Book XX, chapters 1–5: The chaos: experiments without order

THE TWENTIETH BOOK OF Natural Magick: The Chaos, wherein the Experiments are set down without any Classical Order.

THE PROEME.

I Determined at the beginning of my Book to write Experiments, that are contain'd in all Natural Sciences, but by my business that called me off, my mind was hindred, so that I could not accomplish what I intended. Since therefore I could not do what I would, I must be willing to do what I can. Therefore I shut up in this Book, those Experiments that could be included in no Classes, which were so diverse and various, that they could not make up a Science, or a Book; and thereupon I have here heaped them altogether confusedly as what I had overpassed; and if God please, I will another time give you a more perfect Book. Now you must rest content with these.

CHAP. I.

How Sea-water may be made potable.

IT is no small commodity to mankinde, if Sea-water may be made potable. In long voyages, as to the Indies it is of great concernment: For whilst Sea men, by reason of tempests are forced to stay longer at Sea than they would, for want of water they fall into great danger of their lives. Galleys are forced all most every ten days to put in for fresh water, and therefore they cannot long wander in enemies countries, nor go far, for enemies stop their passages. Moreover, in sea Towns and Islands, when they want water, as in our days, in the Island Malta, and in the Syrses, Souldiers and Inhabitants endured much hardness, and Histories relate many such things. Hence I thought it necessary to search curiously, whether Sea-water might be made potable. But it is impossible to finde out any thing for this, how it may be done, unless we first finde out the cause of its saltness, and what our Ancestors have said concerning that matter; especially since Aristotle saith, That the salt may easily be taken from the Sea, because the sea is not salt of its own Nature, but by the Sun that heats the water, which draws out of it, cold and dry earthly exhalations to the top of it, and these being there burnt cause it to be salt, when the moist subtile parts are resolved into thin vapors. We therefore imitating Nature, by raising the thin parts by Chymical Instruments, may easily make it sweet. For so the Nature of the Sea, makes sweet waters for the Rivers. There are also veins of the Sea, in the deep parts of the earth, that are heated by the Sun, and the vapours are elevated to the tops of the heighest Mountains, where by the cold superficies they meet with, they congeal into drops; and dropping down by the vaulted roots of Caves, they run forth in open streams. We first fill a hollow vessel like a great Ball, with Sea-water, it must have a long neck, and a cap upon it, that live coles being put under, the water may resolve into thin vapors, and fill all vacuities, being carryed aloft: this ill sented grossness, when it comes to touch the coldness of the head or cap, and meets with the Glass, gathers like dew about the skirts of it; and so running down the arches of the cap, it turns to water, and a pipe being opened that pertains to it, it runs forth largely, and the receiver stands to receive it as it drops: so will sweet water come from salt, and the salt tarryeth at the bottom of the vessel, and three pound of salt water, will give two pounds of fresh water; but if the cap of the limbeck be of Lead, it will afford more water, yet not so good. For Galen saith, That water that runs through pipes of Lead, if it be drank, will cause an excoriation of the intestines. But I found a way

How to get a greater quantity of fresh water, when we distil salt water.

Make a cap of earth, like to a Pyramis, all full of holes, that through the holes, Urinals of Earth or Glass may be brought in. Let their mouths stick forth, well lu[…]ed that the vapor may not exhale; the cap after the fashion of the limbeck, must have its pipe at the bottom running round, and let it crop forth at the nose of it. Set this upon a brass Cauldron, that will hold much water; fill it with salt water, after that the Urinals; and putting on their caps, when fire is put under, both the Urinals will drop, and the cap that contains others, by its pipe will drop out water also: for the vapors rising from the Cauldron of hot water, will make the Urinals drop, and the cap will drop withal. But if at Sea the commodity of such a vessel cannot be had. We may

Distil salt water otherwise,

though but little. Dioscorides shews the old way of distillation; we may that way distil sea water in ships, which Pliny shews also. Fleeces of wool extended about the ship, are made wet by the vapors rising from the Sea, and sweet water is pressed out of them. But let us see, whiter

Salt water may be made fresh another way.

