diffused abroad very much it begins to decay and corupt and so the dry and cold matter is left which is held to be the last of all For the vital spirits whose force is fiery do consume nutriments and aliments hourly so that there is need of continual restitution mixtion and composition therefore it is most truly said of Hippocrates I find saith he that we are nourished from those things of which we consist and that by them generation and nutrition is continued From hence Aliment is named of Paracelsus seed because in all aliments there is the Balsam of the animal Whether doth Gaeln make Hippocrates the chief in his folly or no Let us I pray you pardon Galen for he is ignorant of the Spagirical art and hath never attained unto the secrets of Hippocrates whereby it is come to pass that he hath left the Essence of Nature untouched and uncomprehended As likewise he was ignorant of the forms of things and therefore he could not obtain the forms of things from their bodies For the confirmation of this namely that Hippocrates understood by the name of Fire Nature it self we may bring the testimonies of other Philosophers lest that we be thought to depend on the authority and judgment of one man alone though that the testimony of Hippocrates being an excellent Philosopher might abundantly suffice us Paracelsus also in his book writ of the Generation of Natural things so also in his book de Electro he calleth the Soul or Nature by the name of Fire with whom Fernelius Alanus consents in his Sayings which he hath consecrated to posterity he calleth Nature by the name of Fire of Wisdom Alexander a Suchten calleth Nature by the name of Living Fire Raimundus Lullius calleth Nature the Living Fire of Nature so also he calleth Living Fire by the name of Nature Geber the Prince of Philosophers calls this Fire of Nature the Incombustible Sulphur Paracelsus in his first book of the Secrets of Creation calleth this Fire by the name of Middle Nature and forthwith in the same place he annexeth some few things and calls it the Nature of Viridity or Greenness for this is the blessed and happy Greenness which makes all things bud This is the Green Lion of the Physicochemists to the which Paracelsus ascribes all the cures of all diseases in his book de tincturaphysicorum The ancient Author in the Apocalyps of the Spirit of the secret world amongst the rest he affirmeth this celestial spirit the Heaven to exist in a waterish body more than perfect and clarified he affirmeth this to be the inferious Heaven whose sparkle is the Alcool of wine which is spirit water and fire This is that which is so much commended of Paracelsus in his writings as also of other great Philosophers of notable wits affirming thus The Fire and Azoth are sufficient for thee which are the great mysteries of Nature as Paracelsus speaks in his Archidoxes In this place I have communicated and opened the gates of Nature by these which are said very benignly I might also bring more without envy but that it is a caution in the laws of Philosophy That there be some tedious things left for the Scholars Concerning the cited place of Hippocrates Hippocrates explains himself in his first book de diaeta which may fully certifie what he meaneth by the name of Fire for saith he either Fire hath distinguished in the generation of Man three circuits diverse in faculties yet conspiring both in vardly and outwardly by a mutual society which have circuits in the cavities which are workhouses of the humours That is in the Bowels which serve for nutrition They relate the power motion and maturity of the Moon but those which absolve the resolutions outwardly where the more solid members consist do imitate the properties of the Stars which do consist in the midst that is in the heart they contain the nature of most forcible fire which is present without and within through all the parts and hath dominion over them all and it in secret silence is not perceived by sight nor feeling In this fire that is in the Stars the soul of this middle revolution understanding prudence augmentation motion diminution transmutation sleep watchings are secretly contained The spirits being there mechanical workers are ascending spiritual bodies and they are the immediate instruments of the actions and have roots In the same book he hath described the faculties and sciences of this Divine Nature Hippocrates saith that Nature is the governour of men this causes the attractions of the elements the mixtions of the parts dispensations conspiâ—ations of those which agree the expulsion of those which disagree This is that which expells which attracts which gives and receives and which proportionateth less things for less places but greater things for greater places and this it doth by altered and well-tempered mixtion Furthermore Orpheus calls Nature as it were a thing adorn'd with the Laws of the Fates which word Hippocrates uses for there is a Law or Reason grounded in the essence of Nature and it is that essence which impells moves and governs all things and because it is in bred it perfects the decrees more sorcibly Because of the diverse in comprehensible gifts of Nature Hippocrates said that Nature was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is taught or instructed of none This is the Light of Nature this is the Predestination of Paracelsus in which he deservedly glories that he knew it wholly and perfectly I say this Nature is the Vegetable secret of Nature the vigour or efficacy of the name the fruitful vertue of the light which is of a perfect body the bright force of Sulphur the hidden virtue of the Heaven the most pure laâ—p the fire of truth which cannot be attained the ensigns of a living form the flower of Nature the house of tincture and the noble branch CHAP. VII Of the Soul What the Soul is and the substance of it ALL living bodies inasmuch as they live whether they be contained in the bosom of the Elements and live obscurely or they live manifestly I say all these are compounded of three parts namely Soul Sâ—irit and Body The Body and Spirit may in some sort be sought forth by sense but the Soul and the essence of it seeing it flies sense is obsecurely and too darkly known for it is no obvious or easie thing to attain thereunto Wherefore the understanding must apprehend it from the operations functions and effects arising from thence conspicuous and objected unto the sense even as every occult cause is to be enquired and sought forth These are Aristotelical and Galenical opinions taken from the same ground They endeavour to proportionate the anatomy of Troy by Geometrical partitions and figures but in vain Thus they define the Soul The Soul is the beginning and cause of the functions of a living body Or the Soul is the perfection of an Organical body Seeing that every living body is forthwith
THE METHOD OF CHEMICAL PHILOSOPHIE AND Physick BEING A brief INTRODUCTION to the one AND A true DISCOVERY of the other Namely of Diseases Their Qualities Causes Symptoms And Certain Cures The like never before extant in English LONDON Printed by J. G. for Nath Brook at the Angel in Cornhill 1664. The Preface ALthough I might have retained to my proper use this excellent Tractate yet considering that Veritatem celare est Aurum sepelire and convinc'd with charity and commiseration of so many diseased left as desperate and with desire of directing those that seek the splendor of powerful Physick I could no longer withhold it from publick view not doubting its kind reception from all that prefer native truth before fucated errour which needs so many volumes to cloak its deformities but confident of their acknowledgment that herein I have rightly improved my Talent as indeed I have endeavoured for the good not so much of my self as of many divulging not only the kernel of Physical Philosophy and a Treasure for health but even many Chemical Arcanaes also openly demonstrated and friendly tendred to all which to add their due praise would too much swell a Preface and too little satisfie the Reader when the work it self doth so briefly so apertly so compleatly demonstrate it that to speak it here were but to hold a Candle to the Sun or to hand thee a Torch in the clearest Noon day Farewell therefore and with me implore the donor of every good gift to give thee understanding of the truth to the glory of his great name and the utility of thy infirm neighbour Amara licèt VERITAS Non amarescit CHARITAS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Books Printed for Nath. Brook at the Angel in Cornhill Excellent Tracts in Divinity Controversies Sermons c. CAtholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councils and ancient Fathers in answer to Dr. Vanes Lost Sheep returned home by Edward Chesenhale Esq Bishop Morton on the Sacrament Grand Sacriledge of the Church of Rome in taking away the sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table by Daniel Featley Quakers Cause at second hearing being a full Answer to their Tenets Re-assertion of Grace Vindiciae Evangelii or Vindication of the Gospel a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burges's Vindiciae Legis and to Mr. Rutherford by Rob. Town Anabaptists anatomized and silenced or a Dispute with Mr. Tombs by Mr. J. Cragg where all may receive clear satisfaction A Cabinet-Jewel wherein is Mans misery and Gods mercy set forth in eight Sermons with an Appendix concerning Tyches and expediency of Marriage in publick Assemblies by the same Author Mr. J. Cragg A Glimpse of Divine Light being an Explication of some passages exhibited to the Commissioners at Whitehall for Approbation of publâ—que Preachers against J. Harrison of Land-Chappel Lancashire The zealous Magistrate a Sermon by T. Threscot New Jerusalem in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the Year 1651. Divinity no enemy to Astrology a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the year 1653. by Dr. Tho. Swadling Britannia Rediviva a Sermon before the Judges Aug. 1648. by J. Shaw Minister of Hull The Princess Royal in a Sermon before the Judges March 24. by J. Shaw Judgement set and Books opened Religion tryed whether it be of God or man in several Sermons