CHAP. II. CONCLUS. II. From every body floweth corporal beames, which the Soule makes by its presence, and distributeth to them Energie and power of work­ing; and these beames are not on­ly corporeal, but also of divers parts.

THe first part of this Conclusion will easily appear to them that consider the operations of natural things, and the impediment of those said operations; for what reason can there be demonstra­ted, why bodies more solid then the na­ture of things doe require, work not so freely as bodies lesse compact? Is it not because the pores of those bodies being shut and more closely conjuncted, the corporeal beames cannot finde a due egresse. And now unlesse they were cor­poreal, no affection that is meerly cor­poreal [Page 13]could hinder them: And nothing but the change of the forme could de­stoy the faculties of things; but we see, that though the forme remain, the ope­rations are hindered. Moreover, un­lesse these beames were corporeal, their operations would proceed to any di­stance, and not be hindered by any bo­dies. If you answer, it is by an accident by which things work at a distance; why then that accident must needs be in a subject, and must needs work by the ver­tue of that subject in which it is: for I take it to be certain, that no accident, barely considered in it selfe, can have activity; and therefore except such beams be gran­ted, nothing can work at distance by any meanes, therefore those accidents must be placed in corporeal beams, pos­sessing all manner of vertues of that bo­dy from whence they proceed: But I would not any one should suppose I am a maintainer of accidents, who could never as yet discern any thing in nature but substance; unlesse any man will goe about to constitute the positions and manners of things something really distinct from the bodies; but here I speak out of supposition, granting [Page 14]something that peradventure some would gladly ask at my hand. But be­sides what hath been said for our beams, we may adde, that adventitious heat doth promote and adjuvate the operati­on of things; and how could it do this but by stirring up more plentiful beams to issue forth? for example sake we may perceive in Amber, how being heated by rubbing, attracts the chaff to it more forcibly, and many other the like things, that will not operate so strongly with­out they be heated, which heat doth more plenteously exhale those corporeal beames, and addeth a dexterity to their operations: Moroever, solidity and closenesse would not keep the power of things unhurt, but that it hinders the dissipation and spending of the beames: Again, unlesse the beames were corpo­real, they would pierce and work through the most compacted bodies, the contrary whereof experience manifestly testifies; though in truth some com­pounded bodies send out so thin & sub­tle beams, that may pierce through the the pores of all bodies. But to what end do we conceive Nature did ordaine pores in bodies, but that they might be [Page 15]the doors by which these beams might issue in and out: Also the senses could never perceive things sensible, but that there proceeds beams from the bodies affecting the senses, as appeares in smel­ling, for odour perisheth with age, and that for no other cause then that the beams perish which conveyeth the odour to our nostrils; so from all bodies there issues subtil thin rayes, carrying with them the shapes of things, which is pos­sible to be perceptible to the eyes in a dark place by the help of a translucid connex glasse: Againe, unlesse these beames were corporeal, let any man tell me how they could affect the senses; but I have rather wondred, how being mingled with so great a confusion in passing though the glasse, they can seve­rally explicate themselves. But let us proceed yet to another strong argument, and more agreeing to our purpose, to prove what we principally intend, name­ly, that such beams or rays do in a con­tinued motion issue out of the bodies of all wights; which we shall easily perform, if we consider the common natures of all wights; for every creature or wight, that it may live any space, must necessa­rily [Page 16]be nourished with food, neither can it live long without it, because the con­tinual issuing out of the beames would otherwise too much alter the body from its natural disposition, and induce more vacuity and emptinesse then nature hath appointed for such a body: Now that which in food is dry, restoreth the solid parts of the body, that which is moist, the humours; and why hath Nature need of this restauration? because eve­ry day, nay every moment, these cor­proeal beames doe plenteously issue out from the body, yea and from every part thereof; for if this were not so, then living creatures would grow to an enor­mous and monstrous greatnesse: And this is also the cause why creatures decay and fall to destruction, and are not so long lived as stones or trees, or some o­ther of the more compacter and more solid sort of bodies; for the vital spi­rits, and natural heat being in creatures free and more at liberty, operate more powerfully, and produce more plenteous exhalations; whence it comes to passe that they are propagated to the greatest distance, the soule all the while conne­cting together, lest they should be utter­ly [Page 17]dissipated; for otherwise they coul by no means hold the specifick vertue of the body, neither could they work, ex­cept the soule informed them; for in it lies the natural heat, as hereafter shall be shewed, which produceth a sufficient disposition to receive information from the soule. But here some may say, we have spoken all this while much, and many things concerning the soule, but have not declared what it is, or so much as given a bare definition thereof; there­fore for their satisfaction, and to illu­minate the ensuing Discourse, we will in the next Chapter speak something thereof before we proceed any further.

CHAP. III. CONCLUS. III. First what the Soul of man is: Next what the soules of beasts and other living creatures are. Lastly of the powers and properties which the Soul of man hath common with the souls of beasts and plants, which is onely proper and peculiar to our Discourse, and this ensuing Art.

ANd first we will declare the opini­ons of Galen, Plato, Aristotle, with some other of the most Learned Philo­sophers of the Ancients; who speaking of Man, have often called him a Great Miracle; and so indeed truly contem­plated, he will appear; especially in the particular contemplation of the Soule, which is truly Man: But to return to our purpose; Galen, a great adorer and profound searcher of Nature, durst not [Page 19]peremptorily determine what the reaso­nable soule was; yet for that which is commonly called the vegetative or nou­rishing, and the sensitive or sensual soule, he boldly affirmd it to be no other thing then either the natural and vital spirits, or the temperament: But as for the rea­sonable soule, he leaveth it in doubt whether it be of a corporeal nature, or some other which is not corporeal, and which subsisteth by it selfe, being separa­ted from the body; neither doth he con­clude any thing otherwise, but that it is either a shining substance and an Aethere­al body, that is to say, of a more pure and celestial nature then any of the Ele­ments; or else that it is of a nature that is not corporeal, but yet hath this body (by which he meaneth the animal spirit) to be as a chariot to carry it. Thus much for Galens opinion.

Next for Plato, who thus defines it; or rather indeed Alcinous ex ipsius Plato­nis sententia, [...], &c. quae omnia hoc sonant: Nam cum singula anima discernamus, meri­to omnium rerum principium hanc appella­vit, ut quicquid unquam occurreret ex cogna­tione [Page 20]quadam recognoscentes rebus conso­nam illius essentiam adhiberemus, Ergo di­co essequandam intelligibilem subst untiam & indivisilem, &c. Voluit igitur animam esse essentiam quandam quae se moveret. Thus much for Plato.

Next, Aristotle he comes, and he calls the soul by a new Greek name [...], id est, actus, which is as much as to say, a perpetual motion, and saith that it proceedeth from a fifth nature and be­ginning, which he calleth Heaven; yet he delivereth not himself so plainly, that a man might judge his opinion, what he thinketh of the reasonable soul in man, whether it be mortal or immortal; ne­verthelesse hee confesseth that there is a great difference betweene that power of the soule which we call more specially by the name of spi­rit, and between the other twain, which he calleth the nutritive and sensitive powers: for he useth this word pow­ers, and affirmeth that these two first proceed onely from the body, and are bred there; and that the vegetative soul and power is more in the seed and bur­then, then the sensitive. But as for the third, he saith plainly, that it only com­meth [Page 21]from without elsewhere, and that onely this is divine. And thus for Ari­stotle. For the rest of the Ancient Philo­sophers, in brief, Pythagoras called the Soule Harmoniam. Hippocrates, Spiri­tum tenuem per corpus omne dispersum. Possidonius, Ideam. Asclepiades, Quin­que sensuum exercitium sibi consonum. He­raclitus Ponticus, Lucem. Heraclitus Physicus, Scintillam stellaris essentiae. Ze­non, Concretum corpori spiritum. Demo­critus, Spiritum insertum atomis. Crito­laus Peripateticus, constare eam ex quinta essentia dixit. Hypparchus, Ig­nem. Anaximenes, Aerem. Empedo­cles, Sanguinem; with whom agrees Critias. Parmenides, Ex terra & igne conflatum quid. Xenophontes, Ex igne, aere, & spiritu mistam speciem. Philo­laus accorded with Pythagoras, calling it [...]: of which see more in Philo­sophiae naturalis Epitom. ex universis Physi­cis Aristot. decerptum, Simone Broserio Au­thore, Lib. 7. de anima. The same Bros­serius in the beginning of the same said 7th. Book defines the soule thus: Ani­ma est principium quo vivimus, sentimus at (que) movemur. This definition doth appeare to be taken from her proper passions of [Page 22]living, perceiving, and moving. But there is another definition more essenti­al, taken from the substance of the thing, that is, as Aristotle also hath it; Animus est primus actus perfectio (que) corporis potentia vitam habentis. Where by the word actum, intelligit substantiam esse: Also whereas he sayes, Corporis potentiae vitam habentis, intelligit omnia corporis munia ita dependere à forma, ut nisi per eam nihil facere possit. Thus you see the opi­nions and definitions of the Wise and Ancient Philosophers, who by the light of nature only, ascribed great faculties and power to the soule, thinking high­ly thereof, though plainly they could not conclude any certainty, nor truly search into the depth thereof, not any mentioning the immortality thereof: Let us therefore see whether we can pro­duce a true and real definition thereof according to our promise in the Title of this Conclusion: Then take it thus. The soule of man is a spiritual, invisible, and immortal substance, endued with power to understand and will; but the power thereof it not of and from it self; there­fore it must needs proceed from another cause, which is from power, wisedome, [Page 23]and understanding it selfe, and that is God. Yea, it tota in toto corpore, & tota in singulis partibus: And as the before cited Brosserius hath it; Est (que) anima ho­minis eadem & vegetativa, ab officio vege­tandi, & sensitiva ab officio sentiendi, & rationabilis ab officio rationandi. And thus far for the soule of Man. Now let us proceed and clear the other part of this third Conclusion, and shew what the Soule of beasts and other living crea­tures is: And this point the Philoso­phers agree very well amongst them­selves, and say that it is of the same mat­ter that their bodies are compounded of. Whether it be derived and taken from the same, or whether it be the pro­priety of the matter; and therefore they understand it to be the vital spirit only therein that giveth life unto them, which is of a corporal matter and substance; or else they conceive it to be the tempera­ture or temperament of the whole body generally, which is the propriety of the matter; And so the soule in beasts shall be the life it self, of which the vital spirits, or the temperament, are the in­struments thereof: which seemeth to accord with Moses saying, Gen. 9.4. and [Page 24] Lev. 17.14. That the soule of the flesh is in the blood thereof (id est) the life. And although we see not with the eye how these vital spirits, or the tempera­ment of all the parts of the body doe give unto it that life which it hath, yet we may judge, and have some know­ledge thereof by things we see in Na­ture, which have some agreement and resemblance therewith: For we may well conceive how the flame of a Lamp is nourished by the oyl and wick: where we see two sorts of matter different one from another joyned both together. Be­sides, we may perceive how that by the means of this conjunction, & of the tem­perature and agreement that these two things have each with other, the flame be­ing once kindled in them, is nourished & preserved by them. So likewise we pro­pound the vital spirit in the bodies of li­ving creatures, as a thin flame engendred of the blood, by vertue of the heart, which distributeth it self throughout all the parts of the body, giving unto it vital heat, which quickeneth it, and endueth it with that virtue by which it hath motion & sense, and exerciseth all its actions so that every member doth its office: Now [Page 25]we see well in this comparison the mat­ter that is in the Lamp, and the tempera­ture and agreement that is between the parts of it, and how the flame is fed and maintained after it is lighted; we may understand also from whence this flame is brought to the lamp, & how this mat­ter is lighted, and that neither the mat­ter, nor the agreement and temperature bred this flame of themselves, but that it is brought from elsewhere. In the same manner we may conceive of that which hath been spoken of the vital spi­rit, and of the blood whereof it is bred, and of the vertue and power of the heart in the generation of it. But here it may be said, that there is a great difference between the comparison of a Lamp and his flame, and between that which we have spoken of the generation of the vi­tal spirit, because this flame, which we call the vital spirit, springeth of the self same matter by which it is nourished and preserved, and is kindled there. And therefore it is requisite that we should further know what is the cause of this, as also why the life and moti­on that are therein, are enflamed by this vital spirit, and not by any other means [Page 26]whatsoever, whether it be the blood, or the flesh: And yet this spirit is as well of a corporal and bodily matter, as all the rest of which the body is compoun­ded; so that it hath his original of the self-same Elements from whence that matter is derived, out of which it sprin­geth. But of such Inquisitors I may likewise demand from whence the Hea­vens, the Sun, Moon, and Stars, have their motion, light, and properties? It is certain, they can yield me no other true cause, but that God hath created them of that nature, and that he hath so con­stituted them, and that he alwayes pre­serveth them by the divine vertue and power of his providence. And this shall suffice for the nature & matter of the sen­sitive & sensual soul, which we attribute to beasts. Now for the last part of this Conclusion, of the powers and proper­ties that the soul of man hath common with the soule of beasts and plants, it hath been, in short, but significant words, declared above, where it was said out of Brosserius, Eadem est anima hominis & vegetativa ab officio vegetandi, & sen­sitiva ab officio sentiendi, &c. So that here it is plaine that it hath the vegeta­tive [Page 27]quality, which is common with Plants ab officio vegetandi: and also its sensitive power and quality ab officio sentiendi: And hereupon they that say every living creature hath but one soul, say well; but there are divers powers thereof in certaine creatures, in some more, in some lesse; therefore we call that of Plants by a more special name (Vegetative) because it hath no more but this bare office and vertue of vege­tation, from whence proceeds the name. And albeit the soule of beasts hath the same vertue also, yet we call it not by the same name, but only sensitive, un­der which we comprehend also the ve­getative soul that is in Plants, as a pow­er and property thereof: So like­wise, although the soul of man hath both these faculties together, yet we call it not either vegetative or sensitive, but onely reasonable, and that, as afore is said, ab officio ratio­nandi; under which we also doe com­prehend the vegetative soule in Plants, and the sensitive soul of Beasts, which is sufficient for clearing this Conclusi­on: And this vegetative and sensitive power and properties will peculiarly [Page 28]sit and serve our occasions in the ensu­ing discourse, and the manifestation of the whole Art we treat of.

CHAP. IV. CONCLUS. IV. Every compound consisting of mat­ter and forme, hath in it its own proper natural heat, which is de­rived and propagated (not from the Elements, but) from Heaven and the influence thereof.

FRom this Conclusion, it is apparent that nothing can subsist without some manner of heat; for heat is the bond whereby the forme is tyed to the matter, which lying hid in a viscous Mercurial moisture brought with it from Heaven, giveth increase and seeds to eve­ry body: It is also the instrument which the forme doth use to produce actions, and it is the immediate cause of the aforesaid beams, spoken of in Conclu­sion [Page 29]the second; which beams it never forsaketh, but accompanieth in their motions perpetually. Now this said heat, if it decrease, the body tends to destruction, the beams being fewer and weaker; and though the forme be not united to the matter, but by a certaine manner of heat, which is so required, as proper to all things, that it yet varies in every species of things, yet it hath in every species some latitude; so that you shall scarce finde amongst the individu­als that which is altogether one and the same thing, because the heat is some­times more, and sometimes lesse, which may be the cause of the variety of ope­rations, not onely of things of the same species, but even in the same individual it is often changed, till at last by corru­ption it ends in that which is altoge­ther another latitude; for the matter being not sufficiently tenacious, holds not this heat fast enough, but lets it (be­ing volatil) wander abroad, which, ac­cording to the impressions of Heaven, applyes it selfe variously to the matter, whence depends the whole variety and change of sublunary things. But now it is time to come to the body of [Page 30]Man, the proper subject of this Dis­course, and ensuing Art.

And in the first place, it shall not be amisse to explain our selves, what we here mean by heat; to which end, let us consider, the concordance and mutual relation which the heart of man hath with the Heavens: For as the Primum mobile, or first motion of the whole world beginneth by the Heavens, of which all the other motions that are in nature doe depend; so the heart is that member in the body of man which first receiveth life and motion, and which is the well-spring and fountain thereof; whereupon it is said to be Primum vivens & ultimum moriens, and is continually in motion, without any intermission of ceasing: And therefore some Authors are of opinion, that the Pericardium, which is called the little closet of the heart, is of such a capacity, that it is seve­red from the same on every side as much as is requisite, that its motion might not any wise be impeded. And some think that there is some water within this vessel, or some moisture like a dew, to the intent it should water the heart, that it should not consume or dry it self [Page 31]up by its perpetual moving. Now the heart is the root and fountain of natu­ral heat, dispersing abroad by the Ar­teries over the whole body, and admi­nistreth the life to every part thereof: For although the instrumenes of respi­ration serve the voice, yet they were principally created for the hearts sake, that the natural heat which is in it might be refreshed, increased and fed by them; and for this cause the Divine Providence hath made the lungs to be as it were the shop of respiration, to the end that the aire without be sent even to the heart, for the reasons aforesaid; for the aire that is to be brought to the heart, is first prepared in the lungs, to the end it might moderate the heat of the heart and spirits, and that it should not enter in either too hot, or too cold, or in too great abundance, whereby it might be damnified, or quite choaked up.

Aristotle, and his followers, make heat the cause of the hearts pulsifick motion; others will have the soul, and others the vegetative faculty; but I encline to Aristotles opinion; for the soul works by its faculties, and these by heat; so that heat is the immediate cause of [Page 32]this motion, and the soules instrument, yet not such an instrument as worketh nothing, but by the force of the princi­pal Agent; for the heat worketh by its own natural force, though it be direct­ed and regulated by the soule; the heat then of the heart rarifying the blood in­to vapours, which require more room, dilates the heart; but by dispelling some of these vapours into the Arte­ries, and receiving also some cold aire by the lungs, the heart is contracted, and this is called Systole, the other Di­astole. And as heat is the efficient cause, so also it is the end of this motion; and therefore doth heat move the heart, that it by this motion might impart heat to the body: But I understand not heat here for a bare quality, but that which is called calidum innatum; the heart being, as appeares, the fountain of heat, whose action is the first, and the most common of all the actions in the body; for without the action of heat there can be no nutrition, motion, sensation, nor understanding, as it works by the fan­tasie.

And because in this Treatise we have, and often shall have occasion to speak of [Page 33]the vital spirit, we will now declare what we mean in this Art thereby: And whe­ther after the manner of the Galenists and Physitians, we mean that which the Schools call by that name, or some o­ther thing of another nature: Truly, we suppose not the common and recei­ved opinion of spirits, animal, vital, and natural, to be disconsonant to truth; yet being not so material for our pur­pose, we meddle not with them; and therefore here we speak of another man­ner of spirit. Here some may object, and ask, what new spirit then is this brought into Physick, or by what Au­thority was it introduced? Surely for answer, I am not so supercillious, as to affirm it done by my Authority, I am indifferent, let it not be brought in at all, I onely desire that I may be spared the use of that name, whereby to ex­presse natural heat and radical moisture both together; and my reason is, be­cause they are never actually separated: And so I call them spirits, because of all corporal things, they come neerest the nature of a spirit, both in original and power: And I call it also vital, because by mediation of it, life flowes, and is [Page 34]propagated into the body; and therefore here I thought it convenient to declare, that wheresoever in this Treatise you finde the name of vital spirit, under­stand it there as it is before nominated. Now this aforesaid spirit flourisheth in the aforementioned beames; and this spirit also floweth from the body, and this cannot be denied by any wise man; for if it flowed not from the body, then the body would last for ever; and con­sequently the things that have most pow­er to fix this spirit, have most power to prolong the life of man; for it is vola­tile, and every moment some part and portion of it goeth forth; and certain­ly it is most likely, that it goeth out with the parts of the body resolved into beames; for to what end should it leave the beams going out, and insinuate it self into bodies indisposed? there can be no reason given, nay it seemes utterly impossible: And that the beames have a disposition to hold it; for that it goeth out with them, it is plain, because the beams, as is aforesaid, retain the dispo­sition of the body from whence they goe out; and by this reason I take it, that dogs, and other creatures of prey, in their [Page 35]hunting, when they have lost the scent of the footing on the ground, peradven­ture by other creatures, in treading in, or crossing the same footsteps, doe then hold up their noses in the air, searching after these beames, to recover the lost scent, these beames flowing and reflow­ing to and from the wight, as Atomes in the Sun; nay, if this spirit were not there, the beams could not do as they do, nor work in the power of the soule; for of it this spirit is an instrument: And either therefore the body of men shall work at no distance at all, or to that di­stance, whatsoever it be, this spirit must needs reach and proceed, and by vertue of a more potent soul, in the very begin­ning and principium of life, the body of man (as of all wights) is ordained to natural actions, as other natural bodies are, by the seminary vertues which are in the forms. This spirit then accompa­nies the beames, disperseth their actions which are propagated; and when they grow faint, as rivers from their heads, they are supplyed by and from the bo­dies. And this shall be sufficient for to terminate this Fourth Conclusion.

