hold of their Iron Pins II. Before we apply our selves to the enumeration of the properties of the Loadstone let us in the first place search into its internal principles The Loadstone is as it were imperfect Iron but not so neer resembling it as Iron resembles Steel It is between a Stone and a Metal and therefore in a manner is not perfectly concocted It s material principle is a loose earth rarefied by dense fire and incrassated air being unequally mixt and tempered It s forma ultima is sometimes a compleat Metal like to Iron other times like to a hard reddish blew stone Both these have been found by many not knowing what to make of them which in all probability were concocted Loadstones That they were Loadstones is evidenced by the remaining vertues although but very weak of attracting Iron It s body being throughout porous that is loose and not very solid its intrinsick parts must of necessity partake of a certain figure as all porous bodies do although in some more in others less Iron it self as also a Lyzzard stone consists of intrinsick parts Cuspidally or Pyramidally formed that is with streaks transcurring as it were into Pyramidal points In Alume likewise we see its parts are Hexagonal in Crystal the same and so in all bodies although it is not alwaies visible however appearing in our present subject The cause you know is from the manner of exhalation proruption of the ayry and fiery parts that have left it and minutely do still leave it Between these triangular pointings we do imagine insensible cavities or pores through which those emanations do continually pass and by whose figure they are directed to their passages outward those I say are continuous and very potent III. Now we have declared enough to demonstrate most of its properties which I shall instantly enumerate They are either Mechanical Nautical Medicinal or fabulous It s Mechanical property is of attracting Iron Nautical of inclining or moving towards the North Pole and thereby of directing Mariners in steering their course of which more anon Medicinal of adstriction and strenching blood AEtius lib. 2. tetrabl cap. 25. gives us this account of its medicinal vertues The Magnete or Herculean stone hath the same vertues which a blood stone hath They say that it doth asswage the pains of the Gout in the feet and in the wrist if held in the hand This is fabulous but if applied being mixt with other ingredients in a plaster it doth really give ease in some kinds of Gouts Serapio lib. de simpl part 2. cap. 384. commends the Magnete for curing wounds befaln by a venomous weapon it is to be powdered and mixt with other Oyntments and applied to the part affected besides the Patient is for some daies to take a Dose of it internally untill the venom is purged away by stool Parey lib. 7. Chir. cap. 15 attributes a very memorable cure of a bursted belly to it Fabr. Hildan Cent. 5. Observ. Chir. 31. obs rehearses a famous cure luckily done by it by the advice of his Wife at a dead lift I suppose upon a Merchant who was tormented with a miserable pain in one of his eyes caused by a little piece of steel that was accidentally peirced into it All kind of Anonynes were applied but to no purpose at last the Loadstone was thought upon which he caused to be held near to the eye whereby it was soon drawn out The fabulous properties of this stone are of losing its attractive vertue by the apposition of a Diamond of curing wounds at a distance for which purpose it is added to Bombasts sympathetical oyntment and of preserving youth for which end they say the King of Zeylan causes his victuals to be dressed in Magnete Dishes I return to its Mechanical property about which Authors are very various some as Nicander Pliny Anton. Mercat lib. 2. de occult prop. cap. 1. Matthiol in Dios. lib. 5. cap. 105. Encel. de re Metal lib. 3. cap. 8. fabr Hildan in the late quoted observ asserting it to attract Iron at one end and to repel it at another Others affirming the contrary viz. That it attracts Iron from all parts but by several impulses as it were moving in several Figures some being direct others oblique It is true in an oblique motion the Steel at the first impulse seems to recede because of its changing its position towards the Loadstone besides this change the Steel also varies according to its diverse position towards the stone we need not confirm the truth of this by arguments the experiment it self viz. placing small pieces of filings of Steel round about the stone will gâ—ve you a further proof of it Wherefore these forementioned Authors imagining the North part of this stone to be alone properly the Loadstone accused Pliny of an errour for affirming the Theamede stone to reject Iron which they affirmed was no other but the South part of the Magnete Whether the Theamedes doth repel Iron or no I know not only thus much I know that the description of it is altogether differing from that of the Loadstone neither can I believe that Pliny being so well versed in stones should so easily mistake in this Letting this pass it is certain 1. That in the North hemisphere it doth attract Iron most at its North part and more directly at the other sides its attractive vertue upon Iron is less potent and draws more oblique 2. One Loadstone doth not draw the other unless the one be more concocted than the other and then it doth 3. That a Loadstone capped with Steel attracts more vigorously than when naked 4. That it draweth Iron stronger at some places than at others at some seasons than at others 5. That it attracts Steel more potently than Iron 6. That it doth also attract Copper although but weakly 7. That its Mechanick and nautical vertue is communicable to Iron 8. That the Magnete loseth its vertue by rust by lying open in the air by moisture by lying near to hot Spices as the Indian Mariners who transport Pepper and other Spices do testifie by fire by being touched with the juyce of Garlick or Onions That in length of time its vertue doth intirely exhale leaving only a course rusty stone behind it 9. That a Loadstone being intersected by a section almost perpendicularly incident upon the supposed axeltree of the said stone and its pieces placed one against the other so that the faces of each section may constitute a side of an acute angle terminated by a common point of their South or North Pole doth attract Iron more potently by far than otherwise IV. I should now begin to demonstrate the first effect of the Loadstone through its proper cause but before I can arrive to its solution it will be requisite for you to know what is ordinarily meant by its North part The said Part is otherwise by Authors termed the North Pole of the Loadstone because it doth look or