by J. Webster Quarto Israels Redemption or the Prophetical History of our Saviours Kingdom upon earth by K. Manton The cause and cure of Ignorance Errour and Prophaneness or a more hopeful way to grace and salvation by R. Young Octavo A Bridle for the times tending to still the murmuring to settle the wavering to stay the wandering and to strengthen the fainting by J. Brinsley of Yarmouth Comforts against the fear of death wherein are discovered several evidences of the work of grace by J. Collins of Norwich Jacobs Seed or the excellency of seeking God by prayer by Jer. Burroughs The summe of Practical Divinity or the grounds of Religion in a Catechistical way by Mr. Christopher Love late Minister of the Gospel an useful piece Heaven and Earth shaken a Treatise shewing how Kings and Princes and all other Governments are changed by J. Davis Minister in Dover The Treasure of the Soul wherein we are taught by dying to sin to attain to the perfect love of God A Treatise of Contentation sit for these sad and troublesome times by J Hall Bishop of Norwich where all may receive full satisfaction Select thoughts or choice helps for a pious spirit beholding the excellency of her Lord Jesus by J. Hall B. of N. The holy Order or Fraternity of Mourners in Sion to which is added Songs in the night or chearfulness under afflictions by J. Hall Bishop of Norwich The Celestial Lamp enlightning every distressed soul from the depth of everlasting darkness by T. Fetiplace The Moderate Baptist in two parts shewing the Scripture way for the administring of the Sacrament of Baptism discovering the old errour of Original sin in Babes by W. Brittin Dr. Martin Luther's Treatise of Liberty of Christians an useful Treatise for the stating Controversies so much disputed in these times about this great point The Key of Knowledge a little book by way of Questions and Answers intended for the use of all degrees of Christians especially for the Saints of Religious Families by old Mr. John Jackson that famous Divine The true Evangelical Temper a Treatise modestly and soberly fitted to the present grand concernments of the State and Church by old Mr. John Jackson The Book of Conscience opened and read by the same Authour The so much desired and learned Commentary on the whole 15 Psalm by that Reverend and Eminent Divine Mr. Christopher Cartwright Minister of the Gospel in York to which is affixed a brief account of the Author's Life and Work by R. Bolton with Mr. Edward Leighs's Epistle annexed in commendation of the Work The Judges Charge delivered in a Sermon before Mr. Justice Hall and Serjeant Crook Judges of Assize at St. Mary Overeys in Southwark by R. Parr M. A. Pastor of Camberwell in Surrey A Sermon worthy perusal of all such persons as endeavour to be honest and just practitioners in the Law The Saints Tomb-stone being the Life of that vertuous Gentlewoman Mistris Dorothy Shaw late Wife of Mr. John Shaw Minister of the Gospel at Kingston upon Hull Gospel-Revelations in three Treatises viz. 1. The Nature of God 2. The Excellency of Christ 3. The Excellency of Mans Immortal Soul by Jer. Burroughs The Saints happiness together with the several steps leading thereunto in 41. Lectures on the fifth of Matthew called the Beatitudes of Christ by Jer. Burroughs being the last Sermons he ever preached both put forth by the same testimony that publisht his former Works The Iron Rod a Prophetical Treatise A Discourse concerning Liberty of Conscience in which are contained Proposals about what liberty in this kinde is now politically expedient to be given and several
more diligently searched their work-houses or mines Wherefore Aristotle hath truly delivered that life is contained by heat and that neither Animals nor Plants could live without heat Again he defining Death he opposed not cold as a contrary to heat but extinction which is a privation of heat To which also Hippocrates ascribeth all the actions of the whole Animals he also affirmed that all and most diverse faculties are absolved and perfected by the benefit of this heat at fit seasons and places Philosophers searching the nature of this heat they have fallen into strange errours in that they did not distinguish the ethereal and celestial heat from the elementary heat which is in all things rising from the mixtion and temperature of the Elements but this is fruitless and void or a companion or adjunct-embassadour of the thing compound But the natural or vital heat is altogether alienated from the conditions of the Elements whereupon they called it Celestial and altogether Divine Again any man may easily distinguish and discern the vital heat from the elementary heat in Plants and cold animals as in the Poppy the Lettuce the Mandrake and the Serpent which being exceeding cold in their temperature it is certain that they do not live by this but by sole vital spirits and heat Again they brought it into controversie whether heat which is the worker of life be a substance or an accident Lastly after much contention of words they concluded it to be an accident but yet altogether celestial and divine as the light or the heat of the Sun is and every other virtue or power conveyed from the Heavens unto the prepared body They also affirm that that nature or form which consists in the matter by the mediation of the spirits or heat to be altogether one substance and that wholly celestial and divine not participating at all of the Elements The later is beaten upon and vulgar amongst the more secret Philosophers but they have not received the first But because Philosophers do intreat of vital heat they do not consider it as an accident but they comprehend together the in-bred spirits and the radical matter that is the native humidity in which the heat is seated under the name and appellation of heat for truly every thing may be found forth by it self The cause of this errour is because they have not known the original of forms which thing we wil demonstrate and explain more amply and copiously in the Chapter Of the original and differences of Forms The The divers names of Vital Heat more profound Philosophers have called this Vital Heat the Internal Sun the Internal Element and the Mineral Sun in which all the grounds of Nature are contained Arnoldus de Villa nova in his book of Conserving youth and deferring old age the third chap. he consirmeth it in express words saying That which hath not an equal is the Mineral Sun And wise men have compared the prepared body to the natural heat and sound youth for which similitude the wise men have used to call this heat by the name of an Animal for vital Sulphur and radical humidity is the store-house of all Nature for by the onely power of it all the cures of all diseases may be accomplished Galen being adduced by the notable and wonderful power of the actions in the second book of his Art unto Glauco he calleth the native Heat the Substance of the faculties and vertues which thing he doubted much in another place concerning the substance of Nature and the Soul Aristotle in the second book of the Generations of Animals the third chap. ascribeth all the faculties of all natural things to this vital heat in these words There is something in the sense of all things which causes the seed to be fruitful namely that which is called vital heat not fire for it is not any such faculty but the spirit which is contained in the seed or foamy body and the nature which is in that spirit in proportion is correspondent to the element of Stars Plato which came nigher to the shut gates of Nature called this heat or spirit the Defence of the form which heat is incident in Animals and Plants from the original He also writes that from this universal spirit of the World which alone consociates and conjoyns the soul to the World and contains the virtues that it was thereby caused and conserved for it comprehends the The Seed of every thing and the power of Procreating seminal reasons and hidden proprieties of all Procreants it filleth all and it is diffused through all and it is propagated into all Animals Plants and Metalls and these as it were of the green wind of Sulphur Concerning the native or first-begor Humidity there First-begot Humidity is required an accurate distinction of the Humours in every natural body for the attaining of the true knowledge thereof seeing that there is one humour Elementary another Alimentary another Native or first-begot and that there is much difference of them For the Elementary and Alimentary humidity do differ much from the Native and first begot humidity in the substance essence and nature The Elementary humidity is a waterish humour by which as it were with glew the dissentient and repugnant Earthly parts of the body do cohere and are united and this is common to all things which are generated by the commixtion of the concreated Elements The Alimentary is that which is attracted spiritually The spirit are â—o 〈◊〉 ed for diâ—â—erence or distinction from vapours or mists which are called spirits of the mechanical Spirits existing in the parts of the body and is exhibited or communicated to the body for nourishment or aliment which humidity all Individual things namely Vegetables and Minerals both greater and less which lie occult in the Centre of the earth attract untill they come to the predestinated limit or tearm of their continuance Afterwards the Planet ceaseth Every nutrition or nourishment is spiritual or it is made by the spirits From hence is the dewish moistening of the Microcosm and forsaketh the compound as the Philosophers affirm in these the Spirit ought neither to serve for sence or motion The Native or Inbred moisture which is also called the Vital moisture is called of the Philosophers the quintessence which may be extracted from all living roots There inhereth a matter representing Oil which is the subject of Heat and Spirits it is also indissolvable from which natural spirits and vital heat floweth as forth of a seminary and perfuseth the whole living body from which also the strength and firmness of the parts arise This fat humour which is very like Oil is not fat with Of the Microcosm which we see many parts of the body covered but it is other fat very much different and aery which flyeth the sight of the eye nevertheless it may be distinguished by art and industry and this is the Original both of spirits and
