Section 1

NATURAL
AGICK
John Baptifta Porta,
A N E A P 0 1 L I I A N E:
I N
TWENTY BOOKS:
1 Of the Caufcs of Wonderful things.
2 Of the Generation of Animals.
3 Of the Produdion of new Plants.
4 Of increafingHoufhold-Stuff.
5 Of changing Metals.
6 Of counterfeiting Gold.
7 Of the Wonders of the Load-ftone.
8 Of ftrange Cures.
9 Of Beautifying Women.
10 Of Diftillation.
1 1 Of Perfuming.
12 Of Artificial Fires.
1 3 Of Tempering Steel.
14 Of Cookery.
15 Of Fi(hing,Fowling,Hunting,$V.
16 Of Invifible Writing.
17 Of Strange GlafTes.
18 Of Statick Experiments.
19 Of Pneumatick Experiments.
20 Of the Chaos.
Wherein are fet forth All the Riches and Delight*
Of the
NATURAL SCIENCES.
Printed for Thomas Young, andSoJw**/ Speed ; and are to be fold at the three Pigeons, and at the Angel in St.
Paul 's Church -yard. 1658,
uL ^
The Preface to the Reader.
Courteous Reader,
F this Work made by me in my Youth , when I was hardly fifteen years old, was fo generally received and with fo great applaufe^ that it was forthwith tranflated into many Languages > as Ita- lian, French, Spaniih, Arabickj and paffed through the hands of incomparable men : J hope that now coming forth from me that am fifty years old , it fhall be more dearly enter- tained* For when I faw the fir ft fruits of my Labours recei- ved with fo great Alacrity of mind, I was moved by thefegood Omens ; And therefore have adventured to fend it once more forth , but with an Equipage more Rich and Noble.
From the frfi time it appeared, it is now thirty five years, And {without any de- rogation from my Modefiy be it fpoken) if ever any man laboured earneflly to dif- clofe the fecrets oj Nature, it was I : For with all my Mindc and Power, I have turned over the Monuments of our Ancefiors , and if they writ anything that was f °.cret and concealed , that I enrolled in my Catalogue of Rarities . Moreover, as I travelled through France, Italy, and Spain, I confuted with all Libraries, Learn- ed men , and Artificers, that if they knew any thing that was curious , I might un- der f and fuch T ruths as they had proved by there long experience. Thof ? places and men , I had not the happinefs to fee, I writ Letters too frequently , earneflly de- fying them tofurnifh me with thofe Secrets, which they efieemed Rare ; not failing with my Entreaties i Gifts, Commutations, Art, and Induflry. So that whatfoever was Notable, and to be de fired through the whole World, for Curiofities and Excel- lent Things , I have abundantly found out , and therewith Beautified and Aug- ment ed the f ?, my Endeavours, « NATURAL MAGIC K, wherefore by moft earnefi Study, and confiant Experience, I did both night and day endeavour to know whether what I heard or read, was true orfalfe , that I might leave nothing unaffayed : for I oft thought of that Sentence of Cicero, It is fit that they who defire for the good of mankinde , to commit to memory things moft profi- table , well weighed and approved , fhould make tryal of all things. To do this J have fpared no Pain nor Cofi, but have expended my narrow Fortunes in a large magnificence.
Nor were the Labours, Diligence, and Wealth, of mofi famous Nobles, Potentates) Great and Learned Men, wanting to afsifl me $ Efpecially {whom J name for his Honour} the Illufiriom and moft Reverend Cardinal of Eftings : All which did afford there Voluntary and Boiygiful Help to this Work. I never wanted alfoat
C my
The Preface.
myHoufe an Academy of curious Men, who for the trying of tbefe Experiments, cbearfully disburfed there Moneys, and employed there utmoft Endeavours, in a fi- ling me to Compile and Enlarge this Volume, which with f ? great Charge, Labour 3 and Study , / had long before provided.
Having made an end thereof, I was fomewhat unwilling tofujferit to appear to the publike View of all Men (/ being now old, andtrufiing up my Fardel) for there are many moft excellent. Things fit for the Worthieft Nobles , which fhould ignorant men (that were never bred up in the J acred Principles of Philofophy) come to know, they would grow contemptible, and be undervalued-, AsVh.tofaith, to Diony fi- lls, They Teem to make Philofophy ridiculous, who endeavour to profti- tute Her Excellence to prophane and illiterate Men.
