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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	air_n	element_n	fire_n	13,062	5	7.1789	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65093	The works of the famous antiquary, Polidore Virgil containing the original of all arts, sciences, mysteries, orders, rites, and ceremonies, both ecclesiastical and civil : a work useful for all divines, historians, lawyers, and all artificers / compendiously English't by John [i.e. Thomas] Langley.; De rerum inventoribus. English	Vergil, Polydore, 1470?-1555.; Langley, Thomas, d. 1581.	1663 (1663)	Wing V596; ESTC R28374	121,672	340

men of Greece hath an opinion that water was the material cause of all things Contrariwise Heraclitus an Ephesian and Hippasus suppose all to be procreated of fire Empedocles saith the four Eleme●ts were the causes of things as Lucretius writeth Of Water Earth Ayre and fiery glede All things natural duely procede Anaximenes thinketh all things to have their beginning of the Ayre Metrodorus assirmeth the universal World to be eternal without begining or end Epicurus one of Democritus disciples putteth two causes Atomes or Motes and vacuity or emptinesse of these he saith the four Elements come These are the opinions of the Philosophers that were men without the knowledge of God but as Moses and Josephus record the Scripture concludeth that in the beginning God made all things of nothing as Saint John saith all things were made by him And therefore as Lactantius writeth let no man be curious in searching of what materiall God made these great and wonderfull works for he formed them all of nothing by the power of his mighty word For as David the Prophet singeth he spake the word and they were made he gave Commandement and they were created Of the same opinion is Plato in his book called Timeus CHAP. III. The procreation of Man the diversity of Languages and division of Nations THe most famous writers of natural Histories as Diodorus recordeth spake of two sundry manners of birth and first stock of mankind For they which contend that the World was ungenerate and without any danger of corruption say also that man hath been in a certain perpetuity without beginning Of this opinion were Pithagoras Architas Xenocrates and Aristotle with other Peripateticks affirming that all things in the eternal world which have been or shall hereafter come to passe be by Generation endlesse and without beginning and have onely a circuit and course of Generations wherein both the birth and naturall resolution of things may be perceived Other that suppose this world had both an Originall cause of being and shall also end by putrifaction hold opinion that man had a time of his Generation For this cause the Aegyptians report that men were first born among them as well by reason of the fruitfull ranknesse of the soil and seasonableness of the Ayre and because of the River Nilus which for the lusty fatnesse of the slime doth procreate diverse kinds of beasts and hath in it self naturally a certain nutritive power For in the Country of Thebais Mice be engendred of the mud wherefore men in those parts stand in admiration when they behold the fore-parts of them to the brest wallow and move sensibly in the mire and the hinder partts not yet fashioned and without shape Neverthelesse Psammaticus their King desiring to know in what Countrey men were first begotten devised this means He caused two young Infants new born to be delivered to his herdmen to be brought up among his cattell and commanded that no man should speak any word to them because he would know what word they would speak first Then two years after when the herdmen opened thè door where they were nourished they stretched out their hands and cried Becos which in the Phrygians language signifieth bread Thus it was known that the Phrygians were the eldest lineage and first born The Ethiopians do conjecture themselves to be the first because no man would come out of any other place into that Region and they of that be by a general con●ent called home-bred and as Diodorus saith it is probable that those under the Meridional Aequator should be the ancientest of all For seeing the heat of the Sun drieth up the moysture of the earth and hath also of it self a power to give and preserve the life of things it is like