Part 19

But we see upon the ebbing and flowing of the salt pits in the Marshes of _Zaintonge_, where they empty the durt, which are as salt as the sea it self, where it produceth the best wheat, that possibly can be, and in great quantity, and very excellent wines also: But there is another consideration in that, as in Marle, and in the dry places of _Ardonne_, where they burne the cuttings of trees, of 7 or 8 years, as also quick chalk which supplies the place of dung in their grounds: for those ashes would produce nothing of themselves, no more then Marle or salt, but they are the cause of production because they warm and fatten the land. There is yet another reason, that _Plutarch_ alledgeth, That throughout where there is Salt nothing can grow thick, or be close together; which constipation would hinder herbs to thrust out: Moreover many medicaments and remedies do come from salt: whereupon I will not here lose time, on that which _Plinie_, _Dioscorides_ and others, have set down and treated of cursorily and in hast, with closed eyes one after another, not having made proof thereof; add to this, it is so triviall and beaten as nothing more, but will touch here, in passing the Countrey, an experiment, whereof I have seen very admirable effects in burning feavers and unquietnesse, where they could not take rest. It is a frontall made in this manner.

Take the yolk of a fresh Eg, and as much gross salt, beat them together in shape of an ointment, which you shall apply to your forehead, between two folded linnen clothes: It doth not coole the brain, nor cause such accidents; as conserve of Roses do, _Oxyrhodinon_ likewise, and brings much more comfort.

FINIS.

Transcriber’s Note: ###################

This e-text is based on the 1649 edition. Obvious punctuation errors and doubled words have been tacitly removed. Obsolete, inconsistent, and alternative spellings have been left unchanged unless the sense of the respective phrase would be incomprehensible.

Infrequently, the original print image is faded; therefore, single letters had to be restored to match the meaning of the respective words. The following typographical errors have been corrected:

#p. 5: ‘dreame; But’ → ‘dreame. But’ #p. 10: ‘But what it this fire?’ → ‘But what is this fire?’ #p. 12: ‘it takes it nourishment’ → ‘it takes its nourishment’ #p. 23: ‘earth, aud produced’ → ‘earth, and produced’ #p. 35: ‘things that are’: letter ‘e’ had been printed upside down #p. 39: ‘Sith other thingt’ → ‘Sith other things’ #p. 44: ‘Astologers’ → ‘Astrologers’ #p. 46 (sidenote): ‘P. 73’ → ‘P. 72’ #p. 50: ‘accordng’ → ‘according’ #p. 51: ‘the water whch is thereupon’ → ‘the water which is thereupon’ #p. 52: ‘Heavnn’ → ‘Heaven’ #p. 55: ‘afterwatds’ → ‘afterwards’ #p. 57: ‘throughly’ → ‘thoroughly’ #p. 59: ‘enbarked’ → ‘embarked’; ‘besige’ → ‘besiege’ #p. 60: ‘violl’ → ‘viall’ #p. 71: ‘tkerein’ → ‘therein’ #p. 60: ‘violl’ → ‘viall’ #p. 82: ‘adultererer’ → ‘adulterer’ #p. 88: ‘patience tpatience experience’ → ‘patience, patience experience’ ‘preverse opinions’ should possibly read: ‘perverse opinions’ #p. 95: ‘retun to God’ → ‘return to God’ #p. 96: ‘St. Auguistine’ → ‘St. Augustine’ #p. 100: ‘it is said in the of Deut.’: missing chapter number (4) has been inserted #p. 103: ‘extends it light’ → ‘extends its light’ #p. 123: ‘Is is written’ → ‘It is written’ #p. 142: ‘forbiddding’ → ‘forbidding’ #p. 146: ‘are as it it were’ → ‘are as if it were’ #p. 154: ‘& scret considerations’ → ‘& secret considerations’

Italic passages have been symbolised by underscores (_italic_); forward slashes represent small caps (/small caps/).

End of Project Gutenberg's A Discovrse of Fire and Salt, by Blaise de Vigenère