Tropicks and therefore have the sunne ever neare them They may be produced in any climate but the more noble kind of gemms and pretious stones are in their excellency plentifully to be found in the Regions of the orientall Indies and that without doubt because it lyeth nearest the Tropick and so hath the sunne ever neare it illiúsque aestu fruantur sine quo è terra exhalationes quae ad gemmarum nobilium propagationem generationem copiosè requiruntur produci non possunt Boetius p. 13. The causes of Perspicuitie and Diaphanitie in them IT is the opinion of learned enquirers into the secrets of nature that the plenty of chrystall succulencies in the matter of Gemms are the onely causes of their perspicuity and diaphanitie as that without which they do suppose there can be no perspicuous or diaphanous bodies at all But Boetius is of a farre different opinion as appeareth by this which he saith l. 1. p. 21. Hi maximè falluntur quia non solùm aqua sed aer diaphanus est licèt atomis sit plenissimus that is These are much deceived for not onely the water but also the aire is diaphanous though it be full of atomes and the fire doth much excell them both in diaphanitie hence he saith copia aquae non est diaphanitatis causa sed aliud quiddam to wit the exact union of the earth resolved in minimas particulas and so plainly and exquisitely continued that the body constituted of it can by no means be discerned to have any pores or atomes in it Continuitie alone he saith is the cause of all diaphanitie and that because the sight can in no wise be terminated in it unlesse it hath some contingent accident in its averse part from the light or sunne as some shadow which so hindereth this part from being enlightened by the circumferent light that the contingent or accidentall obscuritie cannot but be perceived this may be experienced in a looking-glasse Flaws cracks or fissures in glasse or chrystalls do much hinder their perspicuitie and diaphanity whether they be internall or externall because they having every one their distinct superficies do every one of them cause a divers reflection of the light which diversitie of reflections procureth a certain kind of confusion by which the diaphanitie of the body otherwise diaphanous is hindred The Materiall cause of transparencie THe materiall cause of this transparencie in gemms is a species of salt which is a transparent terrestriall matter diluted with water which transparent salinous substance doth by its acrimony penetrate pierce cut the earth into most exquisite subtil smallest portions Thus it doth make the earth fit for diaphanitie and worketh out the water which is as it were its vehiculum and at the same time by degrees uniting it self to these exqisite portions of earth it doth grow together with them into a diaphanous gemme So Boetius Those gemms which do contain most salinous matter in them are softer and more diaphanous then other gemms as the Crystall Beryll Iris Citrinus and the like The hardest gemms have least salt in them and are lesse diaphanous as the Diamond qui plùs micat quà m transparet The cause of the colour in pretious stones AS there are divers opinions concerning the diaphanity of gemms so there are likewise concerning the tincture and colour of gemms as will appear by what followeth The colour which may be perceived in gemms is either diaphanous I mean transparent or an opake obscure and shadowed colour This doth receive in the light and not again transmit it the other doth again transmit saith Boetius or send forth the light that it doth receive in but absolute or perfect diaphanity and transparencie admitteth of no colour at all for wheresoever there is but any tincture of colour the transparencie or diaphanitie must needs be imperfect because the light seemeth to be affected and altered by the colour and therefore cannot be terminated in its own proper colour or rather perspicuity of the gemm but is terminated in some strange opake dark colour Ansel Boet. l. 1. 23. In gemms or pretious stones there is to be found a reall colour and an apparent colour The reall colour alwayes remains though the light be absent The diversitie of apparent colours do remain no longer then whilest the light is present In perfectly transparent or perspicuous gemms or stones colours have their originall from the refraction or reflection of the light which diversity of reflection in Crystalls is caused by the multiplicitie of their superficies This will appear in a triangular or an hexagonall Crystall which is absolutely diaphanous hath no colour at all in it and receiveth the light rectis lineis and doth again transmit it rectis lineis yet by reason of the refraction and reflection of the light upon the multiplicitie of superficies it doth represent to our view various colours This we find true by experience saith Boetius Licèt intellectus id non capiat therefore à sensu recedendum non est that is though we can give no reason why pure simple immixt light in a diaphanous exactly transparent body deprived of all colour and the least tincture of any colour should yet notwithstanding beget divers colours There are divers opinions concerning the originalls of the colours in gemms stones earths trees plants and flowers Some think the species salis to be the causa coloris and will have the salem armoniacum naturae which is very plentifull in mineralls metalls and in the earth to produce the various colours in plants flowers gemms and stones and in all other things Sal armoniacum naturae quid And that which they call