THE Way to Bliss. IN THREE BOOKS. Made Publick, By ELIAS ASHMOLE Esq. Qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus.

—Deus nobis haec Otia fecit.
LONDON, Printed by John Grismond for Nath. Brook, at the Angel in Corn-hill, 1658.

TO THE READER.
IT is now somewhat above five years, since I pu∣blished the first Part of my THEATRUM CHEMICUM BRITANNICUM; immedi∣ately after which, my Studies of that Nature received most unfortunate Interruptions, from the Commencement of several vexatious Suits a∣gainst me: But GOD, not onely enabled me to endure those impetuous multiplied Stormes, but some few Moneths since, was pleased to sweeten my long-Sufferings with a fair and peaceful Issue.

And because my Studies in HERMETICK PHILOSO∣PHY, would not bear with the aforesaid troublesome Rubs, (She requiring a serene Minde, quiet Thoughts, unwearied Endeavours, indeed the whole Man,) I was with great unwil∣lingness forced to lay them aside: Yet, (that I might not tot•••y quit Minerva's society, who had nurst me up so indulgently,) I betook my self to such other Studies, whose Nature would better deal with Disturbances, and suffer themselves (when un∣happily broken off) to be reassumed with less difficulty; and where Variety also might beget something of Appetite and Delight.

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All this while I well hoped to meet with One or Other, who (inclined to advance the honour of HERMES his Family) would have taken the pains of adding a Second Volume to my said THEATRUM, in regard those successive Troubles (hang∣ing so long and heavily upon me) had denied me the Leisure: Nor were either my Invitations to it wanting, or the free Con∣tribution of whatever I had so painfully Collected, unoffered: to the end my Design (of letting the World see, what excellent Men we had once of our own Nation, famous as well for that kind of Philosophy, as any other Learning, and Masters of so transcendent a Secret;) might have been furthered: Notwith∣standing this, I hear of nothing (hitherto) done, nothing en∣deaoured.

But instead thereof, I lately met with a pretended Copy of the following Discourse, ready fitted for the Press, which (up∣on perusal) I found mutilated with many Imperfections, much injured by several incongruous Additions, and they confest to be onely made up of some scattered Shreds and Fragments, collected from the whole Work; And besides intended, that the World should take it for the Child of one Eugenius Theo∣didactus, being (by Re-baptization) called the Wise Man's Crown, or Rosie-Crucian Physick; under which Titles notice hath been given of its coming abroad, by other Books since Published. All which considered, together with the Zeal I have for this noble Science, and Regret to see so able a Champi∣on thereof thus boldly, thus nefariously robb'd and dispoiled of his Honour; loth I was any longer to keep my Perfect Copy by me; and thereupon resolved, rather to venture it abroad, (though unaccompanied,) to prevent the Injury would other∣wise be done our dead Author, and the World. (I say unaccom∣panied, for my past and present Engagements, in finishing the Productions of some of those Houres, I snatch'd from the in∣tervals of my late Disturbances, will not afford me time to fit it with such Associates, as formerly I intended should com∣plete one of the later Parts, of my above mentioned THEA∣TRUM.) However, (considering the Nature of this Piece,) it will properly enough appear by it self, and very well serve as a large Preface, to usher forth the remaining Volumes, (or any
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thing else,) that shall be published of this Subject.

As for our Author, he was without doubt an ENGLISH∣MAN, but hath hitherto passed with us among the Anonymi, and the Book (his Off-spring) shews it self sufficiently Legiti∣mate, though the true Father thereof be as yet unknown. I have heard some notable Stories, and those backt with perswa∣sive Circumstances, to make an easie Faith think the Providence very observable, that not onely furnished a laborious searcher into this myst•rious Learning, with the Original it self, but most fortunately directed him to three Grains of the Powder, closed up between two Leaves thereof, with which he made Projection; But I affect not to Fly-blow the Ears of my Rea∣ders: Onely this, I can modestly averr, that my Copy was a Transcript of that Original.

The Work seems to be written about the beginning of the last (or end of the former) Century; The main drift of the Au∣thor being from weighty and serious Arguments and Exam∣ples, to prove the Possibility of such a thing as the PHILOSO∣PHERS STONE: whereby is largely manifested, that Nature has exhibited greater Wonders to the view of the World, and as great things have been (and consequently may be) performed by other weaker & lesser Means, where a due, friendly, and Phi∣losophical conjunction of Art and Nature is fully understood. And yet howbeit (because such are familiar unto, and ordinary among us) we consider them not. Tis a Discourse fraught with variety of excellent rational Matter, and fitted to the Learned as well as meaner Capacities; Nay, such, as I boldly perswade my self, will fully satisfie both, beyond any thing yet extant of this Nature: and I believe many captious Arguments, hereto∣fore used and urged, against the truth of this so infallible a Sci∣ence, will here meet with satisfactory Solutions, and henceforth find no further place in any Discourse savouring but of Sobriety.

I must also acquaint my Reader, that this piece was of so high a value with the industrious Doctor Everard, as it invited him to bestow his pains in the Marginal Notes; wherein (like a skilful Philosopher, whose first operation is to make Hidden things Manifest) he drew forth and discovered, that which our Authors Magisterial Pen thought fit to conceal; and having
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obtained those Notes (they being added to a Transcript of this Work, and both fairly written with the Doctors hand) from a ve∣ry intimate Friend (one extraordinary Learned, and a great Or∣nament of our Nation) I was willing to make them publick also.

And now (I confess) notwithstanding all this, I do not ex∣pect, what I here publish, should please every Palate; in re∣gard the Fate of Mens Writings is very much suitable to that of Money, which sometimes passeth currant, and at other times is cryed down, or called in: To this I consider, how we are not born with Fancies and Appetites, that relish every thing alike; and that 'tis as possible to shape a Coat for the Moon, as to Print a Book that can please every Genius: such and so various are the generality of our Inclinations! Besides, I have often obser∣ved, that Men, both Wise and Learned, distaste or affect not some parts of Learning, and yet by a secret willingness, or natural force, are carried on in Admiration and Love of other Branches thereof; And this I suppose partly growes from the neglect of a strict and unbyassed Examination of their choyce, which (if made) would appear to proceed more from Affection than Judg∣ment.

But if any whose Ignorance in, or Disaffection to this Divine and laudable Science, shall think no better of the Work, then of a Spiders Web, [fit onely to be swept away:] I shall never∣theless confidently hope it will fall into some other hands, that may consider the curiosity of the Woofe, and esteem it worthy their Contemplation, to observe how our Author (like that in∣genious Creature travelling with her Industry) hath composed a Discourse, whose Excellencies will not discover themselves to the satisfaction of a superficial Eye, but onely the intent and se∣rious Inquisitor; And that such may reap all possible Advan∣tage by their Labour, is the hearty desire of

E. ASHMOLE.

April 16. 1658.

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The VVAY to BLISSE.
THE FIRST BOOK.

CHAP. I. What BLISSE and HAPPINESSE is.
IF in all orderly Speeches and matters of Learning, a it first of all behoveth to agree upon the Thing in hand, what it is, and what is the Reason and Bounds [or definition] of the same: It seem∣eth very needfull in this Discourse of THE WAY TO BLISSE, to shew first what is BLISSE, because it is a thing much in doubt, and in question among the Learned.

He that useth to behold and view the Reason and Nature of things, may easily perceive by the outward shape, and inward gifts of Man, unlike and passing all
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other Wights (or living Creatures) that he was made for some notable end and purpose above the rest; and so not for Pleasure, Honour, Health, or enough of need∣full outward things, which they call Riches, nor yet for any other matters, which other Wights void of Wit and Reason, seek and follow. Therefore a Man ought not to make any such thing his End and Happiness, unless he think it reason for the Master and better Workman, to learn of the Servant and worser: For what other pattern and end have we in the world to follow? None at all; because we are the best Creatures in the World.

Then it is without the World, say you, and among the blessed Mindes [or Spirits] above and without all: Neither yet have we found it; for they be our Fellow-servants and Subjects under one Almighty King. Wherefore there remains nothing but GOD and his Happiness to be sought and set before us, not with hope to overtake and reach it, (that were madness) but with desire to attain so much thereof, as the proportion be∣tween Him and us will suffer. Or if the unmeasureable and boundless [or infinite] Blessedness of GOD admit no comparison; It were best (yea, and by the example of the best Men) to make the bounds of our BLISSE so much of the Bliss of GOD, as our whole Power and Nature will hold and carry.

Now then, if we knew that Divine Pattern and Bliss of GOD, all were well: And this, as almost all other truth (especially in case of Life and Manners, for the which it was chiefly written) by the witness and record of Holy Writ, were each to be known and pro∣ved, if that were not too strange, and far off from this
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purpose, which is appointed (as you see) to run through the midst of Nature, Reason, and Philosophy.

Wherefore, sithence both in this and all other Mat∣ters, I mean not to lean over-much upon my own de∣vice, because a Man (especially a young man) is apt to swerve, but to call other to counsel with me; and they can be no more but Men, at most endowed with ripe and sound Reason and Judgement, in the course of Kinde [or Nature] and Philosophy: yet we will look, as near as we can, that they be still squared by the Rule of Truth and Reason.

Then, to finde this Happiness of Heaven among Men, to whom were it best to travel? Unto Poets, think you? No; because they take their aim still at a vain Mark b, the Peoples liking, as we may see by Pindar, one of the best among them, (for I will not draw of the dregs) when he saith, cIf a man be Rich, and have his Health with a contended Minde, and Honour, let him not care to be a GOD.—A vain and worldly BLISSE, God wot, far from a Divine Na∣ture.

Nor yet need we go to the lower and lesser houses of Philosophy; where, as they be tainted and unsound in other pieces of Learning, so in matter of Manners, they do not well to place our BLISSE in Honour, Plea∣sure, Health, or in such-like outward things; no, nor to set it in good Life alone, and Virtue.

Plato and Aristotle, for their matchless understanding in Natural things, and Divine Light, in the good or∣der of Life and Manners, have been these many Ages best accepted with the best, and followed in all things: Therefore, in this high point of Manners which we
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have in hand, let us see what these Men hold, and how near they come to the right line of Truth, whereof we spake before.

To begin with Plato, the Spring of this Philosophy, his Bliss, as he disputes in Philaebus, as near as I could gather, out of so large and scattered a speech, is no∣thing but Pleasure.

And yet this divine Man meaneth not, (lest you should marvel) with that Herd of Swine, (though they were not the broachers of that foul Opinion, but watered their Gardens, as dTully saith, with other mens Springs) to set open all the gates of the Senses, and to let in all that comes; but onely at a few narrow loops, to receive clean Delight, without all grief en∣terlaced; and by name edelight in Colours, Concent, and some Smells, in Health, Wisdome, and Virtue. And again he saith in Theaetetus,f that Justice and Holi∣ness, together with Wisdome, makes us like unto GOD.

To let these two places serve for him, and to come to Aristotle: As there are two sorts of Men, one dis∣posed to deal with others, which are called worldly-men; and another quite contrarily, bent to live alone, and to seek Knowledge, which are called Philosophers: So he in his Book of Manners,g appoints two like several Ends and Blisses; for the first, Virtue, (I mean a do∣ing, and no idle Virtue) garnished and fenced with out∣ward helps and gifts of Body and Fortune; for the next, Knowledge of the best things: and this he setteth before that other, for many reasons vouched toward the end of that Book, but especially because GOD, whom we ought to follow, leadeth the same Life.

These be the best grounds of BLISSE, that ever
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any Philosopher hath laid at any time, (for never a one hath quite built it up;) let us see how they be squared.

If the stall-fed Epicure may again be justly reproved, and reckoned as an impious person, whom never any heavenly Thoughts touched, for bringing h in an idle God, neither ruling the World, nor regarding it; How can Aristotle seem wrongfully accused of Impiety, and for the same banished out of the Academy, if there were no other proof against him, than that he saith in that place, that GOD leadeth no other, than this beholding and gazing Life of his? Is it not an idle, and, as it were, a covetous and envious Life, turned back upon it self, and estranged from all outward Action applied to other? yea, (and that) in his own and all other mens Understanding? Then to encounter him with his wor∣thy Master, Plato; If that were the best Life, or the Life of GOD, why did GOD make the World? He lived so before, if that had been the best Life; i But because He was Good, He would have other enjoy his Goodness; and therefore he was busie in Making, and is yet in Ruling the World: And yet indeed, it is no Business, as we reckon it, that is, no Care and Trou∣ble; but an outward Deed and Action, clean contrary to the inward Deed of a musing Minde, onely shooting at his own good Estate, which is Wisdome and Know∣ledge.

But if he deny all this, as it is like he will, because, to encrease the heap of sin, he grants no Beginning; then, what can be greater evidence than his own Wri∣tings, one quite thwarting another, as cross as may be? for in his k seventh Book of State, he comes again
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and saith, that Every man hath so much BLISSE, as he hath Wisdome and Virtue, even by the witness of GOD himself, who is therefore happy, and not for outward Goods. What can be more divinely spoken, and more cross to that former foul and godless Opinion? Nay, see the force of Truth; he yields again, according to his hea∣venly lMaster, That, mto forestall the Place from the worser sort, good Men ought to take Office upon them, and to manage Affairs of State: Yea and further, n If they refuse, (which if they be Wise they will, quoth Zeno) that they may be rightly compelled. Then, if his Wiseman hath Virtue in possession, as no doubt he hath, he must (as we see by his own confession) use it: And the same reason is of GOD Himself in this great City of the World. But oPlato by name, thinks these two so nearly tied, and of kin together, as he dare openly deny his Happiness to that Common-wealth, where they be dis-linked, and stand asunder.

Then we see, that in the judgement of these two great Philosophers, where they be best advised, and in deed and truth, the Divine Pattern of BLISSE, which we ought to strive unto, is no more, nor no less, than that worthy couple of Wisdome and Virtue, knit toge∣ther in that band of Fellowship, which may never be parted and set asunder.

But you may say, We have reared our BLISSE aloft, and made it a fair and goodly Work, but more fit for the dwelling of those single and clean Mindes [or Spirits] above, which they call Messengers, [or Angels] than for us Men, so buried here below in these earthly Bodies, as we be scarce able to look up un∣to it: And therefore Aristotle both in his Book of
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pManners and of qState, with good advice often receiveth in enough of bodily and outward Goods, to help this matter, (though not as any other cause of BLISSE, than the Instrument is of Musick:) and so Plato we see nameth his Servants and Helpers.

Indeed, I grant that this full and high pitch of Hap∣piness, (I mean that measure above set) is free and easie, to free and lively Spirits; but to us impossible without other outward means and helps, which, never∣theless, shall not be counted as any part of the frame of BLISSE, needful to make up the whole; but, as it were, loose and hang-by steps and stairs leading up unto it.

Then if these be so needful as they be, it were as much need to lay them down, and in just account, which those Philosophers do not; lest if there be too few, our Happiness should halt; if again too many, the idle parts might in time infect and marre the rest: As we may fear of Plato his first three Delights, although they be not hurtful of themselves. Without more words, the just sum is this.

To obtain so much Happiness, as our Nature is able to take and hold, the Body had need be first willing and obedient, and then store of outward needful things to be at hand and ready: These every Man knoweth. But for the Body, that is obedient when it is long-liv'd, healthful, young, clear and temperate: when all these helps flock together, we may be happy if we will; if any want, we shall never, do what we can, as we shall hear hereafter.

Then let us marshal, at last, these things in Order, and comparing BLISSE to a Family, make that loving
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Couple, Wisdome and Virtue, as Man and Wife, and Heads of the Houshold; the five Properties of the Body, like Children; and Riches, as Servants. These again, if the chief of the Houshold will suffer them to Marry, will beget other two Bond-children, to beau∣tifie the same house, Honour and Pleasure: But the wise and good Housholder will in no wise suffer it, lest his Houshold be troubled with more than may be ruled. And although true and right Honour and Pleasure will perforce follow, yet he shall not regard them, but be minded towards them, as those grave Men were to∣wards Hellen, and often use their saying, rAlthough they be such kinde ones, yet let them go.

CHAP. II. Reproof of the common and lighter sort of Arguments cast against the Way to Bliss.
NOw that we know what is BLISSE and HAPPI∣NESSE; we may, when we will, go into the Way, and shew how all Men may be Blessed: wherein I am quite bereaved of an helps from the Grecians, as men ever apter to speak and think well, than to do and perform any thing; (though constancy and agreement in their Sayings, would have left BLISSE, as well as other good things, in the power and reach of all Men:) And I must fly for aid into Aegypt, a People so far
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passing all other Nations, as it is better and nearer to GOD, to work and do great wondrous things, than to behold and look upon them.

For it is delivered to ancient and true Record, that one HERMES, a King and Law-giver of that Country, a Man of rare and divine gifts in Knowledge, above all that ever were, found out a Medicine able to bring all men to that BLISSE aforesaid, and left it behinde him in writing to his People; and that it was after him a long time by the wiser sort closely wrought and used, until at last it crept abroad, and stole into Arabia, when she flourished in Arms and Learning, and there got the Name which it now commonly keepeth of the PHI∣LOSOPHERS STONE; And that from thence, in the same secret and disguised manner (for it is the wont thereof, as becomes so deep a Secret) it hath travelled and spred it self over all Nations, now and then open∣ing and discovering it self to a few of the better and wiser Company.

Then this is THE WAY TO BLISSE, which I mean to take: And withall to prove it no pleasant Dream, and happy Tale, if it were true, as the com∣mon Proverb goeth of it; but, as it is in Nature, an heroical and almost divine deed, scarce to be reached or matched with any words, so I vow it a true and cer∣tain Story, a thing often done, and again to be done as often.

I am unfit, I grant, and unable to bear so great a Burthen, but that the great desire I have both to de∣fend the Truth from slander, and to do good to them that love it, makes it light and easie: And again, this hope upholds me, That if I chance to stumble or faint
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at any time, they will as gently and willingly lend their hand to stay me, or at the least, bear with the fall and misfortune. Then for the common and viler Sort, which either for lack of good Nature, or want of good Manners, use to wrangle about Words, or twitch at Things, I care not; And because I know them not, I will pass by them, as unknown men; for neither was Hercules able,s as they say, to match with many-headed Hydra, nor yet with the awk and crooked Crab.

Then, to turn my Speech, which way were it best to set forward? Not right and streight to the matter? No; Because there is such crying out against the Pos∣sibility of the good Works which our Medicine pro∣miseth; And that awk fore-judgement of the Matter hath been the chief cause which hath hitherto buried this Divine Art from the sight of good and learned Men: I take it the best way of delivery, before I come to the point it self, to fetch about a little, and shew the possibility of these effects, and the way to work them, by other and weaker means, as well as by HERMES his Medicine.

For although it be t not so Natural in marching forward, to move the left and weak part, yet I ween it right Artificial; and then it shall agree with that good order of Art, first of all to put by a few of the light things laid against this blessed Science: Because, albeit they be gathered but by guess, besides all grounds and rules of certainty, yet they have so wholly possessed the common people, yea and some of the better and wiser sort likewise, that, without any further search or hearing of the Matter, they have streightway cast it off for false, and condemned it: for as when sleep hath once
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taken the Fort of the Body, the Senses yield and can do nothing; so if wrong belief once get possession of the Soul, Reason is laid to rest, and cannot move again, before that must be loosened, and put to flight and scattered.

First, say they, sith there be seen in all places and times, so many hundreds, with great Pains, Heed and Cunning, to study this Art, and to put the Receipts in practise; sure, if they were true and faultless as others are, some should appear to hit the Mark, and to gather the fruit of their Travel, and not to live as they all do, of all men most miserable: Or at least, because it is so ancient an Art, it would have been recorded in some publick or private Writing, besides their own, which, be it bound with never so deep Oaths, (as it is) yet is it unsufficient proof and witness in their own case.

These be the most saleable Reasons, and best ap∣proved among the People, wherewith they use to bat∣ter this exchanging Science; But mark how light and weak they be, and easie to be wiped away: for how could the Acts and Deeds of these Philosophers come into the Writings and Records of Men, (to begin there with them) whose Fame, nay whose Company they have ever shunned? And when their own Records, if they chanced to like of leaving any, were not sown abroad, and published to the World, as is the use of Worldlings; but left like precious Heirlooms unto some Friend of secret trust, which was counted as a Son adopted, upon Condition to keep it still within the House and Stock of HERMES, from the Eyes and Hands of the World and Strangers, running evermore,
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like the wise Stars, a contrary race unto the World, that no marvel though they be both in like sort, crossed by the World, and mis-called u Wanderers [or Pla∣nets] when in deed and truth they go better.

Now when they deem credit to be denied to the Mens own Report and Witness, it is a sign that either their own Report and Witness is of light and little weight, whereby they judge of others; or else that their Thoughts are vain and phantastical, puft up, I mean, with that new kinde of Self-love, and over∣weening Wisdom, to set up themselves, and pull down Authorities; of which sort it falls out most com∣monly in proof, that while they strive to avoid the Lake of Superstition, they run headlong unawares down the Rock of Impiety: for if such a wilde breach and entry may be suffered to be made into the Credit and Au∣thority of Writers, which are the life of Antiquity and light of Memory, great darkness and confusion will soon come in, and overcast the World; yea, and so far forth at length, as nought shall be believed and judged true that is not seen; w that even they which dwell in the main Land, shall not grant a Sea: A thing not onely fond and childish among all Men, but also (ill be to me, if I speak not as I think) wicked and god∣less amongst us Christians, whose whole Religion, as S. Augustine saith, stands upon that ground.

Wherefore, if we must needs believe Recorders of Acts and Stories, yea though they be sometimes lewd men, foolish and unlearned, as if they were as whole and harmless as xXenocrates, but especially although they had great cause to lie, and to speak more or less than the truth; who can, in any common Reason, re∣fuse
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the solemn Oathes of so many good, wise and learned Men? y for he that is Good, for the love of Virtue it self, he that is Wise, to avoid the shame of Lying, will speak the Truth. What should I say of the learned Men, whose whole care and practise, drift and study, is nothing else but to finde and set down the Truth? But all is well and clear of all suspicion, if it may be thought these Oathes and Protestations to have sprung from themselves, of meer good will and desire to perswade the lovers of Wisdome and Virtue, and not wrung out by fear of flattery. Which may be easily judged in such Men, as were all either Kings that needed not, or Diogenists that cared not, as it is clear in all their Eyes that are conversant in these kinde of Studies.

Wherefore, such men as are so bold without sure ground of Reason to deny, and deny still all that comes, are, in my Opinion, greatly to be looked into; for although they, like zXerxes, pull not down Religion with hands openly, yet they are of another sort as dan∣gerous, that undermine it closely with wrong Opinions. If our Men avowed such plain untruths as might be re∣proved by common sense and daily experience, as when aAnaxagor as said Snow was black; and Xenophanes, the Moon inhabited, and full of Hills and Cities; and Nicetes of old, with some b of late, that the Earth, the onely unmoveable thing in the world, onely moved, and such like ugly and mis-shapen Lies, wherewith Greece over-swarmed; then you had reason to use them with ill words and thoughts as you do: But when they maintain, that by a Heavenly Medicine they have made many great and wonderful Changes, turn'd all Mettals
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into Gold, Folly into Wisdome, Vice into Virtue, Weakness into long Life, and all Diseases into sound Health, and Age into Lustiness and Youth again, how can you disprove them? when did you see the contra∣ry? You scarcely know the Nature of the Deeds and Effects, for they require great Knowledge; but the Doing, Cause, and Workman, that is; this Medicine, you never saw, nor can imagine what it is, much less con∣ceive the Reason, Strength and Nature of it:—Nay you see nothing, but grope and blunder in the dark, like blindfold men at all things: Else, how could these ex∣changes have escaped, and been hid from you, in a World so full of all kinde of changes? I mean, you see great and admirable things, (albeit you do not so take them, c because you see them often) but you do not throughly see them, that is, you perceive not the Na∣ture, Cause and Reason of them, and that makes you so childish, to believe nought unseen, and count all things Wonders which are not Common amongst you; Much like that harmless and silly kinde of People, of late dis∣covered, which made Miracles and Wonders of many matters, that in other Countries are common and ordi∣nary; insomuch as (to take one for all) d they could not conceive how two Men asunder, could by Letter certifie one another, unless a Spirit was wrapt up in the Paper, to make report and tell the News. But if you and they could once by the edge of Wit, cut into the Depth and Nature of the great and marvellous Works of Kinde and Skill, which are common and daily among you, then and not before, you would be ready and easie by comparison, to receive almost any thing unseen, and brought by Report unto you.

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Let me awake your Wits a little: You see daily, but not throughly, how the Moon, by drawing the Ocean after her, makes the Ebbe and Flow thereof. It is likewise commonly, I know not how truly, reported, e that the Loadstone roof of Mahomet his Church, draws up his Iron-Tomb from the ground, and holds it hanging in the middle way: like as the Miners in Ger∣many, by chance found their Tools, which they had left in such a Vault, hanging in the Morning; which was accounted for a Miracle, before such time as the Cause, by the skilful, was seen and declared unto them.

What should I say more of this Stone? It is not un∣known that there are f whole Rocks thereof in India, drawing Ships that pass by loaden with Iron unto them: and yet we see that this mighty Stone, in presence of the Diamond, the King of Stones, is put g out of Office, and can do nothing.

To come abroad, it hath been often seen, at Sea, that the h little Stay-fish cleaving to the fore-ship, hath stopt his full Course.

I should now pass over to that other side of Skill and Craft, and call to minde many great and wondrous Works there done and performed: The curious work of that iItalian Ring, which held a Clock, besides a Dial within it. Those three common Feats found out of late, passing all the Inventions of Antiquity, the Gun, Card, and Printing, and many other dainty De∣vices of Mans Wit and Cunning: if this short and
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narrow Speech appointed, would suffer any such out∣ridings. Let these few serve to awake you, and call your Wits together: you see these things, I say, and are never moved, but if you had never seen them, but heard the stories onely reported, what would you have thought and said?

And because no man so well judgeth of himself, as of another: k Suppose a plain and harmless People, such as those Indians were, had from the beginning dwelt in a dark Cave under ground, (let it be the Centre, if you will) and at the last one odde man more hardy and wise than the rest, had, by stealth, crept out into the light, and here by long travel and traffick with our People, had seen and learned the Course and Nature of things, which I have rehearsed unto you, and then returning home, had suddenly start up, and begun to recount the Wonders which he had seen and learned; first, that he found the Earth hanging round in the mid∣dle of the Air, and in like sort a bright and goodly Cover, compassing afar off the same; This Cover be∣set and sprinkled with infinite moving Lights and Can∣dles; and among the rest, One (to be short) of a foot in bigness, to his sight, l without all Touching, or other means and instruments to be perceived, to hale and pull huge heaps of Water after her, as she passed up and down continually; would they not shout, and lift up their hands, and begin to suspect the Man of infection with strange and travelling Manners?

But, admit, when the noise were done, and all husht, he went forward, and told them of such a Church, and Vault, where other things as well and more strangely than the Earth, (for that cannot be otherwise, unless
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heavy things flew up against Nature) hanged in the Air alone; And of such Hills, that, as the Moon Wa∣ters, so drew Ships out of their full courses, without any strength, or means visible. Furthermore, if he laid abroad the wonderful might of a little Fish,m like half a Foot long, able to stay the main course of a Ship under sail; do you not think with what sowre Counte∣nances, and reviling Words and Reproches they would bait him, and drive him out of their Company? But if the good and painful Man, burning with desire to re∣form the estate of his rude and deformed Country, would not be stayed so, but espying a calmer time, durst come in presence, and step forth before them a∣gain, and say, that by his Travel he had learned to make such a Ring as I spake of; such warlike Engines as should fall as fearful as Thunder, and as hurtful as any Ramme upon the Wall, a mile off planted; such a kinde of Writing, whereby four Men might Record as much in the same time, as four thousand of the Com∣mon Clerks; such a Card, wherewith a Countryman, that never saw the Sea, shall sit in the bottome of a Ship, and direct the Course thereof throughout the World, without missing; Is it not like they would ap∣prehend him for a Cozener, and adjudge him to Pu∣nishment? Then put the case you stood by, and saw the Matter, I appeal to your own Conscience, would you not think the Traveller worthy of Pity and Praise, and the People of Reformation?

Well then, let us return to our purpose; There is a Nation of Wise-men, dwelling in a Soil as much more blessed [than yours] as yours is than theirs: That is, As they bide under ground, and you upon the face
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thereof, so these Men inhabit the edge & skirt of Heaven; they daily See and Work many wondrous things, which you never saw nor made, because you never mounted so high to come among them: If any one chance to fly away from you to those heavenly Places, and after like experience to return, and make the like Reports, you give him like Rewards; Compare the rest, I say no more; But if GOD would give you leave and power to ascend unto those high places, I mean, to those hea∣venly Thoughts and Studies, you might quickly, by view of deep Causes, and Divine Secrets, and comparison of one to another, not onely believe the blessed-Art, but also learn and perform the same.

But they will not be rid so, and follow as fast again another way: That whereas so many have been, and are daily seen to wear their lives in Alchimy, and to finde nothing that good is, but contrary for the most part, to wit, untimely and unordinary Death, Sickness, and Age, for Long-life, Health, and Youth; and alwayes Smoke for Gold, and Folly for Wisdome; and very near as often, bad and lewd Conditions, for good and honest Natures; (for, by boiling themselves long in such de∣ceitful stuff, as though they were burnt in the Pots bot∣tome, they carry most commonly for ever after, an un∣savoury smack thereof;) It is a plain sign the Trade is vain, false, and deceitfull. This is the third Charge they give unto us, let us see how to bear and with∣stand it.

The most wise and great Philosophers, albeit they knew GOD had made all Mankinde for that happy Life abovesaid, and that it was at first enjoyed, or else it had been made in vain; and that by corruption of ill
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Custom, (by his secret appointment) our kinde is grown out of kinde, and therefore may be restored, because it is a mis-leading, and no intent of Nature: (which fore-castings gave them occasion to seek the remedy;) Yet they thought it unlawful, and set straight against the Will of GOD, that all should be restored; for that he seemed of purpose to have sown Good and Bad, and great store of both together, in such sort as we see them; lest if all were alike, and in one state of Happiness, the great variety of business and stirring, and so the society and Common-wealth among Men, should be clean ta∣ken away: Like as if the four first striving Seeds (where∣of all things are made and spring) were all alike, and one friend to another, all should be still and quiet, without Succession, Change and Variety in the World, and so there should be no World. For GOD, when he cast his Minde upon the building of the World, he meant to make a goodly and beautiful Work, meet for the Power, Wisdome and Pleasure of such a Builder, and therefore a stirring and changeable Work, because there is no might nor cunning shewn, no delight taken in one ever-like or still thing. But light footing, for speed, is ever best in such a ground; Let us away.

Wherefore, by the example, and, as it were, by the secret blast and motion of GOD, after our Men had found this Restorative, and used it for the time, and meant to leave it, as becometh good Men, to Posteri∣ty, they took this way of Counsel, to lay it up safe in a strong Castle as it were, in the which all the broad Gates, and common easie Entries, should be fast shut up and barred, leaving onely one little and secret back∣door open, fore-fenced with a winding Maze, that the
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best sort, by Wit, Pains and Providence, might come in∣to the appointed BLISSE, the rest stand back for∣saken: n Their Maze and Plot is this; first they hide themselves in low and untrodden Places, to the end they might be free from the power of Princes, and the Eyes of the wicked World: And then they wrote their Books with such a wary and well-fenced Style, (I mean, so over-cast with dark and sullen shadows, and sly pre∣tence of Likes and Riddles, drawn out of the midst of deep knowledge and secret Learning) that it is impos∣sible for any but the wise, and well-given, to approch or come near the Matter.

And therefore it is, when godless and unlearned Men, hovering over Gain and Honour, presume against Minerva's will, to handle their Words, when the Things should rather be handled, they wrest and wring them a hundred wayes, (for, onothing is so soft and gentle as Speech, especially so throughly temper'd) and yet all be∣sides the secret meaning thrust up in deep Know∣ledge.

Then, if these Wayes and Fantasies they practice, and set on work as fast (as their Fingers itch) and miss as fast (as they must needs do;) shall they say they followed our Rules and Precepts, and put our Work in practise, and found them false? That were like as if a cunning Archer and Huntsman, had delivered dark Rules of Shooting and Hunting unto his Countrymen, and these by chance had fallen into the hands of ano∣ther wilde and untaught Nation, which simply mis-led by mis-taking his Drift and Meaning, had made them Ploughs to shoot in, and goared their Oxen to the game, and then missing of their purpose, cried out and blamed
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the Arts of Shooting and Hunting, and sought to blow Envy upon the Man that taught them; would not a Wise man judge, hold and deem, both these and them, and all other busie-bodies, that so use to myne & dig in other Mens dealings, to be sent unto their own Trade and Business, wherefore they were made and fashioned, and to let the rest alone for the right owners? And for these of HERMES house, do not think they make claim, sue and recover their own in open Court, as others use, (that were a way in such a wicked World, to lose Land, Life, and all together quickly) but in that secret sort, which falleth not within the compass of your Reproof.

Neither would I have you follow so hard, and be so earnest upon the next Reason, That albeit our Men had cause to hide their Works and Practise, yet they would have shewed the fruit and effect thereof, advancing themselves, as others do, to Honour and Pleasure, and not have lived like the refuse of the World, in such mean plight and wretchedness; for that is the lightest of all other, though it seem the greatest: If I list to rifle in the Rolls of ancient Records, I could easily finde and shew you, that although the most part, of pur∣pose, lived in this harmless and safe Estate, which I told you; yet some again were Kings, and Men of great Place and Dignity, (and yet I think by Remainder, and not by Purchase so) but I love not this kinde of rea∣soning; Let them that thirst go to the Fountain, and us remember, that in the Houshold of BLISSE, Riches are made but Servants, and not Masters, and Rulers; because they be for the most part unruly and ambitious, and for that cause they have no liberty granted them,
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but are injoyned to serve lowly their Betters, and to look no further; p So that, if our Men were Happy, or at least lovers of the same, their Riches ought to be imployed in their own service, that is, to purchase and win Wisdome and Vertue, and not sent out to wait upon, I know not what strangers, Honour and Pleasure; which as they be strangers, yea and dangerous strangers, lying open (as all high things) to the blast of Envy; so, most commonly, they will not be ruled, no more than they which get them; and then rebelling against them, which are their Lords and Rulers, do overthrow an happy Estate.

Wherefore, what marvel is it though our Men did thus, when they did no more than Wisdome requires, nor any more than all wise Men have ever taught and followed? thinking, and calling it an heavenly Life, because it sunders the heavenly Minde from the earthly Body, not (as qPliny writes of Hermolinus) by sending the same out of the Body, to gather and bring home News; but by an high contempt of earthly Matters, and flying up to divine Thoughts, not with the golden feathers of Euripides, but with the heavenly wings of rPlato.

And therefore s this same divine Man, makes the Minde alone the whole Man; the Body as a thing that is his, and belonging unto him; but Riches, Honour, and such like outward Goods, none of his own Matters, nor belonging unto him; but unto his, that is, the Body, and as I may term them, his Mans-men. And this thing also Bias,t before him, did as well perform, when at the spoil of the City, having leave, he took not his Carriage with him, and answered to the check
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of his Friends, that he carried all his own things with him, which was nothing but a naked Body.

Aristotle is of the same minde just with Plato, as ap∣pears notably in his u last Book of Manners, where he hath laid down many sound Reasons, why this Life is best, and so, by wise men is, and ought to be taken: Because it is, saith he, the most quiet Life, and fullest of true Delight, and with all things needful best stored, for indeed it wanteth nothing; for that as a Minde is divine in respect of a Body, so is the Life of it, which is that we speak of, in regard of a civil and worldly Life. And again, if our Mindes are Our selves, it were meet to lead our own Life, before a strangers; But last of all, which is worth all, because GOD our onely Pattern, leadeth none other Life but this.

I might be very large, if I list to seek about and tra∣verse this Matter: but here is enough to shew the Pur∣pose and Reason our Men of Aegypt had, if it was in their choice, to chuse this kinde of Life, which the World so despiseth; But how if I could bring them in bereaved of all choice and free-will, and driven by force of Necessity to do the same? would not that stop the widest Mouthes, trow you, in all this lavish Company? Let us know first that the Minde of Man, being come from that high City of Heaven, desireth of her self to live still that heavenly Life, that is, the bles∣sed Life above described; And if there be any lett, as there is lightly, it is in the weight and grossness of our Bodies, over-weighing our Minde down to the Ground, and to all our own muddy Matters:—Then that our Men, after they have gotten this Golden Stone, so famous in the World, do not, as they think and would do,
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straightwayes run to their Coffers, but first and chiefly Gild their Bodies with it; wherefore after that by that mighty, fine, and temperate Medicine, they have scour∣ed out all Grossness and Distemperature of the Body, the onely lets to Understanding, and good Manners, as we shall hear hereafter, and thereby left the Minde at large, and almost at her first freedom; she, and so they together, laying aside, and, as it were, casting down all earthly Matters, must needs return to their own former Life again, so far I mean, as the Condition and State of Man will suffer. And so, put case you finde your own dark and dusky Eye-sight so soon taken with eve∣ry foul and vain worldly Beauty, yet you must not judge these heavenly Men thereby, but think the most sharp and clear eye-sight of their Understanding, easily able to see the blemish, and to avoid the bait of com∣mon love.

Wherefore, to close up this point at last; sith this happy Craft and WAY TO BLISSE of HERMES, for ought that they know, may be true and honoura∣ble, let the Common and Unlearned sort stay their Judgement, and leave the trial and sifting of any fur∣ther Matter unto the Wise and Learned.

And therein all wDioclesians, if they have none of themselves, might learn better Advice, before (for the fault of some) they run to any raging Counsel, and bend the edge of Authority against all.

