or do nothing then if the functions be weakned corrupt or altogether abolished it must necessarily follow that our naturall balsame in some part is hurt since it it is certaine that all the laudable functions flow from it This it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Hippocrates this is that dispensator making attractions expulsions mixtions coctions of aliments This naturall balsame is not subject to alterations in its own substance since it is of an aethereal and heavenly nature and somewhat incorruptible but its action is retarded or hindred by impediments lurking in our internall members and entrailes breading trouble and labour to that balsame Hence it the occasion the generation the chief foundation of diseases Inextirping of diseases nature is to be restored to its entire and pristine estate to which end all our cogitations should tend having first taken away the impediments which intentions are perfected by the onlie restauration of our naturall balsame from which all healthfull Crises depends by the help of the medicinall balsame which is in nothing else more powerfull and operative then in this our S. Peters well being pure separating correcting roborating expeling exercing the rest of its functions as the nature of the patient requireth without violence or perturbation of the body Which waterye may use as the proper vehiculum of all medicines for all diseases for its salt is detersive purgative diuretick an universall voyder and corrective of all impurities and corruptions its sulphur a generall and spirituall Anodyne its mercurie an universall confortative and nutritive which being all conjoyned in our water by the industrious working of nature can furnish us means not only for defence but also for expulsion and suppression of diseases Now since this water brings with it the salt sulphur and mercurie of minerals it must also be able to cure all diseases bred from a regression of these three principles from their naturall state in our bodies as first the diseases of resolved salt which are Tumors or excrescences inlarging the whole or a part of mans body more nor the naturall constitution and competency requireth by the resolution of salt into liquor unto which are referred the leucophlegmatick kynd of dropsies anasarca ascites the vterinedropsy hydrocephalum diabetes cachexia the dissolution of salt throughout the whole body ficus psidracus all soft phlegmatick tumors A disease of coagulate salt is Tartar containing all kynd of calculs or stones whatsomever part of the body they be bred into as sand and stones in the head stomach kidneys and bladder the Tartar of the hypochondres begetting the hypochondriack melancholy the Tophes and knots bred in the gut and joynts c. This Tartar is the nearest and immediate cause of the stone and gut as the acrimony or some other quality of the salt noxious to the sensible parts of the joynts is the cause and action of lesse or greater paine according to the diversity of the Tartar or salt contained in the joyntures since some salt is more sharp and mordicant then another some bitter some sweetish and some insipide A disease of reverberate salt is a defiling of the skin to which pertains the venerean diseases the french poxe leprosie scurvie c. A disease of inflamed sulphur is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is nothing but an inflammatition or kindling of sulphur in the whole body or in some certain part thereof whence the heat of all the body is augmented and is found and known unnaturall to the touch without in the whole or in some part of the body To which are referred all kind of agues burnings and intermitting putride and not putride hectick ophthalmick inflāmations phlegmons erysiples or Rose wild-fire or ignis persicus the english peste squinance gangrene c. A disease of resolved sulphur is a flux and resolution of the sulphur in the parts of our body as dysenteries diarrhes lienteries vomites and all unnaturall excretions A disease of coagulate sulphur is called coma or sopor containing under it all kinde of sleeping and drowsie diseases as the thargie giddinesse of the head somnolentia cataphora caros myopia c. Mercurie makes regression from its naturall state by a dry or humide destillation The diseases of the first is an inflammation when some part of the body suffers pain by flatus included or flowing thereto as all kinde of flatulent phlegmatick tumors scrofules or crowels melliceria myrmecia flatuous throwing of the colick Tympanie piercing pains c. The disease of an humide destillation of mercurie is a convulsion when mercurie resolved into liquor molests the nervous parts hence come apoplexies palsies epilepsies tetanus emprostotonos trembling of the heart the night mare crampes tenesmus yexing which is a convulsive motion of the stomach c. The disease of sublimed mercurie comprehends under it all these diseases which pearce the membranes with fervor as madnesse phrenesie