Part 7

Tartar may be governed after another fashion. Wee insist therein in this respect, because it shews to have I know not what agreement with Soot: for as Soot is an excrement of fire, so are Tartar and lees, the same of wine, that have great affinity with fire. Take then of Tartar in Powder within a leaded earthen vessell, and cast hot water there on stirring it strongly with a stick; and letting it rest a little, put out the water; with that which it hath gotten from the Tartar: which is after the form of slime within another dish: and put new luke warm water upon the Tartar: reiterating as aforesaid so many times that the water may come forth neat & clear; which will be perfected at the fifth or sixth time. And in the bottom there will remain the foresaid sand, which being dryed disolves it self within the distilled vinegar, and not into common water. _Aqua vitæ_ likewise dissolves in a little space, when the one and the other would take no more. Wash that which remaines, with common water, then dry it slowly, and having put it into a Cornue with a sufficient good expression of fire graduating it by small pieces, there will be extracted an odoriferous oil, as of _aspic._ one of _Raimond Lullius_ his secrets: which is one of his principall keyes, and entries into Metallick dissolutions. Take the foresaid evacuations, and elevate the Crusts as aforesaid. There are too many things to speak of Tartar, and that which wee have now set down is not vulgar, but the rarest of our experiments; Of vinegar, after that the clear shall bee distilled, and that the white fumes shall begin to appear, which is his adustible oilynesse, put the dregs that shall remain (for you must have a great quantity) in a cellar or other fresh place, and in five or six dayes there will be procreated small Crystalline little stones; separate them from their residences, by ablutions of common water, and dry them; and you shall draw thereout an oil of no small importance, so great certainly and admirable are the substances, which the art of Fire extracts from Wine.

[Sidenote: _Lignum vitæ._]

The most part of the oils that wee have touched on, heretofore, being adustible, are by consequent of a strong and troublesome odour, as smelling the burnt, when they burn, you must therefore set them in the Sun certain dayes, that is to say, to dry them in the Sun, and in the Air, to take away from them this fiery smell: for recompence we will here treat of some rare ones and of good agreeable odour. And in the first that of Been, which prefumers use, hath neither colour, odour, nor savour: and therefore it is susceptible of all those which you shall apply thereunto. Being repassed upon Sand to take away the fatnesse, it would bee of long durance, and without an ill sent, but it is too dear. As for oils of Olive, rapes or long turneps, _chenevy_, sesamum, but is rare in these quarters: and other the like which are drawn by the press, by means of the heat of fire: what repasses soever there may bee, yet they never desist to be of a good odour, but so much lesse, according as they shall bee depured and by the same means of longer durance: Oils of Sage, Thyme, Pepper and other the like, drawn by an instrument proper thereunto, such artifices, are so divulged even unto Chamber maids, that I should bee ashamed to speak of: That of Benzoine is more rare, and lesse known, and more laborious to make. Take Benzoin thoroughly beaten to grosse powder, and put it into a Cornue with fine _Aqua vitæ_, which swimmeth thereover three or four fingers, and leave them so for two or three daies upon a moderate fire of ashes, that the _Aqua vitæ_ may not distill, removing them every houre; this done, accommodate the _Cornue_ upon the furnace with an earthen vessell full of Sand. Distill the _Aqua vitæ_, with a gentle fire, afterwards increasing it by degrees, there will appear infinite little _aiguilles_ and filaments, such as in the dissolutions of lead and quicksilver. The which sheweth sufficiently that Benzoin participates thereof: It whitens Copper, quickens Gold, and put in decoction of _gayac_, doth admirable effects, as also Tartar, which containeth much quick-silver. When then these veins or little _aiguilles_ shall shew themselves, continue this degree of fire, and let them play within the Cornue a certain space, so long that all vanish away. In the interim have in a readinesse a little stick which may enter within the neck of the _Cornue_ for these _aiguilles_ will come thither to bring again as in an _mouelle_, and if you take them not away speedily the vessell will break when this Gumme or Mouelle shall bee all past, with a certain form of butter, which will cast it self afterwards within the Recipient, the oil will begin to distill fair and clear, of an hyacinth colour, and fragrant odour: after which reinforcing the fire, there will issue out another more thick and dark, which you must receive apart. This Gumme or white marrow, which you shall have drawn out of the neck of the Cornue, wash it with the _Aqua vitæ_ which you distilled therefrom, in the beginning, which shall extract therefrom a tincture or Citrine colour, as Saffron, and shall leave the Gumme very white, and of a most agreeable smell, fit to make _Pater Nosters_ of sents, of such a colour as you will please to give it: withdraw your _Aqua vitæ_ by a bath, and in the bottome there will remain a yellow Tincture of a good sent likewise, which hath great proprieties and vertues. The black oil is, a soveraign balm against all hurts: and of the remaining earths a Salt of great efficacy. Thus you have of Benzoin five or six substances, a white Gomme, with its yellow Tincture, the two oils and Salt.