CHAP. V. CONCLUS. V. That the Excrements of the bodies of living creatures retain a portion of the vital spirit; and therefore we cannot deny them life, and this life is of the same species that the life of the creature is of, and propa­gated from the same soule.

THis Conclusion will manifestly ap­pear, if we consider that these ex­crements, having lurked long in the bo­dy, they imbibe this spirit, and so con­joyn it to themselves, intercepting the beames issuing from the noblest parts of the body, yea, having gotten at the least some digestion, they are made liker the bodies in which they were concocted, and therefore doe greedily attract the beames with the spirits, and the spirits do more willingly insinuate themselves [Page 37]into them, then into any body not par­taker of the same. And this may be convinced by common experience; for you may easily perceive, that the too much flowing of any excrement, brings and begets grievous Symptomes, weak­nesse, and in the end death it selfe, and that not so much by expelling the nou­rishment, as by exhausting the spirits; otherwise in them that have the Drop­sie, how could the too much flowing of water out at the Orifice of the part in­fected cause death, but that the water being impregnated with these spirits, carries more of them with it then the body can bear in so short time? and so in all inward abscesses, when great store of purulent matter hath filled the breast, if by the negligence or ignorance of the Chyrurgeon the matter flow all at once, it is, for the same reason, followed with death, or dangerous debilities and sym­ptomes; for unlesse the body be every where (according to the proportion re­quisite) stored with these spirits, it can­not long subsist: And this spirit, as long as the body consists in his due sym­metry, is nourished from heaven by the mediation of the ayre, and by the vi­tal [Page 38]spirit of the aliment; therefore all things that proceed from the bodies of men men or beasts, after what man­ner soever, whether naturally, or by force of diseases are impregnated with the same vital spirit that the body hath; and therefore because they are liker the bodies whence they came, then those things that never were in the body, they quickly imprint the qualities drawn from the body, upon another like body; which ought to occasion great care, that neither excrements, matter, corruption, or any of those things which came from infe­cted persons, be left unburied, for the great mischief that may come by them, either naturally, or by Art, if they should happen to come into the hands of skilful, but indisposed persons: And hereupon a wise man will be cautious of conversing and comming too neer sick and infected persons; the rather, if he feel himselfe disposed to the like dis­ease; for a body so disposed, doth more vehemently attract to himselfe those beams, and is sooner changed; and al­so bodies between whom there is a simi­litude in complexion, and an affinity in nature, doe sooner sympathize one [Page 39]with another, as Brothers, Sisters, and Cousins, doe sooner take diseases one from another, because of their radical likenesse inherent in their bodies, by which likenesse the infected beames are drawn, and the body more speedily changed: And though the burning of dead carkasses, after the ancient accu­stomed manner, be not now in use, or permitted; yet great care ought to be had and taken, that all dead carkasses be speedily and very deep buried, and that, if conveniently, in moist places, and farre remote from the feeding of cattell; for, from shallow and superfi­cial graves, ariseth often unspeakable mischiefes: And, I suppose, this hath been one of the greatest naturallest cau­ses why the Plague hath so furiously ra­ged in London, and many great Cities in times past: For I fear, they to whom the care and charge of burial was com­mitted, were then, as they are still, too negligent and carelesse. Truly the fune­ral fires of the Ancients (in this regard) was much to be commended; but ano­ther custome having now prevailed, it were but little to our purpose any fur­ther to make mention thereof: onely I [Page 40]conceive it fit to advertise Magistrates of populous places to be very careful in a matter of so great concernment. It is also more observable, that Witches, and those that deale with diabolical Arts, cannot prejudice any thing at all, without the parts of dead bodies, and the excrements of him whom they de­sire to mischief: Of which, read Wyerus de prestigiis Daemonum, and Cardamus de subtilitate. And as the Magistrate ought to take good care of burials; so every man, especially if he have enemies, I would advise to have a great care of his excrement. But to returne to our Con­clusion, which affirmeth these excre­ments to live also: which at first sight appears a little harsh, yet to him that well contemplates the matter, it is so far from being unreasonable, that it is impossible it should be otherwise: Nay, what if it be said that the haire and nailes doe live a certain life propagated from the soule? It may be answered, that is, because they are as certain parts of the body; but if I say, when they are separated from the body, they live with the same soule they did before, this would be thought more strange: Well, [Page 41]this I will onely say of the life of the Excrements, that unlesse they lived with the same life that the wights doe in a certain manner, certainly they would want the vital spirit, of which, we have spoken of before. Moreover, who can deny that the nailes and haire have life, that hath observed in them the augmen­tative or assimulative faculty? at least who can deny it unto them, so long as they remain fastened unto the body, though they want sense, as the bones, and some other parts of the organical body doth? Now if they live while they are joyned to the body, though sense be wanting; they shall live like­wise, being separated from the body, as long as they are hairs and nails, keep­ing the same forme they had before, and until they be converted into ano­ther species; witnesse the accidents, or substantial moods, which abiding still the same, depend upon the same foun­taine from whence they flowed; and no man can deny, but that the very forme or figure flowed from the soule, draw­eth thence its life, which is propagated by the presence of the soule, by mediation of the vital spirit: And a [Page 42]man also may thus argue for any excre­ment. All excrements in the body, by means of some manner of digestion, have changed the form they had before that digestion, and put on another; as may be known by their operations and fa­culties, which are altogether changed, as for example: The excrements of a dog heal the diseases appertaining to the palat and throat, which flesh and bones, his natural food and nourishment, in their own substance before their conver­sion, by what manner of way soever you prepare them, cannot doe; nay, though they have been stinking and cor­rupt; which comes neerest to the nature and condition of excrements: And fur­ther, this curative faculty from whence & by which they effect this healing, they obtained no where else but from the soule of the dog; and therefore being introduced and brought in by that, it it wholly depends of the soul, and con­sequently cannot be void of vitality or livelinesse, which seems obscure and un­perceptible to such as are ignorant in the Centers of things; which will be more expedient to a Philosopher to search after, then to suffer himselfe to [Page 43]be transported with the spirit of con­tradiction, which is nothing profitable to any ingenious Art. And thus we will pass our fifth Conclusion.

CHAP. VI. CONCLUS. VI. Between the body and the spirits there is a certain concatenation of spirits or beams, though they be never so far at distance: The like is also be­tween the blood and other parts of the body, though separated from the body at any distance.

IF we consirm and demonstrate this Conclusion, the greatest difficulty in this Art is cleared: For herein lies the very quintessence of all our Secrets; the which being established, there is laid a foundation whereupon all the pre­cepts of this Art are built: And indeed, if what already hath been propounded, abide sure and unshaken, the ensuing [Page 44]difficulty will not much trouble us.

But here it may be enquired of us what concatenation here we intend?

For answer, when we affirme a con­catenation of spirits or beames between the body and the excrements there­of, we understand thereby a perpetual flux of beames, proceeding after a pecu­liar manner from the body, and termi­nated as in a body, after a sort of kin and like unto it; as also very procally flowing from the excrements to the bo­dy: That there are such reciprocal E­manations, is easily shewed; for the flux of beames being granted, and the im­pregnation of excrements by the vital spirit, for the reasons before mentioned, it must necessarily follow that both the beames, that is, both of the body and the excrements, are as not differing in nature and quality; so terminated upon one another, by the aforesaid meanes, rather then by any other: yea, if the forme both of the body and excrements depend upon the same soule, as afore is proved, it will not be absurd to call the excrements (until they have utter­ly lost the forme they have got in the body) either a part of that body, or [Page 45]something subordinate to the body; and therefore the vital spirit being affected in the excrements, is also affected in the body, which cannot be performed with­out such a concatenation. But here this general note is to be observed, namely, that the excrements of any part are pe­culiarly allyed, and tyed to that part whose excrements they are; and that the beames that flow interchangeably from these, doe by a peculiar love em­brace those that flow from the excre­ments of the part whose it is & via ver­sa; for out of that part it hath drawn more plenteous spirits, and therefore hath greater affinity with it, which may be proved by experience: for if thou put exulcerating materials prepared ar­tificially into the ordure of the prodex, it will be affected with extreme paine: It is not therefore to be doubted, but that the excrements are by reciprocal beams concatenated with the body, espe­cially with those parts out of which they last proceeded: And upon this concate­nation depends all magnetical Physick, which being well considered, there will be no great obscurity in the practical part; it further concluded, that the [Page 46]farthest distance doth not break this concatenation, which is so true, as it is that the vertue of the soule extends it selfe most largely, so that it is scarce contained in the place; for this conca­tenation depending upon the soul, must needs be extended according to the ver­tue of the soul, besides the other reason of this extension, where it was said, that there do most plentiful spirits flow from bodies, because of the great plenty of vital spirits which appeare, in regard they need so great store of ali­ment, to the end, that what was spent in propagating beams, may, by the con­duct of the dispensing spirit, be renew­ed in the body, the fountain of them: There is therefore no small store of these beames, because being thin, subtle, and easily dissipated, they need such store of food to the continual reparation of them. They extend themselves like­wise very far, and work diversly (we not perceiving or knowing of it) and diversly are we affected in the hurting of them, being full ignorant of the causes of our diseases: And therefore in all sicknesses, the same spirit is to be rectifi­ed, comforted, and multiplied; and so [Page 47]may all diseases be easily cured, which we propound especially for Physicians to note and consider. And now there is no man will deny, but that what we have said of the excrements, doth also agree to the parts separated from the bo­dy, as also to the blood; for there is the same reason in all, unlesse peradven­ture in the blood it appeares more evi­dent, because it is called in holy Scri­pture the seat of the soule or life, as ha­ving greatest store of vital spirits, and hurting most easily by the much flux of it. Amongst all other things that con­firm this concatenation, that famous sympathetical unguent, commonly cal­led the Weapon-salve, and also the Sym­pathetical water, doth by manifest ex­perience clearly prove it; in despite of the vain and obstreperous Divines, that proclame it diabolical and superstiti­ous, whom both many others, and espe­cially the learned Helmuntius hath put to everlasting silence. Nor did the wran­gling Libanius, though he proudly rail­ed after his manner, write any better a­gainst this, then he did of and for the Philosophical Stone; how ignorantly and audaciously he carried himselfe in both, [Page 48]to the infinite prejudice of the Herme­tical Commonwealth, none know so well as they, that have learned the true knowledge of things from the things themselves; but of this enough.

Now of the parts of the body separa­ted, he that doubteth may read in the same Helmuntius a strange story; I will give you his words. A certain man of Bruxels saith he) being at Bolognia, did in a fray lose his nose; and going to Tayliacoza, a Chyrurgeon living there, to consult how to have a new nose; and fearing the cutting a piece out of his own arm, he hired a Porter for a good summe of money to have one cut out of his arm; which being done, and the cure performed, the man of Bruxels returned home: About 13. moneths after, he felt his nose suddenly grow cold, and within a few dayes after, it rotted, and fell quite off: And he, with many others, wondring at the strange chance, enquiring of the cause, it was found, that just at the same instant that the nose grew cold, the Por­ter at Bolognia died; the truth whereof, as Helmont writes, many at Bruxels will testifie. Thus far he. The like story I [Page 49]have heard from a Doctor of Physick, a friend of mine, who protested deeply he was an eye-witnesse thereof. Is not all our Doctrine here then confirmed clear as the light? was not that infi­tious nose as animated at first, so still informed with the soule of the Porter? neither had it any thing from that man whose nose it was now made, but nou­rishment; the power of assimilation which it had from its own proper form, it took not from the soule of him, but from the soule of the Porter, of whom it was yet truly a part, and who dying, the nose became immediately a dead nose, and began to tend to corruption. But who doth not see here most evident­ly our concatenation? Our Assertion therefore is concluded true by un­doubted experience; from whence, as from a plenteous Spring, divers faire Rivulets doe flow. Hence arose that glorious miracle of Nature, whereby a man may in an instant open his mind to his friend, though they be ten thou­sand miles distant, by meanes of a lit­tle blood, spirit, and flesh, a secret no wayes to be divulged to the multitude: Hence arose that lamp of life, which at [Page 50]any distance shewes by its light the dis­position of the body; and its volunta­ry going out, the death of the body, whence it was taken: Hence also pro­ceeded that salt of blood, by its colour shewing the same thing that the lamp did by its light: And hence also arose all natural philtres by meanes where­of the affections are moved, and after a certain manner tyed, meerly and tru­ly natural. But of this enough.

CHAP. VII. CONCLUS. VII. This vitality, or liveliness, lasts until the Excrements, Blood, or separated parts be changed into another thing of a divers species.

ALl things which have their origi­nal from the Elements, after they are come to their perfection, do strait­way goe back again to the principles from whence they took their beginning; [Page 51]for it is established by the Providence, that what is begun by motion, shall never be partaker of state or rest: Yet doth not the thing immediately cease to be in that species wherein it is, until another forme be introduced into the matter, which also brings with it new moods, and new operations. I speak not here of subordinate forms, which are known to be common to any speci­es; the change whereof is not alwayes required in natural changes or corrupti­ons: Of the absence, or presence of formes, we can no way judge, but by the moods and faculties of the subject; we say therefore, that vitality doth so long last in the excrements, blood, and separated parts, as they are not chan­ged into other things of a divers spe­cies; which being clear of it selfe, and by that which is abovesaid, needs no proof: yet this is to be noted, First, that things have more vertue and energy in their state, then in their declination; and the neerer they are to their absolute change, the lesse they work. Secondly, that every change of the substance doth not change the formes in things, where onely the superfluities are taken away, [Page 52]leaving the essences (that I may so say) which lurk in a sufficient matter, well disposed and digested, and are full of the vital spirits of things; there the form is not only changed, but also more free then it was, and worketh more power­fully.

Moreover, we see that some corrup­tion is necessary to the furtherance of some operations; though this kind of corruption, if we will give it the true name, is rather to be called fermentation, for that by it the spirits are stirred up, and made more able to shew their pow­ers: But [est modus in rebus sunt certi de­nique fines, Quos ultra citra (que) nequit con­sistere virtus.] There is a mean in things, and certain bounds, beyond which truth cannot consist; therefore we must pro­ceed very warily, while we labour to stir up the spirits; for while we digest them, and labour to make them more spiritu­al, we may utterly put the spirit to flight, which I have seen often happen in this Art, and in Alchymy. And then men, when they have erred through their own ignorance, they blame and calumniate the Art, making the saying true, Ars non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem.

CHAP. VIII. CONCLUS. VIII. One part of the body being affected, or ill-disposed by hurting the Spi­rits, all the other parts doe suffer with it.

I Conceive this is a common and re­ceived opinion, by all Physitians al­lowed and confessed to be true; and therefore needs little proof: so that we shall onely say thus much of it, That the cause of this compassion flowes nei­ther from the body, nor from the par­ticular form of the part, nor from the likenesse (unlesse likenesse be so far forth considered which flowes from the same or the like proportion of the spirit) but from the vital spirit, which goeth through the whole body, and is resi­dent in every part thereof: For a dis­ease terminatively is not of the body, but of the spirit; for there is no disease [Page 54]of the body, howsoever it comes, which happens not by the weaknes of this spirit; neither can any distemper of the body last long where this spirit (by which all evils of the body are amended) flourish­eth & is strong. This spirit is that nature whereof Physitians ought to be helpers, and upon which ground the Universal Medicine is built: And unhappy are those Physicians, and unhappily speed, who either neglecting or wronging this spirit, destroy all things by their vio­lence, while they think to cure diseases, and which by opening a veine exhaust this spirit, and by purging the body from hurtful humours by rank poysons (which kill this spirit) thrust with those humours the soule many times out of the body. And there are they, that by their villany and ignorance, have dim­med the glory of Physick, which being given over to vain, contentious and un­profitable disputes, have erred from the simplicity of nature; which though they be honoured of the giddy-headed multitude, because of their rich cloa­thing, and popular applause; yet by the sons of Art (which by great labour, with prying into the Centers of things, [Page 55]have found that nothing is to be at­tempted against natures will) they are esteemed no better then as the excre­ments of Physick, and so to be cast into the vault of perpetual infamy; but stul­torum plena sunt omnia. But we turning to our purpose, say, that not only the other parts suffer with the parts disea­sed; but that if any disease, of what part soever, doe last long, the whole bo­dy will be at length affected; else how could death follow upon a particular disease? The vital spirit is but one con­tinuate through the whole body, and propagated through every part of it, that if it be hurt in one part thereof, it is hurt in the whole, as it followes.

CHAP. IX. CONCLUS. IX. If the vital spirit be fortified in any one part, it is fortified by that very action in the whole body.

THat which in the foregoing Chap­ter we said of diseases, we say here of Cures; for there is the like reason of both; and this Conclusion put for no other purpose, then to shew caeteris pa­ribus, that there is no odds whether thou apply the medicine to the part af­fected, or to another, provided by thy medicaments thy intent be to fortifie the vital spirit: For if this spirit be fortified in any one part, the whole is fortified; because being of a fiery and heavenlye natur, that strengthening is quickly found in the whole latitude thereof; for it is impossible that so sub­tle, active, spiritual, clear, and aethereal a thing, should suffer any thing in any [Page 57]part, which it shall not very speedily suffer in the whole: The experiment whereof we see in outward poysons, which infecting the neerest spirits, strait­wayes, unlesse the spirit be fortified, in­fecteth the whole spirit in the body; for it is impossible, that by the sting of a Scorpion in the foot, the substance of the venome should (as some dream) come to the heart; but because one part of the spirit being powerfully infected, the infection of the whole must needs speedily follow: So by the inflammati­on of any part, immediately followes a Feaver, though the part inflamed be never so far from the heart. And as of Diseases, so we may conclude of Re­medies: But that remedies applyed to the part affected, doe more good, and more speedily help, it is long of frequent egression of spirits in that part, the cause whereof look for in the following Con­clusion. It is very necessary therefore that thou choose a part fit for thy purpose; for except thou do so, thou wilt be decei­ved & ashamed; for thou shalt not work everywhere alike: And therefore pon­der well the following Conclusion.

CHAP. X. CONCLUS. X. Where the Spirit is more bare or na­ked, there it is soonest affected.

