Section 7

Moon :
Of the Caufes of Wonderful things. 2$
Moon : there is a Well where the Citones inhabit, thatturneth into flones all that toucheth it, or drinks of it ; Crathis and Sybarismake hair fhew like Amber and Goid ; the water of Salmax, and the iEthiopian Lakes , make them mad or in a trance that drink of it ; he that di inks of the Well Clitorius, never cares for wine after; the River Lyncellius makes men drunken ; the Lake Pheneus in A ready, is hurtful if you drink it by night ; if by day, it is wholefome. Other properties there are alio of places and fountains, which he that would know, may learn out o\Theo- yhraftuiiTtn.&M, PojJidontHS) HegefiiS) Herodotus, Ariftides, ^Meirodorus , and the jike, who have very diligently iought out, and regiftred the propertiesof places; ard out of them , flinfa SoUnm , and fuch Writers have gathered their books.
Chap. XVIII.
That Compounds work_more forcibly ■ and how to compound and mix thofe Simples which we would ufe in our mixtures .
NO-v we will fhew how to mix and compound many Simples together, that the mixture may caufe them to be more operative. Procltu in his book of Sacri- fice and Magick, faith, That the antient In ierts were wont to mix many things toge- ther, becaufe they faw that divers Simples had fome property of a God in them, but none of chem by it felf futficient to reiemble him. Wherfore they did attraffc the hea- venly influences by compounding many things into one, whereby it might refcrnble that One which is above many. They made images of fundry matters, and many o- dors compounded artificially into one, fo to exprefle the effence of a God, who bath in himfelf very many powers. This I thought good to alleadge, thatwernay know the Ancients were wont to ufe mixtures, that a compound might be the more operative. And I mv felf have often compounded a prelervative again!* poifon, of Dragon-herbs, the Dragon-fifh, Vipers, and the ftone Ophites ; being led therein by the likeneffe of things. The herb Dragon-wort, both the greater and fmaller, have a ftalk full of fundry- coloured fpecksrif any man eat their root,or rub his hands with their leaves, the Viper cannot hurt him. The Dragon-fiih being cut and open- ed, and laid to the place which he hath flung , is a prefent remedy againft his fling, as tAZttui writes. The Viper it felf, if you flay her, and ftrip off her skin, cut off her head and tail, call away all her intrails,boil her like an Eele, and give her to one that fhehath bitten, to eat, it will cure him : or if youcut off her bead being alive, and lay the part next the neck, while it is hot, upon the place which The hath bitten, it will (irangely draw outthepoyfon. Many men compound medicines made of crea- tures living on the cmh, in the water, in the air, together with herbs and ftones, you may find moll wittily devifed, in the books of Ktrannides and Harprocratio»3uc now we will fhew the way and manner how to compound Simples, which the Phy- tic ians alfo do much obferve. Becaufe we would not bring forth one effect only,but icmetimes have ufe of two or three, therefore we muft ufe mixtures, that they may cau e fundrv tfFe&s. Sometime things will not work forcibly enough , therefore to make the a£l ion effectual, we muft take unto us many helps. Again, fometimethey work too ft rongly, and here we muft have help to abate their force. Oft-times we would pra&ice upon fome certain member, as the head, the heart, or the bladder; here we muft mingle fome things which are directly operative upon that part , and upon none elfe ; whereby it falleth out , that fometimcs we muft meddle contraries together. Eut to proceed. When you would do any woik, firft confider what is the chief thing which vourfimple or compound fhould effeS ; then take the ground or foundation of your mixture, that which gives the name to your compound, and let there be-To much of it, as may proportionably work your intent ; for there is a juft and due quantity required for their working: then put in the other ingredients, as fau:e sni fealoning,to help the ptincipal to work more eafily and in due time. So we mingle fweet things with unfavory, and with bitter,that it may fmell and tafte well : for if we fhcu id mingle onely unfavouty and bitter receits, they that we give it un- to would loath ic, and their animal fpirits would fo abhor it, that though they took
24^ Natural Magick, ^Boof^x.
it, yet it could not work in them. So we meddle fort and hard things together that they may go down more pleafancly. Sometimes there is Co little ina rcceitahat the heat of the body waftes it before it can work ; here then is reqeked a greater quantity: for, this doth not hinder the working , but gives the natural heaticme- whattofeed upon, that in the mean fpace the receit may have fit time to work! As forexample: If we would catch birds by bringing them to fleer, here we muft take theNutMethella, which is of that force, as to caufe fleep and heavincfs of brain • and let this be the ground of our mixtion : then to make it more lively in work- ing, put thereto the juice of black Poppie, and the dregs of wine: If ic be too hard, arsd we would have it more liquid, that fo it may fill out the pulfe oy other baites.which we lay for them; put thereto the juice of Mandrakes, and Hemlock, and an Ox gall: and that it may not be bitter or unfavoury, put hony, cheefe or floure amongft it,that fo it may be fitter to be eaten : and when orce the birds have tailed of it, they lie down to fleep on the ground, and cannot flie, but may be ta- ken with hands. The like muft be obferved in other things.
