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-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
Bodies than we know any For there haue beene Cups made of them and an Image of Iupiter But it is like they were Wilde-Vines For the Vines that they vse for Wine are so often Cut and so much Digged and Dressed that their Sap spendeth into the Grapes and so the Stalke cannot increase much in Bulke The Wood of Vines is very durable without Rotting And that which is strange though no Tree hath the Twigges while they are greene so brittle yet the Wood dryed is extreme Tough And was vsed by the Captaines of Armies amongst the Romans for their Cudgells It is reported that in some Places Vines are suffered to grow like Herbs spreading vpon the Ground And that the Grapes of those Vines are very great It were good to make tryall whether Plants that vse to be borne vp by Props will not put forth greater Leaues and greater Fruits if they be laid along the Ground As Hops lâ—y Wood bine c. Quinces or Apples c. if you will keepe them long drowne them in Honey But because Honey perhaps will giue them a Taste Ouerlushious it were good to make Triall in Powder of Sugar Or in Syrrup of Wine onely Boyled to Height Both these would likewise be tried in Orenges Limons and Pomgranats For the Powder of Sugar and Syrrup of Wine will serue for more times than once The Conseruation of Fruit would be also tried in Vessells filled with fine Sand or with Powder of Chalke Or in Meale and Flower Or in Dust of Oake-wood Or in Mill. Such Fruits as you appoint for Long Keeping you must gather before they be full Ripe And in a Faire and Dry Day towards Noone And when the Wind bloweth not South And when the Moone is vnder the Earth And in Decrease Take Grapes and hang them in an Empty Vessell well Stopped And set the Vessell not in a Cellar but in some dry Place And it is said they will last long But it is reported by some they will keepe better in a Vessell halfe full of Wine so that the Grapes touch not the Wine It is reported that the Preseruing of the Stalke helpeth to preserue the Grape Especially if the Stalke be put into the Pith of Elder the Elder not touching the Fruit. It is reported by some of the Ancients that Fruit put in Bottles and the Bottles let downe into Wells vnder Water will keepe long Of Herbs and Plants some are good to eat Raw As Lettuce Endiue Purslane Tarragon Cresses Cucumbers Muske-Melons Radish c. Others onely after they are Boyled or haue Passed the Fire As Parsley Clary Sage Parsnips Turnips Asparagus Artichoakes though they also being young are eaten Raw But a Number of Herbs are not Esculent at all As Worme-wood Grasse Greeke-Corne Centory Hyssope Lauender Balme c. The Causes are for that the Herbs that are not Esculent do want the two Tastes in which Nourishment resteth Which are Fat and Sweet And haue contrariwise Bitter and Ouer-strong Tastes or a Iuyce so Crude as cannot be ripened to the degree of Nourishment Herbes and Plants that are Esculent Raw haue Fatnesse or Sweetnesse as all Esculent Fruits Such are Onions Lettuce c. But then it must be such a Fatnesse for as for Sweet Things they are in effect alwayes Esculent as is not Ouer-grosse and Loading of the Stomach For Parsnips and Leeks haue Fatnesse But it is too Grosse and Heauy without Boyling It must be also in a Substance somewhat Tender For we see Wheat Barley Artichoakes are no good Nourishment till they haue Passed the Fire But the Fire doth ripen and maketh them soft and tender and so they become Esculent As for Radish and Tarragon and the like they are for Condiments and not for Nourishment And euen some of those Herbes which are not Esculent are notwithstanding Poculent As Hop 's Broome c. Quare what Herbs are good for Drinke besides the two aforenamed For that it may perhaps ease the Charge of Brewing if they make Beere to require lesse Malt or make it last longer Parts fit for the Nourishment of Man in Plants are Seeds Roots and Fruits But chiefly Seeds and Roots For Leaues they giue no Nourishment at all or very little No more doe Flowers or Blossomes or Stalkes The Reason is for that Roots and Seeds and Fruits in as much as all Plants consist of an Oyly and Watry Substance commixed haue more of the Oyly Substance And Leaues Flowers c. of the Watry And secondly they are more Concocted For the Root which continueth euer in the Earth is still Concocted by the Earth And Fruits and Graines we see are halfe a yeare or more in Concocting Whereas Leaues are out and Perfect in a Moneth Plants for the most part are more strong both in Taste and Smell in the Seed than in the Leafe and Root The Cause is for that in Plants that are not of a Fierce and Eager Spirit the Vertue is increased by Concoction and Maturation which is euer most in the Seed But in Plants that are of a Fierce and Eager Spirit they are stronger whilest the Spirit is enclosed in the Root And the Spirits doe but weaken and dissipate when they come to the Aire and Sunne As we see it in Onions Garlicke Dragon c. Nay there be Plants that haue their Roots very Hot and Aromaticall And their Seeds rather Insipide As Ginger The Cause is as was touched before for that the Heat of those Plants is very Dissipable which vnder the Earth is contained and held in But when it commeth to the Aire it exhaleth The Iuyces of Fruits are either Watry or Oyly I reckon amongst the Watry all the Fruits out of which Drinke is expressed As the Grape the Apple the Peare the Cherry the Pomgranate c. And there are some others which though they be not in vse for Drinke yet they appeare to be of the same Nature As Plummes Serukes Mulberries Rasps Orenges Limons c. And for those Iuyces that are so fleshy as they cannot make Drinke by Expression yet perhaps they may make Drinke by Mixture of Water Poculaque admistis imitantur vitea Sorbis And it may be Heps and Brier-Berries would doe the like Those that haue Oyly Iuyce are Oliues Almonds Nuts of all sorts Pine-Apples c. And their Iuyces are all Inflammable And you must obserue also that some of the Watry Iuyces after they haue gathered Spirit will Burne and Enflame As Wine There is a Third Kinde of Fruit that is sweet without either Sharpnesse or Oylinesse Such as is the Fig and the Date It hath beene noted that most Trees and specially those that beare Mast are fruitfull but once in two yeares The Cause no doubt is the Expence of Sap For many Orchard-Trees well Cultured will beare diuers yeares together There is no Tree which besides the Naturall Fruit doth beare so many Bastard-Fruits as the Oake doth For besides the Acorne it beareth Galls Oake-Apples and certaine Oake-Nuts
went sundry Voyages as well to your Streights which you call the Pillars of Hercules As to other parts in the Atlantique and Mediterrane Seas As to Paguin which is the same with Cambaline and Quinzy vpon the Orientall Seas as farre as to the Borders of the East Tartary At the same time and an Age after or more the Inhabitants of the great Atlantis did flourish For though the Narration and Description which is made by a great Man with you that the Descendents of Neptune planted there and of the Magnificent Temple Pallace Citie and Hill And the manifold streames of goody Nauigable Riuers which as so many Chaines enuironed the same Site and Temple And the seuerall Degrees of Ascent wherby Men did climb vp to the same as if it bad bin a Scala Caeli be all Poetical Fabulous Yet so much is true that the said Country of Atlantis As well that of Peru then Called Coya as that of Mexico then named Tyrambel were mighty proud Kingdomes in Armes Shipping and Riches So Mighty as at one time or at least within the space of 10. Yeares they both made two great Expeditions They of Tirambel through the Atlantique to the Mediterrane Sea and they of Coya through the South Sea vpon this our Island And for the former of these which was into Europe the same Authour amongst you as it seemeth had some relation from the Egyptian Priest whom he citeth For assuredly such a thing ther waâ— But whether it were the Ancient Athenians that had the glory of the Repulse and Resistance of those Forces I can say nothing But certaine it is there neuer came backe either Ship or Mâ—r from that Voyage Neither had the other Voyage of those of Coya vpon vs had better fortune if they had not met with Enemies of greater clemency For the King of this Island by name Altabin a wife Man and a great Warrier Knowing well both his owne strength and that of his Enemies handled the matter so as he cut off their Land-Forces from their Ships and encoyled both their Nauy and their Campe with a greater Power then theirs both by Sea and Land And compelled them to render themselues without striking stroke And after they were at his Mercy contenting himselfe onely with their Oath that they should no more beare Armes against him dismissed them all in safety But the Diuine Reuenge ouertooke not long after those proud Enterprises For within lesse then the space of one Hundred Yeares the Great Atlantis was vtterly lost and destroyed Not by a great Earthquake as your Man saith For that whole Tract is little subiect to Earthquakes But by a