was silver and metal there but never in that place where it went forth and is turned into another thing for â—fter the decay of each body and of its leaf and after the â—ff plucking a singular husk the last it maketh is the fierest for there it lieth like a Speculum upon the water and â—asily turneth into nourishments which is the reason why 〈◊〉 turneth so soon to the metals and so the nourishments â—re infected contrary to their quality that it wandereth so up and down is the reason because it containeth some of â—he seed and of the life and is the untowardness for the â—eed must have something in which it may lie which if it be not one of the bodies of the seven metals then is it such poison or husk this is the skin wherein it containeth it self â—o long till the corruscation forceth it away which then â—s death unto it CHAP. XXII Of the shining rod or of the fire rod. HE that intends to meddle with rods must not follow after his own fancie nor bring novelties unto Mine-works out of his suppositions For nature indureth not to be curb'd in her order but men must be regulated according to nature Concerning the rod good notice must be taken of the Breathing this Lucens virgula or fire-rod is ordered upon the operative attractive breathing for if it were strong though it doth not kindle yet it doth its office through by a heat appropriated to its quality A great heat in a furnace puts out a small heat light or fire the same effect hath this breathing upon this Rod which being kindled stuck in is put out no upper air or wind can hurt it for our upper fire cannot live or burn under ground for if a light or candle be hit against a stone or earth it is put out because it cannot fall in It attracteth the nutriment which maketh this Rod burn and sucks it dry This is remarkable in the matter of this Rod that it hath an unctuosity which doth not burn as the seeds husk is whose poyson put out lights under ground in an extraordinary manner And the breathing above ground doth the same in a peculiar manner Few miners know this fire and is the onely means whereby the inhalation is known This fire-work thus extracted is of special use in Mines and then in the After-work is of severall use for metals of the which more in its due place to descry fire by fire is no mean skill and the subterranean fire can in no other way be mastered Ancient Philosophers have written much of it how superiour elements make their juncture with the nether intimating also that by the means of the middle Elements must be learned the emergy of the superiour and subterranean For they are spirits which joyn the souls above with the grosser bodies below else nothing could have any successe witâ—in the earth and for their operation there must be a medium a gluten to tie and bind fire with fire is a strange maxime but is a true one hence cometh a reserve of fire which never burneth all three must be together for the upper is the light fire and the metal is the flame-fire and the nether is the burning fire This we shall know at the great day in the other life where God will separate the burning from the flame when it flameth then will the burning consume Hell and Hell will soon be burned away neither will there be any clearnesse but darkness because God bestoweth the light upon his chosen ones which is neither a flame nor a burning here these must stand together Be acquainted with its friendlinesse and friendship make it thy advantage which is abstrusely hid and goeth invisibly CHAP. XXIII Of the glowing Rod. BEcause the stirring of the Rod is fallen into abuse among many people however it is a fundamental way know and to bring forth the metals if duely and natuâ—ly used It is an undeniable truth as I made mention of â—fore that metals do breath and the same breathing is inâ—ible the best means to learn it is the Rod this is the â—ason why I call this Rod the glowing Rod because it reâ—aleth and sheweth the exhalation of metals which exâ—lation is of a fiery heat though it casteth neither flame â—r sparks yet it is of such an heat that it gloweth in its â—anner and brings the Rod into a glowing which is an â—fallible sign that there is a living metal at hand This â—od if it should be more glowing without a flame there â—ust be used special matter which receiveth that fire else cannot be done with any utility Concerning that Rod is a stick or staff of the length of half an ell of hard â—ood as of oak unto it is fastened the matter even as a â—rch or link is made of pitch or wax this matter must be â—f an unctuous matter either of an animal vegetable or â—mewhat else which is upon or above ground it must â—ot be too strong otherwise it sets the breathing on fire â—o talk wax pitch or resein is fit to be used nor any miâ—eral otherwise that breath mineral or metal would set its â—od on fire and consume it it must be a calx of earth which catcheth that heat suddenly and smothers in a heat â—s calx doth above ground being moistened it falls thus â—ot off from the rod. This lime burnt above by breathâ—ng is good for several uses But this breathing doth not â—eize on the unctuosity or Mine-wax else how could the â—ourishment of minerals prosper Miners call it a Spath a true calx of the earth It is not corroded and seized oâ— under ground because it hath too much of humidity Some call it a Mine Mermel or subterranean Mermel buâ— is no such matter because he doth not indure the weatheâ— above ground exsiccateth and by breathing is kindled aâ— last The huge Mountains in Norway the ores in Swedland seize on it and corrode it they are full of Spath or calx iâ— their glowing they grow hollow if they were in a flame that land had been consumed long ago For as soon as thaâ— Earth-water comes forth from this Spath and the exsiccating earth cometh forth also then the hidden fire falls into their places CHAP. XXIV Of the leaping Rod. WHilst metal is in its purification that it neither riseth nor moveth then it hath its breathing the same as it is of a singular condition must be discovered and led forth by a singular Rod which Rod is of two sticks held together with both hands where there is such a breathing it lieth close on that Rod no man is able to hold these sticks together if that breatheth on them and if it were a single stick it would break in two the inner side where this Rod is laid together must be anointed with Marcasite that breathing draweth it downward even as the Magnet is of an attractive quality to draw iron so draweth the breathing of this
fruits serve for mans good both for his body and spiâ—â— for nothing is hid from my transparent power my splenâ—â— and lustre over-shadoweth all these and are held to â—ir growing unto maturity let no creatures marvel at â—â—se several distinctions from whence they all should â—ne for all have their principle from me froÌ„ my spirit â—ich is hidden in me which none can dive into save the 〈◊〉 creator of all things from whom it proceeded as out â—his Divine mouth Thus I close up my speech and my 〈◊〉 startle at so great a mystery and attest in truth for a â—ewell that I am not onely the Gold and present Sol but â—e also strength and power to all the inferies terrene spiâ—â— for Aristeus and Onizon is in subjection unto me for I 〈◊〉 α and God be praised for ever Thus I conclude the second part of my Mineral book â—erein I have shewed faithfully as much as I know and â—â—ld in my industry apprehend let others do their enâ—avours also let them produce their knowledge also that 〈◊〉 light of the noble nature may still be supply'd in her â—â—nitude and may not go out whereby cause would be â—â—en to the enemy and envious men to be outragious â—â—inst such truths Let God still and uncessantly be imâ—â—tuned with prayers and thanks-giving For these ends â—ave written these my two Treatises and annexed the â—nuals at the beginning which otherwise needed not to 〈◊〉 done that by earnest prayer and thanksgiving and conâ—â—ued earnest worshipping of God every one might careâ—â—ly exercise himself therein and be convinced in his â—â—ason how gloriously almighty God hath created orâ—â—ined and held forth nature to perform her operations under ground and to produce unto the day light formâ—â— their Nativities and fruits that we may reap thereby 〈◊〉 onely our sustenance but may acknowledge Gods infinâ— mercy and goodnesse for which none can return sufficieâ— thanks However let every one do his duty and as moâ— as he is able to perform with his heart and tongue pray God is sincerity for his grace blessing and wisdom tâ— conceive by his spirit of truth and righteousnesse of his great and wonderfull Creature that the honour of God maybe exalted above the Heaven and be proclaimed with infinite praise throughout all the World End of the second Part. THE THIRD PART OF BASILIUS VALENTINUS His last TESTAMENT Treating of the Universal work in the whole World with a perfect Declaration of the XII Keyes wherein is significantly expressed the name of the great matter There is an Elucidation also of all his former writings published for the good of the posteritie and such that are lovers of wisdom LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI THE THIRD PART IS A Declaration of the XII Keyes HEre followeth the third part of my intended writings wherein is truely shewed the original and prime matter of our Philosophick stone which is a perfect instruction to the practick part which sheweth the direct way to the inexhaustible founâ— of health and of the abundance of riches to provide mans necessaries and this is a Declaration of my former â—itings which is left for a love-token to all those that lovers of Philosophy My friend you must note that by this intended work â—ching the Minerals I had reason to prefix the two parts Minerals and Metals and their Oars holding it a necesâ—y to hold forth a light unto the ignorant how that one 〈◊〉 it from above frameth all such Oars Metals and Mineâ—s taking their original under ground for to generate â—ereby For earth is alwayes ready and covetous to atâ—ct and to retain that spirit which proceedeth from Heaâ—ns powers which it presenteth in processe of time in a â—mality and perfection The manner of it hath been spoâ—en of sufficiently in my former writings which is the reaâ—n why I give onely hints of them in this place Note that all things proceed from a heavenly influencâ— elementall operation earthly substance from this mixâ—â—â— arise the 4. Elements water aire earth which engender hâ—â— the help of fire hid therein in a warm digestion produciâ—â— a Soul Spirit and Body These are the three prime priâ—ciples which in a coagulation come to a Mercury Sulphâ— and Salt these three being in conjunction according to thâ— nature of the seed produce a perfect bodie be it in thâ— Kingdom either of Minerals Animals or Vegetables Aâ— things in the world that are visible and palpable are dâ—â—vided into these three Kingdoms the Animal which coâ—tains such that have a lively breath composed of flesh anâ— bloud as men beasts worms fishes fowls The Vegetables which contains trees herbs seeds roots fruits anâ— all such things that are of a growing quality the Mineraâ— contains all manner of Oars Metals Minerals Marcasâ—â— Calxes Zincks Lobol's all sorts of flints peebles wismuthâ— stones precious ones and others Animals have their special seed a spermatick substance which after a copulation generate flesh and blood whicâ— iced is their prima materia from a heavenly influence created of God of the 4. Elements wrought by nature whicâ— formerly were quoted in my writings Vegetables also have their proper seed which God bestowed on them according to their several qualities anâ— forms by a heavenly and sideral influence and receive theâ— elemental fruitfull growing from the earth with an ordeâ— thereby to generate and augment Minerals and Metals also have their original seed froâ— God by the heavens influence in a liquid aereall substance by a Mineral spirit sulphureous Soul and earthâ— Salt in one body joyned of these I have spoken in my sâ—mer writings Note further if any of these Metalliâ— and Mineral kindâ— shall be brought to a farther propagation and augmentatâ—on it must first be reduced to its first seed and prima mâ—teria If you will transmute Metals augment them bring â—em into a tincture or Philosophick stone you must first â—derstand how you may destroy by a spagyrick Art the â—etalline and Mineral form and separate it into a Mercury â—â—lphur and Salt these three must be purely separated and ought to their first principles This separation is done in and by a Mercurial spirit sulâ—ureous Soul and a white Salt These three in a due orâ—ring of a true manual must be joyned again that they â—ay be brought to the highest and most perfect purity In which conjunction must exactly be observed the â—â—antity after this conjunction the whole substance is â—eerly a liquid substance and philosophick water in which â—l the Elements first the heavenly then the elemental and â—â—sly the earthly qualities are shut up and lye hid therein For the Mercurial spirit is cold and moist the sulphureous â—oul is warm and dry and this liquor is the true prima maâ—ria and first seed of Metals and Minerals which by Vulâ—â—ns Art is brought to a plusquam perfection into a transcenâ—ent fix'd Medicine out of which is generated the true â—hilosophick stone and must be produced in that way Therefore observe and
â—ow what this Mercurial spirit Mercurial Soul astral Salt 〈◊〉 that the one may not be taken in stead of the other which â—ould cause a huge errour You will finde that the nature â—f the golden sulphur consisteth onely in all Metals which â—â—e comprehended among the red and have a fellow domiâ—ion with other Minerals by reason of the fiery tinging â—pirits but the magnetick power and its quality resteth in â—s white Mercurial spirit which bindeth the Soul and disâ—olveth the body therefore the Astrum of Sol is found not â—nely in Gold that with the addition of the spirit of Mercurie and the Solar Salt onely the Philosophers stone câ—â— be made but may in like manner be prepared artificiâ—â— out of Copper and Steel two immature Metals both wâ—â— as male and female have red tinging qualities as welâ— Gold it self whither the same be taken out of one alâ—â— or out of both being first entred into an Union Besiâ—â— this Mineral in our Mothers tongue is a Mineral called â—â—per water and of broken or digged Verdigreece or Copâ—â— there can be made a Vitriol in all which is found gloriâ—â—ly a Soul of the best Gold and come well to passe very pâ—fitably many wayes no Countrey clown can believeâ— Therefore note here what you ought to observe intâ— thy thoughts and give not over unlesse you be comeâ— far that you know natures mystical conjunction and her 〈◊〉 solution then you will finde what is requisite for you 〈◊〉 know and return thanks unto thy Creator make use ofâ— for his glorie and be beneficial to the needy This white spirit is the true Mercury of Philosopheâ— which hath been before me and will be after me withâ—â— which the Philosophers stone and the great mystery can 〈◊〉 made neither universally nor particularly much lesse a paâ—â—cular transmutation And this spirit is the Key to the opeâ—ing of all Metals and their locking in again This spirit is 〈◊〉 sociable unto all Metals because they have their desceâ— from his sanguinity as you heard often For he is that trâ— primum mobile sought of many thousands and found 〈◊〉 none and yet all the World is greedy of it is sought 〈◊〉 far off and found near at hand he is and moveth befoâ— the eyes of all men for if this spirit be fed with a Metalliâ—â— sulphur and Salt of these three there will be one mattâ— made not much unlike to the Philosophers great stonâ— however duely must be proceeded in and a true procesâ— from the beginning to the end must be observed for thâ—â— corporal Salt must be dissolved into this spirit dissolveâ— turn'd and brought into its prima materia as the spirit hiâ— self is then both these of one equal descent and birth bâ— means of fire with coagulating of the spirit may be genâ—rated a third time to a firm fixation and to a pure transâ—rent white clarified body theÌ„ after this accomplished alâ—o the Soul which is dissolved must seek for her rest again â—netrate such a pure body unite with the same and rise 〈◊〉 dwelling therein that these three be permanent and â—iding constantly in one body eternally clarified And that you may be informed how in this manner both â—ur dissolved seeds as the spirit of Mercury and the Soul the Gold be made again fix and corporeal note that it is â—ne onely by the proper Salt of Sol which in this Art is â—â—led a body Now observe here that you take no heteroâ—neal thing in stead of it What manner of processe is here â—ed read my fourth Key where the truth of it is held â—â—th with singular examples and proves but you are â—â—cially to observe in case you do not understand that â—y this plain and true information look upon the body 〈◊〉 Gold not as if no other benefit could be reaped of it â—t onely his Soul not so impute no such weaknesse unto â—â—t body but after you have drawn forth its Sulphur there yet in it the Salt of glory and of the triumphant victrix â—thout which your spermatick seed cannot be brought unâ— any coagulation And even this Salt now of which I â—ade so long a discourse how you ought to bring it our of 〈◊〉 corporeal form through means of the spirit of Mercury â—to it s prima materia is afterward turn'd again into a deeply â—â—rified and exalted body Therefore take your Solar earth out of which you drew â—ur seedr or the true Lions bloud and reduce it by reverâ—â—rating to a fix'd powder and subtile impalpable ashes â—â—tract from thence a very subtile Salt as bright as Ivory 〈◊〉 hereafter I will teach you in the Manuals how the body 〈◊〉 Sol is anatomized by the particulars and to bring it into Sulphur Salt and Mercury Then proceed unto the praâ—â—ck and conjunction and have a care that you be proâ—dent therein that at their conjunction you do not too â—â—ch to the one and too little to the other take notice 〈◊〉 the quantity and observe exactly the division of the seeds hereunto minister a certain measure and mark 〈◊〉 sixth Key then proceed in the begun processe accordinâ— to the order of the seventh eighth ninth and tenth Kâ—â— as formerly I had informed you about it go on with it 〈◊〉 the appearance of the Kings honour and glory to 〈◊〉 highest purple garment and pure golden piece who is câ—â—led the Triumphing Lord and Conquerour over all his suâ—jects from the East to the West which if you have attainâ— unto them return thanks to God be fervent in praying 〈◊〉 mindfull of the poor be a student unto sobriery tempâ—rance abstinence and above all unto taciturnity for it the greatest and most hainous sin to let unworthy mâ—â— know of it The augmentation of this heavenly stone as also the fâ—â—mentation is needlesse to be spoken of in that place as bâ—ing described in my two last Keyes and held forth to the fuâ— not doubting if God grants so much blessing and imparteâ— this stone the sense of these two Keyes will be more coâ—ceived of for no heterogeneal things must be brougâ—â— to our Metalline substance neither at the beginning miâ—dle or end but the Mercurial spirit and the digested Meâ—â—cine spoken of in my eleventh Key To be further as good as I promised concerning othâ— things quoted in my Keyes know ye that no Philosopher tied wholly unto the Metal of Gold of which I spoâ—â— largely hitherto and disclosed the true fundamentals theâ—of and as you heard afore the whole mystery lieth hereâ—â— viz. in the tinging of red fiery spirits of Metalline Souâ— and all what is tinged red and is known to have a fiercâ— sulphur all such are kinde to the Solar Astrum and whâ—â— the Mercurial spirit is joyned with then the proceed 〈◊〉 may go on universaliter and Particulariter that a tincture obtained from them whereby Metals and vulgar Mercâ—â— can be exalted and be ordered according to the tenor the processe Such Souls and goldish Sulphurs are found most effectâ— in Mars and
take notice that all Metals and Minerals have onely one root from which generally thâ—â—r â—â—escent is he that knoweth that rightly needs not to deâ—â—roy Metals to extract the spirit from one the Sulphur â—â—om a second and the Salt from a third For there is a â—â—earer place yet in which these three Spirit Soul and Boâ—y lye hid in one thing well known and may with great â—raise be gotten it shall be nominated afterward in several â—erms He that learneth to know exactly this golden seed or â—his Magnet and searcheth throughly into its properties â—â—e hath then the true root of life and may attain unto that â—â—is heart longeth for In my former writings as also in the XII Keyes from the first to the last I ordered thus my stile 〈◊〉 writing wherein I held forth unto posterity the â—ractick how the great stone of Philosophers or the best purified gold may be made out of Sulphur and Salt with 〈◊〉 help of the spirit of Mercury which must be drawn from crude unmelted Minera according to the Tenor of my fiâ—â— Key set down in a parabolical manner Why I laid the work of the Philosophick stone upon tâ—â— Gold Metal this is the reason that the simple Laboratoâ—â— to whom is unknown the other body or subjectum whicâ— containeth all the three principles though it be a thiâ— well known yet is it stranger to their brains may leâ—â— hereby more wit and knowledge Many of the ancieâ—â— Philosophers which lived long before me have in the saâ—â— manner with me obtained the true universal stone of a mysteries and health as their books which are extant giâ—â— evidence thereof The first time I took great pains aâ—â— made great expences and consumed much time about thâ— purified Gold alledged in the first Key this heavenly stoâ—â— I prepared in the Cloister I lived in and happily obtaineâ— it The highest in heaven bestowed his further grace 〈◊〉 blessing upon me that I took into further consideration thâ— tinging 2 animated 1 spirits placed and planted into their several bodies Let no man be ashamed to learn to â—dd more 〈◊〉 his learning and to dive further into that which was hiâ— from him notwithstanding his knowing wayes Natuâ—â— reserveth many things in her secrecie which mens dull understanding and shortnesse of life cannot reach unto Whereas God in his great goodnesse hath bestowed thâ—â— great gift upon me for an improvement of that talent I havâ— imparted the same to my fellow Christians in the said XII Keyes Those that are endued with deeper wits and knowledge and in their hearty and carefull endeavours strive further to dive in the Art will meet in the same place with a more easie and more known matter which almost wâ—â— named and set down of an effectual quality out of which in like manner as the ancients before me in their exacâ—â— speculation and practick have in the end better known the onely scope and drift which hath been practised several â—â—s by me also in a shorter time and lesse pains taking 〈◊〉 they and I have obtained health and riches in this â—wn and despicable matter and Mineral substance is â—â—d a sulphur and tincture more effectual and more worâ—â— than the best Gold can afford which is fluid and open â—â—its Mercurial spirit also and its mystical Salt is free and â—â—n whose vertues may with lesse pains in a visible manâ—â— be drawn from it â—e that hath considered exactly my XII Keyes freâ—â—ntly perusing the same must needs conceive and that â—rein is held forth the whole preparation of our stone 〈◊〉 the beginning to the end without any defect yet so â—t it onely should be prepared of Gold fitted for it But 〈◊〉 according to Gods ordinance in nature have pointed at â—old which is much better and requireth to be taken inâ—â— deep consideration which being unknown and strange Novices for some reasons I forbear to give them any diâ—â—tion thereunto with a resolution to write and to point at â—â—h matters as themselves are inclined to seek for their â—â—d in them At the beginning of my XII Keyes according to the â—â—nner of Philosophers in a parabolical way I made relaâ—â—n of the property and work of our stone and balsam how was made by Artists which as by an inheritance is come 〈◊〉 me also wherein I spoke as much as was meet of the â—vernment of the fire chargeable appearance and of the â—â—iefest planetical colours and the final end thereof After â—â—e accomplishment of these peruse well the XII Keyes for â—â—ch containeth a particular work The first Key informeth you that if you seek for the â—â—ed in a Metalline body as in the Gold then before all â—â—ings it must most exactly be purged from all its impure â—eprosie and that nothing must be mix'd with our Founâ—ain but such which is of a pure spermatick quality This â—urifying is perform'd with Antimony which stands in a â—ear relation and affinity unto Gold which is the reason why antimonial sulphur purgeth the Soul of Gold graduâ—ting the same to a very high degree On the other-side 〈◊〉 Gold can meliorate in a short time the Soul of Antimoâ— and can bring it to a firm fixation exalting Antimony 〈◊〉 Gold to an equal dignity and vertue and can be brougâ—â— not onely unto a white Metal of Lune but also to a traâ—scendent Medicine for mans health of which you shâ—â— have a further direction hereafter when I shall treat in pâ—â—ticular of Antimony Alâ—hough Antimony hath promise unto Saturn a sociable brother-hood because Antimony qualification doth rest in some sort on the quality of Saturâ— in an equal concordance yet after the fixation of the exalted Sulphur of Antimony his next friend Saturn cannoâ— get any prey from him because the King received him intâ— his golden Palace and make him partaker of his triumphing Kingdom This is the reason why he can endurâ— now heat and frost and overcomes it and standeth with the King a Conquerour in great and transcendent glory The purifying of the Gold is perform'd thus Laminateâ— the Gold-thinly after a due manner cast it thrice through Antimony afterward the Regulus which is set at the through casting must be melted before the blast in a strong fire and driven off with Saturn then you will finde the purest fairest most lustrous Gold pleasant to behold as much as the lustre of Sol is This Gold is now fitted to surrender its innermost being first brought from its fixednesse into a destructive form and passe through the Salt-Sea of its corruptiblenesse is drowned therein escaped again and appeared visibly The second Key MY Friend note and take that into a serious consideration because the chiefest point lyeth herein cause a Balneum be made let nothing come into it which should nor be there that the noble seed of the Gold fall not into â—estructive and irrecoverable opposition after its destruâ—on and take an exact and carefull view of such things â—â—ich my second Key informeth thee of
namely what matâ—â— you ought to take to the Kings Balneum whereby the â—ng is destroyed and its external form broken and its â—â—defiled Soul may come forth to this purpose will serve â—â—e Dragon and the Eagle which is Niter and Sal armonick â—â—th which after their union are made into a Aquafort as â—â—u shall be further informed of in my Manuals where I â—â—all treat in particular of Gold of other Metals and Mineâ—â—ls into which Balneum the King is thrown being first 〈◊〉 in the quoted place you shall hear brought into an Amalâ—me of Mercury and of Sulphur which presently seizeth on â—im corrodeth all his members and is dissolved and is â—resently mortified of this Salt water into a most splendent â—ransparent Oyl You must note that this dissolution is â—ot sufficient and the King is not minded as yet to let go â—is Soul out of his fixed body which you can see when you â—eparate the water from the dissolved body of the King where you shall finde fixed powder of Gold out of which you will hardly get his Soul that is therein Therefore follow my counsel and bear the yoake which I bore before â—ye and learn to know exactly in pains taking further thus as I shall inform you Having dissolved your Gold wholly in the said water and brought it into a pleasant yellow Oyl then let it stand well luted for a day and night in a very gentle Balneum Mariae the feces which are setled must be separated from it then take this pure dissolution put it into a well coated body or Retort apply a Helmet to it with a receiver in the best manner luted to it set it into a sand Capel drive the Gold with the water over the Helmet iterate this a third time then abstract the water in Balneum Mariae you will finde a fair Gold-powder keep this in a glasse for an hour in fire let the remaining humidity be drawn from it The third Key THen take of good spirit of Sal-niter one part and of dâ—â—phlegmed spirit of ordinary Salt three parts pour theâ— spirits together warm'd a little into a body on the forâ— written Gold-powder lute a Helmet and Receiver to iâ— drive the Gold over as formerly in sand several times wiâ—â— an iterated distillation the oftner the better let the Goâ—â— come to be volatile more and more and at last let all coâ—â— over By this repeated driving over its fixed body is divided all its Members are torn asunder and opened anâ— leaveth willingly its Soul to a special Judge of which mâ— third Key will give sufficient information Note further that after this work those salt spirits muâ—â— be abstracted from the Gold which was driven over very gently in Balneo Mariae let nothing of the tincture of the Gold come over that the body suffer not any diminution then take that Gold or rather these Chrystals of Gold from which you have separated the water put it in a reverberating pan set it under a Muffle let its first fire be gentle for an hour let all its corrosivenesse be taken away then your powder will be of a fair scarlet colour as subtile as ever was seen put it in a clean viol pour on it fresh spirit of ordinary Salt first brought to a sweetnesse let it stand in a gentle digestion let that spirit be deeply ting'd and transparent red like a Ruby cant if off pour on fresh extract again iterate the work of canting off and pouring on till no more tincture of it appeareth put all these extractions together separate them in Balneo gently from the Sulphur of Sol then that powder is subtile and tender of great worth this matter is such which in a short processe transmuteth Lune in its tincture to the highest perfection according to the direction of my XII Keyes He that hath some knowledge herein may make this quere whither this extracted dry Soul and Sulphur of the â—â—g be just that Soul of which Philosophers have this â—ng the Philosophick work for the preparation of the â—â—t precious stone requireth three things viz. a wet volaâ— Mercury or a Mercurial spirit a wet volatile sulphurous â—â—l and a dry astral Salt which after its dissolution togeâ—â— with the two first must be apparent and known in a â—erish form which way comes that about because in 〈◊〉 processe nothing is spoken of any Mercurial spirit and â—atile Soul but the Soul of the King appeared in a subâ—â— form of powder The answer hereunto I delay so long 〈◊〉 the Querist learns better to understand the distinction in â—s book and I will perform my promise and set his â—xious and intangled minde at liberty which is so much â—ubled about this doubt and will deal with him as a â—od father may deal with his son in and with this scope â—herein our Mastery lieth have been fooled most of the â—its leading them captive in their erroneous wayes being â—â—d about in a desart of mislead wayes because in their â—â—pposed deep wits they had not conceived so much of the â—anner how all things of the world are generated and that â—very spirit must have a Soul and every Soul a fit spirit and â—hat both spirit and Soul are spirits and spiritual which must â—ave a body in which they may have a dwelling Gold and Silver but chiefly Gold is brought to the highest fixednesse by such degrees as nature did afford insomuch â—ts nature is found very hot and fiery freed from all phlegmatick humidity of which Lune is not so wholly freed though she hath obtained a sulphur-fixed degree and stayeth for the King to warm her cold body with his hot seed which concerns the particulars and belongs unto them which in that place shall be plainly demonstrated In Gold there is no waterish humidity at all unlesse it were reduced again into Vitriol which would be but an uselesse and unprofitable work and would require huge expences in case the Philosophers stone should be of Vitriol of Gold of which there must be had great store indeed in that Vitriol there would be found a convenient spirit which natuâ—â— would desire of a white quality as also a Soul and Salt of glorious essence But what Countreys Goods Lands have been dilapiâ—ted this way I wave to discourse of onely this warning 〈◊〉 give to my Disciples nature having left a nearer way 〈◊〉 keep and to imitate that that they also might take heed 〈◊〉 fall into such extream and inexâ—ricable poverties The solar Mercury Sol being never brought so far undestruction neither did the ancient Philosophers ever makâ— use of that way as being a thing clean contrary unto nature containeth indeed an humidity but it is a meer Elemental waterish humidity after its dissolution and good foâ— nothing water and other principles do not stand in the Elements but the Elements rest in the principles and seeds oâ— Metals of the which I have spoken formerly Therefore let none be so over witty as to make our
