In Sir James Long's parke at Draycot-Cerne are grey lizards; and no
question in other places if they were look't after; but people take
them for newts. They are of that family. About anno 1686 a boy lyeing
asleep in a garden felt something dart down his throat, which killed
him: 'tis probable 'twas a little newt. They are exceeding nimble:
they call them swifts at Newmarket Heath. When I was a boy a young
fellow slept on the grasse: after he awak't, happening to putt his
hand in his pocket, something bitt him by the top of his finger: he
shak't it suddenly off so that he could not perfectly discerne it. The
biteing was so venomous that it overcame all help, and he died in a
few hours:-
"Virus edax superabat opera: penituaq{ue} receptum
Ossibus, et toto corpore pestis erat."- OVID. FASTOR.
Sir George Ent, M.D. had a tenant neer Cambridge that was stung with
an adder. He happened not to dye, but was spotted all over. One at
Knahill in Wilts, a neighbour of Dr. Wren's, was stung, and it turned
to a leprosy. (From Sr. Chr. Wren.)
At Neston Parke (Col. W. Eire's) in Cosham parish are huge snakes, an
ell long; and about the Devises snakes doe abound.
Toades are plentifull in North Wiltshire: but few in the chalkie
countreys. In sawing of an ash 2 foot + square, of Mr. Saintlowe's, at
Knighton in Chalke parish, was found a live toade about 1656; the sawe
cutt him asunder, and the bloud came on the under-sawyer's hand: he
thought at first the upper-sawyer had cutt his hand.
Pages:
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160