Aristotle saith it, and Solomon before him, That all Rivers came from the Sea, and return to the Sea; for by the secret passages under ground, the waters that are sent forth, leave their earthly and dry parts mixed with the earth, and they come forth pure and sweet. He saith, The cause why the salt water comes not forth, is, because it is ponderous, and settles, and therefore onely hot-waters of salt-waters, can run forth, for they have a lightness that oversways the weight of the salt; for what is hot, is lightest: Adde, that waters running through the earth are much strained, and therefore the heavior and thicker they are, the more do they continually sink down, and are left behind; and the lighter they are, the more pure do they come forth and are severed. For as Salt is heavy, so sweet water is light; and so it comes, that they are sweet waters that run forth. This is the very cause why salt-water, when it moves and is changed, is made the sweeter, for motion makes it lighter and purer. Let us see now if we can imitate Nature: Fill then great vessels with earth, and set them so one above another, that one may drean into another; and thus salt-water dreaning through many vessels, may leave the salt behinde. I tried it through ten vessels, and it remain'd still salt: My friend said, that he made it sweet through twenty vessels. Yet thus I thought to warn you of, that all earth is not fit for this use. Solinus saith, That sea-water strain'd through clay will grow sweet; and it is proved that the salt is taken away, if you strain it often through thin sand of a River. Earth that lies in covered places, and under roots, is naught, for that is commonly salt; as also where Cattle are s[…]alled, which Columella saith is naught for Trees, for that it makes salt-water, what is strain'd from it. Black earth is naught, for it makes the waters sharp, but clay grounds make sweet waters. Paxamus, Anaxagoras said, That the saltness of the sea came from the Rivers, running through salt places, and communicating that quality to the sea. Some approve River-gravel for this use, and their reason is, because always sweet waters are found by the shores, and they say this happens, because they are strain'd through the sand, and so grow fresh coming from the salt-sea: for the sweet water that is found neer the sea, is not of the sea, but such water as comes from the tops of hills, through the secret channels of the earth, thither. For waters that drean forth sweet, are sweet though they lye even with the sea, and in plain places; as Apuila, where the waters drean not from the hills, they are salt. So on the shores of Africa. But Aristotle brings an experiment from a vessel of wax; for if one make a Ball of wax that is hollow, and shall dip it into the sea, it being of a sufficient thickness to contain, he shall finde it full of fresh water, because the corpulent saltness cannot get in through the pores of the wax. And Pliny, by letting down little nets into the sea, and hollow balls of wax, or empty vessels stopt, saith, they will draw in fresh water; for sea-water strain'd through clay will grow fresh. But I have found this to be false. For I have made pots of clay, as fine and well as I could, and let them down into salt-water, and after some days I found salt-water in them. Also, if it were true, it is of no use, when as to sweeten one pound of water, a thousand Balls of wax a day were not sufficient. But for this many vessels might be invented of porous wood and stones. A vessel of Ivy, that parts, as I said, wine from water, will not part salt from water if it drean through it. But stones are brought from Portingal, made into vessels, into which sea water put will drean forth sweet, if not the first, yet the second time, they use it to break the stone; also, for that many pumex and porous stones may be tried. Leo Baptista Albertus saith, That an earthen pot well stopt, and put into the sea, will fill with potable water. But I have tried all earthen vessels, and I always found salt-water. Aristotle in his Problems, saith, It may be done

Another way,

If salt-water cannot be drank cold, yet hot, and cool again, it is better to drink. It is because a thing useth to change from contrary to contrary, and salt-water is contrary to fresh, and when it is boil'd, the salt part is boil'd off, and when it is cold stays at the bottom. This I tried and found it false, and more salt, for by heat the thin vapors of the water that are sweet exhale, and the salt stay behinde; and in lesser water, the same quantity of salt makes it salter, as I said in my distillations. I wonder such a wise man would relate such falsities. Florentinus borrowing it from him, saith, If water be not good nor po[…]able, but ill, let it be boiled, till a tenth part of it be consumed, then purge it, and it will be good, For sea-water so boil'd, will grow sweet. Let me see whether it can be made so

