THE yio “EAME. AND CONFESSION OF THE FRATERNITY OF | R: C: Commonly, of the Rofie Crols. WITH A Preeface annexed thereto, and a fhort Declaration of their Phyficall , Work. _ By Eucentus Puttarstiss, Jarch: apud Philoltrats Kat yee kg dC én pire orissuyy 5 uits daiséy waoty. all. 29 Verstas in Lrofundo, Lindow , Printed by F.M. for Giles Calvert, at the black ‘pread Bagle at the Weft end of Pawls. 1652. eeLAMA QREDMAD PDH HEBERT ee pear; PPLE PDREDD Chih pE gage THE Fublither to the Reader. MapT is the Obfervation of Kea)ep [uch as skill Dreams’, GH That totravel in our fleep along way, and all alone, MAF, is alignof Death. This POSS it feems the Poct knew: for when the Queen of Carthage was ta dye for Love, he fits her with this Melan- choly Vifion : ~—— Longam Incomitata videtur Tre Viam, —— Now the ufe I make of it, is this: 2 would be fo wile, as to prognofticate, 1 do therefore promife my prefent Work not only Life, bat Acceptance : for in this my Dream (and ¢know you will call it (0) I travel zot without Company. There were fomeTo the Reader. fome Gentlemen befides my felf, who af- ‘fected this Fame, and chong it no Dif- paragement tu their own: but it was their leafure it fhould receive light at my Frands, and this made them defer their own Copies, which otherwife had paft the Pref. I have,Reader,but little more to fay, unlefs I tell thee of my Juttice, and now thou fhalt fee how diftributive itis, The Tranflation of the Fama belongs to an unknown hand, ut the Abilities of the Tranflator I que- flion not, He hath indeed miftaken Da- mafcus for Damcar in Arabia, and this I world not alter,for I am no Pedant to cor- rect another mans Labours, The Copy was communicated to me by a Gentleman more \earned then my felf, and I fhould name him here, but thar he expects not ei» ther thy thanks or mine. As for the Pre- face, it is my own, and I wifh thee the full Benefit of it, which certainly thou canfl not mils, #f thou com’ ft to it avith clear eyes, anda purged fpirit. Confider that Preju- dice obftrudts thy. Jadgatent : fort thy Affeétions are engag’diitbbugh to an"banis fatuus, thowdoft think ita Guide, beciidfe thon To the Reader. thou doft follow it, It is not Opinion makes Things Falfe or True:. for men have deny’d a great part of the World, which now they inhabit: and America at well as the Philofophers Stone,was fome- times én the Predicament of Impoffibili- ties. There is nothing more ablurd, then to be of the fame mind with the Generality of Men, for they have entertain’d many grols Errors,whichTime and Experience ave confuted. It is indeed our Sluggith- nefS and Incredulity that hinder all Dit- coveries, for men contribute nothing ro- wards them but their Contempt, or, which és wort, their Malice, I have known all this my felf, and therefore 1 tell it thee: but what ule thou wilt make of tr, I know vot. To make thee what Man fhould be, i " ™m power, oie #t is much in thy Wns if tou know'tt thy Duty so thy felf. Think of it, and Farovel jue laid E. P.Se ae hee SeePeE Nahe neeedeagen “TO THE ci Wyle and Underitanding READER. *Iidom. ((aith Solomon) is toiafaan an infinite EO Treafure, forthe is the _ Breath of the Power of God | ‘and a pure Influence that floweth fromthe Glory-of the-Al- mighty ; fhe is the Brightnefs of Eternal Light, and an tindefi- led Mirror of the Majefty of God, and an Image of hisGoodnefs ;fhe teacheth us Sobernefs and Peu- L dence, The Epiftle,eoc, dence, Righteoufite(éand Strength ; fhe underftaads: the Subtilty sof words; amd-Solmivn of dark fen- tencesi ssfhe forckdoweth ‘Signs and Wi nlders and what fall hap- pen intirive to come; with this ‘Treafiwe was our firlt Father dane fully-endaed : Hence it. doth ap- t, that afterGod had broughe Before him all the Creatures of the Field, and the F owls undet Hea- ven, he gave te every one of them their proper names, according to theit nature, ; - Although tow through ‘thefor- towful fall into fin this excellent Jewel Wifdom hath been loft, aid meer Darknefs and Ignorance: is comeinto the World, yee nétwith- flandiny hath the Lord God fume: times» Tha Epistle © times hitherto beftowedjand mado. manifelt che fame, to fome: of his Friends: For the wife King Solomon dothteftifie of himéelf. cha heup- on, édineft: praybr.and;Webre’ did get-and: obtain: fuch Wifdom of God, that thereby he knew:how _ the World was created, thereby:-he underftoad the Nature of the Ele- ments, alfothe time, beginning, middle, and énd, ithe increafe and decreafe, -the change of ‘times through the whole Year, the Re- volution of the Year, and Ordi- nance of the Sears ; he underftood alfo'the. properties of tame and wilde Beafts, the caufe. of the raigning of the Winds, andiminds and.iatents of mén,. all: forts.and natures of Plants, vercites-of Roots, Many and to the Reader, and others, was not unknown to him. Now I do ‘not think thas there can. be found any one who would:not wifh and.defire with alt his heart to be Partaker of this noble Treafure; but feeing the fame Felicity can happen to nane, except God himéelf give Wildom, and fend. his holy Spirit from a bove, wehave therefore fet forth in prine this litle Treatile, to wit, Famam ex:Canfefsionem, of the Lau- dable Fraternity of the Rofie Crofs, to.be read by every one, be- caufe in them is.clearly {hewn and difcovered, what concerning itthe World hath to exped. .. my ©) Although: thefe :things .may feem forkewhat ftrange, and many may‘ efteem:it to. bé-but a Philfo- a phicalThe Epiftle. phical fhew, and no tre Hiftory, which is publifhed and. fpoken of the Fraternity of the Rofie Crofs ; it fhall here fufficiently appear by our Confefsion,. that there is more in receffs then may be imagined , and it thall be eafily underftood; _and. obferved by every one (if he "be notaltogether voyd of under- flanding) what now adays, and at thefe times, is meant thereb ye Thofe who ate true Diftiples of Wifdom, and true Followers of the Spherical Art, will confider betcer of thefethings,. and have chem in Breater eftimation, as alfo judg far other wife of them, as hath been done by fome principal Pecions, but: efpeciaily of Adam i Flafelineyer, Notarins Publicisto theArch rived aT AX= to the Reader. Maximilian, who ‘likewife hath made an Extract ex feriptis Theos logicis Theaphrafti , and written! a Treatife. under the. Title of. Fe fuiter , wherein . he willeth ; that every Chriftian ‘fhould® ‘be a true Jefuit’, that is >to walk, live, be, and remain in Fefus: He was but ill rewarded of the Jefwits , becaufe in: his Anfwer written upon. the Famam, he. did name thofe of the Frater- atty of the Rofte. : Croft » The high inminated men » and une deceiving Fefuits ; . for they’ not able to brook this y layd hands yon him, and put him into the Calleis , for which they likewife:::haye to -expedt their reward. 