ALBERTI OTTONIS FABRI Medici Regii Exer. Suec. PARADOXON De Morbo Gallico, LIBR. II. OR, A PARADOX, Concerning the Shameful Disease. For a warning to all against deceitful Cures. Translated out of the High-Dutch, by Johan Kauffman. This every one may read, Not, that he to health may tread, But acknowledge the reason, Why we mankind Every where find Ourselves by lust seized on. London, Printed and to be had at the Corner-house of Addle-hill, over-against Baynard's Castle, 1662. The Preface. WHereas in curing of the French-Pox men have for a long time been basely abused by Ignorants, Barber-surgeons and Mountebanks, so that many Patients of high and low degree have commonly run the hazard of their lives; therefore upon serious consideration I undertook to write something concerning it, and (if possible) to prevent that abuse. Hereunto this hath chief moved me, That I lately cured several such Patients without help of any of those usual means, and without blood-letting, purging, fluxing, bathing, sweeting, yea without Quicksilver and its properties, without Guaiacum and Sassafras, or such like; neither were they confined to their Chambers, nor their affairs abroad interrupted. And that I might assure them of this kind of curing, never heard before, namely, That it should not be hurtful to them, I myself have eaten and drunk that which I administered unto them. For that which shall conduce to the health of others, how can it be hurtful to the Physician? Else it might justly be said to be mere deceit. A Physician who is sure of his skill, will not refuse to use the Medicament himself, which he intends that others should take of him. But he that doth not so, nor will not, it is just we should not have to do with him. But this is it we testify, and would have taken notice of, that the Physician whom God hath made, may be known thereby. He that takes heed to it, goeth safe, and needs not fear, to hear that, wherewith a Doctor was upbraided, who ministered a Purge to his Patient, which wrought so violently, that after a hundred and fifty stools, he purged his soul also out of his body. If such Laws were made in the Empire. That the Doctor should first drink of his Potions, surely Doctors would not be so numerous, as now a days they are. I am persuaded the Roman Empire would yearly save an Army of men for the field, which otherways are marching to the Churchyard. I often think, what urgent cause the Romans of old had, that they in that time banished the Doctors out of the City. I know not what to say to it. I may say as one did, that old Cato had counselled them so to do, thereby the more to weaken the power of the Enemies of the Romans. For when they banished the Doctors out of their City and Country, then were they necessitated to go to the Enemy. And how could they be more, effectually revenged upon their Enemies? than to send such Butchers amongst them. For some say, That an Army of ten thou sand men in the Field, cannot do so much against the Enemy, as a thousand Doctors can do among the Enemies, or in the Enemy's Countries; according to the old saying, A new Doctor, a new Churchyard. I passed once by a place where a Mountebank had set up his Tent, namely, in Broadstreet, hard by the Cathedral Church; and I heard his Partner say, The Doctor is hard by, he will be here presently. How now! (thought I) is it come to this, that the Mountebanks also become Doctors! then surely the Revolution of the Romans is not far off. The reason why this Disease is commonly called the French Disease, or French-Pox, is not, because the Italians, Spaniards, or Germans, Dutch and other Nations, whatever they may be called, are freed from it: Oh no! neither is it the reason, as if it came originally from the French: No such matter at all; for it hath been elsewhere in the world, namely, in the Indies and China, before ever it came among the French Nation. But the Name of it arose thus: When Charles the Eighth, King of France, in the year 1493. waged war with King Alphonsus in Italy about Naples, this Disease broke out first in the Camp of the French, and they say, That it came amongst them by some Spaniards, who brought it first from the Indies, where (they say) it rageth Epidemically. But the Italians have given it that Name, calling it the French Disease, or French-Pox, because it broke out first among the French, and thence it first was known in Europe. But the French call it after the name of the Country, le Mal de Naples. And therefore it is no jeer to that Nation, to call it the French Disease, or French-Pox. However to prevent misunderstanding, and to speak to those which know no better, I have called it, The shameful Disease of the Privities; as from the notation of the place of the conception of this contagious Disease, which are the privy parts. A PARADOX Concerning the Shameful Disease, &c: The First BOOK. CHAP. I. Of the Original of the Shameful Disease. 1. WHen the Lord God had created Man and his Wife, he set them in Paradise, and commanded them, that they upon pain of death should not eat of the fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden; yea, they should not touch it, lest they die. But both were naked, Man and his Wife, and were not ashamed. 2. Therefore we see even to this day, that little children are not ashamed, though they go naked. But as soon as they feel in themselves an inclination to the forbidden fruit, than they begin also to be ashamed, and will go naked no longer, but cover themselves with fig-leaves. 3. What shall we then say to it? Shall we say, that the children are ashamed because they are naked? Not so, but therefore, because the unchaste Lust doth stir in them. Thereupon we indeed see in our children, that they by them actions declare the Scripture unto us, viz. that Adam gave not a right answer unto the Lord God, when he said, I was afraid, for I am naked: For he had no cause to be afraid or ashamed because he was naked, more than little children; but this is the reason, (as hath been said) the unchaste Lust was stirring in him for to have eat of the fruit a foresaid: 4. But now seeing that the unchaste Lust is the cause of his shame and fear; why then doth the Scripture say, they knew that they were naked? Then say we to it, Do the little children not know that they are naked? Yes indeed, they know it, but they perceive it not. Therefore Adam also knew that he was naked, but he perceived it not. 5. Why so? because his help was far off from him? O no; for it stands written, I will make him a help meet for him; (or as it is in the Hebrew) an help as before him. 6. Therefore his Wife was before him naked, and without a covering, like as he also was; and yet he did not perceive, nor she neither, that they were naked; for they knew no more of shame and fear, than the little children, which we daily see fitting in the streets naked, without shame and fear. 7. But when it came to pass, that they listened more to the Serpent than to the Lord God, and their eyes were fixed on the pleasant tree, and its fair fruits, (and this was not all, but) instantly they stretched forth their hands and touched them, (ah woe! now (Lust was let lose) they took of it, and did eat; (herewith it was done) then both their eyes were opened, and with grief they perceived that they were naked, and twisted, or sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons. 8. Now they perceived that they were naked; what else is that to say, than what we see daily in our children, when they grow marriageable and begin to be ashamed? 9 Hence it is apparent, that marriagebleness brings forth shame, but sname causeth fear. 10. And therefore their nakedness was not the cause of their shame and fear, but the unchaste Lust, which after the eating of the pleasant fruit, was stirred up in them: For Wine maketh drunk; Napellus poisoneth; Cicuta maketh mad, and the fruit of the pleasant tree causeth wantonness. Now this Wantonness or Lasciviousness, being covered with the word Nakedness, is the Spirits modesty. 