Chapter LXXIV: Part I: To the well minded Reader (2)

_N. B._ If any one hath a mind to make such an Essence, it behoves him that he first gets the true Oil of Roses, which is distilled out of the yellow Thrums on which the Roses grow, and not out of _Lignum Rhodium_, and is gotten out by the mediation of water (but you must not ferment them before you have gotten their Oil) then afterwards ferment them with new Yeast, whereby you may get their Spirit, for if you observe not this method, you will effect nothing, the reason is this: because if you set them a fermenting first, the Oil (as being the best and most efficacious part) is mixed and united with the Spirit, and so widely dilated, that it will be a hard matter again to concentrate it. Well, what shall I need say more of the vertue and efficacy of the vegetable Essences, seeing that the Nature and Vertue of them is enough known already: But yet thus much I must needs confess, that I have not in all my life time seen any thing done, which was more sweet, friendly and efficacious, than these Essenses of Vegetables. For if the Essences are but prepared according to this description of mine, we can hardly be satisfied with their Odour, especially if made out of well smelling Herbs, as Roses, Violets, Clove-gilli-flowers, Bawm, Camomile, Pennyroyal, and other such like. Besides such kind of Essences may be made out of Gums, when their Oil is driven forth by the Spirit of Salt, (lest else they savour of an Empyreum, and become unpleasant) but with this Proviso that you use the Alcalizated well swelling Spirit of some other Herb, whose Odour is not much unlike, for the Gums do not afford a Spirit. Now there’s _Assa Fœtida_, or Benzoin, Storax, Mastick, Camphire, Amber, and the like, nay even Civet, Musk, and Ambergrese may be reduced into very fair and pellucid Essences, by an Alcolizated Spirit, and be rendered far more pleasant than the common Musk, Ambergrese, and Civet: For the volatile Salt contained in the Spirit, makes the Body volatile and spiritual, so that at the opening of the Glass, wherein such an Essence is, the whole room will be filled with the sweetness of the Odour: But more of this in the second and next following part, wherein shall be taught, by what means a sweet Odour may be extracted out of our small Animals in _Germany_, not unlike to Civet. What shall I say more, methinks I have done enough, he that understands not this, would much less understand the things that are more subtil, should they be described. And though I could shew a far more compendious way of preparing Essences, yet haply the ingratitude of the World being considered, this that I have already done is too much, and if any is minded to carp at these here, let him first give us better than these, but they will have a care how they attempt that. For he that is endowed with understanding, even he also understands that the labour and diligence of another man is not in the least to be disesteemed, for the truth will remain truth though never so much exposed to injuries. And as we have said, that good and efficacious Essences, may be prepared out of pleasant and well smelling Herbs: Even so by the same rule may ill smelling ones be made out of bad smelling Vegetables and Animals, which also have their use and are profitable, as in the suffocation of the _Matrix_, where, (for the most part) such things that egregiously stink are applied to Womens Nostrils, that (by their grievous smell) they may impead and repress the rising up of the Womb: And this doth sometimes succeed very prosperously; these are _Assa Fœtida_, _Castoreum_, burnt Rags, burnt Feathers and such like, which yield a most filthy Odour: And if now the unprepared Body, in which the Odour lies largely dilated doth nevertheless perform notable Operations, what would it be think you if the Oil of such bad smelling things were conjoyned with the volatile Alcolizated Spirit? I say it would do more than the crude Body, not onely ten, but twenty or thirty times more. But amongst all the fetid and ill smelling things, which are not inimicitious to Nature, these I find the strongest, _viz._ the black Oil of Tartar, which is drawn forth by distillation, and that too which is distilled out of Goats horns, Hogs hoofs, Birds feathers, and the Hairs of all Animals, all which do stink extreamly, and yet are not hurtfull unto man, as those Stinks are which proceed from rottenness, as from dead Beasts, Fishes, rotten Eggs, and such like, whose stink is wholly inimicitious to the Spirit of Life, do threaten its destruction, and are (as much as possible can be) to be shunned. For the Heart, Brain, and whole Body is therewith infected, and debilitated. But why such strong smelling Oils as those are, that come from Beasts horns, Hairs, and Hoofs, do not perform the same, shall be told in the following second part, where we will treat of Animals and of such parts of them, as may be made use of for Medicine.

