An history of the wonderful things of nature set forth in ten severall classes wherein are contained I. The wonders of the heavens, II. Of the elements, III. Of meteors, IV. Of minerals, V. Of plants, VI. Of birds, VII. Of four-footed beasts, VIII. Of insects, and things wanting blood, IX. Of fishes, X. Of man / written by Johannes Jonstonus, and now rendred into English by a person of quality.

THE DESCRIPTION OF Wonders in Nature. (Book 4)

The Fourth Classis. Wherein are contained the Wonders of Minerals. (Book 4)

THis is an Argument of Wealth, and thought to be true Glory, to possesse that which may all presently perish. Nor doth this suffice us, that we drink in a trumpet of Jewels, and we interweave ou•• cups with Emeralds; and we delight to hold the Indies for our drunkennesse, and gold is now but an addition,

Plin. l. 33. Histor. na∣tural. in praef.

CHAP. I. Of Things digged up, in generall.

HItherto we spake of things elevated into the Superiour world; Now we shall consider of things under the Earth. Which because they are brought forth by mans labour, the Philosophers called them Fossilia, or things dug out, inclu∣ding ••hem under the names of Earths, Juices, Stones, Metals. They think they are bred by subterraneal heat. Others think, that they were at first created by God, and do increase by a seminal principle. And indeed, it is not against Truth, that Metals are made of some vapours.

Avicenna saith, That more than once bodies of brasse, like to Ar∣rows with forked heads, have fallen down in clear day, in Persia.

But in Spain a Masse of stone with Veins of mettal fell out of the Skys, Lydiat de fontib. 6. c. 6. The latter is confirmed by the testimony of some Writers. For the Gold of Corbachium in Westphalia, every four year grows and springs again in heaps. In Sclavonia a vein of Lead every 40. yeares is changed into Silver. A dry scale of Brasse into Gold, in one yeare. Iron in Silesia at Saganum is digged a new, every tenth yeare. In Sweden, red f••nny mud, laid one yeare in the open Sun, becomes good Iron; The Mountain of Fessula in Hetruria hath lead-stones, which if they be cut out, will in a short time grow again; Caesalpinus, l. 2. de metal. c. 6. relates of Iron that is dug up in Ilva, an Island of the Tyrrhene Sea, that all the Earth that wanted Mettal, that is dug up with the Iron will the next time they dig, be turned into good Iron, Lastly in the Indies, there is the Mountain Oromenus, where salt is cut out, as out of quarries, and it grows again, Caesalpin, l. 1. de Metal. c. 1. But that is wonderfull which Garzias ab horto writes of the Diamant, Simpl, Indiae, l. 1. c. 47. The Adama••ts, saith he, that lye deep in the bowells of the Earth, and require many yeares to their perfection, are bred almost on the surface of the ground, and are ready in 2 or 3 yeares: for dig this yeare but a cubit deep in the quarrie, and you shall find Diamonds; dig there after two yeares, and you shall find Diamonds again. But how that should be, it is hard to say; yet no man can speak with more care, than Nature can work, when especially she is prodigall, and sports her self in the variety of things, Pliny, l. 21. praefat. Yet it doth not seem unreasonable that the Vapour should congele with a fit matter, and that which is not well concocted to put off to another time, and so to perpetuate the generation. Truly the Flux of Veins hath somthing proportionable to vegetable nature; and the relation of a Physitian of Friberg, that, in the Lungs of such as use to dig in Mines, their bodies being opened when they are dead, you shall find the same Mettals grown hard, wherein they laboured be∣ing alive (Sennertus lib de consensu et diss. Chymicorum et Galenicorum) seems to intimate as much.

CHAP. II. Of Marle and Potters-Earth.

MArle is a thick fat Earth, and yet is somtimes so fluxible and white, that it seems like to marrow in the bones of living Creatures. Of times it is hard, and being drank it stops the Veins that bleed at the mouth, and hath the same force that Terra Samia hath; It is dug up in many places, especially amongst the Saxons, At Gossaria there are two sorts, one is Ash-coloured, and the other is whiter, of which are made forms, wherein your Image makers make their Pictures they cast. Sharp cold will divide them both into very thin plates, though the former, be∣fore the cold have seazed upon it, consists of thick crusts. Potters Earth is thick, soft, it is hard to come by: works are made of fat and thick

matter, that the force of fire will not quickly break. Of the same are made Vessels that will neither drink up, nor consume liquor: where∣in water that parts Gold from Silver is both made and kept. Potters Vessells have ennobled many Countries: as Asia, by those were made at Pergamus, those that were made at Tralleis. Terra Coa, and Samia are not unknown; and Aretina is wonderfull, Plin. l. 5. c. 13. Noriberga sends earthen Furnaces, wherein Gare are and Mettals are boiled. Of clay digged up at the Fort of Rottingberg, are made purging Vessels wherein Alchymy is made. These being cast out of the fire with the brasse do not break, but are drawn and wound like burning Glasse. Agricola de illis quae essodiuntur ex terra.

CHAP. III. Of Terra Lemnia, Armenia, and Siles••ack.

TErra Lemnia, otherwise called sealed Earth; For Diana's Priest, taking it upon him for the honour of his Country▪ offering for expiation, wheat and barley, brought this into the City, soked with water, and making it like clay, he dryed it▪ that it might be like soft wax, and when it was become so, he sealed it with the sacred seal of Diana, Gal. l. 9. Simpl. Now it is digged up yearly, not with∣out superstition, the sixth day of August onely. They that dig are Greeks, the pit sends forth a sweet smell. It is digged after Sun-rising for 6. hours, and it is laid up in one lump, and it must see no light till a year be expired. Then it is taken out and washt, being washt it is put into a bag; it is mingled with hands, it is made into round Cakes, and marked with the Emperours seal. Then it is dryed and put into a sealed Cabinet▪ and sent away to the Emperour to Constan∣tinople, Stephanus Albacarius in Epist. ad Busbequium. It is good against deadly poysons. Galen tryed it against the Sea hare, and Cantharides, and found it good. The same Authour writes of it, that in a certain hill by the City of the Ephestii, where no plant lives, it is dug up, the ground being as it were burnt. Terra Armenia was wont to be brought from that part which is adjacent to Cappadocia; Galen saith, it helps difficult breathing, so that they die, whom it cures not. It is drank with Wine in a thin consistence, moderately allaid, if the party have none, or but an easie feaver; but if a strong one, with water. At this day▪ there is a Bolus Toccaviensis in Hungaria, it is like butter, and is good against Catarrhes; so that it is preferred before the Earth of Armenia; Crato in Epist. Sileciaca Strigensis, is also preferred before Terra Lemnia; Sennert. Scient. natural. l. 5. c. 1. Johannes Montanus Silesius was the founder of it, who writ a book of the same; that it is transmuted gold, by the ordination of God in his providence of nature, prepared and transmuted into a most excellent remedy, that chiefly prevails against venome, no lesse than the Medicaments that are made with great cost out of the best gold of Hungary.

CHAP. IV. Of Salt.

SAlt is either made, or else it growes; It is made of salt Fountains, the water whereof boyled long, at length is turned to salt. It breeds many wayes. It is dryed in the Lake Tarentinum, by the Sum∣mer Suns, and the whole Lake turns to salt; in some places it is mo∣derated, not above knee deep. In Bactria two Lak••s very large, one toward the Scythians; the other toward the Arii, boyl with salt: Also the tops of some Rivers, and condensed into salt, the rest of the River running as it were under the Ice, as at the Caspian mouth, that are cal∣led Rivers of Salt. Amongst the Bactrians the Rivers Ochus and Oxus carry out of the opposite Mountains sholes of Salt. There are also natural salt Mountains, as Oxomenus in India, where it is cut out of quarries, and growes again; and the Custome of it is more to their Kings, than from gold and pearls. In Cappadocia it is digged out of the earth, the humour being condensed: there it is cut out like Tal∣••um glasse. King Ptolomy found some about Pelusium, when he pitched his Tents. By this example, afterwards between Egypt and Arabia, it began to be found under the sands, as in the desarts of Africa, so far as the Oracle of Ammon. It increaseth with Moon-nights, Pliny. A thin salt is bred by the Sea; for when the Sea flowes, it froths, and drives that froth against the shores and Rocks. These are cut off, and laid upon them to dry, and in some places are turned into salt, Dioscor. There is a Lake of Salt in Sicily so bright, that, as Pliny writes, you may see your face in it. That of Colomeum tastes like rosted eggs▪ when it is hard, it cracks in the fire and leaps out; but melted, it doth not so: nor yet that which breeds in Lakes that is dryed by the heat of the Sun. Salt of Agrigentum will leap out of water, saith Pliny; torri∣fied, it loseth little or nothing of its magnitude; but moystned, it lo∣seth. Heaps of Salt that in Africa are made by Utica, and like hills for height, they grow so hard by the Suns heat, that no rain will melt them, and they can hardly be cut with Iron. It is observed, that such who are much disposed to putrid Feavers, are preserved from them by eating of salt freely with their meat, Math. de sebr•• pestil. Also fields where it is sprinkled, become fruitful by it, as experience makes good. Fat women, by the moderate use of it for to season their meats, grow fruitful: for it wipes away the moysture, and dryes the Matrix that is over-moyst, that the seed may stick. Also it stirs up the loins in men, and causeth Erection, Lemnius de occult. l. 2. c. 36. Hence the Aegyptians used no salt. That it helps to fruitfulnesse, Mice abounding in ships, and the continual lusting of women that use much salt, is a sufficient argument. Libavius tom. 3. singul. l. 5. thinks it nourisheth, and is changed into ones substance with other things: for we see that there is no body but that Salt may be extracted from it. The generating of the most precious Pearls in the Sea, and of Coral,

that comes forth of Rocks with boughes and branches like a Tree divided, is ascribed to salt, Quercetan de medic. Prisc. Phil. 2. Farther▪ being put to the mouths of such as are Epileptick, it raiseth them. In swoonings, either by resolution of the spirits, or by oppression of them, do but rub the Lips with it, and it is a present remedy. Held in the mouth or swallowed, it hinders Worms from ascending into the stomach. Lastly, that it is an Antidote both for hunger and thirst, the Army of Charles the Fifth made good, at the siege of Tune∣tum: They had dyed, had no•• every one of them held a grain or two under their Tongues, Bicker. in Praes. lib. de f••nit. const.

CHAP. V. Of Allum and Nitre.

THere are many figures of congealed Allum; Allum called Seis∣sum, is the flowr of Allum in clods, and is pressed together like planks; or it flourisheth severally like grey hairs: round Allum swells like bubbles, or is like a spunge, by reason of the holes in it. The liquid Allum sends out of it self such a vapour that smells like fire, as stones do when they are rubb'd together to cause fire. When it is put upon burning coles, or else put into a pot and is torrified with fire burning under it, it swells into bubbles, and loseth something of its substance, Plin. l. 31. c. 10.

