AN ÆGYPTIAN MUMMY given by the Illustrious Prince Henry Duke of Norfolk. It is an entire one taken out of the Royal Pyramids. In length five feet and ½, defended with several linnen Covers, all woven like ordinary Flaxen Cloth. But by the spinning, distinguished into three kinds. The utmost, is like Flaxen Cloth of two shillings an Ell: the inmost, of half a Crown: the middlemost, of three shillings, or thereabout.

The utmost Cover is divided into several pieces, each of doubled Linnen, and adapted in figure to the part it covers, as one on the Breast, another on the Belly, and so on all the principal Parts. On each of these pieces is laid a white Paint, of a kind of chalky or limy substance, of the thickness of a Hen-Egg-shell. Upon this chalky ground are drawn the Hieroglyphick Figures of Men, Women and Birds; in Gold, yellow, red and blew. But with very rude shapes, and the Colours no where mixed together. So very mean was the Art of Painting amongst the Ægyptians heretofore. For we have reason to believe, that what was done for one of their Kings or Nobles, was done with their best skill.

The middlemost Cover consisteth of one single and entire piece of Linnen, almost like a Winding-sheet. It is also tinged with some kind of Paint, but very lightly, and without any Figures.

The inmost Covering is wrapped round about the Head, Trunk, each Arm, and each Leg apart, about thirty or forty times, like so many swathing Bands. About twenty of the utmost of these folds are lightly tinged, all the other inmost more fully, with a blackish and gummous substance. But the Flesh so fully, as it seems to be converted into a black Rosin; which being held to the flame of a Candle, is a little odorous and inflamable. The Bones also, are not only outwardly, but also quite through of a black colour, as if they were burnt.

From hence it is very probable, That the way of Embalming amongst the Ægyptians, was by boiling the Body (in a long Cauldron like a Fish-kettle) in some kind of liquid Balsome; so long, till the aqueous parts of the flesh being evaporated, the oily and gummous parts of the Balsome did by degrees soak into it, and intimately incorporate therewith. Much after the same manner, as the Sugar doth, in the conditing of Pears, Quinces, and the like.

'Tis also likely, that a better way might be taken, than this used by the Ægyptians. And that is, by boyling, or rather soaking the Body in some white sort of Oyl, and such as will dry, (as that of Walnuts) made and kept so hot, as to evaporate the watery parts by degrees, and to keep the flesh white, and not brittle, but limber and plient. Which, especially in the business of Anatomy, would be of good use: because, that all the Muscules of the Body, being first parted one from another, might hereby be preserved sound, clean, and limber upon the Bones; and so all the motions of the parts be explicated with the greatest ease, and without any offensiveness.

'Tis equally probable, that the whole Compages of the Muscules, as they lie upon the Bones, might with little trouble, and less charge than by the former way, be truly Tanned, or reduced to a limber sort of Leather; whereby also the Weftage of the fibers, or other mechanisme of the Muscules might more easily and leisurely be observed. For the skins of Beasts, whereof Leather is daily made, are Muscular; and in mans body consisteth, for the most part, of the same carneous fibers, as the Muscules, but more closely woven or matted together.

Mummy, saith (a)Wormius (a) Musaeum Wormianum. (and so most Writers hereof) is of great use against Contusions, clodded Blood, Hard Labour, & c. But let them see to it, that dare trust to old Gums, which have long since lost their virtue.

By some Chymists are also prepared Mummiæ Tinctura Quercetani; Mummiæ Extractum Crolly; Oleum Olivarum Mummiatum. (b) Schrod. Pharm. (b) But the prudent Reader will take heed of words.

Three more Round BONES of a WHALE; all of them lesser, and one ratably thicker than the former; the other thinner, like a white penny Loaf. The third the thinnest, almost like a Tansey.