lye towards the North Pole of the Heavens or of the Earth because it tends downwards withall Poles are vulgarly described to be the two extremities of an axis axeltree about which a Globe or Wheel moves round If so then properly a Loadstone cannot be said to have either Axis or Poles because according to the vulgar opinion it doth not move round Wherefore the former denomination is improperly attributed to it viz. the extreme central point of its tendency towards the Arctick Pole is termed the North Pole of the stone and the opposite extremity is called the South Pole of it Next remember out of the Ch. of Coct that all bodies in their decoction do run off their temperament through streams or small mixtures of the Elements gradually deserting the decocting bodies and taking their egress or fuming through their pores These pores tend most from the transcurrent Axis towards the North. That its pores tend most towards the North is evident by its intrinsick parts within as you may see when it is cut through running variously intorted towards the North in streaks these streaks are distinguisht from one another through interjacent porosities otherwise they would be continuously one That the Loadstone emits fumes is testified from its looseness and inequality of mixture For all parts as I have shewed before that are unequally mixt suffer a discontinuation of their mixture because one Element being predominant and having its force united through the said unequal mixture must needs make way for its effumation and afterwards break through by egressing fumes but such is the Loadstone Ergo. 2. That these fumes or effluvia do effumate through their Northerly pores the experiment it self doth confirm to us For we see that they attract Steel most at the North side besides they usually rub the cross wires of Sea-Compasses at the North side as being most effumous there Thus much for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now for the manner of its attraction and here it is disputed whether the Loadstone attracts Iron or Iron the Loadstone Hereunto I answer That neither the Loadstone doth properly attract Iron or Iron it However since Iron is moved toward the Loadstone but accidentally by means of his effluvia or steames therefore the Loadstone is said to draw Iron to it 2. Iron doth improperly move it self to the Loadstone being incited to the same motion through the steames of the Loadstone entring through its pores into its substance The streams of the Loadstone are through their particular form and external shape or figure fitted to enter into the pores of Iron which are in like manner fitted to receive the streams of the Loadstone they being admitted do reserate the substance of Iron or through their specifick penetrability do free the volatil parts of that Iron from the fixt ones whence they do immediately through their fiery principle dilate and diffuse themselves towards that part of the Circumference where they feel the continual effumations of the Loadstone yet more to unite them which reeking out and being further diducted by a continuation of succeeding parts do draw the course parts along with it as being still continuatly united to them Or plainer the said fumes of the Loadstone having entered the pores of Iron do immediately loosen the spirits of the Iron which being dilated and united to the fumes of the Loadstone must needs covet a greater place the want of which causeth them both to spout out at those holes which are most patent which must necessarily be those through which the Magnetical fumes entered This sudden spouting out must cause an attraction of the Iron because the extrinsick air doth suddenly enter its pores on the opposite side for to recover a place within the Iron which it had lost without by being driven back out of its place by the prorupting fumes This sudden irruption of the air on the opposite side drives the Iron forwards to that place whence it was first repelled This you will the better understand if you compare it with our discourse set down in the Chapter of Local motion and of a Vacuum These steams of the Iron do effumate through all the pores where the vertue of the Loadstone hath touched it especially at the Center of opposition to the stone whence they breaking out in great quantity do draw the body of Iron directly towards the Loadstone But if the objected Iron be defended by being besmeared with Oil or any other greasie substance or by being dipt into water it puts by and obtuses the Fumes of Loadstone That the Loadstone doth effuse Fumes from it is further made known to us 1. Through its inequality of mixture and looseness of Substance as I hinted before 2. Either it must act that is attract at a distance or else operate through steams it cannot at a distance that being only proper to supernatural Agents and denied to all natural ones ergo the last 3. If you burn it it will cast a visible blew sulphurecus smoaky Flame 4. It is not the Iron doth primarily effuse steams towards the Loadstone because it is more compact and less exhalable Hence Scaliger might now have resolved his Doubt whether the Loadstone drew Iron