The profitable INTELLIGENCER, Communicating his Knowledge for the General good of the Commonwealth and all Posterity. Containing many rare Secrets and Experiments (having reference to a larger Book) which being well observed, and industriously practised, according to the Directions therein by all the Inhabitants of England in general, will recover the Wealth of the Kingdom now so miserably wasted by these unnatural Wars, and make it the most flourishing Country in the world, and cause more naked to be clothed, more hungry to be fed, more poor Virgins to be preferred in marriage, more sick to be healed, than Suttons Hospital; the Savoy, and all the Hospitals and liberal Gifts in England have ever performed, by certain ways which require no charge nor labour, but what every active person shall be double paid for  
A Copy of the Letter, wherein the Discourse entitled, Mercurius Laetificans, was sent enclosed to the Authors most worthy, and highly honoured Friend, Mr. Samuel Hartlib.  
SIR,  
YOur cordial love to the Kingdoms good, being so clearly expressed to the world, not only by your pen, but also by your constant practice in promoting of all good designs, which tend to the general good of the Commonwealth, hath emboldened me to send you this enclosed Copy, desiring that you will be pleased to take care, that it may be forthwith Printed, and published, together with this Letter, which may be all contrived into one sheet of paper, if the Printer he skilful: neither the Printer needs to fear any loss, nor you any dishonour by promoting of this laudable design: for I have showed the Copy to the learned, as well as the unlearned, to the rich as well as the poor, and all approve of it, and desire to have it as soon as it shall be published: they think it is a fine experiment to make good bread of an old shoe: and though they differ in opinion concerning other affairs, yet they all love to eat bread with one consent; and if they shall agree to practise according to their profession, which is to do their best endeavours to further the good of the public, then certainly, the cards will turn, and we shall all win our money again by concord, which we have lost by discord, yea and twice as much more. And though many of these things which I would have to be put to the best uses, seem to be trivial, that is for want of understanding in the Readers; for in Genoa as I have been credibly informed, it is an usual practice, to buy barren land for little or nothing, and to carry good earth to it, and cover it so deep, as a spade or a plough may work upon it; but this practice would never countervail the first charge, unless they did usually practise another strange work, which is so common there, that if an horse, or a beast do dung in any street, or highway, it is a marvel if some boy or girl do not take it up, before it be cold, so careful are they, that the fertility of the Kingdom should not be diminished: And though these boys, and girls get nothing but pins and points, or some other trifles, yet in the general the whole Country is made rich, and plentiful: Even as we see in a Beehive, though every Bee bring but a drop of honey at a time, yet it maketh up a weighty mass, and many of those masses put together, do make up the great mass, which I have seen at Sturbridge Fair, which is able to amaze a man, that beholdeth it.  
When this Book is published, than I desire you to think of the best way you can possibly imagine, that all the Inhabitants of the whole Kingdom may have knowledge of it generally; for knowledge that concerneth the public good, ought not to be concealed in the breasts of a few. As for the large Book, to which this little one hath relation, there is no thinking of publishing of it, till we have obtained a Committee to examine witnesses, and to print their Depositions in it: for Projectors have cast so many bitter things into the public Fountain, whereof all have drunk, and their minds are so poisoned, that there is no other way to unpoyson them, but to win their belief and willingness to practise, by such depositions of Gentlemen of quality, which know the same as well as I myself, and some of them have taught me, and I have taught others several Secrets, and some few I know myself still, and no man else in the Kingdom, for aught that can be proved; all which reserved Knowledge in particular Breasts is against the Wealth of the Public, and therefore aught to be made common to all, or else this Design cannot prosper, nor the Kingdom flourish according to my desire. As for your particular Encouragement I need say no more, but that by furthering of this friendly Advertisement, and the perfecting of the Books to which it belongeth, you shall become a Furtherer of the most Charitable Design that is now on foot in England, besides the great and manifold Benefit that shall redound thereby to the Commonwealth. For I dare undertake that by the right Improvement of the several Directions and Experiments that shall be discovered, you shall undoubtedly cause more naked to be clothed, more hungry to be fed, more poor Virgins to be preferred in marriage, than Suttons Hospital, the Savoy, or all the Hospitals or Liberal Gifts in England have ever performed. So I rest,  
Your Bounden Servant, Gabriel Plattes. Westminster this 14. of May. 1644.  
