Section 50

ziq. Natural Magick. Hookjj.
and fet them at a juft diftance , and it drew the filings to it , though the Diamond w ere by. I fay this, left they (hould think I failed in the trial , and to have taken a Loadftone of twenty or thirty pound weight, and faftened an ounce of iron to it, and then to have taken a very fnaall Diamond, and put it to them to make trial with.
Chap. LIV.
Goats blood doth not free the LoAiftone from the ittchantment of the Diamond,
J Said, That from falfe Principles , are drawn moft falfe Conclufions. Alfo I faid, That it is related that the jnicc of Garlick fmeercd on the Loadftone , will take away its attraction of iron ; and , That when the Diamond is by , it will not draw iron , or will let it fall. But becaufe (fay fome) Goats blood will break the Dia- mond, if the Loadftone be anoynted with Goats blood, it will recover. Cafttanut m Geoponic. Gr if it be annointed with Garlick : but that the force almoft loft may be rcftorcd , ic muft be wafhed in Goats blood. Rhennius the Interpreter of Dionyfus,
'Gainft whichy nor fire,norfteel ever won ; Goats blood if warmy can breakjhe Diamond: ^{or ftrokes o' th* Hammer can confume this Stone Which from the Loadftone doth the Iron ta\e , That it woftldftill embrace tt, let alone : Diamonds^ Loadftones vertttes empty make,
iMarbodeus of the fame,
tA Diamond is mighty hard: a Stone That on the Anvil never can be broke ; Nor fteel, nor fire hurt it , yet 'tis known.*) It crumbles in Goats blood, if laid to foak*
Since therefore there is an Antipathy between the Diamond and. the Loadftone J and there is as great Antipathy between the Diamond and Goats blood , as there is fympathy between Goats blood and the Loadftone ; We are from this Argument proceeded thus far , that when the vertue of the Loadftone is grown dull , either by the prefence of the Diamond, or ftink of Garlick, if it be waftied in Goats blood it will then recover its former force, and be made more ftrong: but I have tried that all the reports are falfe. For the Diamond is not fo hard as men fay it is : for it will yield tc fteel , and to a moderate fire : nor doth it grow foft in Goats blood, or Ca- mels blood, or Affes blood : and our Jewellers count all thefe Relations falfe and ridiculous. Nor is the vertue of the Loadftone, being loft , recovered by Goats blood I have faid fo much, to let men lee what falfc Conclufions are drawn from falfe Principles.
Chap. LV. The Iron touched with a Diamond will turn to the North,
BUt this is moft true , that I found out by chance when T made trial , whether the Diamond had any forces to weaken the Loadftones vertue , as I faid : fot if you rub a fteel-Nccdle on a Diamond , and then put it into a Boat , or thruft ic through a reed, or hang it up by a Threed, it will prefently turn to the North , al- moft as well as if it had been touched with the Loadftone; but fomething more faintly. And, what is worth noting , the contrary part will turn the iron to the
South;
Of the mnders of the Loadflone. 215
South : and when I had tried this in many (teel-Needles, and put therri all into the Water, Hound, that thev all Hood eqai-diltant , pointing to the North. And if they that wiicc, That the Loadstone i$ wcakned by the prefence of the Diamond, had written thus, they had faid more Truth : for a Needle rubbed on a Dumcnd, and ituck in allraw , and put into the water, that it may turn freely j being turned with your finger, when it ftands ftill, it will turn North, and point at ic exa&ly.
Ch a p. LVL
Tlx forces and remedies of the Loadflone.
OUr Anceftors invented many things, by reafonof this admirable attra&ive o- peration of the Loadflone, and found out many remedies that are worth ob- ferving. From this drawing quality that it allures iron to it , and that they mutu- ally attract the one the other; they did attribute unto it an undemanding of vene- rious anions, and that they arc one in love with the other j nor will their mad love abate, till they imbrace each one the other : and when they turn their backs , they hate one the other, and drive one the other off ; and that they contain in them alio the Principles of hatred. Marbodeus.
