Sect. 3.

I come now to speak con­cerning the several sorts of wa­ter in particular, as they lye in the order of nature, and are or may be the causes of each o­ther: And first of Sea water, Of Sea wa­ter. as that which was first in Nature, and very bri [...]fly, not being of use to be taken inwardly, yet falling into our consideration in the subsequent discourse.

The Sea makes one Globe with the Earth, being yet not confused with it, but divided from it, and gathered together into one place by it self, on the third day of the Creation: Gen. 1.7. The Earth is the center of the Globe, and contains the Sea [Page 47]water as in a vessel, there being no water, which is not bottem­ed by the Earth, as naturalists averre. The Water being a lighter Element, lib. 2. met. cap. 3. it's proper place is to be above the Earth, so as the greater part by far of the superfices of the Globe is covered with water; notwith­standing which the higher places of the Earth stand out of the Water, 2 Pet. 3.5. and appear above it, giving bounds to the Water which it cannot pass over, as the Scripture saith, Psal. v. 9. and so are become habitable for men and beasts.

It's Na­ture.Sea Water is Salt and hot in operation, binds and dryes the body, if it be drunk, as do all salt waters according to the judgment of Hippocrates, De aere aquis & locis. which [Page 48]he sayes are [...], De remed. l. 2 c. 53. indomicable and hard, it rather increases then quenches thirst, and hath been found deadly to such as have drunk of it being exceeding thirsty, as saith Pau­lus Aegineta.

I would not be so understood, as if I thought all salt waters were to be r [...]j [...]cted from in­ward use, or as if no salt waters would purge the body; The Sulphur Well at Knaresbrough, a gallon whereof being vapo­rated away yields two ounces of salt, is dayly used inwardly with very good success in many cases, and purges the body, as I know by experience, and as Dr. Dean, and Dr. French do both witness in their Books up­on that Subject; This Spring [Page 49]does the same and hath some salt in it: Notwithstanding if salt waters do loose the body, it is from other minerals of which they do participate, and not from the salt, on which ac­count they rather dry up the humours, and are singular good even in hydropick constituti­ons; especially in the begin­ning, the truth whereof I have proved by good experience in an Honourable Lady, to whom I commended the use of the Sulphur Well before mention­ed in the Dropsy with good success.

Hence it is that Hippocrates in the place afore cited, blames them for their ignorance, that upon any slight occasion use salt waters inwardly, expecting [Page 50]to loose the body with them, they having from the salt no such vertue, but rather stay the belly, and cause the body to break out in Scabs, and make the fundament and lower parts troubled with checks, De simpl. c. 4. as Rasis saith:

The Sea water hath indeed some sweet parts in it, which are thinner and lighter then the substance of the water is, from whence it comes to pass, that the flesh of those fishes that live in the Sea, is as fresh as those that are taken in fresh waters.

If one distill Sea water in a cold Still it yields fresh water. And I have read an experiment in Gamillus Flavius which is worthy a tryal, Paraph. in Hip. de aq. p. 43. and may be of [Page 51]use to such as go on long voy­ages, and want sometimes fresh water. He saith, that if a bottle bee made of Wax, and the mouth of it be close stopped, so as no water can run into it, and it be cast into the Sea and made to sink, in a few dayes it will be found to have fresh water in it, very pleasant and wholsome to be drunk. I have inserted this for the Seamens sake, to whom it may be beneficial.

Sect. 4.

In the next place I come to treat of Rain water, with it's original and qualities; Of Rain. the pro­duct or original is thus.

The Sun and the rest of the Heavenly bodies do by their heat exhale, Its cause and draw forth out of the Sea, and other moist bo­dies that are on the Earth the [Page 52]vapours, (which are the more rare and thin part of the water and bodyes) these by their heat they do so rarify, that through their levity they fly upward towards the upper region of the aire next to the Element of fire, the proper place of such light bodies; where they con­tinue till according to the ordi­nary course of Providence, by the influence of the Moon, or some planetary Aspect out of signs of the watery Triplicity, or some other cold and moist con­stellation, they become more gross and moist, and so by their weight descend into the mid­dle region of the aire, where by the excess of cold they are con­densed into waters, and now being become an heavy body, [Page 53]do fall down upon the Earth in showers, making thereby a kind of circulation in Nature, through the ascent of vapours and descent of showers.

This I say is according to the ordinary course of Providence, when notwithstanding with­out any of those previous in­fluences of the Celestial bodies, Almighty God who is a most free Agent, and doth what he will in the Heavens and the Earth, doth sometimes by a special Providence cause it to rain; Exod. 9.18 and at other times also he doth so suspend the aforesaid influences, Jam. 5.17. that it rains not at all, Amos 4.7. as in the use of Elijahs pray­er. Thus as the Prophet ob­serves, he makes it to rain upon one City, and not upon ano­ther; [Page 54]and this he doeth that he may keep us in a constant de­pendance upon himself, as upon the first and primary cause, without whose concurrence secondary causes can produce no effects at all.

No this my judgment con­cerning the causes of rain, is agreeable to what is writ upon that subject, by the best Philo­sophers and Physicians, the Scripture also being clear in it. Amos 9.6. He calleth for the Waters of the Sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the Earth: to which add that in Job 36.27, 28. He maketh small the drops of water, they poure down rain according to the va­pour thereof, which the clouds do drop.

And that the rain doth falls or is with-held from us in or­dinary providence, according to the influence of the celestial bodyes, is deducible from ano­ther place in Job, Chap. 38. v. 25. and so forward; where God, expostulating with Iob con­cerning his mighty works of providence, reads a Lecture to him concerning the Meteors, of Rain, Lightening, Thunder, Dew, and Frost, with their causes, and in the 31. Verse he hath this question to him: Canst thou bind (or restrain) the influence of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? with other expostulatory questions: The meaning thereof is this; Canst thou stay the rain, and hinder it from falling? or canst [Page 57]thou loose the frost and make it thaw? The Pleiades being a moist constellation in the shoul­der of the sign Taurus, which brings wet; and Orion a dry constellation in the last decade of Gemini, arising in the even­ings in the beginning of the Winter, causing frosts. I might enlarge concerning Mazaroth, viz. the 12. signs, and Arcturus, which are mentioned in the 32. vers. but I hasten. Nor is this my own private interpretation, but it's agreeable to the judgment of the most learned Interpreters upon the place, and particular­ly of those that were Members of the late reverend Assembly of Divines, in that their excellent exposition upon the Book of Iob.

Now from the consideration of what bath been, said con­cerning the concurrent cause of Rain, Its nature and quality it will follow, that Rain-water is the most light of all others, clear and of thin parts, and agreeable with the description of the best water before laid down, being also most ethereal, and having the fewest terrestrial or earthly parts of all waters whatsoever.

Hence is it that Hippocrates prefers Rain-water before any other, Lib. 6. epid. & de aq. especially that which falls in Summer out of white and thin clouds, and with Thunder or Winde, which do help to purify it more; but he discommends that which falls out of thick and black clouds, and in a storm; nevertheless he [Page 58]would have it boyled before it be used, because of all other waters it is most apt to putrefy and become corrupt.

It soon corrupts.Nor let any startle at it, as that therefore it should be the more unwholsome, because it is subject to corrupt so soon, this being rather a token of it's goodness, in that it is so easily altered, according to the judg­ment of Paulus Aegineta, Ori­basius and others, although this also may be helped if it be kept in a cool place, and in a pure stone Cistern.

Only let me give this caution that it be not long kept before it be used, least being corrupted it causes hoursness and diffi­culty of breathing, and breed Cholerick humours in the sto­mack, [Page 59]and weaken it's reten­tive faculty.

Rasis saith, it is ill for those that are subject to Fevers when it hath been long kept. And so Aetius is of the same mind, forbidding it also to be used in Cholerick constitutions, and in the jaundice, because it is easily turned into choler, but com­mends it to be used in Eye wa­ters to stop a flux of humours, or to consolidate Ulcers of the eyes, as being more astringent then Spring Water; which yet I cannot believe, because it is as I said before of thin and aerial parts, and not so terrestri­all as Spring Water is. And for this cause I think it the best of all others to be used in a perient or pectoral Apozemes, provi­ded [Page 60]it be taken when it is new fallen, and strained through a thick cloth or paper, the body also open.

Only to that of Aetius I'le add this, that of all other wa­ters that are drunk cold, Rain water is the worst for cachectick constitutions, which have an ill habit of body, and for such as are Scorbutick, for though it be of thin parts, yet because it is more subject to putrefy then other waters, and those bodies not so pervious as sound bo­dyes are, it is to be suspected, least it should soon corrupt, be­fore it can pass through the body, and so encrease the ma­ladyes.

This by it's admirable secun­dity refreshes the Earth, and [Page 61]makes it to bring forth friut, filling it's lap with variety of vegetables, necessary for the sustentation of man and beast, without which it could bring forth nothing at all, and so would not be habitable. And what falls more then is neces­sary for the production of ve­getables, sinkes further into the earth for the supply of Springs and subterreneall generations of mineralls and metalls, con­cerning uwhich we shall have occasion to treat more anon.

Sect. 5.

Like unto Rain is Snow and Hail, especially in their original cause, for they both proceed from the like vapours, which are exhaled (as I said before) by the heavenly bodies, out of the Sea and the terrestriall bodies, [Page 62]& elevated into the middle re­gion of the ayr, whereby a greater and more intense de­gree of cold then that which produceth rain, they are con­densed into Snow and hail; on­ly the hail is generated by a more remiss degree of cold then snow; and therefore falls ordinarily in Summer, where­as Snow never falls but in win­ter, or very cold weather.

I find that snow was much in use among the Ancients, who carefully preserved it all the year, to mixt it with their wine, to allay its heat, and give it a pleasant coolness to the palate.

Thus Chares Mytilinaeus in his History of Alexander the Great, tells how that in his [Page 63]Siege against Petra a City of Indiae, he was exceedingly delighted with Snow mixed in his Wine, and he relates his manner of preserving it; viz. he caused many great and deep Trenches to be digged in the earth, which he covered over with Oak boughs, in which the Snow was laid, being gathered when it was new fallen, and preserved for the use aforesaid.

No less carefull are they at this day in Spain and Italy, and other the hot Countreys of Europe in preser­ving Snow to mixt it with their Wine, to give it a pleasant coolness, laying it up in their lowest and coolest Cellars, and covering it as before said, and so they keep it till winter come again.

De simp [...]. cap. 6.And thus the Arabians are wont also to put Snow into their Ju­leps [Page 64]for Acute Feavers, in which case Rasis commends it very much. And Pisanellus an Itali­an Writer tells that at Messana a City of Sicilie where the Cli­mate is very hot, De escud. & potul. fac. p. 162. the Inhabitants were every year in Summer trou­bled with a pestilential Feaver, that swept away thousands, till they found out the use of Snow mixing it with their drink, and then it left them: And hence it is become a custom among them, that every man, even the poor­est of all, besides other provi­sion, which they make for their Families, are sure to provide Snow.

Notwithstanding which, De Spir. anim. nat. cap. 8. that water which comes of Snow, or Haile, is accounted by all unwholsom to be drunk alone, [Page 65]because of its exceeding cold­nesse, as Actuarius observes, on which account he esteemes it the worst of all waters, as also because of it's grosse parts, for that which hath once been con­jealed into Snow or Ice, can never return to it's pristine e­state, for whatever thin, sweet or subtle parts were in it, be­fore it was conjealed by the cold are now lost and gone, and are turned into a vapour, no­thing remaining but the grosse and earthy parts: and this is ea­sy to be discerned by a Vessell full of water, which if it hath been once turned into Ice, and thawed again, shall be found to have lost a good part of it's measure. Now the thin parts being gone and evaporated a­way [Page 66]the gross body or caput mortuum becomes obstructive, and so may produce many di­stempers, besides the violence it offers the stomack and liver, by it's excessive coldnesse; lih. de temper simpl. and therefore Averrhoes forbids it especially to be drunk fasting while the stomack is empty, with this expression; let no man presume to drinke it fa­sting, &c.

But they that mixe it with Wine, do it safely and to very good purpose, the Wine and the Snow correcting one ano­ther, and so making up a whole­some composition.

Another Use of Snow, is, that while it lies upon the superfices of the earth, unmelted, it pre­serves the earth, and the vege­tables [Page 67]that grow thereon from the nipping, piercing cold of the air, which it also putrifies; and when it melteth it moistens the ground as doth rain, (although it fattens not so much) the su­perfluity whereof is sucked up by the earth (except that which runs into lakes and rivers) and is coverted to the same use as Rain; to wit, to the supply of springs and subterreneall gene­rations, being corrected and better concocted by the mode­rate heat of the earth, which in Winter is warmer then in Sum­mer, as I said before.

Sect. 6.

The next in order to be spo­ken to, is Fenny pond or lake-maters, senne pond or lake wa­ter. which are made by a su­perfluity of Rain or melted Snow, settling in some low pla­ces [Page 68]either above or else in some Caverns of the earth, which are to be avoyded from all inward use, as most unwholesome and many times deadly and poyso­nous.

And first for Fens and Ponds, they being made up of melted Snow, are upon that account bad enough, as I hinted before, nor are they amended by the mixtures of rain water; unwhole­some. besides that in their passage they carry along with them slime and flith from which they can never be purged. To this adde, that they they are standing waters, and lye open both to the heat of the Sun in Summer, which exhales all their thin parts, and leaves them gross and fetid; and to the cold in winter, which freezes [Page 69]them, and makes them stil more grosse and turbulent.

Rufus in Oribasius indeed tells us that the Fennes in Aegypt, Col. Med. lib. 5. cap. a­bove all Other Fenns that ever he met withall, are wholesome being bred by the overflowing of Nilus, which is not so apt to corrupt and putrefie as other waters are, and will keep sweet the longest.

They that are forced to drink of Pond water are much to be pittyed, as I kow (some Townes that have no other; and those Alewives that brew their Ale with it, when they may have better water, (as I have heard for certain some do, because it makes stronger drink then good water) are much to be blamed; these sorts of water being con­demned [Page 70]by Physicians both an­cient and modern, Hip. de ag. Valler. lib. 2 oom. loc. cap. 2. as poysonous and pestelential, having in them horse-leeches and other filthy vermine; and therefore of all sorts of waters these are most to be avoyded in times of common contagion, as Plagues and penitentiall Fevers.

These being drunk do cause obstructions in the liver, De aquis. Tetr. 1. Serm. 3. De simpl. c. 4. hard­nesse of the spleen, corrupt the blood, and spoil the com­plexion: they breed dropsies, dysenteries, the Stone of the Kidneys, shortnesse of breath, and rotten and pestilentiall fe­vers, as Hyppocrates, Aetius, Ra­sis and others say.

Besides they corrupt and in­fect the air, Corrupt the air. with the noysome vapours which they send forth [Page 71]daily, to the breeding of very many deseases: and therefore it is observable that most towns that are situate near unto Fens or lakes are more subject to ma­lignant diseases, which when Physicians come to meddle with, lib. 2. loc. com. c. 2. they find very rebellious scarcely admitting of a cure, as Valleriola had experience of, at the City Arles in France. Not­withstanding if necessity enforce to the use of this sort of water, it may be made much more wholesome, if it be boyled be­fore it be used.

2. As for lakes that are within the ground in the low cavern of the earth, Lakes un­der ground poysonous. they are also unwhole some and somtimes deadly, because they are standing waters close, not open to the air [Page 72]and so have no enventilation, tainted by the filthy damps and fogs that are in the earth, and are often found to have in them poysonous vermine. I read of some that had fish in them which poysoned those that did eat of them. Sen. Nat. qu. l. 3 cig. Carp. l. 2. geog. c. 9. In Caria near about the City Lorus there arose out of the earth suddenly by reason of an Earthquake a great flood of Water, bringing out with it a great number of Creatures and fishes, which had been fatted under the earth, of which whosoever chanced to eat, dyed presently.

I am forced to mention these sorts of waters by the way, yet briefly, having occasion to refer to them in the follow­ing discourse.

Sect. 7.

I now proceed to treat concer­ning Spring-water, Of Spring-water. as that which comes closer to the main sub­ject of discourse, to wit, the Spaw at Scarbrough, which is a constant flowing Spring or foun­tain: For the better understan­ding whereof in its vertues and operation, its needfull that I say somthing concerning the spring in generall, together with the causes, nature and variety of them, and that as briefly as the nature of the subject will bear, because I would not weary my self, or the Reader, with a long and tedious discourse.

It is a great controversie be­tween the Stoicks and Peripa­teticks concerning the Origi­nall of springs, 3. Origi­nals of springs. also among severall modern, learned [Page 74] Authors; and they pitch especi­ally upon 3. original causes, viz. the percolation of the Sea; the transumtation of aire within the bowels of the Earth; and the Rain and Snow.

