MEdicinall waters differ much in sa­vour and taste: some of them being sulfureous, some vitriolate, some saltish: yet all of them communi nomine are called acidi, from the taste: which acidity or sharpnesse comes partly from vitrioll and partly from the salt of minerals: or they are called mine­rall waters because passing through the con­cavities of the earth, they carry with thē the tinctures of what they renconter, and are im­pregnate with the quintessence of those mi­nerals by which they passe whether it bee terra lemnia, bol. armen. chalk: or congeled liquors an juyces, as allome, succin, sulphur, nitre, vitriol &c. or mettals, as gold, silver, yron, &c. or stones as christall, marble, load-stone &c: they are also called medici­nall waters for their rare and admirable ver­tues in curing diseases and preserving of [Page]health. Many of these waters are found out by the diligent searching and industrious la­bour of the learned, endevouring to find out the secrets of nature most easie for the help of mankind; as the wel of Spaw in Germany, the wells of Burbon, of Pouges, of For­ges in France, of Porrecta in Italy, of Tun­bridge, and Knesbrough, in England with many others of infinite vertues, as Plinius recordeth in many passages of his books, e­specially in the 2. chap. of his 31. book. And I would that any reader who doubts of the excellent vertues of infinite diversity of waters should read that chapter: And now our waters of Peter-head called be our fore­fathers Saint Peters wel thinking that it was S. Peter that sent from Rome a facultie of curing diseases to these waters, because hee himself could not come, being imployed a­bout more necessary affaires at Rome, for the time Pope. Wherefore to gratify this holy Apostle they have built a temple, which to this day is called S. Peters church. They used to come to the well on S. Peters day, assemb­ling themselves in great mulitudes; on which [Page]day as yet we have a great faire at this place. But this is meer superstition, like that of the heathen, who as Plinius testifieth lib. 31. chap. 2. denominate their rare and medici­nall waters from diverse of there gods.

S. Peters well may be compared with Spaw waters, being nothing inferiour to them in medicinal vertues, and far excells any other as yet found out, in Europe.

It is certain that this Petrean water (for so hereafter shal it be called) passes through minerals: but with what proportion they are mixed in these subterranean cells, it is im­possible to know, or whether it be hote or cold, moist or dry, some thinges from whence it flows being hote, some cold, some temperate, seeming rather that it is tempe­rate, well mixed, as its effects shows: yet al­wayes this water while it is drunken hume­ctates and refrigerates, incontinent, being daunted through the heat of the stomach, heats and dryes.

For the vertues of our water: it cleanseth and wasteth viscide & Tartareous humors, extenuats pituite, it voyds the liver, melt, [Page]mesaraicks, and other our entrails, of what­soever obstructions is troublesome to them: it strengthens the stomach so, be its astricti­on, that none can complain of harme by its actuall coldnesse: It gives strength to the nerves, tempers the heat of the kidneys, cleansing and expelling their gravell, sand and stones more forceably then any other medicament, because it is diuretick, simple, naturall, voyd of all arte, made by the hand of God alone, and most gracious to the taste it hinders the concretion or coagulation of sand, resisting the generation of confirmed stones; and if confirmed, diminishes them: it purgeth the bladder and mundifies the stone of viscide pituit and mucositie wherewith it is environed, prepairing it to be easily ta­ken out by cutting, it is most profitable for the ulcer of the reins and carnosities in the urinal passage, cast in be injection: it certain­ly helps the venerean & Virulent Gonorhea and all other diseases of that sort, applyed with out for their ulcers, chancres, poula­nes, pustules, within by injection, and po­tion, it helps the concoction of the stomach, [Page]quenches thirst, appeases dolours, throwing of the belly, with Colick and Iliack passions: it purifies the bloud, kills and expells all kynd of wormes, chases away all fevers, cleanses the skin of pustles and skabs, be lo­tion & bathing, it louses the belly, if bound, taking away the obstructions from the gal, which sends forth its choler or bilis the on­ly stimulus foecum in jejunum intestinum, wherewith being sharpned, casts out the foe­ces therein contained, it restraines the fluxes of the belly, by corroborating the retentive facultie, drying the intestins, and makes them slow to expell the humors being drawn by the force of the water to the reins and bladder, and so it works proportiona­bly according to the necessity of nature, as an excellent instrument appointed by Gods providence for the health of mankinde.

