THE WARDS OF THE Key to Helmont Proved unfit for the LOCK: OR, THE PRINCIPLES OF Mr. WILLIAM BACON Examined and Refuted, and the Honour and Value of True Chemistry Asserted.  
By JOHN CASE, Student in Physic & Astrology.  
LONDON: Printed for the Author; and are to be sold by John Smith Bookseller in Russel-street in Covent-Garden. 1682.   

READER,  
I Do here Commend this Treatise to thee, and to all the Ingenious, as a Thing well done and performed; briefly laying down, and candidly exposing the Grounds of Physic, with the great Mysteries of Nature, as yet known but to few. And also several useful and considerable Points of Philosophy, both Dogmatical and Hermetical: And indeed he hath neatly and concisely handled all things that ought to be generally known to the Young Student, who desires to be acquainted with Learning of this kind. However, I will say no more, but refer it to thy perusal, not doubting but thou wilt be of the Opinion of thy Friend,  
J. PARTRIDGE.   

To the Highly Honoured, and my much Esteemed Friend, Sir Thomas Gery Kt. One of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace in the County of Middlesex.  
SIR,  
THE Manifold Kindnesses that I have been so happy in receiving from your Hands, have not only Obliged, but much Encouraged me to Dedicate this little Book to your View, no way comparable to your Worth and Goodness, not doubting only of your Obliviating this my present Offence, but also in obtaining from your Real Generosity a favourable Acceptation of this my First-Fruits and Labour to the World Published, and likewise to wish you all Health and Prosperity; which are and shall be the Prayers of him who was ever most studious to honour and serve you as  
Your most Obsequious, JOHN CASE.   

To the Judicious READER.  
MOst of the time of my Minority, I have spent in searching out the Things of Nature, and the Ground and Foundation thereof, as you may find was from the Beginning of Times, as in Genesis, viz. when God had perfected that Wonderful Work of his, I mean the Frame of the whole World, and had ascribed to every part thereof his especial Duty, namely, to the Air, to uphold all Feathered Fowl, the Water to harbour the Fish, the Earth for all Beasts, and to produce and bring forth good and wholesome things, which may be reduced into three words, viz. Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, and over all these things he appointed Man as Regent and Governor, being the last and most Noble Creature, and did infuse into him a Considerable Mind, apt to understand his Mysteries, and with his Tongue to unfold the Arcanaes' of his Labour and Industry: This was that Consideration that moved that Wiseman Solomon to wade so far into the searching out the Cause of Things and to apply his Mind to the Study of Nature, not only of Birds, and Beasts, but likewise of Trees, even from the Cedar of Lebanon, to the Hyssop that grows on the Wall; It is high time for me to mind that place of Scripture, viz. Try all things, and hold fast that which is good; So that being settled and steadfast in the opinion of my study and Labour in secret things of Nature; I rest satisfied that the true Principles of Natural Bodies, and the beginning of all things, proceed from Fire. There hath lately come forth a Book, whose Author is Mr. Bacon, which in perusing, I found lame and defective, so that I thought myself obliged to take some pains in Confuting him of his errors, by reason he persuades the World to believe what is not, viz. that Water is the principle of all Bodies, which is not the Opinion of your Friend  
From my House in Lambeth, May 12. 1682. JOHN CASE.   