The first is the most ancient being the opinion of Thales, and Plato with his followers; Seas per­colation. de sacr. Philoso. Nat. Bath. c. 3. as al­so of Valesias, and our learned Countrymen Mr. Lydiat, Mr. Carpenter, Dr. Iordan, and Dr. French.

York-shire Spaw.The reasons of their opinion are principally these; because first, there is nothing but the vast Ocean that can afford such abundance of waters, as do spring from the Earth, the Sea being a sufficient store-house for all ends and uses. Secondly, because the Sea is not encrea­sed [Page 75]by the multitude of Wa­ters, which flow into it daily, as it must of necessity be, if they had not by the subteraneal cha­nels a recourse to their Foun­tains. And to this opinion So­lomon seems to give ground, 1 Eccles. 7. where he saith, All Rivers run into the Sea, and yet the Sea is not full, unto the place from whence the Rivers come, thither they return again.

But as for the place of Scri­pture, it proves not the point in hand, the question being not about Rivers but Springs; So­lomon speaks of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea in great Ri­vers, into which the Tide runs, they being near the Sea, and they would interpret it of Springs and Fountains, that are [Page 76]perhaps many hundred miles of.

Not that I deny the Sea to contribute towards the making of Springs; the Sea sends up vapours in abundance, which being converted into Rain and Snow in their seasons, fall down upon the Earth, and afford matter for Springs, but I can­not believe that there is any such percolation as they speak of, whereby the water of the Sea is conveyed by occult cavi­ties through the Earth to the Springs, which are many hun­dred miles in some places of the World distant from it, and many of them placed upon ex­ceeding high Land, and Moun­tains much above the Sea.

I know some of them for the [Page 77]making out of their opinion, will have the Sea to be as high, Sea not higher then the earth. if not higher them the highest Mountains, depressed only up­on the shore, as saith Aristotle, lib. 1. de Meteor. because terminated by the dry Land. This Doctrine of the Sea's elevation above the Land being also defended by Tully (de nat. deorum,) where he saith that the Sea being placed a­bove the Earth; yet coveting the place of the Earth, is con­gregated and collected, so as it cannot redouned or flow a­broad; Scripture urged. as also by many learned Divines both ancient and mo­derne, who reducing most things to the supernatural and first cause, do many times neg­lect and overlook second causes. And they seem to be [Page 78]warranted by some Scriptures, Psal. 33. vers. 7. He gathered the Waters thereof together as an heap. Ps. 33.7, As also that place in Iob, where God himself professeth, that he hath bounded the Wa­ters of the Sea, in these words Iob 38.11. Hitherto shalt thou go but no further, Job. 38.11. and there shall thy proud waves be stayed. And having thus resolved, they fan­cy a natural motion of the wa­ter from the top of the Sea to the tops of the Hills, although they are not all of this mind, as we shall examine by and by.

But we must know, de caelo l. 2. c. 4. De Geogr. p. 489 the Earth and the Sea (according to Aristotle, and a concurrence of Freigius and all Geographers) make up but one body of a global figures, the Sea being a [Page 79]moist fluid body keeps the fi­gure exactly, its superficies be­ing alwayes equidistant to the Center of the Earth, so as in what part of the Sea soever a man can suppose himself to be, he must needs be in the highest part of the Globe, whether he be in the middle of the Sea or near the Shore, and out of this fi­gure it cannot go without force. Whereas the Earth is not so exact in the figure, that part of it which appears above the Water of the Sea being ex­tuberant, every Mountain and Valley still further breaking the figure; Now if the water of the Sea should so pass from the Sea to the tops of the Springs, as they affirm, it should arise beyond it's level, to wit, the [Page 90]Natural Sphericall figure, which is absurd to be supposed with­out an extraneous force.

It is most certain, that Ships at Sea will at some leagues di­stance loose the sight of one a­nother, so as they that are upon the deck in the one, can make no discovery of the other, but if they go up to the shrowds they may discern one another, and still the higher they climbe the better discovery they make The reason of this is the Spheri­call figure of the Sea, which ter­minates their sight while they are upon the deck, untill over­topping the bank by climbing higher they have a clear view. And our Seamen observe no difference (supposing the same distants) from what quarter so­ever [Page 91]the Ships lie from one a­nother, whither towards the Land or off at Sea. For ex­ampel.

Suppose on the Eastern coast of England, which stretches North and South, three Ships signed A. B. C. of equal size. A. lyes under the shore; B. lies off at Sea full East from A. to­wards the Coast of Holland: C. rides Southerly from B. to­wards the Downs; and A. and C. at equal distance from B Our best Navigators tell me, that f B. lose the sight of C. that she cannot be discerned without climbing into the Shrowds; A. shall in like manner lose the sight of B. which should not be so, Lib. 1. M [...]t. Nat. Baths, p. 18. if according as Aristotle and Dr. Jordan tells us, the [Page 91]Sea were depressed at the shore, and elevated at distance, but rather B. should appear clear­ly unto A. as if it were placed on a high Bank at full view. They say indeed, that B. shall sooner lose the sight of A. be­cause of the dark shore under which A. lyes.

Now if it be thus, (as peritis in arte suâ credendum est) then is that conceit of the Seas ele­vation above the highest Land but a fancy. Nat. Baths c. 3. p. 18. And that also of Dr. Jordans will hold no water, when he saith as in Siphunculis, the water being put in at one end will rise up in the other Pipe, as high as the level of the water, so he will have it to be in the bowels of the earth, be­tween the superficies of the [Page 93] Sea and the heads of the Springs.

Nor is their reason for the depression of the Sea neer the shore of any validity; to wit, because it is terminated by the dry land; the Argument of Demonstration which they use to illustrate the thing, being of sufficient validity for confuta­tion of the Position. Cap. 3. p. 19 For saith Dr. Jordan, if a drop of wa­ter be put upon a dry Table, you shall l [...]e it depressed on the sides, & elevated in the middle like an half G [...]obe, but take away the termination by moi­stening the Table, and the drop sinks; and he further [...]dds, if this be evident in so sm [...]ll a proportion, we may imagine it to be much more in the vast O­cean.

What! is not the sand of the Sea moistened by every wave as much as the Table which makes the drop fall, and run out of its Global figure? why doth not then the Sea as well dilate it self, as the drop upon the Table, and consequently leaving its Spherical Figure drown the world? We see the dry Land does not so termi­nate the Sea, but it rises ac­cording to the Tides, still more and more, till the Spring be at the heighth▪ and notwithstand­ing the moistening of the Shore, it returns again to its lowest Ebb▪

Nor do the Scriptures be­forecited make out any thing for their purpose. Psa. 33.7. cleared. As for that in Psal. 33.7. He gathereth the [Page 95]waters together as an heap. The Prophet is speaking of the ad­mirable power and wisdom of GOD in the Creation of the world, as is evident in the 6. ver. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth: And then follows, v. 7. He gathereth, &c. The best way therefore to interpret this, is to have recourse to the story of the Creation, and to see there what God did with the waters, Gen. 1.7. and 9. A [...]ter GOD had divided the waters that were under the Firmament from those that were above; He said, ver. 9. Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear; So that it [Page 96]lows, the gathering of the wa­ters together as an heap, is no more then the putting them into one place, and the words that follow in that 7th. verse of the Psalm hint as much, which seem to be exegeticall and interpretative to the for­mer, to wit, He layeth up the deep in store-houses. Unless they will have the Prophet to hint also at the Spherical Fi­gure of the Sea, to which I can easily assent.

Besides the words themselves are worthy our considering, he doth not say on an heap, but as an heap, [...] congre­gans sicut acervum aquas maris; Whereas in the story of the Is­raelites passing over Jordan, when the waters were divided [Page 97]before them, & stood up in an heap, the same word in Hebrew for a heap is used, to [...] ▪ [...] not [...] Iosh. 3 16. [...] steterunt acervo uno. The Sep­tuagint Translating that in the Psalm according to this sense, [...] gathering as in a vessel the water of the Sea.

Job 38.11 cl [...]a [...]d.As touching that place in Iob, I conceive it makes no­thing for their opinion of the Seas elevation above the earth. I deny not Gods miraculous and extraordinary working in some things to manifest the glory of his wisdom & power, yet I suppose the Sea to be con­fined by his providence within the ordinary bounds of nature: for it were very strange to ima­gine that God in the first institu­tion [Page 98]of nature, should impose a perpetual violence upon nature seeing we see the Creator in o­ther things to use nature as his ordinary servant, & to admini­ster the regiments of matters by second causes. I conceive no more is meant in that Scripture, but that Almighty God hath set certain limits & bounds which the waters should not pass these bounds and limits I take not to be supernatural, as if the water restrain'd by a miraculous word of cōmand, should be forced to contain it self within its circuit prescribed to it; but natural as cliffs & hils, within w ^ch the wa­ter seems to be intrenched; for we may see there is no such force put upon it; but if the na­tural bounds of the Sea, to wit, the cliffs be removed, the Sea [Page 99]overruns the Land, and turns all into it self.

But the Authors of this opi­nion urge further, Object. that accor­ding to the order of the Ele­ments among themselves, the earth should be lowest, and the water above it.

I Answer, if we consider these Elements among them­selves, Sol. we must give the height to the water, for as much as the greatest part by far of the Earth lyes drowned, for that which is above, bears no sensible propor­tion with that which lyes under the water. But here we are not comparing the two Elements intirely betwixt themselves, but the superficies of the water with the parts of the earth that are uncovered, and are habita­ble, which supersicies of the [Page 100]Earth notwithstanding this reason, may be higher then the water.

But they object further, be­cause Marriners coming from the main Ocean to the Land, Object. seem to see the Land far lower then the water.

This may easily be made out of Opticall principles, Sol. that it must appear so, by reason that the Sphericall sigure and conve­xity of the Sea, interposed be­twixt our sight and the lower part of the Land, doth hide some parts from our sight, whence it must needs appear lower, being couched almost under water; The like is dis­cernable in another Ship at Sea, which seems to be depres­sed underwater at som Leagues distance, so as nothing appears [Page 101]but her top Sails. Besides at distance all things seem lower even upon a levell at Land, which when we draw nigh un­to, do better discover their height.

I read that in Noahs Flood, God brake open the springs of the deep, and opened the Ca­taracts of heaven, to pour down rain continually many days to­gether upon the Earth, of which there had been no necessity at all, had the Sea been heaped up in such sort as they imagine; for the only withdrawing of his hand, and letting loose the reins that the water might have run to an evenness, would have been sufficient to have overwhelmed the whole earth.

Again, we find by experience, [Page 102]and our Mariners do all agree in it, that a like gale of Wind will serve to carry a Ship out of the Port to the open Sea, as from the Sea into the Port, which could not be, if the Sea were higher then the Land, for they would need a great and stiffe gale to carry them up the bank of the Sea, and none at all to run into the Land.

And thus I conceive wee are free'd from that absurd conse­quence, which their Doctrine of the Seas Elevation at distance, and depression on the shore, doth necessarily infer; to wit, that the water which runs out of Rivers in the ebbe, as soon as it reaches to the Sea, must run up the hill in its own naturall motion, which is against the na­ture [Page 103]of heavy bodies, whose motion is ever downward to the Center of the Earth, as also Aristotle's own Doctrine else where. Lib. c. de coelo. c. 4.

Besides, as Dr. French well observes, a man would think so many great Rivers terminated in the Sea, might be a sufficient moysture for the taking away of the termination made by the dryness of the Earth, and to make the Globus Sea sink to an evenness.

Moreover tht manner of con­veyance of the Sea water to the heads of Springs fancied by Dr. Jordan, through the secret channells of the Earth, requires a man of much credulity to believe him; to wit, that the water in those his subterraneall [Page 104]crannyes should without any force upon it, leave its naturall figure, and correspond with its levell, and yet the same water being exposed to the open air near the shore, should both make and abide in a valley. It further implies much easiness of pe [...]swasion in him that can believe, that those Springs which are two or three hundred miles from the Sea, as some are in great continents, must yet be supplyed with water from the Sea, by Channells of that length.

Besides if there were such Channells from the Sea to the Springs as he fancyes, that are hollow like pipes, the water of the Springs would certainly be brackish, according to the na­ture [Page 105]of the Sea water, which in such length of time would have tainted the Channells through which it passes; Nat. Hist. cent. 9. exp. 882. as the Lord Ba­con observes, that although pits digged near the Sea will bee found in time to have fresh water in them, yet afterwards they will become salt, the sand through which the water is transcolated cōtracting saltness, so as new ones must be made, and so I think of Dr. Jordan's subterraneall Channells.

As for Divines who are of the opinion of the Seas height above the Land, I desire them to consider of that place in Psal. 107. ver. 23. where it is called going down to the Sea in Ships, the words being [...] de­scendentes ad mare, Psal. 107.23. coming from [Page 104] [...] [Page 105] [...] [Page 106]the same root [...] descendit, with that word which is used, Micha 1.4. [...] which signifies locus declivis, or a steep place. Yet I deny not, but there may bee some Springs which at some small distance have a sup­ply of water from the Sea, but this makes nothing for their opinion concerning the sup­ply of Springs at great distance, and upon the high mountains. lib. 2. c. 56. Pliny tells us of a Spring in the Gades which observes the Seas motion, in ebbing and flowing: and I am credily informed there is another in the Peak in Derby­shire, which ebbs and flowes e­very twelve hours. So the Spring at Giggleswick in York­shire ebbs and flowes many times a day, even to the admi­ration, [Page 107]whether that of Plinies may have any correspondence with the Sea or no, I know not, Lib. [...]. Nat Q [...]st. I am sure the other two have not, and I had rather with Se­neca, look on such as these as wonders of God, then trouble my selfe curiously to enquire into their causes, that are too hard for me.

Se [...]l concet [...]s.But these that are of opinion of the Seas percolation to be the cause of Springs, are not all for this way of conveyance, they say the water of the Se [...] is conveighed by transcolation into huge Caverns in the body of the earth indeed, but then they differ again in finding its passage to the Spring heads, each propounding a way accor­ding to their fancy: Of agita­tion [Page 108]by subtterraneall winds as Socrates in Plato. In Phoed. Compulsion by a Spirit or breath that is in the water as Pliny and Valesius, Pl.l. 2. c. 65. of compression, De sac. phil. c. 1. & 63. and that either through the weight of the Sea it self, Nat. Qu. lib. 3. a great part whereof he supposes to be out of its place in the air, as Seneca. ib. 2. The at. nat. Or of the earth as Bodinus and Thales. Or rarefaction and condensati­on, as Dr. Fludd and Mr. Car­penter. Geograph. Or rarefaction and condensati­on, as Dr. Fludd and Mr. Car­penter. Or attraction by the heat of the Sun and the hea­venly bodies as Thomas Aquinas held. Or Belmonts Sabutum, or Virgins earth; Ag in Sum. p. 1. q. 69. all which as they seem at the very naiming to be nothing more then empty con­ceits, besides the disagreement that is among themselves ten­ders it the more questionable, [Page 109]so they are sufficiently confu­ [...]ed, some of them by Mr. Car­penter in his Geography, Lib. 3. Nat. Qu. and the rest by Dr. French in his dis­course upon the Spaw of Kna­resbrough.

There is another account gi­ven by Empedocles an ancient Greek Philosopher, Spaw p. 21. 22. &c. as also Se­neca for theebullition of Springs to which Gabriell Fallopius lib 1. de aquis medicatis c. 3. Mr. Carpenter, Mr. Lydiat, and Dr. French adhere, the last ta­king a great deal of pains to make it out, and that is by heat, wheareby he will have the wa­ter which is conveyed from the Sea into the Caverns of the Earth, to be elevated to the heads of Springs, after the same manner as from the Sea to the [Page 110]middle region of the air, and that is by resolving the water into vapors, Dr. French opinion. nor mat­ters he whether that heat be above or beneath the waters, if so be it turneth them into vapours, and maketh them as­cend as high as is requisite they should: And this heat he will have maintained by subter­raneall fires, that are kindled and fed by Naphtha or some bituminous matter. And he makes two degrees of heat, one more intense in the deep Caverns, to rarefie the waters in the Caverns into vapours, the other more remiss nearer the superficies, which must condense them again into wa­ters; which he illustrates by the head of an Alimbyck; and [Page 111]the cover of a boyling pot, whose more remisse degree of heat turns the vapours into water.

Although Aristotle who also will have water to be genera­ted in the Earth, L. 1. Meteor c. 11. says it is con­densed by cold, and the Philo­sopher seems as much to bee believed, especially since its more agreeable to their own parallell of the middle region, where certainly the vapours are condensed by cold.

