CHAP. I. The Introduction.

HAving formerly, in the year 1668, annexed a brief discourse of Bathe to one of Doctor Jorden's of Natu­ral Bathes and Mineral Waters, un­der the name of an Appendix con­cerning Bathe, by which and some other pains I had taken about the Treatise it self, I thought I had obliged (as was the opinion of most) not only the Relations of the deceased Au­thor, but all his Friends and Well-wishers; but meeting, contrary to all expectation, with [...]ude and unhandsom returns from an Impudent person, to [Page 2] whose Temper the modest Doctour was a great stranger, and of whose behaviour he would be much asham'd, were he now alive; who on his pretended relation hath repaid me with ill lan­guage, and foolishly threatned me with Trouble for my good will. Now to put an end to all disputes of this kind, I have thought fit to appeal to any understanding person, that hath his senses exercised, and his wits about him, (for all have not, and some have none at all) whether my Additions have been any impair to the Doctor's Reputation, whom I have treated with all the Civility imaginable; and for the Sale of the Book (a good argument of its acceptance) I believe there were not more sold in the Doctor's life time, of what he printed himself, than went off the first year of my Impression. But to silence all Cavils and silly Objections of this nature, I have discharged that Author, and published in this discourse my own thoughts and Observations, and how much different they are from his, or agreeable to Truth, may best be de­termin'd by the ingenious Reader.

I did intend indeed, according to my Promise in the end of my Preface to the Edition of Dr. Jorden, to have amplified that small discourse into an History of Bathe; but finding no encouragement since to that de­sign, and many things that have made me alter my resolution, my intentions are to wave that, and apply my self, in some convenient time, to the Roman Court, where I shall have a fairer Trial, and more Justice done me. In the mean time, I hope this may in some measure stop the gap, and release me of my obligation to the Candid world; especially consi­dering that the Antiquities of the Baths and City can hardly, I think, be improved higher, and the Mystery of the Sacred Waters of Minerva, is not [Page 3] to be profan'd, which it wants little of if idly pro­stituted to vulgar Capacities; which, besides that they are incompetent Judges in other matters, are apt to put a sinister interpretation on those very things, that really are, and were so intended for their own advantage; neither had I published the Observations I now do in this language, had it not been on a more particular account.

The ill Usages and great Indignities I have al­ready met withal, from an ungrateful people, in the prosecution of my design of making further En­quiries into the Nature of those Waters, are not here to be mentioned; they are sufficiently known to be products of Envy and Malice, and as I have hitherto contemned what pitiful opposition could be made against me by the united strength of En­vy, Pride, Beggery and Revenge; so I shall not surcease my Thoughts in due time of performing that which will be better esteem'd by more Judici­ous persons, and render me and my design most acceptable when best understood. It was a fit re­turn of a grave Divine to a vainglorious opposer of his good Inclinations, Nec propter Te coepi, nec propter Te desinam. Thou, Satan, said he, hast nothing to do with my Concerns, for thou art at neither end of my design; and as I did not begin to do thee a kindness, so I will continue notwithstanding thy rage. Such unclean Spirits have no more to do with pub­lick affairs, than to interrupt the quiet of better than themselves; and are like a troublesom Curr on the Road, that doth little else, with a besom tail and a whiffling bark, than make a man well mount­ed look back, his horse kick, and so returns.

It hath ever been the fate of New Discoveries to meet with Course entertainment at their first appearance; and whereas men are usually courteous [Page 4] and civilly demean'd to strange Persons, they treat strange Opinions and new Inventions at another rate. 'Tis the only Policy accounted to keep a bal­lance among men, and if any one by a more than ordinary industry and God's blessing on it, hath made at any time a conquest in the Intellectual world, whereby 'tis thought he may get the start of his Neighbours, a rotten Cabal shall make head a­gainst him, and perhaps, use him with as much se­verity as a forceable Intruder on another's right; whereas the Secrets of Nature are free to all, and the Victor here enters not by Blood, and Rapine, and Tyrannical oppression, but in a way both innocent in it self, and advantagious to others.

When I reflect on the hard measure the Re­nowned Dr. Harvey met withal from the pride and peevishness of some conceited Brethren (who esteem nothing Currant but what bears their image and superscription, if not minted in their own brain) on his first demonstration of the Circulation to the World, I cannot but conclude, if I had no other instance for it, That neither Ingenuity, Learning, Modesty, nor any thing that is good and truly valua­ble can give protection from, though a sufficient antidote against, the poyson of Envy; Envy, that spreading Ring-worm, that Ʋbiquitarian infection, that Canker of what is sound, and Rust of what is bright! to be found almost in all places, in Town and in Country, in the Shop and in the Street, in the Tavern and in the Ale-house; it hovers over all, and pitches where it can, till at last, if it hurt not others, it preys upon it self:

But to pass by things of this nature with that of the unconcerned Graecian to as abusive persons, [...]; or that of Tacitus, Convitia spreta exolescunt, the best answer being nothing at all; I shall rather chuse to acquaint the Read [...]r, That whereas I conceive, when I writ my Letter of Observations, that Bitumen and Sul­phur were not primarily concern'd in the Body of the Waters, and therefore no way observable in the Contents; by fresher Experiments and Observations of a later date, I am inclin'd to believe, that Sul­phur is one ingredient in the Contents of the Wa­ters, though not proportionable in quantity to the Salts, and lost in the bringing them to a better co­lour. For if two or three ounces of the Contents, which at first much resemble the courser sort of Sugar, be put into a Crucible in order to fusion, when the Crucible is red, and before the Salt doth run, there is the perfect colour and smell of Brim­stone, insomuch that it may be sensibly discerned in any part of the room, and as the Salt draws nearer the state of Fusion, the Sulphur wasts and is dimi­nished; so that as dross or Recrement it burns off in Calcination, and is no way concerned in the refined Salt, though one Ingredient in the Waters, and contained in their body.

I shall further add, that I made a Lixivium of the Salt calcin'd before fusion, when probably the Sulphurous parts, or so reputed, were not all con­sum'd, and observ'd so great a foetor in the Lixivi­um representing Sulphur so effectually to my smell, that it presently obtain'd the Testimony (if that be any thing) of that sense.

CHAP. II. The Opinion of a late Author concerning the Nature of the Baths of Bathe.

Joh. May­ow LL. D. & Med.AND here I cannot but take notice of a Novel Writer, who Magisterially thus determines: Quod ad Nitrum & Sulphur attinet, quibus Thermas Bathonienses imbutas esse hactenus creditum est, eorum neutrum Aquis Thermarum istarum solutum esse arbi­tror: As to what concerns Nitre and Sulphur, with which the Bathes of Bathe have hitherto been thought to be impregnated, I suppose there is nothing of either of them dissolved in the Waters.

A bold assertion! which had it been vented and believed but 50 years ago, would have prevented much trouble in evincing the contrary; but, since 'tis in fashion to be peremptory, I do assert, That both Nitre and Sulphur are to be found in all the Bathes of Bathe, and that dissolved in, and mixed with, the Body of the Waters. In order to the Proof of which, I shall take some account of the forementioned Author's 15th. Chapter of his Tract of Sal-Nitre, the arguments he hath against it, and his opinion to the contrary.

His words therefore, as well as I can translate them, are these:

CHAP. III. An Examination of some Particulars in the former Chapter.

HOW far this Author hath ploughed with my Heifer, I leave to the consideration of those that have been any way acquainted with my design; and shall only here take notice, what Observations are agreeable with, or different from those I have often made with the greatest exactness, and repeat­ed Trials, submitting all to the unbiast judgment of Indifferent persons.

And first of all, I concur with him, that the Baths of Bathe are in part impregnated with a certain Salt of an Acid nature; but why this acid Salt should be called Aluminous, I am not yet so fully resolv'd, as much on other accounts, so some­what on this, That although an acid Spirit be in Alom, yet the most perceptible taste is either acerbe or austere; which being not observed in these Wa­ters, I have so much reason to judge Alom not predominant, as asserted here.

The Experiment he mentions of precipitation or alteration of the Waters to a milky colour, or almond Milk, we owe to the Ingenuity of the In­dustrious Mr. Stubbe, who, though he had not the good hap to discover what was precipitated, yet gives it the general name of an insipid Magistery, Pl. ult. red. To a Non­pl. p. 135. and is nothing else but Freestone finely wrought, and intimately mixt with the body of the Wa­ters.

If any blame me for calling it by so homely a name, I desire they would consider, that I had [Page 13] rather call it so than a Metallick Mineral, or a Sali­no-sulphureous Marchasite, supposing it more agreea­ble to all their apprehensions that will be concern'd in things of this nature, and whom I would not have abused with hard names and uncouth ex­pressions; the effect of Ostentation, or sanctuary of Ignorance.

That this is Freestone appears by this, that 'tis insipid, gritty, scowrs, leaves a white colour like Chalk on the fingers after it, and is inclinable to an union into a stony consistence.

That this is not Calx vive, or any lapis Calca­rius that holds affinity with it, I am much induced to believe from this,See Obs. 83 That neither the Insipid ma­gistery, nor the more gritty powder, being no­thing different but in fineness and colour, will, either alone or together, open the body of Sul­phur, which is usual with Calx vive, as I have fully experimented by decocting two parts of the powders with one of Sulphur in a proportionable quantity of Water, which gave the water very lit­tle alteration, and as little was precipitated. To make it further evident, I calcin'd a large Cruci­ble of it with as strong a fire as could well be given, yet nothing quick or limy did appear, but dead and gritty ashes, which, mixed with water, neither made it white, nor created any disturbance. But more of this in what will follow.

That the Bath-water will coagulate milk, I con­fess, but not as any other acid liquor doth; for this doth it sooner upon affusion, and makes a hard curd; that with the Bath-water, must boyl again and that pretty smartly, else a soft white Curd, as commonly it is, will not appear.

I also agree with the forementioned Author in this, That there is a considerable quantity of [Page 14] anƲnder this Notion, I take the liberty to understand Common Salt, or Sal Mari­ne, conso­nant to the proper no­tation of the word: for the Salt of Kali or Glassewort is Marine, though used indifferently by the Chymists for the fixt Salt of any Vegetables, by Cal­cination. Alkalizate Salt, mixed with some other Salt in the body of the waters, and apparently distin­guishable by the taste, as well in a Lixivium made of the Contents of the waters, as in both the Courser part, the result of the Evaporation, and also the purer part, when made white and refin'd; and that this Alkali doth constitute good part of the Saline matter, with which the Baths are im­pregnated.

For I am apt to believe, that great part of the acidity is breath'd off in evaporation, either in the Bath or over the fire, or both ways together, in re­gard very little of that taste is perceptible in the Salt extracted, but the Saline is easily discover'd. To the confirmation of which the acting also of acids on it may somewhat conduce, and the expe­rience of many this Summer, who according to my directions have dissolved the Salt in the Bath-water to improve it, and have sensibly found an in­crease in the other taste, but little or nothing at all in acidity.

Neither doth the Lixivium, though made very strong, nor the Oleum per deliquium dropt 20, 30, or 40 drops into a small proportion of water, tinge with Galls either purple or black.

I may also urge as an Argument for the evapo­ration of Vitriol, the abundance of a yellow Ochre which ascends with the steam of the Bath, and is there chiefly to be found where the steam of the Water meets with any resistance, as I have noted elsewhere, which probably may be the Terra Vi­trioli: [Page 15] And although 'tis not very easie to give the reason, why the Vitriol should not be as visible as the Ochre, or else make it more acid than we find it to be; yet if we conceive it to be in succo primiti­vo, aut Solutis principiis, and there per halitum, and so per transitum too, it may better be conceived to go off, and not imbody as the other Salts do. Yet that all the Acidity is not breathed of, will appear from this, That the Bath-water cold will coagulate Milk. And what is more, the same water distill'd from a gallon to a pint, a fourth part of that pint will make a curd, when the distill'd water in the Receiver will do nothing at all: Which may pro­bably proceed either from something Vitrioline, or rather from the acidity of Sulphur, in regard the Salt made white, in which is nothing wanting but the Sulphur, will not coagulate, as the water doth; whereas the browner Salt before calcination, dissol­ved in Spring-water, will. So then, this Alkali is but one part of the fixt Salt, found in the bot­tom of the Vessel after evaporation ad siccita­tem.

For a further confirmation that an Alkali is contained in the waters, which, considering the Quantity that may continually be made evident both to light and taste, will scarcely be judged to need other demonstration. Yet 'tis observable, that the Cross-Bath having lately been kept drawn four or five daies, the Saline matter not meeting with water sufficient for its dissolution, was driven up in substance from the Springs, and again reverberated by the ambient air, and incrustated on the tops of the stones that were above the water in the bottom of the Bath, which gave me some divertisement to behold, and, on examination, appeared much alkalizate both by taste and ignition; some pun­gency [Page 16] also I observ'd in it, which I rather judg'd to proceed from the acrimony of Nitre than Tartar, but the predominant taste was clearly alkalisate, which after the Nitrous parts were wasted, was less exceptionable in the remaining calx on the I­ron after burning, in which the Alkalisate taste was most remarkable; not to mention its crepitation, and that some pungency also is observed in an Al­kali it self.

