can turn Mineral substances into Water and every whit as easily reduce them into what they were before 7. For he hath given a positive resolve of the Quere of transmutation having absolutely determined that these Salts do perfectly turn into Water according to his own words a little Water being put to them which through resolution of the point is totally exclusive of either his magis or minus so that according to his opinion Salt put into Broth becomes Broth and Sugar dissolv'd in White-wine or Sack becomes White-wine or Sack whereas any of these Liquors evaporated or distill'd he will find besides the whole body of the waterish part saved in the receiver the body of Salt or Sugar left entire in the distilling vessel the very same as before 8. This peripatetick notion I look upon no otherwise than that other analogous to it where in the same Sect. he saith that Water would evaporate into Ayr supposing a transmutability of Elements as if Water when evaporating were not as really Water though its parts undergo a large extension as when the parts are united in a fluid body in that texture of parts which the body of Water makes up for save in a receiver that which he imagines evaporates into Ayr and you shall find and so shall he too that it is no way distinguishable from that it was before Water still and not Ayr so Salts Sugars or what else dissolvable in Water are the same as at the first though appearing under the form of Water 9. For whatsoever is dissolv'd in Water if upon the superfusion of any other Liquor of a different property the parts of the first dissolvable begin to alter their position they either precipitate speedily or make the Liquor opacous and in time precipitates leaving the water either partly acuated with the additional Liquor or else insipid having all the saline parts coagulated one upon another which being wash't or dulcified gives you the very same dissolvable Concrete you first took in hand 10. As for instance Dissolve Vitriol in water filter it so as it become a clear solution upon which pour a Lixivium of salt of Tartar and you shall find immediately the first dissolvable viz. the vitrioline colcotar together with part of both the salts i. e. the acid connate salt of the vitriol and lixivial salt precipitated after precipitation the supernatant Liquor contains in it a neutrum or tertium quid from both the foresaid salts which it will make to appear by filtration and evaporation in the form of a Tartarum vitriolatum the Sediment which was precipitated gives the Terra vitrioli or metalline earth of vitriol all which happen from a complication of heterogeneous parts in the first dissolvable viz. vitriol having in it a metalline earth only to be made apparent in the form of a metal by force of fire and an essurine acid salt which salt meeting with a lixivial salt le ts go its first dissolvable and coagulates it self upon the last 11. But take a single salt as suppose salt of Tartar or the fixt salt of any vegetable dissolve it in water upon which strong solution pour distilled Vinegar Oyl of Vitriol Spirit of Nitre or Spirit of Salt or any of them or the like acid saline Liquors and you shall find that after a strong ebullition and boyling which they cause by fretting one upon another causing a very intense heat that in the mutual and as it were hostile action of the salt one upon another they precipitate each other to the bottom and leave the supernatant Liquor in a manner insipid But to return 12. He concludes this last manner of solution in confusion by an example of the Spaw water five quarts whereof being evaporated over the fire there will be found in the bottom of the Vessel an ounce of an ash-coloured blackish Sediment a considerable part whereof is Nitre Allom and Salt the rest the substance of Iron and Vitriol This is according to his last Hypothesis confusion in good earnest for here all the Ingredients are confused and jumbled together and by what Art the Doctor will learn to separate them that they may indeed appear to be so many as he speaks of I know not I think it would puzzle all his method to extricate them 13. One Argument more I shall produce against his two Ingredients in the body of Iron and Vitriol and this shall be instar omnium as being demonstrative and confirm'd by Autopsia An ingenious Friend of mine whom I shall not otherwise name than the Chymical Apothecary of York had a parcel of this ash-coloured Powder which remained in the bottom of the Vessel after the distillation or evaporation of the water of this Spaw given him by Dr. WITTIE himself This he put into a crucible and gave a very strong calcining fire as strong as for the calcining of Vitriol into Colcotar and that for the space of almost three hours and all this while without the least appearance of any red colour or the least footstep of either Colcotar or Vitriol or Crocus of Iron it became fixt and permanent in the fire and lost little of its weight it also became whiter in colour 14. Now for certain if there had been any thing of Vitriol or Iron in it the discovery would have been made and it forc't to confess its nature by its yellow red or purple colour with so great force of fire 15. This fixt Powder having thus indured the highest degrees of heat was dissolved filtred and evaporated which when dry became a most pure white clean Salt that part of it which would not dissolve and consequently not pass the filter being dryed was an almost insipid ash-coloured Powder somewhat whiter than that which was first taken Thus we discard these two Pillars of his Spaw viz. Vitriol and Iron as to the body of them SECT 6. 1. AFter the Doctor hath declar'd these several wayes whereby Waters are impregnated with Minerals and we as closely followed him to see whether it were so or no He proceeds to tell us the nature and virtue of these Minerals first of Vitriol he saith it is eminently hot of a biting and adustive quality and yet is also stiptick and astrictive and therefore dries up superfluous humidity c. according to the account that he receives from Galen Diascorides Serapio Paulus Oribatius Aelius Actuarius Fernelius enough to tire one in the naming it is a very short abreviary from so great a number of Authors concerning that Mineral which well understood and the Remedies thereof neatly prepared would make up as Paracelsus saith a fourth Column of Medicine 2. But methinks the Doctor 's long experience in re medica should ere this have furnished him plenty of observations of the worth and virtue of so noble a Mineral unless inopem se copia fecit he hath such store that he knows not where to begin These biting and adustive stiptick and astrictive qualities of Vitriol must surely belong
Concretes which we thus prove viz. That is the first material Principle of all Bodies into which they are ultimately by a natural or artificial Analysis reducible but all Bodies are ultimately by a natural or artificial Analysis reducible into Water Ergo Water is the first material Principle of all Bodies The Major is plain and granted on all hands for the Aristotelians who plac'd the Principles of all things to be in the quaternary of Elements did it because they suppos'd but could not prove that all Bodies were reducible into those four Elements viz. of Fire Air Water and Farth so in like manner the Hermetical Philosophers in their weaving all Concretes out of their Tria prima of Sal Sulphur and Mercury did suppose them to be the first Principles because many Bodies by the artifice of the fire were reducible into some what analogous thereto And so those who encrease those three into five Principles do it because some Concretes are resolvable by fire into those five distinguishable parts which indeed are rather new products of the fire than genuine resolutions into their first Principles The Minor thereof rests to be proved viz. That all Bodies are ultimately reducible into Water by Art or Nature That it may be done by Art I shall demonstrate from an infallible Experiment of the most profound Chymical Philosopher Van Helmont who in his Tractate Entituled Elementa saith thus Nostra Mechanica mihi patefecit omne corpus puta saxum Lapidem Gemmam Silicem Arenam Marcasitam c. transmutari in Salem actualem aequi ponderantem suo corpori unde factus est quòd iste Sal aliquoties cohobatus cum Sale circulato Paracelsi suam omnino fixitatem amittat tandem transmutetur in liquorem qui etiam tandem in aquam insipidam transit quòd ista aqua aequiponderet Sali suo unde manavit viz. That by his liquor Alkahest for so I understand his words Mechanica nostra every Body whether Stones Gems Flints Sand Marcasites Earth Brick Glass Calx Sulphur c. might be transmuted into an actual Salt of the same weight with the body it was derived from or was made from and that Salt being cohobated sometimes with Paracelsus his Sal cironlatum would lose all its fixity and be transmuted into a liquor which at length would be turned into an insipid water of equal weight with the Salt whence it came He saith further Plantam carnes ossa pisces quicquid similium est novi redigere in mera sua Tria unde postmodum aquam insipidam confeci motallum autem preptor sui seminis anaticam commistionem et arena quellem difficilimè in salem reducuntur vix by the same grand Solvent liquor he knew how to reduce any plant Flesh Bones Fish and the like into their three first Principles which also were further reducible yea actually by him reduc'd into an insipid water but the reduction of a Metal was difficult by reason of the equal mixture of its Seed and so also of the reduction of Sand. Further he saith Terrae originalis sive arma tam arti quâm naturae resistat nec queat ullis adminiculis a primaeva sui constantiâ recedere unico duntaxat Grheunae drtificialis igni excepto quo arena sal fit ac tandem aqua quia vim habet agendi super sublunaria quaevis absque reactione viz that the original Earth or Sand arena Quellem resists both art and nature as to its reduction nor can it by any means recede from it Primitive constancy unless by the onely artificial fire of the Alkahest call'd by the name of Gehenna by which Sand is made Salt and at length converted into water because this solvent hath power to act upon all sublunary bodies and that without any reaction of bodies upon it By all which we may see that all bodies whatsoever are by art so transmutable as that at length they may be reduced into their simple Element of water which if it were not their first material Pricipic they could not ultimately be resolv'd thereinto for both Vegetables Animals and Minerals are by the natural Analysis of the alkahest at last reducible into common water Concerning Vegetables he saith novi aquam cujus medio omnia vegetabilia in succum distillabilem sine ullâ sui in fundo vitri residentia commutantur qui succus adjuncto alkali totus in aquam transit insipidam This is perform'd by the same Solvent liquor as the other was so that Vegetables by the powerful operation of this liquor are changed into a distillable Juyce which will pass over the helm without any Faeces or Caput mort left behind which distilled Juyce being re-distilled from Alkalies becomes totally reduced into a simple Elemental water As to Animals he saith he reduc'd Flesh Bones Fish and the like into an insipid water and as to Minerals or Metals the same is done though with more difficulty Paracelsus tells us that his Circulatum majus which he also calls acetum acerrimum metallicum primum ens liquidum Mercurii if digested upon any of the Metals doth reduce them to any oyl or supernatant fat tinctured according to the property of the Metal by which Metals are deducable into a magistery Now Helmont saith Olea pinguedines per ignem separata adjecto pauco sale Alkali saponis naturam assumunt atque in aquam elementalem abeant viz. That oyls or fats separated by fire by the addition of a little Alkali becomes Saponary and afterwards passeth into a simple Elemental water So that whether minerals and metals be by the grand liquor resolvable into a salt or into an oyl they are either way at length reducible into a water He tells us that the most rectified spirit of wine which is totus cremabilis by the intimate touch of salt of Tartar may be transmuted into an incombustible salt to the quantity of the sixteenth part of the whole the rest viz. 15 parts becomes a simple Elementary water and further that every distilled Oyl is changeable into a salt Deposito semine pinguedinis and that salt per adjuncta is convertible into water Carboquercus inquit Helmontius aquâ quadam tepore balnei spatio tridui versus est in duos liquores diaphanos fundo colore varios Quibus distillatis nil faecum remansit at ambo aequiponderabant massae carbonis liquor dissolvens manet in fundo paris ponderis sibi virium by which the excellency of the Menstruum and the reducibility of Compound bodyes in to clear liquors and those again by other additions into simple water is evident viz. that a charr'd coale of Oak should by being digested with this solvent in the heat of a Balneum for the space of three dayes be turned into two diaphanous clear liquors distinguishable in colour and consistence which being distill'd should leave no Faeces behind but should be equal in weight to the Coal it self I say this is very remarkable towards
earth to imbibe Rain-water as a sponge where it meeting with capillary veins as I may call them or small pores not clefts or crevises which are scarce to be found but amongst Rocks and Rocky Soyls sinks down by degrees into larger veins and those into Subterraneal Chanels where it makes Land-Springs which supply many Draw-wells yea and many of them run into Rivers too which help to keep Rivers high in Winter time above the ordinary pitch they are found to be upon droughts 29. The next difficulty that springs up which indeed is the most considerable is If Rain-water sink much deeper than ten foot into the caverns of the earth as he supposeth Then what shall fetch it up again to make it supply Springs that are upon Hills or high Heaths nay upon the very level of Plains themselves For it must be a retrograde motion of the same water which before descended into such low caverns of the earth Facilis descensus Averni Sed revocare gradum superasque ascendere ad auras Hic labor hoc opus 30. The next Objection he brings out of Seneca and his solution evince no more than what we grant viz. That there may be additional Land-Springs and that amongst Rocks which receive their supply from Rain and Snow-water which upon droughts are dryed up and therefore are not Quick-Springs whose Original I shall shortly hint to be otherwise besides he acknowledgeth that in solid Clay Soyls it is very rare to find any eruption of water because such are sad earth and have few or no caverns or chanels in them but our Springs Saith he break out ordinarily in rocky and gravelly ground especially the best and most lasting Springs such as we call Fontes perennes which indeed is most certainly true for they are not found but as accompanyed with a boyling gravel or sand called by Helmont Quellem or Sabulum Bulliens which makes nothing at all towards the proving his Assertion 31. The last Objection he brings out of Seneca is That in the dryest Soyl where they dig Pits two or three hundred foot deep there is often found great plenty of water which he calls Living-water as not coming from the Clouds Dr. Wittie's Solution of which Objection is thus From whence then should it come from the Sea Perhaps saith he the Sea is as many Miles from that water as the Superficies of the earth is feet from it Suppose it were say I What might hinder but that water might be carryed from the Sea by Subterraneal Chanels at far greater distances than so If Seas communicate with each other as we shall shortly endevour to prove it must be by Subterraneal Chanels many of which must be of far greater length 32. Perhaps it may come saith the Doctor from the Transmutation of Aer into Water for such a Transmutation I cannot saith he deny so that in short to me it seems as if he hovered between two whether to ascribe the Original of Spring-water to the Transmutation of Air into Water or to Snow and Rain-water Only he saith indeed It 's most probable to come from Rain so that That at the hardest and at the long run carries it yet that of the Transmutation of Air into water is not without its peradventure and that he thinks very well confirm'd too by an instance he brings in which is We see saith he Churches become wet before Rain falls from this cause Why What is the cause viz the transmutation of Air into Water and truely I am apt to believe that in moyst weather as sure as the Air is transmuted into water which moystens the Stone-Walls of buildings so sure is Air in the Bowels of the Earth transmuted into Water yea and so sure is the Original of Fountains from Rain and Snow Water 33. I wonder the Doctor 's Philosophy in his second Edition should not come forth more maturate then to adhere to this old and long since exploded transmutability of Elements which has no true solide Basis to be grounded upon For if the watryness we find in moyst weather upon stones of Walls and Floors of Buildings be from the transmutability of Air into Water and that he informs us before that reasons tells us that more then ten parts of Air will not serve for the making one of Water I think saith he twenty would be too little if so many parts I say of Air be too little to make one of water and yet so much water is made according to his own supposition as serves to moysten Stone-Walls and Floors in moyst weather before rain then what must supply the place and fall into the rear of so much transmuted Air The water thence made is but as onetoten or twenty which therefore cannot supply the necessary vacancy because one cannot make up nine much less nineteen Wherefore a horrible vacancy would if this Doctrine were true long ere this have surprised the body of Air. 34. Yea and suppose we should with him admit of the possibility of the transmutation of Air into Water in the bowels of the Earth for the furnishing of Springs for such Transmutation saith he I cannot deny and keep our proportion of twenty to one What a vast Vacuum long ere this had the Mundane Systeme groan'd under Which would have impos'd one of these two grand absurdities thereon viz. either the circulation of bodies one upon another requisite for the maintaining the unity and intirenes of the World would be intercepted by the great contiguous Vacuums which must follow wanting other bodies so to tear themselves in pieces as to supply the place of the deficient Air or else those who live in the last Ages or the longest might have cause to fear least the same mishap might fall to their lot as happens to those poor Animals that get into Squire Boyl's Air-pump viz. to dye of Spasmes and Convulsions through the thinness of the Air which would be so interspersed with contiguous Vacuums made wider yet by the frequent transmutation of Air into Water as that we should not be able to live therein or lastly we should constantly be expos'd to the same injury that those are who travail over the Mountains call'd Andes in America where the Air is so thin and rarified as they travayl not without danger of being stifled for want of Air and therefore usually they carry Sponges moystened with Water for the condensing the Air or the vapours therein which Air is so dispos'd there to Inflammations as that Travellers as the Ingenious Kircherus observes seeme to belch forth flames and being all in a sweat appear as if incircl'ed with Fire 35. I must needs indeed grant that the Air hath its Vacuolums or little Interstices its texture being like a net or spong by which it becomes the more capable of being as a vehicle for transmitting rarifyed Water and other vapours of the Atmosphere becoming thereby the better Subservient to the performing the great circulation of water from the Sea and
of Brass Copper I suppose he means for Brass is an artificial Metal from Copper by the addition of lapis calaminaris The third sort he saith is found in Liguria somewhat black by which Iron may be turned into Brass or Copper called Colcotar where by the way take notice that the Mineral Salt being separated from the Vitriol either of Mars or Venus the remaining crocus or calx of both may be and is called by the name of Colcotar the one being a red colour viz. that of the Vitriol of Iron the other a yellow colour like Occar viz. that of the Vitriol of Venus when both their Mineral Salts are separated by an artificial menstruum known to us and that without any force or violence of fire both of which sorts I have by me 2. To me all natural Vitriols seem to be reducible indeed to three viz. to that of Iron Copper and Vitriolum album that of Copper admits of great variety according to the degrees of plenty and purity of the Essurine Salt which is Sulphuris embrionati partus innaturus an unripe birth of a Sulphur in fieri being far removed as Helmont saith from a Metallick nature and nearer to the primum ens which indeed gives the medicinal virtue to Vitriols I say according as Mineral Vitriols or Metallick Solutions are enriched more or less with this Essurine Salt propria sponte illi innatum so are they reckoned to be better or worse as to Medicinal use The best of which are accounted the Cyprian Hungarian or Goslarick or Dane Vitriol being pretty well saturate with plenty of this Essurine acidity 4. Natural Vitriols I said because many artificial sorts may be made among which Roman Vitriol and viride eris may be numbred which last being cristaliz'd by Solution Filtration and Evaporation may be brought to fine Cristals by the addition of Allom c. which may much resemble the Roman Vitriol SECT 3. FIrst He is pleased to reckon up four ways whereby Water may imbibe the nature and virtue of a Mineral or Metal 1. By receiving its Vapour his instance is Water standing somewhile in a brass or iron Kettle will taste of the brass or iron to which I say viz. That no metallick body as such doth or can give a Vapour to a simple elementary Water as long as the Water is homogeneal in its parts Minerals indeed being Metals in solutis principiis may whilst such give an dour for so I had rather and think more properly call it than a Vapour to Elementary Water as for instance Antimony and its Preparations viz. either the crocus metallorum or reguline part can give an emitick property to Water or Wine So natural Vitriols which are but their Metals in fieri or in primo ente reserato can communicate the like emetick odour though indeed there is some small Solution in Water 2. But take the complete perfect Metals of these Minerals and we shall find them such compact bodies as they have no Vapours nay scarce any odour to any simple Elementary Water for instance take Lead which is the Metal of its Mineral Antimony being the complete Metalline Body of that Mineral boyl Water ad aevum in it so as it be simple Water and hath not undergone the least degree of putrefaction for then begins an analytical resolution set a work from a spurious acidity and you shall find the Water to have contracted no saturnine impression at all but if the least acioity either from the Air or admixture of any acid liquor whatever impregnate this Water it shall make a Solution of the Metal and turn it self sweet more or less according to the degree of the sharpness of that acidity till at last it come to a Saccharum Saturm or Sugar of Lead After the same manner the perfect Metals perfect I mean in specie of Iron or Copper being by frequent fusions brought to their highest degree of Metallin compaction do no longer give any solution of parts odour or vapour to simple Water as they did whilst in principiis solutis viz. in their Minerals or Vitriols the which daily experience evinceth Do we not frequently boyl our Water for Broth and most of our potable Liquors in Iron Copper or Brass Vessels and that without the least taste of any of the Metals which Metalline Vessels as such may though made of Silver or Gold give no more vertue sapour or vapour than the Metals of Glass would do to the same Liquors boyled therein if any taste happens it is from some adust soods burnt to the bottom or sides of the Vessel or the like sluttish uncleanness 3. In vain therefore are all our decoctions of Silver or Gold in Water Milk or Broth the Cordial help thence expected as frivolous for all compact Metalline bodies must have proper and peculiar Menstruums to unlock them if any medicinal Arcanum be thence expected 4. The Doctor tells us That by this way of vapour the Sc rbrough Spaw partakes of Vitriol and of Iron That Vitriol may dissolve in simple Water we have before granted but that it should give a vapour to the Water I understand not To make a Body resolve it self into vapours or minute parts of the like nature with the whole is required as I apprehend either an intrinsick or extrinsick heat or fire which or these two the Vitriol of Spaw water hath the Doctor would have done well to have assign'd If he intend an intrinsick Ubi iste focus ille vulcanus ubi what Rule acts it by that it should so constantly and strongly resolve the Vitriol into minute vaporous parts which according to the nature of a vapour should take wings and quickly flie from this Fountain and yet the Carkass of Vitriol to remain for he saith nothing to the contrary but that it is actually and substantially Vitriol still if so then the vapour is Vitriol and the Vitriol a meer vapour for the way and means by which he makes the Water partake of Vitriol is by its vapour and yet this vapour is Vitriol being one of his assigned principles What to make of this or how to make it hang together really I cannot tell 5. If he understand an extrinsick heat it must surely be from the Sun which it must either resolve the Vitriol into a vapour where the spring appears subâ—dio or if its heat penetrate the Superficies of the Earth he must assign how deep its Rayes pierceth and that the Vitriol must of necessity be wrought upon at such a depth within ground which he may do well for satisfaction and strengthning his principles lest they run to ruine assign its place and manner of conversion into vapour otherwise one of his props will of necessity fall under him 6. As Vitriol how true judge so Iron he saith gives it self by a vapour to the Water which that it doth not as a compact body of that Metal we have already sufficiently asserted inasmuch as Iron being a solid body is not
