Section II, Book 3, member 1, chapters 7–8: The admirable effects of sympathy

CHAP. VII. How it is possible by Naturall and Sympatheticall operation, that a D'sease in the Blood may be cured, onely by transplantation of the excrements thereof at a far distance, into a vegetable earth; not vegetating, but comforting the infected nature, by mortifying of the disease.

The Proposition.

IT is possible, that an infectious disease in the blood and body may be cured, by transplanting of the excrementitious whay of the blood, to wit, of the sick party's urine at a far distance, in the ashes of a vegetable, which is proper to comfort nature, and to kill and destroy the infection which doth debilitate it.

An experimentall history to confirm this.

There is a Noble-man of no mean ranck, and very wise, religious, and one of the best esteem, who useth commonly to cure the yellow Jaundies at the distance sometimes (as he hath related it unto me) of an hundred miles, and that onely by means of the sick parties urine translated unto him, and the manner is this: He taketh the ashes of a certain Tree, commonly known among us here in England, and mingleth the urine with it, and causeth his man to mould it up in the form of a paste, the which is divided into lumps, which he causeth to be framed up into 3, 7, or 9 balls, and in the top of each of the said balls he maketh a hole, and puts a blade of Saffron into each hole, and so filleth up the hole with the said urine; and then he putteth or disposeth these balls into a secret place, where no body may meddle with them, and immediately the Jaundies in the patient, be he further or nearer off from the place of the medicine, will by little & little fade and wear away. And this experiment hath been tryed on above a hundred poor and rich, and many of them were such as Physitians have dispaired of. This not onely he, but also the noble Ladies his daughters, who, for Gods sake, have in this case done good to many poor people, do affirm to be true. And thus much I can affirm my self, that being called unto a Chirurgions wife, Anno, 1637. after that other Doctors had been with her, but to little purpose, who was filthily infected with this disease; and having used some medicines, but to little purpose, at her request, I sent her man into the country with a Letter unto that noble personage, to implore his help: But in the interim that the urine was sent, the woman was perswaded by some sincere fools, that it was witch-craft, which made her half mad, and to rave, and to use her man hardly at his return: Whereupon I sent a messenger forthwith to desire his Lordship, to undo what he had caused to be done, because of the ingratitude of the woman. He sent me word, that he would; But, said he, it will be but in vain, for it will cure her, do now what I can: And indeed she mended immediately upon it. Also there was a noble Lady, daughter unto a Lord, who was much infected with the same disease, and finding that usuall remedies in Physick did her little or no good, I sent her water unto the said noble Earle, who did his endeavour: But when I found, that the disease did stick still upon her, though her urine did amend in colour, I took horse, and did certifie that noble personage of the small effect the medicine had. He wished me to send it again, and the sick Lady did send her water the second time, and did forthwith begin to mend, and within a few daies was perfectly well. There is another, who, unto my knowledge, hath cured forty of this disease, by boyling of their water or urine away on a gentle fire; things (God he knoweth) far enough from either superstition or witchery.

Certain Problematicall Demonstrations, to confirm the probability of this Proposition. 1 Problem.

The nails and hair of the sick party being taken, and put into a hole that is bored in an Oke, and the Oke being stopped up with a peg of the same wood, cureth an Atrophiaticall or wasted member, as is proved before.

Application.

And therefore much more the serous matter which is separated from the blood, because the essentiall vegetable salt of the blood in the specifick, in which are some scintills or sparks, is mingled with it; and by vertue of them, there is a continuated sympathy or respect between the salt and sulphure in the balls, and the infected blood: For (as I proved in the precedent Chapter) the spirit in the urine is as continuated with that in the blood, as was the spirit of the wounded and the oyntment; so that by a continuity and union of consent, the curative faculty of the vegetable ashes doth operate spiritually, as well upon the infected blood in the body, as upon the urine; and therefore that is the reason, that as the salt in the ashes do work on the salt in the urine, so do both of them communicate their forces by a mutuall consent, through the reason of the same continuity, unto the blood; so that as the vertue of the plant with the Saffron do kill and poison the infection in the urine; so also, by the mutuall consent which is betwixt the two infecting extreams, namely, the blood and the urine, the infection also in the blood is observed by little and little to dye, wither, and decay. But I will produce unto you a magneticall Problem, to confirm the possibility of this Proposition.

