the twelve Tribes engraven in it in the ouches of gold upon the breast-plate of Judgement Exodus 28.20 This is the first of those gemms by which in the New Testament the glory of the first foundation of the wall of the New Jerusalem is discovered to us the structure and built of which wall is also there said to be of Jasper and the light of the city of the New Jerusalem is there likewise said to be like a stone most pretious even like a Jasper Rev. 21.10 11. and 21.19 In the fourth chapter of this book to discover the glory of him that sat upon the Throne it is said that he was like a Jasper Revel 4.3 The species of it for their beauty are of very great esteem * Andr. Bacc. c. 8. de Nat. Gem. Baccius saith that the pleasure which may be seen in a Jasper the beauty of which ariseth from the mixture of many excellent greens reds and whites cannot be exprest the excellent figures which some of them do make representation of are wonderfull In some of them may be seen after the manner of the cleare clouds of the aire and in some like mountains rivers fields and divers living creatures and sometimes like armed men trampling upon serpents which saith Baccius do assert and testifie their power and vertue against all enemies hence in the book of the Revelations it is said that the foundations and wall of the New Jerusalem are of Jasper to signifie saith Baccius as S. Hierome interpreteth it that the power of the Jasper and the greatnesse of divine wisdome and knowledge doth overcome and beat down all the power of false doctrine The best Jasper for its excellent beauty and great glory is of very high esteem and of great worth and value CHAP. XXIX Of the Heliotrope Description of the stone THe Helotrope is a half-transparent green gemme with sanguine specks growing to the Jasper and the Prassius The name Heliotropus is derived from two Greek words the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the Sun the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a turning as if did it turn according to the motion of the Sunn as the herb Heliotropium or the Marigold doth open and shut with the rising and setting of the Sunne Its names In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Heliotropus in English Heliotrope and the Orientall Jasper The places It is found in India in Ethiopia in Africa in Cyprus in Germany in Bohemia and that of so great a masse or bignesse that oftentimes grave-stones to cover dead bodies are cut out of it and yet which is very strange Anselmus Boetius saith this stone is known to very few Boet. p. 130. It s nature and properties It is reported of it that if it be put into water which is directly opposed to the beams of the Sun it will make the water boyl and cause it to be resolved into a cloud which not long after is dissolved into dropps of rain And that if it be put into fair water opposed to the beams of the Sunne it doth change its beams and by the repercussion of the aire seem to shadow the clearnesse of its rayes and so to induce a sanguineous colour in the aire as if the Sun by the interposition of the body of the Moon did suffer an ecliptick darknesse Martinus Rulandus and Baccius do say that this power and facultie is proper onely to the Ethiopick Heliotropes Hence this metrick elegancie of Marbodaeus Ex re nomen habens est Heliotropia gemma Quae solis radiis in aqua subjecta Batillo Sanguineum reddit mutato lumine solem EclipsÃmque novam terris effundere cogit There is a report which ariseth of the impudence of Magicians that if this gemme be anointed with the juyce of a Marigold it will cause him that carrieth it to walk invisible So saith Plinie This gemme is said to be endued with the same faculties with the Jasper and to procure men riches and good report amongst men and to be good against venoms and fluxes of bloud Plinie lib. 37. cap. 10. CHAP. XXX Of Lapis Nephriticus or the Nephritick stone THe Lapis Nephriticus is a hard semi-transparent gemme of a white greenish colour Boet. 131. Of its kinds Anselmus Boetius and others reckon both the Heliotrope and also this stone amongst the Jaspers betwixt this and the Jasper he puts onely this difference namely that this is the harder and cannot so exactly be polisht as that may be Boetius saith that he had a Lapis Nephriticus like unto Crystall perspicuous with a little white cloud which grew to one of the green ones They are sometimes found growing to the Jasper and Prassius but for the most part they are found like unto whetstones in the fields in so great lumps as cups may be made with them Boet. 131. The places They are found in Spain and New Spain Of its nature and properties The Nephritick stone is a stone of no gratefull aspect though Boetius doth here place it amongst the half-transparent gemms yet other jewellers and expert Simplicists Lapidists do not reckon it of any such esteem It is called the Nephritick stone from the power and facultie which it is as Authours say endued withall against the pains of the reins and to expell the stone and gravell and this it doth as is reported by being worn on the arm or wrist This use the Indians make of it What being thus worn it doth effect upon its subject is by the power of an occult qualitie Wecker saith that a Noble-man well known to him had an excellent Nephritick