Vitriol into its primitive Elements viz. Sal acidum terra Mineralis sive Colcotar veneris or reduce viride eris into the acid Salt and cuprous body and none of these singly and alone shall be Emetick for the Spirit of Vinegar nor soure Juyce of Grapes nor the Spirit of Verdigreese is at all vomitive nor yet is the Salt of Vitriol of Venus if totally by an artificial Menstruum it be separated Emetick nor is the Spirit of the same Vitriol at all vomitive So that it 's very clear that the hostile property of vomiting is jointly from the commixtion of the Menstruum that dissolves either the Minera of Copper whence the Vitriolum cupri or of that acidity that coagulates upon the very body of Copper for making of it viride eris SECT 3. 1. I Queried with the Doctor how he came to understand that Nitre was an Ingredient and that the chief in the Spaw water being as he writes the most predominant his arguments for it were twofold the first argument he urged was this which as he thought was grounded upon experiment Take saith he the Spaw water into which put some Gauls which strikes a colour then after it hath stood awhile give the vessel a shake and somewhat like a blackish sediment will fall to the bottom then pour off the clear water and set it upon the fire and in a little time there will be a separation of a whitish curdling matter take it off the fire and let it stand to cool and there will be found another whiter precipitation than before and pour off the clear water again and this precipitate saith he tasts somewhat like to Nitre the clear remaining water being boyled up to a dryness give the rest of the Minerals 2. To which I replyed that after the first precipitation was made by the addition of Gauls the the clearly decanted water receiving an alteration from the fire begun to make a spontaneous separation of part of the contents thereof which I had no other cause from any argument of his to look upon otherwise than of the very same nature with the sediment which remained after the boyling up the rest of the water as to the taste of it which he thought was somewhat Nitrous I suppose might be spoke in favour of what he would willingly it should have tasted 3. Many solutions may upon the fire give a separation of parts which are yet but of the same nature with those left after the evaporation or distillation of the Liquor so that this whitish separation severs no distinct Ingredient from the Spaw water neither doth it evince any truth in favour of the multiplicity of principles in that water 4. His other argument which indeed is the chief he insists upon is twofold viz. first from the Nitre which is frequently found upon the Cliff at the bottom whereof the Spring break out this he thinks must needs because so near the Well contribute its assistance to the water and that which confirms him in his judgement as he imagines is that when the Rain comes it washed off this Nitre and after that more sweats thorough the earth as he supposeth and fills the vacancy of the former 5. To which we answer that it is true there is Nitre found along the Cliff near the Well but that this Nitre should contribute any influence to the water I deny by shewing first that that Nitre is ingendred chiefly from the air and next to that that it is only superficially to be found 6. First that it is chiefly begotten from the air is apparent because it is to be found very plentifully on old Walls either Brick or Free stone upon the Lime in the seams of the Walls especially where the Rain comes not but the air hath free access for otherwise the Rain washeth it off when it comes this is called Nitrum murarium or Nitrum aereum being a volatile aereal Salt coagulated upon Lime Allom Stone or the Mineral Earth of Allom. 7. To the coagulation of which Salt is required a competent body or subject which may answer the indication of a Magnet upon which these Nitrous particles floting in the air settle themselves of which sort are the forenamed bodies viz. Lime Allom Stone Mineral Earth of the same as also any fixed salt penetrating the body of an earthen Pot as likewise an Essurine Colcotar made barren of its imbred spirits by force of fire all which centre upon themselves the volatile Nitrous Atoms dispersed in the air 8. So that this Nitre lyeth not in veins of the earth as a Mineral salt as Dr. Wittie supposeth but is meerly superficial and therefore washed away by every dash of Rain for if a solution were made of the same Mineral earth where this is found it is very probable we should upon examination find nothing of Nitre in it 9. The other part of his argument which he thinks is instar omnium to confirm his opinion of Nitre the chief Ingredient is this experiment viz. that upon the exposing of the Minerals as he calls the sediment left after evaporation of the water some while in a moist and cold air that there have been found stiries or little Icikles among them which is the form of Nitre as to the veracity of the experiment we are not incredulous but that this should evince the preexistence of Nitre in that sediment is the thing we contend and very much question 10. For we say that the alluminous body left behind after evaporation of the water is of the same nature with the Mineral earth or stone of Allom found upon the Cliff and so the one as well as the other becomes equall magnetical and attract or centre upon themselves the floting Nitrous particles dispersed abroad in the air so that it is not the moist air that extraverts any preexistent nitrous parts from the body of the minerals but the vollatile nitrous salt fluctuating in the air settles it self upon proper magnetical bodies among which the sediment of the Spaw water being chiefly an Alluminous Salt is most peculiar SECT 4. 1. BUt that we may the better illustrate the truth of what we assert viz. That an acid alumenish mineral Salt preying upon and dissolving a slight touch of the Minera of Iron gives essence to this Spaw consider this following Experiment Take a duskish yellow Earth which lyeth much in veins as also interspersedly here and there upon the Cliff near the Well which is discernable enough in taste being sweet and stiptick like Vitriol or Allom or both 2. This I dissolv'd in simple distill'd Water and filtred with which mixing a little powder of Gauls gave an alteration of colour towards a purple though not speedily which with Spirit of Vitriol became clear again after the manner of the Spaw water 3. The same clear Solution of this Minera found upon the Bank under which the Spaw runs being mixed with Oyl of Tartar gives a white Coagulum of milky separation
like the water of the Spaw it self or the solution of Allom which with addition of Spirit of Vitriol or aqua fortis becomes clear and with Oyl of Tartar becomes white which may be again restored to its pristine Clarity by adding Spirit of Vitriol or aqua fortis c. 4. The fame Solution having some drops of Spirit of Harts-horn mixed therewith gives a white separation and with Spirit of Salt becomes clear again answerable in every particular to the Spaw water it self 5. Some of this clear Solution I distill'd in a Glass retort until what remained was a bright styriate floscule increasing the fire somewhat more it came to be a dry white Salt of a stiptick allumenous taste 6. The water which was distill'd off from this Salt being saved in a glass Receiver whose joints was close stopped would not give any alteration of colour either with solution of Gauls or with lixivium of Tartar which argued that no heterogeneous volatile parts of the same nature with the Salts came over the helm 7. All which put together evince no less than a parity or likeness of Principles between that Mineral earth and the Spaw water for from a parity of Principles in an homogeneal process results a likeness of products so that the Spaw is nothing else but this Essurine acid Salt in its Mineral earth in toro suo Metallico being an allumenish terrestrial Globe dissolv'd in the current Spring of water 8. For the specifical difference of all Mineral Salts depend upon these three viz. a Sulphurious acid essurine spirit water and a Mineral Glebe from the various solutions and mixtures of which arise the variety of Mineral Salts in the bowels of the earth 9. Water impregnate with this acid sulphurious spirit diffus'd thorough the occult Meanders of the terraqueous Globe according to the nature of the Mineral Glebe it meets withal it becomes coagulated into such and such a salt for if this acidulated water find a salsuginous Glebe it becomes coagulated according to the property of that Glebe together with its connate salt in a sal marine which with greater dashes of water passing thorough the subterraneal channels becomes dissolv'd and carryed into the Ocean thence the saltness of the Sea which hath its Minera from fossile salt from which also some Springs are fatturate as the Sulphur Well at Knarsbrough c. 10. If the suphurious acidulate water meet with Nitrous Veins it coagulates into Nitre which being by other current streams of water dissolv'd very probably become the original of intensely cold springs viz. such as Magnus Well Cockroft Well c. which though to touch extremely cold yet by an intrinsick sulphurious warming property doth so notably open the pores of such as are bathed therein as that it resolves the congealed blood and latex settled about the joints and outward parts of the body thence becoming the cause of Pains Aches Stiffness Numbness and Lameness of the joints which by the penetrating opening virtue of those Nitrous springs are resolv'd and thence a redintegration of the glyssent ferments of the blood and humours which give warmth and motion to all the parts again 11. If the aforesaid essurine water find a Mineral Iron bed it becomes determin'd thereby either into a Vitriol or becomes the original of most acid Spaws called Fontes aciduli sharp springs such as Tunbridge Epsom Knarsbrough c. amongst which this of Scarbrough is not the least 12. The sweet Spaw of Knarsbrough is but languid of Mineral principles having but a very slight touch of the Minera of Iron and hath the essurine acidity but in a very remiss degree thence it is that great quantities must be gulped down before any sensible operation by purgation 13. As the Minera of Iron terminates the sulphurious acidity into vitrioline sharp springs so in like manner the Minera or primum ens of Copper coagulates this essurine salt into a cuprous Vitriol and that either fossile to be digged out of Mines or iâ— further dissolv'd in a water spring which by exhaling the moisture by the Sun or by boyling it up over a fire it shoots into Vitriol Or lastly this acidity is coagulated in Mineral cuprous stones which being expos'd to the air become resolv'd by the falling of Rain water thereon which after filtration and boyling up shoot in great troughs into common Vitriol 14. But if this essurine sulphurious water find an allumenish Glebe or Rock it becomes thereby coagulated into natural Allom receiving a specifical difference from that particular Mineral Glebe whereby it becomes different from the other coagulations of the same Mineral acidity which by further dissolution in the current of a water spring give being to this of Scarbrough and other the like Spaws SECT 5. 1. NOw whence the great variety of Mineral glebes should proceed is a Philosophical query worthy our most choice consideration especially seeing that from the multiplicity hereof the sulphurious acid spirit becomes determined to this or that particular specifical salt of sal marine Nitre Vitriol and Allom. 2. For in these the Metals are in solutis principiis in their primitive juyces their Mercuries though volatile crude and undigested yet are spermatical and as such are the radical moisture of Metals not to say the Mercury of Philosophers these are apt to be coagulated and maturated into Metals by the embryonate Sulphurs which lurk in intimis Thalamis glebarum metallicarum which according to the purity or impurity of the terrestrial Matrix and degrees of the graduation of the Sulphurs are determined and specificated in imperfect and perfect Metals to the completing the septenary of the Metallick order besides their middle Minerals which are in the Road to Metalization 3. That all Metals and Minerals have their innate seeds shut up in themselves we shall not need to spend time to confirm in auro semina sunt auri quamvis abstrusas recedunt longius seeing that their spermatick principles become prolifick suo more whose seed operating in a volatile crude Mercury and an embrionate Sulphur become deducible after the manner of a natural genesis unto their state of maturation accord to the process of their concretes in the Vegetable kingdom 4. We may therefore consider that as God the original Founder of all beings hath implanted in the superficies of the earth that great variety of vegetable seeds whence the diversity of Plants not only sprung up at first but by their seminal beginings or somewhat analogous thereto have continued to propagate themselves in their species 5. Every Vegetable at its proper season by the instigation of the heavenly influences having its seminals set at work in which it hath its own specifick faber or if I may so call it Archeus which by its innate plastick power begins to hew forth it self a body out of the elementary principle of water shaping it self in stalk branches leaves flowers seeds and fruits according to the platform laid in the seminal beginings
and laxation of the vessels thereof the cause of great evacuations which sometimes happen to the great impoverishment of the blood and spirits and much enfeebling of the Patient and the cause of Syncope's Lypopsychia's Faintness Swoonings c. and that meerly by the loss of blood and scirits 35. The Cure of these uterine Diseases is next to be confidered where if the Diseases be from obstructions making the blood flow back into the mass thereof before a menstrual defedation of the same in such the Spaw if in any Diseases is effectual and that because the Essurine Salt thereof is very prevalent in opening of obstructions walheth away the sordes which usually cling to the osculations of the vessels of the Womb and absterseth notably every tartareous recrement fastened to the sides of the said vessels in as much as there is a Sal quoddam minerale excrementitium or tartarum resolutum of which whether the Womb Liver Spleen Reins Pancreas Mesentery or Stomach be the minera thereof it causeth as Helmont saith great trouble to the Patient insignes parere laborantibus molâ—stias which will not obey the mandates of common solutives 36. In order to which if Sal Martis viz. the Sugar of Steel or the Crocus Martis or Powder of Steel it self be given after a due manner as soon as they come into the stomach the Salt of Steel being in a Vehicle whether water or wine the Crocus therein contained precipitates unto which the foresaid spurious excrementitious Salt hasts becomes coagulated thereon and carryed away by seidge whence the blackness of excrements in those who take chalibeate Medicines The same also happens if either the Crocus of Steel and powder of Steel be inwardly taken and in some cases very proper and effectnal 37. Now because in the Spaw water there is no Crocus Martis no body of Iron at all but only a sleight touch of the minera thereof I should advise for helping the waters to work this effect to dissolve therein at sometimes half a scruple or more of rightly prepared Sugar of Steel which no doubt would make the water more effectual for precipitating and carrying away this foresaid Tartarum solutum which otherwise often pertinaciously adheres to the vessels and proves rebellious to ordinary solutives or purging Medicines to which purpose some vitrioline waters especially where a larger portion of the body of Iron is dissolved is of more efficacy in this case than this which as I said before may easily be helped by an artificial addition For commonly in the most obdurate obstructions and Diseases thence depending this Sal excrementitium clings closely to the osculations of the vessels and is the cause why the Green-Sickness in some young women is so difficult to Cure Which sometimes bends not to the single help of this or other Spaws where little or no body of a Mineral is found nor to a Galenical method of Blooding Purging c. but only or chiefly to chalibeate Medicines and some resolving penetrating Diaphoreticks 38. In the defects of Critical evacuations in young women the obstructions may be so great as to cause an uterine Asthma Suffocation Epilepsie Palsie c. Which obstructions being removed by the Spaws and chalibeate Medicines those Diseases because uterine and depending thereon are forthwith Cured to which the change of Air doth not a little contribute by adding a volatizing ferment to the blood whereby it becomes more capable of being absolv'd from the tartareous recrement to circulate the more freely in the vessels 39. As the Spaw water and chalibeate Medicines have an aperient virtue of refolving the tartareous obstruent so also they strengthen and constringe the fibrous Systole of the Membranous parts helping them to do their work which before they flagged under hence they are proper for Diarrhea's Dysenteria's Lienteria's Coeliaca's c. All which proceeding from a coagulation of the foresaid tartareous recrement upon the fibres of the Membranous parts which makes them forget their functions weakens and loosens the fibres whereby they cannot retain what they should but carries all off with a preposterous Diastole The Fibres of the uterine Membranes are often very well constring'd by the Spaws as I said and chalibeate Medicines and reduc'd from being too great prodigals that before spent their own and a great part of the stock of the body 40. But if the uterine Disease rise a note higher by being graduated from a virulency in the blood so as thence to cause Hysterical Fits Syncope's Lypopsychia's c. Then will Medicines of an higher rank be requisite for the Spaws and Chalibeats will not reach them To which purpose I have seen Elixir Proprietatis well Prepared after a previous proper purgation operate notably in allaying these uterine furies mitigating the acrimonious virulency of the blood and thereby composing the otherwise furibund Archeal Faber of the Womb. 41. Helmont in these cases commends the volatile tincture of Coral and the Arcanum ignis sive dulcedo Sulphuris è Vitriolo Veneris which Ignis Veneris doth allay the ragings of that furious animal by the anodyne Sulphur thereof also his Electrum Minerale which is a bright resplendent Mineral Marcasite of Gold also Asafoetida and Castor and the Oyl of Amber Paracelsus highly extolls the fume of Horse-warts taken ex infundibulo per inferâ—ora sometimes a draught of cold Spring-water the smoak of burnt Feathers also Amulet as Asafoetida hung about the neck which two last save one with the like of that tribe do only palliate the Disease 42. A good Deoppilative Medicine together with a proper Diaphoretick and sutable Anodynes are most requisite in these Diseases such I mean as may answer the indications thereof both by aperient Diaphoretick and Nepenthine Remedies A short Description of Malton Spaw 1. THe like Ingredients of the Scarborough Spaw hath also the Spaw at Malton and consequently according to all probability the same operation as to the parity of Mineral Ingredients will appear if you put either the powder or solution of Gauls thereto it presently gives an opacity first purple then black after the manner as the same doth to the Scarborough water or to a solution of Allom stone into which if Spirit or Oyl of Vitriol be dropt that water of the Malton Spaw as well as the rest will become clear again If Oyl of Tartar be dropt into the same cleared water it becomes troubled again c. 2. If Oyl of Tartar be dropt into some fresh water of the Malton Spaw it makes a white Coagulum or milky separation dispersed through the whole if Oyl of Vitriol be dropt into that milk water it clears it after a little ebullition from the two contrary Salts The same Spaw with the addition of the volatile spirit of Harts-horn c. makes a white separation and with Oyl of Vitriol becomes clear 3. This water I have distilled in a glass-Retort with a gentle fire and after the simple elementary water was come off there
transmutation of Earth into Water for the supply of Springs it 's so absurd that its enough to name it although the Dr. is too credulous in telling us he can easily believe That the thinner part of the Earth may be turned into Water as also the grosser parts of Water into Earth So the thinner and more subtile parts of Water into Air and the grosser parts of Air into Water arguing a Transmutability of the Quaternary of Elements amongst themselves which I wish he could make me believe too by any ocular demonstration 5. As for that Transmutation of Air into Water for the supposed supply of Springs it 's Aristotle's opinion and Dr. Wittie denying this Thesis yet saith that reason tells us that more then ten parts of Air will not serve for the making but of one part of Water I think saith he by Parenthesis twenty would be to little But if I should be heard to speak in this case it should be Paradoxical and that thus viz. that five parts of Air would be too much and five thousand parts thereof would be too little for the making one part of Water 6. I shall therefore first endeavour to impugne his Thesis of Snow and Rain-Water to be the Original of all Springs by being Negative therein Next to which I shall assume a positive Thesis from the Circulation of Water in the Terraqueous Globe by the mediation of Subterraneal Chanels from Sea to Sea yea and from the Sea to the Heads of Springs from them into Rivulets and those again into Rivers and those into the Ocean and so circulate round 7. First therefore that Snow and Rain-Water should give Original to living Springs as we call them cannot be because then upon deficiency of Snow and Rain-Water as usually happens in long droughts these Springs would certainly fail But we find the contrary viz. that in long continued droughts when all Land-Springs are thereby dried that yet the true Quick Springs are as fluent as ever Ergo they are not fed by Snow or Rain-Water I cannot indeed deny but that Quick-springs are not without their additional supplies from Land-Springs which are fed by Snow or Rain-Water and thereupon may in long droughts having those auxiliaries drawn off become less able to manage that strong current they had before yet doth it not therefore follow but that these Springs when solitary fetch their Original deeper then Rain Water can sink 8. Yea suppose we should grant that some few of these Quick-Springs should for the generality of them do not prove deficient through long continued droughts yet this may very probably happen upon a double account First because the Quick-Spring it self may be lengthened by the additional supply of a Land-spring being suppose but an arme of that larger Channel which is carried under ground at a greater distance to another Spring of a more strong current and therefore a drought taking away its Auxiliaries may thereby break off an arm and make it run in its strong single Channel along the Sabulum bulliens to an other Spring-head where it glides currently away 9. The next reason why some few Quick-Springs as I said may in long droughts prove dry'd up is because the Superficies of the earth is so exhausted of that Natural moysture which should supple it for Vegetation and the like as that it imbibes it into its self like a Spung and the Spring spends its stock to moysten the thirsty earth about it and so proves deficient in its current But when the earth becomes again satiated by irrigating showers then that which before was diverted to moysten the Earth finds its Channel again and runs as fluently as ever 10. The second reason why Springs have not their Original from Snow and Rain-Water is because we find Springs break forth upon the tops of Hills or Mountains which flow even in the greatest droughts Now if Rain-Water should at that season onely supply them then of necessity upon want of Rain and continuance of long droughts these must be dryed up yea and that very speedily too because they want a supply from their essential constituent Cause which according to his Thesis is Snow or Rain-water But by experience we find the contrary viz that Quick-Springs even in long droughts do keep their current therefore Snow and Rain-Water are not the constituent or efficient Cause of Quick-Springs 11. The third reason that makes me scruple the Veracity of this Hypothesis is because neither the Dr. nor the rest of the Assertors thereof have duly assign'd the manner or Method the Pipes Channels or Conduits how Springs having their Original from Snow or Rain should ascend and mount the tops of Hills and spring forth in the uppermost parts of high Heaths And why upon the truth of the assertion they should not rather alwayes be thrust down into Vallies and confin'd to low declive places as being more proper for the heavy body of Water according to their own supposition of its being next in weight to Earth to descend then contrary as they say to the nature thereof to ascend To make Water climb a Hill forcing it volens nolens up the inside when all the contrivance they have cannot do the same upon the outside thereof Methinks they should have indeavoured to have extricated themselves and the world from these suspicious doubts before they had impos'd their Thesis 12. For by this supposition a great part of Rain-Water falling for the supply of Springs sinks down by secret passages into the Earth What then must force this Water contrary to its natural inclination up the bank to make it spring forth out of the tops of Hills and high places Surely the contrivers of this Hypothesis had not their eyes every way did not cast about to salve all the incident Phaenomena of this Doctrine All the reason I find Dr. Wittie gives for its Ebullition out of the Earth is a tendency towards its proper place which is the convex part of the Earth By which it should seem that the Water while in the Bowels of the Earth is out of its place and therefore must by a certain force ab extra as to its self be reduc'd to its natural place What this should be that may make the Water recoyle or drive upward contrary to it own Nature the Doctor would have done well to have assign'd For no body can be suppos'd to have a natural tendency in that where a force is impos'd but here is a natural tendency to the proper place viz. the convex part of the Earth and yet this is carryed upwards a contrary motion to that that is proper to water so that in good earnest it implyes no less then a tacit contradiction 13. For he expresly saith That the Springing forth or Eruption of the Water is not made by any forcible agitation compulsion or violence that is put upon it ab extra within the Earth c. but from its own natural inclination and tendency towards its