or Iron it Why these Fumes do exhale most towards the North we have told you already Do not let it seem strange to you that the emanations of this stone should reserate the mixture and Temperament of Iron it being common to many other bodies although Authors are not pleased to take notice of it The fumes of Mercury do open the body of Gold The heat of the Sun opens the body of water and attracts Vapours thence Amber through its Emissives attracts Dust Paper c. But of these elsewhere Why the stone moves steel variously according to its diverse position happens through the variety and obliquity of its Pores variously and obliquely directing its steames and variously withal entring the Pores of the objected Steel V. The Reason of the second Property is because two Loadstones being alike in mixture of body and in Effumations cannot act upon one another for all actions are upon Contraries But in case the one be more concocted then the other and in some wise dissembling in their mixtures then doubtless the one will act upon the other and the more concocted will attract the less The cause of the third is that the Emanations of the Loadstone being appelled and harboured in an extraneous body as that of Steel do with more ease and in greater smoakes as I have said before exhale out of it and consequently attract Iron stronger and work with a greater Bent towards the Northern Pole Besides steel collects all the egressing steames of the stone which being concentrated in the body of the said steel and consequently received in greater quantity must prove more forcible The solution of the fourth is containned in the first The Reason of the fifth is
because steel is purified from its grosser parts which did before somewhat hinder the ingress of the Influence of the Loadstone and cohibite the Effluvia of the affected body Sixthly It attracts Copper or Brass because of the likeness of its Pores and mixture to Iron whence it doth aptly receive the Energy of the Loadstone The Reason of the Seventh may be drawn from the Third 8. The Magnete happens to lose its strength through Rust because its decoction is thereby stayed and its temperament subverted Moysture and its being exposed to the air do lessen its vertue because the latter doth so much disperse its emanations and accelerate its decoction the former dissolves its temperament Spices weaken its attraction because through their heat they disperse and discontinuate the emanating spirits the like may be said of the juyce of Garlick and Onions Mercury doth also destroy the temperament of the stone It s vertue happens at last to relinquish it through the natural course of Decoction The Reason of the Eighth is because the emanations do in that position easily joyn together slowing in like course and figure from their bodies Many more Conclusions might be deduced from the Experiments of the Loadstone whose solution may easily be stated from what hath been already proposed VI. It s Nautical Vertue is the great wonder of Nature to all Naturalists to whom the Cause is no less stupendious This Property is whereby one part of the stone moveth towards the South the other to the North. Bodintu Lib. 2. Theat Nat. proposeth an Experiment relating to this Property somewhat different to what others have observed An Iron Needle saith he being gently rubbed against that part of the Magnete where it lookt towards the North whill◠it stuck to the Rock and placed in a Balance doth place that extremity which was rubbed against the stone towards the North. The same vertue it exerciseth towards the South if the Needle be rubbed against the South part of the Loadstone Neither is the strength of the Magnete less in its Eastern and Western part although the stone cannot turn it self towards the Regions of the world yet the Iron Needle can What we have said cannot be understood unless it be experimented for if you lay a piece of the Magnete upon a Board swimming in the water and lay that side of the Magnete which looked towards the South before it was removed out of its natural Seat against the side of another Loadstone which before it was cut out lookt likewise towards the South then will the swimming stone flee to the other side of the Vessel in the water If you should turn the North part of the Magnete to the South part of the other Magnete swimming in the water the swimming part would suddenly come near and through a wonderful consent be both joyned to one another although the wood of the Vessel be between The same will also happen if you put an Iron Needle into a Glass full of water being run through a piece of a Reed and hold a piece of a Magnete in your other hand one side of the Magnete will attract the Needle the other will repel it Thus far Bodinus The last Property of attraction doth not appertain to this place the cause of which may nevertheless be made clear to you by what is foregoing The former touching its Vergency is observable if it be true but I doubt he hath not made tryal of it Besides none else do make mention of it which were it real they would not omit the Observation That which may next be disputed upon is whether the Loadstone turns to the South or North Pole of the earth or to the said Poles of the Heavens or to neither In the first place I wonder what they intend by a North and South Pole of the Earth Those that agree to Copernicus hold that they are the extream points of the Axeltree whereon the Earth doth move Others who deny Earth a motion affirm them to be those points of the Earth that are responding to the Poles of the Heavens that is which do lie perpendicularly or diametrically under the said Poles The former Opinion states the Poles of the Earth different from those of the Heavens Among the latter some have consented to believe the Poles of the Earth to be where the extremities of the Compass-Needles do diametrically point to the arctick and antarctick Poles that is where the length of