is wasted and my Bones dried up that some will take my part heartily after I am in the Pit and if God would permit it they would willingly raise me from the dead but that cannot be wherefore I have left them my Writings that their Faith and Hope may have a Seal of Certainty and Truth to testifie of me what my last Will and Testament was which I ordained for the poor and all the Lovers of Mysteries though it did not behove me to have wrote so much yet I could not refrain without prejudice to my Soul but to drive a Light or Flash through a Cloud that the Day might be observed and the dark Night thick and gloomy rainy Weather expelled Now how the Archaeus operates further by the Spirit of Mercury in the Earth or Veins of the Earth take this Advice that after the spiritual Seed is formed by the impression of the Stars from above and fed by the Elements it is a Seed and turns it self into a Mercurial Water as first of all the great World was made of nothing for when the Spirit moved upon the Water the Celestial Heat must needs raise a Life in the cold watrish and earthly Creatures in the great World it was Gods Power and the Operation of the Celestial Lights in the little World it is likewise Gods Power and the Operation to work into the Earth by his Divine and Holy Breath Moreover the Almighty gave and Ordained means to accomplish it that one Creature had obtained power to operate in the other and the one to help and assist the other to perform and fulfil all the Works of the Lord and so an influence was permitted the Earth to bring forth by the Lights of Heaven as also an internal Heat to warm and digest that which was too cold for the Earth by reason of its humidity as unto every Creature a peculiar fashion according to its kind so that a subtile sulphurous Vapour is stired up by the Starry Heaven not the common but another more clarified and pure Vapour distinct from others which unites it self with the Mercurial Substance by whose warm property in process of time the superfluous Moisture is dryed up and then when the soulish property comes to it which gives a preservation to the Body and Balsam operating first into the Earth by a spiritual and sydereal iufluence then are Metals generated of it as it pleaseth the Mixture of the three Principles the Body being formed according as it assumes unto it the greatest part of those three But if the Spirit of Mercury be intended and qualified from above upon Animals it becomes an Animal Substance if it goes upon Vegetables by order it becomes a Vegetable Work but if by reason of its infused nature it fall on Minerals it becomes Minerals and Metals yet each one hath its distinction as they are wrought the Animals for themselves the Vegetables on another manner and form by themselves and so likewise the Minerals each one a several way whereof to write particularly would be too tedious and yield large and various Narrations Many one may here demand and not without cause how such a Spirit of Mercury may be procured how to be made and after what manner it is to be prepared to expel Diseases and change all the kinds of the meaner and baser Metals as if they were born in a little world by transmutation and augmentation of their Seed many expect this with impatience I answer without concealing any thing but will truly discover as much as is permitted me by Gods Command in manner and form following In the Name of the Lord Take a Red Quick-silver Ore which is like unto Sinople or Vermilion and the best Gold Ore you can get grind of each a like quantity both together before they partake of any fire poure an Oyl of Mercury upon it made per se of common purified and sublimed Quicksilver set it a month to digest you have an Extract rather Celestial than Terrestrial distil this Extract gently as in Balneum Mariae the Flegme ascends over the Oyl remaining at bottom being heavy which in a moment receives all Metals into it poure thrice as much Spirit of Wine to it circulate it in a Pellican till it be as red as Bloud and become so sweet that nothing may compare with it decant the Spirit of Wine to a Liquidness poure fresh Spirit of Wine upon it this reiterate so often till the Matter be exceeding sweet and transparent red as a a Ruby then put all together poure that which ascended over upon white calcined Tartar and distil it strongly in Ashes the Spirit of Wine remains behind with the Tartar but the Spirit of Mercury ascends over If this Spirit of Mercury be mixt with the Spirit of Sulphur together with its Salt and so brought over jointly together that they can never be separated you have such a work which if it come over and it get its ferment with Gold by solution according to a just measure and time appointed and be brought to a perfect ripeness unto the Plusquam perfection nothing may compare therewith for prevention of Diseases and poverty and to a rich excessive recreation of the Body and Goods This is the way to obtain the Spirit of Mercury which I have revealed as far as it is permitted me to do by the Supremest Emperour the Manual Operations are found in the Work which I have revealed you must wisely observe that you may not endure a Bath in Hell for me by my true admonition to thee forasmuch as a true opening of the Door which leads to the Royal Palace is performed but with one Key which cures all Diseases be it Dropsie Consumption Gout Stone Falling Sickness Apoplexy Leprosie or howsoever called in general This Medicine likewise cures all kinds of the French Pox and all old Sores of long standing be it Wolf Noli me tangere Letter Ring-worm Cancer Fistula and corroding hollow Sores all which I have declared and concealed nothing Last of all observe that you do not discover too much or no more because all Art hath its Original or Source out of the Spirit of Mercury which is refreshed and raised to Life by the spiritual Sulphur that it becomes Celestial with and by the Salt they are made corporal and formal but the beginning of the Soul of the Spirit and of the Body let it be and remain a Magnet even as it is and can be acknowledged to be nothing else This is the summe in brief that without the Spirit of Mercury which is the only true Key you can never make Corporal Gold potable nor the Philosophers Stone Let it remain by this Conclusion be silent for I my self will at present say no more because Silence is enjoyned thee and me by the orderly Judge recommending the Execution and further Search thereof to another who hath not as yet reduced the Matter into a right Order CHAP. IV. Of the Spirit of Copper THE
