with aurum fulminans he shall try the certainty from the often fireing of fresh aurum fulminans upon the same plate for he shall see that it is not the colour of the metal and outwardly gilded but deeply tinged Likewise one may try the certainty by a humid spirit if transformed metals are tryed whence the mutual action and passion of subtilized spirits plainly appeares for the power of spirits is very great and incredible to one not exercised and this gradation of inferiour metals Philosophers both ancient and modern doe not onely confirm but also diggers of minerals taught by experience that mineral vapours by penetration change courser and to purer metals Lazarus Ercker being witness that Iron is changed into a good natural copper in green salt waters and that he saw a pit in which iron nailes and other things cast in by the penetration of a cupreous spirit were turned into a good copper I do not deny that metallick dissolutions of some metals do stick precipitated to the plates and to make them of a golden silver oâ— cupreous colour for it is wel known that iron cast into a vitriol water not to be turned into copper but to draw copper out of the water of which thing we treat not here confirming the possibility of metallick transmutations by a tinging and piercing spirit therefore I againe maintain that great power is in metallick spirits look only upon course and oâ—â—ke earth and besides that clear and limpid water with which the clearer and more powerfull air proceeding from the water cometh from the earth Are not whole countries drowned with water sometimes Towns and Cities taken away cannot the aire destroy the strongest houses especially shut up in the earth shake the land for some miles and after ward demolish whole cities and mountaines with the death of men all which things are done naturally Wind artificially raised by Nitre threatens a far greater danger which no man can deny Although that corporeal Elements exercise so great power yet they cannot pierce metals without hurt nor stones and glass and things soon penetrated by fire Therefore not by an occult but a manifest power of Sun and fire which it hath over metals stones and glass which are easily pierc't by them without any impediment and why should not metals compact of a certain metallick subtile and piercing spirit be penetrated by help of fire and changed into another species As is already spoken of Aurum fulminans and aqua gradatoria Therefore there is no doubt of the possibility of the metallick tingent spirit changing courser metals into finer both by a dry and moist way For metals may be purified the same way that Tartar and Vitriol and other salts namely by the benefit of much water For it is manifest that vitriol is purged with iron and copper mixt with it namely dissolved and coagulated in much water so that it waxe as white as allum which purification is but a separation of metal from salt made by benefit of much water debilitating salt so that it cannot longer return mixt metal which is precipitated like some slime not unprofitable because the chiefest part of vitriol from which is the greennesse viz Copper Iron and Sulphur And as by help of separation metals are drawn from vitriol more perfect then salts so also to be taken from metals with the perfecter and better part is separated by help of precipitation as for Tartar it is purified by the addition of water but its better part is not precipitated as in vitriol but the courser part by reason of blackness and faeculency As for example Tartar by the often solution of the vulgar made with a sufficient quantity of water and coagulation made very pure and white because in every solution made with fresh clear water it alwayes becomes purer and not only by this means white Tartar but also red and feculent is reduced into transparent crystals and indeed very speedily by vertue of a certain precipitation whose limosity for obscuration sake of the salt of crystalline Tartar is nothing else but an unsavory thing dead and useless mixt with Tartar in its coagulation in Hogs-heads of wine and separated again by power of solution And these are the examples of the two salts of Vitriol and Tartar not in vain set down because they shew the difference in precipitation for in some metals by force of precipitation the courser part is separated but in other the better and choicer according to the prevalency of this or that part In vitriol the better part copper and iron is the least which is precipitated and separated from the courser and greater part viz. salt But in Tartar the courser and less part is precipitated and separated from the greater and better part clarified the like is in metals Therefore let every one be wary in separating and consider before whether the better or courser part of metal is to be precipitated without which knowledge no man can meddle with this business let also the workman be ware who expects any profit from his labour of corrosive waters as Aqua fortis Aqua Regia spirit of salt vitriol allome vineger c. in the solution from which no good proceeds as utterly destroying and corrupting all and each of them proving the same in these words From Metals by Metals and with Metals metals are made perfect metals are also purified matured and separated from their vitiosioties by Nitre burning up the superfluous sulphur And all the aforesaid perfections of metals are but particular For every particular medicine as well humane as metallick purgeth separateth and perfecteth or amendeth by the taking away the superfluity For universal medicine worketh its perfections and emendations by strengthening and multiplying the radicall moisture as well of animals as metals expelling then by its own natural vertue his enemy But thou sayst excellent examples indeed are delivered by me but not the manner of doing them R. I have delivered more then you think although you don't perceive it for I am sure after my death that my books will be in greater esteem from which iâ— will appear that I have not sought vain glory but the profit of my neighbour to the utmost of my power But doe not seeing my freeness of writing think that you may wrest ma ny things from me For assure your self that although I have written many things for the publick good yet I intend not by this means to trouble my self For I cannot satisfie the desires of all men nor answer their Epistles nor inrich all men who neither am rich my self nor have sought riches For although I have gotten the knowledge of these things by Gods blessing and have tryed the truth of it in small quantity yet have I never made experience in great store for wealth sake contented with Gods blessing Therefore I would advice all illuminated by God that they fall not into this sinne of ingratitude but that they be mindful of the poore as
much water as will dissolve the Tartar by boyling put the corals Tartar water together into a glass body which must stand in sand give it so strong a fire that the water boyle in the glass body with the Tartar and may dissolve the corals This solution may be done also in a clean earthen pot that is glased and the evaporated water must be supplyed with other as above was taught to be done with the metals The corals being dissolved let them coole filtrate the solution and abstract all the moysture from it in Balneo and there will remaine a pleasant honey-thick liquor which may be used in Physick either of it self or else once more extracted with spirit of wine and purified or else distilled as you please The extract or Tincture is better then the liquor and the spirit is better then the extract or tincture and all three may well and safely be used they strengthen the heart and brains especially those which are made of the pearles and corals they expel the urine and keep the body soluble Those of crabs eyes and of pearches and other fishes open and cleanse the passages of the urine from all slyme and impurity and they powerfully expel the stone and gravel in the reynes and bladder N. B. The distilled spirit of corals being well rectified is good for the Epilepsie Melancholy and Apoplexie It expelleth and driveth out all poyson by sweating because it is of a golden nature and quality whereof in another place more shall be said To distil a spirit out of salt of Tartar and crude Tartar IF you take a like quantity of crude Tartar and of salt of Tartar and dissolve it with clean water and then evaporate the water still skimming it till no skim more do rise and then let it coole there will shoote white crystals which being distilled as common Tartar they will yeild a purer subtler and pleasanter spirit then the crude Tartar doth in al to be used as above hath been taught of the simple spirit of Tartar therefore it is needless here to describe its use Before you distill a spirit thereof you may use them in stead of Tartarus vitriolatus for purging they will cause gentle stooles and drive also the urine and stone and are not unpleasant to take The dose is from ℈ i. to Ê’i in waters fit for your purpose This salt dissolved with water purifieth metals if they be boyled therein and maketh them fairer then common Tartar doeth How to get a powerful spirit out of the salt of Tartar by the help of pure sand or peble-stones IN the first part of this book I taught how to make such a spirit but because the materials which are to be distilled in that furnace must be cast upon quick coales whereby the remainder is lost and that also not every one hath the conveniency to set up a furnace that requireth more room then this here doth therefore I will set down how it may be got with ease in this our present furnace without the loss of the remainder which is not inferior to the spirit it self and it is done thus Make a faire white salt of calcined Tartar by dissolution filtration and coagulation pulverise that salt in a warmed morter and add to it a fourth part of small pulverised crystal or flints or onely of fine sand washed clean mixe it well and cast one spoonful thereof at once into your red-hot vessel which must be made of earth and so cover it and the mixture as soon as it is red hot will rise and boyle like common Allome doth when it cometh to a sudden heate and yeild a thick white heavy spirit and when it ceaseth to come forth and then cast in another spoonful and stay out the time of its settling and then another part again till all your mixture be cast in When no more spirit goeth forth then take off the lid from the distilling vessel and with an iron ladle take out that which stayed behinde whilest it is yet red-hot and soft and it will look like unto a transparant cleer white fusible glass which you must keep from the aire for it will dissolve in it till I teach you what you are to do with it The spirit which came over may either be kept as it is or else rectified per arenam in a glass retort and used in Physick it is clean of another taste then the spirit of common salt or vitriol for it is not so sharp it smelleth of the flints after a sulphureous manner and tasteth urine-like and it is very good for those that are troubled with the goute stone and Tisick for it provoketh urine and sweat mightily and because it cleanseth and strengthneth the stomach it also maketh one have a good appetite to his Victuals What it can do else is unknown to me as yet but it is credible that it may act his part in many other diseases which is left free for every one to tyre In my opinion since the spirit of the salt of Tartar is good to be used of it self for the stone and that here it is strengthned by the sand which have the signature of the stone of the Micâ—ocosme there is hardly any particular medicine which can go beyond it but I leave every one to his own opinion and experience Externally used it quencheth inflammations and maketh a pure skin c. The remainder which I did bid you to keep and looks like a transparent cleer glass is nothing else but the most fixed part of the salt of Tartar and flints which joyned themselves thus in the heart and turned to a soluble glass wherein lyes hid a great heat and fire As long at it is kept dry from the aire it cannot be perceived in it but if you powre water upon it then its secret heate will discover it self If you make it to finde powder in warm morter and lay it in a moyst aire it will dissolve melt into a thick and fat oyle and leave some faeces behinde This fat liquor or oyl of flints sand or crystal may not only be used inwardly and outwardly of it self but also serveth to prepare minerals and metals into good medicines or to change them into better by Chymical art For many great secrets are hid in the contemptible peble or sand which an ignorant and unexpert man if they were disclosed to him would hardly beleeve for this present world is by the divels craft so far possessed with cursed filthy avarice that they seek for nothing but money but honest and ingenious sciences are not regarded at all and therefore God doth close our eyes that we cannot see what lyeth before our eyes and we trample upon with our feet That worthy man Paracelsus hath given it us sufficiently to understand when he saith in his book containing the vexations of Alchymists that many times a despicable flint cast behind a Cow is more worth then a Cow not only because that gold may
ignobler opening a great treasure and as in winter time milk is hardly separated with a weak heat just so metals if not not helped with fire as one may see in iron which in long time under the earth is turned into gold without Art For often iron oar is found with golden veins very goodly to behold severed from the course earthy and crude sulphur by force of the centers heat And commonly in such oar no vitriol is found separated and bettered by its contrary But a long time is required for that subterraneous separation which Art very speedily performes as is wont to be done with milk in winter when wee presently make butter of it when we put it to fire to part the cream speedily which separation precipitation made with acid things mortifying the urinous salt of milk much helps by which means all principles are separated by themselves as butter cheese whey so in a quarter of an houre separation is made by boiling which else without acid things could not be done in some weeks If then it be possible in vegetables and not animals why not in minerals For what but gold and silver is found in lead iron tin and copper though they doe appear Why is all goodness denyed to courser metals granted to vegetables and animals not equal to them for lasting Whence is the naturall perfection of lead tin iron and copper to be proved Nature ever seeks the perfection of her fruits but course metals are imperfect Why then is not nature helped with Art in perfecting them But the bond of metallick parts is worth observation which being broken the parts are separated Urinous salt as I may say is the bond of the parts making milk as of butter whey and cheese which is to be mortified by its contrary acid for separation But in iron the parts are bound with vitriol salt as with a bond which is to be mortified with its contrary urinous or nitrous salt for separation He therefore who knoweth to take away the superfluous salt of iron either by moist or dry means doubtless shall have iron not soon subject to rust Fire also hath incredible force of it self in changing metals Is not steel made iron by force of fire and iron of steel by different proceeding Experience dayly teacheth us also divers kinds of changes and refinings by fire why is it not possible in metals by an expert Chymist having skill in them Who would beleeve that a live bird lurkes in an egg and an hearb having leaves flowers and sent in the seed Why may not then abortive metals getting not yet perfection be perfected by Art with help of fire Is not an unripe apple or pear ripened by the heat of the Sun which some curious and industrious marking have imitated nature in their works and have found some metals not destroyed with the heat of fire but enriched with a secret gainfull heat so that melted digestion being made they have yeelded double weight of gold and silver Yea I my self have seene the common oar of lead digested after the aforesaid manner which was not only inriched with silver thereby but also partaked of gold which it wanted before in ordinary trial Besides one might work this in great quantity as wi th an hundred pounds which work of minerals will without doubt bring great profit to the skilful triers of lead But know this not every one by this tryal of lead to be furnished with gold but the oar to be ever enriched with silver experience being witness More such things are found in Nature incredible to the ignorant those that are unacquainted But if we mortals were more diligent in reading the book written with the hand of God in the pages of the four Elements surely we should find more secrets and wonders in them but skill and wealth is got with sweat of face and not by sloth therefore labour and pray Metals are also by help of gradation equal to germination For it is well known that the shoot or graffe of some fruitful garden-tree implanted in a wood makes after that tree to bear not wild fruits but very good and sweet like them of the implanted shoot as one may see in iron dissolved in an acid spirit fermented with Venus and turned into Copper by which means doubtless copper is turned into Silver and silver into gold if by manner of fermentation the true way were known Now this transmutation is like digestion making beef or horse flesh of grass in the stomach of oxe and horse and mans flesh of beef in the stomach of man The better parts also are separated from worser by the attractive strength of the like as is to be seen in metal abounding with sulphur to which if iron be added in fusion the sulphur deserts its native metal by which meanes it is more pured and joins its self to iron with which it hath more affinity and familiarity then with its own For example if iron be added to lead oar ful of sulphur in the melting this melted metal is made malleable which else would be black and brittle And if something else to be put to the melted malleable metal were known to us to take away in the melting the redundant crude combustible sulphur questionless it would yet be made purer which thing unknowne metals remain in their impurity And indeed God hath done well in this as in all other his works that he hath concealed his knowltdge to us for if it were known to the covetous they would buy up all lead tin copper and iron to turne into gold so that rurall and poor Labourers could hardly buy metallick instruments for their use for the scarcity but God will not have all metals turned into Gold By a given similitude of taking away the superfluous sulphur of some metals in fusion for to keep the purer parts so likewise is given of separating the purer parts from the impure namely by the attractive power of the like where the purer parts are drawn together by their like the impurer and heterogeneous part is rejected and that may be shown us well by a moist or dry way an example of the moist way ensueth If quick Mercury be added to impure gold or silver dissolved in its proper menstruum the mercury drawes with it invisible gold and silver from the Menstruum and mine with the refuse and associates what is puâ—est to it self which separation soon succeeds Mercury performes the same likewise a dry way namely when some earth having some gold and silver is moistened with acid water and they are so long bruised together till Mercury drawes the better part which done you must wash the dead earth left with common water and separate Mercury dryed from the attracted gold and silver by trajecting them through a skin And Mercury drawes but one metal from the earth and indeed the best for one time which separated it draws the second another metal for example if in some one earth gold