stone which he wore at his arm by the power of which he voided a very great quantitie of gravell so great as that he feared lest he should suffer harm by so large an expulsion of it in so short a time and for this cause to avoid the evil he laid away his Nephritick stone and was never troubled with his gravell afterwards He likewise reporteth that the Dutchesse of Bejar being three times in a very short space troubled with Nephritick pains made her self a bracelet of this stone and wore it continually and from the time of her wearing of it for the space of ten yeares and upward she was not vext nor troubled with her pain Weck lib. 1. de lap pretios Idem dixit Nic. Monardus CHAP. XXXI Of the Malachite or Molochite THe Molochite is a half-transparent gemme of an obscure green colour much like the herb called Mallows The Germans say that this gemme imitateth a Saphire in a dilute or cleare green which some affirm to be a kind of Turchoys Bacc. de nat gem c. 29. This gemme Boetius saith is adorned with white veins mixt with a sky-colour and sometimes specked with black Of its names In Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Malva in Latine Molochites and Malachites The places where it is found It is brought from Arabia In a tower of
Albertus Rueus and others do affirm that gemms are the causes of such effects yet their affirmation in this kind must not be received as truth because there is no kind of affinity similitude or proportion at all betwixt this kind of complexion or betwixt this cause and this effect for the effects of this kind are oft times more perfect then the cause And yet the axiome is perfectionem effectûs contineri in causa But it cannot truly be so spoken of gemms and pretious stones the effects of which by Lapidists are said to be Extraordinary effects of gemms the making of men rich and eloquent to preserve men from thunder and lightning from plagues and diseases to move dreams to procure sleep to foretell things to come to make men wise to strengthen memory to procure honours to hinder fascinations and witchcrafts to hinder slothfulnesse to put courage into men to keep men chaste to increase friendship to hinder difference and dissention and to make men invisible as is feigned by the Poet concerning Gyges ring and affirmed by Albertus and others concerning the ophthalmius lapis and many other strange things there are affirmed of them and ascribed to them which are contrary to the nature of gemms and which they as they are materiall mixt inanimate bodies neither know nor can effect by the proprieties and faculties of their own constitutions because they being naturall causes can produce none other but naturall effects such as are all the ordinary effects of gemms that is such effects as flow from their elementary matter from their temper form and essence such as are the operations of hot and cold and of all the first qualities and all such accidents as do arise from the commixtion of the first qualities such as are hardnesse heavinesse thicknesse colour and tast These all are the naturall faculties of gemms and these are the known effects of the union of their matter and of the operation of the first qualities one upon another Supernaturall effects of stones THere may no doubt supernaturall effects be wrought by gemms and stones but not such as can properly be said to be the effects of gemms or stones or of which gemms or stones can be truly and absolutely said to be the causes but onely instrumentall causes Such effects as these are wrought either by the power of God or of the devil What the strange effects wrought by stones in the power of Satan are will appeare by the survey of the extraordinary effects of gemms and pretious stones before mentioned The supernaturall effects of stones ascribed to God in holy writ are such as the Lord God produced in the wildernesse to manifest his power and to make his name great in the sight of his people Israel such was his bringing water out of the rock by the stroke of Moses rod upon it Deut. 32.13 The rock here was the instrument by which this supernaturall effect was wrought but not the cause of the effect of the flowing forth of water for the quenching of the thirst of Israel for in truth none other effectuall efficient cause there was of this effect but onely Gods holy Spirit working in and by the rock as by its instrument conduit or emissary that so it might wonderfully send forth waters of its own springing up as from a fountain to refresh the drought of Israel in a dry and barren wildernesse That we may not be mistaken in the effects of creatures it is necessary that these things should be known 1. VVHat are the causes of effects 2. How to judge of these causes whether they be true or false whether they be supernaturall or naturall causes divine or diabolick causes 3. How many kinds of effects from all causes may be found in the whole Universe The causes of all effects I. The causes of all effects are either supernaturall or naturall they are such causes as are either truly and absolutely causes or causes falsly so called or else they are manifest divine causes or diabolick seeming divine causes all which may be comprehended under the two first heads of supernaturall and naturall causes II. That we may judge of these causes