the could water be humidissimum medicamentum if it were not humidissimum elementum For the simple qualities are more intense in the Elements then in mixt Bodies caeteris paribus We speake of the proper operation of water according to his natural quality and not as it may work by accident Thinness and levity are two other qualities of simple water which Hypocrates commends and adds this experiment in another place that it is quickly hot and quickly cold Galen adds another experiment in the quick boyling of Peason and Beans And whereas Galen produceth the boyling of Beans as a familiar example to shew the tenuity of water we may gather that the use of Beans was common in those dayes although the Pyâ—hagorean sect did then much flourish which were thought to forbid the use of them But I find that here hath been a great mistake For Aristoxenus who wrote of the Life and Doctrine of Pythagoras affirms that he did delight much in that kind of food and our Physitians commend them for loosing the Belly and drying of Rheums But it seems the cause of this mistake was a Verse of Empedocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O miseri a fabulo miseri subducite dextras Thrice wretched men from Cyams keep your hands As if he had forbidden the use of Beans poor occasion to pronounce them miserable which used them But he meant it of continency and abstinence from venery as Aulus Gellius doth intérpret it where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are understood to be testiculi Cicero mentioneth the the same of the Pythagoreans but in another sense because Beans were thought by their flatulency to disturb our Dreams and so to hinder the divination which might be gathered from them as also Middendorpius judgeth But tâ— return to water And it is requisite that waâ—e should have these qualities in regard of the manifold and necessary uses of it both for Mâ—â— and Beast and Plants insomuch as there is nâ— living for any creature where there is no wateâ— It was our first drink to quench our thirst anâ— to distribute our nourishment as a vehiculuâ— which it doth by his tenuitie and after the invention of Wine it was mixed therewith â— Virgil saith of Bacchus Pocâ—laque inventis Acheloia miscuit â—vis And he that first found out the Vine Mix'd some Water with his Wine Where by Acheloia he means not only tâ— water of the River Achelous in Etolia butâ— other waters as Macrobius proves out of Aâ—â— stophanes and Ephorus and Scaliger saith thâ— the Greeks called all waters by that name froâ— the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And since the planting of Vine yards seeing all Countries could not beâ— Grapes Bacchus also taught the world to make vinum è frugibus with water as Diodorus Siculus reports from whence the Egyptians had their Zithum and Curmi the Spaniards their Cerea the Turks their Cowset and we our Ale and Beer all which are extracted out of Corn by the pureness of and tenuitie of water By means whereof we have our Broths Syrups Apozemes c. extracted with it as a fit menstruum to receive the faculties of all medicaments and nourishments especially the second qualities and therefore it was antiently called Panspermia besides the manifold uses in washing dying c. where that water is accounted hest which lathers most being mix'd with Soap of which I will not discourse farther Levity is another note of pure water alledged by many and serves well to distinguish it from many mixed waters whether we respect the weight of it or the molestation which it breeds in the bowels This difference of weight is hardly discerned by ballance both because simple waters do very little differ in this point and also many mixt waters if they be only infected with Spirits and not corporal substances retain the same proportion of heaviness with simple water and also because it is hard to have great Ballances so exact as a small difference may be discerned by them yet Agricola reports that a cotyle of the water of Pyrene and Euleus did weigh a dram less then the water of Euphrates or Tigris and therefore the Kings of Persia used â—o drink of it and held it in great account as also the water of the River Coaspis Thus much for the qualities which simple water should have for such as it should not have I shall not need to spend time in discourse being either such as the Senses will discover if it be in taste colour smell or touch or the effects if it be purgative vomitory venomous c. CHAP. III. Of the three Originals of Simple Waters NOW it followeth that we shew from whence these waters have their Original which is no other then of the mixt waters saving that the mixt waters do participate with some Minerals which are imbibed in them They haue three several Originals the one from moist vapours congealed by cold in the air the second from the earth the third by percolation from the Sea For the first it is certain that our Springs and Rivers do receive great supply of waters from the Air where vapours being congealed by cold do fall down upon the Earth in Rain or Snow or Hail whereby the ground is not only made fertile but our Springs are revived and our Rivers increased As we see the Rhine and Danubius to swell more in Summer than in Winter because then the Snow which continually lyeth upon the Alpes doth melt by the heat of the Sun and fills those Rivers which have their Originals from thence up to the brinks Also we see daily after much Rain our small Lakes and Rivers to be very high Also upon much dryth our Springs fail us in many places which upon store of Rain do supply us again with water And this is the cause that in most parts of Africa near the Equinoctial where it rains little they have little water and many times in two or three dayes journey can hardly find to quench their thirsts and their Camels Leo Africanus speaks of an Army wherein were many Camels which in their marching coming to a River perhaps it was but a Brook did drink it dry So that we must acknowledge that the Earth receives much water this way But how this should serve the Bowels of the Earth with sufficient for the generations there and for perpetual Springs is very doubtfull whereas Seneca faith that these waters do not pierce above ten foot into the Earth neither if there were passages for it into the Bowels of the Earth can the hundred part of it be imployed this way but is readily conveyed by Rivers into the Sea Wherefore although much water be yielded to the superficies of the Earth by Rain and Snow and Hail from the Air yet not sufficient to maintain perpetual Springs seeing many times and in many Countries these aerial supplies are wanting or very spare and yet the Springs the
But by the same reason the Juices of Lemons Barberries Howsleek c. should be hot for they will carve Iron To bite and eat as a Corrosive are not arguments of heat but of piercing Wherefore Hypocrates saith Frigus ulceribus mordax Cold bites Ulcers and frigus est principium destructivum ut calor generativum Cold is a destructive principle and Heat a generative And therefore it is more probable that these corrosives are more cold then hot These two mineral juices are not so readily dissolved in water as the other two and wil be more easily precipitated by any opposite substance that is more familiar to water I omit the several sorts or these concrete juices and their admixtures with other minerals as impertinent to my purpose wherefore I will shew some examples of each of them in natural Springs For salt Springs Josephus Acosta tells us of a rare Spring at a Farm neer Cusco in Peru which as it runs turns into very white Salt without any fire or art in great abundance In Germany are many salt Fountains at Luneburg Stafford Salt â—burgh Aldondorf Halstat c. In Italy in agro Volaterano c. In Sicily at Solinantia is a salt Well which is hot and so are the Pegasaei Fontes in Caria Also the Fountain by Medon in Traesen is both salt and hot Our Wiches in Cheshire are well known There are also Rivers of salt water by the Caspian Streights and in Spain and Caria and in Bactria Ochus and Oxus Also there are salt Lakes as the Terentine Lake in Italy the Lake between Strapela and Seburgh mentioned before in Germany three Lakes in Sicily and besides an infinite number in other Countreys the Lake of Lakes the Sea All which receive their saltness from Mines of Salt in the Earth which are very frequent and huge in bigness as may appear by the Rocks of Salt in Bohemiâ— in Monte Carpato in Polonia within two miles of Cracovia in Helvetia and Rhetia where they have no other Salt but from the Rock As also by the Caspian Streights are great Rocks of Salt But Marous Paulus Venetus tells us of a Rock or Mountain of Salt in Thaican able to furnish all the world with Salt So that it is no marvail that the Sea is salt seeing it pierceth into the bowels of the earth and discovereth many great Rocks of Salt which dissolve in it And this is the true cause of the saltness of the Sea The other causes alledged for it are very improbable For whereas Aristotle and his followers attribute the saltness of the Sea to the evaporation of the fresh and sweet parts of the water by the Sun and to an adustion procured also thereby I answer that neither the one nor the other can breed a substance in the water which was not there before For qualities can breed no substance and adustion is but a quality imprinted and no substance Neither can evaporation breed any but only discover that which was in it before by taking away the thin parts and leaving the terrestrial behind But we see the Sea water to contain in it the substance of Salt and most of the Salt which we use is made of Sea water and no man will deny that this Salt is differing from water in his substance and generation being a distinct species in it self And whereas they alledge for confirmation of their opinion that under the torrid Zone the Sea is more salt then in other parts the Sun exhaling more there and making a greater adustion I doubt it both for the large plentiful Rivers which those parts afford beyond any other parts of the world and also for that the Sea water there is not hot neither are the beams of the Sun so hot but that men do endure them and therefore not likely to breed an adustion in the Sea water which must first be hot before it be adusted Also it may be that those parts do abound in Rocks of Salt as we read of people in Africa called Ammantes who make them Houses of Rock-Salt and Castles as that in Sinâ— Geraico which is five miles in compass and all of Salt also the Mountain Oromenus in India is all of Salt Moreover if the Sun be able to do this in the Sea which is alwayes in motion whereby it eludes the force of the beams why should it not do the like and much more in standing Lakes as the Lemanus and such like They answer that Lakes are continually supplyed and fed with fresh water from Springs But so is the Sea continually fed with fresh water and in as large a proportion caeteris paribus as Lakes are For as the Sea is not increased by the influx of fresh waters no more are divers Lakes but keep the same fulness and sometimes are lessened And whereas they say that the upper part of the Sea is more salt then the botome they speak against all reason salt being heavier then water and against experience as I have shewed in the former Chapter Also Aristotle in some places confesseth it But if any man will take the pains to vapour away 100. Tun if he will of fresh water I do assure my self he will not find one grain of salt at the bottome if it were not in the water before This may be tryed also in any distilled water which we are sure can have no Salt in it for Salt will not arise in distillation and is as apt to yield Salt as any other water if adustion or evaporation would breed it Wherefore the saltness of the Sea is not from evaporation or adustion but must needs proceed from Rocks of Salt in the Earth which the Sea doth wash and dissolve much of it And considering the great use of Salt both for other uses and for Generations Nature hath provided enough of it especially in the Sea which is more fruitful in that respect the Land Wherefore Venus was called A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est Venus orta Mari. Nitre is seldome found in Bathes alone but mixt with other minerals which it dissolves and infects the water withall Yet we read of a Nitrous Lake called Letis neer CÄlestria in Macedonia where they use to make Nitre and vent it to all parts So they do at the Nitrarit in Egypt Also the Lake Arethusâ— in Armeniae is full of Nitre At Menis in Phrygia is a Spring of Nitrous water which is hot Also in Leonte is a hot Nitrous Spring Bellonius makes mention of a Nitrous Fountain neer Belba and of abundance of Nitre upon a Plain neer thereunto which seems to be that which Pliny calls Halmariga But he denieth that there is any Mine of Nitre under the earth but that all iâ— bred out of the soyle as an Efftorescens of the earth Baccius saith the same of Salt-peeter Agricola saith that as the true Nitre is gathered upon the Plains of Media above the earth so is Salt-peeter found