not mixt with lead of one and the same forme and quantity the weight of which bals observe exactly which done again melt the aforesaid bals into one and first the copper to which melted add the Tin lest much Tin evaporate in the melting and presently powre out the mixture melted into the type of the first bals there wil not come forth four but scarce three bals the weight of the four bals reserved if then metals are noâ— porous how I pray doth that great alteration of quantity proceed therefore know that metalsare porous more or less gold hath the finest pores silver hath more Mercury more then that Lead more then Mercury Copper more then Lead and Iron then copper but tin hath most of all If we could destroy metals and again educe them destroyed from power to act surely they would not be so porous And as a child without correction is unfit to any goodness but corrected is endued with all kinde of vertue and learning so also we must understand of metals which left in their natural state namely drawn out of the earth without correction and emendation remaine volatile but corrupted and regenerated are made more noble even as our bodies destroyed and corrupted at length shall arise clarified before they come into Gods fight Well said Paracelsus that if in one hour metals were destroyed an hundred times yet they could not be without a body reassuming a new species and indeed a better for it is rightly said Vnius corruptio alterius generatio for the mortification of a superfluous sulphureous body is the regeneration of the Mercurial soul for without destruction of metals perfection cannot be therefore metals are to be destroyed and made shapeless that after thereby the superfluous earthy combustible sulphur separated the pure fine Mercurial species may spring of which thing more de amausis Of the smoothing and polishing looking glasses A Looking glass though it be very exactly fused and proportioned yet it is of no value not rightly polished and smoothed for easily in the smoothing some parts it may suffer some dammage hurtful to it and it is necessary to take from them first the grosser part by the wheel as the custome is with Pewterers and Coppersmiths with a sandy stone then to apply to them the purer whetstone with water until they are sufficiently smoothed by grinding which done the looking glasses are again to be taken from the wheele and to be moved to the wooden wheele covered with leather rubed over with a fine prepared glazing stone until the crevises contracted in the turning no more appear having got a cross line afterward another wheele covered with leather is required to which a blood stone prepared and washt with the ashes of tin rubbed on to which likewise by the aforesaid meanes according to the same time looking-glasses are so long to be moved till they get a sufficient fineness and brightness You must keep such looking glasses from the moist aire and breathing and to wipe them infected with aire and breathing not with any woolen or linen cloth but with a Goats or Harts skin and not any where but on the cross line with which sleeked looking glasses are smoothed They can also be smoothed with lead artificially melted with an emrald and water first by grinding secondly with a purer emrald and lead lastlywith a blood stone ashes of tin likewise also with whetstones by putting in another purer every time whence at length brightness is procured to them by ashes of tin Also the outward part of the looking glasses convexe may be smoothed which represents short shapes and spreads the dispersed rayes but the inward part hollow gathers and multiplies and presents a shape Let these things suffice of melting looking glasses and polishing requisites to the collection of the Sun beams and although from the aforesaid mixture other kinds of looking glasses might be made representing wonderful shapes and several excellent things as Cylindrick Pyramidal Parabolick c. yet they are omitted as impertinent yet I could shew a way to make them because I have not undergone small labors and charges in the searching of their preparation and use if it were necessary But of all looking glasses that is most useful whose preparation we have shewn whose diameter is at least two or three spans if thou wilt perform any special thing although it be but of one or two spans yet it gathers abundance of beams so that thou maist melt tin and lead with it if it be well shaped yet the larger are the better Nor ought they to be too broad that they may further cast their beams and better performe their actions or functions let them have the twentieth or thirtieth part of the sphere the section exactly observed which is the fundament of the Art Of metallick glasses ASfor metallick glasses much conducing to the perfection of metals and esteemed by the Ancient Philosophers I would not omit in this place because they are easily made by this furnace And indeed the Ancients have found these glasses questionless by chance reducing the calcined bodyes into glass by a strong fire for very many secrets by this means not sought for are found out Oftentimes it happens to our labors that past hope we finde something better or worse then the thing sought and I think this happens with these glasses but however it be I am sure these glasses have stood us in much stead for Izaak Holland saith plainly that vitrified metals brought to metals by that reduction do give better and nobler metals then the first vitrified and indeed gold gives a tincture but silver gold and copper silver and so consequently the glass of other metals give better metals in reduction the truth of which experience proves and although I have not yet made great tryal in this work yet I know that metals brought into dead ashes to be turned into cleere glass cannot be again reduced into metals without great profit yet one metal is more pliable then another nor are our glasses the metallicks of goldsmiths fixed to other large ones for ornaments sake made by the addition of glasse made of fusile sand but ours of the juice of metals But I do not deny the vertue of Venice glass mundificating another fusile of metals chiefly copper and tin which though is not comparable with metallick peeces I freely confess I have tryed this thing twenty times and I never was deceived by it but I know not whether it may prove so in a greater quantity because I never tryed it doubting of my vessels not fit to retaine fusible glasses a requisite time for I have spent much labor in making these kinde of vessels but hitherto in vaine For there is very great hope of gaine if thou hast very strong crucibles But this perfection is not without reason for whilest the metal is burnt to ashes much of the superfluous combustible sulphur is burnt as you may see in Lead Tin and Copper from the sparks
in a short time and without much costs as also of boyling Beer Hydromel Wine and other things which otherwise are made in Copper or Iron vessels and all this by the help of wooden vessels and benefit of a certain smal Copper or Iron instrument of two or three pound weight and that after a certain easie maner without furnaces This newly invented Art doth also teach divers Chymical operations as putrefactions digestions circulations extractions abstractions cohobations fixations c. And this invention is very necessary and profitable for young beginners in this Art for they need not in the making of burning spirits waters of Vegetables Extracts and other Medicaments so many Furnaces and so many Copper Iron Tin Earthen and Glass vessels for it is here taught how all the aforesaid operations may be done only by the help of a certain smal Copper or Iron vessel in wooden vessels as well as by Alâ—mbicks and other great Copper vessels by which meanes a great deal of costs is saved In the fourth part shall be taught another certaine and hitherto unknown furnace in which all Chymical operations may most easily be done being most profitable for the trying of the natures of Minerals and Metals as also for the proving examining melting cupelling and separating of Metals that nothing may be lost of them and that after a compendious and easie way and that also to great advantage In the fifth shall be taught how to make and prepare Iron Earthen Glass and other kind of Instruments necessary for the aforesaid four furnaces as also other necessary and most profitable Manuals And indeed in the first part the Fabrick of the first furnace being delineated I shall also shew how by the help thereof may be made Spirits Oyles Flowers and other most profitable Medicaments also their vertues and use and that as faithfully as I may and without fraud And truly I do not doubt but those of understanding will approve of this work but ignorant Zoiles will contemne it For it is said according to the Proverb He that builds by the high way will hear many things from them that finde fault and especially from the vulgar c. But it would be well if those Thrasoees would put forth something more excellent before they finde fault with and carp at other mens paines and labours Wherefore let no one rashly judge of this work untill he be throughly informed concerning the same and then I do not doubt but the Authour shall be by him commended And if haply all things shall not presently succeed well to his minde with him that shall build this furnace and operate therewith let him think with himself that prehaps he hath erred in some part for it is a new and unknown work in which any one may easily erre and not presently therefore murmur against the Author blameing him because he hath not wrote cleer enough but let him ascribe it to his own ignorance and let him study to understand the Authours meaning and still be practising upon it and then I do not doubt but he will have better success which I pray every one may have AMEN THE FIRST PART OF PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACES CONTAINING A NEW ART OF Making Spirits Oyles Flowers and other Medicaments by the help of the first of those Furnaces after a most easie and peculiar manner out of Vegetables Animals and that with great profit ALSO The CHYMICAL and MEDICINAL use thereof By JOHN RUDOLPH GLAUBER LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes for Tho Williams at the signe of the Bible in Little-Britain 1652. E. The first subliming pot which is set into the upper hole of the furnace D. The upper hole of the furnace F. The second pot G. The third H. The fourth A. The ash hole with the wideness of the furnace B. the middle hole by which the coals and matter to be distilled are cast in C. A stopple of stone which is to stop the said hole after injection D. The upper hole with a certain false bottome which is to be filled with sand E. The cover of the upper hole which is laid on after the injection of the coales and materials F. A pipe going out of the receiver and joyned to the first pot C. The first receiver H. The second I. The third K. A stoole on which the first receiver stands having a hole in the middle through which the neck of the first pot to which a dish is annexed passeth L. The dish through the pipe whereof the refrigerated spirits distill M. A receiver into which the spirits collected in the dish do flow N. A screw to be raised higher at pleasure for the better joyning the receiver to the pipe and it goeth through a stoole O. The place of the pipe for the distilling of spirit of Vitriol and Allome P. A grate consisting of two strong cross iron bars fastened in the furnace and foure or five more less that are moveable for the better cleansing of the furnace G. The first crooked pipe fitted to the pipe of the furnace F. The pipe of the furnace H. A receiver fitted to that pipe and set in a tub of water for the accelerating the operations which recipient hath a cover with two holes through the first whereof goeth a single crooked pipe and through the other two crooked pipes whereof one goeth into the receiver as did the single and the other out of the receiver H. into H. H. I. The tub of water M. A third pipe By this way flowers are sublimed and spirits distilled speedily and in great quantity THE FIRST PART OF PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACES Of the structure of the first Furnace AS for the first Furnace it may be built greater or lesser as you please a regard being had of the quantity of the water to be distilled and also either round or square either of Bricks or by a Potter with Potters clay Now when the Diameter is of one span viz. withinside the height must be of four viz. one from the bottom to the grate another from the grate to the hole made for putting in of Coales and two from thence to the top of the Pipe which must at least go forth out of the Furnace one span lest the receivers should by the worms of the Furnace be heated The Pipe also must have on the fore part a Diameter answering the third part of the intrinsecal Diameter of the Furnace also a little larger on the hinder part then the forepart Let the grate be such a one as may be taken out at your pleasure and made clean being stopt by the water that is cast in and distilled for it is easily stopt in distilling of Salts melted with the coales whereby the aire is kept from coming to the fire and the distillation by consequence hindred Or let there be put into the vessel cross-wise two strong Iron bars upon which lay four or five lesser distant the one from the other the breadth of a finger going a little out of the Furnace
in which when they are stopt you may take them with a paire of Tongs stir them and cleanse them from the burnt water and then again put them into their own places wherefore also the Furnace must on the fore part be open under the grate that you may the better order the grate Also the grate must have above a covering of Iron or Stone with a hole in the midle thereof with a certain distinction which is to be filled with sand that the cover may the better and more fitly shut the hole and prevent the exhaling of the spirits which by this means will being forced go forth thorow the Pipe into the receivers after you have cast in the water which is to be distilled Of the Receivers Let the receivers be made of glass or of strong earth which may retain the spirits and such is Waldburgick Hassiack Frechheimensian Siburgic earth c. They are better that are made of glass if they are to be had and those especially which are made of strong and firme glass which may be smoothed about the joynts with a Smiris stone and so fitted that they may the better be joyned together and then they need not laving but how they shall be smoothed with the Smiris stone and be fitted shall be taught in the fifth part which treates of Manuals because by this means they are joyned so close that no spirits can go through the joynts otherwise you must close the joynts with the best lute such as will not let the spirits exhale which shall be taught in the book treating of Manuals The form of the recipient you may see in the delineation thereof As for the quantity thereof know that by how much the greater they are so much the better they are for then you need the fewer but the more by how much the lesser they are Let the superior orifice be larger then the inferior so that alwayes another receiver may with its inferior orifice be joyned to it and let the inferior orifice have a Diameter of three fingers breadth or thereabouts I mean in case the Diameter of the Furnace be of one span For a greater Furnace requires greater holes as also orifices of the receivers by which means a sufficient and due proportion of aire may be given to the fire or if the Diameter of the furnace be more then a span it must also have two or three pipes which being considered together should have a wideness answering the wideness of the third part of the Furnace for so great a wideness and so much aire is required if the fire burn freely and do its office to which vessels of the aforesaid proportion must be applyed that the fire be not choaked Now the figure that is annexed will teach the conjunction of the receivers as also their application to the furnace And in the first place the receiver stands in a threefoot stoole bored thorow in the middle that the neck of the first receiver may pass thorow to which is applyed a dish with a pipe receiving the dropping spirits To the first there is joyned a second and to that a third and so consequently viz. neer unto a wall or ladder so many as you please Let the upper receiver and indeed all the rest be left open To the lower as hath been said is joyned a dish with a pipe by which the distilled spirits run down into another certain glass vessel added thereunto which being filled is taken away and another is set in the place of it because that is set under it without luting and therefore may easily be changed And if you please to distil any thing else you must take away that dish with a pipe and make it clean and then joyn it close again that no spirit may breath forth to the work of the lower receiver And if that dish cannot be so closely joyned that nothing exhale pour in a spoonful of water for that doth astringe neither doth it hurt the spirits because in the rectifying it is separated Of Subliming vessels These you need not make of glass or of such earth as may retain the spirits as hath been above mentioned it is sufficient if so be they be made of good common potters earth and be well glazed within viz. of such a form and figure as appears by the annexed delineation Yet you must choose good earth that will endure the fire for the lower pots are so heated by the fire that they would be broken if they should not be made of good earth Now I will shew you in general the manner it self of distiling as also the manual necessaries in every distillation The manner of distilling In the first place let there be some burning coales put in which afterwards must be covered with more until the Furnace be full almost to the pipe which being done let not the uppermost cover be laid over its hole that the heat and smoke may pass that way and not thorow the pipe and receivers which will thereby be red hot and this will be a hindâ—ance to the distillation untill the fire be sufficiently kindled and the furnace be throughly hot then cast in with an Iron ladle of the water prepared for distillation as much as will cover the coales which being done stop the furnace very close by pressing down strongly the upper cover upon its hole or sand which is put in the lower part of the hole being a place made for that purpose Now let him that casts in any thing thorow the middle hole presently stop it with a stopple of stone and that very close for by this means all those things which were cast in will be forced after the manner of a thick cloud to break forth through the pipe into the receivers and there to condense themselves into an acid spirit or oyle and thence to distil into the dish set under through the pipe whereof they do yet distil down further into an other glass receiver The Coales being burnt out and all the spirits being come forth you must cast in more Coales and more materials untill you have got a sufficient quantity of Spirits In this way of distilling you may at your pleasure cease and begin again without any danger When you will make clean the Furnace you need do nothing else then draw out the Iron bars that ly on the cross bar that the Caput Mortuum may fall down which afterwards may be taken away with a fire shovel which being done you must put in the bars again and â—ay them on the cross bars as before upon which you must cast burning coals and upon them others until there be enough then on them all being well kindled cast your materials When you go to make clean the receivers and to begin to distil an other thing you need not remove them but only pour pure water into them viz. by their upper receiver by the descending whereof the other are purified And by this way not only out of vegetables