salem armoniacum naturae est sal quoddam spirituale vivificum quod vino sublimato junctum illo priùs ascendit This is thought by some to be the primum movens in the generation of things and the conserving balsame of every thing and that which doth adorn them with the beauty of their various colours The plenty of this salt which is found in every thing and may be extracted out of every thing doth cause this opinion concerning the colours in gemms and stones Various opinions concerning the originall of colours in things Another reason which is given for this is this because it being collected and distilled doth of it self produce all kinds of colours Some are of opinion that the various exhalations are the cause of colours Others say that they are produced by the various commixtion of the elements and by their concoction Others that Colores à primis qualitatibus in materiam derivantur Others say that all colours do arise from the various commixtion of the two extreme colours that is of white and black lucis umbrae as appeareth in the iris or rainbow wherein out of light and darknesse mixt various colours do arise Boetius is of opinion that these are no causes of colours in things but that all colours are
of a green colour like the Tarshish What the true Chrysolite is will appeare by the former chapter where a true discovery is made of it as it doth differ from the true Topaz which was vulgarly by those of ancient time called Chrysolithus and the Chrysolithus was by them called Topazius but how improperly will appeare in the etymologie of the word Chrysolithus which rendereth the Chrysolite to be of a golden colour whereas the true Topaz is of a diluted green This mistake hath arisen in the Chrysolite and Topaz from the custome of them in ancient time who were wont to call a Chrysolite a Topaz and a Topaz a Chrysolite whom in this their mistake many Lapidists have too too superciliously followed Now because the Beryll being a green pellucid stone may sometimes be taken for a Topaz which is likewise green and pellucid it may be S. Hierome according to that custome hath interpreted the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in its own proper signification is verus Beryllus to be Chrysolithus In Latine Beryllus and Beryllus Thalassius sive marinus It is called Beryll of the nation where it is generated The Italians call it aqua marina and in English we call it a Beryll when they have any golden rayes they are called Chrysoberylls Of its kinds There are many kinds of Berylls amongst which that is the true Beryll which hath the viriditie of a calm and pure sea a blue out of a green is discovered in these and these are the true Berylls 2. The second kind are paler and are called Chrysoberylls from the splendour of gold 3. The third kind are called Chrysoprassus and these are paler then the former 4. The fourth kind are called Hyacinthizontes from the colour of a Jacinth 5. The fifth kind are called Aeroides from the word aere and these are greener then the former 6. The sixth kind are called Cerinae from cera 7. The seventh kind Oleaginei ab oleo There is another kind which are said to be like to Crystalls The Beryll of the ancients comprehended under it all other jewells which are like unto a Crystall with somewhat a diluted colour as the Topazes and the Leucosapphiri The Italians do untill this day call Crystalls which have some colours in themselves by reason of the reflexion of the angles Berylls The places The Berylls are found at the root of the mountain Taurus and in the river Euphrates and in India and these are the best The other kinds are found in divers countreys as in Germania and in Bohemia Of its properties A Beryll in a spherick form hath the same power of begetting fire from the Sunne by its beams that a Crystall glasse hath It is said of a Beryll that if it be wrapt in a linen cloth and put into water or put into water without it the water will seem to be moved Baccius de nat gem in annotat in cap. 13. Wurtzung in his generall practise saith that the Beryll is used in all distempers of the heart But take this caution by the way A caution in the medicinall use of this gemme Beware of the use of gemms unlesse you are sure they be true in Physick by reason they are so frequently adulterated Of its dignitie and value The Beryll is of esteem not onely for its beauty but for its sacred use for it was one of those stones that was set in the Ephod as Exod. 28.20 and one of those stones by which the glory of one of the foundations of the wall of the New Jerusalem is discovered unto us namely the eighth foundation as Revel 21.20 Ingenuous artificers do engrave the Beryll with many angles that by the repercussion of them they may be made the more lively and the more to sparkle The price of the Beryll is augmented or diminisht according to the elegancie of its colour And this rule is to be observed in the price of all jewells CHAP. XIX Of the Crystall and Pseudo-diamond Description of the stone THe Crystall is a well known diaphanous gemm like unto most pure water congealed into a transparent perfectly perspicuous body of six sides which in its extremity doth seem to intend them all to one point Well may it deserve the name of a pretious Jewell for its own glorious diaphanity and untinctured perspicuity and not onely in regard of its own proper and peculiar beauty but also for that by it in Holy writ we have the glory of many sacred things discovered to us by Emblemes Had this gemm as much in duritie or hardnesse as it hath in the purity