Spirit of wine being separated from that Oyl there will remain the essence of the Root sweet without any addition This Essence doth much differ from that way which was used by the Physicians in ancient times for this Essence doth not purge out a great deal of humours but rather the Epileptick body it self i. e. the humour wherein the Disease or poyson of the Disease chiefly lurks which is the root of the Disease Therefore this Essence is a safer and more effectual purge and a more certain cure then that which was used in former times against this Disease Now this Essence will be more effectual against this disease if you join with it in the Spirit of wine the Misteto of Oak and Pellitorie and the seeds of Pionie that the medicinal spirit of these three may be mixed with the Essence of the Black Hellebore and so to be given to the sick person so much of it at a time as the skilful Physician shall think fit This disease must be driven out slowly and by degrees considering the Nature of the sick person of the Disease and of the Countrey where they live c. Addit The Root is to be pull'd out of the earth in the decrease of the Moon the Moon being in the Signe of Libra which Signe is most agreeable to the Falling-sicknesse upon the Friday or in an hour of Venus and it must be dryed in the shade with a dry North wind It was the custome of the Antients to use the Herbs as they are pulld out of the earth without any addition but my way of using this Root is thus Let the Patient who is troubled with the Falling-sicknesse be purged three dayes before the fit comes upon him if it can be done giving him for a purge two drams of the powder of this Root to young people in milk to old people in wine Another Preparation of the Leaves and Root of Hellebore It s certain that the vertue of this herb is great and admirable not much differing from a Balsome He which can bring out the Balsome which lurks in this herb hath a most precious treasure of Nature The way to make of this herb a Balsome is thus This herb must be putrified in its own water being placed in warm dung the glass being close stop'd afterwards the water must be separated from that which is putrified and the putrified matter must be separated from the grounds the grounds must be kept by themselves then you have the Balsome with two degrees of moistnesse and twenty two degrees of putrifaction The dose of that which is putrified according to degrees and of the water according to the quantity is to be considered in the administration of it according to the first proceeding This Balsome may be more exalted in its essence if the aforesaid work be done again by adding to this water and putrified matter new or fresh Hellebore and if it be dry especially the Root it s so much the better The Root is thus corrected Take of this Root cut in large slices two ounces of flesh a quarter of a pound cut very small of the water of Nutmeg one ounce of the water of large Pepper one dram put these together in a pot very well stopt and put your pot in boyling water three or four hours then take out your pot and pour out the liquor which you shall keep for your use then throw away the flesh and the herb Of this liquor you are to give so much as the disease the sick person and necessity requires Another Addition You have already heard that this Root cures four principall diseases and that it is a conservative of long life But now I will shew you how Hellebore can do greater Cures then any I have yet mentioned Take of this Balsome of black Hellebore one ounce of naturall Balsome half a scruple let them be so exactly mixed that there appear but only one and not two For Balsom and Hellebore are of the same nature in respect of Conservation Natural Balsom is such a Medicine which preserves us from all the infections of the Stars from the Plurisie and from the Pestilence Now we should provide Remedies not onely against our earthly infirmities and diseases but also against those diseases which come from the celestiall influences And against such diseases there is no Medicine more powerfull then Balsome If the Falling-Sicknesse could be cured by purging then this Root were a sufficient remedie Some Herbs are fit purges for the Falling Sicknesse other herbs for the Jaundies c. Every disease requires its own purge which is agreeable to it yet a Purgation is not a full Cure we must do something else to perfect the Cure therefore when the Patient is purged so as he should be then follows the Cure of the Falling Sickness which consists in the Secret or Arcanum of the Essence of Coperas By this method both old and young may be cured Neverthelesse the Physician must observe that this order of Purgations and Essences is not to be learned by the Apothecaries Art but by the natures of things which do teach us both the way how the Medicine is to be given and how much is to be given CHAP. III. The Cure of the Gout with black Hellebore THere are two kinds of Gout one kind of it comes of bloud the other comes of defluxions from the head In the Bloud-Gout the bloud doth rage and by Astronomie it appears that the bloud Gout is enraged by the influence of the Dog-stars as in another place I have fully proved Now Hellebore cannot help this kinde of Gout but it is good for that Gout which comes of saltish sowr sharp corrosive defluxions These qualities of the defluxions are the cause of the Gout and not heat or cold or moistnesse or drynesse but if the diseased person be much troubled with great heat or great coldnesse in his joynts it is by reason of the contention betwixt nature and the disease betwixt that which is sound and that which is diseased The Antient appâ—oved Physicians gave Hellebore to those who were troubled with such defluxions and with it purged them For this Root is the best of all purging Medicines which were known to the Ancients both for preventing Defluxions and for expelling them out of the body This Purge was made by the Ancients not according to the Rules of the Physicians of later times but it was judiciously without curiosity prepared They regarded not such Medicines which were made up of Syrups c. and such other vaine additions They gave this root alone without any addition to the patient a little of it every day and not all at one time For Purgations must be given moderately in long Diseases purging rather often and gently then violently This Root of elder Hellebore thus prepared and given every day as the Patient and Disease requires doth so cure defluxions by its natural vertue that no Root or Herb can do he like As