I grant that, as in all good Arts, so in this, because it is sweetest, there be some Drones, crept in among the Swarm; what then? As they are of another kinde,
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and never begotten by HERMES, or any of his Sons: So no reason they should slander the Name and House of HERMES, but bear the burthen of their own fault. They may be sorted out and known from the holy, stinged, and profitable Bee, first by their bigness in Words and Brags, and then (as followeth lightly by the Course of kinde) by their stingless, and unarmed weak∣ness, in all defence of Learning; And thirdly by their sloth and idleness. For although they never lyn stir∣ring, yet x as Seneca saith, Operosè nihil agunt, they painfully do Nothing, because all they do is to no pur∣pose, all is fruitless and unprofitable.

But Dioclesian lacked this discerning Wisdome, and rashly ran upon all, and burnt the Books, much like that part of Lycurgus, who for the Drunkenness of the Peo∣ple, cut down the Vines. Had it not been better to have brought the Springs of Water nearer, and to have bridled, as Plāto saith, that mad God with the sober? Even so the Emperour might with better advice, have tempered the heat of Alchimy, with the cooling Card of Discretion, and made it an Art lawful for a small Number onely, and with the like charge to be Practi∣sed, which had been a Counsel worthy a wise Prince, neither to let the hope of so great a Treasure go for a small loss; nor yet upon uncertain Hope, be it never so great, to lose a certain great thing, to wit, the Life and Goods of his Subjects, well and orderly bestowed.

Page [unnumbered]
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THE SECOND BOOK.
CHAP. I. Of LONG LIFE.

AFter we have met with the common Ar∣guments, wherewith the Unlearned use to deface this goodly Science; we must go forward, and encounter with the Learned; who, because the great Deeds and Effects which are promised, (that is, to make all men Long-liv'd, Healthful, Young, Rich, Wise and Virtuous) are above any Skill of theirs, or of their Ancestors the Gracians, rate both the Work impossible, and the Workman vain, false, and guileful; I must, I say, prove, according to my Task appointed, That these great Acts and Deeds, may be done and per∣formed
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by other weaker Means than HERMES ME∣DICINE: And this I must do with more pains and diligence, because this Way and Entry once made in their Hearts, the great and marvellous Truth of this famous STONE, may the more easily come in and take possession.

But in such variety of hard and slippery Matter, whence were it best to set out? which Way first to take? Were it not meet the means and helps unto BLISSE should be first rid and cleared, before we come to BLISSE it self? and among them to give Long Life the foremost place, if not for his worthiness, yet for his behoof and necessity? being needful in all Com∣mon-wealths and private persons, first to seek to live, before to live well, though that, unto this end: Then let us see what is Long Life, and how all Men may reach unto it.

But why do we make such great haste? we had need be slow and advised in so great a Matter, and to look, before we venture upon so long a Way, and of so many dayes Journey, that we be well provided and furnished of all things; wherein I hope, if I have not of my own, or if after the thrifty manner, when I am well stored my self, yet I borrow to prevent lending, al∣though I take upon trust so much as shall serve this turn, it shall be no stain to my Credit; but rather deem∣ed a safe and wary way, to cut off occasion of Robbe∣ry both at home and abroad: especially if I take it up of such Men, as are most famous and best beloved. These should be my Friends of Aegypt and Arabia, (though we have their secret help now and then) the best able indeed, and the nearest unto me, if they were
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so well known and beloved in the World: But because they be not, I will fly to the other side of Greece, and to the most renowned there, and best liked, Hippocrates, Plato and Aristotle, whom I doubt not to finde very free and willing in this Matter. Let us then awake our old Studies out of sleep, and hye us to them: what need many words? after Greeting, and the Matter broken, they make me this Answer joyntly together.

GOD, because he was good, a did not grieve to have others enjoy his Goodness, (that is, to be, and to be well) meaning to make a World (though Aristotleb withdraw his hand herein) full of all kinde of ever∣lasting and changeable things, first made all, and blended them in one whole confused Mass and Lump together, born up by his own weight, bending round upon it self.

Then seeing it lay still, and that nought could beget and work upon it self, he sorted out, and sundred away round about, a fine and lively piece (which they call Heaven) for the cMale, Mover and Workman; leaving still the rest (as gross and deadly) fit for the Female, to receive the Working and Fashioning, which we term the four Beginnings, [or Elements] Earth, Water, Air and Fire; and thereof springs the d Love which we see get between them, and the great desire to be joyned again, and coupled together.

Then, that there might be no number and confusion of Workmen, and doing Causes, but all to flow from one Head, as he is One, he drew all force of Work∣ing, and virtue of Begetting into one narrow round Compass, which we call the eSun, from thence he
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sent out, spred and bestowed all about the World, both above and below, which again meeting together, made one general Light, Heat, Nature, Life and Soul of the World, Cause of all things. And because it becomed the Might, Wisdome and Pleasure of such a Builder, to make and rule the infinite Variety of Changes here be∣low, f and not evermore one self-same thing; he commanded that gOne Light in many, to run his eter∣nal and stintless Race to and fro, this way and that way, that by their variable presence, absence and meeting, they might fitly work the continual change of flitting Creatures.

This Soul which hPlato calls the Ever-moving Mo∣ver, quite contrary to iAristotles〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which he himself construes an Immoveable Mover, (that we may marvel k how Tully could translate it so, as to make it all one with Plato, unless lLucians gallows mis-led him, which is found in some Copies) that he might be an Eternal Mover, is, in Nature and Being, a most sub∣tile and small Beam, or spark of heavenly Fire; in property and quality, for his Cleanness, Light and Fine∣ness, Hot; and for his Moistness withall Temperate, as appears to him that bendeth his Minde upon it.

If you doubt of his Moistness,m think nothing made without Mingling, which is, by drawing in, n and breaking small together the whole stuff, when a dry heat draws out, and scattereth the fine from the great, and thereby wasteth and narroweth all things, making nothing: As for Example; oDung hatcheth an Egge, and quickneth any thing apt to receive Life, when
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warm pAshes will never do it. What need we more? Imagine an heavenly Flame by a good qburning Wa∣ter, which flaming upon your Hand, or a dry Cloth, heateth them both gently, without hurt or perishment. And yet this Sunny Beam is not moist of it self, and be∣fore it is tempered with the moisture of the rMoon his Wife, to make it apt for Generation; Thence s HERMES calls the Sun and Moon, the Father and Mo∣ther of all things.

Now the stuff and Female, to be fit to suffer Work∣ing, must be first open, that is, Soft and Moist: and then not one, nor yet many like things, lest in both these cases they should stand still the same, and not when they be stirred by the Workman, rise, and strive, and bruise and break one another fitly by continual change, until they come at last unto a consent, rest, and stay; And that upon small occasion the same con∣sent might jarre again, and come to change, the wished end and purpose of the work. And therefore GOD cast in at first, the known t four fighting enemies; yet in the soft and open Stuff, there are but two of them, uEarth and Water in one mixture, seen and extant at the beginning, w before the painful Soul draws and works out the rest, Fire out of Earth, and out of Water that breath-like and windy thing called Air.

So that, x if there were much Earth, little Water, and great Heat to mingle them, Fire will shew it self and bear the sway: If but small Heat upon the same measure of Earth and Water, Earth will rule the rest:
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If on that other side, upon small store of Earth, and much Water, but a small Heat of working, the thing will fall out to be raw and waterish: If upon the same quan∣tity a stronger Heat, it ariseth an Ayery, which is term∣ed a fat and oily Body.

Wherefore, when the Soul comes down upon the Stuff, clothed with a fine windy coat of the cleanest Air, next unto Heaven, called Aether, (without the brokage of which yMean, the two Extremes and un∣acquainted Strangers would never bargain and agree to∣gether) by his moist milde heat it moves it, and alters it very diversly, making many fuits and kindes of things, differing according to the Strength of the one, and the Obedience of the other.

And so by reason in that separation of the fine and Male part at first, z the stuff was throughly tost and mingled, and the Heat of Heaven thereby (like a hot Summer after a wet Spring) very fierce and eager, the two causes serving very fitly, all Wights,a Man and all, were made alike, without any seed sown, otherwise than by the great Seedsman of Heaven, upon the com∣mon stuff of Earth and Water. As is still seen in the common Tillage yet used in those lame and unperfect Wights, which some call Start-ups, and sprung out from themselves. As we may be easily led to think, if we consider how, not onely all kinde of Plants, without all setting or sowing, grow up by themselves in some pla∣ces, b and some kinde of Fish in the Sea are onely Female; but also what plenty of Fish there c abounds in the frozen Countries, for the great heat and fatness
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of the Waters; and chiefly that upon the slimy and hot Land of Aegypt, there are yet some bloody and perfect Land-wights (as Haresd and Goates, &c.) so made and fashioned.

But because afterward the well-mingled and fat fine Stuff, and the strong working Heat failed, (as it must needs in time) and yet the great Lord would have the continual flitting, change, and succession hold; The same two fit Causes were duly kept, by continual suc∣cession e within the Bodies of perfect Wights, (the Stuff in the She, and the Heat in Both) yea, and as far as need required, in seeded Plants also.

Now we must understand as well, that this heavenly Soul, (which when it is so clothed with that windy Bo∣dy, is called Spirit) not onely moveth, and worketh with his Heat, but also f for Food wasteth the Stuff: for nothing that is made, is able to bear up his state and being, without his proper and like food and sustenance. Then, as our gross Fire here below g feedeth upon Weather and Wind, called Air, as upon his likest meat; And as it, in his due place, is too thin and scattered, spreading the Fire so far as it followeth his Food, until at last it vanisheth to nothing, unless it be plentifully heaped and crowded up together, and so kept in a nar∣row shell of Water, which is called Oil or Fatness: Even so it is between the fine starry Fire, and his like Food, the fine Fat of Aether: for that cause, besides the Divine Purpose above set, it cometh down in post in∣to these Quarters, to finde and dress himself store of meat, as appeareth by his tarrying; for as soon as his Food is spent, he flieth away as fast, and leaves his House at six or sevens uncared for.—I was about to
Page 34

tell you the Cause of the divers sorts and suits of these lower Creatures, but that there was a great puff of Matter came between and swept me away; which now being passed over, I will go forward.

Then if the suffering hStuff be Gross, Foul and Tough, and the making Heat very Small and Easie, as it is within and under the Ground, things are made which they call Mettals, or better by the Arabick word, Minerals,i little broken, altered or changed, but the gross Beginnings, Earth and Water, (Earth especially) rule still; and the Life and Soul, as it were, in a dark dungeon, fast shut up and chained, is not able to stir and shew it self at all. When the Stuff is Finer and Softer, with greater Heat upon it, there will arise a rooted and growing thing called a Plant, better mingled, and smaller and further broken from the low and foul Be∣ginnings, and the Life of Heaven shall have more scope, because Wind [or Air] and Water, (and yet Water chiefly) swayeth the Matter.

But if the Soul be yet more mighty, and the Stuff yet finer, he is able (Air and Fire, but that above this exalted) to shew himself a quicker Workman, and to make yet a finer piece of Work, moving forward, and by mighty sense perceiving. But by reason these two Causes, passing by those degrees, do so mount and rise at last, there is an excellent and fiery kinde contrived, even Our kinde, I mean, most throughly, and fair and finely wrought, even so Fat indeed, k that he may not easily seem made at all of these All-making Seeds, the four Beginnings: whence it is, that when a Corps is consumed with Fire, there are found scarce l six Oun∣ces of clean Earth remaining; which fineness of Body
Page 35

gives occasion to the greatest freedom and quickness of the Soul, and ability to perform (as his duty of Life) Moving and Perceiving; yea, and shall I put in Under∣standing also? for albeit GOD hath inbreathed us with another more fine and clean Mover called mMinde, for a special and Divine purpose, yet that Minde as well as the Soul above, is all one of it self in all places, and worketh diversly according to those divers places, as we shall see more at large hereafter.

Then you see all the differences of the four great Heads or Kindes, which contain all things: yea, and of many lesser degrees and steps, lying within every one of these, which I named not before; as also of sundry sorts (not worth the naming) of Doubtful and Middle things, touching and partaking on each side of the four great ones, (as between the first two, Stones budding like Herbsn in the Scottish Sea; between Plants and Beasts,o the Spunge: Apes, or rather hairy Wildmen, between pBeasts and Us;) to proceed from the divers mixtures of the Bodies. If you cannot quickly perceive the Matter, behold at once the outward Shapes and Fashions, as they here go down a short pair of Stairs before you.

Do you not see Man alone, through his exceeding fine and light Bodyq carried up and mounted with a mighty heat of Heaven, of an upright stature, and carriage of himself, that this Divine Wit might be free from the clog of Flesh? when other Wights, from the contrary Cause (which the gross and earthly Leavings [or Excrements] of Hair, Horn, Hoof, and such like, de∣clare) are quite otherwise disposed, as we see, towards the Ground, their like Companion: and so the less hot
Page 36

and fine they be, that is, the liker the Earth, the nearer they bend unto her, being less of stature still, and after that many-footed, to support them, but at length Footless and groveling, until it come to their Heads downward; and there it stayeth not, but passeth quite over, and degenerates from Wights to Plants; And from thence, if I might tarry about it, I would send them down still, through all the steps of them and Mi∣nerals, until they came to the main Rest and Stay, from whence they all sprang, clean Earth and Wa∣ter.

But I think it be now high time to take my leave of these Philosophers, and to set forward as soon as I have packt up my Stuff round together, especially the best and most precious Things.

Then, we gather by that enlarged Speech, one chief and notable Rule in Learning; that the rShape, Na∣ture, Being, Perfection, and all the difference in all things here below, springeth from the Mixture and s Tem∣per of the Stuff and Beginnings: The Doing, Making, and Working-Cause that Makes, Mingles, Brocheth and sets all a running, to be a piece of the finer part of the whole, parted, and packt up together in the SUN: t Of which finer part, some remaining still in the Raw and rude Stuff, secretly hid and placed, other∣some more freely, in the half-made Stuff, called Seed; and in finer Seed yet more lively; and in Man most at liberty, excepting where I said it was free indeed from all kinde of Body: And yet all these but one and the self-same thing called Soul, Life, Heavenly and Natural Heat, &c.

This meant Divine Hippocrates, when he saith,
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uNought is made, and nothing perisheth, but all are al∣tered and changed up and down by Mingling: And again, wThat no Wight can die, unless all fall; wherein he is most agreeable, and jumpeth even with these Grounds and Rules, and with the whole Web of our Philosophy. If any man doubt of the other two, Plato and Aristotle, let him reade their Books with heed, and he shall finde them where they speak naturally, and by the light of humane Reason, to draw still towards this one head and point of Truth: though they seem to stray sometimes, to the infinite Variety of divers-natured and condi∣tioned Stars above, causing the like endless odds and difference of all things. Let us now, I say, set forward in our first dayes Journey to Long Life, unfolding first What it is, and the Cause thereof, and lastly the Com∣mon and high way to it.

It seems hard for a Man to appoint what bounds of Life are large and long enough for BLISSE, unless GOD (who knoweth best, both the measure of Hap∣piness fit for us, and the race of Time meet for it) had first set and marked them. So that the greatest Age and furthest Time that the lustiest Men, and best dispo∣sed Bodies, both by kinde and diet, have at any time reached and lived, may well, by the grant and good will of our great Landlord, be set the Bounds, Stint and End of Life, large enough to hold all the Bliss meet for Mankinde, and the Mark which we may all aim and level our endevours at, yea and with sure hope to hit and reach it, and no further, is about an hun∣dred
Page 38

and fifty years, as you shall hear anon.

Now, if there do three Causes meet to the making up of Things, and thereon leaneth all their Being, the Stuff, the Mover, and the Meat of the Mover, which is the Fatness of the Stuff; then, sure, the cause of their long Being and Continuance in their Estate can be no∣thing else, but the favour and goodness of those three Causes.

The Soul and Heat of Heaven is good and favoura∣ble to Wights, (to let the rest go, far more dark, and further off my Purpose) when she pours her self plen∣tifully upon them; for there can be no other odds in one and the self-same thing in all places. But the Fat Food of Life, (which they call the first Moisture, and the finest piece of all the Seed lying hid and unseen in the sound parts of Wights, and yet by skill to be fetched out, and set before us) must not onely be plen∣tiful and great in store, to match the feeding Soul, but also Fast and Fine, that by his Fineness he may be both friendly and like to Life, and Aiery, or rather Aetherial (we must x wear these Words with handling) to keep himself, both in Cold and Heat flowing: and that through his Fastness or Closeness, (which they call in Latine densum or solidum) that is, through his much Stuff in a narrow room, he may be more lasting, and fit to continue. Now the Stuff and Body is best, when it is Fast and Fine also; one to hold and hang long to∣gether; and that other to give free scope without stopping or lett, unto the continual and swift race of Life.

Then, to make a sum of all, yThe Cause of long Life, is a fast fine Body, sprinkled and seasoned with much∣like
Page 39
first Moisture, and store of heavenly Heat: If this Matter needed any further proof, I could easily, by cut∣ting up the Nature of Things, so lay it open before you, as your own Eyes should witness and see the same; But if it need to some, they shall see something, and that sufficient to content them.

For the first, zAristotle saith, and we finde it true by Experience, that they live longest in hot Countries for the Dry, Sound, Fast and Fine Bodies; but chiefly for their Fineness, yielding free recourse and passage unto Life: for▪ Age and kindly Death come of Rot∣tenness, which flows from the stillness of Heat, and slackness to salt and refresh the parts.

Touching the rest, to wit that much Heat and much good Fatness are a cause of Long Life, mark the short life of those Wights, that either want them by kinde, as the maimed and imperfect ones; or waste them by motion, as the aMale Greyhound of Lacedaemon was, against the course of Kinde, shorter lived than the Bitch, for his pains in Hunting; and b the Cock▪Sparrow lives but half so long as the Hen, (and yet this but three years) for their Venery: The World is full of such Examples. And behold, again, the Elephant, on that other side, for the great help and favour of all the Causes, above the rest, (as may appear by their great fruits and effects in him, that is, Strength, Bigness, and Stomach, being able to c be the ground-work of a Castle of fifteen armed men, to eat nine Bushels at a time, and to drink fourteen Tun) to endure and hold out much longer than the rest, and to live (Aristotle is mine Author in the story) three hundred years in all.

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Now we know what Long Life is, and the Cause thereof, let us see whether all Men reach it or no; and then which way they may reach it.

At the first all Mankinde, by the will and appoint∣ment of Kinde, was Sound and Lusty, and lived long; and all the fail and corruption now adayes (which falsly seemeth a weak Condition of our Nature) crept in through Disorder in our selves by little and little, and so by sowing still the like Children, it spred it self at last, deeply rooted over all, and made it, as it were, a certain State, Nature and Kinde of Man; wherefore by good order in our Selves, it may be reformed and brought back again unto the ancient State. But how may we prove this? If GOD and Nature have or∣dained Man unto a Divine End and Bliss above the rest, and yet some Beasts (as dTheophrastus for a wonder complains) live longer than our common rate, yea and longer than any Bounds above-set; certainly we ought to do as much and more, by the rule of Nature, and of all Right and Reason: and so we did at first, be∣fore we fell by our default, which may be amended.

But lest I may happen to deal with some, who will neither grant the Justice of GOD, nor yet yield to the End of Man; with some, I say, that have so far put off all Humanity: I will bring them to Natural Cau∣ses; I will open and lay before them, both the sorts, and suits of Wights, I mean, of Men and Beasts; that they being a monstrous and doubtful Kinde between both, that is, Beasts within, cloth'd only with the outward shape of Men, may the better judge of both (as in like case they feign of the like mis-shapen Monsters—The Poets know my meaning, it is not worth the flourish
Page 41

of a chaste and modest Pen) which had in kinde the more cause to live long: That seeing at last the worser Wights to overgo us in Life, and to run to the very goal it self, and yet to have received less cause from Nature, they may be driven by force of Reason to yield, e that we have a better Kinde and worser Custom, and that we did and might live long, but for our own fault, which may be reformed.

To begin with the Soul and Natural Heat, for his worthiness; let us see which of them is endowed with more store of him, that is, of the chief cause of Long Life. If we call to minde a little, we shall remember, That Man walketh upright, when the rest are thrown to the Ground, because they lack the force of this ascending Heat, to bear up the weight of their Bodies, which we have abundantly. But, if we leave the out∣ward shape, and look into them, we shall finde that by the great foresight of Nature, all Wights which are f Hot and full of Blood, have against the Root and Spring thereof, to cool and temper the same, a Con∣trary in place and property, set: the Brain, I mean, some more and some less, still according to the behoof and g request of the Heart; Insomuch as they that have no Blood, and small Heat within them, as not need∣ing any Cooler, have no Brain at all. Then, by cer∣tain race and course of Kinde, if that be true which all Philosophers and Leaches hold, that a Man h hath the greatest Brain of all Wights, it must needs follow that he hath the greatest store of Heat also. But enter fur∣ther into them, and you shall see Man, by how much
Page 42

more he goeth beyond a Beast in Wit,i so much to burn in Heat above him: for Wit springeth out of the clearness of the Body, and this out of Heat, as I will prove in his place hereafter.

Now, if this first point be done and granted, the next is quickly made, even as one Match is made by another: It standing with the Justice of Nature that makes nought in vain, to match this greedy Heat with store of good Meat, that is, of Fast and Fine first Moisture, suitably; or else sure, saith Heraclitus, the Officers of Justice, the Furies, would soon apprehend her.

To be short, both this, and that, and the third likewise, to wit, a close fine Body and all, is clear∣ed, if it be so that a Man in making is most far and finely mixt and broken, of all the lower Creatures, as we heard even now Decreed in the Councel of the best Philosophers: For, if nought makes but Heat, then nought makes well but much Heat, if there be no other odds in Souls, as was said above. And if the Beginnings be well and firmly mingled, and the Concoction hold, they must needs gather themselves in, close together also, to make another cause, yea and the last; for what is fast fine Oil and Fatness, but Wa∣ter (where with we flow, as our Brain declareth) through∣ly mingled, and raised into an Aiery, or rather into an Aetherial close Substance: But if you will not stand to this Decree, then once for all Consider, and weigh but this one Example: That albeit Man be more given k to Lust, than any other Wight, and thereby drying up the Body, plainly pareth off more than any other, and weakneth all the helps of Long Life together,
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(both the Moisture that knits and holds the Frame, and that which feeds our Heat, and this and all;) and so that sum of Life which yet is due to Nature, he payeth before his Day to his own Wantonness; yet he Liveth and holdeth out longer than l almost any other: that we may easily see, that if he lived as Chastly, and in other points as Orderly as the rest, he might far pass and over-run them all, in this Race of Life and Conti∣nuance.

But methinks I hear them whisper, that I forget my self, and the Bounds of my Long Life, when I make Men able to live as long, and longer than any Beast: for to let pass the Hart and Camel, which overtake the longest life of our old Men; sure the Elephant, as we have heard, goeth far beyond the very bounds of Age: especially the Raven, whom mEuripides will have to live Nine of our Ages.

These may seem sore matters, but chiefly the last uncurable, and yet they are indeed light and easie, and the last most of all, I mean the Raven: for if there was never yet Man of sound Judgement and Knowledge in the wayes of Nature that allowed the Story, (and Ari∣stotle by name n condemns it, when he giveth the Ele∣phant the longest Life of all, and Man next to him) what should we reckon of a Poets Record? Besides, doth not one among them confess himself, o they are not to be believed, and held as Witnesses? Doth not Plato, once a Poet, and then a wise Philosopher,p chase them up and down in all places? and in one say, qThey be besides themselves when they sit on their Muses stool, and run like a Spring, pouring out all that comes? Are they not in all wise Mens account the greatest Enemies
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to GOD, good Manners, and all right and true Know∣ledge, that ever the World or the Devil bred?

But I slide too far unawares, and if we must of force receive this aged Raven, yet perhaps there shall be no great hurt received; and I cannot see why we may not match him with Methusalem, and some other aged Fa∣thers in Holy Writ, reported to have lived as many years as Nine of our Lives come to with advantage. It is not enough to say, that which some say, those Years to be meant for Moneths, and not as we account them: for albeit I know the Aegyptians reckon so (as we may see in rPliny, where some of them are said to live a thousand Years apiece, that is, so many Moneths;) yet it is agreed among the sDivines, Men best skill'd in these Matters, that the Jews account was otherwise, even as we, and almost all other Nations make it. But if this ancient Story of our old holy Man be a thing in doubt, or certainly untrue, and to be meant of Moneths, yet our Aged Raven may go with it, and the Father of that Tale together: And we may, when we will, pass to the Elephant.

Aristotle indeed is the Author of this Story, that the Elephant liveth three hundred years; How then? shall me mislike in like manner of this Man, and refuse his Witness? I cannot tell what to say: It is a very hard matter that he saith. And again, I know that when by the power and purse of his King and Scholar Alexander, who t gave him eight hundred Talents of Silver, a huge sum, to that use, he heaped up a rabble of all kinde of Reports and Hear-sayes, into those Books, (thereof by
Page 45

some called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 some false and untrue Tales might creep in among them; yet I owe much to that Mans worthiness; and again, the Books have ever held the place of a true Record: And besides, this matter of the Elephant,u both for the fore▪vouched Causes, and for his Wit and Manners, somewhat near our Na∣ture, may reasonably well agree with the sound of Rea∣son.

How then? I say again, Methinks I feel w my Minde ebbe and flow within me: and yet suppose it true that the Beast liveth so many years. The Islandersx of Zeil near Calecut, and the Inhabitants of the Hill yAtho, both of them commonly and usually reach our appointed time of one hundred and fifty Years, by the favour of the Air onely, and Soil where they dwell, taking besides, for ought I can know, the common race and course of the World: That we may lawfully deem, if they lived as chastly as the Elephant, who comes but once in two z years to Venery, and fol∣lowed his other good Orders of Life as well, that they might easily draw forth their age longer, and come to the dayes of the Elephant. For as we in our less happy Soils, by our own ill Diet and crooked Custom, have cut off and lost the better half of our Time; so it may seem of them: for we must not think, in this disorder of the World, that any Man fulfilleth the time of Na∣ture, but all are swept away with the blast of untimely Death.

But it may chance that long race of Life, which the Author makes the Beast to run, was no common and ordinary course in that Kinde, but some odde and rare Example; And then no doubt, as there be some
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amongst us, which by their diligence, and I know not by what good hap, a double the common Term; so they be not wanting in those places, which sometime prove aged Men, and which live twice as long as the common sort, that is, as long as the Elephant. Wherefore, for all this, or ought else that can be cast against us, let us conclude, That bMan, if he kept the good and kindly Diet and Order of Life, which other Wights void of Reason, by the true and certain guide of Nature, keep, having more helps and means unto it, might live longer than any of them, yea, and with ease reach the bounds of Long Life appointed, and perhaps further also: but we have staid in the midst, and mean, as it were, because it seems to obey the secret Will of GOD the better, and yet withall to fulfill the whole desire of Na∣ture.

Then say you, it were good to learn the Order of Life, which Beasts do use to keep and follow, if it were meet and seemly for Men to lead a Beastly Life: Do not so take the meaning of a good thing, with the snare of a foul and filthy word: A Man is not one and single, as they be, but double, and two things; and partly a Wight, nay a Beast (be it spoken with reverence) and partly a more divine thing: and therefore, albeit ac∣cording to his Divine Part and Reason, he ought to fol∣low the Divine Pattern, and Form of Life above-set; yet as he is a Wight, and an earthly Creature also, it is not uncomely, c nay it is necessary to do as they do after a sort: And if it were altogether so, it were bet∣ter, and more agreeable with the Will of Nature, who knoweth best what belongs to Life, that is, unto her self: for Kinde leadeth them still after one due and or∣derly
Page 47

manner, when great variety of Wit and De∣vice guideth us against Minerva's will, as they say, and quite besides the way of Nature, unto a Thousand by and forraign Customs, which is the onely Cause of our degeneration from our ancient and first whole and sound Estate.

Wherefore, if a company of pickt and lusty Men and Women would agree to live together in some wilde, open, clear and sweet Air, scatteredly like a Country Village, and not like a close and smothered City, (which one thing prevents a thousand Diseases and Deaths alone) and to lie together to the right end of Nature, that is, for Children,d and not for Pleasures sake, (for this was made a Spur to the right purpose) and in as seldome and due a course, as the better sort of Beasts, (the ready way to preserve Life and fore-stall Diseases, but specially to get good Children;) and to bring up their Children in Labour and Hardship, e mingled with much Mirth and Sleep together (no small helps to Long Life and Health, as the Dieters themselves confess and know:) But for this Meat and Diet (wherein those Leaches offend and fail greatly) if they would consent to take no Physick, but in great danger cast in by mis∣fortune, (in which case the Beasts do not want their Re∣medies) never to drink Wine, the shortner of Life; and to be short, not take any Meat and Drink that the fire hath touched, (for it f sunders the Fine from the Gross, that is, the best from the worst, which we now choose) but as Nature hath left them, and other Wights use them. If these things, I say, were duly kept and performed, I am fully perswaded within three or four Generations and Off-springs, it would come to pass, that
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we should see this People prove a Nation of Giants, not onely passing the age of Beasts, and the bounds of Long Life afore-set, but wholly recovering and restoring all the Blessings of the first estate of Body.

And this I gather, not by our own contrary Customs onely, taking effects as cross and contrary, but chiefly by the Life and Use of Giants and lusty People in times past, and some other yet at this day; which was and is the very self-same race and course which I de∣scribed.

And sure for the Inhabitants of Zeil and Atbo, which I brought in even now, filling the Term of our Long Life, although I am not certain of their use and custom, and where g I finde the Story, I know the Cause is laid upon the goodliness of the Soil in the first, (for it is thought to be the blessed Paradise) and upon the good∣ness of the Air in the next, for the height of the Hill,h without all Wind and Rain, two great troubles of Mens bodies: yet I am led to think, that they do keep the same orderly and kindly form and rule of Life, or, at the least, do draw near unto it: because albeit clean Air, by cleaning and quickning the Spirits, and searching the Body, be no little help and comfort in this Journey; (As we shall easily see, if we mark, i how amongst all Creatures, those that lead their lives in the cleaner Element do live the longer; Fish than Worms; and Land-Wights than These; and Winged ones, yet longer, because the higher, the better Air still: Inso∣much that kCardan dares think, that if any dwell in Aether, as Plato's heirs affirm, they live for ever:) yet if ill Diet went withall, it would marre as much as the other made, and greatly cloy and hinder, yea,
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and cut short the race of their Long Life.

I am of the same minde for all other odde and pri∣vate Persons of great Age and Long Life recorded; (as for some Italians in iPliny's time registred of one hundred and forty years, and such other aged Men in Authors) a Man might let in here a Sea of Examples, but I must be short. Neither would I name King Ar∣ganthon,k that lived a hundred and twenty years, and reigned eighty thereof; nor yet that old Knight of our Country, Sir—lAllington, yet twenty years older, but that it is so strange in Nobility: that they came as near unto that kindly course of Life, as unto the goal and end of Long Life.

Then we see at length, that it is not impossible, as they say, but an ordinary and easie matter to strengthen the weak Nature of Mankinde, to enlarge the straits of his Life, and to lead him on still to the ancient Age, and Long Life appointed.

But I see them start and say, that like as mCato in Affairs of State, used to give Counsel (unwisely, though never so well) as if he had been in Plato's Common-wealth, and not in the Dregs of Romulus: so I, in mat∣ter of Diet, and order of Body, speak as if we lived in the former Golden Age, which, as Poets feign, was under Saturn, and not in the corruption of Jupiters Kingdom: and that sith the World, as it now goeth, cannot be brought, without a kind of Divine Power, to rase out the old, and make a new World, (and that in long time) unto the first and kindly custom of Life; I must, if I mean to do wisely, take the Men as I finde them, and prove that all such weakness, as is now among them, may by Mans endevour and skill of Healing, be up∣holden
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and led forth unto those bounds, and that end of Long Life afore-set.

Albeit I have done as much as reasonably may be re∣quired at my hands, in this place, which was allotted out to shew the possibility of the Matter; yet because I count it better, by plainness of speech to do good, which is the end of my Writing, than by subtileness of Argument to obtain my purpose; I will come unto you, and venture upon that Point also, be it never so hard and desperate, hoping, not that Fortune will fa∣vour bold Men, but GOD good Men.

Then, as there are three Causes of Life and Being: the Life and Soul it self; and his Food the first Moi∣sture; and the frame and temper of the Body that holds them both: so let us take them all in order, and see how they may be preserved and kept together, be∣ginning first with the last, because it is least and lightest.

It is enacted by the Law of Nature,n That no Bo∣dy, mixt or single, shall or may live and preserve his estate and being, without two helps or stayes, that is, Meat and Exercise, each like his Kinde, and of his Na∣ture: As in lone and simple, or subtile Bodies, (for it is plain in the first row, especially if they be Living, as they term them, though all things indeed have Life and Soul, as we heard above) the Hot ones crave fiery Meat and moving Exercise, Moist ones, as Wind and Water, flowing Food and Exercise; Cold and Dry things like and Earthly Sustenance, and Rest for Exercise, which is also like, and preserves their State and Being.

But if all lone and simple things are within the Com∣pass of this Law, then Heaven may not be free nor
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exempted; and they speak not altogether fondly that say, the Starso feed upon the Sea, and for that cause, by good advice of Nature, the Ocean so rightly placed under the course and walk of the Sun: for although the Water be yet so far off and unlike them, yet their power and strength is such, as they are able by their la∣bour, easily to refine it, and turn it first into Air, and then into Aether, a weaker like thing, and their proper food.

That this is so, the hungry Souls (which are but Imps slipt off the Heavenly Body) make it plain here below unto us, when we see them still unwilling to tarry, and unable to live amongst us without Meat; as they be∣wray themselves by the plain expence and waste of the first moisture: Nay, take this one away, if you will mark well, and all lieth on the Ground; Then there is an old coyl and fighting here below, for Meat and Ex∣ercise, that is, for life and being, (which makes the cause of all action and doing, rest and change, and of all things:) and every one runneth easily and gladly to his like, and if his strength be never so little greater, he subdues, di∣gests, and turns him into his own Nature, and is strengthned by him: But if he miss of his like food at hand, and be much stronger, he dares encounter, and is able to quell unlike things also; as I said of the Stars, the mightiest things (giving Might to all things) in the World. But in case the unlikes and contraries be of equal power, and matches, then neither devoureth and
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consumeth other, but both are marred, dulled and weak∣ned, which they call Consent, and Temper and Mixture. For Example, Fire extreme hot and somewhat dry withall, and Water very cold and somewhat wet, meet∣ing together in even powers and proportions of strength are both impaired, but neither lost and destroyed: But if this Water chance by the heat of Heaven to be taken in hand, and turned into Aiery and fat substance; though there be now two Moistures set against the drought of Fire, yet because of the heat of Weather and Heaven abounding, it is now become partly like to Fire, and friendly, or at least his weaker Foe and Enemy, yield∣ing himself for Food unto it, and increasing his strength and Nature: But if, on the other side, Air, unto his ex∣ceeding Moisture, matching the drought of Fire, get some strength and watery coldness (as appeareth in a thick and foggy weather) it is able easily to overcome the Fire, and eat him up.

Now for a mixt Body (which is a p consent and dulling the four first famous Enemies, made and kept in tune and awe, by the force and skill of an heavenly and natural Heat upon them) it hath the same reason; for when, either for lack of Meat, or driven by Violence, this Heat departeth, the friends begin to stir and fight for Food and Freedom, until some one stands out above the rest, and recovers some part of his former Power, (which puts those that can feel to pain, and breeds Dis∣eases) and at last gets the whole Lordship and rule over all, and turns them all into his own Nature; Then the old consent, knot and body, is broken, lost and spoiled; and a new made and gotten, still going downward, un∣till they return to Earth, from whence they all came;
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for Example, and that near home; for the fiery frame of Mans Body, q when the Soul for want of food fails and flits away, they straight retire, and run back in or∣der; first Fire waxeth moist and lukewarm, supt up with Air; and this, soon after, thick and cold, that is, Waterish; and Water muddy, still more and more thick and dry, till at last it be moist, dry and heavy, and all be devoured and brought to rEarth, from whence they all set forth before.

And this is natural Dissolution, and Death of our Bodies, forcible Death and Destruction is by Diseases, (to bar out other force, which no man can warrant) when either Breath or Meat, distemper'd in some quality, do feed and nourish some one their like beginning above the rest, and make him strong and able to vanquish them, and bring in the Jarre of that Musical Consent aforesaid: As when by waterish Meat and Air, all the beginnings are changed into Water, the Hot and Dry, into a fiery temper, and so forth; or else when the Body wants the Exercise, which is owing and due unto him; which is quick Motion, to preserve the Air and Fire in the fine frame and temper of Man, from the sloth and idleness of the slow and rusty Beginnings.

By which grounds laid, we see the way to uphold the temper of our Body, made plain and easie; No more but to feed and cherish it with clean and temperate Air and Meat continually: that all the Beginnings served and fed alike, one may not be more proud, strong and able than another, to subdue the rest, and overthrow the state. And thereof it is that Poyson killeth, is, because it is extreme Cold and Dry, (for we may shut out all Rotten, as also Fiery and Watery Tempers, from the
Page 54

name of Poyson) feeding and strengthning the Dregs, but devouring the fine Liquor of the Body, wherein the Life standeth, when as the same Poyson nourisheth and maintaineth the like framed and so tempered Body, as venomous Juyces the like Plants, and these noisome Beasts, as one of these another. Nay, which is very strange, I have read of such natured sMen of India, that used to eat Toads and Vipers: And Albertus saith he saw a Girl of three years old, that fed greedily up∣on Spiders, and was never hurt, but liked greatly with it.

