Fishes deuoure little The Operation of Purging Medicines and the Causes thereof haue béene thought to be a great Secret And so according to the slothfull manner of Men it is referred to a Hidden Propriety a Specificall vertue and a Fourth Qualitie and the like Shifts of Ignorance The Causes of Purging are diuers All plaine and perspicuous And throughly maintained by Experience The first is That whatsoeuer cannot be ouercome and disgested by the Stomacke is by the Stomacke either put vp by Vomit or put downe to the Guts And by that Motion of Expulsion in the Stomacke and Guts other Parts of the Body as the Orifices of the Veines and the like are moued to expell by Consent For nothing is more frequent than Motion of Consent in the Body of Man This Surcharge of the Stomacke is caused either by the Qualitie of the Medicine or by the Quantitie The Qualities are three Extreme Bitter as in Aloes Coloquintida c. Loathsome and of horrible taste As in Agarick Black Hellebore c. And of secret Malignity and disagreement towards Mans Bodie many times not appearing much in the Taste As in Scammony Mechoacham Antimony c. And note well that if there be any Medicine that Purgeth and hath neither of the first two Manifest Qualities it is to be held suspected as a kinde of Poysons For that it worketh either by Corrosion or by a secret Malignitie and Enmitie to Nature And therfore such Medicines are warily to be prepared and vsed The Quantitie of that which is taken doth also cause Parging As we see in a great Quantitie of New Milke from the Cow yea and a great Quantitie of Meat For Surfets many times turne to Purges both vpwards and downwards Therefore we see generally that the working of Purging Medicines commeth two or three houres after the Medicines taken For that the Stomacke first maketh a proofe whether it can concoct them And the like happeneth after Surfets or Milke in too great Quantitie A second Cause is Mordication of the Orifices of the Parts Especially of the Mesentery veines As it is seene that Salt or any such thing that is sharpe and biting put into the Fundament doth prouoke the Part to expell And Mustard prouoketh Sneezing And any Sharpe Thing to the Eyes prouoketh Teares And therfore we see that almost all Purgers haue a kinde of Twiching and vellication besides the Griping which commeth of wind And if this Mordication be in an ouer-high Degree it is little better than the Corrosion of Poyson And it commeth to passe sometimes in Antimony Especially if it be giuen to Bodies not repleat with Humors For where Humors abound the Humors saue the Parts The third Cause is Attraction For I doe not deny but that Purging Medicines haue in them a direct Force of Attraction As Drawing Plasters haue in Surgery And we see Sage or Bettony brused Sneezing-powder and other Powders or Liquors which the Physitians call Errhines put into the Nose draw Flegme and water from the Head And so it is in Apophlegmatismes and Gargarismes that draw the Rheume downe by the Pallate And by this Vertue no doubt some Purgers draw more one Humour and some another according to the Opinion receiued As Rubarb draweth Choller Sean Melancholy Agarick Flegme c. But yet more or lesse they draw promiscuously And note also that besides Sympathy between the Purger and the Humour there is also another Cause why some Medicines draw some Humour more than another And it is for that some Medicines work quicker than others And they that draw quick draw only the Lighter more fluide Humours they that draw flow worke vpon the more Tough and Viscous Humours And therfore Men must beware how they take Rubarb and the like alone familiarly For it taketh only the Lightest part of the Humour away and leaueth the Masse of Humours more obstinate And the like may be said of Worme-wood which is so much magnified The fourth Cause is Flatnosity For Wind stirred moueth to expell And we finde that in effect all Purgers haue in them a raw Spirit or Wind which is the Principall Cause of Tortion in the Stomach and Belly And therfore Purgers leese most of them the vertue by Decoction vpon the Fire And for that Cause are gluen chiefly in Infusion Iuyce or Powder The fifth Cause is Compression or Crushing As when Water is Crushed out of a Spunge So we see that Taking Cold moueth Loosenesse by Contraction of the Skinn and outward Parts And so doth Cold likewise cause Rheumes and Defluxions from the Head And some Astringent Plasters crush out purulent Matter This kind of Operation is not found in many Medicines Mirabalanes haue it And it may be the Barkes of Peaches For this Vertue requireth an Astriction but such an Astriction as is not gratefull to the Body For a pleasing Astriction doth rather Binde in the Humours than Expell them And therfore such Astriction is found in Things of an Harrish Taste The Sixth Cause is Lubrefaction and Relaxation As we see in Medicines Emollient Such as are Milke Honey Mallowes Lettuce Mercuriall Pelletory of the Wall and others There is also a secret Vertue of Relaxation in Cold For the Heat of the Body bindeth the Parts and Humours together which Cold relaxeth As it is seene in Vrine Bloud Pottage or the like which if they be Cold breake and dissolue And by this kinde of Relaxation Feare looseneth the Belly because the Heat retiring inwards towards the Heart the Gutts and other Parts are relaxed In the same manner as Feare also causeth Trembling in the Sinewes And of this Kinde of Purgers are some Medicines made of Mercury The Seuenth Cause is Abstersion which is plainly a Scouring off or Incision of the more viscous Humors and making the Humors more fluide And Cutting betweene them and the Part. As is found in Nitrous Water which scoureth Linnen Cloth speedily from the Foulenesse But this Incision must be by a Sharpnesse without Astriction Which wee finde in Salt Worm-wood Oxymel and the like There be Medicines that moue Stooles and not Vrine Some other Vrine and not Stooles Those that Purge by Stoole are such as enter not at all or little into the Mesentery Veines But either at the first are not digestible by the Stomach and therefore moue immediatly downwards to the Gutts Or else are afterwards reiected by the Mesentery Veines and so turne likewise downwards to the Gutts and of these two kindes are most Purgers But those that moue Vrine are such as are well digested of the Stomach and well receiued also of the Mesenfery Veines So they come as farre as the Liuer which sendeth Vrine to the Bladder as the Whey of Bloud And those Medicines being Opening and Piercing doe fortifie the Operation of the Liuer in sending downe the wheyey Part of the Bloud to the Reines For Medicines Vrinatiue doe not worke by Reiection and Indigestion as Solutiue doe There be diuers Medicines which in
Part only on the Outside Wheras all other Fruits haue it in the Nut or Kernell The Firre hath in effect no Stone Nut nor Kernest Except you will count the little Graines Kernells The Pom granate and Pine Apple haue onely amongst Fruits Graines distinct in seuerall Cells No Herbs haue Curled Leaues but Cabbage and Cabbage-Lettuce None haue double Leaues one belonging to the Stalke another to the Fruit or Seed but the Artichoke No Flower hath that kinde of Spread that the Woodbine hath This may be a large Field of Contemplation For it sheweth that in the Frame of Nature there is in the Producing of some Species a Composition of Matter which happeneth oft and may be much diuersified In others such as happeneth rarely and admitteth little Variety For so it is likewise in Beasts Dogs haue a Resemblance with Wolnes and Foxes Horses with Asses Kine with Bustes Hares with Coneyes c. And so in Birds Kites and Kastrells haue a Resemblance with Hawkes Common-Doues with Ring-Deaâ—s and Tortles Black-Birds with Thrushes and Manisses Crowes with Bauens Dawes and Choughas c. But Elephants and Swine amongst Beasts And the Bird of Paradise and the Peacocke amongst Birds And some few others haue seaâ—â—â— any other Species that haue Affinity with them We leaue the Description of Plants and their Vertues to Herballs and other like Bookes of Naturall History Wherein Mens Diligence hath bâ—â—â—â— great euen to Curiosity For our Experiments are onely such as doe euer ascend a Degree to the Deriuing of Causes and Extracting of Axiomes which wee are not ignorant but that some both of the Ancient and Modeme Writers haue also labôured But their Causes and Axiomes are so full of Imagination and so infected with the old Receiued Theories as they are meere Inquinations of Experience and Concoct it not It hath beene obserued by some of the Ancients that Skins especially of â—â—ams newly pulled off and applied to the Wounds of Stripts doe keepe them from Swelling and Exulcerating And likewise Heade them and Close them vp And that the Whites of Eggs do the same The Cause is a Temperate Conglutination For both Bodies are Glommy and Viscous and doe bridle the Desâ—uxe of Humours to the Huâ—â—â— without Penning them in too much You may turne almost all Flesh into a â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— if you take Flesh and cut it into Peeces and put the Peeces into a Glasse couered with Parchment And so let the Glasse stand six or seuen Houres â—â—â— Boyling Water It may be an Experiment of Profit for Making of Fat or Grease for many vses But then it must be of such Flesh as is not Edible As Horses Dogs Beares Foxes Bodgers c. It is reported by one of the Ancients that New Wine put into Vessells well stopped and the Vessells let downe into the Sea will accelerate very much the Making of them Ripe and Potable The same would be tried in Wort. Beasts are more Hairy than Men And Sauage Man more than Ciuill And the Plumage of Birds exceedeth the Pilosity of Beasts The Cause of the Smoothnesse in Men is not any Abundance of Heat and Moisture though that indeed causeth Pilosity But there is requisite to Pilosity not so much Heat and Moisture as Excrementitious Heat and Moisture For whatsoeuer assimilateth goeth not into the Haire And Excrementitious Moisture aboundeth most in Beasts and Men that are more Sauage Much the same Reason is there of the Plumage of Birds For Birds assimilate lesse and excerne more than Beasts For their Excrements are euer liquid and their Flesh generally more dry Besides they haue not Instruments for Vrine And so all the Excrementitious Moisture goeth into the Feathers And therefore it is no Maruell though Birds bee commonly better Meat than Beasts because their Flesh doth assimilate more finely and secerneth more subtilly Againe the Head of Man hath Haire vpon the first Birth which no other Part of the Body hath The Cause may be Want of Perspiration For Much of the Matter of Haire in the other Parts of the Body goeth forth by Insensible Perspiration And besides the Skull being of a more solide Substance nourisheth and assimilateth lesse and excerneth more And so likewise doth the Chinne We see also that Haire commeth not vpon the Palmes of the Hands nor Soales of the Feet Which are Parts more Perspirable And Children likewise are not Hairy for that their Skins are more Perspirable Birds are of Swifter Motion than Beasts For the Flight of many Birds is Swifter than the Race of any Beasts The Cause is for that the Spirits in Birds are in greater Proportion in comparison of the Bulke of their Body than in Beasts For as for the Reason that some giue that they are partly Carried whereas Beasts goe that is Nothing For by that Reason Swimming should be swifter than Running And that Kinde of Carriage also is not without Labour of the Wing The Sea is Clearer when the North wind bloweth than when the South-wind The Cause is for that Salt-Water hath a little Oylinesse in the Surface thereof As appeareth in very Hot Daies And againe for that the Southerne Wind relaxeth the Water somewhat As no Water Boyling is so Cleare as Cold Water Fire burneth Wood making it first Luminous Then Blacke and Brittle And lastly Broken and Incinerate Sealding Water doth none of these The Cause is for that by Fire the Spirit of the Body is first Refined and then Emitted Whereof the Refining be Attenuation causeth the Light And the Emission first the Fragilitie and after the Dissolution into Ashes Neither doth any other Body enter But in Water the Spirit of the Body is not Refined so much And besides Part of the Water entreth Which doth increase the Spirit and in a degree extinguish it Therefore wee see that Hot Water will quench Fire And againe wee see that in Bodies wherein the Water doth not much enter but only the Heat passeth Hot Water worketh the Effects of Fire As in Egges Boyled and Roasted into which the Water entreth not at all there is scarce difference to be discerned But in Fruit and Flesh whereinto the Water entreth in some part there is much more difference The Bottome of a Vessell of Boyling Water as hath beene obserued is not very much Heated So as Men may put their Hand vnder the Vessell and remoue it The Cause is for that the Moisture of Water as it quencheth Coales where it entreth So it doth allay Heat where it toucheth And therefore note well that Moisture although it doth not passe thorow Bodies without Communication of some Substance As Heat and Cold doe yet it worketh manifest Effects not by Entrance of the Body but by Qualifying of the Heat and Cold As wee see in this Instance And wee see likewise that the Water of Things distilled in Water which they call the Bath differeth not much from the Water of Things Distilled by Fire Wee see also that Pewter-Dishes
the Salt-Water doe neuerthelesse delight more in Fresh Wee see that Salmons and Smelts loue to get into Riuers though it be against the Streame At the Hauen of Constantinople you shall haue great Quantities of Fish that come from the Euxine-Sea that when they come into the Fresh Water doe inebriate and turne vp their Bellies So as you may take them with your Hand I doubt there hath not beene sufficient Experiment made of Putting Sea-Fish into Fresh Water Ponds and Pooles It is a Thing of great Vse and Pleasure For so you may haue them new at some good distance from the Sea And besides it may be the Fish will eat the pleasanter and may fall to breed And it is said that Colchester Oysters which are put into Pits where the Sea goeth and commeth but yet so that there is a Fresh Water Comming also to them when the Sea voideth become by that meanes Fatter and more Growne The Turkish-Bow giueth a very Forcible Shoot Insomuch as it hath beene knowne that the Arrow hath pierced a Stecle Target or a Peece of Brasse of two Inches thicke But that which is more strange the Arrow if it be Headed with Wood hath beene knowne to pierce thorow a Peece of Wood of eight Inches thicke And it is certaine that wee had in vse at one time for Sea-Fight short Arrowes which they called Sprights without any other Heads saue Wood sharpned which were discharged out of Muskets and would pierce thorow the Sides of Ships where a Bullet would not pierce But this dependeth vpon one of the greatest Secrets in all Nature Which is that Similitude of Substance will cause Attraction where the Body is wholly freed from the Motion of Grauitie For if that were taken away Lead would draw Lead and Gold would draw Gold and Iron would draw Iron without the helpe of the Load-Stone But this same Motion of Weight or Grauitie which is a meere Motion of the Matter and hath no Affinitie with the Forme or Kinde doth kill the other Motion except it selfe be killed by a violent Motion As in these Instances of Arrowes For then the Motion of Attraction by Similitude of Substance beginneth to shew it selfe But wee shall handle this Point of Nature fully in due Place They haue in Turkey and the East certaine Confections which they call Seruetts which are like to Candied Conserues And are made of Sugar and Limons or Sugar and Citrons or Sugar and Violets and some other Flowers And some Mixture of Amber for the more delicate Persons And those they dissolue in Water and thereof make their Drinke because they are forbidden Wine by their Law But I doe much maruell that no Englishman or Dutehman or German doth set vp Brewing in Constantinople Considering they haue such Quantitie of Barley For as so the generall Sort of Men Frugalitie may be the Cause of Drinking Water For that it is no small Sauing to pay nothing for ones Drinke But the better Sort mought well be at the Cost And yet I wonder the lesse at it because I see France Italie or Spaine haue not taken into vse Beere or Ale Which perhaps if they did would better both their Healths and their Complexions It is likely it would be Matter of great Gaine to any that should begin it in Turkey In Bathing in Hot Water Sweat neuerthelesse commeth not in the Parts vnder the Water The Cause is First for that Sweat is a Kinde of Colliquation And that Kinde of Colliquation is not made either by an Ouer-Drie Heat or an Ouer-Moist Heat For Ouer-Moisture doth somewhat extinguish the Heat As wee see that euen Hot Water quencheth Fire And Ouer-Drie Heat shutteth the Pores And therefore Men will sooner Sweat couered before the Sunne or Fire than if they stood Naked And Earthen Bottles filled with Hot Water doe prouoke in Bed a Sweat more daintily than Bricke-bats Hot. Secondly Hot Water doth cause Euaporation from the Skin So as it spendeth the Matter in those Parts vnder the Water before it issueth in Sweat Againe Sweat commeth more plentifully if the Heat be increased by Degrees than if it be greatest at first or equall The Cause is for that the Pores are better opened by a Gentle Heat than by a more Violent And by their opening the Sweat issueth more abundantly And therefore Physitians may doe well when they prouoke Sweat in Bed by Bottles with a Decoction of Sudorisicke Herbs in Hot Water to make two Degrees of Heat in the Bottles And to lay in the Bed the lesse Heated first and after halfe an Houre the more Heated Sweat is Salt in Taste The Cause is for that that Part of the Nourishment which is Fresh and Sweet turneth into Bloud and Flesh And the Sweat is only that Part which is Separate and Excerned Bloud also Raw hath some Saltnesse more than Flesh because the Assimilation into Flesh is not without a little and subtile Excretion from the Bloud Sweat commeth forth more out of the Vpper Parts of the Body than the Lower The Reason is because those Parts are more replenished with Spirits And the Spirits are they that put forth Sweat Besides they are lesse Fleshy and Sweat issueth chiefly out of the Parts that are lesse Fleshy and more Dry As the Forehead and Breast Men Sweat more in Sleepe than Waking And yet Sleepe doth rather stay other Fluxions than cause them As Rheumes Loosenesse of the Body c. The Cause is for that in Sleepe the Heat and Spirits doe naturally moue inwards and there rest But when they are collected once within the Heat becommeth more Violent and Irritate And thereby expelleth Sweat Cold Sweats are many times Mortall and neere Death And alwayes ill and Suspected As in Great Feares Hypochondricall Passions c. The Cause is for that Cold Sweats come by a Relaxation or Forsaking of the Spirits wherby the Moisture of the Body which Heat did keepe firme in the Parts seuereth and issueth out In those Diseases which cannot be discharged by Sweat Sweat is ill and rather to be stayed As in Diseases of the Lungs and Fluxes of the Belly But in those Diseases which are expelled by Sweat it easeth and lightneth As in Agues Pestilences c. The Cause is for that Sweat in the Latter Sort is partly Criticall and sendeth forth the Matter that offendeth But in the Former it either proceedeth from the Labour of the Spirits which sheweth them Oppressed Or from Motion of Consent when Nature not able to expell the Disease where it is seated moueth to an Expulsion indifferent ouer all the Body The Nature of the Glo-wormexs is hitherto not well obserued Thus much we see That they breed chiefly in the Hottest Moneths of Summer And that they breed not in Champaigne but in Bushes and Hedges Wherby it may be conceiued that the Spirit of them is very fine and not to be refined but by Summer Heats And againe that by reason of the Finenesse
because then there is both Dew and Leafe And they breed commonly when the East Winds haue much blowne The Cause whereof is the Drinesse of that Wind For to all Viuification vpon Putrefaction it is requisite the Matter be not too Moist And therefore we see they haue Copwebs about them which is a signe of a Slimy Drinesse As we see vpon the Ground whereupon by Dew and Sunne Copwebs breed all ouer We see also the Greene Catterpiller breedeth in the Inward Parts of Roses especially not blowne where the Dew sticketh But especially Catterpillers both the greatest and the most breed vpon Cabbages which haue a Fat Leafe and apt to Putrifie The Catterpiller towards the End of Summer waxeth Volatile and turneth to a Butterfly or perhaps some other Fly There is a Catterpiller that hath a Furre or Downe vpon him and seemeth to haue Affinity with the Silke-worme The Flyes Cantharides are bred of a Worme or Catterpiller but peculiar to certaine Fruit-Trees As are the Fig-tree the Pine-tree and the Wilde Briar All which beare Sweet Fruit And Fruit that hath a kinde of secret Biting or Sharpnesse For the Fig hath a Milke in it that is Sweet and Corrosiue The Pine-Apple hath a Kernell that is Strong and Absterside The Fruit of the Briar is said to make Children or those that Eat them Scabbed And therefore no maruell though Cantharides haue such a Corrosiue and Cauterizing Quality For there is not any other of the Insecta but is bred of a Duller Matter The Body of the Cantharides is bright coloured And it may be that the delicate-coloured Dragon-Flies may haue likewise some Corrosiue Quality Lassitude is remedied by Bathing or Annointing with Oyle and Warme water The Cause is for that all Lassitude is a kinde of Contusion and Compression of the Parts And Bathing and Annointing giue a Relaxation or Emollition And the Mixture of Oyle and Water is better than either of them alone Because Water Entreth better into the Pores and Oyle after Entry softneth better It is found also that the Taking of Tobacco doth helpe and discharge Lassitude The Reason whereof is partly because by Chearing or Comforting of the Spirits it openeth the Parts Compressed or Contused And chiefly because it refresheth the Spirits by the Opiate Vertue thereof And so dischargeth Wearinesse as Sleepe likewise doth In Going vp a Hill the Knees will be most Weary In Going downe a Hill the Thighes The Cause is for that in the Lift of the Feet when a Man Goeth vp the Hill the Weight of the Body beareth most vpon the Knees And in Going downe the Hill vpon the Thighes The Casting of the Skin is by the Ancients compared to the Breaking of the Secundine or Call but not rightly For that were to make euery Casting of the Skin a New Birth And besides the Secundine is but a generall Couer not shaped according to the Parts But the Skin is shaped according to the Parts The Creatures that cast their Skin are The Snake the Viper the Grashopper the Lizard the Silke worme c. Those that cast their Shell are The Lobster the Crab the Crafish the Hodmandod or Dedman the Tortoise c. The Old Skins are found but the Old Shells neuer So as it is like they scale off and crumble away by degrees And they are knowne by the Extreme Tendernesse and Softnesse of the New Shell And somewhat by the Freshnesse of the Colour of it The Cause of the Casting of Skin and Shell should seeme to be the great Quantity of Matter in those Creatures that is fit to make Skin or Shell And againe the Loosenesse of the Skin or Shell that sticketh not close to the Flesh. For it is certaine that it is the New Skin or Shell that putteth off the Old So we see that in Deere it is the Young Horne that putteth off the Old And in Birds the Young Feathers put off the Old And so Birds that haue much Matter for their Beake cast their Beakes the New Beake Putting off the Old Lying not Erect but Hollow which is in the Making of the Bed Or with the Legges gathered vp which is in the Posture of the Body is the more Wholesome The Reason is the better Comforting of the Stomach which is by that lesse Pensile And we see that in Weake Stomachs the Laying vp of the Legs high and the Knees almost to the Mouth helpeth and comforteth We see also that Gally-Slanes notwithstanding their Misery otherwise are commonly Fat and Fleshy And the Reason is because the Stomach is supported somewhat in Sitting And is Pensile in Standing or Going And therefore for Prolongation of Life it is good to choose those Exercises where the Limbes moue more than the Stomach and Belly As in Rowing and in Sawing being Set. Megrims and Giddinesse are rather when we Rise after long Sitting than while we Sit. The Cause is for that the Vapours which were gathered by Sitting by the Sudden Motion fly more vp into the Head Leaning long vpon any Part maketh it Numme and as wee call it Asleepe The Cause is for that the Compression of the Part suffereth not the Spirits to haue free Accesse And therefore when wee come out of it wee feele a Stinging or â—â—â—â—â—ing Which is the Re-entrance of the Spirits It hath beene noted that those Yeares are Pestilentiall and Vnwholesome when there are great Numbers of Frogs Flies Locusts c. The Cause is plaine For that those Creatures being engendred of Putrefaction when they abound shew a generall Disposition of the Yeare and Constitution of the Aire to Diseases of Putrefaction And the same Prognesticke as hath beene said before holdeth if you finde Wormes in Oake-Apples For the Constitution of the Aire appeareth more subtilly in any of these Things than to the Sense of Man It is an Obseruation amongst Country-People that Yeares of Store of Hawes and Heps doe commonly portend Cold Winters And they ascribe it to Gods Prouidence that as the Scripture saith reacheth euen to the Falling of a Sparrow And much more is like to reach to the Preseruation of Birds in such Seasons The Naturall Cause also may be the Want of Heat and Abundance of Moisture in the Summer precedent Which putteth forth those Fruits and must needs leaue great Quantity of Cold Vapours not dissipate Which causeth the Cold of the Winter following They haue in Turkey a Drinke called Coffa made of a Berry of the same Name as Blacke as Soot and of a Strong Sent but not Aromaticall Which they take beaten into Powder in Water as Hot as they can drinke it And they take it and sit at it in their Coffa-Houses which are like our Tauernes This Drinke comforteth the Braine and Heart and helpeth Disgestion Certainly this Berry Coffa The Root and Leafe Betel The Leafe Tobacco And the Teare of Poppy Opium of which the Turks are great Takers supposing it expelleth all Feare doe all Condense
Briars Thornes Berberries And therefore the Ashes of a Hedge-Hog are said to be a great Desiccatiue of Fistula's Mummy hath great force in Stanching of Bloud which as it may be ascribed to the Mixture of Balmes that are Glutinous So it may also partake of a Secret Propriety In that the Bloud draweth Mans Flesh. And it is approued that the Mosse which groweth vpon the Skull of a Dead Men vnburied will stanch Bloud potently And so doe the Dregs or Powder of Bloud seuered from the Water and Dried It hath beene practised to make White Swallowes by Annointing of the Egs with Oyle Which Effect may be produced by the Stopping of the Pores of the Shell and making the Iuyce that putteth forth the Feathers afterwards more Penurious And it may be the Annointing of the Egs will be as Effectuall as the Annointing of the Body Of which Vide the Experiment 93. It is reported that the White of an Egge or Bloud mingled with Salt-Water doth gather the Saltnesse and maketh the Water sweeter This may be by Adhesion As in the 6. Experiment of Clarification It may be also that Bloud and the White of an Egge which is the Malter of a Liuing Creature haue some Sympathy with Salt For all Life hath a Sympathy with Salt We see that Salt laid to a Cut Finger healeth it So as it seemeth Salt draweth Bloud as well as Bloud draweth Salt It hath beene anciently receiued that the Sea-Hare hath an Antipathy with the Lungs if it commeth neare the Body and erodeth them Where of the Cause is conceiued to be a Quality it hath of Heating the Brath and Spirits As Cantharides haue vpon the Watery Parts of the Body As â—ine and Hydroâ—icall Water And it is a good Rule that whatsoeuer hath an Operation vpon certaine Kindes of Matters that in Mars Body worketh most vpon those Parts wherein that kinde of Matter â—â—â— Generally that which is Dead or Corrapted or Excerned hath Antipathy with the same Thing when it is Aliue and when it is Sound And with those Parts which doe Excerne As a Carkasse of Man is most Infectious and Odious to Man A Carrion of an Horse to an Horse c. Puroâ—â— Matter of Wounds and Vlcers Carâ—â—ctes Pockes Scabs Leprousie to Sound Flesh And the Excrement of euery Species to that Creature that Externeth them But the Excrements are lesse Perâ—icious than the Corruptions It is a Common Experience that Dog know the Dog-Killer When as in times of Infection some Petty Fâ—â—â—â—â—â— is sent out to kill the Dogges And that though they haue neuer seene him before yet they will all come forth and barke and fly at him The Relutions touching the Force of â—â—â— and the Secret â—â—â— of Nature are so vncertaine as they require a great deale of Examination ere â—â—â— conclude vpon them I would haue it first throughly inquired whether there be any Secret Passages of Sympathy betweene Persons of neare Bloud As Parents Children Brothers Sisters Nurse-Children Husbands Wiues c. There be many Reports in Historie that vpon the Death of Persons of such Nearenesse Men haue had an inward Feeling of it I my Selfe remember that being in Paris and my Father dying in London two or three dayes before my Fathers death I had a Dreame which I told to diuers English Gentlemen That my Fathers House in the Countrey was Plastered all ouer with Blacke Mortar There is an Opinion abroad whether Idle or no I cannot say That louing and kinde Husbands haue a Sense of their Wiues Breeding Childe by some Accident in their owne Body Next to those that are Neare in Bloud there may be the like Passage and Instincts of Nature betweene great Friends and Enemies And sometimes the Reucaling is vnto Another Person and not to the Party Himselfe I remember Philippus Commineus a graue Writer reporteth That the Arch-Bishop of Vienna a Reuerend l'relate said one day after Masse to King Lewis the eleuenth of France Sir your Mortall Enemie is dead What time Duke Charles of Burgundie was Slaine at the Battell of Granson against the Switzers Some triall also would be made whether Pact or Agreement doe any thing As if two Friends should agree that such a Day in euery Weeke they being in farre Distant Places should Pray one for Another Or should put on a Ring or Tablet one for anothers Sake Whether if one of them should breake their Vow and Promise the other should haue any Feeling of it in Absence If there be any Force in Imaginations and Affections of Singular Persons It is Probable the Force is much more in the Ioynt Imaginations and Affections of Multitudes As if a Victorie should be won or lost in Remote Parts whether is there not some Sense thereof in the People whom it concerneth Because of the great Ioy or Griefe that many Men are prossest with at once Pius Quintus at the very time when that Memorable Victorie was won by the Christians against the Turks at the Nauall Battell of Lepanto being then hearing of Causes in Consistorie brake off suddenly and said to those about him It is now more time we should giue thanks to God for the great Victorie he hath granted vs against the Turks It is true that Victorie had a Sympathie with his Spirit For it was meerely his Worke to conclude that League It may be that Reuelation was Diuine But what shall wee say then to a Number of Examples amongst the Grecians and Romans Where the People being in Theaters at Playes haue had Newes of Victories and Ouerthrowes some few dayes before any Messenger could come It is true that that may hold in these Things which is the generall Root of Superstition Namely that Men obserue when Things Hit and not when they Misse And commit to Memory the one And forget and passe ouer the other But touching Diuination and the Misgiuing of Mindes wee shall speake more when wee handle in generall the Nature of Mindes and Soules and Spirits Wee haue giuen formerly some Rules of Imgination And touching the Fortifying of the Same Wee haue set downe also some few Instances and Directions of the Force of Imagination vpon Beasts Birds c. vpon Plants And vpon Inanimate Bodies Wherein you must still obserue that your Trialls be vpon Subtill and Light Motions and not the contrary For you will sooner by Imagination binde a Bird from Singing than from Eating or Flying And I leaue it to euery Man to choose Experiments which himself thinketh most Commodious Giuing now but a few Examples of euery of the Three Kindes Vse some Imaginant obseruing the Rules formerly prescribed for Binding of a Bird from Singing And the like of a Dogge from Barking Trie also the Imagination of some whom you shall accommodate with things to fortifie it in Cocke-Fights to make one Cocke more Hardy and the other more Cowardly It would be tried also in Flying of Hawkes Or in Coursing of a Deere or Hare with Grey-hounds Or in Horse-Races And
such as they are a little till true Axiomes may be more fully discouered I haue heard his Lordship say also that one great Reason why he would not put these Particulars into any exact Method though he that looketh attentiuely into them shall finde that they haue a secret Order was because hee conceiued that other men would now thinke that they could doe the like And so goe on with a further Collection which if the Method had been Exact many would haue despaired to attaine by Imitation As for his Lordships loue of Order I can referr any Man to his Lordships Latine Booke De Augmentis Scientiarum which if my Iudgment be any thing is written in the Exactest Order that I know any Writing to bee I will conclude with an vsuall Speech of his Lordships That this Worke of his Naturall History is the World as GOD made it and not as Men haue made it For that it hath nothing of Imagination W Rawley NATVRALL HISTORIE I. Century DIGG a Pitt vpon the Sea shore somewhat aboue the High-water Marke and sincke it as deepe as the Low-Water marke And as the Tide commeth in it will fill with Water Fresh and Potable This is commonly practized vpon the Coast of Barbary where other fresh Water is wanting And CAESAR knew this well when he was besieged in Alexandria For by Digging of Pitts in the Sea shoare hee did frustrate the Laborious Workes of the Enemies which had turned the Sea-Water vpon the Wells of Alexandria And so saued his Army being then in Desperation But Caesar mistooke the Cause For he thought that all Sea-Sandes had Naturall Springs of Fresh Water But it is plaine that it is the Sea-Water because the Pitt filleth according to the Measure of the Tide And the Sea-water passing or Strayning through the Sandes leaueth the Saltnesse I remember to haue Read that Triall hath beene made of Salt Water passed through Earth through Tenn Vessells one within an other and yet it hath not lost his Saltnesse as to become potable But the same Man saith that by the Relation of Another Salt Water drained through twenty Vessells hath become Fresh This Experiment seemeth to crosse that other of Pitts made by the Sea side And yet but in part if it be true that twentie Repetitions doe the Effect But it is worth the Note how poore the Imitations of Nature are in Common course of Experiments except they be led by great Iudgement and some good Light of Axiomes For first ther is no small difference betweene a Passage of Water through twenty small Vessells And through such a distance as betweene the Low water and High water Marke Secondly there is a great difference betweene Earth and Sand. For all Earth hath in it a kinde of Nitrous Salt from which Sand is more free And besides Earth doth not straine the Water so finely as Sand doth But ther is a Third Point that I suspect as much or more then the other Two And that is that in the Experiment of Transmission of the Sea-water into the Pitts the Water riseth But in the Experiment of Transmission of the Water through the Vessells it falleth Now certaine it is that the Salter Part of Water once Salted throughout goeth to the Bottome And therfore no meruaile if the Draining of Water by descent doth not make it fresh Besides I doe somewhat doubt that the very Dashing of the Water that commeth from the Sea is more proper to strike of the Salt part then wher the Water slideth of her owne Motion It seemeth Percolation or Transmission which is commonly called Straining is a good kinde of Separation Not onely of Thicke from Thin and Grosse from Fine But of more subtile Natures And varieth according to the Bodie through which the Transmission is made As if through a wollen Bagg the Liquour leaueth the Fatnesse If through Sand the Saltnesse c. They speake of Seuering Wine from Water passing it through Iuy wood or through other the like porous Body But Non Constat The Gumm of Trees which wee see to be commonly shining and cleare is but a fine Passage or Straining of the Iuice of the Tree through the Wood and Bark And in like manner Cornish Diamonds and Rock Rubies which are yet more resplendent then Gumms are the fine Exudations of Stone Aristotle giueth the Cause vainely why the Feathers of Birdes are of more liuely Colours then the Haires of Beastes for no Beast hath any fine Azure or Carnation or Greene Haire He saith It is because Birds are more in the Beames of the Sunn then Beasts But that is manifestly vntrue For Cattle are more in the Sun then Birds that liue commonly in the Woods or in some Couert The true Cause is that the Excrementious Moisture of liuing Creatures which maketh as well the Feathers in Birds as the Haire in Beasts passeth in Birds through a finer and more delicate Strainer then it doth in Beastes For Feathers passe through Quills And Haire through Skin The Clarifying of Liquors by Adhesion is an Inward Percolation And is effected when some Cleauing Body is Mixed and Agitated with the Liquours wherby the grosser Part of the Liquor sticks to that Cleauing Body And so the finer Parts are freed from the Grosser So the Apothecaries clarify their Sirrupes by whites of Eggs beaten with the Iuices which they would clarify which Whites of Eggs gather all the Dreggs and grosser Parts of the Iuyce to them And after the Sirrupe being sett on the Fire the whites of Egges themselues harden and are taken forth So Ippocrasse is clarified by mixing with Milke And stirring it about And then passing it through a Wollen Bagge which they call Hippocrates Sleeue And the Cleauing Nature of the Milke draweth the Powder of the Spices and Grosser parts of the Liquour to it And in the passage they stick vpon the Woollen Bagge The Clarifying of Water is an Experiment tending to Health besides the pleasure of the Eye when Water is Crystaline It is effected by casting in and placing Pebbles at the Head of a Current that the Water may straine through them It may be Percolation doth not onely cause Clearenesse and Splendour but Sweetnes of Sauour For that also followeth as well as Clearenes when the Finer Parts are seuered from the Grosser So it is found that the Sweates of Men that haue much Heat and exercise much and haue cleane Bodies and fine Skins doe smell sweet As was said of Alexander And we see commonly that Gumms haue sweet Odours TAke a Glasse and put Water into it and wett your Finger and draw it round about the Lipp of the Glasse pressing it somewhat hard And after you haue drawne it some few times about it will make the Water friske and sprinckle vp in a fine Dew This Instance doth excellently Demonstrate the Force of Compression in a Solid Body For whensoeuer a Solid Body as Wood Stone Mettall c. is pressed ther is
make the Humours passe readily And for the former of these Sirrups are most profitable And for the Latter Apozumes or Preparing Broaths Clisters also helpe lest the Medicine stop in the Guts and worke gripingly But it is true that Bodies abounding with Humours And fat Bodies And Open weather are Preparatines in themselues because they make the Humours more fluide But let a Physitian beware how he purge after hard Frostie Weather and in a Leane Body without Preparation For the Hurt that they may doe after Purging It is caused by the Lodging of some Humours in ill Places For it is certaine that there be Humours which somewhere placed in the Body are quiet and doe little hurt In other Places especially Passages doe much mischiefe Therefore it is good after Purging to vse Apozumes and Broths not so much Opening as those vsed before Purging but Absterfine and Mundifying Clisters also are good to conclude with to draw away the Reliques of the Humours that may haue descended to the Lower Region of the Body Bloud is stanched diuers waies First by Astringents and Repercussiue Medicines Secondly by Drawing of the Spirits and Bloud inwards which is done by Cold As Iron or a Stone laid to the neck doth stanch the Bleeding at the Nose Also it hath beene tryed that the Testicles being put into sharp Vineger hath made a suddaine Recesse of the Spirits and stanched Bloud Thirdly by the Recesse of the Bloud by Sympathy So it hath beene tried that the part that bleedeth being thrust into the Body of a Capon or Sheepe new ript and bleeding hath stanched Bloud The Bloud as it seemeth sucking and drawing vp by similitude of substance the Bloud it meeteth with and so it selfe going backe Fourthly by Custome and Time So the Prince of Aurange in his first hurt by the Spanish Boy could finde no meanes to stanch the Bloud either by Medicine or Ligament but was faine to haue the Orifice of the Wound stopped by Mens Thumbes succeeding one another for the space at least of two Dayes And at the last the bloud by Custome onely retired There is a fifth Way also in vse to let Bloud in an Aduerse Part for a Revulsion It helpeth both in Medicine and Aliment to Change and not to continue the same Medicine Aliment still The Cause is for that Nature by continuall Vso of any Thing groweth to a Sacietie and Dulnesse either of Appetite or Working And we see that Assuetude of Things Hurtfull doth make them leese their force to Hurt As Poyson which with vse some haue brought themselues to brooke And therefore it is no maruaile though Things helpfull by Custome leese their force to Helpe I count Intermission almost the same thing with Change For that that hath beene intermitted is after a fort new It is found by Experience that in Diets of Guaiacum Sarza and the like especially if they be strict the Patient is more troubled in the beginning then after continuance Which hath made some of the more delicate Sort of patients giue them ouer in the middest Supposing that if those Diets trouble them so much at first they shall not be able to endure them to the End But the Cause is for that all those Diets doe drie vp Humours Rheumes and the like And they cannot Drie vp vntil they haue first attenuated And while the Humour is attenuated it is more Fluid then it was before and troubleth the Body a great deale more vntill it be dried vp and consumed And therefore Patients must expect a due time and not checke at them at the first The Producing of Cold is a thing very worthy the Inquisition both for Vse and Disclosure of Causes For Heat and Cold are Natures two Hands whereby she chiefly worketh And Heat we haue in readinesse in respect of the Fire But for Cold we must staie till it commeth or seecke it in deepe Caues or high Mountaines And when all is done we cannot obtaine it in any great degree For Furnaces of Fire are farre hotter then a Sommers Sunne But Vaults or Hills are not much Colder then a Winters Frost The first Meanes of Producing Cold is that which Nature presenteth vs withall Namely the Expiring of Cold out of the Inward Parts of the Earth in Winter when the Sun hath no power to ouercome it the Earth being as hath beene noted by some Primum Frigidum This hath beene asserted as well by Auncient as by Moderne Philosophers It was the Tenet of Parmenides It was the opinion of the Authour of the discourse in Plutarch for I take it that booke was not Plutarches owne De prime Frigide It was the opinion of Telesius who hath renewed the Philosophy of Parmenides and is the best of the Nouellists The Second Cause of Cold is the Contact of Cold Bodies For Cold is Actiue and Transitiue into Bodies Adiacent as well as Heat which is seene in those things that are touched with Snow or Cold water And therefore whosoeuer will be an Inquirer into Nature let him resort to a Conseruatory of Snow and Ice Such as they vse for delicacy to coole Wine in Summer Which is a Poore and Contemptible vse in respect of other vses that may bee made of such Conseruatories The Third Cause is the Primary Nature of all Tangible bodies For it is well to be noted that all Things whatsoeuer Tangible are of themselues Cold Except they haue an Accessory Heat by fire Life or Motion For euen the Spirit of Wine or Chyâ—icall Oyles which are so hot in Operation are to the first Touch Cold And Aire it selfe compressed and Condensed a little by blowing is Cold. The Fourth Cause is the Density of the Body For all Dense Bodies are Colder then most other Bodies As Mettalls Stone Glasse And they are longer in Heating than Softer Bodies And it is certaine that Earth Dense Tangible hold all of the Nature of Cold. The Cause is for that all Matters Tangible being Cold it must needs follow that where the Matter is moist Congregate the Cold is the greater The Fifth Cause of Cold or rather of increase and vehemence of Cold is a Quicke Spirit inclosed in a Cold Body As will appeare to any that shall attentiuely consider of Nature in many Instances Wee see Nitre which hath a Quicke Spirit is Cold more Cold to the Tongue then a Stone So Water is Colder then Oile because it hath a Quicker Spirit For all Oile though it hath the Tangible Parts better digested then Water yet hath it a duller Spirit So Snow is Colder then Water because it hath more Spirit within it So we see that Salt put to Ice as in the producing of the Artificiall Ice increaseth the Actiuity of Cold So some Inâ—â—cta which haue Spirit of Life as Snakes and Silkwormes are to the touch Cold. So Quick-filuer is the Coldest of Mettals because it is Fullest of Spirit The Sixth Cause of Cold is the Chasing and Driuing away of Spirits