That there are bituminous fires our own reason (besides the testimony of good Authors) doth sufficiently evince, Sol. they being the efficient cause of hot Springs, such as are those men­tioned by Plato and Pliny the one in Sicily, the other at So­mosata; [Page 112]and our own at the City Bath in Somersetshire, be­sides many others: from whence also are those burning mountains Aetna and Vesuvius, besides others that we read of in Athours.

But first Dr. French supposes great Caverns of waters to be in the earth which come from the Sea, pag. 16, 17. pag. 23. the heat also to be of like proportion with the water; what a conflict this would make in nature wee may easily judge, when these two e­nemies fire and water must be so immured together. I wonder the water being of like propor­tion which the fire doth not quench it, or that the fire con­sumes not the water, and so in both cases we should want wa­ter [Page 113]in our Springs, and the world would be destroyed: but it seems they do better agree and combine to bring about his end, and he tells us how they both dwell together in the Ca­verns.

Secondly, L. 1. meteor c. 10. this supposes the earth to be almost nothing but Caverns: for if that be true that Aristotle saith concerning Springs, that if all water that runs out of them in one year could bee kept in a vessell, it would almost equalize the whole bulk of the earth; and Dr. French tells us, there is a like proportion of fire and wa­ter in the Caverns; and reason tells us, that fire cannot be kept in without a greater quantity of air, which it continually con­sumes, [Page 114]then what may wee judge concerning the Ca­verns.

Thirdly, this implyes the Earth to be almost nothing but bitumen or Naphtha, nor will his new generations be e­nough to maintain the ex­pence.

Fourthly, this supposes all the Earth to be on fire, since al­most in all places there are Springs, and consequently con­tradicts the whole suffrage of Philosophers, who call the Earth Elementum Frigidissi­mum.

Fifthly, the Earth would in time be consumed by so many fires, as saith Agricola, it being of a calcinable and combustible matter.

Sixtly, If it were so, then the water would have a bitumi­nous taste or smell, which we know it hath not ordinarily, it not differing in quality from those waters which are wont to break in the manner of Springs after great rains, of which sort we have many break out year­ly on the Wolds in York-shire, commonly called by the name of Gypsies.

Lastly, its not probable that there are so many fires in the earth, because those that dig in Mines in several Countries, do meet usually with water which molest them, but no fires.

But to proceed, if the perco­lation of the Sea were the cause of Springs, then we should usu­ally have the most plentifull [Page 116] Springs near the Sea, by reason of the nearness to their Foun­tain; when as to the contrary we find, that those Towns w ^ch are scituate neer the Sea, are more destitute of water, then others that are more remote. Again those Springs that are upon the Sea shore should pro­bably sympathize in their growth, or decrease with the Sea, and so at the Spring-Tides should flow more plentifully, and at Neap-Tides more spa­ringly, as those Springs I just now spake of, the Gypsies, are more or less according to the rain, whereas no such thing is observable in the other. Nor is this Spring of which we treat, to wit, the Spaw, which is up­on the level of the Spring-tides, [Page 117]and sometimes overflow by them, in the least wise altered by them, The Spaw not altered by the Tides. as ever I could observe to flow more freely at the Spring-Tides, and slower at the Neap-Tides, when the Sea is at somewhat a further distance; nor yet is its taste altered in the least, or its efficacy in working, (notwithstanding w ^ch I think it hath some Salt in it from the Sea, and is thereby exalted in some qualities.) Whereas it is very observable, notwithstand­ing it breaks out of the ground, within three or four yards of the foot of the cliffe, which is near 40 yards high, & within a quarter of a mile there is another hill, that is more then as high again above the Cliffe, and a descent all the way to the [Page 118]Cliffe, so as the rain water can­not lie long upon the ground: I say nevertheless it is observable that after a great rain the water is altered in its taste, But is al­tered by rain. & lessenened in its operation. Indeed a rainy day or two will not hurt it all.

But to return to the ground of the opinion, which is built upon the Seas sole sufficiency, to afford so great and constant a supply of waters to feed the Springs: I easily grant it to be the best Store-house, and do only dissent about the manner of conveyance, of which I shall have occasion to speak by and by.

And for the other ground, because the Sea is not increased by the multitude of waters that flow into it daily, which it must [Page 119]of necessity be, if they had not by their subterraneal Channels a recourse to their Foun [...]ains: Plato indeed hath a ready an­swer to it, telling of I know not what great Abyss, which he calls Tartarus, and makes it the original Fountain of all waters, into which by Caverns of the earth, he will have the Sea to empty it self of its superfluity. If this Tartarus be Hell he is surely mistaken, for Dives found no water. De Sac. Phil. c. 63. Valesius indeed interprets it to be the same with Moses his Abysse, or else some hidden part of the Sea. But this I pass over as one of the Philosophers dreams, being also confuted by his Scholar A­ristotle, who gives a full answer, lib. 2. Met. c. 4. which may satisfie any man, [Page 120]with whom agrees Freigius in his Hydrographie. An immense quantity thereof, Hydrog. p. 442. they say, is spent in vapours, which by the Sun, and the heavenly bodies are drawn out of it daily, and converted into rain, snow, and hail, as also much is dryed up with the wind, to which Mr. Lydiat consents. Another large quantity is sucked up by the earth, In praelect. Astron. as is evidently seen neer great Rivers, where the adja­cent grounds are so much moi­stened, that neer them there is a more signal fertility, then in places more remote. Ibid. And then again, Aristotle saith, that the Sea is not so much the end of the waters to which they run, and wherein they are spent, as the beginning and fountain of [Page 121]them, from which they flow; and so what was spent in exha­lations is but regained by the descent of showers of rain and snow, the Springs and Rivers paying Tribute according to their receit, and hence it comes to pass that the Sea is neither fuller nor emptier. And besides, Valesius gives another answer, viz. De Sac. Philos. c. 63. The Sea is as much exte­nuated & dissipated under the Zodiack by the exceeding heat, as it is augmented and increa­sed under the Poles with rain and snow. And this may suf­fice to be said, concerning the first opinion of the Original of Springs, to wit, the percolation of the Sea.

Sect. 8.

The second opinion is, That Spring water is generated in the [Page 122] Earth, and that either by trans­mutation of earth into water, or of ayr, The se­cond Ori­ginal. Li [...]. 3 Nat. quaest. c. 7. as others. Of the former opinion was Seneca the Philosopher, who as he was the Author of that fancy, so I think he is alone, for I finde none of his judgement.

That the Elements may be transmuted one into another, especially those that are placed neerest one another, agreeing together more in quality then the rest, is the doctrine of Ari­stotle, Lib 2. de gener. c. 8. and agreeable with rea­son, and very obvious to the senses. I can easily believe, that the thinner parts of earth may be turned into water, as also the grosser parts of water into earth; so the thinner and more subtile parts of water in­to [Page 123]air, and the grosser parts of air into water, and therefore it may be true that Seneca saith, although it is rejected by Mr. Lydiat, de Origin, font. but that the earth which is a dry body, and ac­counted by Philosophers Elemen­tum Siccissimum, should by transmu­tation afford so much water, or the hundred part of what flowes out of Springs, is a thing so voyd of rea­son, as it needs no arguments to disprove it, and is not likely to gain many followers.

I therefore pass on to the other of the transmutation of air into wa­ter, performed in the Caverns of the earth, which by cold converts the air into water; an opinion much more plausible then the other, ha­ving also the authority of Aristotle to defend it, [...] M [...] [...] who will have it made in the earth, as it is in the middle region of the air, when by conden­sation of vapors water is made, an [...] [Page 124]he is followed by Dr. Fulk in his book of Meteors and H. ab Heers.

But this opinion leads also into inextricable difficulties and absurdi­ties. Spadacr. And first, he told us in the end of the tenth Chapter, that so much water runs out of the earth in one year, as if it were kept in a vessell, it would equalize the bulk of the whole earth, (notwithstanding he is sufficiently scourged by Agricola, Cardane, Scaliger, and others for it) and reason tells that more then ten parts of air will not serve for the making but of one part of water, as Scaliger, In subt ex­ere 46. de or font. and M. Lydiat do both ob­serve, (I think twenty would be too little) then it would follow neces­sarily from these premises, that the earth should be almost nothing but empty Caverns of air, when never­theless those that dig mines in all Countries, sometime two or three hundred fathom deep, do find no [Page 125]such thing, but a solid body all a­long.

Secondly, this implyes such an ex­pense of air, as the whole Element of air would not suffice to feed that gulfe. Bodinus saith it would not be sufficient for one day, and therefore he laughs at the Philosopher. Lib. 2. The. at. nat. But certainly it had been long since ex­tinct out of the mess of Elements, if Aristotle had been in the right in this contrversie.

Thirdly, for a continuall supply of so much air, as is requisite to bee converted into water, to supply all the Springs there should bee found in severall parts of the earth, great and constant in draughts and suckti­on of air into the Caverns, with ex­ceeding great celerity and violence, which no man ever did find, nor a­ny Geographer make mention of.

Fourthly, how comes it to passe that any winds break out of the [Page 126]earth, as Aristotle teaches in his book de mundo, which he terms by the names of Apogei and Encolpiae, de mund: c. 6. and and that all the air is not rather turned into water, to supply his constant generation of Spring wa­ter? And how can two such violent motions of the air stand together, especially seeing he tells us else­where, that it is contrary to the na­ture of the wind (which is nothing but Aer moius) to blow contrary ways at once. L. 2. meteor c. 12.

I shall therefore passe over this Originall also as not soundly princi­pled, and proceed to examine the last opinion.

Sect. 9.

The third and last opinion that I meet withall in the controversie a­bout the Originall of Springs and Fountains, is that they are caused by Rain and Snow; of which I find Albertus Magnus, [...] and Georgius A­gricola the most eminent Patrons [Page 127]The sum of what they say is thus.

The Snow and rain falling from the clouds in great abundancy upon the earth, Lib. 2. de ort. & cause. subter. c. 3. do by moistning the su­perficies cause it to bring forth vege­tables, whereas otherwise it would be barren through dryness, The 3. O­riginall. and con­sequently not habitable: The re­maining part (except what sudden­ly runs into Rivers) sinks down by secret passages into the earth with which the superficies doth abound; (which are like unto small sibres of veins, not discernable by the eye, Rain and Snow the true origi­nall of Springs. terminating in the skin in all the parts of our bodies) and in rocky ground it runsthrough the clefts, and by them is conveighed to the sub­terraneall channells more or less deep in the earth, where it is con­cocted by the earth, and moves as blood in the veins, receiving many times a tincture, according to the nature of earth, and the Mineralls, [Page 128]or Metalls by which it passes, help­ing forward also their generati­on.

What a Spring is?This water at length in its passage through the veins of the earth finds vent and runs forth, which place of eruption we call a Spring or Foun­tain.

Whence its ebullitionAnd this springing forth or erup­tion of the water. I conceive to bee made not by any forcible Agitation, compu [...]sion, or violence, that is put upon it ab extra within the earth, or by suction from the Sun and the heavenly bodies, or by heat which which may be in the earth, or by a­ny spirits that are in the water it selfe, but from its own naturall in­clination and tendency towards its proper place assigned to it by the Creator, which as I said in the second Section, is the convex part of the earth, it not resting till it meets with its naturall correspondent the Air. [Page 129]And this I think to be the naturall reason of its ebullition out of the earth, and I find scaliger in his sub­tilities of the same judgement, Exere 100. it freeing nature from a violent force which the working fancies of men would put upon it, who yet cannot agree among themselves.

Subterra­neall lakes contribute nothing.But as for subterraneal lakes that are found in the bottome of great Caverns of the Earth, they are stan­ding waters, oftentimes of poyson­ous quality, as I hinted in the 6th Section, which having room enough and supplyed with air above them, I think they incline not to motion, and do contribute nothing to Springs, nor can any subterraneal heat which Dr. French supposes to be in these Caverns, extract a wholesome water out of them.

And this Rain or Snow water in the Channells, where-ever it finds vent, it continues to flow, so long [Page 130]as the Channells by which such a Spring is fed, have any water to sup­ply it, and that is more or less ac­cording to the wideness or length of the Channells, or otherwise ac­cording to the number that meet together, it not resting till it meets with the air; And therefore it is observable in pipes that convey wa­ter from one vessell to another, the water will flow till all its store bee spent, whether the motion bee up­ward or transverse, till it meet with air, and then it ceases to flow, for if one bore a hole in the pipe, and let in air, the motion is done.

These Channells also are furni­shed according to the quantity of Rain that falls, and the advantages they have of receiving it, by the small and secret passages that come from the superficies of the earth, which concenter in those Chan­nells.

Now this opinion of Rain and Snow water to bee the Originall of Springs, Argumēts to prove. is illustrated with many arguments of demonstration by the Authors before mentioned, and o­thers of this judgement, the princi­pall whereof are these.

First, Because it is found by ex­perience, that fountains and conse­quently rivers, are greater and do abound more with water in Winter, and moyst weather then in Sum­mer.

Secondly, in those years when great Rain do falls in Summer, and great store of Snow in Winter, wee find Springs durable, whereas in droughty seasons when there is but little or no Rain or snow, the Springs dry up. A sure proof where­of we had in England in the years 1654, 55, and 56. when our climate was dryer then ever any storyes mention, so as we had very little [Page 132]Rain in Summer, or Snow in Win­ter, most of our Springs were dryed up, even such as in the memory of the Eldest men living had never wanted water, but were of those sorts Springs which we call fontes peren­nes, or at least were esteemed so; which if they had received their supply of water from the Sea, or from the air in the earth converted into water, they could not have fai­led of water.

A third reason which perswades to this Originall is, because in those Climates and Countries where little Rain falls, few or no Springs and Rivers are seen. As in the deserts Aethiopia, and in most parts of A­frica neer the equinoctial they have little water, and many times in two or three days journey can hardly find enough to quench their thirst and their Camells, as Historians re­late. and so in Egypt where it rains [Page 133]very seldom, but they are supplyed instead of it by the overflowing of Nilus, there are no Springs at all. Whereas in Britain, Germany, and France, and other Northern parts of Europe, there are great plenty of Springs and Rivers, in regard they do abound in the moysture of the air, and great falls of Rain and Snow.

To the first our Carpenter object, Object. Georg. lib. 2. c. 9. that the abounding of Rivers with water in Winter, is from the store of Rain or Snow water, that runs into them from the higher grounds, and not from any great quantity of water that falls into them out of Springs and Fountains.

I deny not but the Rivers are in­stantly heightned in Winter from Rain, Sol. so as on the sudden they will often overflow their banks, but that water is soon spent in the Sea; It is sufficient for defence of the point in [Page 134]hand, if after that water in reason should be spent, they be yet main­tained more plentifully by the Springs, then usually they are in Summer; at which season of the year, though they be filled with a sudden flood of Rain, yet wanting the constant benevolence of the Springs, they suddenly fall as low as they were before.

Another Objection I find started by Seneca, Object. Lib. 3. Nat. Quest. c. 7. as also by M. Carpenter in the place before cited; to wit, that the greatest Rain that can fall never sinks above ten foot into the ground; and Seneca cites his own observation for it in the digging of Vineyards, and he gives this reason for it, because when the earth is once satisfied with showers, it op­poses it self against the overplus by shutting its pores.

I own it thus far, Sol. that into the solid earth the Rain sinks not above ten [Page 135]foot, although learned Cardane al­lows it ten paces or fathomes, his words being non ultra decem passus descendere. De var rev c. 6. But what becomes of that immense quantity of rain, which often continues for many weeks together, nay oft times some months, wherein we have scarce a fair and dry day, besides the infinite quantity of wet and Snow that is falling all Winter long, causing in­undations of water over all the Country round about, not only up­on higher grounds neer unto rivers, into which it may run per declive, but in plains from whence it can have no current at all, can it be sup­posed that ten foot of earth will drink up all this water, which who so shall dig soon after the water is drunk up, shall not find it very moist or muddy, which it would as­suredly be if it had not some secret passage into the Caverns of the [Page 136]earth, much deeper then they speak of? And therefore Cardane in the place before cited, adds, that the earth is sadned with the Rain, so as it lyes above, unless by some empty crevice, or cleft, it sink deep­er into the earth, which is all I con­tend for, and which being granted will be sufficient to quicken and continue the Springs.

And to Seneca's observation be­fore mentioned let me oppose Al­bertus his experience, Lib. 2 met. tract. de orig. slum. who tells us that at the bottome of a solid rock, 120 fathome deep, he saw drops of water distill from it in a rainy sea­son.

