hot and colde thinking that all things were made of these and by these makeeh it plaine by demonstration that those qualities are onely instruments of a certaine more superiour and principall cause which hee hath expressed by the name of nature For whosoeuer shall affirme that these secundarie qualities haue the prerogatiue in themselues to worke and shall attribute the cause power as it were of acting to the Axe or such like instrument and so the forme and perfection of the thing reiected shall passe by the true cause imputing that to the actions of the Instrument which neuerthelesse should remaine idle if they were not moued stirred vp by the force of forme the same I say shall much forget himselfe Philadelph If there be so great force power in forme that to the same chiefly all motion and action must be imputed then shall wee be enduced to thinke that the functions and qualities which euen now you referred to temperament and matter take not their originall by themselues but first from forme What cause haue you then to determine that they proceede from temperament and matter Theophrast They which soare no higher then the wing of common sense doe carie them will affirme that such functions and qualities spring from matter and temperament albeit forme hath the first place and preheminence we following these mens low pitch of conceit affirme that those qualities proceede from Matter and Temperament because they are effected by these as by instruments But what qualities and faculties I simply pronounce to be of forme those I affirme to haue no neede of the helpe of Instrument Philadelph Goe to then Are not matter and temperament which you propund as Instruments certaine furtherances forces of the efficient forme Theophrast No verely But as in any artificiall worke the Caruer or Smith is he which is the first and principall agent and who hath the power and faculty of acting which is his Art and strength of body but the Artificers instrument as Axe or Hammer is but an helper and in the instrument there is as it were a certaine borrowed helpe or force not which worketh but by which the worke is the better effected and to this end the well fashioned and sharpe Toole is a great furtherance euen so in like manner almost in the naturall working of things whereby they are brought to passe Forme is the first and chiefe efficient hauing in it the effecting power But Matter and Temperament are as helping instruments of the efficient cause and either of these to wit Matter and Temperament haue their power and faculty and an apt constitution by which the effect may more easely be brought to passe Therefore in euerie naturall body there are three efficient causes namely Forme Matter and Temperament euery of which haue their peculiar force whereby it worketh strongly or after a weake manner Forme of it selfe is the beginning of working neither doth it borrow any thing of the Instrument to haue being or the nature of beginning which commeth afterward as by accessarie meanes Forme therefore had the power and faculty of acting before such time as it acted by the Instrument euen as the Caruer before he worke any thing with his Toole hath ability and Art to effect the which faculty he taketh not from his Toole or Instrument Whereby it appeareth that the faculty which is naturally in euerie forme and which is called the property thereof is farre different from Matter and Temperament in force and vertue for a Caruer or Painter by his Science onely which is his faculty without the helpe of any Instrument can make an Image in his minde so in like manner the forme of a thing effecteth the thing without the helpe of Matter and Temperament And forasmuch as these three are mixed and conioyned in euery naturall body Formes can scarsly shew forth their forces apart and by themselues in effect but that therewith Matter and Temperament will expresse their supplie But on the contrary part Matter and Temperament cannot shew forth themselues without forme so that these in their seuerall kindes must be distinguished and not confounded CHAP. V. Philadelph YOur ternarie of Forme Matter and Temperament putteth me in minde of three principles which that great and ancient Philosopher Hermes Trismegistus hath deliuered that is to say Salt Sulphur and Mercurie which three hee appointeth as the onely naturall beginnings of all things created which agreeth not with Aristotles foure Elementarie principles How can these two opinions so different in number stand together Theophrast Aristotle had reason to appoint a quaternarie of Elements according to the number of the foure qualities hot colde drie and moyst as the first principles of all things as is to be seene in his second booke of Generation of liuing creatures Yet forasmuch as one can beget nothing of himselfe but three therfore three doe make one body by a compound made by a three-fold efficacie of the diuine word For God in the beginning as Moses testifieth made of nothing a Chaos deepe or waters which we please to call it animated with his spirit who being the great workmaister in the creation separated first light from darknesse and this Ethereall Heauen which we beholde as a quarta essentia or fourth eflence or most pure spirit or most spiritual simple created body Then be deuided waters from waters that is to lay the more subtill aterie and Mercuriall liquor from the more thicke clammy oyle-like or Sulfurous liquor After that Moses telleth vs that God separated from the more grosse waters the Earth which standeth apart by it selfe like Salt And thus in the bosome of the world God encluded these three simple bodies Salt Sulphur and Mercurie as the first formes of things Philadelph Doe the Philosophers the followers of Hermes exclude the Element of Fire in the composition of bodies elemented Theophrast In Genesis it is euidently to be seene that there is made mention of Heauen Earth and Water onely but of Fire and Aire no mention at all because these two are encluded vnder the other as vnder Heauen Fire and vnder the superiour waters Aire so that hereby it is plaine that there is no other fierie element but Heauen a fourth essence separated out of the more subtill matter and forme of the three elements which being so separated and extracted is no other thing but a pure Aetheriall and most simple fire most perfect and farre different from the three Elements as imperfect which Fire is the Author of all formes powers and actions in all the inferiour things of nature as the first in degree among the second causes and carieth it selfe like a Father toward his off-spring Philadelph What are the essences of these three Fire Aire and Earth Theophrast The first which is fire is a substance containing in it life and motion or the soule of the Elements The second which is Aire is a substance which hath in it the nourishing foment of life and the