an Organical body every thing that giveth it life and causes the vital actions is to be judged to be the Soul which is the perfection of the whole Furthermore seeing that they can no other way know the essence they leaving the obscurity of essence do pass unto the proper functions of it which are more manifest and they attain knowledge from the differences of the Soul so they define the Soul to be life as from the proper functions of it and from the differences of life they make certain kinds of the Soul and so they comprehend in their mind three differences of living things namely Natural Sensitive and Intelligent because that some bodies do live by the benefit of sole Nature others have Sence others are induced with Reason and Understanding as if Sence and Reason were not aswell natural and have their foundations in the very essence of Nature which thing Hippocrates expresses manifestly by a luculent testimony in his first Book de diata And these differences of living things are not to be ascribed to their functions faculties sciences gifts and interior signatures but rather to the Essence of the Soul Here you may see the calamity of Aristotle and Galen which are fallen and do cast themselves headlong into very foul and unfortunate errours by their subtilty for they do attribute that to the faculties and functions of the Soul which are to be attributed to the very Essence But they may say that that which is natural in Plants is a Soul from which we say that Plants are animated though they be not animals and that Sensitive faculty which governs and directs brute Beasts is also a Soul which doth not only make them animated but also animals Lastly there is none which will say that the Intellective faculty of man is not a Soul These Souls are so severed and distracted that neither the Intelligent Soul of Man is a Sensitive Soul nor the Sensitive Soul of a Beast is a Natural Soul So that Man is not Beast nor Beast is a Plant otherwise there would be great confusion of the kinds and natures of things To whom I answer with Hippocrates Of what kind the sciences and gifts of the natural spirits of the Soul of the hot Fire are there are such like signatures or sealings exprest in the bodies and the whole ornature or comeliness of the whole body is contained in the anatomy that is in the Soul for the Soul is the cause or beginning of the organical body for from this the body is caused by the vertue and power of it the elements and principles are mixed augmented and changed from spiritual into bodies having their figures magnitude colours and such paintings that is signatures agreeable to the Soul which make much for the absolving of the pre-ordinated functions and offices Hippocrates doth illustrate the unity of the Soul by an excellent testimony in his Book de diaeta saith he Male and Female may consist together and each one constitute other and he addeth this reason because the same Soul is in all living bodies but the body of them all do differ Therefore the Soul is the like as well in a greater as a less that is in an infant as one come to years for it is not altered neither by Nature or Necessity but the body is never the same either by Nature or Necessity Now it is separated from all otherwise it were commix'd Here he calleth the Soul the Root and the vital beginning because this thing is common to both Sexes in all kinds of animals therefore they may consist together Again the Male and Female are rooted in the same root and mutually propagate themselves for the Souls which are vital beginnings and the radical tinctures of things are stable and perpetual not subjected to mixtion therefore they persist the same and altogether like themselves The natural description of the Soul whether they be in less Individual things that is in weaker and unfirmer or in greater that is in more stronger and firmer The unity of the Soul being thus demonstrated I call the Soul Vitalspirits the Chorionium of Paracelsus the Powers of Hippocrates Spiritual and Vital powers Tinctures Vital qualities which being dispersed through the whole anatomy of the living body nevertheless they are concentred and united in the more principal parts which communicate true essence to the body The Essence of this Soul though it be obscure and unknown of Aristotle and Gallen nevertheless it is perspicuous and manifest enough to us for by the industry of the workman it is subjected to the eye which we call the Native liquor the Radical moisture the mystery the mean of the Soul the golden vigour of the Soul the flowr of the Soul and the efficacy of the spirit in the elements which we call Jupiter in heaven Juno in the air Neptune in the water and in each of the parts of these the Ancients have called it by divers names of the Gods PART II. CHAP. I. Of the Original of Forms THe most have supposed Heaven to be the Father of all things which are generated upon Earth and the Earth to be the Mother They called the Heaven the Father because the Water falling from thence supplies the place of Seed they call the Earth the Mother because it receiveth it after the manner of a Mother and brings forth For the same cause we find the Moon called of many after Mankind because it is affirmed to have the Dominion over the humours and doth perform a manly work in the administration thereof Which thing Tertullian and Cornelius Severus profess which Charisius cites the Epithete of Phoebus being adduced from the Male kind he saith Now the fiery Stars did shine in the Heaven O Phoebus the succeeder with thy Brothers Horses In the secrets of the Hebrews which they call Cabalistical all the vertues of the Stars and the heavenly images are received and contained in the body of the Moon from which afterward the species of things fruits animal sand all new things which are in power to be generated by the several elements are immitted into the inferiour matter and genital seed Aristotle and other which imitate him deduce the forms and first substances of all things from heaven Galen derived the specifical form or essential property of every thing from a certain congress mixtion and temperature of the elements These are the famous doubts which obscure very much the knowledge of natural things from this fountain there is derived an overthrow which hath corrupted all Philosophy and begot obscurity and transplantation by the Laws and confuse administration of mixtion In whose steps must we now insist whom shall we trust shall we trust ancient Writers as Aristotle and Galen Unto these Aristotelians methinks I hear Moses speak who many years before the history of the created World following the Eternal God and instructed in all kind of things said that God had put a natural power or vertue in the created
heaven which should be unto us for signs and seasons and that he filled the World with all kind of living things which things being mortal lest that their continuance and kind should decay he gave a foreseeing divine vertue in his Wisdom to seeds whereby by propagation they might conserve unto all ages the living herb and fruitfuful tree likewise he commanded the fruit and the seed every one in his kind to bring forth and multiply to conserve their kind Therefore they are worthily to be laughed at which ascribe the Original of forms not only to the Sun and Moon but also to the position of other Stars for how shall Vegetables receive the Original of forms from the Stars which were created before the Stars were formed for he hath had dominion over the Whales of the Sea and all kind of fishes birds beasts and man that they by their multiplying might fill the World So the chief workman of all things while he framed all by the word and breath of his mouth he inspired procreative vertues by which the wonderful continuation and order of things might be conserved Therefore farewel Aristotle farewel Galen and all those which do not agree with the sacred Scripture and those which hear not Moses the Interpreter of the living Philosophy We do not say as Zarabella would have That the Heaven is the universal efficient cause of the generation and corruption of all things in this inferiour world but they are all vegetant in the seed which are seen to flow and reflow by the course of generation and corruption that is to be made or to decay So that the form of every thing ariseth freely and naturally and it is native natural and happeneth not outwardly It is not deduced from Heaven nor it rises not from the commixtion of the Elements nor it is not derived from the momentany position of the Stars in regard of the inferiour nature But that soul is in man and that diversly These are the Opinions of Paracelsus not straying from the sacred Scripture nigh unto the decrees of the Platonicks with whom Hippocrates agrees altogether in his book de diaeta Notwithstanding I do not deny the superiour and inferiour conspiration consent and conflux which thing Hermes would seem to have signified in these words It is true without falshood it is certain and most true that that below is as that above and that above is as that below Scaliger the most subtil of Philosophers saith that the inferiour forms are sustained by the superiour and the superior are not destitute of the benignity of the inferior CHAP. II. Of the difference of Lives and the varieties of Baulms in the Macrocosm FOr the solid and exquisite knowledge of Nature three things are especially required First the nature of the Soul the essence of this hot fire and the substance is to be enquired after with chief study and diligence from whence the forms of things arise and to what end they tend by their absolute preordinance which manner of Doctrine we have hitherto imitâ—ted that we may suppose it to be altogether absolute and perfect Secondly though all living things by the unity of their life do imitate their beginnings their examples yet we must consider whether there be any differences and degrees of their Lives as of the vital Baulm Thirdly how we may come to the vital fountains of Nature