Another Obj [...]ction that Seneca makes against the point in hand is this, Object. [...]ib 3. Nat. quest. c. 7. on which he layes much stress; That the great mountains of Rock and Stone which have little or no earth on them, and on that account not capable of receiving much rain, [Page 137]do nevertheless yield great and la­sting Springs, which are never drawn dry.

This makes nothing against, but rather for the point in controverfie. Solut. There are no Rocks but they have their Commissure, joints or clefts: now the Rain and Snow water can run more plentifully into those joints and clefts of the Rocks, and and more speedily, then when it falls upon the solid earth; And in that he faith they are not cover­ed with much earth, they are the less robbed of what falls from the clouds, and so are better supplyed. To this I'le further add, that Rocks have more large and spacious Ca­verns, that are fit receptacles for the water, the solid earth hath. Adde to this that Rocks are usually ma­ny together, covering much ground, ordinarily a whole Country is no­thing but Rocks, and so can receive [Page 138]much wet, and their store by their nakedness of earth hath a fresh sup­ply from every shower that falls. And therefore on all these accounts, as they have advantages of speedy reception of what falls without di­minution, and ca pacities for admis­sion of greater quantities of wet then other soyles have, so they may very well afford more plentiful and durable fountains.

Besides it is observable, that in the solid clay soyles it is very rare to find any eruption of water, because such are sad earth, and have few or no Caverns or Channells in them, but our Springs break out ordinari­ly in Rocky, gravelly ground, espe­cially the best water, and most la­sting Springs, such as we call fontes perennes.

Another Objection that Seneca makes against it is this, Object. Ibid. that in the dryest soyle, where they dig pits two [Page 139]or three hundred foot deep, there is often found great plenty of water, which no man can suppose to have come from the clouds, but he thinks it of that sort which is wont to bee called living water.

From whence then should it come, Solut. from the Sea? perhaps the Sea is as many miles from that water as the superficies of the earth is feet from it, and may much more bee questioned. But we may remember Seneca's judgement concerning the originall of Springs is, that they are generated by transumtation of earth into water; de Origin. font. an assertion so ridiculous, as he is laughed at by M. Lydiat, and never had any as yet to take his part. Perhaps it may come from the transmutation of air into water, for such transmuta­tion I cannot deny, wee see Chur­ches become wet before rain falls from this cause: But its most pro­bable [Page 140]to come from Rain, which may possibly peirce by its crannyes much deeper then he speaks of, as I have shewen already. Our Miners will tell him that in Winter after great inundations of Rain, they are much troubled with water in the bottome of their Mines, finding it frequently distilling through the solid earth upon their heads by the secret capillar veins, (as I may call them) that come from the supersi­cies of the earth, whereas in Sum­mer or dry seasons they find no in­terruption at all. Touching the terme living water which is used by Seneca, I think no more is meant by it, then such as flowes from ever­running fountains, which therefore in English we commonly call quick Springs.

But to preceed, Object. York Spaw. p. 4. Dr. French Ob­jects concerning the increasing of Springs in Winter, that its not uni­versally [Page 141]true, and he instances in St. Mugnus well, concerning which he was informed by the woman that keeps it. Nat. Hist. that it begins to rise about May, and falls in October; as also that of Pliny in Cydenia before Lesbon, that flowes onely at the Spring.

There is no rule so generall but it may admit of an exception; Sol. its enough if it be generally true though not universally so. He in­stances in two only, although sup­poses others: I might without much ado instance two hundred, and suppose very many more, and an induction of so many particulars is accounted by Logicians an Argu­ment of great force. Moreover as for that of St. Mugnus well, he doth not speak upon his own knowledg, if he had I would not have questioned it, for I honour his memory & learn­ing, he onely cites the woman for [Page 142]his Author whom he trusted too far. I have enquired of the Hono­rable Knight and his Lady who own the ground, Sir. T. H. and they never heard it observed by any, that the Well should rise in May or the Summer months, and decrease towards Win­ter. M. R. W. Likewise of another Gentle­man that lives hard by the place, having good advantages to know it, being brought up from his child­hood within a mile of it, and he as­sures me upon his own knowledge it is not so.

If any would know more concer­ning this Well, I refer him to Dr. Dean and Dr. St. Mug­nus well French their Books upon the Spaw at Knaresbrough. It is a quick Spring that runs plenti­fully over, within fourteen miles West of York, of great repute for curing the rickets in children, whom they dip into it naked, and hold them in it a little while; but they [Page 143]must observe to dip five, seven, or nine times, more or less, according to custome, or some think it wil not do, and this they continue for se­verall days together, when they take them out they put them into a warm bed, where they sweat a while. Its also used for Cramps in the joints, and lameness for elder people, who will sometimes stay in it halfe an hour or more at a time, for a few days together, and many think it hath done good in both ca­ses: Whether it partake of any Mineralls or no its doubted. Dr. Dean thinks it doth not, Dr. French thinks it doth, onely because of the effects of it, for it seems not to have any preceptible quality different from our ordinary and best sort of Springs, being exceeding cold in Summer when they use to battle in it, and warm in Winter. But whether these effects proceed from [Page 144]a superstitious conceit of this Saint­ed Well, which raises the imagi­nation of some, or some Minerall quality, or rather (which I most in­cline to) from the excessive c [...]le­ness of the water, which repells the naturall heat from the joints to the inward parts, till coming out of the Wel into the warmer air, or a bed, it recoyles to the joints again with more force, and makes a new fer­mentation in the humours which is furthered by sweat; I say from which of these I wil not determine. If any think fit to make triall in the likecases with any other cold Spring they may perhaps find as much be­nefit, as some have done in another Spring within half a mile of this Ci­ty of York for the Rickets in Chil­dren, from which they report they found some good for that disease.

As for the other of Plinies menti­oning that flows onely at the [Page 145]Spring, I question not the truth of it. But this is to be observed, that in the southern parts of Europe, as also elsewhere, they have but little rain in Summer, yet having many exceeding high mountains, as the Alps and the Pirenaenas, which are elevated near the middle region of the air, these are receptacles of great quantities of Snow, which lyes all Winter, and melts not because of the intense coldness of the air, till the Sun come near to the Equino­ctiall point, which is about the ele­venth of March, and thence it may come to pass, that such Springs as are supplyed from that melted Snow, do begin only to flow at the Spring, which having but scant and narrow receptacles, may soon bee drawn and cease flowing.

And here let me observe as I passe▪ that the greatest Rivers in Europe have their beginning in those [Page 146]hills, and do begin to flow most vi­oleatly at the Spring when the Snow melts, to wit, Danubius o­therwise called Ister the greatest Ri­ve [...] in Germany, as Ausonicus in his E [...]grams relates, which Franciscus Ju [...]ius in his description of Germa­ny seems to equalize with Nilus; Lie. [...]. c. [...]. and Rhodanus and Rhenus two Ri­vers of France, which stretch them­selves from the Alps, the one to the Mediterranean Sea, C [...] G [...]o [...]. M [...]nd. 12. pa [...]. the other to the Germane Ocean, as Cassaneus mentions, and perhaps this Spring of Plinies may come from some such cause.

But Dr. French Objects fur­ther, Object. pag. 4. that notwithstanding that which can bee said, though the Springs which were before dry­ed up in Summer, do break out again after Rain, yet it doth not follow that Rain is the materiall cause of Springs, for (says [Page 147]he) their drying up was not for want of Rain to supply them, but by reason of the dryness of the earth towards its superficies, which at­tracts to it selfe the water of the Springs to satisfie its drought, which it doth again let go, when it hath drunk plentifully of the show­ers from heaven: And he instan­ces in Rivers, which in Summer will many times be dryed up, al­though some fountains at the same time do run plentiful­ly.

Perhaps the Earth may drink up a great part of the water of Rivers as they pass along, Solut. and thence it comes to pass, that near Rivers the earth is more fertile, and in Sum­mer those meadows not so much parched with heat as elsewhere, and thence it is that they flow low, having probably but a few Springs to supply them, in comparison [Page 148]of what they had, many being dryed up by reason of the heat of the weather and want of Rain. And that the superficies of the earth near Springs may drink up some of their moysture, we may well suppose, but that cannot be much, nor the attraction of such force as to draw from far, so as to weaken the current of a Spring considera­bly, much less to dry it up, for as much as the water of the Spring is not diffused abroad as the water of Rivers is, but pent up in a narrow Channell through which it passes.

Again, since it is true as natura­lists tell us, that the heart of the Sun peirces not above ten foot into the earth to dry it, the water that such a little quantity of earth may need, or can draw, will not be in any proportion towards the drying up a Spring, especially seeing it lyes in a narrow channel, and also [Page 149]perhaps rises upright out of the earth like a boyling pot.

And whereas he objects again, that the most part of the Rain that falls on high places runs into plains, and from thence into Rivers, and where it cannot so run, it remains upon the superficies till it be exha­led by the Sun.

I answer, we see a great quantity of water runs into Rivers after great Rains, when they are nigh at hand; but what becomes of all that which falls in a whole Country far from Rivers, and of the infinite quantity of Snow which covered the surface of the ground, and sets all the Country in a flood when it melts, so as a man would think it could not be dryed up in many months, and this where there is no current at all into Rivers? The moderate heat of the Sun in rainy weather, especially [Page 150]in the Winter months, is such as it cannot be thought to exhale the tenth part of it into vapours, and yet in a few days its all gone, and no footsteps of it left save in the roads, whereby the continual beat­ing of the horses, it is so sadned that it cannot sink of a long time.

As for that place of Seneca which he urges, I have answered it alrea­dy in this Section; And for the digging of the Well, where some­times no water can be got two or three hundred foot deep, before we come at Springs: That may be, and yet make nothing against the wa­ters sinking much deeper, since though there be many Channells of water in the earth, yet it is possible to miss them in such a narrow com­pass as a Well, and yet there may be store of water near hand.

Nor can the dust or dirt, which [Page 151]he saith, may be conveyed by the water into the veins or crannyes, by which it should pass down into the earth, hinder it any more, then the excrementitious humors that are in the bowels, do hinder the chyle from passing into the Lactaea, or Me­sentery veins, and so to the Liver; both which may be thereby hin­dered in part; so as they cannot pass so speedily, yet it is not so in all bodies, nor all over the ground, only in some places it lyes above the earth a while, before it can finde passage down.

Another Objection which some make against this opinion of the Original of Springs by Rain and Snow is this, Object. that although all this should be granted, yet they think there doth not so much Rain and Snow fall, as may suffice to supply them with such abundance of wa­ter as they vent.

I would have such to consider what hath been already said con­cerning the immense quantity of wet that falls in Winter, besides the great Spouts of Rain, that ordinari­ly every year at some time or other are falling in Summer, which often sets the whole Country in a Flood, together with other frequent show­ers, and whether there is not a rea­sonable proportion of wet for sup­ply of the Springs, especially while we consider the paucity of great Springs, and the distance that is be­twixt one Spring & another, some­times two or three miles of ground affording but a few Springs, and those perhaps of very smal currents, most Towns being supplied with Well water, of which very little is lost.

Again, it is very observable, that a great quantity of that water which runs out of Springs that are placed [Page 153]on high ground neer hill [...], is in its passage sucked up by the earth, as is also the waters of Rivers, and so is conveyed by secret veins into the subterraneal chanels, and serves to give being to nether Springs that break out in lower grounds. Nor need this assertion seem strange to any, seeing we read of great Rivers that hide their channels in the earth for many miles together sometimes, and break out again, as the Rhine in Germany, cited by Seneca; Lib. 3. Nat. Quest. Erasenus in Arg [...]lica; Padus in the Alps; but more remarkable, Grimston States and Empires. is that of the ri­ver Guadiana in Spain, which runs under the ground for the space of thirteen leagues, & neer to a Town called Villa Horta breaks up again, which gives occasion to that brag of the Spaniards, concerning a bridge in Spain, on which is daily fed ten thousand sheep. Nor doth our own Country want such presidents; the [Page 154]river Rye in York-shire runs under ground a quarter of a mile together and breaks out again neer Helmsley, and I am informed of the like neer Grantham in Lincolnshire. Yea and those great Seas in Asia are thought to have subterraneal passages from one to another; the Caspian into the black Sea, that into the Aegean, and this into the Mediterranean.

Sect. 10.

Having thus weighed and answer­ed the most material exceptions, that are made against this Original by learned men, I cannot but joyn in judgement with Albertus and A­gricola, yet not altogether excluding the other two, especially that of the percolation of the Sea to Springs neer adjoyning; but how such as break out on high Lands, and at great di­stance from the Sea, can be thought to be supplied from thence, or o­therwise then by the showers that fall from heaven, I confess I see not, [Page 155]notwithstanding the Arguments they produce to make it out. And therefore learned Dr. Jordan, not­withstanding hee inclines strongly to the Seas Originall, pag. 19. nat. Baths. as wee have heard already, yet is forced to grant at length, that if any Springs bee higher then the Sea, (and I have proved they art all so) they may then proceed from Rain and Snow.

Nevertheless we must not forget from whence Rain & Snow do natu­rally proceed, & that the Sea is the principal storehouse for the genera­tion of vapours, out of which they are made by condensation, the Earth and the moyst bodies thereon not affording any proportionable quan­tity to the wet that falls from the clouds.

I shall now hasten to a period of this dispute, being only willing to illustrate what hath been said, by a [Page 156]quotation out of learned and labo­borious Dr. Heylin, Cosmog. p. 677. in his Cosmogra­phy the second Edition p. 667. where treating of Cyprus an Island in the Mediterranean Sea, in length two hundred miles, and sixty miles broad, he tells that in the days of Constantine the great, there was an exceeding long drought, so as for thirty six years they had no rain, in so much as all the Springs and tor­rents or Rivers were dryed up, so as the inhabitants were forced to forsake the Island, and seek for new habitations for want of fresh water. Now if the Sea had been the Origi­nall of the Springs, they could not have wanted water, it being an Island and not very great; or if the transmutation of air into water in the Caverns of the Earth, there could have been no defect; since the Caverns were the same; so that its evident the Springs proceeded from [Page 157]the Rain, which failing they were dryed up.

Likewise whosoever shall com­pare the water which flowes out of Springs, with that which immedi­ately falls from the clouds, shall find such a full and perfect agreement betwixt them in all qualities per­ceptible to the senses, as its hard to distinguish the one from the other. Besides that ex [...]er identity of the water of ever flowing Springs and of the Gypsies I mentioned before, which break out in the Wolds in York-shire, and else where, after a great inundation of Rain, which if they proceeded from several causes, must probably differ in their quali­ties and effects.

Lastly the two rarities I mentio­ned in the beginning, that are to be found upon the Castle hill in Scar­brough; to wit, the deep Well that reaches to the bottom of the Rock, [Page 158]which hath no water, & the Spring Well which is within half a yard of the edg of the Rock towards the Sea, which never wants water, do some­what illustrate the point in hand. For the deep Well being so neer the Sea, should probably have water in it, if there were any such percolati­on as is spoken of; or if air were so plentifully transmuted in water, it should not be dry; which yet it is, there being no Channells that emp­ty themselves into it; while the o­ther which is upon the top of the Rock, not many yards deep, and also upon the very edge of the cliffe is supplyed, which doubtless is done by secret Channells within the ground that convey the Rain and showers into it, being placed on a dependant part of the Rock; near unto which there are also Cellars under an old ruinated Chappell, which after a great rain are full of [Page 159]water, but are dryed up in a long drought.

I now proceed to confider of the nature of Spring water, The nature of Spring water De simpl. med. fac. c. 4. which doubtless is the best of all others for general use, eminently excelling in the essentiall parts of water, viz. cold and moysture, as Galen saith. Nevertheless some Springs are bet­ter then others. Hyppocrates prefers such as flow out of Rocksand Hils of gravell or stone, as more clear and white then what coms out of other soyls; as also such Springs as are cold in summer and warm in Win­ter, which is assuredly sound in them if their fountains be deep in the Rock, and this is a sure token whereby wee may distinguish of Well water also. And to this of Hyppocrates I might join the whole suffrage of all Philosophers and Physicians that may have writ upon this Subject. To sum up all in a [Page 160]word, besides what was said in the second Section: The principall to­ken of good and wholesome water is, that it be simple or unmixed, and then it loads not the stomach, and easily passes through the Hypechon­dres, being also soon hot and soon cold.