and admirable Effects be they called by what name soever I am an Ecclesiastical person obedient to the Ecclesiastical degree related to the Benedictine Order by a Spiritual and Divine Oath by which Order with my internal Prayer I obtain comfort and promises of Gods Word a refreshment to my Soul but in a corporal temptation of my weaknesses and for my Brethren I have not found and used a better corroboration by Gods Blessing than these three Compounds united God give bless and increase this Virtue and Power unto the End of this temporal World which Man must change together with Death O thou golden power of thy Soul O thou golden intellect of thy Spirit O thou golden operation of thy Body God the Creator keep thee and grant unto all earthly Creatures who love and honour him the true understanding of all Gifts that thy Will may be done in Heaven and on Earth This is enough revealed at present concerning the Spirit of Gold until the coming again of Elias Hereunto I add a short Process Take a Spirit of Salt therewith extract the Sulphur of Gold separate the Oil of Salt from it rectifie the Sulphur of Gold with Spirit of Wine that it be pleasant without Corrosive then take the true Oil of Vitriol made of the Vitriol of Verdigreece therein dissolve Mars thereof make a Vitriol again and again dissolve it into an Oil or Spirit which rectifie in like manner as before with Spirit of Wine conjoin them and abstract the Spirit of Wine from it resolve the Matter which remaines dry in Spirit of Mercury according to a just weight circulate and coagulate it when it is fix'd and permanent without Ascention you have then a Medicine to tinge Man and Metals if it be fermented with prepared Gold CHAP. VII Of the Spirit of Silvor THE Tincture and spirit of Silver manifests its Colour of a Watchet or Sky-colour otherwise it is a waterish Spirit cold and moist not so hot in its degree as that which is found in Gold Mars and Venus for Luna is more phlegmatick than fiery though it be brought by the Fire out of its waterish Substance into a coagulation and even as the Metals gain their tinging Spirits and Coagulation in like manner do stones get their fixedness and colour as out of one Influence A fix'd coagulated Mercury is found in the Diamond therefore it is fixeder and harder than the other stones and cannot be so broken so the tincture of Mars or the Sulphur of Iron is found in the Ruby the Sulphur of Venus in the Emerald the Soul of Saturn in the Granate in Tin the tincture which is found in the Topaz and Crystal is appropriated to common Mercury in the Saphir is found the Sulphur and Tincture of Luna but each one according to a peculiar understanding and according to its kind and in Metals according to their form and gender for when the blew Colour is taken and extracted out of the Saphire its Rayment is gone and its other Body is white as a Diamond wanting only the hardness that is in a Diamond even so when Gold hath lost its Soul it yields a fix'd white Gold Body which by searching Students and young Artists is called fix'd Luna Wherefore you must now understand and observe that even as I have declared unto you concerning the Saphire for your apprehension even so on the other side you must learn to what purpose my Speech is intended for your Instruction concerning Metals For this blew Spirit is the Sulphur and the Soul whence the Silver receiveth its Life both in and above the Earth by Art and the white Tincture of the Silver upon white stands in the Magnetick form of an everlasting thing or Creature wherein is likewise found the first Ens of Gold O ye high qualified Orators where is your voice in this case to explain this Mystery And you conceited Naturalists where is your Writings and Advice of Reason And you Physicians Whither is your Opinion flown to fetch somewhat afar off over the Seas for to cure the Dropsie and all Lunary Distempers You will say that this my speech is too dark for you is it so then kindle the terrestrial Light seek and be not ashamed to make acquaintance with Vulcan and let nothing be irksome unto you so will you find by the assistance of the Eternal God that the Spirit of Silver contains in it to cure and expel the Dropsie quite alone as the Spirit of Gold and as that of Mercury can expel the Consumption radically or in the root even so that the Center of those Diseases cannot be found any more But that Luna in the veins of the Earth is not furnished with such a hot substance or quality in its degree but is subjected to a Waterish Nature this fault lies upon that great Light of Heaven which by reason of its Waterish influence hath implanted such qualities in the other Creatures and Planets of the Earth than it hath in Silver And albeit that Silver contains a fix'd Mercury which is generated in it yet it wants a hot fix'd Sulphur truly to dry up and consume its Phlegme whereby it hath not obtained a compact Body unless it be done afterwards by the art of the Little World And seeing that its Body is not compact by reason of the abounding watery substance its Pores therefore are not rightly defended nor closed to undergo the weight and endure a Battel with the Enemies all which Virtues are to be found in Gold if it shall overcome all Enemies and endure all trials without defect All things are difficult in the beginning but wben they are brought to an end they are easie to be understood and apprehended If you do truly observe the Spirit and the Soul of Luna and learn to know it truly you may quickly compass the midst of the Work how it shall afford the end with profit wherefore I will now propose to you an Example and instruct you by a Countrey-Rule that you may apprehend it and consider of it as Childrens Play in a high and weighty Matter that you may search it out with advantage as followeth A common Peasant casts forth or sows his Seed in a Field well dunged and prepared this Seed after putrefaction sprouts forth of the Earth by the operation and furtherance of the Elements and sets before our Eyes the Matter of Flax together with its Seed which it brings with it augmented this Flax is pluck'd up and separated from its Seed but this Flax cannot be used and prepared for any work profitably except it be first putrefied and rotted in water whereby the Body is opened and gains an ingress of its doing good after this putrefaction and opening it is again dried in the Air and Sun and by this coagulation it is again brought into a Formal Being that it may do future service This prepared Flax is afterwards buck'd beaten broken peel'd and last of all dress'd that the pure may be
BASILIUS VALENTINUS A BENEDICTINE MONK OF NATURAL SUPERNATURAL THINGS ALSO Of the first Tincture Root and Spirit of METALS and MINERALS how the same are Conceived Generated Brought forth Changed and Augmented Whereunto is added Frier Roger Bacon of the Medicine or Tincture of Antimony Mr. John Isaac Holland his Work of Saturn and ALEX. Van SUCHTEN of the Secrets of Antimony Translated out of High Dutch by DANIEL CABLE LONDON Printed and are to be Sold by Moses Pitt at the White Hart in Little Britain 1671. BASILIUS VALENTINUS A BENEDICTINE MONK OF NATURAL SUPERNATURAL THINGS ALSO Of the first Tincture Root and Spirit of METALS and MINERALS how the same are Conceived Generated Brought forth Changed and Augmented Translated out of High Dutch by DANIEL CABLE Whereunto is added ALEX. Van SUCHTEN OF THE SECRETS of ANTIMONY Translated out of High Dutch by D. C. a Person of great Skill in Chymistry LONDON Printed and are to be sold by Moses Pitt at the White Hart in Little Britain 1670. BASILIUS VALENTINUS OF Natural and Supernatural Things CHAP. I. BEcause I have at this present undertaken to write of the of the first Tincture the Root of Metals and Minerals and to inform you of the Spiritual Essence how the Metals and Minerals are at first spiritually conceived and born corporally it will be necessary first of all to utter and to acquaint you by a speech that all things consist of two parts that is Natural and Supernatural what is visible tangible and hath form or shape that is natural but what is intactible without form and spiritual that is supernatural and must be apprehended and conceived by Faith such is the Creation and especially the Eternity of God without end immensible and incomprehensible for Nature cannot conceive nor apprehend it by its humane reason This is supernatural what Reason cannot apprehend but must be conceived by Faith this is a Divine matter and belongs to Theology which judgeth Souls Moreover there appertains