If the force of it be altogether kept in There is nothing more Certaine in Nature than that it is impossible for any Body to be vtterly Annibilated But that as it was the worke of the Omnipotency of God to make Somewhat of Nothing So it requireth the like Omnipotency to turne Somewhat into Nothing And therefore it is well said by an Obscure Writer of the Sect of the Chymists That there is no such way to effect the Strange Transmutations of Bodies as to endeuour and vrge by all meanes the Reducing of them to Nothing And herein is contained also a great Secret of Preseruation of Bodies from Change For if you can prohibit that they neither turne into Aire because no Aire commeth to them Not goe into the Bodies Adiacent because they are vtterly Heterogeneall Nor make a Round and Circulation within themselues they will neuer change though they be in their Nature neuer so Perishable or Mutable We see how Flies and Spiders and the like get a Sepulcher in Amber more Durable than the Monument and Embalming of the Body of any King And I conceiue the like will be of Bodies put into Quick-siluer But then they must be but thinne As a leafe or a peece of Paper or Parchment For if they haue a greater Crassitude they will alter in their owne Body though they spend not But of this We shall speake more when we handle the Title of Conseruation of Bodies NATVRALL HISTORIE II. Century MVSICKE in the Practise hath bin well pursued And in good Variety But in the Theory and especially in the Yeelding of the Causes of the Practique very weakly Being reduced into certaine Mysticall Subtilties of no vse and not much Truth We shall therefore after our manner ioyne the Contemplatiue and Actiue Part together All Sounds are either Musicall Sounds which we call Tones Wherunto there may be an Harmony which Sounds are euer Equall As Singing the Sounds of Stringed and Wind-Instruments the Ringing of Bells c. Or Immusicall Sounds which are euer Vnequall Such as are the Voice in Speaking all Whisperings all Voices of Beasts and Birds except they bee Singing Birds all Percussions of Stones Wood Parchment Skins as in Drummes and infinite others The Sounds that produce Tones are euer from such Bodies as are in their Parts and Pores Equall As well as the Sounds themselues are Equall And such are the Percussions of Metall as in Bells Of Glasse as in the Fillipping of a Drinking Glasse Of Aire as in Mens voices whilest they Sing in Pipes Whistles Organs Stringed Instruments c. And of Water as in the Nightingale-Pipes of Regalls or Organs and other Hydranlickes which the Ancients had and Nere did so much esteeme but are now lost And if any Man thinke that the String of the Bowe and the String of the Viall are neither of them Equall Bodies And yet produce Tones he is in an errour For the Sound is not created between the Bowe or Plectrum and the String But between the String and the Aire No more then it is between the Finger or Quill and the String in other Instruments So there are in effect but three Percussions that create Tones Percussions of Metalls comprehending Glasse and the like Percussions of Aire and Percussions of Water The Diapason or Eight in Musicke is the sweetest Concord Insomuch as it is in effect an Vnison As we see in Lutes that are strung in the Base Strings with two strings one an Eight aboue another Which make but as one Sound And euery Eighth Note in Ascent as from Eight to Fifteene from Fifteene to twenty two and so in infinitum are but Scales of Diapason The Cause is darke and hath not beene rendred by any And therfore would be better contemplated It seemeth that Aire which is the Subiect of Sounds in Sounds that are not Tones which are all vnequall as hath beene said admitteth much Varietie As wee see in the Voices of Liuing Creatures And likewise in the Voices of seuerall Men for we are capable to discerne seuerall Men by their Voices And in the Coniugation of Letters whence Articulate Sounds proceed Which of all others are most various But in the Sounds which we call Tones that are euer Equall the Aire is not able to cast it selfe into any such varietie But is forced to recurre into one and the same Posture or Figure onely differing in Greatnesse and Smalnesse So we see Figures may be made of lines Crooked and Straight in infinite Varietie where there is Inequalitie But Circles or Squares or Triangles Equilaterall which are all Figures of Equall lines can differ but in Greater or Lesser It is to be noted the rather left any Man should thinke that there is any thing in this Number of Eight to create the Diapason that this Computation of Eight is a thing rather receiued than any true Computation For a true Computation ought euer to bee by Distribution into equall Portions Now there be interuenient in the Rise of Eight in Tones two Beemolls or Halfe-notes So as if you diuide the Tones equally the Eight is but Seuen whole and equall Notes And if you subdiuide that into Halfe Notes as it is in the Stops of a Lute it maketh the Number of thirteene Yet this true That in the ordinary Rises and Falles of the Voice of Man not measuring the Tone by whole Notes and halfe Notes which is the Equall Measure there fall out to be two Beemols as hath beene said betweene the Vnison and the Diapason And this Varying is naturall For if a Man would endeuour to raise or fall his Voice still by Halfe-Notes like the Stops of a Lute or by whole Notes alone without Halfes as farre as an Eight he will not be able to frame his Voice vnto it Which sheweth that after euery three whole Notes Nature requireth for all Harmonicall vse one halfe Note to be interposed It is to be considered that whatsoeuer Vertue is in Numbers for Conducing to Concent of Notes is rather to bee ascribed to the Ante-Number than to the Entire Number As namely that the Sound retarneth after Six or after Twelue So that the Seuenth or the Thirteenth is not the Matter but the Sixth or the Twelfth And the Seuenth and the Thirteenth are but the limits and Boundaries of the returne The Concords in Musick which are Perfect or Semiperfect betweene the Vnison and the Diapason are the Fifth which is the most Perfect the Third next And the Sixth which is more harsh And as the Ancients esteemed and so doe my selfe and some Other yet the Fourth which they call Diatessaron As for the Tenth Twelfth Thirteenth and so in infinitum they be but Recurrences of the Former viz. of the Third the Fifth and the Sixth being an Eight respectiuely from them For Discords the Second and the Seuenth are of all others the most odious in Harmony to the Sense whereof the One is next aboue the Vnison the Other next vnder the
Riuer though a swift Streame is not heard in the Channell but runneth in Silence if it be of any depth But the very Streame vpon Shallowes of Grauell or Pebble will be heard And Waters when they beat vpon the Shore or are straitned as in the falls of Bridges Or are dashed against themselues by Windes giue a Roaring Noise Any peece of Timber or Hard Body being thrust forwards by another Body Contiguous without knocking giueth no Noise And so Bodies in weighing one vpon another though the Vpper Body presse the lower Body downe make no Noise So the Motion in the Minute Parts of any solide Body which is the Principall Cause of Violent Motion though vnobserued passeth without Sound For that Sound that is heard sometimes is produced onely by the Breaking of the Aire And not by the Impulsion of the Parts So it is manifest That where the Anteriour Body giueth way as fast as the Posteriour commeth on it maketh no Noise be the Motion neuer so great or swift Aire open and at large maketh no Noise except it be sharply percussed As in the Sound of a String where Aire is percussed by a hard and stiffe Body And with a sharp loose For if the String be not strained it maketh no Noise But where the Aire is pent and straitned there Breath or other Blowing which carry but a gentle Percussion suffice to create Sound As in Pipes and winde-Instruments But then you must note that in Recorders which goe with a gentle Breath the Concaue of the Pipe were it not for the Fipple that straitneth the Aire much more than the Simple Concaue would yeeld no Sound For as for other winde-Instruments they require a forcible Breath As Trumpets Cornets Hunters-hornes c. Which appeareth by the blowne-cheeks of him that windeth them Organs also are blowne with a strong winde by the Bellowes And note againe that some kinde of winde-Instruments are blowne at a small Hole in the side which straitneth the Breath at the first Entrance The rather in respect of their Trauerse and Stop aboue the Hole which performeth the Fipples Part As it is seene in Flutes and Fifes which will not giue Sound by a Blast at the end as Recorders c. doe Likewise in all Whistling you contract the Mouth And to make it more sharp Men sometimes vse their Finger But in Open Aire if you throw a Stone or a Dart they giue no Sound No more doe Bullets except they happen to be a little hollowed in the Casting Which Hollownesse penneth the Aire Not yet Arrowes except they be ruffled in their Feathers which likewise penneth the Aire As for Small whistles or Shepheards Oaâ—â— Pipes they giue a Sound because of their extreame Slendernesse whereby the Aire is more pent than in a Wider Pipe Againe the Voices of Men and Liuing Creatures passe through the throat which penneth the Breath As for the Iewes Harpe it is a sharp Percussion And besides hath the vantage of penning the Aire in the Mouth Solide Bodies if they be very softly percussed giue no Sound As when a man treadeth very softly vpon Boards So Chests or Doores in faire weather when they open easily giue no Sound And Cart-wheeles squeak not when they are liquoured The Flame of Tapers or Candles though it be a swift Motion and breaketh the Aire yet passeth without Sound Aire in Ouens though no doubt it doth as it were boyle and dilate it selfe and is repercussed yet it is without Noise Flame percussed by Aire giueth a Noise As in Blowing of the Fire by Bellowes Greater than if the Bellowes should blow vpon the Aire it selfe And so likewise Flame percussing the Aire strongly as when Flame suddenly taketh and openeth giueth a Noise So Great Flames whiles the one impelleth the other giue a bellowing Sound There is a Conceit runneth abroad that there should be a white Powder which will discharge a Peece without Noise which is a dangerous Experiment if it should be true For it may cause secret Murthers But it seemeth to me vnpossible For if the Aire pent be driuen forth and strike the Aire open it will certainly make a Noise As for the white Powder if any such thing be that may extinguish or dead the Noise it is like to be a Mixture of Petre and Sulphur without Coale For Petre alone will not take Fire And if any Man thinke that the Sound may be extinguished or deaded by discharging the Pent Aire before it commeth to the Mouth of the Peece and to the Open Aire That is not probable For it will make more diuided Sounds As if you should make a Crosse Barrell hollow thorow the Barrell of a Peece it may be it would giue seuerall Sounds both at the Nose and at the Sides But I conceiue that if it were possible to bring to passe that there should be no Aire pent at the Mouth of the Peece the Bullet might fly with small or no Noise For first it is certaine there is no Noise in the Percussion of the Flame vpon the Bullet Next the Bullet in piercing thorow the Aire maketh no Noise As hath beene said And then if there be no Pent Aire that striketh vpon Open Aire there is no Cause of Noise And yet the Flying of the Bullet will not be stayed For that Motion as hath beene oft said is in the Parts of the Bullet and not in the Aire So as triall must be made by taking some small Concaue of Metall no more than you mean to fill with Powder And laying the Bullet in the Mouth of it halfe out into the Open Aire I heard it affirmed by a Man that was a great Dealer in Secrets but he was but vaine That there was a Conspiracy which himselfe hindred to haue killed Queene Mary Sister to Queene Elizabeth by Burning-Glasse when shee walked in Saint Iames Parke from the Leads of the House But thus much no doubt is true That if Burning-Glasses could be brought to a great strength as they talke generally of Burning-Glasses that are able to burne a Nauy the Percussion of the Aire alone by such a Burning-Glasse would make no Noise No more than is found in Cornscations and Lightnings without Thunders I suppose that Impression of the Aire with Sounds asketh a time to be conueighed to the Sense As well as the Impression of Species visible Or else they will not be heard And therefore as the Bullet moueth so swift that it is Inuisible So the same Swiftnesse of Motion maketh it Inaudible For we see that the Apprehension of the Eye is quicker than that of the Eare. All Eruptions of Aire though small and slight giue an Entity of Sound which we call Crackling Pussing Spitting c. As in Bay-salt and Bay-leaues cast into the Fire So in Chesnuts when they leape forth of the Ashes So in Greene Wood laid vpon the Fire especially Roots So in Candles that spit Flame if they be wet So in Rasping Sneezing c. So in a Rose-leafe
Liquourâ— from the Finer The second by the Equall Distribution of the Spirits of the Liquour with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Parts For that â—â—â—â—â— representeth Bodies Cleare and Vntroubled The third by the Resining the Spirit it selfe which therby giueth to the Liquour more Splendour and more Lustre First for Separation It is wrought by Weight As in the ordinary Residence or Settlement of Liquours By Heat By Motion By Precipitation or Sublimation That is a Calling of the seuerall Parts either vp or downe which is a kinde of Attraction By Adhesion As when a Body more Viscous is mingled and agitated with the Liquour which Viscous Body afterwards seuered draweth with it the grosser Parts of the Liquour And Lastly By Percolation or Passage Secondly for the Euen Distribution of the Spirits It is wrought By Gentle Heat And By Agitation or Motion For of Time we speake not because it is that we would anticipate represent And it is wrought also By Mixture of some other Body which hath a vertue to open the Liquour and to make the Spirits the better passe thorow Thirdly for the Refining of the Spirit it is wrought likewise By Heat By Motion And by Mixture of some Body which hath Vertue to attenuate So therefore hauing shewen the Causes for the Accelerating of Clarification in generall and the Enducing of it take these Instances and Trialls It is in common Practise to draw Wine or Beere from the Lees which we call Racking wherby it will Clarifie much the sooner For the Lees though they keepe the Drinke in Heart and make it lasting yet withall they cast vp some Spissitude And this Instance is to be referred to Separation On the other side it were good to try what the Adding to the Liquour more Lees than his owne will worke For thought the Lees doe make the Liquour turbide yet they refine the Spirits Take therfore a Vessell of New Beere And take another Vessell of New Beere and Rack the one Vessell from the Lees and powre the Lees of the Racked Vessell into the vnracked Vessell and see the Effect This Instance is referred to the Refining of the Spirits Take New Beere and put in some Quantitie of Stale Beere into it and see whether it will not accelerate the Clarification by Opening the Body of the Beere and Cutting the Grosser Parts wherby they may fall downe into Lees. And this Instance againe is referred to Separation The longer Malt or Herbs or the like are Infused in Liquour the more thicke and troubled the Liquour is But the longer they be decocted in the Liquour the clearer it is The Reason is plaine because in infusion the longer it is the greater is the Part of the Grosse Body that goeth into the Liquour But in Decoction though more goeth forth yet it either purgeth at the Top or fettleth at the Bottome And therfore the most Exact Way to Clarifie is First to Infuse and then to take off the Liquour and Decoct it as they doe in Beere which hath Malt first Infused in the Liquour and is afterwards boiled with the Hop This also is referred to Separation Take Hot Embers and put them about a Bottle filled with New Beere almost to the very Neck Let the Bottle be well stopped lest it flie out And continue it renewing the Embers euery day by the space of Ten Dayes and then compare it with another Bottle of the same Beere set-by Take also Lime both Quenched and Vnquenched and set the Bottles in them vt Supra This Instance is referred both to the Euen Distribution and also to the Refining of the Spirits by Heat Take Bottles and Swing them Or Carry them in a Wheels-Barrow vpon Rough Ground twice in a day But then you may not fill the Bottles full but leaue some Aire For if the Liquour come close to the Stopple it cannot play nor flower And when you haue shaken them well either way poure the Drinke into another Bottle stopped close after the vsuall manner For if it stay with much Aire in it the Drinke will pall neither will it settle so perfectly in all the Parts Let it stand sorce 24. houres Then take it and put it againe into a Bottle with Aire vt supra And thence into a Bottle Stopped vt supra And so repeat the same Operation for seuen dayes Note that in the Emptying of one Bottle into another you must doe it swiftly lest the Drinke pall It were good also to trie it in a Bottle with a little Aire below the Neck without Emptying This Instance is referred to the Euen Distribution and Refining of the Spirits by Motion As for Percolation Inward and Outward which belongeth to Separation Triall would be made of Clarifying by Adhesion with Milks put into New Beere and stirred with it For it may be that the Grossar Part of the Beere will cleave to the Milke The Doubt is whether the Milke will feuer â— ell againe Which is soone tried And it is vsuall in Clarifying Ippoerasse to put in Milke Which after seuereth and carrieth with it the Grosser Parts of the Ippoerasse as hath beene said elsewhere Also for the better Clarification by Persolation when they run New Beere they vse to let it passe through a Strainer And it is like the finer the Strainer is the clearer it will be The Accelerating of Maturation Wee will now enquire of And of Maturation it selfe It is of three Natures The Maturation of Fruits The Maturation of Drinkes And the Maturation of Impostumes and Vlcers This last we referre to another Place where wee shall handle Experiments Medicinall There be also other Maturations as of Metalls c. whereof we will speake as Occasion serueth But we will begin with that of Drinkes because it hath such a Affinitie with the Clarification of Liquours For the Maturation of Drinkes it is wrought by the congregation of the Spirits together whereby they digest more perfectly the Grosser Parts And it is effected partly by the same meanes that Clarification is wherof wee spake before But then more that an Extreme Clarification doth spread the Spirits so Smooth as they become Dull and the Drinke dead which ought to haue a little Flouring And therefore all your Cleare Amber Drinke is flat We see the Degrees of Maturation of Drinkes In Must In Wine as it is drunke And in Vinegar Whereof Must hath not the Spirits well Congregated Wine hath them well vnited so as they make the Parts somewhat more Oylie Vinegar hath them Congregated but more Ieiune and in smaller Quantitie The greatest and finest Spirit and Part being exhaled For we see Vinegar is made by setting the Vessell of Wine against the hot Sun And therefore Vinegar will not burne For that much of the Finer Parts is Exhaled The Refreshing and Quickning of Drinke Palled or Dead is by Enforcing the Motion of the Spirit So wee see that Open Weather relaxeth the Spirit and maketh it more liuely in Motion Wee see also Bottelling
Mouldie or Rotten but were become a little harder than they were Otherwise fresh in their Colour But their Iuyce somewhat flatted But with the Buriall of a Forthnight more they became Putrified A Bottle of Beere buried in like manner as before became more liuely better tasted and Clearer than it was And a Bottle of Wine in like manner A Bottle of Vinegar so buried came forth more liuely and more Odoriferous smelling almost like a Violet And after the whole Moneths Buriall all the Three came forth as fresh and liuely if not better than before It were a profitable Experiment to presrue Orenges Limons and Pomgranates till Summer For then their Price will be mightily increased This may be done if you put them in a Pot or Vessell well couered that the Moisture of the Earth come not at them Or else by putting them in a Conseruatorie of Snow And generally whosoeuer will make Experiments of Cold let him be prouided of three Things A Conseruatorie of Snow A good large Vault twenty foot at least vnder the Ground And a Deepe Well There hath beene a Tradition that Pearle and Coraâ— and TurchoisStone that haue lost their Colours may be recouered by Burying in the Earth Which is a thing of great profit if it would sort But vpon Triall of Six Weekes Buriall there followed no Effect It were good to trie it in a Deepe Well Or in a Conseruatory of Snow where the Cold may be more Constringent And so make the Body more vnited and thereby more Resplendent Mens Bodier are heauier and lesse disposed to Motion when Sâ—â—ther â—â— Winds blow than when Northerne The Cause is for that when the Southerne Winds blow the Humours doe in some Degree melt and waxe fluide and so flow into the Parts As it is seene in Wood and other Bodies which when the Southerne Winds blow doe swell Besides the Motion and Actiuity of the Body consisteth chiefly in the Sinewes which when the Southerne Wind bloweth are more relaxe It is commonly seene that more are Sick in the Summer and more Dye in the Winter Except it be in Peslilent Diseases which commonly raigne in Summer or Autumne The Reason is because Diseases are bred indeed chiefly by Heat But then they are Cured most by Sweat and Purge which in the Summer commeth on or is prouoked more Easily As for Pestilent Diseases the Reason why most Dye of them in Summer is because they are bred most in the Summer For otherwise those that are touched are in most Danger in the Winter The Generall Opinion is that Yeares Hot and Moist are most Pestilent Vpon the Superficiall Ground that Heat and Moisture cause Putrefaction In England it is found not true For many times there haue beene great Plagues in Dry Yeares Whereof the Cause may be for that Drought in the Bodies of Islanders habituate to Moist Aires doth Exasperate the Humours and maketh them more apt to Putrifie or Enflame Besides it tainteth the Waters commonly and maketh them lesse wholesome And againe in Barbary the Plagues breake vp in the Summer-moneths when the Weather is Hot and Dry. Many Diseases both Epidemicall and others breake forth at Particular times And the Cause is falsely imputed to the Constitution of the Aire at that time when they breake forth or raigne whereas it procâ—edeth indeed from a Precedent Sequence and Series of the Seasons of the Yeare And therefore Hippocrates in his Prognosticks doth make good Obseruations of the Diseases that ensue vpon the Nature of the Precedent foure Seasons of the Yeare Triall hath beene made with Earthen Bottles well stopped hanged in a Well of Twenty Fathome deepe at the least And some of the Bettles haue beene let downe into the Water some others haue hanged aboue within about a fathome of the Water And the Liquours so tried haue beene Beere not New but Ready for drinking and Wine and Milke The Proofe hath beene that both the Beere and the Wine as well within Water as aboue haue not beene palled or deaded at all But as good or somewhat better than Bottles of the same Drinks and Stalenesse kept in a Celler But those which did hang aboue Water were apparently the best And that Beere did flower a little whereas that vnder Water did not though it were Fresh The Milke sowred and began to Purrifie Neuerthelosse it is true that there is a Village neare Blois where in Deepe Canes they doe thicken Milke In such sort that it becommeth very pleasant Which was some Cause of this Triall of Hanging Milke in the Well But our proofe was naught Neither doe I know whether that Milke in those Caues be first boysed It were good therefore to try it with Milke Sodden and with Creame For that Milke of it selfe is such a Compound Body of Creame Curds and Whey as it is easâ—ly Turned and Dissolued It were good also to try the Beere when it is in Wort that it may be seene whether the Hanging in the Well will Accelerate the Ripening and Clarifying of it Diuers we see doe Stut The Cause may be in most the Refrigeration of the Tongue Whereby it is lesse apt to moue And therfore we see that Naturalls doe generally Stut And we see that in those that Stut if they drinke Wine moderately they Stut lesse because it heateth And so we see that they that Stut doe Stut more in the first Offer to speake than in Continuance Because the Tongue is by Motion somewhat heated In some also it may be though rarely the Drinesse of the Tongue which likewise maketh it lesse apt to moue as well as Cold For it is an Affect that commeth to some Wise and Great Men As it did vnto Moses who was Lingâ—epr apedita And many Stutters we finde are very Cholericke Men Choler Enducing a Drinesse in the Tongue Smells and other Odours are Sweeter in the Aire at some Distance than neare the Nose As hath beene partly touched heretofore The Cause is double First the finer Mixture or Incorporation of the Smell For we see that in Sounds likewise they are Sweetest when we cannot heare euery Part by it selfe The other Reason is for that all Sweet Smells haue ioyned with them some Earthy or Crude Odours And at some distance the Sweet which is the more Spirituall is Perceiued And the Earthy reacheth not so farre Sweet Smells are most forcible in Dry Substances when they are Broken And so likewise in Orenges or Limons the Nipping of their Rinde giueth out their Smell more And generally when Bodies are Moued or Stirred though not Broken they Smell more As a SweetBagge waued The Cause is double The one for that there is a Greater Emission of the Spirit when Way is made And this holdeth in the Breaking Nipping or Crushing It holdeth also in some Degree in the Mouing But in this last there is a Conâ—urrence of the Second Cause Which is the Impulsion of the Aire that bringeth the Sent
then they beare not till the Next Yeare But if you graft them in May they will beare the same yeare but late The Seuenth is the Girding of the Body of the Tree about with some Pack-threed For that also in a degree restraineth the Sap and maketh it come vp more late and more Slowly The Eighth in the Planting of them â—â— Shade or in a Hedge The Cause is partly the Keeping out of the Sunne which hasteneth the Sap to rise And partly the Robbing of them of Nourishment by the Sâ—uffe in the Hedge These Meanes may be practised vpon other both Trees and Flowers M 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men haue entertained a Conceit that sheweth prettily Namely that if you grast a Late Comming Fruit vpon a Stocke of a Fruit-tree that â—â—â—â—â—â— early the Graft will beare Fruit Early At a Peach vpon a Cherry And contrariwise if an Early-Comming Fruit vpon a Stocke of a Fruit-Tree that Commeth late the Grafe will beare Fruit late As a Cherry vpon a Peach But these are but Imaginations and vntrue The Cause is for that the Cions ouerroleth the Stocke quite And the Stocke is but Passue onely and giueth Aliment but no Motion to the Graft We will speake now how to make Fruits Flowers and Roâ— larger in more plenty and sweeter than they vse to be And how to make the Trees themselues more Tall more Spread and more Hasty and Sudden than they vse to be Wherein there is no doubt but the former Experiments of Acceleration will serue much to these Purposes And againe that these Experiments which we shall now set downe doe serue also for Acceleration because both Effects proceed from the Encrease of vigour in the Tree But yet to auoid Confusion And because some of the Meanes are more proper for the one Effect and some for the other wee will handle them apart It is an assured Experience that an Heape of flint or Stone laid about the Bottome of a Wilde-Tree as an Oake Elme Ash c. vpon the first Planting doth make it prosper double as much as without it The Cause is for that it retaineth the Moisture which falleth at any time vpon the Tree and suffereth it not to be exhaled by the Sunne Againe it keepeth the Tree warme from Cold Blasts and Frosts as it were in an House It may be also there is somewhat in the Keeping of it steady at the first Quare if Laying of Straw some Height about the Body of a Tree will not make the Tree forwards For though the Root giueth the Sap yet it is the Body that draweth it But you must note that if you lay Stones about the stalke of Lettuce or other Plants that are more soft it will ouer-moisten the Roots so as the Wormes will eat them A Tree at the first Setting should not be Shaken vntill it hath taken Root fully And therefore some haue put two little Forkes about the Bottome of their Trees to keepe them vpright But after a yeares Rooting then Shaking doth the Tree good by Loosening of the Earth and perhaps by Exercising as it were and Stirring the Sap of the Tree Generally the Cutting away of Boughes and Suckers at the Root and Body doth make Trees grow high And contrariwise the Powling and Cutting of the Top maketh them grow spread and bushy As wee see in Pollards c. It is reported that to make hasty Growing Coppice-Woods the way is to take Willow Sallow Poplar Alder of some seuen yeares growth And to set them not vpright but a-slope a reasonable depth vnder the Ground And then instead of one Root they will put forth many and so carry more Shoots vpon a Stemme When you would haue many new Roots of Fruit-trees take a Low Tree and bow it and lay all his Branches a-flat vpon the Ground and cast Earth vpon them And euery Twigge will take Root And this is a very profitable Experiment for Costly Trees for the Boughtes will make Stockes without charge Such as are Apricots Peaches Almonds Cornelians Mulberries Figs c. The like is continually practised with Vines Roses Muske-Roses c. From May to Iuly you may take off the Barke of any Bough being of the Bignesse of three or foure Inches and couer the bare Place somewhat aboue and below with Loame well tempered with Horse-dung binding it fast downe Then cut off the Bough about Alhollontide in the bare place and set it in the Ground And it will grow to be a faire Tree in one Yeare The Cause may be for that the Baring from the Barke keepeth the Sap from descending towards Winter and so holdeth it in the Bough And it may be also that the Loame and Horse-Dung applied to the bare place doe moisten it and cherish it and make it more apt to put forth the Root Note that this may be a generall Meanes for keeping vp the Sap of Trees in their Boughes Which may serue to other Effects It hath beene practised in Trees that shew faire and beare not to Bore a Hole thorow the Heart of the Tree and thereupon it will beare Which may be for that the Tree before had too much Repletion and was oppressed with his owne Sap For Repletion is an Enemy to Generation It hath beene practised in Trees that doe not beare to cleaue two or three of the Chiese Roots and to put into the Cleft a small Pebble which may keepe it open and then it will beare The Cause may be for that a Root of a Tree may be as it were Hide-bound no lesse than the Body of the Tree But it will not keepe open without somewhat put into it It is vsually practised to set Trees that require much Sunne vpon Walls against the South As Apricots Peaches Plums Vines Figs and the like It hath a double Commodity The one the Heat of the Wall by Reflexion The other the Taking away of the Shade For when a Tree groweth round the vpper Boughes ouer-shadow the lower But when it is spread vpon a Wall the Sunne commeth alike vpon the vpper and lower Branches It hath also beene practised by some to pull off some Leanes from the Trees so spread that the Sunne may come vpon the Bough and Fruit the better There hath beene practised also a Curiosity to set a Tree vpon the North-Side of a Wall and at a little height to draw him thorow the Wall and spread him vpon the South-Side Conceiuing that the Root and lower Part of the Stocke should enioy the Freshnesse of the Shade And the Vpper Boughes and Fruit the Comsort of the Sunne But it sorted not The Cause is for that the Root requireth some Comsort from the Sunne though vnder Earth as well as the Body And the Lower Part of the Body more than the Vpper as wee see in Compassing a Tree below with Straw The Lownesse of the Bough where the Fruit commeth maketh the Fruit greater and to ripen better For you shall euer see in Apricots Peaches or Melo-Cotones vpon
which are Inflammable And certaine Oake-Berries sticking close to the Body of the Tree without Stalke It beareth also Misseltoe though rarely The Cause of all these may be the Closenesse and Solidenesse of the Wood and Pith of the Oake Which maketh seuerall Iuyces finde seuerall Eruptions And therefore if you will deuise to make any Super-Plants you must euer giue the Sap Plentifull Rising and Hard Issue There are two Excrescences which grow vpon Trees Both of them in the Nature of Mushromes The one the Romans called Boletus Which groweth vpon the Roots of Oakes And was one of the Dainties of their Table The other is Medicinall that is called Agaricke whereof we haue spoken before which groweth vpon the Tops of Oakes Though it be affirmed by some that it groweth also at the Roots I doe conceiue that many Exerescences of Trees grow chiefly where the Tree is dead or faded For that the Naturall Sap of the Tree corrupteth into some Preternaturall Substance The greater Part of Trees beare Most and Best on the Lower Boughs As Oakes Figs Wall-Nuts Peares c. But some beare Best on the Top-Boughes As Crabs c. Those that beare best below are such as Shade doth more good to than Hurt For generally all Fruits beare best lowest Because the Sap tireth not hauing but a short Way And therefore in Fruits spred vpon Walls the Lowest are the Greatest as was formerly said So it is the Shade that hindereth the Lower Boughes Except it be in such Trees as delight in Shade Or at least beare it well And therfore they are either Strong Trees as the Oake Or else they haue large Leaues as the Wallnut and Fig Or else they grow in Pyraâ—is as the Peare But if they require very much Sunne they beare best on the Top As it is in Crabs Apples Plummes c. There be Trees that beare best when they begin to be Old As Almonds Peares Vines and all Trees that giue Mast. The Cause is for that all Trees that beare Mast haue an Oyly Fruit And Young Trees haue a more Watry Iuyce and lesse Concocted And of the same kinde also is the Almond The Peare likewise though it be not Oyly yet it requireth much Sap and well Concocted For we see it is a Heauy Fruit and Solide Much more than Apples Plummes c. As for the Vine it is noted that it beareth more Grapes when it is Young But Grapes that make better Wine when it is Old For that the Iuyce is better Concocted And wee see that Wine is Insflammable So as it hath a kinde of Oylinesse But the most Part of Trees amongst wich are Apples Plummes c. beare best when they are Young There be Plants that haue a Milke in them when they are Cut As Figs Old Lettuce Sowe-Thistles Spurge c. The Cause may be an Inception of Putrefaction For those Milkes haue all an Acrimony though one would thinke they should be Lenitiue For if you write vpon Paper with the Milke of the Fig the Letters will not be seene vntill you hold the Paper before the Fire and then they wax Browne Which sheweth that it is a Sharpe or Fretting Iuyce Lettuce is thought Poysonous when it is so Old as to haue Milke Spurge is a kinde of Poyson in it Selfe And as for Sowe-Thistles though Coneyes eat them yet Sheepe and Cattell will not touch them And besides the Milke of them rubbed vpon Warts in short time weareth them away Which sheweth the Milke of them to be Corrosine We see also that Wheat and other Corne sowen if you take them forth of the Ground before they sprout are full of Milke And the Beginning of Germination is euer a Kinde of Putrefaction of the Seed Euphorbium also hath a Milke though not very white which is of a great Acrimony And Saladine hath a yellow Milke which hath likewise much Acrimony For it cleanseth the Eyes It is good also for Cataracts Mushromes are reported to grow as well vpon the Bodies of Trees as vpon their Roots or vpon the Earth And especially vpon the Oake The Cause is for that Strong Trees are towards such Excrescâ—â—ces in the Nature of Earth And therfore put forth Mosse Mushromes and the like There is hardly found a Plant that yeeldeth a Red Iuyce in the Blade or Eare Except it be the Tree that beareth Sanguis Draconis Which groweth chiefly in the Island Soquotra The Herb Amaranthus indeed is Red all ouer And Brasill is Red in the Wood And so is Red Sunders That Tree of the Sanguis Draconis groweth in the forme of a Sugar-loafe It is like that the Sap of that Plant concocteth in the Body of the Tree For woe see that Grapes and Pomegranats are Red in the Iuyce but are Greene in the Teare And this maketh the Tree of Sanguis Draconis lesser towards the Top Because the Iuyce hasteneth not vp And besides it is very Astringent And therefore of Slow Motion It is reported that Sweet Mosse besides that vpon the Apple-Trees groweth likewise sometimes vpon Poplars And yet generally the Poplar is a Smooth Tree of Barke and hath little Mosse The Mosse of the Larix Tree burneth also Sweet and sparkleth in the Burning Quaere of the Mosses of Oderate Trees As Cedar Cypres Lignum Aloës c. The Death that is most without Paine hath been noted to be vpon the Taking of the Petium of Hemloche which in Humanity was the Forme of Execution of Capitall Offenders in Athens The Poyson of the Aspe that Cleopatra vsed hath some affinity with it The Cause is for that the Torments of Death are chiefly raised by the Strife of the Spirits And these Vapours quench the Spirits by Degrees Like to the Death of an extreme Old Man I conceiue it is lesse Painfull than Opium because Opium hath Parts of Heat mixed There be Fruits that are Sweet before they be Ripe As Mirabolanes So Reuuell-Seeds are Sweet before they ripen and after grow Spicy And some neuer Ripen to be Sweet As Tamarinds Berberries Crabs Sloes c. The Cause is for that the former Kinde haue â—â—â—eh and subtill Heat which causeth Earely Sweetnesse The latter haue a Cold and Acide Iuyce which no Heat of the Sunne can sweeten But as for the Mirabelane it hath Parts of Contrary Natures For it is Sweet and yet Astringont There bee few Herbes that haue a Salt Taste And contrariwise all Bloud of Liuing Creatures hath a Saltnesse The Cause may be for that Salt though it be the Audiment of Life yet in Plants the Originall Taste remaineth not For you shall haue them Bitter Sowre Sweet Biting but seldome Salt But in Liuing Creatures all those High Tastes may happen to be sometimes in the Humours but are seldome in the Flesh or Substance Because it is of a more Oyly Nature which is not very Susceptible of those Tastes And the Saltnesse it selfe of Bloud is but a light and secret Saltnesse And euen among Plants some doe
