and softning essential Water separateth the pure Anima from the Metallick Body and dissolveth the same in such sort that it is reduced ad primam materiam softned to the inmost Center and become a penetrating spiritual substance or quinta essentia But this spiritual fire hath not only the efficacy just now spoken off but also barely of it self and alone hath such great virtues in Physick that its manifold and innumerable efficacies are highly to be admired at for it is ten times more powerful in operation than the former Spirit which is forced by a strong Fire from the Alcali mixt with clay which for all that in its Virtues surpasseth the usual Medecines as the Sun exceedeth the Moon in splendour And this Fiery Spirit is the same which our Philosopher thus highly commendeth to all faithful Physitians saying In passivâ deceptione Scholarum humoristarum cap. 1. § 89. these notable words worthy to be marked with golden Letters sin vero penitiori recessu aliquid pertinacius occultiusque restiterit assumenda sunt Alcalia Volatilia quae instar saponis cuncta abstergunt mirum sanè quantum Sal Tartari vel unici volatile factum non praestiterit nam omnem è venis amurcam detergit obstruentium contumaciam dispergitque Apostematum suscepta conciliabula De hoc salis non olei spiritu verum est illud Paracelsi quòd quocumque non attigerit vix alius potentior perveniet And he saith also further that they are equal in Virtue unto the great Medicaments and by reason of their subtle penetrating nature do reach to the fourth digestion his words are these In potestate medicaminum § 65. Fixa Alcalia si volatizentur magnorum Pharmacorum potestates adaequant quippe vi incisionis resolutionis abstersionis delata usque ad limen quartae digestionis tenacitatem coagulatorum in vasis fundamentaliter tollunt And therefore it is highly to be wished for that the Modern Physitians would be perswaded by our Philosophers intimation of the great Virtues of the Volatilised Alcalies to endeavour to get this excellent Treasure of health and to employ it to the profit and great joy of their Patients And although this one reason would be sufficient to move them carefully to endeaver this preparation yet there are two other great advantages more to be expected from thence viz. that not only the Essences of all Metals and of the whole Mineral Kingdom are to be obtained by the means of Alcalies Volatil as I have mentioned in the precedent Chapter with all circumstances but also hereby as by a sure foundation and the first step as it were they may attain unto the knowledge of the so highly commended universal Menstruum the Liquor Alcahest which ariseth from this very ground as our Philosopher saith expresly de Lithiasi cap. 8. § 2. where he answereth unto those which desired to know of him how to prepare the Element of Fire out of copper that the mystery of the Liquor Alcahest is required thereunto now since the Alcalies Volatil do bring the same to pass it must needs then follow that the Liquor Alcahest floweth from this source wherein I have been confirmed so much the more by our Philosophers Annotation written with his own hand in Paracels his great Chirurgie in the Margent p. 102. in folo. upon the preparation of the Tincture of Gold where Paracelsus teacheth to poure Alcool Vini upon the Calx Auri and that the same will extract the Anima Auri where our Philosopher writ thereunto Nisi Sal circulatum in sit spiritui Vini Tinctura ex auro non transit in eum Now in regard the Alcalies Volatil shew forth the same Virtue in extracting of the Metallick Tinctures as our Philosopher attributeth here unto the Sal circulatum it must certainly follow that both these proceed from the same Foundation which also is further confirmed by this that our Philosopher de febribus cap. 14. § 10. doth refer himself to Raimund Lulli as possessor of the Liquor Alcahest in whose relict writings we find the Doctrine of the Volatilisation of Alcalies more excellently and largely handled than in any other Philsophers books and therefore I also commended him together with our Philosopher most of all to the Reader from all which as infallible arguments I do conclude that by diligently exercising himself in the Volatilisation of Alcalies one may ascend as by a sure step unto the Mystery of the Liquor Alcahest it self whereunto God will raise his Elect Workmen CAP. IX How the extracted Tincture of Copper is further to be carried on to perfection and how it performeth its Virtue and operation in the Body of Man THe Copper being not stated in such a perfection by Nature as gold is therefore the way to proceed with Copper concerning its final perfection is different from the process of gold in this point for when the Tincture of this is separated from its Body it needeth no further perfection but then the Anima auri is already perfect enough because it had obtained its perfection already by Nature and its Maturation before it came to the hands of the Artist yet hereby is not denyed but that