Section II, Book 3, member 1, chapter 6: The admirable effects of sympathy (part 3 of 4)

Certain Problematicall Demonstrations, to confirm the Member of the foresaid Proposition.

This Member, for the better explication of our purpose, we must divide into three Articles or Particles, whereof the first shall prove, That the transplanted spirit maketh the unguent, into the which it is committed, a Magnet unto the wounded person: The Second, That it is the onely guider and director of the oyntments force, and conductor of his balsamick faculty unto the wounded spirit: And the last shall demonstrate, how a weak and impotent spirit operateth but weakly of it self, and yet by the assistance of a sounder and stronger nature, it is refreshed, and becommeth strong again.

Demonstrations confirming the contents of this Members first Article.

Touching the first Article of this Member, which maketh the transplanted spirit the cause, that the oyntment is magneticall, we prove it thus.

1 Problem.

Experience hath taught us, and Baptista Porta confirmeth so much, that if a weak Load-stone be hid in the dust of Steel for a season, it will become more strong and powerfull in his attraction, also the Steel will be bettered by his nature. But Paracelsus commeth more near in his relation, and saith, That by heating of the Load-stone, and extinguishing of him in an oyle of Crocus Martis, which is made of the best Carinthian Steel, so often, till it will imbibe no more, it will so corroborate this Load-stone, that it will have ten times more force then it had, in attraction,

Application.

By a like relation, the weak spirits in the transplanted blood being imbibed by the animal unguent, which hath the self-same relation unto the spirituall Mummy in it, as the oyl of Crocus Martis hath unto the weak spirits in the Load-stone, will be revived and recreated in his magnetick vigour, and being mingled with his unctuous like, will make a compounded Magnet, which will draw his like spirits more strongly by far, then it could before. Again, as the small or weak Magnet doth recover force, by being buried in the dust, or ferruginous earth, which is of his nature; so also the bloody spirits being interred in the unctuous earth of his own nature, doth by the attraction of his like from the fountain of blood, and of the salutary spirit from the oyntment, so unite it self unto the oyntment, that it createth by emanation a fit Magnet, which communicateth his balsamick nature unto them both, and by attraction of the spirit of the wounded member, it rendreth it self medicinable; so that by a continuity and integrity of spirit, it conferreth, through an immediate spirituall contact, the balsamick spirit of the Uznea, and other unctuous ingrediences, into the wound. Do we not observe, that the water which passeth or runneth by a heap of salt, doth endue wholly the vertue of the salt, though the stream of it be long, and doth communicate that nature from one extream unto the other: And much more the aire will carry the nature of the place it passeth by afar off, and yet all that aire so animated, will be continuate, and therefore much more that subtle celestiall spirit which doth inhabit the aire.

2 Problem.

Iron being touched, doth recreate other Iron by touching it, and instructeth it unto magneticall motions.

Application.

By the like proportion in the Animal kingdom, the transplanted spirit being first animated by his southern or living fountain, doth animate and recreate magnetically the unguent, so that it doth operate upon the wounded man's spirit, being emanated and attracted unto it by bettering of his wounded nature, through his balsamick emission.

3 Problem.

Set a Load-stone of no force or strength that can be perceived, upon a Load-stone of good strength and vigour, especially upon the poles, and he will shew a vigour, as if he were as strong as the other Load-stone, whereunto he was united; but after he is taken away, he will be as weak as he was before, unless it be done again often. The self-same effect followeth, if a piece of Iron be placed on a strong Load-stone, but take it away from the Stone, and almost all the vertue will be lost.

Application.

In the like manner, the weak northern blood being transplanted into the oyntment, and applying it self unto the lively spirit's emanation, by the preservation and corroboration of the oyntment, waxeth strong, and draweth or operateth effectually, rendring the whole oyntment magneticall. But if it happen, that the oyntment be either pared off from the place of the weapon, in which the spirits did penetrate, (as Sir Bevis Thelwel did prove on the ax that wounded the Wheeler) or be struck or wiped off, (as did happen unto the ax that wounded the Ship-wright, by the striking down unadvisedly of Sir Nicholas G[…]lburn's hilt of his sword) then it will leave his vertue which it received from the bloody spirits in the live man, and the balsamick uncture of the unguent; and therefore will the wound by that division, be as dolorous, or more painfull, than before: But if the oyntment be reapplyed unto the place again, and it be wrapped warm, the magneticall concourse will be renewed and the dolour will forthwith cease, as it hath been tryed by many; and this distemper is not made by the cold aire onely, causing a chill dolour in the wound, but also by the heat of the fire it becommeth inflamingly or burningly dolorous: For Mr. James Virot, sometimes my servant, but now Apothecary unto the Queen, and dwelling in Black-Friers, did this last year make of the unguent; and for a tryall, did wound with his Lancet a man in the arm, and afterward did annoint the Lancet, and applyed it to the fire, that the oyntment melted, and the Lancet waxed hot; and it so fell out, that at that instant the wounded person found so great a burning pain in his wound, that he could not endure it; and then immediately he annointed it again, and the wound was forthwith pacifick, and healed immediately. The Apothecary is extant, and will be ready to maintain it. The same is better confirmed by this Problem.

