faster vpon vs. The daintiest Smells of Flowers are out of those Plants whose Leaues smell not As Violets Roses Wall-flowers Gilly-flowers Pinckes Woodbines Vine-flowers Apple-Bloomes Lime-Tree Bloomes Beane-Bloomes c. The Cause is for that where there is Heat and strength enough in the Plant to make the Leaues Odorate there the Smell of the Flower is rather Euanide and Weaker than that of the Leaues As it is in Rose-Mary-Flowers Lauender-Flowers and Sweet-Briar-Roses But where there is lesse Heat there the Spirit of the Plant is disgested and refined and feuered from the Grosser Iuyce in the Esstorescence and not before Most Odours Smell best Broken or Crusht as hath beene said But Flowers Pressed or Beaten doe leese the Freshnesse and Sweetnesse of their Odour The Cause is for that when they are Crushed the Grosser and more Earthy Spirit commeth out with the Finer and troubleth it Whereas in stronger Odours there are no such Degrees of the Issue of the Smell It is a Thing of very good Vse to Discouer the Goodnesse of Waters The Taste to those that Drinke Water onely doth somewhat But other Experiments are more sure First try Waters by Weight Wherein you may finde some difference though not much And the Lighter you may account the Better Secondly try them by Boyling vpon an Equall Fire And that which consumeth away fastest you may account the Best Thirdly try them in Seuerall Bottles or Open Vessels Matches in euery Thing else and see which of them Last Longest without Stench or Corruption And that which holdeth Vnputrified longest you may likewise account the Best Fourthly try them by Making Drinkes Stronger or Smaller with the same Quantity of Mault And you may conclude that that Water which maketh the Stronger Drinke is the more Concocted and Nou-rishing though perhaps it be not so good for Medicinall vse And such Water commonly is the Water of Large and Nanigable Riuers And likewise in Large and Cleane Ponds of Standing Water For vpon both them the Sunne hath more power than vpon Fountaines or Small Riuers And I concelue that Chalke-water is next them the best for going furthest in Drinke For that also helpeth Concoction So it be out of a Deepe Well For then it Cureth the Rawnesse of the Water But Chalkie Water towards the Top of the Earth is too fretting As it appeareth in Laundry of Cloaths which weare out apace if you vse such Waters Fifthly The Houswiues doe finde a Difference in Waters for the Bearing or Not Bearing of Soape And it is likely that the more Fat Water will beare Soape best For the Hungry Water doth kill the Vnctuous Nature of the Soape Sixthly you may make a Iudgement of Waters according to the Place whence they Spring or Come The Rain-Water is by the Physitians esteemed the Finest and the best But yet it is said to putrifie soonest which is likely because of the Finenesse of the Spirit And in Conseruatories of Raine-water such as they haue in Venice c. they are and not so Choice waters The worse perhaps because they are Couered aloft and kept from the Sunne Snow-water is held vnwholesome In so much as the People that dwell at the Foot of the SnowMountaines or otherwise vpon the Ascent especially the Women by drinking of Snow-water haue great Bagges hanging vnder their Throats Well-water except it be vpon Chalke or a very plentifull Spring maketh Meat Red which is an ill Signe Springs on the Tops of High-Hills are the best For both they seeme to haue a Lightnesse and Appetite of Mounting And besides they are most pure and Vnmingled And againe are more Percolated thorow a great Space of Earth For Waters in Valleyes ioyne in effect vnder Ground with all Waters of the same Leuell Whereas Springs on the Tops of Hills passe thorow a great deale of Pure Earth with lesse Mixture of other Waters Seuenthly Iudgement may be made of Waters by the Soyle whereupon the Water runneth As Pebble is the Cleanest and best tasted And next to that clay-Clay-water And Thirdly Water vpon Chalke Fourthly that vpon Sand And Worst of all vpon Mudde Neither may you trust Waters that Taste Sweet For they are commonly found in Rising Grounds of great Cities which must needs take in a great deale of Filth In Peru and diuers Parts of the West Indies though vnder the Line the Heats are not so Intolerable as they be in Barbary and the Skirts of the Torrid Zone The Causes are First the Great Brizes which the Motion of the Aire in great Circles such as are vnder the Girdle of the World produceth Which doe refrigerate And therefore in those Parts Noone is nothing so hot when the Brizes are great as about Nine or Ten of the Clocke in the Fore-Noone Another Cause is for that the Length of the Night and the