stone onely of dry and fully digested Gold because its phlegmatick humidity is entred into a dry fixednesse and fixed coagulation which is not found so in other Metals though they also are subject to a hard coagulation and passed through the fire yet are not wholly digested nor brought to a full maturity from the natural original root which ought to be taken notice of and be not offended at my former writings if they seem to run contrary against this Though I have shewed that the spirit Soul and body come all from one Metalline essence and must be prepared thus among which I held the Gold to be the best however I dealt herein as it seemed fit for a Philosopher the like the ancient Philosophers have done before me but I hope you took notice of my protestation that I gave special cause thereby to your speculation to take the better notice of nature and her principle and to consider the original because it was not meet for me to inform all men how the doors are bolted within and especially at that time when I never intended to write thus plainly of these things which are hid even from the best of men but when my heavenly Prince commanded at the changing of my minde not to bury the â—â—rted talent but to do the like to those whom God â—ks worthy to leave it to them One rule more I must 〈◊〉 to thy remembrance of such points which formerly I â—e set down of which I spoke now that you may the â—e blame me as if I did refuse these things now which I â—merly wrote of Peruse all such which since the beginning of the world â—â—e written of Metals you will finde that they were all 〈◊〉 one minde and that I make use of their sayings that the â—â—t and the last Metal is a Metal because the first Metal â—â—h already obtained and gotten the forth-going seed of â—etals in a Metalline quality which doth nothing else but â—â—t it goeth on uncessantly in the Metalline generation as â—poke of in the first and second part of Minerals and Meâ—â—s and in this part also I have spoken of it in several â—aces Many have called Gold Lead and Lead they called Gold â—ecause it was found not onely of the same ponderousnesse â—ut because three deep glittering stones have solely gotten â—â—om this Planet their transcendent perfection and many â—ther causes besides which to relate here would fall too â—ong and needlesse And this is it which asketh wisdom â—o distinguish in this and in other things and exactly to â—earch into Gods mysteries and natures laid before us But man through Adams fall being brought to a deep blindnesse therefore mens understanding are so eclipsed that they can hardly conceive of this and of other mystical matters in nature The obduration being so great among the covetous that for the most part they search and dive into such mysteries out of meer covetousnesse pride and ambition made the ancient Philosophers upon command and inspiration of the highest aim at that as to put a certain stay to their hands and to write of such mysteries in such a manner that unworthy men should not understand it and but worthy men onely in their illumination might perceive it and writing often one thing have mingled other among understaâ—ing still the one and the same In several places tâ—â— shewed that the Philosophers stone is and comes from 〈◊〉 animal others from a vegetable seed and a third sort saiâ— it comes from a Mineral seed others write that stone made of an animal vegetable and Mineral seed togethâ—â— All this is onely understood of the Mineral and Metalliâ— seed and consisteth not in any plurality of seeds Hence tâ—â— Art grew eclipsed insomuch that scarce one among maâ— thousands hardly attaineth unto the knowledge thereoâ— and for that reason is it held for an Art because not eveâ— Booby should bring it into his Beetle-head and why shouâ—â— it For if this Art were as common as brewing of Beer aâ—â— baking of Bread then any one may judge what good couâ—â— be look'd for would not all manner of vices be practiseâ— publickly without any controlling Therefore such men which in their lofty minde aâ—â— meerly for Pomp and Pride must be clipp'd in their wingâ— and these things ought not to be put into their mouthâ— things are clear enough for these on whom God intendâ— the bestowing of them I return now to the thing I intented which is to teacâ— a desirous Scholler how to proceed further with the extracted Soul of Gold Truly it is much to discover such mysteries I warn every one to make good use of them and note that if you have the purple Cloak of the King aâ— the sulphur of Sol then be thankfull unto God for it beaâ— no evil minde against thy neighbour unlock your goldeâ— seed according to the Tenor of the Key turn it to water for in our Art there must be body Soul and Spirit which run together in the innermost root the one layeth hold on the other meliorateth the same throughout in its whole quality insomuch that there is a new created world and earth which afterward is illuminated by the Soul and is exalted into a transcendent efficacie Therefore it is requisite that you know how to infuse your golden seed into the new body and to bring it to a fluid substance look about thee and see where you may â—e it if you finde none despair not but be of good â—fort think upon means and ask counsel of god Saturn â—ill not let thee go without a resolve he will put into hand a deep glittering Minera for an offering which in Myne is grown of the first matter of all Metals if this â—era after its preparation which he will shew unto thee 〈◊〉 into a strong sublimation mixed with three parts of â—e or tyle meal then riseth to the righest mount a noble â—imate like little feathers or alumen plumosum which due time dissolveth into strong and effectual water â—â—ch bringeth thy seed in a little putrefaction very suddenâ—â—nto the first volatility if so be there be added to it a 〈◊〉 quantity of water that it may be dissolved therein there 〈◊〉 twig with the bulk doth unite that they are able to â—end above the highest mountain and stay inseparably â—â—ether a Soul and Spirit or a Spirit and Soul It is requisite that you be stored with water for the body 〈◊〉 Salt to dissolve the same also and coagulate the same inâ— a new clarified body which will never part asunder neiâ—â—r in love nor woe because they are of one nature natiâ—y and original and have been so from the beginning â—â—r they all have their beginning and birth from the power 〈◊〉 this volatile bird But remember well that these Mineral â—irits are in other Metals also and are found effectual in â—â—e Mineral from whence with more ease and lesse charges 〈◊〉 may be had the businesse is onely herein that you learn to
for neither water nor earth caâ—â— do it any hurt because it received its first birth and beginning from a heavenly water which in due time is pouâ—â— down upon the earth In these together driven goldish waters lieth hid that trâ—â— bird and Eagle the King with his heavenly Splendor together with its clarified Salt which three you finde shut up iâ— this one thing and golden property and from thence yoâ— will get all that which you have need of for your inteâ—â—tion Therefore set that golden body you have obtained whicâ— in dignity and vertue is exalted beyond all other Gold inâ—â— its due and lawfull dissolution its due time then the Aâ—gel of the highest will appear unto thee and tell thee thâ—â— it is the Resolver of all the mysteries in the World receivâ—â— it with joy and keep it safe for its quality is more heavenly than earthly therefore doth it heartily incline to strivâ— after that which is above from whence it had its Original If you have separated this Prophet from his matter whicâ— remained then you need not to undertake any further processe you were taught parabolically in my XII Keyes Foâ— even in his remaining formal substance you may finde anâ— expect from thence a pure immortal Soul together viâ—â— the glory of the Salt both which are obtained by means 〈◊〉 the spirit and must be had from thence and no impure oâ— contrary thing must be added thereunto And it is doâ— in the same manner as I told you in my Keyes with the Sâ—â— and Salt of the Gold by the saturnal water in whose plaâ—â— this spiritual Mercurial spirit might be used with better aâ—vantage Observe onely this difference that the Salt must be drawn forth from the Mercurial body as it hapned unto the Soul with the spirit of Mercury whereas on the other side the Salt of Gold must not be drawn forth with the saturnal water because it is too weak for the body of Gold but with a water which hath been expressed in the description of particulars This distinction must be exactly observ'd being of great concernment because the Salt of Vitriol is not so strongly guarded and is not in so fix'd a body as the Gold is but is still an open body which saw no coagulation as yet nor passed it through any melting fire therefore that body never came as yet to any compactnesse there is room left for its own spirit to enter into can embrace and unite with its like and a snow white extraction of Salt may be had whereas on the other side a sharper matter must penetrate Gold as you shall hear when I shall speak more of it in its due place Behold now my friend whatsoever thou art what minde I bare towards thee and how I am affected unto thee in my heart the like I never durst look for from thee Consider it well how sincerely and faithfully I disclose unto thee all the locks and bonds whereby the whole Philosophick wisdom is shut up which hitherto never entred any more â—houghts much lesse that ever it was practised or discovered and nothing caused me to do it but onely Gods infinite mercy my good will and love toward my Neighbour which my Predecessors have not done so compleatly and was put off unto me to do it Having thus separated your three Mineral bodies and ordered them into certain divisions and put away the dregs wherein they lye hid then look to it that you neglect none of it by the diminishing of the quantity which would prove a great fault to your work and keep each in its own and due quantity otherwise in your work you cannot come to a happy end This is the thrift which so many have missed and have written great volumes about it for all what cometh from our Philosophick Gold and hath divided it self into three parts the same must be brought into one without any losse and diminution which is to enter into a new form again and become a meliorated substance nothing of it must be done away but onely the feces terrae in which the glorious Salt had its dwelling Therefore do that I told you of joyn the spirit with the body bring the body also into a spirit dissolve exalt it into the highest spiritual power iâ— that dissolutioÌ„ the body turns to a spirit the spirit with the body uniteth and joyneth into one substance that after the exchanging of all manner of colours there cometh a white body like snow transcending all whitenesses This is the greatest mystery of this world about which among the learned and supposed wits such disputings in the world have been that a palpable thing and a visible one could be reduced into its prima materia and out of that may be made again a new clarified and better substance by the bountifull nature leading the way thereunto Thus you have made and brought into the world the Queen of Honour and the first born daughter of Philosophers which after her due perfection is called the white Elixir of which great volumes are extant Having brought your work thus far then you have deserved to be received into the Turba of Philosophers and you get more Art wisdom and understanding than all Sophisters which prate much of these mystical things and yet know not the least thing of it Therefore it is just that you should be preferred before them and let them sit below thee in shame and disgrace and in their darknesse of mis-understanding so long till nature doth enlighten them also That you may bring and lead that new Philosophiâ—â— Creature by the means nature afforded unto the highest perfection after which your heart with all her endeavours doth strive then remember that neither man nor beasâ— without a living Soul can neither stir nor move and as maâ— here in this life through temporal death loseth his Soul offering the same again unto the Almighty God from whom 〈◊〉 had it first into his mercy and merits of Jesus Christ â—here after the departure of the Soul the dwelling as the â—â—dy of it is left quite dead which is buried in the ground â—here it rotteth and must return unto dust and ashes being 〈◊〉 duly stipend which the fall of our first parents in Paradise â—we deserved and from them as by an inheritance is fall'n â—pon us after which putrefaction there are raised again on â—â—e great day new and clarified bodies and the departed â—â—ul taketh her dwelling up again in that new body after â—at there is no more parting of body nor spirit nor soul â—â—t because the Soul finding a clarified body then with the â—â—me she maketh an everlasting Union which neither Deâ—â—l nor death can destroy and disjoyn any more nor bring it â—to any corruption but from henceforth into all eternity â—e are and shall be like unto the best Creatures of God â—hich before our mortality and departure of the spirit of â—â—e soul and the body could never be God help and grant
â—nto us all a blessed resurrection Amen This high and mighty example having its foundation â—ot in humane thoughts wit or pride or in an ungrounded â—ating but in the great Creatour's true word which he â—ath revealed unto us through his servant and holy Prophet Moses doth inform you what you ought to do further with our new begotten Creature that you may get a perfect â—â—rth without any defect to the praise of the Highest the â—ather of lights and mercy from whom we receive all perâ—ect gifts which he graciously bestoweth on his Children â—or which we are not able to return sufficient thanks unto â—im Now if you will proceed well in your work then joyn â—he new body with his Soul which you formerly drew â—â—om that the compound in its vertue be compleat and â—here be apparent in the end a plusquam perfection of it â—hen is begotten the Red King of all glorie in a fiery subâ—tance and highly clarified body exalted above all powers â—pon earth from thence ariseth the golden fountain he that thinketh of it is renewed in all his Members and there is rised wholly a new life for the which God be praised for ever more The augmentation of this huge treasure together with the fermentation thereof for the transmutation of Metalls doubtlesse you have taken notice of exactly afore where I wrote of Gold how it must be handled and what direction I have given you thereunto the same you must observe for here is all one processe from the middle to the end the beginning onely asketh alteration by reason of the two distinct matters for the which God be praised whom we beseech to give us his grace and blessing that we may make good use of this treasure and after this life we may enter into the heavenly Kingdom The love to my Neighbour hath moved me to write of these things which in my long experience I found to be true following the steps of bountifull nature which made me a Sooth-sayer in natural things and I am assured that if these my writings are made publick after my death and my other books sharing in the same fortune that they must undergo many censures For some will extreamly condemâ— me delivering me unto Satan because I have written so plainly Others there will be which will quite overthrow my writings crying out to be Lies Superstition and Diabolical works the like censure other illuminated men before me have undergone which they feel to this day for men are so incredulous in these points that so mighty an operation should be found against all manner of infirmities besides the transmutation of Metals in so despicable a matâ—er over which the Iron Man with his espoused Wife Venus â—ogether with the deep glittering Sol is and must have the â—redominancie and with incredible profit it should by â—rt â—e brought to such perfection The Art being great and â—he matter so contemptible it procureth the more doubt â—nd unbelief these unbelieving men I let understand oneâ—y this notable example whereby the eyes of those that â—re going unto Emaus shall be opened and thereby shall â—â—owledge that I have written no untruth but disclosed 〈◊〉 a truth very plainly And note that the ancient Phiâ—â—phers endeavoured to describe the preparation of the â—â—e under a notion of distilling of wine and the spirit â—â—eof which in their work are almost like one to anâ—er For I they taught out of the best wine to make a â—it without any strange phlegme which to this day â—â—ng vulgar Artists must be and is called the right and â—e mystical spirit of wine whereas it may soon be proved â—r this supposed spirit of wine containeth much invisible â—midity or phlegme in an insensible manner which is â—hing else but its vegetable Mercury for the fiery spirit wine is the true fire and soul of the wine Every Sulphur â—â—taineth secretly its original and principal Mercury Veâ—ables in their kinde the Animals in their kinde and 〈◊〉 Minerals also after their kinde 2. They taught how â—s spirit of wine must be separated in two distinct parts â—mely this spirit of wine be poured upon white calcined â—â—ar and be drawn over in a gentle distillation In this â—â—illation is separated the secret and true spirit of wine â—m his Vegetable Mercury as I faithfully informed you 〈◊〉 my Manuals From the remainng earth they taught a â—t be drawn to be added to the rectified spirit whereby 〈◊〉 is fortified and strengthned in his substance and at last â—e Philosopher stone should be generated It is mightily â—ainst Gods ordinance that a Vegetable should produce 〈◊〉 Animal or an Animal produce a Mineral By way of â—parable the practice part is held forth under the notion 〈◊〉 this preparation Now as they taught of the wine so in â—â—e manner also through a short way our Gold can be preâ—red not the usual and common Gold and may be disâ—lved divided separated and brought into its first prinâ—ple But you must note that this dissolution and separation â—as never described plainly by any of the ancient Philosoâ—hers which lived before me and knew the Magisterium â—hy I do it the love to my Neighbour hath moved me thereunto which I bear from the Center of my heart to those which overcome this mystery without falshood 〈◊〉 mingling vices with a faithfull heart in a sincere knâ—â—ledge and real piety In the first place be inform'd 〈◊〉 our Gold so much spoken of hitherto must never be â—â—ken for such Gold by any of our Disciples which hath bâ— melted and fully digested by nature for herein such â—rour is committed that men dilapidate all what they hâ—â— and loose both the beginning and end of all their woâ—â—â— Although not onely from Gold but from other Metals 〈◊〉 this Clenodium and Jewel may be had in the preparaâ—â—â—â— of it particulariter much profit and advantage may be â—â—ten in that which concerneth mans health as hath be formerly told however without the spirit of Mercury 〈◊〉 Universal of the World to be gotten meerly from the bâ—â— of Sol is impossible and will be impossible unlesse Creatour of all things produce another ordinance to chaâ—â— and alter his Creature after his own will But as that impossible so it is impossible also to deal against Gâ—â— Creature in that kinde as to finde out that wholesom pâ—â—fit which to your longing desire you expect You mâ—â— believe it for a truth as Christ himself is that the Philoâ—â—pher's stone would not be so strange rare and unknoâ—â— a thing it would be common to Kings and Potentates 〈◊〉 God would permit to be made of Gold alone and the thâ—â— Jewels of infinite fixed vertues hid therein could be 〈◊〉 out of it My intent is not in this present Treatise to use any pâ—â—lixity in writing those that are not quite blinde and haâ—â— their eyes open have enough already to attain unto 〈◊〉 knowledge and command both his minde and hands â—o to passe by the weightiest and esteem high
things that iâ— unworthy and to fall with the blinde into the pit maâ—â— for them Those that are real in their desire for to attaâ—â—â— unto art and wisdom and intend to propagate the saâ—â— without sophistication and desire in reality to glorie iâ— that honourable truth you may shew a real proof of it iâ— this manner 〈◊〉 tell thee really for the highest truth that you may disâ—e our Gold naturally driven together in a short way to â—ng it to its prima materia and is done thus take the â—wn Mineral Spirit in which our Mercury Sulphur and 〈◊〉 is shut up containing that Philosophick mystical Gold â—â—r that guttatim upon white calcined tartar these two â—â—trary qualified matters will be tissing let them stay togeâ—r till their contention and strife be ended and our Gold â—e it self invisible in the vegetable Salt acre or in the belâ— of tartar lute a Helmet to it distil it at first gently in â—neo then increase your fire then Hermes his volatile 〈◊〉 will fly away from our Gold in that sublimation and sit 〈◊〉 the highest pinnacles of the Temple looking about â—ich way to betake himself but soon is catch'd in the â—ceiver which must be pure and very dry when you see â—t his flight is but slow then take the glasse out of the â—â—ny set it in ashes increase your fire then will she fly â—re nimbly keep that fire so long till all is come over â—d her brother the Red Dragon hiding his rednesse under a 〈◊〉 colour in a whitish fume will begin to follow after his â—ing brother Then cease with the fire the drops being fall'n from the Helmet take it off that which you â—de in the Receiver you are to keep as a treasure of myâ—ries In this manner you have gotten wisdom underâ—â—nding and skill the fundamentals also and desires of Phiâ—â—ophers by this short witty proof you learn and get that â—owledge how this water may be sought after found and â—â—ted on and is not to be esteemed a common water but is â—at real infallible heavenly water of which at the beginâ—â—g I have written and repeated the same the oftner â—hich in a spiritual manner from the heavens power is â—ured down upon earth beginneth and accomplisheth â—e generation of all Metals for that reason the ancient Phiâ—â—ophers call'd this water Mercury but I call it the Spirit of â—ercury Now if you proceed right in this work and you know â—hat food and what drink â—o give to this bird viz. Sulphur and Salt of Metal then you may attain unto the end of 〈◊〉 great work which is almost like unto the Philosophâ—â— great work and you may get profit infinitely partituâ—aâ—â— many wayes you must note that this is not the true Phiâ—â—sophick dissolution but onely one which particulaâ—â— performeth strange matters aâ—d is a speculum in which 〈◊〉 Mercury our Sol and our Lune is seen bleaking which iâ— present confuting of unbelieving Thomasses discoverâ—â— the blindnesse of ignorantment The dissolution of tâ— three principles I have described unto you formerly whiâ—â— is of a slower pace requiring time and patience and 〈◊〉 exact attention to make or bring three into one which wâ— is done in it self per se without mixing of any heterogeneâ— matter onely that which lyeth hid in it must do it Fâ— the Fountain of salvation is the illumination of the Soâ—â— and the Salt of the clarified body are all in that one thinâ— existent from one two or three which must be brought aâ—â— reduced to one which is the golden vertue of all Metals â—alted above all powers together with the Eagle and whiâ— body which are no where together but onely in this one found and in that which is next kin unto it which knoâ—ing Philosophers alwayes held in great esteem but ignoraâ—â— and blinde men despised and disgraced the same But thoâ—â— whose eyes are once opened love to stick unto truth coâ—â— to hide the matter from wicked men and study day aâ—â— night how the ignorant might be kept from it Thus I cloâ— this third part And before I begin the fourth part concerning Particâ—laria I must needs speak something of the Philosophers Vâ—triol Sulphur and Magnet My friend you must note that this description I maâ—â— now of the essence of Vitriol resteth onely upon tryâ—â— made the victorious triumph of the highest wisdom câ—â— by inheritance from the most ancient Philosophers unâ— me and comes now unto thee wherein experimentaâ— it 's found that there is a subterranean Mineral Salt callâ— Vitriol which for dying of Cloaths and many other us◠〈◊〉 cannot well possibly be without it for it carrieth â—nd eateth through by reason of its sharpnesse â—â—h is distinct from other Salts in respect of their quaâ—â— for the Mineral of this Salt is strange of a very â—nd fiery quality as apparent in its spirit and conâ—â—th a twofold spirit which is miraculum naturae â—is not found the like in other Salts and this Salt is a â—â—aphâ—odit among other Salts it is white and red even â—â—u will have it it hath an extraordinary medicinal quaâ—â— performing things in an incredible manner This Salt â—â—ineth a combustible Sulphur which is not in other 〈◊〉 Therefore in Metalline affairs touching their transâ—â—tion it performeth more than others because it help-â—ot onely to open some but helpeth the generation of â—â—rs by reason of its innate heat When Vitriol is sepaâ—â— by means of fire then its spirit at first comes in a â—â—e form after that there comes from its earth a spirit of 〈◊〉 condition staying in the earth the Salt being united 〈◊〉 its expell'd Mercury and Sulphur can sharpen them â—emainder that stayeth behinde is a dead earth of no â—â—acie Let this suffice for your learning and consider 〈◊〉 what the Creator holds forth unto thee in nature by â—ow kindled ternarie for as you finde in Vitriols body 〈◊〉 distinct things as Spâ—rit Oyl and Salt even so you expect from its own spirit again which without the â—â—ling of its Oyl is driven from its matter three distinct â—â—gs even as you did formerly from the body of Vitriol â—â—h deserveth very well the name of Speculum sapientiae â—â—ae held forth purposely to man to view himself For 〈◊〉 can separate this spirit of Vitriol as it ought then that â—ds again unto you three principles out of which onely out any other addition since the beginning of the â—d the Philosophers stone hath been made from that have to expect again a spirit of a white form an Oyl of â—uality after these two a Christalline Salt these three â—â—g duely joyned in their perfection generate no lesse 〈◊〉 the Philosophers great stone for that white spirit is meerly the Philosophers Mercury the red Oyl is the Sâ—â— and the Salt is that true Magnetick body as I told you 〈◊〉 merly As from the spirit of Vitriol is brought to light â—red and white tincture so from its Oyl there is made Vâ—â— her tincture and in the Center
this â—e and commit thee to the protection of the Highest End of the third Part. THE â—OURTH PART OF BASILIUS VALENTINUS His last TESTAMENT â—he Manuals wherein he treateth how Metals and fitting Minerals may Particulariter be brought to their highest preparation LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI THE FOURTH PART Of â—articulars from the seven Metals how they may be prepared with profit First of the Sulphur of Sol whereby Lune is tinged into good Gold TAke of pure Gold which is three times cast through Antimony and of well purged Mercury vive being prest through leather six parts make of it an Amalgame to the quantity of this Amalgame grinde twice as much of common Sulphur let it evaporate â—n a broad pan in a gentle heat under a Muffle stirring it â—ll with an Iron hook let the fire be moderate that the matâ—er do not melt together this Gold calx must be brought to â—e colour of a Mary-gold flower then is it right then take â—e part of Salpeter one part of Salarmonie half a part of â—â—inded peebles draw a water from it Note this water â—ust be drawn warily and exactly To draw it after the â—ommon way will not do it he that is used to Chymick preâ—rations knows what he hath to do And note you must â—ave a strong stone Retort which must be coated to hold â—he spirits closely it s upper part must have a pipe upward â—f half a spans length its widenesse must bear two fingers â—readth it must be set first in a distilling furnace which must be open above that the upper pipe may stand out diâ—ectly apply a large receiver lute it well let your first fire â—e gentle then increase it that the Retort look glowing hot put a spoonfull of this ground matter in at the pipe close thâ— pipe suddenly with a wet clout the spirits come rushingâ—â— into the receiver these spirits being setled then carry iâ— another spoon-full in this manner you proceed till yoâ— have distilled all At last give time to the spirits to be seâ—led to turn into water this water is a hellish dissolvinâ— strong one which dissolveth instantly prepared Gold calâ—â— and laminated Gold into a thick solution of which I madâ— mention above in the third part This is that water which mentioned in my second Key which dissolveth not onely Gold but bringeth it to a volatility carrying it over thâ— helmet whose anima may afterward be drawn from its toâ—â— body Note the spirit of common Salt effecteth the same iâ— drawn in that manner which I shall speak of afterward 〈◊〉 three parts of this Salt-spirit be taken and one part of spiritus nitri it is stronger than Salarmonick water and is better because it is not so corrosive dissolveth Gold the sooner carrieth it over the helmet maketh it volatile and fit to paâ—â— with its soul you have your choice to use which you thinkâ— best and may easier be prepared thus Take one part oâ—â— the prepared Gold calx and three parts of the water which you make choice of put it into a body lute a helmet to it set it in warm ashes let it dissolve that which is not dissolved pour three times as much water upon that all dissolve let it cool separate the feces put the solution into a body lute a helmet to it let it stand in a gentle heat day and night to Balneo Mariae if more feces be setled separate them digest them again in the Balmy nine dayes and nights then abstract the water gently to a spissitude like unto an Oyl in the bottom this abstracted water must be poured on that spissitude this must be iterated often that it grow weary and weak remember you lute well at all times To the oleity on the bottom pour fresh water which was not yet used digest day and night firmly closed then set it in a sand Capel distil the water from it to a thicknesse make the abstracted water warm put it into a body lute it â—â—stract it iterate this work and make all the Gold come â—er the helmet Note at the next drawing always the fire must have one â—gree more the Gold being come over into the water â—stract the water gently from it in the Balmy to the oleity 〈◊〉 the glasse into a cold place there will shoot transparent â—ystals these are the vitriol of Gold pour the water â—om it distil it again unto an oleiâ—y set it by for shooting â—ore Chrystals will shoot iterate it as long as any do shoot â—issolve these Crystals in distilled water put to it of purged â—ercury three times as much shake it about many colours â—ill appear an Amalgame falls to the ground the water â—eareth up evaporate the Amalgame gently under a muffle â—irring it still with a wyar at last you get a purple coâ—â—ured powder scarlet like it dissolveth in Vinegar into a â—loud-rednesse Extract its anima with prepared spirit of â—ine mixed with the spirit of common Salt entred togeâ—her into a sweetnesse This tincture of Sol is like a transpaâ—ent Rubie leaving a white body behinde Note without information you cannot attain unto the â—pirit of Salt if it be not sweet it hath no extractive power to the attaining hereof observe these following manuals â—ake good spirit of Salt dephlegmed exactly driven forth in that manner as you shall hear anon Take one part of it add half a part to it of the best spirit of wine which must not have any phlegme but must be a meer Sulphur of wine and must be prepared in that manner as I shall tell you anon lute a helmet to it draw it over strongly leave nothing behinde to the abstracted put more spirit of wine draw it over somewhat stronger than you did the first time weigh it put a third time more to it draw it over again well luted putrifie this for half a moneth or so long as it be sweet and it is done in Balmy very gently thus the spirit of Wine and Salt is prepared lost its corrosity and is fit for extracting Take the Ruby-â—ed prepared Gold powder put of this prepared spirit of Salt and Wine so much that it stand two fingers breadth over it set it in a gentle heat the spirit wâ—â— be red ting'd this red spirit must be canted off pour 〈◊〉 new spirit on that which remained on the bottom set â—â—luted into a gentle heat let it be tinged deeply then cant 〈◊〉 off this work must be iterated that the body of Sol remain on the bottom like calx vive which keep for thereiâ— sticketh yet more of the Salt of Gold which is effectual iâ— wayes of Medicine as shall be showed anon Those ring'd spirits put together abstract them gently iâ— Balneo there will be left a red subtile powder in the bottom which is the true tinctur animated or Sulphur of Gold dulcifie it with distill'd rain water it will be very subtil tender and fair Take this extracted Sulphur of Sol as you were taught and