whether they be supernaturall or naturall divine or diabolick true or false these following rules must be observed Rules Supernaturall causes they may be taken to be 1. If it be manifest that the effect doth never follow the cause or that it followeth it by accident 2. If wise understanding judicious men who have the use and experience of things do upon the supposition of ordinary effects deny that which is thought to be the cause to be truly the cause 3. If by comparing the thing with other causes which are known the manner of applying of it be very different involved and intricate 4. If the thing have no affinity with its effect as here when Arbor dicitur producere bovem 5. If the cause doth produce the effect separatim and without any conjunction of other causes which have in them a power of producing 6. If the cause doth produce an effect to some end to which properly the effect doth not belong 7. If such an effect from such a cause do never again happen notwithstanding the remaining or existing of some or of all the same conditions Rules è regione Naturall causes they are taken to be 1. If it be manifest that the effect doth really follow the cause and not by accident 2. If prudent pious men do upon the suppositions of ordinary effects according to their experience in the use of things not deny that which is taken to be the cause to be truly the cause 3. If the thing effected by such a cause being compared with known causes doth not in its manner of applying differ or is not involved or intricate 4. If the cause have affinity with its effect that is if it do produce such an effect as is meet for such a cause to produce 5. If the cause doth produce the effect not separatim but by the conjunction of other ordinary causes which are endued with power and do usually joyn together for the producing of such or such an effect 6. If the cause doth produce an effect for the same end to which properly the effect doth belong 7. If that the same conditions existing the same cause doth produce the same effects Whether the cause be Divine or Diabolick true or false it will thus appear WHat ever things there are that are truly called natural if they undergo or suffer an impulsion into various and divers parts indeterminately and confusedly they cannot be said to be otherwise moved then by an extrinsick power of impulsion which power if it be not open and manifest must of necessitie have an occult and secret spirituall mover which can be none other but either God or the devil either good or bad angels Upon these grounds it may be concluded that the motion of the ring in which the Turkey-stone is set by the pulsation of which it
being hung by a thread perpendicularly in the midst of a glasse against the sides of the glasse the houres are spontaneously indicated it may I say be concluded that if this pulsation by which the houres are indicated or shewed be not caused by the motion of the hand of the person that holds the string to which the ring is fastened quod puto saith Boetius then that this motion hath its perfection from the power and help of the devil Gemms and pretious stones are onely naturall causes of their effects and for this cause the effects of them can be onely naturall and such as are alwayes reall effects and never intentionall and materiall effects and seldome spirituall viz. then onely when such effects are effected by some mean or other which may more truly be determined to be a cause then the gemm it self What we have determined concerning the Turchoyse the same upon the same ground we may determine and conclude concerning those gemms which are said to work strange effects by the power of celestiall figures engraven on them for all such celestiall figures are nothing else but fictitious and imaginary things and no reall entities at all and therefore cannot be capable of any power to do any such strange effects neither have such figures or can they have any conveniencie or agreement at all with things here below for the producing of any effects in them or by them Whether the cause of this or that effect be the true cause of it or no will appear by these things Rules 1. If the cause be such as doth in no kind repugne or contradict the effect Such causes as these are all those that have in themselves the perfection of the effect either virtually or formally 2. If the cause do act within the certain limits or bounds alicujus spatii together with all such things as are necessary to produce such an effect And the effect doth upon this working of the cause without any prejudices to the contrary or interceding impediments follow in its determined time according as the cause within the determined bounds of its space is applyed to produce this or that effect sooner or later 3. If the cause applyed have alwayes the same power and force and be free from all superstition and every suspition thereof 4. If that the cause being taken away the effect notwithstanding all other things and circumstances remain doth not or cannot follow III. That we may not be mistaken in the effects of creatures it is necessary to be known How many kinds of effects from all causes may be found in the whole universe Such effects as are to be found in the world are these First Effects which are in their perfection above all the power of