Alfo here are conceived many hurtful and mifchievoui things , wherewith wicked and untoward men may mif chief others, what thenmuft I do, let Envy be driven away, and a de fire to benefit P oft erity , vanquifh all other thoughts £ The moft Ma- jefiick Wonders of Nature are not to be concealed , that in them we may admire the Mighty Power of God, his wifdom, his Bounty, and therein Reverence and Adore him. whatf oever tbefe are, I fet them before you, that you may difcern my Dilligence and Benevolence towards you ; Had I withheld thefe Things from the World , J fear I fhould have undergone the reproach of a wicked man; for (Cicero drives th if from Plato) we are not born for ourfelves alone, but our Countreywill challenge apart, our Parents and our Friends require their parts alfo from us. wheref or e fueh Things as hitherto lay btd in the Bofome of wondrous Nature,fhall come to light, from the Store-houfes of the moft ingenuous Men, without fraud, or deceit.
I Difcover thofe Things that have been long bid, either by the Envy or Ignorance of others, Nor fhall you here finde empty Trifles, or Riddles , or bare Authorities of other men.
I did not think fit to omit any thing by erring Honeftly, or following the beft Lea- ders ^ But fuch as are Magnificent and moft Excellent, I have will' d by the Artifice of Words, by Tranfpofition and. Depre fiion of them ; And fuch Things as are hurt- ful and mifebievous, I have written obfeurely , yet not fo, but that an ingenueus Reader may unfold it, and the wit of one that will throughly fearch may comprehend it,
I have added [omethings that are Profitable, and rarely Known, becaufe they are moft true. Sometimes from Things moft Known, and meanly efteemed, we af :end to Things moft Profitable and High , which the Mindecan fcarce reach unto : One's Under{landmg cannot comprehend High and SublimeTbings , unleJT itftandfirm on moft true Principles. The Mathematical Sciences, rife from fome trivial and common Axioms,to moft Sublime Demonftrations. wherefore I thought it better to Write true Things and Profitable, thanfalfe Things that are great. True Things be they never f ? fma/l, will give occafions to Difcover greater things by them. The in- finite multitude of Things is incomprehenfible , and more than a man may be able to contemplate.
In one Method I jhall ohferve what our Anceftors have fiid 5 Then I fhall fiew ly my own Experience, whither they be true orfalfe , and laft of all my own Inven- tions, That Learned Men may fee how exceedingly this later Age hath furpajjed Antiquity.
Many men have written what they never jaw, nor did they know the Simples that were the Ingredients, but they fet them down from other mens traditions , by an in* bred and importunate defire to adde fomething , JoErrors are propagated by fuccef- fion, and at laft grow infinite, that notfo much Jlfc Prints of the former remain,
^m That
*
The Preface*
That not onely the Experiment will be difficult, but a man can hardly reade them without laughter.
Moreover, I paj? by many men , who have written Wonders to be dtnered tq Pofierity , promt fing Golden Mountains , yet Write othernife then they thought. itenCe moji ingenuous men, and defirow to learn, are detained for a very long time ( andwhen they defpair of obtaining what they feek for, they finde that they [pent their time, pains, and charge in vain) and fo driven to defpardtion , they are forced to repent by leifure : Others grown wife by other mens barms, learn to hate thofe Things before they know them.
I have divided the fe Secreets into fever alClaffes, that every man may finde what he likes befi.
Lafily, I ftould willingly pafi by the offending of your Ears^ if I had no care to re- fell the Calumnies of detractors and envtow men , that mofi immodef ly wounds me^ calling me a Sorcerer , a Conjurer, which names from my tender Touth I have ab- horrd. Indeed I always held my felf to be a man fubjeB to Errors and Infirmities 5 therefore defined the a fi'ifiances of many Learned men , and that if I had. not faith- fully interpreted, they would reprove me But what I always feared came to p&fs, that I fhouldfall into the hands offome vile and hateful men,who by doing injury to others, jufily or unjufily , labour to win the popular and bafe approbation, and Ap- plaufe of the Vulgar, bywhofe renown d Teeth, thofe that are wounded do not con- fume, but by retorting the venome back upon them, they overthrow their own Honor.
A certain Frenchman in his Book ftf//^Daemonomania5 Tearms me a Magi- cian, a Conjurer, and thinks this Book of mine, long fince Printed, worthy to be burnt, becaufe I have written the Fairies Oyntment , which I fiet forth onely in dete fiat ion of the frauds ofDivels and witches ', That which comes by Nature is abufedby their fuperfiition, which I borrowed from the Books of the mo ft commendable Divines, What have I offended herein, that they fhould call me a Conjurer Z But when I en- quired of many Noble and Learned Frenchmen , that were pleafed to Honour me with there Vifits, what that man was , they anfweredthat he was an Heretick, and tltat he had efcaped from being cafi headlong from a Tower, upon Saint Bartholo- mew his day , which is the time appointed for the defiruRion of fuch wicked men. In the mean time I fhall defire the great and good God (as it becomes a Noble and Chrifiian man to do) that he may be converted to the Catholike Faith , and may not be condemned whilfi he lives.