by what proportion and by what means and by what mechanical process it may best be fitted for mans use and necessity The perfect knowledge of these three if that it concur in any it constitutes and makes a true Philosopher Concerning the other which necessarily is required in a Philosopher namely the differences and degrees of Lives as also of Baulm The difference of Life as the Philosophers speak consists in this that some live manifestly some occultly and hiddenly Again in natural things Life is either corporeal or spiritual The spiritual is apprehended to be in all Animals It is decreed by the wonderful mystery of Nature that all the kinds of things should excell by a divinity of their actions because it was meet that many instruments of their actions should actually be manifested for the solid and similar firm matter of Baulm could not admit such actions For all the actions arise from the spirits in the living body and for the diverse tincture impression and confluence which they receive in divers places they produce divers actions So that if they occupy the movable parts then they cause motion if the sensible parts then they cause sense in other places the concoctions and separations of the excrements distributions of the nutriments and nutritions shall be governed and ordered thereby Here they admit the memorable tinctures of formidity and the necessary preparations to be begot We have above said that the Vital spirits in Animals Cap. 6. de Natura by reason of their force of operation consume the animal Baulm hourly and therefore there is need of daily instauration mixtion and replenishing to propagate and produce life From these we understand that the stable life in Animals hath not admitted the matter of Baulm wherefore it is not subject to the will of Artists These are confirmed of Paracelsus in his Archidoxes for he said that neither the Quintessence or the true Balm can be derived or deduced from the company or bodies of Animals Those Medicines which are made from Animals as from their flesh bloud morrow or fat ought to be referr'd unto the order of the Vegetables from which they are nourished and are begot The Corporeal life is in all things lurking and lying hid in the centre of the Elements Those which do live obscurely are those which do manifest either no differences of the Sex or else hidden which are not distracted with the variety of sensible and movable operaions and offices and therefore they exhibit a matter subject to the wills of the Artists which administer in the Hermaphroditical nature of the Baulm the mere generations and transplantations of the Because the foundation is in one root the Sex is Male and Female Muffetus in his Apologetical Dialogue of the Chemical Medicines fol. 28 29 30. The twofold life of things thing generated or bred Of which kind are Minerals Metalls Stones Vegetables in which the Vital spirit or the soul hath made as it were a constant and durable wedlock with the bodies but yet not with the external crass and compounded bodies which are obvious to the sense but with the internal and spiritual bodies in which bodies which are subjected to the workmen the powers of Hippocrates are vegetant and forcible and the Chironeâ—a of Paracelsus in which the virtues of Colours and Tastes yea the Colours and Tastes themselves are immediately rooted and grounded And this is the First Matter of Minerals Metalls and Stones and Vegetables diffused through the whole body in which the mechanical powerful Spirits of every kind of all anatomy do live hidden and
therein are privily contained CHAP. III. Of the Beginnings of Bodies and their Original Differences and Properties PHilosophers do greatly dissent in the handling of the Principles and every one almost led by his own Opinion doth bring his own beginnings Some do consist in Reason only and are not grounded in Nature they admit no demonstrations from the light of Nature Those which hold these imaginary beginnings are conversed in the Knowledge and Inquisition of the Essential Causes they are drawn by a blind and a terminary endeavour upward and downward they admit a dissolute and futile or vain confusion of things wavering this way and that way without sinews and joynts they stick in all things as if they were but beginners they hold nothing which is ratified nothing that is comprehended and nothing that is fixed and sure But they ever stand in that place and in doubt from which they may be moved with a light moment which daily Experience not only in Philosophy but also in Physicks doth testifie and approve But according to these fine Philosophers and Physicians if it please God some beginnings are of Philosophy some of Physick and where the Philosopher endeth there the Physician beginneth Aristole the chief of the Peripatetical Family or Sect made three beginnings of Nature two Essential as he calleth them Namely the Matter and the Form and one Accidental namely Privation which beginnings seeing they do alone comprehend them in mind and abstract them from the very Essence of the thing and do not explain what the Matter of a natural thing is nevertheless they would be thought to explain and lay open the Knowledge of the Matter Let me define them The Matter is of which a thing is made The Form is by which a thing is made Privation is the absence of the Form But yet it remaineth unexplained altogether what the true real and essential beginnings of Nature are All the Spagirical Philosophers have made a Matter and confessed there was a Form and that a new Form was forthwith induced the old being abolished and deprived where closely the necessity of Privation is included But while they imagine of these in their mind they consider the true subjects of Nature Wherefore whosoever is instructed with these imaginary beginnings will never come to the Bath of Diana wherefore he need not fear the punishments of Acteon Galen held that the Elements adorned with their Qualities were the Foundations of Nature Hermes ter maximus the Father of the Phlosophers taught that all things were generated of three things he explains the terminary number calling them Spirit Soul and Body though he doth not expresly shew what he meaneth by Spirit Soul and Body yet our Paracelsus hath so expounded them no less artificially than naturaly in his Book de Naturarerum The Spirit is Mercury the Soul is Sulphur the Body is Salt The mean betwixt the Spirit and the Body of which Hermes speaks is the Soul so that the mean betwixt Mercury and Salt is Sulphur which unites conjoyns and couples diverse things and compounds them into one substance of a Body Now we will seek forth the Original differences and properties of these three these are they which have wearied and astonied the Wits of many Philosophers our beginnings of our Paracelsus have true Foundations in Nature Sulphur Salt and Mercury are the issues and off-spring of the Seeds In the first framing of creatures it was needful that the Seeds should have their Foundations in others seeing they were gone from the Fountain of Unity If the images of the Seeds that is the Seeds themselves should be dispersed it was also convenient for the images of the Elements that is for the beginnings to imitate Nature So the Essence Existence Life and Act of all things are the Elements that is the Seeds which are beginnings but yet not common or general beginnings For the more full understanding of this thing in the first place the difference of Bodies is to be observed Some Bodies are more nigh their beginnings namely the Seeds and Vital beginnings Others have gone further from them as the mix'd Elements Those which are more nigh by reason of the likeness of their Nature are called Heavenly Bodies Spiritual and Vital and constant Vegetable Bodies in which the constant property of every body is apprehended These are called of Paracelsus Mercury Sulphur and Salt Not that they are altogether like to the vulgar Salt Sulphur and Mercury in Substance but in Essence Actions and Properties and as much as those perfect individuals in their kind do differ amongst themselves so much do these Vital beginnings differ in Essence Actions and Properties Those which are more remote from the Seeds are called Earthly Crass Mixt Dead and Unfixt Bodies these are the common Elements commixed with the beginnings which do exhibit or propound before our senses one similar substance of the Bodies by the virtue of mixtion The beginnings which we name first of the two are formal and natural Bodies but yet spiritual they are Spirits yet corporeal so that in some sort they are means betwixt the corporeal and incorporeal Nature The latter are bonds of visible and invisible things of temporal and eternal corruptible and incorruptible of superiour and inferiour therefore they ought to manifest the properties of the superiour and inferiour Nature So that they purely and exquisitely do not represent the conditions of either of them He which knows not these bonds hath not learned the power of life because he hath only exercised the anatomy of death Aristotle and Galen coupled death and life together and they would have attributed things belonging to dead things without qualities to the living things they both laboured for one end Furthermore in these spirits and spiritual Bodies the properties of all natural actions do bear sway and all separations digestions and concoctions in Nature are absolved and perfected by the benefit of Salt Sulphur and Mercury and not by the benefit or ministery of Heat and Humidity The temperament of all the parts are not integrated or compounded from the mixtion of Heat Cold and Driness but from the mixtion of Salt Sulphur and Mercury amongst themselves and with the Elements which agree in the Sciences and Predestinations of the foresaid beginnings and root or ground And this is the temperament of Nature Nature it self and the towardness or good disposition of things produced from the Sciences and Signatures of the beginnings for the properties of the actions which are contemplated and beheld in the natural parts as of Attraction Retention Separation Digestion and Evacuation we deprehend them to be in the anatomy of Salt Sulphur and Mercury even as the Sulphur of the Loadstone attracteth iron and worn Amber attracteth straw oftentimes also we deprehend it to be in outward things And though these three beginnings of Bodies seem to have their forces united in Nature yet they reserve the properties without hurt and confusion The office and property