11. But that the fruit of this Tree hath wrought in them the Disease of unchaste Lust, and hath made them drunk with Lasciviousness, and infected them throughout, the Lord God testifieth of this when he saith, Who hath told thee, that thou art naked? Hast, thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee, that thou shouldest not eat? 12. If a Flagon full of sweet Wine stood on my Table, and I should say to my servant; take heed that thou ●rink not out of the Flagon that ●andeth on the Table; for if thou drinkest out of it, it will be ill with ●hee. But he coveting after it, should ●rink a good draught out of it, insomuch that he reeled. And when I came home again, should call, Boy, where art thou? And the Boy should come crawling along on his hands and feet, and could scarcely speak. And I should say to him, What ailest thou? And he should answer me, and say, Oh Maa-ster, I, I, I ca-ca-can not stand: And I should say to him, Why canst thou not stand? Thon naughty Boy, hast thou drunk out of the Flagon, which I hide thee, that thou shouldest not drink out of it? 13. But what would we say of it? We ●nfer this, that the sweet Wine in the Flagon, which made him drunk, caused him to reel and stutter so, that he crawls on his hands and feet, and can scarcely speak. 14. Therefore if Adam had not eaten of the Tree, he had not been made partaker of the Trees property in the unchaste Lust. And if he had not been partaker of the unchaste Lust, than he would not have perceived his nakedness, but would have continued always as the unmarriageable children, without lasciviousness, and consequently without shame and fear: For to go naked, is no sin, because Adam and his Wife was by God himself not only created naked, but we all after him come naked into this Wold, even unto this day. Therefore to be naked, and to go naked, is no sin nor abomination in the eyes of God, and it was needless for that cause, to be covered with Fig-leaves. But the abomination in the eyes of God is unchastity, whereby the body created of God naked and pure, is defiled. Here it is, and this is it which we fain would cover▪ for we are ashamed, and are afraid▪ and this is the reason why we do it in private, in dark corners, avoiding the light, and do it by night, whether it be done honestly or dishonestly, all will not keep off the shame. 15. Come on now ye Atheists, who say, that Lust is no more sin, than eating or drinking, or evacuating and voiding the excrement, because the one is natural as well as the other. Answer me, and ye shall be heard; open your mouth, that we may perceive, and answer for yourselves; then will we tell you, whether you be in the right: Why are ye ashamed to go naked now, more than when ye were little, and of tender years? why do not you go uncovered in your privities before all people, as the little children do? Why are ye ashamed to do your need openly before all people, as well as ye eat & drink, and let others look on, and are not of it? But ye creep into bawdy corners, as Zimri and Cosbi, and hid yourselves from the faces of men, as Adam and Eve from the face of the Lord, among the Trees in the Garden? Answer for yourselves, and defend your cause; let us hear: But there is none that can speak for you; neither can a rational man hear a word come from you. If I look into your bosom, there is mere lasciviousness; and if I search among you for a pure heart, there is none. But if there be one with a pure heart, he will not side with you. And it is in vain to ask you questions, because ye cannot answer me. Lo ye are full of heat unto lasciviousness, and listen after things which provoke unto it, and you are tickled with it. 16. Is it not so, that your own soul within you, whose immortality is among you generally denied, blameth you before all, and checketh you unto blushing and shame? Because she in you, as well as in us, is always remembering her pure and chaste immortal flesh, which she had before the eating of the fair fruit of the pleasant Tree. And this shame ye can never shake off, though you call on all your Atheistical and ungodly Whimsies to help you, yet you can be as little without shame, as ye can abstain from carnal Lust. Take notice, and be instructed ye simple ones. 17. Now whereas the Disease of unchaste Lust is come into the world, that is, into mankind or humanegenerations, through the eating of the fruit of the forbidden Tree, it is clear and manifest, that man is created of God pure and chaste, without feeling of any carnal lust-desire in himself and in his flesh; and verily we must be of a pure heart, if so be that (as it is written) we intent to see the face of God: And as the Scripture testisieth in another place, where it is said, Except ye be converted, and become as, and like to little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven? 18. And whereas now from the first man to us, through so many innumerable generations, this unchast-Lust-disease is continually propagated, the same at the present hath in such a manner penetrated, tinctured and thoroughly leavened our flesh and blood, that even, as they say, the Philosopher's stone transmutes Mercury into Gold, so that it doth not differ in the least from other Gold; so now also our quondam chaste and immortal flesh and blood, through the tincture of this unchaste Lust is changed and altered into an unchaste now-mortal flesh and blood, which now differs not at all from the common mortal, created flesh and blood of the beasts, as Cows, Oxen and the like, in all its motions and being, especially in the working of the unchaste Lust-disease, and its efficacy. 19 And this is the root from whence ariseth that Disease, which we speak of. CHAP. II. From whence the shameful Disease hath its offspring. 1. NOw as we have heard the unchaste Lust and Wantonness is so deep sunk into man's nature, and is firmly united with flesh and blood, as much as ever any Gold ●incture can be united with Mercury: and this makes out of a corruptible volatile Mercury, a fixed Gold, permanent in the fire; even so the Unchast-Lust hath made an impure and corruptible body out of that, which was pure and incorruptible; so we intent from hence to search, how out ●ut of it is engendered the shamesul Disease; and yet so to speak of it, that he, who is addicted to unchaste Li●● and Conversation, may not so easi● apprehend or understand us, lest he (as it is written) put forth his hand, a● and also take of the Tree of Life, and ea● live for ever; namely, in his impure fleshly-lust and concupiscence, which were an abomination above all abominations, and without compare before the face of the Lord, whom no unclean person shall see. 2. When a young man is inflamed in the heat of his flesh, and forbear and will not yield to the instinct o● provocation of his flesh, it is a precious and acceptable Sacrifice before God: For they are those (as it is written) which are not defiled with women for they are Virgins, and follow after the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. 3. But I saw a wild Buck leaping from one Hill to another, till he at last fell into a deep pit full of mire and stink, from thence he could not escape without boiles, nastiness and wounds. Now when he looked about him for a good path, he was stung, be●re he was ware of it, by a very venomous Adder. This poison dispersed itself all over the body, and penetrated to the bones and marrow. 〈◊〉 Summer if a puddle stand long in place, it grows stinking, and he that ●rinketh of it, will find himself ill after it. And what availeth it, when ●essels, Dishes and the like, are kept ●ure and clean outwardly, and with●● are full of nastiness and dead men's ●ones? It is good fishing in muddy ●aters, but the fish favour of the ●ud: And when Wine is mingled with water, can it again be separated? 4. All other Diseases have one only Principle, viz. the Cure, which ●ent forth over the Earth, whose ●uit and growth we must partake of, 〈◊〉 we will live; and thus we drink in the Curse like water, against which we are b●d to pray, viz. Bless these thy gifts O heavenly Father; for the blessing keeps off the curse, but the shameful Disease arises from the fountain of the Unchast-lust wherewith Adam was already overcome, and we par● take of in him even before the earth was accursed. 