this by nature perfected Tincture may be made perfecter yet and advanced to a plusquam perfection for the same may very well be performed by the Noble Art Chymia as the books of the Wise do abundantly testifie But this is besides our purpose here it being my intent only according to our Philosophers guidance to subsist in the single perfection and to set forth the same and because the tincture of Gold hath the same already by Nature there needeth no more but to administer it to the sick and necessitous but the case is not the same with the Tincture of Copper for the Copper and its Sulphur is not fixed but of a middle condition betwixt the throughly fixed Gold and the totally Volatile Minerals and therefore its Anima could easily be destroyed and consumed by the Violence of fire if it should not discreetly be handled and therefore it is necessary that according to our Philosophers doctrine this Gold-like cleanly separated Anima be Coagulated and fixed and this by the Virtue of Fire which is able to ripen all imperfect things and to make them durable But the Fire must be ordered in this business according to the ordinary course of the whole Nature which from year to year without ceasing doth maturate and concoct unripe things to their highest perfection which maturation is performed by steps beginning with a gentle and weak degree of Warmth and so rising till to the highest degree of the greatest heat whereby at length perfect maturity is obtained And this same must be the way of your proceeding and therefore you must know how to govern your Fire according to Nature that you do not give it too strong before the time for else you would burn and spoyle this Noble Gold-like flower insomuch that afterwards it could not
PSAL. 36. In thy Light shall we see Light NOVUM LUMEN MEDICUM Wherein the Excellent and most Necessary DOCTRINE Of the Highly-gifted Philosopher HELMONT Concerning the GREAT MYSTERY Of the Pholosophers Sulphur Is fundamentally cleared By Joachim Poleman Out of a faithful and good intent to those that are ignorant and straying from the truth as also out of compassion to the sick Written by the Authour in the German tongue and now Englished by F. H. a German London Printed by J. C. for J. Crook at the Sign of the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard 1662. To the most Illustrious High-born Prince and Lord the Lord CHRISTIAN AVGVST Count Palatine of the Rhine Duke of Bavaria Gulick Cleven and Berghen Count of Veldentz Sponheim the Marck Ravenspurgh and Moehrs Lord of Ravenstein my most gracious Prince and Lord. Most Gracious Lord. YOur Highnesses last Conference with me at the time of my travelling through those Countries about the true and neerest way to attain unto perfection in Physick is still fresh in my memory And upon that Quaere I proposed unto your Highnesse for answer the golden Doctrine of the sharp-sighted Philosopher Helmont sunt videlicet Sulphura quaedam quibus correctis atque perfectis tota morborum cohors auscultat The truth of this Doctrine I did then demonctrate with strong Arguments of the Anima Antimonii and if my occasions had permitted me to remain there for some longer time I would have cleared the same by experimental proof Now although this great Encomium attributed by Helmont unto some Sulphurs may with truth be given unto the Sulphur of Antimony yet the Tincture of the Copper deserveth it much more as having obtained of Nature a higher degree of Nobility than the former and and therefore its Anima is called Sulphur Philosophorum by Paracelsus Basilius Valentinus and others in regard of its great Vertue and Power in relieving the sick in their pains and great extremities which many Physitians clearly apprehended from the Writings of Helmont and therefore greedily sought for the same but none almost hitherto found it Hence great complaint is made by them every where that they cannot attain unto this great Mystery nor sever the Golden Tincture from its Leprous Body And therefore I counted it to be my duty as a Christian to set upon the Table that little light of my knowledge in this Mystery which God in his Mercy bestowed upon me to the end that all that are chosen for it by God and born to it by Nature may see my gift and look into the matter it self also together with me may find out this precious Jewel of Health and be partakers of the same and thence much profit may arise unto the sick In regard therefore that your Highnesse was at that time well pleased with my Elucidation concerning the Tincture of Antimony I thought good to dedicate this also to your Highnesse to the end that you may perceive the Wonders of God in the Copper also and thence praise His holy Name Hoping that your Highnesse will Graciously accept of this my Lucubration and affection to serve you And I heartily commend your Highnesse to the continuation of the mercy of God remaining Your Princely Highnesses Most humble and ready Servant Joachimus Poleman Amsterdam 30th Jan. 1659. Concerning