Do not think it any Discord, when I said above Fast-fineness, and now Temperateness upholds the Body; all is one. It cannot be Fast, unless the Earth and Water be well and evenly mixt; nor Fine, except Fire and Air bear as good a stroke of rule among them.

But you will say, that Nature hath given her Creatures a walk of course, not to stand still in one stay and place for ever, but to move and walk up and down, to and fro, from one side to another; that is, as it was said before, GOD hath made a changeable World; and therefore this frame and building of Mans Body, cannot ever hold and hang together, but must needs one day be loosened, and fall asunder.—I grant it must be so, by the course of Nature, because to fulfil the Will of her Lord, she hath appointed a stronger means and cause to work it; either the want and absence of the inward Friendship, and keeping of the Soul in those which the common sort call Living things; or, in the rest, the presence of some ravenous and spoiling Enemy: But if cunning Art
Page 55

and Skill (which by the help of Nature, is above the course of Nature) by knowledge of the due Food for Life, and defence against the Enemy, may be able to de∣fend the one, and keep off the other; then, no doubt, the frame and temper of both Dead and Quick may last for ever.

The way is found already, and known by certain and often proof for the one; I mean, that Art hath often, by keeping off the spoiling Enemy with a strong Con∣trary, preserved and upheld a dead thing of slippery state, and soon decay, for ever: as a tCorps by Balm, or Water of Salt, Timber by the Oyl of uBrimstone, and such like: why then should the next prove impos∣sible? to wit, by giving store of fit Food still to Life and natural Heat, (for the other two helps of Meat and Exercise are easie) to under-shore, and keep upright our weak and falling frame for ever? The Greeks hold, that our natural Heat and Life, because it feeds upon and washeth the most fine and unseen Oyl (called first Moi∣sture) daily, which no Food of Air or Meat is fit and fine enough to repair, must needs faint and fail withall, and cannot be restored: Let us see what may be said to this, yea and bend all our force unto it; for this is all.

The Soul and Life, and Natural Heat of things, is often and fitly compared and likened unto the other gross and fierce, hot and dry Body, called Fire; to feed and maintain this, his weak Like, that is, Air, cannot be wanting: and because it, in his due place, is too thin and scattered, dividing the Fire to nought in pursuit of
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his Food & Sustenance, it must needs by heaps be crow∣ded up in a shell of Water, called Oyl or Fat, as we heard before. In that Fight & Battel, if much Heat and Oyl meet together, the work is great and busie, & thereout ariseth a smoke, as a leaving of the Meat, and the Fire follows as far as the Smoke hath any Fatness, which makes a flame.

Albeit the Nature of Fire be, as long as he hath Food enough to crave no great Exercise, and will last well in a close place, w as under Ashes, &c. yet a Flame being more than Fire, (a hot Smoke or Breath besides) desires open and clean Air, both to receive the thi•k refuse, which else would choke him; as also for his like weaker Food, that he be not starved: which two are enough, besides a little Motion for his Exer∣cise. That we may marvel as those Menx which bring in Cooling for another needful thing in this busi∣ness, whereas the kinde of Fire and Air abhor Cooling as his contrary; as it is engraven in the Nature of all things, still to fly from that which hurts it.

Now in like manner to come to the purpose, if the Fire of Life and Natural Heat be not great, a little fine Oyl and first Moisture will serve to feed it, and out of that slack working small store of refuse Breath and Smoke ariseth, to make any need of fresh and open Air to clense and feed it, as appears by those Wights, which are able to live in their places without help of Wind, Breath and Air: The little parted Vermin (called in Latine Insecta) anywhere; & Fish in the Water,y nay in the sound Earth sometimes; and Toads in close Rocks, as zAgricola; and Flies in the most fierce Miners fire, as aAristotle
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reports. But when that Heat on the other side, is great and lively like a Flame, as in the hotter bFish, and other; no Wight can want fresh Air and fine Breath, both by his clearness to purge, and his weaker likeness to nourish the Aethereal Smoke, and Spirit that carrieth it: Now this, no more than a Flame, needeth cooling to preserve his Being, but to temper a kinde of hid pro∣portion, fit for Wit and weighty Perceiving, which I said before, the Brain and not the Air performed.

That Aether is stronger than Air, and able to con∣sume it, 'tis plain in Reason by his Warmth and Moist∣ness, passing Air in his own Nature; and yet gross and thick Air, as bent toward enmity and contrariety with it, will stand in combate against it, and overcome it: And thence it is, that in deep Mine-pits and Caves un∣der ground, where the Air is thick, corrupt and un∣kinde, for want of flowing, no Wight nor Light can draw Breath and live, unless by sly device the way be found to move and nourish the same Air and make it kindly.

Then to draw near the Matter; If the Stars do feed on Aether, and this upon clean and spotless Air, as on the weaker Likes; and our Soul and Life is of a starry kind; even a slip and spark thereof, as is aforesaid, then it followeth, That to feed our Aetherc, the carrier of our Soul, good Air which is round about us, will serve the turn; but to nourish Life and Heat it self, Aether it self must be the Food, even this Body which is so high, and so far past our reach, except this Spark of heavenly Fire, were able like the whole Body, and Spring above, by his power over our Meats, to turn the Water, first into Breath, and this into Aether; which it is not, and can
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go no further than to Air, and to make a common Oyl and Fatness, fit to nourish an Elemental, as they term it, but not an Heavenly Fire.

Where then shall our Life finde Food and Suste∣nance, say you, fit to bear it up, and maintain his Being? In that fine Oyl, and unseen first Fat and Moisture? And call you that Aethereal? how can that which was once Seed, and before that Blood, and first of all a Plant, be∣come a Body so fine, clean and Aethereal? especially when one weak Star, a soft Fire of Heaven, is not able to make so fine a Work, so far and highly sundred?—I marry, this is the Secret and Depth of all, which be∣cause the Greeks never sounded, I do not marvel if the means to preserve Life did escape them. But let us shut out Envy, and help them in this helpless Matter; yea, although we be driven to open the things that have lain long hid, and covered long with great Dark∣ness.

When our Life in the lusting parts is by the Bellows of Thought stirred up and moved unto Work, it send∣eth forth out of every part, the hot natural Spirits and Breath of Begetting,d clothed with the shell of Seed, cut out from the dewy part of our Meat, ready to be turned into our Body; (or at least, already and now newly turned) and not from the Refuse and Leaving of it, e as some say, when I could shew it, if time would suffer, f the best Juyce in all the Body.

This is the furthest and finest Workmanship of our Meat and Food of Body, the very beginning and first Stuff of that fine Oyl the Food of Life, after that re∣maining forty dayes in heat, before it come to perfe∣ction, being wrought, as we know, with the double na∣tural
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heat of the begetting Breath and Womb, forty dayes before it be fully framed and fashioned into the Form and Shape of a Man, ready to draw Food and Nourishment (be it Milk or Menstrue, received by Mouth or Navel, I cannot stand to Reason) from the Mother, to the increase of the tough or sounder parts: But the first Moisture is now at his full growth and per∣fection, and from thence feedeth Life, being unfed it self, and wasteth daily, against the grounds and rules of Physick: for the Childe hath now received all that the Workman can, and is put over for the rest, which is his Nourishment, unto his Mothers payment; but what hath she to give unto the food of Life? nought, as I shewed, else we might live for ever.

Then we see what the first Moisture is, and how it excels the Food of the Body, and why it cannot be maintained by it, because it is the most fine and aiery piece (for the rest go every one his own way, to make his own part from whence he came) of all the Seed min∣gled, wrought, purged, raised and refined, and then closely thickned, and driven up close together, forty times more and above our Meat, which in one day is ended, and ready to be turned, and therefore unfit in any wise to increase and cleave to our first Moisture, the Food of Life, even as unmeet for all the world, as Wa∣ter is to other Oyl and Fatness.

And by this, to come to the point, we have a plain Pattern (if we be Wise and Careful) and way to work the great Mystery of Adjournment of Life; for if it be so as I proved above, that all the Moisture of the Mat∣ter lieth in the maintenance of our Natural Heat; and it, as our Men, & all Reason teacheth, followeth the steps of
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common Fire, waxeth and waneth, is quick and faint, according to the store of his Food and first Moisture; then sure if we can make an Oyl as fine and close as this, nay in all points all one with this, it will easily mingle and joyn with our first Moisture, and so feed, nourish and encreafe it, and Life withall; even in as good and plain Reason, as the same Oyl dropt in still into the Fire, aug∣ments both Food and Flame together: yea, put case the same natural Fire of ours, should not onely pair his strength, for lack of Meat, and slack his force, but abate of bigness also, as some Physicians hold, yet there were no great hurt done; for this second spark and slip of the great and common Fire of Nature, being a piece of the finer part of the whole, (which is all one in all things) and fellow to his Like in us, when it is made free and loose in this fine and Aethereal Medicine, would restore the Heap and mend the Matter.

But how shall we get the like fine Oyl and first Moi∣sture? the Matter is driven so far, that there is all the hardness. I shewed you the Pattern; even as Nature got the same before you, by the like Stuff and Seed, and by the like Heat and moving Workman: This by cer∣tain proof of all our Men is easie to be found, even any gentle, continual, equal, and moist, that is, any rotting Heat. But the Seed seemeth hard and unable to be matched, because a kinde of strange and hid proportion and temper of our Body, (which no Man by conceit and knowledge, much less by hand and workmanship, can reach and counterfeit, no not if he boiled all the Mix∣tures in all the Heats, that all the Wits in the World could devise) made it thus after his own fashion.

Then, how if we take the same frame and temper,
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not by us, but by Kinde proportioned, I mean, the same Blood, Flesh and Seed, if we will, (which the Man of Germany chooseth, and commendeth above all, and calls it Mummia) would it not be very natural? for if the gLeaches hold it good, if any part about us fail in his duty, to correct and help him with the like part of some Beast, passing in that property; as to mend faint∣ing hLust, with the Yard of a Lusty Beast; the Womb that cannot hold, with the Womb of a quick Conceiver; Narrow breathing, with the Lungs of a long-winded Wight, and so forth: then consider with how much more kindly consent, we might with our own parts finely dressed help our selves in our Diseases.

But for my part, I cannot unwinde the bottom of this great Secret of Germany; for we mean not to make a Man, which is to be feared in that course, if his Rule be true, but a first Moisture onely: and then, sith all things are made of the same Stuff, by the same Work∣man, and differ but by Mingling onely, it boots not where we begin, and upon what Stuff, in stead of that Seed, if we give him the same Mingling and form at the last, which Art is able in time to do, because that which Kind is forced to do at once, she may do often, and so reach the end of Nature.

What need I say more? Is not the Matter clear enough? that another fast fine Oyl and first Moisture may be made in all points like to our own, and able to maintain or repair it, and the natural Heat together? and then that by the same (though other easie means would serve) because it is so temperate, the Body may be brought and held in square and temper? And so, by reason all the Causes meet and flock together, that
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Life may be preserved, I dare not say for Ever, for fear of the stroke of Destiny, which GOD hath made, and will have kept, but unto that Term, and those Bounds above-set, and beyond them also, if any Man have ever gone beyond them.

But if it should chance any of our chosen Children, (to use the phrase of our Family) to be unable yet for all this teaching, to take and digest this Food of Learn∣ing, what is to be done? shall we cast them off for un∣toward Changelings, as the foolish Women think? or else for Bears and Apes, as iGalen did the Germans? No, that were Inhumanity; Let us rather nourish them still easily and gently, hoping that they will one day prove Men; and give it out unto them, That all the most Wise and Cunning Men in the World, I mean, all the Hosts of Hermetists, have from Age to Age ever held (but under Vails and Shadows somewhat covertly) and taught for certain, that such a first fine Oyl, whereof I spake, and which they call a Fifth Nature, Heaven, or, by a more fit name Aether, is able alone to hold toge∣ther the brittle state of Man very long above the wont∣ed race, both in Life, Health and Lustiness. Nay, for fear there be yet some suspicion left in their Authorities, I will go further.

As many of the other side of Greece, as had travel∣led in these Matters, and seen something, (though not with Eyes, but in Minde, I think) confess the same; as (besides them which perhaps I know not) Fernelius in part, and altogether Ficinus and Cardan, (two as wily and learned Men as any time hath of late brought forth) do openly declare in their Writings. But if this soft and easie kinde of delivery will not yet serve the
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turn, and they must feed their Eye as well as their Belly, as the Proverb goes; then let them tell me, by what diligence did kPlato so order Himself and school his Body (to use his own words) as he could be able to cause Nature to end his dayes at his pleasure? And by Departing upon the same day Eighty one years after his Birth, to fulfill of purpose Nine times Ninè, the most perfect Number? Might he not have had some such Medicine? Nay, is it not like he had, when he was in lAegypt among the Priests and Wise-men, and brought home Learning from them? and when he speaks so much and often in disgrace of his own Country mPhysick, though Hippocrates himself then reigned? But it is for certain written in divers of our Records, that many of those wise Aegyptians, the Springs of this Water of Life, have before and since Plato, by the self-same Water, kept themselves twice as long as Plato, if I might bring in their Witness, or if this whole proof, (which I like full ill) were not counted by the Art of proof unskilful.

Then let this one Example told by nCardan, a Man allowed among them, serve for all: That one Gallus of late, Charles the Fifth his Physician, by this Heaven of ours, beset with Stars, (as some do term it) that is, increased with the Spirits of Herbs, by an easie feat put into her, preserved himself in lusty sort, until a hundred and twenty four Years. Neither think that Mixture better than our single Oyl, (though Lully, Ru∣pescisse; Paracelsus, and some others allow it so) but ra∣ther worse in Reason, for too much Heat in a weak and loose Body; worse, I mean for Long Life, by his over∣greediness in eating up too fast his own and our first
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Moisture: It may be better, because it is stronger against Diseases, even as the Leaches judge between a Dunghill and a Garden Herb, for the same cause. But I think the devise not good in either, nor agreeable to the Ju∣stice of Nature, which more evenly weigheth her Works; nor yet to the kindly skill of HERMES, who, to the great heat of his Medicine, hath a most fast, tough, and lasting Stuff, according as we shall shew in that which followeth. Now it is time to rest, we have made the first a long dayes Journey.

CHAP. II. Of HEALTH.
AFter a Man hath ended his desire to Live, he be∣gins to wish for Health, without which no Life is sweet and savoury. Then let us bend our Selves that way next, and endevour to shew the Means, (besides the Way of HERMES) how every Man may get and keep his Health; that is, as I partly told you before, the consent, and equal (I mean, agreeable to Kinde) temper and dulling of the four first Beginnings, the Stuff of our Bodies, for if this Knot be broken, and they let loose to∣wards their former liberty, they wax proud and strong, and fight, as their Nature is, together, and put us to pain, and Lett the Rule of Nature, which they call Dis∣ease.

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Then to handle one at once, as we did before, and will do still; To keep our Health, and Body in temper, seems no such matter to me as the world would make it, even plainly impossible, when I know that all the Ways and Entries to let in Diseases, and distemper the same, may by small heed be stopped and fenced.

We must needs draw Breath, and eat Meat, for the causes before-alledged; and as this is not all clean and agreeable, so Nature hath her Leavings: And again, Labour & Rest are needful; and perhaps we cannot chuse but be moved in Minde with Joy, Grief, Fear, Hope, and such like Passions, though the Stoicks do deny necessity.

By so many Wayes and Gates Diseases may enter, if they be not well watched and looked unto, which may be done in Reason, and hath been done often, as they assure us that have lived long without all Diseases and Sickness: As oPliny of a Musician called Xenophilus, to have so continued for the space of one hundred and five years together, and such like Stories are to be found enough, if we might stay to seek them: Some are con∣tented for all but Air and Meat, but these they say have often seeds of Diseases lie hid in them, unable to be fore-seen or prevented: and as we finde those Meats that make the finest shew (as Wine and Sugar, and such enticing Baits) to have hid in them most hurtful dross and dregs in the bottom; so the Air, when it seems the best and lightest, yet is sometime infected and poi∣soned with a venomous Breath, sent and thrust into it, either from below, or from the Stars of Heaven; and as the cause is hid and unknown unto us, so the hurt im∣possible to be warded and prevented.

If I list to let my Speech run out at large, especially
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in other Mens grounds; I could finde that Division false first, (to come to Meat anon) and then, if it were true, yet the cause of that Infection not unable to be fore-seen and warded: But I am so sorry for the fault above, that I can the better take heed hereafter. Yet, methinks, it is a grief to hear the harmless p and glo∣rious Divine things above, so defaced with Slander, and no Man make answer for them; Then by your leave a little.

If the Stars have no Light, and so no Power but from the Sun, that most wholsome and prosperous Creature; then they hurt him most wrongfully, and reprove them∣selves very rightly. And again, if they be but a piece of the finer part, and first Nature, as it were, of the World, (as it was declared above) then they be the wholsomest things in the World, so far be they from poisoned slander: q And so, let their Lights be never so crosly mingled in their Meetings, r and thereby the state of the Weather suddenly changed, and from thence our Bodies troubled, and tumbled into Diseases, because they were not prepared and made ready for it, s yet the things are good and prosperous, and by knowledge of the Stars, and their Race, we may pre∣pare our selves and prevent all: Now for the lower In∣fection, it is not worth answering, when there is so much waste ground in the Work.

Then let us pass over to that other Branch; May we not shun the luring Baits of our Diet, and take such Meat as is most temperate and near our Nature? and then dress the same, after the most kindly and whol∣some
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manner, seasoning it well with Labour, Mirth and Sleep? And to be plain, did I not shew before, what a Jewel of Health it were, to use all raw and temperate Meats? Or, because we be Wise and Virtuous, and this Diet perhaps would change our Nature, and bring it down towards the ground, and a Beastly kinde; we may by skill dress our Meat, if we will, and use the Fire, but not as Cooks do, (for I told you the nature of Fire) but like Philosophers a quite contrary way, taking the best, which is now last, and leaving that which we now take, which is the worst: A way, I say, to strip off all grossness and foulness of Bodies, the onely hurt of themselves and us, and the Seeds of all Diseases.

I will tell you another way, which you will think strange, and yet you shall finde it true; If the Meat be temperate, as I bid you choose it, there is no hurt can come thereby, (if you keep measure in your selves) save from the Leavings; These, in so clear a Diet, first will be very few; But if you would be ruled by my Counsel which Nature taught me, those few should ne∣ver hurt you. Of all the Leavings in the Body, there are three which the Liver maketh most troublesome unto us, for the rest are easily dispatched: A light and easie, or rather a fiery Scum called Choler: A cold and heavy Mud called Melancholy, and a third is Urine; but those two the worser. And this fault is not in them∣selves, but all by reason of the needless and hurtful Bowels in our Bodies, (as the Seedsman useth to sow good and bad together) which being of the same kinde and quality with those Humours, do hale and pull them still unto them, (as all other parts and things do) for their food and nourishment: and so by the narrow pas∣sages
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to and fro, their greediness in pulling and holding, and a hundred such like means, subject to great mis∣chances, have brought in as many mischiefs; Whereas Nature, the great expeller of her Unlikes and Enemies, if she had her free choice and liberty, would otherwise with ease, and without hurt, expel those Leavings, espe∣cially so small a number of the better sort, in so clean a Diet. Nay, see the malice of those Parts (those Parts are Milt, Gall and Reins) if there be not sufficient store of other foul Meat at hand, like a poisoned and purging Medicine, they use to draw good Juyces, and to make food of them.

Wherefore Aristotle, the wily Spy of Nature, as if he had been made in this matter, shewing the need and use of the greater Entrails and Bowels of Wights, saith very truly and wisely, tThe Heart and Liver as the Spring of Life and Food to be needful for all Wights; adding to the hotter ones the Brain to cool, and the Lights to cleanse the heat; staying there, as if he thought the o∣ther three unprofitable: Nay, for one of them, u in the same Book, I ween, telling the stories of the Hart and Camel, and giving reason why they be both so Swift, Healthful, Long-lived, and of such other good properties above the rest, enfeoffed, voucheth in plain Terms, the want of the fiery and scummy Gall, as a great Enemy unto them.

For the Milt, that muddy Bowel, that it may be left out as needless, in the Bodies of the better Wights,w the Medows of Candy, near to Cartina, declare; When by a strange and hidden Virtue, they bereave the Beasts thereof that graze upon them: Nay, that the Milt is not onely idle, but hurtful withall, Experience
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even in our selves hath taught it, in the Turks light Foot∣men, I say, (I know not by what Example, except it were the want of the same in the Camel, making that Beast able to travel an hundred miles a day, and so with∣out drink fifteen dayes together) being in their Child∣hood gelt of their Milt, prove thereby the most Light, Swift, Sound and Fasting Footmen in the World.

As for the Reins, the Urine▪drawers, as drinkless Wights have none at all; so some Men have but one of them, as if Nature passed not to make any: and if we could forbear our Drink, (as those Beasts do by kinde, and some Men by custome) we might the better spare them, and avoid many Mischiefs in our Bodies. There∣fore that odde man xParacelsus, I know not by what Light, (cast in, I think, from above) not onely seeth these faults, but also findes wayes to amend them, and to cut off the mischief of all these three noisom Parts, not with any gelding Craft, but with his Divine kinde of Healing. So that to avoid all Diseases that spring of the Leavings, my Counsel is, either with Knife in Childhood, or rather with this Mans gelding Medicines, (you know where to finde them, I need not shew you) to put out the sway and power of those idle Bowels: Or perhaps it should not need, and in a stock that useth our clean Diet, Nature her self, as she doth in those Me∣dows, would quite raze, and dispatch them within a few Generations.

But I will go further; Hear a new and unheard-of Opinion, and yet let not your Judgement run, before you see good ground of Reason. What if we could fast for ever, and live without all Food? Might not all hurt and danger of Meat be then fore-stalled? If other
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Wights, whose Life hangeth upon the same hold, by the sufferance, nay by the command of Nature, do Fast for ever; there is no Reason but the same common Nature, will at least, suffer it in us. Let us see—And to step over the Chameleon, because it is a cold and bloodless Wight, what may we say to a Bird which is a hot and perfect one? a Bird in the Molucca's,yManucodiaca by name, which by reason she hath so large Wings up∣on so small a Body, (her Wings are as large, almost, as the Wings of an Eagle, when her Body is no bigger than a Swallow) is born up by force of Wind, with more ease than zArchyta's Dove, and hovereth and hangeth in the Air continually, taking no other Food (as, alas, how can she?) than there is found? Nay, have you not heard of the little aDog in the West-India, which singeth so sweetly all the Night long, neither Night nor Day eating any thing? But if there be Examples in our kinde as well, then it is certain, and above control∣ment.

bPliny saith, there is a Mouthless, and so a Meat∣less kinde of Men about the head of Ganges, which li∣veth by the breath of their Nostrils, except when they take a far Journey they mend their Diet with the smell of Flowers: And lest you might think I lean upon bare Authorities without the stay of Reason, all the matter rests upon this Reason; I told you before, that our Life lay in the hands (besides a little Exercise) of two like Meats; One for the Soul and Natural Heat, which is within us, and the finest and first Moisture in the Body; The other is without, even any Meat of the same tem∣per with our Bodies, as near as may be, to uphold the Frame and Bullding of the same, which I said to
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be a fine aiery and fiery Frame.

Then the Air it self, especially when it is evermore (as the wet Sun-beams declare) so sprinkled with some fine forreign Fatness; c may seem sufficient food to nourish the fine part of our Frame, whereon the tem∣per of Mankinde and his Life touching that point stand∣eth; which is as much as any Meat can do to Life, (for it is not fed by common Food, as I said above) though not enough for strength, because the grosser, sounder and tougher parts whereon the strength lieth, shall want food in this Diet, and fail, no doubt, greatly; yet Life shall hang still, as long as Air and first Moisture hold, in my Opinion.

Or, if we think that too spare a Diet, we may mend it, as the Mouthless People do, d with smell of Flowers: Or rather, as we know Nature is able to draw Air, and other Food which she desireth, through the Skin in all places of the Body; so if she had Meat applied to the Stomach, she would, no doubt, satisfie her self that way most finely, without the heap of hurts let in at the broad and common Gates. As we see, by Example, for Drink, that all the while we sit in Water, we shall never Thirst: and for Meat,eParacelsus reporteth a Man of his knowledge, that by applying of fresh Sods (a bare Food, God wot) in this sort fasted, without all hunger, for half a year together.

But if all that would not serve the turn, and we must needs receive in Meat at the common Gate, yet we may let it pass no further than the Gate, and make the Sto∣mach in the Mouth (which was the use of some holy men,f as he doth witness) and so provide enough, both for Life and Strength, and a great deal better for
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our Health than we do, because the cleaner part alone shall be received; and moreover, as he saith, for the clean dispatch of that our ordinary trouble and annoy∣ance, which your reverence will not suffer me to name (although I might, among Physicians) but they know my meaning.

But it shall not need to seek shifts and holes, if we will believe the German, that we may easily Fast all our Life (though it be many Years together) without all kinde of Meat, and so cut off all doubts and dangers of Diseases there of springing, for he saith in the first Book of his highgOpinions, that, He knew some holy Men, that had fasted and lived without all Food, for twenty years space together.

What need I say more? If you be both so hard of belief, and dull of sight, as neither Reports of good Authors will sink into you, nor yet you can see the Light of Reason shining before you; take here a few of ordinary matters, in the life and use of Men, and weigh one with another.

Is it not as common in use, and indeed as needful to Spit, and to avoid another nameless Leaving, and to Drink, but to Sleep especially? If some of these, nay all may be spared, why not our Meat as well? Let us see a little, and by Example, because Reason is both too long, and too open to cavil.

To leave Drink,h which many have all their lives left; Antoniai the Wife of Drusus the Ro∣man never spat; No nor the whole Indian Nation:
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Fernel.k saith, he knew one that kept that nameless Matter forty days together: and although this answer∣eth not the Question, yet it sheweth the truth of the former holy Story; for if he, in so foul and gross a Diet as the common Diet is, could so long want it; why not those Men for ever, in so clean and fine a Diet, almost empty and void of all Leavings? for the grosser sort, which make up this foul and shameless one, were left before as you heard, and the finer in that passage from the Stomach, through the former Guts were drawn all away, to the Liver, as the like is ever in us, and voided other wayes.

To close up all; Mecaenas,lAugustus his Minion, slept not one wink for his three last years space toge∣ther, as Pliny reporteth. And thus we see these strange things fall out in proof: But how, I cannot stand to shew; first Nature suffers them; then Use and Custom, another Nature, brings them in, that we may well be∣lieve the like in this matter of Meat we have in hand: for as the mBear, according to the guise of many Beasts that lurk in Winter, fasteth forty dayes; so nCardan tells of a Scottish young Man in the Popes Court at Rome, that by use brought himself to Fast thirty dayes together, which by use might have been three Hundred, three Thousand as well, if he had or∣dered himself thereafter, by slow and creeping Cu∣stom, and by such Means as I set down before.

So we see, I say, great worldly Wonders prove plain and easie Truths in the sight of Wisdome; and that by
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the means aforesaid (where are moe than one, if this like them not, they may take another) it is possible for all Men by Kinde and Custom, to keep their Health for ever: Let us come to the next point, that it is as well to be recovered, if it were lost; and that all Diseases may be cured: This is a point much harder than the first, even so beset and stopt with all kindes of Letts and Incumbrances, that a Man can scarce tell which way to set a Foot forwards.

First appears Aesculapius, Hippocrates and Plato, the chief among the Grecians, bearing in hand sundry Dis∣eases of both kindes (both came by descent, and gotten by purchase) hopeless and past recovery, and giving over the Men that owe them for troublesome to them∣selves, and to the Common-wealth; Then you may see Galen, and his soft and fine Company with him, and those with a long train of Caters and Cooks after them, loaden with all kinde of dainty Drugs, stand forth and cry, oThey have these many Ages, devoured heaps of Books, and took endless pains in s•arching out the Natures of single Medicines, and making Mixtures of the same, and yet could hardly cure some Agues, and other less Dis∣eases: But for the four Stagers, to wit, the Gout, Leprosie, Dropsie, and Falling-sickness, they could never heal them, and have for Oracles set them down incurable.

What were best to be done in this matter? What shall we set against the weight of so many great Mens Authorities? Marry, put them in Ballance, as we have done hitherto, and weigh them with Truth and Reason. But where shall we finde it, say they? As it is every where (as pDemocritus said) drowned in the Deep, so in this Matter it is scattered all about, and largely spred
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withall; for there be three things, and every one full of under-branches belonging to this Art and way of Healing: The first is knowledge of the Diseases: the second is the Remedies against them: and the third of the appliance of Remedies; All which should be tra∣versed in this Discourse. But it shall not need, I hope, nay we must take heed how we enter into so large and long a Race, in so short and narrow a compass of time appointed: Especially being never run before by any of our worthy Ancestors, the wise Aegyptians, whose steps we strive to follow; for when they have once hit the Mark they shoot at, and gotten the great and general MEDICINE, curing with ease all Diseases; they think it straight enough, and an empty and needless labour (as it is indeed) to trouble themselves and their Children with large Rules about innumerable signs and causes of Infinite Diseases, and about such other small particu∣lars in appliance.

Neither would I have you set Paracelsus and his heirs upon me, and say they have taken great and goodly pains in this field; you will then force me to speak my Fantasie. Though this Man, (to let his Scholars go, as too young yet) by great Light of Wit, wherewith he flowed, and by long proling about both with Eyes, Ears and Hands in the Mysteries of Aegypt, saw and per∣formed many of their Deep Secrets, yea and found out some of his own worthy praise, (albeit I think a num∣ber feigned;) yet his new Art and Rules of Healing are not good in mine Opinion; for First, against the Exam∣ple of his Ancestors, from whom he had received all things; and then in spight and disgrace of Galen, for mis-calling his Country-men, as you have heard; but
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chiefly carried away with a mad and raging desire of Fame and Honour; he took in hand, (a Man unfit to do it) to pull down and rase the old Work of Physick, and to set up that strange and famous New one: Then see how it is performed: He sets down some false Rules, some waste and idle, and some wanting; and all uncon∣stant, disordered and unlearned! Where he doth well (as he doth sometimes) he doth no more than was done before him, and brings in the same things disguised with new, odde, cross, and unheard-of Names, such as may move Wonder at the first, but when they be scanned, laughter, q as Tully saith of the Stoicks like device in Philosophy.

And that I do not slander them, for this is no Cause, I could easily prove, if this place would admit such a Volume. Wherefore, let us follow the true and right Aegyptians, and leave Paracelse in this ill Matter, or light one, if it were good; and spend all our care and thought about that which is all, good Medicines and Remedies against Diseases: with which old Wives in the Country, and simple Men on our side, (I mean, simple in respect of the Graecian Subtilties about Nothing) have healed most, nay even all Diseases: and with which indeed the German (let us give him his due praise) hath utterly slain the Graecian Physick, and herein done much for Mankinde, by descrying and dispatching our close and secret Enemy, which under colour of friendship, and fighting against our Enemies, hath this long time be∣traid us, and done us much mischief: which thing one of their best Captains and Pillars of their State, Fernelr by name, after he had been a while in Aegypt, began to smell at last, and to repent him of all his former
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pains, (which we know were great) bestowed in that kinde of Healing, saying it to be but Words, and the whole force and weight of this Art, to lean upon the Knowledge of the virtues of Medicines secretly hid and couched in the midst and Oyl of Bodies, to be fetcht out and gotten by skil∣full means of Alchimy, even of that Art, I say, which is so much condemned of his Fellows and Companions. To this Harbour also the best of his Fellows, before and since him have fled, and do daily fly apace, from the toil and trouble of their fruitless and barren dead Sea; Then let us shift our Sails, and fly as far and further too, I hope, if Tide and Wind and all, which we have at will, fail not.

But first let us describe that Haven of Medicine, and see what Marks it hath, and how it differs from other Creeks adjoyning, lest at our Journeys end we miss with more shame and grief, and suffer shipwreck.

A Medicine is that which kills the force of that which hurts us: and this it doth many wayes, and yet all to one end (which is the End of all doing and working) as I said before) for his Food and Sustenance; then let us come again and sort our Speeches. A Medicine heals us, and kills our Enemy, either by dulling or consuming it: for when it meets with the contrary of even strength (as when sOyl and Poison, &c. joyn) then in Fight they neither eat up nor destroy each other, but both are dulled and weakned, and make one blockish thing, which Nature casteth out for an unlike and unkindly dead thing, which they call a Leaving (or Excrement.) But in case it be of more strength and power than our Enemy, then it quite destroys, devours and turns him into his own Nature;—And this Consumer is either like
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the thing that hurts us; In which sore, even as every Herb of sundry qualities draws and feeds upon his own Juyce in a Garden, so one tPoison doth cure another, and all purging and drawing things do heal us, and all uFernel's hid and divine Properties work by plain reason; Or else it is unlike and contrary; after which manner, As dry Sticks and Towe, and Vinegar quench wilde Fires, or other fat Fires, before Water whose fat∣ness feeds it, for the stronger contrary quality quelling and eating up the weaker; so doth any cold and dry thing, as wBole Armin, Terra Lemnia, &c. cure a rotten Poison, and so are a great number of Cures done; which onely course in word the Graecian Physick taketh, though not in deed; for we heard even now of two o∣other wayes of Healing, which they themselves and other Folk did take unawares; though Paracelse found out the name, belike, of late, but he strayeth as much as they on that other side, when he thinks all Cures thereby performed.

Now when the consuming Medicines have done their duties, Nature expels them for Poison and unlike strange things, according to the Graecian Rules, because all their Medicines were, by their own confessions, such. But if they had either Thought of the dulling Nourisher, which, as I told you, takes the nature of Leaving; or had known our Mens wholsome Medicines, they would have made another reckoning. But let them go, and let us set out in time towards the Haven of Health.

If the Art of Healing be nothing else but the match∣ing of hurtful things and their stronger Enemies, (but equality will sometimes serve the turn) or Likes toge∣ther, and the world be full of both these kindes of Creatures,
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following the nature of their Parents, the four Beginnings, which are, as we see, some like, and some contrary, one to another; Then sure our All-healing Art is not impossible, and wanteth nought but a Man well skilled in the Nature of things, a Philosopher by name; for I need not put in a Physician also, to know that other part, the causes of Diseases which must be matched, because, as Paracelse well saith in that, he that knoweth the causes of Changes and Chances in the great World, may soon espy them in the little.

But our nought-healing Leaches will step in and say, Diseases are some so great, and in all so many, Mans wit so weak and shallow, and the Medicine so hid and drown'd in the deep of Nature, that it is not possible to finde them all; or if they were found, to apply them with such discretion, as Nature might abide those poisoned frayes and battels within her: And again, that admit all this untrue, yet there be some Diseases sent from Witch-craft and Sorcery, and other means, which have their Cause, and so their Cure, without the compass of Nature; to let pass our tickle standing daily and hourly so beset with Destinies, that a man can warrant no∣thing.

I marry, Destinies are too deep and bottomless, (to return straight xHomer-like upon them) and therefore it were best indeed to let them go, and the applying of the Medicines with them; the rather, because the other, (the former, I mean) is so slight a matter to a discreet and well-ordered Leach, such a one as is pointed out by their old and famous Leader Hippocrates, who, both in this, and all other duties of his Art, hath made such speed, and so far passed all his Fellows, as none since
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(which is a good time) could ever overtake him, no nor yet come so near, as to keep the sight of him whom they had in chase, and followed. Then, for those unsearchable and supernatural Causes, (as they call them) if they flow from unclean and wicked Spirits, (as some think) they are not the Stuff of the thing that hurts us, (though they sometimes dwell in and possess the Body) but windy movers, workers and disturbers of the peace and good order of our Bodies, much like unto those fierce and sudden changes of Weather, proceeding from the Stars, and working the like effect in Mens Bodies; so that sith the nearest Cause is Natural, let the rest be what it will, and the Cure be done by Natural Means, as we see it sometimes amongst us. And therefore yParacelse, who puts the fault in the Faith of the wicked Witch, (a thing as far above Nature) yet holds it curable with a natural Medicine, which they call a Quintessence; Al∣though I am not unwitting that sometimes (his Sickness is such) he bids us withstand it with another as strong a Belief set against it. But for my part, I cannot reach it with my Conceit, (let deeper Heads think upon it) How those Beliefs and Imaginations, and other parts and powers of the Soul or Minde of Man, can so fly out of their own Kingdom, and reign over a forreign Body; when we know the whole Soul and Minde so fast bound in durance, and so like to be, until it be the pleasure of the great Magistrate, who hath committed them, to let them loose at once, and set them out at full liberty, let old Wives buz of aHermotimus, and such like Tales, what they will.

But if those Diseases spring (as some of Learning hold, and with Reason) from neither of both those two
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Roots named, but from a foul and venomous Breath, sent forth from a Poisoned temper of the Witches Bo∣dy, through the Windows of hateful Eyes, for Thoughtb fashioneth the Blood and Spirits almost at his plea∣sure; then all the Causes being ordinary, and agreeing to the course of Kinde, they may be cured and put to flight by the same course and means; which Opinion, (bear with the tarrying, it is worth the handling) taketh hold upon this Reason, because (as good Authors do witness) some Beasts of ranker Venom do bewitch and hurt after the same manner: As an old Toad,c by stedfast view, not onely amazeth and benums a Weasel, but also kills a young Childe: And by the same means the dBenummer hurts the little Fish and takes his prey; but most fiercely and mischievously of all Crea∣tures in the World, the two Monsters in kinde, the eCockatrice and fCatoblepas: Again, for that the Eye of a Menstruous Woman (as they g all report) doth spot the Glass which it beholdeth: And moreover be∣cause hPliny out of Tully, forth of his Books which are lost belike, and many good Authorsi, telleth of many Folk, that through a Poisoned Prerogative, which a monstrous mark of a double-sighted Eye gave unto them, were able to bewitch to death all those upon whom that Eye was angerly and surely set and fastned: But chiefly because we see them that use this wicked Trade, to be by kinde of a muddy and earth-like Tem∣perature and Complexion, brought by Age, (as they
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be most commonly) lone-life, and foul Diet, unto the pitch of Melancholy, that is, unto a cold and moist, dry Temperature, which is the most poisoned and venomous Temperature in the world: for certain proof whereof, bring one of them out of that beastly Life, unto merry company, and full & dainty Diet, and within twenty days (as hath been found true by Report k of a good Au∣thor) the whole state and order of her Body will be so changed, as it shall not suffer her to bewitch and hurt again.

