may be supplied with the Alkalies of Honey Celandine and the rest of the Individuals named by Lully with which the Adepts did also sometimes acuate their Spirit of Wine as shall be declared below in tht Fifth Kind of Menstruums But these things make also against the Literal sense of our Receipt and do prove that the Salts of the Vegetables not the crude Vegetables themselves were taken in the Receipt But though he made choice of Tartar because of the strongest Alkali to be from thence prepared yet did he not for the same reason intimate that Celandine the Flowers of Rosemary Herb Mercury red Lilly and mans Blood were better than the rest because with these he proceeds another way for he separates the Elements from them with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine from which he takes only the Fire or Oyl which he circulates with the Spirit and so acuates it as is clearly enough evident in secunda Tabula Individuorum But because Honey surpasseth not only its own collateral Individuals but also the Tartar it self for he saith that the Spirit of Wine in Tartar hath one but in Honey two free Operations and therefore attributes his peculiar process to Honey namely by distilling the whole Comb the Honey together with the Wax with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick Now between both processes of Honey and the rest of the Individuals our Receipt keeps a middle station If Honey be volatilized as to the whole substance it becomes thereby a Magistery which being joyn'd to the Spirit of Philosophical Wine yields us a Menstruum of the Third kind But the Fires or Oyls of Celandine of the Flowers of Rosemary common white and red Wine c. are by separation of the Elements made with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Essences which being added to the said Spirit of Wine do not alter but multiply it rather because an Essence is added to an Essence that is the second to the first Spirit of Philosophical Wine But if Celandine the Flowers of Rosemary as also the Vegetables of our Receipt be distilled with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine it does extract and elevate all their Vnctuosity with it self rejecting the aridity of them being more simple subtil volatile and less loaded with dry Particles than the Vnctuosity of crude Honey and so by being circulated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine it is made indeed a Magistery yet more inclining to the nature of an Essence and therefore less dry and less altering the Spirit of Wine than that of Honey and so being now deservedly united with the aforesaid Spirit it makes a Menstruum different from the Menstruums of the Third Kind So the Literal Sense of our Receipt does hitherto stand unmoved But not to derogate from the Authority of the Author and his own Commentator Lully it is necessary to suppose that the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being distilled upon the aforesaid Vegetables he did sometimes out of the remainder prepare an Alkali by calcination and acuate his Spirit with it and so make a Menstruum of the Fifth Kind From these and the like Receipts we observe 1. That Wine Lunaria Nigrum nigrius Nigro the Matter of the Menstruum of Vegetable Mercury or Soul of Metals is not Common but Philosophical Wine nor that the Spirit of this Wine is the Common but Philosophical Aqua ardens 2. That a Menstruum of this kind is the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine acuated that is tempered with the common Vnctuosity of Vegetable Oyls Mix digest and distil any common distilled Oyl with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and you will obtain a Menstruum of the Second Kind much sooner yea you will make the same in a moment if you mix the Essence Spirit of Philosophical VVine with the Magistery of an oyly Vegetable 3. That one oyly Vegetable Saffron or Macis of so many is sufficient for the acuation of the Spirit of Philosophical VVine nor yet will you err if you take Triacle which Spirit of Triacle made with this Spirit of Wine will be a Menstruum of this kind 4. That these Menstruums are Medecines 5. That these Menstruums made out of meer Vegetables are properly called Vegetable Menstruums tho' some which we call Vegetable Menstruums compounded are by reason of the addition of Metals or Minerals sometimes by the Adepts called Mineral Menstruums so Lully in the 34th Experiment calls his Circulatum majus made of Gold and Silver the true Mineral Menstruum But we distinguish them from the Mineral Menstruums because they are corrosive being prepared with the acidity of Miâ—eral Salts But these are most sweet without any Corrosive and do kindly dissolve things that are to be dissolved 6. That a Menstruum is call'd the Soul of Metals Soul is diversly taken among the Adepts First For perfect Metal Gold or Silver So Arnold in Flore Florum Philosophers call the Soul a Ferment because as the Body of man can do nothing without its Ferment or Soul so is it in the thing propounded for Ferment is a Substance which converts other things into its own Nature And you must know there is no Ferment except Sol and Luna that is Gold and Silver appropriated to those Planets c. Ferment therefore must be introduced into the Body because it is the Soul thereof This is that which Morienus said except you cleanse the unclean Body and make it white and infuse a Soul into it you conduce nothing to this Magistery Secondly For Metals and other things volatilized with a Philosophical Menstruum So Lully calls Gold and Silver volatilized in the preparation of his Circulatum majus Menstruum or animated Spirit Take saith he the animated Spirit of Sol and the animated Spirit of Luna joyn them together c. So the Tinctures of Gold and Silver volatilized by a Menstruum as also of imperfect Metals are by him called Souls So in the 20th Experiment he hath the Animal Water of Saturn in the 21th Experiment the Soul of Mars Yea separating the Elements from all things he calls the tinged distilled Liquors Souls or animated Spirits because by them is the dead dry and fixed Earth again revivified volatilized and reduced into a Sal harmoniack See the Revivification of the Salt of Tartar by its own Water in the Volatization of it given in the Second Experiment Thirdly For Menstruums themselves For Menstruums are the Souls of Metals by which the Metals otherwise dead are animated and revivified so Lully of this our Menstruum the Soul of Metals pag. 195. Comp. Anim. Transm Otherwise saith he Metals cannot be dissolved unless they be animated with a Vegetable Menstruum by the power of which Resolution is made in things resoluble And in Elucid Testam pag. 145. Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies by which our Stone is vivified So also Ripley in Libro Mercurii pag. 108. saith The Sperm of Metals is also called Metallick Aqua Vitoe because it administreth life and health to
Metals being sick dead c. Fourthly For the Vnctuosity as well of the Metal as Menstruum Of both saith Ripley pag. 150. Medulloe Phil. There is some certain Similitude of the Trinity to be perceived in the Body Soul and Spirit of our Work The Body is the substance of the Stone the Spirit is the Virtue that is the Quintessence which excites Natures from Death and the Soul is to be taken for the Ferment which cannot be had but out of the most perfect Body Gold in Sulphur of Gold there is a Terrestreity for the Body and in Mercury Menstruum an aereal serenity for the Spirit and in both a natural Unctuosity for the Soul For they are all fermentable in the Unctuosity of the Body being mix'd and inseparably united with it throughout its most minute parts by which Soul is the Stone formed because nothing can be any way formed without it 7. That this Menstruum is called Vegetable Mercury produced from red or white Wine The Adepts have many Mercuries The First is Common Argent vive running or sublimed The Second is The running Mercury of Bodies extracted out of Metals by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine A Third is Any Salt Alkali especially fixed with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Lully calcines Celandine and from thence extracts a Salt of which thus Repeat this Magistery so often till you have extracted all the Salt which is the Mercurial Part of that Individual Celandine These things therefore being done take all these Dissolutions Lixivia's and transmit them through a Filter or Linnen-Cloth that they may be purged from Terrestreity then distilled by Balneo congeal and the moisture being gone over in the bottom of the Vessel will remain a Mercury or Salt of a white colour and by this means you will have extracted out of this Matter a Mercury which hath almost innumerable Virtues of acuating the Vegetable Spirit drawn from Philosophical Wine so as to have the power of dissolving all Metals with the conservation of the Vegetative and Germinative Form In Magia Naturali He calls Tartar calcined and impregnated with the Vegetable Menstruum by being four times distilled then resolved per Deliquium and coagulated by the Name of Mercury And saith he pag. 379 you wil have the Salt of Art or Testamentary Mercury without which is nothing done Sometimes the Salt or Caput Mortuum in the separation of the Elements called exanimated Earth he calls Mercury So in Exp. 6. The inanimated Earth of Vrine dissolved in Water filtred and coagulated he calls Mercury Then saith he Keep our fixed Sal armoniack our animal Sulphur our fixed animal Mercury Lay a little of which upon a Fire-hot-plate and if it melt as Wax without fume it is a sign you have Argent vive fixed and perfectly depurated wherewith you will be able to produce many Experiments This is that Mercury which hath afforded us most convenient relief The Fourth Mercury is either Vegetable or Animal of which saith Ripley in Pupilla pag. 300. There are more Mercuries than the two above-said Mineral the red and green Lyon namely the Vegetable and Animal Mercury because both may be extracted out of some Liquors as out of Blood and Eggs. Lully Distinct 3. Libri Essentioe in Figuris Tabulis Individuorum describes the Vegetables and Animals in which are found these Mercuries most readily There is saith he lastly this other Secret of Nature for the Artist of this Art to know and really have the knowledge of the Individuals in which our Mercury is found most easily Wherefore let the Artists of this Art know that our Mercury is found in every Elemented Body yet in some so remote as to anticipate the Life of Man before the Artist of this Art can possess it being extracted as is expedient Wherefore we do in that place reveal those things which contain it most nearly Of this Mercury saith Lully Libro Mercuriorum pag. 8. VVhen we say common Mercury we speak of that which the Philosophers understand and when we say vulgar we speak of that which the Rustick understands and which is sold in Shops Which Ripley in the 326th pag. of his Concordance thus expresseth VVhen I speak of Mercury understand Mercury more common than common The Fifth is The Spirit of Philosohical VVine which Lully in Exp. 3. calls Vegetable Mercury So saith he will you have a Vegetable Salt extracted from this Individual Honey which Salt is most precious and hath the power of acuating the Vegetable Mercury and dissolving the two Luminaries c. in Exp. 5. Salts he prepares out of Portulaca Apium Squilla c. with all which saith he you may acuate the Vegetable Mercury extracted out of VVine either joyntly or severally of which lower in the fifth kind of Menstruums The Sixth is The Philosophical Menstruum it self for our present Menstruum is called Vegetable Mercury produced from white or red Wine The Seventh is The animated Spirit or Air of every Body in the separation of the Elements which Mercury being a Fire or Oyl is called Sulphur in almost all Receipts The Eighth is Sal armoniack Vegetable Animal or Mineral the Sulphur of Nature which is also called our Mercury Mercury Sublimate and Philosophers Mercury Necessary it is we should observe these things in the following Descriptions of Menstruums except we would some times confound the things themselves with the Names The Third KIND Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Oyly Salts or such as can neither be called fixed nor volatile hitherto called Essential Salts such as are Sugar Honey Tartar of Common Wine and other Vegetables 10. The Mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus In practica Elucid p. 231. V. 6. Theat Chym. THe way of acuating this Celestial and Burning B Spirit of Philosophical Wine is to take of the Substances declared to you what quantity you will But we take the Substances of Flowers United that is the Substance of New Honey pag. 269. which we put in a Vessel to distill all the Aquosity through Y Balneo Marioe pag. 270. Then we pour in three parts and more of B upon that Substance prepared after this manner shutting the Vessel with its Cover called Antenotorium and put it in Putrefaction for the space of one Natural Day then with three Distillations by Z. Fire of Ashes pag. 270. we distill till we obtain all the Mercurial Part with the whole Juice of the Blessed Substance by that Method then repeat the aforesaid Magistery with New Substance of Flowers and making this Regiment four times at the end of which you have reduced B solutive from Power into Act by Virtue of the Manna of the Flowers United Now take a strong Glass Vessel able to hold as much Water as a common Pitcher with a Neck one span and a half long to which another Glass Vessel containing a fourth part only of the Pitcher must be joyned and well luted Into this Vessel put four Pounds of C the
