and distinguish when and how Nature is hereto accustomed and inabled as also when she hath power and when she hath no power thereto For where the cause of the disease is absolute Lord or Master ouer Nature as touching her owne daring to encounter or as touching her possibility to resist as also where she doth vnto her vttermost resist and striue in vaine for that the causes of diseases haue before gotten so strong holdes within her that she can neuer raise or remoue them there the power of Nature is of no force by Cordials nor can the most assiduous application of the most excellent Cordials prevaile but are in all reason vainely obtruded or at least vsed for a short time of slender releiuing only except the * Ideo in valdè acutis purgandum ait Hippocrates eadem die si materia turgeat dâ—fferre enim inquit in talibus malum Aph. 10. sect 4. generall remedies giue more promptly the more proper supply by the conquest remouall qualifying or at least competent diminution and lessening of the causes by which solely diseases collect hold and maintaine their vnmastered and irresistible greatnes against Nature But where the cause of the disease is not absolute Lord or Master but Nature is able in some degree or sort to struggle and contend therewith there she may be and is oft inabled by Cordials sometimes to put by the present fury and malignity of a disease sometimes to make an exchange of a more tollerable disease for a more intollerable a more dull for a more sharpe a chronick for a more acute yet still in these cases or for the most part or vsually she remaineth a prisoner vnto diseases though haply seeming sometimes somewhat refreshed or enlarged by exchange of the diseases There onely solely and truely Cordials do effectually prevaile to good or benefit where the disease is not in it selfe vnto Nature importable nor in the cause doth totally depresse and sway her downe For Cordials although they doe manifestly repaire the decayed strength of Nature yet can they not giue vnto Nature strength aboue that which radically fundamentally and originally shee before had and possessed in her selfe Nor can they inable her to beare any weight or loade of affection aboue that * Ideo pleniorem habitum bonam statim solvere monet Hippocrates tanquam periculosum vaidè Aph. 3. sect 1 her strength Nor can they by repairing or reducing her vnto her most perfect and able strength in her selfe thereby giue alwayes suffic ent provocation or needfull stimulation when she is oft-times forgetfull dull or idle to resist and expell from her those nward and secret hidden enemies of her life which remaining within her doe commonly by secret vnder-myning without their expulsion swiftly and suddainly oft strangle and kill her We see for this cause that vpon manifest comfortation and assistance by Cordials Nature is oft encouraged and lightened for a short time to make offer of resistance of expelling her disease of enlarging her selfe but in the end the †Humores copia suavires premunt suffocant temperamenti mediocritatem alterant corrumpuat hisque nominibus sunt exitiales Gal. de Meth. Med. 12. sect 5. cause of her oppression therewith the oppression it selfe remaining still vnremoued after some struggling and striuing in vaine she is conquered and yeeldeth vp the ghost He is no Physitian nor so much as a man injoyning common sense that is hereof ignorant or will deny it And thus it is apparent that vnto Cordials as touching the certaine profligation of diseases it is no prudence or wisdome ordinarily or vsually to trust although sometimes the strength of Nature when she is manifestly superiour vnto the vehemence of the disease being assisted and revived by Cordials doth casually wynde her selfe out of some imminent and present dangers If any man shall obiect that Aurum potabile hath a larger property or vertue then is comprehended in a Cordiall alone let him peruse the description which any learned Writer or Author hath giuen thereof Let him read Raymundus Lullius and Arnoldus de villa nova their descriptions alledged and produced by the Apologist Read the first in the 5. reason of the first part of the Apologie the second in the third reason of the same part Read his owne ample description also of the natures qualities and vse thereof succeeding immediatly Arnoldus his praises thereof before-mentioned Read the beginning of his 5. reason There most manifestly as also in other places of this worke and in the former Authors it â—ppeareth without all doubt or question simply and in it selfe to be solely a Cordiall Now worthy Reader vouchsafe to call to minde from the former discourse vpon what an ayrie foundation the praises of Aurum potabile in the three first testimonies hath built her nest namely the Patients flattering ease Markes his ignorant susurration and a strong opinion bewitched with Aurum potabile And thus is apparent how the Authors of the three first domesticall testimonies that they might wrest out somewhat which might sound or tune vnto the disgrace of Dr C. for his thank-worthie paines and vndeserued good-will towards the Patient haue studiously in their testimonies set nothing vpon the racke and out of nothing haue extorted nothing Their partialitie errour and wrong is not therein obscure nor can any obseruer be ignorant vpon how false things therein doth hang the supposed worth of Aurum potabile According vnto my former promise and the common rule of discretion I will intermeddle with no other testimonies of the