To come to the next and chiefest point: Let us not say for shame, those Helps and Remedies lie hid in Na∣ture, too far for the Wit of Man to finde, unless we will accuse our own sloth and dulness: for Nature hath brought them forth, and laid them open as well as the Poisons and hurtful things; or else she were very cross, and ill-willing towards him, for whose sake, it seems, she doth all things: Nay further, her good will is such, as she hath not onely laid them open, but given us wayes to come by them, and means of Speech, Hands and Wit also, far above all other Wights and Creatures. And yet she hath not left us so, but lest by chance we might go wide and miss them, to shew her Motherly Love and Affection towards us, she hath guided many witless Beasts, even by common sense, unto their speedy help and remedy in their Diseasesl, that we by the plain∣ness and shame of that Example, might be taught and moved to seek & find us help in the like Diseasesm As to name a few not unworthy naming; she maketh the Beast Hippopotamusn in time of his fulness and fat∣ness to go to a Reed, and by rubbing a Vein against a Knot, to let himself Blood, and to stop it again by
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laying Mud upon it. A sick Dog, to seek an oHerb and purge himself; and the Bear to do the same, p after his long fast in Winter: She leads the Pantherq when he is poisoned, to our foul and nameless Leaving; and the Tortoifer, after he hath eat a Viper, to Summer-Savoury, and many such like Examples hath Nature laid before us, for our Instruction.

By the which, at last, wise and painful men of Greece (as themselves report, be they Apollo, or his Son, or whosoever) and by laying Reason and further Proof to∣gether, first made the Art and Rules of Healing, to know whence Diseases come, and how to Remove them: And then seeking all about for Remedies to serve each turn, by little and little they matched the most part of the lesser rank, with single Medicines; and for the grea∣ter ones, they doubled and coupled a-many of them together, Insomuch that at last (which was in Hippo∣crates his time) they were able to heal all, saving four of the greatest and deepest Diseases, the sGout, the Dropsie, the Leprosie, and Falling-sickness. This race they have held on ever since, both in Greece and all the World: Thus much, with much ado, they could, and no more, leaving the rest, with one consent, uncu∣rable.

But to come to the point; What wrong this was both to Skill and Nature, they do easily see and laugh at, which know that in this labour, they did not onely oversee and skip the Minerals, the stoutest helps in the whole store-house of Kinde, (although they could dig
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them out well enough to other and worser uses;) but also, which is all in all, did let HERMES skill of dres∣sing Medicines (whereby weak things are made almigh∣ty) quite escape them.

Wherefore, to make up the Art of Healing, and to make it able to help and cure all Diseases, came in (or rather went before them) the Aegyptianst, Men in great favour with Nature, both for their soil and bring∣ing up, so notably commended above all Nations, (ha∣ving for example to move and teach them, even the great Wight of the World, as HERMES saith) for Wits to devise, and Bodies to put in practise: Whereby in short space, they unfolded the Knot, why the Minerals were of greatest force and power against Diseases: And soon after (which was a divine Light and insight) they perceived the huge labour in seeking such an infinite sort of Singles and Mixtures to be vain and empty, and pitiful among Wise Men. Because, first, u there is no∣thing hurtful and a breeder of Disease, but it hath the help and remedy for the same about him; for as the Wings w and Feet of Cantharides, the Fruit x of the Root Bezar, the Ashes of Scorpions, Toads and Vi∣pers, and divers other stronger Poisons, both by Nature and Skill drest and prepared, do cure and heal their own and all other Poisons; Nay, as all stronger Likes do cure their Likes, throughout the whole World of Diseases;y Even so, when a Man hath once found out the thing that hurts him, he may, by easie skill, mingle and break the temper of the same further, that is, make it stronger, and able to eat up and consume it self as easily, without
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any further doubt, toil or labour. But especially, z be∣cause there is no one thing in the World, take what you will, that hath not all the Virtues of Heaven, and of the qualities thereof, within it self; that is not as good as all, and may not serve in stead of all; and that is not able to cure all Diseases: which thing weighed, and with discourse of Wit and Reason fully reached, they went to practise, and by the like sharpness of Wit, they found out as soon the kindly and ready way to dress and make fit those three kindes of Medicines aforesaid, which contain all the Art of Healing: All the rest are but waste Words, and grievous Toil, to tire a world of Wits about a bootless Matter.

But especially they rested in that one the last, which is enough alone; and yet not without great fore-cast to choose one of the best, or rather the very best of all, for their ease in dressing; though Paracelse, of late, was not content with this, but ran through the rest as well to spight his Enemy, as I said, and to make himself known and famous, against the Rule of Wisdome and Virtue, and the example of all his Ancestors.

But how hath every thing all the Virtues of Heaven and Earth, that is, all the Curing and Healing power of all things in the World? very well; you must re∣member that I proved above, all the Virtue and Power of Heaven, poured down upon these lower Creatures, to be nothing else, but One self-same Life and Soul, and heavenly Heat in all things: And again, that All Diseases flow from Distemper, and as it were from discord of the kindly consent of the Body: Then, that that thing which is endued with store of Life, and with exact and perfect temperateness, seated upon both a subtile and strong Body,
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(which all things are in the bottom) is able alone, by sub∣duing his weaker Enemies, the distempered Diseases, by strengthning his fellow Life in our Body, and lastly by bind∣ing together again the Frame that was slipt out of Order, to do as much as all the powers and forces of all the Plants, Wights and Minerals in the World; that is, to put to flight all trou∣ble of Diseases, and restore the Body to perfect health and quietness.

But how is all this done? we huddle up too many great matters together; It were good to mark them out more distinctly. When this hot (by the Heat we spake of) and strong tempered Medicine slips into the Stomach, it stayes no long digestion, being already throughly digested, nor looketh for any ordinary passa∣ges to be opened unto it, but as soon as it is raised out of sleep by his Fellow the Natural Heat, by and by he flies out and scowres about, even as fast as the aDol∣phin after her prey, or as Nature her self, whom Hippo∣crates saith to pierce bounds and all to that purpose; that is, to seek his like food and sustenance, whereby to preserve his State and Being, which is the purpose of all things in the World, as it was said above.

Now, there is nothing so like and near a perfect tem∣perature in the World, as the Aethereal first Moisture of Man. This is best and most in the Heart, the Root of Life: then thither it hieth, and preyeth upon that part first, and that is the Cause why it presently resto∣reth a Man half dead, and as it were pulls him out of the Throat of Death; then it runs to the rest all about, in∣creasing by that means the natural Heat and first Moisture of every part of the Body: When this is done, he turns back upon the parts themselves, and by encountring
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with them in the same sort, according to his might feeds upon them, and brings them a certain way towards his own Nature, even as far as we will by our usage suf∣fer; for if we take it with measure and discretion, it will bring our Body to a middle and Mean state, between his own exact temperature, and the distemper of Dis∣eases, even a better state than ever it had before. If we use it out of measure b, it takes us up too high, and too near his own Temperature, and makes us unmeet for the Deeds and Duties of an Earthly Life.

But in the mean while, and in the midst of this work, we must know, that by his exceeding Heat and Subtile∣ness, which is gotten by his lofty workmanship, and which makes up his Strength above all things, it divides and scatters, like Smoke before the Wind, all distem∣pered and hurtful things, and if they cannot be recon∣ciled and turned to goodness, Nature throws them out as dead and unfruitful Leavings.

But how do we talk so much of exact and perfect Temper, when by the verdict of all the Quest in these Cases, there is no such thing found in Nature, save in Heaven, extant? Neither heard you me say that it floated aloft, but was sunk to the bottom of all Na∣ture, notwithstanding by skill to be sounded and weigh∣ed up: for as Heaven was once a gross and distempered Lump, by the Divine Art of GOD refined and sundred away round to that place and nature where it standeth; Even so, one of our gross Bodies here below, being a piece of the same Lump also, and all one with that which Heaven once was, may by the like Art and Cun∣ning be refined, and parted from all his distempered gross and foul drossiness, and brought unto an heavenly
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Nature, and unto the Nature of the best and goodliest thing in Heaven.

And yet you must not take me so, as though I would have the Minde and Wit of Man, which is but a Spark of the Divine and great Minde, to be able to reach the excellency of his Work, and to match so great perfe∣ction; If he do but shadow it, and make a Counterfeit, that is, if he reach not so far as to make all things, but to mend a few by this his Heaven, all is well; it is as much as can be looked for at the hands of weak Morta∣lity.

Then this Heavenc, nay this Sun of ours, is nought else but an Oyl full of heavenly Spirits, and yet in Qua∣lity of his Body, just, even and temperate, fine and pier∣cing, close and lasting, able as well to rule this little World, as the great Sun is able to govern the great World. But what is he, say they, that can see the Di∣vine Art and Way whereby GOD made his great and mighty Work? Or if he saw it, learn and match it by Imitation? None but he whom GOD hath enlightned, and unsealed his Eyes; then shall he easily spy the Way lying open in all places, and in all kindly changes; he shall see them pass and travel, I say, still by that course which HERMES calls soft and witty, that is, kindly se∣paration: And if he be not swift and rash, but will have sober Patience, his own skill and labour shall be but little, and Nature her self very kindly will in her due time perform all, even all that heavenly Workmanship; And yet I mean not so, but that Art must accompany and attend upon Nature, though with no great pains and skill, both forward and backward in this Journey, (some know my meaning) untill she come to her
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wished rest, and to the top of all perfection.

If you perceive not, call to minde and consider the way whereby we made our Aether in the former Cha∣pter, and matched our first Moisture, a thing Aethereal, I say, and almost Temperate: Mark what I say, there is a further end in the matter: hold on the same Means, whereby you came so far, which is the return I speak of, and you may reach it. Then you see the way to cure all Diseases by the third way of Aegyptian Healing, which they do, and we may well call the AegyptiandHeaven; And yet it is a way far beneath HERMES Medicine, as we shall hear hereafter.

But if they will not yield yet to Reason, but mutter and blabber out, still Country-like, that this heavenly Medicine of ours is over-high for the reach of Mens silly Wits here strewed below upon the ground, for other lesser and baser uses; and that no Man since the first Man hath ever yet been known to have found and wrought the same: I will not stand to beat Reason into such hard Heads, but go to the other two lower and weaker wayes of Healing, which the Aegyptians also found, but used not, and called the first Mineral Medi∣cines, and the next Mysteries and Secrets, as may appear by Paracelse. We may fitly call this Second Kinde, because that is too large a Name, (if it be lawful for us, as well as for all learned Men, where a fit Word wants to make a new) we may do well, I say, to call it a Cure-it-self, because it is by that way of Healing, whereby every self-same thing, further broken, Cures it self; and the inward and hidden thing, as they say, the outward and apparent, by that course of Kinde, whereby the stronger-like eats up in trial, and consumes the weaker.

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If this leave be once granted, we will borrow a little more for the other two likewise, because their Names do not yet square and fit our purpose; and call that Heaven a Cure-all, for that it doth so, and the next a Cure-the-great, because the order of Paracelsians is, al∣wayes to match the greater and more stubborn sort of Diseases with the stout and mighty Minerals, and the rest with those hidden Cure-themselves. Or at least, in the lower rank of lighter Diseases, with their Likes one∣ly raw, as the Graecians use them, without any curious dressing.

Let us set forward afresh towards the Matter; and because the Graecians themselves are able, if it hit well, to cure the lighter sort, and to heal all but the four Stagers aforesaid, we will leave the rest for them, and so let this second kinde of Healing go, called our hidden Cure-themselves, and bend all our battery against these four, which they could never shake, and see how by force of Mineral Medicines, they may be won, and beaten down, and quite razed out of Being.

We see the poisoned Spirits and Breaths of venomous things, with what force and might they come upon our Bodies, things in Nature and Quality set against them, and how they spoil, waste and consume them: If you do not see by Imagination with your selves, nor remem∣ber those above-named that killed by sight; hear one or two that work the same by Touch as violently. The eHare-fish, a most cold and dry Creature, (to omit that she makes a Mans Head ake by Sight) if you touch her aloof onely with a Staff, that her venomous Breath may go straight and round together upon you, you die presently: The Root Baaram in Palestine, (as
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fJosephus writes) kills the Man that handleth it, and therefore they used to make a Dog pull it up, who there∣by was put to death immediately.

To come into the Body, that costly Poison in gNu∣bia, in one Grain weight kills a Man out of hand; yea, stay but a quarter of an Hours working, and that one Grain divided will overcome ten Men. I hope you doubt not but these mighty Poisons, if they were like in Na∣ture to the four great Diseases, and by little and little, in a proportion to be born by Nature to be set upon them, would be able easily, by their great strength, to devour and consume them, or else sure such heaps of Poison could not dwell so long within us, but would put out Life in a moment.

Now, what are these poisoned Vapours, but most cold and dry Bodies, wrought and broken by natural mingling unto great fineness and subtileness, by this piercing swiftly all about, and by those contrary quali∣ties overcoming? Then let us take the stoutest Mine∣rals, such as are called Middle Minerals by our Men, or hard Juyces, by G. Agricola, (to leave the Metals for a better purpose) be they Poisons, as some say, or what they be, I care not, and after we have by meer working clensed them, and stripped off their clogs and hinde∣rances, broken and raised them into a fine substance, match them with their Likes, the hurtful things in our Bodies; shall they not let all the rest alone, and straight∣way cleave to their Fellows, as well as a Purging Medi∣cine, and so devour and draw them out by little and lit∣tle? If there be no Likes, I grant they will, h as well as that, fall upon their Enemies, our good Juyces, and feed upon them.

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Then what do you doubt? Is not a Mineral Body far better? and therefore, if it be raised to as great a Fine∣ness, much stronger in Working, than the gentle and loose temper of a Wight or Plant? Wherefore, these our Mineral Medicines, and Cure-the-greats, as we call them, shall, in any Reason, work more violently upon their Likes, than the natural Poisons of Wights and Plants do upon their Contraries, both because the Like doth more easily yield than the Contrary, and for that the lighter here is stronger.

But if you cannot see these things by Light of Minde, open your Eyes, & cast them a little way into the School of Alchimy, into the lesser and lower School, I mean of Germans, and you shall see the Scholars, especially the Master, by stripping the Minerals but a few degrees, to work wonders: As to name three or four; By quench∣ing the Loadstonei in the Oyl of Iron, his proper food, they make him ten times stronger, able to pull out a Nail of a Post, and such like: And by this kindly Pat∣tern, they make artificial Drawers, not for Iron onely, but for all other things: k yea, and some so mighty, as they will lift up an Ox from the ground, and rent the Arm of a Tree from the Body, as the Master himself doth witness; who reports again, that he saw a Flesh∣drawer, that pulled up a hundred weight of Flesh, and a Mans Eye out of his Head, and Lights up his Throat and choked him.

They make Binders also, l to glew two pieces of Iron as fast together as the Smith can joyn them: To be short, they make Eatersm also, consuming Iron, Stones,
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and any hard thing to nought, in a Moment: And all these Wonders, and many moe, they do by certain Rea∣son, if I might stand about it. In the mean while con∣sider, if these, or any other such like Minerals were rai∣sed higher, and led to the top of their Fineness and Sub∣tileness, and matched with their like Companions, or with their Contraries, if you will, those great Diseases in our Bodies, what stirs and skirmishes they were like to make among them, how easily they would hew them, pierce, divide, waste and consume them! But you must have alwayes special regard, that the Medicines be not liker our Nature, than the Nature of the thing that hurts us; for then they would first fall upon us, and let the Dis∣eases alone; which heed is easily taken in Minerals, things very far off our Temper.

What is to be said more in this matter? I think no∣thing; unless through the Countenance of an idle opi∣nion that reigns among them, they dare fly to the last, and of all other the most slender shelter, and deny our ability to break and tame, and handle as we list, such stout and stubborn Bodies. What? because you know not how to do it, will you fashion all Men by your own Mold? Wise Men would first look into the power and strength of Skill and Nature, and see what they can do, and measure it thereby, and not by their own weak∣ness: Then shall you understand, that there is nothing in Nature so strong and stubborn, but it hath his match at least, if not his over-match in Nature, such is the Na∣ture of things: But admit somewhat weaker, yet this, if he get the help of Art unto him, shall quickly wax and mend in strength, and be able easily to overcome that other. Mark how the Dregs of Vinegar (a thing
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sprung out from a weak beginning, and it self as weak as Water) is able, if it be but once distilled, to make stouter things than Minerals, even Metals themselves (all but Silver and Gold) to yield and melt down, to∣wards his own waterish Nature.n Nay, which is more, the milde dew of Heaven, as they call it, wrought first by the Bee, that cunning Beast, and then twice or thrice by the Distiller, will do the same: that you may weigh with your selves, what not onely these, but other fiercer and sharper things, (as Salts, &c.) were like to do upon Minerals: And by the way Consider, if such milde things as Wine and Honey, so meanly prepared, are able to subdue in that sort the most stiff and tough things in the World, what they would, nay, what Minerals in their highest degree of dignity would do to the stoutest Dis∣ease that can grow in our Bodies.

But I wear the time in vain, to speak so much about so small a matter; and yet sith all are not of like Ca∣pacity, I will adde yet one familiar example: When a Chirurgeon goeth about to search the matter somewhat deeply, if he thrust at it with a Butchers Prick, he shall do nothing but move laughter; let him take a Thorn, and it will pierce somewhat prettily; but to do it throughly, and at his pleasure, he will use (though to the great grief of his Patient) a fine and long Instrument of Metal: But a right Chirurgeon (the common ones are but Butchers) such an one as is a Physician, nay a Phi∣losopher also, would touch his Tool with a kinde o of Loadstone, (such as is to be found) to make it pierce throughout the Body without all Sense and Feeling.

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Even so a good Physician, such an one as is not often seen, if he have to encounter with our greatest Ene∣mies, those four we spake of, would not, I hope, be so mad as to thrust at them with the raw and blunt Herby Medicines, no nor although they be sharpned by plain Distillation; neither would he, I think, for pity, sting the poor Patient with the Martyrdoms of rude and rank Minerals, unless they were made into a fine and clean, and a kinde of temperate quality, which would work mightily to vex and spoil his Enemies, but feed and comfort, or at least not offend and hurt his Friend the Patient: This is the Medicine which a good and wise Physician ought onely to seek and use; if he cannot finde it, let him use the Cure-themselves: But such a thing as this, I say, brought to this equality and fineness of frame and temper, (were it at the first Wight, Plant or Mineral) was it which our Father and Founderp HER∣MES said is like to Heaven, and the Strength of all Strengths, piercing and subduing all things.

This is it that warranted his Sons to avow stoutly, q That Art was short, and Life long, and all Diseases curable; when Hippocratesr the Father of them, was driven by the infirmity and endless matter of his weak and feeble Medicines, to cry out in the first setting forth, that Art was long, and Life was short: And whereas both he and all his Off-spring were fain to leave many Diseases helpless, to the great shame of Art, and plague of Mankinde; Is it any marvel, when as they prick at them, as I said, with a Butchers Prick? Nay, see what they do by their practise; They be so far from all help and comfort to the Patient, in greatest danger, that they increase his Miseries many wayes, except that great
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easer of all pain, and their common Medicine Death, be quickly administred. First they make the Patient suffer the punishment due to their own proud and sloth∣ful Idleness, burthening his weak Stomach, with that labour of loosing and sundering the fine from the gross, which they should before have taken in their Glasses: And then, by doing the same often, they clean tire his feeble Nature, (as it would tire a Horse) when as by strip∣ping off the foul and gross Stuff, that dulls the work∣ing, and retaining the Virtue in a narrow strong body, they might do as much, and without hurt, at one time, as they do now at Twenty: And lastly, because their Medicines applied are of smaller power, and weaker than the things that hurt us, they feed, nourish and strengthen the Disease and Sickness.

But for all this, (to close up this Matter) if some of this Company and side of Leaches have been and are yet sometimes able to heal all Diseases in our Body, (though with much ado, as you have heard) save the four Remediless, yea and those as well in their Spring, and before their Ripeness, as they themselves report; Is there any proportion in Geometry (let Galen lay the Measures) why the German mighty Medicine, which I call the Cure-the-great, passing these in power, as much as the Ripeness of a Disease is above the Spring, shall not over-match the ripe as well as the green Diseases? Wherefore, if there be no doubt left, but this plainly true, that albeit the Graecians Art is weak and halting in this work of Healing, yet the Aegyptian, or as they now term it, the Paracelsian and Mineral Skill is sufficient and able to cure all Diseases, then I have paid the whole sum of my Promise, touching the second means and
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help to BLISSE and HAPPINESSE, and we may go to the third at our pleasure.

But first it were meet, while the time and place very fitly serveth, to do a good Deed, (and this is the drift of my Travel) to admonish and exhort the Graecian Leaches, whom I like for their Learning, and pity for their Mis-leading, (although it be grievous, s I know, for old Scholars, worn in a kinde of Learning, to unlearn all, as it were, and begin again) for their own Credit and Virtue, yea and Profits sake also, if they esteem the best, to leave those gilded Pills and sugred Baits, and all other crafty Snares, wherewith the World hath been so long caught and tormented; and to seek this one, heavenly, plain, and (to you that be Learned) easie, ready, true and certain way of healing Diseases.

I think before-times they were not greatly to be bla∣med and accused, but of dulness and weakness in Un∣derstanding, in not espying and seeing this Perfection, and supplying of all their Wants; But now since of late they have been so often warned, not with Words onely, but with Examples of Learned Men, Matheolus, Gorraeus, Fernelius, Severinus, Danus, and other such like, which have and do revolt, and fly away from them daily; yea, and by the certain and sufficient both writ∣ten and living Witness of the Deeds of Paracelsus, it were Impiety to stand still. Well, few words will serve to Wise and Virtuous Physicians, such as are of them∣selves forward.

But there is another, and (I am afraid) the greater sort, less honest, more idle and covetous, full of windy Pride and Words, but empty of all good Learning, with whom gentle warning (no though the Truth her
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self should come in person) would prevail nothing: who care not, it seems, to behold half Mankinde to pe∣rish for want of help and succour, rather than they would either blot their Credit, increase their Pains, or lose their Gains, and which not onely speak foully, and write foolishly against this over-flourishing Virtue, but also, like the giddy People, where they catch the State, banish the Men that hold and possess it: Whereas, if it were a good Common-wealth, saith tAristotle, the mat∣ter would be so far from Banishment, as they would deem such a Man, as well as the Laws, (for he is him∣self a Law) exempt from all Obedience, and judge him worthy to be followed and obeyed as a perpetual King.

This untowardness and crookedness in Men, caused all our All-healing Ancestors, from time to time never to abide their Sentence, but (to the great hurt and loss of Mankinde) to go into willing Banishment:—You have established a kinde of Government among you, (to pursue the same Like a little) wherein you rule alone over the weak and sorry Subjects of Mens Bodies: Then their Health and Safety you ought to seek onely, (besides enough to maintain contented estate, which uPlato allows his Governours) and not profit onely, (that were Tyranny) both for Humanity and Religion sake; for to omit Religion, which they do lightly omit, if a Leach begin once to make a prey of Men, he is not onely no Man, but a most fierce and cruel Beast; not so fit to be compared and matched any where, if you seek all over, as with that mis-shapen Monster of India, (which Aristotle describes and calls wMantichora) which being by Kinde, or Custom, (I know not whether) very
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greedy upon Mans flesh, is with manifold and wonderful helps furnished and armed unto it; first with a Face like a Man, and Voice like a Trumpet, two fit things to allure and toll him in; and then, if he fly, with the swiftness of a Hart to overtake him, and darts like a Porcupine, to wound him afar off, and with the Tail of a Scorpion, as it were a poisoned shaft near hand to sting him; further∣more, lest all this might not serve, by reason of Ar∣mours he hath Feet like a Lion, fiercely and stoutly to tear him, and three rows of Teeth on each Chap for speed in devouring.

Apply You, and your Apothecaries the rest of your selves in secret; for my part, as I am sorry to see evil done, so am I as loth to speak evil of it; and sure, were not the great grief and Envy I do bear, and always did, to see desert trodden down by such unworthiness, and some little hope besides, to hear of your amendment, and so of the return of the Truth and her honours out of banishment; you should have found me, as I have been long, and mean to be longer, quite dumb, and Tongue∣less, both in this and all other Matters.

Do not think I speak of Spight, or for hope of gain, or for any such matter; There is no cause, God knows, I am no Physician, never was, nor ever mean to be; what I am, it makes no matter. Let us go forward.

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CHAP. III. Of YOUTH.
ALbeit we live Long and in Health, yet if our Bodies be weak and unwieldy, as it is in Age, it must needs lett and clog us much in this happy Race; Wherefore the third help and step to BLISSE, that is, Youth, was not idle, nor out of Order. Then what is Youth? They know best that have lost it; It is the most active, fruitful and beautiful state of the Body: These be the Marks and Differences whereby we may know it from all things else; I mean Activity, not in deeds of Mo∣ving onely, but of Life and Sense also: This is it which makes up the Nature of Youth: The other two Marks are taken in, not as needful helps, either to Youth or BLISSE, and such as may not be spared, (especially Beauty) but because they be very notable Marks, as I said, to know Youth by; and that as we heard of true Honour and Pleasure above, so these will also perforce hang on and follow, though they be unlooked for and unregarded.

Then this is the matter under-hand in this place; This we must prove possibly to be kept and preserved unto our lives end; yea, and although it were lost be∣fore, that it may be gotten again and restored: And yet, first, as our Natural Heat is the cause of our Being,
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so the cause of our best Estate and Youth, is the flower and best estate of it, that is, his chief strength and quickness: Then keep or recover this, and all is done.

But we had need be sure of this, that the flower of Heat, makes us Young and flourishing, and sure by proof and experience, the best assurance in the World; Let us look all over, and we shall finde it so.

To begin with Plants, although their life is dark, and they be but lame and unperfect Wights, (for xPlato gives them sense) yet their flourishing and decay, their Youth and Age, (as I may term them) do clearly fol∣low the quickness or dulness of their in bred heat, cau∣sed by the two Seasons of Summer and Winter; as ap∣pears in yIndia, where for the continual heat and moi∣sture and Summer of the Country, no Plant feels Age, or fall of the Leaf, (that word is idle in those parts) save Fen-greek, because by a strange property besides the rest, it hath strange cooling above the rest, standing in Water first, and then somewhat deeply from the Sun. Nay, z amongst us we see those Plants which are Hot and Dry, sound and hardy, able to withstand the force of Cold, to keep their leaves in Winter.

Moreover, keep off that starving Cold, and cherish the Life within, and you may help and amend Nature, and make any Plant flourish and bear in Winter. How is that? But an easie matter, a plant it in a Stove, and cover the Root with Horse-dung, and the rest with Chaff, and you shall see the proof, if not the profit worth your cost and travel. The same is seen in Beasts; But let us leave the middle, that we come not to the end too late.

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Then why are Children and old Folk less active, fruit∣ful and beautiful than the younger sort, but for want of heat? for let the Sun the first day, as Galen saith, or be∣fore the Birth, as I shewed, be greatest in store, bulk and quantity, because it waxeth and waneth still with his food, our first Moistner, and this from thence de∣cayeth daily; yet this quality, strength and activity, which maketh him worthy the name of Heat, is then little, as drowned with over-much forreign and strange wetness, (like as we see in a green Faggot) and unable to work his will, and shew himself, either to knit the Si∣news for Strength, or concoct the Blood for Seed and Colour, before that forreign moisture be spent and gone, which is not in long time.

Now for old Folks, what is so clear as this, that by reason of the daily decay of the food of Life, the faint∣ing heat, lets the strong knot of Strength and Lustiness slack and loose again, and the good concoction and co∣lour of Blood, which before made Seed and Beauty, to decline and grow to waterishness? In the same case are sick Men and Women for the same cause; And albeit Women have their Seed, yet it is not hot and quickning Seed, but a dead Stuff, onely fit to receive Life and Fa∣shion: And admit they be more b fair and smooth than Men, which are hotter, it comes by chance, be∣cause the foul Leavings, the blemish of Beauty, by the force of manly heat are driven outwards, when the slackness of the heat of Women suffers them to remain within, and turn into Menstrues, a thing more grievous and noisom, in truth, than Beauty is delightsome. And thereof cAristotle very well calls her a Weak Man, which our Tongue more fitly calls a Wombed-man; and
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he makes the Male in all kindes, to be that which is able to concoct the Blood; and that which is not, the Female.

Then, if it be cleared of all doubt, that the chief strength of heat is the cause of the flower of Age and Youth, and nothing else in the World; Let us take and stick to that matter, and see how that may be maintained first, and then restored.

I will not urge the way of upholding heat in Plants, abovesaid, nor yet the witness of the German, who hath found out means for the same, both in Plants and Wights, as he teacheth in his High Opinions; Nor yet make Account of those Examples, which by course of Nature & good Order of Life have done well, and drawn near to this matter, as of Luciad the Player, who pro∣nounced upon the Stage at Rome an hundred years to∣gether; nor of Cornelia, who bare eSaturnine the Consul after sixty two years; nor yet of King Mass•nissa, who about Ninety got a Childe, and ever t•avelled both in Frost and Snow bare-headed; nor of such other like, notably marked with long continued Life and Lu∣stiness; I will come to the point at once.

fPliny (such an Autbor) reporteth, that the whole Nation of India liveth long free from all Diseases, well∣nigh, and grief of Body, not once touched with ache of Head, Teeth or Eyes, nor troubled with spitting, all the great Companions (as we see) of Age, that we may ga∣ther by likely guess, when they know not the Compa∣nions, the thing it self is unknown to them: But what needs any guessing, when the same Man sor certain, and in plain Terms assureth, That in that part of India, where the Sun being right over their heads casteth no
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shadow, the Men are five Cubits and two handfuls high, and live an hundred and thirty years, never waxing Old, and being when they Die, as in their middle Age, and chief Strength and Lustiness? what needed more words? If this Report be true, as we may not easily doubt of such an Author, then sure this matter is not impossible, as they would have it, but all Men, if they lived in such an Air, and took so good a race of Life as I described, (I must still fly to that succour) might preserve their Youth, and never was Old, until the term and stint of Life appointed. Or if this kinde of teaching be now some∣what stale, and bare with wearing, yet perhaps some other means may be found for the matter, in the Store∣house of Skill and Cunning. Let us see, much more briefly than we have done before, because this part is already well-nigh dispatched; so straight is the link of all these helps, that one can scarce be loosened without the rest, and all must go together.

Then, what means may we finde? what preserveth this natural and heavenly Heat of ours? the common use taketh hot Meats and Drinks, and thinks that these preserveth Heat and Nature; as simply, as if a Man should put Lime to the Root of a Tree which he loved; for as this hastneth the Fruit with Heat, but kills the Stock with Drought, and soaking up the lively juyce and moisture, so in them their hot Meats out of kinde, laid to the Root of Life, quicken and stir up the Spirits, the fruit of Life, for a season; but withall under-hand, drink up and waste the first Moisture, that is, the whole Stock of Nature: and so by softning thus the hardness of Age, as if it were gIron in the Fire, they make it seem for a time Youthful and Lively, yet it is but a vain
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and empty shew and shadow; and as Iron when it comes out of the Fire is the harder for it, so they make their Age more unwieldy, and draw it on the faster by that means. And that is the very cause, together with Care and Pleasure, why Princes and Nobles, by drying up their Bodies in that sort, live not so long, for the most part, nor in so good Health, as other Folk; and depart especially at such times (if the Report be true) as those bushed Stars called Comets, appear. Because whether it be a stedfast Star, or an Elemental Flame, (I am not to dispute such Questions here) it is never seen but in very fine and dry Weather, which consumes dry Bo∣dies, and sends them packing; and besides, (though it be besides my purpose) turns good humours into scum, called Choler, cause of Broil and Sedition; and so ma∣king, as we see, h the Bush-starr a plain sign of both these matters, but causes of neither.

What then preserveth Heat? Learned Men have brought in certain fine, fat, and aiery Meats, as Butter, Oyl and Honey, and i commended them for very great helps and means to preserve Life and Youth, (for both are done by one way, and under one) but especially one of them, that is, Honey, have they lifted up above the rest, for this the Bee, that little, cold and bloodless Beast, by reason it is both made of, and fed with the same, liveth so long above that kinde of parted Wights, even k eight years, as they report; and because Manna that famous Nourisher unto Man, is nothing else but Honey,l a Dew concocted in Hot Countreys by the heat of Heaven, in stead of the Bee; and for such like Causes too long to be told in so short a race of Speech, as I have throughout appointed. But these Men are
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wide, as well, though not so far as the former; for if you remember well, when we spake of things that pre∣served Life, (which is nothing else but Heat) there were found onely two belonging to that use, like Meat and Exercise; and that (to let pass Exercise) although the finer Breaths of the outward Air, or of Meat, may serve to feed the Aethereal Spirit, which carrieth Life, yet our heavenly Heat must have finer food, an Aethe∣real Body, which is ready and at hand no where in Na∣ture, save in our first Moisture of our Body.

Then this fat and aiery Meat of theirs, may help to lengthen Life & Youth indeed; but not directly by feed∣ing Life, & maintaining the first Moisture, but by another by-way procuring Health & Soundness, (for Sickness and Disease bring Age and Death apace.) And this is be∣cause for their great cleanness, whereunto they be wrought by Nature and Art together, they neither breed (as other Meats doe many) any drossy Disease, nor stop the Lives and heats free course and passage.

Sith then there is nothing in the world within the compasse of reach, able to maintain and nourish Heat, but it must needs faint and wane daily with our first Moy∣sture; How falls it out, say you, that those Indians so kept their Youth without waxing Old, as we heard out of Pliny? I cannot tell, unlesse the Sunne, for that great and familiar acquaintance sake, hath favoured and bles∣sed them above all People, and brought down Aether, and given them to nourish them; for their Soyle and Meat, because it lyeth right under the Suns walk and travel, m is not through extreme heat uninhabitable,
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(as in times past some fondly supposed) but of all other the best and most temperate, by reason that extreme Heat of Heaven is most equally answered, and justly tempered with Cold and Moisture of the Ground pro∣portionable; which thing they knew not, because their Eyes were set too high, to see the lower cause and course of Nature most plain and certain.

For GOD, when he meant to make our changeable World here below, by a wonderfull fore-sighted Wis∣dome, stinted the Sun within the known bounds, the North and South turns, (which they call Tropicks) lest if he had run round about, he should have worn and wa∣sted it every where alike, and made it smooth and even in all places, and so all either dry Ground, or a standing Poole, both unfit for the variety of Change, which he meant to see play before him. But now he is so curbed and restrained within those bounds aforesaid, he can wear the Ground no farther then his force can reach, nor any otherwise than as his Force serveth: n So that the Earth must needs be most worn and lowest where it lyeth within the compasse of his Walk, and so rise by little and little on both sides without the Turnes, untill it come to the top and highest pitch, where it is furthest off; that is, under the Pins (which they call Poles) of the World.

Then here, for the Coldnesse, the Earth is fit to thic∣ken the Ayre and breed Water, and for the bent and fal∣ling to send it down to the widest and lowest part; where by the great strength of Heat it is drawn upon heaps, and in great plenty; and for this cause, and the length of the Night, it cannot scatter abroad, and vanish away to nought, but thickens apace, and fals again abun∣dantly,
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raining three or foure times a day; whereby we may judge that this middle girdle where our Indians in∣habit, cannot be so broyled and unsufferable, (as some have avowed) but in all reason very milde and tempe∣rate, and think, that as the Sun meant to favour all parts as much as may be, so chiefly, and above all that (as Reason, yea and Necessity bound him) with which he is best acquainted. And as this is certain (by report of all Authors) in all other things, yea and in Men, touching all other Gifts and Blessings, so we may guesse this one, which we have in hand, was not skipt and left out in so large a Charter.

But for all this, and in good sadnesse, (we have but argued hitherto) it is not good to seek dispence against the Law of Nature; and it were better to discredit Pliny the Reporter (though he be never so good an Author) than Nature her self the Author of all things. For this Story is set against the whole course and drift of Nature, whose Works as they be not woven and made up at once, so they decay and wear away by little and little: And therefore admit these men of India by speciall Li∣cence from above, doe bear their Age fresh and young a long time, in respect of other Nations; yet we must in no wise think this is for Ever, and untill Death, as Pliny saith; for then they should not dye and depart as other Men doe, naturally, which is, when Age creeping on, and changing by little and little, is at last made ripe and falling; but rather by some sudden force be taken, and as it were delivered by and by to the hands of I know not what Hang-man amongst the Destinies, to be cut off and put to death by Violence. But what Force can that be? Nay I assure you farther, that if the stock of Sick∣nesse
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and Disease were away, as, saith he, it is almost, they might live for ever; another breach of the never-broken Laws of Kinde.

Wherefore let this Story goe, and us hold this rule of certain, that by reason there is no other Food for naturall Heat, open in Kinde but our fitst Moisture, which because for want of supply, it likewise wasteth daily, Youth must needs by Nature fail away, and cannot last for ever: And yet we must also (to come to the purpose) remember how it was full often above proved, that such a supply of due food of Life, were to be made by Skill, and fetched out of the bottome of Naturall things, by the Divine Art of HERMES. Wherefore to avoid the jarre and ill sound of our often beating upon one thing, our Cure∣all and Heaven above declared, is it that feeds our hearts, that holdeth and perserveth Youth; This is it, I say, that doth the deed, for many causes set down be∣fore: I will send them that cannot come hither along the right way, back again to take all before them.