Another way,

and that in great quantity. There is a thing that being cast into large vessels filled with sea-water, by fastning the salt will make it fall to the bottom, or by curdling it, and so it frees the water from it. Wherefore we must think on things that have a stiptick quality, the Antients tried this, the Moderns have effected it. Pliny. Nitrous of bitter waters; if you put Barley-flower dried to them, they are tempered, that you may drink of them in two hours: therefore is Barley-flower put into wine sacks, and elswhere. Those that go to the Red-sea through the Desarts, make nitrous, and salt, and bitter waters fit to drink in two hours, by putting in of Barley-meal, and they eat Barley-meal. The like force hath the Chalk of the Rhodes, and our Clay. Also, Cooks with Catlings, and Meal of Wheat, will take salt out of very salt mea[…]. I tried this oft but found it false, yet some of the saltness was taken away. Pliny. If you must drink ill waters, strew in powder of Penniroyal. Leo Baptista Albertus, when they take up the water of Nilus muddy, if they do but rub the edge of the vessel with an Almond, it presently grows clear: I tried this to, and found it false: when common salt is cast into Aqua fortis, that parts Gold from Silver, the Silver will presently descend. We see also, that in the making of that they call read Alac, casting but Alom into Lye, the salt and colour will presently precipitate to the bottom, and nothing will remain but clear water. We see that milk will curdle with many Herbs, which we speak of elsewhere. We shall use therefore for this purpose, coagulaters and astringents. Cooks say, That a Spunge put into a pot of salt-water, will draw the salt to it; but pressed forth again, and cast in once more will take it all out. So wood wrapt about with fillets of linnen, and put into the pot, will draw the salt to it. Others binde in a clout Wheat-meal, and put it into the pot, and draw forth the salt. Palladius where he speaks of seasoning of wines, saith, The Greeks bid men keep sea-water that is clean, and taken out of the calm sea the year before, whose Nature is that in this time, it will lose its saltness or bitterness, and smell sweet by age. It remains to shew

How sweet waters may be mended.

Leo Baptista saith, If you place a glazed vessel full of salt, and well stopt with lime, putting oyl under that no water may penetrate into it, that it may hang in the middle of the waters of a Cistern; these waters will in no time corrupt. Others adde also Quick-silver. If water begin to corrupt, cast in salt to purge them; and if salt be wanting, put in some sea-water, for so at Venice they draw water from St Nicolas Well, for Marriners that go long voyages, because it stands so neer the sea, and salt lyes hid in it, by communicating with those waters. We read in Scripture, that Elizeus did this, who at Jericho or Palestina, cast in salt into a Fountain, and made it potable water, which was before bitter and corrupt. If water breeds worms cast in quick Lime, and they will dye. When we would make wine clear, beat the white of an Egge, and the troubled wine will descend, if you put it in. Others cast in the dust that is on the catlings of small nuts, and the Spaniards cast in Gyp, to make in clear and all these we may use in waters.

CHAP. II.

How to make water of Air.

IF all other means fail, we may make water of air onely by changing it into air, as Nature doth; for she makes water of air or vapors: Therefore when we want, water we may make it of air, and do as Nature doth. We know when the Sun heats the earth, it draws forth the thinnest vapors, and carrieth them on high, to that region of the air where the cold is, those vapors are condensed into drops, and fall down in Rain. Also we see in summer, that in Glass vessels well rinced, and that are full of cold water, the air by coming to the outermost superficies, will presently clow'd the the Glass, and make it lose its cleanness; a little after it will be all in a dew and swell into bubbles, and by degrees these will turn to drops, and fall down, which have no other reason for them; but because the cold air sticking to the Glass, grows thick, and is changed into water. We see also in Chambers at Venice, where there windows are made of Glass, when a gross and thick vapor sticks to the Glass within, and a cold vapor prevails without, that within will turn to dew, and drop down. Again, in winter, in Brass Guns, which are always very cold, and are kept in Cellars, and vaulted places, where men also use to be, that the air will grow thick, and lighting upon the cold superficies of them, they will be all of a dew, and drop with water. But to say no more: Make a large round vessel of Brass, and put into it Salt-Peter, unrefined, what will fill it; men call it Solazzo mingled with Ice: for these two mixed, as I said in this Book, make a mighty cold, and by shaking them, with the wondeful force of the cold, they gather air about the vessel, and it will presently drop into a vessel underneath. A deligent Artist will adde more, that he may get a greater quantity of water. It sufficeth that I have shewed the way.

CHAP. III.

How one may so alter his face that not so much as his friends shall know him.

SUch as are taken prisoners, or shut up close and desire to escape, and such as do business for great men, as spies, and others that would not be known, it is of great moment for them to know how to change their Countenances: I will teach them to do it so exactly, that their friends and wives shall not know them. Great men do not a little enquire for such secrets, because those that can dissemble theirown persons, have done great matters, and lovers have served their Mistresses, and Parents have not suspected it. Ulisses attempting to know what the Trojans did, clothed in counterfeit garments, and his face changed, did all he would, and was not discovered. Homer.

