Book II.

A fimlitnAe f rom Jewels.
Polluted people defile Jewels.
Uxod. 1$.
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The Swallow- ft one.
CHAP. XXX.
Stones or Jewels dug forth of the Earth , or taken out of the Sea, or out of the bodies of living Creatures , what vertue they have , and by what means they perform their operations,
BOth reafon and experience prove that ftones and Jewels have great venues, fo they be not counterfeit, and artificial ftones. Wherefore to wear a ring" or a Jewel that hatha handfome and effcduall ftone fet in it, is good for the eyes to look on, and is healtnfullfor the body by the vertue that proceeds from it, and that not onely by a hidden arid fecret faculty, which it hach from the ftars, as Marflim thinks, but from a vertue that pro- ceeds out of it, that recreates the vitall fpirit. For as Jewels are clovvded by the ambient ayre, and receive in a grofte vapour, and ^bundanceof fumes; fo they do fend out of them a thin and invi- fible vertue. For though a jewel be a folid body, yet natural heat, and touching and rubbing it, draws forth the force within i.t, and communicates it to the brain and heart. For a Jewel called Erananos, vulgarly a Turfuois , doth change often, and wax pale and lofc its natural colour, as I have often feen it; where he that wears it is ftek or not in good health, and as the body grows well, fo will this ftone revive, and will reprefent a moft amiable sky- colour, as in the cleared day, from the temperament of its native heat. And-there is fcarce any Jewel but will change colour, if a man be intemperate, or not continent as he oughtto be. For their inward vertue perifheth, and all their beauty and Juftre is defiled. Whence it is that he that commits adultery or defiles the mar¬ riage bed, and all that run a whoring, can never keep their Jewels beautifull and perfect, bur they are dowdy, and dark by the foul vapours they contrad from thofe that wear them, and from whores whofe company they frequent. For they draw fome venemous qualities to them from corrupt bodies that exhale fuch virulent vapours, and infed them : as women when they have their courfcs will foul a clean looking-glaflc. But if Jewels were ineffedual and of no vertue, Mofes would notfo accurately, and diligently have commanded to adorn the Priefts veftment, which they call 'Rjtionale, with twelve Jewels, whereof both Ezechiel , and St. John in the Apocalyps make mention ; wherein he would not have men to obferve the beauty, and alluring rarities of the colours, but the wonderfull force and effeds of them alfo,. concerning which, be- caufe other men have fpoken fo largely, I {hall fpeak of ftones that are taken out of the bodies of Animals, birds and fifties, whereof many of them (lick in the ftomach, and fome in the head of them. When Autumn begins, and the Moon increafeth, there is a ftone taken out of the belly of a Swallow, called a Swallow-Stone, or
chelido-
Of the lertue ofStor.es or Jewels.
Chap. 30.
*3*
Chelidonm from the bird it desnaes from, this is a prefent remedy againft the falling iicknefle: for it dryes exceedingly and drinks up the vifeousand clammy moiduretnac is the root of this difeafe For the fwallow, whofc dung blinded Tobias’ s eyes, is of a hoc and ** dry naiure, whence it is that they .make their nclts fo artificially ot moyft and foft mud, and hang them up inarched and vaulted
places. For by touching of it they confume the moyfture and make
the mud hard. Hence it is tharPhyfitians make Cataplafms of them, and find the powder of burnt fwatlowes to be mod effectu¬ al in difl'olving the quinfey, and other fwdlings of the throat. Alfo fnails that are very great, yeild unco white, fomething lono- roueh The s*Ail'fidnt and hollow (tones in their lower part, which I ufc to cafe out of 1 "%£*"**'** their heads, and to keep them for many ufes. For they caufe one to make water that hath theftrangullion, and being bruifed, and their powder given in wine, they make the urinary paffages flip- pery and give eafe. That kind of (tone grows of a clammy mat¬ ter, and (lippery humour, which makes an cade paffage for the hu¬ mours : and fo do chcfe (tones help in childbirth, for they dilate and looftn the places, and caufe the matrix t© open wider* but one or two of them put under the tongue, hatha (trange force to caufe falivation. Wherefore I ad vile fuch as are third y and dry to role one of them in their mouths. For it will make the tongue moift and run with humour, and day both heat and drieth. Cry- (tal l is of the fame virtue, if awhile (tceped in cold water it be put into the mouth. Amongft hearbs, Purflanc, Cucumbers,
Houfleek, commonly called Jupiccrs beard, do the fame. Alfa Toads yeild a done, that fometimes reprefents the picture of that Creature, but they are very old, and have layn hid a Ion°- time amongd reeds, or amongd thorns and bufhes, before the (tone grows in their head, or comes to any magnitude. And there is a Toaddowe kept and preferved in the family of the LemnUns , that is bigger than a fmall nur, which I have often proved, that it will difcudefwellings andtumours arifing from venemous beads if you oft rub the places with it. For it hath the fame nature the toad hath, that it will draw forth and confume all venome. For if a Rat, Spider, Wafp, black Bede, or rerc-moufe, fatten upon the part and hurt it, our country folks prcfenrly run to this remedy, and by rubbing the place with this done, the pain is abated, and the fwelling allayed. Thercare alfo many kinds of Fifh that have exceeding hard dones in their heads, as the Sea-Wolf, the Coraeinus, Umbras, the river-Pike, the Mullet, and Haddock* wnereof there is great plenty in winter. Tnc Low-Countries call them Scbelvifch from the rough (caly skin it hath. For thofe that are called from the form of their body and afh-colour, AfelIs,or Cod- fifh, are for the mod part without thefe dones, cfpecially the females : for out of the head of a male I took a White done, that was like the keel of a (hip on the lower fide/ All thefe kinds bruifed and given in wine, eafe the cholick,and break the done of the reins, not onely by their weight and hcavinefle, 3* feme think,
X , ^ but
140
Of the events of breams