pleasant voice of the Queen and embrace her friendly out of a great love and take his fill of her both will vanish and enter into one body They say two men can master a third especially if they have elbow room to vent their malice Hereupon you are to know from a true ground that a double winde must come called Vulturnus then a single winde called Notus these come rushing from the East and South and will keep a stir being robb'd and their blowing or motion allayed and the aire is turn'd into water then you may confide that a spiritual one will become a bodily one and that the number by the four seasons of the year in the fourth heaven will predominate after the seven Planets have finish'd their ruling and will finish its course in the neathermost dwelling of the Palace and will hold in the highest fiery examen then the two which went forth suppressed the third and consumed him Here in our mastery is requisite an exact knowledge for the division and conjunction must be rightly hit if so be you intend to get riches by your Art and the Scales must not be falsified by unequal weights This is the Rock spoken of in this Chapter that you must finish it without any defect by the artificial heaven with air and earth with the true water and sensible fire setting in equal weights whereof I inform you really The seventh Key NAtural calidity preserveth mans life for when natural heat is gone then the life is at an end Natural fire being moderately used is a defence against cold but an immoderate heat is destructive There is no necessity that â—â—e Sun should touch the earth corporally with her whole substance it is sufficient that the earth be strengthned by 〈◊〉 rayes which she ejaculateth unto the earth and doth â—hat way her duty for in that way she is of a sufficient â—â—cacy to perform her office bringing things unto matuâ—â—â— by her digestion for the distance of the aire bringeth 〈◊〉 solar rayes into a temperature so by means of the aire 〈◊〉 fire doth work and the aire worketh by the help of 〈◊〉 Earth produceth nothing without water and water â—â—thout earth can rise nothing neither now as these two â—â—nnot be one without another in the generating of â—its neither can fire be without aire nor aire without â—e fire is livelesse without aire and without fire the aire â—â—nnot shew its due calidity and drynesse The Vine at its last ripening hath need of a greater solar â—â—at than it hath at the beginning of the Spring and if â—e Sun hath a good operation in the Harvest then the Vine â—elds a better and stronger sap which it doth not if the â—â—ns heat be defective The vulgar counteth all things â—â—ad in Winter because frost hath locked up the earth â—â—at nothing can spring up but when the Spring-season apâ—â—oacheth and the Sun in her ascending breaketh the frost 〈◊〉 things turn to life again Trees and Herbs appear in the â—â—elinesse and the Animals which hid themselves from â—â—e frost creep forth again out of their caves and holes â—egetables afford their new fragrancy their operation is â—pparent in their pleasant blossoms of several colours â—hen the Summer worketh further brings these blossoms 〈◊〉 further ripenesse into fruits upon which ensueth a rich â—â—rvest for the which thanks are due to the Creator which â—et these periods unto Nature Thus one year worketh after the other so long till â—he Architect thereof pulls them down and the Inhabitants â—f the earth be exalted by the glory of God then all earthâ—y Nature will be at an end in her working and in its place â—â—ere will be an infinite eternal one When the Sun in Winâ—â—r goeth further off from us she doth not dissolve so well the great snow but approaching nearer to us th n 〈◊〉 aire groweth warmer and the snow is easily melted aâ— being turn'd to water it is gone for the weakeâ— must gâ—â— way unto the stronger The same order must be observed the government of the fire that the moist liquor mâ—y 〈◊〉 be exiccated too suddenly and the Philosophick earth 〈◊〉 not to soon mel ed and dissolved else your wholesâ—m fisâ—â— would turn into Scorpions and if you intend to be a riâ—â— minister in your office then â—ake first your spiritual waâ—â— on which the spirit moved at the beginning shut the doâ— of the strong hold upon him because this heavenly plâ—â— will be besieged by earthly enemies your heaven must 〈◊〉 guarded with three Bull-warks onely one entrance mâ—â— be strongly guarded with a watch All this being finish'â— then kindle the light of wisdom and look for your penâ—â— you lost let the light be of that bignesse as you see theâ— is occasion for For you must know thaâ— creeping bâ—â—â— and worms have their dwelling in a cold and moist eâ—â—â— their condition and no are leads them thereunto hâ—mans habitation is upon earth according as his tempâ—â—â— and mixed condition â—â—quireth but Angelical spirits â—â—ving not an earthly but an Angelical body not being iâ— subjection unto a sinfull flesh as man is are placed into higher station are able to endure both heat and cold in tâ—â— upper and neather Region without any molestation anâ— when man is clarified then will he be able to do like theâ—â— heavenly spirits God ruleth heaven and earth and worketâ— all in all If we prove good governours of our Souls then we shaâ—â— be Gods Children and Heirs to accomplish that which iâ— impossible for us to do now which cannot be done unlessâ— all the water be exsiccated and heaven and earth togetheâ— with the men be judged by fire The eighth Key NO flesh be it of mans or of beasts can bring any further increase or propagation unlesse it come first into putrefaction So all Vegetables unlesse their seeds be brought into putrefaction cannot be augmented Many beasts and worms are generated by putrefaction this mystery in Nature deserves admiration Nature permitteth this because this living increase is for the most part found in the earth which with other Elements are so raised by spiritual seeds To prove this with examples women in Villages know to give instances in that particular for these cannot hatch any Chickens unlesse they put the Eggs into putrefaction If bread be put into honey then the Ants are bred which is one of Natures mysteries It is seen ordinarily that Maggots do breed in flesh in men and horses and such like Carcases in Apples Pears c. and who is able to relate all the kindes of worms which are generated by putrefaction Some Vegetables also grow in certain places where never such grew formerly nor were they sowed in those places onely by putrefaction they were produced the reason of it is that the earth in such places it inclined thereunto and is impregnated thereby which the syderial qualities have infused and wrought a seed into especially which seeds putrifie in the earth and by the elemental operation
get the internal fire â—ut of metals though it be most high skill however it is â—aseable and found in its place where I write of the like 〈◊〉 a more ample manner I give a hint of it in this places as Myners ought to do of whose expressions I borrow now The rest which wholly extracteth this fire whicâ— lyeth betwixt the project leaving nothing behind that iâ— where the Lubricum and Volatile is together leaveth it produceth it and excerneth it The Mansfieldian slatâ— makes it appeare that its Volatile is gone and its Lubricum also where its impurity is yet betwixt the project anâ— is not a faire pure work but a compound one CHAP. VII Of the ascension and descension of metals THis new kind or manner of speaking and writing of metals is caused by experience for the first perpetuaâ— ingression of the Ferch encreaseth and strengtheneth at firsâ— in the officina and Matrix the Mercurie of bodies bringinâ— it on to its perfect and full strength being made wholly effectual and potent then it begins by degrees to cloth iâ— selfe with a body at first he attracteth and receiveth thâ— meanest which he puts off again in the first place which iâ— done the easier for no body amongst them all is sooneâ— put off For the body of Saturne is so thin that it appeareth to the eye like as a faire body doth through lawnâ— or tiffenie its spirituality appeareth through its body itâ— spiritual body is the metal of Mercurie or as I should rather call it its proper near and special bodye which work giveth a manuduction unto many other faire works for iâ— maketh a garment for Saturne out of the subtilest earth after he riseth higher puts a harder and better garment oâ— him which is not so easily put off as that of Saturne or aâ— least not with so small a work which is caused by the work of the Mercurie of bodies For the Mercurie of bodies by reason of its fluidnesse is the hottest as he maketh it appeaâ— in Saturns ascension putting a cinereal body on him ouâ— of earth hence is it why Saturn is so full of cinders incliâ—ing to a britleness of ashes and begins to sound by reason â—f the metal though it be not very firm however yet it 〈◊〉 at the next place for incorporation its sound is more â—eaf is further off from iron and nearer unto mercury by â—eason of heat Observe now at the ascending of this metal 〈◊〉 lyeth near the ashes cleansed by the Saturnal water but â—bove ground it turns not to be glass out of the ashes out â—f salt or earth-water or Saturnal-water or out of sand â—r stone But what is that pure subterranean Earth-glass â—hich if it soundeth breaketh not it is a matter which Naâ—ure thrusteth upon a heap together which if you touch 〈◊〉 soundeth and is very clear of a great compactness â—d very firm in this work it doth mingle with ashes and â—lt water and turns to a glass of earth or to a dark glassey â—rm iron Nay tell me if a metal or Earth-colour yea a â—ood sound metal be dissolved to a colour and is brought â—to a glass doth it not look of a copper-colour yes truly â—herefore iron may soon be turned into another thing â—hich is done naturally where such metalline iron colour reduced in Hungaria into a Lixivium and is turned into very good copper however it retaineth the glassiness â—ough the colour hath exicated it somewhat through the â—ercurie of bodies for the liquidness it hath still and is obilitated further to a malleablenesse and fixation thereâ—re take notice of this tincturing matter which you finde â—epared by this body in this afficina it reduceth the iron 〈◊〉 copper with abundance of lucre Put these colours away and behold how the mercury of â—odies is passed through many white bodies and hath still fair white fuligo and that very fixed how finely is it clad it and maketh a fair and pure body of Luna into which 〈◊〉 clads himself so strongly that it can not be taken from â—ence by burning because it passed seven times thorough â—e greatest subterranean heat which destroyeth corruptiâ—e bodies unless they be closely and compactedly incorâ—rated to the mercury of bodies nothing goeth beyond that fire neither of the upper neâ—her or middle-fires Therefore behold how neatly Nature workeâ—h and riseth calcining the whole body of Luna which â—alx is no hinâ— else but the body of Sol its tinctuâ—e and tinging quality iâ— taketh from the perfection and depth which is in the fire and can afford it that colour must keep so long till iâ— descendeth again there is nothing which can master â—â—iâ— fire the descending may soon be perceived by this ascâ—nding and the difference of it is this at the ascending iâ— geteth the tincture first before it gets the body but here iâ— looseth it sooner and this is the reason why descending oares are more perfâ—ct then the ascending ones CHAP VIII Of respiring Metall or of Quick oar BEcause with and by Myne-works an obstruction 〈◊〉 made upon Nature which is the cause that several mâ—tals are gotten and distinctions put on them that damage and losses might be the better avoided in the working 〈◊〉 them For as each received a particular name and properâ— in or at the work so in the digging of them several manâ—als are invented for the finding of them and hereunto 〈◊〉 was made of the Rod. To distinguish metals by colours a curious skill as Red gold glass Myne green black oaâ— however their working is not so exactly known that waâ— That I may loose nothing in or at their melting I use tâ— means first I must certainly know the property of tâ— oar before it be beaten our whilst it is yet under grouâ— in its breathing for oars and metals breath onely undâ— ground though they breath in some sort above yâ— the same breathing is very weak not going far hoâ— the body and the rod also sticks onely upon the uppâ— metals which is the greatest advantage we have for 〈◊〉 causeth metals to breath into a flame and the fire-crates and pit-diggers cause onely a volatility and closing compactness where a threefold damage ensueth First there flieth away not only much of the metal but that also wâ—â—ch â—taieth turns to be volatile and in the several meltings of it â—lwayes something goeth amiss Secondly the remainder of it groweth unmalleable which hardly can be helped Thirdly elevated minerals are burnt to a compactness which if not done would prove very advantagioâ—s in the After-work and chiefly they would be very useful in Meâ—icina being naturally prepared thereunto which is the reaâ—on why many in their After-workings labour in vain taking â—ther improper minerals thereunto For that fossile Vitriâ—lum at Goslar where neither silver nor lâ—ad groweth in â—hat Mineral where it is prepared highly copper may be made of it without any other addition that Vitriol afforâ—eth an oyle also which perfectly cureth the Gout if all â—hese
was silver and metal there but never in that place where it went forth and is turned into another thing for â—fter the decay of each body and of its leaf and after the â—ff plucking a singular husk the last it maketh is the fierest for there it lieth like a Speculum upon the water and â—asily turneth into nourishments which is the reason why 〈◊〉 turneth so soon to the metals and so the nourishments â—re infected contrary to their quality that it wandereth so up and down is the reason because it containeth some of â—he seed and of the life and is the untowardness for the â—eed must have something in which it may lie which if it be not one of the bodies of the seven metals then is it such poison or husk this is the skin wherein it containeth it self â—o long till the corruscation forceth it away which then â—s death unto it CHAP. XXII Of the shining rod or of the fire rod. HE that intends to meddle with rods must not follow after his own fancie nor bring novelties unto Mine-works out of his suppositions For nature indureth not to be curb'd in her order but men must be regulated according to nature Concerning the rod good notice must be taken of the Breathing this Lucens virgula or fire-rod is ordered upon the operative attractive breathing for if it were strong though it doth not kindle yet it doth its office through by a heat appropriated to its quality A great heat in a furnace puts out a small heat light or fire the same effect hath this breathing upon this Rod which being kindled stuck in is put out no upper air or wind can hurt it for our upper fire cannot live or burn under ground for if a light or candle be hit against a stone or earth it is put out because it cannot fall in It attracteth the nutriment which maketh this Rod burn and sucks it dry This is remarkable in the matter of this Rod that it hath an unctuosity which doth not burn as the seeds husk is whose poyson put out lights under ground in an extraordinary manner And the breathing above ground doth the same in a peculiar manner Few miners know this fire and is the onely means whereby the inhalation is known This fire-work thus extracted is of special use in Mines and then in the After-work is of severall use for metals of the which more in its due place to descry fire by fire is no mean skill and the subterranean fire can in no other way be mastered Ancient Philosophers have written much of it how superiour elements make their juncture with the nether intimating also that by the means of the middle Elements must be learned the emergy of the superiour and subterranean For they are spirits which joyn the souls above with the grosser bodies below else nothing could have any successe witâ—in the earth and for their operation there must be a medium a gluten to tie and bind fire with fire is a strange maxime but is a true one hence cometh a reserve of fire which never burneth all three must be together for the upper is the light fire and the metal is the flame-fire and the nether is the burning fire This we shall know at the great day in the other life where God will separate the burning from the flame when it flameth then will the burning consume Hell and Hell will soon be burned away neither will there be any clearnesse but darkness because God bestoweth the light upon his chosen ones which is neither a flame nor a burning here these must stand together Be acquainted with its friendlinesse and friendship make it thy advantage which is abstrusely hid and goeth invisibly CHAP. XXIII Of the glowing Rod. BEcause the stirring of the Rod is fallen into abuse among many people however it is a fundamental way know and to bring forth the metals if duely and natuâ—ly used It is an undeniable truth as I made mention of â—fore that metals do breath and the same breathing is inâ—ible the best means to learn it is the Rod this is the â—ason why I call this Rod the glowing Rod because it reâ—aleth and sheweth the exhalation of metals which exâ—lation is of a fiery heat though it casteth neither flame â—r sparks yet it is of such an heat that it gloweth in its â—anner and brings the Rod into a glowing which is an â—fallible sign that there is a living metal at hand This â—od if it should be more glowing without a flame there â—ust be used special matter which receiveth that fire else cannot be done with any utility Concerning that Rod is a stick or staff of the length of half an ell of hard â—ood as of oak unto it is fastened the matter even as a â—rch or link is made of pitch or wax this matter must be â—f an unctuous matter either of an animal vegetable or â—mewhat else which is upon or above ground it must â—ot be too strong otherwise it sets the breathing on fire â—o talk wax pitch or resein is fit to be used nor any miâ—eral otherwise that breath mineral or metal would set its â—od on fire and consume it it must be a calx of earth which catcheth that heat suddenly and smothers in a heat â—s calx doth above ground being moistened it falls thus â—ot off from the rod. This lime burnt above by breathâ—ng is good for several uses But this breathing doth not â—eize on the unctuosity or Mine-wax else how could the â—ourishment of minerals prosper Miners call it a Spath a true calx of the earth It is not corroded and seized oâ— under ground because it hath too much of humidity Some call it a Mine Mermel or subterranean Mermel buâ— is no such matter because he doth not indure the weatheâ— above ground exsiccateth and by breathing is kindled aâ— last The huge Mountains in Norway the ores in Swedland seize on it and corrode it they are full of Spath or calx iâ— their glowing they grow hollow if they were in a flame that land had been consumed long ago For as soon as thaâ— Earth-water comes forth from this Spath and the exsiccating earth cometh forth also then the hidden fire falls into their places CHAP. XXIV Of the leaping Rod. WHilst metal is in its purification that it neither riseth nor moveth then it hath its breathing the same as it is of a singular condition must be discovered and led forth by a singular Rod which Rod is of two sticks held together with both hands where there is such a breathing it lieth close on that Rod no man is able to hold these sticks together if that breatheth on them and if it were a single stick it would break in two the inner side where this Rod is laid together must be anointed with Marcasite that breathing draweth it downward even as the Magnet is of an attractive quality to draw iron so draweth the breathing of this
and to all things in the world if they play the masters CHAP. XXXIII â—f Aurum metallicum of the metalline gold or of the Metalline-bed THere is another fatnesse under ground where metals 〈◊〉 grow neither is it the hull of the seed nor the stone â—um Petroleum or Naphta but is like unto an Uredo or â—ne-soap It differs much from soap soap doth not â—n because it containeth a hidden Sulphur not a comâ—stible one but an incombustible one this is the reason â—y it doth not burn in a flame neither doth it seize on aâ— other thing but onely on the pure metal if that should â—t continue with it the metal could not come neither inâ— ascension nor descension it consumeth first of all in the â—etal even as grease doth in the animals This fatnesse is â—t far from the oar when it is predominant it consumeth â—e metal quite and evaporateth Oil is of that vertue put on the top of a drink be it what it will it keeps in 〈◊〉 strength and coolnesse this fatnesse shuts up the oars â—dy that no breathing can passe Fatnesse hath a great â—finity with iron and is one of its next kinde of the â—hich great volumes could be written In the County of Schwartzburg at Wackersberg there is â—ore of such fatnesse looks like quick silver and swimeth â—nd tinctureth red like Bole this colour it took hold on â—nd it may be extracted from it some call it a Mercurial â—ody or a Tin-glasse Lead-glasse Wismuth or Antimony 〈◊〉 seizeth on all those and when this fatnesse doth â—ot turn to a fatnesse of such metals where the seed â—s predominant then it turnes to a volatility and to a great Robber This fatnesse is a greasie earth glitâ—ering like a salve of a red and browne glowing as if it were Quick-silver or beaten Talk or glasse strow into In the Rocks of Bohemia and Transsylvania there great store of it at Goslar and at Slackenwald even as quiâ— silver or lead oars are many of them are found here aâ— there CHAP. XXXIV Of Metalline streames VVHen Ferch and seed must part from their work 〈◊〉 reason of the sediments be they what they wiâ— and expire not naturally then the oars turn to stones whiâ— Miners call Fluxes though they know not from whenâ— they come nothing can be made out of them they are fâ—sible or fluid when melted in fire but nothing can 〈◊〉 brought into them because they are not porous or no 〈◊〉 can get into which maketh them more noble It is strangâ— in Nature if any good thing be driven out of the body will not return thither for if life be gone from man thâ— body receiveth it no more but these are things possible 〈◊〉 God alone My intent is not here to write of miraculoâ— things but onely of things natural I wave the former 〈◊〉 is to be admired that the body of dead metals is so faiâ— whereas other bodies which are dead consume away 〈◊〉 nothing metals also come into a corruption but in a lonâ— time their death is like any glass keeps its colour especiallâ— if it was of a Marcasite hence are learned the colours oâ— Marcasites for green blue white fluxes are found therein as metalline flowers have been which are generated 〈◊〉 three bodies CHAP. XXXV Of Creta Chalk or stone meal VVEE see in this our air that no fume or wind ascendeth in vain it dissolveth again into one thing â—â—other thither resort many meteors the like meteors â—h the earth under ground For the fume which ascendâ— from the fire-halation of the oar or of the metal and â—ords the stone meal Creta wherever it falls or lighteth grindeth more and increaseth abundantly having a danâ—rous salt whereby it hurts those places where metals 〈◊〉 especially when they are in their ascension hindering â—eir colour It is apparent in the slat at Mansfield where â—ieth betwixt the spoaks of the ores and can hardly be â—tten from thence it robbeth and consumeth Folium and â—olium The stone-meal maketh a Kuff with stone-marâ—w turning it to a kind of marble called the Potstone or â—â—lit a double stone and is dark and very firm it striketh â—e being for the most part of fire Hither belong the â—alks but intending to make mention them in another place I wave them here however they so are such a meal and differ from others herein because inclineth more to a cold fire wherein it melteth like â—ow as the others do and dissolveth sooner into water â—an into meal and this turnes sooner to meal than to waâ—r if it be of lesse matter than it hath of the stone-â—arrow then it affords a fair ice or crystal called Vitrum â—lexandrinum or Mary's Ice which cannot be mastred in â—ot fires but it melteth in cold fires is very hurtful unto â—etals insomuch that by reason of it Mine-works fall to â—ine as it happened at Stolberg CHAP. XXXVI Of Spiro or of the Blast THe Spiro or blast in an instrument which bringeth 〈◊〉 right the weather or obstructed air otherwise all wouâ— turn to stone where it is and would be at a stand there the lower fire should enter instead of the air and exicâ—teth though it doth not kindle if a piece be beaten off 〈◊〉 it then it appeareth so and this piece which flieth thus 〈◊〉 side giveth to understand how it maketh the stone hoâ— Nature frameth the oar and metal but jewels and precioâ— stones are from another off-spring out of sweet waters In this instrument there dwell together fire air whicâ— take their power and matter from the malignant weatheâ— where they consume all ponderous matters through firâ— inlightening the remaining matter it hath Make that Spiro or blast into a ball of copper of an heads bignesse sâ—der it bright and light let no air get into it leave a smaâ— hole where a needle may enter attracting the water whicâ— purposely must be made and set for it there must be had pan of coals at hand which must be kindled and the baâ— laid into it turning the little hole toward the coal-fire anâ— it will blow the fire forcibly which being done it groweth hot and maketh the water boil in the ball which fumeth and carrieth it forth with a great fiercenesse blowinâ— on the coals strongly and thus it maintaineth the fire by breathing strongly in the manner of a pair of bellowes driven from without hereby several good things are effected and the condition of this ball is that it sheweth what may be done above ground with the like no use can be madâ— of it behinde that place because Nature herself hath sucâ— a blast for her fire CHAP. XXXVII Of Pulfa or of the Break-stuff or brittle matter THis salt is ingendred usually by a malignant fume which the Mine-fire should have And when the â—nes be very hard then there must be made a fire of wood â—here the fume draweth to the stone-fire and groweth â—ick and if the fumes of Succinum and of other things are