false physicians when they hear of these secrets they cannot be brought to believe that they are true The Spider is a hateful creature yet it is of great vertue against Quotidian Feavers put the spider in a nut-shell and shut it up close in it and let the diseased person carry it about him but he must not know what it is let him carry it four dayes and he shall be well The Salamander is uselesse in Physick but the Alchimist hath laboured much in it to extract out of it a tincture f r metalls and thereby to make gold and for this it is indeed to be much regarded but you cannot meddle with it without great danger for the poyson of it is most deadly CHAP. VI. Paracelse compared with other Physicians HAving done with these hateful and poysonous creatures now I will speak concerning the other common contemptible small creatures and I hope I shall not be blamed for this nor shall these things I speak be esteemed as fained tales as false physitians do who will not use any common medicines such as may be gotten cheaply and easily not remembring this that God hath created nothing in vain but that even the least and most contemptible things have their peculiar vertues according to his divine pleasure And it is our fault that we know not these things for we are careless and incredulous and soon wearied in the search of nature Now if any do improve the gifts of God in them and are diligent in searching out the works of nature and do ingenuously declare their experiences publickly these corrupt Doctors will not be thankful to them for it nay they contemn such experiences they scoff at them and one way or other they will find fault with them Now I profess my self to be one of those who have found out the Secrets of Nature yea and that I am not one of the least of the searchers of nature and truly whatsoever art or experience I have I should have imparted it freely and plainly to you but your ambition and insolency hath made me change my mind because you will have all the praise to your selves and steale it from him who is your teacher therefore you are not worthy of my art which would be very advantageous to you if you would become true Physicians and lovers of your neighbours But you preferre the profit of your prrse and of your kitchin to the health of your patients and in this you are learned indeed and more skilfull then I. You accuse mee and blame mee because I doe not highly praise you It 's true I doe it not because I find you to be onely purse physicians such who are more able to cure the diseases of your purses then the diseases of your patients if it were not so how could you build such stately houses weare gold rings walke in your silkes You reproach me because of my poverty and mean clothes but if I should take as you do shamelesly such great rewards every where then I should be richer then any of you yet as I am I am richer then any of you for my riches are surer to me then your riches to you my skill is my great riches which neither thiefe can steale nor fire or water can devoure nor robber can take from mee They may take my life but they cannot get my Art that is hidden in mee and dieth with mee You see then what an excellent thing I enjoy which is farre better then your houses plantations clothes riches gold and silver and all your skill And if at any time I spend my mony largely amongst my pleasant companions yet I doe not diminish as the proverb is the principall sum that is my Art which through Gods gooddesse to me shall never leave me CHAP. VII The Medicinal vertues of Earth-worms NOw I will proceed to speak of that which I intended viz. of some simple medicines and of some living creatures and of some diseases of which no physicians before me have ever spoken any thing Truly I believe that they were ignorant of them or if they knew them then they slighted them so that these things were quite forgotten the most common and most inconsiderable Vermine are Earth-worms which after a showre creep out of the ground and who will believe that in these worms is so much Vertue for the good of the body of man they are especially good against that disease and pain which is in the fingers and toes which causeth extreme torment day and night The Whit flaw which the Ancients call'd the gnawing worm and indeed not without cause for they knew that this disease should be cured by the earth-worm the way is this Take an Earth-worm bigger or lesser according to the patient and the greatnesse of the pain if the patient be not very young but is of a good age and the pain very great then you must take a great earth-worm it must be large that it may be sufficient for the disease wrap this worm in a linnen cloth and so lay it upon the part where the pain is the space of twenty four hours till it dies and when it is dead the disease is cured and as it were dieth with the worm these things may seem to some to be superstitious and fained tales but by this it appears that God hath made nothing in the world so base and so contemptible which is not some way for the good of man CHAP. VIII The Medicinal Vertues of the Earth-worme and of the Crab fish Cancer THE Earth-worm is not only good against the foresaid disease but also against all kinds of worms in the body of man if it be dried and made into a powder and so it is to be taken in some liquor the best liquor is the whay of Goats milk for the powder of Earth-worms taken in this whay purgeth by stool all worms of the stomack or that stick in the guts The Mouse called the field Mouse is a great Secret for the ptisick And that kind of Crab called the Cancer hath often cured the disease called the Canker viz. thus bind a linnen cloth about the fish Cancer and about its toes and lay the toes of this fish Cancer upon the place where the Ulcer Canker is untill the fish-Cancer be dead and when it is dead the ulcer Canker is also kill'd but if the Canker was broken out into a sore then after it is mortified with the fish-Cancer you must apply the plaister which is used for thrusts or deep wounds By this fish-Cancer have been also cured Feavers and Hydropsies thus first you must cut off all the nailes of the patients fingers and toes then you must bind the fish Cancer to his back afterward put it into a river and let it goe and so the patient shall be cured Do not you think these to be vaine superstitious or Mountebank cures I assure you they are the true operations of nature and wrought by God himself who was pleased to give