same Wherefore Aristotle his opinion which attributes all to aerial water and vapours from thence is justly rejected by Agricola and by our Countrey-man Mr. Lydiat So that we must find out some other Originals or else we shall want water for the manifold uses the Earth hath of it From the Earth they make another Original of perpetual Springs and Rivers seeing the first seems to be ordained by Nature only for the irrigation of the superficies of the Earth which else would be in most places destitute of water where Springs are not and so would be barren Plants and Trees wanting due moisture for their nourishment Wherefore for the perpetuity of Fountains and for subterranean generations which cannot proceed without water they have imagined a generation of water within the Earth some holding that the Earth it self is converted into water as Elements are held to bâ— mutable and convertible the one in the other As Ovid faith of the conversion of Elements Resolutaque tellus In liquidas rarescit aquas c. The Earth likewise when once unty'd Is into Water rarify'd But we must grant Ovid his Poetical liberty and not tye his words to such a strict sense although Scaliger in his Criticks would not pardon a Philosophical errour in the first verse of his Metamorphosis for saying that forms are changed into new bodies But unless there be some reciprocation between water and air the other Elements are not convertible the one into the other For neither Fire will be converted into any other Element being superiour to the rest and not to be mastered by cold which only must be the agent of the conversion of it by condensation neither will the earth be converted into water or any other Element as Plaâ—â— thinks in Timoeo and Aristotle 3. de coelo cap. 7. for either heat or cold must convert it Heat cannot do it although it rarifie and attenuate both for that it consumes moysture and also because water is cold which it should not be if it were made by heat for every natural Agent works to that end that it may make the Patient like it self and heat may convert earth into sume and dry exhalations but not into water for all water which is not eternal is from cold likewise cold cannot convert earth into water because cold doth congeal condense and congregate and indurate and not dissolve and attenuate c. as we see in Amber and Gumms Neither will water be converted into earth For by heat it turns to vapour and air by cold into ice and stone wherefore the Elements are not changed the one into the other unless it be water and air which have more affinity and more neighborhood than the rest And yet it is doubtfull as I have said in the former Chapter but this generation of water from the earth is impossible Others will have great receptacles of air within the earth which flying up and down is congealed by the coldness of Rocks into water to supply all wants Others imagine huge Lakes and Cisterns primarily framed in the earth and supplyed with water either from vapour or air or from the sea which water either by agitation by winds or by impulsion from the Sea or by compression of Rocks is elevated to the superficies of the earth or else vapours from thence made by attenuation either from the Sumand Starrs or from subterranean fire kindled upon Sulphur and Bitumen which was pours ascending to the tops of Mountains are there congealed into water by the coldness of the Rocks where there must be other Cisterns or Castles in the air to feed the inferiour Springs Others will make the earth to be an animal and to suck water by veins to serve his turn for generations and nutritions But why should it suck more than it hath need of and how shall it cast it forth beyond the place of use to the superficies of the earth unless they will say that the Mynes which suck it do puke it up as Infants do when their stomachs are full which is absurd to say These and such like devices are produced for the maintaining of their Original which as they are all insufficient to afford such a proportion of water as is requisite so most of them are so improbable and full of desperate difficulties as I am unwilling to spend time in the rehearsing of them or their Authors much more unwilling in the confuting of them to trouble my self and offend my Reader only the point of subterranean fire which hath taken deepest impression in most mens minds I shall speak of hereafter when I come to shew the causes of the actual heat of Springs The third Original is from the Sea a sufficient storehouse for all uses and whereunto the other two may be referred For that which falls from the air and that which is bred in the earth do proceed principally from the Sea Agricola for fear of wanting water for his Springs is contented to admit of all these Originals although he relyeth least upon the Sea because he knows not how to bring it up to the heads of his fountains but is contented it should serve for lower places near the Sea-cosâ— As I remember I have seen in Zeland at Westcapell fresh Springs colated from the Sea through banks of sand But I make no doubt but that the sea-Sea-water may serve all other Springs and Rivers whatsoever although both far remote from the Sea and high in situation Neither shall we need to flye for help to those monstrous conceits of Agitation Compulsion Compression Suction Attraction by the Sun c. But holding the sacred Canon of the Scriptures that all Rivers are from the Sea c. I perswade my self that there is a natural reason for the elevating of these waters unto the heads of Fountains and Rivers although it hath not yet been discovered For those opinions formerly mentioned will not hold water My conceit therefore is this that as we see in Siphunculis that water being put in at one end will rise up in the other pipe as high as the level of the water whether by his weight or by the correspondence with his level I will not dispute so it may be in the bowels of the earth considering that the passages there are more firm to maintain the continuitie of the water with the Sea than any leaden pipes can be being compassed on every side with many Rocks as we see in Venis fibris commissuris saxorum Now although perhaps this water enters into the earth very deep yet the level of it must answer to the superficies of the Sea which is likely to be as high as the superficies of the Land seeing the natural place of waters is above the earth And although neer the Coasts it be depressed and lower than the Shore yet there is reason for that because it is terminated by the dry and solid body of the earth as we
of Brimstone as shall be shewed when I come to that point neither doth the favour bewray it But his reason for Copper is very weak He found a Marchesit upon one of the Hills which he thought to hold Copper But Marchesits although they shew yellow yet they seldom hold Copper or any other Metal But his discourse hath perswaded John Bauhinus to publish it confidently to the World I shall have occasion to speak more of this hereafter And thus much of Bitumina CHAP. VII Of Mineral juyces concrete called by the Alchymists Salts The four principal sorts of them Salt Nitre Allum Vitriol A Fourth sort of minerals are concrete juyceâ— which are mineral substances dissoluble in water These the Alchymists call Salts and are the means of communicating all other minerals with water For as water is apt to dissolve and extract vegetables so are these concrete juyceâ— apt to dissolve and extract mineral substances And although they are found sometimes liquid being dissolved by moysture yet we call theâ— concrete because they will be concrete wheâ—â— the adventitious moysture is removed Our mineral Authors do make many sorts of these according to the several minerals which they imbibe but in truth they may be all reduced to four heads Salt Nitre Allum and Vitriol And each of these hath divers species as Gebeâ— and Casalpinus say of Salt quot genera calcium tot genera salium Concerning Vitriol there may be some doubt whether it be a distinct specieâ— from Allum and have received only some tincture from Copper or Iron or from some of their brood which are called excrements For in distilling oyle of Vitriol the lute wherewith the glasses are joyned will yield perfect Allum And Vitriol being boyl'd ariseth in bullas as Allum doth and shoots like Allum in glebas as Salt doth in tesseras and Nitre in stirias The shooting or roching of concrete juyces is worthy to be observed seeing every kind hath his several manner or fashion of shooting whereby a man may see the perfection of each kind For example if Salt-peeter be brought you to examine whether it be perfect good or not dissolve it in water and set it to shoot in a wooden-dish or with sticks of Ash or other porons wood and if it shoot in needles in stirias it is right But if any of it shoot in squares or angles or lumps it is mixt and unfit either for Medicine or Gunpowder The common Salt-peeter being prepared and cleansed with ashes hath commonly much of the salt of the ashes mixt with it in the liquors which being brought to shoot will settle first upon the wood in squares in tesseras and then the Salt-peeter will shoot upon it in needles These needles are good Salt-peeter but the squares are other salt and weaken the Saltpeeter in his operation the like you may judge of other concrete juyces There are also certain stones which we call fluores which do naturally shoot in divers forms as Christal into fix squares in sexagulos Sparr which the Dutch call Sput or Querts shoots into points like Diamonds as we see in those Cornish or Bristol-stones Osteocolla found by Darmstadt in the Palatinat like bones others like Oyster or Muscle-shells c. The reason of this several shooting in concrete juyces and other minerals is hard to give For if it did lye in the thinness or thickness or clamminess of the matter whereof they were made that difference were taken away when divers sorts are dissolved together in the same water for one would qualifie the other But we find that this mixt water will yield his several salts distinctly and all at once So that it seems for the ornament of the universe that nature hath so distinguished these species as it doth plants among which some have thick leaves some thin some long round jagged c. some have bulbous-rootâ— some long stringy c. So in their flowers fruits colours smells c. every kind hath his own fashion The reason hereof Scaliger saith cannot be drawn from the Elements nor from the thinness thickness clammÃness heat cold dryness moysture plenty scarsity c. of the matter but only from the form anima seed c. which frames every species to his own figure order number quantity colour taste smell c. according to the science as Severinus terms it which every seed hath of his own form So alsâ— it is in minerals which have their several and diâ—stinct species in nature and their seeds to maintain and perpetuate the Species Now that thesâ— concrete juyces are not bred commonly in thesâ— forms in the earth the reason may be either because they are often intermixt with other minerals in their generation or that their matter being plentiful and room scanty they have nâ— scope to display themselves in their proper forms or perhaps they want water to dissolve then But by artificial preparations we find these dâ—stinctions in which it is doubtful whether hot or cold or dryness do procure this shooting â— roching in concrete juyces and whether the samâ— causes procure it in all For dryness it is certain that as moysture dissolves them so dryness coâ—geals them but dryness being a passive quality is not sufficient it must be the action either of heat or cold or both and the right ordering of these will open a door to the artifice of Bay-Salt here in England as well as in France or Spain or the Isle of Mayo Among these concrete juices Agricola reckons Sulphur Bitumen Auripigmentum Sandaracha Chusocola AErugo Myfi Sori Melanteria c. But if we examine them aright we shall find that either they are not dissoluble in water as concrete juices should be or they are some of those juices tincted or incorporated with other minerals All these mineral juices are accounted hot and dry and astringent and detergent some more some less and we take it so upon trust But this point requires further consideration and distinction Salt is a fixed substance not volatile in the fire astringent detergent purging dispersing repelling attenuating makes an escar and preserves from putrifaction as Dioscorides informs us and Galen confirms the same adding that it is hot But we must understand Galen with his limitation lib. 6. cap. 30. That the more it is detersory the less it is astringent And all astringent things are cold as he avoucheth lib. 4. cap. 6. Acida acerba astringenâ—ia omnia frigida Now if Salt be astringent it must be cold by Galens own rule and it is not enough to say it hath warm parts in it but being an uniform substance we must determine of it expredominio Also Galen lib. 1. Sympt cap. 4. comparing pure water with sea water seems to affirm that sea waters before it have received any great adventitious cold may cool our bodies And so this place is understood by Anthonius Maria Venustus in consilio pro Petro picardo The repelling quality and the making