the MYSTERY Of the Sulphur Philosophorum CAP. I. The Occasion of Writing this Book GOd in his great mercy having lighted unto us unworthy Men in this Age a special clear light in Physick to the great comfort of the sick by the highly favoured John Baptist Helmont and the same having been also acknowledged and highly esteemed by many hundred truth-loving Physitians who therefore have diligently read and pondered his relict deeply grounded Writings Yet at length almost all do complain of the obscurity of those Books especially in what concernes the preparation of those High Medicines and above all touching the Tincture or Sulphur of Copper which every one deemed and deservedly too of all the most necessary in Physick Hence by many correspondencies one Friend sought of another the clearing of this secret and every one busied himself extreamly for the getting of this golden Arcanum of which disease I my self also lay sick a long time for having diligently read the learned Books of our Philosopher and not being able to frame any conception from thence how to unriddle this Mystery I resolved with my self to attain unto it by the sifting of Wise and Understanding Men and therefore declined no difficulty of travelling into divers Kingdomes though often with great hazard of my life where I enquired for experienced men in this secret Art and conferred with them about this high and weighty treasure of Health but could find none who could loosen this fast-tyed Sulphur Philosophorum or give me as much as the least hint of it Yea even of the most famous I found not a few who were not able clearly to sever the Anima from Antimony much lesse from Copper Whereupon I was forced to take another Resolution and so followed the faithful Doctrine of our Philosopher left unto us in his book de Venatione scientiarum and sought the truth of Nature no more from men but from the Creator and Beginner of Nature by my humble prayers whereunto I joyned a singular industry in reading our Philosophers Writings accurately observing his words and meaning and comparing one place with another and then also worked diligently and at length truth appeared unto me by the blessing of God Now he that hath been sick being best sensible of the condition of another which is sick of the same disease and not being ignorant of the great longing search and expectation for this Sulphur Philosophorum by the ignorant and such as go astray I thought my self bound in Christian charity to communicate unto my brethren what I discovered through the grace of God with much labour time and expences and clearly to unfold the way which I went my self and thereby attained unto this knowledge to the end that they may follow this little light set up for them and thereby penetrate into this Mystery and do good unto their neighbour in his sicknesse also that the name of God may be praised by many in his wonders and much glory may redound unto him which is the fountain of all good gifts CAP. II. Opening the Virtue by which a Mineral Anima or Sulphur is to be severed from its Body IF we desire Fundamentally to know by what means the Anima is to be separated from the hard Coagulated Metallick Bodies as Gold Copper Steel c. We must first enquire whereby not only common Sulphur but also the Sulphurs of Minerals which are but half-coagulated bodies are loosened or dissolved to the end that having a through knowledge of the same thereby as by steps we may ascend higher and advance to the separation of those much faster coagulated Sulphurs for all the Metallick and Mineral Sulphurs being throughly of one and
know that therefore it cannot be because that the Sulphur is too fast tyed to the Corpus by the hard Metallick Coagulation and afterwards by the melting Fire when the Metal was melted into a Corpus totally turned inwards and lockt up into death insomuch that though the Metal be ground and powdered never so small yet this Fiery Menstruum cannot lay hold of its like because it is not turned outwards again nor freed from its hard Coagulation and reduced into a Spongious porous light substance which two properties are of necessity required in a Crocus Metallicus that this Fiery Menstruum may have ingresse to take the Element of Fire from the Atomes of the Crocus into it self and essentially to unlock it Now these two properties viz. the Extraversion of the Anima and then the Spongiousness in which two only consisteth the fitting of the Metals both are obtained by Volatilisation which is to be done by no other means but double Spirits and therefore the Philosophers kept this way of fitting or preparing the Copper as secret as the extraction or separation of the Tincture from the Body because they knew that the one without the other will be of little use viz. that the Volatilised Alcali without the Volatilised Crocus will avail little on the other side the Crocus without an Alcali Volatil will not yield its pearle so both operations remained buried in the like silence But that you may the