Xerxes that most potent King of Persia leading his army through dry -
and rugged places in hotthot weather, being thirsty, refused not a draught -
of muddy water offered by a souldiersoldier, but drankedrank most freely, and rewarded
him that brought it very amply. And indeed if a man at this very time
(as some of the latest historians affirmeaffirm) travelltravel through the borders of
Persia, it is saydsaid that fountains of sweet water are very rarely found,
standing waters being brackish, and the SoyleSoil itselfeitself in the surface -
yeildingyielding much saltnessesaltness: After the same manner the King, which the
Philosophers have made mention of being perplexed with thirst, com=
manded plenty of sweet water to be brought him, of which heehe drankedrank
his fill; as if manifest to any man by the Allegory of Merlinus. The
cure of the sickesick and discoloureddiscolored King is undertaken by severallseveral Physi=
tiansPhysicians: The ÆgyptiansEgyptians administringadministering their medicines stirred the humors
being yet crude, which Hippocrates affirms ought to be purged being -
first concocted, unlesseunless they be fluxible and uncertaineuncertain: For then they
must be forthwith expelled, that they may not peradventure make an
assault upon the more noble parts or bowellsbowels. Hereupon dangerous Symp=
toms, such as Hipothymy and Syncope happened to the King, but the Phy=
sitiansPhysicians of Alexandria coming last of all, and esteemed more successfullsuccessful
in a chronickechronic disease, restored the King to his former health. It is well -
worth while to cure soeso great a King, who being made sound extends a
liberallliberal hand and a serene aspect to his PhysitianPhysician. WeeWe have read that -
many mens cures have been very nobly rewarded by severallseveral Kings, as -
that of Democides by Polycrates a tyrant of Samos with two talents, of
Erasistratus (who, as Pliny writes, was SchollarScholar of Chrysippus, begotten -
upon the daughter of Aristotle) for curing King Antiochus being sickesick
for the love of his Stepmother Stratonice, with a hundred talents by his
SonneSon Ptolemy, of Jacob Cocterius, PhysitianPhysician of Lewis the 2dLouis II King of -
France, from whomewhom heehe receivdreceived four thousand Crowns every monethmonth as
a stipend, and other later weewe make noeno mention of; but the cure of
this King is recompensed with yet a farrefar greater gratuity or reward. For
thus say Hermes and Geber in the Rosary: HeeHe that hathhas once com=
pleted this art, if heehe should live ten hundred thousand years, and -
every day feed four thousand men, would not want. This Senior con=
firms, saying: HeeHe that hathhas that stone, whereof the Elixir is made
is soeso rich, as heehe that hathhas fire,

can give fire, to whomewhom heehe will, and -
when heehe will, and as much as heehe will without his owneown detriment or want.
The father of Democritus was soeso rich, that heehe gave a feast to the -
army of Xerxes, and Pythius a man excedingexceeding wealthy offered to the -
same pay for his whole army, and victuallvictual for five monethsmonths, provided -
that the youngest of his five sonnssons, which was the comfort of his old -
age, might be permitted to stay at home, and not be constraindconstrained to goego -
into the Kings army, but the barbarous King taking the petition of Pythius
most unworthily, comandedcommanded his younger sonneson to be cuttcut in two peicespieces, -
and fastened to stakes on both sides the high way, by which his whole ar=
my was to passepass, as Sabellicus observes in bookebook 2. Ennead 3. but the riches
of these men are nothing to the riches of our King, which are without -
dimension and number. Being cured and freed from the waters all the
Kings, and potentates of other regions did honourhonor and fear him: And when
they were willing to see any of his wonderfullwonderful works, they puttput one -
ounce of Mercury well washdwashed in a crucible, and cast thereupon (as it were
one grainegrain of Millet seed) of his naylsnails, or of his harrehair or blood, and -
blowdblowed gently with coalescoals, they let it coolecool with them, and found such a
stone as I know. This is heehe, whomewhom Count Bernhard mentionethmentions, that -
gives to his six courtiers soeso much of his kingdomekingdom, as heehe himselfehimself possessethpossesses,
provided they waitewait, till heehe recover youth in the bath, and be adorned
with various garments, namely, a blackeblack breast=-platebreastplate, a white shirt, and
purple blood; for then heehe promisethpromises to give some of his blood to every
one, and make them partakers of his riches . . . . . . . .