CHAP. I. What are the true Principles of Natural Bodies.  
I Shall not answer with the Words of William Bacon, which are these: The gross Errors of the Schools concerning Principles, and their useless Philosophy, are so well known and exploded by this inquisitive and sagacious Age, that it is needless to endeavour to confute them.  
In my slender Judgement these Words are erroneously scandalous and abuseful to all Schools in general; especially to the higher Forms: For it is never known a Child as soon as it is Born to go alone, nor those which are to learn A, B, etc. or the Grammar-Tongue, to meddle with things of this Nature; therefore I look upon it to be their pride, to abuse and scandal the most high and learned Schools, Colleges of Physicians, and many old Fathers, who have laid down good Reasons for Principles of this Nature.  
Now with my slender Reason, I will endeavour to lay down some Arguments concerning what the true Principles of Natural Bodies are; I will lay a Foundation to work upon concerning the three Divisions of the World, Sublunary, Celestial, and Super Celestial. First, to define unto you what the World is, Mundus, or the World is in the Hebrew Tongue, Holam, which implieth thus much, Quodiam per aliquot secula subsistat, in quo rerum ortus & interritus sit, which is to subsist and continue for certain Ages, and in which shall be the Birth and Destruction of all things; the World in the Original directly reproving all such as are of opinion that it hath always been, and shall ever last. The Greeks call it Cosmos, which imports Ornament, which the Latins for perfect and absolute Elegancy call Mundus, because there is nothing more neatly Polished and Beautified; for so saith Pliny: Possidonius in Meteor calleth that Mundus, or the World, which consisteth of Heaven and Earth, Celestial and Terrestrial Natures, or of Gods and Men, and those things which were created for their Use.  
Some call it Mundus, Quasi Ornatus Mulieris, A Woman's Ornament.  
He that Buildeth a House, doth not only Build it to be so called, but hath a farther purpose to make it habitable for some others to dwell in.  
There is nothing made for a show only, but some service; even so was the World created by the Almighty, not only to be called so, and retain the Name; neither did he frame his Creatures for the World itself, as if it either needed the Heat or Light of the Sun, the Breath of the Winds, the Moisture of the Clouds, or Nourishment from those things which itself yearly produceth: but He made all things for the use of Men, and that they in it should magnify and glorify his Name. I end this with a remarkable saying of St. chrysostom upon Matthew, Habemus pro Mare Mundum; We have for the Sea, the World; for our Ship, the Church; for our Mast, the Cross; for the Sails, Repentance; for our Pilate, Christ; for the Wind, the Holy Ghost.  
Aristotle, that great Philosopher, saith, Non plures Mundi sunt, etc. There are no more Worlds, nor no more can be, if this consist of the universal Matter, as of necessity it must: All things under Heaven in time grow old, corruptible, and vile. As concerning the Multiplicity of Worlds, which divers Philosophers believe, as Metradorus, and others, whose Judgements have been opposed by better experienced Sophisters, as by Pythagoras, Samius, Melissus, Zeno, and as is more expressed by Aristotle, the Prince of Philosophers, above the rest, concludes upon one World, namely, this we live in: The World, saith he, is that in which all things are contained, and without which there is nothing that is or can be found; So by consequence, if there were any thing without the World, than the World could not contain all things, therefore no World: but this Question may be more fully determined.  
There is but one World, and that perfect, as there is but one most perfect Creator, the absolute Prince and Governor thereof; without this World there is neither Place nor Time; Place there is not, because there can be no Place without a Body; if no Body, than no Motion; if no Motion, all Time is excluded, Nam Tempus est mensura Motus: For Time is the measure of all Motion. I shall conclude with that which was spoken by the mouth of Moses, In principio creavit Deus Coelum & Terram; In the beginning God created Heaven and Earth. Manifest it is then, that there is but one World; for some have striven to maintain the Permanency, as that it was without beginning, and shall always continue without end.  
The Foundatirn being laid, I come now to prove what the Principles of Natural Bodies are, whether unalterable or not, and also the opinion of some learned Men in these things; now I join my opinion with that of Hipparehis, Heraclitus, and Ephesius, who give the sole Pre-eminence to Fire as the beginning of all things; the Reason thus: That Fire condensed or moistened, is made Air, but a degree more thicker than gross Water, and at length made more constrict, turned to Earth, so bring them retrograde, Earth Rarified, Converted to Water by Evaporation into Air, and being purified, transmigrateth into the Nature of Fire, and by reason of the perpetual shifting of this one Element, the order of the Birth and Breedeing of all things do consist, and hence new work to arise.  
Now give me leave to lay down some Opinions of Philosophers concerning the beginning of the World, as Thales Milesius, counted to be the wisest Man in that Age that lived in Greece, held opinion, that Water was the beginning and breeding of all things; so Aristotle and Plutarch report of him: The weak Foundation he builded upon was, because he saw and found by experience, that there was a Moisture in the seed of all things, and as well in the Elements: This cannot be, for Water is soon drank up by Air; neither can that Argument hold good, that a Child not Born to turn to Water, but Corruption.  
Anaximenes, the Auditor of Anaximander, reasoned that all things were begot or procreated from Air, by those reasons that Air was capable of all Impression, Action, and Quality, and naturally apt to be transchanged from one Form to another; a property which the rest of the Elements cannot challenge.  
Some say the Creation proceedeth from two, namely, Calor & Frigus, Heat and Cold, the Fire which gives the Motion, and the Earth which supplieth it with Form. I shall not trouble the Reader any more with Opinions, but conclude with these words: Compescat se humana temeritas, id quod non est non querat, ne illud quod est non inveniat: Let men's rashness bridle itself, and that which is not, let him by no means seek, lest that which is, he can no ways find.  
Concerning the Elements Aristotle saith, That the Beginning of them, are Heat, Cold, Moisture, and Drought: Likewise that they have a repugnancy among themselves, and therefore cannot be lasting.  

Ignis in Aethereas volucer se sustulit Aras,  
Summaque Complexus Stellantis Culmina Coeli.   