4 ‘ BlefledBlefled::!.urora will. now eficeforch \ begin to appear’, aii (after the paffing away of the dark Night of Satur) -with her BrightnefS altogether extin- guifheth the fhining of the Moon ,- or, the fmall Sparks of Heayenly Wifdom , which yer — maineth: with men, and is a Poreroniner ‘of pleafant Phe- bus, who: with his clear om fiery gliftering Beams brings fort that blefled'Day , long wifhed for,, ‘of. many. truesheatted; by which Day-light then fhall truly. ny be: known, and fhall be {een al heavenly Trealures of godly Wit- dora , as alfo the Secrets of all hidden ae things ne ing to ety ene, accor Bane to the ‘Reader, Dodttine of our. Forefathets;, and Ancient, Wifemens . : boy ‘This -will be:-the right kingly Raby, ‘and molt excellent fhining Carbuncle, of the. which it is faid, That he doth fhine and Sivelight in darknefs, and to be a perfect Medicine of all imperfeat Bodies, andto change them into the beft Gold, and to cure all Difeafes of Men, eafing them of all pains and mileries. Be therefore, gentle Reader, admonifhed, that with me you 0 carneftly pray to God, that i Pleafe him to open the hezrts and ears of all ill hearing peo le, and to grant unto them his leffing, that they may be able to know him in his Omnipotency, with ad-Fhe Epiftle, ec, admiring contémplacion’ of Ni- ture, to his honourand'praife: and to. th love, help , ‘comfétt and trengtheniiy of" our Neighbois., and to the teftoring af alt’ the -difeafed.: | Soda = . 4 SSSESEIASASASSOON NES E887 28 EHS ND See ee The Preface. mF 1 were the Bulinels of B my Life or Learning , io procure my felf that noyle ea which men call Fame,1 am a Ay not to feck what might a ® conduce to its It ts an Age affords many Advantages,and I might have the choyce of. feveral Foundations, whereon to build my felf. I can fee withall, that Time and Imployment have made: forme perfons Men, whom their firft Adven: tures did not finde fuch, This fuddain Growth might give my Impertedtions alfo the Confidence of fuch another ftart : ut as I lsve not by common Examples ; fot drive not aC ommon Defign. Ihave taken a courfe different from that of the World , for (Readers) 7 would have yor a) know,The Preface. know, that whereas jou plot to fer your Selves up, Idobere contrive to bring Seif down. I amin the Humor to affirm the Effence, and Exiftence of that admired Chimera , the Fraternitie of R.C. And ow Géntlemen I thank ‘yon, I have Aire and Room enough: methinks yon freak and fteal from me, as if the Pla this Red Crofs were tnfeparable, Take my Lord have mercy along with you, for I pitty your fickly Braines, and certainly as fo your prefent State the Infcription i not unfcafonable, But in liew of this, lad 9 Jon may advife meto an Affertion of. the Capredls of del Phebo, or a Review of the Library of that aifcreet Gentleman of the Mancha, for in our Opinion .thofe Knights and thefe Brothers are equally In- vilible. This s bard mealure, but 7 (foal nor infift to dilprove you: If there be any a- mong ft the Living of the fame Bookith faich with my (elf, 7; bey are the Perfons 1 would Lpeak to, and Jet in this I fhal act modeftly, Zinvite them not, unlefs they be at Leafure, When Lconfider the unjutt Cenfare.and Pet indeed ague and © from diffolute and The Preface. indeed the Contempt, which Magic even in all Ages hath undergone, I can (inmy opinion) finde no other Reatons for it , but what the Profeffors themfelves’ are guilty of by Mif-conftruétion , and this in Refes tence toadouble Obfeurity , of Life and Language. As for their nice (or to fpeak a better truth) their Confcientious R etire= ments, whereby they did {eparate themfelus brutifh {pirits, #¢ is that which none can fobcri difemnend , nay, it isavery purging Argiment and may ferve to wipe off thofe contracted, envious {candals , which Time and Man have in- jurioufly faftned on their Memory. For if we reafon difcrectly, we may not Safely truft the Traditions and Judgement of the World, concerning {uch perfons who fequeftred themfelves from ‘the World, and were no way addicted to the Affairs o Acquaintance shereof. It is true, they were lofers 4 this Alienation , for both their life and their Principles were ‘crofle to thofe of their Adverfaties : They lived in she thade, in the calm of Confcience and folitude , but their Enemies moved in the (a2) *Sun-The Preface. Sun-fhine, ix the Eye of worldly Trant- actions, where they kept up their own Re- pute with a clamarous Defamation of thefe innocent and contented Exemits. The fecond Obftacle tv their Fame, was partly the fimplicity of their ftyle, which és Scrip- ture-like, and commonly begins like Solo- mon’s Text, with Mi Fili. But that which fpoil'd all, and made them Contemptible even to fime degree of miferie, was a corrupt Delivery of the Notions and Vocabula of the Art: for Magic like the Sun, moving from the Ealt,carried along with it the ori- entall Termes, which our Weltern Philo- fophers who skil'd not the Arabic or Chal- dec, &c. did moft unhappily and corrupt- Arrantcribe , and verily at this day they are fo ftrangely abus'd , it is more then a Task rogue their Original. But this # not all, for fome were fo fingular, as to in- vent certain Barbarous Termes of their own; and thefe conceited Riddles, together with their Magifterial way f Writing (for they did not fo far condelcend as to Reafon their Pofitions ) made the world conclude them a Fabulous Generation. , Indeed The Preface. Indeed this was a ftrange courte of Theirs, and much different from. that of Trifme- giftus, in whofe genuine works there ts not oneBarbarous fyllable,nor any point affer- _ ted, without moft pregnant and Demon- {trative Reafons, Certainly Hevines as to his courfe of \ife was public and princely, in his Dottrine clear and Rational, and hence it was that not onely his own times, but even all fublequent Generations were moft conftant Tributaries to bis Honour. On the contrary ( if we may conjetture by Effeéts) there fucceeded him in his School certain Melancholy envious Spirits whofe vbfcure infcrutable writings render'd their Authors Contemptible, but made way for that new noyfe of Ariftotle, which men call Philofophic. 