meeting and conjunction of these qualities and then the one must dull the other Moreover we see that any thing that is naturally cold as Iron or a Stone if it be made hot accidentally by fire or otherwise it is sooner cold in cold air then in a warm place So that the Antiperistasis doth rather diminish then increase the heat of it Wherefore unless water were naturally hot or the heat maintained by some continual cause this Antiperistasis can do no good but by his opposite quality would rather cool it Nay heat it self cannot make any thing more hot unless it be greater then the heat of the thing it self But to ascribe the generation of heat to cold and so to make it the cause of his contrary is against the law of Nature No quality of it self is increased by his contrary It is true that a pot of water set over the fire will be sooner hot being covered or otherwise the vapours kept in then being open but there must be fire then to heat it and to continue the heat otherwise the Antiperistasis will do nothing unless it make it more cold and congeal it into Ice if the air ambient be more cold then the water Some may object that they find some Fountains warmer in Winter then in Summer and to reak when they break forth into the air as I have seen at Wercksworth and Bakewell in Darbyshire and therefore this doth argue an Antiperistasis Galen thinks that these waters do but seem so to our sense our hands being hot in Summer and cold in Winter as our Urins seem cold in a hot Bath But I will grant with Valesius that many deep Fountains may be so indeed and not in appearance only as partaking with some warm exhalations especially in Mineral Countreys as Darbyshire is Moreover if our Bathes were heated by aâ— Antiperistasis then they should be hotter in Winter then in Summer but we find them alwayes alike Also if a cold ambient be able to make cold water hot why should not a hot ambient make it more cold especially seeing the vapours are cold which being repelled by heat which doth terminate cold should increase the coldness of the water Also if we should grant this Antiperistasis we must deny the reaction and resistance between the qualities of the Elements and so overthrow all temperaments which arise from thence and also our composition of medicines were in vain Wherefore this Antiperistasis is an idle invention to maintain this purpose Others attribute this actual heat to quick Lyme which doth readily heat any water call upon it and also kindle any combustible substance put into it this is Democritus his opinion To this I answer that Lyme is an artificial thing not natural and is never found in the bowels of the earth Besides if it were found one fusion of water extinguisheth the heat of it and then it lyeth like a dead earth and will yield nor more heat So as this cannot procure a perpetual heat to Bathes neither can the Lymestones without calcination yield any heat to water nor will break and crackle upon the affusion on water as Lyme doth Wherefore this opinion is altogether improbable Others attribute this actual heat to a subterranean fire kindled in the bowels of the earth Let us consider how this may be Fire is a quality and the highest degree of heat which cannot subsist without a subject for I define it to be intensissimus color in corpore cremabili The highest degree of heat in a combustible body And it is received into his subject either by propagation or coition as when one candle lights another or by motion as collision concussion dilatation comprission putrefaction fermentalion reflection c. yet all motion doth not kindle fire although it heat neither are all substances apt to be heated by motion Air and water are rather colder by motion but this rule holds in such things as are apt to receive heat by motion as solid substances combustible substances c. And the heat of animals vegetables and minerals which they have for their generation and nutrition is from motion although this heat is not in so high a degree as fire is for then it would consume them but as the motion is moderate and agreeable to each nature so is the heat This motion in natural things proceeds from their seeds or forms and may be called internal or natural External motions are violent agitations concussions c. which commonly kindle fire in apt matter As for the element of fire which should be pure not shining and therefore invisible and subsisting without a subject or fewel let them find it who know where to seek for it For my part I know no element of fire unless we should make it to be that which is natural to all creatures and their seeds causing their fermenting heat whereof I shall speak anon And this interpretation we may well make of Hypocrates where he faith that all things are made of fire and water and that these two are sufficient for all generations fire giving motion and water nutrition And it is not likely that this fire should be fetched from a remote place and downwards against the nature of fire for every generation but that it be near hand and inbred in the seeds themselves as the principal ingredient into every natural thing whereas if it were remote what should bring it continually and unite it with the other elements in these generations Wherefore this is most likely to be the element of fire Our burning fire is all of one nature not differing in kind but only in degree according to the quality of the fewel Some fewels will make a manifest flame as all thin and light substances Sulphur liquid Bitumen Oyle Fat c. Some only a glowing coal with little or no flame as some forts of Stone-coal Yet all fire doth send forth fuliginous vapours which would choak it if there were not vent for them into the air as we see in the making of Char-coal although they cover their fire with lome yet they must leave some vent for the smoke though not so much as may make it to flame yet enough to maintain the fire Of the first flaming fort there are divers degrees as that of Straw Brimstone Spirit of Wine Naphtha Petroleum c. Some of which will scarcely take hold upon other fewel as one may wet a linnen cloath in Spirit of Wine and being kindled he shall hardly find the cloath scorched The like hath been observed in that exhalation which is called ignis satuus being of a very thin substance for Bitumen or Naphtha Some reckon Comets among these fiery exhalations but I can hardly believe that they are any kindled substances First because their flame is not pyramidal as it is in all kindled substances Secondly because if they be of a thin substance from Sulphur and Bitumen the flame would be greater seeing it
lib. 3. cap. 7. 2 Meteorol 1. 3. Deortu causissubt l. 1. â— 6. De orig font cap. 1. a. From the Earth Metam 15. Aristotel 4 meteor cap. 10. ultimo Valesius de sacra Philosoph passim 3 From the Sea 〈…〉 ortu causissâ—â—ter lib. 1. cap. â— 9. Ecclesiastes 1. Arist metroyol cap. ultimo lib. 3 * This way of arguing is questioned by Dr. French who supposeth the many great Rivers terminated in the Sea to be a sufficient moisture for the taking away the termination of the water made by the dryness of the earth and so to make the globous Sea sink to an evenness vid. French Yorksh Spaw p.10 11 12. Minerals reduced to seven heads Earth Agric. de nat fossil lib. 1. cap. 4. Baccius lib. 5 Cap. 1. De metallis cap. 6 Verulamius de vita morte pag. 418. 453. Do neglecta stirpium culturâ problem 13. Erastus disput part 2. p. 105. In ingressu ad infirmos p. 373 Venustus in consilio pro Petro Picardo Baccius â—tym Lib. 6. â— 14. Machab. 2. 1. De sympath antipath Câ—. 10 De nat â—â—y q. efslu è teâ—â—a l. 4. â— 22. Metcor 2. Lib. 2. â— II. De Thermis c.5 Of Camphir Seyaphio de â—imp m. d.c. 344. Avicen lib I. tract 1 c.z. Item l.2 tract 2 cap 133. Item de med cordial tract z. cap. 3. In Dioscoridem cap. de mastich Lib. I. cap. 9. De nat fossil lib. 4. cap. 2 Thesaur aqu lib. I. cap. z. Co 〈…〉 Divs 1.3 Tha. Nemico De simpl med facult l.4.c.22 Lib. I. tract c. 2 Bellonius de Naphtha c. 7. Agric. de nat cor quoe cfflu è terra l. 2.c.7 Bitumen predominant in the Bathes of Bath De thermis Boll L. 3.c.6 1. Libavius in Syntagm p. 221 In lib. de plantis Aristoteli ascriptum lib. 2. passim Caesalpinus de metallisc 3.l.1 Salt Diosc l. 5.c.84 De simpl med saâ—ult l.4.c.20 l. 11.c.50 Three wayes to make Vegetable Salts to retain the taste of the herbs from whence they are drawn 1. Three wayes to make Vegetable Salts to retain the taste of the herbs from whence they are drawn 2. Three wayes to make Vegetable Salts to retain the taste of the herbs from whence they are drawn 3. Nitre Sal Ammoniack In pestis Alexic Dariot de praparat med Tract 2. cap. 23 24. lib. de Humiâ—orum usu Salt Springs Lib. 3. The true cause of the saltness of the Sea Aliquid aquae admixtum Arist 2. Meteorol cap. 3. Meteor 2 c.3 Nitrous Wateys Observat l. 3. c. 76 77. Lib. 5 c.7 Lib. 31. c. 10. Martial Allum Springâ— Pyrotech l. 2. c. 6. Vitrioline waters Simp. med.facul l. 9. c. 61. Libav in Symag 3. part l. 7 Item singularium part 1. Lib. 3. Von Kupffer ertz 10. Baubinus de thâ—r nis l. 2.c.2 De judicio aqu niner p.26.36 Simpl. med facult 1. 5. 0. 59. Vidus Vidius turat generat p. 2. sect 2.1.3 C. 13. Fallopius de petallis 6. 37. Quick-silver not reducible to the Elementary Qualities Sulphur Arsenick Cadmia Bismutum or Tin-glass Part 3 pag.72 Fallop de metallis cap. 10. Libav de nat metall part 3. cap. 5. Gold Silver Copper Iron Tin Lead Nature and qualities of Gold Bascius lib. 6. cap. 8. Basilica chimia Pag. 204. De Thermis cap. 8. In ingressu ad infermo pap 373 Of Silver Theod Tabernomontaâ—us p. 2. cap. 8. Of Iron and Steel AEnead 12. Simpl. lib. 9. Libs 16. Epist 5. De motallis cap. 20. Simpl. l. 7.c.4 Two distinct qualities in Steel Solinander pag. 193. Veâ—ustus pag. 159. Bâ—â—cius lib. 6. cap. 3. S 〈…〉 rola Rea 〈…〉 eus pag. 305. Quality of Copper Libav de nat metall c. 10. Of Tin Of Lead Pag. 90. Fallop de metallis cap. 11. Libav de nat metal cap. 12. Agricola de ortu causis Subâ— lib 5 c.1 Lib. 3 c.19 〈◊〉 lib 10. In Sarept coâ—â—â— 3. II. c. In Alchimia magna De metallis pag. 17. 19. Von probierâ—ng der crtze In Sareptâ—â— Sebast Forâ—â—â— l. 3.c.6 Scverinus c. 8. P. 125. Caesalpinus de metal lib. 1. C. 2. Cap. 2. Erast disput part 2. p. 261. The principal Efficient Cause of the Generation of Minerals not the Sun Dorn phisica Geresis Gal. de Maraes De catore Neither the Elements 1 De anima Item 2. cap. 4. Trismegistus in Asclepio cap. 1. Plato In Timco in Dialogo de natura In vita Apolloâ—ci Elcoga 6. Desacra Philosoph cap. 51. Cap. de mixtieâ—â— 1 Mâ—teoâ—ol 4. Item de mundo ubi dicit aerens comparatum esse ad aliam aliam â—â—turam inducedam In som Scipionis cap. 6. De nat hominis 2 De gen cap. 8. Item libde sâ—â—su sensibile 3 De gen animal cap. ultimo Ifagoge cap. 8. 1 de Elementis cap. 15. De veteri mediâ—ina Erastus Carerius Casalâ—inus Martiâ—uâ— Moâ—istaâ— Foxias Magyrus Libaâ—ius 3 Metâ—or c.ult. Caesalp l.3.0.1 Libav de nat metall c 14. carerius 178. Septal. in Hipp. de aëre aqu c. Valcsius sacra Philosophâ—â— 49. Singularium lib. 1. part 1. De nat metall Cap. 10. The Authors opinion concerning the manner of the Generation of Minerals Mussetus in dialogo apologetics Carm. lib. 3. od 6. Georg. 2. De Dieta 1. De gen animal lib. 2. Foxius Mâ—rtinus Morisâ—aus Magyrus Libavius Velâ—uriâ— Valesius Carerists Erastus c. De Dieta lib. 1. 6 De usu partium â— 12. 13. Erasmus in Adagiâ—s De mundâ— c. ult Causes of heat in mineral waters not Wind Air Exhalations in the Earth Agitation and violent motion Valeseus centre lib. 4. cap. 3. Solinand l. 1. cap. 4. The Sun †It may be so in former times but few I think do doubt it now I am sure not those who hold the Sun to be a Flame His Apology Gilbertus de magnete lib. 6. Taurellus de primis rerum principiis Conrad Aslacus de triplici coelo Lib. 6. Antiperistasis In Paradoxis 3 Simpl. medic facult cap. 7. Valesius contro lib. 1. cap. 5. Magyrus lib. 3. cap. 3. Quick Lyme Subterraneaâ— Fire D ditca lib. 1. Comets probably not kâ—ndled substances Metamorph. 15. AEntaâ— 6. Agricola Bacciusl 1. cap. 19. Douatus de aquis Lucensibus lib. 1. cap. 18. Gesaer Epist lib. 3. pag. 90. Lib. 1. cap. ult * What Dr. French hath said against this opinion may be seen if the 19 20 21. pages of his Yorkshire Spaw Thurneiser Alchimia magna lib. 4 c.8 * The cause of the heat in Bath assigned by Dr. Rouzee is their motion and agitation in the bowels of the Earth falling from Cataracts and broken Concavities in the same But afterwards lighting on this opinion of Dr. Jordens he is so far from disliking that he apdeservedly plauds it and callls this work learned and elaborate Vid. Lud. Rouz Tr. of Tunbr water p. 20 21. 22. in margine Martin de prima generations Lib. 2 cap. 98. Georg. 3. A brief
Mineral Bathes which besides the former uses are also medicinal and very soveraign for many Diseases consisting of wholsome Minerals and approved for many hundred years of many who could not otherwise be recovered At the least wise if we do not beautifie and adorn them yet we should so accommodate them as they might serve for the utmost extent of benefit to such as need them For there is nothing in our Profession of Physick more useful nor in the works of Nature more admirable man only excepted which Plato calls the great miracle then Natural Bathes and Mineral Waters The nature and causes whereof have been so hard to discover as our antient Authors have written little of them holding them to be sacred or holy either for that they judged them to have their virtue immediately from God or at least from the celestial Bodies from whence both their actual heat was thought to be kindled by lightnings or such like impressions and other admirable Virtues and sometimes contrary effects derived which appear in them Also divers miracles have been ascribed unto those Natural Bathes to confirm the opinion of a supernatural power in them as Guaynerius reports of the Bathes of Aque in Italy and Langius out of Athenoeus concerning the Bathes of Edepsus which both lost their vertue for a time The one by the Magistrates prohibiting poor diseased people to use them the other by imposing a taxation upon them but upon the reformation of those abuses were restored to their former virtues again I need not herein averring the opinion of Divinity which was held to be in Bathes make any mention of the Pool of Bethesda written of by Saint John and Nonnus the Poet nor of the River Jordan which cured Naaman the Syrian of his Leprosie being indeed true miracles and done by a supernatural power â— yet it is likely that those and such like examples bred in the minds of men a reverend and divine opinion of all Bathes especially where they saw such strange effects as they could not well reduce to natural Causes And this hath been the cause that in old time these mineral fountains have been consecrated unto certain Deities as Hamon in Lybia unto Jupiter Thermopilae unto Hercules by Pallas among the Troglodites another to the Sun c. And at this day we have divers Bathes which carry the names of the Sun Moon and Saints and many Towns and Cities named from the Bathes in them as Thermae in Macedonia and Sicily Thermidea in Rhodes Aquae in Italy Aquisgraue in Germany Baden in Helvetia and our antient City of Bathe in Somerset-shire in honor whereof I have especially undertaken this labour and I perswade my self that among the infinite number of Bathes and Mineral Waters which are in Europe there are none of more universal use for curing of Diseases nor any more commodious for entertainment of sick persons then these are Besides this sacred conceit of Bathes wherewith in antient times the minds of men were possest we may adde this that the nature