The swift Fire lifts itself above the Air,  
And mounts aloft to embrace round the fair,  
And bright Roofs of the Starry Heavens; it claims  
Prime place, and girts them with a Wall of Flames.  
Air next with subtle breath itself extends,  
Both through the middle part, and spacious Ends  
Of th' empty World, with gentle breathe feeding  
The Fire next to the Stars. The third succeeding  
Is that moist Element which fills the Ocean,  
Ebbing and flowing with continual Motion,  
The moving Waves a gentle Stem do breed,  
Which so exhaled from them the Air doth feed.  
The Earth remotest from the former height,  
Sits lowest, as suppressed with its own weight.   
Drought or Dryness is proper to the Earth, which challengeth it to itself. Cold is inherent to the Earth, but not peculiarly, because it hath that Quality common with the Water; and as Water challengeth Coldness, so it hath humidity common with the Air; and as the Air claims Humidity, so by a kind of fellowship it draweth a Heat from the Fire; and as the Fire doth vindicate Heat as proper to itself, so it participateth of Dryness with the Earth, which claims that quality to itself.  
Thus it is manifested what is proper to every Element distinctly, and what is common among them which they borrow one from another by which they are connext and knit one to another: it was necessary that they should be first distinct and separate, that each of them might preserve its own nature.  
Needful it was also that they should be connext, thence might grow the Composition of Bodies, so that one might adhere to another, according to their common Qualities.  
The Bodily matter and the matter of the four Elements were created with the Spiritual Creatures; that is to say, with the Soul and the Angels who were created together, which is proved by the testimony of Saint Augustine, saying, That by Heaven and Earth ought to be understood the Spiritual and Corporeal Creatures, created in the beginning of Times: From these movable and changeable Elements all things in the World have their beginning and ending.  
It is likewise observed, that God in the Creation of the World began above to work downwards; for in the first three days he laid the Foundation of the World, and in the other three days he furnished and adorned those parts. The first day he made all the Heavens, and matter of the Earth, and came down as low as the Light: The second day he descended lower, and made the Firmament or Air: The third day lowest, and made a distinction betwixt the Earth and Water. Thus in three days the three Parts or Body of the World was laid, and in three days more, and in the same order, they were furnished: For on the fourth day, the Heavens which were made the first day, were decked and stuck with Stars and Lights. The fifth day, the Firmament, which was made the second day, was filled with Birds and Fowls. The sixth day the Earth was replenished with Beasts; and lastly, with Men. And thus did the Almighty accomplish and finish the marvellous work of the Creation.  
I shall not enlarge upon Beasts, Vegetables, nor Minerals here, but come to treat on Men, which is my intended business; only this, all Creatures whatsoever (Man excepted) are bred and born with Natural Defences against Injuries and Discommodities, as the Tree is preserved by the Bark, the Birds by their Feathers, the Fish defended with his Scales, the Sheep clad with his Wool, and Man only is brought into the World naked, and altogether unarmed: For needful it was that Nature should take care of them who were not able to take care of themselves.   

CHAP. II. A Consideration of the Action of the Vital Spirits.  
IT is well observed, that Angels were the first Creatures God made, created pure as the Light, ordained with the Light to serve God: The same day was the Soul of Man created, therefore it is said that Man is but little lower than the Angels, if he lives after the Spirit.  
I shall not trouble the Reader any more concerning the charge the Angels have over the Soul of Man; but come to treat of the Archeos, that is, the Place, Habitation, etc. wherein the Omnipotent Power hath lodged the Soul of Man, viz. the Body of Man, wherein the Soul, the Image of God, abideth for a time, which is movable and changeable, and may be called a tottering Tabernacle. These Earthly Bodies have their assistances and being from a Spirit in Latin called Vita, or Life; the Vital Spirit which hath its Nutriment from Blood, and this Sanguine or Blood is maintained and preserved by Nourishment as Meat or Drink, which we inwardly take.  
It may be convenient to give you a word or two concerning the Blood, how it comes to support the Body, or Vital Spirits, as I have told you before by Food; and after it hath passed that place called the Ventricles, or Stomach, which is there concocted or digested, it descends into the Hungry Gut called Jejunum; it is drawn from the Jejunum by five of the Miseraical or Sucking Veins, which choose out the best for Blood; it is drawn into the great hollow Vein, called Vena porta; it is drawn from Vena porta into the Liver, and there 'tis converted into Blood; it is drawn from the Liver into the hollow Vein again the second time to be refined and separated: it is from thence sent each to his natural place and receptacle, as Choler to the Gall, and Melancholy to the Spleen, etc. as the Principles of the Bodies so called of the Physicians.  
Now the Living or Vital Spirits stand in need of two things, that it may subsist, convenient Motion and Aliment, and so is the Body of Man preserved and kept alive.   

CHAP. III. Where, and how the Vitals do perform their chief Operation.  
NOw these Spirits, as Authors have observed, are the Master-Workmen in the Body, and as the upper Wheel which turneth about the lower Wheels in the Body: therefore whatsoever is healthful, and refreshing to the Spirits, works powerfully good effects in the Body, and that speedily and suddenly, as the Author saith, Vapours and Affections work compendiously upon the Spirits. It is well known that the Almighty hath placed in the World all things for the use of Mankind, and nothing in vain; it was appointed by God that Man's Body should receive Nourishment by the Fruits of the Earth, what is a greater Earthly Blessing than perfect Health of Body? Some say, Valetudo est summum Bonum, Health is the chiefest Good.  
First, To show you how this Wheel or Vital Spirit doth work for or against us; first for us, viz. for Health of Body. First, good Nourishment causeth Health. Secondly, good Air will revive the Vital Spirits: But for fear this small Volume should be too big, I will only give you two Reasons which will give light to the lowest Capacity, viz. All Bodies are guided and governed by four Elements; not only the Bodies of Men, but all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals.  
An Element is a Body pure, Simple, and unmixed, from which all Natural Things have their Original; they are held to be in Number four, viz. Fire, Air, Water, Earth; Since that there is none born into the World but their bodies do participate of all these four Elements, and these cause all Alteration, and Change by Reason of these four Elements, because of their changing and shifting one with the other, therefore no Man stands at one stay, but he is either growing Rich or Poor, in Health or Sickness.  
Now when these four Elements can be weighed in the Balances of Uprightness, there can be no Sickness, viz. the Heat to oversway the Cold, or the Cold to be prevalent, or overpower the Heat.   depiction of scales 
The Cause of Sickness is when those four Elements are unequally balanced, viz. if Heat be most prevalent, than it causeth Choler, and extreme high Fevers; if Cold be, then Phlegmatic and Moist Humours.   depiction of scales 
This is the way that our Vital spirits strive for us, and against us, so they borrow one from the other, and change this World of four Elements, which is produced out of the two inward Worlds, and is a Glass of them, wherein Light and Darkness, Good and Evil, are mixed; It is not Eternal, but hath both a beginning and ending, meant of Heaven, which comes out of the midst of the Water, viz. of Mercury, whence ariseth the Male and Female Kind in the Spirit of the outward World, that is the Male in the Fiery Mercury, and the Female in the Watery.  
This Separation was made all over in every thing, to the end the Fiery should desire and long for the Watery, and the Watery for the Fiery, that so there might be a desire and love between them in the Light of Nature, from which the Conjunction ariseth; therefore the Fiery Mercury, viz. The overflowing Word, Separates itself according both to the Fire and Water-nature of the Light, and thence comes both the Male and Female kind in all things, both Animals and Vegetables.  
In the third days Work, the Fiery and Watery Mercury entered again into Composition or Mixture, and Embraced one another, wherein the Salnitre, viz, the Separator in the Earth, brought forth Grass, Plants and Trees, and that of the first Generation and Production between Male and Female.  
In the fourth days Work the Fiery Mercury brought forth his Fruit, viz. the first Essence on Higher Powers, or Virtue of Life; then the four Elements, and it is in the Elements, of it the Stars were made.  
In the Fifth days Work, the spiritus Mundi, viz. the Soul of the World, opened itself in the first Essence, it is here meant of the Life of the Fiery and Watery Mercury, wherein God Created all Beasts, Fishes, Fowl, and Worms, every one from its own peculiar property of the Divine Mercury.  
Here you see how the Eternal Principles have moved themselves according to Evil and Good, for there are Evil and Good Creatures Created, every thing as the Mercury, viz. the Seperator, and yet every kind of life hath its Original, in this Light of Nature, from which it is that all Creatures in their kind or property love one another.  
In the sixth days Work God Created Man; for in the sixth day the Understanding to the Life opened its self out of the Fiery Mercury, and that is out of the inward ground.  
God Created them in his Likeness, out of the three Principles, and made them Images, and breathed into them the Understanding Fiery Mercury, viz. according to Time and Eternity, so he became a Living and Understanding Soul.   

