The vvonders of the load-stone. Or, The load-stone newly reduc't into a divine and morall vse. By Samuel Ward, of Ipswich. B.D.

Chap. 40. Of the slanders and abu∣se••, to ••hich Loadstones, as also great men and their affaires, are lyable.

HItherto have I con∣••inued in rehearsing the various and ••xcel∣lent uses of the Load∣stone, hereafter I will

comprehend in few words, the abuses there∣of, and those fables also which passing to and fro through the mouthes of men, have gotten some beliefe among the cre∣dulous multitude; espe∣cially such as that is, concerning Mahomets I∣ron Tombe, that hangs, as they say, in the Ayre, in a Chappell sceiled with Loadstones, which they who travaile as far as Mecha, doe constant∣ly affirme to be false. This I conjecture to be sprung from another fa∣ble, somewhat neere of kin unto it, which Pliny relates of that Master-Builder Dinocrates, who

began to cover with Loadstones the roofe of Arsinoe's Temple at A∣lexandria, that her I∣mage or Picture might seeme to hang in the Ayre; in the meane time it fell out that the Arti∣ficer died, and Ptolomy also, who commanded this to be made for his Sister. Of the same kind are those fained tales of Serapion, that he could o∣pen doores and lockes, that he could stay Ships in the midst of their course, that he could ex∣tract nailes out of them, by the helpe of a Load∣stone: Like unto this is that of Arnoldus de villa nova, who affirmed that

the devils might be put to flight by this meanes, and that of Marbodaeus Gallus, who said it was the best Philter or Me∣dic••ne to procure love, and that wives are by it reconciled to their hus∣bands, and husbands re∣conciled to their wives; unto which his Com∣mentator Pictorius, adds, this for a Surplusage; that it makes the posses∣sors of it very accepta∣ble to Princes▪ and elo∣quent; It is also an usuall thing with Couseners of plaine Countrey people, and for Mountebancks, under pretence of the vertues and effects there∣of, to seek earnestly for

credit and estimation to that plaister, which in Latine is tearmed Arma∣rium, and is commonly called the weapon salve, having Sympathy with other things, & wrought upon by the Stars. Be∣sides Famianus Strada, a man excellent for pen∣ning any kinde of dis∣course, hath feigned a notable couple of Tales, (and as I beleeve) to ex∣ercise his wit, and pra∣ctise his writing, which because they are briefe and pleasant, or full of mirth, I shall not thinke much to set them downe here fully: The first is according to the Pat∣terne of Lucretius his

Verse, and treats of a most expedite nere way to write unto friends, without any Carrier, or sending of Letters, and that only by the helpe of a Loadstone after this manner.

Magnesi genus est Lapidis mirabile, &c.

A Loadstone of strange kind there is, to which if you apply Some iron substance, instruments to write, then by and by They draw not only vertue thence, and motion amaine, Vnto the Northerne Pole to turne, and toward Charles his waine, But also all, among themselves in strange and wondrous sort, Those instruments the Loadstone toucht you shall see them resort Vnto one place of motion; yea, so that if by chance, But one of them doe move at Rome, the other will advance

It selfe to this, and though far off, will instantly remove, And turn to it with speed, by League and Natures secret love: Well then, if thou would'st understand of thy far-distant Mate, To whom no letter can be sent, then take a plaine round plate, That's large and wide, then write therin the A, B, C, letters all, In order, as by children learn'd, these place on brims withall Of this round plate, and in the midst each way set downe the Iron Pen, Which touch'd the Loadstone, that It may be turn'd, and then Touch any letter, which thou wilt: by this example frame Another table for thy friend, in forme the verie same, Having those outward brims alike, and Iron Instrument

Toucht by one Loadstone, which thy friend that to depart is bent, May carry with him; then you must among your selves appoint What time the Iron Pen shall move, and at the Letters point Things so compos'd, if thou desir'st for to salute thy friend, Which busied is farre off from home, in earths extreamest end; Then take the Table in thy hand, the turning Iron touch, Thou seest the Letters on the brim, dispos'd in order such, As thou shalt need them to frame words, to them thy pen direct, Somtimes to this, and somtimes that, thy purpose to effect: Vntill that oft this Instrument, thus turning all about, Thou hast in order all thy thoughts discribed and set out.

'Tis strange to be believ'd: thy friend which is farre off doth see The rolling Iron move with speed, from all enforcement free: Now here, now there, then he that knowes this feat is at a stay, Observes the Guidance of the Pen, toucht and followes every way: Hee reades the Letters that were which being together brought, He now perceives what needfull is, which by this meanes was wrought. Besides the friend when that he sees the Instrument to stand, May touch the letters, and rescribe, and answer out of hand, As he shall thinke conve••ient. O that this way to write Were once in common use, that all might letters thus endite; A Letter then more speedily, and safely to and fro,

Might passe without all feare of theeves, and streams to overflow: A Prince might then dispatch him∣selfe his owne affaires abroad; We Scribes might part with inkie seas, and change our black abode.