the Needle is according to a right Line coincident with the imaginary axletree of the Poles of the world The onely place of coincidence is concluded to be near the tenth degree beyond the Fortunate Islands but that is false since the same coincidence is also observed in other places from whence for that reason most do continue their mensuration of the Earths Longitude But grant the Poles of the Earth be at the points forementioned why shall we apprehend the Loadstone rather to move towards the Poles of the Earth then of the Heavens What the Earth say they attracts the points of the Loadstone to her Poles An Absurdity why should not the Earth through the same principle of attraction draw other terrestrial bodies to it or what is it they intend by a principle of attraction I had thought that among the wandering Philosophers nothing but Fire and Air had been attractive Moreover did the Magnete alwaies incline towards the Poles of the Earth then it must be exempted from all deviation which it is not for in divers Meridians it hath divers respects to the Poles of the World and consequently to those of the Earth In Nova Zembla it deflects 17 degrees towards the East In Norway 16. About Neurenburgh 10. So in the Southwest Climates its deviation is no less various Wherefore after all this we must be constrained to assert the Magnete not to incline directly either to the South or North Pole of the Heavens or of the Earth although as I said before its Vergency is towards the North and South The points of the Magnets Vergency are directly tending to the Poles of the Air That is The Poles of the Loadstone are directly coincident with those of the Air. You see its Poles are primarily neither perpendicular to those of the Heavens or of the Earth Ergo its Poles do appropriate a particular situation But before I prove their seat it will not be improper to prefer the probation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Poles The emanations of the Loadstone move circularly ergo they must have real Poles or immoveable points for a Body is uncapable of a circular motion in all its parts A real Axis is no less necessary It being impossible to conceive two extream immoveable points in a globous body without being fastned or continuated to other fixt points which must likewise remain void of the same circular motion and so on from one extream point to the opposite extream point That the steames of the said stone affect a
and see with his ears likewise for other Creatures to hear and see by means of their feeding p. 183 184. 6. The difference of Sounds Why the Sound of a Bell or Drum ceaseth as soon as you touch them with your singer Why an empty Glass causes a greater Sound than if filled with water p. 185 186. 7. The reasons of Concords in Musick p. 187. 8. The Causes of the variation of Sounds Why celestial bodies Rain and Hail do make but little noyse in the ayr p. 188. 9. How Sounds are reflected How intended and remitted p. 189. 10. The manner of Refraction of Sounds What an undulating Sound is p. 190. 11. How a Voice is formed p. 191 192. CHAP. XXIV Of Tasts Smels and Tangibles 1. A definition of a Tast. The difference between the Tasting and Hearing faculty The manner of a Tasts action and passion p. 193. 2. The differences of Tasts Whether Tasts are not communicable through a medium p. 194. 3. What a Smell is The manner of a Sents action and passion ib. 4. VVhether Sents be nutritive How many have been kept alive without eating or drinking How Sents revive one in a swoon The distance requisite in Sents from the faculty That the Sent of excrements smell sweet to a Dog How a Dog Sents a Bitch at a great distance The manner of a Dogs winding the Sent of a Hare That Fishes do Sent by means of their Gills or Palate p. 195 196 197. 5. The causes of a sweet Smell Why most Beasts are pleased with the Smell of a Panther What a stinking Smell is The other kinds of Sents Whether the Plague gives a Smell and whether perceptible by a man Whether it be possible to poyson one by a Perfume of Gloves or of a Letter p. 198 199. 6. What the Tact is and the manner of its sensation p. 200. 7. The differences of tangible qualities Whether Titillation be distinguisht from the ordinary tact Whether man hath the most exquisite tact ib. 8. What a tangible quality is The causes of pleasing Tangibles Why a Kiss feels pleasing to ones lips That a Dog takes delight in kissing What Pain is and its cause of Titillation Why ones proper feeling doth not tickle but anothers doth p. 201 202. The SECOND PART The Second Book CHAP. I. Of the Commerce of the Earth with the other Elements 1. The Authors purpose touching his Method in the Preceding Book and a further Explication of some terms made use of there p. 204. 2. That the Earth is the Center of the world Copernicus his Astronomy examined p. 205 to 209. 3. The Earths Division into three Regions and their particular extent p. 210. 4. What Bodies are generated in the third Region of the Earth and the manner of their Production That the Coldness of the Earth is the principal efficient of Stones and Mettals How a Stone is generated in the Kidneyes and in the Bladder A rare Instance of a Stone taken out of the Bladder The generation of a Flint Marble Jaspis Cornelian Diamond Ruby Gold Copper Iron Mercury Silver The places of Mines p. 211 to 215. 5. Of the transmutation of Mettals Whether Silver be transmutable into Gold Whether Gold may be rendered potable The Effects of the supposed Aurum potabile and what it is p. 215 216. 6. Of earthy saltish Juices The Generation of Common Salt Salt-Gemme Saltpeter Allom Salt-Armoniack and Vitriol and of their kinds p. 217 218. 7. Of earthy unctious Juices viz. Sulphur Arsenick Amber Naptha Peteroyl Asphaltos Oyl of Earth Sea-coal and Jeatstone of their kinds and vertues p. 219 220. 