participate of Saltnesse as Alga Marina Sampire Scorny-Grasse c. And they report there is in some of the Indian-Seas a Swimming Plant which they call Salgazus spreading ouer the Sea in such sort as one would thinke it were a Meadow It is certaine that out of the Ashes of all Plants they extract a Salt which they vse in Medicines It is reported by one of the Ancients that there is an Herb growing in the Water called Lincostis which is full of Prickles This Herbe putteth forth another small Herbe out of the Leafe which is imputed to some Moisture that is gathered betweene the Prickles which Putrified by the Sunne Germinateth But I remember also I haue seene for a great Rarity one Rose grow out of another like Honey-Suckles that they call Top and Top-gallants Barley as appeareth in the Malting being steeped in Water three dayes and afterwards the Water drained from it and the Barley turned vpon a dry floare will sprout halfe an Inch long at least And if it be let alone and not turned much more vntill the Heart be out Wheat will doe the same Try it also with Pease and Beanes This Experiment is not like that of the Orpin and Semper-Vine For there it is of the old Store for no Water is added But here it is nourished from the Water The Experiment would be further driuen For it appeareth already by that which hath beene said that Earth is not necessary to the first Sprouting of Plants And we see that Rose-Buds set in Water will Blow Therefore try whether the Sprouts of such Graines may not be raised to a further Degree As to an Herbe or Flower with Water onely Or some small Commixture of Earth For if they will it should seeme by the Experiments before both of the Malt and of the Roses that they will come far faster on in Water than in Earth For the Nourishment is easilier drawne out of Water than out of Earth It may giue some light also that Drinke infused with Flesh as that with the Capon c. will nourish faster and easilier than Meat and Drinke together Try the same Experiment with Roots as well as with Graines as for Example take a Turnip and steepe it a while and then dry it and see whether it will sprout Malt in the Drenâ—bing will swell And in such a manner as after the Putting forth in Sprouts and the drying vpon the Keele there will be gained at least a Bushell in eight and yet the Sprouts are rubbed off And there will be a Bushell of Dust besides the Malt Which I suppose to be not onely by the loose and open Laying of the Parts but by some Addition of Substance drawne from the Water in which it was steeped Malt gathereth a Sweetnesse to the Taste which appeareth yet more in the Wort. The Dulcoration of Things is worthy to be tried to the full For that Dulcoration importeth a degree to Nourishment And the Making of Things Inalimentall to become Alimentall may be an Experiment of great Profit for Making new Victuall Most Seeds in the Growing leaue their Huske or Rinde about the Root But the Onion will carry it vp that it will be like a Cap vpon the Top of the Young Onion The Cause may be for that the Skin or Huske is not easie to breake As we see by the Pilling of Onions what a Holding Substance the Skin is Plants that haue Curled Leaues doe all abound with Moisture Which commeth so fast on as they cannot spread themselues Plaine but must needs gather together The Weakest Kinde of Curling is Roughnesse As in Clary and Burre The Second is Curling on the Sides As in Lettuce and Young Cabbage And the Third is Folding into an Head As in Cabbage full growne and Cabbage-Lettuce It is reported that Firre and Pine especially if they be Old and Putrified though they shine not as some Rotten Woods doe yet in the sudden Breaking they will sparkle like Hard Sugar The Roots of Trees doe some of them put downwards deepe into the Ground As the Oake Pine Firre c. Some spread more towards the Surface of the Earth As the Ash Cypresse-Tree Oline c. The Cause of this latter may be for that such Trees as loue the Sunne doe not willingly descend farre into the Earth And therefore they are commonly Trees that shoot vp much For in their Body their desire of Approach to the Sunne maketh them spread the lesse And the same Reason vnder Ground to auoid Recesse from the Sunne maketh them spread the more And wee see it commeth to passe in some Trees which haue beene planted too deepe in the Ground that forloue of Approach to the Sunne they forsake their first Root and put out another more towards the Top of the Earth And wee see also that the Oliue is full of Oylie Iuyce And Ash maketh the best Fire And Cypresse is an Hot Tree As for the Oake which is of the former sort it loueth the Earth And therefore groweth slowly And for the Pine and Firre likewise they haue so much Heat in themselues as they need lesse the Heat of the Sunne There be Herbs also that haue the same difference As the Herbe they call Morsus Diaboli Which putteth the Root downe so low as you cannot pull it vp without Breaking Which gaue Occasion to the Nâ—me and â—â—â— For that it was said it was so wholesome a Root that the Deuill when it was gathered bit â—â— for Enny And some of the Ancients doe report that there was a Goodly Firre which they desired to remoue whole that had a Root vnder Ground eight Cubits deepe And so the Root came vp broken It hath beene obserued thaâ— a Branch of a Tree being Vnberked some space at the Botome and so set into the Ground hath growen Euen of such Trees as if the Branch were set with the Barke on they would not grow yet coâ—â—driwise we see that a Tree â—ared round in the Body aboue Ground will die The Cause may be for that the Vnbarke Part draweth the Nourishment best but the Barke continueth it only Grapes will continue Fresh and Moist all Winter long if you hang them Cluster by Cluster in the Roofe of a Warme Roome Especially it when you gather the Cluster you take off with the Cluster some of the Stocke The Reed or Cane is a Watry Plant and groweth not but in the Water It hath these Properties That it is Hollow That it is Knuckled both Stalke and Root That being Drie it is more Hard and Fragile than other Wood That it putteth forth no Boughs though many Stalkes come out of one Root It differeth much in Greatnesse The smallest being fit for Thatching of Houses And Stopping the Chinkes of Ships Better than Glew or Pitch The Second Bignesse is vsed for Angle-Rods and Staues And in China for beating of Offenders vpon the Thighs The differing Kindes of them are The Common Reed The Cassia Fistula And the Sugar-Reed
with Water in them will not Melt easily But without it they will Nay wee see more that Butter or Oyle which in themselues are Inflammable yet by Vertue of their Moisture will doe the like It hath beene noted by the Ancients that it is dangerous to Picke ones Eare whilest he Yawneth The Cause is for that in Yawning the Inner Parchment of the Eare is extended by the Drawing in of the Spirit and Breath For in Yawning and Sighing both the Spirit is first strongly Drawne in and then strongly Expelled It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Sneezing doth cease the Hiccough The Cause is for that the Motion of the Hiccough is a Lifting vp of the Stomacke which Sneezing doth somewhat depresse and diuert the Motion another way For first wee see that the Hiccough commeth of Fulnesse of Meat especially in Children which causeth an Extension of the Stomacke Wee see also it is caused by Acide Meats or Drinkes which is by the Pricking of the Stomacke And this Motion is ceased either by Diuersion Or by Detention of the Spirits Diuersion as in Sneezing Detention as wee see Holding of the Breath doth helpe somewhat to cease the Hiccough And putting a Man into an Earnest Studie doth the like As is commonly vsed And Vinegar put to the Nostbrills or Gargarized doth it also For that it is Astringent and inhibiteth the Motion of the Spirits Looking against the Sunne doth induce Sneezing The Cause is not the Heating of the Nosthrills For then the Holding vp of the Nosthrills against the Sunne though one Winke would doe it But the Drawing downe of the Moisture of the Braine For it will make the Eyes run with Water And the Drawing of Moisture to the Eyes doth draw it to the Nosthrills by Motion of Consent And so followeth Sneezing As contrariwise the Tickling of the Nosthrills within doth draw the Moisture to the Nosthrills and to the Eyes by Consent For they also will Water But yet it hath beene obserued that if one be about to Sneeze the Rubbing of the Eyes till they run with Water will preuent it Where of the Cause is for that the Humour which was descending to the Nosthrills is diuerted to the Eyes The Teeth are more by Cold Drinke or the like affected than the other Parts The Cause is double The One for that the Resistance of Bone to Cold is greater than of Flesh for that Flesh shrinketh but the Bone resisteth whereby the Cold becommeth more eager The Other is for that the Teeth are Parts without Bloud Whereas Bloud helpeth to qualifie the Cold And therefore wee see that the Sinnewes are much affected with Cold For that they are Parts without Bloud So the Bones in Sharpe Colds wax Brittle And therefore it hath beene seene that all Contusions of Bones in Hard Weather are more difficult to Cure It hath been noted that the Tongue receiueth more easily Tokens of Diseases than the other Parts As of Heats within which appeare most in the Blacknesse of the Tongue Againe Pied Cattell are spotted in their Tongues c. The Cause is no doubt the Tendernesse of the Part which thereby receiueth more easily all Alterations than any other Parts of the Flesh. When the Mouth is out of Taste it maketh Things taste sometimes Salt Chiefly Bitter And sometimes Loathsome But neuer Sweet The Cause is the Corrupting of the Moisture about the Tongue Which many times turneth Bitter and Salt and Loathsome But Sweet neuer For the rest are Degrees of Corruption It was obserued in the Great Plague of the last Yeare that there were seene in diuers Ditches and low Grounds about London many Toads that had Tailes two or three Inches long at the least Whereas Toads vsually haue no Tailes at all Which argueth a great Disposition to Putrefaction in the Soile and Aire It is reported likewise that Roots such as Carrets and Parsuips are more Sweet and Lushious in Infectious Yeares than in other Yeares Wife Physitians should with all diligence inquire what Simples Nature yeeldeth that haue extreme Subtile Parts without any Mordication or Acrimony For they Vndermine that which is Hard They open that which is Stopped and Shut And they expell that which is Offensive gently without too much Perturbation Of this Kinde are Elder-Flowers which therefore are Proper for the Stone Of this kinde is the DwarfePine which is Proper for the laundies Of this kinde is Harts-Horne which is Proper for Agues and Infections Of this kinde is Piony which is Proper for Stoppings in the Head Of this kinde is Fumitory which is Proper for the Splâ—â—â—e And a Number of Others Generally diuers Creatures bred of Putrefaction though they be somewhat loathsome to take are of this kinde As Earth-wormes Timber-Sowes Snailes c. And I conceiue that the Trechischs of Vipers which are so much magnified and the Flesh of Snakes some wayes condited and corrected which of late are growne into some Credite are of the same Nature So the Parts of Beasts Putrified as Castereum and Muske which haue extreme Subtill Parts are to be placed amongst them We see also that Patrefactions of Plants as Agarichs and lewes â—â—â—â— are of greatest Vertue The Cause is for that Putrefection is the Subtillest of all Motions in the Parts of Bodies And since we cannot take downe the Lines of Liuing Creatures which some of the â—â—â— say If they could be taken downe would make vs Immortall the Next is for Subtilty of Operation to take Bodies Putresied Such as may be safely taken It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Much vse of Venus doth Dimme the Sight And yet Eunuchs which are vnable to generate are neuerthelesse also Dimme Sighted The Cause of Dimnesse of Sight in the Former is the Expence of Spirts In the Latter the Ouer-moisture of the Braine For the Ouer-moisture of the Braine doth thicken the Spirits Visuall and obstructeth their Passages As we see by the Decay in the Sight in Age Where also the Diminution of the Spirits concurreth as another Cause we see also that Blindnesse commeth by Rheumes and â—â—â— Now in â—â—â— there are all the Notes of Moisture As the Swelling of their Thighes the Loosenesse of their Belly the Smoothnesse of their Skinne c. The Pleasure in the Act of Venus is the greatest of the Pleasures of the Senses The Matching of it with Itch is vnproper though that also be Pleasing to the touch But the Conses are Profound First all the Organe of the Senses qualifie the Nations of the Spirits And make so many Seuerall Species of Motions and Pleasures or Displeasures thereupon as there be Dinersitics of Organs The Instruments of Sight Hearing Taste and Smell are of seuerall frame And so are the Parts for Generation Therefore Sealiger doth well to make the Pleasure of Generation a Sixth Sense And if there were any other differing Organs and Qualified Perfraction for the spirits to passe there would be
not take vpon vs now to Enumerate them all The Insecta haue beene noted by the Ancients to feed little But this hath not beene diligently obserued For Grashoppers eat vp the Greene of whole Countries And Silke-wormes deuoure Leaues swiftly And Ants make gret Prouision It is true that Creatures that Sleepe and rest much Eat little As Dormise and Bats c. They are all without Bloud Which may be for that the Iuyce of their Bodies is almost all one Not Bloud and Flesh and Skin and Bone as in Perfect Creatures The Integrall Parts haue Extreme Variety but the Similar Parts little It is true that they haue some of them a Disphragme and an Intestine And they haue all Skins Which in most of the Insecta are cast often They are not generally of long Life Yet Bees haue beene knowne to liue seuen yeares And Snakes are thought the rather for the Casting of their Spoils to liue till they be Old And Eeles which many times breed of Putrefaction will liue and grow very long And those that Enterchange from Wormes to Flyes in the Summer and from Flyes to Wormes in the Winter haue beene kept in Boxes oure kyears at the least Yet there are certain Flyes that are called Ephemera that liue but a day The Cause is the Exility of the Spirit Or perhaps the Absence of the Sunne For that if they were brought in or kept close they might liue longer Many of the Insecta as Butterflies and other Flies reuiue easily when they seeme dead being brought to the Sunne or Fire The Cause whereof is the Diffusion of the Vitall Spirit and the Easie Dilating of it by a little Heat They stirre a good while after their Heads are off or that they be cut in Pecces Which is caused also for that their Vitall Spirits are more diffused thorow-out all their Parts and lesse confined to Organs than in Perfect Creatures The Insecta haue Voluntary Motion and therefore Imagination And whereas some of the Ancients haue said that their Motion is Indeterminate and their Imagination Indefinite it is negligently obserued For Arts goe right forwards to their Hills And Bees doe admirably know the way from a Flowry Heath two or three Miles off to their Hiues It may be Gnats and Flyes haue their Imagination more mutable and giddy as Small Birds likewise haue It is said by some of the Ancients that they haue onely the Sense of Feeling which is manifestly vntrue For if they goe forth-right to a Place they must needs haue Sight Besides they delight more in one Flower or Herbe than in another and therefore haue Taste And Bees are called with Sound vpon Brasse and therefore they haue Hearing Which sheweth likewise that though their Spirit be diffused yet there is a Seat of their Senses in their Head Other Obseruations concerning the Insecta together with the Enumeration of them wee referre to that place where wee meane to handle the Title of Animal's in generall A Man Leapeth better with Weights in his Hands than without The Cause is for that the Weight if it be proportionable strengthneth the Sinneues by Contracting them For otherwise where no Contraction is needfull Weight hindereth As wee see in Horse-Races Men are curious to fore-see that there be not the least Weight vpon the one Horse more than vpon the other In Leaping with Weights the Armes are first cast backwards and then forwards with so much the greater Force For the Hands goe backward before they take their Raise Quaere if the contrary Motion of the Spirits immediately before the Motion wee intend doth not cause the Spirits as it were to breake forth with more Force As Breath also drawne and kept in commeth forth more forcibly And in Casting of any Thing the Armes to make a greater Swing are first cast backward Of Musicall Tones and Vnequall Sounds wee haue spoken before But touching the Pleasure and Displeasure of the Senses not so fully Harsh Sounds as of a Sawe when it is sharpened Grinding of one Stone against another Squeaking or Skriching Noise make a Shiuering or Horrour in the Body and set the Teeth on edge The Cause is for that the Obiects of the Eare doe affect the Spirits immediately most with Pleasure and Offence We see there is no Colour that affecteth the Eye much with Displeasure There be Sights that are Horrible because they excite the Memory of Things that are Odious or Fearefull But the same Things Painted doe little affect As for Smells Tastes and Touches they be Things that doe affect by a Participation or Impulsion of the Body of the Obiect So it is Sound alone that doth immediately and incorporeally affect most This is most manifest in Musicke and Concords and Discords in Musicke For all Sounds whether they be sharpe or Flat if they be Sweet haue a Roundnesse and Equality And if they be Harsh are Vnequall For a Discord it selfe is but a Harshnesse of Diners Sounds Meeting It is true that Inequality not Stayed vpon but Passing is rather an Encrease of Sweetnesse As in the Purling of a Wreathed String And in the Rancity of a Trumpet And in the Nightinghale-Pipe of a Regall And in a Discord straight falling vpon a Concord But if you stay vpon it it is Offensiue And therefore there bee these three Degrees of Pleasing and Displeasing in Sounds Sweet Sounds Discords and Harsh Sounds which we call by diuers Names as Skriching or Grating such as wee now speake of As for the Setting of the Teeth on Edge we see plainly what an Intercourse there is betweene the Teeth and the Organ of the Hearing by the Taking of the End of a Bow betweene the Teeth and Striking vpon the String NATVRALL HISTORIE VIII Century THere be Mineralls and Fossiles in great Varietie But of Veines of Earth Medicinall but few The Chiefe are Terra Lemnia Terra Sigillata communis and Bolus Arminus Whereof Terra Lemnia is the Chiefe The Vertues of them are for Curing of Wounds Stanching of Bloud Stopping of Flaxes and Rheumes and Arresting the Spreading of Poison Infection and Putrefaction And they haue of all other Simples the Perfectest and Purest Qualitie of Drying with little or no Mixture of any other Qualitie Yet it is true that the Bole-Arminicke is the most Cold of them And that Terra Lemnia is the most Hot For which Cause the Island Lemnos where it is digged was in the Old Fabulous Ages consecrated to Vulcan About the Bottome of the Straights are gathered great Quantities of Sponges which are gathered from the sides of Rocks being as it were a large but tough Mosse It is the more to be noted because that there be but few Substances Plant-like that grow deepe within the Sea For they are gathered sometimes fifteene Fathome deepe And when they are laid on Shoare they seeme to be of great Bulke But crushed together will be transported in a very small Roome It seemeth that Fish that are vsed to
to the Deity Which is the Authour by Power and Prouidence of Strange Wonders Laughing causeth a Dilatation of the Mouth and Lips A Continued Expulsion of the Breath with the loud Noise which maketh the Interiection of Laughing Shaking of the Breast and Sides Running of the Eyes with Water if it be Violent and Continued Wherein first it is to be vnderstood that Laughing is scarce properly a Passion but hath his Source from the Intellect For in Laughing there euer precedeth a Conceit of somewhat Ridiculous And therefore it is Proper to Man Secondly that the Cause of Laughing is but a Light Touch of the Spirits and not so deepe an Impression as in other Passions And therefore that which hath no Affinity with the Passions of the Minde it is moued and that in great vehemency onely by Tickling some Parts of the Body And we see that Men euen in a Grieued State of Minde yet cannot sometimes forbeare Laughing Thirdly it is euer ioyned with some Degree of Delight And therefore Exhilaration hath some Affinity with Ioy though it be a much Lighter Motion Res seneraest verum Gandium Fourthly that the Obiect of it is Deformity Absurdity Shrew'd Turnes and the like Now to speake of the Causes of the Effects before mentioned whereunto these Generall Notes giue some Light For the Dilatation of the Mouth and Lips Continued Expulsion of the Breath and Voice and Shaking of the Breast and Sides they proceed all from the Dilatation of the Spirits Especially being Sudden So likewise the Running of the Eyes with Water as hath beene formerly touched where we spake of the Teares of Ioy and Griefe is an Effect of Dilatation of the Spirits And for Suddennesse it is a great Part of the Matter For we see that any Shrew'd Turne that lighteth vpon Another Or any Deformity c. moueth Laughter in the Instant Which after a little time it doth not So we cannot Laugh at any Thing after it is Stale but whilest it is New And euen in Tickling if you Tickle the Sides and giue warning Or giue a Hard or Continued Touch it doth not moue Laughter so much Lust causeth a Flagrancy in the Eyes and Priapisme The Cause of both these is for that in Lust the Sight and the Touch are the Things desired And therefore the Spirits resort to those partâ— whch are most affected And note well in generall For that great Vse may be made of the Obseruation that euermore the Spirits in all Passions resort most to the Parts that labour most or are most affected As in the last which hath been mentioned they resort to the Eyes and Venereous Parts In Feare and Anger to the Heart In Shame to the Face And in Light Dislikes to the Head It hath beene obserued by the Ancients and is yet beleeued that the Sperme of Drunken Men is Vnfruitfull The Cause is for that it is Ouer-moistened and wanteth Spissitude And we haue a merry Saying that they that goe Drunke to Bed get Daughters Drunken Men are taken with a plaine Defect or Destitution in Voluntary Motion They â—â—ele They tremble They cannot stand nor speake strongly The â—â—â—â— is for that the Spirits of the Wine oppresse the Spirits Animall and â—â—â— pate Part of the Place where they are And so make them Weake to moue And therefore Drunken Men are apt to fall asleepe And Opiates and Stupefactines as Poppy Henbane Hemlocke c. induce a kinde of Drunkennesse by the Grossenesse of their Vapour As Wine doth by the Quantity of the Vapour Besides they rob the Spirits Animall of their Matter whereby they are nourished For the Spirits of the Wine prey vpon it as well as they And so they make the Spirits lesse Supple and Apt to moue Drunken Men imagine euery Thing turneth round They imagine also that Things Come vpon them They See not well Things a farre off Those Things that they See neare hand they See out of their Place And sometimes they see Things double The Cause of the Imagination that Things turne Round is for that the Spirits themselues turne being compressed by the Vapour of the Wine For any Liquid Body vpon Compression turneth as we see in Water And it is all one to the Sight whether the Visuall Spirits moue or the Obiect moueth or the Medium moueth And we see that long Turning Round breedeth the same Imagination The Cause of the Imagination that Things come vpon them is for that the Spirits Visuall themselues draw backe which maketh the Obiect seeme to come on And besides when they see Things turne Round and Moue Feare maketh them thinke they come vpon them The Cause that they cannot see Things a farre off is the Weaknesse of the Spirits for in euery Megrim or Vertige there is an Obtenebration ioyned with a Semblance of Turning round Which we see also in the lighter Sort of Swonnings The Cause of Seeing things out of their Place is the Refraction of the Spirits Visuall For the Vapour is as an Vnequall Medium And it is as the Sight of Things out of place in Water The Cause of Seeing Things double is the Swift and Vnquiet Motion of the Spirits being Oppressed to and fro For as was said before the Motion of the Spirits Visuall and the Motion of the Obiect make the same Appearances And for the Swift Motion of the Obiect we see that if you fillip a Lute-String it sheweth double or Treble Men are sooner Drunke with Small Draughts than with Great And againe Wine Sugred inebriateth lesse than Wine Pure The Cause of the Former is for that the Wine descendeth not so fast to the Bottome of the Stomach But maketh longer Stay in the Vpper Part of the Stomach and sendeth Vapours faster to the Head And therefore inebriateth sooner And for the same Reason Sops in Wine Quantity for Quantity inebriate more than Wine of it selfe The Cause of the Latter is for that the Sugar doth inspissate the Spirits of the Wine and maketh them not so easie to resolue into Vapour Nay further it is thought to be some Remedy against Inebriating if Wine Sugred be taken after Wine Pure And the same Effect is wrought either by Oyle or Milke taken vpon much Drinking The Vse of Wine in Dry and Consumed Bodies is hurtfull In Moist and Full Bodies it is good The Cause is for that the Spirits of the Wine doe prey vpon the Dew or Radicall Moisture as they terme it of the Body and so deceiue the Animall Spirits But where there is Moisture Enough or Superfluous there Wine helpeth to disgest and desiccate the Moisture The Catterpiller is one of the most Generall of Wormes and breedeth of Dew and Leaues For we see infinite Number of Catterpillers which breed vpon Trees and Hedges By which the Leaues of the Trees or Hedges are in great Part consumed As well by their Breeding out of the Leafe as by their Feeding vpon the Leafe They breed in the Spring chiefly
is in September For that they need the whole Summers Feed and Grasse to make them fit for Generation And if Raine come Earely about the Middle of September they goe to Rut somewhat the sooner If Drought somewhat the later So Sheepe in respect of their small Neat. generate about the same time or somewhat before But for the most part Creatures that generate at certaine Seasons generate in the Spring As Birds and Fishes For that the End of the Winter and the Heat and Comfort of the Spring prepareth them There is also another Reason why some Creatures generate at certaine Seasons And that is the Relation of their Time of Bearing to the time of Generation For no Creature goeth to generate whilest the Female is full Nor whilest shee is busie in Sitting or Rearing her Young And therefore it is found by Experience that if you take the Egges or Young Ones out of the Neasts of Birds they will fall to generate againe three or foure times one after another Of Liuing Creatures some are Longer time in the Wombe and some Shorter Women goe commonly nine Moneths The Cow and the Ewe about six Moneths Doe's goe about nine Moneths Mares eleuen Moneths Bitches nine Weekes Elephants are said to goe two Yeares For the Receiued Tradition of ten Yeares is Fabulous For Birds there is double Enquiry The Distance betweene the Treading or Coupling and the Laying of the Egge And againe betweene the Egge Layed and the Disclosing or Hetching And amongst Birds there is lesse Diuersity of Time than amongst other Creatures yet some there is For the Hen sitteth but three Weekes The Turky-Hen Goose and Ducke a Moneth Quare of others The Cause of the great Difference of Times amongst Liuing Creatures is Either from the Nature of the Kinde Or from the Constitution of the Wombe For the former those that are longer in Comming to their Maturity or Growth are longer in the Wombe As is chiefly seene in Men And so Elephants which are long in the Wombe are long time in Comming to their full Growth But in most other Kindes the Constitution of the Wombe that is the Hardnesse or Drinesse thereof is concurrent with the former Cause For the â—â—lt hath about foure yeares of Growth And so the Fawne And so the Calfe But Whelps which come to their Growth commonly within three Quarters of a yeare are but nine Weekes in the Wombe As for Birds as there is lesse Diuersity amongst them in the time of their Bringing forth So there is lesse Diuersity in the time of their Growth Most of them comming to their Growth within a Twelue-Moneth Some Creatures bring forth many Young Ones at a Burthen As Bitches Hares Conneyes c. Some ordinatily but One As Women Lionesses c. This may be caused either by the Quantity of Sperme required to the Producing One of that Kinde which if lesse be required may admit greater Number If more fewer Or by the Partitions and Cells of the Wombe which may feuer the Sperme There is no doubt but Light by Refraction will shew greater as well as Things Coloured For like as a Shilling in the Bottomes of the Water will shew greater So will a Candle in a Lanthorne in the Bottome of the Water I haue heard of a Practise that Glo-wormes in Glasses were put in the Water to make the Fish come But I am not yet informed whether when a Diuer Diueth hauing his Eyes open and swimmeth vpon his Backe whether I say he seeth Things in the Aire greater or lesse For it is manifest that when the Eye standeth in the Finer Medium and the Obiect is in the Grosser things shew greater But contrariwise when the Eye is placed in the Grosser Medium and the Obiect in the Finer how it worketh I know not It would be well boulted out whether great Refractions may not be made vpon Reflexions as well as vpon Direct Beames For Example We see that take an Empty Basen put an Angell of Gold or what you will into it Then goe so farre from the Basen till you cannot see the Angell because it is not in a Right Line Then fill the Basen with Water and you shall see it out of his Place because of the Reflexion To proceed therefore put a Looking-Glasse into a Basen of Water I suppose you shall not see the Image in a Right Line or at equall Angles but aside I know not whether this Experiment may not be extended so as you might see the Image and not the Glasse Which for Beauty and Strangenesse were a fine Proofe For then you should see the Image like a Spirit in the Aire As for Example If there be a Cesterne or Poole of Water you shall place ouer against it a Picture of the Deuill or what you will so as you doe not see the Water Then put a Looking-Glasse in the Water Now if you can see the Deuills Picture aside not seeing the Water it will looke like a Deuill indeed They haue an old Tale in Oxford that Friar Bacon walked betweene two Steeples Which was thought to be done by Glasses when he walked vpon the Ground A Weighty Body put into Motion is more easily impelled than at first when it Resteth The Cause is Partly because Motion doth discusse the Torpour of Solide Bodies Which beside their Motion of Grauity haue in them a Naturall Appetite not to moue at all And partly because a Body that resteth doth get by the Resistance of the Body vpon which it resteth a stronger Compression of Parts than it hath of it Selfe And therefore needeth more Force to be put in Motion For if a Weighty Body be Pensile and hang but by a Thred the Percussion will make an Impulsion very neare as easily as if it were already in Motion A Body Ouer-great or Ouer-small will not be throwne so farre as a Body of a Middle Sixe So that it seemeth there must be a Commensuration or Proportion betweene the Body Moued and the Force to make it moue well The Cause is because to the Impulsion there is requisite the Force of the Body that Moueth and the Resistance of the Body that is Moued And if the Body be too great it yeeldeth too little And if it be too small it resisteth too little It is Common Experience that no Weight will presse or cut so strong being laid vpon a Body as Falling or strucken from aboue It may be the Aire hath some part in furthering the Percussion But the chiefe Cause I take to be for that the Parts of the Body Moued haue by Impulsion or by the Motion of Grauity continued a Compression in them as well downwards as they haue when they are throwne or Shot thorow the Aire forwards I conceiue also that the quicke Loose of that Motion preuenteth the Resistance of the Body below And Priority of the Force alwaies is of great Efficacy As appeareth in infinite Instances Tickling is most in the Soles of the Feet and
may be many Deawes fall that spend before they come to the Valleys And I suppose that he that would gather the best May-Deaw for Medicine should gather it from the Hills It is said they haue a manner to prepare their Greeke-Wines to keepe them from Fuming and Inebriating by adding some Sulphur or Allome Whereof the one is Vnctnous and the other is Astringent And certaine it is that those two Natures doe best represse Fumes This Experiment would be transferred vnto other Wine and Strong Beere by Putting in some like Substances while they worke Which may make them both to Fume lesse and to Inflame lesse It is conceiued by some not improbably that the reason why Wilde-Fires Whereof the principall Ingredient is Bitumen doe not quench with Water is for that the first Concretion of Bitumen is a Mixture of a Fiery and Watry Substance So is not Sulphur This appeareth for that in the Place neare Puteoli which they call the Court of Valcan you shall heare vnder the Earth a Horrible Thundring of Fire and Water conflicting together And there breake forth also Spouts of Boyling Water Now that Place yeeldeth great Quantities of Bitumen Whereas AEtna and Vesuuius and the like which consist vpon Sulphur shoot forth Smoake and Ashes and Pumice but no Water It is reported also that Bitumen Mingled with Lime and Put vnder Water will make as it were an Artificiall Rocke The Substance becommeth so Hard. There is a Cement compounded of Floure Whites of Egges and Stone powdred that becommeth Hard as Marble wherewith Piscina mirabilis neare Cuma is said to haue the Walls Plastered And it is certaine and tried that the Powder of Load-Stone and Flint by the Addition of Whites of Egges and Gumm-Dragon made into Paste will in a few dayes harden to the Hardnesse of a Stone It hath beene noted by the Ancients that in Full or Impure Bodies Vlcers or Hurts in the Leggs are Hard to Cure And in the Head more Easie. The Cause is for that Vlcers or Hurts in the Leggs require Deficcation which by the Defluxion of Humours to the Lower Parts is hindred Whereas Hurts and Vlcers in the Head require it not But contrariwise Drinesse maketh them more apt to Consolidate And in Moderne Obseruation the like difference hath beene found betweene French-Men and English-Men Where of the ones Constitution is more Dry and the others more Moist And therefore a Hurt of the Head is harder to cure in a French-Man and of the Legge in an English-Man It hath beene noted by the Ancients that Southerne Winds blowing much without Raine doe cause a Feuourous Disposition of the Yeare But with Raine not The Cause is for that Southerne Winds doe of themselues qualifie the Aire to be apt to cause Feuers But when Showers are ioyned they doe Refrigerate in Part and Checke the Sultry Heat of the Southerne Wind. Therefore this holdeth not in the Sea-Coasts because the Vapour of the Sea without Showers doth refresh It hath beene noted by the Ancients that Wounds which are made with Brasse heale more easily than Wounds made with Iron The Cause is for that Brasse hath in it selfe a Sanatiue Vertue And so in the very Instant helpeth somewhat But Iron is Corrosiue and not Sanatiue And therefore it were good that the Instruments which are vsed by Chirurgians about Wounds were rather of Brasse than Iron In the Cold Countries when Mens Noses and Eares are Mortified and as it were Gangrened with Cold if they come to a Fire they rot off presently The Cause is for that the few Spirits that remaine in those Parts are suddenly drawne forth and so Putrefaction is made Compleat But Snow Put vpon them helpeth For that it preserueth those Spirits that remaine till they can reuiue And besides Snow hath in it a Secret Warmth As the Monke proued out of the Text Qui dat Niuem sicut Lanam Gelu sicut Cineres spargit Whereby he did inferre that Snow did warme like Wooll and Frost did fret like Ashes Warme Water also doth good Because by little and little it openeth the Pores without any sudden Working vpon the Spirits This Experiment may be transferred vnto the Cure of Gangrenes either Comming of themselues or induced by too much Applying of Opiates Wherein you must beware of Dry Heat and resort to Things that are Refrigerant with an Inward Warmth and Vertue of Cherishing Weigh Iron and Aqua Fortis seuerally Then dissolue the Iron in the Aqua Fortis And weigh the Dissolution And you shall finde it to beare as good Weight as the Bodies did seuerally Notwithstanding a good deale of Wast by a thicke Vapour that issueth during the Working Which sheweth that the Opening of a Body doth increase the Weight This was tried once or twice but I know not whether there were any Errour in the Triall Take of Aqua-Fortis two Ounces of Quick-siluer two Drachmes For that Charge the Aqua-Fortis will beare The Dissolution will not beare a Flint as big as a Nutmeg Yet no doubt the Increasing of the Weight of Water will increase his Power of Bearing As we see Broine when it is Salt enough will beare an Egge And I remember well a Physitian that vsed to giue some Minerall Baths for the Gout c. And the Body when it was put into the Bath could not get downe so easily as in Ordinary Water But it seemeth the Weight of the Quick-siluer more than the Weight of a Stone doth not compense the Weight of a Stone more than the Weight of the Aqua-Fortis Let there be a Body of Vnequall Weight As of Wood and Lead or Bone and Lead If you throw it from you with the Light-End forward it will turne and the Weightier End will recouer to be Forwards Vnlesse the Body be Ouer-long The Cause is for that the more Dense Body hath a more Violent Pressure of the Parts from the first Impulsion Which is the Cause though heretofore not found out as hath been often said of all Violent Motions And when the Hinder Part moueth swifter for that it lesse endureth Pressure of Parts than the Forward Part can make way for it it must needs be that the Body turne ouer For turned it can more easily draw forward the Lighter Part. Gaâ—â—laeus noteth it well That if an Open Trough wherein Water is be driuen faster than the Water can follow the Water gathereth vpon an heape towards the Hinder End where the Motion began Which he supposeth holding confidently the Motion of the Earth to be the Cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Ocean Because the Earth ouer-runneth the Water Which Theory though it be false yet the first Experiment is true As for the Inequality of the Pressure of Parts it appeareth manifestly in this That if you take a Body of Stone or Iron and another of Wood of the same Magnitude and Shape and throw them with equall Force you cannot possibly throw the
Wood so farre as the Stone or Iron It is certaine as it hath beene formerly in part touched that Water may be the Medium of Sounds If you dash a Stone against a Stone in the Bottome of the Water it maketh a Sound So a long Pole strucke vpon Grauell in the Bottome of the Water maketh a Sound Nay if you should thinke that the Sound commeth vp by the Pole and not by the Water you shall finde that an Anchor let downe by a Roape maketh a Sound And yet the Roape is no Solide Body whereby the Sound can ascend All Obiects of the Senses which are very Offensiue doe cause the Spirits to retire And vpon their Flight the Parts are in some degree destitute And so there is induced in them a Trepidation and Horrour For Sounds we see that the Grating of a Saw or any very Harsh Noise will set the Teeth on edge and make all the Body Shiuer For Tastes we see that in the Taking of a Potion or Pills the Head and the Necke shake For Odious Smells the like Effect followeth which is lesse perceiued because there is a Remedy at hand by Stopping of the Nose But in Horses that can vse no such Help we see the Smell of a Carrion especially of a Dead Horse maketh them fly away and take on almost as if they were Mad. For Feeling if you come out of the Sunne suddenly into a Shade there followeth a Chilnesse or Shiuering in all the Body And euen in Sight which hath in effect no Odious Obiect Comming into Sudden Darknesse induceth an Offer to Shiuer There is in the City of Ticinum in Italy a Church that hath Windownes onely from aboue It is in Length an Hundred Feet in Breadth Twenty Feet and in Height neare Fifty Hauing a Doore in the Middest It reporteth the Voice twelue or thirteene times if you stand by the Close End-Wall ouer against the Doore The Eccho fadeth and dyeth by little and little as the Eccho at Pont-charenton doth And the Voice soundeth as if it came from aboue the Doore And if you stand at the Lower End or on either Side of the Doore the Eccho holdeth But if you stand in the Doore or in the Middest iust ouer against the Doore not Note that all Eccho's sound better against Old Walls than New Because they are more Dry and Hollow Those Effects which are wrought by the Percussion of the Sense and by Things in Fact are produced likewise in some degree by the Imagination Therefore if a Man see another eat Soure or Acide Things which set the Teeth on edge this Obiect tainteth the Imagination So that hee that seeth the Thing done by another hath his owne Teeth also set on edge So if a Man see another turne swiftly and long Or if he looke vpon Wheeles that turne Himselfe waxeth Turne-sicke So if a Man be vpon an High Place without Railes or good Hold except he be vsed to it he is Ready to Fall For Imagining a Fall it putteth his Spirits into the very Action of a Fall So Many vpon the Seeing of others Bleed or Strangled or Tortured Themselues are ready to faint as if they Bled or were in Strife Take a Stocke-Gilly-Flower and tye it gently vpon a Sticke and put them both into a Stoope Glasse full of Quick-siluer so that the Flower be couered Then lay a little Weight vpon the Top of the Glasse that may keepe the Sticke downe And looke vpon them after foure or fiue daies And you shall finde the Flower Fresh and the Stalke Harder and lesse Flexible than it was If you compare it with another Flower gathered at the same time it will be the more manifest This sheweth that Bodies doe preserue excellently in Quick-siluer And not preserue only but by the Coldnesse of the Quick-siluer Indurate For the Freshnesse of the Flower may be meerely Conseruation which is the more to be obserued because the Quick-Siluer presseth the Flower But the Stiffenesse of the Stalke cannot be without Induration from the Cold as it seemeth of the Quick-siluer It is reported by some of the Ancients that in Cyprus there is a Kinde of Iron that being cut into Little Peeces and put into the Ground if it be well Watred will increase into Greater Peeces This is certaine and knowne of Old That Lead will multiply and Increase As hath beene seene in Old Statua's of Stone which haue beene put in Cellars The Feet of them being bound with Leaden Bands Where after a time there appeared that the Lead did swell Insomuch as it hanged vpon the Stone like Warts I call Drowning of Metalls when that the Baser Metall is so incorporate with the more Rich as it can by no Meanes be separated againe which is a kinde of Version though False As if Siluer should be inseparably incorporated with Gold Or Copper and Lead with Siluer The Ancient Electrum had in it a Fifth of Siluer to the Gold And made a Compound Metall as fit for most vses as Gold And more Resplendent and more Qualified in some other Properties But then that was easily Separated This to doe priuily or to make the Compound passe for the Rich Metall Simple is an Adulteration or Counterfeiting But if it be done Auowedly and without Disguizing it may be a great Sauing of the Richer Metall I remember to haue heard of a Man skilfull in Metalls that a Fifteenth Part of Siluer incorporate with Gold will not be Recouered by any Water of Separation Except you put a Greater Quantity of Siluer to draw to it the Lesse which he said is the last Refuge in Separations But that is a tedious way which no Man almost will thinke on This would be better enquired And the Quantity of the Fifteenth turned to a Twentieth And likewise with some little Additionall that may further the Intrinsique Incorporation Note that Siluer in Gold will be detected by Weight compared with the Dimension But Lead in Silver Lead being the Weightier Metall will not be detected If you take so much the more Siluer as will counteruaile the Ouer-Weight of the Lead Gold is the onely Substance which hath nothing in it Volatile and yet melteth without much difficulty The Melting sheweth that it is not Ieiune or Scarce in Spirit So that the Fixing of it is not Want of Spirit to fly out but the Equall Spreading of the Tangible Parts and the Close Coaceruation of them Whereby they haue the lesse Appetite and no Meanes at all to issue forth It were good therefore to try whether Glasse Re-moulten doe leese any Weight For the Parts in Glasse are euenly Spred But they are not so Close as in Gold As we see by the Easie Admission of Light Heat and Cold And by the Smalnesse of the Weight There be other Bodies Fixed which haue little or no Spirit So as there is nothing to fly out As wee see in the Stuffe whereof Coppells are made Which they