Wormius (a) (a) Musæum. makes mention of a Manuscript, entituled, Speculum Regale£ but written in the ancient Danish- Tongue, as he saith is supposed, by King Suerron; in which are reckon'd up two and twenty kinds of Whales: of all which he gives a brief account in his Musæum. Of which, the last save one, is said to be sometimes almost an hundred and thirty Elns long. The last of all, liker a little Island, than an Animal.

Bartholine (b) (b) Hist. Cent. 4. also reckons up the same number; but with some different Names, and a different Account; which he gives from a Manuscript History of the Fishes of Iceland: which, saith he, a curious and observing Shepherd of Iceland sent to Wormius some years before his death, with all their Figures. But how these two accounts agree, I see not. I would not think, That Wormius did here put in the King, and leave out the Shepherd, to make the story better.

The HORN of the SEA-UNICORNE. Given by Sir Joseph Williamson now President of the Royal-Society. It is an entire one, eight feet long, or about two yards and three quarters. Very beautiful in length, straitness, whiteness, and its spiral Furrows bigger and less, making about seven Rounds from the bottom to the top, or point. At the Basis or bottom, about seven inches round. From thence, for about a foot, it swells a little, and then again grows slenderer, all the way, and so ends in a sharp point. 'Tis also conically hollow at the Basis, for near three quarters of a foot deep.

The same Horn (together with the Fish it self, sometimes above 30 Elns long,) is described by Wormius. (c) (c) Musæum Wor. But I cannot, with him, call it a Tooth. In that, it performeth not the office of a Tooth, but of a Horn. Neither doth it stand as a Tooth, but horizontally. Nor is it fixed in the Mouth, where all Teeth stand, but in the Snout. The reason why he calls it so, is, because it is fastened in the Snout, as Teeth are in the Jaw. See also the Description hereof in Bartholine. (d) (d) Hist. Cent. 4. But in that he makes it to be Gyris Intortum, is not (at least as to this Horn) so clearly expressed: the Horn it self being strait, and not writhen, but only surrounded with spiral Furrows. The same is also transcribed by Terzagi out of Wormius, into Septalius's Musæum.

Of the Virtue hereof, Wormius mentions two Experiments. The one, upon its being given to a Dog, after a Dose of Arsenick: but he expresseth the quantity of neither. The other, upon twelve Grains hereof given after a Drachm of Nux Vomica. Both the Dogs lived; whereas two other Dogs having the same Doses, without the Horn, died. Both experiments are attested by several Physitians of Note.

The credit of these Persons is not doubted. But the question is, Whether these Dogs might not have liv'd without the Horn. As some Dogs that have been bitten by an Adder, have been observ'd to get over their Convulsions, and recover. It is also said in one of the Experiments, that the Dog which liv'd, vomited: and in the other, there is nothing said to the contrary. The question therefore is, Whether many other things, which will cause vomiting, may not do as well, as this so much celebrated Horn?

Whatever it may perform against Poison, it hath, saith Bartholine, been very successfully used by Physitians in Malignant Fevers. As in that, which at Coppenhagen in the years 1652, and 1653. was very brief: and which it carr'd off with very great Sweats. (a) (a) Barthol. Hist. Cent. 4. It was used also by Albertus Kyperus at Leyden in the Year 1655. in the like Case, and with the like success. (b) (b) Ibid. And that the sweating proceeded not meerly from Natures own strength over the Disease, but as she was helped by the use of the Horn; seems probable from what Bartholine further saith, (c)(c) Ibid. That a scruple or ʒß hereof being given in Carduus-Water, or other convenient Liquor, causeth a free and copious sweating, even in those that are not used to sweat, except with much difficulty.

Heretofore, the chief Bishops in Denmark, used to make their Episcopal Staffs of these Horns. (d) (d) Ibid. The Natives of Groenland, and other Places where the Sea-Unicorne is taken, arm the sharp ends of the thickest and longest of these Horns with Iron Beards, and so use them for the wounding and taking of Whales.