Dewes thereof doe compense the Heat of the Day A third Cause is the Stay of the Sunne Not in Respect of Day and Night for that wee spake of before but in Respect of the Season For vnder the Line the Sunne crosseth the Line and maketh two Summers and two Winters But in the Skirts of the Torrid Zone it doubleth and goeth backe againe and so maketh one Long Summer The Heat of the Sunne maketh Men Blacke in some Countries as in AEthiopia and Ginny c. Fire doth it not as wee see in GlasseMen that are continually about the Fire The Reason may be because Fire doth licke vp the Spirits and Bloud of the Body so as they Exhale So that it euer maketh Men looke Pale and Sallow But the Sunne which is a Gentler Heat doth but draw the Bloud to the Outward Parts And rather Concooteth it than Soaketh it And therefore wee see that all AEthiapes are Fleshy and Plumpe and haue great Lips All which betoken Moisture retained and not drawne out Wee see also that the Negroes are bred in Countries that haue Plenty of Water by Riuers or otherwise For Meroe which was the Metropolis of AEthiopia was vpon a great Lake And Congo where the Negroes are is full of Riuers And the Confines of the Riuer Niger where the Negroes also are are well watered And the Region about Capo Verde is likewise Moist in so much as it is pestilent through Moisture But the Countries of the Abyssenes and Barbary and Peru. where they are Tawney and Oliuaster and Pale are generally more Sandy and Dry. As for the AEthiopes as they are Plumpe and Fleshy So it may bee they are Sanguine and ruddy Coloured if their blacke Skinne would suffer it to be seene Some Creatures doe moue a good while after their Head is off As Birds Some a very little time As Men and all beasts Some moue though cut in feuerall Pieces As Snakes Eeles Wormes Flies c. First therefore it is certaine that the Immediate Cause of Death is the Resolution or Extinguishment of the Spirits And that the Destruction or Corruption of the Organs is but the
the first lay looser and the latter lay deeper So that if you infuse Rubarb for an houre and crush it well it will purge better and binde the Body lesse after the purging then if it stood twenty foure houres This is tried But I conceiue likewise that by Repeating the Infusion of Rubarb seuerall times as was said of Violetts letting each stay in but a small time you may make it as strong a Purging Medecine as Scammony And it is not a small thing wonn in Phisick if you can make Rubarb and other Medecines that are Benedict as strong Purgers as those that are not without some Malignity Purging Medecines for the most part haue their Purgatine Vertue in a fine Spirit As appeareth by that they indure not boiling without much losse of vertue And therfore it is of good vse in Phisick if you can retaine the Purging Vertue and take away the Vnpleasant tast of the Purger which it is like you may doe by this Course of Infusing oft with little stay For it is probable that the Horrible and Odious Tast is in the Grosser part Generally the working by Infusions is grosse and blinde except you first try the Issuing of the seuerall Parts of the Body which of them Issue more speedily and which more slowly And so by apportioning the time can take and leaue that Quality which you desire This to know ther be two waies The one to try what long stay and what short stay worketh as hath been said The other to try in Order the succeding Infusions of one and the same Body successiuely in seuerall Liquors As for example Take Orenge-Pills or Rose-Mary or Cinnamon or what you will And let them Infuse halfe an houre in VVater Then take them out and Infuse them againe in other VVater And so the third time And then tast and consider the First water the Second and the Third And you will find them differing not only in Strength and Weaknes but otherwise in Tast or Odour For it may bee the First water will haue more of the Sent as more Fragrant And the Second more of the Tast as more bitter or Biting c. Infusions in Aire for so we may well call Odours haue the same diuersities with Infusions in VVater In that the seuerall Odours which are in one Flower or other Body issue at seuerall times Some earlier some later So we finde that Violetts Woodbines Strawberries yield a pleasing Sent that commeth forth first But soone after an ill Sent quite differing from the Former Which is caused not so much by Mellowing as by the late Issuing of the Grosser Spirit As we may desire to extract the finest Spirits in some Cases So we may desire also to discharge them as hurtfull in some other So VVine burnt by reason of the Evaporating of the finer Spirit enslameth lesse and is best in Agues Opium