of Minerals was not so well discovered by them as it hath been since and therefore we finde very little written of this argument either in Aristotle or Hypocrates or in Galen who wrote most copiously in all other points of Physick yet concerning this hath little and never gave any of these waters to drink inwardly although he acknowledgeth that they were in use and for outward uses held them all to be potentially hot After these Grecians the antient Latines and Arabians succeeded Plinie Celsus Seneca Lucretius Avicen Rhasis Seraphio Averrhoes it whom we finde some small mention of natural Bathes and some use of Salt and nitrous and Aluminous waters but nothing of worth towardâ— the discoverie of the natural causes of them Iâ— is likely they did pass it over slightly either by reason of the difficulty in searching out the cause of them or that they judged them meerly metaphysical But in later times the nature and generation of minerals from whence the Baths proceed and from whence the whole doctrin of them both for their qualities and differences originals and use must be derived being better looked into and observations taken from such as daily labour in the bowels of the earth for the search oâ— Mines or such as afterwards prepare them for ouâ— necessary uses we have attained to better knowledge in this kinde than the Antients could have although in all new discoveries there wilâ— be defects for succeeding ages to supply so falls out in this Dies Diem docet Aipham Bâ—ta corrigit And although Agricola Pallopius Baccius Mathetsious Solinander Libavius c. have added much unto that which was formerly known in this point and reformed many errors and mistakings in former writers yet they have left many things imperfect doubtful obscure controverted and perhaps false as may appear in the discourse following I do reverence all their worths as from whom I have learned many things which else I could hardly have attained unto and I acknowledg them to have been excellent instruments for the advancement of learning yet I hope it may be as free for me without imputation of arrogancie to publish my conceits herein as it hath been for them or may be for any other Hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim We both this leave Give and receive My end and studie is the common good and the bettering of this knowledge and if I shall bring any further light to increase that I shall be glad otherwise my intent being to search out the truth and not to contradict others it will or ought to be a sufficient protection for me wherefore I come to discourse of Mineral waters CHAP. II. Definition of Mineral Waters The nature where of cannot be understood except first consideration be had concerning simple water Of which in this Chapter are shewed the qualities and use MIneral waters are such as besides their own simple nature have received and imbibed some other qualitie or substance from Subterranâ—an Mynes I say besides their own nature because they retain still their liquidness and cold and moysture although for a time they may be actually hot from an external impression of heat which being gone they return to their former cold again I say imbibed to distinguish them from confused waters as earth may be confused with water but not imbibed and will sink to the bottom again whereas such things as are imbibed are so mixed with the water as it retains them and is united with it being either Spirits or dissoluble juyces or tinctures I say from Subterranean Mynes to distinguish them from animal or vegetable substances as infusions or decoctions of herbs flesh c. Seeing then that the Basis of these Bathes or mineral fountains is water we must first consider the nature of simple water and from thence we shall better judge of Mineral Waters and their differences By simple water I do not mean the Element of water
see in a cup or bowl of water filled to the top we may put in a great bulk of silver in pieces and yet it will not run over but be heightened above the brims of the bowl The like we see Ãn a drop of water put upon a Table where the edges or extremities of the water being terminated by the dry substance of the Table are depressed and lower than the middle likeâ— half globe but take away the termination by moistening the Table and the drop sinks 〈◊〉 this be evident in so small a proportion we may imagine it to be much more in the vast Ocean and our Springs being commonly at the foot oâ— Hills may well be inferior to the Globe of thâ— Sea if any be higher they may perhaps be feâ— from rain and snow falling upon the Mountains But if Josephus Acosta his assertion be true thâ— the Sea towards the Equinoctial is higher thaâ— towards the Poles then the level of the Sea mâ—â—â— be much higher than the top of our highest Hillâ— but this is a doubtful assertion yet I dare believe that if it were possible to immure a Sprinâ— without admission of air which might break thâ— continuitie with the Sea our Springs might bâ— raised much higher At Saint winifrids Well iâ— Flint-shire though there be no high land neer iâ— yet the Springs rise with such a violence and iâ— plentifully that within a stones cast it drives â—â— Mill. It is likely that this Spring might be raised much higher And whereas we see that Riverâ— do run downwards to the Sea per decline it doth not prove the Sea to be lower than the Land but only near the shore where it is terminated and in lieu of this it hath scope assigned it to fill up the Globe and so to be as high as the Land if not higher For if a measure should be taken of the Globe of the earth it must be taken from the tops of the Mountains and from the highest of the Sea and not from the Valleys nor from the Sea-coasts This conceit of mine I was fearful to publis h and therefore had written unto Master Brigges mine antient friend for his advice in it being a point wherein he was well studied but before my Letter came to Oxford he was dead But now I have adventured to publish it to stir up others to search out the causes hereof better than hath yet been discovered Exorsipse secandi fungor vice cotis Anothers edge though blunt I set And with the Stone that 's dull I whet CHAP. IV. Division of Mineral Waters Minerals descrâ—bed Their kinds recited Of Earth simplâ— and mixed Whether it give any medicinablâ— qualitie to Water And so of the rest in thâ— following Chapters THus much of simple waters and their originals which may serve as Polycletus hiâ— rule to judge mixed and infected waters by Galen in many places speaks of an exact and sound constitution of body as a rule to disceâ—â— distempered and disproportionated bodies Anâ— thus much in explication of the Genâ—s in the definition of Mineral Waters Now I come to Mineral Waters and to the other part of the definition which we call difference c. from Subterranean Mynes by Imbibition These Mineral waters are either simple oâ— compound simple which partake but with some one Subterranean Mineral compound which partake with more than one And theâ—â— waters partake with Minerals either as they aâ— confused with them or as they are perfectly mixed Also these mineral waters whether simple or compound are actually either hot or cold the reason whereof must proceed from some Subterranean cause as shall be shewed hereafter Wherefore we must first know the nature oâ— these Subterranean Minerals and their generation A TABLE OF MINERALS WITH THEIR QVALITIES 1. Earthly Simple Dry Cold Astringent or mixed with Nitre Fullers Earth Marle Abstergent Allum Coperas All sorts of Boles Astringent and Desiccative Turfe Bitumen Pex c. Fat and Unctuous Vid. p. 24 25 26 2. Stone vid. p.27 3. Bitumina Solid Terra â—mpelis Succnum Gaâ—aâ—es Amâ—a Canphora Boneo Châ—a Titantrax five Carbo fosslis Liquid Petroleum Naphtha Potentially Hot and Dry in the 2. or 3. Degree Except Camphir concerning the Nature and Qualities of which Authoâ—sdisagree Vid. pag. 34. 4. Concrete Juyces Salt Astringent Detergent Purging c. Vid. pag.47 Nitre Sal Amnoniacum Borax Altincar Vid. pag. 44.51 Allum Vitriol Very astringent and cold Vid.p. 57 58. 5. Spirits Quicksilver Various in it Qualities vid.p. 61 62. Sulphur Moderately Hot and Dry and somewhat Cooling vid. p.63 Arsenick Auripigmentum Risagalum Sandaracha Rusma c. Venomous vid. p.65 Extreme hot and putrifying p. 66 Cadmia Natural Liquid Dangerous and a strong Corrosive Factitious Moderately hot and cleansing vid. p. 66. 6. Mean or half Metals as Bismutum or Tin-glas Qualities not mentioned vid. p.67 Antimony purgeth vidently upward and downward ib. Bell-metall not used n Physick vid. p.68 7. Metals Perfect Gold Qualities unâ—ertain vid. p. 69. 72. Silver Esteemed Cold Dry Astringent Emollient vid p. 69. 74. Imperfect Hard Iron Opening and Astringent vid. p.70.74 75 76. Copper Temperate in heat less Astringent and morecleansing than Iron vid. p.70.77 Soft Tinn Cold and Dry yet moving Sweat P. 72.77.78 Lead Cold and Dry vid. p.72.78 79. Place this between page 24 and 25 where the 4th Chapter of Minerals begins â—â—â—om whence Mineral waters receive their â—â—â—rence from common simple water before â—â—â—n judge of the nature and quality of them â—er Actual or Potential â—â—â—y Minerals we understand all inanimate â—â—â—ect bodies bred in Mines within the bowels â—â—â—e earth I dare not undertake to muster these â—â—â—ue order by Dichotomies seeing neither â—icola nor Fallopins nor Libavim nor any â—â—â—r that I know have exactly done it nor satisfied either others or themselves in it and seeing there are divers Minerals lately discovered perhaps more may be hereafter which have â—een known in former times and therefore mentioned as Calaem in the East-Indies â—â—â—ma and Terra ghetta in Turkey c. Whereâ—â—â— I will make bold to reckon them up as they â—â—â—e to hand in seven ranks The first shall be earth Earth whether it be bred ab exbalatione sicca Earth â—â—â—igerata or ex mistis per putredinem in fimum â—â—â—versis or ex lapidibus sole aut â—alore cockis â—â—â—de aqua solutis c. It is all inconcrete As â—â—â—tle water gleweth it together in Lutum so a â—â—â—t deal dissolves it But this is no proper disâ—â—â—tion but only a disjoyning of parts by Imâ—â—â—ng the moisture which conjoyned them into greater proportion of water for waters do â—â—â—urally run together like drops of quick-silver melted metal Wherefore seeing the moisture â—â—ch is in the earth is not natural but advenâ—â—â—ous not united essentially but only mixed â—â—â—identally it may well be called an inconcreteâ—â—â—stance â—â—â—stance whose moisture is easily drawn from it being ready to unite it self with other moisture and
former and more rare Qnick silver was not well known to Galen for he confesseth that he had no experience of it and did think it to be meerly artificial and not naturally bred in the earth Dioscorides makes no mention of the temperature of it but holds it to be a pernitious venome and to fret the entrails although Matthiolus affirms that it is safely given to women to further their deliverance and we find it so by often expcrience both in that cause and in Worms and in the French Disease and Leprosies if it be skilfully prepared and with judgement administred Fallopius holds it to be one of the miracles of nature Those that take upon them to determine of the qualities of it are much distracted fome reckoning it to be hot and dry and some cold and moist and both in a high degree But in this account they consider not the qualities of the ingredients in the preparation whether it be sublim'd or precipitated For my part I know not how to reduce 〈◊〉 to the Elementary qualities neither am I ashtmed of mine ignorance in it seeing no man hitherto hath given true satisfaction herein And if it be true that the elements do not concur to the generation of mixt bodies as I shall shew cap. 11. we need not marvail if we find theâ— not where they be not But for our own use where reason fails us let us be guided by experience We find by experience that it cuts attenuates penetrates melts resolves purges both ad centrum a centro heats cools c. and is a transcendent beyond our rules of Philosophy and 〈◊〉 monster in nature as Renodaus faith For our purpose it is enough to know whether it will imprâ— any quality to water which Fallopius Baceiâ—â— Solinander Banbinus and Felix Platerus do acknowledge But it gives no taste to it neither have we many examples of Baths which continâ—â— it In Serra Morena in Spain near the Village Almedien is a Cave where are many Wells iâ—fected as is thought with Quick-silver because much of that mineral is extracted from thence out of a red stone called Minium nativum About fifty miles from thence in V alentiola then is another fountain called La Nava of a shaâ— taste and held to proceed from Quick-silver and these waters are found wholsome So are 〈◊〉 waters at Almagra and Toletum and others by the River Minius which are hot There are man venomous springs attributed to Quick-silver 〈◊〉 the red fountain in Aâ—thiopia others in Boetia Caa in Trigloditis Stix in Arcadia Stix in Thessalia Licus in Sicilia c. which perhaps are from other minerals feeing we find some from Quick-silver to be wholsome For Mines of Quick-silver we read of many in Baetica Attica Ionia out of a stone which Pliny calls Vomica liquoris aterni In Germany at Landsberg at Creucenacbum Schenbach Baraum above Prage Kunningstien c. In Scotland three miles beyond Barwick I found a red stone which I took to be minium nativum seeing Agricola makes mention of it in Scotland but by a mischance could not try it Sulphur attracts contracts resolves mollifies discusses whereby it shews a manifest heat though not intense yet the sume of it is very sour and therefore must cool and dry and I perswade my self that there is no better sume to correct venomous and infectious air than this of Sulphur or to remove infections out of rooms clothes bedding vessels c. We must acknowledge differing parts in all compounded bodies as Rhubarb hath a purgative quality in the infusion and an