_Aqua vitæ_ which is its principall manifestation, and without which nothing would bee done therein, there is also Storax, Calamint, Ladanum, Myrrh, and the like Gums, out of which oil is extracted by the means of the carriage of _Aqua vitæ_, and therein you must proceed as in Benzoin: But there are not so many things to mingle together: Out of Myrrh there is likewise extracted a liquor, very proper to take away all spots and marks remaining of scabs, or pox and other like accidents. Take hard Egs, and cleave them in the middle, take away the yellow, then fill the hollows with grains of Myrrh, and cover them again with the other half: Leave them three or four dayes in the clear and in the air, where the Sun comes not: and they will resolve themselves into a liquor like unto hony, or thick dew, frankincense likewise doth the same.

Out of Sulphure also there may bee drawn an adustible oil by opening it, with _Aqua vitæ_, and also by other wayes. For Sulphur hath in it two substances, the one inflammative, the other not, but aluminous and vitriolique: whence proceeds this liquor which is called oil of Sulphur: which hath yet greater properties and vertues then the oil of vitriol, which is more caustick and burning: as well against evill inward affections, as in Cankers and ulcers of the mouth, tooth ach, cankers, and other the like, where it works more moderately.

Take then first a match of Cotten yarn of the bignesse of your little finger and two els long, which you shall besmear with molten wax and with Turpentine, as to make waxe Lights.

Take on the other side a pot of _Paris_ earth leaded, wherein you shall put a bed of sulphur enough grossely beaten, and thereupon lay a round of your foresaid matches, untill the pot be full, on the top whereof, you shall leave a little end of your Match to light it: (fine musket match is very good also). Put your pot under a chimney and hang thereupon an Alembic Cap, whose mouth should relate to that of the pot. But you must first besmear and crust over the clay to the thicknesse of a thumb: you must not join it just to the pot, but that there may be an inch opening betwixt them. Light the Match, and make the Sulphur burn, which will cast from it a small white fume, which will adhere within the Cap and from thence it will resolve into a liquor of peach color, that will fall into the Recipient, when you have to such an end, applyed it to the beak of the Cap: But this will do better in soft weather with south winds and _d’aval_, and not in dry weather.

Wee have long insisted on these oils, as well for that they are produced for the most part out of the action of fire, of which there is here a question as for that nothing is nearer of kin to fire, then fatty oils, unctuosities, pitch rozin, and black Turpentines, Gums, and other like Inflammative substances, that are the true food, and nourishment thereof: And for that we are so far embarked therein, there will be no hurt, here in one train to prosecute something of the Artifices which are commonly called Grecian fires, whereof there are many sorts, that cannot bee quenched with water.

The foundation of them are Sulphur and Bitumen, black pitch, and rosin, Turpentine, Colophone, Sarcocoll, oils of Lin, petroll, and Laurell, Salt-Peter, Camphere, Tallow, Grease and other unctuosities facil to conceive flame: Of these Greek fires _Plutarch_ speaketh in his Treatise of not lending upon usury: & more lately by _Zonaras_, in his 3. Tome in the life of _Constantine_ the _Pogonate_ where it is said that in the year of our Lord 678. the _Saracens_ being come to besiege _Constantinople_, an Ingenier by name _Callinicus_ brought an Artifice of certain fire, by means whereof the _Saracens_ Fleet was defeated: But Gunpowder, and the artifices that may bee made thereby, hath slubbered them all; whence consisteth the most part of our artificiall fires, pots, and fire pikes, circles, granadoes, sauciges, petards, fuses, and infinite other the like, which we pretend not here to specifie in particular.