5. So we see now, that the Curse is one thing, and the Unchast-lust another. The Curse is fallen on the Earth (but not on man) contrary to Nature; but the Unchast-lust is fallen in Man, and hath united its self to Nature: So every Disease also generated of the Curse, is easier and sooner cured, than that which springs up from the Unchast-lust, because the other hath its Principle from the Curse against Nature; but this springs forth out of man himself from the principle of Concupiscence with Nature. 6. Other Sins, which man commits, are without the body, as namely, Idolatry, Unrighteousness, Swearing, Blaspheming, Disobedience, Murder, Manslaughter, Thieving, false-witness, and the like, as it is written, All sins, which man commits, are without the body; such are not hereditary to Children, viz. If the Father hath been an Idolater, unrighteous, covetous, a Drunkard, and the like, it follows not that the Son must needs tread in his Father's steps. But this, viz. Lust, is inherited ever since the beginning of the transgression of Adam, by all his posterity, from children to children's children, uncessantly, unavoidably, neither grief nor penitence can help against, nor deliver from it. Every child born of man, must follow his father's footsteps and bear the Lust-disease about him as long as he liveth. Therefore take heed of that Disease which is engendered thence, and consider of it. 7. For the Curse is of God incorporated into the Earth, yet not essentially, as if its Being were changed into somewhat else, but its operation was only this, as is written, That the Earth should henceforth afford her strength and virtue no more, but bear thorns andthistles. 8. But now against this Curse the Blessing was opposed, whereby the thistles and thorns, which prick and torment us, may be rooted out again. And thus the blessing abundantly over-ballanceth the Curse, so that the thistles and thorns, and the Diseases which the Curse engendereth in us through the fruits of the Earth, cannot, rightly possess the point and centre of life. 9 But the Unchast-lust was of man, incorporated into man, and that essentially, insomuch, that thereby the immortal being of man was changed into a mortal, stinking flesh and blood, of the which afterward the Son of God our Saviour Jesus testifieth, that it availeth nothing unto eternal life, as that which cannot inherit the Kingdom of heaven. 10. To this end and purpose the Regeneration was given to this flesh and blood spoiled by concupiscence, and unfit for the Kingdom of God, through which new birth man is changed and fitted for the Kingdom of God, to see God. And therefore the Regeneration of the corrupted unchaste flesh and blood, which is received through faith, is the only means to be saved. 11. Seeing then that the Curse and the Concupiscence or Unchast-Lust are thus far distinguished, that the one doth not possess man himself, but only the earth, but so that it doth not change it, neither doth it reign over the Centre of man's life with its thistles and thorns; but the other doth not possess the earth, but man himself, and that not only rightfully, but also hath changed him, inso much, that he with all his Soul, and with all his strength in the Lust-act is plunged deep into the Lust-disease, and falls headlong into it: What shall we infer from hence? this we will say, that the Disease which existeth from thence, namely the shameful Disease, possesseth not only the point and centre of life rightfully, but it dallies with the life itself in the principle of Concupiscence, and stands in such an union that it seemeth impossible, to separate the same from it again, unless it be by an Analogisme of Regeneration: of this the Proverb is; Non cuivis medico contingit adire Corinthum. 12. And therefore because the shameful disease stands in union with the life in its off Spring, namely of the fleshly pleasant Concupiscence, such a disease doth not presently cast the patiented on the bed of sickness as other diseases do, which arise from the Curse, and for that cause cannot attain unto a constant union with the life; but he may go and stand, eat and drink, and converse with other folk; in the mean while, such a disease dallies with the life, and surpriseth the same by virtue of the union of its offspring with the lustful greedy flesh, and corrodeth and gnaweth it, till at last it sinketh along into such putrefaction, that from henceforth no body can abide by, or be about him, by reason of the putrid, abominable and odious stink, upon which commonly death ensueth. CHAP. III. Of the Sophistical Cure of the Shameful Disease. BEhold, such evil hath brought upon Mankind, not only the curse of God upon the earth, but also the pleasant fruit of the Tree in the midst of the Garden, the which then had a property, to beget or to stir up in him, that did eat of it, a concupiscence permanent and successive by generation, afterwards become brutish unto all posterity in those, which are born of the blood and of the will of man, according to Scripture; from which concupiscence this Disease and Sickness that we speak of, hath its descent and original. 2. And now as there is greater difficulty, to separate the carnal Concupiscence or Lustful-disease from the blood, flesh and will of man, tha● the curse from, the Earth; so much harder is also the Cure of the Shameful Disease, than other Diseases which come from the Curse. 3. So that the cure and healing of this Disease is the chiefest and hardest of all others; therefore I marvel that those which profess themselves to be Physicians, commit such to Barbers and Surgeous, whose limits, according to the byword, should be, Ne Suitor ultra Crepidam, The Shoemaker should not go beyond his Last. 4. But I think, they therefore do it, because either they cannot endure the noisome stink of those which are gone too far in it, or they are afraid that they may be infected thereby; or else they think, they are too good to take in hand such base and odious Diseases. But that they should not know, how to cure it, I neither dispute now, nor accuse any; their own Writings testify concerning it. 5. For, they say, if Guajacum and Sassafras will not help, than Mercury must be applied; and yet there is none of them that can with reason, or according to the Principle of Physic, affirm or maintain the Cure by Mercury; but here they, with Barber-Surgeons, dance after the same Pipe as Empyricks, & can find no ground or bottom, how carefully soever they sound both here and there with their Plummet. 6. Neither do they deny, that this way of curing the Shameful Disease by Mercury, came originally from Barber-Surgeons, which is as much as to say, that it is attempted or tried empyrick-like, without-ground and reason of the Art of Physic; and yet afterward practised by the literate Physicians; are not they then all Empyricks? 7. But that they might not be taken for such, they have carefully endeavoured to number Mercury amongst the four Qualities, to the end that they from thence might further proceed & go on with it rationally, according to the method of Physic, and so shake off the Name of Empyricks. 8. Now whereas hitherto they could not agree about it, whether its temperament be cold or hot, yet they remain the same, and empyrick-like, undertake to cure with Mercury. 9 For that cause many renowned Physicians have abstained or left off such curing by Mercury, and write of the many and great evils which from thence befall the life of man. 10 Huttenius writes, he found by experience, that in his time those which made use of such a cure, not one of a hundred escaped, they always, first or last, had relapses. 11. Aquilianus saith, that the Mercurial Cure is indeed a sophistical or false Cure, and as many as he knew, they always relapsed. 12. Torellus calls it a very dangerous Cure, full of deadly dangers; and for that reason men should shun it as cautiously as the Plague. 