Balsoms And concerning this German Balsom or Balsom of the Larch-tree know this that bodies prepared and embalmed with it never putrifie if it hath been taken from the tree in its time when it should be for the celestial influence from which it hath this balsome Vertue requires that it should be taken in the right time Many Sepulchers of the Ethnicks especially of the Romans have been found and opened where dead bodies lay embalmed in Alabaster and Marble chests the balsome wherewith they were embalmed was thought to be the Indian Balsome but this was a mistake for after it was tryed by some who diligently searched into the nature of it it was found to be Turpentine So that this Turpentine may have two names it should be called Balsom and not Turpentine if it be so gathered and in such a time as the Balsome influence of the Stars requireth viz. when the Moon is in the Balsome signes and if it be not then gathered it is not a Balsome but it should be called Turpentine Remember this That every thing which groweth as trees herbs c. they have naturally a kinde of Balsome in them for if the tree be cut down when the Moon is in the Balsome-signes it will not have either clefts or worms in it for its Balsome nature is fully setled in it by its agreement with the celestiall influence and how much a Balsome is encreased in vertue so much it operates But that you may not neglect the right time of gathering the Turpentine or this German Balsom from the tree consider this example they who keep milch beasts must not neglect the time of milking for that time is by Natures own appointment and if you do neglect it then the milk may curdle in the beasts udder afterwards dissolve grow sowrish and so grow more and more corrupt whereupon diseases follow The like doth also befall man for if a man be hindered when hee would go to stool or when he would evacuate urine c. then follow diseases as the Strangury Dysury the insatiable desire of going to stool called Tenasm Now by these examples you may see that there is a certain time and hour when the Turpentine should be gathered from the tree viz. if it be gathered in the time of a Balsome-influence then it is a Balsom but if it be gathered in any other time then it is not a Balsom but only a Turpentine for that time when it is taken from the tree is the time of his generation which makes it to be a Balsom or a Turpentine and therefore this time ought to be much observed it is in our power to chuse it By this you see how much it concerns every Physician to know the motions of the heavens to have the knowledg of Astronomie If the Turpentine be left too long in the tree then it is neither a Balsom nor a Turpentine for it loseth its vertue and changeth its nature and there is no goodnesse in it and if it be gathered from the tree too soon before it be fully ripe and it hath all that vertue which it should have it causeth the Collick Dysurie insatiable desire of going to stool c. and many other Diseases through the unskilfulnesse of Doctors and Apothecaries These things I shew you for this end that you may know how to proceed more exactly and groundedly to discover and bring out those secret vertues and mysteries which lurk in the Turpentine To proceed concerning the Vertues of the Turpentine whence they come I must tell you that those things which I write here do not agree with other books and other Writers But why do they thus differ from me The cause of it is their imprudency and small experience in those things which every one should know First then it hath its Vertue from the Elements the seed of it which groweth out of the earth becomes a tree and into that tree is this vertue infused which is for the good and benefit of man In the next place let us consider what brings the liquor of this tree to that perfection viz. of a Balsom The first cause which brings the Turpentine to be of a Balsom nature it is the heavenly influence even as Gold and Silver being separated from the dross are a pure metall If you would know why I do so much esteem of the hour of the birth that is that hour when any thing comes first out of the place where it had its first being The reason why I so much regard this hour is this because when any thing is born it hath in it self the representative of the whole world so that it hath that which is impure as well as that which is pure it hath that which is deformed as well as that which is beautifull evill as well as good that which is fit and usefull and that which is superfluous and unusefull and when any thing comes into the world then it goes through a furnace an invisible fire and this fire is the Firmament and as this fire is so is the thing born more or lesse purged from that which is evill in it or uselesse or impure c. And how much more it hath of Starry-influences concurring in it it becomes so much the more pure good beautifull c. And this that I now speak is not onely to be understood of Turpentine but also of every thing naturall in this manner Turpentine is changed into a Balsome by these heavenly Artificers Secondly It hath its temperature from the Elements viz. the Aire of whose nature and property it is which you must understand thus The Air pierceth through all other Elements and all bodies which are made of the Elements Every thing with all its substance is made up of those four Elements and whatsoever proceeds of the Air it hath an aeriall nature and therefore it must be hot and moist As for those degrees first second third fourth which have been invented by some Physicians deluded with their own vain imaginations Esteem of them no otherwise but that they are groundlesse and foolish for there is onely one degree not more nor fewer in the Snow there is but one degree of coldnesse in the Fire one degree of heat Howbeit in Alchimie there be degrees of heat observed yet that which we chiefly look upon is the essence it self The Turpentine hath a medicinal influence which God hath created in it for Medicine or medicinal vertue in natural things is an invisible spirit infused into their bodies as the spirit of man was breathed into man In Turpentine there are five things to be considered viz An Elementary body The heavenly impressions of the Starrs The heavenly Vulcan The complexion of the Chaos and a created Spirit And according to these five things I will shew you five severall kindes of Vertues in Turpentine That you may the better understand the power and vertues of it severally according to their natures and that you may lay your ground-work
