promise to our selves that our not understanding how actuall cold and an effectually cooling quality can consist with radical heat will avert from us the odious attribute of presumption and conciliat a favourable construction to this our singularity and non-adherence to Antiquity because that distinction never was nor could be applied to any without controversie hot body not salinous as to the spirit of Wine Oyl of Cloves Cinnamon Mustard c. any of which being mixed with the most cooling liquor will without controversie diminish its frigidity 2. Aqua fortis the spirits of Vitriol and Brimstone the spirit of common Salt the Oyl of Tartar by deliquation which is the Salt of Tartar dissolved into a liquor by the humide air in a cold or subterrancal place the Oyl of common Salt by deliquation c do extinguish the fire as doth the coldest water Therefore they are in their first qualities heterogeneal to fire for such bodies only are and ought to be vulgarly called homogeneal to fire in their first qualities which do contain some matter which becometh nourishment unto fire Salts and Salinous bodies only excepted and that is only Sulphur it from if it be almost insipide as the Sulphur â—r Oyls of sweet Almonds Olives c. before they become rancide then the body which containeth it is not called hot but temperat in heat but if the Sulphur bâ— very sapide and do affect the taste much the body wherein it doth reside is called hot and its degreeâ— of heat are commensurat by the degrees of its sapidity Now every pure Salt is altogether destitute of such matter Moreover the frigidity of bodieâ— which are estimat cold should likewise be measureâ— by their different degrees of sapidity as Cichory is colder than Lettice and the juyce of a Limon is colder than either and the spirit of Vitriol is the coldest of all the four c. Neither is this contrary to the common saying of Phâ—losphers viz. that water is the coldest of all bodies for that is only to be asserted of the pute elementary water which is not to be found amongst us and unto which without all controversie frigidity in the highest degree is as proper as siccity humidity and calidity are unto the Elements of Earth Air and Fire So that it is more then probable that as the refrigerating cold of some springing waters doth hugely surpass the same quality in common fountain water so likewise the frigidity of the elementary water doth surpass that of the spirit of Vitriol and springing water as far as the strength of Aqua fortis doth the strength of the juice of Limons in dissolving of Pearls both which do operat after the same manner only dissolving them into pouder without 〈◊〉 I roying their natural temperaments which five doth when it dissolveth them or any thing 〈◊〉 all which do undeniably evince this that Corrosives are not of a fiery and hot temperament 3. Every Fixed-salt doth naturally attract those things which are cold and humide as Water and Air therefore it is in its first qualities frigidity and humidity homogeneal to them Moreover as the action of the spirit of Wine Aqua-vitae c. upon Oyls whereby they dissolve them and unite them unto themselves doth argue the Oyls viz. of Cinnamon Anise c. and spirits to be homogeneal so likewise we do most probably conceive that the dissolution of Salts by water doth demonstrat the homogeneity of their natures For no natural body which is in its natural estate doth naturally appetize or attract its contrary Nor is it contrary unto this that an animal whose stomach is distempered with calidity and siccity naturally desireth a humide and refrigerating body because that stomach is not in its natural estate neither is it the stomach but the Animal whose the stomach is which desireth the curation of the morbifick distemper by a humide and refrigerating body You would here take notice that the cause of Thirst which is by Aristotle in his second Book of the Soul called a desire after a humide and frigide body is two-fold external and internal each whereof is either hot or corrosive and cold For corrosives are really different from such things as are hot as shall afterwards appear from what hath been and is to be said 1. The internal hot cause of thirst is a hot distemper of the whole body as in a Feaver or of some part of it as of the Stomach Liver c. 2. The external hot cause of thirst is the radical heat of meat or drink existing in their sulphureous parts which produceth a hot distemper in the stomach c. 3. The internal corrosive cause of thirst is a bilious salt and corrosive humor which corrodeth the skin of the stomach and by motion in the solution of continuity conciliateth heat in the corroded part only whereas the heat of meat and drink do sometimes produce a hot distemper in the whole body each of whose parts after the concoctions it permeateth 4. The external corrosive cause of thirst is the corrosive salts of meat and drink which do corrode the stomach as before For the cure of thirst proceeding from a hot cause whether external or internal a body radically and actually cold and humide is necessarily required But for the cure of thirst proceeding from a corrosive cause a humide body radically only though not actually cold is sufficient wherein the Salts may be dissolved which being done in a copious humide body they become so debilitat that they cannot any more corrode the skin of the stomach for disjoyned virtue or strength is weaker Now this solution is more easily effectuat in a humide body which is actually hot than in one which is cold This sort of thirst is curable also by Pearls Coral c. For when such things are put into the stomach the Salt of the corrosive humor doth affix it self to the atoms of the Pearls Coral c. and so the humor is dulcified as is Vinegar when affused to Corals Red-lead c. and loseth its corrosive quality and then the thirst ceaseth Here we cannot but inquire after the cause and cure of that common and troublesome distemper vulgarly called the Heart-scade We conceive that it is caused by acide and corrosive humors which being congested into the stomach do irritat its expultrix faculty so that they are constrained to mount upwards to the throat where the greatest pain and trouble is found because the corrosive humor having excoriat the Oesophage or Wezand it is still most sensible of the mordication of the humor which is most active upon the uppermost part upon which it beateth with violence So this may be called an imperfect vomiting because there is but little or nothing expelled at the mouth the humor descending again into the stomach The cure of this turbulent distemper consisteth 1. either in the evacuation of the peccant humor which is the perfect cure or 2. in the correcting of its