excellency and illustriousnesse of its beauty no other gemm under the heavens would be comparable to the best Crystall for glory What the manner of the generation of Crystall is that the derivation of the word Crystallus will shew plainly to us Crystallus cometh of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth frigus vel gelu and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth contraho So that Crystallus is nothing else then gelu concretum that is then congealed ice of this opinion is Gregorius in his comment upon the first chapter of the Prophesie of Ezechiel There is great difference betwixt the ice and Crystall the ice will swimme in the water but the Crystall as being more weighty doth straight reside Diodorus Siculus doth very clearly dissolve this difference in the latter end of his third book where he saith that Crystall is a stone which hath its originall of pure water congealed not by the power of cold Though in Ecclesiastes it be said flavit ventus aquilo congelavit crystallum But by a certain divine power of an enlivening quickening heat which causeth it to keep its durities and often times to discover so many various delightfull colours to the eye Anselmus Boetius saith that Crystall is the purest part of the earth dissolved by water which in the absence of the water is congealed into Crystall it is not he saith as is supposed congealed water for then like unto ice it would be dissolved with heat and consumed by fire but it is so farre from consuming in the fire as that it being long molten or burned therein it doth become a Calx and pure earth or a salt by the benefit of whose spirit it is coagulated This gemm admitteth of no foyl to set off its glory Nor is it oft adulterated because great proportions of it are found in many places Bowls and cups of Crystall are of great esteem with Princes one of these of a foot in bignesse hath been sold for 100 crowns Boetius 111. Of its names In Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Job 28.17 that is gemma nitidissima which is interpreted Crystal Aben Ezra rendereth it lapis pretiosus nitidus The Rabbins take it for vitrum à puritate It is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Latine Crystallus In Italian Crystallo In Germane Crystall In Spanish and French Crystall And in English
non-transparent stones All which in the manner of their generation differ much from other vegetatives and from other creatures which are endued with sensitive souls in the manner of their generation As for other vegetatives such as are plants they are produced by the sowing of seed which being cast into the ground first dies then receiveth a new body and so groweth in its perfection by degrees shooting it self forth in a large proportion and in altitude above the superficies of the earth As for creatures endued with sensitive souls they generate by copulation coition or mixture of seed but farre otherwise is the manner of the generation of pretious stones as in this appeareth The manner of the generation of stones THese creatures are generated of an humour which containeth in it self purest terrestriall portions resolved in minimas partes by the operation and elaboration of intelligences as Langius and others think or by the powerfull working of lapidifick spirits as appeareth by what Boetius speaketh of their generation in his book de naturis Gemmarum in genere Being thus generated they are usually by degrees augmented by the addition of new matter and by the acquisition of new humour as will appear in the generation of those stones which have their originall out of an humour called a Radix or out of a confused matter which is in lieu of a Radix as the Chrystall and Amethist Others are generated by elaborations after the same manner but have their originals in a Theca or Matrix as the Rubinus in Palatio Generation of Unions The Margarites and Unions differ in the manner of their generation from the generating of other Gemms or pretious stones for these are generated of the pearly drops of chrystall morning dew drunk in by the shell-fish called Scallops and Cheripo and indurated after the same manner that the Bezar is generated in the beast Bezar or that stones are generated in the kidneys of men and as these stones by the addition of new matter are increased so likewise the Unions are increast by the new addition of fresh draughts of purest chrystall dew even by fresh supplies of that purest restorative liquour taken in as the mornings draughts to serene and chearfull dayes Transparent Diaphanous Gemmes are all generated of a humour which containeth in its self most pure subtile earth and by reason of its exquisite subtility it can by no means hinder the diaphanity of the water So Anselmus Boetius The use of the knowledge of Gemms The knowledge of Gemms is an ornament to Princes a mean by which Divines are oft-times instructed in the knowledge of spirituall things for by these He that hath the key of David and openeth and no man shutteth doth often unlock the intricate sense hidden meaning and deep mysteries of the sacred truths of his holy word for this cause in sacred writ oft times we have many heavenly things emblematized unto us under the types and figures of Gemms or pretious stones in this kind we may find very frequent mention made of them both in the old and new Testament by Moses in the Law by St. John in the Revelation the depths also of the mysteries of other writers who under the titles and figures of Gemms have comprehended many excellent allegories by the true knowledge