of Camphire two drams of the juice of Poppy and the juice of Henbane of each one ounce mix them and lay them to the Ulcer to take away the heat of it Then take of the Apostolorum Plaister and the Diaquilon Plaister of each half an ounce of Mummy three ounces of Cerusse or white Lead two drams of Camphire one dram Mix them over the fire and make them into a Plaister which must be applyed to the soar until the Cure be done LIII For Corns in Feet or Hands Caution You must not cut Corns so deep as to cut the quick flesh and you must not use Corrosive Waters to them for in so doing you may cause a dangerous Ulcer to follow Cure Take the Oyl of Juniper Berries and Agarick of each one dram of Ox Gall two drams mix them and lay them to the Corn until the Corn groweth dry and black and begins to moulder away then apply to it the Plaister Oppodeltoch some four or five weeks until the cure be done Another Take Realgare one scruple of the Oyl of the yolks of Eggs half a dram of slacked Lime half a dram mix them and lay them to the Corn and they will make the Corn black and consume it The Oppodeltoch Plaister Take of Colophony two ounces the powder of Celendine and the powder of Orange skins of each half an ounce of the best Turpentine so much as to make them into a plaister LIV. When in any part of the body there is a hard immovable tumor or Excrescency of flesh growing to the Muscles which groweth still bigger and at last makes the member crooked where it is it also weakens the guts causing great windiness in them Caution You must not use the Chyrurgions Instruments to this nor any such Medicines which are used for Aposthumes Cure You must do no more to such tumors or Excrescencies but to hinder their increasing which is done by this Oyntment Take of the Oyl of Myrtles two ounces of the oyl of Nutmeg half an ounce of the marrow of an Ox two drams of Petroleum two ounces and a half Mix them Herewith you shall annoint those places where the Spermatick vessels lie most outwardly the back and thighs once a moneth LV. When there are spots in the skin of the face or elsewhere of a yellow or clay colour c. If they stay constantly in the place or if sometimes they evanish and return again Cure Take of Turnsole and Germander of each three ounces of the best Manna half an ounce of Parmacity and Bay-berries of each ten drams the water of Baulm the water of Vervain the water of Valerian of each five ounces Put your Herbs into the Waters and let them lie in the waters two or three days and when the spots begin to come out upon the skin take three or four ounces of those Waters at a time Observe That Turnsole is a singular good Herb it wonderfully reneweth the blood and flesh A Treatise concerning long Life CHAP. I. All Medicines divided into three sorts according to the threefold Age of Man shewing that each Age must have its own Medicines proper for it SEeing there are Medicines which can preserve the Body of Man for many Ages from Diseases Corruptions and Superfluities or if there be any infirmity or corruption in the Body they can cure it It ought to be the care of every Physician to know them and to know them throughly for there are very many tedious Diseases and many Maladies incident to the Body of Man which are rooted out by these Medicines which prolong life In this discourse of long Life I will first give you the Theory of it and then the practice that you may fully know all that concerns long Life I would not have any to doubt of this that life may be prolonged for these two Reasons 1. Because it doth not appear that there is any certain day or hour of any mans death 2 Because we have Medicine prepared for us by him who hath created us both to preserve us from Diseases and to drive out Diseases Hence we may conclude that neither Diseases bring Death neither is Death the cause of Diseases nay Death and Diseases agree no better then fire and water A natural Disease hates Death as every part of the living Body hates Death I intend in this discourse to speak to those of my own way who by great skill and daily experience have searched into and do know the propertieâ— and natures of things which are hid and unknown to presumptuous and titular Doctors And I do affirm this as a most certain truth That the Body may be restored changed to the better yea wholly renewed As it is to be plainly seen in Metals which may be so purified that they shall be afterwards free from any rust so likewise dead Bodâ—es if they be embalmed do not putrifie afterwards Some perhaps may dislike my Writings because they are short and because of those Examples which I use but my Writings are not therefore to be slighted seeing I use onely the examples of such things which are or may be done by Nature as in this comparison of Mettals with the Body of Man I know that there is great difference betwixt these two yet they are both preserved one way as experience teacheth If a dead Body can be preserved by Balsom from putrefaction or decay how much more may a living Body be so preserved Now there are three parts of Mans Age viz. yong Age middle Age and old Age and each of these must have such Medicines for prolonging life as are proper and suitable to them therefore there must be also three kindes of Medicines for the conservation of Life according to these three Ages We may likewise say that there are three parts in long life according to those three parts of mans Age for many might die in their Infancy many in their middle age c. if their life were not prolonged by the help of Medicines We cannot have any certainty that an Infant or a strong yong man shall outlive a weak old man No part of mans age hath any certain time of death appointed to it the Infant in the Mothers Womb may have many things befal it which may be the cause of great weakness in the childe or incline the childe to diseases and that Infant which is very weak when it is born the strength of Nature is abated and lessened in it as it is in old age And therefore those Medicines which are the helps of long life must be given to this Infant anointing the Nurses breast therewith which the childe doth suck c. as you shall hear more at large afterwards in the practice of long life For by these Medicines of long life the strength of Nature is increased and life prolonged after the same maner in an Infant as it is in old age Or if a yong man runs into so great excess of Drinking or Venery c. that thereby
almost to the brims then fill the Poringer with the Spirit of Wine let it stand so four or five days then kindle the Spirit of Wine with a piece of burning Paper and keep it burning so until the Quick-silver and Tin are changed to an oyl in the Spirit of Wine of this oyl let the Patient take one grain at a time in a draught of the best wine warmed and let him keep himself well covered in his bed until he sweat A Treatise of Vlcers SECTION III. VVherein are described the Tinctures which are Catholique Medicines for all kinde of Ulcers THe diligence of wise men in former times was great in searching out the causes and preservatives of long Life the natures and uses of all kindes of remedies therefore they were called The students of Wisdom but they knew not the right way of preparing Medicines they learned this from the Alchymist So they and the Alchymist together have discovered many excellent Medicines the chief of which are the Tinctures but these Tinctures have been much abused by Gold Smiths and those who thought to change Metals into Gold with them I have shewed in some other of my writings how much may be done by them therefore I will not here speak any thing of it In former times