the Regulus of Antimony and in this operation we perceived no sign of the revivifying of any parts of the Mercury although it was done by the great violence of fire 3. The artificial and simple ferment is the proper and natural ferment of any simple body which produceth a fermentation in any simple or composed body to which it is artificially applied As when the juyce of a Lemmon Wine or the proper Mercury of the stomach of a beast do produce the fermentation of Milk 4. The artificial and composed ferment is a ferment made of many others as the common Earning which is made of the stomach of a beast c. by which Milk is ordinarily fermented or curded Here observe 1. that the natural ferment doth sometimes produce a more exact fermentation than the artificial As when the natural ferment of Milk doth produce a more exact separation of the sulphur from the rest when it causeth it pass to the superior part in the Cream although that separation must be afterwards perfected by motion in reducing it to Butter than the artificial ferment whether simple as the juyce of a Lemmon or composed as the common Earning or Runnet which do not so exactly separat the Butter from the earthy part c. of which the Cheese is composed for both the Cheese and the Whey are most capable of further fermentation whereby their heterogeneal parts will be exactly separated from each other 2. It is the Mercury which is excited by external heat that produceth the fermentation of a body as doth appear in Milk which being sufficiently fermented that is whose sulphur c. are sufficiently separated from each other contracteth a sharp and mercurial taste which is gradually augmented according to the different hours and dayes of its fermentation as is known to every Rustick that maketh Butter Likewise Ale which is sweet before that it be fermented doth contract the very like taste which doth reside into the Mercury excited by external heat and permeating all the liquor and fixing some of the sulphureous parts for a great external cold will impede the fermentation or working of Ale when it is fermented To these you may add that the Bilious humour contained in the body of a living creature is in two respects as it were a ferment 1. In respect of the Chyle it is a natural and simple ferment for it is generated of the natural and proper ferments of meat and drink which produceth a separation of it self from the blood Melancholick humour and Phlegme and of these from each other by fermentation And in this resolution of Chyle Blood answereth to Sulphur Choler or the bilious humour to Mercury Urine though impregnat with some Volatile and Fixed-salts to Phlegme and Melancholy to the Fixed-salt contained in the earthy part 2. In respect of the whole body for it is commonly yet deservedly called a natural Clyster which doth irritat the expultrix faculty of the Intestines into which it daily sloweth out of its natural receptacle the Gall for the purging forth and separation of the excrements From the premisses you may collect the manner how some purgatives do open the belly For when purgatives are put into the stomach as into a Retort which hath a stroup arising from its upper part serving for the re-affusion of that liquor which did once exstill by the other that it may be re-destilled For the Wezand or Oesophage answereth to that stroup in the Retort they are altered by its heat and by the heat of the circum-jacent parts and their proper Mercuries which do exstill by the nether orifice of the stomach called the Pylorus which answereth to the common stroup of the Retort do produce a commotion and fermentation of the humours in the Intestines and thereafter in the progress of this destillation-like operation the Sulphur and Volatile-salt being commoved and exstilled they do by a certain occult quality which is only known to God the Creator and to which the creatures of this All-knowing-God must have their recourse seing that we know only in part excite and irritat the expultrix faculty to expell and when the strength of the purging Medicine is proportionat to the strength of the body the bad humours only which are onerous and most hurtfull to nature are purged forth For then nature retaineth the good and usefull humours although they be commoved with the rest But if the Medicine be in its strength disproportionat to the constitution and strength of the body then the good as well as the bad are promiscuously purged forth and that painfully Because that such things only as should are not excerned as said Hippoc. lib. 1. Aphor. 