THis Conclusion being most necessary for Practice, is of it selfe mani­fest, and followeth upon the Premisses; for doubtlesse the more intimately any Agent is joyned with the Patient, the o­peration is more speedy and better; for what can hinder action, but undue ap­proximation? which impediment we here must study to avoid, seeking the vital spirit in his nakednesse, that it may be the sooner affected by a due and convenient application, and may the more speedily be freed from things hurtful and extraneous, and so quickly change and rectifie the whole body slipt into distemper: For, if where it is most naked, it be then freed from extraneous things, because it is not so fettered and [Page 59]clogged with evils, then certainly there (if one know the right subject) and use the right instruments, may it be made soo­ner to free the whole body from distem­pers: For, being fortified in one place, it will straitway be fortified through­out: For, as a disease is never truly, but when the whole spirit is affected with a sickly disposition (for till then it is but some spark in fier [...], in the making or breeding) which disposition, at the beginning, affected but one part, and that affection not hindered, corrupted the whole; so must we also Philoso­phize concerning the recovery of health. But here are two things requisite; First, that thou cease not the application, un­til the disease be fully cured: For, if thou leave off before that time, the part that is yet infected (if the infection be strong) will again infect and cor­rupt the parts thou hadst made whole, and so leave thee to begin the same la­bour. Secondly, that one part answer another; for he that will happily cure diseases, must begin at the root: And if the root of the disease be in the head, then cure the vital spirit proper to the head; if in the stomach, to the sto­mach, [Page 60]&c. For although the vital spirit confidered in it self, have no heterogeneal parts, but be every­where, and whole, like the light, like it self; yet as it is in the body, it is varied according to the parts of the bo­dy by certain adjuncts which are very considerable: And therefore the rayes or beames proceeding from the head, do in that disposition contain the spirit, as the head doth, as by the things already said may be gathered: The naked spi­rit therefore, affected with the disposi­tions of the head (if the root of this disease be in the head) is to be taken, and remedies applyed to that. But be­fore we proceed to other things, it will not be amisse to confirm the truth of this Conclusion by experience. There's no man doubts but that in the blood the spirit is most naked; therefore the Physicians know that the naked spirit in blood is sooner infected with poyson then the spirit of any other part; for venome being put into a vein, doth soo­ner dissolve and loosen the whole frame of the body, then twice so much taken in meat and drink inwardly; yea, al­though it be taken fasting, and without [Page 61]any vehiculum, which confirmes the truth of our Conclusion. I shall speak little more hereof, lest evil should ensue by those who are wickedly and malici­ously inclined; only give thee this cau­tion, that God is the revenger of all se­cret and wilfull veneficiators.

CHAP. XI. CONCLUS. XI. In the Excrements, Blood, &c. the Spirit is not so deeply drowned, as in the body; and therefore in them it is sooner affected.

UPon this Conclusion the whole Art is grounded; and this being false, all fails; therefore remember well what hath been said: For he that well understands this Conclusion, will finde no difficulty in the whole Art; there­fore it had need to be confirmed with some reasons; whereof the first is this: The spirit is not so deeply drowned in [Page 62]the excrements, blood, and separated parts, as it is in the body, because in them it ranges abroad, as more at liber­ty, in that it doth not so much intend organical operations; for these orga­nical operations doe violently snatch the spirit inward, that being congrega­ted, it may work more powerfully in secessu. But all organical operation be­ing far from the excrements, blood, &c. there is no need that the spirit should drown it selfe so far, and so inwardly: Moreover the beames comming from the body in excrements, blood out of the veines and parts separated, stick about the superficies, surface, and outside, and are not allured and drawn internally, because that, as tending to destruction, the spirits addresse themselves, and make some stay in the superficies, where also the beams joyn themselves to their fellow-beams, and there rest, until at last the excrements, blood, &c. becom­ming clean another thing, are apt, ei­ther to receive those beams and the spi­rit that accompanies them, or to retain them when they have received them: Again, the spirits are more naked in these, especially in the blood, because [Page 63]when it was in the body, it had the spi­rits more naked, and scarce tyed to the body, as appeares evidently in blood. But some may ask how this reason a­grees to parts cut off? for what privi­ledge have they above other parts of the same kind? I answer: It is to be con­sidered that now the door is opened, by which a more free egresse is granted to the spirits, which now having bro­ken their fetters, begin to wander abroad more at liberty: Again, some may ob­ject, that if this were true, then by ap­plying things to a wound, we may cure internal diseases? To satisfie this, we must consider three things: First, that in every wound there is not only solu­tio continui, but also in the part woun­ded is an exotick and strange quality introduced, by meanes whereof the vi­tal spirit is hurt. Secondly, those things that are applyed to the wound, have no power to change the vital spi­rit, labouring of another evil dispositi­on; yea, the Physicians expectation is satisfied, if one thing doe performe one defired operation, and therefore they are content with the cure of the wound. Thirdly, if a thing good for another [Page 64]disease, whereof the Patient peradven­ture is sick, should be applyed to the wound, it might perhaps hurt this more then it would help that; now reason perswades that we should first succour that which more urgeth. From these things the answer to the objection is manifest; for the spirit then labouring of a double distemper, Art commands first to cure that which most urgeth; therefore we principally attend the wound, lest Sideration should follow, or somewhat else bringing assured de­struction; and for the same reason we apply not unto it things good for the other disease; yet I will adde this, that it is manifest by experience, that many men by wounds have been freed from great diseases, and so that they never relapsed; namely, when the part affe­cted being wounded, the things proper for the disease could also performe the cure of the wound: As if the head la­bouring of a Chronical disease, should be wounded, and the wound could be cured by Betony and Sage, there is no doubt but the spirit now naked, being cherished and refreshed with these reme­dies, would perfectly heal both the head [Page 65]and the whole body. Here also is to be noted, that they who dig the body with Cauteries, and keep the wound o­pen a long time for the purulent matter to run, are ill advised that they do not apply unto the wound remedies proper for that disease for which they made the issues; for this being done, the Patients would without doubt in short time feele great ease, if the wound were made up­on the part principally affected; especi­ally if all the other things were accor­dingly done diastatically, and the matter that issues out were also used as Art commandeth. By this meanes it is cer­tain, and found by experience, that the Gout in the hands, and feet, and o­ther parts, may most happily and easily be cured. But returning again to the ex­crements & blood, &c. we say that this art useth these rather, and with better success then the whole body that is hurt; be­cause the vital spirit being free and na­ked, easily receiveth and taketh impressi­ons, especially from things agreeing with it. Therefore the Inventors of this Art mingled such things, though taken from other bodies with their medicines, (as in the common weapon-salve is to [Page 66]be seen, where they mingle with the ointment the flesh, blood, and fat of men, for no other cause then that being imbrued with these medicines and quali­ties of medicaments, they may the more easily help the hurt spirits: [This flesh, blood, and fat, is comprehended in the word Mummy] for by their likenesse they doe easily draw the spirit; [...]ccording [...] Crollius. and be­ing drawn, doe change it according to the quality acquired: But it is not al­wayes necessary that the Medicine be mingled with those things that are ta­ken from the body; for we see that the sympathetical water alone, and simple without any mixtion, will cure all wounds by the meanes of the blood of the wounds. But especial care must be taken, that you make choice of those things which do cure, not by qualities, but by their whole substances (as they use to speak) that is, by the signatures of their Celestial influences, or else ordained to such effects by the semina­ry reasons of the soule; otherwise you may easily misse the mark; for that fi­militude dispensed from their influ­ence, because it passeth the like spirit, doth much advance the effects; and [Page 67]without this, hardly any good is to be expected.

CHAP. XII. CONCLUS. XII. The mixture of the spirits causeth love and compassion; from that compassion love takes its origi­nal.

THis Conclusion little or no­thing availes to the curing of disea­ses, being rather directed to induce diseases, and procure love: It is also the foundation of all implantations; for where commixtion and compassion is, if that which is sound, draw unto it selfe that which hurteth another, with­out question that from which the hurt­ful thing was drawn, will be helped and cured with the losse and prejudice of that thing that so attracteth and draw­eth it. And this Conclusion needs no long proof, neither will I make many [Page 68]words about it, because of the dangers that may probably arise from hence; for from this fountain floweth the trans­plantation of diseases from one man to another, and from the dead to the li­ving: It may also doe harm, it giving cause to too much exorbitant lust, and the means to fulfill it. Now if this Con­clusion were fully and publickly known, (which God forbid) fathers could not be safe from their daughters, nor any man from any woman, nor woman from any man, nor brothers from sisters, nor sisters from brothers; for the world would be turned upside downe with philtre [...]s; and therefore I will say no more in this place; for to them that are curious and diligent searchers of na­ture, that which hath been, and shall be said hereafter, is enough. But before we come to handle the precepts of this Art, let us for an Epilogue to these Con­clusions, and for the better understan­ding of what follows, advance one more Proposition, and that is this: The vi­tal spirit is more powerfully drawn out of the whole body by those things that have the signature of the whole body, or have a sulphur like the sulphur of mans [Page 69]body: But from a part for a particular operation, those things doe more vehe­mently draw: And when it is drawne, sooner communicates the spirit to ano­ther, which hath the evident signature of the part. This I say, to the end that by thine own industry thou mayst finde Magnets for every particular operation, by meanes of this general rule. This therefore I think good to tell thee; of all things proceeding from the body, the blood and the sweat are most stuffed with vital spirits: Of the seed, I will say nothing, because without great in­civility it cannot be had: But of one thing take especial heed, that as soon as they proceed from their bodies, they be committed to their proper Magnet; for as the common Loadstone is fortified, and, at it were, fed with iron, so are these Magnets, which apprehend and keep the vital spirits, until they commit the care of them to another thing; for if you will strive to keep them without their proper and due Magnet, two in­conveniences will follow: First, they cannot endure any considerable time in their estate, because every moment they lose somewhat of the spirit. Second­ly, [Page 70]without a Magnet they do not work so mightily, because for the most part the Magnets doe much conduce to trans­plantation and communication, as we know by perfect experience; for in philtres thou wilt doe little or no good without a Magnet, except perhaps some­what may be done by meanes of fermen­tation of the blood and seed, and then either is to other in stead of a Magnet: But in other things, though happily thou mayst finde a vertue; yet thou wilt ne­ver finde so powerful operations, as if in thy work thou use Magnets: Choose them then convenient, and apply them the right way, and thou shalt performe wonders: But of this sat sapienti. And now of more sublime things, having put an end to our Conclusions.

CHAP. XIII. Of the things necessary for a Physici­an before he undertake this part of Magnetick Cures.

THere are many things necessary for him that intends to undertake upon him the practice of this Art, and to do good by it. First, he must know diseases; for how else can he cure them? It is true, the ignorance of the disease is not here so dangerous as in common Phy­sick, because we here use external Me­dicines, and alwayes comforting; and there internal, and for the most part not void of poysonous qualities; but though it be not dangerous to the Patient, yet it may be a shame to the Physitian. He then that is well seen in the knowledge of diseases, let him next seek the part first and principally affected; for if this be unknown, he shall never doe any [Page 72]thing to the purpose. He must also have absolute knowledge of Simples, and know as well the internal as external signature of things, whereby th simples are signed, as well to the parts of the bo­dy, as to the diseases; for we use none but signed things to this Art: But signature being double, to wit, Ex­ternal and Internal, we will use those Simples that are externally signed, as being best known to us, except Experi­ence, which is alwayes to be obeyed, be to the contrary. He that knoweth the nature of Simples, cannot be ignorant of the time fit for the sowing and gathe­ring of them: But this Science cannot be thought sufficient without Astrolo­gy; our Physician must therefore be skilled in the Planetary diseases and Plants, that so he may oppose those with these; yet so, that to diseases (whether strong or remisse) he be sure to oppose a Plant of a superior degree: In a word, he must well understand the secretest na­tures of men and simples. I deny not, but one day this Art may be manifested, and very easie; but as yet it is in its cra­dle, and lies lurking in the secret deske of some men; and therefore he that will [Page 73]attempt it, must of necessity, from the aforesaid Conclusion draw some parti­culars; yet I would advise all men by the way, that in the interim they would minister inwardly such things as are comforting, proper for the disease, that so the cure may be safelier, sooner, and more pleasantly done; yea, if perad­venture sometime in some diseases there must more violent things be given (which we must ever avoid as much as we can) yet this comfort we have from this Art, that by it nature is strengthen­ed and kept from being overthrown by violent things; which consider how much it imports. Moreover, I would perswade, that until safer purgations be found in this Art, thou wouldst be con­tent to use these following, or the like, as the disease requireth; for these doe not much travail the vital spirits, and work without nauseousnesse and gri­pings: Hitherto I have kept them se­cret.

CHAP. XIV. Of Purgers and Purging.

IN as much as the vital spirit being fortified, can by its own power free the body from noxious humours, it may be doubted whether in cures done by this Art, Purgation be to be premi­sed: But for the further and speedier dispatch, we will admit to begin with Purgation; for the oppressed spirit is relieved, and is made fitter, being hel­ped by our Medicine, to doe the other things; and when it is free, it is more easily changed and reduced into its for­mer estate; for there are some of the Philosophers, which before they give a Dosis of the great Elixar, first think fit that the cure may be more easie to free the body by purgation; how much rather then in this Art? Now whether it be best to doe it by the common and ordi­nary [Page 75]wayes, or by Diastatick, it may be doubted: Well, first it is to be con­sidered, that there are very few Simples violently purging, that doe not hurt the vital spirit by their great proportion of venenosity. Secondly; there is not yet found any medicine purging magneti­cally (except some ointments common­ly known) which utterly wants all ve­nemous qualities; and therefore I would have them quite forborne, because they may be cause of more mischief, then if they were given inwardly: But unguents or oyls may be commodiously used, if the disease lurk in the stomach, inte­stines, meseraicks. I will give an exam­ple of one that doth gently loose the belly: Take Aloes hepatick, lb. Myrrhe ℥ 5. pour halfe a pound of the gall of a Bull upon them, and draw off the oyle in a retort, which thou maist use per se, or in forme of an unguent, anointing the stomack, and all about the navel therewith; and afterwards, covering it with a spunge, wet in the oyle, or oyntment, and thou shalt have a benigne and harmlesse purgation, that works without all nauscousnesse or gri­pings. There is much speech of an [Page 76]herb in the West-part of Ireland, called by the Natives Mackenbuy; and from men of credit I have heard it reported, that if any man carry this herb about him, it purgeth him strongly enough, without any gripings: But that it doth not this by way of corroborating the spirit, it appeares in that, if one carry it too long about him, it breeds a dange­rous flux. There are that ascribe the same power to Petum, or Tobacco, if it be tied to the flank: So the milky juyce of Tythi­male, mixt with salt, and put into the new excrements of the belly, doth vio­lently loosen, but not without pain; yet these things must be warily used, nei­ther is it safe to apply any medicine that purgeth vehemently, to the vital spirit nakedly, either by excrement, blood, or any other means.

We will therefore prescribe some things to be taken inwardly, which are benigne, and agreeable to nature, till better may be found out. The first shall be the Specifical Purger of Paracelsus, which is good almost for every disease, whether the operation be according to Crellius, Hartmannus, or Tenzelius: Also you may use Mercurius vitae; if for a vo­mit, [Page 77]precipitate the pouder by common water; if by siege onely, then precipi­tate it by oyle of Tartar, and after pre­cipitation, wash it well: If afterwards it be sprinkled with oyle of common salt, and so left in digestion three or four daies, and then once or twice wa­shed, it purgeth gently and universally, which is an high secret in the Dropsie: Moreover, if common ☿ vitae be well ground with common decrepitated salt, and again washed, and this work be thrice repeated, it leaves much of his violence: Also our Specificum purgans of our own invention, is of no small moment; for it drawes the humours sweetly out of the whole body, and opens obstructions. Angelus Sala his Chrystallum lunae, freeth the body benignly from all waterish humors, & wonderfully helpeth the Dropsie: Our ☿ coelestis of all Mi­nerals most benignly purgeth the belly, it is fit for every one; it opens obstructi­ons, and freeth the head from humours, it strengthens the stomack; neither are there any symptomes to be feared, as there is in all other ☿ als. The prepa­ration is thus: Take of common ☿ pre­cipitated white, dulcified with often [Page 87]washing, and dried as much as you will, of oyle of vitriol as much as will make a paste of it, and put them in a glasse, and set it in the Sun for 14. daies; then take it out, and dry it, and sprinkle it with oyle of Tartar, as before; then take it and dry it again, doing as before the third time; then wash it to a plea­sant tartnesse, dry it and keep it for thy use: The dosis is from 6. graines to 15. according to the age, disease, and habi­tude of the body. It purgeth onely by siege; neither is there fear of salivati­on, though necessity force thee to use it often.

The glasse of Antimony, purging only by stoole, is a most noble remedy in all melancholy diseases and affects of the head; neither is it far from a speciall Purger, and therefore may be safely used in every disease that requireth evacuati­on: It is made of the pouder of vitrum Antinoonii, made by it selfe, by irrora­tion of the oile of Vitriol, even almost as our ☿ Coelestis was made in this manner.

℞ Vitrum Antimonium ℥ 1. of oyle of Vitriol as much, mingle them well in a glasse-morter, and dry them by the [Page 79]fire; this doe seven times, each time drying them well; at last, the pouder being dry, have in a readinesse a spirit of wine made thus: ℞ Mastick ℥ 1. ve­ry good spirit of wine lb 1. digest them together four dayes; then decant the spirit of wine, and macerate the prepa­red pouder of Antimony in it for three days; then put altogether in an earthen pot; make it hot, and kindle the spirit of wine, ever stirring it with a spatula, till the flame cease, and dry well the pouder that remaines. The dose is from four graines to six. But now I will shew thee the best preparation of Stybium that ever was; it is an universal medicine, curing all diseases; and if any thing can stand in stead of Aurum potabile, this may, though it be some­what weaker: I have written it in dark words, lest the unworthy should meet with it: It is made of Hungarian Sty­bium by the multiplied fire of nature, calcined into most white pouder. Take heed of the fume, which will be much; but if by this calcination thou dost not finde the weight increased, thou hast er­red; therefore put it into the fire again, until it increase in weight; then is the [Page 80]calcynation done. Take of this pouder ℥ 1. of the spirit of the highest vegetable lb 1. mix them, and digest them twenty dayes, or a moneth; then decant the liquor: The dose is from ʒII to ʒIII, and so to ℥s: A profound secret in all diseases. If thou hast a mind to make use of the pouder remaining, then cal­cine it as before; the calcination is soon done, and the pouder will be encreased in power and weight; so hast thou a perpetual mineral of health. I have said much to thee, if thou understand me; neither dare I speak more clearly; use it to the benefit of the poor: If thou understand the sense rather then the words, I have shewn thee the way to greater matters. Further thou mayst use our mineral Panchymagogon in all Obstructions, Dropsies, and the like af­fections: It is made of ☿ vitae, vitrum Antimonii prepared as before, ana ℈II: ☿ coelestis ℈III: Let them be well ming­led, and then with the spirit of common salt saturate with gold, let there be made a paste, which dry, and sprinkle again with the spirit of salt; doe thus thrice: at last infuse this pouder in the spirit of wine, digesting it three or [Page 81]four dayes; then heat it so that the spi­rit may take fire, and stir it with a spa­tula till the flame cease; then dry the matter and poure on it spirit of wine, and doe as before three times; then dry the pouder, and keep it: The dose is from six graines to ten, as seems good. In some diseases this may be mixed with the resina Scammonii, so will it neatly purge all the humours of the body: These are taken out of the family of Minerals, then which there can be no better given; out of the vegetative fa­mily many things may be taken: The chiefest I use, follow. I cannot too much commend the Resina Scammonii, whe­ther it be taken by it selfe, or with Tar­tar vitriolated, or Chrystalline in a con­venient dose, or whether you adde unto it Antimony purging downwards; but then you must use lesse Chrystal of Tar­tar; as for example: In an intermitting Tertian Feaver, the body being indiffe­rently disposed to Purgation, give the resina Scammonii 12. graines; of the glasse of Antimony purging downwards 2 or 3 graines; of Christal of Tartar 6 grains, thou shalt certainly cure all Feavers: But this medicine must be gi­ven [Page 82]before the Paroxysm, that Nature and the Physick may work together: If need be, let it be repeated; besides, thou mayst varie the dose according to thine own judgment: This doth like­wise cure continual burning-feavers, if it be given the first and second day while the Patient is yet strong; thou mayst, if thou wilt, afterwards use some Di­aphoretical, especially of those that pro­cure sweat, not by colliquation, but confortation, as the aforesaid prepara­tion of Antimony. Out of what hath been said, thou mayst learn to make a Panchymagogon, if thou know how to vary the dosis of the ingredient accor­ding to the variety of the humours: Thou maist also use the extract of black Hellebore for all melancholick diseases made by white wine, especially in the suppression of the Menstrua's, and all diseases arising from thence: And thou maist adde to these the rosen of Scammo­ny: so shalt thou both hasten the ope­ration, and take away the nauseousness which often proceeds from the Hellebore: That which is by Rulandus called the golden spirit of life, is good for many diseases: It is made with a strong spirit [Page 83]of wine, drawn from the Trochisques of Alhendale, or the tincture: The dose of the tincted liquor is from ℥ sem1. to ℥1: Thou mayst also in all diseases of the Liver or Meseraicks use with good suc­cess our extract of Rubarb: It is made with the water of Cichory, whereunto is added the oyle rectified from his salt, together with the salt thereof, all digested till they be united: It is given in water di­stilled from the extract, or in Cichory-water, from the quantity of ℈2 to ʒ1: Steep some Rubarb in Cinnamon-water, which presse forth, and still in a glasse limbeck inbalneo, till the flegm be drawn off; the substance remaining like honey, keep close stopped, good for Cramp, Gout, or Melancholy, Park. 159.