I find some of the Ancients were wont to weigh their water, and ac­counted that the best which was the lightest, and for this cause it seems it was, that the Persian Kings would drink of no water but of the River Eulaeus an Attick saucer whereof weighed lesse by a Dram then other waters, as Strabo saith. Now Pliny tells that an Attick saucer was a measure of fifteen drams; Lib 15. Geograph. c. ult. Lib. 21. c. ult. so then it was a fifteenth part lighter then the other waters of Persia. And the Parthian Kings on the same account drank of the Rivers Choaspes and Eulaeus as the same Pliny witnesses. [Page 161]And thus Athenaeus commends a Spring neer Corinth, Lib. 31. N. Hist. cap. 3. which he calls Pirenes, for its levity above all the waters of Greece. Lib. 2. dup. c. 2. And there seems to be good reason for it, because its levity is a token of its purity and simplicity, and that it bath no ear­thy parts, and consequently is easier of concoction.

Now among the severall sorts of fountains Hyppocrates commends most those that open towards the East, Aph. 26. Sect 5. as the lightest and fittest for all ages and constitutions; and next to them such as run towards the West, but as for those that open towards the North, he thinks them to be cold and hard of digestion, in that they want the heat of the Sun; and he accounts those the worst that run southerly, because their thin parts are exhaled by the heat, de aquis. and so the water becomes grosse. But we need not fear that in this [Page 162]our Climate, where the Sun is not so hot, nor need those that are health­full, bee so scrupulous concerning their water, if it bee Spring water espe [...]ially, nor whether it runs East, West, North, or South, they being all indifferently good and wholesome.

Now sometimes it happens that Springs break out where there was never any before, The Rea­sons of the brea­king forth of new springs. as in great floods of Rain and Snow, which the sub­terraneall channells can [...]ot receive, but these are but of short continu­ance. Lib. 3. Nat. qu. c. 11. So after Earthquakes as Sene­ca mentions, and so Theophrastus, that in the mountain Corycus after an Earthquake many Springs broke out. And thus after the cutting down of Woods and Groves as Pli­ny tells us in his Nat. Hist. Spadac. p. 1 [...]. And H. ab Heers cites a passage to this pur­pose out of Ambrosius Perez, who writes that in the City Baja, a great [Page 163]Tree being torn up, to make room for the building of a Colledge for the Jesuites, there brake out a Spring of good and wholesome water; a channell of water running under it, was it seems broken up. So also the stopping of the mouth of a Spring in one place, may cause it to break out in another, as wee see by ordinary experience.

Of like nature with Springs, is Well water, onely not so good, and among these such as are open to the air are better then those that are shut, whose water is fetched up by pumping, and the more they are drawn, the better and more whole­some is the water.

Many [...]rati­ties in Spring [...].There are also many rarities to be discovered in Springs, both in their operations on those that drink them, as Dr. French hath observed, and I might multiply out of good Authors: as also in their motions [Page 164]in ebbing and flowing, concerning all which its very hard to give a reason.

There is a fountain in Idumaea called Job, which is every three months of a severall colour; to wit, duskie, red, green, and clear.

Another among the Troglodites, which is three times a day bitter & sweet again.

The Fountain Silva that flowes out of the foot of Mount Sion runs not continually, but on certain days and hours. A like to which we have at Giggleswick near a Market Town called Settle in York-shire, which I mentioned before, that ebbs and flowes many times a day; whether such as these proceed from a spongious earth, which resists it a while, being but a slow Spring, till it rally new force, and break through the obstru­ction; or it bee from a Spirit [Page 165]in the water, whose impulse puts it forward, but being a penurious Spring it settles again, as Saxo Grammaticus thinks, In praefat. Da [...]iae suae. I will not undertake to drtermine having not seen it, till when I will bee content to admire it as a secret.

I read also of a Fountain in Ju­daea, which flowes six dayes and rests on the Sabbath, and is there­fore called fons S [...]bb [...]ticus.

Also of a Fountain in Epyrus, which will quench a lighted torch, and light one whose flame is out.

So among the Garamantes there is a Spring which is so cold in the day time, that one can­not drink of it, and in the night so hot, that it cannot bee touched.

Catal gl [...]r. mund. p. 12 In inst. rei pub. l. 7. tit. 9.These and many more of like nat [...]te I meet withall in good [Page 166]Authors, especially in Cassanaeus and Patricius, where the learned Rea­der may abundantly satisfie his cu­riosity: like wise in D. Fulks book of Meteors, concerning which no rea­son can be given, so as I think it bet­ter silently to admire the power and wisedome of Almighty God in them, then too curiously to pry in­to the causes of these deep myste­ries in nature, which are wrought in the lower parts of the earth; It being the Prophe: D [...]vids expressi­on in his contemplation upon the secret mystery of his forming in the womb, Psal. 139.15.

Sect. 11. Of River Waters

The next sort of water which fal [...]under our consideration, is River water. First therefore concerning the Originall of Rivers, and then of the nature of that sort of water.

In Origi­nal.The Scripture tells us, that all Rivers come from the Sea, Eccles. 17. so as we need not go further to [Page 167]search out their Original; neverthe­less they consisting of two sorts of water, to wit, salt and fresh, we may distinguish, and call the Sea the original of the Salt water, and trace the fresh up to its Springs and Fountains, and determine that the fresh water in Rivers comes from the Springs; and in this we are not without a president in Scripture, Gen. 2.10. Where its said a River went out of Eden, which divided it selfe into four streams; which inti­mates that the Spring from whence those sour Rivers had their Origi­nal was in Eden. Notwithstanding Rivers have also an additional sup­ply from Rain and Snow, which falling from higher places, do carry down with them the water that is in Lakes, Ponds, and Ditches, and fills their Danks.

Hippocrates will have River wa­ter to be altogether unwholsom, Its natu [...]. be­ing [Page 168]made up of so many several sorts of water, and most of them bad, as also mixt with mud, dirt and slime, De aquis & locis. breeding diseases of various kinds, according to the nature of the waters, and therefore it is very ob­servable, that those Cities and Towns, that are forced to drink of the water of Rivers, are more pe­stered with Epidemical sickness then others that have better water, w ^ch Valleriola observed at the City of Arles in France, Lib 2. loc. com. c. 7. which stands in a low and Fenny soyl, having no Springs at all, but the inhabitants are forced to drink the water of Rhone.

Notwithstanding I finde some Rivers commended to have whol­som water, as Eulaeus and Choaspes which I mentioned before, which the Kings of Persia and Parthia pre­ferred before any other sort what­soever. But above all other the [Page 169]water of Nilus is commended by Aetius, Tetrab. 1. c. 165. as having all the properties of the best sort of water. And hence it was that Philadelphus the second King of Egypt, having married his daughter Berenice to Antiochus King of Assyria, caused the water of Ni­lus to be carried to her into Assyria, that she might drink of no other water but that, Lib. 2. dypn. cap. 2. as Athenaeus saith out of Polybius.

Yea the water of Nilus seems to be equalized with wine, if not pre­ferred before it; for Scaliger relates out of Spartianus: that when the Egyptian Army was ready to muti­ny because they had no Wine, De subt. exerc. 48. Pe­scenninae Niger their General appea­sed them with this answer, what do you grumble for wine, and have the River Nilus at hand?

But I must not wade too far into this stream, least I lose my self and my Subject, especially since River [Page 170]water contributes nothing to the Spaw at Scarborough, there being none acer it. Nor have we the wa­ter of Nilus here; our Rivers in Eng­land are compounded of several sorts of waters, and therefore not so wholsom; and yet it is the best or only water that some Towne have for their ordinary use; the wa­ter of Owse being also most com­monly used by this City of York, for whose cause especially I will say something more concerning it.

River water is not so good as Rain or Spring Water, the Sun ha­ving exhaled the thin parts it is be­come more gross, yet it will keep longer then either of the other, and will make stronger Bear then either of them, it being more easi­ly impregnated with the strength of the Malt by reason of its gross parts; but it is not so good for Me­dicines as the other. Now the rea­son [Page 171]why it will keep longer then Rain or Spring water is, because it hath passed already some degrees of fermentation by the heat of the Sun, yet the water of some Rivers will keep longer then other. Bacci­us saith the water of Tiber wil keep an hundred years and not corrupt, Lib. 1. de ag teber. c. 2. the reason is because it is grosse and thick like Oyle, on which account its unwholesome to be drunk.

River water is not to be used af­ter rain till it hath purged it selfe, and doth become clear, and its the best when it is taken out of the mid­dle of the River, which if that can­not bee done, then let it be taken out of some deep place, and not where it is shallow, also above the Cities and Towns, before the filth of the channels run into it. Great care likewise should be taken by the Governours of Cities that no Carrion be cast into Rivers, both because it [Page 172]corrupts the water, and destroyes the fishes; likewise that no cloaths be washed, or boyes bathe, or horses be watered above those places where the water is taken up, especi­ally in times of common contagion and pestilential diseases. In which particulars the Antient Law-makers were exceeding carefull, appoint­ing certain Officers for the preser­ving of their waters, whom they called Hydrophylaces, which were persons of the best quality, and had great immunities conferred on them, and were to see to the put­ting of the Laws in execution con­cerning waters, Cat. glor. muud. par. 12. p. 259. as Cassanaeus relates out of Franciscus de Ripa.

This water being taken up should be kept in large Stone Cesterns, (not leaden which are apt to breed dysenterie fluxes) and those very clean, into which if some gravell stones gathered out of a fresh River [Page 173]were put, it would preserve it lon­ger and cooler. Lib. 2. loc. com. c. 7. Valleriola would have also some little fishes put in to keep in motion; and when it is first put in the Cesterns, it should be poured through a thick woollen cloth, that no sandy or slimy sub­stance may pass through, River wa­ter being very subject to have sedi­ment more then other sorts.

Paulus Zachias a famous Roman Physician tells of a pretty device which was used by Cardinall Fran­cisco Maria de Monte, L. 5. quaest. med. leg. tit, 4. q. 2. one much de­lighted in Chymicall experiments, whereby he puryfied the water of Tyber, and made it wholesome to be drunk. He had two large Cesterns of an Hollands sort of Stone, that was of a porous substance, which would hold fifteen gallons a piece, these were so placed that the water that was put into the one, might in some convenient space of time distil [Page 174]through the stone into the other, under which he had a third, which received what dropped through the second. Neither of the uppermost was perforated at all, but the water passed through the pores of them, in the bottoms of both which there was ever found such sediment; This water so transcolated was so pure and thin, that it would easily passe through the Hypochondres, and the Cardinall told my Author, that he found much benefit in it against the stone, and that it provoked u­rine quickly.

I conceive this to be very ratio­nall and a neat way easie to be ex­perimented, and very proper for such as have weak bodies, and yet are forced to make use of some of the grosser sorts of water, where­by they may so purifie them, as they may become much more wholsome [Page 175]for whose sakes I have thought fit to insert the experiment.

Sect. 12.

Of Mine­rall watersHAving thus as briefly as I could run through the severall sorts of ordinary waters, with thei [...] Ori­ginall causes, natures, and eff [...]cts being taking inwardly, which may serve as Polycletus his rule the better to judge of Minerall waters, this being as Mathematicians say of linea recta index sui & obliqui; I must a­gain resume the subject, which is the principall occasion of this dis­course, viz. The Spaw at Scar­brough, which though it be a quick Spring or Fountain, yet differs in quality and operation from our ordinary springs, in regard it hath imbibed the vertues of certain Mi­neralls through which it passes, as I [Page 176]hinted in the first Section; to wit, Vitriol, Iron, Allome, Nitre, and Salt; Concerning the nature of which Mineralls I shall say some­thing, and then proceed to the na­ture and vertures of the Spaw it selfe.

Agricola, De re me­tall. 2. a learned Germane, and very judicious in the nature of Mineralls and Metalls, reckons up six sorts of simple Minerall waters; to wit, Salt, Nitrous, Aluminous, Atramentarious, Sulphureous, and Bituminous; this which we treat of is mixed or compound, partaking of severall of these together.

Water may imbibe the nature of Mineralls.Now there are severall wayes whereby water may imbibe the na­ture and vertue of a Minerall or Metall.

First, by receiving its vapour, and thus let water stand some while in a brasse skellet, (or some other Me­tall as Iron) and it will taste of brass [Page 177]or Iron, and the sooner if it bee warm, when yet the skellet hath lost nothing of its substance, and that water would all evaporate into Air.

Secondly, when some of their juyce is dissolved in the water, and that is while the Mineralls are but yet young & in fieri, or as Chymists speak in solutis principiis, for at that time their concrete juyces are dissoluble in water, In syntag. p. 221. as Libavius saith.

Thirdly, another way is by Corro­sion of the substance of the Mineralls mentioned by Galen, Lib. 1 de simpl. med. fac. and this is performed by the help of the con­crete juyces we now mentioned dissolved in the water, which cor­rode and extract Mineral substances. And this commonly is done by such waters as have imbibed Vitri­oll at the first, for they do thereby become hungry and corrosive, and [Page 178]so the fitter to take in to them any other Minerall that lyes in their way: an example whereof we see in aqua fortis, which will corrode the substance of another Metall, and convert it into its own nature, the difference only lyes in a magis and minus. The like we see in vegeta­ble acide juyces, as vinegar, as juice of Lemmons, which will cor­rode Iron, and cause a rustinses to grow upon it, which will soon wast its substance, at least make it more easie to dissolve.

Fourthly and lastly, by confusion, changing the substance of the Mi­nerall into water; and this is when the Minerall is of such a nature, and that it is capable of being converted into water, as Salt and Nitre will both so perfectly turn into water (and Allom also although its not so fusible as the other) a little being put to them, as if they were nothing [Page 179]else. And this they wil do the more quickly, if the water hath imbibed a vitrioline juyce, but then take the water and evaporate it away, and the Mineralls will be found remain­ing in the bottome. An example whereof we have in this our Spaw water, three quarts whereof being evaporated over the fire, there will be found in the bottome three Drams of a brown brackish sedi­ment, which being separated as was said in the first Section, two Drams will be found to be Allome, Nitre and Salt, the rest the sub­stance of an Iron Minerall.

But because I spake now of Mi­nerall juyces, while the Mineralls are but young and in fieri, its requi­site I say something concerning their production.

Some have imagined that Mine­ralls and Metalls were created per­fect at the first, Fallop. de met. c. 11. seeing there appears [Page 180]not any seed of them manifestly, as there doth of animalls and vegeta­bles, Lib [...]v. de nat. met. c. 12 and because their substances are not so fluxible but firm and per­manent. But as they are subject to corruption in time, by reason of ma­ny impurities and differing parts in them, besides other accidentall de­cays, so they have need to be re­paired and preserved by generation, as learned Dr. Jordan observes. Nat. [...].

It appears in Genesis that plants were not created perfect at first, but onely in their seminaries: for in the 2. of Gen. 5. Moses gives a reason why plants were not come forth of the earth; to wit, because (as Tremelius translates it) there had as yet neither any rain fallen, nor any dew ascended from the earth, whereby they might be produced: The like we may judge of Minerals, that they were not at first created perfect, but in their Seminaries also [Page 181]for the same reason, moysture being as necessary for the production of Mineralls within the earth, as of vegetables above, as I said in the second Section, Deort. subt. 5. c. 1. l. ib. and to this do con­sent Agricola and Dr. Jordan.

And therefofe it hath been al­ways a received maxime among Philosophers, that Mineralls are generated, and our own daily expe­rience confirms it. Our Salt Peter­men, when they have extracted Salt Peter out of a floor of earth one year, within three or four years af­ter, do find more generated there, and do work it over again. The like is observed of Allome & Cop­peras; And so of Iron, Gaudentius Merula reports of Ilva an Island in the Adriatick Sea, where Iron breeds as fast as they work it, which is confirmed by Agricola and Baccius, and by Virgil who saith of it.

Ilva inexh [...]ustis Chalybum generosa metallis. Lib. 10 A [...]id.

The like we see confirmed in our own Mines both of Iron and Lead, yea, and co [...]l too, at least in some places as I have heard the Miners affirm. Only the difference is, the plants are increased by an extension of the parts generated in all propor­tions, by the ingress of nourishment and the Mineralls are augmented externally upon the superficies, as naturalists say juxta positionem, by superaddition of new matter, con­cocted by the same vertue and spi­rits into the same species.

If any demand of me, which of these ways this water comes to be impregnated with the vertues of these Mineralls; How the Spaw hath imbibed the Mine­ralls. I answer, by them all, according to the nature and ca­pacity of each Minerall. Of Vitriol it partakes by the first way eminent­ly; [Page 183]to wit, by receiving its vapour, and so of Iron, yet so as it hath also something of the concrete juyces and substance of them both. From the vapours of Vitriol it hath its inky smell and acid taste, which af­ter it hath been heated by the fire are gone at least in some degree, for it is not so strong as before. From the concrete juyces of Vitriol, Iron and Allome, I think it hath its co­lour being something of a bright azure or sky colour. And that it wants not the substance of Iron is apparent, in that after it hath been boyled a while, there appears a red­dish sand, which is nothing else but mater ferri, or rubrick, or as Dr. French calls it, a Vitriol of Iron: which is also discoverable by put­ting a little powder of Gall to i [...], as I hinted in the first Section. Lastly Nitre and Salt being apt to dissolv [...] and turn to water, as also Allome, [Page 184]are mixed and confounded with it, as hath been already made out.