Nitre in the Clytae of Macedonia is the best▪ they call it Calastricum, it is white, and next to Salt. There is a nitrous Lake, where a sweet little Fountain comes forth of the middle of it, there Nitre is made about the rising of the Dog star for 9. dayes, and then it ceaseth as long; then it swims upon it again, and then ceaseth. This is the won∣der, that, the Spring of water always running, the Lake doth neither increase, nor run over. Those dayes wherein it is made, if there fall any rain, they make the salter Nitre. The Northern showers make the worst, because they stir the mud too violently. It is made also of the urine of living Creatures, that falls alwayes upon good and shadowy ground, Ang: Salic: Vinc: S. 1. aph. 28. It looks white, feels cold; it hath in it self a most red spirit, most hot and taking fire, Sen∣nert. l. 5. Epitom. Scient. natur. c. 2. When it is burnt, it sends out alone no savour, that sense can perceive; but mingled with quick lime, it hath a most vehement smell. The Egyptians strewed their Radishes with their Nitre, as we do with Salt. The Macedonians adde some of the Calastraeum to their Meal, and mould them together to make bread. The fine sands of Nilus, which as it seems were nitrous, were carried by Patrobius, a Freeman of Neson, to white their bodies with. Also Nitre, of which is made Halinitre, is at Servesta, and Bernbergum, Georg. Agricola. That Land will receive no Rain above a cubit. Like unto this, is that, where stone Walls, both in Wine-Cellars and shady

places that are free from showers, that use to wash it off, do so sweat▪ as if they were sprinkled with flowr.

CHAP. VI. Of Calcanthum or Vitriol.

THe best is the Roman, and Hungarian, the goodnesse is tryed by rubbing your knife against it; for if it make it look like Copper, it is the best, Quercetan. de capit. affect. c. 30. It is apparent, that in its secret qualities, it contains Copper. The Ancients took one dram inwardly, and kill'd their Worms, and cured the venom of Mushromes, Sennert. l. 5. Epit. Scient. natural. c. 2. A little piece of the white dissolved in water, is happily used for the itching and red∣nesse of the eyes, Platerus de dol. p. 313. Riolanus saith, That the spirit of it is a caustick, that it will eat glasse wherein it is made. It hath Antipathy with the oyl of Tartar, they are both most acute and sharp. If you mingle them, the acrimony of both is lost, and the liquor becomes insipid, Boethius l. 2. de lapid. Joyned with Nitre, it makes water sit to dissolve silver, Minder. de Vitriol. c. 9.

CHAP. VII. Of Naphtha, Petroleum, and Maltha.

NAphtha, is the percolation of Bitumen of Babylon, so near akin to fire, that it will take fire at a distance, and easily be inflamed by the Sun-beams. Plutarch relates, That in the hollow Caves of Echatana, by the heat of fire, that it ••low'd as it were into a pond; so ready to take fire, that before it came at it, it would take fire with the light of a Torch, and fire the Ayr that was between. The Barbarians to shew this to Alexander, strew'd a Village with it, that was in the way to the Kings Lodging; and at last putting a fire-brand near it, it flamed as if it had been all on fire. Hence he addes, that Naptha by some was called Medea's medicament, wherewith she anointed the Crown and Garment of Creon's daughter, and burnt her by this art. Of this in Persia is made a Physical oyl, wherewith a dart anointed, if it be shot slowly by a weak Bow, (for with swift flying it is ex∣tinguished) wheresoever it sticks fast, it burns; and if any would put it out with water, it burns the more; and there is no means to put it out, but by casting dust upon it. It is thus made: They season common oyl tainted with a certain herb: By experience of these things, and by continuance, a certain kind is made by the Persians, that congealing from a matter very natural, is like to thick oyl, and they call it Naptha, a barbarous name, Libav. Tom. 3. singul. l. 2. c. 7. Petro∣leum

is more liquid than Naphtha; In Italy and the Country of Ma∣tina it distills out of a Rock, white and red of a strong smell. In Si∣cilia it swims upon Fountains, which they call Sicilian oyl, and they burn it for Lamp oyl; Pliny commends it against the Scabs of Cat∣tle. In the Country of Parma it runs forth white, at the Village Mei∣ana; There are 3. Fountains there; they gather it every, or every other day, thus; They shake the water with brooms, and foroing the oyl into a corner, they take it with vessels. Every day half a pound in the most hot and dry time of the year, Baubin••n•••• l. 1. Dioscor. c. 85. Of the red, at the Mount Zibethum, in the Winter, they col∣lect 15. ounces, in Summer 45 ounces. In the Village Allense, it is collected black, with a fleece and a scoop. The more water is drawn forth, the more oyl they take; sometimes 240 ounces. It varies as the place doth. The Italian burns not in its Fountain, the Babylonian doth. That is wonderfull which Mathiolus reports, in l. 1. Dioscorid. c. 82. Hercules of Ferrara •• Contrariis, had in his possession a pit, into which Petroleum distilled; He hired a Plaisterer to stop it; and be∣cause he could not do it without light, he let down a Candle, and the Petroleum took fire by it, and threw forth the Plaisterer, and brake down the sides of his pit. Maltha, is the straining of Bitumen, mingled with mud, that is like clay. Pliny speaks of it, l. ••. c. 104. In the City Samosata (saith he) of Comagena, there is a Lake that sends forth burning mud, it sticks to any solid thing it toucheth, and it followes, when you draw from it. In joyning of walls it serves for lime, And the Babylonians used it to build their walls with, Vitruvius l. 1. c. 5.

CHAP. VIII. Of Pissaphaltum, and the wayes of Embalming dead Corps.

PIssaphaltum is Bitumen that Pitch is boyled with. Bauhinus thinks, it is Mummy of the Arabians. But this is of two sorts, naturall, and artificiall, that they embalmed with, consisting of Myrrhe and Aloes. But of the materials, and the manner how to embalm, we shall speak of them here, as we come to fall upon them: Diodorus Si∣culus, and Herodotus l. 3. are large concerning it. Three men perform this work. The first is called a Grammarian, who as the body lyes on the ground, appoints how great the incision shall be about the small guts on the left side. The other is the Cutter, and he opens the side with an Aethiopian stone, and then suddenly runs away; for those that stand by detesting the fact, pursue him with stones. Then follow the Embalmers. One of these drawes his incision through the inside of the body, besides the Heart and Kidneys; Another washeth it with Phoenician wine mingled with spices. Lastly, they anoint the body washed with Unguents of Cedar, and other pretious things for 30. dayes. Then it is delivered to the kindred that mourn for him; the

hairs of his eye-lids and eye-brows being preserved, that he may seem to be asleep. Herodotus speaks of three kinds of embalming; The first was by pulling the brains through the Nostrills with a hook, and the bowels taken forth with an Aethiopian stone, they cleanse it with Phoenician wine, and stuffe it with spices, then they fill the fat pan∣nicle with Myrrhe, Cassia and sweet odours beaten, without Fran∣kincense, and sew them in, then they salt it for 70 dayes; then they wash the Corps, and wrap it in a linnen cloth, and smeer it with Gum, and lay it into the fashion of a Man made of wood. The other is, by salting it 70 dayes, which drawes forth the inward filth. The third way is, the poor cleanse the belly with washing, then for 70 dayes they dry it with salt, and then they lay it up. And not onely men have been so honoured, but beasts also. For some beasts were sacred to the Egyptians; and when they were dead, they covered them with a linnen cloth, and spread them with salt, striking their breasts, and howling. And to preserve the body the longer, they anointed it with oyl of Ceder, and kept it in hallowed places. Also they put divers Idols into the brest of it. Rondeletius found in the breast of one of them 20 leaves of ancient Paper, written with Arabian letters, Bauhin. ad l. 1. Dioscor. c. 85. Moreover, the French commend Mum∣my so much, that the Nobility will never be without it. They say, that Francis the 1. alwayes carried it in his purse, fearing no acci∣dent, if he had but a little of that by him.

CHAP. IX. Of Camphir.

THe Moors write, that Camphir is a Gum of a Tree, that spreads out its boughes so far, that 100 men may stand under the shadow of it. They adde, that the wood is white, reedy, and hath the Cam∣phir in its spungy pith. That's uncertain, but it is more certain, that it is made of a kind of Bitumen; thus, The Indian Bitumen, which springs from the native Camphir, is boyled in a vessel with fire un∣der it, the thinner parts turn into a white colour, and are carried to the cover, which gives them the form we see, when they are collect∣ed. Merchants say, there is native Camphir in the Indies. It is so near to fire, that once fired, it will burn all out. The flame that comes from it, is bright and smells sweet. Hanged in the ayr, it eva∣porates by degrees, the most thin parts are the cause. Hence Apo∣thecaries put it in a close vessel with Milium or Linseed, and cover it, Plater. de l. f. p. 165. The smell of it hinders lust; drank, or smelled to, and carried about, it extinguisheth the seed. And because it flyes to the head; if it carry up with it cold humours, it may cause sleep, and make men hoary before they be old. If to women, sick of the Mother, or fainting of heart pains, a small cup of water be exhibited, wherein so much Camphir is burned as a hazel-nut, it presently helps, Heur∣nius

l. 2. Medic. The Neotericks hold it is cold, and that it is mitiga∣ted by Ambergreece; and that the drynesse may do no hurt, oyl of Violets is poured upon it. Garzias ab Horto saith, he learned by ex∣perience, that in inflammations of the eys it was as cold as Snow. But Mindererus l. de Peste writes; That when he went to visit sick persons, and had swallowed a small piece of it, he perceived nothing within him, but like a very small fire.

CHAP. X. Of Amber or Electrum.

SOme think it to be the juice of Trees; but amisse. There stand no Trees by the Sea, that Gums drop from them, falling into the Sea, of which Amber is made. It is more certain, that it is a thick juice of the Earth. The most part is found in Borussia, also in Curlan∣dia, on the part of Sarmatia, but not so plentiful. It is taken in nets like fish. When the North-west or West wind blowes hard at Sea, they all run to the shore, with casting nets of yarn in their hands, Agri∣col. in l. de Fossil. The winds being allayed, but the Sea flowing, when the waves return back, they draw the Amber from the bottom; and an herb like pennyroyall, that growes in it. When they have taken it, they carry it to the Magistrates, who give them the weight of it in salt. Every Moneth it is said to be sold for ten thousand German Crowns. At Buchania in Schetland, a masse came to shore greater than a horse. The ignorant Clowns used it for Frankincense, Hector Boetius in histor. Scot. Precious figures are made of it; the Romans were so taken with it, that a little picture of it was more than the price of a living man, Plin. Histor. natural. Rubb'd, it drawes straws, if it be not smeared with oyl or water. Some seek the cause in a dry spirit: But, Scaliger Exerc. 104. s. 12. saw it draw a green Lettice▪ some in the super elementary quality: others think it comes by acci∣dent, Fernel. l. 3. Med. c. 4. For it hath piercing and sharp spirits, and withal glutinous and fat. Being attenuated by rubbing, they wax hot, and they easily pierce into light things, as they break forth, Libavius in lib. singular. When they meet with cold things, they congele; congealed, they return toward their beginning; for the heat is driven back by its contrary. If you make a fine powder of chaff, and iron, the Amber draws forth the chaff, the Loadstone the iron. In the shore at Puceca, of former times, they digged up some of ash colour; which when it was broken with iron, it drew unto it leaves that were upon the ground, and two foot from it, when they were blown up into the Ayr: The white smells the best; Because of the Plague, Chambers are perfumed with the scrapings of it, the sent lasts for 3. dayes; every thin piece of it burnt in fire, flames away.

CHAP. XI. Of Ambergreece, Jet, and Earthy Bitumen.