to supernatural things the Angels of the Lord having clarified Bodies doing that by the permission of their Creator which is impossible for any other Creature to do their Works being concealed from the Eyes of the World and so likewise are the Works of the Infernal Spirits and Devils unknown which they do by the permission of the most High God But above all the great Works of God are found and acknowledged to be supernatural not to be scann'd and comprehended by Humane Imaginations such is in especial the great Grace and Mercy of God which he bestows upon Mankind out of his great Love which indeed no man can apprehend or know and other great and wonderful works which he hath manifested divers manner of wayes by Christ our Saviour and Redeemer for the confirmation of his Omnipotence and Glory As when he raised Lazarus from the dead Iairus his Daughter the Ruler of the Synagogue and the Widows Son of Naim He made the Dumb to speak the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see all which are supernatural and Magnalia Dei so also was his Conception Resurrection Descension and Ascension into Heaven too deep and mysterious for Nature all which is only to be obtained by Faith There belongs likewise to supernatural things the taking of Enoch and 〈◊〉 into Heaven the divine rapture of St. Paul in the Spirit into the third Heaven Moreover many supernatural things are done by Imagination Dreams and Visions many wonders are done by the Imagination witness the speckled Sheep by the speckled Rods laid in their watring places God warned the wise men of the East by an especial Dream not to return again to Herod likewise their three Persons their three Gifts Presents or Offerings and the supernatural Star have all their peculiar and mystical meaning Nor was that Dream which hapned to Pilates Wife natural who unjustly adjudged our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to death The Vision of the Angels which appeared to the Shepherds at the Birth of Christ and to the Women at his Sepulchre who sought his Body where they had laid it cannot be accounted Natural There are many other supernatural things done at several times by the Prophets Saints so was the voice of the Ass speaking to Balaam contrary to the common course of Nature as also Joseph's Interpretation of Dreams And so God by his Angels preserves us oftentimes from infinite Evils and delivers us out of manifold Dangers impossible for Nature to do All this many others belong to Theology and to Heaven whereunto the Soul is to have regard Now follows the supernatural things of the visible Works of God as we see them in the Firmament to wit the Planets Stars and Elements which are above our Reason only their Course and Motion is observed by speculation and reckoning which belongs to Astronomy it is a visible but incomprehensible Being performing its operation in a Magnetick way out of which likewise divers admirable things are found and observed which arè altogether supernatural understand it thus that the Heaven operates in the Earth and the Earth affords a correspondence with the Heavenly For the Earth hath also its seven Planets which are operated and bred by the seven Celestial only by a spiritual Impression or Infusion even as the Stars operate all Minerals This is done incomprehensibly and spiritually and therefore it is to be accounted supernatural even as two Lovers their persons are visible but their Love one to the other is invisible Humane Bodies are tangible and natural but Love is invisible spiritual intangible and supernatural comparable to a Magnetick Attraction only for the invisible Love which is attracted unto it spiritually by the Imagination is accomplish'd by the desires and fruition In like manner when the Heaven hath a love to the Earth and the Earth hath a Love Inclination and Affection towards Man as the great World to the lesser for the lesser World is taken out of the greater and when the Earth by the desires of its invisible Imagination doth attract unto it self such a Love of the Heaven there is thereby an Union of the Superiour and Inferiour as Man and Wife are accounted one Body together and after this Union the Earth is impregnated by the Infusion of the Heaven and begins to conceive and bring forth a Birth sutable to the Infusion and this Birth after its Conception is digested by the Elements and brought to a perfect Ripeness and this is reckoned among the supernatural things how the supernatural Effence performs its operation in the natural Among the supernatural things are like wise reckoned all Magical and Cabalistical Matters which depend thereon arising out of the Light of true knowledge not those which proceed from Superstition Conjuration or unlawful Exorcisme such as the Sorcerers use but I mean in this place such a Magick as the Wise men had that came out of the East who by Revelation from God and by true allowable Art judged rightly or such an
one as those of old had before us usual among the Egyptians and Arabian before Writing was found they noted observed and reserved by Signs Characters and Hieroglyphicks Such Blessings may be used which Christ the Son of God used as the Scripture saith He took little Children laid his hands upon them and blessed them But whatsoever is contrary to God and his Word ought justly to be rejected and not to be tollerated because they are not Godly but Diabolical But those Supernatural things which oppose not God and his Holy Word belong unto Magick and do the Soul no prejudice As concerning Visions which Holy Men of God have often seen it is reason they should be reckoned among those things which are not Natural for whatsoever man speculates and comprehends by the Mind is Supernatural on the contrary whatsoever he can take see and hold is Natural Let us consider the third part of Natural Supernatural things in Physick the Virtues and Powers of each this Medicine of every thing must first be driven out of a visible tangible natural Body and be brought into a spiritual meliorated supernatural operation that the Spirit which at the first was infused and given to the Body to live might be released that it should operate and penetrate as a Spiritual Essence and Fire having its Vent-holes left that it might burn and have no opposition which might suffocate suppress or hinder the burning Life whereas otherwise if the separation of the Soul and Spirit from the Body should not first be done there could not succeed any operation either effectual profitable or necessary for whatsoever is visible to be felt and inseparably in a Body that is Natural and Corporal but so soon as there is a separation the living departs from the dead gaining its perfect operation and the natural Body being separated the spiritual Essence is free to penetrate becoming a spiritual and supernatural Medicine In brief all things none excepted which we can touch and handle are natural but they must be made supernatural if you would prepare them for Physick for the supernatural only hath a living power in it to operate the natural hath only a dead tangible Form For when Adam was made he was dead having no life of any virtue but so soon as the operative quickning Spirit came to him then he manifested his living virtue and power by supernatural admiration so that in every thing there is the natural and supernatural united in one and bound together in their habitation that every thing might be perfect for all created things in the world are some supernatural only what concerns the Soul and spiritual matters and some are natural