of Salt is to congeal Bodies and to make them solid and firm from hence is the hardness of the Adamant and the solidness of Gold which Aristotle and Galen ascribe to Cold. The office of Sulphur is being of a fat and clammy substance to temperate the foresaid congelation with a benign commixtion lest that the mechanical Spirits being bound and girded with the solidness and commixt proportion of Salt should commit unjust losses of their actions and offices The office of Mercury is to repair and cherish by continual moistning those which hasten unto driness and age and to make the mixtion of them to be of a sluid and moveable substance for this necessity Mercury is adjoyned to Salt and Sulphur but more sparingly and in a less measure in the Vital beginning the Elements are in the Vital sulphur the First Matter and the Balm and these three Bodies Salt Sulphur and Mercury that is the Balm makes and compounds the Domestical principles or beginnings like unto themselves from the Elements so that it requires the common and latter Elements as external Vestments These three by whose ministery or benefit all things are connext and do conspire together are the Bonds of the corporeal continuity of all Bodies Sometimes Hippocrates designs these spiritual Bodies by the name of the Soul as when he saith that the Soul of Man is united to the Soul and that by a Physical liberty Those three beginnings of Bodies in which the faculty of every beginning doth manifestly shew it self are adorned of Philosophers by the name of Spirits These means in Nature and mean Bonds that is the three beginnings of Bodies seeing they agree most highly with the Architectonical spirits and roots or seminary beginnings of things they are named of Philosophers by the name of the First Matter Now follows the tractate of the Causes and Cures of Diseases The general and special Explication of all Diseases Astral and Material or of all Elementated and Hereditary Diseases from the Book of Nature the Book of Philosophical and Physical truth with the Opinions of Ancient Writers added as Hippocrates Galen and Celsus and others In the particular curing of Diseases it is handled of the mysteries of Cures of the brevity of the Signs of the secrets of the Remedies And first the old Precepts of Galen and of others are brought and afterward it is demonstrated by the Experience of Paracelsus Thurniserus and of Excellent new Writers and Philosophers and the Medicines for all the Diseases from anatomy and the signed art as well simple Remedies as compound by shewing the work Man the Microcosmus or little World out of the Macrocosm or great World containeth in him the anatomy of health and sanity In Man are threefold Diseases Namely 1 From Fire and Air. Which two Elements generate and infect the Spirit of man from whence there are Diseases in man which they call Epidemical or Astral Diseases 2 From Water and Earth These two Elements cause the Tartar and the â—tone and all Tartaâ—ous Diseases which â—â—â— many in man 3 From the seed of Parents and they contain in them 4 courses 1 The 4 courses of the Elements from whence all sharp Diseases arise 2 The 7 courses of the Planets from whence the Chronical Diseases arise which ensure as long as the couse of the Planet 3 4 courses of the humours from whence are Salts and that of divers Tasts 4 Courses of the qualities from whence the complexions are The Microcosmus man hath not been only created according to the Macrocosm but also made subject to Diseases and Death as in the book of Theophrastus of the Astral Diseases so also of the Invisible Diseases as also of the falling Sickness as also of the Meteors and that part is called Astronomy read the books of Theophrastus of the Tartareous Diseases The old Physicians have writ nothing of these things neither knew they any thing of them if they knew any thing it was not much Saturn Hath Dominion in the Milt Jupiter Hath Dominion in the Liver Mars Hath Dominion in the Gall Sol Hath Dominion in the Heart Venus Hath Dominion in the Reins Mercury Hath Dominion in the Lungs Luna Hath Dominion in the Brain Bloud Phlegm Choler Melancholy Is Savory Sweet Bitter Sowr Salt The Galenists call the Salts Humours when as they are Salts and of divers Tasts and qualities Of these Galen writ Hot and moist Cold and moist Hot and dry Cold and dry But Theophrastus from the light of Nature found forth that all beginnings consist in Salt Sulphur and Mercury In these three the substance of all creatures consists and is conserved to the Predestinated term or limit as Paracelsus in his book de tribus Principiis and in his book Paramid Philosoph de quatuor Elementis which four Ements do arise from three beginnings Of Generation Mixtion and Transplantation The solid and firm ground of Nature being laid and the truth and Nature of the Principles being found and established and confirmed and the original differences and degrees of Forms being set down we come to the engendring of Diseases And first it is needful to prepose the Generation of natural things and the Laws and grounds of mixtion and Transplantation And then we will shew whether the beginnings of generation be spiritual or corporeal Again it is behoveful to consider whether Animals Minerals and Vegetables are generated after the same manner for those that know not the Laws and Foundations of Generations Mixtions and Transplantations and those which do not consider the Powers and Vertues and Courses of the Spirits they persist in a great Errour that bodies are only of bodies Veâ—ily they cannot tell how to free themselves in the Inquisition of Diseases which are from the bodies from whence it comes to pass that many proclaim divers Diseases to be incurable Concerning the Foundation or ground of Generation Three things are required necessary to the administration of every Generation First the Elements and Matrices Secondly Seeds Stars First Matter or Soul Thirdly the beginnings of bodies All which though divers yet they are contained in the least portion of the matter which is altogether similar as appeareth by the testimony of the sense and so they command us to worship the Divinity of Nature neither are they confusedly or rashly comprehended but they are instructed with a Vital and most forcible Power or Vertue and with an infallible science It will bring much light to our contemplations if we explain the offices of these There are more common offices of the Elements the Matrices or Receptacles and they obtain the name of the matter they are the offices of the seeds the first matter or stars Furthermore they are called fruitful because they are the Bonds of visible and invisible things and because they contain in them the Laws of Motions the Predestination of Times and the Laws of Generations Mixtions and Transplantations as in the efficient agent cause from which all actions proceed
Mercury is called the Renewer and Restorer of mans body So also the Antimony of all the Waters is the best Cordial in which so great power and vertue of Balm is occultly contained so that it is able to cure all desperate and deplored Diseases as well sharp Diseases as Chronical What shall I say of Vitriol which alone is able to cure the fourth part of all Diseases and to root out altogether all Tartareous Diseases I let passe Sulphur indued with infinite properties and Sal-niter which helpeth and cureth the greatest Diseases beyond our expectation so also I let passe Sol and Luna Margarits and Corals and other Individuals of this kind The Minerals demonstrate their Vital qualities with such a vertue of their actions and they demonstrate the differences of the Vital qualities that is of the first qualities from which all actions proceed from them Paracelsus fetches seeds which are Vigent and bear sway in the Treasures of the Elements for to administer the Worlds province and that they might come forth into aspect they do unite with the Spirits but yet with such Spirits as of which bodies may be constituted and compounded And this Wedlock or Union is the connexion of the seeds and principles Afterward when as they have found forth fit Matrices and Receptacles for every Element bringeth forth the Fruits not in his own proper place but in a strange or unusual place they admit rather the company of visible bodies than of compound and mixt bodies Then the Elements constitute not the common bodies but the bodies proper unto the Minerals In like manner the principles of bodies that is Mineral Sulphur Mineral Salt and Mineral Mercury do constitute Mineral Fire and Mineral Air Earth and Water and this is the union or connexion of the Elements and Principles These being absolved and perfected they produce all Congelations Colours Signatures which are Vegetive in the seeds stars or Vital principles thereof and they demonstrate Metals or Minerals very nigh unto Metals In our Astral Philosophy it it said that there is a corporeal Second part cap. 2. life in all things which lie hidden in the Centre of the Elements which life is subject to the wills of workmen by wonderful Providence and Wisdom of God For the mechanical Spirits or Soul hath made a firm and constant union or connexion with the body but yet not with the external Crasse and last bodies which are altogether unvalid and unfirm but with the internal aed sâ—irituâ—l bodies which are destinated unto properties Furthermore those which have their Roots fixt in the Centre of the Elements live obscurely be cause they are not distracted with the offices and varieties of actions neither serve they for sense and motion But those which live obscurely have a common Hermophrodites seed agreeing with many Spirits that is the Nature of all things living obscurely and lying hidden in the Centre of the Elements is so framed that they participate something of all kinds of their kind and for the Harmony Society and Constellation of their Nature