To make it further evident that this accretion did probably arise from the Minera, I believe, not far distant, and was not engendred or contracted from some floating particles in the air derived elsewhere, and there settling by way of Magnetism, as some may imagine; 'tis further remarkable, That nei­ther the stones under water, nor, what is more ma­terial, any stone either of the Seats, or in the sides of the bottom of the Bath, remote from the water, had any Salt affixed to them, but only those, as I may so term it, that peeped out of the water, the tops of which only, as I said before, were incru­stated. So that had a Magnetism any place here, the Salino-Nitrous particles must, I conceive, have lighted as well on the stones of the same nature hard by, as where they were, the reason of the thing being much the same. For a fuller Testimo­ny of this, See Obs. 88.

I acknowledge also this, That a great Fermen­tation is produc'd by the affusion of Acids on the Sand and Mud of the Bath, (but do not tell you who first observ'd it) and a much less on the Scum; yet I must be excus'd in this, if I say, That I cannot conceive how this should arise from the action of Acids on a Saline matter, in regard it transcends my understanding to apprehend, how any Salt can possibly lie at the bottom of the Bath, [Page 17] either in the Sand or Mud, undissolved, and the waters no higher impregnated than we find they are.

'Tis a trivial Observation, that what is dissolva­ble in any liquor, the pores of it will receive till it can hold no more; neither can I be yet perswaded, that there are just so many porosities in the Bath-water assigned for Vitriol, and the rest taken up with other Bodies, seeing the dissolution of Vitriol in the Bath-water afterwards, and the alteration in taste that happens thereupon, is sufficient to give me satisfaction to the contrary.

But to speak a little more to this, because the Author insists so much upon it; If any Vitriol be contained in the Sand, 'tis no absurdity to conceive that warm water may dissolve it and fetch it out; now, if half a pint of warm water be poured on an ounce of Sand, with what agitation you shall think convenient, and thus let stand infused ten or twelve hours, the water then decanted, and the sand dried and weighed again, there will be little wanting in the weight, abating for the Ochre, which ariseth first to the top, through the body of the wa­ter, much like white Vitriol, afterwards precipitates and settles at the bottom on the Sand, and is hardly preserved in the decantation.

The Ebullition therefore, on the affusion of acid liquors on the Sand, I conceive doth arise from somewhat not Saline (if Taste be the judge) of which I shall treat more at large by and by: So that the Sand and Salt are no further of the same nature, than as fermentation may arise upon different Commixtures. How this may be reconcil'd to the Experiment I sometime made, of making Ink with Bath-water and Galls, and the Sand of the Bath, with other things which might have been [Page 18] no small encouragement to this opinion, I shall have occasion in part to declare hereafter, but more when I find my Answer is required.

As to the Salt, or rather, to use the new-made word, Calcineous kind of Earth, sticking to the bottom of the Gouts and passages, almost in all places where the water passeth, I was never yet so happy, though I have searched particularly to find any such thing. I confess I have heard it spoken, that five years ago, or thereabouts, there was a Gout out of order at the Cross-Bath, in the recti­fying of which there was observed some such matter adhering to the Passage; but this, I sup­pose, was as much above the Civilian's knowledge, as the Physicians, and whether a bare Tradition with some other uncertainties, to say no worse, be a sufficient foundation for this Hypothesis; That the Salt of the Bath doth much resemble a Vitrio­lated Tartar, or Aluminous Salt, I shall leave those to determine that know the meaning of this ap­proved Sentence, Nullum simile est idem. And seeing that the Author chooses to call this adherent matter by the name of a Chalky kind of substance rather than a Salt, I think I may not be much mistaken if I imagine it to be Freestone; concerning which I can say no more, till I shall happily meet with the like accretion.

That the Fermentation on the affusion of Acids on the Sand, ariseth chiefly from the acting of that liquor on Freestone in conjunction with some Te­staceous particles, and not from any other Saline matter, seems evident from this; That whereas these parts with a blew Clay or Marle, Rubrica, Ochre, and Chrystal-pebbles, are clearly distin­guishable by a Magnifying-glass in the Sand, when the a [...]i [...] liquor hath done its worst, and the dif­ference [Page 19] between the Sand and it, is amicably com­pos'd, the remaining particles of Sand that will not ferment, are only some part of the Marle and Chrystals; And this I call Arena castrata, be­cause, by this means, the Sand loses its fermenting vigour, though the stones do remain.

And whereas the Mud of the Bath, which seems chiefly to consist of this blew Clay or Marle, with something Sulphurous, will do the like; the Fermentation I conceive doth arise not so much, though something I confess, from the Earth it self, as the Testaceous particles with which it a­bounds, in which Earth nothing Saline can be discovered to which the ebullition may make any pretence.

To this may be added; That the colour of the Acid liquor, after Saturation by the Sand, is altogether the same with what ariseth from the Freestone, both equally resembling the infusion of the filings of Steel; so that in this also there is an agreement.

CHAP. IV. Of Nitre in the Bath-Water.

THat Nitre is contained in the Body of the Waters is evident from this, that it may, by art, be extracted thence; and I may as well sus­pect, and, if I please, believe, that I had not mo­ny in my pocket, when I took out some silver for a necessary use; as when I see Nitre taken out of the Bath, say it was never there.

But the difficulty will be to prove the thing; now, I say, a Sceptick may doubt whether a Man be a Man, a Brute a Brute, or whether he makes use of his voice that asks the Question; but whe­ther he be not the wiser man that takes these for granted, and not pragmatically contradicts the u­nanimous consent of Judicious Writers, is easie to determine.

I confess it burns not as Common Salt-Peter doth, because it leaves a Calx behind it; but in that more resembles the Nitre of the Ancients, a pound of which being burnt will leave four ounces of Ashes:Jord. Nat. Bath. & Min. Wat. chap. 7. p. 53. Salt-Peter will leave none.

Neither doth it huff, nor melt altogether in a small quantity as Salt-Peter doth, on the account of an allay it receives from the mixture of ano­ther Salt of an Alkalisate taste with some bitter­ness withal, which remains on the Iron-plate after accension, and is little more than a fourth part of the Body; wherefore to deny the being of Nitre in the Salt, because 'tis not all so, is as absurd, to make a Linsey-woolsey Comparison, as to affirm, there is no Woollen in that sort of Vesture where [Page 21] Linnen is; or to say, That a man that is both Lawyer and Physician, hath nothing of Physick, because he hath something of Law.

But that Nitre is there, though not predominant, seems clear by the shooting in stiria's, which is concluded to be the proper form of that Salt; and although Tartar, and perhaps some other Salts, may somewhat resemble it; yet the diffe­rence is easily perceptible by the sight, but more by the taste.

And now I am discoursing of this matter, I conceive the Author did not hit the mark, because he did not make the Bath-water shoot, in that he only mentions, the Salts that remain after evapora­tion, which, he says, put on a Coal, burn not as Nitre doth. But the shootings so called, in a fi­gure somewhat pyramidal, with many Columellae, or small pillars closely united, put on a red-hot Iron-plate, and so burnt, may alter the case, which I affirm to do, as I mention'd before.

And, what is not a little considerable, on the burning of six ounces of the Chrystals, in order to the Examination of the remaining Calx, the Nitrous parts of the shoots, being many in number, in a short time melted, and ran down both sides of the Iron-plate in a stream, consonant to Pliny's ob­servation of Nitre, (Q) which he affirms ingentibus ri­vulis profluxisse.

To which I may add the bitter Taste apparent­ly discoverable in the Salt, insomuch as to bring it within the verge of a suspicious appearance of a Sal amarum (if any such Salt there be distinct from Nitre) which bitterness hath been accounted pro­per to Nitre, and the waters impregnated there­with,De Therin. l. 5. c. 5. of which the Laborious Ballius gives this Testimony; Differunt etiam Nitrosae Aquae à Salsiae, [Page 22] quòd amarorem Nitrosae sapiunt potius quam Salsu­ginem, & quo magis syncerum habent Nitrum eo sunt amariores. So that the bitter Calx mention­ed before, seems, if any, to be the true Calx of Ni­tre, and no small argument of its sincerity, although this taste be not perceptible in the water, in regard the Nitre is much diluted, and though sufficient for the purpose, not in so great a proportion there.

Also for a further satisfaction, if any Aluminous parts were contained in the Chrystal shoots, I ob­serv'd, That the six ounces mentioned before, after they had hufft, melted and ran upon the Iron-plate, were in little more than one minute reduced to somewhat less than two ounces of a dead white Calx; which being again dissolved, filtred and e­vaporated, gave me a plain Alkali with some re­maining bitterness, which on the affusion of any acid would ferment, and being put to undergo the fire-ordeal Trial, would neither melt nor boyl, but crackle and leap.

To make a further Trial, whether what was bitter and suspiciously Nitrous might be separated from the Alkali; I dissolved and filtred the same Salt again, and evaporating it ad Cuticulam, it shot pa [...]tly into a white hoary down, penetrating cooling, and bitter, distinct from the Alkali with which before it was mixt, and partly into an in­spissated juyce, which I judge to be the succus primitivus of Nitre, with the same qualities; both which put on the Plate did huff and melt as the former, leaving a small bitter Calx behind it, which, I believe, by frequent dissolutions, evaporations, and coagulations, would huff and melt all off, to the utter consumption of its whole body that way, I mean as far as Nitrous, the Alkali shewing [Page 23] it self proportionable in the Calx, after every trial.

And here I would not be mistaken, as if I pre­tended to that grand Arcanum, the discovery of the Nitre of the Ancients, for I am well assured, that the description of that is very much different from what I am now discoursing of, being acknowledged by Pliny, Dioscorides, and others, to be of a rosie colour, and almost purple, which they used some­times to dye that colour with (though some white there was also) and came nearer to the nature of or­dinary Salt, whereupon Dioscorides in his 85th. Chapter hath these words, Nitre, and the froth of Nitre (or Aphronitrum) have the same virtues as Salt, and are burn't like that; yet because some measures may be taken from that, for the better un­derstanding of what is now under the test, I thought fit in that regard at present, only to make this bare mention of it.

Neither can the contrary, I think, be evinced from the effects; for cooling, penetrating, and purg­ing, are attributed to Nitre, and confessedly in the waters, the two former evident in allaying thirst, abating inflammations, and quickness of passage: the latter, as plain in its operation, for Nitre as well as Salt, is said both alvum laxare, and urinas ciere, and Baccius treating of nitrous waters, af­firms, that they do vacuare, virtute Nitri, per al­vum, & per urinas. The like may be said of the external effects by Bathing, which can no way pre­judice the being of Nitre there.

Besides, This way of arguing from the effects is but à posteriori, and less significant where there is matter of fact, which may be useful in the dark; but if it thwart with a plain experiment, must yield; for, Quid verba audiam, cum videam facta? And [Page 24] whoever shall undertake a business of this nature may consider, that the best judgment to be made of the effects, is from a constant observation of particu­lars on the place, which cannot be conceived to be so well done at a distance, but must require, besides some time, a good attendance, as well as practice here. But to return.

These Stiriae, or Needles, I observed in the wa­ter of all the Baths, yet in a different shape and consistence; for the King's Bath-water after a full imbibition of the Salt dissolved, and a strong Lixi­vium thence procured, evaporated ad Cuticulam, and set in a cool place, shot from the inside of the evaporating Glass into its Cavity, into strong, and compacted Needles, with that strength, that it took some of the Common Salt with it, which ap­peared in the Nitrous shoots, something like the stars in a clear sky, but white, and in a Cubical form, in perfect squares, or Tessera's distinct from the body of the Nitrous shoots, with which the Nitre was studded, being impacted into it.

The Cross Bath shot in smaller Needles, but long­er and very thin, in great number, directly from the bottom of the glass, very close together, but distinct each from other, much like the Finnow, or hairy excrescence, that oftentimes ariseth from cor­rupted matter, which on the least violence offer'd would break, and not endure any kind of resist­ance.

The Hot Bath gave me more trouble to bring it to shoot, insomuch as being frustrated in two or three Experiments, I had almost concluded there was nothing Nitrous there, but the thing after­wards succeeding, I had on a small quantity of the Salt dissolved, and the Lixivium evaporated ac­cording to Art, five, or six single Stiria's, bigger, [Page]

[Page] [Page 25] and stronger, though not so long, as those I observ­ed in the water of the Cross Bath, which gave me satisfaction as to that Bath also, in the particular thing of Nitre now under debate. Since which time on another Experiment, I had as firm and com­pacted Needles from the Hot Bath, as I had formerly from the King's, both which Baths shoot much alike, and different from the Cross.

I shall not lay any great stress on these observati­ons, in relation to the difference between the three Baths mentioned before, in regard it must be a bu­siness of greater experience, and more exact obser­vation of many Circumstances, to state that affair as it ought to be, and is, in good part done in the Miscellaneous Observations hereunto annex'd; only this use I may safely make of them, to confirm what I had before asserted, That there is Nitre dis­solved in the Water of all the Baths of Bathe. And if this be not the thing that hath hitherto been de­scribed under that name, by the most approved Writers, I presume we may afterwards take it for a Chimerical notion, that hath no foundation in any work of Nature, but owes its subsistence to a phantastical brain.

To this may be further added; That the Liqua­men, or oleum per deliquium, being closely stopt, and but heated by the fire, presently, as soon as cold, concretes into a Nitrous form; so that we need not call in the secret, and invisible assistance of the external air, to make a Metamorphosis almost as strange as those mentioned by the Poet, when we have clear, and unalterable principles of Nature, and innate propensities, and disposition in matter it self, with a divine impression, that will serve the turn.

In the rear of these Philosophical Arguments, I shall offer one (supernumerary) Grammatical, which is this; That the Salt I call Nitrous, either in the Sun, or by Candle-light, shines and sparkles very much, consonant to the Notation of the word Nitrum, which probably, may not be so much a Grecian, as the great Etymologist would have it, and derived [...] from its scouring, and absterging nature; as a Latinist, and so called à Ni­tendo; because it gives a greater lustre than any other Salt doth.