1 may fay then of thefe later Magicians wht Solinus fometimes {aid of thofe contentious facceffors of A- lexander’the Great: That they were born, Ad fegetem Romane glotie, non ad Hereditatem tanti Nominis. Zé equally true , That fime skulking Philofophers whiles they envioully fup- preft the Truth, did occafionally promote (a3) aThe Preface. aLye: for they cave way to the Enemies growth , till at la the Tares. polfeft the Field, and then swas the true Graine caff into the Fite, Nor indeed could it be other- wife, for this Buthel being placed over the Light, the Darknels of it invited Igno- rance abroad : and now feeps our Ariftotle tike a Pedler.with bis pack, the Triumphs of whofe petulant School had but two weak trvoehe Obfcurity and Envie. Both thefe proceeded from the Malignancie of fome eminent Authors, whom God had bleft with Difcoveries Extraordinary : Thefe to fecure themfelves and the Art, judged it their beft courfe to blot ont the path , that (uch as were unworthy might never be able to follow them, It cannot be denyed but this Myftery and cloud of the letter carried mith it both Dikcretion and Neceflitic, but what fpoyl’d all was the Excefs of the Contrivers, for they past all Decencic both in the Meature 5 and the Maner of it. I conldbe numerous in Ex- amples, and proofs of this kind , but that I hold it fuperfuous to pave at a point which is acknowledged on all Hands, ey c The Preface, be {hort then, this Umbrage and Mitt of their Text required fome Comment and Clearnefs,but few being able to Expound, the World ran generally to the other fide and the School-men Bave got the Day, not by Weight but by Number. This confi- dered yi cannot be thought unveafonable and certainly not unteafonable » if a So- Ciety confciows of the Truth, and skil’d in the abftrufe principles of Nature , hall endeavour to rectifie the world : for bither- to we have been abufed with Greek Fables and a pretended knowledge of’ Caufes, but witheut their much defired Effects, We plainly fee, that if the leaf Difeale invades Us, the School-men have not one Notion, that is J much acharm , 2 to cureUs: and why then fhould we imbrace 4 Philofophie of meer words, when it is evident exough , that we cannot live but by Works. Ler ws not for fhame be fo ttupid any more, fortis a Barbarous Ignorance to maintaine that for Truth which our ows dayly Experience can allure us to be Ealfe, But fore body will reply , That the Anti- quite of this Peripatila may claim [ome (a 4) Reve-The Preface. Reverences and ive muff complementally dnvite it abroad , not churlilhly turn it out of Doors, This in my opinion were to dance before Dagon, as David did bef ire the Ark: to pay that refpect to a Lye, which is due onely to the Truth, and this és Anfwwer fafficient, As for that Evaternity, whofe Hittory and Conteffion 1 have here adventured to publith, I have for my own 7 part no Relation to them, neither do I much defire their Acquaintances 1 knom they are Matters of great Myteries, and I know withal that nature # fo large, they may as wel Receive as Give, 1 ws never yet folavith an Admirer ff them, as to prefer thems to all the World, for it és pot- fible and perhaps true, that a private man may have that in bis poflellion,wher- of they aveIgnorant, Jt is not their title and the noyfe it bath occafion’d , that makes me commend them, The Ac- knowledgment I give them, was firtt procured by their Books, for there J found them truc Philofophers, and therefore not Chimera’s (as moff think) but Men. Their Principles are every may Corre: seer {pondent The Preface. fpondent ¥o the Ancient and Primitive Wildome, nay, they are confonant to our very Religion, and confirm every point thereof. I queftion not but moft of their Propofals may fem Irregular to com- mon Capacities ; but where the Preroga- tive and Power of Nature is known, there will they quickly fall even, for they want not their Order and Sobriety. If will be expected perhaps, that I foould {peak fome- thing as to their Perfons and Ha bitations, but in this my cold Acquaintance will ex: cule mes or had I any Familiarity with them, I fhould not doubt to ule it with more Difcretion. As for their Exiftence, (if I may {peak like a School-man,) there # great reafon we fhould believe it,neither do 1 fee how we can deny it, unlef. we grant, that Nature # ftudied, and Books alfo written and publithed by fome other Crea- tures then Men. It és true indeed,that their atau lees firft was not purchafed by their own Difquifitions, for they received it from the Arabians, amongst whom it re- ‘mained as the Monument and Legacy of the Children of the Eatt, Nor is this at all impro-” The Preface. improbable, for the Eaftern Countries have béen always famous for Magical and Secret Socicties. Nos am I to feek how far you will believe me inthis, becaufe Lama Chriftian, and yet I doubt not but yon will believe 4 Heathen, because Ariftotle was one. Take then amongit you a more acceptable Ethnic, 1 mean Philoftratus, for thus he delivers himfelf in the life f Apollonius. He brings in his Tyancus ifcourfing with Prince Phraotes, and amongit other Que- ftions propofed to the Prince, Apollonius asks him, Where he had learnt his Philo- fophy, and the Greek Tongue, for a- mongft the Indians ( {aid this Greek ) there are no Philofophers ¢ To this fimple Quere the Prince replies, ysadzasyand with anotable Sarcalin, 6:80 rarudn, rc. Our Forefathers (faid be) did ask all thofe who came hither in fhips,if they were not Pirates; for they conceived all the World (but themfelves) addiged to that vice, though a great one: But you Gre- cians ask not thofe ftrangers who come toyou,ifthey be Philofophers. Toshi he The Preface: he adds a very diffolute Opinion of the [ame Grecians, ee Philoforker im of all Donatives is dxéralovs the Divinett, thould be efteemed amongft them as a thing indifferent,and proportionate to all Capacities: And this, I am fure (faith Phraotes to Apollonius) isakind of Pi- racy tolerated amongft you: 3 3r1 .80 mass Seiv ravrdy me) ansetge istry oldu which bein applyed here to Philofophy, 1 fhonld make bold to render it Sacriledg. But the Prince proceeds, and {chools his Novice, for ‘fuch was Apollonius, who was never acquaint- ed with any one Myftery of Nature. 