CHAPTER XVIII.

FLUDD AND FOSTER.
1631 — Foster’s “ Hoplocrismaspongus ” — History and Life of Foster — The Weapon-Salve — Its origin — “Man’s Mosse, blood and fat” — Its results and application — List of those who “ allow the Unguent ” — “ Eightly, Dr Fludd ” — Receipt for the “Unguent” — Fludd’s method of use — Foster’s “ Answer” — His choice of Titles — Armiger — All “ Caco-Magicians ” — Fludd’s explanations — Coldness of Devil’s body — Strange Ingredients then used in Medicine — man’s grease — earth-worms — snails — spaum of frogs — animals’ excrements — wood lice — vipers’ flesh — and broth — brick oil — up to 1795 — Magicians — What this charge meant — Weemse’ Treatise — One con- versant with the Devil — He and the Devil “ wimpling” together — 1631 — Fludd’s answer appears in English — 1638, in Latin — Contents — Three “ Members,” reason of his Title — Foster’s father a barber — Charge of being a Magician — its absurdity — Whether this curing be Witchcraft — Explanation of cure — Ad Distans — Ointment the Gift of God — Efiect of God’s Vivifying Spirit — Effect of the Four Winds — God’s Messengers — Sympathy between blood on the person and on the weapon — Histories of cures given — The Sponge Squeezed — God operateth radically on the blood — Conclusion — Style of the two writers, Foster’s clearer than Fludd’s.
JN the year 1631, there appeared at “ London, Printed by Thomas Cotes, for John Grove, and are to be sold at his shop at Furnival’s Inne Gate, in Holborne,” a small quarto of tifty-six pages, entitled, “ Hoplocrismaspongus : or a sponge to wipe away the Weapon-Salve. A Treatise wherein is proved, that the cure late taken up amongst us, by applying the Salve to the Weapon, is Magical 1 and unlawfull. By William Foster, Mr. of Arts, and Parson of Hedgley, in the County of Buckingham.” With a motto from S. Augustine “ de Trinitate,” Foster, the author of
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this stinging attack on Flucld a*nd others, was born in London, educated at Merchant Taylors’ School, and gradu- ated from S. John’s College, Oxford. He became chaplain, in 1628, to the Earl of Carnarvon, and soon afterwards rector of Hedgley. He was a married man, and the bap- tisms of ten of his children appear in Hedgley Register. A beautifully written transcript of the older parish register, made by him from the year 1539, is still preserved in his old parish. Foster, who was also author of a printed sermon on Rom. vi. 12, printed 1629, was killed in autumn of 1643.^ Foster’s treatise is dedicated to his patron, the Earl of Carnarvon, Mr. of the King’s Hawkes, my very good Lord.” The writer tells us that he took in hand the matter in consequence of '' the insulting of a Jesuit and Dr. of Divinity, Joannes Roberti,” whom he yet commends for writing against this strange and magicall cure.” Another reason was the ‘‘ commiseration of the case of some persons, reputed religious, which use the weapon-salve. I pity them.” He adds that, though the meanest of the poore parish priests ” of England, placed over but a decade of families, consisting of eight houses, so many souls as were in Noah’s Ark,” he is not afraid to write against such practices. Foster holds that Paracelsus was the first inventor of “ this wonder working oyntment,” adding that Keckerman saith that one Anselinus, an Italian of Parma, was the first that brought this cure to light.” '' Which of them soever it was, it skill eth not much, they were both magicians conversant with the Divel.” He tells us that the unguent ” consists '' of man’s mosse, blood, and fat,” and ‘‘ hath in it a naturall Balsame. This naturall Balsame, by the influence of the starres, cause th a sympathy between the weapon and the wound ; and so the application of the medicine to the one effects the cure upon the other.” Thus witches, by anointing themselves, are carried up in the airy heaven. Thus our weapon -salve -mongers, by anointing
^ Wood, Athense Oxon., ii. 573. Die. of Nat. Biog., xx. 64. Informa- tion kindly supplied by the Rev. J. H. Matthews, now rector of Hedgley.
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their tools, bring an influence down from the starry heaven. Foster denies that “ the separated blood of man hath any life, spirit, naturall motion, or voice. The blood contained in man’s body is not truly and properly his life. Man’s life is his soul. . . . Neither has the blood of any man,
once flxed and dried on a weapon, any motion.” “ And for the fresh bleeding of a murdered man at the approach of the murderer,” that is a supernatural motion proceeding from the just judgment of God.”