AMbergreece is a Juice in Asia amongst the Moors. Some think it growes like Mushrooms, out of the Earth under the Sea: Others say, that the Cod-fish doth greedily follow after it, and kills it self by devouring it: which the Fishe••s knowing, taking him in their Nets when he is dead, they unbowel him, Ma••hiolus in Dioscor. l. 1. The truth is, it runs out of the Fountains into the Sea, and being hardned, there it is cast upon the shore. It is good for the brain, that is cold, Libav. l. 3. Singul. It may hurt the heart, unlesse the cause be cold that molests it; namely, if the spirits be hot, and too much at∣tenuated, Heurn. l. 2. Medic. A Plaister of Amber is good for bald and weak heads from a cold cause. He that carrieth it, after a little use perceiveth it not. The weaker a woman is, and the Matrix move∣able, the more easily is it disquieted by Musk and Amber, and her head will ake. Infused in wine, it will make men drunk. Black Bi∣tumen hardned in the Sea is called Jet: which the floods use to cast upon the shores of the Aestyi with Amber. Earthen vessels that are glazed with it are not defaced, Plin. l. 36. c. 19. When it is burned, it smells like brimstone. It is a wonder, that it kindleth with water, but is extinguished with oyl. It discovers the Falling-sicknesse and Virginity by the smell of it: drank by a Virgin fasting, it causeth her to make water, Dalechamp. in Notis ad l. c. Nicander in his The∣riacks calls it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; the Interpreter expounds that, Jet; which is found great, and of a pale colour o•• the shore at the Town of Ganges in Lycia. Strabo saith, That creeping things fly from the sent of Jet. It is called Earthy Bitumen, otherwise burning stone, because it will flame, and is good for Iron-Smiths Furnaces. It is called Am∣pelitis, because it kills little Worms called Caipas; Also Pharmacitis, because it is good in Physick: I saw it dug up in Scotland. So in the Jurisdiction of Leids, where if it be hard, they make Chapelets of it to say their prayers upon. Hitherto belong the bituminous Furrs, that being dryed, make the Dutch fuel: Also the•• are dug forth in Collaum, a Province of Peru, which Monardus describes in these words: In Collaum, a Province of Peru, there is a place all bare; no Tree nor plant growes upon it, because the Earth is bituminous, out of which the Indians ex∣tract a liquour good for many diseases. The way to extract it, is this, They cut the ground into Turfs, and in an open place they lay it upon rods or greater ••eeds, putting vessels under it to receive it; for by the heat of the Sun this Bitumen melts, then the dry turfs remain without liquor, fit to make fires. Moreover, on the left hand in the shore of the Sinus Pucicus, not far from the Monastery, there are found clots of congealed Bitumen, very hard, about the bignesse of Eggs. They all burn, being kindled, Agricol. in l. de Fossil. Near these there grow pale-coloured shrubs that smell like fish, they are 3 or 4 hands breadths high. They have no

roots, and are like little dishes; the Greeks call them Lepadas, they stick to the clods.

CHAP. XII. Of Corall.

COrall, otherwise Stone-tree. It comes from a juice that is stony when it growes, under the Sea water: it is a small Tree green and soft, bearing Berries, like the Cornus Tree; in shape and magnitude, but soft and white: it presently growes hard before it is cut; it appears all green. Sometimes also the stalks of one Corall Tree are partly red, partly white, and partly black. In the Mediterranean, they gather great quantity of it; and those of Massilia go yearly to fish for it, and draw it from the bottom of the Sea with Nets, Dispens. Chymic. l. 2▪ c. 49. Linschot. part 3. orient Ind. c. 1. At the Cape Bon Esperance, he saith, there are Rocks, on which Coral grows of all colours. The Indians weare it because Southsayers think it avoids dangers. The vulgar thinks it can preserve their Children from Witches. This is super∣stitious, but certain it is, it will quench thirst, being extreme cold. Mercurial. l. 3. de curand. affect. Tied to the neck, it drives away troublesome dreams, and stills the nightly feares of Children. Pansa de prorog. vitae l. 4. If a Man weare it, it will be very red: but pale, if a woman use it. Lemn, l. de occult. c. 22. The fuliginous Spi∣rits in a woman are the cause of it, and the faint heat in Coral. In men the naturall heat is strong and evaporates. Hence if Coral be covered with Mustard seed it waxeth red. There are other Plants in the Sea that come from a juyce that grows into a stone. About Hercules Pil∣lars, and in the outland Sea, Trees grow like Bay Trees. In the Indian Sea, there are Bull-rushes and Reeds; in the red Sea, Mush∣rooms; all which being cast forth, are changed into stones. Theophra∣stus and Pliny confirm these; To this appertains Syringites, that is like a joynted straw, and the reed hollow.

CHAP. XIII. Of Brimstone and Stybium.

BRimstone is dug up in Islandia by the Mountain Hecla, and that without fire. It is yellow that is digged out of a Plain of Brim∣stone, which in Campania they call Virgin-Brimstone, because women paint their faces with it. It is so friendly to fire, that pieces of it laid about the wood will draw the fire to them. The Greeks and Romans did purifie houses with the fume of it; put into the fire, it will by the sent discover the Falling-sicknesse. Anaxilaus made sport with it,

carrying it about in a red hot cup with fire under it, which by reper∣cussion made the guests look pale as if they had been dead; Plin. l. 35. c. 15. The Chymists make such an effectual oyl of Balsome of Brim∣stone, that it will suffer neither live or dead bodys to corrupt; but keeps them so safe, that no impression from the Heavens, or cor∣ruption of the Elements, or from their own original, can hurt them Weck▪ Antidot, Spec. l. 1. I shall say something of Stybium. It hath an exceeding purgative quality, as we see by experience. Mathiol. ad Dioscorid, l. 5. c. 59. Andreas Gallus, a Physitian of Trent fell into an inflammation of the Lungs, Heart and Stomack, with a wonderfull thirst, swelling of the Throat, beating of the heart, and a strangling distillation allmost from the head. He took three grains of Stybium with Sugar rosat: first he cast up yellow choler 4, ounces weight, and afterwards 2 pound weight, symptoms ceased, and he recovered his former health. Georgius Hendschius writes, that the same thing hap∣ned to him in the pestilence; Also Lucas Contilis. Senensis: taking 4, grains of Stybium vomited up 12, bits of Turpentine Rosin, that he had swallowed 15. dayes before. But a Parish Priest of Prague that was mad of melancholy, taking 12 graines of the same, purged cho∣ler downwards, that had like scrapings of flesh mingled with it, and they appeared as great melancholly Veins called varices cut into peices.

CHAP. XIIII. Of Juices that grow into stones.

I had allmost forgot juyces that harden like stones. Nature hath wonderfully spo••ted herself in them, sometimes it hardens be∣fore it touch the ground, and somtimes when it is fallen down. Both these ways are seen at Amberga, where there are white pillars made by it. Agricol. l. de effl. ex terra. What ever drinks it in, is made a stone, if it be but porous. Hence you shall find stony Fountaines▪ and Wood and Bones that are dug up. When the workmen in time of Warr fled into the Mines of Lydia, about Pergamus, the entrance be∣ing shut up, they were strangled, the den was afterwards made clean, and there were found Vessels of stone fill'd with a stony juyce. About the Coast of Elbog, there are great-firr Trees, with their barks, in the cracks whereof a fire stone of a Golden colour growes. About Cracovia in Bohemia, there are Trees with boughes, out of which there are Whet-stones with corners; which was a Present▪ sent from the Lords of Columbratium, to Ferdinand the first. Hildesham hath beames laid upon heaps; the heads of these somtimes stick forth, these being stricken with Iron or with another stone, not unlike the marble at Hildesham, they smell like the sent of burnt horn. There is also Wood changed into a stone, and in the cracks of it there is

Ebony dug forth, which T••eophrastus was not ignorant of, that it lay hid scattered in the hollow o•• other stones. Looking Glasses, rubbing Cloths, Garments, Shoos, being brought into a quarrey in Assus of Troas become stones, Mucianus. But stones that congele from juyce are commonly soft and brittle. In the hot Baths of Charls the 4th, many stones together are found, hollow like Hives, half Globe figu∣red, so great as pea••e, they grow from the drops of the hot waters falling down. But those earthen Vessells that are found in the Earth; were Pi••chers for dead mens bones, because in all of them covered with lids, there were ashes, and in some Rings were found, wee saw such a one in the Library Thoruniense. It was the fashion of the Antients, as all know, to burn and lay up their ashes. In Italy also some urns were found of glasse. Caesar Carduinus had foure found in the fields of Naples: but what hapned at Verona, see Bertius in desc••i. agri Veronen.

CHAP. XV. Of the Loadstone.

THe Loadstone is well known: The effects of it are admirable, two are special, its turning to the poles of the World, and its dawing of another Loadstone and Iron. As for the first, in many places it doth nor exactly respect the poles, the Declination is som∣times more or lesse. This age observeth, that for 10 degrees beyond the fortunate Islands, where Cosmographers have set the beginning of Longitude, it concurs with the poles of the World; toward the East it varies more: About Norimberg, they count 10 degrees, in Nor∣way 16, in Zembla 17, as the Dutch observed; but one Gilbertus hath found out 23 degrees variation. Whence we collect the greatest varia∣tion to be 23 degrees. If we ask the cause, the learned are of divers opinions, some say there are certain Mountains of Loadstones under the poles, and they say the Loadstone moves by sympathy. Others write that it turns to certain Starrs. Others say there are in it two opposite points, whereof the one turns to the North, the other to the South. Others think, that it moves toward the South, because the operation of all the Planets is Southward. They all seem to be de∣ceived. How great and what kind of Mountains these are, is yet unknown, and there are many Mines of it in Aegypt. It doth not directly point at the Pole, unlesse it stand in the Meridian. The point that is toward the South, is held the stronger. The work-Ma∣sters gives us a notable Maxime, when in the finger of the Marriners Chart, they rub that part of the neidle with the Loadstone, wherewith it turns to the South. Lastly there are opposite places, wherein the Eccliptick declines from the Aequator toward the North, and the Planets from the East make their motions by the North. It seems