4 Problem.

If a weak Magnet be rubbed at one of his poles with a stronger Load-stone, it will be bettered by it by his vigour and vertue, if not augmented in power.

Application.

The very same proportion of action, is between the Mummy in the nails and hair, and the vegetable Magnet; as also between that in the transplanted blood, and in the oyntment: for the vegetable Magnet or Oke did reduce the occult and secret Mummy in them, from puissance unto act, by opening the closets of nature, no otherwise than the earth doth the grain of Wheat by rotting; and even so also is the potentiall or northern nature of the spirituall bloody Mummy, being extracted and reduced unto action, by the unctuous earth, or magnetick oyntment.

5 Problem.

If the magneticall Needle, being first touched with a Load-stone, be made red-hot in the fire, it will lose all his polar puissance or vertue, and directive faculty; but if it be freshly touched again, it will recover his vertue and act again.

Application.

So by converting the Proposition for eadem est ratio contrariorum, the reason of contraries point at one and the same. If the transplanted blood, which was touched magnetically with the spirit of life, be frozen or congealed with cold, it loseth all his strength, and operative and directive vertue; but if it be conforted by the oyntment, and re-animated with the Southern or vitall spirit, as before, it will not onely wax alive and act again, but also render the oyntment magneticall, and direct it in his course unto the member affected.

6 Problem.

If there be a thin plate of Steel fastned unto the neather pole of the Magnet or Load-stone, namely, between the Load-stone and the way of it, then the Magnet will lift double, and sometimes decuple, or ten-times so much as it did. From this practice began the capping or arming of the Load-stone with Steel or Iron, after divers manners.

Application.

So is the translated northern blood rightly compared unto the Load-stone, and the Oyntment to the capping or arming with Iron: For by uniting the frozen blood unto the Ointment, the attractive power and Magnetical force is far the greater, and is able to suck and draw strongly unto it, the Southern spirit of lively blood in the wounded. I prove this better, by this Problem following.

7. Problem.

If two Load-stones, armed with two teeth a-piece be set before us; the one being strong the other weak, or much less, whose Axis or Diameter betwixt the teeth is equall, and of like length; then set the teeth of these together, that came from contrary Poles and parts, and the stronger will apprehend and lift up the weaker; and the weaker being united, and incorporated with the stronger, by the virtue that it receiveth from the stronger, will lift up from the ground, and retain the stronger and greater very firmly; although he be much heavier then the weight which the small stone doth ordinarily lift up.

Application.

By this Minerall type we are taught, (by changing the measures of weights into proportions, in vigor of spirit) that the frozen, evacuated, and transported bloody spirits, being capped and armed with the Oyntment, whose nature is as near as the blood unto the spirits, is made a Magnet so puissant, that it is able to attract unto it self, the bigger and stronger bloody nature, by applying to it the lesser Magnet's Northern nature, and as it were his Northern-pole, unto the bigger Magnets Southern nature; for by that means in the mineral kingdom, a natural Union is made, as is proved by this Problem.

8. Problem.

There is a naturall Union, and a violent and depraved Union; and the naturall is, when the coition is made by contrary Poles, as by the North pole and the South. Again, that the strongest attraction is from the North-pole, this Problem doth confirm.

9. Problem.

The North-pole is the most strong and vigorous pole, to all Magnetick intents and purposes, if he have the quantity that the South hath.

Application.

Whereby it is evident, that the Northern nature; which is in the unctuous Magnet and his influentiall spirit, is by far more attractive than the Southern or warm spirit; neither can the Southern or aequinoctial draw unto it, but as he participates of the Northern nature, by a naturall concurrency, unto his like; and that is the reason, that the naturall Union, is said to be where a concurrency is made of opposite polar natures: For from them is the strongest attraction made; because that it is the nature onely of cold to contract; as contrariwise, heat doth dilate. This polar force therefore, is conclusively maintained by this Problem; with the which I conclude this Article's proof.

10. Problem.

The Load-stones that be capped, take and apprehend at the Pole onely.

Application.

