not bottemed by the Earth as naturalists averre The Water being a lighter Element lib. 2. met cap. 3. it 's proper place is to be above the Earth so as the greater part by far of the superfices of the Globe is covered with water notwithstanding which the higher places of the Earth stand out of the Water 2 Pet. 3.5 and appear above it giving bounds to the Water which it cannot pass over as the Scripture saith Psal v. 9. and so are become habitable for men and beasts It 's Nature Sea Water is Salt and hot in operation binds and dryes the body if it be drunk as do all salt waters according to the judgment of Hippocrates De aere aquis locis which he sayes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De remed l. 2 c. 53. indomicable and hard it rather increases then quenches thirst and hath been found deadly to such as have drunk of it being exceeding thirsty as saith Paulus Aegineta I would not be so understood as if I thought all salt waters were to be râ—jâ—cted from inward use or as if no salt waters would purge the body The Sulphur Well at Knaresbrough a gallon whereof being vaporated away yields two ounces of salt is dayly used inwardly with very good success in many cases and purges the body as I know by experience and as Dr. Dean and Dr. French do both witness in their Books upon that Subject This Spring does the same and hath some salt in it Notwithstanding if salt waters do loose the body it is from other minerals of which they do participate and not from the salt on which account they rather dry up the humours and are singular good even in hydropick constitutions especially in the beginning the truth whereof I have proved by good experience in an Honourable Lady to whom I commended the use of the Sulphur Well before mentioned in the Dropsy with good success Hence it is that Hippocrates in the place afore cited blames them for their ignorance that upon any slight occasion use salt waters inwardly expecting to loose the body with them they having from the salt no such vertue but rather stay the belly and cause the body to break out in Scabs and make the fundament and lower parts troubled with checks De simpl c. 4. as Rasis saith The Sea water hath indeed some sweet parts in it which are thinner and lighter then the substance of the water is from whence it comes to pass that the flesh of those fishes that live in the Sea is as fresh as those that are taken in fresh waters If one distill Sea water in a cold Still it yields fresh water And I have read an experiment in Gamillus Flavius which is worthy a tryal Paraph. in Hip. de aq p. 43. and may be of use to such as go on long voyages and want sometimes fresh water He saith that if a bottle bee made of Wax and the mouth of it be close stopped so as no water can run into it and it be cast into the Sea and made to sink in a few dayes it will be found to have fresh water in it very pleasant and wholsome to be drunk I have inserted this for the Seamens sake to whom it may be beneficial Sect. 4. In the next place I come to treat of Rain water with it's original and qualities Of Rain the product or original is thus The Sun and the rest of the Heavenly bodies do by their heat exhale It s cause and draw forth out of the Sea and other moist bodies that are on the Earth the vapours which are the more rare and thin part of the water and bodyes these by their heat they do so rarify that through their levity they fly upward towards the upper region of the aire next to the Element of fire the proper place of such light bodies where they continue till according to the ordinary course of Providence by the influence of the Moon or some planetary Aspect out of signs of the watery Triplicity or some other cold and moist constellation they become more gross and moist and so by their weight descend into the middle region of the aire where by the excess of cold they are condensed into waters and now being become an heavy body do fall down upon the Earth in showers making thereby a kind of circulation in Nature through the ascent of vapours and descent of showers This I say is according to the ordinary course of Providence when notwithstanding without any of those previous influences of the Celestial bodies Almighty God who is a most free Agent and doth what he will in the Heavens and the Earth doth sometimes by a special Providence cause it to rain Exod. 9.18 and at other times also he doth so suspend the aforesaid influences Jam. 5.17 that it rains not at all Amos 4.7 as in the use of Elijahs prayer Thus as the Prophet observes he makes it to rain upon one City and not upon another and this he doeth that he may keep us in a constant dependance upon himself as upon the first and primary cause without whose concurrence secondary causes can produce no effects at all No this my judgment concerning the causes of rain is agreeable to what is writ upon that subject by the best Philosophers and Physicians the Scripture also being clear in it Amos 9.6 He calleth for the Waters of the Sea and poureth them out upon the face of the Earth to which add that in Job 36.27 28. He maketh small the drops of water they poure down rain according to the vapour thereof which the clouds do drop And that the rain doth falls or is with-held from us in ordinary providence according to the influence of the celestial bodyes is deducible from another place in Job Chap. 38. v. 25. and so forward where God expostulating with Iob concerning his mighty works of providence reads a Lecture to him concerning the Meteors of Rain Lightening Thunder Dew and Frost with their causes and in the 31. Verse he hath this question to him Canst thou bind or restrain the influence of the Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion with other expostulatory questions The meaning thereof is this Canst thou stay the rain and hinder it from falling or canst thou loose the frost and make it thaw The Pleiades being a moist constellation in the shoulder of the sign Taurus which brings wet and Orion a dry constellation in the last decade of Gemini arising in the evenings in the beginning of the Winter causing frosts I might enlarge concerning Mazaroth viz. the 12. signs and Arcturus which are mentioned in the 32. vers but I hasten Nor is this my own private interpretation but it 's agreeable to the judgment of the most learned Interpreters upon the place and particularly of those that were Members of the late reverend Assembly of Divines in that their excellent exposition upon the
exceedingly keeping it in Earthen Vessels under the Earth and in their coolest Cellers that they may have it alwayes at hand Strabo saith l. 15. Geogr. c. ult that the Kings of Persia drank the water of the River Eulaeus constantly with whom it was in so high esteem that it was forbidden any of his Subjects to drink of the water of that River Lib. 1. Herodotus tells the same Story but calls it Choaspes which saith he flowes by the City Susa where the Kings of Persia were wont to keep their Courts in winter And Agathâ—eles in Athenaeus further describes it l. 12. Dypn c. 3. although he names not the River it seems to have been a small one whose water was called by the Persians aqua aurea So the Persian Kingâ— or the golden water which was fed by 70. Spring-heads of which it was treason and punished with death for any man to drink except the King and his eldest Son Water was accounted by the Ancients the fittest drink for all ages and Sexes However in this age of ours it is fallen under contempt Hence those Laws which Plato mentions that young men should not so much as taste any Wine till they were 18. years of age and women never which was observed by the Roman Matrones with very great devotion as saith Valerius Maximus Lib. 1. they usually drinking nothing but water or sometimes a drink called passum which is made of Raisins boyled in water when they are not well Athenaeus tells of a custome among the Roman women l. 10. Dypn c. 13. that they were wont at the first meeting with any of their husbands kindred to salute theÌ„ with a kiss who not knowing how soon they must meet some of them did drink no Wine at all least they should smell of it and so be discovered and have their names set up that woman being accounted to want no fault that would drink Wine And thus also the Italian Women drink nothing but Water Italians Ibid. concerning which I find a pretty Story mentioned by Athenaeus out of Alcuinus Siculus an old Italian Writer He saith that Hereùles as he was once travailing on the way towards Croton being thirsty turned into an House near the way side desiring some Wine to drink to quench his thirst now it happened that there was a Vessel of Wine in the House which the good Wife had broached for her own tooth her husband not knowing of it The Master of the House hearing when Hercules called for Wine bade his wife go and broach the eask and give him some the good Wife not being willing her Husband should know that it was already broached pretending what a deal of trouble it would be to them both did churhshly bid him drink Water Which Hercules standing at theh Door all the while hearing called the Husband to him and commended him for his good will and shewed him the womans deceit and the cask which now was turned into a stone This story is well known among the Italians and the stone is to be seen at this day saith my Author as a warning against the womens drinking of Wine Likewise at this day in France French it is accounted a foul crime for Virgins to drink any thing but water only their ancient women will mix a little wine with it which is called by some although with too much liberty of speech vinum baptizatum It were well if it were more in use in England especially among the younger sort as that drink which nature first assigned it would prevent drunkenness which Athenaeus calls the metropolis of all mischiefs lib. Dypn c. 1. â—5 de invent rev l. 3. c. 3. and Polydorus Virgilius the most filthy debauchment of the life of a man and the original of 600. other vices I suppose he intends a certain number for an uncertain and indeed is the shame of our Nation I know it is objected Ob. that the waters in England in regard of the coldness of the climate are more crude and not so pure and wholsome as those in Spain France and the hot Countries I confess great care ought to be had concerning the goodness of water Sol. of which by and by But certainly there is no cause for the objection since there is no Country but it affords wholesome water The waters of England are good even the most frozen Country of Greenland as I have heard from our Seamen of Hull who yearly continue there mâ—â— moneths and use it wihoâ—â— any the least harm I know the Objection arises from this that they think because of the coldness of our climate the water is not so well concocted with the heat of the Sun and so is hard of digestion 1. But they must know that the Sun by it's heat pierces noâ— far into the bowels of the earth in the hot Countries where they suppose the best water to be the heat thereof piercing not above 10. foot deep into the earth according to the judgment of the best Philosophers the Springs arising much deeper as we shall shew anon 2. Again the Sun and the Planets have an influence into the bowels of the earth where neither their heat nor their light can penetrate to the concocting of minerals that are above 100. fathome deep as I might manifest at large from the judgement of good Authors and therefore we need not doubt concerning water which perhaps lyes nearer the superfices and requires less concoction 3. Moreover water I mean Spring water which is in most ordinary use hath it's concoction and preparation according to the temperature of heat and cold that is in the earth Now if we may believe Philosophy which teaches that the earth is warmer in Winter in the low cavernes of it then in Summer because of the cold aire and frosts that shut the pores of it which is also ratifyed by our own experience that the Springs are warmer in winter frosty weather then in an hot Summer then it follows a pari that in our cold climate the Earth must be warmer then in those hot climates and consesequently the water rather better concocted 4. Besides it is a wrong to the God of nature whose beams of Divine love are equally extended in his common providence for the preservation of mankind throughout the whole universe as if we in England or they in other more Northern Countries had not as good a provision of water a thing so absolutely and generally necessary as they in the more Southern climates have For my own part I believe that our waters are as wholesome for our bodies as theirs are for them in those hot climates and much more then theirs would be for us and I think that fluxes and calentures which happen to Englishmen that travail into those hot climates do proceed rather from the ungreeableness of the waters to our bodies then from any other one cause that can be assigned 5. Again these medicinal waters with