1 underftand (faithhe) that amongit you Grecians there are man Intruders, that injufly apply themfelves to Philofo- phy, as being no way conformable to it : Thefe ufurp a Profeffion which is aot their own; as if they fhould firft rob men of their Clothes, and then wear them, though never fo difproportionate ; and thus do you proudly ftradle in bor- rowed Ornaments. And certainly,as Pi- rates, who know themfelves liable to in- numerable tortures, do lead a fortith andThe Preface. and a loofe kind of life: Even fo amoneft Pousthefe Pirates and Plunderers of Phi- lofophy are wholly given to Lufts and ‘Compotations, and this I fuppote is an Evil that proceeds from the Blindne(s and Improvidence of your Laws. For fhould any Man-ftedler be found a- mongft you, or fhould any adulterate your Coyn,thefe were Offences Capital, and punithed with Death: But for fuch as counterfeit and corrupt Philofophy, our Law correéts them not, neither ave you any Magiftrate ordained to that purpofe. Thus we fee in what repelt the Greek Sophittry was with the In 1ans, and that clamorous Liberty they had to diftradt one another ; fome of them being Epicutes, fome Cynics, fime Stoics, [ome again Peripatetics, and fime of them pre. tended Platonics. It is nct tobe doubted, but the {cuffling and {quabling of thef Scctaries did at laft produce the Sceptic, who finding nought i the Schools bat Oppofition and Bitternels, refolved for a new courte, and fecured his Peace with hes Tgnorance, Phraotes The Preface. Phraotes having thus returned that Calumny, which Apollonius bestowed on - the Indians, t0 the Bolom of this conceited Greek, gives him now an Accompt of his own Colledg,J mean the Brachmans, with the Excellent and wholefom Severity of their Ditcipline. And here 1 cannot but obferve the Infolence of Tyaneus, mho be- ing a meer ttranget in the Indies, notwith- Sanding rans into a pofitive Abfurdity, and before be had converted with the Inha- bitants, concludes them no Philofophers, Thefe bad Manners of his 1 could (and per- haps not unjufily) derive from the Cutto- mary Arrogance of his Country-men , whofe kindnefs to their own Ilue diftin- Suifb'd not the Greeks and the Sages: but the reft of the world they difcriminated with a certain Sheep-mark of their own, and branded them with the name of Bar- barians. How much an Afperfion this is, we flall quickly underitand,if we attend the Prince sn his Difcourfe, for thus he in- Jirutts Apollonius. Amongst us Indians ((aith he) there axe but few admitted to Philofophy, apd this is the oe of theirThe Preface. their Election, At the Age of eighteen years the perfon to be eleéted comes to the River Hyphafis, and there meets with thofe Wife men, for whofe fake even you allo Apollonins are come into thefe parts. | There he doth publiquely profefs a very ardent defire and affection to Philofo- phy, for furch as are otherwite difpofed, - arcleft to their own Liberty, to follow what Profeffion they pleafe. This done, the next confideration is, whether he be: defcended of -honeft parents or flo; and here they look back even to three Generations, that by the Difpof- tion and Qualities of the Anceftors, the may guels at thofe of the Child, Ifthey find them to have been men of a known Integrity, then they proceed to his Ad- miffion ; but firft they try him,and prove him with feveral Tentations. For ex- ample, Whether he be naturally modeft, or rather aé&s 2 counterfeit Bafhfulne(s for atime, being otherwife impudent and lafcivious: Whether-he be fottith and gluttonous, or no: Whether he be of an infolent bold fpiric, and aay prove Re- a frakory, EE The Preface. fractory, and difobedient to his Tutors ¢ Now thofe that are appointed to exa- mine him, have the skill to read his Qua- lities in. his countenance; for the Eyes difcover moft of mens Manners, and in the Brows and Cheeks there are many excellent Indicia, whereby Wife men, and fuch as are skill’d in the Myfteries of Nature, may difcover our minds and difpofitions, as Images are difcovered in aglafs. And certainly fince Philofophy amongft the Indians is had in very great Honor, it is neceffary that thofe who would know the fecrets of it, thould be tempted and proved by all poffible Try- als, before ever they beadmitted, Thés was then the Difcipline of the Brachmans, and indeed of all the Magiin the Elecion and Proot of their Pupils. But all this was News to Apollonius, and therefore he asks Phraotes, if thefe Wile-men, menti- oned in his Difcour €, were of the fame or- der with thofe, who did fometimes meet A- lexander the Great, and had fome Confe- rence with him abs % sveaus', concernin: Heaven, for it feems they were Atrolo. ; gers,The Preface. ; gers. To this the Prince anfwvers, that thefé Planet-mongers were the OFvS edna who were a people difpofed.to the Wars: cogiar re MiTax {esa gasivs odd ev xonsdy dds- m3 And for Knowledg ( faith be) they make.a great Profeflion of it, but indeed they know nothing that is Excellent. But he proceeds: of Darexvis copoly Bc. mal Wile-men (faith he) who are truly fach, dwell between the River Hyphafis and Ganges,into which place Alexander never canst, not that he durft not attempt it, dan Siac re ites: dereciynvey ants but as I think (faith the Prince ) the Reverence due to their Myfteries kept him off. To this he adds, that Alexander knew the River Hy- phafis was paffable, and that he might with cafe beleagure the City, wherein thefe Magi did dwell ; dard tui yiligary, but their Tow- er (faithhe) had he brought with him a thoufand fuch Souldiers as Achilles was, and three thoufand fuch as Ajax, he could never have takenit, To this he gives his Rea the Magi did not make any {allies to beat off their Enemies, but keeping quistly within their gates, they ; deftroyed . The Preface. deftroyed them with Thunder and Ligh, tening. Iere was a ftory might have fara sled Apollonius, who knew not the power of Gun-powder, but in thefe our days there is nothing neore familiar and credi- ble. But notwithftanding the Improve- ments of this fatal Invention are not known even to the prefent Generations , for the Pyrography of’ Cornelius Agrip- pa, and the Powder of Friar Bacon sere never yet brought tothe Field. And now let us hear the Friar himfelf, wha difcourf- tug of feveral wonderful Experiments , tells us amongst the velt of a {ecret Com- ofition, which bing form'd into Pills, or Tele Balls, and then cat up into the Air, would break out into Thunders and Ligh- tenings, more violent and horrible then tho of Nature. Prater vero hac ([aith he) funt alia ftupenda Nature : nam So- nivelut Tonitras & Corufcationes pol funt fieri in Aere: imo majori horrore quam illa que fiunt, per Naturam. Nam modica materia adaptata, feilicet ad quantitatem unius pollicis, fonum facie Horribilem, & Gorufcationem oftendit b) vehe-The Preface. vehementem: et hoc fit multis modis, quibus Civitas, aut Exercitus deftruatur. Mira funthac, fi quis {ciret uti ad ple- num in debita quantitate & materia, Thus he. But let ws return to Apollonius, for now he trots like a Novice to the River Hyphafis, and carries with bima Com- mendatory Letter to the Brachmans, ha- ving requefted the Prince to tell them be was a good Boy. Here thele admirable Eaftern Magicians prefent him with {uch Rarities as 2 very truth he was not capa- ble of. Firft of all they fhew him (as Philo- ftratus deferibes it) acertain Azure, or Sky-coldur’d Water,@and this Tincture was extreamly predominant in it, but with much Light and Brightnefs. This frange Liquor (the Sun fhining on it at Noon) attraéted the Beams or Splendor to it felf, and did fink downwards, as if coagulated with the Heat, but reflected to the Eyes of the Beholders a moft beautiful Rain-bow. Here we have a perfect. Deicription of the ‘PhilofophersMexcury, but there is fomthing ‘more behind. Apollonius confe/eth how the Brachmans told him afterwards, shat this Water was smpfillov rd tia, a certain Secret The Pretace. fectet Water,and that there was hid under it, or within it, 7% corSaegxinis a Blood-red Earth. 