13. Montanus writes, that perchance Mercury may keep back this Disease for a time, yet never takes it away radically, but it comes on again impetuously, like a stopped stream, and then that Patient is in a condition ten times worse than he was before. 14. Minadous saith, that he never saw one, who was fundamentally cured by Mercury, but they always grew worse afterward, and endured far worse symptoms, than ever before often wishing, that they had never made use of it. 15. Fracastorius, F●rnelius, Faventinus, Fallopius, Tomitanus and Sylvaticus say, that the Cure by Mercury is very dangerous, a deceitful Cure, yea, an accursed Cure. Helmont also speaks in plain terms, that it is a base Cure, when he writes at Mercury, as long as it can be revived, by any preparation whatsoever, it is not a remedy to be used by an honest man. 15. What then? What shall we say of those which use Mercury? Shall we say, they are base fellows? Far be it. Let it rather be so, that they are honest men, which as it is written) do not know what they do. But if so be that they know not what they do, and yet it is their will and purpose to make whole, than they do it from a good intention, and may not be blamed, because the Law saith, The will and the purpose makes a distinction in Criminal things. 17. Though their good will and intention keeps up their honesty, but what is the Patiented the better for it? Mercurius Vitae and Praecipitat indeed doth purge him, but not without danger; it causeth vomits, but Nature suffers wrong by it; the vital spirits are exhausted, strength decayeth; the Patiented looks like death; the mouth breaks out ugly, within it swelleth; his swallow is stopped; a Gangreen draws nigh, and Death stands at the door. 18. But they say, We are become wiser now, we make an unguent out of it, therewith we anoint the Patient here and there, we put him in a warm Chamber, wrap him up in a sheet, and lay him in a good bed; this we do once or twice every day, till salivation ensueth, and he begin to vomit. But know ye nothing? Have ye not found by experience, that the Apoplexy, Lameness and Palsy usually ensue upon it? The mouth groweth sore and raw, the tongue is inflamed, teeth lose, and not only much stinking poisonous stuff is cast up at the mouth, but blood is also voided with the excrements. All which signifieth, that ye have done great violence to Nature and I wonder, how any Patient can endure it. 19 And although this Unguent be turned into a Plaster, that it should not fall so tedious to the Patient, and that he may go abroad, and follow his business, yet all comes to one. 20. The Suffumigation is the last Plague, wherewith they seal up this Cure, if they cannot help by other means: They make a close Chamber very hot, like to a Hothouse, wherein they set up a small Tent, on which stands written, Carnificinaseu Tortura, the Hangman's room for tormenting: In the midst of it there stands a stool or chair, and a close Coal pan full of glowing Coals next to it. Then there is prepared for the Patiented some comfortable food, as a couple of new-laid Eggs and a Caudle, and a draught of good Wine mixed with Conserve of Roses, and other Aromatical Confections. Here the Patient must first drink and be refreshed, before he is brought to the Slaughter-house or place of Executions than he comes along stark naked without a shirt, and sits on the stool which is closed round about, and behind the Tent stands the Barbers-man, who flings of the prepared Mercury one piece after another on the glowing Coals. 21. O ye Barber Surgeons and the like, ask (I pray) the Gold smiths, let them tell you, and the Miners will inform you, and the Chemists know by experience, that the fume of Mercury is a deadly poison. 22. Fernelius saith, that he knew a Goldsmith, who merely by the fume of Mercury fell deaf and dumb, and into a Lethargy. 23. Forestus writes, that it be fell a Goldsmith's Journey man, who being about the gild of a silver Cup, the fume of Mercury so wrought upon him, that a shaking and trembling held him continually, and the hairs of his head were shed, and he looked as pale as death. 24. Oethus relates, that a young Gentleman being troubled with Crab-lices on his privy parts, and to rid them away, he anointed the place with a Mercurial Salve, whereby he was so much spoiled, that he became quite unable unto procreation. 25. How much more is such a thing to be feared, if a Patient be for a whole hour, twice in a day, yea for a whole Week fumed therewith, that he often falls into a swooning Fit, and so must be pulled out and refreshed '; but if he dieth, than they say, that he died of the French disease, and no man enquireth further; but if it succeeds well, than he foameth and casts up every day a matter of ten pounds of stinking, poisonous stuff, till he spews up at last his soul also. For how is it possible that a man, who scarce weigheth a hundred and fifty pound weight, could hold out so for ten days together, and live; None considers it from whence such filthy spittle comes, whether it come not through the Mercurial quality, and its poisonous ferment in its corrosive, which in the thence conceived fermentation of man's blood, breaks out in such a stinking Flux of corrupt matter, runs on, and ceaseth not as long as there is a drop of blood in that man's body. Oh misery and great ignorance, yea rashness! 26. But after all this, they have invented a costly Mercurial Water, which at last shall do the Work, yea do the Work so, that nothing shall remain. They take sublimed Mercury, and let it boil in a great quantity of Fountain Water, so that its astringent and acrimonious poisonous taste be scarce perceived. But I assure and warn every body, that whoever drinks of this Water, it will be a Water of death unto him, which will not cease to stir up strange symptoms one after another, such as he never felt before, piercing through bones and marrow, and will not suffer him to rest neither day nor night, till he yields up his soul. 27. Thus is it found daily by experience, that many which fall into the hands of Barber-surgeons, far ill, fall to ruin, and die; or are not restored to health, to the great prejudice and shortening of their lives, to the weakening unto death of the remaining strength of their vitals, by their indiscreetly, groundlessly, usurped Mercurials, Purge and Salivations, Bathing, Sweeting, letting of Blood, and the like; all which is done out of a rash dumb blindness. And because they are not kerbed in it, they go on, grow proud, and are conceited they have great knowledge of things, insomuch that now-a days there is not a Barber-surgeons Apprentice, who (as they boast) should not know to cure the French Disease. 28. But tell me, good people, what is Mercury or Quicksilver? What is Mercurius Praecipitatus, or dulcis? What are the Flowers of Mercury, Aurum Vitae, Aquila, and whatsoever they may call it? Do ye know it? Who told it you? Where have ye read it? Come hither and instruct us, that we also may know it: Teach us, we will not be ashamed to learn; we will attentively hearken to, and observe what ye say. But lo, ye stand and gape for understanding, as a blind man for the daylight. For you see, and expermentally find, that your Mercury is an unchangeable water, though ye put all kind of Masks upon him; and your Mercurial water, together with your Praecipitate, and Mercurius dulcis; what is it else, but a concealed poisonous Corrosive? For why is the Sublimate and Arsenic a poison, unless it be by reason of the Corrosive, which has so corroded it, and turned it to a white Mass? Separate the Corrosive from Arsenic, then shall you see that the remainder is a Metal, and from the Sublimate, than hast thou a running Quicksilver, one pound of which you may safely drink without hurt or good, but not when it was yet united with its Corrosive, and was called Mercurius Sublimatus, some grains whereof are enough, to bereave thee of thy life. 29. Hence we see, that Mercury without the Corrosive doth not work; for as it is poured in to the throat, so it runs out again below. Thus it happened to an apothecary's Journey man, who coming home at night quite tippled, went into the shop to take (as he used) a dram or two of Aqna Vitae, before his going to bed; and so in the dark groping after the bottle, his sellow-servant had removed the bottle, and set in the place of it a bottle of Quicksilver; out of it he took his draught, and went to bed; when he awakened in the morning, he found in the bed that, which he drank last over n ght, gathered it together, and put it again into the bottle for another draught. 