relate and so in Egypt where it rains very seldom but they are supplyed instead of it by the overflowing of Nilus there are no Springs at all Whereas in Britain Germany and France and other Northern parts of Europe there are great plenty of Springs and Rivers in regard they do abound in the moysture of the air and great falls of Rain and Snow To the first our Carpenter object Object Georg. lib. 2. c. 9. that the abounding of Rivers with water in Winter is from the store of Rain or Snow water that runs into them from the higher grounds and not from any great quantity of water that falls into them out of Springs and Fountains I deny not but the Rivers are instantly heightned in Winter from Rain Sol. so as on the sudden they will often overflow their banks but that water is soon spent in the Sea It is sufficient for defence of the point in hand if after that water in reason should be spent they be yet maintained more plentifully by the Springs then usually they are in Summer at which season of the year though they be filled with a sudden flood of Rain yet wanting the constant benevolence of the Springs they suddenly fall as low as they were before Another Objection I find started by Seneca Object Lib. 3. Nat. Quest c. 7. as also by M. Carpenter in the place before cited to wit that the greatest Rain that can fall never sinks above ten foot into the ground and Seneca cites his own observation for it in the digging of Vineyards and he gives this reason for it because when the earth is once satisfied with showers it opposes it self against the overplus by shutting its pores I own it thus far Sol. that into the solid earth the Rain sinks not above ten foot although learned Cardane allows it ten paces or fathomes his words being non ultra decem passus descendere De var rev c. 6. But what becomes of that immense quantity of rain which often continues for many weeks together nay oft times some months wherein we have scarce a fair and dry day besides the infinite quantity of wet and Snow that is falling all Winter long causing inundations of water over all the Country round about not only upon higher grounds neer unto rivers into which it may run per declive but in plains from whence it can have no current at all can it be supposed that ten foot of earth will drink up all this water which who so shall dig soon after the water is drunk up shall not find it very moist or muddy which it would assuredly be if it had not some secret passage into the Caverns of the earth much deeper then they speak of And therefore Cardane in the place before cited adds that the earth is sadned with the Rain so as it lyes above unless by some empty crevice or cleft it sink deeper into the earth which is all I contend for and which being granted will be sufficient to quicken and continue the Springs And to Seneca's observation before mentioned let me oppose Albertus his experience Lib. 2 met tract de orig slum who tells us that at the bottome of a solid rock 120 fathome deep he saw drops of water distill from it in a rainy season Another Objâ—ction that Seneca makes against the point in hand is this Object â—ib 3. Nat. quest c. 7. on which he layes much stress That the great mountains of Rock and Stone which have little or no earth on them and on that account not capable of receiving much rain do nevertheless yield great and lasting Springs which are never drawn dry This makes nothing against but rather for the point in controverfie Solut. There are no Rocks but they have their Commissure joints or clefts now the Rain and Snow water can run more plentifully into those joints and clefts of the Rocks and and more speedily then when it falls upon the solid earth And in that he faith they are not covered with much earth they are the less robbed of what falls from the clouds and so are better supplyed To this I 'le further add that Rocks have more large and spacious Caverns that are fit receptacles for the water the solid earth hath Adde to this that Rocks are usually many together covering much ground ordinarily a whole Country is nothing but Rocks and so can receive much wet and their store by their nakedness of earth hath a fresh supply from every shower that falls And therefore on all these accounts as they have advantages of speedy reception of what falls without diminution and ca pacities for admission of greater quantities of wet then other soyles have so they may very well afford more plentiful and durable fountains Besides it is observable that in the solid clay soyles it is very rare to find any eruption of water because such are sad earth and have few or no Caverns or Channells in them but our Springs break out ordinarily in Rocky gravelly ground especially the best water and most lasting Springs such as we call fontes perennes Another Objection that Seneca makes against it is this Object Ibid. that in the dryest soyle where they dig pits two or three hundred foot deep there is often found great plenty of water which no man can suppose to have come from the clouds but he thinks it of that sort which is wont to bee called living water From whence then should it come Solut. from the Sea perhaps the Sea is as many miles from that water as the superficies of the earth is feet from it and may much more bee questioned But we may remember Seneca's judgement concerning the originall of Springs is that they are generated by transumtation of earth into water de Origin font an assertion so ridiculous as he is laughed at by M. Lydiat and never had any as yet to take his part Perhaps it may come from the transmutation of air into water for such transmutation I cannot deny wee see Churches become wet before rain falls from this cause But it s most probable to come from Rain which may possibly peirce by its crannyes much deeper then he speaks of as I have shewen already Our Miners will tell him that in Winter after great inundations of Rain they are much troubled with water in the bottome of their Mines finding it frequently distilling through the solid earth upon their heads by the secret capillar veins as I may call them that come from the supersicies of the earth whereas in Summer or dry seasons they find no interruption at all Touching the terme living water which is used by Seneca I think no more is meant by it then such as flowes from ever-running fountains which therefore in English we commonly call quick Springs But to preceed Object York Spaw p. 4. Dr. French Objects concerning the increasing of Springs in Winter that it s not universally true
plentifully by siege others of them by Urine but scarce any so well both ways as I have from the testimony of divers persons of quality that have tryed them Having thus observed the through operation of the water both ways for that one day I weighed my self again the next morning as before I had lost two pound and a half oâ— my weight now I think the humours being rarified by the water some of them were evaporated by insensible transpiration And although I was in my ordinary state of health when I drank this one dose yet I found after it a better agility of body and alacrity of Spirit then before I have caused others to make tryall also as I did and it hath in some fluid bodies wrought more plentifully both ways then it did with me Now this water doth not onely thus throughly cleanse the body by siege and urine in the parts through which it passeth but doth also draw from distant parts as the head joints and breast and helps to the preventing and curing their distempers moreover to this evacuating is also joined a corroberating or strengthening quality wheâ—â—â—â— it fortifies the parts and so armseâ—â—ture with new strength to the preventing of relapses It is found to be good against diseases of the head as the Apoplexy Epilepsie Catalepsie Vertigo inveterate head ach especially when they proceed from Sympathy with the stomack or lower belly as many times they do in cacochymick constitutions It is good against the diseases of the Nerves as the Convulsion especially when it proceeds from sharp and bilious humours which do vellicate the tunicles of the stomack or the beginning of the Nerves or from worms as is ordinary in Children and others of the younger sort also against the Palsie especially if it proceed from the scurvy which therefore is called Paralysis Scorbutica and is observed by our modern writers occurring dayly in our practise although not observed by the Princes in Physick or the Ancient writers And of this particularly I have had good experience in serverall Mr. K. especially of late in a Minister who found much benefit in the use of it against the Palsie although not without other specisicall remedies which I added to fortifie the Nervs and the animall faculty It cleanses the stomack from tough and slimy flegm sometimes causing vomit if the stomack be prone thereto otherwise not unless one drink too fast before it hath time to go down It furthers concoction of the meat by strengthening the digestive faculty and provokes an appetite as large experience shews so as many that have come hither with feeble stomacks either in craving or concocting meat have in a very few days found themselves with hungry appetites to crave and ability to concoct any meat that could be set before them It opens the Lungs and cleanses them being good in all diseases of the breast that need or can admit purgation It s good against difficulty of breathing provided it be not accompanied with an Ulcer in the Lungs It cures the Asthma if the patient labour not under the incurable disease of old age or an exceeding feeble and cold distemper of the bowels Mr. H.D. I know a Gentleman of Hull that had been long and sore afflicted with the Asthma who was perfectly cured with drinking of it in a few days Mr is B. A Gentlewoman of York had been much troubled with Rhumes which had resisted all remedies found very much benefit by the use of this water more then all other methods that had been prescribed It cures the Palpitation of the heart and helps such as are subject to frequent fainting through Melancholick vapours that oppress the vitalls and such as are troubled with the Night-Mare or finde an opressive load at their brest It is good against indisposition of the body unto motion which wee call Spontanea lassitudo which some that otherwise are healthfull are troubled withall that they have no lift to stir or not without short breathing so as I have observed some who at first coming have not been able to walk a quarter of a mile upon the plain ground without weariness have after a few days drinking been able to walk up to the Castle hill without a rest It is singular good in opening even the old and inveterate obstructions of the Liver and Spleen and consequently prevents a Dropsie or cures it if it bd taken in time or before the Liver be too much weakned It prevents or cures a Schirrus of these parts if it be taken in the beginning before it be confirmed it corroberates the naturall faculty of them exceedingly and strengthens the Liver in its work of sanguification and corrects its intemperate heat It purifies the blood and cures the Scurvy even such as have been tainted with it in a high degree a large triall whereof I had in the late wars when the Garrison that was kept by Sr Hugh Cholmley on the top of this Castle hill after a few weeks siege whither from the air of the Sea or a bad dyet or want of exercise were most of them â—allen into the Scurvy especially the Country Gentleman who had fled in thither who were miserably troubled with it as many of them as drank and the Spaw Water were perfectly and speedily cured which some of them used without any other means It cures the Jaunders both yellow and black the Leprosie in which case its needful the patient should bathe in it and cleanses the body from the remainders of the French Pox and consummates the cure I have known Inveterate Quartanes often cured by it and other sorts of Agues also which have long resisted medicine have been conquered by the use hereof in a short time but it must be drunk only upon their days of intermission It is very good to purge away the reliques of the Small Pox Agues and other diseases and consequently to prevent relapses which are wont to ensue through a new fermentation of their matter It is a most Soveraign remedy against Hypo chondriack Melancholly and Windiness suppressing the vapours which fly up to the head and cheering the heart as I might instance at large I know a reverend Minister who for help in this disease hath travelled through all the Spaws in England Mr. L. till at length after tryall made of this hee found so much benefit that leaving all the rest he comes yearly one hundrâ—d and fifty miles to drink of it Mr. B. Likewise another Minister in York-Shrie that was a long time both in his own apprehension and others in a languishing condition through a Melancholy distemper being full of fears and fancies was perfectly cured with it and is become a very healthfull and cheerful man It helps the Colick and Iliack passion if it doth not proceed from a cold distemper of the bowells but in this caseit should be drunk a little warm and the patient shâ—uld also bathe in it It helps such as are subject to