They also carry with them out of the body diverse wayes, the cold and watry bloud with other excrementitious humors of choler, pituite, melancholy. Our Hydropo­tae pisse much their expulsive facultie being helped through the diuretick quality of our [Page]water, their grosse excrements are black or greenish: because the salt of minerals be its precipitating vertue facit deseendere terre­streitatem ad fundum: some vomites, voyding their stomach of superfluous humors, some sweats sending forth their obstructions by the pores: for all diuretick things are also diaphoretick, the urine and sweat being of natures little different.

These clear pure waters gratious both to palate and eyes provoke so many and divers evacuations, which scarce any medicament, grievous to the smell, horrible to the sight, and loathsome to the taste, could effectuate: they agree with both sexes, all ages: restor­ing health lost: preserving in integritie the present.

Wee have used all kynd of tryalls for ex­amination of the Petrean water; and have found (as we are able to demonstrate) that these waters carry with them the tincture of vitriol and of mettals not perfect nor al­together solide; but crude begun, growing to a solide mettall if every day a part were not carryed away with the waters.

As for the vertues and qualities of vitriol, they are so renowned by many of the ancients and all our moderne writers, that purposely I omit them to a more fit occasion then the brevity of this peece can permit. And if I shal but point at the generation of vitriol, within the earth the understanding reader shall quickly perceave its nature and operation, which is thus.

There ariseth a sulfureous exhalation be the action of the subterranean heat: which mixed with water makes a sharp corrosive juyce, proper to corrode and drink up a part of copper and yron, and to collect and coa­gulate it self in one; which we cal Vitriol. So that the principles and elements of vitriol are sulfur, water, the two mettals of yron and copper, and some little portion of the minerall clay adhering either to the mettals, as seldome they remain in the bowels of the earth without some slimy matter: or else in the water with which was mixed the sulfu­reous salsuginous exhalation, which things we see in the anatomy of vitriol be destillatiō First the watry part being volatile, ariseth in [Page]making of Colcothar, then that sulfureous salsuginous exhalation, which being by cold condensed in the recipient, turns in oyl: the hypostasis or sediment being puluerised, washed dryed and liquified with borax, se­cundum artem, shall produce a metallick sub­stance. Out of which considerations A. Gun­therus hath defined it to be sulfureae salsuginis aeratae ferratae (que) coagulum.

And albeit evidently ad sensum we can see no more mettals but copper and yron, yet certainly it is coagulum omnium metallorum autcorum sal. Whence some have taken occa­sion to make an allusion to the letters of Vitriolum, Visitando interiora terrae rectifi­cando invenies occultum lapidem veram me­dicinam.

As for the mettals, the Chimique Philoso­phers say that their proxima materia Mer­curie engendred of the first matter of mine­rals well mixed: to wit, that viscous humi­ditie subtilly incorporate to incombustible earth equally mixed with the least parts in the minerall concavities of the earth. And seeing that kinde of matter can not produce [Page]self, nature hath given it a proper agent sul­phur, a certain fatnesse of the earth, engend­red in its own bowels by temperate coction, for concocting, digesting and converting the forsaid Mercurie in forme of mettall, the sulphur having relation to the mercurie, as the male to the female, and as the proper agent to its proper matter: this is proximae materia metallorum. As in the generation of man, the aliment is a nearer mater then the elements, the bloud then the food, the seed then the bloud, and in end after a long and continuall digestion the matter receaves hu­mane forme: so in the generation of mettals there ariseth vapors of the elements, these vapors being condensed turn in a viscous and ponderous liquor mixed with subtile and sulfureous earth, which is called mercu­rie, whereof as of its proxima materia, bee the mixtion and action of sulphur, is made gold, silver, yron, or any other mettall according as nature hath digested it lesse or more: for there is no difference betwixt gold and yron, but that gold hath happened to bee better and longer concocted then the other.

Some striving to imitate nature in perfect­ing of mettals, meaning to bring them to their perfection, Gold, have used many arti­ficiall operations in making their Philoso­phers stone so much searched.