30. But if they will have the Quicksilver to work, either for one way or other, than it must be dissolved in Aqua fortis, or the like Corrosive, and be reduced into subtle Powder, whereby the subtlest and sharpest part of the Corrosive in the evaporating, joins itself to the Mercury, and represents it to the eyes under the mask of a red or white Mass, either with, or without taste. 31. But as soon as the Corrosive, which holds it thus bound, gets away again, then is it (as before) a running Quicksilver: Therefore we have already told you, that Mercury is an unchangeable water, but its Corrosive is to man's body and health a dangerous poison, whether it show its effect shortly, or long after, which sometimes causeth a trembling and shaking of the members as long as the party liveth, as ye have heard already. 22. Seeing then that the Corrosive in sublimed Mercury is by all held for a deadly poison, why then art thou, Barber-surgeon, so bold to poison any Patient with Mercurius Dulcis? Knowest thou not, yea thou shouldest know it; and seest thou not that the falsely up-cried Mercurius dulcis, is no other than sublimed Mercury, which Sublimate thou and all others acknowledge to be poison? Or dost thou think that it is enough that ye put crude Mercury to the Sublimate? though the poisonous Acrimony of the Corrosive in the Sublimate, penetrates into the crude Mercury, and so the whole Mass becomes insipid, but ●s not sweet, as thou callest it; is therefore the poisonous Corrosive taken from it? Indeed it is disguised and covered with a Mask, wherewith thou deceivest thy Patient, and bereavest him of his life, according to thine own confession; for the reason that Metcu●ius dulcis, whether it be sharpish or sweet, that is, without taste, turns not again unto Quicksilver, is, because the Corrosive of the Sublimate binds him. 33. Go therefore, and learn not to dissolve, but to coagulate Mercury into a brittle Mass, so that it may be ground and beaten, and not be able to turn again into Quicksilver, though the Corrosive be nearly and cleanly separated from it; and then boast that thou havest a Mercurius Praecipitaetus and dulcis, wherewith thou canst cure the French-Pox. But surely this will be hid from thine eyes, and Mercury will be to thee an unchangeable Water. 34. In the mean while take notice ye Patients, and be not deceived, it concerns you; for they do not care, whether you live or die. And seeing it is a Disease, of which you are ashamed, and would hid, therefore they are the more bold, to torment you with their Corrosive Mercury, whether you live or die. 35. And that ye may rightly understand me, I will speak in plain terms We call Corrosive a Water like an Aquafort, or the like, which eats all in pieces, and turns it to a slime, be it Steel, Cloth, Iror, Linen, Quicksilver, Pearls, Corals, Stones, or any thing else. The Vulgar sort of Chemists call this, a Dissolving, and I call it a corroding, eating in pieces and turning to slime or dust. Now when the Corrosive turns to slime the said things, it's sharpest parts by degrees fasten on the atoms or particles that it corrodes, and unites or binds itself therewith firmly, that although afterward the remaining weak Corrosive Water be evaporated with a strong fire, yet that same Corrosive power or quality will not leave the corroded Iron or Mercury, and bestows on it an a crimonious and sad bitter taste, which the ignorant seek to conceal by adding of fresh Mercury; and this shall be then your Medicament. 36. Be it therefore known unto you, that as long as out of the stomach there doth not come into your body any sour acrimony, or Corrosive acidity, you are in health; but as soon as there is a Corrosive admitted, flesh and blood abhors such a strange guest, and gins to tremble at it, and in case it cannot shake it off, nor without help cannot expel it, than this Corrofive proceeds according to the nature of its poisonous property, and causes a putrefaction and rottenness in the flesh and blood; which from day to day, and from year to year unperceivably increaseth so much, till there be no more help for it. But the like corrosive ariseth also out of the carnal concupiscence, or Lust-disease, from which in the privy part arises a stinking corrosive quality, which by degrees slips into the blood and flesh, where the Lust-disease keeps its residence, and becomes one with it, propter Symbolum, from thence is ushered in a radical putrefaction of the flesh and blood in man, which commonly is called the French-disease. 37. Now observe concerning the Corrosive of sublimed Mercury, how it penetrates into the crude Mercury added to it, and so disperseth itself, that the former austere and bitter taste of the sublimate is altogether unperceivable on the tongue; but the hurtful Corrosive is not therefore removed, but hideth his poisonous quality in the added fresh Mercury, by way of extension. Now when ye take inwardly such insipid sublimate, in case the stomach is strong enough, than it keeps the Corrosive in awe, or vomits it up, and suffers it not to have its will. And this is the reason that sometimes one escapes out of such a dangerous Cure, and gets away, whether he be sound or no. 38. And in case he thinks that he is again in health, then let him know, that even as the Corrosive of the Sublimate is drawn into the Crude Mercury, which is added, and is become insipid, and for that reason is thenceforth called Mercurius dulcis; soalso may the Corrosive of the shameful Disease drawn into the Mercurius dulcis, and not to be perceived; but the gnawing poison and corrosive of the French Pox is not therefore taken away, though its poisonous putrifying quality be for a time allayed by the addition of Mercurius dulcis; and this appears, because the same putrifying quality again manifests itself by little and little, in all manner of new symptoms, the quality of the Mercury being dispersed and expired, than the gnawing poison of the French Disease gets lose again, and gins to rage as formerly; yea sometimes, when Nature is too weak, to drive out wholly the Mercurius dulcis, it stirs up greater and more dangerous symptoms than there were before; whereby the Patient learns to know how he was deceived by a palliating cure. CHAP. IU. Of the right way of curing the Shameful Disease. Htherto have we proved, that the Shameful Disease hath its original not from the Curse of the earth, as other diseases, but from a lustful Corrosive, and this Corrosive from the Concupiscence of the flesh, or last disease, and the flesh's concupiscence from the pleasant fruit of the Paradisical Tree, even before the curse went out over the earth; we have also made known, what kind of remedies they are, wherewith Barber-surgeons, Hot housekeepers and Mountebanks, and such like, have hitherto gone to work with palliative Cures; and there remains something to be spoken concerning the right and sundamental Cure. 2. And if therefore the immediate cause of the shameful Disease is not indeed the concupiscence of the or Lust-disease, which cannot possibly be rooted out without the Regeneration of the corrupted body in death, but the from thence arisen Corrosive, which consequently causeth such a putrefaction of the flesh, it is easy to understand, that if the lustful Corrosive be cured or taken away, than the effect also is taken away; and that then also the from thence derived putrefaction must cease, and may be removed by the nature of the Archeish powers of man, without any further help. 3. Now the abolishing of the lustful Corrosive consists in its being mortified: And this is the cure of the French disease. 