they made Tinctures whereby they coloured Metals purged them and afterwards they used these Tinctures as Medicines for the bodies of men what great vertues are in these Tinctures are declared in the Books of Ancient Writers which have long time been kept hidden by false Physicians but I will publish them for I have had the experience of them and I know they have a wonderful faculty in cleansing the blood And because I now write concerning the cure of Ulcers I conceive it fitting that I shew you whence I have had these my remedies and I confess that I have learned them in the School of Chymistry But because many errors have crept into this Art of Chymistry partly through ignorance and partly through the envy of Chymists whereby those who followed the practice of Chymistry being much seduced they were forced to seek new ways and so of themselves they found out many things some profitable and some hurtful Therefore I have endeavored to reform this Art of Chymistry leaving those things which are hurtful or unprofitable I discover onely such things which are useful and good for the Body of Man This task I am able to perform so much the more happily in regard my first studies were in this way of Chymistry in which I took great delight and followed it with great diligence under excellent Masters who were most skilful in secret Philosophy My Masters were first William of Hohenheim my careful and loving Father and many others who hid nothing from me which they knew and besides I was much helped by the Books of learned men viz. Bishop Setgaius Erhradus Laventalius Bishop Nicolaus Hipponensis Trithemius Abbot of Spanheim and other most learned and experienced Chymists I have had also many Experiments from several Chymists and of those I will now name onely the most noble Sigismundus Fueger Schwatzensis who maintaineth many servants in the practice of Chymistry at great charges and hath enriched the Art of Chymistry with many Experiments To conclude I conceive that I may very well undertake this talk Of reforming Chymistry and Physick considering my knowledge in Philosophy and my skill of Chymistry and Physick And here I will give you some taste of my skill in the following Tinctures The Simples out of which the Tinctures are extracted are these viz. Gold Quick-silver Antimony the Philosophers Salt Balsom red Corals Mummy Baulm Celandine Valerian Germander Succory Swallow wort And beginning with Gold I will briefly and Methodically teach you the way to extract the Tinctures out of these Simples The Ancient Chymists who writ Fables more then serious matters if they had eased us of this labor we should have been very thankful to them but seeing they have failed us I will make up this defect The Tincture of Gold The Tincture of Gold is the purest part of the Gold wherein all its colour is contained and this being extracted there remaineth the white body of Gold this coloured part of the Gold differeth much from the white Body as the pure from the impure and therefore they must be separated or else you do nothing When you have extracted the coloured part you must exalt it to the highest degree and whereas the colour in Gold may be exalted to the twenty fourth degree the Tincture extracted must be exalted ten times more and no further This Tincture hath a wonderful vertue in cleansing renewing and restoring the Blood not onely in the part diseaâ—ed but also throughout the whole Body how much of this Tincture you must take at a time you shall hear afterwards I will now shew you how you must extract it First melt your Gold with Antimony that it may be well purged by the Antimony according to the usual way Take this Gold and dissolve it in the distilled water of common Salt this water of Salt must be made thus Take of the best white Salt made by the Sun and melt it in a very hot fire as Brass or Silver c. is melted several times Then make it into powder and mix it with the juice of Radishes and when the Salt is dissolved in the juice distil them together then take the water which you have distilled off from them and mix it with the juice of Bloodwort of each alike and distil them together take the water which you have distilled off from them and pour it again to the grounds remaining distil it again and so you must do five times Then take of the water of the first distillation and in this dissolve your Gold when your Gold is dissolved put a little of the Spirit of Tartar into this water of Salt to make the Gold powder fall to the bottom then pour off this water of Salt from the Gold powder and wash your Gold powder with common Water distilled until all the Spirit of Salt be well washed from it Then take this Gold powder and put it in the Spirit of Wine which must be made thus Take of the best wine and put it in a Circulatory Vessel which must be very well closed up so that no vapor can get out fill the third part of your circulatory vessel with the Wine and leave two parts empty and how much of the circulatory vessel is filled with the Wine so much of it must be set in Balneo Maria the space of ten days then put it in a distilling vessel and distil it and that which comes out first is the Spirit of Wine the rest is onely sublimed Wine Put your Gold powder after it is washed with the distilled common water into this Spirit of Wine so much of it as that it may be a hands breadth above the Gold powder put them together in a
his body wastes away and Nature decays c. we must use the same Method of curing him which is used for prolonging life in old age viz. by restoring the decayed strength of Nature and preserving nature afterwards in its strength Old age begins with gray hairs which if it be subject as oft-times it is to weakness and sickness it must be timously helped and the Medicines of long life are to be used but those old people who are free from sickness and have much of the strength of Nature they are onely to use these Medicines accordingly as their necessity requireth Remember then this threefold partition of the age of man viz. Yong age which begins with Infancy and continueth to the full growth of the Body middle age which begins when the Body is come to its full growth and continueth to the time of gray hairs and afterwards comes old age Remember likewise that each of these ages require such Medicines of long life which are proper and most agreeable to them as was said before It may be this will be objected to me by the Emperick Physicians that if we may have such Medicines for preventing death for curing diseases and prolonging life how then comes it to pass that great men as Princes Kings Emperors Noblemen c. ordinarily live not so long as others they are more subject to infirmities and diseases then others so that they live not out the half of their days Certainly if there were any