Selected quad for the lemma: tradition_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
tradition_n	book_n	receive_v	scripture_n	2,071	5	6.0510	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29861	Pseudodoxia epidemica, or, Enquiries into very many received tenents and commonly presumed truths by Thomas Browne.	Browne, Thomas, Sir, 1605-1682.	1646 (1646)	Wing B5159; ESTC R1093	377,301	406

A●d so Dioscorides in his receit of Inke leaves out gall and with copperose makes use of ●oot Now if we inquire in what part of vitriol this Atramentall and denigrating condition lodgeth it will seeme especially to lye in the fixed salt thereof For the phlegme or aqueous evaporation will not denigrate nor yet spirits of vitriol which carry with them volatile and nimbler Salt For if upon a decoction of Copperose and gall be powred the spirits or oyl of vitriol the liquor will relinquish his blacknes the gall and parts of the copperose precipitate unto the bottom and the Inke grow cleare again which indeed it will not so easily doe in common Inke because that gumme is dissolved therein which hindereth the sepa●ation But Colcothar or vitriol burnt though unto a rednesse containing the fixed salt will make good Inke and so will the Lixivium or Lye made thereof with warme water but the Terra or insipide earth remaining affords no blacke at all but serves in many things for a grosse and usefull red And if we yet make a more exact enquiry by what this salt of vitriol more peculiarly gives this colour we shall finde it to be from a metalline condition and especially an Iron property or ferreous participation For blew Copperose which deeply partakes of the copper will doe it but weakly Verdigrise which is made out of copper will not doe it at all But the filings of Iron infused in vinegar will with a decoction of galles make good Inke without any coppe●ose at all and so will infusion of Loadstone which is of affinity with Iron and though more conspicuously in Iron yet such a Calcan●●ous or Atramentous quality we will not wholly reject in other m●●●lls whereby we often observe blacke tinctures in their solutions Thus a Lemmon Quince or sharpe Apple cut with a knife becomes immediatly blacke And so from the lik● cause Artichokes so sublimate beat up with whites of Egges if touched with a knife becomes incontinently black So Aqua Fortis whose ingredient is vitriol will make white bodies blacke So Leather dressed with the barke of Oake is easily made blacke by a bare solution of copperose So divers Minerall wa●ers and such as participate of Iron upon an infusion of galles become of a dark colour and entring upon black So steele infused makes not only the liquo● 〈◊〉 but in bodies wherein it concurs with proportionable tinctures makes also the excretions black And so also from this vi●riolous quality Mercuries dulcis and vitriol vomitive occasion black ejections Such a condition there is naturally in some livi●g creatures Thus that blacke humor by Aristotle na●ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and commonly translated Atramentum may be occasioned in ●he Cu●tle Such a condition there is naturally in some plants as Black-be●ries Walnut rind● Black cherries whereby they extinguish in●lama●ions corroborate the stomacke and are esteemed specificall in the Epilepsie Such an Atramentous condition there is to bee found sometime in the bloud when that which some call Acetum others vitriolum concurs with parts prepared for this tincture And so from these conditions the Moores might possibly become Negroes receiving Atramentous impressions in some of those wayes whose possibility is by us declared Nor is it strange that we affirme there are vitriolous parts qualities and even at some distance Vitriol it selfe in living bodies for there is a sowre stipticke salt diffused through the earth which passing a concoction in plants becommeth milder and more agreeable unto the sense and this is that vegetable vitriol whereby divers plants containe a gratefull sharpnesse as Lemmons Pomegranates Cherries or an austere and inconcocted roughnesse as Sloes Medlers and Quinces And that not onely vitriol is a cause of blacknesse but that the salts of naturall bodies doe carry a powerfull stroake in the tincture and vernish of all things we shall not deny if we contradict not experience and the visible art of Dyars who advance and graduate their colours with Salts for the decoctions of simples which beare the visible colours of bodies decocted are dead and evanid without the commixtion of Alume Argol and the like and this is also apparent in Chymicall preparations So Cinaber becomes red by the acide exhalation of sulphur which otherwise presents a pure and niveous white So spirits of Salt upon a blew paper make an orient red So Tartar or vitriol upon