particular Deluge or Inundation Those Countries hauing at this Day farr greater Riuers and farr higher Mountaines to poure downe waters then any part of the Old World But it is true that the same Inundation was not deepe Not past fourty foote in most places from the Ground So that although it destroyed Man and Beast generally yet some few wild Inhabitants of the Wood escaped Birds also were saued by flying to the high Trees and Woods For as for Men although they had Buildings in many places higher then the Depth of the Water Yet that Inundation though it were shallow had a long Continuance whereby they of the Vale that were not drowned perished for want of Food and other things necessary So as maruaile you not at the thin Population of America nor at the Rudenesse and Ignorance of the People For you must account your Inhabitants of America as a young People Younger a thousand yeares at the least then the rest of the World For that ther was so much time betweene the Vniuersall Floud and their Particular Inundation For the poore Remnant of Humane Seed which remained in their Mountaines Peopled the Countrey againe slowly by little and little And being simple and sauage People Not like Noah and his Sonnes which was the chiefe Family of the Earth they were not able to leaue Letters Arts and Ciuillity to their Posterity And hauing likewise in their Mountanous Habitations beene vsed in respect of the Extreame Cold of those Regions to cloath themselues with the Skinns of Tygers Beares and great Hairy Goates that they haue in those Parts When after they came downe into the Valley and found the Intollerable Heates which are there and knew no meanes of lighter Apparell they were forced to beginn the Custome of Going Naked which continueth at this day Onely they take great pride and delight in the Feathers of Birds And this also they tooke from those their Auncestours of the Mountaines who were inuited vnto it by the infinite Flights of Birdes that came vp to the high Grounds while the Waters stood below So you see by this maine Accident of Time wee lost our Traffique with the Americans with whom of all others in regard they lay nearest to vs wee had most Commerce As for the other Parts of the World it is most manifest that in the Ages following whether it were in respect of Warres or by a naturall Reuolution of Time Nauigation did euery wher greatly decay And specially farre Voyages the rather by the vse of Gallies and such Vessells as could hardly brooke the Ocean were altogether left and omitted So then that part of Entercourse which could bee from other Nations to Sayle to vs you see how it hath long since ceased Except it were by some rare Accident as this of yours But now of the Cessation of that other Part of Entercourse which mought be by our Sayling to other Nations I must yeeld you some other Cause For I cannot say if I shall say truely but our Shipping for Number Strength Marriners Pylots and all things that appertaine to Nauigation is as great as euer And therefore why we should sit at home I shall now giue you an account by it selfe And it will draw nearer to giue you satisfaction to your principall Question There raigned in this Island about 1900. yeares agoe a King whose memory of all others we most adore Not Superstitiously but as Diuine Instrument though a Mortall Man His Name was Solamona And we esteeme him as the Law-giuer of our Nation This King had a large heart inscrutable for good And was wholly bent to make his kingdome and People Happy He therefore taking into Consideration how sufficient and substantiue this Land was to maintaine it self without any ayd at all of the Forrainer Being 5600. Miles in circuit and of rare Fertility of Soyle in the greatest part thereof And finding also the Shipping of this Country mought bee plentifully set on worke both by Fishing and by Transportations from Port to Port and likewise by Sayling vnto some small Islands that are not farre from vs and are vnder the Crowne and Lawes of this State And recalling into his Memory the happy and flourishing Estate wherein this Land then was So as it mought bee a thousand wayes altered to the worse but scarse any one way to
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
a wall the greatest Fruits towards the Bottome And in France the Grapes that make the Wine grow vpon low Vines bound to small Stakes And the raised Vines in Arbours make but Veriuyce It is true that in Italy and other Countries where they haue hotter Sunne they raise them vpon Elmes and Trees But I conceiue that if the French Manner of Planting low were brought in vse there their Wines would be stronger and sweeter But it is more chargeable in respect of the Props It were good to try whether a Tree grafted somewhat neare the Ground and the lower boughes onely maintained and the higher continually proined off would not make a larger Fruit. To haue Fruit in Greater Plenty the way is to graft not onely vpon young Stockes but vpon diuers Boughes of an old Tree for they will beare great Numbers of Fruit Whereas if you graft but vpon one Stocke the Tree can beare but few The Digging yearely about the Roots of Trees which is a great means both to the Acceleration and Melioration of Fruits is practised in nothing but in Vines Which if it were transferred vnto other Trees and Shrubs as Roses c. I conceiue would aduance them likewise It hath beene knowne that a Fruit-Tree hath beene blowne vp almost by the Roots and set vp againe and the next yeare bare exceedingly The Cause of this was nothing but the Looseming of the Earth which comforteth any Tree and is fit to be practised more than it is in Fruit-Trees For Trees cannot be so fitly remoued into New Grounds as Flowers and Herbs may To reuiue an Old Tree the Digging of it about the Roots and Applying new Mould to the Roots is the way We see also that Draught-Oxen put into fresh Pasture gather new and tender Flesh And in all Things better Nourishment than hath beene vsed doth helpe to renew Especially if it be not onely better but changed and differing from the former If an Herbe be cut off from the Roots in the beginning of Winter and then the Earth be troden and beaten downe hard with the Foot and Spade the Roots will become of very great Magnitude in Summer The Reason is for that the Moisture being forbidden to come vp in the Plant stayeth longer in the Root and so dilateth it And Gardiners vse to tread downe any loose Ground after they haue sowne Onions or Turnips c. If Panicum be laid below and about the Bottome of a Root it will cause the Root to grow to an Excessiue Bignesse The Cause is for that being it selfe of a Spungy Substance it draweth the Moisture of the Earth to it and so feedeth the Root This is of greatest vse for Onions Turnips Parsnips and Carrets The Shifting of Ground is a Meanes to better the Tree and Fruit But with this Caution That all Things doe prosper best when they are aduanced to the better Your Nursery of Stockes ought to be in a more Barren Ground than the Ground is whereunto you remoue them So all Grasiers preferre their Cattell from meaner Pastures to better We see also that Hardnesse in Youth lengthneth Life because it leaueth a Cherishing to the better of the Body in Age Nay in Exercises it is good to begin with the hardest as Dancing in Thicke Shooes c. It hath beene obserued that Hacking of Trees in their Barke both downe-right and acrosse so as you make them rather in slices than in continued Hacks doth great good to Trees And especially deliuereth them from being Hide-bound and killeth their Mosse Shade to some Plants conduceth to make them large and prosperous more than Sun As in Strawberries and Bayes c. Therefore amongst Strawberries sow here and there some Barrage-Seed And you shall finde the Strawberries vnder those Leaues farro more large than their Fellowes And Bayes you must plant to the North Or defond them from the Sunne by a Hedge-Row And when you sow the Berries weed not the Borders for the first halfe yeare For the Weed giueth them Shade To increase the Crops of Phâ—â—â— there would be considered not only the Increasing the Lust of the Earth or of the Plant but the Sauing also of that which is spilt So they haue lately made a Triall to Set Wheat which neuerthelesse hath beene left off because of the trouble and paines Yet so much is true that there is much saued by the Setting in comparison of that which is Sewen Both by keeping it from being picked vp by Birds And by Auoiding the Shallow lying of it whereby much that is sowen taketh no Root It is prescribed by some of the Ancients that you take Small Trees vpon which Figs or other Fruit grow being yet vnripe and couer the Trees in the Middle of Autamne with dung vntill the Spring And then take them vp in a warme day and replant them in good Ground And by that meanes the former yeares Tree will be ripe as by a new Birth when other Trees of the fame kinde doe but blossome But this seemeth to haue no great Probabilitie It is reported that if you take Nitre and mingle it with Water to the thicknesse of Honey and therewith anoint the Bud after the Vine is cut it will sprout forth within eight dayes The Cause