astrictive in the Terrestrial substance where the salt hath been by infusion extracted The substance of Sulphur is very fat Sulphure nihil pinguius faith Felix Platerus and this is the cause of his easie taking of fire and nor any propinquity it hath with fire in the quality of heat for if it were very hot Dioscorides would not comment it purulenta extussientibus the next door to a Hectick Also Galen faith that fat things are moderately hot and are rather nutriments than medicaments Now for Sulphurous Baths they are very frequent and if we should believe some there are no hot Baths but participate with Sulphur but they are deceived as shall appear hereafter when we come to shew the true causes of the heat of Baths Neither are all sulphurous Baths hot Gesner reports of a Bath by Zurich very cold and yet sulphurous Agricola of another by Buda in Pannonia In Campania by the Leucogaean Hills are cold Springs full of Brimstone Also there are hot Baths without any shew of sulphur that can be discerned as the Baths of Petriolum in Italy the Baths Caldanelloe and de Avinione in agro Senensi de Gratta in Viterbiensi de aquis in pisanis collibus Divi Johannis in agro Lucensi in Alsatia another not far from Gebersallerum c. All which are very hot and yet give no sign of Sulphur either by taste or smell or effects And yet no doubt there are many Baths having a sulphurous smell from other minerals as from Bitumen Vitriol Sandaracha Allum c. which are hardly to be discerned if at all from Sulphur So we commonly say if a house or a tree be fet on fire by lightning that it smells of Brimstone when there was no Brimstone there Mans things combusted will yield a nidorous smell not discernable after burning what the things were But there are divers truly sulphurous Baths which contain Sulphur although not perfectly mixt with the water without some medium but only confused for perfect Sulphur will not dissolve in water no more than Bitumen The spirit of Sulphur may be communicated to water and so may the matter of Sulphur before it hath attained his perfect form and consistente otherwise it is only confufed with water and alters it into a milky colour Sulphurca Nar albus aqua Nar with Sulphurous water white At Baia are divers hot fulphurous Baths and every where in Hetrnria in Sicily in Diocesi Panormitana the Baths of Apono as Savanarola Muntagna and Fallopius avevs although John de dondis denieth it the Bath of Astrunum of Callatura S. Euphemie Aquisgran Brigenses thernmae in V alesiis Helvetiorum Aqua sancta in Picenis and an infinite number every where Baccius reckons our Baths of Bath among fulphurous Baths from the relation of Edward Carne when he was Embassador to Jnlius tertius and Panlus quartus I will not deny some touch of Sulphur in them seeing we sind among bituminous coals some which are called metal coals with certain yellow vains which are Sulphur But the proportion of Sulphur to Bitumen is very little and therefore I do not hold them Sul-phurous pradominio This is enough for Sulphur Concerning Arsenick it is a venomous mineral and therefore I need speak noth ng of the Baths which proceed from it but that we take heed of them It is likely that those venomous waters and vapours which
quality to be imparted to water Again this mineral quality either gives the water or the vapour of it the effence of the mineral and then it is not the effect of water but of the mineral quality or the potential facâ—â—lty to breed it If the effence then this metall 〈◊〉 water or vapour must have the form of the metal and so be fusible and malleable If it have only the power and potential faculty then the generation is not perfected but must expect further concoction This concoction is said to be partly by heat and partly by cold if by heat it must be in the passages of the exhalation as it is carried in the bowels of the earth for afterwards when the exhalation is setled in the stones the heat is gone Now if the concoction be perfected before the exhalation be insinuated into the Stones as it must be if it be like dew then it is perfect metal and neither is able to penetrate the Stones nor hath any need of the cold of them to perfect the generation If by cold it is strange that cold should be made the principal agent in the generation of metals which generates nothing neither can heat be the efficient of these generations Simple qualities can have but simple effects as heat can but make hot cold can but cool c. But they say cold doth congeal metals because heat doth dissolve them I answer that the rule is true if it be rightly applyed as we see ice which is congealed by cold is readily dissolved by heat But the fusion of metals cannot properly be called a dissolution by heat because it is neither reduced to water or vapour as it was before the congelation by cold nor is it permanent in that kind of dissolution although after fusion it should be kept in a greater heat than the cold could be which congealed it For the cold in the bowels of the earth cannot be so great as it is upon the superficies of the earth seeing it was never observed that 〈◊〉 was any ice bred there Also this dissolution which is by fusion tends not to the destruction of the metal but doth rather make it more perfect as it should do according to the former rule rightly applyed And therefore this dissolution by fusion doth not argue a congelation by cold which being in the passive elements doth rather attend the matter than the efficient of generations for it is apt to dull and hebetate all faculties and motions in nature and so to hinder generations rather than to further any It is heat and moysture that further generations as Ovid faith Quippe ubi temperieâ—â— sumpsere humorque calorque Concipiunt When heat with moysture's temper'd well Then 't is their bellies 'gin to swell And thus much for Aristotles generation of minerals where his vapours or exhalations do rather serve for the collection or congregation of matter in the Mines than for the generation of them as Libavius doth rightly judge Agricola makes the matter of minerals to be Succus Lapidescens Metallificus c. and with more reason because they are found liquid in the earth Gilgill would have it Ashes Democritus Lime but these two being artificial matters are no where found in the earth The Alchymists make Sulphur and Mercurie the matter of metals Libavius Sulphur and Vitriol But I will not stand upon discoursing of these materials because it makes little to my purpose It is enough for my purpose to shew the manner of these generations which I take to be this There is a Seminarie Spirit of all minerals in the bowels of the earth which meeting with convenient matter and adjuvant causes is not idle but doth proceed to produce minerals according to the nature of it and the matter which it meets withal which matter it works upon like a ferment and by his motion procures an actual heat as an instrument to further his work which actual heat is increased by the fermentation of the matter The like we see in making of Malt where the grains of Barley being moistned with water the generative Spirit in them is dilated and put in action and the superfluity of water being removed which might choak it and the Barley laid up in heaps the seeds gather heat which is increased by the contiguity of many grains lying one upon another In this work natures intent is to produce more individuals according to the nature of the Seed and therefore it shoots forth in spires but the Artist abuses the intention of Nature and converts it to his end that is to increase the spirits of his Malt. The like we find in mineral substances where this spirit or ferment is resident as in Allum and Copperas Mines which being broken exposed and moistened will gather an actual heat and produce much more of those minerals then else the mine would yield as Agricola and Thurneiser do affirm and is proved by common experience The like is generally observed in Mines as Agricola Erastus Libavius c. do avouch out of the daily experience of mineral men who affirm that in many places they find their Mines so hot as they can hardly touch them although it is likely that where they work for perfect Minerals the heat which was in fermentation whilst they were yet breeding is now much abated the Minerals being now grown to their perfection And for this heat we need not call for the help of the Sun which a little could will take away from us much more the body of the earth and rocks not for subterranean fire this inbred heat is sufficient as may appear also by the Mines of Tinglass which being digged and laid in the moist air will become very hot So Antimony and Sublimat being mixed together will grow so hot as they are not able to be touched If this be so in little quantities it is likely to be much more in great quantities and huge rocks Heat of it self differs not in kind but only in degree and therefore is inclined no more to one Species then to another but as it doth attend and serve a more worthy and superiour power such as this generative spirit is And this spirit doth convert any apt matter it meets withall to his own species by the help of heat and the earth is full of such matter which attends upon the species of things and oftentimes for want of fit opportunity and adiuvant causes lies idle without producing any species but is apt to be transmuted by any mechanical and generative spirit into them And this matter is not the Elements themselves but subterranean seeds placed in the Elements which not being able to live to themselves do live to others Sic Roma crescit Albae ruinis the Death of one is the life of another From this confluence of seeds arise all the varieties and differences and alterations which are observed in the generation or nutrition of natural things as in their colours
must be plentiful if it continue so long in burning as we find them to do Or admit that this matter be kindled by succession yet it is incredible that it should continue burning above a year together as that Comet Xiphian which lasted a whole year Another Anno 1572. under the constellation of Cassiopaea lasted a year and a half others six months others three c. If the Sulphurous or Bituminous matter be thick it will melt in burning and rain down Brimstone and Bitumen upon us Thirdly if Comets were kindled substances what entertainment could they find above the Moon and among the spheres where they say no corruptible or elementary substance can be indured But many of our Comets have been observed to have been above the Moon and some among the fixed Starrs as hath been observed by Tycho Brahe and Clavius and upon due observation they could find some of them to admit no Paralaxis or diversity of aspect to any star in different Climats This argumnnt may be good against a Peripatetick but a Platonist or a Pytnagorean who hold the Heavens to be made of elementary matter and subject to generation and corruption will not allow it no more will many of our Divines For glowing fires we have none but they must be kindled and then they must have vent for their fuliginous vapours and they must be kindled either by propagation or coition from some other fire or by violent motion able to kindle them which we shall hardly find in the bowels of the earth where all is quiet and no space for any such perturbation But they say there is an ignis subterraneus which being kindled upon Sulphur and Bitumen disperseth it self among other Mines of the like nature and sets them on fire Now we are come from Heaven to Hell or to Purgatory at the least which Pyhagoras calls materiam vatum falsique pericula mundi The dream of Poets and a forged fear The largest description of it is in Virgil from whence both Divines and Philosophers derive much matter and Beccius doth believe that there is such a thing in the Center of the Earth But if we observe Virgil well we shall find that he propounds it but as a dream for in the end of that Book he saith Sunt gemina somni portae quarum altera fortur Cornea qua veris facilis datur exitus umbris Altera candenti perfecta nitens Elephauto Sed falsa ad Coelum mittunt insomnia manes Dreams have two gates the one is said to be Of Horn through which all true conceits de flee The other framed all of Ivory rare But le ts out none but such as forged are Now saith he when Anchyses had led AEneas and Sibilla through Hell he lets them forth at the Ivory gate Portaque emittit Eburna As if he should say all that I have related of Hell is but a fiction and thus Ludovicus Vives interprets it in his Comment upon this place I hope none will think that I deny a Hell but I approve not of the assignment of it to the center of the earth or that that fire should serve as Baccius would have it to further all generations in the earth and as others to be the cause of Fountains Winds Earth-quakes Vulcanoes Storms Saltness of the Sea c. nor of the actual heat of our Bathes although it be the most common received opinion First for the place it is not likely that the center of the earth whither all heavy things do tend should be hollow but rather more compact then any other part of the earth as likewise Valesius thinks but if there be any concavities they are between the Center and the Superficies and these concavities being receptacles of water from the Sea cannot also receive fire These two will not agree together in one place but the one will expel the other for whereas some hold that Bitumen will burn in water and is nourished by it it is absolutely false as experience shews and I have touched it among the Bitumina Moreover if the heat which warms our Bathes did proceed from hence there must be huge vessels above the fire to contain water whereby the fire might heat it and not be quenched by it Also the vapours arising from hence must be hotter then water can endure or be capable of for as they ascend towards the superficies of the earth they must needs be cooled as they pass by Rocks or else they could not be congealed into water again and after this congelation the