Another Frenchman who unworthily reviled all the Learned men of his Age, joynsme amongfl them, and holds, that onely three Phyfitians, that are his Friends, are Praife-worthy , as the mofi Learned of all men of our Times ; and amongfi them he reckons up himfelf; for the Book tspublifhed in his Name , it is a wonder what Inventions that man hath found out to win praife, who having no man to commend him, nor is he worthy commendations , yet he hath undertaken to commend him- felf. IpaJ? over other men of the fame temper , who affirm that I am a witch and a Conjurer, whereas I never Writ here nor elfwhere, what is not contain d within the bounds of Nature.
wherefore, Studiow Readers, accept my long Lab ours, thateoflme much Study, Travel, Expence, and much Inconvenience , with the fame Minde that I pub- lico them ; and remove all Bl'mdnefs and Malice, which are wont to dazle the fight of theMtnde, and hinder the Truth ; weigh the fe Things with a right Judgement, when you try what I have Written , for finding both Truth and Profit, you will (tt way be) think better of my Pains. Yet I am affured there will be many ignorant people s void of aU feriow Matters, that will Hate and Envy the fe Things, and
The Preface.
wiU Rajhly pronounce, That fome ofthefeExperiments are not only falfe,butimpoflibl£ to be done ; And wbilfi they flrive by Arguments and vain Difputes 3 to overthrow the Truth, they betray there oven ignorance : Such men, as vile, are to be driven from the Limits of our N A T U R A L M A G I C K : For they that believe not Natures Miracles, do, after a manner, endeavour to abolifh Philof iphy. If I have ■ over-pafj ed f me Things , or not fpoken f o Properly of them, as I might ; / know there is nothing fo Beautiful , but it may be Adorned; Nor fo Full, but it may be Augmented,
J. B. P.
"WW wWa *5C£ ma& •S^t •JP**Xw
The
I
The FIRST BOOK
OF
i* Natural Magick :
Wherein are fearched out the Caufes of things which pro- duce wonderful Effects.
Chap. I. What it meant by the time of UMagick.
Orphyry and Aptfleius, great Platonicks, in an Oration made in the defence of Magick, do witnefs,that Magick took her name and original from Perfia. ThIIj> in his book of Divination, faith, that in the Pcrfian language, a Magician is nothing elfe but one that expounds and ftudies divine things ; and it is the general name of Wife-men in that country. S.Jerome writing to ?4«//'»«*,faith that Apolloniui Tfanatu was a Magician,as the people thought;or a Philofopher,as the Pythagoreans efteem- ed him. Pliny faith , that it is received for a certainty among moft Authors,that Magick was begun in Perfia by Zoroaftres the fon of Orimafttu ; or, as more curious Writers hold, by another Zoroaftres^ furnamed Proconnefiut) who li- ved a little before. The fir ft Author that ever wrote of Magick, was Ofihanes9 who going with Xerxes king of Perfia in the war which he made againft Greece) did fcatcer by the way as it were the feeds andfirft beginnings of this wonderful Art,infeSing the world with it wherefoever he came ; infomuch that the Grecians did not onely greedily defire this knowledge , but they were even mad after it. So then Magick is taken amongft all men for Wifdom, and the perfect knowledge of natural things : and thofe are called Magicians , whom the Latines call Wife-men, the Greeks call Philofophers, of 'Pythagoras onely, the firft of that name, as Diogenes writes : the Indians call them Brackmans,in their own tongue ; but in Greek they call them Gy- mnofophifts, as much co fay as naked Philofophers: the Babylonians and Affyrians call them Chaldeans, of Chaldxa a county in Afia : the Celtcs in France call them Druids, Bards, and Semnothites : the Egyptians call them Priefts ; and the Cabalifts call them Prophets. And fo in divers countries Magick hath divers names. But we finde that the greateft part of thofe who were beft feen into the nature of things,were excellent Magicians: as, amongft the Perfians,Z0r*a/?rmhefon of Orimaftus^hom we fpake of before i amongft the Romanes, 'Hyma Pompilitu ; Thefpion, amongft the Gymnofophifts • Zamolxis, amongft the Thracians ; Abbaris, amongft the Hyperbo- reans ; Hermes^ amongft the ./Egyptians : and Budday amongft the Babylonians. Be- tide thefe, Apuleim reckons up Carinondas, Damigeron^Hifmofes^ApoUomtu^ta^ Dor* damti) who all followed Zoroaftres and Ofthanes,
Chap. II. what is the Nature of UWagick.