2. I said 1. that the occult quality of the Sulphur and Volatile-salt did irritate the expultrix faculty the first Liquor only wherein Rubarb hath been infused doth purge by irritating the expultrix faculty because the Sulphur and Volatile-salt are dissolved in it 2. That this irritation of the expultrix faculty ought to be ascribed unto an occult quality seing the Sulphur and Volatile-salt of Lamer are neither purgative nor vomitive because the Sulphur and Volatile-salt of Rubarb are simple Bodies which cannot be by Art resolved into heterogeneal parts that the causes of these effects which they produce might be known But when a Medicine made of Antimony or such-like is exhibited vomiting proceedeth purging by stool because the abounding humors in the Stomach which are volatile not that they contain Volatile-salt but only because bilious for the most part which do occasion a nauseating by their spontaneous tending upwards as a bird in flying are suddenly commoved by the Sulphur c. of the Antimony c. And not finding a facile egress by the neather Orifice they are by nature forced upwards I shall add this assertion to what hath been said and endeavour to render it's verity indubitable The knowledge of fermentation is the great key of Nature which the Former of all things hath put into the hands of man for the unlocking of her secret Cabins that he might the more clearly behold her greatest mysteries The truth of this will become unquestionable if you will but consider 1. that thereby he is greatly inabled to resolve the Bodies of Animals and Vegetables for such are best resolved when fermentation is premitted As when fermented Barley affoardeth a most subtile active and ardent sulphureous Spirit which it would exhibit under a grosser and oleaginous form if it should be destilled without a previous fermentation And Milk is better resolved into Wig which by destillation may be converted into an insipid Water and a Mercurial Spirit Butter and Curds by fermentation in a Churn then into unpleasant water c. by destillation because of the empyreuma accompanying them 2. The knowledge of fermentation discovereth the reason why all meats whether they be made of Animals or Vegetables which are fermented are more easily digested and do nourish better than such as are not fermented As
shall most wilingly acknowledge an errour in the interim In magnis voluisse sat est That is In things of great excellency Let the endeavour satisfie And upon this account we will plead for pardon for there is no man ΑΠΑÎΤΑ ΣΟΦΟΣ I. E. Omniscient AN APPENDIX Concerning the saltness of the SEA c. THat the truth of what hath been said may shine more clearly we must refull some opinions of D. John French who in the 2. Chapter and 22. page of his Book entituled the Yorkshire Spau asserteth That there can no other reason be given for hâ—t springs than the fire which burns in the very cavities and caverns of them the cavities themselves consisting of or rather being replenished with a Bituminous matter For Bitumen and these things which are made of it being kindled burn in water as Camphire also doth a very long time which could not be unless it were fed by the moisture of the water which it did attract and convert into its own nature And in the 14. Chapter concerning the putidâ— Sulpher-well about the middle of page 107. The stinking odour thereof I suppose is caused from the vaporâ— of the burning Bitumen and adust terreness mixt therewith which lye nor far from the head of the Will And page 106. the â—aliness of the Sea proceedeth from the Salt of the burnt Bitumen which is dissolved in the water that ranÌ„ through these veins of the earth wherein it was which page 106. and 107. he confirmeth by the example of the Lake called Asphaltites And in the beginning of the 108. page he asserteth That it cannot be rationally conceived that the whole Sea received all its salt into its self at one time after a natural way and therefore being such a great body must become sultish by little and little even insensibly The falsehood of these opinions will manifestly appear by considering 1. That it is more like an untruth than a truthâ— that there is a perpetual subterraneal fire of burning Bitumen which doth naturally heat the wawater 1. Because it is not probable that there was ever so much Bitumen in any subterraneal place as would by itâ— flame have heated the waters which do every where spring out of hot fountains 2. Neither is it probable that there is so much air in any cavity of the earth as would necessarily for to avoid the penetration of dimensions give place to so much flame as would hear so much water 3. If the inflamed Bitumen did producâ— the foresaid heat then the fire would change 〈◊〉 place when it followeth its aliment and so the water of the fountains would not be alwaies impregnat with the same degree of heat because the fire which heateth them would not alwaies be equidistant from the fountains In the 25. page of the forementioned Book the Author answereth to this argument saying that flame is nourished two wayes 1. When it followeth its food as in the burning of wood 2. When the food followeth the flame as doth Oyl in a Lamp and thus saith he is the flame of the Bitumen nourished neither is this falsified by the flame of Brimstone which followeth the mater For saith he the Bitumen is melted by the great heat and so it followeth the flame and continueth the flame in the same place But I reply 1. That flame doth alwaies follow its food neither doth Oyl follow the flame in a Lamp but one part of the Oyl being continuous to another doth follow it whilst it is a consuming by the flame That you may the better understand this you would take notice of the reason why some sulphureous bodies as Camphire Turpentine c. do of themselves take and conserve flame when others as Tallow Bees-wax Oyl of Olives c. do neither take nor conserve it but by the help of others as of Linnen cloath Paper Rushes c. The cause of these things we conceive yea affirm to be this that the first sort are bodies which contain much Salt for they are very sapide which doth still detain the Sulphur even when it is converted into flame and the last sort are bodies almost void of Salt because insipide almost which do not take flame because they cannot conserve it unless they be associat to the Sulphur of another body containing much Salt which detaineth its proper Sulphur and so take flame with it From these things it doth appear that flame