Clifton College Scientific Society. 63 



zealous and prominent member), and an answer to the 

 attacks of Gassendus and Mersennus. Almost the last work 

 which he wrote was an answer to the attack of a clergyman 

 named Foster, and this (which was the only work he 

 published in England and in English) merits a short notice, 

 as peculiarly illustrative of the times. A certain William 

 Poster, ' M.A., and parson of Hedgeley, in the county of 

 Buckingham,' published a brochure of fifty-six pages, in 

 1631, entitled ' Hoplocrisma spongus ; or, a sponge to wipe 

 away the weapon-salve. A treatise wherein is proved that 

 the cure late taken up amongst us, by applying the salve to 

 the weapon, is magicall and unlawful.' First, as to the 

 weapon-salve, it appears that Paracelsus invented a certain 

 unguent, which he asserted would cure all wounds arising 

 from violence by being applied to the weapon which had 

 caused the wound (or to its facsimile in wood), under certain 

 stringent conditions. The unguent was to be compounded of 

 moss from the skull of an unburied man, ' mummy,' man's 

 blood, and oil, while some recommended the introduction of 

 ' the dryed brain of a wilde bore.' The most minute direc- 

 tions were given for appljdng this to the weapon, and a 

 slight carelessness might as easily cause the death of the 

 patient as his cure. Thus it was said, 'Beware that the 

 weapon fall not downe, nor the winde blow upon it in a cold 

 place, for it will force the patient to madness.' Many writers 

 had written strongly in favour of this cure, among them 

 CroUius, Baptista Porta, Cardanus, Burgravius, Coclinius, 

 and notably Robert Fludd, a physician by profession, be it 

 remembered. Lord Bacon alludes to the alleged cure 

 (' Sylva Sylvarum,' cent. 10, par. 998), and adds, ' Though 

 myself, as yet, am not fully inclined to believe it.' Parson 

 Foster is most bitter against the whole thing, and declares 

 that it is the work of the devil. He is specially virulent 

 against Fludd, as the most recent advocate of the cure, and 

 his brochure is principally directed at him. In the preface 

 Foster says : ' I dare call sin, sin in whomsoever. If Jesabell 

 be painted, with Jehu I will not have peace with her to 

 commend her, though a Queene. If Herod be incestuous, 

 with the Baptist I'll not sooth him, though a King. If 

 Simon Magus be a sorcerer I feare not his divell, Avith 

 S. Peter I'll rouze him though a witch. Shall anyone for 

 my boldnesse think to sit upon my skirts ? Let those knowe 

 I esteeme myself infra invidiam. I cannot have lesse in the 

 Church, unlesse nothing. And if they shall endeavour to 

 keepe me still low, let them knowe I look for no good from 