And thus will I put an end to the first part of my _Spagyrical Pharmacopœa_, and would have the Reader admonished that (if he would use this my Description of Essences) he would have a watchfull Eye by whom they are prepared, and not trust every Body that hath scarce saluted even the very first entrance of Art, and yet dares to make Medicaments, and administer them to others. For under this covering will be exercised great deceit, for some will not for their gain sake, bestow so much Labour and Costs, as to make Essences out of good and new Herbs, but scrape up any thing, that thereby they might onely bring forth somewhat or other that may resemble the Odour and Savour of the Herb. And although such Essences should be prepared of some of the best Vegetables, yet the covetousness of profit may cause that the Spirit be in too great a quantity mixed with the Oils, which may easily be done, if to one part of Oil, five, eight, ten, or twelve parts of Spirit be taken, because the Spirit is easier to be had than the Oil, (whereas according to my prescription two or three parts are to be taken onely) and therefore may you easily conjecture, that such Essences are far less efficacious; for the greatest virtue consists in the Oil, the which being by the Alcalizated Spirit, made volatile and penetrable, is introduced (or carried more inwards.) And besides this is not all, but there may be another abuse too, as when a Man willing to spare his own labour, doth not himself make the Oils, but buys them cheap from some sweet Powder makers, which Oils may (and sometimes ’tis so) have in length of time lost their most subtile part, and are become rank and clammy, and so makes use of such, from whence no laudable matter can be effected, as is manifest to every Body. But admit it be so, that new Oils can neither be had nor prepared with your own hand, because of the defect of the Commodity, yet may such Oils as are never so old and never so much clammy be rendred usefull, if they are first distilled and then rectified in a Retort, by Spirit of Salt: For then they come over clear, and become fit for an Alkalizated Spirit to dissolve them, which such Oils as are old will not do. This I thought good to advise, lest haply he that thinks he enjoys a good Medicine, should impute the blame to me, or lay the fault to the Essence, when the effect answers not his expectation: For thus it hath hitherto hapned to my Medicaments, and doth even to this day fall out so, _viz._ that very many (in sundry places) do falsely pretend as if they knew my secrets, but ’tis untrue, and a meer diabolical couzenage, for they administer their own unprofitable Medicaments, selling them for mine, and especially my _Panacea_ and Tincture of Antimony, which notwithstanding hath no affinity with mine, and what is more too they fear not to affirm that such Medicaments are made by my universal _Menstruum_ (which they neither understand nor know how to use.) And because here falls in some mention of this _Menstruum_, ’twill be expedient to say somewhat of it, _viz._ what is to be understood concerning it, seeing there are so many various opinions of the same. Most People think that the Alkahest is a subtile water, whether drawn out of the Air by certain instruments, or prepared by subtile Distillations, but in this opinion, they err. But yet I will not deny but an efficacious water may be drawn, not onely out of the Air, but also out of the most intense light of the Sun, and thus I my self have sometime done. But this moist dry _Menstruum_ which I call by the name Alkahest, is nothing else but the Salt of the Earth, and may be used both in a moist and a dry form, and thus much the very Etimology of the word signifies, if rightly lookt into and read, _viz._ _Alkali est_, for the word Alkahest is compounded of two words, of _Alkali_ and _est_, where the _l_ and _i_, by a transverse line are made one letter, _viz._ _h_, and is then read Alkahest, but take away the transverse line, and then ’tis read _Alkali est_. Hence ’tis manifest to every body, that I have not rashly imposed that name upon this _Menstruum_, but have thereby openly named the subject. For this very reason it will be very expedient to suspend your judgment, and not to be so hasty in uttering your opinion and censure of such a thing as you do not at all know, but rather think thus, who knows if I understand what I say or not: I may happen to say somewhat unadvisedly which may easily be refuted, the which we see here to be done. For there have been various discourses of this _Menstruum_, as if I had given it a name so famous without any ground, seeing it ariseth from Salt onely, when as the Alkahest is a subtile water. But by what I have abovesaid it appears that I have not given it an improper name, but have called it by its peculiar Title; the which I did for the sakes of such as contend, to prevent any future controversie about the name thereof, but how it is to be used as to those secrets contained in _Miraculum Mundi_, is not to be spoken of here. Let it suffice the well minded Reader that I do again, and again assure him, that all and every of the things I have there spoken, may without controversie be done by this one onely subject, _viz._ the Salt of the Earth. And so that Treatise doth rightly deserve the Title of _Miraculum Mundi_. But yet I do again by way of Summary as ’twere, Admonish, if any one should use this my Essence, and have it not rightly prepared, he throw not the blame on me, as that I had written unprofitable things, but rather let him that has not rightly prepared it, bear the blame.