This Stone do.h reconcile the man and wifer
And her real that from her husband goes t
If one would know her leads a whorijh life ,
Under her bead, when that [he fleepSy it (hows :
For fhe that *s chafly will frefently imbrace
Her husband whilfifhe fleepth ; but a whore
Tails out o* th'bedy as thrown out with difgraee ,
Wnh flinky th* Stone, which (hows this, and much more.
And for this caufe, our Anceftors to fignifie as much , did oft-times engrave the pi- cture of Venn* upon the Loadflone. Hence Claudian writes,
The Loadflone Venus oft-times reprefents. I remember alfo,that many of the Ancients reported , That if a Loadflone were beat into powder , and were ftrewed into burning Coles, about the corners of the houfe, that the fmoke might flic up ; thofe that are in the houfe , will prefently run out for fear the houfe will fall ; and frighted with thefe phantafmes, would run,for- iaking all their homes : and thus Thieves may Real all their Goods. Marbodem,
Jf that a Thief can creep into a Houfe & That's full of wealth, and Treafure hath goodflore ; Let him on burning Colesy before he rowfe T he peoplcyflrew the Loadflone dvft all ore , That fo the Smoke may at each corner rifcy tA»d that will make the people wakey and thinks The houfe will f ally and run out with great cries , Then may he take awaj their Gold and chink.
The reafonis, Becaufe the Loadflone is melancholick, as you may conje&ure by the Colour of it; the fumes whereof, rifing into the brain, will caufe thofe that are a fleep to have melaccholick phantafms prcfented unto them : and Coles will do the like. The weight Davie, with Serpents fat , and juice of Metals , given to one to drin1 j will make him mad, and make him runout of his Houfe, Country and Nation: and
l\6 Natural Magigk. 'Bool^y.
this it doth by exaggeration of black Melancholy: or ic will make people Iunatick and melancholick if they do but hold it in their mouths : and by its drawing out of iron, Phyfitians think it will help well to draw an Arrow-head ouc of ones body.
But we u"c the Loadftone in making Glafs. Plinj. After Glafs was found out, as it is a very cunning invention5men were not content to mingle Nitrejbut they be- »an to add the Loadftone thereunto, becaufe.it is luppoied, that it will attract the li- quor of the Glafs into it fclf, and into iron,alfo. Hence it is , that in making Glafst we add a little piece of Loadftone to it , for that lingular vertuc is confirmed by our times , as well as former times : it is thought fo to attract into it fclf the liquor of the Glafs) as it draws iron to it ; and being attracted, it purgeth it ; and from green or yellowifh Glafs , it makes it white : but the fire afterwards confumes the Load- ftone. Out of Jgricola. We read aJfo, That a Loadftone laid to ones head, will take away all the pains. Cden faith , It hath purging faculties • and therefore it is given to drink for theDrop(ie:and it will draw forth all the water in the Belly. Laftly, I flull not pafs by the error of Hadrian >concctMn° the Loadftone : for he faith, That the iron by its weight makes the Loadftone never the heavier. For the Naturalifts report,That if a great Loadftone were weighed in a Scale, and after thar,(hould draw/ iron to it , it would be no heavier then it was when it was alone , though they be both together ; fo the weight of the iron is as it were confumed by the Loadftone, and hindred by it from any effeft or motion : which I finde to be falfc . It is like that jear in Ariftopha»es, of a Clown that rid upon an Afs , and carried his Coulter at his back, that he might not load the Afs too much.
■:.v. ? At?^xmiifrini^ «wa^ wt^frl t&T ;
THE
H7
THE
I
EIGHTH BOOK
o f
Natural Masick :
Of Phyfical Experiments.
The Proem i.
Intended to p*fs by thefe following Experiments infhyfitkj* became I have everywhere ^ mentioned them tn my Hiftory of Plants j and we have not emitted any thing, that was certain And fecret in them th.it we knew , Hnlefs tt be fftch things as could mot be brought into that rank: And though other things {hall be defcribed in my Bwl^of DfltlUttons , yet tfo> this place of Phyfck^ be not left empty , /changed my opinion y And have fet down fome Oj them here.