4. And that such mortifying cannot be effected with Mercury and its Corrosives, we have already proved. Neither will Guajacum, Sarsaparilla de Guajaquil, Sassafras, Smilax, China, and Saponaria, or the like, promise us any help for it: Purging, Bathing, or Houses, Sweeting, or letting of Blood, weaken the body no less than the Venus itself, according to the old Proverb: Corpora debilitant, Balnea, Vi●a, Venus. 5. How now? Do we reject the usual means of Physic? What else is there besides Purging, Bathing, Sweeting and Blood-letting, from which diseases fly, as the Devils fly from Frankincense? But we oppose the shameful disease by mortifying of its venereal Corrosive; and we need none of the Hot-house-keepers, we regard not purging, sweeting, nor keeping within Chamber, though it were in the midst of Winter, and we rest content, that we destroy and kill the Corrosive of the disease, that is, that we destroy its foundation, though the patient do not come all the Winter long into a warm Chamber. 6. When a City is besieged, whereby the means for life, viz. Victuals, Wood, Corn and the like, are kept out, and I would help them by sending Provision through the Enemy's Camp, would not all men call me a fool? Because I should thereby do more hurt than advantage to the City, because through my relief the Enemy would be strengthened? So do all those, that will cure a patiented of the shameful Disease by administering of such means, through which the lustful Corrosive, which besieged man's health, is rather strengthened. 7. But what is then to be done? namely thus, destroy, or drive away the enemy from the City, or bring such a relief and succour into it, that they themselves may beat him; that is, the Lustful Corrosive, as the enemy, must be destroyed, than the siege will cease. 8. Are there other Ceremonies needful? For I hold it to be need less to open the Gates for them, that they might go in and out; nor to bring meat and bread to them, they themselves will fetch it; or to build again their battered houses, which themselves know better, than a stranger. For Nature, when once she is released or delivered of the siege, knoweth best, how to repair herself without any further help. 9 Now if ye ask, What is then the mortification of the Lustful Corrosive? how is it done? I will ask you one word also, answer me, then will I tell you, what it is, and how it is ordered: Are ye made Doctors of God, or of men? Answer me. But ye think with yourselves, we say, We are made Doctors of God; then will he say, Why do ye not know this thing? But if we say, Men have made us Doctors for money and good words, than men will make no more use of us; for they know that it is written, Deus creavit Medicum, God hath made the Physician. And they answer and say: What is that to thee? Well then, neither will I tell you, how this lustful poison is mortified, nor how it is to be managed. 10. But to you that have need of it, which sigh after it, and seek for help with grief and repentance; I will tell to you, to you will I tell it, that you may have cause to rejoice, in the second part of this book. 11. Therefore observe what I say, take notice of what I writ, consider it, and search into it, than ye may be helped. For when I was young, a strange thing befell me, and my senses were ravished with it. I walked toward the East, through a thick forest, it was duskish & dark, round about me, and I went astray. Then I espied a strong Castle on a high Mountain in the midst of the forest, which afar off was like unto a fair Crystal, of one piece: I thought to make haste unto it, to view it, but could find no way, which might bring me thither: For what way soever I turned, every where it was full of bushes and thorns, there was no passing through. Than one took me by the hand, but I saw him not; and he said to me. Fellow me, and open thine eyes: And so we went along with one another. Then I espied a round beam said over a narrow, quick and deep stream, no leaning on either side. I came to it, and saw a blind man led with a string by a Dog, setting his foot on the round beam to pass over. And when I beheld it, I thought what will come of him; by and by I saw another blind man coming from the other side, led by a dog, and they met on the midst of the beam. Now when the two Dogs, which led them, thrust against one another, and neither of them would give way, they began to snarl, and fought; immediately they fell off from the beam, and pulled after them the two blind men; they plunged into the water, and were carried away by the swiftness of the stream, so I lost them out of my sight. And he that led me by the hand, said to me, So it is, when the blind lead the blind, both fall into perdition. But be thou careful, and shake not, we will get over safe enough. Whilst he was setting his foot on the beam, I pulled back my hand, but he pulled me after, & held me fast. And when we were on the midst of the beam, I seeing the stream pass so swiftly underneath, the Earth run round with me, and was ready to fall off. Then my eyes opened, and I perceived, that he which led me by the hand, had two great wings, wherewith he kept us equally balanced, and could not slide off. But instantly we were over. And it was with me as with one that awakened out of a deep sleep, and was hearty glad, that it was not so as he had dreamt. And I said to my Companion, Whither do we now go further? But there was no reply; I expected an answer, but all was silent: Then I pulled my hand, and no body held it. I thought, was I then in a dream? And I looked back on the swift stream, and said to myself, This, this is the beam I passed over, and this is the stream I was so off; I am awake, and not in a dream, Where is then my Companion? There was no answer, all silence. Then went I strait forward, and came directly to the Castle, which I had seen on the other side of the water. I stood and admired at its great lustre, and at the fair Fabric: I looked after the Gate, and went round about, but could not find it. Then I grew sad, and sat under a Tree, and still cast up my eyes to the fair Castle, till I unawares fell into a sleep. And me thought, I saw an old man look out of a Window, which beckoned to me with his finger; Larose and came nearer: Then he let down a Rope, which I laid hold on, and he drew me up in a moment: Then I awakened, and said, This was a dream. I arose and would go; and behold I stood in the midst of the Castle, in the Court of it. For as I saw now, the Castle was built round, and in the midst thereof there was a fair Court, in its centre or middle, point there stood a deep Well, costly adorned with all manner of fair figures and statues. In the middle of the Well there stood the image of the Sun, like unto bright glittering Gold, when it's melted; but in the midst it was blood-red, and therein it stood. Persectio, and a cipher by it. Beneath about the edge of the Well there stood the Statue of Mercury, (such was the inscription) painted of a glittering red, and had a yellow Cane in his hand; On it stood written with silver Letters: Electrum immaturum; and on the other side, Agens Naturae; and above: Drachmae duae, Next to this stood the Statue of Saturn, painted black, and had in his hand a grey glittering ball, on which stood: Coagulatio secunda, and underneath: jv. and xij. Next followed Jupiter, painted pale yellow, and had in his hand a flaming Cross, on which stood written: Coeteris venenum; and in the midst stood: xij and iv. Then came Mars painted of a liver-colour, and had a bow in his hand, bend; and anarrow laid upon it, with this Superscription: Indigus indigentibus subsidio, and beneath stood: Nam xiv and ij. Venus also was present, painted green, fair in the highest degree, and covered her privy part with her hand, over which stood written: Noli me tangere, and on the hand: Cave, ●e Caves, and beneath viij and viij. Lwa smiled, was painted green-blew, and with her right arm she