volatiles and minerals incombustible but also out of metals fixed and stones spirits oyles and flowers are drawn forth wonderfully easily and in good quantity which otherwise could never have been done by the vulgar art of distilling Now in this furnace are distilled only such materials which being distilled yeeld an incombustible quantity as common salt vitrial allom and other minerals vessels each of which doth yet require their peculiar manuals if operated upon Now because this furnace doth not serve for every water because the materials to be distilled are cast upon burning coals which are things combustible I have determined in the second part to give another viz. a lesser unlike to this yet convenient to distil all combustible things that are endued with volatile spirits as Tartar Hartshorn Ambâ—r Salt armoniac of urine c There are by the help hereof made most subtile volatil sulphureous spirits of salts and minerals as of common salt vitrial allom nitre antimâ—ny and of all other minerals and metals which otherwise without this furnace could not have been made with which spirits wonderful things are performed in Medicine and Alchymie as in the second part shall be demonstrated more largely Now I will shew you a way to make other receivers belonging to the first furnace and indeed such as are more fit for some operations as the former were more fit then others wherefore let him that will operate choose these or the other as he pleaseth As therefore the former being erected upwards by a wall or ladder by which means the spirit might ascend from one into an other so long untill being refrigerated and condensed might again drop downward into the dish that is annexed thereto so these are a contrary way set and placed collaterall in a vessel filled with cold water to condense the spirits by which means you need not so many receivers Also they must not be fashioned like the former as to be open above and below but only above like pots that serve for boyling but this you must observe that by how much the deeper and larger they are by so much the better they are Also you must joyn them together by the help of earthen pipes being so distinct that the spirits may be kept back being yet hot and not refrigerated from passing out of one into the other but being forced through the middle of the separation of the pipes may go to the bottom of every receiver and thence arise by another pipe into another receiver that hath a double cover like the former where again descending to the cold bottom remain refrigerated and condensed Now three or four of these are enough whereas of other thirteen or fifteen are required a regard being had of their greatness You may see the figure of these receivers as also their joyning together by the annexed delineation Now for the most part one is sufficient for him that distils a few things especially if the water be not pretious and then let one crooked earthen pipe at least be joyned one arme with the pipe that goeth forth of the furnace the other with the receiver but so that it go into the receiver downwards even to the middle thereof and then you need not shut the orifice of the receivers for it is no great matter if somewhat evaporate viz. if the water to be distilled be not pretious And by this way may new spirits and new flowers be made every houre with the help of one furnace and one recipient but with this caution that for every new distillation the recipient be washed with water before it be put to the pipe which being put to you may then cast your species into the furnace and this do till you have a sufficient quantity of spirits And this way of distillation serves especially for the trying of the natures and properties of many and divers minerals such as yeild in the fire spirits and flowers For it would be too tedious in every new distillation to apply a new and distinct receiver as also many studious of the Chymical art would quit their study being able to make by retort but one tryal in a day And no wonder if expences and loss of time should deter many Now here there is no need of many Retorts nor of laving them without receivers and such like superfluous things neither is there here required the constant presence of the operator the observation of the regiment of fire the neglect whreof would otherwise endanger the loss of the retorts and receivers and by consequence the loss of labor These and such like tedious things are not here to be cared for because it is sufficient only to cast the water upon the coals and cover the furnace and then presently go forth the spirits and flowers of the same kinde with their mineral of which when thou hast got a sufficient quantity thou must draw out the Iron bars upon which the coals lye that they may fall down and be taken away and whilst the furnace is yet hot to put in the Iron bars again and upon them to lay fresh coals which then will of their own accord be kindled with the heat of the furnace In the mean time you must take away the receiver and make it clean and set it to again or if you had rather put another clean one viz. for the new distillation of another water And by this way divers things may be in the space of 1. hour distilled and sublimed viz. in a small quantity But he that will distil or sublime in a greater quantity let him take three or four pots that the spirits may pass from one into another that nothing thereof be lost Here need not as I said before the continual presence of the operator for he may be gone cease or repeal as he please because the work is without danger of breaking the retorts and receivers He that knows the use of this furnace may do many things in a short time without spending much time or cost For any one may do more by the help thereof in one hour then in the common way in 24. by which way also there is a great saving of coals because ten pound of coals will do more this way then a hundred the other As for example he that will try shall make a pound of spirit of salt in one hour with 3. 4. or five pounds of coals whereas after the other way are required fifty or sixty pounds and at least twenty or thirty hours time viz. in the common way by the help of retorts which is indeed very tedious Also by this way may be made the flowers of minerals and metals in a great quantity very easily and in a short time without great cost so as that in one hours space with three or four pound of coals may a pound of the flowers of Antimony be made And this is no small help to the Physitian and Chymist Moreover this furnace being once built endures for many
with their fruit which cannot be done by a still There are made also by means thereof oyles of gummes and rosins cleer and prospicuous The cleer oyle of Mastick and frankincense TAke of frankincense or mastick powdered small as much as will serve to fill the third part of a cornute which must be coated upon which pour a sufficient quantity of the spirit of salt taking heed that the retort be not filled too full or else the spirit when it boyles flows over it then place it in sand and give fire by degrees and there will first come out some phlegme after which a clear transparent oyle together with the spirit of salt which must be kept by it self after this a certain yellow oyle which must be received by it self and last of all there follows a red oyle which although it is not to be cast away yet it is very unlike to the first serving for outward uses and to be mixed with oyntments and Emplasters for it doth wonderfully consolidate and therefore good in new and old wounds The first being well rectified is in its subtilty and penetrating faculty not unlike to spirit of wine and may profitably be used inwardly and outwardly viz. in cold affects but especially in the stiffness of the Nerves caused by cold humors upon which follows a contraction but then you must first rub the member contracted with a linnen cloth that it may be well warmed into which then the oyle must be chafed with a warm hand For it doth do wonders in such like affects of the Nerves After the same maner may oyles be made out of all gums The red tenacious and stinking oyles of Tartar Hartshorn Amber c. distilled after the common way by retort are also rectified with spirit of salt so as to become transparent and to lose the Empyreuma contracted by distillation Now the cause of the blackness and fetidness of these kind of oyles is a certain volatile salt which is to be found as well in vegetables as certain Animals which is easily mixed with the oyle and then makes it of a brown colour For every volatile salt whether it be of Urine Tartar Amber Hartshorn and of other vegetables and Animals is of this condition and nature as to exalt and alter the colours of sulphureous things and that either for the worse or for the better but for the most part it makes oyles thick black and stinking as you may see in Amber Hartshorn and Tartar The cause therefore of the blackness and fetidness of these oyles being known we may the more easily take heed thereof in distilling and being contracted correct them again by the help of spirit of salt For all volatile salt hath contrariety to any acid spirit and on the other side every acid spirit hath a contrariety with all volatile salts that have the nature of salt of Tartar For metals that are dissolved with acid spirits are as well precipitated with spirit of urine or any volatile salt as with the liquor of salt of Tartar which shall be more at large declared in the second part The volatile salt therefore is by the mortifying acid spirits as of salt vitrial allom vinegar c. deprived of its volatility and is fixed by which means being debilitated it forsakes its associate which was infected with blackness by it it is necessary that we should proceed after the same maner with these fetid oyles viz. as follows Take any fetid oyle of Tartar Amber c. with which fill the fourth part only of a glass cornute and upon it poure by drops the spirit of salt and it will begin to be hot as it is used to be when Aqua fortis is poured on salt of Tartar wherefore the spirit is to be poured on it by little and little and by drops for fear of breaking the glasse Now the signe of the moriification of the volatile salt is when it ceaseth to make a noise and then no more is to be poured on but set your retort in sand and give fire to it by degrees as is used to be done in the rectifying of things of easie elevation and first of all will go forth a certain stinking water after which comes a transparent clear and odoriferous oyle and after that a certain yellow clear and also well smelling oyle but not so as the first wherefore each must be taken a part by changing the receivers Now these oyles become more grateful then those fetid of the shops For these oyles retaine their cleerness and fairness the cause of their fetidness and redness being taken away by the spirit of salt In the bottom of the retort remains the black volatile salt with the spirit of salt from whence it may be sublimed into an odoriferous salt resembling salt armoniack in tast The spirit of salt is also deprived of its acidity and coagulated by the volatile salt and is like tartarum vitriolatum appointed also for its uses as shall be spoken in the second part of the spirit of urine After the same manner also are rectified other oyles which by length of time have contracted a clamminess as are oyle of Cinnamon Mace cloves c. with the spirit of salt if they be rectified by retort for then they acquire again both the same clearness and goodness as they had when they were newly distilled Here I must make mention of a certain error of Physitians not only of ignorant Galenists but Spagyricks committed in the preparations of some Chymical medicaments For many have perswaded themselves that oyle of Tartar Harts-horn c. having lost its stink is a medicine radically taking away all obstructions but this must be taken with a graine of salt For some have rectified these kinds of oyles by calcined vitriol and by that means have somewhat made them lose their Empyreuma but withall their vertues which others observing have conceived that the fetidness thereof is not to be taken away because the vertue of them is thereby lost as if the vertue consisted in the fetidness thereof but that is a very great error because fetidness is an enemy to the heart and brain and in it is no good But this is granted that they that take away the fetidness of those oyles mortifie the vertues of them But thou saist How then must we proceed in taking away their fetidness without the loss of the vertues Must they be rectified by the spirit of salt as even now thou taughtest R. No for although I said that oyles might be clarified with spirit of salt yet it doth not follow that my meaning was that that clarification was the mending of them this is only a way of clarification whereby they become more gratefull and it is not to be slighted a better being unknown But how they are to be rectified from their fetidness and blackness without the loss of their vertues and to be made more noble doth not belong to this place because it cannot be done by this furnace I shall
it be evaporated leaves behinde the best spirit of salt serving for the same or such like uses again Of the external use of the Corrosive oyle of Antimony THis oyle hath been long used by Chirurgions for they have with a feather applyed it to wounds almost uncurable to separate impurities for the acceleration of the cure that after other medicaments being applyed may the better operate But it is better if it be mixed with spirit of salt for they are easily mixed and it is made more mild thereby and the too great corrosive faculty thereof is mitigated Neither is there any other beside the spirit of salt with which this oyle can be mixed unless it be the strongest spirit of nitre for the weak spirit of Antimony precipitates the butter of Antimony as you may see in the preparation of Bezoardicum Minerale But the strongest spirit of nitre dissolving this butter makes a red solution of wonderful vertue in Chymistry of which we are not to treat in this place and if this be drawn off again by distillation it leaves behinde the first time a fixed Antimony and Diaphoreticall which otherwise must be drawn off twice or thrice viz. if it be weak and not able to dissolve the butter without precipitation Now this Bezoardicum is the best and safest Diaphoretick in all diseases that require sweat as in the plague french pox feavers scorbute leprosie c. if it be given from 6. 8. 10. to twenty grains in proper vehicles it penetrates the whole body and evacuates all evil humors by sweat and urine The Oyle of Arsenic and Auripigmentum AS the spirit of salt doth not easily work upon Antimony by reason of the abundance of crude sulphur unless it be reduced into flowers in the preparation whereof some part of its sulphur is burnt so also Arsenic and Auripigmentum are hardly dissolved with spirit of salt unless they be reduced into flowers and the spirit of salt be very strong which may be able to work upon it These may be distilled by retort like Antimony into a thick heavy oyle which being used in cancrous eating ulcers exceeds that of Antimony in mortifying mundifying and purging those evils After the same manner may corrosive oyles be made out of all the realgars being ordained for outward uses Oyle of Lapis Calaminaris TAke of the best yellow or red Lapis Calaminaris very subtilly poudered as much as you please and pour upon it five or six times as much of rectified spirit of salt mix and stir them well together and do not leave them long unstirred but ever and anon shake the glass with the materials and this do oftentimes or else the Lapis calaminaris will grow together into a very hard stone which can be dissolved no more which is prevented by the aforesaid often shaking and when the spirit of salt will dissolve no more thereof in frigido set the glass in warm sand so long untill the spirit be tinged with a most yellow colour which then decant and pour on fresh and again set it in digestion to extract and do not forget to shake the glass often The solution being finished filter it and cast away the residue of the terra mortua Afterwards set the solution in sand and give fire and almost three parts of the spirit of salt will go over insipid which is nothing but the flegme although the spirit was never so well rectified the reason whereof is the most dry nature of lapis calaminaris to which the spirit of salt is very friendly and therefore very hard to be separated from it For I never knew any mineral or metal beside Zinck which exceeds lapis calaminaris in dryness At last when no more flegm will go over let all things coole which being done take out the glass and thou shalt finde a thick red oyle as fat as oyle olive and not very corrosive for that spirit of salt being almost mortified with lapis calaminaris is deprived of its acidity This oyle is to be kept from the aire or else within a few dayes it attracts much aire which it converts into water and thereby becomes weakened This oyle is of wonderful vertue being used as well inwardly as outwardly And I wonder that in so long a time there hath been no body who hath operated in lapis calaminaris described the nature thereof seeing it hath in it a golden sulphur of which thing in the fourth part for if the terrestreity thereof were separated from it artificially pure gold would be manifested therein now the greatest part thereof is volatile and immature and cannot easily be reduced into a body in melting wherefore hitherto that stone hath not 〈◊〉 esteemed of by Chymists but to the wise was 〈…〉 c. The use of the oyle of Lapis Calaminaris 〈…〉 given from 1. 2. 3. drops to ten and fifteen with sutable vehicles it purgeth the dropsie leprosie gout and other noxious fixed humors not yeelding to vegetable Catharticks of which more at large in the second part of the spirit of urine and salt of tartar It serves outwardly for an excellent vulnerary balsome the like to which can scarce be shewed not only in reducing old corrupt wounds but also in those that are green for it doth powerfully dry mundifie and consolidate It is also used in houshold affaires for birdlime being dissolved in it yeelds a certain tenacious matter serving to catch birds mice c. about the house or in the field For it is as permanent in the heat of the Sun as in the cold of winter wherefore it may be used at any time of the yeere all small animals stick to it if they do but touch the matter A ligature or string smeered therewith and bound about any tree prevents the spiders from climbing up thereon and other kindes of insects that are noxious to the fruit a thing worth taking notice of This oyle is not by the pouring on of water corrupted neither is it precipitated as that of Antimony wherefore it is useful for many things Common yellow sulphur boyled in it viz. in a strong fire so as to be dissolved in it swims upon it like fat is thereby purified and made as transparent as yellow pellucid glass and a better medicine then those common flowers of sulphur it serves also for other uses all which to relate here it would be too tedious This oyle being mixed with clean sand and distilled by retort in a fire that is very strong otherwise the spirit of salt will leave the lapis calaminaris yeelds a most fiery spirit the lapis calaminaris remaining in the bottome of the retort This spirit is so strong that it can scarce be kept it dissolves all metals and all minerals excepting silver sulphur wherefore by the help thereof many excellent medicaments are made which cannot be made with the common spirit though never so well rectified which although it be often rectified yet is not without flegme which cannot be separated
inflammations caused by fire cures the scab but especially the decoction being made of its own wood in the same Being mixed with warm water for a bath for the lower part of the body it cures occult diseases of women as also malignant ulcers of the leggs This spirit therefore deserves some place in the shops i. e. it is unjustly rejected in the shops seeing it is easie to be made In distilling of wormwood and other vegetables there remaines in the bottome of the furnace ashes which being extracted with warme water yeelds a salt by decoction which being again dissolved in its own spirit or vinegar and filtred doth by the evaporating of flegme being placed in a cold place pass into a Crystalline salt which is of a pleasant tast not like unto a lixivium nor unto other salts that are dissolved in aire This salt is also more efficacious being reduced into Crystals by its proper Spirit then that which is made by the help of sulphur or Aqua fortis and oyle of Vitrioll and otherwayes which Chymists and Apothecaries use The spirit of paper and linen cloth PEices of linen cloth gathered and got from Sempsters being cast into the furnace upon living coales yeeld a most acid spirit which tingeth the nailes skin and hair with a yellow colour restores members destroyed with cold is good in a gangrene and erysipelas if linen clothes wet in the same be applyed thereto c. The same doth spirit made of paper viz. of the peices thereof The spirit of Silk AFter the same manner is there a spirit made of pieces of silke which is not so sharpe as that which is made of linnen and paper neither doth it tinge the skin but is most excellent in wounds as wel old as green and it makes the skin beautiful The spirit of mans haire and of other animals as also of horns OUt of horns also and hair is made a spirit but most fetid wherefore it is not so useful although otherwise it may serve for divers arts being rectified it becomes clear and to be of the odour of the spirit of urine It dissolves common sulphur and yeelds a water that cures the scab in a very short time Now for this business shreds of woollen cloth undyed may serve being cast in a good quantity into the furnace Pieces of cloth dipt in this spirit and hanged in vinyards and fields keep out Deer and Swine from coming in because they are afraid of the smell of that spirit as of a huntsman that waits to catch them The spirit of vinegar honey and sugar HE that will distill liquid things must cast red-hot coals into them as for example into vinegar in the furnace or if it be honey or sugar let them first be dissolved in water by which means they will be drunk up by the coales which being therewith impregnated must afterwards at several times be cast into the furnace and be burnt and whilest the coals are burning that which is incombustible comes forth And by this means you may distill liquid things in a great â—uantity Vinegar which is distilled this way is of the same nature as that which is distilled in close vessels But honey and sugar that are distilled after this manner are a little altered and acquire other vertues but how they shall be distilled without the loss of their volatile spirit shall be taught in the second part Also after this manner may all liquid things being drunk up by living coales be distilled Of the use of distilled vinegar many things might be said but because the books of all the Chymists treat abundantly thereof I account it needless to repeat what they have writ Yet this is worth taking notice of that the sharpest vinegar hath a great affinity with some metals which may be extractby the help thereof also dissolved and reduced into medicaments yea many things may be made with the help thereof as the books of all the Chymists testifie But there is yet another vinegar of which there is often mention made in the books of the Philosophers by the help whereof many wonderful things are performed in the solutions of metals the name whereof the ancients have been silent in of which I do not here treat because it cannot be made by this furnace but I shall treat of it in another part yet so that I incur not the curse of the Philosophers How spirits may be made out of the salt of tartar vitriolated tartar the spirit of salt tartarizated and of other such like fixed salts AS many Chymists as there hath been almost all have been of the opinion that a spirit cannot be drawn out of salt of tartar and other fixed salts For experience hath taught that by retort little or no spirit can be drawn from thence as I had often experience of before the invention of this furnace the reason of which thing was the admixtion of sand earth bole pouder of tiles c. for to prevent the flowing of salt of tartar being by this means dispersed But this is done through the ignorance of Authors who have been ignorant of the properties of salt of tartar For a stony matter as sand flint bole c. being mixed with salt of tartar feeling the heat of the fire and being made red with the same is joyned to it most closely so as no spirit can be drawn from thence but become a most hard stone For sand and such things that are like to it have so great an affinity with the salt of tartar that being once united can scarce ever be separated Yet it may be made by Art by the addition of pure sand or flint because the whole substance of the salt of tartar may be turned into a spirit in the space of one or two hours as shall be taught in the second part and it excels all other medicaments in vertue in curing the stone and gout And if by the regiment of art there be left any Caput Mortuum in that distillation it hath being dissolved in the aire a power to putrefie metals being prepared and mixed with it in the space of few hours so as to make them become black and to grow up like trees with their roots trunks boughs which by how much the longer they are so left become the better Of calx of lead being subtilized and of salt of tartar may be made a spiritus gradatorius of wonderful vertues as well in medicine as Alchymie There is made of the Caput Mortuum per deliquium a green liquor which doth wonderful things whence it is proved That Saturne is not the lowest of the planets Enough to the wise And so is Lac Virginis and the Philosophical Sanguis Draconis made SOmetimes there is found a certain earth or bole which hath no affinity with tartar which being mixed with salt of tartar yeelds a spirit but very little But in this furnace may all fixed things be elevated because the Species not being included in it but