Also our spirit of health helpeth ma­ny diseases, especially in diseases of the Spleen, Hypochondriack passion, and all melancholy diseases, windinesse, as well of the stomach as intestines, and in the diseases of the Mother, which I have used with great successe; it is thus made: Take of the strongest spirit of wine lb 1. Sennae Elect. ℥2. Black Helle­bore prepared according to Hartman ℥6. Oleum anisi & faniculi ana a few drops. [Page 84]Bruise the Senna and the Hellebore, & ma­cerate them in the spirit of wine, put­ting often upon them the said oyles for 14. daies space; then take them out and presse them, and put as much of the new species as thou didst at first; digest them and presse them againe and againe; put new as at first, doing all things as be­fore: After the last expression keep the spirit for thy use: The dose is from ℥ss to ℥1. I have likewise used Caryostinum chymically prepared very happily: The chymical oyl of Anniseed taken in broth or in wine three or four drops at a time, at the most, healeth the same diseases: The Extract may also be used made thus; infuse the seeds bruised 24 houres in the spirit of wine; let it stand as long in balneo, then presse it forth, and distil it in a glasse, the residence keep for use a­gainst the Epilepsie, Spasm, yea Madness; Park, cap. de Aniso. The chymical oyle of Rosemary is commended for many griefes, but one drop or two at once: Also an oyle made by insolation thus; ℞ the flowers, and put them in a strong glasse well stopped, and digest them in hot horsedung 14 dayes; which then take out, and unstop it, and lay a fine [Page 85]cloth over the mouth, which put in a­nother strong glasse, and an oyle will distil, which is a most soveraign balme for benummed joynts, consumption, tisick, the whites, pestilence, jaundice, dim eyes, obstructions, wind, hypochon­driack passion, indigestion, &c. Park. 77. Lavender also is commended for many griefs: Make therefore according to the former directions, either an ex­tract or oyle: It is good for Apoplexy, Epilepsie, Sppor, Convulsions, Palsies, Syncopes, and strengthens the stomach, opens the liver and spleen, provoketh the menstrua's, good against the Collick; but the oyle must be sparingly used, because of its fierce piercing spirits.

For Vomits, I use the common ones, necessity forcing; but I prefer that aqua benedicta Rulandi, described by Hartman in his Chymica Praxi: It is made of An­timony and Vitriol ana, and twice or thrice as much of Sal Niter into Crocus metallorum, which being exquisitely sweetned, is given by infusion ℈1, or somewhat more, as the sickness requires in ℥3 of whitewine. The Vomitorium Conradinum Crollii is not to be despised. The coagulated Asari described by Hart­man [Page 86]in the diseases of the stomach and meseraicks, when there is need of vo­miting, is very good: The cold Pur­gers of Angelus Sala, in continual and burning Feavers, is an excellent reme­dy: ☿ vitae both vomiting and purging in rebellious diseases, is excellent also whilest the party is strong: Also the ex­tract of white Hellebore given in a conve­nient dose, cures all paines in the head that arise from the stomach or the lower parts. And so much for Purging.

CHAP. XV. Of Phlebotomy.

FIrst understand, that whatsoever Me­dicine may be used in other Physick, may also be used here. And as for Phle­botomy, first to them that contemplate the depths of Nature, and behold the in­most causes of things, it may seem too [Page 87]frequent Phlebotomy came into use a­mongst Physicians: Especially if the o­pinion of them be true, that say blood doth not putrifie, which is true both in reason and experience: For blood cor­rupted, ceaseth to be blood, and dege­nerateth into unnatural humors, which are to be purged, not by letting of blood, but by sweat or purgation, as the mat­ter requireth. But perhaps they will say they doe it to coole the body; yet it is scarcely agreeable to reason, that blood should be a cause of a feaverish or preternatural heat; unlesse peradven­ture the spirits that have their seat in the blood, be stirred up by fermentation, which is seldome done [...] neither lasteth it, except choler be joyned therewith; which being purged away, the motion and heat are presently quieted and al­layed: or it may be, because sometimes too much blood grieveth the body, and so begeteth Feavers: But to that I an­swer, that such are not to be cured by Phlebotomy, because a Physician must ever follow nature, and never stray from her lawes: And Nature hath shewed another way, that doth not trouble the body like Phlebotomy, and that is, to want nou­rishment; [Page 88]for whiles the body is not nourished, the blood is consumed, if it be not repaired by Aliment; therefore take away Aliment for the time, and na­ture will consume the blood, without either troubling the humours or the bo­dy; and therefore sage Hippocrates pre­scribed slender dyers. But if thou say the body cannot now be nourished because of the malignant humours that infect the blood, thou sayest nothing; for why dost not thou throw them out by purga­tion? It may be thou wilt say, there appeares no concoction; yet Hippocrates purgeth the turgid and swelling hu­mours. But who seeth not how much adoe may be made about the concoction of humours in Feavers? What if I af­firm, with P [...]racelsus, that there can be no Feavers at all without fermentation of the humours, which is as it were the very top of concoction: Do I not speak reason? For what else but fermentation could breed such a heat, and stir up such troubles in his body? Choler, if it be an humour, yet it cannot grow hot, but either by external fire, or fermentation. Some prattle that putrefaction can stir up heat, but this is a trifle: Let them [Page 89]tell me how putrefaction, which is a certain corruption, can cause heat; and whether this effect agreeth to all putre­faction? They dare not say so, for sense would convince them; for it agreeth onely to moist things when they putri­fie, and yet not by reason of putrefacti­on; neither is that the adaequate cause, but Fermentation causeth heat: For look how much it putrefieth, so much the heat decreaseth, as it is plainly seen in all moist things putrifying; and the reason is, because look how much corruption prevaileth, by so much fermentation is extinguished: But let us hear these mens definition of putrefaction; it is (say they) the corruption of proper and na­tural heat in every moist thing by a strange heat, as of the ambient; or ac­cording to Galen, it is change of the whole substance of the body, putrifying to corruption by external heat. The first supposeth that the proper heat of a thing can be dissipated by an external heat: But then let them tell me how heat, as heat, can work upon heat; what if it doe not first dissipate natural heat, but consume radical moisture? For the property of heat is not to work upon [Page 90]heat, but upon moisture its passive qua­lity: Now if it work upon moisture, it dryeth; but drying hinders putrefaction. Again, if it first work upon moisture, pro­portionally with the moist it consumeth that which is hot, or heat it self; there­fore there is so much heat lost, as the moisture left requireth: And so it see­meth that external heat is not the cause of putrefaction. Look upon other things that putrifie; doth not heat by drying hinder putrefaction? and doth not natural cold sometimes advance it? yea, and surely it ought to cause it, if it consist in the corruption of heat, and that in moisture; for what can destroy beat in a moist body, where there is nothing but moisture left, except but cold? More­over it seemes that putrefaction cannot proceed from the corruption of proper heat. For if this were so, then the more the proper heat should decrease, the more the putrefaction prevaileth, and so would be perfected when the heat were driven clean away: But who seeth not the con­trary, that putrefaction ceaseth when heat is clean gone? do not those things that have the least portion of this heat, last longest without putrefaction? But [Page 91]that we may come to that heat that takes its original from putrefaction (as these men would have it) of which is now all the controversie, let any man tell me how external heat can stir up a greater and more intense heat? How doe dung­hils putrifie (I speak after their manner) in the winter-time, and have more heat then either the proper heat declining, or the ambient can stir up? Nay, they putrifie sooner in the Winter then in the Summer, if they be laid in great heaps: And whence is that great inflammation in Feavers? not from the internal hear, saith Galen, but from a strange adven­titious heat; but whence it comes, or what it brings into the putrid matter, neither he nor any else can tell. But from the definition it is cleare, that pu­trefaction cannot be the cause of heat, because it destroyeth heat, and is intro­duced from an external heat: That which is putrid is onely then the subject of the heat, which presently passeth a­way according to the intention or dis­position of the matter: neither lasteth it longer then the cause is present; and how these things agree to Feavers, let them look. Now as to Galens definition, I [Page 92]wonder why he so unadvisedly and ri­diculously made the body putrifying to be the subject of putrefaction? whether in the bringing in of all putrefaction is there a putrifying body necessarily pre­required? And therefore that which is once sound, is for ever free from putre­faction. But external heat is by him called the cause of putrefaction; and therefore it shall be the cause of heat in that that putrifieth: But putrefaction it self cannot be called the cause of heat; yet I would fain have some of them tell me how moist things can putrifie with­out fermentation going before? & where shall the putrefaction of humours at length stay but in corruption? And therefore that which is truly putrified, is not the same that it was before putre­faction finished, but is changed into a­nother thing of an inferiour order, be­cause of the heat that is gone: And so choler putrefied is not now choler, but another thing colder then choler; and therefore cannot cause a Tertian, which depends of choler, as appeares by the excrements. Besides, putrefaction is alwaies accompanied with stinkings (by which I doe not understand that odour [Page 93]which is to us unpleasant; but that which agreeth not with things in their proper state) but who ever saw stinking choler avoyded in Feavers, except it were mixed with some things that did truly putrifie? whereas the faeces of the belly, though they had an odious smell before, yet being putrified, they have a most pleasant odour, as experi­ence testifieth; and therefore the putre­faction of humours is not the cause of Feavers, but fermentation; which be­ing the heighth of concoction, doth al­way (other things requisite being pre­sent) invite to purgation. In summe, I would fain ask those supercilious Ma­sters one thing, what concoction they expect in a putrid humour? Can Nature bring a thing back from corruption? Can it ever be in better state then now it is, if it be putrified? Is it not natures work to perfect the work begun, unless her intention be led aside, or be hinder­ed? The truth is, these men are too sub­tile to see the simplicity of nature. But now, how if all the strife be about the name? and how if Fermentation be by them called putrefaction? I will not stand upon this, if so be they confesse [Page 94]that concoction in Feavers need not be expected; and that by timely purgation they provide for the life of the Patient, which is often lost by needlesse letting of blood: But of Feavers more in ano­ther place.

To returne to Phlebotomy, whence we have long digressed, against which some do further urge, that considering the whole latitude of nature, they find no medicine that drawes blood; whence they infer, that if blood-letting had been necessary, provident nature would have ordained somewhat to that pur­pose, who labours rather to keep the chariot of life with the body: Moreo­ver, they ask how any man dares be so bold to draw blood from a cacochy­mick body, seeing themselves grant tru­ly that blood is the bridle of the hu­mours; they will say that nature being disburthened, will the speedier rise up against the humours; but foolishly: as if one should take away a souldiers wea­pons, and then bid him to set upon the Enemy, promising him by this meanes the Victory, would you not think him mad? How much lesse is he, that robbing nature of her Armes, bids her [Page 95]make head against the enemy? yea, but many have amended upon letting blood. I deny it not; but that was not the cause of the recovery, but natural heat, or the vital spirit stirred up by motion, set upon, and conquered the disease; which heat by any other moti­on, might have been better stirred up, especially by Purgation at the begin­ning, when there was strength; by which means there is not only induced a motion exciting the spirit, but also the cause of the disease being partly ta­ken away, the part is much relieved. Thus you see the madnesse of them that are so forward upon every occasion, time, and age, to let blood; whereup­on, how many dangers follow, I appeal to Experience. And this is the true cause why Feavers are so seldome cu­red.

But is Phlebotomy wholly to be con­demned? Is it not in some causes law­full for a Physitian that follows nature, seeing that she in some cases (as by blee­ding at the nose, &c.) expels blood that is troublesome? Yes, it is at sometimes, and upon some occasions needful; but the conditions ought to be observed, [Page 96]that are fetcht out of the cabinet of na­ture. First, that it be never done but in a sanguine body not too much filled with preternatural humours. Second­ly, that it be done whilest the strength is constant, under which condition is comprehended the age, sex, time of the disease and year, which when they wea­ken forbid Phlebotomy: Thirdly, that it never be done successively, that is, two dayes together, let Avicen say what he will; for a double motion is too great, and operates too violently, e­specially in Feavers, and troubles na­ture very much. Fourthly, in particu­lar irruptions, either in their making or already made, you may doe it more freely. Fifthly, in diversion, if the disease require it. Sixthly, In Feavers, when nature shewes the way by bleeding at the nose, or at other passages, provi­ded if she doe not evacuate enough of her own accord. Seventhly, if the na­tural flux of women be stayed, it is per­mitted (until nature can by fit medi­cines be brought to her course) for the avoyding of diseases; but there must great care be taken to open the passages; for nature knows better how to go­verne [Page 97]her selfe then we doe. And in these cases, and upon these conditions, it is permitted; but except in a case where a particular irruption urgeth, as sometime in a Pleurisie and a Squinan­cy, I would alwayes prefer Fasting be­fore Phlebotomy; yet before this, if the indication command, I would free the body from the humours; for so na­ture would naturally be eased: I would Physicians would follow nature, and leave off one to swear himselfe a slave to Galen, another to Avicen, a third to Paracelsus: These men were great, but when they strove to defend their owne Opinions, they often erred. So much, &c.

CHAP. XVI. Of Cauteries.

CAuteries are used of many, that ei­ther know not, or consider not why they use them: And this manner of e­vacuation of all now in use is least na­tural, especially when it is used by way of preservation; for it weakeneth the member, it opens a way for the vital spirit to goe out; it alters the whole body by wasting the natural heat; so that almost all that use it, are either of short life, or else growing fat, and dis­abled for the duties of life, and fall soo­ner then they should into old age: For whereas nature thought good at first to make so many Emunctuories for the body of man, these men by making more, stir her up too much: Hath not God given medicines to purge the no­cent humours by natural Emunctuories? [Page 99]and we to make others for our selves, is this to follow nature, or to go quite contrary to her? They will say they do it to evacuate humors, which else would cause a disease: And have not we other meanes in imitation of nature to doe it? But if they be once evacuated, they will come againe, they will indeed, if thou know not how to fortifie nature: They are fooles, that intending to cure a disease, are constrai­ned to make it far worse: For my part I never saw any one by this meanes soundly cured; I have seen many weak­ned. But are these Fontenellae, as they call them, utterly to be condemned? Surely if the humour be impact in a member not extremely weakened, per­adventure I would admit them; like­wise to intercept a humour comming to a weak part until the part be fortifi­ed: Also in aversion thou maist use them for a time, but warily, but it is better altogether to forbeare them. If thou wilt follow the trivial wayes, then doe it not in a weak body, nor in a child, except for a short time, nor in a weak member, nor in a body extremely cacoochymical: But if thou doe use [Page 100]them, then handle the purulent matter that comes from them according to the precepts of this Art, and apply to the wound those things that are especially proper to the disease, and then thou mayst doe wonders: The same is to be understood of blood drawn by Phlebo­tomy, by which thou mayst doe great matters, as shall be said in the Chapter of Blood.

CHAP. XVII. Of Confortative Medicines.

