The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (c. 70 - c. 130)
Alias Suetonius [alias]
References in Documents:
18. Some Pieces delineating singular inhumanities in Tortures. The Scaphismus of the Bibliotheca Abscondita
Roman Sheild, of
a different form from that I had before, and observing
them both to be of different Materials from the usual Descrip
tions of them (which I also apprehend to be in other parts de
fective) I resolved to make a more particular Inspection into
their Texture, and whereas they are generally said to be
no, corio superinducto
Wood, but the Handle, in either of them. The Ancient
Ro
mansI observe had Three Words,
mans
for that defensive Weapon we generally English a
Sheild, which
notwithstanding their different Forms or Matter, their Au
thors (especially in the Declension of the Empire) frequently
confound, as, if I mistake not, we do
Sheild, Buckler, and
Target. The
Scutum, & Clypeus, in Form,
& in orbem justum relata, Clypeos dixere
those votive Sheilds upon the Colums or Trunk of Palm Trees.
inscribed, VIC. AVG. or DAC. PAR. &
c. In their old
Coins)
ma
dern, positively said to be of Wood covered with Leather,
and so particularly
Ob. Walker
of Coins
dus ipse non videt omnia
ma
par
bricatum
Diameter, whereof a little more than a third part is taken up
with the
made of an Iron
ConvexPlate, wrought hollow on the inside,
to receive the Gladiator’s Hand, upon the Center of this is a
lesser Boss, wherein there seems to have been fixed, some
kind of
they came to fight Hand to Hand, but the Form of this I
cannot describe, both the Sheilds being defective in that point;
nor can I receive any Light from my Collection of Coins, for
tho’ it seem to be the same that
with, yet the Sheild being carried in the Left-Hand, only the
Back Part of it is apparent. From the said
is Four Inches and an half broad on each side, in which are
11 circular equidistant Rows of Brass Studs of that Size, that
3 Inches, (for that is the Circumference of the Buckler) and so
proportionably in the lesser Circles to the Center of these 11
Rows of Brazen Studs, the inmost Circle is placed upon the
each a third of an Inch broad. The two outermost upon one
thicker Plate and Inch broad: in the little Intervals between
these circular Plates are plainly discovered certain cross
Lami
næ, that pass on the Back of the other, from the
næ
exterior Circle; and these Iron Plates are also about the third
part of an Inch at the broader End towards the Circumference,
but gradually contracted into a narrower Breadth, that they
may be brought into the Compass of the
The inner Coat next to those Iron Plates (for I cut it a little
open behind, that I might more distinctly discern the Work)
is made of very thick hard strong Leather, which cuts bright,
somewhat like Parchment. Upon that is a second Cover of
the same, and on the outside of this are plaited the Iron Pins
that run through the Brass Studs; for the above-mentioned
Brass Studs are cast purely for Ornament upon the Heads of
the said Iron Pins the sixth part of an Inch long, that none
of the Iron appears: this reminds me of
who, as
Ostentation in his Army,
naret, simul & ad speciem, & quo tenaciores eorum in prælio essent,
metu damni
(which pass through the circular and cross Iron Plates, and
both the Leather Covers) is a pure linnen Cloth, but disco
loured, though perhaps not with Age only, but sower Wine
and Salt, or some other Liquid wherein it seems to have been
steeped. And lastly, upon the said Linnen is the outmost
Cover, which is of softer Leather, all which Coats that com
pose the Sheild, are bound together by two circular Plates of
Iron, a thin and narrow one towards the Center, and a thick
er and large one, an Inch broad at the Circumference, which
is curiously nailed with two rows of very small Tackets, above
400 in Number, the vacant Holes whence some of the Nails
are dropt out, are little bigger than to admit the Point of a
Pair of small Compasses, both which Rims do likewise fasten
the Handle (the only part of Wood) which has also Six other
Iron Plates about three or four Inches long, to secure it.
graphias)s)
in my Compass, I shall endeavour to reduce these to his Method, on
ly he
beginning with Chrystals and Diamonds, I
shall premise the Margaritæ Cumbrenses.
have as good a Water as thePearls
Oriental:
, which are as useful in Physick as the finest, though notSand-Pearls
so valuable for the Beauty.
of the finer WaTwin-Pearl
ter; a Dozen of which were sent me by my
who hath been a First-rate Benefactor to this Collection of Natural
Curiosities above 20 Years ago.
Hen. Savile's
(
t)
t)
Life ofAgricol.
is neither so agreeable to the Sentiments of
tempted by their Beauty (as
toBritish Pearls
, nor to the express Testimony of veVenus Genetrix
nerable
u)
u)
Eccles. Hist. Lib. I. C. I.
Alfred
Onyx with Moss included in Part of it. Don. D.
Boulter
Rock-Crystal, half a Foot round one Way, and within half an
Inch
of it, the other. It was brought me from
Jabes Cay
who observed therein the
Modus Concrescendiin the Middle, different
from that of the out-side. Sometimes there remains a small Drop in
the Middle of a transparent Peble that will never take the solid Form.
Irisor lesser Crystals, here are several Sorts, as those called
, from the Place inDownham Diamonds
round; from
Hargrave
fromDiamonds
(near the Sulphur-well) after Rain; as are also those at
Downham .
from the County ofBrindle-stones
near two Inches in Circumference one way, and above 2 ½ the other.
AmethistineColour. Don. D.
M. Marshal , Dublin .
from theIris minima Cambrensis
Anglesey.
Episc.
rency, and Sizes, of which one very much resembles that engraved
Lh. Tab. I. 15
fromPseudo-Adamantes
Jo. Wood
wardM. D.
ward
like, but more opace, about a Foot in Circumference; but from whence
I know not, it being given to
Crysta
lizedSpar very curious from the Iron-ores in
lized
nefactor last mentioned, from whom I received most of the
Sparsthat
follow.
Spar from
Peak.
called
from the
Scot's Pillar at
Pool's
Hole,
Derbyshire .
Spar
from the
Lonesdale's
unlike it from Alderman
Okey-holein
Quarry at
Quarry near
Stalagamites, one very curious, like
Lh. Tab. I. 50
Rasp-berry.
Species, course like the Stone they adhere to.
: This I brought from the Petrifying orStalagamites mamil
laris opacus
laris opacus
Dropping-wellat
Stalactites
or Water-pipe (
x)
x)
p. 301.
Pipes, each large enough to receive a Goose-Quill, and a transverse
one that passeth horizontally.
Stalactitesor
Lapides Stil
latitii, as
latitii
Plot
y)
y)
Nat. Hist.
p96
Top of a Vault, and is seven Inches round where it hath joined the
Roof, yet has a small Hole quite thro' it;
ry fine Sparine Substance, but hath no Hollow.
rence betwixt the
Stalactitesand the
Sparis, that the former is always
opacous and never angular. The latter always or usually perspicuous,
and never round (
z)
z)
p. 306.
Moon-stone or
Selenites Rhomboidalisof
Plot
a)
a)
consists of ten Planes, four long, as many short, and the two Sides:
sent me by the
UniversityCol.
hath also two smaller
Selenitæimmersed about half Way in the Body
of the large one.
that seems like the half one, split theSelenites
long Way, so hath but six Planes.
of the longer Sort and thinner:
in Digging a Well at
from
Woodward
Musæum.
Talcum aureum Indiæ Occidentalis.
sides this
Gold Talkfrom the
a Sort of Silver
, but know not the Place.English Talk