and Water too soon it will not be Levened If it lies too long it will be over done so in our Work if you be too hasty you will perform nothing at all If too long and with too Violent a Fire you will hazard the breaking of your Vessel and by an over Volatility frustrate the fixity of your Medicine The making of Cheese is Famous for almost every Housewife can tell you how easie it is to ruin or spoil all how good soever your Milk and Rennet may be if you be unskilful in the Art If the Milk be too hot or too cold or the Rennet be too much or too little or the Coagu lum lies too short a time or too long you may spoil your Cheese and miss the Perfection or Goodness which therein you seek after These are Familiar examples and need no farther exposition The Matter therefore is first by our Ferment corrupted and brought into a blackness by Death but not such a blackness out of which it cannot be recovered but so that in the Course of the Fermentation the Mass of the Confection may pass through the mutation or changes of all the Colors Now Heat working at the first in humidity brings forth the blackness but Heat working in the dryness causeth Whiteness and in the White the Citrinity and wonderful deep Redness These Varieties of Colors are caused only by the Ferment in a proper and fit heat so that the Corruption of one is the Generation of another and the Ferment becomes the Ferment of the Ferment as the Philosophers speak He who cannot taste the Sapor of Salt will never attain to this desired Ferment of Ferments which is the Soul even before Fermentation If therefore this Ferment be not well prepared your Magistery will be nothing worth and know that this Fermentum is taken only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Luna that is from Gold and Silver and converts the other Bodies into its own Nature Therefore it behoves you to know how to introduce this Ferment into Dead and imperfect Bodys that is to make Ingression because it is the Soul and this Soul gives to them Life and Perfection so that together with this living and perfect Soul they are made alive and perfect and one perfect Body II. Hermes The certain Color of the Golden matter for the Red and the Nature thereof is not sweetness therefore of them we make Sericum which is Ixir the Ferment and of them we make Enamel of which we have Written Salmon Altho' it does not here sufficiently appear what our Author means by Sweetness and Sericum yet afterwards he so explains himself that we may guess at it and that it is the Golden Ferment for the Red the adumbration whereof he gives us under the Mask of Encaustum or Enamel and truly by Figures 〈◊〉 and Tropical ways of speaking he has been pleased to deliver himself through this whole Work I suppose he uses the Similitude of Sweetness here in respect of Leven for that Leven is not Sweet III. Hermes And with the King's Seal we have tinged the Clay and in that we have put or placed the color of Heaven which augments the sight of them who can already in some measure see Salmon By the King's Seal is meant the Virtue Power Character or Tincture of Gold which tinges Lutum the Clay that is the Mercurial Mass or Earth which is now but one thing and a Secret drawn out of the Fountains of the Wise for which reason it is by some called Sigillum Sapientum Also Sigillum Hermetis and Sigillum Mercurii This is the thing which many have sought after in vain and could never find that is the outward turned inward and the inward parts turned outwards that which was below raised up and that which was above laid down below the Superiors and Inferiors the Heavens and the Earth joyned together in one Globe or Mass and digested together in one till they produce the heavenly color the light of Sol which gives such as have Eyes to see the happiness of seeing a Fountain inexhaustible an Eternal Spring the permanent and endless Treasure IV. Hermes Gold therefore is the most pretious Stone without Spots also temperate which neither Fire nor Air nor Water nor Earth is able to corrupt or destroy the universal ferment rectifying all things in a middle or tempe rate Composition which is of a Yellow or true Citrine colour Salmon Our Hermes here confesses plainly that the Philosophick Gold is this most pretious Stone without blemish and incorruptible and differs as much from vulgar Gold as Leven does from the Paste or Yest from the Ale or Beer which is made by it For as clear well-wrought Ale cannot change other Wort into Ale nor Levened Paste leven another Mass of Meal and Water till it 〈◊〉 brought to the perfection of Leven so neither can vulgar Gold which is the product of Mercury and Sulphur transmute or change any other body into its own Purity Tincture and Fixity No This is only the work of our Stone Elixir Tincture the true Philosophick Gold V. Hermes The Gold of the Wise Men boiled and well digested with a fiery Water makes Ixir Salmon The Gold is to be exquisitely boiled as much as you please with a fiery water and digested This fire is found no where more perfect better or more powerful than in Minerals and their Roots which Roots the Philosophers say are in the Air And the Gold is Spiritual Gold not the body of vulgar Gold unprepared This Aqua Ignea is nothing else but the Mercury of the Philosophers drawn from its Mineral Root This Water is the Mother which does dissolve the Gold conceived in its Belly being digested and nourished there for forty Weeks at the end of which digestion like as in the hour of a mans Nativity the Soul i. e. the Tincture arises but not first nor quickly In this point is all the hazard but this being past there is no more peril the danger is wholly over VI. Hermes For the Gold of the Wise Men is more weighty or heavy than Lead which in a Temperate or due composition is the ferment of Ixir and contrariwise in a distemperature or undue Composition the distemperature or hurt of the whole Work or Matter Salmon Our Gold the Off-spring of this great Work is much heavier than Lead because of its Weakness Volatility and Intemperature Our Infant is of a most strong and temperate Composition healing the Infirmities of its proper Parents and tinging the Mercury of all Bodies whatsoever into the best and most pure fine Gold By this is understood the Vital Roots of the Minerals into which if the Bodies be reduced they are made apt or fit for a new Regeneration so that from the same you may have the true Tincture of the Philosophers VII Hermes For the work is first made from the Vegetable Secondly from the Animal in a Hens Egg in which is the greatest assistance and the constancy of the Elements
and manage it with much gentleness and patience attend in hope upon this most admirable quintessence And though the fire ought to be something augmented yet it must not be too much XVIII And beseech the Soveraign Goodness to prevent the Evil Spirits which haunt the Mines and Treasures of the Earth that they destroy not thy Work on cast a Mist before thine Eyes nor stupisie thy mind when thou shouldest view consider and perfect the Incomprehensible Motions of this Arcanum or Quintessence yet comprehended and shut up within this Vessel CHAP. XXXV Of the dark Violet Field in which is a Man of a Red Purple Colour holding the Foot of a Lyon red as Vermillion having Wings and as it seems would Ravish and carry away the Man I. THis Field of a Violet and dark Colour demonstrates that the Stone has obtained by a full and perfect Digestion the perfectly beautifulGarment which is wholly Citrine and Red formerly demanded of the Man with the Key in his Hand who was clothed therewith II. And that the compleat and perfect Degestion signified by the entire Citrinity has made her cast off her old Robe or Garment of Orange Colour III. The Vermillion Red Colour of this flying Lyon like the most pure and beautifulScarlet Colour in Grain which is the true native Cinnabar Red explicates the fullAccomplishment of your Work according to the exact and rigorous Laws of Nature and Art IV. And that she to wit the Stone Elixir or Tincture appears now like a ravenous Lyon devouring and swallowing up every pure metallick Nature or Body and changing it into its own true Substance into true and most pure fine Gold exceeding in fineness the Gold of Ophir or that of the best and richest Mines V. And she now removes this Man out of this Vale of Miseries here below into as it were a Sea of Happiness out of the discommodities and Unhappinesses of this Life into an immense Ocean of Ease and Content out of Poverty Disgrace and Contempt into a Kingdom as it were of Riches Honour and Glory VI. And lastly she removes far from him Infirmities Diseases and Death filling his Bones with Marrow and his Soul with Gladness giving him Strength Health and a very long Life VII And with her Wings she gloriously lifts him up out of the dead and standing Waters of Egypt which are the vulgar thoughts of mortal Men into a Paradise of Delights and Pleasures making him despise this Life with all the Riches Glories and Magnificence thereof VIII And causing him Night and Day to Meditate upon God and his Goodness to aspire after the Heavenly Enjoyments and to drink of the Delicious Springs from the Fountains of Everlasting Life where Rivers of living Waters flow making glad the City of Our God IX Praises be given to God Eternally even immortal Praises who has been gracious to us to give us to see this perfectly Beauful Purple this Papaveran Red this Tyrian Glory this sparkling and flaming Colour incapable of Change or Alteration for ever this so Desirable a Treasure X. A Glory a Treasure a Colour a Tincture over which the ZodiacalConstellations nor the Heaven it self can have no more Dominion or Power XI Whose Glorious and Bright Shining Rays not only seem to dazle the Eyes but even to communicate to Man a Heavenly Portion making him when he sees and knows it to be astonisht and to tremble amazing him with the stupendious thoughts thereof XII O Lord God Almighty give us we pray thee thy Grace that we may dread and love thy great and holy Name and by it he taught to use this so vast a Treasure well to the encrease of our Faith the profit of our Souls the benefit of our Fellow Creatures and to thy Glory and Honour now and for ever Amen CHAP. XXXVI Flammel's Summary of Philosophy I. IF you would know how Metals are transmuted you must understand from what matter they are generated and how they are formed in the Mines and that you may not err you must see and observe how those Transmutations are performed in the Bowels or Veins of the Earth II. Minerals taken out of the Earth may be changed if before-hand they be Spiritualized and reduced into their Sulphurous Argent Vive nature which are the two Sperms composed of the Elements the one Masculine the other Feminine III. The Male Sulphur is nothing but Fire and Air and the true Sulphur is as a Fire but not the Vulgar which contains no metallick Substance IV. The Feminine Sperm is Argent Vive which is nothing but Earth and Water these two Sperms the ancient Sages called two Dragons or Serpents of which the one is winged the other not V. Sulphur not flying the Fire is without Wings the winged Serpent is Argent Vive born up by the Wind therefore in her certain hour she flies from the Fire not having fixity enough to endure it VI. Now if these two Spermes separated from themselves be united again by powerful Nature in the potentiality of Mercury which is the Metaline Fire being thus united it is called by the Philosophers the flying Dragon because the Dragon kindled by its Fire while he flies by little and little fills the Air with his Fire and poysonous Vapours VII The same thing doth Mercury for being placed upon an exteriour Fire and in its place in a Vessel it sets on fire its inside which is hidden in its profundity by which may be seen how the External Fire does burn and inflame the natural Mercury VIII And then you may see how the poysonous Vapour breaks out into the Air with a most stinking and pernitious poyson which is nothing else but the head of the Dragon which hastily goes out of Babylon IX But other Philosophers have compared this Mercury with a Flying Lion because a Lion is a devourer of other Creatures and delights himself in his voracity of every thing except that which is able to resist his Violence and Fury X. So also does Mercury which has in its self such a Power Force and Operation to spoil and devastate a Metal of its Form and to devour it Mercury being too much influenced devours and hides Metals in its Belly but which of them so ever it be it is certain that it consumes it not for in their Nature they are perfect and much more indurate XI But Mercury has in it self a Substance of perfecting Sol and Luna and all the imperfect Bodies or Metals proceed from Argent Vive therefore the Ancients called it the Mother of Metals whence it follows that in its own Principle and Center being formed it has a double Metalick Substance XII And first the Substance of the Interior then the Substance of Sol which is not like the other Metals of these two Substances Argent Vive is formed which in its Body is spiritually nourished XIII As soon then as Nature has formed Argent Vive of the two after-named Spirits then it endeavours to make them