most probable, Sennert, l. 5. scient. natural. c. 4. that the Loadstone moves toward the South pole, either only, or if it hath two motions, the greatest is Southward. Let it suffice what Scaliger writes Exerc. 131. Nature, saith he, is at concord, and agrees with her self, she unites by an admirable order, all things above and below, that it may be one by a perpetual necessity. So that there are in things seperated not only steps, entrances, and retreats, but also minglings of those things which seem to be wholly parted. Bodinus pronounceth that all the 4, parts of the world are equally respected by the Loadstone Theatr. natur. l. 2. For (saith he) the steel needle easily rubbed upon the Loadstone, from that part of the Loadstone that pointed North before it was cut out of the rock, if the needle be equally ballanced, the end rubbed with the Loadstone will turn to the North. The same force there is to the South part, if he needle be rubbed on the South part of the Loadstone. Nor is the force lesse for the East or West part of the Loadstone▪ though the stone cannot turn it self to the Poles of the world, but only the steel needle that is touched with it. But this I have said cannot be understood, but by experience: for if you put a peice of Loadstone upon a peice of Wood swimming in the water, and you apply that side of the Loadstone that looked Southward before it was cut out of the Rock to the side of another Lodstone that looked Southward also, before it was hewen forth, the stone that swims will fly unto the opposite part of the Vessel with water; but if you turn the Northern part of the Loadstone, to the Southern part of another Load∣stone swimming in the water, the Loadstone that swims presently comes and joyns with it, so that th•••• both unite by an admirable harmony of nature; though the Wood or the Vessell of water be between. The same will be done, if you put only an iron Needle, thrust through a quil into a Vessell of water, and hold in your hand a peice of a Loadstone, one side of the Loadstone will drive off the needle, the other will draw it. So saith Bodin. What concerns drawing: that the Loadstone doth draw, is maintained of the Aethiopian Loadstone; Plin. l. 36. c. 16. experience hath proved it; Libavius. I, saith he, when I proved this, wiped off all dust from the Load∣stone, and then I scraped away some powder of its own substance, this was laid upon a paper or plank of wood, and the powder scraped from it was laid under it, the Loadstone moved and attracted. The Loadstone draws the Loadstone, by a certain line, because there is a spirit in it like to the other, and nature enclines and is carried to its like, as much as may be. It is as certain, that it draws Iron also. The hardnesse of Iron gives way, and obeys; and that matter which tames all things, runs to I know not what empty thing, and as it comes nearer it stands still, and is held and sticks in imbraceings, Plin. l. 36. c. 26. The vertue of it was found out, when the nails of his shoos and top of his crook stuck fast, for the first inventor was a Heyward. Nor doth it draw Iron on each part with the same force. The rule seems to be a right line. Therefore where the vertue comes not, the ends are turned, and whilst one of them inclines to the needle, the other accidentally turns from it, and seems to reject it. The same reason serves for divers Load∣stones. In the Midland Seas of Sardinia, at the foot of the Moun∣taines that part, they bend Eastward; they say there is a Loadstone that draws Iron, but on the opposite part, one that drives it off, and

therefore it is called Theamedes, Plin. l. 2. Wherefore do we go to Mountaines? We may see it in every laboratory, if we will be∣leive Libavius, Syntagm, Art. Chymic. Tract. 1. l. 1. c. 19. There are opposite parts in one and the same stone contrary to the rest: and it hath an example of sympathy and antipathy in it self; as Vipers, Scorpions and venemous Creatures have in themselves both their friends and their enemies. I shall set down some examples of at∣traction. Severus Milevitanus saw, when Bathanarius, heretofore governour of Africa, put Silver under between the Stone and the Iron; the Iron on the top moved, and the Silver was in the middle, and suffered nothing but with a most swift retrait, the Man drew the stone downward, and the stone drew the Iron upward. August de civitat. Dei lib. 21. cap. In Alexandria in Aegypt, at the roof of the Temple of Serapus, there was a Loadstone fastned in, which held an Idol that had an Iron in the head so fast, that it hung between the roof and the ground; Euseb in Histor. Eccles. Agricola said, he saw a round look∣ing glasse, that was three hands breadth broad, and two high; in the concave part whereof there was a Loadstone, included above, (Agricola de subter••••n) that drew an Iron boul placed at the bottom of the glasse unto it self, so that the thick body of the glasse could not hinder the force of it; the Iron Globe that useth to fall down, was carried up. Let us come to the cause, and inquire whence comes this force in the Loadstone. Each man speaks diversly, and so ma∣ny men allmost so many opinions. Libav. l. 1. de Bitum▪ c. 12, saith that there is a bituminous nature in the Loadstone, reduced to the dis∣position of Iron, by a similitude of sympathy and mixture, where∣by the same principles grow in Iron. And he adds, that there is an Iron bituminous spirit common to them both, but it flows not out continually, and as strong from Iron as from the Loadstone, by reason of the diversity of coagulation or commis••ion; Others attribute that to the hidden forme: Others alleage a mutual harmony of natu∣rall things. There are in the great world, saith Langius, l. 2. Epist. 55, under the concave of the Moon, some things that by a secret consent agree wonderfully together. The truth is, the Loadstone is some kind of vein of Iron, and Iron may be generated of it: Sennert. l. 8. Epit. c. 4. But the Loadstone loseth its attractive force, if you work it in the fire: For whilest it burns, the brimstony spirit of it flyes forth, as Libav. l. 2. singul. thinks. We saw, saith Porta (Mag. natur. l. 7. c. 7.) with great delight, the Loadstone buried in burning Coles, to cast forth a blew brimstony Iron kind of flame, which be∣ing dispersed, the quality of its life departed, and it lost its power to attract. It yields to the injuries of the weather, and dies with old age. The expiring of it, is hindred by oyntments rub'd upon it, and the tenacious juice of Leeks; others add, oyle of Bricks. Lem. l. 4. c. 10. de occult. But Cardanus l. 7. de subtil: denyeth this. It will not lay hold on rusty Iron, and much lesse on rust, Scaliger Exerc. 112. Otherwise if Iron-filings were buried in dust, or the Iron be on the other side of the Table, the spirit, as was said, is not hindred.

CHAP. XVI. Of the Stones, Schistos, Galactites, Gip, Selenites, Amiantos.

SChistos the more it shines like Iron, the harder it is. In Missena there are bred some knobs about the bigness of a Wallnut, so hard, that laid on an anvil, they resist the strokes. Agricola saw one of Mis∣sena, that weighed 14 pounds. Galactites at Hildesham is dug forth of a Sand-pit; yearly it increaseth from a milky and lutinous juice so that some are found as big as ones head; they say it makes Nurses full of milk that drink it in powder with water or sweet wine. All Gin is hard: In Saxony in the Land of Hildesham, it is found like to Sugar; The Inhabitants of Hercinium, and Thuringum, burn ••hat which is hard, and grind that which is burnt; and wetting it with water, they use it for Lime: what colour soever it be, it growes white by burning. Lysistratus of Sy••e, Brother to Lysippus, was the first that made a Mans picture with a face in Gyp, and then poured Wax melted into that form, trying thereby to make it better. A wall was made of Gyp, in pieces of Ash-colour, at Northusia in Thuringia, and the Port of Alg••••s, a Town of Mauritania Caesariensis. Selenites is a stone that is wont to be found at dark night when the Moon increaseth; and it represents the Moon by shining in the night, and it increaseth and diminisheth with it daily. It not onely shews your face, but it will represent the image of a thing behind your back. It endures the Suns heat, and Winters cold, but it cannot away with rain; for it will corrupt, if great pieces of it be exposed to rain. Amianthus is made of an appro∣priate juice; the fire is so far from polluting its lustre, that if it be cast in, it will shine the brighter. Once lighted, it never goes out, if oyl fail not. Hence it is called Asbestos; and because it is like to womens full hair, and to mens hoarinesse, it is called Bostrychitis and Corsoides. We saw (saith Pliny) in banqueting places, napkins made of it, that when the filth was burnt out of them, were cleansed more with fire, than they would have been with water. It was found at the siege of Athens, that things anointed with it would not burn; under L. Sylla. This stone is kembed, spun and wove, though with difficulty, because it is short: and they make not onely Napkins, but Table-cloaths of it▪ and Towels. Also of old time they made the Funeral Coats for Kings, which were put upon them, when they were put into great fires to be burnt, that so the ashes of their bodies being parted from the wood-ashes, might be laid up in their Sepulchres. Pliny saith, that this Linnen hath been found to equall the price of the best pearls; but now it is sold at mean rates.

CHAP. XVII. Of Stones that represent divers Forms.

THere are many stones representing divers forms. We will men∣tion some here, namely, Trochites, Eutrochos, Encrinos, Enorchis, and others. Trochites, is like the round head of a pillar: the round part is smooth, but each broad part hath, as it were, a kind of con∣veyance, from whence are lines unto the extream part of the Circle. Put into vinegar, it raiseth bubbles, and some are found that move from place to place. Eutrochos is made of Trochites not yet separated. Whose Trochites have eminent lines; in that part where two of them meet, there seems to be a girdle twisted round within it. But the Trochitae are so joyned, that the lines of the one enter into the fur∣rowes of the other. Encrinos, is like Lillies, for when one part with corners is parted from the other, both shew like five Lillies. Enor∣chis in the shards is like testicles. In the Diocesse of Trevirs, when Cements are digged up to repair buildings, they meet with blackish stones that represent the secrets of women, Diphyis by an intercurrent line represents the Genitals of both Sexes. The D••ctyli of Ida, in Crete, of an iron colour, are like a mans thumb. There is also a stone found like a new Moon, cloathed with Armour of a golden colour. Haephestites, represents the nature of a glasse, and in the Sun it will fire dry matter. At Salfelda in Thuringia, there is a stone dug forth of a pit 20 fathom deep; it is like a firm breast, a foot and half long, three hands breadth; on the former part where the ribs end, it is six fingers thick, on the hinder part where the whirlbones are pierced through the middle, but three; the back-bone was empty, where it should represent the marrow. The outside of this stone was either black, or some rare colour, and the inside was like to the Lapis Arabicus▪ It is supposed to be of great vertue. Belemnites, is like an Ar∣row, with a large head, and a sharp point: There is in it a kind of rift, it is clothed with golden coloured lines, and it shines naturally like a Looking-glasse: It smells like filed or burnt horn, if it be rubb'd.

The Saxons name it by a name compounded of Ephialtes, and an Arrow; and they say, if one drink it, that it is good against sup∣pressions, and such hags in the night.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the Eagle stone, Enhydros, the Touch-stone, and the Pumex stone.

THe Eagle stone is found in divers Countries; In the Country of Misenus, then especially, when great rains fall. It smells like a Violet, by the Mosse sticking upon it. It hath in it little stones, that being loose and shaken, make a noise: They commonly stick to Misenus; some have earth with them, as at Hildesham, and some gold, as those of Cyprus. That which hath a little stone in its belly, as the Greeks say, if it be bound to the left arm of a woman great with Child, through which an Artery runs from the Heart, toward the ring-finger, next to the little finger, it will hold the Child in the womb that is ready to miscarry; bound to the left thigh of one in la∣bour, it will so help her, that she shall be delivered without pain: but so soon as she is delivered, it must be taken off, that the Matrix follow not. As it fell out with the Wife of a Citizen of Valencia, Francis. valeriola l. 1. observ. 10. It helped her, tyed on, to be deli∣vered; but not taken away, it was her death.

Enhydros hath water within it; It is perfectly round, it is white and smooth, but it flotes when it is shaken. There is liquour in it like as in an Egg. Also liquid Bitumen, sometimes that smells sweet, is found in stones shut up as in vessels.

The Touch-stone is that stone they prove gold by: In Theophrastus's dayes they were onely found in Tmolus; but at this day in the Rivers of Hildesham, and Gosselar. The parts of them that are found looking toward the Sun, are the best for tryall; the worst look toward the Earth, those are the dryest: but these are hindred by their moysture that they cannot take the colour of gold or silver.

The Pumex stone is found in places that have been burnt, baked out of the earth, or stone: because it hath holes, in which the light ayr flotes; and because it is without moysture, it burns not. They that have charge of Wines put it into a vessel of boyling new Wine, and it presently gives off boyling. Drunkards that strive for mastery in drinking, arm themselves with the powder of it; but unlesse they drink abundantly, they are in danger, saith Theophrastus.

CHAP. XIX. Of Lapis Vitrarius and Specularis.