CHAP. V. Of Sulphur in the Bath water.

AS to Sulphur, the next thing to be insisted on, as contained in the Waters, I conceive that many that have endeavoured to avoid Charybdis, have fallen into Scylla, and because the ancient Au­thors have asserted that Sulphur was undoubtedly concern'd in all Baths, they will affirm there is none in any; but whoever builds a fabrick on this foundation, and certainly concludes, that Sulphur is not in the Bath-waters, because it cannot be disco­ver'd by precipitation, I would have forbear a posi­tive determination on a negative experiment, till I see Vitriol precipitated in substance from the King's Bath-water, which is acknowledg'd to be there. And if I cannot light on an apt precipitater, which every way opposeth the particles to be so discover'd, and have some other reasons to incline me to the contrary, I should not be so fond of my own con­ceit, [Page 27] as to be prevail'd upon by a comparative in­stance of unslak't Lime, to wipe my own Nose, and put out my Eyes, which as far as they can, assure me to the contrary.

I shall refer the Reader to what is mention'd be­fore concerning the Colour and Smell, in calcining the Contents of the Bath-water in general, and till I shall meet with something that will both burn blew, and give a fetid smell, that is not Sulphur, I shall so esteem that, till ascertain'd of the con­trary.

I may further add, That the Sulphur is proba­bly incorporated with the Salt, as appears by its passing with it into the Lixivium, and through pa­pers in filtration, and not discoverable but by a strong fire, by which the body of the Salt is open'd, and a solution of the Continuum made, in order to fusion; so that if you do not precipitate both, you can precipitate neither, unless a separation of the Sulphur from the Salt be made, which, I presume, is not easie to be done, without the help of fire, by which the Sulphur is consum'd: so that the com­parative instance of unslak't Lime is little to the pur­pose; where the Sulphur is separated, decocted, and precipitated; here not so, being not apart, but residing in a Saline-Sulphureous Salt, a piece of whose Body, as we now have it, it seems to be.

Moreover, Whereas he collects from the Bath-waters not ringing Silver yellow, but rather black, that there is no Sulphur contained in the same; I may retort, and that very justly, this as an argu­ment to assert it. For the proper colour that Sul­phur dissolved gives to Silver is not so much yellow as black, as may be e [...]sily discerned by putting any piece of Silver, but a very little while, into the de­coction [Page 28] of Sulphur made in the water of unslak't Lime, which gives as near the colour of the Silver I have caused to lye some time near the Springs of the Bath, as may be, so that the difference is not discernable; not to mention that some yellowness is observed on the Silver tinged by the Bath.

Neither am I fully satisfied that the only, or in­deed the best, precipitator of Sulphur is an acid; for on the decoction of that Mineral in the water of quick Lime (the Lixivium, though with much Sulphur, not succeeding) and very sudden change, on the affusion of Spirit of Vitriol, into a milky, and much whiter Consistence, the Liquor after­wards settled, and precipitated not as Sulphur, but Lime-stone; so that the Sulphur, although it gave a greater fetid smell, yet was not so apparently pre­cipitated, as by Oyl of Tartar in another glass, which gave the Sulphur in proper colour precipita­ted, without a permanent lacteous opacity. Where­upon I made this observation, as to the present ex­periment, That although acids do not precipitate of this lapideous matter alone, yet if in the embraces a strong sulphurous commixture, they will, and the Lime-stone is most properly precipitated by an acid, if Sulphur be decocted with it; whereas the Body of Sulphur, decocted as before, is best precipitated by a fixt Salt, the Sulphur appearing without white­ness, in its own garb, though not so fetid as on the affusion of an acid.

It may be also noted that S. Closseus, in his pre­paration of Lac Sulphuris, in which the body of Sulphur is open'd with Calx Vive, directs the Sul­phur to be precipitated with Urine.

The occasion of this mistake (seeing he pretends to give the reason of another, concerning an expe­riment of a like nature) I conceive to be, That [Page 29] the white matter precipitated on the affusion of any acid, was, without much examination, reputed wholly sulphurous, as appears from these words; For if Sulphur be boyled in the water of unslak't Lime, the water becomes white, not by the affusion of a fixt Salt, as before, but of an acid: so that fixt Salts may dissolve Sulphur but not precipitate it. Where­as the whiteness ariseth much from the mixture of the Lime-stone, as appears by the open confession of what is precipitated, if standing some time, fil­ter'd, and brought to the test by fire, where the Lime-stone is discover'd, the Sulphur being rather disturb'd than precipitated by the acid liquor, which makes it give a greater fetor, but never kindly pre­cipitates; the other precipitation with oyl of Tar­tar, which here, contrary to its wonted course, joyns with the Lime-stone, which it usually preci­pitates, and opposeth the Sulphur, is very apparent, and sulphurous beyond contradiction.

I am not ignorant, that in the preparation of Lac Sulphuris mentioned before, Sulphur also is precipitated by an acid, but that fixt Salts should dissolve Sulphur, but not precipitate it, is what I said I was not so fully satisfied in. Not to mention that the matter precipitated by a fixt Salt is white on the first affusion, though the whiteness be not so permanent, the Sulphur in a short time precipita­ting in proper colour.

Besides, If Sulphur be boyled in the Bath-wa­ter, and doth not tinge it with a yellow colour, I presume, it cannot thence be argu'd that there is no Brimstone there, for the colour of the water in which Sulphur is dissolved, is not so much yellow as Lixiviate, or reddish; and therefore Schroder gives this direction for the making that preparation of Sulphur mentioned before, that after the Sul­phur [Page 30] and Tartar are mixed, they ought to boyl, donec fere omne Sulphur solutum sit, liquor (que) rubeus appareat; though some addition I confess it may have from the Tartar. Yet Closseus, in his way of making that preparation where there is no Salt of Tartar, but, instead of that quick-Lime, which gives no such tincture of it self, hath this Note; Coque, donec partes tres aquae sint consumptae, ruborem­que contraxerit instar sanguinis, ex Sulphure disso­luto.

I therefore think it no ill advice here, that they that are so much concern'd to give the reason of the mistakes of others, would a little mind to rectifie their own, and not be an Argus abroad, but a Mole at home.

I do also acknowledg, that I believe that the white Magistery or in-palpable Powder, precipita­ted from the Bath-water on the affusion of Salt of Tartar, or any other analogous, or agreeable Salt, is not Sulphurous, much less Aluminous; but ra­ther Stony, of a lapideous substance, the result of an intimate Commixture, with the body of the Wa­ters, which may have no small influence on their fer­mentation, as may hereafter be more fully consi­der'd.

And as to what reflects on that famous Practitio­ner, the Ingenious and Learned Dr. Willis, I shall, at present, say no more than this, That ob­serving one so pedantickly drest up in his own clothes, he ought not to be affrighted with his own shape; only this may be further noted, That where­as Dr. Willis had desired of me the exacter trial of that Experiment of decocting Sulphur and An­timony in the Bath-water, I well remember I re­turn'd him something of both that was precipita­ted after a double filtration, and the decoction per­formed [Page 31] in a Vessel altogether free from the season of any fixt Salt.

Yet I must acknowledg, that what was precipi­tated was very inconsiderable to what was decoct­ed, and not so much as to make much alteration in the colour of the water; which may deserve their consideration wh [...] affirm, a Lime-Chalk Stone, or Lapis calcarius, to be contained in the Waters, and yet deny them to dissolve Sulphur, and again affirm, that Sulphur is dissolved in the water of Lime.

The same alteration of the water into a turbid milky appearance, and the precipitation by oyl of Tartar, of an insipid powder, mentioned before, was also observed in the Spaw at Scarborough, and Sulphur-Well at Knaresbrough, by William Simpson Doctor in Physick, as appears from several places in his Hydrologia Chymica, and Hydrological Essays, which he there asserts to be Aluminous, and page 118. of the latter Treatise saith; By the addition of Oyl of Tartar this Sulphur-water turns white, and that because it is impregnated with a small quantity of a Simple natural Alom Salt. How far Alom is concerned in that water, I shall not here dispute, but leave it to the Learned Dr. Wittie, whose con­cern it is: only thus much I can say, that the like Phaenomenon appearing in these waters, what is thus precipitated here is not Aluminous, as hath been acknowledged by many eminent Physitians, who have seen some quantity of the precipitated powder; and was particularly noted by the ever Honoured Sir Charles Scarbrough, this Summer, here.

But to prevent any mis-understanding, I must acknowledg that this assertion stands on this founda­tion, That the white powder precipitated by oyl of Tartar from the Waters, is the same with the finer [Page 32] sort of what I had, in greater quantities precipita­ted spontaneously per decubitum, on the evaporati­on of many Hogsheads of the Water, and is now to be seen, though not altogether so white nor fine, having undergone many alterations, which being decocted in Spring-water, the water filter'd will precipitate with oyl of Tartar, as the Bath-water doth; yet if any one shall think fit to deem this Saline, and perhaps, Aluminous; he ought to con­sider, how any Salt can so soon be devested of the essential property of what is saline, as to be rendred perfectly insipid, when saline at first: though I do not absolutely deny, but that we may attribute, though somewhat Catachrestically, the name of Salt, to something not saline, communicating with it in some other of its properties.

I know very well that Alom dissolved in Spring-water, the Water filter'd and the Salt precipitated with oyl of Tartar, will be impaired much in its saline taste; yet so much of the sowrness, and stip­ticity will remain, as will be sufficient to discover its nature.

CHAP. VI. Of Vitriol in the Bath-water.

TO pass by the Reason of the Common Arti­fice of tinging Silver at the Bath, what con­cerns the Scum, and Sal Armoniack, as of no great moment; Vitriol is, by Him, denied to be in the Cross and Hot Bath, because Galls beaten and in­fused in these Waters, will never turn them purple nor black, which is confessed would certainly be, if these Waters had Vitriol in them.

How true this is, a slight Experiment will soon evince, and if the Author had ever made trial, his Galls or Sight, must be worse than mine, if a pur­ple colour did not appear.

To which may be added the Experience and Te­stimony of my Honoured and Learned Friends Sir Edward Greaves, and Dr. Nat. Highmore, who have both made trial, and found the Waters turn. With the former of whom I lately further observ'd, that when we had been sufficiently satisfied in the turn­ing colour of the Hot Bath Pump-water, with less than half a pint of Water and but two grains of Galls, and had thrown away the Water and Galls, in order to the trial of something else, more of the same Water, though much cooler than when brought at first, being powred into the same glass, turn'd colour also, receiving a brisk light purple, from the remaining particles of the former infusion about the glass, though nothing of the Galls did appear at all.

'Tis also confirm'd by this, That whereas the Leaves of Oak make little or no alteration in the Water of the King's Bath, the Chips, or inner Bark of the same make rather a better purple in the Water of all the Baths, than the Galls; only the King's Bath tingeth deeper than the other two, as in all Experiments of this nature, it appears to do. The like also will happen on the Seeds of Sumach contus'd and infus'd, but with Pomegranate Flow­ers most apparently, so that the Water of any of the Baths affused hot on that, will presently turn purple; though the colour doth not keep so long in strength, as that which ariseth from the Oaken Chips.

These things consider'd, I conceive it no injury to the King's Bath to allow it a little Vitriol, though manifestly derogatory to the other two to deny it, since they make their claim by the same evi­dence, and that Judg will hardly free himself from the censure of injustice and partiality, that will not hear a poor mans Tale, but suffers an honest Cause that hath weak lungs and a weaker purse to be lost, on the louder clamours of more importunate addresses.

The truth of this Experiment being thus far call'd in question, I am the more afraid of the cer­tainty of some others; for I remember an old Story of Mr. Thief in the University, that was wont to be very busie in some Booksellers Shops, and entred in the Shop-Book under that name, whoever there­fore was taken in the fact but one time, was oblig'd to quit the whole score, on this account, That he that was really convicted once, might commit the same thing five, ten, or twenty times before, and therefore he the man from whom all was re­quir'd.

The Metallick Mineral, so called, hath nothing Metallick contained in it; and if this be so easily, by the air, converted into Vitriol, 'tis very strange we have not yet had any Houses of Vitriol, which surely have endur'd the air long enough to experi­ence a Transmutation.

As for the Sand breaking out with the Springs in which Vitriol is supposed to lye undissolv'd, as was mentioned before, if there were no better ar­guments for Vitriol than this, I shall not stick to say, that he that depends on this, builds at best but on a sandy foundation.

That the purple colour appearing from the mix­ture of the Sand of the Bath, with the infusion of Galls, may not arise from the tincture of Vitriol, seems more than probable by this Experiment. I have formerly declared, that the Sand of the Bath may be so far corroded with an acid Menstruum, as not to ferment any longer, but lye quiet in the bot­tom of the glass without any motion at all; now, this Sand on the affusion of Common Water gave an excellent purple, when 'tis not likely that any thing saline should remain, after so many washings and re­affusions, as are requisite to reduce the Sand to that condition. Moreover 'tis considerable, the infusion was not acid, nor any way alter'd from its common tast. But this Experiment I made but once, and had not an opportunity of repeating it again.

'Tis likewise more observable, That after some hours standing, a purple floccous matter did sponta­neously precipitate, upon which there being a clear separation, the Water return'd to its pristine colour, and the floccous matter subsided in the bottom of the glass, which being filter'd per Chartam, and exa­min'd, was perfectly insipid, and not at all Vitrio­line.