will fly out and some part thereof will be resolved into an acid water which is to be preferred before the flowers in my judgement but the rest of the Mercury drops into a receiver But here are required glass vessels because the aforesaid water is lost in earthen And this water without doubt doth something in Alchymie It is also good being applyed outwardly in the scab and venereal ulcers The flowers of Zinck IT is a wonderful metal and is found in the spagyrical anatomie to be meer sulphur golden and immature Being put upon burning coales doth suddenly fly away wholly it is inflamed also and partly burns like common sulphur with a flame of another colour viz. golden purple and yeelds most gallant white and light flowers The use BEing given from 4. 5. 6. grains to 12. they provoke sweat wonderfully and sometimes vomit and stooles according to the offending matter The vertues thereof being exteranlly used are also wonderful for there are not found better flowers for they do not only speedily consolidate fresh wounds but also old such as alwayes drop water in which cases they excell all other medicaments For they are of such dryness which hath joyned with it a consolidating vertue as that they do even things incredible They may be used divers wayes as to be strewed by themselves putting over them a stiptick plaister or being brought into a unguent with honey to be put into wounds which unguents in deep wounds may be boyled to a hardness for the making of small suppositories which are to be put into the wounds which must afterwards be covered with some plaister and preserved from the aire Being applyed after this manner they cure fundamentally being mixed with plaisters also they do wonderfull things If they be mixed with rose or raine water so as to be united together and afterwards some of this mixture be sometimes every day dropt into red eyes that water yeelding not to other ophthalmicks do restore and heal them These flowers being taken up in lint and strewed upon those places of Children that are galled with their urine those places being first washed with water heale them quickly They heale also quickly any excoriation which is contracted by lying long in any sickness and is very paineful if they be strewed thereon These flowers also are more easily dissolved in corrosive waters then other metals and minerals neither doth the spirit leave them in the fire but an insipid phlegme only distils off leaving a fat and thick oyl as is above said concerning the lapis calaminaris being ordained for the same uses but more efficaciously then that Which spirit if it be by the violence of fire driven forth is of so great strength that it can scarce be kept And not only spirit of salt but also Aqua fortis and Regia may after this manner be exalted so as to be able to do wonderful things in the separation of metals but here is not place for these things they shall be spoken of in the fourth part But you need not make flowers for this work because crude Zinck doth the same although the flowers do it something better whence it appears that a metal contracts a higher degree of dryness in sublimation Flowers of Antimony THere is no difficulty to make the flowers of Antimony for Chymists have a long time made use of them and because their preparation was tedious they were not sold at a low rate Wherefore there was no body willing to attempt any thing else in them because they were used only for vomiting the dose whereof was from 1. 2. 3. 4. grains to 8. and 10. in affects of the stomack and of the head as also in feavers plague morbus gallicus c. Neither is it a wonder if Chymists tryed no farther in them for we see that there are found men in these dayes who perswade themselves that there is nothing which was not found out by the learned ancients can be found out in these dayes and if there were any thing to be yet found out it was found out already by them But this opinion truly is very foolish as if God gave all things to the ancients and reserved nothing for them that should come after Neither indeed do they understand nature in their operations which works incessantly and is not wearyed in her labours c. But how ever it is manifest that God hath revealed things in these times which were hid from them of old and he will not cease to do the same even to the end of the world But to return to our purpose againe which is to shew an easier way of making the flowers of Antimony whereby a greater quantity may be had as also that they may serve for other uses Take of crude Antimony poudered as much as you please first make your furnace red hot then cast in at once a pound of Antimony or thereabouts viz. scatteringly upon the coals and presently it will flow and mixed with the coals by the force of the fire will be sublimed through the aire into receivers like a cloud which will there be coagulated into white flowers Note that when the first coales are burnt up more must be put in to continue the sublimation and those must be first kindled before they are put in lest the flowers be by the dust of the coales arising together with the flowers discoloured and contract thence a gray colour but it matters not if you will not use them by themselves to provoke vomiting because there is no danger thereby for that colour comes only from the smoake of the coales wherefore you need not be afraid of them But let him that dislikes this colour first kindle the coales before he put them into the furnace and then he shall have white flowers Also you must not shut the middle hole through which the coales and Antimony are cast in that thereby the fire may burn the more freely for else the flowers of the superior pots will be yellow and red by reason of the sulphur of the Antimony which is sublimed higher then the regulus Now you may by this way make a pound of the flowers with 3. 4. 5. pound of coals It is a little that goes away from the Antimony viz. the combustible sulphur which is burnt all the rest going into flowers You must have a care to provide a sufficient quantity of subliming pots by reason that a large space is required for the sublimation of the flowers The flowers that are prepared after this way are sold at a lower rate so that one pound thereof is cheaper then half an ounce of those that are made after the other manner Also they are safer as being made with an open and free flame of the fire for they do not provoke vomit so vehemently morever the flowers of the lower pots are not vomiting but diaphoretical as if they had been prepared with nitre for thus they are corrected by the fire And by this way at
a Volatile sulphur of Vitrioll It hath wonderfull vertues some of which shall be related The use and Dose of the Narcotick sulphur of Vitrioll OF this sulphur 1. 2. 3. 4. or more grains according to the condition of the patient given at once mitigates all pains causeth quiet sleep not after the manner of Opium Henbane and other the like medicines which by stupefying and benumming cause sleep but it performeth its operation very gently and safely without any danger at all and great diseases may be cured by the help thereof Paracelsus held it in high esteeme as you may see where he doth wâ—ite of Sulphur embryonatum Of the use and vertue of the Volatile spirit of Vitrioll THis sulphureous volatile spirit of Vitrioll is of a very subtle and penetrating quality and of a wonderful operation for some drops thereof being taken and sweated upon it doth penetrate the whole body openeth all obstructions consumeth those things that are amiss in the body even as fire It is an excellent medicine in the falling sickness in that kinde of madness or rage which is called Mania in the convulsion of the mother called Suffocatio matricis in the scurvy in that other kinde of madness which is called Melancholia Hypochondriaca and other diseases proceeding from obstructions and corruption of the blood It is also good in the plague and all other feavers mingled with spirit of wine and daily used it doth wonders in all external accidents Also in the Apoplexy shrinking and other diseases of the Nerves the distressed limbe rubbed therewith it doth penetrate to the very marrow in the bones it doth warm and refresh the cold sinews grown stiffe In the Colick besides the internal use a little thereof in a clyster applyed is a present help Externally used in the Goute by anoynting the places therewith asswageth the pains and taketh away all tumors and inflammations it doth heale the scabs tetters and ringworms above all other medicines it cureth new wounds and old sores as Fistulaes Cancers Woolves and what name so ever else they may have It extinguisheth all inflammations scaldings the Gangrene dissipateth and consumeth the knobs and excrescencies of the skin In a word this spirit which the wise men of old called Sulphur Philosophorum doth act universally in all diseases and its vertue cannot sufficiently be praised and expressed And it is much to be admired that so excellent a Medicine is no where to be found If it be mingled with spring water it doth make it pleasantly sowrish and in tast and vertue like unto the natural sowre water of wels Also by this spirit many diseases may be cured at home so that you need not go to bathes afar off for to be rid of them Here I could set down a way how such a spirit may be got in great abundance for the use of bathing without distillation whereby miraculous things may be done but by reason of the ungratefulness of men it shall be reserved for another time Of the vertue and use of the corrosive oyle of Vitrioll THis oyle is not much used in Physick although it be found almost in every Apothecaries shop which they use for to give a sowrish tast to their syrups and conserves Mingled with spring water and given in hot diseases it will extinguish the unnatural thirst and coole the internal parts of the body Externally it cleanseth all unclean sores applyed with a feather it separateth the bad from the good and layeth a good foundation for the cure Also if it be rectified first some metals may be dissolved with it and reduced into their Vitriols especially Mars and Venus but this is to be done by adding common water thereunto else it will hardly lay hold on them The way of doing it is thus How to make the Vitrioll of Mars and Venus TAke of your heavy oyle just as it came over viz. together with its phlegme but that the Volatile spirit be drawn off from it first as much as you please put it into a glass body together with plate of copper or iron set it in warme sand and let it boyle untill that the oyle will dissolve no more of the metal then power off the liquor filtre it through brown paper and put it into a low gourd glass and set it in sand and let the phlegme evaporate untill there appear a skin at the top then let the fire go out and the glass grow coole then set it in a cold place and within some dayes there will shoote faire green Crystals if of iron greenish if of Copper then something blewish take them out and dry them uppon filtering paper the remaining liquor which did not shoote into Vitriol evaporate again in sand and then let it shoote as before continue this proceeding untill all the solution or filtred liquor be turned to Vitriol This Vitrioll is better and purer then the common for it yeeldeth a better Volatile spirit and for that reason I did set down the way how to make it There can also be made a good Vitrioll of both these metals by the means of ordinary yellow brimstone but because the making of it is more tedious then of this here set down I think it needless to describe its preparation in this place The way to make a faire blew Vitrioll out of Luna that is silver DIssolve the shavings or filings of silver with rectified oyle of Vitrioll adding water thereunto but not so much as to Iron and Copper Or else which is better dissolve calcined silver which hath been precipitated out of Aqua fortis either with Copper or salt water the solution being ended powre it off and filtre it and drop into it of spirit of urine or of Sal armoniac as long as it doth hiss and almost all the silver will precipitate again out of the oyle and so there will fall a white powder to the bottome This precipitated silver together with the liquor poure into a phiall-glass set it to boyle in sand for twenty four hours and the liquor will dissolve again almost all the precipitated silver-calx and become blew thereby Then poure off the solution or liquor and filtre it through brown paper and abstract the moisture till a skin arise at the top then in a cold place let it shoote to Vitriol With the remaining liquor proceed further as above in the preparation of the Vitriol of Iron and Copper hath been taught By this way you will get an excellent Vitrioll out of silver which from 4. 5. 6. to 10. grains used onely of it self will be a good purge especially in diseases of the braine If you have a good quantity of it that you may distill a spirit thereof you will get not only an acide or sowre but also a volatile spirit which in the infirmities of the braine is most excellent that which in the distilling remains behinde may be reduced againe into a body so that you lose nothing of the silver save onely that which is
attain unto this oyle the later Physitians took great paines but all in vaine because they did not understand at all the Ancients about the preparing of this oyle but thought to get it by the force of fire and so using violent distillation they got no sweet oyle but such as was very sowre and corrosive which in taste efficacy and vertue was not comparable at all to the former However they ascribed unto it though falsely the same vertues which the ancients according to truth did unto theirs But daily experience sheweth that the oyle of vitriol as it is found ordinarily cureth no falling sickness nor killeth worms whereas this Philosophical doth it very quickly Whence it appeareth that the other is nothing like unto the true medicinal oyle of vitriol neither is it to be compared to it I must confess indeed that per descensum out of common vitriol by the force of the fire there may be got a greenish oyle which yet is not better then the other because it proveth as sharpe in taste and of as corroding a quality as if it had been distilled through a Retort Those that found out this oyle as Paracelsus Basilius and some few others did alwayes highly esteem it and counted it one of the foure maine pillars of Physick And Paracelsus saith expresly in his writings that its viridity or greenness must not be taken away or marred which indeed a very little heat can do by the fire for saith he if it be deprived of its greenness it is deprived also of its efficacy and pleasant essence Whence it may be perceived sufficiently that this sweet green oyle is not to be made by the force of the fire as hitherto by many hath been attempted but in vaine And it is very probable that the ancients which did so highly praise the oyle of vitriol happily knew nothing of this way of distilling which is used by us now a dayes for they only simply followed Nature and had not so many subtle and curious inventions and wayes of distilling But however it is certain that such a sweet and green oyle cannot be made of vitrioll by the force of the fire but rather must be done by purification after a singular way for the Ancients many times understood purification for distillation as it is evident when they say Distill through a filtre or through filtring paper which by us is not accounted for distillation but by them it was However this is true and very sure that a great Treasure of health or for the health of man lyeth hidden in Vitriol yet not in the common as it is sold every where and which hath endured the heat of the fire already but in the Oare as it is found in the earth or it s mine For as soon as it cometh to the day light it may be deprived by the heat of the Sun of its subtle and penetrating spirit and so made voyde of vertue which spirit if by Art it be got from thence smelleth sweeter then musk and amber which is much to be admired that in such a despicable mineral and gross substance as it is deemed to be by the ignorant such a royal medicine is to be found Now this preparation doth not belong to this place because we treat here only of spirits which by the force of fire are driven over Likewise also there doth not belong hither the preparation of the green oyle because it is made without the helpe of fire But in regard that mention hath been made of it here I will though I kept it alwayes very secret publish it for the benefit of the poor patients hoping that it will do much good to many a sick man For if it be well prepared it doth not only cure perfectly every Epilepsie or Convulsion in young and old and likewise readily and without faile killeth all worms within and without the body as the Ancients with truth ascribed unto it but also many Chronical diseases and such as are held incurable may be happily overcome and expelled thereby as the plague pleuresie all sorts of feavers and agues what ever they be called head-ach colick rising of the mother also all obstructions in the body especially of the spleen and liver from whence Melancholia Hypochondriaca the scurvy and many other intolerable diseases do arise Also the blood in the whole body is by the means thereof amended and renewed so that the Pox Leprosie and other like diseases proceeding from the infection of the blood are easily cured thereby Also it healeth safely and admirably all open sores and stinking ulcers turned to fistula's in the whole body and from what cause so ever they did proceed if they be anoynted therewith and the same also be inwardly used besides Such and other diseases more which it is needless here to relate may be cured successefully with this sweet oyle especially if without the loss of its sweetness it be brought to a red colour for then it will do more then a man dare write of it and it may stand very well for a Panacea in all diseases The preparation of the sweet oyle of Vitriol COmmonly in all sat soyles or clayie grounds especially in the white there is found a kinde of stones round or oval in form and in bigness like unto a pigeons or hens-egg and smaller also viz. as the joynt of ones finger on the outside black and therefore not esteemed when it is found but cast away as a contemptible stone Which if it be cleansed from the earth and beaten to peeces lookes within of a fair yellow and in streaks like a gold Marcasite or a rich gold Oare but there is no other taste to be perceived in it then in another ordinary stone and although it be made into powder and boyled a long time in water yet it doth not alter at all nor is there in the water any other taste or colour then that which is had first when it was powred upon the stone to be perceived Now this stone is nothing else but the best and purest Minera or Oare of Vitrioll or a seed of Metals for Nature hath framed it round like unto a vegetable seed and sowed it into the earth out of which there can be made an excellent medicine as followeth Take this Oare or Minera beaten into peeces and for some space of time lay or expose it to the coole aire and within twenty or thirty dayes it will magnetically attract a certain saltish moysture out of the aire and grow heavy by it and at last it falleth asunder to a black powder which must remaine further lying there still untill it grow whitish and that it do taste sweet upon the tongue like vitriol Afterward put it in a glass-vessel and poure on so much faire â—aine water as that it cover it one or two inches stirr it about several times in a day and after a few dayes the water will be coloured green which you must powre off and powre on more faire