is like to be if the Experiment be true the Opening of the Bud and of the Parts Contiguous by the Spirit of the Nitre For Nitre is as it were the Life of Vegetables Take Seed or Kernells of Apples Peares Orenges Or a Peach or a Plum Stone c. And put them into a Squill which is like a great Onion and they will come vp much earlier than in the Earth it selfe This I conceiue no be as a Kinde of Grafting in the Root For as the Stocke of a Graft yeeldeth better prepared Nourishment to the Graft than the Crude Earth So the Squill doth the like to the Seed And I suppose the same would be done by Putting Kernells into a Turnip or the like Saue that the Squill is more Vigorous and Hot. It may be tried also with putting Onion-Seed into an Onion-Head which thereby perhaps will bring forth a larger and earlier Onion The Pricking of a Fruit in seuerall places when it is almost at his Bignesse and before it ripeneth hath beene practised with successe to ripen the Fruit more suddenly Wee see the Example of the Biting of Waspes or Wormes vpon Fruit whereby it manifestly ripeneth the sooner It is reported that Alga Marina Sea-weed put vnder the Roots of Coleworts and perhaps of other Plants will further their Growth The vertue no doubt hath Relation to Salt which is a great Helpe to Fertilitie It hath beene practised to cut off the Stalkes of Cucumbers immediately after their Bearing close by the Earth And then to cast a prettie Quantitie of Earth vpon the Plant that remaineth and they will beare the next yeare Fruit long before the ordinary time The Cause may be for that the Sap goeth downe the sooner and is not
semper aliquid Monstri parit commeth for that the Fountaines of Waters there being rare diuers Sorts of Beasts come from seuerall Parts to drinke And so being refreshed fall to couple and many times with seuerall Kinds The Compounding or Mixture of Kinds in Plants is not found out Which neuerthelesse if it be possible is more at command than that of liuing Creatures For that their Lust requireth a voluntary Motion wherefore it were One of the most Noble Experiments touching Plants to finde it out For so you may haue great Varietie of New Fruits and Flowers yet vnknowne Grafting doth it not That mendeth the Fruit or doubleth the Flowers c. But it hath not the Power to make a New Kinde For the Cions euer ouer-ruleth the Stocke It hath beene set downe by one of the Ancients that if you take two Twigs of seuerall Fruit Trees and flat them on the Sides and then binde them close together and set them in the ground they will come vp in one Stocke But yet they will put forth their seuerall Fruits without any Commixture in the Fruit. Wherein note by the way that Vnitie of Continuance is easier to procure than Vnitie of Species It is reported also that Vines of Red and White Grapes being set in the Ground and the vpper Parts being flatted and bound close together will put forth Grapes of the seuerall Colours vpon the same Branch And Grape-Stones of seuerall Colours within the same Grape But the more after a yeare or two The Vnitie as it seemeth growing more Perfect And this will likewise helpe if from the first Vniting they be often Watred For all Moisture helpeth to Vnion And it is prescribed also to binde the Bud as soone as it commeth forth as well as the Stocke At the least for a time They report that diuers Seeds put into a Clout and laid in Earth well dunged will put vp Plants Contiguous Which afterwards being bound in their Shoots will Incorporate The like is said of Kernels put into a Bottle with a Narrow Mouth filled with Earth It is reported that young Trees of seuerall kindes set contiguous without any binding and very often Watred in a Fruitfull Ground with the very Luxurie of the Trees will incorporate and grow together Which seemeth to me the likeliest Meanes that hath beene propounded For that the Binding doth hinder the Naturall Swelling of the Tree which while it is in Motion doth better vnite There are many Ancient and Receiued Traditions and Obseruations touching the Sympathy and Antipathy of Plants For that some will thriue best growing neere others which they impute to Sympathy And some worse which they impute to Antipathy But these are Idle and Ignorant Conceits And forsake the true Indication of the Causes As the most Part of Experiments that concerne Sympathies and Antipathies doe For as to Plants neither is there any such Secret Friendship or Hatred as they imagine And if we should be content to call it Sympathy and Antipathy it is vtterly mistaken For their Sympathy is an Antipathy and their Antipathy is a Sympathy For it is thus Wheresoeuer one Plant draweth such a particular Iuyce out of the Earth as it qualifieth the Earth So as that Iuyce which remaineth is fit for the other Plant there the Neighbourhood doth good Because the Nourishments are contrary or seuerall But where two Plants draw much the same Iuyce there the Neighbourhood hurteth For the one deceiueth the other First therfore all Plants that doe draw much Nourishment from the Earth and so soake the Earth and exhaust it hurt all Things that grow by them As Great Trees especially Ashes and such Trees as spread their Roots neere the Top of the Ground So the Colewort is not an Enemy though that were anciently receiued to the Vine only But it is an Enemy to any other Plant Because it draweth strongly the fattest Iuyce of the Earth And if it be true that the Vine when it creepeth neere the Colewort will turneaway This may be because there it findeth worse Nourishment For though the Root be where it was yet I doubt the Plant will bend as it nourisheth Where Plants are of seuerall Natures and draw seuerall Iuyces out of the Earth there as hath beene said the One set by the other helpeth As it is set downe by diuers of the Ancients that Rew doth prosper much and becommeth stronger if it be set by a Figge-Tree which we conceiue is caused Not by Reason of Friendship but by Extraction of a Contrary Iuyce The one Drawing Iuyce fit to result Sweet the other bitter So they haue set downe likewise that a Rose set by Garlicke is sweeter Which likewise may be because the more Fetide Iuyce of the Earth goeth into the Garlicke And the more Odorate into the Rose This wee see manifestly that there be certaine Corne-Flowers which come seldome or neuer in other places vnlesse they be set But onely amongst Corne As the Blew-Bottle a kinde of Yellow Mary Gold Wilde Poppy and Fumitorie Neither can this be by Reason of the Culture of the Ground by Plowing or Furrowing As some Herbs and Flowers will grow but in Ditches new Cast for if the Ground lie sallow and vnsowne they will not come So as it should seeme to be the Corne that qualifieth the Earth and prepareth it for their Growth This Obseruation if it holdeth as it is very probable is of great vse for the Meliorating of Taste in Fruits and Esculent Herbs And of the Sent of Flowers For I doe not doubt but if the Figge-Tree doe make the Rew more strong and bitter as the Ancients haue noted good store of Rew planted about the Figge-Tree will make the Figge more sweet Now the Tastes that doe most offend in Fruits and Herbs and Roots are Bitter Harrish Sowre And Watrish or Flashy It were good therefore to make the Trials following Take Wormewood or Rew and set it neere Lettuce or Goleflory or Artiâ—hoake And see whether the Lettuce or the Coleflory c. become not the sweeter Take a Seruice-Tree or a Cornelian-Tree or an Elder-Tree which wee know haue Fruits of harsh and binding Iuyce and set them neere a Vine or Figge-Tree and see whether the Grapes or Figs will be the sweeter Take Cucumbers or Pumpions and set them here and there amongst Muske-Melons and see whether the Melons will not be more Winy and better tasted Set Cucumbers likewise amongst Radish and see whether the Radish will not be made the more Biting Take Sorrell and set it amongst Rosps and see whether the Rasps will not be the sweeter Take Common Briar and set it amongst Violets or Wall-Flowers and see whether it will not make the Violets or Wall-Flowers sweeter and lesse Earthy in their Smell So set Lettuce or Cucumbers amongst Rosemary or Bayes and see whether the Rosemary on Bayes will not be the more Odorate or Aromaticall Contrariwise you must take heed how you set Herbs together that draw