And yet in these also regard is to be had of the constitution of the body for some are of such tender slippery bodies especially such as have been subject to frequent abortions that they can endure nothing notwithstanding some causes of abortion may be cured by the Spaw Herein I advise them to consult some prudent Physician before they drink of it But certainly in ordinary bodies if there be a redundancy of Gacochymick humours it is a most proper and safe medicine and may serve either to cure or prevent distempers that proceed from thence in any month of their reckoning And thus not onely the Spaw water but some other purging remedies we find may safely be administred to them in such a case if need be in any month Lib. 4. de morb mul. c. de reggravid as also saith Dr. Primrose yet it must be done by a wise hand although more safely in the middle months for the reasons abovesaid Sect. 14. IT now remains that I give some directions concerning the use of this Spaw water Drections for the use of the Spaw and that in reference to a preparation of the body for it right management during the time of drinking it and what may bee requisite to bee done after it I know many go to Spaws not for necessity but pleasure to withdraw themselves a while from their serious imployments and solace with their friends such are but whets not lets to business Such as â—â—â—in â—â—â—â—th â—â—â—ed no â—â—â—paration and like the whetting of a tool which sharpens it and makes it cut the better If such do drink without any preparation it matters not onely let them not drink too much at the first till it hath found passage which perhaps it may do in an ordinary body within three or four hours it being a sure working water I have often drunk my self not for need but company and â—â—â—â—r took preparatory and yet never failed of working the first day both by seige and urine a touch whereof I have given in the foregoing Section It may do good even to those that find no need in regard there may be some latent obstructions in the body or some lurking humours that may breed distempers afterwards upon the accesse of some procatarctick or externall cause which being taken away by this water may prevent a disease And it is very ordinary in corpulent bodies especially to have such humours and obstructions for whom this water is very proper although they find no sensible need at all for as much as such as are near to a disease or sickness Sect. 1. Aph. 3. as Hippocrates saith and do need purgation But as for such as find some decay of their health by reason of some distemper hanging on them there may be need of preparation and that with reference to the nature of the malady whether simple or complicated the parts principally affected the age and constitution of the Patient the time of the disease whether in its growth height or declination and the time of the year The fickly must take advice all which are considerable My advice is that no man go to the Spaw in such a case but that he first know what be goes for by a right understanding of his condition and a due comparing the disease and the remedy together that he may have some grounds to hope for good and so drink cheerfully and not doubtingly for questionless it is not good for all things some diseases as also some bodies not admitting of such evacuation as they must expect that drink of this water The best is therefore to advise with some learned Physician who understanding the nature of the malady and of the water will bee able throughly to instruct him whether it be a proper remedy or no for his condition For though the water will not probably hurt any man that is in perfect health yet it may do harm to such as are sickly if it be not used aright And its hard nay almost impâ—ssible for me to lay down rules that may sute every mans particular case there being as great variety difference among them almost as there are men Amongst these some perhaps will need no preparation at all before they drink of the Spaw to wit such whose bodies are fluid or humours not many the malady lying perhaps in intemperie Or at least some gentle eccoproticks may serve the turn being given the night before the Patient begin to drink Others whose obstructions are rebellious and humours tenacious or nature dul and slow may need some course of Physick or at the least some strong cattarticks to make way for the water for want of a right understanding whereof some have got more harm then good and have bought repentance at too dear a rate especially such whose bodies have been weak and tender for whom purging was not â—a fit remedy Again whereas I commend this water in severall cases as in diseases of the head brest or lower belly Other medicines needfull I mean not as if it were to bee used alone and nothing else It may be requisite many times to furnish the Patient with some specisick remedies that relate more peculiarly to the partaffected with reference it may be to some complication of maladies which I cannot so perfectly discribe without making this swell into a voluminous bulk which I intend not Let blood In some cases also it may bee fit to let blood either before or after some few days drinking especially in plethorical bodies or hot distempers without which many times obstructions will not yield to remedies All these cannot bee so well predetermined but are best judged of by view and conference with the party It wil be sufficient to the wise that I have said so much of the nature and operation of this medicinall water as that Physicians that never saw nor heard of it before may be able well to judge of it and give good advice to such as consult them with reference thereto The due manner of drinking These things being premised let such as drink of the water bergin with it in the morning by six of the Clock or seven at the furthest taking two glasses of halfe a pint a piece intermitting a little space of time betwixt one and the other after which let the Patient walk about upon the sands halfe an hour by degrees or otherwise ride on horseback or in a Coach till he finds his stomack is a little emptier the water being passed down into the bowells then let him drink two glasses more and so walk again which will help to warm the water in the stomack and further both its concoction and descent or let him use some gentle exercise so as he do not provoke sweat because that throws the water into the habit of the body and hinders its passage through the bowells And then after he finds his stomack capable of receiving more let him drink other two glasses as before
falling sick of accute Fevers which at this season of the year are more frequent then at other times are wont to defer the looking for help a fault too common at all seasons because of the Dog days till that which at the beginning might easily have been cured by delay doth many times become incurable Sure I am Hippocrates never said or thought that the Dog days are unfit time for Physick Hippocrates explained nor did Galen in his Comment understand him in that sense He onely says purgation are difficult about that time of the year that is they cause ill Symptomes as Fevers Gripings dissolution of the Spirits which are already enfeebled by the excessive heat of the weather imputing it not to the influence of that Star but to the heat that is wont to happen at that time the heat also not arising in the least respect from the nature of the Star but from the Sun it self which is now again running over the same degrees of the Ecliptick in Leo that it had done before in Taurus in July and August which it did in Aprill and May. It cannot be from an extraordinary malignant influence that is in the Dog-star more then others Dog star has no malignant influence it being agreed on all hands by those that are versed in Astrology that there are many other constellations and parts of heaven which are more full of malignity then it is as Corscorpionis which arises with the Sun in the later end of November being also within a few degrees of the body of the Sun So Caput Medusae or Argol neer unto which the Sun pasles in the latter end of of Aprill And the Dragons Taile and imaginary point of heaven full of enmity by which the Sun transits once a year besides the monthly conjunction of the Moon with them all I say Hipocrates cannot be thought to intend the Malignant influence of the Dog Star to hinder the working of Physick while he that knew the rest as well as this never mentions them at all which if they were observed would imply the unfitnesse of every season and consequently very few days in the year would be proper for Physick It was indeed the heat of the weather which hee respected which happens with us about the Cosmicall rising of the Dog Star with the Sun to wit Phyfick may be used in the Dog days towards the later end of July But neither is the heat so intense in this our climate as that for it we should abstain from using remedies when there is need our July and August not being so hot as April and May are in the Island of Coos which is called in Maps Laugo and by its owners Turks Stancera not far from Rhodes where Hippocrates lived Now although nothing is more necessary to be observed by Physicians then the disposition rising and setting of eminent Stars the bodies and stomacks of men receiving mutation according to their motions to which respect is heedfully to be had in giving of Physick De aerc in principio as saith Hippocrates else where yet there is not so much regard to be had as that either this Star or the heat should make us wholly abstain when a disease requires it Learned Physicians knowing well enough how to muzzle that Dog and temper the heat with medicines sutable we having purging remedies as fit for hot weather as for cold and temperate such as if Hippocrates had known I verily think hee had never mentioned that Aphorisme his purging medicines being exceeding hot violent and of a malignant and coroding nature which wee have very rarely any occasion to use and then every better corrected and do wholly lay aside in the heat of Summer Neither is Hippocrates in that Aphorism laying down rules for giving of Physick but only reporting his observation concerning the māner of working of medicines wch he says is with some difficulty and bad Symptomes well might it be so wth his medicines in that Climate but what is that to us while our own observations are that ours do operate without any difficulty And whosoever shal observe the operations of medicines in the hand of any able Physician at this time of the Withgood success year shall acknowledge them as safe and successfull as that which he gives at any other season And more particularly this is found true in Mineral waters such as I am now treating of which