and then sweep or brush the gold powder which is not sublimed with a haires foot or a goose feather out of the vessel which powder serveth for nothing but to be melted with a little borras and it wil be good gold again but onely somwhat paler then it was before it was made into fulminating gold But the flores in the receiver cannot be brushed out thus especially when they are cast in with an addition of salt Nitre as by the flores of silver hereafter shall be taught because they are something moist and therefore poure in as much of dephlegmed Tartarised spirit of wine unto it as you think it to be enough for to wash off the flores with This done pour out the spirit of wine together with the burnt Phoenix into a clean glass with a long neck set it being well luted first into a gentle Balneum or into warm ashes for some dayes and the spirit of wine in the mean time will be coloured with a faire red which you must poure off and then poure on other fresh spirit set it in a warm place for to be dissolved this being likewise coloured put both the extracts together in a little glass body and abstract the spirit of wine in Balneo from the Tincture which will be little in quantity but of a high red colour and pleasant in taste The remaining flores from which the Tincture is extracted may be with water washed out of the glass and then dryed if they are to be melted and they will yeild a little pale gold and the most part turneth into a brown glass out of which perchance something else that is good may be made but unknown to mee as yet N. B. If you mixe the Aurum fulminans with some salt nitre before fulmination then the flores will be the more soluble so that they yeeld their Tincture sooner and more freely then alone of themselves and if you please you may adde thereto thrice as much salt nitre and so sublime them in flores in the same manner as shall be taught for the making of the flores of silver The use of the Tincture of Gold THe extracted Tincture is one of the chiefest of those medicines which comfort and cheer up the heart of man renew and restore to youthfulness and cleanse the impure blood in the whole body whereby many horrible diseases as the leprosie the pox and the like may be rooted out But whether this Tincture by the help of fire may be further advanced into a fixed substance I do not know for I have not proceeded further in iâ— then here is mentioned Of the flores of silver and of its medicine HAving promised in the first part of this book when I was describing the preparation of flores out of Metals to teach in the second part to make the flores of gold and silver those of gold being dispatcht there followeth now in order after the gold to speak also of silver and of its preparation which is to be thus performed Take of thin laminated or smal granulated fine silver as much as you please put it into a little separating glass body and poure upon it twice as much in weight of rectified spirit of salt nitre and the spirit of salt nitre will presently begin to work upon the silver and to dissolve it But when it will not dissolve any more in the cold then you must put the glass body into warm sand or ashes and the water wil presently begin to work again let the glass stand in the warm ashes untill all the silver be dissolved Then put the solution out of the little glass body into another such as is cut off at the top and put on a little head or Limbeck and in sand abstract the moity of the spirit of salt nitre from the dissolved silver then let the glass body remaine in the sand till it be coole after take it out and let it rest for a day and a night and the silver will turn into white foliated crystals from which you must poure off the remaining solution which is not turned and from thence abstract again the moity of the spirit and let it shoote or turn in a cold place and this abstracting and crystallising you are to reiterate until almost all the silver is turned to Crystals which you must take out and lay them upon filtring paper for to dry and so keep it for such further use as hereafter shall be taught The remaining solution which is not crystallised you may in a copper vessel by adding of sweet water thereto precipitate over the fire into a calx and then edulcorate and dry it and keep it for other use or else melt it again into a body Or else you may precipitate the same with salt water and so edulcorate and dry it and you will have a calx which doth melt by a gentle fire and is of a special nature in the spirit of urine of salt Armoniack of Hartshorn of Amber of soot and of haire it doth easily dissolve and it may be prepared or turned into good medicines as shortly in our treating of the spirit of urine shall be taught Or else you may choose not to precipitate the remaining solution of silver but with the spirit of urine to extract an excellent Tincture as hereafter shall be taught Of the use of the crystals of silver THese crystals may safely be used in Physick alone by themselves 3. 6. 9. 12. grains thereof being mixed with a little sugar or else made up into pils they do purge very gently and without danger but by reason of their bitterness they are somewhat untoothsome to take also if they be not made up into pils they colour the lips tongue and mouth quite black but the reason of that blackness belongeth not to this place to treat of but shall by and by follow hereafter Also if they touch metals as Silver Copper and Tin they make them black and ugly and therefore they are not much used But if you put into the solution of silver before it be reduced into Crystals halfe as much quick-silver as there was of the silver and so dissolve them together and afterwards let them shoote together there will come forth very faire little square stones like unto Allome which do not melt in the aire as the former foliated ones use to do neither are so bitter and they purge also quicker and better then those tbat are made onely of silver How to subline the Crystals of silver into flores and then to make a good Medicine of the flores TAke of the foliated Crystals of Silver as many as you please and upon a grinding stone made warm first grinde as much purified and wel dryed salt nitre amongst it and lay it into your Iron distilling vessel to the pipe whereof there is to be applyed and luted a great receiver coles made into powder two inches high and make a fire under it that the vessel every where
but not too hard and there will a green mass remaine behinde which you may cast in by little and little and so distil it as of silver hath been taught It doth yeild a strong and powerful spirit and flores also for outward use in putrid wounds to lay a good ground thereby for the healing A medicine out of iron or steel IN the same manner you may proceed with iron and steel and there will remaine behinde a good crocus of a great stipticity or astringency especially out of iron or steele and may with good success be mixed with oyntments and plasters Of Tin and Lead IF Tin or Lead be dissolved therein after the abstracting of part of the spirit they will shoote into cleer and sweet crystals But Tin is not so easily dissolved as lead both may safely be used for medicines Also there may be spirits and flores got out of them by distilling The rehearsing of the preparation is needless for what for the preparing of silver hath been taught is to be understood also of other metals The use of the crystals of Lead and Tin THe crystals of lead are admirably good to be used in the plague for to provoke sweating and expel the venome out of the body they may also with credit be used in the bloody flux Externally dissolved in water and clothes dipt therein and applyed they excellently coole and quench all inflamations in what part of the body so ever they do befall Likewise the spirit thereof used per se and the flores mixed among oyntments do their part sufficiently But the crystals of Tin do not prove altogether so quick in operation though they do act their part also they are more pleasant then those that are made of Lead for in Tin there is found a pure sulphur of gold but in Lead a white sulphur of silver as is proved in my Treatise of the Generation and nature of metals Of Mercury VVHen you dissolve common Mercury in rectified spirit of Nitre and abstract the spirit from it again then there will remaine behinde a faire red glistering precipitate but when the spirit is not rectified it will not be so faire because that the impurity of the spirit remains with the Mercury and pollutes it This calcinated Mercury is called by some Mercurius praecipitatus and by others Turbith minerale wherewith the Surgeons and somtimes one or other unskilful Physitians do cure the pox they do give at once 6. 8. 10. graines more or less according to its preparation and force in operation to the patient for if the spirit be not too much abstracted from it it worketh much stronger then when by a strong fire it is quite separated from it for the spirits that remaine with the Mercury make it quick and active which else without the spirits would not be such The other metals also if they be not first made soluble by salts or spirits can perform either none or but very smal operation unless it be Zinck or Iron which being easily soluble are able to work without any foregoing dissolution as hath been shewn above when we treated of the oyle of vitriol But that the sharp spirits are the cause of that operation may hence be perceived and made manifest that although you take â„¥ ss of quick-silver and pour it down into the stomach yet it would run out again beneath as above it was poured in But if it be prepared with the spirits or salts then but few graines of it will work strongly and the more it is made soluble the stronger it worketh as you may see when it is sublimed from salt and vitriol that it groweth so strong thereby that one graine doth work more then eight or ten grains of Turbith Mineral and three or four grains thereof would kill a man by reason of its mighty strength Also it worketh extreamly and much more then the sublimate when it is dissolved in spirit of Nitre and crystallised so that you cannot well take it upon your tongue without danger Which some perceiving evaporate the Aqua fortis by a gentle heat from it so that the Mercurius remained yellow which in a smaler dose wrought more then the red from which the spirits were quite evaporated And they used it not only externally strewing it into impure sores for to corrode or fret away the proud flesh not without great paine to the patient but also without distinction of young or old gave it inwardly for to purge which is one of the most hurtful purges that can be used For this evil guest however he be prepared cannot leave his tricks unless it be reduced into such a substance as that it never can be brought back to a running Mercury for then much good can be done therewith in physick without any hurt or prejudice to the health of man whereof perchance something more shall be said in another place I cannot omit for the benefit of young innocent children to discover a great abuse For it is grown very common almost among all that deale in physick that as soon as a little childe is not well before they know whether it will be troubled with wormes or with any thing else they presently fall upon Mercury supposing that in regard it hath no taste it be so much the better for to get the children to take it for to kill the wormes But those men do not know the hurtful nature of it which it doth shew against the sinews and nerves For some are of opinion that if they know to prepare Mercury so that it can be given in a greater dose as is to be seen in sublimed Mercurius dulcis that then it is excellently prepared but they are in a great error and it were much better it were not so well prepared that the less hurt might be done to man in regard that then they durst not give it in so great a dose For if that which is prepared with Aqua fortis or spirit of salt nitre be used in the pox to men that are advanced in years it cannot do so much hurt because it is given in a small dose and doth work with them whereby nature gets help for to overcome and expel that hurtful venome and its malignity is abated by the strong salivation which the provident nature hath planted in it so that not so much mischief can come by it as by Mercurius dulcis whereof is given to little weak children from ten to thirty graines at once which commonly unless they be of a strong nature and do grow it out doth cause a weakness and lameness in their limbs so that if they do not come to be quite lame at last they have a long time to struggle withal till they overcome it In like manner those also do err which do shake Mercury in water or beer so long until the water come to be gray-coloured and so give that water or beer to little children to drink for the wormes pretending that they do not
give the substance or body of Mercury but onely its vertue But this gross preparation is no better then if they had ministred the running Mercury it self Neither have I ever seen that the use of Mercurius dulcis or of the gray coloured water was seconded with good success in killing of the worms But it is credible that it may be done by yellow or red precipitate in regard of its strong operation But who would be such an enemy to his childe as to plague and torture it with such a hurtfull and murthering medicine especially there being other medicines to be had which do no harme to the children as is to be found by iron or steel and the sweet oyle of vitriol And so much of the abuse of Mercury I hope it will be a good warning unto many so that they will not so easily billet such a tyrannical guest in any ones house whereby the ruine thereof of necessity must follow And that cure deserveth no praise at all whereby one member is cured with the hurt of two or three other members As we see by the pox when one infected member is cured by Mercury and that but half and not firme at all that all the rest of the body is endangered thereby for the future And therefore it would be much better that such crude horse-physick might be severed from good medicaments such used instead of them as may firmely safely and without prejudice to other parts perform the cure of which kinde several are taught in this book But in case that you have patients which have been spoyled by such an ill-prepared Mercury then there is no better remedy to restore them then by medicines made of metals wherewith Mercury hath great affinity as of gold and silver for when they are often used they attract the Mercury out of all the members and carry it along with them out of the body and so do rid the body thereof But externally the precipitated Mercury may more safely be used then internally in case there be nothing else to be had viz. to corrode or eat away the proud flesh out of the wound But if in stead of it there should be used the corrosive oyle of Antimony Vitriol Allom or common salt it would be better and the cure much the speedier and it would be better yet that in the beginning good medicaments were used to fresh wounds and not by carlesness to reduce them to that ill condition that afterwards by paineful corrosives they must be taken away But such a Mercury would serve best of all for souldiers beggers and children that go to schoole for if it be strewed upon the head of children or into their clothes no louse will abide there any longer In which case Mercury must by his preparation not be made red but onely yellow and it must be used warily and not be strewed on too thick lest the flesh be corroded which would be the occasion of great mischief Of Aqua fortis OUt of Salt nitre and vitriol taking of each a like quantity or if the water is to be not altogether so strong two parts of vitriol to one part of salt nitre a water distilled is good to dissolve metals therewith and to separate them from one another as gold from silver and silver from gold which in the fourth part punctually shall be taught The Aqua fortis serveth also for many other Chymical operations to dissolve and fit metals thereby that they may be reduced the easier into medicaments but because the spirit of salt nitre and the Aqua fortis are almost all one and have like operations for if the Aqua fortis be dephlegmed and rectified you may perform the same operations with it which possibly may be performed with the spirit of salt nitre and on the other side the spirit of salt nitre will do all that can be done with the Aqua fortis whereof in the fourth part shall be spoken more at large Now I know well that ignorant laborators which do all their work according to custome without diving any further into the nature of things will count me an Heretick because I teach that the Aqua fortis made of vitriol and salt nitre is of the same nature and condition with the spirit of salt nitre which is made without vitriol saying that the Aqua fortis doth partake likewise of the spirit of vitriol betause vitriol also is used in the preparation of it To which I answer that although vitriol be used in the preparation of it yet for all that in the distilling nothing or but very little of its spirit comes over with the spirit of salt nitre and that by so small a heat it cannot rise so high as the spirit of salt nitre doth and the vitriol is added onely therefore unto the salt nitre that he may hinde its melting together and so the more facilitate its going into a spirit And for the more to be convinced of this truth the unbelieving may adde to such spirit of salt nitre as is made by it self a little of oyle of vitriol likewise made by it self and try to dissolve silver gilded with it and he will finde that his spirit of salt nitre by the spirit of vitriol is made unfit to make a separation for it preyeth notably upon the gold which is not done by Aqua fortis Of the sulphurized spirit of salt nitre THere can also be made a spirit of salt nitre with sulphur which is still in use with many viz. that they take a strong earthen retort which hath a pipe at the top and fasten it into a furnace and having put salt nitre in iâ— they let it melt and then through the pipe they throw peeces of sulphur of the bigness of a pea one after another which being kindled together with the nitre doth yield a spirit called by some spirit of salt nitre and by others oyle of sulphur but falsely for it is neither of both in regard that metals cannot be dissolved therewith as they are done with other spirit of salt nitre or sulphur neither is there any great use for it in physick and if it were good for any Chymical operations by the help of my distilling instrument might easily be made and in great quantity N B. But if salt nitre be mixed with sulphur in due proportion and in the first furnace be cast upon quick coles then all will be burnt and a strong spirit cometh over whose vertue is needless here to describe but more shall be mentioned of it in another place Of the Clissus AMong the Physitians of this latter age there is mention made of another spirit which they make of Antimony Sulphur and salt nitre a like quantity taken of each which they call Clissus and which they have in high esteem and not without cause because it can do much good if it be well prepared The inventor for the making thereof used a retort with a pipe as was mentioned by the sulphurized