2 Problem.

Two Load-stones rightly cohering at opposite poles, by the comming of a stronger Load-stone or Iron incited, do make an abort, and the new commer will easily drive away the other which is with a contrary face, and will command him, and so the coherence or union of the other two will cease or end.

Application.

So that union which was made between the spirit infected, with the corrupting humour and the corrupted blood is separated, and the unnaturall is forced to fly and depart from the naturall, by the help of another, which is more potent then the unnaturall, which is less homogeneall, and proper to rectifie and purifie by the union of his spirit, the impurity in the naturall blood, and to kill and mortifie the corrupter in the urine.

I need not to say much more for the proof hereof, being that the precedent Chapter doth fully confirm, and that by relation had unto the Load-stone, and Weather-glass, in every particle of this Proposition, being that as blood is transplanted from the wounded parties fountain of blood, and, as it were, grafted on the oyntment; so also is the urine with bloody spirits, transferred from the bloody fountain in the icteritious person, and is planted or placed in a bed of salutary ashes, from whence it operateth no otherwise in the living blood, then the blood or spirits in the oyntment do, in the veins of the wounded person.

I will now proceed unto the microcosmicall Magnet, which is taken out of the living man: and I purpose to describe unto you briefly, and in generall tearms, the wonderfull effects in sympathy, which it produceth by his extraction of the spirituall Mummy out of mans body, and by the transplantation and right application thereof.

CHAP. VIII.

Wherein the secret Magnet, which is extracted out of the Microcosm, or Man yet living, is in generall terms mentioned; with the manner of his attraction or extraction, of the spirituall Mummy out of Man, and the application; and as well the Antipatheticall as Sympatheticall operation thereof.

I Will now in few words relate unto you a History, of the abstruce manner of healing by Transplantation; which if it be rightly considered, it doth farre surpass that of the Weapon-salve: For it doth not onely cure at distance, as that doth; but it operateth that feat, by the vegetative spirit of the plant. And yet I hope that my Story shall no way sound unto Wisemens eares, as Cacomagicall, but onely naturally Magicall, and therefore ordained by God to be wrought upon in the right use thereof, for man's good and salutary benefit: For unto that end did the Spirit of Wisdom teach those which were inclined unto wisdom (as Solomon witnesseth) as well those things which are occult and hidden, as such as are manifest and apparent unto man's sense. And because that good things may, by abuse, be converted unto evill and unlawfull purposes; as a sword, to kill as well as to save, as shall […]e told you hereafter; Therefore is it God's will, that these mysteries should be hid from the unlearned, or at least-wise from such of the vulgar, as are wickedly minded; and ordained them to be laid open, unto such as are honest, wise, and discreet. But leaving all preambles, I will come to the point, and proceed with that style and method, in which I began.

The Generall Proposition.

There may be extracted out of a living man, without any prejudice unto his health, a Magnet, which by a several application of it unto convenient parts of the body, will draw or suck out according unto the pleasure of the Applier, the animal, vitall, or naturall spirituall Mummy, out of one and the same living Man, and that without any detriment unto his person, the which being rightly with the Magnet that imbibed it transplanted and made vegetative, will operate as well by an internall administration as at a far distance, or by a spirituall emanating relatition, after it be duly ordered and adapted, both to the health and preservation; and infection, and damage, and destruction of mankind.

An Explication of every Member of this Proposition.

This Proposition doth consist of many Members; whereof the first, toucheth the generation, condition, and preparation, of the Magnet. The second, the manner of application, for the extraction of the spirituall Mummy. The third, openeth the fashion of a manifold Transplantation of that Mummy, being so extracted: and lastly, as well the usages as the abuses thereof. Of all which Particles or Members, thus in order.

Of the Microcosmicall Magnet.