are as I said the best in hot weather both in regard of their more eminent participation of the strength of the Minerals as also because of our bodies which are more open and free for their passage and we can also drink more plentifully in the Summer moneths which is necessarily to be done by such as go to the Spaws It any require further satisfaction concerning this point of the dog-Dog-dayes I referre him to Dr Primerose his Book of Popular Errors Lib. 4. c. 11 as also to Doctor Browns elaborate and learned Tractate concerning Vulgar Errours Lib. 4. e. 13 where he may be abundantly convinced Nevertheless if any mans condition require his drinking in Winter Directions for such as drink in winter let the water be a little ayred that the extremity of the cold may be taken off and let a good fire be made to warm the Chamber least it happen to him as Fallopius found in himself andothers by drinking of the German Spaws in winter excessively cold who felt some paralytick and convulsive motions after it It any enquire of me whether this Spaw-water will endure to be carried into the Country at distance Quest and keep it vertue I answer Puriù ex ipso fonte bibuntur aquae Answ It is the best when it is drunk at the Fountain for I think some of its Spirits do evaporate being carried far it seeming to have a purer azure colour and a more acid taste also at the Fountain yet it may be carried many miles without out any sensible decay of its strength and operation being constantly brought by the Fishermen in Caggs It hath also been carryed to London and was found good as far as York and Hull which is thirty miles yea often many miles further It hath also been carried to London and was found good I have drunk of it after it had been ten days in the Cagge and have always found it to work very well and I think if it were filled at the Fountain into Bottles and well stopped it would keep its vertue and sweetness much longer being set in Sand or Earth in a cold Cellar and might be carried perhaps as far as the German Nevertheless I think it much better to drink it at Scarbrough for those that are able of body to travel thither and in purse especially for Students who being here withdrawn from their Books and all occasions of Study then which nothing is more prejudicial to such as drink waters or pursue any other course of Physick may enjoy the society
of their acquaintance and lead a more chearfull active life which will help to refresh their spirits and promote the more speedy passage of the water But as for such as through feebleness of body or estate are not able to travel It may be carried abroad they may get it brought to them into the Country having been incouraged to the use of it by some able Physician and they need not doubt its operation it being impregnated not only with the spirits of the Minerals which being carried far are subject to evaporation but with the substance of them or concrete juyce which will continue as long as the Water it self remaines sweet Compared with the Germane And this seems to be of like nature with the principal Spaw in Germany called by the name of Powhont which is wont to be carried into several Countries and was brought into England to Count Bellemont when he was sent Embassador from France to King James and was found as good as at the Fountain which might well be supposed to be done in less then ten days And they both arise out of the bottom of a great Rock having imbibed almost the very same Minerals only I think this has no lead and I suppose is not the worse for it having also more strength of the Minerals then the Powhont For when Doctor Paddy our Countrymen and Doctor Heer 's distilled it they found nothing but Rubrich Ocher and a little Vitriol as Doctor Heer 's himself relates whereas three quarts of this affords when the Rubrick is separated from it well nigh two drams of other Minerals The other which they call Sauvenir partakes much of the spirits of the Minerals but hath very little of their juyce or substance so as it is good at the Fountain but looses its spirits and vertue being carried abroad in as much as Frambesarius after two days journey found it like common water whereas that of Powhont was strong and quick There are two other Spaws in Germany not long since discovered viz. Geronster and Tonnelet but they are short of the other in vertue the former causing vomit often and dizzyness in the head as if a man were drunk and the other muddy and slimy and nauseous to the Palate yet they do each of them also purge the belly These do the inhabitants of the Towns neer adjoining make use of inwardly both for the preparing of their meat and drink as ordinary water especially the two first and it s observed by the German Writers that in no place of Germany are there to be found older and more healthfull people then thereabouts It is observable that the Stones by which this water passes at the Fountains as also in all other Spaws I read of are of a reddish colour as also it turns the execrements of such as drink of it into a sad green or blackish colour both which Doctor Heer 's thinks to proceed from Rubrick or mater ferri because all chalybeat Medicines after what manner soever they be taken inwardly do the like Cap. 8. p. 79. But Doctor French though he grants Iron may and doth cause a black tincture yet he seems rather to impute it to the Vitrioll For better satisfaction in this scruple both to my self and others I made a separation of the Rubrick from the test of the Minerals with gall and drank the clear water which though I find it purges not a whit the less yet the excretions were not changed at all which is an experiment observed by neither of them so as it plainly appears that change of color proceeds from the Rubrick or Iron And I also think it is the colour which receives the Tincture which if it be awanting the excrements are not tinged at all as in those that have the Jaunders whose Choler by reason of obstructions doth not passe into the guts they do find their excrements black till after they have drunk a day or two the obstructions begin to open and the choler is sent down into the bowells So also they that tarry long at the waters observe their excrements that before were blackish to become more pale which arises from the greatest part of the choler which hath been purged away except what is daily generated which being but little cannot give so deep a tincture Leave off by degrees My advice to them that drink long of it is that they leave by degrees as they began taking a lesse quantity every day then other for two or three days and to purge watry humours as soon as they have done either at Scarbrough or when they come at home It any after the use there of find a watry moysture upon his stomack more then ordinary Wine and Water correct each other or some other moyst distemper which happens to those whose stomacks and concective faculty are feeble it may easily be corrected by drinking a glasse or two of Wine more then ordinary at meals for some little while Wine and water fitly amending the distempers that proceed from a more then usual drinking of each other as Herilacus observes well De vinor qd effect 2. so as he that is inflamed with Wine may be cooled with water and all cold distempers that come by the immoderate use of water may bee amended with Wine And whereas perhaps there may be some that think it an empiricall thing and to exceed belief that this Spaw water should cure so many maladies as I have reckoned up and severall of them of contrary qualities I refer such to the writings of Fallowpius Solenander Geringus Ryetius Bezansonius H. ab Heer 's who have treated of the Waters of Germany and else where as also to several of our own Country men as Dr. Dean Mr. Stanhope Dr. Fiend and many others who have writ of severall Spaws in England moreover let them inform themselves well concernig the cures that have been done by the waters at Epsam Tunbridge Barnet Bristol Knaresbrough c. This of ours coming not short of if not much exceeding the best of them all either Germane or English Felix qui potuit boni Fontem visere lucidum Boeth de consolat Philos metr 12. l. 4. READER Through the Authors great distance from the Press some gross Errours have escabed the Printer which do break the sense He begs so much ingenuity that these following being some of the principall may be corrected by thy pen before thou begin to read PAge 2. l. 12. read Coroners p. 5. l. 10. r. having the p. 11. l. 14. r. skie p. 12. l. 2. r. it doth p. 16. l. 21. in the marg r. Sect. 2. p. 18. l. 8. r. other p. 19. l. 5 r. altering p. 34. l. 13.1 superfices p. 38. l. 2. c amounts p. 39. l. 14. r. Baccius p. 48 l. 2. r. indomitable p. 67. l. 3. r. purifies p. 67. l. 10. r. converted p. 15. l. 4. r. meal p. l. last r. vehicle p. p. 69. l. 14. r. know p. 70. l. 9. r. pestileutiall p. 72. l. 13. r. up with it p. 73. l. 4. r. of my discourse l. 10. r. concerning Springs p. 74. l. 4. r. transmutation p. 77. l. 15. r. redound p. 78. l. ult r. figure p. 90. l. ult r. distance p. 106. l. dele the p. 108. l. ult r. renders p 112. l. 19. r with the frre p 113. l. 12. r. all the water p. 115. l. 7. r. break out p. 117. l. 1. r. overflown p. 123. l. 21. r. where p. 127. l. 3. r. aboundance l. ult r. of the Earth p. 128. l. 15. del which p. 130. l. 3. r. suppply them p. 131. l. 15. r. Rains do falls p. 132. l. 5. r. sorts of Springs l. 16. r. of Athiopia p. 133. l. 11. r. M. Carpenter p. 137. l. 7. r. Commissure l. 18. r. thee solid
de Jovis arbore malo Gustato imbueret tralucida purpura vultum Vivaces vâ—res rutilantis proderet Orbis Hinc longis seclis latuit vis enthea Nymphae Dum tandem coelo delapsa Hygiaea benigno Secretum invenit miseris quod tradidit aegris Ne Nymphaeque sacris praeclarus Mysta deesset Nomâ—is agnoscens omen radiatus Apollo Signavit lymphae encausto diploma disertum Quo jus augustum Tibi transtulit alme Sacerdos Phaebi tum vires leges mysteria ortum Naiadum conscribere tum specialiter usus Quos Nymphae vestrae Phoebus concredidit olim Felices tribuis latices panacea reclusa est Ingeniose tui sit sostrum fama laboris Lâ—â—ulâ—ent Musae ac jam tota Britannia plaudet Sâ—rò persolvent laudum nostrique Nepotes Languidâ—li vestris sua posthuma pensa favillis THough it be true no Ivy need to tell Where sprightfull Bacchus or the Nymphs do dwel Yet some of th' coyer stomachs must be woo'd With sugred words and Court-ship to their food Tho some look pale yet some mayn't think it strange Hot liver'd Bacchus for a Nymph to change But it 's for their own ends because they think It will impower them lustiler to drink None such are courted hither for th' intent Is to invite for health not complement These draught restore lost health what 's most sure Strange maladies find here their common Cure 'T is th' Summer Hospital where Physick's given To all that come by a propitious Heaven Phoebus it first salutes when 's rest hath caught In Thetis lap and takes his Morning draught Neptune his usefull Physick fetcheth hence For 's feebler watry Subjects to dispence And in requital largely Tribute tells Of Rubies Agars Diamonds and Shells Our Author th' waters Universe doth bring In grand Procession to this healthfull Spring Here Minerals Mount in s Regions Cities Plains Are treated on with such Wittie Remain As may invite the Readers curious stay In such Discoveries his thinks to pay An Ocean joyns to th' Spring and it was fit A cousin German Ocean of wit Should mark its Hydrography but now no more Each River Banks and Ocean must have shore Nath. Johnson Med. Dr. Pontesract June 3. 1160. The Authors Contemplation upon his Water-Works SOme have been wont to entertain Great Princes and their Royal Train With Water-works and did inherit Applause according to their merit If these of mine were so polite That I might hope they would delight Each Letter should due homage bring Upon its knees unto the King And solemnize with jollity This day and year of Jubilee And so while each his present offers In Service from his big-swoln Coffers I 'de imitate that honest Clown That having nothing of his own But 's loyal heart from the next Spring Brought water in his hand to th' King And of this little Book each Page Should lackey him unto old Age With loyaltie And when he dies O cruel word from English eyes 'T will floods of briny tears extract And raise up such a Cataract To make the waters here below Unite with those above that flow And so another sort begin Fie Subject for a better Pen. York May 29. 