reached after the Sun, on which stood written: Nondum perfecta. Nam TWO and XIV. Now when I had viewed these Statutes, I thought, how am I thus come among the Heathen Gods, it seems as if I were in a Heathen King's House! Yet I set down their inscriptions in my Table-book, and stepped nearer unto it, and would also myself look into the Well: but as soon as I leaned over it, and looked into it, an invisible sum smote my face, that upon a sudden I lost both sight and hearing. I suddenly stepped back again, and stood long before I could fetch breath: my eyes run over, and I was tickled in my nostrils. When I came to myself again, me thought I had seen flames of fire beneath in the Well, and had a good mind to look in again, that I might learn the very truth of it; I thought, How shall I go about it? I will keep in my breath, and use Spectacles to save my eyes. Being thus cautiously armed, I stepped thither again, and would look into it; but behold, there arose a fume out of the depth of the Well, which filled all the Castle-Court, in manner of a stinking mist, insomuch that I could not see at all; only above on the brim about the Well, it stood written: FONS IGNIS SINE QUO NON. But the mist which came up out of the Well, was so great, thick and strong, that I was forced to be gone: I run up and down in the Castle from door to door, and knocked, to see whether one or other would open to let me in, for I was almost choked. Then one door opened, when I run by, and I was pulled in suddenly, and presently it was locked again; it was a black fellow in Linen breeches, without a doublet, he sweated all his face over, and he said to me, Sat down, I drink to thee; for he had a pot of been in his hand: I said, Much good may it do you. He said, but how comest thou hither? Who hath let thee in? I answered and said, I do not know it myself; I wish I were out again; He answered and said, Pray do not grieve because the fume hath nipped thee a little; dost thou not see how I look? And I said, Are ye a coal-burner? He answered me and said: Yes, thou hast hit it, I am a Coal-burner; for in my time I have consumed well a hundred Load of Coals, and smiled. I thought indeed (said I) that ye could not look so like a Smith for nothing. But what kind of mad Well is that which ye have in the Court? He answered me and said, The Well is not mad, but it is a Well of Life unto those, which stand by it; and he that draweth out of it, and drinketh, he is healed thereby, though he had the French disease. But I answered to him, and said, Yea a Well of death, for it cost me almost my life, when I would but only look into it. He answered me and said, My Son, too much is nought: The Well is good, and without this Well we cannot make sire, but only we know how to deal carefully with 〈◊〉. I said, How must one do it? For when I came a little near to it, it beat into my face, that I could neither smell nor see, and I thought no other but that I must ●eild up my Ghost in the very place. He answered me and said, We have a silken rope, therewith we let down the bucket, and thus we draw and pull it up again. We do not come so near unto it; but we stand off a little way. How can ye then (said I) stand so long in the Court, by reason of the strong misty fume? He answered and said, That's no matter, as soon as the Sun is high, and shines clear, than the mist falls. Thou art come to it a little too soon. Why (said I) do ye use a silken rope, and not rather an Iron chain? but he answered: no, Iron can resist this water; for its nature and quality is wonderful; all Metals melt in it, as Butter melts in warm water. We could never fathem its depth, and its strength and virtue is every morning new; it keeps constantly in one vigour, and all poison digested therein, turns instantly unto a wholesome Medicament. I said, Then I pray you, impart some of it unto me. Very willingly; saith he, and gave me a whole bottle full, and told me withal, how I should use it. And many other things he told me of this Well, and of this Castle; but I took my leave of him, and he brought me into a deep Cellar, there was a subterranean secret way, which was paved with all sort of precious stones, with Carbuncles, Diamonds and Saphires, Smaragds, Rubies and Topaz, which cast such a lustre, whereby this Subterranean passage was bright & light: And I saw that it was above, and at both sides full of fair pieces of Gold Oar, Mineral Cinober, and Silver Oar, Oar of Lead, Pewter, Loath-and ironstone, betwixt there hung here and there yellow ice-sickles. I beheld all with admiration, and thought, this is indeed a rich Mine, or Metalline Rock; such another Myne-work may happily not be in the World: And at last we went through a long passage, till we came to a door; there he knocks, and gave the word, which I understood not; and the door went open: There I espied through a little hole, the daylight afar off; but when we came to it, it was of that bigness that one could creep through it; but there lay a great stone before it, which he knew to remove so nimbly, that I could not perceive how he did it; then I crep out with my bottle, and unhappily I gave it a knock at the stone, and it broke: I called back, Oh good Sir, the Bottle is broken, and intended to turn about; but lo, he put the stone before it as nimbly as he had removed it, and for my life I could not roll it away; I called, but he would not hear, for he was gone. And now as I went a little farther, I passed through a fair large field, to a great Highway, where many Wagons laden with Coals and Glasses were drawn before me; I followed them, and came into a great City, which lay betwixt two Mountains, on a fair plain, and was called Sufflers-thal. There was an University full of Students, and there were neither Doctors nor Professors, but every one was of himself to learn what, he would know, without a Master. And this University was called Autodoxia, and over the Gate it stood written: Insudore vultus tui. And just in the Entry, at the right hand, there lay about a hundred Load of Coals; at the left hand I saw many broken Pots and Pans, Crucibles, Retorts, Glasses & Stacks, on a heap as great as a Hill; I thought, I have seen ere now among Myne-Works, such a heap of slacks, and said, Surely here must be some melting-house or other: And just as I entered, I saw a Boy with a Lap full of broken Pans and Glasses passing on, who looked like a young Blacksmith: I asked him, What is here to do? But he grinned with his teeth like a Negro, and smiling, said, Come in hither, and thou shalt see it: I went in, and behold there stood so many Furnaces, and the like stuff, that I could not tell them; they blowed, they melted, they reverberated, they distilled out of bodies, great and small; out of Sand, in Balneo; they forced out of Retorts into large Receivers; they set things in digestion; one poured coals into the Piger Henricus, another stood luting; I saw dissolving, siltring, fixing, cohobing, calcining, volatizing, subliming, granulating, as many terms, so many divers works, and who could tell them all. I stepped to one, whom I thought to be the chief Journeyman, who just then took out a Retort; and I said to him: God save you, what are ye a doing? He looked on me with a squint eye, and said, Thou seest what we do, thou needst not ask; and so he broke the Retort in two, and took out the Caput mortuum. And another was taking a Crufible out of the fire, and when it grew cold, he broke it in pieces. A third struck at a boy with a stick, and hit a great Receiver, which flew in a hundred pieces. Then I answered and said: Now I see indeed, what ye are doing, ye break Crusibles and Glasses, and besides burn an abundance of coals. One among them answered me and said: This we can do best, and never miss, though we hit nothing else. Then there came one behind me and pulled me by the sleeve and said: allons Monsieur, aids moy à Souffler, and so reached to me a pair of bellows. By and by an other called to me, pray good fellow, hold this Glass a little, until I empty this reaceaver. Another said