I now proceed to speak some­thing concerning the nature of all these Mineralls which I find in the water. Vitriol.

Vitriol is a name used by modern writers, De temp. simp. c. 376 Lib. 5. cap. 74. whereas the Ancients called it Atramentum Sutorium▪ Serapio and Dioscorides reckon two sorts of Vitriol which they call by an Ara­bick name Zeg; to wit, Babylonian which being broken hath white specks in it; And Cyprian which is of the colour of brasse. But our la­ter writers name three sorts; Toll. in Stock. pr. c. 9. to wit, Romane, Vitriol, or Copperas; Cyprian which is that of blew co­lour found in Mines in Germany, partaking of the nature of brasse, which they call Calcanthum; and another sort, which is found in Liguria, somewhat black, by which Iron may be turned in Brasse or [Page 185]copper, called Colcotar. Vadianus in his Commentaries upon Pomponius Mela saith, Lib. 3. this sort was found in Poland, not far from Cracovia, in which he says if Iron be infused, and so melted once and again, it turns it into Cyprian brass. Galen found them all together in a Cave at Cyprus.

Vitriol is eminently hot, Lib. 4. de simpl. med. facult. and of a biting and adustive quality, and yet is also Stiptick and astrictive, and therefore dryes up superfluous hu­midity, and is used in diseases of the eyes, being good in all moyst dis­eases, it stays bleeding, provokes vomit, kills all manner of worms and expells them, but when it is mixed with water it is much more moderate in all its qualities. This is the account given by Galen, Dio­scorides, Serapio, Paulus, Oribasius, Aeetius, Actuarius, Fernelius, and others, as I could cite at large out of their writings.

Iron called by Averrhoes Veffaf, Iron. and Nadid by Serapio, is dry in the third degree: It is also Stiptick dry­ing up the superfluous humidities of the body, somewhat like to Vitriol; many preparations being made of it against the moyst distempers of se­veral parts, and particularly of the belly and womb, and strengthens the seminal vessels. It is also open­ing, and good against the obstructi­ons of the Liver and Spleen, and is commended against the hard swellings of them, and against the Dropsie, also it strengthens a re­laxed and debilitated stomach espe­cially if it arise from Choler: as Galen, Paulus Aegineta, Oribasius, Averrhoes, Ser. de temp. simpl. c 393. and Serapio do witness, to whom especially, I refer the lear­ned Reader.

Dioscorides will have it also to loose the belly, but especially he commends the flower or filings of [Page 187]Brass to that purpose: Now Iron being joyned with Vitriol in this water, partakes of the nature of Brass, as I said before; and is there­fore the more purging and ope [...]ing, from which conjunction I think [...]t is that most of our vitrioline waters in England do loose the belly.

Allom is called by the Arabians Sceb. Allom. Dioscorides [...]eckons up many sorts of it, Galen but three, to wit, [...] and [...], and saith, they are all of gros [...] parts and very Stiptick, abstersive, heating, and something corrosive; i [...] hinders the generation of ulcers in the body, and stays womens fluxes, and is us [...]d in many sorts of Medicines to dry up superfluous humidity, good against fretting Ulcers and Impost­humes of the Gums, Matrix and testicles, as say, Galen, Oribasius Paulus, Aetius, Serapio, Fernelius, and others.

Nitre or Baurach as the Arabians called it, Nitre. is thought by some to be nothing more then efflorescentia terrae, or a certain fatness in the earth, tending to the production of vegetables, Lib. 3. ob­servat. cap. 76.77. Lib. 3. N. H. c. x. and that there are no Mines of it in the earth, of which opinion Bellonius seems to have bin, as also Pliny. But Serapio and Dio­scorides make out better experien­ces, telling of Mines of Nitre in Ar­menia and Arcadia. I think Bello­nius and Pliny meant rather Aphro­nitrum, or the spume of Nitre, then Nitre it self.

I also think this Spaw of ours pro­ceeds from a Nitrous Mineral with­in the earth, as else I see not how it should imbibe so great a quantity as it doth, three quarts affording a­bove a dram of Nitre, when it is evaporated, the rest being Allom and Salt.

Our best writers say there are two [Page 189]sorts of Nitre, Natural and Artifici­al; the Natural tends to a reddish co­lour as saith Serapio: Galen saith, there is also a white sort; but all agree in this, that it is of a drying, digestive, abstersive and resolving quality, cutting gross and clammy humours very strongly, its taste is a mean betwixt salt and sowre, incli­ning to bitter. It is commended for such as have eaten poysonous Mushrums, and cures them present­ly. Being mixed with water Dio­scorides saith, it corrects the sharp­nesse of Urine, and ulceration of the bladder caused by Cantharides.

It is wont also to be mixed in o­ther Medicines when we would at­tenuate and deterge; its added to Cerats and Plaisters in distempers of the Nerves, as the Palsie and Convulsion; and is good to be put into the Bread of such as are trou­bled with the Palsie of the tongue. [Page 190]If any require further satisfaction concerning the vertue of Nitre, let them consult Galen, Dioscorides, P. Aegineta, Oribasius, Aetius, and Se­rapio.

Salt or Melch as the Arabians call it is of two sorts, [...]alt. viz. Fossile such as is digged out of Mines; and Marine such as is made of the Sea-water, or other brackish water, the former is of a more gross, earthy and compact substance then the latter, yet they are both of one nature, of a deter­sive, cleansing, resolving, purging quality, drying up superfluous hu­mours, and preserving from putre­faction, kills all manner of worms, and being heated becomes bitter in taste.

Many other vertues are reckoned up by Galen, Serapio, Dioscorides, and others, to be in Salt, to whom I will rather [...]efer the learned Rea­der, then trouble him with a [Page 191]large recital at present, because there is not much Salt in our Spring, yet some there is, which I think it receives from the Sea, rather then from any salt Mi­neral.

It sufficeth to have said somwhat concerning the nature of these Mi­nerals severally; doubtless there must some qualities arise from their mixture, and that with water, which was not before in any one particu­lar, I shall now therefore hasten to Treat concerning the nature & ef­fects of this most excellent com­pound Mineral water, and then say something concerning preparation to it, and right ordering of the body in drinking, and so con­clude.

Sect. 13.

Of the Spaw.THe Spaw water according to its manifest qualities is cold & moist, and being drunk doth imme­diatly cool and moysten the body, and quench thirst, having those qua­lities which simple water hath, as I have reckoned up at large in the se­cond Section, & may indifferently be used for it. Although having imbi­bed the aforesaid Minerals of Vitriol, Iron, Alom, Nitre, & Salt, it is impreg­nated with the qualities & natures of the said Minerals, & consequent­ly is hot and dry in operation, being found by due and daily use thereof, to correct cold & moist bodies, and cure such diseases as proceed from the excess of cold and moysture.

Its nature.Nor let any startle at this assertion, that I affirm this Spaw water to be cold and moist, and also hot & dry, which are contrary qualities, since it [Page 193]is cold & moist actually in the instan­taneous use of it, but doth heat and dry virtually, & in process of time. Who knows not that wine, though it be cold & moist actually, yet is po­tentially hot & dry, the ordinary use whereof doth heat & dry the body.

Now as all bodies incline to a pree­dominancy of these four qualities, and most diseases consist in the ex­cess of some one or more of them, each quality so exceeding is tem­pered by its contrary in the water, so as nature, which is ever sollicitous for its own preservation, closes with those qualities in the water (as also in all other remedies) which correct its own excess, and arms it self (un­less it be very feeble) against those other qualities that might increase its malady, & hence it is, as D. French well observes, that a distemper will rather be altered by its contrary, then increased by its like.

But because these four first quali­ties are found in this water but in a remiss degree, the heat and dryness being so corrected with cold & moi­sture, and the contrary, that a for­cible operation in respect of any of them cannot be expected from it, I think sitter means may be found out for those intentions: As if a man would only cool and moysten, it may be better done with simple wa­ter, which has no potential heat or dryness in it, and may be found in e­very village; or if he would only heat and dry up humors, it may bet­ter be performed by other Medi­cines that are more eminently hot and dry, then by this cold & moyst water, so as no man need goto Scar­brough for these intentions. I there­fore pass on to the other qualities of this water, in which it doth emi­nently excell, through its participa­tion of the aforesaid Minerals.

An opera­tion.It is of thin parts peircing into the most narrow and secret passages of the body, & is excellent in open­ing obstructions, which are the causes of most diseases. It doth at­tenuate, cut, and dissolve viscous, lentous, & clammy flegm in the sto­mack, bowells, mesentery, reins and bladder, and is also cleansing and deterging, casting them forth both by siege and urine, as it findes them by their position most to encline: For such humours as are in primis viis in the bowells, it purges out by siege, and such as lye in the mesen­tery veins, or venae lacteae, porta, li­ver, reins, or bladder, it cleanses by urine; and both ways so plentiful­ly, as if all the humours went but one way, for it purges so well, as if it would leave nothing to pass by urine, and yet passes so plentifully by the bladder, as if it found no vent by stool; performing these two [Page 196]operations the more plentifully, by reason of the quantity that is to be drunk. And of such working it doth very rarely fail, nor scarce ever, un­less in exceedingly constipated bo­dies, although it be taken without any preparation, as very many do though not so safely, as shall be said in the next Section: and this it doth without any griping at all, casting forth plentifully both it selfe and the excrementitious humours, wch I have often experimented both in my self and others.

An in­ [...]ance.I drank one morning, without taking any preparative at all, three quarts of the water, factâ prius re­trogradatione matutinâ pro solito, having also weighed my self before I drank, that I might discern what alteration it would make in my weight. I drunk a pint every halfe hour, walking about be­twixt one draught and another, [Page 197]till I had taken all the three quarts. After I had taken three pints it be­gan to work, and so continued an evacuation both ways, viz. seven times by siege liberally within eight hours. I also measured the quantity of Urine which I had kept by it self, so as within the space of five hours, I had made a pottle of Urine, with­in less then halfe a gill, as clear as the Spaw Water it selfe, having nei­ther smel nor tast like Urine. I took the Urine and evaporated it all a­way, that I might try whether it had yet remaining in it any of the sub­stance of the Minerals, but it afford­ed nothing but a filthy slimy Sedi­ment of a sandy colour.

Hence it may appear how diure­tick this water is, when two third parts or near hand, should in so short a space passe through those se­cret crannyes of nature by Urine, and yet at the same time work by [Page 198]siege so freely, as I could not have expected from Pil. Coch. dram one. Herein exceeding if I mistake not most of the waters of Europe, (not excepting the German Spaws) some of which passe very well and plentifully by siege, others of them by Urine, but scarce any so well both ways, as I have from the testi­mony of divers persons of quality that have tryed them.

Having thus observed the through operation of the water both ways for that one day, I weighed my self again the next morning as before,

I had lost two pound and a half o [...] my weight: now I think the hu­mours being rarified by the water, some of them were evaporated by insensible transpiration. And al­though I was in my ordinary state of health when I drank this one dose, yet I found after it a better a­gility of body, and alacrity of Spirit [Page 199]then before. I have caused others to make tryall also as I did, and it hath in some fluid bodies wrought more plentifully both ways, then it did with me.

Now this water doth not onely thus throughly cleanse the body by siege and urine, in the parts through which it passeth, but doth also draw from distant parts, as the head, joints, and breast, and helps to the preventing and curing their distempers, moreover to this evacu­ating is also joined a corroberating or strengthening quality, whe [...] it fortifies the parts, and so armse [...] ­ture with new strength to the pre­venting of relapses.

It is found to be good against diseases of the head, as the Apoplexy, Epilepsie, Catalepsie, Vertigo, invete­rate head ach, especially when they proceed from Sympathy with the stomack or lower belly, as many [Page 200]times they do in cacochymick con­stitutions.

It is good against the diseases of the Nerves, as the Convulsion, espe­cially when it proceeds from sharp and bilious humours, which do vellicate the tunicles of the stomack or the beginning of the Nerves; or from worms, as is ordinary in Chil­dren, and others of the younger sort: also against the Palsie, espe­cially if it proceed from the scurvy, which therefore is called Paralysis Scorbutica, and is observed by our modern writers, occur­ring dayly in our practise, although not observed by the Princes in Physick, or the Ancient writers. And of this particularly I have had good experience in serve­rall, Mr. K. especially of late in a Minister who found much benefit in the use of it against the Palsie; although not without other specisicall remedies [Page 201]which I added, to fortifie the Nervs and the animall faculty.

It cleanses the stomack from tough and slimy flegm, sometimes causing vomit, if the stomack be prone thereto, otherwise not, unless one drink too fast before it hath time to go down. It furthers concoction of the meat, by strengthening the dige­stive faculty; and provokes an ap­petite as large experience shews, so as many that have come hither with feeble stomacks, either in craving or concocting meat, have in a very few days found themselves with hungry appetites to crave, and ability to concoct any meat that could be set before them.

It opens the Lungs and cleanses them, being good in all diseases of the breast, that need or can admit purgation. Its good against difficul­ty of breathing, provided it be not accompanied with an Ulcer in the Lungs.

It cures the Asthma, if the pati­ent labour not under the incurable disease of old age, or an exceeding feeble and cold distemper of the bowels. Mr. H.D. I know a Gentleman of Hull, that had been long and sore afflicted with the Asthma, who was perfectly cured with drinking of it in a few days.

Mr is. B.A Gentlewoman of York had been much troubled with Rhumes which had resisted all remedies, found very much benefit by the use of this water, more then all other methods that had been prescri­bed.

It cures the Palpitation of the heart, and helps such as are subject to frequent fainting through Me­lancholick vapours that oppress the vitalls, and such as are troubled with the Night-Mare, or finde an opressive load at their brest.

It is good against indisposition of [Page 203]the body unto motion which wee call Spontanea lassitudo, which some that otherwise are healthfull are troubled withall, that they have no lift to stir, or not without short breathing; so as I have observed some who at first coming, have not been able to walk a quarter of a mile upon the plain ground with­out weariness, have after a few days drinking, been able to walk up to the Castle hill without a rest.

It is singular good in opening e­ven the old and inveterate obstru­ctions of the Liver and Spleen, and consequently prevents a Dropsie or cures it, if it bd taken in time or be­fore the Liver be too much weak­ned. It prevents or cures a Schirrus of these parts, if it be taken in the beginning before it be confirmed, it corroberates the naturall facul­ty of them exceedingly, and streng­thens the Liver in its work of san­guification [Page 204]and corrects its intem­perate heat.

It purifies the blood and cures the Scurvy, even such as have been tainted with it in a high degree, a large triall whereof I had in the late wars, when the Garrison that was kept by Sr Hugh Cholmley on the top of this Castle hill, after a few weeks siege, whither from the air of the Sea, or a bad dyet, or want of ex­ercise, were most of them [...]allen in­to the Scurvy, especially the Coun­try Gentleman who had fled in thi­ther, who were miserably troubled with it, as many of them as drank and the Spaw Water were perfectly and speedily cured, which some of them used without any other means.

It cures the Jaunders both yellow and black, the Leprosie in which case its needful the patient should bathe in it, and cleanses the body from [Page 205]the remainders of the French Pox, and consummates the cure▪

I have known Inveterate Quar­tanes often cured by it, and other sorts of Agues also, which have long resisted medicine, have been con­quered by the use hereof in a short time, but it must be drunk only up­on their days of intermission. It is very good to purge away the reliques of the Small Pox, Agues, and other diseases, and consequent­ly to prevent relapses, which are wont to ensue through a new fer­mentation of their matter.

It is a most Soveraign remedy against Hypo chondriack Melancholly and Windiness, suppressing the va­pours which fly up to the head, and cheering the heart, as I might in­stance at large. I know a reverend Minister who for help in this disease hath travelled through all the Spaws in England, Mr. L. till at length after [Page 206]tryall made of this, hee found so much benefit, that leaving all the rest he comes yearly one hundr [...]d and fifty miles to drink of it. Mr. B. Likewise another Minister in York-Shrie, that was a long time both in his own apprehension and others, in a languishing condition through a Melancholy distemper, being full of fears and fancies, was perfectly cured with it, and is be­come a very healthfull and cheerful man.

It helps the Colick and Iliack pas­sion, if it doth not proceed from a cold distemper of the bowells, but in this caseit should be drunk a little warm, and the patient sh [...]uld also bathe in it.