8. Of the mean Juices of the Earth viz. Mercury Antimony Marcasita Cobaltum Chalcitis Misy and Sory Whether any of these mean Juices are to be stated Principles of Mettals p. 221 to 224. CHAP. II. Of Stones and Earths 1. A Description of the most Precious Stones p. 224 225. 2. A Description of the less Precious Stones that are engendred within Living Creatures p. 226. 3. A Description of the less Precious Stones that are engendred without the Bodies of Living Creatures p. 227 228. 4. An Enumeration of common stones p. 229 5. A Disquisition upon the vertues of the forementioned stones An Observation on the Effects of Powders composed out of Precious stones whether the Tincture of an Emerald is so admirable in a bloudy Flux ib. 230 231 232. 6. A particular Examination of the vertues of a Bezoar stone Piedra de Puerco Pearles c. p. 233 to 237. 7. The Kinds of Earth and their Vertues p. 237 238 239 CHAP. III. Of the Loadstone 1. The various names of the Loadstone and its kinds p. 240. 2. The Physical Essence of the Loadstone p. 241. 3. An enumeration of its Properties p. 242. 4. The demonstration of the first Mechanick property of the Loadstone p. 243 244 245. 5. The demonstration of the other Mechanical properties p. 246. 6. Of its nautical property What is intended by the Poles of the Loadstone p. 247 248. 7. The division of the Loadstone into Circles p. 249. 8. An enumeration of the nautical properties of the Magnete p. 250. 9. A demonstration of the said nautical properties p. 251 252 253. 10. The cause of the deviation of the Compass Needle p. 254. 11. An Objection answered p. 255. 12. Cartesius his Doctrine examined touching the Loadstone p. 256 257 258. 13. The fabulous property of the Loadstone p 259. CHAP. IV. Of Life and living Bodies 1. What Life is p. 260 261 262. 2. The Form of Life Why Vegetables are generated no where but near to the Surface of the Earth p. 263. 3. The properties of a Vital Form p. 264 265. 4. The definition of Nutrition and the manner of it Whether food is required to be like to the dissipated parts p. 266. 5. What Accretion is and the manner of it p. 267 268. 6. The manner of the generation of a Plant. p. 269 270 271. 7. The manner of the germination of a Plant. A delineation of all the parts of a Plant p. 272 to 277. 8. What the Propagation of a Plant is and the manner of it p. 278 279. CHAP. V. Of the particular differences of Plants 1. The differences of Roots and their vertues p. 280. 2. The differences of Flowers p. 281. 3. The differences of Leaves p. 282. 4. The three cordial Vegetables p. 283. 5. The three Cephalick Vegetables ib. 6. The three Hepatick Vegetables 284. 7. The three Splenick Vegetables ib. 8. The three Pulmonick Vegetables ib. 9. The three Stomachick Vegetables ib. 10. The three Lithontropick Vegetables p. 285. 11. The three Uterin Vegetables ib. 12. The three Arthritick Vegetables ib. 12. The specificks for the parts destined for the continuation of the species p. 286. 14. The description of some rare Plants ib. 287. CHAP. VI. Of Water in order to her commerce with the other Elements 1. The etymology of water That water naturally is hard and consistent and not fluid p. 288. 2.
in Judaa and in some parts of Silesia being friable and round like to an Olive of a pale ash colour having even streaks running down its length as if they were artificially marked upon it The greater of them are called Masculine the lesser Feminine The Leopard-stone is of a long round and pyramidal figure whereof some are whitish or of an ash-colour others blackish and transparent like to Muscadine wine IV. Common stones are either porous and spongy or solid and compact The first kind comprehends a Tophe a Pumice stone and a Sponge stone The latter is divided into a Rock a Rock-stone a Flint an Emrod a Whetstone a Gravel-stone an Amianth a Chalck-stone a Talck-stone a Glass-stone a Calaminar-stone and an Ostiocolla A Tophe is a stone something harder then clothy Sand and friable like to it A Pumice stone is cavernous like to a Sponge fit to make a thing smooth with A Sponge stone is concreased in a Sponge being of a whitish colour but friable it is otherwise called a Cysteolithe A Rock is vulgarly enough known and therefore needs no description Rock stones are great stones cut out of a Rock wherewith they build houses A Flint is unknown to none An Emrod is a stone wherewith Glasiers cut Glasses into pieces A Whetstone declares it self through its name whose finer sort is called a Touchstone and serves for to try Metals upon Gravel-stones are found every where upon the sides of Rivers and upon Hils An Amianth is somewhat like to Feather alume nevertheless differing from it in aptness to take fire whereas fire will not take hold of the Amianth besides alume is of an adstringent tast the other not A Chalck-stone is whereout they burn Lime for to build houses A Talck-stone is only commended for a Cosmetick The Glassestone otherwise called Muscovy Glass is transparent like to an ordinary glass and may be cut into very thin Leaves It is of various colours viz. white yellow brown black The Calaminar stone is of a yellow colour or rather a yellow mixt with ash red or brown It is of no great hardness V. Pbysiologists do usually adscribe great vertues to most stones especially to the most precious of them possibly because they are bought at a dear Rate and therefore they ought to respond in their internal virtues to their extrinsick value But let us make a just disquisition upon their Natures The Agathe is said to be good against all Venom particularly against the Bite of a Scorpion It makes a man wise prudent and eloquent I should be loath to rely upon the vertues of an Agathe were I bit of a Scorpion or to undertake to cure a Fool with it of his Phrensie its strength whereby it should produce these effects is very ocult Venoms admitted through the pores are to be expelled with the strongest Diaphoreticks but I could never hear an Agathe commended for any such effect To the contrary it hinders the Cure of all