Besides, On the Calcination of half a pound of the Sand, when the Crucible was as red and the Sand as hot as usually it is when the Salts do run, the Sand powred out glowing hot, nothing saline was observ'd to concrete among it, which it would certainly do, if any fusible Salt were there, as in other Calcinations it appears to do.

I therefore rather judg it to proceed from an in­sipid but astringent Ochre, such as is mentioned by Fallopius, De Met. & Foss. c. 35. de Ochra. which lying some time in the open air, becomes more sowr than when taken out of the Bath, which may occasion the difference between the Sand newly taken, and that which is kept some time; the Ochre it self infus'd making the liquor much blacker after some standing, as is more fully declared in the following Chapter.

CHAP. VII. Containing a farther Proof and Illustration of the former particulars.

TO make this a little clearer; 'Tis an easie Ex­periment to powr warm water on the Sand, in what proportion you please, which if kept some time will alter the water in which it is infus'd, into a yellowish or amber colour: when the water is impregnated very well, mix some of this with the infusion of Galls, and presently an atropurpureous colour will appear, in which if you infuse white paper but a very little while, you will quickly be satisfied what colour it will tinge. Now, if this infusion be permitted to cool, the Ochre will preci­pitate, leaving the water somewhat yellower than in it self it is, to which it also communicates a harsh tast, and at last settles on the top of the Sand, from which it may be separated by decantation. The contrary happens to the Sand newly taken, in which the Ochre clogg'd with too much moisture cannot shew it self, as when older, and more dry. So that I see no reason or necessity, from this Phaeno­menon, to assert the existence of Vitriol in the Sand of the Bath, otherwise than as it hath relation to this astringent Ochre, which I do believe receives this tinging property by the impression of Vitriol, this being in all probability, as is noted elsewhere, the Terra Vitrioli, or Earth, in which the Vitriol is contain'd before exhalation; as I conceive, the Marl or Mud is the bed of Sulphur, or the Terra, to which that Mineral doth more nearly ad­here.

And that 'tis this yellow matter that occasions the alteration, may be further evident from this; That after the first decanting, if the Ochre be powred all off, and warm water affused on the Sand again, and that infusion mixed with the infu­sion of Galls, no change of colour will ensue. To which may be added, that the Ochre it self kept some time, and infused in the decoction of Galls, will, after lying a pretty while, turn that Liquor into a much blacker appearance.

I shall end this dispute with the observation of one,D. Simpson who affirms, That Artificial Alom will not with Galls strike a purple colour, but the Natural Alom with its inbred Ochre, will; ascribing more to the Ochre than the Alom. So that this may be the end of that Controversie about Alom and Galls tinging Water purple, That Alom, as Alom, doth not tinge, but as in conjunction with this inbred Ochre, or as Vitrioline; for between Vitriol and Alom there are many resemblances, and a worthy Author hath observed,Jord. Nat. Bath. chap. 7. p. 52. that the Basis of Vitriol is Alom, both these being much alike, but that Vitri­ol hath a garb from Copper or Iron, which in the Ochre gives the tinging quality, the Alom, as di­stinct from Vitriol, contributing nothing at all.

If any shall affirm this Ochre to be Vitrioline, I have not deny'd it, having formerly supposed it might be Terra Vitrioli; but what I here question is, whether any Vitrioline saline body, different from the Ochre, be contained in the Sand, or can lye undissolved there.

'Tis very remarkable what is said, That if the Sand of the Bath, impregnated with an acid Li­quor, be put into the infusion of Galls, the Liquor acquires an atropurpureous colour; and no wonder, since the acid Liquor may do much alone, as may [Page 39] be seen in the mixture of Vinegar, with the deco­ction or infusion of Galls, which supplying in some measure the place of Vitriol, by a kind of analogy inclines the infusion to an inky complexion.

And as for the Metallick Mineral contained in the Sand, which on the affusion and corrosion of an acid Menstruum, will in part be converted into Vi­triol, I have said before that 'tis nothing else but a Common Freestone, a Mineral, I confess, but how far Metallick, I leave to the judgment of the men of that Art.

For a partial satisfaction in this thing; if the sharpest Vinegar be powred on the Sand in one glass, and on Freestone in another, the same fermentation will appear for the present, and the same blewish colour of the infusion afterwards upon Corrosion; so that it much resembles the colour and smell of the saturated Liquor, on the affusion of Vinegar on the filings of Iron. But whether this be a suffici­ent argument to dub it Metallick, I shall be better satisfied, when I am convinced of this, That Truth hath never suffer'd by meer Resemblances.

But that it may appear that I desire to proceed in this Affair with all ingenuity and freedom from animosity, unless what will seem necessary to disco­ver truth; I shall here recite a Passage out of Dr. Wittie's Answer to Hydrologia Chymica, leaving how far it may be applicable to the saline Stiria's mentioned before, to the judicious Reader and further observation.

The Candid Doctor, pag. 63. among other Pre­parations out of the Minerals of the Spaw at Scar­brough, made by Mr. Sam. Johnston, a Physician at Beverly, and by him communicated to the Doctor, m [...]kes mention of an Essential Salt, which Mr. Johnston calls Anomalous, or sui generis, as differ­ing [Page 40] much from the factitious or natural kinds of Alom, Vitriol, or Nitre, though in some properties it agree with each of them.

The Reason of this Scruple, he adds, is this, which Paracelsus hath clearly made out, That here they are not corporally, but I suppose, the Doctor doth not mean, that what is percolated hath no body or substance, but only that 'tis more re­fin'd. percolated, not perfect in their several kinds, but in suo primitivo, not single, but all mixed together, which as yet I could never attain to separate. And therefore this Salt is nothing so acid as Vitriol, nor stiptick as Alom, nor inflammable as Nitre, notwithstanding it doth shoot in Stiria's. I'le only add this, That they are all here, though in fra­ctis, imminutis, & debilitatis viribus, and the vir­tues of the Waters to be judged from them all.

To which I shall only subjoyn this Remarque, That the Nitre, undoubtedly here, being allay'd with the mixture of some other Salts, could not be expected to do altogether as sincere Nitre doth, and the best way, I conceive, to discover the distinct natures in this Compositum, had been to have at­tempted a separation by frequent Calcinations, Dis­solutions, and Coagulations, which, if done, I much admire the several Salts did not appear in proper form, as they did in the anomalous Salt of these Waters, subjected to the same way of trial: and then I somewhat question, whether Alom would have deserved so much favour, as the Doctor's good nature hath allow'd it here.

I shall forbear, at present, to trace this Author or follow his track any further, as also to examine his Opinion, concerning the Cause of the Heat of the Bath-waters, till my Treatise, in the same lan­guage he hath written in, be presented to the World; only thus much I shall say now, That I conceive an Hypothesis founded, though not on a subterranean [...]ire, yet on things under ground, may probably [Page 41] give more satisfaction than some airy notions, con­sidering especially, that nothing external to the Body of the Earth, can in reason be supposed capable of reaching these Waters, but rather somewhat inclu­ded in its own Bowels, which may be near at hand, of an active, even, and durable nature; when, to say no more, nothing is more variable than the air, nor unconstant than rain.

I shall also distinguish the whole bulk of what relates to the Body of the Waters, into things Sa­line, and non-Saline: the former I shall endeavour to evince to be Nitre, Common Salt, and Vitriol; the latter, to be partly unctuous, as Bitumen and Sulphur; partly gritty, as Freestone; and partly earthy, as Marl and Ochre. I shall likewise exa­mine what pretences Alom can make, and further discourse of the difference between that and Vitri­ol: and lastly, enquire into the competition of Lapis Calcarius with Freestone; so that the Bath-water will have relation to, or comprehend in its largest extent, eight distinct Substances, at least ac­cording to my Observations, which will be the bu­siness, God willing, of the first Book of my Trea­tise De Thermis Bathoniensibus, viz. de Aquarum Principiis, una cum earundem appendiculis, nimi­rum, Arena, sive Sabulo, Luto, & supernatante uligine, sive Spumâ. The second Book shall treat De Aquarum Calore. The third De usu Thermarum; ubi de modo Balneandi; de Aquarum potatione; de Antliatione jam in usu loco dulciae, aut Stillicidii Veterum; de usu Luti, &c. The fourth and last Book, I intend, shall be De Aquarum Virtutibus, & Nocumentis, observationibus quibusdam rarioribus, quantum res ipsa patitur confirmatis: Which Emo­luments and Inconveniences shall be both evidently deduced from the precedent Principles, the one re­commended, [Page 42] the other provided against. But this will require some time; for I am willing to prevent that fault in my self, which I find in another, and would not have it justly said of me, Canis festinans coecos parit Catulos.

CHAP. VIII. Being a Letter formerly written to Sir Edward Greaves.

CHAP. IX. Of the Antiquity of the Baths and City.

AND now it may be expected I should say something concerning the Antiquity of the Baths and City, which I the rather do here, in regard since my writing any thing of this kind heretofore, in many Particulars I have met with better information.

Not to mention any thing of Bladud, and the British Histories, as at best, uncertain,Gul. Malm. I shall first take notice of the Opinion of those that ascribe their discovery to Julius Caesar, fifty years, or there­abouts, before Christ, which the Learned Antiqua­ry Mr. Cambden thinks not so probable,Br. p 234. because Selinus, who lived in the time of Titus Vespasian, 130 years after, and 83 (rather 81) years after Christ, was the first of the Romans that made men­tion of them. But if it be uncertain when So inus lived, and most likely after the year three hundred, as my Judicious friend,Dr. Will: Lloyd. the Reverend and Learned Dean of Bangor hath observ'd, then the Antiquity reaches not so high.

To which may be added most assuredly, That Julius Caesar came not so far up into the Land: For [Page 56] whatever some Poets and Poetical Historians that lived a thousand years after him, may deliver, certain it is that J. Caesar made not so great a Con­quest here as they made for him; whence Tacitus writes, That he discover'd only, not delivered un­to the Romans, Britain. His words in the life of Julius Agricola are these; Primus omnium D. Julius cum exercitu Britanniam ingressus, quanquam pros­pera pugna terruerit incolas, ac littore potitus sit, potest videri ostendisse posteris, non tradidisse. Horace also calls the Britain, before Augustus, Untoucht;

And Cambden saith, That 'tis so far from being true what Paterculus reports, Bis penetrata Britan­nia à Caesare, That Caesar passed twice through Bri­tain, or twice a great way into Britain, which is all can well be understood by those words of that Hi­storian, that he scarce made entry into it. For ma­ny years after this Entrance of Caesar, the Inhabi­tants of this Island were left to the free govern­ment of their own Kings, and used their own Laws.

Twin. Comm. p. 146, 147.Another Learned Antiquary treating of Caesar's Conquest here, is of opinion that it extended no farther than Kent, some part of Sussex, Surrey, Mid­dlesex and Essex, and perhaps, as the Learned Dr. Lloyd hath further noted,De Bell. Gall. lib. 5. into the edge of Berks, Ox­ford and Bucks; for he mentions the Bibroci and Anealites, which Cambden with good probability places there. The words of Twine are these; Mihi quidem videtur universum Cantium, Sussexiae vicina [Page 57] loca, & Suthreiam, quae Regni nomine, itemque Mid­dlesexiam & Essexiam, qui hodiè à Doctorum vulgo, Trinobantum appellatione intelliguntur, legionibus suis invasisse; nec, si ad plures penetrasset, aut in gra­tiam recepisset, puto praeterire silentio valuisse. Re­liqui vero populi manus quidem dederunt, quorum tamen regiones nunquam à Caesare conspectae sunt. To me, indeed, it seemeth probable, that Julius Caesar, with the Souldiers under his Command, conquered all Kent, the neighbouring parts of Sussex and Sur­rey, called by the name of Regnum, also Middlesex and Essex, which the Learned call Trinobants; neither do I believe but that if he had conquered or made peace with more, he would have mentioned them: Some other Inhabitants nearest to danger yield­ed, whose Country Ca sar never saw.

The Saxon names of Bathancester, Hat Bathan, and Akmanchester, are of later date, the Saxons not arriving here till the time of Theodosius the younger, about the year of Christ, according to the most probable account of Venerable Bede, 449.Hist. Eccl. l. 1. c. 15. Nay the later name of Akmanchester was not given till some few years after the year of Christ 577; when from a mean condition, to which this City was then reduced by War, it again recovered strength and great dignity, and from the great concourse of Diseased people that came for Cure, was called Akmanchester, or, The City of Sickly folks.

Anno 575, saith the Saxon Chronicle, the City of Bathe, as also Glocester and Ciceter, were taken by Cuthwin and Ceaulin the Saxons from the Britains, after the slaughter of three British Kings, Commail, Condidan, and Farinmail, that year in a battle at Deorham.