and supernatural with what concerns the Elements and Firmament as likewise the Minerals Vegetables and Animals which is known and found when they are separated one from the other that the Soul departs out of the Body and the Spirit forsakes its Soul leaving the Body an empty habitation Moreover you must understand and consider that the great and little World are made and formed of one first Matter by an unsearchable Almighty Essence at that time in the beginning when the Spirit of God moved upon the Water who was from Eternity without beginning The great World as Heaven and Earth was first then was Man the Little World taken out of the greater the Water was separated from the Earth the Water was the Matter whereon the everlasting Spirit of God moved the Little World was formed of the noblest Earth as its Quintessence by the Aquosity which yet was in the Earth and all was only Natural but after the breathing in of the Divine heating Breath immediately the Supernatural was added so then the Natural and Supernatural were knit and united The great World is perishable yet there will be a New Earth or World the Little World is Eternal the Great Created Dissoluble world will again be brought to nothing but the little world will be clarified by the Spirit of God because he possesses it making a Celestial clarified water out of the aforesaid Earthly water then it will follow that the first matter will be turned into the last and the last matter will become the first Now the reason why the great world is perishable is this that the Spirit of God hath not his dwelling or habitation in the great world but in the little world for Man is the Temple of the Holy Ghost if he do not wilfully defile himself adhering to the Hellish Fire which makes a breach and difference For he remaines in the little world which he formed after his own similitude and made him a consecrated Temple otherwise there is every thing in the little world which is to be found in the great as Heaven and Earth with the Elements and what depends thereon or appertains thereunto We find also that in the first Creation which was performed of nothing three things arose to wit a Soulish Spiritual Invisible Essence which represented a Mercurial Water a Sulphurous Vapour and a Terrene Salt these three gave a compleat and perfect a tangible and formal Body to all things wherein especially all the four Elements are contained as I have already mentioned in my Writing where I treat of the Microcosme But that I may yet give a little more information of Natural and Supernatural things as well spiritual as corporal We find that the Canaanitish Woman was cured of her Flux of Blood which held her twelve years only by a bare touch when she touched the Garment of the Son of God her Disease being natural but the Medicine or Cure was Supernatural because by her Faith she gained help from the Lord Christ. Likewise we have an excellent high and supernatural Miracle in the three Children Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who were cast into the fiery Furnace by the Command of King Nebuchadnezzar yet by God wonderfully delivered and not consumed Dan. 3. So also the Confusion of Tongues and Infusion of divers Speeches at the foolish structure of the Tower of Babel which should have reached up to Heaven is esteemed for a Supernatural Miracle And so was that a Supernatural Sign when the Children of Israel did lap water as Dogs do when a small Number at Gods Command fought against the Midianites Judg. 7. 6. So the sending of the Dove by Noah out of the Ark when she brought an Olive Branch in her Bill a Sign of Mercy and a Divine Supernatural Message When the Holy man of God Moses struck the Rock with his Rod that the hard Rock yielded Water is beyond humane Reason so was the turning of the salt water into sweet and drinkable supernatural As also the dry passage of the Children of Israel through the Red Sea and the Budding of Aarons Rod are all supernatural In brief the Resurrection of Christ the Eternal Son of God out of the grave for all the Tomb-stone his appearing to the two men going to Emas his revealing himself to his Disciples when
the Door was lock'd are all Divine and Supernatural Divers Examples more might be recited out of Divine Writ which for Brevities sake I omit Among Supernatural things are accounted all Mineral Signs as the Appearance of Spirits Representations Pigmies appearing diversly and numerously giving notice of good or bad Luck Ruine or Riches so also those Figures Shapes or other works found in the Ores of Metals as of Men Fishes and other Creatures so formed and represented by the imagination of the three first Principles then ripened and fully digested by the Earth and other Elements Hereunto appertain the Monsters of the Earth and such things as are found within the Earth at certain times of a wonderful form and shape but not at all to be found when that time is past yet appear again and are to be found at some other time Hereunto also belong all Visions and Appearances performed by Water Glasses Cristal or other means as also those done by Sigils and Characters which yet are so various some being only Natural yet affording Supernatural appearances or sights but the others which are performed by Conjurations are neither Natural nor Supernatural but Diabolical belonging unto Sorcery and are prohibited all good Christians so likewise all those Means which oppose Holy Writ Gods Word and Commandments are to be rejected and refuted by true Natural Cabalists I say this because a certain distinction and sure order ought to be found of the Natural Supernatural Unnatural things In like manner there appertains unto Supernatural things all the Water-Spirits as the Syrens Succubi other Water-Nymphs with their Relations as likewise the Terrestrial Spirits and those which inhabit the Air who sometimes are heard seen or perceived sometimes foretelling Death or other Disasters sometimes they discover by their Apparition Riches and good Fortune in certain places and the Fiery Spirits appertain here also which appear in a fiery shape or like a burning Light all these are Spirits having untangible Bodies yet are they not such Spirits as the right Hellish Spirits who hunt after mens Souls as an Eternal Jewel even as the Infernal Lucifer the Devil and his Dependents do who were ejected with him but these are such Spirits which are above Nature set before Men for admiration and are only maintained by the Elements whereby they are nourished and fed but when this Earthly world shall cease they also shall decay and vanish with it because they have no Souls to be saved I will say no more hereof at present but refer the opening of such Circumstances more at large to another opportunity where I shall particularly treat of Visions and spiritual Appearances which are esteemed Unnatural by most part of the World yet truly are Natural but they are found to be Supernatural in their Operations and wonderful Qualities That I may further confirm my Assertion I say likewise that there are many things to be found in Physick which yield and manifest their workings supernaturally in a Magnetical way operating only by an attractive spiritual power which is attracted to it by the Air for the Air is the Medium between the Physick and the Hurt or Distemper even as the Magnet ever doth direct and turn it self towards its Pole-star though the star be many thousand Miles distant from it yet the spiritual operation and sympathy between them is so prevalent that it is attracted together at so