that the place which is scituate nearest to the Sun should bring forth the first living creatures For that cause Anaximander taught that men first sprung of water and Earth warmed with lively heat Empedocles in a manner confirmeth the same where he writeth that every particular member was severally made and proportioned of the Earth as a mother and so to have been compacted and conglutinated by heat and moisture into the perfect figure and shape of a man Democritus thinketh men were first made of Water and Mudde tempered together Zeno judgeth the cause of Mankind to have proceeded of the New World And men to be onely begotten by the ayd and comfort of the divine fire that is the providence of God As for the Poets some feign how man was made out of soft clay by Prometheus Some say that they sprung of the hard stones that Deucalion and Pirrha cast And thus much is of the vain opinions of the Gentiles But to speak the truth as Scripture teacheth the beginning of man was in Jewry For God when he had finished the World did create the first man Adam of the Earth of the field of Damascus as some think Thus Adam made by God marrying his Wife Eve was authour and beginner of the whole Posterity and Linage But for as much as God formed but one man and indued him with one kind of speech onely to utter and declare the things that he contained in his mind men perchance will marvail what the cause should be that there be at this day so many diverse languages that according to the variety of Countries there be sundry speeches And therefore I thought it convenient to shew the occasion of the same When Nimrod the son of Cham that was son to Noe after the universal floud went about to withoraw men which feared the danger of drowning from the worship of God supposing all their hope to consist in their own might and power perswaded them to build a Tower of such altitude that the water should not be able to overflow it Whilest they were thus earnestly occupied about their enterprise God divided their speeches in such sort that not one of them could understand another by reason of the discord and disagreeing of their languages And thus began the diversity of tongues that we use now The same was the occasion that the posterities of Noe were dispersed and scattered abroad For when one could not understand another's language it came to passe that every man departed into sundry Provinces add Countries and there named places whereof they had the government and also Cities which they builded after their own names as Eusebius testifieth The sonnes of Noe were Sem Cham and Japhet The issue of Sem was Elam whereof the Elamites came Assur of whom the Assyrians were named Arphaxad was the first founder of the Arabians and Lud of the Lidians the children of Cham were Chus that named the Ethiopians and Mesre the beginner of the Egyptians Chanaan of whom the Canaanites had their name the linage of Chus was Seba whereof the Sebees came

VEnus 95 Venus a common woman 152 Vermilion 114 Vigils 229 Vizzards were found by Echilles 33 Voyces 72 Vowes 246 Use of Scotland 17 Use in the Service 224 Vulcanus 108 Vultursii 96 Uxor ab ungendo 19 W. WAggons 92 Walls of houses 135 Washing of feet on Maundy-Thursday 184 Washing dead bodies 241 Watch-words 89 Watches wards ibid. Water is cause material 7 Water-Dial 82 Weights and Measures 53 Weaving 129 Weather-cocks 51 Whit-Sunday 164 Wimble 147 Winds 50 Wine 124 Wine-Taverns 125 Winter-garlands 103 Wooll 129 Women had commendations in Rome 141 Women may not base their heads in the Church 182 Women of India 139 Works due on the Holy-dayes 232 World made of nought 8 World was made by Meter 31 Wrestling 94 Writing in Egypt 143 Writing Tables 192 X. X The letter 25 Xamolxis 46 Xerxes 95 Y. YAwning 248 Year who found it 77 Yoking Oxen. 123 Z. ZEphus 40 Zeno 11 Zoroastes found Magick 60 FINIS Ephes 6. Oracles doubtfull What men were deified Isis Neptunus Faunus Pallas Apollo Jupiter Belus Opinions of the Philosophers Thales Cleanthes Anaxagoras Chrisippus Diagoras Theodorus Protagoras Epicurus Anaximan Saturnus father of the gods To speak of the nature of God is dangerous Simonides One God What God is Water is cause material Fire Four Elements Ayre Atomos The World was made of naught Plato The opinions of the birth of man The second opinion The Egyptians opinion of man