But yet ’tis not to be doubted but that men of all states or conditions will in process of time endeavour the preparing of those Essences, not onely because they are a pleasant and efficacious Medicament, but withall because of their comforting, penetrating, and highly gratefull Odour. For the crude and cold Air in pent in rooms may not onely be tempered and rendred acceptable and friendly to nature, but it may also be happily and safely made use of in external cases and Diseases, as need requires.

It will therefore behoove everyone what way he may most profitably attain them by. The preparation is easie, so he use but diligence, and then may a good quantity of those kinds of Essences of all the Vegetables and Spices which are in use in the Shops, be easily gotten. Now such an one that hath conveniences to prepare them himself, he verily best knows what he has, and may safely trust thereto. There is also great difference in the Essences according as they are prepared; one will happily prepare them very neatly, another but rudely, but the difference will easily appear as well by its efficacy as by its sweet smell; as for instance. That Essence which is rightly prepared according to the aforesaid weight and proportion, must necessarily be very subtile, sweet, efficacious, and of a strong Odour and Savour. But if it be otherwise ’tis a sign that the Oil was too sparingly added, and it can’t be accounted of as a rightly prepared Essence.

_N. B._ The things which I have here spoken, of Odour and Savour which the Essences ought to have, are to be understood onely of well-swelling Vegetables, such as are Roses, Marjoram, Rosemary, Violets, Camomil, for the Essences that are prepared out of these, must needs be well-smelling and efficacious. But as for those Essences which are prepared out of those kind of Vegetables that have no such notable Odour, it can’t be expected that the Essences prepared from them can afford more Odour than the Vegetable had, but yet do they excite a more present efficacy, as for example. The Essence of Wine which doth easily exceed all other comfortatives is notwithstanding void of any eminent Odour, nor haply doth it resemble any other than the flower of the Vine in Spring-time: and therefore being taken into the body, it displays its Virtues, but not by its Odour; even so, neither doth the Wine it self being taken into the body operate by its Odour.

And hitherto belongs the teaching how to come to get such an Essence, seeing that it is not prepared after such a manner as I have delivered for the general dealing with Vegetables, and that, because the pleasant Oil of Wine (without which [oiliness] no Essence can be prepared) is hard to come by. I will therefore teach the way of preparing it, but what I now write is onely for the sake of weak and decrepid old Men, and also the poor, but not for the wiselings and unworthy Deriders. For I very well know that some or other after he hath read this Book, will out of the good conceit he has of himself say, this is no news to me, I knew this many years ago, _Glauber_ doth not publish this of himself, but hath gotten it elsewhere out of some old Book or other: He that thus judgeth of me doth for no other cause say so, but out of envy and hatred to detract from my Writings: And the answer I make to such envious men is this. That I do not know whether any one heretofore either had, or at present hath either such or such a secret which I have made mention of in my Writings, or no. It may be for ought I know that such secrets were extant above an hundred years ago, and may be even at present in use with some, that I know not: however that’s nothing to me: For it is assuredly false, if any say that I have borrowed from any one, or else out of any old Books, so much as one, much less most of, or all the secrets (according as the envious say) which I have published in my _Miraculum Mundi_, or in any of my other Writings: But I obtained them through the Grace of God by the many Trials I made, searching after them with my Costs and Labour. And forasmuch as such envy me, therefore do they privily scatter abroad their lies concerning me, which will in short time (God permitting) be demonstrated. But put case that I did take whatsoever I have written out of others, and out of ancient Books, will they I pray be either more or less profitable because of that, than if they were my own: Is it not one and the same for any notable thing to be emitted, who writes it, or whom it proceeds from, so that it be, and may be exceeding profitable to very many. But because of this envy and calumny which I undergo from wicked men, I do keep within my breast many things, which otherwise I would have communicated for the common good. And if so be that they cannot believe nor comprehend what is mentioned in my _Miraculum Mundi_, (and yet is not of such deep search as the unskilfull imagine) how will they believe, that I should set before them far higher things? Well therefore may the old Proverb take place, _Secret things are for secret Men, and foolish things for foolish Men_.