vast a distance by the Medium or middle Band of the Air but because this attractive power is only known unto people in general or as a thing common it is therefore become customary and is so esteemed there being no notice taken of any further Secret whence this operative Faculty hath its Source or Original In like manner Hurts and Distempers may be healed and cured though the Patient and Physitian be very far distant one from the other not by Charmes Exorcismes or other unlawful prohibited means which are opposite to God and Nature but by such means wherein the attractive Magnetick Virtue lies to accomplish it As when a wounded person goes a Journey leaving the Weapon wherewith he was wounded or else of his Bloud which issued out of the wound with his Physician wherewith he proceeds rightly and by orderly means as is usual in dressing a wound without all doubt he shall be absolutely cured this is no Witchcraft but the cure is performed only by the attractive power of the Medicine which is carried to the Sore by the means of the Air wherewith it is mundified that it may perform the Spiritual Operation Some will think these hard sayings and impossible in Nature and many will say it is contrary to Nature whereby many will be excited to dispute it and raise Arguments one opposite to the other whether it be Natural or no whether it be possible or no or whether it be Sorcery I will thus resolve them that this Cure is natural but as it operates it is supernatural spiritual because it is performed meerly by an attractive incomprehensible means and that this manner of Cure is no Sorcery I affirm it hereby that it is not mixt or accompanied with any Sorcery nor with any other unnatural Means contrary to God the Creator or his holy and saving Word But it is only Natural out of its supernatural invisible incomprehensible spiritual and attractive power which received its Original from the Sydereal and performs its Operation by the Elements Lastly I likewise approve this Cure to be no Sorcery because the Devil rather delights in all Mischief to Mankind than to assist any manner of way for their benefit which yet is impossible for him to do without Gods permission Much more might be written of this Magnetick Form but I chuse rather to be silent referring it till I come to treat of the Natural Miracles of the World The grosser sort of foolish Wits who imagine themselves to be wise Philosophers and all others who are not in their perfect senses know no difference in this case but the wise and truly discreet well know how to distinguish betwixt that which is natural and that which is supernatural For do but observe this comparison to be proved by a gross Example how many Creatures are there which dye absolutely in the water so that no life is left therein but so soon as the pleasant Summer appears the natural heat gives a new life the Body quite restored in the same substance as it was before in its living Motion even as an Herb which dies in the Winter but in the Spring it manifests it self anew The death of these things is to be esteemed natural but the return of a new life in its knowledge is supernatural but because we are accustomed to all these things the least part of us consider what is worthy of further Meditation in this case letting both natural and supernatural go away together Most people overpass that natural custom which yet is supernatural as also monstrous Births and those that
bring signs and marks with them into the world which may all be natural but manifest themselves supernaturally by the imagination which caused them These supernatural forms and customs the Mother of the Child caused by intervening thoughts which unexpectedly happened to her as it were by accident Even as we often see and find that many Men naturally are born with some gestures which he can never leave though he endevour with all his might to do it The natural gestures of these Men are natural but the conception in the Womb which caused the imagination of these things is supernatural and subject to what the Heaven imprints To conclude I say that none can defend the supernatural not to be true by good grounds and reasons except he have learn'd to know the natural which hath its original and gained its shape from the supernatural after he hath learned this he may evidence it by sure proofs that he will be conquerour over those who will not believe what is supernatural and he will convince the opinions of those who dispute of natural things and yet know not the grounds saving only a bare pretence much talk tedious and unprofitable Debates CHAP. II. Of the first Tincture and Roots of Metals BUt now to come to my intent and by Gods permission to accomplish the same I undertake to certifie of the first Tincture Root and Generation of Metals and Minerals Know that the first Tincture and Root of all Metals is likewise a supernatural flying fiery Spirit which preserves it self in the Air seeking its habitation naturally in the Earth and Water wherein it can rest and operate This Spirit is found in all Metals more abundant in other Metals than in Gold because Gold by reason of its well digested ripened and fixt body is tight close and compact and therefore no more can enter into its body than is just requisite but the other Metals have not such fixt bodies for their pores are open and far extenuated therefore the Tincture Spirit can the more abundantly pass thorough and possess them But because the bodies of the other Metals are inconstant the Tincture cannot remain with those inconstant bodies but must depart And whereas the Tincture of Gold is found in none more plentiful than in Mars and Venus as Man and Wife their bodies therefore are destroyed and the tinging Spirit taken out of them which makes Gold sanguin being first opened and prepared and by their food and drink it becomes volatile wherefore this volatile Gold being satisfied with its food and drink assumes its own bloud to it self dries it up by its own internal heat by the help and assistance of the vaporous fire and there is a Conquest again which is quite fix'd makes the highest Constancy that the Gold becomes an over-fix'd Medicine by reason of abundance of Bloud it yields no Body except another superfluous Body be again put to it wherein the abounding fix'd bloud may disperse it self this additional Metallick Body by reason of the great heat of the fix'd Lions bloud is penetrated as by fire and purged from all impurity and forthwith throughly digested to a perfect ripeness and fixedness That first of all the Servant brings the Master unto Riches because the Master before could not spare any of his Cloaths to give away seeing that Nature had lent and endowed him with one Noble Suit only on the other side the King when he hath received his Aides and Contributions from his Subjects can then distribute possessions and permanent Liveries that the Lord and Servant may remain both together and do not think it strange that the King needs to borrow of his Subjects because their Bodies are unfix'd and inconstant for they receive much and yet can keep but little Credit But if the King can participate thereof he will the better overcome heat and Frost than the Leprous Metals can and henceforth by this Receipt he becomes particularly a Dominator and Conquerour of all other with a great Victory and triumph of Riches and of Health to long Life I hope you have from the beginning sufficiently understood concerning this Natural and Supernatural Advice and the first tinging Root of Metals and Minerals whereon the