the Sea is found at sometimes great plenty of Naphtha and Bitumen which comes from the Bituminous Sea call'd Mortuum from its Lentor or toughness it 's call'd also Mare Asphalticum from Bitumen of which it has great plenty whose shores have great store of Bituminous Pits Into this Sea Jordan runs which having no other way to emptie it self but by these Subterraneal Chanels carries along with it its Bituminous offspring into the Red-Sea and that by a Chanel of 62 Leagues for so far is the Asphaltick from the Red-Sea The same happens to all Seas Lakes and great Rivers which receive others into themselves but let none forth by visible arms and therfore do it by Subterraneal passages 49. Other Lakes there are whose Superficies lies level with that of the Hydrophylacia and therefore are as Springs of the deep kept for a reserve for the furnishing upon occasion the grand Circulation Many other Rivers besides what are named do hide their Chanels in the Earth for many miles together and appear again as the Rhine in Germany Padus in the Alps but especially Guadiana of old call'd Anas a River in Spain which runs under ground in a subterraneal Chanel for 32 Miles together and breaks up again which gave occasion to the Spaniards to boast of their great Bridge which will feed so many thousand Sheep also the River Rye in Yorkshire as Dr. Wittie acknowledgeth runs under ground a quarter of a Mile and then appears again 50. And as by this Circulation of Water all Inland Seas Lakes c. communicate by Subterraneal Chanels or by visible arms one with another and at length with the common Ocean it self So by the mediation of the same hidden pipes conveyed along the Sabulum the Water circulates from the Seas and Hydrophylacia unto the Spring-heads which breaks forth at great distances either in Levels Valleys Hills or Mountains 51. Now to determine the cause of the Waters rising above the Level of the Superficies of the Sea up into the tops of Hills and Mountains a motion seemingly and indeeed really according to the Hydrostatick Laws of water considered as Extravasated contrary to the nature of the weight of Water will be here very considerable being the main thing objected against the Hypothesis of Springs taking their Original from the Sea To the better understanding of which we shall propound 52. First that this Thesis supposeth and has hitherto partly proved a Circulation of Waters or a running round from the Ocean into In-land Seas and Lakes and those into each other and back again into the Ocean but whilst running into each other they also run along other Subterraneal Chanels at great distances under the Earth until they break up into Springs Fountains and Rivers and those often as I said above the Level of the Sea Now in every Circulation or Circle there is strictly neither beginning nor end because round as a wheel or ring so that wherever you determine a beginning in a Circle there also is the end 53. But that we may be the more demonstrative I shall for better apprehension determine a beginning of this Circulation and that shall be from the Sea and from the efficient cause moving the Seas which will be the last again in the Circle and this we suppose to be the Winds Storms and pressure of the Atmosphere upon the surface of the Seas together with the influence and Ellipsis of the Moon which probably gives being to the Flux and Reflux of the Sea by causing a depression of the waters at two opposite places in the Terraqueous Globe and an accumulation of the Seas answerable thereto in the two other Quadrants of the Globous Circle which swelling of the Sea is always opposite each Tumor possessing a whole Quadrant of the vast Ocean these Tumors rowl about the earthy Globe in Twenty four hours thereby agitating the whole bulk of the Seas and driving up the waters by the Subterraneal Chanels into the Hydrophylâ—cia and from thence by Hydragogal Syphons up Hills Mountains and high Heaths to the heads of Springs and Fountains 54. That there is besides the weight of Clouds Storms Winds c. a pressure of Water by Air is evident in common Hydrostatick Experiments for if you put down a glass Tube into a vessel of water you will find the water in the Tube to be above the level of the water in the vessel and that for no other cause than that the pressure of the Air upon the surface of the water in the vessel is stronger than the resistance of that Ayr that is pent up in the Tube and that it is so is evident because if you stop up the upper end of the Tube with your thumb or the like you will find that the Ayr in the Tube not having the liberty of recoyling becomes strong and presseth so much upon the water as that it raiseth up the water in the vessel to such a height proportionable to the compass of the Tube which I have thus tryed by taking a pint-white-Viol fill'd with water to about a fingers breadth of the mouth into which I let down a glass Tube stopping the upper end closely with my thumb the Ayr in the Tube would so press upon the water as that the glass would in a manner be quite full but upon removing my thumb the water would immediately run up the Tube two or three fingers breadth above the level of the water in the Viol and bubble up to and again till it settled a little above the surface of the water in the Viol and that still because water follows the strongest impulse of Ayr which while the Tube is closely stop'd bears down the water and raiseth it on the surface thereof whereas when the Ayr in the Tube has liberty again then the water being pressed by the Ayr upon the Superficies thereof mounts up speedily above the level of the water in the Viol. 55. So in like manner we see in a Weather-glass which is suppose a Globe or Egg-glass inverted into a vessel of water which if you do without altering the tone of the Ayr in the glass the water riseth very little within the Tube and that because of the resistance that is made by the unaltered Ayr in the glass but if you heat the glass and thereby thin the Ayr you will find the water to ascend gradually to a considerable height above the level of the water in the vessel which suppose to be done in the foresaid pint-Viol and you shall see the water five or six fingers breadth above the surface of the water in the Viol which when cool set it before the fire or expose it to the heat of the Sun so the heat be proportionable and you will find it descend as fast as it ascended before 56. Which argues That Ayr when altered by heat gives a different and that a less pressure upon the body of water than when it is in its natural texture and therefore upon the
attenuating of Ayr by heat in an inverted oval glass the water seems to be drawn up by a kind of Suction as some would have it or to prevent a Vacuum as others think but most probably if not demonstratively it ascends gradually and sensibly for this cause viz That when the Ayr in the glass which before by heat was attenuated is either by cold reduced into its pristine form or having as so thinn'd but a languid pressure is therefore by a more strong Elastick force of Ayr upon the surface of the water forc'd up till it come to such a height as the pressure of Ayr within and that without the glass are brought to an Aequilibrium or equal poysure I mean till the springy power of the Ayr within and without the glass be of an equal force and there it stands till the springy power of the Ayr within the glass by heat becomes dilated and then it forceth down the water in the Tube and makes the water in the Viol rise higher proportionable to the degree of the attenuation of the Ayr. 57. That the Ayr receives a considerable alteration by heat is further confirm'd by the experiment of inverting a glass Cucurbit over a Candle fastened with tallow upon the bottom of a glass or earthen Bason wherein water is first poured to the height of two or three fingers breadths where the heat of the Candle doth so weaken the spring of the Ayr within the Glass that it wanting the help of the circulating Ayr always requisite to the perpetuating the motion of bodyes which is intercepted by the body of water that in stead thereof the Water it self circulates being forc'd thereto by the spring of the Air that presseth upon it from without and therefore it riseth up to a great height of the glass-body as I have sometime seen upon tryal thereof and puts out the Candle which Experiment seems somewhat to contradict the former of a Weather-glass though in reality it doth not for although there heat makes it descend but here it makes it ascend yet if we consider that in that of the Weather-glass the Air in it is first thinn'd by heat before the glass be put into water and therefore when it 's condensed by cold it draws up the water or rather the water is forced by the outward Spring of the Air and follows it to an Aequilibrium but in this last Experiment the glass is inverted into water without any previous alteration of the Air therein which being to supply the motion of a body viz. the burning of the Candle doth it for a while but wanting a fresh supply from other Air without to promote the Circulation thereof always necessary for the motion of bodies the want thereof makes the strong spring of the Air upon the surface of the water to force up the water it self into the glass-body From which Experiments result these following Corollaries viz. First That a Circulation of Air is requisite for the motion of all bodies the Candle in the glass we see extinguisheth for want thereof by forcing up the water in lieu of Air. Secondly That Air may be attenuated by the heat of the Sun whereby the same portion of Air may be made to extend it self over a larger space witness the heating the glass in the first of the two last Experiments Thirdly That this Air thus attenuated and extended by the heat of the Sun is the reason why culinary fire dies or goes out when the Beams of the Sun are cast upon it because they thin the Air and the Air is the natural Bellows of Fire which Fire burns according to the intenseness or remisness of the Air. Fourthly That the Air thus thinn'd makes way for water to ascend up the small veins thereof which are like so many slender Syphons by which it mounts from Earth Waters and Seas up into the Clouds for the supply of Rain and Snow which Syphons in droughty hot weather are mostwhat at work carrying it upward whereas in moist weather the water descends by the same Syphons and moisten the Ground with Dew and Walls or Floors of Stone-buildings in wet Seasons so that the reputed Exhalations of moisture by the Sun for the supply of Rain is no other than this gradual steaming up of slender Syphons whereby water mounts insensibly the uppermost part of the Atmosphere Fifthly That in great heat of weather many Diseases happen through the thinness of the Air for the Air in the Lungs is the Bellows of the vital Fire in the Heart which if it become attenuated either through a general heat in the Air whence ariseth frequently some Epidemical Disease or through the obstructions of the Lungs themselves whereby the Air for want of foundness of Organs becomes thinn'd before it come to volatize the Blood in its current from the right to the left Ventricle of the Heart causeth Faintings Lassitudes Candialgia's Asthma's Deliquiums and in Women Swoonings Palpitations rousing up the Spleen and Mother c. yea in fine makes the Lamp of Life burn dark and dimly whereas the Air by cold being reduc'd to its pristine form and the Lungs freed from obstructions quickens the vital Ferment sharpens the appetite makes the vital Fire burn clearly and makes evident that the Ferments of the several Digestions are vital for in cold weather we find our appetites more acuated our Ferments more vigorous and the Digestions more powerful But I will not though I might here further enlarge to shew how the Air in a due order contributes to the invigorating the Ferments and how much it conduceth in the change thereof towards the curing Diseases But I proceed Sixthly And which chiefly concerns our present purpose assert That the heat of the Sun contributes by thinning the Air towards the circulation of water from Seas to Springs and from water upon the earth to Clouds For the Sun whilst he is suppose in the Northern Signs especially towards the Tropick of Cancer casts his rays pretty powerfully upon those Places which are within the oblique position of the Sphere though not perpendicularly as it happens to those Places situated under the right position of the Sphere where the Aequator cuts the Horizon at right Angles whilst he is I say in the Northern Signs by his heat he thins the Air of those Regions especially as those Places fall under the Meridians as some Places must alwaies do the Sun in his supposed Diurnal Circuit making Twenty four Meridians the Air under these Meridians especially in those places where the Sun is or inclines to be Vertical being attenuated makes the Air circulate the more strongly towards the other Quadrants of the Terraqueous Globe causing there a stronger pressure upon the Surface of the Seas and this must be constantly done because the Sun really or apparently is alwayes in motion about the Earth who in his Circuit thins the Air of those Places which lie most directly under his Beams and so makes the Air as
the same cause it 's very probable that the fertility of Aegypt is promoted by the overflowing of Nilus for rain-Rain-Water doth contain of this Salt which as I said before being carryed over the Country by Winds are not let down save what moysture drills down by the Syphons of the Air till the clouds come to the Mountains of Aethiopia where being let forth in great abundance they wash down along with them a Nitrous Salt from the Earth of the Mountains which still adds to the fertility of the ground and that the Air at that time hath plenty of this Nitre in it is found because if a turfe be digg'd up from the ground as they usually do to know the height of the floud and weigh'd they do find it to increase considerably as the Water doth in height with a moysture which is impregnate with a Nitrous Salt For the Earth of that Country is very Magnetical and therefore is fertile without showers falling immediately thereon and in lieu thereof hath plenty of dews which commonly has the greatest quantity of the fructifying Salt in them and the flowing of Nilus which River is strongly impregnated with this Nitrous Salt from which much Nitre is made and brought into these Northern parts 87. Yea all the great difference of natural Soyls for some far exceed others in fruitfulness seems to depend upom this very hing viz. that some are naturally more replete with or at least are more magnetical of the Nitrous Salt then others 88. Thus we see that it 's a Nitrous Salt that both fertilizeth Earth as also maketh River-Water serviceable for the foresaid uses for as it distinguisheth Earths as to their fruitfulness so likewise it makes the difference betwixt River and Spring-Water and that it doth so I am confirm'd by an experiment I tryed for my better information therein viz. I took of a Well-Water in my own ground which is supply'd by a true Quick-Spring though it never runs over because in our greatest droughts it is never nere dry I took I say a gallon or more of this Water which alone never bears Soap in which I caus'd two dragmes of Nitre to be put over night which heated the next morning I ordered the Maid to put some of the usual Soap thereto and to wash me some linnen therein which she did and it made a very good Lather as they call it and was as fit for the purpose and perhaps better then if she had taken so much River-Water The like I suppose Spring-Water would do if it were suffered to run through a Tub fill'd with Earth especially if that Earth hath not been too much exhausted of its Nitre by previous Vegetation 89. So that we see that Water in its great Circulation with its included circle of Rain doth in its passage through or over such Earths pregnant with this Nitrous Salt become so much salturate therewith as to make River-Water useful for the foresaid purposes towards which as also to Vegetation Rain-Water doth not a little contribute by carrying along with it the influence of this Acreal Salt for it will bear Soap and Yeast and I suppose Bleach as well if not better then River-Water not here to say how much dew especially May-dew is replenish'd with this volatile Nitrous Salt which contributes not a little to the Vegetation of the fruits of the Earth nor to say what key to a Philosophick Menstruum is hereby hinted concerning which consult Sendivogius and the Tractate de sale Philosophorum Tilemannus his Appendix and other Hermetical Philosophers 90. Now to conclude as Water in the grand Circulation in the Bowels of the Earth meets with different Salts and Mineral Earths it becomes the subject matter wherein these work upon each other and make Mineral or hot Springs and that from a nitrous or volatile Hermetick Salt floating as well in the Air of the Caverns as above the Earth which being condensed upon a proper Magnetick or Virgin-Earth which the Water in its passage runs thorough dissolves the Salt and after meeting with a Mineral Earth of Sulphur or Sulphure vive makes an ebullition therewith and not being carryed far breaks forth in a hot Spring witness the experiment of Monsieur de Rochas in his Tractate De Aquis Sulphureis which I find plac'd at the latter end of the Sixth Volum of the Theatrum Chymicum who tells us that finding a hot Spring near that Mountain whence the River Padus in the Alps takes its Original and desirous to search out the cause thereof digg'd along its Chanel with Laborers for 15 days together who found as they came nearer to the source the hotter was the current and that too though the Mountain was covered with Snow But first he evaporated 40 Ounces of the Hot spring-Spring-Water and 5 was left of a slimy matter which being further examin'd gave three Ounces of a Sweet and fusil Salt the rest was a slimy fat matter which by Fire shewes it self to be of a Sulphureous Nature after digging as aforesaid he found the Original of the hot Spring by observing a very great ebullition with much froth who to search yet further digg'd on for three hours along the Chanel of the same Spring and found the Water beyond it to be very cold which was the Current of the same Spring and had lost both it's tast and heat wherefore he took a part of that hot Earth which seem'd to give heat to that Spring and also some of the Water in the very source tryed them both found the Earth to be a pure simple Minera of Sulphur and found the water to be impregnated with a Salt which he calls for want of an other name Sal Hermeticum by which it was manifest that the spirit or salt contained in that water by penetrating the substance of that sulphureous earth was the cause of the great Ebullition which is the same as in pouring Water upon calx vive or in making Tartaruns vitriolatum But to be further satisfied he ordered the Labourers to dig 12 days longer and found the current to be clear and sweet like ordinary Fountain-Water but the Earth to be Salt in tast with which the current of water was impregnated and therefore he examin'd the Earth by infusing it in Rain-Water decauting off the clear as it was settled the one half whereof he boyled up in a Copper Vessel the other part he distill'd in a Glass Alembick to try whether way would yield the more Salt and found much less both as to quantity and quality in that done in the Copper-Vessel than in that distill'd in the Glass-body Then he infus'd this Earth again in the same Rain-Water and found a Salt of the same nature as before but less in quantity which extraction he repeated a third time but found no Salt at the last The earth therefore he expos'd to the Air and found after a time it was impregnated with the same Salt which Salt being separated and the Earth become