doth alwaies follow its food especially seing the threeds of the Candle and Lamp do wast and consume by the flame whilst it followeth the Sulphur of the threeds which is its food whose consumption is retarded by the Tallow in the Candle and Oyl in the Lamp which do nourish it 2. It is not probable that all the Bitumen is liquified 1. Because the flame of the kindled Bitumen liquifieth only the parts which are nearest to its self as happeneth in a Candle Brimstone red Wax c. 2. Whosoever will say that the Bitumen followeth the flame because it is melted he must also confess that there is some other sire beneath or above the Bitumen which melteth it and this would infer the absurd progress in infinitum 3. Nor can the flame of the kindled Bitumen by heating the caverns of the earth liquifie the rest of the Bitumen because as was said it is not probable that there is a place in the bowels of the earth which would contain so much flame as would by its heat liquifie all the Bitumen which is within four five or six miles unto it the contrary whereof must of necessity be confessed by him who will assert that the flame of the kind led Bitumen changeth not its place by following its food 2. It is most falâ—… that Bitumen Camphire and such like which burn in water do retain their flame longer than if they were out of the water because they convert it into their own nature by which means it becometh food to the flame but the cause of their longer burning in the water is rather because their external supersices the uppermost only excepted are humected by the water which prohibiteth the flame to seize upon all their external parts as happeneth when they are inflamed out of the water and so they burn longer because a few only of their parts are inflamed No man who will be at the pains to put a little inflamed Camphire into water will question the truth of this For he will see the flame excavat the Camphire and at length extinguished when it penetrateth unto the external parts into which the water hath insinuat it self 3. Although the flame of Bitumen were in the veins of the earth yet its vapors could not communicat any putide smell unto the water 1. Because of the fore-mentioned reasons when we wrote of inflamed Brimstone 2. Because they contain no terrestrial adust matter For 1. no such matter capable to communicat such a smell doth ascend from any body whilst it is a destilling and far less therefore
whilst it is a burning 2. Because smell proceedeth only from Sulphur whereof such earth which did pass through the sire would be most destitute It were therefore more consonant to reason and truth to say that the pâ—…tide smell of the fountain of which this Author writeth doth proceed from the Sulphur of Bitumen or of any other thing which is recrudescing and evaporating whilst it is a fermenting 4. Seing the Sea is a great body it is more probable that all its salt was concreated with it in the very instant of its creation than that its saltness was by little and little communicated unto it by the salt of the Bitumen which was burned in the caverns of the earth For 1. seing sea-salt which nature coagulateth in many places as at the Rochel in France and in many places of Spain is such an usefull and necessary thing for man it is incredible that God who created so great a variety of creatures for the use of man did not at the beginning creat it with the rest than many of which it is more usefull 2. Seing every pound of Sea-water containeth about a drachin of salt and the Asphaltick ' Bitumen which is found upon the shore of the Lake Asphaltites which is called eminently saltish scarcely containeth any saltness that 's perceptible by the taste it is probable that a mass of Bitumen though calcined and equiponderating the terrestrial Globe could not communicat so great and perceptible saltness to so great a body as the Sea is Moreover the ashes of the Asphaltick Bitumen from which the Sulphur is separated by burning do scarcely contain any saltness for it is a sulphureous body which of it self will hardly take or retain flame unless it be associat to the Sulphur of burning coals 3. Seing it is most probable that the saltness of the Asphaltick lake proceedeth not from the Bitumen which is not dissolved in the water but swimmeth only above upon it and is thereby at length ejected upon the shoreâ— it is more probable that neither the fastness of the Occan is communicated unto it by the Bittimen seing it containeth no such matter 4. Seing 1. the Lâ—kâ— Asphaâ—…es is in the same place where were Sodâ—m Gomorrah and the valley which was full of bitumenous or slymie Genes 14.10 and salt See the English Annotations on Joshua 15.62 pâ—ts 2. Seing then the foresaid Cities and vâ—lley were calcined or incinerat by Fire and Brimstone which we proved to be most faltish which came down from heaven Gon. 19.24,25 3. Seing the ashes of all calcined bodies do contain a fixed salt which naturally attracteth the humide air that so it may be dissolved by diâ—…quation without all doubt the great saltness of that Lake which is called eminently saltish proceedeth only from the ashâ—s of those things which were then calcined whose salt did attract the humidt air which did convert it into a liquor which was afterwards augmented by Rain and the Rivulets which ran that way So that it is probable that that water is 〈◊〉 for no other cause seing there are many great Lakes whose sweet waters do peretrat as far into the bowels of the earth as the waters of the Asphaltick-lake and many bayes of the Sea do Moreover this continual attraction of the air because of the Salino-sulphurcous spirit that is diffused through it produceth in the air a perpetual circulation of suâ—phureous and salâ—nous spirits for the fixed salt of the water attracteth the saline-sulphureous spirit and the more volauâ—e parts whether salinous or sulphureous which are dissolved in the strange