THere are three kinds of stones that will run in a burning furnace. The one is like to transparent Jewels. It hath their colour, but is not so hard. Of this kind is Alabandicus, which melts in the fire, and is melted for glasse; The second kind is not much unlike it, but hath not so many colours, the third kind is lapis Vitrarius. This hath

its proper Veins also. At A••nebe••gum, in a Silver Mine it was found in the forme of a Crosse; at Priberg like to an Ape; pieces of it are found also out of the Earth: but by the running of the waters, they are polished by rubbing against some stones of their own, or of some other kind. The white stone is burnt, beaten to powder, searsed; of that they make sand, of these they blow glasses. The River Belu•• at the foot of the Mount Carmel, rising in Phoenicia, between the Colo∣ney of Ptolemais and the City Tyre, brings those kind of Sands fit for glasse to the Sea side, which being tumbled with the Waves of the Sea, shine, their foulness being washed off. Plin. l. 6. c. 26. The report is that a ship came loaded with Nitre, the Merchants provid∣ed their Victualls as they were dispersed here and there on the Sea shore, and when they found no stones to make them Tables of, these took fire, and the Sea shore••sand mingled with them, thence those transparent Rivers of this noble liquor began to run; and this was the beginning of Glasse. But we must not think that Glasse is made of this Sand only. To three parts of that they add one part of Nitre, and of these melted cometh Amm••-••itre. If Nitre be wanting, mi∣neral salt will supply the defect. If this, then either Sea salt, or the Ashes of the hearb Anthyllis burnt. But when that the matter of glasse melts in the fire, it froths, and the froth is taken off with a drag: when they are forthwith hardned, they are made into white loafs, in which there is a mixt tast more salt than bitter. Men re∣port that in Tiberius's days, there was a way invented to make glasse malleable, and that his whole shop was ruin'd, that the price of Gold, Silver, Brasse and other mettles should not be brought down; but the fame of it is more constant than certain. In our time, espe∣cially at Venice, is glasse of high esteem; we have seen some that have framed divers works of it, as bright as a Candle. When Nero raigned, by the art of making glasse, was found out to make small Cups with two ears, they called them Pinnati or Pterota: one of them was sold for 6000 Denarit. I referre the lapides speculares to these, because they were of a bright substance, as Basilius writes, it was transparent like the Ayre. The Antients used it for Windows, as we do glasse. Nero made a Temple for Fortune of these stones, so that whosoever stood without was seen, though the dores were shut, the light appeared though not sent through. Pancirolla, l. 1. de veter. deperd.

CHAP. XX. Of Crystal, Iris, and the Diamond.

COncerning the Originall of Crystall, writers differ. Pliny, l 37. c. 2, saith, that it is made by the most violent frost from Snow or Ice. Agricola, l. 6. fossill. saith, it is some sap congealed by cold in the bowels of the Earth. The former opinion seems to be true. For not only the name confirms it, but the place also where it is bred, for it is found in those places where the Winter Snows are, in such un∣accessible places of the Alps, that oft times they are fain to be let down with ropes to draw it to them. In Asia and Cyprus it is Plow'd up, and carried along with the torrents. Scalig. exe••c. 119. From the Percinian Rocks, which are in the extreame parts of Noricum, it is pulled off from the tops of Mountaines there, that are covered with no earth. Somtimes there is a kind of coorse Silver in it, of the colour of lead Ore, and of divers weights. In India it is found so great that they make a Vessel of it somtimes that will hold four Sextaryes. Livia Augusta dedicated one in the Ca∣pitol, that made a Vessell that held 50, pounds. They are seldom found single, many of them oft times stick upon one root, somtimes rising together, and somtimes a part. They lye somtimes so fast, that it is a hard matter to pul them off. Every Crystall point, and the whole body of it, is with 6 Angles. It cannot be melted by heat of the Sun. The extreame cold hath so frozen it, that it is not a small thing can melt it, yet can it not endure heat, Bodin. l. 2. Theatr Natur. For in the hottest furnaces and great flames, it will run by continuance; being melted, it will harden again; and if you poure hot liquour into a Crystal cup, it will break. It is thought, worn about one, to cure the Vertigo; and for that cause, Men drink out of Venice Glasses, Plater, l. 1. de. l. f. There are made of it, both Glasses and Chamber pots, such a one as Pliny writes was bough by a Matron that was not very rich, for H. S. C. L. M. or 150000 sestertii. Pancirolla had one of so pure matter, and so trans∣parent, that it seemed almost to be ayre, the outsides only being opposed to the view. It had an adder in it, with open mouth rea∣dy to devoure a young Lamb, but he was hindred by the opposite Crosse. Pancirol. de veter. deperd. l. 1. Also Iris is a white Jewel: if it have a sexangular forme, held against the Sun beams entring in at the Windows, it casts the colours of the Rain-bow on the wall that is over against it. The Diamond is found in many Mines. The Indian Diamond exceeds not the kernel of a small nut, that of Cen∣chros is no bigger than a millet seed, Agricola l. 6. de fossil. The Antients speak much of it, namely that it cannot be broken by ham∣mers, that it takes all virtue from the Loadstone; and so resists fire, that it will never waxe hot. Those of our days have found the con∣trary. Camer. memorab. med. c. 8. M. 42. For a hammer will break

it, and an iron pestle will bring it to powder. It yields to fire, and may be calcined with a long continued flame; yet though in an hour by the fire it will lose its lustre, it will recover it again by polishing with some defect in the lustre. It hath been found, that rubbing one against the other, they have been so glew'd, that they could not easily be parted, Bodin. Theatr. Natur. l. 2. It hath been seen to draw strawes when it hath been hot, Garzias ab Horto l. 1. arom. c. 47. It was hitherto believed, that the powder of it drank, would breed the Dysentery; but that hath been disproved. Slaves have swallowed down some to hide their theft; they sent them forth by stool whole, without any hurt to their health. Cardan. (2. Tract. 5. Contrad. 9.) saith, That one dram weight drank in powder, did no more harm than a piece of bread. The Turkish Emperour gave 50000 Crowns for one.

CHAP. XXI. Of the Opalus, Emerald, Heliotrop, and Topaz.

OPalus is a Jewel, which when you hold it downward, it hath the clear fire of the Carbuncle, the shining purple of the Amethyst the green Sea of the Emrald, and all things else shining with an in∣credible mixture. An Emerald doth so change the ayr about it with its own tincture, that it will yield neither to candles, Sun light, nor shade. Hence in the water it seems greater. Those that are not perfectly green, of them, are made better by wine and oyl. They are seldom so great, as that you may grave a seal upon them. Yet there is one not very small at Lyons in a Monastery, and that which▪ was seen at Prague in the Chappel of St. Vencessius, it is above 9 parts of 12, greater than that, Bodin. l. 2. Theatr. There is one longer at Mag∣deburg, which is contained in part of the spire fashioned Cabinet, wherein the Host is carried; some say it was the handle of the knife of Otho the first. There was a Jewel once found in Cyprus, the one half of it was an Emerald, and half a Jaspir. The Emerald hath wonderful vertue; It is an Enemy to poysons and bitings of vene∣mous beasts; and it breaks, if they overcome it. It is said, to further womens labour, tyed to the hips; and to hinder it, laid to the belly, Sennert. l. 5. Epitom. Scient. natural. c. 5. Shut in a ring, or hanged about the neck, if it touch the naked flesh, it preserves from the Apo∣plex, Plat. l. 1. del f. It hath been known to break off from the fin∣gers of the Master of it that wore it, when he was dead. It cannot endure venery; for if it touch ones body in the act, it will break▪ Al∣bertus, the King of Hungary had one that brake at that time in 3. pieces. Heliotropium is a Jewel marked with bloody veins; cast into a vessel of water, it changeth the Sun beams falling on it, by reflexion, into blood colour. Out of the water it receives the Sun, like a burn∣ing Glasse, and you may perceive the Suns Eclipses by it, how the

Moon moves under. A Topaz is not onely transparent, but also shines wonderfully; and the brightnesse goes forth like gold: it is greater than other Jewels: for thence it was, that a Statue was made for Arsinoa Wife to Ptolomaeus, Philadelphus, of 4 cubits high, and was consecrated in the Temple that was call'd the golden Temple.

CHAP. XXII. Of the Amethyst, Hyacinth, the Sardonix, and the Onychite.

IT is called an Amethyst, because it comes near the colour of wine, and before it comes to it, it ends in a Violet colour, Plin. l. 21. c. 8. Laid to the Navel, first it drawes the vapours of Wine to it self, and then it discusseth them; wherefore it keeps him sober that wears it, Aristotle. The Hyacinth in clear weather shines the brighter; in clow∣dy weather the darker. By its fast cold, it condenses, and refreshes bodies, and preserves one that wears it, from the fierce pestilence. Sardonix is a Jewel compounded of a Sardonius and an Onyx. It shews inverted like a nayl of a mans hand: the most generous roots are from a certain blackish ground, and first represent Onyxes, then they are compassed with a reddish circle, from thence a round line goes about them, then at a greater distance the circle growes larger; last∣ly, to all those girdles another kind of basis is placed under them. The Graecians made great account of this Jewel. Polycrates the King of Samos esteemed it so highly, that when as fortune had alwaies fa∣vour'd him, that he might try the contrary fortune, he cast his ring into the Sea, wherein this stone was set. An Onychites at Colonia, in the Temple of the 3. Kings is broader than ones hand, Agricola. The milky veins of it so run forth, that they represent two young mens heads; the black veins so, that they represent a Serpent descending from the forehead of the lower head, and a black-Moors head with a black beard: But that was placed upon the mandible of the white head. Two Onyxes rubbed under a Table, will so burn, that you can∣not hold them in your hands.

CHAP. XXIII. Of the Jasper, Nephritick stone, and an Agat.

A Jasper bound to the thigh, will stop the menstrual flux of blood, and all bleedings, which admit of no help otherwise. It stops bleeding at the Nose, being hanged about the Neck, Sennert. l. 5. Epi∣tom. Scient. natural. Bound to the mouth of the stomach, and so car∣ried all day for the Falling-sicknesse; if sweat follow, it frees from the fit, or else the sick fall, Baccius de gem. Pliny saith, he saw one