yet Temperament doth not comprehend in it alone the efficacie of all functions but of those onely which after a certaine manner doe retaine and set forth the nature and condition of the first qualities For in temperament and mixture it is very necessary that one or two qualities doe excell which because they are superiour they challenge vnto them all the efficiencie of temperament in such wise that whatsoeuer is effected by it the same is said to be perfected by them albeit the rest are not idle For that which we perceiue to be hot doth heate albeit more faintly then fire And that which is hot and dry doth both heate and dry together Neither can any function come out of the Temperament which is not referred to the nature and power of the predominant quality This if it be alone and pure shall haue the forces of the Element but if it be tempered with the mixture of the contrary it shall still containe the same forces albeit obscure and inferiour For the repugnancie of the contrary may hinder the forces of the predominant quality excesse but it cannot vtterly suppresse and quaile the nature and strength thereof Therfore it is necessary that the power of the predominant Element doe abide and domineere in the temperament albeit the same power be weaker oppressed which enclining alwaies to the accustomed nature can produce no effect out of another different kinde And to perswade you that the rules goe thus it seemeth good to me to vse a more subtill reason The true mixture is of bodies the temperament is of qualities onely But contrary qualities doe not mutually passe into themselues or one into another saith Aristotle For heate doth not passe into colde nor moistnesse into drinesse or contrariwise but the subiect body onely doth suffer change For heate is not subiect to colde nor colde to heate but that which is subiect to either is Matter Therfore if ye thinke that contraries cannot passe into themselues how shall it come to passe that a new power or quality should arise out of the contemperament of the chiefe qualities which hauing gotten a different nature doth nothing sauour or taste those chiefe qualities Wherefore it is necessarie that the forces which arise out of the principall qualities doe immitate the nature of the superiour and ruling quality Philadelph I see verely the reasons of this conclusion Tell me therfore I pray you what force of effecting doe you thinke hath the matter gotten at the last For seeing it is rude without forme only subiect to beare the formes of things it effecteth nothing at all but suffereth endureth all order of change Theophrast I doe not hold and determine that there are any forces and functions in the simple and bare matter of things but in that matter which is compounded of mixed substances of the Elements Aristotle in diuers places sheweth that of the foure first qualities two that is to say Heate and Colde are actiue and are therefore called efficient the other two that is to say Moyst and Dry are called passiue so in like manner concerning the beginnings of nature Fire and Ayre are as causes efficient but water and earth are as the matter patient That same Aristotle pronounceth those things which are more potent and excellent in strength simply efficients but Water and Earth which are lesse potent hee maketh the matter of compound and thicke bodies and calleth the qualities of these drinesse and moistnesse Liuing creatures saith he doe liue and conuerse onely in the earth and in the water and not in the Aire and Fire because earth and water are the matters of bodies and therefore he addeth these words That which suffereth is either dry or moist or else compounded of both and for this cause water is said to be the body of moistnesse and earth the body of drinesse because amongst moist and dry things they are most passiue Hereof I gather that moistnesse and drinesse are patible qualities and that earth and water wherein is much moistnesse and drinesse are the matter of naturall bodies Therefore for good considerations we do call the same the vertue and quality of matter which Aristotle is wont to call the secundarie qualities arising from the patible and also calleth them corporall effects as are hard and soft thicke and thinne tough and brittle light and sharpe and such like all which are hidden and contained in matter Also Aristotle respecting the power and qualities of the Elements calleth them efficients but yet after a more subtill manner but when he considereth their substance then he affirmeth all of them to be patible and the matter of naturall bodies whereof all creatures which are in the vniuersall frame of this world consist This therefore is the matter of mixt bodies which being compunded of the matter of the elements and of the vertue of their qualities hath the same forces which I called secundarie and from whence all that is soft hard thick and thinne proceedeth And this is the cause why our meates doe nourish quicker or slower and why they haue vertue to stop to open or to cleanse Philadelph Your speech importeth thus much as I take it as if you should say that such forces doe one while proceede from the qualities of the elements and sometime from their matter and yet neuerthelesse the forces both of the qualities and matter doe apparantly come from the elements themselues Theophrast They seeme to proceede in deede from both if as well the one as the other seeme Elementarie but yet except those forces which proceede from the qualities be discerned from those which the matter yeeldeth there will no doubt be great ambiguity in things and much confusion which if you thinke good to cleare and auoid you shall driue the effects of the elements from the temperament and the effects of the consistence from the matter Philadelph I like the distinction of your Homonomye now therefore proceede with the third sort of forces namely of that which concerneth forme Theophrast If the forme of a naturall thing which is the perfection of the whole be farre more excellent than either the matter or the temperament who I pray you is so mad and so blinde in the contemplation of things as to thinke that matter and temperament haue their forces and effects and that forme should be idle and nothing auaileable in the power of acting That the accidents should haue in it a naturall effecting power and the substance which of all other is most chiefe should be destitute of all acting power to doe any thing which to thinke is too absurd I for my part attribute so much force to the formes of bodies that I verely thinke that all those effects which we behold in the things created doe chiefly and especially proceede from them And the rather I am of this opinion because Aristotle confirmeth the same For he opposing himselfe against certaine Philosophers which deduced the powers of naturall bodies from