Mice engendred of the mud The story of Psammaticus The Aethiopians opinion of man Aborigines Anaximander Democritus Zeno. Poets God made man Adam the first man Diversity of speeches Religiou Babylon Division of Nations Sons of Noah Authors of the names of Countries Instruction of wedlock Marriage began in Paradise Cecrops The manners of divers Nations in Marriages Massagites Arabians Punishment for Adultery Buying of Wives Nazamones The use sof Scotland Malcolme King of the Scots Single livers Divorcement Spurius Servilius Moses ordained Divorcements Rites of Marriages Fire and Water given in token of chastity Maids of Rome and Greece Vxor ab ungendo Occasion of Idolatry Images of Kings Melissus Belus Aethiopians Janus Cadmus Orpheus Cecrops Cain Abel Enos Letters Diodorus Menon The Egyptianss letters Pliny Cadmus found fourteen letters Palamedes added four letters Epicarmus Cadmus Eumolphus Moses The Sons of Seth found the letters Hebrew letters Greek letters Evander brought letters into Italy Demeratus taught the Hetrurians letters The letter F. was taken of the Ae●lians Two parts of Gramm Epicurus taught Grammer first Crates taught Grammer in Rome Antonius-Enipho a Schoolmaster Poetry Poets be called holy of Ennius Hebrews were Authors of Poetry Moses David The Psalter of David Solomon Job Orpheus Linus Livius Andronicus The World was made by Metre Diverse kinds of Meter Heroical verse Archilocus found Jambus Daphnis found the Shepheards Carolls Tragedies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Visards were found by Eschylus Famous Tragedies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Tragedy A Comedy Archilaus A Satyre Two sorts of Satyres Liberty of the old Satyre New Comedy Menander Satyres whereof they were named Histories Cadmus wrote the story of Cyrus Moses did write the first Stories Priests of Egypt wrote stories Pheresides Greek stories Latin stories Rhetorick Mercury Empedocles Corax and Thiseas gave rules of Rhetorick Cicero Parts of Rhetorick Orpheus Finders of Musick after divers Authours Zephus Amphion Arcadians Mercury found the Concords Tubulcain Nature gave Musick to men Labourers passe away the time with Songs Musick maketh men effeminate Socrates Themistocles Salii Martis David Mercury Harp The strings in the Harp Amphion Gods of favour Shalms Dardamus Trezenius Pipe Singing to the lute Regalls Nebles Dulcimers Brazen Trumpet Dyrceus Captain of the Lacedemonians Moses found the Trumpet Arcadians brought Instruments into Italy Lacedemonians manner of war Drumslades in war Pipers Fidlers Magitians Chaldees Gymnosophists Druides Ochus Xamolxis Orpheus Atlas Hebrews were Authors of Philosophy Pythagoras calleth himself a Philosopher Three parts of Philosophy Five parts The power of the Stars Observing of dayes Chaldees Astrology Egyptians Mercury Abraham Grecians learned in Egypt Atlas Seth his posterity Two Pillars preserved Astrology from the Flood Archimedes Aeolus Four Winds Andronicus Images of Winds Weather-cocks Fans Nilus overfloweth Egypt Prognostication of plenty and scarcenesse Egyptians found out Geometry The Jews found out Geometry Abraham taught the Egyptians Contents of Geometry Measures and Weights Numbers Manner of reckoning years Counting by Nails Letters to count with Figures of Arithmatick Inventors of Physick Apollo god of Medicines Drawing out of Teeth Observing of diet was the beginning of Physick Three parts of Physick Hippocrat●s reduced it to an Art Archagathus the first Physitian in Rome Marcus Cato banished Physitians out of Rome The manner of the Egyptians in their diseases Every disease had a sundry Physitian Famous Physitians Hearbs were created for man Hearb called Balin Hechewall Parthians Chiron was Author of Medicines and Salves Centaury was found by Chiron Aesclepiades abolished Physick Moly Panace Dittany Cancer Selandine Savery Marjoram Ivy. Letting of bloud Rue Organy Zoroastres found Magick Thessaly used Magick Hosthanes wrote books of Magick Driving out of spirits Charms Eleazar driveth out spirits Two kinds of Prophesying Natural Artificial Beholding the bowels of beasts Feeding flying and chattering of birds Massolanus letteth the Augury Dreams-reading Law The Laws Natural Civil Law Law-makers Ceres God was the true Author of Laws Moses promulgated the first laws in writing The manner