us for from them I had it next unto Gods revelation the reading of their books must be frequently iterated then the fundamentals thereof will the better stick to the memory and truth like a burning Candle be not extinguisht Be industrious in your carefull working search into Scriptures continually be not prepossessed with opinions follow after the unanimous concurrence of Philosophers a wavering man is easily brought into wrong wayes and such men which have wavering mindes seldom build firm houses Seeing the stone of the most ancient Philosophers doth not come or spring from things which are combustible because this stone is freed from all dangers fire may put him unto therefore trouble not thy self to seek for it in such things where Nature would not have thee to seek for As for example if one should tell thee this stone is a vegetable work because a growing quality is in it but it is not For if our stone were of a condition as other vegetaâ—â—es are it would easily be consumed in fire nothing â—ould stay but onely its Salt Though there were men â—ho have written great volumes of the vegetable stone yet â—â—y friend you must note that it will be very difficult for â—â—e to conceive of it for they call our stone a vegetable â—â—e because a growing and augmenting belongeth thereâ—nto Note further irrational beasts have their increase of â—heir own kinde so you strive nor to seek for or to make â—his stone but onely of his own seed from whence it hath 〈◊〉 beginning and being Neither ought you to look out â—or any Animal soul for the making thereof flesh and â—loud which the great Creator hath bestowed upon Aniâ—als belongeth properly unto animals God composed â—hem of flesh and bloud whereby an Animal is made but â—â—r stone which from the ancient Philosophers came as by â—n inheritance upon me is made of one and of two things which contain a third this is the naked truth and it is rightly spoken for the ancients understood by man and wife one body not in respect of the outward appearance but by reason of their innate love which they got at the first working of their Natures in that respect it is acknowledged that they are one and as both propagate and increase their seed even so the seed of that matter of which our stone is made can be propagated and augmented If you be a true lover of our Art you will take this expression into consideration to keep thy self out of the pit into which erroneous Sophisters usually fall which their enemy digged for them My friend that you may know further from whence this seed cometh then enquire first of thy self to what end you intend to seek after this stone Reason then will dictate unto thee that it must needs spring from a Metalline root which the Creator hath ordained for Metals to generate thereby if you will know the matter of it then note First when the spirit moved â—pon the water and the Universe was encompassed with darknesse then the omnipotent and eternal God who iâ— without a beginning and end whose wisdom was from eternity by his insearchable Decree created heaven and earth and the things contained therein be they visible or invisible by what name soever they may be called But of â—he manner of this glorious Creation my intent is not now to Philosophâ—ze much upon let Scripture and Faith be impartial judges herein The great Creator hath given in the Creation to every Creature a seed whereby it should generate and encrease whereby Animals Vegetables and Minerals might continually be preserved Man hath no power bestowed on him to make or bring forth a new kinde of seed according to his fancy against Gods ordinance there is granted unto him a propagation and increase God reserved for his sole power to make seed else man could play the Creator also which doth not beseem him and belongs meerly to the highest Creator Conceive thus of the seed which worketh Metals there is a heavenly influence according to Gods good pleasure and ordinance from above it falls and mingleth with sydereal qualities When such conjunctions happen then these two beget an earthly substance as a third thing whicâ— is the beginning of our seed its first original whereby its first descent is proved from these three the Elements have their off spring as water aire and earth which work further by an Aeâ—nick fire to the bringing forth of a perfect thing which Hermes and all those before me for I could finde no more have called the three principles and were found to be an internal Soul an incomprehensible spirit and a visible body These three being together in one dwelling in processe of time yet by Vulcans help to be a comprehensible being as a Me cury Sulphur and Salt these three by an uniting beâ—â—â—â—rought into a coagulation according to Natures miraculoâ—s operation there is brought forth a perfect body as Nature would have it and the Creator had ordained the seed for it He that purposeth to seek after the fountain of our work and hopeth to get the viâ—tory in this warfar to hâ—m I tell this for a truth that where there is a Metalline Soul a Metalline spirit and a Metalline form of body that there must needs be there also a Metalline Mercury a Metalline Sulphur and a Metalline Salt these must needs produce a perfect Metalline body If you do not conceive of it now then surely you are not adapted for Philosophy and in brief it is thus it will not be possible for thee to reap the benefit of any Metalline body unlesse you have joyned compleatly the forenamed three principles Note further Animals are composed of flesh and bloud there is in them also a living spirit and breath which dwelleth in them but they are destitute of a rational Soul which before them man is endued withall This is the reason that when Animals lost their lives they are gone no more hopes of them for ever But man who offering his body to his Creator in time of death hath a Soul who at the day of â—esurrection is to receive a glorified body to his Soul and are to dwell together and so Soul Body and Spiâ—i come together again iâ— an heavenly clarification which in all eternity will never be separated again c. Therefore man by reason of his Soul is acknowledged to be a fixed Creature because he is to live for ever after this life â—hough in his body he is subject to a temporal death For death is unto man onely a clarification according to Gods ordinance by certain degrees is delivered from a sinfulnesse and transplanted into a better condition which doth not beâ—â—ll other Animals therefore are they esteemed to be unfixed Creatures for these being once gone by death cannot expect nor look for any resuscitation because they want a rational Soul for which the sole Mediator Jesus Christ hath suffered and shed his innocent bloud A spirit â—â—â—y have a
dwelling in a body but it is not consequent haâ— he must abide there constantly though the body and â—hat spirit be at rest and that body with that spirit doth not contest about any controversie because both do want the strongest part which upholdeth and bindeth together sâ—ul and body protecteth and keepeth them from dangers namely the tender noble and fixed Soul for where the Soul is quite gone and lost there is never any redemption hoped for for a thing which hath no Soul is not perfect which is one of the highest mysteries which seekers ought to know and upon conscience I am commanded not to conceal this mystery but to make it known to those which seriously love fundamentals of truth And take carefully notice of what I say Spirits hidden in Metals are not alike some are more volatile and others more fix their souls and bodies are not alike neither that Metâ—l which containeth the three fixednesses that is blessed with a power to hold in the fire and so overcome all its enemies which onely is found in Sol. Lune containeth a fixed Mercury and is the reason why she doth not fly so soon in the fire as other imperfect Metals do but stands out her examens in the fire and sheweth the same victoriously because the devouring Saturn can rob nothing from her That arch-wench Venus is clad and possessed with an abounding tincture the most part of her body is a meer tincture like unto such a tincture which dwelleth also in the best Metal and by reason of the superfluity thereof is â—ing'd upon red and because her body being leprous that fixed tincture cannot have any abiding place in her unfix'd body but must vanish together with her body for the body being consumed by destruction or death that body cannot subsist neither but must give way and flie because the habitation is destroyed and consumed with fire so that her place is not known nor may any other dwell there from henceforth But in a fixed body she willingly dwelleth constanâ—ly Fixed Salt hath bestowed on valorous Mars a hard sturdy and grosse body whereby the gallantry of his minde is pâ—oved and is not so easily gotten from this warlike Prince because his body is hard and is not easily master'd or conquer'd But if his valour with Lune's fixation and with Venus her beauty in a mixture doth harmonize spiritually then a curious and melodious Musick may be made whereby some Keyes may be advanced and the needy labourer may get a piece of living Particulariter if he got up to the uppermost step of that ladder for the phlegmatick quality or moist Nature of Lune must be exsiccated through the hot bloud of Venus and her great pains must be allayed by the outward Salt There is no necessity to seek for seed in the Elements because our seed is not put so far back but there is a nearer place in which our seed hath its sure and certain habitation if you onely rectifie and regulate the Philosophick Mercury Sulphur and Salt so that of their soul spirit and body there be made an inseparable union which may never be separated again then the Band of love is perfectly made and the dwelling is well prepared for the Crown And note that this is onely a liquid Key like unto a heavenly property and a dry water addicted to an earthly substance all which is but one thing proceeding and growwing from three two and one if you can hit it then you have overcome the mastery and make a copulation betwixt Bride and Bridegroom let them feed and cherish one another with their own flesh and bloud let them increase and multiply infinitely by their own seed I could willingly communicate and disclose more unto you but the Creator hath forbidden it and is not meet for me to speak any further of it for fear the gifts of the highest should be misused and I should be the cause of committing of great sins and load Gods wrath upon me and fall with the rest into eternal punishment My friend if these expressions give thee no content to conceive of the thing and I lead thee unto the practick part of mine own how I have attained by Gods assistance unto the Philosophers stone I pray consider the same well peruse diligently my XII Kâ—yes iterate their reading frequently then proceed according to my instruction which I set down fundamentally by way of a parable Take a piece of the finest Gold anatomize the same by such means as Nature hath afforded unto Artists even as a Physician anatomizeth mans body whereby he is inquisitive into the condition of mans internal parts reduce thy Gold unto that what it hath been at first then you will finde the seed the beginning middle and end out of which our Gold and its wife is made namely of a penetrating subtile spirit of a pure tender and undefiled Soul and of an Astral Salt and Balsam which after their uniting is nothing else but a Mercurial liquor the same water was brought to School to its own God Mercury who examined the water having sound it without deceit and falshood he made friendship with it and took the water into a Matrimonial state and both became an incombustible Oyl For Mercury grew so proud upon it that he knew himself no more he flung away his Eagles wings himself swallowed the smooth tâ—yl of the Dragon and offered a battel unto Mars Mars gathered his Champions together and gave command that Mercurie should be taken Prisoner and be kept closely imprisoned Vulcan was commanded to be Jaylor so long till a Female kinde came in to his deliverance This rumour being noised abroad the other Planets had a meeting where they consulted what further was to be done in that businesse the proceedings might wisely be prosecuted Then Saturn made a speech in this manner I Saturn the highest Planet in the firmament protest before this honourable Assembly of my Lords that I am the meanest and most contemptible among you all of a weak corruptible body of a black colour subject to many infirmities in this miserable World and yet am an examiner of you all for I have no abiding place and take along with me such thaâ— are like unto me I cannot lay the fault of this my misery to none but Mercury who by his carelesnesse hath pu this evil upon me Therefore my Lords I beseech you to be pleased to revenge my quarrel on him aâ—â—â—eiâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—st already into prison there to take his life awâ—y 〈◊〉 sâ—â—m â—ot there that not one drop of his blâ—â—d Saturn having ended his speech Jupiter rose up made a â—tch upon his knees bowing his Scepter began to comâ—â—nd Saturns proposals commanding all those to be puâ—shed which should neglect to put in execution that â—hich Saturn would have done unto Mercurie After him â—ose Mars with his naked sword which was full of strange â—â—d admirable colours glittering like a fire-glasse casting â—â—ange rayes put the
is it which affordeth power and vertue the naked body is ablâ— to do nothing here if you know to get that then you have the Philosophers Salt and their incombustible Oyl oâ— which many have written before me great Volumes And if of these Artists were ne're so many Whose aime at me is directed onely Yet few of them in their successe were blest To fathom all vertues that lie in my breast The fifth Key THe life of earth maketh spring up Vegetables and he that saith that the earth is dead tells an untruth for a dead thing cannot impart any livelynesse to another and the increase is at a stay in dead things because the spirit of life is fled The spirit is the life and soul of the earth which dwelleth in her receiveth its efficacy upon earthly things from heavenly Astrals for all Vegetables Metals and Minerals receive their power increase and nourishment from the spirit of the earth For the spirit is the life which is fed by Astrals which further imparts a nourishment unto growing things as the Childe lieth hid in the Mothers Womb and is fed there by the Mother so the earth feedeth Minerals also which lie hid in her belly by a spirit which she receiveth from above the earth doth afford no power per se but the living spirit which dwelleth in her doth it and if she should want her spirit then she were dead and could afford no nourishment because from her Sulphur or fatnesse the spirit is taken away which preserveth living powers and driveth forth Vegetables and other growing things by a nutriment Two contrary spirits may dwell together in one subject but are still at variance as in Gun-powder which being lighted these two spirits fly asunder making a great noise fly in the aire are no more discerned no body can tell whither they are gone or what they had been if it were not known experimentally what manner of spirits they were and in what subject they dwelled From hence you may learn that life is a meer spirit and all these things which the ignorant world counteth to be dead must be brought into an incomprehensible visible spiritual life and must be preserved therein if so be that life shall work with life and the spirits which are fed and nourished by a heavenly dew are born of one elemental heavenly and earthly substance which is called materia informis And as there belongeth unto Iron a Magnet which by reason of its own wonderfull invisible love is of an attractive quality so our Gold hath a Magnet also which Magnet is the prima materia of our great stone If you conceive aright of this expression then you may be blessed with riches in this world One Declaration more I must hold forth unto you in this Chapter Man that looketh into a glasse seeth a reflexion of his image but is not palpable save the glasse the party looked into so from this matter must be expell'd a visible spirit which is incomprehensible the same spirit I say is the root of the life of our body and the Mercury of Philosophers out of which the liquid water in our Art is prepared which in its composition you must make again material and must prepare it by certain means from the lowest to the highest degree into a transcendent Medicine For our beginning is an up-shut comprehensible body its middle is a volatile spirit and in the goldish water there is no corrosivenesse at all whereby our Philosophers prolong'd their lives but the end thereof is a superfix'd Medicine for humane and metalline bodies this knowledge indeed fitteth Angels better than man True men attain unto that knowledge also obtaining the same of God by their earnest prayers who are thankfull unto him for it and beneficial to the needy At the closing I tell thee for a certain truth that one work must beget the other for our matter at the beginning of our work must in the best manner be purified then opened broken and destroyed and reduced to dust and ashes All this being done then make of it a volatile spirit as white as snow and another volatile spirit as red as bloud these two spirits contain a third and yet are but one spirit these are the three spirits which preserve and encrease life joyn these together minister to them their natural necessary meat and drink keep them warm in the bed of wedlock to their perfect birth then you will see and finde what the Creator and Nature hath allowed for you to know And know that I never made so plain a revelation God hath incorporated more operation and wonders into Nature than thousands may give credit thereunto There is a Seal and Lock set before me to say no more that others also may write of marvellous things which naturally are permitted by the Creator which ignorant men count to be supernatural For natural things have their first beginning from supernatural ones yet both together are found to be meerly natural The sixth Key MAn without a woman is but half a body and so the woman without the man is but half a body neither â—or each apart can preduce no fruit but living together in a matrimonial way then is their body perfect and by their seed they may expect an increase If too much seed be cast on a ground that that Acre iâ— over-burthened no firm fruit can be expected and if there be too little of the seed then is the fruit thin also the weeds grow then abundantly from thence also no great goodnesse can be expected He that will not burthen his conscience with any sins in selling of wares then let him be just in his dealing having just measures and just weights then he avoideth mens curses and gets the prayers of the poor In deep waters men are easily drown'd and shallow waters are soon dried up by the heat of the Sun and are good for nothing For the obtaining of a wish'd aim and scope care must be had that a certain measure or quantity be taken in the conjunction of the Philosophick liquid substance that the greater quantity do not over-lay the lesser part and be suppress't thereby and the increase and growing of it be obstructed Let the lesser be not too weak for the bigger let there be an equal domination Too much rain spoyleth the fruit and too great drought hindreth true maturity Therefore if Neptune hath prepared a perfect water-Bath then take a just quantity of your aqua permanens have a great care you do neither too much nor too little A double fiery man must be fed with a white Swan these must kill each other and both must revive again and the aâ—â—â— of the four corners of the World must possesse three parts of the up-shut dwelling of the fiery man that the Swans song may be heard when she harmoniously sings her farewell then the roasted Swan will be a food for the King and the fiery King will be in great love with the
do generate a corporeal matter according to that matter 's quality Thus the Astrals together with the Elements may raise a new seed which was never before any which seed by a further putrefaction may be encreased But unto 〈◊〉 is not so much granted as to stir up a new kinde of seed because the operation of the Elements and the â—â—stral substance he hath not at command to fashion what 〈◊〉 pleâ—â—â—â— thâ—â— several sorts of Herbs are generated meerly by putrefaction And whereas the Countrey people holding it a meer custom do not take it into a further consideration nor imagine they any cause for it therefore among the vulgar is it become meerly a customary businesse Buâ— you which ought to know more than ordinary people must consider further of it and learn to know the causâ— and ground thereof how and from what these living Creatures are generated by putrefaction not to know iâ— because it is usual but rather to know it is a mystery iâ— Nature because every life cometh from puâ—â—efaction Every Element per se hath its corruption and generation Let the Artist be inform'd and learn the sufficient ground why in every Element the other three are hid for airâ— containeth fire water and earth which though it seemetâ— incredible yet is it a truth and fire containeth aire water and earth and earth containeth water aire and fire elsâ— they would not generate water also containeth aire earth and fire though every Element is per se yet arâ— they mix'd all which is found true at distillings wherâ— these Elements are thus separated To make this appear to the ignorant which may crâ— out that I speak meerly lies if you intend to learn thâ— Anatomy of natural things and to separate the Elements I tell thee for a truth that at the distilling of earth therâ— cometh first the Element aire being the highest then a a certain progresse there comes the Element water thâ— fire lieth hid in the aire because both are of a spirituaâ— substance love and embrace one another intirely the eartâ— remaineth in the bottom in which lieth hid the gloriouâ— Salt When you distil any water aire and fire cometh oveâ— at first then the water the body of the earth abideth iâ— the bottom The Elâ—ment fire if it be driven into a visible substance by extraction each may be received apart In like manneâ— in the aire the other three Elements do dwell For nonâ— of these can be without aire earth can produce nothinâ— without aiâ—e fire doth not burn nor hath it any life witâ—out aire neither can water produce any fruit without aire Neither can aire consume any thing nor exsiccate any moisture unlesse it be done by a natural heat which is â—n the aire being heat and warmth is found in the aire â—herefore needs must the Element of fire be in the aire For all hot and dry things are proper for the fiery substance â—f things he that denieth this truth understandeth noâ—hing in Natures mysteries neither doth he know any â—round of their properties You must conceive if any thing shall be generated by â—utrefaction it must be in this manner Earth is brought â—y a secret moisture into a corruption which is the beginâ—ing of putrefaction for without moisture which is the Element water no true putrefaction can happen Now if â—ny breed shall come from thence it must come from a â—arm quality as the Element fire must kindle and spread 〈◊〉 self for without a natural heat nothing can be geneâ—ated and if that breed shall have a living breath and moâ—ion the same cannot be without aire for if aire should â—ot be cooperative then the first composition out of which â—he breed should come would be choaked and perish by â—eason of want of aire Thus you see plainly that perfect Creatures cannot be without any of the four Elements the â—ne shewing its operation in the other which they proâ—nce in and at putrefaction for from henceforth nothing â—an be brought to life without the same To make this â—ppear to be true that to a perfect birth and generation â—â—re are requisite all four Elements Then note that as Adam the first man being created by â—he Creator of a Limus terrae there appeared not as yet ane â—â—sible life before God had breathed on him then a lify â—ppeared in that clod of earth in that earth was the Salt â—â—at is the body the inbreathed aire was Mercury the spiâ—â— by this inbreathing the aire presently afforded a due â—â—d convenient calidiry which was Sulphur that is fire â—â—en it stirr'd Adam shâ—wed by this stirring that there was â—â—â—sed into him a living Soul For fire cannot be without aire the water was corporated in the earth because this must be together of necessity else no life and must stand in an equal proportion Thus Adam was first builded and begotten out of earth water aire and fire of a soul body and spirit raised of Mercury Sulphur and Salt So Eveâ— the first woman the Mother of us all was of the same composed being taken from Adam thus Adam and Eve were builded which you must note very well To come now again unto putrefaction the seeker in Philosophy is to know that in like manner no Metalline seed can work nor be augmented unlesse that Metalline seed be first in and of it self without any strange addition or mixture may be brought into a full putrefaction no more than the seeds of Animals and Vegetables can bring their increase without putrefaction The same Metals also must reach unto their perfect operation by the help of the Elements not that the Elements are the seed but the Metalline seed which had its descent from a heavenly astraâ—â— Elemental substance and is come to a corporality and mâ—â—â— by the Elements be further brought into such corruptioâ— and putrefaction Note this also wine containeth a volatile spirit aâ— whose distilling its spirit cometh first and its phlegme at last but wine being by a continued heat turn'd into Vinegar then its spirit is no more so volatile as before and at the distilling of Vinegar its phlegme and aquosity cometh first and its spirit at last though the same matter be in the Vessel yet its condition is altered being no more a wine but by putrefaction is transmuted into Vinegar and that which is extracted from wine is of another nature and operation than that which is drawn from Vinegar For iâ— Vitrum Antimony be extracted with Wine or spirit oâ— Wine it causeth many stools by purging and vomits also because its venom is not yet quite broken nor destroyed but if Antimonial glasse be extracted with distilled Vinegar that extraction is of a deep colour this Vinegar being abstracted in Balâ—eâ— Mariâ— and the yellow remaiâ—â—â— powder being well dulcified with distilled water to get off all its accrosity then you have a sweet powder which causeth no more any stools but is a rare Medicine of admirable efficacies may well be held for miraculum Medicinae
take one part of the best and finest Gold caâ—â— through Antimony laminate it very thinly as possibly 〈◊〉 may be beaten put these together in a Vessel or meltinâ— For at first let your fire be gentle for xij hours then let 〈◊〉 continually be in the melting for three dayes and nightâ— then the purged Gold and Stone is turned into a meer Medicine of a subtile spiritual penetrating qualitie for without the ferment of Gold the Medicine or Stone cannot welâ— make the tincture being too subtile and too penetrative 〈◊〉 but being fermented with its like then the made tincturâ— hath gotten an ingresse to work into the other Then take one part of the prepared ferment to thousand parts oâ— melted Metal which you intend to tinge I tell you for 〈◊〉 certain truth all will be transmuted into perfect fix'd Goldâ— for the one body willingly embraceth the o her though it be not of the like yet joyneth with it by force and must be like unto it and like must be gotten of like He that maketh use of this means to him are revealed all fixations the porches at the ends have their issues no Creature comparable unto this subtility it is ALL in ALL according to its Natural descent containeth and possesseth all what may be found under the Sun O! beginning of the first beginning consider the end 〈◊〉 O! end of the last ends consider the beginning forget not to â—emember the middle in all fidelity God the Father 〈◊〉 and holy Ghost grant unto you things needfull for â—â—r Spirit Soul and Body Of the first matter of the Philosophers Stone THere is found a stone which is not deer Out of it is drawn a flying fire Of which the stone it self is made Of whiâ—e and red togeth'r joyn'd It is a stone and not a stone In it Nature work'th alone Out of it springs a Fountain clearly Which drowns its fix'd Father fully His life and body is both devoured At last his Soul to him is restored To whom his flying Mother is become Like in his own Kingdom Himself also in quality and might Hath gotten a greater strength The Son in old age doth excel The Mother which is made volatil By Vulcans Art but first however By the Spirit must be born the Father Body Soul Spirit consist in two The whole businesse goeth too and fro Comes onely from one which is meerly A thing that fixâ— to flying matters sully They â—â—e two and three and yee but one Conâ— ive of it right else you hit none Set Adam into a water Bath In which Venus her fellow hath Which the old Dragon hath prepared Wher'of his strength could not be ' stored Is nothing else saith one Philosophus But a duplicate Mercurius I say no more you heard its name Blest is he to whom it is well known Search into it spare no pains In the end you will finde the gain's FINIS A short way and â—EPETITION Of former Writings of BASILIUS VALENTINUS With an Elucidation thereof touching the Philosophers Stone Wherein is plainly demonstrated the true light unto Philosophie Whereunto are annexed real informations of the qualities and preparations of Mercury Antimony Vitriol-water common Sulphur unflak't Lime Arsenic Sal-peter Tartar Vinegar and Wine LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI be sure to finde the true way unto the sheep-fold I havâ— written no more then I shall bear record unto and own aâ— the day of Resurrection This short way is faithfully shewed in the following instruction in a plain dealing expression waving an elâ—quenâ— stile I have told you formerly that all things are composed oâ— three viz. of Mercury Sulphur and Salt and it is so as 〈◊〉 told But note also that the Stone is made of one two three four and fiâ—e by the word five I mean the Quint-essence by the word four are understood the Elements by three are meant the principles by two is meant the double mercurial substance by one is meant the first principle of aâ— things which proceedeth from the word at the first Creation Fiat Let there be Some may hold these expressions to be very intricate as if there were no sense nor ground for it what hath beeâ— said for the clearing these doubts I will speak briefly oâ— Mercurie secondly of Sulphur thirdly of Salt for these aâ—â— the principles of the matter of our Stone In the first place you must note that common Mercuâ—â— doth not avail here but our Mercurie is made of the beâ—â— of Metals by the spagyrick Art as pure subtile clear aâ— any Well-water of a Crystalline transparence without anâ— impurity make of it a water or incombustible Oyl foâ— Mercuries first beginning was a water as all Philosopher bear record unto my saying in this Mercurial Oyl must be dissolved it 's own Mercury out of which that water waâ— made this Mercury must be precipitated with it's own Oylâ— then you have a double Mercurial essence Note I hold in my second Key that Gold after it is puâ—â—fied according to the Tenor of the second Key must be reduced into a special water and then reduced into a subtill Calx of which the fourth Key doth speak this Calx must bâ— driven over through the Helmet by a spirit of Salt and precipitated again and by reverberating must be brought to powder then it s own Sulphur may enter the better into its own being â—nd essence will be friend with it for these love extreamly one another thus you have two substances in one which is called the Philosophers Mercurie and is but one substance This is the first ferment Now followeth Sulphur to be spoken of FOr this Sulphur you must look in the like Metal that Metal must be purified destroyed in a reverberating fiâ—e extracted from its body not leaving any corrosivenesse in it of which I gave a hint in the third Key this Sulphur must afterwards be dissolv'd in its own bloud from which it self had a fixednesse intimated in the sixth Key after a due quantity which being done then you dissolved and fed the true Lion with the bloud of the green Lion For the fixed bloud of the red Lion is made of the unfixed bloud of the green Lion these are of one Nature the unfixed bloud maketh the fixed one to be volatile and the fixed one maketh the volatile to be fixed even as it was before its dissolution let it stand together in a gentle heat that all the Sulphur be dissolved then you have the second ferment feeding fixed Sulphur with an unfixed one all Philosophers agree with my saying the same is driven over with spirit of wine and is as red as bloud being called aurum potabile where no reduction to any body can be expected any more Now I declare also what the Philosophers Salt meaneth SAlt causeth fixation and volatility according 〈…〉 â—â—lered and prepared For the spiriâ— ou of Salt â—â—d â—artar if the same be drawn forth without additionals by means of dissolution and putrefaction maketh all
