Batman vppon Bartholome his booke De proprietatibus rerum, newly corrected, enlarged and amended: with such additions as are requisite, vnto euery seuerall booke: taken foorth of the most approued authors, the like heretofore not translated in English. Profitable for all estates, as well for the benefite of the mind as the bodie. 1582.

¶Of the meruailous or wonder∣full natures of Fire and Earth.

FOr the working of all meruailous things,* 1.1 saith Hermes, two are suffici∣ent, to wit, Fire and Earth: The one is the Patient, the other the Agent: Fire as sayth Dionisius commeth cléerely in all things, and through all things, and is remooued, is lightsome to all, and also is hidden and vnknowen when it is by it selfe, no matter comming, in the which it may manifest his owne action. It is vnmeasurable and inuisible, able of it selfe for his owne action, moue∣able, giuing it selfe to all, after a sorte comming néere vnto it, making newe, a kéeper of nature, a giuer of lyght, for his brightnesse couered all aboute, in∣comprehended, cléere, seuered, reboun∣ding backe, mounting vpwarde, going sharplye, high, not to bée diminished, alwayes a moouing motion, compre∣hending another, vncomprehended, not wanting another, priuelys growing of himselfe, and manifesting the greatnesse of himselfe to receiue matters, Actiue, mightye, at once present to all men, vi∣siblye it suffereth not it selfe to be neg∣lected, and as a certaine reuengement, generallye and properlye, vppon the sodaine bringing it selfe to a reckoning to certaine thinges, incomprehensible, in palpable, not diminished, most rich of himselfe in all traditions, Fyre is a huge and a greate portion of the thinges of nature, as sayth Plinye. And wherein it is doubtfull, whether shée consume and bring foorth more thinges. Fire is one, and pearcing tho∣rough all thinges as sayth the Pytha∣gorians, but in heauen stretched a∣broade and shining ouer all, and in hell straightened, darke and tormenting, in the middle partaking of both. Where∣fore the fire is one in it selfe, manifolde in the recipient, and in diuerse distri∣buted with a diuerse marke as Cle∣anthos witnesseth in Cicero, where∣fore this fire which wée vse commonly by chaunce it is in stones, which is stricken out, with the stroke of Stéele, it is in the Earth, which smoaketh by digging, it is in the Water, which warmeth the Fountaines, and

Welles, it is in the déepe Sea, which being tossed with winds, wexeth warm, it is in the ayre, which oftentimes wée sée to were warme, & all lyuing things, and Uegitables, are nourished with heate, and euerye thing that lyueth, ly∣ueth by reason of the included fire.

The properties of the fire supernall, a∣boue, are heate making all things fruit∣full, and lyght, giuing life to all things. The properties of the fire infernall, are a burning, consuming all things: and a darkenesse, making all things bar∣raine.

Wherefore the heauenlye and lyght fire, chaseth away the Demones, or Spirites of darkenesse: and this our woodden fire driueth awaye the same, as farre forth as it hath the lykenesse, and the carriage of that vppermost lyght: yea, also of that lyght, which sayeth, Ego sum lux mundi, I am the lyght of the worlde, which is the true fire, the Father of lyghtes, from whome, euery good thing giuen, doeth come: casting out the brightnesse of his fire, and communicating it first to the Sunne, and to other heauenlye bodyes, and by these, as it were by meane instrumentes, powring in that, into this our fire. Wherefore, as the Demones or spirites of darkenesse, are strongest in darkenesse, so the good De∣mones which are Angelles of lyght, doe receiue increase from the lyght, not one∣ly of God, of the Sunne, and of hea∣uen, but also of the fire which is with vs.

Héerevpon the first most wise ap∣pointers of Religions, and Ceremo∣nyes, decreed, that prayers, psalmes, & all rights, shuld not be dōe without lights. Héerevpon grewe that Posie of Pytha∣goras: Ne loquaris de Deo, absque lumine, Speake not of God without lyght. And they commaunded for the driuing awaye of naughtye Demones, that lyghtes and fires shoulde be kin∣deled by the carcases of the dead, and not to take them awaye, vntill that the purgings béeing ended by the holy right, they were put in buriall. And almightie God in the olde Lawe, didde requyre that all his Sacrifices, should bee offered with fire, and that fire,* 1.2 shoulde euer burne on the Altar, which also among the Romanes, the Priests of Vesta, didde alwayes keepe bur∣ning.

As for the Earth, it is the Bace, and the Foundation of all the Ele∣mentes: for it is the obiect, the sub∣iect, and the receiuer, of all the beames and influences of heauen. It contay∣neth in it the seedes, and seminall ver∣tues of all things, therefore is she called Animall, Uegetall, and Minerall, which béeing made fruitfull by all the other Elementes and Heauens, is apte to beget all things. Of it selfe, it is receyuer of all fruitefulnesse, and as it were also, the first springing Pa∣rent of all things, the Center, foun∣dation, and mother of all things.

Take of it anye portion bée it neuer so secrete, washed, pourged and ground small, if thou lette it stande for a season abroade, by and by béeing made fruitefull by the power of the Heauens, and as it were great with young, bringeth foorth from it plants, wormes, lyuing creatures, Stones, and also brighte sparckles of met∣talles.

Therein are excéeding great se∣creates. If at anye time it be pourged by the workemanshippe of fire, and brought to his singlenesse, by due wash∣ing. It is the first matter of our creation and the truest medicine of our restau∣ration and preseruation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cap. 5.
• * 1.2

  So lyke∣vvise in y^e funeralls of the Ro¦manes, were put lampes, vvith fire, that con∣tinued a long sea∣son.