CHAP. IU. What is the Object of the Digestive Faculty.  
THe four Administering Virtues are, Attractive, Digestive, Retentive, and Expulsive.  
But the Digestive Faculty is the principal of them all, and the other like Footmen and Handmaids to attend it.  
The Attractive Faculty, draws that which it should digest, and serves continually to feed and supply it.  
The Retentive Virtue retains the substance with it, till it be perfectly digested.  
The Expulsive Faculty casteth out, and expelleth what is superfluous by digestion.  
I think no one will deny this▪ that hath but a spark of Reason, but that the Object of the Digestive Faculty is nothing else but this, viz. an earnest desire and eagerness after those▪ Things of Nature itself, or Vital parts of the Bodies after solid Bodies, which are digestable or agreeable to its self, and so join with its Spirit, from whence that old saying may be made good, What is one Man's Meat, is another Man's Poison.  
To this my good friend William Bacon comes very nigh, which is the truest sentence in all his Book.  
In these material matters, viz. the digestive Faculty or Virtue wherein lieth the Groundwork of the Bodies of Mankind; for when this Virtue or Digestive Faculty is debillitated, both Spirit▪ Vitals and Body decay, and also the Fundamental parts on which Physicians whet their wits on, viz. in searching out for such Medicines and Spirits as to strengthen and renew the digestive faculty, things which will best agree and suit with the Vital Spirits.  
For if a sick Person take never so much nourishment into his Stomach, it will not nourish the Body, or Spirits, but hurt and prejudice the same, and turn to Corruption: For prevention of which disaster, incident to most men, I will here lay down a few Regulae Salutares, or wholesome Rules of Diet for advice, viz.  
Mensae ne sint aequales sed Coena semper Levinor.  
Nu●lus sumatur Cibus, nisi priore Concocto ad quod octo h●rae●i imbecilli stomacho requiruntur.  
And withal let them take this Rule by the way with them, that Nature may not be over-burdened, which is the cause of distempers, and twice worse than robbing it of its accustomed duties.  
Semel in septimana una mensa omittatur  
Cum scilicet natura minus videbitur indigere.  
There is besides Diet, another Preservative for Nature, against Distempers that may oppose it, that is, by using a Rule in sleep, viz.  
Somnus octo horas non Excedat, nec septem sit brevior,  
Somnus diurnus omnino fugiatur.  
The Exposition or Construction of these few Sentences are so plain, that they expose them, in English to the open view of their Courteous Readers.   