Neither can their Antiquity be much more ad­vanced [Page 58] by the [...], or Hot waters in Pto­lomy, who flourisht about Anno Christi 161, being also the first year of the Reign of the Emperour Antoninus; Aquae Solis, or Waters of the Sun of Antonine, or Badiza of Stephanus, who lived Anno Dom. 540. But what may seem to some of greater consequence are the British Names of Yr Ennaint Twymin, as Cambden hath it, or rather Caer En­naint, the City of Oyntment, from the Diseased people that came hither for relief, Ennaint in Welch signifying Ʋnguentum: H. Lloyd. F [...]agm. descr. B [...]it p. 16. or else, Caer yn nant Twy­min, the City in the warm Vale; whence Bristol was anciently called, Caer Dorr yn nant Badon, the City Oder in the Vale of Bathe. Caer Baddon, or Bathon; and Caer Paladdur, the City of Pallas, or Minerva's Water; especially since Solinus affirms Minerva to have been the Patroness of these Baths, if of them he writes, as most probable, in these words, Chap. 25, where speaking of Britain, he saith, In quo spatio magna & multa flumina sunt, fontesque calidi opiparo exculpti apparatu ad usus mortalium: quibus fontibus praesul est Minervae nu­men in cujus aede perpetui ignes nunquam canescunt in favillas, sed ubi ignis tabuit, vertitur in globos saxeos; i. e. In which space are many great Rivers, and Hot springs, very curiously adorned and kept for mens use, the Patroness of which is the Goddess Mi­nerva, in whose Temple perpetual fires never turn to ashes, but when the heat is over, become round lumps of stone. There being also a Tradition here, that there was formerly a Temple dedicated to Minerva, where the Church of St. Peter and Paul, common­ly called the Abbey-Church, now stands. I say, if Solinus writes of them, because the Baths of Buck­stones in Darbyshire are likewise in Britain, and were formerly much frequented.

I know very well that Mons Palader was a name amongst the Britans for Shaftsbury, Mr. Tho. Wilkins, Prebend of Llandaffe. Paladr in that Language signifying a Shaft; but Ponticus Vi­runnius, who lived 1500 years since Christ, cor­ruptly calls it Paladur; Rudhudibras condidit oppi­dum Montis Paladur quod nunc Sefronia dicitur; and therefore gave occasion to some inconsiderate per­sons to confound it with Bathe: Now although any one that knows a Mountain from a Plain may see the difference, yet I must be so impertinent here as to say, That I see no reason to the contrary but that Palladdur may be two words, and rendred Minerva's Water; Dwr being the word for Water in Welsh, and Mons Palader, Paladr, or Baladr, as it should be written, and Caer Palladdur, to be two distinct places; the former Shaftsbury, the latter Bathe: However if Cambden be mistaken, and my self also following his Authority, we are both un­der the correction of those that have better con­verse with the British Writers.

I shall only add, That Ptolomy reckons Therma and Ischalis as Cities of the Belgae, whereof Ischa­lis, now Ilchester, he places in 16 degrees 40 minutes of Longitude; 53 degrees 30 minutes of Latitude; and the other City Therma, or Bathe, in 17 degrees 20 minutes of Longitude, and 53 degrees 40 mi­nutes of Latitude.

Antoninus his Itinerary hath Aquae Solis in the way between Venta Silurum, now Caer Guent, and Verlucio, now Warminster: from Venta to the ferry over Severn, called Trajectum, he makes six miles; from that Ferry to Aquae Solis eighteen miles; and from Aquae Solis to Verlucio sixteen miles. This may serve to prove, that Therma in Ptolomy, and Aquae Solis in Antonine, were meant of Bathe.

Let this then suffice for the Antiquity of the [Page 60] Waters, That we have a Tradition, and the Autho­rity too of some suspected Writers, that the Baths were discovered eight hundred and odd years be­fore Christ: That not long after Christ, we have undoubted mention made of them in credible Au­thors, and that doubtless they were known, and made use of too, long before any Author writ of them: So that to trace their Original, is to unravel the Creation, and to make enquiry for their com­mencement, little different than to seek after the Head of Nile.

To give but a taste of the Philosophy of the Times, but little more than two hundred years ago, in reference to these Waters, I shall mention a part of the Riming History of Unfortunate Prin­ces, composed by John Boccace, who lived about A. D. 1450, and translated by Dan. Lidgate, where fol. 31, Bladud speaks thus:

What probability the Philosophical part of this Poetry may carry concerning the seven kinds of [Page 62] Salts inclosed in four Tuns, and things relating thereunto, may be concluded much from what is Historical, and mentioned in the last place, con­cerning the Monuments, which cannot possibly pre­tend to that Antiquity, being not in the least British, but purely Roman, as is made appear in the follow­ing Chapter; This therefore is to be taken as a fan­cy, and so let it go.

Alexander Necham, somewhat above 400 years ago, wrote these Verses on the Baths.

Which I thus made English:

As to the City, it is not, I think, to be doubted, but that the Baths were before that, and gave name to it, sick people making small Cottages first for their Conveniences, which were afterwards improv­ed into fairer Buildings. Constat Latinum nomen huic Civitati ab Antiquis inditum, Aquae Calidae ex his Balneis, saith Andr. Baccius, if the Testimony of a Stranger may be admitted; It is certain the City was called Aquae Calidae, from the Baths. The Statues also of Coil a Britti h King, and Edgar a Saxon, who are said, how truly I know not, to have given Charters to this City, placed at the end of the Town-Hall, or Council-House, are argu­ments of its Antiquity, although perhaps they might be Patrons that were chosen by the Monks.

That Edgar was Crowned at Bathe above 700 years ago, Bathe being then called an Old Borough, with great Solemnity, on Whitsunday, appears from these words of the Saxon Chronicle, written by one that then lived, and writ his History but three years after his Coronation. Anno 973. May 11. being Whitsunday, Edgar was Consecrated King with great glory, in that Old Borough Ake­mannesceastre, which by another name they call Ba­thon, there was great joy to all men on that Blessed Day, which they call Pentecost; there was a great Assembly of Priests and Monks, and the Wise met there in Councel.

Edgar had lived 29 years full of trouble and mi­sery, when this came to pass, and in his 30th. year was Consecrated.

Anno 520. or 71 years after their arrival here out of Germany, the English Saxons besieged this City, with whom K. Arthur fought a great Battel on Mons Badonicus, now called Bannesdown, and [Page 64] slew so many of them, that they had little heart to make any further attempt for a considerable time, but left it to the quiet possession of the Britains. Yet Ninnius writeth, that the 12th. of K. Arthur's Battels against the Saxons, was at the Hill or Town of Bathe, where many a one was slain by his force and might. The Saxons then had besieged Bathe, K. Arthur rais'd their Siege, and after besieged them on Mons Badonicus, Dr. Lloyd. where he took their Camp, made a great slaughter of them, and then kept his Christmas in Bathe. This was the year that Gildas was born, and thereupon was called Badonicus ever after.

Anno 676. Osbrich founded here a Nunnery, and not long after Offa K. of Mercia built a Church, both which in the time of the Danish Wars were demolisht. Out of the Ruines of these two arose the Church of St. Peter, in which Edgar was Crown'd. But more of the Church in its place.

Anno 775. the year in which Offa is said to have began this Church, he fought with Kinewulf K. of the West-Saxons at Bensington near Oxford, over­came him, and took Bensington. This Offa is said to have spent much of his time at Bathe; Iste Offa (saith the Author of Brutus abbreviatus) multum morabatur Bathoniae.MS. He began his Reign Anno 755. reigned 39 years, and died Anno 794.

In the Time of Edward the Confessor Bathe flourished exceedingly,Dooms-day Book. the King having there 64 Burghers, and 30 Burghers of others, the City paying T [...]ibute according to 20 Hides, which amounts to about 30 yard Land.

Cambden. Br. p. 234.In the Reign of William Rufus, Robert Mowbray Nephew to the Bishop of Constance sackt and burnt it.

The Industrious Mr. Pryn in hisP. 298. Brevia Parlia­mentaria rediviva, andP. 299. 4th. part of a brief Re­gister of Parliamentary Writs, hath given an ac­count of Citizens return'd to serve in Parliament for this City, ever since the 26th. year of K. Ed. 1. about A. D. 1298. or 377 years since.

In Bathe are three Hospitals, it self, indeed, being but one great one, St. Johns, Bellots, and the Bimburies, otherwise called St. Katherines, besides a Free-School erected in the Time of Ed. 6.

The Hospital of St. Johns was founded A. D. 1174. by Reginald Fitz-Joceline, a Lombard, Godwin Cat. p. 364 Bishop of Bathe and Wells, and afterward transla­ted to Canterbury, but, before he was possessed of his new honour, died, and was buried at Bathe. It was valued at the yearly Rent of 22 l. 19 s. 6 d. since which time its revenues are much increas'd, to the great advantage of him that hath it, and no less profit and reputation to the City, with the per­petual entailment of God's everlasting curse and blast, on the treacherous head and posterity of him, that is notoriously known to have been the Author of this mischief. He gave it this name from St. Johns in the Savoy, where he was Consecrated Bi­shop, after his return from beyond Sea, by Richard Archbishop of Canterbury.

Bellots Hospital was built by Thomas Bellot Esq; one of the Executors of the Lord Cecil, in the Time of K. James, of whom we shall treat more largely in the Chapter of the Church, to which he was an especial Benefactor.

As for the Bimburies, I can learn no more con­cerning it than this, That it was bu lt by seven Sisters, who left this Hospital behind them as a mo­nument to Posterity, both of their Charity and Name.

CHAP. X. Of the Roman Antiquities in Bathe.

BUT the greatest Argument of Antiquity the Place affords, I suppose to be the Roman Coins found in or near it, with the Inscriptions and Ima­ges in the Town or Borough Walls, the latter of which, to wit, the Inscriptions and Images, Mr. Cambden took notice of, and inserted into his Bri­tannia.

To begin with the Roman Coins: The first I shall mention is that of Vespasian, made 1600 years since, this Emperour's Reign beginning A. D. 71. with this Circumscription on the Face-side: IMP. CAES. VESPASIAN. P. F. AUG. Imperator Caesar Vespasianus, Pius, Felix, Augustus. The Re­verse; PIETAS AUGUSTI, with an Image be­tween S. C. signifying Senatus Consultum. This is of Brass, and Communicated by Mr. John Par­ker of Bathe, where it was also found.

The second is of Trajan, made A. D. 101. the year this Emperour was 5th. time Consul; read thus: IMP. TRAIANO. AUG. GER. DAC. P. M. T R. P. Imperatori Trajano Augusto, Ger­manico, Dacico, Pontifici Maximo, Tribunitiae potestate. Reverse; COS. V. P. P. S. P. Q. R. OPTIMO PRINC. Consuli quintò, Patri patriae Senatus Populus (que) Romanus optimo Principi. This is Silver, and was found at Wrigleton five miles off of Bathe, and given by Mr. Hugh Ivy, Rector there.

A third is of Carausius, who usurpt Empire in Britain Anno Christi 285. reigned seven years, was slain by Alectus who usurpt after him, and was himself killed by Asclepiodotus praefectus Praeto­rio Anno 295. The Circumscription thus: IMP. C. CARAUSIUS P. F. AUG. Imperator, Caesar Carausius, Pius, Foelix, Augustus. On the other side PAX. AUG. Pax Augusti. And underneath an Image M. L X X. denoting Miles, or Milites Legionis vicesimae. A Souldier, or the Souldiers of the 20th. Legion, with B. E. on both sides of the Image signifying Britannicus Exercitus. If M [...]. X X. as it rather seems, it may denote Miles, or Militia vicesima,

The fourth is of Constantine the younger, made Caesar together with Licinius and Crispus in March, Anno Christi 316. with these Letters round the Head: CONSTANTINUS IUN. NOB. C. Constantinus Junior Nobilissimus Caesar. The Re­verse a Palace, and PROVIDENTIAE CAESS. Providentiae Caesarum. It is the Palace in which he lived at Triers, expressed in the Letters underneath P. T R E. that is, Pecunia Treviris.

The fifth of Alex. Sever. A. D. 224. with this Inscription: IMP. C. M. AUR. SEV. ALEX­AND. AUG. Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander Augustus. The Reverse; P. M. T. R. P. II. COS. P. P. Pontifex Maxi­mus, Tribunitia potestate Secundo Consul, pater pa­triae. These three are Brass, and were found in Bathe, and given by Mr. Parker.

The sixth is a Coin of Constantius made Anno Christi 357. in May, when he kept his Vicenalia, as appears by Votis XXX. Votis triginta, Multis XXXX. Multis quadraginta, within a Wreath. On the Reverse; The Coin stampt at Constantinople, as is evident from the Letters P. CON. signifying Pecunia Constantinopoli. On the Face-side DN. [Page 68] CONSTANTIUS P. F. AUG. Dominus Constan­tius Pius, Felix, Augustus. This is Silver, and was found in Glocestershire, not far hence, and given by Mr. Edward Barnard, a skilful Bone-setter at Tedbury in that County.

The seventh is a Brass piece of Valentinian the Second, who Reigned A. D. 375, with this Inscrip­tion on the face-side DN. VALENTINIANUS P. F. AUG, Dominus Valentinianus Pius Foelix Augustus. The Reverse, Victory holding a Palm-branch in the left hand, and offering a Garland with the right; the Motto, SECURITAS REIPUB­LICAE, and P. CON. Pecunia Constantinopoli, un­derneath.

The eighth is a Brass Coin of Constantine the Great, about the year of Christ 307, with this In­scription CONSTANTINO CAES. Constantino Caesari. Reverse, Victory with a Spear and Shield, only these letters under P. TRE. Pecunia Treviris. These two were the gift of that Worthy Gentleman John Harington Esquire, Grand-son to the Inge­nious and Noble Sr. John Harington (of whom more in the Chapter of the Church) and were found in his own grounds at Kelston, three miles distant West of Bathe.

These are all the Coins I have met with yet of any value, among many others of none at all.

The Inscriptions and Images next succeed; and the first I take notice of is the nearest to the North-gate, being a Memorial of a Roman Senator, of the Colony of Glocester, Cambd. Br. p. 3 [...]0. a City built by the Romans, who also placed there a Colony called Colonia Gle­vum. The Inscription thus:

i. e. Decurioni Coloniae Glevi. Vixit annos Octoginta octo.