Apologie that concerne me not These which doe concerne me whose reason and affection Authors and other circumstances are well knowne vnto me I haue here iufficiently sifted winnowed and found meere chaffe By the ignorance vntruth error in iudgment want of right distinction intemperance of passion misprision contempt and abuse of right reason manifested in them the possibility and likelyhood of the worthlesnesse trifling or insufficiency of many other is not obscure As for the maine scope whereat they all doe aime which is the boast of happie issues in Aurum potabile if all the testimonies were granted true and none were false or mistaken in that kind as I haue euidently proued some yet were not that sufficient to iustifie the common rash and precipitate trust and vse of Aurum potabile since good successes and events are alone no sound arguments or evidences of any perpetuity of excellency in any kind Neither do good successes necessarily inferre true Art or evict the merit or praise of the workeman but where therewith his worth is clearely likewise proued either directiue thereto or operatiue therein For this cause saith the Poet Careat successibus opto Quisquis ab eventu facta notanda putat Ovid. Ill him betide in his intents Who iudgeth workes by their events Nor can Dr An be ignorant that ill attempts do oft-times well prosper Prosperum ac faelix scelus Virtus vocatur saith
your promise you doe proue your selfe master and maker of the genuine true and no counterfeit Aurum potabile Vnto this purpose you produce three reasons The first is this That medicine which is made of gold dissolued without corrosiues into a substance or coÌ„sistence like hony potable easily dissolued in any liquor is the most excellent medicine liquor true vndoubted Aurum potabile This is the Maior the Minor followeth But say you my medicine is such namely gold dissolued without Corrosiues into a substance or consistence like hony potable easily dissolued in any liqor Erg. my medicine is the true Aurum potabile We deny your Minor expect it by you proved In stead of thee expected proofe you tell vs that you haue formerly demonstrated it in a former treatise and referre vs thereto In that treatise according to my promise in the beginning I must remit you vnto those learned men who haue there and for that alreadie taken you into their handling I will therefore onely make a serutinie and trutinie of those your reasons and proofes which I doe find here In your Minor you say that your medicine is gold dissolued without Corrosiues This I do denie and you cannot prooue it except you make your concealed Aqua Menstrualis knowne I will not credit you but that there are Corrosiue vertues and powers therein Except therefore you do make knowne that your grand secret your totum scire secretum your argument and proofe is for all hope of progresse lost and drowned in your Aqua Menstrualis And there we leaue your first proofe cowardly hiding it selfe I need not tell you that Aurum potabile per aquam fortem per fraudem compositum solutum aquis regijs is reproued damned of Chymicks themselues That that Aurum potabile which is debite modo comprobato sapientibus is knowne vnto you you doe not make knowne vnto vs but leaue it obscured and sunke in the puddle of your menstruall water We come vnto your second proofe by which you would convince that your vniversall medicine is the true Aurum potabile The medicine say you which haue the genuine proper and inseparable effects of Aurum potabile is to be taken and esteemed the same But your vniversall medicine hath those vniversal and solely proper effects of Aurum potabile Ergo it is the same We denie not your Maior from the immediate and proper effects vnto the true immediate cause the sequele is most certaine and necessary Your Minor we doubt and thinke false and therfore we vrge and require your proofe and manifestation thereof But you homely and plainely tell vs that your medicine hath giuen and yeelded sufficient evidences testimonies and effects only worthie Aurum potabile And thus except we will take your bare word and credit therein or stay for further proofe out of your succeeding testimonies the promised present proofe is not performed Your third proofe is taken out of the admirable and wonderfull manner falling out in the workmanship of your Aurum potabile that is the permanent and perfect dissolution thereof the ascent in an exceeding red shape or forme by the Alembike When wee haue seene the Gold in solid substance first put into the Alembike and after without fraud closed therein lastly ascending in the mentioned forme and withall doe know your Aqua menstrualis we are then * Chrysopaeidare possunt alijs metallis qualitates accidentarias auri veri colorem duritiem pondus c. Essentiales non possunt nempe crasim formam proprietates Riolan and not before in any reason or equitie tyed to take your report in your owne cause Thus you see how you perswade your selfe too well of your selfe You thinke better of your credit then it is and trusting thereto ouermuch your last proofe is as the first and second voide and annihilate But you reply that you haue many learned Physitians eye-witnesses of this your experience We answere and oppose your owne confession viz. that your Aqua menstrualis is knowne vnto no man If no man know it but your selfe then no man but your selfe can satisfie vs whether there be therein any corrosiue power or vertue and as we said before we are resolued not to credit you