1660. Scarbrough Spaw OR A description of the Nature and Vertues of the Spaw at Scarbrough IN the South-East Corner of the north-riding of Yorkshire Sect. 1. upon the Coast of the Germane Ocean is situate the ancient Corporation of Scarbrough It seems to have it's name from Scar which signifies a cleft as learned Cambden thinks and Burgh a Town as if it were said Britan a Town in the cleft being environed both on the West North and East with mighty hills and rocks It may be said of this place as of most of our Corporations in England Caput inter nubila condit We know not it's Original The Town is governed by 2 Bayliffs 2 Ceronets 4 Chamberlains and 36 Burgesses consisting of 3 Benches annually chosen dignifyed with a right of electing two Representatives in Parliament It is fortifyed on the North-east with an exceeding high and inaccessible Rock which stretches it self at good distance into the Sea containing about 18 or 20 Acres of good Medow on the top of it although Cambden out of William of Newburgh speaks of above 60 Acres whether the greater part of it be washed away with the Sea or the difference lyes in the various measure of Acres I will not dispute The passage to the Rock is by a narrow neck of Land on which is a draw Bridge over an exceeding deep trench near which is the Castle which hath been accounted very strong although it is now become useless one half of it having fallen from the other through a battery of Guns in the siege that was maintained against it by Sir John Meldram against Sir Hugh Cholmley in the late unhappy Wars The top of the Rock towards the Town from the entrance into the gate to the Sea is further fortifyed and adorned with a very strong stone Wall all the other sides of the Rock are open to the Sea 2 rarities There are two Rarities which I observe on the top of this huge Rock the one is an exceeding deep well made with Hewne stone which seems to be dry at the bottome through which it 's thought there is a secret passage into the Town I had rather believe it then go to see The other is a spring of fresh Water within half a yard of the edge of the Rock towards the Sea which in the most droughty Summers never wanted water and was of singular use to Sir Hugh Ghomley and his Garison in the siege as also to the present Garison Peers of Stone Another observable in this Town is the mighty Peers of stone which have of old been made and are repaired by the Corporation to which some other maritine Towns do contribute knowing the benefit of the harbour for their shipping on occasion consisting of mighty round stones many of them of some tuns weight which are laid loose and yet piled up together in such comely order stretching from the foot of the Castle Hill into the Sea that they become a sure defence against the raging waves of the Sea and make a convenient harbour for their Ships That which adds further to the fame of the place being the main Subject of my present discourse The Spaw-well is the Spaw Well which is a quiâ—k Spring about a quarter of a miâ—e South from the Town at the foot of an exceeding high cliff arising upright out of the Earth like a boyling pot near the level of the Spring tides with which it is often overflown It is of that sort of Springs which Aristot. cals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the most droughty years are never dry but run continually affording above twenty four gallons of water in an hour the stones through which it flowes being emptyed every morning containing more then twelve gallons will be full within halfe an
of men And hereby the way I intend nothing concerning distilled waters which are make out of green plants nor to dispute whither they have in them the vertue of the plant out of which they are distilled as Fernelius and Quercitanus think De abdit rer caus l. 2. Pharm restituta or whether they partake nothing of their virtue especiaâ—ly such as have nothing of the sinell or taste of the plant but are onely the flegmatick juyce of them and of the same vertue with our common water and to be used indifferently in stead of it as my learned and intimate friend Doctor Primerose thought it sufficeth that wee have them always ready and at hand in our Apothecarys Shops to be a vehicle to others medicines which we have occasion to use for present indications when wholesom common water would many times bee far to seek Nor do I intend to trouble the Reader or my self with a Phylosophicall discourse concerning the Element of water lib. 2. de gen c. 8. which is one of the four principles which Aristotle saith do necessarily concurre to the making up of every compound body and into which it is to be resolved in it's dissolution whether it be animate or inanimate Neither indeed can that be found any where not being obvious to the externall senses or capable of attaining its qualities of cold and moysture without loosing its form Instead of it we have our common water whose proper place is the superficies or convex part of the earth and is encompassed with the air being also very near of kin to the Elementary water although not the same 1 De Element de simpl med fac l. 1. Parac de Elem. ag as Galen and Paracelsus do assert it being of the number of those bodyes which Aristotle calls imperfect mixed bodyes in his book of Meteors It hath also the same qualities of cold and moisture in which yet it is capable of alteration especially in the former from external causes without any formal diminution This is called by Paracelsus the mother of all generations Param l. 3. de pest tract 1. and the matrix of all the creatures without this there would be no procreation of animalls or vegetables above the earth or of mineralls within the bowells of the earth This perhaps made Empedocles be of the opinion that all things were made of water But water is not only necessary by way of principle and so an ingredient in the constitution of our bodyes but also in Order to nourishment for the conservation of them in their being and growth And therefore Plato called it of all liquors the most precious In Euthydemo although it may be had at a cheap rate Lib. 2. Dypnos c. 2. I know Galen Actuarius and other learned men deny any nutritive quality to be in water although Athenaeus is of a contrary judgment because some creatures feed on nothing else as Grashoppers and so we see Horseleaches that are put into water in our Apothecaryes-shops will grow bigger But as for Grashoppers for ought I know they may feed as other insects do of green plants and it 's probable they do and as touching the growing of the Horseleaches I think the water while it 's new and uncorrupt pines them and makes them hungry not affording them any nourishment till it putrefyes which it doth the sooner by their being in it and so they are nourished aswell as bred by putrefaction which the water hath contracted and not by simple and pure water it self Nâ—t nâ—urishing Now the reason why it adds nothing to the â—ourishment of our bodyes I conceive to the this That which is to nourish the body is in proximâ potentiâ to be blood and in remotâ a member whereas water because of it's super-abundant coldness as also because it is a simple body is not capable to become either the one or the other and therefore it cannot have any nourishing vertue Yet necessaâ—y uâ—to nourishment Notwithstanding there is nothing more necessary unto nourishment it being the best vehicle of nourishment without which those gross meats which we daily eat could not be assimilated and turned into our substance For how should that chyle which the stomack makes by concocting the solid meats which we daily feed on be able to pass into those small veins in the mesentery and from thence to the Liver if it had not a moist watery humidity mixed with it for it's vehicle as saith Galen lib 4. de usu part c. 5. Ob. Sol. If any object that Wine or Beer will serve for this end as well as water I answer Wine and Beer do it by their watery and thin substance which they have from their abundant participation of water besides water is more generally used in the World both by men and beasts then either Wine or Beer and doth better serve for other inward common ends And as for Wine Beer or Ale the more they do recede from the nature of Water the worse and more unwholsom are they to be used for ordinary drink The use of watâ—â— By the help of Water or what is made out of it is our natural heat kept in a mean and our radical moisture repaired so as the latter is not exhausted by the excess of the former Also with this nature is satisfyed and refreshed as much when we are thirsty as it is with meat when we are hungry yet without any addition or increase of the substance of our bodyes as I said before The first common drink This was the common drink both of man and beast during the first age of the World from the Creation till the Flood for above 16. hundred years when mens lives were prolonged to almost a thousand years Not that I think the drinking of water was the cause of their so long living but rather the good pleasure of God for the more speedy propagating of mankind upon the earth was the cause and their temperance a great help a vertue almost lost in this declining age of the World yet certâ—inly it was the most proper drink which man could use in order to the lengthening of his dayes and preserving his health otherwise God would have shewn him a better And if circumstances be weighed we shall see that after the invention and use of wine which the Scripture attributes to Noah after the Flood the age of man began to be contracted to near a tenth part Psal 90.10 and yet still became shorter so as in Moses his time it was accounted but threescore and ten Nay long after Wine came to be known I find water was in ordinary use The ancient Romans used it Julius Frontinus saith that the Romans were content with water as their only drink for the space of 440. years from the building of Rome Yea even to this day not only the common sort of Citizens drink nothing else but the wealthier also delight in it
which England doth abound more then any Country such as this at Scarbrough do certainly require more heat and concoction then any ordinary potable waters do of which since England affords so many if not better then others do it is without reason to question the concoction of other waters 6. And lastly the waters of England do agree fully and exactly with that description and those tokens of good water which I find laid down in the writings either of Philosophers or Physicians Grecian Arabian or Latine If any man require further satisfaction concerning this point I referre him to my ever honoured and intimate friend Dr. Primerose his Book of popular Errours lib. 3. c. 1. The sum of what they all say accounts to this Tokens of good water that there must be a concurrence of the Verdict of 3. Senses to prove the Water to be good viz. Sight Taste and Smell I will not trouble the Reader nor my self with many quotations To the Sight it must be exceeding transparent and clear without any sediment when it hath stood long and which being shaken hath no shreds of any shape whatsoever or motes or sand flying about To the Taste it must be void of all qualities neither sweet nor sowre nor salt nor acide nor must it have any other tast that can be discern'd by the tongue the formality thereof consisting in cold and moisture To the Smell it must have no smell at all nor yield any quality that can be discerned by the most accurate nose Paulus Zachias a learned Roman Physician l. 5. Med. leg qu. tit 4. will have the other two Senses to give verdict also even the sense of hearing accounting that bad which being poured from one vessel to another poures like oyle with out noise as being thick and unctuous on which account â—accius discommends the Water of Tiber lib. 1. de Tib. aq as also because it is thick and oyly to the touch To the which I will add one tryal more that which being boyled yields no scumme on the top nor sediment at the bottome but all evaporates into air there are other tokens which I shall reserve for their due place This saith Montanus is