But there is another thing, Motion, I mean, that helps to bear up the state of Life, and Heat, which I scant touched there, and yet it should be handled; be∣cause although it be not so needfull as the former, yet it cannot in any case be wanting: For as a Martiall Peo∣ple, like unto Mars, (as we term it) and Valour it self, loseth his Glory and Brightnesse in Peace and Quiet∣nesse; So this Heat that rules our Body, though he be never so strong and lusty, yet he cannot so soon rest, as he decayes, and, as it were, rusts with Idlenesse: Nay, the Body it self, being (as I shewed above) an ayery and fiery temperature, must needs have quick Motion, as one of the two Pillars of his Estate; And therefore
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Plata,o by the Example of the great World; very well adviseth us still to move both Body and Mind, and that together, if we mean to have them long to con∣tinue. And we find his counsell good by daily proof, when we see those that move the Memory most, as wise and learned Men, to hold it longest; but because they doe not for the most part exercise their Body, to lose that quickly; whereas, quite contrary, the com∣mon sort, by reason they move this much and that other little, are a great while in Body lusty, when their Memory is gone as quickly.

How Moving increaseth Heat, appeareth in all pla∣ces, first in the spring of all Heat, the Sun above, which could in no wise serve to stretch so far, as to heat half the World at once, if those huge heaps of heavenly Beams and Spirits were shut up fast, as they be in stones and metals, and such like close and hard lower lodgings, and not (as we see them) most free, quick, lively, and swiftly stirring: p No more doth any Fire below burn so fiercely, as that by a cold blast driven up close toge∣ther, we see to move, and stir most lively.

To passe the Lightning, (as the swiftest, so the strangest fire in the World) and a number more such proofs, (for what should I stand so long upon so plain a matter?) Motion doth not onely increase Heat where it is, but beget and purchase it of nothing: and not one∣ly that way which every Man seeth by rubbing two hard things together, but also by grating an hard thing against the soft and yielding Ayre, which is some∣what rare, yet known to the qBabylonians in time past, when they used to roast Egges by whirling them about in a sling, in the same manner. And so those
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Archersr that have seen the leaden Heads of their Arrows to melt in flying; so great a father of Heat is Motion, that we may judge easily he is able to keep it, when it is once gotten.

Now, if this be sufficiently shewn and proved, we need bestow the less labour in teaching Men how to move their Heat and Spirits, because every Childe that can go, can do it, and it is enough to exhort them that love themselves to do it.

Then by these two Means of like Heat and Motion, we have our Youth still, that is, our chief Colour, Fruit∣fulness and Activity; Is there any thing else? These make up all the being and nature of Youth; except you fear the loss of his Hang-byes, and appurtenances, which are, Teeth, the sweetness of Breath, the smoothness of the Skin, and of Hair the colour that is natural. But it is no danger, if you will let me run them over; for if our Heat and Moisture remain without decay, first the Jaw∣bones, wherein the Teeth be mortized, will be full and moist, able to gripe and glew, and so to hold the same from falling: Then as ill Smell comes s of rawness, and want of Heat to concoct it, Wrinkles of Cold, which makes to shrink, and gathers that together, which heat spreads abroad smoothly; and grey Hairs from the same cause; for when our Natural Heat faints and fails, it withdraws it self from the outmost and coldest parts soonest, and leaves the Moisture raw, which, for lack of inward Heat and Salt to keep it, lies open to the force of outward Cold, whence comes all rottenness, and from this, a white Coat, and hoariness. There∣fore
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we t see why Sickness and Sorrow bring grey Hairs so fast, yea sometimes presently; As, to pass by the plainer, you shall hear of one strange Example of a sorrowful young Gentleman of Italy,u
that being faln into the hands of Pirats, and laid wrapt in a Sail ready to be cast over-board, and within four and twenty hours space released and set at liberty, by great Grief and Fear, forcing his Heat to retire to the Heart his Castle, made his Head white and aged in that space, and could never get it turn again all his life, which was long after.

And so we have this point briefly and easily dispatch∣ed, because it was a loose and easie matter: But the next, that is, to recover Young Years spent and blown away, seems no such thing, nor to be used in that Order; for as a new and strong Building, by due and daily repa∣ration is kept sound a long time, whereas, if for lack of care it be once faln to decay, it cannot without great cost and time be renewed; even so it is of our Body: As it is easie if it be taken in time, with heed to pre∣serve it, so if by Negligence the Weather have once beat in, and made it rotten, it seems a marvellous work to repair it.

Although, indeed, it be much harder not onely than his fellow, but then all the rest that went before; yet we will not give it over now, and like an idle Poet, faint in the last Act of Life: wherefore let us go forward, and with all our endevour strive to shew, that Youth long before lost, though not easily, yet as well may
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be recovered; as it was before preserved.

There be so many kindes of waxing Young again named in Philosophy, and given to the nature of Wights, that it were good first to sort them out, to say which we mean in this place, lest our labour fall into their hands that can quickly mistake. One of these wayes is by Name onely, and not in deed, as when the soft and bark-skinned Beasts use by course of kinde, twice a year, at the Spring and Fall of the Leaf, to cast off their up∣per Coat and Skin, they say they put off Old Age, and wax Young again; when it is in truth, the putting on of Age rather, and decay of Nature, as appeareth to them that know the Cause, that even for very Cold and Drought, w the two plain Ear-marks of Age, their Skins do loosen and wither away.

There is another kinde as far in extremity that other way, and altogether in deed, which Alomaean calls joyn∣ing of ones End to his Beginning, and which he saith Man cannot do, and therefore dies: And this is, and ever was the Opinion not of Poets onely, but of Philo∣sophers, and not of Greece onely, but of all Nations, ex∣cept our old Aegyptians,xMen alwayes in all rare Wisdom excepted: These Men, as I said above, do not onely use to mark the steps of Kinde, and her most strange and unwonted changes, but also set and venture upon the like by Skill; yea and to pass further, if any Reason will carry them: and so at length they come, I know not how, nor whether by guess or knowledge, to this Rule and certain Ground, that it was possible for any Man, put out by forcible and violent Death, by na∣tural means to Rise and quicken again, and so to be re∣newed, and as it were by a new Birth restored.

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But what be their new and marvellous means? which way is this incredible course performed? After they saw not onely some parts of other Wights, (as y the Tails of Lizards, the zEyes of Snakes, and aSwal∣lows) but also the whole Bodies of cold and bloodless ones, clean rased and destroyed, naturally to spring a∣fresh, and to be restored; As a bSnake cut in pieces, and rotted in Dung, to quicken, and every piece to prove a whole Snake again, and such like, they began to reach by device and practise at some further matters, and to slay some hot and bloody Wights, that spring not out of nothing, but are bred by force of Seed and conjun∣ction of Male and Female, and by the like kindly cor∣ruption, to raise them up again, and renew them, (as c a Bird burnt alive in a close Glass, and so rotted, and then inclosed in a shell, to hatch it under a Hen, and re∣store the same;) And other such strange proofs they ceased not to make, until at last they durst be bold to think, that any Wight, even a Man and all, might by the same course wax young, and be born again still and live for ever.

This is the second way of waxing Young again, and as great an Extreme as that other, and as far from my meaning: Though there be divers Reports and Stories flown abroad, of Men that took the same race in them∣selves, and others, and found both good and bad suc∣cess, according (as a Man that favours it will think) as the Work was tended by them which were put in trust. Medea sped well, say they, in proof upon Jasons father, and made him Young again, as Tully saith, recoquendo;
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But HERMES, and the Poet Virgil, and that Spanish Earl failed upon themselves, as some hold, but as others hold, they had good luck, and came to their pur∣pose.

What should a Man say to this matter? Albeit I do not chuse this kinde of Renewing, yet I will not con∣demn it without cause, and judge it for kinde impossi∣ble; for I see no Reason but that the Story of the Snake may be full easily true, because it is bred by it self, and of more unfit Stuff in the same manner; And for the rest, all is one to Nature, if the Stuff and Place be meet and currant, having that her general Seed of begetting, (which I said) was all one in all things, in her bosom ever ready, and thereby making yet (as we heard before) all seeded Plants without seed, somewhere; yea and per∣fect Wights, both Water and Land ones: And at first, when the Stuff and Womb, and her own Heat and all served very fitly, having wrought Man and all, so.

But now why is Seed given unto things? Because Nature for want of the former helps (as they could not last for ever) is not able, in all places, to work the raw stuff of the beginnings so far, to such perfection, unless she finde both the stuff well drest, and half made to her hand; and an hot Womb, like an artificial Fornace to help and set her forward: Well then, for this our mat∣ter, and manner of restoring Man, let us call it to the account of Reason, and consider what is that Seed that makes Man, and the place where he is made: What is all the work? Is it any thing else, but a part of Man (except his Minde) rotted in a continual, even, gentle, moist and wightly Heat? Is it not like, that the whole Body rotted in like manner, and in a Womb agreeable,
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shall swim out, at last quicken, and arise the same thing? I cannot tell; I will neither avow nor disavow the mat∣ter; Nature is deep, and wonderful in her Deeds, if they be searched and unwound to the bottom: I can∣not tell, I say, Nature may suffer this, but not Religion; And yet it is a dangerous trial, as our Men, and the Poet found it, by some Mens sayings.

They might more safely have made a proof upon a piece of themselves, which we call Seed, ordered by that skilful kinde of Recoction, (which hath been found true d as some Report, and I think it certain) or per∣haps more kindly and throughly, but, sure, more civilly and religiously, in the due place appointed: for this is also a kinde of renewing of himself, and waxing Young again, when his Childe is (as eAristotle saith well) ano∣ther Himself, onely severed and set apart from himself. But neither is this third kinde enough for us; we must have the whole and unparted Man restored.

Then the fourth Kinde is it I mean, which is indeed a Mean between all the rest; especially between that empty Word, and dangerous Deed aforesaid; perform∣ing more than the one in the outside, and less within than the other: for this way doth not onely by a better race of refreshing it with Heat and Moisture, renew the Skin, but the Hair, Nails and Teeth also, though these by the same way of putting off the old ones. But for the inward, chief and needful parts, hewn out of the Seed at first, by the Natural Workman, it shall neither make nor marre any, onely change and alter, purge and place them all in their former State and Soundness, Youth and Lustiness.

Then let us see how we may be renewed and wax
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Young again in that order; beginning first with those idle and needless things (I cannot call them Parts) of the Body, which after we were made up and finished, grew and sprung out from the Leavings of our Meat and Nourishment, the Teeth, Nails and Hair; As for the Skin, it is a part of the Seed, or the Crust that overcast the thing, when it was fully baked. Then, as these keep no certain course and order of Kinde in coming, for (to omit Hair, that comes and goes upon every light Occasion) some are born without Nails; some with Teeth, when others again have none before they wax old, and such like disorders; so, no doubt, by Skill, they may come and go again, without any hurt, or great change to the Body.fPliny tells of one whose Teeth came again after he was an hundred years old and up∣wards: and I know not well whether the Souldiers in gGermanicus his Host, that by drinking of a Spring by the River Rhyne, had their Teeth shaken out and loose, had them come again, or no: But this is certain, that there be Waters in the World, which by a special quality, make those Beasts that drink thereof, cast their Hair, Horns and Hoofs, and so renew them.

What need many more words? This part is easie, and of small weight, we may pass it over: But that an old, withered, crooked, feeble and barren Man, should be taken from the brink of his Grave, as it were, and led back to his former Youth and Lustiness, is a thing, say they, both in Truth false, and in Reason incredible; nay, if two such Men were set before us, it would seem, in sense, ridiculous:—Indeed it will seem to such Men, as are either all Sense, and no Reason, or else whose Wit is all bestowed upon the search of such
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Truth, as is not worth the searching.

If it had been spent about the deep and hidden works of Nature, there would have some appeared as great as this is, and staid all Childish Wonders; for my part, I am willing enough to supply that want, to unfold the greatest Acts of Kinde, and set them before you, but that this Work grows too fast, and proves bigger than either I wist or would, it is planted upon so good and fruitful a Ground; yet have one or two of the fittest examples, and nearest, and match them and this toge∣ther, that you may see it, at last, fall out no jest, and worthy laughter (I am loth to fall into the mouthes of Jesters) but a sad and earnest matter.

Is it not as hard and wonderful a change, think you, to see a Woman suddenly prove a Man, as to behold an old Man, by little and little wax Young again? Com∣pare;—yes, but you doubt of the Story:hPliny is mine Author still, who reports of three such sundry chances, whereof he himself saw, (he names the place and party) performed upon her marriage-day. (i) Gardan doubts no whit of the Truth, but ventures at a Reason for it, (which because it is both likely to be true, and unseemly to be told, I will let it go) and voucheth the same change i again, but in another kinde; and yet more strangely than the first, and whereof no Man ever durst or could yield a Reason. k The same Man a∣gain saith, that the cruel Beast Hyaena every year chan∣geth her Sex, being by course one year Male, another year Female, never ceasing nor missing that strange and
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marvellous turning. Is not this a much more hard and greater kindly change and alteration than that we spake of? Then we grant Nature is able to do this, if she be willing; But it seemeth no, because she never doth it; she runneth still, if she be not letted her appointed race: But if there be many dead chances able to lett and hin∣der this Course of Nature, how much more can the Wit of Man (which is a spark of that Minde which gave Kinde her Commission) do it? As he doth often (if I might stand to shew it) both stop and lengthen, and turn her course another way, and yet she is ever willing and con∣senting.

Let us see then for this matter in hand, how Skill is able to over-rule Kinde by her own consent, and make her willing to return, and wax Young again. First let us know, that all Philosophersl hold the Life and Soul, and Natural Heat to be alwayes of it self young and lusty, and never old, but to appear so by reason of the failing parts, her Instruments; And that I have often shewed it a kinde of Fire, waxing and waning still ac∣cording to her Meat and Motion: Then here is one good help to the great Work of Renewing: In like sort the parts of the Body are not marred and lost, but as they say of a Rich Man, that he is decayed, when his Money, the Life of the World, hath left and forsaken him m; Even so, when our Natural Heat, the Life of this little World, is faint and gone, the Body shrinks up, and is de∣faced; But bring again Heat into the parts, and likewise Money into the Bankrupts Coffers, and they shall be both lusty, and flourish again as much as ever they did.

But how may this Heat be brought again? To make
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few words, even as she is kept and held, by due Meat and Motion; for if she faint, and falleth for want of them onely, then give her them, and she shall recover her self again; Meat is the bait that draws her down: Motion comes after, like a Gad-Bee to prick her forward; but the work is performed in this Order: first this Meat, which is that fine and Aethereal Oyl often above-descri∣bed, by the exceeding piercing swiftness divides, scat∣ters and scowres away the gross and foul Dregs and Leavings, which for want of the Tillage of Heat, had overgrown in our Bodies, and which was cast like a blockish Stay-fish in the way, to stay the free course of the Ship of Life: These flying out of all sides abun∣dantly, pluck up all the old Leavings of Hair, Nails and Teeth by the roots, and drive them out before them: In the mean while our Medicine makes not onely clear way and passage for Life, if she list to stir and run her wonted race, (which some think enough of this matter) but also scattereth all about her due and desired Meat and first Moisture to draw her forward.

By which means our Life having gotten both her full strength and liveliness, and returned like the Sun in Summer into all our quarters, begins to work afresh as she did at first; (for being the same upon the same, she must needs do the same) knitting and binding the weak and loose Joynts and Sinews, watering and concocting all by good digestion, and then the idle parts, like leaves, shall in this hot Summer spring and grow forth afresh, out of this new and young temper of the Body, and all the whole face and shew shall be young again and flou∣rishing.

This is quickly spoken, say you; If it were as soon
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done, it were a happy Medicine; Nay that were an Mi∣racle, but I work no Miracles; I onely help, as I said, the willing race of Kinde: wherefore, as a Man is long decaying and wearing away, or rather in making and waxing to his perfection, so in mending, no doubt, he cannot return all at once, but must creep back by little and little, and so be restored: or else I would have told you at the first dash of that Spring in the Isle Bovicca, which (as P.nMartyr doth witness) will in few dayes restore a Man quite, (having grey hairs and wrinkles) and make him young again. Nay, if I had taken a course to delight Women and Children, and to win credit a∣mong the common sort, I could have sought the Le∣gend, and rifled all the goodly Wonders in the World, and fitted many to my purpose. But as I serve Nature, and wait upon a wiser Mistress, yea and in the most in∣ward and secret place among them, so I would by my Will, speak nothing that should not be pleasing in her sight, and well-sounding in the Ears of Wisdome; wherefore, let these few suffice for this Matter.

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CHAP. IV. Of RICHES.
VVE are now come to that point at last, which the Golden World looked for first, the way to Riches; because it is indeed the last and lowest part, (being Servants, and so to be used) and yet very need∣ful, and not to be spared in this blessed Houshold; for although we have all the helps of Long Life, Health and Youth that may be, yet if we want the service of Riches, Poverty will besiege us, and keep us under, and cut off and hinder many goodly Deeds and Works of Wisdome and Virtue:—But what are Riches? for the World and Philosophy agree not in this account: No nor this with∣in it self. The Worldo reckons store of Gold and Sil∣ver to be Riches; Aristotle, enough of needful things; the Stoicks, enough of Earth and Air: To begin here; These might be stretched and made large enough, but that we know their straitness: would they have us live by breath alone, and never eat, according to the guise which I set out in the Art of Healing? Be it pos∣sible, as it seemeth, yet it is somewhat feeble, as I shewed there, and so somewhat halting and unperfect (by lack of Youth and Lustiness) for our first and perfect Life appointed, besides the maims and hurts of Pover∣ty, which I right now touched.

Aristotle is somewhat strait also, for so the Beasts are rich as well; If he had put in enough of things
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needful for good Life, wherefore we were made, he had said much better, yet not all, for so should all the bodily means and helps aforesaid be counted Riches, a great deal too confusedly. Now much less can we rate the Golden-wealth right and true Riches,p because a Man may die with hunger for all this; as he that sold a Mouse for two hundred pence, died himself for lack of Food, when the Buyer lived; and q this was done (to let go feigned Midas) when Hannibal besieged Casi∣line.

Then true Riches are enough of outward things need∣full for good Life, that is, for our BLISSE above-set: But because that golden and worldly Wealth is a ready and certain way and means to this, (out-barring Vio∣lence, which no man can warrant) we will use the cause for the effect in this place, and strive to shew how all Men may get enough of Gold and Silver; and that by weaker means than HERMES Medicine, as the place re∣quire•h, although by the same way concerning the Stuff we work on, that is, by turning base Metals into Silver and Gold. This is the hard matter, which turns the edge of worldly Wits; the brightness, I say, of this glorious thing, dazles the Eyes of the common and blear-ey'd People, because it is, in their account, the best and highest and most happy thing in the World; when in deed and truth, as it is the least and lowest, and worst of all the helps unto BLISSE belonging, so it is in proof and trial, the less hard and troublesome both to Art and Nature, the most ready, and easie to be gotten and performed.

And to shew this, (we will make no long tarrying) it were good first of all to enter into the way and order
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which Nature below keepeth, in making the Metals un∣der ground. If I thought I might not run into that part of rSocrates accusation, for searching over-deep∣ly the Under-ground-matters: But I hope I shall not, now by the mighty pains of Miners Spades and Mattocks, the way is made so plain before me; or else sure, as they be indeed, I would account them over-deep and hard for my Pen to dig in.

Then all under-ground Bodies, which the Arabians call Minerals, are either Stones, or hardsJuyces (which we name Middle-Minerals) or else they be Metals: These, as all other perfect things, have all one Stuff, Earth and Water, and one Workman, the Heat of Hea∣ven, as I said above: for their Womb, because they be but dead things, as they call them, t the Earth will serve. But for that Nature meant to make most per∣fect things in that kinde, which require long time to fi∣nish them, she chose a most sure and certain place, u even the deep and hard Rock it self; not to the end the Earth might hide them as hurtful things, and lean upon them with all her weight, as wSeneca saith very severely, or rather finely (for we know how he hunts af∣ter fineness) like an Orator, to whom it is granted to lie a little in a Story, that he may bring it in the more prettily, as the xOrator himself confesseth.

Then the manner of the work of Minerals is this: first the Water piercing downwards, softens and breaks the Rock, taking her course still that way where it is softest, to make the cross and crooked race, which we see, y of Wombs, called Veins and Pipes of the Mine∣rals:
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But as the Water runneth (to take the stuffe as the next thing in order) it washeth and shaveth off small z pieces of the Rock, and when it stands and gathers to∣gether in one place, a by continuall drayning clenseth and refineth the same, untill the middle heat of the Earth, which is the heat of Heaven, come, and by long boyling makes it thicker, and grow together in one bo∣dy of many kinds, according to the difference of the stuffe and heat, which they call Hard-juices, as I said, or Middle-minerals.

This Workman continuing and holding on his labour, (though Agricolab saith the cold and drought of the Rock now layes hold upon the stuffe, and by little and little, at last binds it into that hard form of a Metall; Nay, though Aristotle from the beginning gives the work to the same cause) out of the heart, as it were, and best part of them, wringeth out at last, a clean, close and heavy, raw, waterish and running Body, called Quick-silver. Here it standeth in perfection of this Minerall work, except there chance (which chance happens of∣ten) by the means of that boyling any contrary hot and dry breath of the same kind, to be made withall in the same place. Then this meeting with that raw, waterish and unshapen lump, like Rennet with Milk, or Seed with Menstrue, curdles, thickens, and fashions it into the stan∣ding body of a Metall.

This Minerall breath our cMen, for his likenesse in Quality, (though their Substance doe greatly differ) doe use to call Brimstone: Now when this d second and earthly heat is come into the work, the milde d heat of Heaven sets the stuffe, which stayed before, to work again, and drives it forward, and these d two toge∣ther,
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by continuall boyling and mingling, alter and change, clense and refine it from degree to degree, un∣till at last, after many yeares labour, it came to the top of perfection in Cleannesse, finenesse, and Closenesse, which they call Gold. These degrees, if the Heat be gentle and long-suffering (as they say) be first eLead, then Tinne, thirdly Silver, and so to Gold: But if it be strong and sudden, it turnes the weake work out of the way quickly, and burnes it up, and makes nought but Iron, or at least if the Heat be somewhat better, Copper.—Yea, and sometimes the foulnesse of that e•rthly Brim∣stone alters the course of Nature, in this work. As also there is oddes f of Quick-silver: But indeed the cause of all the difference is in the working Heat, that maketh and disposeth the beginning, midst, and end of all thus or thus, according to her strength, and continuance, and which is the main ground to this purpose, Quick-silver is the Mother of all the Metalls.

Now, when the work is done, it lyeth yet g as it did all the while, in a thick flowing form, like the form of a molten Metall, and when the owner comes to enjoy it, bringing in the cold breath of the Aire upon it, like unto hCorall, and other soft and growing Sea∣plants, it freezeth and hardeneth of a sudden, fit for the turn and use of Man, wherefore it was made and or∣dained. These be the grounds of the most and best Men, that is, of Men best seen, and furthest travelled in such matters; whereunto Cardane, a man indifferent, and none of us, and yet very learned, agreeth jump as may be.

But lest these dimme and little lights may seem to be darkned with the brightnesse and fame of Aristotle
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and his Scholar Theophrast, and the late renowned A∣gricola, holding hard the contrary, and the same some∣time stifly maintaining, I will as much as in me lyeth, and my narrow bounds will suffer, endeavour to lay the Reasons all down in order, which moved them to think thus, and staied them in the same opinion: That Wise∣men at least may weigh one Reason with another, and judge which is the weightiest, and worthy to bear the best price, without the vain regard of outward shewes and Authorities.

First, that the Minerall stuffe sprung out from those rock-shavings aforesaid, all cunning Miners can tell you, who still by the nature and grit of the stone, though there be twenty sundry sorts, (as there be sometimes) in the Rock, are able certainly to say this or that Veine follow∣eth. But to passe over lightly the lighter matters, and such they grant as well as we: The Quick-silver is the nearest stuffe and Menstrue, or Mother of Metals, that is the thing in great strife and question; when it need∣ed not in mine opinion, if we mark the consent of all those Men, in all Nations, that put the name upon things (which were not of the unwisest so•t) flatly to allow his saying, when they by calling it in iGreek, Latine and other Tongues, Quick or liquid silver, in secret meaning plainly say, that if by the force of those two hot Work∣men aforesaid, it were staied and better purged, k it were nothing else but silver: for indeed Avicen, and some other of the learned side, leaving out the middle degrees, hold the very same opinion; which I also thinke true, if the stuffe and heates (as they are in hot Countries) be good and faultlesse.

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But the disputers will account this kind of Argu∣ment unskilfull, and soone cast it off: Then l remove the cold that at last came upon the Metall and hardened it, and it appeares to the eye nothing else but such an altered Quick-silver: Or, if the witnesse of sence be sometimes false and deceitfull, enter into our School, and behold them by a more kindly and gentle way, lead them back to a true Quick-silver, both in cold and heat abiding; being a true m rule in Philosophy, E∣very thing to be made of that, whereunto it is loosned and dissolved.

But if this will not serve, passe a little further into the border and edge of secrets, and you shall see them by following the steps of Kinde underneath (which I mark∣ed out before) that is by sowing the dissolved seedes and breaths of Metalls upon Quick-silver, to curdle and bring her into that form of Metall, which they will and wish for.

Now for that earthly Brimstone; As Nature to make a perfect Wight, is fain to break her first order, and to take the help of an hot Womb, and of another Workman; even so, to frame a perfect dead Creature, beside the help of a certain dead Wombe, she must needs use the hand of a lusty fellow Workman, both to fashion and to boyle it to perfection; then, as nAristotle saith, The Sun and Man make a Man, and the rest have two work∣ing and moving causes, the Heat of Heaven, and the breath of the Male-seed; so in this work of Metall, there is not onely the great and o generall begetting breath of Heaven, but also the private and particular seed of the Earth their father.

That there lacks a little Earth to stay Quick-silver,
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Aristotle himself sheweth by a pretty like example; He p saith the Hares blood flameth still when it is cold, whereas others stand, because it wants those earthly Streams which others have, to make it grow together, as we may see by tryall, q finding no bloud which hath them with a Strainer taken away, to stand and clu∣ster, but run continually. Even so, take away the Earth and Brimstone of a Metall, (which our Art can doe) and the Water will not stand again, but flow for ever: And this is generall, if we mark well, that nothing stands and leaves his running, before Earth ruling binds and stayes him.

Whosoever allowes not this way of making Metalls, besides other fayls and errors, he shall never unfold the Nature of Quick-silver, as we may see by rAristotle and sAgricola, strugling and striving against the stream about it, giving the cause of his flowing and flying from the Fire, unto abundance of Ayre in him, for then his lightnesse and feeding of the Fire, two things far from his nature, would as well as in all ayrie Bodies appear and shine forth unto us. But he that stands upon our Grounds and Rules laid down before, may easily perceive his raw,tcold and watry condition, to make him fly the Fire his Enemy; and this even proportion in power, and equall rule of Earth and Water in him, to be the cause of his running. The first is plain; But there is as much Earth in power, as Water in Quick-silver, (albeit it seems all Water, for a little Earth is as strong as much Water) and no more of this then of that, surely mingled and put together, appears, because it is the onely dry Water in the World; her Earth haling one way makes her dry, and her Water another causeth her to flow: but
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this is a certain sign thereof, that when we find by rea∣son all other things, if either Earth or Water ruleth over them, either to stand with Cold and harden, or else to melt with Fire and Water; yet we see plainly this one dry Water called Quick-silver, to stoop and yeeld to nei∣ther. But to our purpose.

The Reasons why the heat of Heaven is the Workman in the Mine, are many; but hear a few, and briefly de∣livered. If he worketh and mingleth (as I proved above) all perfect mingled Bodies, then what shall lett and bar him from this labour also? the depth and hardnesse of the Rock? No, for if those subtile Bodies,u which we call Spirits, are able, in the opinion of all Men, to pierce through stone-walls, without breach or sign of passage, how much more subtile, and strong, and able to doe it, is this heavenly Soul? But all Men grant the Workman∣ship (w) of living things to flow from the onely cause and fountain; Then tell us how it comes to passe, that Fish (by the witnesse of good Authors) are sometimes found in the deep and sound Earth, where no Water run∣neth? Nay which way doe very Toads get into certain Rocks in Germany, and Milstone-Rocks in France, even so close that they cannot be spyed, before they be set in grinding, and break themselves, as xGeorge Agricola reporteth.

But, if Mineralls as well as Plants, take Food and Nourishment, wax and grow in bignesse, all is clear, I hope, and void of doubt; This will I prove hereafter. In the mean time, let us win it again by proof and tryal,
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the strongest Battery that may be. Cold binds and ga∣thers in the stuffe of both like and unlike, grosse and fine together, without any clensing or sundering; But Me∣talls, especially Gold, are very finely and cleanly purged Bodies. Again, if Cold had frozen and packt up Gold to∣gether, y the force of Heat (as we see the proof in all things) should cut the bands, and unmask the work a∣gain, which is not. To this, what Colour springs from Cold but his own waterish and earthy colour? That z if a thing be dyed with other Colours, we know straight∣way where it had them. Besides, aCold leaves no smell behind it; but Heat is the cause of all smells. Then, to omit the fiery smell of some stones, and sweet savour of others, and the variety of sent in Juices, how hapned it that Silver found at Mary-berg smelt like Violets, as Agricolab reporteth? That all Men feel the unplea∣sant scent of Copper, and other base metals? But mark the practice of the plain Men when they devise to judge of a Mine below, c they take their aime at no better mark, then if by grating two stones of the hill together, they feel a smell of Brimstone, because they take this the Leaving of the Metals in their concoction.

To be short, doe but cast with your selves, d why there be no Metals but in Rocks and Mountains, unlesse these unload them, and shoot them down into the Plain; and then, wherefore chiefly foul Metals in Cold, and fine Silver and Gold, besides Precious Stones in Hot Countries, and you shall finde the cause of this to be the e difference of that purging and refining Heat, and the closenesse of the Place to keep in that heavenly heat, and barrennesse withall, and emptinesse of Plants to draw it forth and spend it.

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Some cannot conceive how Heat should cause this Matter, when they feel not Heat in the Mine; I will not say to such, that this Heat is most f mild and gentle every where, and there especially; but bid them bring up a piece of Minerall earth, and lay it in the open Ayre, and they shall feel, if they lay their hand upon it, g no small, but a burning Heat, by the cold blast stirred up and raised; even as the lurking heat of Lime is stirred up with Water.

Wherefore we may safely set down, h and build up∣on it, that all Mineralls are made with Heat, and get thereby their Being and Perfection; Albeit, the out∣ward shape and last cover (as it were) of the work is put on by Cold.

Now for the steps and degrees of Metals, that they all except Iron and Copper (though some doe not except them) arise from the steps and degrees of baking the self same thing and stuffe of Quick-silver, it appears in Lead-mines, where is alwayes, for the most part, some Gold and Silver found, by report of good Authors. And therefore iAlbert saith, that cunning Miners use in such case, to shut up the Mine again for thirty or forty years, to bake the Lead better, and lead it on to perfe∣ction, and that thing to have been found true in his time in Sclavonia.

But what doe white and yellow kCoppers sometime found in the Ground, signifie unto us, but that Nature was travelling by way of Concoction unto the end of Silver and Gold? Again, how comes it to passe, that plain Artificers can fetch l out of every Metall some Gold and Silver, and out of these some base Metall, unlesse Gold and Silver were the Heart and best part of
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the whole Body, and of one self same thing with the Metals? Nay mParacelse avoweth that not onely these, but Mines of Middle-Minerals, things further off, as you know, are never without some Silver or Gold; and therefore he giveth counsel to water them, as it were Plants with their own Mine, and kindly water, assuring us that they will grow up to ripeness, and in few years prove as rich as any Silver or Gold Mine.

Then we see at last, the truth of this Metalline Ground unshaken, and standing sure for all the Battery of the stoutest Graecians, that nAll Metals have but one Quicksilver, Stuff, Kind, and Nature, being all one self same thing, differing by degrees of Cleanness, Fine∣ness, Closeness, and Colour; that is, by those Hang-byes, called Accidents, sprung out from the degrees of Boyling and Concoction: It is now time to go to build upon this Matter, and to shew how these lower and unclean Me∣tals may be mended, and changed into Silver and Gold, to make the way to attain Riches.

If all Metals are so neer and like one another, especially some of them (which I set down be∣fore) wanting nothing but continuance of Cleans∣ing and Purging by Concoction; then sure this exchange may seem no such hard and impossible matter, nor to need perhaps the help of the Di∣vine Art of Hermes, but a Lesser, and Baser Skill may serve the turn: And as Nature is not Poor and Needy, but full of Store and Change, so may Skill, if She will mark and follow the steps of Nature, find more wayes then one to one Matter. Then, which is the lower way, and lesser Skill following Nature? We will fetch it from that way, which we saw Nature take even now
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beneath the Ground: What is that? I will tell you shortly.

As Nature in her work below used two hot Work∣men, so will I; and because we cannot tarry her leisure, and long time she taketh to that purpose, we will match and countervail her little Heats with proportions an∣swerable and meet for our time, that we may do that in fourty dayes which she doth in as many years. And this proportion is not hard to be found, when we con∣sider the odds and space that lieth between the Foun∣ders Fire and the gentle Heat of Heaven: And again, the difference betwixt such a scowring Purger, and that Eater above, consuming Stones and Iron so quickly, and the milde Heat and easie Breath that thickned Quick-sil∣ver. And therefore as the Miners do well in trying and purging, the rude Metals from the outward filth & leav∣ings, besides a great outward fire, to put to the lump ma∣ny o hot and piercing things, to further the work of Boiling; so after they have done, and made the Metals clean and handsome, if we mean to cleanse them fur∣ther from the inward Filth and Drossiness, we must take the same course, but with greater force and skill, even so much more, as it is more hard to part away the in∣ward and in-bred uncleanness, then the outward and strange scurf and foulness.

Although I did set before divers differences and marks upon the Metals, yet, indeed they are but two to be counted of; and there is no odds between them and Gold, but in Closeness and Colour; the rest, as Cleanness, Fineness, Weightiness, and Stedfastness in the Fire, fol∣low all under Closeness; for a thing is close, p when much stuffe is packt up together in a narrow room,
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which cannot be unless the stuffe be clean and fine be∣fore; and when q this is so packt up it must needs be weighty and stedfast also; heavy for the much stuffe, but stedfast for two causes, both for that there is neither r entrance left for the Fire to pierce and divide the stuffe, (and by division all things are spoiled) nor yet any gross or greasy stuffe, the food of Fire remaining—Quick-silver, as I said, was clean at first, and if it meet with a fine Brimstone, to stay and fasten it, (which is of∣ten in hot Countreys) it straitway, (I mean without a∣ny middle steps) proveth Silver, and then Gold: But if that curdling breath be foul and greasie, (as it is most commonly,) it turns Quick-silver into foul Metals first, and the work must tarry longer leisure to be made clean and perfect, that is, until such time as that foul Brimstone be clean purged out, as it is onely in sCold.

That Nature doth in due time, and Art by imitation may part and drive away all that filthy Rennet, this is a sign, because it is no part of the thing; How is that proved? For that it is the Male-seed, that begets, makes, and fashions all, and t nought begets it self, but is made by a strange and outward Mover, which is like a Carpenter, or other Workman towards the work that he maketh. That this is so, it is plain by the Male-seed of Wights,u which is not the waterish stuffe seen with Eyes, (that is but a shell given for the safe keep∣ing) but an unseen Hot Breath of their Bodies, whereby alone without the help of that shell, many Wightes be∣get their Mates with Young, as we may read w in Ari∣stotle, and other good xAuthors; but what makes it so plain as the barren Eggs which many Birds fashion
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fully in themselves by conceit of Lust, wanting onely an outward quickning cause from the Male.

Then how shall we purge out this foul and greasie Workman to make the work of any Metal close and well-coloured? Nature would have done this in time by concoction without any other help; But we must have to shorten the time fit for our use, two devices; one to breed Closeness, and the other to bring on good Colour: The first is a binding Skill, the next is a dy∣ing Cunning; for the first, let Nature still be our guide and leader; As she, in all her easie changes, useth to consume and raze out the weaker with the stronger, like so we, if we mean to devour and consume all the gross and greasie stuffe of the Metal, that when all is clean and fine, the Fire may draw it up close together, we must encounter it with a strong Like: What was that Brimstone, or any other filth in Quick-silver, and of what stock think you? Did I not tell you it sprung out of a confused heap of Middle-Minerals, and was a Mine∣ral Breath and Vapour? Then let us take the foul and sharp MInerals, and in a strong Fire set them upon the Metal,y and they shall sure, by searching and lifting round about, quickly draw to them, eat and drink up all the weaker like dross of the Metal, and leave the rest which is unlike, clean and untouched: I need not stand any more about it; Do we not see how zSope, a filthy strong thing, in battail and work with a foul and filthy Cloth, takes and eats up the filth as his Food and Like meat, and leaves the Unlike Cloth clean and spotless? Nay to come neerer, how doth Antimony that fierce and foul Mineral, where he is set on work with Gold to cleanse him, search and run all over the
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Metal, take and consume his like meat, and the strange and unclean parts, leaving the rest as unlike and unmeet for him: To be short, if you mark well, you shall find it the plain, ready, and kindly way, not onely in all purgings, but in every natural changing.

