may be found and that it is not necessary to remain only with the Copper but that I treat most of Copper in this book and make but little mention of the other Metallick Bodies is done therefore because I proposed unto my self to subsist in our Philosophers Doctrine which he left unto us and intended most of all to clear the same in this Treatise whom because he maketh mention of the Anima Cupri I followed here Else all Metallick Bodies may thus be proceeded withall and analysed and the Tincture obtained in like manner as here of Copper hath been taught which by due maturation having attained unto its perfection is likewise the Philosophers Sulphur as well as the Tincture of Copper And therefore the method pointed out for to obtain from Copper it s Anima may also be observed in dissecting of other Metallick Bodies and it is not necessary to enlarge further of it they being all comprehended within the compass of one and the same process But let not the Reader think that by the word Metallick Bodies I mean only the known and by every one called Metals as Gold Lead Tin Iron c. by no means for if this had been my meaning I would not have put Metallick Bodies but Metals in the Title of this Chapter but by the word Metallick Subjects I understand such Minerals which have the like fixedness as Metals which though they may not be melted like other Metals yet therefore are to be named Metallick because they have not only the like fixedness all Metals but also approach very near unto Gold in point of fixedness and consequently I understand by the word Metallick bodies as well all Metals as also all that hath the like constancy as Metals have But that in such Metallick Subjects the like virtue yea as high is engrafted as in the Metals themselves yea almost as good as in Gold let not the Reader think it strange but rather hear first what the highly guifted Paracelsus hereof mentioneth and afterwards understand also my information Now Paracelsus intending to shew which Subjects besides the known Metals participate of the primum ens auri which is the true Sulphur Philosophorum saith de separationibus rerum naturalium p. m. 906. sub titulo of the separation of Minerals Now it is further requisite and necessary to treat of those things whereof Metals grow and engender as the three Principia Mercurius Sulphur and Sal also other Minerals in which the primum Ens Metallorum is found that is the spirit of Metals as you see in Marcasites Granats Kakimia red Talck Lasur c. and the like wherein we have found the primum ens auri by the degree of sublimation c. of this primum ens you are to know that it is a Volatil Spirit which still lyes in the Volatility even as a Child in the Womans womb and therefore also these Sulphura are called by Paracelsus in other places Sulphura Embryonata which sometimes resembleth unto a Liquor and sometimes unto an Alcool Now he that intendeth to have the primum ens of every one of those bodies and to sever the same from thence must of necessity have great experience in the Spagyrick Art and have much worked in Alchymie else he will little effect here but rather loose his labour But for as much as concerneth the separation of Minerals it is to be noted that many such things are separated by the degree of sublimation the fixed from the unfixed all spiritual and Volatil bodies from the fixed and in like manner as you have understood of Metals so with all the other Minerals one and the same processe is to be used through all degrees as the Spagyrick art doth teach c. Hitherto Paracelsus Whereby we clearly see that one and the same processe is to be used to sever the pure or the Primum Ens that is the gold-like soul from Minerals as Paracelsus calleth them here but by me are tearmed Metallick bodies not only in regard of the forementioned reason because they stand in the like fixity with metals but also to distinguish them from other Minerals that are wholly Volatil which properly are called Minerals by me whereof mention shall be made in the following Chapter as also from Metals and that it must be done by Volatilisation as I have faithfully taught before Also Paracelsus teacheth us what subjects those are in which as well the primum Ens Auri which is the true Sulphur Philosophorum is contained as in the Metals viz. in Marcasites Garnets Kakimia red Talck Lasur c. which though it be certainly so and experience also confirmeth the same especially in the Garnets and red Talck in which an extraordinary fair Gold-like Tincture lyes hidden yet there are other Corpora also wherein the Sulphur Philosophorum is as excellent as in these viz. in the Magnes Smiris Vitriol Rubrica Lapis Calaminaris and of all most rich and plentifully in the Lapis Haemathites which is throughly replenisht with the primum Ens Auri. And therefore also crude and unprepared if it be but only first ground and reduced into a very fine and impalpable powder sheweth forth most excellent vertues in Physick as experience will verify unto the diligent searcher