As who should say, that the Northern or congelated Mummy, capped or armed with the Ointment of his own nature, and the Southern or lively Mummy, capped with flesh, do apply Magnetically unto one another at the Poles; namely the lively Mummy, at the Southern or aequinoctiall, and the weak and frozen at the Northen; and therefore the manifest attraction is from the unctuous Magnet, and his imbibed Agent.

I now come unto the second Article, or Particle of this Member.

Demonstrations confirming the Contents of the Member's second Article or Particle.

As concerning the second Article of this member, which sheweth that the spirituall Mummy of the transplanted blood, is the director and guider of the Oyntments Magneticall force, or vigor unto the wound, at what distance soever; I demonstrate it, by these problematicall assertions following.

1. Problem.

The Load-stone doth guid and direct Magneticall things, which do conceive vigor and force from it, not onely in the extremities, but also in their interior and veiny marrow. As for example: So soon as a piece of Iron is apprehended, it is accited Magnetically into the end where it was touched, and that very force so bestowed upon it, penetrateth quite throughout, even unto the other end or extremity, not onely superficially but also centrally.

Application.

By this Example it is proved, that the formall Mummy of the blood, operateth in the very like manner with the Oyntment; which is to it, as the Iron is unto the Load-stone; so that as the Load-stone by touching the Iron, maketh it after the imbibition of his spirituall vigor a Magnet; So also after the imbibition of this bloody spirituall Mummy, the unguent becommeth a Magnet: Forasmuch as it is throughly animated with a Magneticall vigor. And doth by virtue of this Mummiall soul, direct his beam and Balsamick force, unto the fountain, from whence that Mummiall spirit did arise. I prove the direction to be true, by these other Problems following.

2. Problem.

One Load-stone doth dispose of the other, one doth convert the other, and reduceth it in his order, and guideth and directeth it into his Concordances, and when they are met and joyned together, they do mutually adhere firmly unto one another. The example is evident: For if you take two Irom wiers of a length, being excited at the ends by contrary Poles, and thrust them through round corks, as big as Hazel-nuts, and put them to swim in the water; you shall find that they will by little and little order themselves, and the Northern spirituall contact of the one, will first direct his axil-tree, and after draw the South-pole unto it, untill both meet one another, in the manner of two Tilters or Hors-men with their speares.

The Demonstration. Application.

The spirituall Mummy in the transplanted blood, is one Load-stone, which doth dispose the Oyntment in such a manner, that it becometh a Magnet also; and this Magnet is directed by the spirit of the Mummy into the concordances of the spirituall Mummy, which breatheth forth of the living wounded man, which i[…] attracteth and uniteth, and partly participateth with his vivifying force, and partly communicateth with him of his Balsamicall spirit; which by reason of his continuity with the wound, it doth easily, though invisibly transfer unto the wound. I proceed now unto the third Article or Particle of this Member.

Demonstrations, confirming the Contents of this member's third and last Article or Particle.

As for the third and last Article of this Member, which sheweth, that a weak and impotent spirit operateth but weakly of it self, but by the assistance of a stronger nature, it is recreated, and becommeth vigorous. And lastly again, it is also confirmed by many sufficient Problematicall conclusions, which are produced from the Load stone's properties.

1 Problem.

A Load-stone loseth his attractive vertue, and doth, as it were, decay with age, if it be long exposed unto the open aire, and not kept and put into the filings or scales of Iron.

Application.

Also the life-blood, so soon as it is effused out of his warm mineral veins, and tasteth of the cold aire, loseth his active vertue, and becommeth dead and congealed, except it be with the weapon conveyed unto his oyntment, which keepeth it from the cold aire, and serveth the spirituall Mummie's turn to preserve it, as the filings of Steel doth the formall spirit of the Load-stone.

2. Problem.

Baptista Porta did take a Load-stone, and kept it in the filings of Steel a good while, and afterwards he found it more vigorous and efficacious in his attractive vertue. Also Paracelsus, by heating a Load-stone, and imbibing it with the oyl of Iron, did increase the vigour of it by many degrees, as is said before.

Application.

In like manner, if the spirituall Mummy in the transported blood be but weak or faint, yet if it be kept a while in the animal salve, it will become vigorous, insomuch that it will also animate the whole salve.

3 Problem.

Set a Magnet, of no force or strength that can easily be perceived, upon a Load-stone of good strength and vigour, especially upon the poles, and he will shew a vigour as if he were as strong as the Load-stone is, whereunto he is united; but after he is taken away, he will be as weak as before, unless it be often done.

Application.

So also if the spirits, transported with the blood, be planted on a found and balsamick unguent, it will gather strength; but if the unguent be either wiped, or pared, or melted off from the weapon, it will immediately lose his force. And again, if it be freshly annointed, and covered warm, it will be forth-with recreated again, as is said before. Moreover, this is also confirmed by this Problem mentioned before.