Therefore your last proofe or argument is dissolued and with the former voide Thus haue you by force and argument gained nothing Let vs now familiarly yet seriously conferre together Suppose we should yeeld vnto you the honour of possessing and the prerogatiue of the first inventing and finding out of Aurum potabile You cannot therby proue your selfe more generally learned or more truely honest both which are more chiefly and mainely required in euery man in euery facultie Generall learning or knowledge consisteth not in any one particular alone As for honestie your presumption is the vnlimited and so vniversall monopolie of your medicine not vsually tolerated or allowed in a common-weale and your reserued concealed privat gaine therein doe minister iust occasion and matter to * Si medicus paret remedia domisuae exigat si placetâ— centum aut mille aureosâ— quis precio statuet moduÌ„ Riâ—â— suspect you In your third proofe you seeme to praise your selfe by the way of answere to an obiection for your communicating vnto many so excellent a medicine that should not be made say you so common And you say that like the sunne it is nothing lesse precious because the shining glorie brightnes is communicated vnto all It is true indeed your Aurum potabile is nothing lesse precious for the communication but it may be happily lesse communicabie for the price I would thinke your comparison not to hold in the sunne so fitly as in the moone since your communication is nothing so cleare nothing so free or bright but dimme and clouded in much darknes You shine not but in part nor fully the beames of aqua menstrualis altogether eclipsed Neither doe you shine gratis Deale plainely and vprightly If your communication thereof be honest without extortion therein without robbing and spoyle without deceit ingeniously apertly freely communicate the whole preparation that other men * Magistratus in publicum consulit ut sciatur quae medicamenta praescribunt Medici ut publice fiant examinentur Libavius in GiammanuÌ„ may know aswell as your selfe what errors and abuses there are hidden secret in that reserued watrish and menstruall orbe or aspect It is not sufficient for you to say that you haue by the grace and gift of God obtained the secret of secrets the soie Iewell of Art and Nature but other men must know that you came truely and honestly vnto it as also that honestly and truely you vse it Otherwise there ought no more thereof remaine with you but the punishment of your fault and sinne therein Learne of Esops cock he found a Gemme you know where and you know how Dum vertit stercoraerium offendit gemmam saith the fable He stirred vp the muckhill
be a fitnesse and property in the waters as you here confesse then is not the mixture of Aurum potabile with theÌ„ arbitrarie as before you said but necessary If it be necessary then is not Aurum potabile sufficient by it selfe or in wine alone Thus much concerning your contradictions Now let vs view your manifest falshoods Read page 97 before meÌ„tioned namely Aurum potabile neuer did hurt This falsehood hath appeared by the counter-testimonies Read again page 103 there you doe auouch that Aurum potabile removeth the antecedent causes of diseases by conuenient naturall passages If Aurum potabile be able to remoue the antecedent causes vnto which end phlebotomy and purging doe chiefly and mainely serue then may they be omitted nor are they so absolutely necessary This is the selfe same falshood and contradiction which formerly hath beene by you auouched and by me in some part confuted Notwithstanding for the better euidence of so necessary consideration for the life health of man kinde against this harmefull errour and illusion I wil cleere and make euident the incomparable necessity and prerogatiue of the generall remedies in the manifest disburdening of antecedent causes aboue all other meanes or remedies whatsoeuer If haply you doe not knowe what the antecedent cause is in diseases Read Galen de sanitate tuenda l. 6. cap. 7. Quic quid corpus affligâ—it ex ijs qua in ipso sunt duplici id occasione oritur aut redundantia aut succi vitio that is whatsoeuer afflicteth the body or causeth it to bee diseased of such things which are within it selfe is two waies thereto occasioned namely by the abundance or by the vitiousnesse of humours Vnto the same distinction in the antecedent causes the general voice of all Phisitians doth subscribe by those tearmes of Plethora and Cacochymia Plethora Galen in divers places doth againe distinguish to be ad vasa and ad vires and in his booke de plenitudine cap. 15. hee declareth that there is Plethora ad vasa maior and minor that is a greater and a lesse Maior quae tunicas venarum etiam distendit minor quae cauitatem in venis tantum replet That is the greater is that which with the abundance stretcheth out the veines The lesser without distention doth only fill the veines Concerning Plethora ad vires commenting vpon the seauenteenth Aph of Hyppocrates lib. 2. he saith Non potest diu permanere sed processu temporis corrumpitur That is a Plethora or fullnesse simply in regard of the imparitie and inequality of the sickmans strength to indure beare it cannot continue long but it turneth into corruption or in time is corrupted From the former grounds and principles by the assistance of vulgar reason may any man collect the necessitie of Phlebotomy in a Plethora which is one antecedent cause of all materiall or humorall diseases If you desire