Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	life_n	see_v	write_v	5,407	5	5.3704	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43609	Mysterium sigillorum, herbarum & lapidum containing a compleat cure of all sicknesses and diseases of mind and body by means of the influences of the seven planets, adorned with copper plates & figures, shewing the foundation of this astronomical and coelestial science / written originally in Saxon, by ... Israel Hibner ... ; now translated into English for B. Clayton ...	Hiebner, Israel.; Clayton, B. (Billidge)	1698 (1698)	Wing H1795; ESTC R21740	71,637	260

and show'd the Use of them to Mankind and as Pliny reports They esteem'd it a more Princely Act than if they had gain'd a Battle over their Enemies Gentius King of Illyria first found out Gentian the Use and Vertue of which he show'd to Mankind which pleased him far better than if he had subdued an Hundred Cities and Countries Clymenes and Lysimachia were also discovered by Kings Scordium that Noble Herb as also Euphorbium were first discovered by Mithridates King of Pontus Artemisia was so call'd from a Queen of that Name Wife to Mausolus Servilius Democritus named Hypericon as also Avicena Rhasis Haly Messias Abraham have Named others who have had an equal Esteem with Kings and Potentates CHAP. VI. How in process of Time the Knowledge of Herbs was Revealed to Nations and Common People BY the Superiors is this Art delivered to the Meaner sort who have also discovered these wonderful Creatures of God First the Scythians discovered the Vertue of the Root Scythica or Liquorice growing in Scocia After them the Thracians found out the Virtue of Ichneumon which is powerful in stopping Blood not only in a Bursten Artery but also in Members defected The Vetones in Spain first discovered the Herb Betonica which retains its Name from that People to this very day And the Illyrians discovered the Iris Illyrica Of all which you may read Pliny Dioscorides and Theophrastus CHAP. VI. Brutes have discovered many precious Herbs THE Brutes have also made way to the Discovery of several excellent Herbs and those not the least which adds to their Reputation And hence the Power of the Almighty is the more to be admired and adored who hath created Physick even for Brutes who by means of one Herb alone cure many Diseases incident to them It is also the Opinion of Ancient Physicians That if we had not some Instructions from Brutes in Physick as also in Nursing and other things we could never have discovered the same as Helianus Aristotle and Pliny declare to cite all which here would be too tedious CHAP. VIII When the Knowledge of Herbs was committed to Writing THE Use and Vertue of Vegetables hath been long known amongst Men and Fathers have always instructed their Children in it before Characters were invented And some there are that at this day have no Skill in Letters yet are very skilful in the Use and Vertue of Herbs and Roots which Knowledge they have partly from their Ancestors and partly by Natural Instinct notwithstanding they have read no Books But since Writing hath been invented the Knowledge of the Nature and Vertue of Herbs hath been committed to Books because the Memory of Man could not retain them all and because the same should not in Time be forgotten but that Posterity should know the same In those Days Herbals were not common nor the Knowledge of Herbs very general for one wrote upon one and another upon another We read that King Juba was the first that writ of the Vertue of Euphorbium Mison of Plantane Musoeus and Hesiodus of Polilim Chrisippus as also Dieuches and Cato of Brassica Zeno the Stoick of Cypress Antinomachus of Cytisum Marchio of Radishes Apuleius of Betony Virgil of Ebony Erasistratus of Lysimachia Homer of Saffron Lotus and Hyacinthum Hesiod of Mallows Archigenes of Castor Aristomachus of the Vine Asclepiades of Chamomil After these succeeded others as Theophrastus Bithimus Asolas Heraclides Tarantinus Julius Bessus Nisseratus Petronius Niger Ditotus Cratatas Andreas and at last Dioscorides and Pliny who writ Books and collected the Experiments made before their time Altho something of these by the length of Time is lost yet we see still that they were more diligent in those days than we are now when few will be perswaded to read the Books of the Ancients I will not mention the Professors of this Art who refuse to study the Experiments of the Ancients for their better Instruction because the Ancients Skill was not enlarged through the whole Kingdom of Vegetables but confined to the Vertues of some few Herbs so that one described one and another another Not that Vertue which was known