First they calcine the matter without di­minishing the body, they attenuate the gros­nesse and solidity of the calcined matter by solution, and reduce it to its prima materia, which they call minerall water, whereof gold is the father, silver the mother, and quicksilver the proxeneta, that makes the ma­riage and union: this done they separate the foure elements in two parts, one superior and celestiall, which is the spirit that quick­ens, another inferior and terrestriall which must bee enlived by the spirit making the combination with the soule and body, for that first part is a soul inspired: they conjoyn the water and aire with the earth, and fire, they putrifie the matter bee a moist heat, after putrefaction comes coagulation, ciba­tion, sublimation, fermentation, exaltation, augmentation, and lastly projection upon imperfect mettals, changing them into per­fect gold and silver.

It is certain that the chief end of the an­cient Philosophers, who traveiled and la­boured about this stone, was to compose an universall balsamick medicine to roborate and conserve the radicall balsame and nectar of our life, in a good and laudable tempera­ment: which great and incomparable medi­cine they searched in minerals: and knowing that gold, the perfection of minerals, could not have action in our bodys: be reason of its compact and firme composition: they have endevoured to break its hardest bonds, and to reduce it to its first matter, that it may be dissolved in all liquors, and communicate to them that excellent and balsamick perfecti­on of our life and nature.

The transmutation of mettals in the con­cavities of the earth appears evidently; but be artificiall projection many imaginations are not strong enough to conceave, though some too strongly conceave them, & by thus conceaving have deceaved many of the world and themselves: and it is thought be many that gold is not so dissolved bee any preparation as yet found out, that it renders [Page]any tincture worthy of the least and smalest part of the praises it receives. For in auro pota­bili, essentia auri, sale auri, there are other ex­cellent things of more worth nor the gold, lurking in another forme reducible to the metallick substance, neither perchance is it to bee denyed, but there is in gold excellent vertues and specifick remedies for all kinde of diseases: yea, more then in any other thing else, if the right and true preparation thereof were known, as it may bee future ages, more happy then wee shall finde, and I pray GOD they that spend their spirit and expence herein, may better themselves, and the world.

And it may be thought, if the ancients, or moderns had known that the tinctures of minerals were carryed from the concavities of the earth, with water, as in our Petrean fountain, they had never so perplexed them­selves to have tryed so many solutions, cal­cinations, coagulations, fixations, sublima­tions, &c. As they have done, evaporating their spirits, and exhausting the humiàum radicale of their substance.

Within the earth from whence our Pe­trean water flows, is a concavitie, a great ves­sel, ampullare matratium capacissimum, where­in is contained materia proxima metallorum: which sends forth its tincture with our wa­ter. In this natural operation there is no need of calcination, solution, reduction to its pri­ma materia: and separation of the foure ele­ments, which are the most difficile operations in the composition of the stone. And where many may erre, for here as yet the matter is not coagulate, neither is mercurie vnited to its salt and sulfur: but nature finding the salt, sulphur, and mercurie of minerals, as yet not vnited, conjoyns them by digestion and cohobation, sublimating and subtilizing the earthly part, rēdring the mercurial fixed, go­ing on naturally with all the operations re­quisite to the perfection of the work, as co­agulation, cibation, sublimation, fermenta­tion, exaltation, augmentation, as certain­ly it would increase, grow, and fill up, the whole concavities where our water is con­tained, if there were not a continuall proje­ction of this naturall elixir, this magisterium [Page]this quintessence of all mettals, in our water dissolving it self therein, the water being im­pregnate with this admirable yet naturall medicine, bursts out dauncing, bringing with it the cure of all diseases, crying and calling all those who are troubled and load­ned with infirmities, to come and buy with­out money what may restore them to their health. And truely I may speak of this source what sweetly the prince of French Poets did sing of the tree of life: neither let divins take exception that we symbolize from one earthly thing to another, from the tree of life to the water of life, for what is called the tree of life in the old testament is called the water of life in the new: both pointing out the lively vertue of our life which is hid in Christ: yet from the tree of life to the water of life let mee subsultim passe, as birds doe from sprayes to brayes and from mountains to fountaines, saying of this water what hee spoke of that tree, Du Bartas. pag. 174.

And it may be thought that a more ancient (I will not say a better) Poet, when he said [...] comparing water with the rest of the elements, meant of this and such other medicinall waters, and not of common ri­vers & fountains which have no taste, not be­ing impregnate with barley or beef or some such like good commendable ingredients.