In Articulus Secundus,” Foster gives a list of the authors who '' allow the unguent — Paracelsus, Crollius, Baptista Porta, Cardanus, Burgravius, Gochenus — “ a Pro- testant by religion,” who “ hath written two books to defend the lawfulness of this case Helmont, Lord Bacon, in his natural History “ Eightly, Doctor Flud, a Doctor of Physicke, } et living and practizing in the famous City of London, stands toothe and nayle for it, and in his large works, being three folio volumes, amongst other secrets, maketh’ mention of this cure, and allowes and proves it to be lawfull.” The passage referred to by Foster is in “ Anatomise,” chap. ix. 236-239 — “ De Mystica Sanguinis.” That passage treats of the weapon-salve or magnetic oint- ment, its properties, and sympathetic operation through the blood. The reader may like to possess the receipt. It is as follows : —
“ Bee. Moscse seu Vinese ex Calvaria hominis diu suspensi excrescentis, vel pro defectu eiusdem, de ossibus suspensi et laqueo prsefocati, aeri diu expositis et concretis, simul atq. ; Axungise humanse an. §ii. Mumii, sanguinis humani, Boli Armenici an. §i. Olei lini §ii. Terantur omnia in mortario quousq ; in unguentum reducantur subtile, quod in capsulam est reponendum, atque sagaciter pro usu reservandum.”
Fludd’s explanation of this treatment, in his “ naked text Englished,” is as follows ; —
‘‘We see that this oyntment is compounded of things passing well agreeing unto man’s nature ; and, consequently, that it hath a great respect to his health and preservation,
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forasmuch as unto the composition thereof, wee have in the chiefest place or rank, Blood, in which the power of life is placed. Here, I say, is the essence of Mans Bones srrowino’ out of them, informe of mosse, termed Usnea : here is his Flesh in the Mummy, which is compounded of Flesh and Balsame ; here is the Fat of Man’s Body, which concurreth with the rest unto the perfection of this oynt- ment, and with all these (as is said) the Blood is mingled, which was the beginning and food of them all, forasmuch as in it is the spirit of life, and with it the bright Soule doth abide, and operateth after a hidden manner. So that the whole perfection of Man’s Body doth seeme to concurre unto the confection of this precious oyntrnent. And this is the reason why there is so great a respect and consent betweene this oyntrnent and the Blood of the wounded person. For it is most necessary that some of the Blood of the wounded be drawne out from the depth of the wound.
Foster proceeds to answer “ the authors.” “ To all which we answer, there’s no cause so bad but hath found some Patrons. Both Paracelsus and Crollius are detestable characters and diabolicall.” Porta is “ of suspected credit Cardan only speaks by report. Burgravius is full of super- stition and impiety. He proposes to make a lamp of oil made of the blood or excrements of a man,” which shall burn continually without renewing.” Gochinus is also “ full of magical! cures,” and Helmont is “ of the same straine.” As for Doctor Find,” he “ hath the same censure passed on him, and hath beene written against for a magician, and I suppose this to bee one cause why he hath printed his books beyond the seas.” On the margin it is noted — ‘‘ Doctor Flud is written against by Mar inns Mer- sennus, Petrus Gassendus, and others for a caco-magician.”