in the time of Adam Enoch Methusalem and Solomon but for several Hundred Years since out of such Authors which they found perfect I could say much here of Apollo Perne Aesculapius Machaon Podalirius and also of Hippocrates if occasion would permit CHAP. IX Of some Wonders Signs and Miracles effected by Herbs BEcause many strange things are done here upon Earth which are the Work of God but by Men are little set by yet in nothing they show themselves more plain than in Herbs of which there are innumerable sorts indued with innumerable Vertues if they were but known and studied as the Ancients did we might to this very day also show many Miracles as the Ancients did not by Witchcraft and Sorcery but by the Property and Essence of the Creatures assisted by the Influence of the Stars Pliny tells us of many things which may be effected by Herbs gathered under their proper Influences which we account impossible and ridiculous but by the Ancients this Art was call'd Magia Naturalis and so mightily esteemed by them that they hid it from vulgar People and made it known only to Philosophers and Mighty Kings But the Sacred Art was at length like the Holy Scripture mightily abused by the succeeding Idolatrous People who mingled the same with many Superstitious Operations Sorceries and Black Art Therefore the Jews Christians and Ancient Romans condemned the same as a Superstitious Art and Diabolical by which means the Knowledge of Nature and Natural things is hardly and with much more Labour and Difficulty attained to But that it may appear what the Ancients effected with Herbs I will give the Reader a Tast that he may see by a few Examples what the whole Family of Vegetables would do if Men knew the Use and Vertue of them Lotus is a Vegetable growing in the Island Circe as Homer saith indued with such force that he who tastes of it forgets his Native Country Children and all that is dear to him Xanthus a Famous Historian in the days of Lot mentions an Herb call'd Boli by whose Vertue those that were slain by Dragons were brought to Life again and that not once but often as Pliny testifies Hence it is to be seen that tho we do not credit the Word of God yet it is Natural and no Fable what is written in the Book of the Creation of the Tree of Life and no doubt but at this very day there are several Herbs and Vegetables indued with the same Vertue which by reason of our Sins we are unworthy to know Theophrastus writes and Democritus also believes it that there is an Herb which in former times Josephus knew by whose Vertue a Wooden-pin drove into a Tree was pulled out 'T is said also of Betony That if you make a Circle with it and cast Serpents into the Circle they will not come

out but slay one another We find in History That the Scythians knew an Herb called Scythice or Spartanaca of which if they did but chaw a little they preserved themselves from Hunger and Thirst twelve days Also There have been Herbs that have dried up a whole Sea and being thrown into a violent Current it hath stemmed it and whoever carried it with him wanted nothing This Herb is call'd Aethyops CHAP. X. The Ancients used only Herbs not Compositions NOW seeing these wonderful Vertues and Operations in Herbs the Ancients used them singly excluding all great Compositions as in these days of which they knew nothing in former time These were Invented thro covetousness and ignorance of the Nature of Herbs which is arrived to that pass that the true knowledge of Herbs is quite extinguished by reason of the Physicians who by leaving the true knowledge and ancient description of Herbs and following Avicenna and others are fallen into such Darkness that if it be not checkt in a few years we shall know nothing of the ancient Practice of Physick Here I should show the abuse of the whole Profession and quote several Sayings out of Pliny and other Ancients in the behalf of simple Physick made of Herbs and Roots but I fear it will hinder my purpose CHAP. XI When the Composition of Herbs was first Invented THE Composition of Herbs Roots Seeds and Gums did first begin in the days of King Mithridates and Andromachus who first composed the Treacle which in the time of Pliny was very ridiculous and he in several places ridicules the same This in time is grown more in Practice till Galen from Galen to Avicenna Mesue and other Arabians till it is arrived to the highest pitch and followed by the most Learned Men and he that could best mix hot and cold dry and moist sweet and sowre was the best Man and that not only of the Production of our own Country but of Arabia and India for ours was of no Value It is not against the Apothecaries and Doctors that we use common