humide body do constantly attempt an avolation which rendreth the birds valetu â—inary when they transvolat the Lake and at length killeth them And it is the very-like circulation of spirits which causeth persons who are not accustomed to navigation upon the Sâ—a nauseat or vomit when these salinous and suâ—phureous spirits which are in their circulatory motion do enter the body with the air Now that there is such a salino-sulphureous spirit which is the universal yet subservient to the first cause of generation really existing in nature is sufficiently proven by these four not ordinary arguments 1. The earth which was within the limits of the flux and reâ—…ux of the Sea remaineth barren for a time after that the Sea deserteth it viz. untill that Salino-sulphureous spirit have insinuat it self into it for whensoever this cometh to pass then all sorts of vegetables whose seeds or roots were seminated or planted there or brought thither by the rain from circum-jâ—cent places begin to germinat in it 2 It is the very Salino sulphureous spirit which insinuateth it self into the earth that is almost most barren and maketh it more fertile when it is not manured for two or three years and the penetration of this spirit into the ground is promoved by the relicts of its proper Salt which attracteth it But when earth that hath not been manured for a long time becometh barren which happeneth sometimes as I was informed by one skilfull in Agriculture that ought to be ascribed unto the super-abundance of spirits which doth often impede generation for a woman immediatly before her menstrual flux doth seldom conceive For which look the second Thes that was disputed in medicinal School at Paris Nov. 23. 1656. or to some other disease known perchance to Husband-men 3. It is the very Salino-sulphureous spirit which is diffused through the air that maketh Heathy wilde and almost barren places more fertile when it is attracted by the Lime which they cast upon the ground for the fixed Salt of the â—ials which is united to the earth of the stones by calcination when the Lime is a making promoveth the attraction of the foresaid spirit and so the earth is rendred more apt for the generation of Vegetables which require more Salinous and sulphureous spirits 4. In the Isles of Orkney the attraction of this Salino sulphureous spirit is greatly promoved by the salt of the Sea-ware and ashes of Peats wherewith the inhabitants are accustomed to dung their lands which are also much fatned by the abundant Sulphur of the same vegetable Here I will acquaint you with an observation which by many reiterated experiments I know to be most certain And it is this when Logh-leeches are applied to the inhabitants of Orkney they fall off sooner and suck less blood than when they are applied to such as live in the South-parts of the Kingdom I conceive the reason of this to be the saltness and acrimony of their blood which maketh those Animals constantly to desist longâ—… they be full of blood and this acrimony or saltness doth without all doubt proceed from the salt of the forementioned Sea-ware which causeth the Barley and Oats the only Corus which grow there to be more salt then in other places where the earth is not dunged with the foresaid vegetable and ashes This also with the much eating of salted Fishes by the vulgars there is
Moreover none will question the truth of our former assertion if they will but consider that as of the juyce of Celledon which is of the colour of Bilis vitellina the green leaves of it are made when it is further concocted by nature and thereby it 's Sulphur doth suffer a new alteration by the action of it's acide spirit upon it whereby the Vitelline or yellow colour in the juyce is converted into a green in the leaves Likewise the Mercurial Acide and fermentative part of Bilis slava by producing a new alteration upon the Sulphur it deposeth it's first yellow colour and acquireth a Vitelline which is a darker yellow As also the green juyce of a Leek is generat of the white juyce contained in it's root then it 's greener leaves inclining to an Aeruginous colour likewise it 's whitish Flowers So is the Porraceous Bile generat of the Vitelline the Aeruginous of the Porraceous the Glasteous of the Aeruginous and the black or Atra Bilis of the Glasteous and that without any adustion For wood which is a little burned becometh black Char-coal and when it is fully burnt it is converted into white ashes Should he not deservedly be termed the most ridiculous of Naturalists who would affirm that the redish colour of Copper and yellow colour of Brass are by adustion converted into a green colour when they contract their green rust which is commonly called Aerugo by reason of the action of Vinegar apon them Likewise that the brounish colour of the tincture of Nut-galls is by adustion converted into a black colour when Vitriol is mixed with it in making of Ink. This is so well known to Dyers who not by ustion but by the admistion of Salinous Bodies which do so operate upon the Sulphurs of others that they change them from one colour into another and so communicat divers colours unto one and the same Cloath that if any of them did understand the actions of acide Spirits upon sulphureous Bodies they would affirm that opinion concerning the transmutation of colours by ustion to be cachinno dignam Here we cannot but mention two considerable things and offer our opinion concerning their causes The one is concerning some Vegetables in general and the other concerning the Hous-leek in particular As to the first it is vulgarly known that there are many Vegetables as the Housleek Ivy c. whose leaves do not fade or wither in the Harvest or Winter but do remain as green and succulent then as they were in the Summer We conceive the cause of this perennal viridity is two-fold 1. The imperfect concoction of their Sulphur which as you read a little before