the Regions above but truly by forbearing to Flie. Salmon In this our Art are two Principles which spring from one Root and which are the subject of our Stone viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur of which the one is Volatile and superior the other fixt and below from the Conjunction of which often repeated is made the true and Philosophical sublimation and fixation And that is the fixation when the Body receives the Tinging Spirit and takes from it its Volatility this is done by frequent Reiterations till a Calx of perpetual duration is produced and will remain for ever in the Fire But in the very beginning of this work the substance of the Stone which in it self is most fixed by a Spirit not fixed or Volatile as Sea Water acetum radicatum and such like is to be made Volatile And by this means it will be more fit to be cleansed of its Filth or Rust which in metals is a most certain sign of Imperfection V. Hermes If therefore you shall deliver it out of its Imprisonment or Cage or Straights then afterwards you shall Order and Govern it according to the number of days I shall note to you according to Reason and then it shall be a Companion to thee and by it thou shalt be made great and powerful Salmon That is the fixed Body is to be lifted up by sublimation and to be so often repeated till the Volatile is made fixed or fixed with it But this is not to be done hastily or all at once but by little and little and by degrees Lest by too great a haste you break the Vessel or come to some other hurt God himself made all things in Number Weight and Measure that is in due and just proportion as well in respect of Time as Matter If you proceed wisely in this Case you will receive the fulness of your expectations VI. Hermes Extract from the Sun Beams the shadow and the sordid Matter by that which makes the Clouds hang over it and Corrupts it and keeps it from the Light because by its Torture and Red Fiery Heat or Redness it is Burned Salmon The shadow always goes along with the Body walking in the Sun Now that a clearer Light may appear through the Body without any shadow the Body must be opened made thin and dissolved which is the Patient by the Spirit or Sun-Beams which are the Agent the living Fire by whose Power it is brought to a Calx and the Corruptible part is Burnt up and destroyed or made fit to be separated VII Hermes Take this Redness Corrupted with the Water which resembles the Matter holding the Fire as in a live Coal from it As often as you take this Redness Corrupted in Water away from it so often you have the Redness Purified then will it Associate it self viz. become fixed and Tinged in which 〈◊〉 it will rest for ever Salmon That is Our Magnesia which is sown in our Philosophick Earth is to be Corrupted or Putrefied and then to be Digested Coagulated Sublimated Incerated and Fixed This Magnesia or Redness is thus made pure by separation and then it becomes Dissolved Digested Coagulated Sublimed Incerated and Fixed and Tinged being first lift up into the highest Heavens and then Buried again in the deepest Earth that therewith it may arise and in the same have a Habitation and be fixt for ever The Water is the Spirit the Redness is the Soul or Tincture and the Earth is the Body Now the Spirit is the Life of the Soul as the Body is the Clothing or Habitation thereof so that the Body is a substance fixed dry and containing both the Spirit and the Soul The Spirit Penetrates the Body the Body fixes the Spirit the Soul conjoyned Tinges of its own Color whether it is White or Red. VIII Hermes Return the Coal being extinct in its life to the Water in the thirty days I note to thee so will you have a Crowned King resting upon the Fountain or Well but drawing it from the Auripigment and wanting the Humour or Moisture Now have I made the Hearts of the attentive who hope in thee glad and their Eyes beholding thee in the hope of that which thou possessest Salmon The Life of the Coal is Fire which being removed from it is like a Dead Body nor in a Coal only but in all other things it is Fire that excites or stirs up the Life comforts it and conserves it Yea the Essence of Life is nothing else than Pure Naked Unmixed Fire not that which is Corrupting and Elementary but that which is Subtil Coelestial and Generating all things This in Metals is the Aqua Philosophica Oleaginosa Sulphurea and in this the Earth is to be raised up in the space of 30 days which is a certain Number for an uncertain By the Crowned King is meant the perfection of the Tincture The Well is the Fountain of the Philosophers inexhaustible out of which it draws the Auripigment or eternal Tincture but wanting indeed its moisture or Running-Water which is for so long time to be Digested and Boiled with Fires c. IX Hermes Now the Water was first in the Air then in the Earth restore thou it then to the superior places through its own meanders or passages and not foolishly or indiscreetly change or alter it and then to the former Spirit gathered in its Redness you must carefully and leisurly joyn it Salmon Convert the Elements and you shall have what you seek The Earth which is Cold and Dry agrees with the Water in one quality which is cold The Air which is Hot and Moist participates with the Fire which is Hot and dry and consequently the Earth with the Fire because of its Driness The Earth is the only true and first Element of the Stone which by a Philosophical Calcination is to be Burnt up and Rarified afterwards to be Dissolved in a Moist place into a Ponderous Water This by Sublimation is made more subtil and converted into Fire This Oyl by a most strong Fire into Ashes or a Red Rubicund Earth Thus the Dragon devours his own Tail and the Pelican with her own Blood nourishes her Young ones The Blood of the Pelican is this Red Spirit Now nothing is joyned together with it but that which before was separated from it This Mixtion of the Elements is not Corporeal but Spiritual not with Hands done but the work of the Metalline Archeus or Spirit which you ought well to know and then you will not long err from the Truth CHAP. V. A Dialogue between Hermes and his Son I. HERMES Know thou my Son that the fat of our Earth is Sulphur that Sulphur is Auripigment Siretz or Colcothar of which Auripigment Sulphurs and such like some are more vile or mean than others in which there is a difference or diversity Of this kind also is the Fat of Glewy substances to wit of Hair Nails Hoofs and Sulphur it self Oyl of Peter and the Brain or
Marrow which is Auripigment Of the same kind also is the Cats or Lyons Claw which is Sirezt The Fat of the White Bodies and the Fat of the two Oriental Argent Vives which Sulphurs are caught hold of and retained by the Bodies Salmon All these are only Various Names by which the Philosophers call the one thing and under which they Cloud it But the most Acute Ripley saith it is Argent Vive but not the Vulgar that without which nothing that exists is able to be If therefore there be nothing under the Sun in which this Argent Vive is not Our Hermes has not done absurdly to call it by these Names tho' possibly there may be some one thing which may contain more of it that which is more pure also generous and more ripe or perfectly digested than all the other things besides Authors say it is chieflly found in the Roots of Metals which Roots are in the Air and the Tops of the Mountains It behoves you therefore to have a perfect and solid knowledge of this Argent Vive before you attempt any thing in this Art And this is to be Communicated only to the Faithful Disciples of this Science Be diligent with your whole mind consider think ruminate volve and revolve meditate and reason with your self concerning it and through the Divine Assistance you will certainly attain to the knowledge there of II. Hermes I say more that this Sulphur does Tinge and Fix and is contained and held by the Conjunctions of the Tinctures Fat 's also Tinge but withal they fly away in the Body which is contained which is a Conjunction of Fugitives only with Sulphurs and Aluminous Bodies which also contain and hold the Fugitive Matter Salmon He distinguisheth here between the true and Philosophick Tincture and the Fictitious or Sophisticate The true is made of a Fixt and Incombustible Sulphur for which Cause also the Bodies are rendred fixt and Incombustible for every Transmutation is made subject to the nature of the thing Transmuting and not of the thing to be Transmuted it is needful therefore that you make choice of the best Sulphur for this Work The Vulgar is Forreign for that it is deficient Blackens and Corrupts having also a double superfluity viz. an Inflamable substance and an Earthly Faeculency Therefore you must find out another which is a simple Fire and Living and is able to Revivifie Dead Bodies to bring them to the highest perfection and to perfect them with the ultimate maturity Such a Sulphur saith Avieenna is not to be found upon Earth except in the Bodies of Sol and Luna In Sol indeeed is the highest of Perfection because it is more digested and decocted when therefore the Tincture is prepared with this Sulphur down below in the Bottom of Obscurity it is carried Gradatim up for the highest Glory with the greatest splendor of spirituality so that any Body whatsoever being melted with the Fire it Tinges and so firmly adheres to it that it cannot for ever be any more separated therefrom But the Sophisticate Tincture which is made from the middle Minerals from burning Sulphur Arsenical Aluminous and such like are not able to defend either Bodies upon which they are projected nor yet their own proper substance from the violence of Fire but together with the Bodies they flie away and by the force of Fire Vanish into Air. III. Hermes The order method managment and dis position of the Matter sought after by the Philosophers is but one in Our Egg. Now this in the Hens Egg is in no wise to be found But lest so much of the Divine Wisdom as is seen in a Hens Egg should be distinguished we make in imitation thereof a Compositum from the four Elements joyntly fitted and compacted together Salmon The Description of the Philosophick Egg is various which the Philosophers divide into four parts according to the number of the four Elements 1. Putamen the Shell which they make the Earth 2. Albumen the White which is Water 3. Pellicula the Skin which is Air. 4. Vitellus the Yolk which is Fire Some make only three parts thereof 1. Vitellus the Sulphur 2. Albumen the Mercury 3. Putamen the Salt Some again will have the Yolk to signifie Mars Sol and Venus and the White Saturn Jupiter Mercury and Luna and the Shell the Firmament and Earth or Combustible Ashes but to speak plainly the Shell represents the Philosophick Glass wherein the Skin the White the Tread and the Yolk answer to the four Elements Fire Air Water and Earth Or rather the Tread Yolk and White to the three pure principles Salt Sulphur and Mercury or Spirit Soul and Body that is Fixity Tincture and Subsistence IV. Hermes Now in a Hens Egg there is the greatest help that may be for herein is a nearness of the Matters in their Natures a spirituality and gathering and joyning together of the Elements and the Earth which is Gold in its Nature Salmon The Ovum Philosophorum or our Mercury has in it