they most easily conspire These things are illustrated and made more plain by examples Alexander a Suchlen in a certain Querâ—itanui against Anon p. â—4 Treatise of Antimony writes that he found in one Root of Antimony not only three united principles the Roots of Minerals but also Gold Silver Mars Jupiter Saturn except Venus So from Venus and Mars Vitriol is drawn by art from Metal Mineral is drawn and contraiwise This is that which Severinus Davus pag. 124 saith by the great power of Nature we have wondred and admired in the seed of the Minerals not only the unexpressed variety of the Sex but also the united principles of the Individuals and Spirits in one and the same seed These are the mysteries and secrets and wonderful things of God placed in the Majesty of Nature Let these suffice concerning the Generation of the Element of Water Now we proceed to the Generation of the Element of Earth and we will intreat of Vegetables All Vegetables are those which have Roots fixt and fastened into the Earth and are sustained by a Vegetive Soul Furthermore Plato called the Plants Animated or Vegetables There are especial differences of Generations in regard of the Elements and of the seeds The seeds and stars are ever the same in Nature Virtue and Essence but the Elements differ much amongst themselves in subtileness and moveableness as the Element of Water is more subtile and moveable than the Earth so the fruits and things generated from it are more subtile moveable valid or firm and more excellent than the fruits or things begot from the Earth From hence it is that the seeds of Vegetables have a clammy soft crass body in respect of the Minerals and Animals whose seeds are more spiritual and subtile bodies Concerning the manner of Generation of Vegetables those which proceed of their own accord without mans industry have almost the same manner of their Generation with the Minerals for the seeds of Vegetables rise forth of the Matrix of the Earth and at first unite with the Spirits and so constitute their principles Vegetable Salt Vegetable Sulphur begot Vegetable Mercury Vegetable Water and Vegetable Fire Earth and Air. But this is to be observed which is most worthy to be noted that the fruits or effects of every Element retain and reserve the properties nature and conditions of the Matrix in which they lie hidden from the beginning and they never depose them So Paracelsus in his third book 2 Chap. of degrees brought this difference he made the fruits or the effects of the Earth to be of the first degree the fruits of the Air to be of the second the fruits of the Water to be of the third to the fruits of the Fire he ascribeth the fourth degree where he adjoyneth these words he laboureth in vain whosoever he be which would get the quintessence out of Earthly things which is like to that which is got forth of Air. In like manner that quintessence which is from the Air cannot be compared to that which is brought forth of the Water upon this Sentence so it is to be judged of the fourth Element Concerning the extracting of the quintessence forth of the herb Chelondine it is not that thou labour to attain the quintessence of Gold by the quintessence of Chelondine though there be more secret in Balmemint Chelondine and Valerian than in the rest only so far proceeds the degree that the secret may excel in many parts so that in every degree one Element exists higher than another wherefore it is to be observed in things made of Earth whether the Chelondine excel the Balmmint and whether the Balmmint excel the Valerian so likewise it is to be judged of the three other Elements The spontaney or free Generation of the Vegetables cometh nighest unto Nature and is almost like the Generation of Minerals excepting that the seed of the Minerals according to their
the passages of the Urine in subtileness because it is transmutated from volatility and spirituality into a Corporeal substance The office of the Lungs was to attract Air and Spirit and to make convenient spirit for the arteries and to communicate it unto them for nourishment when as the Tartar sticks in the pipes the Lungs are hindered whereby they are less able to undergo their Functions as they should from hence many Diseases are generated as the Asthma the Cough the impediment of Breathing or difficulty of Breathing the Hectick Fever and the Phthisis and other Diseases from which Tartar all the Diseases of the Lungs are generated The Brain hath a proper Ventricle in which the mechanical spirits are which are the Authors of Attractionâ— Retentions Separations Coagulations Digestions Diâ—tributions and Expulsions As the Ventricle properâ—y so called is the Corrupter and Destroyer of all Diseases in that it doth not rightly execute his Functions so the imbecility of the Ventricles is the cause of many most grievous Diseases of which ancient Writeâ—s never make mention Furthermore it is a great thing to know the spirit from whence all the actions of the Ventricles proceed If the spirit be infirm the members also being infirm corrupt and perish When the nutriment is conveyed to the Ventricle of the Brain the mechanical spirits of the Brain separate the pure from the impure and give the pure to the Brain for nourishment but expell the impure through the emunctory places as the nostrils so without the Brain in the place of the Ventricle Tartar is begot from whence rises the Phrensie Out-raging Madness and other kinds of Madness which Diseases the old Writers have ascribed to bloud and other humours The Generation of the Stone and the Sand in the Reins is the same The Heart attracteth his own nutriment and separates the impure from the pure the excrement is that in which the Tartar lies hidden The Heart lies hidden in his case from which it expells excrement The nutriment of the Heart is the most subtile the excrement is like to a drop of clear water Now then the Tartar being coagulated by the spirit of Salt in the case of the Heart forthwith the Tartar is begot from which Generation of Tartar many Diseases are begot as the Cardialgiâ— the trembling of the Heart and other Diseases which the Galenists do badly ascribe to the humours of melancholy and choler In the Gall also as in other excrements the Tartar of humours is found as likewise the matter of Stones if it be seâ—arated and not expelled the Tartar is begot in the Gaâ—l from the which Compressions Vomitings Cholick Passions and Suffusions of the Gall are caused In the cure of these Diseases it is to be respected especially unto the Tartar and little Stones that by dissolution they be reduced into their First Matter and be consumed not unto yellow or câ—lfish choler for all the Diseases of the Gall almost are generated from Tartar The Tartar or little Stones in the Gall expell the choler and cast it forth into the Ventricle or Intestines sometime into the Liver from whence arise the kinds of the Jaundies for every Jaundies which is not removed by medicaments appropriated and convenient got and made from Vegetables hath a familiarity and similitude with the Tartar and unless the Tartar be dissolved and reduced to his matter all health is dispersed The paroxism of the Stone causes Contractures Putrefactions Cholick Passions so also the paroxism of the Tartar or Stone in the Bladder brings with it the Jaundies of the Gall Cholick Passions Contractures Compressions the Vomitings of the Heart-strings and weakness and imbecility of the Ventricle So in the Spleen or place of the Ventricle there is begot a Tartar which begets Opilations or Obsâ—uctions and the Quartan for this reason the Galenists say that the Quartan is incurable because they know not the Tartar but they say that the cause of it is melancholy or adust choler and they endeavour in vain to expell it through the Belly the Tartar remaining CHAP. XXI Of the Tartar of the Bloud Flesh and Marrow THere are Ventricles in the Bloud Flesh and Marrow and all the parts of the body which are nourished where there is a Ventricle there is a fire of digestion and a separation of pure from impure where there is a separation of impureness from the pure substance there is also excrement and where there is excrement there is also Tartar either alone or else commixt with other excrements for through the whole anatomy of the body and in all the parts of it excrement is two wayes considered it is either Sulphur or it is Salt for in every aliment three things are be considered Mercury which is nutriment Sulphur which is avoided and expelled through the Belly and Salt which is expelled by Urine As those excrements first in the Ventricle are coporal so the excrements of the other parts are volatile and spiritual for after the separation of the Ventricle sâ—iritual and volatile excrements coagulate in all the parts of the body It is an established and confirmed sentence of all Philosophers that the nature of bodies and spirits is reciprocal that bodies are resolved into spirits and spirits are transmutated into bodies furthermore Flesh Bloud and Marrow have their Ventricle and Digestion Separation Excrement and Tartar Nature expells the excrement of bloud by sweat it expells the excrements of the Flesh by Urine from whence the Urine of Bloud is as Paracelsus The driness of the bones consumes the excrement of Marrow whatsoever remaineth comes and is conveyed unto the ligaments and concavities of the bones The nutriments of Bloud Flesh and Marrow are altogether spiritual and invisible but the excrements are visible and yet they are the most subtile of all the parts in the body In the attraction of nutriment of Bloud the excrement and Tartar was also spiritual and invisible as in the distilled and circulated spirit of Wine but yet it separates both the volatile and spiritual excrement in that they are excrements whether Sulphur or Salt by a most exquisite digestion of the bloud therefore the Tartar of the bloud is subtile but it is coagulated by the spirit of Salt and is resolved and reduced by the same There is a twofold Tartar of the bloud flesh and marrow either coagulated or resolved The Tartar is begot of the Element of Water whether it be from meat and drink and therefore obnoxious to coagulation and resolution when the excrement of Tartar is not expelled forth of the veins it becometh like to a corn of sand or like to the grain Rice so also without the veins and pores such like grains of Tartar are begot though they encline more to resolution notwithstanding if they remain longer under the power of the spirit of Salt they increase into a corporeal coagulation The filth or flegm of bloud is the excrement of it if that filth be more crass and be not