CHAP. V. Whether there may be an Universal Medicine, or not.  
MR. Bacon declares thus. According to my Hypothesis, I conceive there may be; for if there be but one formal Cause of Diseases, and also to prove it so, because in women's Causes: for he tells us, that the same Medicine which preventeth Miscrrriages, the same to turn the Child in the Mother's Womb, and to bring it away; and truly, says he, I have a Medicine of mine own may well be called Panaceas, and besides it may well deserve the Name of Polyaceas.  
I must Answer Mr. Bacon plainly, that he doth not understand the Bodies of men or Physic. I cannot compare him to any thing, but that great Mahomet, who deluded the People by a Pigeon which he brought up, and trained to take Pease out of his Ear, and so made the People believe that it was an Angel from Heaven which informed him of all Transactions, and by that means he was worshipped as a God.  
Now 'tis convenient to give some Reasons to convince the World that there is no such Medicine as a Panaceas, or Universal Medicine for almost all Diseases.  
First, some slender Arguments, viz. Are all men's Children of one Substance and Constitution? or can one Pair of Shoes serve one Pair of Feet? And also of all the multitude of People in the World, are not each of them discernible one from another? sometimes you may see two will resemble one the other at first sight, but bring them together, and discern them both with a strict Eye, and you shall soon perceive a great alteration.  
But some may say that there may be an Universal Medicine in case of an Universal Distemper, as Pestilence, Smallpox, Fevers, etc. which generally happens in Cities, Towns, and Countries. No, there cannot be any Universal Medicinal Rules for one particular Person: For it is well and often observed in the time of the Plague, some are taken with a Giddiness in the Head, some a Pain in the Side, some no Pain at all before they fall down dead: some Persons have the Sore break out in one place, some in another. And so in all other general Disease's, which will be tedious here to nominate, which may tend all to one Distemper. The Reasons why it is so, I will give you elsewhere. Also it is well known that the four Complexions do not agree one with the other; for what is good to Cure the Sanguine, is prejudicial to the Melancholy: Experience tells me, that a small Portion will purge the Sanguine Man, but a double Portion will hardly purge the Melancholy man, because his Nerves are very close. I am certain, and do very well know, that many lose their Lives by the Delusions of such new Fellows, and Pretenders to an Universal Medicine.  
Some have a good Receipt for the Pox; Some have a good Receipt for a Fever; Some have a good Receipt for the Scurvy; Some will say they had it from a very learned Person, and that they keep it (not as it is) as a rare Jewel: I will not deny but that it may be good to its kind, but it may want a true Application. I have Experience that many die with the Running of the Reins and Pox, because they put their Lives into the Hands of such Men that do not understand the nature of their Bodies, for it is well known by Woeful Experience, that these Distempers break out several ways according to the Nature and Constitution of the Bodies of men and Women: For in some it remains in the Secret Places, in some Persons in the Head, and in other some in the Legs, and Shinbones. This one Argument should be enough to Convince the Ignorant, viz. that several Natures being mixed together, should make so great a War and Disturbance in the bodies of Men and Women. Some Seed is very hot, and some very cold, and by consequence your own Reason will tell you, that what is good for one Body, is sometimes prejudicial to another. There may be an Universal and Nutrimental assistance to the Sick, viz. good Cordials, and the Quintessence of good things, and these the Vitals and Digestive Faculty eagerly suck in, and revive and nourish more than ordinary; as in Cold, Fire is an Universal help and assistance: But this cannot be taken in a Physical sense.  
God by his Providence hath sufficiently furnished us with Natural Things, both for Nourishment, and Physical Uses, known to all; but still they want the true application thereof; and if it were not so, Men would be very unwise to bestow so many Pounds in educating their Sons, and bringing them up to understand Things of this Nature or the Little World.  
I am here obliged to give you some Account why it is so difficult to know the Humour abounding, and perpetual motion of Man's Body, I have shown already how the Bodies of Mankind are nourished and guided in the first Chapter, and therefore shall not rehearse here again; but begin thus:  
The Natural Faculty and Virtue reside in the Liver to nourish the Body, and is dispersed through the Body by the Veins.  
From this are bred four particular Humours, viz. Blood, Choler, Phlegm, and Melancholy: Blood is made of Meat perfectly Concocted; it is by a third Concoction transmitted into Flesh, the superfluity of it into Seed, its Receptacle is the Veins, by which it is dispersed through the Body.  
Choler is made of Meat more thin, perfectly Concocted, it is the spume or froth of Blood, Cleanseth all the Humours, heats the Body, and nourisheth the Apprehension as the Blood doth the Judgement; it fortifies the Attractive Faculty, as Blood doth the Digestive, and moveth Man to Activity and Valour; its Receptacle is the Gall.  
Phlegm is made of Meat not perfectly Digested, it so fortifies the Virtue Expulsive, as makes it slippery and fit for Ejection; it fortifies the Brain by its con●similitude with it: yet it spoils apprehension by its Antipathy, the Heart thereby sustaining it, and the whole Body from the Fiery Effects, with continual motion; its Receptacle is the Lungs.  
Melancholy is the Sedement of Blood, fortifying the Retentive Faculty and memory, and makes them sober and steadfast for study, stays the unbridled toys and fooleries of Lustful Thoughts, and reduces them home to the Centre; it is like a Grave Counsellor to the whole Body, its resident place is the Spleen.  
Blood is the chief of all these four humours, yet without the other three, viz. Choler, Phlegm, and Melancholy man cannot subsist.  
These four Humours, are the four Elements, which man's Body is guided by, which I treated on in the First Part of this Book.  
Reader, view over the Nature and Consistence of these four Humours or Elements, and let your Reason be your Guide, whether one sort of Medicine will serve to Conquer these four Elements: No, not if the World, and the whole Frame thereof, could stand or subsist with two only, as you see 'tis impossible to be, by the First Part of this Book.  
The advice and counsel we ought to have of a Physician is this, viz. Physic the sick person ought to take.  
Or what diet, etc.  
Or what Vein to open.  
Or what humour to purge, and how much and what dose, whether in Pills or Potion, or the like.  
Now there is no Physician, or Pretender hereunto, unless he is well skilled in the perpetual motion of these four Elements: for without this Art the Physician can never safely judge, viz. when to purge or Evacuate, either by Potion or by Vomit, or by Letting of Blood, or for what Humour, or by what Quantity, in all which Cases Astrology prescribes Rules: and without these, no one can attain to the Art of Physic; otherways they are but like Blind Men that grope out their way with a Staff.  
I have shown already in the First Part of this Book, that the Principles of the Elements, and Natural Bodies proceed from Fire, but the main Principles, and Beginning and Ending of the Life of mankind is taken from the Horoscope to be the First motion of Time.  
I will open by Example all or most Authentic Writers, yea, Picus himself, attributing the Ebbing and Flowing of the Sea to the Moon, as a true and positive Cause, according to Gallen. Precepts, Lib. 1. Chapt. 2. de Locis affectis, and his practice of the Pyoney Root in Curing the Epilepsy, Lib. 6. de simplicibus Medecis.  
Quo tangente afficimur, & quo seperato Cessat affectus, Causam esse apud omnes in Confesso est, sic enim & ignem ustulationis, & gladium sectionis Causam esse Credimus.  
We see by Experience that the Moon placed in the Heavens at such a Position, the Sea Flows, and at such a Position it Ebbs: after this way may be taken the first beginning of life and motion of mankind, viz. from the Horoscope and fixed stars, and from the seven Planets, viz. Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, Luna, at the minute of time the Child is born, and according to their motion to the Square and Opposition Aspect one with the other, or from the opposite places from whence they were at first.  
And according to these Perpetual motions of the heavens as you see, so are the four Elements and humours of man's Body changed, saith Hypocrates and Galen. But because these Rules do not lie in my way here, I refer the Reader to Mr. John Gadbury's Book of Nativities, Mr. John Partridge his Works, or such like Ingenious Persons.   

