The other on the contrary, though more subtill and essential rusheth out here below toward the earth, as if these two aspired incessantly to encounter each other, and to face each other, in the fashion of two Pyramides; whereof that above should have its basis planted in the Zodiack, where the Sunne perfects his annuall course through the 12 Signs: from the point of which Pyramis, comes to cast here below all that which is here procreated, and hath being, according to the Astrologers of Ægypt; that there is nothing produced in the earth, and in the water, which was not first sowed in heaven, which is there, as a labourer to cultivate it, and by his heate, impregned here below, with the efficacy of his influences, conducts the whole to its compleat perfection and maturity, which Aristotle also confirmes in his bookes of Beginning and Ending. But the fire here below on the contrary at the basis of his Pyramis, fastned to the earth, making one of six faces of the Cube, whereof the Pythagoreans give him the forme and figure, because of its forme, and invariable stability; and from the point of this Pyramis the subtill vapours mount upwards, which serve as nourishment to the Sun, and to all the rest of the Celestiall bodies, according as Phurnutus writeth after others. Men attribute (saith hee) inextinguished fire unto Vesta, peradventure for that the power of fire that is in the world, takes it nourishment from thence, and that from thence the Sunne is maintained and consisteth. This is that also, that Hermes would inferre in his Table of Emeraudes: That which is below, is as that which is above, and contrarywise, to perpetrate miracles of one thing. And Rabbi Joseph the sonne of Carnitol in his ports of Justice, the foundation of all the inferior ædifices is placed above, and their heap or top here below as a Tree inverted. So that a man is but as a spirituall tree planted in the Paradise of delights, which is the earth of the living, by the roots of his haires; following that which is written in the Canticles 7. The haire of thy head like purple, the King is bound in the Galleries.
These two fires then, the high and the low, who do know themselves, and so one another, have beene no lesse unknowne to the Poets, for Homer in the 18 of his Iliads, having placed Vulcans forge in the eighth starry heaven, where he is accompanied with his Artisans endowed with singular prudence, and who know two sorts of workes, which were taught them by the immortall Gods, wherein they labour in his presence; Virgill in his 8 of the Æneads hath suffered him to set his shop here below in the earth, in an Island called Vulcanian.
Vulcans house, and by name, Vulcans earth.
To shew that there is fire in the one, and the other Region, the Celestial, and Elementary; but diversly: Men make moreover four sorts of fire; that of the intelligible world, which is all light; the Celestiall participates of heate and light; the Elementary of light, heate, and ardour; And the infernall opposite to the intelligible, with ardor and burning without light; we see Lanthornes upon Mountaines that burne on the inside, and other like called Vulcans. And it is a thing very admirable, as one of the Rabbins quoteth, that Sulphur & Pitch that are so ready and easy to take fire, and continue so little in their combustion being exposed to the aire, restrained neverthelesse within the Earths intrails, it seemes they there renew themselves, and multiply by their owne consumption, although their heat and burning bee there much more violent without comparison, then here above. According as wee may see in Mountaines that burn for so many continued ages, and hot Bathes. This seemes to emancipate from the common order of Nature by a secret disposition of Divine providence, who will have them continue so; till the scurf and impurity of this inferiour world be exterminate, with this infected stinking and corruptible odor; and to banish it from hence and send it backe to hell for the punishment and torment of the damned; whereof it is written in Psal. 11. 6. Upon the wicked hee shall raine snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest, this shall bee the portion of their Cup. This fire there, which is blacke, obscure, thicke, and dark, the more devouring and burning it is, resembles that of some great coales of stone, which conceive a most strong ignition, whereof it is spoken in the 20 of Job 26. A fire shall devour them which is not kindled. And more particularly in the 4 of Baruch 26. Fire shall come upon them from the everlasting to continue many dayes, and Devils shall a long time dwell there.