of ruling the Common-wealth Monarchy Aristocracy Democracy Kingdom began in Egypt Democracie began in Athen● First Kings how they behaved themselves Ninius did enlarge his Empire Hebrews ordained Democracy Aristocracy Theseus first Tyrant Nemroth Bondage Areopagites judged in the night Giving of voyces Kings of Rome Consuls in Rome Dictator first in Rome The space of the Dictator's Office The time of denouncing the Dictator Decrees Tribunimilitum Democracie began in Rome P. Licinius a man of the Commons L. Sylla C. Marius Royall Ornaments Divers devisions in the year The great year Romulus ordered the year Numa added to the year Julius Caesar made the year perfect Leap-year Bissextus Dayes of every Moneth Mercurius Trismegistus appointed 12 hours M. Valerius Messala ordained a Dial in Rome Water Dial. Clocks Sand-Diall Striking of the Clocks Sundry Divisions Parts of the Night Pisistratus made the first Books Atheus made many books Ptolomeus Libraries Aristotle had the first Library Asinius Pollio F. Feltrius John Cuthenbergus found Printing Men wrote in Plates of Lead Men of great Memory Mars author of Chivalry Tubulcain Palamedes appointed Watches and Warding Watch-words What year Guns were found Riding of Horses Playes or Shews Corilus Exercises used in the Olympiads The reward of the Victors Nemei Pyrrhusdance Xerxes Talus Chancebone Odd and Even The Rites of these feasts Sword-Players Truce Truce for Years Hours Barceans League Triumph Camillus Posthumius Tubertus Baccbus Moses Pausias Pericles Cups were crowned Aethiopus devised Oyntments Oyntments might not

about three thousand one hundred fourscore and five years after the Creation of the World Lactantius and Eusebius think it was set forth among other devillish sciences by the evill Spirits and Pliny calleth it of all Arts the most deceitful It is compacted of Physick Superstition and the Mathematical Arts. The Thessalonians especially were accused with the frequent use of this practise the writer of this art was Hosthanes Pythagoras Empedocles Democritus Plate with divers others s●iled into far Countries to learn it wherein Democritus was most famous three hundred years after the City was builded in which time Hippocrates published the Art of Physick The manner to drive out spirits out of men that were possessed with them and Charms to heal corporall maladies King Solomon taught as Josephus witnesseth and he saw it done by Eleazar in his time before Vespasianus then Emperour The manner to heal them was thus He put to the nose of the possessed man a Ring wherein was enclosed a root that Solomon had shewed wherewith he drove out the spirit and the man fell down then he conjured with such Orisons and Exorcisms as were appointed by Solomon to banish the spirit out of the Demoniak The Sages or Wise-men of Persia which in their language be named Magi being wholly addict to the honouring of their falle gods came to such extream folly that they professed openly that they could not onely by the observation of the Stars know things to come but also by other pretensed arts and mumbling of some words they could do and bring to passe any thing that they would By them were invented these 6 kinds of Magick Necromancy which is by raising up of dead men as in Lucane one raised from death told the adventures of the battel of Pharsalus Piromancy that telleth things by the fire and lightning as Tenaquilla the wife of Tarquinius Priscus prophesied that Servius Tullius should be King of Rome because she saw the fire environ his head The finding of this Pliny referreth to Amphiaraus Hieromancy that is a kind of prophecying by the ayr as by flying feeding singing of birds and strange tempests of wind and hail Hidromancie was prophesying by water as Varro writeth that a Child did see in the water the Image of Mercury which in 150 verses told all the chance of War against Mithridates King of Pontus Geomancy was a divination by opening of the earth Chiromancy is a conjecturing by beholding the lines or wrincles of the hands called commonly Palmistry Which vain illusions and false perswasions it becometh all true Christians to eschue and abhor CHAP. XIX Two kinds of Divination Soothsaying casting Lotts and interpreting of Dreams CIcero maketh two kinds of divinations one naturall and another artificiall Natural is that which