preferred and preserued her first light wherein God had created her But now that she is in the body as it were some excellent picture of Apelles fallen into a sinke of mire couered and compassed about with thicke mistes and obscure darknesse it is very needefull that we should haue another new light brought to vs from Heauen not naturall as the first but supernaturall For this cause God hath giuen vs his sacred Booke by meanes whereof as also by his holy spirit hee communicateth to vs as much heauenly light as is needfull for the knowledge of our selues and of his high Maiestie Now Christian Reader because all things liue moue and haue their being in God a fire most pure simple and a light inacceslible from whom that subtill fire which penetrateth into euery thing and is the cause of all motion proceedeth and hath originall I haue compiled this Dialogue discoursing naturall Philosophie that thereby thou mayest not onely pry into Nature but also throughly vnderstand the cause and beginning thereof to be in God And for that rare things moue much I haue thought it pertinent to this Treatise to set before thee a most strange and wittie inuention of another Archimedes which concerneth Artificiall perpetuall motion immitating Nature by a liuely patterne of the Instrument it selfe as it was presented to the Kings most royall hands by Cornelius Drebble of Alchmar in Holland and entertained according to the worthinesse of of such a gift my paines herein bestowed and intended for thy profit and pleasure if it seeme but as Iron yet let it serue for the Forge and Anuile of good conceit if the discourse seeme rough shaddow it I pray thee with the curtaine of smooth excuse but if it be found of thee as Bullion fit for the Mint and currant for the stampe then grace it with the golden approbation of Touch and Teste So shall I rest thine during life Thomas Tymme The Contents of the first part of this Treatise Chap. 1. Sheweth the beginning of all naturall things and their first Matter Chap. 2. Sheweth the forme of things naturall and the preparations thereunto Chap. 3. Concerneth Power which is a preparation of Matter to receiue forme Chap. 4. Concerneth Matter Forme and Temperament Chap. 5. Concerneth the three principles of Nature viz. Salt Sulphur and Mercurie Chap. 6. Concerneth the existence of Man in the number of three The Contents of the second part Chap. 1. Concerneth the naturall Heauens and their motions Chap. 2. Concerneth the naturall cause of the motion of the Sea Chap. 3. Concerneth the nature and qualitie of the earth and the handling of a question whether the Earth hath naturall motion or no. Also herein is described an Instrument of perpetuall Motion Chap. 4. Concerneth the cause of all naturall causes and the motion of mans soule to Celestiall promotion NATVRES CLOSET OPENED BY THE DISCOVRSE OF TWO SPEAKERS PHILADELPH AND THEOPHRAST â‚ CHAP. I. Philadelph IN very good time I discry my old friend Theophrast if my sight faile me not with whom I haue of long time desired to conferre about some points in naturall Philosophie wherein I much desire to be informed I will therefore goe meete with him presently least he turne some other way and so I misse of my purpose Well met my good friend Theophrast Your absence from this Country in Paris hath depriued me of your company a long time but now you being happily returned in very kinde manner I giue you the welcome Theophrast I requite your kindnesse reioycing in your welfare my deere Philadelph wishing to thee as much good as to my selfe Philadelph From your well-wishing minde let me craue of you the spending sometime to acquaint mee with that admirable Queene of the world Dame Nature whom I suppose you know considering your great trauailes Tell mee therefore in good fellowship haue you beene in that Ladies Court and seene her most rich Treasurie and Closet replenished as men write with inestimable iewels Theophrast I haue not desired to please my externall senses herein but to behold her in contemplation which hath contented me without too curious a scrutenie not daring to diue deeper than I had meanes to swim Philadelph What is the beginning of naturall things and what thing is Nature Theophrast All things which come forth by their owne accord and by an inward force and vertue are said to be by nature as the foure elements of the world mettals all kinde of plants all liuing creatures and the parts of these So that this secret and inward beginning of procreation and off-spring and of all action is not onely called but is in very deede the nature of euery thing To this Nature a certaine matter is added as to the forming of an Image wood or mettall must be put vpon which also the name of Nature must necessarily be bestowed And thus euery thing is made of two natures which cannot be by any meanes disioyned or consist in any place being seperated and both these natures doe so affect and like the other that being knit together they liue otherwise they die That matter which is brought to forme as the first foundation abideth alwaies one and the same vntill the compound matter it selfe doth perish and passe into another for euery substance which is begotten is begotten and hath being of another subiect as ayre is begotten of water plants and liuing creatures of seede neither is there any thiâ—â— now made of nothing But yet the subiect whereof any thing is made was made of matter and forme the Forme perisheth and passeth away and another succeedeth and taketh away priuation but the selfe and same matter abideth which matter is ready and apt to embrace the subdued and decayed forme It is therefore necessarie that something be brought and added after such a manner that there may be a vicessitude and conuersion of things in the remainder and suruiuour Whereby it is to be vnderstoode that matter is not begotten from any beginning and is indissoluble and immortall throughout all ages and that also as it was without beginning so also it is without destruction And when any thing is begotten onely the forme thereof is procreated and sheweth it selfe and when it dieth and is extinguished the same forme faileth but the common matter of all things doe euer remaine one and the same For if vpon the vanishing of any thing the matter thereof should die and perish then the common Masse of all things had long since come to nothing neither could mankinde nor the whole nature of things nor yet the world it selfe stand and continue Philadelph These things I well vnderstand Now I pray you shew me if euery thing that is begotten proceeded from another from whence it tooke matter as from a fountaine which if it be so why then at the last doe we desire the Elements which doe flow in the procreation of this compacted body Theophrast They flow to this end that they may adde and supply