Then let this part go by, and sith now the Metal i• as clean, fine, and weighty again as Quick-silver, and as close and stedfast as Silver, or rather more; let us take the next Point in hand, and bring on the Colour of Gold: This standeth upon two Points; It must have the fair∣ness, and lastingness of Gold: That first is an easie mat∣ter in the proof of common Skill; But here is all the cunning, to die the Metal all over with an everlasting Colour; To this purpose, it had need be able to pierce the Metal, and to abide all Fire: That first is not hard again, but how shall this be done? Perhaps we need not strive, before we lay the Colour, to make it stedfast and abiding; but like as Gold will so fast embrace, and hold his flying maker Quick-silver, if she be a little cleansed and made fit to receive him, that no Fire shall depart them, so the closeness of this our stedfast Metal shall defend and save the Colour. But suppose it will not, yet if Iron and Copper, nay if the Middle-minerals may be bound and made abiding in the Fire, (as our Men hold and teach) then their aColours may be stay∣ed and made stedfast also.

What is remaining? If you be not yet content, go to School and learn to fasten and stay b flying Spirits, as they call them. Cardane who denies it possible to make an open Metal close and stedfast, yet allows this matter easie; And sith we are here, and he is so ready, let us talk with him a little. I marvel much at him, a
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Man so well learned, (but indeed not skill'd in this Art, the chief of all Learning) that although he had spoken well a great while, and allowed all Metals to be made all of one stuffe, and to travel by one way of Con∣coction unto one end, cGold, and to differ but by one accident onely, and chance of those degrees of boyling; and thereby yielded that all the fouler Metals may be turned into one another, and Silver likewise in∣to Gold, because it is nothing else but imperfect Gold, and the worser part thereof, wanting nought but Colour, which is easie, and a little closeness, which by purging out of the greasie food of Fire, may be given him; yet for all this, he denies it possible to change any of the lower Metals into either Silver or Gold, because of over-sudden Heat (as I said of Iron and Copper) being burnt they cannot be brought to their old Quick-silvery cleanness, nor yet be made abiding and stedfast in the Fire.

This he would never have said, if he had been brought up in our Trade of Learning: He should have seen us easily lead the Metals back from whence they all came, and then, by means aforesaid, stay them; for, he grants himself that all the cause of uncloseness, un∣steddiness, and wasting in the Fire, is that our fatty Brimstone, and that it may be cleansed out of Silver; Why not out of the rest also? Will they not abide the violence? Not at first, but by little and little they will, as Gentle and Wise Men know how to use them.—There are others also as well as he, Erastus and such like, that deny this Art of Changing: if I thought these Men needed any labour of reproof, who through ignorance of the points they handle, blunder and rush in
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the dark, cross and reprove themselves all about, in such sort as they seem rather to d move pity to the standers by, than to make a challenge, and to call forth an Adversary.

Then such Men I will exhort to be better advised, by the view of certain plain examples, which I will lay down before them, and thereby wish them to stay their over-swift and fore-running judgments, until they come to the trial and battel it self, in that which shall fol∣low.

Lead, as the Workmen know, is one of the greatest spoilers of his fellows the foul Metals in the World: save them from the rage of him, upon a shell of Ashes, which they call a Test, and he is counted safe, sure, and stedfast enough against all assayes. Cardanee tells of a Man at Millain, which I know not how so dressed and armed his face and hands, as he could suffer to wash them in molten Lead; Might not then a tougher and hard Metal be more easily armed and fenced against all force and violence? Nay, you shall see more Wonders by the skill of Nature easily performed. Clear fChrystal saves the Cloth that is wrapt about it from the rage of Fire: so doth Oyl defend Paper,g insomuch that you may seethe Fish therein, without either burning the Paper, or the Oyl soaking through; and all this is be∣cause the extreme and deadly feuds do save the middle
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thing by their fighting. Is it then a Wonder if Iron or Copper, be by some pretty slight, or kindly skill de∣fended from all Fire, and made sure and stedfast? To draw neerer unto you; It is very well known, that base and unripe Gold,h as it were a mean between Silver and Gold, wanting Colour and Closeness, wasting much away in time of proof and trial, may by some of the lesser and lower degrees of binding be refined, and made as good as the best Gold in the world. Then, is there any lett in Reason, why the rest, especially Silver, by strong and more forcible means, may not be bound and coloured, and reach perfection?

To conclude, if we may, by tracing the Path of Kinde, which she treadeth daily, turn a Plant or Wight into Stone, and a Mineral into a Metal, and Lead into Tinne, nay Lead into Copper, (as I will prove hereaf∣ter) with so great exchange and increase of Colour and Closeness; then tell me, why by means fitted in pro∣portion, Lead, or rather Copper may not be turned into Silver; or either of these, especially Silver, into Gold.

Therefore, to make up all; Paracelsei reporteth for certain, that in Carinthia they commonly turn Cop∣per into Silver, and this into Gold in Hungary: Though he names not the means whereby they made those ex∣changes, yet we may easily judge those wayes of bind∣ing and colouring set down before, that is, lesser wayes then HERMES Medicine, and yet sufficient to serve our turn, and to raise that Wealth appointed, as we may see by guesse of their common practise, which else were empty, vain and foolish; as also by the light charge of Middle-Minerals, in respect of the return and gain of Gold.

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And if the praise of an Enemy be lightly true and uncorrupt, let us hear what Porta, a denier of the Art of Hermes, confesseth upon his own experience; that Quick-silver divers wayes may be bound, and coloured, and made perfect Gold and Silver; and one way when it is with Brimstone burnt and made Cinabar, very gainfully: (which thing Joannes Chrysippusk also found true:) And further that in his due time and place, Mercury by the smoke of Brimstone within one Moneth will be turned into perfect Luna.

I might press you with more as good proofs and tri∣als of Men of credit; but here is enough, I say, to stay your judgment for a while: Let us go forward.

CHAP. V. Of VVISDOME and VIRTUE.
SIth now Long Life, Health, Youth, Riches are dis∣patched, and we have gotten such a goodly Quire of Helps, Instruments, and Means to Wisdom and Virtue, that is, to perfect BLISSE and HAPPINESSE; what is wanting but Will and Diligence to bring all Men unto it? unless there be some, as there be many, so lewd and fond by Birth and Nature, having the difference de∣faced, and being so far from their Kind estranged unto the kind of Beasts, that although they lack not those helps and furnitures, no nor Good-Will and Endevour
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to set them forward, yet all will not serve to amend them, and bring them to Wit and Goodness.

Then let us seek the salves for these two sores like∣wise, that we may make it, at last, a whole and perfect Happiness: let us, I say, bend our selves to shew the means how all foul and vicious persons, may be cured and brought to health of Mind, which is Wit and Good∣ness.—No cure can be skilfully performed, with∣out the cause be first known and removed: The cause of Wisdom and Virtue, and so of their contraries, (for one of these do bewray another) I opened heretofore when I brought into the Bound and Houshold of BLISSE, yet two other properties, that is, Clearness and Temperateness of Bodies.—But, because we have no such grounds and beginnings, l as the Measurers have given and granted, and it behoves, if we mean to build any thing, our selves to lay all the foundation; let us take the matter in hand again, that those two are the very causes and makers of this health of Mind, that is, of Wisdom and Virtue, and then teach the way to ap∣ply the remedies.

To begin with Wisdom, (for that Knowledge had ever need to go before Doing,) and therein to let pass all the idle subtilties about the difference between mSapience and Prudence, (if I may so term it for once and use it not) as one of them to be seen in general n and everlasting, the ot•er in particular and changeable things, &c. because they ought evermore (as I shewed at first) to go together, (even as our Tongue better than either Greek or Latine, hath linked and shut them up both in one Word together:) I will take the Common and true bounds of Wisdom, that is to wit, The Know∣ledge
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of Divine and Humane things; those containing all Mindes and Bodies; these the Matters and Affairs of private Men, Families, and Common-wealths.—It will be very hard, indeed, to bring a Fool to be able to understand all these matters: But let us march, we have passed greater dangers.

And if in this Discourse of the Minde, (as well as in the former of the Soul, and some other) I call in a∣gain the best Philosophers, and make them abide the brunt, I hope you will not blame me in a course ever blameless, and allowed in matters of such weight, both that the Truth might be the better bolted out, and the Man warded against the shot of Envy.

Therefore letting pass these earthly Judges, as Ari∣stoxenuso, Dicaearchusp, Pliny, Galen, &c. who ra∣ting the Minde as an earthly thing, do adjudge it to die, and to be clean razed out with the Body; and all other wrong Opinions of the same; Mine old Philosophy, where it is best advised, holdeth and teacheth, that, qqqqqAs the soul and life of all things is all one of it self, and all the odds springs from the divers tempers of Bodies; so the Divine and immortal Minde proper unto Man, and Author of Wisdom and Virtue, to be Wise, and alike Wise, and one and the same in all points in all Men (as God from whom it came, is One and Wise) and to differ when it is divided and sent into sundry places, according to the Na∣tures of the same places.rrrrr Even as many Rivers passing
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through many Grounds of sundry qualities do lightly every one take a sundry Taint, Smack, and Nature from the Ground, though at first they all sprung and flowed from one Head and Fountain: Or, more fitly, like as there are innumerable kinds of Lights in the World, differing according to the Seats and Houses that receive them, sss when the light of the Sun, from whence they all receive light, is of it self all one, and the same in all places.

Then as the Sun (think not much if I be still dri∣ven to Likes, because it is the lightsomest way of de∣livering Divine things, wherein you see me plunged; for as the Eye can t behold all things but her self and the Sun, and those it cannot see, but in another thing fit to represent the figure; u even so the Mind, cannot understand her self, nor yet other Divine Matters, so well as in a like and comparison:) As the Sun, I say, of himself ever sheweth, and seeth all things, if his Beames be not stopt with a Cloud, or some other thick imbarment; even so, the Mind alone, and before she fall into the Cloud of the Body, is ever busie, and like∣wise knoweth all things, as unto so Divine a thing be∣longeth: But now w she is intangled and so darkned in this manner, she is sometimes idle, and never seeth all things, yea, nought of all without the leave and help of the Body.

This course therefore she now taketh; Sith she may not her self step forth and range abroad, to see things, she craves and takes the help of the Soul and its ser∣vants, which they call Beames or Spirits: first she useth
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the outward Spirits that sit in the Edge and Border of the Body, for Messengers to receive, (by means of their Instruments and Parts where they lodge) and bring in Tidings, that is, Shewes and Shapes of things: And then the inward Beams sitting in the Brain, take the same Tidings, and represent them, as it were, in a Glass before her, that she may cast her light, (which they call the suffering or receiving Mind) upon them and see them.

To skip over the known Five;—Those inward Wits and Spirits which we have (not unfitly) compared to a Glass, are divided into sundry and several Seats and Offices, first, x one sort called Thought, inhabiting the fore part of the Brain, takes hold, and represents the shapes, let in at the Windowes of the five outward Senses: Then another Crew which we call Remem∣brance, keeping the hinder part of the Head, receiveth still these shapes in great plenty, and layeth them up as it were in a Store-house, until first, the third company of the Soules Spirits, called Common sense, and sitting in the middle of the Brain (as becomes a Judge) calleth for them to examine them and determine of them (though this lower Judge heareth present matters in Thought al∣so) And then at last the great and chief Justice, called Understanding, by laying the things together, and ga∣thering one of another, judgeth of all.

But which is the Seat of the Chief Judge? That is a Question among the Learned: when I take it to be no Question if they all grant that the Soul, by the Pat∣tern of her Sire the ySun in the great World, dwelleth in
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the Heart, the z middle of the Body, that by cast∣ing her Beames all about, and equally to all parts, she might give Light and Life equally to all, as equidi∣stant from all: And in the midst of the Heart, as the onely immoveable, and thereby to move others the onely fit part of the Body; for then sure the Minde, being the inward Kernel, as Plato saith, a of the o∣ther two, the Soul and the Spirit, must needs rest and be rooted there also.

Seeing then the Minde seeth and knoweth nothing but by means of the Soul and his inward Wits and Spirits; nor these, but by the help of the outward ones, called the five Wits or Messengers; nor neither of both, without the parts where they lodge and rest: then, b even as the parts of the Body stand affected and disposed, so doth the Minde understand. Let us go down more par∣ticularly to the matter, and see what Condition or Dis∣position of the Body helps or hinders this Work of Understanding.

After that the Five Wits and Messengers have thus re∣ceived and delivered up the Tidings to the threefold Glasse within the Brain, this by stirring and running up and down presents and musters them before the Minde, and she by casting her light and view, judgeth and deter∣mineth. That we may easily gather two things needful to Wisdom and good Understanding; first, such a Glasse, or such inward Spirits, as are able to receive and hold many shapes imprinted, that is, very clear, clean, and smooth Spirits, by the example of an Eye, that kindly Glass, or of an artificial one, which will easily take and shew, in that case, every little spot, shape, and fashion set upon them; whereas, when they be dark,
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foul, and uneven, they can take nothing, nor yet repre∣sent them if they had them. Secondly, these Spirits had need be quick and lively, that is, hot, to be able by their swift running to and fro, to represent and shew them all apace, and easily, for the Minde doth all by matching and laying things together.

That Heat is the cause of Quickness and stirring of the Spirits, appears in Sickness, Age, and sound Sleep, e∣specially in Age and Sickness, more cleerly than needs any light of teaching. But how in Sleep? when the heat of the Spirits serving Wit, is either loaden with the clogging Fumes and Breaths of the Stomach, or spent either with Labour, or with Sweat, and still be∣holding (for Rest abates Heat, as I ever said) or else lent for a time unto his fellow-servants, the Spirits of Life for digestion sake, then the Spirits of the Brain be still and quiet, and outward and inward Senses, Wit, and Ʋnderstanding all cease at once: But if the Meat (to o∣mit the expence of Heat) was neither much, nor of an heavy and clogging kind, and so neither breathing out loading stuffe, nor needing forraign help to digest it, then our perceiving Spirits begin to take their own and Natural Heat again unto them, and to move a little before the Minde, whereby she beholdeth some old shapes and shewes of things in their passing, which is called Dreaming. But in case they recover all that Heat, they bestir themselves apace, running to the out-side of the Body, and bringing back new tidings to the Minde, which when she perceiveth, it is called Waking.

Then the cause of Wisdom is clear at last, as we see, to wit, a clean and stirring Glass; and of Folly, when the same is foul and still. If the Glasse be fouled all
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over it causeth natural or willing folly, as in Fools, Chil∣dren, and Drunkards: but if it be but here and there besmeared and drawn, as it were, with dark strokes and lines of foul humors, the shapes appear in the Minde even as the forms in a broken Glasse appear to the Eye, by halfs and confusedly, and it maketh Madness.

But how came the Spirits of this inward Glass so foul and slow, when they are of themselves (as be∣cometh the Beams of an Heavenly Soul) both very clean, clear, quick, and lively? (But we need say no more but clear and foul alone, when these two qualities make or mar the whole work of perceiving; for if the Spirits be clear, it is a sign they are in their own Nature, and so hot and quick withal; but if they be foul, it is a token their whole condition and property of Kinde is lost and gone, and so, that stilness is come upon them also.) Neither is that aethereal thing, which is called by the name of a Spirit, that carrieth the Soul and all his Beams down into the Body, and broketh (as I said c above) between them, foul or still of it self; (for Spirits are not, as some Leaches think, made of, but fed with the breaths of our Meat) but very fine, cleer and lively, as all Men grant of Aether. How then? Must it not needs follow, that all the cause of fail and want in this case springeth from the Body, and from that part especially where the Wits inhabit? If the naked Reason, brought in above, will not serve to content this matter, let us leade him forth clad with proof of Eye-sight and Experiences, the plainest, greatest, most filling and sa∣tisfying Reason in the World.

If Man alone doth passe all other Wights in Wit, for his Aiery and Fiery temper above them, as we heard
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before; then if one Man goeth before another in Wit, it must needs follow from the same cause: Now, as Air and Fire are cleer and quick, when Earth and Water are foul and slow, so are the Wights where they bear the sway, affected both in Wit and Body, as appears in dif∣ference between the Hart and the Toad, and all other wholsom and noisom Wights. To go further, d why are the Men so gross and rude, under the two Pins of the World, in the frozen Countreys, and so Civil and Wise in Hot; e as Aristotle well noteth, but for that the outward Heat cleanseth, as it is a cleanser, and drieth, and so cleareth the Bodies? whereas Cold on the other side, binds and thickens, and so likewise by stop∣ping the flying out of the gross, foul, and waterish hu∣mors and leavings, makes all, not onely dark and cloudy, but hot and moist also, as it were drunken, by boiling together, as (e) Aristotle termeth it.

But methinks (I must favour them a little because they are our Neighbours) he might have done better to have resembled those broiled People to Old Men other∣where, and the Aged Men in frozen Countreyes to the Youth in hot Soyles, because the odds between the Wis∣dom of Age and Youth flows from the same cause of Drought and Moisture, that is, Clearness, and Foulness of the Bodies: And therefore fPlato was not ill advi∣sed when he said, that at such time as the Eye of the Body failed, the Eye of the Understanding began to see sharply; because when this waterish Instrument drieth up, with the rest of the Body, though it puts out the sight of Sense, yet it is a Token that the light of Wit increaseth, for Drought as I said, g breeds Clear∣nesse,
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if it be not mixt with coldness, for then it brings in Earthliness, the most foul and sluggish Element of all: And therefore those that are very old and cold, are very doting, and childish again: But if that Drought be seasoned with Heat (the more the better) they make the Man very wise, and full of Understanding, as it hath been alwayes observed: Caesar is described so; but more strangely before him hAlexander, whose Body, by his great Heat and Drought, was not onely most sweet in his life-time, but also able, lying dead above the Ground, in a hot Soil and Season, without any balming, alone to keep it self fresh and sweet, without all taint and corruption many dayes together. But I am too long: Therefore Prophets are said to be wiser than Men, and the Spirits wiser then they, and the Starsi most wise of all, for the odds and degrees in the Heat, Droughth, and Clearness of the Bodies.

Now when we know the cause of this Hurt and Dis∣ease, let us upply the Medicine; let us clear the Ideots body. In many kindes of foolishness, as in Childhood, Drunkenness, Sleep, and Doting Diseases, Nature her self is this Salve, to disperse in her due time and season, and scour out the foul and cloggy, cold and gross humors, which overwhelmed the Spirits, and made them unclean, and quiet: or at least, in the ranker sort of them, as in Doting Diseases, she may be holpen easily and enabled by little skill to do it: that we may judge, if great, and strong, and mighty means of Art chanced once to joyn with Nature, the rankest of all, and deepest
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rooted, that is, Natural folly it self, may be rooted out and dispatched.

But you may reply, as k some do, that the rest, which sprung out from outward, light, and hang-by causes, may be cured; when this being so rooted in the Nature and first mixture of the Seed, (a mixture as ill as a Beastly mixture) can never be mended, unlesse we grant that a Beast may be holpen also, and put on Man∣ly Nature.—I had need send you back to the de∣grees of Kinde, allotted and bounded out above, by the Counsel of Philosophers, whereby you may see, if you consider well, that a Beast standing in a lower kind of mixture, can in no case be bettered and made a Man, unless his temper be marred first, and made anew, and so his Life and Being put out and razed: when as a foolish Man hath no such cause and reason, being both for his Divine Minde, (though it be eclipsed by the shadow of an earthly Body) in respect of his temper a degree a∣bove a Beast, and in the state and condition of Mankinde, fire abounding in him, as his shape declares, as well as in other Men, though not so much, and in the same point and measure. And what is the cause? Not be∣cause Nature meant it so, but by reason she was lett and hindered by some cross thing laid in her way, within the stuffe, whereby she was driven to stray, and misse, and come short of her purpose: like as the MolelAristo∣tle saith, for all her blindness, is in the same kind with all other hot and bloody perfect Wights, which should have all their Wits and Senses; because having all the parts of an Eye whole and perfect, it is a sign that Na∣ture meant to have gone forward, and was lett with the bar of a grosse and thick Skin.

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Now then we see the failes and errours of Kinde by Skill daily corrected: yea and some hold opinion that the blemish in the Mole, may be washed out and mend∣ed also; that we may hold it possible to do the like in this fault of Folly. Nay we may think it more easie than some of them, because there is no several degree and whole kinde, as if Nature had run this race of pur∣pose, which seemeth so in that work of the Mole; but some odd and rare Examples, and as it were, Monsters in kind; or, more fitly, Diseases left by Nature, Descent, and Inheritance, sprung out from some ill temper of the seed of the Parents.

But how may this Disease be cured? All things in kind by the course of Kind, have both their highest and deepest pitch and end, and, as it were, their South and North turns, from whence they still return and go back again, to avoid Infinity. So these natural and left Dis∣eases have their Race, which they run and spend by little and little; And when it is all run, and all the stock of corruption spent, (which is within nine or ten Off-springs) then they mend, and return to health again: such is the Race of Wisdom also, and of all health of Body, (for the health of the Mind is inclosed within that other,) as we see by the Children which Wise men beget, and so forth; the case is plain and easie.

Then we see in this Matter how Nature inclines, and is ready to help her self: and if Art would lend his hand, we may think the cure would be much more speedy, and many parts of the time cut off and abated. And as we find in sores and other lighter inward hurts, this done by slight means of slender Skill; so we may deem that by more mighty means, more great and mighty
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deeds may be performed.—But what do I fetch a∣bout the Matter, when it is above, and as I think suffi∣ciently proved, that all left Leprosies, and other Natural Diseases of the Body, by those Heavenly and Mineral Medicines (which I call the Cure-alls, and Cure-the-greats) may be quite cleansed and driven away; and this is among the number of Left and Natural Diseases, all sprung out from an ill temper of the seeds of Pa∣rents: And to omit the rest; if the Leprosie, flowing from the foulness of the Blood of all the Body, may be cured; much more this, which proceeds from the ill frame of one part onely, that is, from a muddy Brain: Or, if that Disease may be said to come from one part alone, that is, the Liver, because it is the maker of all Blood, yet that one is a most dangerous part if it be ill-affected, because by need of Nature it sends to all places, and so reacheth through all, and striketh all by contagion: whereas the Brain, as other more, keep themselves within their bounds, and stretch no fur∣ther.

But let us go further: If a good and fine Temper, through ill Diet, and passions of the Soul, hath often fallen from a good Wit, to a kind of Madness, scarce to be descried from the state of an Ideot: then sure through the contrary cause, a foul frame may be clear∣ed and rise to Wisdom, by as good reason, as the Art of Reason hath any, especially if those contrary Passions and Diet be holpen and set forward by meet Medicines, which the Graecians know and teach, and wherewith they make great changes in Mens Bodies; But without all doubt and question, if that our most fine, clear, and hot Aegyptian Cure-all came in place to help the mat∣ter:
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for, if the mightier Enemy shall in fight overcome the weaker (as you all grant, and thereon stands your Physick) then shall this passing fineness and clearness, when it ariseth in the Body, like the Sun in the Morning, scatter and put to flight all Mists and Darkness, clear∣ing and scouring mightily by his matchless heat, strength, and swiftness, every part of the Body.

Neither shall you say, Life will not suffer such violent and forcible dealing, when as Life it self shall do it; for what is that which made and mingled at first the foolish Body, but a Beam of Heavenly-Fire carried on a Couch of Aether? And what is this our Heavenly Medicine but the same? as is above shewn at large; Then let us put same to same, strength to strength, and if one, be∣fore, was too weak to break, as it would, and mingle the fond Body finely; now both together, one helping another, and still with fresh supply renewing the Battel, shall be, I think, able to overcome the work, and at last to bring it to the wished end, pass, and perfe∣ction.

If you fly to the last Hold and Shift, and say the time is now past, and occasion of Place and Stuffe now lost, and slipt away, being too hard for Nature, upon so hard a Stuffe and Place to work such exchanges; If you look to her ordinary race in all things, you shall see that she is able, and doth daily rule, square, and frame very gross and unmeet Stuffe in most unfit Places, to our thinking, yea, much more then these in this Work: and not onely the thick and sturdy stuffe of Minerals, cleansing the Rocks, (yet in unseen places) down to the bowels of the Ground: and that grosse and rude gear in the bottom of the Sea, to make Shell-fish: But
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also living, moving, and perceiving Land-Wights, in the close Rocks, (as you heard before) and in the cold Snow, and burning Fire, as those Wormes and Flies in A∣ristotle.

To close up all, and end this matter at once; If you remember how this our Heavenly Cure-all, when he was sent into the Body, to work Long-life, Health and Lustiness, did not onely strike, and kill, and put out of Being all foul and gross distempers, his own and our e∣nemies, but also cherish, nourish, and feed our Bodies, and bring it towards our own Nature, (even as far as we would by disposing of the quantity:) you may easily conceive the plain and certain way of this great ex∣change, when you know his most clean, fine, clear, bright, and lightsome Nature.

Now we have dispatched the first part of BLISSE, let us go to the second; and because we have not done it before, though we talked much thereof, we will now begin to bound the Matter, and make Virtue (as mAristotle and Truth teacheth us) A mean in our out∣ward deeds and dealings with other Men: or A Reason in Manners and Conditions, as Plato termeth it, all is one: The cause of Virtue is likewise set out in the beginning, to wit, A temperate Body, but I left the Proof unto this place, which is all the hardness in this cure of Lewdness: for, if it be once known that Temperateness is the cause of Virtue, we shall easily, by that temperate Medicine, so notable in the speech going before, purchase and procure the same: And why that is so, it hath been so often worn before, that we may quite cast it off, and leave it, being enough, in this place, to prove that a tem∣perate state of Body is the cause and way to Virtue.

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But first let us see whether all Manners flow from the Body or not, and then from what State and Condition of the Body. Among them that have searched the Reason and Nature of things, the cause of Manners is laid upon the Disposition, either of Stars, or of Mens Bodies, or of their Wills, thus or thus framed, either by the bent of Nature, or by use of Custome. Let us scan the matter, and yet briefly. They cannot flow from the Will of the Mind of Man, lest all Men should perforce be good against our daily proof and experience; because the Minde of it self, as coming from goodness, is good, and alike good in all Men, as I said before. And sure no Custome can alter and turn so Divine and Right a Will to lewdness, but by great force of Necessity, which force cannot be sent and laid upon it by the Stars; for whether the Stars be Wights or no, they are all (as I shewed above) of one good n strain and quality.—Or if they were not; or whatsoever they be either in substance or quality, they cannot touch the Mind im∣mediately, but must needs be let in by the loops of the Body, and so change and dispose the Body first and by means of this affect the Mind; for if the Mind it self, a finer thing then the Stars, cannot pierce out of the Body, as we heard before, then much less shall they make way to get in by themselves, without the helps to our Mind allotted; and as these are all bodily, (I mean the first helps) so the neerest cause of Manners must needs flow from the Body: And if the inward Spirits and Wits likewise, do nought without the Instruments of the Body, and follow the Affection and Disposition of the same, then the appetite of the unreasonable Soul, common between us and Beasts (upon which A∣ristotle
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and his heirs do lay the cause of Manners) is dispatched also, and all the whole strain must needs cleerly run from the Body.

But, lest some All-denier come and shake these old Grounds, which you saw the Philosophers lay so long a∣go, and so this Building might fall and tumble, I will shoar it up with Experience, a thing most fit to fill and please the sence of them which have nothing else but sence.

As all Diseases, so all Manners spring, either from the natural and inherited, or from the purchased temper of the Body; To keep the first till anon: This we have either from the Air and Soil where we live, or from the Meat which we take: The Air followeth, either the place of the Sun, or the Nature of the Ground. But this is somewhat too hard and thorny a kind of teach∣ing; let us inlarge our selves, and unfold, and prove, how, (though I shewed the manner at large before) the Air and Meat alters and changeth, and maketh to differ, the Bodies first, and so the Manners.

All oAstronomers and Philosophers, (no otherwise than we see by proof) hold Opinion, that where the Sun is either too neer the People, as right over them, or too far off, as under the two Pins of the World, there the Bo∣dies are big and strong, p and the Manners rude and fierce; whereas within the two Middle and Temperate Girdles of the Earth, they keep a mean, and hit the midst, as they say, both in Body and Manners, for that acquaintance with him, and his fellow-wanderers.

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To come down to the Ground (for I must be short) we see that a fat and q and foggy Land makes the Blood and Spirits thick and gross, and thereby dull and slow, and so the Men fond in Wit, and rude, and sim∣ple, faithful, chast, and honest, and still in that strain of Manners: whereas a barren and dry Ground, if the Sun be temperate therewithal (as at Rome and Athensr ma∣keth the same thin, clear, and lively, subtil and deceit∣ful Men, valiant, unchaste, and so forth of all other pro∣perties appertaining. For meet Manners in Men are like the Virtues and Properties of Plants, following both the sundry tempers of the Bodies, when the Soul in them, and Mind in us, is one in all.—Then as the mixtures, qualities, and virtues of Plants are altered up and down, according to their Food and Sustenance, as (to omit the outward nourishment of the Ground, where∣by sPepper brought out of Calicut into Italy, will, after a few settings, turn into Ivy, and such like): the case is plain, a cunning Gardiner, either by steeping the Seed or Slip, or better by enclosing the Root or Stock, can give to any Plant any colour, taste, smell, or power of Healing: even so the temper of Mens Bodies, and Con∣dition of their Manners change to and fro, upon the same occasion.

To let go that hold in Physick, That distempered Meats do breed the like distempers in those famous Humors which make Complexions, and their Conditions; why are the tTartarians so Beastly and Barbarous in Manners,
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but because (besides their Soil) they eat and drink the Flesh and Blood of Horses? we see the Islandersu of Corsica prove as bold, cruel, and false, as Doggs, whose Flesh they feed upon.—A man may range far in this Field, but let us draw neer home; It is not without cause that wPlutarch,xPlato, and y other grave and wise Philosophers give so strait charge of care and heed in the choice of Nurses▪ Is it not like, nay, in their opinion, certain, that the Child sucks in with their Milk, their outward Shape, and inward Manners? Why not? As well as Beasts, that suck of strangers out of kind, do plainly draw unto them much of their unkind∣ly qualities; as appears by the zFoles in Africa, which by sucking Camels are made more painful then their kind, swift and healthful for it; and enough such like examples might be brought if time would suffer.

To come to our Bodies left us by our Parents: If we see Manners ingrafted and in-bred in Stocks and kindreds, and Children and Nephews still down, to take one after another a long time, by Kind and Nature, (as that curs∣ed father-beating kindred set down in aAristotle, and o∣ther pilfering Stocks, which though they have no need, yet must needs steal; to let pass Lechery, Valour, and other good and bad qualities, which we see daily de∣scend and reign in Kindreds:) whence are these? Not from the Parents Mindes, which off-spring not, nor can be left nor engraffed, but must return straight, and whole, and all at once, when they flit out of this Life, to that Heavenly place from whence they came: Neither are
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all their Wits alike framed by b use and custome, but brought up sometimes quite contrary: Therefore, to cut off the Astronomers opinions, as a string too much discording, those Manners spring out of the cParents seed, which is a part of their Bodies, I mean of their second Bodies, purchased by Meat and Nourishment, which Bodies if they use good and temperate Diet, are ever like the first; otherwise they follow the Nature of the Meats, and of their distempers, as Cardaned in a few of the worst Diets, hath most notably marked, that drunken, or over-studious, or too great fasting, or large Onion-eating Parents, do beget and bring forth, for the most part, mad and frantick Children.

To close up all this First Part, with this one little proof at once: If we find our selves do many things against our Wills, (as when a fearful thing is offered, our Hearts will pant, and fail with fear; when a fair, Lust and his part will arise, whether we will or no, and all incontinency springs from that Root:) then sure the Body must lay this force upon us. But how is this: And which way doth the Body so violently over∣rule, and carry away the Will and Mind after her? when any shape appears in the thought of Man, the doing Mind takes it straight, (we must weare these words with use, and make them softer) and laying it with good or bad, and matching and comparing all things, decrees and determines; and then her Will and Reason, which Plato placeth in the Head, follows and desires: But at the same time steps in another double Will and appetite, sent from that unreasonable and perceiving Soul, which is common between us and Beasts, sitting, one part in the Heart, and desiring out∣ward
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goods; the other in the Liver, and seeking the goods of the Body; And look which of these is strong∣er, that is, which hath the stronger house, either by de∣scent or purchase, (or else the baser would be still the weaker, and obey the better) that prevailes and moves the Spirits unto it; and those the Sinews, and those a∣gain by other middle means the whole Body or part thereof, as is the pleasure of the Commander.

Wherefore to come to the point more plainly, we shall never be good and follow Virtue, that is, a mean and reason in our desires and doings, before these two parts, the Heart and the Liver, be first by Kind, and then by Diet in order, square, and temper, apt to obey the Laws and Rules of Reason.—for to begin with the Root; If the Hearte be very Hot and Moist, the Man is Couragious and Liberal, desiring Honour and great outward things; if Hot and Drie, Cruel, Angry, Deceitful, &c. But if it keep a Mean, and be Temperate in Quality, it keepeth a Mean and obeyeth Reason in that kind of Manners.—for the Liver, if it be f Hot and Moist likewise, it followeth Vene∣ry and Gluttony, if Hot and Drie it doth the same, but crookedly and out of course; but if it be Cold and Drie, the Man on the other side is very Chast and Abstinent; and if Cold and Moist, somewhat Chast and Abstinent, but untowardly: whereas a Temperate Liver holds a Mean in both, and following the Race of Kind, desires to live Soberly in Company, and Ho∣nestly in Marriage, a Life as far from Monks and Ere∣mites, as Gluttons and Lechers.

Wherefore, we see that all Manners proceed from the Temper of those parts, (nay perhaps Understanding
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also, if it varieth still according to the divers Heats and Moistures of the Brain, and if these two parts be the Springs of all Heat and Moisture in the Body:) so that all good Manners and all Virtue, bud forth from the good, middle and equal mixture and temper of the same parts: And all our labour and travel (if we seek Virtue) must be to bring those twain into square and temper, that is, equality, as neer as may be, of the four qualities; not onely by the Philosophi∣cal Salve of Use and Custom, (though gPlato hits it right in his Timaeus, when he will have no Man lewd by his Will, and therefore not to be blamed, but through his Body by Use or Nature ill-disposed; but ra∣ther by good Diet, and by right Physick especially.

And thus we have, at last, finished these Parts, where∣in we meant to prepare the Mindes both of the Com∣mon and Learned People, and to make the way to the Truth of HERMES MEDICINE.

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THE THIRD BOOK.

CHAP. 1. Of mending and bettering the State of MANS BODY.

ALbeit we have shewen heretofore divers wayes to BLISSE and HAPPINESSE, and sundry means whereby the whole Kind of Men may come to Long-Life, Health, Youth, Rich••, Wisdom, and Virtue; yet, in truth, they are all by long and cumbersom wayes, fit rather to put them in mind of a better way (which was the drift of that pur∣pose)
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than to be gone and travelled by the lovers of Wisdom and Virtue; Wherefore, I would not wish them to arrive their counsels in any of those places, but to seek to the Haven of HERMES, and of his sons the wise Philosophers, as to the onely one, ready, and easie way to all BLISSE and HAPPINESS.—Then we are come at last, to that which was the first intent and meaning of all this labour, that HERMES and the PHILOSOPHERS STONE and MEDI∣CINE is the true and ready way to BLISSE.

But how shall we prove this, unless we unlock the door of Secrets, and let in Light to these matters, which have been ever most closely kept, and hid in darkness? We must, I say, first open what is HERMES MEDICINE, except we would put on a Vizard, and make a long buzze and empty sound of words, about that which no man understands.

We are like now to be driven unto a marvellous strait, either to flie the field, or to venture upon the curse and displeasure of many wise and godly Men; yea and of GOD HIMSELF, as we heard in the begin∣ing.—If aPlato thought he had cause, when he took in hand that mighty piece of work of the World, first to make his prayer; how much more may we in such a world of doubts and dangers? And to desire of GOD that we may prove our question, not onely with sufficient evidence, but with such discretion also, that those Men which can use it, and are worthy of it, may see the truth, and the rest may be blinded.

Then both to direct my speech, which must have some ground to stand on, and their steps which crave a little light to guide them. I think it best to come to the en∣trance
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of this way to BLISS, and to point afar off un∣to the end, leaving the middle way unto their own Wit and Labour; for I may not be their guide, lest the rest should espy us, and follow as fast.

HERMES MEDICINE, and the ready way to BLISS, lieth among the Metals, and upon the top and highest among them, even in Gold; And the end of this journey, where Bliss begins is the Son of him. Albeit that I am not ignorant, that Father HERMES, and the rest of his wise Foster▪children hold and teach that out of a∣ny Plant, Wight, or Mineral may be fetched a Medicine for all Diseases of Men and Metals, as good as this which we have described: Neither do we, as though we had drunk the water of Lethe, forget the reason of it above declared. Becauseball things are all things, and the same and one thing, as having all one stuff and Soul, if their stuff had the like, and not divers minglings. And for that all things, if they were wrought to the top and highest of perfe∣ction (as they may be) flowed alike with all the Virtues of Heaven and Earth, Soul, Body, Life, and Qualities. But these wayes are long, cumbersome, and costly, as well as the rest, and I seek, you know, the most ready, near and easie, which is Gold, far above all other things in the World; The Reason is, because Naturec hath poured her self wholly upon him, and enfeoffed him of far more, and greater gifts, both of dSoul and Bo∣dy, then all the rest: having given him not onely great store of the heat of Heaven, but also the most fine, tem∣perate and lasting Body; whereby, but especially by Reason of his excceeding tough and lasting Body, wherein he wonderfully passeth all things, wee have him halfe ready drest to our hands, and
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brought very near the journeys end, quickly to be led forward and finished with little labour; when as the rest are left in very hard way, and finished with little la∣bour.