Chap. XIX. How to find out the jufl weight of a mixture.
WE mull alfo have a fpecial care to know the right mihiftringof a ccmpound,and how to find out the juft proportion of weight therein ; fcr the goodneis of the operation of things, confifts chiefly in the due proportion and mealure of them: And unlefs the mixtion be every way perfect, it availeth little in working. Where- fore the Antients were wont to obferve not only in compounds,but alio in Simples due weight andmeafure ; and their experience hath left it unto us. If then thou beftoweft thy pains in this faculty, firftthou muft find out the weight of afimple Medicine, how much of it would fervefuch a purpoieas thou intendeft ; and to that,thoumuft proportionabfy frame thy compound, obferving a due proportion , both in the whole and every part thereof. Let tby chief Simple, the ground of thy mixture, be half the weight, and the other ingredients altogether muft be the other half; but how much of each of thefe other ingredients , that thou muft gather by thy own conjecture: So then,thy whole compound muft be but as much as if it were onely afimple receit ; for we do not compound things, to make the receit grea- ter, either in quantity or in vertue , but only becaufe it fhould bemorefpeedy in operation : It muft alfo be confidered, that the weights of mixtures and medicines muft vary proportionably, as the Countries and Climates vary : for this alters their operation, as we fhewed before. Thou muft therefore work advifedly; and as the operation of the Simples altereth, fo thou muft alter their weight, by putting to, and taking from , and wittily fitting all things, that they may effect that which thou wculdeft. This is the reafon, why in our experiments which we have fet down hereafter, we have deicribed the parts thereof by their feveral weights : and left the divers names of weights fhculd hinder thy working , we bate qfed thofe weights and names which Cornelius C'e/fus ufed before us : for lb it is fitteft fcr all mens fatisfaction.
Chap.XX. How to prepare Simples,
HAving Chewed the way how to compound and find out ihejtft weight cf cor compofition, it now remains we teach hew to prepare Simples ; which is a matter chiefly neceflary for this work ; and greatefl rations of Simples, do not fo much cor fift in thcmfelves , as in the prerarirg of them; without which preparation, they work little or nothing at all. Tbtie be many wayes to prepare Simples, to make them fitter for certain ufes. Tie rrcft u- fual wayes are, Steeping, Boiling, Burning, Pcwning. Refolvirg into afher, Diftil- Jing, Drying, and fuch tlike. To macerate oifteep any thing, isto drerch ardto
Of the Caufesof W "onderful things. 25
foak it in liquor, that ic may be throughly wet both within and without, fo that the more fubtil and intimate pare of it may be drained and fqueezed out, and the orcfler and earthly part be left behind, to receive that humour in the very middle, which we would have in it. Boiling we then ufe, when we cannot other- wife well pet out the juice of any thing : for by boiling we draw out of the centre into the circumference, when we cannot do ic by Keeping ; though thereby the flichtcr vapours may be relblved. So we ufe to burn, to rofte, to pown things, that we may take away all their moifture from them ; for by this means, they may the more eafily be refolvcd, and the fooner convertqd into liquor, and the better mingled with other things tobi put to them. So we rofte or broil things when o- thervvife we cannot break them, that they might become duft ; yet alwayes we muft take heed that we do not fo burn them, as they may iofe their ftrength • nor fo boil things but only as they may be fitter to receive that fubtil humor and quality, which we would convey into them. Diftillation of things is ufed, as well to get out water that may be of greater ftrength,therby to work more eafily & handfomly;as alfo becaufe the {lighter and more fubtile parts of Medicines are fitteft for us, the grof- fer parts muft be caft away, as being an hindrance to our purpofe : and the like we muft conceive of other operations. Thefe things I thought fitteft for this work. He that would be inftrufted more at large herein, let him look into the books of Phy- fuians. But let us now proceed to further matters.
The
THE
SECOND BOOK
o f
Natural Ma°ick :
D
Shewing how living Creatures of divers kinds, may be mingled and coupled together, that from them, new, and yet profitable kinds of living Creatures may be generated.
The Pro e m e. n~
H^w'»g wandred beyond my bounds, in the confideration of Caufes and their Alii- ons ; which I thought fit to make the Subjctt of my firji bookj it will be time to ffcak of thofe Operations, which we have often promtfed, that we may not too long keep off f torn them thofe ingenious men that are very dejirous to know them. Since that we have Jaid, That Natural CMagickjs the top, and the compleat faculty or Natural Science , in han- dling it , we will conclude within the compafs of this Volume, whatfoever is High, Noble, Choice, and T^table, that u dtf covered in the large field of Natural Hiftory. But that we may perform this, Ifhallreduce all thofe Secrets into their proper places ; and that no- thing may be thrufi out of its own ran\y IjhaH follow the order of Sciences. And J fhalL fir/} dtvtde them into Natural arid Mathematical Sciences; and 1 fhaftbegtn with the N*-> tutal • for I hold that mofi convenient , that all may anfe from thofe things that are fim- fle, and notfo laborioui,to tJMathematical Sciences. 1 fhaU from Animals firft proceed to Plants, and fo by fteps to Minerals, and other works of Nature. J fl?aU briefly dcfcrtbc Vountains,alfo whence flow Springs ; and 1 jhaH annex thereto the Reafons, and theCaufes • that Indujirioui men made acquainted with thu,may find out more of themfelves. And Jrecaufe there are two generations of Animals and Plants, one of themfelves, the other by copulation: 1 fhallfirfi fpeak^of fuch as are bred without copulation • and next,of fuch as proceed from copulation one with another, that we may produce new living C reatmres,fuch 4U the former ages never faw. Iff) all begin therefore with Putrefaction, becaufethat u the principle to produce new Creatures ; not one I) from the variety of Simples , but of mixed Bodies. I thought fit to leave none out, though they be of fmall account, fince there is no- thing in Nature, appear it never fo fmall, wherein there is not fomethirg to be admired.