Corner-stone is placed and where the true Rock is grounded in its kind wherein Nature hath placed and buried her secret deeply concealed Gifts to wit in the fiery tinged Spirits which Colours they gained out of the starry Heaven by the operation of the Elements and they can moreover tinge and fix that which before was not tinged and unfix'd seeing that Luna wants the Robe of the Golden Crown together with the fixedness as likewise Saturn Jupiter and Mercury do and although Mars and Venu's need not this Rayment but can communicate it to the other five yet I say that they can perform nothing to attain any thing with wealth without the Lion because they are not sufficiently accomodated with a fixedness of their Mercury and a gentleness of their Salt except it be that the Lion overcome them that they have triumphed on both parts and gained a remarkable Melioration altogether this Melioration lies concealed in their Signate star or Magnet out of which all Metals have themselves received their Gifts Now I will proceed and particularly step to the Birth and Generation how the Archaeus manifests its power pouring it forth and daily reveales it whereby all Metallick and Mineral Forms are visibly proposed and made formal tangible and corporal by the Mineral intangible flying fiery Spirits Understand therefore further and observe with diligence and care that by forgetfulness you let not that which is weighty pass away nor yet neglect or overlook that which is most profitable and on the contrary observe the bare words at length passing over the Truth for what I write herein is undoubtedly held and esteemed that the highest is undoubtedly by many esteemed for the lowest and the lowest for the highest Mystery and is so to be reputed Now you must first know that all Metals and Minerals of the Earth have one only Matter and Mother whereby in general they all received Conception gaining a compleat and corporal Birth This Matter which comes out of the Center first of all divides it self into three parts to procure one corporal or certain form of each Metal These three parts are only fed in the Earth by the Elements out of their Bodies and nourish'd till they be perfect But the Matter which comes out of the Center is imagined by the Stars operated by the Elements and formed by the Earth It is a Matter to be known and the true Mother of Metals and Minerals It is such a Matter and Mother whereof Man himself is conceived born nourish'd and made corporal It may be compared to the middle World for what is in the great World is in the little World and what is in the little World is also in the greater and what is jointly in the great and little World is
likewise found in the middle World which unites and conjoins the great and little world it is a Soul which unites and copulates the Spirit with the Body This Soul is compared unto water and it is a right true water but not so that it wets as other water doth but it is a Celestial water dry found in a Metallick Liquorish substance it is a Soulish water which loves all Spirits and unites them with their Bodies conducting them to a compleat Life therefore it is reasonably found out and evidently proved that Water is the Mother of all Metals which are heated by the warm aerial Fire or Spirit of Sulphur which by its digestion makes the Earthly Body lively wherein the Salt is evidently found which preserves from putrefaction so that nothing might be consumed by Corruption At the beginning and birth Quick-silver is first operated which stands yet open with a subtile coagulation because little Salt is imparted to it whereby he manifests a more spiritual than corporal Body but all the other Metals which follow out of its Essence and have more Salt whereby they become corporal do all follow this so that I now begin first with the Spirit of Mercury CHAP. III. Of the Spirit of Mercury THough I have a peculiar Stile in writing which will seem strange unto many causing strange Thoughts and Fancies in their Brains yet there is reason enough for my so doing I say enough that I may remain by my own experience not esteeming much of others prating because it is concealed in my knowledge Seeing having alwaies the preheminence before Hearing and Reason hath the praise before Folly Wherefore I now say that all visible tangible things are made of the Spirit of Mercury which excels all earthly things of the whole world all things being made out of it having their Off-spring only from it for all is found therein which can perform all whatsoever the Artist desires to find It is the beginning to operate Metals when it is become a spiritual Essence which is meer Air flying to and fro without wings it is a moving wind which after it is expelled its dwelling by Vulcan it is driven into its Chaos where it again enters and resolves it self into the Elements where it is elevated and attracted by the Sydereal Stars after a Magnetical manner unto themselves out of love whence he proceeded before and was operated because it affects its like again and attracts it to it But if this Spirit of Mercury can be caught and made corporal it resolves into a Body and becomes a pure clear transparent water which is the true spiritual water and the first Mercurial Root of the Minerals and Metals spiritual intangible incombustible without any mixture of earthly aquosity it is that Celestial water whereof very much hath been written for by this Spirit of Mercury all Metals may if need require be broken opened and resolved into their first Matter without Corrosive it renews the age of Man or Beast even as the Eagles it consumes all evil and conducts a long Age to long Life This Spirit of Mercury is the Master-Key of my Second Key whereof I wrote in the beginning wherefore I will call Come ye Blessed of the Lord be anointed and refreshed with water and embalm your Bodies that they may not putrefie or stink for this Celestial Water is the beginning the Oyl and the means seeing it burns not because it is made of a spiritual Sulphur the Salt Balsam is corporal which is united with the Water by the Oyl whereof I will afterwards treat more at large when I shall write of them and mention them And that I may further declare what is the Essence Matter and Form of the Spirit of Mercury I say that its Essence is blessed its Matter spiritual and its form earthly which yet must be understood by an incomprehensible way these are indeed harsh Expressions many will think thy Proposals are all vain strange Effusions raising wonderful Imaginations and true it is that they are strange and require strange people to understand these Sayings it is not written for Peasants how they should grease Cart-wheels nor is it written unto those who have no knowledge of the Art though they be never so learned or think themselves so for I only account them Learned who next unto Gods Word learn to know Earthly things which must be pondered and judged by the Understanding founded upon a true Knwledge to distinguish Light from Darkness who chuse that which is good and reject the evil It is needless for you to know what the beginning of this Spirit of Mercury requires because it can in no wise help nor advantage you only take notice of this that its beginning is supernatural out of the Celestial Sydereal and Elementary bestowed on it from the beginning of the first Creation that it may enter further into an Earthly Substance But because this is necessary which hath been declared to you leave the Celestial to the Soul apprehend it by Faith and let the Sydereal likewise alone because