thus done 28. The Sweet Spirit of Salt of Basilius Lib. Partic. sub Sulphure Solis Rep. 12. Clav. TAke of the Spirit of Salt wholly dephlegmed one part of the best Spirit of Wine free from all Phlegm or the Sulphur of Wine made as I shall tell you lower the Description of which we lately had in the precedent Pages one half part fit an Alembick well luted and distil strongly so as that nothing remains To the Distillation add one other half part of Spirit of Wine and distil and that repeat three times putrefie fifteen days or till it become sweet which must be done in a gentle Balneo thus will you have the Spirit of Salt and Wine without any corrosion for extractions But though this Menstruum may deserve its Praises yet it can scarce be reckoned amongst Menstruums of this Kind where we discourse not of acid Spirits but fixed Salts it must therefore be considered as an Appendix of the circulated Salt to the Illustratino of which it will not a little conduce From the Receipts we observe 1. That by Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Wine the Adepts did not in the least intend Common but Philosophical Aqua ardens for Common Aqua ardens will never perform that which is desired in these Receipts and it being granted that it seems to perform yet Menstruums so made cannot be Menstruums of the Adepts but Common of no efficacy or esteem in the more secret Chymy 2. That Basilius has indeed sometimes used common Aqua ardens for his Menstruums but never by it self but mixed with Vegetable Sal Armoniack or Philosophical Salt of Tartar that is with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine volatilized which Salt being brought into a liquid substance by virtue of this Spirit is his Menstruum for he separates again from thence the Spirit of Common Wine either by Flame or by quick Lime 3. That the greater quantity of Sal Armoniack is joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine the stronger are these Menstruums made wherefore Basilius his Menstruums of this Kind from which all the common Aqua ardens is separated are to be reputed among the best 4. That these Menstruums are the Magistery of fixed Salts by Paracelsus call'd the less Circulatums or Arcanum of the Alkali of Tartar Beans Wormwood as also common Salt Alom Nitre c. 5. And therefore that these Menstruums are Medecines 6. That these Menstruums may be made several ways as these out of the Sal Armoniack of Lully by the method of Paracelsus his Circulatums and so on the contrary provided the Alkalies or fixed salts be volatilized and distilled together with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick 7. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is not easily mixed with these Salts but by certain degrees First He extracts the Tincture or Soul from them that is the more unctuous parts which being more volatile than the rest are then easily distilled into a volatile Tincture or to use Luly's phrase into the animated Spirit then the remaining Earth being now fixed by the same means is again volatilized by absorbing the said animated Spirit by degrees and sublimed into Sal Armoniack 8. That these Sal Armoniacks are sublimed with a very strong fire 9. That these Salts are called Harmoniack by reason of the Harmony ar Perfection of their mixtion So have you saith Lully the formal Harmoniack mixtion of all the Elements wherefore wonder not if we call it Sal Armoniack for so it is called because of its exalted and sublimed property the pure and first Matter of Nature Lib. Mercur. pag. 155. 10. That the volatile Salt of Tartar the volatile Salt of Wormwood Carduus Benedictus c. common volatile Salt by Paracelsus call'd Sal enixum are rightly term'd Sal Harmoniacks Philosophical Vegetable Mercuries and Sulphurs of Nature c. 11. That the Spirit of Salt Nitre Vitriol Aqua fortis c. are by being cohobated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine made sweet The Sixth KIND Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit and Tartar of Philosophical Wine 29. The Coelum Vinosum of Parisinus made of the Salt of Philosophical Wine In Appendice Eluc Pag. 271. Vol. 6. Theat Chym. TAke the Philosophers first Matter called Chaos Vegetable Mercury the Philosophers Wine distil its Spirit ardent and Watery Element Phlegm in its convenient Vessel as we shall teach in its proper place till its Body remain in the bottom like melted Pitch which by two distillations wash with its Watery Element then pour its Spirit to it four Fingers above it mixing the Matter well till it be well united and set the Vessel to distil in Balneo with an easie heat then put it into Putrefaction six Days in a convenient Vessel and distil in Ashes the animated Spirit then take other Spirit ardens and that being poured to it put it again into Putrefaction six Days and so repeat this Magistery till you see that the Spirit has imbibed and extracted the Soul out of the Body an infallible sign of which will be when you see its Earth hard and dry for then may you be assured that the Body is for its health-sake dead which you may vivify and make incorruptible and it will no more fear Death nor Corruption in this World Now take the aforesaid Body first weigh it then put it in a convenient Vessel and pour to it an eighth part of its Spirit animated Spirit which extracted its Soul then put your Vessel in a Fire of digestion which we shall speak of afterwards and continue the Fire till you see that the Earth hath imbibed its Liquor then open your Vessel put on an Alembick and gather that little sweat which will have the taste of hot Water Imbibe now your Matter for a second time with a seventh part of the aforesaid Spirit which contains the Soul and proceed in the methodizing of the aforesaid Magistery Now for a third time imbibe with a sixt part for a fourth time imbibe with a fifth part for a fifth time imbibe with a fourth part and do not multiply the weight of the aforesaid Spirit but continue it so observing the aforesaid Method till the Matter which hath drunk up its Spirit and is again united with its Soul be white Take now the aforesaid Earth and put it in convenient sublimation the lower part of the Vessel being luted below the Matter and make the pure part sublime from the impure and so will you have our Mercury which is clear and shining as a Diamond This is that which the Philosophers do by divers Metaphors call the first Vegetable Matter Sal Armoniack our Mercury our Sulphur of Nature whereas notwithstanding 't is one and the same thing Take the other Simple Spirit which you first extracted out of your Chaos that which hath not extracted its Soul and make it more pure and subtil by the way following Take of the Vegetable first Matter Sal Armoniack which you made before one Pound and put
melted pitch to which pour of the ardent Spirit so much as to swim four Fingers above it digest for a week in Balneo then distil the animated Spirit by Ashes to the Earth pour new ardent Spirit repeating so oft till the Earth remain dry and in the Form of powder Moreover you must from the Earth distil an Oyl in Ashes with a Fire sufficiently strong so as that the Earth being laid on a red hot Plate casts forth no fume That Oyl as also the Phlegm are of no value in the present Work Calcine or Reverberate the said Earth in a close Vessel to which pour of the animated ardent Spirit an eigth part in an Alembick digest in Balneo three days then gently draw off the superfluous moisture being insipid as common Water imbibe as before and continue so oft till the Earth in a close Vessel to which pour of the animated ardent Spirit an eighth part in an Alembick digest in Balneo three days then gently draw off the superfluous moisture being insipid as common Water imbibe as before and continue so oft till the Earth be made Volatile which you will know if a little of it put on a red hot Plate be almost wholly evaporated This impregnated Earth sublime with a subliming Fire the space of twenty four Hours The Volatile and sublimed Salt sublime by it self yet twice which is to be with the ardent Spirit dissolved distilled and forty or fifty days Circulated into an Odoriferous Liquor Sometimes they impregnated the Earth from the beginning to the compleat saturity of it with a fourth part of the animated Spirit thus The Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully In Apertorio suo TAke of the best Juice of Lunaria that you can find one Pound or two and put it into a Vessel with an Alembick the seams being well joynted and luted set it in a little Furnace and underneath make a Fire of one wiek and with such a gentle heat let the aforesaid Spirits be distilled and so long till it begins to make Veins When therefore the Phlegm begins to shew Veins then is it a sign that the Spirit is distilled which contains in it all the perfection of Life and then take that distilled Spirit and keep it very choicely in a Glass well stopt with white Wax then put another Receiver under the Alembick and receive the second Water because it retains yet something of the aforesaid Spirit though not so strong as the first distil from that second Water so long till nothing else comes but Phlegm which is no otherwise then as common Water tasting a little if it has yet any Virtue than may you distil yet more but if it be as the other Water pure in taste then lay aside the Receiver with that second Water and put another Glass to receive all the Phlegm distilling so long till nothing more distils and then let all the Phlegm be poured away because it is that which brings Death to our Precious Stone and this the vulgar knows not but we know Now have you the Earth which remained in the bottom of the Vessel black like melted Pitch For that calcination of the Earth cannot be done with a strong Fire as Sophisters believe but it is done by its own Spirit which keeps it from burning because its Spirit draws the Soul from its Body and repels its superfluous Phlegm and mortifies the Earth and then vivisies it Now therefore calcine the aforesaid Earth in this manner Take the second distilled Water Aqua ardens mix'd with Phlegm and pour it upon the black Earth Pitch in its Vessel and mix well till it be dissolved because the Earth is presently dissolved Then put on an Alembick and lute well and distil the Spirit with one wick as I told you before till you see Veins then again separate the Receiver of the Alembick with the Spirits and set it apart and put another Receiver to and distil on looking if there be yet any Spirits there if not then the Water which is distill'd hath a taste like hot common Spring Water which put away again because such Water is Phlegmatick which causeth Death to our Stone And after the whole distillation take the Vessel with all the Matter which you will then find more hard than before and this is the reason because that Spirit hath attracted the Aereral Soul to it from its Body it being the place in which the Soul is contained that Operation repeat so oft till you see your Matter calcined in the bottom in the Form of a black Powder or even so long till you see no more Phlegm arise so as the last Water to be of as great virtue strength smell and taste as the first And you must not be ignorant that in the third distillation those two Spirits ill and well rectify'd are to be mixed together upon their Earth so long till the Earth and Spirits have those signs aforesaid namely the Earth be calcined and the Spirits yield no Phlegm Then take the Earth and with it a fourth part of its weight of the Spirit and put the Matter into your Vessel which we call Retentorium and place it in a Furnace continuing an easie heat so long till the Spirit be altogether coagulated in the Earth Know Son that the Body which was Dead puts on white Garments as if God please you shall see when you try the things aforesaid Son this must you repeat with new Spirit so long till you see the Earth altogether white as Snow and then is the Earth big and impregnated with Eternal clarity which will bring forth an Infant according to this way When the Earth is very white then Son take it out of its Vessel and grind it into a most fine powder and this do upon a Glass Plate then again put it into a Vessel luting the Joynts of it well and set it on a little Furnace and kindle a Fire continuing it for thirty Hours and in the corners and sides of the Vessel you will find our Infant born and resuscitated in the likeness of a powder most white most fair and in such clearness as the Body of Silver Keep it therefore in high esteem because it is your Terra foliata and it is called the Spirit of sublimed Bodies converted into Terra foliata so winto the same the Soul c. Sometimes they impregnated this Earth without observing any weight as thus Another Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully In Luce Mercuriorum TAke Wine red or white putrify it in Balneo twenty days at least that the parts of it may be disunited and the better separated then by distillation of Balneo with a most gentle Fire draw off the Aqua ardens which put in rectification so oft till nothing of the Phlegm remains then draw off the Phlegm by distillation with a Fire of Ashes till a certain matter remains in the bottom of the Vessel like liquid Pitch and the said Phlegm put apart then take the said matter and pour to