judge of the situation of the â—eart Brain Liver Lungs Reins Bladder of the Entrals â—â—d of all the Veins and knoweth in what form and condiâ—on they are But before he hath made this anatomy all â—ese were hid from him a Myner which seeketh so Oars 〈◊〉 doth not know what riches he may expect from Metals â—â—lesse he open the Oar and so fine it what he findeth in 〈◊〉 by fire then he may know really in his calculation what â—â—hes he may expect from it So other things must be proâ—â—ded in which true Naturalists will endeavour to do and not prate of things onely without experimental knowledge disputing of colours with the blinde man learn to know the ground with your own eyes and hands which Nature hideth within her then you may speak wisely of them with good reason and you may build upon an invincible Rock If you do not so then you are but a Phantastick prater whose discourse is grounded on sand without experience and is soon shaken by every winde and ruined in the end The ground of this knowledge must be learned as you heard by anatomizing and separating of things which by distillation is made known where every Element is separated apart there it will be made known what is cold or moist warm or dry There you learn to know the three principles how the spirit is separated from the body and how the Oyl is separated from the water and how the Sale is drawn from the Caput mort of each matter and is reduced again into a spirit and how these three are afterward joyn'd again and by fire are brought into one body Further is here learn'd how each after its separation and afterward in a conjunction may profitably and safely be used for their several uses they are prepared for all which must be done by a medium At the first Creation man is earthy grosse but his Soul Spirit and Body being separated by death putrifieth under ground and when the Highest cometh to judgement he is raised again his Body Soul and spirit cometh together according to Faith and Scripture that body is no more earthy as it was formerly but is found heavenly and clarified glittering as the Stars in the East and like the Sun is seen when all the Clouds are past So it is here when earthinesse is broken divided and separated then the three principles of the dead substance are made apparent the dead one is forsaken the living power comes to her perfection because her obstruction is laid aside that the vertue in the operation may be manifested In this separation and manifestation is then known what these three principles are which are so much discoursed of namely Mercury Sulphur and Salt according to the condition of the subject He that doth not think it to be true let him go to the end of the World where he shall feel all what in his dumb capacity he could not comprehend if any one should intend to teach me any other with a prolixity of words he may fill me with words but he must prove it really also for without that I am not bound to believe his words but desire some sign as Thomas one of the Twelve who look'd for an Ocular demonstration I might have left out Thomas but being there is a clift between a spiritual and worldly unbeliever I gave liberty to my minde to speak it for there is a great difference in heavenly and worldly matters touching faith and things comprehensible and there is that difference found also in fidereal earthly things for fidereal things are comprehended by sharp imagination and Arithmatick rules but to the finding out of earthly things there belongeth speculation and separation with speculation must be joyned an intention and an apprehension is annexed to speculation the former is done spiritually because the spirit of man doth not rest desireth to apprehend more qualities of the spirit in things natural every spirit stil draweth its like the rest is earthy for an earthy body separateth by manuals the earthly body from the spiritual part and so the one may be discerned before and from the other Whereas the soul in both sheweth her self really therefore is she in all really for she tieth the heavenly and earthy together like a bond but when the heavenly is â—â—â—arated from 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rthy that the soul also must forsake her body then you 〈◊〉 â—â—â—arated and received the three each apaâ—t which aâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 true knowledge and conjunction can afford such a triumâ—â—ing and clarifyed body which is found in a better degree of many thousand times because the grossest is laid aside from the earthy For when heaven and earth come to be refined by the great Creator then the greatest part will be consumed by fire and by that purging it will be exalted to the same degree with the heavenly and set into the same line for each all is created by one each all is ordained by one and though through sin by one man all was corrupted unto death yet all is by one brought to a better State of life and the onely Creator intends to judge all by fire and all must again become one which will be that heavenly essence to which the earthl gave way by means of the fire the eternall glory leaving a room for devil and death from whence they shall look on the elect admiring the great Majesty and glory of God which in a divine essence of three distinct persons is all in all and hath created all Thus the three persons in the deity have held forth in us their invisible essence giving thereby to understand by an insearchable wisdom what their creature order is we men are too weak to come higher God is and will be God and we men must be content with such gifts affâ—â—ded unto us hereafter shall be accomplished that which is prophesied of by Prophets and Apostles and now are conceived of onely by way of faith therefore we ought now to be contented what by Nature is intimated in a visible way other things incomprehensible unto us matters of faith wil appear better to be understood at the end of the world God grant unto us all a true knowledge of â—â—mporal goods and of the eternall At the closing of this I say that this is the whole Art and whole foundation of all the Philosophick speech in which is that sought which many desire taking great pains and making great expences namely to get wisdom and judgement a long life health riches of this world comprehended in few words as for example First you must know that I wiâ—â— shew unto you such an example of thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—nals which in the appearance is a mean and poor on◠〈◊〉 â—f a mihgty consequence if rightly considered The 〈◊〉 â—ayeth an egg the same egg is by heat brought to a hard 〈◊〉 or coagulation by a further heat it is brought to a putrefaction where it it corrupted in this putrefaction the egg receiveth
and Steward and hast graciously afforded that I should enjoy the noble sweet fruits which were gathered in thy Almonarie to my last instant end which now O Lord lieth in thy power I beseech thee for the dear merits of Jesus Christ come now whe thou pleasest inclose my heart receive my Soul into thy heavenly Throne of grace let her be recommended unto thee graciously O thou faithfull God who hast redeemed her on the holy Crosse with the most precious Tincture of the true bloud of thy holy bodie then is my life well ended on this earth grant to the bodie a quiet rest till at the last day bodie and soul joyn again and are of a heavenly composition for now my onely desire is to be dissolved and to be with my Lord Christ The which thou Almighty Holy and Heavenly Trinitie grant to me and all good Christian believers Amen That I may come to the work intended and make a beginning of the work in hand if God be pleased to let this book come to thy hands before all things uncessantly you return heartie and unfeigned thanks for it in the next place I beseech him to bestow on thee also grace and blessing a healthfull bodie succesfully to accomplish all the points set down here which tend to the well-fare and benefit of thy Neighbour and to prepare them according to the Manuals which to that end I set down and prescribe them that you may happily and succesfully begin the work that the middle and end be correspondent thereunto Then be not flap-tong'd and resolve absolutely in thy heâ—â—t not to entrust with these mysteries any malicious ungratefull and false men much lesse shouldst thou make them partakers thereof for if Almightie God would bestow it on others he could do it immediately and grant the same by other means and wayes without thee Therefore look to it tempt not the Lord thy God for he will not be mock'd Be silent and reserving be meditating on Gods punishment which no your is able to out-run keep a good intention let not man greedie minde run on how you may get abundance of Gold and Silver riches and vanitie but before all things which are written herein let that be your chi fest aim how you may appear helpfull in word and deed to promote the health of thy Neighbour Christian Then have you given and brought an offering of thanks and God will bestow more upon thee and with such Revelations will come to thee more than ever you would have believed Therefore instead of a perfect Physick book I have annexed at the end those precious Medicines with which even to this hour I have cured succesfully many d fficult Symptomes and diseases held by others to be incurable which I recommend unto thee with the rest of the things contained in these writings to thy conscience to be warie and not to abuse any of them as much as thy life and Soul is near and dear unto thee If thou receivest this faithfull admonition and waâ—ning which I give unto thee here and there at the beginning middle and end and in other places also and doest accordingly then thou canst not be too thankfull for these things which through Gods permission shall be intimated and made known to thee out of this book But in case thou wilt strive against my faithfull warning and fatherly admonition these mysteries which were hid from the learned and thou sufferst to come into strange hands look to thy self blame not me think not that there is any reconciliation for thee being cut off from all those which live and die in Christ. Thus I let it rest committing execution to the Highest which dwelleth in Heaven who punisheth and avengeth all manner of sins vices iniquities and covenant-breakings Whereas I thought it necessarie thus to describe this my Declaration before my other Writings and to prove the same with examples that every one whom God shall judge to be worthie of may conceive understand and fathom the true beginning the true middle and the true end of all created things Thereupon I purposed to make a beginning of it with a necessary relation of the Original beginning and existencie of Minerals and Metals from which ariseth this most noble and precious Medicine whereby is procured a healthfull long life and abundance of riches are obtained Namely from whence Minerals and Metals have their original how they be brought to light that searchers into Natural things may know the whole Nature in her circumference before ever they lay hand to the work and acquaint themselves well therewith then still the one will stream and run forth the other one Art will produce the other at last all what is sought for will be overtaken in joy and that which hath been long'd for will happily be enjoyed This my book I divide into five parts each of them is subdivided into certain Chapters and Parts Aâ— for the stile used here it ought not to be expected to be any other than is meet for a Miner after the condition of Mine-works waving all Rhetorick and Poeticalâ— manne of eloquent expressions I. In the first part of my intended work I will describe chiefly the manner nature and properties of Myne-works in which grow Minerals and Metals of the first sperm nativitie qualitie and propertie as also of the exhalation and inhalation II. The second part shall be a kinde of recapitulation of the first part where shall be contained also a relation of the condition and occasion of Mines Oars Stones passages and Clefts with their coherent liquors powers and operations as of Gold Silver Copper Iron Tin Lead Mercurie and the rest of Minerals III. In the third part is declared in manifest and literal expressions without any defect and obscuritie the Universal of this whole world how all Philosophers before me with me and after me have made that most ancient great stone whereby health and riches were obtained of the possibility how and of what it may be done together with a perfect Declaration of my XII Keyes with the names of our matter IV. In the fourth part I describe all the particulars of Metals which the one is endued with before the other out of which may be had perfect health and an advantage unto the getting of great riches with all the Manuals in general and particular belonging thereunto this fourth part I have intituled the Manuals of Basilius Valentinus wherein is shewed how all Metals and Minerals fitting thereunto may be brought to their highest preparation V. In the fifth part I have annexed the transcendent most dear wonderfull Medicine of all Metals and Minerals and of other things which God Almighty had ordained and graciously granted for men who in the Valley of miserie are subject to sicknesses and povertie that they may have a remedie to help themselves against both God the Father of mercie and salvation who liveth from eternitie to eternitie being above all the Creatures grant grace and blessing
it is collected that there is some distinctnesse betwixt seed and fertility If we will enquire narrowly whaâ— fertility is the best and surest way is to consider life anâ— death of creatures how they hold together for death iâ— barren but a living life is fertil because it stirreth and moveth It is seen by all the works that are undertaken about metals that there is nothing so volatile as metal is and so nothing stirs and moveth more subtilly than it but this stiring and moving I will call here the Ferch of metals by reason of its continual proceeding and uncessant moving and because the same is not visible in metals and doth iâ— in a twofold way therefore I will let the old word stand and call its stirring a Lubricum and its Ferch a Volatile foâ— with the vertue and power of both these it performeth aâ— that what it needs for the perfection puritie and fixation oâ— its work Seeing Ferch is a perpetual living and forthgoing thing one might admire and say of what condition is metal theâ— which we behold with our eyes and feele with our hands which being thus hard and coagulated whether the same bâ— alive or dead and whether the life or Ferch in metaâ— may be destroyed which is impossible what is the condâ—tion of it or how comes iâ— so to passe I answer that a metal may be alive when it resteth as well as when it groweth or stirreth and here a distinction must be made again betwixt the death of metals and their rest and quietnesseâ— For death toucheth only the bodies when they perish bâ— the life it self or Ferch cannot perish or cease therefore 〈◊〉 a metalline body be extant then is it at hand visibly twâ— manner of wayes The one is in liquido and is discerneâ— in its moving too and fro and if it be forced by a strangâ— dangerous heat then it turns to a volatility and flyeth away The other way is when it is at hand in coagulatâ— wherein it resteth so long till it be reduced into its liquâ—dum and that is done in a twofold way and lasteth so lonâ— as the body lasteth but as soone as the body is destroyeâ— or gone and is come or entred into a more either nobleâ— ignoble body men its Ferch or life is gone also therefore if you will reserve and keep a body then take good notice of iâ—s Ferch or life for if you once stir it and hunt it indiscreetly you do it with the losse oâ— dâ—minuâ—ion of the body wherein it is for that life never goeth away empty but still carrieth along one life or Ferch after the other carrying it away so long that at the last it leaveth none But what the condition is of the moving and quietnesse of that life and how Nature bringeth it to a rest must be exactly considered For an accurate knowledge demonstrateth that there is a diffâ—rence betwixt the life of the seed and of the body for deale with the seed which way you will you cannot bring it to a volatilitie because it is against its kind and so the body also is of the same condition but the Ferch alone may be brought to it For if you provide food for the Ferch then you strengthen its whole work even as a mother doth her child which she feedeth and cherisheth well and bringeth the same the better to its rest so â—s it also with the Ferch Therefore all such which gaze and view only the seed and body and know not the fundamentals about the Ferch lose the body because they obâ—erve not Natures progresse and proceedings putting the â—art before the horse or the formost they put hindmost This rest and sleep of the Ferch serveth for that use because â—t preserveth the body from destruction or coâ—â—umption beâ—ng once come into its perfection For as long as it awaketh so long it consumeth but when it is at rest then it â—andeth close in a lastingnesse and when it hath nothing â—o feed upon then it corrodeth and seizeth on its own boâ—ie consuming it quite at last it stirreth â—nd moveth to aâ—other place Hence is it that treasures or pagâ—ment which â—e buryed awaken at last consume their own bodyes reâ—cing them to dust so that nothing of them remaines but ther a meere stone or flux as in many places is to bee â—n CHAP. II. Of the seed of Metals ALl those Authors which have written about the metaline seed agree in that when they say sulphur is the masculine seed of metals and Mercurie is the foeminine seed which saying must be taken in its genuine sense for common Sulphur and common Mercury are not meant thereby For the visible Mercury of Metals is a body it self out of bodies and so it cannot be a seed and being cold its coldnesse per se cannot be a seed and the Sulphur of metals being a food how can it be a seed Yea a seed consummeth sulphur how can one seed destroy the other if so what body should it produce It is therefore an error if that should be taken in the common sense if the Mercurie of bodies is in a work and hath taken food then all the sex Mercuries protrude one body as the one of the sex is in its predominancy so the body riseth Seeing there are seven of these Mercuries it happeneth that when the seed of Mars and Venus hath the predominancie they produce a masculine body of Sol but if the seed of Saturne and Jupiter doth predominate then is produced a soeminine body which is called Lune Mercury is an assistant on both sides The same happeneth unto other bodies but these are alwayes and in every and each work together for they are indivisible as it is meet also what manner of body could be produced else For Nature hath perfect bodyes though in themselves they must be dissolved again yet are they perfect for in their time For what manner of seed could that be if it should be defective in any of its branches Therefore every body hath its perfect seed hence the trasmutation hath its ground in the ascention and descentiâ—â— of metals which otherwise could not be if they were not homogeneal in their seed For if any man saith that silver is not gold clowns beleeve that also because they have not fundamental knowledge of the seed how it is to go out of one body into the other or else it wants its fertilitie neither can it be naturally without a body wherein it resteâ—h There belong seven distinct parts to an unformal body of metals to bring it by nourishment into a forme viz. 1. An earth 2. A stone 3. An earthash 4. Earthly streams 5. glasse or subterraneal metal 6. The subterranean tincture 7. The subterranean fuligo or seed fume All these are the materials of the body and as earth is mans matter out of which God made him unto which he must returne again so all other bodyes also at last return to earth that Myner which is judicious
their chests turning to arsenick and such poisonous fumes and seeds and do hurt every way as wofull experience evidenceth CHAP. IV. Of the metaline shop Officina metalorum ALl natural works have their special convenient places in which they work where there is any such place or shop in which some glorious and precious thing is made and sometimes though the instrument be very horrid and monstrous and its matter unknowne yet they are extant in that officine First touching the glory and praise of this officine it is likned to a Church in which the seed and the Ferch are married to the body therein they eate rest and work thither they carry all faire and pleasant materials under ground wherewith they are clad and they have another kind of fire water aire and earth for the things that are accomplished and perfected therein the same can hardly be parted again no not with the help of the neather aire if so be that it must be parted asunder then see and make tryal of it on the mercurie of metalls Again the things made so hard and fixt cannot be parted as may be seen by gold how firm and fixt is it in the fire the cause whereof is the subterranean heat and cold which it imparteth unto metals and makes them firm thereby for it is a stony firmament of the earth and giving to metals their stony power it groweth hollow and spongie full of pores which at last are fill'd up with metals even as Bees do fill their hives with hony and in the end 〈◊〉 parts and is carryed away in the slick or Scobes For the Earth-stone is not consumed under ground because it is a sediment not suffering any thing to come in or out Hence â—s that difference betwixt the Earth-stone and the terrestial-firmamental stone which is one of the mineral-works Let no man gainsay that a stone should have together both heat and cold at once to afford the one now and then to hide the other for when it worketh the highest metals it hideth its heat and when it worketh upon inferior metals then it hideth its coldnesse and so it helpeth every way this is its tract and instrument heat and cold of the subterranean firâ— stone The moderne Chimists which are ignorants not knowing Nature aright and do not take notice of her wayes use strange instruments and then they make or cause to be made all manner of vessels according as every one of them hath a fancy to but in natures wayes they know little shee regardeth not the variety of formes and instead of theâ—e she takes a fit and lasting instrument which holdeth in the work and every form followes or accompanies the seeds precedencie The folly and ignorance of workmen is aggravated in that because they despise the knowledge of minerals The instrument she useth hereunto I should make mention of it here but wave it at this time and will do it in another place where you may seek for and take notice of it Those which think themselves to be the wisest doe say that it is a vanitie to observe mathematically the stars above and to order any work after seasoâ—able dayes and houres it is something said but not so well grounded But this is most certaine that if you work according to common course otherwise than we do following onely your own fancies then is youâ— labour in vaine There is a difference to be made betwixt the upper stars and the metallin stars which shine and have their influence into the bodies Touching the stars above they in their light and motion have a singular inâ—â—uence and the stars below have their influence also upon their metals thus each heaven hath its peculiar course and instrument where the stars situation may be apprehended An opacum corpus stellatum compact astrall bodie differs in its condition from a corpus lucidum if you intend to learn here something then you must be industrious and grudge no paines it would require a huge volume if I should describe particularly the whole â—ircumference of subterranean Mine-works it would not â—uffice to nominate the things only but must demonstrate also that all that which I attribute to them to be true I say 〈◊〉 would aske a great deale of writing to dispose the brains of misconceited men to a belief what should I say of such materials on whom I could not impose fitting names though I kâ—ew them for who is that man which hath done learning 〈◊〉 our Schoole Here I must needs speak as belonging properly to this place that no volume in this world can be written in which could be set down all and every particular manual as Laborators sometimes might aske therefore an Artist having given him some hints of things must endeavour to order his work and manage the same juâ—iciously must put his hands to the work and get knowledge by his own practice I direct such men in their work to Natures process under ground let them search there and take an honest Myner along to shew him her instruments and matters for prating lying and ignorance availeth here nothing Every one wisheth â—o get riches but the means â—or the getting of them are not respondent if I were the best â—imner could set forth in colours the form of any instrument then men would understand it it would help in this case they would see it and feele it with their hands and undertake the work if all were set down I know what how much ought to be put in a book I put things fitting in and did it faithfully CHAP V. Of Egression and Ingression of Metals THe work of metals evidenceth a perpetual going in and coming out for hereby the Egression is understood not only the Egression of the whole work that in some place a whole metaline tract comes into decay when it wants food to be nourished any further hath devoured all its bodies but also a partial egression for still the one seeketh he other and follows at the heel This we see by the mercury of metals being poured forth it is scattered into thousands of little quick corns all of them return to their body in the same condition is volatile Lubricum the Ferch also goeth forth in small bits at last it joyneth in a body somewhere even as Bees met together it receiveth no more than it hath need the overplus swarmeth to another Myne-officine which parting and distributing affords many and several Mine-works according to the disposition of the officine and nourishment and according as it is infringed in its work in the egression the Ferch and the seed go on in their volatilitie if they had wings that Volatile is so thin that it can hardly be discerned yet is it foliated like a heap of atoms thus subtilly it flyeth away the Ferch must still have its seed the seed its body and that its thin atoms My meaning is not that its egression is from or out of the earth into