IT is a goodly thing to proceed to a work with consent of all nature; and to that end we have first and briefly spo­ken of the best and most famous evacua­tions: now of Cordials the which are inwardly to be taken, it being impossi­ble, but that the disease should be cured if the vital spirit be duly fortified as well within as without: we will there­fore [Page 101]lay down some most secret and uni­versal things: And first the true Bezoar is to be admired, which without any preparation yields a singular cordial, comforting the heart and principall members; yet experience shewes us that it is much better when it is reduced to a Magistery; the dosis is from 4. grains to a ℈. The same judgement is to be gi­ven to the natural white Balsome of Peru, of which Monardus hath discourst at large, whom thom maist safely fol­low: The not vulgar preparation of Coral and Pearl we will hereafter speak of, in the interim take some compounds. And the first shall be a Diatherion, com­monly called by the Inventors name ( Gascoynes pouder) which secret he sold to the Bishop of Worcester for 300 l. I will give it freely. ℞ the toes of Sea­crabs boyled; beat them to pouder, which must be done the ☉ and ☽ being in Cancer: Of this pouder take ℥i. of the Magistery of Coral and Pearl ana ʒii. of the true Bezoar ʒi. make rolls with the jelly of vipers skins, or if thou wilt, of the flesh of the whole vipers, which is as good; and being dried, let them be made up again, and dryed with the [Page 102]same jelly, the oftner you doe it, the better: The use of it is to beat it into pouder, and to give from ℈i. to ℈ii. almost in any disease repeating it of­ten: In poyson thou maist give from ʒi to ʒii. But if thou knowest how to calcyne the Crabs clawes, Coral, Pearl, and Bezoar with the fire of nature, it would be an admirable Alexiterium in­deed, and far more precious then any gold: The second Cordial shall be our precious Diarrhodon. ℞ of pile rose-leave as much as thou wilt, bruise them well in a morter until they be in an even mass; and to every ounce thereof put of the extract of Cinnamon made by Rose­water, and of the extract of Cloves and. Mace made by the same water ana ℥i of the extract of Musk and Amber made together, so that the Amber be three times as much as the Musk ℈ii. (This extract is made by meanes of a very strong spirit of wine drawne off in a gentle balneo to the consistence of oyle) Of the salt of Coral and Pearl ana ℈iiii. of Aqua magnanimitatis ʒss: of the bur­ning spirit of Roses ʒiss: let them all be well mingled and insolated in a glasse vessel, and stopped all the rest of [Page 103]the Summer; about the end of Septem­ber put them in balneo for a moneth; then separate the faeces, and thou hast a Kingly Medicine: The dosis is from ℈s. to ℈i. It doth miraculously strengthen all the bowels, defends the health, strengthens the seminal powers, and brings them to a fruitful disposition. But to proceed from the flowers of Cal­tha loortensis (marigolds and the darkish red clove-gilly-flowers, there is made a special Cordial, especially if you add the third part of the Extract of Saffron; let them be all drawn by a spirit of wine Cariophilate, according to Art. Para­celsus his great Confortative good a­gainst most diseases of the body, is so and described by Crollius, with a long relati­on of the vertues. The preparation of Queen Eliz. rectified Amber is this, viz. ℞ of the best Ambergreese ℥i. elected Musk not sophisticated ʒi. of the whitest Sugar ℥s. pulverize them according to Art, imbibe them with the burning spi­rit of Roses, and grinde them together till they be in a reasonable soft past. Put them in a close vessel to digest in the sun till it be dry, then imbibe them as before and dry it, the oftner the better and [Page 104]stronger will the Medicine be; the dosis the quantity of a great Pease in distilled water of Satyrion impregnated with his own salt; it comforts all the inward parts, it moistens the body by encrea­sing the radical moisture; it encreaseth the power of generation, and cureth them that are barren of either Sex: The spirit of Soot is of great force also right­ly prepared; the manner how is ex­tant in Hartman, where he speakes of Confortatives in his Chymica Iatrica, a­bout the beginning: And though the power of these be not so great as to de­serve the name of universal Medicines, yet experience shewes their power to be very great, and that they are alwayes used with good successe But to enrich this new Art with an unvaluable Trea­sure, we will teach the calcination or dissolution of Herbs, Stones, Minerals, and Mettals, wherein every thing may according to his own nature become an universal Medicine, and being exalted, work according to its subject; so that they shall equal the true Aurum Potabi­le, which appears springs from the same root. And here Reader know, that our words are not otherwise to be interpre­ted, [Page 105]then out of the Books of genuine Philosophers; but not like Quercitan, who though otherwise a great Schollar, speaking of Theriaca in his Pharmaco­paeia dogmaticorum restituta, calls the spirit of wine the fire of nature, and the salt of the Earth, the salt and sul­phur of nature; as if nature did use the spirit of wine to the generation of all things, and plaid the Chymick in the salt of the Earth. I doe not deny but the whole Earth, and principally the salt, is the receiver of the sulphure and Mercury of nature, yet hath it no more then is sufficient for it selfe; and as soon as it hath it, it immediate­ly giveth it to another: We have no­thing to doe then with the salt of the Earth, the spirit of Wine, or any vul­garly known salts and spirits whatsoe­ver. It is far another matter, which the blind, that are hindered with many operations, cannot see: Now how this calcination worketh miracles, I will tell thee: When here at London I did la­hour about the calcination of Co­ral in a naked fire, in a strong reverbe­ration foure dayes and nights, and could by no meanes get them to be red, I [Page 106]gave it to the Glasse-makers to keep it a time in their fire; and when they had tryed it foure dayes in their fire, found it onely a little yellow on the outside, having in taste a little saltish sweetnesse: Whiles I was troubled at this, comes to London the most learned and ingeni­ous Sir Hen. Mer. and complaining to him of my Coral, he told me that in 8. houres space he had calcined 8 ℥s of Co­ral into a reddish colour, which put­ting the spirit of wine to, yeilded a yel­lowish tincture, whereas mine yeilded no tincture at all; which when I heard, I told him the secret was better then Aurum Potabile: And thence forward I gave my selfe to natural calcination, trying the several Families of things and learned to multiply the fire by art; whereas before I had only known (and that not long) the calcination of natu­ral gold; so by trying many things, Experience taught one thing after ano­ther. If therefore thou know nature, I will shew thee her naked, as I have of­ten, to my great content and happinesse, seen her; yet I dare not be so irreligi­ous towards her, as to prostitute her to the view of the ignorant and unworthy, [Page 107]an offence never to be expiated: But to the studious and lovers of truth, I will shew a spectacle, that shall not like Di­ana transforme men into Harts, but in­to Angels: Two things onely must be supposed, as foreknown, viz. the Phi­losophers fire of nature, and water of life, which though to many unknown, yet to the punctual followers of nature, will demonstrate themselves out of the context. Then to understand this natu­ral and abbreviated calcination, two in­struments are necessary for us, if we mean to gain time. The first is a great pair of bellowes; if thou know the fire, thou canst not, except thou be very stupid, but understand the bellows by which thou maiest extremely in­crease the fire: The second is a collato­ry vessel, artificially composed of Asbe­stinum, alias called Pili Salamandrae, vel Pili Diaboli, which is easie to be procu­red: But though this be also unknown; yet in many things thou mayest operate without it; but in that second prepara­tion of the salts of Herbs, by which the Species doth manifest it selfe in a glasse after calcination of the Plant, it cannot be wanted, as also in the whole [Page 108]preparation and calcination of gold it must be used, if any good end be desi­red. And now we will descend to the practice, beginning with Plants; and because they are prepared all after one manner, one Example will be sufficient. Thus then may be composed a truly no­ble & most excellent Cordial of Roses, viz. Take Roses gathered in their Balsa­mick time, either bruised or unbruised it matters not; put them in the colatory vessel, the orifice well closed as with Her­mes seale; then hang them three months in a digesting fire, take heed thou spoil not the materials with too much fire: After the third moneth bury it in the belly of a great horse for six moneths space; after digest it againe till the gross and impure substance be separated from the pure; so hast thou a royal cordial indeed, whose vertue yet if thou please, thou mayst augment thus: Take a good quantity of Roses, dry them at our fire, at length increase the fire till they be calcined to pure white ashes; then with water extract the salt, evaporate the wa­ter, then put the salt in a colatory vessel, whose mouth must be surely sea­led up; let it remain three moneths, as [Page 109]thou didst the above mentioned Roses themselves (then bury it in dung, which must be new every fortnight or 3 weeks at the furthest) for the space of six moneths; then take it out, and put it again to the fire of digestion, till the species begin to appeare; which will as­suredly follow, if thou know how in the calcination and evaporation to keep both the volatil and fixed spirit; with­out which, nothing can be expected con­cerning the Idaea; and mix a sufficient quantity of this with the other clyssis of Roses; so shalt thou have a more ex­cellent Cordial, exceeding good for all hot diseases, and to restore the radical moisture. And thus mayst thou make the true clyssis of all Herbs, every Extract working according to the nature and true intention of that herb from which it was taken; yea, their vertues be by the above specified fire of nature and freedome from their Faeces wonder­fully multiplyed and enabled; neither can they be purged from their impuri­ties, but by our fire.

Next we will come to middle Minerals and stones, which all yield their extracts [Page 110]after one and the same manner; let Co­ral be the example: Then ℞ as much Coral as thou pleasest, sprinkle it on a calcinatory vessel to the thicknesse of a straw, put it to our fire, and stir it up with our bellows as much as thou canst, and so multiply the fire till thou see the colour changed; but look that the sur­face be equal, the calcination will be the sooner effected, and so suddenly beyond expectation; thus doe 3 or 4 times, for so it will sooner let fall his tincture into the wine; which when it hath done, and that it doth give no more, repeat the cal­cination as above, and with a new spi­rit draw off the tincture, or with the same till it be extremely red; then mix all the spirit of wine wherewith thou hast drawn the tincture together, and draw them to the consistence of oyle: And thus mayest thou draw the tin­ctures from stones, middle minerals, and salts, infinitely increasing their strengths: And Pearls thus calcined will truly cure an Hectick Feaver. Now we will pro­ceed to Mettals, and propound for Ex­ample the true Aurum Potabile, so much magnified amongst the Philosphers; to effectuate which, we must begin also [Page 111]with calcination by our fire, as before expressed; then briefly thus: ℞ of Mer­cury made menstrual by calcination, and subtilly prepared by sublimation, that it may become sharp & piercing, 12 ℥s. of Solis refined by frequent fulmination, and drawn into thin plates one ℥. upon which in a glasse vessel pour some of the Mercury, about the fourth or fifth part; set this glasse shut up close that nothing fall in or out of it when it is stirred or inclined in a lukewarm heat in the first degree of heat, and let it stand for 15. or 20 dayes; during which time, a part of the Sol will be dissolved into the Mercury, by reason of the internal fire and corroding acrimony thereof; then pour off that menstrual, and keep it, and pour on again another part of the same, doing as is said before, and let that stand 8 or 10 dayes, and thus doe till the Sol be all dissolved into the Mercurial wa­ter; which after the commixtion and resolution of the Sol into it, the Mercury (which before) was menstrual, now is of another temper, and is called lac vir­gineum, Aqua vitae, &c. and by many more names amongst the Philosophers: Now put all this lac virgineum in the [Page 112]glasse with the aforesaid degree of heat, for 8 or 10 dayes, and then will appear a black superficial substance, part­ly emergent above, and partly subsident: The which (the water, or lac virgineum being first poured off) must be collected so oft as it appeareth, and is to be kept for the next work, which is Coagula­tion: And this black substance is cal­led Caput Corvi, sulphur Auri, sed crudum & nondum fixum.

Now to proceed to this Coagulation: Put this sulphur Solis into a vial glasse close stopped, and set in the first degree of heat for 8 dayes, till it be almost ex­ficcated with the humidity of lac virgi­nis that was left inherent in it; and then open the glasse, and pour thereon as much of the lac as is the weight of the Caput Corvi, and mix it well, and let it stand one or two dayes, till they both be coagulated in one, and become almost dry: And do thus till all the lac be drunk up, which will be about the space of 90 daes more or less, as the matter is of activity. Now then the matter be­ing thus coagulated, it must goe on with the second degree of heat for one moneths space, and then there will ap­peare [Page 113] Gauda pavonis, that is, a variety of colours, and at length it will turne to a white colour, called corpus album, sulphur album, terra Philosophorum, &c.

Now from this coagulation you must proceed to fermentation thus. Take as much of purified and laminated Sol as answers to the third part of the afore­said coagulatum album, alias corpus album, and of Menstrual Mercury foure parts of the weight of the Sol; Amalgamize them, and put them in the viol on a lukewarm heat for 15 dayes, till the Sol by the Mercury be reduced into a subtile calx; then amalgame in a marble mor­ter all the aforesaid corpus album with the calx Solis, and menstrual Mercury, and then put altogether in the viol, and set it for a moneth in an heat of the 3d. degree, and let it so continue a good space, till it become an hard white hea­vy masse, and from thence to an yellow colour, and from thence to an orange, and after incline to a reddish colour; from which masse, if by the spirit of wine thou extract the tincture accor­ding to Art, thou mayest perform ad­mirable cures in all desperate diseases: I will yet shew another more brief way [Page 114]to the lovers of Art, which take thus: Put foliated gold into a vessel well sea­led with Hermes seale; put it into our fire till it be calcined to ashes; then sub­lime it into flores, having his caput mor­tuum, or black terra damnata in the bottome; then let that which is subli­med be with the same degree of fire uni­ted to the same caput mortuum, that it may be revived by it; so that all may be reduced into an oyle which is called Oleum Solis; The dose hereof is 2, or 3 grains: And out of this Mercury of Sol thou maiest also by the spirit of wine ex­tract an high redness, which will contain the cure of all diseases curable in nature, which is a true Aurum potabile, and much to be estimated: And by the same way thou mayest make any other mettal po­table. I ingeniously confesse I have spo­ken more plainly of this subject then e­ver any hitherto; and if thou understand not what hath been said, then thou art utterly ignorant of nature and her ope­rations; and therefore I advise thee to study and contemplate her better before thou meddle with these secrets: Oswal­dus Crollius in his Basilica chymica, un­der the title of his Cordialia, describes a [Page 115]way, but yet imperfect, as he confesseth, of extracting this quintessence, or ma­king of an Aurum potabile; which I de­ny not but may give an Artist some light in the aforementioned way: And first he dissolves refined Sol in Aqua Regis, and then precipitates the Sol by a wary and soft instillation of good oyle of Tartar, made by resolution from a mar­ble in a cold cellar; or for want thereof, he takes the salt of Tartar dissolved in A­qua nubis, by which he makes his precipi­tation; then he dulcifies the pouder pre­cipitated 4 or 5 times, and dries in Bal­neo Maria, or in a stone very carefully, in respect of the danger thereof: Then he takes some 20 Mensura's or therea­bouts of urine of a sound man that u­seth to drink wine altogether, or for the most part, and puts it into a glasse Alembick, and evaporates 19 of these measures in Balneo: The one measure that remaines, he distils in sand; at last increasing the fire strongly, then it sub­limes a little; the salt that remains in the bottome, he takes away, and recti­fies the spirit in Balneo, and so proceeds to a tedious distillation, and coagulates this spirit of urine with the spirit of [Page 116]wine, and then useth the spirit of salt, and pours it on the calx solis, and goes on to a laborious work, as in his said Book more may at large be seen: A true Philosopher out of these things compa­red and well contemplated, cannot chuse but find a ready path to sublime and arcane Secrets: Concerning the Lau­danum's, it is not much material here to be spoken of; many descriptions are extant everywhere. In Tenzelius there is an expresse form of Laudenum opia­tum, and in Crollius: And in Hartman, of that which is is not opiate. A true Physician knowes how to vary the pro­portion of things to his own intent and the nature of the disease. And doubtlesse he that knows how to effectuate the work of calcination by the fire of Na­ture, may performe excellent matters. And thus far for Cordials and Confor­tative Medicines.

CHAP. XVIII. Of those Medicines that ought to be chosen in this Art.

NOw we have declared our mindes sufficiently of those things that are helps unto this Art; we will proceed further, and demonstrate what Medi­cines are to be chosen therein, that we may the better understand the matter of our Physick: And here take dilgent no­tice, that those things are principally to be chosen that beare the signature of the disease, and of the part principally affected: For the knowledge whereof, I would advertise thee to be conversant with Crollius, and diligently to peruse his Book de signaturis internis rerum, vel de signaturis plantarum humanamembra similitudine repraesentantium: In the mean time surely, if thou knowest the Specifi­cals (though the signatures doe not ap­pear) [Page 118]yet there needs no doubting of them, for they have either such an exter­nall signature, as we do not perceive ly­ing hid perhaps in their motion, num­ber, &c. or an external one unknown un­to thee because thou art ignorant of the Anatomy of them.

If thou therefore know any specifi­calls, contrary to any diseases, apply them diligently, according to this Art to those diseases whereto they are pro­per; in the manner as shall be taught.

Those that help by any known quali­ty, are not so much worth as to be taken into this Art, for the matter of our Medi­cines, unlesse it be when they have asa­gacity (Mark well what I say) for these things ought to be precious to thee; for then if any externall quality hurt the body or the spirit most violently, thou must use these sagacious plants endued with a contrary quality, which have more spirits. And those herbs and plants we call sagacious, which know how to avoid their enemies and embrace their friends; as for example, the Olive tree is a friend to the Vine, and the oake is an enemie to the Olive; likewise the Cole­wort is the Vines Enemy: of which see [Page 119] Levinus Lemnius de occultis naturae mira­culis, Lib. 40. Cap. 10. and also Bapt. Porta in his Magia naturae, lib. 10. Cap. 90. de Sympathia & Antipathia. Now these sagacious herbs and plants have a signature against diseases which have some property contrary to them; so the Salix or Willow is signed to a dry He­ctick, for it hath the power to grow a­pace, and though torn or cut from the trunke; if yet it be pricked into the ground, it dyes not, but growes present­ly into a tree and gets roots of his own: Likewise the Oak dyes not of a long time, and therefore that is to be used when and where diuturnitie of time is required: and so of all other: now you see that such herbs are to be chosen, as have in them the signature both of the member and the disease; but because it is somewhat difficult to find one that hath both the signatures, thou mayst take two of a divers species and so it will operate the same effects, if thou be cunning in the application. This one also more I shall advertise thee of, as the greatest secret in this Art, namely that the me­dicines taken from mens bodies, if they be rightly used will perform the greatest [Page 120]matters. Therefore search with the most diligence what parts or excrements of the body, conduce to the disease; for thou must have a due composition there­of, if thou mean to effect any good therewith: Take Example by the wea­pon salve, by meanes whereof wonders are performed in Chirurgery. If thou canst imitate the composition thereof, and canst mix together such, or the like ingredients, fitting other affects, thou wilt admire the wonderful operations thereof! And because I would not have thee ignorant thereof, I will give it thee here even in Oswaldus Crollius, own words in his Basilica Chymica under the name of his unguentum Sympatheticum seu stellatum Paracels [...] and under the Title of vulneraria.

℞ Adipis verris a­prugni, Vrsini, ana lotones oct. i.e. 4 ℥s.

Quo seniora animalia, eo melior adeps; ta­men non ultra septennium:

Vtries (que) animalis adeps prius in vino ru­bro per dimidiam horam lento igneibulliat; postea effundatur super aquam frigidam & cochleari colligatur pinguedo innatuns; quicquid fundum petit, abjiciatur; postea ℞ Lumbricorum ex vino vel aqua lotorum sex­tarios [Page 121]duos; nam in affectibus nervorum magnum usum habent; torrefiant in [...]ollae tecta in fornace pistoris; cavendum tamen ne adurantur; postea terantur in pulverem.

℞ hujus pulveris Cerebri aprugni siccati, Citrini, Sandali odoriferi, Mummiae Communis E­gyptiorum, Haematitis ana 1 ℥.

Demum accipe usneae è Cranio hominis vi­olenta morte perempti abrasae, Luna cre­scente & in bona domo existente, Veneris si fieri possit, non Martis aut Saturni, ad pon­dus avellanarum duarum circiter, hoc est 1 ℥. Ex omnibus tritis & invicem mintis cum adipe aprugni & ursi secundum artem fiat unguentum in vitro clauso vel pyxide diligenter adsuos usus reservandum: Paretur unguentum sole in Libra existente, hoc est in Autumno.

The use of this famous Sympathetical unguent followeth, with the effects and virtues.

By this salve are cured all wounds, by whatsoever weapon they are made; ei­ther by blowes, thrusts, falls, if the wea­pon may be but had that made the thrust, or struck the blow, though the partie wounded be many thousand [Page 122]miles distant, so it be a curable wound in nature, and tha [...] none of the three prin­cipall members be hurt, nor the nerves nor Arteries, neither being duely appli­ed will suffer or permit any noxious symptomes to abound, because it is conglutinative, suppurative and renova­tive; then take the use of it thus.

Annoynt the weapon with the which the partie was wounded, once a day, if the wound be great, or necessity compel; otherwise but once in 2 dayes, and lap it up with a clean cloth, and in a warm clean place, but not too hot; keep it so lapped, take heed no dust fall on it or cold winds blowe on it, for it will much offend the party though never so far distant. And this is sufficient to stop the mouthes of those Calumniators that contemn and despise this famous dia­staticall unguent, injuriously saying it must be but a small wound or hurt; and then nature it selfe by but only wrap­ping it from the aire will in a short time effect the cure. But to such I make an­swer, that whatsoever wound is in na­ture curable by the hands of any expert Chirurgeon, the same may be done by this famous salve (except before except­ed) [Page 123]But better to clear these scanda­lous speeches; and to stop the mouthes of these ignorant, but malicious detra­ctors, Let them in the smallest wound, make this experiment. viz. after they have artificially dressed the knife, sword, rapier or instrument whatsoever, that made the said wound, let them a little after wipe clean away the said anguent, and instead thereof applye some Corro­sive to the weapon, as aqua fortis, Arse­niall powder, spirit of Vitrioll, or the like, and then let them tell me how the Patient fares, though never so far from them, and let them mark then what pain is procured to the patient thereby, and what symptomes follow if speedily carefull remedy be not suddenly u­sed; & and this I hope is sufficient to stop the defamatory tongues of illite­rate inveterate Zoillans who carp at all things that are out of the reach of their shallow capacities. But to re­turn to our unguent. Now before you annoynt the weapon & wrap it up, you are to consider whether the wound was made by the point only; for then you need to annoint no more then the point, or so far as it entered into the flesh, nei­ther [Page 124]need you here to stich up the lips of the wound, but only to bind it up with a fair linnen cloth first either dip­ped in the Patients Vrine or in warm wine: and that day that one annoints the said weapon, let him abstain from Venery. Also observe that assoone as the weapon is annointed, the bleeding will cease of its own accord, bleed it ne­ver so fast before. In the fractures and ruptures of the bones you must adde somewhat of the powder of Comphry the great or of the herb Osteocolla, or of the roots of black Hellebore. Next if thou having the weapon thus anointed, de­sire to know whether the Patient be a­bout to dye or to recover of the said wound, then hold the weapon so anointed, over hot coales so long till thou canst but only suffer thy hand to touch it, and then sprinkle the fine pow­der of red Sanders and the bloodstone up­on it, and if it sweat or shew drops of blood, then the patient is in great dan­ger; otherwise not.

Also if thou canst not come to the weapon that hurt the party, then take a Willow-stick and open the wound gent­ly and put the stick into it till it bleed a [Page 125]little, and after the blood is dried, not either by the sun or fire, for those ex­hale the spirits, but of its owne accord, then dresse this stick as the weapon, or put into the box where the unguent is, leaving it there till it be fully cured.