With many scars he did transform his face,
In servants clothes, as from a beggars race.
He went to Troy,—

And when he desired to know what Penelope and her suters did, he transformed himself again. I shall shew how this may be done many ways, by changing the Garments, Hair, Countenance, Scars, Swellings; we may so change our Faces, that in some places it may rise in bunches, in other places it may sink down. And first,

How to dye the Flesh.

But to begin with the colouring of the Flesh. The Flesh may be dyed to last so long, or to be soon washed out. If you will have it soon wash'd off, Steep the shells of Walnuts, and of Pomegranates in Vinegar, four or five days; then press them forth by a Press, and dye the face; for it will make your face as black as an Ethiopian, and this will last some days. Oyl of honey makes a yellow colour, and red, and it will last fourteen days or more. The fume of Brimstone will discolour the face, that it will shew sickly, as if one had long kept his bed, but it will be soon gone. But if you will have it last many days firm, and very hardly to come off: Use water of Depart, that seperates Gold from Silver, made of Salt-Peter and Vitriol, and especially if it have first corroded any Silver; this will last twenty days, until the skin be changed. But if you will

Change the Hair,

I taught elsewhere how to do this: yet I will take the pains to do it again. Oyl of honey dyes the Hair of the head and beard, of a yellow or red colour; and this will hold a moneth. But if they be hoary, white, or yellow, we may dye them black with a strong Lixivium, wherein Litharg is boiled. Also, it will notably alter the Countenance,

To adde or take off Hair,

An Unguent used in Stoves and Hot-houses, is good for that purpose, made of Orpiment and quick Lime; for this will presently make the part bald, so the eyelids and eyebrows being made smooth, will strangely metamorphise a man. We can also make the Hair grow suddenly, with water of honey, and the fat of an eel and horse, as I said. One may thus

Make his face swelled, pressed down, or full of scars,

Nothing doth more deform the visage then the stinging of Bees. We can make scars with caustick Herbs, by applying them, and letting them lye on for a little time. Tumours and Cavities are made by using to the part milk of Tithymal, as to the Mouth, Nose, Eyes, especially where the skin is off, that by this remedy alone the face is deformed; so you may do the Cods and Testicles: water of Cantharides smeered on, doth presently cause bladders and humours. Turbith beaten, and boiled, and anointed on, makes all swell where it toucheth, chiefly the Testicles. The powder of the Yew, doth so exulcerate the skin, that the people will think the man is most miserable, and in a sad condition. The remedy is the juyce of the Poplar, or the oyl of Poplar. The fume of Brimstone and burnt straw, will discolour the face, as Hypocrites do, who by such means alter their countenance. Mingle together the feces of Aqua fortis one ounce, Pickle and Curcuma, of each one drachm, with Oyl to the form of an unguent, and anoint your face, it will make it black. When you will wash it with cold water, it will come to its former complection. Comedians and Tragedians, when they Act on the Stage, they smeer their faces with lees of Oyl to change them, that such as are their acquantance may not know them. Because the stinging of Bees, Wasps, Hornets, do so change the face, making the Nose, Mouth, and other parts to stand awry, and to be full of swellings and depressions: If any man wash his skin with the decoction of Hornets or Wasps, the place will so swell, that it will make men suspect some disease, yet it is without pain. The remedy is Theriot drank, or smeered on the part: and this is the fraud that false women use to counterfeit themselves to be with child. Beat together Oyl-lees, coles of a Vine and Pomegranate Pills; and mingle them, and if you touch your face with this liniment, you shall make it exceeding black: but the juyce of sowre Grapes or Milk will wash it off.

CHAP. IV.

That stones may move alone.

THe Antients say, that the stones called Prochites and Astroites, laid upon some other plain stone, will move of themselves, if you put Vinegar to them. The way shall be this: let a plain well polished, on the outward superficies, Porphyr Marble stone, lye beneath; lay upon this the stone Trochites or Astroites, whose outward superficies is made smooth also; then put to them a little vinegar or juyce of Lemons, presently of themselves will the Trochites, as well as the Astroites, without any thing moving them, go to the declining superficies: and it is very pleasant to see this. Cardan saith, That such stones have a thin moisture in them, which by the force of the vinegar, is turned into a vapor; and when it cannot get forth, it tumbles the stone up and down: There is the beginning of a thin vapor, but it comes not forth, because it is credible that the passages are very narrow: I should think that air is shut up in the veins of it, for it is probable, where you shall see substances of divers colours. Wherefore vinegar, because it is subtile of parts, goes in, and drives out the air, which passing out by the vinegar, moves the stone. Yet I have found that all stones will move themselves, that are mingled of divers stones, & have divers open passages in their veins. For the vinegar entring in at the joynts, forceth the stone to move it self. The Alabaster stone, called vulgarly Lodognium, moves excellently, for it is distinguished by divers veins, and varieties of stones; and I have seen a piece, not onely of one pound, but of […]our pounds to move it self, and it was like a Tortois; and when the stone began to move, it seemed like a Tortois crawling. That kinde of Marble moves by it self with vinegar, which is called Brocadello, which is compounded of divers and mingled parts. Also with vinegar doth that spotted Marble walk, which is spotted with red, yellow, and brown spots; they call it the Lowsie stone, and it makes the beholders to wonder at it. I must tell you this before I leave off, because I would omit nothing. If the Marble be spotted underneath, and be above all of one colour and hard, or beneath all of one colour and hard, and above of divers colours; when vinegar is poured on, or any sharp liquor, it runs presently to the declining part; sometimes in circles, sometimes by jumps, and sometimes hastily moving it self.