Metals volatile opening them into a true quick Mercury according to the Tenor of my Manuals The Salt of Tartar per sâ— fixeth mightily especially if the heat of Calx vive be incorporated with it for both are of a high degree for fixation The Vegetable Salt of wine hath this fixing quality and according to a special preparation bringeth fixed thingâ— to a volatility which is a mystery in Nature and a miraclâ— in the Philosophick Art If there be a Salt made of Mans Urine which drinks nothing but wine this Salt being volatile brings fix'd thingâ— also to a volatility brings them over but doth not fix them Though that party had drunk nothing but wine out oâ— whose Urine the Salt is made yet that Salt differs much from that which is made of Tartar for man made in his body one transmutation namely he turned the Vâ—getablâ— Salt into an Animal spirit of Salt making flesh fatnesse c as horses and other beasts do feeding on grasse hay c. Item Bees make Honey of the best flowers and Herbs so it is with the rest The reason of this Key lieth in putrefaction from whence this separation and transmutatioâ— hath its Original Ordinary spirit of Salâ— being driven over in a special manner maketh Gold and Silver volatile if a small quantity oâ— Dragons spirit be added thereunto dissolveth them bringeth them over through the Helmet the like doth the Eaglâ— with the Dragon spirit which creepeth in and out at thâ— stone clifts but if any thing be melted with Salt before iâ— spirit be separated from the body then it fixeth rather than it maketh volatile I say thus also if the spirit of common Salt be uniteâ— with spirit of wine and both are drawn over a third time then he loseth its tartnesse and groweth sweet This prepared spâ—â—â—â— doth not corrode the Solar body but beinâ— poured on a subtile prepared Gold Calx it extracteth iâ— highest red tincture which being made right can brinâ— white Lune into that colour as its former body was from â—hich it was first taken the former body can recover iâ—s â—olour if the inticing Venus be moved as being born from â—hat sanguinity and descent it is needlesse to speak of this â—ny further Note further that salt-Salt-spirit destroyeth Lune also bringâ—th her into a spiritual substance according to my instruâ—â—ion after it is prepared out of which afterward potable â—une is made which spirit is appropriated unto the spirit â—f Lune and Sol as man and wife by means of the conjunâ—tion of the Mercurial spirit or his Oyl The spirit sticketh in Mercury seek for the tincture in â—ulphur and for the coagulation in Salt then you have the â—â—ree principles which can beget a perfect body that is â—â—e spirit in the Gold fermented with his own Oyl Sulphur â—ound abundantly in the noble Venereal quality inflameth â—â—e fixed bloud gotten of her the spirit of the Philosoâ—hers Salt affords victory unto coagulation it is true the â—pirit of Tartar and the spirit of wine and the true acetum â—â—e able to effect much for the spirit of acetum is of a cold â—uality and the spirit of Calx vive is very hot these are of â—ontrary dispositions Now I spoke according to Philosoâ—hers custom it is not fit for me to be more plain and to how to the world how the doors of wisdom are bolted For a fare-well take this in sincerity seek fâ—r your matâ—er in Metalline substances make of them a Mercurie ferâ—ent with Mercury one Sulphur ferment that with its â—wn Sulphur bring that into an order with Salt drive â—hem over joyntly joyn all proportionably all will become â—ne which at first came from one coagulate and fix it in â—ontinued heat augment and ferment a third time acâ—ording to the Tenor of my two last Keyes then you will â—inde the end you look for how this tincture is to be used â—et the twelfth Key satisfie you with its certain processe Thanks be to God FOr a final upshut be certified that our of black Satâ—â—â— and bountifull Jupiter there can be driven over a spiâ—iâ— which is afterward brought into a sweet Oyl as the noblesâ— part of it which in particular taketh away the running quality in Mercury making him fix and bringing him into a melioration of this I told you in my other wriâ—â—ngs Additionals HAving thus your matter then look well to the fire and govern it artificially for that is of the greatesâ— concernment at the end of the work Our fire is not a common fire and our Furnace is not a common Furnace Though Philosophers before me have written that our fâ—â—â— is no common fire however I tell to thee in good earnest that according to their custom they kept secret all mysteries because the matter is conâ—emptible and the worlâ— is of a facility which by a government of fire is furthereâ— and accomplished therefore they forbore to tell the plaiâ— truth Lamp-fire made of spirit of wine availeth nothing thâ— expâ—â—ces â—â—â—reof would mounâ—â—xceedingly Hoâ—s dung iâ— buâ— a spoyling which cannot finish the work by any perfect or certain degrees Furnaces of several sorts are uselesse for in our three fold Furnace are observed certain degrees let Praters noâ— prâ—vail of thee with such Fâ—rnaces for our Furnace is 〈◊〉 plain one our fire is â—plâ—â—â— fire and our matter is a plaiâ— matter the glâ—sse is likened to the circumference of thâ— earâ—â—ly Globe you need not to look any further for more informaâ—â—on concerning the fire its government and thâ— Furnace For he that hath the mattâ—r will soon finde a Furnace 〈◊〉 that hath Meal wilâ— soon meet with an Oven needs not 〈◊〉 take further care for baking of bread There is no need to write more books of it onely look â—ell to the government of the fire learn to distinguish beâ—ween cold and warm if you are expert and exact herein â—hen your work will be well finish'd and the Art brought â—o its end The Creator of naâ—ure be praised for ever â—men Of Mercurie THere are several sorts of Mercurie Meâ—cury of Animals and Vegetables is meerly a fume of an incompreâ—ensible being unlesse it be caught and reduced to an Oyl then is it for use But Mercu y of Metals is of another â—oncition as that also of Minerals though the same also â—ay be compared wiâ—h a â—uâ—e yet is it comprehensible â—nd running One Mercury is better and nobler than the other for the Solar Mercury is the best of them all next unto that is the Lunar Mercury and so forth There is a difference also among Salts and Sulphurs among the Mineâ—al Salts that carrieth away the Bell which is made of Antimony and that Sulphur which is drawn from Vitriol is preferred before all others Mercuâ—y of Metals is hot and dry cold and moist it containeth the four qualities There are Medicaments prepared of it of a wonderfull efficacy of several sorts and forms which is the reason why there is such a variety
hear-say but the things I do write of I know experimentally to be true Therefore if Gâ—d doth blâ—sse thâ—e with a true knowledge hereof that you would keep this secretum in silence and privacy least you turn Gods blessing into a curse because the prâ—paration of this and of the stone is one both have their original and first generation and birth from the true seed and Astrologick primum mobile called the spirit of Mercury of which formerly I have written more largely For I speak the highest â—ruâ—h unto thee that neither the Uâ—iversal â—or Particular Tincture neither aurum potabile nor other Universal Medicine without this heavenly and spiritual essence which hath its original from the starry heaven taketh and receiveth the same from thence may be had and prepared therefore be silent till death at your departing lay down again your talent as I have done for if I had not informed you faithfully you would know but little of that mystery and continue still with the vulgar in folly blindnesse and madnesse and you would have sent a Recipe into the greasy and salvy shops of Apothecaries but whither would thy Soul have gone after thy departure into Galen's lâ—p to â—he utmost depth of darknesse where the Dâ—vils have their dwelling places even thither both thy soul and body wâ—uld have been sent in case thou shouldst have divulged aâ—y of thâ—se secrets To â—urn to my intended businesse I will in the first place inform you what is that true and highest aurum potabile and Universal Medicine after this in order there followeth another aurum potabile made of the fixed red Sulphur or Soul of the corporeal Gold most highly purged aâ—d is prepared with the conjunction of the Universal Spirit of Mercurie After this there followeth another Particular Mediciâ—e which is half an aurum potabile shewing its efficacie aâ—d power in many tryals Then I will add thereunto a descrâ—ption of aurum potabile because it traceth the steps of Gold and it sheweth wonderfully its great energy and verâ—ues The highest and chiefest aurum potabile which the Lord God hath laid into nature is the excocted prepared and fixed substance of our stone before it is fermented A higher greater and more excellent Universal Medicine and aurum potabile cannot be found nor had in the circumference of the whole World for it is a heavenly Balsam because its first principles and original cometh from heaven made formal in earth or under ground and is afterwards being exactly prepared brought into a plus quam perfection of which first principle and Nativity of this heavenly substance I have already written sufficiently and count it needlesse to be repeated here Now as this excocted and perfect substance is the highest chiefest and greatest Universal Medicine unto man even so on the other side the same matter after its fermentation is a Tincture also and the chiefest greatest and most powerfull Universal Medicine upon all Metals whatsoever and thereby may be transmuted into their highest melioration and health namely into the purest Gold This is the first chiefest and greatest aurum potabile and Universal Medicine of the whole World of which alone great volumes could be written whose preparation was set down circumstantially in the third part needlesse to be repeated here again At this present I will speak of the true and full processe how a true aurum potabile is to be had and prepared from Gold which in the best manner is most exactly putrified Take the extracted Soul of Gold drawn forth with the sweet spirit of common Salt as I inform'd you about the Particular of Gold where the body of Gold appeared very white abstract the spirit of Salt from it edulcâ—rate the anima of Sol ten or twelve times at last let it be purely exiccated weigh it pour on it four times as much of spirit of Mercurie lute it well set it in the vaporous Baâ—h putrify it gently let the anima of Sol be quite dissolved and be turn'd into water or its prima materia both will turn into a blouâ—red liquor fair and transparent no Ruby on the earth comparable unto it But thus much you must note when the anima of Sol begins to be dissolved and brought into its prima materia that at the first on the side round the glasse where the matter lieth there be seen a green circle on it a bâ—ue theâ—â— a yellow afterward all the colours of a Rain-bow joyn and make appearance which do last but a little while The anima of Sol being wholly dissolved into the Mercurial spirit and nothing is seen in the bottom then pour to it twice as much of the best rectified spirit of wine brought to its highest degree the glasse must be luted exactly digest and putrify gentle for twelve or fifteen dayes together then abstract per alembicum that matter cometh over in a bloud-red transparent colour this abstracting must be iterated nothing must be left in the bottom which is corporeal then you have the true aurum potabile which can never be reduced into a body But note the Gold before its destruction and extraction of its Soul must be purged in the highest degree There is made another aurum potabile artificially prepared which though it cannot be said or set down in writing to be the full true potable Gold yet is it more than half an aurum potabile counted because it is transcending effectual in many diseases in which nature might have stood in great doubts This half aurum potabile is made in a twofold manner where the latter is better and more effectual than the former and asketh more pains and time than the former Take this extracted Soul of Gold drawn forth with the sweet spirit of common Salt edulcorate it most purely and exactly at last exiceate it put it in a spacious Viol or body of glasse pour on it red Oyl of Vitriol which was dephlegmed and rectified per retoâ—tam that it be transparent clear and white and you may see that it seizeth on the Gold and dissolveth it and is tinged deeply red Put so much of this Oyl to is that in it may be dissolved Sulphur or the Soul of Gold let it putrifie in Balneo Mariae put a reasonable fire to it that you may see that the Soul of Gold is quite dissolved in the Oyl of Vitriol the feces which it hath setled must be separated from it then put twice as much of the best rectified spirit of Wine to it which rectification you shall be inform'd of in this part seal the glasse â—et no spirits of the Wine evaporate set it again in putrefaâ—â—tion in the Balmy let it be there for a moneth then the â—upresse of Vitriol is mitigated by the spirit of Wine and â—oseth its acidity and sharpnesse both together make an excellent Medicine drive both over let nothing stay behinde in the bottom then you get more than half an aurum â—â—tabile in form and colour
of a deep yellow liquor Note that some Metals in this manner may be proceeded withall first a Vitriol may be gotten out of the Metal then a spirit is for her driven from it and joyned in this manner with the Soul dissolved and further digested with spirit of Wine all must enter together into a Medicine as I told of formerly which have their special efficacie The second way to prepare this half aurum potabile which though it be but half an aurum potabile yet in vertue and efficacy is far preferred before the other now spoken of and is done as followeth Take the extracted Solar Soul spoken of above put it into a Viol pour on it the extracted Philosophick Sulphur which is the second principle which is drawn with spirit of Mercury from the Philosophick earth and Mercury or the spirit of Mercury unto an Oleity which now is Sulphur again and must be abstracted gently per modum distillationis Of this Philosophick Sulphur pour on it as much that the Solar Soul may be dissolved let it stand in a gentle Bath let the dissolution be made then pour more of the best spirit of Wine to it digest gently draw these over let nothing stay behinde in the bottom then you have a Medicine which doth not want above two Grains of the right and true â—urum potabile These are the chiefest wayes to make the corporeal aurum potabile this I close and proceed further with a short but true processe how the Silver which is the next to Gold concerning perfection is made potable also this processe must be done in the following manner Take the sky coloured Sulphur or spirit of Lune whicâ— was extracted with distilled Vinegar as I informed you iâ— the Particular of Lune edulcorate it rectifie it with spirit oâ— Wine exsiccate it put it in a Viol pour to it three timeâ— as much of spirit of Mercury which is prepared from thâ— white spirit of Vitriol as I faithfully taught you in thaâ— place lute the glasse firmly set it in putrefaction in the vaporous Bath let all be dissolved and nothing more seen iâ— the bottom then put to it an equal quantity of the besâ— spirit of Wine set it in digestion for half a moneth drivâ—â— all over let nothing stay behinde then you have the true potable Lune which in its efficacie is admirable and dotâ— wonders when it is used A description of the fiery Tartar DIstill of good Wine a spirit of Wine rectifie it with white calcined Tartar let all come over put that which is distilled over into a Viol put four ounces of well sublimed Salarmoniac to one quart of spirit of Wine set a Helmet upon set a great receiver into cold water drive the volatile spirits into gently in Balneo Mariae leave but a little quantity of it behinde Note the Alembic must alwayes be cooled with wet cloaths then the spirits will be dissolved and turn into a liquor Thus is prepared this hot spirit of Wine Of the Salt of Tartar FIrst you must note that the Philosophers Tartar is not the vulgar Tartar wherewith the Lock is opened but it is a Salt which cometh from the root and is the onely mâ—stâ—cal Key for all Metals and is prepared thus make a sharp lixivium of the ashes of Sarments or twigs of the Vine boyl away all its moisture there stayeth behinde a ruddy â—â—tter which must be reverberated for three hours in a flaâ—ing fire stirring it still let it come to a whitenesse which â—â—hite matter must be dissolved in distill'd Rain water let â—â—e feces of it settle filter and coagulate them in a glasse â—â—at the matter in it be dry which dry matter is the Salt of â—artar from which the true spirit is driven Note as I told now of the vertue and qualities of preciâ—â—s stones so there are found also many despicable and â—â—oble stones which are of great vertues and experimenâ—â—lly are known to be of rare qualities which ignorant and â—â—expert men will hardly give credit unto neither can they â—â—nceive of it in their dull reason and understanding the â—ame I will demonstrate with the example of Calx vive â—hich in mens judgement is held of no great value and lieth contemptibly in obscurity however there is a mighty vertue and efficacie in it which appeareth if application be made of it to the most heaviest diseases seing its triumphant and â—â—anscendent efficacie is almost unknown for the generality therefore for the good of such which are inquisitive into natural and supernatural mysteries and to whom I disclose these mysteries in this my book I will for a fare-well discover also this mystery concerning the Calx vive and will shew in the first place how its spirit is driven from it which work indeed requireth an expert Artist who is well inform'd aforehand of its preparation Take uâ—sluk'd Lyme as much as you will beat and grind it on a well-dried stone to an impalpable powder put on it so much of spirit of Wine as the pulverised Calx is able to drink there must not stand any of that spirit upon it apply a Helmet to it lute it well and put a receiver before it abstract the spirit gently from it in Balneo this abstracting must be iterated eight or ten times this spirit of Wine strengthneth the spirit of Calx mightily and is made more fiery hot Take the remaining Calx out of the body grinde it very small put to it a tenth part of Salt of Tartar which is pure not containing any feces As much as this matter weigheth together add as mâ—â— of the additional of Salt of Tartar thereunto namely 〈◊〉 remaining matter from which was extracted the Salt 〈◊〉 Tartar and it must be well exiccated all this must be miâ—â—led together and put in a well coated Retort three pâ—â— of the Retort must be empty take a great receiver or bâ—â— to it very strongly Note the body into which the Râ—â—torts nose is put must have a pipe of a fingers breadâ—h uâ—to which may be applied another body and a quantity 〈◊〉 spirit of Wine in it then give a gentle fire to it at fiâ—â— there comes some of the phlegme which falls into the fâ—â— applied body the phlegme being all come over then iâ—crease the fire there cometh a white spirit to the upper paâ—â— of the body like unto the white spirit of Vitriol whicâ— doth not fall among the phlegme but slideth through thâ— pipe into the other body draweth it self into the spirit 〈◊〉 Wine embracing the same as one fire doth joyn with thâ—â— other Note if the spirit of Calx be not prepared first by the spiâ—it of Wine and drawn off and on as I told then he dotâ—â—ot so but falleth among the phlegme where he is quench'd â—oseth all its efficacie Thus difficult a matter is it toâ—â—â—arch nature throughly reserving many things unto herself â—his spirit being fully entred into the spirit of Wine then â—â—ke off the
body put away the phlegme but keep careâ—â—lly the spirit of Wine and spirit of Calx and note both â—â—ese spirits are hardly separated because they embrace â—osely one another and being distilled they come over â—yâ—ntly Therefore take these mix'd and united spirits put them â—o a Jar-glasse kindle it the spirit of Wine burneth away 〈◊〉 spirit of Calx stayeth in the glasse keep it carefully â—â—is is a great arcanum few of other spirits go beyond its â—â—cacy if you know how to make good use of it It s qualiâ—â— may hardly be set down in any way of abridgement This spirit dissolveth Oculi Cancrorum the hardest Cryâ—â— these three being driven over together and often iterated in that distilling three drops of that liquor being miâ—â—ed in warm Wine break and dissolve any Gravel and â—â—e in mans body expelling their very roots not putâ—â—g the patients to any pain This spirit of Calx at the beginning looks bluish being â—â—tly rectified looks white transparent and clâ—â—r leaving 〈◊〉 feces behinde This spirit dissolveth the most fixed â—â—wels and precious stones On the other side he fixeth all â—â—tiâ—â— spirits with his transcendent heat This spirit conquereth all manner of Podagrical Sympâ—â—s be they never so nodose and tarâ—â—rous dissolveth and â—â—â—els them radically To the omnipotent Trine God Father Son and Holy â—â—ost be returned hearty thanks for all his benefits which 〈◊〉 hath bestowed on man and discovered those secrets I â—â—ought on in his name To him be eternal praises â—men All that hath breath praise the Lord. Allelujah End of the fifth part BASILIUS VALENTINUS HIS TREATISE CONCERNING MICROCOSME OR The little World which is Mans body What it doth contain and of what it is composed what it doth comprehend and its end and issue A thing most necessarie and meet for the knowledge of such that love and embrace wisdom LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI BASILIUS VALENTINUS HIS TREATISE CONCERNING MICROCOSME THose that sâ—ek Art and have a desire to attain to wisdom are to note that the Highest upon my continued prayers hath granted unto me a Clergy-man to make known the many and great mysteries of nature among which mans body is one to be considered how that is govern'd in imitation unto Microcosme For it is â—â—et that the lesser should imitate the greater and the smallest and meanest ought to be governed by the greatest and most potent Microcosme or the great World containeth three things as the most principal the rest which come from these are meerly accidentals In the first place is to be considered the matter and form of this World which matter is made form 〈◊〉 out of a non-shape or a nothing and the great Creator presently prescribed an order for this matter what government it should keep as soon as it came to a life or motion This matter and form is water and earth For at the Creation by a separation of the water from the earth there was finished the matter and form as two things belonging one to another from these all Animals and Vegetables have their beginning and other two things as aire and fire which belong one to another have wrought life therein The matter and form is earth the Salt in that earth the body even so is with mans body which is Microcosme The matter was nâ— perfect without the form these joyning into one by God ordinance the form being become quick came then to perfection the matter and form got life by motion aire wâ— the first causer of that motion and perfect maturity was caâ—sed by a convenient heat moveably inclosed in the aiâ—e thuâ— the earth was brought to a fertility by the aire it was opened and became porous by motion for generation Thâ— earth being impregnated made her seed apparent by he aquosity then aire and heat in the neather and upper Regiâ—on of the Astrals caused that a Birth was brought forth thâ— blossoms were produced and the appointed fruit was ripened by concoction of heat Calcidity is a Sulphureous hot spirit wâ—ich like a Medicament exiccateth the superfluous grosse aquosity phlegmatick matter which in the generation at the beginning abounds too much in the earth before the aire could have a fellow dominion at the joyning with it carrying the same along in the superfluity of her birth The second principal part of Microcosme is inobility for the matter in it self was without life which by heaâ— was stirr'd up then the vital spirit became to be sensible which is in man a Sulphurous spirit kindling the body by a heat exiccateth the superfluity of the earth by the subtility of its substance and governeth the body in a constant motion For after the heat is gone then coldnesse gets the dominion the spirit of life being gone no sensiblenesse felt in the pulse and arteries and a dead body is found instead of life at the departing of the warm spirit of Sulphur rational men ought to take this mystery into consideration The two first Elements the matter and form being apparent and having gotten a mobility by the two last Elements by light Microcosme was not yet perfect the Creator allotted further an increase to the seed of the earth as well as he did to Vegetables and Animals God allowed unto earth an imagination for all sorts of seeds and to bring them forth after their several kindes Then the earth was impregnated by imagination which God allotted and the â—aith brought these seeds forth in Mans presence and the â—eat digested them to a maturity even till hi herto Matter and form of Microcosme being extant consisting of earth and water then the Creator caused a life into them â—y an inbreathed warm aire heating the cold earthly subâ—tance giving a heat uâ— o life and moâ—ion which was the â—oul which is the true Sulphur of Man spiritual in compreâ—ensible sensibly felt by its own operation All this being â—â—nish'd â—â—en God allowed an imagination unto good in the â—erfect understanding of Man that by his imagination he â—uld judge of all the beasts and impose on each a proper â—ame and by that imagination he learned to know his â—ife also that she had flâ—sh and bones of his body Then â—in appeaâ—ed perfect and that matter was made into a â—hape of a sensible body This form being made alive by â—he Soul had allowed further a subâ—ile â—pirit unto imagi â—â—ion and knowledge which is an invisible and inâ—â—â—preâ—ensible form like a work master who frameth 〈◊〉 things â—n the minde which hath its habitation in the upper Reâ—ion of Microcosme according to his volatility and deserâ—eth the name of Mercurie of the invisible spirit of mans â—ody Form and matter is earthly the life sticketh in the â—otion and the knowledge of every understanding unto â—ood and bad standeth in the sharp speculation of Microâ—â—sme the overplus found besides these three nature caâ—eth off as a Cadaver and is as a Monster which by theâ—â—â—hree is found to be a separation and a Cantit mort
judge of the situation of the â—eart Brain Liver Lungs Reins Bladder of the Entrals â—â—d of all the Veins and knoweth in what form and condiâ—on they are But before he hath made this anatomy all â—ese were hid from him a Myner which seeketh so Oars 〈◊〉 doth not know what riches he may expect from Metals â—â—lesse he open the Oar and so fine it what he findeth in 〈◊〉 by fire then he may know really in his calculation what â—â—hes he may expect from it So other things must be proâ—â—ded in which true Naturalists will endeavour to do and not prate of things onely without experimental knowledge disputing of colours with the blinde man learn to know the ground with your own eyes and hands which Nature hideth within her then you may speak wisely of them with good reason and you may build upon an invincible Rock If you do not so then you are but a Phantastick prater whose discourse is grounded on sand without experience and is soon shaken by every winde and ruined in the end The ground of this knowledge must be learned as you heard by anatomizing and separating of things which by distillation is made known where every Element is separated apart there it will be made known what is cold or moist warm or dry There you learn to know the three principles how the spirit is separated from the body and how the Oyl is separated from the water and how the Sale is drawn from the Caput mort of each matter and is reduced again into a spirit and how these three are afterward joyn'd again and by fire are brought into one body Further is here learn'd how each after its separation and afterward in a conjunction may profitably and safely be used for their several uses they are prepared for all which must be done by a medium At the first Creation man is earthy grosse but his Soul Spirit and Body being separated by death putrifieth under ground and when the Highest cometh to judgement he is raised again his Body Soul and spirit cometh together according to Faith and Scripture that body is no more earthy as it was formerly but is found heavenly and clarified glittering as the Stars in the East and like the Sun is seen when all the Clouds are past So it is here when earthinesse is broken divided and separated then the three principles of the dead substance are made apparent the dead one is forsaken the living power comes to her perfection because her obstruction is laid aside that the vertue in the operation may be manifested In this separation and manifestation is then known what these three principles are which are so much discoursed of namely Mercury Sulphur and Salt according to the condition of the subject He that doth not think it to be true let him go to the end of the World where he shall feel all what in his dumb capacity he could not comprehend if any one should intend to teach me any other with a prolixity of words he may fill me with words but he must prove it really also for without that I am not bound to believe his words but desire some sign as Thomas one of the Twelve who look'd for an Ocular demonstration I might have left out Thomas but being there is a clift between a spiritual and worldly unbeliever I gave liberty to my minde to speak it for there is a great difference in heavenly and worldly matters touching faith and things comprehensible and there is that difference found also in fidereal earthly things for fidereal things are comprehended by sharp imagination and Arithmatick rules but to the finding out of earthly things there belongeth speculation and separation with speculation must be joyned an intention and an apprehension is annexed to speculation the former is done spiritually because the spirit of man doth not rest desireth to apprehend more qualities of the spirit in things natural every spirit stil draweth its like the rest is earthy for an earthy body separateth by manuals the earthly body from the spiritual part and so the one may be discerned before and from the other Whereas the soul in both sheweth her self really therefore is she in all really for she tieth the heavenly and earthy together like a bond but when the heavenly is â—â—â—arated from 〈◊〉 â—â—â—rthy that the soul also must forsake her body then you 〈◊〉 â—â—â—arated and received the three each apaâ—t which aâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 true knowledge and conjunction can afford such a triumâ—â—ing and clarifyed body which is found in a better degree of many thousand times because the grossest is laid aside from the earthy For when heaven and earth come to be refined by the great Creator then the greatest part will be consumed by fire and by that purging it will be exalted to the same degree with the heavenly and set into the same line for each all is created by one each all is ordained by one and though through sin by one man all was corrupted unto death yet all is by one brought to a better State of life and the onely Creator intends to judge all by fire and all must again become one which will be that heavenly essence to which the earthl gave way by means of the fire the eternall glory leaving a room for devil and death from whence they shall look on the elect admiring the great Majesty and glory of God which in a divine essence of three distinct persons is all in all and hath created all Thus the three persons in the deity have held forth in us their invisible essence giving thereby to understand by an insearchable wisdom what their creature order is we men are too weak to come higher God is and will be God and we men must be content with such gifts affâ—â—ded unto us hereafter shall be accomplished that which is prophesied of by Prophets and Apostles and now are conceived of onely by way of faith therefore we ought now to be contented what by Nature is intimated in a visible way other things incomprehensible unto us matters of faith wil appear better to be understood at the end of the world God grant unto us all a true knowledge of â—â—mporal goods and of the eternall At the closing of this I say that this is the whole Art and whole foundation of all the Philosophick speech in which is that sought which many desire taking great pains and making great expences namely to get wisdom and judgement a long life health riches of this world comprehended in few words as for example First you must know that I wiâ—â— shew unto you such an example of thâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—nals which in the appearance is a mean and poor on◠〈◊〉 â—f a mihgty consequence if rightly considered The 〈◊〉 â—ayeth an egg the same egg is by heat brought to a hard 〈◊〉 or coagulation by a further heat it is brought to a putrefaction where it it corrupted in this putrefaction the egg receiveth