leeseth some of his poisonous Quallity if it be vapoured out mingled with Spirit of Wine or the like Sean leeseth somewhat of his windines by Decocting And generally subtile or windy Spirits are taken off by Incension or Evaporation And euen in Infusions in things that are of too high a Spirit you were better poure off the first Infusion after a small time and vse the latter BVbbles are in the forme of a Hemisphere Aire within and a little Skin of VVater without And it seemeth somewhat strange that the Aire should rise so swiftly while it is in the VVater And when it commeth to the topp should be staid by so weake a Couer as that of the Bubble is But as for the swift Ascent of the Aire while is vnder the VVater that is a Motion of Percussion from the VVater which it selfe descending driueth vpp the Aire and no Motion of Leuity in the Aire And this Democritus called Motus Plaga In this Common Experiment the Cause of the Enclosure of the Bubble is for that the Appetite to resist Separation or Discontinuance which in solide Bodies is strong is also in Liquours though fainter and weaker As wee see in this of the Bubble we see it also in little Glasses of Spittle that children make of Rushes And in Castles of Bubbles which they make by blowing into water hauing obtained a little Degree of Tenacity by Mixture of Soape Wee see it also in the Stillicides of water which if ther be water enough to follow will Drawe themselues into a small thredd because they will not discontinue But if ther be no Remedy then they cast themselues into round Dropps which is the Figure that saueth the Body most from Discontinuance The same Reason is of the Roundnes of the Bubble as well for the Skin of water as for the Aire within For the Aire likewise auoideth Discontinuance And therfore casteth it self into a Round Figure And for the stopp and Arrest of the Aire a little while it sheweth that the Aire of it selfe hath little or no Appetite of Ascending THE Reiection which I continually vse of Experiments though it appeareth not is infinit But yet if an Experiment be probable in the Worke and of great Vse I receyue it but deliuer it as doubtfull It was reported by a Sober Man that an Artificiall Spring may be made thus Finde out a hanging Ground wher ther is a good quick Fall of Raine-water Lay a Half-Trough of Stone of a good length 3. or 4. foote deep within the same Ground with one end vpon the high Ground the other vpon the lowe Couer the Trough with Brakes a good thicknes and cast Sand vpon the Topp of the Brakes You shall see saith he that after some showers are past the lower End of the Trough will runn like a Spring of water which is no maruaile if it hold while the Raine-water lasteth But he said it would continue long time after the Raine is past As if the water did multiply it self vpon the Aire by the helpe of the Coldnesse and Condensation of the Earth and the Consort of the first Water THE French which put off the Name of the French Disease vnto the Name of the Disease of Naples doe report that at the Siege of Naples ther were certaine wicked Merchants that Barrelled vpp Mans flesh of some that had been lately slaine in Barbary and sold it for Tunny And that vpon that foule and high Nourishment was the Originall of that Disease Which may well be For that it is certaine that the Caniballs in the West Indies eate Mans flesh And the West Indies were full of the Pockes when they were first discouered And at this day the Mortallest poisons practised by the West Indians haue some Mixture of the Bloud or Fatt or Flesh of Man And diuers Witches and Sorceresles aswell amongst the Heathen as amongst the Christians haue fedd vpon Mans flesh to aid as it seemeth their Imagination with High and foule Vapours IT seemeth that ther be these waies in likelihood of Version of Vapours or Aire into Water and Moisture
such as haue some Degree of Heat For the Banishing of the Heat must needs leaue any Body Cold. This we see in the Operation of Opium and Stupefactiues vpon the Spirits of liuing Creatures And it were not amisse to trie Opium by laying it vpon the Top of a Weather-glasse to see whether it will contract the Aire But I doubt it will not succeed For besides that the vertue of Opium will hardly penetrate thorow such a Body as Glasse I conceiue that Opium and the like make the Spirits fly rather by Malignity then by Cold. Seuenthly the same Effect must follow vpon the Exhaling or Drawing out of the warme Spirits that doth vpon the Flight of the Spirits There is an Opinion that the Moone is Magneticall of Heat as the Sun is of Cold and Moisture It were not amisse therefore to trie it with Warme waters The one exposed to the