and experimented Physick but for the Benefit of the Sick for Why should not our Herbs be as good as those brought out of Asia and Africa How did we when they were not brought over and How is it that those who use that Physick least live longest and those who run to the Apothecary are commonly the sickest Tho the strange Herbs are indued with more powerful Names they are not fit for our Climate Since God hath given us proper Wines and Fruits and other Necessaries fit for Use How is it that he gave us not Herbs agreeable to our Climate that we might use them but the contrary is true and the true and simple Physick is easier to be had Several have that growing in their Gardens and tread under foot which might preserve their Life also more Expences are saved in the time of Sickness which gains the Love of the People who were commonly addicted to Herbs and Vegetables and besides the Compounds agree not with every Nature CHAP. XII Herophilus's Opinion of Herbs THERE was a very Learned and Experienced Man among the Physicians as may appear by Cornelius Celsus and Pliny This Man's Opinion was That all Diseases might be cured by Herbs and many wonderful things effected and those Herbs which we account most Vile are indued with most Vertue as Experience testifies For a Nobleman as oft as he walked over a Plain where Esula grew he was always seized with a Looseness what Effect then may other Herbs have The Magick of Albertus Magnus is not to be slighted altho he show'd many Untruths contrary to his Knowledge and Experience CHAP. XIII At what Seasons Herbs and Roots are to be gathered IT is not enough that we take and use Herbs as they are described in the Herbals but they must be gathered in their proper Season for if this be neglected the Herb will have but little Vertue and may prove Antipathetick to the Distemper and make the Disease worse The Apothecaries above all should observe this particular if they would rightly understand their Business The Herbs ought to be gathered not only when the Heaven is clear and the Weather fair for in fair Weather there may happen a contrary Influence of Sol Mars and Jupiter as will happen in April 1698. when Sol comes to a square of Saturn and Opposition of Jupiter and Jupiter to a square of Saturn And also the time of the Year must be observed for some are sooner some later in Perfection The Age of the Herbs is likewise to be observed some are to be gathered before they Blossom some when in their Blossom others when they begin to seed By reason this Observation of Age and Time is by many neglected and the true Time of the Influence not truly Calculated they have committed great Mistakes yea some have described several Herbs without their Stalks and Flowers which nevertheless have both Stalks and Flowers because they gave a Description of them before they had Flowers The ancient Herbalists say That whoever will gather Herbs and Roots must have a perfect Knowledge of the Influence of the Heavens and Stars and also know to what Planets the Herbs are subject and under what Constellation they should be gathered even to an Hour and Minute These Observations saith Otto Brunefells a learned and experienced Physician who lived 120 years since the Ancients did punctually observe and therefore they did more with the Herbs then than we can do now Marcilius Ficinus above 150 years ago in his third Book hath writ of this as also a very ancient Apothecary in his Book call'd Nicholaus Proepositus's Dispensatory in the which may be seen how every Herb in particular ought to be gathered and prepared and since these many Eminent Physicians have written of the Heavenly Influences upon Herbs but very imperfectly and nothing worth Flowers ought to be gathered before they begin to fall Fruits when they are ripe and before they begin to drop The Seeds when they are dry but before they begin to break The Juice is to be express'd when the Herbs are green and juicie and their Stalk young and also the Milk of Herbs the sweating Drops and Gums CHAP. XIV Where to keep your Herbs THE Herbs must be clean'd from all their Dirt and dried in the Shade before they are put up Some tie them in Bunches and hang them by the Wall in their Houses Some pull the Leaves and put them into Bags to dry them and if this be done according to due Order and Knowledge as well of the Season Day and Hour when they are gathered as also their Names it is a very useful thing You must take especial Care that your Chamber be very clean that the Herbs lie not upon the Floor nor rot or grow mouldy nor dirtied by Rats or Cats but be kept as a precious Jewel Flowers and sweet Herbs are to be kept in close Boxes made of Lignum Tilioe