probably may become occult yea at length be reckoned amongst non entia 35. He tells us what Dioscordes will have Iron to do viz. to loose the belly especially commending the flower or filings of Brass to that purpose this is like the rest incongruous for I believe neither Dioscordes nor himself ever gave the flower or filing of Brass if they did at least never to have had ground-work of observing a solutive property therefrom for if I mistake not should the Doctor give filings of Copper to any Patient of his he would find that by that time the filings had got into the stomach and had become fret upon by the acid ferment thereof it would presently become desperately emetick being by that time become as violent a Vomiter as if so much viride aris or common Vitriol had been taken 36. Now Iron saith he being joyned with Vitriol in this water partakes of the nature of Brass and is therefore the more purging and opening from which conjunction I think it is that most of our Vitrioline Waters in England do loosen the belly which if it be true that Iron joyned with Vitriol in this water partakes of the nature of Brass then must it of necessity as I said before prove constantly emetick which the Doctors long experience witnesseth to the contrary what difference of operation would it have from so much viride aeris or common Vitriol dissolv'd in a large quantity of water seeing that both of them are made from the body of Copper or Brass fretted by the acidity of Vineger or other acid alumenous liquor so that the water wherein this nature of Brass is becoming wrought upon by the acid ferment of the stomach would certainly become as powerfully emetick as the other and then this Spring would lose its good report 37. We have already sufficiently ravell'd into the nature of both Vitriol and Iron throughly discovering their inconsistency in a Water-spring which we are loth again to repeat therefore what we have already said to that point being premiz'd his Thesis of the reason of Purgation of these Vitrioline Waters will naturally and of its own accord fall in as much as any sort of Vitriol made out of Copper or Brass is as I said before dangerously emetick and not fit for an honest Physician to prescribe SECT 7. 1. ALlom is another principle of which according to Gallen he reckons up three sorts all of which are of gross parts and very stiptick abstersive heating and something corrosive c. as say Gallen Oribasius Aetius Serapio Fernelius c. 2. Which of these sorts it is that is the Ingredient of this Water the Doctor had done well to have put the World out of doubt for otherwise he leaves us in as great a Mist nay greater than he found us for the describing the virtues thereof he seems to mean no other than that artificial factitious Allom used by Dyers and Chyrurgeons which as such is a Mineral compound Salt which no doubt if the Water have any such Ingredient must be a simple Mineral Salt centred in the bowels of the Mineral Stone of Allom without any superadditionary additaments of Urine Salt of Kelp c. 3. Nitre another Ingredient is he saith of two sorts natural and artificial the natural tends to a reddish colour as saith Serapio Gallen saith there is also a white sort so that unless Serapio or Gallen tell us the kinds of Nitre we shall have little account thereof from Dr. WITTIE of which white fort he saith it is plain that this of ours is I suppose he means the white natural sort and yet goes on without distinction describing the virtues of the artificial sort saying it is wont to be mixed in Medicines when we would attenuate and deterge it 's added he saith to Cerats and Plaisters in Distempers of the Nerves 4. By all which it should seem indeed by his discourse as if this artificial kind of Nitre used in Shops were the Nitrous Ingredient of the Water and then we should consult where those Salt-petermongers are those subterraneal nimble sons of Vulcan who must furnish this Spring with this artificial sort of Salt-peter and further query whether if the Troglodites knew the use of Sulphur and Dust of Charcole they might not envying Mortals this happiness unfortunately and to the great loss of the Doctor blow up this Spring 5. Salt is the fifth and last Principle or Ingredient of the Spaw perhaps because it is so neer the Salt Water of the Sea and indeed looking a little further I find he saith he thinks it receives the Salt from the Sea but how demonstrable I know not for if any such Marine Salt was in this Spring it would certainly upon distillation or evaporation be left in the sediment and then would as evidently be demonstrable by the taste as we see the Sulphur Well of Knarsbrough having a body of Salt in it upon evaporation leaves it all behind in the bottom of the vessel so here a little proportion of Sea Salt would make the sediment sufficiently brackish and that distinguishable enough if it were there 6. But we find not the least foot-step of any such Salt left after the evaporation or distillation of the water neither is any separable by any known art of separation of Mineral Salts for after the sediment of the Spaw is further calcined by the force of fire and another separation is made by solution filtration and evaporation yet is the separated Salt so far remov'd from any such brackish taste as that it is quite of another perceptible taste so that the presence of such a Marine Salt is no otherwise than meerly imaginary and therefore to be taken up by praecarious Philosophers 7. Thus you see I have run through his five Principles or Ingredients of the Spaw found him tripping at every turn and very much inconsistent with himself for notwithstanding the latitude of his assumed Principles wherein he might have had scope enough to have sported himself inter thaumata Dei amongst the Wonders of God in the Mineral Kingdom yet we find him ever and anon so and so narrowly pent up as if he had not room to turn him so streight lac'd is the Aristoletick and Gallenical Philosophy in the whole triplicity of Nature Pars Secunda SECT 1. IT is now high-time after the unhinging of Dr. WITTIES Principles to come to make a serious scrutiny into the real Principles of this Spaw and though I have made Animadversions upon all his five Ingredients shewing the inconsonancy and inconsistency of them as he hath laid them down yet without any intention or thought of denying them all but to hold to those which we might find demonstrable by experiment 2. For which intention I went purposely to Scarbrough and took along with me several Liquors and Spirits by which I thought I might best essay the native Ingredients of the water I took also along with me a solution of the five Ingredients
according to the Doctors supposition each of them being in several glasses viz. a solution of Nitre Allom Vitriol of Copper Vitriol of Iron and common Salt and desired him for the evincing the truth of his Principles that he would please to mix these in such a proportion in a glass of fresh water as might resemble the taste of the Spaw water and would equally with it answer the same coagulations and solutions 3. So when we came to the Well I desired an essay might be made of the mixture of those five solutions in fresh water to try if we could imitate the Spaw thereby he told the company that I expected from those Minerals which had undergone the fire to see the same as from those which had not passed the fire I answer'd they were naked and bare solutions of the Mineral Ingredients made without any stress of fire and therefore might well be taken to make experiment withall when he seemingly refus'd it I called for a porrenger of fresh water and put some of each of these solutions in tasting it after each distinct Ingredient was put in 4. The Vitriol of Iron made it taste very like the sweet Spaw at Knarsbrough a little of the solution of Nitre and Salt did not much alter the taste thereof to which a solution of Mineral Allom was added which did not yet bring it any thing near the taste of that Spaw comparing them both together nor did the addition of Vitriol mend the matter upon this mixture we poured the solution of Gauls which presently upon the account of the solution of Allom and Vitriol became thick and muddy like ink and became clear from the same reason with the addition of some drops of the spirit of Vitriol not that the solution of Nitre or Salt contributed any thing to this attrimentous curdling nor yet was alone from the solution of Vitriol but also from the solution of Allom which as to changing colours by the addition of Gauls or solution thereof doth equally answer the solution of Vitriol 5. But to come a little closer to the matter I took a little Spaw water in one porrenger and a little solution of the Calx of Allom in another upon both of which I poured the solution of Gauls made in fair water and filtred and forthwith both waters viz. the Spaw water and the water of Allom became coloured alike of a deep purple and from thence having a little more of solution of Gauls added became blackish and opacous almost like Ink by which I demonstrated to the Doctor what he would not otherwise believe had not his eyes convinced him viz. that a purple colour and from thence a dark opacity like lnk might he made from another liquor than Vitriol or Iron to which he solely ascribes the changing of colours by a Gaul put thereinto making that one of his demonstrations why Iron is an Ingredient in the Spaw which by an occuler testimony I convinced him that the changing of colour by a Gaul was not any sufficient evidence that Iron Vitriol must needs be an Ingredient thereof because the bare solution of the Calx of Allom having nothing of Iron or Vitriol in it doth give exactly the same alteration of colour 6. The strength of his Argument for Iron and Vitriol being plac'd in this viz. that the sediment which falls to the bottom upon the alteration with Gauls which in his book I take saith he to be the Iron Mineral with a little touch of the Vitriol which certainly had been much more proper if he had spoke of the Minera of Iron and left out Vitriol or of the Vitriol of Iron and so discoursed only of one for that both should be there we have in the first part denyed and held inconsistent nor is this variation of colour by Gauls a sufficient argument of the presence of the Minera of Iron though I do not deny it to be an Ingredient seeing a solution of the calcin'd stone of Allom will do the same 7. But to proceed upon both these coloured Liquors viz. of the Spaw and of the solution of Allom by the solution of Gauls I poured a little spirit of Vitriol and presently by degrees both of them became alike clear again the spirit of Vitriol working upon and dissolving all those scattered loose confus'd atoms which the Gaul shiver'd the waters into till they had all become dissolv'd again in the body of water and became as clear as at first 8. From whence I inferr'd a further similitude of parts between the Spaw water and the solution of Allom being alike in their precipitation and in their reduction to clear Liquors again 9. To these cleer solutions I poured some drops of Oleum Tartari per deliquium which caused them both to become alike coloured as deep almost as Ink for this Oyl of Tartar precipitates what ever acid spirits such as spirit of Vitriol of Salt c. dissolve and bring clear solutions into confus'd postures by which it appears that Mineral Bodies or Salts may by the force of acid Menstruums be resolv'd into clear Liquors which Bodies are not therefore converted into the nature of the Menstruum and become the same with it as Dr. Wittie would have Metals that are dissolv'd in Aqua fortis to be converted into the nature of the Aqua fortis whereas lixivial Salts evince the contrary for either a fixt or volatile Alkali will presently precipitate and make it fall to the bottom whatever acid corrosive Liquors have dissolv'd by which the Metal he thought lost would once more become the object of his Opticks 10. Then upon these Muddy Inky Liquors I poured some more spirit of Vitriol and clear'd them both again upon which clear Liquors I poured some volatile spirit of Harts-horn which as the Oyl of Tartar made them both become confus'd and Inky 11. By all which it appeared that the solution of calcin'd stone of Allom admitted the same precipitations and resolutions with that of the Spaw by acid Liquors and alkalizate Salts 12. Then we poured forth these Liquors and took fresh Spaw water and fresh solution of Allom upon both I poured some Oyl of Tartar per deliquium which caused a whitish curdling separation much-what alike in both which would again become clear by the addition of some drops of the spirit or Vitriol 13. Now the Query is how comes Oyl of Tartar or any lixivial Salt or volatile spirit to cause this separation of parts in all Mineral or Metalline solutions that are made by acid Menstruums Whether they do it by coagulating themselves upon the bodies of Minerals and Metals or by uniting with the Salts of the Menstruums and so thrusting forth the other bodies of Minerals or Metals 14. For the solving of which doubt we must first know that there are three sorts of Salts or Spirits out of which ordiarily Menstruums are made for the dissolving of most bodies commonly dissolvable commonly dissolvable I said because the Liquor
water had before dissolv'd into it self fall to the bottom and that without the least perception either of Vitriol Iron or any other Ingredient SECT 2. 1. THus far I assented to Dr. WITTIE viz. that an alluminous salt from a Mineral acidity had dissolved a slight touch of the Minera of Iron and both dissolv'd in the current spring of water makes up the Spaw I asked him how he would demonstrate his other three Principles and first as to Vitriol he said that in the carriage of the water from the spring to remote places there was found to be a loss of spirits which he called Vitrioline spirits first that these were Vitrioline spirits and that they were lost remained to be proved that there was an alteration in the water by carrying to distant places I granted but that I told him I apprehended was from a quassation of parts which a wooden vessels might easily admit of an incipient putrefaction whence might really proceed an inversion of parts which would beget a great alteration in the texture of the water not to say what alteration may be made from oken vessels which by precipitation may make a great alteration 2. But an ingenious person being by asked the Doctor whether suppose the water was sealed up in a glass bottle hermetically and so carryed to a remote place whether it would be altered by carriage or no he answered he thought it would if so thâ—â— it was not from any volatility of parts because the glass was supposed sealed up therefore the alteration of the water was not from the loss of any volatile spirits and consequently not from the loss of the Vitrioline But the foresaid ingenious person put some of the Spaw water into a glass bottle and stopt it up from the air into an other glass bottle he also put of the same water but let it stand open the first he observ'd that though it was kept until the water suffered a little putrefaction did yet give a tincture to Gauls he tryed another bottle after the very same maner which yet did not give the tincture as the other did but the bottle that stood open to the air within two or three days lost its tincturing property so that though we should grant there are volatile parts which take wing in the air yet are they not Vitriol because though kept in closely stopt vessels yet in time they lose themselves which if a body of Vitriol was there would be permanent it is therefore an apporrhea mineralis whether Vitrioline or Alluminous 3. But being he mentions this loss of Vitrioline spirits which by agitation of the water in carrying it at distance evaporates I wonder seeing those are so considerable according to his own supposal making the water act more lively why I say in his experimenting the water he did not set upon the distilling of it and saving by accurately closed joints those Vitrioline spirits that he might have tasted them or by other means have brought them upon the test and examined their nature but he very civilly because they are volatile le ts them go 4. If you view the Doctors tools by which he undertakes to hew out the rudiments of this Spaw they are indeed very rude and of a low rank viz. a skellet a culinary fire but not a word of a glass Still which an ingenious Artist supposing volatile spirits would rather have chosen for the satisfaction of himself and the World he tells us almost a wonder viz. that when the water was almost evaporated and spent it riseth up in billows making a bubling noise like the boiling of Allom in the Mines at Whithy which he might see very frequently in the evaporations of most Mineral Metalline nay vegetable solutions but that it may be it is the first he hath seen and therefore excusable 5. I arguing with him against Vitriol as being inconsistent with that of Iron in the Spaw told him that I apprehended that if there were any common Vitriol in it would be emetick or vomitive that it had no such operation constant experience convinc'd as also an example he produc'd of a man that every morning drank Eighteen Quarts for two weeks together without any vomiting at all 6. But the reason he blusht not to urge why though Vitriol be in the water yet it should not vomit you will wonder at it is this viz. we frequently give in our Cordials saith he spirit of Vitriol as also to quench thirst but doth not at all make the Patient vomit saith the Doctor 7. As if according to his account the spirits of Vitriol were nothing else but Vitriol it self and then indeed it would hold good what he saith that when the Vitrioline spirits were gone the Vitriol it self would also take wing to which we return'd that the spirits were but one part or element of Vitriol and the caput mortum or Coltotar another and that the chief vomitive property lay not singly and distinctly in either of these for if the Colcotar should cause vomit yet it is because there remains still some salts or spirits unseparated which when throughly dulcified hath nothing near if at all that emetick property it had when the salts were joyned to it 8. Copper amongst all the Metals if resolv'd into a Viridaeris or Vitriol by any acid salt is the most if not the only emetick Metal excepting Mercury which although mater metallorum yet is reckoned one of the seven which by Aqua fortis or Oyl of Vitriol is brought in to precipitate or turbith Mineral either of which is desperately emetick I say Copper or the Minera of Copper being resolv'd by an acidity becomes emetick these salts being separated either by distillation or otherwise by a Menstruum the Metal or Minera becomes what it was again 9. Now the Quety is whence the vomitive quality of this cuprous solution should proceed It is not surely singly from the Sulphur of that Metal because it being separated from that Metal by the Liquor Alkahest becomes as Helmont saith a sweet fixt anodynous Sulphur and therefore quite contrary to an emetick property nor is it alone from the Mercurial part because then the same would be had from Saturn Jupiter Luna c. inasmuch as they have as great a proportion if not a greater of Mercury than Venus Now the Saccharum Saturni nor the Sal Jovis as far as I understand hath any thing near such if at all Emetick qualities and as for the Sal Lunae or Salt of Silver that is chiefly purgative witness the Pillulae Lunares 10. It is therefore from the Salts preying both upon the mercurial and sulphureous parts jointly considered which together make up so hostile a texture of parts as that they become wholly inimical to nature becoming totally refrectary to the acid ferment of the stomach which not admitting so tyrannical an Enemy gathers all its Forces together rallies them and opposeth with all its might this grand Antagonist 11. But reduce again this
thereof every Plant in its kind to the great and wonderful variety which we see upon the face of the earth so that presentem refert qualibet herba Deum 6. So in like manner the invisible Divine Power hath according to his own beneplacit dispersed variety of Mineral and Metaline seeds in hidden places of the opake body of the earth whence indeed the great and manifold difference of Mineral Glebes or Earths which Mineral seeds as well as all others whether vegetable or animal are indemonstrable a priori taking at first their immediate beginings from the very bosom of the Eternal Being 7. And therefore only demonstrable to us à posteriori viz. to our common sense by appearing in a visible garb upon the Stage of the World Now these dispersed Mineral Seminaries wherewith several parcels of earth become impregnate being set at work by the primitive fiat which is the same to this day as ever in their begining to shape bodies for their ideal essences to become manifest in form to themselves a Mercurial volatile juyce and an embrionate Sulphur as the materia proxima prima to Metalization 8. With these two proximate principles the Mineral Archeal faber operates ripens the elemental crudities and in a linear process puts on a tincture and weight and at length terminates in the coagulation of a perfect Metal specificated according to the form of the innate seed for the ripening coagulating fire of the embrionate Sulphur is as the Solterrae id quod est inferius est sicut quod est superius which kills the Python viz. exiccates and maturates the radical Mercurial moisture and terminates it in a Metalick species But I digress this being more fit for a Philosophick discourse upon another subject 9. We say therefore that these Mineral Glebes have for the mostpart a Mercury and a Sulphur in solutis principiis and both dissolvable in an essurine salt for salts are the keys that unlock the Mineral Kingdom These are those Menstrual Salts which teach Minerals and Metals how to dissolve in water by breaking them in minima and thereby how to communicate their medicinal virtues for the health of mans body 10. Here the Chymistry of nature is most admirable which by its own peculiar Menstruums extracts the essential innate virtues of Mineral Glebes and that by an intrinsick invisible fire in the digesting vessels of the earth yea and by the help of Art supplying the difficulties of Nature by frequent solutions and coagulations may yet further graduate these mineral virtues into more noble Arcana's whose essential tinctures may the better penetrate the vital ferments of the Microcosm 11. But how this Sulphurious essurine Salt becomes determined and specificated according to the difference of the Mineral Glebes it meets with into this or that fossile Salt or Mineral mixture may perhaps not unaptly be represented by this following instance as suppose several colours and salts placed at a distance one from another upon a large Marble and common simple water is convey'd to each of these this water though the same to all yet as it comes to every of them it becomes differently tincted and tasted according to the colour and taste of those parcels it meets with 12. So this essurine Sulphurous Spirit meeting with variety of Mineral Earths though the same in it self to every one yet becomes altered and tinctured according to the different property of the Mineral Earth and that according to the degree of Sulphur maturating the crude Mercurial juyce Now to confirm this our Thesis we must assume these two considerations first that all the various specificated Mineral Salts as Allom Vicriol Nitre c. have aliquid commune something in common amongst themselves and secondly that thereby all these Salts become transmutable one into another 13. For the first that they have something in common among themselves besides confirmation by our previous discourse is yet further demonstrable by matter of fact upon our second consideration viz. the transmutability of one salt into another by the Chymical Art we can out of sal marine or the spirit thereof make a Vitriol of Iron or Copper and by dissolving Quicksilver in Oyl of Vitriol according to what is done in making turbith Mineral as suppose four Ounces of Oyl of Vitriol to one of Mercury after the phlegm is evaporated and distilled that there remains a white precipitate which edulcorated by washing gives a Citrine powder and being revived as by distilling it from pot-ashes it may gives the same weight of current Quicksilver as it was at first This water which is impregnate with the Vitrioline Salts by being boyled up gives a true Allom here Vitriol salts are transmuted into an allumenish salt and that without the addition of any thing but Quicksilver which is again totally separable and yet salts by the very odour of the Mercury is turn'd into an Allom. 14. And not only Oyl of Vitriol with Mercury but also Oyl of Vitriol with common sal marine gives Alumen for if you put Oyl of Vitriol as we sometimes have done upon common salt and distil it in a glass body or retort with a gentle heat you will find a very volatile spirit of salt will come over the helm which will fume exceedingly the caput mort ' or remaining salt being dissolved gives a salt exactly resembling Allom. 15. Also Allom in its Minera exposed to the air is as a Magnet to Nitre attracting and centring it upon it self and common salt is in the body of Nitre Thus you see a relation or circulation of salts one into another and all this because they have in their Centre that one common Essurine spirit of salt which according to various alterations in Mineral beds admits of different coagulations 16. In short by way of recapitulation it is thus the Essurine acid salt having in its solution got a slight touch of a Vein or Minera of Iron and passing through a Rocky Mineral Glebe of Allom of which along the shore of Scarbrough and Whithy is found great plenty becomes more specificated in an allumenous than any other salt with which the water of the Quick-spring which breaks forth at the foot of the Rock is impregnate which makes that Fountain viz. the Spaw we discourse of SECT 7. 1. HAving thus run through the essential principles of this spring which make up this body of Mineral water which is so frequently and that for the most part not without the expected success drunk for the health of mens bodies I think it not impertinent to speak somewhat of its virtues and that the rather because Dr. Wittie gave forth as I was inform'd that I endevoured to defame the Spaw in that I held it to be an allumenous Spring 2. Let him therefore and the World know that in the Essurine salt of Allom as noble medicinal virtues are to be found as in any other Mineral specificated salt whatever for this salt in its primum ens is volatile and