migraine peste pleurisie consumptions with exulcerations of the pulmons apostemes charboncles c. The disease of precipitate mercurie is arthritis and all diseases which hurt the extremities of bones ligaments as chiragra podagra scriatick the doggish appetite c. Which diseases proceeding from a digression of salt from its naturall state by sosolution coagulation reverberation of sulphur by its inflammation resolution coagulation of mercurie by its dry and humide destillation sublimation precipitation unde actio partis necess ario laeditur are cured by the salt sulphur mercurie of minerals conveighed to us from the innermost parts of the earth by our Petrean waters to the glory of GOD and our particular comfort And thus have I spoken anent the medicinall vertues of this water in curing of humane diseases which are common to men and women and now I must tell you that its vertues are not confined within the compasse of this generalitie that do not reach to the particular diseases of the infirmer sexe which as it is more lovely and delicate then the other so is it more opportune to the own defects and is obnoxious to some proper diseases as far different from those of men as the sexe is from the sexe This water helpeth as other common diseases so barrennesse in both but in the weaker sexe the pale colours theimmoderate evacuation or retention in their desired sicknes insurrection precipitation suffocation and other diseases of the mother and in a word by removing al impediments of beauty for diseases impare the beauty with the health makes them look clear fair beautifull rather like angels then mortals in such sort that I doe not admire that many of the ancient divins affirm that the sons of GOD that is the angels loved the daughters of men and begat with them gyants For at that time before the flood the custome was to drink waters and I warrant you the choisest which made women look so fair that the angels were taken with their love and if Angels were it is no uncouth thing to see men taken with the same beauty When the Petrean waters are to be taken GEnerally all seasons when the weather is good and the aire dry and clear are convenient to drink of this water abstaining when the air is ful of hanging clouds threatning us with rain or foggy mists In winter there is more strength in our water then any other time because
then the subterranean heat is greater per antiperistasin sending forth in greater abundance the tinctures of what is there included But because in May Iune Iuly August ordinarly their is fairest and hotest weather and longest dayes giving opportunitie to walk and use exercise for helping the digestion of the waters these months are thought fittest for drinking notwithstanding that all kinde of medicine in the canicular dayes with many be odious founding on that aphorisme of Hippocrates exoriente cane ante canis exortum perdifficiles sunt purgationes meaning that the great and burning heat of that time is able to cast us in fevers after any kinde of immoderate evacuation by medicine Yet Hippocrates doth not altogether forbid the use of medicine about that time but tells us only that it is difficult The medicaments used in his time were Hellebore without any good preparation or some such other violent medicament which we in this our age will use in no time of the year without great and exquisite preparation For if he had known the use of Cassia manna Rubarbe syrup rosat c. he had never mentioned any danger in the canicular dayes You must also distingush the place he lived in a hote countrey we in a cold The most part of physicians affirme that the spring and automne are the most proper times for medicine because then the aire is most temperate without pearcing cold or scorching heat we in Scotland are troubled at no time with heat the summer distinguished chiefly from the winter by the longer sojourning of the sun in our horizon wherefore it is most agreable with reason to take medicine in Scotland in our hottest season When the air is too hote remain in a cold chamber if cold cause it become warme with fire and in so doing you may safely purge phlebotomise sweat bath and so forth any time or season in the year How the Petrean waters are to be taken HE who is to drink of this water either for curing disease restoring health lost or to preserve it being present avoyding future inconveniences shal come to this Wel in a convenient tyme of the year whereof now I have spoken resting the first day after arrivall the next day purge with fit and convenient medicines either powders potions pilles syrups juleps c. cum regimine by the advise of some Medicin because diversity of diseases require diverse medicaments since some have their stomach and intestines oppressed with tough and glewie phlegme some their liver and gall obstructed some their melt hardned with melancholy juyce some their reins and bladder burdened with sand stones pituite viscide and tartareous humors