CHAP. VII. A short Account of the Fixed Hermorphrodite.  
I shall not Enlarge upon it, but give a Word or two of the meaning of what it is.  
A fixed Hermorphrodite is only, that which consists of two parts, viz. fixed and Voluntary Body united together.  
The Ancients tell us, that it is these two parts, pure and united together. It will be too large here to lay down the full discourse thereof, because I intent to satisfy the World in a short time in full of this Hermorphrodite, and also of a seeming Potential Fire which Mr. Bacon speaks of.  
Here Mr. Bacon is pleased to tell us that he can produce a fixed Hermorphrodite, which I leave to your discretion to judge of at present; but in my opinion 'tis a meet fancy, or, as they say, to build Castles in the Air.   

CHAP. VIII. A Word or two in defence of Chemical Medicines.  
THe Word Chemical arises from Sp●gyria, which is but Distillation, of which there are three Principals, and Chief Distinctions and Descriptions.  
First, It is a certain Art of Extracting the Liquor of the Humid part of Things by virtue of Heat, as the Matter shall require, being first dissolved into a vapour, and then condensed again by Cold.  
Secondly, Distillation is the Art of Extracting the Spiritual and Essential Humidity from the Phlegmatic, or of the Phlegmatic from the Spiritual.  
Thirdly, Distillation is the changing of gross thick Bodies into a thinner, and more liquid Substance or Separation of the pure Liquor, from the Impure Feces.  
So by this Means you may see what great power and dignity God hath bestowed on mankind, as it is said in the Eighth Psalm, Thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thy hands; and in Deut. 4. where God hath appointed the service of the Stars unto all people that are under Heaven, but in particular to the business we are on now, he hath made him King and Lord over three Kingdoms, viz. Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral, and by Virtue of these, what cannot he do? and how honourable are they that have the Command of these? They may command Lead into Gold, dying Plants into fruitfulness, the Sick into Health, Old Age into Youth, and what not? Prevail with Nature, and the fair Diana of the Philosopher is at your service. I you cannot prevail with Nature for the fairest of her Daughters, viz. the Mercury of Philosophers; Yet there is another of wonderful Beauty, as are the Essence and Magister of Philolophers, which are endowed with Riches, Honour and Health, for these you may more easily prevail with Nature.  
This Art is more noble than all other Arts and Sciences, and if it did once truly shine forth out of the Clouds, wherewith it is Eclipsed, it would darken all the rest, as the Sun doth the stars, or at least swallow up their Light. This is that true Natural Philosophy, which most accurately Anotomizeth Nature, and Natural Things, etc.  
As you see in the first Chapter, that Fire is the grand principle of Natural Bodies, so by Fire and Heat we are able to subdue hard Bodies, change and separate their Souls or Spirits from their Feces, which are dull earthly mixtures, which do but hinder the Efficacy they should have on sick Bodies, but by the Art of Chemistry, we take their purest part of their Bodies, which will sooner show their efficacies and power, viz. to support and heal any of the four Humours which the Bodies of mankind are supported by, we may by good Reasons divide Diseases into two parts, Chronic and Acute, Chronic by the Sun, Acute by the Moon; the Acute Diseases may be cured in a very short time, but Chronic Diseases not so soon, for they proceed from Obstructions or Stoppages in Head or Viscera, but far sooner by our Chemical Medicines than those of the galenical Way.  
Mr. Bacon is pleased to tell us, in the latter part of his book, strange things, viz. that he Cures Chronic Diseases, as continued Fevers, Agues, and such like, in two or three Fits, and also any considerable Disease or Sickness within six hours; and also, saith he, all Pestilential Fevers. Those that believe this, certainly must be of a strange Faith and Opinion, as to think that Mr. Bacon is able to alter the Creation of the World, and to cause the Signs, Circles, and Stars of Heaven, which God hath made fixed, for him to make movable and common; surely not so: methinks he is too hasty, the only way in my Judgement is, not to disannul, but remember and agree with that wise saying of Solomon, Tempus est ad omnia perpetrandra, There is a time for the doing of all things; which must be allowed of, for it is that which brings things to perfection.   