Now followeth the process of preparing a comfortable and pleasant Essence out of the Oil of Wine, and its fixt and volatile Salt. I think there’s no body will deny, but that hitherto there hath not been made any mention by those that are wont to distil Wine of any such thing as an Oil; save that by those that have written, that the Oil of Wine is to be sought for in Tartar and in the Fæces, and that a black Oil may be distilled both out of the dried Fæces of Wine and also out of Tartar, I think is sufficiently known to all Chymists: But such an Oil doth purchase to it self (by this way of proceeding) such an ungratefull Odour, that it is merely on that score, used neither inwardly nor outwardly, though it be endued with good Vertues. For verily I do not yet know whether there can be found (amongst all other things) any thing that stinks worse than that Oil that is prepared out of Tartar, and therewithall may’st thou drive away both Men and Beasts, because the Odour that it emits, is in a manner intollerable. Whereas this which I here mention, is a pleasant, friendly, clear and bright Oil, and is made thus. In the Vintage time, when the Grapes are pressed forth, take some pure Must, let it ferment in a Barrel, until it becomes white, and the greatest part of the Fæces settle to the bottom, which done begin your distillation, and draw out the Spirit, either out of a Copper Still tinned in the inside, or some other distillatory Vessel; of the Spirit will be no great quantity. After it hath ceased, take off the head, and pour that which remains into clean Glasses, let it stand for some days, and there will swim at the Top a white Oil, and sometimes it will settle to the bottom, the which is to be separated from the Must, and will serve for the making the abovesaid Essence. But the Must, from which the Spirit and Oil are taken, may be mixed with your other Must, and it will again ferment and become Wine, but if you can’t do thus for want of skill, make thereof a Vinegar. This is a most compendious and the most easie way of preparing the Oil of Wine, and although I know another way besides this, and how such an Oil may be had even out of the Autumn Season, yet doth it seem to me not so well to publish all things together, and at once: This way of preparation that I have now taught will to many be hard enough to effect, though it be clear enough described. And you are to observe, that in this work the due time of distillation is to be regarded, _viz._ When the Must is so far fermented, as that its tast is neither plainly sweet, nor plainly vinous, but a midling between both; which if neglected the fault is none of mine, for I have advised you of all things to a tittle. If you begin your distillation too soon before the Must is sufficiently dissolved, it affords no Oil; if you tarry too long, the Oil precipitates with the Fæces, nor wilt thou get ought, and therefore all things are to be done in their due time. But how this Oil is to be reduced, with his own Spirit, and his fixt and volatile Salt, into an Essence, is mentioned before, what use this Essence serves for needs no description. For every body well knows what a vivifying and comforting vertue there is in Wine, and yet the Wine is endued but with little Oil (though the Oil as we said before is the best part of the Vegetable) and besides, it is united with a great quantity of insipid Water, and crude Tartar, but the Essence is freed from those Crudities of Water and Tartar, and is compounded of a due proportion of the most pure parts, or of the three Principles, Salt, Sulphur, and Mercury, and may deservedly be called the Quintessence or Soul of the Wine.