Take then a pound of Salt-Peter, 8. ounces of Sulphur, 6. ounces of Gunpowder, incorporate them together for Granadoes, and fire-pots, which make great noise in the breaking. But to tye fire to wood, and other inflammative matters, mingle a pound of pitch, rosin, a quartern of black pitch, 3. ounces of Colophon, and 5. of Sulphur, bruise the Gums, and cast into the melted Sulphurs, when it is cold beat them again, and moisten them with oil of Bayes, or linnen. There is another composition much more violent, but more dangerous.

Melt a pound of Sulphur within a leaded earthen pot, and put therein by little and little, but discreetly, a quartern of powder grosse grained, with as much salt Peter, stirring them often with a rod of Iron. Take them off the fire and let them dry. This mingled with the aforesaid Artifices wil work wondrous effects. Some mingle also a little beaten glasse, which coming to be warmed, rewarms consequently the matter, when it comes to flame: whose heat makes it stronger, and of longer durance. Camphere serves to make it burn in the water, as likewise all other greases do, and above all oil of brimstone, drawn by a bath, then which there is nothing more subtible or inflameable. But it would bee too tedious to penetrate into the ruins of mankind, of which there would bee no end, if a man should runne through them all.

Therefore let us return to our left purpose, of two fires. That above, designed by _Pallas_ and _Minerva_, and that below by _Vesta_. Which although they be so far distant, yet fail not to have such an affinity together, that they easily transmute one into the other: for the Sun beams are illightned by fire, by reason of a viall filled with water, as _Plutarch_ relate in the life of _Numa_. Where from a burning looking glasse, of which I remember that I saw one so puissant, in the States of _Orleans_, that in lesse then nothing, and yet in the moneth of _Ianuary_, it set a fire the staffe of a torch, and the fire contrariwise by many conveyances and contrivings from the top to the bottom, and through the sides in many circular revolutions, as in those of a Labyrinth, and in furnaces which they call a Tower, its heat comes to be so moderated, that it passeth into a naturall heat, vivifying, and nourishing in stead of burning, baking or consuming: And with such a fire I can say that there were hatched at _Rome_, at one time more then 100. or 120. Chickens, the Egs being therein couved and setled as under a Hen.

[Sidenote: Coals kept in Juniper for the space of a year.]

The _Persians_ and _Vestalls_ fire at _Rome_ reverenced as well by the one, as by the other, as very holy, was very carefully entertained. Touching the _Persian_, _Strabo_ in his 15. Book writeth that the _Magi_ had a custome to conserve it under ashes, before which they went every day to make their prayers and devotions, which is not without some mystery. The ashes denoting the sensible world and the body of man which it represents: being nothing else but ashes: and the fire therein inclosed and covered, the sparkle of life, wherewith it is animated and vivified. These ashes furthermore, must be of some gummy trees, to make it of longer durance: namely, of _Juniper_, wherein I heretofore have kept living coals, more than a year, heaping up bed upon bed within the ashes, being all lock’t fast within a little barrell that no air may enter; and this is that which is meant in the 120. _Psalm._ 4. _ver._ with _Juniper_ coals, according to the Hebrew, in place of uncomfortable. With these burning coals the _Persians_ came to light the luminaries of their Temples when they came to be extinguished. But the Vestals in case their fire should extinguish, as it sometimes happened, it was not lawfull for them to light it again, but must draw it from the Sun beams: And did not only attend that it should quench of it selfe, or by some casuall accident, but they renewed it yearly, the first day of _March_ from that of heaven, as _Ovidius_ observes _tertio Fastorum_.