proceedeth of a certain commotion of the mind that chanceth sometimes to men when they be in dreams or sleeping sometimes when they prophesie in manner of fury and ravishing of mind as Sybilla and divers other religious persons did Of this kind were Oracles of Apollo and Jupiter-Hammon Albeit they were often false because they came of a devillish policy and man's subtlety but such as come of the Holy Ghost and not of a blasphemous madnesse be true The artificiall consisteth in those things which come of conjectures old considerations and observances of the entrails of beasts flying of birds casting of lots The regarding of the bowels of beasts began among the Hetruscians For as it fortuned a man that plowed to raise up a deeper surrow then he was wont to do one Tages suddenly arose out of the earth that taught them all the feats of Soothsaying but Pliny saith one Delphus found it The divinations by looking on the feeding of birds Theresius a Theban devised Caras first marked the chattering of them and Pythagoras observed their flying Orpheus added the divination by other beasts What store we ought to set by such divinations Massolanus a Jew teacheth us When he was in the wars a certain Prophet commanded every man to stand till he had taken a conjecture of the bird that flew by but Massolanus took privily a bow and shaft and killed the bird wherewith the Wisard and divers others were displeased Then he said to them Why dote ye so can the bird which knoweth not of her own death tell us the casual adventures of our Journey For if she had had any foreknowledge she would not have come hither to have been killed of me Casting of Lots Numerius Suffusius devised first at Pr●nest The expounding of dreams Pliny ascribeth to Amphiction but Trogus assigneth it to Joseph son to Jacob. Clement saith the Telmessians found it But all these were invented to seduce men with superstitious errour and for the commodity of them that use it Here endeth the First Book Polidore Virgil. The Second BOOK CHAP. I. The Original of Lawes and who made the first Lawes LAW is a constant and perpetual good thing without which no house no City no Country no estates of men no naturall Creature nor the World it self can consist firm and stable For it obeyeth GOD and all other things ayr water land and men be in obedience to it Chrysippus calleth it a knowledg of all Divine and humane matrets commanding equity and expulsing wickednesse and wrong There be of Laws three kinds one natural that is not onely appropried to man but also it concerneth all other lively things either in the Earth Sea or Ayr. As we perceive in all kinds of living creatures naturally a certain familiarity of male and female procreation of issue and a proclivity to nourish the same the which proceedeth of a natural law engraffed in the hearts of every of them Nature her self that is God was Author of this The second is named the Law that all men use generally through all the World as to shew a man the way to communicate to men the commodity of the Elements Water and Ayr to this kind appertaineth the Law of Arms and it is called in Latine Jus gentium Civil Law is the private Law of every Country or City as of the Romans Lacedemonians and Athenians This consisteth in decrees of Princes Statutes and Proclamations The chief and principal lawes were promulgate by God confirmed after the most pure and perfect manner that naturall equity could devise or conceive and be instable constance and subject to no transmutation After the example of these man hath invented Laws to desend and preserve good men and to punish and keep evil persons in office and good order Such Laws Ceres made first as Diodorus supposeth but others think it was Rhadamantus and afterwards others in divers Countries devised and ordained Laws as in Athens Drac● and Solon in Egypt Mercury in Crete Minos in Lacedemonia Lycurgus in Tyre Tharandus in Argos Phoroneus in Rome Romulus in Italy Pythagoras or after the mind of Dionysius the Arcadians