in the rest And Triall would be made of Grasting of RoseMary and Bayes and Box vpon a Holly-Stocke Because they are Planes that come all Winter It were good to try it also with Grafts of other Trees either Fruit-Trees or Wilde-Trees To see whether they will not yeeld their Fruit or beare their Leaues later and longer in the Winter because the Sap of the Holly putteth forth most in the Winter It may be also a Mexerion-Tree grafted vpon a Holly will proue both an Earlier and a Greater Tree There be some Plants that beare no Flower and yet beare Fruit There be some that beare Flowers and no Fruit There be some that beare neither Flowers nor Fruit. Most of the great Timber-Trees as Oakes Beeches c. beare not apparent Flowers Some few likewise of the Fruit-Trees As Mulberry Wall-unt c. And some Shrubs as Iuniper Holly c. beare no Flowers Diuers Herbs also beare Seeds which is as the Fruit and yet beare no Flowers As Parslane c. Those that beare Flowers and no Fruit are few At the Double Cherry the Sallow c. But for the Cherry it is doubtfull whether it be not by Art or Culture For if it be by Art then Triall would be made whether Apples and other Fruits Blossomes may not be doubled There are some Few that beare neither Fruit nor Flower As the Elme the Poplers Box Brakes c. There be some Plants that shoot still vpwards and can Support themselues As the greatest Part of Trees and Plants There be some Other that Creepe along the Ground Or Winde about other Trees or Props and cannot support themselues As Vines Iuy Briar Briony Woodbines Hop 's Climatis Camomill c. The Cause is as hath beene partly touched for that all Plants naturally moue vpwards But if the Sap put vp too fast it maketh a slender Stalks which will not support the weight And therefore these latter Sort are all Swift and Hasty Commers The first and most Ordinary Holpe is Stercoration The Sheeps-Dung is one of the best And next the Dung of Kine And thirdly that of Horses Which is held to be somewhat too hot vnlesse it be mingled That of Pigeons for a Garden or a small Quantity of Ground excelleth The Ordering of Dung is If the Ground be Arable to spread it immediately before the Plonghing and Sowing And so to Plough it in For if you spread it long before the Sunne will draw out much of the Fatnesse of the Dung If the Ground be Grazing Ground to spread it somewhat late towards Winter That the Sunne may haue the lesse Power to dry it vp As for speciall Composts for Gardens as a Hot Bed c. we haue handled them before The Second Kind of Compost is the Spreading of diuers Kinds of Earths As Marle Chalke Sea-Sand Earth vpon Earth Pond-Earth And the Mixtures of them Marle is thought to be the best As hauing most Fatnesse And not Heating the Ground too much The next is Sea-Sand Which no doubt obtaineth a speciall Vertue by the Salt For Salt is the first Rudiment of life Chalke ouer heateth the Ground a little And therfore is best vpon Gold Clay-Grounds or Moist Grounds But I heard a great Husband say that it was a common Errour to thinke that Chalke helpeth Arable Grounds but helpeth not Grazing Grounds Wheras indeed it helpeth Grasse as well as Corne But that which breedeth the Errour is because after the Chalking of the Ground they weare it out with many Crops without Rest And then indeed afterwards it will beare little Grasse because the Gound is tired out It were good to try the laying of Chalke vpon Arable Grounds a little while before Ploughing And to Plough it in as they doe the Dung But then it must be Friable first by Raine or Lying As for Earth it Copasseth it Selfe For I knew a Great Garden that had a Field in a manner powred vpon it And it did beare Fruit excellently the first yeare of the Planting For the Surface of the Earth is cuer the Fruitfullest And Earth so prepared hath a double Surface But it is true as I coÌ„â—eiue that such Earth as hath Salt-Petre bred in it if you can procure it without too much charge doth excell The way to hasten the Breeding of Salt-Petre is to forbid the Sunne and the Growth of Vegetables And therefore if you make a large Houell thatched ouer some Quantity of Ground Nay if you doe but Plancke the Ground ouer it will breed Salt-petre As for Pond-Earth or Riuer-Earth it is a very good Compost Especially if the Pond haue beene long vncleansed and so the Water be not too Hungry And I iudge it will be yet better if there be some Mixture of Chalke The Third Helpe of Ground is by some other Substances that haue a Vertue to make Ground Fertile though they be not meerely Earth wherin Ashes excell In so much as the Countries about AEtna and Vesuuius haue a kinde of Amends made them for the Mischiefe the Eruptions many times doe by the exceeding Fruit fulnesse of the Soyle caused by the Ashes scattered about Soot also though thinne spred in a Field or Garden is tried to be a very good Compost For Salt it is too Costly But it is tryed that mingled with Seed-Corne and sowen together it doth good And I am of Opinion that Chalke in Powder mingled with Seed-Corne would doe good Perhaps as much as Chalking the Ground all ouer As for the Steeping of the Seeds in seuerall Mixtures with Water to giue them Vigour Or Watring Grounds with Compost-Water We haue spoken of them before The Fourth Helpe of Ground is the Suffering of Vegetables to dye into the Ground And so to Fatten it As the Stubble of Corne Especially PeaseBrakes cast vpon the Ground in the Beginning of Winter will make it very Fruitfull It were good also to try whether Leaues of Trees swept together with some Chalke and Dung mixed to giue them more Heart would not make a good Compost For there is nothing lost so much as Leaues of Trees And as they lye scattered and without Mixture they rather make the Ground soure than otherwise The Fifth Helpe of Ground is Heat and Warmth It hath beene anciâ—â—â—â—â— practised to burne Heath and Ling and Sedge with the vantage of 〈◊〉 Wind vpon the Ground Wee see that Warmth of Walls and Encloâ—â—â—es mendeth Ground We see also that Lying open to the South menâ—â—th Ground We see againe that the Foldings of Sheepe helpe Ground 〈…〉 ll by their Warmth as by their Compost And it may be doubted â—â—â—ther the Couering of the Ground with Brakes in the Beginning of the Winter where of we spake in the last Experiment helpeth it not by reasoâ— of the Warmth Nay some very good Husbands doe suspect that the Gathering vp of Flints in Flinty Ground and Laying them on Heapes which is much vsed is no good Husbandry For that they would keep the Ground Warme The
Sixth Helpe of Ground is by Watering and Irrigation which is in two Munners The one by Letting in and Shutti gout Waters at seasonable Tunes For Water at some Seasons and with reasonable dry deth good But at some other Seasons and with too long Stay doth â—â—â— And this serueth onely for Meadowes which are along some Rtuer The other way is to bring Water from some Hanging Grounds where there are Springs into the Lower Grounds carrying it in some â—â—â— Furrowes And from those Furrowes drawing it trauerse to spread the Water And this maketh an excellent Improuement both for Corne and Grasse It is the richer if those Hanging Grounds be fruitfull because it washeth off some of the Fatnesse of the Earth But howsoeuer it profiteth much Generally where there are great Ouerflowes in Fens or the like the drowning of them in the Winter maketh the Summer following more fruitfull The Cause may be for that it keepeth the Ground warme and nourisheth it But the Fen-Men hold that the Sewers must be kept so as the Water may not stay too long in the Spring til the Weeds and Sedge be growne vp For then the Ground will be like a Wood which keepeth out the Sunne And so continueth the Wet Whereby it will peuer graze to purpose that yeare Thus much for Irrigation But for Anoydances and Draynings of water where there is too much and the Helps of Ground in that kinde wee shall speake of them in another Place NATVRALL HISTORIE VII Century THe Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate Bodies we shall handle fully vnder the Title of Life and Liuing Spirits and Powers We shall therefore make but a briefe Mention of them in this Place The Maine Differences are two All Bodies haue Spirits and Pneumaticall Parts within them But the Maine Differences betweene Animate and Inanimate are two The first is that the Spirits of Things Animate are all Continued with themselues and are Branched in Veines and secret Canales as Bloud is And in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue not only Branches but certaine Cells or Seats where the Principall Spirits doe reside and whereunto the rest doe resort But the Spirits in Things Inanimate are shut in and cut off by the Tangible Parts And are not peruious one to another As Aire is in Snow The Second Maine Difference is that the Spirits of Animate Bodies are all in some degree more or lesse kindled and inflamed And haue a fine Commixture of Flame and an Aeriall Substance But Inanimate Bodies haue their Spirits no whit Inflamed or Kindled And this Difference consisteth not in the Heat or Coolenesse of Spirits For Cloues and other Spices Naphtha and Petroleum haue exceeding Hot Spirits hotter a great deale than Oyle Wax or Tallow c. but not Inflamed And when any of those Weake and Temperate Bodies come to be Inflamed then they gather a much greater Heat than others haue Vn-inflamed besides their Light and Motion c. The Differences which are Secondary and proceed from these two Radicall Differences are First Plants are all Figurate and Determinate which Inanimate Bodies are not For looke how farre the Spirit is able to Spread and Continue it selfe So farre goeth the Shape or Figure And then is determined Secondly Plants doe nourish Inanimate Bodies doe not They haue an Accretion but no Alimentation Thirdly Plants haue a Period of Life which Inanimate Bodies haue not Fourthly they haue a Succession and Propagation of their Kinde which is not in Bodies Inanimate The Differences betweene Plants and Metalls or