WHen I perused the several Mercury's which go abroad, to wit, Mercurius Civicus, Merc. Aulicus, Merc. Britanicus, Merc. Coelicus, Merc. Veridicus, Mercurius Vapulans, etc. I was sorry that so much Wit, Labour and Study should be so slighted, and produce no better effect; for I have seen them before they were a week old, to be carelessly hurled up and down, and sometimes torn in pieces to light Tobacco, and other uses not fit to be named. Whereupon I resolved to try a Conclusion, to write a Mercury that no man should so abuse, but he that is an enemy to himself, and to the Commonwealth. And therefore I have ordered the matter so, that no man in the Kingdom, which hath so much learning as to read it, or so much understanding as to hear it read with attention, but he may learn to gain a thousand times the price of it to himself, besides the general good to the Public. But before I tell my Readers what lasting and particular Benefit they are to expect, if they will follow those Directions which shall be given them by the following Discourse: Let all men that love themselves, or the Commonwealth, and Posterity, take special notice of a certain Book of Husbandry, entitled, The Treasure House of Nature unlocked, and set wide open to the world, etc. where they may plainly see, that as God is infinite, and men are infinite by propagation, so the fruits of the Earth for their food, and clothing are infinite, if men will consent to put to their helping hands to this commendable Design.  
The sum of the Book consisteth in showing how this Kingdom may maintain double the number of people which it doth now, and in fare greater plenty: But whereas the price will be five shillings, and every man's purse is not troubled with superfluity of Crowns, whom it concerneth; To the end that no man be discouraged, I intent to give a Book to every public Library in the Kingdom, where any man may read it, and write out what he pleaseth freely. Also I intent as soon as it shall be printed, that in Westminster-Hall, and elsewhere at certain Signs then to be set up, the said Book shall be sold for five shillings, or lent for two pence a week, to every one that shall leave the money, or put in security to return it safe to the owner.  
The reason why it is not already printed, is for that it containeth many rare Secrets for the Health and Wealth of Men, and such as will seem so strange, and incredible to most men, that they will be likely to slight it, to the great prejudice of the Commonwealth.  
Whereupon I am resolved to wait the Lord of Heaven and Earth's leisure, till such time as he shall be graciously pleased to afford so much leisure to the high and Honourable Court of Parliament to hear such witnesses as I shall produce, to the end that the Depositions being printed in the same Book, every Subject in the Kingdom, as well in great Cities and Towns Corporate, as in the Country, may be satisfied concerning the truth thereof, and so be more apt to yield unanimous consent, which is all that is wanting for the full accomplishment of this laudable work. And if any man be extraordinarily desirous to be further satisfied concerning this business for the present, he may be allowed to peruse the written Copies before the printing, as many have already done to their great contentment.  
And I wish no man to think that this is a device to exhaust his purse; for the truth is, I wrote the same for no other cause, but because I saw that all those books, which were formerly written upon this Subject, were written by men which had not attained to any considerable Perfection in the Knowledge of Nature; and such as had but a glimmering light of such great Secrets, as Nature hath heretofore locked up in her Storehouse, and so were ignorant in the fundamental points and causes of Vegetation and Multiplication. Whereupon I concluded that the Teachers and the Teached were nothing else but the blind leading of the blind, by which we all fell into the ditch; I mean we lived in want and misery, when we might more easily have lived in plenty and prosperity.  