spirit of the Elements The third is an Earthie and watrie substance both together carying the body of the Elements vnder the name of Earth Philadelph I pray you declare vnto me the complexions and qualities of these three principles Salt Sulphur and Mercurie that I may vnderstand how they agree with those of the Elements Theophrast Mercurie is a sharpe liquor fluible and penetrable and a most pure Aethereall and substantiall body a substance Aierie most subtill quickning and full of spirit the seede of life and an essentiall forme comprehended in Aire Sulphur is a moist sweet oile-like clammy originall which giueth substance to it selfe the nourishment of Fire or of a naturall heate endued with the force of molifying and conioyning together comprehended in water Salt is that dry body saltish meerely earthie representing the nature of Salt endued with wonderfull vertues of dissoluing congealing cleansing emptying and with other infinite qualities comprehended in earth These three principles were called by the fore-said Hermes Spirit Soule and Body Mercurie Spirit Sulphur the Soule and Salt the body The body is ioyned with the spirit by the bond of the Soule Sulphur for that it hath affinitie with both the extreames as a meane coupling them together For Mercurie as is said is liquide thinne and fluible Sulphur is a soft oyle passable Salt is dry thicke and stable the which three are so proportionate together and tempered one with the other that there is a great Analogie conueniencie in this contrariety of beginnings For Sulphur with his humiditie oyle-like ioyneth as a meane the two extreames fixed Salt and flying Mercurie that is to say the drinesse of Salt and the moistnesse of Mercurie are contempered with the viscous humidity of Sulphur the thicknesse of Salt and the subtilty of Mercurie which are contrary are tempered with the fluidity of Sulphur Moreouer Sulphur by his exceeding sweetnesse doth contemper the sharpnesse or sowernesse of Mercurie and the bitternesse of Salt and by his clamminesse doth conioyne the subtill flying of Mercurie with the firmenesse and stability of Salt Thus of these three all naturall bodies are compounded Philadelph You said before that Fire is the Author of all formes and actions in vniuersall nature I pray you shew vnto me after what manner it is so to be reputed Theophrast Fire by his winde and spirit carieth and conuayeth his seeds into the belly of the earth whereby the generation fruit is nourished fostered and groweth and is at the last thrust forth out of the lap and bosome of the Elements This Heauen or Fire albeit it is no complexion in it selfe that is to say neither hot nor colde moist nor dry yet by his naturall disposition it yeeldeth to all things heate and colde moisture and drinesse For so much as there are starres which haue their most colde and moist spirits as the Saturnals and Lunaries others most hot and dry as the Solarie and Martials others hot and moist as the Iouials who by their vertues and complexion wherewith euery starre is endued doe forme fashion and impregnate all these inferiour things in such wise that some indiuiduals are of that condition and complexion which they haue borrowed and taken from their framing or fashioning starre or planet other some of another complexion which they haue obtained according to the condition of other starres For God hath giuen to Heauen most perfect and simple seedes such as are the Planets and Starres which hauing in them vitall faculties and complexions doe powre them forth into the lap of the inferiour Elements animating and forming them Neither doth this Heauen at any time cease frō his working nor the Astrall seeds thereof because their vertues are so abundant that they are neuer exhausted nor yet doe they suffer alteration or diminution of their faculties wherby they may cease from procreating or forming albeit at sometime they doe make more or lesse fruitfull than at other times Hereupon commeth that perpetuall circulation by the benefit whereof the seeds of the Elements or their matter are coupled with the seeds of the starres thrusting their contained seed into the maternall lap that it may forme bring forth a kindly off-spring For as Heauen is said to worke vpon the Earth so also the inferiour Elements doe yeeld and bestow their actions and motions albeit after another manner because Heauen is altogether actiue and nothing passiue being of a Homogeniall and most perfect nature and is therefore incorruptible and immutable vntill the predestinate end of things created Philadelph Are then those three Salt Sulphur and Mercurie the Essentiall and first principles of the Heauen Theophrast God in creating Heauen separated out of the Chaos or confused Masse the most pure from the impure that is to say he reduced the more pure and Aethereall Mercurie the more pure inextinguible starres and lights into a Crystaline Diamontine substance or most simple body which is called Heauen the highest fourth formall Element that from the same the formes as it were seeds might be powred forth as is before shewed into the more grosse Elements to the generation of all things Therefore it cannot be denied but that Heauen doth consist of those three principles albeit most simple but yet of the most pure spirituous and altogether formall If wee will beholde the purity of the Heauen aboue other elements and the constancie thereof looke then vpon those bright and shining fires continually glittering with light to whom the Heauen hath giuen the most pure in extinguible Sulphureus substance whereof they consist For such as the Heauen is in essence such fruits hath it brought forth therein as touching substance out of whose vitall impressions and influences they procreate and bring forth some likenesse of themselues in the more grosse Elements but yet according as the matter is more grosse more thinne more durable more constant or more transitorie And the influences of such fires are Mercuriall spirits but the light and shining brightnesse is Sulphur their fixed Heauens or vitriall Christalline circles is a salt body which circles are so pure shining and fixed that a Diamond which partaketh of the nature of fixed Salt is not of more purity continuance and perpetuity then they are Philadelph What say you to the Element of Aire doth that also consist of Salt Sulphur and Mercurie If it doe shew mee I pray you the manner how Theophrast The beginnings of Aire are all one with the other but yet more grosse lesse pure and lesse spirituous and simple then the beginnings celestiall notwithstanding that they are much more perfect thinne and penetrating than are the waterie and terrestriall Mercuries and Sulphurs and are such that next to Heauen Aire hath the preheminence of actiuitie and power whose powers and effects are to be seene in diuers and sundry winds which are Mercuriall fruits the spirits of the Aierie Element whose Sulphurs also are discerned to be pure and brght in burning Comets which are no