grievousness of the Fever five grains of Laudanum and therewith the Fever was expelled and he sleeped six whole hours The grains of the oil of Pearls and the herb Sena administred in his proper liquor extinguishes the inflammation of the Brain The strengthning of the Brain is made by the green liquor of Silver the secret of Vitriol the oil of Bread the liquor of Saphire the liquor of Musk the balm of Sulphur the water of Silver The tincture of oriental Saffron being applied about the Nostrils or Temples will help the Frentick or Sottish men Bartholomeus extols and commends the essence of Topaze lib. 16. cap. 96. The Urine of the Frentick which is of a pale colour fore-shews and Prognosticates death green Urine with a green circle shews the most present danger of death The said green Liquor of Silver being an Excellent Medicine for all Infirmities of the Brain is thus prepared â„ž pure Silver dissolve it in Aqua fortis and precipitate it with Salt water then dulcifie the Calx with hot common water the more the better till it be fully free from the Salt tast which being done mix it well with flowrs of Sulphur then reveâ—berate it under a Muffel to a vrey subtil Calx upon which put a high rectified Spirit of Wine Tartarized and set them to digest in Balaneo moneth then distil off the Spirit of Wine and return it on again which work of Cohobation must be reiterated seven times and then have you your foresaid Calx in a Liquor which you must set in Balneo again to digest a moneth then will it become a pure green juice most prevalent in all affects of the Brain much conducing against the Stone in Reins and Bladder and very succesful in all hot Fevers CHAP. IV. Of Out-raging Madness WHen black Choler is begot by the adustion of melancholy or bloud or yellow choler then the Mania invadeth and possesseth which comes often unto the melancholy waxing hot This black humour as likewise melancholy is collected sometimes in the films of the heart sometime in the whole body sometime in the head alone when this humour is hot it causes horrible and Out-raging doting but if it puâ—rifie Of the Causes Differences and Cure of the Mania Cap. 1. Of the Treatise of Diseases of Mad-men The Mania is a great Sottishness without a Fever it bringeth a Fever but if it only boil vehemently then it causeth a solitary Out-raging madness without a Fever and also it adjoyneth the signs The Mania is of us called a furor or Out-raging madness which immitateth the doting of the melancholick neither in thought word or deed but yet with brawling chiding and shouting as likewise the man possest with it is of a terrible look Again the Mania doth impel and possesse the patients with a greater violence and trouble and perturbation of the mind so that they invade men immodestly and fiercely like wild beasts with their teeth nâ—ils and hands The signs and proper adjuncts of those which are Out-raging are demonstrated by experience The cause in which all the Galenists insist and agree of shall be manifested by Paracelsus whether it be true or false The Mania according unto Paracelsus is twofold The one which invadeth a sound man and it is a disease the other is a symptom of a disease as in the Plague and Fevers Paracelsus in his book de morbis amentum writes in the second Chap. that the Mania rises from three principles or beginnings and in the same Chap. he divides the Mania into two kinds The one is that which rises from pain when as a vapour remains in the Head the other riseth from sublimation and is coagulated in the Head In the Cure we must respect these two causes viz. that the vapours from pain be consumed and dissipated and that that be resolved and reduced which is coagulated of sublimation The Mania hath his original either from Bloud Veins Ventricle Intestines Reins Liver Spirit of Urine and the Lungs de morb amentium cap. 2. It cannot be sufficiently known where the mine and procreant cause of the Mania is for it is an astral disease The true cause of Mania is in what part of the body soever Mercury lyeth hid and is reverberated into slime and is dissolved in very strong water which being dissolved is mixt with the spirit of life and inflames it there is such a subtileness in this strong water that it will not bide in the bottom but rises up unto the top The extreme acrimony of that humour appears from sneesing which provoking quality rises from the greatest acretion which comes to pass if any receive in at his Nostrils the smell of the spirits of Aqua fortis Salt and Vitriol This reverberation of Mercury proceeds from too much heat as for example If the spirit of Salt be mixt with the spirit of life it is of such a subtilty and power that as soon as it comes to the Brain it causes the Mania and extreme madness The Cure of the Mania is twofold the one which refrigerates and coagulates the faulting matter The other which altogether disperses and consumes the matter of which it is generated The refrigeration and coagulation of the matter faulting is caused by the curing of the Falling-sickness Receive of the oil of Camphora Ê’ of the oil of Musk Ê’ mix them and administer them at every time This medicine is most excellent in the cure of the Mania for it doth wonderfully coagulace the matter of the Mania and it extinguisheth the heat of the body and the boiling of the bloud and it altereth the matter as cold changes Water into Air. This oil may be applyed outwardly about the Templâ—s and Fore-head Also these remove the Out-raging madness by a secret specifical vertue The quintessence of Silver the quintessence of Lead the quintessence of Iron the quintessence of Quicksilver the dissolving of Christal and Coral so also the appropriate extraction of Camphora the extraction of Gold The medicines which remove the hurtful matter of the Mania are these which may be applyed either outwardly or inwardly Chief sleeping medicines the quintessence of Mandragora of Opiates of the Poppy Henbane The chief Cure of the Mania consists in Laudanum prepared with Pearl lib. 2. cap. 4. he setteth down a secret of Salt Peter which so strengthneth the Brain that neither turning of the Head nor the Phrensie nor Mania can hurt it By that Salt Peter he understands in that place distilled Salt Peter with the Spirit of Wine alcosiated and rectified Again let it be circulated untill it be made spiritual volatile and essential which essence is to be administred with claâ—ied Wine Pythopaeus says that he cured some which were Out-raging mad with the spirit of Lead Read Theophrastus Tom. 7. fol. 186. he understands by Gilla Salt Peter The said Laudanum prepared with Pearl â„ž old Opium â„¥ 4. cut it in thin slices put them in a Pewter dish so that they touch not
one another then put that dish with the Opium into an Oven assoon as the bread is drawn out when it is so dry that you may crumble it between your fingers take it out then make it to powder and put upon it good distilled Vineger in a glass which keep in Balneo a fortnight then decant the clear from the thick and filter it through a brown paper that being done distill off the Vineger in gentle Balneo till the Opium remain thick as Honey â„ž of that thick extract â„¥ s. and add thereto Salt of Pearl and Salt of Coral ana Ê’i Tincturae Ambergrece 12. drops of Tincture of good Saffron made with spirit of Wine Ê’i and stir them all together with a stick then keep it in a Silver or Pewter box for your use make it so dry as you may make Pills of it Dose from gran 2. to 3. or 4. at most CHAP. V. Of Melancholy It is a Sowerness THe other kind of Sottishness without a Fever is melancholy He is melancholick in whom sowrness excels Melancholy is a great Sottishness accompanyed with Fear and Sorrow which is caused according to the Galenists of black and putrified humours and vapours occupying the seat of the mind That humor is generated when yellow choler or choler degenerates into black choler Sometime the humour consists in the milt sometime in the nigh parts sometime in the head alone sometime it is esfused into the veins and the whole body Hereupon melancholy is threesold that which is of the fore-â—art of the belly the primary and that which is caused by the hurt of the whole body The Hypocondriack melancholy is called also the slâ—tulent melancholy and it is caused when black choler cometh unto the seventh Traverse or Diaphragma from which a black and obscure vapour is conveyed into the seat of the mind The primary melancholy is when the Brain is primaâ—ily affected either with a peculiar hurt or by the hurt of the whole body from hence we may understand that melancholy wearies without affecting the Heart-roots which is caused by the hurt of the whole body They call this Melancholy Solitary Out-raging madness but yet falsly for melancholy is not the cause of Out-raging madness but the spirit of life infected with the poison of Mercury of which Paracelsus writes cap. 4 de morb Amentium tractat 1. cap. 5. that there are four kinds of melancholy men according unto the four complexions as they call them If these complexions beget Sottishness the cause is because they expell and drive away their spirit for their too much abundance But what are the spirits of the humours or complexions a snarp bitter or sowr or sweet taste But what is the taste that which hath a great power as Hippocrates Of the contracted Members Tract 1. c. 4. Melancholâ— hath his seat in the whole body sâ—eaks What is that that hath the great power Salt Sulphur and Mercury for in them all the powers as well of Health as Diseases are contained so the spirit or taste of every humour containing in it the three first powers as well of sanity as of diseases may produce melancholy in as much as such poison commixt with the spirit