better understand this and clearly see and acknowledge the same as in a printed Image standing before you viz. how highly necessary not only the Spongious lightnesse but also the Volatility is for extraction of Mineral and Metallick Tinctures and that you may be convinced that without such a preparation the Anima cannot be had nor obtained I will set the same before you in Antimony as in a clear looking glass Take therefore instead of the now mentioned fiery water or Alcali Volatil a very Fiery distilled Oyl and instead of the Volatil Crocus Veneris place Antimony grind the same very small yea by much grinding reduce it into an impalpable dust this impalpable dust of Antimony put into a Phiol poure upon it the most Fiery distilled Oyl that you are able to get let it boyle for many dayes together and you will see that the Oyl will remain without change as it was before and the Antimony will also remain perfectly in its former nature Lo now although you had never so Fiery an Oyl and although in the smallest ground Antimony truly lyes some fiery thing which hath great affinity with the fiery Oyl and may be extracted thence yet the Oyl was not able at this time to perform it although it touched every least Pulvisculus of the Antimony But why so Truly therefore only because that Antimony by nature being stated in a hard Mineral Coagulation the Oyl hath no power though it be never so fiery to untye this hard Ligament of Coagulation and to sever its like from thence unless the Antimony be first prepared and become first Volatil then also Spongious light and swelled up that is that each Atome of the Antimony do swell big and grow Spongious and the Tincture or Principium Elementi ignis be manifested therein and turned outwards Take therefore your Antimony and by a very strong fire force it on high and of a heavy compact Body you will get very light and Spongious Atomes which will readily yield their Anima or Elementum ignis unto a Fiery Oyl for if upon these light Volatil Atomes of Antimony in a Phiol you poure a Fiery Oyl and boyle it together for a few hours then the Fiery Oyl will apprehend its like viz the Fiery principium in Antimony attracteth and radically dissolveth the same and tingeth it self blood-red of the same which before it could not do when the Antimony was not prepared as yet so the case is the same in this our operation in Copper that although our Alcali Volatil be very Fiery penetrating and powerfull in mollifying melting and opening to the inmost Center all what in the Copper is of affinity with its Fierie nature yet it cannot prevail with it at all nor extract the least for all its great Fieriness unlesse the Copper be first inverted and the interiour extraverted the Corpus loosened by Volatilisation from its hard Coagulation and so rent into the smallest atomes and turned into a very light Spongious substauce then and not before hath the Fierie Water of the Alcali Volatil power to abstract its like viz. the Elementum ignis from the Copper and radically to unlock it Take therefore your Volatil Crocus whither of gold copper steel or any other Metallick Body put it in a Phiol and poure the Volatilised Alcali upon it of the preparation whereof I will informe you by and by shut the Phiol close and let it boyle gently together in sand about the space of six or eight hours and this Volatil Fiery Spirit will extract its like viz. the Elementum ignis from the Crocus and receive the same into it self by Sympathy and dissolve it radically by its greatly penetrating power Now when you see that this Fiery Water is well Saturated and thickned with the Tincture of the copper then let it cool and poure off what is dissolved and poure on fresh Spirit and let this also dissolve as before and so continue until there be nothing left in the Crocus for to extract and the Fiery Menstruum can get no more then poure the Solutions all together and abstract the Fierie spirit gently which you may use again for the like operation and in the bottom of the glass you will have the true Metallum potabile if of Gold aurum potabile of Copper Cuprum potabile and so forth of all other Metals And such a Noble Tincture is indeed and in truth a true potable Metallick essence being meer spirit power and Light and not reducible into a Metal alone because it is freed from all Corporeousnesse and is all spirit and virtue as our Philosopher saith de Lithiasi cap. 8. § 5. Ignis sive Sulphur Veneris non ampliùs reducitur in metallum per se quia prout nullum Sulphur est Metallum ita omnis Mercurius Metallicus est verum metallum And from this Tincture you may confidently expect all those great Virtues which in the Philosophers Writings are attributed unto a true metallum potabile But about this solution you may observe that when you have abstracted your Fiery Menstruum at last alwayes some of it remaineth still with the extracted Tincture by reason of the likeness of their substance for they act into one another insomuch that they lay hold of and retain one another and so turn to one substance melting into one another yea if this Menstruum should be boyled a long time with this Tincture it would totally remain with it and turn therewith into one fixed substance for this solution is fermentalis and therefore each one transmuteth the