the common matter of all those things with which it is mixed And as the Astrologers say of Mercury among the Planets so I may say of water it is good with the good and bad with the bad it heats with hot things and cools with the cold yet it is to be observed it ever dulls the heat of hot things and such as do attenuate Good in many cases Now cold simple water is not only the common drink which the God of Nature hath provided for all his Creatures for the sustentation of them in their being but also it is most healthfull being taken inwardly and is prescribed by Physicians in many cases both to prevent and cure diseases and tends much to preserve us in our well being Concerning which one Hermannus vander Heyden a Dutch-man of very good worth hath writ a peculiar Tractate well worth the reading It tempers our natural heat Meth. med c. 5. which otherwise would scorch and dry up the humours of the body as saith Fernelius and doth excellently correct that preternatural heat which is caused by Fevers as Galen and Avicen do affirm and they both allow it to be drunk in a large quantity especially if there be signs of concoction in the veins which a learned Physician is able to judge of and then it helps the critical evacuations of nature by sweat seige or vomit Aristotle saith that they that use to drink water do see the most clearly which is agreeable to reason because it sends no hot fumes up into the brain but rather allayes them Eubulus commends it to help the invention and saith that such as drink water are the best inventers of new things whereas all strong drinks do dull the understanding lib. 2. din. c. 2. as Athenaeus cites him It is good against vomiting when it proceeds from bilious humours stayes the Hicket when it arises from choler that corrodes and vellicates the Tunicles of the stomach and stayes the flux and being drunk warm it causes vomitting A glass of cold water being drunk after meat is good for an hot stomack that concocts too fast and for such as Hippocrates calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but it is not safe when a man hath been toyling and is hot as Cornelius Celsus saith lib. 1. c. 3. nor can I approve of cold water for such as are old and have very feeble stomacks least it overcome their natural heat and they find the same fate that Aristophanes relates of Tiresias who drinking of the water of Tilphosa a famous Spring in Baeotia when he was very old Ath. lib. 2. cap. 2. dyed immediately the coldness of the water overcoming his feeble natural heat Water furthers procreation of the Species and therefore it is observable in those Countries where they drink altogether water they multiply more then else where and hence was the Law which I read of in Plato Dialog 2. de leg that those that were new marryed were to drink nothing but water They indeed that drink Wine are more salacious yet they are less prolifick Crato in Scoltzius tells of one Cons med 143. that by drinking every night and morning cold water found very much benefit in freeing him from his usual violent tormenting pain of the stone in the morning he swallowed some grains of Pepper in it unbruised to correct it's coldness which may very well be because it tempers the excessive heat of the kidneys and corrects the sharpness of urine Hermannus vander Heyden commends it highly against the Gout as a most soveraign remedy in his Book before cited It tempers the heat of the Liver but it hurts the Spleen being taken in too great a quantity and fills it with serous humours and therefore when we would use it for the hot distemper of the Liver we should have respect to the Spleen to remove it's obstructions as Capivaccius sayes well In Scoâ—t Cons med 156. And let this suffice concerning water in general to beget it a little more credit among us because of it's antiquity and usefulness Sect. 3. I come now to speak concerning the several sorts of water in particular as they lye in the order of nature and are or may be the causes of each other And first of Sea water Of Sea water as that which was first in Nature and very briâ—fly not being of use to be taken inwardly yet falling into our consideration in the subsequent discourse The Sea makes one Globe with the Earth being yet not confused with it but divided from it and gathered together into one place by it self on the third day of the Creation Gen. 1.7 The Earth is the center of the Globe and contains the Sea water as in a vessel there being no water which is
exegeticall and interpretative to the former to wit He layeth up the deep in store-houses Unless they will have the Prophet to hint also at the Spherical Figure of the Sea to which I can easily assent Besides the words themselves are worthy our considering he doth not say on an heap but as an heap 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 congregans sicut acervum aquas maris Whereas in the story of the Israelites passing over Jordan when the waters were divided before them stood up in an heap the same word in Hebrew for a heap is used to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iosh 3 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 steterunt acervo uno The Septuagint Translating that in the Psalm according to this sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gathering as in a vessel the water of the Sea Job 38.11 clâ—aâ—â—d As touching that place in Iob I conceive it makes nothing for their opinion of the Seas elevation above the earth I deny not Gods miraculous and extraordinary working in some things to manifest the glory of his wisdom power yet I suppose the Sea to be confined by his providence within the ordinary bounds of nature for it were very strange to imagine that God in the first institution of nature should impose a perpetual violence upon nature seeing we see the Creator in other things to use nature as his ordinary servant to administer the regiments of matters by second causes I conceive no more is meant in that Scripture but that Almighty God hath set certain limits bounds which the waters should not pass these bounds and limits I take not to be supernatural as if the water restrain'd by a miraculous word of coÌ„mand should be forced to contain it self within its circuit prescribed to it but natural as cliffs hils within which the water seems to be intrenched for we may see there is no such force put upon it but if the natural bounds of the Sea to wit the cliffs be removed the Sea overruns the Land and turns all into it self But the Authors of this opinion urge further Object that according to the order of the Elements among themselves the earth should be lowest and the water above it I Answer if we consider these Elements among themselves Sol. we must give the height to the water for as much as the greatest part by far of the Earth lyes drowned for that which is above bears no sensible proportion with that which lyes under the water But here we are not comparing the two Elements intirely betwixt themselves but the superficies of the water with the parts of the earth that are uncovered and are habitable which supersicies of the Earth notwithstanding this reason may be higher then the water But they object further because Marriners coming from the main Ocean to the Land Object seem to see the Land far lower then the water This may easily be made out of Opticall principles Sol. that it must appear so by reason that the Sphericall sigure and convexity of the Sea interposed betwixt our sight and the lower part of the Land doth hide some parts from our sight whence it must needs appear lower being couched almost under water The like is discernable in another Ship at Sea which seems to be depressed underwater at som Leagues distance so as nothing appears but her top Sails Besides at distance all things seem lower even upon a levell at Land which when we draw nigh unto do better discover their height I read that in Noahs Flood God brake open the springs of the deep and opened the Cataracts of heaven to pour down rain continually many days together upon the Earth of which there had been no necessity at all had the Sea been heaped up in such sort as they imagine for the only withdrawing of his hand and letting loose the reins that the water might have run to an evenness would have been sufficient to have overwhelmed the whole earth Again we find by experience and our Mariners do all agree in it that a like gale of Wind will serve to carry a Ship out of the Port to the open Sea as from the Sea into the Port which could not be if the Sea were higher then the Land for they would need a great and stiffe gale to carry them up the bank of the Sea and none at all to run into the Land And thus I conceive wee are free'd from that absurd consequence which their Doctrine of the Seas Elevation at distance and depression on the shore doth necessarily infer to wit that the water which runs out of Rivers in the ebbe as soon as it reaches to the Sea must run up the hill in its own naturall motion which is against the nature of heavy bodies whose motion is ever downward to the Center of the Earth as also Aristotle's own Doctrine else where Lib. c. de coelo c. 4. Besides as Dr. French well observes a man would think so many great Rivers terminated in the Sea might be a sufficient moysture for the taking away of the termination made by the dryness of the Earth and to make the Globus Sea sink to an evenness Moreover tht manner of conveyance of the Sea water to the heads of Springs fancied by Dr. Jordan through the secret channells of the Earth requires a man of much credulity to believe him to wit that the water in those his subterraneall crannyes should without any force upon it leave its naturall figure and correspond with its levell and yet the same water being exposed to the open air near the shore should both make and abide in a valley It further implies much easiness of peâ—swasion in him that can believe that those Springs which are two or three hundred miles from the Sea as some are in great continents must yet be supplyed with water from the Sea by Channells of that length Besides if there were such Channells from the Sea to the Springs as he fancyes that are hollow like pipes the water of the Springs would certainly be brackish according to the nature of the Sea water which in such length of time would have tainted the Channells through which it passes Nat. Hist cent 9. exp 882. as the Lord Bacon observes that although pits digged near the Sea will bee found in time to have fresh water in them yet afterwards they will become salt the sand through which the water is transcolated coÌ„tracting saltness so as new ones must be made and so I think of Dr. Jordan's subterraneall Channells As for Divines who are of the opinion of the Seas height above the Land I desire them to consider of that place in Psal 107. ver 23. where it is called going down to the Sea in Ships the words being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendentes ad mare Psal 107.23 coming from the same root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 descendit with that word which is used Micha 1.4 〈◊〉