of pretious stones will easily be found out so that these blessings which we do enjoy by the true knowledge of them through the goodnesse of the Almighty are none of the least blessings which we do receive at his hands What creatures here on earth have we that are endued with so much sinceritie puritie claritie and splendour that are so fit to resemble heavenly things by as these so great are their sparkling glory as that we may well compare them to the expanse which divides the upper and the neither waters and is bespangled with multitudes of glorious twinckling starres Aaron being clad in his pectorall and guarded with files of these had on his breast the emblems of puritie and of glory of light of perfection of truth of justice Josephus lib. 3. Antiq. Judaic c. 12. History testifieth that the Hebrews were wont to set the twelve stones of the ephod in their banners hoping that for this cause God would be more mercifull to them in their warres and as it were by these twelve stones putting him in mind of their twelve tribes and imploring his mercie and craving his help for the deliverance of their tribes out of the hands of their enemies The knowledge of them will not onely be an ornament to Princes a mean of knowledge to Divines and those that are studious of Divinity but it will be profitable and pleasant to all that desire truly to meditate the wonderfull workings of God in his creatures Originall of Gemms according to Hermes and Plato HErmes Trismegistus and Plato have determined of the originall of Gemms and of other things after this manner Both say that there is a certain common virtue and vivifying spirit infused from heaven and from the starres into the whole world and every part of it which some call animam mundi but Plato mentem divinam which doth perpetually long by its naturall power novâ formâ vestiri and which doth so continually dispose its power in the matter of all things ut materiam quantumvis vilem putridam bene tamen dispositam in actum perfectissimae etiam formae reducat Others say that as there are varieties of matter in the world some more pure some lesse pure some more noble some lesse noble some more excellent some lesse excellent so also there are variety of spirits which do inhabite the world some more glorious some lesse some delighting in this colour some in that some in much transparency others in opake dark and shady matters and according to the various matter of their delight they will form to themselves habitacles or domicils which shall receive their tincture from themselves as from their inhabitants and probably by reason of this opinion of Langius and others concerning the inhabitation of intelligences in precious stones there may be some ri'st for those wonderfull faculties and powers that many Authours say Gemms are endued withall though contrary to what creatures naturally can possibly be capable of Many are of the like opinion concerning the generation of metals and there are that say by reason of the great affinity that there is betwixt metallick spirits and Gemms or betwixt the spirits that inhabite Gemms and the Gemms they inhabite there is oft or may be made a transmutation of metals into Gemms stibium enim plumbum in Jacinthi formam minium in formam Smaragdi transmutatur quod profectò non fieret nisi magna cognatio spiritûs metallici cum Gemmis esset So Boetius l. 1. p. 15. Of the places of the birth of Gemms in generall THe climates fittest for the production of stones of excellent beauty are such saith Boetius as do lie nearest the
soon as they have snuffed up or eaten strait-way they flie to the rivers or waters and in them overwhelm themselves to the very head so long as till they perceive the power and force of the venome of the serpents which they have taken to be overcome In this mean season by the power and force of the venome their eyes shed forth abundance of tears which are coagulated and congealed about them these coagulated dryed tears Martinus Rulandus calleth the Bezoar that soveraign medicine and antidote against all poysons Its names The Hebrews call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Dominus veneni The Caldeans call it by the same name It is thus called by the Hebrews and Chaldeans from Bel Dominus and zaar venenum because it doth bear sway over poysons and tame and master their malignity and unbridled violence It is thought by some to have its name from the Persian word Pazar or Pazan which signifieth a goat The Arabians call it Hager Bezaar that is Lapis Bezaar v. Serap lib. agg c. Hager-bezaar In Latine Lapis Bezoar and Bezaar and so also in English The kinds of it Boetius saith that there are 1. Bezoars that are black 2. Bezoar-stones that are yellowish 3. Bezoar-stones that are brownish 4. Bezoar-stones that are greenish 5. Bezoar-stones that are blackish out of a green The greenish ones The best Bezoar-stones and those that are black out of a green are the best of all others these if they be held to the tongue or put into water will so dissolve that there shall be nothing of sand remaining These and the other are all hollow in the midst and have a little sandy powder or dust which they contain in their cavity which powder will dissolve even as the stone The places This stone is found in the East-Indies and also in the West-Indies In the East-Indies in these parts in Persia India China Cathay it is brought to Constantinople out of Persia and by Calecuth to Portugal It is found in Peru and other parts of America or the West-Indies Of its nature and properties