poysons because it is obstructive unless it be exhibited in a large Dose An Asterite comforts the Brain and cures all its distempers How can it since its spirits are fixed and do never reach the Brain An Amethist represses Vapours flying up from the Stomach and hinders Drunkeness This may be true supposing they take a great Dose of it and that they do not drink above a Glass or two A Beril is good to cure a superficial wound of the eye but Tutia is much better A pale Carbuncle Chrysolite and Topaze are registred to resist venom to comfort the heart and to drive away Melancholy and Lust I suppose it will scarce work upon a Satyre A Chalcedony is good against Melancholy and makes a man merry but not comparable to a Glass of Sack A Crysoprase is thought to be good against the trembling of the heart and to conduce to the cure of a misty and dim sight To the contrary it causes a palpetation of the heart and in a small quantity it is obstructive and for the sight I alwaies apprehended a green colour as of a Beril or Emerald to be more agreeable with it A Diamond is praised for its vertue of removing the palpitation of the heart and of producing Mirth but not through any intrinsick vertue but extrinsick value especially to a poor mans eye They say that it obtundeth the attractive power of a Loadstone very probably that it doth in case it is included close within the body of a great Diamond An Emerald and an Jacinth are commended for their Alexipharmacal vertues against poyson and for curing the falling sickness A Jaspis Saphir Topaze Onyx Sarda a Sardonix for chearing the heart flopping a fluxe of bloud preserving Chastity and promoting travel A Ruby and a Turcois for clearing the sight How these kinds of Precious stones should produce these admirable effects is unknown to me First let us enquire into the truth of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them then of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As touching the certainty of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 falsely ascribed to them I must evidence from my own experience that I have oft prescribed the chiefest of them being besides artificially prepared viz. Magist. Perl Powders composed out of Fragm of Granates Jacinths Rub. c. in extream weaknesses and have very diligently observed their Effects The Effects which I perceived to flow from these immediately after the exhibition of them were a present refocillation of the vital spirits and as it were a more vigorous motion of the Arteries but then such pulses caused by the foresaid motion were very unequal sometimes remitting other times intending in their strength Besides this alteration of motion would last in some not above an hour or two at most in others not longer then a score of Pulses or frequently not above a Pulse two or three after the taking of it In the next place let us search into their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. We gather that the heart was affected by them but how not primarily and immediately as if some volatil spirits had been united to the Arterial spirits and so communicated to the heart because the spirits of these kind of stones are so much fixed to their matter that they are in a manner inseparable although endeavoured by Chymical diligence that they are so is undoubtedly true to those that have made trial of it If the real Tincture of Coral or of Gold is so difficult if not impossible to attain unto much more of these which exceeds the other by far in fixation of bodies That the spirits of these Precious stones are so entirely fixed their not wearing though much used is a manifest Argument which if their spirits were volatil would as much befall to them as to others They are much of the Nature of Gold which although you expose to the strongest heat of fire will not yield a Minim of its weight if so then we cannot imagine that any whit of their volatil Nature should be
terminus ad quem a perfect living being that is a being responding to the goodness and truth of its formal and material parts A Plant at its perfection generally consists of divers parts whereof some are said to be similar others dissimilar The former are such as do partake of one matter and one partial form and are destined for one single action use or end as they call it The latter are distinct from one another in matter Partial form action or use whence they are also termed organical because two or more dissimilar parts being conjoyned prove a convenient organ for performing a compounded action The similar parts are either fluid or consistent The first being otherwise known by the name of liquid are succulent or lachrymal The succulent ones are unctious or balsamick fluidities contained within the venal porosities of Vegetables for their nutriment That their fluidities are unctious appears by the breaking of a Vegetable and squeezing its juyce out which doth manifest it self to be glutinous between ones fingers The venal porosities are discovered by the humours pressed out of a discontinuated plant and appearing to proceed out of the oâ—â—ices of long exill channels The colours of these juyces are various some delighting in a milky colour as Tithymal Others in a dark yellow as Celandine waterish as a Vine purple green and many others which do all depend upon the diversity of temperament and degree of concoction Lachrymal humours are fluidities proceeding out the pores of a plant through a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transudation pressed out either through the abundance of nutriment contained within the channels or expelled by means of irritating external heat among these some are more aqueous concreasing afterwards into a gumme others like Pitch changing into Rozin The consistent or solid parts are either the fleshy or fibrous parts of a plant The fleshy ones are the parenchymous substances of a plant By parenchymous understand parts which being