but specificks will doe such I mean as hath power not only of correcting and preventing the enormous flatus but also of abstersing the subtle cadaverous sordes reposed in the inward chanels of the animal spirits by inclining them to a transpiration sweetning also the concomitant spurious acidities which is particularly done by some noble vitriolin Arcana's The Elixir Propâ—ietatis and volatile tincture of Coral of Paracelsus and Helmont per spiritum sanguinis per lac perlarum per appensa c. 9. The same circulated cadaverous recrement sometimes settles upon the spongy parenchyme of the Lungs at which borret Archcus flatum suffocativum extimulat which suddainly obstructs the porosities thereof and causeth an Asthma which often intercepting the air hinders the ventilation of the vital fire in the Heart if prevalent suddainly puts out lifes taper 10. This is not curable by the Spaw being too languid in its virtue to reach the Lungs especially when it is come on to the ripeness of an Asthma is curable by the former specificks and that because an Asthma Epilepsie Apoplexie and Palsie are identical in their material and efficient causes viz. The same circulated anodynous cadaverous recrement settling in different places cause the foresaid Diseases in the brain the Epilepsie in the membranous and nervous parts the Apoplexie and Palsie If it only vitiate the organs of motion salvo sensu then it 's the Palfie but if both motion and sense be deprav'd and that with a vibration upon one side or through the whole body then it is surely an Apoplexie 11. But if by a transmigration of this peccant matter it become coagulated in the Lungs then an Asthma of which as also of the other syncritical Diseases I may say as formerly hath been of the Quartain That they are ludibria Medicorum and therefore to be found only in the Catalogue of Incurables And what 's the matter Nothing but we want well prepared Medicines which either our idleness or our ignorance or both will not suffer us to attain to 12. These Disease being congenial in their causes are the same in their Cures therefore none of them curable by the solitary assistance of the Spaws but by the power of abstersive and restorative Arcana's such as the aforesaid remedies and the like 13. It is true Dr. Wittie brings in two instances of the virtue of the water in the Palsie but if you observe The Disease in both Patients was at the declining hand and probably nature by degrees might have wrought it forth without the help of the waters It 's very probable the change of air and the exercise of the body by riding might contribute as much to the Patients assistance as the water Besides it may be The paroxysm of this Disease might be hastened by the exorbitancy of the stomach and foulness thereof which being rectified by the abstersive property of the Spaw might be alleviated thereby 14. He gives one and but one instance of help in the Epilepsie by the water He tells us of an excellent success he had seen in that one that was Epileptick but how or after what manner it appeared we must not know though he doth indeed ingenuously confess if the Diseases of the Palsie Epilepsie Vertigo be idiopathick be radically in the head or otherwise though the malady arise from sympathy if it be in the begining of the paroxysm or in its state the morbid humour being fixed in such cases he acknowledgeth the improperness of the water 15. Where by the way take notice that those three Diseases have not always the head for their principal seat for though in the Epilepsie and Virtigo in the one there be a vellication of the membranous and perhaps nervous parts of the brain and in the other a consternation of the animal spirits lodg'd there and that either by a deuteropathy being disturb'd from other parts or by an idiopathy in the very membranous and nervous parts themselves yet notwithstanding the Palsie hath not its original seat in the head but in the genus nervosum and the inhabitants thereof viz. the animal spirits and therefore may be and is in other parts of the body salvo capitis regimine For it is the catastrophe of these spirits that gives being to the paroxysm of these Diseases viz. of the Epilepsie and Palsie c. and when ever they are found smitten with a flatus arising from the antipathy of the putredinous cadaverous recrement and the aura vitalis there to be sure is the Disease in what part soever of the body it is found To confirm which viz. that the head is not the chief seat of the Palsie I shall bring in a considerable instance of a paralytick Patient to whom I had the hap to be called after seven or eight other Physicians and pretenders to Physick had been consulted he lives in Fernedale belonging to the Duke of Buckingham This Patient had lingred most part of two years under his Distemper the occasional cause whereof was as far as I could learn either from the damp of the earth being imployed to over-see and sometimes did work in an Hough as the Country-People call it of Blacomoore for some suppos'd Mine of Plute some treasure deeply lodg'd in the earth but found none or else by going into the water in the Summer time to Fish either of which might occasionally give being to his Disease He was gradually taken of all his joynts and sometimes had neither sense nor motion in most parts of his body but most frequently if not altogether had little or no sense especially from the lower parts of his body downward insomuch as if any weight lay heavy on those parts or any great heat from the fire scorched them he was not sensible nor at all complain'd He could mostwhat move all his joynts as he sate or laid and that pretty nimbly but when he came to stand his knees shaked under him his legs bended and he glad to be held up from falling in ones arms His hands and arms he could move very well but when he came to take up any meat to put in his mouth he always either left it or let it fall so was helped by another both for his meat and drink taking Yet all this while salvoregimine capitis had all his senses in his head for saving a glimmering of his eyes whereby he could not read distinctly which might very probably be from the weakness of the optick nerves together with some alteration of the texture of the vitreous and cristaline humors thereof I say excepting this weakness in his eyes he had his memory as perfect as ever could cast Account as well as before had his hearing taste and smelling in good order could eat his meat pretty well without the least trembling or shaking of his head The Physicians he had consulted had ordered him Vomits and Purges in great plenty Unguents not a few and Baths too many for he was alway the worse after
remained a pale-coloured Sediment much the same with that which remains after the distillation of the Scarborough Spaw viz. an Esfurine alumenish Salt which passing thorough or by some Mineral Bed of Iron licks upon it carries some small touches thereof and also passing by some Stones in its current raiseth some small portion thereof which being wrought off by the Essurine Salt it hides it with it self in the pores of the water which is that as remains after the Salt is washt from this Sediment either simply or after calcination which hath no taste nor after the separation of the Salt is dissolvable 4. To enumerate the virtues thereof were but to repeat what I have said already concerning the Scarborough Spaw and therefore shall wave it and wish a stronger Spring with a better current were endevoured thereabout for the good of that part of the Country in respect it hath but a faint Spring and would easily be dreyned if many should drink thereat This water is as deeply saturate with Mineral Principles and as throughly impregnate with Essurine Alumenish Salt as the other of Scarborough only by reason of the restagnation of the water about the mouth of the Spring is somewhat more sluggish and unapt to give its virtue All which may be mended to the great improvement thereof if a new Spring were found out The Sweet Spaw at Knarsborough 1. I Shall not speak much of this water because the ingenuous Dr. French hath writ thereof at large only shall in short say That this water hath but a small portion of an Essurine Acidity which hath a little preyed upon the Minera of Iron got a sleight touch therefrom and therein is as a Vitriol of the Minera of Iron 2. For if Gauls be put therein it turns purple and in the conclusion Inky upon which if Oyl of Vitriol be dropt it becomes clear again and by Oyl of Tartar muddied and cleared again with Oyl of Vitriol Aqua fortis c. But if you pour Oyl of Tartar on some of the fresh water it gives a white milky separation which with Oyl of Vitriol becomes after â—bullition clear again upon which if Oyl of Tartar Spirit of Harts-horn or any volatile Saline Spirit be again poured it causeth the same white Coagulum reducible to a clarity by fresh addition of the foresaid Oyl of Vitriol Aqua fortis or the like 3. All which demonstrate That Vitrioline Solutions may undergo the same alterations by the effusion of various Liquors as Alumenish Solutions will do and that in effect as I at large shewed in the former Discourse are but the same Mineral Essurine Salt under various disguises from Mineral Beds where they become specificated into this or the other Salt from the touching upon various Mineral Glebes 4. So that in effect all Mineral Springs whether vitrioline or aluminous are the same only some waters are more strongly saturated with Mineral Salts than others in order to which we find that the Scarborough and Malton water are better fraught and more richly laden with its Minerals than this of Knarsborough which is a more poor lean water thin of Minerals and therefore greater quantities must be drunke 5. I confess I like the Air of that place much better being upon an high heathy Common than that of Scarborough especially for weak and tender bodies and in the Cure of Chronical Diseases the choiceness of the Air is of no small value nay indeed oftentimes instar omnium above all the rest For the change of the Air and the aptness and goodness thereof doth often volatize the sluggish ferment of the blood which in long continued Chronical Diseases as the Scurvy Dropsie Asthma Consumption Cachexia's c. is become flat feculent and restagnant in the vessels through the depravation of the ferment thereof which causeth the lamp of Life only to glow in the coal or Caput mort of the blood whence they commonly who are afflicted with thoses Diseases go heavily and sadly 6. Whereas when the ferment of the blood becomes restored to which change of Air doth not a little contribute that it separates the feculencies volatizeth the mass and gives wings to that which should transpire then the blood begins to circulate freely the Diseases become Cured and the lamp of Life burns with a bright flame I say the change of Air helping to volatize the blood renders it more capable of receiving some assistance by other Remedies whether the Spaw water or other Specificks 7. That this Spaw is Vitrioline and that only is demonstrable by matter of fact viz. Take a Dram of Vitriol of Iron otherwise called Salt of Steel which dissolve in a pint of Spring water of which two or three spoonfuls mixed with a glass of fresh Spring water gives the exact taste of that Spaw 8. I should advise the Drinkers of that Spaw in order to make the waters more effectual in less quantities to take Salt of Steel dissolv'd therein frequently which I am confident would add abundantly to its virtue and make it more readily answer their expectations For thereby first they need not drink such large quantities which often overchargeth the digestions stretcheth the Hypochonders and burdens nature to the prejudice of the expected future good whereas a lesser quantity acuated with an artificial Vitriol or Salt of Steel will make its way the more readily open obstructions more powerfully constringe the loose flagging membranous parts more easily and answer all indications more generally 9. Besides all which the Crocus of the Steel in that Vitriol when taken into the Stomach c. would precipitate upon which the excrementitious Salt or Tartarous recrement the great obstructer in many Diseases would be coagulated and by the peristaltick motion of the Intestines would be carryed off by siedge giving blackness to the excrements thereby sweetning the blood and hurnours 10. And therefore it is that those Mineral Springs which are the most impregnate with a natural Vitriol of Iron are not only reputed but found to be the most successful in Cures witness the two German Spaws Pawhont and Sanvenir or Savern in which though Dr. Heere 's saith That by distillation he found Rubrick Oker and a little Vitriol I mean in the Pawhom yet if we shall credit Helmont he speaks thus Distillari aliquando seriò Savenirium Pawhonteum sanè non tantum Mineralium catalogum imò nil quicquam in iis offendi prâ—â—â—â— aquam Fontanam Vitriolum ferri ab aliis aute me scriptorilue neglectum Now whether of these two is to be credited I rather think that Hen. ab Heer 's might be mistaken calling that Oker which is nothing but a sediment of the Mineral Earth of Iron dissolved by the Essurine acidity which we see is separable from Vitriol it self by a bare solution thereof in Spring or common water in the form of a yellow powder which he might easily mistake for Oker As for Rubrick I suppose it is nothing else but
volatile as not the least of it discernable in any body of Sulphur or otherwise nay though one should distil it with never so much curiosity of exactly fitting and joynting Receivers yet would nothing of a Sulphur become apparent but would be gone insensibly as happened to a solution of above a pound of thrice calcined Salt which upon the affusion of water did exactly resemble the Sulphur Well as I said which filtred and placed over the fire to evaporate before one half was gone it had lost all its embryonative Sulphur being so volatile as it took wings by the assistance of so much heat and left no footsteps of its presence 8. Thirdly I conclude that such a solution of the Sal Marine together with its embryonated Sulphur in a sabulous Spring having received that previous digestion in the intrails of the Earth as to make apparent its Embryo Sulphur may be nearer the Primum Ens Salium then a coagulated Salt and may be better taken in order to the preparation of that great Solvent the Sal circulatum And my reason is partly grounded upon a sentence of the grave and long experienced Helmont where he saith In Sulphure sunt fermenta fracedines odores sapores specifici seminum ad quasvis transmutationes that is In Sulphur are ferments hogo's smells specifick tasts of seeds fit for all transmutations so that in the bosom of Sulphurs lyeth the main wheel of all transmutation the beginnings to which are also putrefactions which those Embryo-Sulphurs may much promote For all bodies that are capable of resolution into Heterogeneities their texture is subverted by the working of ferments upon the Sulphurs of such bodies whereby they may be readily analyz'd or taken in pieces 9. Lastly That Spirits such I call the Primum Ens salium before they are coagulated upon Minerals or other bodies are but in Embryo or in their infancy as I may call it or nonage and therefore coagulable upon bodies to the impairing of their own activity by locking themselves up in the textures of bodies and so require a resolution from their coagulation before they can be brought to that purity and simplicity they were in when they found bodies to dwell in viz. before incorporation 10. Hence it is that Paracelsus giving an hint concerning the preparation of his grand Liquor Alkahest which I do not remember he calls by that name in all his Writings save De Viribus Membrorum Cap. De Hepate but by Sal circulatum Primum Ens salium c. saith à coagulatione resolvatur iterum coaguletur in formam transmutatam that is as I apprehend That seeing we can scarcely find the Primum Ens salium in its pure spirituality and naked simplicity but as it is infolded in the arms of a Mineral body and so coagulated into many shapes of Salts as Marine Vitriol Allom Nitre c. which are several bodies wherein this hidden Spirit or universal embryonative Solvent appears to our view in divers corporeal dresses putting on Proteus like new shapes according to the Mineral vestment wherewith he is cloathed requires therefore if we would have him appear unmasked to be resolv'd from his coagulation till then we cannot expect him capable of performing much in the way of a penetrating Master-Solvent but acts according to the freedom of his keepers 11. And though this Spirit or Primum Ens salium while it is in its infancy or embryo be so weak as to clasp hold of every body that comes near it and prostitute it self to every woer in many strange Mineral bodies so as to dibilitate it self before it arrive to those more mature and masculine functions of penetrating and dissolving bodies without being contaminated with their touches or debilitated and baffled by their re-action I say notwithstanding this weakness of the Spirit before coagulation yet if after the the resolution it becomes set at liberty from its bonds divorced from its first consort and then exalted and fortified in its own purity by a gradual process becomes so noble and virile a liquor as that it acts upon all Mineral Animal and Vegetable Concretes dissolving them into their Primum ens or seminal Crasis whereby their medicinal virtues are at hand and that without the least re-actions of those bodies upon this universal Solvent Liquor But to return 12. This Spaw as to medicinal use is not of much more efficacy than so much Trencher-salt dissolved in such a proportion of water answerable to that of the Sulphur-Well which both alike would much-what have the same operation only the foetid embryonate Sulphur doth somewhat provoke nature and therefore extimulate the expulsive faculty of the stomach purging either upward or which the rather downward 13. The plenty of the Salt wherewith it is strongly saturate preserves much against Putrefaction and Diseases thence proceeding viz. against worms and wormatick corrupt matter in the stomach and intestines which so much common Salt as I said dissolv'd in fair water would effect the same The blackish Salt which remains after the boyling up of the water hath no more virtue against worms for which it is frequently used than a like quantity of common Salt for it hath no specifical difference from common Salt especially when depurated by solution filtration and evaporation then it is exactly the same 14. And though there be a Marcasite or stone of Vitriol to be found about Sixscore yards from this Well which will fall in the Air in a moist place and by solution filtration and evaporation will become a transparent green Vitriol as an ingenuous Friend of mine for tryal sake made I say though this be found near it yet doth not in the least partake thereof neither in taste nor virtue Concerning the Original of Hot Springs IT is not the least amongst Chymical Enquiries to know the true original cause of heat whether in Vegetables Animals or Minerals amongst which the cause of hot Springs is not inconsiderable seeing that in them are found many medicinable virtues useful for the help of Man Where I shall proceed first to shew That hot Springs or Baths are from Mineral Salts next How Mineral Salts upon the contact of one another or of Mineral bodies are the efficient causes of heat in those Springs and thirdly How artificial Baths may be made analogical in virtue and operation to the natural and Lastly shall shew the efficacy of hot Springs and Baths whether natural or artificial As to the first That hot Springs or Baths are from Mineral Salts is evident because no Mineral or Metalline body is dissolvable or alterable in the bowels of the earth without the concourse of Salts for in the Mineral and Metalline Kingdom there are but two Agents which makes the great alterations amongst those bodies and those are Fire and Salts by Fire I mean not only the external and elementary fire by whose force Metals and Minerals become separated from their connate Heterogeneities and brought to the best but also the
Country-man chuseth for some grounds rather than Manure That there is an acid Salt therein is somewhat distinguishable by the taste Another sort of heat I have observed to proceed from the contact of Salts and the Calx of Metals as for instance in the following experiment I took of the Caput mort of Viride Eris from whence the Spiritus Veneris had been rectified being a very subtile Calx of Venus with which I mixed an Anatical proportion of Sal Armoniack pulverized very well in a large brass Mortar in mixing it came to such an impalpable powder as the particles seemed to be as minute and almost as continuous as the particles of water are for it was almost as fluid as water so that by the by it is plain minuteness and adaption of parts amongst themselves are mainly if not solely conducible to fluidity and fluidity the essential property of water When I had well incorporated them together for so they should be in as much as when any sutable body or Spirit is to penetrate and work an alteration in another body they then do it best when they touch each other per minima thence Contritions and Sublimations are the Pistilla Chymica by which alterations are made of one body by another I say when I had well incorporated them I put them into a paper thinking the next day to have put them into a Retort but within less than one quarter of an hour I perceived such a strong penetrating urinous smell as made me admire whence it should proceed which put me in fear of some glass being broke in my Balneum At length I came near the paper and presently found it to be that which sent forth such a strong odour which when I took up off the Table was so hot as I could scarce suffer to hold it I made hast to put it into a Retort which before I could do it well-nigh burnt my hand By this experiment thus far Two things considerable appeared one conducing to illustrate as I said the nature of fluidity to consist in minuteness of parts the other is That heat and so consequently the rest of the qualities so call'd are a certain disposition and adaption of parts of bodies amongst themselves after such and such a manner as to work differently upon one and the same body so that a brisk motion of the constituent particles either by an innate fermentation or extrinsick excitation from another subtile body is sufficient to cause that we call heat Some other causes there are of hot Springs viz. Subterraneal Fires set on work by the flagration of Bitumen or Sulphur which being kindled in some parts of the Earth where being close pent up not finding vent causeth Earthquakes but when it breaks forth it sometimes forceth with that violence as that if it break forth under the Sea it throws up stones and earth in such abundance as that a new Island is thrown up of a suddain in the midst of the Sea and that for many Leagues together the Sea is at that time covered over with the spongy Pumice-stone which is the Caput mort in the flagration of that Mineral Other places there are by which as Chimneys or Flewes the Subterraneal Fire finds vent as Aetna Vesuvius Strongilo Vulcano c. These Subterraneal Fires the ingenuous Kircker in his Mundus Subterraneus calls Pyrophylacia which being conveighed by several Subterraneal Pipes or Chanels to those Cisterns or receptacles of water called Hydrophylacia which thereby become heated and that in places not far from day I mean the superficies of the Earth breaks forth in hot Springs These Pyrophylacia it is very probable are the cause of some hot Springs as the kindling of Calx Vive are of others Of which last Fallopius tells us In agro Volaterrano ad castellum montis Cerbari vocatum sunt lacus dicti vulgo lagoni quasi lacunae ubi est aqua ferventissima undique cinis quinimo mons qui ibidem est totus calce cinere refertus est calido adeo ut calceamenta exurat uti ipse sum inquit aliquando expertus These Phyrophylacia heat the waters sometimes in ipsis cuniculis otherwhile they heat Mineral stones through which water passeth either way make hot Springs Thus having numbred up the several sorts of heats and amongst them pitched upon that which is the efficient of hot Springs amongst which also by the by the preparation of the body of Steel is performed whereby it will the most part of it readily dissolve in any Vehicle and make a Mineral water like Tunbridge Epsom and Knarsborough Spaw Let us now consider how artificial Baths may be made and those are either such as are more common as the decoctions of Vegetables and Salts in water and other liquors wherein Diseased Persons are frequently put also to have the body all but the head inclos'd within the steams of hot water or to sit under a frame of Pastboard with Spirit of Wine flaming in a large Lamp-vessel which is a kind of Stoving Bath or Stoves c. or such Baths as are more rare viz. Spirit of Wine with Salt of Tartar either for some particular parts of the body or for the whole if some Patients upon extraordinary occasions would go to the charge thereof also Sulphur so artificially contriv'd as that the flame thereof shall heat a large vessel of water in imitation of the terrestrial fires wherewith some Baths or Springs are made hot which Bath might constantly be kept hot by the continual supply of fresh Sulphur in manner of the Fountain which the Romans made constantly by art to flow hot which was performed by some brass Pipes wound up in Gyres In spiras voluti instar Draconis which were therefore called Dracones under which they made a fire by which the first Spires were made warm the next more the next again yet hotter so that the water did continually flow forth hot After which sort with some little variation Physicians might keep hot baths with Medicinal waters suted for the Patients Disease constantly at work with a small charge after the vessels were once artificially contriv'd To which purpose I have had a Balneum Maria kept hot for digestions by Leaden Pipes placed in Gyres in a wooden vessel The advantage of such artificial contriv'd Baths is this That the Physician may presently change his medicated waters as occasion offers can give what degree of warmth he pleaseth and keep them constantly in an equal heat which cannot easily be performed by the common sort of Baths and therefore comes nearer in efficacy to the natural hot Springs than the other and so consequently more effectual Now as to the virtues of Baths natural or artificial they are of large extent and may be if skillfully managed of much use in helping many Diseases as the Palsie Convulsions c. Which by opening the pores and thereby removing the obstructing or afflicting causes of the Genus Nervosum may