of the secrets of Nature And it is also known in the famous City of Hamburg what great cures about twenty years ago have been done there by a Scotch man who was but an Ideot insomuch that all the City were astonished at it but by the envy and hatred of wicked men he was quickly rid out of the way and killed with poyson and is much bemoaned by all and therefore by the Magistrate there as I am credibly informed is set a great summe of money to find out him that hath committed that murther Now this man used nothing else but the Haemathites ground to an impalpable powder and afterwards ground with oyl of Fennel seeds as the late most Illustrious Prince Duke Augustus of Anhalt of happy memory hath told me and with much industry got it from the Authour These great Vertues of the Haemathites are also known to many of the common people in divers countries in so much that great Territories are to be found in which the use of it is so well known and so highly esteemed that they use it as a Panacaea in all their infirmities as among the rest appeared unto me in the Dukedom of Borussia for travelling once from my parents in law unto the fair at Konigsberg for to buy some necessaries I took a peasant with me for to carry my luggage for me and coming to a Mercers that had all kind of Wares as Whetstones Fire-stones Table-books and the like and mong the rest Blood-stones also which the Peasant espying he made unto me a very low curtesie and very humble prayed me that I would buy and bestow upon him such a red stone for he knew not its proper name to call it by for a fairing which he
seemed to be turned into one spirit and one indivisible substance therewith yet because the Metal can be severed again from its solvent it is evident that this volatilisation of the Copper is but a violent elevation and not a spontaneous concomitance arisen from the likenesse of nature as it happened with the Sulphur and Oyle and as it is the condition of all true solutions having their rise from similitude of nature And therefore not only the now mentioned Solution and Volatil green spirit of the Copper but also and much more the Putatitious Oyles Spiritus or Essentiae Metallicae of your common Chymical Writers viz. Hartman Penotus Crollius Libavius Agricola Beguin Rhenanus Faber Monspeliensis Glauber Kesler and many others of the like stamp whose books are in the hands of every one are nothing else but as our Philosopher calleth his formers fooleries in Gold in progymnasmate meteori § 6. mentitus liquor a deceitful essence which hath a resemblence of the essential solution but in effect is nothing lesse than such in regard that it can readily returne again to what it was before and a seeker of truth darkneth himself not a little by doating upon such specious and deceitful essences and remaining thereby For here we must not stay and acquiesce in that the Copper is reduced to a spiritual condition and Volatility but here we must but now truly begin and endeavour in regard that it is evident by this my deduction that the Copper is not essentially or according to nature unlockt as yet but only fitted for further solution how to get the true Anima thence by a true radical and natural solution Therefore knowing that most men are blind in this point sticking in those putatitious Metallick essences I counted it necessary in imparting the Doctrine of Volatilisation of the Copper to admonish that such and the like solutions of Metals ought not to be valued higher than they are and that none deceive himself thinking that he hath a treasure of health whereas it is but a shadow and such a putatitious Essentia metallica may be reduced again by an artificial hand in a short time yea in few houres to such a gross Metal as it was before as the experienced Chymiater and diligent searcher of Nature Zwelfferus doth confesse in his Writings that the hitherto known Tinctures Essences c. of Metals are nothing else but solutions of Metallick bodies but not at all true separations of the Tincture or soul from the body However it being very necessary that the same be effected if we mean to enjoy the Metallick Arcana and next the blessing of God rely upon them in grievous diseases And therefore going on further and enquiring how to get and separate the pure Tincture which is the only thing we aim at from the fitted and prepared Copper We find that our Volatil Copper is surrounded with a great quantity of the double corrosive which of necessity must be severed from it first if we intend to get the pure Anima without heterogeneous mixture especially the corrosive having already acted its part as much as it could do viz. rent the Copper into the most subtle volatile parts and reduced it to the smallest dust Now the separation thereof from the Copper must not be done by the means of Mercury or the like Volatil things which having a greater affinity with or inclination to this double corrosive than the Copper hath do quickly unite therewith and being also Volatil by one only distillation do