illustration of the former necessity and explication of the reason of the necessitie read the same author in his 3 book de Meth. Med. cap. 15. in his comment vpon the 7 Aph. of Hipocrates the 2 book in his book de venae sectione contra Erisistratum As there the necessity and reason of necessity of Phlebotomie in Plethora which is a maine and chiefe occasion of diseases or the antecedent mouer fautor fuell matter or cause thereof so in other places likewise doth he giue demonstration of the necessity of purgation in the Cacochymia and vitious aboundance of humours that are without the veines Read for this purpose his tractate intituled Quos purgare c. whom when by what meanes it is fit and conuenient to purge his Comment also vpon the second Aph of Hip first booke his book de purgantium medicamentorum facultate de Meth. Med. 1. lib. de Morborum causis In all these places and many more the necessity of purgation in a Cacochymia doth euidently appeare as likewise did before the necessity of Phlebotomiâ— in Plethora the reason of both is plaine An immediate cause in act remaining the immediate effect must necessarily attend * Effectus immediatus est signum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suae causae Scal. de Subtil it The immediate cause in diseases is that which the Phisitians call causa coniuncta This cause cannot be without some matter or humour whereof it breedeth which humour therfore is called causa antecedens in regard of the necessity of a precedence thereof before that immediate cause can possibly be produced The matter or humour in the body which necessarily goeth before the disease is there congregated in more or lesse quantity and either within the veines or without From within the veines to the outward sense Phlebotomie doth immediatly manifest it selfe to euacuate From the other passages purgation is by the eye witnessed directly to draw For this cause Purgation and Phlebotomie are called generall remedies because in all diseases generally they doe manifestly euocate the humours or superfluities whereof all diseases doe euer breed Now examine your Aurum potabile Is it possibly sufficiently to remoue the antecedent causes of diseases as you report thereof without distinction If it bee hereto sufficient then it must so be either in it selfe simply or by accident Simply nothing can bee sufficient or effectuall thereto except those things which haue a purgatiue nature or quality If it include such a property or quality in the nature thereof then it is not simply and truely a Cordiall if not simply and truely a Cordiall then is it inferiour and nâ—t to be compared with many other things which are truely meerely solely Cordialls corroboratiues and comforters of nature without any mixture with another nature different and aduerse thereto as all purges are If you say that your Aurum potabile doth by accident remoue the antecedent cause of diseases then is it no way equall or to be compared with Phlebotomie or Purgation which alwaies doe certainly immediatly manifestly speedily and promptly euacuate superfluities which euer are and euer were the antecedent causes of diseases as is aboue said That which is or happeneth only by accident is casuall and vncertaine nor can there be therein any certainty trust assurance or necessary expectation And thus your leuitie your fallacy your insidiation and insinuation into credulous mindes by confused and ambiguous pronunciatiues doth detect it selfe How vainely falsely therefore you make Aurum potabile his insufficiency sufficient in the remoueall of antecedent causes is most cleare and euident The danger hereof also is as evident while men in their necessitieâ— trusting vnto the vncertaintie and casuall sufficiencie hereof may for euer in the interim omit and loâ—se the opportunity and date of life and recouery by the certaine manifest and assured remoueall of antecedent causes in the generall remedâ—es neuer failing although in their vndiscreet ignorant and vnartificiall administration errors and mischiefes may oft happen as is vsuall in all other affaires likewise aswell as in this
hope of recouery It was no more then occasion did require as may appeare first in the patients aduersnesse vnto himselfe Secondly in Markes his description of the patients estate as also by the deliberation and pause which Aurum potabile did take for his imperfect recouery which was from D. C. his desertion of the cure in March vnto the date of the first domesticall testimony September 10th Whereas it is obiected that D. C. did write a booke inhumanely handling the patient with calumnies It is meere misprision The patient was neuer in any treatise by him nominated nor so much as described in any such sort as he can iustly any way appropriat vnto himselfe There was neuer any wrong really done vnto him but onely in his owne opinion What in any priuate speech hath passed that might seeme to touch him it was extorted and vnauoidable for the wronged his necessary and iust defense being prouoked by all extremity of dispite As for the book which is tearmed vaine it is able to answere for it selfe and was neuer as yet put to silence Now vnto the matter it selfe It is doubted whether the patient be beholding vnto D. C. in any part for his care and precedent paines or soly and totally vnto Aurum potabile succeeding after It doth not follow that because Aurum potabile pleased the patient his ease sense and desire therefore it doth performe the reall true benefit in right