Authority with his Apostles to establish the Common-wealth and Religion of Christians and the 10th day after his Ascention he sent the Holy Ghost into their hearts to strengthen and teach them all truth This was 33 years and 3 moneths after his Incarnation Thus our Religion had its original and the Apostles by their preaching amplified and enlarged it very much For Peter first preaching to the Jews in Jerusalem of the cruel murther that they had committed against Christ Jesus converted and baptised in one day 3000 men and Women And by the miracle of healing the lame man at the beautifull gate of the Temple he stayed and confirmed them strongly in the Faith albeit he suffered persecution greatly for the same And Stephen for his faithfull testimony was stoned to death Philip converted and baptised the Samaritanes and a certain Eunuch of Candaces Queen of Ethiopia the Eunuch turned the Queen with her family and a great part of that Countrey to the faith of Christ After in Antioch the faithfull named themselves Christians Thomas preached to the Parthian● Matthew in Ethiopia Bartholomew in s India Andrew in Scythia John in Asia Peter in Galatia Pontus Cappado●ia Peter was born in Bethsaida a City of Galilee and brother to Andrew He was Bishop of Antioch seven years and converted many people of Asia and after went to Rome in the time of Claudius and there preached the Gospel with great increase At the same time Mary the Virgin and Mother of 〈◊〉 Saviour Jesus Christ did change her life which was the year of our salvation 47 Not long after Paul being converted from his phantasticall Traditions to a Preacher of Christ's Gospel was brought to Rome where he preached boldly the Gospel notwithstanding the great persecutions that he suffered for it and afterward suffered death by the way of beheading at the commandement of Nero the same day that Peter was crucified on a Crosse Thus daily the Congregation of Christians encreased more and more as the Acts of the Apostles and other Histories do declare it fully Albeit there was great trouble and persecution in every place yet God by his power contrary to their expectation turned their cruelty to the furtherance of his Word confirmation of the faithfull and confusion of them that used tyranny CHAP. II. The Institution of Circumcision and Baptism GOD which had made promise to Abraham that he should be father of many Nations and that all the world should be blessed in his seed that is Christ willing to stay his faith in the same promise appointed the Covenant of Circumcision between him and Abraham saying Every male shall be circumcised and the flesh of his fore-skin shall be cut round about for a sign of the League and Confederacy that I make with thee Upon this Commandement Abraham then being 99 years of age did cut his foreskin and his son Ismael's being then 12 years old whom he begat of Hagar his bond-maid and all his servants For this cause as S. Cyprian saith that he might have the first fruits of the blood which should afterward shed his holy blood for the redemption of many yea of all that believe in him The fashion of it was to cut the fore-skin of a man's yard with a knife of stone as God commanded Joshua that he should make knives of stone to circumcise all the Israelites the second time and Moses did circumcise his children with a sharp stone Chrysostome calleth Circumcision the first and most ancient Commandement for there is no Nation that gave any precepts or rules to live by before Abraham or Moses and therefore it is to be supposed that other Countries took example at the Hebrews to circumcise their Children as the Phoenicians and Arabians the Saracens the Ethiopians the Egyptians and the Colchians This Circumcision of the flesh was a figure to us of the circumcision of the heart and casting away of all superfluous lusts carnal desires and importeth a moderation and mortifying of the affects and concupisce●ces of the old Adam I mean the sinful body he that had not this sign was banished out of the number of the people of God and had no part in the promises made to Abraham Baptism wherein is left to us a signification both of the mortification of the flesh and dying to the World that we may walk in a new life and also of the washing away of our sins by Christ's blood and is the token that we be of the body of the Congregation of the faithful was instituted by Saint John son of Zachasry the 15th year of the Emperour Tiberius his reign in the Wilderness beside the famous River of Jordan where he baptized much people This baptism and washing was in the water to ssignifie the washing away of our sins that should be by Christ which baptized in the Holy