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often in the gall; and sometimes, though rarely, in | And I can hope, my lords, that my midnight studies, vena porta. to make our countries flourish and outvie European Query, what time the substance of earth in quar- neighbours in mysterious and beneficent arts, have ries asketh to be turned into stones?

Water, as it seems, turneth into crystal, as is seen in divers caves, where the crystal hangs in stillicidiis.

Try wood, or the stalk of herbs, buried in quicksilver, whether it will not grow hard and stony. They speak of a stone engendered in a toad's head. There was a gentleman, digging in his moat, found an egg turned into stone, the white and the yolk keeping their colour, and the shell glistering like a stone cut with corners.

Try some things put into the bottom of a well; as wood, or some soft substance: but let it not touch the water, because it may not putrify.

not so ingratefully affected your noble intellects, that you will delay or resist his majesty's desires, and my humble petition in this benevolent, yea, magnificent affair; since your honourable posterities may be enriched thereby, and my ends are only to make the world my heir, and the learned fathers of my Solomon's House, the successive and sworn trustees in the dispensation of this great service, for God's glory, my prince's magnificence, this parliament's honour, our country's general good, and the propagation of my own memory.

And I may assure your lordships, that all my proposals in order to this great architype, seemed so rational and feasible to my royal sovereign, our

They speak, that the white of an egg, with lying christian Solomon, that I thereby prevailed with long in the sun, will turn stone.

Mud in water turns into shells of fishes, as in horse-mussels, in fresh ponds, old and over-grown. And the substance is a wondrous fine substance, light and shining.

A SPEECH TOUCHING THE RECOVERING OF DROWNED MINERAL WORKS,

Prepared for the parliament (as Mr. Bushel affirmed) by the Viscount of St. Albans, then Lord High Chancellor of England.*

MY LORDS AND GENTLEMEN,

THE king, my royal master, was lately graciously pleased to move some discourse to me concerning Mr. Sutton's hospital, and such like worthy foundations of memorable piety: which humbly seconded by myself, drew his majesty into a serious consideration of the mineral treasures of his own territories, and the practical discoveries of them by way of my philosophical theory: which he then so well resented, that afterwards, upon a mature digestion of my whole design, he commanded me to let your lordships understand how great an inclination he hath to further so hopeful a work, for the honour of his dominions, as the most probable means to relieve all the poor thereof, without any other stock or benevolence, than that which divine bounty should confer on their own industries and honest labours, in recovering all such drowned mineral works, as have been, or shall be therefore deserted.

And, my lords, all that is now desired of his majesty and your lordships, is no more than a gracious act of this present parliament to authorize them herein, adding a mercy to a munificence, which is, the persons of such strong and able petty felons, who, in true penitence for their crimes, shall implore his majesty's mercy and permission to expiate their offences by their assiduous labours in so innocent and hopeful a work.

For by this unchargeable way, my lords, have I proposed to erect the academical fabric of this island's Solomon's House, modelled in my New Atlantis.

* See Mr. Bee's extract, p. 18, 19.

his majesty to call this honourable parliament, to confirm and empower me in my own way of mining, by an act of the same, after his majesty's more weighty affairs were considered in your wisdoms; both which he desires your lordships, and you gentlemen that are chosen as the patriots of your respective countries, to take speedy care of: which done, I shall not then doubt the happy issue of my undertakings in this design, whereby concealed shall be confined to so universal a piety, and brought treasures, which now seem utterly lost to mankind, into use by the industry of converted penitents,

whose wretched carcasses the impartial laws have, or shall dedicate, as untimely feasts, to the worms of the earth, in whose womb those deserted mineral riches must ever lie buried as lost abortments, unless those be made the active midwives to deliver them. For, my lords, I humbly conceive them to be the fittest of all men to effect this great work, for the ends and causes which I have before expressed.

All which, my lords, I humbly refer to your grave and solid judgments to conclude of, together with such other assistances to this frame, as your own oraculous wisdom shall intimate, for the magnifying our Creator in his inscrutable providence, and admirable works of nature.

Certain experiments made by the Lord BACON about weight in air and water.

A NEW Sovereign of equal weight in the air to the piece in brass, overweigheth in the water nine grains: in three sovereigns the difference in the water is but twenty-four grains.

The same sovereign overweigheth an equal weight of lead, four grains in the water, in brass grains for gold in three sovereigns about eleven grains.

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The same sovereign overweigheth an equal weight of stones in the air, at least sixty-five grains in the water: the grains being for the weight of gold in brass metal.