There is another Fable that followes after this, of a Load∣stone called Chrysos, which doth not draw Iron, but Gold; and is framed according to the lan∣guage and mind of Ovid:

Forte mihi puero putei super ore sedenti, &c

WHen being a boy, I sate upon the brink Of a deep pit, my ring did fall and sink: Of it I had no hope, but then I saw My Sire let downe a stone, which gold could draw, Vpon a line; then straight the ring arose Out of the bottome, and stuck very close Vnto the stone, as fish unto a booke: My father spake, when wondring I did looke;

Son, know this stone, the fable is but short; Deucalion and Pyrrha in a sort, Who comprehended all of humane race, That people might in earth againe have place, Threw stones behind their backs, upon command, Which softned were, and changed out of hand To bones, and to the faces of mankind; Although among them, some as yet we find, As undigested statues, having much

Of marble hardnesse, shewing they be such, As from the stones have their originall: This Off-spring grew with care distracted all, As on the waters, fields, and dens they fell, Mounts that for mines of ir'n, and gold excell, The nature of the place they did partake; One bunts, another tils the ground, some take Their pleasure in the sea; some others seeke For veines of ir'n and gold in everie creeke;

And every where with paines and panting breath, They seeke to find the cause of sin and death. Then mother Nature would take from their sights Those strong invitements to all ill delights; And to the inmost bowels of the ground, She drew, and mov'd them, ev'n to hell, that found They sarcely could be, and yet here descends Their furious lust, which knew no bounds, nor ends: They search things hid, and doe unbowell all

Their mother, Earth; then Nature did them call; She said in wrath, What meane yee for to doe? What further end have you, where will you goe? Devoyd of metals all the earth shall lye And groane, before that you can satisfie Your appetite: she turning doth behold Magnesia's fields, with shame not to be told, She sees them very earnest at their work, Searching those secrets, which at last did lurk

In the now digg'd out world, almost thereby, Seeking out gaines (their losse) which therein lye: She cri'd, O troop condemn'd, ô groveling rout Worthy of graves, which you digg'd all about Neere hell, and so she shak'd the earth with might, Opprest the men, and kill'd them all out right: Their limbs she mingled with those clods of land, Which they abused with a wicked hand. From the neere Stygian caves, a smoakie flame

Took hold of th'earth and members in the same. These, thus confounded, into stones were turn'd, Their hue and colour seeme, as if halfe burn'd: Nor only this, but that desire of gaine, Which troubled them alive, doth yet remaine; As when they gathered gold and ir'n, by Fate They were supprest; so likewise now of late, Though senselesse stones, they do well know their prey, And with a two- fol avarice assay

To draw it to them, now this stone drawes gold, The other ir'n: and so the tale is told. These wonders when I heard, I laugh'd and said; We all love gold so well, I am afraid That each man will be a Magnesian stone: My father pleased me, his little one, With fables such as these.

These and the like feigned Inventions, as all false rumours for the most part, so have they some truth or some thing likely to be true; for their originall from whence they rise, and their foundation where∣upon they relye; for ex∣perience hath taught me, that by the helpe of the Loadstone, and an Instrument fitted for that purpose, it is possi∣ble that a friend may in∣timate his mind to ano∣ther friend, being in the next Chamber, and that through a wall which is two foot broad in thick∣nesse, that he may thus impart to the other his

intent and purpose, and answer to those things which shall be propoun∣ded unto him. This ex∣ploit was either never heard of before, or see∣med altogether incredi∣ble. But that a man should by this Sympa∣theticall Needle com∣municate in speeches with his absent friend, as it were by an Epistle or Letter, his friend be∣ing in parts of the world so far distant, and placed out of the Loadstones Spheare of activity; It is a meere fable, and de∣ceitfull imposture.

But that which hap∣pens to the Loadstone, the same is fatall, and

doth▪ usually befall great affai•••••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all great men that are famous for their vertue, they lye open to many abuses and slan∣ders, and are debased thereby.

What hath been extant in any place, or at any time, which Nature or∣dained for excellent u∣ses, that either the devils cunning, or mens Leger de maine, hath not per∣verted to most horrible abuses? What man was ever famous for workes and miracles, of whom Histories have declared any thing true and won∣derfull, upon whom fa∣bulous reports have not fastened many absurdi∣ties

& falshoods which they added unto the truth?

What are the lives of Saints, and those golden Legends, as they call them, but confused heaps of lies, feigned and written by men of brazen faces, and Lea∣den braines, I am easily induc'd to beleeve, that, concerning Gregory, sur∣named Thaumaturgus, and other men, to be re∣verenced for the power they had to worke Mi∣racles, their Cotempara∣ries, and other approved Authors, have written many things that were true; But that I should give credit to all things

which the Monkes of following ages have ad∣ded, I can never be per∣swaded; Therefore it shalbe a wise mans part, neither to deny beliefe unto those things that are true, because of the mixture of things that are false; nor rashly to give credence unto things that are false, for the sake of those things that are true, but like a Sieve, to retaine those things that are weighty and solid, and to reject those things that are vaine and light.