Fossiles besides those foure before mentioned For Metalls I hold Inanimate are these First Metalls are more Durable than Plants Secondly they are more Solid and Hard Thirdly they are wholly Subterrany Whereas Plants are part aboue Earth and part vnder Earth There be very few Creatures that participate of the Nature of Plants and Metalls both Corall is one of the Nearest of both Kindes Another is Vitrioll for that is aptest to sprout with Moisture Another speciall Affinitie is betweene Plants and Mould or Putrefaction For all Putrefaction if it dissolue not in Arefaction will in the end issue into Plants or Liuing Creatures bred of Putrefaction I account Mosse and Mushromes and Agaricke and other of those kindes to be but Moulds of the Ground Walls and Trees and the like As for Flesh and Fish and Plants themselues and a Number of other things after a Mouldinesse or Rottensesse or Corrupting they will fall to breed Wormes These Putrefactions which haue Affinitie with Plants haue this Difference from them That they haue no Succession or Propagation though they Nourish and haue a Period of Life and haue likewise some Figure I left once by chance a Citron cut in a close Roome for three Summer-Moneths that I was absent And at my Returne there were grown forth out of the Pith cut Tufts of Haires an Inch long with little blacke Heads as if they would haue beene some Herbe The Affinities and Differences betweene Plants and Liuing Creatures are these that follow They haue both of them Spirits Continued and Branched and also Inflamed But first in Liuing Creatures the Spirits haue a Cell or Seat which Plants haue not As was also formerly said And secondly the Spirits of Liuing Creatures hold more of Flame than the Spirits of Plants doe And these two are the Radicall Differences For the Secondary Differences they are as follow First Plants are all Fixed to the Earth Whereas all Liuing Creatures are seuered and of themselues Secondly Liuing Creatures haue Locall Motion Plants haue not Thirdly Liuing Creatures nourish from their Vpper Parts by the Mouth chiefly Plants nourish from below namely from the Roots Fourthly Plants haue their Seed and Seminall Parts vppermost Liuing Creatures haue them lower-most And therefore it was said not elegantly alone but Philosophically Homoest Planta inuerse Man is like a Plant turned vpwards For the Root in Plants is as the Head in Liuing Creatures Fifthly Liuing Creatures haue a more exact Figure than Plants Sixthly Liuing Creatures haue more Diuersity of Organs within their Bodies and as it were Inward Figures than Plants haue Seuenthly Liuing Creatures haue Sense which Plants haue not Eighthly Liuing Creatures haue Voluntary Motion which Plants haue not For the Difference of Sexes in Plants they are oftentimes by name distinguished As Male-Piony Female-Piony Male-Rose-mary FemaleRose mary Hee-Holly Shee-Holly c. but Generation by Copulation certainly extendeth not to Plants The nearest Approach of it is between the Hee-Palme and the Shee-Palme which as they report if they grow neare incline the One to the other In so much as that which is more strange they doubt not to report that to keepe the Trees vpright from Bending they tye Ropes or Lines from the one to the other that the Contact might be enjoyed by the Contact of a Middle Body But this may be Faigned or at least Amplified Neuerthelesse I am apt enough to thinke that this same Binarium of a Stronger
Powdring when a Shower commeth maketh a kinde of Soyling to the Tree being Earth and Water finely laid on And they note that Countries where the Fields and Wayes are Dusty beare the best Vines It is commended by the Ancients for an Excellent Helpe to Trees to lay the Stalks and Leaues of Lupines about the Roots Or to Plough them into the Ground where you will sowe Corne. The Burning also of the Cuttings of Vines and Casting them vpon land doth much Good And it was generally receiued of old that the Dunging of Grounds when the West Wind bloweth and in the Decrease of the Moone doth greatly helpe The Earth as it seemeth being then more thirsty and open to receiue the Dung. The Grafting of Vines vpon Vines as I take it is not now in vse The Ancients had it and that three wayes The First was Insition which is the Ordinary Manner of Grafting The Second was Terebration through the Middle of the Stocke and Putting in the Cions there And the Third was Paring of two Vines that grow together to the Marrow and Binding them close The Diseases and ill Accidents of Corne are worthy to be enquired And would be more worthy to be enquired if it were in Mens Power to helpe them Whereas many of them are not to be remedied The Mildew is one of the Greatest which out of question commeth by Closenesse of Aire And therefore in Hills or large Champaigne Grounds it seldome commeth Such as is with vs York's Worad This cannot be remedied otherwise than that in Countries of Small Enclosure the Grounds be turned into larger Fields Which I haue knowne to doe good in some Farmes Another Disease is the Putting forth of Wilde Oats whereinto Corne oftentimes especially Barley doth degenerate It happeneth chiefly from the Weaknesse of the Graine that is sowen For if it be either too Old or Mouldy it will bring forth Wilde Oats Another Disease is the Saciety of the Ground For if you sow one Ground still with the same Corne I meane not the same Corne that grew vpon the same Ground but the same Kinde of Graine As Wheat Barley c. it will prosper but poorely Therefore besides the Resting of the Ground you must vary the Seed Another ill Accident is from the Winds which hurt at two times At the Flowring by Shaking off the Flowers And at the full Ripening by Shaking out the Corne. Another ill Accident is Drouth at the Spindling of the Corne Which with vs is rate But in Hotter Countries common Insomuch as the Word Calamitas was first deriued from Calamus when the Corne could not get out of the Stalke Another ill Accident is Ouer-wet at Sowing-Time which with vs breedeth much Dearth Insomuch as the Corne neuer commeth vp And many times they are forced to resow Sommer-Corne where they sowed Winter-Corne Another ill Accident is Bitter Frosts continued without Snow Especially in the Beginning of the Winter after the Seed is new Sowen Another Disease is Wormes which sometimes breed in the Root and happen vpon Hot Sunnes and Showers immediately after the Sowing And another Worme breedeth in the Eare it Selfe Especially when Hot Sunnes breake often out of Clouds Another Disease is Weeds And they are such as either Choake and Ouershadow the Corne and beare it downe Or starue the Corne and deceiue it of Nourishment Another Disease is Ouer-Rancknesse of the Corne Which they vse to remedy by Mowing it after it is come vp Or putting Sheepe into it Another ill Accident is Laying of Corne with great Raines neare or in Harnest Another ill Accident is if the Seed happen to haue touched Oyle or any Thing that is Fat For those Substances haue an Antipathy with Nourishment of Water The Remedies of the Diseases of Corne haue beene obserued as followeth The Steeping of the Graine before Sowing a little time in Wine is thought a Presernatiue The Mingling of Seed-Corne with Ashes is thought to be good The Sowing at the Wane of the Moone is thought to make the Corne sound It hath not beene practised but it is thought to be of vse to make some Miscellane in Corne As if you sow a few Beanes with Wheat your Wheat will be the better It hath beene obserued that the Sowing of Corne with Honsleeke doth good Though Graine that toucheth Oyle or Fat receiueth hurt yet the Steeping of it in the Dregs of Oyle when it beginneth to Putrifie which they call Amurca is thought to assure it against Wormes It is reported also that it Corne be Mowed it will make the Graine Longer but Emptier and hauing More of the Huske It hath beene noted that Seed of a yeare old is the Best And of two or three yeares is Worse And that which is more Old is quite Barren Though no doubt some Seeds and Graines last better than others The Corne which in the Vanning lieth lowest is the best And the Corne which broken or bitten retaineth a little Yellownesse is better than that which is very White It hath beene obserued that of all Roots of Herbs the Root of Sorrell goeth the furthest into the Earth Insomuch as it hath bin knowne to go three Cubits deepe And that it is the Root that continueth fit longest to be set againe of any Root that groweth It is a Cold and Acide Herbe that as it seemeth loueth the Earth and is not much drawne by the Sunne It hath beene obserued that some Herbs like best being watred with Salt-Water As Radish Beet Rew Pennyroyall This Triall would be extended to some other Herbs Especially such as are Strong As Tarragon Mustard-Seed Rocket and the like It is strange that is generally receiued how some Poysonous Beasts affect Odorate and Wholesome Herbs As that the Snake loueth Fennell That the Toad will be much vnder Sage That Frogs will be in Cinque foile It may be it is rather the Shade or other Couerture that they take liking in than the Vertue of the Herbe It were a Matter of great Profit saue that I doubt it is too Coniecturall to venture vpon if one could discerne what Corne Herbs or Fruits are like to be in Plenty or Scarcity by some Signes and Prognosticks in the Beginning of the Yeare For as for those that are like to be in Plenty they may be bargained for vpon the Ground As the Old Relation was of Thales who to shew how easie it was for a Philosopher to be rich when he fore-saw a great Plenty of Oliues made a Monopoly of them And for Scarcity Men may make Profit in keeping better the Old Store Long Continuance of Snow is beleeued to make a Fruitfull Yeare of Corne An Earely Winter or a very Late Winter a Barren Yeare of Corne An Open and Serene Winter an ill Yeare of Fruit These we haue partly touched before But other Prognostickes of like Nature are diligently to be enquired There seeme to be in some Plants Singularities wherein they differ from all Other The Oliue hath the Oyly