of eleven ounces, and of that was made the picture of Nero in Ar∣mour, Plin. l. 37. c. 9. There is found in Silis one of a blew colour, that goes 9 foot deep, and then comes a dark sandy stone, about 12. foot long, that hath no Jasper in it, Agricola l. 6. de Fossil. From the authority of Thaetilis the Jew, There are found some strange kinds of it. There was a man seen in one, that had a Buckler on his neck, a Spear in his hand, a Serpent under his feet; It had vertue against all enemies: In another, there was a man with a bundle on his neck. It had vertue to discover all diseases, and to stop blood, Lemnius de gem∣mis Biblicis. The report is, that Galen wore it on his finger. There is a green one found signed with the crosse, good to keep one from drown∣ing. The Nephritick stone is referred to the Jasper, it is found onely in Hispaniola, Sennert. l. 7. Inst. l. 5. p. 1. S. 1. c. 17. The superficies of it is alwayes fat, as if it were anointed with oyl. The Spaniards wear them cut in divers forms. Many things confirm the wonderfull vertue of it, Unzer. de Nephritid. l. 1. c. 7. Hanged about the neck, it so breaks the stones, that they will seek for passage out of the body at both the Eyes, and where they can find way. A certain Merchant of Lipsick testifieth this, who had such things happened to him; and both his eyes grew red, by the salt and sharpnesse of the same. It will cure all distillations that fall from the head on the Chest, saith the same Merchants Wife. For when she had carried one 3 weeks, she was cured; but the Physitians could not cure her. It will cause one to make water that is stopt, as we find in the same place: but this is sin∣gular, that born about one awhile, it will cause a great tickling; yet it ceaseth in 2. or 3. days space; but it returns, if it be applyed again. Also it causeth hollow places under the skin; which if you break, then they send forth a very great quantity of sand. It is prepared by a singular and secret art, and one dram and a half for a dose of it so prepared, is given in Parsley and Juniper water: But the gravel doth hurt, if it find the stomach full. Libavius 1. Synt. Art. Chym. l. 1. c. 14. doubts of it, whether it doth these things by its own force, or ano∣thers. His words are; Sometimes it happens, that nature is stimulated, by meer perswasion and belief, from some conception of the mind, which we ascribe to the Object, the Fancy moving first by that. But the efficacy is not alike in all, nor is their assent and belief alike, unlesse you would say, that not onely the Patient is troubled with the gravell, but he must be of such a disposition also, as may admit the force of that stone. And it is found, that the Ne∣phritick stone is uneffectual to many. An Agat out of a River of Si∣cilia, hath its name from it. Veins and spots do so run up and down in it, that sometime it represents a Turtle; sometimes a horn; some∣times one small Tree, 2, 3, or 4; appearing like a Wood. Camillus of Pisdura, saw once one that had as it were 7. Trees in a Plain. I•• the Agat of King Pyrrhus there were the 9. Muses naturally with Apollo; and the Muses had their several badges. That which is of one co∣lour, being boyled in an earthen pot full of oyl with several paints, and in two hours being made somewhat hot, will make one colour like

red Lead out of them all, Dalechamp in Plin. l. 37. Agricola l. 6. Fossil. Plin. l. 37. c. 1.

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Ruby, the Carchedonius, Sandastrus, Chrysolite, and some others.

A Rubie is of an exceeding red colour; Sometime it is so great, that vessels are made of it, containing a Sextarius. A Carchedo∣nius is so called, because it was found amongst the Garamantes and Nasamones, amongst the gravel, and was brought to Carthage. It is otherwise called a Granate. It is said, that when they sealed, though in the shade, the wax would melt, Archelaus. It will not burn in the fire. Sandastrus hath red with a golden colour, golden spots shine within, as Stars in a transparent body; the more they are, the more costly is the Jewel. But because commonly it is marked with the 5. Stars called Hyades, both in their nmber and disposition, the Chal∣daeans were superstitious about it. The Chrysolite differs in the plura∣lity of its Stars. Bochus writes, he saw a Spanish one of 12 pounds weight. Agricola saw a clod dug out of the Mines in Germany, that was made of more than 60 Chrysolites, all of them four square. The greatest was an inch broad, and 2 fingers in length, it was too soft to polish: Asyctos, made hot in the fire, contains the heat for 7 dayes; it is black and ponderous with red veins distinguishing it. Calcophnes is black, but struck upon, it sounds like brasse; it is said to be good for Tragaedians to carry with them. Catochites is a stone of Corsica, wonderful, if report be true; it holds, your hand laid upon it, like Gum. The Medes send Gasidanes, it growes in Arbelis. They say it conceives, and being shaken, you may hear the noise of the Infant; it conceives in 3. moneths space.

CHAP. XXV. Of Jewels found in the bodies of living Creatures.

Artic. 1. Of the Draconite, the Chelonia, the Cock stone and Toadstone.

MAny Jewels are found in the bodies of living Creatures. I will only set down some. For too reckon them all is to much for an Epitomist. Draconites of Dracontia is made out of Dragons brains, but unlesse you cut it out whilst they are alive, it will never grow hard, by reason of the malice of the Creature, finding it self ready to dye. Therefore Men cut them out when they are asleep. Sotacus, who writ,

that he saw that Jewel with a King, saith, that those that seek it▪ ride in Chariots, and when they spy the Dragon they scatter sleepy medicaments, and so they come to cut it out. Plin. l. 37. c. 10. They are transparent white, and admit of no art to polish them. Cinediae are found in the brain of a fish of the same name; they are white and somwhat long and wonderfull in effects, if it be so as men write. They foreshew the face of the Sea, by their troubled or peaceable colour. Chelonia is the eye of an Indian Tortis, most won∣derfull by the invented lyes of Conjurers: for they promise, that if you lay it upon your tongue with liquid honey, it will foreshew fu∣ture events at the full and new Moon for all day; but when the Moon decreaseth, before the Sun is up, at other times from one a Clock till six. Moreover of Draconitis, Philostratus writ; and ascribes to it as much vertue as Gyges ring had; Rhodig. c. 11. l. 6. antiq. lection. Alecto∣rius is cut out of the gizard of a Cock with a Comb, being inclu∣ded with a thin skin or membrane, 4, yeares after he hath been geld∣ed; Lemn. de occult. It may, be it is congealed from the excrement of seed, by force of his imbred heat, as milk grows hard in the breasts. It procures Men favour, and makes them lusty. Toads produce a stone; with their own Image somtimes. It never grows but in those that are very old. Libav. l. 3. singul. In the family of Lemnius there is one kept that is greater then a Hazel nut. Lemnius de occult. l. 2. c. 30. It is proved to dissolve tumours that rise from bitings of venom∣ous beasts, if you rub it on often. The Lapis Bufonius, called Grateri∣ano, the Swedes Chronicles write of it, it weighed 5, Physicall pounds, and 3, Ounces, 2, drams lesse; Crasius annal, Suevit. l. 12. p. 3. c. 37. The words are these. After the joyfull birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Virgin Mary, the mother of God. Anno, 1473; after the birth of St. John, the 27 of June, Berchtholdus Gratterus dwelling then at Hopstach, in the afternoon went into a Wood, which they call the Vale of Dipachia, to cut poles to make hoops for Vessells. In that place he heard a hissing and a great noise by a River in that Valley, and when he stood a farr off to see what the matter was, he saw an incredible heap of Serpents and Vi∣pers, and Toads lying twined together. As nere as he could conjecture, it was a greater quantity than a great washing Tub could contain. He was frighted and durst go no neerer, yet he cut a bough, and marked the place there in the confines; that day he came twice back, and beheld that conven∣ticle of Serpents, and he found them all, allmost together upon a heap: wherefore he left them and went home, concealing the matter for three dayes; when he returned to the Wood, he found that these water Snakes were gon, and none ••f these venemous Creatures were left, but only one Toad that was kil∣led, and a Snake in a white glutenous humour, and thick, shining like to frog-Spawn, and neere to it, that Toadstone Bufonius, which he catcht up, and wiped it, and carried it with him home, keeping it for some farther profit. But after that Gratterus came into the Town (about a 100 yeares since) the stone was used successully, for Man and Beast, as it followes. The eldest Sonne of the house of Gratterians keeps this Toadstone, and he will not lend it especially to strangers, under a pawn of 50, or a 100, Livers.

Amongst the other vertues it is observed that it hath very great force against malignant tumours, that are Venemous, Cholerick or Erisi∣pelas, Apostems, and Bubos; and for Cattel that are bewitched. They are used to heat it in a bag, and to lay it hot without any thing between to the naked body, and to rub the affected place with it. They say it prevails against Inchantments of Witches, especially for great bellied Women and Children bewitched. So soon as you apply it to one bewitched, it sweats many drops. In the Plague it is laid to the heart to strengthen it. It draws Poyson out of the heart, and out of Carbuncles and Pestilent sores. It consumes, dissipates and softens all hardnesse, Tumours, and Varices.

Artic. 2. Of the Stones Chelidonium, Crabs eyes, Snail Stones, and Bezar.

CHelidonius is so called as if it came from Swallows: Yet it is formed of a yellow Gold coloured Jasper. Bound to the right arme, it is good against fantastick thoughts, from melancholy: It cures such as are Lunatick and mad, and hath a pe∣culiar vertue against diseases of the eyes, Plater. Also in the heads of River Crabs, there are stones which steeped in most sharp Vine∣gar, they will seem to move. Quercet. in dial. s. 3. c. 7. With their powder to half a dram in White Wine, the Stones of the Kidneys are happily driven out. Henric. a Bra. de calc. The Snail-Stone, put under the tongue, hath a great force to cause salivation. It makes the tongue moyst, and the humour fluent, and stencheth thirst, and represseth heat. Bound on, it helps Children to breed teeth, Plin. l. 30. c. 5. A water Snake casts up by vomit, a stone into the water under her, if you bind a cord to her tayle. Holler. l. 1. de morb. in∣ter. c. 39. This hath such force to consume water, that it presently drinks it up. Wherefore, laid to the belly of an hydropick person, it consumes the water by degrees, Plater. l. de vita. The Bezar Stone is found in the Stomack of a hee Goat (rather of a shee Goat) in the Indian Mountaines. Sennert l. 5. Epitom, scient. natural. c. 4. Som∣thing which hath a kind of bark, and is, as I may so say, Chamford (saith Sennertus) proceeds from a small beginning, that is oft times, straw, to which some moisture sticks like glew, and hence it is that that stone is made up as it were of many thin plates. It is great in an old, lesse in a young shee Goat; and all those plates both inward and outward are smooth and shining. Rasis by experiment com∣mends it against all Venome. Not only drank saith Mathiol. on Dia∣scorid. l. 5. c. 75. but also bound on, so that, it may touch the naked skin of the left side, it excells all other things. Abdalnarchus adds farther, The stone they call Bezoar, we have now seen, with the Sons of Al∣mirama keeper of the Law of God: for which stone at Cardubahee, at the be∣ginning of the Warrs, parted with a magnificent, and allmost Kings Palace.

Some say, that the Bezar stone is nothing but the Tears of the Stag; for they say, that the old ones, overgrown with Age, do eat Serpents,

and grow young again: and for to conquer the venom, they drench themselves in a River, onely their head forth••; and, as they stay so, a clammy humour falls from their eyes; and being congealed by the Suns heat, it becomes a Stone there. It is like an Acorn, and being fallen from their eyes, it is gathered up by such as attend for it. Yet they are thought to be divers, Scalig. Exerc. 112. writes thus con∣cerning the Stags tears, which he held to be the dearest thing to him in his Treasure of the Muses; Before 100 years a Stag hath none; after that age it growes at the corner of the eye, and thrusting forth like a bone, it growes harder than horn. The prominent part is round, very shining of a gold yellow colour, with prints of other veins. It is so smooth, that you can scarce feel it; and it so drawes it self away, that it even seems to move. It is an excellent remedy against poysons. To those infected with the Plague, it is given with a little wine, and they will sweat so, as if their whole body would melt. Thus far Scaliger. He that would be fully instructed, let him read Bauhinus of the Bezar stone.

CHAP. XXVI. Of Gold.