put into Furnaces Vpon which Fire worketh not So that there are three Causes of Fixation The Euen Spreading both of the Spirits and Tangible Parts The Closenesse of the Tangible Parts And the Ieiunenesse or Extreme Comminution of Spirits Of which Three the Two First may be ioyned with a Nature Liquefiable The Last not It is Profound Contemplation in Nature to consider of the Emptinesse as we may call it or Insatisfaction of seuerall Bodies And of their Appetite to take in Others Aire taketh in Lights and Sounds and Smells and Vapours And it is most manifest that it doth it with a kinde of Thirst as not satisfied with his owne former Consistence For else it would neuer receiue them in so suddenly and easily Water and all Liquours doe hastily receiue Dry and more Terrestriall Bodies Proportionable And Dry Bodies on the other side drinke in Waters and Liquours So that as it was well said by one of the Ancients of Earthy and Watry Substances One is a Glue to another Parchment Skins Cloth c. drinke in Liquours though themselues be Entire Bodies and not Comminuted as Sand and Ashes Nor apparently Porous Metalls themselues doe receiue in readily Strong-Waters And Strong-Waters likewise doe readily pierce into Metalls and Stones And that Strong-Water will touch vpon Gold that will not touch vpon Siluer And è conuerso And Gold which seemeth by the Weight to be the Closest and most Solide Body doth greedily drinke in Quick-Siluer And it seemeth that this Reception of other Bodies is not Violent For it is many times Reciprocall and as it were with Consent Of the Cause of this and to what Axiome it may be referred consider attentiuely For as for the Pretty Assertion that Matter is like a Common Strumpet that desireth all Formes it is but a Wandring Notion Onely Flame doth not content it selfe to take in any other Body But either to ouercome and turne another Body into it Selfe as by Victory Or it Selfe to dye and goe out NATVRALL HISTORIE IX Century IT is certaine that all Bodies whatsoeuer though they haue no Sense yet they haue Perception For when one Body is applied to another there is a Kinde of Election to embrace that which is Agreeable and to exclude or expell that which is Ingrate And whether the Body be Alterant or Altered euermore a Perception precedeth Operation For else all Bodies would be alike One to Another And sometimes this Perception in some Kinde of Bodies is farre more Subtill than the Sense So that the Sense is but a dull Thing in Comparison of it Wee see a Weather-Glasse will finde the least difference of the Weather in Heat or Cold when Men finde it not And this Perception also is sometimes at Distance as well as vpon the Touch As when the Load-Stone draweth Iron or Flame fireth Naphtha of Babylon a great distance off It is therefore a Subiect of a very Noble Enquiry to enquire of the more Subtill Perceptions For it is another Key to open Nature as well as the Sense And sometimes Better And besides it is a Principall Meanes of Naturall Diuination For that which in these Perceptions appeareth early in the great Effects commeth long after It is true also that it serueth to discouer that which is Hid as well as to foretell that which is to Come As it is in many Subtill Trialls As to trie whether Seeds be old or new the Sense cannot informe But if you boile them in Water the New Seeds will sprout sooner And so of Water the Taste will not discouer the best Water But the Speedy Consuming of it and many other Meanes which we haue heretofore set downe will discouer it So in all Physiognomy the Lineaments of the Body will discouer those Naturall Inclinations of the Minde which Dissimulation will conceale or Discipline will suppresse Wee shall therefore now handle only those two Perceptions which pertaine to Naturall Diuination and Discouery Leauing the Handling of Perception in other Things to be disposed Elsewhere Now it is true that Diuination is attained by other Meanes As if you know the Causes If you know the Concomitants you may iudge of the Effect to follow And the like may be said of Discouery But wee tie our Selues here to that Diuination and Discouery chiefly which is Caused by an Early or Subtill Perception The Aptnesse or Propension of Aire or Water to Corrupt or Putrifie no doubt is to be found before it breake forth into manifest Effects of Diseases Blastings or the like Wee will therefore set downe some Prognosticks of Pestilentiall and Vnwholsome Yeares The Wind blowing much from the South without Raine And Wormes in the Oake-Apple haue beene spoken of before Also the Plenty of Frogs Grashappers Flies and the like Creatures bred of Putrefaction doth portend Pestilentiall Yeares Great and Early Heats in the Spring and namely in May without Winds portend the same And generally so doe Yeares with little Wind or Thunder Great Droughts in Summer lasting till towards the End of August and some Gentle Showres vpon them And then some Drie Weather againe Doe portend a Pestilent Summer the Yeare following For about the End of August all the Sweetnesse of the Earth which goeth into Plants and Trees is exhaled And much more if the August be dry So that nothing then can breathe forth of the Earth but a grosse Vapour which is apt to Corrupt the Aire And that Vapour by the first Showres if they be Gentle is released and commeth forth abundantly Therefore they that come abroad soone after those Showres are commonly taken with Sicknesse And in Affricke no Body will stirre out of doores after the first Showres But if the Showres come vehemently then they rather wash and fill the Earth than giue it leaue to breathe forth presently But if Drie Weather come againe then it fixeth and continueth the Corruption of the Aire vpon the first Showres begun And maketh it of ill Influence euen to the Next Summer Except a very Frostie Winter discharge it Which seldome succeedeth such Droughts The Lesser Infections of the Small Pockes Purple Feuers Agues in the Summer Precedent and houering all Winter doe portend a great Pestilence in the Summer following For Putrefaction doth not rise to his height at once It were good to lay a Peece of Raw Flesh or Fish in the Open Aire And if it Putrefie quickly it is a Signe of a Disposition in the Aire to Putrefaction And because you cannot be informed whether the Putrefaction be quicke or late except you compare this Experiment with the like Experiment in another Yeare it were not amisse in the same Yeare and at the same Time to lay one Peece of Flesh or Fish in the Open Aire and another of the same Kinde and Bignesse within Doores For I iudge that if a generall Disposition be in the Aire to Putrefie the Flesh or Fish will sooner Putrefie abroad where the Aire hath more power than in the House where it
Disgestions In the Stomach In the Liuer In the Arteries and Nerues And in the Seuerall Parts of the Body are likewise called Concoctions And they are all made to be the Workes of Heat All which Notions are but ignorant Catches of a few Things which are most Obuious to Mens Obseruations The Constantest Notion of Concoction is that it should signifie the Degrees of Alteration of one Body into another from Crudity to Perfect Concoction Which is the Vltimity of that Action or Processe And while the Body to be Conuerted and Altered is too strong for the Efficient that should Conuert or Alter it whereby it resisteth and holdeth fast in some degree the first Forme or Consistence it is all that while Crude and Inconcoct And the Processe is to be called Crudity and Inconcoction It is true that Concoction is in great part the Worke of Heat But not the Worke of Heat alone For all Things that further the Conuersion or Alteration as Rest Mixture of a Body already Concocted c. are also Meanes to Concoction And there are of Concoction two Periods The one Assimilation or Absolute Conuersion and Subaction The other Maturation whereof the Former is most conspicuous in the Bodies of Liuing Creatures In which there is an Absolute Conuersion and Assimilation of the Nourishment into the Body And likewise in the Bodies of Plants And againe in Metalls where there is a full Transmutation The other which is Maturation is seene in Liquours and Fruits wherein there is not desired nor pretended an vtter Conuersion but onely an Alteration to that Forme which is most sought for Mans vse As in Clarifying of Drinkes Ripening of Fruits c. But note that there be two Kindes of Absolute Conuersions The one is when a Body is conuerted into another Body which was before As when Nourishment is turned into Flesh That is it which wee call Assimilation The other is when the Conuersion is into a Body meerely New and which was not before As if Siluer should be turned to Gold or Iron to Copper And this Conuersion is better called for distinctions sake Transmutation There are also diuers other Great Alterations of Matter and Bodies besides those that tend to Concoction and Maturation For whatsoeuer doth so alter a Body as it returneth not againe to that it was may be called Alteratio Maior As when Meat is Boyled or Roasted or Fried c. Or when Bread and Meat are Baked Or when Cheese is made of Curds or Butter of Creame or Goales of wood or Brickes of Earth And a Number of others But to apply Notions Philosophicall to Plebcian Termes Or to say where the Notions cannot fitly be reconciled that there wanteth a Terme or Nomenclature for it as the Ancients vsed They be but Shifts of Ignorance For Knowledge will be euer a Wandring and Indigested Thing if it be but a Commixture of a few Notions that are at hand and occurre and not excited from sufficient Number of Instances and those well collated The Consistences of Bodies are very diuers Dense Rare Tangible Pneumaticall Volatile Fixed Determinate Not Determinate Hard Soft Cleauing Not Cleauing Congealeable Not Congealeable Liquefiable Not Liquefiable Fragile Tough Flexible Inflexible Tractile or to be drawen forth in length Intractile Porous Solide Equall and Smooth Vnequall Venous and Fibrous and with Graines Entire And diuers Others All which to referre to Heat and Cold and Moisture and Drought is a Compendious and Inutile Speculation But of these see principally our Abecedarium Nature And otherwise Sparfim in this in our Sylua Syluarum Neuerthelesse in some good part We shall handle diuers of them now presently Liquefiable and Not Liquefiable proceed from these Causes Liquefaction is euer caused by the Detention of the Spirits which play within the Body and Open it Therefore such Bodies as are more Turgide of Spirit Or that haue their Spirits more Sraitly Imprisoned Or againe that hold them Better Pleased and Content are Liquefiable For these three Dispositions of Bodies doe arrest the Emission of the Spirits An Example of the first two Properties is in Metalls And of the Last in Grease Pitch Sulphure Butter Wax c. The Disposition not to Liquefie proceedeth from the Easie Emission of the Spirits whereby the Grosser Parts contract And therefore Bodies Ieiune of Spirits Or which part with their Spirits more Willingly are not Liquefiable As Wood Clay Free-stone c. But yet euen many of those Bodies that will not Melt or will hardly Melt will notwithstanding Soften As Iron in the Forge And a Sticke bathed in Hot Ashes which thereby becommeth more Flexible Moreouer there are some Bodies which doe Liquefie or dissolue by Fire As Metalls Wax c. And other Bodies which dissolue in Water As Salt Sugar c. The Cause of the former proceedeth from the Dilatation of the Spirits by Heat The Cause of the Latter proceedeth from the Opening of the Tangible Parts which desire to receiue the Liquour Againe there are some Bodies that dissolue with both As Gumme c. And those be such Bodies as on the One Side haue good store of Spirit And on the other Side haue the Tangible Parts Indigent of Moisture For the former helpeth to the Dilating of the Spirits by the Fire And the Latter stimulateth the Parts to Receiue the Liquour Of Bodies some are Fragile And some are Tough and Not Fragile And in the Breaking some Fragile Bodies breake but where the Force is Some shatter and fly in many Peeces Of Fragility the Cause is an Impotency to be Extended And therefore Stone is more Fragile than Metall And so Fictile Earth is more Fragile than Crude Earth And Dry Wood than Greene. And the Cause of this Vnaptnesse to Extension is the Small Quantity of Spirits For it is the Spirit that furthereth the Extension or Dilatation of Bodies And it is euer Concomitant with Porosity and with Drinesse in the Tangible Parts Contrariwise Tough Bodies haue more Spirit and sewer Pores and Moister Tangible Parts Therefore wee see that Parchment or Leather will stretch Paper will not Woollen Cloth will tenter Linnen scarcely All Solide Bodies consist of Parts of two seuerall Natures Pneumaticall and Tangible And it is well to be noted that the Pneumaticall Substance is in some Bodies the Nature Spirit of the Body And in some other plaine Aire that is gotten in As in Bodies desiccate by Heat or Age For in them when the Natiue Spirit goeth forth and the Moisture with it the Aire with time getteth into the Pores And those Bodies are euer the more Fragile For the Natiue Spirit is more Yeelding and Extensiue especially to follow the Parts than Aire The Natiue Spirits also admit great Diuersitie As Hot Cold Active Dull c. Whence proceed most of the Vertues and Qualities as wee call them of Bodies But the Aire intermixt is without Vertues and maketh Things Infioide and without any Extimulation The Concretion of Bodies
an â—â—â— of it will be worth as is affirmed two Hundred Pounds by the yeare towards Charge The Charge of making the Ground and otherwise is great but nothing to the Profit But the English Tobacco hath small credit as being too Dull and Eartby Nay the â—â—â—â— Tobacco though that be in a Hotter Climate can get no credit for the same â—â—â— that a Triall to make Tobacco more Aromaticall and better Concocted here in England were a Thing of great profit Some haue gone about to doe it by Drenching the English Tobacco in a Decoction or Infusion of Indian Tobacco But those are but Sophistications and Toyes For Nothing that is once Perfect and hath run his Race can receiue much Amendment You must euer resort to the Beginnings of Things for Melioration The Way of Maturation of Tobacco must as in other Plants be from the Heat Either of the Earth or of the Sunne We see some Leading of this in Musk-Melons which are sowen vpon a Hot Bed Dunged below vpon a Bancke turned vpon the South Sunne to giue Heat by Reflexion Laid vpon Tiles which increaseth the Heat And Couered with Straw to keepe them from Cold. They remoue them also which addeth some Life And by these Helpes they become as good in England as in Italy or Prouence These and the like Meanes may be tried in Tobacco Enquire also of the Steeping of the Roots in some such Liquour as may giue them Vigour to put forth Strong Heat of the Sunne for the Maturation of Fruits Yea and the Heat of Viuification of Liuing Creatures are both represented and supplied by the Heat of Fire And likewise the Heats of the Sunne and Life are represented one by the other Trees set vpon the Backes of Chimneyes doe ripen Fruit sooner Vines that haue beene drawne in at the Window of a Kitchen haue sent forth Grapes ripe a Month at least before others Stoues at the Backe of Walls bring forth Orenges here with vs. Egges as is reported by some haue beene hatched in the warmth of an Ouen It is reported by the Ancients that the Estrich Layeth her Egs vnder Sand where the Heat of the Sunne disclosed them Barley in the Boyling swelleth not much Wheat swelleth more Rize extremely In so much as a Quarter of a Pint vnboyled will arise to a Pint boyled The Cause no doubt is for that the more Close and Compact the Body is the more it will dilate Now Barley is the most Hollow Wheat more Solide than that and Rize most Solide of all It may be also that some Bodies haue a Kinde of Lentour and more Depertible Nature than others As we see it Euident in Colouration For a Small Quantity of Saffron will Tinct more than a very great Quantity of Bresill or Wine Fruit groweth Sweet by Rowling or Pressing them gently with the Hand As Rowling-Peares Damasins c. By Rottennesse As Medlars Seruickes Sloe's Heps c. By Time As Apples Wardens Pomgranats c. By certaine Speciall Maturations As by Laying them in Hay Straw c. And by Fire As in Roasting Stewing Baking c. The Cause of the Sweetnesse by Rowling and Pressing is Emollition which they properly enduce As in Beating of Stock-Fish Flesh c. By Rottennesse is for that the Spirits of the Fruit by Putrefaction gather Heat and thereby disgest the Harder Part For in all Putrefactions there is a Degree of Heat By Time and Keeping is because the Spirits of the Body doe euer feed vpon the Tangible Parts and attenuate them By Seuerall Maturations is by some Degree of Heat And by Fire is because it is the Proper Worke of Heat to Refine and to Incorporate And all Sourenesse consisteth in some Grossenesse of the Body And all Incorporation doth make the Mixture of the Body more Equall in all the Parts Which euer induceth a Milder Taste Of Fleshes some are Edible Some except it be in Famine not For those that are not Edible the Cause is for that they haue commonly too much Bitternesse of Taste And therefore those Creatures which are Fierce and Cholerick are not Edible As Lions Wolnes Squirrells Dogs Foxes Horses c. As for Kine Sheepe Goats Deere Swine Conneyes Hares c. We see they are Milde and Fearefull Yet it is true that Horses which are Beasts of Courage haue beene and are eaten by some Nations As the Scythians were called Hippophagi And the Chineses eat Horse-flesh at this day And some Gluttons haue vsed to haue Colts-flesh baked In Birds such as are Carniuor a and Birds of Prey are commonly no Good Meat But the Reason is rather the Cholerick Nature of those Birds than their Feeding vpon Flesh For Puits Gulls Shouelers Duckes doe feed vpon Flesh and yet are Good Meat And wee see that those Birds which are of Prey or feed vpon Flesh are good Meat when they are very Young As Hawkes Rookes out of the Neast Owles c. Mans Flesh is not Eaten The Reasons are Three First because Men in Humanity doe abhorre it Secondly because no Liuing Creature that Dyeth of it selfe is good to Eat And therefore the Caâ—â—â— themselues eat no Mans-flesh of those that Dye of Themselues but of such as are Slaine The Third is because there must be generally some Disparity between the Nourishment and the Body Nourished And they must not be Ouer-neere or like Yet we see that in great Weaknesses and Consumptions Man haue beene sustained with Womans Milke And Ficinus fondly as I conceiue aduiseth for the Prolongation of Life that a Veine be opened in the Arme of some wholesome Young Man And the Bloud to be sucked It is said that Witches doe greedily eat Mens flesh which if it be true besides a Diuellish Appetite in them it is likely to proceed for that Mans flesh may send vp High and Pleasing Vapours which may stirre the Imagination And Witches Felicity is chiefly in Imagination as hath beene said There is an Ancient Receiued Tradition of the Salamander that it liueth in the Fire and hath force also to extinguish the Fire It must haue two Things if it be true to this Operation The One a very Close Skin whereby Flame which in the Midst is not so hot cannot enter For we see that if the Palme of the Hand be annointed thicke with White of Egge and then Aquanita be poured vpon it and Enflamed yet one may endure the Flame a pretty while The other is some Extreme Cold and Quenching vertue in the Body of that Creature which choaketh the Fire We see that Milke quencheth Wilde-Fire better than Water because it entreth better Time doth change Fruit as Apples Peares Pomgranats c. from more Soure to more Sweet But contrariwise Liquours euen those that are of the Iuyce of Fruit from more Sweet to more Soure As Wort Must New Veriuyce c. The Cause is the Congregation of the Spirits together For in both Kindes the Spirit is attenuated by Time
But in the first Kinde it is more Diffused and more Mastered by the Grosser Parts which the Spirits doe but disgest But in Drinkes the Spirits doe raigne and finding lesse Opposition of the Parts become themselues more Strong Which causeth also more Strength in the Liquour Such as if the Spirits be of the Hotter Sort the Liquour becommeth apt to Burne But in Time it causeth likewise when the Higher Spirits are Euapourated more Sourenesse It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Plates of Metall and especially of Brasse applied presently to a Blow will keepe it downe from Swelling The Cause is Repercussion without Humectation or Entrance of any Body for the Plate hath onely a Virtuall Cold which doth not search into the Hurt Whereas all Plasters and Ointments doe enter Surely the Cause that Blowes and Bruises enduce Swellings is for that the Spirits resorting to Succour the Part that Laboureth draw also the Humours with them For we see that it is not the Repulse and the Returne of the Humour in the Part Strucken that causeth it For that Gouts and Tooth-Aches cause Swelling where there is no Percussion at all The Nature of the Orris Root is almost Singular For there be few Odoriferous Roots And in those that are in any degree Sweet it is but the same Sweetnesse with the Wood or Leafe But the Orris is not Sweet in the Leafe Neither is the Flower any thing so Sweet as the Root The Root seemeth to haue a Tender dainty Heat Which when it commeth aboue Ground to the Sunne and the Aire vanisheth For it is a great Mollifier And hath a Smell like a Violet It hath been obserued by the Ancients that a great Vessell full drawne into Bottles And then the Liquour put againe into the Vessell will not fill the Vessell againe so full as it was but that it may take in more Liquour And that this holdeth more in Wine than in Water The Cause may be Triuiall Namely by the Expence of the Liquour in regard some may sticke to the Sides of the Bottles But there may be a Cause more Subtill Which is that the Liquour in the Vessell is not so much Compressed as in the Bottle Because in the Vessell the Liquour meeteth with Liquour chiefly But in the Bottles a Small Quantity of Liquour meeteth with the Sides of the Bottles which Compresse it so that it doth not Open againe Water being contiguous with Aire Cooleth it but Moisteneth it not except it Vapour The Cause is for that Heat and Cold haue a Virtuall Transition without Communication of Substance but Moisture not And to all Madefaction there is required an Imbibition But where the Bodies are of such seuerall Leuity and Grauity as they Mingle not there can follow no Imbibition And therefore Oyle likewise lyeth at the Top of the Water without Commixture And a Drop of Water running swiftly ouer a Straw or Smooth Body wetteth not Starre-light Nights yea and bright Moone-shine Nights are Colder than Cloudy Nights The Cause is the Drinesse and Finenesse of the Aire which thereby becommeth more Piercing and Sharpe And therefore Great Continents are colder than Islands And as for the Moone though it selfe inclineth the Aire to Moisture yet when it shineth bright it argueth the Aire is dry Also Close Aire is warmer than Open Aire which it may be is for that the true Cause of Cold is an Expiration from the Globe of the Earth which in open Places is stronger And againe Aire it selfe if it be not altered by that Expiration is not without some Secret Degree of Heat As it is not likewise without some Secret Degree of Light For otherwise Cats and Owles could not see in the Night But that Aire hath a little Light Proportionable to the Visuall Spirits of those Creatures The Eyes doe moue â—â—â—â—â—â— way For when one Eye moueth to the Nosthrill the other moueth from the Nosthrill The Cause is Motion of Consent which in the Spirits and Parts Spirituall is Strong But yet Vse will induce the Contrary For some can Squint when they will And the Common Tradition is that if Children be set vpon a Table with a Candle behinde them both Eyes will moue Outwards As affecting to see the Light and so induce Squinting We see more exquisitely with One Eye Shut than with Both Open. The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall vnite themselues more and so become Stronger For you may see by looking in a Glasse that when you shut one Eye the Pupill of the other Eye that is Open Dilateth The Eyes if the Sight meet not in one Angle See Things Double The Cause is for that Seeing two Things and Seeing one Thing twice worketh the same Effect And therefore a little Pellet held betweene two Fingers laid a-crosse seemeth Double Pore-blinde Men see best in the Dimmer Lights And likewise haue their Sight Stronger neare hand than those that are not Pore-blinde And can Reade and Write smaller Letters The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall in those that are Pore-blinde are Thinner and Rarer than in others And therefore the Greater Light disperseth them For the same Cause they need Contracting But being Contracted are more strong than the Visuall Spirits of Ordinary Eyes are As when we see thorow a Leuell the Sight is the Stronger And so is it when you gather the Eye-lids somewhat close And it is commonly seene in those that are Poreblinde that they doe much gather the Eye-lids together But Old Men when they would see to Reade put the Paper somewhat a farre off The Cause is for that Old Mens Spirits Visuall contrary to those of Pore-blinde Men vnite not but when the Obiect is at some good distance from their Eyes Men see better when their Eyes are ouer-against the Sunne or a Candle if they put their Hand a little before their Eye The Reason is for that the Glaring of the Sunne or the Candle doth weaken the Eye wheras the Light Circumfused is enough for the Perception For we see that an Ouer-light maketh the Eyes Dazell Insomuch as Perpetuall Looking against the Sunne would Cause Blindnesse Againe if Men come out of a Great Light into a Darke Roome And contrariwise if they come out of a Darke Roome into a Light Roome they seeme to haue a Mist before their Eyes and see worse than they shall doe after they haue stayed a little while either in the Light or in the Darke The Cause is for that the Spirits Visuall are vpon a Sudden Change disturbed and put out of Order And till they be recollected doe not performe their Function well For when they are much Dilated by Light they cannot Contract suddenly And when they are much Contracted by Darknesse they cannot Dilate suddenly And Excesse of both these that is of the Dilatation and Contraction of the Spirits Visuall if it belong Destroyeth the Eye For as long Looking against the Sunne or Fire hurteth the Eye by Dilatation
So Curious Painting in Small Volumes and Reading of Small Letters doe hurt the Eye by Contraction It hath beene obserued that in Anger the Eyes wax Red And in Blushing not the Eyes but the Eares and the Parts behinde them The Cause is for that in Anger the Spirits ascend and wax Eager Which is most easily seene in the Eyes because they are Translucide Though withall it maketh both the Cheekes and the Gills Red But in Blushing it is true the Spirits ascend likewise to Succour both the Eyes and the Face which are the Parts that labour But then they are repulsed by the Eyes for that the Eyes in Shame doe put backe the Spirits that ascend to them as vnwilling to looke abroad For no Men in that Passion doth looke strongly but Deiectedly And that Repulsion from the Eyes Diuerteth the Spirits and Heat more to the Eares and the Parts by them The Obiects of the Sight may cause a great Pleasure and Delight in the Spirits but no Paine or great Offence Except it be by Memory as hath beene said The Glimpses and Beames of Diamonds that strike the Eye Indian Feathers that haue glorious Colours The Comming into a Faire Garden The Comming into a Faire Roome richly furnished A Beautifull Person And the like doe delight and exhilarate the Spirits much The Reason why it holdeth not in the Offence is for that the Sight is the most Spirituall of the Senses whereby it hath no Obiect Grosse enough to offend it But the Cause chiefly is for that there be no Actiue Obiects to offend the Eye For Harmonicall Sounds and Discordant Sounds are both Actiue and Positiue So are Sweet Smels and Stinks So are Bitter and Sweet in Tastes So are Ouer-Hot and Ouer-Cold in Touch But Blacknesse and Darknesse are indeed but Priuatiues And therefore haue little or no Actiuitie Somewhat they doe Contristate but very little Water of the Sea or otherwise looketh Blacker when it is moued and Whiter when it resteth The Cause is for that by meanes of the Motion the Beames of light passe not Straight and therefore must be darkened whereas when it resteth the Beames doe passe Straight Besides Splendour hath a Degree of Whitenesse Especially if there be a little Repercussion For a Looking-Glasse with the Steele behinde looketh Whiter than Glasse Simple This Experiment deserueth to be driuen further in Trying by what Meanes Motion may hinder Sight Shell-Fish haue beene by some of the Ancients compared and sorted with the Insecta But I see no reason why they should For they haue Male and Female as other Fish haue Neither are they bred of Putrefaction Especially such as doe Moue Neuerthelesse it is certaine that Oisters and Cockles and Mussles which Moue not haue no discriminate Sex Quare in what time and how they are bred It seemeth that Shells of Oisters are bred where none were before A 〈◊〉 tried that the great Horse-Mussle with the fine shell that breedeth in Ponds hath bred within thirty yeares But then which is strange it hath beene tried that they doe not only Gape and Shut as the Oisters doe but Remone from one Place to Another The Senses are alike Strong both on the Right Side and on the Left But the Limmes on the Right Side are Stronger The Cause may be for that the Braine which is the Instrument of Sense is alike on both Sides But Motion and Habilities of Mouing are somewhat holpen from the Liner which lieth on the Right Side It may be also for that the Senses are put in Exercise indifferently on both Sides from the Time of our Birth But the Limmes are vsed most on the Right Side whereby Custome helpeth For wee see that some are Left-Handed Which are such as haue vsed the Left-Hand most Frictions make the Parts more Fleshie and Full As wee see both in Men And in Carrying of Horses c. The Cause is for that they draw greater Quantitie of Spirits and Blond to the Parts And againe because they draw the Aliment more forcibly from within And againe because they relax the Pores and so make better Passage for the Spirits Blond and Aliment Lastly because they dissipate and disgest any Inutile or Excrementitious Moisture which lieth in the Flesh All which helpe Assimilation Frictions also doe more Fâ—ll and Impinguate the Body than Exercise The Cause is for that in Frictions the Inward Parts are at rest Which in Exercise are beaten many times too much And for the same Reason as we haue noted heretofore Gally-Slaues are Fat and Fleshie because they stirre the Limmes more and the Inward Parts lesse All Globes afarre off appeare Flat The Cause is for that Distance being a Secundary Obiect of Sight is not otherwise discerned than by more or lesse Light which Disparitie when it cannot be discerned all seemeth One As it is generally in Obiects not distinctly discerned For so Letters if they be so farre off as they cannot be discerned shew but as a Duskish Paper And all Engrauings and Embossings afarre off appeare Plaine The Vtmost Parts of Shadowes seeme euer to Tremble The Cause is for that the little Moats which wee see in the Sunne doe euer Stirre though there be no Wind And therefore those Mouing in the Meeting of the Light and the Shadow from the Light to the Shadow and from the Shadow to the Light doe shew the Shadow to Moue because the Medium Moueth Shallow and Narrow Seas Breake more than Deepe and Large The Cause is for that the Impulsion being the same in Both Where there is great Quantitie of â—â—â— and likewise Space Enough there the Water Rowleth and Moueth both more Slowly and with a Sloper Rise and Fall But where there is lesse Water and lesse Space and the Water dasheth more against the Bottome there it moueth more Swiftly and more in Precipice For in the Breaking of the Wanes there is euer a Precipice It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Salt-Water Boyled or Boyled and Cooled againe is more Potable than of it selfe Raw And yet the Taste of Salt in Distillations by Fire riseth not For the Distilled Water will be Fresh The Cause may be for that the Salt Part of the Water doth partly rise into a Kinde of Scumme on the Top And partly goeth into a Sediment in the Bottome And so is rather a Separation than an Euaporation But it is too grosse to rise into a Vapour And so is a Bitter Taste likewise For Simple Distilled Waters of Wormewood and the like are not Bitter It hath beene set downe before that Pits vpon the Sea-Shoare turne into Fresh Water by Percolation of the Salt through the Sand But it is further noted by some of the Ancients that in some Places of Affricke after a time the Water in such Pits will become Brackish againe The Cause is for that after a time the very Sands thorow which the Salt-Water passeth become Salt And so the
The Spirit or Soule of the World By which they did not intend God for they did admit of a Deitie besides But only the Soule or Essentiall Forme of the Vniueâ—se This Foundation being laid they mought build vpon it what they would For in a Liuing Creature though neuer so great As for Example in a great Whale the Sense and the Affects of any one Part of the Body instantly make a Transcursion thoâ— rowout the whole Body So that by this they did insinuate that no Distance of Place nor Want or Indisposition of Matter could hinder Magicall Operations But that for Example wee mought here in Europe haue Sense and Feeling of that which was done in China And likewise we mought worke any Effect without and against Matter And this not Holpen by the Cooperation of Angels or Spirits but only by the Vnitie and Harmonie of Nature There were some also that staid not here but went further and held That if the Spirit of Man whom they call the Microcosme doe giue a fit touch to the Spirit of the World by strong Imaginations and Beleefes it might command Nature For Paracelsus and some darksome Authors of Magicke doe ascribe to Imagination Exalted the Power of Miracle-working Faith With these Vast and Bottomelesse Follies Men haue been in part entertained But wee that hold firme to the Works of God And to the Sense which is Gods Lampe Lucerna Dei Spiraculum Hominis willen quire with all Sobrietie and Seueritie whether there be to be found in the Foot-steps of Nature any such Transmission and Influx of Immateriate Vertues And what the Force of Imagination is Either vpon the Body Imaginant or vpon another Body Wherein it will be like that Labour of Hercules in Purging the Stable of Augeas to separate from Superstitious and Magicall Arts and Obseruations any thing that is cleane and pure Naturall And not to be either Contemned or Condemned And although wee shall haue occasion to speake of this in more Places than One yet we will now make some Entrance thereinto Men are to be Admonished that they doe not with-draw Credit from the Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Force of Imagination because the Effects faile sometimes For as in Infection and Contagion from Body to Body as the Plague and the like it is most certaine that the Infection is receiued many times by the Body Passiue but yet is by the Strength and good Disposition thereof Repulsed and wrought out before it be formed into a Disease So much more in Impressions from Minde to Minde or from Spirit to Spirit the Impression taketh but is Encountred and Ouercome by the Minde and Spirit which is Passiue before it worke any manifest Effect And therefore they worke most vpon Weake Mindes and Spirits As those of Women Sicke Persons Superstitious and Fearfull Persons Children and Young Creatures Nescio quis teneros Oculus mihi fascinat Agnos The Poet speaketh not of Sheepe but of Lambs As for the Weaknesse of the Power of them vpon Kings and Magistrates It may be ascribed besides the maine which is the Protection of God ouer those that Execute his Place to the Weaknesse of the Imagination of the Imaginant For it is hard for a Witch or a Sorcerer to put on a Beleefe that they can hurt such Persons Men are to be Admonished on the other side that they doe not easily giue Place and Credit to these Operations because they Succeed many times For the Cause of this Successe is oft to be truly ascribed vnto the Force of Affection and Imagination vpon the Body Agent And then by a Secondary Meanes it may worke vpon a Diuers Body As for Example If a Man carry a Planets Seale or a Ring or some Part of a Beast beleeuing strongly that it will helpe him to obtaine his Loue Or to keepe him from danger of hurt in Fight Or to preuaile in a Suit c. it may make him more Actiue and Industrious And againe more Confident and Persisting than otherwise he would be Now the great Effects that may come of Industrie and Perseuerance especially in Ciuill Businesse who knoweth not For wee see Audacitie doth almost binde and mare the weaker Sort of Minds And the State of Humane Actions is so variable that to trie Things oft and neuer to giue ouer doth Wonders Therefore it were a Meere Fallacie and Mistaking to ascribe that to the Force of Imagination vpon another Body which is but the Force of Imagination vpon the Proper Body For there is no doubt but that Imagination and Vehement Affection worke greatly vpon the Body of the Imaginant As wee shall shew in due place Men are to be Admonished that as they are not to mistake the Causes of these Operations So much lesse they are to mistake the Fact or Effect And rashly to take that for done which is not done And therefore as diuers wise Indges haue prescribed and cautioned Men may not too rashly beleeue the Confessions of Witches nor yet the Enidence against them For the Witches themselues are Imaginatiue and beleeue oft-times they doe that which they doe not And People are Credulous in that point and ready to impute Accidents and Naturall Operations to Witch Craft It is worthy the Obseruing that both in Ancient and Late times As in the Thassalian Witches and the Meetings of Witches that haue beene recorded by so many late Confessions the great Wonders which they tell of Carrying in the Aire Transforming themselues into other Bodies c. are still reported to be wrought not by Incantations or Ceremonies But by Ointments and Annointing themselues all ouer This may iustly moue a Man to thinke that these Fables are the Effects of Imagination For it is certaine that Ointments doe all if they be laid on any thing thicke by Stopping of the Pores shut in the Vapours and send them to the Head extremely And for the Particular Ingredients of those Magicall Ointments it is like they are Opiate and Soporiferous For Annointing of the Fore-head Necke Feet Back-Bone we know is vsed for Procuring Dead Sleepes And if any Man say that this Effect would be better done by Inward Potions Answer may be made that the Medicines which goe to the Ointments are so strong that if they were vsed inwards they would kill those that vse them And therefore they worke Potently though Outwards We will diuide the Seuerall Kindes of the Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Imagination Which will giue no small Light to the Experiments that follow All Operations by Transmission of Spirits and Imagination haue this That they Worke at Distance and not at Touch And they are these being distinguished The First is the Transmission or Emission of the Thinner and more Airy Parts of Bodies As in Odours and Infections And this is of all the rest the most Corporeall But you must remember withall that there be a Number of those Emissions both Wholesome and Vnwholesome that giue no Smell at all
The first is Cold which doth manifestly Condense As wee see in the Contracting of the Aire in the Weather-Glasse whereby it is a Degree nearer to water Wee see it also in the Generation of Springs which the Ancients thought very probably to be made by the Version of Aire into water holpen by the Rest which the Aire hath in those Parts wherby it cannot dissipate And by the Coldnes of Rockes for ther Springs are chiefly generated Wee see it also in the Effects of the Cold of the Middle Region as they call it of the Aire which produceth Dews and Raines And the Experiment of Turning water into Ice by Snow Nitre and Salt wherof wee shall speake hereafter would be transferred to the Turning of Aire into Water The Second way is by Compression As in Stillatories wher the Vapour is turned back vpon it self by the Encounter of the Sides of the Stillatory And in the Dew vpon the Couers of Boyling Potts And in the Dew towards Raine vpon Marble and Wainscott But this is like to doe no great effect Except it be vpon Vapours and grosse Aire that are allready very neare in Degree to Water The Third is that which may be searched into but doth not yet appeare which is by Mingling of moist Vapours with Aire And trying if they will not bring a Returne of more Water then the water was at first For if so That Increase is a version of the Aire Therfore putt water into the Bottome of a Stillatory with the Nebb stopped Weigh the Water first Hang in the Middle of the Stillatory a large Spunge And see what Quantitie of Water you can crush out of it And what it is more or lesse compared with the water spent For you must vnderstand that if any Version can be wrought it will be easeliest done in small Pores And that is the Reason why wee prescribe a Spunge The Fourth way is Probable also though not Appearing Which is by Receiuing the Aire into the small Pores of Bodies For as hath been said euery thing in small Quantity is more easy for version And Tangible Bodies haue no pleasure in the Consort of Aire but endeauour to subact it into a more Dense Body But in Entire Bodies it is checked because if the Aire should Condense ther is nothing to succeed Therfore it must be in loose Bodies as Sand and Powder which wee see if they lye close of themselues gather Moisture IT is reported by some of the Ancients That Whelps or other Creatures if they be put Young into such a Cage or Boxe as they cannot rise to their Stature but may encrease in Breadth or length will growe accordingly as they can gett Roome which if it be true and faisible and that the young Creature so pressed and straightened doth not therupon die It is a Meanes to produce Dwarfe Creatures and in a very Strange Figure This is certaine and noted long since That the Pressure or Forming of Parts of Creatures when they are very young doth alter the Shape not a little As the Stroaking of the Heads of Infants between the Hands was noted of Old to make Macrocephali which shape of the Head at that time was esteemed And the Raising gently of the Bridge of the Nose doth preuent the Deformity of a Saddle Nose Which obseruation well weighed may teach a Meanes to make the Persons of Men and Women in many kindes more comely and better featured then otherwise they would be By the Forming and Shaping of them in their Infancy As by Stroaking vp the Calues of the Leggs to keepe them from falling downe too lowe And by Stroaking vp the Forehead to keepe them from being lowforeheaded And it is a common Practise to swath Infants that they may growe more straight and better shaped And wee see Young Women by wearing straight Bodies keepe themselues from being Grosse and Corpulent ONions as they hang will many of them shoot forth And so will Penniroiall And so will an Herb called Orpin with which they vse in the Country to trimme their Houses binding it to a Lath or Stick and setting it against a wall We see it like wise more especially in the greater Semper-vine which will put out Branches two or three yeares But it is true that commonly they wrapp the Root in a Cloth besmeared with Oyle and renue it once in halfe a Yeare The like is reported by some of the Ancients of the Stalks of Lillies The Cause is For that these Plants haue a Strong Dense and Succulent Moisture which is not apt to exhale And so is able from the old store without drawing helpe from the Earth to suffice the sprouting of the Plant And this Sprouting is chiefly in the late Spring or early Sommer which are the Times of Putting forth We see also that Stumps of Trtes lying out of the ground will put forth Sprouts for a Time But it is a Noble Triall and of very great Consequence to try whether these things in the Sprouting doe increase Weight which must be tried by weighing them before they be hangd vp And afterwards againe when they are sprouted For if they encrease not in Weight Then it is no more but this That what they send forth in the Sprout they leese in some other Part But if they gather Weight then it is Magnale Naturae For it sheweth that Aire may be made so to be Condensed as to be conuerted into a Dense Body wheras the Race and Period of all things here aboue the Earth is to extenuate and turne things to be more Penumaticall and Rare And not to be Retrograde from Pneumaticall to that which is Dense It sheweth also that Aire can Nourish which is another great Matter of Consequence Note that to try this the Experiment of the Semper-viue must be made without Oiling the Cloth For els it may be the Plant receiueth Nourishment from the Oile FLame and Aire doe not Mingle except it be in an Instant Or in the vitall Spiritts of vegetables and liuing Creatures In Gunpowder the Force of it hath been ascribed to Rarefaction of the Earthy Substance into Flame And thus farr it is true And then forfooth it is become another Element the Forme wherof occupieth more place And so of Necessity followeth a Dilatation And therfore lest two Bodies should be in one place ther must needes also follow an Expulsion of the pellet Or Blowing vp of the Mine But these are Crude and Ignorant Speculations For Flame if ther were nothing els except it were in very great quantity will be suffocate with any hard Body such as a Pellet is Or the Barrell of a Gunn So as the Flame would not expell the hard Body But the hard Body would kill the Flame and not suffer it to kindle or spread But the Cause of this so potent a Motion is the Nitre which wee call otherwise Salt-Petre which hauing in it anotable Crude and windy Spirit first by the Heate