^pHere ire two forts of Magick : the one is infamous,and tinhappie,becaufe it hath to do with foul fpirits, and confifts of Inchantments and wicked Curiofity ; and this is called Sorcery ; an art which all learned and good men deteft ; neither is it able to yeeld any truth of Reafon or Nature , but ftands meerly upon fancies and imaginations, fuch as vanifh prefently away, and leave nothing behinde them ; a* Jmblifhm writes in his book concerning the my ftcries of the Egyptians, The other
D Magick
% Natural Magick ? 2?oo^ i.
Magick is natural ; which all excellent wife men do admit and embrace, and worfhip with great applaufcmeither is there any thing more highly efteemed,or better thought of, by men of learning. The mod noble Philofophers that ev^r were , 'Pythagora/, EmpedocleS)Democrites,ind Plato, forfcok their own countries, and lived abroad as exiles and banifhed men, rather then as ftrangers ; . and all to learch out and to attain this knowledge ■ and when they came home again, this was the Science which they profeffed, and this they efteemed a profound myfterie. They that have been mott skiifu. in dark and hidden points of learning, do call this knowledge the very high- eft point, and the perfection of natural Sciences ; infomuch that if they could find out or devife amongft all natural Sciences, anyone thing more excellent or more wonderful then another, that they would ftiil call by the name of Magick. Others have named it the practical part of natural Philofophy, which produceth her effe&s by the mutual and fit application of one natural thing unto another .The Platonicks, as Plot mm imitating Mercuritu, writes in his book of Sacrifice and Magick,makes ic to be a Science whereby inferiour things are made fubjetf to fuperiours, earthly are fubdued to heavenly ; and by certain pretty allurements, it fetcheth forth the properties of the whole frame of the world. Hence the Egyptians termed Nature her feif a Magician, becaufc the hath an alluring power to draw like things by their likes ; and this power,fay they, confifts in love : and the things that were fo drawn and brought together by the affinity of Nature, thofe (they faid) were drawn by Magick. But I think that Magick is nothing elfe but the furvey of the whole courfe of Nature. For, whilft we confider the Heavens, the Stars, the Elements, how they are moved, and how they are changed, by this means we find out the hidden fecre- cies of living creatures, of plants, of metals, and of their generation and corrupti- on ; fo that this whole Science feems meeriy to depend upon ihe view of Nature, as afterward we fhall fee more at large. This doth Platofeem to fignifie in his nlct- biad.es, where he faith, That the Magickof Zoroaftres, was nothing elje, in bis opinion, but the knowledge and fludy of Divine things, wherewith the Kings Sons of 'PerHa, among ft ether princely qualities, were endued \ that by the example of the Common-wealth of the •whole world, they alfo might learn to govern their own Common- we alt h. And Tally, in his book of Divinations, faith, That amongft the Perfians no man might be a Kmg, un- lefshe had frft learned thei/frtof Magick.' for as Nature governs the world by the mutual agreement and disagreement of the creatures ; after the fame fort they alfo might learn to govern the Common-wealth committed unto them. This Art, I fay, is full of much venue, of many fecret myfteries ; it openeth unto us the properties and quali- ties of hidden things, and the knowledge of the whole courfe of Nature j and it teacheth us by the agreement and the difagreement of things, either fo to funder them, or elfe to lay them fo together by the mutual and fit applying of one thing to another, as thereby we do ftrange works, fuch as the vulgar fort call miracles, and fuch as men can neither Well conceive, nor fufficiently admire. Fo* this caufe, Ma- gick was wont to flouriih in ^Ethiopia and India, where was great fiore of herbs and ftones, arid fuch other things as were fit for thefe purpofes. Wherefore, as many of you as come to behold Magick, muft be perfwaded that the works of Magick are no- thing elfe but the works of Nature, whofe dutiful hand-maid Magick is. For if (he find any want in the affinity of Nature, that it is not ftrong enough, (he doth fupply fuc'ci defeCts at convenient feafons, by the help of vapours, and by obferving due meafires and proportions j as in Husbandry, it is Nature that brings forth corn and herbs, but it is Art that prepares and makes way for them. Hence was it that Ami- pho the Poet faid, That we overcome thofe things by Art, wherein Nature doth overccme tut zndPlotwus calls a Magician fuch a one as works by the help of Nature onely, and nod>y the help of Art. Superfiitious, profane, and wicked men have noohing to do with this Science ; her gate is fhut againft them : neither do we judge them worthy to be.driven away from this profeffion onely, but even out of Cities, and out of theworld,tobegrievoufly punifhed, and utterly deftrayed. Butnow^what h the duty , and what muft be the learning of this profeffor, we purpofe to fhc w in that which foliowcih.