Whosoever he be that hath it, will see what good it is endued with, and how to be used. To me it seems to be an Antidote against Poisons; for seeing it is written of old, that a Serpent or other venemous Animal, cannot abide in the Vineyards at such time as the Vine flowreth, therefore the Oil and Essence of the Wine resembling this very Odour, the Essence may not unfitly be thought so be good in healing contagious Diseases.

But this is to be noted concerning Essences, that they must not be stopt with such things that will be melted by the Essence, but be rather stopt in with a double Bladder, lest the volatile Spirit should fly away. For should this so be, the Oil would again be debilitated and let go its Spirit, and the Essence would be corrupted.

And because my purpose was to speak of the preparation of Vegetable Essences, but not make a description of their most ample use, I will now put a period to this business, leaving every one to be wiser as his own capacity is. But yet, would the present time have permitted, I would have mentioned some specificks, which may haply be elsewhere done. But thus much I say, that in Wine, lies hidden very much which but few know, and which if one would reckon up, would stir up admiration. But it appertains not to this place, but to the Vegetable Work, which (if God permit) shall soon follow. But seeing I have made mention of Wine, I cannot omit to add in this place one thing, _viz._ what yet farther use the Essences of Herbs might be of, if always to be had ready prepared in the Apothecaries Shops: For one, two, three, or more drops of Essences, being put in a Cup of Wine at pleasure and stirred about, that the Wine may be united with the Essence, do presently make the Wine clear and pleasant, resembling the kind and nature of the Essence you put in; and by this means divers kinds of Wines may presently be made out of one and the same Vessel, to refresh and please your guests: And this way far exceeds the using of extracts, which make the Wine troubled, but this leaves it clear. It will be needless therefore to put different sorts of Wines in several Vessels in Cellars, where they will all of them by degrees wax weaker and weaker, unless they are kept always full; but one onely Vessel, is sufficient for to make various kinds of Wines at your pleasure; and this is a very profitable secret for great Men and others, who sometimes must have various Wines. It is a usual thing with many to drink a draught of Physical Wine in a morning on a fasting Stomach, to strengthen the weak Stomach, and to preserve it from hurtfull Air, if they can but get it, and if they use that which is usually made of the Reliques of the Wine, and such decayed stuff, such is void of virtue, and brings more hurt than benefit. But now, having these Essences of Herbs, you may easily impregnate generous Wine therewith and make it Medicinal, and by this way maist thou be certain that thou hast good Wine, and not such as is made out of the droppings and refuse, which is usually employed to make Medicinal Wines of, and from whence gripings and other incommodities do frequently exist: But that which is composed of generous Wine, and a well prepared Essence deserves the name of wholsome Physical Wine. These things I was willing to add to this first part of my _Spagyrick Pharmacopœa_ by way of Ornament, and do request the well minded Reader, that he think well of my Labour, Diligence, and Intention. There shall follow (God permitting) in the two next parts, more good Medicines.

_The End of the First Part._

THE
SECOND PART
OF THE
Spagyrical Dispensatory.

Concerning the preparation of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, by
an Universal Dissolvent.

Wherein is clearly demonstrated and exactly described, that Niter
is the true Universal Dissolvent, and how all Vegetables,
Animals, and Minerals, are therewithall dissolved, corrected,
and their venemous and obnoxious property changed into wholsome
Medicaments, contrary to the opinion of many ignorant Men.