these Sydereal Impressions are invisible and intangible the Elements have already brought forth the Spirit perfect into the world by the Nutriment therefore let that alone likewise for man cannot make the Elements but only the Creator and remain by thy made Spirit which is already formal and unformal tangible and intangible and yet is presented visibly So have you enough of the first Matter out of which all Metals and Minerals grow and is one only thing and such a matter which unites it self with the Sulphur in the following Chapter and enters into a Coagulation with the Salt of the fifth Chapter that it may be one Body and a perfect Medicine of all Metals not only to bring forth in the Earth at the beginning as in the great World but also by help of the vaporous Body to transmute and change together with the augmentation in the lesser World Let not this seem strange to you seeing the Most High hath permitted and Nature undertaken it Many will not believe this esteeming it impossible despise and vilifie these Mysteries which they understand not in the least they may remain Fools and Idiots till an illumination follows which cannot be without Gods Will but remains till the time predestinate But wise and discreet men who have truly shed the sweat of their Brows will be my sufficient witnesses and confirm the Truth and indeed believe and hold for a truth all that which I write in this case as true as Heaven and Hell are preordained and proposed as Rewards of good and evil to the Elect and Reprobate Now I write not only with my hands but my Mind Will and heart constrain me to it Those who are highly conceited illuminated and world-wise hate envy scandalize defame and persecute this Mystery to the utmost Rind or innermost Kernel which hath its beginning out of the Center but I know assuredly there will come a time when my Marrow
and of all the three Principles is one only thing and is founded and extracted out of one only thing which can make all Metals into one it is the true Spirit of Mercury and Soul of Sulphur together with the spiritual Salt united together inclosed under one Heaven and dwelling in one Body it is the Dragon and the Eagle the King and the Lion the Spirit and the Body which must tinge the Body of Gold â—o a Medtcine that it may gain power plentifully to tinge his other Companions O thou blessed Medicine given by God thy Creator O thou Celestial Magnet of great attractive Love O thou valid substance of Metals how great is thy power how uninventive is thy virtue how durable is thy constancy happy is that man on Earth who knows thy Light in truth which all the world takes no notice of he shall not see poverty no Disease shall touch him nor no sickness hurt him till the appointed time of death and till the last hour predestinated for him by his Heavenly King It is impossible for all the tongues of Men to utter the Wisdom which is laid in this Treasure of the Fountain all Orators must be silent and ashamed at it yea terrified and not able to speak a word when they shall behold and discern this supernatural Glory and I my self am afraid when I consider that I have discovered too much But I hope to prevail with God by Prayer that he will not charge it on me as a deadly Sin because I began the Work in his Fear obtained it by his Grace and revealed it for his Glory O thou holy everlasting Trinity I praise honour and magnifie thee with Heart and Mouth that thou hast revealed unto me the great wisdom of this earthly World next unto thy Divine Word whereby I have known thy Almighty Power and supernatural Wonders which Man will not discern I heartily beseech thee to give me more understanding and wisdom that I may bestow the use and profit thereof with a continual Sacrifice of Praise before thee unto the Christian-like Love of my Neighbour and to my own welfare both spiritual and corporal in power and virtue that thy Name may be made glorious honoured and praised for all thy Works in Heaven and Earth and that my Enemies may know that thou art the Lord full of eternal Wonders that they may repent and be converted and not be drowned in the falshood of Darkness God the Father Son and Holy Ghost help me and all of us from his heavenly Throne exalted above all Glory Might and Majesty whose Wisdom hath neither beginning nor end and before whom all Celestial Earthly and Hellish Creatures must tremble with fear to him be Glory forever Amen O Seraphin O Cherubin how great are thy Wonders and Actions look graciously upon thy servant and be entreated to be pacified that he hath manifested this The Reader must moreover know concerning the Generation of Copper and observe that it is generated of much Sulphur but its Mercury and Salt are in an equality for there is found to be no more or less of the one than of the other seeing then that the Sulphur in quantity excels the Mercury and the Salt thence arises a great coloured redness which possesses the Metal that the Mercury cannot perform its fixation that a fixt Body should be generated thereof Observe and understand it so of Copper that the form of Venus Body is so stated as that of a Tree which abounds in Rosen as the Larch Tree the Firr the Pine Deal Tree and other forts of Trees more the Rosen of the Tree is its Sulphur which it evacuates at sometimes by reason of its superfluity for it cannot bear it all such a Tree which is tinged with abundance of fatness by the digestion of Nature and the Elements burns quickly and freely and is not ponderous nor so durable as is the Oak or other hard wood which is close and compact whose Pores are not so open as those sorts of light wood and wherein the Sulphur doth not so predominate but the Oak hath therefore the more Mercury and a better Salt than the Pine Firr and Deal trees have and such wood doth not float so well above the water as the Deal being bound closed up compactly so that the Air is easily prevented in bearing it up So is it to be observed of Metals and especially of Gold which by reason of its abundant fixt digested and ripe Mercury hath a very close fast and compact fixt and invincible Body which neither Fire nor Water Air nor any Corruption of the Earth can prejudice that the consuming power of the Elements can do them no harm this fixedness close compacted Conjunction gives evidence of its natural ponderosity which cannot be evidenced in other Metals which is to be observed not only by weighing it in the scales but likewise you will find it thus if you lay but a scruple of pure Gold upon a hundred weight of Quicksilver it immediately sinks to the bottom whereas all other Metals being laid upon Quicksilver in like manner float on the top of it and sink not to the bottom because they are more open that the Air or Wind can penetrate them and bear them up Now what further concerns the Spirit of Venus or Copper in Physick you must last of all take notice and observe that it is throughout in its virtue and power discerned to be very wholsom and beneficial not only that Spirit which lies in the first Ens but also that very Spirit which is found in the last Matter its virtue power and operation is that it is preferred before all other Medicines in the Rising of the Matrix It's like is not yet found particularly against the Falling Sickness This Spirit hath also received an especial gift to dry the Dropsie up it preserves the Bloud from put refaction digests all which is adverse to the Stomach breaks the Stone of what kind soever it be Externally in Wounds this Spirit lays a ground to heal Noli me tangere and all other Sores cannot defend themselves nor their ill Qualities but this Spirit doth assault them and prepares a good ground for their Cure externally it mundifies and searches out that whereby the Medicine may operate fasten and make a beginning of the Cure Internally this Spirit penetrates through through searching out all that is evil in the Body even as doth the noblest Vulnerary potion No Imposthume can withstand this Spirit but is reformed by it I say briefly observe the Spirit of Venus very well it will manifest it self to admiration both internally and externally that many will esteem it to be incredible supernatural Last of all you must understand that this Spirit of Copper is a fiery Spirit penetrating searching and consuming all evil Humours and superfluous Flegme in Man and Metals and may in reason be accounted the Crown of Medicines it is very fiery and sharp incombustible but