with Water in them will not Melt easily But without it they will Nay wee see more that Butter or Oyle which in themselues are Inflammable yet by Vertue of their Moisture will doe the like It hath beene noted by the Ancients that it is dangerous to Picke ones Eare whilest he Yawneth The Cause is for that in Yawning the Inner Parchment of the Eare is extended by the Drawing in of the Spirit and Breath For in Yawning and Sighing both the Spirit is first strongly Drawne in and then strongly Expelled It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Sneezing doth cease the Hiccough The Cause is for that the Motion of the Hiccough is a Lifting vp of the Stomacke which Sneezing doth somewhat depresse and diuert the Motion another way For first wee see that the Hiccough commeth of Fulnesse of Meat especially in Children which causeth an Extension of the Stomacke Wee see also it is caused by Acide Meats or Drinkes which is by the Pricking of the Stomacke And this Motion is ceased either by Diuersion Or by Detention of the Spirits Diuersion as in Sneezing Detention as wee see Holding of the Breath doth helpe somewhat to cease the Hiccough And putting a Man into an Earnest Studie doth the like As is commonly vsed And Vinegar put to the Nostbrills or Gargarized doth it also For that it is Astringent and inhibiteth the Motion of the Spirits Looking against the Sunne doth induce Sneezing The Cause is not the Heating of the Nosthrills For then the Holding vp of the Nosthrills against the Sunne though one Winke would doe it But the Drawing downe of the Moisture of the Braine For it will make the Eyes run with Water And the Drawing of Moisture to the Eyes doth draw it to the Nosthrills by Motion of Consent And so followeth Sneezing As contrariwise the Tickling of the Nosthrills within doth draw the Moisture to the Nosthrills and to the Eyes by Consent For they also will Water But yet it hath beene obserued that if one be about to Sneeze the Rubbing of the Eyes till they run with Water will preuent it Where of the Cause is for that the Humour which was descending to the Nosthrills is diuerted to the Eyes The Teeth are more by Cold Drinke or the like affected than the other Parts The Cause is double The One for that the Resistance of Bone to Cold is greater than of Flesh for that Flesh shrinketh but the Bone resisteth whereby the Cold becommeth more eager The Other is for that the Teeth are Parts without Bloud Whereas Bloud helpeth to qualifie the Cold And therefore wee see that the Sinnewes are much affected with Cold For that they are Parts without Bloud So the Bones in Sharpe Colds wax Brittle And therefore it hath beene seene that all Contusions of Bones in Hard Weather are more difficult to Cure It hath been noted that the Tongue receiueth more easily Tokens of Diseases than the other Parts As of Heats within which appeare most in the Blacknesse of the Tongue Againe Pied Cattell are spotted in their Tongues c. The Cause is no doubt the Tendernesse of the Part which thereby receiueth more easily all Alterations than any other Parts of the Flesh. When the Mouth is out of Taste it maketh Things taste sometimes Salt Chiefly Bitter And sometimes Loathsome But neuer Sweet The Cause is the Corrupting of the Moisture about the Tongue Which many times turneth Bitter and Salt and Loathsome But Sweet neuer For the rest are Degrees of Corruption It was obserued in the Great Plague of the last Yeare that there were seene in diuers Ditches and low Grounds about London many Toads that had Tailes two or three Inches long at the least Whereas Toads vsually haue no Tailes at all Which argueth a great Disposition to Putrefaction in the Soile and Aire It is reported likewise that Roots such as Carrets and Parsuips are more Sweet and Lushious in Infectious Yeares than in other Yeares Wife Physitians should with all diligence inquire what Simples Nature yeeldeth that haue extreme Subtile Parts without any Mordication or Acrimony For they Vndermine that which is Hard They open that which is Stopped and Shut And they expell that which is Offensive gently without too much Perturbation Of this Kinde are Elder-Flowers which therefore are Proper for the Stone Of this kinde is the DwarfePine which is Proper for the laundies Of this kinde is Harts-Horne which is Proper for Agues and Infections Of this kinde is Piony which is Proper for Stoppings in the Head Of this kinde is Fumitory which is Proper for the Splâ—â—â—e And a Number of Others Generally diuers Creatures bred of Putrefaction though they be somewhat loathsome to take are of this kinde As Earth-wormes Timber-Sowes Snailes c. And I conceiue that the Trechischs of Vipers which are so much magnified and the Flesh of Snakes some wayes condited and corrected which of late are growne into some Credite are of the same Nature So the Parts of Beasts Putrified as Castereum and Muske which haue extreme Subtill Parts are to be placed amongst them We see also that Patrefactions of Plants as Agarichs and lewes â—â—â—â— are of greatest Vertue The Cause is for that Putrefection is the Subtillest of all Motions in the Parts of Bodies And since we cannot take downe the Lines of Liuing Creatures which some of the â—â—â— say If they could be taken downe would make vs Immortall the Next is for Subtilty of Operation to take Bodies Putresied Such as may be safely taken It hath beene obserued by the Ancients that Much vse of Venus doth Dimme the Sight And yet Eunuchs which are vnable to generate are neuerthelesse also Dimme Sighted The Cause of Dimnesse of Sight in the Former is the Expence of Spirts In the Latter the Ouer-moisture of the Braine For the Ouer-moisture of the Braine doth thicken the Spirits Visuall and obstructeth their Passages As we see by the Decay in the Sight in Age Where also the Diminution of the Spirits concurreth as another Cause we see also that Blindnesse commeth by Rheumes and â—â—â— Now in â—â—â— there are all the Notes of Moisture As the Swelling of their Thighes the Loosenesse of their Belly the Smoothnesse of their Skinne c. The Pleasure in the Act of Venus is the greatest of the Pleasures of the Senses The Matching of it with Itch is vnproper though that also be Pleasing to the touch But the Conses are Profound First all the Organe of the Senses qualifie the Nations of the Spirits And make so many Seuerall Species of Motions and Pleasures or Displeasures thereupon as there be Dinersitics of Organs The Instruments of Sight Hearing Taste and Smell are of seuerall frame And so are the Parts for Generation Therefore Sealiger doth well to make the Pleasure of Generation a Sixth Sense And if there were any other differing Organs and Qualified Perfraction for the spirits to passe there would be
more than the Fiue Senses Neither doe we well know whether some Beasts and Birds haue not Senses that we know not And the very some of Dogs is almost a sense it selfe Secondly the Pleasures of the Touch are greater and deeper than those of the other Senses As we see in Warming vpon Cold Or Refrigeration vpon Heat For as the Paines of the Touch are greater than the Offences of other Sense So likewise are the Pleasures It is true that the Affecting of the Spirits immediately and as it were without an Organ is of the greatest Pleasure Which is but in two things Sweet Smells And Wine and the like Sweet Vapours For Smells wee see their great and sudden Effect in fetching Men againe when they swoune For Drinke it is certaine that the Pleasure of Drunkennesse is next the Pleasure of Venus And Great Ioyes likewise make the Spirits moue and touch themselues And the pleasure of Venus is somewhat of the same Kinde It hath beene alwayes obserued that Men are more inclined to Venus in the Winter and Women in the Summer The Cause is for that the Spirits in a Body more Hot and dry as the Spirits of Men are by the Summer are more exhaled and dissipated And in the Winter more condensed and kept entire But in Bodies that are Cold and Moist as Womens are the Summer doth Cherish the Spirits and calleth them forth the Winter doth dull them Furthermore the Abstinence or Intermission of the Vse of Venus in Moist and Well Habituate Bodies breedeth a Number of Diseases And especially dangerous Impostumations The Reason is euident For