and so forth Therefore let the medicament be proper having respec to the humor which is peccant The day following purgation let him come to the Well neither fear any Hypercatharsis early in the morning yet after the sun rising and drink so much even the first day while he finde his stomach full not loadned walking a little betwixt every two or three glasses taking in the mean tyme some confected anise coriander cinamom or some good tablets proper for the disease or tobacco to help the stomach to daunt and vanquish the actuall coldnesse of the water which done walk ride or exercise your self with goafing bowling or some such other exercise for the Petrean fields are as the Elisian for such exercises whilst the most part of the waters bee voyded which will be so soone as the urine doth begin to bee coloured Then dine with meats of good digestion let the better sort drink wine moderatly others ale or beere Afternoon beguile the time with reading talking walking dauncing singing dicing carding c. Then sup lightly with a tosty of bread some raisins of the sun or some such other thing of good and easie digestion Use this kynd of doing 20. 30. 40. 50. dayes or so long as the disease requireth or affaires can permit Aday after you leave off the drinking of water take some other good purgative medicine resting aday after then take journey to go whither you list Live temperatly a long time after the drinking of the water in a clear pure wholesome aire to breath on eating meats of good digestion to suffice nature not greedie appetit sleeping to refresh not to dull your spirits waking to drive away stupiditie dulnesse and drowsineesse from your braines not to wast consume and dry your bodies using exercise for recreation not to weary taking rest for a remeed to your wearinesse restoring strength that your bodies may be made more fit to indure new travels and labours avoyde repletion of the belly intestins and veins by moderate evacuation of nature and if slow make help by art neither violent to resolve your spirits or to evacuate with excrements your souls Flee perturbations of the minde and in so doing by the grace of God you shall continue healthful even to your lives end To which I pray GOD happily to bring us all throgh IESUS CHRIST Amen We have thought good to insert in this place some approved receiptes fitto be taken before after and in the mean tyme of drinking of our Petrean waters A potion R. of sene vnc ss Cinamom drag ss of the marrow of Cassia fistula vnc 1. salt of tartar drag ss which infuse in lib. ss of the Petrean water cold 12 hours straine it and dissolve therein of suggar rosat vnc 1 syrop of pale roses vnc ss which give discretly to all kinde of persons young men and maides old men and babes It is harmelesse pleasant to the taste and purges well and strongly Another Take of manna syrop of pale roses an Vnc. 2. crystall tartar drag 1. dissolve them in abroth A good electuary Take of electuar lenit vnc 2. pul sen vnc ss cryst tartar drag vi mixe them with the syrop of pale roses A potion Take of the cold infusion of cassia fistula in the Petrean water vnc vi mixe with it of pul sen laxat Ruland drag 1. ss Syrup benedictus Take of the whole Cichory of Celidone an manip iij of lig vitae of sarsa parill ana vnc 2. of sasafras of crystall tartar pul nostri emetici benedict an vnc 1. boyle these things in agood sufficient quantity of the Petrean water to the consumption of two parts wherein put sufficient quantity of suggar Adde thereto of Venice theriack vnc 1. confect alkerm. drag 2. The effects of this blessed syrop are moâ—â— nor ordinary in extirping the roots of deplorable diseases it purgeth up and down without violence and may be given safely to all ages and sexes with discretion For expelling the stone Take of the barke of the ash tree lib. 2. Iuniper feed lib. 3. Venice turpentine lib 2. ss mixe them with three pints of the Petrean water and distil it after the manner of other oyls This oyl being taken in the mean time or before the drinking of our waters breaks and expells the stone Another Take of tartar vitriolate vnc ss of Iulep rosat vnc iij. cannel water vnc 1 mixe them and you shall finde an efficacious and profitable detersive of the reins For the jaundise Boyl in the Petrean water of Rad. Flor. Chelid Hyperic an M. 1. ebor of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an drag 3. of safran drag ss of suggar-candi vnc 1. whereof make 3. doses for 3 dayes together FINIS