a new Genus wherein is raised a new life and a chicken is hatch'd This chicken being perfect the shell openeth making way for the chichen to creep forth this chicken coming to a further ripeness age increaseth further in her kinde Thus Nature furthereth her own kinde and augmetteth Usque ad infinitmm True the egg is not prima materia of the Cock or Hen but the prima materia of their flesh is the first seed out of which the egg is gone into a form which by the equal nature of the motion of both is driven together and united from thence by a further heat it went to a putrefaction from thence into a new birth which new birth still propagateth and increaseth So it is with man for one man alone cannot produce a new birth unless both seeds of male and female be united for after this conjunction through the Nutriment of the body and continued naturall heat of these two seeds which in the Center are known for one Nature get a new life and more men are begotten which propagate further by their seed by this means the whole world is fill'd with men This seed of man is the noblest subtilest blood of a white quality in which dwelleth the vital Spirit which is driven together by motion If these seeds of both kindes by their desire of lust are together united and their Natures be not corrupted or else are contrary one to another then there is preserved a life by a heat and brought to perfection in the mothers womb and another man is brought forth Thus much be spoken of the seed of Animals The vegetable seed is made palpable and visible which from each kinde of herb is separated and propagated in the earth for an increase which seed must first putrifie in the earth and then must be nourished by a temperate moisture at last this seed by a convenient warm air is brought to a perfection thus vegetables are increased and in their kinde preserved but the first beginning of a vegetable seed is a spirituall essence or astral influence whereby in the earth was gotten an imagination and became impregnated with a matter out of which by the help of the Elements it came to be something what form of seed the earth was desirous of after the heavenly impression that form it received first and brought it to a kinde which bringeth a further increase by its palpable seed in the generation hereby man may try his futher skill but he is not able to create a new seed as Nature doth by an influence from above onely he is able to increase a formed seed Of Metals and Minerals I inform you this that there is one onely Almighty Being which is from eternity and abideth unto eternity which is the Creator of heaven and earth namely the eternal Deity in three distinct persons which three in the Deity are a perfect divine being and though I confess and acknowledge these three persons yet I confess onely one God in one Being This I do now speak as a Type of the first seed of the three principles that the first beginning to beget Metallin seeds is wrought in the earth by a fideriall impression which quality presseth from above into the neather as in the belly of the earth and worketh continually a heat therein with the help of the Elements for both must be together the earthy affords an imagination that the earth is fitted for conception and is impregnated the Elements nourish and feed this fruit bring it on by a continued hot quality unto perfection the earthy substance affords a form thereunto thus at the beginning the Metallin and Mineral seed is effected namely by an astral imagination Elemental operation and terrestriall form the astral is heavenly the Elementary is spiritual and the earthy is corporeall these three make of their first Center the first essence of the Metallin seed which Philosophers have further searched into that out of this essence there is become a form of a Metallin matter pâ—â—pably joyned together of three of a Metalline Sulphur â—eavenly a Metalline Mercury spritual and a Metalline salt bodily which three are found at the opening of Metals for Metalls and Minerals must be broken and opened Minerals are of the same sanguinity of the same quality and nature as Metals are onely they are not sufficiently ripened unto coagulation and may be ackowledged for unripe Metals for the spirit in them is found as mighty Metalline as it is in the perfectest Metals For Metals may be destroyed and easily reduced unto Minerals and of Minerals are prepared Medicaments which ripen and transmute Metals which must be noted and it is done when Spirit Soul and Body are separated purely reunited The remaining terrestrity being put off then followeth a perfect birth and the perfect ripening by heat performs her office that Spirit Soul and Body at the beginning in their first seed have been a heavenly water which begot these three out of which three is become a Metalline Sulphur a Metalline Mercury a Metalline salt these in their conjunction made a fix visible palpable body first began a Mineral one then a Metalline by an astral imagination digested and ripened by the Elements and by an earthly substance are made formal and Material Now when these bodies of Minerals and Metals are reduced to their first beginning then the heavenly seed doth appear and is spirituall which spirituall must become an earthy one by the copulation of the Soul which is the medium and midle bond of their Union to make a Medicine out of it whereby is obtained health long life wisdom riches in this mortall life this is the true sperme of Philosophers long sought after but not known whose light was desired of many to be seen and is even the first matter which lieth open before the eyes of all the world few men know it is found visibly in all places Namely Mercury Sulphur and Salt a Mineral water or Metalline liquor as the Center separated from its form and made by these three principles The Heavenly Phisician the eternal Creator and inexhaustible fountain of Grace the Fâ—â—â—â—â—â—f all wisdom Father Son and Holy Ghost in one Deiâ—◠〈◊〉 us to know really in a due gratefulness his wond◠〈◊〉 â—orks and make us coheyres of his everlasting goods 〈◊〉 we after a temporal revelation may in a true light seek for heavenly treasures and may possess them eternally with all the elects where there is unspeakable glory without end which is attained unto by faith in our Saviour by bringing forth good fruits by loving of our neighbours and helping the needy which must be made evident with an unblameabâ—◠〈◊〉 and due obedience to God Amen FINIS
thy self exactly to it and be careful in observing their names not regarding the Miners expressions and terms for the names they give to oars are false for those which build and dig after clefts and passages have their names of their bodily matters after the sorts of the minerals and are distinct therein But you must call them after the sorts of the seven bodies and learn to prepare them this work is of greater utility Men are at great expences to get corrosive waters to get asunder these metals they do it also by way of melting and casting but such waters add great poison to the work it is a better way to do it with Lixiviums or sharp waters which are not so poisonous learn their preparation There is another kind of impure oar of which I made mention here and there which contain Myne-slacks you may read of in the Chapter of the Cinders but there is a difference betwixt the cinder and the slack for slack are more corny yet that also turns at last to cinders These slacks are the cause of the cold fire 〈◊〉 cenders cause the warm fire or the uredines metallorum â—se cold slacks are hardly got â—â— off â—rom the metal beâ—se they come from the cold flux fiâ—e of mercuries altiâ—e for as the cinder comes from bodies so are these â—cks of mercury it is seen when you will have slacks of â—er matters then usually they belong thereunto then the â—rcury of bodies is rouzed which by the work is noâ—ing else but a closure and stream for if you can conveâ—ntly get away the slacks then you may perform and acâ—mplish something else with the fire of mercurie and it is either usual not artificial to deal much in cold fire some â—iners call it Mispuckel Nodus aeris that Latine name they â—t upon it is true it is very hard knit together it is difâ—ult to dig it and to make its oar to good and Antimony so is hardly gotten from other metals except from Sol â—ithout damage however with advantage it may be done â—riously onely you must be expert in Antimonie's qualiâ—es For they belong together and are joyned as tin and â—ad Wismuth or Magnesia among or betwixt iron and copâ—er This is a good direction and is sufficient for such â—ho know what belongs to melting CHAP. XII Of perfect metal WHo could tell what gold and silver were if they were not known in their perfection for when they are perâ—ect it appeareth when they have their colour their weight â—heir malleablenesse their flux and hardnesse and this perfect metal nature hath produced compactly and purely 〈◊〉 â—uch perfect pure and compact gold is found in Hungary â—n the white marble which presently may be broken as â—lso silver copper the difference betwixt the perfect and pure is because metals are not pure before they are pâ—fect and so there may be a perfect oar which is not puâ— which defect is found in many of our metals which coâ— to their perfection assoon as in any other Foreign parts bâ— in their perfect purity they are defective sometimes Thâ— is to be noted by this metal a body must first be perfeâ— or brought to its perfection before it can be sixt and is of great concernment to know rightly what fixedneâ— meaneth A body which hath its due tincture weight and gradâ—ation yet it hath mixed other obstructive impurities heâ— comes the work and nature begins to copulate these two tincture and gradation brings the metal into a purifying this purifying is fixation for pure is as much as fix Anâ— note that the ground of the first is the body which is 〈◊〉 secret into that I must bring the tincture and gradation aâ— well as I can and take the tincture from Sol which is 〈◊〉 thing feasable then is it an Electrum which is a water for in water it abideth then I take its ponderosity foâ— it and bring it into an Oleum or into a Sulphur the body remaineth still for in the ascension Mercury lyeth the foundation of the body as an Embrion to it comes ponderosity which maketh it formal then comes Lubricum after that comes the Volatile with the tincture and perfecteth all the rest it hath need of to its perfection Why doth reason play the fool in despising the wayes of nature not observing her course For behold how wonderfully she bringeth rednesse into copper turning it into brasse but is not fixt because it was not her intent it is a meer colour which all other oares easily imbrace but is not fixt which colour is easily driven away with wood and coal-fire Therefore is it a thing of great concernment to learn rightly to know the bodies for at dissolutions the property of a pure metal is known what its tincture body salt and ponderosity is especially if exactly be considered the anatomy of all bodies after the Chymick way how curiously and properly are they anatomized we call the immature spirit a spirit of mercury the perfect tincture we call an â—na or Sulphur the ponderosity is called the salt or boâ— for the after-work confirmeth the same that that fixaâ— doth not onely hold in the fire and all corrosive waâ— especially that of Saturn which is a precious one â—e then other aqua forts but better in the malleablenesse â—hout the Quart it holdeth also in the cement because â—omes out of it Therefore it is to be admired why 〈◊〉 talk so strangely of it when they know nothing of it â—m whence it is or what the cause of it is But it is so 〈◊〉 one hearkeneth to the tale of the other and know no â—re then they have from hear-saying for they know not â—at to say nor how to help what the work aileth if out tune and disordered and if any fix and lasting mediâ—e is to be made then that metal is best even as a vegetaâ— which is come to its maturity This processe must be served else all labour is in vain For how can ye destroy â—e body of a thing that hath no body much lesse can you â—e the tincture of it before it comes into the body a â—cture may be gotten from it but not all the colours of â—at tincture here exactnesse must be used because it is â—e greatest skill to do so One thing more I must needs â—eak of those that aime meerly with a great and deep â—ging at riches should view Gods mysteries every where they compare the Scripture rightly will finde an instruâ—ion that a spiritualty is held forth in an earthly thing if a â—etal be brought out of the earth and out of its Officina â—ke a man that is set into another life it abideth and liveth â—ithout food is not dead but is alive though it doth not â—t yet it resteth and may soon be awakened thus we â—ope also that in the other eternal life where there is Sabâ—athum Sabbotho things will be done in a more glorious â—ay God maketh use of us here for his praise to make
lead oâ—ers are very brittle having little of slate and Talk and these are discerned by their firmnesse there are other stones in which appear Copper and the flowers of Zwitter there are others also which have flat floats and slate-stone in which is wrought Copper oar hence it may be gathered that by reason of these several formes are produced several fruits and in Mines toward the South better oars are found then there are some toward the West called after-oars between which there is alwayes ordered or placed a center of perfection CHAP. II. Of general operations of several metals ALmighty God for his eternal honour and glory hath held forth to mankinde innumerable wondrous works which he as the sole Mediator and Creator hath set forth iâ— natural things the same he hath shewed also in his omnipotency under ground in metals and minerals of them wâ— may learn as the twelve Sybils prophesied of the bright true and onely Son of Righteousnesse and Truth in whicâ— do rest after the twelve ports and gates of Heaven and after the twelve moneths moveable and unmoveable visiblâ— and invisible bodies the seven Arch Angels standing beforâ— the Throne of God after these the seven Planets Sun Moon Mars Jupiter Venus Mercury Saturn and the reâ— of the stars and the seven metalline oars in their propeâ—ties as gold silver copper iron tin lead Mercury the Vitriol Antimony Sulphur Wismuth Kobolt or brasâ— oar allom salt and other mineral growths That the true center may be comprehended and conceâ—ved of God hath made the first separation according to hâ— word The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the water thâ— whole elemental body of the earth hath been water bâ— the Spirit of the Lord Zebaoth hath divided it fashionâ— the earth from the muddinesse of the water and therein all metalline fruits that ever were created and generated under ground all these were first water and may bee reduced againe unto water all other creatures be they animalls vegetables mineralls all these are produced from the first water the several kinds of beasts fishes and sea-monsters after the Lords spirit and after the first eternal breathing Essence which brought forth and shaped things tinged and untinged soft and hard small and great creatures after the twelve stones in the brest-plate of Aaron He created man after his own image the holy Spirit was infused into Adam who had a fulnesse of eternal wisdome and that according to the order of Melchizedeck Almighty God who is the first and last the first principle and end of all things hath set his gifts into times hours dayes years which according to his eternal Decree have their revolutions he hath blest in his most holy means Abraham Isaac Jacob Aaron Melchizedeck and others he hath infinitely blessed according to his good will and pleasure from eternity putteth several periods unto them and in his unsearâ—hable decree and will he hath laid the foundations also for Minerals and Metals a help for the supporting men in their â—eccessities in this miserable life thus hath he meliorated â—nd exalted the earth in her goodnesse men have reason â—o return hearty thanks unto the Creator for it God in his gracious providence next unto the knowledg â—f himself and of his holy word can bestow no better gift to man than to indue him with the true knowledge of Metals and Minerals Jews thought themselves wise men â—erein but as little some Miners know Minerals and Meâ—als as little knew the Jews their Messias and Gods word 〈◊〉 its true sence Therefore from that blessed and promised Countrey the knowledge of pretious stones minerals and metals are come to us as by an inheritance as being the â—st and are become the first and they the last but 〈◊〉 the end Heavens gate will be opened unto them again â—ternal and external gifts and means will be bestowed on them and the true use of metals will be none of the meanest Where there are fertile stones be they rocks flints peebles marbles in their central points is found what they are in their operations The several gums and rasoms the one excelling the other in beauty transparency hardnesse or liquidnesse are known and discerned by their fragrancie and tast Miners ought to endeavour incessantly and in simplicity how the neerest way may be chosen to find out the Mineral-passages and veins into which God and nature hath laid direct courses CHAP. III. Of the stones rocks and flints of Gold its operation condition and striking courses GOld is wrought in its proper rocks and marbles and in the purest matrix of the firmest earth of a most perfect salt Sulphur and Mercury purged from all feces and impure spirits with the conjunction of a natural highly clarified Heaven of white yellow and red sulphureous earth after the fiery nature of Sol in a deep fixation insomuch that none of all other metals hath an higher compacter and more ponderous body of a goldish matter in which there is no humidity all the elements are equally in it bound up which in their unity have wrought such a fixed body tinged the same throughout with an everlasting citrin colour with the deepest tie and uniting of its pure earth Sulphur and Mercury and with its Vitriol essence it doth all what the Sun among the Stars doth operate Naturally all is gold what cleaveth thereunto in and at all sides and it is found in the best and closest stones and passages and the power of Sol worketh meerly upon that oar and in its quality is comparable unto Sol. This noble gold stone and oar is sometimes mixed and on its outside â—here sticketh some obscure and dark matter having annexed to it some slats and other spermatick matter which deâ—racts from the goodnesse of its own nature and though â—he Creator hath indued it with great Vertues yet doth it â—umble it self and suffers it self to be found in despicable Mineral-stones where it loseth much of its tincture as is apparent by the Touch-stone where the mixture of Copper Silver Tin and others is seen all these mixed impurities can be separated from it with artificial Manuals and with little ado it may be brought into a perfect state Gold oars naturally are wrought thus that the gold stands in it close compact firm and good which is found sometimes in the crosse passages It s fixednesse is found in the deepnesse under ground where it hath its greatest power and it is found also sometimes in a speckled jaspis full of eyes and mixed with flints in its passages where many times Vitriol flint is found abundantly which Vitriol is the best among all other sorts of Vitriols The Hungarian Vitriol hath the precedence before all the rest which is sufficiently known in their proves and exemines as may be demonstrated to the eye In its passages are found sometimes fluxes of several colours which are interlined with gold and must be forced with fire To that purpose it is requisite that it be dealt
fountain of life of mercie and righteousnesse which the Lord God made apparent on the Tree of the holy Crosse where out of the side of his dearest Son did run bloud and water to which the Lord in the Revelation of St. John addeth fire smoak and fumes this union according to the Divine Word is grown at the beginning in all creatures and what ever God the Holy Trinity hath ever created consisteth in a Trinity even as the Deity is in an eternal Trinity As the Deity is indivisible in the Humanity α ω in the water and blood for an eternal remembrance that is the fiâ—st and the last letter as in the Heavenly even so in the earthly the perfect Alphabet must not be cut asunder all must stand from the beginning to the end and Christ Jesus purgeth his dear friends still unto eternal life through water and blood saying to their hearts all thy sins are forgiven thee thy faith doth save thee No man is saved unlesse he be fiâ—st born again that is through water blood which throughly purgeth not only men and the sons of men but also the whole Limbus upon earth for it is not the metalline blood and water neither is it Mercery and Sulphur that doth it neither in the body under ground is any goldish silver wrought to any blood red oar the blood out of Christ side shed for the good of man is that great evidence for thus all Mineral stones that are in the plain element of earth and the spirit of all oars and marbles and stones come from the divine essence as also the heavenly spirits for the throne of God with the heavenly Angels and Spâ—rits are furnished for rhe praise of God thus the earth also is created is her stones oars veâ—ns passages for the honour of God and the welfare of man which imitateth Gods wisdome filled with infiâ—ite and uncessant forth-bringing of fruits Whence should be the decay of metals surely even as the eyes of the holy Apostles and Disciples were held that they could not know the Lord in his clarified spiritual body and essence no more can men see these things in metals Why doth Saint John in his Revelation speak of smoak and of fume Surely he did not mean the fire smoak and fume of Bakers ovens or Kitchin-chimneys but there was revealed unto him the heavenly fire the mist vapour and fume which is exhaled from the moisture of earth and â—â—ated to the clouds so in the subterranean works the â—â—e and spoil or outside of the oar are sublimed and the 〈◊〉 of the frost which rouzeth the effectual powers vaâ—rs and spirits maketh them come to a perfect unity in â—â—alline bodies Now if there were not a fire vaporous â—â—e in the earth how could they produce their fruits â—ich are the minerals and metals under ground As the fiery element is covered with the airie and the â—ven with clouds and the earth is filled by them and â—ether with the fire was inclosed as one element with 〈◊〉 other two In like manner at the first Creation the â—erranean passages and veins were laden with oars as â—s were with fruit which the Lord God in Paradise 〈◊〉 implanted into them This effectual fire vapour and â—e is likened unto Mercury Sulphur Salt and Sea-waâ— wherein earth lieth inclosed and hidden even as the â—eamest throne of God is encompassed by other thrones 〈◊〉 heavenly habitations â—s the four Evangelists are witnesses of the New Testaâ—â—t and Covenant so they are a type and sure testimony â—he four elements that the earth is created after the hoâ—â—eaven thus are we taught in the Lords prayer as it is â—eaven so in the earth in which and beneath and under 〈◊〉 is every where This is in action still King David â—d confesse that he could not hide himself from the 〈◊〉 any where â—eeing the holy and blessed God hath laid the creatures â—â—e earth with the four elementall qualities therefore â—ational Miners open their eyes and learn judicially to â—w the passages and clifts of oars metals and minerals 〈◊〉 they will get a lasting name with great praise and will â—ke the noble gold which in a glory and beauty appeaâ—â— when it comes from the Quart and can be then reduâ—â— into an oil which preserveth man in a lasting health â—nd any balsom and is become a vegetable which is â—ble It is feaseable that of gold may be prepared a singulâ—â— Medicine for the good of man-kinde because man is creâ—ted of God from Limus terrae and the whole earth is 〈◊〉 Limus such another Medicine all the Doctors are not ablâ— produce which is of a curious sweet fragrancy standiâ—â— distinct in two lights and must needs be in rerum naturâ— because it was brought on God his Altar for an offering bâ— mans art prepared and suffer'd it to be extinguished None knoweth what it is neither we literated Doctoâ— know the preparation of it who when their Confectioâ— Syrups Herbs and Potions will do no good and are in dâ—spair then they might willingly run to Metals which fâ—â—merly they made conscience to make use of them in the Oyntmenis and Plaisters of this I make mention in a râ—verend remembrance for true rational myners Out of goâ—â— and silver are joyned not onely gold and silver monies aâ— other plates for mans use but they serve for mans use in mâ—ny other things and after the first metals vertue there coâ—â— others also more and more very effectual even to the lâ—â— of metals Such vertues there are in minerals also as in vitriol aâ—timony allom salt and the like All these are a nourisâ—ment unto metals even as Manna was to the Israelites 〈◊〉 the desart As they are easily withdrawn and taken froâ— metals so it hapned to them also Heathens and Christiaâ— received that Manna together with Mines and Kingdomâ— they are set and shot at the heap of rubbish where theâ— still worship the Calf of this I have spoken more in thâ—â— book where I treated of Fossilia CHAP. XII How precious Stones and Jewels are wrought and how God hath bestowed blessings upon those that work the Mynes â—Ewels are wrought out of the substance of the most perfect transparent and noblest earthlinesse with mixture of the noblest Mercury Sulphur and Salt â—â—thout any fume or moist matter are of a dry coagulaâ—â—n and commonly are engendred in a round form in â—eir dwellings lodgings stocks and passages fixedly â—und together some are of a transparent lustre oâ—ers are more dark and they have their several coâ—â—rs Not many oars are found in which these noble generaâ—â—d bodies are brought to any perfectnesse neither are 〈◊〉 it strikings along in a way of passage here and there â—ey have their Centers unto which are joyned tender and â—â—aculous accrescencies where they are guttatim lapidaâ—d falling into the hardest purest stones concavities â—â—wing in several cuticles as we see the animal stones do â—ow The more precious the Jewels are the fewer there â—e
of them and the grosser their mixture is the more store â—ere is found of them which is apparent in Garnats who â—th hitherto searched into the quick spirits of such noble â—eatures the Lord hath created for mans benefit Pygmees or Homunculi which in former times lived in â—llow oars of Mynes these could not want skill in â—th wayes having traversed and travelled up and down 〈◊〉 these slippery corners and wayes The places and â—uation of such Jewels lying somewhat nearer unto â—â—aven in the Eastern Countreys bordering on Paraâ—ce so there must needs be abounding in Gold and Jewels and such pretious vegetables which our thoughts hardâ— may reach unto God requireth no more of man whom 〈◊〉 intrusteth with these things but to be faithful and just anâ— is an argument for us to think that for the same cause picâ—â— Kings and Princes and the old wise Partiarchs were giftâ— from above to bear a love to search into Mine-works aâ—â— did it with an uprightnesse and judgement Let honâ—â— godly Christian Miners chuse the better part and learn 〈◊〉 know the pearl the spirit of the Lord proceeding out 〈◊〉 Gods own mouth and let them consider well their eternaâ— fixation to return their love again to him that hath love them first bringing all things to their subjection he impaâ—â—eth all unto them abundantly in grace and mercy by thâ— innocence and merit of his only son bestoweth on theâ— temporal and eternal blessings and puts more glorious oâ—naments on them and better than ever gold silver jeweâ— and pearls were adorned withall CHAP. XIII Of the essence of Gold which is abundantly found not only in the metal but Mineral also whose energâ— is shewed most rarely and a short closing of my first and second Part of Minerals and metals 〈◊〉 annexed THis Chapter is a breviary of all mineral colours formâ— how they after an heavenly operation are daily clad iâ— the metalline prime matrix and set forth in their severâ—â— works whereas there shineth forth unto us the eternal ligâ—â— of the lustrous Sun the deity of the day of joyes and 〈◊〉 the eternal most fixed and fairest Sol as also of a most yeâ—low pure red and fixed citrin colour of heavens eternâ—â— lightning and the most glorious paradise of all the Staâ—â— a natural created light for all creatures besides the beaâ—â— and Aurora of Mineral Earths and of their subtilest comâ—t and best binding inclosed speaking to all other white â—inged Metals I Sol of an essential being am Lord of â—rds in power might and perfection I overcome all and â—vercome and bring them into subjection and none of â—m can master me but I do conquer them all they are â—ject to me and to my Beiâ—g for my Kingdome is estaâ—hed with infinite and invincible Power and Dignity by 〈◊〉 all metals minerals animals vegetables are strengthâ—ed and rectified for I give to every one that knoweth 〈◊〉 in my green blue and red Nature all what I have 〈◊〉 all what he desireth I cause to drop down after the â—r cardinal streams of Pison Gihon the noblest substance 〈◊〉 Mercury in the form of a most pure transparent crystalâ—e water and the most noble substance of Sulphur of Hiâ—el and Phrath the clearest fairest Astral salt from a Vitriâ— salt which through all Mines flew upward very fruitâ—ly and penetrates all the mineral stones I alone graduâ—e and exalt the silver unto Lune I give light and lustre in 〈◊〉 righteousnesse of my vertue do spe k all Magi Natuâ—ists and Scribes all the world over from the East to the â—est I am the Lord over the heavenly clarified garments â—d colours I adorn the firmament the weather I cloath â—e Rainbow after Gods will I exalt all jewels all such â—owths and creatures and what I cannot inwardly walk â—rough and reach unto in my course I leave it to be perâ—cted with my friend and lover the Lune she receiveth the â—â—st part of me and of the subtilest an abundance the Inâ—â—s Hungarie Carinthia testifieth the same for all what is 〈◊〉 live and is to receive a life rejoyceth in me and next â—od in none else for to him honour and glory belongs â—ely after him I finde no higher Lord and Commanderâ—â— for my part I do not rest neither do I desire any rest do â—y office readily into which my Creatour hath placed me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my plyablenesse be found gloriously like a vvax in â—ones which have by reason of hardnesse fire enough if â—ed I am hid from unwise men and am ready to be discernâ— by men of understanding I am predominant abundantâ— in a well known Mineral as also in Mars and Venus whicâ— are of low degrees in them I lye hid also all these have 〈◊〉 double spirit well known unto Lune pleasant to her anâ— next unto her Hence God suffered Moses to erect a brasâ— Serpent in the desert after my colour in hearkning unâ—â— the people at the mount Sinai My best and fairest câ—lour appeareth in transparent juyces as vitriol which afâ—â—â— my condition in due time penetrateth Oars whereby theâ— grew rich in lust are train'd up in a pleasant form conâ—ded into a greennesse like sealing wax green like Gooâ— dung blew like Saphir and so forth sometimes of thâ— colour of a water flint my red and whiâ—e colour is the best which are heartily wish'd for I love to be kindled iâ— vitriol and further is after descension in its green food unto a deep red spirit after whose laxative purging cometh that expected aqua Saturni the true aâ—ide-Well froâ— whence I my self and all other Metals animals and vegetables have my off-spring and life For Metals and Minerals rise onely from thence have their beginning and original from it for it is that quickning water which ordinary Myners do not know of is known onely to Philosophers It worketh Minerals and Metals in several wayes in form of taps which did skept pure white compact found like purified Suggar in a blue slate-work An extraordinary pleasant Mineral for all colours Salt Oars are at a farther distance which by my attractive changing are found in floats blocks and passages which in many places bring the water unto the day-light so that it often is found a pure and dry Salt above ground of glassie light flames oâ— in a great frost like unto flocks of snow there shooteth a brittle glassie light stone wrought in great pieces in the same order are all other Jewels according to mine inlightned heavenly stone distributed among their operations worths and vertues and clarified in a most fix'd transparency and indewed with an everlasting spirit distinct iâ— sâ—â—â—ral colours as Diamond Smaragds Carbuncles Saphirs â—â—ies Chrystals Chalcedonian Jaspis Berill Chrysolith â—â—x Carmel Turkois Lazur-stone Margarits Coralls â—ra Lemnia Terpentine-stones and Garnats of deeper 〈◊〉 colours each in its heavenly colours order is transpaâ—â— and naturally is created and preserved in its own ofâ—a Hence it may be argued that all these together with â—â—d