rent this double corrosive per force from the Copper and so leave the Copper in the bottom as a grosse dead powder which is hardened again and fit for nothing by no means for so all your Labour which you bestowed upon the Volatilisation would be lost and such a dead powder would not differ from another common Crocus Veneris made by common Aquafort or aqua Regis for in regard that the double corrosive hath not only quite turned the inside of the Copper outwards and so perfectly fitted it for extraction but also the sweet Anima of the Copper by this corrosive and its power as by a resuscitative and quickning means doth shine forth and without such a pertinent means this Tincture could not play forth therefore this corrosive must be severed and abstracted from the Copper very leasurely and imperceptibly as it were to the end that the Copper may remain turned outwards with its sweetnesse and unchanged in its forthshining quality and posture of solubility wherein it cannot be preserved if so be that this corrosive whereby the Copper is as it were raised from death be abstracted from it per force and at once by Mercury or the like for in this manner each atom of the Copper would be as hard compacted and lockt up again as before its resuscitating corrosive being taken thence by force and at once But there must be used other more properthings such as 1. may carry the corrosive thence not at once and by violence but by degrees gently and sweetly 2. which do not precipitate the Copper and sever it from its double corrosive but prove a solvent both of the Copper and of the double corrosive and so notwithstanding that in every cohobation some of the double corrosive goes along yet preserve the Copper in its former nature viz. in its solubility and in this manner the Copper and all its atomes are preserved in the same condition which only and alone is performed by the spirit of wine as our Philosopher teacheth us in express words Sal Armoniacus inde post modum auferri debet per spiritus vini repetitas distillationes in Duumviratu § 9 Therefore you must take highly rectifyed spirit of Wine and mix it with the green spirit of Copper and abstract it gently and then poure it on again and then abstract it again and such cohobation you must oftentimes repeat doing it very gently and the corrosive as a very Volatil spirit will come over by degrees with the spirit of Wine as with the like volatil substance and let fall of it self by degrees the Copper which it contained as you will see that in each cohobation some of the Metal will be found in the bottome in forme of a very light spongious dust and in case you misse as it hapned unto my self sometimes that the distillation should be too forcible and the fire too strong there chanceth sometime some of the Metal to come over of such wonderful fair colours that it cannot be beheld sufficiently and such curious colours remain in the head representing the most beautiful Peacocks tail unlesse the double corrosive be distilled through this head for then all will melt again into it but that which by the violent distillation is come over of the Copper falleth afterwards also to the bottom in the Receiver as light as down Feathers and hath the same colour as those atomi have which precipitated in the Cucurbit to which also they are to be
added It is also further here to be known that the double corrosive not only therefore le ts fall its Metal the Copper because that it comes over gently with the Spirit of Wine but also for this reason because the great sharpnesse and edge of the corrosive is blunted and abated by the Spirit of Wine insomuch that it is not able to hold the Metal any longer because it hath lost its strength or corrosivenesse whereof you may be convinced by this experiment that if you mix this green spirit with a sufficient quantity of Spirit of Wine and set it together in continued digestion for a competent time viz. for a great space of time of many moneths the Metal will also precipitate slowly and by degrees in forme of a very spongious light dust But this being too tedious the more expedite way is by cohobation for then you will far sooner attain to its period Now these cohobations being continued to sufficiency and performed as they ought and all the corrosive being got over you have then the true Crocus Veneris Martis Auri c. according to the Metal which you have taken of farr higher and nobler Vertues than all the Croci of the common Writers and however they be prepared yet they cannot be compared unto these for their Croci are dead bodies but here is a resuscitated and quickned body its soul being quite turned outwards and in its full lustre which you may perceive by the glorious splendour which this Crocus with its choicest colours leaveth in the head if peradventure it be driven over by too strong a heat Now by this light turned outwards this Crocus hath so great vertue as well for inward Medicine as externally to be used in plaisters salves and other sorts of exteriour Medicaments