We term this the Microcosmicall Magnet, because it hath the properties of the Minerall Load-stone. And it may therefore easily be conjectured and guessed, by such as are wise in their apprehension, what it is, by comparing the animal Magnet with that of the Minerall: For as the Minerall Magnet is not of a naturall, but monstrous birth, for it is not engendred of like and equall Genitors; but is begotten after the manner of the Mule, being that her mother or passive corporeal mass, is a common Saturnine and stony Mercury; but his Father or active Form, is a Metalline, Sulphurous, Martial spirit; So also this our Microcosmicall Magnet doth consist of a Sulphurous Martial spirit, being as it were his Formal Father; and of a strange or forrein Mercury, which is nevertheless, a near neighbour in position, and condition unto the Microcosmicall Mercury, as his passive or Mercuriall matter. As for the Mine of which it is extracted, it is the living Man, and it is taken or derived from him without any prejudice unto his health, and after a certain preparation of it, it is made a fit Magnet, to suck or draw unto it the spirituall Mummy out of the living Man, and that without any detriment unto his health.

The Manner of this Magnet's application, for the extraction of the Spirituall Mummy.

As for the manner of its application, it is this; We take the Magnet so prepared, and, if we would extract the Animal's Mummiall spirits, we must apply it unto those places, which are aptest for their evacuation. As for example: If we desire the Mummy of the vitall parts, then we must adapt our Magnet to suck at that place, which nature hath ordained to purge the vitall region. Lastly, if we would have the naturall spirituall Mummy, we must apply it unto that place of the body, out of which nature is accustomed to send forth the spirituall fumes, or sweaty evacuations from that member, namely from the Liver. To conclude, if you would make a generall Medicine, which should respect the animal, vitall, and naturall parts, all at once; then must your Magnet be applied unto them all, and after that it hath sucked a sufficient proportion, then ought you to reserve it, for to make your Transplantation.

The Act of Transplantation of the Spirituall Mummy.

Touching the act or manner of Transplantation: Paracelsus saith, that the extracted spirituall Mummy doth not ooperate unto health and preservation, but by mineral, vegetable, and animal means. And therefore it is necessary, that the spirituall Mummy attracted, or extracted out of the body, by the virtue of the Animal Magnet, must be introduced into a vegetative nature; whereby the said Mummy, not being of it self vegetative, may by adoption as it were be introduced into, and be indued with a vegetative nature or condition.

We ought therefore to mingle a proportion of this imbibed Magnet, with a certain proportion of his mother-earth, and sow in this composition the seeds of such herbs, as are proper for thi[…] or that disease, and this or that ill affected principall part of man's body, or this or that infirm member, which is contained in his region. As for example: For the Lungs in the vitall region, when the disease is the Ptifick, sow Line-seed or Juniper, in the naturall region; when it is Dropsy, Pimpnel or wormwood; in the bruising or contusion of parts, Hypericon or Plantain; in tumour or wounds, Persecaria, or the great or lesser Cumfry; in Salt diseases as are the tooth-ach, pain in the eies, and flowing Menstrues, Persecaria maculata, and so forth. The herbs must grow in this compounded earth, and that in the open aire: and as the herb or plant groweth, it will sympathetically and Magnetically extract the imbibed Mummiall spirits out of the Magnet, and will by that means cause the Mummy extracted out of every particular member, according unto his condition, to be fit to cure the infirmity of his proper member.

Of the Use and Virtue of the Transplanted Mummy.

Lastly, as concerning the manner how to use this Transplanted Mummy, now that it is changed into a vegetable nature or condition:

If the disease be dry and of a combust nature, as is the yellow Jaunders, the Ptisick, &c. and you would cure it or expell it out of the body; then take the herb with his Magnetick earth, and cast them into the running water, and the disease will fade and die, by little and little.

