Philosophia experimentalis before Newton

I am trying to track the first occurrences of the expression
"philosophia experimentalis" ( "experimental philosophy", just in case
) famously used by Newton in the Principia . The earliest record I
could find is Nicola Zucchi's "Optica Philosophia Experimentalis et
ratione a fundamentis constituta" Leyden, 1652-56. I expected to find
it in Francis Bacon's works, but I could not locate it there. Before
Google Books trivialises the issue, I conjecture that the expression is
of alchemical descent.

Any feedback, both from spr's old hands and googlers who just landed
here, is warmly appreciated.

IV

.