Three exact pieces of Leonard Phioravant Knight, and Doctor in Physick, viz. his Rationall secrets, and Chirurgery, reviewed and revived. Together with a book of excellent Experiments and secrets, collected out of the practises of severall expert men in both faculties.: Whereunto is annexed Paracelsus his One hundred and fourteen experiments : with certain excellent works of B.G. à Portu Aquitano. Also Isaac Hollandus his Secrets concerning his vegetall and animall work. With Quercetanus his Spagyrick antidotary for gun-shot.

CHAP. I. In this third book is shewed the order to make divers Composi∣tions, appertaining both to Physick and Chirargery, with the hidden vertues of sundry Vegetables, Antmals, and Mi∣nerals, well approved by this Authour, and first of his Petra Philosophale, the which helpeth against all diseases that hap∣peneth unto man and woman.

THere hath alwayes been a great questioning among the Philosophers, whether that one Med cine might help against all diseases or no. The which I af∣firme, and will approve with sufficient reason, that the Petra Philosophale, made of our invention, may help against all the infirmities that cometh unto mans body, and two one∣ly reasons I will shew thee with brevity: The first of them is this, that all sorts of infirmities have their originall and be∣ginning of the Stomack, and to know the truth, yee may see manifestly, that if the body be never so little infirmed, the stomack is also grieved: For yee may see how the Animals terestriall, never help themselves of other infirmity then of the stomack, and when they will help themselves, they eat hearbs, the which causeth them to vomit, and this doth signifie that they have no other infirmity, then the aforesaid; so by the experience of the Animals, I approve that the infirmity is caused of the stomack, and this is the first reason. The se∣cond is, that all the Medicine, wherein our Petra Philosophale is put, as soon as they are come into the stomack, it draweth unto it all the evill humours of the stomack, and also of the

whole body, and mixeth with them, and so nature sendeth them forth by vomit, or by seege, or both, and so the stomack shall be evacuated of that matter, and the body remain free from all impediments of infirmities, so that by this reason I affirm, that our Petra Philosophale may help against all sorts of infirmities. And to know the truth, I have proved it by experience in all manner of infirmities, and alwayes have found it to doe much good unto all men, and hurt none unto my knowledge, and the order to make this Petra Philosophale, is thus.

Take Sal Niter, roche Allome, Vitrioll Romain, of each two pound.

First, dry the Vitrioll in an earthen pan, and then beat it to powder, and mix it with the other matters, and put there∣unto four ounces of Sal Gemmae, then put it in a Coord with his head, and a Receiver well luted, and distill it in a wind furnace, so that yee may make fire with wood, and at the first make small fire, and so increase it according to Art, and al∣wayes lay wet clothes on the Head and Receiver, and that thou shalt doe, because the spirits of the water shall not she away. Yee shall understand, that in the beginning of your distillation, the Receiver will wax red like bloud, and then turn white, and at the last, when yee give it strong fire, it will turn red again, and those are the pure spirits of the Aqua fortis, and then at the end, the Receiver will turn white again, and then it is ended: then let it wax cold, and then keep it in a glasse close shut, to make our Petra Philosophale.

Then take Mercury one pound, quick Lime ℥. vi. Sope ℥. iiii. common Ashes ℥. iii. Mix them together in a Mortar of stone, and then put them into a Retort, and distill it with a strong fire untill all the Mercury be come forth into the Receiver, then take it forth, and keep it in a glasse to make thy Com∣position, the which is made thus.

Take the water that thou madest first, and put it into a Goord of glasse being well luted, and then put in the Mercury that thou diddest distill before. After that take Steel in thin plates ℥ i. Iron also in thin plates ℥. ii. Fine gold in leaves, the weight of ʒ. ii. and put them altogether in the glasse, and

presently set on the Head, for it will begin to boil, and cause red fumes like bloud, the which thou shalt receive in a Re∣ceiver, and presently set thy glasse in the Furnace, and give it fire untill all the water be come forth with the fume. Then let it cool, and keep that close in a glasse, then break that other glasse that stood in the fire, and in the bottome thou shalt find our Petra Philosophale, the which thou shalt grinde fine, and searce it into most fine powder, and then wash it well with Vinegar distilled, and drie it again, and at the last wash it with Rosewater, and drie it very well, stirring it continu∣ally over the fire, then keep it as a precious Jewell close in a Glasse.

For the order to use it, I will write hereafter in sundry pla∣ces: Yee shall understand, that the water which ye distilled away from the stone, will serve for the same purpose again: But yee must take but halfe the quantity of the aforesaid mat∣ters; and when yee have distilled it again from the stone, yee shall preserve it for an infinite number of purposes, as I will shew thee hereafter.