such Medicines these great men would have them I answer the causes of this are well known to me and to those of my way we little regard such vain foolish unlearned objections yet I will answer it that I may give satisfaction to all who desire to be resolved in it And we say that we know not any King or Prince in our times neither have heard nor read of any in former times who have used these Medicines of long life except onely Hermes Trismegistus or if there have been others they are not known to earthly men This I do not speak as in answer to the Objection but my answer is this That the Physicians of Kings Princes Emperors c. do know less in Physick they the Country people and this is the cause why they cannot bring health but death to their Princes and while Princes use the counsel of such Physicians it is impossible they should enjoy health and long life And this answer concerns those ignorant Doctors who have nothing of a Physician but the name I give another answer to the Objection which is this That the intemperance of great men is most often the cause of their short lives and this they have as part of the reward of their wickedness And this I think sufficient for answer to this Objection CHAP. II. The Division of Medicines according to the difference of diseases and what is the chief use of Medicine YOu have heard that as there is a threefold difference of mans Age so there must be three kindes of Medicines for each age hath its Medicines proper to it Now I will shew you the several kindes of diseases and the several ways of curing those diseases And first Some diseases come of intemperate disorderly living as Hydropsie Jaundise Gout Falling-sickness Plurisie c. and some diseases come from the Times and Seasons other accidents concurring with disorderly living as Pestilence Madness c. These kinds of diseases are cured by the Medicines of long life Secondly Some diseases are natural which proceed of natural external causes and those diseases are to be cured by natural Medicines Some diseases are unnatural viz. such as come by Inchantments Superstitions c. I wish our Physicians not to meddle with such diseases for they seem to me to come upon people by Gods permission as punishments and if so they are not curable I know much may be done in this case by Images Rings c. which are preservatives of life of which I wil not speak here I have spoken of them elsewhere for it belongs to Astronomy to treat of them Thirdly Diseases which proceed not from the nature of the Body or from weakness but otherwise they must be cured before you use the preserving Medicine if the disease be hidden and unknown you ought not to meddle with it but if it be such a disease as the Gout Falling sickness c. it may be cured by using onely the preserving Medicine Not to pass over altogether those diseases which are from imagination or by Superstition or by Inchantment c. I will here briefly shew you the cure of them and how you may be preserved from them 1. Mental diseases must be cured in a mental way 2. Diseases which are from our own imagination must be cured by Objects 3. Diseases which are from the imagination of others must be cured by imagination 4. Diseases which come by Inchantments must be cured by contrary Inchantments 5. Diseases which are caused by superstitious Charms c. must be cured by contrary Superstitions Now the ways how we may be preserved from those diseases are these First Is to preserve natural strength 2. To preserve us from accidental diseases 3. From mental diseases 4. From Inchantments 5. From Imaginations of others 6. From our own Imaginations 7. From Superstitions You see I make no mention of the four humors of the body in this business of long life because I finde that the conservation of the body and prolongation of life is onely from the strength of Nature and not from the good temperature of the four humors Nay in any cure the four humors are not to be regarded but onely the strength of nature which reneweth and cherisheth those humors and therefore that Physician who thinks by rectifying the humors to make up the defects of the strength of Nature he is like that man who having suppressed the flame thinks he hath quenched the fire and leaves the live Coals He who would preserve a Tree must be more careful of the root then the branches because the branches have all their nourishment and vertue from the root and if we do any thing to the Branches when they are faulty our principal aim therein is to cherish the life and strength of the root for hence the branches have their life and vertue Now as the root of the Tree is to the branches so is the strength of nature to the humors of the body so that if the humors of the body be distempered we do not therefore lose our health unless by this distemper the root of life c. the strength of nature be wronged and therefore what we do in rectifying the distemper of humors we do it for the conservation and cherishing the strength of Nature This is the chief thing we aim at in the use of Medicine CHAP. III. What Life is whether and how it may be prolonged THat we may the better understand the nature of short life long life it is
influence of Jupiter to our selves or if we would turn away from us the influence of Mars or if we would draw to our selves the influences of such other Stars which are good Now this we cannot do as we can choose one herb and leave another I say we cannot do thus with the stars to keep off the influence of one and choose the influence of another as we please But thus much we may do if we observe the Sar before it put out its influence what is the most likely way of that influence viz. to what work business c. it enclines most and if it enclines to a business c. of that nature as ours is then we may by certain helps as those Images Rings c. which are made for the Planets draw the influence of that Star to work with us and assist us but these things I declare more fully elsewhere Fourthly many Herbs have somewhat lurking in them which can keep the life of man vigorous and flourishing for many ages for Herbs have an incorruptible essence the which when the Body of the Herb perisheth it entreth into some other Herb of the same kâ—nde or it remains incorruptible in the earth If we receive the essence of an Herb into our Bodies it stayeth with us till our Bodies perish and be putrified and then it enters into the earth So likewâ—se â—he essence and properties of Mans body leaves the body when it putrifieth Here we must remember the difference which is betwixt the property of the Herb and the essence of the Herb as for example the property of Hellebore makes Hellebore to be such an Herb differing from all other Herbs to have such and such vertues as Laxative c. So that the property of Hellebore can be in no