very small Fire and sometimes increase it by degrees till your Matter begins to sublime which it will do with a little heat and when you see the Matter ascend diligently observe to keep the Fire in the same degree that it may sublime very gently which will be easily done for the Matter is sublimed and ascends with a very little Fire pag. 402. of the same Volume Gold dissolved in this Aqua fortis of Isaack and once or twice cohobated then washed with common Water becomes so volatile as to ascend with a very small heat into a most poysonous Sublimate if any man does the same by as easie a Method with common Aqua Regis made of Sal Armoniack and Niter we declare he needs not Menstruums of this Kind but that common Sal Armoniack is insufficient for such a purpose even the Novices of vulgar Chymistry have long since experienced Besides the Vse of this Menstruum the Encomiums of Sal Harmoniack which agree not in the least with the Common of the same Name do prove the excellency of this Menstruum Now saith he we have a mind to teach you how and which way to joyn Soul Body and Spirit together so as to enter one into the other for a Congregation of Contraries cannot be so as to remain together without a Medium which before in cap. 146. he called Sal Harmoniack or dry Water Take an example from the Dyers that dye Cloaths c. Thus it is with our Stone Though we have rightly prepared the Body Soul and Spirit if they enter not into one another they will neither now nor at any time ever remain together without the Medium of our dry Water Now Beloved where now shall we find this Water For Geber saith Our water is not Rain-water Aristotle saith Our water is a dry water Hermes saith Our water is gathered out of a filthy and stinking Menstrual Matter Danthynus saith Our water is found in old Stables Houses of Office and stinking Sinks And Morienus Our water springs in Mountains and Valleys and Fools understand not these words but think it Mercury it is not Mercury it is a dry water which causeth all Mineral Spirits Soul and Body to enter and mix together and when it has joyned them together it departs from them and lets them remain fixed And this water is found in all things of the world For if this water was not in vain should we endeavour to make the Stone For how should we make one of our prepared Matter enter into another As the Apothecaries gather their Herbs together so ought we to do either in the Vegetable Animal or Mineral Kingdom to make a perfect work or Quintessence we ought to have a dry water out of every distinct thing A dry water therefore is in all things to make themselves perfect Therefore saith Galen All things have their own Medicine to make the Stone either in the Mineral Animal or Vegetable Kingdom without the addition of any exotick things Wherefore when we would make the Stone or any Fixation we ought to make that conjunction with our dry water as was said of the Dyer and Apothecary Therefore is it my Beloved that so many fall into Errors because they do not understand nor follow Nature Therefore did I mention the Dyer and Apothecary for you to understand Nature by that rude way that you may in your own mind perceive that no conjunction can be made without a Medium .. Wherefore all the works above cited are good but those two things are not there named the Spirit that is and Dry Water weights and way of joyning wherein consists our whole Art wherefore I conjure you never to reveal this Secret for all the Art that is in the world is comprehended in it to make the perfect work in a short time and little pains Cap. 147 148 149. 2. Oper. Min. pag. 524 525. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. Ripley hath described the same Water thus 88. The Aqua Regis of Ripley Pag. 349. Viatici MAke a corrosive Water of Salt Peter and Harmoniack and put not above four Ounces in the Destillatory and draw a water with a slow Fire wherein dissolve and make the Oyl of Sol c. This Water Basil Valentine calls the Kings Bath of which thus in the elucidation of the second Key Take notice Friend and seriously consider because here lies the principal Secret Make a Bath have a care that no strange thing enter into it lest the Noble Seed of Gold be radically destroyed after the dissolution of it Exactly therefore and with care examine the things which the second Key informs you of that is what Minerals are to be taken for the Kings Bath wherein the King ought to be dissolved and his external form subverted that his Soul may appear without blemish To this purpose will the Dragon and Eagle that is Niter and Sal-Armoniack serve out of which being united is made an Aqua fortis as you will be informed in my Manuals where I shall treat of the Particular of Sol. 89. The Kings Bath of Basilius Lib. Partic. in Particul Solis TAke of Salt Peter one part of Sal Harmoniack one part of Flints pulverized half a part mix and distil Take notice that this Water must be carefully and exactly distilled for it cannot be distilled by the common method He that is expert in the operations of the more secret Chymy will know what is to be done Observe you must have a strong earthen Retort well luted in the upper part of which must be a Pipe half a span long and two fingers broad put a great Receiver to it lute well and increase the Fire by degrees till the Retort grows red hot Then put in a spoonful of this Matter through the Pipe and suddenly stop the Pipe with a wet Cloath and the Spirits will pass impetuously into the Receiver the Spirits being asswaged put in another spoonful of the said Matter thus proceeding till no Matter remains and you will have Aqua Gehennea or Hell-water dissolving the Calx of Gold in an instant into a thick solution which we mentioned in the third Part as also in the second Key not only dissolving Gold but reducing the same into volatibility c. This Kings Bath is described also by Basilius in Revelatione Manualium Operationum thus 90. A Philosophical Water for the Solution of Gold of Basilius Labore primo Revelation Man Operat TAke of Salt Peter and Sal Armoniack of each two parts of Stones washed one part grind them together and by a Retort with a Pipe distil the Water into a large Receiver putting in two or three ounces through the Pipe the Receiver must be a big one and lie in a Vessel full of cold Water and covered with wet Linnen Cloaths that the Spirits may cool for it will be very hot stop the Joynts of the Retort very close kindle a Fire and the Retort being hot cast in three ounces of Matter the Pipe being suddenly
close Vessel in Balneo the space of six or eight days stirring it three or four times a day then let it cool and settle filter the tinged Vinegar pour on new repeat this Work till no more Vinegar will be tinged Draw off all the tinged Vinegar in Balneo that a Powder of a golden Colour may remain at the bottom This Powder prepare and extract with Vinegar as before filter the solution and draw it off till at length it leaves no Feces behind it then draw off the Vinegar that the rest of the Matter may remain in the form of a Powder Take of this Powder one part of Salt prepared one part of Roman Vitriol dried six parts mix them all well and sublime by degrees first with a weak Fire secondly stronger lastly most strong for the space of two days sublime the sublimation mix'd with its Feces three times then casting away the Feces sublime with new Species and repeat the Work three times then dissolve the Sublimation in the Dissolving Water for the red of what Description soever in the Twentieth Kind the Water being drawn off sublime pour on New Water and sublime and that do three times Then take seven parts of this Sublimation one part of the Calx of Sol and sublime This Sublimation being put into a Philosophical Egg made of Gold for one of glasswould be of little use for this purpose because it would become soft as wax stop it well and set it upon a Tripos the space of eighteen Weeks to be fixed but the first six Weeks with a gentle Fire the next six a stronger the last most strong These Eighteen Weeks being ended take out the Matter being fixed reduce it to Powder to which being put in a dissolving Vessel pour an equal quantity of our red burning Water of the aforesaid Dissolving Water for the red seal or stop the Vessel very well let it dissolve and settle then take it out and distil it through an Alembick in Balneo with a very small Fire It is necessary for the Receiver to be well luted and the Alembick must have a pipe in the upper part for it must be six times distilled always with new Red Water and your Matter will at length become thick as Honey which distil in Sifted Ashes by degrees and an Air will ascend like Water then changing the Reciver an Oyl of a Golden Colour will distil gilding the Alembick as also the Receiver let it continue in the same heat till the Alembick be of a Blood Colour then take away the Receiver stop it suddenly put another to and increase the Fire for the space of twenty four hours till the Vessel grows red hot in which heat let it continue twelve hours and the Matter will ascend red as blood and at last also a red fume These Spirits no more appearing let the Vessels cool keep the Distillation but the Feces reverberate c. Out of the Receipts these things we observe 1. THat these Menstruums made of the graduated Vitriols of Metals fixed in a close Vessel have the like place amongst Mineral Menstruums as the greater Circulatums of Paracelsus have amongst the vegetable Menstruums Dissolve the aforesaid Circulatums in any Acid Spirit and you will presently make Menstruums of this Kind 2. That these Menstruums are Medicines call'd Volatile Arcanums dissolved in an Acid. 3. That the graduated Vitriol of Venus has some certain peculiar Priviledges above the rest 1. Because in the Distillations of these Menstruums it hath a Fixed Body besides a Soul and Spirit whereby the two aforesaid must be fixed into the Stone but all the other Metals and Minerals being reduced into graduated Vitriols have no Fixed Bodies and are divided into two parts only Spirit and Soul but because the Adepts found it necessary to borrow some Fixed Body elsewhere for the fixing of these they therefore more than often affirmed the possibility of making the Stone out of Vitriol alone without any Addition thus have we heard Isaacus in the antecedent Receipts saying God hath vouchsafed such a blessing to Vitriol that the Philosophers Stone may be made of it alone without Addition it translating all Metals into true Sol but the Oyl of it must be fixed with its Earth or Body but that is not so with Metals for their Earth distils together through the Alembick But who observes not here these Words Without any Addition to be meant of any Foreign Matter and are so to be understood with some certain restriction For this most red Oyl of Vitriol shining by night and which must be fixed with its Salt into the Philosophers Stone cannot in the least be produced from Vitriol alone and that crude being not graduated with Philosophical Menstruums Moreover as the like Oyl being distilled from Gold and fixin the purified but not volatalized part of it is called by Isaacus the Stone of Sol alone whereas notwithstanding he used his Philosophical Vinegar to the making of it so the Stone may be said to be made out of Vitriol alone without Addition though the same Vinegar was used in the preparation of it Lastly It is manifest by the Kinds of almost all Menstruums that no Acid that is dry and incombustible Matter can be reduced into Oyl without an Oyly Menstruum because it must receive this unctiosity from the Vnctions Spirit of Philosophical Wine 2. Because it is of mean value and so by the Adepts call'd the Stone which God hath given us freely This Work saith Isaacus you cannot enter upon with a little Matter you must have at least four or five Pounds of Matter Gold or Silver if otherwise the Work will be insufficient For it is not the Work of poor men except the Stone given us by God freely might happily be obtained then other Charge is not necessary more than Vessels Coals and Food till we have prepared the Stone And the two Stones which God hath given us freely for the White and Red Work require but half the time as the Matter which is to be taken for preparation sake for before we come to Sublimation the Stone given us freely is already almost brought to fixation Cap. 17.1 Oper. Mineral Pag. 313. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. The same thing is affirmed by Basilius saying There is no moisture in Gold unless it be reduced into graduated Vitriol which would be a Work indeed of no Profit but much Charge because of the great quantity of Vitriol required to the making of the Philosophers Stone and though there is in Vitriol the desired Spirit of Gold of a white quality and a Soul and Salt of a glorious Essence but how many Countreys Estates and Riches have been thus consumed I will not reckon but this Admonition I give my Disciples to follow the shorter way of Nature that they may not also fall into extream and inextricable Poverty If you intend therefore he goes on to make the Philosophers Stone out of the Vitriol of Sol as many men indeed endeavour consult
which he calls the less Medicines so that which was in Paracelsus most difficult to be understood by others became more clear to me than any thing else and so I obtained the End sooner than the Beginning Yet the Joy from thence accrewing fell shorter than expectation for having tried several Experiments in vain I came to understand that these Menstruums of Paracelsus contained something abstruse and unknown to be understood not in the least according to the Letter whereupon examining them more exactly and comparing their Qualities with the Nature of the Liquor Alkahest I found a vast difference between it and them for it is said There is one Liquor Alkahest and that universal but many are the Menstruums of Paracelsus that indestructible that destructible that not mixing with Bodies these abiding with them that preserves the Virtues of things these alter them that ascends after the Essences of things in destillation these before their dissolutions c. I was at a stand sometime which part to take one while I wish'd for one indestructible Liquor rather than many destructible Menstruums supposing that one better than many another while changing my Mind I desired the Menstruums as sufficient for many Uses I knew before Truth overcame at length enabling me now to demonstrate the most if not all the Medicines of Paracelsus in Guido and Basilius On the contrary I perceived the Arcanums of Paracelsus commonly so called as prepared by that Liquor Alkahest or the like to be more and more different yea contrary to the Authentick wherefore as to the Preparation of Medicines I began to abstain yea desisted from further enquiring into the obscure Matter Preparation and Use of that Liquor Alkahest namely that which I find described in one place of Paracelsus as a Medicine but not in the least as a Menstruum Which Obstacle being removed I found an easie way from Paracelsus to Lully Basilius and other Philosophers of the same Faculty who I saw agreed all unanimously in confirmation of the Paracelsian Menstruums yea Light adding Light to Light appeared so clear that their preparation variety simple and literal sense shewed themselves all at once one only Word remaining unknown yet expressing the universal Basis of all the Adepts and that is Spirit of Wine not Common but Philosophical which being known and obtained the greatest Philosophical Medicinal Alchymical and Magical Mysteries of the more secret Chymy will be in the power of the Possessor In no Books of the Adepts hitherto known of me have I found any thing rare that owes not its original Being to this