Gower,
of Onsburghe). ' Seek out,' said he, ' some spiders !' He then made his
Physician, Johannes Lloff, scrape with the staff a circle on the table,
putting within it one spider, which quickly died ; and so likewise one
other, some others which were outside the circle running apace from it.
' Alas ! ' said he, ' it is too late ! It will not preserve me.' '
Behold these precious stones! This Diamond is the Orient's richest, and
most precious of all others ; but I never affected it. It restrains
fury, and luxury ; it confers abstinence, and chastity. The least
parcel of it, taken in powder, will poison a horse, when given in its
drink ; much more a man ! ' Pointing next to the Ruby, ' This,' quoth
he, ' is most comfortable to the heart, vigour, and memory of man,
clarifying congealed, and corrupt blood ! ' Then, pointing at the
Emerald, said, ' This precious stone, being of the nature of the
rainbow, is an enemy to uncleanness.' ' The Sapphire I greatly delight
in ; it preserveth, and increaseth courage, joys the heart, is pleasing
to all the vital senses ; precious, and very sovereign for the eyes,
cheers the sight, takes away bloodshot; strengthens the muscles, and
the strings thereof.' Finally, taking the Onyx in hand, ' All these are
God's wonderful gifts ; secrets in nature ; and yet he reveals them for
man's use and contemplation, as friends to grace, and virtue, and
enemies to vice. But I faint. Carry me away till another time ! ' "
"
The Pythagoreans," saith Leonardus (1502), " held that certain virtues
are communicated to Precious Stones by the Soul; and that Souls can
enter into, and depart from them by the animal operations. So it was
the Souls of the Stones extended themselves originally from the place
of the Stone's natural residence, and