water hath lost most of his heat as we find in our ordinary distillations of Rose-water c. where we see our water to descend into the receive almost cold so that they cannot derive our hot Bathes from hence Secondly for the fire it self although water and air may be received into the bowels of the earth yet there is great difficulty for fire For the other two need no nourishment to support them as fire doth If there be not competency of air to nourish the fire by venting his fuligious vapours howsoever there be fewel enough it is suddenly quenched and such huge and flaming fire as this must be will require more air then can there be yielded a great part thereof passing away through the secret creeks of Rocks and little or none entring through the Sea And therefore daily experience shews that our mineral men are fain to sink new Shafts as they call them to admit air to their works otherwise their lights would go out Although one would think that where many men may have room enough to work there would be space enough for air to maintain a few lights The like we see in Cupping-glasses where the light goes out as soon as they are applied Also there are no fires perpetual as hot Bathes are but are either extinct or keep not the same tenor Wherefore fire cannot be the cause of this constant heat of Bathes It must be a continual cause that can make a continual heaâ— Also where fire is there will be smoak for as it breeds exhalations so it sends them forth But in most of our hot Bathes we find none of these dry exhalations Moreover fire is more hardly pend in then air yet we see that air doth break forth wherefore fire should also make his way having fuel enough to maintain it So they say it doth in our Vulcanoes at Hecla in Iseland AEtna in Sicicy Vesuvio in Campania in Enaria AEolia Lipara c. But it is yet unproved that these eruptions of fire do proceed from any deep cause but only are kindled upon or neer the superficies of the earth where there is air enough to feed it and means enough to kindle it by lightnings or other casual means Whereas in the bowels of the earth there is neither air to nourish it nor any means to kindle it seeing neither the beams of the Sun nor Wind or other Exhalations nor any Antiperistasis nor Lyme nor
plentiful exhalations as those must be which procure lightning and thunder and the vanity of their Antiperistasis to kindle these exhalations as hath been she wed before it is a sufficient refutation to take away the subject of the question that is all subterranean fire as I hope I have done and then we need not dispute about the means of kindling it c. these momentary meteors being produced only to kindle and not to maintain this fire From the water no man will derive this fire being a cold and moist Element and apt to quench it unless it be by dilating the seminary spirits of natural species and then they concur with us and renouncing the actual fire do confirm our heat of fermentation From the earth some have imagined an inbred heat ingenitum terrae calorem whereby it seems they had some glimmering of this light which we have given but have left it in as great obscurity as the Antipenstasis or Antipathy and earth being a cold and dry Element cannot be the cause of this heat as it is earth So as it is manifest that naturally the Elements cannot procure this heat of Bathes and by violent motion they can do as little For the earth being immovable cannot be stirred by any violent motion and the other three Elements as Fire Air and Water being thin and liquid substances can procure no heat by any motion or collision either upon themselves or upon the earth especially in the bowels of the earth where all is quiet and no room or scope for any such motion as this must be So that neither the other three Elements nor the earth either in the whole or in the parts can be the cause hereof by any violent motion From mixt bodies if this heat come it must be from animals vegetables or minerals Animals are not so plentiful in the earth as to cause this heat of Bathes either alive or dead We read of subterranean animals which have both motion and sense and understanding in Vincentius in speculo naturali in Lactantius in Agricola de animantibus subterraneis in Bellonius Ortelius Paracelsus c. who calls them Gnomi the Germanes Bergmaenlin the French Rabat the Cornish-men Fairies The Danes are generally perswaded that there are such creatures But if any such living creatures be able to procure this heat it cannot be by their hot complexions but it must be by violence and striking of fire Perhaps Democritus hath hired them to make his lyme there or some other to erect forges for thunder lightning and such like fire-works Brontesque Steropesque nudus membra Pyracmon But these opinions deserve no confutation From dead animals in their putrefaction some heat may appear but such as neither for the degree nor for the continuance can be answerable to our Bathes For vegetables there is the same reason as for dead animals neither doth the earth breed such plenty of these in her bowels as to procure a months heat to a tun of water in one place Wherefore we have nothing to ground upon but mineral substances whereof the earth affords enough For there is no part of the earth but is replenished with mineral seeds And although some may think that because minerals are not found or not wrought in all places and that some waters are also found which do not participate of the virtues of minerals that therefore our hot Bathes proceed not from the fermentation of minerals but from some other cause they are mistaken For although metals are not frequent in some places or at the least not discovered yet a man shall hardly dig ten foot deep in any place but he shall find rocks of stone which have their generation as well as other minerals or some of the Salts or Bitumina or Spirits or mean metals c. And how can Bathes receive mineral qualities but from minerals Therefore where Bathes are there must be Minerals although where Minerals are there are not always Bathes But perhaps they are not so accumulated as by their contiguity they are able to yield any manifest heat their matter being dispersed as grains of corn sown in a field which by reason of their lying single do not shew a sensible heat in their fermentation or most metals breeding between a Hanger and a Lieger which Agricola calls pendens and jacens are seldome above a foot thick and therefore cannot yield much heat to our waters And this is the cause why we have so few Bathes from Gold Silver Tin Lead c. But where much matter is accumulated together the very contiguity one part lying upon another will make a manifest heat untill it grow to a corpus continuum when the generation is perfected and then the heat is extinguished Or perhaps they have not water so plentifull as may yield a living spring although they may have sufficient for the use of their generation Or perhaps where they break forth they meet with desart sands as in Arabia China Africa c. Which drink up the water and hinder the eruption of it And whereas there are some hot springs found which do not shew any mineral quality in them the reason of this may be the want of concrete juice which as I have said before is the medium of communicating mineral qualities and substances with water For without them water is as unapt to imbibe minerals as it is to unite with oyle So as water may of it self receive actual heat from the fermentation of minerals but not their qualities without the mediation of some of the concrete juices as contrariwise we find some Fouutains that receive mineral qualities and yet are cold whereof I have given many examples The reason whereof is either for that they have passed a long way and by many Meanders from the place of generation to the place of their eruption and so have lost their heat or else the concrete juices which will dissolve in water without any heat being impregnated with other minerals do impart them to water and yet without heat But to say that there is any earth without mineral seeds is to make a vacuum in rerum natura and to destroy the use of the Elements It is true that the seeds do do not alwaies meet with opportunity to display themselves and sometimes they are fain to serve under other colours which are more predominant but there is no part of the earth without some seeds or other And from hence we must derive the original of the actual heat of Bathes for nothing else in the world will serve our turn to procure so lasting and so uniform a heat unto them and that not by kindling any actual fire about them for most of our minerals whereof our Bathes consist and from whence they receive both their actual heat and virtues will not burn neither have any actual heat in themselves being all cold to the touch but receive it by a fermenting heat which they have in their generation without which there
is no generation for any thing And this heat continues so long as the work of generation continues which being once begun doth not cease in many ages by reason of the plenty of matter which the earth yields and the firmness and solidity thereof And although after that the minerals have attained to their perfection this heat ceaseth yet the generation extends further then where it first began and enlargeth it self every way the works of nature being circular so as the water which was heated by the first generation cannot avoid the other succeeding generations but must meet with them either behind or before beneath or above on the one side or on the other especially seeing no generation can proceed without water and yet keeps the same tenor and degree of heat according to the nature of the minerals fermenting and to the distance from the place of eruption And this is a far more probable cause of the continuance of our Bathes then any subterranean destructive fire can be or any other of the supposed causes can yield I do not deny but that hot Bathes may cease and become cold as Aristotle saith of Salt Fountains which are cold that they were once hot before the original of their heat was extinct which I interpret to be when the work of generation ceased and the Salt brought to his perfection But I do not read of any hot Bathes that have ceased unless near onto some Vulcano where either the sinking of Rocks hath altered the course of them as at Tripergula and Baia or the flaming fire which heated them at their eruption being extinguished as in the AEolian Islands These Vulcanoes are far more subject to decay then our generative heat because they consume their fuel this doth not but increaseth it daily viresque acquirit eundo Of the other Ovid saith Nee quae sulphureis ardet fornacibus AEtna Ignea semper erit neque enim fuit ignea semper AEtna with its sulphureous flames will dy And as a kindling had will want supply But of this we can hardly bring an Instance of any that have decayed because where a generation is begun there seldome or never wants matter to propagate and enlarge it And seeing minerals have not their seeds in their individuals as animals vegetables have but in their wombs as hath been shewed before it were to be feared that there would be a decay of mineral species and so a vacuum left in nature if these generations should be no more durable then the other Animals are propagated by begetting of their species the power whereof is in every individual which no doubt will not give over this trade as long as the world lasteth Vegetables are also fruitfull in their kinds every one producing 100 or perhaps 1000 seeds of individuals yearly to perpetuate their species Minerals have no such means but only have their seeds in their wombs whereby they are propagated and if these generations being longer in perfecting of their species were not supplyed with a larger extent for their productions nature had been defective in not providing sufficient means for their perpetuity as well as for others and might easily suffer a decay and a vacuity of mineral species which agrees not with the providence of nature and the ornament of the world The necessity hereof depends upon the first benediction crescite multiylicamini which no doubt belongs as well to minerals in their kinds as it doth to animals and vegetables and by vertue hereof we see that they are propagated daily as I have proved before Cap. 11. And this is that necessity whereof Hypocrates speaks and that fatum naturale inharens rebus ipsis Natural fate inherent in things themselves as Lipsius faith and that Lex Adrastiae mentioned by Aristotle and Galâ—â— Locis aute citatis so firmly established as nothing can contradict it Arithmetick Geometry and Logick which are but attendants upon nature have their principles so firmly grounded as nothing can shake them and shall we think that nature it self is grounded upon weaker foundations wherefore we need not doubt of the perpetuity of these generations but that as some parts attain to their perfection so other puts will be alwayes in fieri or in via ad generationem whereby our Bathes will never fail of their heat or their virtues This I hope is susficient for the confuting of other opinions and the clearing of mine own from all absurdities concerning the degree of heat which is as much as the nature of water can endure without utter dissipation concerning the equal tenor of the heat the duration of 〈◊〉 the participation of mineral qualities c. The other kind of confirmation which we call Apodeictical is also here and there dispersed in this Discourse as that all minerals have their continual generation that this generation is not without heat and moysture which do necessarily attend all generations that few mineral substances or qualities can be imparted to water but whilst they are in generation and yet we find them much impregnated with them that our Miners do find an actual heat and in a high degree in the digging of Minerals where the fermentation is not throughly extinct that we observe the like course of nature in the generations of animals and vegetables that we are led to the acknowledgement hereof by many artificial conclusions and artifices c. Wherefore I forbear to make any larger repetition hereof And this is in brief though plainly delivered my opinion concerning the actual heat of Baths and of the mineral qualities which we find in them which I refer to the censures of those that be learned There are two other motions which resemble this fermentation The one is Motus dilatationis the Other Antipatheticus Motus dilatationis is evident in Lime in Allum in Copperass and other concrete juyces whereby the affusion of water the Salt in the Lime or the concrete juyces being suddenly dissolved there is by this motion an actual heat procured for a time able to kindle any combustible matter put to it The like we observe in those stone Coals called metal Coals which are mixed with a Marchesit containing some mineral juyce which receiving moysture doth dilate it self and grows so hot as oftentimes great heaps of those Coals are kindled thereby and burnt before their time as hath been seen at Puddle-Wharf in London and at Newcastle But this is much different from out fermentation Another Motus resembling this fermentation is that which is attributed to Antipathy when disagreeing substances being put together do fight and make a manifest actual heat as Antimony and Sublimat oyle of Vitriol and oyle of Tartar Allum liquor and Urine Lees Chalk c. But the reason of this disagreement is in their Salts whereof one is astringent the other relaxing the one of easie dissolution in water the other of hard dissolution c. where one mineral hinders the dissolution or congelation of another