ΠΙΔΑΞ ΠΕΤΡΕΙΑ OR The discâ—â—erie of S. Peters Well â—t Peter-head in SCOTLAND being in latitude 57. d. 43. m. and in longitude 22. d. 40. m. Shewing the admirable vertues thereof against many deplorable diseases BY A. M. Student in Medicine Visitavimus Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenimus Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam EDINBURGH Printed by the Heirs of Andrew Hart Anno Dom. 1636. TO THE TRVELY NOBLE AND Vertuous Ladie D. MARIE ERSKEINE Countesse of Mareshall c. MADAME THese my travels upon the medicinall water of Peter-head are yours as the Well is and many miles about neither arâ— my travels only but my self am and many of my progenitors parents and kinred are and were yours as receaving first breath under your L. most noble and famous house of Marshall Wherefore I have taken the bold 〈◊〉 to publish them to the world under your L. name that whosoever shall bee benefited hereby may next to God blesse your L. for that blessed instrument of their health What I have written I have not written at randon but by infallible grounds of reason and experience And if neither the Well nor the Writer were yours yet the singular vertues and graces wherewith your L. beautiful minde is richly adorned should have furnished reason sufficient for this dedication and for much more then 〈◊〉 spring of my years could possibly produce Receave herefore Noble Ladie these first fruits of my small ingine as an earnest of a greater harvest of service which if it please God may bee after reaped for your L. and your most noble Family and hopefull progenie whom God continue in felicitie and honour so long as the Sun and Moon shall last Your L. devouted servant AN. MURE To the Reader GOD by his wise mighty and wonderfull providence in such fashion governeth the world that hee doth furnish every nation with what hee knows to bee most necessary and convenient for them This our nation of North Britaine in all former ages was esteemed and known to be as wise and valiant in minde so health full in body while now that by intemperancie the gut gravell the diseases of the splene the hypochondriak melancholy with many other terrible uncouth cruel and monstruous maladies are come in ready to undermine and destroy us if God of his great mercy had not revealed to this nation that excellent spring and water of health which I thus discovered being at London with that hopefull gentleman Iames Scot son to my L. of Scots-tarvet who was he avily troubled with a disease which the chiefest and greatest Physicians in that place called a Carnositie in the urinall passage though it proved in end to be a very hard one and turned in a stone the which to cure they applyed many good and laudable medicaments without prevailing any thing against his disease At length despairing of health he is sent to the waters of Tunbridge as tâ—â—â—s last refuge With whom amongst others I went where by the use of these waters his paine was mitigate and aboundance of slimy humors voyded from thence he went to Paris where he was cured and ordained to go to the Well of Spaw in Germany and from thence to Knesbrough in England by the use of all which waters he is come to be expert and to have full knowledge of the nature and vertues of such minerall waters In the mean time of these voyages my study was of that kinde of fountains remembring from my childhood in some kinde the affinity of the taste of the Well of Peter-head with that which I did finde in thole Wells whereof now I have spoken I resolved to come and try the vertues and operation of that Well Which first the inhabitants of that town of Peter-head manifested to me by their relation of its curing of sore eyes loosing of the belly if bound stopping the immoderate course thereof serving to them for a cup of preparation before dinner with many other such like experiences as one which I think not amisse to insert in this place of an old ancient grave man of 76. years experience yet living who diverse and often times hath told me that he himself being usually troubled with sand and stones in the kidneys used many kindes of drogues to free him from this fearfull and consuming desease at last being vehemently vexed with paine took some 5. or 6. draughts of this water after which there burst out with his urine great quantitie of sand and stones Which water thus he did drink 8 dayes altogether every morning with the like effects and hath never been troubled hithertils with so vehement paine Another in that same town who voyded his stomach of a stone bigger then a tennis ball per anum and I think it was the great antipathie which this water hath against stones or sand in all places of the body that made him so evacuate such a monstrous thing as this Yet not content to know the truth hereof and that the vertues of this water were great by some experiences I intended to dive in the deepest of this fountaine by the ordinary tryals of such waters as the drawing of the tincture of a nutgall which it will do in the twinckling of an eye with many other pretty little tryals of that sort as in all of them it proved excellent Neither yet confident of my own tryals I carryed the water of this source to the source and fountain from whence my first knowledge in medicine did slow and from whom many in this nation have received the most part of their knowledge both divine and Philosophicall which water was keept half year then tried and