_Adde that new fire was made in the secret house and the renewed fire took force._

Which _Macrobius_ also toucheth in his second of _Saturnals_, 12. chap. The first day of _March_ the Vestals lighted a new fire on the Altar of the Goddesse; that by the renewing of the year, they should renew in themselves their care of keeping it from going out. Saint _Augustine_ in his third Book of _the City of God_, 18 ch. In what reputation (saith he) this sacred fire was at _Rome_, men may know by this, that when the City was a fire, the grand Pontifex _Metellus_, for fear that this strange fire should not mingle with the other, put himselfe in danger to be consumed by the flames, to make it retire. So that there is nothing more conformable to the tenth of _Leviticus_. That if these poor blind people, which took the Symbols and Mysteries of Religion but superficially, and from the bark, as do also the Jewes, from whom they borrowed all their important Traditions, had known that which was covered and prefigured thereunder, what accompt is there to beleeve that they made thereof? Some do alledge that this sacred fire of the Vestals, was illuminated by means of _fusil_, bruising two pieces of wood one against another, or in piercing them with a borrier as _Festus_ would have it, and _Simplicius_ upon the third Book _of Heaven_, according to _Aristotle_. _Plinie_ in the 16. Book, 4. chap. Men rub two woods one against another, from whence fire is forced; which is received in by a bait made of dryed leaves and put in powder, or in the match of the touchwood of a tree. But there is nothing, which doth better conduce thereunto, then Ivy beaten or bruised with Laurell; the same is of late more practiced by the Savages of the West Indies, as _Gonzale d’Ovidiedo_ in his natural History of those quarters, _lib._ 6. _cap._ 5. binding (saith he) two dry slicks hard one against another, and putting betwixt their juncture the point of a rod well rounded, which they rub thick and thin betwixt the hands, so long till the fire by rubbing, and the rarefaction of the air that followes them may lighten them. Of this new relightning, to shew us, that we must renew and be borne again to a better and more praisable life, not farre different from the Ceremonies of the Christian Church, when on the Eves of Easter, and Whitsontide, at the Benediction of Springs and Fountains, they make a new great wax Taper, wherewith all the other luminaries are set on fire.

Touching _Moses_ fire, it was first sent from Heaven, and lasted to the construction of _Solomons_ Temple, which was again renewed from Heaven; and maintained to King _Manasses_ his time, when the Jewes were carryed captives into _Babylon_, which the Levites kept in the bottome of a Well, where it was found again at their return 70 years after, in the form of a gluish and white water, as hath been said heretofore. _Pausanias_ to the _Corinthians_, sets down, that in the dayes of _Antigonus_ son of _Demetrius_, there appeared a fountain of warm water near to the City of _Mathana_, but from the beginning it appeared not in water, but in great flames of Fire which were resolved into hot and salt water. Saint _Ambrose_ yet discoursing upon this water of the Levites, in the third of his offices, sets down, that this doth sufficiently demonstrate, that this was a perpetual fire which could not be taken from another place, to shew that they must not acknowledge any other God, or other religion, and ceremonies then those that were established by the inspiration of the holy Spirit designed by fire; for we may see what the children of _Aaron_, _Nadab_ and _Abihu_, found in the 10 of _Leviticus_, being willing to take upon them to offer strange fire unto God. Then all false doctrine, idolatry, heresie, and impiety, may be called strange fire, that devours the soul as a feaver doth the body, with the life that maintains it; there where this true fire sent from Heaven, is that of the holy Spirit, which salteth our hearts and consciences, that is to say, preserves them from corruption, according whereunto the Prophet _Jeremie_ spake in his 20. chapter when he had received it. Then it was made _as a burning fire in my heart, and shut up in my bones, and I was weary in forbearing and could not stay_. That the Holy Spirit should not be only light, but very fire, _Esay_ doth manifest chap. 10. 17. _And the light of Israel shall be for a fire, and his holy one for a flame._ For even so as the burnings, which are a potentiall fire, composed of igneal and burning salts, work not upon a dead part, insensible, and deprived of Natures heat; so the holy Spirit doth not exercise its actions upon cold languishing hearts, that make no account of its ticklings, and invitations, but shew themselves contumacious and refractary; just so as the heat of the Sun, and of the fire, but more and more hardens earth, and clay, in stead of softening it, and melts it as they do wax, butter, and grease. For the acts of Actives are in the disposition of the Patient, where we see fire does divers effects in disagreeable subjects, but not wholly contrary, and directly opposite; as when it blacks a coal, and white chalk where its vertue is imprinted, but all to the contrary; for fire by custome is extinguished by water, it is it, that in this respect inflames and renewes that which was imprinted and hidden in the chalk: whence a fair meditation is presented; that as fire is the symboll of life; water (that is its contrary) and extinguisheth it, must be of consequence the symboll of death; water naturally tending downwards, and fire upwards, wherein consisteth life.

