Lapis lazuli and armenus, because they purge, shall be mentioned in their place.

Of the rest in brief thus much I will add out of Cardan, Renodeus, cap. 23. lib. 3. Rondoletius, lib. 1. de Testat. c. 15. &c. [4158]"That almost all jewels and precious stones have excellent virtues” to pacify the affections of the mind, for which cause rich men so much covet to have them:  [4159]"and those smaller unions which are found in shells amongst the Persians and Indians, by the consent of all writers, are very cordial, and most part avail to the exhilaration of the heart.”

Minerals.] Most men say as much of gold and some other minerals, as these have done of precious stones.  Erastus still maintains the opposite part. Disput. in Paracelsum. cap. 4. fol. 196. he confesseth of gold, [4160] “that it makes the heart merry, but in no other sense but as it is in a miser’s chest:”  at mihi plaudo simul ac nummos contemplor in arca, as he said in the poet, it so revives the spirits, and is an excellent recipe against melancholy,

[4161] For gold in physic is a cordial,
        Therefore he loved gold in special.

Aurum potabile, [4162]he discommends and inveighs against it, by reason of the corrosive waters which are used in it:  which argument our Dr. Guin urgeth against D. Antonius. [4163]Erastus concludes their philosophical stones and potable gold, &c. “to be no better than poison,” a mere imposture, a non ens; dug out of that broody hill belike this golden stone is, ubi nascetur ridiculus mus.  Paracelsus and his chemistical followers, as so many Promethei, will fetch fire from heaven, will cure all manner of diseases with minerals, accounting them the only physic on the other side. [4164]Paracelsus calls Galen, Hippocrates, and all their adherents, infants, idiots, sophisters, &c. Apagesis istos qui Vulcanias istas metamorphoses sugillant, inscitiae soboles, supinae pertinaciae alumnos, &c., not worthy the name of physicians, for want of these remedies:  and brags that by them he can make a man live 160 years, or to the world’s end, with their [4165]_Alexipharmacums, Panaceas, Mummias, unguentum Armarium_, and such magnetical cures, Lampas vitae et mortis, Balneum Dianae, Balsamum, Electrum Magico-physicum, Amuleta Martialia, &c.  What will not he and his followers effect?  He brags, moreover, that he was primus medicorum, and did more famous cures than all the physicians in Europe besides, [4166]"a drop of his preparations should go farther than a dram, or ounce of theirs,” those loathsome and fulsome filthy potions, heteroclitical pills (so he calls them), horse medicines, ad quoram aspectum Cyclops Polyphemus exhorresceret.  And though some condemn their skill and magnetical cures as tending to magical superstition, witchery, charms, &c., yet they admire, stiffly vindicate nevertheless, and infinitely prefer them.  But these are both