Leafes folded in are at the East end of this In­scription, Fig. 13. A little lower more leasage not exprest.

And whereas I render Decurio a Senator, I pitch on this signification of the word as most proper here, of which Rosinus gives this account:Ant. Rom. l. 10. c. 24. Sena­tores in Coloniis, ut etiam in Municipiis, Decuriones vocabantur, eam ob causam, quòd, Pomponio I. C. Authore, decima pars eorum qui deducerentur, sit solita Conscribi. I know Festus mentions another and more usual signification of the word, to wit, an Officer over 10 Horsemen; Decuriones, inquit, ap­pellantur qui denis Equitibus praesunt. Of which if any please to understand it, he shall have my leave.

The next is a little Image about a foot and half in length, supposed by Mr. Cambden to be Hercules, bearing his left hand aloft, with a Club in his right. See Fig. 11.

Next to that lower, toward the West-gate, is the Monument of one of the Children of two Romans, Primulus, Romulus, Vipomulus, or rather Vete­romulus (for that word in the stone is somewhat difficult to be read) and Victisarina, with a longer and exactly Roman Inscription, in a sepulchre Ta­ble, [Page 70] between two little Images, whereof the one holds the Horn of Amalthaea, or Cornucopia; the other bringeth a flying Rowl, or winding List or Banner over the left shoulder.

The Inscription thus:

Diis Manibus Successae Petroniae, Vixit annos tres, menses quatuor, This In­scription Cambden sent to Gruterus; and may be seen in Grut. In­script. pag. DCC. fig. 6. Dies Novem. Veteromulus & Victi­sarina filiae Carissimae fecerunt: i. e. To the Ghost of Successa Petronia, who lived three years, four months, and nine daies. Veteromulus and Victisa­rina, in memory of their dear Child, made this.

A little after follow these Letters, in a Cut stone, very imperfect:

In the outside of the Wall, pretty high, is a Head, which seems of no great moment. Fig. 9. And as for Hercules straining two Snakes, I cannot yet be so fortunate as to light upon it. Fig. 14.

Between the West and South-gates stand these Letters cross, which, by reason the stone is cut on both sides, are unaccountable: ‘III. VS. SA.
VS. VX. SC.’

Then two fierce heads, one within the cope of the Wall, and another in the outside thereof hard by. Fig. 7, 8.

After that, these Letters standing overthwart, of which no sense can be made: ‘I L L A.
I L L A.’

Near this place formerly was a Hare running (now lost) which might be the Rebus of a Lepori­us that set up this Monument. There were of that name in Britain, and it is now the name of the Ho­nourable Family of my Lord of Colerain. Fig. 15.

An angry man laying hold of a poor Peasant, which may be a bold insulting Roman, on a poor distressed captivated Britan. See Fig. 6.

Leafage, with leafs folded in, Fig. 5.

Two kissing and clipping each other, which by the Crook in the right hand of one, and the Dog upon the other, seem to be a Shepherd and his Mi­stress; [Page 72] the Dog reaching up towards the head of the Woman. See Fig. 4.

A Foot Souldier brandishing his Sword, and bearing out his Shield. Fig. 3.

A Footman with a Truncheon in his right hand. Fig. 2.

A great Face, or a Giants Head, with hair. Fig. 1.

As for Medusa's head all Snakes, I cannot, on the best enquiry I can make, find it out. See Fig. 10.

Neither doth Ophiuchus occur to me. 'Tis there­fore, I believe, lost in the alteration of the Wall, as the Hare, and Medusa's head mentioned before. See Fig. 12.

At Walcot, a Parish adjoyning to the City, was found a stone with this Inscription:

Jucunda was an Agnomen of the Family Car­vilia, and it seems of Vibia, as Loetus of the Clau­diae and Pomponiae.

page. 72

In Bathe also might be seen this Inscription, On Henry Coriat.

Lastly, There are two fair Inscriptions, in two Grave-stones, erected in the North wall of a Gar­den [Page 74] by the Cross Bath, belonging to Mrs. Crofts, preserved by Mr. Robert Chambers, Father to Dr. Humphry Chambers, born in this City, between which, Robert Chambers hath this Inscription, which preserveth him as he has done the other two.

The Inscription on the East of this, is an Epi­taph of Caius Murrius, of the Tribe called Ar­niensis, the 25th. Tribe among the Romans (so called from Arnus a River in Tuscany, as Carolus Sigonius, and Onuphrius Panvinius relate,) born at Friuli, or Forum Julium, a modest Souldier of the Second Legion called, Adjutrix pia foelix, under the Command of Julius Secundus, 25 years of age; how long in pay is broken out of the Stone, but, I suppose, eight. The Inscription as fol­lows: ‘C. MVRRIVS. C. F. ARNIENSIS FORO. IVLI. MO DESTVS. MIL. LEG. II. AD. P. F. IVLI. SECVNDI. AN. XXV. STIP. H. S.’

Caius Murrius, Caii filius, Arniensis, Foro-Juli­ensis, Modestus Miles Legionis Secundae, adjutricis piae, foelicis Julii Secundi, Anni Viginti quinque, Stipendio octo, Hic situs est.

The other on the West is an Epitaph of Marcus Valerius a Latin (as I read, Mr. Cambden Eatinus, it seems to be an Agnomen) a Souldier of Augustus his Legion (or the 20th.) 35 years of age, and 20 years in pay.

The true Copy thus: ‘DIS MANIBUS M. VALERIUS. M. FIL. LATINUS. C. EQ. MILES. LEG. AV. AN. XXXV. STIPEN. XX. H. S. E.’

i. e. Dis Manibus. Marcus Valerius Marci filius Latinus Coh. Equitum Miles legionis Augustae (aut vicesimae) annis triginta quinque, Stipendio viginti, Hic situs est.

Where it may be noted, that this man was ad­mitted at 15 years of age,Al. ab. Al. Gen. Dier, l. 1. c. 20. when the usual time of listing Souldiers was not till 17.

Ophiuchus, Hercules straining two Snakes, Me­dusa's head, and the Hare, are lost. Vid. Fig. 10. 12. 14, 15.

CHAP. XI. Of the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Bathe.

COncerning that neat and curious fabrick, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, commonly called the Abbey Church in Bathe, I need not give any other account, than what Sr. John Haring­ton, a neighbouring Knight, whose good will to this Church and City did rival the acuteness of his Wit and Learning, being both very great, hath done sometime since, in a Latin Poem writ and spoken to Bishop Mountague, at his first Visitation and sight of the Church, then uncover'd. The Manuscript Copy found in Sr. John's Study, and Communicated by his Grand-son, John Harington of Kelston, Esquire, hath this Title; Conditiones variae Ecclesiae Sancti Petri & Pauli Bathoniensis, à primis fundamentis jactis Anno 775, ad annum de­currentem 1609, Historico-poetica [...]; deque foelicissima ejusdem Ecclesiae restauratione, Vaticini­um. Ad Reverendissimum in Christo Patrem, Ja­cobum, providentiâ divinâ, dignissimum Ecclesiae Bathoniensis, & Wellensis, Episcopum, Bathoniam primò foeliciter invisentem & Visitantem.

CHAP. XII. Of the Baths of Bathe.

COncerning the Nature, Use and Virtues of the Baths, I purpose, if God permit, to write a large and particular Account, in a Just Treatise on that Subject, consonant to my own Principles, which for the greater Credit of this Nation and Place (nothing having ever been before attempted in this kind) shall be in the general Language; the design of which I have expressed Chap. 7. For I well remember what I writ in my Appendix, seven years ago, in these words: I come now to speak some­thing of the Nature, Ʋse and Virtues of the Baths. And here it cannot be expected I should say much, be­cause my Experience of them as yet hath been but lit­tle, and the Observations I have made seem fitter, as they are intended, for a foundation to a greater Work, which Time and Variety of Experiments must compleat, than at present to be Communicated to the Publick. And to make some compensation for my Brevity in this [Page 95] Thing, which is justly deemed the most material of all other, I shall take the boldness to engage, as soon as Time and Opportunity shall permit, to make a through search into the Cause of the Heat, Nature, and Effi­cacious Operations of the Baths, and perhaps give a more satisfactory Account of the former, than hath yet been given by any; and for the latter, I shall not build on the Hay and Stubble of the Talk and Rela­tions of persons byast and concern'd, but on the solid basis of Reason, Observation, and Experience. And again, the last words: But I hope I may be excused on the score of my former Engagement, if I am not more particular at this time in things of this nature, till a just amassment of Observations and Experiments, and a rational deduction of Conclusions from them, which I hope in some time to accomplish, shall either confirm me in the opinion I now have of the Nature and Virtues of the Baths of Bathe, or supply me with a better.

Having, I say, intended a Piece of this nature, and also published many Particulars relating to this Affair, in the ensuing Century of Observations, which I now make publick, as a Specimen of my way of procedure, and ground-work or foundation of my next Superstructure, I shall content my self at present with some few Remarks.

The Baths then in some Things do agree; in others are different.

They agree in this, That though chiefly three in number, the King's, Cross, and Hot (the Queen's being but an Appendent to the King's, as the Le­per's to the Hot) yet they all participate of the same Minerals, only the Hot Bath, if some of my Observations hold, hath something more than the King's, or Cross, both which as to the particulars, and particular proportions, in a Hogshead, Gallon, [Page 96] and Pint, are much the same, and what is defe­ctive in one Ingredient in one Bath, is made up by another, in the other. So that herein the wonder­ful Contrivance of the Almighty hath appeared, in making so fine a Composition of such various In­gredients, and acted (with Reverence be it spoken) not only the Physician, but the Apothecary too, a good example and precedent for his Creatures to follow, who have liv'd to see that unhappy day, wherein a blear-ey'd Leah hath been advanc'd, though with shame and destruction too, above a legitimate Rachel.

They differ chiefly in Dimension, and degree of Heat.

In Dimension; The King's Bath being 57 foot, or 19 yards, 10 inches, long; 40 foot, 8 inches, or 13 yards ½ and 2 inches in breadth.

The Queen's, 8 yards, or 24 foot, 2 inches, in breadth; in length 25 foot, 4 inches; or 8 yards, 16 inches.

The Cross Bath, 24 foot; or 8 yards, 6 inches long; 19 foot 11 inches, or 6 yards ½ and 5 inches over Northward; 12 foot, or 4 yards, 7 inches over on the South.

The Hot Bath, 10 yards 8 inches ½ long; 4 yards 13 inches ½ broad South; 4 yards ½ and 5 inches over North.

From this undeniably is deduc'd that they differ in the Water they contain; for being of different dimensions, the greater must hold more, and the lesser less. To pursue this Curiosity a little further, I find by Gage, The King's Bath being 1 yard 18 inches in Water, to contain three hundred and fourteen Tun, thirty six Gallons.

The Queen's, eighty one Tun, three Hogsheads, and eleven Gallons.

The Cross, fifty three Tun, and forty seven Gallons.

The Hot, fifty four Tun, and twenty seven Gallons.

As to the difference arising from the degree of Heat, though I must acknowledg my defect of Ob­servations in that kind, which I will hereafter sup­ply, yet I may say thus much now, That the King's and Hot Baths are not more different in that parti­cular than the Queen's, and Cross, and that this latter is the most temperate of all.

And here it may be noted, That what is written concerning the difference in degree of Heat in the Baths, is so to be understood as esteemed now; for the Hot Bath was formerly accounted the Hottest of all, whence it had its name, [...], the rest being ever, and so reputed Hot, though in some degrees inferior to that. Hence Jones says, From what he there deliver'd, the reason may be gather'd why some of the Waters of Baths break out most Hot, as the Hot Bath at Bathe; others meanly Hot, as the Cross Bath; others between both, as the King's Bath. And in another place; The King's Bath is Hot between both the other. But of this I intend, God willing, to make further Try­als.

The Cause of this Variation I conceive to be not an Intention, and Remission of a Subterranean Fire, (which meeting with an Enemy that hath had so many recruits and reinforcements as the Water hath, and will have till the end of all Things, 'tis much should yet keep its ground, and not be extinct, to mention no other Absurdities at present, that unde­niably follow on that Hypothesis, this Variation, I conceive, doth not arise on that score) but rather is caused by a greater or lesser fermentation, arising [Page 98] from the Acting of an Acid on an Alcalizate Salt, both which are contained in the Bath, and much as­sisted by the vast Quantity of an impalpable Pow­der, the greatest Ingredient in the Waters, and seems to serve for no other end, except, what shall be hereafter mentioned, to administer a perpetual supply to the Fermentation.

'Tis likewise observable, That where the greatest Heat is, as in the King's, and Hot Bath, there is the greatest Quantity of this fermentative matter, insomuch as I have Calculated that near 50 pound weight goes off in little more than 24 hours in the King's; but in the Cross Bath, where less need is, there is less of this gritty matter, and much less goes off in a longer time. So that having sometime resembled this Fermentation to Generation, the fa­ther of it being an acid saline Spirit, and the mo­ther this gritty matter and Alcalizate Salt, the Conjunction made, and the Thing produc'd, the father slips away invisibly in a Mist of Steam, and the mother passes out at a back-door as soon as may be, resigning the Work to be successively promoted in the same manner, to future generations. And indeed should the matter still continue that hath done its work, the Springs and Channels would be quickly obstructed, so that what is acid being of light burden, and more active, quickly exhales, and the more Corpulent passeth off by convenient Sluces and Draughts, as an Excrement, upon which the Wheel of Fermentation is kept continually going, by an immediate succession of new matter of the same kind. That not only the acid part, but the more fixt Salts also do in part exhale, may be found confirmed by the 88th. Observation, which cannot but part with something of their Substance in the Lucta of Fermentation.