The Sea-Unicorne is it self a lesser Whale, and is that Species which the People of Island, where there are many, call Narwhal. The figure which Olaus Magnus gives of the Head, is fictitious.

The SKULL of the MORSE: so called by the Muscovites; by the Danes, Rosmarus. He hath four feet, and his Body shapen not much unlike the SEA-CALF. But groweth sometimes to be bigger than an Ox. In his upper Jaw, he hath two remarquakble TUSKS, bended a little inward. In this Skull, the exerted part is five inches long, and four round about at the Root. His other Teeth are undescrib'd. They are sixteen, eight on each Jaw. Not Grinders but Punchers, or somewhat answer able in shape to the Tusks of a Dog. In the upper Jaw, the longest; standing on each side, two or three of them, within side of the Tusks. They have a small flat on their insides, against which the Teeth of the under Jaw work; which are much smaller, and flat-sided. The shape of these Teeth seems no way fitted, and their strength very superfluous, for the eating of green Leaves at the bottom of the Sea, as this Animal is supposed to do.

The Figure which Olaus Magnus gives of this Animal, is fictitious. But that in Joh. de Læt (as to the Head at least) is a very good one: from whom Wormius borrows his. One of the Cubs is accurately described by Everh. Vorstius, quoted by John de Læt, by Wormius, and by Terzagi in Septalius's Musæum. This Animal, when he goes, drags his hinder part after him, as the Seal. They always, saith Scaliger, (a) (a) Exer. 218. S. 4. come on Land in Companies; and when they sleep, one of them, as among Cranes, is set to watch. They climb upon the Rocks on the Sea-side by the help of their great Tusks, wherewith, as with two Hooks, they hold themselves from sliping. They breed numerously near St. Lawrence Isle.

Their Tusks are used by the Turks and Tartars for the (b) Musæum Wormianum. making of Sword-Handles. (b) I have a Girdle, saith Wormius, (c) composed of Plates made of these Tusks; which being worn, is an infallible Remedy against the Cramp: (c) Ibid.. Spasmo proculdubio immunes reddit.

The COMMON WILK. This sort is short-snouted, or hath no horn. Of this sort are several here preserv'd.

It is affirm'd by Aristotle, (a) (a) Hist. An. lib. 5. c. 15. That you may know how many years a Wilk is of, by the number of Rounds in the Turban. Of the manner of laying their Eggs, see Bellonius. They are desired by some, as a rare sort of Meat. The best are in clean Creeks. That which Mr. Lyster describes, (b) (b) De Cochl. Mar. Tit. 1. by the Name of Buccinum maximum, is fished out of the Sea at Scarbrough.

A Wilk, saith Nicolaus Myrepsius, being burnt, powdered, and mixed with old Oil to the consistence of Glew, and so the Head, first shaved and rub'd, anointed therewith, is an admirable Remedy against Baldness and Morph of long standing. 'Tis usual to give Drink to Children that have the Chin-Cough, out of a Wilk-shell; and it is observed, saith Wormius, (c) (c) Musæum. to do them good.

A THIRD, with the same side besprinkled with a great company of small round knobs.

The little Navle-Shell is well express'd by Olearius, Tab. 33. Fig. 7. Here are several of them kept in a Glass.

Not only this, but other turbinated shells have their lid. Which, as Mr. Lyster well observes, is as it were another Valve.

Spirit of Nitre droped upon this Shell, riseth up with a strong efferrescence. The admirable Virtue of this Shell is experienced, saith Wormius, (a) (a) Musæum. by men of very good note, in stainching of Blood; the flat side hereof being only applied, with Spittle, to the Forehead. 'Tis usual to lay a cold Key or Stone in the Neck. But if the same, especially a good big Pebble with one side flat, like a Painters Mullet, were apply'd to the Forehead, I should expect as good advantage from that, as from the application of this shell.