an infusion of violets affords a delightfull crimson Thus it is wonderfull what variety of colours the spirits of Saltpeter and especially if they be kept in a glasse while they pierce the sides thereof I say what Orient greens they will project from the like spirits in the earth the plants thereof perhaps acquire their verdure And from such salary irradiations may those wondrous varieties arise which are observable in Animalls as Mallards heads and Peacocks feathers receiving intention or alteration according as they are presented unto the light Thus S●ltpeter Ammoniack and Minerall spirits emit delectable and various colours and common Aqua fortis will in some green and narrow mouthed glasses about the verges thereof send forth a deep and G●ntianell a bl●w Thus have we at last drawne our conjectures unto a period wherein if our contemplations afford no satisfaction unto others I hope our attempts will bring no condemnation on our selves for besides that adventures in knowledge are laudable and the assayes of weaker heads affords oftentimes imp●oveable hints unto better although in this long journey we misse the intended end yet are there many things of truth disclosed by the way And the collaterall verity may unto reasonable speculations requite the capitall indiscovery THE SEVENTH BOOKE Concerning many Historicall Tenents generally received and some deduced from the History of holy Scripture CHAP. I. Of the Forbidden fruit THat the Forbidden fruit of Paradise was an Apple is commonly beleeved confirmed by Tradition perpetuated by writings verses pictures and some have been so bad Prosodians as from thence to derive the Latine word Malum because that fruit was the first occasion of evill wherein notwithstanding determinations are presumptuous and many I perceive are of another beleefe for some have conceived it a Vine in the mystery of whose fruit lay the expiation of the Transgression Goropius Becanus reviving the conceit of Barcephas peremptorily concludeth it to be the Indian Fig-tree and by a witty Allegory labours to confirme the same Some fruits we observe to passe under the name of Adams apples which in common acception admit not that appellation the one described by Mathiolus under the name of Pom●m Adami a very faire fruit and not unlike a Citron but somewhat rougher chopt and cranied vulgarly conceived the markes of Adams teeth another the fruit of that plant Serapion termeth Musa but the Easterne Christians commonly the Apples of Paradise not resembling an apple in figure and in taste a Melon or Cowcumber which fruits although they have received appellations suitable unto the Tradition yet can we

frequent use may proceed unto some effect from whence notwithstanding wee cannot inferre a fertiliating condition or property of fecundation for in this way all vegetables doe make fruitfull according unto the complexion of the Matrix if that excell in heat plants exceeding in cold doe recti●ie it if it be cold simples that are hot reduce it if dry moist if moist dry correct it in which division all plants are comprehended but to distinguish thus much is a point of Art and beyond the method of Rachels or feminine Physicke Againe whereas it may be thought that Mandrakes may fecundate since Poppy hath obtained the Epithite of fruitfull and that fertility was hieroglyphically described by Venus with an head of poppy in her hand the reason hereof was the multitude of seed within it sel●e and no such multiplying in humane generation And lastly whereas they may well have this quality since Opium it selfe is conceived to extimulate unto venery and for that intent is sometimes used by Tu●kes Persians and most orientall Nations although Winclerus doth seem to favour the conceit yet Ama●us 〈◊〉 and Rodericus a Castro are against it Garcias ab Horto refutes it from experiment and they speake probably who affirme the intent and effect of eating Opium is not so much to invigorate themselves in coition as to prolong the Act and spinne out the motions of car●nality CHAP. VIII Of the three Kings of Collein A Common conceit there is of the th●ee Kings of Collein conceiv●d to be the wise men that travelled unto our Saviour by the dire●●ion of the S●ar wherein omit●ing the large Discourses of Baronius Pineda and Montacutius That they might be Kings beside the ancient Tradition and authority of many Fathers the Scripture also implyeth The Gentiles shall come to thy ●ight and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising The Kings of 〈◊〉 and the Isles the Kings of Arabia and Saba shall offer 〈…〉 ●laces most Christians and many Rabbines interpret of the 〈◊〉 Not that they are to be conceived potent Monarchs or mighty Kings but Toparks Kings of Cities or narrow 〈◊〉 such as were the Kings of Sodo●e and Gomorrah the Kings of 〈…〉 thirty