There where the Celestial fire is all clear and shining as a lamp, whose flame should bee nourished with water of Life, mingled with a certaine composition of Camphire, Salnitre, and other inflamative matters. So that these combustible substances, whereof there are infinite varieties, may endure very long, but it is true that it will bee but a gentle and weak flame. And of the like, but more subtill without comparison, the Celestiall bodies are nourished and fed, that need but little nourishment, as approaching from spirituality. I can tell you, being at any other time brought, to make the fashion of a shining Sunne, in the darke, [P. 72.] Lamp. (it was a fire of a Lampe) so glittering, that a whole great Hall might bee therewith rather dazled, then lightened; for this did more effect then two or three dozen of great Torches, and yet in 24 houres used no more oile then I gave it, with matches corresponding thereunto, which held no more then a nut shell, for this was a Lampe of Glasse, plunged or dipped within a Globe of Crystall as great as a head filled with vinegar, distilled three or foure times; for there is nothing more transparent, nor more splendent. Sea water is also good thereto, and much better then fresh water, how pure soever it may bee; It it the Salt mingled among that gives it this luminous brightnesse.
But to returne to our discourse, some have thought that sith the Starres receive nourishment, they should also vanish in certaine periods of time, and others come in their stead; which were no other thing then a separation of their clearnesse and light, with their Globe of substance more grosse and materiall, by which they come to dissipate themselves, and to vanish within the heaven; as vitall spirits within the aire: whilest they are absented from some animated body, and leave it void of life. So that by this meanes, their Globe from this time forward would remaine darke as a Lampe, whereby light, which before gave it light, should bee quenched for lacke of nourishment, or other accident. This light or luminous fire is in the Starres, as the bloud is in animals, or juice in vegetables, whereto Homer seemes willing to grant in the 5. of his Iliads, where he puts, that for as much as the Gods do not live by bread and wine, as mortalls, but by Ambrosia and Nectar, so they have no bloud, but in lieu thereof, a substance which they call ιχὼρ ιχὼρ which is as it were a subtill saltish waterishnesse: hindering corruption in animals, and all other composed Elements; but wee must here a little better cleare this, for the great affinity that the Sunne and Fire have together: Wee must then understand, that the Sunne arising by its attraction elevates the spirits of the earth, which are of two natures, (a moist vapour including, and a dry vapour included) are together exalted, (saith the Philosopher in the 5. of his Meteors) the one hot and moist, as is the Aire and Water, potentially; this which is properly called Vapour; the other hot and dry, of the nature and power of fire, called Exhalation. The first resolves into water, as raines, snowes, hailes, mists, fogges, and other such moist impressions as are formed of this vapour, in the middle Region of the Aire, for being grosse and heavy, they cannot mount higher, but afterwards being thickned, and congealed by the cold that resides there, they fall backe here below, more materiall then those which were not mounted from thence, and at last, all do resolve into water. The second, called Exhalation, is subdivided into three kindes; the first, more viscous, grosse, and heavy, is that whereof your fires are formed, which are called Castor and Pollux, otherwise Saint Herme; the foole fires, and the like, which cannot mount higher then the low Region of the Aire: the second is a little lighter, more subtill, and depured, penetrating even to the middle Region, [P. 75.] where thunders and lightnings are formed, the wandring starres, barres of fire, cheurons, and other such inflamations. The third, is yet more dry and light, and more free from unctuosity, almost of the nature of that Quintessence, which we observe in Aqua vitæ soveraignly depured: therefore it may mount not onely to the highest Region of the Aire, and that of Fire contiguous; but escape yet whole and safe higher then the Heaven, with which, for its greatest subtilty and depuration which it hath gotten in this long way, it hath a great conformity: For being come to the Globe of the Sun, it is there perfected to concoct and to digest into a pure and cleare light; for the nourishment, as well of it selfe, as of other starres; the same that Pliny toucheth in the 8 and 9 chapters of his second booke: So that the Starres receive all their light and nourishment from the Sunne, after that it hath been there concocted and fitted, and not by the forme of reflexion, as from its raies, which would lessen themselves either in water, or in a looking Glasse; for all that which participates of fire, hath need of nourishment. This is done as in the Animall, where the most pure bloud, comes from the Liver to empty it selfe through the Arteries into the heart which conducts it to its