self whatever is necessary thereto We call it Our Mercury because it is reduced into one pure Homogene Body where is 1. A Propinquity of Natures as Earth Water Air and Fire or Salt Sulphur and Mercury 2. A Spirituality which is the formative faculty the hidden Work-Master which brings the Stone to perfection 3. A gathering together of the Elements for that the Earth is made Water and Air and Fire by Sublimation and they are made Earth again which Earth is Gold in its inward principle or Nature V. Hermes The Son saith to him the Sulphurs which are convenient or fit for Our Work are they Coelestial or Terrestial Heavenly or Earthly To whom Hermes answers some of them are Heavenly and some are from the Earth Salmon This is a short Dialogue between the Father and the Son Hermes makes answer to his Son concerning the Sulphurs that they are not of one or the same kind but that some are of a Heavenly and some are of an Earthly Nature yet he confesses both to be Sulphurs by the Heavenly is meant the Solar Sulphur and by the Earthly the Sulphur of Luna For Sol is a Body Masculine hot fixt red and incombustible which perfects Luna who is Feminine Cold Volatile White and Combustible exalting her to his own Glory and Splendor VI. Hermes The Son saith Father I think the Heart in the Superiors to prenote Heaven in the Inferiors the Earth To whom Hermes saith It is not so the Masculine truly is the Heaven of the Feminine and the Feminine the Earth of the Masculine Salmon The Heaven is the Masculine of the Earth and Earth is the Feminine of the Heaven Heaven or Sol which is pure fixt and incombustible Sulphur is the generating Seed and Mercury which is the Magical Earth is the Womb or Feminine principle receiving the Seed in which the Seed is keept nourished digested and brought to the Birth or Perfection Even that in which it obtains Spirit
Blood and Flesh viz. Fixity Tincture and Substance The Earth or Mercury is the subject or receptacle of all the Coelestial Radiations VII Hermes The Son saith Father which of these is more worthy one than another whether is the Heaven or the Earth The Father answers Both want the help of one another but a Medium is proposed by precepts But if thou shalt say that Wisdom or the Wise Man does Rule or Command among all Mankind to this Hermes The indifferent or ordinary things are better with them because every Nature delights or desires to be joyned in Society with its own kind We find even in Wisdom it self that equal things are joyned together Salmon If by a Magical Matrimony the Heavens and the Earth are Conjoyned neither seems to be more worthy for as the Earth cannot Generate without the Heavens so neither can the Heavenly Influences multiply themselves without the Earth But there is a mean proposed which he explicates in the following Paragraph which is the making the one equal with the other viz. by bringing forth a new Off-spring out of both which shall excede Sol himself in perfection because it is more than perfect and able to make the imperfect Bodies or Metals perfect which Sol himself cannot do and is also able to make the most imperfect Bodies more than perfect by multiplying their Tincture a thousand times more than what they had Originally by Nature which is performed by Precepts saith Hermes that is by Art And since every Nature Delights to be joyned with its own kind you must be sure to joyn Metalline Bodies only with Metalline Principles for Water joyned with Water cannot be separated no more can Silver being joyned with Silver or Gold with Gold that is to say their Seed VIII Hermes The Son saith But what is the mean among them To whom Hermes answers To every thing in Nature there are three things from two 1. The Beginning 2. The Middle 3. The End viz. First the profitable and necessary Water Secondly the Fat or Oyl Thirdl'y the Foeces or Earth which remains below Salmon By the Beginning he me ans the Deundation of the first Principles for the Prima Materia must be prepared and made fit for the Operation the Middle which are the Operations of the Work from the Beginning to the End the End which is the Perfection or consummation of the matter these are the three things from the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury Or possibly by the three things from the two he may mean the Spirit Soul and Body i. e. Fixity Tincture and Substance from the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury being in Conjunction Other Interpret it thus by the two things he means Heaven and Earth which cannot be Conjoyned without a Medium which is the Air no otherwise than Soul and Body which cannot be Conjoyned in one Body without the Spirit to Unite them The Spirit then is the Legitimate Mediator of the true and perfect Conjunction whether Natural or Supernatural By the Heaven is understood the Soul By the Earth the Body By the Spirit the Uniting Principles these indeed are the three things from the two i. e. the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury the Spirit being Latent in them both But however Our Hermes lest he should not be understood has explicated them himself viz. the profitable Water the Fat Oyl the Foeces or Earth By the Water is meant the Mercury by the Fat or Oyl the Sulphur which by the Mediation of the Internal or Latent Spirit are United into one Body and make the Foeces or Earth IX Hermes But the Dragon dwells in or Inhabits in all these things And his Houses are the darkness and blackness in them and by them he Ascends into the Air from his rising which is their Heaven But while the Fume or Vapour remains in them they are not perpetual Permanant remaining or fixt Take but away the Fume or Vapor from the Water and the blackness from the Fat or Sulphur and Death from the Foeces and by Dissolution you shall possess a Tryumphant Gift even that in and by which the Possessors Live Salmon We have spoken now concerning the Heavens and the Earth and their Matrimonial Conjunction by a Medium viz. the Air or Water which we also call the Spirit for the Water is nothing but the Air Coagulated and the Air is the Vital Spirit running through and peircing all beings giving Life and Consistency to every thing the very Agent which Ties the Particles of all Matter and Bodies together and without which every Body and Metal would fall to pieces and become nothing but Dust and Ashes even the smallest of Atoms And this Spirit is that which moves and sills all things It is the Philosophick Heaven which in its prime Resolution or putrefaction is wonderfully defiled so that like the most Poisonous Dragon or Serpent it destroys all things it touches from whence it is said to have its House in Darkness and Blackness and to possess Blackness and Clouds and defilements and Death it self So long therefore as the Heaven shall be thus infected it is impossible for it to return to its Pristine Nature Simplicity Purity Fixity and Permanency By the Dragon then is signified this Black Matter Ascending into Air which is difficultly done by Reason of its thick glutinous and Ponderous Body which would not tend upwards unless it be first resolved by Force and Power of the Fire in a Philosophick Glass into an Aereal and Vaporous substance being thus Dissolved by a frequent Ventilation of the Air or Spirit it will be perfectly purged and recover its Primaeval Nature of Heaven which is the thing sought after CHAP. VI. The Several Operations by and Various Matters of which the Stone is Composed I. HERMES Now the temperate Fat or Sulphur which is the Fire is the Medium or Middle Nature between the Foeces and the Water and the through Searcher of the Water The Fat 's are called Sulphurs for between Fire Oyl and Sulphur there is so little difference that there is a propinquity or nearness because as the Fire does Burn so also does the Sulphur Salmon He here makes the Fire to be the Medium between the Sulphur and the Mercury which Fire we have before declared to be both Internal and External The first is Innate in the Principles and Essential the latter Elemental and Accidental it is the through Searcher of the Water that is the stirer up of Internal Life and Efficacy so that the Internal Fire may properly be called the Spirit of the Matter which disposes the Particles of it to their Change But the difference between this Fire or Spirit and Oyl or Sulphur is so little that we want fit Words to express it but it is like the Spirit to the Soul which are inseparable But this is to be understood that of Sulphurs such only are to be chosen which are the more near in their principles the Sulphurs of Minerals are
their own Body and this Work must be so often reiterated till no more Clouds arise viz. till the Dragon is wholly Slain This done he must be restored to Life again and made to live and then killed again as aforesaid and then it does live as we have demonstrated in the Explication of the former Paragraph even in Putrefaction from which it must at length by the order and course of the Operations be freed and brought to its Ultimate Perfection VI. Hermes In the Life and Death thereof the Spirits Work For as it is Killed by taking away of the Spirit so that being restored it is again made Alive and rejoyces therein Salmon The Spirit is used both in the Killing of it and in the making of it Alive again but this is by some doubtfully understood whether it be meant of the innate or indwelling Spirit only or of that Spirit joyned with another Metallick Spirit because he uses Spirits in the Plural number However this is certain that as Death is induced by taking away the Spirit so Life is retrieved by restoring it again VII Hermes But coming to this that which ye seek by affirmation ye shall see I declare also to you the signs of joy and rejoycing even that thing which does fix its Body Salmon That is he declares the cause of life and death to be in the Spirits to wit in the natural Spirits whether Animal Vegetable or Mineral He who knows how to revive dead Minerals and to purify them knows how to exert their powers and is in the High-way to the greatest of Secrets 'T is this Spirit joyned with its Philosophick Earth which has power to fix both perfect and imperfect bodies and to tinge them into the highest perfection of Silver and Gold which he calls the signs of joy and rejoycing VIII Hermes Now these things our Ancestors gave us only in Figures and Types how they attained to the knowledge of this Secret but behold they are dead I have now opened the Riddle I have demonstrated the proposition so much desired so much aimed at I have opened the Book of Secrets to the Skilful and Learned yet I have also a little concealed the hidden Mystery Salmon He declares that the ancient Philosophers delivered the Matter and Process of the Philosophick Tincture in AEnigma's and Types Shadows only they left no footsteps of the true thing behind them but what every one might think of at pleasure therefore from them our Hermes could receive nothing and he professes Ch. 1. Sect. 1. That he obtained the knowledge of this Art by the inspiration of the Living God only God it was who did reveal and open the Secret to him This Secret he has opened in this Work and made so plain that the skilful and learned may understand it 'T is true he has not unfolded every particular but yet he has made things so plain that he who can read him with a Philosophick mind may at length haply find out the truth notwithstanding what he has revealed he declares he has a little concealed the hidden Mistery IX Hermes I have kept the things which ought to be put a part within their own bounds I conjoyned the various and divers figures and forms of its appearance in the operation and I have confederated or joyned together with them the Spirit Receive you this as the gift of God Salmon The meaning of which is that he has first separated what ought to be separated viz. the pure from the impure and the Spirit from the Body which is the first work in order to putrefaction corruption and death Then secondly he has joyned again what ought to be conjoyned to wit the various and divers figures and forms the Soul with the Body that it may again be enformed with Tincture and Substance Thirdly he has confederated or joyned together with them the Spirit which ties the Particles of the Body and