other thing then Hellebore and when we receive the Hellebore or essâ—nce of the Hellebore into our body yet we do not receive the property of Hellebore The essence of Hellebore is the purest material substance of it containing the life all the vertues of the Hellibore in the highest degree Now when we take this essence inwardly it mixeth it self inseparably with that humor which is the chief seat of our life and preserveth this humor from destructive alterations and so long as this essence lasteth in us it doth us good it is of it self durable yet by the infection of our corruptible humors wherewith it is mixed it grows weaker and wasteth in time as Talce which cannot be consumed by fire yet it may be consumed otherwise in length of time I will here adde one thing further concerning the vertue of the place where we live viz. That there are some places which do so agree with the humor of life and do so preserve it that those who live there enjoy a wonderful long life and there are some other places which makes them immortal who live there The World may be divided into two parts the one part is the place of Mortality where we Mortals live in hope of Immortality by Grace the other part of the World is Paradise where death cannot be for whatsoever is there it is incorruptible naturally and not by a Miracle As our Phylosophick gold preserveth from Leprosie c. so it is the nature of Paradise to preserve from death that whatsoever hath its first being there it is thorowly undecayable in all its substance But we who live in this place of Mortality we have an incorruptible essence and we have a corruptible Body which can both be preserved without decaying in Paradise I will not write much of this because I have but little experience of it for the essence of Earth is the center of our experience and Paradise is far beyond our Travels so that what I speak of it I speak spiritually as in a dream rather then waking signifying to you that life is there perpetual continuing to the end of the world or if longer that is unknown to us But that you may more fully know how health and long life may be preserved you must consider the causes of health and the causes of diseases now health and all diseases are either from the minde or from the body The minde is the cause of such diseases which come by Witchcraft or our own imagination or the imagination of another or the influence of the Stars For when Imagination or Inchantment take hold of the minde and make an impression upon it so as the minde is disturbed and thoughts multiply and grow so strong that they overcome reason then at last by the power of that Imagination or Inchantment Reason is quite overthrown and so the evil operation of the Inchantment or Imagination prevails and thereby diseases are bred Thus also the influence of the Stars may overcome the minde and command it howbeit it be not bred in the minde nor depend of the minde as the former viz. Inchantment and Imagination yet it may powerfully encline the minde to good and bad operations as the Sun which pierceth through the glass and changeth that which is in the glass according to its own nature The other cause of health and diseases is the Body viz. The humors or complexions of the Body or some predominant quality or some principal member of the Body the Complexions are from the Body and are seated in those humors whereby the Body is sustained I will not here describe those diseases I conceive it not necessary neither will I here stay to discover to you the nature and causes of the minde and body or to tell you what choler is or what blood is or what Phlegm is or what Melancholy is but I will onely give you a hint of those things in general CHAP. V. The Life prolonging Medicine described how it should be used to what use it is chiefly intended and to whom it is most effectual I Now come to the Practice and first I will speak of natural remedies which are for those diseases whereof the Body is the cause and afterwards I will shew you how these diseases which come from the minde are to be cured which are not to be cured by natural remedies but they must be cured in such a way as is proper to them First then to preserve us from bodily diseases we must have respect chiefly to the humor of life which upholds the body governs the complexions of the body c. if it be kept in good case the Body is thereby preserved We need not be careful how we may renew the Complexions and Qualities of the Body or how to purge out hurtful or superfluous humors or how to cure the diseases of the Liver or Milt c. for these preservative Medicines which we use for long Life can do all this yea whatsoever defect or disease is in the Body they can throughly cure it and this they do not by that great vertue they have which is proper to the preservation of the humor of life and prolonging of life
that the Stars have a prevailing power upon the minde of Man and their operations are so strong that they overturn the minde oppress it c. We cannot hinder the motions of the Stars nor can we hinder them to put forth their Influence yet we may preserve our selves from that influence As those who are in a Town besieged howbeit they cannot hinder the Enemy to fire his Guns upon them yet they may preserve themselves from the harm of the shot by keeping themselves within the Walls So we may keep off the evil influences of the Stars by those preservatives which may be prepared for that purpose Now you must remember that there are two kindes of Influences there is one kinde of influence which is good and necessary to us that as the body is sustained by nourishment even so we are sustained strengthned and preserved by this good influence there is another kinde of influence which is hurtful to us this hinders the former good influence that it cannot have any operation upon us to do us good and against those hurtful influences we must provide defensives to preserve us from their harm Those defensives are the Rings and Images of the Planets which are made according to the influence i. e. they are made in the time of a good influence I do not deny but that the Rings of the Planets as I have shewed elsewhere treating of Imagination have a power to preserve us and are helpful to the prolonging of life yet I do not approve of them for many reasons which I will not mention now The best way how we may preserve our selves from the evil influences of the Stars I conceive it is this To turn off the influence from our selves to another thing which will easily yield to the Influence as for example If some evil Star as Mars c. be enclined to ruine me and this inclination hath made some Impression upon my minde and begins to infect it whereby I may fall into some disease of the minde then I must make an Image like a man upon which the evil