A glass filled with water weighing, in Troy weights, thirteen ounces and five drams, the glass and the water together weigheth severally, viz. the water nine ounces and a half, and the glass four ounces and a dram.

A bladder weighing two ounces seven drams and | abateth of the weight in the air two drams and fortya half, a pebble laid upon the top of the bladder two grains; the depth observe as above. makes three ounces six drams and a half, the stone weighing seven drams.

The bladder, as above, blown, and the same fallen, weigheth equal.

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A sponge dry weigheth one ounce twenty-six grains the same sponge being wet, weigheth fourteen ounces six drams and three quarters: the water weigheth in several eleven ounces one dram and a half, and the sponge three ounces and a half, and three quarters of a dram. First time.

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In stone and stone, the same weight of seven drams equally in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only two drams and twenty-two grains; and abateth of the weight in the air four drams and thirty-eight grains; the depth as above.

In brass and brass, the same weight of seven drams in each balance, equal in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only four drams and twentytwo grains; and abateth in the water two drams and thirty-eight grains; the depth observed.

The two balances being weighed in air and water, the balance in the air overweigheth the other in the water one dram and twenty-eight grains; the Se-depth in the water as aforesaid.

The sponge and water together weigh fifteen ounces and seven drams: in several, the water weigheth eleven ounces and seven drams, and the sponge three ounces seven drams and a half. cond time.

It is a profitable experiment which showeth the

Three sovereigns made equal to a weight in silver weights of several bodies in comparison with water. in the air, differ in the water.

For false weights, one beam long, the other thick. The stick and thread weigh half a dram, and twenty grains, being laid in the balance.

The stick tied to reach within half an inch of the end of the beam, and so much from the tongue, weigheth twenty-eight grains; the difference is twenty-two grains.

The same stick being tied to hang over the end | of the beam an inch and a half, weigheth half a dram and twenty-four grains, exceeding the weight of the said stick in the balance by four grains.

The same stick being hanged down beneath the thread, as near the tongue as is possible, weigheth only eight grains.

Two weights of gold being made equal in the air, and weighing severally seven drams; the one balance being put into the water, and the other hanging in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only five drams and three grains, and abateth of the weight in the air, one dram and a half, and twenty-seven grains.

The same trial being made the second time, and more truly and exactly betwixt gold and gold, weighing severally, as above; and making a just and equal weight in the air, the one balance being put into the water the depth of five inches, and the other hanging in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only four drams, and fifty-five grains, and abateth of the weight in the air two drams and five grains.

The trial being made betwixt lead and lead, weighing severally seven drams in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only four drams and forty-one grains, and abateth of the weight in the air two drams and nineteen grains; the balance kept the same depth in the water as abovesaid.

The trial being made betwixt silver and silver, weighing severally seven drams in the air, the balance in the water weigheth only four drams and twenty-five grains. So it abateth two drams and thirty-five grains; the same depth in the water observed.

In iron and iron, weighing severally each balance in the air seven drams, the balance in the water weigheth only four drams and eighteen grains; and

It is of use in lading of ships, and other bottoms, and may help to show what burden in the several kinds they will bear.

Certain sudden thoughts of the Lord BACON's, set down by him under the title of Experiments for PROFIT.

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Muck of leaves: muck of river, earth, and chalk: muck of earth closed, both for salt-petre and muck: setting of wheat and peas: mending of crops by steeping of seeds: making peas, cherries, and strawberries come early strengthening of earth for often returns of radishes, parsnips, turnips, &c.; making great roots of onions, radishes, and other esculent roots sowing of seeds of trefoil setting of woad: setting of tobacco, and taking away the rawns: grafting upon boughs of old trees: making of a hasty coppice: planting of osiers in wet grounds: making of candles to last long: building of chimneys, furnaces, and ovens, to give heat with less wood: fixing of logwood: other means to make yellow and green fixed: conserving of oranges, lemons, citrons, pomegranates, &c. all summer: recovering of pearl, coral, turcoise colour, by a conservatory of snow: sowing of fennel: brewing with hay, haws, trefoil, broom, hips, bramble-berries, woodbines, wild thyme, instead of hops, thistles: multiplying and dressing artichokes.

Certain experiments of the Lord BACON's, about the commixture of liquors only, not solids, without heat or agitation, but only by simple composition and settling.

Spirit of wine mingled with common water, although it be much lighter than oil, yet so as if the first fall be broken, by means of a sop, or otherwise, it stayeth above; and if it be once mingled, it severeth not again, as oil doth. Tried with water coloured with saffron.

Spirit of wine mingled with common water hath a kind of clouding, and motion showing no ready commixture. Tried with safron.