Spirit so that I dare affirm that whatsoever Chymical Spirits lower and higher fixed and volatile are able to do the very same and more will this our Spirit perform This it was that moved me to employ all my Study and Endeavours turning over every Stone in quest of the Spirit of this Wine and continually ruminating upon those abstruse and variously disguis'd Terms whereby they clouded it as the Key of all Philosophy behold the Fame of your great Name welcom'd me to Wilde the Metropolis of Lithuania and observing that You in expounding Natural Philosophy abstained from all manner of Intricacy and as the first and only Person indeed using a plain and candid Series of Words in applying common Examples of Vulgar Chymistry I rejoyced with my self thinking What could not this great man do if Master of the more secret Chymy I resolved with my self therefore to take a Journey into England for your sake alone that I might confer with you about the Menstruums as well as Medicines and other Secrets of Paracelsus from whom also I promised to my self very great Assistance in some other things not yet known Nor indeed has my hope deceived me for besides the easie admission common to all Strangers and Foreigners you have been pleas'd to vouchsafe me a more free Access received me courteously and commended my Studies and thereby rais'd my Mind to greater Things Which Favours do oblige me to Dedicate this part of my Studies to you your self Earnestly and Humbly beseeching you kindly to accept it and continue your Love and Friendly Countenance to him that is and ever will be Your Honour 's Most Obedient Servant J. S. W. TO THE STUDENTS OF THE MORE Secret Chymy UNder Heaven is not such an Art more promoting the honour of God more conducing to Mankind and more narrowly searching into the most profound Secrets of Nature than is our true and more than laudable Chymy This is it which shews the Clemency Wisdom and Omnipotence of the Creator in the Creatures which teacheth not only Speculation but also Practice and Demonstration the Beginning Progress and end of things which restoreth our Bodies from infinite Diseases as by common means intolerable to pristine health and diverts our Minds from the Cares and Anxieties of the World the Thorns and Bryars of our Souls to Tranquility of Life from Pride to Humility from the Love and Desire of worldly Wealth to the Contempt thereof And in a word which raiseth us from earth to heaven Yet for all that may we say of it with the same truth that amongst all the Arts which have yielded any benefit or profit to the World there is none by which less honour has hitherto accrued to God Almighty and less utility to mankind for lest a Science of so great dignity and utility should be too common or ill managed by the ignorant and impious the prudent Possessors of the same made it their business so to describe it as to make it known to their Disciples only but exclude unworthy altogether from it But in process of time the Adepts arriving to a greater perfection of Knowledge and Experience invented sometimes one someâ—imes another shorter Method in their Work altering Fornaces Fires Vessels Weights yea and the Matter it self who being thereby also constrain'd to make new Theories and Terms of Art according to the new invented Practice it happened that the Scholar of one Adept understood not the new Theory much less the practice of another which also sometimes happened to the Adepts themselves those especially which were under the document of some certain Patron in some particular Method and Process for they had not the power of discerning further than they had learnt whereupon they commonly suspected all the Notions of other men especially those that differed from theirs though in themselves good and right as fallacious and contrary to Nature or applied other mens Theories Sentences and Terms of Art unknown to themselves to their own private Process with which they were acquainted as I shall by many Examples elsewhere declare by which very thing they involved this Art in such a Chaos of obscurity that hitherto neither Masters nor Scholars have scarce had the power of communicating any benefit to the learned World It is to be wondred at but rather lamented to see such imperfect Philosophical Systems as have been hitherto bequeathed to us by the Masters
Vegetable Heaven dissolved in a mineral Menstruum of Lully 364 145. Ice compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstr of Lully Ibid. 146. The Aqua mirabilis of Ripley 365 147. The stinking Menstruum acuated with the Sal Harmoniack of Lully 366 148. The stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully 366 149. The Spirit of Mercury made with Vitriol and the fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius 367 150. The mixt Menstruum of Paracelsus Ibid. THE PREFACE TO exempt Diana from being exposed Naked to the Petulant Lust of Vnsatiable Men as also to the Scorns and Contempt of the Ignorant as a Common Prostitute the Adepts have taken care not only to cloath but cover her almost with several sorts of Garments To this kind of Apparel Antiquity has been pleased yet not properly enough to refer an Allegory of the Procreation of Man deduced from the Analogy of Seed anciently received however ill applied to the Mineral Kingdom First They reckon Coition Secondly Conception Thirdly Impregnation Fourthly Birth Fifthly Nutriment If therefore no Coition no Conception without Conception no Impregnation without which no Birth can be premised Which Disposition the Ancient Morienus himself confesseth to have been derived to him from Antiquity Hermes whom they call Father of the Adepts in his Tabula Smaragdina hath described to us the Father Mother and Nurse of the Chymical Infant No wonder therefore that such an Ancient and Easie Doctrine as this should have found so easie an access to Posterity it would be besides the Intention and Scope to offer those things which might be inferred by us against this Analogy of Seed Here let it suffice to remember only that the greater part as also the more ancient Adepts comparing the Chymical Magistery to the Generation of Man did under the Notion of this Allegory call their Dissolvents Menstruums or Feminine Seed but the Things which were to be Dissolved Masculine Seed My Son saith Lully The Vegetable Menstruum is of the Nature of a Womans Menstruum because a Mineral Menstruum proceeds from it by Dissolution of Minerals and Metals and is made artificially as Nature requireth for it hath the property of an incorruptible Spirit which is as a Soul and hath the Conditions of a Body because it generates and produceth Seed as a Woman therefore we call our D. Dissolvent Menstrual Blood or Menstruum because it is Generative and Nutritive and makes the said C and C Metals grow and increase till they be converted into M Sulphur of Nature or Philosophers Mercury or into Q Tincture or Philosophers Stone for as Menstrual Blood perfects the Embryo by nourishing and altering one Principle into another and one Quantity into another and one Form into another yet the Principles and Quantities appearing in every Alteration under divers Forms differing from the first Forms themselves till a certain Substance appears in one entire Quantity dependent upon several Matters which is a Body with Spirit and Soul reduced into Action And thus it is with our Infant Philosophers Stone Lully Distinct 3. Can. 4. Lib. de Essentia When K. Colour appears yellow then let the Artist know that the Body of our Infant is formed made and compleatly organized and begins to be prepared for the reception of the vegetable Spirit into it and Nature continues in that preparation till the yellow K. vanisheth away and a red K. Colour appeareth and then may the Artist be assured that the said Infant is perfect both in Body and Soul so that he may let the Fire alone till it grows cold which being cold the Artist will find our Infant round as an Egg which he must take out and purifie for it is a hard Stone in the middle of many Superfluities as the Infant of a Woman appears after Birth Can. 11. Distinct 3. Lib. Essent and let him take and put it into some clean Glass Vessel c. 3 Distinct 3 Part Lib. de Essent Parisinus Ripley Espanietus and other later Adepts the Disciples of Lully had this Analogy of Seed from him being doubtless the most Learned of the Chymical Philosophers Of this living Heaven saith Parisinus Raymund speaks in his Third Book de Quintessentia in the Chapter beginning Coelum Mercurius noster Our Heaven hath the property of an incorruptible Spirit which is as the Soul of it and hath the Conditions of a Body in it generating and producing Seed as a Woman and herein it differs from the other Principles of the Art It is also sensual because it is apprehended by sense namely by sight taste and smell as is declared in the first Distinction in the Chapter which beginneth Proeterea est principium movendi scilicet corpus sive forma And a little after speakidg of the aforesaid living Heaven he saith And in this point our Understanding knows that D. his living Heaven or Dissolvent hath a Vegetable property the similitude of which R and S Gold and Silver do transmit into the Sulphur of Nature which is the Spirit of Metals or Stone or transforming Poyson according to the signification of Raymund which signification he useth in his Alphabetum figuroe arboris Philosophicoe and therein produceth this following Sentence in Capite de figura Quintoe Essentioe As the Vegetative part of the Mother or Nurse transmits her Likeness into the Son which she generates which property the Son retains so our Mercury The Intention of the Philosopher Lully is to demonstrate that the Philosophers Sulphur or Stone or transforming Poyson receives all its benefit by the excitation of the vegetative Virtue which is in this Divine Vegetative Heaven The same Author in the Continuation of his Doctrine saith And also the Understanding knows that the said Metals R and S Gold and Silver retain the property of Menstruum with which they extend their similitudes into exotick substances transmuting the said substances into their own kind which is the reason why we call it Vegetable Mercury as also because it is extracted out of Vegetables The same thing at the end of the said Chapter he speaks afresh And our Understanding also knows that principle is as a Woman conceiving the Mans Seed and bringing forth in the same form and virtue as it was in the beginning From whence we necessarily conclude that the Elements of this Stone namely Gold ought to be moved by vertue of a living Quintessence and the aforesaid Vegetable Heaven which way I have sufficiently proved and demonstrated Parisinus in Lib. 1. Elucidarii pag. 221. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. Ripley having the same Master as Parisinus expounds this Doctrine more briefly thus As an Infant in the Womb of the Mother does by the concoction of temperate heat convert the Menstruums into its own Nature and Kind that is into Flesh Blood Bones yea Life with all other Properties of a living Body so if you have the Water of Sol and Luna it will attract other Bodies to its kind and make their Humors perfect
the Receiver and stop it to prevent respiring and then set the Urinal upon Ashes and if any corruptible part Phlegm and unprofitable Earth remain with the matter let it be burnt and the Vessel having remained two or three Hours in a Fire somewhat remiss and not any thing more distilling through the beak of the Alembick let the Vessel cool and then pour the same Water Aqua Vitoe or Spirit of Philosophical Wine which you kept before stopt in the Receiver upon the matter again This matter therefore being dissolved distil the Water again in Balneo as before which having taken away the Receiver you must keep well stopt from respiring then set the Urinal in Ashes and dry the matter being dryed dissolve it in again with the Water which you kept in the Receiver and if you see the dissolution is not clear and diaphanous you must transmit it so often through a Filter or Linnen Cloth and so oft dissolve and congeal it by turns as before till it be free from all Terrestreity and appear clear and splendid then may you be assured that the impure and corruptible part is separated and you will see the whole matter transmuted into an Oyl But now most dear Son you must proceed to the composition of our Mercury and Sal Armoniack the Powers and Virtues whereof are so many and so great as scarce to be comprehended within the expression of Man The way of which operation is thus You must know the weight of the Salt or Oyl which you beheld in the bottom of the Vessel depurated and pour to it so much of our Spirit that is Aqua Vitoe rectify'd so as to burn a Cloth steeped in it as will be four Fingers above it or let there be six parts more of the weight of the Aqua Vitoe than is the Salt or Oyl the whole being mix'd together put into an Urinal with a Cover or Antenotorium well luted that it respire not putrifie in Balneo the space of two Natural Days then take off the Antenotorium and put on an Alembick with a Receiver close the Joynts well and distil in a Furnace of Ashes with a slow Fire which distillation must be continued till the Beak or Head discover no Veins but suddenly after the Veins disappear lay aside the Receiver with the distilled Water Spirit of Philosophical Wine and stop it close for now comes the animated Spirit Spirit of Wine impregnated with the Essence of Tartar which hath the power of vivifying its Body or Caput Mortuum then continue the same distillation in the end augmenting the Fire that if any part of Phlegm remain it may exhale and be removed by that degree of heat Lastly the Vessel being cold take out the matter and grind it know the weight of the matter and pour to it four parts of Aqua Vitoe more than is the Earth Caput mortuum and covering the Vessel close with its Antenotorium putrifie as before then putting an Alembick to it with a Receiver well luted distill as before in a Furnace of Ashes the Soul being with its Spirit gone over with the same Signs of Veins as before appearing repeat the same Magistery three times For then will you have the Spirit perfectly animated and the Body exanimated and calcined This