SUBSECT. 4. Pretious stones, Metals, Minerals, Alteratives.

Pretious stones are diversly censured; many explode the use of them or any Minerals in Physick, of whom Thomas Erastus is the chief, in his Tract against Paracelsus, and in an Epistle of his to Peter Monavius, That stones can work any wonders, let them believe that list, no man shall perswade me, for my part I have found by experience there is no vertue in them.

But Matthiolus in his comment upon Dioscorides, is as profuse on the other side in their commendation; so is Cardan, Renodeus, Alardus, Rueus, Encelius, Marbodeus, &c. Matthiolus specifies in Corall: and Oswaldus Crollius Basil. chym. prefers the salt of Corall. Christoph. Encelius lib. 3. cap. 131. will have them to be as so many severall medicines against melancholy, sorrow, fear, dulnesse, and the like;

Renodeus admires them, besides they adorn Kings Crowns, grace the fingers, enrich our houshold stuffe, defend us from enchantments, preserve health, cure diseases, they drive away grief, cares, and exhilarate the minde. The particulars be these.

Granatus a pretious stone so called, because it is like the kernels of a Pomegranate, an unperfect kinde of Ruby, it comes from Calecut; if hung about the neck, or taken in drink, it much resisteth sorrow, and recreats the heart. The same properties I find ascribed to the Jacinth and Topaze, They allay anger, grief, diminish madnes, much delight and exhilarate the minde, If it be either carried about, or taken in a potion, it will increase wisdome, saith Cardan, expell fear; he brags that he hath cured many mad men with it, which when they laid by the stone, were as mad again as ever they were at first.

Petrus Bayerus lib. 2. cap. 13. veni mecum. Fran. Rueus, cap. 19. de gemmis, say as much of the Chrysolite, a friend of wisdome, an enemy to folly. Pliny lib. 37. Solinus cap. 52. Albertus de lapid. Cardan. Encelius lib. 3. cap. 66. highly magnifies the vertue of the Beryll, it much availes to a good understanding, represseth vain conceits, evil thoughts, causeth mirth, &c.

In the belly of a swallow there is a stone found called Chelidonius, which if it be lapped in a fair cloath, and tied to the right arm, will cure lunaticks, mad men, make them amiable and merry. There is a kinde of Onyx called a Chalcidonye, which hath the same qualities; availes much against phantastick illusions which proceed from melancholy, preserves the vigour and good estate of the whole body.

The Eban stone which Goldsmiths use to sleeken their gold with, born about or given to drink, hath the same properties or not much unlike.

Levinus Lemnius Institut. ad vit. cap. 58. amongst other Jewels makes mention of two more notable; Carbuncle and Corall, which drive away childish fears, Divels, overcome sorrow, and hung about the neck repress troublesome dreams, which properties almost Cardan gives to that green coloured Emmetris, if it be carried about, or worn in a ring; Rueus to the Diamond.

Nicholas Cabeus a Jesuit of Farrara, in the first book of his magneticall Philosophy, cap. 3 speaking of the vertues of a loadstone recites many severall opinions; some say that if it be taken in parcels inward, si quis per frusta voret, juventutem restituet, it will like vipers wine, restore one to his youth, and yet if carried about them, others will have it to cause melancholy; let experience determine.

Mercurialis admires the Emerald for his vertues in pacifying all affections of the mind; others the Saphyre, which is the fairest of all precious stones, of skye colour, and a great enemy to black choler, frees the mind, mends manners, &c. Jacobus de Dondis in his Catalogue of Simples, hath AmberGreece, os in corde cervi, the bone in a Stags heart, a Monocerots horn, Bezoars stone (of which elsewhere) it is found in the belly of a little beast in the East Indies brought into Europe by Hollanders and our country-men Merchants. Renodeus cap. 22. lib. 3. de ment. med. saith he saw two of these beasts alive in the Castle of the Lord of Vitry at Coubert.

Lapis Lazuli and Armenus because they purge, shall be mentioned in their place.

Of the rest in brief thus much I will adde out of Cardan, Renodeus cap. 23. lib. 3. Rondoletius lib. 1. de Testat. c. 15. &c. That almost all Jewels and pretious stones, have excellent vertues to pacifie the affections of the mind, for which cause rich men so much covet to have them: and those smaller Unions which are found in shells amongst the Persians and Indians, by the consent of all writers, are very cordial, and most part avail to the exhilaration of the heart.

Most men say as much of Gold, and some other Minerals, as these have done of pretious stones. Erastus still maintains the opposite part. Disput. in Paracelsum cap. 4. fol. 196. he confesseth of gold, that it makes the heart merry, but in no other sense but as it is in a misers chest: at mihi plaudo simulac nummos contemplor in arcâ, as he said in the Poet, it so revives the spirits, and is an excellent receit against Melancholy,

For Gold in Physick is a cordial, Therefore he loved Gold in special.