it would be much better to prepare good medicaments of it to restore the poor diseased to health there with then to destroy with it those that are whole and sound I know a Chymist that spent much time and cost to search this poysonous dragon thinking to make the universal medicine or stone of the ancient Philosophers out of it Especially because he saw that so many strange changes of colours appeared whereof mention is made by the Philosophers when they describe their medicine and the preparation thereof The dragons blood Virgins milke green and red lion black blacker then black white whiter then white and the like more needless here to relate which easily may perswade a credulous man as it hapned also unto him But afterward he found that this subject in which he put so much confidence was leprous and not pure enough and that it be impossible to to make that tingent stone of it for to exalt men and metals and so was glad to be contented with a good particular medicine and to commit the rest unto God And so much of that poysonous dragon the gunpowder but that there is another and more purer dragon whereof the Philosophers so often made mention I do not deny for nature is mighty rich could reveal us many Arcana by Gods permission But because we look only for great honor and riches and neglect the poor there is good reason why such things remaine hidden from the wicked and ungodly men To make spirits and flores of Nitre and Coales IF you distill Nitre well purified from its superfluous salt mixed with good coals the Egyptian Sun bird doth burn away and out of it doth sweat a singular water useful for men and metals It s burnt ashes are like unto calcined Tartar and for the purging of metals not to be despised To make flores and spirits of flints crystals or sand by adding of coales and salt nitre to them TAke one part of flints or sand and three parts of Linden coales with six parts of good salt nitre mixed well together and cast of it in and the combustible sulphur of the flints will be kindled by the piercing and vehement fire of the salt nitre and maketh a separation carrying over with it part thereof which it turneth into spirits and flores which must be separated by filtring The spirit tasteth as if it had been made of salt Tartar and flints and is of the same nature and condition and the remaining Caput Mortuum also yeildeth such an oyle or liquor in all like unto that and therefore its condition is not described here but you may finde it where I shall treat of the spirit made of salt tartar by adding of flints To make a spirit and oyle out of Talck with salt nitre TAke one part of Talck made into fine powder and three parts of Linden-coales mixe them with five or six parts of good salt nitre cast in of that mixture one spoonful after another and there will come over a spirit and a few flores which must be separated as hath been taught above concerning flints The spirit is not unlike unto the spirit of sand the Caput Mortuum which looks grayish must be made red hot or burnt well in a crucible so that it melt and then powre it out and it will yeild a white transparent Massa like as the flints and crystals do which in a cold moist cellar will turn to thick liquor fatter in the handling then the oyle of sand It is something sharpe like unto oyle of Tartar it cleanseth the skin haire and nailes and makes them white the spirit may be used inwardly for to provoke sweat and urine externally usedit cleanseth wounds and healeth all manner of scabs in the body out of hand What further may be done with it I do not know yet But how to bring Talck pebles and the like stony things to that pass that they may be dissolved with spirit of wine and reduced into good medicaments shall be taught in the fourth part To make a spirit flores and an oyle out of Tin IF you mixe two parts of the filings of Tin with one part of good salt nitre and cast it in as you were taught to do with other things then the sulphur of Tin will kindle the salt nitre and make a flame as if it were done with common sulphur whereby a separation is made so that one part of the Tin cometh over in flores and spirit and the rest stayeth behinde which if it be taken out some of it in a moyst place will turn into a liquor or oyle which externally may be used with good success in all ulcers for to cleanse them It hath also the vertue if it be pertinently applyed to graduate and exalt wonderfully all the colours of vegetables and animals which would be useful for dyers The spirit of it mightily provoketh sweating the flores being edulcorated and used in plasters do dry and heal very speedily To make a spirit flores and a liquor out of Zinck or speauter IN like manner as hath been taught with the Tin you may also proceed with the Zinck and it will yeild a good deal of flores and also a spirit and oyle almost of the same vertues with those made of Tin and these flores corrected with sale nitre are better then those which were taught to be made by themselves in the first part of the book To make a spirit flores and oyle of Lapis Calaminaris MIxe two parts of salt nitre with one part of lapis calamiaris and cast it in and it will yield a sharp spirit very useful for separating of metals and there will come over also a few yellow flores The rest remaining behinde is a dark green Mass very fiery upon the tongue like salt of Tartar and if it be dissolved with raine water yeildeth a grass green solution which being not presently coagulated into salt the green separateth it self from the fixed salt nitre and there falleth to the bottom a fine red powder and if it be edulcorated and dryed and given in from one grain to ten or twelve it causeth gentle stools and vomits better then prepared Antimony for lapis calaminaris and Zinck are of the nature of gold as in the fourth part shall be proved the white lixivium or lye from which the green is precipitated may be coagulated into white salt like unto salt of Tartar but if you coagulate the green solution before the green be separated from the salt nitre then you will get a very faire green salt high in colour and much more fiery then salt of Tartar whereby special things can be done in Alchymy which doth not belong hither And if you desire to make such a green salt for to use it in Alchymie you need not to take so much pains as first to distil a spirit out of the mixture but take three or four parts of good salt nitre and mixe it with one part of
lapis calaminaris and let this mixture boyle together in a winde furnace till the salt nitre be coloured green by the lapis calaminaris then powre it out and separate the green goldish salt from it and make such good use of it as you thinke fit But if you will extract a good Tincture and Medicine make it into powder and extract it with spirit of wine and it will yeild a blood red Tincture both in Physick und Alchymie of good use Further you are to take notice that among all metals and minerals which I know except gold and silver there is none found out of which can be extracted a greenness which is of fire proofe but only out of lapis calaminaris which deserveth to be well considered and further thought upon To make a spirit of salt nitre sulphur and common salt TAke one part of fast two parts of sulphur and four parts of salt nitre grinde all together and cast in one spooneful after another to distill and it will yeild a sharp yellow spirit which if it be put among common water so that the water be not made too sharp of it it is a good bath good for many diseases especially it healeth all scabs very suddenly The Caput Mortuum may also be dissolved in water and used among bathes and it is good likewise but the spirit is penetrating and doth operate suddenly in shrinkings and other defects of the nerves of such kinde of bathes there shall be spoken more in the third part Also the remaining fixed yellow salt is good to be used in Alchymie for it graduateth somewhat the silver by cementing To make a spirit flores and oyle out of salt nitre and Regulus Martis TAke one part of Regulus Martis setellatus made of one part of Iron or steele and three parts of Antimony whose preparation is described in the fourth part and three parts of pure salt nitre mix and grinde all together and cast it in by little and little to distill and there will come over a spirit together with a white sublimate which must be separated with water as hath been taught above with other flores and both the spirit and and the flores are good to provoke sweat The remaining Caput Mortuum as they usually call it is not dead but full of life and vertue whereby much good may be done both in Physick and Alchymie as followeth The remaining Mass which looks white and is very sharpe and fiery if the Regulus have been pure if not then it will look yellowish may be edulcorated with fresh water and it will yeild a lixivium or lye in all like unto calcined Tartar but sharper and purer and may be used almost in all operations in stead of salt of Tartar but first the Regulus Antimonii must be precipitated from it by the help of water and afterward it may be coagulated into salt and kept for its use the edulcorated as also that which was precipitated with water is a white and fine powder useful in the plague feavers and other diseases to provoke sweating thereby and may very safely be used and although if it be given in a greater quantity then usual it do cause some vomits also yet for all that it doth no hurt It is easily taken because it hath no taste It is given to children from 3. 4. to 12. grains to elder folkes from ℈ ss to ʒ ss they worke successefully in all diseases where sweating is needfull This Antimonium diaphoreticum may also be melted into glass and so extracted and dissolved with spirit of salt and it may be prepared into several good medicaments and if all that which may be done with it should be described at large it would require too much time The lixivium if it be coagulated hath wonderfull vertues so that if one should describe them he would hardly be credited by any body because it is not made of costly things and truly the life of man is too short to finde out by experience all that lyes hid in it and it would be but a laughing matter to a proud fool if one should reveale it therefore it is better to keep counsel then to sow strife Basilius Valentinus in his Triumph of Antimony where he writeth of the signed star hinted it sufficiently but very few take notice of it Paracelsus also here and there in his books under an unknown name makes frequent mention of it but its true preparation and use by reason of the unthankeful was never described by the Philosophers which for instruction of good honest men we do here mention Before you edulcorate the Regulus made by fulmination you may extract of it a good medicinal Tincture with spirit of wine and if you dissolve it with spirit of salt there will shoote a white foliated Talck in all like unto the Mineral Talck whereof a liquor may be made which coloureth the skin very white but if this calx of Antimony before it be extracted with spirit of wine or dissolved with spirit of salt be made into fine powder and exposed to the moist aire it will dissolve into a fat liquor which though it be something sharpe yet doth no hurt to the skin if it be used with discretion but rather cleanseth it more then any other thing and so it doth likewise to the haire and nailes but as soone as the liquor hath been applyed for that purpose it must be washed off again with water lest it do not onely take away the gross and unclean skin but also work upon the tender white skin and do hurt and therefore I give warning that you use it discreetly for according to the old proverbe you may misuse even that which else is good in it self If you put some of it into warm water and bath your self in it the gross skin will peele off all the body so that you will almost seem to be another body And this bath also is good for many diseases for it openeth the pores mightily and cleanseth all the blood in the body by drawing many ill humors out of it which maketh a man light and strong especially if he be purged first before he useth the bath It is also good for Melancholy scurvy and leprosie especially when the red Tincture drawn out of it with spirit of wine be used besides It is also good to be used in a foot bath for those that are troubled with corns and other excrescencies upon their feet or with nailes that cut the flesh for it softeneth them and makes them fit for cutting and as tractable as wax For there is nothing known under the Sun which softneth more a hard skin haire nailes and other excrescencies then this oyle And this I did set down therefore because I know that many are so tormented therewith that they cannot well endure their shoes upon their feet But if you coagulate this oyle into salt and melt it in a crucible and powre it out into a flat brass bason that it flow at large
with Tartar provoke sweat exceedingly whereby many malignities are expelled out of the body Likewise also the oyle hath its operation though this of several metals as of Mercury and copper is not well to be used inwardly because it causeth salivations and strong vomits But externally they are very good for to cleanse all putride ulcers and to lay a good and firme ground for healing them The remainder whereof the spirit and oyle is distilled you may take out and reduce it in a crucible into a metal so that what is not come over may not be lost but made to serve againe And as you were taught to distill spirits and oyles out of dissolved metals and crude Tartar so you may get them likewise out of common vitriol and Tartar viz. thus take one part of Tartar made into powder two parts of good pure vitriol mixe them well together and distill a spirit of them which though it be unpleasant to take for all that in all whatsoever obstructions and corruption of blood it is not to be despised but very successefully performeth its operation especially when it is rectified from its Caput Mortuum and so freed from its phlegme and its best vertue which consisteth in the volatility be not lost in the distilling N. B. But if you will have this spirit more effectual then you may joyn Tartar and vitriol by boyling them together in common water and crystallizing and then cast it in and distill it and there will come over a much purer and more penetrating spirit because that in the solution and coagulation of both many faeces were separated but if to one part of vitriol you take two parts of Tartar and dissolve it together and so filtre and coagulate it then the Tartar with the vitriol will shoote no more but there remaineth a thick liquor like unto honey out of which with spirit of wine there may be extracted a good tincture against obstructions This liquor taken from ℈ i. to ʒi doth purge very gently and sometimes it causeth a vomit especially if the vitriol was not pure and good and it may also be distilled into a spirit not inferior unto the former in vertue Besides the way above taught there is yet for to distill a metallized spirit of Tartar another way whereby several metals and minerals may be reduced into much pleasant spirits and oyles and of more vertue and it is done in this manner Take of the Tartar of white Rhenish wine made into powder powre upon it sweet raine or running water so that to lb j. of Tartar there come lb x. or lb xij of water or so much that the Tartar may be dissolved by it in the boyling and then boyle the mixture with the water in a tinned kettle or which is better in a glased pot until it be quite dissolved and in the mean while take off the skum with a woodden skimmer still as it riseth in the boyling and when no more skum riseth and all the Tartar is dissolved then powre the solution thus hot through a linen cloth tyed straight on an earth glased vessel that the remaining slymigness may be separated The Tartar water being strained let it stand for 24. or 30. houres without stirring and there will stick a crystallised Tartar to the sides of the vessel which after the water is powred off may be taken out and washed with cold water and then dryed This purified Tartar keep untill I shall teach you what further is to be done with it and this Tartar is pure enough for the above said purpose viz. to reduce metals into oyle with it as shall follow anone It is also good taken of it self for an abstersive to make the body soluble But if you desire to have it yet whiter and fairer and in great crystals you must proceed thus You must know this that all salts if they shall shoote into great crystals there must be a great quantity of them for of little there comes but little And if you will make great and faire white crystals of Tartar which will be not better then the former but only pleasant to the eye then you must proceed in this manner Take of white Tartar made into powder about ten or thirty lb. powre so much water upon it as is needful for to dissolve it and boyle it by a strong fire in a tinned kettle untill all the Tartar be dissolved which you may know by stirring in it with a woodden ladle and skim off diligently all the filth rising on the water and you must take heed that you take neither too much nor too little water to it for if you take too little part of the Tartar will remaine undissolved and so will be cast away and lost among the slime but if you take too much of it then the Tartar is too much dispersed in the water and cannot shoote well and so will likewise be lost being cast away afterwards with the water For I heard many a one complain that they could get but little of a pound and therefore supposed the Tartar to have been nought whereas the fault was not in the Tartar but in the workman that managed not wel his work powring away one half which did not shoote with the water but if you proceed well then four pound of common Tartar will yeild lb iij. of pure white Crystals The solution being well made and one and no skim more rising at the top cover the kettle and let it coole without removing from the warme place it stands in which will be done within three or four dayes if the kettle be bigg But the fire must be taken away from under the kettle and so let it stand for the time mentioned In the mean while the Tartar will crystallise to the sides of the kettle which crystals after the time is expired and the water powred off are to be taken out and washed and boyled again with fresh water and so skimmed and crystallised and this proceeding must be still reiterated untill which is done the third or fourth time the crystals are white enough then take them out dry and keep them for use whereof from ʒ j. to ℥ j. made into powder and taken in wine beer warme broth or other liquor will give some gentle stooles and serveth for those which cannot endure strong physick This Tartar may be sharpened with Diagridium or any other purging drug that so you need not take it in so great a quantity at once but a lesser dose may serve turn But if you do not look for great crystals but only for Tartar well purified then you may use this following manual and you will get exceeding faire and glistering little crystals which need no beating into powder but by the working come to be so pure and fine as if they had been ground upon a stone and looking not like a dead powder but having a gloss like unto small glistering snow that fell in very cold weather and it is done