Tincture so firmly together that they can never be separated and unites them in a perpetual conjunction with a fixity which will endure for ever CHAP. XI The Practical part farther Explicated I. HERMES It behoves you therefore to give thanks to God who has largely given of his bounty to all the Wise who delivers us out of the Snares and Clutches of Misery and Poverty Salmon For this inestimable Gift of God it is but gratitude to return him the Tributes of Humility and Thanksgiving to abase our selves before his Divine Majesty with all humbleness and submission who thus raises you out of the Dust to sit among Princes making you to despise the Glories of Crowns and Scepters as insignificant Baubles and to rest with infinite content in the meanness of a despicable Cottage for that you carry within your Brests the true Treasure more valuable than all the whole World besides II. Hermes I am proved and tried with the fulness of his Riches and Goodness with his probable miracles and I humbly pray God that whilst I live I may pass the whole Course of my life so as I may attain him Salmon When a Man becomes Master of this Arcanum he is then tried and proved indeed how in the midst of such a fulness of Riches and Happiness he can humble himself and sink in to the deep Abyss of nothingness abstracting himself from all the goodly things of this life In this humble state God is only to be met with for the proud he beholds afar off and in this abjection and self-denial in this mortification of the first life and birth a second is to be found a being brought forth in the love of God the birth of the new Man formed after the Image of the second Adam a new Spirit a new Life joyned and United to the Life of God which can never Perish or Decay a Fountain of Eternal Delights an inexhaustible Treasure infinitely exceeding that which we have all this while thus earnestly been seeking after and pursuing III. Hermes Take then from thence the Fat 's or Sulphurous Matter which we take from Suets Grease Hair Verdigrease Tragacanth and Bones which things are written in the Books of the Ancients Salmon By the Fat 's or Sulphurous Matter understand the Sulphurs of all kinds educed by the Alchymick Art out of Natural things of which Sulphurs one only is fixed and incombustible and it is a thing which is both in the Earth and in the Heavens it is in Act Animal Vegetable and Mineral found every where known but by a few and expressed by its proper Name by no Body shadowed forth under Various Figures and AEnigmaes This fixed Sulphur the Philosophers understand to be nothing else but the true Balsam of Nature with which the Dead Bodies of the Metals are imbibed and as it were throughly moistned to preserve them perpetually from Corruption The more any thing abounds with this Balsam the longer it lives and is preserved from perishing From things therefore abounding with a Balsam of this kind is this Our
Universal Medicine drawn which as well as for Metals is made most effectual to conserve Humane Bodies in a State of Health and to root out all sorts of Diseases whether accidental after the Birth or Hereditary by Propagation restoring the Sick to their pristine Health and Integrity This Sulphur is not taken from Suets Grease Hair Verdigrease Tragacanth Bones c. But under these and other the like Names our Hermes by a Philosophick Liberty has vailed the Verity from impious and unworthy Men. IV. Hermes But the Fat 's which contain the Tinctures which coagulate the Fugitive and set forth or adorn the Sulphurs it behoves us to explicate their disposition more fully hereafter Salmon Here in more words Hermes explicates the Condition or Qualities and Properties of the true Balsam of Nature or Philosophick Sulphur 1. He says it contains the Tinctures 2. It Coagulates Fugitive Substances 3. It exalts the Power of the Sulphurs by fixing the Volatile and making Bright and Shining the things which were Dark and obscure The Volatiles of this kind are nothing else but all the inferior and imperfect Metals which by this 〈◊〉 or Sulphur are 〈◊〉 into the best and 〈◊〉 Silver and Gold Now this hidden Sulphur dwells in the Bodies just as Fire in a Coal or Natural Heat in a Humane Body or the Vegetative Life in the Spring time in Herbs Plants and Trees which in Process of time makes them bring forth Buds Leaves Flowers and at length perfect Ripe Fruits and Seeds Or like Heat in the inward parts of the Earth and Bowels of the Mountains where the most simple Bodies of things or Elements are first mixed and produce Metals Minerals Stones c. according to their several varieties and kinds So this our Sulphur of Nature contains in it self the true Tinctures which by the revolution of time it explicates making ripe the unripe purifying the impure fixing the Volatile and ennobling the Ignoble and Vile V. Hermes And to Unveil the figure or form from all other Fat 's or Sulphurs which is the Hidden and Buried Fat or Sulphur which is seen in no disposition but dwells in its own Body as fire or heat in Trees and Stones which by the most subtle Art and Ingenuity it behoves us to extract without Burning Salmon 4. It unveils the Figure or Form distinguishing it self from all other Fat 's Balsams or Sulphurs He calls it Hidden and Buried because it is not Vulgarly known but only to such as are Adepts And Buried because it lies Centrally in the Bodies of Sol Luna and Mercury as a thing Buried in the bowels of the Earth It is seen in no disposition but dwells in its own Body that is it is not perceptible in any of the imperfect Metals because they have not Bodies able to hold it till by it they are made pure and fixt where they may become as its own Body is and so takes up its habitation and dwells in them as Heat does in Trees in the Spring time when the External Heat of Sol stirring up their internal or Mercurial Heat latent within them makes them bud and bring forth Leaves Flowers Fruits and Seeds and that to perfection This Sulphur saith Hermes it behoves us to extract without Burning for in the Mercury it is yet Volatile and therefore by subliming of it more and more it must be exalted till at length it is fixt but with great care and industry lest you err in the Degrees of the Fire which if it be too great it burns or breaks our Body or Vessel which in this place we call the Matter it self and is the Domicil in which this Celestial and Astral Spirit and Sulphur dwells and so makes it Vanish and Fly away Now it is said to be Volatile only in respect to the Body which holds it in Sol and Luna it is absolutely fixt but in Mercury this same Sulphur seems to be Volatile not that it is Volatile in its own Nature but is only contained in a Volatile Body which is Immature and Weak and cannot hold it This Body therefore must be maturated and strengthned and made fixt by Virtue of this inherent Sulphur being digested and Decocted in it with an Idoneus or fit Heat for a certain Revolution of time VI. Hermes And know that the Heaven is to be joyned in a mean with the Earth But the Figure is to be in a middle Nature between the Heaven and the Earth which thing is Our Water Salmon Here he speaks of the Three parts of the Stone 1. Heaven which is our prepared Gold 2. The mean or Medium of Conjuction which is our Aqua Philosophica 3. The Earth or Foeces which is Gold it self Now wonder not that Gold is here converted into Foeces and is esteemed more vile than the Heaven and the Water But this is not spoken of Vulgar Gold but of that which is Philosophick which while it lies in Putrefaction seems to be a vile thing now that it contains in it self all Bodies both perfect and imperfect precious and vile Gold and Lead i. e. Plumbum Philosophicum Aurum Leprosum Imperfectum Plumbum Fixum Perfectum but this is said to be in a mean that is tho' it may have the Color and Weight of Gold and other properties yet it may be made much more Spiritual and Excellent and Efficacious almost infinitely exceeding the Virtues and Excellencies of the Vulgar or Common Gold and this by the help of a middle Nature which is not so Volatile as Mercury nor so Dead as common Gold which middle principle is Our Water VII Hermes Now in the first place of all is the Water which goes forth from this Our Stone The second is Gold But the third is Gold in a mean which is more noble than the Water and the Foeces Salmon The three parts of the Stone are here more plainly exprest 1. The Water which is our Mercury 2. Gold which is Sulphur 3. The mean or almost Gold which is Our Salt or Philosophick Earth and is more worthy than either the Water or the Foeces by which Vulgar Gold may by projection be tinged and made more than perfect This is that pretious Stone in comparison of which Gold it self the most pure Gold is esteemed but as a little Sand and Silver as Clay in respect thereof This Gold in a mean is Gold in a middle principle that is Essential Gold in the Root of the Aurifick Agent which is in the possibility of augmentation or encrease even as a very little Plant which becomes a great and mighty Tree now this third principle which he calls Gold in a mean is the very Soul it self which makes this our Philosophick Plant to grow giving it form and Beauty and making it become a Golden Tree of a vast and almost infinite magnitude VIII Hermes And in these three are the Vapors the Blackness and the Death Salmon That is in one only Subject composed of three Spirit Soul and
Superior and Masculine Seed the Air or is the VVomb wherein the two Seeds are conjoyned The Air arises from Fire and Water as he Heaven from Fire and Air. Under the Appellation of Fire is comprehended the most pure substance of the Earth ascending with Fire and under the Name of Air the most pure Substance of Water The Belly or Wonib of Nature is a most pure Breath or Matter raised from all the inferior Elements converted into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Air in which is conceived by the help of Luna the Universal Seed of the Sun specificated also by the other Lights or Stars Hermes will have three Elements two under the Names of Sol and Luna the third under the Name of Ventus the Wind. The Earth is the Nurse of this Birth of the Air by whose Breasts it is Nourished whence it Sucks the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the more thick substance of the Inferior Water remaining yet in the Earth by which it grows and 〈◊〉 to its Substance and Perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 and Strength of a Man IV. Hermes This is the 〈◊〉 Fountain of all Perfection and its Power is Perfect and Intire if it be changed into Earth Salmon As if he should say this 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew you is the Original and Fountain of all Arcanums and Mysteries the secret treasure of the whole 〈◊〉 But it is not brought to its Perfection till it is 〈◊〉 into Earth then indeed is its Power perfect and intire that is if the Soul of the Stone of which we have spoken before and which may be called the Wind or Air which is also the Life Virtue Power and Spirit be converted into Earth viz. a fixt Substance or Matter so that the whole Air Spirit Life and Soul of the Stone may be conjoyned to its Earth which is its Nurse and be all turned into Ferment As in making of Bread a little Leaven Ferments and Transmutes 〈◊〉 great deal of Meal or Paste so also must Our Stone be Fermented that it may be come Ferment to the 〈◊〉 Multiplication thereof That which the Wind does bear in its Belly must be converred into Earth then is the Work compleated which is done by a long and Unwearied Decoction not by evaporating but 〈◊〉 the Spirits till it becomes 〈◊〉 and in success of time is dryed into a Pouder or 〈◊〉 But the time will be long and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you must attend it with Patience according to the Matter you work upon Some things are remote from Perfection other things more remote and others most remote whilst other things are near to Perfection others neerer and some things nearest of all He that knows not these things before he begins his Work may afterwards deplore his Error with very great loss V. Hermes Separate the Earth from the Fire and the Subtile and Thin from the Gross and Thick but prudently with long Sufferance Gentleness and