But wee sufficiently see trees and bushes growing along the sea-shore, and even in the very sea: yet Plutarch insisteth that those that grow along the shore of the Red-sea, are there procreated & nourished with the slime which the flouds carry thither, and fall therein; which he might have spoken more properly of the greater sea, otherwise called Pontus Euxinus. And Plinie lib. 18. cha. 22. that the herbs which grow within the water are nourished with rains: but it would follow, that if so, they should procreate in all other places where it rains indifferently.
Aristotle with better reason refers it to the grosse and unctuous saltnesse which is therewith mingled. Salt being fat and unctuous, which is the cause that salt water doth not so easily quench fire, as fresh water. But this saltnesse is equall throughout all the sea. Plinie himself lib. 19. ch. 11. specifies, Certain herbes which salt waters do much profit. These are secrets of Nature to which mans discourse can hardly arrive. For herbs by a providence thereof may well suck and draw from salt water, a fresh or sweet substance wherewith they are procreated and nourished as the fishes.
But this is not our principall drift: we have here endeavoured to shew that Salt is not unfruitfull, but the cause of fertility provoking venereall appetite, whence Venus is said to be begotten of the sea; if men give salt unto animalls to heat them the more, and make them eat salt as Plutarch puts it in his 3. queston of Naturall causes. And wee see by experience, that in ships laden with salt, rats and mice, are sooner engendred then in others; this which must so much the more cry down salt in regard of holy things, from whence all mutability and lubricity must be bannished; but salt is in the number of things that are applyed to the good, and to the bad part. Of the good we have heretofore alledged many places. Of the bad for the sterility, Gen. 14. 3. All shall assemble themselves in the wild valley which is now the sea of salt. And in the 19. chap. 26. as also in the 10. of Wisdome, v. 7. of Lots wife, who for her incredulity and disobeying the Angels voice, she was turned into a pillar of salt: And Judges 9. 45. the habitations of Rebells and Traitors were razed and sowed with salt. And in the 2 of Zephaniah v. 9. Moab shall be as Sodome, a desolation of nettles, and thistles and heaps of salt.
But we see upon the ebbing and flowing of the salt pits in the Marshes of Zaintonge, where they empty the durt, which are as salt as the sea it self, where it produceth the best wheat, that possibly can be, and in great quantity, and very excellent wines also: But there is another consideration in that, as in Marle, and in the dry places of Ardonne, where they burne the cuttings of trees, of 7 or 8 years, as also quick chalk which supplies the place of dung in their grounds: for those ashes would produce nothing of themselves, no more then Marle or salt, but they are the cause of production because they warm and fatten the land. There is yet another reason, that Plutarch alledgeth, That throughout where there is Salt nothing can grow thick, or be close together; which constipation would hinder herbs to thrust out: Moreover many medicaments and remedies do come from salt: whereupon I will not here lose time, on that which Plinie, Dioscorides and others, have set down and treated of cursorily and in hast, with closed eyes one after another, not having made proof thereof; add to this, it is so triviall and beaten as nothing more, but will touch here, in passing the Countrey, an experiment, whereof I have seen very admirable effects in burning feavers and unquietnesse, where they could not take rest. It is a frontall made in this manner.
Take the yolk of a fresh Eg, and as much gross salt, beat them together in shape of an ointment, which you shall apply to your forehead, between two folded linnen clothes: It doth not coole the brain, nor cause such accidents; as conserve of Roses do, Oxyrhodinon likewise, and brings much more comfort.
FINIS.
Transcriber’s Note:
This e-text is based on the 1649 edition. Obvious punctuation errors and doubled words have been tacitly removed. Obsolete, inconsistent, and alternative spellings have been left unchanged unless the sense of the respective phrase would be incomprehensible.