take ten or twelve grains of prepared Antimony for an old body but for a young one 5. 6 grains or more or less according to the condition of the person and â„¥ ss or Ê’vj of pure Tartar and together with â„¥ iiij or â„¥ v. of water put it in a little pipkin and boyle it a quarter of an houre then poure the solution onely into a cup and dissolve a little sugar in iâ— whereby the acidity of the Tartar will be somewhat qualified This decoctum drink warm and keep your self as it is fit and it will work much better then it had been steeped over night in wine which not every one can abide to take fasting but this decoctum because it tasteth like warm and sweet wine is much pleasanter for to take N. B. It is to be admired that well prepared Antimony is never taken in vaine for although it be given in a very small quantity so that it cannot cause either stooles or vomits yet it worketh in sensibly viz. it cleanseth the blood and expelleth many malignities by sweat so that mighty diseases may be rooted out thereby without any great sensible operation Which many times hapned unto me and gave me occasion to think further of it and therefore I sought how to prepare Antimony so that it might be used daily without causing of vomits or stooles which I put in execution accordingly and found it good as afterward shall follow Of the solution above described viz. of the flores of Antimony with Tartar make a good quantity and after the evaporation of the water distill a spirit of it and there will also come over a black oyle which must be separated from the spirit and rectified per se and externally applyed it will not onely do the same wonderful operations which above have been ascribed to the simple oyle of Tartar but it goeth also far beyond it for the best essence of Antimony hath joyned it self thereunto in the distilling and so doubled the vertue of the oyle of Tartar and this oyle may with credit be used not onely for all podagrical tumors to allay them very readily but also by reason of its dryness it doth consume all other tumors in the whole body whether they be caused by winde or water for the volatile salt by reason of its subtlety conveigheth the vertue of Antimony into the innermost parts of the body in a marvellous and incredible way whereby much good can be performed in Chyrurgerie As for the spirit you may not onely use it very succesfully in the plague pox scurvy Melancholia Hypochondriaca feavers and other obstructions and corruptions of blood but also if you put some of it into new wine or beer and let it work with it the wine or beer comes to be so vertuous thereby that if it be daily used it doth stay and keep off all diseases proceeding from superfluous humors and corrupted blood so that neither plague scurvy Melancholia hypochondriaca or any other disease of that kinde can take roote in those that daily use it wherein no metal or mineral except gold can be paralleld with it but in case you have no conveniency for to make that spirit and yet you would willingly have such a medicinal drink made of Antimony then take but of the solution made with Tartar before it be distilled and put lb i. or lb iss of it into 18. or 20. gallons of new wine or beer and let it work together and the vertue of the Antimony by the fermentation of the wine will grow the more volatile and efficacious to work And if you cannot have new wine in regard that it doth not grow every where you may make an artificial wine of honey sugar peares figs cherries or the like fruit as in the following third part shall be taught which may stand in stead of natural wine These medicinal wines serve for a sure and safe preservative not only to prevent many diseases but also if they have possessed the body already effectually to oppose and expel them Also all externall open sores which by daubing and plastering could not be remedied by daily drinking thereof may be perfectly cured For not only Basilius Valentinus and Theophrastus Paracelsus but many more before and after them knew it very well and have written many good things of it which few did entertain and because their description was somewhat dark most despised and diffamed them for untruths In like manner and much more may this my writing be lightly esteemed of because I do not set down long and costly processes but only according to truth and in simplicity do labour to serve my neighbour which doth not sound well in the ears of the proud world which rather do tickle and load themselves with vaine and unprofitable processes then hearken unto the truth and it is no wonder that God suffereth such men which only look after high things and despise small things to be held in error Why do we look to get our Medicines by troubling our braines and by subtle and tedious works whereas God through the simple nature doth teach us otherwise Were it not better to let simple nature instruct us surely if we would be in love with small things we should finde great ones But because all men do strive only for great and high things therefore the small also are kept from them and therefore it would be well that we could fancy this maxime that also things of small account can do something as we may see by the Tartar and the despicable Antimony and not only so many coles glasses materials and the like but also the pretious time would not be wasted so much in preparing of medicaments for all is not gold that glistereth but oftentimes under a homely coate some glorious thing is hid which must be taken notice of Some may object why I do teach to joyn the Antimony first with the Tartar by the help of common water before its fermentation with the wine whether it would not be as good to put it in of it self in powder or to dissolve it with spirit of salt which would be easier to do then with Tartar and so let it work To which I answer that the working wine or drinke receiveth no metallical calx or solution unless it be first ptepared with Tartar or spirit of wine For although you dissolve Antimony or any other metal or mineral in spirit of salt or of vitriol or of salt nitre or any other acid spirit and then think to let it work with wine or any other drink you will finde that it doth not succeed for the acide spirit will hinder the fermentation and let fall the dissolved metals and so spoyle the work and besides Tartar may be used among all drinks and doth more agree with ones taste and stomach then any corrosive spirit In the same manner as was taught of Antimony other minerals and metals also may be fitly joyned with wine or other drink the
followeth Take of the urine of sound men living chaste gather a good quantity together in a wooden vessel let it stand for its time to putrefie and distil a spirit thereof which afterward in a great glass retort with a wide neck must be rectified over calcined Tartar and still that which cometh over first may be saved by it self and so the second and third also the strongest may be used for the preparing of metallical medicines and the weaker for a medicine alone by it self or else mingled with fit vehicles and the stronger may serve for the preparations of metallical medicines the salt which in the rectification cometh over with the strongest spirit may be put to the weakest to make it the stronger or else it may be saved by it selfe in a good strong glass But because the spirit of urine is tedious to make therefore I will shew how to get it easier out with salt Armoniack The preparation is thus Take of salt Armoniack and lapis calaminaris ana make each by it self into powder and then mixe them together and cast of it into the red hot vessel at once no more then â„¥ ss or â„¥ i. Unto the vessel there must be applyed a great receiver for this spirit goeth with such a force and power that it were impossible to distil it in a retort without danger or loss for I broke more then one receiver with it before I did invent this instrument The spirits being wel settled in the receiver cast in more of your mixture this continue so long till all your matter is cast in then take off the receiver and powre the spirit into a strong glass which must be well closed at the top but not with wax and a bladder because it softeneth the wax and doth penetrate through the bladder but first stop it with paper then melt Lacca or sulphur and powre it upon it so that it come to be very well closed and then it will not be able to exhale or thou mayest get such glasses made as in the fifth part shall be taught for to keep all the subtle spirits in them for more security sake And this spirit if no water have been mixt with it in the receiver needeth no rectifying but he that will have it stronger yet may rectifie it through a glass retort and so keep it for use And this is the best way to make a strong spirit out of salt Armoniack the same may be done also by taking of filed Zinck in stead of lapis calaminaris also by adding of salt of Tartar salt made of the Lee of wood ashes unquencht lime and the like but the spirit is nothing neer so strong although all those things may be done with it that are done with the former as that which is made with lapis calaminaris or Zinck The process or the manner of making it is this TAke lb i. of salt Armoniack made into powder and as much of salt of Tartar mixe both together by the help of a lye made of Tartar or only with common water so that all come to be like a pap and cast in one spooneful thereof at once into a distilling vessel then cast in more till you have spirit enough N. B. The salt of Tartar may also be mixed drye with the salt Armoniack without any lye or water and so distilled but it is not so good as when the mixture is tempered with lye or water for if it be cast in dry the spirit will come over in the form of a volatile salt but if the mixture have been moystened then most part thereof will come over like a fiery burning spirit in like manner also the mixture of lyme and salt Armoniack may be tempered moist and it will yield more spirit then if it be distilled dry It may be asked why lapis calaminaris Zinck and unquencht lyme calcined Tartar salt of pot-ashes fixed salt nitre or the like things prepared by the fire must be added unto salt Armoniack and whether it be not as good to add some bolus or other earth as usually is done to other salts and so to distill a spirit of it To which I answer that there are two sorts of salts in salt Armoniack viz. a common acide salt and a volatile salt of urine which without mortifying of one of them cannot be separated for as soon as they feel the heat the volatile salt of urine carrieth the acid salt upwards and they both together yeild a sublimate of the same nature and essence with common salt Armoniack which is not sublimed salt Armoniack is purer then the common And no spirit would come over from it if it should be mingled with bole brick dust sand or any other strengthless earth and so distilled but the whole salt as it is of it self leaving its earthy substance behinde would sublime thus dry but that it falleth out otherwise with the lapis calaminaris which is also like an earth so that a separation of the salts is wrought thereby and a volatile spirit commeth over the reason is that the lapis calaminaris and Zinck are of such a nature that they have a great affinity with all acid things and do love them and are loved by them likewise whereof some mention hath been made in the first part so that the acide salt sticks to it in the warmth and uniteth it self with it and the salt volatile is made free and distilled into a subtle spirit which could not have been done if the acide salt had not been kept back by the lapis calaminaris or Zinck But that a spirit is distilled off by addition of fixed salts the reason is because that fixed salts are contrary unto acid salts and if they get the upperhand do kill the same and rob them of their strength whereby those things which are mixed with them are freed from their bond and so it fals out here with salt Armoniack that when by addition of a vegetable fixd salt the acidity of the salt Armoniack is killed the salt of urine which formerly was bound therewith gets its former freedom and strength and sublimated turnes into a spirit Which could not have been done if common salt had been added to the salt Armoniack in stead of salt of Tartar for the salt of urine would thereby as by a far greater enemy be killed and kept back so that it could yield no spirit I thought it fit to give notice hereof to the ignorant not for those who knew it before and to the unknowing it will do much good and that they may have a light for other labours for I have many times seen and see iâ— still by daily experience that the most part of your vulgar Chymists whatsoever they do having got it either by reading seeing or hearing they hurle it over like botchers and are not able to give any solid reason why this or that must fall out in such or another manner not labouring to finde out the natures and conditions
goute It is not onely to be used internally but also externally wetting clothes in it and applying them to the places affected and it will asswage and drive away the paines Of the spirit or acid oyle of Sulphur TO reduce sulphur into a sowre spirit or oyle hath been sought hitherto by many but found by few Most of them made it in glass-bels but got very little that way for the glasses being quickly hot could not hold the oyle so that it went away in a smoak Some thought to get it by distilling others by dissolving but none of all these would do the feat Which is the reason why nowadayes it is found almost no where right and in the Drugsters and Apothecaries shops they usually sell oyle of Vitriol in stead of it which by far is not to be compared in vertue to the oyle of sulphur For this is not onely of a far pleasanter sowre taste but in efficacy also much exceeds the other And therefore being of so great use both in Physick and Alchymie as in all hot diseases mingling the patients drink therewith till it get a pleasant sowre taste for to quench the intolerable drowth to strengthen the stomach to refresh the lungs and the liver Also externally for to cure the gangrene Also for to crystallise some metals thereby and to reduce them into pleasant vitriols useful as well in Alchymie as Physick I thought good to set down the preparation though it be not done in this our distilling furnace but in another way by kindling and burning it as followeth Make a little furnace with a grate above which a strong crucible must be fastned resting on two iron bars and it is to be ordered so that the smoake be conveighed not above by the crucible but through a pipe at the side of the furnace the crucible must be filled with sulphur even to the top and by a cole-fire without flame be brought to burn and kept burning Over the burning sulphur a vessel is to be applyed of good stony earth like unto a flat dish with a high brim wherein is alwayes cold water to be kept and whereunto the burning sulphur do flame Which thus burning its fatness consumeth and the acid salt is freed and sublimed to the cold vessel where it is dissolved by the aire and in the form of a sharpe oyle runs from the hollow vessel into the receiver which must be taken off sometime and more sulphur supplyed in stead of that which hath been consumed to the end that the sulphur may still burn in the crucible and beat with the flame to the cold head and within few dayes you will get a great quantity of oyle which else by the campana glass-bell in many weeks could not have been done N. B. Such a sowre spirit or oyle may also be got by distillation together with the flores viz. thus If you take pieces of sulphur as big as hens eggs and carry them one after another into the hot distilling vessel a sowre oyle together with flores will come over into the receiver which must with water be separated out of the flores and the water abstracted from it againe in a cucurbit and in the bottome of your glass body you will finde the oyle which in vertue and taste is equal to the former but you get nothing neer so much in quantity by this way and if you do not look for the oyle you may leave it with the flores which by reason of their pleasant acid taste are much toothsomer to take then the ordinary ones To the courteous Reader THus I conclude this second part I could have set down more medicinal processes in this Treatise but having as many as will be a sufficient guide for the distilling of other things also I thought it good here to acquiesce and whatsoever is proper for this Treatise and hath been forgotten or omitted shall be made amends for in the following parts FINIS THE THIRD PART OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACES IN WHICH Is described the Nature of the THIRD FVRNACE By the help whereof and that without Stils and Caldrons and other Copper Iron Tin and Leaden Instruments various Vegetable burning Spirits Extracts Oyles Salts c. By the help of a certain little Copper Instrument and wooden vessels are made for Chymical and Medicinal uses By JOHN RUDOLPH Glauber LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes for Tho Williams at the signe of the Bible in Little-Britain 1652. A Preface of the Copper Instrument and Furnace NOW this Instrument is made of strong Copper plates after the following manner You must make two strong hemispheares of Copper or Latten of the bignesse of a mans head or thereabout and joine them together with a most strong soder and that without tin whereof the one must have a pipe Now the pipe must be of a most exact roundnesse that it may most accurately fit the hole that is made with an auger or wimble to keep the water from flowing out like to a tap of the length of one span at least wider on the hinder part towards the globe then on the forepart which also must bee according to the bignesse of the globe greater or lesser and be exactly joined with the best soder to its hemispheare and the diameter of the forepart being very round like a tap and most exactly filling the round hole must be of two fingers breadth Now there is required to the foresaid instrument or globe a certaine peculiar little furnace made of iron or copper viz. most strong copper plates covered within with stones or the best lute iâ—tâ— which is put that globe like a retort so that it may lye upon two iron barrels of the distance of a span or span and halfe from the grate the work whereof that pipe goeth forth of the furnace one span at least The furnace also must have below a place for the ashes and above a cover with its hole for the letting forth of the smoke and for regulating the fire as you may see by the annexed figure It must also below have a treefoot on which the furnace must be set and on the sides two handles by the help whereof it may be removed from place to place the which is very necessary for it is not only used for the distilling of burning spirits by wooden vessels instead of copper but also for such distillation and digestion that is performed in gourds boltheads and other instruments of glasse stone copper tin c. which are to be set in Balneo also in the boyling of beer methegline wine and other drinkes which are to be performed by the help of wooden vessels A. The furnace with a Copper globe B. The Copper globe C. The distilling vessel D. The refrigeratory with a worme E. The receiver F. Stooles on which the vessels stand A Balneum with a cover having holes in it for the glasses set upon a treefoot A wooden vessel for the making of Beer A Tub for a moyst Bath which is