A dram of gold dissolved in aqua regis, with a dram of copper in aqua fortis, commixed, gave a green colour, but no visible motion in the parts. Note, that the dissolution of the gold was, twelve

parts water to one part body and of the copper was, six parts water to one part body.

Oil of almonds commixed with spirit of wine severeth, and the spirit of wine remaineth on the top, and the oil in the bottom.

Gold dissolved, commixed with spirit of wine, a dram of each doth commix, and no other apparent alteration.

Quicksilver dissolved with gold dissolved, a dram of each, doth turn to a mouldy liquor, black, and like smith's water.

Note, the dissolution of the gold was twelve parts water, ut supra, and one part metal: that of water was two parts, and one part metal.

Spirit of wine and quicksilver commixed, a dram of each, at the first showed a white milky substance at the top, but soon after mingled.

Oil of vitriol commixed with oil of cloves, a dram of each, turneth into a red dark colour; and a substance thick almost like pitch: and upon the first motion gathereth an extreme heat, not to be endured by touch.

Dissolution of gold, and oil of vitriol commixed, a dram of each, gathereth a great heat at the first, and darkeneth the gold, and maketh a thick yellow. Spirit of wine and oil of vitriol, a dram of each, hardly mingle; the oil of vitriol going to the bottom, and the spirit of wine lying above in a milky substance. It gathereth also a great heat, and a sweetness in the taste.

Spirit of wine commixed with milk, a third part spirit of wine, and two parts milk, coagulateth little, but mingleth; and the spirit swims not above.

Milk and oil of almonds mingled, in equal portions, do hardly incorporate, but the oil cometh above, the milk being poured in last; and the milk appeareth in some drops or bubbles.

Milk one ounce, oil of vitriol a scruple, doth coagulate; the milk at the bottom, where the vitriol goeth.

Dissolution of gum tragacanth, and oil of sweet almonds, do not commingle, the oil remaining on the top till they be stirred, and make the mucilage somewhat more liquid.

Dissolution of gum tragacanth one ounce and a half, with half an ounce of spirit of wine, being commixed by agitation, make the mucilage more thick.

The white of an egg with spirit of wine, doth bake the egg into clots, as if it began to poch. One ounce of blood, one ounce of milk, do easily incorporate.

Spirit of wine doth curdle the blood.

One ounce of whey unclarified, one ounce of oil of vitriol, make no apparent alteration.

One ounce of blood, one ounce of oil of almonds, incorporate not, but the oil swims above.

Three quarters of an ounce of wax being dissolved upon the fire, and one ounce of oil of almonds put together and stirred, do not so incorporate, but that when it is cold the wax gathereth and swims upon the top of the oil.

One ounce of oil of almonds cast into an ounce of sugar seething, sever presently, the sugar shoot

Oil of vitriol and dissolution of quicksilver, a dram of each, maketh an extreme strife, and casteth up a very gross fume, and after casteth down a white kind of curds, or sands; and on the top a slimishing towards the bottom. substance, and gathereth a great heat.

Oil of sulphur and oil of cloves commixed a dram of each, turn into a thick and red-coloured substance; but no such heat as appeared in the commixture with the oil of vitriol.

Oil of petroleum and spirit of wine, a dram of each, intermingle otherwise than by agitation, as wine and water do; and the petroleum remaineth on the top.

Oil of vitriol and petroleum, a dram of each, turn into a mouldy substance, and gathereth some warmth; there residing a black cloud in the bottom, and a monstrous thick oil on the top.

Spirit of wine and red-wine vinegar, one ounce of each, at the first fall, one of them remaineth above, but by agitation they mingle.

Oil of vitriol and oil of almonds, one ounce of each, mingle not; but the oil of almonds remaineth above.

Spirit of wine and vinegar, an ounce of each, commixed, do mingle, without any apparent separation, which might be in respect of the colour.

Dissolution of iron, and oil of vitriol, a dram of each, do first put a milky substance, into the bottom, and after incorporate into a mouldy substance.

A catalogue of bodies attractive and not attractive, together with experimental observations about at

traction.

These following bodies draw: amber, jet, diamond, sapphire, carbuncle, iris, the gem opale, amethyst, bristollina, crystal, clear glass, glass of antimony, divers flowers from mines, sulphur mastic, hard sealing-wax, the harder rosin, arsenic.