perpetuall fires and Sulphurs as are the starres degenerating from the nature of them as from purity and simplicity into a more grosse and impure forme And as concerning Earth in Aire it is so subtill and thin that it is very hard to beseene being diffused throughout the whole Region of the Aire Which Salt sheweth not it selfe to mans eye but in Dewes and Frosts and in Manna In Honey which Bees doe gather from flowers wherein there is no other thing but Salt Sulphur and Mercurie of the Aire which by a skilfull Chymist are separated from it with great admiration Yea the rusticke Coridon findeth this to be true by his experience in that he can separate the matter of the Bees worke into waxe a matter sulphurous into Honey which is a Mercuriall essence and into drosse representing the terrestriall Salt The very same beginnings of Aire may also be seene in Meteors in Lightnings in Corruscations in Thundrings and in such like which are ingendred in the Aire For in that fierie flame which breaketh forth is Sulphur in the windie spirit thereof is Mercurie and in the stone and thunderbolt is Salt fixed Thus that superiour separated into an Aethereall and ayrie Heauen hath his three beginnings Salt Sulphur and Mercurie yet neuerthelesse very different in simplicity and purity Philadelph These demonstrations perswade much but shew mee I pray you whether the things of this inferiour Globe consist in essence of the same number of three Salt Sulphur and Mercurie Theophrast These three beginnings doe more plainely shew themselues in this inferiour Globe by reason of their more grosse matter which is to our sight more sensible For out of the Element of Water the iuyces and metalline substances doe daily breake forth in sight the vapours of whose moisture or more spirituous iuyce doe set forth Mercurie the more dry exhalations Sulphur and their coagulated and congealed matter Salt Of the which Salts Nature doth offer vnto vs diuers sorts as Allom Coperas Vitriol Salt Gem Salt Armoniacke Salt Peeter and many others She giueth also vnto vs many kindes of Sulphurs as Brimstone Bitumen Pitch Tarre and such like Also diuers sorts of Mercuries Moreouer in the Sea there are Mercuriall Airie and Sulphurus spirits whose Meteors in Castor and Pollux and tn other kindled fires by reason of their sundry Sulphurs and exhalations doe manifest the same And as touching the Salt in the Sea no man will make question it is so superabundant From this Marine Salt the Earth being like vnto a spunge and sucking the same continually into it produceth the afore mentioned Salts beside store of minerals and mettals as the mother and first originall Philadelph For as much as these three first beginnings are in the Heauen in the Aire and in the Water as you haue shewed I haue no reason to doubt but that by a farre greater likelihood the same are to be found in the earth and to be made no lesse apparant seeing the earth of all other Elements is the most fruitfull and plentifull Therefore discourse vnto me I pray you concerning the Salt Sulphur and Mercurie of Plants and Trees Theophrast The Mercurial spirits of the Earth shew themselues in the leaues and fruits the Sulphurs in the flowers seeds and kernels the Salt in the wood barke and roots and yet so that euery of those three parts of the Tree or Plant seuerally by themselues haue in them their peculiar Salt Sulphur and Mercurie without which they cannot consist how simple so euer they be For whatsoeuer hath being within the whole compasse of Nature it doth consist of these three essences And albeit some Trees and Plants are said to be Mercuriall some Sulphurus and some Saltish it commeth hereof because the Mercuriall doe containe more Mercurie the Sulphurus more Sulphur and the Saltish more Salt in them then others For some Trees are to be seene more full of Rosine and Sulphurus matter than other some as the Pyne and Firre Trees which are alwaies greene on the coldest mountaines because they abound with their Sulphurus beginning the principall vitall instrument of their growing For there are some other plants as the Laurell the Trees of Orenges Lymonds and Cytrones which continue long greene and yet subiect to colde because their Sulphur is not so easely dispersed as is the Sulphur of the Firre Trees which are Rosine and are therefore of a threefold more constant life furnished against the iniurie of times Furthermore all spice Trees and odoriferous hearbs are Sulphurus and as there are sundry sorts of Trees of this kinde so are there an infinite sort of Sulphurs whereof I cannot stand now to entreate The plants hearbs which more abound with Salt than others are to be discerned by their taste such are Celadine Nettle Aron Radish Mustard-seede Porret Leekes Garlicke Onions Ramsons Persiccaria and such like which also by the plenty of their Salt doe prescrue themselues from the colde of Winter As for other plants abounding with Mercurie none are comparable to Rosa solis Philadelph Are those three beginnings to be found in animals or liuing creatures that haue sense also as they are in vegetable plants and such like Theophrast I tolde you before that there is nothing in Nature but it consisteth of these three euen the very fowles of the Aire and fishes that liue in the water and wormes of the Earth In the Egge whereof the fowle taketh his beginning these are seuerally to be seene the white of the Egge sheweth the Aethereall Mercurie wherein is the seede and the Aethereall spirit the Author of generation hauing in it the generating power whereof the bird is chiefly procreated The yolke of the Egge which is the nourishment of the bird is the true Sulphur But the thinne skinne and the shell is altogether Salt And this Salt is the most fixed and constant of all other Salts of Nature So as the same being brought to blacknesse and then freed from the combustible Sulphur therein by artificiall calculation it will endure all force of fire a property belonging to the most fixed Salts This Salt duly prepared is very fit to dissolue the stone and to auoide it As these three are in the Egge so doe they passe into the bird for Mercurie is in the bloud and flesh Sulphur in the fat and Salt in the Ligamens sinewes bones and more solide parts and the same beginnings are more airie and subtill in birds then in fishes and terrestrials as for example the oylely substance of birds which is the Sulphur is alwaies of more thinne parts than that of fishes or of beasts The same may be said of fishes which albeit they be procreated nourished in the colde water yet doe they not want their hot and burning fatnesse Also that there is in them Mercurie and Salt no man well aduised will denie All Terrestriall liuing creatures doe consist in like sort of these three beginnings but in a more noble degree of perfection