Again, In some places where the fermentation is less, as in the Water of St. Vincents Rock near Bristol, which hath not half the heat that the Cross-Bath hath, the Water abates near the proportion in the quantity of Ingredients; and although for the most part the same, yet in so small a proportion, cannot act as a greater quantity would do, and the acidity being so little as scarce to coagulate Milk, or turn with Galls, may not be expected to do wonders in a fermentation.

To conceive a continuation of the Hot waters of Bathe to that of Bristol, by way of Drein, as some Ingenious persons have imagin'd, is unphilo­sophical. For if very Salt water becomes insipid by running but the tenth part of that course under ground, how can it rationally be expected that any Salt should be left of that little in the Bath here, after such a tedious journey, in which it may hap­pily meet with many fresh Subterranean passengers in cross roads, that may intrude upon it, and, by mixing with it rob it long before both of its Salt­ness and Heat.

I must therefore say here, what I shall further discourse of more at large in another place, That since my first consideration of this matter, I was ever inclin'd to believe, that the cause of the Heat and impregnation of the Baths was not far off from the Baths themselves, (Coram adest quod quaerimus) for to me it seems not a little strange, that on dig­ging so many Wells, Stone-quarries, Cole-pits, and other penetrations of the Earth to a considerable depth, that have been made about the City, no Hot water should appear, but only in one Stone-quarry near Dunkerton about an hundred years ago,Bathes Aid, lib. 2. fol. 20. mentioned by Jones to have been so hot, that they were fain to forbear working: The truth of which [Page 100] Relation I somewhat question, and rather believe the honest Cambrobritan, being a Stranger here, might the easier be imposed on by some fabulous Relator.

Another Argument for a different Fermentation I take to be the different forms of shooting of the Nitrous stiria's; otherwise, why should the Kings and Hot-Bath, that have the strongest heat, shoot into more compact needles, and much thicker than the Cross? but that the stronger fermentation ripens, and invigorates better the Crude matter of the shoots, when the other not so strong leaves the matter crude and weak.

Before I give a rough Draught of my own Hy­pothesis, which I only here propose, and shall further, God willing, illustrate and polish in my next undertaking, I must premise these few parti­culars, which in part contain a Survey of this Country.

First, That the ground on which the City of Bathe in good part stands, especially near the Baths, is raised ground, and that probably, under some yards of Gravel is a Bog, made by the confluence of Waters hither. This seems in good measure e­vident from this, That on the digging some foun­dations not long since, the Workmen came at last to a soft Mud, which yielding much, and a Soul­diers Pike of a good length thrust into it, no bot­tom was discovered, but a warm, Marly, Sulphurous mud adhering to the Pike. This was observ'd in the North and South-west parts of the Town.

Secondly, That the Springs of Cold water a­bout this place are very numerous, insomuch that sometime since, having been desired by that Inge­nious and Learned Knight Sr. Anthony Morgan, since [Page 101] dead in France, to search what Springs I could find hereabouts, in order to the making several mixtures, if that way we might give any light to a Fermentation; I remember I brought Water from twenty two several Springs, and might have done from as many more, within two miles com­pass, on one side.

Thirdly, That the two Water-houses supplying the City, are placed on two Hills, one on the North, and another on the South, for the more convenient supply of the whole with Water.

Fourthly, That the Bowels of the Earth on the South of the Town, with the South-east and South-west parts, for four or five miles compass, are sufficiently replenisht with great plenty of Free­stone, which supplies the Country round about with good Materials for building, and would do many Counties more were there a way agreed upon for its better conveyance.

Fifthly, That on the North part of the Town little or none of this Freestone is digged, but Wa­ter arises in abundance, and on the Hills about Marshfield some Marcasites have been found, of which Vitriol is made, and probably more of that kind are contained in that ground. I mean not the white Marcasite found on Lansdown: what that was is notoriously known.

Sixthly, That another sort of Earth that abounds about Bathe, is blew Marle and Ochre. This is discovered almost in all sides of deep hollow ways, the River sides, and particularly at Lambridge, a mile off, is a blew Marly slate with Ochre sticking to it, and under that clear Ochre alone. And

Seventhly, That almost all things about the Bath, as Marle, Ochre, Freestone, Sand, Mud, Scum, Shells and Salts, will ferment on the affusion of any acid.

These things premised, I proceed to my Con­jecture concerning the Rise, Continuation and Heat of the Baths; and man can do no more; for [...], the best Prophesie is but a good Guess.

I conceive then, that the Salts and Marle with the conflux of Waters into this compass of lower ground, being created in the beginning, and then placed under or near where the Baths now stand, by the virtue of those words, [...], increase and multiply, have increased ever since from their own seeds, in their proper Seminaries, as the great­est part of the Creation doth and ever will, till the consummation of all things. Neither do I see much more reason to admire the breeding and in­crease of those Minerals under ground, than the perpetual springing and inexhaustible growth of the little spires of Grass we tread on above it: But it ever was and will be the humor of the gene­rality of Mankind to overlook what's before them, and pay their admiration to what they do not see, it faring with many other things as with Vertue in the Poet:

The Salts being here sufficiently fixt, two large Currents of Water may come down upon them, and meet very near or under the Baths themselves; the one from the South, bringing with it its Cargo of Freestone, the commodity, as was said of that part of the Country; the other from the North, acuated by some Vitrioline Marcasites, over which [Page 103] it may pass, and meeting near the place with all this matter that is fermentative, a fermentation may arise sufficiently productive of what heat we find; considering especially the closeness of the Caverns of the Earth in which it is bred, where little air can abate it, but rather by that advantage, reduplicate the heat.

Much to this purpose are the words of that In­genious and Learned Physician Dr. Sherley, whose Philosophical Essay came late to my hands, and some considerable time after I had framed, and in these words written, my own Hypothesis; yet in regard some coincidencies, though at this di­stance, and without any converse, have happen'd, which may confirm and illustrate what is before discoursed, I shall, by his permission, crave leave to say, That if the words I now recite be under­stood of the Bath-waters, as he intended them of Water in general, the duration and equality of these Waters will be better understood, and found to be according as I have before asserted. He therefore saith in the beginning of the eighth Se­ction of this Philosophical Essay, p. 112. In the beginning God infused into the bosom of the Waters the Seeds of all those things that were afterwards to be made out of the Waters, setting them their con­stant rules and laws of acting, and by the power of the words, Increase and Multiply, they had a faculty given them to continue themselves in the same order till the World shall be destroyed by fire; at which time all Seminal beings shall desert their gross bodies, and return to their first fountain and grand Exemplar, GOD, on whom they have at this time a constant de­pendance.

This I am apt to believe might be made de­monstrative, if digging about the Baths might be [Page 104] admitted and practic'd without prejudice to the Springs, which, 'tis feared, will ensue, and there­fore I must be content with that kind of Demon­stration, which Art will afford in imitation of Na­ture, some of which I could now propose; but I will not prevent my self in things of this nature, and therefore shall end this Subject for the present with these two Remarks:

First, That the Baths having the same Minerals, and but little differing in proportion neither, must be equally advantagious in the same distempers, but with this difference, that the different degrees of Heat altering somewhat the case, judgment must ad­vise what Bath the Patient shall be committed to; how long it may be convenient to stay, and what government is to be used more in one Bath than another, besides the determination of the Distemper 'tis proper to relieve.

And, Secondly, Whereas great discourse hath arisen here concerning the conveyance of some Nuts that were observed in the Cistern over the main Spring of the Kings Bath, upon the altera­tion of a firm stone cross in the middle, to that pretty Wooden device that now stands there; some whereof were black and rotten, others fresh with their kernels in them, and some with shales very green about them: the way of passage may be con­ceived to have been by the currents of Cold water from an open Spring, if not the River, near a Cop­pice or Wood-side, with which the water of the Bath may in part be supply'd, the Bath being, as I suppose, the great Exchequer, into which the lesser Rivulets do return their tribute, and to which they pay their homage, as to their Liege Lord and Soveraign, constituted such by Him, by whom Kings reign, and from whom alone they receive their Scep­ters. [Page 105] That these Nuts could not come, by a nearer cut, from the Bath-side, is most evident from this, That the Cistern was so well plaister'd about with Plaister of equal hardness with a stone, that it cost very many blows to get it up; presently from the rise of which the Nuts did appear, immediately shot up from the Springs themselves.

As to the Internal use of the Waters, so much of late applauded, and not without cause;Dr. Ven­ner Tr. of Bathe, p. 12. as a grave Physician, sometime of this Place, hath in his Wri­tings condemned that, the Reason of which he ne­ver understood; so would not I on the contrary, give my Vote for that which I had not throughly examin'd, and on good grounds judged and found advantagious.

It being therefore clear, that Vitrioline, Nitrous, and Saline springs, are recommended by the most Intelligent Writers to be used as a drink; and the forementioned Salts, the two latter fixt and visible to the eye, the former more invisible, transient and halituous, being contained in the Waters, I may conclude them by good consequence to be potable and most proper to be drank. Neither is the heat offensive, but amicable to the stomach, and doth not of it self, unless ingurgitation procure it, incline to Vomit. But because the drinking of the Wa­ters hath so much obtain'd, I have the more par­ticularly discours'd of that in the two following Chapt [...]rs.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Use of the Bath-Water in Potion.

HAving in the close of the former Chapter de­bated and determin'd in short the Question, Whether the Bath-water may be safely used inward­ly, and on good grounds carried it in the Affirma­tive: The next Thing I am to proceed to, is, The manner how, and what course is to be taken by those that would use it so as to find benefit thereby. But before I treat of this, I shall enervate one grand Objection, and then give some preparatory directi­ons for the better information, and greater benefit of the Patient.

CHAP. XIV. Of the Virtues of the Bath-water taken inwardly.

THat the Water, and consequently the Salt ex­tracted from it, and dissolved in it, may not be defrauded of their just Commendation internally used by way of Potion, as well as by Bathing, or Lotion, outwardly, and that it may be rightly made use of in a due way and manner, without expecting more from it than in reason is to be done; I shall give a short Account of the Distempers in which it may be profitable, and used with advan­tage.

And first, in General, I conceive it very proper in all Diseases or Symptoms, that require cooling, cleansing, opening, or gentle Evacuation; under which Heads are comprehended many Maladies, which I shall but briefly touch on, and leave the fuller discovery of its Virtues to experience, and a longer use.

I shall begin with the Stomach, both in regard it is the part it first descends into, and also, because in righting that, it is a general Benefactor to the whole Body, the use of the Stomach being of absolute ne­cessity to every part, without which there can be no supply.

It must therefore infallibly cleanse this useful Re­ceptacle from any impurities lodging in the Bottom or Plicatures thereof, (which may render what is taken in more foul) and prepare it the better for digestion of the food, on which depends the main­tenance [Page 116] of the lesser Universe, conducing much this way to the making better Chyle, purer blood, and more clear and active spirits, the wheels and ma­chines of all sense and motion.

The next Advantage is, That it procures an Ap­petite, and makes those that drink it receive and enjoy their food with more delight and satisfaction. This is generally known to all that use it, and is ef­fected partly by removing what lines the inner Coat of the Stomach with too much Viscosity, with which the fibres, and nervous filaments, the Organs of Sensation, are obstructed; partly by an Esurine quality residing in the Salt, provoking the desire of Sustenance, which we call Hunger, by its immedi­ate application to the parts mentioned before. And in this Esurine Quality it doth exceed Common Water, of which Hippocrates hath written, That it makes men hungry; viz. by its washing and cleansing the Stomach, as is declared before; but this by the mixture of the Salt, is made more ef­fectual.

A third Convenience is, That it allays Thirst, which is often very troublesom, and sometimes dan­gerous to take in Liquors to suppress it, that may create farther disturbances in the Body, and prove more offensive; whereas this, by its cooling and moistening nature, is the best Remedy that can be provided, and that in no great proportion neither, as hath been often experimented.

It is also of good use in the Heart-burning, or Cardialgia, occasioned by the sharpness and acri­mony of a bilious humour, vellicating the nerves and membranes of the upper orifice of the Sto­mach, called by the Ancients, by reason of its great communication therewith, the Heart; which sharp and acrimonious humour it alters, washes off, and [Page 117] at last evacuates, upon which the Passion ceaseth, and ease doth ensue.

Also it clears by its immediate passage out of the Stomach, for some water, I suppose, doth pass that way, whatever obstructions are found in the Ves­sels about the Stomach, relating either to that or the Caul, arising from the Vena Porta, and known commonly among Anatomists by the hard names of Venae Gastricae, Epiplociae, and Gastro-Epiplociae, conveying what is transmitted from the Celiack Ar­tery, to the Liver, and so by the Vena Cava, to the Heart, according to the undoubted and esta­blished doctrine of the Circulation.

Moreover, It is of singular use in all Fluxes, whether with blood, or without; Diarrhea's, Dy­senteries, or bloody Urine; not that it hath any strong astringent quality, which oftentimes is pre­judicial, but by its absterging and cleansing virtue, and gently evacuative withal, it allays Acrimony, sweeps away pungent particles, and discharges them by the draught. However, if astringent Medicines shall at any time be judged necessary, the Cure will be facilitated, and more speedily performed, if the Water be drank, or used by Clyster, or both ways made use of, before they are advised, which will be a good preparatory to other Remedies.