These following bodies do not draw: smaragd, achates, corneolus, pearl, jaspis, chalcedonius, alabaster, porphyry, coral, marble, touchstone, hæmatites, or blood-stone; smyris, ivory, bones, ebon-tree, cedar, cypress, pitch, softer rosin, camphire, galbanum, ammoniac, storax, benzoin, loadstone, asphaltum.*

These bodies, gold, silver, brass, iron, draw not, though never so finely polished.

In winter, if the air be sharp and clear, sal gemmeum, roch allum, and lapis specularis, will draw.

These following bodies are apt to be drawn, if the mass of them be small: chaff, woods, leaves, stones, all metals leaved, and in the mine; earth, water, oil.

The drawing of iron excepted.

MEDICAL REMAINS.

Grains of youth.

Breakfast preservative against the gout and rheums.

TAKE of nitre four grains, of ambergrease three To take once in the month at least, and for two grains, of orris-powder two grains, of white poppy- days together, one grain of castorei in my ordinary seed the fourth part of a grain, of saffron half a grain, | broth. with water of orange-flowers, and a little tragacanth; make them into small grains, four in number. To be taken at four a-clock, or going to bed.

Preserving ointments.

Take of deers suet one ounce, of myrrh six grains, of saffron five grains, of bay-salt twelve grains, of Canary wine, of two years old, a spoonful and a half. Spread it on the inside of your shirt, and let it dry, and then put it on.

A purge familiar for opening the liver. Take rhubarb two drams, agaric trochiscat one dram and a half, steep them in claret wine burnt with mace; take of wormwood one dram, steep it with the rest, and make a mass of pills, with syrup. | acetos. simplex. But drink an opening broth before it, with succory, fennel, and smallage roots, and a little of an onion.

Wine for the spirits.

Take gold perfectly refined three ounces, quench it six or seven times in good claret wine; add of nitre six grains for two draughts: add of saffron prepared three grains, of ambergrease four grains, pass it through an hippocras bag, wherein there is a dram of cinnamon gross beaten, or, to avoid the dimming of the colour, of ginger. Take two spoonfuls of this to a draught of fresh claret wine.

The preparing of saffron.

Take six grains of saffron, steeped in half parts of wine and rose water, and a quarter part vinegar : then dry it in the sun.

Wine against adverse melancholy, preserving the senses and the reason.

Take the roots of buglos well scraped and cleansed from their inner pith, and cut them into small slices; steep them in wine of gold extinguished ut supra, and add of nitre three grains, and drink it ut supra, mixed with fresh wine; the roots must not continue steeped above a quarter of an hour; and they must be changed thrice.

The preparation of garlic.

Take garlic four ounces, boil it upon a soft fire in claret wine, for half an hour. Take it out and steep it in vinegar; whereto add two drams of cloves, then take it forth, and keep it in a glass for use. The artificial preparation of damask roses for smell.

Take roses, pull their leaves, then dry them in a clear day in the hot sun: then their smell will be as gone. Then cram them into an earthen bottle, very dry and sweet, and stop it very close; they will remain in smell and colour both fresher than those that are otherwise dried. Note, the first drying, and close keeping upon it, preventeth all putrefaction, and the second spirit cometh forth, made of the remaining moisture not dissipated.

A restorative drink.

Take of Indian maiz half a pound, grind it not too small, but to the fineness of ordinary meal, and then bolt and searce it, that all the husky part may be taken away. Take of eryngium roots three ounces, of dates as much, of enula two drams, of mace three drams, and brew them with ten shilling beer to the quantity of four gallons: and this do, either by decocting them in a bottle of wort, to be after mingled with the beer, being new tapped, or otherwise infuse it in the new beer, in a bag. Use this familiarly at meals.

Against the waste of the body by heat.

Take sweet pomegranates, and strain them lightly, not pressing the kernel, into a glass; where put some little of the peel of a citron, and two or three cloves, and three grains of ambergrease, and a pretty deal of fine sugar. It is to be drunk every morning whilst pomegranates last.

Methusalem water. Against all asperity and torrefaction of inward parts, and all adustion of the blood, and generally against the dryness of age.

Take crevises very new, q. s. boil them well in claret wine; of them take only the shells, and rub

them very clean, especially on the inside, that they may be thoroughly cleansed from the meat. Then wash them three or four times in fresh claret wine, heated: still changing the wine, till all the fish-taste be quite taken away. But in the wine wherein they are washed, steep some tops of green rosemary; then dry the pure shell thoroughly, and bring them to an exquisite powder. Of this powder take three drams. Take also pearl, and steep them in vinegar twelve hours, and dry off the vinegar; of this powder also three drams. Then put the shell powder and pearl powder together, and add to them of ginger one scruple, and of white poppy-seed half a scruple, and steep them in spirit of wine, wherein six grains of saffron have been dissolved, seven hours. Then upon a gentle heat vapour away all the spirit of wine, and dry the powder against the sun without fire. Add to it of nitre one dram, of ambergrease one scruple and a half; and so keep this powder for use in a clean glass. Then take a pottle of milk, and slice in it of fresh cucumbers, the inner pith only, the rind being pared off, four ounces, and draw forth a water by distillation. Take of claret wine a pint, and quench gold in it four times.