This is the first Pamphlet that I wrote since the beginning of this Parliament, and I intent it shall be the last; let every one make use of it, whom it concerneth freely; which is every one that draweth breath in this Commonwealth, or shall draw breath in future ages in it: It is sufficient for me that I have not buried my talon.  
As for the particular way, whereby this wonderful improvement may be brought to pass, here is no room in this penny book; therefore I will only show how every one in the Kingdom, as well in great Cities, as in the Country towns may be an helper in this happy work, and raise some considerable gain to himself, and that great Cities which in former times devoured the fatness of the whole Kingdom, may yield a considerable retribution yearly without any man's prejudice, so that the fertility of the Country needs not be so much diminished as in former times.  
And therefore every one is desired to take this one thing into consideration, that as any parcel of good land, being kept in pasture, and having the dung, which it breedeth, spent upon it, doth continue fertile for ever, without any other addition: so the excrements, and materials, which any family produceth, being well contrived, will produce yearly as much bread, and drink, as that family spendeth for ever.  
But the better to stir up all poor maidservants to put to their helping hand, let them be pleased to understand, that I taught a poor woman to get 3. pounds a year, which she hath continued many years, without any considerable labour, or neglecting her other occasions, and thus she practised.  
When she washed, and swept rooms at her neighbour's houses, instead of casting many materials to the common dunghill, she took them home with her at night, and laid them in a corner, and once a year, she sold them for above 3. li. Besides she laid aside every year as many linen rags as yielded her forty shillings, and her labour in receiving her five pounds from the Bargeman, or thereabout every year, was almost as much as all her other labour, I mean extraordinary labour.  
If young poor maidservants will imitate her industry, I will tell them the whole Secret, to the intent that besides the benefit to the public, every one may get herself a considerable portion; and to the end that many may be industrious in this laudable way, and that many thousands may remember me, and my posterity in their prayers, I will first speak a good word for them to all generations to come, to wit, that such an one, which by her wit, industry, and providence, getteth herself a portion of twenty or forty pounds (which she may easily do in a certain number of years, not very many) deserveth as good a marriage as one that hath an hundred pounds given her by her parents, and friends.  
And to the end that this may not seem to be a ridiculous relation, I will show the reasons of it, and also the experience, and lastly declare the several materials which I taught her to reserve.  
As for the reasons, they are thus discovered, viz. the vegetable spirit of the world, by which all things do increase and multiply, is sometimes clothed with a gross, and earthly foeculencie, as in dung, and more in some dung, then in other: sometimes it is more purified from i●s earthly foeculencie, and then it is far more effectual, as we see by experience in London, that a load of shave of horn is sold for 50 shillings, or 3. li. a load of  rags is sold for 30. or 40. s. when as a load of common dung is sold for a penny, and many times for nothing but carriage away; the book formerly mentioned, will further satisfy any one that is inquisitive, so I will proceed to declare the several materials which I taught her to reserve: as for the linen rags she reserved those before I knew her, and sold them yearly to the Paper-Mils, and I seeing her industry, thought it a good deed, to advise her to reserve all the shreads, and rags of woollen cloth as well old as new, all the shreads, and pieces of leather of all kinds as well old as new, all the horns, and hoofs of beasts of all kinds, whether shaved, or not, that came in her way, all the hair, either in Barber's shops, or Tanner's yards, or at the houses of Butchers, and Cooks, where they scaled many hogs, and pigs, and fond cast away the hair, and to take up all the old shoes, and pieces of leather which happened in her way, as she went about her ordinary occasions, and to work as often as she could, at the houses of Tailors, Shoemakers, Saddlers, etc.  
For I have found by experience, that a load of the best common dung, will not produce corn worth above twenty shillings at three crops, unless corn be very dear, and if it be far carried, than the labour, rent, and seed, will consume the gains, whereas a load of any of these materials formerly mentioned, will produce wheat, and other corn, worth above 10. li. though the price be reasonable.  