Ghost and fire There were signs of Baptism in the old Law as the Cloud the Red-Sea the River of Jordan The first that was christned of the Heathen was Cornelius of Caesaria and the Eunuch of Queen Candaces Christening of Infants was instituted among us as Circumcision of children was of the Jews celebrated the eighth day Iginius Bishop of Rome ordained first that children which should be Christened should have a godfather and a godmother for to be witnesse of the Sacrament that it was received And Victor Bishop there did institute the one might be christened either by a lay-man or woman in time of necessity because Infants were often in dange● There be three manner of Baptisms as Cyprian divideth it One in water whereof John was author another in the Holy Ghost and fire whereof Christ was Institutor the third in blood wherein the children that Herod slew were christened It was also the manner in old time that they which were grown in age should be baptized in white apparrel and that was wont to be at Easter or Whit-sunday onely necessity constrained otherwise In the mean time till those dayes came they were taught the mysteries of the Religion of Christ which they should professe Of that custome I suppose the 7th Sunday after Easter is called the White-Sunday CHAP. III. Of the Priesthood of the Hebrews and degrees of the same LIke as in the Christian Common-wealth there be two sorts of men one called the Laytie to whom appertaineth the ministration of the publike weal and all temporal affairs the other is the Clergy to whom belongeth the cure and charge of ministring the Word of God Sacraments and other decent ceremonies so in the old Law of the Hebrews there were two jurisdictions one of them was Captains and Governours of the Commons the other was the Priesthood that did offer up the sacrifices and other oblations Of this degree of Priests Aaron and his sons were the first ordained and consecrated by Moses at the Commandement of God The manner and fashion

but not in a Vessel which is called Lacopella or Cupella and they have many other notable inventions Likewise they have found out strong waters wherewith they separate Brasse from Silver and Gold which could not be done in ancient times as Vlpianus the Lawyer affirms in lib. 5. § 3. ff De rei vindicat Where he saith that if Brasse were mixed with Gold it could not be deducted Those strong waters do wonderfully trouble the sight when they separate Gold from Silver For the Silver may be seen to ascend through the middle as if it were some certain Column and it is changed into green red and other colours and at last it is scattered in the water so that the Silver can be seen no more but all is full of water the Gold remaining in the Bottom The Cupella was lately found that admirable vessel is made of a bone of an Oxe In this Gold and Silver is put to be polished and purged of all spots and blemishes wherein nothing but even the very pure refined Gold remaines The Gold or Silver being involved in a thin leaf of Lead is cast into that little Vessel which is put on the fire and then the Cupella or little Vessel consumes all the other mettal which is in it but leaves the true Gold or Silver which lyeth in the bottome without any mixture untouched But there is a doubt whether Alchymy be lawfull or no And truly the interpreters as well of the Civill as spiritual or Canon Law affirm with one consent that though at the first sight it may seem to be concluded negatively forasmuch as it belongs to God alone to change one substance into another because no man though of never so great fame can perform that And therefore the Devill when he tempted Christ as if he were in doubt whether he were the Son of God or no said If thou art the Son of God cause that these stones may be made bread that is Do something which onely belongs to God to do Yet they concluded at last that Alchymy was lawfull And upon this Argument● viz. because all mettals proceed out of Sulphur and Quick-silver which the Alchymists call Mercury which if they receive Ayre Water and Heat sufficient are turned into Gold but if they want a fit temper that they cannot be brought to that perfection then they make Silver Tin Lead or Brasse according to the influence and disposition of the Elements Therefore humane Art doth not turn one substance into another but heat and