influence may have its operation and so I my self may be saved from the harm of that influence For a Star being enclined to ruine me and finding some agreement betwixt me and this Image and that it hath a readier way to fall upon this Image and hath less resistance in this Image then it should have in me therefore it leaves me who am more difficult to work upon and chooseth the Image which is more easie where it fulfils its operation with delight There may be many other reasons given why the influence removes thus from the person against whom it was intended to the Image but I will not now express them for they are not pertinent to the purpose in hand The second thing of which I am to speak is to shew you how we may be preserved from the harm of Witch-craft that our life be not shortned by it I have in many other of my writings shewed remedies for Witch-craft but you shall use the same way here for Witch-craft and Inchantment as you have been taught before for the evil influences of the Stars for Witch-craft or Inchantment hath the same way of working upon our minde or Body as the evil influence of the Stars But here we must use another kinde of Object upon which the operatâ—on of Witch-craft must be turned then that which is used for the influences of the Stars Thus I do I make an Image of Wax like a Man which I set in its own place and whatsoever evil is intended against me by Witch-craft it shall be removed from me to that Image and there it will be accomplished for the Inchantment proceeding from the minde of the Witch against me my minde keeps it strongly off and turns it upon the Image whereby there can be no harm done on either side The third thing is how we may save our selves from the harm of the Imaginations of others I may be killed by an others Imagination if it be accomplished in me if it be not turned some other way from me I will explain this to you by an example Suppose I have an enemy who hath an extream hatred against me so that he exceedingly desires my death daily he is no Witch but onely a violent enemy and this I do not know that he hath any such malice against me Now what must I do that this imagination wrong me not Certainly the best course that I can take for this is thus to settle my minde and to keep it in quiet free from all passions or disturbance as much as possibly I can not desiring any revenge or to do any wrong to any and by this good temper of my minde the others malicious imagination against me shall be thus overcome that it cannot do any harm to me Fourthly whereas our own thoughts do oft-times wrong us as when I think my judgement too weak for such a thing c. by this thought my reason is quite overcome and I lose my reason with it as I have shewed more largely elsewhere Now the best help for such thoughts is this Not to put more upon our reason then it can easily perform and so we shall not be troubled with such thoughts Another way to help these thoughts is thus If we conceive any thing to be much without the reach of our Judgement c. for this we may use the same Image which we use for the influences of the Stars and the Image standing in our stead and is as it were the same with us then those thoughts which would have wronged us will vanish and they will pass from us to the Image for the Image cannot make any resistance against these thoughts and there they may be fulfilled without any harm Fifthly By the thoughts and imaginations many Superstitions are made effectual which differ much from Inchantment or imagination As for example When I hear a Raven upon the top of my house then I have a Superstitious thought that this must be a sign of death in my house now this Superstitious thought growing strong may either cause sickness or the death of one who is sick in my house the truth of this appears oft-times by experience and I have given the reasons of this in my Treatise of Superstitions The way to prevent the harm of such Superstitions is thus I must perswade my judgement that such superstitious thoughts are vain and foolish and what I esteem to be a certain sign of such or such a thing to come to pass that this is my error I must endeavor to convince my Judgement of it and I must be always careful to exalt my Reason above groundless conceits and not to entertain thoughts upon the report or phansies of others nor to conform my thoughts to vulgar opinions as when I hear the croaking of a Raven upon my house I must think no otherwise of this but that it is onely the natural act of the Raven which signifieth no more to me upon my house then in any other place and thus this superstitious thought is overcome and made ineffectual A strong conceit of the truth and certainty of superstitious thoughts is the cause which oft-times makes them have their effect but if I examine these thoughts by reason and so come to see their groundlesness vanity and folly this will quite destroy them and prevent that evil which they might effect This I conceive is enough for those cures of the diseases of the minde If any do not understand these things which I have written here concerning long Life it is because they can neither perceive what I say nor what Nature doth I do not intend to make those things plainer to them for what I have written here I have written it onely for those who are grounded in the knowledge of such things and it is my desire that they may fully understand me If you would know what Dyet is best for long life observe these rules following 1. Let your meats and drinks be prepared with the preservative Medicine and this will drive out all superfluous humors which lurk in the Body 2. If you have any inward diseases then you must speedily use fit Medicines as Quintessences c. to ripen them Concerning the causes of diseases and their proper remedies I will not write any thing here for that I have done in many other of my Physical Treatises 3. The best Dyet for long life is a moderate dyet which I need not describe here seeing it is so well known to every Physician 4. Let your meats and drinks be rightly prepared that is They must be purged from all superfluities impurities and whatsoever is hurtful in them and this is to be done the same way which is used in the separation of the Elements as I have described in my Book concerning Restauration and Renovation Such purified meats and drinks with a moderate dyet are wonderfully helpful to the prolonging of life they nourish well and they never cause any disease in the Body this cannot be said of other meats and drinks To conclude Observe That those purified meats and drinks yield better nourishment to our Bodies then any other they do encrease flesh and good blood very much this is their use and the use of their preservative Medicine is to preserve the spirit of Life and the humor of life FINIS