the ayre to fly about there and then to come into ground again which is not so nor can it be because its natural work is not in the ayre unlesse men bring it forth purposely then is it of another condition of that egression I do not speak here because it is done by day but this goeth through the earth Which stands in the furnace not apprehensive or visible to us and runs through clefts and passages For if the earth giveth way to the ingression and egression even as the water doth to fishes and the ayre to birds as long as metals come to their stone-firmament which stone firmamet differs from the earth-firmament when it meets with that it goeth about looking out for another passage like as water that floweth about a stone and not through it yet it stayeth in its own stone and receiveth strength of it turnes there to a body and as it goeth in its egression from one metaline firmament or stone-firmament to another if thorow eaten or soaked be it at what distance it will and atracteth the Lubicrum even as a bird draws its feet up to its body in its flight for if they touch any where then they loose somewhat of the body and the Lubricum in its ingression suffers it to come again to a strength of operation for when both are joyned then the metal increaseth and attracteth its food in a wonderfull way and nourisheth it selfe and it is to be admired that in this ingression when that Lubricum comes more and more to its officine how it increaseth and strengtheneth it selfe so long that at last the work is made firme in the officine This strengthening can not be learned to be any other than the metaline mercurie doth make it for in the first place it turns it there into a liquidum where afterward it receiveth all doth coagulate and congele according as the bodyes are either masculine or foeminine at last it is brought to a solid fixed body of Sol. This ingression makes that subterranean place â—oble and fruitfull and is singular when it hath an ascending oar in work that ayre is very wholsome and if the ayre above with melting be not infected with arsenick fumes then it affords a saluber ayre to dwell in This is a manuduction unto the whole after-work how the same ought to be proceeded in that the ore may stand and not awaken but turne to its streame and still abide in its bodies companie it is loath to make an egression if once it made a true ingression and setled it selfe to the work for it resteth not in its place neither doth it rest in its whole â—ract but worketh continually and is well seen what its fixing or flight is and where it setteth to a fluid body or earth-salt which it stirres and rouleth so long yea it panteth and moveth in it so longe till it gets a liquid body then turns it to a terrene body is still brought on to a further height and hardnesse and that is the right coagulating congealing liquidating and fixing of mercurie which if â—one accordingly then it affords something CHAP. VI. Of the dissolution and reduction of metals It is apparent that natural heat is the cause of the fluidness of metals dissolution because the seed of metals in it selfe is very hot and the fluide matter of metals is hoâ— also as being oliginous and its heat increaseth when iâ— comes to its officine or shop because that also being hoâ— encreaseth the heat the more hence it is why it is hot iâ— the work and hath need of it for at first it would bring no more into its body unlesse it were soluble and soft iâ— bringeth nothing into it unlesse it be passed through these three heats and fixed by them then examine it and adde another fluid thing to it which did not passe through the three heats see whether the metal will receive it or noâ— Secondly they must be dissolved that they may be cleansed the condition of liquid things is to produce to the outside things fitting the work it hath in hand This solution iâ— distinct from other artificial dissolutions where the body is only melted as by the Melter when he seperateth the excrements from it for nâ—aure doth not melt the earth as men do buâ— as corne groweth above ground so she leaveth corne and husks together there is a great difference betwixt our melting and the dissolving of Nature if we could observe that distinction in our dissolutions and meltings we should not be at so great losses and dammages as we are I must needs mention about aurum potabile how men do busie themselves about it as many heads as many wayes they chuse to the making of it Some take that whâ—ch is not yet separated from the metal containing yet the cinders oâ— excrements or worse things They take corrosive waters acetum aquavitae and the like pray tell me what doth Nature take when she is about the dissolving of a congealed water She takes none of these things only maketh use of â—heat You must do â—he â—â—kâ— if you will take a metalline â—ody which Nature hath perfected and through melting â—nd fining is come to us if you will dissolve and reduce it 〈◊〉 its first matter then rouâ—e the Ferch thus you may make â—y metalline body potable being made pure and superâ—e then its excrements are gone made not with additiâ—nals of corrosive things the fluxing of such matters rather â—ake the metals harder if a body shall be fixed we fix 〈◊〉 from whithout which Nature doth not for she fixeth the â—ed then the flour setteth and turns to such a fixation â—hat the dissolving above ground cannot master it A waâ—er which congealeth hath at first a little crust going on 〈◊〉 it till it be quite congealed but here it congealeth from â—ithin to the outside hence you may guesse at that gloriâ—us foundation of projection on mercurie of the body maâ—ing a natural stratum super stratum thus are the metals â—yned according to which the artificial work is ordered â—e have a hint given how mercurie of metalls is clipt and â—layed and its lubicrum is catched Conceive not of this â—xation to be as when iron is hardened to steele and then â—duced to a softnesse as Tin is of this is called only a â—ose hardnesse which keeps the body in a malleablenesse â—â—d keeps it so close together that the fire above ground â—nnot hurt it all hardnesse above ground may be mollified 〈◊〉 fire but not the other because it holdeth all fiery tryals â—herefore as the hardnesse made above ground hardneth â—odies in the water so on the other side the water which 〈◊〉 in metalline bodyes must be taken out then it congeaâ—th The subterranean ayre hardneth the earth earth â—emaineth earth and turns not to stone and the same â—eeps the water from running together or congealing â—eeping it from turning to pearls and pretious stones and â—ch may be made of that water To
good qualities should be burnt away with the silver â—ere it not great damage Therefore I take such a metal â—hich attracteth breath and when the unbreathing or â—dhalation is stronger then is it a living metal because a â—ively quality is in it for breathing things are alive and â—reathing is compared unto life such metal like a breath â—roveth as a child from ten years to ten years even so this â—etal groweth till it come to its perfect state and body afâ—erward it getteth another name and consequently â—here must needs be observed a great difference in their â—orking and are asunder as much as a live thing differs â—om a dead one which ought to be taken into consideraâ—ion because this distinctness being observed affords a neat â—nd pure work Hither belong all mixt oars which at seâ—arating are parted asunder and not before as the usual â—ustome is As in Hungarie there is had every where gold-â—ilver that is in it there is gold which in its colour and â—onderosity is pure hath lost nothing and is still in its worâ—ing qualitie and if it had not been interrupâ—ed and digged â—p unseasonably then that silver would have been turned to pure gold that silver may easily be brought to a solar perfection and in it self is it better to be used for pagament and is of better use for cementation In like manner the copper at Mansfeld is good for it and proveth much better in the work than other copper for it wanted but a little it had been burnt quite into silver The best quality of such copper is that they are of a deep colour they have not lost that as usually electrum's do But this is to be noted such oares are of that quality that the bigger part of the body hideth the lesser part in melting it is not seen nor felt except at the washing and parting there it is seen whilst it is yet among the earth it is a breathing oar and is of such a compound as you heard you may confide in it without a proof though the cake of it be of silver colour or of a copper colour This is it apparent how Nature augmenteth a metalin body protruding it upward from below and that which is neathermost is thrusted toward that which is uppermost in a marvellous subtile way for dead bodies bring still more to it making it heavier in the mercury then joyneth the nourishment also which are the prepared minerals affording their tincture like good food which breeds good blood hence flores mineralium have their existence if you cannot learn their off-spring in thaâ— way there is no other nor better way for it For this is thâ— true tincture and not that mouldy or grosse album or rubeâ—um so called where such highly mingl'd oares or transparent Veins break they may be cryed up for an Electrumâ— but improperly called so for the colours glitters so purelâ— therein one among another like in a Chrysolithe or trasparent Amber CHAP. IX Of expiring metal or of dead metal MEtals have their set time as well as all other creatures they decay and dye when their appointed â—ime comes For when Nature hath brought the metalline â—ody unto Sol then by reason it wanteth nourishment â—nd is starving then it comes down gets a stronger exhalâ—ing and the attractive breathing turns to an expiration â—erial breathing brings it to the fires-breath If the expiraâ—ation groweth stronger in a metal than its adspiration is â—hen it descendeth by degrees and decayeth and then is â—t called a dead oar or metal for still one external body or â—ther departeth from it at last in one place or other it â—aketh a totall egression with its breath life and seed This â—reathing is known by the particular Rod of each this alâ—o asketh a particular place and work because great gain 〈◊〉 afforded both by this and by the living one Consider â—t well a metal which descendeth from its perfection into â—nother body it is like when a man loseth his lively coâ—our and at last his body that is its ponderositie and â—hen the gold turns not to a goldish silver but to an Eleâ—rum that is to Sol which hath lost its tincture This is great piece of proof to discern such silver-gold from â—rue silver in its gravity it is found heavier than other â—lver retaining the body and losing onely its colour or â—ncture It is a greater skill to restore a tincture to a dead and deâ—ayed colour and to make it fix At separating it keeps â—he quality of Sol. The like condition is red silver in â—hich hath lost its colour making an incorpoâ—ation and â—nion with copper so that it quite dyeth in its body To â—et this silver out of the copper and restore its peculiar â—lour is a great skill which Melters are ignorant of belongeth meerly to 〈◊〉 Chymick Arâ— and its Laboratorie How many such Electrums are bought for silver and copper the Buyeâ—s thereof have great gain in it Of the same and the like condition are other metals of Is it not so all iron in Hungarie is brittle what is the reaâ—on because copper is in it if â—hat be gotten ouâ— in that artificial manner as it ought that iron proves so hard that no steel is comparable to it Out of that iron are made Turkish swords sabels mayles which no weapen or bullet can enter or break â—heâ—e mayles also are not very heavy Note the luâ—ricum at the descending of mercury must have room from slippery things easily somewhaâ— may be gotten sâ—oner than from hard things slippery things leave alwayes somewhat behind the same they do with their tinging bodies putting them off still so that in the ascending in their Volatile they assume the body and elevate it Note if you have any material in hand and in your Afterwork you would know whither you must keep to the Lubricum or Volatile these two must be thy help Theâ— your stuff must be prepared either the slippery or volatile way if you will have a body either ascend or descend take notice of the flux in the metal slippery ones are more open than the haâ—d ones When tinctures begin to depart which are a strengthner to then the stuff groweth morâ— fluid comes closer together than in the quick metal CHAP. X. Of pure or fine Metall WHen a Metal be it in the ascension or descension is iâ— it s seven System's or constitution then it restâ—â—h oâ— enâ—uâ—â—â—h till it comes into another body If you meeâ— with such oar it yields the purest metal that may be ha◠〈◊〉 the world our Melâ—eâ—s call this Super-fine But our â—uper-fining which hitherto was in uâ—â— is an impure work 〈◊〉 regard of this for in the clarifying if it misseth but the â—ast grain then is it not yet right Such metals as may â—asily be conceived is pure good and malleable loseth â—othing in any work whatsoever though all metals may be â—ade super-fine yet none can be made finer than gold is â—hich no element
is able to touch to take any thing from 〈◊〉 or to turn it to a Glimmer Spolium or cats silver of 〈◊〉 glittering quality Silver at Marychurch in Lorrayne is more fine then others â—uper-fine is called that when a metal is pure and rid of â—s excrements or dross which may easily be taken off and â—indereth it not in its fining In silver Myne-works there â—re often found such natural proofs of pure and fine oar â—hat it might speedily be digged and broken though it â—ust be melted again by reason of its Spolium or by reason â—f strange colours and flowers it hath robbed yet it easily â—ay be performed which serveth afterward for an instructiâ—n how Mineral-colours must be obtained as Azur â—hrysocolle though they stand in the Mineral-glass such coâ—ours love to be in such pure oar buâ— are not so soon inocuâ—ted unless it be in the Sude or coction in which the metal 〈◊〉 very pure and yields more naturally the mercury of the â—ody be it in the ascension or descension assumeth then â—nother body Hence is it apparent how the same ought â—o be proceeded within the artificial After-work out of â—ne body into another how the body in which it is and â—om which it must be had ought to be prepared namely â—t must be made pure and Super-fine It appeareth in the â—talian Gold especially in that of Wallachia in which it is â—ost pure how that mercury of metals puts off his body the mercury of the body come from the mercury of the â—etal puts the gold together into a close body and reguâ—s and it is seen in the gilding how firmly and closely 〈◊〉 stickâ—th wanteth but a small matter of an augmenting â—uality its Spolium is onely obstructive thereunto it is of a transmuting and elevating quality if the other body bâ— awakened also for a body which is between awaking anâ— sleeping effecteth nothing it must be awakened wâ—olly if at the on boiling of a metal as of that Italian gold bâ— but the least impurity that is a heterogeneal pâ—â—â— it coulâ— not be brought to a compactnesse which is seen at giâ—ding Therefore you must give an exact attention to learn to understand what the prima materia of metalline bodies is anâ— how their Elevation is either obstructed or augmented how homogeneal things are brought to a body It is apparent in the mercury of metals how close and compact iâ— stands together in the flux which flux cannot be takeâ— from it purity is the reason or cause of that compactnesse being there is no other metal mixed with it assoon as any metalline body joyneth with it then is it disjoyned be iâ— what metal or body it will Hence it doth appear how metals are brought to rest from their labour namely if theâ— be first pure for into pure matter may be brought what iâ— intended for it which appeareth in the mercury of metals its purity is the cause why it doth not appear to thâ— eye but onely in its flux or hardnesse The mercury oâ— metals is the flux of the mercurie of bodies that is wheâ— water comes to it or the mercury of metally bodies is comâ— into the water instead of the air which otherwise is in thâ— water take it into consideration what manner of skill iâ— required to get winde or air out of the water and to brinâ— another mercury into that place if you get the air which iâ— in the earth out of that earth and in its lieu you get in thâ— mercury of metalline bodies then you have a Mercury iâ— Coagulato endeavour now how you may coagulate it buâ— not in the ordinary common and vulgarly known way Bring still another mercury of bodies instead of the Marinâ— water into that water then you have a fair pearl take thaâ— same mercury of bodies reduce it to an earth which muâ— be pure instead of the air then you have a pure jewel aâ— pure as may be had from that earth is in its colour or yoâ— may put one to it which you please it is a thing feasablâ— These and the like pieces are afforded by purity all which â—e work of nature is a leader unto Men that cast so maâ—y foul aspersions upon Philosophers are unworthy and not 〈◊〉 be regarded nor credited what they can foame against â—eir rare and glorious inventions about the three princiâ—es from whence all these things have their Original â—ake trials of it you will affirm to be true what I have â—id CHAP. XI Of impure Metal THere is found store of metalline ores but few of them are pure and few there are that break or grow one by the other therefore these must be separated and spoken of apart The great work expences which their cleansiâ—g requireth from their grossenesse let Melters speak of â—eparating hath been invented at which some good things of the oars do stay the rest flieth away and their fining is useful especially when oars or metals are in their ascension though it be chargeable But to find Electrums and bring them to good by seperating differs from the former fining and requireth a singular way of melting Cunning and subtile Artists may pretend to get silver out of iron I believe they may if there be any in it as they do in Sweedland Osemund alwayes containeth silver which is onely off driven and calcine away the iron and thus they cheat people can they do the like with the iron which breaks in Styria no such matter Therefore take heed of such cheaters and take notice that nature loveth to keep her own wayes orderly and keeps together two and sometimes three sorts of oars in their ascension and descension whereby she intimateth a way unto the After-work but men in their fancy think upon other means though to no purpose View all the Mines which are in Europe you will finde no other oars but impure ones that is a mixture of them for their nature maketh them as much as I ever could learn if you can shew me the contrary I will assent unto thee And this is the second Argument that metals are in their ascension and descension unto perfectnesse if each had its peculiar work and instrument then men needed not to take so much pains in melting to separate them For it is a difficult work to joyn weeds and stones because these are heterogeneal and are of differing maâ—ters but the other joyning soon together require special wâ—rking to be separated therefore view exactly the bodies two manner of wayes which is no small instruction First in what manner you separate the ashes from the fumes or food this ministers already a twofold separating of metal the earth from the tincture there you have a twofold separating and so forth Secondly take notice of the Flux to drive the cold fire with the warm and the warm with the cold theâ— you will be able to separate the bodies from Mercuries then you have already separated the metals without losse and damage use
use â—f metals in that kinde it will not be for our misuse and â—isgrace but rather put greater honour upon us more then â—ver we put upon metals CHAP. XIII Of imperfect metal THe imperfect metal is the wildest among all the reâ— because it containeth all impuriâ—ies with a confusâ— mixture Usually there is set in a work of many piecâ— which no man yet knoweth what they are in which yâ— finde matters joyned which are prepared and unpreparâ— of many bodies Now if you will reduce that matter aâ— cleanse its metal then the unprepared matter must first 〈◊〉 washed away and regard not the matter so much as the mâ—tal which is yet tender and young in it you must not câ—cine it but another fire belongeth to it This perfectiâ— consists in nine several pieces which must be well conâ—dered each must be handled as it ought if so be the mâ—tal shall not suffer any wâ—ong and damage First consider well whether the oaâ— be in ascension 〈◊〉 descension then you may help its colour and whole bodâ— for that metal which is in its ascension must be aided in iâ— folium but the metal which is in its descension must bâ— helped with Spolium else it â—iâ—th away because it is nâ— perfected in its due place and Officina and that metal is iâ— a form accordingly Thus make your proof and be in yoâ— After-work the more incouraged Secondly you must take notice of the nourishment 〈◊〉 food which as I may say is not fully digested further thâ— same in its concoction else the excrements cannot well bâ— gotten off which would be the cause of unmalleablenesse Thirdly you must take notice of the flux that which iâ— fluid must be fried for if both fluxes should be opened they would hardly be congealed again For to dissolvâ— â—ew running Mercury of bodies which per se are runâ—g would prove a meer dust and atome Fourthly remember the hardnesse or fixation of it in â—at degree of ascension or descension it is that you may â—de thereunto an equal fire of its body for cinders reâ—reth onâ— sort of fire and fuligines requireth another kind 〈◊〉 fire and calcination must have a due fire then your â—oceedings will be right if you know the proper condiâ—n of such bodies else you wrong them by making it â—ttle and flyeth off at a second casting Fifthly make a true distinction betwixt the two imperâ—ctions from thence this metal hath its name the one is 〈◊〉 the body the other is of the instrument first take in â—nd the instrument and endeavour to help the body in â—e preparation and stay its flux or running into another â—d you drive the â—chwaden or the cuticle of the seed â—en goeth the cuticle of the seed and the Ferch or â—e Sixthly consider that fire which nature hath that you 〈◊〉 not incroach or intrench too far upon the bodies direct â—d order all youâ— work upon the Uredines or soap joyn it â—ith your fire to the instrument of the body Seventhly you ought to be instructed well about the â—ncture of the Electrums that you put not off Sol instead â—f Luna because you are not experienced enough in the â—eeping tincture or colouâ— which you are to awaken in the â—escension or when in the ascension you are to strengthen â—nd to keep them Painters have a term in their profession â—hich they call elevating and shadowing the same you â—ust apply here to bodies when they are in their perfection â—herefore anatomize the bodies Eighthly we â—ee Limners to mingle their colours with water and oil and so carry them on you must â—earn a due preparation of the water to imbibe the colour which is a metalline water whereby you corrode with not â—estroying the colours which you intend to have if you make use of any other water besides this then all your labour is in vain cool with oil then it remaineth pure aâ— thus you have much strengthened the Folium Lastly take notice that the metal be straightened so thâ— it look for no more food All such things belongiâ— thereunto you finde enough by this instrument or not 〈◊〉 off from it or else you may bring it easily thereunto 〈◊〉 will be but imperfect therefore put your help to it yâ— have natures half work for advantage with great pity hath often been beheld how such noble and pretious iâ—struments have been consumed in fire which could haâ— been for several good uses the workmen in their careleâ—ness not regarding them All other metals belong unâ— this for very seldome is found a whole perfect metaâ— which should not want one help or other He that is aâ—quainted with these will perform these works with greaâ— advantage and more utili y. For there must be extant perfectness if any thing shall be purged so that anotheâ— pure or fix thing be brought in be it the colour or pondâ—rosity CHAP. XIV Of the Soap-metal or Metallum Uredinum IF our upper Elements could not make a metal to be manifest and apparent to us who would have undertakeâ— to work any metal The great heat and cold which is under the ground is the cause of the body of metal according to the prâ—dominancy of that heat and cold which is in the body The deeper the heat or cold is in that body the fairer is its tincture this is a true saying But what this heat or cold is above and what is attributed to the Planet above understanding men must know it At first when the Ferch goeth forth and goeth along through the earth with the seed in its firmamental officina â—en it comes forth sometimes as far as its breathing may â—ach before it be infringed and allayed it still carrieth â—me of the purest metal and the superiour elements afâ—rd their vertue for their joyning for where the elements â—e in a conjunction there they make a body and force â—mething from the Ferch then it riseth and falleth as it â—lls so it lieth still this is the reason why the corns are so â—rangely fashioned they are either round or oval and so â—me to the metal accordingly and is found sometimes falleth into the water where it was catcht and overtaken â—t most of all it loveth to be in the Uredines or soap hence â—t that name Soaps are mineral springs where the metal â—eth to lie these spring from below and these are found â—metimes wholly gilded over and they cast upward taps of â—ch colour In this Countrey such springs are neer Rivers the foot of Mountains but in the Almen they are on the â—p of the soap as it were upside down on these sticketh â—e Ferch which passeth by it or the air which forceth it â—m it The whole businesse lieth in the metalline waters they are dissolved in their salts thus they easily imbrace â—e Ferch or the metal of that Ferch and seed which it caâ—â—th forth and that goeth for the best Tin which is on the â—p being of an iron shot which iron is of several different