These things being well considered, there is great reason why these materials should not be fond cast away to the common dunghill in great Cities, or other places, whereas the greatest part thereof is utterly lost; and though some of them go to the dunghill, yet they serve only to enrich land, which lieth near to great Cities, where there is no need of them, whereas being reserved by themselves, they will quit the cost to be carried 20 or 30 miles, and so make land fertile, which beareth not half the quantity for want of dung.  
And whereas I have found by experience, that a load of any manner of seeds, whatsoever, doth contain as much of the vegetable spirit of the world, as ten loads of common dung, I could wish, that all such young man-servants, as have no Stocks nor Trades, should get them services, in great Inns, or to be Bailiffs of Husbandry to great men, and to reserve all the hay seeds that come within their reach, and all the soot that is swept down out of the chimneys, that they can get, and once in a year to get so much blood at any Butchers, or Poulterer's houses, as will make them into a paste, and then to add so much cowdung dried to them, as being tempered with urine, will be sufficient to make the whole mass apt to be form into the form of bricks, loaves, or cheeses, and then they are to be laid up in a dry place, till they be throughly rotten, and that a small quantity thereof being made into powder will not produce any thing suddenly, being spread in a garden or other open place where the rain may fall upon it, without the help of new seed, then though their common dung will yield no price at all in that place, but rather they are forced to pay money to have it carried away, yet this will give them a large price, after that the virtue thereof is known.  
And if any such man-servants have means to farm certain Acres of barren land, which lieth so remote from dung, that the annual rent thereof is little, then by setting of wheat, or other grain, by my directions in my book formerly mentioned, they may make one quarter, or one pounds worth of corn, to yield 40. quarters, or 40 pounds worth of corn in less time than one year, and as much over, and above, as shall pay all charges, and workmen nobly, and also as much rent as any ordinary Farmer can afford to give yearly for it, by which means he may in a few years get a considerable Stock, and be as likely to thrive as he that hath twice so much given him by his parents, or friends; and I could wish all such men to marry with such women as by their wit, industry, and providence have gotten themselves portions by my directions in this little book: and let the others which have portions given do the like, and try conclusions whether of them thriveth better.  
If any one should be seen to cast away good bread, when so many poor people want it, than all the world would cry shame upon him; but why should not the casting away of any of these materials fond, be reputed a more heinous sin, when as they will produce divers times their weight of as good bread as any Prince eateth.  
I have seen by experience, that Saltpetre is the most rich compost in the world, to multiply corn, and I have seen fifty pounds worth of Saltpetre extracted out of a vault at Dowgate, not very spacious, which was formerly an house of office, and not emptied till the matter was throughly rotten, why may not the same thing be done by Art, which was formerly done by Nature, and accident? I have been credibly informed that such a work is ordinarily done, in the Kingdom of China, and also at the City of Paris in France, and I see no reason why English men should not have as much wit as they.  
If any man hath convenient room to build two houses of office, and to close up the one whilst he useth the other, then there can be no question, but that instead of the charge of emptying, and noisomeness of the smell, he may have it emptied for nothing, and feel the sweet smell of money very grateful to most men, and that in as great quantity, or greater, than he receiveth for his ordinary edifices: besides that he will show himself to be a good member of the body politic, or Commonwealth, wherein he liveth: but he must beware, that the matter do lie dry, and that no adventitious moisture come to it, either from beneath, or from above, which will be somewhat more chargeable in moist grounds, then where the earth is very dry by its own nature.  
And whereas it is clear as the Sun, that the flesh and blood of a beast is five times as good as the dung of a beast, and that the skin, hair, wool, horns, and hooves, are ten times as good as the dung; and that these things are at the least the third part of the fertility and wealth of the Kingdom, and that these things are for the most part lost, and cast away for want of general knowledge: I could wish that every Housholder in the Kingdom would make use of this book, and let it be common for all his family, to read, or hear it read, to the end that some considerable quantity thereof might be preserved, the price is but a penny, the soot in every one's chimney will pay him again, for a bushel of soot will produce two bushels of wheat, if it be well ordered, because it aboundeth much with the vegetable spirit of the world, by which all sublunary things do increase and multiply.  