plentifull Springs near the Sea by reason of the nearness to their Fountain when as to the contrary we find that those Towns which are scituate neer the Sea are more destitute of water then others that are more remote Again those Springs that are upon the Sea shore should probably sympathize in their growth or decrease with the Sea and so at the Spring-Tides should flow more plentifully and at Neap-Tides more sparingly as those Springs I just now spake of the Gypsies are more or less according to the rain whereas no such thing is observable in the other Nor is this Spring of which we treat to wit the Spaw which is upon the level of the Spring-tides and sometimes overflow by them in the least wise altered by them The Spaw not altered by the Tides as ever I could observe to flow more freely at the Spring-Tides and slower at the Neap-Tides when the Sea is at somewhat a further distance nor yet is its taste altered in the least or its efficacy in working notwithstanding which I think it hath some Salt in it from the Sea and is thereby exalted in some qualities Whereas it is very observable notwithstanding it breaks out of the ground within three or four yards of the foot of the cliffe which is near 40 yards high within a quarter of a mile there is another hill that is more then as high again above the Cliffe and a descent all the way to the Cliffe so as the rain water cannot lie long upon the ground I say nevertheless it is observable that after a great rain the water is altered in its taste But is altered by rain lessenened in its operation Indeed a rainy day or two will not hurt it all But to return to the ground of the opinion which is built upon the Seas sole sufficiency to afford so great and constant a supply of waters to feed the Springs I easily grant it to be the best Store-house and do only dissent about the manner of conveyance of which I shall have occasion to speak by and by And for the other ground because the Sea is not increased by the multitude of waters that flow into it daily which it must of necessity be if they had not by their subterraneal Channels a recourse to their Founâ—ains Plato indeed hath a ready answer to it telling of I know not what great Abyss which he calls Tartarus and makes it the original Fountain of all waters into which by Caverns of the earth he will have the Sea to empty it self of its superfluity If this Tartarus be Hell he is surely mistaken for Dives found no water De Sac. Phil. c. 63. Valesius indeed interprets it to be the same with Moses his Abysse or else some hidden part of the Sea But this I pass over as one of the Philosophers dreams being also confuted by his Scholar Aristotle who gives a full answer lib. 2. Met. c. 4. which may satisfie any man with whom agrees Freigius in his Hydrographie An immense quantity thereof Hydrog p. 442. they say is spent in vapours which by the Sun and the heavenly bodies are drawn out of it daily and converted into rain snow and hail as also much is dryed up with the wind to which Mr. Lydiat consents Another large quantity is sucked up by the earth In praelect Astron. as is evidently seen neer great Rivers where the adjacent grounds are so much moistened that neer them there is a more signal fertility then in places more remote Ibid. And then again Aristotle saith that the Sea is not so much the end of the waters to which they run and wherein they are spent as the beginning and fountain of them from which they flow and so what was spent in exhalations is but regained by the descent of showers of rain and snow the Springs and Rivers paying Tribute according to their receit and hence it comes to pass that the Sea is neither fuller nor emptier And besides Valesius gives another answer viz. De Sac. Philos c. 63. The Sea is as much extenuated dissipated under the Zodiack by the exceeding heat as it is augmented and increased under the Poles with rain and snow And this may suffice to be said concerning the first opinion of the Original of Springs to wit the percolation of the Sea Sect. 8. The second opinion is That Spring water is generated in the Earth and that either by transmutation of earth into water or of ayr The second Original Liâ— 3 Nat. quaest c. 7. as others Of the former opinion was Seneca the Philosopher who as he was the Author of that fancy so I think he is alone for I finde none of his judgement That the Elements may be transmuted one into another especially those that are placed neerest one another agreeing together more in quality then the rest is the doctrine of Aristotle Lib 2. de gener c. 8. and agreeable with reason and very obvious to the senses I can easily believe that the thinner parts of earth may be turned into water as also the grosser parts of water into earth so the thinner and more subtile parts of water into air and the grosser parts of air into water and therefore it may be true that Seneca saith although it is rejected by Mr. Lydiat de Origin font but that the earth which is a dry body and accounted by Philosophers Elementum Siccissimum should by transmutation afford so much water or the hundred part of what flowes out of Springs is a thing so voyd of reason as it needs no arguments to disprove it and is not likely to gain many followers I therefore pass on to the other of the transmutation of air into water performed in the Caverns of the earth which by cold converts the air into water an opinion much more plausible then the other having also the authority of Aristotle to defend it 〈◊〉 Mâ—â—◠〈◊〉 who will have it made in the earth as it is in the middle region of the air when by condensation of vapors water is made anâ— he is followed by Dr. Fulk in his book of Meteors and H. ab Heer 's But this opinion leads also into inextricable difficulties and absurdities Spadacr And first he told us in the end of the tenth Chapter that so much water runs out of the earth in one year as if it were kept in a vessell it would equalize the bulk of the whole earth notwithstanding he is sufficiently scourged by Agricola Cardane Scaliger and others for it and reason tells that more then ten parts of air will not serve for the making but of one part of water as Scaliger In subt exere 46. de or font and M. Lydiat do both observe I think twenty would be too little then it would follow necessarily from these premises that the earth should be almost nothing but empty Caverns of air when nevertheless those that
distinguish the one from the other Besides that exâ—er identity of the water of ever flowing Springs and of the Gypsies I mentioned before which break out in the Wolds in York-shire and else where after a great inundation of Rain which if they proceeded from several causes must probably differ in their qualities and effects Lastly the two rarities I mentioned in the beginning that are to be found upon the Castle hill in Scarbrough to wit the deep Well that reaches to the bottom of the Rock which hath no water the Spring Well which is within half a yard of the edg of the Rock towards the Sea which never wants water do somewhat illustrate the point in hand For the deep Well being so neer the Sea should probably have water in it if there were any such percolation as is spoken of or if air were so plentifully transmuted in water it should not be dry which yet it is there being no Channells that empty themselves into it while the other which is upon the top of the Rock not many yards deep and also upon the very edge of the cliffe is supplyed which doubtless is done by secret Channells within the ground that convey the Rain and showers into it being placed on a dependant part of the Rock near unto which there are also Cellars under an old ruinated Chappell which after a great rain are full of water but are dryed up in a long drought I now proceed to confider of the nature of Spring water The nature of Spring water De simpl med fac c. 4. which doubtless is the best of all others for general use eminently excelling in the essentiall parts of water viz. cold and moysture as Galen saith Nevertheless some Springs are better then others Hyppocrates prefers such as flow out of Rocksand Hils of gravell or stone as more clear and white then what coms out of other soyls as also such Springs as are cold in summer and warm in Winter which is assuredly sound in them if their fountains be deep in the Rock and this is a sure token whereby wee may distinguish of Well water also And to this of Hyppocrates I might join the whole suffrage of all Philosophers and Physicians that may have writ upon this Subject To sum up all in a word besides what was said in the second Section The principall token of good and wholesome water is that it be simple or unmixed and then it loads not the stomach and easily passes through the Hypechondres being also soon hot and soon cold I find some of the Ancients were wont to weigh their water and accounted that the best which was the lightest and for this cause it seems it was that the Persian Kings would drink of no water but of the River Eulaeus an Attick saucer whereof weighed lesse by a Dram then other waters as Strabo saith Now Pliny tells that an Attick saucer was a measure of fifteen drams Lib 15. Geograph c. ult Lib. 21. c. ult so then it was a fifteenth part lighter then the other waters of Persia And the Parthian Kings on the same account drank of the Rivers Choaspes and Eulaeus as the same Pliny witnesses And thus Athenaeus commends a Spring neer Corinth Lib. 31. N. Hist cap. 3. which he calls Pirenes for its levity above all the waters of Greece Lib. 2. dup c. 2. And there seems to be good reason for it because its levity is a token of its purity and simplicity and that it bath no earthy parts and consequently is easier of concoction Now among the severall sorts of fountains Hyppocrates commends most those that open towards the East Aph. 26. Sect 5. as the lightest and fittest for all ages and constitutions and next to them such as run towards the West but as for those that open towards the North he thinks them to be cold and hard of digestion in that they want the heat of the Sun and he accounts those the worst that run southerly because their thin parts are exhaled by the heat de aquis and so the water becomes grosse But we need not fear that in this our Climate where the Sun is not so hot nor need those that are healthfull bee so scrupulous concerning their water if it bee Spring water espeâ—ially nor whether it runs East West North or South they being all indifferently good and wholesome Now sometimes it happens that Springs break out where there was never any before The Reasons of the breaking forth of new springs as in great floods of Rain and Snow which the subterraneall channells canâ—ot receive but these are but of short continuance Lib. 3. Nat. qu. c. 11. So after Earthquakes as Seneca mentions and so Theophrastus that in the mountain Corycus after an Earthquake many Springs broke out And thus after the cutting down of Woods and Groves as Pliny tells us in his Nat. Hist Spadac p. 1â— And H. ab Heer 's cites a passage to this purpose out of Ambrosius Perez who writes that in the City Baja a great Tree being torn up to make room for the building of a Colledge for the Jesuites there brake out a Spring of good and wholesome water a channell of water running under it was it seems broken up So also the stopping of the mouth of a Spring in one place may cause it to break out in another as wee see by ordinary experience Of like nature with Springs is Well water onely not so good and among these such as are open to the air are better then those that are shut whose water is fetched up by pumping and the more they are drawn the better and more wholesome is the water Many â—ratities in Springâ— There are also many rarities to be discovered in Springs both in their operations on those that drink them as Dr. French hath observed and I might multiply out of good Authors as also in their motions in ebbing and flowing concerning all which its very hard to give a reason There is a fountain in Idumaea called Job which is every three months of a severall colour to wit duskie red green and clear Another among the Troglodites which is three times a day bitter sweet again The Fountain Silva that flowes out of the foot of Mount Sion runs not continually but on certain days and hours A like to which we have at Giggleswick near a Market Town called Settle in York-shire which I mentioned before that ebbs and flowes many times a day whether such as these proceed from a spongious earth which resists it a while being but a slow Spring till it rally new force and break through the obstruction or it bee from a Spirit in the water whose impulse puts it forward but being a penurious Spring it settles again as Saxo Grammaticus thinks In praefat Daâ—iae suae I will not undertake to drtermine having not seen it till when I will bee content to admire it as a secret