naturall causes For example sake 1. No naturall cause can separate the heat from the fire nor can any naturall cause make fire to burn without heat 2. It is above the power of a naturall cause to make a man invisible no naturall cause can effect this because man is an opake or an obscure body and such a body as hath no perspicuity or transparency at all in it and therefore it cannot possibly be that it should be made inconspicuous or disapparent without some present impediment Boet. Secondly Effects which do not exceed the power of naturall causes but yet are above the mean which naturall causes do use to produce such effects according to the prescript rule and order of nature Such an effect is this which followeth The Saviour of the world was born of the Virgin Mary as it is naturall for a man to be born of a woman but here the mean and manner of begetting and of conception is supernaturall and above all the power of naturall causes for here the conception and manner of begetting was altogether without the coition and congression of man which effect could be no otherwise caused then by a supernaturall power namely by the power of God who did wonderfully effect the conception and birth of Christ in the wombe of the Virgin by the power of his Holy Spirit These two first kinds of effects which have been and may be found in the world Boetius l. 1. p. 45. saith cannot possibly be brought to passe but by the power of God or of the devil God permitting Thirdly Effects which do not exceed the power of naturall causes but yet the causes applyed for the producing of these effects do not keep the ordinary mean for the producing of them Such an effect is this of Chymistry when as by chymicall art gold is made of silver And such an effect is this which is so oft practised in natures orchards and gardens where when as nature by her own work doth produce the severall species of fruits from their own proper and peculiar originalls art doth as it were force and violate her to contradict her law rule and order by insitions and inoculations and by this means we may oft times see the fruitfullest and best trees bearing fruits of other stocks then their own Fourthly Effects which do depend upon naturall causes which observe and keep the ordinary mean which are to be applyed for the producing of such and such effects Such an effect as this it is when as the rain is generated by the ascending up of vapours and when ice is dissolved into water by the power of the heat of the Sunne and when man is generated of man and woman which is natures ordinary way for generation These are the effects which are found in the world the fourth and last kind of which are purely naturall which that they may be really so they do require divers conditions Conditions to make effects truly naturall 1. That an effect may be truly naturall it is required that there should be some subject present which may receive the effect from its efficient cause 2. It is required that there should be a certain latitude or distance betwixt the efficient cause and the subject out of which the effect is to be produced beyond which distance or limit the effect cannot at all be produced this will appear by this solary example The sunne whilest it hath its residence in Tropico Australi or in the Tropick of Capricorn cannot so warm the regions and countreys that are situate about the Artick pole as it doth warm them when it hath its residence in the Tropick of Cancer 3. That an effect may be naturall it is required that the efficient cause or immediate agent be not hindred in its action upon its subject and penetration of its subject by some other interposing or intermediating body 4. It is required that there should be a full space betwixt the cause and the effect that is spatium continuum conjunctum that so naturall things may in se mutuò agere and thus obtain their perfection 5. That an effect may be naturall it is required that the medium or mean which is betwixt the cause and the subject be aptly and
stone is roundish in shape like unto an olive of colour white and sometimes brownish and is easily broken Aetius calleth it Lapis Syriacus others Phrenicites Plinie for its fragilitie calleth it Tecolithos It is found in India and in Silesia It is esteemed good against the stone in the bladder and reins Boetius and Dioscorides CHAP. LXII Of the Morochthus THe Morochthus is a white soft stone It is good to make linen garments white withall if it be first dissolved It is said to be endued with a power of opening the pores of the body Dioscorides saith it is found in Egypt and Georg. Agricola saith it is found in Saxony neare Heldeshim where it is called Milchstein The Galactite is a kind of it which is also called Galaxius this is found in Egypt The linen drapers with this stone do use to make their cloth white CHAP. LXIII Of the Magnes or Load-stone Description of the stone THe Magnes or Loadstone is a stone of a brownish colour with a tendencie to a sky-colour thick and not very heavy which as saith Rulandus doth by its own proper power and innate vertue draw iron unto its self Boetius and Dioscorides say that this which is brownish with a tendencie to a sky-colour is the best But Mart. Rulandus saith that the best is alwayes of a sky-colour It s adulteration There