And whereas there is much food of all kinds spoiled for want of looking, as musty corn, mouldy cheese, stinking flesh, and fish, also if any man have any horses, or beasts, that die by accident, let all men be pleased to receive instructions in the said book formerly mentioned, how to recover some considerable share of their losses; and if any one cannot find out some way or other to benefit himself more or less, by the reading of the said book, besides the good to the public, let him lay the blame no where else but upon the weakness of his own understanding, for it will be proved against him, that some have advanced their revenues above a thousand pounds per annum, by some small part of the skill contained in the said book. And if every poor servant cannot get themselves portions of considerable value, by reason that their master's houses afford not store of such materials, nor spare room to lay them in, then let them get five shillings a year, that they may do in the poorest house in the Kingdom, yea the poorest beggars, that go from door to door, may get more than that, so shall they get themselves every year a suit of clothes, if they buy them at the second hand, and show their love to the Commonwealth; and perhaps some good minded man, seeing their industry, may disburse money for the accomplishing of one crop, and take it again with interest, or without interest, out of the first part that is sold, so will the remainder afford them a considerable portion. And though that waste paper of all sorts, either white, or brown, or written, or printed, be not very good to make barren land fertile, yet it will make good passeboard, the white is worth three farthings a pound, and the other an half penny a pound to make brown passeboard good to cover books, and all other things where the colour is hidden in the work, and therefore worthy to be reserved, for in some houses it is of very considerable value.  
And let all men be pleased to take into serious consideration, that as in every century of years there do more people die, then are in the world at any one time; so in every century of years, there is more Wealth lost fond for want of knowledge in England, in the complete Art of Agriculture, then is in the Kingdom at any one time, yea though an Inventory were taken, and valued at Michaelmas, when the whole year's fruits are engrossed together, which sum will double throughout the whole Kingdom, (especially in the Country) to the like Inventory taken at May day, when the year's fruits are almost wasted, and little remaining but hopes, which are not usually put into Inventories.  
Whereas it will plainly appear to all rational men, that I wish well to all in general, let them be pleased to accept of one friendly advertisement more, for a parting blow, Christ saith, he that is not with me, is against me, admitting of no neutrality: and I say, that whosoever doth not according to his ability, and opportunity, further this blessed work, more or less, liveth in a destructive way to the Commonwealth, or body politic, whereof he is a member, though an unworthy one, and justly deserveth to be cut off after admonition, which an ingenious publication of this book will perform in such manner, that whosoever shall fond cast away any materials, which will produce bread, cannot expect any other sentence at the great day of account, but the very same which all those are like to receive, which have taken children's bread, and cast it to the dogs.  
Now for my conclusion, I will make bold to borrow it out of Geber his book, an Arabian Prince, and a famous Philosopher, because my wit will not serve to indite a better: he when he had found out the profound Art of transmutation of metals, said, Facilius est autum construere, quam destruere: and I say, that it is more easy for any Kingdom to live in happiness, plenty, and prosperity, if all were willing, then to live in misery, indigence, and adversity; he being overjoyed, and straying his wit for an admirable expression of his thankfulness to the sacred Deity, for bestowing upon him that great knowledge, said thus; Est donum Dei altissimi, qui cui vult, largitur & subtrahit, benedictus ergo sit Deus sublimis, gloriosus, & omnipotens, & benedictum sit ejus nomen, in secula seculorum: And all that have seen this Copy before the printing, are confident that it will do more good in the world, than ever the Philosophers Stone did yet since the world began, whereupon I suppose I may lawfully make use of his conclusion.  Psal. 41. vers. 1. 
Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy: the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble.  
FINIS.   Printed according to Order. For T. U. at the Bible in Woodstreet.