As Fludd has placed title of “ Armiger before the doctor, he may well teach the weapon curing medicines. His very defence of the salve is enough to make him be suspected of
^ Squeesing of Sponge, ii. 6. Fludd’s opinion is also given in Theat, Symph., p. 506. Of this work a new edition appeared in 1661,
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witchcraft/’ with a wonder that King James (of blessed memory) would suffer such a man to live and write in his kingdom, Fludd’s excusing Roger Bacon, Trithemius, Agrippa, Ficinus, “ and Fratres Rosae Crucis from being caco-magicians/’ is enough to cause him to be suspected. '' His directions are that the weapon be left in the Unguent pot till the Patient be cured, and that the wound be kept cleane with a linnen cloath, wet every morning in his urine.” A horse may also be cured if pricked with a nayle, if the nayle be left sticking in the unguent pot.” Fourteen pages of Foster’s quarto deal with Fludd’s theories. The ingredients of the ungent, its supporters agree, “ have their beginning and aliment from the blood. In the blood reside the vitall spirits ; in the vitall spirits the soul after her hidden manner. This causeth the blood to have recourse by sympatheticall harmony to the mass of blood in the body. For the spirit of the blood shed is carried by the ayre (which is the carrier of the spirits of everything) to his body. This spirit going by this ayre, in a direct invisible line, carrieth the sanative virtue from the anointed weapon to the wounded party.” The sun beames” act in the same manner between heaven and earth. Foster denies that scull-moss, or bones, mummy and man’s fat have (though they may be medicinable) any natural l)alsame or radicall humour residing in them.” He denies that spirits or souls reside in separated blood. He also denies Master Doctor’s carrier, viz., his direct invisible line.” The comparison of the sun’s beams is not pertinent. It is above, the ‘‘ eye ” of the whole world. As a fire cannot burn or heat at a great distance, '' neither can the unguent have any proportion, ’tis little in respect of the patient.” The Doctor’s ‘'cold, dead, dry, corrupted blood cannot sympathize with moyst, living, jierfect blood in the body.” “ Blood sucked by tlie Divell from witches, which remains with him, and sympathizing with the blood in the witches’ bodies, changes their nature.” How can this be ? “A substance, corporeall, remain with the Divell, a Spirit and
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incorporeal. I smell a rat. I know the Doctor’s intent. He would lead us into the error of Plato, as lamblicus, followed by Apuleius and Theupolus, who hold that the Divels have tenuia corpora, tenuious and slender bodies.” He falsely attributes corporeity to devils. That this is denied by the Church he seeks to prove by Scripture, councils, fathers, and schoolmen. But even assuming that there were any heat in the blood sucked from the witch, the coldness of the Divel’s assumed body is such it would streight chill and extinguish it.” This is proved from Alexander ab Alexandro, a friend of whom touched the heel of a Divell that assumed the shape of a man, and found it so cold that no ice could be compared with it.” Cardan also, “ being touched with the hand of a Divell, found it so cold that it was not at any hand to be endured.”
In Articulus Tertius,” Foster shows that many authors have ordered different ingredients for the salve — some, mosse,” grown on the “ scull of a theefe hanged ” ; others, that on any dead man; some, ''Hogg’s braines”; others, " wurmes washed in wine, and burnt in a pot in a Baker’s oven ” ; some, fat of a bear, and the fat of a boar, " killed in the act of generation ” ; " others, however, killed ” ; some, honey ; some, " Bui’s fat.” Where are all the virtues ? " Surely all in the Divell. He is all and all in the busi- nesse, and, for my part, to him I leave it all.” Seeing, then, that the whole is confusion, and symbolizes with witchcraft, " seeing the first Inventor was a conjuror, familiar with the Divell . . it cannot be lawful for an
honest and religious man to use it.” So far Master Foster.
Before giving an account of Fludd’s answer, it may be useful to refer to two things.
First, it is not to be at all a matter of surprise tliat .such strange ingredients were ordered for the composition of the salve. The pharmacopoeia then contained many extraordinary materials. Dr Alexander Read, one of the greatest ph3^sicians of his age, lays down distinctly, in his " Treatise of Wounds,” London, IG59, that " man’s grease
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procureth a fair scarre.” ^ For curing wounds, '' living creatures put to their helping hands ; of them you have mummies, earth worms, snails, the fat of a horse, sheep s suet, swine’s grease, deer suet, goat’s grease, the extract of a man’s blood,” &c.^ A very interesting account of the practice of nearly one hundred years later may be seen in Graham’s “ Social Life in the Eighteenth Century.” ^ In the Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia of 1737, among the various articles used in the preparation of drugs are the spawn of frogs,” excrements of horse, pig, peacock, and goat ; human blood, fat, and urine ; human skull and mummy ; juice of wood lice, congested toad, viper’s flesh and bisket bread, boiled into a broth ” ; oil of earth worms, vipers’ broth, and brick oil were retained in the English pharmacopoeia of 1795. In a chirurgeon’s account, dated at Edinburgh, March 6th, 1734, in the writer’s possession, there is an entry of “ a glass with an ounce and half of oil of Eggs, three times to Robert.” This at least is more comfortable than the '' vinum millepedatum,” made by taking two ounces of live millepeds or slaters, bruise them a little, and pour upon them a pint of Rhenish wine.” This is said to be of great service in a case of jaundice.” ^
Second. The other point requiring explanation is the constant charge of being a “ magician,” fulminated against Fludd and other nature students.