1 aword, they told him that none might drink, or tafte of that Liquor, nei ther was it drawn at all for any ordinary ules. After this moft myfterions Water, they-foew him. alfo a certain myfterious Fire,. and here for my part Ido not intend tocomment.. From this Fire he ts brought to certain Tubs, or fome {uch Veffels, whereof the one was called the Vellel of Rain, and the other the Veflel of Winds : all which are mo deep and excellent Alle- gorics. But thefe Rarities ixply no more then the Rudiments of Magic. Let ws now come to the Mede@inc it fel and the admi- rable Effe@ts thereof. The Byrachmans (faith Apollonius ) anointed their Heads jnselead' gacudxewith a gummy Medicine, and this made their Bodies to fteam at the pores, and {weat in that abundance, as if (faith he) they had purged themfelves with Fire. This is enough to prove them Philo- fophers. And now let us fee what kind of Habitation they had,and how much a paral- lel it as to that place or dwelling of R.C. which bis Followers call Locus S.5pixitus, : (b2) The¢ Preface, The Wife-men ({2ith Apollonius) dwelt on a little Hill, ox Mount, and onthe Hill there refted always a Cloud, in which the Indians hous’d themfelves (for fo the word flgnifies,) andhere did they render themfel-ves vifible or invifible, at their own will aed diferetion. This Secret of Invi- ‘Sibility 1.26 not known to. the Dutch Boor, nor to bis Plagiary > the Author of the Manna: but the Fraternity of R.C, can “move i this. white Mitt. “ Ut nobifcum autem convenias({ay they)neceffe eft hanc Jucem cernas, fine enim hac luce, Impof- fibile eft nos videre, nifi quandovolu- mus. Bat Tyancus tells us fomething more 5 namely, that theBrachmans them felves did not know whether this Hill was compaffed about with Walls, or had any Gates shat did lead to it, or-no; for the Mitt obftracted'all Difcoveries. Confider what you read, for thees forme body writes concerning the Habitation of R. C. Vidi aliquando Olympicas domos, non pro- cul a Flaviolo & Civitate nota, quas S. Spiritus vocari imaginamur. Helicon eft de quo loquor, aut biceps Parnaffus, in qno Equus Pegafus fontem aperuit pe- : rennis The Preface. renhis aque adhuc ftillantem, in quo Di- ana fe lavat, cui Venus ut Pediffequa, & Saturnus ut Anteambulo, conjunguntur. Intelligenti nimium, Inexperto mini- mum hoc erit di@um. Bat toclear the Profpect 4 little more, let ws hear Apollo- nius a certain {pecch of bis to the A- Byptians, deferibing this Elyfium of the Brachmans: Ey nosy Was Beaypdyas or Koutras OM Tis yliss Heir duriis’ Ihave fen (feith he) the Brachmans of India dwell- eng onthe Earth, ad not on the Barth: they were guarded without Walls, and pof- {eSing nothing, ghey enjoyed all things. This w plain enough, and on this Hill have 1 alfo adefire to live, if it were for noother Reafon, but what the Sophilt fometimes applyed.to the Monntains : Hos primum Sol falutar, ultimofque deferit. ‘Quis lo- ‘cum .non amet, dies longiores habentem ¢ But of this place I will not (peak any more, left the Readers fhould be fomad, as toen- tertain a fulpicion,that Lam of the Order, I flat now therfore proceed to the Theory of the Brachmans,and this only fo far as their Hiftory will give me leave. J find Jarchas (b 3) thene . The Preface. then feated inhis Throne, and about him the veft of his Society, where having firft “placed Apollonius in the Seat Royal of Phraotes, Jarchas welcomes him with this unconfined Liberty :. Bebra 8 76 Bondy aes: dens yee iixers wdyla Adres * Propound (fad be) what Queftions thou wilt, : for thou-art come to Men that know all things. Here Tyancus puts in, and very wifely asks them, What Principles. the World was compounded of ? To this the Brachmans rep/y,It was compounded of the Elements. Js it made then (faith Apollonius ) of the foyr Elements? No (faid the great Javchas) but of -Five. Here the Grecian és puzzled, for befides Earth (faith he) and Water, Air and Fire, Iknow:not any thing: What then 1s ths fifth Subftance¢ Ir is (faith Jarchas) the Ather, which ts the Element of Spirits: for thofe Creatures which draw in the Air, are Mortal , but thofe which draw in the fither,are Immortal. And here 1 cannot but obferve the zrof' Ignorance of Apol- lonius, who being a brafet Pythagorean, had never heard of the Aither, thar famous Pythagorean Principle. The Preface. But let us come to his Second Queftion, which of all others doth mojt betray his weakne(S andinfufficiency. He requefts Jarchas to inform him, Which of the E- lements was firft made ¢ To this Abfur- dity the learned Brachman anfwers like himfelf : They were made (faid he) all atonce; andhe gives this Reaton for.it, Beciufe no living Creature is gencrated xt uigG, by peece-incals. This was a wholefom and a rational Tenct, for the Chaos was firft made, and in that all the Elements at one and the fame Inftant, for the World was-manifelted, and brought out of the Chaos, like a Chick out of an Eg. To this Apollonius replies like a pure Sophifter: Ad muft I think then (faith be) that the World is a living Creature ¢ Ui ys (faith Jarchas)vyids yryrdouns * Yes verily,if you reafon rightly, for it giveth Life to all things. © Shall we then (faith Tyaneus) call it a Male, or a Female Creature 2 Both, fad the wife Brachman: duds yee wure Evy fivbu@-, Ta unteds 78, G Ta- ree be rl Cowyovies mentld* For the World being a Compound of both Faculties , fupplies the Othice of Father and Mother (b 4) inThe Preface, in the Generation of thofe things that have life. We are now céme Yo Apollonius his laff Philofophical Quere, and forry I am that he had not the wit to propound either more or better Queftions, but we wouft take thems as they are, He.asks