Patience and Wisdom and Judgment Salmon Hetherto he has only discoursed the Theory he now comes to shew you the Practical part shewing first the Purification of the Matter of the Stone You must do it gentlv by little and little not Violently but Prudently and Wisely after a Philosophick manner By Separating he means Dissolving for Dissolution is the Separation of parts Some will have it that by the Earth here he means the Lees or Dreggs of the Matter which is to be Separated from the Fire the Air and the Water and the whole Substance of the Stone that it may become Pure and free from any Putrefaction or Defiled Matter and this the Spagyrick Philosophers say is the first Operation or Preparation of the Matter or Parts of their Stone But some understand hereby the Separation of the four Elements and this doubtless is the thing if it be spoken of a Spagyrick and not Vulgar Separation Under the Appellation of Fire the two other are understood viz. Air and Water for the Fire cannot want or subsist without Air nor is the Air without Water for Air is made of Water by the Mediation of the Fire by which it is forced to Ascend upwards But as to the Earth it partly Ascends and is made Volatile and partly remains fixed below By separating the Earth from the Fire some will have it that he would have the Thick to be separated from the Thin not the Thin from the Thick because the Earth is thicker than the Fire But by separating the subtil from the gross is to be understood the subtilizing of the Thick Matter and Spagyrically to reduce that subtilized Matter into AEther or Spiritual Air. But this must prudently be done with gentleness long Suffering Patience c. that is according to the Laws of Art but gently even with a gentle Heat according to Natural Generation The Instrument of Nature and of the Spagyrists Fire without which the Work cannot be done This Fire is either Internal or External The Internal is proper to the substance or Matter and Naturally dwells within it which you must prudently stir up and Excite The External is either Violent or Temperated in four several Degrees The Violent is that with which some things are Calcined others Sublimed others as Metalls Liquified or Melted The Temperate in its several Degrees imitate or resemble Nature and are used for Putrefaction Digestion and Congelation or Circulatorily to dissolve and fix But Various are these kinds of Fire which are to be applyed according as the Subject requires and the Prudence of the Artist directs being continual without interruption from beginning to the End VI Hermes It Ascends from the Earth up to Heaven and Descends again from the Heaven to the Earth and receives the Powers and Efficacy of the Superiors and Inferiors Salmon Here is to be observed that though Our Stone be divided in the first Operation into four Parts which are the four Elements yet as we have already said there is but two principal Parts of it One which Ascends upwards and is Volatile and another which remains below and is fixed which is called Earth and ferment which Nourishes and Ferments the whole Stone But of the unfixed or Volatile part we must have a great quantity that it may Nourish the purified Matter of the Stone till it be made to Ascend is sublimed and subtilized then being thus subtilized and made Volatile it must be incerated with the Oyl extracted from it in the first Operation which is called the Water of the Stone and so often Boyled by Sublimation till by Virtue of the Fermentation of the Earth exalted with it the whole Stone again does descend from the Heaven to the Earth and remains fixed and flowing that is that the Corporeal be made Spiritual by Sublimation and the Spiritual be made Corporeal by Descension Here is a Circulatory Distillation admirably declared and the Construction of a Spagyrical Vessel to the Similitude of Nature It Ascends from the Earth i. e. from the inferiour part of the vessel to Heaven i. e. the
will tinge nothing for it never tinges any thing Red but that which is White and while the Work is now perfecting add them to the light of the Sun and it will be compleated Regimine Marino as we have already declared and by this conjunction above your Stone will attain to its Beauty and Glory XII Thus have you a dry Fire which does tinge an Air or Vapour which fixes and chains the Volatile Matter binding the Fugitive in Fetters and also whitens expelling the blackness from Bodies and a fixed Earth also receiving the Tincture CHAP. XX. The Order of the Practical part of the Operation I. WAsh your Mercury with the Water of the Sea till you have taken away from it all its Blackness so will you accomplish your work to perfection in which rejoyce II. If you understand how a Resurrection is ac complished i. e. how the living Principle or Spirit comes forth from the dead Matter or Substance how that is made apparent which was hidden and how Strength is drawn forth through Weakness you cannot be Ignorant how to compleat and perfect this Work III. How Manifest and Clear are the Words of the Wise yet so as the internal Life and Principal is still hidden you understand them not perfectly by their Expressions IIII. Two Bodies equally taken from the Earth grind in the Oyl of the Decocted Matter and in the Milk of the White Volatile Now mighty and wonderful are the powers and force of these Bodies which are freely bestowed upon you through this whole Science which you shall possess and therewith a long and enduring Life V. Take by force the most Intense Wisdom from whence you must draw forth the Eternal perpetual or fixed Life of the Stone till your Stone is congealed and its dulness is vanished so will you accomplish the Life thereof sought after VI. Give therefore of this Life sufficienly to your Matter and it will mortifie it or bring it to putrefaction but repleat your Earth and it shall make it to live Spring Bud Grow Germinate VII Plant this Tree upon your Stone that it may not be in danger of the violence of Winds that the Volatile Iufluences or Bird of Heaven may fall upon it and by virtue thereof its Branches may bring forth much Fruit from thence Wisdom does arise VIII Take this Volatile Bird cut off its Head with a fiery Sword then strip it of its Feathers or Wings undo its Joynts and boil it upon Coals till it is made or becomes of one only Color IX Then put the Venom or Poyson to it so much as is enough to bury or cover it govern it now with a gentle Fire till your Matter is mortified or putrefied which done grind it with White Water and manage it rightly X. For we bought two Black Crows and we put them into a Paropsidem or Crucible or Cupel which we had by us and Eggs or Silver Gobbets came out White as Salt these we tinged with our Saffron of them we sold publickly two hundred times with which we have been made Rich and our Treasures are multiplied XI And whosoever you shall imbue or fill with the Powers thereof should they be hurt with the Poyson of Vipers or the Malignity of Brass or Verdigrise they shall be in no danger for that it quickens and revives the Dead and kills the Living It destroys and restores again it casts down that which is elevated and lift up and elevates that which is abjected and cast down and gives you a dominion over the Heavens of the Earth XII Now you must note that there are two Stones of the Wise found in the Shores of the Rivers in the Arms of the Mountains in the Bowels of the Floods and in the back parts of the Kings House which by instruction and prudent management may be brought forth Male and Female XIII By these being conjoyned and made complex or perfectly united into one consimiliar substance you will be made wiser you will see the reason of the Operation and the end of the Work Blessed God how great and how wonderful a thing is this XIV A certain Philosopher dreamed that the Kings Messenger came to a certain Podagrick and the Podagrick desired that he might go with him to whom the Messenger answered since thou hast the Gout how canst thou go with me for thou canst not walk XV. To whom the Podagrick answered Thou knowest that in the Root of this Mountain there is a certain Tabernacle bearing me then thither leave there the burthen so shall I be presently freed or delivered from my Gout XVI Then said he to me thou art not able to touch the foot thereof but going back he took him up and placed him in the Tabernacle the foot of which the Messenger said he was not able to touch And waking from his Dream he saw nothing Behold the Similitude XVII Another also saw in a Dream wherein it was said if any one truly should sit down by the way and should ask you whether you would think fit to do this thing would you do it He answered I know not the other said thar he should lie or generate with his Mother in the middle of the Earth then awaking he saw nothing Consider well this similitude CHAP. XXI The remaining Operations and conclusion of this whole Work I. BUT leading you to the knowledge of Phylosophy and exposing the Demonstrations thereof in a Philosophick manner we should make it the dirision and mockery of Women and the play of Children II. Take also the fresh Bark or Rind in the same moment in which you shall after another manner extract the matter or thing it self in the place where it is generated and put it into a Cucurbit and sublime it III. And that which is or shall be sublimed separate it for it is the Vinegar of the Philosophers and their Sapience i. e. their Salt IV. Then take this Vinegar and melt or pour it forth upon another Cortex Bark or Superfices of the Sea and put it into a Glass Vesica in which put so much of your Vinegar as may over top it the heighth of Four Inches this bury in warm Horse dung for Thirty One or Forty Daies V. This time being past take the Vessel forth and you will find it now dissolved and turned into a black and stinking Water more black and stinking than any thing in the whole World VI. Take then this very thing it self and very gently elevate it in its tabernacle till all the moisture is consumed so as no more will ascend this sublimed Matter keep carefully for your use VII Then take the Foeces which remain in the bottom of the Cucurbit and keep them for they are the crown and rejoycing of the Heart Die then the same and grind them and add there to fresh or new Cortex of the Sea that is say Mercury and grind them together drying them in a warm Sun VIII And the Waters from the same first sublimed
Animal Vegetable and Mineral the like of which is not found in the World besides II. It has power both Active and Passive in it and has also in it a substance dead and living Spirit and Soul which among the ignorant the Philosophers call the most vile thing It contains in it self the four Elements which are found in its Skirts and may commonly be bought for a small price III. It ascends by it self it waxes black it descends and waxes white increases and decreases of it self It is a matter which the Earth brings forth and descends from Heaven grows pale and red is born dieth rises again and afterwards lives for ever IV. By many ways it is brought to its end but its proper decoction is upon a fire soft mean strong by various degrees augmented until you are certain it is quietly fixed with the Red in the fire This is the Philosophers Stone V. Read and Read again so will all things become more clear to you But if hereby you understand not the matter you are withheld by the Chains of Ignorance for you shall never otherwise know or learn this Art VI. Hermes saith The Dragon is not killed but by his Brother and his Sister not by one of them alone but by both together Note these things There are three Heads yet but one Body one Nature and one Mineral This is sufficient for you if you have a disposition to understand this Art VII The Dragon is not mortified nor made fixed but with Sol and Luna and by no other In the Mountains of Bodies in the Plains of Mercury look for it there this Water is created and by concourse of these two and is called by the Philosophers their permanent or fixed Water VIII Our Sublimation is to decoct the Bodies with Golden Water to dissolve to liquifie and to sublime them Our Calcination is to purifie and digest in four ways and not otherwise by which many have been deceived in Sublimation IX Know also that our