CHAP. V.

How an Instrument may be made, that we may hear by it a great way.

IN my Opticks I shewed you Spectacles, wherewith one might see very fat. Now I will try to make an Instrument, wherewith we may hear many miles; and I will search out a wood, wherewith that may be performed better and with more ease. Therefore to finde out the form of this Instrument, we must consider the ears of all living Creatures, that bear best. For this is confirmed in the Principles of Natural Philosophy, that when any now things are to be invented, Nature must be searched, and followed. Therefore to consider of Animals, that have the quickest hearing, we must think of those that are the most fearful; For Nature takes care for their safety, that as they have no great strength, yet they might exceed others in hearing, and save themselves by flight; as the Hare, Coney, Hart, the Ass, Ox, and the like. These Creatures have great ears, and always open toward their foreheads; and the open passages are to carry the sound from the place whence it comes. Ha[…]es therefore have long ears standing up high. Pollux. But Festus calls the Hare, Auritum, because of its great ears, and quickness of hearing. The Greeks call the Hare Lagos from the great ears; for La in composition augments, and Os signifies an ear, and it was fit that a fearful creature should hear well, that it might perceive dangers farther off, and take care for it self in time. The Egyptians thought the Hare so quick of hearing, that it was their Hieroglyphick for hearing. The Coney is of the same Nature, and hath the same kinde of ears. Cows have great hairy ears: she can hear a Bull rore when he seeks to Bull a Cow, thirty furlong off, as giving this token of his love. Aelian. A Hart hath greater and longer ears, as it is a fearful Creature: If he holds his ears right up, he perceives sharply, and no snares can take him; but if he let his ears down, he is easily slain. Aristotle, and Pliny from him. When they raise their ears, they hear quickly; when they let them fall, they are afraid: and not to go over all Creatures that have large right up open ears, I say those that have such ears, they raise them and direct them forward, when they would hear afar off, and they are of most perfect hearing. I shall shew now by the contrary, that such Creatures which have short small ears, and not so visible, are of dull hearing. Great part of Fishes want ears, and such as have onely holes and no ears, must needs hear more deafly; for the outward ears are made by Nature, that the sounds might be conveyed to the ears by them. Adrianus Consul of Rome, is a most clear witness of this, who having this sense hurt, made hollow catches to hear better by; and these he fastned to his ears, looking forward. And Aristotle saith, That Horses, Asses, Dogs, and other Creatures that have great ears, do always stir them about, and turn them to hear noise, Nature teaching them the use of those parts; and we finde that they hear less that have their ears cut off: wherefore it is fit, that the Form of the Instrument for hearing, be large, hollow, and open, and with screws inwardly. For the first, if the sound should come in directly, it would hurt the sence; for the second, the voice coming in by windings, is beaten by the turnings in the ears, and is thereby multiplied, as we see in an Eccho. The sea-Periwinkle is an argument to prove it, which being held to the eare makes a light noise. Now it remains to speak of what matter it must be made. I think of porous Wood, for the holes and pores are passable every way; and being filled with air, they sound with every small stroke: and amongst the porous Wood, is the Ivy, and especially the tree called Smilax or Woodbind, for a Dish made with Ivy, will let out the water, as I said. Wherefore Pliny speaking of the Woodbind, saith, It is proper to this matter, that being set to the ears, it will make a small noise. And in another place, I said that the Woodbind-Ivy would sound, if set to the ear. Therefore fit your Instrument to put into your ear, as Spectacles are fitted to the eyes.