perpetually accompanieth viridity in Vegetables and is not capable of evaporation as is the Sulphur of other Vegetables when they come to maturity that is when their seeds are ripe so long as the Vegetative life is not extinguished because of it's more strict union with their salts which do detain it and so prohibiteth it's avolation 2. The salt of those Herbs being more nitrous than the salt of other Herbs it is more firmly united to the Sulphur which in such is still more resinous as in the Fir-tree c. and therefore doth more strongly detain not only the Sulphur but also the aqueous humidity from evaporating As to the second it is well known that the Hous-leek being suspended in the air with it's roots doth not at first wither as Wormwood c. but accress to a greater bigness shooting forth new leaves and a stem Before we offer our opinion concerning the reason of this we will first acknowledge that this accretion is not a proper growth as when the roots received aliment from the earth because as one or two leaves do pullulat from the top as many at the root fade and become dry These leaves therefore which do germinat from it's centre do not spring forth because of any nourishment which the root doth receive from the ambient air but because the juyce of the root and former leaves doth â—ede into new leaves and a stem for they do wither more then if they had been separated from one another and dryed apart But in progress of time all the Herb fadeth and ceaseth to germinat any more by reason of the totall exhalation of the vegetative Spirits and their aliment by insensible transpiration For the same reasons the Onion being preserved in a convenient place all the Winter fadeth but little and being suspended in the air in the Spring it shooteth forth new leaves which are alimented by the remainders of the subtile Sulphur and Volatile-salt which hath not been exhausted by evaporation From what hath been said it appeareth impossible to make the magisterial Powders of all Vegetables according to Dr. John Zuelfer who did lately reform the Augustan Dispensatory by his Animadversions thereupon his Prescript in these words contained in his Animadversions upon the composed and simple Balsams Take saith he of the leaves of Rue or Red-Roses most richly endued with their native colours as much as you please and boyl them in water adding a sufficient quantity of the Oyl of Tartar Add to the strained decoction water impregnat with Allom and a thick matter like Pulse will precipitat or fall to the bottom and if the Herb was green it will be green and if red it will be red as in Roses and such like Flowers because the Oyl of Tartar is the salt of the Vine converted into an Oyl by deliquation neither doth the dissolved Allom reduce the green tincture unto redness These are the things which we thought expedient to premise and concerning which we must acknowledge that there were but some of them at first intended and the others occurring unto us as consequences from the rest or worthy the inserting have made this Preface of a bigness disproportionat to the following Book 〈◊〉 Concerning which some rigid Momus will possibly say as Diogenes Laertius de vita Philosophi lib. 6. affirmeth the Cynick Diogenes to have said when he came to the City Myndus and saw a little City and magnificent Ports viz. Viri Myndii Portas claudite nè Urbs vestra egrediatur 〈◊〉 You Myndians shut your gates lest your Town run out by them I answer that it is sometimes most expedient that it be so in some rustick Buildings such as this is especially where there are much Cornes and Hay to be carried home upon great Waggons And therefore I do intreat the courteous Reader not to censure me too much seing I have been necessitated to take in considerable store ouâ— of all the three Families of Animals Vegetables and Minerals And in confidence thereof I will now set about the describing of the Wells MOFFET WELL OR A Topographico-Spagyricall description of the Mineral Wells at Moffet in Annandale of Scotland WE thought it fitting to present you first with a Topographical delineation of the Wells and to declare the maner of their becoming not
the cause why multitudes of them are molested with Vlcers of all sorts Caucers especially I do acknowledge that elsewhere Logh-leeches will sometimes fall off ere they be full But the cause of this is the exuberancy of blood which cometh so impetuously upon them that it is like to choak them for which they desist from sucking as children ordinarily do when the Nurse her milk doth molest them after the same manner For the same reason also the most part of strangers who go to reside in the Isles of Orkney are at first molested with a Diarrhaea or Flux the acrimonious saltness of the bread and drink irritating the expultrix faculty more than ordinary untill it be accustomed with the same This also is the reason why the inhabitants there for the most part do require a far stronger dose of any purgative or vomitive medicine than those who live in the South because their expultrix faculty being accustomed with the acrimony of bread and drink which will prove purgative unto others who are not accustomed unto it requireth a stronger medicinal exciter We thought it not unworthy of our pains to offer unto the consideration of Naturalists and Mathematicians our opinion concerning the flux and reflux of the Sea before that we should have put a close to these things concerning the Sea and it is thus seing the Moon doth by her presence refrigerat all sublunary bodies especially the air and seing fixed salt doth attract the cold air sooner and better than the hot we conceive that the fixed salt which was concreated with the Sea and dissolved in its water doth abundantly attract the air that was cooled or so disposed by some other quality that it might be the more easily attracted by the salt by the presence of theâ— Moon or of the opposit point in its