temperament Sulphur and Quicksilver having the force and power to turn into Gold and if it cannot be done by reason of some defect then the Alchymists do supply that heat and temperament by their Art which will bring the Sulphur into the substance of Gold as well as if it had been natural John Andrea a noted interpreter of the Pontifical Law writeth that Arnoldus de villa nova turned Brass into little Rods of Gold in the Roman Court many Cardinals being present and presently departing he left it to any sort of trial The Art may be true but I believe that there are very few yea scarce one that is expert in it For those that professe it are either Fools or much inclined to poverty Therefore it is an ancient Proverb I never saw a rich Alchymist CHAP. IV. Of Distillation DIstillation was invented after that the Roman Empire was established It is credible that it was found at the same time in the exercise of Alchymy Some say that a certain Physitian having a dish upon the Table full of hearbs being suddenly called to visit a sick person covered that dish with another and then went away but being returned he found the uppermost dish moistned and hence considering that he might easily extract juices he bent his wit so far that thence he made the beginning of Distillation Others having imitated him by practising that Art have made it perfect That Art is profitable because out of it came Aquavitae Oyl of Cinnamon and innumerable other Liquors which are of very great effect By this means it happens that all those waters out of Succocory Capers and other hearbs which are wont to be administred to sick persons are now distilled whereas formerly they were onely boyled and the Decoction given to the Patients FINIS A Table containing most of the speciall Matters or Sentences in this Book A. AAron and Saul first anointed 196 Abell 23 Aborigines 11 Abraham 49 He taught the contents of Geometry to the Egyptians 53 He is circumcised 161 ordained the first place of buriall 203 Adam the first man 12. he named beasts 127. He made the first Coat of Lether 130 Advent 226 Advoutry 153 Aeolus observed the winds 50 Aeromancy 62 Aethiopus despised oyntments 106 Ayre 8 Alchymy 305 Alhallow-day 336 Alms. 224 Amber 113 Amphion 43 Amphitheaters 143 Anacletus forbade Priests to have beards 172 Anaxagoras 3 Anaximander 4 11 Anchors 151 Andronicus 51 Annates 286 Anointing is the token of Kings 196 Anointing of Children 197 Antioch 159 Antonius Enipho a Schoolmaster 28 Apollo 3 Apollo god of Medicines 54 Apostles 168 Apparrell 130 Apparrelin mourning 139 April 78 Apuleius de asino aureo 221 Arabians 15 Arcadians 41 Archagathus the first Physitian in Rome 56 Archbishops 179 Arch-Deacons ibid. Archelaus 34 Archilocus found Iambus 31 Archimedes devised the Sphear 50 Ariopagites judged in the night 71 Arras Cloath 130 Aristocracy 170 Aristotle had the first Library 84 Arithmetick 54 Ark 202 Art of Memory 87 Asclepiades abolished Physick 58 Assinius Pollo had the first Library in Rome 85 Astrology 49 Athanasius 223 Athens made many books 84 Atlas 49 Atomes or Motes 8 Authors of the names of Countries 13 Augustus's Seal 118 Auricular Confession 112 Axe 148 B. BAbylon 13 137 Bacchus 103 Baking 123 Balm an herb 57 Banners 245 Banquetes 128 Baptism 163 Barbers 154 Barchian league 101 Barges 150 Barques ibid. Baskets 149 Baths 146 Battel on the Sea 151 Beads 208 Beasts that be badges 129 Beadel denounced noon 81 Beholding the bowels of beasts 63 Bells 245 Bellowes 109 Belus 3 21 Bennet's use 224 Bezoars stone 304 Bible 231 Buying of wives 17 Birds 64 Birth-dayes 234 Bissextus 79 Bishops 160 Bishops of Rome may change their names 176 Bishops of Rome be carried on mens shoulders ibid. Bishops married Maids 195 Blood-letting 59 Boats 150 Bolts 90 Bone-fires 153 199 Bondage 71 Books 84 Bow and shafts 90 Bracks and Slings 90 Brazen Trump 44 Brasse 107 Brick-work 132 Bridle-bits 91 Brigantine 150 Broches 141 Building 132 Bulls of Lead 284 Burial is the end of all things 243 Burying 138 Burying of an Empeperour 140 Burning dead bodies 139 Buttons 299 C. CAdmus 22 23 24 Cadmus wrote the first story of Cyrus 36 Cadmus found gold 107 Cain 23 122 Cain and Abel sacrificed first 204 Calends 79 Camillus 101 Cancer 59 Candles 109 Candlemas-day 191 Canis 95 Canonizing of Sainss 238 Caps 183 Cardinals 174 Carpenter's Art 147