as hardly can be believed before it be experimented And therefore also I will referr it to the experience of the diligent searcher of truth who will find far more Vertue in it than he is able to conceive at present But to clear this I cannot forbear to mention why the antient wise Authours of the highly noble Chymia called these resuscitated and revificated atomes of Metallick bodies Crocus which signifies Saffran Now he that hath but a little Enquired into the Vertues of this Crocus revificatus by experience will quickly know the reason viz. because this Crocus Metallicus doth perfectly possess those Excellent Virtues of Saffron which is the King of all Vegetables and therefore called the Philosophers aroma or spice as our Philosopher de Lithiasi cap. 7. § 14. declareth adding that the Aroma Philosophorum by reason of its Golden Tincture is the surest preservative against the Stone For as Saffron 1. causeth rest 2. comforteth the heart 3. openeth obstructions 4. mollifieth and ripeneth that which is hard and unripe 5. healeth all that which is wounded and preserveth it from all Sympomes So likewise yea in a farr higher degree and with far more Efficacy this our Crocus Philosophicus causeth rest and appeaseth pain powerfully strengtheneth weak Nature openeth the most dangerous obstructions of all the Viscera yea stoppeth all Fluxes by vertue of the shining Anima turned outwards and as well in Tumours as Ulcers and wounds affordeth such quick help as no Mineral Medicines of the common Writers can parallel as the Reader having tryed it will find by experience I can also not omit to relate the Eminent Vertues of the Spirit of Wine which carried over the double corrosive and is united therewith For in it is a double power or vertue first of the corrosive which in its nature by reason of its duplicity and containing an Alcali Volatil doth far exceed all Acid Liquors and therefore also is of great vertue in the Stone Secondly because of the splendour or radiation which this double spirit receceived from the Gold-like Anima of the Copper for although not the least pulvisculus of this Gold-like Tincture remained with this corrosive yet having received its radiation and kept it which is as it were by a seal deeply imprinted therein and thence exalted in vertue beyond what it was before of it self Therefore let this spiritus vini esurinus be commended to you in all cases in which you use Acida and Esurina and you will find with joy its great power in allaying all manner of unnatural heat beyond all known Acid Spirits Also its great Corrosiveness is much mitigated and abated by the Spirit of Wine and so safer for use than before and being fast and intimately united with the spiritus vini it quickly uniteth by the means thereof with the Archeus and performeth its operation with much expedition because that the Virtue of the spiritus vini is readily entertained and so the power of this excellent Acetum Esurinum penetrateth also with it and gently cooleth and refresheth the incensed spirits CAP. VIII How to extract the pure Anima or Tincture from the true Crocus Veneris and by what means WHen your Copper is brought so farr that first by volatilisation it is divided into the smallest Atomes and by the Volatil double corrosive rent asunder into impalpable dust and then in a gentle way totally freed again from all corrosive then and not before it is fit to yield its tinging soul and heavenly virtue unto such a Menstruum which is like unto its Anima in substance viz. which is of a like fiery Nature as the Tincture of the Copper is which is a meer fire and therefore called by our Philosopher and other Wise men the Element of Fire consequently cannot be extracted severed or radically opened but by a very Fiery penetrating vehement and sharply separating Volatile substance which alone hath the power out of the hard ligament of Metallick Coagulation performed in the Copper by Nature by a strong Magnetick Virtue eagerly to attract its like and by its great Fieriness to melt soften and open it to the very inmost ground root and Center such a Water or Menstruum it must be as toucheth nothing at all of the Body of the copper nor desireth to touch much less to dissolve the least of it yea hath no power at all to do so but barely and only falleth upon the Anima or Sulphur of the Copper as upon its like and receiveth the same into it self such a liquor you must look for in the Fiery principle as I discovered above in the second Chapter viz. in the nature of the Oyl which by the strong power of the Fire being turned into fiery Salt by Artificial operation must be translated from the seat of a fixed Salt into that of a Volatile penetrating Fiery spirit Now you may say since this Menstruum is such a Fiery substance why can it not by its strong power as well extract the Anima out of a common Crocus Veneris Auri Martis c. as out of that which hath been made Volatil whereby much labour expence and time might be saved in preparing of this Arcanum For answer