Brass or Latten is the Philosophers Gold is the true Gold But you strive to expel the Greenness thinking that our Latten or Brass is a Leprous Body because of that Greenness but I tell you that that Greenness is all that is perfect therein and all that is perfect is in that Greenness only which is in our Latten or Brass X. For that Greenness by our Magistery is in a very little time transmuted into the most fine Gold And of this thing we have experience which you may try by the following Directions XI Take burnt or calcined Brass and perfectly rubified Grind it and decoct it with Water seaven times as much every time as it is able to drink in all the ways of Rubifying and Assating it again XII Then make it to discend and its green color will be made Red and as clear as a Hyacinth and so much redness will descend with it that it will be able to tinge Argent Vive in some measure with the very color of Gold all which we have done and perfected and is indeed a very great Work XIII Yet you cannot prepare the Stone by any means with any green and moist liquor which is found and brought forth in our Minerals this blessed might power or virtue which generates all things will not yet cause a vegetation springing budding forth or fruitfulness unless there be a Green color XIV Wherefore the Philosophers call it their Bud and their Water of Purification or Putrefaction and they say truth herein for with its water it is putrefied and purified and washed from its blackness and made White XV. And afterwards it is made the higheft Red whereby you may learn and understand that no true Tincture is made but with our Brass or Latten XVI Decoct it therefore with its Soul till the Spirit be joyned with its Body and be made one so shall you have your desire XVII The Philosophers have spoken of this under many Names but know certainly that it is but one matter which does cleave or joyn it self to Argent Vive and to Bodies which you shall have the true signs of Now you must know what Argent Vive will cleave or perfectly joyn and unite it self unto XVIII That the Argent Vive will cleave joyn or unite it self to Bodies is false And they err who think that they understand that place in Geber of Argent Vive where he saith When in searching among other things you shall not find by our Invention any matter to be more agreeable to Nature than Argent Vive of the Bodies XIX By Argent Vive in this place is understood Argent Vive Philosophical and it is that Argent Vive only which sticks to and is fixed in and with the Bodies The old Philosophers could find no other matter nor can the Philosophers now invent any other matter or thing which will abide with the Bodies but this Philosophick Argent Vive only XX. That common Argent Vive does not stick or cleave to the Bodies is evident by Experience for if common Argent Vive be joyned to the Bodies it abides in its proper nature or flys away not being able to transmute the Body into its own nature and substance and therefore does not cleave unto them XXI For this cause many are deceived in working with the vulgar Quicksilver For our Stone that is to say our Argent Vive accidental does exalt it self far above the most fine Gold and does overcome it and kill it and then make it alive again XXII And this Argent Vive is the Father of all the Wonderful things of this our Magistery and is congealed and is both Spirit and Body This is the Argent Vive which Geher speaks of the consideration of which is of moment for that it is the very matter which does make perfect XXIII It is a chosen pure substance of Argent Vive but out of what matter it is chiefly to be drawn is a thing to be enquired into To which we say That it can only be drawn out of that matter in which it is Consider therefore my Son and see from whence that Substance is taking that and nothing else By no other Principle can you obtain this Magistery XXIV Nor could the Philosophers ever find any other matter which would continually abide the fire but this only which is of an Unctuous substance perfect and incombustible XXV And this matter when it is prepared as it ought will transmute or change all Bodies of a Metallick substance which it is rightly projected upon into the most perfect Sol or the most pure fine Gold but most easily and above all other Bodies Luna XXVI Decoct first with Wind or Air and afterwards without Wind until you have drawn forth the Venom or Virtue which is called the Soul out of your matter this is that which you seek the everlasting Aqua vitae which cures all Diseases Now the whole Magistery is in the Vapour XXVII Let the Body be put into a
an homogene and uniform nature Then we take the moist part and reserve it a part to a farther use This Earth or Ashes which is a very fixed thing we put into a very strong Earthen Pot or Crucible to which we lute its Cover and set it in a calcining Fornace or Reverberatory for 3 days so that it may be always red hot Thus we make of a Stone a white Calx and of things of an earthy and watery nature a fiery nature For every Calx is of a fiery nature which is hot and dry XXXVI We have brought things to the nature of fire we must now further subtilize the four Elements we take apart a small quantity of this Calx viz. a fourth part The other we set to dissolve with a good quantity of fresh Mercury even as we had done formerly in all the Processes of the aforegoing Paragraphs and so proceed on from time to time till it is wholly dissolved XXXVII Now that you may change the fixt into a Volatile that is Fire into Water know that that which was of the nature of Fire is now become the nature of Water and the fixt thereby is made volatile and very subtil Take of this water one part put it to the reserved Calx and add to it as much of the water as may over top the Calx 2 or 3 Inches making a fire under it for 3 days thus it congeals sooner than at first for Calx is hot and dry and drinks up the humidity greedily XXXVIII This Congelation must be continued till all be quite congealed afterwards you must calcine it as formerly being quite calcined it is called the quintessence because it is of a more subtil nature than fire and because of the Transmutation formerly made All this being done our Medicine is finished and nothing but Ingression is wanting viz. that the matter may have an Ingress into Imperfect Metals XXXIX Plato and many other Philosophers began this Work again with dissolving subliming or subtilizing congealing and calcining as at first But this our Medicine which we call a ferment transmutes Mercury into its own na-nature in which it is dissolved and sublimed They say also our Medicine transmutes infinitely imperfect Metals and that he who attains once to the perfection of it shall never have any need to make more all which is Philosophically to be understood as to the first Original Work XL. Seeing then that our Medicine transmutes imperfect Metals into Sol and Luna according to the nature and form of the matter out of which it is made therefore we now a second time say That this our Medicine is of that nature that it transmutes or changes converts divides asunder like fire and is of a more subtil nature than fire being of the nature of a quintessence as aforesaid converting Mercury which is an imperfect substance into its own nature turning the grossness of Metal into Dust and Ashes as you see fire which does not turn all things into its nature but that which is homogene with it turning the hetero gene matter into Ashes XLI We have taught how a Body is to be changed into a Spirit and again how the Spirit is to be turned into a Body viz. how the fixed is made volatile and the volatile fixed again How the Earth is turned into Water and Air and the Air into Fire and the Fire into Earth again Then the Earth into Fire and the Fire into Air and the Air into Water and the Water again into Earth Now the Earth which was of the nature of Fire is brought to the nature of a quintessence XLII Thus we have taught the ways of transmuting performed through heat and moisture making out of a dry a moist thing and out of a moist a dry one otherwise Natures which are of several Properties or Families could not be brought to one uniform thing if the one should be turned into the others nature XLIII And this is the perfection of the matter according to the advice of the Philosopher Ascend from the Earth into Heaven and descend from the Heaven to the Earth to the intent to make the body which is Earth into a Spirit which is subtil and then to reduce that Spirit into a Body again which is gross changing one Element into another as Earth into Water Water into Air Air into Fire and Fire again into Water and Water into Fire and that into a more subtil Nature and quintescence Thus have you accomplished the Treasure of the whole World XLIII Ingression Take Sulphur Vive Melt it in an Earthen Vessel well glazed and put to it a strong Lye made of Calx vive and Pot Ashes Boyl gently together so will an Oyl swim on the top which take and keep Having enough of it mix it with Sand distil it through an Alembick or Retort so long till it becomes incombustible With this Oyl we imbibe Our Medicine which will be like Soap then we distil by an Alembick and cohobate 3 or 4 times adding more Oyl to it if it be not imbibed enough XLV Being thus imbibed put fire under it that the moisture may Vanish and the Medicine be fit and fusible as the body of Glass Then take the Avis Hermetis before reserved and put it to it Gradatim till it all becomes perfectly fixt XLVI Now according to Avicen it is not possible to convert or transmute Metals unless they be reduced to their first Matter then by the help of Art they are transmuted into another Metal The Alchymist does like the Physitian who first Purges off the Corrupt or Morbifick Matter the Enemy to Mans Health and then administers a Cordial to restore the Vital Powers So we first Purge the Mercury and Sulphur in Metals and then strengthen the Heavenly Elements in them according to their various Preparations XLVII This Nature works farther by the help of Art as her Instrument and really makes the most pure and fine Sol and Luna for as the heavenly Elemental Virtues work in natural Vessels even so do the artificial being made uniform agreeable with nature and as nature works by means of the heats of Fire and of the Bodies so also Art work 〈◊〉 by a like temperate and proportionate fire by the moving and living virtue in the matter XLVIII For the heavenly virtue mixed with it at first and inclinable to this or that is furthered by Art Heavenly Virtues are communicated to their Subjects as it is in all natural things chiefly in things generated by putrefaction where the Astral Influences are apparent according to the capacity of the matter XLIX The Alchymist imitates the same thing destroying one form to beget another and his Operations are best when they are according to nature as by purifying the Sulphur by digesting subliming and purging Argent Vive by an exact mixtion with a Metalick matter and thus out of their Principles the form of every Metal is produced L. The power and virtue of the converting Element must