Jarchas,tohether the Earth or the Sea did exoeed in quanti- ty? Torhis the Indian replies, that if he only confider'd the Mediterranean, or fome other particular Channel, the Earth with- out queftion did exceed : but if you freak ¢ aid he) ress métzan rhb vy eg! Soles, consern- ing Huthidity, or Moifture in general, then verily the Earth is much leffer then the Water, for it is the Water that bears up the Earth. This indeed és found Reafon, and conformable buh .to Scripture «and Nature's for the very Spirit that animates and fappotts the Univerle, bath his Habi- tation tn the Water, / a And now I fuppofe it is apparent to the underftanding Readers (for othors 1 would not have) that the Brachmans were not a fabulows, fepertitions Society, drat men of afevere Dogrine,whofe Principles were anfiver able to the very Rigour of Na- ture, did did not wanton beyond her Law. L The Preface, I conld wifh Apollonius pad been more able todeal with them, but fothort was he of Philofophy, that be knew not sphar to ask them, and that ample Liberty which they gave him, was all of it. to no purpofe. This’ ts clear to fuch a know any thing out of bis former Queries, which we have already mentioned : bit rf swe lock on the reft of his Probtems,they are moft of them but fo many Hiftorical ‘Fables, which he brought with him out of Greece sind how he begins to thake his Budget, The firjt rhing comes out, ¥5 the Magliysexs, a Montter, which Mandevil could never mect withall > and then be gueftions Jarchas at} # xquoct sul @-, concerning a certain Water of the colour of Gold and this indeed might figni- fic fomething, bur that he underftood it li- terally of common,ordinary \Wcl\-fprings : und sbovefone Jarchas tels:bim, that he ne- vir heard of bis Mattichora, neither was it ever known, thet any Fountains of | golden Waters wid pring in India. But this is not all: In the Rear of this f range Beaft mitrch the Pygmies, the Sciapodes, and rhe ‘Macrocephali: ¥0 which might be added alt ‘the Animals ¥# Lucian’s Hiftory. But.as iThe Preface. we commonly fay, that there is no Smoak without fome Fire, fo amongst thefe for- reign Fables came in fome Indian Allego- ries, and probably the Brachmans them- elves had given them out, at once 10 de- clare and ob{cure their Knowledg. Theft Allegories are but two, and Jarchas infilts much nponthem,befides a folemn Acknow- ment: & yp) avisév> There is no reafon (faid he) but we fhould believe there are fuch-Things. The firlt of thefe two Myfte- ries ¥s the Pantarva,which Ficinus corrupt- by trenferibes Pantaura, and of this Apol- loniuis defired to know the Truth, namely; if there was fuch a Stone at all, and whether it was enriched with fo ftrange a Magne- tifm, as to attract ro it felf afl other preci- cious Stones ¢ This Queftion. the Brach- man: fatisfies experimentally , for he had this goodly Stone about him, and favour'd Apollonius with the fight thereof. But for onr better Intormation, let ws hear Jarchas bimfelf defcribe it, for he doth it fo fully, that’ a very ordinary Capacity may go a- long with him. This Stone (faith he) is ge- netated in.certain earthy Caverns, fome four yards deep, and hath in it {isch abun- . ; dance The Preface. dance of Spirit, that in’ the place of its: Conception, the Earth fwells up, and at laft breaks with the very Tumor. But to look out shis Stone, belongs not to ever Body, for it yanifheth away, unlefs it be extracted with all pofible Caution, only we that are Brachmans,by certain practifes of our own, can find out the Pantarva. Thefe are the words f Jarchas, where you fall obferve, That he hath confounded the ‘firtt and. fecond-Gencration of the Stone, it being ‘the Cuftom of the Philofophers never tocxprels their Myfteries diftindly. The {econd Birth then he bath fully and clearly difcovered, for when the Philofo- phers firft Earth is Moiftened with its own milk,ét fivells,being impregnated with fre- quent Imbibitions, rill at laft it breaks,and with a foft beat fublimes ; and then afcends the Heavenly Sulphur, being freed. from his Hell, for it leaves behind the Binarius, or Terra Damnata, and is no more a Pri- foner to that Drofs. This firft heavenly Sulphus és commonly called Petra ftellara, & Terra Margaritarum: de Raymund Lully calls i¢ Terram Terre, and in acer- tain place be deferibes it thus: Hac eft TinduyaThe Preface, Tindtura (ithe) que a vili Teved & fpoliat, 8& alia multum nobili teindwit fe, But elfewhere preforibing fome Caves for the Rorid Work, he exprefly mentions vhe fitht and fecond Sulphurs, céamnonly called Sulphura de Sulphuribus, Hoc (asthe). intelligitur de Terra que non eft feparara aVale, de Terva Terre. “This is enon, to prove the Affinity of the Pantarya, apd the Philofophers Stone: Let ws now ve- turn to Jarchas, for he proceeds in his In- ftructions, and Apollonius hears him to no Purpefe The Pantarva (faith be) after night difcovers a Fire as bright as-day, for ie Ys fiery and fhining : but if you look on it e in the day-time, it dusles rhe eye with cer- tain gleams or Corufcations. Whence this Light came,and what yt was,the Brachman was not ignorant of : 134% ari oBrmreted Rev dire su That Light ( {aid be) which fhines in it, is a Spiric of admirable Power, for itatrrags to it (elf all things that are near it. And here he tells Tyaneus, that if precious Stones were caft into the Sea,or into fomie River, and this toocon- fufedly, as being far {catered and dif- perféd one from another, yet this Magi- The Preface. cal Stone being lat down after them, would - bring them again together , for they would all move towards thePantarva,end clutter under it, like afwarm of Bees. This is all be tells hits 5 but in conclufion he produceth bis Pantarva, in plain terms he fhened hina tbs Philofophers Stone,and the miraculows Effects thereaf. The fecond Secret which Apollonius ftwmbled on, for he knew it not as a Secret,was the Gold of she Gryphons, and this alfa Jarchas doth acknowledge, but I fball farbear ta {peak of it, for 1 bald ii nox: altagether convenient. dt is time now to difmif? Apollonius, and bis Brachmans, and this I will do, but I foall firft prevent 2x Objcétion, though a forry onc, for Ignorance makes ufe of all Tools. to will be aid perhaps, I have been tao bold with Apollonius, wha, in the opi- anion of many men, and {uch as would bé theught learned, was avery great Philofo- ‘pher. To this I anfmer, that queftion nat any mans learning : let them think of themfclves as they pleale ; and if they can, les shem be anfwerable to their thoughts : But as for Apollonius, J fay, the noife of bis Miracles, like