Spirit with the Soul of Tartar is indeed capable of disposing every Physical operation but in this place we will use it for the vivifying of the calcined Earth Take therefore the aforesaid Earth out of its Vessel and grind it then put a little of it upon a red hot plate which if it melt like Wax without fume is a sign of perfect exanimation if this sign appear not this Magistery must be reiterated till you have obtained that sign Then know the weight of the Earth upon which pour a fourth part of the animated Spirit and the Vessel being covered close with its Antenotorium set it in Balneo two or three days to be congealed or till it be congealed which done remove the Antenotorium putting on a Head and distill in a Furnace of Ashes without a Receiver that if there be any part of Phlegm it may be from thence removed for that which comes out from this distillation will be insipid of no savour or esteem in the Form of Rain Water Then again pour on a fourth part of the animated Spirit as before and congeal in Balneo as before then distil the Phlegmatick moisture by Ashes as before and thus repeat the aforesaid Magistery till the Earth hath drunk up and attracted to it all it s animated Spirit and attain'd to such a sign that if you put a small quantity of it upon a Fire-hot Plate the major part fume away which will be a sign that the matter is disposed for the subliming of our most precious Mercury which hath the power of dissolving any Metal whatsoever with the preservation of its Vegetive and Germinative form Take therefore the aforesaid pregnant Earth and put it into a Bolt-head Sublimatory with a long Neck which you must lute very well with Lutum Sapientioe and the luting being dryed set it with the matter into a distilling Furnace administring in the beginning a gentle Fire till the Bolt-head grow hot whose Mouth must be stopped with Cotton-wooll and continue that gentle heat the space of six Hours then augment the Fire somewhat six Hours more but if it begins not by that degree of Fire to sublime increase the Fire gradually to a more violent degree till it begin to sublime which Fire continue the space of twenty four Hours at the expiration of which time the Vessel being cold take from thence our Sulphur sublimed the Vegetable Sulphur of Nature our Mercury Vegetable our Heaven dry our Sal Armoniack Vegetable our Stone not yet fermented and call'd by many more other Names whose faculty is to acuate its Spirit of Philosophical Wine as shall be made appear by the Experiments hereafter following This Volatilization of the Salt of Tartar is sufficiently tedious yet easie and clear according to the tenour of the Receipt In the following kind of Menstruums we shall have divers examples of making such Sal Harmoniacks wherefore we will thither reserve those things which are to be admonished about this way of making the Volatile Salt of Tartar Lully mixeth three pounds of this Volatile Salt with four of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine successively by various distillations and reduceth the mixture by circulating sixty Days into the Vegetable Heaven But here we are to be advised that the Sal Armoniack of Tartar in its own dry Form is a Vegetable Menstruum and so according to the prescribed method of the Receipt it is not always necessary to reduce that into a liquid substance for that and the Menstruum made from thence are therein different because in the making of Heaven the Vnctuosity of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being superadded and now prevalent hath absorbed and dissolved the aridity of the Sal Armoniack but this
three Ounces of the VVater Aqua ardens rectifyed to the highest revealed to you before and the Vessel being covered close put it in Balneo for one Natural Day then Distil in Ashes till all ascend that can then know the weight of the Salt remaining at the bottom of the Vessel and pour to it three times its weight of the aforesaid Aqua ardens and put it in our Balneo the space of one natural Day then Distil in Ashes and thus do three times Then is all the Vegetable Salt come over the Helm with its own VVater and mixture is made and the Water clear which we call Simple Menstruum My Son Take a Glass Vessel which must be white Glass and sound and it must be a large Vessel and put into it four Pounds or six at most of this Menstruum thus simply dissolved and the Vessel being well shut and sealed put it in Balneo or Dung the space of sixty Days and it will in that time be converted into a Quintessence exceeding Glorious and Odoriferous which you will know when you see in the bottom of the Vessel a Sediment like that in the Urine of a well Complexioned Youth and it will be clear and resplendent as a Star of Heaven Keep it in a hot and moist place as is a Balneo separating it first from its Sediment and sealing the Vessel well as may be Both Receipts agree in all things except that Lully calcines the dead Earth and by dissolving in common Water and calcining purifies it Parisinus not so this Earth notwithstanding seeming by this way of putrifying to be made fitter for the Reception of its Spirit The Receipts consist of these two parts the preparation of the Vegetable Sal Armoniack and the Reduction of the same Salt into a liquid Substance or Menstruum The preparation of the Sal Armoniack is effected by two Operations In the first the Soul is extracted out of the Body by Virtue of the Spirit to exanimate and fix the Earth and make it melt like Wax on a red hot Plate In the second the Soul is stored to this fixed Earth by times and this variously to make it Volatile In both Receipts as well of Lully as Parisinus the animated Spirit is restored to the Earth so exanimated in an eighth seventh sixth fifth and fourth part of its weight till it wholly evaporates upon a fiery hot Plate this method of impregnating or revivifying the Dead Body will be confirmed and illustrated by the Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Parisinus In Apertorio Cap. F. and L. and parte secunda Citharoe vel Violettoe and Cap. 5. Elucid pag. 235. Vol. 6. Theat Chym. OUr Vegetable Mercury is that Principle to be admired above all other things of this Art which consists in the preparation and ablution of its most precious Earth which is of so great Virtue as not to be comprehended by the wit of any Men those only excepted who have attained to the miraculous effects of it Our purpose is to take the matter remaining in the distillation of Philosophical Wine like melted pitch to which pour of its Death Phlegm the height of four fingers above it agitate that the tincture or unctuous superfluous part of it may be dissolved let the matter settle decant the tincture to the remaining matter pour new Phlegm agitating and decanting so oft till no more tincture ascends and the Earth remains white sparkling like a Diamond which dry in the Sun or some such heat being dryed and pulverized pour to it of C that is its ardent Spirit so much as will swim upon it the space of four Fingers digest in a blind Head three natural Days then distil with a slender heat of Ashes till the Veins disappear take away the Receiver stop it well put another to distil away all the Phlegm with a Fire somewhat stronger cool the Vessel take out the Matter being hardened pulverize and putting it in the same Vessel pour to it of C the breadth of three Fingers lute and putrefie three days take away the blind Head distil through an Alembick till the Veins ascend then change the Receiver as before repeat these Operations till the Earth remain white and fume not upon a hot Plate Now take a Phial put the aforesaid Earth into it lute well the Neck of the Phial and set it to digest or calcine rather in Ashes and you will have your most precious Earth now sit to receive its Spirit animated or Soul with the conservation of its radical moisture Take this Earth put it in a round Vessel a hands breadth deep broad about the Orifice and imbibe it with its Soul or animated Spirit as we shall declare cap. L. thus have you so full an Instruction of this Matter that 't is impossible for you to err if you be a faithful Christian I promised he goes on cap. L. to give you full direction for the making of all sorts of Sulphurs for our Magistery that is Mineral Vegetable and Animal Sulphur Wonder not that I did first sublime and vivify the Mineral Sulphur of Nature I doing this to give them in order and that you might the better attend your Practice and Theory though I know you are not ignorant that no dissolution can be made without either Vegetable or Animal Sulphur Now to our purpose Take the Vegetable Earth prepared as I taught you cap. F. imbibe it with it s animated Spirit giving an eighth part of it in respect of the Earth cover the Vessel with a Blind Head digest eight days in Balneo then lay aside this Head and draw of all the insipid moisture in a gentle heat of Ashes or of the Sun then imbibe with a seventh part digesting in Balneo and distilling in Ashes as before then imbibe with a sixth then a fifth lastly a fourth part and with this quantity repeat the rest of the imbibitions till the Earth hath drank up two parts and more of its weight Then take the Earth out of the Vessel pulverize and put a little of it upon a red hot Plate if the greatest part of it fume away put the powder into a Sublimatory and sublime the Philosophers Sal Armoniack giving the beginning of Vegetation to both the terrestrial Luminaries Gold and Silver without which neither the Vegetable nor Animal Work yea nothing at all can be done in this Magistery This Volatilization of the fixed Earth the Adepts performed other ways also not always observing the order of the aforesaid weights of the animated Spirit in the resuscitation or impregnation of the dead Body For sometimes they imbibed this exanimated Earth with an eighth part of its animated Spirit so oft till it became animated again and was made Volatile Thus Lully made his The Vegetable Sal Armoniack of Lully Libro de materia Vegetabili in practica quarta TAke excellent Wine either red or white distil by the Rule of Art an ardent Spirit burning Cotton evaporate the Phlegm till the Matter remain thick as
stronger than the rest as to the preparation of the Sal Armoniack though it may be sooner made with this Oyl than simple Aqua ardens but as the Sal Armoniack already made is mixed and again circulated not with the thin Philosophical Water but with the Oyl or Aqua Vitae circulated 7. That the divers ways of subliming these Salts do most clearly discover to us as well the Nature of that Spirit of Wine as of these Menstruums and moreover commends the incomparable Experience of Lully in these things 8. Animal Menstruums tho' extracted out of the Vrine and other parts of Man are nevertheless not properly so called so long as the matter of that Spirit of Philosophical Wine was Vegetable and only acuated with an animal thing yea the very Spirit of Philosophical Wine made also out of the animal Kingdom as also acuated would notwithstanding differ not from the simple Vegetable Menstruums in the properties of dissolving because it would together with the said simple Vegetable Menstruums very much vary from the tinging faculty of the compounded Vegetable Menstruums from which it ought to be distinguished whereas otherwise it might be ranked among the Vegetable Menstruums The Seventh KIND Vegetable Menstruums compounded of the aforesaid Simple Menstruums 38. The Circulatum majus of Guido Pag. 4. Thesauri Chym. TAke of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine six Ounces of the Salt of the same Wine four Ounces the Vessel being well stopp'd distil the Spirit in Balneo which pour back upon the Salt of Wine and again distil and this ought to be done twelve times then distil for a Month in Balneo roxido Putrefaction being done take out the matter and distil in a Cucurbit with an Alembick of two Heads or Beaks in Balneo and the Spirit of Wine will ascend through the upper Beak into its Receiver but the Phlegm through the lower into its Vessel Take out the Salt of Wine pour one half of the Spirit of Wine to it and distil with a Retort into the other part of the Wine distil yet once upon the remainder and all the Salt will ascend into a strong Menstruum But if you desire a weaker add six other Ounces of the Spirit of Wine and if you would have it very weak pour to it a greater quantity of Spirit but according to the aforesaid weight it is made our great Vegetable Menstruum or Circulatum majus Annotations HItherto of Simple Vegetable Menstruums now follow those which are said to be compounded not as if they are compounded of more Ingredients but because they are stronger than the Simple as well in their qualities of dissolving as tinging The Menstruums of this Kind differ not from the former in matter nor in the method of preparing but in weight only for the more aridity you add to the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine the stronger are the Menstruums made Guido made his less Circulatum of one part of the Salt of Wine and four parts of the Spirit of Wine but the greater Circulatum he makes of two parts of the Salt of Wine and three parts of the Spirit of Wine The greater quantity of the Salt the stronger is the Circulatum The less Circulatums do extract the Essences or Tinctures of things but the greater Circulatums do dissolve the whole Body into a Magistery as will appear in the second Book Vegetable Menstruums compounded are made also if the simple Vegetable Menstruums be taken instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in the Descriptions of them all as thus 39. The Menstruum acutum of Guido Pag. 8. Thesauri Chym. TAke of the Vegetable Menstruum Circulatum minus described in Numb 36. one Pound of Sal Armoniack common twelve Ounces distil by a Retort first with a weak Fire then a stronger and the Sal Armoniack will in part ascend pour it back and distil yet once then again add twelve Ounces of new Sal Armoniack distil strongly in Ashes pour back and cohobate yet twice and you will have our acute Menstruum Sal Armoniack reduced into a liquid substance by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is a Menstruum of the fourth Kind but the same Salt distill'd with the Circulatum minus