found neither changed in taste nor smell as yet it remaineth in that same state after two years and by his advise information and ordinance I caused pur this clear pure wholesome water in a vessell which after a little boyling was coagulate in a red or brownish tincture like that of Plin. chap. 2. lib. 3 Tungria civitas Galliae fontem habet insignem plurimis bullis stillantem ferruginei saporis quod ipsum non nisi in fine potus intelligitur Purgat hic corpora tertianas febres discutit calculorumque vitia Eadem aqua igni admota turbida fit ac postremo rubescit In the bottome of which vessel after evaporation remained a red kinde of matter like unto colcothar which was calcined pulverised and dissolved with common water the water being separate from the sediment by inclination and evaporate there remained in the bottome a perfect vitriol of a greenish colour and of taste sharp and sweet the vitriol by concoction within the earth having turned its corrosive acrimonie in a good sweet aciditie ideo aquae thermales omnes qua solutam vitrioli materiam fixam eamque coctaÌ„ subdulcem sine suo humido complectuntur caeteris omnibus praestant quod materia illa fixa vitrioli humido radicali fixo auri argenti respondeat cui infinitas occultas virtutes inesse
tota credidit antiquitas inquit Fabet Cap. 17. Pallad spag The sediment which remained after separation of the water by inclination being again tried in the fire proved to be a confused masse of not perfectly cancocted mettals But none can speak more by experience of the goodnesse and vertue of this fountaine then the gentleman I have named and another gentleman of good worth M. Thomas Aikinhead Commissar of Edinburgh who in August last An. 1635. did find in this Well as much worth as they found in any of the forementioned exotick Wells having tryed both And not only those but many other gentlemen of good respect can testifie these things to be true which in this booke I have written concerning the medicinall vertues of this fountaine which good reader I hope you may patiently read and thank God if diseased you reap any benefit from hence Neither had I intention to have published this treatise being conscious of my own weaknesse if I had not been animated and encouraged thereto by a letter which I receaved from my learned Master whom I shall reverence with a filial respect so long as breath shall delay to expire Io Adamsonus An. Moro S. D. PErgratae fuerunt tuae ad me literae pergratus libellus utraque vel quod à te ex utrisque amorem satis antea perspectum sed ex hoc industriam quà scrutinio quodam accurato nobis videris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thesaurum à nemine hactenus ved quaesitum vel inventum demonstrasse O te felicem cui coelitus obtigit tam eximium thesaurum invenisse in salutem humani generis prodidisse Sed ego hujus felicitatis non vacuus abiero cui contigit discipulum habuisse tam industrium tam doctum disertum qui talis thesauri vires usum tam eruditè concinnè patriae suae aperuerit Tu perge ut facis virtuti litare amantem me tui redamare Vale. Edinb Cal. Mart 1636. De Fonte Petraeo ejusque reclusore ANDREA MORO Cùm gelidus fons est nitidis argenteus undis Vulcanum admoveas aurea lympha siet Est auro argentoque simul praestantior omni Quâ reparent vires languida membra suas Ergo aegri vivis libate è fontibus undas Et manibus puris sumite sultis aquas Atque Deo coeli grates persolvite dignas Qui facit ut tantas petra refundat opes Et Mori ingenium voto laudate benigno Qui facit ut tantas penna recludat opes I. A. Ad Andream Morum Petraei fontis detectorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PEtraei laticis gratas languentibus undas Detegis tanti quae sit origo boni Si tanta utilitas insit vulgaribus undis Hasce sibi ut vulgus commoda prima putet Quanta o Petraeo debetur gloria fonti Omnigenis obstat quae Panacèa malis Nymphae monstratis meruerunt Orgia lymphis Quanta erit inventi gloria More tui T. CRAFORDIUS S. PETERS WELL OR THE WELL OF Peter-head MEdicinall waters differ much in savour and taste some of them being sulfureous some vitriolate some saltish yet all of them communi nomine are called acidi from the taste which acidity or sharpnesse comes partly from vitrioll and partly from the salt of minerals or they are called minerall waters because passing through the concavities of the earth they carry with thē the tinctures of what they renconter and are impregnate with the quintessence of those minerals by which they passe whether it bee terra lemnia bol armen chalk or congeled liquors an juyces as allome succin sulphur nitre vitriol c. or mettals as gold silver yron c. or stones as christall marble load-stone c they are also called medicinall waters for their rare and admirable vertues in curing diseases and preserving of health Many of these waters are found out by the diligent searching and industrious labour of the learned endevouring to find out the secrets of nature