The Women in France, saith Bœtius, (b) (b) Lib. de Gem. & Lapid. nimio Mensium fluore laborantes, commonly take this shell reduced to a fine powder, which they find to be a very good remedy, and keep it as a Secret.

The ACAJU, or Cajous-AKORN. The Fruit, or rather one part of the Fruit of a Tree growing in Brasile (where it is called Acajaiba) and other West-Indian Coun(a) Lib. 1. c. 52. tries. Chiefly described and figur'd by Linschoten, (a) and Piso. (b) (b) Lib. 4. c. 6. The whole Fruit is called Acaju. That part next the Branch, by Piso, the Apple; but is shaped more like a Pear. To the top of which grows this part, which he calls the Akorn. In shape almost of an Hares Kidney; saving that where it grows to the Apple 'tis thicker, than at the other end. Of a smooth Surface, (here) mixed with ashen and brown.

Piso in describing this Fruit contradicts himself. Flori (saith he) succedit Castanea, exqua crescit Pomum. A little after, Pomum hoc, tum Glans ei superinnascens---. Wherein he is false to himself, but true to Nature; the Apple not growing upon or after the Akorn, as he had affirmed at first; but the Akorn, upon the Apple: as by one I have now by me, may be seen.

Wormius confoundeth the Picture of the Acaju, with the Description of the Anacardium. As may be seen by comparing Chap. the 22. and 24. of his Second Book.

The Kernels being pounded or ground, as Walnuts, yield abundance of Oil by expression. That Oil (so called) which is distinctly contained in the Shell or Rind of the Akron, is of a hot biting tast, and of a kind of caustick (c) Piso. quality. Used by the Indians to cure the Itch, Shingles, Malignant Ulcers, (c) and St. Anthonys Fire. (d) (d) Linschoten. But the Kernels are accounted a great dainty, either eaten raw with Wine and a little Salt; or especially, when they are roasted, or else preserved in Sugar. For the sake of this Fruit only, (e) (e) Piso. the Natives sometimes go to Wars; the Victors keeping possession of the Place, till they have pluck'd the Trees upon it, all clean.

By comparing what hath been said hereof, and of the Anacardium, together; they seem to be two Species, under one Kind.

The true METHEL; or the VOMITING-NUT commonly so call'd. Nux Vomica Officinarum. Very well described (c) (c) Tom. 1. in Bauhinus. Of the shape and bigness of a midling Troch, cover'd with short Hair, of a greenish brown. Very hard, and horny, and almost solid; saving that in the middle it incloses, as the Barbado-Nut, a thin Filme, which is the true seed; whereof the said horny Body, called the Nut, is only a great thick Cover.

This Fruit is, by Celaspine, most absurdly called Fungus Orientalis. And Wormius (d) (d) Mus. l. 2. c. 30. speaking of it, saith, That no Body knows certainly what it is. Whereas, by Dissection, it plainly appears to be a Fruit.

I find, that Cordus goeth thus far, as to observe, That within this Nut is contained a Rudiment of the future Plant, consisting as it were of two little pretty veined Leaves, and a Stalk. But that these Leaves were the two Lobes or main Body of the Seed, that the Stalk of these Leaves, as he calls it, was the Root, and that between these Leaves was cooped the Bud, of the future Plant, are things whereof he had not the least notion. Neither did he know (for he speaks of it as a peculiar) that the like conspicuous foliation, is, as in truth it is, observable in the seeds of a great many other Plants.

Half a Drachm of this Nut, given to a Dog, in powder, hath kill'd him, saith Bauhinus, in four hours. About ʒj, hath put a Dog into so great Convulsions, that he hath dy'd in less than half an hour.

ANOTHER of the same, but not above a foot high, and near half as broad. This also is naked or without any Crust, as the former. Most of these Fans grow in the American-Ocean.