Of the wine, and of the water of milk, take of each three ounces, of the powder one scruple, and drink it in the morning; stir up the powder when you drink, and walk upon it.

A catalogue of astringents, openers, and cordials, instrumental to health.

ASTRINGENTS.

Red rose, black-berry, myrtle, plantane, flower of pomegranate, mint, aloes well washed, myrobalanes, sloes, agrestia fraga, mastich, myrrh, saffron, leaves of rosemary, rhubarb received by infusion, cloves, service-berries, corna, wormwood, bole armeniac, sealed earth, cinquefoil, tincture of steel, sanguis draconis, coral, amber, quinces, spikenard, galls, alum, blood-stone, mummy, amomum, galangal, cypress, ivy, psyllum, houseleek, sallow, mullein, vine, oak-leaves, lignum aloes, red sanders, mulberry, medlars, flowers of peach-trees, pomegranates, pears, palmule, pith of kernels, purslain, acacia, laudanum, tragacanth, thus olibani, comfrey, shepherd's purse, polygonium.

Astringents, both hot and cold, which corroborate the parts, and which confirm and refresh such of them as are loose or languishing.

Rosemary, mint, especially with vinegar, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, lign-aloes, rose, myrtle, red sanders, cotonea, red wine, chalybeat wine, fivefinger grass, plantane, apples of cypress, berberries, fraga, service-berries, cornels, ribes, sour pears, rambesia.

Astringents styptic, which by their styptic virtue may stay fluxes.

Sloes, acacia, rind of pomegranates infused, at least three hours, the styptic virtue not coming forth in lesser time. Alum, galls, juice of sallow, syrup

of unripe quinces, balaustia, the whites of eggs boiled hard in vinegar.

Astringents, which by their cold and earthy nature may stay the motion of the humours tending to a flux.

Sealed earth, sanguis draconis, coral, pearls, the shell of the fish dactylus.

Astringents, which by the thickness of their substance stuff as it were the thin humours, and thereby stay fluxes.

Rice, beans, millet, cauls, dry cheese, fresh goats' milk.

Astringents, which by virtue of their glutinous sub

stance restrain a flux, and strengthen the looser parts.

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Karabe, mastich, spodium, hartshorn, frankincense, dried bulls pistle, gum tragacanth.

Astringents purgative, which, having by their purgative or expulsive power thrust out the humours, leave behind them astrictive virtue. Rhubarb, especially that which is toasted against the fire: myrobalanes, tartar, tamarinds, an Indian fruit like green damascenes.

Astringents which do very much suck and dry up the humours, and thereby stay fluxes. Rust of iron, crocus martis, ashes of spices. Astringents, which by their nature do dull the spirits, and lay asleep the expulsive virtue, and take away the acrimony of all humours.

Laudanum, mithridate, diascordium, diacodium.

Astringents, which, by cherishing the strength of the parts, do comfort and confirm their retentive power.

A stomacher of scarlet cloth: whelps, or young healthy boys, applied to the stomach: hippocratic wines, so they be made of austere materials.

OPENERS.

Succory, endive, betony, liverwort, petroselinum, smallage, asparagus, roots of grass, dodder, tamarisk, juncus odoratus, lacca, cupparus, wormwood, chamæpitys, fumaria, scurvy-grass, eringo, nettle,

ireos, elder, hyssop, aristolochia, gentian, costus, fennel root, maiden-hair, harts-tongue, daffodilly, asarum, sarsaparilla, sassafras, acorns, abrotonum, aloes, agaric, rhubarb infused, onions, garlic, bother, squilla, sowbread, Indian nard, Celtic nard, bark of laurel-tree, bitter almonds, holy thistle, camomile, gun-powder, sows (millepedes), ammoniac, man's urine, rue, park leaves (vitex), centaury, lupines, chamædrys, costum, ammios, bistort, camphire, daucus seed, Indian balsam, scordium, sweet cane, galingal, agrimony.

CORDIALS.

Flowers of basil royal, flores caryophyllati, flowers of buglos and borage, rind of citron, orange flowers, * Perhaps he meant the fruit of Karobe.

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