separated from the impure the clean from the filth and the fine from the course which otherwise could not b done at all or brought to pass without the preceding preparation this done they spin Yarn of it which they boil in water over the Fire or else with Ashes set in a warm place whereby it is purified afresh whereby the filth and superfluities are fully separated from it and after a due washing the Yarn is dried again delivered to the Workmen and Cloth weaved of it this Cloth is purified or whitened by a frequent casting of water upon it cut in pieces by Taylors and other people so converted to future services in houshold affairs and when this Linnen is quite worn out and torn the old Rags are gathered together and sent to the Paper-Mills whereof they make Paper which is put unto divers uses If you lay Paper upon a Metal or Glass kindle and burn it the vegetable Mercury comes forth and flies away into the Air the Salt remaines in the ashes and the combustible Sulphur which is not so quickly consumed in the burning dissolves to an Oil which is a good Medicine for dim and defective Eyes This Oil hath in it a great fatness which is the Matter of the Paper contained originally in the Seed of the Flax so that the last Matter of the Flax which is Paper must again be dissolved into the first Matter which is the fat Sulphurous Oyliness of the Flax-seed together with the separation of its Mercury and Salt that so the first may be made of the last and the ground-work revealed so the Virtues and Operations known by the first And though this Discourse be gross and not subtil yet you may learn thereby to know what is subtile and secret for that which is subtile must be infused into the ignorant by course Examples that thereby they may be taught to reject the gross and to embrace that which is subtile In like manner understand that the first Matter of Metals must be observed known and found out by the revelation of their last Matter which last Matter as there are the perfect Metals must be separated and divided asunder that it may plainly appear singly before the Eyes of men Out of which separation may be judged and learnt what the first Matter was at the beginning out of which the last was made Accept of this Advice concerning Luna at present I could have said more but I must desist at this time until another opportunity and intreat you heartily admonishing you by your Conscience that you observe all that which I have revealed unto you of all those Letters which are contained in the middle between Alpha Omega that you keep all the Speeches Writings that you may not undergo a denial of pardon for your Sins a continued perpetual Vengeance for Eternity which I at last reveal unto you thus Take the Sky-coloured Sulphur extracted out of Silver rectified with Spirit of Wine dissolve it according to its Quantity in the White Spirit of Vitriol and in the sweet-sented Spirit of Mercury coagulate them together by the fixation of the Fire you have the White Tincture in your Hands with all its Medicines but if you can get all their primum Mobile's it is then needless because you can perfect the Work at once CHAP. VIII Of the Soul or Tincture of Tin GOod Jupiter possesses almost the mean or middle place between Metals it being not too hot nor too cold not too warm nor too moist it hath no excess of Mercury nor of Salt and it hath the least of Sulphur in it it is found to be white in Colour yet one exceeds the other in the three Principles as it is evidently found in its dissection the right and true discovery of Nature It is generated of such a composition and mixture of the three first Principles being operated coagulated into a Metal and brought to the ripeness of perfection Jupiter is a God of Peace a Lord of Goodness a Ruler and Possessor of the middle Region as concerning its State Essence Function Virtue Form and Substance for it holds the mean no special Disease can happen that Jupiter should cause any remarkable damage if its Medicine be used a little at once not too much in quantity it is likewise thought needless where its Medicines are not required that they should be administred in strange cases with a just Call but we should rather abide by those where the Body and its Disease have an equal temper with the superiour Stars and their assistance in vertue power and operation and so accord together in their juncture that there is not found the least contrariety in the Operation nor in the Operative Nature Jupiters Spirit is found not to be wanting in the least in the generation of Metals as likewise no one Spirit of all the Metals can be set backwards because of necessity they accord together from the lowest to the highest degree and must agree together as a Metal is perfect in the great Earth so should the transmutation augmentation succeed in the little world understand it after this manner that all the degrees from the meanest to the highest Metal must be passed through in all perfection even as the Metals must finish their course from Saturn unto Gold as concerning the permanency of Colour and Body not withstanding that Saturn possesses the highest place in the highest Region wherein the stars reign and perform their Course The generation of Tin in and above the Earth is brought to light even as Man is and other Animals which are originally nourished and fed by the Mothers Milk there is no Diet to be found on Earth more fit for the nourishment of all men than Milk for its best part is chiefly an Animal Sulphur which yields the Nourishment Even in like manner Tin is nourished by its Metallick Sulphur which likewise feeds it with the greatest acceptation it assumes in and to it more heat than Saturn therefore is Jupiter more digested broiled whereby its Body likewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of Salt He causes in his Dominion and Reign that good Rule be obser and Justice done to all men in his Court The Spirit of Tin is a Preserver from all Distempers Accidents whereby the Liver is consumed or put into malady its Spirit is naturally to be compared unto Honey in Taste its Mercury being made volatile gains a venomous quality for it purges violently and penetrates through by force therefore it is not alwayes to be advised that its opened Mercury should be used alone and simply but if a Correction precede there may an excellent benefit succeed being used in those distempers and diseases which are immediately subject to its Influence that is when its venomous volatility is taken away and set in a better and fixeder state which resists the poison The Vulgar Physician cannot understand this Description for this Art and knowledge proceeds not from the