thofe of Xavier, may fil omeThe Preface. ifome credulous ears, and this fudden La- run may procure bim Entertainment: but had thefe Admirers perufed his Hiftory, they had not betray d fo much weaknels, as to allow him any {ober Character. _ It is true, Philoftratus attributes. many flrange performances to him, as that he fhould raile the Dead, free himfelf from Prifon, and fhake off his Chains, with as much Divinity as S, Peter himfelf: Nay; that pleadin with Domitian in a full Senate, be fhould suddenly vanith away , and be tranflated in amoment from Rome to Puteoli. Truly thefe are great effects 5 but if. we confider ~ only what Philoftratus bimsef will con- fels, we fhall quickly find that all thee ‘things are but bis Inventions. For in the Beginning of his Romance, where he would give his Readers an Accompt of his Mate- tials,and from what hands he received them, he tells us, that Damis, who was Apolloni- us his fellow-traveller, did write bis Life, and all the Occurrences thereof :. but .thefe Commentaries of Damis (faith he) were never publifhed 6y Damis bimfelf, only a friend of his, a Some-body, wescixav als, 4 certain familiar of Damis did, eee 5 them T he Preface. them tala 7% Bactaides to Julia the Queen. And here Philoftratus tells me, that this Quicen:commanded him to tran{cribe thefe Commentaries. ¢ feems then they were originally written i the Greek, and Phi- loftratus és 4 meer Tranfcribler, and no Author. This I cannot believe, for Damis was an Affyrian, and,as he himfelf. ‘confefl= eth, a very ignorant perfon, and altogether illiterate: but meeting with Apollonius, Eaanol te Sytbqy Baal va’ duis YuodeO-> and converfing with the Greeks, he alfo was al- moft made.aGrecian, but not altogether, not folearned a Grecian as to write Hiffo- ~~ | rics, andin a ftile Ieke that of Philoftratus, But this is not all: Our Author tells us of one Meeragenis, who had formerly written the Life of Apollonius i four Books: but this fellow ( ‘faith he) was ignorant of the Performances or Miracles of Tyancus. And what follows this Ignorance? *yag Moteanhid 78 resoedliov® We muft not there- fore believe Maragenis. And why not I befeech you? Becanfe forfooth he lived near, t not in the days of Apollonius, but never heard of thofe monftrous fables which Phi- loftratus afterwards invented. We . ft thenThe Preface. then believe Philoftratus himfelf, for he is 16 wessixav cis, not the familiar friend, bat the familiar {pirit of Apollonius : it was he indeed that wrought a t shefe Wonders, for Apollonius himjelf never wrought a- ny. Now forthe Learning of this Tyaneus (fince it is the pleafure of fome men to think ve learned) I muff conte for my part I cannot find it, The Philolophy that he pretended to, was that of Pythagoras, for thus be vants it 10 Vardancs the Babyloni- An: Seole F por Mdey des, Sauls dvdades Orc, Tam a Matter ((aith be}of the Wifdom of Pythagoras the Samian, he taught me the true form of worthipping the gods, and who of them are vifible, who invifible, and how I may come to {peak with them, How true this is, we may eafily know, if we look back on bis Education. His Tutor in the Pythagorean Principles was one Euxenus, 2 zotable Sot, and a meer Igno- rant,as Philoftratus tells ws, He was (faith eur Author ) az Epicure éx his courle of life s and for his Learning, he could only re- peat fome fentences of Pythagoras, but did aot underftand thers : and therefore he com- pares The Preface. ptires bits t0 vertain Mintic Birds, aboard taughe their tv sess and their Usds trove, but kvow ndt what the mords fignifie: Now what Infleuttions be was like to reccive from thes-man, Jet eny indifferent Reader jeg. But we hevt fomething more t0,fay: oof Apollonius whee he ns atBabyion, vould converte withthe gods, why did hy afterwards defite to de taught of men? For wher be comes to India; be reqnefts the Brachmans te teach bias she Art af Divie hation. Certately shad he been familiar wich Angéls and Spirits, be had not troubled. there with fuch aQueftion, Thefeindeed aredbe flips of Philoftcatus, wha had the Antof Lying, xe wavtedthe Art of Me- mory: Jn another place he tells us, that Apollonius wnder flood wdows garde arg wey, all the Languages thar men did k, and which 2 more miraculous, every their fecret Cogitations. This & mnchin~ deed, but fhortly afterwards be for jets shefe Prange perfections: for when brings bias co Phraotes , shat fortoms Eaftern’ Prince, there dosh he ufe ah Interpreter 5 fer Tyaneus, who ee wer fend ol be aneThe. Préface. languages, could not underftand.the lan- guage of the Princes and fo fw was he from knowing his fecret thoughts, that he did not know in how many languages he could exprefs thofe thoughts : for. when the Prince was pleafed to exprels himfelf in the Greek Tongue, Tyaneus was quite dejected, and did much wonder. how he came to be a Matter of that Dialect. Now if any man will fay, that the Brachmans did impart their My {terics to him, it ts ap- parent exough they did not. This ws it which even Damis tells ws: for Apol- lonius ( faith he ) requefted nothing of the Brachmans, but certain Divi- matory Tricks, by which he might foretell thingsto come. And here Jar- chas takes occafion to difcourfe with him about Revelations, for he fpeaks not of any Prognofticating Knacks, which this Greek did look after. He tells him then, that he judg'd bim a moft happy man, who could obtain any Fore-knowledg at the hands of God, and preach that to the Ignorant, which be did already forefee. As for Rules to divine by, 4e prefcribes nor any, for it ‘ was The Preface. was too grofs an Exror for {uch a Philofo- her as Himfelf: He only tells him, That ¢ flould lead a pure life, and keep himfelf fpotleS from the Fleth. one paflage in- deed there is, which I cannot omit : Jarchas informs Apollonius, that of all Gifts imparted to Man by Revelation, wbytsov 73 tis idrentis Deer; The chicfett ( aid he ) is the Gift of Healing, or Medicine. But this Heavenly, and moft Beneficial Truth, pollonius was not fenfible of : for he was fo great a ftranger to the Secrets of ees that he did not know what to ask Or, For my owmmpart, if 1 durft think him a Philofopher, Tonks feat Ln with the Stoics 5 for he was a great Matter of Moral Severities, and this is all the Cha- racter I can give him. As for Philoftratus, i We were not even with him,t fhould think @ bad much abuled us: for when he pew'd | his Hiftory, be allow'd us no Diferetion who were tocome after him, I could be for- ry for fome Abfurdities he hath faftened on | Jarchas, did not the Principles of that glo- vious Brachman refute them. ‘What they are, I Shall not tell you, for Lan confin'd toa (c 2) Pre-The Preface. Preface, and cannot proportion my Dif- courte to the defeits of my Subject. And here fome Critic may drop his Dif- ‘cipline, and bid me face about, for I ans wide of my Text, the Society of R.C. have indeed exceeded in my {ervice to the Brachmans, bat in all that there was, no Impertinency. J didit, to fhew the Cott- formity of the old and_new Profeffors: ° and this fofar from Digreffion, I can think it neay a Demontftration, For when ave have Evidence that Magicians have been, é¢ # proof alfo that they may bes fince it cannot be denyial, but Prefidents exclude Lmpoffibility. 