comprehend by any certaine reason Yet it is mans duty being set vpon the opâ—n Stage of this world to take a view of all the creatures of God to him knowne to search after such hidden causes therein soberly that he may magnifie the most omnipotent and wise Creatour of Nature CHAP. II. Philadelph YOu hauing spoken afore of the celestiall motions it resteth that you say somewhat concerning Water motion Therefore shew mee now I pray you the cause of the Seas motion wherein I haue observed a great diuersity somtime ebbing and somtime flowing one while calme and another while turbulent Theophrast The Sea in generall hath three degrees of motion the one calme and quiet continually as in that Archipelagus called Mare pacificum and Mare delzur which is seldome troubled with tempest that M. Anthonie Pigafetta sometime Knight of the Rhodes and one that did accompanie Magelanus in his first voyage and enterie into this Sea vpon the first discouery thereof testifieth that hee with his company sailed therein 4000. leagues in the space of three moneths and 20. daies In all which time being without sight of land they had no misfortune of winde nor of any other tempest Another degree of motion is in these parts of the Ocean called the Spanish Seas which doe moue and swell with surging waues like mountaines in such wise that the top Mast of one Ship going before another cannot be seene of the follower being as it were in a valley betweene two water hils In these Seas Ships cannot saile neere together least they fall foule one vpon another Otherwise in these Seas the passage is lesse perillous then in the narrow Seas for that the billowes waues of these goe whole and breake not the Sea in that channell being so deepe that a whole dry-fat of line may with a Lead be sunke therein without finding any bottome A third degree of motion is in that part of the Ocean commonly called the narrow Seas which coasteth Northward vpon England Scotland and Ireland and toward the South vpon Fraunce Flanders and so along the trade toward the the East from the West these Seas are sometime calme sometime by occasion of tempest very rough turbulent for that the passage of the Sea in that channell is interrupted with rockes and sands to the great hazard of them that saile therein Philadelph But for so much as the Sea is euer in motion either ebbing or flowing shew me I pray you the cause of such naturall and inter changeable motion which keepeth time and tide twise in 24. houres from East to West and from West backe againe to the East in the circumference of the whole Globe of the Earth Theophrast I finde in Writers such variety of opinion concerning this motion that I know not certainly what to determine to content you yet to giue you the best satisfaction I can herein you shall haue my conceite which neuerthelesse I submit to the iudgement of the more learned in Natures Schoole I suppose that there are two principall causes of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea The one supernaturall the other naturall The supernaturall and diuine cause is God who in the creation of all things by his spirit which he created as witnesseth Tertullian was the inspirer and animater of the whole vniuersall which Spirit serued the will of the Creatour as an Instrument to giue such motion to the Sea as wee see it hath appointing it bounds which it cannot passe without the will of the most mighty Commaunder Another naturall cause beside that created Spirit whereof Moses speaketh calling it the Spirit of God Iob expresseth by the similitude of Fire put vnder a Pot saying It is God which maketh the Sea to boyle like a Pot. Hereof I gather that there is a naturall fire of two sorts One in-set contained in the Marine Salt for the Sea generally is Salt euen to the North. And Salt as witnesseth Plinie yeeldeth the fatnesse of oyle and oyle by a certaine natiue heate is of property agreeing to fire And Iosephus Quersitanus and Christoferus Parisiensis affirme that Salt is both animall and vegetall hauing life in it as the radicall Balsam of Nature and to be the first mouing thing in the same which maketh to grow and to multiply and therfore serueth for the generation of all things so as with the Poets and ancient Philosophers it may be said that Venus the mother first beginner of all generation is begotten of the salt spume of the male For which cause Venus was called by the Greekes Aligines as affianced to the salt Sea The other naturall Fire the cause of the Sea flowing and ebbing is forraine or externall And this also is of two sorts One subterraneall which is as fire vnder a boyling pot For the earth hath more fire in it then hath water which fire lieth hidden in stones till it be beaten out with steele This subterraneall fire doth also cause the motion of the Sea being of substance liquide fluible moueable and altogether a passiue subiect to acting fire And when it beginneth to runne any way the precedent part therof by reason of the continuation cleauing together is thrust forward by the follower according to this sentence Vndam vnila sequitur one water followeth another Thus the Sea passeth to and againe from one Gulph to another For there are two Gulphes caused by two vast continents the one comprehending all Asia Africa and Europe and that other America Which two continents deuide the whole Sea into two parts of the world opposite one to the other East and West These two Gulphes rest at no time but like as Sea monsters doe they breath to and againe vntill the one haue engorged the other so full that it is compelled to pay vnto his lender backe againe that which is borrowed And thus the Sea hauing a naturall impotencie to stay it selfe in rest suffereth a certaine reciprocall motion into and out of it selfe without intermission which motion Aristotle calleth Talantosin The other externall heate causing the ebbing and flowing of the Sea is that which proceedeth from the Moone which Aueroes calleth the Lady and Mistresse of the Sea who by her beames and influences maketh the Sea hot and by the same heate doth beget exhalations in it wherewith when the Sea swelleth it floweth to the shoare and Sea bankes fulfilling the Hauens with Tide And the same exhalations being diminished and abated the Sea againe setteth in it selfe Therefore when by the Moones ascention and approaching to the South her light and heate is encreased then doth she make the waters to swell and flow But when she descendeth and enclineth to the Horizon her heate being by little and little diminished the waters doe fall and abate Thus all these causes working together the Sea doth moue in waight number and measure according to the ordinance of the Almighty Philadelph Lewes Vertomannus in his booke concerning Nauigation into East India affirmeth that the