_What Animals are, and what is understood or meant by them._

I do here understand by the name of Animals all such things as have life, and a vital motion, as Men, all kinds of Beasts, Worms, and Insects, either in the Earth or above the Earth, the Fishes in the Water, the Birds in the Air, and all the Creatures that can move themselves, and that do partake of a visible life. Amongst these living Creatures, there is this difference to be observed, _viz._ that some of them serve for the use of Medicine; other some of them are not fit for Medicine; for all those Animals which nourish mankind and sustain his body, have not a medical but nutritive power, so that out of them can’t be prepared Medicaments resisting Diseases. For although that out of some Animals (as Oxen, Sheep, Goats, Hens, Birds, and such like) a good Essence may (by the benefit of Art) be extracted, so as to restore and strengthen a body that is debilitated by sickness (as you may see in my Book of the Kitchin Art) yet that labour doth appertain to the Kitchin, and Cooks, rather than to the Apothecaries. Therefore in this Treatise nothing else shall be mentioned, but concerning such Animals onely as do not nourish the body of Man, but (being eaten or any ways entring into Man’s Belly, or other parts of his body) do by their venome most greatly hurt: But being inverted or turned in and out by the Spagyrical Art do become excellent Medicines, and (without that bettering them) would remain venemous and hurtfull: such as these are Vipers, Serpents, Toads, Scorpions, Spiders, and other venemous Insects; the which being spoiled of their venome or changed by Art, do become Medicines of a penetrative efficacy. Indeed a Serpent, a Toad, and other like venemous Creatures being onely boiled in common water, are barred of their Poison, and may be eaten without any hurt, seeing that their Poison consists not in the Flesh, but in the Spirit, and vanisheth by a bare decoction. Many examples do confirm this thing, and ’tis evidently known that Serpents have been oftentimes boiled and eaten instead of Eels. It is no new thing in _India_, that that People do feed on great Serpents boiled, instead of Food, and contrariwise other Animals there are which do not deposite or lay aside their venome by a bare boiling, but do retain it, such as are Scorpions, Tarantula’s and such like. But now, if to such kind of Vermine that are endued with so hurtfull a Poison, a water or liquor of a stronger efficacy be added, wherein they may be digested, their venome is turned into a wholsome Antidote, and is a resister of Poison, as shall be proved anon. This is certain, that the omnipotent God hath not created so much as the least Worm in vain, which cannot bring some profit, though by the under sort of Men, it be contemned and plainly neglected. But forasmuch as almost all such Vermine and Insects, are (by reason of their Poison) rarely used in Medicine, and scarce any one knows their occult virtues, from that signature God hath given them, or cares to know, the use of them remains unknown and in the dark. Nay it is well done, that (seeing the way of correcting such Poisons, or turning them into Medicine, hath lain hid from the greatest part of the Learned ones) their use was thrown out of the Apothecaries Shops. But yet in process of time, some of those kind of Vermine were admitted by the Physicians, as the Scorpions, Cantharides, and such like. The Scorpions being suffocated in Oil Olive do tame their own proper Poison; Cantharides, great Worms, and Milli-pedes, or Pigs lice, are used to provoke Urine. But yet not without danger, because of the venome they abound with. Nevertheless Men have dared to use them, and many times they have proved very profitable. But had their bettering been known; and had they (being thus corrected) been made use of, they would (without all fear of danger) have procured a greater honour to those that used them. Now the usual way of all such as know not the manner of correcting them, such little Animals are dried, and (crude as they are) beaten into a powder, and so administred to the sick, and do some times (though with mighty hazard) perform great cures. Were the signature of such Vermine well examined, and their use in Medicine well known, and they were afterwards transmuted and changed (by the help of an universal Dissolvent) into a safe Medicament, they do then become such safe and effectual remedies, as to take away most grievous, (and in the accompt of some plainly incurable) Diseases, and do in many Degrees exceed the weak operations of Vegetables. For the Animals which God hath gifted with life, are of a far greater efficacy than the Vegetables, and this any one will not be over hard in believing of. You will find many wonderfull things in my Book of the signature of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals (which shall shortly come forth to light) nay and besides their signatures, as well their unknown and occult Vertues as their known Vertues shall be herein declared. But in this Treatise, shall onely be mentioned some of the principal small Animals of use in Medicine, _viz._ by what means they may be reduced into most excellent and most safe Medicines, by the help of the universal Dissolvent. As for their Vertues, and Efficacy, the well minded Reader may search for them in my other Writings. And although I have met with admirable Vertues in some hitherto neglected Vermine, and would have also described them for the profit of my Neighbour, and so purposed to have made a large discourse concerning them; yet the love to my Neighbour (whom I would not willingly lead about in many erroneous Turnings) hindred me from performing it. For all the Vertues that are apart dispersed amongst all the Vegetables and Animals, are all of them concentrated in one Mineral, and found perfectly united, so that there’s no need of using so many distinct Medicines of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, and therefore I refer the Reader thereunto. But yet for satisfactions sake of such who abhor such Medicines as are made of Minerals, and dread them as if they were a Poison, I will detect the Vertue and Power of some of the most principal ones in Medicine.