of Guido is made not a simple but compound Menstruum and the better for adding so great a quantity of new Sal Armoniack Parisinus in the third Kind of Menstruums acuates the Spirit of Philosophical Wine with crude Honey by which way it is made a simple Menstruum of that Kind but if mixed with its fixed Salt and distilled through an Alembick 't is made a compound Menstruum 40. The Coelum majus of Parisinus In Apertorio TAke B that is red Wine putrify'd as you know how put it in a Glass Cucurbit with its Alembick and Receiver well luted and set it in Balneo wherein must be so much Water as to swim two Fingers above the said Lunaria and distil gently and forthwith you will see Veins appear in the Alembick continue the distillation so long as they appear and these Veins will be like Tears clear as Cristal and when Death Phlegm comes which kills the Spirit the said Veins or Tears will cease and appear round as Pearls then take away the Receiver stop it that the Spirit may not evaporate and set it in a cold place and so have you separated the Soul Spirit of it tho' it contains a little of its Death yet in it and thus continue the distillation the Receiver being now changed till all the odoriferous Phlegm is ascended and the matter remains like melted pitch black and thick which observe not to dry overmuch but according to the said Signs only And thus will you have two ferments from our B. beware of revealing to any one this Practice which we communicate to you under the peril of your Soul for you would be the cause of much Evil in this World to be committed by the Sons of Iniquity put it therefore into the hands of Almighty God who knows the Will of those that live according to his Will and the triumphant Gospel for the Glory of which you have extracted the Form out of B and the same way you may extract from all Individuals Animal and Vegetable Cap. secundum significatum per C. Take the Soul Spirit of it reserved in the cold place and distil half of it in Balneo or till the precious Veins cease from ascending rectify yet twice observing the same Rules but the third and fourth time so soon as the Veins appear leave off distilling and try whether it will burn a linnen Cloth if not repeat the distillation till it doth then cohobate by it self four or six times in Balneo And thus have you acquired a way fit for the rectifying of the said Matter or Soul Spirit which is of so great Virtue as not to be expressed by any Tongue or the Secrets which the Eternal God hath vouchsafed to it recited as when we were at Venice that Famous City we both
or second Experiment being both of the same strength then distil in hot Ashes with an Alembick and Receiver well luted which being all distill'd add new Salt to it again observing the same weight as before of the Salt as well as Water then distil again as before and this same way distil four times to every distillation adding new Salt as before and distilling in Ashes and so will you have a Mercurial Water fit for all Physical Operations Then take common Mercury washed with Vinegar and Salt and strained through a Goats Skin put it in a Vessel and if there be one Ounce of Mercury add four Ounces of the aforesaid Mineral Water and having put on a blind Head in Ashes let it boyl gently and it will in a short time be all dissolved empty the dissolution into another Vessel warily that if any Terrestreity be left in the bottom it may be separated from the said dissolution as a thing of no effect you may this way dissolve as much Mercury as you will Then take the aforesaid Mercury dissolved and putrify thirty Days in Balneo or hot Dung which must be changed every ten Days that the heat may endure and not be extinguished having putrify'd remove the Vessel and putting on an Alembick to with an Urinal and Receiver well luted distil all the Water in Balneo and the Mercury will remain in the Vessel white as Snow then pour to it so much of this Water which you now distilled as to be four Fingers above it the rest of the Water keep in its Vessel well stopp'd in a cold place then putting a blind Head upon its Vessel and sealing the Joynts putrify a Natural Day then taking away the blind Head and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver close luted distil in Ashes and increase the Fire that the Soul may pass over into its distilled Water lastly distillation ceasing let the Vessel cool take away the Receiver and keep it well stopp'd for that which is distill'd therein is the animated Spirit but to the matter remaining in the Vessel that is the Urinal pour again of the distilled Water so much as will swim four Fingers above it and having put on a blind Head putrify as before and taking away the blind Head by turns and putting on an Alembick with its Receiver wherein you kept the other part of the animated Spirit the Joynts being well luted distil again by Ashes and lastly increase the Fire for the Soul to go over into the distilled Water as before then the Vessel being cold keep the animated Spirit in the Receiver as before well stopp'd and to the matter remaining in the bottom pour again new Water as before and putrify as before distilling in Ashes pour the Spirit into the same Receiver where you kept the other thus repeat the Magistery till the Body remains dead black and void of all moisture which you will prove by this sign take a little of this black Body or Earth and lay it upon a hot Plate and if it fumes not nor flyes away from Fire then take that Earth and put into a little Glass-Globe wel luted and the Mouth well stopp'd set in a reverberating Fire the space of twenty four hours then remove that calcined Earth and put it in hot ashes very well stopp'd to prevent the attracting of any moisture Then take the animated Water and rectify it seven times in Ashes which animated and vivifyed Water divide into two parts whereof one we will use for the vivisying of the Earth the other for the dissolving of Sol and Luna Then take one part of the said Water and know the weight of the Earth reserved before grind first put it in an Urinal then pour upon it of the aforesaid Water a fourth part of its weight and joyning a blind Head to it well luted set the Vessel in Balneo not to touch the Water of the Balneo but for the matter to be heated by the vapour only and so let it remain four days then having taken away the blind Head and put on an Alembick distil in Ashes with a gentle heat like that of the Sun and an insipid Liquor will flow over which cast away as nothing worth then again imbibe with a fourth part of the animated Spirit as above digesting as above and distilling the Liquor by Ashes as above This Magistery thus repeat till the whole Body hath re-assumed its Liquor or Soul and remains white as Snow which Body take out dry and grind being ground put it into a small Cucurbit strongly luted with lutum sapientioe and the Mouth of the Cucurbit stopp'd with Cotton and set the Vessel in a Furnace of Ashes but take notice if the Fire be too violent the matter will turn into Oyl and cannot be sublimed besides there will be danger of breaking the Vessel as has happened to us and therefore we are willing to advise you to continue an easy heat till the matter be sublimed This also observe that this way of subliming may also be done in the Fire of an Athanor but then the matter will not be sublimed in less than the space of three or four days which sublimation will indeed be most white as the Scales of Fish or as Talk Then warily take out the Magnesia the first matter of our common Mercury our Sal Armoniack our Sulphur which keep in a small Cucurbit well stopp'd in Ashes warm as the Sun but that which remains in the bottom and cannot be sublimed cast away because of no efficacy its precious Seed being vacuated Here he dissolves Mercury with calcined Jupiter upon an Iron Plate per deliquium with which he cohobates the Vegetable Salt of the first or second Experiment Salt of Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or sublimed into a Vegetable Sal Armoniack in equal weight yet by degrees through an Alembick instead of this Menstruum may be taken the Vegetable Heaven of Lully with this Menstruum he dissolves common Argent vive and reduceth it into a white Oyl out of which Oyl he draws the animated Spirit repeating the Work till the Earth of the Mercury remains black fixed and without fume on a hot Plate This exanimated and reverberated Earth he revivifies by imbibing it with a fourth part of the animated Spirit seven times rectify'd till it becomes white and volatile which then he sublimes into a Mercurial Sal Armoniack the making of which differs not from the antecedent Descriptions of the Sal Armoniacks but if it be mixed with four parts of Lully 's Vegetable Heaven that which is call'd the incalcinated Menstruum is made from thence and so much the stronger as that Sal Armoniack is stronger than the Oyl of Mercury but if this first matter of Mercury be circulated according to its time you will make a Menstruum deserving the Name of Mercurial Heaven Guido prepares the incalcinated Menstruum not from common Mercury but the Mercury of Metals Sol or Luna 47. The
c. 2. That these Menstruums are called Circulatums because they were by the ancient Philosophers Circulated for the space of thirty or forty sometimes sixty Days 3. That these are called the greater Circulatums to be distinguished from the less Circulatums being less excellent the greater having greater strength and communicating tincture to things that are dissolved in them 4. That these Circulatums are the first Beings or graduated Essences of Metals and Minerals and amongst things Volatile nothing can be more excellent than they they being exalted from a fixed Essence or Astrum into a much more Noble Essence called an Arcanum 5. That these Circulatums are Medicines or Medicinal Arcanums 6. That these Circulatums ore most red Sublime the Stones saith Paracelsus till they come to redness He extracts the tincture of Lily out of Antimony reverberated to a Purple or Violet Colour but makes the Soul of Metals out of Sulphur reverberated of which thus What Hermes said that the Soul alone is the means of joyning the Spirit to the Body was not impertinently spoken For Sulphur being that Soul and maturing and excocting all things as Fire it will be also able to bind the Spirit with the Body and incorporate and unite them together so as from thence to produce a very Noble Body The vulgar combustible Sulphur is not to be reputed the Soul of Metals but the Soul is something more than a combustible and corruptible Body and therefore cannot be burned by any Fire being all Fire it self and indeed it is nothing else but the Quintessence of Sulphur which is extracted out of Sulphur reverberated by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and is of a red Colour and clear as a Ruby Which is indeed a great and notable Arcanum to transmute white Bodies and to coagulate running Mercury into fixed and tested Gold Accept this as commended to you to make you Rich and you have reason to be content with this only Secret for the transmutation of Metals Lib. 1. de gener rerum Nat. pag. 87. If Mercury Antimony and Sulphur fixed by reverberation and the Spirit of Philosophical Wine drawn off be red and diaphanous as a Ruby it follows that the same Bodies volatilized with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine do become more red From hence we observe that the Menstruums of Diana are of divers Colours sometimes white milky and opake sometimes most clear sometimes again most red and most transparent so that the Arguments of Bernhard denying the diaphaneity of Menstruums may be easily resolved Where Fools saith he do out of the less Minerals extract corrosive Waters into which they put any sort of Metals and corrode them for they think that therefore they are dissolved by a Natural solution which solution indeed requires permanence together that is of the dissolvent and the dissolved that from both as from the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result I tell you truly no Water dissolves a Metallick Species by Natural Reduction but that wh … remains with it in matter and form and which the dissolved Metals are able to recongeal which happens not in any sort of Aqua fortis but is rather a defiling of the Composition that is the Body that is to be dissolved Nor is that Water pertinent to Bodies in solution which remains not with them in congelations Mercury is of this sort and not Aqua fortis or that which Fools esteem Mercurial Water clear and diaphanous For if they divide and obstruct the Homogeneity of Mercury how will the first proportion of the Feminine Seed stand and be preserved Pag. 60. Epist ad Thomam The Elixir and Azoth he goes on that is the Vital Spirit Spirit of Life Philosophical Aqua vitae and fugitive Soul animated Spirit are not diaphanous nor transparent nor clear as the Tear of ones Eye nor any dissolving Spirit Pag. 94. Ejusd Epist Which cannot be done in a diaphanous clear and transparent Liquor because if the aforesaid Elixir and Azoth that is Spirit and Soul had or could shew any diaphaneity the Earth would now in proportion have dismissed the Water and separated it self from it whereas otherwise it would have inspissated and coagulated the parts of it caused an opacity in the Elixir and Azoth and made the Metallick Form to stand congelable For in restringing fixed Metallick Species the restringer must of necessity act upon the restringible and the congealer upon the congelable which cannot be done in the aforesaid diaphanous and clear Water otherwise it is in Vegetables in which a simple and diaphanous Water is by decoction inspissated in those Vegetables which notwithstanding vanisheth and evaporates at length by the Tryal of Fire because it is not permanent and fixed in the Composition not having an Earth Naturally Homogeneous to it in Composition with it as Argent vive has which Earth is indeed the cause of permanent fixion in things Homogeneous wherefore simple Water cannot by congelation be fixed with Vegetables as Mercury with Metals If therefore Mercury hath received diaphaneity in the Philosophers Work it will remain in the quality of an irrestringible substance and will not be congealed upon Laton as to a Metallick Form Species and Proportion which carries the congelation of it self neither with it nor in it as Water does Earth which Earth as aforesaid is indeed Mercurial and the first cause of inspissation coagulation and fixation If therefore that Water remains not in Metallick Proportion how can the like Species be produced from this Composition They therefore that think so to extract a clear transparent Water out of Mercury and work many wonders by it are in an Error for suppose they can make such a Water yet would it be of no advantage to the Work nor to the Nature and Proportion of it nor could it restore or erect a perfect Metallick Species for so soon as Mercury is altered from its first Nature so soon is it excluded from being an ingredient to our Philosophical Work because it hath lost its Spermatick and Metallick Nature By these things therefore it is known what Truth your Opinion contains and wherein it is contrary and absurd you asserting it to be necessary in order to perfect the great Elixir to have a Gum in which are all things necessary to it containing the four Elements and is a most clear Water as the Tear of an Eye made Spiritual which causeth Gold to be a meer Spirit For one Body penetrates not another but a pure Spiritual substance congealed is that which penetrates and tingeth a Body Be it as you say my Honoured Doctor that Natures are not joyn'd without a Gum or Oyly Matter c. Had Bernhard disputed only against every Mercurial Water not permanent made diaphanous with Aqua fortis or any other vulgar Menstruum and not also against the most clear Mercurial Water of Thomas de Bononia then the Arguments aforesaid had been of great strength but now the objections against the limpidity of