flouds there haue contrary courses to those of ours concerning encreasing and decreasing Because there saith he they encrease in the wane of the Moone but here with vs in the full Theophrast If the report of Vertomannus be true then are all the times and seasons by the motion of the Heauens in the Hemisphaere contrary vnto those of ours in this Hemisphaere in such wise that as the people enhabiting there are Antipodes vnto vs so also with them it is Sommer when Winter with vs and night with them when day with vs and then no meruaile if it be there with them a full Sea when the Moone is in the wane and low water in the full Moone contrarie to the flouds and ebbes here Philadelph Let it be as you say and suppose Whereas you said before that the Sea hath sometime a turbulent and raging motion what is the reason thereof Theophrast There are two causes of such motion One is certaine exhalations bred in the Sea causing windes to breake forth from thence And sometime a multitude of dry exhalations drawne vp from the Earth into the aire causing stormie windes which breake the course of the Sea to the greatamazement of Marriners and perill of Ships Who yet are so sodainly taken in such stormes but that they haue fore-warnings thereof by certaine tokens precedent as by the roaring of the Sea in a great calme by the sporting and playing of Dolphins and Porpoyses aboue the waters and by certaine visible fires called S. Helen S. Nicholas and S. Clare which are wont to hang on the Mastes of the Ships dazeling the eyes of such as are there After which fires and other shew tokens there followeth vndoubtedly in very short time great and intollerable tempest Philadelph What fires are they which you so name and sanctifie Are they not Spirits Theophrast They are no spirits but naturall things proceeding of naturall causes and are ingendred of certaine exhalations Of these Hieronimus Cardanus writeth after this manner There are two manner of Fires ingendred of exhalations whereof one is hurtfull the other without hurt That which is hurtfull is fire indeede ingendred of euill and venomous vapours which in continuance of time take fire as apt matters to be kindled The other kinde is no true fire but like the matter that is in such olde putrified wood as giueth the shining of fire without the substance and quality thereof Of the true kinde of fire is the fire-ball commonly called S. Helen which is sometime seene about the Masts of Ships being of such fierie nature that sometime it melteth brasen vessels and is a token of drowning for as much as this chaunceth onely in great tempests for the vapour or exhalation whereof this fire is ingendred connot be compact in forme of fire but is of a grosse vapour and by a great power of winde put together and is therefore a token of imminent perill As on the contrary part the like Fires called in olde time Castor and Pollux and now named the two lights of S. Peter and S. Nicholas which for the most part fall on the cables of the Ships leaping from one to another with a certaine flattering noise like birds are a token of security and of the tempest ouerpassed For they are but vapours cleauing to the Cables which in successe of time the fire passing from one to another appeare in the similitude of a light candle They are a token of security because they are litle not slow or grosse whereby they might all haue ioyned together in one thereby haue beene the more malicious and lasted longer whereas being many and but little they are the sooner consumed Thus farre Cardanus Philadelph I haue not heard of these Sea-fires before But I haue read of certaine whirle-pooles into the which what Ship so euer commeth it is swallowed vp and the fragments of the lost Ship are seldome cast vp againe What is the reason of this whiâ—le-pooles motion Theophrast I haue likewise read that in the Norwegian Sea are three Ilands namely Lofoth Langanes and Vastrad The Sea that runneth betweene these Ilands is called Muscostrom which signifieth boyling The Sea when it floweth here is swallowed into certaine Gulphes or Caues and is blowne out againe at the ebbe with no lesse violence then the streames of riuers which fall from the mountaines The reason why they are swallowed vp which chance to fall in with this or the like Sea is the eddie water which whirling round about with the violent fall of the Sea which before was pent in with the Ilands maketh a great Indraught which violently sucketh and swalloweth sodainly This is the wonderfull power of Nature passing the fabulous Sympleiades and the fearefull Malea with the dangerous places of Silla and Charibdis and all other miracles that Nature hath wrought in any other Sea hitherto knowne vnto men Now friend Philadelph to the end you may the better vnderstand what hath beene spoken before concerning the motion of the celestiall Orbes and also that you may plainly see as in a glasse how the Region of Fire and Aire vnder the Moone doe compasse about the Earth and Sea as also for the better perceiuing of things to be spoken hereafter behold this Mathematicall Figure following This outtermost circle of this figure of all the Sphaeres which is infinite doth represent the habitacle of God who was before all time and place Time and Place began when this created World began to be CHAP. III. Philadelph FOr so much as the Earth and Sea make but one globous body vnited and combined together I pray you describe the forme thereof vnto me Theophrast The globous body of the Earth in comparison of the Heauens circumference is a very small body lesse then the Sunne and bigger then the Moone extending it selfe within a small distance of the fierie Region and in that regard is a great body Philadelph Doth not this Earth being a spungeous body sucke into it and partake of the Salt that is in the Sea which if it doe so in my opinion it should procure barrennesse to the Earth Theophrast You haue forgotten it seemeth what I said before where I shewed you that the Salt of the Sea containeth in it the radicall Balsam of Nature and being so it is the cause of the generation first of most pretious pearles in the shels of fishes and of Corall springing out of the bowels of hard stones and rockes spreading forth branches like a Tree Salt is so farre from making the Earth barren that it fructifieth the same making it fat and giuing it power to be fruitfull Salt encreaseth and giueth a vegetating and growing vertue with seede in euery terrene thing For what other thing is it which maketh the Earth fat and bringeth to passe that one graine multipheth into an hundred but a certaine stercoration and spreading of dung and vrine of men and beasts vpon the eatrh which compast is full of Salt What other thing openeth the earth and