is no fear of the adulterating of this stone if naturally it be endued with such power vertue and attractive faculties as Authours relate and write of it for though it is not altogether impossible to make by art a Loadstone in colour form and substance yet is it altogether impossible for any man to adde such power vertue and attraction to it as naturally the true Loadstone is said to be endued withall Though I confesse an Impostour may delude an unwary buyer of this stone by an acquired attractive faculty scilicet mediante daemonis pro tempore potestate Its names In Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Latine Galen Nicander and Plinie call it Magnes which name by the two last named Authours is attributed to it from him who was the first finder of its attractive power namely Magnes a shepherd of India who was wont to keep his flocks about those mountains in India where there were abundance of these stones Herculeus lapis it is also called from its predominant power by which it is said to draw iron to it self which tameth all things Heracleus lapis it is also called from a citie of Lydia called Heraclea by some and by others Magnesia where the best of these stones are said to be found hence this stone as some think had its name of Magnes and hence these verses of Lucretius Quem Magneta vocant patrio de nomine Graii Magnetum quia sit patriis in montibus ortus Callimachus calleth it Heracleotis Plinie Siderites In Germane Magneth In Saxon ein Segelstein and in Italian Calamita Piodra It is from its use called Lapis Nauticus In English the Load-stone The kinds of it Albertus Magnus l. 2. Metal tract 3. c. 6. saith that in that age in which Aristotle lived there were two kinds of Load-stones known one kind which did direct or draw iron to the North another kind which did direct or draw iron to the South Plinie L. C. Plin. lib. 36. cap. 16. speaketh of five kinds of this stone 1. Magnes Aethiopicus which hath power not onely of drawing iron to it self but also of an other Load-stone hence these verses of Silius Venere Aethiopes gens haud incognita Nilo Qui Magneta secant solis honor ille metalli Incoctum chalybem vicino ducere saxo 2. The second kind is called Magnesiacus it is in colour of a yellowish red and black 3. The third is called Echius and it is more of a yellowish red then black 4. The fourth kind is a feminine Load-stone it is black and of no use 5. The fifth kind is a white one of very little moment Cardanus l. de lap maketh three kinds of this stone 1. Ferrugineus which is so called as being of an iron colour 2. Candidus 3. Candidus distinguisht with light ferrugineous veins The places It is found in Aethiopia Macedonia Boeotia Alexandria Troas In Heraclea Lydiae in Germany in Misnia in Italie in the mountains of Viterbium in many iron mines and the places neare adjoyning It s nature and faculties The wisdome of man which hath much searcht and enquired into the nature of this stone hath attributed its attractive power to the planets and to the influences of the starres and saith that it doth receive its vertue from Luna and Venus which are both found shining in Cauda Ursae minoris in gradu 29. Virginis Vide Andr. Bacc. cap. 2. de nat Gemm The cause of the attractive facultie of this stone is as Authours say that it may provide it self with a pabulum or fit nourishment of its substance Card. lib. 7. de lap for this cause saith Cardane it doth draw iron to it self for stones live and have need of nourishment for their augmentation and conservation The cause of such mutuall embraces Boetius also doth attribute to their likenes of nature by reason of which they are pleased to be assimilated into one substance and likenesse therefore doth Boetius say of the Loadstone that it doth draw the iron as sibi simile or for its conservatiō or nourishment for if you cover over the Load-stone with filings of iron the Load-stone will grow more lively as receiving a nourishment from such filings and the residue of the filings will be changed into rust Martinus Rulandus saith that as by a naturall power and force it doth draw iron and liquor of glasse and concord with these so likewise by an antipathy and discord it doth mainly disagree with onions and garlick and with a Diamond insomuch as if these be but within the touch of a Load-stone or neare the Load-stone they will hinder all its attractive power and rob it of all its vertue of drawing iron Renodeus l. de mat Medic. asserteth the same Albertus Magnus saith there is a Load-stone to be found which with one point draweth iron and with another point doth drive it away History The same Albertus saith That the Emperour Frederick had a Load-stone which did not draw iron but was drawn of iron even as a common Load-stone doth draw iron Serapion saith l. aggreg c. Hagger Abnantes sive Almagritos esse mineram or that there is a minerall of this kind in the maritime parts that lie neare India of so great a quantitie as that they are forc'd to use by reason of it no other nails in the building of their ships but wooden nayls It is wonderfull to see how the Needle of a Compasse being toucht with a Load-stone doth cause the maritime Card to point North and South And it is not more wonderfull to behold this then it is difficult to raise a satisfactorie reason