Of the hidden vertues of things.
* 1.1THere are moreouer other vertues in things, which belong not to any E∣lement, as to put away poyson, to driue away carbuckles or botches, to draw y∣ron, or some such other thing: & this ver∣tue is ye sequell of the kinde or forme of this thing or yt thing. Wherfore also in a small quantitie, it hath no small effect in working, which is not graunted to ye e∣lementall qualitie. For these vertues be∣cause they depend much vpon the forme, therefore with a very small, matter, they can do very much: but ye elemental ver∣tue because it is materiall, doth desire much ••••ster to doe much. And they are called hidden properties,* 1.2 because theyr causes are hidden, so yt mans vnderstan∣ding is not able in any wise to finde thē out. Wherfore ye Philosophers haue at∣tained to a very great parte of them by long experience, more than by ye search of reason. For as in ye stomack yt meate is digested by heate which we know: so is it transformed by a certaine hidden ver∣tue which we knowe not, not by heate truly,* 1.3 for so in the chimney at the fire it should rather be transformed, than in the stomack: so are there in things, qualities, overthrowing ye elements, as we know, and are so created by Nature which we wonder at, and oftentimes are ama∣sed yt we know them not or seldome, or neuer sée them, as it is read in Ouid of the Phoenix, a bird alone, among all o∣thers renewing hir selfe.
There is one bird that repaireth hir selfe, and eft soones soweth hir selfe, the Assyrians call hir Phoenix, and in ano∣ther place, the Aegyptians méete toge∣ther at the wonder of so great a sight, & their reioycing companye saluteth the rare birde.
In times past, one Matreas made the Greekes and the Romanes greatlye to wonder at him: he said that he brought vp a wilde beast, yt which deuoured him∣selfe: wherefore also at this day, many do yet carefully search out, what yt wilde beast of Matreas may be. Who doth wō∣der at fishes digged out of the earth, of the which Aristotle, Theophrastus and Polibus the Historian, haue written, and that which Pausanias hath written, of singing stones, are all workes of hidden vertues. So the bird called an Ostridge, doth digest cold and hard yron to the no∣rishment of his body, whose stomacke is said, not to be hurt with burning yron. So that little fish called Echines, doth so bridle the violence of the windes, and tame the rage of the sea, that how cruel soeuer the stormes are, be there neuer so many sailes full of winde, yet with his touching alone, he doth so calme & cōpell ye ships to stand, yt by no means they can moue: so yt Salamāder & the crickets liue in the fire, & albeit they séeme somtimes to burne, yet are they not hurt. The like matter is said to be of a certaine Bitu∣men like to Pitch, wherewith the wea∣pons of the Amazons are saide to haue bene smeared ouer, which is taken a∣way neither with sword nor fire: wher∣with also, the gates of Caspia, made of brasse, is fabulously reported, to haue ben varnished ouer by Alexander Magnus. With the lyke Bitumen also, ye Arke of Noe, is read to haue ben glued together, continuing yet from so many thousande yeares vpon the Mountaines of Arme∣nia. There are manye other of these meruayles scarcely credible, but yet are knowen true by experience. Such as an∣tiquitie hath lefte in writing of the Sa∣tyres, which lyuing creatures doe con∣sist of a shape halfe like a man, and halfe like a beast, yet capable of speach & rea∣son, one of which, Saint Hierome re∣porteth did once speake to Saint Anto∣ny the hermit, & did condemne in him ye