Parts in Mans Body easily reparable as Spirits Bloud and Flesh die in the Embracement of the Parts hardly reparable as Bones Nerues and Membranes And likewise some Entrails which they reckon amongst the Spermaticall Parts are hard to repaire Though that Diuision of Spermaticall and Menstrnall Parts be but a Conceit And this same Obseruation also may be drawne to the present purpose of Nourishing Emaciated Bodies And therefore Gentle Frication draweth forth the Nourishment by making the Parts a little hungry and heating them whereby they call forth Nourishment the better This Frication I wish to be done in the Morning It is also best done by the Hand or a peece of Scarlet wooll wet a little with Oile of Almonds mingled with a small Quantity of Bay-sals or Saffron We see that the very Currying of Horses doth make them fat and in good liking The Fifth Meanes is to further the very Act of Assimilation of Nourishment which is done by some outward Emollients that make the Parts more apt to Assimilate For which I haue compounded an Ointment of Excellent Odour which I call Roman Ointment vide the Receit The vse of it would be betweene Sleepes For in the latter Sleepe the Parts Assimilate chiefly There be many Medicines which by themselues would doe no Cure but perhaps Hurt but being applyed in a certaine Order one after another doe great Cures I haue tried my selfe a Remedy for the Gout which hath seldome failed but driuen it away in 24. Houres space It is first to apply a Pultasse Of which vide the Receit And then a Bath or Fomentation of which vide the Receit And then a Plaister vide the Receit The Pultasse relaxeth the Pores and maketh the Humour apt to Exhale The Fomentation calleth forth the Humour by Vapours But yet in regard of the way made by the Pultasse Draweth gently And therfore draweth the Humour out and doth not draw more to it For it is a Gentle Fomentation and hath withall a Mixture though very little of some Stupefactine The Plaister is a Moderate Astringent Plaister which repelleth New Humour from falling The Pultasse alone would make the Part more soft and weake And apter to take the Defluxion and Impression of the Humour The Fomentation alone if it were too weake without way made by the Pultasse would draw forth little If too strong it would draw to the Part as well as draw from it The Plaister alone would pen the Humour already contained in the Part and so exasperate it as well as forbid new Humour Therefore they must be all taken in Order as is said The Pultasse is to be laid to for two or three Houres The Fomentation for a Quarter of an Houre or somewhat better being vsed hot and seuen or eight times repeated The Plaister to continue on still till the Part be well confirmed There is a secret Way of Cure vnpractized By Assuetude of that which in it selfe hurteth Poysons haue beene made by some Familiar as hath beene said Ordinary keepers of the Sicke of the Plague are seldome infected Enduring of Torture by Custome hath been made more casie The Brooking of Enormous Quantity of Meats and so of Wine or Strong Drinke hath beene by Custome made to be without Surfet or Drunkennesse And generally Diseases that are Chronicall as Coughes Phthisickes some kindes of Palseyes Lunacies c. are most dangerous at the first Therefore a wise Physitian will consider whether a Disease be Incurable Or whether the Iust Cure of it be not full of perill And if he finde it to bee such let him resort to Palliation And alleuiate the Symptome without busying himselfe too much with the perfect Cure And many times if the Patient be indeed patient that Course will exceed all Expectation Likewise the Patient himselfe may striue by little and little to Ouercome the Symptome in the Exacerbation and so by time turne Suffering into Nature Diuers Diseases especially Chronicall such as Quartan Agues are somtimes cured by Surset and Excesses As Excesse of Meat Excesse of Drinke Extraordinary Fasting Extraordinary Stirring or Lassitude the like The Cause is for that Diseases of Cotinuance get an Aduētitious Strength frō Custome besides their Materiall Cause from the Humours So that the Breaking of the Custome doth leaue them only to their first Cause which if it be any thing weake will fall off Besides such Excesses doe Excite and Spur Nature which thereupon riseth more forcibly against the Disease There is in the Body of Man a great Consent in the Motion of the seuerall Parts We see it is Childrens sport to proue whether they can rub vpon their Brest with one hand and pat vpon their Fore-head with another And straight-waies they shall sometimes rubbe with both Hands or pat with both hands We see that when the Spirits that come to the Nosthrills expell a bad Sent the Stomach is ready to Expell by Vomit We finde that in Consumptions of the Lungs when Nature cannot expell by Cough Men fall into Fluxes of the Belly and then they dye So in Pestilent Diseases if they cannot be expelled by Sweat they fall likewise into Loosenesse and that is commonly Mortall Therfore Physitians should ingeniously contriue how by Motions that are in their Power they may excite Inward Motions that are not in their Power by Consent As by the Stench of Feathers or the like they cure the Rising of the Mother Hippocrates Aphorisme In Morbis minus is a good profound Aphorisme It importeth that Diseases contrary to the Complexion Age Sexe Season of the yeare Diet c. are more dangerous than those that are Concurrent A Man would thinke it should be otherwise For that when the Accident of Sicknesse and the Naturall Disposition doe second the one the other the Disease should be more forcible And so no doubt it is if you suppose like Quantity of Matter But that which maketh good the Aphorisine is Because such Diseases doe shew a greater Collection of Matter by that they are able to ouercome those Naturall Inclinations to the Contrary And therefore in Diseases of that kinde let the Physitian apply himselfe more to Purgation than to Alteration Because the Offence is in the Quantity and the Qualities are rectified of themselues Physitians do wisely prescribe that there be Preparatiues vsed before Iust Purgations For certaine it is that Purgers doe many times great Hurt if the Body be not accommodated both before and after the Purging The Hurt that they doe for want of Preparation before Purging is by the Sticking of the Humours and their not comming faire away Which causeth in the Body great Perturbations and ill Accidents during the Purging And also the diminishing and dulling of the Working of the Medicine it selfe that it purgeth not sufficiently Therefore the worke of Preparation is double To make the Humours fluide and mature And to make the Passages more open For both those helpe to
the bottome the Morter will become as hard as the Brick wee see also that the Wood on the sides of Vessles of Wine gathereth a Crust of Tartar harder then the wood it selfe And Scales likewise grow to the Teeth harder then the Teeth themselues Most of all Induration by Assimilation appeareth in the Bodies of Trees and liuing Creatures For no Nourishment that the Tree receiueth or that the liuing Creature receiueth is so hard as Wood Bone or Horne c. but is Indurated after by Assimilation The Eye of the vnderstanding is like the Eye of the Sense For as you may see great Obiects through small Crannies or Leuells So you may see great Axiomes of Nature through small and Contemptible Instances The Speedy Depredation of Aire vpon watry Moisture and Version of the same into Aire appeareth in nothing more visible than in the sudden Discharge or vanishing of a little Cloud of Breath or Vapour from Glasse or the Blade of a Sword or any such Polished Body Such as doth not at all Detaine or Imbibe the Moisture For the Mistinesse scattereth and breaketh vp suddenly But the like Cloud if it were Oyly or Fatty will not discharge Not because it sticketh faster But because Aire preyeth vpon Water And Flame and Fire vpon Oyle And therefore to take out a Spot of Grease they vse a Coale vpon browne Paper because Fire worketh vpon Grease or Oyle as Aire doth vpon Water And we see Paper oyled or Wood oyled or the like last long moist but Wet with Water drie or putrifie sooner The Cause is for that Aire meddleth little with the Moisture of Oyle There is an Admirable demonstration in the same trifling Instance of the little Cloud vpon Glasse or Gemmes or Blades of Swords of the Force of Vnion euen in the least Quantities and weakest Bodies how much it Conduceth to Preseruation of the present Forme And the Resisting of a New For marke well the discharge of that Cloud And you shall see it euer breake vp first in the Skirts and last in the middest We see likewise that much Water draweth forth the Iuyce of the Body Infused But little water is imbibed by the Body And this is a Principall Cause why in Operation vpon Bodies for their Version or Alteration the Triall in great Quantities doth not answer the Triall in small And so deceiueth many For that I say the greater Body resisteth more any Alteration of Forme and requireth farre greater Strength in the Actiue Body that should subdue it We haue spoken before in the fifth Instance of the Cause of Orient Colours in Birds which is by the Finenesse of the Strainer we will now endeuour to reduce the same Axione to a Worke. For this Writing of our Sylue Syluerum is to speake properly not Neturall History but a high kinde of Naturall Magicke For it is not a Description only of Nature but a Breaking of Nature into great and strange Workes Trie therefore the Anointing ouer of Pigeons or other Birds when they are but in their downe Or of Whelps cutting their Haire as short as may be Or of some other Beast with some oyntment that is not hurtfull to the Flesh And that will harden and sticke very close And see whether it will not alter the Colours of the Feathers or Haire It is receiued that the Pulling off the first Feathers of Birds cleane will make the new come forth white And it is certaine that White is a penurious Colour where Moisture is scant So Blew Violets other Flowers if they be starued turne Pale and White Birds and Horses by Age or Scarres turne white And the Hoare Haires of Men come by the same reason And therefore in Birds it is very likely that the Feathers that come first will be many times of diuers Colours according to the Nature of the Bird For that the Skin is more porous But when the Skin is more shut and close the Feathers will come White This is a good Experiment not only for the Producing of Birds and Beasts of strange Colours but also for the Disclosure of the Nature of Colours themselues which of them require a finer Porositie and which a grosser It is a worke of Prouidence that hath beene truly obserued by some That the Yolke of the Egge conduceth little to the Generation of the Bird But onely to the Nourishment of the same For if a Chicken be opened when it is new hatched you shall finde much of the Yolke remaining And it is needfull that Birds that are shaped without the Females Wombe haue in the Egge as well Matter of Nourishment as Matter of generation for the Body For after the Egge is laid and seuered from the Body of the Hen It hath no more Nourishment from the Hen But onely a quickening Heat when shee sitteth But Beasts and Men need not the matter of Nourishment within themselues Because they are shaped within the Wombe of the Female and are Nourished continually from her Body It is an Inueterate and receiued Opinion that Cantharides applyed to any Part of the Body touch the Bladder and exulcerate it if they stay on long It is likewise Receiued that a kinde of Stone which they bring out of the West Indies hath a peculiar force to moue Grauell and to dissolue the Stone In so much as laid but to the wrest it hath so forcibly sent downe Grauell as Men haue beene glad to remoue it It was so violent It is receiued and confirmed by daily Experience that the Soales of the Feet haue great Affinity with the Head and the Mouth of the Stomach As we see Going wet-shod to those that vse it not affecteth both Applications of hot Powders to the Feet attenuate first and after drie the Rheume And therefore a Physitian that would be Mysticall prescribeth for the Cure of the Rheume that a Man should walke Continually vpon a Camomill Alley Meaning that he should put Camomill within his Sockes Likewise Pigeons bleeding applyed to the Soales of the Feet ease the Head And Soporiferous Medicines applied vnto them prouoke Sleepe It seemeth that as the Feet haue a Sympathy with the Head So the Wrests and Hands haue a Sympathy with the Heart We see the Affects and Passions of the Heart and Spirits are notably disclosed by the Pulse And it is often tried that Iuyces of Stock-Gilly-Flowers Rose-Campian Garlicke and other things applied to the Wrests and renewed haue cured long Agues And I conceiue that washing with certaine Liquours the Palmes of the Hands doth much good And they doe well in Heats of Agues to hold in the Hands Egges of Alablaster and Balls of Crystall Of these things we shall speake more when we handle the Title of Sympathy and Antipathy in the proper Place The Knowledge of man hitherto hath beene determined by the View or Sight So that whatsoeuer is Inuisible either in respect of the Finenesse of the Body it selfe Or the Smallnesse of the
Parts Or of the Subtilty of the Motion is little inquired And yet these be the Things that Gouerne Nature Principally And without which you cannot make any true Analysis and Indication of the Proceedings of Nature The Spirits or Pneumaticals that are in all Tangible Bodies are searce knowne Sometimes they take them for Vacuum wheras they are the most Actiue of Bodies Sometimes they take them for Aire From which they differ exceedingly as much as Wine from Water And as Wood from Earth Sometimes they will haue them to be Naturall Heat or a Portion of the Element of Fire Wheras some of them are crude and cold And Sometimes they will haue them to be the Vertues and Qualities of the Tangible Parts which they see whereas they are Things by themselues And then when they come to Plants and liuing Creatures they call them Soules And such Superficiall Speculations they haue Like Prospectiues that shew things inward when they are but Paintings Neither is this a Question of Words but infinitely materiall in Nature For Spirits are nothing else but a Naturall Body rarified to a Proportion included in the Tangible Parts of Bodies as in an Integument And they be no lesse differing one from the other than the Dense or Tangible Parts And they are in all Tangible Bodies whatsoeuer more or lesse And they are neuer almost at rest And from them and their Motions principally proceed Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation Putrefaction Viuification and most of the Effects of Nature For as we haue figured them in our Sapientiâ Veterum in the Fable of Proserpina you shall in the Infernall Regiment heare little Doings of Pluto but most of proserpina For Tangible Parts in Bodies are Stupide things And the Spirits doe in effect all As for the differences of Tangible Parts in Bodies the industry of the Chymists hath giuen some light in discerning by their Separations the Oily Crude Pure Impure Fine grosse Parts of Bodies and the like And the Physitians are content to acknowledge that Herbs and Drugs haue diuers parts As that Opiums hath a Stupefactiue Part and a Heating Part The one mouing Sleepe the other a Sweat following And that Rubarb hath Purging Parts and Astringent Parts c. But this whole Inquisition is weakly and Negligently handled And for the more subtill differences of the Minute Parts and the Posture of them in the Body which also hath great Effects they are not at all touched As for the Motions of the Minute Parts of Bodies which doe so great Effects they haue not beene obserued at all because they are Inuisible and incurre not to the Eye but yet they are to be deprehended by Experience As Democritus said well when they charged him to hold that the World was made of such little Moats as were seene in the Sunne Atomus saith he necessitate Rationis Experientia esse connincitur Atomum enim nemo vnquam vidit And therefore the Tumult in the parts of Solide Bodies when they are compressed which is the Cause of all Flight of Bodies thorow the Aire and of other Mechanicall Motions as hath beene partly touched before and shall be throughly handled in due place is not seene at all But neuerthelesse if you know it not or enquire it not attentiuely and diligently you shall neuer be able to discerne and much lesse to produce a Number of Mechanicall Motions Againe as to the Motions Corporall within the Enclosures of Bodies wherby effects which were mentioned before passe betweene the Spirits and the Tangible Parts which are Arefaction Colliquation Concoction Maturation c. they are not at all handled But they are put off by the Names of Vertues and Natures and Actions and Passions and such other Logicall Words It is certaine that all Powers in Nature Heat is the chiefe both in the Frame of Nature and in the workes of Art Certaine it is likewise that the Effects of Heat are most aduanced when it worketh vpon a Body without losse or dissipation of the Matter for that euer betrayeth the Account And therefore it is true that the power of Heat is best perceiued in Distillations which are performed in close Vessels and Receptacles But yet there is a higher Degree For howsoeuer Distillations doe keepe the Body in Cells and Cloisters without Going abroad yet they giue space vnto Bodies to turne into Vapour To returne into Liquour And to Separate one part from another So as Nature doth Expatiate although it hath not full Liberty wherby the true and Vltime Operations of Heat are not attained But if Bodies may be altered by Heat and yet no such Reciprocation of Rarefaction and of Condensation and of Separation admitted then it is like that this Proteus of Matter being held by the Sleeues will turne and change into many Metaworphoses Take therefore a Square Vessell of Iron in forme of a Cube and let it haue good thicke and strong Sides Put into it a Cube of Wood that may fill it as close as may be And let it haue a Couer of Iron as strong at least as the Sides And let it be well Luted after the manner of the Chymists Then place the Vessell within burning Coales kept quicke kindled for some few houres space Then take the Vessell from the Fire and take off the Couer and see what is become of the Wood. I conceiue that since all Inflammation and Euaporation are vtterly prohibited and the Body still turned vpon it Selfe that one of these two Effects will follow Either that the Body of the Wood will be turned into a kinde of Amalgama as the Chymists call it Or that the Finer Part will bee turned into Aire and the Grosser sticke as it were baked and incrustate vpon the Sides of the Vessell being become of a Denser Matter than the Wood it selfe Crude And for another Triall take also Water and put it in the like Vessell stopped as before But vse a gentler Heat and remoue the vessell sometimes from the Fire And againe after some small time when it is Cold renue the Heating of it And repeat this Aloeration some few times And if you can once bring to passe that the Water which is one of the Simplest of Bodies be changed in Colour Odour or Taste after the manner of Compound Bodies you may be sure that there is a great Worke wrought in Nature and a Notable Entrance made into strange Changes of Bodies and productions And also a Way made to doe that by Fire in small time which the Sunne and Age do in long time But of the Admirable Effects of this Distillation in Close for so we will call it which is like the Wombes and Matrices of liuing creatures where nothing Expireth nor Separateth We will speake fully in the due place Not that we Aime at the making of Paracelsus Pigmey's Or any such Prodigious Follies But that we know the Effects of Heat will be such as will scarce fall vnder the Conceit of Man
soundeth more solemnly and with a little Purling or Hissing Againe a Wreathed String such as are in the Base Strings of Banderaes giueth also a Purling Sound But a Lute-string if it be meerely Vnequall in his Parts giueth a Harsh and Vntuneable Sound which Strings we call False being bigger in one Place than in another And therefore Wire-strings are neuer False We see also that when we try a False Lute-string wee vse to extend it hard betweene the fingers and to fillip it And if it giueth a double Species it is True But if it giueth a treble or more it is False Waters in the Noise they make as they runne represent to the Eare a Trembling Noise And in Regalls where they haue a Pipe they call the Nightingale-Pipe which containeth Water the Sound hath a continuall Trembling And Children haue also little Things they call Cockes which haue Water in them And when they blow or whistle in them they yeeld a Trembling Noise Which Trembling of Water hath an assinity with the Letter L. All which Inequalities of Trepidation are rather pleasant than otherwise All Base Notes or very Treble Notes giue an Asper Sound For that the Base striketh more Aire than it can well strike equally And the Treble cutteth the Aire so sharpe as it returneth too swift to make the Sound Equall And therefore a Meane or Tenor is the sweetest Part. We know Nothing that can at pleasure make a Musicall or Immusicall Sound by voluntary Motion but the Voice of Man and Birds The Cause is no doubt in the Weasill or Wind-pipe which we call Aspera Arteria which being well extended gathereth Equality As a Bladder that is wrinckled if it be extended becommeth smooth The Extension is alwaies more in Tones than in Speech Therefore the Inward Voice of Whisper can neuer a giue Tone And in Singing there is manifestly a greater Working and Labour of the Throat than in Speaking As appeareth in the Thrusting out or Drawing in of the Chinne when we sing The Humming of Bees is an Vnequall Buzzing And is conceiued by some of the Ancients not to come forth at their Mouth but to be an Inward Sound But it may be it is neither But from the motion of their Wings For it is not heard but when they stirre All Metalls quenched in Water giue a Sibilation or Hissing Sound which hath an Affinity with the letter Z. notwithstanding the Sound be created betweene the Water or Vapour and the Aire Seething also if there be but small Store of Water in a Vessell giueth a Hissing Sound But Boyling in a full Vessell giueth a Bubling Sound drawing somewhat neare to the Cocks vsed by Children Triall would be made whether the Inequality or Interchange of the Medium will not produce an Inequality of Sound As if three Bells were made one within another and Aire betwixt Each And then the outermost Bell were chimed with a Hammer how the Sound would differ from a Simple Bell. So likewise take a Plate of Brasse and a Plancke of Wood and ioyne them close together and knock vpon one of them and see if they doe not giue an vnequall Sound So make two or three Partitions or Wood in a Hogshead with Holes or Knots in them And marke the difference of their Sound from the Sound of an Hogshead without such Partitions It is euident that the Percussion of the Greater Quantity of Aire causeth the Baser Sound And the lesse Quantity the more Treble Sound The Percussion of the Greater Quantity of Aire is produced by the Greatnesse of the Body Percussing By the Latitude of the Concaue by which the Sound passeth and by the Longitude of the same Concaue Therfore we see that a Base string is greater than a Treble A Base Pipe hath a greater Bore than a Treble And in Pipes and the like the lower the Note Holes be and the further off from the Mouth of the Pipe the more Base Sound they yeeld And the nearer the Mouth the more Treble Nay more if you strike an Entire Body as an Andiron of Brasse at the Top it maketh a more Treble Sound And at the Bottome a Baser It is also euident that the Sharper or Quicker Percussion of Aire causeth the more Treble Sound And the Slower or Heauier the more Base Sound So we see in Strings the more they are wound vp and strained And thereby giue a more quicke Start-backe the more Treble is the Sound And the slacker they are or lesse wound vp the Baser is the Sound And therfore a Bigger String more strained and a Lesser String lesse strained may fall into the same Tone Children Women Eunuchs haue more small and shrill Voices than Men. The Reason is not for that Men haue greater Heat which may make the Voice stronger for the strength of a Voice or Sound doth make a difference in the Loudnesse or Softnesse but not in the Tone But from the Dilatation of the Organ which it is true is likewise caused by Heat But the Cause of Changing the Voice at the yeares of Puberty is more obscure It seemeth to be for that when much of the Moisture of the Body which did before irrigate the Parts is drawne downe to the Spermaticall vessells it leaueth the Body more hot than it was whence commeth the Dilatation of the Pipes For we see plainly all Effects of Heat doe then come on As Pilosity more Roughnesse of the Skinne Hardnesse of the Flesh c. The Industry of the Musitian hath produced two other Meanes of Strayning or Intension of Strings besides their Winding vp The one is the Stopping of the String with the Finger As in the Necks of Lutes Viols c. The other is the Shortnesse of the String As in Harps Virginalls c. Both these haue one and the same reason For they cause the String to giue a quicker Start In the Straining of a String the further it is strained the lesse Superstraining goeth to a Note For it requireth good Winding of a String before it will make any Note at all And in the Stops of Lutes c. the higher they goe the lesse Distance is betweene the Frets If you fill a Drinking-Glasse with Water especially one Sharp below and Wide aboue and fillip vpon the Brim or Outside And after empty Part of the Water and so more and more and still try the Tone by Fillipping you shall finde the Tone fall and be more Base as the Glasse is more Empty The Iust and Measured Proportion of the Aire Percussed towards the Basenesse or Treblenesse of Tones is one of the greatest Secrets in the Contemplation of Sounds For it discouereth the true Coincidence of Tones into Diapasons Which is the Returne of the same Sound And so of the Concords and Discords betweene the Vnison and Diapason Which we haue touched before in the Experiments of Musicke but thinke fit to resume it here as a principall Part of our Enquiry touching the Nature of Sounds It
Eare And marke whether any Sound abroad in the open Aire will not be heard distinctly from further distance than without that Instrument being as it were an Eare-Spectacle And I haue heard there is in Spaine an Instrument in vse to be set to the Eare that helpeth somewhat those that are Thicke of Hearing If the Mouth be shut close neuerthelesse there is yeelded by the Roofe of the Mouth a Murmur Such as is vsed by dumbe Men But if the Nostrills be likewise stopped on such Murmur can be made Except it be in the Bottome of the Pallate towards the Throat Whereby it appeareth manifestly that a Sound in the Mouth except such as aforesaid if the Mouth be stopped passeth from the Pallate thorow the Nostrills The Repercussion of Sounds which we call Eccho is a great Argument of the Spirituall Essence of Sounds For if it were Corporeall the Repercussion should be created in the same maner and by like Instruments with the Originall Soundâ— But we see what a Number of Exquisite Instruments must concurre in Speaking of Words where of there is no such Matter in the Returning of them But onely a plaine Stop and Repercussion The Exquisite Differences of Articulate Sounds carried along in the Aire shew that they cannot be Signalures or Impressions in the Aire as hath beene well refuted by the Ancients For it is true that Seales make excellent Impressions And so it may be thought of Sounds in their first Generation But then the Delation and Continuance of them without any new Sealing shew apparently they cannot be Impressions All Sounds are suddenly made and doe suddenly perish But neither that nor the Exquisite Differences of them is Matter of so great Admiration For the â—â—â—â—eâ—â—â—gs and Warblings to Lutes and Pipes are as swift And the Tongue which is no very fine Instrument doth in Speech make no fewer Motions than there be Letters in all the Words which are vttered But that Sounds should not onely be so speedily generated but carried so farre euery way in such a momentany time deserueth more Admiration As for Example If a Man stand in the middle of a Field and speake aloud he shall be heard a Furlong in round And that shall be in Articulate Sounds And those shall be Entire in euery little Portion of the Aire And this shall be done in the Space of lesse than a Minute The Sudden Generation and Perishing of Sounds must be one of these two Waies Either that the Aire suffereth some Force by Sound and then restoreth it selfe As Water doth Which being diuided maketh manny Circles till it restore it selfe to the naturall Consistence Or otherwise that the Aire doth willingly imbibe the Sound as gratefull but cannot maintaine it For that the Aire hath as it should seeme a secret and hidden Appetite of Receiuing the Sound at the first But then other Grosse and more Materiate Qualities of the Aire straightwaies suffocate it Like vnto Flame which is generated with Alacrity but straight quenched by the Enmity of the Aire or other Ambient Bodies There be these Differences in generall by which Sounds are diuided 1. Musicall Immusicall 2. Treble Base 3. Flat Sharpe 4. Soft Loud 5. Exteriour Interiour 6. Cleane Harsb or Purling 7. Articulate Inarticulate We haue laboured as may appeare in this Inquisition of Sounds diligently Both because Sound is one of the most Hidden Portions of Nature as we said in the beginning And because it is a Vertue which may be called Incorporeall and Immateriate wherof there be in Nature but few Besides we were willing now in these our first Centuries to make a Patterne or President of an Exact Inquisition And we shall doe the like hereafter in some other Subiects which require it For we desire that Men should learne and perceiue how seuere a Thing the true Inquisition of Nature is And should accustome themselues by the light of Particulars to enlarge their Mindes to the Amplitude of the World And not reduce the World to the Narrownesse of their Mindes Metalls giue Orlens and Fine Colours in Dissolutions As Gold giueth an excellent Yellow Quick-Siluer an excellent Greene Tinne giueth an excellent Azure Likewise in their Putrefactions or Rusts As Vermilion Verdegrease Bise Cirrus c. And likewise in their vitrifications The Cause is for that by their Strength of Body they are able to endure the Fire or Strong Waters and to be put into an Equall Posture And againe to retaine Part of their principall Spirit Which two Things Equall Posture and Quicke Spirits are required chiefely to make Colours lightsome It conduceth vnto Long Life and to the more Placide Motion of the Spirits which thereby doe lesse prey and consume the Iuyce of the Body Either that Mens Actions bee free and voluntary That nothing bee done Inuitâ Mineruâ but Secundum Genium Or on the other side that the Actions of Men bee full of Regulation and Commands within themselues For then the Victory and Performing of the Command giueth a good Disposition to the Spirits Especially if there bee a Proceeding from Degree to Degree For then the Sense of Victory is the greater An example of the former of these is in a Countrey life And of the latter in Monkes and Philosophers and such as doe continually enioyne themselues It is certaine that in all Bodies there is an Appetite of Vnion and Euitation of Solution of Continuity And of this Appetite there bee many Degrees But the most Remarkable and fit to bee distinguished are three The first in Liquours The second in Hard Bodies And the third in Bodies Cleaning or Tenacious In Liquours this Appetite is weake We see in Liquours the Thredding of them in Stillicides as hath beene said The Falling of them in Round Drops which is the forme of Vnion And the Staying of them for a little time in Bubbles and Froth In the second Degree or Kinde this Appetite is strong As in Iron in Stone in Wood c. In the third this Appetite is in a Medium betweene the other two For such Bodies doe partly follow the Touch of another Body And partly sticke and continue to themselues And therefore they roape and draw themselues in Threds As wee see in Pitch Glew Birdlime c. But note that all Solide Bodies are Cleaning more or lesse And that they loue better the Touch of somewhat that is Tangible than of Aire For Water in small quantity cleaueth to any Thing that is Solide And so would Metall too if the weight drew it not off And therefore Gold Foliate or any Metall Foliate cleaueth But those Bodies which are noted to bee Clammy and Cleauing are such as haue a more indifferent Appetite at once to follow another Body And to hold to Themselues And therefore they are commonly Bodies ill mixed And which take more pleasure in a Forraine Body than in preseruing their owne Consistence And which haue little predominance in Drought or Moisture Time and Heat are
Fellowes in many Effects Heat drieth Bodies that doe easily expire As Parchment Leaues Roots Clay c. And so doth Time or Age arefie As in the same Bodies c. Heat dissolueth and melteth Bodies that keepe in their Spirits As in diuers Liquefactions And so doth Time in some Bodies of a softer Consistence As a manifest in Honey which by Age waxeth more liquid And the like in Sugar And so in old Oyle which is euer more cleare and more hot in Medicinable vse Heat causeth the Spirits to search some Issue out of the Body As in the Volatility of Metalls And so doth Time As in the Rust of Metalls But generally Heat doththat in small time which Age doth in long Some Things which passe the Fire are softest at first and by Time grow hard As the Crumme of Bread Some are harder when they come from the Fire and afterwards giue againe and grow soft as the Crust of Bread Bisket Sweet Meats Salt c. The Cause is for that in those things which waxe Hard with Time the Worke of the Fire is a Kinde of Melting And in those that waxe Soft with Time contrariwise the woke of the Fire is a Kinde of Baking And whatsoeuer the Fire baketh Time doth in some degree dissolue Motions passe from one Man to another not so much by Exciting Imagination as by Inuitation Especially if there be an Aptnesse or Inclination before Therefore Gaping or Yawning and Stretching doe passe from Man to Man For that that causeth Gaping and Stretching is when the Spirits are a little Heauy by any Vapour or the like For then they striue as it were to wring out and expell that which loadeth them So Men drowzy and desirous to sleepe Or before the Fit of an Ague doe vse to Yawne and Stretch And doe likewise yeeld a Voice or Sound which is an Interiection of Expulsion So that if another be apt and prepared to doe the like he followeth by the Sight of another So the Laughing of another maketh to Laugh There be some knowne Diseases that are Infectious And Others that are not Those that are Infectious are First such as are chiefly in the Spirits and not so much in the Humours And therefore passe easily from Body to Body Such are Pestilences Lippitudes and such like Secondly such as Taint the Breath Which wee see passeth manifestly from Man to Man And not inuisibly as the Affects of the Spirits doe Such are Consumptions of the Lungs c. Thirdly such as come forth to the Skinne And therefore taint the Aire or the Body Adiacent Especially if they consist in an Vnctuous Substance no apt to dissipate Such are Scabs and Lepronsie Fourthly such as are meerely in the Humours and not in the Spirits Breath or Exhalations And therefore they neuer infect but by Touch onely and such a Touch also as commeth within the Epidermis As the Venome of the French Poxe And the Biting of a Mad Dog Most Powders grow more Close and Coherent by Mixture of Water than by Mixture of Oyle though Oyle be the thicker Body As Meale c. The Reason is the Congruity of Bodies which if it be more maketh a Perfecter Imbibition and Incorporation Which in most Powders is more betweene Them and Water than betweene Them and Oyle But Printers Colours ground and Ashes doe better incorporate with Oyle Much Motion and Exercise is good for some Bodies And Sitting and lesse Motion for Others If the Body be Hot and Void of Superflous Moistures too much Motion hurteth And it is an Errour in Physitians to call too much vpon Exercise Likewise Men ought to beware that they vse not Exercise and a Spare Diet both But if much Exercise then a Plentifull Diet And if Spâ—ring Diet then little Exercise The Benefits that come of Exercise are First that it sendeth Nourishment into the Parts more forcibly Secondly that it helpeth to Exceme by Sweat and so maketh the Parts assimilate the more perfectly Thirdly that it maketh the Substance of the Body more Solide and Compact And so lesse apt to be Consumed and Depredated by the Spirits The Euills that come of Exercise are First that it maketh the Spirits more Hot and Predatory Secondly that it doth absorbe likewise and attenuate too much the Moisture of the Body Thirdly that it maketh too great â—â—â—â—â—sion especially if it be violent of the Inward Parts which delight more in Rest. But generally Exercise if it be much is no Friend to Prolongation of Life Which is one Cause why Women liue longer than Men because they stirre lesse Some Food we may vse long and much without Glatting As Bread Flesh that is not fat or rancke c. Some other though pleasant Glutteth sooner As Sweet Meats Fat Meats c. The Cause is for that Appetite consisteth in the Emptinesse of Mouth of the Stomacke Or possessing it with somewhat that is Astringent and therfore Cold and Dry. But things that are Sweet and Fat are more Filling And do swimme and hang more about the Mouth of the Stomacke And goe not downe so speedily And againe turne sooner to Choler which is hot and euer abateth the Appetite Wee see also that another Cause of Society is an Ouer-custome and of Appetite is Nouelty And therefore Meats if the same be continually taken induce Loathing To giue the Reason of the Distast of Society and of the Pleasure in Nouelty and to distinguish not onely in Meats and Drinkes but also in Motions Loues Company Delights Studies what they be that Custome maketh more gratefull And what more tedious were a large Field But for Meats the Cause is Attraction which is quicker and more excited towards that which is new than towards that whereof there remaineth a Rellish by former vse And generally it is a Rule that whatsoeuer is somewhat Ingrate at first is made Gratefull by Custome But whatsoeuer is too Pleasing at first groweth quickly to satiate NATVRALL HISTORIE IV. Century ACCELERATION of Time in Works of Nature may well be esteemed Inter Magnalia Naturae And euen in Diuine Miracles Accelerating of the Time is next to the Creating of the Matter We will now therfore proceed to the Enquiry of it And for Acceleration of Germination we will referre it ouer vnto to the place where we shall handle the Subiect of Plants generally And will now begin with other Accelerations Liquours are many of them at the first thicke and troubled As Must Wort Iuyces of Fruits or Hearbs expressed c. And by Time they settle and Clarifie But to make them cleare before the Time is a great Worke For it is a Spurre to Nature and putteth her out of her pace And besides it is of good vse for making Drinkes and Sances Potable and Seruiceable speedily But to know the â—â—â—â—â—â— of Accelerating Clarification we must first know the Causes of Clarification The first Cause is by the Separation of the Gresser Parts of the