A Treatise of the Foure degenerate Sonnes,” being the fourth volume of the ‘‘ works of Mr Jon Weemse, of Lath- ocker, in Scotland, and Prebend of Durham,” dedicated to William, Lord Bishop of London, 4to, 1636, is full on this point. The second of the “ degenerate Sonnes ” is the magician.” In the hfth section of that part, the author inquires — “ What is magicke, and who are magitians ?” He is one who uses “ medses [methods] which are only proper to God, either in curing of diseases or working other strange effects'.” He uses these signes which Satan and he had agreed upon.” Judicial astrology is a devilish ^ p. 428. - p. 308. ^ ii., p. 213. ^ Gmlmm, ii. 215.
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art, injurious to God and to proper science. Yet the author had some odd notions ; for instance — “ If the wild bull be tyed to the tigg tree, it calmes him ; the devil, by such means, can hinder the creatures ” ; and that, when the devil lies with a witch, his nature is cold, as they con- fesse.” Yet Satan “ can transport the bodies of men out of one place to another, and he can strike the body with diverse diseases.” “ Satan tempted the woman first ; therefore he prevails most with that sexe.” Sorcerers and witches are of this degenerate race of magicians. All such should be put to death, and lose “ their temporal estate and inheritance.” They are excluded from the kingdome of God.” Satan deludes them, sometimes in their under- standing faculty, sometimes in their irascible faculty, sometimes in their concupiscible, and sometimes in their sensitive faculties. To promise to the devil is a great sin, but to bind ourselves by an oath to him is '' the greatest sinne ” of all. A magician is therefore one in covenant with the devil. Indeed, some are so intimate with Satan that they resemble serpents, “ when they are enchanted, running together in a knot, wimpling themselves one with another.”
Foster’s pamphlet was issued in 1631. In the same year Fludd’s answer appeared. It was printed at London for Nathanael Butter, and the title runs thus : — Doctor Fludd’s answer to M. Foster, or the Squeesing of Pastor Foster’s Sponge, ordained by him for the wiping away of the Weapon-salve : wherein the Spongebearer’s immodest carriage and behaviour towards his bretheren is detected, the bitter flames of his Slanderous reports are, by the sharpe vineger of Truth, corrected and quite extinguished : and lastly, the virtuous validity of his Sponge, in wiping away the Weapon Salve, is crushed out and clean abolished.” The complete title will be found in the Bibliography. The volume is about four times the length of Foster’s pamj^hlet. It was afterwards issued in Latin — “ Goudm Fxcudebat Petrus Rammazenius, mdcxxxviii., folio,” and in the same
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style as the Latin " Philosophia Moysaica,” thirty folio pages. The complete Latin title will also be found in the Bibliography.
On the back of the English title is a table of contents : — This Small Treatise is divided into 3 members, whereof the 1 Taketh away and utterly disannuleth those scandal- ous reports which Master Foster hath . . layd unto my
charge. 2. in 3. chapters. 1. answering every objection made. 2. Other proves lawfulness of the Cure. Lastly, demonstrateth the mystery of the weapon salve’s cure by a Theophilosophicall discourse. The Last member doth answer each particular objection against a certain healing expressed by me in my Mysticall Anatomy.” Follows a preface : To the well-minded and impartiall Reader.”
Fludd says that, for different reasons, he did not intend to have stirred up the puddle of this mine adversarie’s spirit” ; but his having set up in the night time two of the frontis- pieces or Titles of his booke as a challenge, one each post of my doore,” he was forced, against his will, to take up the matter, and ‘‘quell the unsatiable appetite of his salve- devouring sponge, and squeeze or crush it, so that it shall be constrained to vomit up againe the wholesome child of Nature and Gentle friend unto mankind (I mean the Weapon-Salve) which it hath drunk or sucked up, and leave it in its wonted splendor and reputation among men.”
Fludd thinks Foster’s jest very unseasonable. “He is called by Franciscus Lanovius, Medico-miles, a Souldier Physitian, and a weapon-bearing Doctor.” “ I will express the cause why I put the Esquier before the Doctor. It is for two considerations : first, because I was an Esquier, and gave armes before I was a Doctor, as being a Knight’s Sonne ; Next, because, though a Doctor addeth gentilitie to the person who by descent is ignoble, yet it is the opinion of most men, and especially of Heraulds, that a gentleman of aiitiquitie is to be preferred before any one of the first Head or Degree.”