that the Bathes were made by Art is too simple for any wise man to believe or for me to confute And Necham in his Verses which follow after those I have mentioned doth hold it a sigment you may see them in Cambden We have them for their use in bathing distinguished into four several Bathes whereof three have been antiently namely the KingsBath the Hot Bath and the Cross Bath The Queens Bath was taken from the Springs of the Kings Bath that being farther off from the hot Springs it might serve for such as could not endure the heat of the other We have likewise an appendix to the hot Bath called the Leapers Bath for unclean persons We find little difference in the nature of these Bathes but in the degree of heat proceeding no doubt from one and the same Mine Yet as the Mine may be hotter in one pâ—â—tthen in another or the passages more direct from it so the heat of them may vary Some little difference also we find among them that one is more cleansing then another by reason is I take it of more Nitre For in the cross Bath we find that our fingers ends will shrink and shrivel as if we had washed in Soap-water more then in the other Bathes The Kings Bath as it is the hottest of all the Bathes so it is the fittest for very cold diseases and cold and phlegâ—â—â—ck constitutions And we have daily expeâ—â—ence of the good effects it worketh upon Palâ—es Aches Sciatica's cold Tumors c. both by â—scuation by Sweat and by warming the parts facted attenuating discussing and resolving the mors Also in Epilepsies and Uterin affects in â—e Scorbute and in that kind of dropsie which â—t call Anasarca The hot Bath is little infeâ—â—r unto it as next in degree of heat and â—full in the same cases The Queens Bath â—d Cross Bath are more temperate in their heat â—d therefore fittest for tender bodies which are â—t to be inflamed by the other and where â—â—e is more need of mollifying and gentle â—ming then of violent heat and much evacuam by sweat And in these Bathes they may dare longer without dissipation of Spirits then in the other the Queens Bath is the hotter of the two but temperate enough for most bodies The Cross Bath is the coldest of all as having but few Springs to feed it yet we observe it to supple and mollifie more then the rest both because they are able to stay longer in it and because as I said before it seems to participate more with Nitre then the rest which doth cleanse better and gives more penetration to the other Minerals Wherefore in contractions Epilepsies Uterin affects Convulsions Cramps c. This Bath is very useful as also in cutaneal diseases as Morphews Itch c. Thus much for the nature and difference of our Bathes and the general use in bathing They are used also to particular parts by pumping or bucketing or applying the mud Pumping or bucketing are not used in that fashion as we use them in any other Bathes that I can learn but only the Duccia or Stillicidium But I hold our fashion as good as that The water comes more plentifully upon the part and may be directed as the patient hath occasion Oâ—â— bucketing hath been longest in use but finding that it did not heat some sufficiently being takeâ— from the surface of the Bath we have of latâ— erected Pumps which draw the water from thâ— springs or near unto them so as we have it mucâ— hotter from thence then we can have it by bucâ—keting A worthy Merchant and Citizen 〈…〉 London Mr. Humphrey Brown was perswade by me to bestow two of these Pumps upon the Kings and Queens Bath whereby he hath doâ— much good to many and deserves a thankfuâ— remembrance The like also I procured to be done at the other Bathes although that of the CrossBath is not so useful by reason it wants heat unless for yong Children Also we have a Pump out of the hot Bath which we call the dry Pump where one may sit in a Chair in his Cloaths and have his Head or Foot or Knee pumped without heating the rest of the body in the Bath and devised chiefly for such as have hot Kidneys or some other infirmities which the Bath might hurt This we find very usefull in Rheums and cold Brains and in Aches and Tumors in the Feet For these Pumps we are beholding unto the late Lord Archbishop of York and to Mr. Hugh May who upon my perswasions were contented to be at the charge of them It were to be wished that some well disposed to the publick good would erect the like at the Kings Bath where perhaps it might be more usefull for many in regard of the greater heat which those springs have The lute of Bathes is in much use in some places where it may be had pure both to mollifie and to resolve and to strengthen weak parts But we make little use of it in our Bathes because we cannot have it pure but mixed with strigments In divers other places either the springs arise a good distance from the bathing places or else there be other eruptions from whence it may be taken But our springs arising in the Bathes themselves it cannot well be saved pure Besides we have not those means of the heat of the Sun to keep it warm to the parts where it is applyed so as growing cold it rather does hurt then good Wherefore it were better for us to use artificial lutes as the Antients did of Clay Sulphur Bitumen Nitre Salt c. or unguents of the same nature as that which they call Ceroma But the best way is to referr the election of these remedies to the present Physitian who will fit them according to the nature of the grief CHAP. XVIII In what particular Infirmities of the Body bathing in the Hot Waters of Bathe is profitable TO come more particularly to the use of bathing we must understand that there are many mineral waters fit for bathing which are not fit to drink as those which participate with Lead Quicksilver Gypsum Cadmia Arsenick c. Also those that contain liquid Bitumen are thought to relax too much but those that proceed from dry Bitumen are permitted and prescribed in potion by Paulus AEgineta and Trallian Sulphur also is questioned Whether it be fit to be taken inwardly by Potion because it relaxeth the stomach and therefore Aetius forbids it yet Trallian allows it and so do others if the Sulphur be not predominant But for outward bathing there is no question to be made of these Minerals nor of any other which are not in themselves venomous And whereas Oribasius AEgineta Actuarius c. are suspitious of Sulphur and Bitumen for the head they must be understood of hot distempers there and not of cold rheumatick brains where by daily experience we find the profitable use of them both by evacuation in bucketing and
who as 't is said in his Acts made the Hot Waters in Bath by the Art of Magick But this is rather to be ascrib'd to Nature since there are Baths in other places hotter than these But I have read that when the Prophet Elias desired it mignt rain then three Springs of Hot Water arose in that City useful for the Cure of Diseases of men He had a son named Leir who built Leycester Thus far the Author of the Manuscript whose rougher Latine Phrase I have smoothed what I could by a Paraphrastical Version From what hath been delivered may be collected that Bladut or Bladud as he is commonly called was the eighth King of the Britains from Brute and that his line was thus Brute Locrinus Mahan Manlinus Ebranc Bentgrevesheld Ludhudebras Bladut Now Brute being said to have come hither 1100 years before Christ allowing to the seven preceding Kings of which some Reigned more some less thirty years a piece for their Reign one with another it follows that Bladud lived near 900 years before Christ was born He is sometimes called Blaeydin Cloyth that is Blaeydin the Magician As to the Prophet Elias the time when he desired rain falls out to be according to computation in the year of the world 3040. nine hundred and some odd years before Christ so that this Prophet and King Bladud were Contemporaries and the antiquity reaches no higher on the account of the later opinion then the first And this is the highest pitch of Antiquity I find assigned to the Bathes as for the Periods asserted by others they come much short of both the former some ascribing their inventions to Julius Caesar fifty years or thereabouts before Christ which the learned Antiquarian Mr. 〈◊〉 thinks not so probable because Solinus who lived in the time of Titus Vespasian 130 years after or 83 years after Christ was the first of the Romans that made mention of them To which may be added that perhaps Julius Caesar came not so far up in the Land For whatever some flattering Poets and Historians may faconiously deliver certain it is that Julius Caesar made not so great a Conquest here as some do imagine Whence Tacitus writes that he discovered only not delivered unto the Romans Britain His words in the Life of Julius Agricola are these Primus omnium D. Julius cum exercitu Britanniam ingressus quanquam prospera pugna terruerit incolas ac littore potitus sit potest videri ostendisse posteris non tradidisse Horace also calls the Britan before Augustus untouch't And Mr. Cambden faith that it is so far off from being true which Patereulus reports bis penetrata Britannia à Caesare that Caesar passed twice through Britain that he scarce made entry into it For many years after this entrance of Caesar this Island was left to the free Government of their own Kings and used their own Laws The Saxon Names of Bathancester Hat Bathan and Akmanchester are of later date the Saxons not arriving here till the time of Theodosius the younger about the year of Christ according to the most probable Computation of Venerable Bede 428. Nay the later name of Akmanchester was not given till some few years after the year of Christ 577 when from a mean Condition to which this City was then reduc'd by War it again recovered strength and great dignity and from the great concourse of diseased people that came for Cure was called Akmanchester that is The City of Sickly Folks Neither can their Antiquity be much advanced by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Hot waters in Ptolomy Aquae Solis or Waters of the Sun of Antonine or Badiza of Stephanus more recent then the former but that which seems to come the nearest to the forementioned Opinion of Bladud and Elias is the British names of Yâ— Ennaint Caer Badon and above all Caer Paladdur that is the City of Pallas or Minerva's Water especially since Solinus affirms Minerva to have been the Patroness of these Bathes of which no doubt he writes in these words In Britain there are Hot Springs very curiously adorned and kept for mens use the Patroness of which is the Goddess Minerva There being also a tradition that there was formerly a Temple dedicated to Minerva where now the Church of St. Peter and Paul commonly called the Abbey Church stands I have read also in an Author that wrote of these Bathes almost 100 years ago and the first that wrote any thing considerable concerning them Dr. Turner in his Discourse of the English German and Italian Bathes making little better then a bare mention of them That the chief Spring of Bathe was in the Church-yard then dedicated to Minerva and after constituted to the Abbey of the Monks of the Order of St. Benedict Erected first by Blaeidin Cloyeth or Bladudus Magus that wife Magician a Britain the ninth King after Brute about the year of the world according to the Scripture account 3080 before the Incarnation of Christ 890. Helisaeus Prophet then in Israel But although I have some reason to distrust this Genealogie of Bladud which he acccording to the Custome of his Countrey drives as high as may be even unto Adam making Bladud the thirtieth man in a direct line from him yet I cannot but in some measure commend his Chronologie as being not much different from the account given before And whereas he affirms Bladud to have been the nineth King from Brute I find by comparing other Histories that Leill if the same with him whom the Author of Brutus Abrâ—viatus calleth Leyr was not Son to Bentgrevesheld but great Grand-child being Son to Bladud his that is Bentgrevesheld Grand-childs Son and so Leill whom he maketh Father to Ludhudebras not to come in before but after Bladud as being his Son and he the ninth King from Brute and not his Father Yet on the other hand I must say thus much that the name Carlyle a City said by the Author I fellow to be built by Bentgrevesheld dissonant from the custome of those times wherein the Founders usually called places after their own names and many of those especially to which they added Caer doth somewhat incline me think there might have been one Leill Son to Bentgrevesheld as some Historians mention and Founder of that place ascribed to his Father However the matter is not great whether Bladud was the eighth King from Brute as my Author supposes or the ninth or tenth as others I inferring no more from the preceding History then this That Bladud lived near 900 years before Christ since of the exact time of his flourishing more then by Conjecture by reason of the Confusion and Disagreement among Historians touching the Number and Succession of the Kings and time of their Reign we have no certain account But to be as particular as I may because some years passed between the Birth of those seven Kings mentioned before and the begining of their