matter as hath beeâ— mentioned before The strength you perceived of the stricking rod if therâ— be an aerial halation at hand you see how that rod quaketh for the inferiout ascendeth and toucheth and the superiouâ— descendeth and toucheth likewise which rouzeth as it weâ— the Ferch or life and seed of the metal The like appeaâ— â—eth in the clouds how they move to and fro before any snow or other weather comes and before the vapours be digested which ascended the same processe have the halations subterranean before they can mingle with the superiour halations they must be pluck'd off emalged if any of them ascend yet higher they dissolve either into â—ain or congeal into snow dew and hoar-frost before they part asunder CHAP. XXVII Of the falling rod or of the nether rod. THat there is a peculiar and vehement moving quality and power in the breathing and halation upward and â—ownward which may not be stayed by any opposition the â—ame is apparent in all the vegetables of the world Rain â—nd great thick mists may keep from us the solar shine but nothing can stay this breathing because it strikes directly thorow but if it proveth weak in its fertility it is the fault of the mild air a shot out of a gun if it is to goe a great way through the air is cooled This is the reason why the â—olar beames have not that operation under ground as they have above it and hence also it is that the metalline matter â—s not so fertile however they do what they can descend â—o the metal where they rouze a fire and preserve the same Thus the Sun-beams must effect all in a magnificent and glorious manner not onely above to preserve with its luâ—tre the lights of all the stars but by day also to impart unâ—o the world and men the day light By these beames it â—asts into the earth a dispersed fire which is advantageous â—o the preservation of subterranean things they thrust â—ogether homogeneal things and bring metals to a compactnesse that they may be had pure above ground they â—elie and lean on them from hence hath the rod its original For at some certain time you see the Sun draw water as the vulgar speech is so the beams have that quality they comfort metals by stricking downward There is used a stricking rod above at its twist is left a part of the stick of three thumbs length at the off-cutting take out the pith put super-fine Sol into the halation which goeth in pulls the rod in where the oar is The reason of it is because the nether breathing of the air is there and goeth against draweth this breathing carrieth it down and the metal within the rod is pull'd downward as if it would joyn the same with the rest of that body Thus the breathings and halations are copulated the beam must conceive on the earth in which it is to operate it bringeth no rain to the earth but the vapours of the earth which rise the same make or cause the rain snow and hoar-frost bring the same to the earth imbibing the same therewith the same operation it hath on the subterranean vapours caused by the breathing of the metals within in their ascension it makes them heavy so that they are able to fall unto Sol helping the same in its fertile work Having accomplished its fertility of the work then such metalline rain falls also on the metal maketh it ponderous moveth its Ferch in the Lubricum and draweth the rod down also more vehemently than it doth to the stricking rod which toucheth not the metal but meerly the breathing which is not yet nobilitated through or by the halation This breathing might very well be called a fruitful rain which thus comfortably refresheth them it is not a running rain but onely a breathing which by the deep glittering Sol is made noble Iâ— is not sufficiently expressed when ignorant simple Miners usually say that the Sun in her influences worketh gold not telling the manner of it as I made mention of buâ— now themselves may goe yet to School and learn theiâ— lesson better CHAP. XXVIII Of the superiour Rod. AS the Planets have not their fixed and certain volution in the firmament for the which they are called erâ—atick stars the lesser remain in their fixed stations the metalline bodies are of the same quality for they do not â—tick close unto bodies but rise and fall for that reason I compare them to the various motions of the stars above â—heir body is rolling and voluble led and tinged by the Ferch and seed which is for the most part of the Suns condition Planets with the Sun are of a special agreement in â—notu lumine and their body may be said to be Lubricum Volatile This Rod is appropriated unto planets which hang their bodies to the seeds as long as the great breathing of Sol holds still and suffers himself to be obscured and he must suffer in giving his lustre to the earth by rain mist and snow so long till he breaks thorow them So the bodies also are corruptible in this upper fire more than the lower in their work Therefore such a rod must be applied which I call an upper rod that the opposite breathing of the reflecting metalline beams which were received of the Sun and strengthened again may be returned from the bottome to the Systeria be it as high as it will This Turco or Rod is a twisted tender branch of a Hazel which from that twist on the bulk is hollow three fingers length for its pith must be out of it and the mercury of metals must be put in the weight of three barley corns or grains this Rod stirreth the halation from below upward this is the condition of this Rod whereby is known that that metal is of an infirm body wanting the influence of â—pper planets being defective of the Solar heat and not of that below and is the cause why Mercuries-lubricum iâ— the rod is stirred making it rebound intimating that it is unfit for his work and that another body is fitter The planets with their influence work more on imperfect metals than on perfect ones For the Sun doth not put a garment on mercury of the body but a certain constellation doth it the rest joyning in the work and are found next to it except Sol and Luna these meddle not with this Rod. Though these also are planets and belong to a perfect breathing and have their particular rod as others have theirs which press toward their several work they are fitted for not aiming at the works matter which maketh its principle as the mercury of metals There must be had a sufficient instruction for to know it It is thus a metal is known before it casts any crust and how deep the oar lieth and how it may be wrought upon if I would know whether there be a sufficiency in that oar the same I learn by the leap of this
Rod if it be a Saturnal oar the Rod leapeth the more more than the condition of the body of Saturn is For this Rod doth not stirre the body but that which is the most in that body namely the mercury of the body for it yields good store of it and may put on easily another garment and be a mercury of metals and so forth If in that place be Tin and Wismuth the rod applied leapeth not so quick but more slowly than it doth where Saturn is where a copper or iron oar is there that rod moveth more slowly yet But this must be observed that there is no breathing about metals unlesse they be under ground for when they are there then are they in their works whither they be increasing or decreasing they cannot be without breathing then Thus much of these Rods. CHAP. XXIX Of resting vapours or of their sediments MIne-works meet with many natural obstructions as all other worldly things are subject unto For all â—hings sublunary are in subjection unto corruptiblenesse â—he same happeneth also unto metals they suffer by their â—old and hot fires that they quite evaporate and expire â—s when their vapours and fumes grow ponderous cannot â—apour away upward where such vapours are Miners â—annot brook under ground In a Cellar where new wine or new beer is on workâ—g that vapour suffers no candle to burn by reason of the â—onderous Kho or fume which cannot so soon enter the ground unlesse these fumes be extenuated in their pondeâ—osity This faln matter lieth on close is like warm meal I call it Caries which differs from an Ostiocollum for that â—s in the Rocks naturally and dissolves at last into a fire This doth not so and keeps still a dry powder and is heaâ—ier than Mine-ashes which are light and dissolve into â—alts which this meal doth not but abideth a constant â—ediment which is like an unwholsome stinking vapour choaking the oars turning them to a rottennesse being obâ—tructed in their driving above and below These fumes are caused when there are hard rocks to which fire must be applied which causeth ill fumes which being weakened in its rising lie down in a place grow ponderous and increase for evil and poisonous things will soon gather to an heap It is seen in gold being dissolved in water let it stand a while and the impure minerals separate from the essence of gold and settle to the bottome Excrements of metal are soon brought to that posture for being brought to a glowing by a small heat they cast such a malignant fume which choak men immediately CHAP. XXX Of weather salt halitus Melusus THe Malignant breathing as it is generally so called is a pestilent salt which indangereth not only the Miners but hurts the oars also for it allayeth or maketh the breathings fall which are in the oar being thereby obstructed in their natural working The manner of the setling of these breathings are worthy to be noted It may be compared unto an Eclipse though the beams which ascendeth keepeth its course yet the breathing stayeth it and will not let it goe about that place being in that stay and condition its Ferch and seed parteth at last through its sides or walls it suffers fluid oars to come in thence is the original of such fluid oars of which there are severall sorts But this is to be noted That weather is called a weather because it is not of such clear air as it is above ground with us still carrieth something with it which is grosser hurtful unto man more than the air above with us for men are not commanded to dwell and live under ground but if any ones imployment lieth that way he must be contented to do so commit his condition to God almighty because he must indure and suck in ill fumes and get Mine-diseases This subterranean air growing ponderous by reason of the fume and water-stone which stop and corrupt the cross passage then is it called a Weather-salt this is apparenâ— when a burning candle is brought in these ponderous fumes do quench it like water at last they choak the men also Therefore when that is seen and felt let Miners come out again for they can do no good there CHAP. XXXI Of Cos metallicus or stone-salt THe air being of one piece of pure earth at last turneth to a stone There are severall sorts of stones as â—ere are several bodies in the earth though all of them are â—ut an earth The longer the matter lieth the harder and â—tter it will be Such stones cannot be stirr'd or heav'd â—lesse by fire which seizeth on the earth and consumes 〈◊〉 and turns it to a terrene firmament as scales are in fishâ—s and bones in beasts These also the Lord will have in â—is good time with fire This moved the Ancients to â—onsume their carcases with fire though flesh soon comes â—o rottennesse under ground yet the bones do not conâ—ume so soon the fire consumes them being turned to earth-â—shes This salt is hurtful unto metals taking from them their working without it they cannot continue in their life but â—ust expire and die because nothing can penetrate it The difference betwixt the stone-salt and the stone-meal is this â—he salt heaveth it self when the stone groweth to a hardnesse which formerly hath been a pretious stone and the air could penetrate it but now it begins to turn into a horn-stone when this meal comes to the highth of its age it turneth to a dust Here is it requisite to relate the difference betwixt the nether and upper stone which partly is obstructive and partly a furtherance to the Mine-work they may increase under ground but in the Afterwork no stone is good because they have no nutriment and therefore must perish and be famished for want of food CHAP. XXXII Of the subterranean pooles THere is a most heavy case which befalls clefts passages and structures called water-pools under ground For it is a truth undeniable that clefts passages under ground have their waters both the day-water and the night-water if once opened then are they made passable which prove the utter ruine of Mine-works Therefore my counsell is not to make passages navigable to come to the oars It is just as if one would dig a mans heart out of his body and he would begin to dig at the pulse and so along all the way to the heart would it not be an horrid butchery There is a neerer path to the well what needs to make far fetches about There is a twofold water under ground the day-water and the ground-water the day-water is not hurtful unto the structures but rather helpful soaking away many things and takes away many times from the stages the ground-water Let the ground-water be kept out as much as possible may be for it doth hurt if it cannot passe away neither let it spring from below out of its Catharacts Keepe out the fire also for both are hurtful to metals
lead oâ—ers are very brittle having little of slate and Talk and these are discerned by their firmnesse there are other stones in which appear Copper and the flowers of Zwitter there are others also which have flat floats and slate-stone in which is wrought Copper oar hence it may be gathered that by reason of these several formes are produced several fruits and in Mines toward the South better oars are found then there are some toward the West called after-oars between which there is alwayes ordered or placed a center of perfection CHAP. II. Of general operations of several metals ALmighty God for his eternal honour and glory hath held forth to mankinde innumerable wondrous works which he as the sole Mediator and Creator hath set forth iâ— natural things the same he hath shewed also in his omnipotency under ground in metals and minerals of them wâ— may learn as the twelve Sybils prophesied of the bright true and onely Son of Righteousnesse and Truth in whicâ— do rest after the twelve ports and gates of Heaven and after the twelve moneths moveable and unmoveable visiblâ— and invisible bodies the seven Arch Angels standing beforâ— the Throne of God after these the seven Planets Sun Moon Mars Jupiter Venus Mercury Saturn and the reâ— of the stars and the seven metalline oars in their propeâ—ties as gold silver copper iron tin lead Mercury the Vitriol Antimony Sulphur Wismuth Kobolt or brasâ— oar allom salt and other mineral growths That the true center may be comprehended and conceâ—ved of God hath made the first separation according to hâ— word The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the water thâ— whole elemental body of the earth hath been water bâ— the Spirit of the Lord Zebaoth hath divided it fashionâ— the earth from the muddinesse of the water and therein all metalline fruits that ever were created and generated under ground all these were first water and may bee reduced againe unto water all other creatures be they animalls vegetables mineralls all these are produced from the first water the several kinds of beasts fishes and sea-monsters after the Lords spirit and after the first eternal breathing Essence which brought forth and shaped things tinged and untinged soft and hard small and great creatures after the twelve stones in the brest-plate of Aaron He created man after his own image the holy Spirit was infused into Adam who had a fulnesse of eternal wisdome and that according to the order of Melchizedeck Almighty God who is the first and last the first principle and end of all things hath set his gifts into times hours dayes years which according to his eternal Decree have their revolutions he hath blest in his most holy means Abraham Isaac Jacob Aaron Melchizedeck and others he hath infinitely blessed according to his good will and pleasure from eternity putteth several periods unto them and in his unsearâ—hable decree and will he hath laid the foundations also for Minerals and Metals a help for the supporting men in their â—eccessities in this miserable life thus hath he meliorated â—nd exalted the earth in her goodnesse men have reason â—o return hearty thanks unto the Creator for it God in his gracious providence next unto the knowledg â—f himself and of his holy word can bestow no better gift to man than to indue him with the true knowledge of Metals and Minerals Jews thought themselves wise men â—erein but as little some Miners know Minerals and Meâ—als as little knew the Jews their Messias and Gods word 〈◊〉 its true sence Therefore from that blessed and promised Countrey the knowledge of pretious stones minerals and metals are come to us as by an inheritance as being the â—st and are become the first and they the last but 〈◊〉 the end Heavens gate will be opened unto them again â—ternal and external gifts and means will be bestowed on them and the true use of metals will be none of the meanest Where there are fertile stones be they rocks flints peebles marbles in their central points is found what they are in their operations The several gums and rasoms the one excelling the other in beauty transparency hardnesse or liquidnesse are known and discerned by their fragrancie and tast Miners ought to endeavour incessantly and in simplicity how the neerest way may be chosen to find out the Mineral-passages and veins into which God and nature hath laid direct courses CHAP. III. Of the stones rocks and flints of Gold its operation condition and striking courses GOld is wrought in its proper rocks and marbles and in the purest matrix of the firmest earth of a most perfect salt Sulphur and Mercury purged from all feces and impure spirits with the conjunction of a natural highly clarified Heaven of white yellow and red sulphureous earth after the fiery nature of Sol in a deep fixation insomuch that none of all other metals hath an higher compacter and more ponderous body of a goldish matter in which there is no humidity all the elements are equally in it bound up which in their unity have wrought such a fixed body tinged the same throughout with an everlasting citrin colour with the deepest tie and uniting of its pure earth Sulphur and Mercury and with its Vitriol essence it doth all what the Sun among the Stars doth operate Naturally all is gold what cleaveth thereunto in and at all sides and it is found in the best and closest stones and passages and the power of Sol worketh meerly upon that oar and in its quality is comparable unto Sol. This noble gold stone and oar is sometimes mixed and on its outside â—here sticketh some obscure and dark matter having annexed to it some slats and other spermatick matter which deâ—racts from the goodnesse of its own nature and though â—he Creator hath indued it with great Vertues yet doth it â—umble it self and suffers it self to be found in despicable Mineral-stones where it loseth much of its tincture as is apparent by the Touch-stone where the mixture of Copper Silver Tin and others is seen all these mixed impurities can be separated from it with artificial Manuals and with little ado it may be brought into a perfect state Gold oars naturally are wrought thus that the gold stands in it close compact firm and good which is found sometimes in the crosse passages It s fixednesse is found in the deepnesse under ground where it hath its greatest power and it is found also sometimes in a speckled jaspis full of eyes and mixed with flints in its passages where many times Vitriol flint is found abundantly which Vitriol is the best among all other sorts of Vitriols The Hungarian Vitriol hath the precedence before all the rest which is sufficiently known in their proves and exemines as may be demonstrated to the eye In its passages are found sometimes fluxes of several colours which are interlined with gold and must be forced with fire To that purpose it is requisite that it be dealt
also mixed wâ—th â—liated earth and the mâ—â—curial copper is hardly brought â—ut of it at or in an ordinary melâ—ing affords store of iron â—nd no ripe copper-food which rub very much the copper 〈◊〉 roasting and make it unmalleable the richest copper â—ars are fouâ—d in Hungariâ— Bohemia Silesia Thuringia â—assia and Voigtlandia the like is found also about Trauâ—enau where it breaketh every where in a manner of 〈◊〉 float mixed with sand oar and where it breaketh â—ehemently in the slat work they call that slat of â—lifts they are poor in silver and such must be roastâ—d or calcined in some places it breaks in a fair blue â—nd brown colour or it looks ruddy of a copper â—lass â—nd like unto green oaker and sometimes it is white â—oldish which is called white copper oar it groweth white at an effectual mixture because at its uniting it â—ssumeth or taketh in much of silver and of lead it â—reaks also of a yellowish and lâ—zure like colour green â—â—inted upon floats moving passages in lime spongeous â—tones It breaks also of a blue colour like blew oaker is â—opper glassy and flinty in great and huge rocky marble â—assages being mixed with a white marble they are rich in â—ilver in green slat stones which are clear and brittle it â—ieth dry and green in clifts open caves and passages like green frogs insprinkled one in another in a strange manner distinct or parted with strange pleasant colours whicâ— graduated works are losers in half their worth in theâ—â— rocks are strange clifts of Marble and of white veins yeâ—low flint is insprinkled and mixed with copper passages which yield much silver have few flowers are of a pâ—â—derous form break very flinty of a red glass of a greeâ— colour mixed with yellow flowers these flints are joyneâ— with white gold marble of a green colour besides thâ— rocky passage There is found also copper oar which is rich of silveâ— flinty and not white goldish is of a white shining glasse mighty in dry hollow slat-Mines some whereof aâ—e mixeâ— with iron or sorts of Wismuth or fire-stones At the oâ—â— hanging of some passages is wrought the Chrysocolla anâ— copper oar on the other hanging of the Mine is wroughâ— pure flint all according to the quality and condition of thâ— oar And it is to be observed seeing that copper oar are usually mixed with Sulphur easily unite with the neâ—ther metal and joyn with their stones therefore green flinty copper oar which carry in the dry lead slatty passages a black Molben are Minerallish and are not rich in silver nor rich in species encompassed with immature iron perfect copper oar and some are free of it if far separated asunder from dry mineral slats are richer in gold and silver according as the stones take in a good natured oar they usually intrench upon gold and lead rocks or antimoniaâ— oar as also upon iron and silver stones There are found also flinty passages that have their Mineral juices of Vitriol and Sulphur some whereof partake of allom alumâ—â— plumosum These commonly have the best and most copper passagesâ— which are least mingled with other metals as lime and tartareous stones in which black floâ—ts and slâ—ts do break are inclosed with green and are of mild quality at Eisleheâ— and Mansfield Miners put their several proper names to iâ— very exactly according unto their nature Miners in Misnia know least how to distinguish these the upper part oâ— clay-clay-earth they call Pistredo in which the true earth is alâ— and when they came to the stones they call it the Day-â—â—rk because they cover all the rest turn quite to stone â—â—e third place they come unto they call Night-work beâ—â—use it is easily lifted and heaved one after another and is â—re then they come to the Cave or Hole-work which must 〈◊〉 hollowed and set here are the stones which must be â—oken then they came unto the slâ—t and below that flat â—ey come unto the sand oar though sometimes it be onâ—â—â—own at the Lochwerg or hole-work above the slat then â—ey turn unto the dead earth again Slat and richest copâ—â—r oar at the silver breathing lieth also on the rocky hornâ—ony combustible oars which have their gold and silver â—ssages of your special kind among which there are found â—veral forms how each of them is discernable In Hunâ—â—ry and Carinthia the passages yield copper oars which â—â—pper is very malleable and is at a dearer rate than any is 〈◊〉 the whole Europe as their Minerals also and especially â—e Victriol there is held to be the best as also their Anâ—â—mony is counted the best That Vitriol hath the best and â—rest vertues which is known to true Naturalists and exâ—erience hath proved the same to be true I speak someâ—â—ing now which if Reason and Understanding were anâ—â—erable many expences hard work and good time could â—e saved and it comes onely from hence because Gold â—reaks so near to it and at the same oars is found where â—hat earth is impregnated with goldish seed and make use â—f the same food in many subtile unitings Minerals in their â—enerating qualities are better supported among perfect meâ—als where they are higher and more effectual and are best â—sed for both such perfect metals in case Nature be rightly â—mitated the ancient Philosophers have bad experience of â—nd made trials of it There is a remarkable difference â—ound among Minerals which have their descent from gold â—nd silver oars and partly from copper oars they are Miâ—erals and metals each have their particular nature and beâ—ng among which some oars look green and bleach at the day and grow near other metals but their stones are mâ— like unto lead-stones some whereof are grosser softer 〈◊〉 harder than others and some are more obscure dark mâ—â—dy and some more green and so forth CHAP. VI. Of Iron-oar it s Mine operation stocks floats and passages IRon-stone and iron-oar is wrought in its Mine-stone aâ—cording to the heavenly influence of Mars For he 〈◊〉 Trinus magnus the great Lord of war and an instrumeâ—â— whereby others are forced and compelled of an harâ— earthly impure sulphur of putrified salt and grosse Meâ—cury which three principal pieces in their juncture miâ— much of earthlinesse therefore is it a difficult labour 〈◊〉 mollifie iron with or in the fire carrying much of impuritâ— by reason of its sulphur and above other metals it hath deep red quick spirit which if it be taken from Marâ— then is the iron gone also leaveth again a putrid earthlâ—nesse Iron is not easily mixed or joyned with other meâ—tals or united in the casting Iron hath a threefold partition and several parts in its earthly oar namely a Magnet a quick metalline oar which hath its quality from quicâ— Mercury and must hold communion and assinity with iron must be quickened and renewed with iron filings in whicâ— he lieth like an Hedge-hog and is indued of Sol in nature with glorious gifts