Nature hath here prepared an vniversall medicine by many, divers, long and natu­rall [Page]preparations, which for its perfect temperament and puritie, is able governe, conserve and increase the radicall humor, and enliving nectar, sympathizing be its spi­ritall nature with our spirits. Hee that useth this water aright and in season, shall be restored, corroborate, and so armed with strength, that he may afterwards more easi­lie and readily shake of diseases: of whose comforting help nature being destitute may sooner succumbe. For if our naturall bal­same, the shining torch and lampe of our life faile either through defect of proper ali­ment, or bee confined and retrenched by dregs and ashes obstructing, or impeded be any other cause from exercing its livelie flame, for the conservation of our life, then and in that case it must be restored, fortifi­ed & inlarged with this balsamick medicine, the true and naturall tincture of such whole­some minerals, that it may afterwards ab­solutely, exerce its functions, which come from a friendly harmonie which this balsa­mick medicine hath with our naturall bal­same: And from this sympathie and simili­tude [Page]of nature this our water is indued with great activity, spirituall and penetrative, for it attenuats, digests, dissolves and evacuats these feculent oppilations which threaten danger to our health and life. If there bee any impuritie or corruption offending na­ture, by what better and more safe way can it be extirped then be so excellent and pure a thing as this? If any ardent fever invade us, with what sharp julep, with what more con­venient and efficacious syrup of limons shal you extinguish it, then with the balsamick aciditie of our medicinall water? is their pain to quench, let this be your Anodyn, this your only and safe Nepenthes, this your safest Triacle, your wholesome Alexiphar­macum and Antidote to abolish and extirpate poysonable, pestilent and maligne qualities; no Bezoar naturall nor artificiall, animall, minerall or metallick: no Alkermes compa­rable to this for corroborating the heart, that our bodies may by its comforting help continue in lively strength and vigour: these and many more vertues are proper to this Panacea and universall medicine, these are [Page]the vertues of our medicinall balsamick wa­ter, working together with our naturall bal­same: which naturall balsame is the only go­verner and conserver of life, the only pre­server of health, and expeller of diseases: for if morbus be affect us contra naturam actiones laedens, altogether contrary to our naturall balsams, and nectar of life, which is nothing but nature, or an assisting instrument so con­joyneds; that without its help nature can per­fect or do nothing: then if the functions be weakned, corrupt or altogether abolished, it must necessarily follow that our naturall bal­same in some part is hurt, since it it is cer­taine that all the laudable functions flow from it: This it that [...] of Hippo­crates: this is that dispensator making attra­ctions, expulsions, mixtions, coctions of aliments. This naturall balsame is not sub­ject to alterations in its own substance, since it is of an aethereal and heavenly nature, and somewhat incorruptible, but its action is retarded or hindred by impediments, lurking in our internall members and entrailes, brea­ding trouble and labour to that balsame. [Page]Hence it the occasion, the generation, the chief foundation of diseases:

Inextirping of diseases nature is to be re­stored to its entire and pristine estate, to which end all our cogitations should tend, having first taken away the impediments: which intentions are perfected by the onlie restauration of our naturall balsame, (from which all healthfull Crises depends) by the help of the medicinall balsame, which is in nothing else more powerfull and opera­tive then in this our S. Peters well, being pure separating, correcting, roborating, expel­ing: exercing the rest of its functions, as the nature of the patient requireth, without vi­olence or perturbation of the body. Which waterye may use as the proper vehiculum of all medicines for all diseases: for its salt is de­tersive, purgative, diuretick, an universall voyder and corrective of all impurities and corruptions its sulphur a generall and spiri­tuall Anodyne, its mercurie an universall confortative and nutritive, which being all conjoyned in our water by the industrious working of nature, can furnish us means, not [Page]only for defence, but also for expulsion and suppression of diseases.

Now since this water brings with it the salt, sulphur, and mercurie of minerals, it must also be able to cure all diseases, bred from a regression of these three principles from their naturall state in our bodies: as first the diseases of resolved salt, which are Tumors, or excrescences, inlarging the whole or a part of mans body more nor the naturall constitution and competency requireth by the resolution of salt into liquor: unto which are referred the leucophlegmatick kynd of dropsies, anasarca, ascites, the vterinedropsy, hydrocephalum, diabetes, cachexia, the dissolu­tion of salt throughout the whole body, fi­cus, psidracus, all soft phlegmatick tumors.