common Gold The Philosophers Green Lyon therefore is green Gold Gold vive which is not as yet fixed but left imperfect by Nature and for this reason hath it the Virtue of reducing all Bodies into their first Matter and making those Bodies which are fixed Spiritual and Volatile Tract de Adrop Pag. 547. Thirdly It may also be called Lyon because as all other Animals give place to a Lyon so all Bodies yield to the power of Gold vive which is our Mercury Tract Adrop Pag. 548. Fourthly This Noble Infant is called Green Lyon because when it is dissolved it is cloathed with a Green Garment Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools Vitriol is with a violent Fire extracted that which we call Aqua fortis in which the said Lyon ought to be elixirated Medulla Philos Pag. 139. These things spoken of the Green Lyon are also to be understood of Adrop being a Synonymous term of the same Matter Take saith Ripley Adrop that is the Green Lyon Now as to Adrop he declared as followeth Adrop saith he is Gold and Silver in power but not in sight as Rhasis saith and our Gold and Silver according to the Philosophers is not common Gold and Silver for our Gold and Silver are airy which in order to be well fermented ought to be joyned with the beloved common Gold Forasmuch as the Philosopher saith That Adrop in its prosundity is airy Gold and Adrop it self is called Leprous Gold And to these Sayings seems to assent Guido the Greek Philosopher speaking of the Mercurial or Menstrual Spirit the Spirit or Blood of the Green Lyon which is extracted out of the Natural Adrop by Art where he writes And that Spirit is Sol extracted out of the Philosophers Solary Water Arsenick and Luna And in the same place presently adds The Body is the ferment of the Spirit and the Spirit the ferment of the Body and the Earth wherein lies the Fire dries imbibes and fixeth the Water and the Air wherein lies the Water the Air which lies in the Water it ought to be read according to the Doctrine of separating the Elements washeth tingeth and perfecteth the Earth and Fire and so Guido's Saying that they tinge and perfect ought to be understood that the Stone the Menstruum drawn from Adrop or the Green Lyon is sufficient for the compleating of it self into an Elixir and that no Exotick or Heterogeneous Matter as he affirms is or ought to be introduced to it but all the parts of it are co-essential and concrete because the Philosophers meaning was to compleat that work in a short space above the Earth which Nature scarce perfecteth in a thousand Years under the Earth Unskilfully therefore according to the Opinion of the Philosophers as Guido saith do they proceed that seek to obtain a ferment from common Silver and Gold for our select Body For that Matter in which is Argent vive clean and pure not most is ill read throughly brought to perfection by Nature is as Guido affirms after compleat purification a thousand times better than the Bodies of Sol and Luna vulgarly decocted by the Natural heat of the Sun Concord Lully Guidon Pag. 323. A certain Philosopher saith He goes on Discoursing of the same Adrop A fume white is drawn from its own Mines which if rightly gathered and again sprinkled upon its own Mines will there make a fixation and so the true Elixir will in a short space of time be produced from it And certainly without those Liquors or Spirits that is the Water and Oyl of Mercury Menstruum this Alchymical Body which is Neutral or Adrop is not purged And that is the Alchymical Body which is called Leprous Body that is black at the beginning of the Work in which as saith Vincentius in his Speculum Naturale are Gold and Silver in power and not in aspect which in the Bowels of it is also airy Gold to which no Man can attain except the unclean Body be first cleansed which is without doubt after its compleat dealbation and then it is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Gold and Silver decocted by Natural heat The first Matter of this Leprous Body is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth Of this Body according to the Judgment of Vincentius is made the great Elixir for the red and white the Name whereof is Adrop otherwise called the Philosophers black Lead out which Raymund commands us to extract an Oyl of a Golden Colour or such like Raymund adds But this Oyl is not necessary in the Vegetable Work namely for the inceration of the Vegetable Stone because solutions and coagulations are there soon made and if you can separate it from its Phlegm and after that ingeniously find out the Secrets of it you will in thirty Days be able to perfect the Philosophers Stone For this Oyl makes Medecines Tinctures penetrable sociable and amicable to all Bodies and in the World there is not a greater Secret Medul Phil. Chym. pag. 131. Ripley hath here recited various Synonima's of this Adrop We for a time will follow the Green Lyon by the way of Philosophical Lead as we are directed by Ripley in these very Words First understand when Avecenn saith that Gold and Silver are in Lead by Power and not by sight and they are left by Nature crude and half cocted and therefore that ought to be perfectly supplyed by Art which is left imperfect by Nature and by way of a ferment digesting and cocting that which is left crude For a ferment therefore take perfect Gold for a little paululum not paulatim of their fixed substance those fixed Bodies will draw and convert much of Bodies not fixed to the perfection of Gold and Silver And thus will Art help Nature that in a little space of time that may be done above the Earth which is not in a thousand Years done under the Earth And by this means you will understand how Lead contains in it the greatest Secrets of this Art For it hath in it Argent vive clean pure odoriferous not brought by Nature to perfection And this Argent vive is the Basis and Ground-Work of our pretious Medicine as well for Metallick as Humane Bodies so as to be the Elixir of Life curing all infirmities Which the Philosopher meant saying There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek From this are the Soul Body Spirit and Tincture drawn Moreover also in this Mercury is the Philosophers Fire always burning equally within the Vessel and not without It hath also a great attractive Virtue and Power in dissolving Sol and Luna and reducing the same into their first Matter With this Mercury are to be dissolved the Calxes of the perfect Bodies in congealing the aforesaid Mercurial Spirit c. Pupilla Pag. 295. But have a care that you operate not with common Saturn because commonly it is said Eat not of the Son whose Mother is corrupted and believe that
against Nature without which our Natural Fire could not subsist whereof we will say more in its proper place And these namely the Mineral and Vegetable Water being mix'd together and made one Water do operate contraries which is a thing to be admired for this one dissolves and congeals moisteneth and dryeth putrefies and purifies dissipates and joyns separates and compounds mortifies and vivifies destroyeth and restoreth attenuates and inspissates makes black and white burneth and cooleth begins and ends These are the two Dragons fighting in the Gulf of Sathalia this is the white and red Fume whereof one will devour the other And here the dissolving Vessels are not to be luted but onely stopp'd slightly with a Linnen Cloth and Mastick or common Wax For this Water is a Fire and a Bath within the Vessel and not without which if it feels any other strong Fire will be presently elevated to the top of the Vessel and if it finds no rest there the Vessel will be broken and so the composition will be left frustrated So much as this compounded Water dissolves so much it congeals and elevates is congealed and elevated into a glorious Earth And so it is the secret dissolution of our Stone which is alwayes done with the congelation of its own Water And because this Fire of Nature is added to the Water against Nature so much therefore as it lost of its Form by the Fire against Nature so much it recovers by the Water of Nature that our work by the Fire against Nature may not be destroyed or annihilated From the Receipts we observe 1. That the Menstruums of this kind being made of the very matter of Philosophical Wine or Philosophical Grapes are the first of all other Menstruums either Mineral or Vegetable 2. That the milky Liquor or Spirit Virgins Milk white Mercury the White Wine of Lully and the Glew of the Green Lyon called by Paracelsus the Glew of the Eagle are terms synonymous and that the Red Liquor Blood of the Green Lyon Red Mercury the Philosophers Sulphur and the Red Wine of Lully otherwise by Paracelsus the Blood of the Red Lyon are likewise Synonyma's 3. That the acid Mineral Menstruums are by digestion or further elaboration transmuted either into a simple Vegetable Menstruum or into the Heaven or Spirit of Philosophical Wine 4. That these acid Menstruums are to be distilled with very great caution by reason of the excessive effervescence of the Azoquean Vitriol or rather Spirit of Philosophical Wine which is in this Vitriol caused by the Acids 5. That Mineral Menstruums are the Heaven or Essence of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an Acid so that having acquired this Spirit you may make them ex tempore by simple dissolution 6. That the Menstruums even now prepared are presently to be used lest they perish 7. That Menstruums are by dissolving Bodies coagulated 8. That Metallick Bodies are by these Menstruums reduced into running Mercury 9. That these are called Stinking Menstruums because of their stinking smell By the smell alone we easily distinguish these from those fragrant Menstruums called Vegetable Thus the unsavoury smell of the Menstruum it self proves that Morienus used the Stinking Menstruum What is the smell of it saith King Calid by way of Question before and after the making of it Morienus answereth Before it is made the sent of it is strong and unsavoury but after the preparation of it it has a good sent according to that which the wise man saith This Water resembles the unpleasant smell of a Body dead and void of life for the smell of it is ill and not unlike to the smell of Graves He that can whiten the Soul and cause it to ascend again and keep the Body well and take away all obscurity from it and extract the ill savour out of it will be able to infuse it into the Body and in the hour of conjunction exceeding Miracles will appear Morien de Trans Metal p. 33. Geber also acknowledgeth himself to have operated with a mineral Menstruum Cap. 25. Summoe perfect The first natural Principles saith he out of which Metals are procreated are the Stinking Spirit that is Sulphur and Water Vive which also we allow to be called dry Water And in another Place at the end of his Book de Investigat he goes on We do by plain and open proof conclude our Stone to be nothing else but a Stinking Spirit and living Water which we also call dry Water being cleansed by natural decoction and true proportion with such an Union that nothing can be added or taken from it to which a third thing ought to be added for the abbreviation of the Work that is a perfect Body attenuated 10. That Adrop the Name of the Matter of these Menstruums signifies the Philosophers Saturn or Lead The first Matter of this leprous Body saith Ripley is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth The great Elixir for the Red and for the White saith Vincentius is made of this Body whose Name is Adrop otherwise called Philosophical Lead pag. 132. Medul Phil. Chym. Our Stone saith Arnold in Speculo Alchym is called Adrop which is in Latine Saturnus in English Lead and according to the Trojans Dragon or Topum that is Poyson Septima Dispos Speculi pag. 596. Vol. 4. Theatr. Chym. I have shewed that the Philosophers gave it divers Names because of the diversity of Colours but as to their Intention they had one peculiar Name that is Roman Gold or Adrop or Stone above all the Stones of this world Quarta dispositio Speculi pag. 594. of the same Volume Laton and Azoth are together and never asunder but remain always joyned together but because of the diversity of Colours the Philosophers call'd them by many Names and as the Colours are varied and changed they imposed so many Names because Azoth among the Indians is Gold among the Hermians Silver among the Alexandrians and Macedonians Iron with the Greeks Mercury with the Hebrews Tin with the Tartars Brass with the Arabians Saturn and among the Latines and especially among the Romans Ognividon by an Anagram Dono G vini G signifying Philosophical Mercury or Sulphur aqueum But that none may err I say it hath one proper Name and is commonly called by men and every one knows the Stone Tertia dispos Specul p. 593. of the same Volume Some of the Adepts write not Adrop but Atrop by which Name they have been pleas'd to signifie the Matter of these Menstruums to be as it were the Gate of all the most secret Chymy for Atrop by the inversion of the Letters is read Porta a Gate Thus Robertus Valensis in Gloria Mundi pag. 305. That you may attain saith he to the true foundation I will once again repeat it to you and call it the first Hyle that is the beginning of all things it is also called the only Holy apprehend what Elements are in it by those which are repugnant the