1 hold it then worth our obfervation, that even thofe Magi,who came to Chrift himfelf , came from the Eaft: but as we cannot prove they were Brachmans, foneither can we pe they were not. Now if any man will be fo cro’, as to contend for the Negative, he fhall have my thanks for the advantage he al- lows tie, for then is muft follow, that the Batt afforded more Miapical Societies then one. Bat this point I need not infift — ons for the seated will aot deny , bat oi Wit The Preface. Wildom and Light: were fir? manifelted in the fame parts, namely,in the Eat, where the firft Man planted: and hence did the World receive nat only their Religion,but their Philofophy, for Cuftom. hath di- tinguithed thofe Two. From this Foun- tain alfo,this living, Oriental One, did the Brothers of R.C. draw their wholefom Waters : for their Founder received bis Principles at Damcar in Arabia, ¢s their Fama will infirud you as large, It was not . ami then, if I fpent my hour jn that bright Region,and payd a weak Gratitude to thofe Primitive Benefactors: for “tis a Law with me, Qui aquam hauris, puteum corona. But that I may come at laff to she Subject intended, 1 fhall confels for my part, beve wo acquaintance with this Fra- ternity as to their Perfons, but their Doétrine J am wat fomuch a ftranger to. And here, for the Readers fatisfa@tion, I Shall fpzwk fomething of it, not that I would difcover ar point at any particulars: for that’s akindnelS (as they themfelves pro- feff) which they have not for any man, nifi abfumpto Salis Modio, sil] they fir eat a Cc 3) BufhelThe Preface. Buhhel of Salt with him, They tell ws then, that the Fire and Spirit of God did work upon the Earth and the Water 3 .and ont of them did the Spirit extra? apure clear Subftance, which they call the Terreftrial Heaven: i this Heaven the Spirit (fay they) feated himlelf, impreSing his Image therein: and out of this Heavenly claxi- fied Extract, impregnated with the Influx and Image of the Spirit, was form’d. that moft noble Creature, whom we call Man. This firft matter of Man (as they defcribe it) was aliquid tranfparent Salt, a certain bright Earth, purified by a fupernatural Agent, and temper’d with a ftrange un@uous Humidity, enlightened with all the Tindtures of the Sun and Stars, It was and ts the Mincra of all Creatures, and this Society doth acknowledg it to be their wery Bafis, and the firft Gate that leads.to all their. Secrets. This Earth or Water (call it which you will, for it is bothy.na- turally pence their Agent,but tt comes not totheir hands without Art. . By their Agent J underftand: their Fire, commonly called Mas. Aque, Vulcanus, Sol invifi- bilis, The Preface. bilis, Filius Solis, Aftrum inferius, Faber occultus, Intrinfecus; witha thoufand other names. It is {ans all Metaphors 43 Odov wig, x ravlizespov' and that I ma {peat Truth even in the phrafe of Arifto- tle, it ts Octsrseov sorycion, Yoivdrcyov aS ray ascavsorxea. This that Fire which Zo- roafter calls Burvestidly xoos Luylas x aig Congserore In plain terms, it is the Tincture of the Matrix, 4 fiery, radiant Soul, that calls up another Soul Like it felf: for it awakes the Anima of the Mer- cury, which is almoft dvown'd in acold an phegmaric Lethe. And here Reader, let at be thy Endeavor to underftand the Philofophers: for they tell us, that God at firft created the Chaos, and afterwards divided it énto three Portions. of the firft be made the Spiritual World, of the fecond the Vifible Heavens, and their Lights , but the third and worlt part was appointed for this Sublunary Building. Out of this courfe and remaining Portion he extraéted the Elemental Quinteffence, or firft Matter of all Earthly Things , and of this the four Elements (for there is (c 4) fachThe Preface. {soba bokd Axithenctic) were made. Now ‘Reader guels, if thou dof know tha Mats ter, for it may be thew axt ove of thafe mba cenoerve themfelyes iebeSome-body. J tell shee this Theory: ss Raymund’Lul- ly’s, and anton canft make nothing of it, I cae without a figure rot thes how wile phon art. Fhereare in the World as ws | forts of Salts, ar shere ave Species, andt Sahs differ as the Species do, namely, Bf. fentially , for she Specific Forms lie is the Salt. Now learn of me,shas there is no teuéPhyfie, bus whar ts in Sales for Sale seas never knownte putrifie, nay i hinders Putrifadion asd Corruption in atl things, and whas hinders Corruptian, Bin- ders alt Difeafes, Now it is evident to all jhe World, thar Salt bindery Corruption, anda Solution of she parts, and this not daly in living Fhings, but ever in dead Bodies + for if hey be fealon’d with Salr, than ave whey preferved, and Corruption odines not aw them. I+ 19 tobe obferved, soa? Virgillip the Cure of Aincas brings in 4i4 Mother Venus witha Panacea, or an Univeral Medicine: 7 eat ---occulte The Preface. —orenk’ Medi jeque falubr Arobrofiz foes, eokone Panacea . his word # much abufed by certain Al- chimitts, a they call shemfelves > bur Ser- vius wpon the Place sels ws, it + Nomen mirécompofitum , and he obferves ont of Je Lucretius, that the Panacea mss Salt, Jt is true, thar if'we conld putrifie Salt, it wonld difeover all heMy fteries of Nacure, for it hath all the Tin@turesin it: but to deftroy shi fubftance , # « bard task, for he that would do it ynust do fomething more, then Death can do, for even her Preroga- tive comes not {o far. Howfoever it cannot be denyed,but fome W ie men have attain'd to the putrifaction of Salts, but this Key they received from God, and it is the great Secret of their Art, What I admire moft in tt, ts this: Thas when is is kil’d , it dyes not, but recovers to a better life , whieh ws a very ftrange priviledge. o2 the con- trary, if fome Animal dyes , if an Herb withers , or if fome mettak be calcin’d and the parts thereof truly feparated , we can, never reftore themeagain: but this Myfti- cal fubftance , sis Root of the world, if you