Chap. I.
Of Medicines which caitfe Jleep*
t ^iT'^r^JK^ we may in order fet down thofe Experiments, of which we fy^Z^jp^f^ intend to Jpeak, we will begin with thofe Diieafeswhich hap- ™* pen in the Head ; and firft, with Sleep : for Soporiferous Re- ceits are very reqnifue to be placed among!* thefe Arcana, and are of very great efteem amongft Phyfitians, who by Sleep are wont to cheat their Patients of pain : and not of lefs , a- mon^ft Captains and General s,when they pra&ice Stratagemes ttpon their Enemies. Soporiferous Medicines do confitt for the moft part of cold and moift things. Plutarch in Simpf, faith, Thar Sleep is caufed by cold ; and therefore Dormitives hive a cooling quality. We will teach, firft, how
7ocaufe Sleep with Mandrake, piofcorides fauh, That men will prefently fall aflsep in the very fame pofture where- in thrv drink Mandrake , lofing ail their fenfes for three or four hours after ; and that Phyfitians do ufe ir , when they would burn or cut off a member. And skilful men affirm , That Mandrake growing by a Vine, will tranfmit its Soporiferous qua- lit/ into it ; fo rhat thore that who drink the Wine that i? made thereof, fhall more ei% tnd readilv fall afUep. Here we will relate the pleafant flories of the Man- drake out of Authors of Siratagems. Junius Trentinus reports, That Hannibal being fent by the Charthagenians, againft fome Rebels in Africa ; and knowing they were aNirion greedy of Wine, mixed a great quantity of Mandrake with his Wines; thr quality of which, i^ between poyfonous and fleepy : then beginning a light Skir- mifh, he retired on purpofe ; and in the middle of the Night, counterfeited a flight, loving fome Baggage in his Camp , and all, the infc&ed Wine. Now when thofe Barbarians had took his Camp , and for joy, had liberally tafted of that treacherous Wine ; he returned, took and flew them all as they lay dead as it were before. Pa- li nam the fame. And Cafar failing towards Nicomedia, was taken about Ma lea by fome Cilician Pirates : and when they demanded a great Ranfome for his Liberty, he promifed them double what they asked. They arrived at Miletum : the people
H h carsc
218 Natural Magick.
came out of the Town to fee them. Cefar fent his Servant, being a Milelian, named Epic ates , to thofe 0/ the Town ; defiring them to lend bim fotwe money ; which they prelintly lent tQ hitii : Spkrates^ according to Cafar's Command , brought the monev ; and wi.h it a uxnp-uous Binquet, a Water-pot full of Swords, and Wine mixed with Mandrake. Cafar paid to the Pirates the promifed fum , and fet the Banquet before them ; who , being exalted with their great Riches , fell freely to it i and diking the infe^ed Wine , fell into a fUep : Cafar commanded them to be kiiied fleeping, and prefeatly repiid.the Milefians their own money. Demefthc- *ies, intending to exprefs thole who are bitten as it were by a fleepy Dragon, and are fl :Vul, and fo deprived of fenfe that they cannot be awakened ; faith : They feem like men who have drunk Mandrake. Tliny affirmech, That fmelling to the Leaves of it,provokethfl;ep.