Beames of the Moone the other with some Skreene betwixt the Beames of the Moone and the water As we vse to the Sunne for Shade And to see whether the former will coole sooner And it were also good to inquire what other Meanes there may be to draw forth the Exile heat which is in the Aire for that may be a Secret of great Power to Produce Cold weather We haue formerly set downe the Meanes of turning Aire into water in the Experiment 27. But because it is Magnale Nature And tendeth to the subduing of a very great effect And is also of Manifold vse we will adde some Instances in Consort that giue light thereunto It is reported by some of the Ancients that Sailers haue vsed euery Night to hang Fleeces of wooll on the sides of their Ships the Wooll towards the water And that they haue crushed fresh Water out of them in the Morning for their vse And thus much we haue tried that a Quantitie of Wooll tied loose together being let downe into a deepe Well And hanging in the Middle some three Fathome from the water for a night in the Winter time increased in weight as I now remember to a fifth Part. It is reported by one of the Ancients that in Lydia neare Pergamus there were certaine Worke-men in time of Warres fled into Caues And the Mouth of the Caues being stopped by the Enemies they were famished But long time after the dead Bones were found And some Vessels which they had carried with them And the vessels full of Water And that Water thicker and more towards Ice than Common Water which is a Notable Instance of Condensation and Induration by Buriall under Earth in Caues for long time And of version also as it should seeme of Aire into Water if any of those vessels were Emptie Trie therefore a small Bladder hung in Snow And the like in Nitre And the like in Quick-filuer And if you finde the Bladders fallen or shrunke you may be sure the Aire is condensed by the Cold of those Bodies As it would be in a Caue vnder Earth It is reported of very good credit that in the East Indies if you set a Tub of Water open in a Roome where Cloues are kept it will be drawne dry in 24 houres Though it stand at some distance from the Cloues In the Countrey they vse many times in deceit when their wooll is new shorne to set some Pailes of water by in the same Roome to increase the weight of the wooll But it may be that the Heat of the Wooll remaining from the body of the Sheepe or the Heat gathered by the lying close of the wooll helpeth to draw the watry Vapour But that is nothing to the Version It is Reported also credibly that Wooll new shorne being laid casually vpon a Vessell of Verinyce after some time had drunke vp a great part of the Veriuyce though the Vessell were whole without any Flaw and had not the Bung-hole open In this Instance there is vpon the by to be noted the Percolation or Suing of the Veriuyce through the wood For Veriuyce of it selfe would neuer haue passed thorow the wood So as it seemeth it must be first in a kinde of Vapour before it passe It is especially to be noted that the Cause that doth facilitate the Version of Aire into water when the Aire is not in grosse but subtilly mingled with Tangible Bodies is as hath beene partly touched before for that Tangible Bodies haue an Antipathy with Aire And if they finde and Liquid Body that is more dense neare them they will draw it And after they haue drawne it they will condense it more and in effect incorporate it For wee see that a Spunge or Wooll or Sugar or a Woollen cloth being put but in part in Water or Wine will draw the Liquour higher and beyond the place where the Water or wine commeth We see also that Wood Lute-strings and the like doe swell in moist Seasons As appeareth by the Breaking of the Strings the Hard Turning of the Pegs and the Hard drawing forth of Boxes and Opening of Wainseet deeres which is a kinde of Infusion And is much like to an Infusion in water which will make wood to swell As we see in the Filling of the Chops of Boules by laying them in water But for that part of these Experiments which concerneth Attraction we will reserue it to the proper Title of Attraction There is also a Version of Aire into water seene in the Sweating of Marbles and other Stones And of Wainsces before and in moist weather This must be either by some Moisture the Body yeeldeth Or else by the Moist Aire thickned against the hard body But it is plaine that it is the latter For that we see Wood painted with Oyle Colour will sooner gather drops in a moist Night than Wood alone which is caused by the Smoothnesse and Closenesse which letteth in no part of the Vapour and so turneth it backe and thickeneth it into Dew We see also that Breathing vpon a