fleshy and of an equal consistency are extended equally into all dimensions Fibrous parts are like strings diducted into length and seminated through the parenchymous ones for the firmness of the body and retention of nutriment These are most right ones some few oblique and as few transverse The Medullar substance is a similar part being spungy concreased within the innermost places of a plant out of a peculiar matter The rind or bark is a similar part concreased out of the grossest part of the material principle of a plant Dissimilar parts comprehend the root trunck and boughs or branches The root of a plant is the part defixed within the earth consisting most of fibrous parts little flesh and a rind and destined for to attract and prepare the nutriment for the whole plant The trunck is the middle body of the plant between the root and the boughs formed most out of flesh some fibres a vein of marrow and a bark The boughs are the body divided into many dissimilar substances of the same kind Sprigs are the same with boughs and differ only from them as Diminutives The excrescent or abounding parts of a plant are the Leaves Flowers and Fruits A Leafe is an abounding dissimilar part of a plant consisting of a loose and moist flesh and tender sinewes strings or fibres produced out of the courser and less concocted part of the abounding nutriment of a Vegetable A Flower is an excrescent dissimilar part consisting of a smooth fine flesh subtil fibres and a thin pellicle formed out of the siner and better concocted part of the abounding nutriment of a plant Fruits are excrescent dissimilar parts containing stones or kernels gores flesh and a skin some although but few having fibres The excrements of Plants are either thick or thin The thick adhere to the bark and are worn off by the wind rain air or are propelled by the succeeding excrements which force the preceding to fall off These are called the moss of a tree whereof some is dry sticking fast to the bark like bran other is moister 〈◊〉 and villous the thin expires and vanisheth through the air Recremental or deforming parts are Knobs Nodes and Warts Knobs are hard recremental parts of a tree some sticking out in the bigness of a head or fist some greater others less some being latent are also various in their extensions others having a cavity within the knob others not Nodes are plain hardnesses of a plant and usually orbicular Warts are likewise swelling hard recremental parts differing from knobs only in smalness Thus far of the integral parts of a plant which I thought necessary to premit and thence to take occasion to explain their particular germination out of the seed which continued in its matrix or dimitted into another doth soon after either receive its flame a new by having its body opened whereby the fiery parts return to an union and being diducted by an incrassated air return to a vital flame which the celestial efficient together with the internal disposition of the Matrix being perfused with a gentle and piercing moisture and indued with a sharp heat do concur unto by relaxing mollifying rarefying and attenuating the intrinsick parts of the seed 1. The seed is relaxed by a thin piercing humour or in short by incrassated air whereby the close parts are diducted the heavy ones lifted up and balanced by other light ones between every diduction or space between two diducted parts the flame doth vegetate and assume nutriment being every where diffused throughout those spaces The flame it self in the mean time inheres radically in the consistent parts like the flame of a Candle in its Wieck or Cotton into whose pores it attracts nutriment Whence these flames being of an unequal and various intention and their subjects of an unequal and various extension do each according to their intention intend themselves and extend their subjects into a dayly accretion of parts whereby in time they arrive to their just and definite magnitude which is stented by the extream expansion of their Radical or Spermatick solid parts and greatest intention of the spermatick spirits For the spermatick matter or the seed it self is of that nature that being very close tyed through its spirits and radical moisture and withall intertext with terrestrial minima's is capable of degrees of extension and rarefaction until it appells to the highest degree within those degrees of extension and rarefaction it takes in gradually other matter both solid spiritous and humorous whereby it discovers its gradual accretion not unlike to Gunpowder which within its bowels contains much fire densely united but oppressed and hindered from flaming through the salin parts yet being stirred excited and somewhat freed from its said oppression so as to reach to a flame it acereaseth in body and flame by the access of the ambient air being permixt with a proportion of fire which it draweth in for nutriment untill it hath reached to the height of accretion Whence you may plainly gather
1. That the total vertue of Accretion lyeth hidden in the spermatick substance 2. That the accretion of living parts happens through increasing their flame and extending their solid substance and by being united to the radicall ones This observation containes the greatest secresie of the art of Medicine and is the sole basis of most of the Theoremes therein expressed and withall detects a fundamental errour of Galen whose tenet distinguisheth the influent heat essentially from the innate heat whereas the former is nothing else but the flame of the latter increased by spirits lately advened and united to it by the last concocted nutriment But of this more expressely in my Archelogia Iatrica Notwithstanding I shall continue the history of Accretion in each part Through the fore-mentioned expansion rarefaction and intumescence the circumduced pellicles being two in number differing from one another only in crassitude are gradually distended untill