Claudius Richardus in his epistle where he describeth this stone ad Archiepiscopum Strigoniensem which epistle may be read in Andreae Baccii lib. de nat gemmar maketh mention of one Dominus Scander a noble man who belonged to the Emperour that being troubled with a very grievous disease at the seventy fifth year of his age was cured by the onely use of Bezoar taken in the quantitie of five grains in a spoonfull of wine The same Authour saith that D. D. Staphylus was cured of an acute fever joyned with malignity by the use of seven grains of this stone in a spoonfull of wine half an houre after the taking of which he took half the yolk of an egg about an hour after the taking of which he took a good draught of the whey of goats milk as having eaten very little for fifteen dayes together and there followed upon this a purgation for six times of much cholerick matter It is supposed that no other remedy is so forcible against poyson as is this The dose of it is usually four grains more or lesse either in Carduus water Baulm water or Clovegylo-flower water Anselmus Boetius saith that the powder contained in the cavity of the stone is of more force then the stone it self It is used against palpitations of the heart against melancholies against quartan fevers against epilepsies against venoms contagions and all pestilentiall diseases and against all chronick and diuturn diseases Cardanus saith of the Bezoar that it is lapis ab omnibus laudatus à nemine fermè cognitus that is much extolled in the mouthes of all men but known to very few which saith he Scribonius Largus though Cesars or the Emperours Physician writeth to be the tears of Deares found in Sicily when as it is manifest that it is found in Pely a Countrey of the East-Indies Of which saith Baccius though the originall of it be not fully manifest to us yet the effects and admirable operations of it hath many times been confirmed to us by experience and ought not therefore to be doubted of us * Andr. Bacc. c. 35. de Nat. Gem. yea rather saith he in my judgement it is a very wholsome blessed and friendly medicine to humane nature discovering its wonderfull operations by an unspeakable sympathy and not because it is either hot or moist or cold or dry for it is insipid and void of all tast and savour The greatest dose of it he saith is the weight of ten grains of wheat in its ordinary dispensation and doubts not but it may be taken without perill even of those that are in health in the weight of one or two scruples The great Turk is wont to take it often every year though he be never so healthfull History It is given to children against worms and in malignant fevers saith Montanus and Amatus It is said to be good in almost all diseases especially in maligne contagious diseases and venomous It s dignitie and value It is of great esteem amongst Princes and great men for the admirable vertues which are taken to be in it in so much as one of the biggest of the best may be sold at the pleasure of the possessour Of so great esteem it hath been as that Almirama a great Prince of Arabia being cured of a mortall disease by it did afterwards give for one of the best of these stones a great magnifick princely house of his which he had at Corduba as is affirmed by Authours The small ones saith Boetius which are not of greater weight then a drachme are sold in the lower Germanie for two ducats apiece CHAP. LIII Of the stone in the gall of an Ox. THere is saith Anselm Boetius a stone of an obscure yellowish colour which is said to be found in the gall of an Ox and to be good against poysons CHAP. LIIII Of the Aetite or Eagle-stone Description of the stone THe Aetite is a white stone which is found in the neast of an Eagle about the bignesse of a Peach or Apricock it is weighty and hath an hollownesse or cavitie in it in which is contained an hard stone like a Crystall called Callimus It is reported of the Eagle that it bringeth this stone into her neast to help her the more easily to lay So Boetius Renodeus lib. 2. sect 2. de materia medica saith that some think that the Eagles bring these stones into their neasts to temper the heat of their eggs others for its colours sake as Rulandus Of its names In Greek it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Latine Aetites and lapis Erodialis vel Aquileius Enydros which as the other kinds are pregnant either with gravell or earth or with a Crystall stone so is this with water insomuch as if it be put saith Rulandus into a warm place it will sweat Hence these verses Perpetui fletûs lacrymis
distillat Enydros Qui veluti ex pleni fontis scaturigine manat that is Enydros tears eternall doth distill From it as from a fountain they do drill It is also in Latine called Lapis praegnans because of the matter which it doth contain in its cavity In Germane ein alderstein in English the Aetite or Eagle-stone Of its kinds Martinus Rulandus speaketh of six kinds of this stone The first of which kinds he saith Praegnans est lapide insomuch as it being shaken doth sound as if it had a stone in the wombe of it that is in the cavity or midst of it This kind of the Aetite is a round stone and hollow as a nutgall 2. The second kind is pregnant with earth or a whitish clay it is called Aegyptitis and of Dioscorides Geodes gemma 3. The third kind is pregnant with water Of this Plinie lib. 37. c. 11. and Solinus c. 40. say that it is alwayes of an absolute rotundity and of a smooth candour or whitenesse but it being moved there floweth too and fro a liquor after the same manner as the