Reader,
_OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST hath prescribed to us this Doctrine, that we
should =behave our selves towards our Neighbour, as we would that
he should do to us=; yea, =that we should love him as our selves=:
This He hath earnestly commended unto us, as the indispensible Will
of God, contained in the Law and the Prophets. But although there be
few who consider this, and all men seek only their own, yet one or
other is still found, who calleth this duty to mind, and as far as he
can, taketh every opportunity or occasion of serving his Neighbour.
Although also there may be some who bear a love to others, and desire
to assist them with their counsel and help, and yet are destitute of a
power of giving them any thing; for no man can distribute more than he
hath. Moreover, Covetousness and Envy so far governeth some, who have
plenty enough to bestow upon others, that they will do good to none but
themselves; of which sort there are many now to be found in the World,
and hence Charity towards our Neighbour is wholly vanished._
_Seeing therefore that the Almighty, of His singular Grace, hath
bestowed on me a small Talent, in searching out the Secrets of
Nature, it is, without doubt, to the end that I should thereby do
good to others; which Talent I would not bury, but have put to use
in writing particularly from year to year, for the publick Good,
and being affected towards my Neighbour, have made them publick. I
have also determined, if time shall permit, to publish yet more and
better things of this nature. But after that some described Voyages
to the =East= and =West-Indies=, and other far distant places, had
happened into my hands, I perceived, not without great admiration
what immense daggers occurr on the Seas, not only from Robbers and
Pyrates, but also the adversitys of violent Winds, (to pass by many
other Calamities in silence) by which the Ship, together with all in
it that draw breath, are overwhelmed, and perish: And when I further
contemplate those things with an intent mind, nothing seems to me more
grievous and intolerable than Hunger and Thirst, or the want of Meat
and Drink, which sometimes happeneth to Ships by adverse Fortune: For
when they are overcome by the hand of an Enemy, they are wont indeed to
suffer the loss of their Goods, but the Lives of the men are for the
most part saved; which loss of Goods they may again easily repair by
Merchandizing; and although they should be adjudged to death, yet their
pain would quickly have an end. But if through an ill fate of necessity
one be destitute of Bread and Water, and be forced to tear another in
pieces to eat, that is of all the highest misfortune, and death it self
were more desirable, than to sustain extremities and miseries of this
sort. And although the want of Food doth not so frequently happen,
yet the want of Water often falls out, whence Seamen are grievously
tormented with Thirst, to whom, as in a most urgent Calamity, Mercy
and Christian Compassion ought to be administred; but, Who can carry
them succour afar off, and in a tempestuous Sea? And seeing that the
Prosperity of =Maritime= Countries (where for the most part there is no
Wine, no Fruits, no Mines, as in the upper =Germany=, and other places)
consisteth only in Navigation, it were very well worth the while that
this should be promoted to the utmost. I have therefore diligently
considered the matter with my self, and have found that a Remedy may be
applied to this Evil, =viz.= the want of Meat and Drink, by providing
in time an =Apparatus=, or certain matter to be carried in Ships,
which is of far greater efficacy in mitigating =Hunger= and =Thirst=,
than common Bread and Water; yea, is able to prevent and expel that
Disease which is so familiar to Seamen, to wit, the =Scurvy=, which is
often a great hindrance to Sailing: So that this matter may be carried
together with the usual Provisions, as a Preservative, and in case of
necessity, as if the Ship be overmuch harass’d with Storms, or be
hindred by other infelicities, or detained longer in the Voyage than
expected, it may be taken and used. It were indeed to be wished, that
these materials might never be wanted in any Ships, but as the old
Proverb hath it, =A superfluous Caution never doth hurt=; therefore it
is alwaies better to have a thing in readiness, which we do not use,
than to want it when its use is necessary. But what those materials
are, of which I speak, and how they are to be used when need is, I
shall communicate to my Neighbour, for the publick Good, not at all
doubting, but that this invention will prove highly profitable to many
who use the Seas._
_The Reader now understands what hath moved me to write this Treatise,
=viz.= the love of my Neighbour, and that I have not composed it only
for the sake of some few, but that I have emitted it to the publick,
to the end, that those highly profitable Inventions might afford help
and comfort to all Mankind, and especially to all that use the Seas,
and such who are infirm in their health: Nor do I doubt but that this
my sincerity of mind will be a great preservative, comfort, and relief
to those who pass the Seas, when they are in danger, by the benefit of
which, they may escape various Chances and many Misfortunes, or beware
of them for the future: For by this means which I shall here produce
against Hunger and Thirst, or other Diseases which are wont to afflict
Sailors, it will be found, that what I ascribe to them may be fully
deduced to the desired effect. And therefore many Thousands of men may
thence receive Fruit and Profit, as long as the World shall endure;
so that all who travel the Ocean, and are afflicted with any Disease,
ought to rejoice, and give Thanks to God._
_Now, if any one should yet doubt of the success of this matter, (which
nevertheless is shewed from so clear and irrefragable Fundamentals)
I leave him to his freedom, whether he will put the matter into
examination, and certifie himself of the Truth, before he give credit
to it: Which also may be proved in a small quantity, and not only on
the Seas in Voyages, but on the Land also in the House, among both
the Sound and the Sick. Therefore let no man vilifie what he doth not
understand, but let him commit the thing to trial, and see its reason
and quality, before he contemneth it, or pass an immature Judgment,
lest his curiosity or imaginary Wisdom from a vain instinct, deceive
him, or confound him with shame, when the proof shall shew it to be
better than he could perswade himself._
_But that in some places I have used obscure words, and have not
proposed all things so clearly, as that every man will be able to
understand them, let no man wonder at this for I have certain reasons
for so doing; for no man will have any prejudice or injury thereby,
seeing that nevertheless there are such points of this sort elucidated,
which will remain after me safe and sound: Therefore whatsoever the
Reader shall here find written, let him esteem it worthy to be received
and embraced, as the Gift of God; the which, if I find to be gratefully
accepted, more (God willing) shall follow. Also to all those who shall
have need, I offer the Medicaments aforesaid, profitable against Hunger
and Thirst, and all Sea-faring Diseases, a good quantity of which I
will cause to be prepared, that every man may use them that will, and
thence satisfie his desire._
_Wherefore it is the interest of any to whom I have committed the
Preparation of this Medicine, to betake himself to it, and when need
shall be, he will not be unwilling to use it. I have not sought my self
in these things, being content to serve my Neighbour out of Christian
Charity. And although this my good Will shall not be accepted by
foolish and ungrateful men, nevertheless God shall have the praise,
who hath committed to us a mutual participation of love and good
will, which also in his own time will grant the benefit of this to be
derived and redound to my Children after me, by some pious Souls, of
which I make no doubt, and therefore readily acquiesce in my present
condition._
THE
Consolation of Navigators, &c.
Now to come to the Work it self, we will point out the Remedies, whose
use is so necessarily required in Navigation, and which is able to
preserve us not only from the pressures of Hunger and Thirst, but also
from the injury of Diseases; and they are no other than Corn and Water
concentrated, or reduced into a more compact and narrow compass, the
one for the extinguishing of Hunger, the other of Thirst; and how they
are both to be concentrated, and administred in case of necessity, I
will exactly describe and teach. And,