WEe have done with Minerals thus far. Now follow Metals. First, Gold: This is found in its proper vein, and in stones that are of shining white; also in the true Pyrite, and sometimes in stones of iron. In Spain some pieces have been found weighing above ten pound weight. It is plough'd up in Galitia, Justin. l. 44. Dubra∣vius writes, that in the Mountains of the Gelovienses, a masse of ten pounds was taken out of a Rock; and he saith, it was presented to King Wenceslaus. In India the Pismires (which in Aegypt are as great as Wolves) do carry it and keep it. In the Islands of the Sea of Aethiopia, the plenty of it is so great, that the Inhabitants have bar∣ter'd a Talent for horses, Plin. l. 6. c. 36. This one thing loseth no∣thing by fire, but the more it burns, it growes the better. Yet the juyce of Lemmons will abate from its weight, Lemnius occult. l. 2. c. 36. and if hens limbs be mingled with melted gold, they consume it, Plin. l. 29. c. 4. The heat of living Creatures may work upon it, as Wendlerus witnesseth in Prognostic. Anni 1619. A Senator of Gor∣licum had a fat Hen, she had eaten about 4. books of leaf-gold beaten out with the hammer. When she was killed, it was found pure with∣in her. In her breast 3. golden streaks were seen, some Artificer was thought to have drawn them, Schnitzerus Epistol. 50. writes, that in the stomach of another, that was killed, some moneys were found half consumed. To this adde what Zacharias à P••teo affirms in his Clavis Medica Spagyrica, and Chirurgica; When, saith he, I studied at Pa∣dua, it happened, that one of our Hens, flew upon the Table; there were up∣on it some ornaments for women: amongst the rest a precious pearl, which hung to an ear Jewel curiously made by an Artificer, and it had some golden covers

drawn about it, the Hen swallowed this pearl with the ear-jewel; when 4. or 5. hours were past, the Pearl and Jewel were mist. A certain Maid thought the Hen had swallowed it; because some dayes before the said Hen had swal∣lowed one, the Italians call Gazetta. Wherefore, the hen was killed, and presently her Gisard being parted and cut, we found the pearel with the ear∣ing not yet passed into the cavity of the stomach, but contained in the orifice thereof; extream hot, and yielding to the touch like wax, and the ornaments of it almost consumed by the heat thereof, which Jewel in a short space, when it grew cold, and the heat was gon, became hard, as it was before; the forme was spoiled, and when it was weighed with another caring like it, it wanted a third part in weight. But to return to Gold. No Mettal is drawn out further, or can be more divided: for one ounce of it will be hammer'd into 750 and more leaves, of 4. fingers broad and long, Plin. l. 33. c. 3. That it may be wire-drawn, and spun without silk, I need not approve of; The Luxury of the Age is well known. Pliny lived, when Agrippina, as Claudius, made a shew of a Sea-sight, sate by him, clothed in a robe of woven gold, without any other addition. Now though it consumes not in the fire, yet it is resolved Chymically, and becomes so aërial, that if it be but stirred with an iron Spatula, or grow hot any other way, it will presently take fire and make a great noise; and one scruple of it shall work more forcibly than half a pound of Gun-powder, Crollius cited by Sennert. c. 18. de Consens. et dissens. Chymicor. A few grains of it if they flye down perpendicular∣ly, can strike through a Table of wood, Quercetan. The cause is, the contrariety of the spirit of Nitre, and the brimstone of gold: for when as oyl or salt of Tartar is poured into the solution of gold, the salt of Tartar unites it self with common salt, and also with Allum, and Ammoniac; and hence it is, that gold left to it self sinks to the bottom; and if any of these salts is left with the gold, it is washed off with hot water, Sennertus de consens. et dissens. Chymic, et Galen. c. 19. onely the spirit of Nitre is left, which perfectly unites with the Gold. If that therefore grow hot, so soon as it perceives that the Sul∣phur of gold is there present, it opposeth it self against its Enemy, and breaks forth with a mighty noise, in flame. It hath been long disputed, whether it can be made potable; experience shews that it may. For that famous man Dr. Francis Antony, Physitian of London, brought it into a consistence like honey, and sent certain portions of it to the Physitians of Germany to try it, Johan. Vincent. Finckius in Enchi∣ridio dogmatico Hermetico.

Yet Heurn. l. 1. Aph. 24, thinks it hath no nutritive faculty, be∣cause between potable and solid Gold, there is no difference but the liquefaction; and if a man cannot be nourished by the pure Elements he can hardly be fed with things inanimate and distilled: Also it may be made, nay it was made. Kelleius an English man converted one pound of quick-Silver with one drop of a liquor of a deep red colour, into Gold, that with one grain, he tainted 5000, and with one he extracted about ten Ounces of pure Gold, Sennert. de consens et diss. cap. 2. And what Theophrastus did, is known out of Neander; it is

known out of Oporinus, Neander in Geographia, Oporinus in Epistolis. Nicolaus Mirandulanus, made an Ingot of Gold out of Brasse, he did it also at Jerusalem, and there are so many witnesses, that it were im∣pudence to deny it. Picus Mirandula Apollinaris did aver sincerely that he had above 20 ways to make Gold. Hence was made that Epitaph at Rome, To the collector of Gold out of Lead. Some think they may be changed in shape but not in substance, I see not what hinders. The forme of Lead is not turned into Gold; but, that departing, this suc∣ceeds. Where there is community of matter, there must be symboli∣zation of necessity. Plants have a perfect form in their kind, yet are they turned into Chylus, and it is no sophistication; The forms of things are unknown to us, we know them but by their properties; and, when as they all inhere in that, what place is there for doubting? Yet that is difficult, and to be attempted warily. Penotus was an ex∣cellent Chymist; learned men know how miserably he was deceived in his old age. His words were, If there were any man whom he could not hurt by open violence, he would perswade him to turn Chymist. Sennert. lib. cit. It is known to all Men, that divers works are made out of Gold. Heliogabalus unloaded his belly in Golden Vessells. Xerxes had a Gol∣den Tree, under which he was wont to sit. A King of Aegypt buri∣ed his daughter in a Coat of Coffin. Agricola in observ. Metal. In lo∣wer Germany, on Danubius, there were Vines that had tendrels and somtimes white leaves of pure Gold, Alexander. The cause is assign∣ed, That (there) are Gold Mines, and that Gold grows about their roots, and being bred with it, and hardned by a secret Original, whilst Vines send out their branches, by a wonderfull work of na∣ture or decree of the Starrs, the Gold grows out with them. Alex∣ander ab Alexandro, l. 4. Genial. dier.

CHAP. XXVII. Of Silver.

PUre Silver is dug up in many places, but especially out of two places in Germany. So much was dug forth of the Mine at Sue∣berg, that it was worth 1000000 Rhenish Nobles. That of Abertham afforded 150000 Nobles. About some hundreds of yeares since, the Mine at Friberg yeelded enough to buy all the Kingdom of Bohemia: Agricola in praefat. in decemfossil libros ad Henricum Principem M••senae. Wherefore Prince Henry, neere Northusa set a great Tree of Silver, that he might bestow some of the leavs of it, (which were partly Silver and partly Gold) on those Noble Men that had gallantly dis∣charged themselves in fighting on horsback. Somtimes great lumps are dug forth. In the time of Albertus the Saxon, the pieces were so great, that he used them in the Mines for a Table, saying; Frederick the Emperour is powerfull and rich, yet he hath not at this time such a Table▪ In the Valley Joachim, they report that there was a Lump dug forth

that weighed ten Attick Talents. Nature makes it of many fashions; sometimes like Trees, sometimes like hairs. It is white, yet some hath been found green. Put rude suddenly into the fire, it will leap forth: When black Lead is mingled with it, it is melted in a great vessel, and part is turned into Lead ore, part into Lytharg: but when it burns long, it loseth something, sharp things corrode it; Divers works are made of it. Amongst the Tectosages there are made silver Mills. An Historian writes, that the Buckler of Barchinus Asarubal weighed 138 pounds. The History of the Passion was made in pure silver; so were Hercules's 12 labours, brought to King Ferdinand. To Charles the Emperour a Pillar made of silver. Cortesius himself brought it from Mexico. The price was 49000 Crowns, Maiolus de metallis. I saw Diana with a Stag and Hounds made of silver, with a Dial on the back-part, and there were many kinds of Insects about it cast very exactly. That it stood upon, was like a Table with many wheels. It ran, and their heads seemed to shake as they were turned back. India is chiefly fruitfull of silver. The Mines of Potossum are known. Geographers will direct you, Bertius in Geograph. Also the Treasures of Spain are known. They that are acquainted with it, have written, that 9 times a hundred 45 millions of Crowns have been brought thence, Boterus in Hispan. descript. If there be a fifth part of silver to five of gold, it makes Electrum; of which formerly they made Calices, because it would discover venom. For bows like the Rainbows will run up and down in these cups with a fiery crash∣ing, and so foreshew it two wayes. By the light it is clearer than silver, Plin. l. 33. c. 4.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of Quicksilver.

IT is found pure in the Trenches, when Cenoble is washed with waters dropping from the veins; for so it is collected and turned into Quicksilver. The same dryed turns again to be like Vermilion, very plentiful Fountains run in the veins of it, and the grasse growes very green upon it, Vitruvius l. 8. c. 3. For they that search for the veins of it, in a clear morning in May, they observe the clowds com∣ming forth of the Tops of the Mountains, and hanging like wooll up∣on the grasse. It hath a marvellous sympathy with gold, Plater. l. 2. del. f. c. 3. If it be in the body, it is drawn forth by drinking of gold. Silver cannot be gilded without Mercury. It is a wonder, that if one be anointed for the French Pox, let him have a gold ring in his mouth, and with his tongue roll it up and down, the Quicksilver in the body falls to the ring, it is taken out like silver, it is recovered by putting it into the fire, Lemnius l. 2. de occult. c. 35. When all other things swim upon it, onely Gold sinks into it. It so flyes the fire, that if it can∣not go downward, it will fly upwards: and being shut in, it breaks

the cover, Unzer. l. de Merc. c. 1. Put into a rin••, and put to the fire, it makes it leap. Bread in the Oven, Pease in the Pot, Eggs at the fire, if they be touched with a drop of it, will make men laugh by their dancing. The fire will make it fly into a vaporous smoke, but it is not dissipated. For, received and kept in a vessel, it shortly returns to Quicksilver again, and loseth nothing of its weight. Powred on a a plain body▪ it moystneth not, and therefore men think it is dry. That is false; for nature makes it round, and it is hindred from sti••king by the lead Ore that surrounds it, Palm. Constant. de morb: Contag. l. 3. c. 4. It alwayes moves. The terrestrial part is excellently well con∣cocted, the ayr and spirits are the cause of it, for they are so shut in, that they cannot get forth; because they strive to get out▪ they are moved, Marc. l. 4. c. 6. The use of it, is divers. The Moons, when as all things are burnt by the heat of the Sun, pour that into a Vessel, and casting a skin upon it, they lye down upon that and cool them∣selves: Put into the ear, and so into the brain, it causeth the Falling-sicknesse. For it dissipates the animal spirits, Heurn. de cap: aff. c. ••••. Water wherein some Quicksilver hath been infused, if it be strained and drank, wonderfully drives forth Worms. Midwives when wo∣men have been long in labour, for the last remedy give them a scruple of Quicksilver. Put into a hazel nut-shell by a hole, and so fastned in, and tyed about ones neck with a red silk, it preserves one from the Plague, Quercet. l. 2. pest. alex. 5. There have been so many experiments of it, that we must needs commend it before other reme∣dies. If it hang down to touch the belly, it is singular against the Cholick, Plater. de dol. c. 13.

CHAP. XXIX. Of Brasse and Alchimy.