liquor of an egge will move too and fro within it if the egge be moved Solinus saith of this Aetite called Enydros that it doth so abundantly sweat as that a man would think it did contain in it a springing fountain of water 4. The fourth kind is pregnant with gravell or little stones 5. The fifth kind is pregnant with a Chelonitis 6. The sixth kind is pregnant with a white flint one of this kind Martinus Rulandus saith he found at Albis which when he had opened he found in the matrice wombe or cavity of it a white flint round and long and very hard Plinie reckoneth foure kinds of Aetites 1. A little soft Aetite which containeth in its wombe or matrice a pleasant white clayie substance This is supposed to be a female Aetite and is easily broken This is that stone which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dioscoridis or the Geode of Dioscorides in Germane Erdtstein 2. The second kind he saith is like unto the first but bigger and easily broken and this containeth in its cavity a pleasant sand or little stones like flints or the Conchylis which are little fishes like muscles 3. The third kind are called Taphiussius this is white and round and found in rivers and containeth in its wombe or matrice that beautifull Crystall stone which is called Callimus 4. The fourth kind is taken for a male kind this is very hard and like unto a nutgall this containeth in its wombe or matrice a hard reddish stone This stone hath been of great esteem with Dioscorides Andr. Baccius saith that some of these stones are found of the bignesse of Peaches others of Apricocks others in the bignesse of Pomegranates and others of Melons Of the places The first kind saith Rulandus are found in Sala and Albis and in a countrey whith the Germanes call Die Steuermarck The second of this kind are found in Egypt and in Dresden in Misnia and in Saxonie The other kinds are found in Albis and the former places Plinies first kind is found in Africa The second in Cyprus The third in Taphiussa neare Leucas The fourth in Arabia Of its properties and vertues This stone is said to be good to facilitate the partus and to cause speedy deliverance if so be that it be bound to the left thigh of the woman in travail and this it doth by an attractive facultie very powerfully and with so much force as that if it be not removed upon the deliverance of the child or birth it will endanger the descensus uteri Franciscus Valeriola a French Physician very erudite and learned History maketh mention of a strange accident that happened at Valentia to the wife of Ponsonus Jobertus a citizen of that citie The time of her labour being come to facilitate her bringing forth there was tied to her thigh a great Aetite stone which through the forgetfulnesse and imprudence of those that tied the stone to her thigh was left tied in the foresaid place after the woman had brought forth her child which remaining so some few houres Andr. Bacc. 38. de N Gem. caused a lapsus or descensus uteri and through this in conclusion the death of the sick partie It is likewise reported of this stone that if it be bound to the left arm gravidae mulieris of a woman with child that it will hinder abortion and all miscarriage of her birth and the lapsus or descensus uteri It is taken to be of a dry facultie and endued with astringency If it be worn upon the stomach or betwixt the breasts it is said of it that it will strengthen a woman for the retaining of the birth and delay the bringing forth Some are of opinion that it hath a power of procuring love of encreasing riches and of making men victorious Dioscorides saith that this stone hath a power of detecting thefts if it be given to the party suspected to be eaten in bread Hence arose this Proverb Aetiticus panis huic porrigendus or Give him some of the Aetitick bread to eat History Petr. Bellonius observ l. 20. c. 23. saith that the Greek Monks called Calcieri were wont superstitiously and wretchedly so to vse this stone The manner of it was this They called together the suspected persons and gave them some of the bread knead with the powder of this stone without any leaven at all in it in such a proportion or quantitie as that they might well swallow of which they gave thrice to every person and in the mean time they did murmure ever many words which charm by the power of the devil their grand agent was wont to work so effectually the third time as that the bread would stick in the throat of the suspected person and choak him a remedie a thousand times worse then the disease The necessitated person stealeth to supply his necessities and theft wicked wretches to discover his theft engage with and take counsell of the devill to destroy him body and soul They say that this stone driveth away serpents but here I am sure it fell into the hands of serpents even of a generation of vipers who made use of it to work the work of the old serpent in the destruction of body and soul of man The Eagles being mindfull of the security of their young are wont in the building of their nests ever to make up their structures with these stones by this means hoping to secure their young from the annoiances of serpents So saith Philostratus lib. 2. c. 55. de vita Apollonii CHAP. LV. Of the Hematite or Bloud-stone Description of the stone THe Hematite is a common stone of an obscure red colour so called from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth sanguis or bloud and that not for its likenesse only but also for its use for as saith Dioscorides lib. 5. this stone hath a power of