be Cut or Pierced And so will Wood c. And so the Flesh of Creatures aliue where they haue receiued any Wound The Fifth is either by the Exhaling or by the Driuing back of the Principall Spirits which preserue the Consistence of the Body So that when their Gouernment is Dissolued euery Part returneth to his Nature or Homogeny And this appeareth in Vrine and Blond when they coole and thereby breake It appeareth also in the Gangrene or Mortification of Flesh either by Opiates or by Intense Colds I conceiue also the same Effect is in Pestilences for that the Malignity of the Infecting Vapour daunceth the Principall Spirits and maketh them fly and leaue their Regiment And then the Humours Flesh and Secondary Spirits doe dissolue and breake as in an Anarchy The Sixth is when a Forraine Spirit Stronger and more Eager than the Spirit of the Body entreth the Body As in the Stinging of Serpents And this is the Cause generally that vpon all Poysons followeth Swelling And we see Swelling followeth also when the Spirits of the Body it selfe Congregate too much As vpon Blowes and Bruises Or when they are Pent in too much as in Swelling vpon Cold. And we see also that the Spirits comming of Putrefaction of Humours in Agues c. Which may be counted as Forraine Spirits though they be bred within the Body doe Extinguish and Suffocate the Naturall Spirits and Heat The Seuenth is by such a Weake Degree of Heat as setteth the Spirits in a little Motion but is not able either to disgest the Parts or to Issue the Spirits As is seene in Flesh kept in a Roome that is not Coole Whereas in a Coole and Wet Larder it will keepe longer And wee see that Viuisication whereof Putrefaction is the Bastard Brother is effected by such Soft Heats As the Hatching of Egges The Heat of the Wombe c. The Eight is by the Releasing of the Spirits which before were close kept by the Solidnesse of their Couerture and thereby their Appetite of Issuing checked As in the Artificiall Rusts induced by strong Waters in Iron Lead c. And therefore Wetting hasteneth Rust or Putrefaction of any thing because it softeneth the Crust for the Spirits to come forth The Ninth is by the Enterchange of Heat and Cold or Wet and dry As wee see in the Moulding of Earth in Frosts and Sunne And in the more hasty Rotting of Wood that is sometimes wet sometimes dry The Tenth is by Time and the Worke Procedure of the Spirits themselues which cannot keepe their Station Especially if they be lost to themselues And there be not Agitation or Locall Motion As wee see in Corne not stirred And Mens Bodies not exercised All Moulds are Inceptions of Putrefaction As the Moulds of Pyes and Flesh the Moulds of Orenges and Limons which Moulds afterwards turne into Wormes or more odious Putrefactions And therfore commonly proue to be ill Odour And if the Body be Liquid and not apt to Putrifie totally it will cast vp a Mother in the Top As the Mothers of Distilled Waters Mosse is a kinde of Mould of the Earth and Trees But it may be better sorted as a Rudiment of Germination To which we referre it It is an Enquiry of Excellent vse to Enquire of the Meanes of Preuenting or Staying Putrefaction For therein consisteth the Meanes of Conseruation of Bodies For Bodies haue two Kindes of Dissolutions The one by Consumption and Deficcation The other by Putrefaction But as for the Putrefactions of the Bodies of Men and Liuing Creatures as in Agues Wormes Consumptions of the Lungs Impostumes and Vlcers both Inwards and Outwards they are a great Part of Physicke and Surgery And therefore we will reserue the Enquiry of them to the proper Place where we shall handle Medicinal Experiments of all Sorts Of the rest we will now Enter into an Enquiry wherein much light may be taken form that which hath beene said of the Meanes to Enduce or Accelerate Putrefaction For the Remouing that which caused Putrefaction doth Preuent and Auoid Putrefaction The First Meanes of Prohibiting or Checking Putrefaction is Cold For so wee see Meat and Drinke will last longer Vnputrified or Vnsowred in Winter than in Summer And we see that Flowers and fruits put in Conseruatories of Snow keepe fresh And this worketh by the Detention of the Spirits and Constipation of the Tangible Parts The Second is Astriction For Astriction prohibiteth Dissolution As we see generally in Medicines whereof such as are Astringents doe inhibite Putrefaction And by the same reason of Astringency some small Quantity of Oile of Vitrioll will keepe Fresh Water long from Putrefying And this Astriction is in a substance that hath a Virtuall Cold And it worketh partly by the fame Meanes that Cold doth The Third is the Excluding of the Aire And againe the Exposing to the Aire For these Contraries as it commeth often to passe worke the same Effect according to the Nature of the Subiect Matter So we see that Beere or Wine in Bottles close stopped last long That the Garners vnder Ground keepe Come longer than those aboue Ground and that Fruit closed in Waxe keepeth fresh And likewise Bodies put in Honey and Flower keepe more fresh And Liquours Drinkes and Iuices with a little Oyle cast on the Top keepe fresh Contratiwise we see that Cloth and Apparell not Aired doe breed Moathes and Mould And the Diuersity is that in Bodies that need Detenties of Spirits the Excluston of the Aire doth good As in Drinkes and Câ—â—â—â— But in Bodies that need Emission of Spirits to discharge some of the Superfluous Moisture it doth hurt for they require Atring The fourth is Motion and Stirring For Putrefaction asketh Rest For the Subtill Motion which Putrefaction requireth is disturbed by any Agitation And all Locall Motion keepeth Bodies Integrall and their Parts together As we see that Turning ouer of Corne in a Garner Or Letting it runne like an Houre-glasse from an vpper Roome into a Lower doth keepe it Sweet And Running Waters putrefie not And in Mens Bodles Exercise hindreth Putrefaction And contrariwise Rest and Want of Motion or Stoppings whereby the Runne of Humours or the Motion of Perspiration is stayed further Putrefaction As we part partly touched a little before The Fifth is the Breathing forth of the Aduentitious Moisture in Bodies For as Wetting doth hasten Putrefaction So Connenient Drying wherby the more Radicall Moisture is onely kept in putteth backe Putrefaction So we see that Herbs and Flowers if they be dried in the Shade Or dried in the hot Sunne for a small time keepe best For the Emission of the Loose and Aduentitious Moisture doth betray the Radicall Moisture And carryeth it out for Company The Sixth is the Strengthning of the Spirits of Bodies For as a Great Heat keepeth Bodies from Putrefaction But a Tepide Heat enclineth them to Putrefaction So a Strong Spirit likewise preserueth and a Weake or Faint Spirit disposeth to
a Chameleon be burnt vpon the Top of a House it will raise a Tempest Supposing according to their vaine Dreames of Sympathies because he nourisheth with Aire his Body should haue great vertue to make Impression vpon the Aire It is reported by one of the Ancients that in Part of Media there are Eruptions of Flames out of Plaines And that those Flames are cleare and cast not forth such Smoake and Ashes and Pummice as Mountaine Flames doe The Reason no doubt is because the Flame is not pent as it is in Mountaines and Earth-quakes which cast Flame There be also some Blinde Fires vnder Stone which flame not out but Oile being powred vpon them they flame out The Cause whereof is for that it seemeth the Fire is so choaked as not able to remoue the Stone it is Heat rather than Flame Which neuerthelesse is sufficient to Enflame the Oyle It is reported that in some Lakes the Water is so Nitrous as if Foule Cloaths be put into it it scoureth them of it selfe And if they stay any whit long they moulder away And the Scouring Vertue of Nitre is the more to be noted because it is a Body Cold And we see Warme Water scoureth better than Cold. But the Cause is for that it hath a Subtill Spirit which seuereth and diuideth any thing that is soule and Viscous and sticketh vpon a Body Take a Bladder the greatest you can get Fill it full of Winde and tye it about the Necke with a Silke thred waxed And vpon that put likewise Wax very close So that when the Neck of the Bladder dryeth no Aire may possibly get in nor out Then bury it three or foure foot vnder the Earth in a Vault or in a Conferuatory of Snow the Snow being made hollow about the Bladder And after some Forthnights distance see whether the Bladder be shruncke For if it be then it is plaine that the Coldnesse of the Earth or Snow hath Condensed the Aire and brought it a Degree nearer to Water Which is an Experiment of great Consequence It is a Report of some good credit that in Deepe Caues there are Pensile Crystall and Degrees of Crystall that drop from aboue And in some other though more rarely that rise from below Which though it be chiefly the Worke of Cold yet it may be that Water that passeth thorow the Earth gathereth a Nature more clammy and fitter to Congeale and become Solide than Water of it selfe Therfore Triall would be made to lay a Heape of Earth in great Frosts vpon a Hollow Vessell putting a Canuase betweene that it falleth not in And poure Water vpon it in such Quantitie as will be sure to soake thorow And see whether it will not make an harder Ice in the bottome of the Vessell and lesse apt to dissolue than ordinarily I suppose also that if you make the Earth narrower at the bottome than at the Top in fashion of a Sugar Loafe Reuersed it will helpe the Experiment For it will make the Ice where it Issueth lesse in Bulke And euermore Smalnesse of Quantity is a Helpe to Version Take Damaske Roses and pull them Then dry them vpon the Top of an House vpon a Lead or Tarras in the hot Sunne in a cleare day betweene the Houres onely of twelue and two or there abouts Then put them into a Sweet Dry Earthen Bottle or a Glasse with narrow Mouthes stuffing them close together but without Bruising Stop the Bottle or Glasse close and these Roses will retaine not onely their Smell Perfect but their Colour fresh for a yeare at least Note that Nothing doth so much destroy any Plant or other Body either by Putrefaction or Arefaction as the Aduentitious Moisture which hangeth loose in the Body if it be not drawne out For it betrayeth and tolleth forth the Innate and Radicall Moisture along with it when it selfe goeth forth And therefore in Liuing Creatures Moderate Sweat doth preserue the Iuyce of the Body Note that these Roses when you take them from the Drying haue little or no Smell So that the Smell is a Second Smell that issueth out of the Flower afterwards The Continuance of Flame according vnto the diuersity of the Body Enflamed and other Circumstances is worthy the Enquiry Chiefly for that though Flame be almost of a Momentany Lasting yet it receiueth the More and the Lesse we will first therefore speake at large of Bodies Enflamed wholly and Immediately without any Wieke to helpe the Inflammations A Spoonefull of Spirit of Wine a little heated was taken and it burnt as long as came to 116. Pulses The same Quantity of Spirit of Wine Mixed with the Sixth Part of a Spoonefull of Nitre burnt but to the space of 94. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Bay-salt 83. Pulses Mixed with the like Quantity of Gunpowder which dissolued into a Blacke water 110. Pulses A Cube or Pellet of Yellow Waxe was taken as much as halfe the Spirit of Wine and set in the Middest and it burnt onely to the space of 87. Pulses Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Milke it burnt to the space of 100. Pulses And the Milke was crudled Mixed with the Sixth Part of a spoonefull of Water it burnt to the space of 86. Pulses With an Equall Quantity of Water onely to the space of 4. Pulses A small Pebble was laid in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses A Peece of Wood of the Bignesse of an Arrow and about a Fingers length was set vp in the Middest and the Spirit of Wine burnt to the space of 94. Pulses So that the Spirit of Wine Simple endured the longest And the Spirit of Wine with the Bay-salt and the Equall Quantity of Water were the shortest Consider well whether the more speedy Going forth of the flame becaused by the Greater Vigour of the Flame in Burning Or by the Resistance of the Body mixed and the Auersion thereof to take Flame Which will appeare by the Quantitie of the Spirit of Wine that remaineth after the Going out of the Flame And it seemeth cleerely to be the latter For that the Mixture of Things least apt to burne is the Speediest in going out And note by the way that Spirit of Wine burned till it goe out of it selfe will burne no more And tasteth nothing so hot in the Mouth as it did No nor yet sowre as if it were a degree towards Vinegar which Burnt Wine doth but flat and dead Note that in the Experiment of Wax aforesaid the Wax dissolued in the burning and yet did not incorporate it selfe with the Spirit of Wine to produce one Flame but wheresoeuer the Wax floated the Flame forsooke it till at last it spread all ouer and put the Flame quite out The Experiments of the Mixtures of the Spirit of Wine enflamed are Things of discouerie and not of Vse But now wee will speake of the Continuance of Flames
faster vpon vs. The daintiest Smells of Flowers are out of those Plants whose Leaues smell not As Violets Roses Wall-flowers Gilly-flowers Pinckes Woodbines Vine-flowers Apple-Bloomes Lime-Tree Bloomes Beane-Bloomes c. The Cause is for that where there is Heat and strength enough in the Plant to make the Leaues Odorate there the Smell of the Flower is rather Euanide and Weaker than that of the Leaues As it is in Rose-Mary-Flowers Lauender-Flowers and Sweet-Briar-Roses But where there is lesse Heat there the Spirit of the Plant is disgested and refined and feuered from the Grosser Iuyce in the Esstorescence and not before Most Odours Smell best Broken or Crusht as hath beene said But Flowers Pressed or Beaten doe leese the Freshnesse and Sweetnesse of their Odour The Cause is for that when they are Crushed the Grosser and more Earthy Spirit commeth out with the Finer and troubleth it Whereas in stronger Odours there are no such Degrees of the Issue of the Smell It is a Thing of very good Vse to Discouer the Goodnesse of Waters The Taste to those that Drinke Water onely doth somewhat But other Experiments are more sure First try Waters by Weight Wherein you may finde some difference though not much And the Lighter you may account the Better Secondly try them by Boyling vpon an Equall Fire And that which consumeth away fastest you may account the Best Thirdly try them in Seuerall Bottles or Open Vessels Matches in euery Thing else and see which of them Last Longest without Stench or Corruption And that which holdeth Vnputrified longest you may likewise account the Best Fourthly try them by Making Drinkes Stronger or Smaller with the same Quantity of Mault And you may conclude that that Water which maketh the Stronger Drinke is the more Concocted and Nou-rishing though perhaps it be not so good for Medicinall vse And such Water commonly is the Water of Large and Nanigable Riuers And likewise in Large and Cleane Ponds of Standing Water For vpon both them the Sunne hath more power than vpon Fountaines or Small Riuers And I concelue that Chalke-water is next them the best for going furthest in Drinke For that also helpeth Concoction So it be out of a Deepe Well For then it Cureth the Rawnesse of the Water But Chalkie Water towards the Top of the Earth is too fretting As it appeareth in Laundry of Cloaths which weare out apace if you vse such Waters Fifthly The Houswiues doe finde a Difference in Waters for the Bearing or Not Bearing of Soape And it is likely that the more Fat Water will beare Soape best For the Hungry Water doth kill the Vnctuous Nature of the Soape Sixthly you may make a Iudgement of Waters according to the Place whence they Spring or Come The Rain-Water is by the Physitians esteemed the Finest and the best But yet it is said to putrifie soonest which is likely because of the Finenesse of the Spirit And in Conseruatories of Raine-water such as they haue in Venice c. they are and not so Choice waters The worse perhaps because they are Couered aloft and kept from the Sunne Snow-water is held vnwholesome In so much as the People that dwell at the Foot of the SnowMountaines or otherwise vpon the Ascent especially the Women by drinking of Snow-water haue great Bagges hanging vnder their Throats Well-water except it be vpon Chalke or a very plentifull Spring maketh Meat Red which is an ill Signe Springs on the Tops of High-Hills are the best For both they seeme to haue a Lightnesse and Appetite of Mounting And besides they are most pure and Vnmingled And againe are more Percolated thorow a great Space of Earth For Waters in Valleyes ioyne in effect vnder Ground with all Waters of the same Leuell Whereas Springs on the Tops of Hills passe thorow a great deale of Pure Earth with lesse Mixture of other Waters Seuenthly Iudgement may be made of Waters by the Soyle whereupon the Water runneth As Pebble is the Cleanest and best tasted And next to that Clay-water And Thirdly Water vpon Chalke Fourthly that vpon Sand And Worst of all vpon Mudde Neither may you trust Waters that Taste Sweet For they are commonly found in Rising Grounds of great Cities which must needs take in a great deale of Filth In Peru and diuers Parts of the West Indies though vnder the Line the Heats are not so Intolerable as they be in Barbary and the Skirts of the Torrid Zone The Causes are First the Great Brizes which the Motion of the Aire in great Circles such as are vnder the Girdle of the World produceth Which doe refrigerate And therefore in those Parts Noone is nothing so hot when the Brizes are great as about Nine or Ten of the Clocke in the Fore-Noone Another Cause is for that the Length of the Night and the Dewes thereof doe compense the Heat of the Day A third Cause is the Stay of the Sunne Not in Respect of Day and Night for that wee spake of before but in Respect of the Season For vnder the Line the Sunne crosseth the Line and maketh two Summers and two Winters But in the Skirts of the Torrid Zone it doubleth and goeth backe againe and so maketh one Long Summer The Heat of the Sunne maketh Men Blacke in some Countries as in AEthiopia and Ginny c. Fire doth it not as wee see in GlasseMen that are continually about the Fire The Reason may be because Fire doth licke vp the Spirits and Bloud of the Body so as they Exhale So that it euer maketh Men looke Pale and Sallow But the Sunne which is a Gentler Heat doth but draw the Bloud to the Outward Parts And rather Concooteth it than Soaketh it And therefore wee see that all AEthiapes are Fleshy and Plumpe and haue great Lips All which betoken Moisture retained and not drawne out Wee see also that the Negroes are bred in Countries that haue Plenty of Water by Riuers or otherwise For Meroe which was the Metropolis of AEthiopia was vpon a great Lake And Congo where the Negroes are is full of Riuers And the Confines of the Riuer Niger where the Negroes also are are well watered And the Region about Capo Verde is likewise Moist in so much as it is pestilent through Moisture But the Countries of the Abyssenes and Barbary and Peru. where they are Tawney and Oliuaster and Pale are generally more Sandy and Dry. As for the AEthiopes as they are Plumpe and Fleshy So it may bee they are Sanguine and ruddy Coloured if their blacke Skinne would suffer it to be seene Some Creatures doe moue a good while after their Head is off As Birds Some a very little time As Men and all beasts Some moue though cut in feuerall Pieces As Snakes Eeles Wormes Flies c. First therefore it is certaine that the Immediate Cause of Death is the Resolution or Extinguishment of the Spirits And that the Destruction or Corruption of the Organs is but the
a wall the greatest Fruits towards the Bottome And in France the Grapes that make the Wine grow vpon low Vines bound to small Stakes And the raised Vines in Arbours make but Veriuyce It is true that in Italy and other Countries where they haue hotter Sunne they raise them vpon Elmes and Trees But I conceiue that if the French Manner of Planting low were brought in vse there their Wines would be stronger and sweeter But it is more chargeable in respect of the Props It were good to try whether a Tree grafted somewhat neare the Ground and the lower boughes onely maintained and the higher continually proined off would not make a larger Fruit. To haue Fruit in Greater Plenty the way is to graft not onely vpon young Stockes but vpon diuers Boughes of an old Tree for they will beare great Numbers of Fruit Whereas if you graft but vpon one Stocke the Tree can beare but few The Digging yearely about the Roots of Trees which is a great means both to the Acceleration and Melioration of Fruits is practised in nothing but in Vines Which if it were transferred vnto other Trees and Shrubs as Roses c. I conceiue would aduance them likewise It hath beene knowne that a Fruit-Tree hath beene blowne vp almost by the Roots and set vp againe and the next yeare bare exceedingly The Cause of this was nothing but the Looseming of the Earth which comforteth any Tree and is fit to be practised more than it is in Fruit-Trees For Trees cannot be so fitly remoued into New Grounds as Flowers and Herbs may To reuiue an Old Tree the Digging of it about the Roots and Applying new Mould to the Roots is the way We see also that Draught-Oxen put into fresh Pasture gather new and tender Flesh And in all Things better Nourishment than hath beene vsed doth helpe to renew Especially if it be not onely better but changed and differing from the former If an Herbe be cut off from the Roots in the beginning of Winter and then the Earth be troden and beaten downe hard with the Foot and Spade the Roots will become of very great Magnitude in Summer The Reason is for that the Moisture being forbidden to come vp in the Plant stayeth longer in the Root and so dilateth it And Gardiners vse to tread downe any loose Ground after they haue sowne Onions or Turnips c. If Panicum be laid below and about the Bottome of a Root it will cause the Root to grow to an Excessiue Bignesse The Cause is for that being it selfe of a Spungy Substance it draweth the Moisture of the Earth to it and so feedeth the Root This is of greatest vse for Onions Turnips Parsnips and Carrets The Shifting of Ground is a Meanes to better the Tree and Fruit But with this Caution That all Things doe prosper best when they are aduanced to the better Your Nursery of Stockes ought to be in a more Barren Ground than the Ground is whereunto you remoue them So all Grasiers preferre their Cattell from meaner Pastures to better We see also that Hardnesse in Youth lengthneth Life because it leaueth a Cherishing to the better of the Body in Age Nay in Exercises it is good to begin with the hardest as Dancing in Thicke Shooes c. It hath beene obserued that Hacking of Trees in their Barke both downe-right and acrosse so as you make them rather in slices than in continued Hacks doth great good to Trees And especially deliuereth them from being Hide-bound and killeth their Mosse Shade to some Plants conduceth to make them large and prosperous more than Sun As in Strawberries and Bayes c. Therefore amongst Strawberries sow here and there some Barrage-Seed And you shall finde the Strawberries vnder those Leaues farro more large than their Fellowes And Bayes you must plant to the North Or defond them from the Sunne by a Hedge-Row And when you sow the Berries weed not the Borders for the first halfe yeare For the Weed giueth them Shade To increase the Crops of Phâ—â—â— there would be considered not only the Increasing the Lust of the Earth or of the Plant but the Sauing also of that which is spilt So they haue lately made a Triall to Set Wheat which neuerthelesse hath beene left off because of the trouble and paines Yet so much is true that there is much saued by the Setting in comparison of that which is Sewen Both by keeping it from being picked vp by Birds And by Auoiding the Shallow lying of it whereby much that is sowen taketh no Root It is prescribed by some of the Ancients that you take Small Trees vpon which Figs or other Fruit grow being yet vnripe and couer the Trees in the Middle of Autamne with dung vntill the Spring And then take them vp in a warme day and replant them in good Ground And by that meanes the former yeares Tree will be ripe as by a new Birth when other Trees of the fame kinde doe but blossome But this seemeth to haue no great Probabilitie It is reported that if you take Nitre and mingle it with Water to the thicknesse of Honey and therewith anoint the Bud after the Vine is cut it will sprout forth within eight dayes The Cause is like to be if the Experiment be true the Opening of the Bud and of the Parts Contiguous by the Spirit of the Nitre For Nitre is as it were the Life of Vegetables Take Seed or Kernells of Apples Peares Orenges Or a Peach or a Plum Stone c. And put them into a Squill which is like a great Onion and they will come vp much earlier than in the Earth it selfe This I conceiue no be as a Kinde of Grafting in the Root For as the Stocke of a Graft yeeldeth better prepared Nourishment to the Graft than the Crude Earth So the Squill doth the like to the Seed And I suppose the same would be done by Putting Kernells into a Turnip or the like Saue that the Squill is more Vigorous and Hot. It may be tried also with putting Onion-Seed into an Onion-Head which thereby perhaps will bring forth a larger and earlier Onion The Pricking of a Fruit in seuerall places when it is almost at his Bignesse and before it ripeneth hath beene practised with successe to ripen the Fruit more suddenly Wee see the Example of the Biting of Waspes or Wormes vpon Fruit whereby it manifestly ripeneth the sooner It is reported that Alga Marina Sea-weed put vnder the Roots of Coleworts and perhaps of other Plants will further their Growth The vertue no doubt hath Relation to Salt which is a great Helpe to Fertilitie It hath beene practised to cut off the Stalkes of Cucumbers immediately after their Bearing close by the Earth And then to cast a prettie Quantitie of Earth vpon the Plant that remaineth and they will beare the next yeare Fruit long before the ordinary time The Cause may be for that the Sap goeth downe the sooner and is not
semper aliquid Monstri parit commeth for that the Fountaines of Waters there being rare diuers Sorts of Beasts come from seuerall Parts to drinke And so being refreshed fall to couple and many times with seuerall Kinds The Compounding or Mixture of Kinds in Plants is not found out Which neuerthelesse if it be possible is more at command than that of liuing Creatures For that their Lust requireth a voluntary Motion wherefore it were One of the most Noble Experiments touching Plants to finde it out For so you may haue great Varietie of New Fruits and Flowers yet vnknowne Grafting doth it not That mendeth the Fruit or doubleth the Flowers c. But it hath not the Power to make a New Kinde For the Cions euer ouer-ruleth the Stocke It hath beene set downe by one of the Ancients that if you take two Twigs of seuerall Fruit Trees and flat them on the Sides and then binde them close together and set them in the ground they will come vp in one Stocke But yet they will put forth their seuerall Fruits without any Commixture in the Fruit. Wherein note by the way that Vnitie of Continuance is easier to procure than Vnitie of Species It is reported also that Vines of Red and White Grapes being set in the Ground and the vpper Parts being flatted and bound close together will put forth Grapes of the seuerall Colours vpon the same Branch And Grape-Stones of seuerall Colours within the same Grape But the more after a yeare or two The Vnitie as it seemeth growing more Perfect And this will likewise helpe if from the first Vniting they be often Watred For all Moisture helpeth to Vnion And it is prescribed also to binde the Bud as soone as it commeth forth as well as the Stocke At the least for a time They report that diuers Seeds put into a Clout and laid in Earth well dunged will put vp Plants Contiguous Which afterwards being bound in their Shoots will Incorporate The like is said of Kernels put into a Bottle with a Narrow Mouth filled with Earth It is reported that young Trees of seuerall kindes set contiguous without any binding and very often Watred in a Fruitfull Ground with the very Luxurie of the Trees will incorporate and grow together Which seemeth to me the likeliest Meanes that hath beene propounded For that the Binding doth hinder the Naturall Swelling of the Tree which while it is in Motion doth better vnite There are many Ancient and Receiued Traditions and Obseruations touching the Sympathy and Antipathy of Plants For that some will thriue best growing neere others which they impute to Sympathy And some worse which they impute to Antipathy But these are Idle and Ignorant Conceits And forsake the true Indication of the Causes As the most Part of Experiments that concerne Sympathies and Antipathies doe For as to Plants neither is there any such Secret Friendship or Hatred as they imagine And if we should be content to call it Sympathy and Antipathy it is vtterly mistaken For their Sympathy is an Antipathy and their Antipathy is a Sympathy For it is thus Wheresoeuer one Plant draweth such a particular Iuyce out of the Earth as it qualifieth the Earth So as that Iuyce which remaineth is fit for the other Plant there the Neighbourhood doth good Because the Nourishments are contrary or seuerall But where two Plants draw much the same Iuyce there the Neighbourhood hurteth For the one deceiueth the other First therfore all Plants that doe draw much Nourishment from the Earth and so soake the Earth and exhaust it hurt all Things that grow by them As Great Trees especially Ashes and such Trees as spread their Roots neere the Top of the Ground So the Colewort is not an Enemy though that were anciently receiued to the Vine only But it is an Enemy to any other Plant Because it draweth strongly the fattest Iuyce of the Earth And if it be true that the Vine when it creepeth neere the Colewort will turneaway This may be because there it findeth worse Nourishment For though the Root be where it was yet I doubt the Plant will bend as it nourisheth Where Plants are of seuerall Natures and draw seuerall Iuyces out of the Earth there as hath beene said the One set by the other helpeth As it is set downe by diuers of the Ancients that Rew doth prosper much and becommeth stronger if it be set by a Figge-Tree which we conceiue is caused Not by Reason of Friendship but by Extraction of a Contrary Iuyce The one Drawing Iuyce fit to result Sweet the other bitter So they haue set downe likewise that a Rose set by Garlicke is sweeter Which likewise may be because the more Fetide Iuyce of the Earth goeth into the Garlicke And the more Odorate into the Rose This wee see manifestly that there be certaine Corne-Flowers which come seldome or neuer in other places vnlesse they be set But onely amongst Corne As the Blew-Bottle a kinde of Yellow Mary Gold Wilde Poppy and Fumitorie Neither can this be by Reason of the Culture of the Ground by Plowing or Furrowing As some Herbs and Flowers will grow but in Ditches new Cast for if the Ground lie sallow and vnsowne they will not come So as it should seeme to be the Corne that qualifieth the Earth and prepareth it for their Growth This Obseruation if it holdeth as it is very probable is of great vse for the Meliorating of Taste in Fruits and Esculent Herbs And of the Sent of Flowers For I doe not doubt but if the Figge-Tree doe make the Rew more strong and bitter as the Ancients haue noted good store of Rew planted about the Figge-Tree will make the Figge more sweet Now the Tastes that doe most offend in Fruits and Herbs and Roots are Bitter Harrish Sowre And Watrish or Flashy It were good therefore to make the Trials following Take Wormewood or Rew and set it neere Lettuce or Goleflory or Artiâ—hoake And see whether the Lettuce or the Coleflory c. become not the sweeter Take a Seruice-Tree or a Cornelian-Tree or an Elder-Tree which wee know haue Fruits of harsh and binding Iuyce and set them neere a Vine or Figge-Tree and see whether the Grapes or Figs will be the sweeter Take Cucumbers or Pumpions and set them here and there amongst Muske-Melons and see whether the Melons will not be more Winy and better tasted Set Cucumbers likewise amongst Radish and see whether the Radish will not be made the more Biting Take Sorrell and set it amongst Rosps and see whether the Rasps will not be the sweeter Take Common Briar and set it amongst Violets or Wall-Flowers and see whether it will not make the Violets or Wall-Flowers sweeter and lesse Earthy in their Smell So set Lettuce or Cucumbers amongst Rosemary or Bayes and see whether the Rosemary on Bayes will not be the more Odorate or Aromaticall Contrariwise you must take heed how you set Herbs together that draw
much the like Iuyce And therefore I thinke Rosemary will leese in Sweetnesse if it be set with Lauender or Bayes or the like But yet if you will correct the strength of an Herbe you shall doe well to set other like Herbs by him to take him downe As if you should set Tansey by Angelica it may be the Angelica would be the weaker and fitter for Mixture in Perfume And if you should set Rew by Common Wormewood it may be the Wormewood would turne to be like Roman Worniewood This Axiome is of large extent And therefore would be seuered and refined by Triall Neither must you expect to haue a Grasse Difference by this kinde of Culture but only Further Perfection Triall would be also made in Herbs Poisonous and Purgatine whose ill Qualitie perhaps may be discharged or attempted by Setting stronger Poisons or Purgatines by them It is reported that the Shrub called Our Ladies Seale which is a Kinde of Briony and Coleworts set neere together one or both will die The Cause is for that they be both great Depredatours of the Earth and one of them starueth the other The like is said of a Reed and a Brake Both which are succulent And therefore the One deceiueth the Other And the like of Hemlocke and Rew Both which draw strong luyces Some of the Ancients and likewise diures of the Moderne Writers that haue laboured in Natural Magicke haue noted a Sympathy between the Sunne Moone and some Principall Starres And certaine Herbs and Plants And so they haue denominated some Herbs Solar and some Lunar And such like Toyes put into great Words It is manifest that there are some Flowers that haue Respect to the Sunne in two Kindes The one by Opening and Shutting And the other by Bowing and Inclining the Head For Mary-golds Tulippa's Pimperâ—ell and indeed most Flowers doe open or spread their Leaues abroad when the Sunne shineth serene and faire And againe in some part close them or gather them inward either towards Night or when the Skie is ouercast Of this there needeth no such Solemne Reason to be assigned As to say that they reioyce at the presence of the Sunne And mourne at the Absence thereof For it is Nothing else but a little Loading of the Leaues and Swelling them at the Bottome with the Moisture of the Aire whereas the drie Aire doth extend them And they make it a Peece of the wonder that Garden Clauer will hide the Stalke when the Sunne sheweth bright Which is Nothing but a full Expansion of the leaues For the Bowing and Inclining the Head it is found in the great Flower of the Sunne in Mary-golds Wart wort Mallow Flowers and others The Cause is somewhat more Obscure than the former But I take it to be no other but that the Part against which the Sunne beateth waxeth more faint and flaccide in the Stalke And thereby lesse able to support the Flower What a little Moisture will doe in Vegetables euen though they be dead and seuered from the Earth appeareth well in the Experiment of Inglers They take the Beard of an Oate which if you marke it well is wreathed at the Bottome and one smooth entire Straw at the Top. They take only the Part that is Wreathed and cut off the other leauing the Beard halfe the Breadth of a finger in length Then they make a little Crosse of a Quill long-wayes of that Part of the Quill which hath the Pith And Crosse-wayes of that peece of the Quill without Pith The whole Crosse being the Breadth of a Finger high Then they pricke the Bottome where the Pith is and thereinto they put the Oaten-beard leauing halfe of it sticking forth of the Quill Then they take a little white Box of wood to deceiue Men as if somewhat in the Box did worke the Feat In which with a Pinne they make a little Hole enough to take the Beard but not to let the Crosse sinke downe but to sticke Then likewise by way of Imposture they make a Question As Who is the Fairest Woman in the Company Or Who hath a Gloue or Card And canse Another to name diners Persons And vpon euery Naming they sticke the Crosse in the Box hauing first put it towards their Mouth as if they charmed it And the Crasse stirreth not But when they come to the Person that they would take As they hold the Orasse to their Mouth they touch the Beard with the Tip of their Tongue and wet it And so sticke the Crosse in the Box And then you shall see it turne finely and softly three or foure Turnes Which is caused by the vntwining of the Beard by the Moisture You may see it more euidently if you sticke the Crosse betweene your fingers in Stead of the Box And therfore you may see that this Motion which is effected by so little Wet is stronger than the Closing or Bending of the Head of a Marigold It is reported by some that the Herb called Rosa-Solis wherof they make Strong Waters will at the Noone-day when the Sunne shineth hot and bright haue a great Dew vpon it And therefore that the right Name is Ros Solis which they impute to a Delight and Sympathy that it hath with the Sunne Men fauour Wonders It were good first to be sure that the Dew that is found vpon it be not the Dew of the Morning Preserued when the Dew of other Herbs is breathed away for it hath a smooth and thicke Leafe that doth not discharge the Dew so soone as other Herbs that are more Spungy and Porous And it may be Purslane or some other Herb doth the like and is not marked But if it be so that it hath more Dew at Noone than in the Morning then sure it seemeth to be an Exudation of the Herb is solfe As Plums sweat when they are set into the Ouen for you will not I hope thinke that it is like Gedeons Fleeel of Wood that the Dew should fail vpon that and no where else It is certaine that the Honey-dews are found more vpon Oahe-leâ—â—es than vpon Aâ—â— of Beech or the like But whether any Cause be from the Leafe it selfe to concoctâ— the Dew Or whether it be onely that the Leafe is Close and Smooth And therefore drinketh not in the Dew but preserueth it may be doubted It would be well inquired whether Maâ—â—â— the Drug doth fall but vpon certaine Herbs or Lâ—â—â— onely Flowers that haue deepe Sockets doe gather in the Bottome a kinde of Honey As Honey-Suckles both the Woodbine and the Trisoile Dillier and the like And in them certainly the Flower beareth part with the Dew The Experience is that the Froth which they call Woodsears being like a kinde of Spittle is found but vpon certaine Herbs and those Hot Ones As Lauender-cotton Sage Hissope c. Of the Cause of this enquire further For it seemeth a Secret There falleth also Mildew vpon Corne and smutteth it But it may be that the same
to take Marsh-Herbs and Plant them vpon Tops of Hills and Champaignes And such plants as require much Moisture vpon Sandy and very drie Grounds As for Example Marsh-Maltowes and Sedge vpon Hills Cucumber and Letâ—nce Seeds and Coloworis vpon a Sandy Plas So contrariwise plant Bushes Heath Ling and Brakes vpon a Wet or Muâ—sh Ground This I conceiue also that all Eâ—câ—lent and Garden-Herbs set vpon the Tops of Hills will proue more Modicinall though leffe Eâ—â—â—lent than they were before And it may be likewise some Wilde-Herbs you may make Sallel-Herbs This is the first Rule for Transâ—â—ction of Plants The second Rule shall be to burie some few Seeds of the Herbe you would change amongst other Seeds And then you shall see whether the luyee of those other Seeds doe â—â—â— so qualifie the Earth as it will alter the Seed whereupon you worke As for Example Put Parflyâ—â—â— amongst Onion-Sâ—â—t Or Lettuce Seed amongst Parthy-Seed Or Baâ—â—-Seed amongst Thyme-Seed And see the Change of Taste on otherwise But you shall doe well to put the Seed you would change into a little linnen Cloth that it mingle not with the forraine Seed The third Rule shall be the Making of some Medley or Mixture of Earth with some other plants Braised or Shanes either in Leafe or Root As for Example make Earth with a Mixture of Calmert-Leaues stamped and set in it Artisâ—â—â—kes or Parsâ—ips So take Earth made with Maiâ—â— or Origaâ—â—m or Wilde Thâ—â—â— bruised or stamped and set in it Fennell-Seed c. In which Operation the Processe of Nature still will be as I conceiue not that the Harbe you worke vpon should draw the Iuyce of the Foâ—â—ne Herbes For that Opinion was haue formerly reiected But that there will be a New Confection of Mould which perhaps will alter the Seed and yet not to the kinde of the former Herbe The foâ—â—â— Rule shall be to â—â—â— what Herbs some â—â—â— doe put forth of themselues And to take â—â—â— Earth and to Pat it or to â—â—â—â—â—â— it And in that to set the Seed you would change as for example sake from vnder Walls or the like where Nettles put forth in abundance the Earth which you shall there finde without any String or Root of the Nettles And Pot that Earth and set in it Stock-gilly flowers or Wall Flowers c. Or sow in the Seeds of them And see what the Euent will be Or take Earth that you haue prepared to put forth Mushromes of it selfe whereof you shall finde some Instances following And sow in it Purslane Seed or Lettuce-Seed For in these Experiments it is likely enough that the Earth being accustomed to send forth one Kinde of Nourishment will alter the new Seed The fifth Rule shall be to make the Herbe grow Contrary to his Nature As to make Ground-Herbes rise in Heighth As for example Carry Camomill or Wilde-Thyme or the Greene Strawberry vpon Sticks as you doe Heps vpon Poles And see what the Euent will be The sixth Rule shall be to make Plants grow out of the Sunne or Open Aire For that is a great Mutation in Nature And may induce a Change in the Seed As barrell vp Earth and sow some Seed in it and put it in the Bottome of a Pond Or put it in some great hollow Tree Trie also the Sowing of Seeds in the Bottomes of Caues And Pots with Seeds sowne hanged vp in Wells some distance from the Water and see what the Euent will be It is certaine that Timber-Trees in Coppice-Words grow more vpright and more free from Vnder-Boughs than those that stand in the Field The Cause whereof is for that Plants haue a Naturall Motion to get to the Sunne And besides they are not glutted with too much Nourishment For that the Coppice shareth with them And Repletion euer hindreth Stature Lastly they are kept warme And that euer in Plants helpeth Mounting Trees that are of themselues full of Heat which Heat appeareth by their Inflammable Gumms as Firrs and Pines mount of themselues in Heighth without Side-Boughs till they come towards the Top. The Cause is partly Heat And partly Tenuitie of Iuyce Both which send the Sap vpwards As for Iuniper it is but a Shrub and groweth not bigge enough in Body to maintaine a tall Tree It is reported that a Good Strong Canuas spread ouer a Tree grasted low soone after it putteth forth will dwarfe it and make it spread The Cause is plaine For that all Things that grow will grow as they finde Roome Trees are generally set of Roots or Kernells But if you set them of Slips as of some Trees you may by name the Mulberry some of the Slips will take And those that take as is reported will be Dwarfe-Trees The Cause is for that a Slip draweth Nourishment more weakly than either a Root or Kernell All Plants that put forth their Sap hastily haue their Bodies not proportionable to their Length And therefore they are Winders and Creepers As Iuy Briony Hops Woodbine Whereas Dwarsing requireth a slow Putting forth and lesse Vigour of Mounting The Scripture saith that Salomon wrote a Naturall History from the Cedar of Libanus to the Mosse growing vpon the Wall For so the belt Translations haue it And it is true that Mosse is but the Rudiment of a Plant. And as it were the Mould of Earth or Barke Mosse groweth chiefly vpon Ridges of Houses tiled or thatched And vpon the Crests of Walls And that Mosse is of a lightsome and pleasant Greene. The Growing vpon Slopes is caused for that Mosse as on the one side it commeth of Moisture and Water so on the other side the Water must but Slide and not Stand or Poole And the Growing vpon Tiles or Walls c. is caused for that those dried Earths hauing not Moisture sufficient to put forth a Plant doe practise Gormination by Putting forth Mosse Though when by Age or otherwise they grow to relent and resolue they sometimes put forth Plants As Wall-Flowers And almost all Mosse hath here and there little Stalkes besides the low Thrumme Mosse groweth vpon Alleyes especially such as lye Cold and vpon the North As in diuers Tarrasses And againe if they be much trodden Or if they were at the first grauelled For wheresoeuer Plants are kept downe the Earth putteth forth Mosse Old Ground that hath beene long vnbroken vp gathereth Mosse And therfore Husbandmen vse to cure theit Pasture Grounds when they grow to Mosse by Tilling them for a yeare or two Which also dependeth vpon the same Cause For that the more Sparing and Staruing Iuyce of the Earth in sufficient for Plants doth breed Mosse Old Trees are more Mossy farre than Young For that the Sap is not so francke as to rise all to the Boughes but tireth by the way and putteth out Mosse Fountaines haue Mosse growing vpon the Ground about them Muscosi Fontes The Cause is for that the Fountaines draine the Water from the Ground Adiacent and leaue but
