whose nation and age are not ascertained. Bishop Gibson engraved three one, of earth enamelled with blue, found near Dol Gelhe in Merionethshire; a second, of green glass, found at Aberfraw; and a third, found near Maes Pandy, co. Merioneth.

(a) "Antiq. of Cornwall," p. 137.

aquas fluitet vel auro vinctum. Atque, ut est Magorum solertia occultandis fraudibus sagax, certa Luna capiendum censent, tanquam congruere operationem eam serpentium, humani sit arbitrii. Vidi equidem id ovum mali orbiculati modici magnitudine, crusta cartilaginis, velut acetabulis brachiorum polypi crebris, insigne Druidis. Ad victorias litium, ac regum aditus, mire laudatur: tantæ vanitatis, ut habentem id in lite in sinu equitem Romanum e Vecontiis, a Divo Claudio Principe interemptum non ob aliud sciam." Edit. Harduin, lib. xxix. 12.

"THERE is a vulgar error," says the author of the "Brief Natural History," p. 91, " that a Salamander lives in the fire. Yet both Galen and Dioscorides refute this opinion; and Mathiolus, in his Commentaries upon

Dioscorides,' a very famous physician, affirms of them, that by casting of many a Salamauder into the fire for tryal he found it false. The same experiment is likewise avouched by Joubertus." (1)

SIR THOMAS BROWNE tells us," that Fluctus Decumanus, or the Tenth Wave, is greater or more dangerous than any other, some no doubt will be offended if we deny; and hereby we shall seem to contradict antiquity: for, answerable unto the literal and common acceptation, the same is averred by many writers, and plainly described by Ovid:

'Qui venit hic fluctus, fluctus supereminet

omnes

Posterior nono est, undecimoque prior.' Which, notwithstanding, is evidently false; nor can it be made out by observation either upon the shore or the ocean, as we have with diligence explored in both. And surely in vain we expect a regularity in the waves of

the sea, or in the particular motions thereof, as we may in its general reciprocations, whose causes are constant and effects therefore correspondent. Whereas its fluctuations are but motious subservient, which winds, storms, shores, shelves, and every interjacency irregulates."

"Of affinity hereto is that conceit of Ovum Decumanum, so called because the Tenth Egg is bigger than any other, according to the reason alledged by Festus, Decumana Ova dicuntur, quia Ovum decimum majus nascitur.' For the honour we bear unto the clergy, we cannot but wish this true; but herein will be found no more verity than the other." He adds, "The conceit is numeral."

IT is said" that Swans, a little before their death, sing most sweetly, of which, notwithstanding, Pliny, Hist. x. 23, thus speaks: 'Olorum morte narratur,flebilis Cantus, falsò

ut arbitror aliquot experimentis.' Swans are said to sing sweetly before their death, but falsely, as I take it, being led so to think by some experiments.

"And Scaliger, Exercitat. 23, to the like purpose 'de Cygni vero cantu suavissimo quem cum Mendaciorum parente Græcia jactare ausus es, ad Luciani Tribunal, apud quem aliquid novi dicas, statuo te.' Touching the sweet singing of the Swan, which with Greece, the mother of lies, you dare to publish, I cite you to Lucian's Tribunal, there to set abroach some new stuff.

"And Ælian, lib. x. c. 14, 'Cantandi studiosos esse jam communi Sermone pervulgatum est. Ego, vero, Cygnum nunquam audivi canere, fortasse neque alius.' That Swans are skilful in singing is now rife in every man's mouth, but, for myself, I never heard them sing, and perchance no else. "Brief Natural History," by Eugenius Philalethes, p. 88.

man

SIR THOMAS BROWNE informs us that the generation of a Basilisk is supposed to proceed from a cock's egg hatched under a toad or serpent-a conceit which he observes is as monstrous as the brood itself.