to me, Who are you? Come, fling a handful or two of coals into the Furnace. To be short, in a little time my half shirt was as black as a Smith's boy, and I looked as black as they. However I liked the foolish Work well enough, so that I tarried by it above twenty years, than I returned home. My Father's Name was Autogenes, and my Mother's Name was Hethia; but he died a little before I came, and my mother followed another man, and went away with him; my eldest Sister was yet alive, but she knew me not. I told her, who I was; then she leapt for joy, and said, O my Brother Chrysogenes, art thou he? Our Father's Corpse is embalmed to keep it from putrifying, that thou shouldst see it: come hither, and see where he lieth, for thou shalt find there thine inheritance. I said, Yea Sister, I am no ignoramus also, I have not spent my time idly among strangers in for reign parts; I can fix Mercury, I have many brave Albations, which hold the test. I can make fixed Lnna: I can do more yet, I can make Gold; but take heed, that you do not tell it others, else it will cost me my life. And we went together into the Vault where he lay; and my Sister said to me. My Brother, I wildeclare unto thee all the Treasures of our Father, which he hath left unto us, and said to me: Argenis, abide by thy Brother. Now therefore promise first unto me, That thou wilt not forsake nor leave me all the days of thy life. And I made promise to her. Then she took up my Father's Winding-sheet, and uncovered the middle part of his Corpse; there his stomach lay naked, and this Epitaph was written upon it: AUTOGENES. PALINGENIUS. FILIO. MEO. CHRYSOGENI. SACRUM. IN. HOC. SCRINIO. RELINQUO. TIBI. REGENERATIONIS. ANALOGON. NAM. POST. MULTAS. AMBAGES. ET. VANOS. LABORES. TANDEM. REDIBIS. AD. ME. ET. QUOD. QUAERIS. INVENIES. Argenis said: Here, here we have it: She drew out a knife, and said, Here Chrysogenes, cut up, and let's see, what is in it. And when I put the knife to it, and would anatomize the stomach, something stirred in it like a child in the womb. However, I made an incision, and a hole in it; but presently it hissed, and a strong scent came out. But when I made the hole of the stomach somewhat wider, we perceived that it was full of Vermin, and among them we saw a very nest of Lizards, all of them were as yellow as Brimstone, and looked hard upon us. We were amazed, and said to one another, it is very well analogized; He is full of stink and worms, and we were ready to run away. Instantly the Lizards went asunder, and came out of the hole, the one run this way, the other that way. There in that place whers the Lizards lay in the stomach, we perceived a white Serpent which had a golden Crown upon her head and a gilded Cross on her forehead and was to look on, as fine silver on the Test, when it glitters like the fair Evening-star, when it riseth, so bright and glittering it looked. We indeed could no sooner spy it, because the Lizards lay or sat upon her, like a Hen that sits upon her Eggs. And when I espied the golden Crown, than I remembered the Serpent's Crown, of which there is so much talk, and would fain have had it. The Serpent began to stretch herself, and would be gone also. But I took courage, and knew not how, as when one goeth in the dark, and it seemeth to him, as if he saw a spirit, and falls upon it, when he should rather give way; so I also fell on, and fled not from the Serpent, but caught her just by the Crown, and pulled her out. Indeed she struggled a little, but as soon as she felt the fresh air, she yielded up her Ghost, and died. I said to my Sister: Argeniis, What strange Treasures are these? if thou hadst no other thing to dscover unto me, I had saved my oath that you took of me. The Serpent's Crown may perchance be worth something, if one knew how to use it; but as touching the Serpent, I have heard ere now, that the powder of Serpents is good against poison; but how is it made? Argenis answered and said, My dear brother, I know not what to say to it. This I know well, and have often with my ears heard, that our Father used to say at the Table: O would to God, that Chrysogenes came home before I die. For I fear, that he will spend his time idly where he is; he is my Son, and I am his Father. He must learn to know me, and have of me that, which he looks for. Yet tell him, Argenis, if I do not live at his return, that he shall seek in me, and in my Entrails, there he shall find his portion, and the Treasure sought by many, and found by few. Now Chrysogenes, thou thyself seest, that I thought no other but that we should find some singular thing here. Therefore I pray thee, blame me not, I will willingly acquit thee of the Oath. Now whilst we stood thus amazed, the Maidservant came running; and said: Mistress, it is time, the Oven is hot, and the dough is ready to be set in. Argenis had just the dead Serpent in her hand, and so in haste went to the Baking troff very thoughtful, and put her hands into the dough, to make the bread, but forgot the dead Serpent in her hand, and so thrust it among the dough. I stood afar off, and called: Sister, what dost thou? But it was too late. We searched all the Dow to find the Serpent again, but could not. The Dow began to swell, and came almost over the troff. Then they must to kneeding, breaking, and working of the Dow. The Loaves were made and set in, and the Oven closed, as is usual. In the mean time we went again to the Vault, where the Corpse of our deceased Father did lie, intending to make farther search. When we came thither without a Candle light (for we were perplexed) we found his Corpse no more; we groaped in the dark after it, but found it not. And whilst we were perplexed at it, lo in the Vault, it was as light as day; and from that place where he lay, there came a voice out of the earth, saying: What seek ye the living among the dead? O ye fools, and of slow hearts, to understand all whatever the wise have spoken. Have ye not yourselves carried him away, do ye not know then, where ye laid him? Then fear and trembling seized on us, and we run away, and knew not, what to make of it. The Maidservant called: Mistress where are ye? I am afraid the bread in the Oven burns, will ye not once look to it? But I believe you have tarried too long already. Argenis said: Alas! I did not think once of it, and run hastily to the Oven. But as the Maid had said, so it was, the bread was burnt, and turned to a black brown biscuit, only fit to be thrown away; and it was fling in the hogs-wash which is given to the Swine. Now at that time there was a great Murrain among the Hogs, of which they died as fait as of a plague: and we had then above twenty hogs, which were all sick. Now when the maid served them with that wash, they sucking it in, all recovered at once. And when we looked into the wash, it was as red as Claret. I said, how comes this to pass? Surely the bread hath caused this; for there is nothing fling in there, but what comes from the washing of dishes. I run to the baking Oven, and found one crust, which I soaked in wine, which made it blood-red. I gave of it to one of my neighbours to drink, who lay deadly sick, and he recovered at that very hour. I drank of it, & me thought I was new born. Argenis also drank of it, and it made her shed her white-grey hairs, and gold-yellow hairs grew in their place, and she found herself in her strength, as a maid of twenty years. Then I thought upon what was past, and my eyes were opened, that I understood all, what we had ignorantly done. Thereupon we gathered the remaining crumbs out of the Oven, and carefully scraped the Dow-tub, and kept it safe together. I put it all into a Box of ivory, and wrote upon it: REGENERATION IS ANALOGON. And when I baked, put a little of it into the Dow instead of Leaven, and it lasted me a long time. When my good friends came to me, I let them drink of it. But when it became known, I could not be quiet; all those whose Hogs were sick, came running to me, to let them have some of it, etc. Reliqua deficiant, doncese quantur, interim. FINIS.