which Josuah subdued and such as 〈…〉 the f●iends of Job to have been But although we grant they were Kings yet can we not bee assured they were three for the Scripture maketh no mention of any number and the number of their presents Gold Myrrh and Frankinscence concludeth not the number of their persons for these were the commodities of their Country and such as probably the Queen of S●eba in one person had brought before unto Solomon and so did not the sons of Jacob divide the present unto Joseph but are conceived to carry one for them all according to the expression of their father Take of the best fruits of the land in your ves●ells and carry downe the man a present and therefore their number being uncertaine what credit i● to be given unto their names Gaspar Melchior Balthazar what to the charme thereof against the ●alling sicknesse or what unto their habits complexions and corporall accidents wee must relye on their uncertain story and authenticke pourtarits of Collein Lastly although we grant them Kings and three in number yet could wee not conceive that they were Kings of Collein For though Collein were the chiefe City of the Vhii then called Vbiopolis and afterwards Agrippina yet will no history informe us there were three Kings thereof Beside these being rulers in their Countries and returning home would have probably converted their subjects but according unto Munsters report their conversion was not wrought untill seventy yeares after by Maternus a disciple of Peter And lastly it is said that the wise men came ●rom the East but Collein is seated West-ward from Jerusalem fo● Collein hath of longitude thirty foure degrees but Jerusalem seventy two The ground of all was this these wise men or Kings were probably of Arabia and descended from Abraham by Keturah who apprehending the mystery of this starre either by the Spirit of God the prophesie of Balaam the prophesie which 〈◊〉 mentions received and constantly believed through all the East that out of Jury one should come that should rule the whole world or the divulged expectancy of the Jewes from the expiring prediction of Daniel were by the same conducted unto Judea returned into the● Country and were after baptised by Thomas from whence about three hundred yeares after by Helena the Empresse their bodies were translated to Constantinople from thence by Eustathius unto Millane and at last by Renatus the Bishop unto Collein where they are beleeved at present to remaine their monuments showne unto strangers and having lost their Arabian titles are crowned Kings of Collein CHAP. IX Of the food of Iohn Baptist Locusts and wilde hony COncerning the food of John Baptist in the wildernesse Locusts and wilde hony lest popular opiniatrity should arise we will deliver the chiefe opinions the first conceiveth the Locusts here mentioned to be that fruit the Greeks name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mentioned by Luke in the dyet of the Prodigall sonne the Latins Siliqua and some Panis Sancti Iohannis included in a broad Cod and indeed of taste almost as pleasant as honey But this opinion doth not so truly impugne that of the Locusts and might rather call into controversie the meaning of wilde honey The second affirmeth they were the tops or tender crops of trees for so Locusta also signifieth which conceit is plausible in Latin but wil not hold in Greek wherein the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 except for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie the extremities of trees of w ch belief have divers been more con●idently Isidore Pelusiota who in his Epistles plainly affi●meth they thinke unlearnedly who are of another beliefe and this so wrought upon Bar●●ius that he concludeth in a newtrality Haec cum scribat ●sidorus desiniendum nobis non est totum relinquimus lectoris arbitrio ●am constat Graecam dictionem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Locustam insecti genus arborum summitates significare Sed f●llitur saith Montacutius nam constat contrarium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud nullum authorem classicum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significare But above all Paracelsus with most animosity promoteth this opinion and in his book de melle spareth not his friend Erasmus Hoc à nonnullis ita explicatur ut dicant Locustas aut cicadas Iohanni procibo fuisse sed hi siultitiam dissimulare non possunt veluti Ieronymus Erasmus alii prophetae Neoterici in Latinitate immortui A third affirmeth that they were properly Locusts that is a sheath-winged and six-●ooted insect such as is our Grashopper and this opinion seems more probable then the other for beside the authority of Origen Jerome Chrysostome Hillary and Ambrose to confirme it this is the proper signification of