that it is a Principall Euacuation especially of the Spirits For of the Spirits there is scarce any Euacuation but in Venus and Exercise And therefore the Omission of either of them breedeth all Diseases of Repletion The Nature of Viuification is very worthy the Enquiry And as the Nature of Things is commonly better perceiued in Small than in Great and in vnperfect than in perfect and in Parts than in whole So the Nature of Viuification is best enquired in Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Contemplation whereof hath many Excellent Fruits First in Disclosing the Originall of of Viuification Secondly in Disclosing the Originall of Figuration Thirdly in Disclosing many Things in the Nature of Perfect Creatures which in them lye more hidden And Fourthly in Traducing by way of Operation some Obseruations in the Insecta to worke Effects vpon Perfect Creatures Note that the word Insecta agreeth not with the Matter but we euer vse it for Breuities sake intending by it Creatures bred of Putrefaction The Insecta are found to breed out of seuerall Matters Some breed of Mud or Dung As the Earth-wormes Eeles Snakes c. For they are both Putrefactions For Water in Mud doth Puttifie as not able to Preserue it selfe And for Dung all Excrements are the Refuse and Putrefactions of Nourishment Some breed in Wood both Growing and Cut down Quare in what Woods most and at what Seasons We see that the Worms with many Feet which round themselues into Balls are bred chiefly vnder Logs of Timber but not in the Timber And they are said to be found also many times in Gardens where no Logs are But it seemeth their Generation requireth a Couerture both from Sunne and Raine or Dew As the Timber is And therfore they are not Venemous but contrariwise are held by the Physitians to clarifie the Bloud It is obserued also that Cimices are found in the Holes of Bed-Sides Some breed in the Haire of Liuing Creatures As Lice and Tikes which are bred by the Sweat close kept and somewhat are fied by the Haire The Excrements of Liuing Creatures do not only breed Insecta when they are Excerned but also while they are in the Body As in Wormes whereto Children are most subiect and are chiefly in the Guts And it hath beene lately obserued by Physitians that in many Pestilent Diseases there are Wormes found in the vpper Parts of the Body where Excrements are not but onely Humours Putrified Fleas breed Principally of Straw or Mass where there hath beene a little Moisture Or the Chamber and Bed-straw kept close and not Aired It is receiued that they are killed by Strewing Worme-wood in the Rooms And it is truly obserued that Bitter Things are apt rather to kill than engender Putrefaction And they be Things that are Fat or Sweet that are aptest to Putrifie There is a Worme that breedeth in Meale of the shape of a large white Magget which is giuen as a great Dainty to Nightingales The Moath breedeth vpon Cloth and other Lanifices Especially if they be laid vp dankish and wet It delighteth to be about the Flame of a Candle There is a Worme called a Wenill brad vnder Ground and that feedeth vpon Roots As Parsnips Carrets c. Some breed in Waters especially shaded but they must be Standing-waters As the Water-Spider that hath six Legs The Fly called the Oad-fly breedeth of somewhat that Swimmeth vpon the Top of the Water and is most about Ponds There is a Worme that breedeth of the Dregs of Wine Decayed which afterwards as is obserued by some of the Ancients turneth into a Gnat. It hath bin obserued by the Ancients that there is a Worme that breedeth in old Snow and is of Colour Reddish and dull of Motion and dieth soone after it commeth out of Snow Which should shew that Snow hath in it a secret Warmth For else it could hardly Viuisie And the Reason of the Dying of the Worme may be the sudden Exhaling of that little Spirit as soone as it commeth out of the Cold which had shut it in For as Butterflies quicken with Heat which were benummed with Cold So Spirits may exhale with Heat which were Preserued in Cold. It is affirmed both by Ancient and Moderne Obseruation that in Furnaces of Copper and Brasse where Chalcites which is Vitrioll is often cast in to mend the working there riseth suddenly a Fly which sometimes moueth as if it tooke hold on the walls of the Furnace Sometimes is seene mouing in the Fire below And dieth presently as soone as it is out of the Furnace Which is a Noble Instance and worthy to be weighed for it sheweth that as well Violent Heat of Fire as the Gentle Heat of Liuing Creatures will Viuifie if it haue Matter Proportionable Now the great Axiome of Viuification is that there must be Heat to dilate the Spirit of the Body An Actiue Spirit to be dilated Matter Viscous or Tenacious to hold in the Spirit And that Matter to be put forth and Figured Now a Spirit dilated by so ardent a Fire as that of the Furnace as soone as euer it cooleth neuer so little congealeth presently And no doubt this Action is furthered by the Chalcites which hath a Spirit that will Put forth and germinate as we see in Chymicall Trialls Briefly most Things Putrified bring forth Insecta of seuerall Names But wee will
wholesome Drinke and very Cleare They vse also in Wales a Compound Drinke of Mead with Herbs and Spices But meane-while it were good in recompence of that wee haue lost in Honey there were brought in vse a Sugar Meadâ— for so wee may call it though without any Mixture at all of Honey And to brew it and keepe it stale as they vse Mead For certainly though it would not be so Abster siue and Opening and Solutiue a Drinke as Mead yet it will be more gratefull to the Stomach and more Lenitiue and fit to be vsed in Sharpe Diseases For wee see that the vse of Sugar in Beere and Ale hath good Effects in such Cases It is reported by the Ancients that there was a Kinde of Steele in some places which would polish almost as white and bright as Siluer And that there was in India a Kinde of Brasse which being polished could scarce be discerned from Gold This was in the Naturall Vre But I am doubtfull whether Men haue sufficiently refined Metals which we count Base As whether Iron Brasse and Tinne be refined to the Heighth But when they come to such a Finenesse as serueth the ordinary vse they trie no further There haue beene found certaine Cements vnder Earth that are very Soft And yet taken forth into the Sunne harden as Hard as Marble There are also ordinary Quarries in Sommerset-Shire which in the Quarry cut soft to any Bignesse and in the Building proue firme and hard Liuing Creatures generally doe change their Haire with Age turning to be Gray and White As is seene in Men though some Earlier some Later In Horses that are Dappled and turne White In Old Squirrels that turne Grisly And many Others So doe some Birds As Cygnets from Gray turne White Hawkes from Browne turne more White And some Birds there be that vpon their Moulting doe turne Colour As Robin-Redbrests after their Moulting grow to be Red againe by degrees So doe Gold-Finches vpon the Head The Cause is for that Moisture doth chiefly colour Haire and Feathers And Drinesse turneth them Gray and White Now Haire in Age waxeth Drier So doe Feathers As for Feathers after Moulting they are Young Feathers and so all one as the Feathers of Young Birds So the Beard is younger than the Haire of the Head and doth for the most part wax Hoare later Out of this Ground a Man may deuise the Meanes of Altering the Colour of Birds and the Retardation of Heare-Haires But of this see the fifth Experiment The Difference betweene Male and Female in some Creatures is not to be discerned otherwise than in the Parts of Generation As in Horses and Mares Dogs and Bitches Doues He and She and others But some differ in Magnitude and that diuersly For in most the Male is the greater As in Man Pheasants Peacocks Turkey's and the like And in some few as in Hawkes the Female Some differ in the Haire and Feathers both in the Quantitie Crispation and Colours of them As He-Lions are Miâ—sute and haue great Maines The She 's are smooth like Cats Bulls are more Crispe vpon the Fore-head than Cowes The Peacocke and Pheasant-Cocke and Gold-Finch-Cocke haue glorious and fine Colours The Henn's haue not Generally the Hees in Birds haue the fairest Feathers Some differ in diuers Features As Bucks haue Hornes Doe's none Rammes haue more wreathed Hornes than Ewes Cocks haue great Combes and Spurres Henns little or none Boares haue great Fangs Sowes much lesse The Turky-Cocke hath great and Swelling Gills the Hen hath lesse Men haue generally Deeper and Stronger Voices than Women Some differ in Facultie As the Cocks amongst Singing Birds are the best Singers The Chiefe Cause of all these no doubt is for that the Males haue more Strength of Heat than the Females Which appeareth manifestly in this that all young Creatures Males are like Females And so are Eunuchs and Gelt Creatures of all kinds liker Females Now Heat causeth Greatnesse of Growth generally where there is Moisture enough to worke vpon But if there be found in any Creature which is seene rarely an Ouer-great Heat in proportion to the Moisture in them the Female is the