not exceeding a pottle or five pints the first day in ordinary bodies nor yet so much in weak bodies unless they shall find it to passe freely as usually it begins to do within two or three hours and then such as have strong bodies capacious stomacks may go a littlefurther Not good to take too fast I cannot approve of taking the waters too fast least the coldness thereof enfeeble the naturall heat of the stomack and provoke vomit which otherwise it is not apt to do unless the stomack be prone thereto or full of flegmatick humours and then though one do vomit it doth no harm at all but good in cleansing the stomack The next day the Patient may go higher to two or three pints more he having found a free passage the first day both by siege and urine so as he finds no distention in the hypochondres Onely it will be needfull to have some stomachicall Lozenges or powder to correct the winâ—iness of the water and preserve the naturall heat of the stomack or at least some Caraway Comfirs which he may take some quantity of betwixt every two glasses Have done by 9. or 10 I would also have every one to take his full dose of water by nine or ten of the Clock at furthest that it may have time to pass down before dinner least if the meat mix with the water it do float in the stomack and be washed down into the bowells unconcocted Now it s a token that the water hath passed through when the urine which was pale and clear as the Spaw water it self begins to look with a higher colour which will usually be within 2 or 3 hours at most after the last dose at least it will have done its work in the stomack so as the whole company may go to dinner by twelve of the Clock But if any have such feeble stomacks that they cannot fast so long they may take a messe of warm broth which is ever ready in the Innes Feeble stomacks And if any have such feeble bodies that they cannot walk to the Spaw being about a quarter of a mile from the Town such may drink it in their Chambers And those whose stomacks are not able to take it cold may air it a little observing the directions already laid down It is good to eat somewhat sparingly at dinner and not too freely at supper also let the meat bee of easie gidestion and not too many dishes which are apt to breed an heterogeneous juyce not so fit for nourishment and also makes nature toyle too much to concoct them Salt meat not so good I cannot approve of salt meats either beef or fish although I discommend not that which is a little powdered especially for such as have strong stomacks are healthfull who need not be criticall But as for such as are sickly they must be more wary especially such whose stomacks are feeble in the concoctive faculty since they are like here to fal into large temptation of great varieties of Sea-fish new and very well dressed Vaâ—iety to be avoyded as Tucbut Codde Conger Soles Plaice Whiting Skate Herring Mackeâ—ill Lobster Crab c. which are brought in by the Fisher men two or three times a week only let such drink a glasse or two of Sack or Clarret to further concoction which I cannot but commend to all such as drink of these waters to preserve the naturall heat of the Stomack unless it be those that labour under a hot distemper of the Liver for whom dry medicines in form of an Electuary or Lozenges are more proper which do moderately warm the stomack and not at all inflame the Liver Sallets not good I altogether disallow of Sallets of cold herbs in regard they are hard of digestion and are apt to float in the stomack with the water and passe down unconcocted and breed many diseases Rasis saith that a long use of water after the eating of Sallets and pot herbs Cap. 70. l. ult for such as are not accustomed to it breeds the Scab Itch Morphew Erisipelas and other diseases of the Skin Neither can I like of SuÌ„me fruits to be eaten after dinner as Cherries Nor summer fruit Plums Rasberries Apples Pears c. they are best to be eaten after compleat concoction or an hour or two before Supper yet the more sparingly the better Not good to drink in the afternoon Nor do I approve of drinking at all of the Spaw in the afternoon both because it usually works sufficiently with what was drunk in the morning moving the body even all the day as also because it doth precipitate the meat out of the stomach too soon before compleat concoction be made wil not be cast off the stomack before supper as also disturb the Patient in the night or fly into the habit of the body breed the Gout or som other moist disease of the joints on which account I cannot allow it to be drunk at bed time Pag. 104. although Dr. French commends a glass of the Spaw at Knaresbrough to be taken then to close the stomack and suppress fumes which I think are rather raised by it I would have the afternoon spent either in some pleasant discourse or walking about or riding or some innocent recreation and sleep to be avoyded since through sleep it must of necessity lie the longer in the stomack and gathering heat send up vapours which will oppress the brain If at any time it shall so happen that the water doth not find a free passage so as it causes distention pain in the belly dâ—fficulty of breathing or gidiness in the head it may be helped by a carminative clyster made of the Spaw water in which may be decocted or infused some Hydragogue or some Species may be dissolved in it which we use for purging of watery humours according as the greatness and urgency of the Symptome or the strength of the patient shall admit Or if some Physician bee present he may administer some Pills or other purging medicine that may answer the indication How long it is fit to drink As for the time how long it may be convenient to drink that must be suted according to the greatness of the malady and the strength of the Patient Such as have cacochymick bodies which are full of bad humours or melancholick or others whose obstructions are great and humours tenacious may stay longer then others that have thin bodies and which are easily moved I have somtimes drunk of it not for necessiry but company or to make some little evacuation from flegmatick humours being of an athletick constitution when within three days I found so great an agility and cheerfulness of body and mind more then I had before as I have wondred at it that if I had stayed a fortnight I could not have expected more benefit I know the Germane Spaws are wont to be drunk for many weeks
yea moneths together Learned Dr. Heer 's in his Spadacrene tells of one Ludovicus Hagerâ—â— Cap. 8. They stay long at the Germane Spaw who for the stone in the bladder drank of the Spaw every morning three hundred and fifty ounces which is more then three gallons for above ten weeks together and found much benefit in it it carrying away the mucous matter with which the stone was inveloped and wasted the stone into gravel Ibid. Also of an old man of Antwerp that had been long troubled with an ulcer in his kidneys for which he had frequented the Spaw three years and drank abundantly of it six moneths together each year and found a Cure And Frambesarius who was Physician to the French King thinks the more any one drinks of the Spaw the better if it doth but pass away freely And in my own observation I have seen more inconve niences in drinking sparingly for whom it was fit then in plentifull drinking The German work nor so well as this But I cannot approve of so long a stay at this water of Scarbrough for any one in regard I think it constantly passes through both by seige and urine more freely then the German Spaws which I perceive by Dr. Heer 's own confession in some bodies provokes not a stool once in eight dayes even in those that before were wont to retrograde once or twice a day ordinarily without taking any thing to stimulate nature And therefore although I can agree with Frambesarius that a greater quantity may be drunk of it because it passes so freely yet I think it not needfull to stay so long it perfecting its operation in a less time Besides the danger there may be in some bodies especially of cooling and moistening too much and of causing a wan and pale colour over the whole body Good to intermit sometimes I think it much better if a disease be rebellious that the Patient after a continuance at the Spaw a moneth or five weeks do leave off the waters a while and return to his ordinary Diet and state of living and then after such respite given to nature apply himself to the waters again A few days may suffice some Nor can I here define how long it may be needfull for every particular person to stay at the waters four or five days may be sufficient for such as have thin bodies and whose humors do move easily that have no great distemper but perhaps a spontaneous lassitude or weariness whereas others who repair to them for the cure of some malady already begun or feared or whose obstructions are great and humours rebellious or such whose distempers lie not in the direct passages of the water but in some remote part must stay three or four weeks or more When fit to leave of If any man finds that after benefit once had by the waters he begins to decline again in his health as that his appetite or concoction decay or the waters pass not so well as formerly but cause distention either in the belly or the veins and so bring on a difficulty of breathing or pain in the head or the like it is then time to desist and proceed no further or at least to take the advice of some Physician who may remove the obstruction When the bâ—st season to drink As touching the season of the year when it may be most commodious to drink of the Spaw The Summer months are the best when the weather is warm and the season dry to wit from the middle of May to the middle of September it being usually the dryest season and that for several reasons Summer the fittest Season First because in Summer the water is ordinarily more strong of the Minerals then at other Seasons when plenty of wet falls for in dry weather there is no mixture of new moysture but the Water comes immediatley from the Minerall fully and strongly impregnated whereas it is very observable that after a great rain the water is weaker notwithstanding it lyes so deep within the earth The Spaw strongest in Winter I confess the water is strongest of the Minerals in Winter after a long and durable Frost which having a long time together shut the pores of the earth so as no moisture could descend and the heat thereby increased in the subterraneal Channels and consequently a better concoction wrought must upon that account be strouger both in tast and operation And may be taken then of which I have had frequent experience I advised it this last Winter in January to a Lady of good quality Lady M. to cleanse her after a recovery of the small Pox she having an incorrigible body for Physick so as a strong dose enough for any man would scarce move her at all and the water wrought effectually she drinking about a gallon every day The like I experienced two years ago in a Gentlewoman of York for the stone Mr is B. who had by my advice drunk of it in the Summer preceding and still found it at Christmas to work as well as it did in Summer and with desired success The Germane Spaws are wont also to be drunk in Winter frequeÌ„tly some choosing that season rather then any other because of the strength of the water And hence it was that the Duke of Mantua gave it in charge to Ryetitus and H. ab Heer 's two Germane Physicians that lived near the Spaw to send him every Christmas Eve two hundred flagons of Spaw water taken out fresh after a long frost which they constantly did observe finding the water at that time stronger then at any time in the hottest Summer It was the last Winter also during the frost that I made the experiments I mentioned in the first Section when I found very near three Drams of Mineralls in three quarts settling in the bottome of the vessell besides what spirits might be supposed to have evaporated the operations also being performed at my house at York which is thirty miles from the Fountain Another reason why I think it best to be drunk in Summer is because at that season the inward passages of our bodies are more open and pervious then in Winter so as water may passe more freely And lastly because one may drink more liberally in Summer our bodies being more dry and consequently wee more thirsty then in Winter besides it is more pleasant travelling and residing at Scarbrongh in Summer then in Winter I know the grand Objection which wee meet with too frequently in our other practise also Object concerning the dog-Dog-days that they are not so fit a time for Physick taking its rise from an Aphorism of Hippocrates Aph. 5. Sect. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thereby forbidding purging of the body as they say so as neither the preparatives nor the water it self can be safely taken This hath been found a killing Objection to many in England Solut. Of the Dogdays who