Wormius, speaking of Sea-Shrubs (b) (b) Mus. l. 2. c. 35. at the end. hath this passage, —Mirum profectò, quomodo hujus generis vegetabilia ex ijs (saxis puta) nutrimentum trahere valeant. Whereas 'tis plain, That they receive no nourishment from them, but the Sea- Water, and such nutritive Bodies wherewith it is impregnated. And it is therefore observable, That although the Trunk and Branches of these Shrubs are of a close and dense substance; yet their Roots are always made soft and spongy (especially when recently gather'd) the better to imbibe their Aliment. So that the use of the Stone, or stony Body, on which they stand, is only to be a Base to keep them steady, and in the most convenient posture for their growth.

These, and other Sea-Plants hereafter describ'd, stinking, as is said, like Horns, in burning, and some of them not uneasily procur'd, it may be worth the Trial; Whether in Hysterical, Epileptick, or other like Cases, they may not prove more effectual, than Animal Bodies.

The SEA-MILFOYLE. Myriophyllum pelagium. s. Muscus maritimus silicis folio. Clusius hath a Figure somewhat answerable to this Title, and out of him Bauhinus. Yet either it is faulty, or of another Species. His, represented with alternate Branches. Here, they are collaternal, as in the Male-Firne. And curiously denticulated, in the like manner. It grows in very deep Gulfs of the Sea.

This Plant hath the same odd property, with several of the Sea-Shrubs before described; which is, that being fired, it makes a strong stinking smoak, like that of burnt Bones, Horns, or other parts of Animals. And may therefore be deservedly commended by Cortusus against Worms. And 'tis probable, all the rest of the stinking kind, some of which are much more plentiful and easily procur'd, may have the like Virtue.

Part of the Upper JAW of a strange HEAD, together with some fragments of other Bones, and three very Great Double TEETH, or Grinders, all supposed to be of the same Animal. Found, about twelve years since, seventeen feet under Ground, in Chartham a Village three miles from Canterbury. The Ground within twelve Rods of the River running thither, and so to Sandwich-Haven. An Account hereof is written by Mr. William Somner: yet without a Description of the Jaw. But supposing it to be part of the Head of an Hippopotamus, takes occasion thence for a Discourse, wherein he endeavours to prove, That all the low Ground from the East-Kentish shore, to Romney-Marsh, was once under Water, and an Arm of the Sea. Published, since his Death, by his Brother Mr. John Somner: in whose Ground these Bones were dig'd up; and by whom they were bestowed upon this Musæum.

This Jaw-Bone, is only part of the far Cheek; about fifteen inches long, and seven where deepest: yet part of both the ends, and the Sockets of the Teeth are broken off. The Orbit of the Eye, neither so round, nor so big, as in the Hippopotamus: yet the Teeth far bigger. For the bigest Grinder in the Head of the Hippopotamus here preserv'd, is less than six inches about: one of these, near eight. And 'tis much, if they belonged to that Animal, that none of the long Cutters which grow before (as is represented in Tab. 1.) should be found with them.

Besides, in that Skull of the said Animal, the Orbits of the Eye stand so high, and the Forehead lies so low, that it looks like a Valley between two Hills: whereas in this Bone, the Forehead evidently stands higher than the Eye. The Knob also at the Corner of the Eye in this Bone, is six times as big, as in the said Skull. Although this perhaps, as well as the tuberousness of the Bone in some places, may be the effect of its lying so long under ground; as if it were thereby a little swell'd in those places: for they are more rare and soft, than the other, and the whole Bone, than the Skull of any grown Animal not bury'd. Considering all together, it seems to me more likely to belong to a Rhinoceros, for the being whereof in this Country, we have as much ground to suppose it, as of the Hippopotamus. See Wormius's Description of the Double Tooth (a) (a) Mus. lib. 3. of a Rhinoceros.

ANOTHER, different from the former, in that it is longer, hath a deeper Indenture, but no handle. Both of them strike fire like other Flints. That of Wormius was found in a Hill in the Diocess of Ripen.