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It appears that Foster’s father was a barber. Flucld then goes on to rebut the charge of being a magician, showing that in all his writings he had, “ in the conclusion, ascribed the whole glorie unto that sole and only Spirit, which is the Prince and Lord of Angels and Spirits; I professed to write generally of all, but as I went along, I distinguished the Good from the Evil, that men might the better beware of, and refuse, the one and make choice of the other.” He then shows the absurdity of Foster’s argument, that he being “ accused for a magitian by Marinus Mersennus, his defence of the weapon-salve is enough to make it suspected. As well say — ‘ Doctor Fludd is sus- pected for a magitian ; Ergo, the Purge of Rubarbe, which he prescribeth ... is magicall.
In the “ Second Member,” Fludd proceeds to answer the question, “Whether the curing of wounds by the Weapon- Salve bee witchcraft and unlawful to be used.” Foster “ confidently affirmeth it.” The simple fact that it is not mentioned in Holy Scripture, is.no argument against the salve ; otherwise, “ Causticke, viscicatory healing, fluxing, and other externall medicines daily used,” might also be considered magical. “ God worketh all and in all.” The argument that the salve works unnaturally can be rebutted by the fire heating “ ad distans ” ; the lightning out of the cloud blasting “ ad distans ” ; the loadstone doth operate upon the iron “ ad distans.” There is therefore no need for causes working to have “ vertuaJl contact.”
This is the true mystery of the question : — “ The In- fluence, therefore, of life issuing from the Microcosmicall or human Sonne, and assisting, revivifying, and multiplying by little and little the hidden graine of life in the ampu- tated bloud now in the oyntment, and also exciting the potential or sopified Spirit in the oyntment ; no otherwise, then, we see in the Sunne of Heaven to stirre up, in tlie spring time, the Spirits of the earth, which the cold winter had stupefied and benummed, leaveth not to operate be- tweene both extremes, untill the party doth recover.”
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Foster’s argument, that the angels of heaven could not work at such a distance, gives away his case, for if they could not, neither could the angels of hell, to whom he associates any effect which the salve may have. The Jews did not attribute the curing properly to the Pool of Beth- esda ; so do not those who believe in the salve ; they give hearty thanks to God for the blessed gift of miraculous healing He hath bestowed on the ungent.” Fludd then proceeds to answer the question, Whether the cure of wounds by the weapon-salve bee witchcraft, and unlawfull to be used.” He denies it to be unlawful, theologically, and by the purest natural philosophy, and so is to do his best to squeeze out of his formidable sponge the weapon-salve’s reputation, which, like a cormorant, it hath devoured and sucked up.”
The ointment is the gift of God, and so it is called by Paracelsus Donum Dei.” The apostle tells us that there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit ; and the same worketh all in all. “ It is by one and the same spirit that gifts of healing are given.” It is God, not the Devil, of whom it is said, '' He sent his word and healed them — ergo, all healing and vivifying “ power cometh from Him.” On the other hand, the work of the devil “ is Death and Destruction.” There may be intermediaries, but it is the “ Lord who maketh all things.” Without God’s act each creature is but a dead stock, and this power of God is not merely operative in vulgar and manifest actions, but also in arcane and hidden things. By whom does God execute His will ? By the devil ? No, this is performed by Jesus, the Catholic k Saviour, who is the head of all powers. He has the office of life, preservation, and health. So, then, as there is no authority in holy writ to warrant any curing effect or art by the devil, the cure done by the weapon- salve is not done by him. This is well illustrated by the case of the Pharisees, who said — “ This man casteth out Devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the Devils, and who were silenced by Christ.” So, then, “ blessed (I say with
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the propliet David) be the Lord God of Israel, who oiiely doeth all wonders, and there eftecteth this wonderful manner of curing, which passeth man’s understanding. To him, therefore, be asci'ibed for it all praise and honour for ever more.”