Tor the fame, with Nightshade,
We mav make the fame of Nightfhade , which is alfo called, Hypnoticon, from the effect of it : a Drachm of the Rinde, drank in Wine , caufeth fl.ep, but gently and kindely. This later Age , feemeth to have loft the knowledge of Solanum Ma- nicon : for in the very defcription of it , Difcondes feems to be mad. But in my judgement, (as I have elfewhere faid) he defcribes two feveral Plants in that place : Ftffchiftihii Sirimonium,aad the Herb commonly called BellaDonnawbofe qualities are wonderfully dormitive : for they infect Water, without giving it either tafte or fent ; fo that the deceit cannot be dilcovered, efpecially , confidering it mutt be given but in a very (mall quantity. T prepared a Water of it, and gave it to a Friend for certain ufes ; who,in'tead of a Drachm, drank an Ounce ; and thereupon lay four days wvhrui meat or motion ; fo that he was thought dead by all j neither could he be awakened by any means , till at laft , when the vapours were digetted, he arofe : although V^eorides threatneth nothing but death from the immoderate ufe of it. The fame may be made alfo
Of Poppy
In a L^hoch. Take the Head? of Poppy , and cut them crofs-ways, with a tender hand, iett the knife enter too deep : let your nail direct the ifluing juice into a Glafs ; where let it ftand a while, and it will congeal. The Thebane Poppy is beft0 Y. u may do the fame with Nightfhade , Henbane. Of all thefe together, you may make
A Sleeping Apple*
For it h made of Opium , Mandrake , juise of Hemlock, the Seeds of Henbane ; and adding a little Musk,to gain an eafier reception of the Smeller : thefe being made up into a ball, as big as a mans hand can hold,and often (melt to, gently clolc the eyes, and binde thtm with a deep flcep. Now (hall be fhown
A wonder jnl way to make one take a fleeping Medicine in his Jleep. Thofe things which we have already fpoken of, are eafily difcovered after fleep , and bring a fufpicion along with them. But our of many of the aforenamed dormi- tive menftrucs,there may be extracted a Quinieffence,which muft be kept in Leaden Veflel?, very clofely ftop'd, that it may not have the leaft vent, left it fhonld flie our. When you would ufe it, uncover it, and hold it to a fleeping man 's Noftrils , whofe breath will fuck up this fubtile effence, which will fobefiege the Caftle of his fenfes, thai he will be overwhelmed with a moft profound deep , not to be (hook off with- out much labour. After fleep, no beavinefs will remain in his Head , nor any fufpicion of Art. Thefe things are manifeft to a wife Phyfitian j to a wicked One, oblcure.
CHAP,
Of Tbyftcal Experiments. up
Chap. II.
To make a Man out of his fenfes for a day.
AFter thefe Medicines to caufe fleep, we will fpeak of thole which make meri mad s the bufinefs is almoli the lame : tor the lame Plants that induce fleep, if thty be taken in a larger proportion, do caufe madneis. But we will not tell thofe things which breed it for ever, onely which may make us i'port for a day , and after- wards leave no harm. We will begin with,
How to m.tke men mad with Mandrake. We have told you, That a Imall dofe brings fl^ep ; a little more, madnefs ; a larger, acath. Diofcorides faith, ThataDrachm of Morion wili make one fooiifh : we will eafilierdo it with Wine, which is thus made : Take the Roots of Mandrake, and but put them into new Wine, boyling and bubling up : cover it clofc s and let theminfufe ia a warm place for two months. When you would ufe it,give it to fome- body to drink j and whofoccr (hall tafte it after a deep fleep , will be ditfra&ed, and for a day fliall rave : but after lbme fleep, will return to his lenfes again, with- out any harm : and it is very pleafant to behold. Pray make trial. We may do the fame
With Stramonium, orSolanUm Manicum :
The Seeds of which, being dried and macerated irvWine, thefpace of a night, and a Drachm ot it drank in a Glafs of Wine , ( buuightly given, left it hurt the m^n) after a few hours will make one mad , and prefenc ftrange vifions, both pleafant and horrible ; and of all other forts : as the power of the potion , fo doth the madneis alfo ceafe, after fome fleep, without any harm, as we faid, if it were rightly admini- ftred. We may alfo infect any kinde of meat with it , by flrowing thereon : three fingers full of the Root reduced into powder, it caufeth a pleafant kinde of madnefs for a day ; but the poyfonous quality is allayed by fleep, or by wafhing the Temples and Pulfes with Vinegar, or juice of Lemraon. We may alfo do the fame with ano- ther kinde of Solanum, called