maketh it to sprout in the beginning of the spring time after that the Sunne is exalted into the signe of Aries which signe is the fall of Saturne and the house of Mars signes altogether fierie but the sublimations and eleuations of the Spirit of Salt This is that which giueth heate and quickneth which maketh to grow and which ioyeth and decketh the fields and the medowes with grasse and flowers and which produceth that most ample and vniuersall vigour and vertue Philadelph It seemeth then that the naturall Salt of the earth hath in it a vitall and nourishing heate whereby not onely the Caues and hollow places but also Springs of water are made warme as that famous Spring which atiseth in one of the fiue Ilands of Molucca called Bachian where the water issueth out hot in the beginning but is very colde when it hath stood a while in another place This water springeth from the mountaines on the which the fragrant Cloue-trees doe grow Theophrast Such are those sulphurous Springs also which arise out of the Earth in the Citie of Bathe which are so much the more hot by how much the Winter in colde is more vehement And this doth yet further appeare by this example that the mountaines of Norway and Sweathen are fruitfull in mettals in the which Siluer and Copper are concocted and molten in veines which scarsly can be done in fierie fornaces In Iseland also toward the Sea coast are foure Springs of water of most diuers and contrary nature The first whereof by reason of his perpetuall and feruent heate sodainly turneth all bodies that are cast therein into stones reseruing neuerthelesse their first formes and shape The second is of intollerable coldnesse The third is sweeter then honey and most pleasant to quench thirst And the fourth is plaine poyson pestilent and deadly But this is to be obserued that in these springs is such aboundance of Brimstone that 1000. pound waight thereof is bought for the tenth part of a Ducket For the truth of these things reade Ziglerus in his booke of the North Regions Philadelph You tell of strange things and report matter of meruaile Theophrast But to make you meruaile more the same Ziglerus reporteth that in Iseland are three mountaines of a meruailous height the tops wherof albeit they be couered with snow yet are the neather parts of them of like nature to the mount Aetna in the Iland of Cicilie boyling with continuall flames of Fire casting forth Brimstone One of these mountaines is called Helga the other Mons Crucis and the third is named Hecla whose flames neither consume Flaxe nor Towe matters most apt to take fire not yet are quenched with water with like force as the shot of great artillarie is driuen forth by violence of fire euen so by the commixion and repugnancie of fire colde and brimstone great stones are here cast out into the ayre The Inhabitants of the Iland doe thinke that in this mount Hecla is the place where the euill soules of their people are tormented Thus Philadelph you may see that the Earth is not without a naturall Sulphur Salt which Salt by heate causeth both motion and generation not onely of Trees Plants Hearbs and Flowers with fruits of singular vertue and beauty wherewith the Earth is garnished seruing not onely for necessity but also for pleasure but hath also in the bowels thereof many excellent natures as Salts and Sulphurs of sundry sorts minerals and mettals in such plenty that it may seeme a store-house of infinite riches ordained by God for man for whom hee prepared this habitacle before he created him And albeit this Globouse body of the earth is not Sphaericall or perfectly round yet it tendeth to Sphaericitie being contracted by hils and dales in the parts thereof Philadelph Seeing the Sea which is combined and ioyned with the Earth hath motion it seemeth to some that the Earth hath also perpetuall motion And of this opinion is Nicholaus Cusanus as appeareth in his booke De docta ignorantia and Copernicus accordeth with him as is to be seene in his booke of Reuolutions who for their purpose alleadge these reasons First that we should rather attribute motion to the contained then to the containing to the thing placed then to that which affordeth place Secondly that it is conceite and imagination which maketh vs thinke that the Heauens doe moue rather then any truth of such motion indeede For that the motion of the Earth cannot be perceiued but by a certaine comparison of the fixed As for example if a man perceiue not the ebbing and flowing of the water being in a Ship at Sea where he seeth no land-marks how shall he perceiue that the Ship doth moue After the same manner a man being vpon the Earth and seeing neither Sunne Moone nor Starre it seemeth vnto him that he is in a center immoueable and that all other things doe moue Thirdly that it is very vnlike that the vast and huge compasse of the Heauens should make reuolution once in 24. houres space rather then the Earth being but as a pricke in comparison thereof Fourthly that the wandring Starres be alwaies more neere to the Earth toward the euening as when they are opposite to the Sunne the Earth comming betweene them and the Sunne and further from the Earth at Sunne setting when they are hidden about the Sunne at what time we haue the Sunne betweene them and the Earth Whereby saith Copernicus it plainely appeareth that we haue the Sunne for our fixed center rather then the Earth Fiftly that it is a condition farre more noble and diuine to be immoueable then to be mouing and vnstable which quality of motion and instability better agreeth with the Earth then with the Heauens Other reasons are aleadged which being of no great importance for breuity I omit These may suffice being the more principall by which they maintaine the motion of the Earth which reasons seeme to mee pregnant and inuincible Theophrast Then it seemeth you will preferre nouelty before Antiquity For Ptolome that great Atlas of the world and Prince of the Astronomers with the more part of auncient Philosophers haue euer beene of opinion that the Heauens doe moue and that the Earth is firmely fixed Therefore I say vnto you with S. Augustine Qui errantem laudat errorem confirmat et qui adulatur ad errorem allicit that is who so praiseth him that erreth confirmeth the errour and hee which flattereth allureth to error It is said of Ixion that he tooke a cloud for Iuno So the more part of men embrace lyes for truth falshood for certainty and ignorance for knowledge Men haue laboured to draw out of the shallow Fordes of their owne braine the deepe and vnsearchable misteries of GOD. Aristotle a man of singular wit notwithstanding his great learning and knowledge in humane Sciences attained not to the thousand part in the knowledge of those things which are laide vp in the Clofet of