Fludd next proceeds to prove, in a more evident manner, and that by Sacred Philosophy, that God’s vivify- ing Spirit, moving on the Ayry Organ of the World, doth, by his vertuous application or aspect to the weapon-salve, effect the cure of such as are wounded.” “ The essentiall form or life of every creature in this world must depend on this spirit, and have his centrall seate of Activity in propor- tion more or lesse from the Agent or Agents, who, as it acteth in the center of all things, so it is even continual unto the circumference, that is, from Alpha, or the center, unto Omega, or the circumference, for else would there bee a division of the divine Essence, which is impossible ; and for this cause God is said to fill all, and to operate all in all.” We are to observe in the cure by the Salve three principal things — “ the partie wounded, the oyntment curing, and lastly, the occult affinity, which raigneth in the blood, and issueth from the blood into the oyntment.” ‘‘ The wounded party, then, may be rightly compared to the world, and therefore is called a little world, namely, of spirit and body.” But God’s goodness extends to every creature, for all proceed from God. This extends to animall, vegetable, and minerall composition.” The case, for instance, of the attraction by the L-on, by the Load- stone, or of Straw by Amber, cannot be explained.” If the divine Spirit of God was not in man he would be dead — a snuffe — a nothing.” Blood is the seat of the spirit of life. Of old the blood even of beasts was forbidden to be eaten. Hennes truly says, ‘‘ Man’s soule is carried in this manner : the mentall beame is carried in the soule, the soule in the spirit or ayre, the spirit in the body ; the spirit, being- dispersed through the veynes and arterys, doth stirre up and move the living creature in every part.” God both
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gives and takes away life. The incorruptible spirit of the Lord (saith Solomon) is in all things.” Unless He acts all is stopped dead and senseless. The winds are animated by His breath. So as there are fourfold winds in the greater world — the macrocosm — so there is the same kind of oper- ation in the “ created spirit of the lesser world, or man.” Did He not speak so by His prophet — Come, spirit, from the foure winds, as if he should say, come, O thou Catholick and Universall Spirit of life of the world, and doe thy office in vivifying and making the dead to live again.” In the blood, therefore, the sou1e of the creature is the spiritual virtue of the foure winds.” As the northerly blast is congealing, so in the spirit is the power of converting itself into potential congealing property. Let us then apply this. The wound is a violation of the work which the .spirit of life did effect. The blood, though voided out of the wound, yet retaineth in it this spirit of life.” Its power is more contracted from the circumference to the centre, and this power we see remaining, and shown in the miracle wrought by the bones of Eliseus — causing the dead to rise from death to life. The blood being taken from the wounded and smeared on the weapon, or on some other implement, yet, though castles, hills, water, and gross air are between the ointment and the wound, we are not to suppose that the activity of God can be limited. The spirit filleth the whole earth, and cannot be limited in “ extensive dimen- sion, nor yet hindered in his passage by any intermediate obstacle.” Both the blood, therefore, in the person wounded and that on the weapon “ doe sympathise together, even as wee see one thred extended from one end of a chamber unto the other.” As in the apparently dead seed there is life, so is there life in the apparently dead coagulated blood, and the oyntment is the good ground in which the bloudy graine doth lye and rise again ; therefore, without doubt, there is the selfesame relation of union between this ointment with the blood in it and the wounded man’s nature as is between the striufr of
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one lute that is proportioned unto the other in the same tone.”
In Chapter V. we have “ certain Histories touching the effectincr of the cure.” The making ot' the ointment was
o o
performed in the presence of Fludd’s brother-in-law, Sir Nicholas Gilbourne, and Captain Stiles, “ in the company of very good and learned divines,” who saw all the ingre- dients apart, and then saw an apothecary compound them together without any kind of superstitious action, where it was generally adjudged to be a lawful medicine. A box of this oyntment was bestowed on my brother-in-law ; what wholesome effects it hath wrought I will, in a word, relate unto you, and that verbatim as I have it under his own hand.”
At “ Chatam, in Kent,” the servant of ‘‘ one Poppee, a shipwright, who was cut so deepe as it could passe ” with his axe into the instep.” This man was brought to Dr Fludd, who declined to meddle with it, onel}^ 1 advised him to wash his wound with his own urine, which he did.” Next day Fludd “ dressed the axe, and after dressing it I did send to know how the fellow was. He had been in pain all night, but said that now he was at ease. The next morning, coming into my stud}’, I strucke my Papier downe upon the axe, the hilt whereof strucke the oyntment off from the axe, which, when I found, I sent to understand how hee did ? and had answer that he had been exceeding
well that night, but this morning he was in great paine, and so continued ; I therefore anointed the axe againe, and then sent againe unto him, and heard that hee was then at great ease ; and within seavcn dayes was perfectly well.” Other cases of healing are detailed. One relates the history of Brent Deering, son of Master Finch Deering, a boy who ran a reed into his leg when fishing in a pond at Charing. In this case a knitting needle was inserted into the wound, afterwards dressed, and in three days the boy was bettei-. A third instance is of one at Windsor, who cut his back, falling on a “ sithe.” The “ sithe ” was fortliwith “ sent to
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London to Captain Stiles, who anonyted it, wrapped it up, and laid it aside. Not long after there came one to demand for Doctor Stiles ; the Minister, who, understanding that it was about a thanks-giving for a cure done by the weapon- salve, sent him unto the Captaine, he desires to speake with him. The Captain being at dinner, or supper, with divers of his friends, sent for the fellow into the dining roome, and there he told the Captaine that the wounded man did acknowledge of him his life under God, assuring him that the dangerous wound did heale apace after hee had sent his Sithe unto him, and was thorouly cured without a,ny other application. And for a part of recom- pence, and to expresse his thankfulnesse, hee presented him with a side of Red Deere.”