sphere and so the quantity of the water is greatly augmented and the water is again by little and little converted into air when the air loseth its foresaid quality by the departure of the Moon or of its opposit point from the meridian This opinion is sufficiently proven by this argument viz. that Sea-stones which are most saltish do attract the air when it is altered as was said and do become so wet that water droppeth down from them But when the air loseth its foresaid alteration then the water is again converted into air and the stones become dry like others Moreover this humectation of the stones doth as it were observe the set times of the flux and reflux of the Sea It is true that in very moist weather these stones will be constantly wet because of the frigidity of the air but yet they are more wet when the Moon is in the meridiau than at other times so that this doth not in the least render our opinion improbable From what hath been said it may probably be concluded 1. that the Sea-water is not so saltish when the Tide is at the height as when it is a Low-water because then its salt is dissolved in a greater quantity of water 2. That Sea-water taken from the Ocean would observe the set times of the increase and decrease of the Sea if it were put into a Weather-glass or a glass of the same fashion hermetically sealed seing it is impregnat with an active principle Salt whereof common water is destitute which nevertheless doth alter according to the mutations of the air by occupying of a larger place at sometimes and a lesser at another Having since the publication of this opinion in Latine more seriously considered it we conceive it needfull now to declare that we do not believe this most real transmutation of air and water to be the adequat and only cause of the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea but that it is not one of the least considerable causes of this most admirable effect the full and exact knowledge of whose causes it seemeth the Almighty hath reserved unto himself These things we do freely offer unto all to be censured according to the difference of opinions concerning them Some Spagyrical operations of nature added in stead of a Conclusion THe first is Destillation For vapors being elevated into the second region of the air which is cold as the head of a Still are there condensed and do from thence fall down in drops 2. Sublimation as it were of Snow 3. Chrystallization of Sal-Gemmae Ice and Hail 4. Coagulation of Sea-salt by the heat of the Sun 5. Calcination of Horse-hones and of other animals which die in the fields by the solar rayes 6. Filtration of water through the veins of the earth for it is most limpide which cometh out of fountains 7. Dulcification of Sea-water whilst it passeth through the bowels of the earth for it is the very same being sweetned which springeth in fountains Ecclesiastes 1.7 8. Circulation of Salino-Sulphureous spirits in thesu perfice of the Sea of which before The transmutation of the Elements also is a kind of circulation 9. Salification of Nitre in the concavities of Caves and Vaults 10. Fermentation which doth alwayes preceed generation for there is no corruption without an antecedent fermentation as appeareth from the premisses 11. Solution of Minerals by water which is impregnat with some corrosive salt as was said concerning Antimony in the description of Moffet-Well 12. Conflagration of Thunder 13. Aurification in the veins of the earth which many Spagiricks have in vain essayed to imitat upon its superfice Therefore the Spagyrical Art is a most excellent imitatrix of Nature from whose principles and operations we may collect most probable causes for almost all effects whether natural or artificial THE OYLY-WELL OR A Topographico Spagyricall description of the Oyly-Well at St. Catharines-chappel in the Paroch of Libberton To this is subjoyned MONSTRUM CATHANESIENSE OR A description c. BY MATTHEW MACKAILE Chyrurgo-Medicine Edinburgh Printed for Robert Brown and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Sun on the north-side of the Street over against the Cross 1664. The Epistle to the Reader Courteous Reader I have yet again adventured to lanch forth into the Ocean of the World in this little Vessel which doth not deserve the observation of any where so many others more excellent and stately do appear adorned with the sinest sails of rational discourses supported by the surest experiments and furnished with most irresistible arguments which do conclude only the weightiest of truths for the routing and sinking into silence of those irrational Pirats who do what they can altogether to hinder our arrival at the haven of verity were it not because of the rarity and usefulness of the commodities which she carrieth For surely they will be delectable to some and usefull to all who have had so great a benefit by Nature conferred upon them as is understanding not to abuse that which might prove usefull for them They are such things as have passed through the Refrigeratory of my vulgar Brain and which