last perfection for the nourishment of Spirits. But this must be understood, if these Exhalations and vapours finde issue atwhart the pores and spongiosities of the Earth, to evaporate upwards. Tuffe [p. 76.] a kind of white Sand, or soft and brittle Stone. But if peradventure it meet with Tuffe, or Sand, or the like lets, and hindrances, which do contradict them, or let them, they stay there and wax thicke, for procreation of minerals: that is to say, a hot and a dry exhalation, in the nature of Brimstone, and a moist vapour in the nature of Quicksilver; not vulgar, but a substance yet spirituall and full of fume, from the assembling of which two, in a subtill vapour, they come to procreate in themselves afterwards by a long continuance of time, metals, and meane minerals, according to the purity or impurity of their coagulated substances; and the temperature, defect, or excesse of the heat that recocts them in the entrails of the earth. Without going from my intention of the foresaid exhalations, I thought fit to touch a little upon an experiment whereunto I arrived by my industry, which I thinke will not be disagreeable. Take good old Wine, and put therein a certaine quantity of Salnitre, and Camphire, in a Platter upon a fire pan, within a Closet well firmed, that aire cannot enter, and make it evaporate therein, and that there be no more covering then the thicknesse of the backe of a knife, to give it so much aire as it must have, to make it burne. This being done, shut well your little window, that nothing may vapour out after you have withdrawne the dish, or platter, from thence to 10. 20. or 30. yeares; provided that the aire do not enter, and that the winde blow not in; bringing in thither a lighted waxe candle, you shall see infinite little fires capring as lightnings in the great heats of Summer, which are not accompanied with thunders and lightnings, nor with stormes, windes, and raines, having nothing but an inflamation of Aire, by reason of Saltpeter, and Sulphur, which are elevated from the Earth.
Before wee passe from our intention of vapours and exhalations, that no man doubts but do proceed from heat introduced within the earth by the continuall motion of the heaven round about, and of the Celestial bodies, whence light is accompanied with some heat that it darts thereinto: Let us come to the experiments next approaching to our sensible knowledge; wee see, that the fire leaves two sorts of excrements, the one grosser, namely, Ashes; remaining in the bottome of its adustion, that containeth Salt and Glasse; and the two fixed and solid Elements, Fire and Earth: The other more light, and subtill, which the fume carries upwards; that is, the Soote, wherein are contained the two volatill and liquid Elements, called by the Chymists, Mercury and Sulphur, and by the Naturalists, Vapour, and Exhalation. By Mercury, is designed Water, or Vapour, and by Sulphur, Oile, and Exhalation; Of Salt and of Earths therein, there are found a very small quantity, yet sufficient, thereby to perceive how the four Elements are found out in the resolution of all the composed Elementaries: Take then the Soote of Chimney, but of that which shall mount highest in a very long Chimney pipe, and in the very top, where it must bee most subtill, thereof fill a great Cornue, or an Alembic two parts of three, then apply thereunto a great recipient, which you wrap about with linnen wet with fresh water. Give fire by small quantities, the water and the oil will distill together, although the water ought in order to issue out first. After that, all these two liquors shall passe through the Recipient, and when nothing else shall arise, increase your fire with faggot stickes well dryed, or other like, continuing it for 8 or 10 houres, so long that the earths which shall rest in the bottome bee well calcined: but for that they are in small quantity put to more Soote, and continue it as aforesaid, untill you have earth enough which you shall take out of the Alembic, which you shall put into a little earthen pot, of Parris, not smoothed, or in a little hollow pot. The water and oile, which you shall have distilled may be easily separated by a glasse fonnell, where the water will swimme above the oile: This done you shall rectify your water by Balneum Mariæ, by redistilling of it two or three times; for oile doth not mount by this degree of fire but by Sand; keepe them asunder upon the earths, that shall be calcined within the said pot or cruset, put their water thereon a little warme stirring it with a spit, so long till the Salt which shall therein bee revealed by the fires action, do totally dissolve it selfe into this Water; withdraw it by distillation, and the Salt shall bee left you in the bottome, of the nature of Salarmoniac, so that by pressing it, it will elevate it selfe. But of this more plainely hereafter in its owne place, when we shall speake of Salt. Of Earthes wee need not take much care, for wee must seeke for the best in the Ashes, as also fixed Salt. So by the meanes of Water, extracted out of ashes (we will here a little passe from Soote, a little better to declare the subject of Earthes.)