_Of the Signature, Property, and Medicinal Vertues of the Bull-like
and Horned =Scarabæus= or Beetle._

I have known some of the biggest and flying _Scarabæus’s_ that have weighed half an Ounce, or a whole Ounce, and of a Chestnut Colour, and they will firmly stick to any thing by reason of their sharp Feet, and are furnished with double Wings, the upper ones are hard and smooth like an horn, the under ones are very thin and transparent, and shew like the dried leaves of Poppy. The Male is for the most part bigger than the Female, and is armed with two horns, which in their branchings resemble the Figure of Stags horns, hard and smooth like horn, and hollow on the inside, without any marrow, with these he defends himself. If you put one of them on a Table, and smite him often with some small twigs, and enrage and provoke him to anger, he doth not run away like as other Animals do, but sets upon his Enemy, with his upright and variously branched horns, as if he would revenge himself for the injury done him; and whatsoever you reach out to him, he presently snatcheth with his horns, and holds it so fast, that ’tis a hard matter to get it from him: If the thing be too heavy, he then leaves it, and goes his way without it: But if it be light, he carries it away with him, and afterwards unlooseth his horns from it and lets it fall. The Females two horns are lesser and crooked, which open and shut like Pincers; whatsoever they seize on, they hold it most firmly, and if you expose to its horns any thing that is not hard she doth gripe it so long, till the tops of her horns touch each other. Being hanged at a Cats or a Dogs Ear she presently pierceth it through, and so holds that the Dog can’t cast her off with her Feet, but (not knowing what is happened to him) runs to and fro, howling and crying out, as if he implored help from some body else, such is the innate anger and malice of this small Creature. They feed not upon Grass and the Leaves of Trees as other _Scarabæus’s_ do, but are nourished with the Juice of the thin soft reasinousness which is in Summer Flowers out of those Trees that bears fruit with stones in them, such as Nuts, Cherries, Plums, Pruens, Peaches, and such like. These Trees they sticking fast on, do by sucking out the Rosin thence flowing, support their lives withal. These small Creatures are truely Martial, and as if they were endued purposely by nature with Weapons, and armed. Some men do break off their horns, and carry them about them, as if they were a safeguard against the invasions and being set upon by wild Beasts, but I count this as superstitious. Some (I know) do reduce them with their Wings into pouder, and make use thereof, and have healed the inward pains and prickings of the Body: And have cured Quartanes, yea have in all Feavers hanged it about the Neck; but yet I believe it would bring more profit, if it be duely prepared and so taken into the Body. But what effects they will perform in the other parts of the Body I know not, nor have I hitherto tried or known them to have been used to any other intent than before mentioned. But I am certainly assured, that there is a most wholsome Vertue in this insect, because of his thus living on, and being nourished by those resinous Juices which flow out of such Trees as bear those kinds of Fruits that have Stones in their inside: Wherefore I think that their whole Body is of a balsamick Nature, and I do judge by their signature, that they may be profitably used in curing all inward and outward hurts arising from beating, wounding, stabbing, and shooting, if they are first reduced into an Essence according to my method. The horns and those hard wings, may be reduced into a Magistery, apart by the universal Dissolvent, and serve for inward Use. And the body being on like manner prepared, may be applied and made use of for the allaying of all griefs, or pains both externally and internally. Without doubt it aboundeth with many other hidden Vertues which are unknown both to my self and other men.

_Of the Pilular or Globular =Scarabæus=._