5. But besides these there are other Fishes or Sea-monsters, that in all parts resembled Men and Women, as these examples make manifest. Alexander ab Alexandro, a person of great learning and experience, relateth: “That in Epirus a Triton or Sea-Man was found, who forth of the Sea did ravish Women being alone upon the shore: But being taken by cunning, he did resemble a Man with all his members, but did refuse meat being offered, so that he died with hunger and wasting, as being in a strange element.
Hist. 8.
Lib. de verit. fid. Christ. l. 2.
6. Also Ludovicus Vives doth tell us this story: “in our age (he saith) with the Hollanders, a Sea-Man was seen of many, who also was kept there above two years, he was mute, and then begun to speak: But being twice smitten with the Plague, he is let loose to the Sea rejoicing and leaping.”
Hist. 9.
Vid. Ideam Idear. operat. c. 6.
7. In the year of our Lord 1403. there was taken a Sea-woman in a lake of Holland, thrown thither forth of the Sea, and was carried into the City of Haerlem; she suffered her self to have garments put upon her, and admitted the use of bread, milk and such like things: Also she learned to spin, and to do many other things after the manner of Women, also she did devoutly bend her knees to the image of Christ crucified, being docible to all things, which she was commanded by her Master, but living there many years, she alwayes remained mute.
Hist. 10.
Stows Annal. p. 157.
Britan. p. 412.