and for ought we know most of the Islands have been belcht forth of the belly of the Earth and also are incompassed with the waters are therefore more inclinable to Subterraneal Belchings Ructures Vapours Exhalations c. which in some Islands not finding vent is the cause of frequent Earthquakes in others finding Flewes or Chimnies belch forth fire smoak stones c. But in the third sort of Islands where there is neither those actual Vent-holes nor indeed is in need of them nor is the Vapours so pent up as to force the Earth to a tremulation but finding passages or pores large enough breaks forth and being carryed according to the Lation of the Air is the probable cause of those Storms Winds Hurry-canes and other alterations of weather within the Orb of the Atmosphere to which Islands and the adjacent Seas are more expos'd than the large Continent 33. Cold we see in Animals is that which benumbs the Joynts stupifies the parts forceth the vital heat to retreat into its inward and more strong forts which if assaulted there and overcome death 's at hand and the combat over Now if Cold be so great an enemy to vital heat as is evident not only from what I have said but from what every doth or may experiment than no Medicine as a Medicine is or ought to be cold in its operation 34. And therefore to talk of Curing a Fever with cooling Medicines as the Galenists frequently speak is very improper not to say absurd and argues no less than ignorance of the essential cause of a Fever which because there is a great heat arising from the boyling and spurious fermenting of the Spirits therefore they think according to their own maxim Contraria contrariis curantur that it must surely be Cured by cold things and to that purpose they follow a method of cooling to a purpose both by frequent Phlebotomy robbing the blood of its vital treasure whereby Cold the great enemy of life may indeed have better access to the vitals and destroy the sooner as also by cooling Julips and cooling glisters Why do not they give them cold water in Glisters or blow a little cold wind into their breech surely that would cool notably and do the work more speedily 35. It is very strange to me that their own dayly observation doth not convince of the folly of administring cooling things They cannot but observe that no good effect follows thereon It is much to me they should notwithstanding the fruitlessness of such a method yet again and again trace the same trod unless they be resolved never to go out of their pace Spaniard like though they be lashed for it both in their Reputation and otherwise 36. Next to which they cannot but observe which also most old wives take notice of that the best and most hopeful Medicines in Fevers are such as cause sweat and therefore ordinary people will frequently without the advice of a Physician give Feverish Persons something to endevour sweating and that often times with very good success Which is a very fair admonition to Physicians to be more serious and copious in Diaphoreticks for therein indeed lyes the main hinge of Curing all sorts of Fevers which very thing is the least consulted of any other They will Blood twice or thrice and Purge as often and yet scarce will they order one good Diaphoretick which if they do is commonly compounded with such a farraginous mixture as Nature abhors and as soon sweats to see the folly of the mixture as naturally inclin'd thereto by the virtue thereof 37. Now no Diaphoretick was ever cold in its operation but always of an heating attenuating property and therefore of power to promote the natural fermentation of the blood and of abstersing the vessels of their recrements and of carrying away by transpiration the superfluous tainted Latex together with other Heterogeneities before disturbing the oeconomy of the blood and that through the pores of the body though not always actually by sweat but sometimes by insensible transpiration for there is no better way of taking away the cause of excessive heat in Fevers than by removing or allaying the bastard fermentation in the blood which is most aptly done by Diaphoreticks especially after a previous abstersion of the primary digestions by some generous Salts or well prepared Solutives together with an anodyne as an additional auxiliary 38 This and no way else according to the tenure of Nature is if we must speak in the vulgar Idiom to cool the immoderate heat in Fevers or rather according to our own language to reduce the blood and humors from their spurious and Feverish into their own natural genuine fermentation where the erratrick excentrick motions becomes regular and every thing falls into its natural course again 39. So that by this time I hope any ingenuous Person will apprehend it to be dissonant to the rules of Nature and contrary to reason to administer cooling things in order to the Cure of a Fever and further that hot things such I mean as are actually Diaphoretick with their previous preparatory abstersive Salts are the chief if not the only means to Cure burning Fevers whether intermittent or continual and consequently that the Galenical notion and application of cooling things is very flat and frigid 40. They altogether prohibite the use of Wine in Fevers as being they say too hot mistaking still upon the old Hypothesis that heat is the efficient essential cause of a Fever and therefore must be abated by the actual presence of a proportionate cold whereas sometimes I indulge the Feverish Patient with a glass of the richest Sack he can procure especially after the use of some noble abstersive Salt or as a Vehicle to give my Medicine in and that too because I am satisfied that heat is not the efficient cause of a Fever but only a supervening symptome consequent to the Feverish fermentation 41. To confirm the truth of what I have said in order to the application of hot things in Fevers or acute distempers of Colicks or the like I have had an experimental observation upon my self in a Colical Distemper together with a Feverishness that accompanyed it which surpriz'd me since the writing of the last Section or numerical division which whether it proceeded from cold or the transmission of an acid juyce into the intestines or from both as the occasional cause thereof or from what other concurring cause I know not but however this I am sure of and felt to my own great trouble the tormina Pains or Gripings of the Colick which proceeding from a fermental acidity rouzed up an acrimonious flatus that not finding passage per inferiera that vent-hole of intestine flatus or wind returned upwards oppress'd the stomach and vital Spirits thence I became very sick and was somewhat provoked to vomit 42. Whereupon in order to my assistance I took a Dose of a gentle Emetick but that nor reaching the Minera Morbi
the Salts in the corrosive Oyl of Antimony close with the Spirits of Aqua fortis or of Nitre for the same happens to both and thereby becomes a powerful corrosive which presently set upon the flowers of the Antimony contained in the butter do in effect no more than so much Aqua fortis or Aqua Regia poured upon crude Antimony for in both the combustible Sulphur is ready to take flame which calcining in a humid way the flagrable Sulphur burns it off in a dark thick horrid fume even as Tartar and Nitre by the help of fire doth burn away that Sulphur in a dry way After the Sulphur is burnt away by the corrosive Salts the flowers become fixt into a Bezoardicum Antimoniale which Menstruum being distilled off is somewhat yellow and will dissolve Gold which it doth as an Aqua Regia of the best sort having some of the body of the Sea-Salt which was carryed over the helm in a complicated form with Mercury Vitriol and Nitre this distilled over with the other Salts into a Butyrum close with the Spirits of Aqua fortis or the Nitrous Spirits calcines the Antimomony and distill together in the form of an Aqua Regia and all this by the help of fire Thus you see a specimen of the power of fire which raiseth up corrosives and those corrosives dulcifie one another and correct Minerals of their Arsenical Sulphurs and that by the dry and moist way which is still by fire It fixeth things that are volatile as for instance Nitre and Arsenick both which if single are easily consum'd but joyntly and helped by the force of fire the one fixeth the other and becomes by dulcification with Spirit of Wine Paracelsus his Balsamus Fuliginis proper against cacoethical Ulcers It also volatizeth things that are fixed separates things that are separable it sweetens four things maturates crude things and hastens all productions whether Fruits or Vegetables to their perfection or full state of ripeness and therefore unripe Berries Apples Apricocks c. are by Coddling or Baking suddenly dulcified and Sallads whether Lettuce or other herbs are made more wholesom by boyling By a digestive heat in close vessels caustick acrimonious plants as Flamula Jovis Urtica Romana Persicaria c. become blunted and lose their sting yea even the same happens by bare distillation of them though no stinging or pricking acrimony is at all perceptible in their distilled water These things duly considered will necessarily evince the extensiveness of the use of fire both as to Food and Medicine Vegetables are not only crude but many of them virulent too and therefore need fire to ripen them and by correcting their venomous properties to make way for their intrinsick Medical virtues to appear Also Animals communicate not their virtue which lodge chiefly in the Blood and Urine unless helped by fire or ferments or both whereby their parts become separable and applicable to our mummial ferments And as for Minerals they are most what virulent and lock'd up and therefore of necessity require a correction and opening of their virtues by the fire which must be done by such degrees of fire as are proportionable to the strictness of the texture of their bodies and to the prevalency of their virulent properties which cannot be done by such gentle sost fires as Vegetable separations are usually performed by It is for the sake of the unlocking these Minerals that the great stress of fire is so frequently us'd in the Chymical Analysis of them which gives cause to the Galenists to accuse Spagyrical Preparations with being too much fired which how frivolously grounded Let all that have skill therein judge For a strong fire is as requisite in some Mineral Preparations as a mild fire to some easie Vegetable separations the one altogether as proper and necessary as the other Would not a Cook-Maid be accus'd of ignorance if she intending to Roast a joynt of meat should lay it down at a disproportionate distance from an ordinary fire thinking to take a longer time to do it in Surely if the distance from the fire was such as only to warm the meat gently it would not for many days and for ought I know never Roast but would dry up become insipid and turn to a kind of mummial flesh For as I apprehend Roasting of meat is perform'd thus viz. When the meat is plac'd at such a competent distance as that the fire penetrating the midst thereof forceth forth the crude blood and moisture from all parts which meeting with fresh assaults of fiery particles are driven back again and search all cavities of the flesh thereby maturating the rawness thereof which if the meat be taken whil'st this moisture remains and yet thoroughly penetrated by the digesting particles of fire it is then sapid sweet and savory but if this be spent and the meat yet kept longer at the fire then it begins to be burnt and thereby becomes tastless but if it be perform'd by a pretty quick fire it 's the soonest and best done So in Baking of Bread if the Oven be not throughly heated the bread will remain dough and not wholesom for food Though these be homely Examples yet are they sufficient to demonstrate the necessity of degrees of fire to be us'd according to the strictness or remissness of the texture of the body applicable thereto Besides I look upon my self here as speaking to those who need familiar comparisons to convince them thereby of the necessity of strong fires in some cases for to those acquainted with Chymical Preparations these are superfluous Again What Preparations are there in Shops which have undergone the fire but are Chymically Prepared and yet no less notwithstanding useful in order to the removing of Diseases What are all the Spirits and cordial-Cordial-waters but Chymical Separations of Urinous Spirits marryed with the tinctures and odours of Aromaticks and that by distillation by the fire What are the best of their Purging Pills viz. the Extractum Rudii but a Chymical Extraction of the tinctures of so many Vegetables as is requisite thereto by a good rectified Spirit of Wine which if neatly done and drawn off in Balneo as I do in the making it for my own use upon occasion and the fixed Salt of the species after calcination and separation thereof being reunited with its extract is not only Chymical as being prepared by the fire but the very best amongst the Shop-Purges What are the best Emeticks or Vomitings in the Shops but such as are Chymically Prepared and that by force of fire too Witness the infusion of Crocus Metalorum and Mercurius Vitae The one is prepared by fire and Salts out of Antimony which we call Hepar Antimonii from the Hepatick colour thereof whereby the external malignant Sulphur of the Antimony is mostwhat consumed The other is prepared by fire and Salts out of Mercury and Antimony but consists chiefly if not solely of the flowers of Antimony incorporated with
of earth dried in an Oven having put them in earthen vessel he moistened it with Rain-water after five years the Tree weighed One Hundred Sixty nine pound three Ounces and the earth being dried was of the same weight as at first Now Whence should proceed the great addition of weight to the Tree of no less than One Hundred Sixty four pounds unless from water than which it had no other additional The wood of which Tree I suppose no man will deny to be different from any other wood of the same species and therefore upon Distillation must yield a sowre Spirit an Oyl Phlegm and Salt if burnt and separated into soot and ashes that soot again would yield a velatile Salt Oyl Spirit Phlegm and Earth all which are but the products of water as by the Experiment is demonstrable To the like purpose the most ingenuous Robers Boyl Esq hath an Experiment which was thus In a weighed quantity of digged earth baked in an Oven and put into an earthen pot he set the seed of a Squash this he ordered to be watered only with Rain or Spring-water I did not saith he without much delight behold how fast it grew though unseasonably sown which was about the middle of May the hastening Winter hindred it from coming to its wonted magnitude About the middle of October it was taken up whose weight with the stalk and leaves was two Pound twelve ounces the earth he baked as formerly and found it the same weight The like Experiment he had of Cucumbers he had two fair ones the weight of which were ten pounds and an half the branches with the roots weighed three pounds fourteen ounces then baking the earth twice and its weight was decreased one pound and an half which twice baking might somewhat minorate the weight of the earth Now Whence should proceed that great bulk both in the Squash and Cucumbers unless from water which was the only matter additional thereto And what happens to these planted in earth and fed with water whose increase is found to be simply from water The same I say doth more than probably happen to all other Vegetables springing up from their innate Seeds or transplanted into other Soyls and that the Earth is only a receptacle or Matrix where the variety of Seeds conceive in the common Mercury Water or Leffas Terrae and bring forth a Salt and Sulphur from whose acting one upon another in the source of corruption ariseth the Vegetation and in that the formation of the Plant according to the Idea wrapt up in the bosom of the Seed for these two active secondary Principles being hewed out from the seminal Archeus work themselves extensively downward but chiefly upwards cloath themselves with a body from the primary Element of Water and shoot forth into stalks leaves flowers fruits seeds c. shapes the body according to the platform of the seminal Idea extraverteth the properties thereof whence the variety of colours odours sapours and other specifical qualities flowing from the essence thereof better known to the humane Archeus by assisting it against many Diseases than apparent to the reason of man As we have demonstrated Vegetables to have their original material Principles from water so also Animals have water for their constitutive Element For all Animals I mean superterrestrial have their nourishment either immediately or mediately from Vegetables and Water immediately as all manner of Cattle proper for the food of Man mediately as Man who feeds upon the flesh of Beasts and sometimes immediately upon Herbs themselves so that in Beasts that feed of Grass and Corn Water becomes once more remov'd from its primitive simplicity undergoes a further transmutation by an Animal Ferment that whereas before it had received a simple transmutation or coagulation into plants and fruits of the earth it now by Beasts feeding thereon suffers a second alteration and by the Ferment of an Animal is turn'd into a Chyle Chyme Milk Blood Urine Flesh Bones c. and all these different one from another according to the difference of the Species Now these Creatures or parts thereof are further transmutable by the Ferment of other Animals that feed upon them as for instance the flesh of Beasts or milk therefrom which is water twice remov'd by the Medium of Ferments is by the Ferment of an humane stomach altered again into a Chyle Chyme Milk Blood Flesh Bones Urines c. wherein the specifical Salt and Sulphur do act variously upon each other which in sound persons by the assistance of the Ferment of the heart work each other into a ruby balsamick Animal Elixir and that coagulated in the capillary vessels becomes Flesh And we see if Blood be distill'd the greatest portion thereof is Phlegm or Water so that above two thirds thereof is an Elementary water in like manner Urine is most part of it separable into a waterish Phlegm and Milk distill'd ariseth the most of it in an insipid water in the distillation of the flesh of an Animal a great part thereof ariseth into water amongst which the flesh of Eeles if distill'd as that great Naturalist Squire Boyle witnesseth yield a very great proportion of water in which while distilling they seem to boyl as in a pot of water or like Dantz Vitriol in an earthen pot placed in the fire seemed to be nothing else but water so these to be nothing else but Phlegm coneal'd To which purpose Helmont tells us Anguium Carnes pisces Mucilago semel glaciata eo ipso mucaginem amittunt in aquam redeunt itam emnis Terrae Mucilago qua aliàs facilè in vermes vertitur for that Izinglass Flesh Fish c. should by being frozen lose their form and thereby be reducible into water is no less than an evident Argument of what I am proving viz. That water is the primary subjective Principle of all Vegetable and Mineral Concretes And that Seed together with the potential Ferments thereof are the Authors of all transmutations by the operation of which Water becomes differently coagulated and specificated according to the variety of the Seed and the innate Ferments thereof into this or the other formal Concrete or part thereof which Ferments being connatural with the Seed is more powerful than fire and therefore fitter Agents for transmutation than fire and that because fire can only burn Stones into a Calx as the most profound Philosopher Helmont saith and wood or Vegetables are thereby turned into ashes than which unless by addition of Sand it may further make glass the solitary fire can operate no further and yet these very Calx-stones and ashes may by a Ferment in the earth be transmuted into the Succus or Leffas Terrae and thereby fertilize barren grounds and so assume the shape of Grass and Corn which a while before was in the form of Stones Dung Ashes c. and that which was lately Grass and Corn presently by the Ferment of an Animal becomes Blood Milk and Flesh of