This learned writer accounts, or rather endeavours to account, for its killing at a distance. "It killeth at a distance-it poisoneth by the eye, and by priority of vision. Now that deleterious it may be at some distance, and destructive without corporal contaction, what uncertainty soever there be in the effect, there is no high improbability in the relation. For, if plagues or pestilential atomes have been conveyed in the air from different regions: if men at a distance have infected each other: if the shadowes of some trees be noxious: if torpedoes deliver their opium at a distance, and stupifie beyond themselves: we cannot reasonably deny that there may proceed from subtiller seeds more agile emanations, which contemn those laws, and invade at distance

unexpected. Thus it is not impossible what is affirmed of this animal: the visible rayes of their eyes carrying forth the subtilest portion of their poison, which received by the eye of man or beast, infecteth first the brain, and is from thence communicated unto the heart." He adds: "Our Basilisk is generally described with legs, wings, a serpentine and winding taile, and a crist or comb somewhat like a cock. But the Basilisk of elder times was a proper kind of serpent, not above three palmes long, as some account, and differenced from other serpents by advancing his head and some white marks or coronary spots upon the crown, as all authentic writers have delivered."

In "Andrews's Anecdotes," p. 359, is given, from "a folio book of some price," a receipt "how to make a Basiliske." It is too ridiculous to merit a place even in a collection of Vulgar Errors.

THE original word Rem, translated Unicorn in our version of the book of Job, xxxix. 9, is by Jerome, or Hierome, Montanus, and Aquila, rendered Rhinoceros: in the Septuagint Monoceros, which is nothing more than

"One Horn." I have no doubt but that the Rhinoceros is the real Unicorn of antiquity. The fabulous animal of heraldry so called, is nothing more than a horse with the horn of the Pristis or Sword Fish stuck in his forehead.

SIR THOMAS BROWNE tells us "The Rose of Jericho, that flourishes every year just about Christmas Eve, is famous in Christian reports. Bellonius tells us it is only a monastical imposture. There is a peculiarity in this plant; though it be dry, yet, on imbibing moisture, it dilates its leaves and explicates its flowers, contracted, and seemingly dried up which is to be effected not only in the plant yet growing, but also in some measure may be effected in that which is brought exsuccous and dry unto us: which quality being observed, the subtlety of contrivers did commonly play this shew upon the eve of our Saviour's Nativity: when by drying the plant again, it closed the next day, referring unto the opening and closing of the womb of Mary. Suitable to this relation is the THORN of GLASTONBURY, and perhaps the daughter thereof. Strange effects are naturally taken for miracles by weaker heads, and artificially improved to that apprehension by wiser. Certainly many precocious trees, and such as spring in the winter, may be found in England. Most trees sprout in the fall of the leaf, or autumn, and if not kept back by cold and outward causes, would leaf about the solstice. Now if it happen that any be so strongly constituted as to make this good against the power of winter, they may produce their leaves or blossoms at that season, and perform that in some singles which is observable in whole kinds as in ivy, which blossoms and bears at least twice a year, and once in the winter: as also in furze, which flowereth in that season."

Walsingham has the following passage, Historia Brevis, fol. Lond. 1574, p. 119. Anno 1336. "In multis locis Angliæ Salices in Januario flores protulerunt, Rosis in quantitate et colore persimiles."

I have no doubt but that the early blossoming of the Glastonbury Thorn was owing to a natural cause. It is mentioned by Gerard and Parkinson in their Herbals. Camden also notices it. Ashmole tells us that he had often heard it spoken of, "and by some who have seen it whilst it flourished at Glastonbury." He adds: "Upon St. Stephen's Day, Anno 1672, Mr. Stainsby (an ingenious enquirer after things worthy memorial) brought me a branch of Hawthorne having green leaves, faire buds, and full flowers, all thick and very beautifull, and (which is more notable) many of the hawes and berries upon it red and plump, some of which branch is yet preserved in the plant booke of my collection. This he had from a hawthorne tree now growing at Sir Lancelote Lake's house, near Edgworth, in Middlesex, concerning which, falling after into the company of the said knight 7th July, 1673, he told me that the tree, whence this branch was plucked, grew from a slip taken from the Glastonbury Thorn about sixty years since, which is now a bigg tree, and flowers every winter about Christmas. É. Ashmole." See the Appendix to "Hearne's Antiquities of Glastonbury," p. 303.

A pleasant writer in the " World," No. 10, (already quoted in vol. i. p. 79,) has the following irony on the alteration of the style in