The SVjtturall and Morall 



chicfe profitc of quickefflvcr ; for that he faies plainely, 

 that quickefilver ioynes with no other metrall but with 

 gold^and when he makes mention of refining of filver, 

 he fpeakes onely but of the manner of melting; where 

 by wee may inferre that the Ancients had no know 

 ledge of this fecret . In truth, though there be a league 

 and iimpathie betwixt golHe~and' quicksilver, yet 

 wliereas the mercuric finaesnogbld/it ioynes with fil- 

 ver, though not in the like maner as with gold - but in 

 theend,itdoth clenfe and purge it ftyip earth, copper. 

 & leadjamongft the which" tiie (ilvcr growes, without 

 any ne^de of fire to melt it : y e t m uft they vfe fire to fe- 

 rperatc it from'tBelilver,as"I will (hew hereafter.Quick- 

 Clver holds no account of other mettalls , but of golde 

 ind filver-but contrariwife it doth corrupt them,force 

 and confumc them , and fiieth from them as much as 

 may be. The which is like wife admirable , and for this 

 caufe they put it in earthen veffells, or mbeafts skinnes v 

 For if it be put in veflells of copper, of yron , or other 

 niettall /it preiently piercethand corrupts them^nd 

 therefore Plmie calleth it the pbyfon of all things , for 

 that it confumcs and fpoyles all. Wefinde quick-filver 

 in the graves of dead^men , which after it hath confu- 

 med the bodies, comes foorth pure and whole. There 

 hath beene likewife found in the bones and marrow of 

 men and beafb,who having received it in fume by the 

 mouth and nofthrills,congeales within them and pier, 

 ceth even vn to the bones. Therefore it is a dangerous 

 thing to frequent fo perillous and mortall a creature. It 

 hath an orheLpropertie, which is t to runne and make a 

 liundred thoufand 'fiiiall droppes, whereof not one is 

 loft, be they never folittle, but they returne every way 

 to their liquor . It is almoft incorruptible, having no 

 thing 