CHAP. IX. The Character of a true Medicine.  
SOme will say, How shall we know how to distinguish betwixt good and bad? That will be too large for me here to lay open to you all the ways to know a good Medicine from the bad; for it is well known that it is very difficult to know some sorts of Medicines by an Oculary Judgement; therefore it lieth and consisteth in the honesty and uprightness of the Operator, or those that sell those medicines; for there are some who buy of Chemist's Medicines Cheaper than ordinary, and the other sell for little profit, when they know that it is not as it ought to be: Therefore this lies and consists too in Experience. Your best way therefore is to confide in an ingenuous and approved Chemist, or an honest Apothecary, Drugster, or the like, by which you will not fail.  
There is one thing more which casts a great scandal upon our Medicines, viz. A mistake of the Doctor, or by his unskilfulness; First, in not Administering such of them as aught to be, or in the quantity of the Dose, and so it works not the expected Effects, for which we bear the blame. Secondly, by unskilfulness, for there are many who go under the Title of Doctor, who know not what Humour or Disease they are to Cure; neither can they give an accout of what they take in hand.  
Si tu Cupis peritus esse in arte Medendi, debes in hac Oratione sequenti, (id est) de Medicina & Astrologia gnarus esse: Nam hic ad studendum satis tibi praebet. Scilicit, Sympathia & Antipathia, nec sunt Planulae quibus totum Medicinae Corpus vertitur & Deducitur; hoc fundamentum tibi datum est ad tuam erigendum Constructionem.   

CHAP. X. A Word of Advice to all in general, as well as to Chemists.  
NAture hath given to Man no better thing than Death; it is meant here that Death by which we fulfil the course of Nature.  
Non deterret sapientem Mors, quia propter incertos casus quotidie immanent, & propter brevitatem vitae, nunquam longe potest abesse: Death cannot terrify a wise man, which by reason of so many uncertain chances is always imminent, and in regard of the shortness of his life can never be long absent.  
The living Spirit is instanly Extinguished if it be deprived either of Motion, or Refrigeration, or of Aliment: these three are the proper and immediate passions of the Spirit, for all the Organs of the principal parts serve hereunto, that these Offices may be performed. And again, all destructions of the Organs which are deadly bring the matter to this point, that one or more of these three fails. There are divers ways to death, but they end in these three. Now the whole Fabric of the parts is the Organ of the Spirit, as the Spirit is the Organ of the reasonable Soul, which is Incorporeous and Divine.   