of life is more languid and faint In this disease the spirit of Salt predominates for it is a Chronical and fixt disease In the cited Chap. Paracelsus saith that melancholy and madness are oftentimes caused by Meat and Drink Cups hurt Men and also Women Melancholick men are oftentimes sorrowful and sad and fly the company and sight of men Others suppose that they must not be spoke unto but that they must live all their dayes in quietness and taciturnity The cure of melancholy the Galenists which say that melancholy is the cause of the disease of sadness when as it is only the name of a disease they endeavour to cure this disease by contraries Melancholy is say they cold and dry therefore it is to be removed with hot and moist things wherefore in that they endeavour to cure it they administer these hot medicines Diambra Mithridates Diamargarita the hot elect Plorisanoticon so also the conserve of Borage of Buglosse and of Sorrel so also Diaboriginatum Diabuglossatum and the confection and compounding of dulcis diamascus though these are not to be contemned for in some sort they refresh the vital spirits but yet they do not remove the disease but as much as in them lies and as far as they can exercise their vertues not yet reduced unto perfection they strengthen Nature The decree and opinion of Paracelsus will ever be firm and constant that melancholy or heaviness cannot be removed by the decoctions of Apothecaries In the curing of melancholy the specifical vertues of the secrets are to be considered The specifical vertue which expels melancholy is in the flowrs of Antimony for by the flowrs of Antimony those are freed wich have been bound in chains for some moneths The flowrs of Antimony are administred in a little quantity of Theriaca in the morning twice or thrice or four times by reason of the contumacy of the disease In the fifth Chapter of Paracelsus de morbis amentium The quintessence of Antimony is a perfect cure of madness so in the sixth Chapter The oil of Antimony preserves from all the kinds of madness The tincture or magistery of Saffron expels sadness desperation and melancholy for Saffron is the chief medicine for melancholy for when as any begins to despair it doth wonderfully refresh the prostrated spirits It is a general deoppilative or unobstruct of the vital spirit and it is the chief joy of the heart The Armenial stone and also the Jazal stone being prepared are more commodiously administred by much The Confection of Alchermes which is commended of all Physicians removes Madness and Melancholick Affections for it strengthneth the spirits and expels all poison The essence of Silver cures all melancholy affections The essence of Ellebor administred It is very expedient against all the affects of melancholy The Smaragdus not only drunk but if hanged about the neck it removes all melancholy affects The essence of Thime Epithime and Origanum take away melancholy Paracelsus tract 3. de generatione hominis Chap. 5. ascribes hereditary foolishness and madness to the unproportionable form of the Brain and bad conformation He setteth down the cause of it viz. The immature seed of undigested liquor of life for he which hath a vicious liquor cannot profuse good seed for the body of the seed is puâ—rid and such like are generated thereof thereof Foolishness and Madness do not rise from the seeds but in as much as some hurts are left from Generation from which many diseases of the figures and cavities descend He that would know more kinds of madness let him read Paracelsus de morbis acutis amentium these kinds which we have explained are more common but the other are more rare Confection of Alchermes much better than
the ordinary one make thus â„ž white Sugar Candid â„¥ 6 spirit of Salt well rectified half an ounce and as much pure water as will make the Sugar like thick a syrup then add to those half an ounce of purple Calx of Gold which hath been first solved in Aqua fortis then precipated with Tin or Spilter and well edulcorated and dryed lastly to all the former ingredients add also one ounce of pure Pearl in subtil powder and one dram of good Ambergreece so have you a far more excellent Confection than the common one wherein the Gold is used in its metalline form and so hath no effect in the medicine but here by reason of it subtil preparation it rendreth the medicine aboundantly more cordial more effectual CHAP. VI. Of the Lethargy THe Lethargy is a torpor or drowsiness and almost an unresistible necessity of sleeping according unto The Lethargy is almost an unresistible necessity to sleep Celsus lib. 2. cap. 10. 20. The Galenists say that the cause of this disease is a cold and slegmy humour which in great aboundance is effused into the substance and Ventricles of the brain The kinds of it are the Catophora the Coma and the Carus The Catophora is a profound and deep sleep The Coma Catoche or Catalepsis is a stupour while one wakes whereupon Physicians The Catalepsie is a prefernatural affect of the Head whereby man is deprived of all motion suddenly as if he were congealed call it a waking dream by which the affected both waketh and sleepeth together which sometimes rises from too much drinking of Wine as Galen affirmeth in his 3. book Chap. 5. de temperameutis The Carus is such a profound and deep sleep so that the sick doth neither feel the The Carus is a dead sleep out of which man is not easily wakened without often and loud calling upon and beating of his body pulling off the hairs nor beating nor pricking of the body Paracelsus in his 2. book de vita longa Chap. 2. de gutta saith that the lethargy is a kind of gutta that is of the Apoplexy for the Apoplexy is begot of ill-digested sublimated Mercury if that the genus of the Lethargy then the species though the sublimation be not so vehement in the lethargy and other kinds of the Apoplexy as in the Apoplexy it self â—n another place he saith that the Lethargy is generated from too much moisture of the brain which being dryed and abolished the effect is removed when it is to be dryed and exsiccated the 1. book of preparations teaches us tract 4. fol. 42. The Cure of the Lethargy It is to be removed and Nature is to be corroborated and strengthned Paracelsus in Parag. de Alchymia saith that the lethargy is not to be cured by ordinary decoctions for it is a Mineral disease and therefore it is to be cured by Minerals Paracelsus in his cures relates that a certain man after a Fever fell into a deep sleep so that he felt not if any prickt him neither would he open his eyes or speak any thing he had the lethargy and I cured it with the oil of Vitriol so also there was a woman waking which was affected with the lethargies sleep so that her eyes were still shut and hardly would open them if she were called upon neither could any understand what she spake neither did she rightly answer I restored her to her health by the oil of Vitriol alone The chief Medicine of all in Curing this Disease is Antimony for in this one all the wayes of curing are found for it takes away the cause altogether and strengthens Nature by a specifical vertue wherein it excels Some drops of the oil of Vitriol administred with Marjoram water availeth much In this part the spirit of Vitriol is much better and more excellent In the volability of Vitriol there is a secret of corroboration of the spirits of the brain and heart Bartholomeus cures the lethargy with Sulphur lib. 16. Chap. 94. so also lib. 7. Cap. 7. affirms that this is a most excellent Dosis in the Falling-sickness â„ž of Opium Theb. Ê’i of Cinnamom Ê’iij of Musk and Ambergrece ana 6 gr of the seeds of both the Poppies Ê’i of Mandragora ℈ i. of the juice of Henbane ℈ i. of Mastick Ê’iij let them be pulverized mix them and make a mass of them with the juice of Pomcitrons put them in the rine of the Pomcitron and shut it with the bark afterward put it in dough bake it as bread when the bread is back'd let them be taken forth and bruised and put in â„¥ i. of the secret of Vitriol Read Theophrastus Paracelsus de morbis Amentium tract 2. Cap. 1. A precious Medicine of Antimony in a Red Oil prepare thus â„ž pure Regulus of Antimony grind it to subtil powder put it in a Cucurbit and by degrees pour on good Aqua Regis prepared with Salt so dissolve the Antimony and when it will dissolve no more decant it and on the remaining part undissolved pour fresh Aqua Regis and so do till all the Antimony be dissolved then let it all stand unmoved and the Antimony will settle to the bottom of the glass in white powder from which decant all the water and with sweet water made hot edulcorate the white powder and dry it that being done put the white dry powder in an Iron box stop it well with a scrue that no air may enter and keep it five days in good heat then take it out and you shall find the white powder become red from which extract a red tincture with pure distilled Vinegar which abstract again then remaineth behind a pure tincture of Antimony upon which put pure Spirit of Wine digest together in Balneo then distil by retort so will you have a bloud-red Oil which may well be termed a great Arcanum in medicine which being most prevalent not only in the foresaid disease but in many others likewise CHAP. VII Of the Falling-sickness and his kinds THe Falling-sickness is a disease inherent in the body not corporally but an The Epilepsie or Falling-sickness is a preternatural affect of the Head by which the whole body for a certain time is convulst with the hurt of sense and reason astral disease It is an Elementary disease not a complexionate disease it is a spiritual disease not a natural disease The species or kinds of the Falling-sickness are all the kinds of the Epilepsie the suffocation of the matrix without his place the swounding with his kinds viz. the returning deliquium and the swounding not returning the Vertigo or turning of the The Vertigo is a preternatural affect of the Head whereby all things seem to turn about head The Vertigo rises from the obstruction of the principal bowels Paracelsus lib. 3. de caducis para 2. The Vertigo is a kind of the Falling-sickness The cure of the Vertigo is the same with the Falling-sickness The cause of