it very small and then poure upon it highly rectifyed Spirit of wine and set it to extract in a warme place that in this manner the extracted Tincture of the Copper should come into the Spirit of Wine and by means thereof and from the same obtain an Essential moysture and be changed into a penetrating oyl No you are out the Spirit of Wine is farr too weak being nothing but common Water for the most part for a whole pound of the strongest Spirit of Wine will not yield much above half an ounce of Essential Salt how then should such a far dispersed vertue be able radically to mollify this concentred substance of the Copper there is no parity at all betwixt them both but there is required a concentred spiritual penetrating fire for this purpose such as is all power Spirit and Life what should such a watry Vapour be able to prevail as the Spiritus vini is for the most part And although the Spiritus vini standing upon such a tinged Alcali in digestion is changed in colour and turneth very red yet it doth not follow therefore that this Tincture is from the Copper but is barely and only from the Alcali whereof it attracts some subtle atomes by which it is coloured which you may be assured of by this experiment viz. pouring spirit of Wine upon such a bare fiery Alcali which hath not been used for extraction of the Sulphur of Copper and setting it in digestion for then it will be as fairly coloured upon this as upon the other containing the few atomes Sulphuris Cupri Therefore it is very necessary and unavoidable necessity requireth it that if you mean to obtain this uoble Tincture of the Gold-like soul of the Copper the fiery material Alcali be first made Spiritual Volatil penetrating and active which is not to be done as most Readers do conjecture that the Alcali being a salt is to be distilled and forced over as they do other salts mixing them for to keep them from melting with Earth Lome or the like and so forcing them over by the strong power of fire into a vapour and spirit No such a sort of volatilisation doth not serve our turne for although the Alcali in this manner may be forced over into a Volatil spirit and the same also be of very great vertue in Physick yea far exceedeth all other Medicamenta Diaphoretica Incidentia Resolventia Deopilantia Maturantia Corroborantia which are to be found in any Apothecaries Shop as every one that will prepare and use it upon this my recommendation will find with admiration and great profit to the sick yet this serveth not for the extraction and Essential resolution of the Tincture of Copper because it hath been too much weakned in the distillation having left the most part of its natural fieriness with the Earth or Clay wherewith it is mixed for to fit it for distillation its fieriness having acted and consumed it self thereupon and so lost its former fiery power in so much that by such a distillation there cometh over a very effectual spirit for Medicine but very mild in tast and far too weak for our purpose But here the Alcali must be raised so as that it retain its fiery mollifying Vertue yea that it may become much more powerful and penetrating which is to be brought to passe by its like viz. by an other like fiery Alcali but that this is to be Volatil for if this were not Volatil it could not volatilize the other for none can give more then he hath himself or beyond what is in his power Such a Volatil Alcali must first be got by art from the same source from which the fixed Alcali is risen viz. from an Oylie Substance for a true Alcali can come from no other but from the Oyly Principium and therefore you must hold to the oyly ground and endeavour to turne the same into an Alcali Volatil Now if you would do it by force of fire you would get no Volatil but a fixed Alcali again and therefore it must not be done by such a violent way but by a friendly one such as is according to nature which way and unchangeable Law is this as I mentioned before as much as serves for our purpose that like delighteth in its like attracteth the same and uniteth the same with it self and changeth it into its own Nature Now if you will turne and change your Oyly substance according to this immutable rule of Nature into an Alcali you must mix or unite the same with nothing else but an Alcali and keep them together for a sufficient time in a gentle heat and the fieryness of the Alcali will powerfully act into the subtle attenuated Oylie substance which you joyned thereunto and transmute the same and because it is of the like Nature property and substance in regard that the Alcali also rose from an Oyle therefore it changeth the same also by its strong fiery force into its nature and turneth the same from a subtle