CHAP. XI. A Word or two how the Body of Man is supported.  
BY these three Intentions, First, the prohibiting of Consumptions, The perfecting of Reparation, and The Removing of Oldness. These three Intentions to those Operations.  
First is the Operation upon the Spirits, that they may renew their Vigour.  
The second is upon the Exclusion of the Air.  
The third is upon the Blood and Sanguine Heat.  
The fourth on the Juices of the Body.  
The fifth upon the bowels for their extrusion of Aliment.  
The sixth is upon the outward parts for their attraction of Aliment.  
The seventh is upon the Aliment itself for the Nutriment thereof.  
The eighth is upon the least Act of Assimulation.  
The ninth is upon the Intineration of the parts after they begin to dry.  
The tenth is upon the purging away of the old Juice, and to the supplying it with new.  
The four first belong to the first Intention; the four next to the Second; and the two last to the third Intention.  
It may be thought good to propound sundry Remedies to the sundry Intentions; but the choicest of these Remedies, and the order of them, is left to discretion: for to set down exactly, which of them agreeth best, with which Constitutions of Bodies, with the several Circles of Life, and how the whole practice of these things are to be Administered and Governed, would be too tedious.  
But it may be convenient to give a word or two, to show you what a Physician ought to be, and how he ought to understand the whole Body of Man, viz. the Ground and Case of all Diseases in all sorts of Bodies.  
First of all, it is well known, and undeniable, that those Diseases that are to be understood Natural, their Cure is to be effected in a Natural way, and that all Diseases have their Original from Super-abundancies or difference, from Heat, Coldness, Drought and Moistness; and he is a Physician that knows which of these Qualities at any time abounds most. And also all Time is measured out by Motion, and that all motion hath its Original in the Heavens, by which is caused Life and death: For the Elementary, World is the Womb of the Elementary Creatures, both Animals, Minerals, and Vegetables.  
God made but one World, and yet in this one World, a Trinity; First, Elementary, which is Lowest; Secondly, Celestial, which is next above that; Thirdly, Intellectual, which is highest in degree.  
The Cause of all Diseases is to be understood to be Natural, so also is their Cure to be effected in a Natural way; and if you do but consider the Universe as one United Body, and Man an Epitome of this Body, it will seem strange to none but to Madmen and Fools.  
But that the Stars should have their Influences upon the Body of Man, considering he being an Epitome of the Creation, must needs have a Celestial World within himself; therefore all things which belong to Man, whether Sickness, or any thing besides, may be taken two ways; First, from the beginning of times, viz. from the Horoscope, or the Moment of time in which Mankind comes into the World; Secondly, by the Decumbiture of the Sick: It is my business to treat concerning Sickness, and so it must be taken: No man can reasonably deny but that the whole Prognostic part of Physic is governed by Astrology, and those Physicians who follow Hypocrates and Galen in making them their principal Refuge, do wisely and commendably, it being an Art which shows the first natural beginning and proceeding of all Motion and Mutations of all inferior things, etc.  
Physicians say that all Natural Infirmities not coming by outward Accidents, prove Seeds from four Humours, viz. Choler, Blood, Phlegm, and Melancholy, which are nothing else but a Humidous and Vaporative substance, only differing in quality, and therefore if the quality or quantity of the Head of the Fountain be changed from its usual course, the Streams adjacent and belonging must consequently be altered, and differ in quantity or quality; so it comes to pass that the Natural quantity or quality of the Influences of the Moon, being altered with the different Influences of the other Planets, doth likewise produce an alteration in some of the four Humours, causing the same to augment above Nature, or to diminish, or be corrupted or connexed contrary to the first Natural Constitution of the Elementary Humours of the Body, which causeth Sickness and Diseases.  
Christian Reader, this may satisfy you what a Physician ought to be, and how he ought to Cure Diseases, unless he will go hand over head, and in the dark, groping out his way like a blind man, and so is not certain whether he Kill or Cure.  
Seeing it is so, a Word of Advice to the Sick, Deceive not yourselves in assuring to yourselves Cure by those many deluding Persons who tell you they have an Universal Medicine, and which far exceedeth all others: First of all, you are not only at the loss of your Time, your money, but which is worse, and most precious, your Life; they also pretend to you that they can do strange things, as to alter the motion of the Heavens, and to cure Chronic diseases in an instant; the one as probable as the other, and as much to be credited: Alas, 'tis mere madness and folly to give car to such Persons.  
It is not to be denied, but that there are many rare and good Receipts in the Hands of many People at this day: But whoever thou art that followeth the Receipts and Ways of those pretending Persons I afore have mentioned, must needs put thyself to a great hazard; for perchance they may work their expected effects, and perchance not, the constitution of one Body being more easy to be wrought upon than another, and so consequently greatly different.  
Our Nation is too much inclined to these Phantasms, for many we have in every corner crying out, A good Receipt for the Scurvy, A rare Receipt for the Dropsy, Pox, etc. But how few of these perform their promised Effects? and how few are cured of those general Distempers which reign in our Land? For in stead of curing and abating a Distemper, they rather the more increase and augment it, by reason the rise and original of it is not well pried, searched, and looked into. As for the Scurvy, a disease which seizes on the Body of Man by several ways and Items, so accordingly aught it to be worked upon as you see the person affected, and as you see the distemper seize him, which certainly must be the best way.  
Seeing it is so, that the original of a disease must be first inquired into, before a man (as he ought to do) proceed any further, let me invite you to come to me, or to any other that understands the Elementary qualities of the Body of mankind; for without that, not any one person deserves the Name or Title of Physician, which many now adays assume undeservedly unto themselves: there is an old saying, it ought not to be forgot, The Disease once known, is half cured, etc.  
A Word of Comfort to those who are under affliction: Here they may have a speedy help after a regular way of administering Physic, and besides a certain account of their Distempers, and their rise, approved Medicines, according to their several diseases, and Conditions and Humours of their Bodies, which (as I said before) being once known, a man may the more easily, and with greater hopes of prospering, give his helping hand.  
I need not enlarge much more, for I think you all have had sufficient experience of Medicines composed by those many unskilful persons, and how many lie languishing at this day in a very sad condition: I will go to one particular, that is the POX, for which they think they can effect no Cure without a Dose of Mercury, which in stead of clearing the Body, and dispersing the Poison, afflicts the Brain, and so consequently at last the whole Body with a greater and far more incurable Calamity, which is not my way of proceeding, as I hope you will all in good time make experience; therefore those I desire to repair to me, who are afflicted with any of these following Distempers, which by God's help and my own diligence I hope to cure; namely, 

THe Vertigo, ere Giddiness in the Head.  
The Bloody F●ux.  
The Worms in Men, Women and Children.  
The Palsy.  
The first, second, and third days Agues.  
The Intermitting Fevers.  
The Burning Fevers.  
The Malignant Fevers.  
All Vicers, Wounds, etc.  
The Dropsey, Ascitis.  
The Falling Sickness.  
The Weakness of Eyes.  
The Running of the Reins.  
The Stone in the Reins and Kidneys.  
The Morbus Gallicus, or French Pox.  
The Consumption under thirty years.  
The Black Jaundice.  
The Scurvy.  
The Dropsy, Anasaria.  
The Dropsy, Timpanites.    
Also, All Distempers incident to the Female Sex, not here named.  
As for these Distempers, and many more I here insert not, I shall provide such sitting and convenient medicine in my Chemical way and practise, as I hope will take effect with all in general, not only to their Cure, and perfect Recovery, but to my great Advancement in the Opinion of all, which is the hearty wish and prayers of  
Your devoted and faithful Servant, JOHN CASE, A True Christian in the midst of all, and a Faithful Friend to the Diseased Body of Mankind.  
FINIS.   

THere will shortly be published by the same Author, another Book, Entitled, MUSCULA, or, A Little Fly; being a Collection of his Twenty Years Experience in Chemistry, Physic and Astrology.