And besides it is doubtfull whether the Mortar it selfe putteth it forth or whether some Seeds be not let fall by Birds There be likewife Rock-Herbs But I suppose those are where there is some Mould or Earth It hath likewife beene found that great Trees growing vpon Quarries haue put downe their Root into the Stone In some Mines in Germany as is reported there grow in the Bottome Vegetables And the Worke-Folkes vse to say they haue Magicall Vertue And will not suffer Men to gather them The Sea-Sands seldome beare Plants Whereof the Cause is yeelded by some of the Ancients for that the Sunne exhaleth the Moisture before it can incorporate with the Earth and yeeld a Nourishment for the Plant. And it is affirmed also that Sand hath alwayes his Root in Clay And that there be no Veines of Sand any great depth within the Earth It is certaine that some Plants put forth for a time of their owne Store without any Nourishment from Earth Water Stone c. Of which Vide the Experiment 29. It is reported that Earth that was brought out of the Indies and other Remote Countries for Ballast of Ships cast vpon some Grounds in Italy did put forth Fortaine Herbs to vs in Europe not knowne And that which is more that of their Roots Barkes and Seeds conâ—used together and mingled with other Earth and well Watred with Warme Water there came forth Herbs much like the Other Plants brought out of Hot Countries will endeuour to put forth at the same Time that they vsually do in their owne Climate And therfore to preserue them there is no more required than to keepe them from the Iniury of Putting backe by Cold. It is reported also that Graine out of the Hotter Countries translated into the Colder will be more forward than the Ordinary Graine of the Cold Countrey It is likely that this will proue better in Graines than in Trees For that Graines are but Annuall And so the Vertue of the Seed is not worne out Whereas in a Tree it is embased by the Ground to which it is Remoued Many Plants which grow in the Hotter Countries being set in the Colder will neucrthelesse euen in those Cold Countries being sowne of Seeds ate in the Spring come vp and abide most Part of the Summer As we finde it in Orenge and Limon-Seeds c. The Seeds whereof Sowen in the End of Aprill will bring forth Excellent Sallets mingled with other Herbs And I doubt not but the Seeds of Cloue-Trees and Pepper-Seeds c. if they could come hither Greene enough to be sowen would doe the like There be some Flowers Blossomes Graines and Fruits which come more Early And Others which come more Late in the Yeare The Flowers that come early with vs are Prime-Roses Violets Anemonies Water-Daffadillies Crocus Vernus and some early Tulippa's And they are all Cold Plants Which therefore as it should seeme haue a quicker Perception of the Heat of the Sunne Increasing than the Hot Herbs haue As a Cold Hand will sooner finde a little Warmth than a Hot. And those that come next after are Wall-Flowers Cowflips Hyacinths Rosemary-Flowers c. And after them Pincks Roses Flowerdelnces c. And the latest are Gilly-Flowers Holly-oakes Larkes-Foot c. The Earliest Blossomes are the Blossomes of Peaches Almonds Cornelians Mezerions c. And they are of such Trees as haue much Moisture either Watrie or Oylie And therefore Grocus Vernus also being an Herbe that hath an Oylie luyce putteth forth early For those also finde the Sunne sooner than the Drier Trees The Graines are first Rye and Wheat Then Oats and Barley Then Pease and Beanes For though Greene Pease and Beanes be eaten sooner yet the Drie Ones that are vsed for Horse-Meat are ripe last And it seemeth that the Fatter Graine commeth first The Earliest Fruits are Strawberries Cherries Gooseberries Corrans And after them Early Apples Early Peares Apricots Rasps And after them Damasins and most Kinde of Plums Peaches c. And the latest are Apples Wardens Grapes Nuts Quinces Almonds Sloes Brier-Berries Heps Medlars Seruices Cornelians c. It is to be noted that commonly Trees that ripen latest blossome soonest As Peaches Cornelians Sloes Almonds c. And it seemeth to be a Worke of Prouidence that they blossome so soone For otherwise they could not haue the Sunne long enough to ripen There be Fruits but rarely that come twice a Teare as some Peares Strawberries c. And it seemeth they are such as abound with Nourishment Whereby after one Period before the Sunne waxeth too weake they can endure another The Violet also amongst Flowers commeth twice a Yeare Especially the Double White And that also is a Plant full of Moisture Roses come twice but it is not without Caâ—ting as hath beene formerly said In Muscbuia though the Corne come not vp till late Spring yet their Haruest is as Early as Ours The Cause is for that the Strength of the Ground is kept in with the Snow And wee see with vs that if it be a long Winter it is commonly a more Plentifull Teare And after those kinde of Winters likewise the Flowers and Corne which are Earlier and Later doe come commonly at once and at the same time Which troubleth the Husbandman many times For you shâ—ll haue Red Roses and Damaske Roses come together And likewise the Harnest of Wheat and Barley But this happeneth euer for that the Earlier staieth for the Later And not that the Later commeth sooner There be diuers Fruit-Trees in the Hot Countries which haue Blossomes and Young Fruit and Ripe Fruit almost all the Yeare succeeding one another And it is said the Orenge hath the like with vs for a great Part of Summer And so also hath the Figge And no doubt the Naturall Motion of Plants is to haue so But that either they want luyce to spend Or they meet with the Cold of the Winter And therefore this Circle of Ripening cannot be but in Succulent Plants and Hot Countries Some Herbs are but Annuall and die Root and all once a Yeare As Borrage Lettuce Cucumbers Muske-Melons Bafill Tobacco Mustard-Seed and all kindes of Corne Some continue many Yeares As Hyssope Germander Lanander Fennell c. The Cause of the Dying is double The first is the Tendernesse and Weaknesse of the Seed which maketh the Period in a small time As it is in Borrage Lettnce Cucumbers Corne c. And therefore none of these are Hot. The other Cause is for that some Herbs can worse endure Cold As Basill Tobacco Mustard-Seed And these haue all much Heat The Lasting of Plants is most in those that are Largest of Body As Oakes Elme Ches-Nut the Loat-Tree c. And this holdeth in Trees But in Herbs it is often contrary For borage Colewort Pompions which are Herbs of the Largest Size are of small Durance Whereas Hyssope Winter-Sauoury Germander Thyme Sage will last long The Cause is for that Trees last according to
the Strength and Quantitie of their Sap and Iuyce Being well munited by their Barke against the Iniuries of the Aire But Herbs draw a Weake luyce And haue a Soft Stalke And therefore those amongst them which last longest are Herbs of Strong Smell and with a Sticky Stalke Trees that beare Mast and Nuts are commonly more lasting than those that beare Fruits Especially the Moister Fruits As Oakes Beeches Chesnuts Wall-nuts Almonds Pine-Trees c. last longer than Apples Peares Plums c. The Cause is the Fatnesse and Oylinesse of the Sap Which euer wasteth lesse than the more Watry Trees that bring forth their Leaues late in the Yeare and cast them likewise late are more lasting than those that sprout their Leaues Early or shed them betimes The Cause is for that the late Comming forth sheweth a Moisture more fixed And the other more loose and more easily resolued And the same Cause is that Wilde-Trees last longer than Garden-Trees And in the same kinde those whose Fruit is Acide more than those whose Fruit is sweet Nothing procureth the Lasting of Trees Bushes and Herbs so much as often Cutting For euery Cutting causeth a Renouation of the Iuyee of the Plant That it neither goeth so farre nor riseth so faintly as when the Plant is not Cut Insomuch as Annuall Plants if you cut them seasonably and will spare the vse of them and suffer them to come vp still young will last more Yeares than one As hath beene partly touched Such as is Lettuce Purslane Cucumber and the like And for Great Trees we see almost all Ouer-growne-Trees in Church-yards or neare Ancient Buildings and the like are Pollards or Dottards and not Trees at their full Height Some Experiment would be made how by Art to make Plants more Lasting than their ordinary Period As to make a Stalke of Wheat c. last a whole yeare You must euer presuppose that you handle it so as the Winter killeth it not For we speake onely of Prolonging the Naturall Period I conceiue that the Rule will hold That whatsoeuer maketh the Herbe come later than at his time will make it last longer time It were good to try it in a Stalke of Wheat c. set in the Shade and encompassed with a Case of Wood not touching the Straw to keepe out Open Aire As for the Preseruation of Fruits and Plants as well vpon the Tree or Stalke as gathered we shall handle it vnder the Title of Conseruation of Bodies The Particular Figures of Plants we leaue to their Descriptions But some few Things in generall we will obserue Trees and Herbs in the Growing forth of their Boughes and Branches are not Figured and keep no Order The Cause is for that the Sap being restrained in the Rinde and Barke breaketh not forth at all As in the Bodies of Trees and Stalkes of Herbs till they begin to branch And then when they make an Eruption they breake forth casually where they finde best way in the Barke or Rinde It is true that some Trees are more scattered in their Boughes As Sallow-Trees Warden-Trees Quince-Trees Medlar-Trees Limon-Trees c. Some are more in the forme of a Pyramis and come almost to todd As the Peare-Tree which the Critickes will haue to borrow his name of â—â— Fire Orenge-Trees Firre-Trees Service-Trees Lime-Trees c. And some are more spred and broad As Beeches Hornebeame c. The rest are more indifferent The Cause of Scattering the Boughes is the Hasty breaking forth of the Sap And therefore those Trees rise not in a Body of any Height but branch neare the Ground The Cause of the Pyramis is the Keeping in of the Sap long before it branch And the spending of it when it beginneth to branch by equall degrees The Spreading is caused by the Carrying vp of the Sap plentifully without Expence And then putting it forth speedily and at once There be diuers Herbs but no Trees that may be said to haue some kinde of Order in the Putting forth of their Leaues For they haue Ioynts or Knuckles as it were Stops in their Germination As haue Gilly-Flowers Pinckes Fennell Corne Reeds and Canes The Cause whereof is for that the Sap asoendeth vnequally and doth as it were tire and stop by the way And it seemeth they haue some Closenesse and Hardnesse in their Stalke which bindreth the Sap from going vp vntill it hath gathered into a Knot and so is more vrged to put forth And therefore they are most of them hollow when the Stalke is dry As Fennell-Stalke Stubble and Canes Flowers haue all exquisite Figures And the Flower-Numbers are chiefly Fiue and Foure As in Prime-Roses Brier-Roses Single Muske-Roses Single Pinkes and Gilly-Flowers c. which haue fiue Leaues Lillies Flower-de-luces Borage Buglosse c. which haue foure Leaues But some put forth Leaues not Numbered But they are euer small Ones As Mary-Golds Trisoile c. We see also that the Sockets and Supporters of Flowers are Figured As in the Fiue Brethren of the Rose Sockets of Gilly-Flowers c. Leaues also are all Figured Some Round Some Long None Square And many iagged on the Sides Which Leaues of Flowers seldome are For I account the Iagging of Pinkes and Gilly-Flowers to be like the Inequality of Oake-leaues or Vine-leaues or the like But they seldome or neuer haue any small Purles Of Plants some few put forth their Blossomes before their Leaues As Almonds Peaches Cornelians Black-Thorne c. But most put forth some Leaues before their Blossomes As Apples Peares Plums Cherries White-Thorne c. The Cause is for that those that put forth their Blossomes first haue either an Acute and Sharpe Spirit And therfore commonly they all put forth earely in the Spring and ripen very late As most of the Particulars before mentioned Or else an Oyly Iuyce which is apter to put out Flowers than Leaues Of Plants some are Greene all Winter Others cast their Leaues There are Greene aâ—l Winter Holly Iny Box Firre Eugh Cypresse Iuniper Bayes Rose-Mary c. The Cause of the Holding Greene is the Close and Compact Substance of their Leaues and the Pedicles of them And the Cause of that againe is either the Tough and Viscous Iuyce of the Plant Or the Strength and Heat thereof Of the first Sort is Holly Which is of so Viscous a Iuyce as they make Bird-lime of the Barke of it The Stalke of Iuy is Tough and not Fragile as we see in other small Twigs dry Firre yeeldeth Pitch Box is a fast and heauy Wood as we see it in Bowles Eugh is a Strong and Tough Wood as we see it in Bowes Of the second Sort is Iuniper which is a Wood Odorate and maketh a hot Fire Bayes is likewise a Hot and Aromatical Wood And so is Rose-Mary for a Shrub As for the Leaues their Density appeareth in that either they are Smooth and Shining as in Bayes Holly Iuy Box c. Or in that they are Hard and Spiry as
vnder the Arme-Holes and on the Sides The Cause is the Thinnesse of the Skin in those Parts Ioyned with the Rarenesse of being touched there For all Tickling is a light Motion of the Spirits which the Thinnesse of the Skin and Suddennesse and Rarenesse of Touch doe further For we see a Feather or a Rush drawne along the Lip or Cheeke doth tickle Whereas a Thing more Obtuse or a Touch more Hard doth not And for Suddennesse We see no Man can tickle himselfe Wee see also that the Palme of the Hand though it hath as Thinne a Skin as the other Parts Mentioned yet is not Ticklish because it is accustomed to be Touched Tickling also causeth Laughter The Cause may be the Emission of the Spirits and so of the Breath by a Flight from Titillation For vpon Tickling we see there is euer a Starting or Shrinking away of the Part to auoid it And we see also that if you Tickle the Nosthrills with a Feather or Straw it procureth Sneezing Which is a Sudden Emission of the Spirits that doe likewise expell the Moisture And Tickling is euer Painfull and not well endured It is strange that the Riuer of Nilus Ouer-flowing as it doth the Country of AEgypt there should be neuerthelesse little or no Raine in that Country The Cause must be Either in the Nature of the Water Or in the Nature of the Aire Or of Both. In the Water it may be ascribed either vnto the Long â—â—â— of the Water For Swift Running Waters vapour not so much as Standing Waters Or else to the Concoction of the Water For Waters well Concocted vapour not so much as Waters Raw No more than Waters vpon the Fire doe vapour so much after some time of Boyling as at the first And it is true that the Water of Nilus is sweeter than other Waters in Taste And it is excellent Good for the Stone and Hypochondriacall Melancholy Which sheweth it is Lenefying And it runneth thorow a Countrey of a Hot Climate and flat without Shade either of Woods or Hills Whereby the Sunne must needs haue great Power to Concoct it As for the Aire from whence I conceiue this Want of Showers commeth chiefly The Cause must be for that the Aire is of it selfe Thin and Thirsty And as soone as euer it getteth any Moisture from the Water it imbibeth and dissipateth it in the whole body of the Aire And suffereth it not to remaine in Vapour Whereby it might breed Raine It hath beene touched in the Title of Percolations Namely such as are Inwards that the Whites of Eggs and Milke doe clarifie And it is certaine that in AEgypt they prepare and clarifie the Water of Nile by putting it into great Iarres of Stone and Stirring it about with a few Stamped Almonds Wherewith they also besmeare the Mouth of the Vessell And so draw it off after it hath rested some time It were good to trie this Clarifying with Almonds in New Beere or Must to hasten and perfect the Clarifying There be scarce to be found any Vegetables that haue Branches and no Leaues except you allow Corall for one But there is also in the Desarts of S. Macario in AEgypt a Plant which is Long Leauelesse Browne of Colour and Branched like Corall faue that it closeth at the Top. This being set in Water within House spreadeth and displayeth strangely And the People thereabouts haue a Superstitious Beleefe that in the Labour of Women it helpeth to the Easie Deliuerance The Crystalline Venice Glasse is reported to be a Mixture in equall Portions of Stones brought from Pauia by the Riuer Ticinum And the Ashes of a Weed called by the Arabs Kall which is gathered in a Desart betweene Alexandria and Rosetta And is by the AEgyptians vsed first for Fuell And then they crush the Ashes into Lumps like a Stone And so sell them to the Venetians for their Glasse-workes It is strange and well to be noted how long Carkasses haue continued Vncorrupt and in their former Dimensions As appeareth in the Mummies of AEgypt Hauing lafted as is conceiued some of them three thousand yeeres It is true they finde Meanes to draw forth the Braines and to take forth the Entrailes which are the Parts apteft to corrupt But that is nothing to the Wonder For wee see what a Soft and Corruptible Substance the Flesh of all the other Parts of the Body is But it should seeme that according to our Obseruation and Axiorne in our hundredth Experiment Putrefaction which we conceiue to be so Naturall a Period of Bodies is but an Accident And that Matter maketh not that Haste to Corruption that is conceiued And therefore Bodies in Shining-Amber In Quicke-Siluer In Balmes whereof wee now speake In Wax In Honey In Gummes And it may be in Conseruatories of Snow c. are preserued very long It need not goe for Repetition if we resume againe that which wee said in the aforesaid Experiment concerning Annihilation Namely that if you prouide against three Causes of Putrefaction Bodies will not corrupt The First is that the Aire be excluded For that vndermineth the Body and conspireth with the Spirit of the Body to dissolue it The Second is that the Body Adiacent and Ambiens be not Commateriall but meerely Heterogeneall towards the Body that is to be presured For if Nothing can be receiued by the One Nothing can issue from the Other Such are Quick-Siluer White-Amber to Herbs and Flies and such Bodies The Third is that the Body to be preserued be not of that Grasse that it may corrupt within it selfe although no Part of it issue into the Body Adiacent And therefore it must be rather Thinne and Small than of Bulke There is a Fourth Remedie also which is That if the Body to be preserued be of Bulke as a Corps is then the Body that Incloseth it must haue a Vertue to draw forth and drie the Moisture of the Inward Body For else the Putrefaction will play within though Nothing issue forth I remember Liuy doth relate that there were found at a time two Coffins of Lead in a Tombe Whereof the one contained the Body of King Numa It being some foure hundred yeares after his Death And the other his Bookes of Sacred Rites and Ceremonies and the Discipline of the Pontises And that in the Coffin that had the Body there was Nothing at all to be seene but a little light Cinders about the Sides But in the Coffin that had the Bookes they were found as fresh as if they had beene but newly Written being written in Parchment and couered ouer with Watch-Candles of Wax three or foure fold By this it seemeth that the Romans in Numa's time were not so good Embalmers as the AEgyptians were Which was the Cause that the Body was vtterly consumed But I finde in Plutarch and Others that when Augustus Caesar visited the Sepulchre of Alexander the Great in Alexandria he found the Body to keepe his
hath lesse being many wayes corrected And this Experiment would be made about the End of March For that Season is likest to discouer what the Winter hath done And what the Summer following will doe vpon the Aire And because the Aire no doubt receiueth great Tincture and Infusion from the Earth It were good to trie that Exposing of Flesh or Fish both vpon a Stake of Wood some heighth aboue the Earth and vpon the Flat of the Earth Take May-Dew and see whether it putrifie quickly or no For that likewise may disclose the Qualitie of the Aire and Vapour of the Earth more or lesse Corrupted A Drie March and a Drie May portend a Wholesome Summer if there be a Showring Aprill betweene But otherwise it is a Signe of a Pestilentiall Yeare As the Discouerie of the Disposition of the Aire is good for the Prognosticks of Wholesome and Vnwholesome Yeares So it is of much more vse for the Choice of Places to dwell in At the least for Lodges and Retiring Places for Health For Mansion Houses respect Prouisions as well as Health Wherein the Experiments aboue mentioned may serue But for the Choice of Places or Seats it is good to make Triall not only of Aptnesse of Aire to corrupt but also of the Moisture and Drinesse of the Aire and the Temper of it in Heat or Cold For that may concerne Health diuersly Wee see that there be some Houses wherein Sweet Meats will relent and Baked Meats will mould more than in others And Wainscoats will also sweat more so that they will almost run with Water All which no doubt are caused chiefly by the Moistnesse of the Aire in those Seats But because it is better to know it before a Man buildeth his House than to finde it after take the Experiments following Lay Wooll or a Sponge or Bread in the Place you would trie comparing it with some other Places And see whether it doth not moisten and make the Wooll or Sponge c. more Ponderous than the other And if it doe you may iudge of that Place as Situate in a Grosse and Moist Aire Because it is certaine that in some Places either by the Nature of the Earth or by the Situation of Woods and Hills the Aire is more Vnequall than in Others and Inequalitie of Aire is euer an Enemy to Health It were good to take two Weather-Glasses Matches in all things and to set them for the same Houres of One day in seuerall Places where no Shade is nor Enclosures And to marke when you set them how farre the Water commeth And to compare them when you come againe how the Water standeth then And if you finde them Vnequall you may be sure that the Place where the Water is lowest is in the Warmer Aire and the other in the Colder And the greater the Inequalitie be of the Ascent or Descent of the Water the greater is the Inequalitie of the Temper of the Aire The Predictions likewise of Cold and Long Winters and Hot and Drie Summers are good to be knowne As well for the Discouerie of the Causes as for diuers Prouisions That of Plenty of Hawes and Heps and Briar-Berries hath beene spoken of before If Wainscast or Stone that haue vsed to Sweat be more drie in the Beginning of Winter Or the Drops of the Eaues of Houses come more slowly downe than they vse it portendeth a Hard and Frostie Winter The Cause is for that it sheweth an Inclination of the Aire to Drie Weather which in Winter is euer ioyned with Frost Generally a Moist and Coole Summer portendeth a Hard Winter The Cause is for that the Vapours of the Earth are not dissipated in the Summer by the Sunne And so they rebound vpon the Winter A Hot and Drie Summer and Autumne and especially if the Heat and Drought extend farre into September portendeth an Open Beginning of Winter And Colds to succeed toward the latter Part of the Winter and the Beginning of the Spring For till then the former Heat and Drought beare the Sway And the Vapours are not sufficiently Multiplied An Open and Warme Winter portendeth a Hot and Drie Summer For the Vapours disperse into the Winter Showres Whereas Cold and Frost keepeth them in and transporteth them into the late Spring and Summer following Birds that vse to change Countries at certaine Seasons if they come Earlier doe shew the Temperature of Weather according to that Country whence they came As the Winter-Birds namely Woodcocks Feldefares c. if they come earlier and out of the Northerne Countries with vs shew Cold Winters And if it be in the same Country then they shew a Temperature of Season like vnto that Season in which they come As swallowes Bats Cuckooes c. that come towards Summer if they come early shew a Hot Summer to follow The Prognosticks more Immediate of Weather to follow soone after are more Certaine than those of Seasons The Resounding of the Sea vpon the Shoare And the Murmur of Winds in the Woods without apparent Wind shew Wind to follow For such Winds breathing chiefly out of the Earth are not at the first perceiued except they be pent by Water or Wood. And therefore a Murmur out of Caues likewise portendeth as much The Vpper Regions of the Aire perceiue the Collection of the Matter of Tempest and Winds before the Aire here below And therefore the Obscuring of the Smaller Starres is is a Signe of Tempests following And of this kinde you shall finde a Number of Instances in our Inquisition De Ventis Great Mountaines haue a Perception of the Disposition of the Aire to Tempests sooner than the Valley's or Plaines below And therefore they say in Wales when certaine Hills haue their Night-Cups on they meane Mischiefe The Cause is for that Tempests which are for the most part bred aboue in the Middle Region as they call it are soonest perceiued to collect in the Places next it The Aire and Fire haue Subtill Perceptions of Wind Rising before Men finde it Wee see the Trembling of a Candle will discouer a Wind that otherwise wee doe not feele And the Flexuous Burning of Flames doth shew the Aire beginneth to be vnquiet And so doe Coales of Fire by Casting off the Ashes more than they vse The Cause is for that no Wind at the first till it hath strooke and driven the Aire is Apparent to the Sense But Flame is easier to moue than Aire And for the Ashes it is no maruell though Wind vnperceiued shake them off For wee vsually trie which way the Wind bloweth by casting vp Grasse or Chaffe or such light Things into the Aire When Wind expireth from vnder the Sea As it causeth some Resounding of the Water whereof wee spake before so it causeth some Light Motions of Bubbles and White Circles of Froth The Cause is for that the Wind cannot be perceiued by the Sense vntill there be an Eruption of a great Quantitie from vnder the Water And so it
getteth into a Body Whereas in the first Putting vp it commeth in little Portions We spake of the Ashes that Coales cast off And of Grasse and Chaffe carried by the Wind So any Light Thing that moueth when we finde no Wind sheweth a Wind at hand As when Feathers or Downe of Thistles fly to and fro in the Aire For Prognosticks of Weather from Liuing Creatures it is to be noted That Creatures that Liue in the Open Aire Sub Diô must needs haue a Quicker Impression from the Aire than Men that liue most within Doores And especially Birds who liue in the Aire freest and clearest And are aptest by their Voice to tell Tales what they finde And likewise by the Motion of their Flight to expresse the same Water-Fowles as Sea-Gulls More-Hens c. when they flocke and fly together from the Sea towards the Shores And contrariwise Land-Birds as Crowes Swallowes c. when they fly from the Land to the Waters and beat the Waters with their Wings doe fore-shew Raine and Wind. The Cause is Pleasure that both Kindes take in the Moistnesse and Density of the Aire And so desire to be in Motion and vpon the Wing whither soeuer they would otherwise goe For it is no Maruell that Water-Fowle doe ioy most in that Aire which is likest Water And Land-Birds also many of them delight in Bathing and Moist Aire For the same Reason also many Birds doe proine their Feathers And Geese doe gaggle And Crowes seeme to call vpon Raine All which is but the Comfort they seeme to receiue in the Relenting of the Aire The Heron when she foareth high so as sometimes she is seene to passe ouer a Cloud sheweth Winds But Kites flying aloft shew Faire and Dry Weather The Cause may be for that they both mount most into the Aire of that Temper wherein they delight And the Heron being a Water-Fowle taketh pleasure in the Aire that is Condensed And besides being but Heauy of Wing needeth the Helpe of the Grosser Aire But the Kite affecteth not so much the Grossenesse of the Aire as the Cold and Freshnesse thereof For being a Bird of Prey and therefore Hot she delighteth in the Fresh Aire And many times flyeth against the Wind As Trouts and Salmons swimme against the Streame And yet it is true also that all Birds finde an Ease in the depth of the Aire As Swimmers doe in a Deepe Water And therefore when they are aloft they can vphold themselues with their Wings Spred scarce mouing them Fishes when they play towards the Top of the Water doe commonly foretell Raine The Cause is for that a Fish hating the Dry will not approach the Aire till it groweth Moist And when it is Dry will fly it and Swimme Lower Beasts doe take Comfort generally in a Moist Aire And it maketh them eat their Meat better And therefore Sheepe will get vp betimes in the Morning to feed against Raine And Cattell and Deere and Conneyes will feed hard before Raine And a Heifer will put vp his Nose and snuffe in the Aire against Raine The Trifoile against Raine swelleth in the Stalke and so standeth more vpright For by Wet Stalkes doe erect and Leaues bow downe I here is a Small Red Flower in the Stubble-Fields which Country People call the Wincopipe Which if it open in the Morning you may be sure of a faire Day to follow Euen in Men Aches and Hurts and Cornes doe engrieue either towards Raine or towards Frost For the One maketh the Humours more to Abound And the Other maketh them Sharper So we see both Extremes bring the Gout Wormes Vermine c. doe fore-shew likewise Raine For Earth-wormes will come forth and Moules will cast vp more and Fleas bite more against Raine Solide Bodies likewise fore-shew Raine As Stones and Wainscot when they sweat And Boxes and Peggs of Wood when they Draw and Wind hard Though the Former be but from an Outward Cause For that the Stone or Wainscot turneth and beateth backe the Aire against it selfe But the latter is an Inward Swelling of the Body of the Wood it selfe Apetite is moued chiefly by Things that are Cold and Dry The Cause is for that Cold is a Kinde of Indigence of Nature and calleth vpon Supply And so is Drinesse And therefore all Soure Things as Vinegar Iuyce of Limons Oyle of Vitrioll c. prouoke Appetite And the Disease which they call Appetitus Caninus consisteth in the Matter of an Acide and Glassy Flegme in the Mouth of the Stomach Appetite is also moued by Soure Things For that Soure Things induce a Contraction in the Nerues placed in the Mouth of the Stomach Which is a great Cause of Appetite As for the Cause why Onions and Salt and Pepper in Baked Meats moue Appetite it is by Vellication of those Nerues For Motion whetteth As for Worme-Wood Oliues Capers and others of that kinde which participate of Bitternesse they moue Appetite by Abstersion So as there be foure Principall Causes of Appetite The Refrigeration of the Stomach ioyned with some Drinesse Contraction Vellication And Abstersion Besides Hunger which is an Emptinesse And yet Ouer Fasting doth many times cause the Appetite to cease For that Want of Meat maketh the Stomach draw Humours And such Humours as are Light and Cholericke which quench Appetite most It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that where a Raine-Bow seemeth no hang ouer or to touch there breatheth forth a Sweet Smell The Cause is for that this happeneth but in certaine Matters which haue in themselues some Sweetnesse Which the Gentle Dew of the Raine-Bow doth draw forth And the like doe Safe Showers For they also make the Ground Sweet But none are so delicate as the Dew of the Rain-bow where it falleth It may be also that the Water it selfe bath some Sweetnesse For the Raine-Bow consisteth of a Gloâ—â—eration of Small Drops which cannot possibly fall but from the Aire that is very Low And therefore may hold the very Sweetnesse of the Herbs and Flowers as a Distilled Water For Raine and other Dew that fall from high cannot preserue the Smell being dissipated in the drawing vp Neither doe we know whether some Water it selfe may not haue some degree of Sweetnesse It is true that wee finde it sensibly in no Poole Riuer nor Fountaine But good Earth newly turned vp hath a Freshnesse and good Sent Which water if it be not too Equall For Equall Obiects neuer moue the Sense may also haue Certaine it is that Bay-Salt which is but a kinde of Water Congealed will sometimes smell like Violets To Sweet Smells Heat is requisite to Concoct the Matter And some Moisture to Spread the Breath of them For Heat we see that Woods and Spices are more Odorate in the Hot Countries than in the Cold For Moisture we see that Things too much Dried lose their Sweetnesse And Flowers growing smell better in a Morning or Euening than at Noone Some Sweet Smells are
is commonly solued by the Contrary As Ice which is congealed by Gold is dissolued by Heat Salt and Sugar which are Excocted by Heat are Dissolued by Cold and Moisture The Cause is for that these Operations are rather Returnes to their former Nature than Alterations So that the Contrary cureth As for Oyle it doth neither easily congeale with Cold nor thicken with Heat The Cause of both Effects though they be produced by Contrary Efficients seemeth to be the Same And that is because the Spirit of the Oyle by either Meanes exhaleth little For the Cold keepeth it in and the Heat except it be Vehement doth not call it forth As for Cold though it take hold of the Tangible Parts yet as to the Spirits it doth rather make them Swell than Congeale them As when Ice is congealed in a Cup the Ice will Swell in stead of Contracting And sometimes Rift Of Bodies some wee see are Hard and some Soft The Hardnesse is caused chiefly by the Ieiunenesse of the Spirits And their Imparitie with the Tangible Parts Both which if they be in a greater degree maketh them not only Hard but Fragile and lesse Enduring of Pressure As Steele Stone Glasse Drie Wood c. Softnesse commeth contrariwise by the Greater Quantitie of Spirits which euer helpeth to Induce Yeelding and Cession And by the more Equall Spreading of the Tangible Parts which thereby are more Sliding and Following As in Gold Lead Wax c. But note that Soft Bodies as wee vse the word are of two Kinds The one that easily glueth place to another Body but altereth not Bulke by Rising in other Places And therefore wee see that Wax if you put any Thing into it doth not rise in Bulke but only giueth Place For you may not thinke that in Printing of Wax the Wax riseth vp at all But only the depressed Part giueth place and the other remaineth as it was The other that altereth Bulke in the Cession As Water or other Liquours if you put a Stone or any Thing into them they giue place indeed easily but then they rise all ouer Which is a False Cession For it is in Place and not in Body All Bodies Ductile and Tensile as Metals that will be drawne into Wires Wooll and Towe that will be drawne into Yarne or Thred haue in them the Appetite of Not Discontinuing Strong Which maketh them follow the Force that pulleth them out And yet so as not to Discontinue or forsake their owne Body Viscous Bodies likewise as Pitch Wax Bird-Lime Cheese toasted will draw forth and roape But the difference betweene Bodies Fibrous and Bodies Viscous is Plaine For all Wooll and Towe and Cotton and Silke especially raw Silke haue besides their Desire of Continuance in regard of the Tenuitie of their Thred a Greedinesse of Moisture And by Moisture to ioyne and incorporate with other Thred Especially if there be a little Wreathing As appeareth by the Twisting of Thred And the Practise of Twirling about of Spindles And wee see also that Gold and Siluer Thred cannot be made without Twisting The Differences of Impressible and Not Impressible Figurable and Not Figurable Mouldable and Not Mouldable Scissile and Not Scissile And many other Passions of Matter are Plebcian Notions applied vnto the Instruments and Vses which Men ordinarily practise But they are all but the Effects of some of these Causes following Which we will Enumerate without Applying them because that would be too long The First is the Cession or Not Cession of Bodies into a Smaller Space or Roome keeping the Outward Bulke and not flying vp The Second is the Stronger or Weaker Appetite in Bodies to Continuitie and to flie Discontinuitie The Third is the Disposition of Bodies to Contract or Not Contract And againe to Extend or Not Extend The Fourth is the Small Quantitie or Great Quantitie of the Pneumaticall in Bodies The Fifth is the Nature of the Pneumalicall whether is â—â— Natiue Spirit of the Body or Common Aire The Sixth is the Nature of the Natiue Spirits in the Body whether they be Actiue and Eager or Dull and Gentle The Seuenth is the Emission or Detention of the Spirits in Bodies The Eighth is the Dilatation or Contraction of the Spirits in Bodies while they are detained The Ninth is the Collocation of the Spirits in Bodies whether the Collocation be Equall or Vnequall And againe whether the Spirits be Coaceruate or Diffused The Tenth is the Densitie or Raritie of the Tangible Parts The Eleuenth is the Equalitie or Inequalitie of the Tangible Parts The Twelfth is the Disgestion or Cruditie of the Tangible Parts The Thirteenth is the Nature of the Matter whether Sulphureous or Mercuriall Watrie or Oylie Drie and Terrestriall or Moìst and Liquid which Natures of Sulphureous and Mercuriall seeme to be Natures Radicall and Principiall The Fourteenth is the Placing of the Tangible Parts in Length or Transuerse As it is in the Warpe and the Woofe of Textiles More Inward or More Outward c. The Fifteenth is the Porofitie or Imporositie betwixt the Tangible Parts And the Greatnesse or Smalnesse of the Pores The Sixteenth is the Collocation and Pesture of the Pores There may be more Causes but these doe occurre for the Present Take Lead and melt it and in the Middest of it when it beginneth to Congeale make a little Dint or Hole and put Quicke-Siluer wrapped in a Peece of Linnen into that Hole and the Quicke-Siluer will fix and run no more and endure the Hammer This is a Noble Instance of Induration by Consent of one Body with another and Motion of Excitation to Imitate For to ascribe it only to the Vapour of Lead is lesse Probable Quare whether the Fixing may be in such a degree as it will be Figured like other Metals For if so you may make Works of it for some purposes so they come not neere the Fire Sugar hath put downe the vse of Honey Insomuch as wee haue lost those Obseruations and Preparations of Honey which the Ancients had when it was more in Price First it seemeth that there was in old time Tree-Honey as well as Bee-Honey Which was the Teare or Bloud issuing from the Tree Insomuch as one of the Ancients relateth that in Trebisond there was Honey issuing from the Box-Trees which made Men Mad. Againe in Ancient time there was a Kinde of Honey which either of the owne Nature or by Art would grow as Hard as Sugar And was not so Lushious as Ours They had also a Wine of Honey which they made thus They crushed the Honey into a great Quantitie of Water and then strained the Liquour After they boyled it in a Copper to the halfe Then they powred it into Earthen Vessels for a small time And after tunned it into Vessels of Wood and kept it for many years They haue also at this day in Russia and those Northerne Countries Mead Simple which well made and seasoned is a good
Strainer it selfe is tincted with Salt The Remedie therefore is to digge still New Pits when the old wax Brackish As if you would change your Strainer It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Salt Water will dissolue Salt put into it in lesse time than Fresh Water will dissolue it The Cause may be for that the Salt in the Precedent Water doth by Similitude of Substance draw the Salt new put in vnto it Whereby it diffuseth in the Liquour more speedily This is a Noble Experiment if it be true For it sheweth Meanes of more Quicke and Easie Infusions And it is likewise a good Instance of Attraction by Similitude of Substance Trie it with Sugar put into Water formerly Sugred And into other Water Vnsugred Put Sugar into Wine part of it aboue part vnder the Wine And you shall finde that which may seeme strange that the Sugar aboue the Wine will soften and dissolue sooner than that within the Wine The Cause is for that the Wine entreth that Part of the Sugar which is vnder the Wine by Simple Infusion or Spreading But that Part aboue the Wine is likewise forced by Sacking For all Spungie Bodies expell the Aire and draw in Liquour if it be Contiguous As wee see it also in Spunges put part aboue the Water It is worthy the Inquiry to see how you may make more Accurate Infusions by Helpe of Attraction Water in Wells is warmer in Winter than in Summer And so Aire in Caues The Cause is for that in the Hither Parts vnder the Earth there is a Degree of some Heat As appeareth in Sulphureous Veines c. Which shur close in as in Winter is the More But if it Peripire as it doth in Summer it is the Lesse It is reported that amongst the Leucadians in Ancient time vpon a Superstition they did vse to Precipitate a Man from a High Cliffe into the Sea Tying about him with Strings at some distance many great Fowles And fixing vnto his Body diuers Feathers spred to breake the Fast. Certainly many Birds of good Wing As Kites and the like would beare vp a good Weight as they file And Spreading of Feathers thinne and close and in great Bredth will likewise beare vp a great Weight Being euen laid without Tilting vpon the Sides The further Extension of this Experiment for Flying may be thought vpon There is in some Places namely in Cephalonia a little Shrub which they call Holy-Oake or Dwarfe-Oake Vpon the Leaues whereof there riseth a Tumour like a Blister Which they gather and rub out of it a certaine Red Dust that conuerteth after a while into Wormes which they kill with Wine as is reported when they begin to Quicken With this Dust they die Scarlet In Zant it is very ordinary to make Men Impotent to accompany with their Wines The like is Practised in Gasconie Where it is called Nouër l' eguillette It is practised alwayes vpon the Wedding Day And in Zant the Mothers themselues doe it by way of Preuention Because thereby they hinder other Charmes and can vndoe their Owne It is a Thing the Ciuill Law taketh knowledge of And therefore is of no Light Regard It is a Common Experiment but the Cause is mistaken Take a Pot Or better a Glasse because therein you may see the Motion And set a Candle lighted in the Bottome of a Basen of Water And turne the Mouth of the Pot or Glasse ouer the Candle and it will make the Water rise They ascribe it to the Drawing of Heat Which is not true For it appeareth plainly to be but a Motion of Nexe which they call Ne detur vacuum And it proceedeth thus The Flame of the Candle as soone as it is couered being suffocated by the Close Aire lesseneth by little and little During which time there is some little Ascent of Water but not much For the Flame Occupying lesse and lesse Roome as it lesseneth the Water succeedeth But vpon the Instant of the Candles Going out there is a sudden Rise of a great deale of Water For that the Body of the Flame filleth no more Place And so the Aire and the Water succeed It worketh the same Effect if in stead of Water you put Flower or Sand into the Basen Which sheweth that it is not the Flames Drawing the Liquour as Nourishment As it is supposed For all Bodies are alike vnto it As it is euer in Motion of Nexe Insomuch as I haue seene the Glasse being held by the Hand hath lifted vp the Basen and all The Motion of Nexe did so Claspe the Bottome of the Basen That Experiment when the Basen was lifted vp was made with Oyle and not with Water Neuerthelesse this is true that at the very first Setting of the Mouth of the Glasse vpon the Bottome of the Basen it draweth vp the Water a little and then standeth at a Stay almost till the Candles Going out as was said This may shew some Attraction at first But of this we will speake more when we handle Attractions by Heat Of the Power of the Gelestiall Bodies and what more Secret Influences they haue besides the two Manifest Influences of Heat and Light We shall speake when we handle Experiments touching the Celestiall Bodies Meane-while wee will giue some Directions for more certaine Trials of the Vertue and Influences of the Moone which is our Nearest Neighbour The Influences of the Moone most obserued are Foure The Drawing forth of Heat The Inducing of Putrefaction The Increase of Moisture The Exciting of the Motions of Spirits For the Drawing forth of Heat we haue formerly prescribed to take Water Warme and to set Part of it against the Moone-Beames and Part of it with a Skreene betweene And to see whether that which standeth Exposed to the Beames will not Coole sooner But because this is but a Small Interposition though in the Sunne wee see a Small Shade doth much it were good to try it when the Moone shineth and when the Moone shineth not at all And with Water Warme in a Glasse-Bottle as well as in a Dish And with Câ—â—â—rs And with Iron Red-Hot c. For the Inâ—â—â—ing of Putrefaction it were good to try it with Flesh or Fish Exposed to the Moone-Beames And againe Exposed to the Aire when the Moone shineth not for the like time To see whether will corrupt sooner And try it also with Capon or some other Fowle laid abroad to see whether it will mortifie and become tender sooner Try it also with Dead Flies or Dead Wormes hauing a little Water cast vpon them to see whether will Putrifie sooner Try it also with an Apple or Orenge hauing Holes made in their Tops to see whether will Rot or Mould soonerâ— Try it also with Holland-Cheese hauing Wine put into it whether will breed Mites sooner or greater For the Increase of Moisture the Opinion Receiued is That Seeds will grow soonest And Haire and Nailes and Hedges and
