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 Saphiro. cap. 87.

SAphirus is a precious stone, and is blew in colour, most like to heauen in faire wether and cléere, and is best a∣mong precious stones, and most preci∣ous and most apte and able to fingers of Kings, and is found in many places, but that that is found in the East or in In∣de is accounted best, and namelye if it haue as it were pouder of golde medled therein, and this Saphire stone is thick and not passing bright, as Isi. saith. This stone is most praised in Lapid. And for it is so noble and so excellent, it is called Gemma gemmarum, as it were chiefe of precious stones, for it lighteneth the bo∣die, and kéepeth and saueth lims whole & sound, and hath a bright starre, and by brightnesse of that starre, his vertue is knowen. Another manner Saphire is called Sirtites, and is found fast by the place that is called Sirtes, among y^e gra∣uel of the sea Libicum, as Diosc. saith, & is also found in the veines of mines, where Lasurium is also found, and in the same veynes of Saphire, in the middle, as it were in the wombe, is a certaine kinde of Carbuncle found. Therefore manye men déeme, that the Saphire is the Car∣buncles mother, for manye men meane, that the Carbuncle is gendred in y^e Sa∣phires veynes, and many men meane, that the Carbuncle is some deale besha∣dowed with a certaine blewe sparcle of the kinde of the Saphire, as Diosc. saith: & Diosc. saith y^t the Saphire hath ver∣tue to rule & accord them y^t be in strife, & helpeth much to make peace & accord. Also it hath vertue to abate vnkind heat, therfore in Lapid. it is said of y^e saphire,

that it cooleth heate of y^e body within. For the Saphire cooleth much the heat of bur∣ning feuers, if it be hanged nigh the pulse & the veines of the heart. Therefore hee saith, y^• it helpeth against much feauers, y^• haue time of chāging in accesse time. Also it hath vertue to cōfort & to glad y^• hart, therfore it is said, y^t it helpeth against the Cardiacle, & against all melancholik pas∣sions. Therfore it stancheth running and sweat y^t cōmeth of anguish, & other sweat also, as it is said in Lap. He stauncheth sweat that runneth swift, &c. Diosc. saith the same, & hath vertue to staunch bloud. And so a Saphire of the East stancheth bleeding at y^e nose, if it be laid to y^e tem∣ples. Also he hath singular vertue to swage blowing: For certeine it is, y^t the Saphire abateth & swageth swelling of postumes, if it be soone laid therto in the beginning of noiful drawing. Also y^e Sa∣phire helpeth against an euill postume, y^t is called Antrax, for it putteth out the might of ventosity & mallice of that Po∣stume, for it ouercommeth & putteth out the woodnesse thereof, & suffereth not the smoak therof come to the heart, nor the malice therof to infect the spirits, as Di∣oscri. saith. His vertue is contrary to ve∣nim, & quencheth it euerye deale. And if thou put a Spider in a boxe, & hold a ve∣ry Saphire of Inde at y^e mouth of y^e bore any while, by vertue thereof the Spider is ouercome & dieth, as it were sodeinly, as Diosc. saith. And the same I haue séene proued oft in many & diuers places. His vertue keepeth & saueth the sight, & clean∣seth eien of filth without any greefe: ther∣fore it is written in Lapid. that it taketh away filth out of eien, and ach of the for∣head. Also this vertue healeth biles and botches: For as Dioscor. saith, this stone beaten into pouder, & medled with milk, healeth wounds, & this also hath ben pro∣ued in wounds by experience. Also this stone was of so great authoritie in olde time, that men held that it it was most worthy stone to their God, & so it was singularly hallowed to Apollo, for when natiōs asked coūsel of Appollo in time of sacrifice, they hoped to be certified, & to haue aunswere sooner, if a Saphire stone were present, as Dioscorides saith. And this is touched in Lapidario.

And they that vse Nigromancie meane, y^t they haue answere of God more ther∣by, then by other precious stones. Also Witches loue well this stone, for they wéen y^t they may work certain wonders by vertue of this stone, and also this is touched in Lapid. where it is sayd. This stone bringeth men out of prison bonds, & vndoeth gates and bonds that it touch∣eth. Authours write those doings and many other of the singular vertue of the Saphire, & al Authors accord in this point & say, y^t the Saphire is a precious stone, & loueth chastity, & therfore least y^e effect thereof be let in any wise by his vnclean∣nesse y^t him beareth, it néedeth him that beareth it to liue chast, as this story mea∣neth, but he that it beareth, is commaun∣ded to be most chast. Also in Lapidario it is said, that this stone doth alwaye en∣uy, & putteth off dread & feare, and ma∣keth a man bold and hardy, & master and victor, & maketh the heart stedfast in good¦nesse, and maketh méeke & mild, and good∣ly. I wéene that all this is saide more in disposition then in effect and doing. But this sufficeth at this time.

(* 1.1In the Iland of Zeylam, are found the best & most true Saphires, being ve∣ry hard & fine, and of the coulour of A∣zure. Bliew: ther are diuers sorts of Sa∣phires found in Calicut.)

Notes

• * 1.1

  Additiō.