they are much distinct aâ—â—der though they dwell in one body possessing one loâ—â— it matters not for the will of the Creator was so to hâ—â— that mystery from unworthy men observe and consideâ— well if so be you intend to be a true follower of Phâ—â—sophers In this knowledge lyeth hid an irrecovâ—able errour worldly wits cannot conceive of it 〈◊〉 the spirit of Vitriol and the remaining Oyl should be of great distinction in the vertue Touching their properâ—â— the spirit being well dissolved and brought into its thâ—â— principles Gold and Silver onely can be made by it and 〈◊〉 of its Oyl onely Copper which will be apparent in a prâ—made The condition of the spirit of Vitriol and its maining Oyl is this that where there is Copper and Iron 〈◊〉 Solar seed commonly is not far from it and again whâ—â— there is seed of Gold at hand Copper and Iron is not 〈◊〉 from it by reason of its attractive Magnetick quality 〈◊〉 love which they as tinging spirits in a visible manner câ—â—tinually bear one to another Therefore Venus and Mâ—â— are penetrated ringed with the superabounding tinctâ— of Gold and in them there is found much more the 〈◊〉 of the red tincture than in Gold it self as I made further â—lation of it in my other backs unto which there belong 〈◊〉 also the Mineral of Vitriol which goeth beyond these many degrees because its spirit is meer Gold and rubedâ— crude indigested tincture and in very truth as God hâ—â—self is is indeed not found otherwise But this spirit as you heard must be divided into â—â—tain distinct parts as into a spirit soul and body the spâ—â— is the Philosophick water which though visibly parted sunder yet can never be separated radically because their unavoidable affinity they bear and have one to 〈◊〉 other as it appeareth plainly when afterward they 〈◊〉 ioyned the one in their mixture embraceth the other even 〈◊〉 Magnet draweth Iron but in a meliorated essence betâ—â— than they had before their dissolution This is the â—ift beginning middle and end of the total Philosophick â—â—sdom affording riches and health and a long life it may â—her be said and really proved that this spirit is the esâ—ce of Vitriol because this Spirit and Oyl do differ so â—â—ch and were never united radically because the Oyl â—â—meth after the spirit each can be received apart This â—â—y spirit may rather and more fitly be called an essence â—â—phur and substance of Gold and it is so though he lyeth â—king in Vitriol as a spirit This golden water or spirit drawn from Vitriol contains â—in a sulphur and Magnet its sulphur is the anima an inâ—â—bustible fire the Magnet is its own Salt which in the â—â—junction attracteth its Sulphur and Mercury uniteth â—â—h the same and are inseparable Companions First in â—entle heat is dissolved the undigested Mercurial spirit 〈◊〉 this is further extracted after a Magnetick quality the â—â—phurous anima in that earth sticketh the Salt which is tracted also in a Magnetick way by the Mercurial spirit still the one is a Magnet unto the other bearing a Magâ—â—ick love one to another as such things where the last â—â—ether with the medium is drawn forth by the first and 〈◊〉 thereby generated and thus take their beginning In â—s separation and dissolution the spirit or Mercury is the â—st Magnet shewing its Magnetick vertue toward the sulâ—â— and Soul which he quasi Magnes attracteth this spirit â—â—modum distillationis being absolved and freed sheweth aâ—â— its Magnetick power toward the salt which he attractâ—â— from the dead earth after the spirit is separated from it 〈◊〉 the Salt appeareth in its purity if that processe be ther followed anâ— after a true order and measure the â—â—unction be undertaken and the Spirit and Salt be set â—â—ther into the Philosophick furnace then it appears 〈◊〉 how the heavenly spirit striveth in a Magnetick way â—â—tract its own Salt it dissolveth the same within XL. dayes bringeth it to an uniform water with it sâ—lf even the Salt hath been before its coagulation In that destâ—â—ction and dissolution appeareth the hugest blacknesse aâ—â— Eclipse and darknesse of the earth that ever wâ—â— seen But in the exchange thereof a bright glitteriâ—â— whiâ—enesse appearing then the case is altered and 〈◊〉 dissolved fluid waterish Salt turns into a Magnet for that dissolution it layeth hold on its own spirit which is tâ—â— spirit of Mercury attracteth the same powerfully like Magnet hiding it under a form of a dry clear body brinâ—ing the same by way of uniting into a deep coagulation aâ— firm fixednesse by means of a continued fire and the certâ—â— degrees thereof The King with the white Crown being thus generateâ— and by exiceation of all humidities being brought to a fixâ— state then is it nothing else but earth and water thouâ— the other Elements be hid therein insensibly howevâ—â— both these keep the predominance though the spirit 〈◊〉 to earth and can never be seen in a watery form and tâ—â— double new born body abideth still in its Magnetick quaâ—ty for as soon as his departed Soul is restored after white fixation then like a Magnet he attracteth the sâ—â—â— again uniteth with it then are they exalted to their highâ—â— tincture and rubedo with a bright transparentnesse aâ—â— clarity Thus in brief you have a short relation of Vitrioâ— Sulphur and Magnet Pray to God for grace that you mâ—â— conceive aright of it put it then to good use and be minâ—full of the poor and needy At the closing I annect this briefly to hold forth uâ— to you a natural proof that you presently fling and throâ— down the Sophister and take his Scepter from him Noâ— that from all Metals especially from Mars and Venus whiâ—â— are very hard and almost fixed Metals of each apart can made a Vâ—triol this is the reduction of a Metal into a Miâ—â—ral for Minerals grow to Metals and Metals were at fiâ— Minerals and so Minerals are proxima materia of Metals bâ— not prima from these vitriol may be made other reduc◠〈◊〉 namely a spirit is drawn from them by the vertue of 〈◊〉 This spirit being driven over then there is again a reâ—ion of a Mineral into its spiritual essence and each â—it in its reduction keepeth a Metalline property but spirit is not the prima materia Who is now so grosse absurd that should not be able to conceive further believe that by these reductions from one to the other â—â—re be a way to prima materia and at last to the seed it 〈◊〉 both of Metals and Minerals though there be no neâ—â—ry to destroy Metals because their seed in the Minerals â—â—und openly fixed O good God what do these ignorant men think is not 〈◊〉 a very easie and Childrens like labour the one begets other and the one cometh from the other is there not â—ad bak'd of Corn upon distinct works But the World â—linde and will be so to the end of it Thus much at
well dried Gold â—â—wder being made warm behinde at the hollow pipe â—ot it in nimbly there come instantly red drops into the â—â—lmet keep the fire in this degree so long till nothing â—â—re ascendeth and no more drops fall into the Receiver â—ote in the Receiver there must be of the best spirit of â—ine into which the drops of Gold are to fall Then take this spirit of wine into which the Gold drops â—d fall put it in a pellican seal it Hermetice circulate it 〈◊〉 a moneth it turneth then to a bloud-red stone which â—elreth in the fire like Wax beat it small grinde among 〈◊〉 Lunar calx melt them together in a strong pot being â—own cold put it in aquafort there precipitateth a black â—lx melt it then you finde much good Gold as â—â—e Gold powder and the spirit of wine together with the â—oyery as the added Lunar calx did weigh but one moyety of the Lunar calx is not ting'd the other is as good aâ— was to be used If you hit this rightly then be thankfâ—â— to God if not do not blame me I could not make plainet unto thee Now if you will make this Vitriol then take the powâ—â— formerly made boyled in Vinegar pour on it good spiâ—â— of common Salâ— mingled with Salpeter water and the sâ—â—rit of Salt of Niter this Salpeter water is made as aqâ—â— Tartari is made with Salpeter Gold is dissolved in tâ—â— water which being done then abstract the water toâ— thicknesse set it in a Cellar then there shooteth a pure â—â—triol of Sal the water which stayeth with t e Vitriol mâ—â— be canted off distil it again to a spissitude set it in the Câ—lar more of the Vitriols will shoot iterate this work 〈◊〉 long as any Vitriol shooteth If you are minded to maâ—â— the Philosophers stone out of Solar Vitriol as some phaâ—tastick men endeavor in that way then be first acquaintâ—â— and ask counsel of thy purse and prepare ten or twelâ—â— pound of this Vitriol then you may perform the work veâ—â— well and the Hungarian Vitriol and others digged out 〈◊〉 Mines will permit thee to do it You may extract froâ— this Vitriol also its Sulphur and Salâ— with spirrt of winâ— which being all easie work it is needlesse to describe it Now followeth the Particular of Lune and of the extraction of its Sulphur and Salt TAke of calx vive and common Salt ana neal theâ— together in a Wind-oven then extract the Salt pureâ— from the calx with warm water coagulate it again put to 〈◊〉 an equal quantity of new calx neal it extract the Salt froâ— it iterate it three times then is the Salt prepared Then take the prepared Lunar calx stratifie the calx witâ— prepared Salt in a glasse Viol pour strong water on it madâ— of equal quantities of Vitriol and Salpeter abstract thâ— aquâ—fort from it iterated a third time at last drive it â—â—ngly let the matter well melt in the glasse then tâ—ke â—orth your Lune is transparent and blewish like unto an 〈◊〉 a marine Having brought Lune thus far then pour on â—â—rong distilled Vinegar set it in a wâ—rm place the Vineâ—â— is ting'd with a transparent blue like a Saphir and atâ—cteth the tincture of Lune being separated from the Salt which comes from Lune goeth again into the Vinegar â—â—ich must be done by edulcora ion then you will finde 〈◊〉 Sulphur of Lune fair and clear Take one part of this â—â—lphur of Lune one half part of the extracted Sulphur of 〈◊〉 six parts of the spirit of Mercurie joyn all these in a â—â—dy lute it well set it in a gentle hear in digestion that â—â—uor will turn to a red brown colour having all driven â—â—er the helmet and nothing stand in the bottom then â—ur it on the matter remaining of the silver you drew the â—â—lphur from lute it well set it in ashâ—s for to coagulate â—â—d to fix it xl dayes and nights or when you see the Luâ—â—r body be quite dry brown and nothing of it doth any â—ore rise or fume then melt it quickly with a sudden â—â—x-fire before the blast cast it forth then you transmitâ—â—d the whole substance of Silver into the best most malâ—â—ble Gold Of this particular of Silver I have made mention in anoâ—â—er place namely in the repetition of my 12th Keys where wrote that the spirit of Salt also can destroy Lune so that 〈◊〉 potable Lune can be made of it Of which potable Lune in â—â—e last part mention shâ—ll be made of You must note that â—â—rther must be proceeded with Lune and a more exact â—â—atomy must be made upon Lune thus When you perceive that the Sulphur of Lune is wholly â—xtracted and the Vinegar takes no more tincture from her â—â—or the Vinegar doth taste any more of Salt then dry the â—â—maining calx of Silver put it into a glasse pour on it â—â—rrosive Hony water as you did to the Gold yet it must be â—â—ear and without any feces set it in a warmth for four or â—â—ve dayes extract Lune's Salt which you may perceive when the water groweth white The Salt being all oâ—â— it then abstract the Honey water edulcorate the corrosâ—â—nesse by distilling and clarifie the Salt with spirit of wâ—â— the remaining matter must be edulcorated and dried pâ—â— upon it spirit of Tartar digest it for half a moneth thâ— proceed as you did with the Gold then you have Mercuâ—â— of Lune The said Salt of Lune hath excellent vertues upâ—â— mans body of which I shall speak in another place Tâ—â— efficacie of its Salt and Sulphur may be learned by this fâ—â—lowing processe Take of the sky-coloured Sulphur which you extractâ— from Lune is rectified with spirit of wine put it in a glaâ—â— pour on it twice as much of spirit of Mercurie which 〈◊〉 made of the white spirit of Vitriol as you have heard 〈◊〉 the same place In like manner take of the extracted aâ—â— clarified Salt of Silver put to it three times as much 〈◊〉 spirit of Mercurie lure well both glasses set them into gentle Balmy for eight dayes and nights look to it thâ—â— the Sulphur and Salt loose nothing but keep their quantâ—ty as they were driven out of the Silver Having stood theâ—â— eight dayes and nights then put them together into 〈◊〉 glasse seal it Hermetice let it in gentle ashes let all be diâ—solved and let it be brought again into a clear and whiâ—â— coagulation at last fix them by the degrees of fire tâ—en thâ— matter will be as white as Snow thus you have the whiâ—â— tincture which wiâ—h the volatile dissolved anima of Sol yoâ— may animate fix bring to the deepest rednesse and at lasâ— ferment and augment the same in infinitum the spirit oâ— Mercurie being added thereunto And note that upoâ— Gold a processe is to be ordered with its Sulphur anâ— Salt If you understood how their primum mobile is to 〈◊〉 known then is
Saturn is not to be thus slighted by reason of iâ— external despicable form if he be wrought in a due processe after the Philosophers way he is able to requite aâ—â— the pains the Art-seeking Laborers bestow on him and wilâ— acknowledge him rather to be the Lord and not the servant a Lords honour is due unto him not onely in respect of mans health but in respect also of meliorating oâ— Metals the preparation of it is thus Take â—ed Minium or Ceruse these are of several worths the one is better before the other according to their several examinations those that are sold in shops are seldoâ— pure without their due additionals my advise is that every Artist undertake himself the destruction of Saturn thâ—â— processe of it is several of the best I give this hint Take pure Lead which yields to the hammer as much as you please laminate it thinly the thinner the better â—ng these lamins or a large glasse filled with strong Vineâ—â— in which is dissolved a like quantity of the best Salmonie sublimed thrice with common Salt stop the glasâ—â— mouth very closely that nothing evaporate set the glasse 〈◊〉 ashes of a gentle heat otherwise the spirits of the Vineâ—r and Salarmonick ascend and touch the Saturnal lamins 〈◊〉 the tenth or twelfth day you will spie a subtile Ceruse â—â—iging on these lamins brush them off with a Hares foot 〈◊〉 on get enough of this Ceruse provided you buy good â—ates if sophisticated you labour in vain Take a quanâ—â—y of it if you please put it in a body pour strong Vineâ—â—r on it which several times hath been rectified and was â—â—tified at the last rectification with a sixtienth part of â—â—irit of vulgar Salt dephlegmed and drawn over stop â—â—e body well or which is better lute a blende head to 〈◊〉 set the body in ashes to be digested swing it often â—â—out in few dayes the Vinegar begins to look yellow â—â—d sweet as the first iterate it a third time it is sufficient â—he remnant of the Ceruse stayeth in the bodies bottom 〈◊〉 shapely filter the ting'd Vinegar clearly that is of a â—ansparent yellownesse put all the ting'd Vinegar togeâ—â—er abstract two parts of it in Balneo Mariae let the third â—â—rt stay behinde this third part is of a reasonable Rubedo 〈◊〉 the glasse in a very cold water then the Chrystalls will â—oot the sooner being shot take them out with a woodden â—oon lay them on a paper for to dry these are as sweet as â—â—gar and are of great energy against inflamed symptomes â—â—stract the Vinegar further in Balneo in which the Chryâ—â—als did shoot set that distillation aside for the shooâ—ing 〈◊〉 more Chrystals and proceed with these as you did forâ—erly Now take all these Chrystals together they in their apâ—earance are like unto clarified Sugar or Salpeter beat â—â—em in a Morter of glasse or iron or grinde them on a 〈◊〉 Marble unto an uâ—palpablenesse reverberate it in a â—entle heat to a bloud-like rednesse Provided they do not turn to a blacknesse Having them in a Scarlet colour Put them in a glasse pour on a good spirit of Juniper abstracted from its Oyl and rectified several times into 〈◊〉 fair white bright manner lute the glasse above set it in 〈◊〉 gentle heat let the spirit of Juniper be ring'd with a transparent rednesse like bloud then cant it off neatly froâ— the feces into a pure glasse with that proviso that no impuâ—â— thing run along on the feces pour other spirit of Juniper extract still as long as any spirit taketh the tincture keeâ—â— these feces they contain the Salt Take all these ting'd spirits together filter them abstracâ— them gently in Balneo there remaineth in the bottom 〈◊〉 near Carnation powder which is the animae of Saturn poâ—â— on it Rain water often distill'd distil it strongly severaâ— times to get off that which staid with the spirit of Juniper and so this subtile powder will be edulcorated delicately keep it in a strong boyling cant it off then let iâ— go off neatly let it dry gently for safeties sake reverberate it again gently for its better exiccation let all impurity evaporate let it grow cold put it in a Viol put twicâ— as much of spirit of Mercury to it which I told you of iâ— the third part of the Universal entrusted you upon youâ— conscience with it seal it Hermeticè set it in a vapor oâ—â— Bath which I prescribed at the preparation of the spiriâ— of Mercury called the Philosophers fimus equinus let iâ— stand in the Mystical Furnace for a moneth then the animaâ— of Saturn closeth dayly with the spirit of Mercury anâ— both become inseparable making up a fair transparenâ— deeply ting'd red Oyl look to the government of the fire be not too high with it else you put the spirit of Mercurâ— as a volatile spirit to betake himself to his wings foreinâ— him to the breaking of the glasse but if these be well united then no such fear look for for one nature embraceth and upholdeth the other Then take this Oyl or dissolved anima of Saturn out oâ— the Viol it is of a gallant fragrancie put it into a body apply a Helmet to it lute it well drive it over then souâ— â—d spirit is united together and fit to transmute Mercury â—rcipitated into Sol. The precipitation of Mercury is done thus take one 〈◊〉 of the spirit of Salt of Niter and three parts of Oyl of â—â—riol put these together cast into it half a part of quick â—rcury being very well purged set it in Sand put a reaâ—â—able strong fire to it so that the spirits may not fly â—ay let it stand a whole day and night then abstract all â—e spirits then you finde in the bottom a precipitated â—â—tency some what red pour the spirits on it again let it â—nd day and night abstract it again then your precipiâ—â—e will be more red than at the first pour it a third time â—â—n it then abstract strongly then your precipitate is at 〈◊〉 highest rubedo dulcifie it with distill'd water let it â—â—ongly be exiccated Then take two parts of this preciâ—tated Mercury one part of the dissolved Saturnal Oyl 〈◊〉 thâ—e together set it in the ashes let all be fixed not â—e drop must stick any where to the glasse Then it â—ust be melted with due additionals of lead they close â—â—gether afford Gold which afterward at the casting â—ough Antimony can be exalted I have informed you hereof where I treated of Mercury â—ut But note that Mercury must not be precipitated â—lesse with pure Oyl of Vitriol or Oyl of Venus with 〈◊〉 addition of the spirit of Salt of Niter Albeit such â—ercurie cannot be brought to its highest fixation by way â—f precipitating but its fix'd coagulation is found in Saâ—â—n as you heard Be it the abovesaid Mercury small grinde it on a stone put 〈◊〉 in a Viol pour on it the dissolved Saturnal Oyl it entreth â—â—nstantly if so
which stayeth there must be extracted â—h good Vinegar well boyled in it at last abstract this â—egar the remainder of it must be dulcified with distill'd â—ter and then exiccated Afterward on each pound â—â—st be poured lib. 1. of the best spirit of Wine let it â—nd luted in putrefaction then drive over what may be â—ven first gently then more strongly from that which is â—me over abstract the spirit of Wine per Balneum there â—yeth behinde a fragrant Oyl which is Astrum Mercurii 〈◊〉 excellent remedy against Venereal diseases Seeing the Salt and Astrum of Mercury is of the same Meâ—cinal operation I hold it needlesse to write of each in â—articular will joyn their operation into one and declare â—f it in the last part about the Salt of Mercury because â—hey are of one effect in Medicinal operations Take the â—ade Oyl or Astrum Mercurii which by reason of its â—reat heat keeps its own body in a perpetual running caâ—ing it on the next standing earth from which you formerâ—â— drew the Oyl Set it in a heat the Oyl draweth its own â—alt that being done put to it a reasonable quantity of â—pirit of Wine abstract it again the Salt stayeth behinde â—â—ssolved in the fresh spirit of Wine being dulcified by cohobation Then is the Mercurial Sal ready and prepaâ—â— for the Medicine as shall be mentioned in the last paâ— Mercury is able to do no more neither Particulariter 〈◊〉 universaliter because he is far off from Philosophers Mâ—cury as many are deceived in their fancies to the coâ—trarie Of the Particular of Antimony together with the extraction of its Sulphur and Salt TAke good Hungarian Antimony pulverise it subtilâ— to a meal calcine it over a gentle heat stirring it stâ—â—â— with an Iron wyar and let it be albified and that a last it may be able to hold out in a strong fire Then pâ—â— it into a melting pot melt it cast it forth turn it to a tranâ—parent glasse beat that glasse grinde it subtâ—lâ—y put it in 〈◊〉 glasse body of a broad flat bottom pour on it distilleâ— Vinegar let it stand luted in a gentle heat for a gooâ— while the Vinegar extracteth the antimonial tincture which is of a deep rednesse abstract the Vinegar there remaineth a sweet yâ—llow subtile powder which must bâ— edulcurated with distilled water all acidity must be taken off exiccate iâ— pour on it the best graduated spirit oâ— Wine set it in a â—â—â—tle heat you have a new extraction which 〈◊〉 and yellow cant it off pour on other spirit let it exâ—â—â— aâ— long it can then abstract the spirit of Wine exiâ—â—te you finde a tender deep yellow subtile powdâ—r of an admirable Medicinal operation is nothing inferior unto poâ—able Sol. Take two parts of this powder one part of Solar Sulphur grinde thâ—se small then tâ—ke three parts of Sulphur of Mars pour on it six parts of Spirit of Mercury set it in digestion well luâ—ed leâ— the Sâ—lâ—â—â—ur of Mars be dissolved to aâ—y then carry in a sâ—uâ—â—â— part of â—he ground-matter of of the Sulphur of Antimony and of Sol luâ—â— and digest let all be dissolved then carry in more of your ground Sulâ—rs proceed as formerly iterating it so long till all be â—olved then the matter becomes a thick brown Oyl â—â—e all over joyntly into one leave nothing behinde in 〈◊〉 bottom then pour it on a purely separated Lunar calx it by degrees of fire then melt it into a body separate â—ith an Aquasort six times as much of Sal is precipitated â—n above the ponderosity the compound did weigh the reâ—inder of Lune serveth for such works you please to put unto The Antimonial tincture being extracted totally from its â—â—rum and no Vinegar takes more hold of any tincture â—â—n exâ—ccate the remaining powder which is of a black â—â—lour put it into a melting pot lute it let it stand in a â—â—sonable heat let all the sulphureous part burn away â—â—de the remaining matter pour on it new distilled Vineâ—â—â— extract its Salt abstract the Vineger eduleorate the â—dity by cohobation clarifie so long so that the water be â—â—ite and clear If you have proceeded well in your maâ—als then the lesser time will be required to extract the â—â—timonial Salt as you shall hear of it Whereby you may serve that the Antimonial Sulphur is extracted in the â—lowing manner and is of the same Medicinal operaâ—â—n but is of a quicker and speedier work which is a â—â—tter of consequence and worthy to be taken notice A short way to make Antimonial Sulphur and Salt TAke good Vitriol common Salt and unslaked Liâ—e of each one pâ—und four ounces of Sal armoniac bear them small put them in a glasse body pour on it 〈◊〉 pound of common Vinegar let it stand in digestion â—â—â—'d for a day put it afterward into a Retort apply a receiver to it distil it as usually an aquafort is disâ—â—â— Take of the off drawn liquor and of common Salt 〈◊〉 pound of each rectifie them once more let no muddiâ—â— come over with it all must come clear then take 〈◊〉 pound of pulverised antimonial glasse pour this spirit 〈◊〉 it lute it well digest and let all be dissolved then â—stract the water in Balneo Mariae there remains in the bâ—tom a black thick fluid matter but somewhat dry lay on a glasse Table set it in a Cellar a red Oyl floweth hâ— it leaving some feces behinde coagulate this red Oyl geâ—ly upon ashes let it be exiccated there then pour 〈◊〉 best spirit of Wine on it it extracteth a tincture which 〈◊〉 bloud red cant off that which is ting'd pour other spiâ— of Wine on the remainder let all rednesse be extractâ—â— thus you have the tincture or Antimonial Sulphur which 〈◊〉 of a wonderfull Medicinal efficacie and is aequivalent â—â—potable Gold as you beard in the former processe Aâ— in preparation serveth now to proceed with it Particulaâ—â—ter as I shewed in the former This black matter whiâ— stayed behinde after the extraction of Sulphur must be 〈◊〉 exiccated extract its snow-white Salt with distill'd Vâ—gar edulcorate it clarifie it with spirit of Wine observe iâ— vertues in Medicina of the which in the last part Thus I conclude my fourth part also Other mysteries 〈◊〉 Nature and some augmentations might be here annected but I wave them mentioning onely the chiefest of theâ— and are such which may be wrought easily and in a shâ—â— time and whereby good store of riches may be gotteâ— The rest which are not of that importance and may easilâ— draw Novices into errours bringing no profit for the prâ—sent may in good time by carefull practise be found oâ— and obtained If you onely know those whereby health and wealth 〈◊〉 obtained then these metalline Sulphurs in their coâ—pounds may bring great profit unto you to write of aâ— these circumstantially is impossible to one man it is of aâ— infinite labour Call upon God for grace and mercie Aâ—
for our work For their Leproâ—â— is no help for furtherance of our work good things 〈◊〉 hindred in wayes that are unclean Wares out of Mynes 〈◊〉 worth their money but if sophisticated they are maâ—â— unfit being adulterated in their former and original opâ—â—â—â—â—n As Physicians cleanse and purge by means of Physick the â—â—ard parts of the body expelling all impurities from â—â—nce thus these bodies also must be purified from their â—urities that perfection may be operative in our birth 〈◊〉 masters require a pure undefiled body which must not 〈◊〉 mixed with any spot or strange matter For strange â—â—itionals are a Leprosie to our Metals The Kings Crown â—â—st be of pure Gold a chaste Bride must be married unto 〈◊〉 Therefore if you will work through or upon our boâ—â— then take the greedy gray Wolf which by reason of â—ame stands in subjection unto valorous Mars but â—â—hing his descent he is a Childe of old Saturn found Valleys and Hills of the World is very hungry cast beâ—â— him the Kings body let him feed upon it when he 〈◊〉 devoured the King then make a great fire cast the â—lfe into let him be quite burn'd then the King will be at liberty again This being done thrice then the Wolfe â—onquered by the Lyon finding no more on him to 〈◊〉 upon then is our body perfect for the beginning of 〈◊〉 work â—ote that this is the onely true way convenient to â—ge our bodies for the Lion is cleansed by the Wolves â—â—d and the tincture of that bloud rejoyceth mightily â—he Lion's tincture because they are near kin one to â—ther When the Lion is satisfied then his spirit is and eyes cast proud rayes like the lustrous Sun his internal â—â—nce is of great ability and good for all such things you â—â—d to apply him unto and being brought into its due â—â—ration then the sons of men are beholding unto him â—ch were loaden with the falling sicknesse and other disâ—s the ten Lepers run after him and desire to drink of bloud of his Soul and all such that are diseased rejoyce â—â—â—ly in his spirit For he that drinketh of this golden â—â—â—ain feeleth himself throughly renewed in his Naâ—â— all evil things are taken away the bloud is strength 〈◊〉 the heart receiveth strength and all the Members are 〈◊〉 full vigour it openeth all Pores and Nerves expelling their malignities that goodnesse may come into thâ— places My friend you must have good care that the Founâ—â— of life be kept from muddinesse no strange water must 〈◊〉 mingled with our Fountain else a miscreant will be brougâ— forth and a wholesom fish will be turn'd into a Serpeâ—â— if by a Medium a Corrosity be joyned whereby our boâ—â— is broken then let that corrositivenesse be wash'd awaâ— because Corrosives are not to be used for internal diseaseâ— because acidities are rather destructive engendring diseasâ—â— our Fountain must be without poison however poyson â—â—pelleth poyson A Tree that bringeth no good fruit is cut off at tâ—â— bulk better twigs are propp'd into which proppings uâ—â—ted with the Tree then its Root bulk and twigs briâ—â— forth better fruits which are more â—holesome The King in the heavenly firmamâ—nt walketh through 〈◊〉 places but in the seventh he keeps his seat for there 〈◊〉 kingly Throne is hang'd with Golden pieces If you conceive aright what I do speak then with tâ—â— Key you have opened the first Lock and you have drivâ—â— back the bolt but if you cannot finde any light in theâ— then no glasse eyes will help thee nor any natural eyes wâ—â— enable thee to finde out the last which you wanted at fiâ—â— Further I will not speak of this Key as Lucius Papiâ—â— taught and bid me The second Key IN Courts of great Potentates several sorts of drinks 〈◊〉 found and none like the other in smell taste and â—â—lour because they are of several preparations however 〈◊〉 of them are drinkable because they are fitted for seveâ—â— places and are necessary for the keeping of the Coâ—â— When the Sun ejaculateth her rayes spreading thâ—â— â—â—der the Clouds then the vulgar speech is the Sun drawâ—â—h water and it will rain which being done often that â—â—at proves fertil To raise to an altitude a magnifick Palace several Artiâ—â—ers and work-men must be imployed before that struâ—â—ure and the rooms thereof can be finished For where â—ones must be used there wood is of no use The dayly ebbing and flowing of the Sea out of an inâ—â—â—ed love which it receiveth from above out of the starry â—â—aven is to that end that Countreys are enriched thereâ—â— at every return it bringeth great good unto Manâ—â—de A Virgin which is to be espoused is set out gloriously 〈◊〉 several Garments dress't in the best manner that she â—â—y please her Bridegroom And the band of love may 〈◊〉 the deeper root by a hearty looking one upon the â—â—â—her and the Bride joyning with the Bridegroom after 〈◊〉 usual manner these Garments are put off and the â—â—de keeps onely that which at her Nativity she had reâ—â—ed of the Creator Even so when our Bridegroom Apollo with his Bride 〈◊〉 is to be married several Garments must first be made 〈◊〉 them their heads and bodies must be well wash'd with â—â—er which waters must be learn'd to be made by several â—â—â—â—llings For these waters do differ very much some 〈◊〉 high some are poor according to the several uses they 〈◊〉 imployed unto which I intimated when I spoke of 〈◊〉 several sorts of drinks used in Princes Courts And 〈◊〉 when the humidity from the earth ascendeth and 〈◊〉 sâ—â—ne is drawn up they conglomerate on high their â—â—â—derousnesse maketh them fall down thereby unto the â—â—th is restored her lost humidity which refresheth the â—â—ath giveth unto her a nourishment whereby the vegeâ—â—â—les do spring up Therefore some waters in their preâ—â—ation must be often distilled the abstracts must be ofâ—â— restored to the earth must be drawn off again Even as Euripus doth often disgorge it self to a cerâ—â— period The Kingly Palace being by several Artificers a woâ—kmen raised and adorned and tâ—e glassy Sea hath â—â—nished its course and the Palace is furnish'd with gooâ— then the King may safely enter into and keep there residence My friend noâ—e this very well that the Bridegroom wâ— his Bride must be naked espoused and therefore the Oâ—â— menâ—s prepared for their cloathing and necessary attires their heaâ—s and faces must be taken from them again 〈◊〉 must possesse the grave in the nakednesse as naked thâ— were born that their seed might not be destroyed by 〈◊〉 strange mixture At the closing of this I tell thee in good truth that the mâ— precious water of which the Bridegrooms Bath must be mâ—â— must be of two contrary Fencers or contrary materials pâ—â—pared very carefully and wisely For one Fencer must 〈◊〉 the other must be fitted for the fight the one must coâ—qâ—â— the other For what availeth it unto the Eagle that she keâ—â— her