brown fresh or stale broad or small it will press â—o and mingle it self with it and will not be forced out 〈◊〉 it making it self great little grosse milde fame subâ—â—e and pliable even as the rest will have it and all this in natural way it loveth to border upon silver and iron-stone that Tin and iron be united in a mighty fix silver and copper oar all which are found at their several marks Tin oar is in this place better and malleable if found afar off from flint-passages and are less mingled with iron mould especially of copper stones which in calcining can hardly be separated proves Lead-work without any fair glasse Some of it is so mild and soft that when they are cleared and calcined still lose something for flints and sulphureous matters which are volatile and cannot indure any great heat coâ—â—ode somewhat of the metalline Tin which appeareth by the white thick fume at the calcining they are calcined thus hard by reason of Bake-iron else they might yield as much again for they lose extreamly in calcining It is strange to some why they shrink together to so small a quantity being they get a greater quantity of lead with good Qwitter at first brought out of the Mine CHAP. IX Of Mercurial oar and its passages MErcurial-oar is wrought in its proper Mine-stones by the quality of its salt earth and its nimble volatile earth in a moist greasie slimy waterish oleity which is mixed with a most subtile red sulphureous digested earth with a most weak slow binding like an unripe pleasing fruit of all particular metals Mercury sheweth its vertue in many things admirably and worketh effectually upon Minerals and Metalline sulphur and upon such which border upon Antimonial stones or oars it loveth to be in such places where the Tin-oars lie higher than silver passages It requireth many iterating effectual operations unto other oars and is multiplied upon other strange stones and is drawn through the juyces of Minerals and metals which are in affinity one to another severâ—â— produce many strange miscreants this is the reason â—y it is so pleasant unto metals Goldsmiths amalgame and 〈◊〉 with it It is used also for metalline colours and is prepared to â—oil and water for mans health and is sublimed for to corâ—le the worst of poisons and is a true Robber taketh aâ—g what ever costs have been bestowed on him but if 〈◊〉 can be catched in his nature then is he in subjection â—d obedience unto quick and dead He is very effectual in â—edicina especially for outward sores he is naught to â—ught and good to good and is not every bodies friend â—ough he is willing to do what you put him upon His meâ—line stones are of the same nature with pure white slate â—rth inclined to a water-blew in fresh intermingled â—hite marbles in a glassie grayish and porous Glimmer or â—ar-silver which lie beneath betwixt the slates in a float â—ay which are mingled in their metalline passages withâ— a fled Maâ—casites and with the subtilest small streaked â—hite Talk and are thorough grown with two sorts â—anding and float-striking passages in which is wrought a â—â—rious red shining quick-silver oar not unlike unto red â—â—ine-sulphur and sometimes floweth purely out of the â—ifts and caves of the passages stands in a sink or puddle â—ogether like water which its natural quick substance sufâ—ciently evidenceth CHAP. X. Of Wismuth Antimony Sulphur Salt Salpeter and Talk WIsmuth is wrought in its own Mine-stone not quite freed from a protruding silver or Tin stone of an imperfect pure quick-silver with Tin-salt and fluid silver-sulphur of a brittle immiscible earth partly of a crude fluid sulphur partly of a mixed much exiccated sâ—â—phur according as it hath gotten a matrix after it was câ—â—ceived then it turneth a bastard of a brittle nature eaâ—â— uniteth with Mercury and is wrought naturally in a twâ—-fold form the one is fluid and metalline is melted with 〈◊〉 wood being mixed wiâ—h clay yieldeth much of white Aâ—â—nick The other is small streaked or spissie remaineth 〈◊〉 unripe substance yields a fix sulphur instead of Arsenicâ— both these are silver Wismuth Antimonie comes from perfect Mercurie wrought of â—â—tle salt and a waterish fluid sulphur though it shineth blâ—â—â— naturally and its out-side is of an antimonial form yet graduateth and purifieth the noble nature of Gold aâ— doth much good unto man being artificially prepared 〈◊〉 its several wayes notwithstanding its colour it keepâ— its high and mighty praise and vertue For meeting with 〈◊〉 Master which can clarifie it and gets its natural Gold câ—â— of it and extracts a bloud red Oyl from it that serveth against many Chronical diseases it must be reduced to 〈◊〉 transparent glasse this black evaporated unripe metall represents to us Gods Majestick glory who is not a regardeâ— of persons bestowing upon poor despised men rarities 〈◊〉 vertues and knowledge The red mine sulphur which is found in Tâ—rol Tâ—â—â—witz and Engadin and groweth in a black blue slat-stone 〈◊〉 hath singulas innumerable good vertues wherein lyeth hâ—â— a mighty purifying quality lyeth on with its colour 〈◊〉 the red goldish silver oar oâ— Cinober oar and looks almoâ—â— like unto it whose rednesse shineth forth most pleasantly Salt hath its special vertues to penetrate and to preserâ—â— from putrefaction containeth a noble spirit and it weâ—â— very necessary that men would not be so carelesse and neglectfull in their seasoning with salt suffering matters â—â—stinck and corrupt considering too slightly and taking 〈◊〉 small notice of the noble gift put into good mineral work 〈◊〉 peter lying on their hoary old vvalls Talk is an ingrown sulphur shineth incombustibly like â—ld and silver closeth and boweth is transparent like â—â—sse is called Sulphur Lutum keepeth in the fire incomâ—â—stible like Alumen plumosum lyeth in Rocks and stone-â—orks serveth for graduating of metals Every metal â—ineral and salt in particular is good to be used each is â—â—stinguished in its particular name even as those that â—ake glasses put their several names upon them and put â—â—eir several forms upon them making them into drinkâ—â—g glasses flagons bodies bolt heads helmets receiâ—ers pellicans jar-glasses wine-glasses funnels all â—â—ese he frameth after his own fancie either into â—â—all great long or round forms even as he pleaâ—eth CHAP. XI A comparison between Gods word and the Mineralls LIke as the heavenly glorious God in a spiritual way in his most dearest Son our Lord JESUS CHRIST at his redeeming of man-kinde for the good of man appeared a Sun of righteousnesse which glory the Prophet Esaias hath prophesied of in the Lords spirit many years ago How two Cherubims and Seraphims having six wings moved and sung before the Lord Holy holy holy is the Lord Zebaoâ—h of whose glory all the world is full which Prophet hath seen the most omnipotent Lord of Lords knowing him a God in a Triple essence and that out of that noble Chaos of Jesus Christ should flow the
fountain of life of mercie and righteousnesse which the Lord God made apparent on the Tree of the holy Crosse where out of the side of his dearest Son did run bloud and water to which the Lord in the Revelation of St. John addeth fire smoak and fumes this union according to the Divine Word is grown at the beginning in all creatures and what ever God the Holy Trinity hath ever created consisteth in a Trinity even as the Deity is in an eternal Trinity As the Deity is indivisible in the Humanity α ω in the water and blood for an eternal remembrance that is the fiâ—st and the last letter as in the Heavenly even so in the earthly the perfect Alphabet must not be cut asunder all must stand from the beginning to the end and Christ Jesus purgeth his dear friends still unto eternal life through water and blood saying to their hearts all thy sins are forgiven thee thy faith doth save thee No man is saved unlesse he be fiâ—st born again that is through water blood which throughly purgeth not only men and the sons of men but also the whole Limbus upon earth for it is not the metalline blood and water neither is it Mercery and Sulphur that doth it neither in the body under ground is any goldish silver wrought to any blood red oar the blood out of Christ side shed for the good of man is that great evidence for thus all Mineral stones that are in the plain element of earth and the spirit of all oars and marbles and stones come from the divine essence as also the heavenly spirits for the throne of God with the heavenly Angels and Spâ—rits are furnished for rhe praise of God thus the earth also is created is her stones oars veâ—ns passages for the honour of God and the welfare of man which imitateth Gods wisdome filled with infiâ—ite and uncessant forth-bringing of fruits Whence should be the decay of metals surely even as the eyes of the holy Apostles and Disciples were held that they could not know the Lord in his clarified spiritual body and essence no more can men see these things in metals Why doth Saint John in his Revelation speak of smoak and of fume Surely he did not mean the fire smoak and fume of Bakers ovens or Kitchin-chimneys but there was revealed unto him the heavenly fire the mist vapour and fume which is exhaled from the moisture of earth and â—â—ated to the clouds so in the subterranean works the â—â—e and spoil or outside of the oar are sublimed and the 〈◊〉 of the frost which rouzeth the effectual powers vaâ—rs and spirits maketh them come to a perfect unity in â—â—alline bodies Now if there were not a fire vaporous â—â—e in the earth how could they produce their fruits â—ich are the minerals and metals under ground As the fiery element is covered with the airie and the â—ven with clouds and the earth is filled by them and â—ether with the fire was inclosed as one element with 〈◊〉 other two In like manner at the first Creation the â—erranean passages and veins were laden with oars as â—s were with fruit which the Lord God in Paradise 〈◊〉 implanted into them This effectual fire vapour and â—e is likened unto Mercury Sulphur Salt and Sea-waâ— wherein earth lieth inclosed and hidden even as the â—eamest throne of God is encompassed by other thrones 〈◊〉 heavenly habitations â—s the four Evangelists are witnesses of the New Testaâ—â—t and Covenant so they are a type and sure testimony â—he four elements that the earth is created after the hoâ—â—eaven thus are we taught in the Lords prayer as it is â—eaven so in the earth in which and beneath and under 〈◊〉 is every where This is in action still King David â—d confesse that he could not hide himself from the 〈◊〉 any where â—eeing the holy and blessed God hath laid the creatures â—â—e earth with the four elementall qualities therefore â—ational Miners open their eyes and learn judicially to â—w the passages and clifts of oars metals and minerals 〈◊〉 they will get a lasting name with great praise and will â—ke the noble gold which in a glory and beauty appeaâ—â— when it comes from the Quart and can be then reduâ—â— into an oil which preserveth man in a lasting health â—nd any balsom and is become a vegetable which is â—ble It is feaseable that of gold may be prepared a singulâ—â— Medicine for the good of man-kinde because man is creâ—ted of God from Limus terrae and the whole earth is 〈◊〉 Limus such another Medicine all the Doctors are not ablâ— produce which is of a curious sweet fragrancy standiâ—â— distinct in two lights and must needs be in rerum naturâ— because it was brought on God his Altar for an offering bâ— mans art prepared and suffer'd it to be extinguished None knoweth what it is neither we literated Doctoâ— know the preparation of it who when their Confectioâ— Syrups Herbs and Potions will do no good and are in dâ—spair then they might willingly run to Metals which fâ—â—merly they made conscience to make use of them in the Oyntmenis and Plaisters of this I make mention in a râ—verend remembrance for true rational myners Out of goâ—â— and silver are joyned not onely gold and silver monies aâ— other plates for mans use but they serve for mans use in mâ—ny other things and after the first metals vertue there coâ—â— others also more and more very effectual even to the lâ—â— of metals Such vertues there are in minerals also as in vitriol aâ—timony allom salt and the like All these are a nourisâ—ment unto metals even as Manna was to the Israelites 〈◊〉 the desart As they are easily withdrawn and taken froâ— metals so it hapned to them also Heathens and Christiaâ— received that Manna together with Mines and Kingdomâ— they are set and shot at the heap of rubbish where theâ— still worship the Calf of this I have spoken more in thâ—â— book where I treated of Fossilia CHAP. XII How precious Stones and Jewels are wrought and how God hath bestowed blessings upon those that work the Mynes â—Ewels are wrought out of the substance of the most perfect transparent and noblest earthlinesse with mixture of the noblest Mercury Sulphur and Salt â—â—thout any fume or moist matter are of a dry coagulaâ—â—n and commonly are engendred in a round form in â—eir dwellings lodgings stocks and passages fixedly â—und together some are of a transparent lustre oâ—ers are more dark and they have their several coâ—â—rs Not many oars are found in which these noble generaâ—â—d bodies are brought to any perfectnesse neither are 〈◊〉 it strikings along in a way of passage here and there â—ey have their Centers unto which are joyned tender and â—â—aculous accrescencies where they are guttatim lapidaâ—d falling into the hardest purest stones concavities â—â—wing in several cuticles as we see the animal stones do â—ow The more precious the Jewels are the fewer there â—e
stone onely of dry and fully digested Gold because its phlegmatick humidity is entred into a dry fixednesse and fixed coagulation which is not found so in other Metals though they also are subject to a hard coagulation and passed through the fire yet are not wholly digested nor brought to a full maturity from the natural original root which ought to be taken notice of and be not offended at my former writings if they seem to run contrary against this Though I have shewed that the spirit Soul and body come all from one Metalline essence and must be prepared thus among which I held the Gold to be the best however I dealt herein as it seemed fit for a Philosopher the like the ancient Philosophers have done before me but I hope you took notice of my protestation that I gave special cause thereby to your speculation to take the better notice of nature and her principle and to consider the original because it was not meet for me to inform all men how the doors are bolted within and especially at that time when I never intended to write thus plainly of these things which are hid even from the best of men but when my heavenly Prince commanded at the changing of my minde not to bury the â—â—rted talent but to do the like to those whom God â—ks worthy to leave it to them One rule more I must 〈◊〉 to thy remembrance of such points which formerly I â—e set down of which I spoke now that you may the â—e blame me as if I did refuse these things now which I â—merly wrote of Peruse all such which since the beginning of the world â—â—e written of Metals you will finde that they were all 〈◊〉 one minde and that I make use of their sayings that the â—â—t and the last Metal is a Metal because the first Metal â—â—h already obtained and gotten the forth-going seed of â—etals in a Metalline quality which doth nothing else but â—â—t it goeth on uncessantly in the Metalline generation as â—poke of in the first and second part of Minerals and Meâ—â—s and in this part also I have spoken of it in several â—aces Many have called Gold Lead and Lead they called Gold â—ecause it was found not onely of the same ponderousnesse â—ut because three deep glittering stones have solely gotten â—â—om this Planet their transcendent perfection and many â—ther causes besides which to relate here would fall too â—ong and needlesse And this is it which asketh wisdom â—o distinguish in this and in other things and exactly to â—earch into Gods mysteries and natures laid before us But man through Adams fall being brought to a deep blindnesse therefore mens understanding are so eclipsed that they can hardly conceive of this and of other mystical matters in nature The obduration being so great among the covetous that for the most part they search and dive into such mysteries out of meer covetousnesse pride and ambition made the ancient Philosophers upon command and inspiration of the highest aim at that as to put a certain stay to their hands and to write of such mysteries in such a manner that unworthy men should not understand it and but worthy men onely in their illumination might perceive it and writing often one thing have mingled other among understaâ—ing still the one and the same In several places tâ—â— shewed that the Philosophers stone is and comes from 〈◊〉 animal others from a vegetable seed and a third sort saiâ— it comes from a Mineral seed others write that stone made of an animal vegetable and Mineral seed togethâ—â— All this is onely understood of the Mineral and Metalliâ— seed and consisteth not in any plurality of seeds Hence tâ—â— Art grew eclipsed insomuch that scarce one among maâ— thousands hardly attaineth unto the knowledge thereoâ— and for that reason is it held for an Art because not eveâ— Booby should bring it into his Beetle-head and why shouâ—â— it For if this Art were as common as brewing of Beer aâ—â— baking of Bread then any one may judge what good couâ—â— be look'd for would not all manner of vices be practiseâ— publickly without any controlling Therefore such men which in their lofty minde aâ—â— meerly for Pomp and Pride must be clipp'd in their wingâ— and these things ought not to be put into their mouthâ— things are clear enough for these on whom God intendâ— the bestowing of them I return now to the thing I intented which is to teacâ— a desirous Scholler how to proceed further with the extracted Soul of Gold Truly it is much to discover such mysteries I warn every one to make good use of them and note that if you have the purple Cloak of the King aâ— the sulphur of Sol then be thankfull unto God for it beaâ— no evil minde against thy neighbour unlock your goldeâ— seed according to the Tenor of the Key turn it to water for in our Art there must be body Soul and Spirit which run together in the innermost root the one layeth hold on the other meliorateth the same throughout in its whole quality insomuch that there is a new created world and earth which afterward is illuminated by the Soul and is exalted into a transcendent efficacie Therefore it is requisite that you know how to infuse your golden seed into the new body and to bring it to a fluid substance look about thee and see where you may â—e it if you finde none despair not but be of good â—fort think upon means and ask counsel of god Saturn â—ill not let thee go without a resolve he will put into hand a deep glittering Minera for an offering which in Myne is grown of the first matter of all Metals if this â—era after its preparation which he will shew unto thee 〈◊〉 into a strong sublimation mixed with three parts of â—e or tyle meal then riseth to the righest mount a noble â—imate like little feathers or alumen plumosum which due time dissolveth into strong and effectual water â—â—ch bringeth thy seed in a little putrefaction very suddenâ—â—nto the first volatility if so be there be added to it a 〈◊〉 quantity of water that it may be dissolved therein there 〈◊〉 twig with the bulk doth unite that they are able to â—end above the highest mountain and stay inseparably â—â—ether a Soul and Spirit or a Spirit and Soul It is requisite that you be stored with water for the body 〈◊〉 Salt to dissolve the same also and coagulate the same inâ— a new clarified body which will never part asunder neiâ—â—r in love nor woe because they are of one nature natiâ—y and original and have been so from the beginning â—â—r they all have their beginning and birth from the power 〈◊〉 this volatile bird But remember well that these Mineral â—irits are in other Metals also and are found effectual in â—â—e Mineral from whence with more ease and lesse charges 〈◊〉 may be had the businesse is onely herein that you learn to