a Beast these again by a putrid solution of the Compage are transmuted into Worms Flies and other Insects which often retain some shape of the Animal whence they proceed and that which even now was in the shape of a Beast as Beef Mutton c. is forthwith by the Ferment of an humane stomach transmuted into Man's Blood Flesh c. and these again degenerate into Worms or other Insects in Fevers and being let out of their vessels they undergo any other Analytical putrefaction they become animated in strange different shapes all which is but Water â—orâ—eus-like under various disguises transmuted by Seed and Ferments out of one shape into another according to the great round of Circulations And all as they have their beginning and subsistence so are also reducible into Water Yea further as Vegetables and Animals have their original from and are reducible in water so also Minerals and Metals And though this is not so demonstrable as the former because we have not that occasion usually to converse with the Subterraneal Products as with Vegetables and Animals yet I find to this purpose what the Learned Squire Boyle cites out of a French Author Monsieur De Rochas who as a Chymist speaking what he could perform by water Having saith he discerned such great wonders by the natural operation of water I would know what may be done with it by Art imitating Nature wherefore I took water which I well knew not to be compounded nor mixed with any other thing than the Spirit of Life and with an heat artificial continual and proportionate I prepared and disposed it by graduations of coagulation congelation and fixation until it was turn'd into earth which earth produced Animals Vegetables and Minerals the Animals did move of themselves eat c. and by the true Anatomy I made of them I found they were compos'd of much Sulphur little Mercury and less Salt The Minerals began to grow and encrease by converting into their own Nature one part of the earth they were solid and heavy and by this truly demonstrative Science namely Chymistry I found they were composed of much Salt little Sulphur and less Mercury By which Experiment according to the relation of the Author Minerals were generated out of water which I suppose was done by some Mineral Seeds or the Analysis of some Mineral Concretes into their secondary Principles which by due digestions assum'd Water for their bodies For Mineral Seeds in their due Matrixes concenter water more or less according to the nature of the Seed and fitness of the place and accordingly give more or less pondus as the purity of the Seed and disposition of the place is whence are lighter and heavier Minerals and Metals Also Metals are reducible into water witness what the foresaid Author saith That by a certain artificial way of handling Mercury without any addition may be separated therefrom a fourth or fifth part of water or clear liquor which for ought I have heard or seen saith he is not reducible into Mercury again and so is more then a disguise That Mercury or rather Quicksilver should in its weight to the like bulk of Water be as fourteen to one is from the Seed of the Quicksilver concentring the body of water according to that proportion towards whose reduction two credible Persons told the foresaid Ingenuous Author That after as he saith many trials which they made to reduce Mercury into Water in order to Philosophical work they did once by divers Cohobations reduce a pound of Mercury into almost a pound of water and this without the addition of any other thing but onely by pressing the Quicksilver by a skilful managed Fire in purposely-contriv'd vessels To the like purpose Isaac Holland and some others speak of separating a water from Quicksilver which they call Aqua Nubis quâ tanquam Hydrops Mercurius turget Not to mention the experiment of increasing the bulk of a stone by the single addition of fountain-water till it swell to the bigness and figure of the glass it 's put into for we see that water needs no more then a petrefying Seed to compress it self or other things it meets with whether Vegetables or the like into a stony concretion as for instance the petrefying well at Knarsborough which hath in continuance of time wrought the earth and grass thereabouts into a rocky Compages with petrefied Isicles hanging down where the very Streams of water as they run along are actually congealed into stones which I say can be from nothing els save a petrefying Seed connatural to that sort of water This Succus lapidificus may haue its Seminals I say from a petrefying Nitre according to the experiment of the learned Kircher Si saxum inquit quodcunque in tennissimum pollinem resolveris et aquâ perfectè commixtum permanicam Hippocratis colaveris illa nil prorsus saxcum sed praeter arenaceum solummodo sedimentum nil relinquet si verò Nitrum vel Tartarum aquae perfectè commixtum addideris illa quaecunque tetigerunt intra subjectam concham posita sive frondes similiaque post exiguum temporis curriculum aeri exposita vel in Saxum ejusdem generis conversum si non totum saltem cortice Saxeo vestient So that the petrefying Seed whether in Water or in Nitre or in the Stone it self is in effect all one So that understanding the nature of a petrefying Seed and the extent of subterraneall Channels from the Sea at great distances upon the Land we need not wonder that some fish is digged up in some places petrified several of which was to be seen amongst John Tradescan's Rarityes That there are Subterraneal Channels not onely from one sea to another but from the seas at very great distances upon the land the Ingenuous Kircher doth fully demonstrate The first by a Dolphin which was taken in the Red Sea which by the command of the Bassa of the place was put into the water again cum laminis in bronchia insertis with these words in Arabick Characters ingraven Amed Abdalla Bassa Sues tibi vitam unà cum hoc munere donavit anno Hegira 720 which Dolphin was the very same year taken in the Mediterranean Sea prope Damiatam which could not possibly be that the Dolohin should swim that vast compass round Affrica and take in at the Streits and so up to the furthest part of the Mediterranean Sea whereas from the Mare rubrum to Damiata is but a small neck of land little above 30 Miles and therefore must pass along those subterraneal channels whereby one Sea communicates with another As there are Subterraneal passages from one sea to another so as I said from the seas to great distances upon the land whence all Fountains Springs and Rivers have their Original and return again into the sea contrary to the opinion of Dr. Wittie In which Subterraneal currents the things carryed along with the water whether fish or the like may when they
are most vigorous and active for in the beginnings of Animals the Ferments are very languid especially I say in the Matrix and therefore the Transmutations they make are but very slender and tennious whence is the facil reduction of the minute Embryo into its first Spermatick Juyce or Elementary Liquor In Children the Ferments grow stronger but yet is very weak whence is their aptness to breed worms which proceed from a debilitude of the embalming Ferments as Children grow up in years the Ferments grow more strong and therefore they require stronger meat and the Transmutations of the Ferments are more vigorous whence the bones and flesh of young Men become more solid and firm and that increaseth till the body come to its full stature so that it is the vigour of the Ferments that gives flower and strength to the body and their defects give being to Diseases make the Spirits flag the sinews shrink and the flesh wast away by a lingring Tabes and that too oftentimes in the very spring of Youth even many times whilst we are upon the Meridian of our days occasionally from the assaults of many Diseases When we are once arrived to the Zenith of our Years that the florid strength of our bodies are demonstrable Indexes of the agil vigour of our Ferments and vital Functions we stay not long here but then begin to decline and to go down the hill our strength begins gradually to be impaired and that because our Ferments and Vital Powers when once mounted to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are labil and in continual Flux for so all mortal powers are they begin grow come to their full state decline and come to a Period either by a further transmutation or reduction into the first Hyle or primitive Chaos therefore they spontaneously decay and with them the Fabrick of the solid parts of the body so that old Men that live out the full number of days do but spin forth a longer consumptive thread than others they wear away with an insensible Tabes having their succulent parts dried up by the exiccating Blass of the Air and that through the deficiencies of the vital Ferments And thus Old Age performs that at the long run which a lingring Disease whose Seminals are deeply seated in any principal part as stomach lungs liver veins c. vitiating the Ferment thereof doth in a less time as perhaps in a year half a year three months or less viz. wear away the body by a continual wasting or Consumption until the parts are reduced to a Skeleton which being after entombed in the earth doth as all other bodies by the fracedinous odour thereof Fatiscere in succum suum primitivum legesque aquae subire turns into a sort of Leffas and that by a further reduction is nothing else but water not to say what a great quantity of effluvia or vapours which for the most part are materially water pass continually through the pores of our bodies perhaps if duly computed not much less than the one half of the weight of the food we take in and yet is nothing but water circulated in our bodies through various Fermentations and at length reduced to its primitive simplicity Thus we begin we grow we come to our full stature from the operation of Seed and Ferments upon water whose degrees of vigour upon the material stage thereof gives the various Stadiums of Life Then we bend to Diseases we decline we die when the vital Powers and formal Ferments march off the stage and have their exit into their primitive Hyle and the body then ultimately reducible into water by the Fracedo of the Grave Hence I conclude all bodies in the Mundane System whether Vegetable Animal or Mineral from water as the material Element and by Seed as the efficient Agent have not only the Beginning But THE END AN APPENDIX Concerning the ORIGINAL of SPRINGS 1. IT is not the least part of Dr. Wittie's Book to Discourse of the Original of Springs and therein to assert their original to be from Rain and Snow-water from the confluence of which two he supposeth all Springs to flow and that after this manner viz. the Snow and Rain falling from the Clouds in great abundance upon the Earth do by moistening the Superficies cause it to bring forth Vegetables which we grant viz. That the moisture exhal'd from the Sea and Earth carryed up into the Clouds becomes impregnated with an influential Nitrous Salt or Sal Hermeticum floting to and again in the Atmosphere And circulated or cohobated upon its Caput mortuum the Earth gives fertility to the ground and makes it apt to bring forth Vegetables 2. The remaining part saith he except what suddenly runs into Rivers sinks down by secret passages into the earth with which the Superficies doth abound and in rocky ground it runs through the clefts and by them is conveyed to the Subterraneal Chanels more or less deep in the earth where it is concocted by the earth and moves as blood in the veins c. We shall indeed admit thus far of what he saith viz. That Rain and Snow-water are the proximate cause of all Land-Springs and sudden Flouds silling the Porosities and Chanels of the Superficies of the Earth the remaining part restagnates till it find declive Currents out of Brooks and Ditches into other Rivulets and those again by further passages swell into Rivers and thereby cause inundations of low grounds till those Rivers empty themselves by other intermediate ones into the Sea it self But that the same should be the cause of the Fontes perennes viz. of Living Springs I altogether deny as shall afterwards be evinc'd more clearly 3. This Water saith he at length in its passage through the veins of the Earth finds vent and runs forth which place of eruption we call a Spring or Fountain And this springing forth or eruption of the water I conceive saith he to be made from its own natural inclination and tendency towards its proper place assigned to it by the Creator which is the convex part of the earth it not resting till it meets with its natural correspondent the Air under which it must needs lie because of its greater gravity as above the Earth by reason of its levity And this I think saith he to be the natural reason of its ebullition out of the Earth 4. Here the Doctor hath at once conceiv'd and brought forth the causes as he supposeth of all manner of Springs and their manner of issuing out of the Earth viz. from rain and Snow-Water and their tendency in the Channels of the Earth to their proper place the convex part thereof For he having numbred three general Opinions concerning the Original of Springs viz. first by percolation of the Sea secondly by transmutation of Earth or Air into Water within the Bowels of the Earth Or lastly by Rain or Snow with the last of which he closeth As for the second viz. the Opinion of the
Earth up to the Clouds and from thence down again to the Earth but that the moysture in the Air should be reputed Air transmuted into Water viz That which falls upon stone-walls in moyst seasons is so absurd as it 's enough to confute it to name it So that we may conclude that the moysture in the Air which settles it self upon the Walls and floors of Stone-buildings neither is nor ever was Air and that the transmutability of Air into Water in the bowels of the Earth is impossible and lastly that Springs viz. the fontes perennes have not their Original from Rain and Snow 36. Thus I have run through the most considerable things which the Doctor offers in order to the confirming his opinion of Rain and Snow Water to be the Original of Quick-springs and all along I think have probably if not demonstratively overturn'd his Opinion together with the grounds arguments and reasons thereof I might I confess multiply more words in prosecuting at large his whole discourse but studying brevity I have couch'd all he hath to say that is any way pertinent to his purpose saving the story he relates out of Dr. Heylin concerning the Island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea which without reflection on that worthy Author who as well as other Historians may probably take many things upon trust which I say as to the verity of matter of fact I should very much scruple viz. That a drought should continue so long as thirty six years so as all the Springs Torrents or Rivers were dried up and that in the dayes of Constantine the Great It 's very probable he had it by Tradition which many times to wing Fame makes large plumes That an Island so near the Mediterranean Sea should want rain for 36 years together would certainly put an ordinary credulity upon the Tenter-hooks and stretch a Thomas beyond his ordinary pitch for of all places Islands are the most frequented with Showers And that it should be done designedly by God upon a miraculous divine account I do not well understand because that has its ends and aims for the punishing the Natives where judgements are brought forth which done they frequently cease but here according to the story they were forc'd to forsake the Island and to seek for new habitations so that probably it may pass for a drought in Utopia 37. And lastly the two Rarities he mentions that are to be found upon the Castle-Hill in Scarborough viz. the deep Well which reacheth to the bottom of the rock which hath no water and the spring-Well which is within half a yard of the edge of the rock towards the Sea which never wants water which he saith doth somewhat illustrate the point in hand The first of which seems to me onely to be a Well digg'd within whose compass no Chanels have happened and therefore it is dry for so narrow a compass as a Well is may sometimes happen to miss of subterraneal Chanels And as for the other which is so neer the edge of the Rock towards the Sea which never wants Water I look upon it as supply'd from the same cause that other digg'd restagnant Wells are viz. from Land-springs which are feed from Rain or Snow-Water which yet makes nothing in reality towards the confirming his Thesis for it is no current Spring to the best of my remembrance which yet suppose it were it will not be uneasy to conceive the manner and way of its supply when I have propounded what I have to say in order to the establishing a new Thesis which will be positive to the point in hand 38. And that is as I hinted before from a circulation of Water in the Terraqueous Globe by the mediation of Subterraneal Channels along the Sabulum bulliens from Sea to Sea yea and from the Sea to the Heads of Springs and from them into Rivulets and those into Rivers and thence into the Ocean and so circulates round which also includes an other circle of Rain and Snow which first arising by exhalation from the Sea and Earth is carryed down again upon the Earth and Sea joyning Issue with rivulets from Springs swell Rivers which again discharge themselves into the Sea 39. So that a Circulation of water is as justly requisite according to the order and appointment of the primitive Cause for the upholding the Symmetry of parts and intirenes of the whole terraqueous Globe as the Cirulation of blood is necessary for the preservation of life and vital functions in the Microcosme or body of man The earth can no more produce Vegetables or Minerals without this connatural circulation of water replenish'd with Celestial influences than the blood in the body of man can produce Vital or Animal Spirits requisite for absolving the functions of life without its inbred circulation which concatenation of parts in the circulation thereof gave cause to some Philosophers of old to call the world a great Animal either because that animarum omnia plena viz. that the Seeds of all things are at hand and at the beck of the primitive Fiat alwayes at work or because of the great Symmetry of parts or coordinate circulations of the constituent Particles of the World whose proportions were so exact and actions upon each other in the circle of nature so uniform as if actuated by some Panspermion or universal operative Spirit Spiritus intus alit totumque infusa per orbem mens agitat molem 40. Not to say how Analogous the Sea and Hydrophylacia those great Cisterns of Water and Springs of the Deep that in Noah's Food joyn'd Issue with the Cataracts of Haven for drowning the World are to the heart of the Microcosme nor how Analogous the Channels of the Quellem or Sabulum bulliens which cary the Waters into the uttermost circle of the Earth for the supply of Mineral Glebes Minerals themselves and Vegetables upon the Green Carpet thereof are to the Arteries in the body of man by which the blood circulates from the Heart for the nourishment of the whole nor yet to determine the analogy of these circulating Waters further drawn up by Solar exhalations which clime up the slender Threds of Aereal Syphons into the Capitol of the Air to be impregnate there with Coelestial influences or Animal spirits if I may so call them which cohobated upon their own body promote vegetation yea and animation too by becoming that cibus occultus in aere of which the Cosmopolite and other Hermetical Philosophers discourse at large I say not to determine the Analogy of these Waters replenish'd in their circuit with Heavenly influences with those Animal spirits in the little World Man which in the Head receive a determination for obsolving the functions of sense and motion 41. Nor lastly to determine thoroughly the Analogy of water whilst circulating in the bowels of the Earth along the Channels of the Sabulum to the blood whilst circulating in the Veins and Arâ—â—ries of the humane body though
I may say split it self I mean as to its uniform texture towards the Poles where it causeth a constant pressure upon the Northern and Atlantick Ocean and upon the Mare del Zur or Pacificum towards the South as also driving the Clouds whilst he is Northern into the South side of the Aequator enough almost alone to give Being to Springs by forcing the water along the Subterraneal Chanels up at great distances upon the Continents Seventhly That Air attenuated in one place of the Atmosphere is as much condensed in an other part thereof and what it is deficient of force in that thinn'd part so much more it is of force in the other so as to give a proportionable pressure answerable to the weakness of its Spring elsewhere 58. Now the natural pressure of Water by Air and of the upper parts of water upon those below is by perpendicular lines and that by Vorticles as Archimedes and after him Des Cartes and Kircher demonstrate Natural I said because accidentally by Winds or Storms the motion may be oblique so that supposing the Seas to be at their bottom perforated in many places with Subterraneal Chanels and secret Vortices the surface of the Sea being press'd with Winds Clouds and Storms the circulated and condensed Air which recoyls from the other thinner part of the Atmosphere where the Sun-Beams have attenuated it together with the oblique motion of the Flux and Re-flux of the Sea begins the motion towards the grand Circulation 59. For the Superficies of the Ocean being press'd by the foresaid weight sends down its water by Subterraneal Chanels into the Hydrophylacia or common Cisterns of water which are the Springs of the Deep where it not only comes to a level with the surface of the Sea keeping a Horizontal Parallel therewith which any water will do in a Syphon or duplicated Tube though unassisted by any considerable pressure of the Air but also by the force of the pressure upon the surface of the Sea it is easily carried up above the level thereof into Hills Mountains and high Heaths which breaking forth give Being to Springs and Fountains which run into many Rivulets and from those into larger Rivers especially joyning issue with Rain and Snow-water and from Rivers are again carried into the Seas 60. That this is a Circulation whereby water is carried in a round is apparent because the Seas being pressed by the foresaid natural Causes are carried by Subterraneal Chanels along the Sabulum bulliens breaks forth at Spring-heads in Valleys Hills or Mountains runs along into Rivulets which with showers moisten the earth and then carried up again by Aereal Syphons in droughty Seasons into the Clouds makes the Atmosphere ponderous which together with Winds out of Subterraneal Caverns and the strong Spring of the Air recoyling from the rest attenuated by the heat of the Sun together with the Current of all Rivers into the Sea All these I say joyntly together conspire the pressure of the Seas again into the heads of Springs and so still more on in a circular motion and that in order to the supplying the grand Concerns of the Terraqueous Globe both for Mineral and Vegetable productions 61. That the Air doth press is evident in Pneumatick Engines as that of the Wine-Coopers Bellows which will by the meer pressure upon the surface of Wine from Air force forth the Liquor into other vessels the same happens in Pumps which by forcing forth Air carry up the water as also if a pair of Bellows be so contriv'd as to be plac'd over a vessel of water closed up on all sides with two Pipes going to the bottom of the vessel so ordered as whilst the one Bellows is drawn up the other falls down with its flap which pressing upon the surface of the water makes it yield which finding no other way will mount up suppose two Pipes which are carried into a Cistern at a competent distance above the vessel which again being let forth by an other Pipe at the opposite side falls into a chanel which carries it upon a Water-wheel and gives motion suppose thereto the Axis of which turns about a square handle to which is fastened the handle or pole of the Bellows poys'd upon a leaver plac'd equally betwixt the two Bellows so that as the water runs out of the Cistern it turns about the wheel and that moves the Bellows which pressing the water in the vessel forceth it up again into the Cistern and so in a round whereas if it could so be contriv'd that this water which moves the wheel about should by an other chanel be conveyed into the top of the water-vessel it might give a good probability of finding out at least fairly hinting a Perpetual Motion A Type of which may be seen in Kircherus his Mundus Subterraneus 62. So in like manner the surface of the Seas being press'd by the foresaid causes which joyntly together conspire its pressure as the bellows doth the water in the Vessel they force it up along Pipes or Subterraneal Chanels to the Head of Springs and Fountains Which Pipes by how much the more they are oblique in their windings by so much the more easily the Water is carried up to the tops of Hills and high Grounds 63. And as the Air by its own innate Spring doth press so sometimes it becomes more weighty by having the burden of Clouds lying and pressing upon it which also contributes to the former pressure upon the surface of the Sea For we see that when the Clouds are about to discharge themselves in Showers and that in large drops that they so compress the texture of the Air as they cause a Wind commonly to go before each Shower which is nothing else but a Latio Aeris or Motion of the Air from the pressure of the Clouds and the greatness of the drops which compress the Air and bear it down till it hath made its thorough passage to the Earth whereas when the Rain comes down in small drops and thin threds it passeth gently through the Vehicle and Colander of the Air without any considerable pressure thereof â—â—g i. pag 320 Fig ii pag 321 65. So in like manner the Air in the Atmosphere preffeth by its Spring set on work by the foresaid causes upon the Surface of the Sea which lyes in Right-Lines with the Hydrophylacia according to the Line F G which may represent the level-surface both of the Sea and springs of the deep Which being press'd at G towards I raiseth up the Water from F towards C which represents high Hills and Mountains where Springs break forth either at C or E. Hence we see that as the Spring of the Air is invigorated or weakned so its pressure upon water is more or less 66. The second Figure See the 2 Figure of the Scheme is the same save the Oval which it wants having instead thereof a small Concha where the Air from without has a free pressure