most easie for the help of mankind as the wel of Spaw in Germany the wells of Burbon of Pouges of Forges in France of Porrecta in Italy of Tunbridge and Knesbrough in England with many others of infinite vertues as Plinius recordeth in many passages of his books especially in the 2. chap. of his 31. book And I would that any reader who doubts of the excellent vertues of infinite diversity of waters should read that chapter And now our waters of Peter-head called be our forefathers Saint Peters wel thinking that it was S. Peter that sent from Rome a facultie of curing diseases to these waters because hee himself could not come being imployed about more necessary affaires at Rome for the time Pope Wherefore to gratify this holy Apostle they have built a temple which to this day is called S. Peters church They used to come to the well on S. Peters day assembling themselves in great mulitudes on which day as yet we have a great faire at this place But this is meer superstition like that of the heathen who as Plinius testifieth lib. 31. chap. 2. denominate their rare and medicinall waters from diverse of there gods S. Peters well may be compared with Spaw waters being nothing inferiour to them in medicinal vertues and far excells any other as yet found out in Europe It is certain that this Petrean water for so hereafter shal it be called passes through minerals but with what proportion they are mixed in these subterranean cells it is impossible to know or whether it be hote or cold moist or dry some thinges from whence it flows being hote some cold some temperate seeming rather that it is temperate well mixed as its effects shows yet alwayes this water while it is drunken humectates and refrigerates incontinent being daunted through the heat of the stomach heats and dryes For the vertues of our water it cleanseth and wasteth viscide Tartareous humors extenuats pituite it voyds the liver melt mesaraicks and other our entrails of whatsoever obstructions is troublesome to them it strengthens the stomach so be its astriction that none can complain of harme by its actuall coldnesse It gives strength to the nerves tempers the heat of the kidneys cleansing and expelling their gravell sand and stones more forceably then any other medicament because it is diuretick simple naturall voyd of all arte made by the hand of God alone and most gracious to the taste it hinders the concretion or coagulation of sand resisting the generation of confirmed stones and if confirmed diminishes them it purgeth the bladder and mundifies the stone of viscide pituit and mucositie wherewith it is environed prepairing it to be easily taken out by cutting it is most profitable for the ulcer of the reins and carnosities in the urinal passage cast in be injection it certainly helps the venerean Virulent Gonorhea and all other diseases of that sort applyed with out for their ulcers chancres poulanes pustules within by
injection and potion it helps the concoction of the stomach quenches thirst appeases dolours throwing of the belly with Colick and Iliack passions it purifies the bloud kills and expells all kynd of wormes chases away all fevers cleanses the skin of pustles and skabs be lotion bathing it louses the belly if bound taking away the obstructions from the gal which sends forth its choler or bilis the only stimulus foecum in jejunum intestinum wherewith being sharpned casts out the foeces therein contained it restraines the fluxes of the belly by corroborating the retentive facultie drying the intestins and makes them slow to expell the humors being drawn by the force of the water to the reins and bladder and so it works proportionably according to the necessity of nature as an excellent instrument appointed by Gods providence for the health of mankinde They also carry with them out of the body diverse wayes the cold and watry bloud with other excrementitious humors of choler pituite melancholy Our Hydropotae pisse much their expulsive facultie being helped through the diuretick quality of our water their grosse excrements are black or greenish because the salt of minerals be its precipitating vertue facit deseendere terrestreitatem ad fundum some vomites voyding their stomach of superfluous humors some sweats sending forth their obstructions by the pores for all diuretick things are also diaphoretick the urine and sweat being of natures little different These clear pure waters gratious both to palate and eyes provoke so many and divers evacuations which scarce any medicament grievous to the smell horrible to the sight and loathsome to the taste could effectuate they agree with both sexes all ages restoring health lost preserving in integritie the present Wee have used all kynd of tryalls for examination of the Petrean water and have found as we are able to demonstrate that these waters carry with them the tincture of vitriol and of mettals not perfect nor altogether solide but crude begun growing