If the wound be deep or great, then eve­ry day in the morning you must cleanse and lap it up with a fresh fair linnen cloth, using no other extraneous oyle or unguent: But to every new wound you must observe to use a new willow stick: To cure the tooth-ach herewith, Take a penknife or other instrument and scarifie the gums till they bleed, and then dresse the knife with the unguent and presently the pain shall be gone. Also if a nayle be run into the foot of man or horse, first pull it out, and then anoint it as above, and it shall instantly heale it without suppuration. And thus we may cure all living creatures that have flesh and bones. For further satis­faction to all the opposers of this our Hepliotrick or Traumatick unguent I re­ferre them to the learned notes of Hart­man, upon Basilica Chymica Crollij under the title of his vulneraria afore said. But it is now time to return to our pur­pose; [Page 126]onely this digression I thought good to insert here that the true and diligent enquirers after natures secrets may be encouraged to goe on chearful­ly, till they have attained their desired ends.

CHAP. XIX. Of the time as well of gathering as the application of these medicines in generall.

ANd for this purpose we shall sup­pose the influential elections of the heavens not to be here impertinent; for indeed herbs and plants do not at all times possesse the same virtues; but sometimes more, sometimes lesse. But the most profitable, and best for our use are those having signatures; and which are then gathered, when the signature is most apparent, and the moone in the signe that governs the member signed, especially the planet that is lord of the [Page 127]plant, being in his essential dignities, and beholding the moone favourably And let the moone and the Lord of the plant be both free, the Moone having then dominion of the plant, or Jupiter in the sixth house, and take heed the Moone be not joyned to any ill planets that are retrograde. And here note that those things that have their signatures in their roots must be gathered in Au­tumne. But if they have the signature of the disease they must be gathered when the planet lord of the disease is weak, & in a cadent house, & the lord of the planet fortified. The medicines taken from men, receive as soone as they come from the body, and keep them in vessells well shut till the time you mean to use them; but yet if thou canst fit the Moone and the planet that is lord of the part, if thou intend it for a particular operation, do. But for a general, make Libra fortunately ascend­ing, and Jupiter in the sixth house if thou canst, or at least let him have a friendly aspect to the sixth; but especiall heed must be taken whether they be excre­ments or blood or ought else, that they be not corrupted before thou use them; [Page 128]yet mistake me not as though I should dislike fermentation, which in this Art is most necessary, the which some call corruption though falsly. But if at any time thou wilt use Mumny in this Art, take it if possible from a body living, or next to life, or else it will not do so much good as the warme blood, and how ever annoint the Mumny with the warm blood, and set it to dry in the shade, but be sure it doth not corrupt before the drying; to avoid which, cut it in little square pieces like dice, for so it will sooner dry: If thou canst not have it from a living or warm body, then it must be often annoynted with warm blood, or steeped in it, and left there for a time and curiously dried, & so it will be fortifyed with the spirits drawne from the blood. And if at any time thouintend to work by fermentati­on, assoone as the blood, excrements or the like are out of the body, put them up in a close vessel well shut, and mix with them such things as are to be mix­ed, if any addition be required, as in some experiments there are, and then set them todigest in a gentle heat, not pas­sing the heat of the body from whence [Page 129]they came; note also you must not use the same vessels always, but sometimes glasses, sometimes things taken from living crea­tures. As for example sake. If thou wouldst digest ones excrements for to stay the flux, the streight gut, or gut of the fundament of an hog is the most convenient ves­sel. If thou wouldst stay vomiting, then the stomack of a swine is best to digest in, &c. But where thou intendest Implantation, then in all putrefactions to this purpose, glasse vessels are the best, though I would use an eggshell in some cases; as in digesting blood by it selfe, or mixt with sweat. Now if thou re­quire the time of application, generally take it thus: All Application of these remedies, be it in Implantation, or a simple apposition of things convenient, ought to be done the Moon in a signe convenient and fortunate, and Jupiter in the sixth house, as aforesaid, and the Lord of the Plant or Herb exalted above the Lord of the disease; yet if all these things concur not exactly, neither for­sake or procrastinate the cure; but so fit things, that when the residue agree, thou mayest begin anew; for if there be a due application of things, though [Page 130]the Stars doe not exactly accord, the cure though prolonged, yet the effect wil lnot be altogether frustrate; for note this well, that if thou observe the time and the progresse of the work in the cure, and so set upon the disease a­fresh, applying new instruments of health, thou canst not but effect thy de­sires: for in this lies the wisedome of a Physician. But because we have spo­ken concerning the gathering of these plants in their most vertuals time (viz.) when the Plannet that is Lord of the Plant is in his essential dignities. It is meet briefly to run over the 7 Planets, and demonstrate some particular Herbs that each Planet doth govern, or is Lord over; and what diseases they also have dominion over. And first for Saturn, he is Lord over Angelica, Box, Byth­wind, Bearefoot, Clotbur, Ceterach, Cummin, Dragon, Fumitory, Ferne, Horstaile, Hemlock, Hellebor, Mosse, Mandrake, Nightshade, Poppy, Spin­nach, Shepherds purse, Sage, Tutsan, Wolfbane, Parsnip, and many more the like. The Plants and Trees are Cypress, Hemp, Savine, Yew, Willow or Sallow, Polipody, Sene, Rue, Pinetree, Tama­risk. [Page 131]The diseases peculiar to his Govern­ment are Quartane Agues, Teeth, Lepro­sies, all melancholy distempers, Consum­ptions, Palsies, black Jaundice, Dropsies, Gouts, Apoplexies, Appetitus Caninus, &c

Secondly, Jupiter he is Lord over these Herbs, Plants, Trees, and Drugs follow­ing; namely, Strawberry, Bettony, Cen­tory, Organy, wild Marjoram, Rhubarb, Borrage, Bugloss, Selfeheal, Piony, Dasie, Saffron, Clove-gillyflower, Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg, Sugar, Balsome herb, Mastix, Wheat, and Violets. Cherry-tree, Birch, Mulberry, Oake, Olive, Almond, Ash tree, Pear-tree, Hazel, Beech, Barberry, Coral, Mulberry Gooseberry, &c. The diseases that he reignes over, are infirmities of the Liver, inflammation of the Lungs, palpitation of the Heart, Cramps, pain and ach in the Back-bone, diseases in the Arteries, Veines and Ribs, Plurisies, Squinancies, Windinesse, Blood putri­sied, and all Feavers proceeding from the abundance thereof, &c.

Thirdly, Mars lordeth over all cau­stick, corrosive, and penetrating herbs and plants; such as the Nettle, all Thi­stles, Restharrow, Brambles, Pettyspurge, Onyons, Scammony, Garlick, Mustard­seed, [Page 132]Pepper, Ginger, Leeks, Red San­ders, Radish, Arsesmart, Tamarinds, Castoreum, Assarum, Carduus Benedi­ctus, Cantharides: All pricking trees, as Thorn, Chesnut, and many more, &c. The Diseases Tertian and pestilential burning Feavers, Plague, Megrims, Ringwormes, burning Blisters, Phren­sies, yellow Jaundies, bloody Flux, Fi­stula's, all wounds and diseases in the Genitories, the stone in the Reins and Bladder, small Pox, all hurts by Iron, Shingles, all cholerick diseases, with many other, &c. as Tetters, Wounds, Carbuncles.

Fourthly, Sol rules the following Plants and Trees: The Lawrel, Pom­citron, the Vine, Marigold, Rosa Solis, Rosemary, Hypericon, Amber, Musk, Cinnamon, Spikenard, Cellandine, Eye­bright, Aloes lignum, Balme, and all flowers of good odour inclining to a yellow colour, Enula Campana, Barly, Flos Solis. Of Trees, the Orange, Lim­mon, Myrrhe, Frankincense, the Cedar, Palm, Lawrel, and many other, &c. The Diseases are rotten Feavers, Cramps, in­firmities of the Eyes, pimples and heat in the face, diseases of the brain, mouth, [Page 133]stinking breaths, Catarrhes and Rheums, Syncopa's, Tympanies, with many other the like, &c.

Fifthly Venus, and she predominates over those herbs that have white flow­ers, and of a sweet savour; as the Lil­lies, white and yellow, Satyrion, Mai­denhaire, or Capill. Veneris, the white and yellow Daffodil, the Myrtle, Ladies Mantle, Sanicle, Vervin, Thime, Cori­ander. Trees: The sweet Apple, the white Rose, the Fig, the Sycamore, Tur­pentine, Walnut, Almonds, Apricocks, Plums, Raisins, &c. The Diseases are all such as belong to the Matrix; and to the members of Generation; and to the Reins, Belly, Back, French Pox; or any that springs from lust, as Priapism, Im­potency, Hernia's, Diabetes, &c.

Sixthly, Mercury; and he triumphs over all such that bear their seed in the Husk or Cods; as Beans, the Nut, El­der, Adders tongue, Dragonwort, An­niseeds, Cubebs, twopenny grass, Lung­wort, Marjoram: Of Drugs, as Theri­aca, Hiera, Diambra, &c. The Diseases are Vertigoes, Lethargies, Madness, Pti­sick, imperfection by stammering in the tongue, phantastick imaginations, [Page 134]all the defects of Memory, dry Coughs, Hoarsnesse, Dumbnesse, all diseases of the Tongue, snuffling in the nose, &c. with an infinite of the like.

Lastly, Lady Luna her Domination is over Belly-akes, Collicks, Menstrua's, Dropsies, Sciatica, Worms in children, Convulsion-fits, Falling-sicknesse, Mea­sles, Kings Evil, Apostumes, &c. And for her Plants and Herbs, they are Cab­bage, Colworts, Melons, Gourds, Pum­pions, Lettuice, Rape, Endine, Mush­rooms, and all herbs which have shading and spreading leaves; and such as de­light in watry places. And this will suffice to a reasonable Artist by the na­ture of these Plants, &c. and diseases a­fore specified, to find out many more of the same kind by considering the na­tures thereof; and so by the similitude to use, and apply them to his own use and benefit.

CHAP. XX. Of the meanes whereby this Art ap­plyeth the Medicine to procure health.

THere are many wayes and meanes whereby this Art applyeth Medica­ments to the naked spirit; but for Me­thods sake we will contract them into two in general: The one we will no­minate, and call Transplantation; the other naked Application. Now Trans­plantation is when by meanes of the diseased Mummy, we put the disease in­to a Plant, or into another living crea­ture, and so procure the Patients reco­very; for when the plant or creature hath drawn to it selfe the evil complexi­on that troubled the spirit vital; then the spirit is thereby freed, and made sit, and enabled to exercise his due functi­ons: But the creature or herb into which [Page 136]the disease is planted, languisheth, and at the length, unlesse it be cured, dyeth: And now here this caution is to be di­ligently observed, that we strive not in vaine for to transplant the disease into another creature which hath too strong a spirit; for the vitat spirit being some­times very strong, resists vehemently, and then all the preparation doth no good. But into Plants never strive to transplant the disease, unlesse it be in some property contrary to the disease; especially take heed lest it have any oc­cult quality contrary to the nature of man, or might by its too much violence (after it hath attracted the disease and as it were digested it) attract more then it should: For by transplan­tation, not only the evil, but the good is sometimes attracted, and communi­cated to another: And from hence it is manifest, that they that transplant hair into a Willow to make it grow, and leave it there longer then they should, doe weaken the head, and dim the sight; for the Willow drawes the spirit out of the head too violently: And from hence it appears that a true Artist may obtain to himselfe a surpassing strength [Page 137]out of an horse, or bull, or the like strong creatures, if he know the right and in­genious use of this Transplantation. To proceed, this Transplantation is two-fold, Immediate, or Mediate: The Immediate is that which is done to any living creature by Mummial things; for so the thing whereunto it is applyed, appropriates unto it self, and converts into his own nature the good or evil quality of the Mummy; and either freeth the spirit from such a quality, if it be evil; or appropriates to it selfe the spirit, if it be hurt by no evil quality, and sortifies it selfe by this spirit, by meanes whereof it can bring in the qualities and temper of the bo­dy into the thing whereunto it is ap­plyed: And that thing, by meanes of these qualities, unites the spirit into it; and by that, and in the vertue of it, can work many admirable things: And lest you should here be deceived by the word Mummy, understand that it is whatsoever is impregnated with the vital spirit, and can exhibit it naked­ly: Others have called the vital spirit it selfe Mummy; but I conceive it not so distinct. Next, Mediate transplan­tation [Page 138]is that which is done by imme­diate transplantation; as if any qua­lity be transplanted into an herb con­venient, and that herb given to an a­nimal; then the quality, or the spirit transplanted into that herb, will be transplanted into the Animal to whom it is given: And by these meanes won­ders may be performed: But take heed of abusing this profound knowledge by acting evilly: And here also note, that due putrefaction doth excellently pre­pare the aforesaid Mummy; so that any quality may be introduced into A­nimals; and experience finds, that blood doth best admit of such putre­faction.

Now the other part of this Art, cal­led Naked Application, is nothing else but the applying those things to the Mummy which can either correct the evil quality, or can draw the vital spi­rit off it; by which last meanes also immediate transplantation may be done as in some amatories it is manifest: And in this Application especial re­gard must be had; First, that nothing endued with any venemous quality [Page 139]be applyed to the Mummy; for then the spirit being and living in the Mummy, and being prejudiced by that meanes, doth easily communicate its hurt to the whole: But if thou fol­low the former method concerning Signatures, thou canst not easily erre.

Secondly, Take heed lest by evil dyet in the time of Application, thou destroy not the whole work.

CHAP. XXI. Of Transplantation, and of the di­vers manner by which it is effe­cted.

THere are six manners of Trans­plantations; viz.

• 1. Insemination.
• 2. Implantation.
• 3. Imposition.
• 4. Irroration.
• 5. Inescation.
• 6. Approximation.

1. Insemination is when a Magnet im­pregnated with Mummy, is mingled with fat Earth, wherein the seeds of Herbs agreeing to the disease are sowed; for the earth being sifted and mixed with the Mummy, and put in an earthen pot, and the seeds sowed therein, and watered with the washings of the disea­sed member, or of the whole body, if it be all affected; so in time conveni­ent [Page 141]all the disease shall be transplanted into those seeds, provided, as is said a­bove, the said seeds be agreeable and proper to the disease: If time and oc­casion require it, they are to be watered every day with the said washings of the part, or the whole, as above is directed. This being done, watch when the seeds begin to sprout; and when it is time, transplant them into the like earth, and so thou shalt perceive, as the herb in­creaseth, the disease will decrease. Some use when the herbs are at their maturi­ty, to pull them up, and either hang them to dry in the smoke, or throw them into a running River: Now if it shall happen that the Mummy wherewith the Magnet is impregnated be not dis­eased and infected, then the Plant will be impregnated with the vital spirit of him whose Mummy it was, wherewith strange secrets may be accomplished: But be thou sure to elect herbs fit for thy purpose; for every one is not fit for all occasions, each having his peculiar gift; for otherwise worketh the spirit joyned to Vervain, then to Carduus or An­gelica, &c.

Implantation is in a manner almost ef­fected [Page 142]as Insemination, but that here the herbs are to be taken with their Rootes, or the root alone and implan­ted in the like earth and so prepared and watred, now here it is best if the rootes have no other water but the wa­shings aforespoken of; so they will be as it were constrained to attract and appropriate the Mummie with the greater violence, which also you may observe in insemination provided the condition of the herbs require not o­therwise, but in all let experience be thy guide, for experientia Magi­stra Artium. Yet one thing in both these waies is to be noted that if the herbs, plants, or Rootes dye, having at­tracted some ill quality before the di­sease be fully cured, then another of the same kind must be implanted in the same or rather the like earth.

3. Imposition is thus. Take the Mummic of the diseased member, or the excrements, or both, and be sure to take as many as thou canst get, and put them in a tree or an herbe, betwixt the barke and the wood, or else put them into an hole made with a piercer, and stop it with a pin of the same wood, and put [Page 143]upon it clammie earth: or if thou put it betwixt the bark and the wood, co­ver the place with the bark and with earth as is done in inoccultation, and leave the Mummie there, and thou shalt quickly perceive the effect. But yet understand that some diseases are sooner cured by insemination, as the fixed by one, the vollatill by the other. And these waies are not burthensome to nature. Also this imposition may effe­ctually be used in preservation against some diseases & in every imposition this is to be noted, that where thou desirest a durable effect thou make use of long lived trees, and where a speedy effect, use them that grow a pace, but remember the caution before mentioned in those that are of celerous growth (i.) that as soon thou hast thy desire, to take out all thou putest in, lest two much attracti­on of the spirits hurt the patient.

4. Irroration this is done, that by it transplantation may be perfected: so that every day thou shalt water fit and convenient herbs, or a tree, untill the disease be cured with the urine, sweat, order, or the washings of the member, or whole body as occasion requires, either severally or all mixed together, which is [Page 144]best; and this I would rather use as an help to the other, then alone. And here observe assoone as irrigation is per­formed, that thou cover all the earth so irrigated with new earth, lest the Aire doe dissipate the Mummial vertue before the plant attract and receive it.

5. In escation is, when we give the Mummie to creatures for food; for then the vitall heat of the creature unites the Mummie to it self, and corrects it; appropriating to it self the evill quality by which the spirit was diseased, and so restores health to the body from whence the Mummie was extracted. But if the patient be not fully cured when the crea­ture is infected and killed; then you must give another beast a portion of the like Mummie, and reiterate the operati­on till the party be whole. And in this case blood rightly putrified, or to speak more properly, fermented, is especially to beused: and yet there is no doubt but the same cures may be done with the Mummie, extracted by the Magnet. Some have used to give the blood, being warme from the vein, with good successe to a dog or a swine, which though it happen they be not infected with the [Page 145]disease (because the spirit is therein too fast locked up and fettered) yet it is con­firmed by experience that it hath much adjuvated and furthered the cure. And by this operation naturall Philtres are performed, and yet I know that love may be procured by meere applicati­on: But I dare deliver no more of natu­rall Philtres; for though to men of up­right conversations they may work ho­nest and lawfull effects, yet evill dispo­sed persons may convert them to abu­five uses.

6. But by Approximation, transplan­tation is effected, which is performed, if to the sick person such things be appli­ed which can attract the vitall spirits and active beames, & having so attracted them, can unite them to themselves, and correct them; and this is done either by application of plants, and their parts, or of beasts, birds or the like. As if you should lay a Cowcumber by an Infant that hath a feaver when it is asleep, the Cowcumber will wither and the child will be cured; so some use to applye young whelps to the feet of children, sick in their Cradle; so doves cloven in the midst, and applied hot to the soles of the [Page 146]feet, doe by attraction rectifie the preter­natural heat diffused through all the body, and remove all pains, being after the same manner applyed to several parts. Soe the fundament of an hen plucked bare, and applyed to the bi­ting of a viper, freeth the body from the venome, and the hen swells (and if not cured) dyeth sooner then if she had been bit by the Viper. All which things are done by no other means then Magnetisme. Moreover experience tells that some diseases infect by approxi­mation; for the spirit insinuating it self into the body communicates an evill disposition to its brother spirit. And we may easily perceive how love is be­gotten by approximation, especially be­tween them who by sweat communi­cate their spirits, and lying in the same bed by a long Circulation as it were of spirits lead almost the same life. But that this doth not alwaies happen, is long of the reasonable soule which commands the affections as superiour to them: yet this hinder not our Art; but here I forget an objection of some validity; for it may be said, If diseases may be so cured by approximation, how then happens it [Page 147]that he that gives the infection to another is not cured himselfe? for answer, firstit is to be considered what, & what manner of diseases they be that are most com­municated to men by infection; neither would I say that every disease may by transplantation be communicated to e­very beast; I desire here but to search what diseases of themselves and their owne nature are fitted for it. And such diseases are of three kinds; the first con­sists in a subtile preternaturall heat, not venemous, which when it can quickly and suddenly insinnate it self into bodies, in the least moment of time it will alter the body, and adds unto it an evill complexion. And these pro­perties are here ascribed unto heate in respect of the subject in which it lies hid; yet this carrying the heat of the vitall spirit, because of the sudden alteration, is not strongly freed.