Sybills said that the Son of the Virgin be exalted from the Earth and that the white Quintessence after its rising out of the dead Earth be raised up towards Heaven the gross and thick remaining in the bottom of the Vessel and of the Water II. Afterwards the Vessel being cooled you will find in the bottom the black Faeces scorcht and burnt which separate from the Spirit and Quintessence of Whiteness and cast them away III. Then will the Argent vive fall down from our Air or Spirit upon the new Earth which is called Argent vive sublimed by the Air or Spirit whereof is made a viscous Water pure and white IV. This Water is the true Tincture separated from all its black Faeces and our Brass or Latten is prepared with our Water purified and brought to a white Colour V. Which white Colour is not obtained but by decoction and coagulation of the Water Decoct therefore continually wash away the Blackness from the Latten not with your Hands but with the Stone or the Fire or our second Mercurial Water which is the true Tincture VI. This separation of the pure from the impure is not done with hands but Nature her self does it and brings it to perfection by a circular Operation VII It appears then that this Composition is not a work of the Hands but a change of the Natures because Nature dissolves and joyns it self sublimes and lifts it self up and grows white being separate from the Faeces VIII And in such a Sublimation the more subtil pure and essential parts are conjoyned for that with the fiery nature or property lifts up the subtil parts it separates alwaies the more pure leaving the grosser at bottom IX Wherefore your Fire ought to be a gentle and a continual Vapour with which you sublime that the matter may be filled with Spirit from the Air and live X. For naturally all things take Life from the inbreathing of the Air and so also our Magistery receives in the Vapour or Spirit by the sublimation of the Water XI Our Brass or Laten then is to be made to ascend by the degrees of Fire but of its own accord freely aand without violence except the body therefore be by the Fire and the Water broken or dissolved and attenuated until it ascends as a Spirit or climbs like Argent vive or rather as the white Soul separated from the Body and by sublimation delated or brought into a Spirit nothing is or can be done XII But when it ascends on high it is born in the Air or Spirit and is changed into Spirit and becomes Life with Life being only Spiritual and Incorruptible XIII And by such an Operation it is that the Body is made Spirit of a subtil nature and the Spirit is incorporated with the Body and made one with it and by such a sublimation conjunction and raising up the whole both Body and Spirit are made white CHAP. XX. Of Digestion Sublimation and Separation of the Bodies for the perfection of the Work I. ERgo necessaria est haec sublimatio philosophica naturalis quae componit pacem inter corpus spiritum quod est impossibile aliter fieri nisi in has partes separentur II. Idcirco oportet utrumque sublimare ut purum ascendat impurum terrenosum descendat in turbatione maris procellosi III. Quare oportet decoquere continuò ut ad subtilem deducatur naturam quousque corpus assumat attrahat animam albam Mercurialem quam retinet naturaliter nec demittit eam à se separari quia sibi compar est in propinquitate naturae primae purae simplicis IV. Ex his oportet per decoctionem separationem exercere ut nihil de pinguedine ani mae remaneat quod non fuerit elevatum exaltatum in superiori parte sic utrumque erit reductum ad aequalitatem simplicem ad simplicem albedinem V. Vultur ergo volans per aerem Bufo gradiens per terram est magisterium VI. Ideo quando separabis terram ab aqua id est ab igne subtile ab spisso suaviter cum magno ingenio ascendet à terra in coelum quod erit purum descendet in terram quod erit impurum VII Et recipiet subtilior pars in superiori loco naturam spiritus in inferiori verò naturam corporis terrei VIII Quare elevetur per talem oporationem natura alba cum subtiliori parte corporis relictis foecibus quod fit brevi tempore IX Nam anima cum sua adjuvatur socia per eam perficitur X. Mater inquit corpus me genuit per me gignitur ipsa postquam autem ab ea accepi volatum ipsa meliori modo quo potest fit pia fovens nutriens filium quem genuit donec ad statum devenerit perfectum I. THIS Philosophical and Natural Sublimation therefore is necessary which makes peace between or fixes the Body and Spirit which is impossible to be done otherwise than in the separation of these parts II. Therefore it behoves you to sublime both that the pure may ascend and the impure and earthy may descend or be left at bottom in the perplexity of a troubled Sea III. And for this reason it must be continually decocted that it may be brought to a subtil property and the Body may assume and draw to it self the white Mercurial Soul which it naturally holds and suffers not to be separated from it because it is like to it in the nereness of the first pure and simple nature IV. From these things it is necessary to make a separation by Decoction till no more remains of the purity of the Soul which is not ascended and exalted to the higher part whereby they will both be reduced to an equality of Properties and a simple or pure Whiteness V. The Vulture flying through the Air and the Toad creeping upon the Ground are the Emblems of our Magistery VI. When therefore gently and with much care you separate the Earth from the Water that is from the Fire and the thin from the thick then that which is pure will separate it self from the Earth and ascend to the upper part as it were into Heaven and the impure will descend beneath as to the Earth VII And the more subtil part in the superior place will take upon it the nature of a Spirit and that in the lower place the nature of an earthy body VIII Wherefore let the white property with the more subtil parts of the body be by this Operation made to ascend leaving the faeces behind which is done in a short time IX For the Soul is aided by her associate and fellow and perfected by it X. My Mother saith the Body has begotten me and by me she her self is begotten now after I have taken from her her flying she after an admirable manner becomes kind nourishing and cherishing the Son whom she has begotten till he comes to
and joyn the Pen-case near to the Inkhorn and the other two like it on the two sides of the Figures of Peter and Paul in the one of which is put N. for Nicholas and in the other F. for Flammel have no Theological sense but only that as they are 3. in number so that I have done or performed the Magiste ry or Elixir three several times IV. So also these words NICHOLAS FLAMMEL and PERRENELLE HIS WIFE signifie nothing more than that I and my Wife have given that Arch. V. As to the third fourth and fifth Figures by the sides whereof is written How the Innocents were slain by the Commandment of Herod Their Theological sense is well enough known by the very words only themselves VI. The two Dragons depicted together the one within the other black and blue in colour and a Sable Field whereof the one has Gilded Wings the other has none at all signifie Sin which is tied to our nature the one having its original Birth from the other of these Sins some may be chased away for they fly having Wings The other which has no Wings and signifies the Sin against the Holy Ghost can never be done away VII The Gold on the Wings shews that the greatest of our Sins arise from the Ungodly hunger after Gold to wit Covetousness The black and blue colours shew forth the Wicked desires which ascend out of the bottomless and dark Pit of Hell VIII These two Dragons morally also represent The Legions of Evil Spirits which move always about us and will accuse us before the Just Judge at the dreadful Day of Judgment whose business is to tempt and destroy us IX The Man and the Woman next them of an Orange colour in a field Azure and blue shew that Mankind ought not to have their hope in this life For the Orange colour signifies hopelessness and despair The Azure and blue on which they are depicted premonstrate Heaven and Thoughts of Heavenly things X. And the Motto's coming from them viz. 1. Homo veniet ad Judicium Dei Man must come to the Judgment of God 2. Verè illa dies terribilis erat That day will be terrible indeed are to put us in mind of those things to the end that keeping our selves from the Dragons which are Sins God may shew mercy unto us XI Next after these things are depainted in a Field Green two Men and one Woman rising again of the which one comes out of a Sepulchre the other out of the Earth all three of an exceeding white and pure colour lifting up their Hands and Eyes towards Heaven XII Over the heads of these are two Angels sound ing with Musical Instruments as if they had called these Dead to the Day of Judgment Over these two Angels is the Figure of Our Lord Jesus Christ holding the World in his hand upon whose Head an Angel placeth a Crown assisted by two other Angels which say O pater Omnipotens O Jesu bone XIII On the right side of this Figure is Paul the Apostle cloathed with White and Yellow with a Sword at whose Feet is a Man kneeling cloathed with a Gown of an Orange colour with folds of black and white which represents my self to the life from which proceeds this Motto Dele mala quae feci blot out the Evils which I have done XIV On the other side on the left hand is Peter the Apostle with his Key clothed in Reddish Yellow holding his hand upon a Woman kneeling clothed in a Gown of Orange colour also which represents Perrenelle to the life from whom proceeds this Motto Christe precor esto pius Christ I beseech thee be merciful XV. Behind each of these there is an Angel kneeling the one of which saying O Rex Sempiterne O Eternal King The other saying Salve Domine Angelorum Hail thou Lord of Angels These things represent to the Vulgar who know nothing of our matter the Resurrection and future Judgment so clearly that nothing more need be said about them XVI Next after the three that are rising again are two Angels more of an Orange colour in a blue field saying Surgite mortui Venite ad judicium Domini mei Arise you Dead and come to the Judgment of Our God This is Theologically interpreted also of the Resurrection XVII Then follow the last Figures a Man of a Vermilion red in a Violet coloured Field holding the Foot of a Winged Lyon of a Vermillion red also and opening his Throat as it were to devour the Man thereby representing a Wicked Man in a Lethargy of Sin and Wickedness dying without Repentance who in that terrible day shall be delivered into the power of the Devil signified by the Red roaring Lyon who will devour and swallow him up CHAP. XXVIII The Philosophical Interpretation according to the Mind of Hermes I. I Pray God with all my Heart that he who purposes to search into these Arcana of the Philosophers having considered these Idea's in his mind of the Resurrection and life to come may first make his Advantage and Gain of them II. And then having farther advice that he search into the depth of my Figures Colours and Motto's but chiefly of the Motto's because as to the matter of Art they speak not Vulgarly III. Then let him demand why Paul the Apostle is on the right hand where it is accustomed to paint Peter the Apostle and Peter on the other side in the place of Paul IV. Why the Figure of Paul is clothed in colours White and Yellow and that of Peter in Yellow and Red Why also the Man and Woman kneeling by their Feet and praying to God as at the Day of Judgment are clothed in divers colours and not naked or nothing but Bones and why in this Day of Judgment this Man and Woman are painted as at the Feet of the Saints whereas their place ought rather to have been below on Earth and not in Heaven V. Why also the two Angels in Orange colour which say Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Domini mei are clad in this colour and out of their place for that they ought to be on high in Heaven with the other two playing on Instruments And why they are painted in a Field Violet and Blue VI. But chiefly why their Motto which speaks to the Dead ends in the open Throat of the Red Winged or Flying Lyon VII After these Inquiries and many others which may justly be made you ought to open the Eyes of your Mind and conclude that these things are not thus done and ordered without some just and true cause and that under them as under a Veil some great Secrets are hidden which you ought to pray God to discover to you VIII Then you ought farther to believe that these Figures and Explications are not made for them who have never read the Books of the Philosophers and who not knowing the Metallick Principles or first matter of Metals cannot be called Children of the