â—ow what this Mercurial spirit Mercurial Soul astral Salt 〈◊〉 that the one may not be taken in stead of the other which â—ould cause a huge errour You will finde that the nature â—f the golden sulphur consisteth onely in all Metals which â—â—e comprehended among the red and have a fellow domiâ—ion with other Minerals by reason of the fiery tinging â—pirits but the magnetick power and its quality resteth in â—s white Mercurial spirit which bindeth the Soul and disâ—olveth the body therefore the Astrum of Sol is found not â—nely in Gold that with the addition of the spirit of Mercurie and the Solar Salt onely the Philosophers stone câ—â— be made but may in like manner be prepared artificiâ—â— out of Copper and Steel two immature Metals both wâ—â— as male and female have red tinging qualities as welâ— Gold it self whither the same be taken out of one alâ—â— or out of both being first entred into an Union Besiâ—â— this Mineral in our Mothers tongue is a Mineral called â—â—per water and of broken or digged Verdigreece or Copâ—â— there can be made a Vitriol in all which is found gloriâ—â—ly a Soul of the best Gold and come well to passe very pâ—fitably many wayes no Countrey clown can believeâ— Therefore note here what you ought to observe intâ— thy thoughts and give not over unlesse you be comeâ— far that you know natures mystical conjunction and her 〈◊〉 solution then you will finde what is requisite for you 〈◊〉 know and return thanks unto thy Creator make use ofâ— for his glorie and be beneficial to the needy This white spirit is the true Mercury of Philosopheâ— which hath been before me and will be after me withâ—â— which the Philosophers stone and the great mystery can 〈◊〉 made neither universally nor particularly much lesse a paâ—â—cular transmutation And this spirit is the Key to the opeâ—ing of all Metals and their locking in again This spirit is 〈◊〉 sociable unto all Metals because they have their desceâ— from his sanguinity as you heard often For he is that trâ— primum mobile sought of many thousands and found 〈◊〉 none and yet all the World is greedy of it is sought 〈◊〉 far off and found near at hand he is and moveth befoâ— the eyes of all men for if this spirit be fed with a Metalliâ—â— sulphur and Salt of these three there will be one mattâ— made not much unlike to the Philosophers great stonâ— however duely must be proceeded in and a true procesâ— from the beginning to the end must be observed for thâ—â— corporal Salt must be dissolved into this spirit dissolveâ— turn'd and brought into its prima materia as the spirit hiâ— self is then both these of one equal descent and birth bâ— means of fire with coagulating of the spirit may be genâ—rated a third time to a firm fixation and to a pure transâ—rent white clarified body theÌ„ after this accomplished alâ—o the Soul which is dissolved must seek for her rest again â—netrate such a pure body unite with the same and rise 〈◊〉 dwelling therein that these three be permanent and â—iding constantly in one body eternally clarified And that you may be informed how in this manner both â—ur dissolved seeds as the spirit of Mercury and the Soul the Gold be made again fix and corporeal note that it is â—ne onely by the proper Salt of Sol which in this Art is â—â—led a body Now observe here that you take no heteroâ—neal thing in stead of it What manner of processe is here â—ed read my fourth Key where the truth of it is held â—â—th with singular examples and proves but you are â—â—cially to observe in case you do not understand that â—y this plain and true information look upon the body 〈◊〉 Gold not as if no other benefit could be reaped of it â—t onely his Soul not so impute no such weaknesse unto â—â—t body but after you have drawn forth its Sulphur there yet in it the Salt of glory and of the triumphant victrix â—thout which your spermatick seed cannot be brought unâ— any coagulation And even this Salt now of which I â—ade so long a discourse how you ought to bring it our of 〈◊〉 corporeal form through means of the spirit of Mercury â—to it s prima materia is afterward turn'd again into a deeply â—â—rified and exalted body Therefore take your Solar earth out of which you drew â—ur seedr or the true Lions bloud and reduce it by reverâ—â—rating to a fix'd powder and subtile impalpable ashes â—â—tract from thence a very subtile Salt as bright as Ivory 〈◊〉 hereafter I will teach you in the Manuals how the body 〈◊〉 Sol is anatomized by the particulars and to bring it into Sulphur Salt and Mercury Then proceed unto the praâ—â—ck and conjunction and have a care that you be proâ—dent therein that at their conjunction you do not too â—â—ch to the one and too little to the other take notice 〈◊〉 the quantity and observe exactly the division of the seeds hereunto minister a certain measure and mark 〈◊〉 sixth Key then proceed in the begun processe accordinâ— to the order of the seventh eighth ninth and tenth Kâ—â— as formerly I had informed you about it go on with it 〈◊〉 the appearance of the Kings honour and glory to 〈◊〉 highest purple garment and pure golden piece who is câ—â—led the Triumphing Lord and Conquerour over all his suâ—jects from the East to the West which if you have attainâ— unto them return thanks to God be fervent in praying 〈◊〉 mindfull of the poor be a student unto sobriery tempâ—rance abstinence and above all unto taciturnity for it the greatest and most hainous sin to let unworthy mâ—â— know of it The augmentation of this heavenly stone as also the fâ—â—mentation is needlesse to be spoken of in that place as bâ—ing described in my two last Keyes and held forth to the fuâ— not doubting if God grants so much blessing and imparteâ— this stone the sense of these two Keyes will be more coâ—ceived of for no heterogeneal things must be brougâ—â— to our Metalline substance neither at the beginning miâ—dle or end but the Mercurial spirit and the digested Meâ—â—cine spoken of in my eleventh Key To be further as good as I promised concerning othâ— things quoted in my Keyes know ye that no Philosopher tied wholly unto the Metal of Gold of which I spoâ—â— largely hitherto and disclosed the true fundamentals theâ—of and as you heard afore the whole mystery lieth hereâ—â— viz. in the tinging of red fiery spirits of Metalline Souâ— and all what is tinged red and is known to have a fiercâ— sulphur all such are kinde to the Solar Astrum and whâ—â— the Mercurial spirit is joyned with then the proceed 〈◊〉 may go on universaliter and Particulariter that a tincture obtained from them whereby Metals and vulgar Mercâ—â— can be exalted and be ordered according to the tenor the processe Such Souls and goldish Sulphurs are found most effectâ— in Mars and
â—nto us all a blessed resurrection Amen This high and mighty example having its foundation â—ot in humane thoughts wit or pride or in an ungrounded â—ating but in the great Creatour's true word which he â—ath revealed unto us through his servant and holy Prophet Moses doth inform you what you ought to do further with our new begotten Creature that you may get a perfect â—â—rth without any defect to the praise of the Highest the â—ather of lights and mercy from whom we receive all perâ—ect gifts which he graciously bestoweth on his Children â—or which we are not able to return sufficient thanks unto â—im Now if you will proceed well in your work then joyn â—he new body with his Soul which you formerly drew â—â—om that the compound in its vertue be compleat and â—here be apparent in the end a plusquam perfection of it â—hen is begotten the Red King of all glorie in a fiery subâ—tance and highly clarified body exalted above all powers â—pon earth from thence ariseth the golden fountain he that thinketh of it is renewed in all his Members and there is rised wholly a new life for the which God be praised for ever more The augmentation of this huge treasure together with the fermentation thereof for the transmutation of Metalls doubtlesse you have taken notice of exactly afore where I wrote of Gold how it must be handled and what direction I have given you thereunto the same you must observe for here is all one processe from the middle to the end the beginning onely asketh alteration by reason of the two distinct matters for the which God be praised whom we beseech to give us his grace and blessing that we may make good use of this treasure and after this life we may enter into the heavenly Kingdom The love to my Neighbour hath moved me to write of these things which in my long experience I found to be true following the steps of bountifull nature which made me a Sooth-sayer in natural things and I am assured that if these my writings are made publick after my death and my other books sharing in the same fortune that they must undergo many censures For some will extreamly condemâ— me delivering me unto Satan because I have written so plainly Others there will be which will quite overthrow my writings crying out to be Lies Superstition and Diabolical works the like censure other illuminated men before me have undergone which they feel to this day for men are so incredulous in these points that so mighty an operation should be found against all manner of infirmities besides the transmutation of Metals in so despicable a matâ—er over which the Iron Man with his espoused Wife Venus â—ogether with the deep glittering Sol is and must have the â—redominancie and with incredible profit it should by â—rt â—e brought to such perfection The Art being great and â—he matter so contemptible it procureth the more doubt â—nd unbelief these unbelieving men I let understand oneâ—y this notable example whereby the eyes of those that â—re going unto Emaus shall be opened and thereby shall â—â—owledge that I have written no untruth but disclosed 〈◊〉 a truth very plainly And note that the ancient Phiâ—â—phers endeavoured to describe the preparation of the â—â—e under a notion of distilling of wine and the spirit â—â—eof which in their work are almost like one to anâ—er For I they taught out of the best wine to make a â—it without any strange phlegme which to this day â—â—ng vulgar Artists must be and is called the right and â—e mystical spirit of wine whereas it may soon be proved â—r this supposed spirit of wine containeth much invisible â—midity or phlegme in an insensible manner which is â—hing else but its vegetable Mercury for the fiery spirit wine is the true fire and soul of the wine Every Sulphur â—â—taineth secretly its original and principal Mercury Veâ—ables in their kinde the Animals in their kinde and 〈◊〉 Minerals also after their kinde 2. They taught how â—s spirit of wine must be separated in two distinct parts â—mely this spirit of wine be poured upon white calcined â—â—ar and be drawn over in a gentle distillation In this â—â—illation is separated the secret and true spirit of wine â—m his Vegetable Mercury as I faithfully informed you 〈◊〉 my Manuals From the remainng earth they taught a â—t be drawn to be added to the rectified spirit whereby 〈◊〉 is fortified and strengthned in his substance and at last â—e Philosopher stone should be generated It is mightily â—ainst Gods ordinance that a Vegetable should produce 〈◊〉 Animal or an Animal produce a Mineral By way of â—parable the practice part is held forth under the notion 〈◊〉 this preparation Now as they taught of the wine so in â—â—e manner also through a short way our Gold can be preâ—red not the usual and common Gold and may be disâ—lved divided separated and brought into its first prinâ—ple But you must note that this dissolution and separation â—as never described plainly by any of the ancient Philosoâ—hers which lived before me and knew the Magisterium â—hy I do it the love to my Neighbour hath moved me thereunto which I bear from the Center of my heart to those which overcome this mystery without falshood 〈◊〉 mingling vices with a faithfull heart in a sincere knâ—â—ledge and real piety In the first place be inform'd 〈◊〉 our Gold so much spoken of hitherto must never be â—â—ken for such Gold by any of our Disciples which hath bâ— melted and fully digested by nature for herein such â—rour is committed that men dilapidate all what they hâ—â— and loose both the beginning and end of all their woâ—â—â— Although not onely from Gold but from other Metals 〈◊〉 this Clenodium and Jewel may be had in the preparaâ—â—â—â— of it particulariter much profit and advantage may be â—â—ten in that which concerneth mans health as hath be formerly told however without the spirit of Mercury 〈◊〉 Universal of the World to be gotten meerly from the bâ—â— of Sol is impossible and will be impossible unlesse Creatour of all things produce another ordinance to chaâ—â— and alter his Creature after his own will But as that impossible so it is impossible also to deal against Gâ—â— Creature in that kinde as to finde out that wholesom pâ—â—fit which to your longing desire you expect You mâ—â— believe it for a truth as Christ himself is that the Philoâ—â—pher's stone would not be so strange rare and unknoâ—â— a thing it would be common to Kings and Potentates 〈◊〉 God would permit to be made of Gold alone and the thâ—â— Jewels of infinite fixed vertues hid therein could be 〈◊〉 out of it My intent is not in this present Treatise to use any pâ—â—lixity in writing those that are not quite blinde and haâ—â— their eyes open have enough already to attain unto 〈◊〉 knowledge and command both his minde and hands â—o to passe by the weightiest and esteem high
which stayeth there must be extracted â—h good Vinegar well boyled in it at last abstract this â—egar the remainder of it must be dulcified with distill'd â—ter and then exiccated Afterward on each pound â—â—st be poured lib. 1. of the best spirit of Wine let it â—nd luted in putrefaction then drive over what may be â—ven first gently then more strongly from that which is â—me over abstract the spirit of Wine per Balneum there â—yeth behinde a fragrant Oyl which is Astrum Mercurii 〈◊〉 excellent remedy against Venereal diseases Seeing the Salt and Astrum of Mercury is of the same Meâ—cinal operation I hold it needlesse to write of each in â—articular will joyn their operation into one and declare â—f it in the last part about the Salt of Mercury because â—hey are of one effect in Medicinal operations Take the â—ade Oyl or Astrum Mercurii which by reason of its â—reat heat keeps its own body in a perpetual running caâ—ing it on the next standing earth from which you formerâ—â— drew the Oyl Set it in a heat the Oyl draweth its own â—alt that being done put to it a reasonable quantity of â—pirit of Wine abstract it again the Salt stayeth behinde â—â—ssolved in the fresh spirit of Wine being dulcified by cohobation Then is the Mercurial Sal ready and prepaâ—â— for the Medicine as shall be mentioned in the last paâ— Mercury is able to do no more neither Particulariter 〈◊〉 universaliter because he is far off from Philosophers Mâ—cury as many are deceived in their fancies to the coâ—trarie Of the Particular of Antimony together with the extraction of its Sulphur and Salt TAke good Hungarian Antimony pulverise it subtilâ— to a meal calcine it over a gentle heat stirring it stâ—â—â— with an Iron wyar and let it be albified and that a last it may be able to hold out in a strong fire Then pâ—â— it into a melting pot melt it cast it forth turn it to a tranâ—parent glasse beat that glasse grinde it subtâ—lâ—y put it in 〈◊〉 glasse body of a broad flat bottom pour on it distilleâ— Vinegar let it stand luted in a gentle heat for a gooâ— while the Vinegar extracteth the antimonial tincture which is of a deep rednesse abstract the Vinegar there remaineth a sweet yâ—llow subtile powder which must bâ— edulcurated with distilled water all acidity must be taken off exiccate iâ— pour on it the best graduated spirit oâ— Wine set it in a â—â—â—tle heat you have a new extraction which 〈◊〉 and yellow cant it off pour on other spirit let it exâ—â—â— aâ— long it can then abstract the spirit of Wine exiâ—â—te you finde a tender deep yellow subtile powdâ—r of an admirable Medicinal operation is nothing inferior unto poâ—able Sol. Take two parts of this powder one part of Solar Sulphur grinde thâ—se small then tâ—ke three parts of Sulphur of Mars pour on it six parts of Spirit of Mercury set it in digestion well luâ—ed leâ— the Sâ—lâ—â—â—ur of Mars be dissolved to aâ—y then carry in a sâ—uâ—â—â— part of â—he ground-matter of of the Sulphur of Antimony and of Sol luâ—â— and digest let all be dissolved then carry in more of your ground Sulâ—rs proceed as formerly iterating it so long till all be â—olved then the matter becomes a thick brown Oyl â—â—e all over joyntly into one leave nothing behinde in 〈◊〉 bottom then pour it on a purely separated Lunar calx it by degrees of fire then melt it into a body separate â—ith an Aquasort six times as much of Sal is precipitated â—n above the ponderosity the compound did weigh the reâ—inder of Lune serveth for such works you please to put unto The Antimonial tincture being extracted totally from its â—â—rum and no Vinegar takes more hold of any tincture â—â—n exâ—ccate the remaining powder which is of a black â—â—lour put it into a melting pot lute it let it stand in a â—â—sonable heat let all the sulphureous part burn away â—â—de the remaining matter pour on it new distilled Vineâ—â—â— extract its Salt abstract the Vineger eduleorate the â—dity by cohobation clarifie so long so that the water be â—â—ite and clear If you have proceeded well in your maâ—als then the lesser time will be required to extract the â—â—timonial Salt as you shall hear of it Whereby you may serve that the Antimonial Sulphur is extracted in the â—lowing manner and is of the same Medicinal operaâ—â—n but is of a quicker and speedier work which is a â—â—tter of consequence and worthy to be taken notice A short way to make Antimonial Sulphur and Salt TAke good Vitriol common Salt and unslaked Liâ—e of each one pâ—und four ounces of Sal armoniac bear them small put them in a glasse body pour on it 〈◊〉 pound of common Vinegar let it stand in digestion â—â—â—'d for a day put it afterward into a Retort apply a receiver to it distil it as usually an aquafort is disâ—â—â— Take of the off drawn liquor and of common Salt 〈◊〉 pound of each rectifie them once more let no muddiâ—â— come over with it all must come clear then take 〈◊〉 pound of pulverised antimonial glasse pour this spirit 〈◊〉 it lute it well digest and let all be dissolved then â—stract the water in Balneo Mariae there remains in the bâ—tom a black thick fluid matter but somewhat dry lay on a glasse Table set it in a Cellar a red Oyl floweth hâ— it leaving some feces behinde coagulate this red Oyl geâ—ly upon ashes let it be exiccated there then pour 〈◊〉 best spirit of Wine on it it extracteth a tincture which 〈◊〉 bloud red cant off that which is ting'd pour other spiâ— of Wine on the remainder let all rednesse be extractâ—â— thus you have the tincture or Antimonial Sulphur which 〈◊〉 of a wonderfull Medicinal efficacie and is aequivalent â—â—potable Gold as you beard in the former processe Aâ— in preparation serveth now to proceed with it Particulaâ—â—ter as I shewed in the former This black matter whiâ— stayed behinde after the extraction of Sulphur must be 〈◊〉 exiccated extract its snow-white Salt with distill'd Vâ—gar edulcorate it clarifie it with spirit of Wine observe iâ— vertues in Medicina of the which in the last part Thus I conclude my fourth part also Other mysteries 〈◊〉 Nature and some augmentations might be here annected but I wave them mentioning onely the chiefest of theâ— and are such which may be wrought easily and in a shâ—â— time and whereby good store of riches may be gotteâ— The rest which are not of that importance and may easilâ— draw Novices into errours bringing no profit for the prâ—sent may in good time by carefull practise be found oâ— and obtained If you onely know those whereby health and wealth 〈◊〉 obtained then these metalline Sulphurs in their coâ—pounds may bring great profit unto you to write of aâ— these circumstantially is impossible to one man it is of aâ— infinite labour Call upon God for grace and mercie Aâ—
sword into Vulcans the Jaylors hand to â—â—t in execution all that which the Lords had resolved upâ—â— killed Mercurie burnt his bones with fire Vulcan did 〈◊〉 Office very carefully This Executioner having done 〈◊〉 duty there came a white shining woman in a long garb 〈◊〉 a silver piece of several water colours being well viewed â—â—hold it was Lune the wife of Sol she fell down upon her â—ce intreated heartily and weeping that her husband Sol â—ight be set at liberty out of prison Mercurie had cast him â—to by force with deceitfulnesse where both he and Merâ—â—rie upon your honours command were kept imprisoned â—â—t Vulcan gave her a flat denial because he was comâ—anded to do so and went on to do his office in executing â—â—e sentence At last the Lady Venus came in a deep red â—obe lined with green of a most beautifull countenance â—leasant speech and amiable gestures bearing fragrant â—owers in her hand which were a most refreshing pleasure 〈◊〉 the eyes to behold by reason of variety of colours she â—ade intercession in the Chaldaean language unto Vulcan â—â—tting into his remembrance that redemption must come â—â—om a womankinde but his eares were stopp'd These â—wo conferring together Heaven opened it self there came â—â—rth a huge beast with many thousands of young ones deâ—â—oyed the Executioner opening his jaws wide devoured â—he Lady Venus which made the intercession crying with a â—â—ill voice My descent is of women my seed is scattered â—â—r and near by them thereby they replenished the Earth â—heir Soul is kinde to mine therefore my desire is to feed â—â—d to drink of their bloud The beast having spoken thus â—â—oud it went into a room shut the door behinde all its young ones followed it where more food must be proâ—ded for them and they drunk the first incombustible Oâ— that meat and drink they easily digested whereof moâ— young ones were bred which was continued long so thâ— all the World was filled by them All these things thus hapning there was a meeting of â—veral learned men which endeavoured to interpret 〈◊〉 declare what hapned and what had been spoken that thâ— might the better understand these mysteries none of theâ— was able to perform that businesse for all of them had â—â—veral thoughts concerning these things at last there stoâ—â— up an ancient man as white as snow in his hairs clad 〈◊〉 purple from top to toe on his head he had a Crown in 〈◊〉 midst of it was set a precious Carbuncle he was girt wiâ—â— the girdle of life and went bare-footed spoke with a spâ—cial spirit which was hid in him his speech and sayiâ—â— went through his body and life his Soul felt it to the iâ— most This man stept on high desired the Assembly to 〈◊〉 silent and to give diligent attention unto him because 〈◊〉 was sent from above to declare unto them these writing and to make it known unto them in a Philosophick expreâ—sion The Assembly being silent he began to speak thus Awaken O man and behold the light that darknesse mâ— not mislead you the Gods of Fortune and the great God have revealed unto me in a deep sleep How happy is thaâ— man that knoweth a God in their wondrous works anâ— happy is he whose eyes are opened to behold the lighâ— which formerly was a darknesse unto him The Gods hâ—â—â— granted two Stars unto men to lead them unto great wiâ—dom O man view them exactly follow after their Iustreâ— because wisdom is found therein The swift Bird of thâ— South devoureth the heart of the huge beast of the Easâ— Make wings also unto the beast of the East as the 〈◊〉 hath of the South let them be equal one to another so this Eastern beast must be bereaved of his Lyon-skin anâ— his wings must vanish again for both must enter into thâ— great Salt-Sea and come forth again in beauty sink youâ— disciples spirits into a deep Fountain which is never withâ—â—t water that they also may be like unto their mother â—hich lieth hid therein and she came from three into the World Hungary hath fiâ—st begotten me Heaven and Sâ—aâ—s preâ—â—ve me Earth giveth suck unto me Though I must die â—nd be buried however the God Vulcan begets me a seâ—ond time therefore Hungary is my Native Countrey and â—y mother compasseâ—h the whole earth This being hearkened unto by the Assembly he spake â—â—ther thus make that which is highest to be lowest that â—hich is visible to be invisiâ—le and that which is compreâ—ensible to be incomprehensible and provide that the 〈◊〉 most become to be the uppermost mâ—ke the invisible â—â—come to be visible make the incomprehensible a pulpaâ—e thing This is the whole Art and very perfect withâ—â—t any defect but therein dwelleth death and life dying â—â—d rising it is a round Globe on which the goddesse Forâ—â—e lets her Chariot roll about and bringeth salvation of â—isdom unto men of God its true sense is ALL in ALL â—â—t the highest is Judge which judgeth things eternal He that desireth to know what ALL in ALL is let 〈◊〉 make great wings for the earth put her into a great â—â—guish let her soar upward make her flye through the â—â—e and be exalted to the highest place of the uppermost â—â—eaven then burn her wings with a forcible fire that the â—â—th may fall into the Red Sea and be drowned therein â—â—en command the Sea to stand exiccate the water by â—e and aire reduce it unto earth again then I say you â—â—e ALL in ALL if you cannot finde this then feel 〈◊〉 thine own bosom and about thee into all things that 〈◊〉 in the World then you will finde ALL in ALL 〈◊〉 is of an attractive quality of Mineral and Metalline 〈◊〉 descâ—â—â—ing from Sal and Sulphur twice begotten of 〈◊〉 More is not meet for me to speak of ALL in ALL 〈◊〉 ALL comprehended ALL. This speech being made he said further Beloved men I hope you have by hearkning unto my voyce learned wisdom how and in what you are to seek for the great stonâ— of ancient Philosophers which healeth Leprous imperfecâ— Metals revealeth unto them a new birth preserveth meâ—â— in health prolongeth their lives and by his heavenly power and operation hath kept me alive so long that I aâ— weary of life and wish for nothing but death Thanks be to God for his grace and wisdom which hâ— hath granted so graciously unto me so long a time blesseâ— be his holy name for ever Amen Thus he vanish'd awaâ— before their eyes After the finishing hereof every one returned hoâ—â— meditating seriously on these things day and night and every one wrought according to their several gifts they received from Gods bounty and goodnesse c. Hereupon follow the XII Keyes of BACILIUS VALENTINUS Whereby the Doors are opened unto the Ancient stone of Philosophers where is found that everlasting Fountain of health and of wealth The first Key MY friend you must know that impure and defilâ—â— things are not fit