more satisfactory account of the former than yet hath been given by any and for the later I shall not build on the hay and stubble of the talk and relations of persons byass'd and concern'd but on the solid basis of reason observation and experience In the mean time as I would not seem ridiculous to some treating too largely of what I have not yet made a clear inspection into so I would not be accounted absurd by others in wholly waving the principal part of my Subject To offer then a course bit to the eager appetite till time shall favour us with a better treat I conceive that the Baths of Bath come very neer the nature of the Aqueuses in Germany the knowledge of which may be a great help to the better understanding of our own I shall therefore out of the succinct but pithy discourse of these waters composed by the learned and Judicious Physitian Fran. Fabritius Ruremundanus sometime Physitian there take notice of some Parallels between that place and Bath in which besides many pretty remarkable Coincidences the nature of the Countrey and parts adjacent is in some measure discovered The first is that Histories relate that the Hot Waters there were found out by a Prince one Granus brother as t is said to Nero the Roman Emperor who first discovering these Baths among the mountains and woods built a Castle and dwelt there of which in the Authors time there was a monument standing called Turris Grani. Secondly That the City was called by the name of the Waters to wit Aquae Granis which some improperly call Aquisgranum Ab incolis Aquoe Grani appellatae sunt cum Thermae tum locus ipse deducto scil nomine ab Aquis Calidis Grano repertore mansitque appellatio postea Urbi nisi quod quidam non satis apte immuta inflexione Aquisgranum appellent The Inhabitants saith Ruremundanus call the Place as well as the Waters Aquae Grani by a name drawn from the Hot Waters and Granus the Founder which name afterwards the City had but that some not so properly changing the termination call it Aquisgran Thirdly That the City is sita in valle monlibus circumquaque cincta seated in a bottom and encompassed about with Hills That the Hills besides Wood for Fire and Timber contain Quarries of Stone for Building That cold Springs arise within without the City in great abundance That at some distance off is found Lead and a Bituminous Earth which mine Author calls Terra nigra foco culinaria aptissima That in the City are two Chief Bathes The one called the Kings the other the Cornelian In the Suburbs not far from the South Gate are more Hot springs called from the abundance of Hogs that are there about the Porcetan Bathes which being not so powerfull as the rest are less used And lastly that I may mention something that would be advantageous to both and both do want viz. a Navigable River which saies Rurem would compleat its happiness Nibil inquit ad faelicitatem deesse videtur quam Navigabilis Fluvius Now to give you the Counter-part of the parallel 'T is obvious to observe that to the first corresponds the History of King Bladud which seems not to be so fabulous as many men imagine For probably many Relations we have of persons and things and of those elder times when ignorance so much prevail'd and men had little subtilty in their actions and less politeness in their speech may have much of truth in them though they now seem odd and rediculous to us And I am apt to think that many old Realities do suffer much on no other account then to the temper and genius of those times Just as 't is reported of some old women in Lancashire that they go for Witches meerly because they look like such Not considering that a great deal less time then 2000 years hath made considerable alterations in the manners lives and customs of men And whereas King Bladud had the name of a Magitian I look upon it as a greater argument of his more then ordinary learning then note of reproach the wisest men in those times and long after to being reputed such and he recorded a wife and eloquent Philosopher and Mathematian accomplish't as the times then would bear with treasures of forrein and domestick knowledge having spent in Study as is reported besides many doubtless afterwards in his own Countrey eleven years in his Minority at Athens Of whom that you may receive a more particular account I shall not think much to give you the English of what J. Bate in his Book De Scriptoribus Anglicis writeth of him Bladud surnamed the Magician the 10th King of the Britains was sent in his Youth to the famous City of Athens in Greece there to be instructed in Philosophy and the Liberal Sciences And when he had there studied a certain time hearing of the death of Ludhudebras his Father he returned home again bringing with him four expert Masters in many Sciences not thinking it meet that his Countrey should lack any longer such singular ornaments of Learning as they were These Philosophers as Merlin writeth he placed at Stamford in a very pleasant Soyl and made Schools for them to the intent they should there read the liberal Sciences where they had many times a great Audiences He was a man very cunning and skilfull as well in Prophane Sciences of the Gentiles as in all Wisdom and Knowledge that the Graecians excelled in but especially studious and very well seen in the Mathematical Arts and Sciences whereupon one of the Sybils that lived in his time wrote and dedicated unto him a Book of Prophesies Some affirmed that the same Bladud built the City of Bathe and therein made by a wonderfull Art certain Hot Bathes for the use and commodity of the people which do yet remain to this day committing the Conservation thereof to the Goddess Minerva in whose honour be caused a Temple to be there erected to the intent that being preferred by so mighty a Goddess they should never fail but continue for ever they write also how that he read and taught Necromancy throughout all his Realm But these things I suppose are seigned matters To the second particular answers the Name of Bathe taken from the Waters For this Name as is noted before was given to the City some time after its foundation when the Hot Waters came into greater request being called first after the name of the Founder Caer Blaeidin To the third agrees the situation of Bathe being exactly the same To the fourth the Quarries of Stone upon Claverton Down Horse-comb c. To the fifth the Springs of Cornwall in Wallcot-fields Beechenclift c. To the sixth Timsbury Burnet and though the distance be somewhat greater Mendip-Hills To the seventh the Kings Bathe with its apperdage the Queens and Cross-Bath To the last the Horse-Bath without the South-Gate doth in some measure answer though
leave his old body as it found it that is dust yet so as that water retains with it sooâ— taste or qualitie which it received from the earâ—â— Agricâ—de nat fossil Lib. 1. Cap. 4. This dust is neither a simple body as Elements are nor permanent in one and the samâ— kind but as it is thought to participate with anâ—mates vegetables and minerals so to be tranâ—muted into any of them being both Mother and Nurse to all terrestrial bodies Simple earth if it be not mixed with other substances is dry and cold and Astringent Bâ—â— if it be mixed as commonly it is it altereth hâ—â— qualitie according to the mixture Mine inteâ— is to write of it as it is simple and so of the rest Simple earth yields but a muddie water of self and of no use in Physick but if it be mixed with other Minerals it makes the water to participate with the qualitie of those Minerals also As if it be mixed with Nitre as in Fullers eartâ— and Marle it makes the water abstergent like soap If with Allum or Copperass astringer and more desiccative as in all sorts of Boles with Bitumen fattie and Unctuous as in Tuâ— and Peate c. We have divers examples all sorts The Bath of Mount Otbon in Italy full of clay which is a kind of Bole. The Baâ— Caldaria full of Ocre The Bath of Saint Petâ— full of a yellow earth tincted belike with som other Minerals Wherefore these are to be judge of according to the several Minerals which the contain But seeing earth it self makes little impression into water neither do we make any Physical use of waters which contain nothing but earth I need not spend any time about them CHAP. V. Of Stone THe second shall be Stone Stone is another Mineral substance concrete and more heavy than earth and our Mineral men confound themselves much in the definition of it Wherefore Fallopius implores the help of Marcus Antonius Janna about it as one of the most difficult points in Philosophie but in the end defines it by his want of dissolution either by heat or moysture And whereas it is manifest that some stones will melt he imputes it to the admixture of some metal among which he reckoneth glass Others define it by his hardness wherein commonly it goeth beyond others Minerals But you shall have some stones softer than some of those and therefore the definition is not good Others by this that being broken or calcin'd they will not be consolidated again into their former consistence or shape But for breaking the reason of that is want of fusion for without fusion or ignition which is a kind or degree of fusion Metals also being broken will not be consolidated into the same Masse again And there is no more difference in nature or essence between a whole stone and a broken than there is between a mass of Metal and the powder or filings of the same As for calcination other minerals may be so far calcin'd and brought to a Crocus by fire as they will be irreducible therefore this is not proper to stone Wherefore I am of Fallopius his opinion in this point and the rather because otherwise there would seem to be a species in nature wanting if there were not Mineral Species wanting dissolution by heat or moysture as well as there are having such dissolution And this vacuum which nature abhors is not only to be understood of a local vacuity but also of a want bâ— such species as are in natures power to produce for the ornament of the World For if it be a natural passion to be dissolved it is likewise a natural passion not to be dissolved and if some things will be dissolved both by heat and moysture as Salts why should there not be other substances which will be dissolved by neither of them And this must be stone for nature affords none other Moreover according to Aristotle 〈◊〉 Quoe concreverunt a frigido a calido a nullâ—â—storum dissolvuntar Those things which come together by heat or cold are dissolved by neither of them Of this kind are stones which could never attain to such purity as many of them have if they were not congealed by heat as well as by cold Also under what species shall we comprehend Diamonds Talcum black-Lead which some think to be pnigitis Magnetis Glymmer Katzensilber pyrimachus amiantus alumen plumosum saxum arenarium mortnum c. if not among Stones yet these are confessed to be invincible by fire or water Also all pretious Stones the more noble and pretious they are the more they resist dissolution either by fire water for this quality sheweth the perfection of their mixture True it is that some stones will be dissolved by fire or water and therefore Pliny and Agricola divide Stones into fusible and infusible but this is in regard of other substances bred in the stone which if it be Metal the fusion will be Metalline If Nitre or mean Minerals it will be Vitrificatory As Pliny reports of the invention of Glass by certain Merchants who melting Nitre upon the Sand in Syria where with Clods of Nitre they had made a Furnace for their necessary use found that clear Metal which we call Glass Ecce liquato nitro oum arenis visi sunt rivi fluxisse nobilis liquoris Behold with the Sand when the Nitre was melted ran streams of a noble liquor If Sulphur as in Pyrite it will likewise melt and strike fire And whereas the striking of fire out of a flint or Pyrites or any other thing that will strike fire is held by all men to proceed from the kindling of air by the collision of two hard substances together they are mistaken For then Diamonds Chrystal Glass c. should strike fire as well as flints but it is the Sulphur contained in them And G. Fabricius in his observations although he observes not the reason of this fire yet he confesseth that out of any Pyrites è quo excutitur ignis etiam â—xcoquitur sulphur Out of which fire is struck Sulphur also is to be had Pliny gives the reason of the name quia inest illi ignis Because fire is in it The like we observe in Indian Canes and some Woods that are unctuous and â—ull of Oyle which yield fire by frication or collision not by kindling the air thereby but inflamable Oyle in them For air being cold and moist as hath been proved before hath no agreement with fire no more then oyle hath with water And therefore flame is not the kindling of air ' slamma non est aer accensus but of fub ginous vapours which have some unctuousness 〈◊〉 them and arise from the mater of fewel and haâ— some inflamable parts remaining in them whiâ—â— neer unto the matter of fuel do cause a manifeâ— flame but farther off no flame doth appear yâ— so as if you hold Flax near unto the flame thouâ— it touch it not yet