Glasse or Smooth body giueth a Dew And in Frosty Mornings such as we call Rime frosts you shall finde drops of Dew vpon the Inside of Glasse-windowes And the Frost it selfe vpon the ground is but a Version or Condensation of the Moist vapours of the Night into a watry substance Dewes likewise and Raine are but the Returnes of Moist vapours Condensed The Dew by the Cold onely of the Sunnes departure which is the gentler Cold Raines by the Cold of that which they call the Middle Region of the Aire which is the more violent Cold. It is very probable as hath beene touched that that which will turne Water into Ice will likewise turne Aire Some Degree nearer vnto water Therefore trie the Experiment of the Artificiall Turning water into Ice whereof we shall speake in another place with Aire in place of water and the Ice about it And although it be a greater Alteration to turne Aire into water than water into Ice yet there is this Hope that by Continuing the Aire longer time
White Glistering Berry And it is a Plant vtterly differing from the Plant vpon which it groweth Two things therfore may be certainly set downe First that Super-fatation must be by Abundance of Sap in the Bough that putteth it forth Secondly that that Sap must be such as the Tree doth excerne and cannot affimilate For else it would goe into a Bough And besides it seemeth to be more Fat and Vnctuous than the Ordinary Sap of the Tree Both by the Berry which is Clammy And by that it continueth greene Winter and Summer which the Tree doth not This Experiment of Misseltoe may giue Light to other Practises Therefore Triall would be made by Ripping of the Bough of a Crab-Tree in the Barke And Watring of the Wound euery Day with Warme Water Dunged to see if it would bring forth Misseltoe or any such like Thing But it were yet more likely to try it with some other Watring or Anointing that were not so Naturall to the Tree as Water is As Oyle or Barme of Drinke c. So they be such Things as kill not the Bough It were good to try what Plants would put forth if they be forbidden to put forth their Naturall Boughes Poll therefore a Tree and couer it some thicknesse with Clay on the Top And see what it will put forth I suppose it will put forth Roots For so will a Cions being turned downe into Clay Therefore in this Experiment also the Tree would be closed with somewhat that is not so Naturall to the Plant as Clay is Try it with Leather or Cloth or Painting so it be not hurtfull to the Tree And it is certaine that a Brake hath beene knowne to grow out of a Pollard A Man may count the Prickles of Trees to be a kinde of Excrescence For they will neuer be Boughes nor beare Leaues The Plants that haue Prickles are Thornes blacke and white Brier Rose Limon-Trees Crab-Trees Goose-Berry Berbery These haue it in the Bough The Plants that haue Prickles in the Leafe are Holly Iuniper Whin-bush Thistle Nettles also haue a small Venemous Prickle So hath Borrage a small prickle but harmelesse The Cause must be Hasty Putting forth Want of Moisture And the Closenesse of the Barke For the Haste of the Spirit to put forth and the Want of Nourishment to put forth a Bough and the Closenesse of the Barke cause Prickles in Boughes And therefore they are euer like a Pyramis for that the Moisture spendeth after a little Putting forth And for Prickles in Leaues they come also of Putting forth more Iuyce into the Leafe than can spread in the Leafe smooth And therefore the Leaues otherwise are Rough as Borrage and Nettles are As for the Leaues of Holly they are Smooth but neuer Plaine but as it were with Folds for the same Cause There be also Plants that though they haue no Prickles yet they haue a Kinde of Downy or Veluet Rine vpon their Leaues As Rose Campion Stock-Gilly-Flowers Colts-Foot which Downe or Nap commeth of a Subtill Spirit in a Soft or Fat Substance For it is certaine that both Stock-Gilly-Flowers and Rose-Campions stamped haue beene applied with successe to the Wrests of those that haue had Tertian or Quartan Agues And the Vapour of Colts-Foot hath a Sanatiue vertue towards the Lungs And the Leafe also is Healing in Surgery Another Kinde of Excrescence is an Exudation of Plants ioyned with Putrefaction As we see in Oake-Apples which are found chiefly vpon the Leaues of Oakes And the like vpon Willowes And Countrey People haue a kinde of Prediction that if the Oake-Apple broken be full of Wormes it is a Signe of a Pestilent Yeare Which is a likely Thing because they grow of Corruption There is also vpon Sweet or other Brier a fine Tuse or Brush of Mosse of diuers Colours Which if you cut you shall euer finde full of little white Wormes It is certaine that Earth