do generate a corporeal matter according to that matter 's quality Thus the Astrals together with the Elements may raise a new seed which was never before any which seed by a further putrefaction may be encreased But unto 〈◊〉 is not so much granted as to stir up a new kinde of seed because the operation of the Elements and the â—â—stral substance he hath not at command to fashion what 〈◊〉 pleâ—â—â—â— thâ—â— several sorts of Herbs are generated meerly by putrefaction And whereas the Countrey people holding it a meer custom do not take it into a further consideration nor imagine they any cause for it therefore among the vulgar is it become meerly a customary businesse Buâ— you which ought to know more than ordinary people must consider further of it and learn to know the causâ— and ground thereof how and from what these living Creatures are generated by putrefaction not to know iâ— because it is usual but rather to know it is a mystery iâ— Nature because every life cometh from puâ—â—efaction Every Element per se hath its corruption and generation Let the Artist be inform'd and learn the sufficient ground why in every Element the other three are hid for airâ— containeth fire water and earth which though it seemetâ— incredible yet is it a truth and fire containeth aire water and earth and earth containeth water aire and fire elsâ— they would not generate water also containeth aire earth and fire though every Element is per se yet arâ— they mix'd all which is found true at distillings wherâ— these Elements are thus separated To make this appear to the ignorant which may crâ— out that I speak meerly lies if you intend to learn thâ— Anatomy of natural things and to separate the Elements I tell thee for a truth that at the distilling of earth therâ— cometh first the Element aire being the highest then a a certain progresse there comes the Element water thâ— fire lieth hid in the aire because both are of a spirituaâ— substance love and embrace one another intirely the eartâ— remaineth in the bottom in which lieth hid the gloriouâ— Salt When you distil any water aire and fire cometh oveâ— at first then the water the body of the earth abideth iâ— the bottom The Elâ—ment fire if it be driven into a visible substance by extraction each may be received apart In like manneâ— in the aire the other three Elements do dwell For nonâ— of these can be without aire earth can produce nothinâ— without aiâ—e fire doth not burn nor hath it any life witâ—out aire neither can water produce any fruit without aire Neither can aire consume any thing nor exsiccate any moisture unlesse it be done by a natural heat which is â—n the aire being heat and warmth is found in the aire â—herefore needs must the Element of fire be in the aire For all hot and dry things are proper for the fiery substance â—f things he that denieth this truth understandeth noâ—hing in Natures mysteries neither doth he know any â—round of their properties You must conceive if any thing shall be generated by â—utrefaction it must be in this manner Earth is brought â—y a secret moisture into a corruption which is the beginâ—ing of putrefaction for without moisture which is the Element water no true putrefaction can happen Now if â—ny breed shall come from thence it must come from a â—arm quality as the Element fire must kindle and spread 〈◊〉 self for without a natural heat nothing can be geneâ—ated and if that breed shall have a living breath and moâ—ion the same cannot be without aire for if aire should â—ot be cooperative then the first composition out of which â—he breed should come would be choaked and perish by â—eason of want of aire Thus you see plainly that perfect Creatures cannot be without any of the four Elements the â—ne shewing its operation in the other which they proâ—nce in and at putrefaction for from henceforth nothing â—an be brought to life without the same To make this â—ppear to be true that to a perfect birth and generation â—â—re are requisite all four Elements Then note that as Adam the first man being created by â—he Creator of a Limus terrae there appeared not as yet ane â—â—sible life before God had breathed on him then a lify â—ppeared in that clod of earth in that earth was the Salt â—â—at is the body the inbreathed aire was Mercury the spiâ—â— by this inbreathing the aire presently afforded a due â—â—d convenient calidiry which was Sulphur that is fire â—â—en it stirr'd Adam shâ—wed by this stirring that there was â—â—â—sed into him a living Soul For fire cannot be without aire the water was corporated in the earth because this must be together of necessity else no life and must stand in an equal proportion Thus Adam was first builded and begotten out of earth water aire and fire of a soul body and spirit raised of Mercury Sulphur and Salt So Eveâ— the first woman the Mother of us all was of the same composed being taken from Adam thus Adam and Eve were builded which you must note very well To come now again unto putrefaction the seeker in Philosophy is to know that in like manner no Metalline seed can work nor be augmented unlesse that Metalline seed be first in and of it self without any strange addition or mixture may be brought into a full putrefaction no more than the seeds of Animals and Vegetables can bring their increase without putrefaction The same Metals also must reach unto their perfect operation by the help of the Elements not that the Elements are the seed but the Metalline seed which had its descent from a heavenly astraâ—â— Elemental substance and is come to a corporality and mâ—â—â— by the Elements be further brought into such corruptioâ— and putrefaction Note this also wine containeth a volatile spirit aâ— whose distilling its spirit cometh first and its phlegme at last but wine being by a continued heat turn'd into Vinegar then its spirit is no more so volatile as before and at the distilling of Vinegar its phlegme and aquosity cometh first and its spirit at last though the same matter be in the Vessel yet its condition is altered being no more a wine but by putrefaction is transmuted into Vinegar and that which is extracted from wine is of another nature and operation than that which is drawn from Vinegar For iâ— Vitrum Antimony be extracted with Wine or spirit oâ— Wine it causeth many stools by purging and vomits also because its venom is not yet quite broken nor destroyed but if Antimonial glasse be extracted with distilled Vinegar that extraction is of a deep colour this Vinegar being abstracted in Balâ—eâ— Mariâ— and the yellow remaiâ—â—â— powder being well dulcified with distilled water to get off all its accrosity then you have a sweet powder which causeth no more any stools but is a rare Medicine of admirable efficacies may well be held for miraculum Medicinae
Particulars and Medicaments In the Treatise of the Philosophers stone I have set â—own expresly in a parable the Philosophers Sulphur â—n the XII Keyes but the Philosophers Mercury or â—he true Philosophick Magnet I gave a hint of in few words however I treated of the same in the XIâ— Keyes of the prima materia I spoke in my Rythmâ— or Verses I leave a light for a farewell unto the seeking Diâ—ciples whereby they may see the clear day in a daâ—â— night and do describe the vertue and operation of thâ— vulgar Sulphur Vitriol and Magnet the rest yoâ— may finde in the Treatise which followeth next thâ— XII Keyes which if you finde the true way of working you may get sufficiently of health and wealth iâ— this world Make use of in the name of God and unto his glorie and do good unto the poor and be helpfull untâ— them otherwise thy earthly Paradise may be turn'd iâ— the end into a damnable Hell from which O Lord deliver all good people Amen The First TREATISE Of Philosophers Sulphur Vitriol and Magnet First Section Of Sulphur and ferment of Philosophers LOving seeker of Chymical mysteries I have written a Treaâ—ise about the Philosophers stone and have set down expresly the materia of the Philosopherâ— Sulphur in the first Key and taught you in the second Key how you ought to distil our water of the Eagle and cold Dragon who had his dwelling a long time in Rocky Clifts and crept in and out in Subterranean concave and hollow places pour this spirit or aqua upon purged and fined Gold lute it well and set it into a dissolution in fimo for 14. nights to putrifie it then draw it over the Helmet pour the water upon Gold Calx whole make all the Gold come through the Helmet set this again under a Helmet abstract the water gently leave a third part of it in the bottom then set it into a Cellar let it coagulate and Crystallize wash these Crystals with distill'd water precipitate them with Mercury vive evaâ—â—rate the Mercury gently then you have a subâ—ile powâ—â— put it in a glasse lute it reverberate it for three dayes aâ— nights do it gently thus is the Philosophers Sulphur wâ— prepared for your work and this is the purple mantle 〈◊〉 Philosophick Gold keep it safely in a glasse for your coâ—junction The second Section Of the Philosophers Vitriol I Have told you plainly how Philosophers Sulphur 〈◊〉 made which loco masculi is to make the King or maâ— now you must have the female or wife which is the Mâ—â—curie of Philosophers or the materia prima lapidis whiâ—â— must be made artificially for our Azoth is not commâ—â— Vinegar but is extracted with common Vinegar and theâ— is a Salt made of materia prima this Salt is called the Pâ—losophers Mercurie which is coagulated in the belly of tâ—â— earth When â—his matter is brought to light it is not deâ—â— and is found every where Children play with it it is poâ—â—derous and hath a sent of dead mens bones for two Gâ—â—ders you may buy this matter for the work Therefore taâ—â— this matter distil calcine sublime reduce it to ashes for an Artist want ashes how can he make a Salt and he thâ—â— hath not a Metalline Salt how can he make the Philosâ—phers Mercurie Therefore if you have calcined the matter then extraâ—â— its Salt rectifie it well let it shoot into the Vitriol whicâ— must be sweet without any corrosivenesse or sharpnesse oâ— Salt Thus you geâ— the Philosophers Vitriol or Philosoâ—phick Oyl make further of it a Mercurial water thus yoâ— have perform'd an artificial work this is called the Philâ—sophers Azoth which purgeth Laton but is not yet wash'd Foâ— Azoth washeth Laton as the Ancient Philosophers have 〈◊〉 two or three thousand years ago For the Philosophick 〈◊〉 or Laton must with its own humidity or its own Merâ—â—al water be purg'd dissolv'd distill'd attract its Magnet 〈◊〉 stay with it And this is the Philosophers Mercury or â—â—curius duplicatus and are two spirits or a spirit and â—â—r of the Salt of Metals Thâ—n â—his water beareth the me of succus Lunariae aqua caelestâ— acetum Philosophorum â—â—a Sulphuris aqua permanens aqua benedicta Take â—â—t or ten parts of this water and one part of your â—menâ— or Sulphur of Sol set it into the Philosophers Egg â—â—e it well put it in the Athanar into that vaporous and â—t dry siâ—e govern it to the appearance of a black white â—d râ—â— colour then you get the Philosophers stone and â—u enjoy this noble dear and blessed Medicine and Tinâ—â—re and you may work miracles with it The third Section Of the Philosophers Magnet HErmes the father of Philosophers had this Art and was the first that wrote of it and prepared the stone our 〈◊〉 Mercurie Sol and Lune of the Philosophers whom maâ—y thousand laboraâ—ors have imitated my self also did the â—ke and I speak râ—ally that the Philosophers stone may be â—â—mposed of two bodies the beginning and ending of it â—ust be with Philosophick Mercury And this is now prima materia alias praeda materia priâ—a belongs onely to God and is coagulated in the entraâ—s â—f the earth first it turneth to Mercury then to Lead then 〈◊〉 Tin and Copper then to Iron c. Thus the coagulated Mercury must by Art be turn'd into its prima materia or water that it Mercurial water This is a stone and no â—â—ne of which is made a volatile fire in form of a water which drowneth and dissolveth its fix'd father and its voâ—tile mother Metalline Salt is an imperfect body which turneth Philosophick Mercury that is into a permanent or blessâ— water and is the Philosophers Magnet which loveth Philosophick Mars sticketh unto him and abideth with hiâ— Thus our Sol hath a Magnet also which Magnet is the fiâ—â— root and matter of our stone If you conceive of and uâ—derstand my saying then you are the richest man in tâ—â— world Hermes saith you must have three speciesies for the worâ—â— first a volatile or Mercurial water aqua coelestis then virâ—dis Leo green Lion which is the Philosophick Lune thirdâ—â— aes Hermetis or Sol or ferment Lastly note Philosophers had two wayes a wet onâ— which I made use of and a dry one herein you must proceed Philosophically you must purge well â—he Philosophers Mercury and make Mercury with Mercury addinâ— the Philosophick Salt ferment or Sulphur of Philosophers and proceed therein as you heard formerly then you havâ— the Philosophers Magnet that is the Philosophers Mercury Secondly the Metalline Salt or Philosophick Salt Thirdly aes Hermetis or Philosophick Sulphur Thus I have deliâ—eated the whole Art if you do not uâ—derstand it then you will get nothing nor art thou predestinated thereunto Allegorical expressions betwixt the Holy Trinity and the Philosophers stone DEar Christian Lover and well wisher to the blessed Art how graciously and miraculously hath the Holy Trinity created the
Ruby this abstracted white spirit â—ouâ—ed on the earth again extracted further its Sulphur â—â—d put it to the former After this that Corpus terra look'd 〈◊〉 a paler colour which I calcined for some hours under â—uffle put it into a body on it I poured my white spirit â—â—racted its pure white fixed Salt the remaining earth â—â—s very porous good for nothing which I flung away â—as these three principles were fully and perfectly sepaâ—â—ed After all this I took my astral clarified Salt which weigh'd â—â—lf an ounce after the weight at Strasburg and of the â—â—ite spirit which weigh'd four ounces of Mercury one â—â—nce and a quarter of an ounce these I divided into two â—â—ts whose quantity was half an ounce and one dram I â—â—t this Salt to one part of the water in a Viol and nippd it 〈◊〉 it in digestion there I saw perfectly how the Salt disâ—â—ved it self again in this spirit therefore I poured to it the â—â—her part which was half an ounce and one dram no sooner â—â—is was put to it then presently the body together with â—â—e spirit turned as black as a Coal ascended to the end of 〈◊〉 glasse and having no room to go any further it moved 〈◊〉 and fro sometimes it setled to the bottom by and by it â—â—e to the middle then it rose higher thus it moved from â—â—e fourth of July to the seventh of August namely 34. â—â—ayes which wonderfull work I beheld with admiration 〈◊〉 last these being united and turned to a black powder â—â—ying on the bottom and was dry seing that it was so I â—â—creased my fire in one degree took it out of the we and 〈◊〉 in ashes after ten dayes the matter on the bottom beâ—â—n to look somewhat white at which I rejoyced heartily â—â—s degree of fire I continued till the matter above and â—low became as white as the glittering Snow But it was noâ— yet fix making â—ryal of 〈◊〉 set it in again encreased 〈◊〉 fire one degree higher then the matter began to ascend a descend moved on high stayed in the middle of the gâ—â—â— not touching the bottom of it this lasted 38 dayes aâ— nights I beheld then as well as formerly at the 30 dayeâ— variety of colours which I am noâ— able to expresse 〈◊〉 last thâ—s powder fell to the bottom became fix made pâ—jection wi h it putting one Graiâ— of it to one and a quâ—â—â— of an ounce of Mercury transmuting the same into very gâ—â— Lune Now it was time to restore unto this white tinctâ—â— her true anima and imbibe it to bring it from its whâ—â—nesse unto rednesse and to its perfect vertue Thereupon I took the third principle namely the animâ— which hitherto I had reserved in quantity it was one ouâ—â— a quarter of an ounce and one dram poured to it my râ—served spirit of Mercury whose quantity was one cuâ—â— and a quarter of an ounce drew it over several times 〈◊〉 alembicum so that they in the end united together thâ—se divided into seven equal parts one part I poured on mâ— clarified earth or tincture which greedily embraced 〈◊〉 anima together with its spirit and turned to a ruddinesâ—â— in twelve dayes and nights but had no tinging quality 〈◊〉 yet saving Mercury vive and Saturn it transmuted inâ—â— Lune which Lune at the separating yielded three Graiâ—◠〈◊〉 Gold I proceeded further with my imbibition and carrieâ— all the seven parts of anima into at the fourth imbibiâ—â—oâ— one part of my work ting'd ten parts of Copper into Gold at the fifth imbibition one part tinged hundred parts at thâ— sixth it tinged thousand parts at the seventh it tinged teâ— thousand parts Thus God be praised my work ended succesfully with great joy of my heart at this time I got oâ— the true Medicine four ounces half an ounce and one dram The two last in the ponderosity were almost equaâ— unto the first out of this my work I paid for Land and Ground to that Noble Gentleman O. V. D. 48000 Gilders Actumâ— 1607. These things I set down for a memorandum thaâ— I should not forget any of the manuals and of other thingâ— necessary for the work God be praised for evermore Amen An exact work how Mercury vive is coagulated and brought unto a Lunar fixation which Lune holds Sol also in the trial TAke of Mercury vive two ounces of pulverised common Sulphur six ounces grinde these in a wooden dish with a wooden Pestil set it on a Coal-fire in a melting pot stirring it about continually ler all the Sulphur evaporate then take forth the Mercury grinde an equal quantity of Sulphur with it proceed with its heating as formerly iterate this work five times then sublime this Mercury per gradus ignis take out â—his sublimate break it in pieces of the bigâ—esse of a small Nut or bean imbibe them in the white of Eggs then take a comenting pot put ashes into it in the midst of it set an Iron box stratifie into it this sublimate with refined silver fill up the box then lute an Iron lid to it put ashes on the lid lute an earthen lid upon that set this pot into a sand Capel let your first fire be gentle for twelve hours then encrease your fire for twelve hours more at last make a forcible fire for 24 hours then break open the Pot you will finde a black gray matter carry it on Lead of four ounces you will get three ounces of fix silver separate this fine silver in aquaefort you will finde a good deal of black Gold Calx reserve the silver Calx apart you may stratifie with it another time Thus far I went in my experience The fifth and last part Of the last TESTAMENT Of FRIAR BASILIUS VALENTINUS Treating of the transcendent and most precious and wonderfull Medicine which the great Creator hath put into Metalline and Mineral Salts for the benefit of man to keep him in perfect health continually LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI The fifth and last part Of the last TESTAMENT Of FRIAR BASILIUS VALENTINUS BEfore I begin to speak of the Salts of Metals and Minerals and declare their volumes and other precious and noble growth under ground in the first place I will prefix the preparation of aurum potabile because therein lieth the Corona of Medicinals Universaliter and meriteth the first place because Salts of other Metals and Minerals in their innate vertues are for particulars onely and are ordained for to preserve man in health and there is just cause to begin with the making of auâ—um potabile without sophistication and will speak of the distinction of it that it may be judged infallibly to be the true one This being my last part and my intention is to make a perfect relation of aurum potabile for the benefit of good and understanding men whom God after my death will rejoyce with this my book which upon tedious and laborious experience I wrote wherein I speak not by
body put away the phlegme but keep careâ—â—lly the spirit of Wine and spirit of Calx and note both â—â—ese spirits are hardly separated because they embrace â—osely one another and being distilled they come over â—yâ—ntly Therefore take these mix'd and united spirits put them â—o a Jar-glasse kindle it the spirit of Wine burneth away 〈◊〉 spirit of Calx stayeth in the glasse keep it carefully â—â—is is a great arcanum few of other spirits go beyond its â—â—cacy if you know how to make good use of it It s qualiâ—â— may hardly be set down in any way of abridgement This spirit dissolveth Oculi Cancrorum the hardest Cryâ—â— these three being driven over together and often iterated in that distilling three drops of that liquor being miâ—â—ed in warm Wine break and dissolve any Gravel and â—â—e in mans body expelling their very roots not putâ—â—g the patients to any pain This spirit of Calx at the beginning looks bluish being â—â—tly rectified looks white transparent and clâ—â—r leaving 〈◊〉 feces behinde This spirit dissolveth the most fixed â—â—wels and precious stones On the other side he fixeth all â—â—tiâ—â— spirits with his transcendent heat This spirit conquereth all manner of Podagrical Sympâ—â—s be they never so nodose and tarâ—â—rous dissolveth and â—â—â—els them radically To the omnipotent Trine God Father Son and Holy â—â—ost be returned hearty thanks for all his benefits which 〈◊〉 hath bestowed on man and discovered those secrets I â—â—ought on in his name To him be eternal praises â—men All that hath breath praise the Lord. Allelujah End of the fifth part BASILIUS VALENTINUS HIS TREATISE CONCERNING MICROCOSME OR The little World which is Mans body What it doth contain and of what it is composed what it doth comprehend and its end and issue A thing most necessarie and meet for the knowledge of such that love and embrace wisdom LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI BASILIUS VALENTINUS HIS TREATISE CONCERNING MICROCOSME THose that sâ—ek Art and have a desire to attain to wisdom are to note that the Highest upon my continued prayers hath granted unto me a Clergy-man to make known the many and great mysteries of nature among which mans body is one to be considered how that is govern'd in imitation unto Microcosme For it is â—â—et that the lesser should imitate the greater and the smallest and meanest ought to be governed by the greatest and most potent Microcosme or the great World containeth three things as the most principal the rest which come from these are meerly accidentals In the first place is to be considered the matter and form of this World which matter is made form 〈◊〉 out of a non-shape or a nothing and the great Creator presently prescribed an order for this matter what government it should keep as soon as it came to a life or motion This matter and form is water and earth For at the Creation by a separation of the water from the earth there was finished the matter and form as two things belonging one to another from these all Animals and Vegetables have their beginning and other two things as aire and fire which belong one to another have wrought life therein The matter and form is earth the Salt in that earth the body even so is with mans body which is Microcosme The matter was nâ— perfect without the form these joyning into one by God ordinance the form being become quick came then to perfection the matter and form got life by motion aire wâ— the first causer of that motion and perfect maturity was caâ—sed by a convenient heat moveably inclosed in the aiâ—e thuâ— the earth was brought to a fertility by the aire it was opened and became porous by motion for generation Thâ— earth being impregnated made her seed apparent by he aquosity then aire and heat in the neather and upper Regiâ—on of the Astrals caused that a Birth was brought forth thâ— blossoms were produced and the appointed fruit was ripened by concoction of heat Calcidity is a Sulphureous hot spirit wâ—ich like a Medicament exiccateth the superfluous grosse aquosity phlegmatick matter which in the generation at the beginning abounds too much in the earth before the aire could have a fellow dominion at the joyning with it carrying the same along in the superfluity of her birth The second principal part of Microcosme is inobility for the matter in it self was without life which by heaâ— was stirr'd up then the vital spirit became to be sensible which is in man a Sulphurous spirit kindling the body by a heat exiccateth the superfluity of the earth by the subtility of its substance and governeth the body in a constant motion For after the heat is gone then coldnesse gets the dominion the spirit of life being gone no sensiblenesse felt in the pulse and arteries and a dead body is found instead of life at the departing of the warm spirit of Sulphur rational men ought to take this mystery into consideration The two first Elements the matter and form being apparent and having gotten a mobility by the two last Elements by light Microcosme was not yet perfect the Creator allotted further an increase to the seed of the earth as well as he did to Vegetables and Animals God allowed unto earth an imagination for all sorts of seeds and to bring them forth after their several kindes Then the earth was impregnated by imagination which God allotted and the â—aith brought these seeds forth in Mans presence and the â—eat digested them to a maturity even till hi herto Matter and form of Microcosme being extant consisting of earth and water then the Creator caused a life into them â—y an inbreathed warm aire heating the cold earthly subâ—tance giving a heat uâ— o life and moâ—ion which was the â—oul which is the true Sulphur of Man spiritual in compreâ—ensible sensibly felt by its own operation All this being â—â—nish'd â—â—en God allowed an imagination unto good in the â—erfect understanding of Man that by his imagination he â—uld judge of all the beasts and impose on each a proper â—ame and by that imagination he learned to know his â—ife also that she had flâ—sh and bones of his body Then â—in appeaâ—ed perfect and that matter was made into a â—hape of a sensible body This form being made alive by â—he Soul had allowed further a subâ—ile â—pirit unto imagi â—â—ion and knowledge which is an invisible and inâ—â—â—preâ—ensible form like a work master who frameth 〈◊〉 things â—n the minde which hath its habitation in the upper Reâ—ion of Microcosme according to his volatility and deserâ—eth the name of Mercurie of the invisible spirit of mans â—ody Form and matter is earthly the life sticketh in the â—otion and the knowledge of every understanding unto â—ood and bad standeth in the sharp speculation of Microâ—â—sme the overplus found besides these three nature caâ—eth off as a Cadaver and is as a Monster which by theâ—â—â—hree is found to be a separation and a Cantit mort