greater As in Hawkes and Sparrowes And if the Heat be ballanced with the Moisture then there is no Difference to be seene betweene Male and Female As in the Instances of Horses and Dogs Wee see also that the Hornes of Oxen and Cowes for the most part are Larger than the Bulls which is caused by abundance of Moisture which in the Hornes of the Bull failethâ— Againe Heat causeth Pilosuy and Crispation And so likewise Beards in Men. It also expelleth finer Moisture which Want of Heat cannot Expell And that is the Cause of the Beauty and Variety of Feathers Againe Heat doth put forth many Excreseences and much Solide Matter which Want of Heat cannot do And this is the Cause of Hornes and of the Greatnesse of them And of the Greatnesse of the Combes and Spurres of Cocks Gills of Turky-Cocks and Fangs of Boares Heat also dilateth the Pipes and Organs which causeth the Deepnesse of the Voice Againe Heat refineth the Spirits and that causeth the Cock-Singing Bird to Excell the Hen. There be Fishes greater than any Beasts As the Whale is farre greater than the Elephant And Beasts are generally greater than Birds For Fishes the Cause may be that because they Liue not in the Aire they haue not their Moisture drawne and Soaked by the Aire and Sun-Beames Also they rest alwaies in a manner and are supported by the Water whereas Motion and Labour doe consuine As for the Greatnesse of Beasts more than of Birds it is caused for that Beasts stay Longer time in the Wombe than Birds and there Nourish and Grow Whereas in Birds after the Egge Lay'd there is no further Growth or Nourishment from the Female For the Sitting doth Vinifie and not Nourish We haue partly touched before the Meanes of Producing Fruits without Coares or Stones And this we adde further that the Cause must be Abundance of Moisture For that the Coare and Stone are made of a Dry Sapâ— And we see that it is possible to make a Tree put forth onely in Blossome without Fruit As in Cherries with Double Flowers Much more into Fruit without Stone or Coares It is reported that a Cions of an Apple grafted vpon a Coloâ—â—â— Stalke sendeth forth a great Apple without a Coare It is not vnlikely that if the Inward Pith of a Tree were taken out so that the Iuyce came onely by the Barke it would worke the Effect For it hath beene obserued that in Pollards if the Water get in on the Top and they become Hollow they put forth the more We adde also that it is deliuered for certaine by some that if the Cions be grafted the Small End downwards it will make Fruit haue little or no Coares and Stones Tobacco is a thing of great Price if it be in request For
an â—â—â— of it will be worth as is affirmed two Hundred Pounds by the yeare towards Charge The Charge of making the Ground and otherwise is great but nothing to the Profit But the English Tobacco hath small credit as being too Dull and Eartby Nay the â—â—â—â— Tobacco though that be in a Hotter Climate can get no credit for the same â—â—â— that a Triall to make Tobacco more Aromaticall and better Concocted here in England were a Thing of great profit Some haue gone about to doe it by Drenching the English Tobacco in a Decoction or Infusion of Indian Tobacco But those are but Sophistications and Toyes For Nothing that is once Perfect and hath run his Race can receiue much Amendment You must euer resort to the Beginnings of Things for Melioration The Way of Maturation of Tobacco must as in other Plants be from the Heat Either of the Earth or of the Sunne We see some Leading of this in Musk-Melons which are sowen vpon a Hot Bed Dunged below vpon a Bancke turned vpon the South Sunne to giue Heat by Reflexion Laid vpon Tiles which increaseth the Heat And Couered with Straw to keepe them from Cold. They remoue them also which addeth some Life And by these Helpes they become as good in England as in Italy or Prouence These and the like Meanes may be tried in Tobacco Enquire also of the Steeping of the Roots in some such Liquour as may giue them Vigour to put forth Strong Heat of the Sunne for the Maturation of Fruits Yea and the Heat of Viuification of Liuing Creatures are both represented and supplied by the Heat of Fire And likewise the Heats of the Sunne and Life are represented one by the other Trees set vpon the Backes of Chimneyes doe ripen Fruit sooner Vines that haue beene drawne in at the Window of a Kitchen haue sent forth Grapes ripe a Month at least before others Stoues at the Backe of Walls bring forth Orenges here with vs. Egges as is reported by some haue beene hatched in the warmth of an Ouen It is reported by the Ancients that the Estrich Layeth her Egs vnder Sand where the Heat of the Sunne disclosed them Barley in the Boyling swelleth not much Wheat swelleth more Rize extremely In so much as a Quarter of a Pint vnboyled will arise to a Pint boyled The Cause no doubt is for that the more Close and Compact the Body is the more it will dilate Now Barley is the most Hollow Wheat more Solide than that and Rize most Solide of all It may be also that some Bodies haue a Kinde of Lentour and more Depertible Nature than others As we see it Euident in Colouration For a Small Quantity of Saffron will Tinct more than a very great Quantity of Bresill or Wine Fruit groweth Sweet by Rowling or Pressing them gently with the Hand As Rowling-Peares Damasins c. By Rottennesse As Medlars Seruickes Sloe's Heps c. By Time As Apples Wardens Pomgranats c. By certaine Speciall Maturations As by Laying them in Hay Straw c. And by Fire As in Roasting Stewing Baking c. The Cause of the Sweetnesse by Rowling and Pressing is Emollition which they properly enduce As in Beating of Stock-Fish Flesh c. By Rottennesse is for that the Spirits of the Fruit by Putrefaction gather Heat and thereby disgest the Harder Part For in all Putrefactions there is a Degree of Heat By Time and Keeping is because the Spirits of the Body doe euer feed vpon the Tangible Parts and attenuate them By Seuerall Maturations is by some Degree of Heat And by Fire is because it is the Proper Worke of Heat to Refine and to Incorporate And all Sourenesse consisteth in some Grossenesse of the Body And all Incorporation doth make the Mixture of the Body more Equall in all the Parts Which euer induceth a Milder Taste Of Fleshes some are Edible Some except it be in Famine not For those that are not Edible the Cause is for that they haue commonly too much Bitternesse of Taste And therefore those Creatures which are Fierce and Cholerick are not Edible As Lions Wolnes Squirrells Dogs Foxes Horses c. As for Kine Sheepe Goats Deere Swine Conneyes Hares c. We see they are Milde and Fearefull Yet it is true that Horses which are Beasts of Courage haue beene and are eaten by some Nations As the Scythians were called Hippophagi And the Chineses eat Horse-flesh at this day And some Gluttons haue vsed to haue Colts-flesh baked In Birds such as are Carniuor a and Birds of Prey are commonly no Good Meat But the Reason is rather the Cholerick Nature of those Birds than their Feeding vpon Flesh For Puits Gulls Shouelers Duckes doe feed vpon Flesh and yet are Good Meat And wee see that those Birds which are of Prey or feed vpon Flesh are good Meat when they are very Young As Hawkes Rookes out of the Neast Owles c. Mans Flesh is not Eaten The Reasons are Three First because Men in Humanity doe abhorre it Secondly because no Liuing Creature that Dyeth of it selfe is good to Eat And therefore the Caâ—â—â— themselues eat no Mans-flesh of those that Dye of Themselues but of such as are Slaine The Third is because there must be generally some Disparity between the Nourishment and the Body Nourished And they must not be Ouer-neere or like Yet we see that in great Weaknesses and Consumptions Man haue beene sustained with Womans Milke And Ficinus fondly as I conceiue aduiseth for the Prolongation of Life that a Veine be opened in the Arme of some wholesome Young Man And the Bloud to be sucked It is said that Witches doe greedily eat Mens flesh which if it be true besides a Diuellish Appetite in them it is likely to proceed for that Mans flesh may send vp High and Pleasing Vapours which may stirre the Imagination And Witches Felicity is chiefly in Imagination as hath beene said There is an Ancient Receiued Tradition of the Salamander that it liueth in the Fire and hath force also to extinguish the Fire It must haue two Things if it be true to this Operation The One a very Close Skin whereby Flame which in the Midst is not so hot cannot enter For we see that if the Palme of the Hand be annointed thicke with White of Egge and then Aquanita be poured vpon it and Enflamed yet one may endure the Flame a pretty while The other is some Extreme Cold and Quenching vertue in the Body of that Creature which choaketh the Fire We see that Milke quencheth Wilde-Fire better than Water because it entreth better Time doth change Fruit as Apples Peares Pomgranats c. from more Soure to more Sweet But contrariwise Liquours euen those that are of the Iuyce of Fruit from more Sweet to more Soure As Wort Must New Veriuyce c. The Cause is the Congregation of the Spirits together For in both Kindes the Spirit is attenuated by Time