desired Oyls may be drawn from them the reason why Vitriols alone made of Copper should be deprived of the said Priviledge cannot easily be apprehended It matters not whether Vitriol be graduated according to the method given in Numb 113. or according to the prescription of the present Receipt for the same Spirit and Oyl is produced either way Now this Oyl of Venus being made and diluted in common Water Iron is reduced into graduated Vitriol which must like the Vitriol of Venus be also calcined into a Red Colour and then distilled tnto a White Spirit and Red Oyl The Method of this Process is in Libro particul in particulari Martis thus Take off the Red Oyl of Vitriol one part of Spring-water two parts mix wherein dissolve the Filings of Steel filter the Solution warm then evaporate it gently to the comsumption of a third part and in a cold place you shall find Cristals sweet as Sugar the true that is graduated Vitriol of Mars from which decant the Solution then draw it off a little and in a cold place you will have New Cristals which gently calcine under a Tyle stirring them continually with an Iron Spatula into a Powder of a Purple Colour to which pour Philosophical distil'd Vinegar extract the Soul Tincture or Essence of Mars draw off the Vinegar and edulcorate the Soul This is that Soul of Mars which being dissolved in the Spirit of Mercury and united with the Soul of Sol tingeth Luna into Sol. But of these below The Vitriol of Mars being graduated and calcined into a Purple Powder in our Receipt is without the extraction of its Soul distilled into the Philosophers Mercury and Philosophical Sulphur the true Oyl of Mars and Venus the Menstruum next fore-going in Numb 131. Out of which to make the present Spirit of Mercury the Salt must be extracted out of the Caput mortuum with Philosophical Vinegar which Salt being mix'd with the Oyl of Mars and Venus and distil'd together through an Alembick is call'd the first Matter of Metals Basilius sometimes used the Salt and Sulphur of Sol instead of the said Salt extracted out of the Caput mortuum Thus 133 The Oyl of Mars and Venus acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Sol of Basilius In Supplemento TAke of the Purple Coloured Gold the Crocus of Sol des Konings Purpur Mantel half an ounce of the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury the Oyl of Mars and Venus one ounce and half dissolve to which add of the Salt of Sol two drachms all being resolved into an Oyl rectifie it by a Retort that it may be clear and pellucid For the Spirit of Universal Mercury Basilius took Copper dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and cristallized into graduated Vitriol and with gentle calcination reduced it into the true Crocus or Red Powder of Venus But the Iron he dissolved in the Oyl of Venus distilled out of the said Crocus of Venus cristallized and calcined into the Crocus of Mars For the present Menstruum he requireth Gold dissolved in Balneo Regis described in Numb 89. and reduced into a volatile graduated Vitriol which then being dissolved in Distil'd Water he precipitates with three times as much of Argent Vive out of the Menstruum but the amalgame from thence produced he gently calcines under a Tyle into a Purple Powder or Crocus as to the making of which here only by the by but in the following second and third Books we shall treat more fully of it The way of making the Salt of Sol he has thus in Libro particul in particulari Solis described Take the White Body of Sol left in the extracting of its Soul the Essence extracted out of the Crocus of Sol with the sweet Spirit of Salt described in Numb 28. reverberate it gently for half an hour that it may be made corporal then pour to it the Corrosive Water of Honey well rectified which in a gentle heat will extract the Salt in the space of ten days All the Salt being extracted draw off the Menstruum from it in Balneo edulcorate the Salt by repeating Cohobations in common Distilled Water and lastly Clarify it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and you will have the Salt of Gold Concerning this Water of Honey Basilius in Curra triumphali Antimonii Pag. 77. thus Out of sweet Honey may be made the strongest Corrosive and Poyson which is to most men a thing incredible The same affirms Paracelsus saying The like is to be understood in Honey which by its elevations is made much sharper than any Aqua Fortis and Corrosive and more penetrative than any Sublimate such a property of sharpness it hath not Naturally but by elevation which changeth this Honey into a Corrosive Libro 5. Archid. Pag. 18. and elsewhere Cap. 14. de Morbis Tartar Pag. 319. Honey of it self is innocent but in the third elevation becomes mortal The way of making this Water is not indeed in the Writings which we have either of Basilius or Paracelsus yet easily will a diligent Disciple learn the same by the Principles of his Art for either the Coelum Mellifluum of Parisinus must be dissolved in distilled Vinegar or some stronger acid or crude Honey cohobated in Philosophical Vinegar that is common mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and the Process will be shorter and better But this Salt of Gold may be also made without the said Water of Honey provided the Menstruum be so corrosive as to dissolve the remaining Body of the Gold thus in Labore tertio Revelat. he reverberates the Caput mortuum of Gold the space of three days then calcines it with an equal weight of the Salt of Tartar which he washeth off with Distilled Water and extracts the Salt out of the dried Powder with Vinegar which drawing off the Vinegar he clarifies with the Spirit of Wine that is he dissolves filters draws off and cristallizeth it into the true Salt of Sol. In another place he extracts the Salt of Gold by the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury as in Elucidatione 12. Clavium where he affirms that the Philosophers Stone cannot be coagulated or fixed without this Salt and that he hath taught the way of making it in the fourth Key By the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury he means the Oyl of Mars and Venus not yet reduced into the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury or acuated with its own Salt and the more fixed part indeed of this Menstruum which he calls the Philosophers Sulphur not the more volatile part which is call'd the Philosophers Mercury With this Sulphur he dissolves the Soul or Crocus of Sol and converts it into potable Gold Libro de supernaturali Medicina Yet sometimes he would have us take the same Oyl of Mercury for the Oyl of Roman Vitriol the Menstruum described in Numb 98. So in Libro de particular in particulari Solis he reduceth the white Body of the King Gold left in the extraction of the Soul or Crocus
of Sol with Philosophical Sulphur which is the second Principle in order and the Spirit of Mercury a little before call'd the White Spirit of Vitriol into pure and malleable Gold as it was before not in the least defective in colour and virtue Sometimes he acuates the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury with the Sulphur and Salt of other Metals Thus 134. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Luna of Basilius Libr. partic in particul Lunae THe Sulphur of Luna being extracted and edulcorated dry the remainder of the Calx of Luna to which pour the same Corrosive Water of Honey that you used for the Salt of Sol digest gently the space of four or five days that the Salt of the Luna may be extracted which you will know by the Whiteness of the Menstruum All the Salt being extracted draw off the Water of Honey edulcorate the Salt distilling and clarifying it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine The remainder left in extracting the Salt of the Luna edulcorate and dry then pour the Spirit of Tartar to it digest fifteen days and proceed as with the Gold and you will have the Mercury of Luna of which in the Second Book for here we use it not The said Salt of Luna hath excellent Virtues for the Body of Man of which I shall treat in a place more convenient In the mean time the efficacy of the Salt and Sulphur of Luna you will learn by the Process following Take the Lazurine Sulphur of Luna dissolved in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine rectified and coagulated put it in a Cucurbit pour to it double the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury made of the White Spirit of Vitriol In like manner take the Salt of Luna extracted and clarified which mix with three times the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury lute both the Glasses and digest gently in Balneo the space of eight days and nights have a care that none of the Sulphur and Salt be lost but let them be in the same quantity as they were separated from the Silver Putrifaction being ended mix both Dissolutions and distil c. He sometimes acuated this Spirit without Metallick Salt and Sulphurs only thus 135. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Luna of Basilius Libro particul in particul Lunae TAke of the Sulphur of Luna one part of the Sulphur of Sol half a part of the Spirit of Mercury six parts joyn them together lute well digest in a gentle heat and a Liquor will come over of a Red Colour distil through an Alembick so as nothing to remain This Spirit of Mercury he fermented not onely with the Sulphurs of the perfect Bodies but sometimes added to them withal the Sulphur of some imperfect Metal as Mars thus 136. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Mars of Basilius Libro partic in partic Solis TAke of the Sulphur of Sol and of the Sulphur of Mars equal parts of each of the Spirit of Mercury the heighth of two Fingers above them that the Matter may be well dissolved into a C … n Water of a Ruby Colour being mix'd distil through an Alembick that they may become one as they were 〈◊〉 first from one Stem keep it well that nothing may evaporate Besides the Sulphur of Mars he sometimes added also the Sulphur of Antimony thus 137. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphurs of Sol Mars and Antimony of Basilius Libro partic in particul Antimonii TAke of the Sulphur of Antimony two parts of the Sulphur of Sol one part mix Take of the Sulphur of Mars three parts of the Spirit of Mercury six parts being well luted di … that the Sulphur of Mars may be wholly dissolved therâ— cast in a fourth part of the Sulphur of Antimony and Sol â—ure again and digest till they be all dissolved then add another fourth part of Antimony and Sol repeating the Work as before till all be perfectly mix'd and the Matter made like a thick Red Oyl distil the whole through an Alembick Sometimes he fermented this Spirit after an unusual way namely without the Sulphur of any perfect Metal but meer imperfect onely thus 138. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Mars Jupiter and Saturn of Basilius Libro partic in partic Mercurii Vivi TAke of the Soul of Mars two Ounces of the Soul of Saturn one Ounce of the Soul of Jupiter one Ounce dissolve them in six Ounces of the Spirit of Mercury being well dissolved distil them through an Alembick without any Sediment into a Golden Water like to the transparent Dissolution of Gold Tho these Menstruums of Basilius may well deserve the first place among the Dissolvents of the Adepts yet some of the Adepts made Menstruums not much inferiour to them Isaacus Hollandus not onely the better to dissolve Bodies but tinge them also deeper made his Menstruums of Tinging Menstruums and common Mercury but being satiated with the Tinctures Souls Sulphurs c. of Tinging Things Thus made he the Menstruum call'd 139. A Compounded Mercurial Water for the Red Work of Isaacus Cap. 43.3 Oper. Miner TAke Argent Vive purged with Salt and Vinegar which sublime with an equal quantity of Aes ustum Crocus of Mars Crocus of Venus and Lapis Haematites of Roman Vitriol the weight of all and a little Salt and repeat the Sublimation seven times every time with new Species and the Mercury will be sublimed for the Red. Take of Aes ustum Cinabar Crocus of Mars Venus Lapis Haematites Antimony equal parts of each of Roman Vitriol the weight of all mix and reduce to a fine Powder to which pour of Aqua Vitae compleatly rectifi'd Spirit of Philosophical Wine the height of two hands breadth digest in Balneo three days stirring the Matter daily then draw off the Aqua Vitae with a gentle Fire then increase the Fire gradually lastly force with a most strong Fire for the space of Twelve hours that all the Spirits may ascend This Work must be three times repeated with new Matters continually Take of this Water one Pound of Argent Vive sublimed for the red as much as sufficeth or you can dissolve distil and reserve Besides Mercury he sometimes added also Sulphur and Sal Armoniack sublimed for the red thus 140. The Philosophers Water made of Three Spirits of Isaacus Cap 10.3 Oper. Min. TAke of Roman Vitriol six parts of Lapis Haematites Crocus of Mars of Venus Cinabar Aes ustum Mineral Antimony of each one part dry well and mix put the Matter in a Retort and pour to it of Aqua Vitae rectifi'd Spirit of Philosophical Wine four Pounds distil and cohobate three times with the Caput Mortuum pulverized Divide the Water into two parts whereof save one in the other dissolve one Ounce of Salarmoniack sublimed to redness in Balneo which being dissolved dissolve one Ounce of Sulphur prepared