The _English_ Cosmographer accounts for them thus, _viz._ “The People anciently had _Fire_ and _Serpents_ for their Gods, nourishing the last in their Houses, and keeping the other continually burning; the Priests of the Temple always adding Fuel, that it might not fail. The Vestal Fire was not kept more carefully at _Rome_, nor with greater Ceremony.... To this God, (whom they call’d, Lord of the _Smoke_,) they used to sacrifice young Pullets, to the other their Cocks[412].” The Seed of this Idolatry is so implanted in them, that ’tis said, that in a Village of the King’s, called _Lovaniski_, their chief City, they do, to this day _worship Serpents_. _ibid._ Footnote 412: _Heylin_’s Cosmogr. lib. 2. _Poland_ p. 143. The _Lithuanians_, ’tis said, ador’d three Gods, _Fire_, _Wood_, and _Serpents_. These last were counted their _Guardian Gods_. And according to a certain Historian, this kind of superstitious and diabolical Worship continues yet in some Parts of the Kingdoms of _Norway_ and _Vermolandia_[413]. Footnote 413: _Olaus Magnus_, Archbishop of _Upsal._ History of the _Goths_. The Inhabitants of _Prussia_ were barbarous and wild in the highest degree, having of old no manner of Religion, or next to none, and first began _with the Worship of Serpents_[414]. There are Countries in the _Indies_, says _Jurieu_, where Serpents are worship’d to this day. Footnote 414: _Erasm. Stella_ in the Antiquities of _Prussia_. Lib. 1. _ARISTOPHANES_, in the Comedy entitled _Plutus_, observes that the Deity gave the Sign, _viz._ by _hissing_; upon which two monstrous Dragons skip’d out of the Temple[415]. Footnote 415: Δυω δρακοντ’ εκ του νεω. Fragmenta p. 52. Dixerat hæc adytis cum lubricus anguis ab imis. When _Æneas_ sacrificed to the _Manes_, (the departed Soul) of his Father _Anchises_, he saw a _Serpent_ come out of his Grave, which he concluded to be either the _Tutelar God_ of his Father, or of that Place, which was counted a good Omen. We have an Account of some Priests in _Asia_ that expose to publick View a Serpent in a brazen Vessel, attended with a great Variety of Musick. The Serpent appears in an erect Posture, opens its Mouth, and instead of a forked Tongue, appears the Head of a beautiful Virgin[416]. Footnote 416: _Phil. Melanchton._ _NICHOLAS de Lyra_ makes mention of such another idle Conceit, _viz._ That the Serpent assumed the Face of a beautiful Maid, when it tempted _Eve_. _N. B._ In the _German Bibles_ printed before _Luther_, among other Figures may be seen that of a Serpent with the Face of a very handsome Maid. In short, so great was the Devotion paid to Serpents, that Persons and Things were denominated from them: Yea, some would be thought to proceed from Serpents, as the highest Degree of Honour. _Cadmus_’s Companion was called a _Serpent_, so the Giant in _Homer_, and a certain Prophet in _Pausanias_.