to a solide mettall if every day a part were not carryed away with the waters As for the vertues and qualities of vitriol they are so renowned by many of the ancients and all our moderne writers that purposely I omit them to a more fit occasion then the brevity of this peece can permit And if I shal but point at the generation of vitriol within the earth the understanding reader shall quickly perceave its nature and operation which is thus There ariseth a sulfureous exhalation be the action of the subterranean heat which mixed with water makes a sharp corrosive juyce proper to corrode and drink up a part of copper and yron and to collect and coagulate it self in one which we cal Vitriol So that the principles and elements of vitriol are sulfur water the two mettals of yron and copper and some little portion of the minerall clay adhering either to the mettals as seldome they remain in the bowels of the earth without some slimy matter or else in the water with which was mixed the sulfureous salsuginous exhalation which things we see in the anatomy of vitriol be destillatiō First the watry part being volatile ariseth in making of Colcothar then that sulfureous salsuginous exhalation which being by cold condensed in the recipient turns in oyl the hypostasis or sediment being puluerised washed dryed and liquified with borax secundum artem shall produce a metallick substance Out of which considerations A. Guntherus hath defined it to be sulfureae salsuginis aeratae ferrataeque coagulum And albeit evidently ad sensum we can see no more mettals but copper and yron yet certainly it is coagulum omnium metallorum autcorum sal Whence some have taken occasion to make an allusion to the letters of Vitriolum Visitando interiora terrae rectificando invenies occultum lapidem veram medicinam As for the mettals the Chimique Philosophers say that their proxima materia Mercurie engendred of the first matter of minerals well mixed to wit that viscous humiditie subtilly incorporate to incombustible earth equally mixed with the least parts in the minerall concavities of the earth And seeing that kinde of matter can not produce self nature hath given it a proper agent sulphur a certain fatnesse of the earth engendred in its own bowels by temperate coction for concocting digesting and converting the forsaid Mercurie in forme of mettall the sulphur having relation to the mercurie as the male to the female and as the proper agent to its proper matter this is proximae materia metallorum As in the generation of man the aliment is a nearer mater then the elements the bloud then the food the seed then the bloud and in end after a long and continuall digestion the matter receaves humane forme so in the generation of mettals there ariseth vapors of the elements these vapors being condensed turn in a viscous and ponderous liquor mixed with subtile and sulfureous earth which is called mercurie whereof as of its proxima materia bee the mixtion and action of sulphur is made gold silver yron or any other mettall according as nature hath digested it lesse or more for there is no difference betwixt gold and yron but that gold hath happened to bee better and longer concocted then the other Some striving to imitate nature in perfecting of mettals meaning to bring them to their perfection Gold have used many artificiall operations in making their Philosophers stone so much searched First they calcine the matter without diminishing the body they attenuate the grosnesse and solidity of the calcined matter by solution and reduce it to its prima materia which they call minerall water whereof gold is the father silver the mother and quicksilver the proxeneta that makes the mariage and union this done they separate the foure elements in two parts one superior and celestiall which is the spirit that quickens another inferior and terrestriall which must bee enlived by the spirit making the combination with the soule and body for that first part is a soul inspired they conjoyn the water and aire with the earth and fire they putrifie the matter bee a moist heat after putrefaction comes coagulation cibation sublimation fermentation exaltation augmentation and lastly projection upon imperfect mettals changing them into perfect gold and silver It is certain that the chief end of the ancient Philosophers who traveiled and laboured about this stone was to compose an universall balsamick medicine to roborate and conserve the radicall balsame and nectar of our life in a good and laudable temperament which great and incomparable medicine they searched in minerals and knowing that gold the perfection of minerals could not have action in our bodys be reason of its compact and firme composition they have endevoured to break its hardest bonds and to reduce it to its first matter that it may be dissolved in all liquors and communicate to them that excellent and balsamick perfection of our life and nature The transmutation of mettals in