It is strange; I am perswaded that a thousand ounces of Plant or Wight (as for eMinerals, they be much better) cannot with great labour, cost, skil•, and time, be brought to that goodness, & nearness to perfection, as one ounce of Gold hath already given him by Nature; And I durst warrant you, that out of one ounce of Gold, in less then one years space, with a few pounds charge, may be gotten a Medicine, as good as the PHILOSOPHERS STONE of a Plant or Wight, that taketh a thousand ounces of stuff, many hundred pounds of charge, three years time, and the wearing of many Mens Bodies: That we may think, although the wise Philosophers in Egypt saw and shewed the depth of Nature, and these Works, yet they were not so mad and fond, as to put them in practise: And therefore fGeber saith, It is possible out of Plants to make the Stone, and yet almost im∣possible also, because thy Life would first fail thee: Wherfore we may be content also to know the Secre•, but let us use no other way but this, and so dispatch not onely Plants and Wights, as foul and earthly things, but also middle Minerals, which are like the standing Lights of Heaven, in this Comparison.

Nay, neither hold we his fellow Plants to be his e∣quals, no, though they be Quicksilver, or Silver them∣selves, the best and nearest of all the rest, especially Silver the Wife of Gold, but even let her pack away with the rest; for, as her fire above glisters, and makes a fair shew, until she come in presence of her Huusband;
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(as the wont of bad Women is;) so this our Earthly Moon be she never so bright and excellent in another Company, yet in sight and regard of Gold her Husband, she appears as nothing. If you marvel why, It is be∣cause she wanteth much in heat of Heaven, temperateness and toughness of Body; but in fineness an hundred fold—These things are high and lofty, and soare above the common sight, we will fetch them down anon, and make them plain and easie.

Then let us fall to the Matter, that the Son of Gold may be found the ready way to BLISSE, and the per∣fect Medicine both of Man and Mettals; And first, as it is meet, let us regard our selves, and cure our own Bodies, before we help a Stranger.

There is no Gift, Property, or Virtue, but it sprin∣geth either from the Soul or Body: The best gift of the Soul is most store thereof, as we shewed before; And of the Body, fit temperateness in the first qualities; and then fineness and closeness, which causeth lastingness, in the second. Let us see how Gold excelleth in all these virtues, and overgoeth all other things, first by the gift of Nature, and then by a Divine Science. But it were not good, in such a heap of Matters to be dispo∣sed and dispatched at once, to regard those that be clear and received; so then let the fineness of Gold go his wayes as clear in all Mens Eyes, and his temperate∣ness, which all Leaches grant, and take the rest as things both more in doubt, and of greater worth.

g Those that are longest a ripening and growing to perfection, are both the most tough and lasting, and fullest of Heavenly Vertues; whereas on the other side, hsoon Ripe, soon Rotten, as they say, an ill Weed grows
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apace, and so forth. The cause of this in Bodies is, be∣cause the first Moisture, if it be i fast and close, that is, Fat, proceedeth and spreadeth slowly, and is hardly consumed, and eaten up with the Fire of Life, when k thin and waterish Moisture, both spreads apace, and spends as fast. And for this that Heavenly Virtue, when the stuff hath long lain open under the hands of the Spi∣rits of Heaven, it must needs receive great store of them, and hold them surely with his strength and toughness; what Reason can shew this more plainly, except you will call me to examples? then bend your Ears awhile, and mark the lElephant, two years in making in his Mothers Womb, and a long time in growing to his best estate and lustiness, to reach the highest and best pitch in mortality (for Man is immor∣tal) not onely by his strength and long life, which you heard before, but through m a kind of Wit and good Conditions also drawing near to the Nature of Man∣kind.

Consider again of Mice, those little Vermine, how soon they be bred, as, sometimes the Earth creates them, sometimes the Mother without the Male,n by licking salt, and otherwiles (for a Wonder in Nature) they o conceive and are big with Young in their Mo∣thers belly; Consider, I say, how soon again they be swept away, even with a showre of Rain, as pAristotle reporteth; who tells of •q one-day Fly, bred in a leaf in the Fore-noon, at Midday fledge, and ever dying at night, with the setting of the Sun.

Again, Plinyr writeth of a Child, that within three years space, grew three Cubits, and was now grown to Mans estate (which they call Pubertatem) but haste
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makes waste, as they say, and within three years after his Limbs shrunk up again, and he died: Nay, he s saith, that the whole kind of Women, amongst the Calingians, conceives at five years of Age, and lives but eight.

To cut off living Wights, and to come to Plants, are not Trees, the longer lived the better in use, for that long growth and ripening? And among Trees, doth not the Oak,t after his long growth to perfection, stand, to our great profit, even for ever almost? It is strange that I say, and yet Josephusu writes of one, that stood from Abrahams time, to the razing of Jerusalem, two thousand years at least, and God knows how long after that time it lasted.—To be short, the best Tree of all that the Earth brings forth, the Cocus of India,w in one Mans age, scarce begins to bear any fruit, and lasteth after that almost past all Ages; wherefore the Minerals, by the course of Reason and Custome, be∣ing by the grant of all Men, longest in making and per∣fecting, must needs, of all other, be both best in Vir∣tue, and last the longest; and among them, Gold above all, because it is the end of all, and so far, in that point, passeth the most part of them, that as some Men think, a thousand years are spent before he come to perfecti∣on; for his long lasting, we plainly see he is everlast∣ing.—And if we doubt of his Heavenly Virtue, let us weigh the Place and Womb where he is bred and fashi∣oned, and we shall see it a x Common Gulph of all the Beams of Heaven, even as the Sea is the receipt of all Rivers that run.

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How is this? All the beams of Heaven set forth from a round and wide compass, and like Lines in a Circle, after they have travelled a great wide way one from another, do meet at last together jump y in the Navel of the Earth; yea, and with great force and strength above all other Spirits in other places, not onely by rea∣son of the length of their journey (for all natural things, the z further they go the more they mend their pace) but chiefly because the meeting in such a strair, with such abundance, they violently thrust, and throw one another on heaps together, as we see the force of Winds or Water meeting in that order; or rather as the Sun beams falling upon the Stone aHephaestites, or the Steeple-fashioned burning-Glass, thereby shews such strange and unwonted force, b to burn dry things, melt Mettals, and such like, because the beams that light upon it, do meet all on heaps, and apace, in one narrow point of the middle.

Wherefore the Minerals, because c they be bred and brought up about that place, first receive great plen∣ty of those Heavenly Spirits, and then those very surely set on by the swiftness of the stroke, and as fast held and kept for the sound and close bodies that take the prin∣ting; when as Plants and Wights dwelling in one place, and out-side of the ground aloft, where these Beams and Breaths of Heaven are more scarce, slack and weak, must needs have, not onely less store faintly put upon them, but also those which they have, for their loose and soft stuffe, quickly lost and foregone again.

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But if the edge of some Mens Wits be too blunt and dull to cut so deeply into the Earth, to find this Mat∣ter, let them cast their eyes, and behold the dayly ex∣perience, how these Heavenly spirits in Minerals, for all they be shut up and bound so fast in the prison of that hard and sturdy Stuffe, yet are able to shew their force as much, and work as mightily as the free Breaths of other things enlarged in their soft and gentle Bodies.

It would not be amiss I think, to bring in a few and set before us, because for the sloth of the Times past, and spight of the Later Leaches, these things have lain for the most part buried as they be, and hid from the light and common knowledge.

Then, to pass by the dPearl, that helpeth swoon∣ings, and withstands the plague of Poysons; the eSma∣ragde and fJacinth, which keeps off the Plague like∣wise, and heals the wounds of Venomous stings, and ma∣ny more such rare and worthy Vertues, which they them∣selves grant, and give to precious Stones in their Wri∣tings, nay in their Broths, Pills, and gElectuaries; let us come to hard Juyces, and Middle Minerals: The Water of Nile, which makes the Women of Egypt so quick of Conceit, and so Fruitful, as to bear seven at a Birth, as hPliny writes, is known to be Salt-Peter-Water.—It is found by common proof, that the same iSalt-Peter, or Common Salt, or Coppress mol∣ten and made a Water, kills the poyson of the Toad∣stool, and juyce of Poppy: That a Plaister of kSalt or Brimstone, heals the hurt of Venom in-stinged: That Amber,l which is no Stone, but a hard clammy Juyce
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called Bitumen, easeth the labour of Women, and the fal∣ling sickness of Children; It is known likewise that al∣most all wholsome mBaths, both wet and dry, of Wa∣ter or his Vapour (which are without number in the World; but especially that famous Hot-House in Italy, called nSalviati, for the space of three miles com∣pass wrought and hewen out of the ground very dain∣tily, deserveth to be named, and delivered to the Me∣mory of Men to come;) flow from o a Brimstony ground, and draw from thence all their Nature, Quality, Force, and Virtue; except a few of Copperess Water, as appears by their dying property, whereby they give any white Metal, their own yellow and Copper co∣lour.

Now for Metals; If it be true, that precious Stones in that hard and ungentle fashion, shew such virtue and power of healing, why should we mark the German for a Lyar, when he awards p great praise to the Mixture of all the Metals, made in the conversion of their own Planets, which he calls Electrum, saying it will cure the Cramp, Benumming, Palsey, and Falling-sickness, if it be worn on the hearty finger; and gives signs besides if the Body aileth any thing, by spots and sweating: and bewray Poyson if it be made in Plate, by the same tokens, for all that qPliny will have Poyson so descried by the natural Electrum, and wash off Gold and Silver, and by the signs of Rainbows, and by noise of Fire when it hisseth; and not by the artificial mixture to be made of Silver and Gold, and Copper, adulterando adulteria naturae, as he more finely then constantly saith, when he had alotted so chast Virtue before unto her.

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But suppose this Virtue in the hard form of Metals not so apparent, yet no Man shall deny the daily proof of them, opened by rude Skill, and set at liberty, as the great use of BurntrBrasse,sIron-Saffron,tMe∣tal-smoke, (and this by Gallen's own witness) and mar∣vellous help in Surgery; Nay, the mighty power, both within and without of uAntimony, which is unripe Lead, and of Quick-silver, very raw and running Silver, so often tried before their Eyes, hath so amazed, and quite daunted the later Leaches: though Galenw him∣self in times past, hath termed this rank Poison, set straight against our Nature, and the least part thereof taken inward, to hurt and annoy us, to the great laugh∣ter of the Countrey Wits, which, even with Child, a dangerous time to take Physick in, without any hurt at all, nay with speedy and onely help, x use to drink it against Worms in great quantitie.—But Galen did but rove by guess at the matter, when as y in another place, forgetting himself, (as he doth often) he saith he never had tried her force, neither within, nor without the Body.

But if these Stones,zJuices and Metals were by greater Skill, more finely drest, and freely set at liberty (as they be by the German) what wonders were they like to work in the Art of Healing? Neither let us think (as Galen and his band thinks of all things) that
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those great and rare Mineral virtues could issue out and come from the gross and foul Body, but from an Hea∣venly gift of a mighty Soul, which cannot be kept in awe, and held so stra• with those Earthly bonds, as it shall not be able, in som• sort, to stir and break through, and shew his force and power.

Wherefore, to return to my purpose, If Nature hath bestowed upon these three sorts and suits of Mine∣rals, so large Gifts and Virtues, what hath she given to Golda the end and perfection of them all, which hath passed in that travel through the midst of them all, b so receiving and holding the Virtues of them all with advantage? What say the Leaches to this matter? They are loth to say any thing, albeit their deeds speak enough, when they lay raw Gold to the out-side c of the Head, to heal his Ache; right (e) against the Heart, to comfort his sadness and trembling; and when in such sort they apply it to such purposes: Again, why do they boil it in their (d) Cullises? mix it with their dPills and Electuaries? bid the Lepers swallow it? &c. Do they not seem to smell his great and matchless power against Diseases, and marvellous comfort and wholsomness unto our Nature, but that like rude and unskilful Cooks, they know not how to dress it? But if they knew the Skill, they should see it rise in Power and Virtue, according to his degrees in Freedom; and when it came to the top, which I call the Sonne of Gold, to prove Almighty, I mean within our compass; for con∣sider, Gold is now good and friendly above all unto us, for his exceeding store of comfortable Heat of Heaven, shining through the mist of a most fine and temperate Body; Then what would it be, if those properties of
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Body, were by great mingling and breaking of the Stuffe, refined and raised in their kind, an hundred degrees at least? (which our Art professeth;) and those lively and piercing heaps of comfortable Spirits, freed and set at liberty, and all these seated upon a most mighty Body, subduing all things? Is there any thing in the World to be compared unto the marvellous Work which he would make in our Body? Could any of these ve∣ry violent and mortal Poisons, which I brought in above, so easily and roundly destroy, as this would help and save us? But to come to the Point: If that our Old, Fine, Close and Aethereal Oil, which they call a Fifth Nature, was able alone, for the Reasons set down in their places, to breed and beget all those blessed bodily gifts and properties, that is, Lastingnesse, Health, Youth, and the two springs of Wisdom and Virtue, Clearnesse and Temperatenesse; How much more shall this Sonne of Gold, the Medicine and Stone of HERMES, and his Off-spring be sufficient and furnished for it?

For first, when his Soul and Heat of Heaven is much more great and mighty, and his Body a more fine and fast Oil, that is, a more like and lasting Food of Life, it both upholdeth and strengtheneth Life and Natural Heat the better, and so proves the better cause of Long Life and Youth: Then being more temperate, and that quality carried upon a finer and tougher, that is, a strong∣er Body, it is able with more ease and speed to subdue his and our Enemies, the distempered Diseases, and to cleanse and clear, fashion, and bring into good order and temper, the whole frame of our Body, and so procure Health, Wisdom, and Virtue in better sort, and in more full and heaped measure: for you must not think that a
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Fifth Nature of Wine, or such like, which I brought in heretofore, and which many eMen do make for their Bodies, is so good by twenty degrees, as the PHILO∣SOPHERS STONE, I mean the same measure of both; when, besides that it is not so temperate, and near unto Heaven, (though the name be never so near) for it wanteth twenty parts of the Soul, and as much of that fine Stuffe closely and finely tied up together; and therefore one part thereof will last longer, and spread further with all his Virtues, and so do more good in our Bodies then twenty times as much of the former. De∣liver to minde what I say, it is worthy marking,—I shall not need to stand to shew you the Rea∣sons why, and manner how this great Medicine of HER∣MES shall be able to get and purchase these our Blisses of Mind and Body, because it is already done at large elsewhere, and it may suffice, in this place, to win by force of Reason (which hath been done as much as needs) that this Medicine is much better, and more able than an Aether, Heaven, or Fifth Nature.

Then these Men may see (I mean fParacelse, and such as know whereof they speak, let the rest go) how rash and unadvised they prove themselves, when they are content to let in the name of Poison into this happy Medicine, and to avow that it worketh all those wonders in our Bodies, by that way of curing which I shewed, by stronger like •oisons: for then it would be, at most, but a general Medicine, and Cure-all against Diseases, and fit for Health alone, but no blessed way to Long-life, Youth, Wisdom, and Virtue, which grant as well as the other, both he and all the rest do give unto him: for it might not be taken and used in a sound Body, no more
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then a purging Medicine, except it weare off that Vi∣perous kind aforesaid: for he would then battel with our Nature, spoil and overthrow the first moisture, and the whole frame of the Body, fo far would it be from nourishing the Natural Heat and Moisture, from clearing and tempering the Body to cause Long-Life, Youth, Wis∣dom and Virtue. And the reason of this reproof is, be∣cause when every Poison is very barren and empty of Heat of Heaven, and very distemperedly cold and drie in body, set straight against our Hot and Moist Nature, as appears by flying the Fire and Oil his Enemies; The PHILOSOPHERS STONE was temperate in respect, at first; and is now exactly so, and a very fine Oil, and full of Heavenly Spirits: and so, for these three causes, not onely most friendly, and like to our Nature, but also a very deadly Enemy, and most crosse contrary to all Poisons.

CHAP. II. That the PHILOSOPHERS STONE is able to turn all base METALS into SILVER and GOLD.
ANd thus we have lightly run over the former part of Long-Life, Health, Youth, Clearnesse, and Tem∣peratenesse, which make up all good gifts of Body need∣ful: Let us now come to the outward help of Riches, and borrow so much leave again, as to use the Cause
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for the Effect, and to take Gold for Riches, and strive to shew that the Son of Gold is able to turn any Metal into Gold; and not so sparingly, now, and hardly as we did before, by those bastard kinds of Binding and Co∣louring, (though a little, if it were without mispence of time and travel, would serve our turn) but as fully and plentifully, as any of our Men avow, to the amaze∣ment of the World: They set down no certain summe nor stint, which I will do, because I have to do with thirsting Ears, and because again I love not to run at random, but to have a certain mark whereat to aime and level all my speeches.

Then let us say, By this great Skill of HERMES, and a little Labour and Cost, we may spend with the greatest Monarch of the World, and reach the Turks Re∣vennue, yea, though it be Fifteen Millions Sterling, as I find it a credibly reported; yea, let us be bold, and not, as bSocrates did when he spake of Love, hide our Face for the Matter.—The Truth is vouchable before GOD and Man, and will bear it self out at last; though it be my luck, still to be crost by Men of our own Coat, HERMES Foster-children;—But what do I call them so? Albeit Paracelse, with whom we dealt of late, was plainly so; yet his Scholar Dorne which now comes in place, is out of this account as cleerly: This Man, I say, to excuse his own Ignorance, hath learn'd a new trick in unfolding of HERMES Rid∣dle, that neither c HERMES, nor any of his Follow∣ers, in saying they turn the four foul Metals, Lead, Tinne, Iron, and Copper into Silver and Gold, mean plainly ac∣cording to common speech, but still Riddle and double the matter, understanding the four Complexions of our
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Body, (which he busieth himself to match with those four Metals) into good form and temper chang∣ed: And these to be the Silver and Gold which they make at any time; and that by this token, because they fetch their Medicine, as you heard even now, out of all things.—Then he flieth out and lifteth up his Master with high praises, for finding first, and un∣twining the Knot and Riddle; whereas there is nothing so plain, both in Paracelse and all other of his Hidden Sci∣ence, as their Opinion, as touching this matter: Nay, see the worthy Memory of the Man, he himself in con∣struing the words of his Master, concerning the same Matter, makes, as well as he, and the rest, a plain divi∣sion of this Work, and yieldeth in open tearms, that our Medicine serveth both for Men and Metals.

This Noble Doctor, when I was a Novice and first-ling in this study, as he mis-led me in other things, which he took upon him to unfold, so he amazed me in this, before he himself knew the least of them: But after I went forward, and began to consider earnestly, and weigh the things by their own weight, (and not by the weight of Words and Authorities) the onely way to Knowledge, I quickly saw the falshood of that new opi∣nion, and more plain reason and cause of belief, for this point, then for all the rest, which he allowes, and which I shewed before. Then let us not stay for him, nor for any thing else, but let us march forward, with all speed and courage.—And if it be never good in discourse of Speech, to heap and huddle up altogether, but for light sake to joynt the Matter, and cut it in divers pieces, let us do so too, and prove first that the Son of Gold is a∣ble to turn Metals that are base into Gold; then that he
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can change so much as to make up that Sonne, I set as needful.

He is to turn Metals two wayes; first, as a Seed, if a Man list to sow him upon them: And then, after his Birth, by Nourishment, or turning them into his own Nature; And this is either into his Fathers (which is his own after a sort) or, into his now-being, and self same Nature. Of these I will treat severally: And first of Seed, which cannot be denied unto Gold, if all d things have Life, and Life have e three powers and abilities, to be Nourished, and to Wax, and to beget his Like, also; The second part is clear and granted among all Philoso∣phers: And that all things have Life, it hath been often shewed before by their feeding and divers other Argu∣ments.

But because it is a thing whereon almost all the frame of my speech leaneth, and yet much in doubt, and hard∣ly believed among the Learned, let us take it again, and prove it by name in Minerals, because they be both far∣thest from belief, and nearest our drift and purpose.

f Those things that have Diseases, Age, and Death, cannot but live; and we see plainly the Diseases, Age, and Death of precious Stones; but most clearly in the precious Load-stone (though he be foul in sight) which is kept, fed, and nourished in the filings of Iron, his pro∣per and like Food, when Quicksilver or Garlike quite destroyes him, and puts out all his Life, Strength and Virtue.

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But how if the g Minerals by feeding, wax and grow as g well as Plants or Wights? As Miners have good expe∣rience of that, when they see them by those due and constant fits, so dangerously voide their Leavings.—Agricola saith, h that Salt-Peter, after that by drain∣ing it hath lost its taste and virtue, if it be laid open in the Weather, will within five or six years space, grow and ripen, and recover his power and strength again. The i same man telleth of one Lead-mine, and two o∣ther of Iron, which after they be digged and emptied, within few years space, ripen and grow to be full again, and one of these every tenth year.

But admit these by the slight and canvass of a crafty Wit, may be shifted off, yet they shall never rid the next that follows of Lead, after he hath been taken out of his proper Womb, where he was bred, and nourished, and fashioned into his form for our use requisite, yet, if it be laid in a moist place under ground, it will wax and grow both in weight and bigness, k by many good Authors, yea, and by (k) Galen his own witness, which although it be light otherwise, yet is of weight in this matter, be∣cause it maketh so much against his own cause; Nay, mark what lG. Agricola reports, that the same hath been found true on the top of houses, and shewes where and how the proof was taken.

But, to come to the very point, mParacelse saith, that Gold buried in a good Soile, that lieth East, and cherished well with Pigeons dung and urine, will do the same; and sure, I dare not condemn his witnesse in this Matter, because the rest that went before, seem to
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say as much in effect, and to avow the truth of this Story.

Then, if it be so certain that Gold hath life, there is no help but he shall beget his like also, if Philosophy and common proof be received: But they n will say, that nothing doth so that wanteth seed, as many Wights and Plants doe, and all Minerals; No man saith so, that knoweth what is seed;oSeed is no grosse thing that may be seen with Eyes, but a fine and hot Heavenly breath, which we call Life and Soul, wherewith not one∣ly the common soul of the World, but also Wights, yea, and perfect pWights sometimes, beget without the company and sense of that frothy stuff and shell, as I said above; but yet most commonly Nature takes the help and guard of that Body called Seed: This was proved to be not onely a branch and part slipt from the whole Body, but the whole it self sometimes, as by kind, in the four beginnings, and in Minerals, and in seed∣lesse Plants, and Wights; and by Skill in all. There∣fore Minerals and all have their Seed, and their whole Body is their Seed.

Then, as by Nature, they are wholly sowne and die, and (or else under-moonq things would prove mor∣tall) rise again the same encreased according to the wont of Nature, even so they will above ground, if we can by skill use them kindly, which we may, as well as Nature, if we could espy her Footings, not unpossible to be seen, as I could shew you quickly, if I might a little unwind the bottome of secrets, and lay them o∣pen; But I must take heed.

Then, as the seed of Plants and Wights riseth again much encreased in store and bignesse, because it drawes unto it and turns into his Nature much of the kindly
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stuff and ground that lieth about it to corrupt it: Even so, if you r make the Metals a ground fit to receive and corrupt the seed of Gold, it will, after his due time rise again, turning them, or much of them, into his own Nature.

Now Dr. Dorne may see, if he be not blinded, that this is no Riddle matter, but a plain and certain Truth, grounded upon the open and daily race of Nature, which not I spied first, (as he spied out the subtill falshood:) but the same all the Troop of the wise Egyptians saw and taught before me; yea, and some of them that sit in darknesse, as those worthy Leaches, whose aid we took before, Ficine, Fernel, and Cardane; especially the two first, because they bare good-wil to the truth of this Science; But Cardane, as a man that neither knew nor loved it, halts a little; for when he had all about held for certain, that Minerals and all had life, and were nourished, and grew and waxed, yet he buried the third point with silence.

But let us not urge this so much in this place, because it is not the right Son of Gold, and Stone of HERMES, but a lesser skill, and lower way to Riches, fit to have been followed in the Second Book.—Then how doth the PHILOSOPHERS STONE, and the naturall Son of Gold it self turn base Metals into Gold? For that was the second thing to be handled in this place.

When this Child is born, keep him in his heat, which is his life, and give him his due and naturall food of Metals, & he must needs, if he be quick, & able to be nourished, digest, change, and turn them into his own Nature, much more easily than Lead, and he in a cold place, and rude and hard fashion, was before able to turn strange meat and digest it.

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And as I shewed above the change of natural things when they meet in Combate, to be either throughour, or half way, that is, either by Consuming to raze one a∣nother quite out, and turn him into his own self-same Nature; or when by mixture both their Forces are bro∣ken and dulled equally: Even so, in this great skilfull change, we may so order the matter, and match the two Combatants, that is, the Meat and Feeder, Stuff and Do∣er, with such proportion, that one shall either get the Victory, and eat up the other quite, or both be maimed alike and weakened.

To be plain; If we give s this mighty Child and Son of Gold, but a little Food (the quantity I leave to discretion) he will be able to turn it througly into his own self-same Nature, and thereby to mend himself, and increase his own heap and quantity: But if you will make Gold, which is your last end and purpose, match your Medicine with a great deal, an hundred times as much, or so (your eyes shall teach you) and both shall work alike upon each other, and neither shall be chan∣ged throughly, but make one Mean thing between both, which will be Gold, if you will, or what you will, according to your proportion: And if you perceive not, mark how (the comparison is somewhat base, but fit and often used by our Men) they make a sharp and strong Medicine,t called Leaven, of the best wrought Flouer, which is Dough; and such another of Milk, well mingled in the Calves bag, named uRennet; and how by matching them with just proportion of Flouer and Milk, they turn them into the middle Natures of Dough and Curds: Nothing so fit; mark it well.

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Nay, sith you begin to call me to examples, I will ply and load you with them, and yet I will lay no strange burthens upon you, no, not the quick nature of the Scottish sea, returning woodw into Geese; Nor yet the xEagles feathers, that lying among Goose quills eat them up, two more marvellous changes, then all those that are professed in the Art of Changing, yet I leave them, I say, for things too strange and far of my purpose; here are many Waters and Earth, which I am credibly informed by yG. Agricola and z others as good Authors, are indued with the pro∣perties to turn any Plant, Wight, or Mettal into stone. Cardanea tells of a Lake in Ireland, wherein a stake stuck down will turn in one years space, so much as sticks in the Mud, into stone, and so much as stands in the water to Iron, the rest remaining Wood still.

There is an old Mine-pit in the Hill bCarpat in Hun∣gary wherein the people daily steep their Iron, and make it Copper: the reason of these things is plainly that which I brought, for our great and Golden change, and likened to Rennet and Leaven hard before.

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The waters and Earths which astonish things in that order, are evermore, infected and mixed with some ve∣ry strong Stony▪juyce,c as Agricola, saith; and Reason agreeth plainly in the waters, when they no sooner d rest from running, then they go into a stone. Nay, ePliny saith, that Stony-slix in Arcadia, goeth into stone running; which thing the foul Traytor fAntipater belike perceiving, meant thereby to try such a change upon his Lord, the great Grecian Monarch, when he gave it him to drink and killed him.

The Irish-water is, without doubt, Mineral, and as I gather by the description, temper'd and dried with that Iron by juyce which is called Ferrugo: But every Man knoweth for certain, that the water of Carpatg is Coppress water; Now Copperss is as near the Nature, as the Name of Copper, which the Greeks set out most clearly, calling Copper,〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Chalcum, and that other, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Chalcanthus, and the stone Pyritis, or Marcasite, (as it is termed in Arabia) that breeds them both, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. It is like Leaven to dough,h made of Copper, and raised to a sharp quali∣ty, which when it is loosened into water, and by drain∣ing and distilling up and down in that Hill refined, it becomes yet more sharp and strong, able easily to over∣come Iron, a like and near weaker thing, (for what is so near as Iron to Copper) and turn him into his own, old, mean and middle Nature.

But how shall we shew that Coppris came of Copper in that Order: first the proof of our Men maketh it
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clear, i when they turn that into this, and this into that again, so commonly: Then the authorities of Geber and Agricola (the best skil'd in Mineral matters, of all that ever wrote) k the one af•er that he had ob∣served it long in Mines, setting it down for a Rule, and lGeber calling it the Gum and as it •ere the drop∣pings of Copper: But cheifly the Workmens daily pra∣ctise, who by following the steps of Nature, softning and dissolving that brazen stone Pyritis, do commonly make Copper.

Let us now see what Art hath done by counter∣feiting thes• patterns by Nature set so plainly before her. If she hath not done as much, and more surely, she was but a rude and untoward skill; let us see what is done.

She hath likewise, and as well as Nature,m by a sharp stony Water, called sal-gem water, tu•ned Wood into stone, yea, and Mettals also into prec••us sto es, not by any counterfeit way which Glass-makers use but Philosophically, and Naturally. by a marvellous clear and strong water of Quicksilver, leading them back in the middle nature of fine stone. To let pass middle Minerals, which by the same course Art easily chang∣eth one into another; she •u nerh Antimonyn into Lead, and this into Tinne easily; these things Agricola reporteth, and tells the way of the first by Concoction only; but not of the second, which Paracelsus suppli∣eth, o by purging him our way of binding with sal Armoniak. I could set down a w•y to turn Iron in to such psteel; as would cut Iron as fast as this will cut
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wood, and bear out all small shot, but that they are both but one kinde, q one better purged then the other, as indeed so are all the Mettals, though not so nearly al∣lied.

Even so I esteem of the silvery and golden Coppress, which Nature sometimes yields under ground, and Art counterfeits by our binding and colouring Rules above-set, as Agricola tells and teacheth: Neither think these bastard wayes quite out of Rule, but to follow the same reason of Nature; and as the rest take the finer like part and leave the gross unlike, so do these feed upon their like the fowler parts, and leave the bet∣ter as unlike their Nature.

But to proceed; To turn Iron into Copper by Coppress water, is somewhat more ordinary then the rest. rA∣gricola saith, an old parting water, which is made there∣of (as we know) will do it. But the workmen in the HillsKuttenberg in Germany, do more nearly fol∣low Nature in that Hill of Carpat, for they drain a strong Lie from the Brazen-stone, that is, they make Coppress-water strongly and kindly, and by steeping their Iron in it, make very good Copper. Nay, further Paracels.t saith again, that in Casten they turn Lead also into Copper, and though he nameth not the means in that place, yet other where he doth, and teacheth how by Coppris sundry wayes sharpned, to turn both Lead and Iron into Copper; In which place he delivereth another pretty Feat, to un∣loose, and leade back, both Iron and Copper into Lead again, and this into Quick-silver, by the force of a sharp melting dust, which Miners use, and this by our common Rule still of stronger Lakes; for this dust be∣ing
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of the same nature still with exalted uLead and Quick-silver, two great softners and looseners of hard Bodies, is able to make the stubborn Mettals, to retire and yield into the middle place of Lead, and this into Quick-silver.

Now then we see that Art hath reached and overta∣ken all the natural changes of Minerals; why may not she by the same pattern devise more of her self, as the guise of good work-men is, and go beyond Nature, and turn the foul Mettals into fine Silver and Gold? She hath a great advantage of Nature. First her Patterns, and then her help in working: and lastly the Light and Instruction of a Divine wit and Understanding, where∣by no marvel if all wise men have said, she passeth Na∣ture.

Albeit it is uncertain whether Nature hath such a Golden Medicine in her bosome hid, or no, as well as those of Copper, Stone, and such like; yet this is sure, that by the bastard way of binding (as we have heard before) she turneth Lead and Tinne, and perhaps Copper too, but surely Quicksilver and silver into Gold. Then I say it is a sign of a weak and shallow wit, if Art cannot by these patterns aforesaid, devise further to turn other Mettals into Silver and Gold. Is it any more to do, then to exalt and raise Silver and Gold (but this w will serve for both) into very sharp and strong qualities, able, like the rest, to devour and turn their like meat into their own middle Nature, from whence they sprung; certain∣ly
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the reason is so plain and ready, that I must needs deem him less then a child, that cannot conceit it. Nay, bend your ears and minds: By reason, if the workman be very strong over the stuffe, he will turn, in trial, things unlike and contrary, as well, though not so easi∣ly, as like and friendly.

And for the proof of stonyjuyces, turning all sorts of things, even Mettals themselves x into stone as hath been found by the stamp remaining; of Ant•mony and Coppress turned into Lead and Copper; of the ripening of the Mineral Mines of Lead and Gold, eatin•Durg and Urine, and such like exchanges set down before, I am led to think, that a very lusty and strong Medicine would be able to change •ther things, as well as M•ttals especially minerals, into go•dy some of our m•n sa no, because there wants in the rest the ground of Quicksil∣ver, the knot of friendship and unity: I grant it very hard in respect of the right way; and yet I hold it possible.

And thus you have seen the ability of Hermes Medicine, to turn base Mettals into Gold by three sundry wayes. First, as he is sown and riseth again to be made a Medicine, which I call begetting. And then by changing the little food that is given him into his own Nature, to make him wax and grow in heap and bigness, which I terme nourishment. And Lastly, by changing the great store of stuffe wherewith we match him, half way in the middle nature of Gold which is the best change and drift of our purpose. And this I may do well to call M•xtion, thoughz Ficine and* Fennel name it Begetting also: as it is a kinde indeed: But because it go∣eth not the kindely way, let it go, and us keep our Order.

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CHAP. III. That the Phylosophers Stone will turn base Mettals with as much advantage as we will.
BUt how shall our Son of Gold be able to subdue and turn so much of base Mettals with so little charge and travel, and so great return and gain as we have promised. It is for three causes: First, for the fitness and readiness of the stuffe to be changed; and then for the great store and strength of the changing work∣man; (to send away the lightest still first and foremost:) And lastly, for his encrease in store and quantity, which may be made either by sowing or nourishing the Son of Gold without end and number, for sowing first.

There be sundry sorts of sowing and making this our Medicine: One is an excellent way, but a bare and na∣ked and lone way; because if Gold can be made open and fit to be wrought, as behoves a seed within him∣self; and the less contagion there is of unclean stuffe, the more excellent and mighty will he rise again. This way, by deep and painful Wits hath been sometimes ta∣ken, but very seldom, because it is very hard, long, and irksome, and therefore we will leave it also: but chiefly because it crosseth my purpose abovesaid; for if he be sowen alone, he cannot rise encreased, whereas we de∣sire to augment his heap and quantity. Then there are two kindes of Grounds, and yet both one kinde,
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which we may put unto him to corrupt him easily, and raise him again with encrease in quantity. One near∣er his Nature then another, one better then another; so much is enough for that. Now for the store of ground fit to be laid about him, there is a choice better or worse also: But that is no great matter, so you keep the measure and discretion which a common aSeeds-man can keep, neither to overlay and drown him, nor to leave him dry and barren. Then to our purpose.

Cast with your self what encrease in store one grain of Corn will yield within a few times sowing. When I had a little leasure, I did once cast what one grain, by the encrease of fifty, (which happens often) would arise to in seven times sowing, and I wearied my self in an endless matter. A greater Summe then any Man would think: I have forgotten it, b cast you that have lea∣sure. Now a Grain, I mean an Ounce of our Seed, though it riseth not with such advantage (for if it were so sown. it would be quite drowned, c or at least not worth the tarrying) yet it rewards it another way with speed in working, for albeit the first time be much alike, about fourty weeks, or such a matter; yet the se∣cond is run much sooner, both because now he is softer then the first seed, and easier to be loosened, and also mightier and more able to turn the work over, d so that if we keep our selves within the Number of tene as some do set the bounds, (yet I think the midst between fduplum and decuplum a notable mean, although that be as it happeneth) yet by this great haste and speed, we may quickly overtake Infinity.

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g But if you think this to be too slow a course, let us run to the next encrease by Nourishment, whose great speed and readiness will easily supply all, and fill the biggest desire in the world.

h After the Son of Gold hath been once sowen and raised again, he is now able to work mightily and not before, and to turn a hundred parts of his due meat, into a third middle thing Gold his fathers nature: this we will shew hereafter. Then, if he be able to turn a hundred times as much half way, he can sure turn as easily and quickly one part, that is no more then himself quite through into his own self same Nature, especially if that Food be Silver or Gold, which is best of all to that purpose: then is he twice as big, and as strong as he was before, able to devour as much more, and all this as much again, and so for ever; for his strength shall never be abated, when after his feeding, he is left the same still: even as one iCandle lights another still, or more strangely, though not so largely, like unto the Load-stone, which as kPlato reporteth, after it hath drawn one Ring of Iron, it giveth this power to draw an∣other, and this to the next, until you make a long row and link of Rings, close and fast, one hanging upon another.

Then sith we may so soon heap up so great a quantity of this Golden Medicine, it may chance we should not need any great help of the readiness of the stuffe, and strength of the Workman. And if but ten parts of the Gold might be made at once, between a week workman, and a sturdy stuffe, yet perhaps it would serve the turn to raise the Sum appointed. But suppose it cometh short ten parts of the way, yet if through the means of
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the nearness of the stuffe, and force of the doer, one part may come to turn a hundred, then we shall supply and overtake all the want and hinderance; let us see.

And first again of the stuffe, because it is the shorter and easier matter; a thing is fit and eath to be changed, when it is like to the nature of the workman, and near the wayes end. The strait affinity and nearness of the Mettals one to another we have opened above, l when we found them all to be one thing, differing onely by certain Hang-byes of cleanness, fineness, closeness and co∣lour, sprung out from the adds of Concoction; and that, if the same Concoction hold, they will come at length to their journeys end, which they strive unto, the perfection of Gold, (except, perhaps, Iron and Copper by over-sudden heat, or some other foul means, have been led out of the way, yet they may be led back again, and cleansed as we heard before:) and that they were all made at first of Quicksilver, a foul and greasie thing in respect, and then were grimed and bespotted greatly again with that foul earthly Brimstone, which after wards came upon them, whereby they were all gross and ill-coloured, open and subject unto fire, and other spoiling enemies, before by long gentle and kind∣ly Concoction, all the foul and gross stuffe was cleansed and refined, and so made apt to take good colour (as we see in Plants and all things) and to gather it self up close together, and likewise to be weighty, for the much fine stuffe in a narrow room (when Lead and *Quick-sil∣vers heaviness floweth from the rawness) and lastly to be stedfast and safe from the fire, and all other enemies, because there was neither any way of entrance, in so
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great closeness, left, to make division and dissolution, that is destruction; nor yet any greasie stuffe the food of fire, remaining.