nest alone in the Alpes where her Chickens by reaâ— of the snow are destroyed by frost which is on the tops these Mountains But if you add unto the Eagle the cold Dragon whâ— had his dwelling a long time in stone clifts and Subteâ—â—nean caves where he crept in and out both these beâ— placed on that Hellish stool then Pluto will so stronâ— breath upon expelling a fiery volatile spirit out of 〈◊〉 cold Dragon whose great heat will burn the Eagles feath prepâ—ring a sweating-bank that the snow on the higâ—â— tops of the Mountains do dissolve and turn into water tâ—â— the mineral baâ—h be rightly prepared and riches and heaâ— be bestowed on the King The third Key WAter destroyeth fire quencheth it quite if abundance of water be poured into little fire then fire must yield unto water giving way for the victory unto it Thus our fiery Sulphur must with water be prepared by Art must be conquered if so be that after the separating of the water the fiery life of our Sulphureous fume shall get the triumphing victorie But here no victory can be obtained unlesse the King have bestowed strength and vertue unto his water and have delivered unto it the Key of his Court colour that be be destroyed thereby and be made invisible however at this time his visible form must appear again but with great diminution of his simple essence and great melioration of his condition Limmers carry yellow on white red upon yellow or a purple colour though all these colours are at hand yet the last is predominant being the uppermost in its degree The same order must be observed also in our Magisterium which being done then you have before you the light of wisdom which shineth in darknesse and yet burneth not For our Sulphur doth not burn yet giveth a light afar off neither doth it tinge unlesse it be prepared and tinged freely with its own tincture to give a further tincture unto weak imperfect bodies of Metals This Sulphur hath not a tinging quality unlesse the tincture be given to it in a fixation for a weak one cannot victorise the stronger keepeth down the weaker and weak things must yield unto strong ones The conclusion herein is this a weak and mean thing cannot help another which is in the same frailty neither can it import any furtherance to the operation of it can one combustible protect another which is of the fame condition A Protector must have a greater power than he whâ—m â—e intendâ— to protect so thing combustible must â—e defended by â—uâ—h which in their fixation are incombustible He that will prepare our incombustible Sulphur of Philosophers mâ—st be circumspect tâ— seek our Sulphur in a subjâ—ct wherein it lieth incombustible which cannot be unlesse the Salt-Sea have first swallowed the body and cast it up again freely then â—xalt it to â—â—s degree that it excel with its â—ustre all other Stars in Hâ—aven and be in its substance as rich of bloud as the Pellican is aâ— the opening of her breast nourishing many of her Chiekâ—ns without the weakning of her own body This is the Rose of our Masters of a Scarlet colour and the red blouâ— of the Dragon of which so many have written and is thâ—â— Purple mantle of the highest Commander in our Arâ— wherewith the Queen of salvation is clad and covered and thereby all needy Metals may be waâ—â—'d Keep this honourable Mantle with the Astral Salt very carâ—fully which followeth after this heavenly Sulphur let not any mischance befall it impart to it the birds volatile quality as much as there is needfull then the Cock will dâ—vour the Fox which is drown'd in water or reviveth by fire and is devoured again by the Fox where like is requited with the like or like is reconciled unto unlike The fourth Key ALl flesh begotten of earth must be destroyed and reurn to earth again which it was at first then that terrestrial Salt affordeth a new birth by heavenly resuscitation for if there be nor first an earth there cannot ensue any resurrection in our work For earth containeth that natural Balsam and is the Salt of those which sought for it by a knowledge of all things or universal knowledge the final judgement of the world will be by fire which the great Creator at first made of a nothing must by fire he turn'd to ashes again out of these ashes the Phoenix bringâ—â— forth again her Chickens For these ashes contain realâ—â— the true Tartar which must be dissolved after its disâ—â—lution the firm and strong lock of the royal room is â—â—ened New heaven and new earth are made after that great â—ombustion or burning and the new man will appear more â—â—loriously than he was in the first world because in the â—â—ther he is clarified If ashes and sand be well ripened and digested by fire â—â—en the Artist turneth it into glasse which afterward â—oldeth in the fire in its colâ—ur it is like unto a transparent â—â—one anâ— looks no more like any ashes this is a huge mystery unto ignorant men but not so to knowing men for they found it to be so by their dayly experience and Manuals Men burn Lyme of stones to make use of them for a Cement in buildings before the fire prepareth it thereunto it is a stone and cannot be used for a Cement as long as it is a hard stone fire bringeth stones unto a maturity and receiveth from the fire a very hot degree whereby it is strengthned and groweth so potent that there is almost nothing comparable unto it the fiery spirit of Lyme Every thing being reduced into ashes affords by Art a Salt if you at the anatomizing of it are able to keep apart its Sulphur and Mercury and make restitution thereby unto the Salt according to Aâ—â— â—hen fire will bring it to that again which it was before its Anatomy and destruction worldly wise men call this a folly counting it meer lies call it a new Creature which to do man hath no grant of God themselves understand it not that this Creature hath been formerly so and the Artist sheweth its increase onely by the seed of Nature That Artist which wanteth ashes cannot make any Salt for our Art because our work cannot be made lively without Salt for the coagulation of things worketh meerly the Salt As Salt preserveth things from putrefaction even so the Salt of Philosophers protecteth Metals that they cannoâ— be reduced to a nothing unlesse their Balsom die and the natural Salt spirit be gone then their body would be deaâ— and nothing further could be effected with it because thâ— Metalline spirits are gone and at their natural departinâ— left a dead dwelling into which no more life can bâ— brought again Note further you that intends to learn this Art that thâ— Salt out of ashes is of great effâ—â—cie many vertues are hiâ— therein Yet the Salt availeth nothing unlesse his innermost be turn'd to the out-side For the spirit alone
quality and is the reason wâ— by its super-abounding calidity it heateth other thingâ— digesteth them and at last it bringeth them to a full mâ—turity the fire being continued for a certain time The things I wâ—ite of Vitriol I have not begg'd nor boâ—rowed from other mens writings but found them so in 〈◊〉 long continued practick whereby nature enabled me become a Sooth-sayer by permission of the Highest Creatâ—â— that that nobly inplanted quality might be avouched bâ— a â—â—thfull and true evidence of one of her devoted Disciâ—es And I speak thus much for a memorandum that if Paris â—n keep safely Helena without troubles that thâ— noble Ciâ— of Troja in Greece be no more ruined and d stroyed and â—riamus together with Menelaus be no more afflicted and diâ—racted thereby then Hector and Achilles will agree well â—ough to obtain that royaâ— Race without going to war â—t it and be Possessâ—rs of â—haâ— Monarchy in their Chilâ—â—ens Children and their off-â—pring and posterity for the â—â—nlarging of their Dominions by increasing their riches â—finitely against which no enemy dareth stir Of common Sulphur THe usual common Sulphur is not so perfectly exalted in it's degree and brought unto maturity as it is found in Antimony and Vitriol There is made of it â—â—er se an Oyl against putrid stinking wounds destroying â—nd killing such worms which grow in them especially if â—at little Salt in it be dissolved from its Sulphur There is made of it a Balsam with Sallet Oyl or Oyl of â—â—uniper in like manner with the white spirit of Terpenâ—â—ne and is of a red colour is made thus take flowers of â—ulphur made with the Colchotar of Vitriol digest them â—r a time in hors-dung or any other way this Balsam may â—afely be used for such that are in a Consumption of the â—ungs especially if rectified several times with spirit of â—â—ne drawn-over and separated that it be bloud red This Balsam is a preservative against corruption and rotteâ—esse The Quint-essence of Sulphur is in a Mineral where a â—ulphureous flint is generated this beaten peebles being â—â—t in a glasse and on it be powred a strong Aquafort made of Vitriol and Salpeter and let dissolve what may 〈◊〉 dissolved abstract that water the remainder must be wâ—â— dulcified and reverberated to a rednesse pour on thâ—â— spirit of wine extract its tincture afterward circulate 〈◊〉 a time in the Pellican let all the essence of Sulphur be â—â—parated it stayeth below the spirit of wine like far Sallâ— Oyl by reason of its ponderousnesse its Dose of six Graiâ— is found to work sufficiently If yâ—u digâ—st in this essenâ—â— of Sulphur Myrrhe Aloes and other Spices it extracâ— their vertues and makes it into a Balsam which suffers 〈◊〉 flesh or other parts that are subject unto putrefaction 〈◊〉 fall into rottennesse for which cause the Ancients have pâ— this name to it Balsamus mortuorum Thus I close to speak any further of combustible Sulphuâ— There may be made an Oyl of it which is found very usâ—full the Sulphur must be sublimed in a high instrumâ—â— with a good heat which sublimation in a long timâ— changeth into a Liquor or Oyl standing in a humid placeâ— but being I do not intend to use any prolixity of words 〈◊〉 let it rest so There may be cocted a Liver out of commoâ— Sulphur which is turn'd unto milk and it may also 〈◊〉 changed into a red Oyl with Lin-seed Oyl many other Mâ—dicinals may be made out of Sulphur Its flowers essencâ— and Oyl are preferred before the rest together with thâ— white and red fixed Cinober which are made of it becauâ—â— in them is found a mighty vertue Of Calx vive THe secrets of Quick-lyme is known to few men anâ— few there are which attained to a perfect knowledgâ— of its qualities but I tell to you a real truth that thougâ— Lyme is contemptible yet there lieth great matters therein and requireth an understanding Master to take out of 〈◊〉 what lieth buried in it I mean to expel its pure spiriâ— which collaterally stands in affiâ—ity wiâ—h Minerals is able to binde and help to make fix the volatile spirits of Minerals for it is of a fiery essence heateth concocteth and bringâ—th unto maturity in short time when in many years they could not be brought to it the gâ—osse earthly body of â—t doth not do the fear but its spirit dâ—th it which is drawn out of iâ— this spirit is of that abâ—liâ—y that he bindeth and fixeth other volatile spirits For note the spirit dissolveth Oculi Canâ—rorum dissolveth Crystals into a lâ—quorâ— these two being duely brought into an â—â—â—ite per monum distillaâ—â—onis I will say nothing 〈◊〉 this time of Diamonds and such â—â—ke stones that waâ—er dissolveth and breaketh the stone 〈◊〉 the bladder and the Gouâ—y Tâ—â—tâ—r settled into the â—oynâ—s of hands and feet suff rs not any Gout to â—ake roo◠〈◊〉 those parts this rare sâ—â—r t l taught one of my faithfull Diâ—ciples and the great Chancellor of the invinciâ—le Caesar â—s still thankfull unto me for it and many great persons â—esides Quick-lyme is strengthned and made more fiery and hot â—y a pure and unsophâ—stâ—cated spirit of wine which is often â—oured on it and abstracted again then the white Salt of â—artar must be grinded wi h iâ—â—ogether with its additioâ—â—ls which must be dead and coâ—tain nothing thâ—â— you â—â—ll draw a very hellish spiri iâ— which great mysteries lye 〈◊〉 How this spirit is gotten I told it observe it keep it â—â—ke it for a fare-well Of Arsenick ARsenick is in the kindred of Mercury Antimony as a Bastard in a Family may be its whole substance is â—bysonous and volatile even as the former two in its exâ—â—rnal colour to the eye it is white yellow and red but â—â—wardly it is adorned with all manner of colours like to 〈◊〉 Metals which it was fain to forsake being forced thereunto by fire It is sublimed per se without addition and also in its subliming there are added several other matters as occasion requireth If it be sublimed with Salt and Mars then it looks like a transparent Crystal but its poyson stayeth still with it unfit to be joyned or added to Metals hath very little efficacie to transmute any Metal The Subterranean Serpent bindeth it in the Union of fire but cannot quite force it that it might serve for a Medicine for man and beast if it be further mix'd with the Salt of a Vegetable stone which is with Tartar and is made like unto an Oyl it is of great efficacie in wounds which are of a hard healing it can make a Coat for deceitfull Venus to trim her handsomly that the inconstancie of her false heart may be disclosed by her wavering servants without gain with her prejudice and damage When Antimony and Mars are made my companions and am exalted by them to the top of Olympus then I afford a Ruby in transparence and colour to that which cometh from
Orient and am not to be esteemed lesse than it if I am proved by affliction then I fall off like a flower which is cut off and withers therefore nothing can be made 〈◊〉 me to fix any Metal or tinge it to any profit because 〈◊〉 forsook my body totally and distributed my Coat to play and lot to be cast for it therefore let no man neither praisâ— or dispraise me unlesse he have for very hunger taken 〈◊〉 pound of me into the body though if he gets an Antidotâ— to save his life however he shall get nothing out of Metals by it in other things he may have a Treasure in it unto which few are comparable to it I Arsenâ—c say of my self at the closing hereof that it is 〈◊〉 very difficult thing to finde my right and due preparationâ— my operation is felt exceedingly if made tryal of and it iâ— a great danger if ignorant men make use of me he thaâ— can be without me let him go to my kindred and if yoâ— can equalize me with them that I may share with them iâ— the inheritance then all the world shall acknowledge thâ—â— my descent is from their bloud but it is a very hard taâ—â— for any man to set a shepheard into a royal seat to make him King But Patriarchs being descended from shepheards and were preferr'd to royal dignities I will therefore prescribe no limits nor pâ—sse any judgement For wrong and right may be found in this leaf However take you notice that I am a poysonous volatile bird have forsaken my dearest and most confiding friend and separated my self as a Leper which must live aloof off from other men Cure me first of my infirmity then I shall be able to heal those which have need of me that my praise may be confirmed by poyson and my name for an everlasting remembrance to the honour of my Counâ—rey is nothing inferior unto Marcus Curtius and it will be found in the end in what manner Hannibal and Scipio were reconciled Of Salpeter TWo Elements are predominant in me as fire and aire the lesser quantity is water and earth I am fiery burning and volatile There is in me a subtile spirit I am altogether like unto Mercury hot in the in-side and cold in the out side am slippery very nimble at the expelling of mine enemies My greatest enemy is common Sulphur and yet is my best friend also for being purged by him and clarified in the fire then am I able to allay all heats of the body within and without and am one of the best Medicaments to expell and to keep off the poysenous plague I am a greater cooler outwardly than Saturn but my spirit is more hot than any I cool and burn according as men will make use of me and according as I am prepared When Metals are to be broken I must be a help else no victory can be obtained be the undertakings great or small Before I am destroyed I am a meer Ice but when I am anatomized then am I a meer hellish fire If Pluto caâ— master Cerberus to make him â—ake his dwelling again in thâ— Isle of Thule then he may snatch a piece of love from Venus then Mars must submit and mâ—y live richly with Luâ—â— which may equally be exalted to the Crown of the honourable King and be placed with him in equal honouâ— and dignity If I shall happily enjoy my end then my Soul must bâ— driven out cunningly then I do all what lieth in my power of my self alone I am able to effect nothing But my love 〈◊〉 a jolly woman if I am married unto her and our copulâ—â—lation be kept in Hell that we both do swear well the that which is subtile flings away all filthinesse then wâ— leave beinde us rich Children and in our dead bodies 〈◊〉 found the best Treasure which we bequeathed in our laâ— Will and Testament Of Salarmoniac SAlarmoniac is none of the meanest Keyes to open Mâ—tals thereby therefore the Ancients have compared with a volatile Bird it must be prepared else you can do 〈◊〉 seats with it for if it be not prepared it doth more huâ— than good unto Metals carrieth them away out at 〈◊〉 Chimney-hole it can elevate and sublime with it's fâ—â— wings the tincture of Minerals and of some Metals to tâ—â— very Mountains where store of snow is fâ—und usually evâ— at the greatest heat of the Summer if it be sublimed wiâ— common Salt then it purgeth and cleareth and may used safely He that supposeth to transmute Metals with this Saâ— which is so volatile surely he doth not hit the nail on tâ— head for it hath no such power but to destroy Metaâ— and make them fit for transmutation in that respect it haâ— sufficient power for no Metal can be transmuted unleâ— it be first prepared thereunto My greater strength which lieth in me may be drawn from mâ— by subliming and cementing The greatest secret in mâ— you will finde when I am united with Hydra which is to devour and swallow me that I also may turn with hâ—r to be a water Serpent then have I prepared a Bath for the Nympha and have gotten power to make ready a Crown for the King that the same may be adorned with Jewels and may with honour and glory be set on his head Of Tartar THis Salt is not set down in the book of Minerals but is generated of a vegetable seed but its Creator hath put such vertue into it that it heareth a wonderfuâ—l love â—nd friendship unto Metals making them malleable it purgeth Lune unto a whitenesse and incorporateth into her such additionals which are convenient for her being digested for a time with Minerals or Metals and then subâ—imed and vilified they all come unto a quick Mercury which to do there is not any vegetable Salt beside it is â—ot this a wonderfull thing That Oratour is yet to be born which shall be of that ability and eloquence as to expresse â—ufficiently all the mysteries hid in it But to make out of â—t the Philosophers stone is no such matter being it is a â—egetable and that power is not given to any of the vâ—geâ—ables It is in Medicina a very good remedy to be used â—â—wardly and outwardly its Salt being made spirituaâ—l and â—weet it dissolveth and breaketh the stone in the bladder â—nd dissolveth the coagulated Tartar of the Gouâ— sâ—tled â—nto the joynts or any where besides It 's ordinary spiâ—it which is used for opening of Metals being used and applied â—utwardly also layeth a foundation for healing of such Ulâ—ers which admit hardly any healing as there are â—â—sâ—â—â—'s â—ancers Wolves and such like I know nothing niâ—â—â—o write of Tartar for having separated it self and left it's noblâ—st part in the wine Of Vinegar IN Alchimy and Medicina nothing almost can be prepared but Vinegar must set a helping hand to it Therefore I thought it convenient to let it have it 's due praise and commendation especially
to insert it here in thâ—s treatise In Alchimy it is used to set Metals and Minerals into putrefaction It is used also for to extract their essences 〈◊〉 tinctures being fiâ—st prepared thereunto even as the spirit of wine is usual to extract the tinctures from vegetables In Pâ—ysick it deserveth its praise also for it taketh the pure from impure and is a separator and taketh from the Minerâ—l Mâ—dicaments their sharpnesse and corrosivenesse fixeth â—hat which is volaâ—ile and is a great defendant against poyson as I told you when I spoke of the Antimonial glasse Vinegar is used inwardly also and both men and beast are benefited thereby outwardly it is applied to hot inflammations and swellings for a cooler Spirit of wine and Vâ—negar are of great use both in Alchimy and Physick both have their descent from the Urine are of one substance buâ— differ in the quality by reason of putrefaction the Vinegar got there of the which I told you formerly I must acquaint you with one thing which is this thaâ— this is not the Philosophers V negar our Vinegar or acetum is another liquor namely a matter it self for the stone oâ— Philosophers is made out of Azot of Philosophers which must be prepared with ordinary distâ—ll'd Azot with spirit oâ— wine aâ—d with other waters besides and must be reduced uâ—â—â— a certain order Nâ—â—e this for a memorandum if distill'd pure Vinegaâ— be poured upon destroyed Saturn and is kept warm iâ— Marie's-Bath it loseth it's acidity altogether is as sweet as any Suggar then abstract two or three parts of that Vinegar set it in a Cellar then you will finde white transparent stones like unto Crystals these are an excellent cooler and healer of all adust and inflamed Symptoms If these Crystals are reduced into a red Oyl and poured upon Mercury precipitated by Venus and proceeded in further as it ought if that be hit rightly then neither Sol nor Lune will hinder thee from getting riches Of Wine THe true vegetable stone is found in Wine which is the noblest of all vegetables it containeth three sorts of of Salt three sorts of Mercury and three sorts of Sulphur The first Salt sticketh in the wood of the Vine which if burnt to ashes and a lixivium made of it to have it's salt drawn forth which must be coagulated This is the first Salt The second Salt is found in Tartar if that be incinerated then draw its Salt forth dissolve and coagulate it several times and let it be sufficiently clarified The third Salt is this when the wine is distill'd it leaveth feces behinde which are made to powder it 's Salt can be drawn out with warm water each of these Salts hath a special property in their Center they stand in a harmony because they descend from one root It hath three sorts of Mercury aâ—d three sorts of Sulphur The first Oyl is made of the stem the second Oyl is made out of crude Tartar the third is the Oyl of Wine There is a strange property in the spirit of Wine for without it there cannot be extracted any trâ—e tincture of Sol nor can there be made without it any true aurum potabile but few men know how a true spirit of Wine is made much lesse can it's property be found out wholly Several wayes have been tried to draw and to get the spirit of Wine without sophistication as by several instruments and distillings with metalline Serpents and otheâ— strange inventions of Sponges Papers and the like Some caused a rectified aqua vitae be frozen in the greatesâ— frost expecting the phlegme thereof should turn to Ice the spirit thereof to keep liquid but nothing was done to any purpose The true way for the getting of it I told you of aâ— the end of my Manuals for it must be subtile penetrating without any phlegme pure aerial and volatile so that aire in a magnetick quality may attract it therefore it had need to be kept close in it is oâ— a penetrating and effectualâ— operation and its use is several There are three which are the noblest Creatures in the world these three bear a wonderfull affection one to another Among Animals it is man our of whose Mume is made an Animal stone in which Microcosme is contained Among Minerals Gold is the noblest whose fixednesse is a sufficient testimony ol it 's noble off spring and kinâ—red Among Vegetables there lieth hid a Vegetable stone Man loveth Gold and Wine above all other Creatures which may be beheld with eyes Gold loveth man and Wine because it lets go its noblest part if spirit of Wine be put to it being made potable which giveth strength to man and prolongeth his life in health Wine beareth affection to man also and to Gold because it easily uniteth with the tincture of Sol expelleth melancholly and sadnesse refresheth and rejoyceth mans heart He that hath these three stones may boldly say that he hath the stones of the Universal much of it is talk'd and written but what eye hath seen it not one amongst many hundred of Millions These stones renew men and beasts cure Leprous Metals cause barrennesse to become fertile with a new birth humane reason is not able to comprehend it noâ— conceive of it If a rectified Aqua vitae be lighted then Mercury and â—â—e Vegetable Sulphur separateth that Sulphur burns â—ight being a meeâ— fire the tender Mercury betakes him-â—mself to his wings and flieth to his Chaos He that can shut up and catch this fiery spirit he may â—oast that he hath gotâ—â—â— a gâ—eat victory in the Chymical â—â—â—le for this Vegetable fiery Sulphur is the onely Key to â—â—aw the Sulphur from mineral and metalline bodies Thus I close my book the things contained therein are â—ot grounded on opinions as most Physicians rely on the â—uthors that such and such Herbs are cold and moist dry â—â—d warm in the first second and third degree because â—hey heard their Authors affirm it themselves neither â—aw 〈◊〉 nor made tryal of it making meer collections from other â—ens writings patching up volumes The things I wrote â—f I know by a long experimental knowledge to be true â—his my experience I hope will take place and get the viâ—tory as the Amazons did in their prudence The eternal heavenly spirit refresh our Souls that we may â—â—lk in heavenly streets forsaking all false and erroneous by-wayes Amen FINIS â—ONCLUSIONS AND EXPERIMENTS OF BASILIUS VALENTINUS PREFACE I Basilius Valentinus write a short clause upon my former writings and this treatise is instead of a declaration thereof But my Son and Disciple you are to remember that you lift up your eyes to â—he Mountain of God and of the Philosophers from â—hence you expect a help namely Sulphur Vitriol â—nd Magnet of Philosophers must be a great help unâ—o you For Philosophers Sulphur Vitriol Magnet â—s coelestial from whence cometh â—hat Universal and Philosophick Lapis vulgar and ordinary Sulphur Vitriol and Magnet afford meerly
Philosophers stone For God the Father is a spirit and yet maketh himself known under the notion of a man as he speaketh Genes 1. Chapter let us make man an image â—ike unto us Item this expression in his word speak of his mouth eyes hands and feet so Philosophers Mercury is held a spiritual body as Philosophers call him God the Father begetteth his onely Son JESUS CHRIST which is God and Man and is without sin neither needed he to die but he laid down his life freely and rose again for his brethren and sistâ—rs sake that they miâ—ht live with him eternally without sin So is Sol or Gold without defect and is fix holds out gloriously all fiery examins but by reason of its imperfect and sick brethren and sisters it dieth and riseth gloriously redeemeth and tingeth them unto eternal life making them pâ—rfect unto good Gold The third person in the Trinity is God the Holy Ghost a comforter sent by our Lord Christ Jesus unto his believing Christians who strengthneth and comforteth them in Faith unto eternal life even so is the spirit of maâ—erial Sol or of the body of Mercury when they come together â—hen is he called the double Mercurie these are two spirits God the Father and God the Holy Ghost but God the Son a glorified Man is even as our glorified and fix'd Sol or Philosphers stone since this Laâ—is is called Trinus namely out of two waters or spâ—â—iâ—s of Mineral and of Vegetable and of the Animal of Sulphur of Sol These are the Two and Three and yet but one if you understand it not then you are not like to hit any Thus by way of a similitude I delineated unto thee sufficiently the Universal Pray to God for a blessing for without him you are not like to prosper at all The second TREATISE Of vulgar Sulphur Vitriol and Magnet The first Section Of Sulphurs Chap. I. Of Sulphur of Saturn 1. THere is extracted from calcined Saturn with distill'd Vinegar a Crystalline Salt which is distill'd with spirit of wine unto a red Oyl This Oyl cureth Melancholy fiery Pox old Ulcers and many other infirmities besides 2. This Oyl coagulateth and fixeth Mercury being first precipitated with Oyl of Vitriol for all powders and Medicaments which are to make Sol and Lune must be made fix holding in all fiery tryals 3. Out of this Oyl is made a glorious Tinctur if you take three parts of Mercury of Mars and one part of this red Oyl of Saturn joyning coagulating and fixing them this work may be accomplished in a moneths time or somewhat longer This Tincture may be augmented with Mercury of Mars usque in infinitum projecting one part of it upon three parts of Sol to make thereby an ingresse for the Tincture one part of this Tincture transmuteth thirty parts if so be it be well prepared of Mercurie and of Lune into good Sol. Remember thy Crea or and be mindfull of the poor then the Lord will be mindfuâ—l of thee also Chap. II. Of Sulphur of Jupiter 1. THere is made of Jupiter a minium the like is made of Saturn from thence is extracted and distill'd a red sweet Oyl this Oyl tingeth Saturn being first calcined with Salmiac into Sol. 2. The Limature of Jupiter being calcined with Calx vive for a day and the Calx being wâ—sh'd from it then you have a fix'd powder if you can reduce it again into a fluidnesse and drive it wiâ—h Saâ—urn then you may get a reasonable part of good Lune and Sol whereby a needy Laborator may get sufficient livelyhood 3. There is a calcination made of Tin and Lâ—ad with common Sâ—lâ— but better is it if made with Salt of â—he câ—put mort of Vitriol and Peter the Oyl of Vitriol being added unto Calx of Jupiter and Saturn and made one masse of it luâ—e it well â—et it stand for eight dayes and nights in warm Sand and then to drive it one Centner of Lead affords in this manner six Mark and a half of fiâ—e Lune one Maâ—k of such Lune yields one Ounce of Sol. This hath been my first piece to make Lune and Sol withall Note these six Mark and a half of Lune afford six Ounces and a half of Sol this Sol and Lune amounts to 208. Gildors or 20. pound and 16. shillings Chap. III. Of Sulphurs of Mars and Venus 1. TAke some pounds of Verdigreece extract its Tincture with distill'd Vinegar let it shoot then you have a glorious Vitriol out of which you may distil per retort a red Oyl This Oyl dissolveth Mars turning into a Vitriol which is reduced in a long time in a great fire unto a red Oyl then you have together Sulphur of Mars and Venus add somewhat of Sulphur of Sol coagulate and fix it then you have a Medicine which meliorateth Men and Metals 2. Lune is graduated with the Oyl and a good part of the Kings Crown is gotten 3. Two equal parts of laminated Sol and Lune melted together putrified in this Oyl for a day and a night turneth them into good Gold In this Oyl you will finde many strange affects and vertues Laus Deo Chap. IV. Of Sulphur of Sol. 1. I have formerly told how Gold is made spiritual unto the purple mantle Now if you are about to make aurum potabile then you may dissolve with the Oyl of Vitriol that spiritual Gold extract and draw it over with spirit of wine this is a Medicine which cureth many difficult diseases and is wonderfull in its efficacie 2. This Solar Sulphur tingeth prepared Calx of Lune into good Gold but you heard in my former expressions that the King hath onely an honourable Garment and must raise his Rents and subsidies from his subjects must be bathed in his buddying bloud and swear must be destroyed and gloriously renew'd then is he able to make his poor brethren and sisters to be Kings also and legitimate theâ—r bastards Antimony is a bastard of Saturn as much of Mercury and of Regulus it haâ—h so much is it turned into Sol its due Dose of Tincture being first added thereunto Wismuth â—â—r Marcasite is a bastard of Jupiter is turn'd to Sol also â—y means of a Tincture Oyl of Vitriol is a bastard of Veâ—us it hath a Metalline Mercury as much it hath of it so much is it ting'd into Sol. 3. If you add the Solar Sulphur unto Sulphur of Vitriol Venus and Mars and you have fixed artificially then you have a Tincture for Men and Metals expelling all manner of diseases and this fix'd powder tingeth Particulariter Lune into Sol. Laus Deo Chap. V. Of Sulphur of Mercurie MErcury is a Mother of all Metals and is a spiritual body and a fugitive servant when he cometh into â—he fire then he flyeth into his Chaos But he that can â—â—tch him he gets then the Sulphur of Mercury or waâ—â—r of Sulphur or aqua benedicta the Key of the Art which â—peneth