taken out of the Foundations of Vaults and Houses and Bottomes of Wells and then put into Pots will put forth Sundry Kindes of Herbs But some Time is required for the Germination For if it be taken but from a Fathome deepe it will put forth the First Yeare If much deeper not till after a Yeare or Two The Nature of the Plants growing out of Earth so taken vp doth follow the Nature of the Mould it selfe As if the Mould be Soft and Fine it putteth forth Soft Herbs As Grasse Plantine and the like if the Earth be Harder and Courser it putteth forth Herbs more Rough as Thistles Firres c. It is Common Experience that where Alleyes are close Grauelled the Earth putteth forth the first yeare Knot-grasse and after Spire-grasse The Cause is for that the Hard Grauell or Pebble at the first Laying will not suffer the Grasse to come forth vpright but turneth it to finde his way where it can But after that the Earth is somewhat loosened at the Top the Ordinary Grasse commeth vp It is reported that Earth being taken out of Shady and Watry Woods some depth and Potted will put forth Herbs of a Fat and Iuycy Substance As Penny-wort Purslane Hausleeke Penny-royall c. The Water also doth send forth Plants that haue no Roots fixed in the Bottome But they are lesse Perfect Plants being almost but Leaues and those Small ones Such is that we call Duck-Weed Which hath a Leafe no bigger than a Thyme-Leafe but of a fresher Greene and putteth forth a little String into the Water farre from the Bottome As for the Water-Lilly it hath a Root in the Ground And so haue a Number of other Herbs that grow in Ponds It is reported by some of the Ancients and some Moderne Teftimony likewife that there be some Plants that grow vpon the Top of the Sea Being supposed to grow of some Concretion of Slime from the Water where the Sunne beateth hot and where the Sea stirreth little As for Alga Marina Sea-weed and Eryngium Sea-Thistle both haue Roots but the Sea-weed vnder the Water the Sea-Thistle but vpon the Shore The Ancients haue noted that there are some Herbs that grow out of Snow laid vp close together and Putrified And that they are all Bitter And they name one specially Flomus which wee call Moth-Mullein It is certaine that Wormes are found in Snow commonly like Earth-Wormes And therefore it is not vnlike that it may likewise put forth Plants The Ancients haue affirmed that there are some Herbs that grow out of Stone Which may be for that it is certain that Toads haue been found in the Middle of a Free-Stone We see also that Flints lying aboue Ground gather Mosse And Wall-Flowers and some other Flowers grow vpon Walls But whether vpon the Maine Bricke or Stone or whether out of the Lime or Chinckes is not well obserued For Elders and Ashes haue beene seene to grow out of Steeples But they manifestly grow out of Clefts In so much as when they grow big they will disioyne the Stone
you stay Neither shall you stay one day the lesse for that As for any Merchandize yee haue brought yee shall be well vsed and haue your returne either in Merchandize or in Gold and Siluer For to vs it is all one And if you haue any other Request to make hide it not For yee shall finde we will not make your Countenance to fall by the Answer ye shall receiue Onely this I must tell you that none of you must goe aboue a Karan that is with them a Mile and an halfe from the walles of the Citty without especiall leaue We answered after we had looked awhile one vpon another admiring this gracious and parent-like vsage That we could not tell what to say For wee wanted words to expresse our Thankes And his Noble free Offers lest vs nothing to aske It seemed to vs that we had before vs a picture of our Saluation in Heauen For wee that were a while since in the Iawes of Death were now brought into a place where we found nothing but Consolations For the Commandement laid vpon vs we would not faile to obey it though it was impossible but our Hearts should be enflamed to tread further vpon this Happy and Holy Ground Wee added That our Tongues should first cleaue to the Roofes of our Mouthes ere we should forget either his Reuerend Person or this whole Nation in our Prayers Wee also most humbly besought him to accept of vs as his true seruants by as iust a Right as euer Men on Earth were bounden laying and presenting both our persons and all we had at his feete He said He was a Priest and looked for a Priests reward which was our Brotherly loue and the Good of our Soules and Bodies So he went from vs not without teares of Tendernesse in his Eyes And left vs also confused with Ioy and Kindnesse saying amongst our selues That wee were come into a Land of Angells which did