If glorified Elias were present and the Aâ—â—â—als could â—peak and silent nature had a tongue to expresse hereof â—hen I needed not to bring in any further evidence to perâ—wade the incredulous who considered not judiciously this â—y saying for a man possessed with blindnesse cannot passe â—y judgement upon my writings bâ—â— understanding â—udgeth impatience and wisdom separateth herself from folâ—â— by her own experience This Vital spirit nourisheth feedeth and preserveth hâ—self by the Oleâ—â—y of mans Sulphur which is predominanâ— the bloud and with or through it doth work in â—he whâ— body that the substance may be perfect This Vital sâ— is Mercury which is found in man and is preserved by Oleity of its likenesse besides these two Mercury and Sâ—phur there is a third thing in man namely Salt which hâ— in the flâ—sh body and bones The Salt ministreth its noblest spirit for a nourishmâ— unto the bloud which saltnesse is found therein by taste and disperseth it self â—hroughout the body preâ—veth mans body like a Balsam from puâ—efaction and is the band and copulation whereby Meâ—cury or the Vâ— spirit continueth the longer with the Balsam in the flâ—â— dwelleth together in one For in the Salt there lieth a sâ—rit which must protect all other Balsams in their worth a dignity The remainder found in the flesh if these thâ— be taken from it is a dead thing as I told formerly and good for nothing nor can it be used for any thing As this Union Dominion and Government is in Maâ— the like are in Metals Minerals and Vegetables whâ— make up their perfect body do live keep and are preservâ— in the like manner as man is As the one followeth up the other in Man according to order in the like conditiâ— are other Animals after their kiâ—de and property As a Câ— is an Animal her food as grasse is Vegetable this Vegâ—table by the heat of the Cows body is putrified in that pâ—trefaction is made a separation which is the Key of all dâ—solutions and separations separation being made then goeâ— the subtile spirit the subtile Sulphur and the subtile Salt the Vegetable's substance of the grasse into all Members the whole body of the Cow the spirit ruleth the beast tâ— Sulphur nourisheth it and the Salt preserveth it This being done then nature distributeth her gifts fuâ—ther making a new separation as of the superfluouâ—nessâ— which the Cow doth not assume by way of assimilation aâ— must part with it and distributeth the same further and th◠〈◊〉 Milk this Milk is an Animâ—l substance transmuted from the Vegeâ—able In this Milk is made another separation by fire which must be kept gently For the subtilest spirit of the Milk together with the Sulphuâ— sublimeth is taken off and turned to a coagulated farâ—â—sse which is butter The â—est is separated by other means and precipitated and â—â—hereby is made another separation this is a second coaguâ—ation out of which men make their food of the overpâ—us â—s made another separation by fiâ—e not so far as the former â—wo at last there remâ—ineth an aquosity and is of no greaâ—â—sâ—fulnesse because the spirit and its nutriment â—s taken â—rom it by the sâ—veral separations After this nature maketh to a further putrefaction aâ—other â—nd grosse excretion of a Sulphureous and Salt â—ubstance which generateth afresh a living spirit which is the â—xcreâ—ent this serveth for the earth to be manured withall maâ—ing the earth fertil by its Sulphur and Salt as being of a â—osse and fat substance whereby new fruits are produced â—ere is another nutriture from an Animal into a Vegetable â—his maketh Wheat and other Fruits and Grains to grow â—roducing again a nutriment from the Vegetables unto Aâ—imals Thus one nature doth follow after the other by â—ulgar people not so much comprehended or search'd into â—ot caring to learn natures qualities so much which mâ—xeth â—ach natural things seem to be incredible To return again to the structure of Man the noblest spiriâ—â—f life hath its dominion and seat for the most part anâ—t â—ost strongly in the heart of mans body as in the noble â—art and the Sulphur of man â—iveth unto thaâ— spirit a nuâ—iment and spiritual accesse for its preservation by the aâ—reâ—or if aire be taken away from man then spiriâ— of liâ—e is hoak'd up departeth invisibly and death is at hâ—â—d The noble Salt spirit is a conserver of both its noblâ—st spiâ—t penetrateth throughout the grossest matter of 〈◊〉 Sa â— is â—ast into the bladder and that hath a spiâ—it of a peâ—ial â—peration That which goeth from the Salt throuâ—hâ— the â—adder is wrought upon by a hear ministreth a nâ—w â—â—cesse or increase so that this increase of Salt in man is iâ— exhaustible unlesse it die quâ—te and the body be burnâ— to ashes and the remainder be extracted As for an eâ—ample Take the Salts from Minerals let these grow agaiâ— coagulate and extract the Salt again by water the like seen in nitrous earths also and other common Salts aâ—â— there needs not to quote any further examples The spirit of life hath its processe into other Member from the heart into bones arms and the rest of the boâ— that are stirring In diseases and symptomes he is weaâ— and man by reason of such symptomes cannot perform hâ— businesse in that full strength as at other times when he in health feedeth and cherisheth his body with Vegetâ—ble spirits which come from feeding on bread meaâ— and drinking of wines then his body groweth strongeâ— and his Vital spirit groweth potent by such nutriments iâ— his superfluity disperseth himself into all Members anâ— sheweth his operation If the heart groweth faint theâ— is it a signe that the Vital spirit is not nourished upoâ— which there ensue speedily deadly diseases because thaâ— fire is not at liberty and falls into an extinction or choalâ—ing The fire in the heart and the natural heat is preserveâ— and supported by the aire of that aire the Lungs stanâ— most in need of the Liver also must have aire else it caâ—not laugh the Spleen must have aire else it will be oppress 't with stitchings and great pains the true seat for thâ— most part oâ—â—â—â—aire is necessary for the Lungs if these faâ— into any weâ—kâ—essâ— the cause thereof is because the Salâ— doth noâ— shâ—w its true and meet help and must go intâ— rottennesse casting up bloud and matter then there is aâ— hand a corruption of the aire from which the Vital spiriâ— cannot finde any true nourishment but must be starved because the Salt doth not effect its conserving quality thâ— Sulphur and the increase of the nourishment is obstructed and is not perfect whereby are caused Consumptions witherings of the body consuming of the flesh and exiccation of the bloud and of the marrow The substance of Salt oâ— the Salt spirit which preserveth the body hath its â—eat for the most part in the bladder where all humidities have their issue the remâ—ining grosse Salt is separated and excerned
Venus as also in Vitriol and both Venus aâ—â— â—â—ars can be reduced into a most effectual Vitriol in which Metalline Vitriol afterward all the three principles as Merâ—ury Sulphur and Salt are found under one heaven and with â—â—tle pains and short time each can be taken out of it apart â—s you shall hear when I shall make further relation of the Mineral Vitriol which is digged in Hungary of a high graâ—ation Now if you have wit and understanding art inâ—lined and heartily desireth to conceive of the true meanâ—ng of my Keyes and of my other writings thereby to unâ—oâ—k the locks of Metals for our store then you should have â—aken notice and observed that in all these I have written â—ot onely of the Metal of Sol of its Sulphur and Salt but I â—ave interlined and mingled also and made uniformal other â—ed Metals from whence may be had the mystical Masterie â—herefore men ought to iterate often the reading of Philosophick books then a true sense and meaning may be drawn â—rom them which without divine illumination cannot be â—either c. But hoping that those who are fully and really resolved â—o incline their hearts unto wisdom will give more attenâ—ion thereunto than the other madd worldlings for whom â—hese my writings were not intended for I spoke as plainly â—s ever possibly I could and this kindled light shall further â—e purified so that true and sincere Novices may have a â—ull light without an eclipse from their beginning to their â—nding To which end I took these pains to disclose that which all the World was silent in and concealed it to their â—ast end and buried it in silence to their very graves The scope I aimed at in so doing was not to hunt after any â—ain glory but rather that Gods gracious provident goodnesse might be held forth unto posterity that the future â—â—ges might become seeing and some of the posterities eyes might be kept open and be helpfull unto their needy fellow Artist and make them partakers of Gods graces and gifts Though my minde be mightily perplexed when I think â—â—on what I have done because I write so plainly not knowâ—ng into whose hands after my departure these my writings may come However I hope let them be what they will that they will remember and lay to heart my faithfull warnings inserted in my former and these present writings thaâ— they deal with this book and use it so that they may givâ— good accompt for it to Almighty God Touching further the Vitriol I should make mention oâ— it in my Manuals where I treat and write generally of Minerals But it being such a singular Mineral whose felioâ— whole nature doth not produce besides Vitriol before aâ—â— others is of great affinity unto Metals and is next kiâ— unto them for out of all Metals there can be made a Vitriol or Chrystal Chrystal and Vitriol is taken for one therefore I would not bereave it of its own praise and put itâ— commendation too far off but rather preferre it as therâ— is just cause before other Minerals and the first place nexâ— to Metals should be given unto it for setting aside all Metals and Minerals this is sufficient to make the Philosopherâ— stone of it which no other in the World can do the like though some particulariter are a help to further that work and Antimony alone is a sufficient Master hereunto as iâ— its due place more shall be spoken of However none iâ— thus much dignified in its worthinesse that the said Philosophick stone could be made of it as this Vitriol is Therefore ancient Philosophers have concealed this Mineral aâ— much as ever they could and would not reveal the same tâ— their own Children that they should not divulge it in the World but be kept secret though they published thaâ— such preparation is made out of one thing and out of onâ— body which hath the nature of Sol and Lune and containeth also the Mercury wherein they said true enough because it is so But here I must admonish you that you maâ— turn this argument and settle your thoughts wholly upoâ— Metalline Vitriols because I intrusted you that out of Venus and Mars there can be made an excellent Vitriol where in are found the three principles for the generation of oâ—â— stone but you must further note also that neverthelessâ— these three Metals as Spiritus anima corpus are buried anâ— â—â—d in a Mineral Vitriol as in a Mineral it self Understand â—is according to the distinct natures of Vitriol For the â—est which according to my experience shewed it self most â—ffectual herein is that which is broken and digged in â—ungarie of a very deep degree of tincture not very unlike â—â—to a fair blue Saphir having very little of humidities and â—ther additionals or strange Oars the oftner it is dissolved â—â—d coagulated the more is it exalted in its deep tinging â—olour and is beheld with great admiration This high graduated Vitriol is found crude in those places â—here Gold Copper Iron is broken and digg'd and is â—bundantly transported from thence into forraign parts inâ— much that sometimes there is great scantnesse of it in those â—â—rts and elsewhere Though the vulgar people can afford no better name to 〈◊〉 calling it onely a Copper-water however ancient Philoâ—â—ers by reason of its unspeakable vertue and dignity exâ—ll'd it and call'd it Vitriolum for that reason because its â—iritual Oyl containeth all the three principles of all the â—iumphing qualities If you get such deep graduated and well prepared Mineâ—â— called Vitriol then pray to God for understanding and â—â—sdom for your intention and after you have calcined it â—t it into a well coated Retort drive it gently at first then â—â—rease the fire there comes in the form of a white spirit of â—â—riol in the manner of a horrid fume or winde cometh â—o the Receiver as long as it hath any such material in it â—d note that in this winde are invisibly hid all the three â—â—ciples and come together out of that dwelling therefore â—s not necessary to seek and search alwayes in precious â—â—ngs because by this means there is a nearer way open â—â—o nature's mysteries and is held forth to all such which 〈◊〉 able to conceive of Art and wisdom Now if you separate and free this expell'd spirit well and â—ely per modum distillation is from its earthly humidity â—n in the bottom of the glasse you will finde the treasure 〈◊〉 fundamentals of all the Philosophers and yet known to none which is a red Oyl as ponderous in weight as eveâ— any Lead or Gold may be as thick as bloud of a burning fiery quality which is that true fluid Gold of Philosophers which nature drove together from the three principles wherein is found a spirit soul and body and is that philosophick Gold saving one which is its dissolution during thâ— fire and not subject to any corruptiblenesse else it flieâ—â— away with body and Soul
for neither water nor earth caâ—â— do it any hurt because it received its first birth and beginning from a heavenly water which in due time is pouâ—â— down upon the earth In these together driven goldish waters lieth hid that trâ—â— bird and Eagle the King with his heavenly Splendor together with its clarified Salt which three you finde shut up iâ— this one thing and golden property and from thence yoâ— will get all that which you have need of for your inteâ—â—tion Therefore set that golden body you have obtained whicâ— in dignity and vertue is exalted beyond all other Gold inâ—â— its due and lawfull dissolution its due time then the Aâ—gel of the highest will appear unto thee and tell thee thâ—â— it is the Resolver of all the mysteries in the World receivâ—â— it with joy and keep it safe for its quality is more heavenly than earthly therefore doth it heartily incline to strivâ— after that which is above from whence it had its Original If you have separated this Prophet from his matter whicâ— remained then you need not to undertake any further processe you were taught parabolically in my XII Keyes Foâ— even in his remaining formal substance you may finde anâ— expect from thence a pure immortal Soul together viâ—â— the glory of the Salt both which are obtained by means 〈◊〉 the spirit and must be had from thence and no impure oâ— contrary thing must be added thereunto And it is doâ— in the same manner as I told you in my Keyes with the Sâ—â— and Salt of the Gold by the saturnal water in whose plaâ—â— this spiritual Mercurial spirit might be used with better aâ—vantage Observe onely this difference that the Salt must be drawn forth from the Mercurial body as it hapned unto the Soul with the spirit of Mercury whereas on the other side the Salt of Gold must not be drawn forth with the saturnal water because it is too weak for the body of Gold but with a water which hath been expressed in the description of particulars This distinction must be exactly observ'd being of great concernment because the Salt of Vitriol is not so strongly guarded and is not in so fix'd a body as the Gold is but is still an open body which saw no coagulation as yet nor passed it through any melting fire therefore that body never came as yet to any compactnesse there is room left for its own spirit to enter into can embrace and unite with its like and a snow white extraction of Salt may be had whereas on the other side a sharper matter must penetrate Gold as you shall hear when I shall speak more of it in its due place Behold now my friend whatsoever thou art what minde I bare towards thee and how I am affected unto thee in my heart the like I never durst look for from thee Consider it well how sincerely and faithfully I disclose unto thee all the locks and bonds whereby the whole Philosophick wisdom is shut up which hitherto never entred any more â—houghts much lesse that ever it was practised or discovered and nothing caused me to do it but onely Gods infinite mercy my good will and love toward my Neighbour which my Predecessors have not done so compleatly and was put off unto me to do it Having thus separated your three Mineral bodies and ordered them into certain divisions and put away the dregs wherein they lye hid then look to it that you neglect none of it by the diminishing of the quantity which would prove a great fault to your work and keep each in its own and due quantity otherwise in your work you cannot come to a happy end This is the thrift which so many have missed and have written great volumes about it for all what cometh from our Philosophick Gold and hath divided it self into three parts the same must be brought into one without any losse and diminution which is to enter into a new form again and become a meliorated substance nothing of it must be done away but onely the feces terrae in which the glorious Salt had its dwelling Therefore do that I told you of joyn the spirit with the body bring the body also into a spirit dissolve exalt it into the highest spiritual power iâ— that dissolutioÌ„ the body turns to a spirit the spirit with the body uniteth and joyneth into one substance that after the exchanging of all manner of colours there cometh a white body like snow transcending all whitenesses This is the greatest mystery of this world about which among the learned and supposed wits such disputings in the world have been that a palpable thing and a visible one could be reduced into its prima materia and out of that may be made again a new clarified and better substance by the bountifull nature leading the way thereunto Thus you have made and brought into the world the Queen of Honour and the first born daughter of Philosophers which after her due perfection is called the white Elixir of which great volumes are extant Having brought your work thus far then you have deserved to be received into the Turba of Philosophers and you get more Art wisdom and understanding than all Sophisters which prate much of these mystical things and yet know not the least thing of it Therefore it is just that you should be preferred before them and let them sit below thee in shame and disgrace and in their darknesse of mis-understanding so long till nature doth enlighten them also That you may bring and lead that new Philosophiâ—â— Creature by the means nature afforded unto the highest perfection after which your heart with all her endeavours doth strive then remember that neither man nor beasâ— without a living Soul can neither stir nor move and as maâ— here in this life through temporal death loseth his Soul offering the same again unto the Almighty God from whom 〈◊〉 had it first into his mercy and merits of Jesus Christ â—here after the departure of the Soul the dwelling as the â—â—dy of it is left quite dead which is buried in the ground â—here it rotteth and must return unto dust and ashes being 〈◊〉 duly stipend which the fall of our first parents in Paradise â—we deserved and from them as by an inheritance is fall'n â—pon us after which putrefaction there are raised again on â—â—e great day new and clarified bodies and the departed â—â—ul taketh her dwelling up again in that new body after â—at there is no more parting of body nor spirit nor soul â—â—t because the Soul finding a clarified body then with the â—â—me she maketh an everlasting Union which neither Deâ—â—l nor death can destroy and disjoyn any more nor bring it â—to any corruption but from henceforth into all eternity â—e are and shall be like unto the best Creatures of God â—hich before our mortality and departure of the spirit of â—â—e soul and the body could never be God help and grant
rectified spirit of Wine with Salt of Tartar then putrified and reduced into a sweet Oyl this is an excellent Medicine against the French disease old Ulcers Chollick windy ruptures Gouâ—â— expelling many other diseases out of mans body 2. This Oyl is joyned also with Martial Tinctures For â—erâ—ury is the bond of other Metals and may be well used â—ticulariter The chiefest colour of Mercury is red as â—â—u finde in my other writings Chap. VI. Of common Vitriol â— TAke good Hungarish Vitriol dissolve it in distilled water coagulate it again let it shoot into Crystalâ— â—erate it five times then is it well purged and the Salts Allums and Niter are separated from it Distil this purged â—itriol with spirit of wine unto a red Oyl ferment it with â—piritual Sol add to it a due Dose of quick Mercury of Antimony coagulate and fix then you have a Tincture for men and it tingeth Lune also into Sol. Visitando Interiora Terrae Rectificandoque In venietis occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam 2. VItriol is calcined also to a red colour in a close Vessel on which is poured distilled Vinegar and is set in putrefaction for three moneths there is sound in a strong distillation a quick Mercury which you are to keep safe Wonders may be effected therewith upon Particulars and Universals Take three pâ—â—ts of this Mercury and one part of Sol joyn these being fixed it affords a Solar augmentum Make your supplies with its Mercury Laus Deo 3. This calcined red Vitriol is sublimed also with Salmiac thâ— sublimate is dissolved into an Oyl This Oyl fixeth Câ—â—obar whereof may be had Lune and Sol. 4. There is made a fix't water also Salmiac and Alloâ— being added thereunto This water being poured upon Suâ—phur of Jupiter which before was precipitated inâ—o a reâ— powder imbibed and coagulated and an ingresse be maâ—â— with Sol then you have a Tincture whereby câ—ude Antimâ—ny is transmuted into good Lune which may be transmuteâ—â— into Sol. 5. Lastly I tell thee if you extract the Salt out of Vitriol and rectifie it well then you have a work which iâ— short and tingeth Lune into Sol this metalline Salt coagulateth vulgar Mercurie and being transmuted into Lunâ— iâ— may be graduated higher through and with Antimony Thus you have my operations and experiments which may he very profitable unto you Make a good Christian use of it help the poor cure the diseased then God will blesse you Amen Sulphur is Vitriol Antimony is Mercary The third Section Of vulgar Magnet 1. MAgnet contains that which common Mars hath Common Iron may easily be wrought needs not to make many words of it Magnet hath an attractive quality to draw Iron 2. There is made an Oyl of Magnet and Mars which is very effectual in deep wounds 3. With Magnet and Antimony is made Lune fix which with the Oyl of Mars and Venus is graduated and made to Gold it may be performed also with Antimony and Mars Thus I finish'd my course and found many things in my working My fellow brethren turn'd Alchymists all had the Philosophers stone I was the beginner took great â—â—us before I attained to any thing if you read my wriâ—â—gs diligently you will finde the XII Keyes the prima â—â—teria or Philosophers Mercury together with the Philoâ—phick Salt the Philosophick Sulphur I delineated exâ—â—sly Now I close committing you to God and accept in hoâ—â—sty of that you are informed Medium Tenuere Beati FINIS Jod V. R. A Processe upon the Philosophick work of Vitriol HAving gotten this Processe in the foresaid year and and afterward as you shall hear with mine own hands elaborated and wrought the same no man â—ver-looking me I was heartily rejoyced even as if I had â—een new born and returned hearty thanks to Godâ— its â—ractick at the first I have not plainly described because I â—ad erred in the composing of it and was fain to begin the work anew I having miss'd in my work I begun in the â—ear 1605. because the matter of the Earth and the spirit â—f Mercury was not sufficiently purged therefore the earth â—ould not perfectly be united at the composition with the water I let that quite alone and began a new Processe at â—he end of the year 1605. in the Citie of Strasburg used â—ore diligence and exactnesse then my work God be praiâ—â—d prospered better for the which I am still thankfull to God for it In the name of the Hâ—ly Trinity the 1â— October Anno 1605. I took ten pouâ—d of Vitriol dissâ—â— it in distilled Rain-water being warm'd let it stand 〈◊〉 day and a night at that time many feces were setled Iâ—trated the matter evaporated it gently ad cuticulam usâ—â— I set it on a cool place to crystallize this on shot Vitriâ—â— exiccated dissolved it again in distilled Rain-water lâ—â— shoot again which work I iterated so long tiâ—l the Viâ—â— goâ— a coelestial gâ—een colour having no more any feces aâ—â—â— and lost all its corrosivenesse and was of a very pleaâ—â— taste This highly putrified Vitriol thus crude and not â—â—cined I put into a coated Retort distilled it in open fâ— drove it over in 12 hours space by an exact government fiâ—e in a white fume when no more of these fumes caâ—â— and the red corrosive Oyl began to come then I lâ—t the 〈◊〉 go out the next morning all being cold I took off the â—â—ceiver poured the gift in the receiver into a body aâ— some of the lâ—â—e being fall'n into I filter'd it and had a 〈◊〉 menstrual water which had some phlegme because I tâ— that Vitriol uncalcined which I abstracted in a Balmy 〈◊〉 leaving one drop of water in it I found my Chaos in the bottom of a dark rednesse vâ— ponderous which I poured into a Viol sealed it Hermeâ—â— set it on a three-foot into a woodden globe into a vâ—porous hath made of water where I left it so long till 〈◊〉 was dissolved after some weeks it separated into two parâ— into a bright transparent water and into an earâ—â— which setled to the bottom of the glasse in form of a thiâ— black corrosive like pitch I separated the white spiâ—â— from it and the fluid black matter I set in again to be dâ—â—solved the white spirit which was dissolv'd of it I separatâ— again this work I iterated leaving nothing in the bottoâ— save a dry red earth After that I purged my white spiâ—â— per distillationem very exactly it was as pure as the tear thâ—â— falls from the eye the remaining earth I exiccated under Muffle it was as porous and as dry as dust on this I pourâ—â— again my white spirit set it in a digestion this spirit exâ—â—â—ct the Sulphur or Philosophick Gold and was ting'd of a 〈◊〉 yellow I caâ—â—ed it off from the matter and in a body â—bstracted the spirit from the Sulphur that Sulphur stayed â—â—inde in form of an Oyl very fiery nothing like unto its â—â—t as red as a