rectified spirit of Wine with Salt of Tartar then putrified and reduced into a sweet Oyl this is an excellent Medicine against the French disease old Ulcers Chollick windy ruptures Gouâ—â— expelling many other diseases out of mans body 2. This Oyl is joyned also with Martial Tinctures For â—erâ—ury is the bond of other Metals and may be well used â—ticulariter The chiefest colour of Mercury is red as â—â—u finde in my other writings Chap. VI. Of common Vitriol â— TAke good Hungarish Vitriol dissolve it in distilled water coagulate it again let it shoot into Crystalâ— â—erate it five times then is it well purged and the Salts Allums and Niter are separated from it Distil this purged â—itriol with spirit of wine unto a red Oyl ferment it with â—piritual Sol add to it a due Dose of quick Mercury of Antimony coagulate and fix then you have a Tincture for men and it tingeth Lune also into Sol. Visitando Interiora Terrae Rectificandoque In venietis occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam 2. VItriol is calcined also to a red colour in a close Vessel on which is poured distilled Vinegar and is set in putrefaction for three moneths there is sound in a strong distillation a quick Mercury which you are to keep safe Wonders may be effected therewith upon Particulars and Universals Take three pâ—â—ts of this Mercury and one part of Sol joyn these being fixed it affords a Solar augmentum Make your supplies with its Mercury Laus Deo 3. This calcined red Vitriol is sublimed also with Salmiac thâ— sublimate is dissolved into an Oyl This Oyl fixeth Câ—â—obar whereof may be had Lune and Sol. 4. There is made a fix't water also Salmiac and Alloâ— being added thereunto This water being poured upon Suâ—phur of Jupiter which before was precipitated inâ—o a reâ— powder imbibed and coagulated and an ingresse be maâ—â— with Sol then you have a Tincture whereby câ—ude Antimâ—ny is transmuted into good Lune which may be transmuteâ—â— into Sol. 5. Lastly I tell thee if you extract the Salt out of Vitriol and rectifie it well then you have a work which iâ— short and tingeth Lune into Sol this metalline Salt coagulateth vulgar Mercurie and being transmuted into Lunâ— iâ— may be graduated higher through and with Antimony Thus you have my operations and experiments which may he very profitable unto you Make a good Christian use of it help the poor cure the diseased then God will blesse you Amen Sulphur is Vitriol Antimony is Mercary The third Section Of vulgar Magnet 1. MAgnet contains that which common Mars hath Common Iron may easily be wrought needs not to make many words of it Magnet hath an attractive quality to draw Iron 2. There is made an Oyl of Magnet and Mars which is very effectual in deep wounds 3. With Magnet and Antimony is made Lune fix which with the Oyl of Mars and Venus is graduated and made to Gold it may be performed also with Antimony and Mars Thus I finish'd my course and found many things in my working My fellow brethren turn'd Alchymists all had the Philosophers stone I was the beginner took great â—â—us before I attained to any thing if you read my wriâ—â—gs diligently you will finde the XII Keyes the prima â—â—teria or Philosophers Mercury together with the Philoâ—phick Salt the Philosophick Sulphur I delineated exâ—â—sly Now I close committing you to God and accept in hoâ—â—sty of that you are informed Medium Tenuere Beati FINIS Jod V. R. A Processe upon the Philosophick work of Vitriol HAving gotten this Processe in the foresaid year and and afterward as you shall hear with mine own hands elaborated and wrought the same no man â—ver-looking me I was heartily rejoyced even as if I had â—een new born and returned hearty thanks to Godâ— its â—ractick at the first I have not plainly described because I â—ad erred in the composing of it and was fain to begin the work anew I having miss'd in my work I begun in the â—ear 1605. because the matter of the Earth and the spirit â—f Mercury was not sufficiently purged therefore the earth â—ould not perfectly be united at the composition with the water I let that quite alone and began a new Processe at â—he end of the year 1605. in the Citie of Strasburg used â—ore diligence and exactnesse then my work God be praiâ—â—d prospered better for the which I am still thankfull to God for it In the name of the Hâ—ly Trinity the 1â— October Anno 1605. I took ten pouâ—d of Vitriol dissâ—â— it in distilled Rain-water being warm'd let it stand 〈◊〉 day and a night at that time many feces were setled Iâ—trated the matter evaporated it gently ad cuticulam usâ—â— I set it on a cool place to crystallize this on shot Vitriâ—â— exiccated dissolved it again in distilled Rain-water lâ—â— shoot again which work I iterated so long tiâ—l the Viâ—â— goâ— a coelestial gâ—een colour having no more any feces aâ—â—â— and lost all its corrosivenesse and was of a very pleaâ—â— taste This highly putrified Vitriol thus crude and not â—â—cined I put into a coated Retort distilled it in open fâ— drove it over in 12 hours space by an exact government fiâ—e in a white fume when no more of these fumes caâ—â— and the red corrosive Oyl began to come then I lâ—t the 〈◊〉 go out the next morning all being cold I took off the â—â—ceiver poured the gift in the receiver into a body aâ— some of the lâ—â—e being fall'n into I filter'd it and had a 〈◊〉 menstrual water which had some phlegme because I tâ— that Vitriol uncalcined which I abstracted in a Balmy 〈◊〉 leaving one drop of water in it I found my Chaos in the bottom of a dark rednesse vâ— ponderous which I poured into a Viol sealed it Hermeâ—â— set it on a three-foot into a woodden globe into a vâ—porous hath made of water where I left it so long till 〈◊〉 was dissolved after some weeks it separated into two parâ— into a bright transparent water and into an earâ—â— which setled to the bottom of the glasse in form of a thiâ— black corrosive like pitch I separated the white spiâ—â— from it and the fluid black matter I set in again to be dâ—â—solved the white spirit which was dissolv'd of it I separatâ— again this work I iterated leaving nothing in the bottoâ— save a dry red earth After that I purged my white spiâ—â— per distillationem very exactly it was as pure as the tear thâ—â— falls from the eye the remaining earth I exiccated under Muffle it was as porous and as dry as dust on this I pourâ—â— again my white spirit set it in a digestion this spirit exâ—â—â—ct the Sulphur or Philosophick Gold and was ting'd of a 〈◊〉 yellow I caâ—â—ed it off from the matter and in a body â—bstracted the spirit from the Sulphur that Sulphur stayed â—â—inde in form of an Oyl very fiery nothing like unto its â—â—t as red as a
Ruby this abstracted white spirit â—ouâ—ed on the earth again extracted further its Sulphur â—â—d put it to the former After this that Corpus terra look'd 〈◊〉 a paler colour which I calcined for some hours under â—uffle put it into a body on it I poured my white spirit â—â—racted its pure white fixed Salt the remaining earth â—â—s very porous good for nothing which I flung away â—as these three principles were fully and perfectly sepaâ—â—ed After all this I took my astral clarified Salt which weigh'd â—â—lf an ounce after the weight at Strasburg and of the â—â—ite spirit which weigh'd four ounces of Mercury one â—â—nce and a quarter of an ounce these I divided into two â—â—ts whose quantity was half an ounce and one dram I â—â—t this Salt to one part of the water in a Viol and nippd it 〈◊〉 it in digestion there I saw perfectly how the Salt disâ—â—ved it self again in this spirit therefore I poured to it the â—â—her part which was half an ounce and one dram no sooner â—â—is was put to it then presently the body together with â—â—e spirit turned as black as a Coal ascended to the end of 〈◊〉 glasse and having no room to go any further it moved 〈◊〉 and fro sometimes it setled to the bottom by and by it â—â—e to the middle then it rose higher thus it moved from â—â—e fourth of July to the seventh of August namely 34. â—â—ayes which wonderfull work I beheld with admiration 〈◊〉 last these being united and turned to a black powder â—â—ying on the bottom and was dry seing that it was so I â—â—creased my fire in one degree took it out of the we and 〈◊〉 in ashes after ten dayes the matter on the bottom beâ—â—n to look somewhat white at which I rejoyced heartily â—â—s degree of fire I continued till the matter above and â—low became as white as the glittering Snow But it was noâ— yet fix making â—ryal of 〈◊〉 set it in again encreased 〈◊〉 fire one degree higher then the matter began to ascend a descend moved on high stayed in the middle of the gâ—â—â— not touching the bottom of it this lasted 38 dayes aâ— nights I beheld then as well as formerly at the 30 dayeâ— variety of colours which I am noâ— able to expresse 〈◊〉 last thâ—s powder fell to the bottom became fix made pâ—jection wi h it putting one Graiâ— of it to one and a quâ—â—â— of an ounce of Mercury transmuting the same into very gâ—â— Lune Now it was time to restore unto this white tinctâ—â— her true anima and imbibe it to bring it from its whâ—â—nesse unto rednesse and to its perfect vertue Thereupon I took the third principle namely the animâ— which hitherto I had reserved in quantity it was one ouâ—â— a quarter of an ounce and one dram poured to it my râ—served spirit of Mercury whose quantity was one cuâ—â— and a quarter of an ounce drew it over several times 〈◊〉 alembicum so that they in the end united together thâ—se divided into seven equal parts one part I poured on mâ— clarified earth or tincture which greedily embraced 〈◊〉 anima together with its spirit and turned to a ruddinesâ—â— in twelve dayes and nights but had no tinging quality 〈◊〉 yet saving Mercury vive and Saturn it transmuted inâ—â— Lune which Lune at the separating yielded three Graiâ—◠〈◊〉 Gold I proceeded further with my imbibition and carrieâ— all the seven parts of anima into at the fourth imbibiâ—â—oâ— one part of my work ting'd ten parts of Copper into Gold at the fifth imbibition one part tinged hundred parts at thâ— sixth it tinged thousand parts at the seventh it tinged teâ— thousand parts Thus God be praised my work ended succesfully with great joy of my heart at this time I got oâ— the true Medicine four ounces half an ounce and one dram The two last in the ponderosity were almost equaâ— unto the first out of this my work I paid for Land and Ground to that Noble Gentleman O. V. D. 48000 Gilders Actumâ— 1607. These things I set down for a memorandum thaâ— I should not forget any of the manuals and of other thingâ— necessary for the work God be praised for evermore Amen An exact work how Mercury vive is coagulated and brought unto a Lunar fixation which Lune holds Sol also in the trial TAke of Mercury vive two ounces of pulverised common Sulphur six ounces grinde these in a wooden dish with a wooden Pestil set it on a Coal-fire in a melting pot stirring it about continually ler all the Sulphur evaporate then take forth the Mercury grinde an equal quantity of Sulphur with it proceed with its heating as formerly iterate this work five times then sublime this Mercury per gradus ignis take out â—his sublimate break it in pieces of the bigâ—esse of a small Nut or bean imbibe them in the white of Eggs then take a comenting pot put ashes into it in the midst of it set an Iron box stratifie into it this sublimate with refined silver fill up the box then lute an Iron lid to it put ashes on the lid lute an earthen lid upon that set this pot into a sand Capel let your first fire be gentle for twelve hours then encrease your fire for twelve hours more at last make a forcible fire for 24 hours then break open the Pot you will finde a black gray matter carry it on Lead of four ounces you will get three ounces of fix silver separate this fine silver in aquaefort you will finde a good deal of black Gold Calx reserve the silver Calx apart you may stratifie with it another time Thus far I went in my experience The fifth and last part Of the last TESTAMENT Of FRIAR BASILIUS VALENTINUS Treating of the transcendent and most precious and wonderfull Medicine which the great Creator hath put into Metalline and Mineral Salts for the benefit of man to keep him in perfect health continually LONDON Printed Anno Domini MDCLVI The fifth and last part Of the last TESTAMENT Of FRIAR BASILIUS VALENTINUS BEfore I begin to speak of the Salts of Metals and Minerals and declare their volumes and other precious and noble growth under ground in the first place I will prefix the preparation of aurum potabile because therein lieth the Corona of Medicinals Universaliter and meriteth the first place because Salts of other Metals and Minerals in their innate vertues are for particulars onely and are ordained for to preserve man in health and there is just cause to begin with the making of auâ—um potabile without sophistication and will speak of the distinction of it that it may be judged infallibly to be the true one This being my last part and my intention is to make a perfect relation of aurum potabile for the benefit of good and understanding men whom God after my death will rejoyce with this my book which upon tedious and laborious experience I wrote wherein I speak not by
If glorified Elias were present and the Aâ—â—â—als could â—peak and silent nature had a tongue to expresse hereof â—hen I needed not to bring in any further evidence to perâ—wade the incredulous who considered not judiciously this â—y saying for a man possessed with blindnesse cannot passe â—y judgement upon my writings bâ—â— understanding â—udgeth impatience and wisdom separateth herself from folâ—â— by her own experience This Vital spirit nourisheth feedeth and preserveth hâ—self by the Oleâ—â—y of mans Sulphur which is predominanâ— the bloud and with or through it doth work in â—he whâ— body that the substance may be perfect This Vital sâ— is Mercury which is found in man and is preserved by Oleity of its likenesse besides these two Mercury and Sâ—phur there is a third thing in man namely Salt which hâ— in the flâ—sh body and bones The Salt ministreth its noblest spirit for a nourishmâ— unto the bloud which saltnesse is found therein by taste and disperseth it self â—hroughout the body preâ—veth mans body like a Balsam from puâ—efaction and is the band and copulation whereby Meâ—cury or the Vâ— spirit continueth the longer with the Balsam in the flâ—â— dwelleth together in one For in the Salt there lieth a sâ—rit which must protect all other Balsams in their worth a dignity The remainder found in the flesh if these thâ— be taken from it is a dead thing as I told formerly and good for nothing nor can it be used for any thing As this Union Dominion and Government is in Maâ— the like are in Metals Minerals and Vegetables whâ— make up their perfect body do live keep and are preservâ— in the like manner as man is As the one followeth up the other in Man according to order in the like conditiâ— are other Animals after their kiâ—de and property As a Câ— is an Animal her food as grasse is Vegetable this Vegâ—table by the heat of the Cows body is putrified in that pâ—trefaction is made a separation which is the Key of all dâ—solutions and separations separation being made then goeâ— the subtile spirit the subtile Sulphur and the subtile Salt the Vegetable's substance of the grasse into all Members the whole body of the Cow the spirit ruleth the beast tâ— Sulphur nourisheth it and the Salt preserveth it This being done then nature distributeth her gifts fuâ—ther making a new separation as of the superfluouâ—nessâ— which the Cow doth not assume by way of assimilation aâ— must part with it and distributeth the same further and th◠〈◊〉 Milk this Milk is an Animâ—l substance transmuted from the Vegeâ—able In this Milk is made another separation by fire which must be kept gently For the subtilest spirit of the Milk together with the Sulphuâ— sublimeth is taken off and turned to a coagulated farâ—â—sse which is butter The â—est is separated by other means and precipitated and â—â—hereby is made another separation this is a second coaguâ—ation out of which men make their food of the overpâ—us â—s made another separation by fiâ—e not so far as the former â—wo at last there remâ—ineth an aquosity and is of no greaâ—â—sâ—fulnesse because the spirit and its nutriment â—s taken â—rom it by the sâ—veral separations After this nature maketh to a further putrefaction aâ—other â—nd grosse excretion of a Sulphureous and Salt â—ubstance which generateth afresh a living spirit which is the â—xcreâ—ent this serveth for the earth to be manured withall maâ—ing the earth fertil by its Sulphur and Salt as being of a â—osse and fat substance whereby new fruits are produced â—ere is another nutriture from an Animal into a Vegetable â—his maketh Wheat and other Fruits and Grains to grow â—roducing again a nutriment from the Vegetables unto Aâ—imals Thus one nature doth follow after the other by â—ulgar people not so much comprehended or search'd into â—ot caring to learn natures qualities so much which mâ—xeth â—ach natural things seem to be incredible To return again to the structure of Man the noblest spiriâ—â—f life hath its dominion and seat for the most part anâ—t â—ost strongly in the heart of mans body as in the noble â—art and the Sulphur of man â—iveth unto thaâ— spirit a nuâ—iment and spiritual accesse for its preservation by the aâ—reâ—or if aire be taken away from man then spiriâ— of liâ—e is hoak'd up departeth invisibly and death is at hâ—â—d The noble Salt spirit is a conserver of both its noblâ—st spiâ—t penetrateth throughout the grossest matter of 〈◊〉 Sa â— is â—ast into the bladder and that hath a spiâ—it of a peâ—ial â—peration That which goeth from the Salt throuâ—hâ— the â—adder is wrought upon by a hear ministreth a nâ—w â—â—cesse or increase so that this increase of Salt in man is iâ— exhaustible unlesse it die quâ—te and the body be burnâ— to ashes and the remainder be extracted As for an eâ—ample Take the Salts from Minerals let these grow agaiâ— coagulate and extract the Salt again by water the like seen in nitrous earths also and other common Salts aâ—â— there needs not to quote any further examples The spirit of life hath its processe into other Member from the heart into bones arms and the rest of the boâ— that are stirring In diseases and symptomes he is weaâ— and man by reason of such symptomes cannot perform hâ— businesse in that full strength as at other times when he in health feedeth and cherisheth his body with Vegetâ—ble spirits which come from feeding on bread meaâ— and drinking of wines then his body groweth strongeâ— and his Vital spirit groweth potent by such nutriments iâ— his superfluity disperseth himself into all Members anâ— sheweth his operation If the heart groweth faint theâ— is it a signe that the Vital spirit is not nourished upoâ— which there ensue speedily deadly diseases because thaâ— fire is not at liberty and falls into an extinction or choalâ—ing The fire in the heart and the natural heat is preserveâ— and supported by the aire of that aire the Lungs stanâ— most in need of the Liver also must have aire else it caâ—not laugh the Spleen must have aire else it will be oppress 't with stitchings and great pains the true seat for thâ— most part oâ—â—â—â—aire is necessary for the Lungs if these faâ— into any weâ—kâ—essâ— the cause thereof is because the Salâ— doth noâ— shâ—w its true and meet help and must go intâ— rottennesse casting up bloud and matter then there is aâ— hand a corruption of the aire from which the Vital spiriâ— cannot finde any true nourishment but must be starved because the Salt doth not effect its conserving quality thâ— Sulphur and the increase of the nourishment is obstructed and is not perfect whereby are caused Consumptions witherings of the body consuming of the flesh and exiccation of the bloud and of the marrow The substance of Salt oâ— the Salt spirit which preserveth the body hath its â—eat for the most part in the bladder where all humidities have their issue the remâ—ining grosse Salt is separated and excerned
that there are two Medicines which heal all diseases and symptomes be they whatsoever and are made of one the one is called PHALAIA and is for inward use the other is called ASA is for external cures both may be called to be onely One they differ onely in their preparation how both must be brought to their operative quality the way unto it is shewed in my Manuals For they must first be rightly known and their nature must be searched into Their matter is One which by that exp ession I purposely hâ—ld it forth least it should be made too common I after â—he manner of Ancient Philosophers before mâ— hiding secrets under dark sentences hoping by the prayers of others to have their Souls saved and received into that Garden in which our first Parents were created Noâ—e both Medicines are made of one matter as I have already informed you If used inwardly it takes away all manner of informities the matter is putrified separated and in a spagyrick way purged in the best manner and brought to a Medicine of the highest degree by fixing its own nature which must brought to passe in the fire It s foâ—mer poysonous volatile quality must be rectified by being prepared to an everlasting fixednesse which expels purges and rectifies all malignant spirits that a good nature may live quietly in a pure habitation For this prepareth Medicine keepeth that course where-ever it â—â—eetheth with any malignity it will be revenged on it and striveth to expell it and will solely keep possession there for she cannot endure any contrary things about her which are defiled wiâ—h the least impurity PHALAIA is the Universal Medicine to be used inwardly and ASA is the Universal remedy for outward uses it put fieth mans bloud taketh away all impurity strengthneth the brain heart stomack and all other parts causeth good bloud strengthneth the memory repaireth the dâ—fects which are befall'n the three principles restoreâ—h all lost things it is the very Key whereby the body is opened for it chaseth away Leprosie Dropsie Consumptions Gout and all other diseases generally for no sinfull Creature is fall'n so totally but she may have a comâ—â—â—t unto salvation in a spiritual way and a Medicine unto health appointed thereunto by the Creator which is had if nature be anatomized by an expert Artist to be prepared for that use Here I speak of such diseases which by some are called incurable for ordinary diseases there are ordinary means which here are not mentioned the uses of them are mentioned in a special Treatise But of my PHALAIA I say thus much according to my long experience that nothing can conceal or hide it self from her being a penetrating searcher into all infirmities she penetrateth the body spiritually like a fume penetrateth the Arteries Muscles and all the parts of the body like a Balsam restoreth strength which was lost by her Salt spirit Further I cannot speak in the praising of my PHALAIA she being a praise to such that make use of her He that getteth this PHALAIA tightly to him is she sufficient for to cure all diseases No tongue is able to expresse and set forth fully her vertues As diseases do differ which are incident unto the body so there are means for their cure but this Medicine cureth all diseases in general being of an heavenly fidereal quality descended from the Elements and generated by the three principles coming from the very heart of its Center of the whole circumference of the Globe performeth all affording to Microcosme a perfect Medicine found so really according as the name imports her vertue but if rightly made and prepared the use of it will prove it sufficiently ASA is found in the operation for external Symptoms as old Ulcers Fistulaes Cancers which made many Chirurgians doubt whether ever they may be cured but this ASA hath made the cure it consumeth all bad bloud which was fall'n into corruption and may be inwardly used because it will then exiccate and dry up the fountains from whence spring all manner of Sores Fistulaes Cancers Wolves noli me tangere running Legs Worms and the like be it on what part of the body where Plaisters Pultesses and the like cannot help and are not strong enough this alone will do it For fresh wounds be they made by stobbing cutting slashing it needs not to be administred being too strong for such wounds gentler means are fitter for them Balsams Oyls Plaisters may healâ—nesâ— either outwardly or inwardly Powders and potions may be prepared Symptomes in wounds having their causes from within must be cured by searching into them and the means for their cure must be prepared of that strength that they may reach home As in this matter things must be united and be taken from the generation of ABIHAIL being joyned in their principles of the fiâ—st essence by nature's means it s brought to the highest perfection whereby such Sores Uâ—cers c. are fundamentally cured For ordinary wounds there is no need of it if no Symptomes are at hand and the party endangered a Balsam onely will perform the deed mollifying the flesh and nature will further and promote the cure Be thankfull next God to me that hath taught you inward and outward Medicines and are such which others before me have concealed they can cure fundamentally any Symptomes be they within or without on the body such vertues are not found in Out-landish woods drugs or herbs Forrainers have their proper climates under which they have convenient Physical Vegetables our climate affords unto us proper Medicinal Vegetables Animals and Minerals for our constitution onely Doctors are not expert to make their Medicinal preparations out of them I hold with my Physick PHALAIA and ASA of one name in their descent whereby nature hath made me to be a Physician it keepeth good to the last preserveth man in health and strength all the time the Creator hath appointed for him vertue it hath shewed triumphantly in many parties obtaining victory against all its enemies and it was apparent to the world that these two Medicines PHALAIA and ASA of one kinde and of one matter made and prepared and it is found dayly that in the generality they can set all into a perfect degree as being descended from the Center can preserve the Center as the Root and can bring things to right within and without tending to that end for which it is prepared Thus I wish the Reader to whom I fâ—ithfully intimate the Manuals of it prosperity and successe in the preparation of it that it may be unto his health the work will praise the Master upon Oath I further inform you t us that four things are required to make a perfect Philosopher and true Physician First he must be importunate and fervent in his devotion to God as the highest heavenly Physician to ask of him grace wisdom understanding and his blessing upon his undertakings that it may appear unto the world that God grants things for the
by Urine as you heard already I repeat it here again for that end because the most noble spirit which doth preserve man doth copulate and maketh friendship with the Vital spirit and its nutriment which is Sulphur and so they make the body perfect and if any informity be incident either from the operation or defective quality of the Stars or from a disorderly life in eating and drinking and many other inconveniences and any corruption be present then nature is not in her perfect condition Here the knowing Physician must enquire into the cause from which of these three the Symptome doth arise and cure the same with convenient remedies and not with any contrary Medicines as heat must be cured with heat cold with cold pricking with pricking for one heat draweth the other one cold draweth another even as Iron is drawn by a Magnet and so pricking simples may cure stiching diseases and poysonous Minerals can heal and bring to right poysonous Symptomes if they be duely and well prepared And although sometimes externally a cooler be supplied however I speak as a Philosopher and one that is experienced in nature that like must be cured and expelled fundamentally with the like otherwise true Medicaments are not applied and the Physicians deal not really in their profession He that is not fundamentally learned herein or doth nor observe these things he is not a true Physician neither can he really say that he hath learned any truth in Physick because he is not able to discern cold and heat drie and wet for knowledge and experience and a fundamental inquiry into natures mysteries make a good Physician next the knowledge of the Creator from whom all and every wisdom doth descend and is the Author of the beginning middle and end thereof Next the invocation of the Creator there follow natâ—ral means and Medicaments as they are found in themselves in their highest degree I make no further meâ—tion here of other Animals Metals and Minerals folloâ— next for in Gold Silver and other Metals even to tâ— seventh and last Planet are hid excellent things Mercuâ— being predominant in all in some more than in other and Minerals also are not without their vertuous Medâ—cines and the former seven Planets were in their beginninâ— onely Minerals The Tincture of Sol together with the potable Golâ— and Silver are of great efficacy Mercury ruleth Microcosme that which is found in the best Metals and moâ— precious stones may be drawn also if need be from Minerals For perfect Metals are grown or have their deâ—scent from Minerals as from Vitriol Antimony and thâ— like Vitriol is Sulphur Antimony is Mercury the Saâ— which is the copula or binder is found in both if thesâ— are made fix are like unto the best Metals for they aâ— generated by them Minerals come from the three principles as well as Metals the three principles come from their prima materia called primum Ens which is nothing else but a watery substance found dry is not likened to any matter which is grown and is preserved by the fouâ— Elements and these are cherished or nourish't by Astrals The Creator hath ordained all these out of 〈◊〉 nought because man should not gaze onely upon earthly matters but consider heavenly ones also and ought to know things supernatural that faith may over top the rest and have the prerogative in things seen and felt and be preserved therein If Physicians do not understand these things they ought not to be held for Physicians for the knowledge of God and of nature make a Physician as I told of it formerly and not great prating without true knowledge Good writings of expert men may conduce somewhat hereunto In brief humane reason in Physicians is not able to comprâ—â—end sufficiently mucâ— lesse are they able to decide fathom and fully learn what manner Medicaments there may be made of Microcosme for he containeth a perfect Medicine for all diseases like with like must be expelled and cured Mercurie of Microcosme is a living incomprehensible and volatile spirit as I have told Mans Balsam drieth up a Dropsie and the clarified Salt of it cuâ—eth Consumptions in Epileptick fits it doth excellent well and being prepared into a fragrant spirit all corrosivenesse being taken from it is nothing inferiour unto aurum potabile to preserve mans health it is very excellent for curing Leprosie Passing by such diseases which are of a lower nature and degree it breaketh the stone in the bladder and cureth all Salt Rheums if the Arâ—ist prepareth it well and knoweth how to make use of it afterward Thus I close with Microcosme contained in few lines much more could be spoken of this matter or form mobility and imagination how they were brought unto perfection For if these stand together in a true middle will make up a sweet Harmony for without the matter or form of the body without the moving of the powers and defect of perfect thoughts Ortheus will not please the Dolphin with any harmonious melody as it is with man so it is with Metals Mercury is the mobile in Gold if the body be anatomâ—zed Sulphur is hot being driven from a Mineral and fixed drieth the phlegmatick Lune warmeth her maketh her Soul equal unto himself In the matter and form there lieth a Salt which affords the coagulation of the body the remainder in the Gold put away for separation will afford a further revelation Vegetables also shew the form of their three principles the visible matter containeth the Vegetable Salt which is its conseâ—vative the fragrancy of the Vegetable is the Balsam which ministers a nourishment unto its perfect growth the odour or smell of any Herb is of a volatile quality and spiritual and the spirit for the most part sheweth it self in the frangrancy and penetrateth the Balsam and its odour be it pleasant or not is the essence whereby men in their senses learn the condition and properties of Vegetables For other things I have written I praise the Lord which dwelleth on high Thus closing I wish to every one the grace and blessing of God the Creator of all Creatures that they may be blessâ—d wise and rich both in this temporal and corruptible World and in the other World attain to an eternal blisse Amen Of the Mysterie of Microcosme its Medicinal parts belonging unto Man written by BASILIUS VALENTINUS TO make use of the heavenly Revelation about two Luminaries and of the mysteries of the whole Medicine which lieth in that marvellous instrument of Microcosme within and wâ—thout that is in the body and without as ordinary wounds Sores Ulcers that have their cause from within have their descent from one root however must be severally prepared and dress't For that within is not like to that which is without in respect of their operation but in respect of their form and matter they are under one judgement And that I may rightly inform my fellow Christian I must needs acknowledge and confesse