A disease of coagulate salt is Tartar, con­taining all kynd of calculs or stones, what­somever part of the body they be bred in­to, as sand and stones in the head, stomach, kidneys and bladder, the Tartar of the hy­pochondres, begetting the hypochondriack melancholy, the Tophes and knots bred in the gut and joynts &c.

This Tartar is the nearest and imme­diate cause of the stone and gut, as the acri­mony or some other quality of the salt, nox­ious to the sensible parts of the joynts is the cause and action of lesse or greater paine, according to the diversity of the Tartar or salt contained in the joyntures, since some salt is more sharp and mordicant then ano­ther, some bitter, some sweetish, and some insipide.

A disease of reverberate salt is a defiling of the skin: to which pertains the venerean diseases, the french poxe, leprosie, scur­vie, &c.

A disease of inflamed sulphur is called [...] which is nothing but an inflammati­tion or kindling of sulphur in the whole body or in some certain part thereof, whence the heat of all the body is augmented, and is found and known unnaturall to the touch without, in the whole or in some part of the body. To which are referred all kind of agues, burnings, and intermitting, putride and not putride, hectick, ophthalmick, inflāmations, phlegmons, erysiples or Rose, wild-fire, or ig­nis [Page]persicus, the english peste, squinance, gan­grene, &c.

A disease of resolved sulphur is a flux, and resolution of the sulphur in the parts of our body, as dysenteries, diarrhes, lienteries, vomi­tes and all unnaturall excretions.

A disease of coagulate sulphur is called co­ma, or sopor, containing under it all kinde of sleeping and drowsie diseases, as the thargie, giddinesse of the head, somnolentia, cataphora, caros, myopia &c.

Mercurie makes regression from its natu­rall state by a dry or humide destillation.

The diseases of the first is an inflammati­on, when some part of the body suffers pain by flatus included, or flowing thereto, as all kinde of flatulent phlegmatick tumors, scro­fules or crowels, melliceria, myrmecia, flatu­ous throwing of the colick, Tympanie, pier­cing pains &c.

The disease of an humide destillation of mercurie, is a convulsion, when mercurie resolved into liquor molests the nervous parts: hence come apoplexies, palsies, epilepsies, tetanus, emprostotonos, trembling of the heart, [Page]the night mare, crampes, tenesmus, yexing, which is a convulsive motion of the sto­mach, &c.

The disease of sublimed mercurie com­prehends under it all these diseases which pearce the membranes with fervor, as mad­nesse, phrenesie, migraine, peste, pleurisie, con­sumptions with exulcerations of the pulmons, apostemes, charboncles, &c.

The disease of precipitate mercurie is, arthritis, and all diseases which hurt the ex­tremities of bones & ligaments, as chiragra, podagra, scriatick, the doggish appetite &c.

Which diseases, proceeding from a di­gression of salt, from its naturall state by so­solution, coagulation, reverberation: of sul­phur, by its inflammation, resolution, coa­gulation: of mercurie by its dry and humide destillation, sublimation, precipitation, un­de actio partis necess;ario laeditur, are cured by the salt, sulphur, & mercurie of minerals, con­veighed to us from the innermost parts of the earth by our Petrean waters, to the glory of GOD, and our particular comfort.

And thus have I spoken anent the medi­cinall [Page]vertues of this water in curing of hu­mane diseases, which are common to men and women: and now I must tell you that its vertues are not confined within the com­passe of this generalitie, that do not reach to the particular diseases of the infirmer sexe, which as it is more lovely and delicate then the other, so is it more opportune to the own defects, and is obnoxious to some pro­per diseases, as far different from those of men, as the sexe is from the sexe.

This water helpeth, as other common di­seases, so barrennesse in both: but in the wea­ker sexe the pale colours, theimmoderate evacuation or retention in their desired sicknes, insurrection, precipitation, suffocation and other diseases of the mother: and in a word by removing al impediments of beauty (for diseases impare the beauty with the health) makes them look clear, fair, beautifull ra­ther like angels then mortals: in such sort that I doe not admire that many of the ancient divins affirm that the sons of GOD, that is the angels, loved the daughters of men, and begat with them gyants. For at [Page]that time before the flood, the custome was to drink waters, and I warrant you, the choisest: which made women look so fair, that the angels were taken with their love: and if Angels were, it is no uncouth thing to see men taken with the same beauty.