Wherefore we see the near Neighbourhood of Met∣tals, and easiness to be changed one into another (especi∣ally if we work upon silver, which is half Gold alrea∣dy) when they want nothing of Gold, but either long gentle concoction, or instead thereof (because we can∣not tarry) a strong and fierce one answerable unto it; first to cleanse out all that gross and greasie stuffe, and then to bring colour upon it.

So that I cannot but wonder at those Men, if they be learned, who, in reproof of this Art unknown, vouch unfitness of the stuffe to be changed, saying, that Mettals being of sundry kindes and natures, cannot be turned before they be brought into that stuffe whereof they were first made and fashioned; which we do not when we melt them, onely, and which is not eath to be done. It is a fign that, either they never knew, or at that time remembred not the Nature of a Mettal, or of the first stuffe; for if they mean the Greciann supposed, first, empty, and naked stuffe, without shape, but apt to re∣ceive all, even that which is the middleo state of a thing lasting but a moment, when b• the way of making and marring (which our Men with Hypocrates well change∣ing) it is passing from one to another. Then if I yield∣ed, and quickly granted, with Geber, Arnold, Lully, and many more learned Men on our side, that in that ve∣ry violent work of changing; the Mettal being a far al∣tered and broken, even into dust of another fashion, was quite marred and bereft of his old Nature and being, and passed even through the midst of the naked stuffe,
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unto another kinde and fashion: I think I might drive them to blow the seek, as they say, and they know not what to answer.

But if they mean, as it seems they do, we should not melt our Mettal, but bring him back again unto his nea∣rest beginning and stuff•Quicksilver, and then put on our shape, and form upon him, according to the kinde∣ly sowing of Gold upon his base ground abovesaid, they are deceived not knowing the nature of Mettals: for they be not of sundry pkindes and beings, (as they say) but all one thing, differing by degrees of baking, like divers loaves of our paste; that it were madness, if any of them lacked baking, to lead him back q, or mar and spoil him of his fashion, but in the same form and being to bake him better. And so did Nature in the Ground, in baking Quicksilver or Lead into Gold, she went forward and not backward with the Matter: Nay, why go I so far with them? They never marked the nature of their own Words, which they use in their own Phylosophy, where changing is flitting onely, and shift of those Hang▪byes called Accidents, the form, kinde, and be∣ing of the thing remaining.

Then, if the stuff be so fit, let us see what the Worker is, not in store which is done already, but in force and power. His strength and power is seen in two things, purging and colouring; for first he must mightily shew himself in purging and driving out all the gross greasi∣ness of the stuffe, and then when all is fine, clear, and close, he ought to stretch himself at large, and to spread far forth in colour upon it; for albeit long and gentle purging by Concoction, of it self, breeds and brings good colour, yet this our short and violent heat propor∣tioned
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doth not so, (as I shewed above in the discourse of binding and colouring) but must needes bring Colour with him already Coyned.

So that when he purgeth the stuff under-hand, he draweth not out the foul and gross stuff, and departs away from the work withal, as the foul purging Binders did; but being a clean and fine thing like the Nature of a Wight, he purgeth by Digestion and Expulsion, driving out the foul and unlike parts as Leavings, taking and imbodying with himself the fine and clean for her Food and Nourishment.

Then let us see how this work of Purging is perform∣ed, for that is all; and the Colour hangeth upon the same, and is done all under one, as we shall hear in the going out of this Treatise: If nothing purgeth but Heat through concoction, and this is ever to be mea∣sured according to the need & behoof of the Work un∣derhand; and we must scour an hundred times as much stuff in one, or two, or three hours space at most, (for that is their task) when we had need of a marvellous fiery Medicine (besides the great outward Heat to prick him forward) scarce to be-found within the compass of the World and Nature. It must shew it self an hundred times fiercer then a Binder, which was scant able in longer time, and stronger heat, to scoure and purge one part, and as much of the same stuff.

This is a marvellous hard point; I had need whet my Thoughts and Memory, and all the Weapons of Wit unto this matter. If we search all about, & rifle all the Corners of Kind, we shall find no Fire in the world so hot and fierce as the Lightning, able to kill Plants, and Wights, & melt Mettals, and to perform other such
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like marvellous things in a Moment: As (to let pass Plants not so strange) I have read r of eight Reapers in the Isle of Lemnos, which as they sat at meat under an Oak, were all suddainly strucken stark dead therewith, sitting still in the same guise of living and eating Creatures. Again, that it hath sometimes passed s through a Purse at a Mans side, and molten the Coyne without hurting the leather, because such a subtile and speedy Fire found that resting stay t to work on in the Mettal, which it wanted in the open soft and yeilding Leather; And many moe such strange deeds we may finde done by that most violent Fire. Then our fiery workman, if he be tasked, as he is, to work as great wonders as these be, had need to be fierce and vehement as the fire of Lightning, as it is also sometime termed in our Philo∣sophy.

Let us match these two together, and see how they can agree, that all things nearly laid, and as it were, strucken together, the light of Truth may at last ap∣pear, and shine forth out of that Comparison: let us, as Tully saith, and doth, at the first setting out, lanch and row a little easily, before we hoyse up sail.

Gold, in our Phylosophy, is of it self a Fire, that if it be raised and encreased an hundred degrees in quali∣ty (as it must be) may well seem like to prove the greatest Fire in the World. But our Men as they speak all things darkly, so this perhaps v in regard of other Mettals; or rather because like the Salamander; No, like the Fire-flyes (for though w the Salamander can, as well as Serpents Eggs, by his extreme coldness
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quench a little Fire, yet a strong xFire consumes him, and puts him out of being:) because, I say, like the Fier-fly he doth live and flourish in the Fire: when as, indeed, yGold, as all other Mettalls, is cold and waterish far from the kinde of Fire. And yet it is not the outward shew of the Body alone that makes a fiery Nature, but sometimes the inward quality doth the deed of Fire, (if we speak at large, as the common custome is;) And so the Star-fish in the Sea (a) burns z all she toucheth; and a cold spring in aSlavonia sets on fire any Cloath spread upon it; and to come nearer, by such a fiery force doth the water Styx in Thessaly pierce through any Vessel save a Horse-hoof.

But now we are come into the deep, let us hoyse up sails, and speak more properly and Philosophically, and more near the purpose; let us, I say, hear the Nature of Fire and how it cometh. Fire, as they bound it, and we shall finde it if we marke his Off-spring, is a very hot and dry Substance: The first cause of Fire is Mo∣tion, gathering and driving much dry stuff, into a nar∣row strait, which by stirring and striving for his life and being, is still made more close, fine, and hot, then its Nature will bear and suffer; and so it breaketh out at last, and is turned into another larger, and thinner, dryer, and hotter nature, called Fire: Hence the great under-ground Fires in Aetna, Hecla, and many other places, grow and spring at first, when the Cold driveth a heap of hot earthly Breaths and Vapours, ei∣ther round up and close together, or along through the narrow and rough places, rubbing and ringing out Fire, which the natural fatness of the Ground feeds for ever.

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So the Star, called bHellen-star, that lights, (a signe so dangerous) upon the tackle of the Ship, and fal∣ling melts Copper Vessel, &c. cometh of a heap of such Vapours, carried up by cross windes, &c. So by rub∣bing Milstones, Flints, and such like, we see Fire arise after the same manner; and this is the manner of the Off-spring of all Fire, others flow from this one, still sowing, as it were, one another. But if the stuff of this Fire be tough and hard, and then when it is wrought into Fire, it be moved again apace, it pro∣veth, for these two causes, a marvellous hot, fierce, and and violent fire, whence springeth all the force of Lightnings, for it is nothing else but a heap of thick and Brimstony vapours, (as some hold with Reason) by the coldness of the Cloud beaten up close in that Or∣der, and now being turned of a sudden into a larger and thinner Element than it was before, when it was Earth and Water, his old place will not hold him, and so by the force of Nature, striving for room and liber∣ty, he rents the Clouds in that manner which we hear in Thunder, and bursteth out at last a great and swift pace, as we see in Lightning, which swiftness together with the toughness of the stuff finely wrought, makes up his violence, above all Fires in the world.

Now for the Son of Gold and Hermes his Medicine, what kinde of Fire is he, when he can be no such Ele∣mental extreme hot and dry Fire? for he is temperate and hath all the qualities equal, and none working above other; and yet, indeed, by reason of the fine and tough (and therefore) mighty Body whereon they be seated, they work in equality together, much more
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forcibly then the extremely distempered, cold and dry Poysons can work alone, and as fast and faster then they devour and destroy temporate bodies, these do over∣throw the contrary: Then what a Fire he is I shewed before, how full stuft with Heavenly spirits above all things, and so he is a Heavenly fire, which is much more effectual in power, and mightier in action then that other, by reason of his exceeding subtileness, able to pierce through Rocks and all things, where that other shall quickly stay.

Admit it, say you, if that Heavenly fire were quick, free, and at full liberty: But it is fast bound up in a hard Body; Then I will tell you all the Reason, bend your Wits unto it.—Gold, at first was full fraughted with the most piercing fire in the World; Art then came and wrought it into a most fine flowing Oyl, and so unbound it, and set it at full liberty; Not so freely indeed as in Heaven, but as can be an Earthly body, closely crowded up together, (which helps Heat, as we hear in a burning-glass) upon a most strange and mighty Body, far above all things in the world; and lastly, with a violent outward Fire, she sent all these a part away to work together. Judge then, you that have Judgement, whether it were not like to bestir it self, as lustily as the Lightning? Compare; The Heat of the hot spirits is as great; and if it were not, yet their passing subtileness, would requite that matter easily, and make him even; yea and perhaps, when they be drawn and carried up close together, make some odds and difference between them; But sure the exceeding toughness of the Body (as we see in Iron & the rest) aug∣ments his heat greatly, and carrieth him far beyond it.

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Now for the pace, it is much swifter, as driven by a much stronger Mover, even so much as a Found∣ers Fire passeth in strength the top of a thick Cloud, for this is he that sends the Lightning, which else would have flown upwards. Therefore because the fire is stronger, and hath the helps of Body and Motion far more favourable, the fire of the Son of Gold must needs pass the Lightning in power and wonderful working. Then bethink your self, with what ease and speed, c such a fiery Medicine were likely to pierce and break through, sift and search all about, and so scour and cleanse a great Mass of foul Mettals? how many times more then a weak and gross Mineral binder? fasten and bend your Mindes upon it: we see how a weak, waterish and earthly Breath in a narrow place, within a Cloud, the Gramide, or Gunne, (all is but dThunder) because he is so suddenly turned into a larger Element, and lacketh room, bestirs himself and worketh marvel∣lous deeds; what may we think then of the heaps of those fat vapours of Heaven, and of that most strong golden body, closely couched up together in a little room, when they be, in a narrow Vessel drawn out, and spread abroad at large by a mighty fire, and there∣by still pricked and egged forward? (for as long as the fire holdeth, they cannot be still, nor draw in them∣selves again.) What thing in the sturdiest Mettal can be able to withstand them? How easily shall they cast down all that comes in their way, break and bruise all to powder? May we not all say plainly, that which the ePoet by borrowed speech avoweth, That Gold loveth to go through the midst of the Guard,
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yea and p•ss through the Rocks, being more mighty than the stroak of Lightning? It is so fit as if it had been made for the matter.

I have heard that the extreme cold weather in fLappia and Finland (which lie under the pinny Girdle of the World pierceth frezeth, and cracketh the Rocks, yea, and mettalline Vessels: Again, that the poisoned Cocka∣trice, by g his violent, Cold, and dry Breath, doth the same on the Rocks where he treadeth: Then what may we judge of the force of our fiery Medicine upon the Mettals, by these comparisons? How fiercely and quickly were it like to divide & bre•k them, having an extreme fire, the greatest spoiler of all things, to over-match the cold & dry quality; & a much stronger Body then those vapors which carried th•se former qualities, and both these sent with far greater speed and swiftness, as appears in the difference of the Movers?

Lift up your Ears and mark what I say; A deaf Judge had not need hear these Matters, who hath not seen how Quicksilver enters, cuts, and rents the Met∣tals, though many doubt, and differ about the cause thereof? iCardan thinks, that, like as we said of the cold Weather in those frozen Countries, so this marvellous cold Mettalline water, entring the Mettals, freezeth their Moysture within them, and makes them crack and fall assunder, and therefore Gold soonest of all other, because his moisture is finest: even as sodden-wa∣ter for his fineness, freezeth sooner then cold.

Surely very wittily kParacelse deems this done by the Spiritual subtilty of the Body, even as the under∣standing Spirits of the Air, and the lively Spirits of Heaven use to pierce through stone walls, and Rocks by
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the same strength, without the force of qualities: But I think it is rather for his stronger like Nature; seeking to devour them; else he would pierce you hand, and leather, and such like easie things, which he leaveth un∣touched, as unlike and strangers. As for the qualities of Quicksilver, it is a question what they are, and which excelleth; some judge her very Cold; some again marvellous hot (as Paracelse for one;) some most moist; other dry: But, as she hath them all apparantly, so I deem her Temperate, like him that hath sprung from her, and is most like unto her, Gold I mean, though perhaps the qualities be not all in her, as in him, so equally ballanced.—But let the Cause be what it will, (I love not to settle upon uncertain matters,) the great Spirit of Mettals, after she is first wrought into Gold, and then into his Son our Medcine, shall be in any rea∣son, both for Soul & Body, an hundred times stronger, and more able to do it. Nay, Antimony and Lead are much grosser then Quicksilver, and yet we see how they rend and tear and consume base Mettals even to nothing. But what say we to Plants? there is as great difference in sharpness and ability to pierce, and enter between them and minerals, as is between a Thorn and a Needle; and yet you hear above, the gentle Plant of the Vine and the milde Dew of Heaven yielded stuff to an eating water, able, within three or four distil∣lings to devour and dissolve mettals.—Then what shall not onely other sharp mineral eaters, but this our almighty Golden medicine shew upon them, which besides that wonderful passing sharp and piercing Body, hath the great help (which they want) of that Heavenly fire, and of his swiftness,
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stirred up by a mighty Mover. These things are enough to suffice any reasonable man, (if they will not stop their ears against the sound of Reason) touching the power, might, and strength of our Medicine.

What is then behinde? Yes many, I heard them whisper, that albeit this Stone of ours hath such thun∣dring power, yet it may not force to our purpose, consu∣ming all the Mettal (as the guise and forcible use of so fierce things is) without regard or choice of any part or portion: But it is not alwayes I hope, the guise of vio∣lent things; I need not go far: There is a natural stone in lAsia, which by a mighty and strong property u∣eth, in forty dayes space, to consume and make away all the flesh and bones of a dead mans body, saving the Teeth, which he leaveth ever safe and whole, and there∣fore they called it in times past (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) Flesh-eater, and made Tombs thereof for dead, and Boots for Gowty men.—I could cloy a world of Readers with like examples, if I might be suffered: But weigh this one and our artificial Stone together, why may not it as well have his choice, and save a part in this great waste and spoiling? They know not why: And how then, there are many deep, hidden and causeless properties in the bosom of kinde and nature, which no mans wit is able to reach and see into, the World is full of them, when Art is open, and all his wayes known.

Indeed, the World is full of late, of such causeless and blinde Phylosophers, which (like as the mPoet, when they stick a little, call upon Jove by many names, to help to shore up the fall of a verse, or stop a gap in the num∣ber; so they) when their eyes are dazled upon the view of a deep matter, fly to Nature as fast, and to her
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n hid and unsearchable Secr••s to cover the shame of Ignorance: as though GOD moved all with his finger (as they say) without any •ween means or inst•u∣ments.—There is nothing done without a middle cause, fore running, if it were known, (as I think it is to some, though never so dark and hid from others) and therefore to come to the purpose, as the reason of the natural eat∣ing Stone was clear to oAgricola, (though unknown to Pliny, and many moe the Reporters) and found to be for the loose and light temperature of his Body, apt to drink up Moisture, and Coppress nature, fit to eat the fl•sh and softer bones, and yet unable to do a thing above his st•ength, that is, to overcome the harder. Even so you may think the reason in this like property of the PHI∣LOSOPHERS STONE, is seen to some; and certain, howsoever it was my luck to see it I cannot tell, it hath been sure unfolded twenty times, at least in the speech going before, if you remember well; it follow∣eth but the high and common way of all nature, I mean that eating nature; for all things eat, and that is the cause of things done below: Then, there is nothing eats and devours all the stuff which it overcometh but so much as is like, and turnable, the rest he leaveth as strange and untouchable. So did all the foul binders purge above; nay, so and no otherwise doth the Lightning and all fire eat and consume the stuffe subdued, turning the Air and Water into fire, and leaving the Earth and Ashes; even so doth our Medicine, after it hath driven out and scattered all uncleanness, it takes and sticks unto the fine part, like unto it self, and makes it like himself, as far as his strength will carry.

What need I pray in aid of any moe examples? Is
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it not clear enough, that all things seek their likes, and shun their Contraries? Yet because these Mineral Mat∣ters have been evermore very strange and unacquainted with the Grecians, I will set down one or two of the clearer examples. Why doth Coppress water part and draw away Silver from Gold? But, that Coppress is like to Copper, and this to Silver; for as pLead is to Gold, so is this to Silver, both very like one another, both in weight and softness, and therefore counted Leprous Gold and Silver.—For try all of both together; when you have so parted Gold and Silver, cast in plates of Lead and Copper, and that will cleave to the Gold, and this q to the Silver. But Silver is liker to Silver than Copper, therefore to part Silver from Copper; the Miners use to season a lump of Lead with a little Silver, that softneth the work and maketh it ready; then one Silver draw∣eth the other part unto her. Nay, view Quicksilver,r as she is strange in all things, so in this ve•y wonderful: Quicksilver, I say, the Grandmother of our medicine, and the spring of all her goodness, will quickly receive and swallow, either in heat or cold; her near friend and ve∣ry like, clean, fine, and temperate body of Gold, (and therefore as the one is termed unripe Gold, so the other ripe Quicksilver) when the rest she refuseth, and beareth aloof, as foul, gross, and unlike her Nature; and this se∣cret the miners also, by their practice, have opened unto us, when they so part Gold from the rest mashed altoge∣ther in a dust heap.—Wherefore when this fine and clean body Quicksilver, is made by Nature and Art, yet much finer and clearer, and again as much more piercing and Spiritual, and able to perform it, how much more readily will she run to her like and devour it, the clean, fine, and spiritual, that is, the Quicksilvery part of the
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Mettal? And if she do devour it, then it cannot be lost, but must needs go into a better Nature, even the Nature which we desire.

What is then to be said more? I have not yet bounded the matter, as I promised, and shewed how the Golden Stone should turn an hundred times as much into Gold; I have shot a large compass, but all at random, now it is time enough, every thing hath his due time and place.

You have heard I am sure, of the hot Stomach of the Elephant, Lizard, and Sea-calf, able to digest and con∣sume Stones, yea, and to come to the point, the Struthio [Estridge] that marvellous Beast, Iron also; If the stomach of a Wight be able in short space, to divide, expel, & turn the fine part of the Mettal into his own self same nature, how much and how soon, may the Stomach of our Medi∣cine turn into Gold? not onely an hundred times more then the Beast, because it is an hundred times more fitter and able to do it: first, for the likeness and nearness of the stuff; and then for s the two great Heats I spake of; and thirdly, for the wonderfull, subtile, and strong pier∣cing and cutting Workman. But especially, because he goeth not quite though with the work, as the Beasts did, but half way to the middle nature of his Father: consi∣der and weigh the matter, but if it be somewhat too far off, t mark how Wood, and other things of like strange gifts & qualities, are easily able to overcome & change a hundred times so much of like Stuff, with whom they meet, even without this our great mingling and boiling: why shall it then be hard for our Medicine, with great Concoction, to do the like upon his own subject? for proportion of strength, for strength will allow him as able to overcome the stubborn Mettals, as these two the weaker Water.

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To close up all; Remember what I said, and what is most true and certain, that Gold is closest, and most full of fine large-spreading stuffe, of any thing else in the World, passing the wonderful gift of Silver in this point an hundred-fold; Insomuch that one Ounce of Gold, by the blunt skill of the Hammer, may be drawn out and made to stretch over ten acres of ground: Consider well this one point, and all snall be plain and easie; I mean to them that be Learned, for these be no matters for dull and mazed Wits to think on: Then after this spreading Mettal is made a fine flow∣ing Oyl, and drawn out at length, and laid out abroad most thinly, by a vehement heat of fire, upon how much will it spread may you think in reason? But such a view may quickly dazle the Eye of the Understand∣ing, let us picture out the matter as Plato useth.

Think the difference in fineness and colour, between the Sonne of Gold and Silver (if you will take him to turn, as I bad you) to be like the oddes between ve∣ry fine red Sarcenet, and course white sackcloth; let that be closely thrust up together in a Walnut-shell, this packt up as hard in a very round Pot of a quart, or of that bigness, which will take the measure of a hundred VValnuts, you see the bulk of both; and so if you weigh them, one will prove as much an hun∣dred times in weight as that other; but draw them out, and spread them abroad one upon another, and one shall overtake, match and fit another on all sides; Now one is very course and big, and the other fine and small, as appears by their threds; yet the small may be full as strong as the bigge, as we see in a litle Gall, Poyson, &c. it is common: Then these two encoun∣tring (as we must suppose) shall, of force, hurt and
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change each other equally, & so the exceeding fine and gross mingled, make a middle thred, and the ex∣treme red and white colours, carried with their bodies take a Yellow mean also: even so you must think, when an hundred Ounces of silver, and one Ounce of our Medicine, are both by the Fire beaten and driven out at length, and to the farthest thinness, every part overtakes, fits and reacheth other, and the small part being as strong as the bigge, in striving one overcomes, consumes and turns the other, that neither shall be quite razed, but both equally changed, and mingled into a third Mean thing, both in fineness and colour, which is gold, for the Medicine is as far above gold, as this beyond Silver, both in fineness and colour, and all other properties whatsoever.

And so you see the Colour also dispatched, which I kept unto this place, and which seemeth a wonder in some Mens sights; for I hope you will not ask me how gold got this high red and unkindly colour; unless you be ignorant how all such Hang-bies fleet and change up and down, without hurt unto the thing that car∣rieth them; and except you know not, v that by a kindly course (whereby all soft and alterable things, gently and softly boyled, wax first black, then white, next yellow, and lastly red, where they stay in the top of the Colour) we see changed and drawn up our seed of gold unto this new unwonted Colour.

And thus you have at last, all the Reason which I saw, or at least, thought good to deliver to writing, for the truth of HERMES or the PHILOSOPHERS STONE, and MEDICINES, why it is the ready way to bring all Men to all the Bliss and Happiness in the VVorld; that is, to Long-life, Health, Youth, Riches,
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VVisdom and Virtue; it is now time to sit down, and take our rest.

CHAP. IV. That Gold may be wrought into such a fine oyl as we speak of.
BUt methinks I hear them mutter among them∣selves, that there is never a Reason given as yet, no not one; because all standing upon a feigned and supposed ground, which being nothing, all that is built upon it must needs come to nothing.—For even as wParacelsus in his supposed Paradise, in the end of his High opinions concludes, that if it were possible to be made by any Labour of Wisdome, it would prove no doubt, a notable place for Long-life and Health; even so may be thought of this Stone of gold, if any Art or skill were able to contrive it, that it would without doubt, work those wonders aforesaid; But as his Pa∣radise, (if he mean plainly as he sayes, and not of the Philosophers Stone, whereto it may be wrested) is im∣possible to be made, unless he would include himself in a place free, first from the contagion and force of the outward Earth, Water, and Weather, yea and there∣fore of the Fire of Heaven and Light also: and se∣condly, x where all the Beginnings were in their pure and naked Nature, which they call a Fifth nature which is no where save in Heaven, and which were a Miracle to be conceived; And lastly, except he could live without Meat and his Leavings, which both Lear∣ned and unlearned hold ridiculous to think.

Even so, it is as hard in opinion and unlike, that Gold may be spoiled, and brought to nothing, (as he must be first) and then restored and raised to such dig∣nity;
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Because as Heaven is ever one and unchange∣able, for that in it all Beginnings are weighed so even∣ly, and surely tyed together in a full consent, and un∣able ever to jarre and to be loosned; in like sort Gold is so close and fast, for his sure and equal mixture of his fine earth and water, that no force y of nature, nei∣ther of earth, air, or water, no nor of fire, although he be helpen with lead, antimony, or any such like fierce and hot stomach, easily consuming all other things, will ever touch him: nay, which is strange, the greatest spoylers in the world fire and his helpes are so far from touching him, that they z mend him, and make him still better and better; what is to be said to this?

Albeit I confess that to be the main ground and stay of all the work and building; yet I supposed it not, nor took it as granted, as if I had been in Geometry, but left it to be proved in the fittest place.—As for that supposed Paradise, it is hard to judge, because he did but glance at it, and so leaves it unlawful to be told; Albeit a Man may devise in thought as well as he, (for I think he had not tryed it) what may be done, and what Nature will suffer.

Then, what if a Man inclosed himself in a pretty Chamber, free from all outward Influence, which is ea∣sie; overcast for lights sake, if need be, with such Marble as Nero made his temple shine in darkness with∣all; floored thick with Terra Lemn. or the Earth of a Fifth nature, (which is better, but much more hard to be gotten;) and had such Water within the lodg∣ing, as that, a not long since found under ground, be∣tween two silver Cups in Italy; then if he could ever live quiet without Meat, (which I shewed not impos∣sible,
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or preserved himself with a Fifth nature, which breeds no Leavings; what think you of the matter?

But think what you will; If it jarre and sound not well in the ears of any Man, let it be among other his incredible and impossible Monsters; yet our Cause shall not be the worse for it, but easily possible, as I will open unto you, as far as my leave will suffer me, which hath been large indeed, and must be, because I made a large promise at first, (perhaps too rashly, but for the good meaning) which must be paid and perfor∣med.

bAristotle saith like a wise Philosopher, that na∣ture makes her Creatures and subjects apt to move and rest, that is, changeable; and again, that a Body that is bounded, cannot be without end and everlasting: And therefore, that when Heaven ever moveth, and Earth ever resteth, it is beyond the compass of Nature, and springs from a more Divine cause. If his Rule be true, as it is most certain, then Gold a thing not unboun∣ded, nor yet an extraordinary and divine work, but made by the ordinary hand of Kind, as we heard a∣bove, must needs decay and perish again, and cannot last for ever: And if Nature can dissolve him, much more shall she with the help of Art performe it: And that which was said of Fire, and his helpers is nothing, for why do they better Gold, but because they re∣move his Enemies, when Nature? had secretly laid a∣bout him to destroy him; And so a very stick, as I said above, may be saved from decay: But let na∣ture have her swinge under Ground, or skil above, and they shall cause his enemies in time to spoil and con∣sume him. We cannot tell, (say they Country-like)
Page 214

it may be a divine and no natural work, for we see it e∣verlasting;—Go to, be it so: I will overtake them that way too; for as we know, that which Aristotle knew not, that both Heaven and Earth by the same divine cause that made them both, may be, and once must be, marred and changed; so we may think that Gold, al∣though it were a divine work, yet by the like skill, following the divine Pattern, might fall to decay and perish.

But what is that divine Pattern? & how shall men be like unto GOD? even by the goodness of God, who hath, as I said above, left this Pattern open in al places, & ea∣sie to be seen, to them that seek to be like the main Pat∣tern,f wherof wewere al made: And this, as HERMESc saith, is gentle & witty separation, where with he avow∣eth both the great, & this our little work made & wo∣ven, and so to be marred and unwoven again; to figure unto us privily, that there is no great and cunning work performed by such rude and smith-like violence, as you speak of, (viz.dconsilii expers mole ruit sua) but by gentle skill & Counsel; as we may see plainly fitly, by a thing in virtue and price, I mean in worldly esti∣mation most near unto Gold, the noble and untamed eDiamond, which when he comes into the smiths hands, will neither yield to Fire nor Hammer, but will break this rather then he will break; and not so much as be hot (as Pliny saith) but not be hurt, (as they all grant) by that other: And yet by the gentle means g of Lions, or Goats blood, (though they be hot bloods, that by kind, and this by disease of a continual Ague) you may so soften and bring under this stout and noble stone, as he will yield to be handled at your pleasure;
Page 215

Nay by the flowing Tears of molten lead (a thing not so hot as may be) he will quite relent and melt with∣al: Even so we may judge of Gold; That albeit the more roughly that it be handled, the less he stoops, as the nature of stout things is, yet there is a gentle and heavenly skill, and a way to soften him and make him willingly yield, and go to Corrruption; though this, as well as that, be not common and known a∣broad, as no reason it should.

But what need we fly with Aristotle to any divine shelter? As Gold was made by a common course of Kind, and must dye and perish the same way; so this skill of ours needs not be fetched from any hid and divine se∣cret, (whatsoever our Men say, to keep off the unwor∣thy) but from a plain Art, following the ordinary and daily steps of Nature in all her kindly works and Chan∣ges.—Then mark and chew my words well, and I will open the whole Art unto you.

hGOD, because he would have none of these lower Creatures eternal, (as is aforesaid) first sowed the four Seeds of strife in the world, one to fight with and destroy the other; And if that would not serve, as it will not here, he made those that spring from them of the same nature; and there is nothing in the world,i that hath not his match, either like or contrary, able to combate with him and devoure him. But the Like eats up and consumes the like with more ease, and more kindly then the contrary, for their nearness and agreement.—Then, if nature mean to spoil Gold, and make him perish, because it is so strong a thing, she takes the nearest and most kindly way, she sets a strange Like upon him to eat him up and consume him;—What should I say more, or more plainly? you know the
Page 216

thing most like and nearest unto him; This is, in all Mens sight, corrupt and subject to decay, and then, when it is loosened very k strong and fierce: It is e∣ver more wrapt about him, and so by contagion it strikes, and enters, and pulls him after; and all in their own natural heat and furnace, rot together, and in due time rise again, and the same; for being all one in effect, as the seeds of Male and Female, it booteth not whether overcome in the end, and a new thing like the old, must needs arise, if some occasion in the place (as I said of Heat and Brimstone) come not between and turne the course.

You have heard of Nature, let us now come to Art: If she cannot follow those steps of nature, she is but a rude skill; Nay, she must pass them far if she mean to take profit by the work, for albeit I deny not but all things may fall out so luckily, that our Sonne of Gold may start up under ground, (though never found, for who would know it? yet nature may so easily fail in the choice l of the corrupting ground, but chiefly in tempering the degrees of her kindly heat, (without which the work will never see end) and again the lets are so many and so casual, that perhaps we would be worne, before the work were finished.

Then how shall Art her Counterfeit pass this kindly Pattern very easily, by the understanding skill of a di∣vine Mind, which I said to pass nature in her own works? first in choosing the best ground and best proportionated for generation, which nature in this, respecteth not, as aiming at destruction onely; then in removing all Lets to come between; But especially in well ordering that gentle and witty fire of HERMES, wherewith all the work is sundered, that is, turned, altered and mingled.

Page 217

But what is this Witty Fire? for here is all the hard∣ness: here all the Work is blinded; All the rest is easie: Bend your mindes I say, I will tell you all the Art: En∣close the seed of Gold in a common, and yet kindly place: lo, here is all the Art; All the rest is written to blinde and shadow this; so far as I may do good and avoid hurt, I will unfold this short hid and dark matter, and yet Her∣metically and Philosophically.

m As the Sun is the Father of all things, and the Moon his Wife the Mother, (for he sends not down these begetting Beams immediately, but through the belly of the Moon) and this double Seed is carried in a Winde and Spirit into the Earth, to be made up and nourished: so our nSun hath his Wife and Moon, though not in sundry Circles, but oAdam-like, and both these are carried in a Spirit also, and put into a kindely Furnace.

To be more plain, this Seed of Gold is his whole Bo∣dy loosened and softned with his own Water, (I care not how, but best with his beloved, for ease in working:) There is all your Stuff and Preparation. A very contem∣ned trifle. Here is the Fire: this Belly is full of Blood of a strange Nature; It is Earthyp and yet Watery, Aiery, and very Fiery: It is a Bath, it is a Dunghill; and it is ashes also. And yet these are not common ones, but Heavenly and Philosophical, as it becomes Philosophers to deal with no∣thing, but Heavenly things.

Search then this rare kinde of Heat, for here is all the cunning: This is the Key of all; this q makes the seeds and bringeth forth: search wisely, and where it is; in the midst of Heaven and Earth,r for it is in the middest of both these places, and yet but in one indeed.—You may think I cross my self, and know not what I say,
Page 218

but compare and look about, and you shall finde no∣thing prosper but in his own place.

Let then the tDew of this Starry blood beat about the Womb, and your Seed shall joy and prosper, yet so much the better and sooner also, if that Blood be whole and sound, (u) and standing of all his parts. Wherefore no marvel if the World misseth this Happy Stone, when they think to v make it above the Ground; I say they must either climbe up to Heaven, or go down deep within the Earth, for there and no where else is this kindely Heat.

Wights are heat with Blood, and Plants with Earth, but wMinerals with an Heavenly Breath: To be short; because Men are too heavy to mount up to Heaven, you must go down to the midst of the Earth, and put your Seed into his Myne again, that he may take that Influ∣ence of Heaven equally round about him.

Muse and conject well upon my Words, you that are fit and skill'd in Nature, for this is a very Natural Heat, and yet here all the World is blinded.—Nay indeed x if a man could read little and think much upon the wayes of Nature, he might easily hit this Art, and be∣fore that never.

What doth now remain? we have all the way to mar and spoil our Gold, and that was all the doubt, I trow, for if he be once down so kindly, he will rise again sure, or else all Nature will fail and lose her custome.—And if he rise, he shall rise ever in Vertue ten-fold encreased; I mean, if he be not imbased as the seeds of Plants and Wights are, and as the feed of Gold was by that base way abovesaid, with the Ground that corrupteth it.

So if a poisoned Plant or Wight be rotted in a Glass,
Page 219

she will rise again a most Venemous Beast, and perhaps a Cockatrice, for that is her Off-spring. Corrupt in like sort a good Plant, and it will prove y a Worm, or such like, with much encreased Vertue. What is the Rea∣son? Because the same temper and measure of the qua∣lities still riseth in power, as the Body is refined, and the gross stuff that hindereth the working, stript of the Lets of Body,z and all the qualities shall be raised equally, and shall work mightily, devour and draw things to their own Nature, more then any thing else; because they be not onely free, and in their clean and naked Naturè, but also seated upon a most subtile and tough Body, able to pierce, divide and subdue all things.

Again, both Mettals and stones, the more heat they have, (as in hotter Countreys) the finer and better; and therefore the oftner, they be brought back to their first matter, and baked with temperate heat, the more they increase in goodness.

And if he be brought to such a temperate fineness, that is, to such an Heavenly Nature; then he keeps no longer the nature of a mettal, in respect of any quality, save the lastingness of the Body; nor of any other gross meat nor Medicine; and therefore he cannot be an Enemy to our Nature, nor yet need any Ordinary di∣gestion in our Body, but straitwayes flies out, as I said before, and scours most swiftly through all the parts of the Body, and by extraordinary means and passages, as well as Nature her self; and so coyneth with our first moysture, and doth all other good deeds, be∣longing to this BLISS of Body, in such sort, and better, then I have shewed you of a fifth-nature.

And so Erastus, and all other slanderous mouths may
Page 220

now begin again, for there is not a word spoken to any purpose, because all runneth upon a false and unknown ground. A wise man would first have known the Na∣ture of the thing he speaketh of, if he meant not to move Laughter to them that hear him, and know the matter.

But indeed, these Railers are safe enough, because these things are so hid and unknown to the World, that no man, but one of their Houshold, can espy them or controul them. Therefore I took in hand this hard and dangerous labour, which all other of our Ancestors have refused, both that they might be ashamed of their wrongful slanders, and the wise, and Well-disposed see and take profit by the Truth of so great a Blessing.

If they ever finde it let them thank GOD, and use it, as no doubt they will, to do good to good men, If I have slipt in Words or Truth of matter, let them think how common it is among men, and weigh the good and bad together. Or else *Homer himself, when he slips now and then, could never escape it; and yet he was in an easie matter, (A Man may fain for ever) and had Orpheus and Musaeus, I think, before him. But you see the hardness of this stuff, although my Pattern you do not see, because it is not to my knowledge, in the World to be scen. But what care I? These Men whom I regard will take all things well, and then the rest I passed by long since unregarded.

FINIS▪
All glory be ever and onely to him that is, that was, and that is to come, Amen, Amen, Amen.

The Way To Bliss - 3 books complete, English PDF

1658

written by Elias Ashmole

The way to bliss. In three books. Made publick, by Elias Ashmole Esq.

THE Way to Bliss. IN THREE BOOKS. Made Publick, By ELIAS ASHMOLE Esq. Qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus.

The VVAY to BLISSE.
THE FIRST BOOK.

THE SECOND BOOK.
CHAP. I. Of LONG LIFE.

THE THIRD BOOK.

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The way to bliss. In three books. Made publick, by Elias Ashmole Esq.

THE Way to Bliss. IN THREE BOOKS. Made Publick, By ELIAS ASHMOLE Esq. Qui est Mercuriophilus Anglicus.

The VVAY to BLISSE. THE FIRST BOOK.

THE SECOND BOOK. CHAP. I. Of LONG LIFE.

THE THIRD BOOK.

The Way To Bliss - 3 books complete, English PDF

Quote of the Day

Artephius

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The VVAY to BLISSE.
THE FIRST BOOK.

THE SECOND BOOK.
CHAP. I. Of LONG LIFE.