Colour to Colour till such time as it comes to the fixed Whiteness VIII Synon saith All the Colours of the World will appear in it when the Black humidity is dryed up IX But value none of these Colours for they be not the true Tincture yea many times it becomes Citrine and Redish and many times it is dryed and becomes liquid again before the Whiteness will appear X. Now all this while the Spirit is not perfectly joyned with the Body nor will it be joyned or fixed but in the White Colour Astanus saith Between the White and the Red appear all Colours even to the utmost imagination XI For the varieties of which the Philosophers have given various Names and almost innumerable some for obscuring it and some for envy sake XII The cause of the appearance of such variety of Colours in the Operation of your Medicine is from the extension of the blackness for as much as Blackness and Whiteness be the extream Colours all the other Colours are but means between them XIII Therefore as often as any degree or portion of Blackness descends so often another and another Colour appears until it comes to Whiteness XIV Now concerning the Ascending and Discending of the Medicine Hermes saith It ascends from the Earth into Heaven and again descends from Heaven to the Earth whereby it may receive both the superiour strength and the inferiour XV. Moreover this you are to observe that if between the Blackness and the Whiteness there should appear the Red or Citrine Colour you are not to look upon it or esteem it for it is not fixt but will vanish away XVI There cannot indeed be any perfect and fixt Redness without it be first White Wherefore saith Rhasis no Man can come from the first to the third but by the second XVII From whence it is evident that Whiteness must always be first lookt for after the Blackness and before the Redness for as much as it is the Complement of the whole Work XVIII Then after this Whiteness appears it shall not be changed into any true or stable Colour but into the Red Thus have we taught you to make the White it remains now that we elucidate the Red. CHAP. XLVI Of the Way and Manner how to educe the Red Tincture out of the White I. THe matters then of the White and Red among themselves differ not in respect to their Essence But the Red Elixir needs more subtilization and longer digestion and a hotter fire in the course of the Operation than the White because the end of the White work is the beginning of the Red work and that which is compleat in the one is to be begun in the other II. Therefore without you make the White Elixir first make the matter become first White you can never come to the Red Elixir that which is indeed the true Red Which how it is to be performed we shall briefly shew III. The Medicine for the Red ought to be put into our moist fire until the White Colour aforesaid appear afterwards take out the Vessel from the fire and put it into another pot with sifted Ashes made moist with water to about half full in which let it stand up to the middle thereof making under the Earthen pot a temperate dry fire and that continually IV. But the heat of this dry fire ought to be double at the least to what it was before or than the heat of the moist fire by the help of this heat the white Medicine receiveth the admirable Tincture of the Redness V. You cannot err if you continue the dry fire Therefore Rhasis saith With a dry fire and a dry Calcination decoct the dry matter till such time as it becomes in Colour like to Vermilion or Cinabar VI. To the which you shall not afterwards put to compleat it either Water or Oyl or Vinegar or any other thing VII Decoct the Red Matter or Medicine the more red it is the more worth it is and the more decocted it is the more red it is Therefore that which is more decocted is the more pretious and valuable VIII Therefore you must burn it without fear in a dry fire until such time as it is clothed with a most Glorious Red or a pure Vermillion Colour IX For which cause Epistus the Philosopher saith Decoct the White in a Red hot Furnace until such time it be clothed with a purple Glory Do not cease though the Redness be somewhat long before it appears X. For as I have said the fire being augmented the first Colour of Whiteness will change into Red Also when the Citrine shall first appear among those Colours yet that Colour is not fixt XI But not long after it the Red Colour shall begin to appear which ascending to the height your Work will indeed be compleat XII As Hermes saith in Turba Between the Whiteness and the Redness one Colour only appears to wit Citrine but it changes from the less to the more XIII Maria also saith When you have the true White then follows the false and Citrine Colour and at last the Perfect Redness it self This is the Glory and the beauty of the whole World CHAP. XLVII Of the Multiplication or Augmentation of our Medicine by Dissolution I. OUR Medicine or Elixir is multiplyed after a two-fold manner viz. 1. By Dissolution 2. By Fermentation II. By Dissolution it is augmented two manner of ways First by a greater or more intense heat Secondly by Dew or the heat of a Balneum Roris III. The Dissolution of heat is that you take the Medicine put into a glasen Vessel or boil or decoct it in our moist fire for seven days or more until the Medicine be dissolved into Water which will be without much Trouble IV. The dissolution by Dew or Balneum Roris is that you take the Glass Vessel with the Medicine in it and hang it in a Brazen or Coper Pot with a narrow Mouth in which there must be water boyling the Mouth of the Vessel being in the mean Season shut that the Ascending Vapours of the boyling water may dissolve the Medicine V. But Note that the boyling water ought not to touch the Glass Vessel which contains the Medicine by three or four Inches and this Dissolution possibly may be done in two or three days VI. After the Medicine is dissoved take it from the Fire and let it cool to be fixed to be congealed and to be made hard or dryed and so let it be dissolved many times for so much the oftner it is dissolved so much the more strong and the more perfect it shall be VII Therefore Bonellus saith When the AEs Brass or Laten is burned and this burning many times reiteated it is made better than it was and this Solution is the Subtilization of the Medicine and the Sublimation of the Virtues thereof VIII So that the oftner it is sublimed and made subtil so much the more Virtue it shall receive and the more penetrative
Calces of all Bodies may be so depurated and Citrinated that thereby they may become most pure Gold IX When also Argent Vive is dissolved then dissolve in it a little of the aforesaid Red Ferment and so put all into Kemia or a proper Vessel which firmly close up with a Philosophick Seal Then with a continual and easie or gentle Fire draw out the Charriot of the four Elements through the Depth of the Sea until the Floods being dryed up there appears in the Matter a bright shining substance like to the Eyes of the Fishes X. For by this Operation if you keep your Temperate Fire continually alive the Floods shall dry up with an exceeding drought and the dry Land or Earth shall appear as in the days of Noah the waters were dryed up from off the Earth and behold the Face of the Ground was dry And by lifting up the Rod of Moses and stretching out his hand the waters were dryed up and the dry Ground appeared in the midst of the Sea for so says David He Rebuked the Red Sea and it was dryed up he led them through the Depths as through the Wilderness XI And then by the Space of Forty days following it shall be Rubified as the Philosophers Demonstrate by the help of a Vehement Fire as the Nature of it requires continuing and remaining in the same strong Fire till it melt and flow like Wax whereby it will be able to transmute all Bodies into pure fine Gold XII And thus the White and Red Medicines are multiplied with their own proper humidities viz. only by the solution of the White Medicines in their own proper White and Red humours and by their Coagulation again of the same as necessity requires Thus have we explicated with singular plainess of Speech the Elixiration of Mercury per se or Argent Vive alone CHAP. LXVIII The second of the former Elixirs with Mercury and the Body Alchymick I. TO Elixirate with Mercury and the Body Alchymick Take One part of the most pure Kibrick quod est pater Mercurij omnium Liquabilium Sea water twelve parts in which dissolve the Kibrick being dissolved strain the water through a Linnen Cloth and what remains undissolved which will not go through put into the Vessel called Kemia set it over a gentle fire as it were the heat of the Sun untill there appears on the Top a Red Color II. Then put to it a quarter more of the Sea-water aforesaid being kept in a very clean Vessel set it on a very gentle fire and dry it up again as you did before by little and little at a time III. For in this Work by so much less there is put of the Spirit and more of the Body by so much the sooner and better shall the Solution be made the which Solution is made by the Congelation of its water IV. And therefore as the Rosary saith you must beware that the Belly be not made over moist for if it be the water shall not receive or attain to its dryness V. This manner of Imbibition must be Observed and continued so long till the whole water by several Imbibitions shall be dryed up into a Body VI. This done let the Vessel be firmly and Philosophically Sealed up and placed in its proper Fornace with a mean or gentle fire which must not wax cold from the first hour you begin to set the same into the Fornace till you have made an end of the whole work VII And when the matter is sublimed then let it be made to Descend by little and little without Violence the fire being Artificially made or set over it which done let it be again sublimed as before VIII And so let the Soul of the Sun of the Vulgar the which Soul is Our unclean Oyntment the Spirit not yet conjoyned with the Body Ascend from the Earth to the Heaven and again make it to Descend from Heaven to the Earth till all becomes Earth which before was Heaven IX To the end there may be made a substance not so hard as the Body nor yet so soft as the Spirit but holding a mean disposition standing fixed and Permanent in the fire like a White peice of melted Wax flowing in the bottom of the Vessel X. The which White substance of a mean or middle consistency must be fed and nourished with Milk and Meat till the quantity thereof be increased according to your desire XI This Medicine being Fermented to the Red with a portion of Sol Dissolved in the water of the Sea by reason of separating the first the form from the Matter to the end that it may be in a more noble form than it was before when the first qualities did remain undivided and that it may be brought into a Purple Colour by the help of a strong and continual fire whereby is made the true Elixir both for the White and Red Work XII Now this Elixir be it White or Red shall be increased an hundred fold more both in Virtue and Goodness if its Quintessence be fixed with it and that then afterwards it be brought and reduced by the Fire of Nature into a thin Oyl the which must be done in a Circulatory Vessel for truly then the least drop thereof does Congeal a thousand drops of Mercury into the very greatest Medicine CHAP. LXIX Of the Vegetable Stone I. THe Vegetable Stone is gotten by Virtue of the Fire of Nature of the Composition of which fire we now intend plainly to treat and of the way how to work with it in every respect II. Its Composition is of four things as Raymundus saith in his Book of Quintessences It is a Composition of Sal Amarum which is Ignis adeptus a fire that is gotten without Wood or Coal and by an easie working does work against all manner of sharpness of Action of the Visible Fire like as if it were the fire of Hell and therefore altho' Wine be hot yet this water of Mercury is hotter for it is able to dissolve all Bodies to putrefie and also to divide the Elements which neither common Fire nor Wine can do III. Some think that this Fire of Nature is extracted or drawn from Wine according to the common way and that it must be rectified by often Distillations until its Flegm is wholly abstracted which hinders its Heat Virtue Strength and Burning But this when it is done to all advantages and its highest perfection which Fools call the pure Spirit and then put to the Calx of the Body never so well prepared yet will it be weak and ineffectual to Our purpose for Dissolution Conservation c. IV. The true and Pure Spirit is Our Silverish Spirit of Wine which is our Vegetable Mercury and the true water of the Philosophers Concerning which see in Ripley's secret Concord V. Wherefore since the vulgar Spirit or Wine is such it is evident that there is an Error in choosing of this Principle for the true Principle which is