But if the disease be moist, then you must burn the herb, with the Magneticall earth. Again, if the disease be more temperate, namely between the extremities of water and fire; then hang up the herb in the aire, or smoak, to dry; and the disease will languish by little and little, as the herb doth fade. If you shall give the herb or fruit unto the beast that is of a stronger nature than the sick, then the beast will be infected with that disease, and the sick will be free. Also if the spirituall Mummy so extracted, out of some peculiar member of a sound Man, be conserved in his continuall vegetation, if you take of his fruit, and transplant it into a sound oken tree, by that means the member out of which the Mummy was extracted, will grow continually, and continue in his naturall and robust proportion of vegetation, without defect. After this manner also, are the Willow trees, but that they increase so suddenly, and by reason thereof, they are not so fit for this purpose, lest the member should grow too hastily, for by that means, many inconveniences may follow: As for example, If after that manner the hair of a person be shut up into a willow-tree, they will grow so suddenly and so copiously, that unless they be removed thence, or the Willow be burned, the eyes and brains will indure dammage and detriment, as dolours, fluxes, &c. namely, by the suddain increase, or too much humidity of the Tree. And therefore according unto the proportion of the person, there must be a proportionate tree found out, into the which the Mummy is to be transplanted; but the Oke is to be elected before all others, because it increaseth and groweth but temperately and strongly, and a mans life will not easily exceed the daies of an Oke.

By this mysticall kind of attraction, the true and wise naturall Magician, (for so I may call the true Philosopher, that operateth, as Solomon did, by the properties of naturall things) may bring to pass such things, which in wonder will excell (as I said) by many degrees, the power or act of the weapon-salve; for by it, wise men have procured friendship & love, between such as have been utter enemies; & again, by the use of it, grace and affection may be recovered from another, whose favour is desired. Paracelsus speaking darkly of this Mummiall faculty, doth shew, how the Ape and the Snake (betwixt the which, a naturall antipathy, or strife and hatred, is ever observed to be) may be made friends, and familiar unto one another. But to our purpose.

If the members out of the which the second Mummy is extracted, are to be corroborated, then you must make the extracted Mummy to vegetate, as before, by transplantation temperately, and according unto the naturall proportion in the Oke, or other such like sound tree. But if the members be too dry, then let their extracted Mummy vegetate in the Willow tree, and from thence again be transplanted into some other temperate Tree. So also in a humid complexion, it may for a time be transplanted into a hot and slowly growing tree, as is the Juniper; onely observing, that the fruit in which the Mummy is transplanted, be preserved from all externall dammage.

Demonstration.

I need not waste the time in further demonstration, of the possibility and feazibility of these acts in the spirituall transplanted Mummy, when by the very self-same proofs, whereby I have confirmed the manner of curing by the weapon-salve, and by transplantation, which is set down in one of the Chapters of this present Book, I have fully demonstrated the reasons of these occult and abstruse actions in this kind of cure, unto such as will not (with St. Thomas) believe any thing, but what is confirmed by sense. And therefore, for the manifestation of this hidden action, by a relation of natures, I refer you unto that very place also, where the salve is compared unto the vegetable and Magnet, the bloody spirits unto the spirituall Mummy, the manner of application of beams from the Mummy to the sick member, unto the application of the transplanted bloody spirits to the wounded member; the keeping the spiritually-growing spirit in the oyntment from cold, unto the preserving the vegetable fruit, in which the Mummy is planted, from externall damage. So that eadem est ratio utriusque, and by consequence, eadem est demonstrationis via in ambobus.

It is too tedious in this place to express the efficacious operations of this secret mysticall Mummy; and I am assured, that some ignorant Momus, or Cynicall ignorant, will either laugh or bark at what is said already touching it; for, Quis major scientiae inimicus, quàm ignarus? And therefore I will conceal the rest of his occult properties, and their sympatheticall effects, from such Criticks, and lock it up in the treasury of truth: Onely in a word, I say, that by it, the Dropsie, Pleurisie, Gout, Vertigo, Epilepsie, French-Pox, Palsey, Cancer, Fistula, foul Ulcers, Tumors, wounds, Herniaes, Fractions of Members, superfluity and suppression of Menstrues in women, as also sterility in them; Feavors, Hecticks, Athrophy, or wasting of members, and such like, may by this naturall magicall means be cured, and that at distance, and without any immediate contact. And, to conclude, Paracelsus affirmeth, that this magneticall kind of cure which is effected by naturall Magick, doth excell in vertue all other Physicall secrets, which may be extracted or separated, either out of Herbs, or Roots, or Minerals.

I will now come to the second Part or Member of this Book, which speaketh of the antipatheticall effects of this Mummiall experiment.