The second kind consists indeed in preternaturall heat; but such an one that lies occult in subtile venemous breathes; and this kind worketh more soon and more vehemently, as in the Pestilence.

The third kind doth not consist in a [Page 148]meer quality, nor in the meere fluctua­ting humours nor lurketh in any part peculiarly, but changeth all the habit of the body and subverteth all the ope­rations, or at least disposeth them other­wise then mans nature requires. And this kind doth infect by sending forth an halitus, or vapour altogether infected, and in no part sound, which though more grosse then the two former, yet hath an insinuating power upon a neer approximation; and doth in some mea­sure of time (though not suddenly) o­verthrow the temperature of the body; and of this kind is the Leprosie and French Pox. Now having layed this ground, I say that in the two first kinds why the body infecting another is not thereby released it self, this is the cause. The infection suddenly communicated doth in an instant change the body that receives it, and being wholly infected, it cannot correct another, but rather hurts it. And therefore wee see when many are sick of the Plague in one house, hardly one escapes; for the disease is strengthned by being circulated from one to another, whereas if there be but one infected, there is more hope of his [Page 149]recovery. And therefore that care and custome is much to be commended, that allots a several house to every particular person infected. But it is contrary to in Feavers; for it hath been obser­ved that if one be infected by ano­ther, the infector is often and pre­sently freed, and so it goes successively through the house till it comes to the last, who seldome escapes and very hard­ly. And this confirmes our doctrine ve­ry much. And it happens thus, when the weakest body falls sick first. As to the third kind, the reason why the body in­fecting is not alwaies cured (besides what hath been said) is this, because those confirmed diseases have so change­ed the whole habit of the body, that it is very difficult, nay almost impossible to restore it; but in the beginning, that some (though impiously) have been freed from these diseases, as is known by experience and the confession of di­vers that have transplanted them, as in the French Pox, by lying with many women. But these are detestable waies, yet they strengthen and make good our Art:

CHAP. XXII. Next of the means by which naked application is performed.

NAked application is two ways per­formed; either by imposition or ap­plication. Imposition is when some thing agreeing to thine owne intention either in quality or signature, is put in the Excrement, blood &c. or contrari­ly when they themselves are put into some agreeable Composition, and there left to remaine till thy desire be accom­plished. And such composition ought to be made in a fit vessel, of which some­thing hath been formerly delivered. But if the Mummiall things bee to be kept in some convenient composition, then earthen vessels will serve thy turn. If the matter be liquid, then let them be ming­led; if otherwise, it is sufficient if but struck in; now application strictly taken, is when liquid things signed, are out­wardly [Page 151]ward applyed to the body or to the part affected, or when the cure is intended to be done by physicall appensions or by wearing things about one. And these are called Zenextons, Amulets, or Sigilla's, of which vide Baptist Porta in Magia na­turali, lib. 4. and Oswaldus Crollius in his Basilica Chymica under the title of Pestilentiale; of these there is no want a­mongst the common Authors and pro­fessors of Physick, which are extant in a copious manner, though they being al­together or for the most part ignorant of the causes, do ascribe unto them I know not what, first and second quali­ties, never seeking further into the true reasons thereof. Also the time of ga­thering of herbs and plants for this ap­plication is necessary to be observed; for if thou gather herbs, rootes or plants for Amulets, experience tels us that certaine rules can hardly bee set downe; only this I will adde that if thou gather herbs for the diseases or paines of the head, thou must not ga­ther them as thou dost herbs for the lower parts, but contrary, as thou dost Asarum for a purgative; but much of this must bee learned by experience. Note [Page 152]also if any one would cure wounds by magnetisme and that by apposition, it will be in vaine, unlesse he first suffer the Magnetick herbs to putrifie in the ground; for that means frees the virtue, & makes the operation powerfull. And looke that in no operations thou use dry herbs, if thou canst procure green ones; but if necessity doe constrain thee to use dry; then remember to macerate them in their own water before thou use them. And also observe further that it is not alwaies necessary to make appli­cation to the part affected; but some­times neer it, especially if the part bee pained by consent, or by contagion of another part; for example if the sto­mack be the cauve of the pain in the head or send any noisome fumes or vapours up unto it, then let the medicine called the Amulet be hung about the neck; but if the stomack be of it self diseased, then its best to make naked application, next now we will proceed to the Mag­net that is to be used in this Art.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the Magnet in this Art; the discrip­tion of four, whereof two have hi­therto been unknown to the world.

THis is the profoundest secret in this Art, and of greatest use; for many things that seeme impossible in nature are easily by this accomplished. I need not a praeambular recommendation thereof; for he that knowes any thing in this Art, must needs acknowledge that not onely we, but nature her selfe works magnetically in the greatest part of her sublime operations: though we be so coecutiated that we perceive her not. But to our purpose, know then that I am not ignorant, that there may be divers magnets; all tending to one and the same end. I will set down first two prin­cipall ones, then adde a third most con­sonant to reason: and lastly a 4th found out by my owne experience. Tentzelus [Page 154]out of some of Paracelsus words hath made one not to be contemned. He took the ordure of a sound man, and dryed it in a shady place; for so it lost the stench and excrementitions moi­sture; a portion of the spirit aforesaid he kept, which he by a word apt & signifi­cant enough calls sulphur; which be­ing dried he kept for his use. And this matter or the preparation thereof can­not be denied; for a magnet so prepared doth copiously attract the spirits; nei­ther will we enviously deterre any one from the practice thereof because it is not of our invention. For the second, It is nothing else but dryed mans flesh; the which was a long time preserved & con­cealed closely by Doctor Flood, which as he said, being applied to the region of the heart, would so violently attract that it could not long be endured; but it must be taken from the body of a man that dyes a violent death; and if it be possible, whiles he is warm. But this be­ing something difficult to obtain, I will for the third shew you a better, and to be had with no such cruelty. Take then the blood of a sound man or men, as much as thou canst get. It is not material [Page 155]whether you take it all at one time or at many; permit this blood to congeal, then pour off the water swimming alost, and keep it; and when it is coagulated, dry it in the shade, and then irrigate and moisten it with the same water poured off it, and so dry it, doing so till the dry blood hath drunk up all the water, and then being dry, keep it for thy use. For the Fourth, which in a manner doth comprehend the whole body of man, Take therefore a great quantity of mans Ordure, but of a sound man, and with the urine of the same man bring it to the consistence of a Pultice; add to it as much sweat as thou canst get, ta­ken from sound bodies with linnen cloths or a spunge; put them altogether in a clean place in the shade till they be dry; then adde as much fresh blood to them, and incorporate them altogether, and set them to dry again; and if any water swim on the top, decant it, and keep it in a vessel very well shut; and when the aforesaid materials are dry, imbibe them again with this decanted water, and so dry it; and repeat this so often, till the mass have drunk up all the water. This Magnet thus prepared, [Page 156]keep in a vessel very well closed up for thy use: And thus hast thou a Mag­net of great effect, being the Epitome or Compendium of mans body.

CHAP. XXIV. The use of the Magnet in this Art.

BEfore we come to the use of the Magnet, you must understand that though the beames before spoken of doe alwayes flow from the body, yet there are some parts out of which they flow more copiously: And, in a word, they are the Emunctories, by which the bo­dy is as it were cleansed, and the spi­rit accompanying those superfluities (because those parts are naturally more porous and spungy) wandreth out more freely, finding a larger egresse: There­fore for the use of the Magnet, apply it to the Emunctory of the place grieved, and procuring the Patient to sweat, [Page 157]which is best done by some diaphore­tick Cordial fitting the disease) leave there the Magnet till it be impregna­ted with the vital spirit; then re­move it and immediately use it, accor­ding to the precepts given in the Chap­ter of Transplantation; but be sure to doe it speedily, for feare the spirit be dissipated by some external and more powerful cause; for then Transplanta­tion will be in vain attempted.

And if the Patient be not cured at the first, doe it againe, and so thou shalt have thy desired effect; and mark well that Chapter of Transplantation; for very strange and incredible secrets may thereby be brought to passe. Let not then ignorance reproach this Art; for if what hath been before delivered, be well and rightly understood, many rare experiments will easily be attained. And this shall be sufficient for the use of the Magnet.

CHAP. XXV. Of the meanes whereby cures may be done in this Art without a Magnet.

INdeed sometimes strange and admira­ble matters are in this Art performed, not onely with the Magnet, but many times they are with better success accom­plished without it then with it; and that is when the thing it selfe that car­ries the spirit nakedly is applyed to a­nother thing disposed to receive it; but this must be strictly regulated according to the precepts aforegiven; and for the most part here is required fermentation, that by meanes thereof the spirit being freed and loosed from its bonds, may more easily insinuate it selfe: And by these meanes, for the most part, particu­lar [Page 159]diseases are more happily cured, be­cause the active beames doe more par­take of the part whence they proceed. And experience confirmes it, that the blood, because it is the seat and chariot of the vital spirit, if it be rightly, and according to Art used and applyed, cures the greatest, and almost all diseases of the body; and so by the excrements of the belly are all the diseases of the In­testines cured: And so by the urine those of the bladder and reines, and some­times other diseases, because of the af­finity it hath with the veines, liver, and stomach; so by the spittle that is cough­ed up may the diseases of the Lungs be cured, and by sweat the parts from whence it is taken may be helped: And so by the nails the diseases of the hands and feet; by the hair the diseases of the parts from whence it is taken; and si­nally by the blood all the diseases of the body as aforesaid. Note, that if all the things which belong to any part, be ta­ken together, they will be the sooner and easier performed: We will therefore run over them all severally, but briefly, yet so that we shall not condemn the joyn­ing of two or more of them together; [Page 160]but rather perswading so to doe, as be­ing most beneficial, if the rules of Art be kept, followed, and observed.

CHAP. XXVI. And first of the Ordure or the Excre­ments of the backdoor.

BY these Excrements, we said a little before, are cured all the diseases of the Intestines; the body also may be purged, or brought into a flux; disea­ses of the fundament are both cured and procured, and many other things, which Experience will manifest. And when they are applyed, they cure old Ulcers, Carcinomata, Fistula's, &c. yea, which is concealed as a great secret, they may supply the place of Ʋnguentum Sympathe­ticum without any great preparation; but you must understand they must be chosen from a sound man, and a strong body, lest the preparation hurt them that are [Page 161]weaker: And by these faeces mixt with wholsome herbs, much good may be done by Transplantation; and truly this may be some cause (together with the fresh Airs salubrity) why Coun­try people are of a sounder constitu­tion, and live longer then Citizens; for the Citizens permit and suffer their Excrements to putrefie in leistals, or cast them into unwholsome places; but the other Countrymen committing them to the earth, most commonly amongst wholsome herbs, and so by meanes of an occult Transplantation, lead their lives more free from diseases: And be­fore we have given a caveat to take heed of the excrements of diseased persons; but now we doe here more particularly advise, that you be very careful not to vent your Excrements in places where diseased people doe theirs; for much mischiefe may proeeed thereby; and likewise to avoid the smell also; nay I have known one get the flux by going to the same stoole where a party had newly been that had that disease: Al­so take heed that you doe not your Ex­crements upon herbs that are malig­nant [Page 162]exulcerating, or violently pur­ging; for hence many times, the cause being unknown, proceeds a dangerous dyssentery, which, until those herbs be quite putrefied, will hardly yield to any Medicine: Finally, it is not sase to leave these Excrements in any place where thine enemies can come to them; for if he know but very common things (the which I dare not name for feare of instructing evil people) he may much prejudice thee, much more if he be an Artist; therefore be cautious, and wise­ly prevent these things, if thou respect thy health and safety. Thus much shall serve for the Excrements of the back door

CHAP. XXVI. Of the Ʋrine.

URine is an Excrement of the second Concoction, done in the Liver, or rather in the Veines, from whence by the emulgent veins it is sent to the reins, yet mixt with blood, out of which by the Uriters it is as it were percolated and strained, and so sent to the bladder, where also it abideth a while, and then is by its passage cast out: Hence it ap­peares that the urine hath a great com­munion with most part of the body; for it hath great affinity with the Liver, Reines, and Bladder; for by these parts it passeth, and thereupon Physitians judge by the urine of the diseases of these parts; and moreover it hath no obscure consent with the whole body, having been once joyned with the blood; therefore the Hectick Feaver, a grievous disease of the whole body, is no way [Page 164]better cured then by the urine.

So whatsoever diseases are usual in this Art, may all be cured by the urine, though the better if there be other pre­parations particular.

Now as in the Chapter of the Ordure, so here it shall not be impertinent to adde some Cautions: And first take heed you use not to let your children pisse in the fire; for it is a constant re­ceived opinion amongst Nurses, that by such meanes they get the Nephre­tick disease, or the stone and gravel. Secondly, that they doe not pisse upon sharp and venemous herbs, or such as by their occult quality doe violently provoke urine; for from hence proceeds the exulceration of the Reines and Bladder; neither would I willingly make water in a chamberpot where any man infected with any loathsome dis­ease of those parts had made his water in before, or suffer my urine to ferment with his; for to a weak body much hurt may come thereby, and to the sick as much good, nay health, if there be any specifical added against the disease; therefore more safer by the urine of some beast fitting the disease may the [Page 165]cure be effected, with the addition o­fermentation, which ought to be done in the bladder of a beast of that kinde, adding those things that have both the signature of the disease and the member And so much for Urine.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Sweat and insensible Trans­piration.

SWeat is not onely an Excrement of the third Concoction, but it may also be as it were taken for the melting away of the whole body; for no otherwise doth the body tend to destuction then by resolution, caused either by natural or adventitious heat; for except every part should lose something of his sub­stance and greatnesse, the bodies of li­ving creatures would grow infinitely; for by continual nourishment there is alwayes some thing added unto them; nay if this resolution were not, crea­tures would not desire nourishment at [Page 166]all: Sweat therefore, and that which Physicians call insensible Transpirati­on, is not onely excrementitious, but carries with it the resolved particles of the body: Hence it comes, that in Mag­netick or Diastatiak Physick, the sweat becomes of very great use; for by it marveilous wonders are performed, while diseases are as well caused as cu­red, passions both of the mind and bo­dy are changed and procured: By these a wise Physician may doe much good, and a poysoning witch may act much evil, and cause madnesse, anger, and o­verthrow all the goods of the mind, nay even cause death it selfe to ensue. This is that Devil, or familiar spirit, by which they are thought to have done wonders: Hence it is, as appeares by their own confessions, that without this and the like excrements they could never hurt the bodies of any, nay the devil himselfe cannot constraine nature, who, if he doth wonders, he doth them onely by the application of actives to passives, and no otherwise; for though these poor silly deluded wretches (de­filed with superstition, feigne many things, and mix much folly and lyes [Page 167]with the truth, through the devils de­lustions, which was also done by the Ancients, from whom they took their traditions, holding this opinion, that a Deity being present, their imagina­tions would operate more violently, and so all nature conspiring, the effect might be produced) yet whatsoever they did, they did it naturally. For, as abovesaid, the Devil could not con­straine nature; so I here say he cannot operate supra naturam, sed in natura; and no mervail if his works appear ad­mirable to us, that in respect of him know nothing, who hath had the full knowledge and contemplation of Na­ture and her operations for this 5000. yeares and odde; besides his Angelical knowledge, the which he still retaines, so that by this natural knowledge it is easie for him, or his schollars that he instructs, to move the passions of the mind, to alter the habit of the body, and to infer diseases, seeing we in this Art with that small spark of knowledge can ope­rate beyond expectation, even to admi­ration it selfe: But it is time to returne to our purpose. Well then, I say that by this insensible Transpiration, fixed [Page 168]in a body, or a subject sitting, all dis­eases of the body may be cured, whe­ther they be radically fixed, as the Le­prosie, Gout, French Pox; or meerly volatil, as Scabs, Morphew, and Scurf, and the like superficial and curaneal diseases of the outmost parrs; and tru­ly without this sweat we can doe but little good in this Art: By this the He­ctick may be cured, the body may be long preserved strong and able; the passions of the mind may be stirred up, and as much good may hereby be done: So to prevent mischief, take these Cau­tions: It is not unknown that almost all infection flowes from this insensible Transpiration; for it being impregna­ted with much spirit, and holding it fast (according to the disposition there­of) it works violently; and therefore beware that we partake not of the sweat or exhalations of an unsound body, nor that we lie not in the sheets so im­pregnated, nor put on the clothes, stock­ings, gloves or the like, of such unsound persons, but especially that we be not bed-fellowes with them: And here we may conjecture, nay be fully assured, that it is very wholsome in the Sum­mer [Page 169]time to sleep, and lie upon sweet and wholsome herbs, as Rosemary, wa­shed Sage, Thyme, Betony, Balme, &c. and to make beds for sick folks of such herbs that are good for them, according to their several infirmities; for from thence may by the body be exhaled excellent Confortatives: It is also good for weak bodies to use the com­pany and garments of strong and able persons; for from thence flow such spi­rits as will fortifie weak nature: But in no case let us permit our garments to be worne by diseased persons; and that we cast not our cloaths impregna­ted with our sweat, into stinking and unwholsome places, nor let them come into the hands of evil disposed people; for there is much (though invisible) matter occultly hid in them, of which Paracelsus, though obscurely, makes fre­quent mention of. And this shall serve our turn for insensible Transpiration.

GHAP. XXIX. Of the Haires.

OUt of almost most parts of the bo­dy haires proceed and grow; and they are made, not onely of that dry and viscous excrements of the third Concoction, growing in the pores, which by addition of new matter grow in length, as some falsly imagine; but they take not the least part of their mat­ter from the resolved parts, as appeares by this experiment in this Diastatick Art. If thou wouldst encrease hair by meanes of a Willow tree, if thou suf­fer the medicine to continue longer then it ought, thou wilt bring a weaknesse upon the part from whence the hair was taken, which can be by no other means but because of the violence of the Me­dicine, the parts being resolved further then Nature can permit, are injured▪ adde to confirm this truth, that haires are known to grow long after death, [Page 111]when as there is no Concoction; and therefore they must needs proceed from the body resolved, which resolutions are added to the haires by the vital spi­rit, which is still there remaining; for by any other meanes this addition can­not be; whence also our Assertion of the remaining spirit is confirmed; and hence appeares how great agreement haires have with the body; and here­upon we use them as instruments in this Art: It is well known to many what strange things were effected by the An­cient Magi by the meanes of hair; why may not the like now be done? Re­port hath told us how Love hath been procured by meanes of hair burned in a candle Astrologically made; which though I question not but it was mix­ed with a deale of superfluous and su­perstitious fopperies, yet I that ever was accustomed to reduce such operations within the confines and possibility of natural causes, do absolutely conclude that those superstitions were nothing but diabolical delusions, and nothing pertinent nor prevalent to the produ­ction of the effects: Likewise we have known many diseases (otherwise incu­rable) [Page 173]cured by haires, especially being taken from the parts affected, being duly putrefied, and mixed with things signed, and so implanted into Plants; so if the haires be taken from the principal E­munctories, no doubt, being well pre­pared, they will cure all, or most dis­eases: Then for advice, I would have you to be more careful, and not so care­lesly to scatter your haire up and downe, which may doe much wrong, nor yet to burne them; for Experi­ence will shew you that burning of them doth much impedite the growth; but bury them in some wholsome ground if they be any quantity, ad­ding to them things good to strengthen the head, which will much conduce to your health.

CHAP. XXX. Of the paring of the Nails and Teeth.