vnderstanding vnto the health It were ridiculous if any man should thus reason This way is a faire way a pleasant greene way pleaseth and refresheth me Ergo it is my way home This is a thorny ragged crooked way and much troubleth and discontenteth me Ergo it is not the way vnto my intended iourney The way vnto health is oft times as the way vnto heauen smally pleasing It is not the pleasures or refreshing in the way but the true end and expected issue thereof which indueeth the iudicious with content perseuerance and patience to walke therein In the right method of regular cure and according vnto art and reason D. C. did proceed by the confession of M. Markes his letter going before at the end of the confutation of the second testimonie The truth thereof likewise doth proue it selfe by demonstration in the same fore-mentioned confutation Common reason and the generall course and custome of all Phisitians in the like case or occasion doe vncontrouersly confirme the same How can it then be iust or reasonable that D. C. guiding his honest intention and care of the patients good by true art by likely reason and in all artificiall order course confessed should notwithstanding bee blamed and blasted with an euill breath because the present or speedy euent was not according vnto expectation equally prosperous happy or because the patient thereby found not ease What the disease was is apparent by Markes his description namely a burning feauer The remedies in that disease euer requisite necessary in ordinary regular cure were by D. C. administred according vnto art and reason as saith the same Markes The Patient complaineth in this course hee as yet found no ease †Plethore vnicum ac proâ—â—â—um remedium venae sectio Fernel de Meth. Mâ—d. b. 2. c. 4. but rather increase of paines Vpon this ground and reason Aurum potabile vndertaketh and the former proceeding confessed according vnto art and reason is repelled and interrupted What reason can be herein or wiâ—h what reason can any cunning fixe any iust blame vpon D. C. or derogate from his desert being by true reason rule iustified whatsoeuer was the present issue or successe thereof which more truely consisteth in God his holy designement then in mans indeauours though neuer so faire or likely And thus is the iniury and wrong done vnto D. C. made palpable vnto any common and vulgar indifferent view It is obiected that Aurum potabile gaue ease which the other remedies did not First herein it is requisite to consider that those likely and reasonabâ—e remedies before mentioned although their present benefit did not attend or accompany their vse as is not alwaies or euer expected yet their †Humores à natura iâ— constitutione eousque recedentes vt neque victu neque aâ—terati ne solâ— emendari neque câ—loris naturalis beneficio in bonitatem pâ—istinaÌ„ reduci possunt purgat one sunt auferendi Feâ—n de Meth. Med. 3 cap. 1. certaine and vsuall knowne profitting in ordinary course in certaine triall common experience doth yeeld infallible ground of likely reason that they did not only their vsuall comodious benefit in that ease and happines which did befall the sicke but prospered inabled the possibility of that reputed good in Aurum potabile Secondly let vs herewith compare examine what that good was which vnto Aurum potabile is so gloriously ascribed namely ease corroboration and refreshing vnto the patient Notwithstanding these reputed grand benefits the Patient continued the space of halfe an yeare as appeareth by Markes his testimonie languishing sick greeuously vexeâ— with paines swellings in many parts Auâ—uÌ„ potabile therefore gaue ease refreshing but cured not the disease being stil atteÌ„ded with the decumbence superfluity of humours This is euer a manifest argumeÌ„t of an imperfect Crisis or cure the perfect Crisis and cure neuer leauing behind any part of the old disease nor matter or occasion of new which Physitians call Empyrheuma but by manifest perfect compleat evacuatioÌ„s sufficiently remouing the superfluitie excesse of vitious humors which are the causes of disease Since then after the vse of Aurum potabile plenty of humors still remaine afflicting and oppressing divers parts therefore manifestly Aurum potabile was as insufficient and defectiue in true and perfect cure so also in due evacuation of humors necessarily conductiue vnto cure And thus doth manifest reason informe that Aurum potabile did vnseasonably intrude it selfe and abruptly discontinued more reasonable and necessary remedies This hurt and iniurie in reason Aurum potabile apertly committed the only good it did was reputed ease and refreshing vnto the Patient This is indeed a pleasure and benefit in the interim in cure but no effecting or effectuall perfecting of cure Here may a question be moued whether we may not safely trust Cordials among which Aurum potabile is one without phlebotomie or purgation for the relieuing of nature and cure of diseases considering many diseases are seene to be so cured sometimes When diseases thus happen to be cured which is very rare and seldome and euer vncertaine that it commeth by accident and is casuall no man is ignorant It is true that after Cordials Nature is found sometimes inabled or stirred vnto many spontaneous expulsions sometimes by bleeding sometimes by vomiting sometimes by sweat sometimes by purging as in the aboue-named Gentleman by his testimony of such like effects in his Aurum potabile may be haply granted But we must obserue