It helps such as are subject to frequent Fluxes of the belly, and strengthens the bowells, expells all sorts of worms and vermine out of the body, and the matter of which they breed.

It is very good against diseases of the skin, cures the Itch and the Scab, and helps such as are wont to break out into Botches.

It it peculiar against the Inflam­mation and Ʋlcer of the Reins, cor­rects the heat & Sharpness of Ʋrine, dissolveth the Stone in the Kidneys, expelling it in gravell, and the mu­cous matter of which it is bred by Urine; & cleanses all the passages of Urine; It furthers expulsion of the Stone in the Bladder without pain, if it be not too big for the passage, and the tartarous matter of which it is bred, which of times causeth the same symptomes with the stone in the bladder, when yet there is no stone at all; it helpeth the pissing of blood and the Gonorrhaea, and strengthens the seminall vessells.

It is good against many disea▪ of the Womb, opening the obstru­ctions [Page 208]thereof, and cures the Green Sickness in Maids; it cures the overflowings thereof both white and red, and helps those that are subject to abortions, and Fits of the Mother; takes away some causes of barrenness, and strengtheneth the Womb; amends the comple­xions of Women, making them look with a ruddy fresh colour. In some of these distempers it should be used by way of incession, or injection, according to the na­ture of the malady, and the judg­ment and advice of some learned and prudent Physician, and then all i [...]s qualities act more immedi­ately upon the parts, and so it bet­ter corrects hot and sharp hu­mours, and is more cleansing and healing.

It is good for such as are wont to Bleed often, and for the inflamations of the eyes, an [...] sudden flushings in [Page 209]the face, correcting the heat and acrimony of the blood.

It is very beneficiall to be used by such as through obstructions, or abundance of viscous humours have incorrigible bodies that will not be moved by anordinary Dose of Phy­sick; as also for such as have been long detained in a course of Physick, for the cure of some rebellious and Chronicall disease, to consummate the cure.

In a word if any intentions be to be performed in a medicinall way, by allaying or mitigating some hot distemper, opening obstructions, evacuating morbifick humours by Urine or Seige, and strengthening the inward parts of the body, it may be fully and compleatly effe­cted by this water, wherein it ope­rates so safely, as I have very rarely observed any ill Symp­tomes to arise: nor have I scarce [Page 210]named any distemper, of which I have not made particular observa­tion, and most of them many times over, or been certainly informed by credible Authors.

Spaw at Malton.Of like vertue with this is the Spaw at Malton within fourteen miles. North East from York, but it is not so pleasant to the Palate, and also nauseous to the stomack, by reason of a muddy taste it hath, be­ing a very flow Spring, not afford­ing water enough for many drink­ers, although in operation it is as quick and strong as this.

If it be demanded whether Chil­dren, old people, Quest. and women with child may drink of this Spaw water or no.

To the first, I know H. ab Heers saith he saw a sucking child drink of the Germane Spaw with good suc­cess, Solut. and Dr. French allowes that at Knaresbrough to bee given [Page 211]to children of a year old; but I think it to no purpose to trouble them with it so young, Children. since either they wil not drink at al, or not above a spoonfull or two, which can make no operation at all, more then by cooling and moystning, which may be done as wel by other Spring wa­ter. But if a child be of four or five years, & be troubled with the stone or gravell, or some such distemper, and will be perswaded to drink of it, it may be very beneficiall, as I know by experience in several, that at four or five years old have been enticed to drink a quart of it in a morning with good success, and so continued for severall days. Never­theless if a younger child will drink of it, it will do no harm at all.

Old pe­ple.2 As for old people, they are to be judged of according to the temper & constitution of their bodies espe­cially [Page 212]the stomack and bowells, for some are more vigorous then others that are younger by much, and of such there needs no scruple; but if any old people do labour under a very feeble stomack, and a cold di­stemper of the bowells, and that up­on triall made, they find their sto­mack not able to receive it without a manifest dejection of appetite, or some other ill Symptome, they shal do well to refrain: but for such as find no inconvenience they may go on to drink, onely in a lesse quan­tity and somewhat warm. But as for those that labour under the in­curable Symptomes of decrepit old age, whose naturall heat is small, let them not meddle with it, but content themselvs with a good dyet, and a warm bed, and such cor­dialls or Kitchin Physick, as may help to repair their feeble Na­ture.

Women with childTouching women with child, dif­ference is to be made according to the time they are gone with childe, as also according to the constitution of their bodies. For the water be­ing both purgative and diuretick, it seems not to be so safe for them, yet it is well known that many have drunk of it without the least detri­ment, some of whom have been young with child, and others ma­ny moneths gone, even neer the time of their delivery.

I intend not here to enter into the controversie, whither at all, or how far women with child may be purged, Aph. 1. Sect. 4. & Aph. 29. Sect. 5., Hippocrates forbids it in the three first and three last moneths, but allows it in the three middle moneths. And elsewhere he says, Aph. 34. Sect. 5 that if a great Lask happen to a wo­man with child, it puts her in dan­ger of miscarrying, which we find true in our daily experience. Now [Page 214]I conceive purging must hurt them, because of the great agitation of the humors which is caused thereby, and the expulsive faculty of Nature which is then irritated, especially if it be caused by a Medicine that hath an acrimonious or malignant quali­ty: and thus Hippocrates tells of one, that in her second moneth, ha­ving taken a Pill of Elaterium, fell into a violent Flux and died. But this water makes no such agitation of the humours, nor causes griping, nor hath any acrimonious or Malig­nant quality, to give any ground for such fears: Nevertheless because in the first moneths of gravidity Na­tures cords are tender, and so easily broken; and in the last moneths the motions of the childe are more strong, frequent and violent, and like fruit that is neer ripe, which soon f [...]lls if the Tree be but a little shaken; I conceive it safest in the [Page 215]middle months; to wit, in the fourth, fifth, and sixth. And yet in these also regard is to be had of the constitution of the body; for some are of such tender slippery bodies, especially such as have been subject to frequent abortions, that they can endure nothing; notwithstanding some causes of abortion may be cu­red by the Spaw: Herein I advise them to consult some prudent Phy­sician before they drink of it. But certainly in ordinary bodies if there be a redundancy of Gacochymick humours, it is a most proper and safe medicine, and may serve either to cure or prevent distempers that proceed from thence, in any month of their reckoning. And thus not onely the Spaw water, but some o­ther purging remedies we find may safely be administred to them, in such a case if need be in any month, Lib. 4. de morb. mul. c. de reg­gravid. as also saith Dr. Primrose, yet it must [Page 216]be done by a wise hand, although more safely in the middle months for the reasons abovesaid.

Sect. 14.

IT now remains that I give some directions concerning the use of this Spaw water, Drections for the use of the Spaw. and that in refe­rence to a preparation of the body for it, right management during the time of drinking it, and what may bee requisite to bee done after it.

I know many go to Spaws not for necessity but pleasure, to with­draw themselves a while from their serious imployments, and solace with their friends; such are but whets not lets to business, Such as [...]in [...]th [...]ed no [...]parati­on. and like the whetting of a tool, which sharp­ens it, and makes it cut the better. If such do drink without any pre­paration, [Page 217]it matters not, onely let them not drink too much at the first, till it hath found passage, which perhaps it may do in an or­dinary body within three or four hours, it being a sure working wa­ter. I have often drunk my self not for need but company, and [...]r took preparatory, and yet never failed of working the first day, both by seige and urine, a touch whereof I have given in the foregoing Se­ction.

It may do good even to those that find no need, in regard there may be some latent obstructions in the body, or some lurking humours that may breed distempers after­wards, upon the accesse of some procatarctick or externall cause, which being taken away by this wa­ter may prevent a disease. And it is very ordinary in corpulent bodies especially to have such humours [Page 218]and obstructions, for whom this water is very proper, although they find no sensible need at all, for as much as such as are near to a disease or sickness, Sect. 1. Aph. 3. as Hippocrates saith, and do need purgation.

But as for such as find some decay of their health, by reason of some distemper hanging on them, there may be need of preparation, and that with reference to the nature of the malady, whether simple or com­plicated, the parts principally affe­cted, the age and constitution of the Patient, the time of the disease whether in its growth, height, or declination, and the time of the year, The fickly must take advice. all which are considerable. My advice is that no man go to the Spaw in such a case, but that he first know what be goes for, by a right understanding of his condition, and a due comparing the disease and the remedy together, that he may have [Page 219]some grounds to hope for good, and so drink cheerfully and not doubtingly, for questionless it is not good for all things; some dis­eases, as also some bodies not ad­mitting of such evacuation, as they must expect that drink of this wa­ter.

The best is therefore to advise with some learned Physician, who understanding the nature of the malady and of the water, will bee able throughly to instruct him, whether it be a proper remedy or no for his condition. For though the water will not probably hurt a­ny man that is in perfect health, yet it may do harm to such as are sickly, if it be not used aright. And its hard, nay almost imp [...]ssible for me, to lay down rules that may sute e­very mans particular case, there be­ing as great variety & difference a­mong them, almost as there are men.

Amongst these some perhaps will need no preparation at all, before they drink of the Spaw; to wit, such whose bodies are fluid, or humours not many, the malady lying perhaps in intemperie: Or at least some gentle eccoproticks may serve the turn, being given the night before the Patient begin to drink. Others whose obstructions are rebellious, and humours tenacious, or nature dul and slow may need some course of Physick, or at the least some strong cattarticks to make way for the water, for want of a right un­derstanding whereof, some have got more harm then good, and have bought repentance at too dear a rate; especially such whose bodies have been weak, and tender for whom purging was not [...]a fit re­medy.

Again, whereas I commend this water in severall cases, as in diseases [Page 221]of the head, brest, or lower belly, Other me­dicines needfull. I mean not as if it were to bee used alone, and nothing else; It may be requisite many times to furnish the Patient, with some spe­cisick remedies, that relate more peculiarly to the partaffected, with reference it may be to some compli­cation of maladies, which I cannot so perfectly discribe, without ma­king this swell into a voluminous bulk, which I intend not.

Let blood.In some cases also it may bee fit to let blood, either before or after some few days drinking, especially in plethorical bodies, or hot distem­pers, without which many times obstructions will not yield to reme­dies. All these cannot bee so well predetermined, but are best judged of by view and conference with the party.

It wil be sufficient to the wise, that I have said so much of the nature [Page 222]and operation of this medicinall water, as that Physicians that never saw nor heard of it before, may be able well to judge of it, and give good advice to such as consult them with reference thereto.

The due manner of drinking.These things being premised, let such as drink of the water, bergin with it in the morning, by six of the Clock or seven at the furthest, ta­king two glasses of halfe a pint a piece, intermitting a little space of time betwixt one and the other; after which let the Patient walk a­bout upon the sands halfe an hour, by degrees (or otherwise ride on horseback, or in a Coach) till he finds his stomack is a little emptier, the water being passed down into the bowells, then let him drink two glasses more and so walk again, which will help to warm the water in the stomack, and further both its concoction and de­scent; or let him use some gentle [Page 223]exercise, so as he do not provoke sweat, because that throws the wa­ter into the habit of the body, and hinders its passage through the bowells. And then after he finds his stomack capable of receiving more, let him drink other two glasses as before, not exceeding a pottle or five pints the first day in ordinary bodies, nor yet so much in weak bodies, unless they shall find it to passe freely, as usually it begins to do within two or three hours, and then such as have strong bodies, & capaci­ous stomacks, may go a littlefurther.

Not good to take too fast.I cannot approve of taking the waters too fast, least the coldness thereof enfeeble the naturall heat of the stomack, and provoke vomit, which otherwise it is not apt to do, unless the stomack be prone there­to, or full of flegmatick humours; and then though one do vomit, it doth no harm at all but good [Page 224]in cleansing the stomack.

The next day the Patient may go higher to two or three pints more, he having found a free pas­sage the first day both by siege and urine, so as he finds no distention in the hypochondres. Onely it will be needfull to have some stomachicall Lozenges, or powder to correct the win [...]iness of the water, and pre­serve the naturall heat of the sto­mack, or at least some Caraway Comfirs, which he may take some quantity of, betwixt every two glasses.

Have done by 9. or 10I would also have every one to take his full dose of water, by nine or ten of the Clock at furthest, that it may have time to pass down be­fore dinner, least if the meat mix with the water, it do float in the stomack, and be washed down into the bowells unconcocted. Now its a token that the water hath passed [Page 225]through when the urine, which was pale and clear as the Spaw water it self, begins to look with a higher colour, which will usually be with­in 2 or 3 hours at most after the last dose: at least it will have done its work in the stomack, so as the whole company may go to dinner by twelve of the Clock: But if any have such feeble stomacks that they cannot fast so long, they may take a messe of warm broth which is ever ready in the Innes.

Feeble stomacks.And if any have such feeble bo­dies that they cannot walk to the Spaw, being about a quarter of a mile from the Town, such may drink it in their Chambers. And those whose stomacks are not able to take it cold, may air it a little, ob­serving the directions already laid down.

It is good to eat somewhat spa­ringly at dinner, and not too freely [Page 226]at supper: also let the meat bee of easie gidestion, and not too many dishes, which are apt to breed an heterogeneous juyce, not so fit for nourishment, and also makes nature toyle too much to concoct them.

Salt meat not so good.I cannot approve of salt meats either beef or fish, although I dis­commend not that which is a lit­tle powdered, especially for such as have strong stomacks & are health­full, who need not be criticall. But as for such as are sickly they must be more wary, especially such whose stomacks are feeble in the conco­ctive faculty, since they are like here to fal into large temptation of great varieties of Sea-fish new and very well dressed, Va [...]iety to be avoy­ded. as Tucbut, Codde, Con­ger, Soles, Plaice, Whiting, Skate, Herring, Macke [...]ill, Lobster, Crab, &c. which are brought in by the Fisher men two or three times a week, only let such drink a glasse or [Page 227]two of Sack or Clarret to further concoction, w ^ch I cannot but com­mend to all such as drink of these waters, to preserve the naturall heat of the Stomack; unless it be those that labour under a hot distemper of the Liver, for whom dry medi­cines in form of an Electuary or Lo­zenges are more proper, which do moderately warm the stomack, and not at all inflame the Liver.

Sallets not good.I altogether disallow of Sallets of cold herbs, in regard they are hard of digestion, and are apt to float in the stomack with the water, and passe down unconcocted, and breed many diseases. Rasis saith, that a long use of water after the eating of Sallets and pot herbs, Cap. 70. l. ult. for such as are not accustomed to it, breeds the Scab, Itch, Morphew, Erisipelas, and other diseases of the Skin.

Neither can I like of Sūme fruits to be eaten after dinner, as Cherries, Nor sum­mer fruit. [Page 228]Plums, Rasberries, Apples, Pears, &c. they are best to be eaten after compleat concoction, or an hour or two before Supper, & yet the more sparingly the better.

Not good to drink in the after­noon.Nor do I approve of drinking at all of the Spaw in the afternoon, both because it usually works sufficiently with what was drunk in the morn­ing, moving the body even all the day: as also because it doth precipi­tate the meat out of the stomach too soon, before compleat concoction be made, & wil not be cast off the stomack before supper; as also di­sturb the Patient in the night, or fly into the habit of the body, & breed the Gout or som other moist disease of the joints: on which account I cannot allow it to be drunk at bed time; Pag. 104. although Dr. French com­mends a glass of the Spaw at Knares­brough to be taken then to close the stomack, and suppress fumes; which [Page 229]I think are rather raised by it, I would have the afternoon spent ei­ther in some plea­sant dis­course, or walking a­bout or ri­ding, or some in­nocent re­creation, and sleep to be a­voyded. since through sleep it must of necessity lie the longer in the stomack, and ga­thering heat send up vapours, which will oppress the brain.

If at any time it shall so happen, that the water doth not find a free passage, so as it causes distention & pain in the belly, d [...]fficulty of brea­thing, or gidiness in the head, it may be helped by a carminative clyster made of the Spaw water, in which may be decocted or infused some Hydragogue, or some Species may be dissolved in it, which we use for purging of watery humours, accor­ding as the greatness and urgency of the Symptome, or the strength of the patient shall admit. Or if some Physician bee present, he may administer some Pills or o­ther purging medicine, that may answer the indication. How long it is fit to drink.

As for the time how long it may [Page 230]be convenient to drink, that must be suted according to the greatness of the malady, and the strength of the Patient. Such as have cacochy­mick bodies, which are full of bad humours; or melancholick, or o­thers whose obstructions are great, and humours tenacious, may stay longer then others that have thin bodies, and which are easily moved. I have somtimes drunk of it not for necessiry but company, or to make some little evacuation from flegma­tick humours, being of an athle­tick constitution, when within three days I found so great an agili­ty and cheerfulness of body and mind more then I had before, as I have wondred at it, that if I had stayed a fortnight, I could not have expected more benefit.