PUre Brasse is found both in its own Mines, and amongst silver Mines. The lumps are dug forth of divers fashions, like Ic•••• sickles, globes, rods. In shops where they separate brasse from silver, it is yellow and red, which they call regular▪ duskish red they call Cauldrons mettle, Agric. in lib. Fossil. That is softer, and may be dilated and not melted onely; this will melt, but not be drawn: with the tincture of Cadmia it will look like gold, and is called Alchy∣my. It melts and runs in the fire, but in a great crucible it will not endure the force of the fire, nor yet put alteraatì•• with things that purge silver and gold, but will be consumed wholly. It will not corrupt, and keeps other things from corruption. Hence saith Ho∣race, (A Monument more lasting than brasse) and therefore the Egyp∣tians seem to have put plates of brasse into the Carcases of dead bo∣dies. Pierius in Hieroglyph. testifies, that they were wont to stick sharp Spears of Brasse into dead bodies. Camerar. ho••. subcis. cent. 1. c. 14. saw such Images at Venice with Lauredanus. The son of Lawre∣danus

affirmed, that they were taken out of the bodies of men that were embalmed. There are divers works made of Brasse. The hun∣dred gates of Babylon are celebrated in records: and that brasen cup of 900 Gallons which the Lacedemonians gave to Cro••sus. At Florence the Chappel of St. John Baptist, which they call the Font, hath three brazen doors gilded. The Colossus of Rhodes was made of the same metal, it was 70 cubits high. Fifty years after it was thrown down by an Earthquake, and lay many years for a miracle, Plin. l. 34. c. 7. Few could fathom the thumb of it, the fingers were longer than most Statues. Vast Caves were seen when the limbs were broken. There were within it mighty great stones: by the weight of them he ••hat made it, made it stand fast. They say it was 12 years making of 300 Talents. It was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

CHAP. XXX. Of Lead.

LEad is of 3. sorts, white, ash-coloured, and black. The first is not found of its own colour, but the stones are whitish of which it is made. Ceruss is made of it corroded by the steam of vineger. The ash-coloured is dug up at Sneberg. When silver is boyled out of it, the fire consumes it all. Of the black are made square vessels, in which salt is boyled from salt water; from nitrous water, Nitre, Agri∣col. in observat. These filled with liquor, and set in the Ayr, fore∣shew rain, if there be drops on the outside. There is nothing hotter than it, yet if you anoint your hands with the juice of Mallowes or Mercury, you may wash your hands in melted lead, so you do it quickly with swift motion, Lemnius l. 2. de occult. c. 34. It is heavier than silver, yet will swim upon it being melted. It may be, the vo∣latil parts of evaporating Lead fly away by the fire; but the sil∣ver not evaporating, sinks down, Libavius l. 2. Epist. Chym. Ep. 98▪ It is said to increase in weight and magnitude, if it be hid in C••llars, where the Ayr is troubled, so that what is put there, presently gathers rust. The Leaden bands of Statues that bind their feet, are sometimes found to grow, and to swell sometimes so much, that they will hang like Crystal out of the stones. Experience hath proved it to be unfit for Medicament, Fernel. lib. de lue Vener. c. 7. For when as one by the advice of an Emperick, had eaten half a pound of the powder of it with his meat in 15 dayes, to cure the joynt Gout, those things that were taken in, had a nidorous taste of Lead, and what was voided by stool, looked of Lead colour. Yet it is found also to be for externall medicinal use. For it cools. Wherefore both Mortars and Pessels are wont to be made of it, in which if Liquors are beaten, what comes by the mixture of both is very cooling. The plates are good to lay to the loyns over-heat with venery, and against nocturnal pol∣lutions in dreaming. Calvus the Orator, did prevent lust therewith,

that he might preserve his strength for his study, Pliny. Musicians were wont to lay them upon their breasts, to sing the lowder, Isidorus. Nero had a plate of Lead to lay upon his breast when he slept, to preserve his voice, Suetonius in Nerone.

CHAP. XXXI. Of Iron.

THe Mine of Iron is the greatest of all Mettals. On that part of Cantabria which the Sea passeth by, there is a Mountain, high and cragged, it is incredible to speak it, it is all of Iron Ore; Plin. l. 34. c. 14. It is rare in India. Hence they write that 14, pounds of Iron, at the Island of Zabur have been bartred for 250, pounds of Gold. Pegaffetta. It was formerly found in China, called Azzalum Indicum, of such an excellent temper in the edg that it would cut any Iron, Pancirol, l. de novis repertis. Digged up in Sicilie, and Lusa∣tia, it grows again, and the earth and stocks of Trees, as it grows, become Iron. First it is like a thick liquor, and by degrees it grows hard, Agricola in observat. metal. When it is boyled, it becomes moyst like water, afterwards it is broken into Spunges. The more tender Iron instruments, are steeped in oyle to quench them, lest they should grow too hard and brittle with water. Plin. lib. citat.

But in the Island Palmosa, it cannot be melted, & also in Aethalia, Strabo. l. 15. Bertius in Descript Ilvae. Smeared with Alum and Vi∣neger it becomes like brasse. At Smolnicium (it is a Town of the Mount Carpathum) water is drawn out of a pit, and it is powred into Pipes laid in a threefold order, and that pieces of Iron in them, turn into brasse. Agricol de metal. But the piece of Iron that is put into the end of the Pipes, is eaten by this water, that it becomes like mud; that, afterwards boyled in a furnace becomes good Brasse. It is most agreeing with all Copper, that it will mingle with it in melting. The Poets call these Mars and Venus in their Fables, Minder. de Vitriolo. c. 1. Aristonides, when he would expresse the fu∣ry of Athamas who would throw down headlong his Son Clearchus, and when he had don so, the manner of his sorrow; he mingled Brasse and Iron, that the rust of it shining through the brighter Brasse, might expresse his shame and bashfullnesse, Plin. lib. citat. Plunged fiery▪ hot in water, it becomes Steel; in Vinegar, it will endure no hammer∣ing, but will sooner break than draw. Hence the Lacaedonians who were wont to make their coyn of Iron Rods, steeped them red hot in Vinegar; that, being brittle, they might never be put to any other use. Plutarch in Lycurgo. If you seek a reason, we say that Vinegar goes into the heart of the Iron; Bodin, l. 2. Theatr: In Furnaces where they make it into bars, there rise such Vapours from it, when it is hammerd, that a certain powder increaseth sensibly, and mul∣tiplyes sticking to the walls. Albert. Mag, in lib. de Animal. It is

so strong that it can never be consumed by fire. In the new World there is an herb called Cabuja or Hentquen; of the leavs of it, there is a reddish string, that with sand will cut Iron. Ovetan. Histor. l. 7. c. 10. Iron scales are very drying, they put it in their shoos that have sweating feet. The best Iron is most white and light, and hath little branches, somtimes like to Corall, somtimes bound together with very fine strings. They make bullets of it, for great Guns.

CHAP. XXXII. Of Fossil Fl••sh.

ANdreas Libavius, a Man exceedingly deserving in Philosophy and Physick, saith, that it was reported on the credit of the Je∣venses Schroterori, that at the rampire of Erfurd, by the port of St. Andrews, upon occasion of raising the Bulwark higher, that great pieces of raw flesh were dug out of ground, and that it was brawny; much like to Oxe-flesh, (only it had no bones): Hubnerus affirms this in Epistol. ad Libavium. But because those that dug it up prated that they could find it only upon Thursdays, wise men began to suspect the mat∣ter, and having discovered the fraud, the deceivers were cast into Pri∣son. Though fraud here may be objected; yet it is not against reason to say with Libavius, that there may be fossil flesh. Most true it is that the Earth, (I add the water also) is the Mother of some living Creatures, and of those imperfect ones that came by aequivocall gene∣ration; and by the mixture of both these, Clay may be made fit for the breeding of an animall principle, which somtimes becomes a perfect Creature, and somtimes is deficient. As in the kinds of perfect Crea∣tures, somtimes rude lumps are bred, somtimes provided with that supplies their defect. If that be first, and yet, helps being present, it is not frustrated of its motion, it is likely that a Mole of clotted blood or somthing like flesh should be made: no otherwise than as matter disposed with it for a bone, becomes a bone, which is called Fossil Horn. So Histories relate, that shell fish have been found in the tops of the highest Mountaines of sand, from Marle and Marble putrifi∣ed: which though some think they are the reliques of the General flood, yet is it not probable, that they could last so long, by reason of the injury of time. For Marble it self will at last dissolve. And if you think it absurd that a Creature with blood should proceed from matter that is without blood; I could by examples shew your absur∣dity. When Nilus sinks down, living Creatures are bred of the mud by heat of the Sun, some perfect, some half perfect, sticking to the Clods, Diodor. Sicul. A Venemous frog is bred deep within the Earth, where you can see no holes, when as the futures of stones are broken with wedges, Agricola. Of the rayning of blood and flesh there are many Histories, and that came not by the Sun, drawing blood from Carkeises, but by changing the humour so disposed. In

a ditch of the Town Beichelstein beneath out of a Willow, stinking blood ran. At Spira they say it came forth of bread. At Suidnicium, a bloody Fleece of Snow fell down like hail. What shall I say more? The Chymists say that of Satyrium, great Comfrey, Tutsan, Bread and Wine, a juyce may be made that is perfectly blood, which by due digestions may be made into substantial flesh. Of Brimstone boyled in Linseed Oyle, they make a Masse like a Liver. Lastly the fowls in the Orcades are said to be fruits of Trees. You shall see it proved in the appendix of the sixth Classis. Wherefore we conclude with Liba∣vius, that there may be Fossil Flesh; and with this discourse we will shut up this Classis. Setting aside those things that may be said con∣cerning Devill in Mettalls, which we shall speak of in our Thaumato∣graphia Pneumatica, which if God pleaseth, we intend to pub∣lish.

I add one thing that I had forgot. When Henry the 2. King of France was at Bononia, there was brought to him from the East Indies by an unknown person, but, as it appeared by his gesture, a Barba∣rous fellow, a stone of a wonderfull shape and nature, for it shone with light and clearnesse exceedingly, and it seemed as if it were all on fire, and turn it which way you would, the lustre of it so en∣lightned the ayre with its beams, that they could hardly endure to look upon it: And this was strange in it, that it could endure no earth upon it, but if it were covered with it, it would break forth with violence of its own accord: no art of man could hold it in a narrow place, for it delighted in the spacious Ayre, it was exceed∣ingly pure and bright, no filth was upon it, it had no certain figure, but was inconstant, and changed in a moment; and being so beau∣tifull to behold, yet it was not safe to touch it, and those that dealt roughly with it to hold it, felt the inconvenience, as many that stod by can testify. If any part were broken off from it, by contending with it, for it was not very hard, yet the vertue of it was very usefull for many things, and the Stranger said it was needfull chiefly for Kings. He boasted much of the miracle, but refused to discover it, unlesse he might first receive a mighty reward. Thuan saith, that he delivered these things as they were in Leters of John Pipin an eye witnesse of it: who in the Family of A. Mamorantius, M. E. professed Physick, and sent his Leters to Antony Mizaldus a famous Physitian; also, to Bononia, on the day before Ascension day, and saith, he leaves the matter to Philosophers to discusse farther. For Pipinus in his Letters, neither said that the Antient knew any such stone, nor do I affirm it. Thuan, l. 5. Histor.

The End of the Fourth Classis.