spiritual thin Oylie substance into a fiery salty Alcali and being done gently there is no violence offered to the Oylie principium as it happeneth when the fire per force turneth the Oyl into an Alcali therefore it remaineth in its former Volatlity insomuch that you have obtained an Alcali volatil But because these two are very intimately united and tyed to each other therefore if you begin to force your Alcali volatil by the strength of fire the fixed Alcali must also rise with it because of the similitude of Substance whereby they cleave to each other and are inclined to abide with each other for as before by reason of the uniformity of substance the oyly spiritual substance was changed by the Alcali into its salty Alcalical nature from such a ground as is according to Nature So now on the other side the fixed Alcali because of the great affinity betwixt them accompanieth the Alcali volatil and turnes together with it into a Volatile penetrating concentred spirit which is altogether power Fire Light and Life and in this manner you obtain that which is necessary for this our purpose viz. for the essential solution of metallick Sulphurs whereof to speak any more would be unnecessary and Superfluous in regard that our faithful well deserving Philosopher hath described the same clearly and expresly in divers places in his Relict Writings and the like hath been done also by the sharp-sighted and deeply Learned Raymund Lully where the Reader will find it with all circumstances and therefore remain but with these two Authors and do not seek for it further from any other and you will truly find so much iustruction in them as you shall need unless that by the just judgement of God the eyes of your understanding be blinded because of your pride covetousness and worldly pleasures for then you will truly not apprehend any thing of it but they would be sealed books and meere riddles to you Now this spiritual fire
shew forth the tenth part of that efficacy which else it might being agreeably unto Nature digested and Fixed slowly and by degrees But that it may be the plainer to you how to proceed and that you may not easily mistake observe but and mind well the words of our Philosopher in Duumviratu § 9. where he saith first that it must be coagulated and afterwards fixed Now you know that Coagulation is to be done by a farr gentler degree o◠Fire then fixation and therefore be but guided by these two words and first Coagulate softly in regard that it is become like Oyl by the Fiery moysture of the Philosophick Menstruum which not only reduced the Anima Cupri back to its first radical moysture that is to such a State as it was in at its first rise or beginning and therefore also by all the Wise is called Reductio in primam materiam but also this radical moysture of the Gold-like Tincture of the Copper hath some part of the essential moysture of the Alcali Volatil remaining with it still as I mentioned in the precedent Chapter wherewith the inmost of the Tincture by reason of their uniformity in substance hath so united it self that each one is inclined inseparably to remain with the other And therefore this Noble Oyl must first be coagulated by a slow pace to the end that it may contract it self and so thicken and grow tough and hard at length And this being performed then afterwards the other word of our Philosopher viz. fixation must also be effected and so the coagulated powder leasurely carried on to such a fixation by the augumented degree of Fire that it may be able to undergo the strongest force of fire without change or damage and then it is throughly perfect To which perfection it must of necessity attain for to deserve the name of Sulphur Philosophorum and to be able to cure all diseases Sulphuribus enim mineralium saith our Philosopher p. 460. correctis atque perfectis tota morborum cohors auscultat Before they are brought to this pass viz to be wholly perfect it cannot be expected that all diseases should yield unto and flee from them and therefore their advancement unto perfection must of necessity be so ordered and carried on as even now hath been taught And when you have brought your business to such an happy issue you will have such a perfect Medicine as cureth not only Vniversaliter all diseases as a true Panacaea but also performeth its operation clean otherwise than all other Medicaments whither made of Vegetables or Animals For the Sulphura or animae metallicae being a meer fire and therefore also called by the Philosophers Elementum ignis in Metals and Minerals they also performe their operation as fire useth to do according to its nature viz. by warming or illuminating so this noble Tincture of Copper sheweth forth its vertue in warming hence it is called by our Philosopher excellens calidum very much warming in Duumviratu § 9 And then secondly by Illumination for it illuminateth and raiseth the life-spirit called by our Philosopher Archeus and mindeth the same of its office furnishing it also with Light