4 Problem.

If a weak Magnet be rubbed at his poles with a stronger Load-stone, he will be bettered by it in his vigour and vertue, if not augmented therein.

5. Problem.

A stronger and bigger Load-stone doth augment the force of a lesser, if it be put on the pole of the greater Magnet, for then will the north pole of it be the more vigorous

Application.

The strong blood and spirit in the wounded man by aspect, maketh the weak blood and spirit, which is transplanted in the oyntment, to operate magnetically, and to apply and direct the spirit of the unguent unto it strongly, which it would not do, without the union which it hath with its fountain, which is more lively, agil, and robust.

The eighth Member of the Proposition, with his Proofs.

The eighth Member of this Proposition is, that in all magneticall operations, there must be a reciprocall application or aspect, made between the lover and the beloved, as between the matter or feminine which coveteth,, and the form or male which is coveted; and by a likeness or continuation of formall spirits, like is united unto his like, which acteth in the matter. So the Boreall spirit, with his unctuous materiall body, coveteth and allureth effectually the formall and aequinoctiall beams, or emanating spirit of the wound, and directeth the unctuous Magnet to bring to pass the effect of his concupiscence, which is easily effected, being that there is a continuation between their spirits. But to our Proofs.

Certain Problematicall Demonstrations, to confirm this Problem. 1 Problem.

The magneticall coition is an act of the Load-stone and the Iron; not of one, but of both, like man and wife.

Application.

As the woman that is colder, and of a more northern nature, doth covet the man which is of a hotter and southern disposition, so also by a sympatheticall likeness in either's spirit, they meet and unite their seeds of affection: In the very like manner, the cold spirit in the congealed blood, coveteth the hot spirits of the lively and active blood, and after each of them are met, they unite natures, and procreate a third, as a child, which partaketh of them both.

2 Problem.

The first vertue of the primary form in the Iron, was at the first distinct, but is now confused, by the fusion or melting of his body, when the magneticall or iron-vein was examined; and yet nevertheless, after that a whole and strong Load-stone is applyed unto, it returneth again unto his former act; for his form being disposed and ordered with the magnet, they both do conjoyne together sociable forces, consenting magnetically and mutually unto unity in all motions, and are adjoyned together without any corporeall contact, and consequently are made all one.

Application.

The self-same is the reason of Contraries, and therefore the self-same may be said touching the extremity of cold, which is, in the Problem, reported of the extremity of heat. We say therefore, That the blood, which, whilst it was in his naturall vein, was distinct in his action, is now, by pouring it out into the cold aire, made confused, and void of any manifest formall action; but when by the assistance of the oyntment it is stirred up, and applyed again, unto the spirituall emanation of the strong blood, it is rectifyed again, and doth conjoyne his nature with the adopted power it hath from the oyntment, and so a union of both natures is made, whereby the wound's spirit doth participate with the balsamick nature of the Mummy. Again, in the true nature of the said Problem, without any conversion of proposition, the bloody spirit in the […]nguent became confused through overmuch heat, as it appeareth by Mr. James Viret his experiment, in holding the Lancet by the fire, after it had wounded, and was annointed.

3 Problem.

Two Load stones being disposed into severed Boats, and placed on the superficies of the water, if they be sufficiently placed within the orbs of their vertues, they will with mutuall affection prepare themselves for a meeting, and at the last embrace or adhere unto one another.

Also if an Iron be fitted in one Bark, and a Load-stone in another, the Iron will hasten in the very same manner unto the Load-stone, and also the Load-stone being in his Bark, will move unto the Iron, insomuch that either of them are carried from their places in such a manner, that at the last they are joyned together, and so do rest, as being well satisfied and contented in their loves.

The like also will be effected, if two wiers, excited by the Load-stone, be put through like corks, and placed on the water to swim; for you shall see them make love to one another, and moving by little and little, they will sensibly meet, and with their ends strike and touch one another.

Application.

In like manner, the Northern or congealed blood, or bloody transported Mummy, by the conduct of his unctuous vehicle, which is also by his presence made Magnetick, doth covet the Southern union, of the living and moving bloody spirits of the wounded, as Matter doth Form, or the female doth the male; and because the spirit is continuated betwixt them both, as the aire is continuated betwixt the North-pole, and the South aequinoctial in the great world, though each extremity be of different natures, namely the one cold and dry, congelative, attractive, and immobil; the other hot and moist, dissolutive, discussive, and mobil, or agill; therefore they easily do concur, and meet with a sympathetical embracing.

4. Problem.

The naturall union of Magneticall Spirits, is, when the condition is made by contrary parts, as by the pole North or South.