(Give ear to the Vulture’s words, which are in no wiſe falſe.)
E
PIGRAMMAXLIII.
Montis in excelſo conſiſtit uertice uultur, Aſſisduè clamans; Albus ego atque niger, Citrinus, rubeuſque feror nil mentior: idem eſt
Coruus, qui pennis abſque uolare ſolet Nocte tenebrosâ, mediâque in luce diei, Namque artis caput eſt ille uel iſte tuæ.
D
ISCOURSEXLIII.
We daily in many places hear Birds ſuch as Parrots, Ravens, Daws and Pyes that prattle and imitate a Human Voice. Pliny writes that at the ſame time that he publiſhed his Hiſtory, Agrippina the wife of Claudius Caeſar had a Thruſh that could ſpeak, and that the young Caeſars had a Starling and Nightingales that were accuſtomed to the Greek and Latin tongues, and daily ſpoke new things in a long thread of words or ſentences. But in as at this time ſuch Birds are more frequently to be met with, they are now leſs wondered at, for uſe and Cuſtom will make any Birds capable of ſpeaking, if their Tongues are more broad than ordinary.
But that Vulture which the Philoſophers mention, has not learnt his words if he utters any by uſe: His own Nature expreſſes them tacitly. But the Philoſophers ſay that he continually cries out with a loud voice, who and What he is, in which he imitates great Princes, who in the beginning of their public pronouncements will always make known what are their inheritances and Titles; not out of Pride, but that others, ( as well as themſelves ) may know what Principalities they govern ( or what rights of Inheritance they pretend to. ) So it is very neceſſary to know what colours as Enſigns of Arms and Titles the Philoſophic Bird enjoys, and wherein he excels all others.
“I” ſaith he ( as the Roſary hath it from Hermes ), “am the Black of white and the Citrine of Red.” And ſuch he really is: For though he doth not as yet actually poſſeſs theſe laſt Colours, yet he expects the Inheritance of them. Hereupon ſaith Roſinus in his book Divinarum Interpretationum, “Take” ſaith he, “the Stone which is Black, white, Red Citrine: That admirable Bird which flies without wings in the Darkneſs of the night, and in the Clearneſs of the day.” For Colouration is taken from bitterneſs exiſting in his Throat; but more water is taken from his Blood, as Alexander ſaith, “Take O my Son the Stone of four Colours.” The books of the Philoſophers do abundantly declare that the Stone has all theſe colours, which are Principations in a ſucceſſive order.
But it may not be improper to declare why the Philoſophical Subject is called a Vulture: Thoſe vultures which are Black, have moſt Force and are rapacious, but they fly ſlowly becauſe of the bulk of their bodies. They ſay this bird conceives without the help of the Male, and generates without coition, and their offſpring
when they have applied it to themſelves they produce many young ones, but one only remains, which is called IMMUSULUS. We have the teſtimony of Hermodorus Ponticus in Calius, that Vultures are the moſt innocent of all Animals becauſe they touch nothing that Mankind ſows, plants or feeds; beſides, they kill no living creature. They abſtain from birds, though dead, by a certain inſtinct of Affinity. For this reaſon they were accounted the Signs in Divination, as the Foundation of the City of Rome may declare. The Philoſophical Bird, expreſſing almoſt all theſe Qualities of the Vulture, is therefore not undeſervedly called a Vulture by Hermes and others. He is ſlow in flight and of Colour Black. He conceives from himſelf ( for ſo Roſarius towards the End . ) And he is the Dragon who marries himſelf and impregnates himſelf and brings forth in his own Seaſon. And Roſarius to Sarratanta, " And that is the Serpent, Luxuriant in itſelf, impregnating itſelf, and bringing forth in one day. " It lives and endures a very long time, and multiplies itſelf. For what Virgil writes concerning the Phoenix agrees likewiſe to this, for it is the ſame Bird.
It is very difficult to climb the neſt of this Bird. It fights with the Mercurial Serpent, and overcomes it, that is Sol. With Luna it is conceived by the wind and carried in its belly, and born in the Air. The Stone Aetites, containing within it the little ſtone ſounding, is by many men called Totium. One only IMMUSULUS is found in the neſt of the Philoſophers. The Philoſophic Bird is alſo moſt Innocent becauſe it hurts no body; it is beneficial to all that know it, and moſt excellent in Divinations.
But does he make a Neſt on the mountains and ſitting there cry out? Roſinus according to Rhaſis, gives this anſwer, “Contemplate the Higheſt mountains, both thoſe on the Right hand and thoſe on the Left, and climb up thither. There our Stone is found, and in another mountain which produces all ſorts of Printer's colours, and Spirits or ſpecies, there it is likewiſe.” Likewiſe Morienus ſays, “Aſcend the High mountains covered with Trees, becauſe there our Stone is found and hidden.” And Hermes ſays, “Take you the Bleſſed Stone and break it to ſmall pieces, and waſh the Red Stone from which is extracted that which is found in Mountains, and Eſpecially in old Sinks or Shores. “