Power and Vertue for although this noble Tincture hath no combustible or consumptible Light now nor is such as it was before in its first rise as likewise Gold it self viz. a combustible Sulphur and so consequently a terminat or extinguishable Light and therefore also now doth not light forth after a common or visible way as the kindled Sulphura Mineralia do yet notwithstanding the same being stated by art into a much higher and more excellent condition then it was by nature doth now lighten in a far more eminent way and casteth forth its unchangeable and interminable light and splendour for now as its nature is invincible by fire and so become a far more excellent fire than the common so likewise its light is far more eminent and reaching than the common corruptible light because that its light is interminable and such as will never cease in regard that its Light answereth the nature of its substance which being incorruptible consequently its Light also is indestructible and inconsumptible and therefore being received into the stomack of Man the stomack cannot act upon it nor change it but only suffereth it self and its indwelling Archeus to be warmed illuminated and irradiated by this heavenly Tincture which done this Tincture without any change goeth away through the natural draught in its former weight efficacy and splendour and it is able infinitely again and again to exsert and shew forth the same power vertue and help which it hath shewn before if it be pickt out of the excrements and made use of again Our Philosopher teacheth the same very profoundly and with a through satisfaction unto a truth desirous mind whereof I will here set down a singular passage of high concernment out of his book and tract called In Verbis Herbis Lapidibus magna est virtus that you may have it here together and need not look for it there Mark and ponder the same well for many Mysteries lie hidden in it His words are these Radialis commistio argenti vivi admiranda est si argentum vivum macereturin magna aquae communis quantitate haec namque etsi ne minimum quid de argento vivo in se sorbeat aut ad sui naturam convertere queat attamen ab argento vivo proprietatem non item substantiam mutuat sic ut pota aqua ejusmodi necet lumbricos universos ascarides existentes etiam quò potus iste nunquam pervenit quippe qui mox totus in lotium rapitur fitque aqua ista contra lumbricos validior si semel cum argento vivo bullierit sic unica uncia argenti vivi millies poterit mensuram aquae inficere attamen permanere in pondere proprietate pristinis Sic nempe Scholae etiam invitae addiscunt quod quaedam agentia citra passionem aut reactionem patientium liberè semper indefessisque viribus agant perstante eodem sui semper pondere Argentum vivum nempe agit in aquam eique impri mit sui characterem non tamen vicissim quidquam ab aqua repatitur Manifestum est itaque quod vis quaedam medica transferatur mutetque suum subjectum naturale et abeat in objectum peregrinum solo velut radio vel aspectu sui ita tamen ut licet objectum peregrinum acquirat exoticam sibivim agens tamen inspiransque initium ne quidquam de suo pristino robore aut pondere amittat remittatque fit nempe id absque ulla argenti vivi passione diminutione mutatione debilitate aut alteritate Exemplum sanè hoc loco adductum inservit argumento de virtute propemodum infinita remediorum celebranda Quae res postquam in Mineralibus saepè ac diversi-modè subter experientiam tracta fuisset me edocuit tandem quod antehac nemo mortalium
is kept for other uses yet this I must mention here also that there is yet another way to sever the Mercury from this noble Sulphur viz. by elevating the mercurial part by means of such a degree of Fire as is requisite and then it will ascend alone and leave its red Companion in the bottome but this way is not for our purpose because thereby the Sulphur which remains in the bottom will be very much fixed and altered from its former combustible condition which ought not to be in this work as the following Mechanica left by our Philosopher doth shew forth for he will have that the Sulphur Metalli primi be dissolved in oyl of Cinnamon which cannot be done unlesse that this Sulphur remain thoroughly Volatil and Combustible and therefore we must Acquiesce in the first way Take therefore very pure and subtle Oyle of Cinamon poure it upon the said combustible Sulphur put it in a phiol and let it boyl till the Oyl be very red and rich of the Tincture then poure it into a Retort abstract the oyl gently so long as it comes clear and when by gentle heat nothing more will come over then let it cool and you will have in the Retort a thick and red extract like congealed blood which keep the clear oyl that came over poure again into the Phiol and add more of the Sulphur Metalli primi to it in case there be not enough in it boyle it again for twelve or more howers and your oyl will be very red again which after Refrigeration put into the former Retort to the first thick extract and