at last all the parts being perfectly formed by the mechanick or plastick spirits in the manner beforesaid break their Membranes first naturally at the top next towards the Surface of the Earth but counter-naturally at the sides The cause of this first eruption through the top depends upon the swifter and more forcible turgency of the light Elements tending upwards besides upon the upper parts being more rarefied and attenuated through their greater nearness to the influential heat The Root erupts soon after its having pierced through the membranes by means of its weight strengthned by course heat groweth downwards and spreads into branches like the upper parts grow upwards spreading likewise into boughs These are more rare and thin as consisting of a thinner and rarer flame and of a thin yet solid sperm which according to the capacity of the same principles now mentioned do form themselves into boughs and leaves attracting every day nourishment proportionable to what was dissipated The Root doth in the same manner accrease by attracting weighty nutriment being impregnated with a dense heat and therefore can clime no higher but as for that which is more rare and thin it ascends higher or lower according to its proportion of tenuity and rarity The similar parts are accreased out of the more humorous parts of the attracted nutriment the solid ones out of the grosser parts of it The barke is accreased out of the grossest reliques of the Aliment the fibres out of the grosser the fleshy parts out of a mean substance between gross and subtill solid and liquid the medullar once out of the more unctious and rare parts the boughs out of nutriment somewhat more subtil and rare than that of the middle body or trunck The redounding parts draw matter for their accretion froâ—e cavâ— more waterish parts of the plant abounding in her which 〈…〉 contain a remnant of all the similar dissimilar parts of the whole That these are abounding parts their appearance only at such times when a plant is not alone filled but over-filled with nutriment doth restifie which usually hapneth in the Spring Summer and Autumn Leaves do germinate when the said matter is less concocted however supplied in great abundance whence it is that they make choice of a green colour and are expanded into Latitude Flowers appear when the said matter is somewhat more concocted and are only protruded out of the better and subtiller part of it whence many of them become odoriferous Fruits are engendred out of the same subtil matter being yet more concocted whence it is that most do take their beginning from a subtility for to acquire a crassitude according to this trite one substantiae coctione evadunt crassiores whose more terrestrial part falling through its weight to the center concreaseth into a kernel or stone whereupon the other parts do fasten as upon a foundation increasing dayly by apposition of new matter The recremental parts I call so because they are generated out of the greater part of such matters as ought to be excerned but containing some alimentary ones are retained and agglutinated whence they chance to be somewhat like and dislike to the other parts Plants are variously divided 1. Into three species viz. an herb which is a Plant some consisting of a root only others of a root stalk and leaves whereof some comprehend Fruges Olera Corn and Potherbs 2. A shrub is a plant fastned to the ground by a root and spreading into many boughs without a trunck 3. A tree is a Plant obtaining a root trunk and boughs In respect to their place of conception some are said to be terrestrial others aqueous some wild others Garden Plants According to their bigness some great others small And in regard of their fructification some fruitfull others barren or to their germination some to bud forth sooner others latter For instance the Turnip Basil and Lettuce shew themselves within three or sour daies others in five or six daies as a Gourd the Beete c. some in eight daies as the Orach Some in ten as the Cabbage 〈…〉 in twenty daies as Leeks Parsly in forty or fifty Piony 〈…〉 scarce less than within a year Many other diffeâ—… taken from their Colour Figure c. I do wittingly omit The propagation of a Plant is whereby it doth generate its like in specie through semination This is the last function that a Plant exerciseth for it must be nourisht and accreased to a just magnitude before it can attain to this most perfect and compleat action Semination is the means whereby it performeth the same and is a Plants bringing forth of seed this name in the English otherwise soundeth a seeding Seed is the abridgment of an intire Plant whereby it doth multiply it self into many of the same kind But the great question will be whence it is that a Plant obtaineth this power and what Seed properly is Here you are to observe that Seed is twofold 1. It is that which is casually as it may seem to us constituted within the Earth through the concourse of the Elements into one body being particularly so temperated as to be disposed to germinate into a Plant. Of this I have spoken sufficiently before where it appears that it precedes the constitution of a Plant whereas the other whereof I am to treat at present doth consecute a preceding Plant and is generated by it Seed in this second acception is a dissimilar substance consisting of the rudiments of all the parts of a Plant that are to liken the propagatrix or from which it was propagated in specie The manner of semination is thus A Plant having already disburdened it self of its fulness or abundance of nutriment by casting forth Leaves Flowers and Fruits there is still a remnant of abundance of the best nutriment which a Plant being now exalted to its vigour in its operations through the preceding Spring and Summers heat doth concoct to the highest degree and a just consistency wherein the spirits are united with the solid parts so as it may be requisite