62.4 Married Cephas John 1.42 A stone Dan Gen. 30.6 A judgment El-beth-el Gen. 35.7 Elymas Acts 13.8 A Sorcerer Ephraim Gen. 41.52 Fruitfull Gad Gen. 30.11 A troup or band Hephzibah Isaiah 62.4 My delight in her Ichabod 1 Sam. 4.21 Where is the glory Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12.24,25 Beloved of the Lord. Jerubbaal Judg. 6.32 Let Baal avenge Joseph Gen. 30.24 Increasing Issachar Gen. 30.18 An hire Ishmael Gen. 16.11 God hath beard Israel Gen. 32.28 A prevailing with God Levi Gen. 29.36 Joyned Loammi Hos 1.9 Not my people Loruhamah Hos 1.6 Not having obtained mercy Melchizedeck Gen. 14.18 and Heb. 7.2 King of righteousness and peace Moses Exod. 2.10 Drawn out Naphtali Gen. 30.8 Wrestling Seth Gen 24.25 Simeon Gen. 29.33 Hearing Zebulun Gen. 30.20 Dwelling Moreover the pious and learned Interpreters being most zealous to advance the knowledge of God and of the Scriptures did upon the margents of many Bibles set down the interpretations of the most part of the proper names I shall only add that Mr. Culpeper his censure of those Chapters in the Chronicles savoureth of no less presumptuous impiety than first the taxing of Almighty God His Wisdom and Will in not authorizing the holy Pen-men of the Scriptures to explicat all the proper names as they did the most considerable Secondly that he would have had the Interpreters to have added unto the Scriptures the explications of those proper names which are not explicat in the original text by doing of which they should have made themselves the object of that dreadfull threatning Revel 22.18 As for that expression of his Whole sentences in Scripture are so translated that it would make a man sick to see them I shall only say this of it that no ingenuous and rational man would have so impudently asserted so great a paradox and untruth without instancing some particular sentence for proving of his assertion It is one of Mr. Culpeper his own physical sentences that physick without a reason is like a pudding without fat the like whereof may very well be said of this his extravagant assertion destitute of probation It is admirable that Mr. Culpeper who in his Epistle prefixed to his Translation of the London Dispensatory assumeth unto himself fellowship with Christ and his Apostles and likeness to God did not take the pains to translate or correct some of those Scriptures which he reprehended But his surviving wife in her Epistle prefixed to his Treatise of Aurum potabile seemeth to give a sufficient reason for this omission in these words My husband left seventy nine books of his own making or translating in my hands Also my Husband left seventeen books compleatly perfected in the hands of Mr. Cole for which he payed my Husband in his life-time Let the sober and judicious Reader judge of the probability of this considering that he had not above nine years for this work and his astrological studies also for he began not to write till the year 1648. or 1649. and he died 1654. or 1655. and whether or not many books have been printed in his name since his death which were not written some years after the same particularly that book entituled Arts Master-piece or the beautifying part of physick whereby all defects of nature in both sexes are amended age renewed youth continued and all imperfections fairly remedied Never before extant though long since promised by Mr. Nic. Culpeper but now published by B. T. Doctor in physick London printed 1660. Concerning this book I have these six things to acquaint you with 1. That it is most probable Mr. Culpeper never wrote it else his Relict had published it as she hath done other books since his death 2. The publisher of it in the Title-page putteth B. T. for his name but at the end of his Epistle to all truly virtuous Ladies â—e setteth L. D. which discrepancy reflecteth not a little upon the Publisher as well as upon the Printer 3. In the Title-page he affirmeth these Experiments to be so far discovered that every man may be his own Apothecary but it is most probable that the Penner of them was as ignorant of the knowledge of that ingenious art as a Mole is destitute of the visible faculty for pag. 71. he ordereth the making of an Oyntment without Oyl or any unctuous liquid body 4. Many if not the most part of the prescriptions contain 1. either such things as are most costly as that Oyntment pag. 70. to cause a beard for the making of which he prescribeth three ounces of Musk. 2. Or such things as cannot easily be gotten as pag. 71. the blood of a Batt for making of an Oyntment for hindering the growth of hair And pag. 73. the turd of a Mole for making of another Oyntment to the same purpose And pag. 77. the blood of a Tortoise for making an Oyntment to take away the hair 3. Or else such things as are ridiculous because not seconded with reason As pag. 79. the Gall of a white Ox for making of a liniment to whiten the hair as if the Gall of a red or black Ox would not serve as well And pag. 100 Grass-plantane the rine taken off and washt nine dayes in spring water for making an oyntment for leprous faces Those nine dayes of purification might be sufficient for bleetching both the herb and the face into other colours 5. Frustra sit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora That is there might be from amongst the Tautological farrago of those prescriptions some few composed of the choicest simples for every several distemper there mentioned which would prove more usefull than any of these which are so confusedly set down 6. The book is no wayes answerable to its promising Title-page which may give just ground to suspect that the effects of those remedies will be as disproportionable to the expence that men must be at in trying of the experiments It is a most infallible token of ignorance cheating and foolish ostentation for a man to prefix a most flourishing Title-page to his book which doth scarcely deserve any at all such as is that book entituled A discovery of subterraneal treasure viz. of all manner of Mines and Minerals from the Gold to the Coal with plain directions and rules for the finding of them in all Kingdoms and Countries And also the art of melting refining and essaying of them is plainly declared so that every man that is indifferently capacious may with small charge presently try the value of such eares as shall be found either by rule or by accident As also a way to try what colour any berry leaf flower stalk root fruit seed bark or wood will give with a perfect way to make colours that they shall not stain nor fade like ordinary colours London Printed 1653. and are to be sold by Humphrey Mosley at the Princes Armes in St. Pauls Church-yard This book consisteth of nine sheets only and is so miserably defective in performing any