abstract as before the oyl gently so long as it goes clear the Oyl that came over poure again the third time to the Sulphur in the Phiol and let it boyle as before and being well coloured poure it also into the Retort to the other extract And now put the Retort somewhat deeper in the sand than before first draw off gently the clear oyl and none such coming more then strengthen the fire a little but not too much that this noble flower may not suffer violence and there will come over first a yellow and then a red oyl poure all that is come over back again and distill in the same manner again and there will come over more yellow and red oyl this cohobation reiterate so long and often until your Oyl do come over so red that it could not be redder which is a sign that the Oyl cannot contain and carry over any more of the mollified Sulphur which you may easily know by it s not increasing in rednesse after several cohobations This tinged Oyl you must well mix and grind together with a very dry pure Alcali warmed a little upon a stone warmed also work it together for an hour or two that it be like a thin hony and take heed that you put in not too much of the Oyl for all that Oyl which is not exactly mixed with the Alcali and so not touched by it but standeth over the same exceedeth the true proportion and cannot be meliorated by the Alcali Then put your mixture into a little Cucurbit and let it by day and by night for some weeks digest together in such a soft or gentle heat that the oyl may not ascend and it will at length all turne to Salt and grow hard which being forced by a stronger fire yieldeth a red Salt the vertue whereof will commend it self Now we will also speak of the third subject whereof our Philosopher maketh mention and commendeth the same unto us viz. of Antimony and try whether in this also the Sulphur Philosophorum be hid which questionlesse must be so since it is related and put in company with the Arcanum Cupri and Glaurae by our Philosopher Now to extract the same out of this subject Know that it cannot be brought to its highest perfection after the same manner as the Glaura in regard that this of its nature and first rise is farr more highly nobilitated than the Antimony and therefore also needeth no more but only to be opened and softned so as that it may be able to play upon our Archeus and communicate thereunto its radius and splendour and hence also by reason of the great prerogative it hath above all other mineral Sulphurs it is called by our Philosopher the highest and greatest wonder of Nature but the Anima Antimonii must first be ripened and digested by a due Fire before it can attain to such an excellency But how to go about this work and concerning the genuine way to proceed therewith our Philosopher hath not left us sufficient instruction but directeth us unto Paracelsus speaking of this Arcanum in Pharmacopolio Dispensatorio Moderno § 49. thus Id Paracelsus nimirum correctionem veneni in Antimonio in Tincturâ Lili Antimonii cum laude attentavit per salem suum circulatum and amongst the Arcana Paracelsi our Philosopher sets this Sulphur Philosophorum Antimonii in the third place saying Tertio loco est tinctura Lili Antimonialis ejusdem ponè efficaciae c. We must therefore turne to Paracelsus his Writings and search there in what place he taught to prepare the Arcanum Lili ex Antimonio and we shall find it in his great Chyrurgia lib. 2. tr 3. cap. 5. where he speaketh of this Sulphur Philosophorum thus The Philosophers have tryed much with Antimony and prepared the same many wayes but the true way hath not been found with them yet but now it is come to light and it is such a science which all Physitians of right should know For this purification is the entry and beginning in all Diseases whatever they be and if it were in use there would not so much be spoyled as is done by the supposed Physitians For therefore I call them supposed because in all their wayes and doings they do but only suppose and know nothing of a certainty which is a very great shame to Physicians Now its preparation is this but he that will apprehend it must be experienced in Alchymy for I cannot set it down in such a way as is usual with the Apothecaries Take Antimony changed or reduced into very fine Alcool here the desirous searcher of Truth is to know that the change or transmutation of the Antimony into Alcool doth not signify grinding into fine powder as according to the literal sence it doth sound but the Antimony being heavy and compact of its Nature must by art and by the power of fire be forced to ascend in form of a very light dust in so much that not the least remain behind in the bottom pertaining to the substance of Antimony and this is to be repeated thrice as our Philosopher in his Marginals mentioneth and left behind him for information although the same may be also gathered from Paracels lib. 3. cap. 6. de vitâ longâ then reverberate it in a close Reverberatory for the space of a Moneth and it will be