In this Element the more grosse and materiall of all, which wee call Earth, we must consider three substances; the Hebrewes also have better distinguished them then we, by giving them 3 names, Erehs, Adamah, and Jabassah. Erehs is properly durt or mud, Jabassah sand, and Adamah clay, wash of the common earth with water, and powre it suddainly into another vessell, with the slime that it hath gathered; reiterate it so long, that there remaine no more in the bottome but Sand, in the Scripture called Arida: And his hands laid the foundation of the earth, Psal. 94. where he properly useth the word of laying a foundation, because that Sand is the subsistence and retention of the earth, where it is mingled with slime by a certaine providence of nature to strengthen it against the moisture of water, as wee see in Morter, where wee adjoine sand with chalke, for feare lest it melt, and dissolve into moisture. It serves also, to give it counterpoise, for that Sand is very heavy, A stone is heavy, and sand burdensome, or weighty, Prov. 27. But the slime is lighter, wherein minerals, vegetables, animals, are procreated, as wee see by experience, by putting pure slime to the Erthree; for in lesse then three weekes, you will finde therein small stones, herbs, wormes, and snailes, and other little beasts, producted therefrom. Of the nourishment remaining that these individuals shall bee, as that of Sand, deprived of all humidity; according to what wee see in Earths, which having beene too much cultivated, and sowed, without bettering of them, are reduced from being fertill, as formerly they were, and become sandy and sterill; for Sand produceth nothing, as wee see in Deserts and Sea coasts: whence comes this proverbe, (You plough the Sands) for a vaine and unprofitable labour: for of the two qualities, whereof each Element participates, there is one that is more proper to it, and the other appropriated: Drynesse, is the proper quality of the Earth, for that cold is more proper to Water: wherefore is it that the Earth, as aforesaid, is called in Hebrew Jabassah, and in Greeke ξηρός dry land; and God called the earth dry land. Slime is more waterish; for of the grosseness of the water, earth was made, saith Hermes; as wee may see in snow, in hail, in raine, or with water so condensed, there is much slime mingled, of which (as aforesaid) every thing here in the earth below is produced. Man himselfe according to his body, was formed of this slime; and from thence it followeth that all the fertility of the earth comes from Water. God created all the buddes of the earth before they grew, and all the herbes of the field before they brought forth seed; for the Lord God had not yet made it to raine upon the earth, but a mist went up therefrom, that watered the whole face thereof. Or as the Chaldaick Paraphrast turneth it, Onkelos, in stead of source and fountaine, vapour and clouds, which are engendred from the vapours that the Sunne elevates here below to the height in the middle Region of the Aire, from thence to water the earth. But neither the slime, nor the sand, nor the clay on the other side, are not each by it selfe, nor reduced together, are this virgin and pure earth, that is shut up in the Center of all the composed Elements, that is to say, in the bottome of them, for that produceth nothing, because it is incorruptible: and that which cannot corrupt, cannot produce any thing that should be subject to corruption; as we see in Fire, Salt, and Sand, which are of the nature of Glasse, all substances not onely incorruptible for their respect, but which preserves from corruption, that wherewith they are mingled; witnesse herbs, fruits, flesh, fish, and other the like, which being salted or buried in Sand are thereby kept the longer. And in Mummies, of those that remaine choked and buried in the Sands passing the Deserts, which are preserved whole many suits of yeares, even as well, nay better then if they had been enbalmed. So that this earth is formed of two incorruptible substances, Salt, and Sand, by meanes of the water which is thereupon congealed; as wee see in this faire Crystalline Glasse, made of Salt, of glasse wort, amongst which they mingle sand to retaine it; otherwise, in the great sharpnesse of fire that it must indure, to worke therewith, it would all vanish into smoake; wee depure and refine it afterwards in cleare Crystalline, joining thereunto perigort, or sinople made of Lead.
Their are some that carry their Sand with them, as Foulgere, Charme, or Fouteau, firebrakes, charme, or beech, and some others.