Herbs Cut c. will grow soonest if they be Set or Cut in the Increase of the Moone Also that Braines in Rabits Wood-cocks Calues c. are fullest in the Full of the Moone And so of â—â—â— in the Bones And so of Oysters and â—â—â— which of all the rest are the easiest tried if you haue them in Pits Take some â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— and set some of them immediately after the Change And others of the same kinde immediately after the Full Let them be as Like as can be The Earth also the Same as neare as may be And therefore beft in Pots Let the Pots also stand where no Raine or Sunne may come to them lest the Difference of the Weather confound the Experiment And then see in what Time the Seeds Set in the Increase of the Moone come to a certaine Height And how they differ from chose that are Set in the Decrease of the Moone It is like that the Braine of Man waxeth Moister and Fuller vpon the Full of the Moone And therefore it were good for those that haue Moist Braines and are great Drinkers to take Fume of Lignum Aloës RoseMary â—â—â—â— about the full of the Moone It is like also that the â—â—â— in mens Bodies Increase and Decrease as the Moone doth And therefore it were good to Purge some day or two after the Full For that then the â—â—â— will not replenish so soone againe As for the â—â—â— of the Motion of the Spirits you must note that the Growth of Hedges Herbs Haire â—â—â— is caused from the Moone by â—â—â— of the Spirits as well as by Increase of the Moisture But for Spirite in particular the great Instante is in â—â—â— There may be other Secret Effects of the Influence of the Moone which are not yet brought into Obseruation It may be that if it so fill out that the Wind be North or North-East in the Full of the Moone it increaseth Cold And if South or South-West it disposeth the Aire for a good while to Warmth and Raine Which would be obserued It may be that Children and Young Cattell that are Brought forth in the Full of the Moone are stronger larger than those that are brought forth in the Wane And those also which are Begotten in the Full of the Moone So that it might be good Husbandry to put Rams and Bulls to their Females somewhat before the Full of the Moone It may be also that the Egs lay'd in the Full of the Moone breed the better Bird And a Number of the like Effects which may be brought into Obseruation Quare also whether great Thunders and Earth-Quakes be not most in the Full of the Moone The Turning of Wine to Vinegar is a Kinde of Putrefaction And in Making of Vinegar they vse to set Vessels of Wine ouer against the Noone-Sunne which calleth out the more Oyly Spirits and leaueth the Liquour more Soure and Hard. We see also that Burnt-Wine is more Hard and Astringent than Wine Vnburnt It is said that Cider in Nauigations vnder the Line ripeneth when Wine or Beere soureth It were good to set a Rundlet of Veriuyce ouer against the Sunne in Summer as they doe Vinegar to see whether it will Ripen and Sweeten There be diuers Creatures that Sleepe all Winter As the Beare the Hedge-hog the Bat the Bee c. These all wax Fat when they Sleepe and egest not The Cause of their Fattening during their Sleeping time may be the Want of Assimilating For whatsoeuer Attimilation not to Flesh turneth either to Sweat or Fat These Creatures for part of their Sleeping Time haue been obserued not to Stirre at all And for the other part to Stirre but not to Remoue And they get Warme and Close Places to Sleepe in When the Flemmings Wintred in Noua Zembla the Beares about the Middle of Nouember went to Sleepe And then the Foxes began to come forth which durst not before It is noted by some of the Ancients that the Shee-Beare breedeth and lyeth in with her Young during that time of Rest And that a Beare Big with Young hath seldome beene seene Some Liuing Creatures are Procreated by Copulation betweene Male and Female Some by Putrefaction And of those which come by Putrefaction many doe neuerthelesse afterwards procreate by Copulation For the Cause of both Generations First it is most certaine that the Cause of all Viuification is a Gentle and Proportionable Heat working vpon a Glutinous and Yeelding Substance For the Heat doth bring forth Spirit in that Substance And the Substance being Glutinous produceth Two Effects The One that the Spirit is Detained and cannot Breake forth The Other that the Matter being Gentle and Yeelding is driuen forwards by the Motion of the Spirits after some Swelling into Shape and Members Therefore all Sperme all Menstruous Substance all Matter whereof Creatures are produced by Putrefaction haue euermore a Closenesse Lentour and Sequacity It seemeth therefore that the Generation by Sperme onely and by Putrefaction haue two Different Causes The First is for that Creatures which haue a Definite and Exact Shape as those haue which are Procreated by Copulation cannot be produced by a Weake and Casuall Heat Nor out of Matter which is not exactly Prepared according to the Species The Second is for that there is a greater Time required for Maturation of Perfect Creatures For if the Time required in Viuification be of any length then the Spirit will Exhale before the Creature be Mature Except it be Enclosed in a Place where it may haue Continuance of the Heat Accesse of some Nourishment to maintaine it and Closenesse that may keepe it from Exhaling And such Places are the Wombes and Matrices of the Females And therefore all Creatures made of Putrefaction are of more Vncertaine Shape And are made in Shorter Time And need not so Perfect an Enclosure though some Closenesse be commonly required As for the Heathen Opinion which was that vpon great Mutations of the World Perfect Creatures were first Engendred of Concretion As well as Frogs and Wormes and Flies and such like are now Wee know it to be vaine But if any such Thing should be admitted Discoursing according to Sense it cannot be except you admit a Chaos first Commixture of Heauen and Earth For the Frame of the World once in Order cannot effect it by any Extesse or Casualtie NATVRALL HISTORIE X. Century THe Philosophie of Pythagoras which was full of Superstition did first plant a Monstrous Imagination Which afterwards was by the Schoole of Plato and Others Warred and Nourished It was that the World was One Entire Perfect Liuing Creature Insomuch as Apolloniâ— of Tyaâ—a a Pythagorean Prophet affirmed that the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea was the Respiration of the World drawing in Water as Breath and putting it forth againe They went on and inferred That if the World were a Liuing Creature it had a Soule and Spirit Which also they haâ—â—â— calling it Spiritus Mundi
must be Wrapped vp Close as farre as the Ointment goeth that it taketh no Wind. Ninthly the Ointment if you wipe it off from the Sword and keepe it will Serue againe and rather Increase in Vertue than Diminish Tenthly it will Cure in farte Shorter Time than Ointments of Wounds commonly doe Lastly it will Cure a Beast as well as a Man which I like best of all the rest because it subiecteth the Matter to an Easie Triall I would haue Men know that though I reprehend the Easie Passing ouer of the Causes of Things by Ascribing them to Secret and Hidden Vertues and Proprieties For this hath arrested and laid asleepe all true Enquiry and Indications yet I doe not vnderstand but that in the Practicall Part of Knowledge much will be left to Experience and Probation whereunto Indication cannot so fully reach And this not onely in Specie but in Indiuiduo So in Physicke if you will cure the Iaundies it is not enough to say that the Medicine must not be Cooling For that will hinder the Opening which the Disease requireth That it must not be Hot For that will exasperate Choler That it must goe to the Gall For there is the Obstruction which causeth the Disease c. But you must receiue from Experience that Powder of Chamapytis or the like drunke in Beere is good for the Iaundies So againe a wise Physitian doth not continue still the same Medicine to a Patient But he will vary if the first Medicine doth not apparently succeed For of those Remedies that are good for the Iaundies Stone Agues c. that will doe good in one Body which will not doe good in Another According to the Correspondence the Medicine hath to the Indiuduall Body The Delight which Men haue in Popularity Fame Honour Submission and Subiection of other Mens Mindes Wills or Affections although these Things may be desired for other Ends seemeth to be a Thing in it selfe without Contemplation of Consequence Gratefull agreeable to the Nature of Man This Thing surely is not without some Signification as if all Spirits and Soules of Men came forth out of one Diuine Limbus Else why should Men be so much affected with that which others thinke or say The best Temper of Mindes desireth Good Name and True Honour The Lighter Popularity and Applause The more depraued Subiection and Tyranny As is seene in great Conquerours and Troublers of the World And yet more in Arch-Heretickes for the Introducing of new Doctrines is likewise an Affectation of Tyranny ouer the Vnderstandings and Beleefes of Men. A TABLE OF the Experiments Century I. OF Strayning or Percolation Outward and inward Experiments 8. page 1 Of Motion vpon Pressure Experiments 5. page 3 Of Separations of Bodies Liquid by weight Exper. 3. pag. 4 Of Infusions in Water and Aire Exper. 7. pag. 5 Of the Appetite of Continuation in Liquids Exper. 1 pag. 6 Of Artificiall Springs Exper. 1. pag. 7 Of the Venemous Quality of Mans Siesh Exp. 1. ibid. Of Turning Aire into Water Exp. 1. pag. 8 Of Helping or Altering the Shape of the Body Exp. 1. ibid. Of Condensing of Aire to yeeld Weight or Nourishment Exp. 1. pag. 9 Of Flame and Aire Commixed Exp. 1. pag. 10 Of the Secret Nature of Flame Exp. 1. ibid. Of Flame in the Midst and on the Sides Exp. 1. pag. 11 Of Motion of Grauity Exp. 1. ibid. Of Contraction of Bodies in Bulke Exp. 1. pag. 12 Of making Vines more fruitfull Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Seuerall Operations of Purging Medicines Exp. 9. ibid. Of Meats and Drinkes most Nourishing Exp. 15. pag. 15 Of Medicines applied in Order Exp. 1. pag. 19 of Cure by Custome Exp. 1. pag. 20 Of Cure by Excesse Exp. 1. ibid. Of Cure by Motion of Consent Exp. 1. ibid. Of Cure of Diseases contrary to Predisposuion Exp. 1 pag. 21 Of Preparation before and after Purging Exp. 1. ibid. Of Stanching Bloud Exp. 1. pag. 22 Of Change of Aliments and Medicines Exp. 1. ibid. Of Diets Exp. 1. ibid. Of Production of Cold. Exp. 7. ibid. Of Turning Aire into water Exp. 7. pag. 24 Of Induration of Bodies Exp. 8. pag. 26 Of Preying of Aire vpon Water Exp. 1. pag. 28 Of the Force of Vnion Exp. 1. pag. 29 Of Making Feathers and Haires of diuers Colours Exp. 1. ibid. Of Nourishment of young Creatures in the Egge or Wombe Exp. 1. pag. 30 Of Sympathy and Antipathy Exp. 3. ibid. Of the Spirits or Pneumaticalls in Bodies Exp. 1. pag. 31 Of the Power of Heat Exp. 1. pag. 32 Of Impossibility of Annihilation Exp. 1. pag. 33 Century II. OF Musicke Exp. 14. page 35 Of the Nullity and Entity of Sounds Exp. 9. page 39 Of Production Conseruation and Delation of Sounds Exp. 14. p. 41 Of Magnitude Exility and Damps of Sounds Exp. 25 pag. 45 Of Loudnesse and Softnesse of Sounds Exp. 3. pag. 49 Of Communication of Sounds Exp. 3. ibid. Of Equality and Inequality of Sounds Exp. 9. pag. 50 Of more Treble and Base Tones Exp. 6. pag. 52 Of Proportion of Treble and Base Exp. 4. pag. 53 of Exteriour and Interiour Sounds Exp. 4. pag. 54 Of Articulation of Sounds Exp. 9. ibid. Century III. OF the Lines in which Sounds moue Exp. 6. pag. 57 Of the Lasting or Perishing of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 58 Of the Passage or Interception of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 59 Of the Medium of Sounds Exp. 4. pag. 60 Of the Figures of Bodies yeelding Sounds Exp. 3. pag. 61 Of Mixture of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 62 Of Melioration of Sounds Exp. 7 pag. 63 Of Imitation of Sounds Exp. 6 pag. 64 Of Reflexion of Sounds Exp. 13 pag. 65 Of Consent and Dissent betweene Audibles and Visibles Exp. 23 pg. 68 Of Sympathie and Antipathie of Sounds Exp. 5. pag. 72 Of Hindring or Helping of Hearing Exp. 4. pag. 73 Of the Spiritual and Fine Nature of Sounds Exp. 4. ibid. Of Orient Colours in Dissolutions of Metalls Exp. 1. pag. 74 Of Prolongation of Life Exp. 1. pag. 75 Of the Appetite of Vnion in Bodies Exp. 1. ibid. Of the like Operations of Heat and Time Exp. 1. pag. 76 Of the Differing Operations of Fire and Time Exp. 1. ibid. Of Motions by Imitation Exp. 1. ibid. Of Infectious of Diseases Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Incorporation of Powders and Liquours Exp. 1. pag. 77 Of Exercise of the Body And the Benefits or Euils thereof Exp. 1. ibid. Of Meats soone Glutting or No Glutting Exp. 1. ibid. Century IV. Of Clarification of Liquours and the Accelerating thereof Exp. II. pag. 81 Of Maturation and the Accelerating thereof And of the Maturation of Drinks and Fruits Exp. 15. pag. 83 Of Making Gold Exp. 1. pag. 86 Of the Seuerall Natures of Gold Exp. 1. pag. 88 Of Inducing and Accelerating Putrefaction Exp. 12. ibid. Of Prohibiting and Preuenting Putrefaction Exp. 11. pag. 90 Of Rotten Wood Shining Exp. 1. pag. 93 Of Acceleration of Birth Exp. 1. pag. 94 Of Acceleration of Growth and Stature Exp.
1. ibid. Of Bodies Sulphureous and Mercuriall Exp. 5. pag. 95 Of the Chameleon Exp. 1. pag. 96 Of Subterrany Fires Exp. 1. pag. 97 Of Nitrous Water Exp. 1. ibid. Of Congealing of Aire Exp. 1. ibid. Of Congealing Water into Crystall Exp. 1. ibid. Of Preseruing the Smell and Colour in Rose-Leaues Exp. 1. pag. 98 Of the Lasting of Flame Exp. 10. ibid. Of Infusions or Burialls of diuers Bodies in Earth Exp. 5. pag. 101 Of the Affects of Mens Bodies from seuerall Winds Exp. 1. pag. 102 Of Winter and Summer Sicknesses Exp. 1. ibid. Of Pestilentiall Yeares Exp. 1. ibid. Of Epidemicall Diseases Exp. 1. ibid. Of Preseruation of Liquours in Wells or deepe Vaults Exp. 1. ibid. Of Stutting Exp. 1. pag. 103 Of Sweet Smells Exp. 4. ibid. Of the Goodnesse and Choice of Waters Exp. 7. pag. 104 Of Temperate Heats vnder the AEquinoctiall Exp. 1. pag. 105 Of the Colouration of Blacke and Tawney Moores Exp. 1. ibid. Of Motion after the instant of Death Exp. 1. pag. 106 Century V. OF Accelerating or Hastening forward Germination Exper. 12. pag. 109 Of Retarding or putting backe Germination Exp. 9. pag. 112 Of Meliorating or making better Fruits and Plants Exp. 55. pag. 114 Of Compound Fruits and Flowers Exp. 3. pag. 122 Of Sympathy and Antipathy of Plants Exp. 19. pag. 123 Of Making Herbs and Fruits Medicinable Exp. 2. pag. 128 Century VI. OF Curiosities about Fruits and Plants Exp. 17. pag. 131 Of the Degenerating of Plants And of their Transmutation one into another Exp. 14. pag. 135 Of the Proceritie and Lownesse of Plants And of Artificiall Dwarsing them Exp. 5. pag. 138 Of the Ruatments of Plants And of the Excrescences of Plants or Super-Plants Exp. 26. ibid. Of producing Perfect Plants without Seed Exp. 11. pag. 143 Of Forraine Plants Exp. 3. pag. 144 Of the Seasons of seuerall Plants Exp. 6. pag. 145 Of the Lasting of Plants Exp. 5. pag. 146 Of seuerall Figures of Plants Exp. 3. pag. 147 Of some principall Differences in Plants Exp. 4. pag. 148 Of all Manner of Composts and Helps for Ground Exp. 6. pag. 149 Century VII OF the Affinities and Differences betweene Plants and Bodies Inanimate Exp. 6. pag. 153 Of Affinities and Differences betweene Plants and Liuing Creatures And of the Consiners and Participles of Both. Exp. 3. pag. 154 Of Plants Experiments Promiscuous Exp. 67. pag. 155 Of Healing of Wounds Exp. 1. pag. 169 Of Fat diffused in Flesh. Exp. 1. ibid. Of Ripening Drinke speedily Exp. 1. pag. 170 Of Pilositie and Plumage Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Quicknesse of Motion in Birds Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Clearnesse of the Sea the North Wind blowing Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Different Heats of Fire and Boyling Water Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Qualification of Heat by Moisture Exp. 1. pag. 171 Of Yawning Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Hiccough Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sneezing Exp. 1. pag. 172 Of the Tendernesse of the Teeth Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Tongue Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Mouth out of Taste Exp. 1. ibid. Of some Prognosticks of Pestilentiall Seasons Exp. 1. ibid. Of Speciall Simples for Medicines Exp. 1. ibid. Of Venus Exp. 3. pag. 173 Of the Infecta or Creatures bred of Putrefaction Exp. 3. pag. 174 Of Leaping Exp. 1. pag. 177 Of the Pleasures and Displeasures of Hearing and of the other Senses Exp. 1. ibid. Century VIII OF Veines of Earth Medicinall Exp. 1. pag. 181 Of Sponges Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sea-Fish in Fresh Waters Exp. 1. pag. 182 Of Attraction by Similitude of Substance Exp. 1. ibid. Of Certaine Drinks in Turkey Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sweat Exp. 6. pag. 183 Of the Glo-Worme Exp. 1. pag. 184 Of the Impressions vpon the Body from seuerall Passions of the Mind Exp. 10. ibid. Of Drunkennesse Exp. 4. pag. 187 Of the Hurt or Helpe of Wine taken moderately Exp. 1. pag. 188 Of Catterpillers Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Flyes Cantharides Exp. 1. pag. 189 Of Lassitude Exp. 2. ibid. Of Casting the Skin and Shell in some Creatures Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Postures of the Body Exp. 3. pag. 190 Of Pestilentiall Yeares Exp. 1. ibid. Of some Prognosticks of Hard Winters Exp. 1. ibid. Of certaine Medicines that condense and releeue the Spirits Exp. 1. pag. 191 Of paintings of the Body Exp. 1. ibid. Of the vse of Bathing and Annointing Exp. 1. ibid. Of Chamoletting of Paper Exp. 1. pag. 192 Of Cuttle-Inke Exp. 1. ibid. Of Earth increasing in Weight Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sleepe Exp. 3. ibid. Of Teeth and Hard Substances in the Bodies of Liuing Creatures Exp. 11. pag. 193 Of the Generation and Bearing of Liuing Creatures in the Wombe Exp. 3. pag. 195 Of Species Visible Exp. 2. pag. 196 Of Impulsion and Percussion Exp. 3. pag. 197 Of Titillation Exp. 1. pag. 198 Of Scarcity of Raine in AEgypt Exp. 1. ibid. Of Clarification Exp. 1. ibid. Of Plants without Leaues Exp. 1. pag. 199 Of the Materialls of Glasse Exp. 1. ibid. Of Prohibition of Putrefaction and the long Conseruation of Bodies Exp. 1. ibid. Of Abundance of Nitre in certaine Sea-Shoares Exp. 1. ibid. Of Bodies borne vp by Water Exp. 1. ibid. Of Fuell consuminglittle or nothing Exp. 1. ibid. Of Cheape Fuell Exp. 1. pag. 201 Of Gathering of Wind for Freshnesse Exp. 1. ibid. Of Trialls of Aires Exp. 1. ibid. Of Increasing Milke in Milch-Beasts Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sand of the Nature of Glasse Exp. 1. pag. 202 Of the Growth of Corall Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Gathering of Manna Exp. 1. ibid. Of Correcting of Wines Exp. 1. ibid. Of Bitumen one of the Materialls of Wilde-Fire Exp. 1. pag. 203 Of Plaster growing as hard as Marble Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Cure of some Vlcers and Hurts Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Healthfulnesse or Vnhealthfulnesse of the Southerne Wind. Exp. 1. ibid. Of Wounds made with Brasse and with Iron Exp. 1. ibid. Of Mortification by Cold. Exp. 1. pag. 204 Of Weight Exp. 1. ibid. Of Super-Natation of Bodies Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Flying of Vnequall Bodies in the Aire Exp. 1. ibid. Of Water that it may be the Medium of Sounds Exp. 1. pag. 205 Of the Flight of the Spirits vpon odious Obiects Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Super-Reflexion of Eccho's Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Force of Imagination imitating that of the Sense Exp. 1. pag. 206 Of Preseruation of Bodies Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Growth or Multiplying of Metalls Exp. 1. ibid. Of the Drowning the more base Metall in the more Pretious Exp. 1. ibid. Of Fixation of Bodies Exp. 1. pag. 207 Of the Restlesse Nature of Things in Themselues and their Desire to Change Exp. 1. ibid. Century IX OF Perception in Bodies Insensible tending to Naturall Diuination and Subtill Trialls Exp. 30. pag. 211 Of the Causes of Appetite in the Stomach Exp. 1. pag. 217 Of Sweetnesse of Odour from the Rain-Bow Exp. 1. ibid. Of Sweet Smells Exp. 1. pag. 218 Of the Corporeall Substance of Smells Exp. 1. ibid. Of Fetide and Fragrant Odours Exp. 1. ibid. Of the
you stay Neither shall you stay one day the lesse for that As for any Merchandize yee haue brought yee shall be well vsed and haue your returne either in Merchandize or in Gold and Siluer For to vs it is all one And if you haue any other Request to make hide it not For yee shall finde we will not make your Countenance to fall by the Answer ye shall receiue Onely this I must tell you that none of you must goe aboue a Karan that is with them a Mile and an halfe from the walles of the Citty without especiall leaue We answered after we had looked awhile one vpon another admiring this gracious and parent-like vsage That we could not tell what to say For wee wanted words to expresse our Thankes And his Noble free Offers lest vs nothing to aske It seemed to vs that we had before vs a picture of our Saluation in Heauen For wee that were a while since in the Iawes of Death were now brought into a place where we found nothing but Consolations For the Commandement laid vpon vs we would not faile to obey it though it was impossible but our Hearts should be enflamed to tread further vpon this Happy and Holy Ground Wee added That our Tongues should first cleaue to the Roofes of our Mouthes ere we should forget either his Reuerend Person or this whole Nation in our Prayers Wee also most humbly besought him to accept of vs as his true seruants by as iust a Right as euer Men on Earth were bounden laying and presenting both our persons and all we had at his feete He said He was a Priest and looked for a Priests reward which was our Brotherly loue and the Good of our Soules and Bodies So he went from vs not without teares of Tendernesse in his Eyes And left vs also confused with Ioy and Kindnesse saying amongst our selues That wee were come into a Land of Angells which did appeare to vs dayly and preuent vs with Comforts which we thought not of much lesse expected The next day about 10. of the Clocke the Gouernour came to vs againe and after Salutations said familiarly That he was come to visit vs And called for a Chaire and satt him downe And we being some 10. of vs the rest were of the meaner Sort or else gone abroad sate down with him And when we were sett he began thus Wee of this Island of Bensalem for so they call it in their Language haue this That by meanes of our solitary Situation and of the Lawes of Secrecy which we haue for our Trauellers and our rare Admission of Strangers we know well most part of the Habitable World and are our selues vnknowne Therefore because he that knoweth least is sittest to aske Questions it is more Reason for the Entertainement of the time that yee aske mee Questions then that I aske you We answered That wee humbly thanked him that he would giue vs leaue so to doe And that wee conceiued by the tast wee had already that ther was no wordly thing on Earth more worthy to be knowne then the State of that happy Land But aboue all We said since that wee were mett from the feuer all Ends of the World and boped assuredly that we should meete one day in the Kingdome of Heauen for that we were both parts Christians wee desired to know in respect that Land was so remote and so diuided by vast and vnknowne Seas from the Land wher our SAVIOVR walked on Earth who was the Apostle of that Nation and how it was conuerted to the Faith It appeared in his face that he tooke great Contentment in this our Question Hee said Yee knit my Heart to you by asking this Question in the first place For it sheweth that you First seeke the Kingdome of Heauen And I shall gladly and briefly satis fie your demaund About twenty Yeares after the Ascension of our SAVIOVR it came to passe that ther was seen by the People of Renfusa a Citty vpon the Easterne Coast of our Island within Night the Night was Cloudy and Calme as it might be some mile into the Sea a great Pillar of Light Not sharp but in forme of a Columne or Cylinder rising from the Sea a great way vp towards Heauen and on the topp of it was seene a large Crosse of Light more bright and resplendent then the Body of the Pillar Vpon which so strange a Spectacle the People of the Citty gathered apace together vpon the Sands to wonder And so after put themselues into a number of small Boates to goe nearer to this Marueilous sight But when the Boates were come within about 60. yeards of the Pillar they found themselues all bound and could goe no further yet so as they might moue to goe about but might not approach nearer So as the Boates stood all as in a Theater beholding this Light as an Heauenly Signe It so fell out that ther was in one of the Boates one of our Wise Men of the Society of Salomons House which House or Colledge my good Brethren is the very Eye of this Kingdome Who hauing a while attentiuely and deuoutly viewed and contemplated this Pillar and Crosse fell downe vpon his face And then raysed himselfe vpon his knees and listing vp his Hands to Heauen made his prayers in this manner LOrd God of Heauen and Earth thou hast vouchsafed of thy Grace to those of our Order to know thy Workes of Creation and the Secretts of them And to discerne as farre as appertaineth to the Generations of Men Between Diuine Miracles Workes of Nature Works of Art and Impostures and Illusions of all sorts I doe here acknowledge and testifie before this People that the Thing which we now see before our eyes is thy Finger and a true Miracle And for-as-much as we learne in our Bookes that thou neuer workest Miracles but to a Diuine and Excellent End for the Lawes of Nature are thine owne Lawes and thou exceedest them not but vpon great cause wee most humbly beseech thee to prosper this great Signe And to giue vs the Interpretation and vse of it in Mercy Which thou doest in some part secretly promise by sending it vnto vs. VVhen he had made his Prayer hee presently found the Boate he was in moueable and vnbound whereas all the rest remained still fast And taking that for an assurance of Leaue to approach he caused the Boate to be softly and with silence rowed towards the Pillar But ere he came neere it the Pillar and Crosse of Light brake vp and cast it selfe abroad as it were into a Firmament of many Starres which also vanished soone after and there was nothing lest to be seen but a small Arke or Chest of Cedar dry and not wett at all with water though it swam And in the Fore-end of it which was towards him grew a small greene Branch of Palme And when the wise Man had taken it with all reuerence into his Boate it opened of
which in their Originall are Entire Wee represent and imitate all Articulate Sounds and Letters and the Voices and Notes of Beasts and Birds Wee haue certaine Helps which sett to the Eare doe further the Hearing greatly Wee haue also diuerse Strange and Artificiall Eccho's Reflecting the Voice many times and as it were Tossing it And some that giue back the Voice Lowder then it came some Shriller and some Deeper Yea some rendring the Voice Differing in the Letters or Articulate Sound from that they receyue Wee haue also meanes to conuey Sounds in Trunks and Pipes in strange Lines and Distances Wee haue also Perfume-Houses wherwith we ioyne also Practises of Tast. VVe Multiply Smells which may seeme strange VVe Imitate Smells making all Smells to breath out of other Mixtures then those that giue them VVe make diuerse Imitations of Tast likewise â— so that they will deceyue any Mans Tast. And in this House wee containe also a Confiture-House wher wee make all Sweet-Meats Dry and Moist And diuerse pleasant Wines Milks Broaths and Sallets farr in greater variety then you haue Wee haue also Engine-Houses wher are prepared Engines and Instruments for all Sorts of Motions Ther we imitate and practise to make Swifter Motions then any you haue either out of your Musketts or any Engine that you haue And to Make them and Multiply them more Easily and with Small Force by VVheeles and other Meanes And to make them Stronger and more Violent then yours are Exceeding your greatest Cannons and Basilisks Wee represent also Ordnance and Instruments of VVarr and Engines of all Kindes And likewise New Mixtures and Compositions of Gun-Powder Wilde-Fires burning in Water and Vnquenchable Also Fire-workes of all Variety both for Pleasure and Vse Wee imitate also Flights of Birds Wee haue some Degrees of Flying in the Ayre Wee haue Shipps and Boates for Going vnder Water and Brooking of Seas Also Swimming-Girdles and Supporters Wee haue diuers curious Clocks And other like Motions of Returne And some Perpetuall Motions Wee imitate also Motions of Liuing Creatures by Images of Men Beasts Birds Fishes and Serpents Wee haue also a great Number of other Various Motions strange for Equality Finenesse and Subtilty Wee haue also a Mathematicall House wher are represented all Instruments as well of Geometry as Astronomy exquisitely made Wee haue also Houses of Deceits of the Senses wher we represent all manner of Feates of Iugling False Apparitions Impostures and Illusions And their Fallaces And surely you will easily beleeue that wee that haue so many Things truely Naturall which induce Admiration could in a World of Particulars deceiue the Senses if wee would disguise those Things and labour to make them seeme more Miraculous But we doe hate all Impostures and Lies Insomuch as wee haue seuerely forbidden it to all our Fellowes vnder paine of Ignominy and Eines that they doe not shew any Naturall worke or Thing Adorned or Swelling but onely Pure as it is and without all Affectation of Strangenesse These are my Sonne the Riches of Salomons House For the seuerall Employments and Offices of our Fellowes Wee haue Twelue that Sayle into Forraine Countries vnder the Names of other Nations for our owne wee conceale Who bring vs the Bookes and Abstracts and Patternes of Experiments of all other Parts These wee call Merchants of Light Wee haue Three that Collect the Experiments which are in all Bookes These wee call Depredatours Wee haue Three that Collect the Experiments of all Mechanicall Arts And also of Liberall Sciences And also of Practises which are not Brought into Arts. These we call Mystery-Men Wee haue Three that try New Experiments such as themselues thinke good These wee call Pioners or Miners Wee haue Three that Drawe the Experiments of the Former Foure into Titles and Tables to giue the better light for the drawing of Obseruations and Axiomes out of them These wee call Compilers Wee haue Three that bend themselues Looking into the Experiments of their Fellowes and cast about how to draw out of them Things of Vse and Practise for Mans life and Knowledge as well for VVorkes as for Plaine Demonstration of Causes Meanes of Naturall Diuinations and the easie and cleare Discouery of the Vertues and Parts of Bodies These wee call Dowry-men or Benefactours Then after diuerse Meetings and Consults of our whole Number to consider of the former Labours and Collections wee haue Three that take care out of them to Direct New Experiments of a Higher Light more Penetrating into Nature then the Former These wee call Lamps Wee haue Three others that doe Execute the Experiments so Directed and Report them These wee call Inoculatours Lastly wee haue Three that raise the former Discoueries by Experiments into Greater Obseruations Axiomes and Aphorismes These wee call Interpreters of Nature Wee haue also as you must thinke Nouices and Apprentices that the Succession of the former Employed Men doe not faile Besides a great Number of Seruants and Attendants Men and Women And this we doe also We haue Consultations which of the Inuentions and Experiences which wee haue discouered shall be Published and which not And take all an Oath of Secrecy for the Concealing of those which wee thinke fitt to keepe Secrett Though some of those we doe reuease sometimes to the State and some not For our Ordinances and Rites Wee haue two very Long and Faire Galleries In one of these wee place Patternes and Samples of all manner of the more Rare and Excellent Inuentions In the other wee place the Statuas of all Principall Inuentours These wee haue the Statua of your Columbus that discouered the West-Indies Also the Inuentour of Shipps Your Monke that was the Inuentour of Ordnance and of Gunpowder The Inuentour of Musicke The Inuentour of Letters The Inuentour of Printing The Inuentour of Obseruations of Astronomy The Inuentour of Works in Mettall The Inuentour of Glasse The Inuentour of Silke of the VVorne The Inuentour of VVine The Inuentour of Corne and Bread The Inuentour of Sugars And all these by more certaine Tradition then you haue Then haue we diuerse Inuentours of our Owne of Excellent VVorkes Which since you haue not seene it were too long to make Descriptions of them And besides in the right Vnderstanding of those Descriptions you might easily erre For vpon euery Inuention of Valew wee erect a Statua to the Inuentour and giue him a Liberall and Honourable Reward These Statua's are some of Brasse some of Marble and Touchstone some of Cedar and other speciall VVoods guilt and adorned some of Iron some of Siluer Some of Gold Wee haue certaine Hymnes and Seruices which wee say dayly of Laud and Thanks to GOD for his Marueillous VVorks And Formes of Prayers imploring his Aide and Blessing for the Illumination of our Labours and the Turning of them into Good and Holy Vses Lastly wee haue Circuites or Visits of diuers Principall Citties of the Kingdome wher as it commeth to passe we doe publish such New Profitable
an inward Tumult in the parts therof seeking to deliuer themselues from the Compression And this is the Cause of all Violent Motion Wherin it is strange in the highest Degree that this Motion hath neuer been obserued nor inquired It being of all Motions the most Common and the Chiefe Roote of all Mechanicall Operations This Motion worketh in round at first by way of Proofe and Search which way to deliuer it selfe And then worketh in Progresse wher it findeth the Deliuerance easiest In Liquours this Motion is visible For all Liquours strucken make round Circles and withall Dash but in Solids which breake not it is so subtile as it is inuisible But neuertheless bewrayeth it selfe by many Effects As in this Instance wherof we speake For the Pressure of the Finger furthered by the wetting because it sticketh so much the better vnto the Lipp of the Glasse after some continuance putteth all the small Parts of the Glasse into worke that they strike the Water sharpely from which Percussion that Sprinkling commeth If you strike or pierce a Solid Body that is brittle as Glasse or Sugar it breaketh not onely wher the immediate force is but breaketh all about into shiuers and fitters The Motion vpon the Pressure searching all wayes and breaking where it findeth the Body weakest The Powder in Shot being Dilated into such a Flame as endureth not Compression Moueth likewise in round The Flame being in the Nature of a liquid Body Sometimes recoyling Sometimes breaking the Piece But generally discharging the Bullett because ther it findeth easiest Deliuerance This Motion vpon Pressure and the Reciprocall therof which is Motion vpon Tensure we vse to call by one common Name Motion of Libertie which is when any Body being forced to a Preter-Naturall Extent or Dimension deliuereth and restoreth it selfe to the Naturall As when a Blowne Bladder Pressed riseth againe or when Leather or Cloath tentured spring backe These two Motions of which ther be infinite Instances we shall handle in due place This Motion vpon Pressure is excellently also demonstrated in Sounds As when one Chimeth vpon a Bell it soundeth But as soon as he layeth his hand vpon it the Sound ceaseth And so the Sound of a Virginall String as soone as the Quill of the Iack falleth vpon it stoppeth For these Sounds are produced by the subtile Percussion of the Minute parts of the Bell or String vpon the Aire All one as the Water is caused to leape by the subtile Percussion of the Minute parts of the Glasse vpon the Water wherof we spake a little before in the 9th Experiment For you must not take it to be the locall Shaking of the Bell or String that doth it As we shall fully declare when we come hereafter to handle Sounds TAke a Glasse with a Belly and a long Nebb fill the Belly in part with Water Take also another Glasse whereinto put Claret Wine and Water mingled Reverse the first Glasse with the Belly vpwards Stopping the Nebb with your fingar Then dipp the Mouth of it within the Second Glasse and remoue your Fingar Continue it in that posture for a time And it will vnmingle the VVine from the Water The VVine ascending and setling in the topp of the vpper Glasse And the VVater descending and setling in the bottome of the lower Glasse The passage is apparent to the Eye For you shall see the VVine as it were in a small veine rising through the VVater For handsomnesse sake because the Working requireth some small time it were good you hang the vpper Glasse vpon a Naile But as soone as ther is gathered so much pure and vnmixed water in the Bottome of the Lower Glasse as that the Mouth of the vpper Glasse dippeth into it the Motion ceaseth Let the Vpper Glasse be VVine and the Lower VVater ther followeth no Motion at all Lett the Vpper Glasse be VVater pure the Lowwer VVater coloured or contrariwise ther followeth no Motion at all But it hath been tried that though the Mixture of VVine and VVater in the Lower Glasse be three parts VVater and but one VVine yet it doth not dead the Motion This Separation of VVater and VVine appeareth to be made by Weight for it must be of Bodies of vnequall Weight or ells it worketh not And the Heauier Body must euer be in the vpper Glasse But then note withall that the VVater being made pensile and ther being a great VVeight of VVater in the Belly of the Glasse sustained by a small Pillar of VVater in the Neck of the Glasse It is that which sesteth the Motion on worke For VVater and VVine in one Glasse with long standing will hardly seuer This Experiment would be Extended from Mixtures of seuerall Liquors to Simple Bodies which Consist of seuerall Similare Parts Try it therfore with Broyne or Salt water and Fresh water Placing the Salt water which is the heauier in the vpper Glasse And see whether the Fresh will come aboue Try it also with VVater thick Sugred and Pure water and see whether the water which commeth aboue will loose his Sweetnes For which purpose it were good ther were a little Cock made in the Belly of the vpper Glasse IN Bodies containing Fine Spirits which doe easely dissipate when you make Infusions the Rule is A short Stay of the Body in the Liquour receyueth the Spiritt And a longer Stay confoundeth it because it draweth forth the Earthy Part withall which embaseth the finer And therfore it is an Errour in Phisicians to rest simply vpon the Length of stay for encreasing the vertue But if you will haue the Infusion strong in those kinde of Bodies which haue fine Spiritts your way is not to giue Longer time but to repeat the Infusion of the Body oftner Take Violetts and infuse a good Pugill of them in a Quart of Vineger Lett them stay three quarters of an houre and take them forth And refresh the Infusion with like quantity of new Violetts seuen times And it will make a Vineger so fresh of the Flower as if a Twelue-moneth after it be brought you in a Saucer you shall smell it before it come at you Note that it smelleth more perfectly of the Flower a good while after then at first This Rule which wee haue giuen is of singular vse for the Preparations of Medecines and other Infusions As for Example the Leafe of Burrage hath an Excellent Spiritt to represse the fuliginous Vapour of Dusky Melancholy and so to cure Madnes But neuerthelesse if the Leafe be infused long it yieldeth forth but a raw substance of no Vertue Therfore I suppose that if in the Must of Wine or Wort of Beere while it worketh before it be Tunned the Burrage stay a small time and be often changed with fresh It will make a Soueraigne Drink for Melancholy Passions And the like I conceyue of Orenge Flowers Rubarb hath manifestly in it Parts of contrary Operations Parts that purge And parts that binde the body And