of Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 
Cua. XXVIII , 
2& The wonderfull operations of Fire : the medicinable properties that it hath : and 
the prodigtows fignifications obferved thereby, 
Ire receiveth fundry forts offand and earth: out of which,it doth extra and melt one while 
Pegiste-another while filver,in this place vermillion,in that diverfe forts of lead and tin; fom- 
ume painters colours, and another while matters medicinable. By fire,{tones are refolved 
into brafle; by fire yron is made, and the fame is tamed likewife therewith Fire: burneth and cal- 
cineth ftone,wherof is made that morterwhich bindeth all work in mafonry.As for foie things, 
the more they be burnt,the better they are ; and of one and the fame matter, a man fhall {ce one 
fubftance engendred in the firft fire,another in thefecond, and anotheralfo inthe third. As for 
the coales that goe to thefe fires,when they be quenched they begin to havetheir ftrength, and 
after they be thought extind and dead they are of greareft vertue. This element of Fire isinfinir, 
and never ceafeth to be working, infomuch, as itis hard to fay whether it confume more than it 
engendreth, The very fire alfo is of great effe & in Phyficke : for this is knowne for certaine by ex- 
perience, that there is nota better thing in the world againft the peftilence (which is occafioned 
by thedarkneffe of the Sun and the want of cleare lightfrom him) than to make fires & perfumes 
in diverfe forts, eicher to clarifie orto correct the aire: according as Empedocles and Hippocrates 
have fhewed and teftified in many places. 14. Varro writeth, That fire is good for convulfions, 
crampes,and contufions of the inward parts : and for this purpofe I will allcadge the very words 
that heufeth:The old Latine word Léx (quoth he)is nothing elfe but the afhes of the hearth:and 
hereuponcommeth Lixrvus Cinis, i lie athes, which beeing drunke,is medicinable: as wee may 
fee by fencers and {word-plaiers who after they have done their flourithing and be readie tcoen- 
_ terinto fight at fharpe,refrefh themfelveswith this potion. Furthermore, itis faid, That acoale 
of Oke wood being reduced into afhes and incorporat with honey,cureththecarbuncle, which 
is a peftilent difeafe,wheroftwo noblemen of Rome(both Confuls in their time)died of late, ac- 
cording as I have alreadie fhewed. See the wonderfull power in Nature,that things defpifed and 
of noaccount(as afhes,and coales)fhould affourd remedies for the health of man ! Butbefore I 
make an end of Fire,and the hearth where it burneth, I will not overpafic oneadmirableexample 
commended unto us by the Romane Chronicles : in which wee read, That during the reigne of 
Tarqunius Prifcusking of Rome, there appeared all ona fuddaine upon the hearth where hee 
kepi fire,out of the very athes, the genitall member of aman: by vercue whereof,a wench belon- 
"ging unto T anaquil the queene as the fat before the faid fire, conceived and arofe from the fire 
with child, And ofthis conception came Servius Tullus,who {ucceeded Tarquin in the kingdom, 
And afterwards whiles he was a young child and lay afleepe within the court, his head was feene 
ona light fire,and thereupon he was taken to be the fon of che domefticalll fpirits ofthe chimney. 
Which was the reafon,that when he was come to the crowne,he firft inftirutedthe Compitalia : 
and the olemne games in the honour of fuch houfe- gods or familiar {pirits, 
THE 
399 