appeare to vs dayly and preuent vs with Comforts which we thought not of much lesse expected The next day about 10. of the Clocke the Gouernour came to vs againe and after Salutations said familiarly That he was come to visit vs And called for a Chaire and satt him downe And we being some 10. of vs the rest were of the meaner Sort or else gone abroad sate down with him And when we were sett he began thus Wee of this Island of Bensalem for so they call it in their Language haue this That by meanes of our solitary Situation and of the Lawes of Secrecy which we haue for our Trauellers and our rare Admission of Strangers we know well most part of the Habitable World and are our selues vnknowne Therefore because he that knoweth least is sittest to aske Questions it is more Reason for the Entertainement of the time that yee aske mee Questions then that I aske you We answered That wee humbly thanked him that he would giue vs leaue so to doe And that wee conceiued by the tast wee had already that ther was no wordly thing on Earth more worthy to be knowne then the State of that happy Land But aboue all We said since that wee were mett from the feuer all Ends of the World and boped assuredly that we should meete one day in the Kingdome of Heauen for that we were both parts Christians wee desired to know in respect that Land was so remote and so diuided by vast and vnknowne Seas from the Land wher our SAVIOVR walked on Earth who was the Apostle of that Nation and how it was conuerted to the Faith It appeared in his face that he tooke great Contentment in this our Question Hee said Yee knit my Heart to you by asking this Question in the first place For it sheweth that you First seeke the Kingdome of Heauen And I shall gladly and briefly satis fie your demaund About twenty Yeares after the Ascension of our SAVIOVR it came to passe that ther was seen by the People of Renfusa a Citty vpon the Easterne Coast of our Island within Night the Night was Cloudy and Calme as it might be some mile into the Sea a great Pillar of Light Not sharp but in forme of a Columne or Cylinder rising from the Sea a great way vp towards Heauen and on the topp of it was seene a large Crosse of Light more bright and resplendent then the Body of the Pillar Vpon which so strange a Spectacle the People of the Citty gathered apace together vpon the Sands to wonder And so after put themselues into a number of small Boates to goe nearer to this Marueilous sight But when the Boates were come within about 60. yeards of the Pillar they found themselues all bound and could goe no further yet so as they might moue to goe about but might not approach nearer So as the Boates stood all as in a Theater beholding this Light as an Heauenly Signe It so fell out that ther was in one of the Boates one of our Wise Men of the Society of Salomons House which House or Colledge my good Brethren is the very Eye of this Kingdome Who hauing a while attentiuely and deuoutly viewed and contemplated this Pillar and Crosse fell downe vpon his face And then raysed himselfe vpon his knees and listing vp his Hands to Heauen made his prayers in this manner LOrd God of Heauen and Earth thou hast vouchsafed of thy Grace to those of our Order to know thy Workes of Creation and the Secretts of them And to discerne as farre as appertaineth to the Generations of Men Between Diuine Miracles Workes of Nature Works of Art and Impostures and Illusions of all sorts I doe here acknowledge and testifie before this People that the Thing which we now see before our eyes is thy Finger and a true Miracle And for-as-much as we learne in our Bookes that thou neuer workest Miracles but to a Diuine and Excellent End for the Lawes of Nature are thine owne Lawes and thou exceedest them not but vpon great cause wee most humbly beseech thee to prosper this great Signe And to giue vs the Interpretation and vse of it in Mercy Which thou doest in some part secretly promise by sending it vnto vs. VVhen he had made his Prayer hee presently found the Boate he was in moueable and vnbound whereas all the rest remained still fast And taking that for an assurance of Leaue to approach he caused the Boate to be softly and with silence rowed towards the Pillar But ere he came neere it the Pillar and Crosse of Light brake vp and cast it selfe abroad as it were into a Firmament of many Starres which also vanished soone after and there was nothing lest to be seen but a small Arke or Chest of Cedar dry and not wett at all with water though it swam And in the Fore-end of it which was towards him grew a small greene Branch of Palme And when the wise Man had taken it with all reuerence into his Boate it opened of