THe Nailes as well as the Hairs have their matter from the Excrements of the third Concoction, separated from the nourishment proper to the bones and the more solid parts, and therefore they obtain the hardnesse we see, and they grow not but in their uttermost extremities; for the body doth not ve­ry plenteously exhale such matter as proceeds not but from the most com­pactest parts thereof: The Ancients have used the paring of the nails against some most rebellious diseases, because it is undeniable but that fixed diseases lie and lurk in the most sixed parts of the body; and therefore wise Antiqui­ty used these, as we may also prescribe a­gainst Quartane Agues, Leprosies, Gout in the feet and hands, &c. and the like [Page 114]diseases; but we have altered the man­ner of their proceeding; for they han­ged about Beasts or Fishes, and so let them goe alive, which seemes too raw to have any Transplantation effected; therefore we advise, that some Speci­ficks may be added, and that Fermen­tation may be used, the sooner and more effectually to make good our ope­rations: And for the Teeth, you may also use as you doe the parings; but they rather seem to have in them a pre­vention of cure; for they are produced and made of a most solid strong sub­stance, as we may see by them that have been long buried, whose teeth are soun­der then any other bones; and therefore they issue out but few spirits, and hard­ly multiplyable by Art; yet because they last long sound, and alwayes send out some, though some small portion of the spirit, they are fit for durable ef­fects, which require no great quantity of spirits. And here we will leave off concerning the nails and teeth, and pro­ceed to the Spittle and Excrements of the Nose.

CHAP. XXXI. Of the Spittle and the Excrements of the Nose.

SOme there are that make a threefold Spittle; for either it falls, say they by distillation, from the head to the pa­lat, or else is brought by coughing up from the Lungs; or lastly, by nause­ousnesse from the stomach, and so spit out at the mouth; but indeed that which is vomited up, deserves not the name of spittle; and that which comes from the Lungs, hath even the same original as that of the head; for by distillation it slides from thence upon the lungs; and being digested there a while, is at last spit out. I am not ig­norant also, that sometimes from the lungs proceed blood and purulent mat­ter, and these must be referred to the Chapter of Blood and Matter: But here we speak of Spittle, which is the cru­dest [Page 176]part of the meat and drink which Nature cannot concoct into good and convenient nourishment, sent first from the stomach to the head by vapors, and then distilling again from the head to the inferiour parts, and so sent out by the mouth, and called spittle: Also some­times comes a waterish and undigested matter, which is sowrish, and immedi­ately proceeds from the stomach to the mouth, which containeth some parts of corrupted nutriment, which some will have to be a species, and of the kinds of spittle. All these, because they have made some stay in the body, doe according to the former doctrine, carry some of the vital spirit with them; and therefore we may use them in some light diseases, according to the portion of the spirit they hold: And so of the Ex­crements of the Nose the same may be said: But alwayes be mindful that thou use them to the diseases of the part whence they come: And of this I ad­vertise thee, that there is nothing that proceeds from the body more weake then these, or that holds lesse spirit; which partly proceedeth from the little stay that they have made in the body [Page 177]partly from the few places they have gone through, and partly from the in­digestion; yet take some heed of them, if they be newly avoided, and the dis­eases be in those places (as of the other Excrements you were advised:) But more especially take heed of the some comming from Epilepticks, and of the froth of a mad dog, or of one bitten by a mad dog; for here by violence of the disease the humours are thrust out infected: But by a due use thereof, ac­cording to this Art thou mayest over­come that contumacious and deplorable disease. And this may suffice for the Spittle and Excrements of the Nose.

CHAP. XXXII. Of Blood and putrefied matter.

OVitting these many disputes con­cerning Blood, which makes not to our purpose; as of the original Circu­lation, &c. and the like, so far forth as [Page 178]doth concerne this Art, I say that blood is the principal chariot of the Spirit: And if the spirit, as is said, be the bond by which the soul is tyed to the body, then where the spirit most resideth, there shall the soule most powerfully work: The blood then, if it so plentifully pos­sesseth the spirits, and communicates them to the body, is certainly the fit­test instrument to cure diseases, and to effectuate all the other operations that appertain to this Art; for in the blood the spirit is free, and not bound up, as elsewhere; therefore in the blood the spirit is soonest affected, because there it is naked; yet we must not immedi­ately conclude that it may be taken and used strait as it comes from the body, without any fermentation or putrefa­ction; for they are useful, and of great concernment: But this take heed of, that thou corrupt not the blood with too much fermentation; for so the spi­rit will be driven away, and nothing will be effectual that is therewith at­tempted: And that you may not be de­ceived in Fermentation, meditate well this secret: Let the blood, with the most excellent parcels of the body, be­fore [Page 179]spoken of, be joyned in a due pro­portion, & put into a natural vessel, well closed, and left or put under an hen to hatch in her broody time, and thou shalt have a Magnet, performing by a true Artist many miraculous secrets, nay even the coagulated masse will not dif­fer much from the best of Paracelsus Homunculo's; yea, the oyle or liquor swimming about it, being mixed with the proper sweat, changeth and meta­morphoseth the mind of man, even, as I may say, by the very touch.

Many more most rare and profound operations may be by blood performed, which are better concealed, then to the ignorant, wilful, and malicious world divulged. Follow Nature, and dili­gently mark her operations, and be ac­quainted with her footsteps, and sub­lime things will be facile unto thee. In the interim take these ensuing Cautions. After the blood is drawn, thou must be very carefull how thou usest it; for sud­denly there may both good or hurt be done thereby: Some have thought it con­venient to put it in the ground, which I also allow, so it be done in a clean place and mixt with wholsome herbs; for if [Page 180]it should be buried in an unwholsome and infectious place, it may prejudice the body from whence it came: Some will give it to dogs or whelps which I dislike not; for it may perhaps trans­plant the disease, and cure it wholly, or at least help the Physician: But it would be far better it were given warme, but best of all being putrefied in a close vessel with a temperate heat: And in­deed here I can hardly passe by the vil­lany of some Empyricks, who with ex­ecrable boldnesse dare presume to give blood, yea the menstrual blood for a Philtre, not considering the ensuing mis­chiefs issuing from thence; for blood, though never so pure, is an enemy to the stomach, and before it will be di­gested, is corrupted and turned into pu­trefactive matter; and then it must needs be extremely offensive and dangerous: Besides, here lieth not that loving force and vertue which they seek after; for there must be another manner of prepa­ration before thou canst come to that; for it must be loosed, that the spirit may work more freely to incline the mind, and that because of the will ruling; so that there is a great force requisite, and [Page 181]the conspiring together of many causes, which they that are ignorant of can ne­ver attain the truth; and so for want of true natural knowledge, and sound judgement, calumniate and vituperates the Art. And albeit the blood, of all other things in the body, containes the loosest and freest spirits; yet being di­gested (experience hath taught us) it is more available, and operates more mightily in every respect: But here I doe foresee an Objection. It may be said, if the power of love lie in the blood; then how happens it that rave­nous beasts that doe so greedily drink blood, and so well digest it, are not brought to be in love with those things that they eat, the same reason being of the individual and the species? I an­swer: First, in particular operations of the whole species to the individuum, or of one individuum to another, there is not the same reason. Secondly, they eat unprepared blood, which is not so powerful to change nature; but it is most certain, that by blood duely fer­mented and prepared, any individuum may be reconciled to another; as this dog to that hare; this cat to that mouse; [Page 182]this lyon to that lamb, &c. Thirdly, the beast being filled with the commo­tion of an angry spirit, and retaining alwayes the nature thereof, doth rather incite revenous beasts into rage, and whet them on to the destruction of o­thers. And hence take this general ob­servation, that it is altogether impossi­ble and repugnant to the law of na­ture, by any preparation whatsoever, to procure love by meanes of blood that is violently shed: It is more likely by far to cause hatred; and therefore the Ancients in their Reconciliations never drank the blood of one anothers fore­head-vein before perfect and undoubted amity appeared: And here note, that the salt of blood, if it be dissolved in the Menstruum of the world, and Philo­sophically handled, it is the most ex­cellent medicine in the world. And as for matter, or putrefaction, which is nothing else but blood corrupted without the veines, of flesh loosed with rottennesse, you may dispose on, as of blood aforesaid, saving that it hath lost much of his spirits (which are in the sound blood) by its putrefaction; yet by meanes of it, ulcers and old sores [Page 183]may be cured with the Sympathetical unguent or water. Some will anoint the inside of a nutshell with Balsome, and then put the purulent or sanious matter into it, and so hang it up in the dry aire, and so cure ulcers. And here is to be noted, that this matter may be diversly considered, according as it is found in the body; for either it simply ariseth from blood by means of putrefaction, corrupting without the veines, as aforesaid; or else it ariseth from some venemous quality of some foule disease, as in the French Pox; or else it is infected with some simple dis­eased quality, as in the Phthisis; and from these (experientia teste) much prejudice may arise. But if thou intend by the Sympathetical water or unguent to cure any such ulcers, the extraneous qua­lities shew that there must be some Alexipharm acum, or Specificks added a­greeing to the disease; for you must remember the qualities must be taken away before the ulcers can be cured: Of such things that are cast up by vo­mit we need not speak much; for we may think of them, as of other Ex­crements, [Page 182] [...] [Page 183] [...] [Page 184]using also the same Cauti­ons; but if the Vomit proceed from Nature, and not procured by Physick, it will be more convenient for our purpose; yet if it be by Physick, it is not altogethe unprofitable: But re­gard must be had to the quality of the vomitory Medicine; which if it be not contrary to the disease, must be corrected, and things signed added to it. And thus we have briefly, yet sufficiently handled the Theorical and Practical Principles of this Art.

CHAP. XXXIII. Now because we have heretofore spo­ken of the necessary use of Signa­tures in this Art; I hold it here ve­ry convenient briefly to adde some­thing of signed Herbs and Plants, the more to illustrate the same: And we will begin then first with the Head.

FOr the diseases of the which, we finde that Poppy doth something re­present the head; and thereupon we use the decoction thereof for many infirmi­ties of the same.

Also Walnuts have the whole figna­ture thereof.

Also the Sea-onyon called Scilla, the which is much commended in all Epi­lepsies.

The Mosse of Trees represent the [Page 186]haire, whose decoction is effectual in the falling of the hair.

Maidenhaire likewise is much com­mended for making thick, fair, and cur­led locks.

So the Herb Thapsia is applauded much by Avicenna in the disease Alo­pecia.

Next for the Eares; who is so stu­pid that doth not perceive the shels of Oysters to be their signature, and much by Crollius used against deafnesse?

Likewise Assara baccha, or Folefoot, the flowers whereof conserved, and so eaten, much availe the hearing and me­mory.

To the eyes is signed the Marigold, which helps the dimness.

So Agrimony, or wild Tansy, whose name is so called from helping the dis­ease of the Eye called Argema; the na­ture of which disease is such, that if it be in the black of the eye it appeareth white, but being in the white of the eye sheweth red. Also Anemone or Celan­dine, also Scabious, both good, and sign­ed for the eyes.

So Mentastrum Aquaticum, whose leaf somewhat shapes out the forme of the [Page 187]nose, the extract whereof is exceeding good for the smelling lost or decayed.

Likewise Sedum minus, or Prick-ma­dam, being signed to the Gums, is very effectual in the Scurvy.

The receptacle of the seed of Hen­bane, being the signature of the Teeth; therefore the oyle, or the juice expres­sed, or the decoction of the root with Arsmart boiled in vinegar, and being hot, to wash the teeth and gums, doth help the tooth-ach.

The Pine nut doth very well counter­feit the representation of the teeth cal­led incisores; and thereupon we use the decoction of Pine-leaves or branches in vinegar, to asswage the paine of the Teeth.

The herb Ʋvularia, or Horstong; al­so the herb Cervicaria, both good for Gargarisms.

Who is ignorant of the herb Liver­wort, how nature hath signed it for the Liver-infirmities?

Also the Mushrome of the Oak or Beech-tree, the powder whereof sprin­kled upon blood violently issuing at the nose or wounds, doth even after a miraculous manner stanch it.

The Quince, Myrabblane, Pomeci­tron, Limmons, Orenges, all good and cordial, and signed to the heart.

To whom is Lungwort, called Pul­monaria, unknown for his signature? the decoction whereof is much availa­ble in all the impediments that doe in any wise appertain to the Lungs.

Also for the evil affects of the breasts of women, the Specula (or eyes as I may term them) in the taile of a Pea­cock, as they give an exact signature and resemblance thereof; so physically used, prepared, and administred in drink, hath great vertue to heal the im­pediments thereof.

So the herb Scolopendrium, which the Apothecaries call Ceterach: And Hart­tongue, and Lupines, all very good for the diseases of the Spleen.

Gallingale, Ginger, and the leaves of Cyclamen, effectual.

Callamus aromaticus, and Cassia fistula, of profitable use.

The herb Alkekengi, called Winter­cherries, signed to the Bladder, and of excellent vertue against the stone in the Bladder.

Also the bushy Tree called Staphylo­dendros, [Page 189]which beareth cods like round bladders: So Solanum and Collutea, all effectual against the diseases of the blad­der.

Likewise Aron, or Cuccowpintle, which some doe conceive to be the true Satirion of Paracelsus.

Also all the kinds of Dragon-wort, as Dracunculus major, the great Dragon­wort or Serpentine: So Drancunculus minor, lesse Dragon-wort, or speckled Aron; Dracunculus palustris water, or Marsh-dragon; Dracunculus hortensis, Tarragon, or biting Dragon-wort. Moreover Beanes, which by their flatu­ous quality are very provocative, and inciting lust, and therefore condemned and the use forbidden by Pythagoras to his followers: Also the meal of Beans being made a Pultice, and applyed, is good for the inflation of the Genitals.

So the Acorne hath the signature of the Preputium.

All Bulbous Roots, but especially Gandergoose or Dogstones: So Satiri­on, and that kind thereof called Tra­gorchis: So Satirion Erythronium: So the Leek, all inciting and provoking lust.

Aristolochia rotunda: So Mace inclu­ding the Nutmeg, as the womb inclo­seth the Embryon.

Savine hath the signature of the veins of the Matrix, and therefore dissolves the tartarous humour thereof.

Purslane is properly signed to the Reins, and their peculiar diseases.

Filix foemina, or the female Fern, a­greeth with the signature of Spina dorsi, which manifestly representeth the effigi­es thereof.

That gravelly stone called Ossisana, seu lapis sabulosus, found about Spira and Darmstad, doth wonderfully operate in the conglutination of broken bones by his magnetick signature.

Plantane hath the whole signature of the veins and nerves of the hands and feet: Also Savine is signed to the Veines.

Hypericon, or St. Johns wort, with its perforated leafes, is good for ob­structions and evil sweats of the Pores.

Palma Christi, and the Fig-leafes are signed thereto, and are available against the articular impediments. And this shall suffice for a taste of the signatures and signed herbs to the aforenamed par­ticular parts of the body.

We will yet for some further satisfa­ction adde the signatures of the disea­ses, and demonstrate what herbs are signed to some peculiar diseases.

CHAP. XXXIV. And first of the Apolexy.

THE Lilly of the Valley, whose Flowers doe hang like drops, is of great use in this disease: So the Carp­stone, being of a halfe-moon forme, is herein commended.

As the Chrystal, Flint, lapis Citrinus and Judaicus, Lincis, and all which drive out the stone, are Magically sig­ned.

So Saxifrage Roots, and Calculus Mi­crocosmi, Lithospermon: Lachryma Jobbea: fructus Alkekengi & Ononidis; and ma­ny more things that have their magne­tick signatures.

Lunaria, which Carrichter affirmed that he cured all the Cancers of the [Page 192]Breasts thereby. And Ros Solis, &c.

Convolvulus, or withwind and An­guilla, &c.

Acorus Aquaticus, having a yellow root, and digged up in May, is a most singular Amulet, being appensed on the region of the belly; for it hath both the colour and signature of the Excre­ments.

Oxylapathum, the seed whereof is most efficacious, being decocted and drunk.

Also the Cholchotar of Vitriol strongly calcined and dissolved in Plan­tane water, and outwardly applyed.

Viscus Quercinus: and Piony seeds. Paracelsus commends a sparrow in the Falling Sicknesse, &c.

Agarick, and such Excressences of trees, which grow upon the boughs and leafs above the natural order, doe heale these turbercula's.

Rapeseed and Lentils are very effe­ctuall, and signed both for the small Pox.

The herb Scrofularia, either the de­coction used, or hanged for an Amu­let about the orifice of the stomach, is excellent in this disease,

Juncus Aquaticus hath its signature; and therefore the salt thereof artificially extracted, and given inwardly and ap­plyed outwardly, is a sure remedy.

In Ruptures and Hernia's you will finde very prevalent the Root of Aron, and Oak-apples gathered in May, and hanged in glasses in the Sun till they convert to a liquor, and so anoint the Hernia's. And it is observable, that all creatures that extend & contract them­selves, are Magically signed for these impediments: as the Tortoise, whose calcined powder doth much prevaile; also the Proboscis, or mout of an Ele­phant.

Red Sanders boiled in Tent, or stiptick red wine, doth stay them mightily: So the root of Tormentil: Also the Hae­matite Cornelian Coral, if any of them be held in the hand.

Especially calcined Vitriol of a blood colour, wonderfully stayeth blood out of the breast or head, &c.

The downy substance of woolly herbs and plants doe by an occult sympa­thy stay Hemorroids, or Pyles so cal­led.

The Bryony root hath the signature of this: The Extract whereof doth draw forth the water; so doth Radix Miohoacae.

Saffron, and Celandine, and radix Cucurmae, many other the like, &c.

The flesh of Vipers prepared, doth much conduce to this disease. Leprosie.

The Strawberry hath the signature of this infirmity; and therefore the di­stilled water thereof doth make pale a red, pimpled and leprous face; where­upon Raymund Lully in libro de quinta es­sentia, doth highly commend the use of Strawberries steeped in spirit of Wine. Plurisie.

Carduus Benedictus by his pricking leaves sheweth his signature to this dis­case; so doth Hippoglossum or Horse­tongue; and so doth Consolida Regalis, wilde Cummin, conduce properly here­to.

Hypericon, or St. Johns Wort, is mighty prevalent in obtunding Phan­tasms, the name denoting the vertue [...], (i. e.) super imagines & spe­ctra dominium habens. Likewise the La­tines call it fuga daemonum. Also Amir­rbinum hath potency, &c.

Archangel, which bruised and put upon the disease of the loose skin at the root of the nails, presently cures.

A Toad is signed hereto, and a Liz­zard extracts the Eschar of the Car­buncle: And so is the Tubers, or Mushroomes of an Oak, either new, or poudred, and put upon, doth operate effectually, &c.

The herb Scorfularia, or dead nettle, i [...] properly hereto signed: and the Fig, which swelleth like it.

The Mulberry, whose juyce, and also the leaves, and the juyce of them, is very efficacious for gargarization in this impediment, &c.

The Snail is signed hereto, and effica­cious herein, &c.

The Herb Arsmart is hereto singed. Stripes black and blue. Urine. retained.

The Medulla in the concavity of a goose-quill, dryed and pounded, and given in wine, extremely driveth forth the urine retained.

Also the soule of an herring, as the vulgar call it, powdred and given, hath the same effect.

Dracunculus minor, or speckled A­ron, which by an occult and sympa­thetical quality in nature doth appear out of the Earth as soon as any serpent begins to creep abroad; for till that ap­peareth above the ground, no Adder, Snake venemous, or Serpent will be seen, premonishing us as it were to be­ware of them. Bistorta is also effectual for the biting of vipes or serpents. And all such Plants that have the speckles or marks like to the skin of adders, &c. are found to be signed by nature against their poysons and venoms.

Hydropiper being signed naturally, as by the bloody spots is demonstrated that appear upon the leaves, which cures new wounds, &c.

And also Hypericon being perfora­ted as it were with a needle, is profitable to all the external and internal imper­fections of the skin.

And so Millefolium, and Betony, and all perforated Plants, have their signa­tures and prevailing potencies in wounds.

He that desireth further instruction in these signatures, and more ample use [Page 195]thereof, must acquaint himselfe with Paracelsus, or at leastwise with Oswal­dus Crollius in the latter end of his Ba­silica Chymica, as afore, is advised where he may receive more ample satisfacti­on and judicious instruction. And this shall suffice for the present concerning this Art.