and that part of the Tube to be larger and the other part revers'd to be much smaller which suppose to be fill'd with Water at A where by the Solitary pressure of the Air contain'd within the cavity of the Tabe made by the Palm of the Hand laid thereon forceth the Water which is in the Pipe A B C. with a great sure from F to C and that too a great Height above C in the same manner the Air in the Atmosphere being pressed with Winds Storms Clouds and condensation thereof and the like causes aforesaid forceth upon the surface of the Sea which with the Hydrophylacia are alwayes at an Aequilibrium according to the Line F G beyond the Aequilibrium F G into the Concha's of Mountains E K C which are much higher then the Mathematical Circle of Water I mean then that circle of Water from which all Lines drawn to the Centre are equal So that supposing a constant pressure upon A or G which is certainly done at all times by some or all of the foresaid causes the Water must as constantly be press'd from F to K and C and there as certainly make Springs to break forth for from the same causes alwaies at work the same effects are alwaies produc'd 67. Hence the great difficulty may easily be resolv'd why Springs are sometimes found upon the tops of the highest Mountains and that because the bulk of Waters to be carried above the Aequilibrium F. G. is in a manner insensible in comparison of the great weight and pressure of the Water in the Ocean and that thus as the ingenious Kircher computes that the Semidiameter of the Earth is 3600 Miles of which 60 answer to every Degree of the Aequater which Semidiameter is computed from the Superficies of the Sea where the lines as I said from any part thereof to the Center are equal and seeing that the Basis of Mountains are level with the Mathematical globous earth so that the tops of these Mountains must be very protuberant Therefore it onely remains to be demonstrated how much higher the Sea ought to mount be yond its Aequilibrium F G or Periphery of its globous circle to make Springs break forth on Mountains 62. Fig iii. pag 323 68. To which purpose suppose the line See the 3 Figure in the Scheme A B to be the Semidiameter of the Earth 3600 Miles long which terminates in the line D E which cuts the Superficies of the Terraqueous Globe in the point B. Now suppose the height of the tallest Mountain to be C which added to the Semidiameter of the Earth A B will produce the line A C which expresseth the top of the highest Mountain Therefore as A B is to B C so is the Semidiameter of the Earth to the highest Mountain so is 3600 to 30 with which computing the immensness of the surface of the Ocean pressed on all hands with the foresaid causes makes it very easie to apprehend how readily Water may be carried from the Seas and Hydrophylcacia to the heads of Springs in the highest Mountains 69. For the proportion betwixt the Semidiameter of the Earth 3600 together with the vastness of the immense Ocean forc'd by the Spring of the Atmosphere to the Line B C viz. the top of the highest Mountain 30 is in a manner insensible and the more insensible by how much Hills or Mountains are less in height then 30 Miles insomuch that as the learned Kircher observes the Picke of Teneriff Olympus in Asia Aetna in Sicilia Caucasus in Asia Otho in Macedonia would as to their proportion with the vast Ocean disappear whence he concludes Unde infero inquit Kircherus Oceani aquas sive fluxa refluxuque sive tempestatibus ventorumque vi sive nubium descensu pressas nullo negotio etiam in altissimos vertices montium ejaculari posse 70. And as this pressure of the Sea by the said causes is constant and as constantly keeps Springs and Fountains in flowing upon Mountains and remore places upon Continents so also thereby the Hydrophylacia are alwayes kept fill'd from whence as from a Store-house the Alps comprehended by France Germany and Italy pour forth so many Torrents and Rivers which by a perpetual current never have ceased nor never will as long as the Wheels and Springs of Nature are kept at work by the Great Master Mechanick of the world cease to flow from which Springs of the deep Danubius Rhenus Mosella Mosa Rhodanus Arar Padus Ticinus together with other smaller Rivers have their supply 71. Besides Some Springs seeme to emulate the Flux and Reflux of the Sea as that which Pliny tells us of in the Gades which observes the motion of the Sea in ebbing and flowing and perhaps that in the Peake of Derby-shire may be from the same cause which ebs and flows every 12 hours And how Dr. Wittie comes to be sure that this last together with the Spring at Giggleswick in York-shire hath no correspondence with the Sea he might have done well to have inform'd us that we might have been as sure as he 72. As for the Spring at Gliggleswick which ebs and flows many times a-day we may perhaps not unaptly attain to some Foot-steps of the knowledge thereof if we remind what I have already delivered above viz. that if a glass Tube stop'd close at the one end with ones Thumb and the other end let down into a Vial or other vessel full of Water as soon as ever the air gets liberty by removing the thumb the Spring of air from without presseth up the Water 2 or 3 Finger breadths above the Level of the Water and bubbles up to and again for a while then settles to its ordinary pitch which is an exact resemblance of the Spring at Giggleswick and such like 73 For in these Springs the Air is so pent up by the streightness of the Chanels near the Spring-head and by the denseness of some interposing Glebe of earth which may and doth probably for a time very much though not totally intercepts the motion of the Air which hinders the Spring from flowing alwayes to high as if the Air had liberty it would therefore it onely flows at that time when the pressure of the Water forceth it through the dense Earth and gives thereby liberty for the Air which before was pent up for we see in all Hydrostatick Experiments that water follows Air as well as Air circulates after Water and that Water alwayes obeys the more strong impulse of Air though it be to ascend to a great height 74. Now having run through all the causes and demonstrated the reasons of those causes which promote the grand Circulation of Water it is now time to consider the final End Aim and Intention of the first Mover in Nature who sets all these Wheels and Springs a going in the great Clock-work of the World and who orders all things in Time Weight and Measure and that to the end that one part and Wheel
may mutually promote the motion of an other that all the parts and motions thereof may joyntly conspire the good and intirenes of the whole But that we may in some few particulars view the Wisdom of God in ordering this Circulation of Water and that it is not done in vain but hath its various uses and those of larg extent for the benefit of man and other Creatures and that as followeth 75. First Waters by this great Circulation are kept from putrefaction and corruption motion being to Waters as it is to the vapours in the Air viz. hinders them from corrupting and as wind fan the Air from putrid vapours so motion keeps Water from Stagnating and consequently from putridness and therefore a peice of raw flesh laid in a constant current of Water will keep from corrupting a considerable time 76 Secondly In times of drought when Land-Springs are mostwhat dryed up These viz the Springs Rivulets c. contain'd in the great Circulation serve for the use of Man and Cattle and that in places at great distance from large Rivers for the Quick-Springs constantly moving in the great Wheel are never dry and that by reason that where the cause doth perpetuate the effect must do the same but the causes as aforesaid are alwaies at work therefore Springs I mean Quick-Springs must never fail as long as the Fabrick of the World is upheld by the same Fiat as at first 77. Thirdly By great Rivers which are made of Rivulets and Fountains which in the great Circulation run thereinto we can easily pass from one Place and Country into an other and that by Oaken vessels which if the Water whether in Rivers or Seas were Stagnant could not move thereon half so well so that in Ships by the motion of the Sea and Winds we visit forreign Countrys and the Merchants Traffique abroad and that for a general good of Mankind 78. Fourthly By this grand Circulation all Mineral Springs for the health of man are produc'd For the Water circulating in the bowels of the earth being pressed by the foresaid causes as it meets with various Mineral Earths and Salts becomes impregnated with the Tinctures or tasts thereof making some slight solutions of the Mineral juyces into it self passeth on to the head of the next Spring where breaking forth makes Spaws of different sorts as Vitrioline Alluminous Nitrous Salinous Sulphureous c according to the nature of the mineral Glebe the Water passeth through to the Spring-head whence is the great variety of Waters 79. Fifthly Water by this great Circulation in the bowels of the Earth being dispers'd as I may say by capillary veins into the whole habit of the earthy body is coagulated by various Ferments and Specifick Mineral or Metalline Seeds into such like Bodyes For as we have else where demonstrated Water is the Material subject of all Minerals and consequently of Metalline Bodyes and that it needs onely different Seeds with their various Archeal Ferments to shape it into all sorts of bodyes found in Vulcan's shop each according to its Seminal difference For from whence proceeds the great variety of all Stones Marcasites Minerals Mineral Earths Metals c. but from Water shap'd by Seeds and Ferments into bodyes under various disguises Which here by this grand Circulation is alwayes at hand and ready for the Seminal Faber or Vulcan to work upon 80. Sixthly This circulation joyning Issue with that lesser one of Rain and Snow Impregnated with Coelestial influences doth make the ground fruitful and makes the Superficies thereof bring forth all manner of Seed Bearing plants and Trees according to the kinds of the first Seeds or Seminal Principles implanted by God therein at the first and so being impregnated with the Salt of the Earth promotes vegetation upon the green carpet thereof For when when I view Plants and Trees in their Verdure in the Spring or Summer times methinks I see nothing but Water altered by Seeds and Ferments which thereupon Proteus like puts on various Garbs and appears in different diesses and to me it s as easy to apprehend how Water moved by the foresaid causes riseth up into Hills and Mountains there breaking forth into Springs as to conceive how Water riseth up into the tops of the highest Trees and there to bud forth into leaves Fruit and Seed or how between the Bark and bole of the Tree Water should ascend up like as in Syphons and that in some Trees without any considerable alteration of tast or consistence from simple distill'd Water save a sleight touch of a Medicinal Odor as for instance cut a Vine in January or February but especially in March and you shall find it weep forth a deal of insipid Water at the knots or joynts where it 's cut so if you wound a Branch of the Birch Tree or lop the bole thereof in March if it be done below near the ground the Latex thence issuing is a mere insipid Water but if a Branch of about 3 Fingers thickness be wounded to the Semidiameter thereof and fill'd with Wooll it Weeps forth a Subacid Liquor in great abundance insomuch that in one day such a wounded Branch may give 8 or 10 pound of that Liquor concerning the vertue whereof Helmont saith Qui in ipso lithiasis tormento solatur afflictes tribus quatuorve cochlearibus assumptis viz. that it gives help in the torments of the Stone being taken to the quantity of three or four spoonfulls which he saith is Balsumus Lithioisis merus which great quantity of Water must come from the root and that must receive it by its Fibers from the Capillary Veins of the earth carryed thither by the grand Circulation of Water with its included circle of Rain and Snow which the one meeting with the other becomes the material subject of all Plants Trees and Fruits of the earth which earth is onely the Matrix where water becomes coagulated by the Fracedinous Odor thereof and by the Fermental operation of Seed into all sorts of Vegetable Concrets which spring up in the Superficies of the Earth Now the Medicinal virtue that this Liquor hath is from a Ferment which it receives from the Tree as it passeth along the Channels thereof for the same Liquor weeping from a wound of the bole near the Earth hath not that virtue Therefore it must be from a Medicinal Ferment it receives from the Tree above that place also if a Pompion be cut while it's growing will as a Friend of mine told me upon his own triall run a great deal of a limpid Water which by the heat of the Sun will be congeal'd into a pulpie substance and that because the Water which comes for the nourishment thereof hath received a Specifical Ferment from the Pompion which if it were intire would presently be coagulated for the growth and increase thereof but being let forth by a wound is at last by the heat of the Sun coagulated into somewhat Analogous thereto so probably Melons
Cucumers Hollands Squash c. would if wounded do the like for they have great store of Water which comes for their supply which by the Ferment of the Plants is easily coagulated into the pulpous substance thereof so the heads of wounded Poppies weep forth a considerable quantity of Liquor which condens'd by the Sun becomes Opium or the heads of the same bruis'd make Meconium In both which Water is the material subject which passing up the secret Meanders of that Plant is by the Ferment thereof particularly appropriate to that Plant and its kindes in the same family determin'd into that coagulating juyce of which Opium and Meconium is made and so of the rest of Plants Trees and Fruits Thus we see how Water in the great Circulation taking in the lesser of Rain and Snow which is repleted with a volatile Nitrous Salt the one joyning issue with the other becomes the Material subject of all Vegetable Fruits of the Earth 81. Seventhly And lastly The Circulation of Water passing through varieties of Glebes in the Meanders of the Earth makes different Waters of various uses for the service of man as for instance some Waters will bear Soap and Yeast viz. River-Water and some River-Water better then others also some Waters are better and more peculiar for Bleaching dying Washing Brewing salving boyling of Meat c. than others 82. Now the great difference as to the common use of Waters is betwixt that of Springs and that of Rivers for the Rivers are generally supply'd from Springs in the round of our Circulation yet passing along the Surface of the Earth and sometime running down Hills and steep places in torrents and mixing with Rain-Water as it runs along into Rivers it both may and doth give a considerable difference to Waters in Rivers from the same as running immediately from Springs and that because it washeth over several sorts or soyls of Earth as Marle Limestone Manur'd ground and the like where it licks up the Nitrous Salt wherewith several Sorts of Earth are repleted and by the help of this becomes Saponary viz. bears Soap well bears Yeast bleacheth well c. 83. Whereas simple Quick-Spring Water passing through the Colander of the Sabulum is frequently drein'd of all the Salts it had imbib'd in other more Patent places of the Earth and perhaps onely retains a small portion of a minute Sabulum inconspicuous in Water but remains visible after distillation thereof or being little indiscernable Fragments of some Marcasites or Stones which it razeth off as it runs along which water I say being percolated from all Salts through the strainer of the Sabulum hath not that Saponary property that River-Water hath and therefore will neither wash bleach nor bear yeast Besides many Land-Springs which drein through Nitrous Earth empty themselves by their proper Chanels into Rivers Which also frequently upon sudden falls of Rain overflow low grounds and so do wash from thence a Nitrous or Alkalizate Salt which contributes much to the making River-Water more useful for the common intentions of Washing Bleaching Brewing c. 84. For that which makes Soyls more fertile makes Waters also more useful which is an Alkalizate or Nitrous Salt For what doth Limestone Manure Marle c. add to the inriching of Soyls but either by impregnating the ground with a Nitrous Salt or making the Earth to become more Magnetical to center upon it self the Volatile Nitrous Aereal Salt which floats to and again in the Atmosphere whence it is that the Country-man lets some part of his tillage or arable ground ly fallow every year on purpose that this Nitrous Salt which circulates in the Air and is the main wheel of Vegetation may coagulate it self upon the ground made fit thereto by the addition of Limestone Marle or Manure and thereby become fitter to bring forth many fold which if the ground be exhausted of this Salt as in a few years by bringing forth much Corn it will then it becomes barren until it be manur'd by dung ashes limestone or marle and is laid fough or fallow as the Country-man calls it which in the conclusion impregnates the Soyl again with a fresh Salt or spirit whereby it is made fruitful You are the Salt of the Earth saith our Saviour to his Disciples which if it hath lost it's savour wherewith shall it be salted So that the Earth hath a Salt which makes it fruitful and the loss of that Salt makes it barren and useless 85. As for Lime-stone that contributes to the manuring and inriching of ground after a double manner and that first by communicating its Alkalizate Salt which it hath in it to the ground and next which indeed I think is the cheif that it becomes as a proper Magnet to attract if such there be or center upon it self the volatile fructifying Nitrous Salt which floats in the Air in which I am confirm'd because the Country-man observes that though it be quench'd already with Water or Rain before it be thrown upon the ground as most frequently it is yet nevertheless it makes the ground as fruitful as if it were not yea Lime that hath laid long and that one would think hath had all its Salt wash'd from it if it be thrown upon impoverish'd ground will yet make it fruitful The same will the Faeces of Soap-Ashes do after all the Salts are wash'd both from the Ashes of Breccans or Brogg as they call it and from the Lime which is much us'd where it 's to be had to lay up grounds to fertilize them And that certainly for no other cause but that it helps as a proper Magnet the Nitrous Salt to settle upon that soyl whence it is that they plow that ground often thereby exposing new parts of the Earth to the Air to become impregnate with the Salt thereof so dung and ashes have Salts in them the one a volatile the other a fixt but are both much altered by a Ferment both from the Air and Earth before they become transmuted into the Leffas terrae or are turn'd into the true fructifying Nitrous Salt Also Marle doth inrich Soyls two manner of wayes the one is by having a Nitrous Salt inherent in it self as I have found by imbibing it in distill'd Water Filtering and Evaporating where I have had actually a Nitrous Salt The next way is by being as a Magnet to the Nitre in the Air to make it settle upon that Soyl where Marle is most found therefore that Soyl which is naturally a Marle or is at least well manur'd therewith keeps in heart as the Country-man saith the longest and will need little or no other assistance for many years because its a proper sort of earth for the fructifying salt in the air to settle upon which makes that soyl hold fruitful the longer And from the different dispositions of ground in order to the degrees of reception of this salt in the air the great variety of soyls proceed 86. And from
flotes otherwise indiscernably in the Air which very thing rightly understood is no small Key to the Hermetick Philosophy which I shall at present purposely wave further to discourse upon Now the Proportion of this Nitrous Salt to the whole bulk of the water after the separation of all these stony Concretions is no less according to my compute than as one is to one hundred twenty eight so that it is at least but the one hundred twenty eighth part of the whole This pure Salt which as to taste is somewhat bitter dissolv'd is that I call the Essence of the Scarborough-Spaw a little of which taken in a glass of White or Rhenish Wine or in a glass of simple Spring-water will as I have tryed purge gently by Stool and without doubt is that by whose efficacy whatever the Spaw-water drunk alone effects is performed and that too with a triple advantage First In that the sabulous Concretions are separated by Art which sometimes precipitating otherwise as I said before upon the bowels may do harm And secondly the smallness of its quantity prevents that hazard to some bodies which the gulping down great draughts of water may produce For such large quantities of Spaw-water as are usually drunk doth in some Constitutions too much dilute the Ferment debilitate the Digestions and vitiate the tone of the Membranous parts both of the stomach and other bowels and so cause Fevers Dropsies defluxions of Rheume c. And lastly The fitness of it to be taken at any Season of the Year whether Winter Spring Summer or Autumn whereas the waters from the Spaw it self are only to be drunk in the Summer-Season But this Essence may not only be drunk then which at that time of the year may be taken in three four or five glasses of any good simple Spring-water especially to those who cannot come to the Spaws but also may conveniently enough be taken in the Winter and in the Spring when the Spaw-water it self cannot with efficacy be drunk because too much diluted with Rain or Snow-water in a glass of White or Rhenish-Wine as I said which though it be taken in such a proportion as not to work sensibly by stool yet will it have a safe and innocent though an insensible Operation Yea What Diseases the Spaw-water is found proper for being taken from the Fountain for the same the Essence thereof is also as proper and according to all reason most effectual as in the Scurvy Scorbutical Asthma's Dropsie Hypocondriack Melancholy Fevers Obstructions of the Vessels in Women and Diseases thence depending together with several other Distempers as may be further seen in the Discourse it self The Essence of the Spaw hath this priviledge in the Cure at least in the assistance of the Cure of Fevers above that of the whole body of the Spaw-water viz. That it may be administred in a glass of Wine and so may readily be carried to absterse the vessels of the blood and other spurious fermenting liquors from their Heterogeneities and recremental Tartar which if taken in the whole bulk of water would be prejudicial and dangerous on all hands as hazarding too sudden a stop to the Fermentation and thereby occasion a preposterous stifling of the volatile Spirits before they can work themselves into a new state by separating Heterogene parts which they constantly attempt in most Fevers Also if this Spaw-water contribute as it 's highly extoll'd to that purpose to the making Women fruitful by removing Obstructions of the Womb the frequent concurring cause of Barrenness it doth it I say by virtue of this Nitro-hermetick Salt viz. That which I call the Essence of the Spaw which indeed is muchwhat of the same nature with that Salt which fructifies all Plants and Fruits of the Earth makes all Soyls multiply in great plenty and may give probability of fruitfulness to Women by opening those Obstructions which frequently hinder Conception By the help of this concentred Essence every simple Current-Spring may be made a Spaw by dissolving a competent quantity hereof in four five six or seven glasses of any Spring-water in the Summer-time which may also not a little increase its purgative quality in as much as the Spaw-waters often Purge downward by their very weight witness the Vitrioline-Spaw at Knarsborough which rarely purgeth any other way than downwards by its very weight either by Stool or Urine So that this very Essence might very properly be taken in the same Sweet Spaw at the Season of the Year and so you might have the virtue of both Spaws in one which would probably thereby answer more general Indications And lastly By the help of our aforesaid Ternary of Medicines together with some other good Specificks joyning issue at the Season of the Year with the use of the Scarborough-Spaw-water might effect very considerable Cures in most Chronick Diseases or the same with the Essence of the same Spaw to be taken in the Winter Spring or any other Season of the Year might not improbably effect the like Cures FINIS FRAGMENT I. Insert this first Fragment between the 29th Section ending with these words the extinction of the vital flame and the beginning of the 30th Section thus 30. This fourth Digestion as I conceive c. in Page 75. Part II. NOw this regurgitated Latex or separated Serum of the Blood let forth of the Abdomen by tapping the Bellies of such are afflicted with that sort of Dropsie call'd Ascites is a limpid liquor whose Tabes whereby it depraves and corrupts the membranous parts where it restagnates is not originally from the Liver that part so generally accus'd by the Galenists for being the grand Patron of Dropsies is apparent by matter of Fact both by the observation of the profound Inquisitor into Nature Baptista Van Helmont who upon the dissection of Bodies whose Diseases were Dropsies has found the Liver firm and sound both in colour and solidness of Parenchyme The same an ingenious and skilful Physician an Acquaintance of mine told me that upon his cutting up a Dropsical Body which Dropsie had worn away the Patient with an Atrophy of all the parts like a Tabes The limpid Liquor that he took forth of his Belly was near two Gallons the Liver was sound and good as any could be so likewise his Heart but the Spleen was discoloured and vitiated the Omentum was black rotten and foetid Some of this Liquor he caus'd to be plac'd over a fire to evaporate some of the moisture the remaining part thicken'd and was as stiff as a gelly and that of a very green colour It was of so stiff a consistence as that a spoon might have stood in it Which Experiment evinceth the truth of these following Considerations First That the Liver is innocent in the genesis of Dropsies In Hydrope insons est hepar saith Helmont and therefore all Medicines that are directed in the Galenical road to the opening Obstructions in the Liver or to any other Indication