In the succeeding chapter, a short account is given of a certain noble Personage of this Kingdome, very religious and learned, who at the first scoffed at this kind of cure as a thing impossible.” Captain Stiles converted him, how- ever, and after consulting with a learned divine and a well esteemed doctor of physic, had the ointment compounded by Mr Cooke, apothecary, and had “ prosperous success ” with it, at the least a thousand persons were cured.” Foster, it is insinuated, wrote at the instigation of the chirurgeons,” being a barber chirurgeon’s son ; hence, “ ill?e lacrymje.” Like the silversmiths of Ephesus, “ they lose such a masse of practice as would well have stuffed their pouches.”
In the seventh chapter, a story is told of Sir Walter Ralegh : — '' The last time the Lady Ralegh was at East- well, at the Countesse of Winchelse}^ her hou.se, wee, falling into some discourse concerning the Sympatheticall oyntment, shee told me that her late husband. Sir Walter Ralegh, would suddenly stop the bleeding of any person (albeit hee Avere farre and remote from the party) if he had a handkitchers, or some other piece of linnen dipped in some of the blood of the party sent unto him.” So, Master Foster need not “ crowe like a cocke on his own dun*>hill.”
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DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
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The truth is, “ the action of curing by the weapon-salve is meerely natural!, and no way niagicall or diabolicall.”
In tl\e “third member” of the book, the more precise attack by Foster is disposed of “ Here the sponge is squeezed.” It is not without a very mystical and secret cause that our Saviour took an especial notice of salt. “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Where he means the spiritual man, in whom is the breath of life, so the very essence of “ the animall creatures’ blood in generall consisteth in this Balsamicke Salt.” Even though separated from the life of man, the salt is resting “ in the center.” Man’s bones proceed originally from the Blood, for the preparatory, seminary vessels that alter and purify it “ have their issues and heads out of the Great Artery and Vena Cava.” It is evident, therefore, that God operateth all (as says Job), beginning radically in the blood, and for this reason the Apostle says rightly, “ in him we live, we move, and have our being.”
In the seventh chapter, “ the whole subject is in a few words contracted and abbreviated.” As the devil can cure nothing, all cures are wrought by “ the Merciful God in His benignity, and that by His word.” The devil cannot be made the user of God’s Word. “ In the hand of God is the life of every living creature and the spirit of all flesh.” The “ Epilogue ” finishes Fludd’s treatise. In it he remarks, “ I would have my well-minded country-men to know that, had not this rude and uncivill Adversary of mine most untruely and disgracefully calumniated mee, and laid, without any just occasion, unto my charge the unsufferable crime of Witchcraft or Magick, which is odious both to God and Man, I would not thus farre have hindred my greater business and more weighty occasions to have sati.sfied his unreasonable and immodest appetite.”
Foster’s style is sharper than Fludd’s. He speaks epigrammatically, whereas Fludd is often involved in his sentences. But Foster rather gave himself away when ho attributed the supposed cures to the power of the devil.
214
DOCTOR ROBERT FLUDD.
Fludd hits hard there, and answers his opponent. The case was stronger than Foster thought. No doubt most of the cures were wrought by the unaided influence of Nature herself. The effect of simple dressings and rest was relief. At the same time, it is to be remembered, as Fludd remarks, that the attraction of the iron by the loadstone, of the straw by the amber, are matters inexplicable. The action of the magnetic needle is still more wonderful. Men are at times on the very brink of discoveries, when Nature seems to draw back and wrap herself again in her veil of mystery.