I know the Germane Spaws are wont to be drunk for many weeks, [Page 231]yea moneths together. Learned Dr. Heers in his Spadacrene, tells of one Ludovicus Hager [...], Cap. 8. They stay long at the Germane Spaw. who for the stone in the bladder drank of the Spaw every morning three hundred and fifty ounces, which is more then three gallons for above ten weeks together, and found much benefit in it, it carrying away the mucous matter with which the stone was inveloped, and wasted the stone in­to gravel. Ibid. Also of an old man of Antwerp, that had been long trou­bled with an ulcer in his kidneys, for which he had frequented the Spaw three years, and drank abun­dantly of it six moneths together each year, and found a Cure. And Frambesarius, who was Physician to the French King, thinks the more any one drinks of the Spaw the better, if it doth but pass away freely: And in my own observati­on, I have seen more inconve nien­ces [Page 232]in drinking sparingly (for whom it was fit) then in plentifull drink­ing.

The Ger­man work nor so well as this.But I cannot approve of so long a stay at this water of Scarbrough for any one, in regard I think it con­stantly passes through both by seige and urine more freely then the Ger­man Spaws, which I perceive by Dr. Heers own confession, in some bodies provokes not a stool once in eight dayes, even in those that before were wont to retrograde once or twice a day ordinarily, with­out taking any thing to stimulate nature: And therefore although I can agree with Frambesarius, that a greater quantity may be drunk of it, because it passes so freely, yet I think it not needfull to stay so long, it perfecting its operation in a less time. Besides the danger there may be in some bodies especially, of cooling and moistening too much, [Page 233]and of causing a wan and pale co­lour over the whole body.

Good to intermit sometimes.I think it much better if a disease be rebellious, that the Patient after a continuance at the Spaw a moneth or five weeks, do leave off the wa­ters a while, and return to his ordi­nary Diet and state of living, and then after such respite given to na­ture, apply himself to the waters again.

A few days may suffice some.Nor can I here define, how long it may be needfull for every parti­cular person to stay at the waters; four or five days may be sufficient for such as have thin bodies, and whose humors do move easily, that have no great distemper, but per­haps a spontaneous lassitude or weariness; whereas others who re­pair to them for the cure of some malady already begun, or feared, or whose obstructions are great, and humours rebellious, or such whose [Page 234]distempers lie not in the direct pas­sages of the water, but in some re­mote part must stay three or four weeks or more.

When fit to leave of.If any man finds, that after be­nefit once had by the waters, he be­gins to decline again in his health, as that his appetite or concoction decay, or the waters pass not so well as formerly, but cause distention either in the belly or the veins, and so bring on a difficulty of breathing, or pain in the head, or the like; it is then time to desist, and proceed no further, or at least to take the ad­vice of some Physician, who may remove the obstruction.

When the b [...]st season to drink.As touching the season of the year, when it may be most commo­dious to drink of the Spaw: The Summer months are the best, when the weather is warm and the sea­son dry, to wit, from the middle of May to the middle of September, it [Page 235]being usually the dryest season, and that for several reasons.

Summer the fittest Season.First, because in Summer the wa­ter is ordinarily more strong of the Minerals, then at other Seasons, when plenty of wet falls, for in dry weather there is no mixture of new moysture, but the Water comes im­mediatley from the Minerall fully and strongly impregnated, whereas it is very observable that after a great rain, the water is weaker, not­withstanding it lyes so deep within the earth.

The Spaw strongest in Winter.I confess the water is strongest, of the Minerals in Winter after a long and durable Frost, which ha­ving a long time together shut the pores of the earth, so as no moisture could descend, and the heat thereby increased in the subterraneal Chan­nels, and consequently a better con­coction wrought, must upon that account be strouger both in tast and [Page 236]operation, And may be taken then. of which I have had fre­quent experience. I advised it this last Winter in January to a Lady of good quality, Lady M. to cleanse her after a recovery of the small Pox, she ha­ving an incorrigible body for Phy­sick, so as a strong dose enough for any man would scarce move her at all, and the water wrought effectu­ally, she drinking about a gallon e­very day. The like I experienced two years ago in a Gentlewoman of York for the stone, Mr is B. who had by my advice drunk of it in the Summer preceding, and still found it at Christmas to work as well as it did in Summer, and with desired suc­cess.

The Germane Spaws are wont al­so to be drunk in Winter frequētly, some choosing that season rather then any other, because of the strength of the water. And hence it was that the Duke of Mantua gave [Page 237]it in charge to Ryetitus and H. ab Heers, two Germane Physicians that lived near the Spaw, to send him every Christmas Eve two hun­dred flagons of Spaw water, taken out fresh after a long frost, which they constantly did observe, finding the water at that time stronger, then at any time in the hottest Summer. It was the last Winter also during the frost, that I made the experi­ments I mentioned in the first Se­ction, when I found very near three Drams of Mineralls in three quarts, settling in the bottome of the ves­sell, besides what spirits might be supposed to have evaporated, the operations also being performed at my house at York, which is thirty miles from the Fountain.

Another reason why I think it best to be drunk in Summer is, be­cause at that season the inward pas­sages of our bodies are more open [Page 238]and pervious then in Winter, so as water may passe more freely.

And lastly, because one may drink more liberally in Summer, our bo­dies being more dry, and conse­quently wee more thirsty then in Winter; besides it is more pleasant travelling and residing at Scar­brongh in Summer then in Win­ter.

I know the grand Objection which wee meet with too fre­quently in our other practise also, Object. concerning the Dog-days, that they are not so fit a time for Physick, ta­king its rise from an Aphorism of Hippocrates, Aph. 5. Sect. 4. [...], thereby forbid­ding purging of the body, as they say, so as neither the preparatives nor the water it self can be safely taken.

This hath been found a killing Objection to many in England, Solut. Of the Dogdays. [Page 239]who falling sick of accute Fevers, which at this season of the year, are more frequent then at other times, are wont to defer the looking for help (a fault too common at all seasons) because of the Dog days, till that which at the beginning might easily have been cured, by delay doth many times become incurable. Sure I am Hippocrates never said or thought that the Dog days are unfit time for Physick, Hippocra­tes ex­plained. nor did Galen in his Comment understand him in that sense; He onely says, purgation are difficult about that time of the year, that is, they cause ill Symp­tomes, as Fevers, Gripings, dis­solution of the Spirits, which are already enfeebled by the exces­sive heat of the weather, im­puting it not to the influence of that Star, but to the heat that is wont to happen at that time, [Page 240]the heat also not arising in the least respect from the nature of the Star, but from the Sun it self, which is now again running over the same degrees of the Ecliptick in Leo, that it had done before in Taurus, in July and August, which it did in Aprill and May.

It cannot be from an extraordi­nary malignant influence that is in the Dog-star more then others, Dog star has no ma­lignant in­fluence. it being agreed on all hands by those that are versed in Astrology, that there are many other constel­lations, and parts of heaven, which are more full of malignity then it is; as Corscorpionis, which arises with the Sun in the later end of No­vember, being also within a few de­grees of the body of the Sun. So Caput Medusae or Argol, neer unto which the Sun pasles in the latter end of of Aprill. And [Page 241]the Dragons Taile and imaginary point of heaven full of enmity, by which the Sun transits once a year, besides the monthly conjunction of the Moon with them all: I say Hipocrates cannot be thought to in­tend the Malignant influence of the Dog. Star to hinder the working of Physick, while he that knew the rest as well as this, never mentions them at all, which if they were ob­served would imply the unfitnesse of every season, and consequently very few days in the year would be proper for Physick.

It was indeed the heat of the weather which hee respected, which happens with us about the Cosmicall rising of the Dog Star with the Sun, to wit, Phyfick may be u­sed in the Dog days. towards the later end of July. But neither is the heat so intense in this our climate, as that for it we should abstain from using remedies when there is need, [Page 242]our July and August not being so hot as April and May are in the Island of Coos, (which is called in Maps Lau­go, and by its owners Turks Stance­ra, not far from Rhodes) where Hippocrates lived. Now although nothing is more necessary to be ob­served by Physicians then the dispo­sition, rising and setting of eminent Stars, the bodies and stomacks of men receiving mutation accor­ding to their motions, to which re­spect is heedfully to be had in giving of Physick, De aerc in principio. as saith Hippocrates else where; yet there is not so much regard to be had, as that either this Star or the heat should make us wholly abstain, when a disease re­quires it. Learned Physicians know­ing well enough how to muz­zle that Dog, and temper the heat with medicines sutable, we having purging remedies as fit for hot weather as for cold and [Page 243]temperate, such as if Hippocrates had known, I verily think hee had never mentioned that Aphorisme; his purging medicines being exceed­ing hot, violent, and of a malignant and coroding nature, which wee have very rarely any occasion to use (and then every better corrected) and do wholly lay aside in the heat of Summer.

Neither is Hippocrates in that A­phorism laying down rules for gi­ving of Physick, but only reporting his observation concerning the māner of working of medicines, w ^ch he says, is with some difficulty and bad Symptomes, & well might it be so w ^th his medicines in that Climate; but what is that to us, while our own observations are, that ours do ope­rate without any difficulty; And whosoever shal observe the operati­ons of medicines in the hand of any able Physician at this time of the Withgood success. [Page 244]year, shall acknowledge them as safe and successfull, as that which he gives at any other season. And more particularly this is found true in Mineral waters, such as I am now treating of, which are (as I said) the best in hot weather, both in regard of their more eminent participati­on of the strength of the Minerals; as also because of our bodies, which are more open and free for their passage; and we can also drink more plentifully in the Sum­mer moneths, which is necessari­ly to be done by such as go to the Spaws. It any require further satisfaction concerning this point of the Dog-dayes, I referre him to Dr Primerose his Book of Popular Errors: Lib. 4. c. 11 as also to Doctor Browns elaborate and learned Tractate concerning Vulgar Errours, Lib. 4. e. 13 where he may be abundantly convin­ced.

Nevertheless, if any mans con­dition require his drinking in Win­ter, Directions for such as drink in, winter. let the water be a little ayred, that the extremity of the cold may be taken off, and let a good fire be made to warm the Chamber, least it happen to him, as Fallopius found in himself andothers, by drinking of the German Spaws in winter ex­cessively cold, who felt some para­lytick and convulsive motions af­ter it.

It any enquire of me, whether this Spaw-water will endure to be carried into the Country at di­stance, Quest. and keep it vertue.

I answer, Puriù ex ipso fonte bi­buntur aquae. Answ. It is the best when it is drunk at the Fountain, for I think some of its Spirits do evaporate be­ing carried far, it seeming to have a purer azure colour, and a more acid taste also at the Fountain; yet it may be carried many miles with­out [Page 246]out any sensible decay of its strength and operation, being con­stantly brought by the Fishermen in Caggs, It hath al­so been car­ryed to London, and was found good as far as York, and Hull, which is thirty miles, yea often ma­ny miles further. It hath also been carried to London, and was found good: I have drunk of it after it had been ten days in the Cagge, and have always found it to work very well; and I think if it were filled at the Fountain into Bottles, and well stopped, it would keep its vertue and sweetness much longer, being set in Sand or Earth in a cold Cel­lar, and might be carried perhaps as far as the German.

Nevertheless, I think it much better to drink it at Scarbrough, for those that are able of body to tra­vel thither, and in purse; especial­ly for Students, who being here withdrawn from their Books, and all occasions of Study (then which [Page 247]nothing is more prejudicial to such as drink waters, or pursue any o­ther course of Physick) may enjoy the society of their acquaintance, and lead a more chearfull & active life, which will help to refresh their spirits, and promote the more spee­dy passage of the water. But as for such as through feebleness of body or estate, are not able to travel, It may be carried a­broad. they may get it brought to them into the Country, having been incou­raged to the use of it by some able Physician, and they need not doubt its operation, it being impregna­ted not only with the spirits of the Minerals, which being carried far are subject to evaporation, but with the substance of them, or concrete juyce, which will continue as long as the Water it self remaines sweet.

Compared with the Germane.And this seems to be of like nature with the principal Spaw, in [Page 248] Germany, called by the name of Powhont, which is wont to be carri­ed into several Countries, and was brought into England to Count Bel­lemont, when he was sent Embassa­dor from France to King James, and was found as good as at the Fountain, which might well be supposed to be done in less then ten days. And they both arise out of the bottom of a great Rock, having imbibed almost the very same Minerals, on­ly I think this has no lead, and I suppose is not the worse for it, ha­ving also more strength of the Mi­nerals then the Powhont: For when Doctor Paddy our Countrymen, and Doctor Heers distilled it, they found nothing but Rubrich, Ocher and a little Vitriol, as Doctor Heers himself relates, whereas three quarts of this affords, when the Rubrick is separated from it, well nigh two drams of other Minerals.

The other which they call Sau­venir partakes much of the spirits of the Minerals, but hath very little of their juyce or substance, so as it is good at the Fountain, but looses its spirits and vertue being carried abroad, in as much as Frambesarius after two days journey found it like common water, whereas that of Powhont was strong and quick.

There are two other Spaws in Germany not long since discovered, viz. Geronster and Tonnelet, but they are short of the other in vertue: the former causing vomit often, and dizzyness in the head, as if a man were drunk; and the other muddy, and slimy, and nauseous to the Pa­late, yet they do each of them al­so purge the belly. These do the inhabitants of the Towns neer ad­joining make use of inwardly, both for the preparing of their meat and drink, as ordinary water, especial­ly [Page 250]the two first, and its observed by the German Writers , that in no place of Germany are there to be found older, and more healthfull people, then thereabouts.

It is observable that the Stones by which this water passes at the Foun­tains (as also in all other Spaws I read of) are of a reddish colour; as also it turns the execrements of such as drink of it into a sad green or blackish colour, both which Doctor Heers thinks to proceed from Ru­brick or mater ferri, because all chalybeat Medicines after what manner soever they be taken in­wardly do the like. Cap. 8. p. 79. But Doctor French, though he grants Iron may and doth cause a black tincture, yet he seems rather to impute it to the Vitrioll. For better satisfaction in this scruple both to my self and o­thers, I made a separation of the Rubrick from the test of the Mine­rals [Page 251]with gall, and drank the clear water, which though I find it purges not a whit the less, yet the excreti­ons were not changed at all, which is an experiment observed by nei­ther of them, so as it plainly appears that change of color proceeds from the Rubrick or Iron. And I also think it is the colour which receives the Tincture, which if it be awant­ing the excrements are not tinged at all: as in those that have the Jaunders, whose Choler by reason of obstructions doth not passe into the guts, they do find their excre­ments black, till after they have drunk a day or two, the obstructi­ons begin to open, and the choler is sent down into the bowells. So al­so they that tarry long at the waters observe their excrements that be­fore were blackish, to become more pale, which arises from the greatest part of the choler which hath been [Page 252]purged away, except what is daily generated, which being but little cannot give so deep a tincture.

Leave off by degreesMy advice to them that drink long of it is, that they leave by de­grees as they began, taking a lesse quantity every day then other for two or three days, and to purge wa­try humours, as soon as they have done, either at Scarbrough, or when they come at home,

It any after the use there of, find a watry moysture upon his stomack more then ordinary, Wine and Water cor­rect each other. or some other moyst distemper, which happens to those whose stomacks and conce­ctive faculty are feeble, it may easi­ly be corrected by drinking a glasse or two of Wine more then ordina­ry at meals, for some little while, Wine and water fitly amending the distempers that proceed from a more then usual drinking of each o­ther, as Herilacus observes well, De vinor qd effect 2. so [Page 253]as he that is inflamed with Wine may be cooled with water, and all cold distempers that come by the immoderate use of water, may bee amended with Wine.

And whereas perhaps there may be some that think it an empiricall thing, and to exceed belief, that this Spaw water should cure so ma­ny maladies, as I have reckoned up, and severall of them of contrary qualities, I refer such to the wri­tings of Fallowpius, Solenander, Gerin­gus, Ryetius, Bezansonius, H. ab Heers, who have treated of the Wa­ters of Germany, and else where; as also to several of our own Coun­try men, as Dr. Dean, Mr. Stanhope, Dr. Fiend, and many others, who have writ of severall Spaws in Eng­land; moreover let them inform themselves well, concernig the cures that have been done by the waters at Epsam, Tunbridge, [Page 254]Barnet, Bristol, Knaresbrough, &c. This of ours coming not short of (if not much exceeding) the best of them all either Germane or English.