_Strabo_ to this purpose in his 15. Book, speaking of the _Brachmans_, sets down, that which we call death, to be renewing of life, and that this temporall is but a conception as it were, and a _carriage_ which comes about the end of its term, to bring forth to death, to passe from thence to eternall life. Which _Seneca_ imitates in the 103 Epistle. The day that we fear so much, as the last of our life, is a renascence of an eternall day; let us then chearfully leave behind that which serves for nothing but a tedious charge. Why do we so much turn our backs, as if we had not been before this first frail body, in which we remain included and hid? we struggle and temporize therein, to the best of our power, and not without cause, for we have been forced out by a endeavour of our mother in bearing us; and we weep and lament when we arrive to this, which we think to be the last day, but to complaine, cry, and weep, are they not marks and tokens of one that is to be borne? And a little more Christian-like, although a little before; I will lay down this body where I have found it, and clothed it, and will render my self above to the immortall Gods, although I am not without them at this present, but whilest I am detained here within this grievous masse of earth, in the low abode of mortality, my sensuality will fight and combat against this other better and longer life. Now as we have been for nine or ten months, shut up within our mothers belly, not to prepare therein for it selfe, but at last, to come to this place, whither we ought to be sent, when we should be perfectly accomplished and made fit to breath, and remain openly out of this closet, where we were formed. In like manner during the space that we have run through from our infancy to old age, we dye to go whither another originall attends us, and a new state of things. All this doth in nothing derogate from the Traditions of our Church, who celebrated for the nativity of Martyrs the day of their death and martyrdom.

To conclude then, that which was heretofore said of fire, and of the four worlds; that of the Intelligible is all luminous; of the Celestiall, shining, and hot, by reason of its motion; of the Elementary here below, shining, hot, and burning; and of Hell nothing but burning. So these three proprieties of fire, to light, to warm, and to burn, though the effects be divers and strange, and the operations almost infinite, only of the elementary to begin with that which is nearest to our senses. _Rabbi Elchana_ greatly honoured amongst the Hebrewes, sets forth, that out of the 10 fingers of the hand, being addressed and conducted, by the understanding, may proceed more different sorts of works then there are stars in Heaven, the most part whereof come from the action of fire, on which almost all labouring instruments do depend. Fire principally served the first men, who had nothing but it for all working instruments. In regard of its motion, we may sufficiently see, that there is nothing more glistring and moving then the fire, which is the very cause of all motion. Take away heat, there will be no motion, saith the Chymicall Philosopher _Alphidius_, and this motion is accompanied with depuration, for fire will have none but pure things, according to _Raymond Lullius_. For it is not only the pure substance of all others, but it purgeth, mundifieth, and cleaneth all that, upon which it can have Action, of that which therein may be corruptible. _The Lord will wash away the filth of the children of Israel, by the spirit of burning_, _Esay._ 4.4. wherefore the Greeks call ἁγνισικὸς, Purging. So that the Καθαρμὸς or Κάθαρσις purifying, was not made but by fire, as the solemn annuall feast of Candlemasse witnesseth. And in all the Eastern Churches, when they would say the Evangel they burn great Tapers, as we do upon the day of Purification, and that for token of joy and rejoicing, whereof fire is a symbole; and according to that, we make two fires upon the feast of Saint _John Baptist_, conformable to that, in the first of _Luk._ 14. _Many shall rejoyce at his birth_; and fires of joy, in some happy successes of victories, at the birth of Kings children, and the like occasions of alacrity.