Chap. I.
The firfi Chapter treat eth of Putrefattion , and of a flrange manner of producing li- ving Creatures.
Efore we come to (hew that new living Creatures are generated of Purrcfa&ion, it is meet to rehearle the opini- ons ©fantient Philofophers concerning that matter- Whereof though we hive i'poken elfewhere, in the defcription of Plants, yet for the Readers eafe, we will here rehearfe lcme of them, tofhewthat not onely imperfe£f, but peifeft li- ving Creatures too, are generated of Putrefa£ticn. Perphy- ry thought that Living creatures were begotten of thebcwels of the Earth foaked in water, and quickned by the heat of the Sun. Of the Same mind were Archelaus the Athenian, Anaxagorat C ta^omemus-, and Euripides his Sco- lar» ClcodemMe,md after him Thcopl.raftw) thought that they came of puuified wa- ter
Uf we generation of Animals. ly
ter mixt with earth ; and the colder and fouler the water was, the unfitter it was for their generation. Dtodortts, and many ochsr good Philosophers hold, that all living Creatures did arife of putrefa&ion. For whereas in the beginning of the world, the Heavensrand Earth, and Elements were tetled in their natural pUces, the earth being left flimy and loft in many places, and then dried and Hricken with the heac of the Sun, brought forth certain tumors and iwellings in the furface and upper- moft parts: in thefe turners were contained and cherifaed many putrefaStions and rotten clods, covered over with certain fmall skins; this pmrified fluff, being moil-iened with dew l?y nighr, and the Sun heating it by day, after a certain icafon became ripe ; and the skins being broken, thence iffucd all kinds of livingCrea- lures ; whereof, they that had quickeft heat, became birds; the earthy ones be- came creeping beafts ; the waterifli ones became fifhes in the Sea ; and they which were a mean, as it were, betwixt all thefe , became walking-ireatures. But the heat of the Sun Hill working upon the earth, hindered it from begetting and bringing forth any more fuch creatures; but then,the creatures before generated coupled together,and brought forth others like themfelves. Avicennn^ in that work of his which he made of deluges and flouds ; holds, that after the greatflouds that drowned the Earth, there was no mans feed; but then, man, and all living Crea- tures elfe, were generated of rotten carcafes, only by the venue of the Sun: and therefore he fuppofeth, that the womb, and fuch needful places framed by nature, for the better fafhiocing of the infant, are not needfull to the procreation of man. He proves his .flertion by this, that mice, which arife of putrefaction, do couple together , and beget flore of young ; yea, and ferpents are generated chiefly of womans hair. And in his book of living Creatures, he tels of a friend or his, that brought forth Scorpions after a ftrange manner, and thole did beget other Scorpions, not imperfect, or unlike to themfelves, but fuch as did alfo procreate others. Averroes held,that the ftars were fufficicnt to generate imperfect creatures*, as mice, bats, moules, and fuch like, but not to generate Men, or Lions. And dai- ly experience teachcth us, thai many living creatures come of the pmrified matter of the earth. And the Ancients fuppofing all things to be produced out of the earth,cal- led it the mother of all; and i he Greeks called it Dimitera. Ovid hath very ele- gantly fet down this generation of putrefaction, under the fable of Pytho ; that the earth brought forth of its own accord , many living creatures of divers forms* the heat of the Sun enliving thofe moitfures that lay in the tumors of the earth, like fertile feeds in the belly of their mother ; for heat and moifture being tempered to- gether, caufeth generation. So then , after the deluge, the earth being now moift, the Sun working upon it, divers kinds of creatures were brought forth, feme like the former, and fome of a new fliape.
Chap. II.
Of certain earthly Creatures, which are generated of ftttrefMion*
PLants and living Creatures agree both in this, that fome of them are generated of feed, and fome of them Nature brings forth of her own accord, without any feed of the fame kind ; fome out of putrified earth and plants , as thofc Creatures that are divided between the head and the belly ; feme out of the dew that lies upon leaves , as Canker-worms; fome cut of the mud,asfhel- creatures • and fome out of living Creatures themfelves, and the excrements: of their parts, as lice. We will onely rehearfe fome which the Ancients have fet down, that fo we may alfo learn how to procreate new creature?. And firft, let us fee, how