It is also good in the Colick, on the account be­fore specified, and with the addition of its Heat; insomuch that those that drink the Bath-water, are observed to break more wind than other people, and find great relief in that case.

It is proper also in the Distemper that is com­monly, though improperly, called the Heat of the Liver, when the Face is red, pimpled, and the Bo­dy afflicted with cholerick and pustulous Eruptions, having its foundation in the blood, which the Wa­ter [Page 118] attemperates, and brings down to a just degree, proportionable to the Natural and Balsamick Tem­per of its prime Composure.

It opens likewise the obstructions of the Liver, Spleen and Gall, and therefore proper in the Spleen, so far as it ariseth from that Cause, and not impro­per, but very advantagious, in the Scurvy, Jaundise, and obstructions of the Mesentery, which, if the Waters pass, must be much advantage to the Body; in regard there most commonly lyes the Sentina Corporis, or Sink of the whole, which is cleansed this way, as the Sewers in Bristow, by St. David's Flood.

It is also very beneficial, if moderately taken, in the Gravel of the Kidneys, or any Gravel or Phlegm obstructing them, or the Ureters, which it undeni­ably cleanseth, and prevents Concretions, which may afterward terminate in Tophes and Stones; so that 'tis a good preservative against the Stone, and will dissolve what is not too firmly impacted, which may be discover'd, if the water pass not freely that way.

It is also of incomparable use in the Diabetes, or pissing Disease, which is usually attended with a great drought, which it allays above any thing; and, the quantity moderated for fear of pissing too much, produces great effects, as hath been experi­enced of late by a Person of Honour.

I doubt not also to commend it in the Dropsie, but care must be taken that it pass well away, other­wise it may prove more prejudicial than advan­tagious. The like also may be said of the Gout.

'Tis beneficial likewise in the Whites in Women, and what is somewhat consequential, prepares them for Conception; so that in some kinds of Barren­ness, [Page 119] no more effectual Medicine can be used. Pli­nius dicit, Aquarum aliquas sterilitatem foeminarum abolere, & conceptus ipsis representare, sicut Sinues­sanas in Campania; Thespiarum fontis in Boeotia; Elati fluminis in Arcadia; qui effectus significant hu­jusmodi Aquas esse Nitrosas: Etenim hae vulvam, quo­niam eam abstergunt, Conceptioni faciunt habilem, saith Georg. Agricola; and again, a little after,De Nit. Eor. quae effl ex Ter­ra, lib. 2. Nitrosae vulvam ad Concipiendum aptam faciunt. Nitrous Waters dispose the Matrix to Conception. So that I question not but that outwardly and inwardly used, but chiefly the latter, these Waters are very advantagious in that condition.

The inward use is also very profitable in all foul­ness of the Blood, the Itch, Scabs, Leprosie, and the Worms.

For the Distempers of the Head it may be less useful, being somewhat remote, yet in many not prejudicial; for the fore-quoted Author says, speaking of Nitrous Waters; Capita, succis frigid s qui mentem obtundunt, repleta exiccantes & robo­rantes, tandem mentem denuo acuere, & sanitati re­stituere possunt. Those Heads that are filled with cold humours, which dull the mind, Nitrous Waters, by their drying and corroborating faculty, do relieve; and sharpening the understanding, restore to perfect health. Yet in regard this may be referred to the general Head of Obstructions, as before, I shall say no more at this time of the Virtues of the Water in parti­cular: only add what Kircher says of Nitrous Wa­ters in his Chapter of that Subject: When Nitre is These Virtues are proportio­nably in all Nitrous Waters, according as they more or less parti­cipate of that Mine­ral. predominant, it makes the Water that hath imbib'd it powerful in operation; enables it to correct an ill habit of Body, which such as are phlegmatick are prone to; it looses the Belly; is good in the diseases of the Nerves, and for such as are subject to defluxions [Page 120] upon the Lungs; heals the Itch, and other diseases of the Skin; cures the ringing of the Ears, dropt into them; and, in a word, makes it to be of an emi­nent absterging property. Where it may be noted, That whereas this Author affirms Nitrous Waters to be good for such as are subject to defluxions upon the Lungs, and consequently for those that are weakned by a consumptive disposition, in extenua­ted persons; it is easie to determine to which of the Minerals chiefly we may attribute that great advan­tage an Eminent Chirurgion of this Nation hath lately found by drinking the Waters, who from a thin body, and hoarse voice, hath now recover'd a plump Corpulency, clear speech, and good habit of Body and Lungs, to the great credit and reputa­tion of the Water.

For the satisfaction of those that desire to know which way the Water comes to the Kidneys and Bladder, whereby they may somewhat judg of the usefulness of the Water, and true extent of its operation; I shall briefly, for a close, discourse of that.

The Drink, or Water, which descends into the Stomach by the Gullet, passes thence, either imme­diately by the Veins, that have a more immediate relation to the Stomach, Caul, &c. or mediately, by the lower orifice of the Stomach, called Pylorus, into the Guts, whence the most part passeth by the milky Veins to the Lumbar glandules, or Kernels of the Kidneys, ascribed to the Learned D. Th. Bartholine, Professor at Copenhagen, as the first inventer, and answering to the Receptacle of Chyle in Brutes; and partly, perhaps, by the Mesaraicks, passeth to the Liver. From those Glandules, or the Receptacle, some affirm that the Potulent mat­ter passeth directly to the Emulgents and Kidneys; [Page 121] but since this opinion seems not to be beyond dis­pute, as I have noted elsewhere, I shall add no more as to that here, only admit, that the greatest share of it passes from the Receptacle or Glandules, by the milky veins of the Breast, into the right Ven­tricle of the Heart, thence, through the Lungs, into the left, then into the great Artery, and so, by the Circular motion of the Blood, is carried to the emulgent Arteries, and discharged into the Kid­neys, where, by reason of their fabrick, aptly ac­commodated to the work of Straining, the Serum is separated from the Blood, and drops down by the Ureters, into the Bladder, whence through the Ʋrethra, or passage of the Yard, it again visiteth the open air, where I shall now leave it, as of no further use, till it come into the Urinal, and meet with some juggling and quacking Phy­sician.

CHAP. XV. Of the Water of St. Vincent's Rock, near Bristol.

HAving in the 12th. Chapter of this Discourse made some mention of this Water, as a neighbouring Water to Bathe, and supposed only a Continuation thither, which I did not think pro­bable on the Reasons there alledged; it will not be altogether improper in this place, to treat a little more largely of that, which hath a name among the useful Mineral Waters of this Land.

As to the Principles of this Hot-Well Water, as 'tis usually call'd, without which the Reason of the Virtues can never be understood, they have been variously reported; what I have found on my own observation, I here declare.

On the Evaporation of two Gallons of the Wa­ter, I had ℈v. of the Contents; of which ℈iv. were a reddish ferrugineous Earth, somewhat re­sembling in colour, an Iron Ore, but in substance, very light and friable, with a mixture of a Lime-stone: The other ℈. which the Lixivium gave me, evaporated in Glass, seemed to be Alom, yet in re­gard the Lime-stone may counterfeit Alom, especially when precipitated, I could not absolutely con­clude it to be Aluminous.

To be a little better satisfied, I caused Mr. Ri­chard Millechape, an industrious and skilful Apothe­cary in Bristol, to evaporate one Hogshead of the Water of the Hot-Well, which he did in a furnace, first, to three or four Gallons, afterwards finished [Page 123] it in an evaporating Glass, and sent me the Con­tents, which were little wanting of ℥v ss. four Ounces of which were, on examination, that red, rusty colour'd Earth, mentioned before, and some­what, though much less in quantity, more white.

Upon this non-Saline part, as I call it, to distin­guish it from the Saline part that constitutes the Lixivium, being put into a Crucible and calcin'd, I observ'd: That the red Earth was not harder, but more friable, and lost its rusty colour, becoming more blew; but the white being cold, and mixed with fair water, did, upon the first injection, hiss, and afterwards dissolve, leaving the water white, and a Limy residence in the bottom of the Vessel I infused it in; and both white and blew, after infu­sion, being dryed again, became very white and limy.

The other part being Saline imbibed into a Lixi­vium, I evaporated away to half a Pint, and set­ting it in a cool pla [...], found the next morning, it had shot into long [...]nall Stiria's, much resembling those of the Cross Bath here, to the quantity of ʒiii. the remaining part of the Liquor that did not shoot, I breath'd away, and had ℥i. of another kind of Salt, now under examination; so that the Saline part is here much exceeded by the non-Saline, to which it seems to bear proportionably not much more than a 5th. part, and to be contained accor­ding to this Estimate, scarce twelve Grains in a Gallon, whereas that of Bathe hath about forty impure.

To give then a short Account of the Principles of this Water, I judg it to consist of Iron, a Nitro-Sulphureous Salt, and some Lime-stone, according to the proportions before deliver'd, and the Con­tents [Page 124] tents Saline, and non-Saline, to be, in all, near half as much as in the Waters of Bathe, where the Salts are a third, and here a fifth, or thereabout, as was mentioned before.

That very little of an acid is contained in these Waters, may appear from this, That neither the cold Water, nor a strong Lixivium made of the Salt, will either turn with Galls, or coagulate Milk; neither doth any thing glebous shew it self among the Shoots I have had yet.

What the other Salt is, which I have not yet ful­ly examin'd, and tasts much Alcalizate, I do here promise to declare on another occasion: only for the present, which is all I shall say of the Principles of this Water now, To make it further evident, that this is Lime-stone, after the non-Saline part was well calcin'd, with a strong fire, in the water of that I decocted Sulphur, which it did dissolve, and was precipitated with a fetid smell, both by di­still'd Vinegar, Spirit of Vitriol, and Oyl of Tar­tar, in a considerable quantity.

This Water then though participating of the same Salts with the Water of Bathe, but not in that proportion, cannot be expected to be as advantagi­ous in the same Distempers, as it is less hot; but containing so much of Iron, hath that advantage above it, and may be as effectual as Tunbridg Wa­ters, in any Diseases that Water is proper for, and, for ought I know, do every way as well.

CHAP. XVI. Of Castle-Cary Water.

THE Mineral Water in Somersetshire, common­ly known by the name of Castle-Cary, or Alford-water, being of a quick working nature, and by some persons made use of at Bathe, deserves also an Examination; which I the rather do here, in regard it may confirm and illustrate what I for­merly discourst of, concerning the Nature and Vir­tues of the Baths of Bathe, to which it may be also very subservient.

By Tryals therefore, according as I had done on the Waters of Bathe and Bristol, I find it to consist of some parts Saline, some non-Saline. The Sa­line part is chiefly Nitrous, Nitre being almost double to the other Salts; and therefore I judg this Water, Nitrosa à praedominio; Nitre appearing in a nauseous taste, apparent bitterness, cooling, pe­netrating, and shooting into as long and firm Sti­ria's, as I have ever seen in the King's, or Hot Baths.

The other Salt, is common brown Salt, arising, I conceive, from a small Rock or Mine, of that sort of Salt in the ground about the Spring. This, I said, is little more than half the proportion of the former, and shews it self in proper Squares or Cubes, peculiar to that Salt, the Nitre shooting first, and this Salt last of all.

The parts non-Saline are likewise double:

First, A red Gritt, arising also from a Rock of that colour, and is the proper Gritt of the ground; [Page 126] next the Earth under the Sward, of which I am now to treat a little. The Earth under the surface of the ground is first, a stiff blew Marl: under that a white Clay: and last of all the Red Rock.

The Earth, the second part non-Saline contain­ed in the Water, is chiefly the latter, I mean the white Clay, which with the Rocky Sediment, makes up near the proportion of the brown Salt, or rather somewhat more, the Rock bearing not a fourth part to the Clay.

Out of 12 Gallons of this Water wanting 3 Pints, I had ℥18. ʒvi ss. of the Contents, besides dross and scum in the depuration of the Water, of which ℥iii. Nitre; ℥i. ʒvi. brown Salt; and ℥ii. Earth and Rock. ℥iii. gr. 30. lost in working. So that ℥ss. of Salt is contained in every Gallon of the Water, or proportionably ʒss. in every Pint, or between 20 and 30 Grains, of which two parts are Nitre, and one brown Salt.

Note, That out of the quantity of Water men­tioned before, I had of the pure refined Salt only ℥iv. 2 Drams, and 40 Grains, in a Gallon; 20 Grains in a Pint.

This Water then must be of good use to cool, cleanse, penetrate and attenuate gross humours; allay acrimony; attemperate and suppress undue fermentation. Good in the Spleen, Scurvy, Jaun­dise, and all obstructions of the Mesentery and Bowels, having all those properties Kircher gives of Nitrous Waters, mentioned Chap. 14.

It cleanses the Kidneys and Ureters, and is very beneficial in the Stone, moving by Siege, Urine and Sweat, and that very effectually, in regard the Minerals are so strongly imbibed, which makes it better to be mixed with the Water from the Springs [Page 127] at Bathe, which, having the same Salts are less, operative, because less impregnated.

And thus having discours'd of Three Mineral Waters, by the Salts, the main of their Compositi­on, somewhat related, St. Vincent's Hot Well, less impregnated; Bathe, more; and Castle-Cary Wa­ter, in the highest degree; I hope the best use will be made of them all. And so I take leave of this Subject for the present, referring the Curious to more Particulars, concerning the principal part of my Design, to the ensuing Century of Observa­tions.