be given as hath been spoken concerning the burning spirit and the oyle of the seed or wood macerated in the water will come forth in the coition together with the water And although by this way more oyle comes forth viz. Maceration being made by the addition of salt then without salt by the help of the sweet water alone as is the fashion in all places almost to distil oyls of spices yet much remaines inseparable by the water and consequently not to be sublimed with the water Therefore the better way is that which I shewed in the first part to be performed with the spirit of salt which if you please you may follow All the oyle being come forth that which is perceived by the changing of the receivers the fire is to be extinguished and the remainder is to be taken out which if it be of seeds hearbs or fruits may being yet warm be fermented by the addition of ferment for the distilling of the spirit of which there cannot be so great a quantity by reason of taking away of the oyle as otherwise is drawn out of things that have not lost their oyle For all burning spirit partakes of much oyl of the essence and nature whereof more a little after Now the oyls must be made without the addition of any salt for salt hinders the fermentation without which the burning spirit cannot be had But the water that is distilled together with the oyle is to be set in a certain temperate place until the oyle ascend and swim upon the water from whence it is to be separated with a Tunnel of which in the fifth part also there are some oyles which doe not ascend but fall to the bottome which are are also to be separated with a Tunnel and kept for their uses Now how these oyles may be kept clear long and not contract any clamminess shall be taught in the 5 part but how they shall after they have lost their clearness by long standing and are become tenacious be restored and clarified again is taught in the first part wherefore I need not here repeat it How Oyles are to be coagulated into Balsames IT hath been the custome a long time to turn aromaticall oyles into Balsames where alwayes one hath been willing to excell another in this Art which nevertheless was nothing hitherto but for a washing and cleansing for they could not be used inwardly but only outwardly for their odour to comfort the heart and brain Now the aforesaid oyls are coagulated many ways and are made portable in Tin Silver and ivory boxes Some have mixed the fat of a lamb with them by help of heat and have turned them into a liniment which they have colored with divers colours as for example they have corrupted the oyles of green hearbs as rosemary majoram lavender rue sage with a green colour by the admixtion of verdigrease which is noxious to the head and heart where one corroborates and refresheth another destroyes They have tinged the Balsame of Cinnamon and lignum Rhodium with a red colour by the help of a poysonous Cinnabar Others that are more industrious have tinged their Oyles with extracted colours of vegetables which balsames are more safely taken inward But they are not durable acquiring a sliminess and stink wherefore they have mixed a white wax to coagulate them By which means they are become more durable without stinking but yet in length of time so tenacious that being smeared or rubbed upon the skin they stick fast by reason of the wax that is mixed with them at last others have found out a better way of coagulating aromatical oyles and other things viz. by the addition of the oyle of Nutmeg made by expression having lost its odour and colour by spirit of wine which they called the Mother of Balsames And this way hath been a long time concealed by Apothecaries as a great secret until at length it be made of publick right so that balsames prepared after this manner are sold almost in all shops But however that be the best way yet they are not durable balsames that are made that way because they lack salt I doe not contemne and disapprove of Balsames made after this way for if a better way were knowne better had been made for no man is forced beyond his power Wherefore they are not onely to bee excused that have used Lambes fat Waxe and the oyle of Nutmegs in the making of their Balsames but also to be honored for their communication Now seeing the aforesaid Balsames cannot bee taken inward nor bee so well outwardly administred by reason of their unctuosity others have consulted to congelate the Oyles by the admixtion of their owne proper fix-salts and Balsames prepared after this manner are made free from clamminesse or tenaciousnesse and may be dissolved in wine beer or any liquor Wherefore they may be not onely conveniently taken inward but also more conveniently then those old be rubbed outwardly for the odours sake because they are easily washed off againe with water They doe not onely give a most sweet odour being rubbed but also by reason of the admixtion of a fixed salt having the nature of salt of Tartar doe beautifie the skin Wherefore they are commended being dissolved in fair warme water for a washing for the head and face not onely because they beautifie but corroborate with their excel-cellent odour that which those fat Balsames cannot doe Wherefore this way is to be preferred farre before the other Let him therefore that will receive what I have said for rare things and new things are not alwayes accepted especially being obscure but I hope for the approbation of the age to come The manner of preparing follows TAke the remains of the burning spirit and being put into a sack press it hard reduce the water pressed out into vinegar and of roses thou shalt have a rose vinegar and of other things another being the best in a family for to season meats then take the remains out of the sack and reduce it to white ashes in a potters furnace upon which pour the flegme of its own burning spirit being separated to extract the salt from which evaporate again all the humidity in a glazed earthen pot calcine the coagulated salt gently in a clean crucible and it will be white and be like to salt of Tartar in tast from which abstract sometimes its owne proper burning spirit calcining the salt first every time and the spirit will be so exalted by its proper salt so that it will presently assume its proper oyle and will being powred upon it associate it to itself so as to be perceived no more in the spirit which will remaine very clear Which being done calcine the salt yet once more very well in a crucible and dissolve so much of it in its proper flegme as sufficeth for the coagulation of the oyle then mix this solution with the burning spirit mixed with its oyle and set it in a vial of
sweat with sleep by which means the malignity is expelled the children are refreshed and desire victuals and the fit returns no more afterward Although haply the like symptomes may be perceived againe yet if the aforesaid dose be administred againe the children are refreshed and cured wholly whereas otherwise they would have dyed c. whereof I have not restored few with this medicine Moreover also there are very effectual anodyne medicines as those volatile spirits of vitriol allome antimony and other minerals with which as also with that narcoticke sulphur precipitated from the volatile spirit of vitriol nothing may be compared A Cordial Extract TAke of red roses four ounces of the lilie of the valley two ounces the flowers of borage rosemary sage of each an ounce cinnamon lignum aloes of each two drams cloves mace nutmeg galangal cardamoms the lesser of each half an ounce the shaving of ivory hartshorn of each an ounce of English saffron a dram of nux vomica a dram Mixe them and reduce them to a fine powder and let the tincture be extracted with spirit of wine in Balneo which is to be drawn off again unto a just consistency Let the extract be kept for use It may be used in almost all faintings and other affects that are not joyned with a preternatural heat The dose thereof is from grains 3. 6. 9. to a scruple with proper vehicles being often administred it refresheth the spirits corroborates the braine and other parts of the body It is made more efficacious by the adding of the essences of minerals especially of gold of which thing see the first part concerning the sweet oyle of gold Of an odoriferous Extract I Need not teach the making of any odoriferous vegetable extract because the manner of drawing forth or distilling oyles of vegetables that have sweet odours hath been shewed a little before as of hearbs flowers and seeds which are the most noble and sweet essences of vegetables by the odour whereof the heart and braine are corroborated which being reduced into balsams are made transportable Better extracts therefore and more excellent cannot in my judgement be made out of vegetables then those aforesaid oyles unless any one would mixe aromatical extracts made with spirit of wine with metallick solutions and being mixed digest them then there will a certain most odoriferous oyl go from the extract not only more efficacious but more excellent then that common distilled oyl by reason of the admixtion of the spiritual metallick vertue especially of gold and silver dissolved in the acid Menstruum communicating its vertues to the Aromatical oyle Moreover any vegetable oyle may be exalted in vertues and odour by the help of spirit of urine or salt Armoniack by the help whereof not only odoriferous oyles are exalted but also the inodorous oyles of vegetables are made odoriferous if they be a while digested in spirit of urine and not this only but every mineral and metallick sulphur although the odour thereof be bound up with most strong bonds is opened by the benefit thereof and is reduced by digestion in a very little time into a most sweet and odoriferous essence Lixivial spirits exalt the odours and colours of sulphurs acid purge sulphurs but change their colours and odours Muske and Civet get the sweetness and excellency of their odour from the subtile urinous spirit of a certain Cat digesting some certain fat and converting it into such a kinde of most odoriferous matter And let this that hath been said suffice concerning Extracts which might have been omitted because many of these kinde of Extracts are found in the writings of other authors in many languages but I was willing to set down these lest this book might seem to contain in it nothing else besides the new way of distilling being furnished also with good medicines Of Baths A Little before hath been given a description of a Tub for a Bath in which any one may sit with his whole body except his head not only to be washed in sweet warm water whether medicinal and mineral but also to sweat in without water where the vessel is heated by warm vapours either of sweet waters or minerals And every one may provide such Baths for himself according to his necessity at home whereby the same diseases are cured as those that are cured by the help of natural Bathes so that he need not for the Baths sake go a great journey but may stay at home with his family and follow his calling without trouble when he hath occasion and need to use them And whereas it cannot be denyed that by the use of the Baths most grievous diseases which cannot be cured by Physitians are happily cured I was willing for the sake of my neighbour to publish this instrument together with the preparation of mineral waters which publishing will not without doubt be without profit and advantage Wherefore I will in brief shew you the preparation of mineral and sweet waters and their use and first Of a Bath of sweet or common water THere is no art to make a Bath of sweet water for you have nothing else to do then to fill your vessel with river or raine water and to make a fire which by the help of the copper globe will heat the water which being sufficiently heated you may sit in it and cover the Tub that the hot vapors evaporate not nor the cold aire enter in and coole the exteriour parts of the body Wherefore also you must apply a clean linnen cloth about your neck lest the warme vapors may evaporate there which being rightly observed you may sit the space of 1. 2. 3. hours or as long as you please or your sickness require You must keep a continual heat as much as is necessary which may be done by the help of that globe If you be thirsty in the mean time you may drink some proper distilled drink according to the nature of your disease of which thing nothing now because I am resolved to write a peculiar book de Balneis and here only to shew the use of that copper globe in heating of Baths And although there be not a perfect instruction of all yet of some Baths and their uses there shall a short instruction be given in this place Of the nature and property of natural Baths KNow that the greatest parts of medicinal waters in Germany and other countries as well hot as cold carry with them from the earth a certaine sulphureous acidity more or less in which acidity consists that medicinal faculty and vertue of this or that water And if those waters lose their odour and tast by the exhalâ—g of their subtile spirits then also they loose their vertues although also there be found some waters which have not only a spiritual sulphur but also are impregnated with a certain mineral or metallick body mixed with Allome or Vitriol which comes not elsewhere then from the common water running through the mines There are
too covetous and idle loathing the blackness of coals and the rust of the tongs who had rather handle the viol and bandore then coals c. And these are deservedly compared to that young man of whom in the 19. Cha. of Mat. it is said he had a desire to learn the truth but was unwilling to follow Christ in poverty and misery From proud Peacockes and pratling Parrots nothing but tedious clamours whereas on the contrary the auditors are refeshed with the voyces of birds Therefore that perverse condition of man is to be bewailed affecting rather the vanities of a proud world then vertues and praise-worthy arts then which nothing is more honest and nothing more profitable after the world of God revealing to us the will of God concerning charity towards our neighbor And thus much for youths sake I was willing to say that they would not spend their tender yeers in vanities but rather would make tryal in the fire without which no man obtaines a true knowledge of natural things which although it seem hard in the beginning yet it is pleasant in old age Now follows the mixture of those subtile mineral sulphureous and salt spirits with water AS concerning the weight of the aforesaid spirits that are to be mixed with sweet water giving it the nature and property of natural bathes I would have thee know that of those which in the second part I shewed to be various and divers being viz. not equal in vertue the same weight cannot alwayes be so accurately observed seeing also there is a consideration to be had of their strength and of the strength of the patient Now you may at the beginning mix one or two pound of the spirits to a sufficient quantity of the water and then by sitting in it make tryal of the strength of the artificial bath which if it be too weak is to be increased by adding a greater quantity of the spirits but if it be stronger then it is to be diminished by abstraction of which more at large in Arte nostra Balneatoria Now this observe that it is best to make Baths in the beginning weak then stronger by little and little by degrees as the nature of the sick is accustomed to them that it be not overcome by the unaccustomed use of them being too strong Wherefore Baths are to be used with discretion and cautiously for which matter I refer the reader to my Artem Balneatoriam in which he shall find plaine and perfect instruction Let it suffice therefore that I have shewed the use of that Copper Globe in heating Baths which let the sick take in good part until more come Now follows the use Of Sulphur Bathes APply the furnace with the Copper globe to the tub after the manner aforesaid and powre in a sufficient quantity of sweet water which make hot with the fire kindled in the furnace by the help of the globe which being sufficiently warmed make the patient sit in it and powre into it so much of the sulphureous spirit as is sufficient which being done cause that the tub be covered all over that the volatile spirit vanish not and as necessity requires continue the heat till the patient come forth Know also that the water is to be changed every time and fresh spirits to be mixed And this is the use of the Copper globe in heating bathes of sweet or medicinal water and that either of vegetable or mineral and this made sulphureous is by art or nature whereby most grievous and otherwise incurable diseases are happily cured Of which enough now in this Treatise The use of the Copper Globe in dry Baths which are more excellent then the moist in many cases I Might have put off this matter unto its proper Treatise where all things shall be handled more largely and cleerly yet by reason of some unthought of impediments for a while procrastinating the edition of the promised Treatise I am resolved to say something of their use after I have made mention of the humid and indeed not only of the use of those subtile sulphureous and dry spirits but also of the use of subtile vegetable and animal spirits which are medicinal because in some diseases dry baths are more commodiously used then moist He therefore that will provoke sweat by a dry bath without water let him provide a wooden box or wooden instrument convenient to sit in standing upon a stoole boared through that you may raise it up more or less according as you please and having boards appoynted for the armes and feet to rest upon This box also besides the great dore must have also a little dore serving for the puting in of a burning lamp with spirit of wine or of any earthen vessel with coals for to heat it The box being well warmed let the patient go in and sit upon a stool let the box be very close shut all about and the furnace with the Copper Globe be fitted thereunto under which let there be a small fire kindled by help whereof the volatile spirit growing warm goeth forth into the box like a most subtile vapour penetrating all about the patient But when this spirit is not sufficient to heat the box set in it a burning lamp with spirit of wine or some earthen pot with coales the best whereof which are made of Juniper or the vine especially of the roots as being such that will endure long and cannot easily be extinguished by the vapours of those spirits that the patient take not cold and the vapours of the spirits may the better penetrate the body of the patient Let the wick for the spirit of wine in the burning lamp be incombustible made of the subtle threads of gold of which thing more in Arte Balneatoria In the mean time that volatile spirit penetrates and heates the whole body and performes its office being this way used better then by being mixed with water When the patient hath sate there long enough let him come forth and go into a warme bed to sweat Now before he go into the box let him take a dose of that volatile spirit which is used outwardly to provoke sweat and accelerate the action And by this means not only those volatile sulphureous spirits of salts minerals and metals are used outwardly without water to procure sweat but also the spirits of many vegetables as of mustard seed garden cresses crude Tartar also of animals as hartshorn urine salt Armoniack c. for the expelling of most grievous and desperate diseases Now the aforesaid spirits have divers properties the volatile spirits of salt minerals and metals have some those of vegetables and animals have others those have a sulphureous and fiery essence these a mercurial and aerial wherefore they serve for different uses In some diseases those sulphureous are preferred but in others vegetable and animal where also a consideration is to be had of the sickness and bath it self that one be not used for the other to
crude Tartar be mingled in an equal weight and they being mixt are kindled and melted There is also another separation of Antimonial parts when of smal bits of Iron one part is put into a strong crucible in a winde furnace to which being red hot cast two parts of ground Antimony for fusion and the superfluous combustible sulphur will forsake the Antimony and joyn to the iron a metal more amicable to it then sulphureous mixt with which forsaketh its own proper pure Mercury and sulphur or Regulus which is almost the half part of the Antimony And these four wayes by which the superfluous combustible sulphur of Antimony is separated are most common not set down as secrets but for demonstrations sake that it may appeare how sulphureous minerals are to be perfected and purified which are little amended yet shewing a better way not only for Antimony but also for Arsenick and Orpin although these two cannot be so done with iron nitre and tartar by reason of theit volatility but with oyle or other fat things in close crucibles giving a Regulus like to the Antimonial And these Reguli make tin hard to sound and be compact if to one pound one ounce be added in fusion for making good houshold stuffe And in tryal they give good Gold And as it is said of purging Antimony so also it is to be understood of the â—est as Wismuth Zinck lapis calaminaris lead tin iron and copper to be purged from their superfluous sulphur if thou wilt draw more perfect metals viz. gold and silver out of them with gaine And so I make an end of metallick lotions recommending to Chymists nitre tartar flints and lead for who knoweth to use them shall not lose his labor in Chymistry but t is to be lamented that every where good earth and fixt in the fire is not to be gotten retaining lead and salts for without our old lead little or nothing can be done in the refining metals therefore who goes to try any thing in this art let him seek the best earth retaining lead twenty four hours space afterward let him consult with tin what Vulcan has to be done with iron who will tell him what he must suffer before he obtain the Crown Of the tincture of Sol and Antimony SOmetimes another alteration happens to mans body from the attraction of mineral vapors which cannot be done by my furnace in the tryal therefore here I will set down a certain medicine for the workmans sake as well for preserving as curing namely a cleer rubin fixt and soluble of gold and Antimony Take of pure gold half an ounce dissolve it in Aqua Regia precipitate the solution with liquor of flints as before said in the second part edulcorate and dry the calx and it wil be prepared take Regulus Martis of which is spoken a little before beaten fine to which mixe three parts of the purest nitre place the mixture in the crucible between burning coales putting to fire by degrees which done make a stronger viz. for fusion for then the mass will be made purple which taken forth and cooled bake very smal of which take three or four parts and mixe with one part of the aforesaid golden calx place it mixed in a strong crucible covered over in the aforesaid winde furnace and make the mass to flow together like metal and it will assume that Antimonial nitre in the fusion and it will dissolve gold or the calx of gold and a mass of an Amethyst colour will be made therewith which so long leaveth the fire till it get the cleerness of a Rubie which one may try with a clean wier of iron bowed and put therein although in the mean time the mass deprived of fusibility is thickened it is meet to add some nitre or tartar for speeding fusion and that as often as shall be needful Lastly pour the mass when it shall come to the utmost redness of a rubie hot into a clean copper morter which there leave until it coole and it will be in colour very like to an Oriential Rubie then bruise it hot into powder also taking aire it would melt and extract the tincture by the fusion of the spirit of wine in a vial and the gold together with the Antimony will remaine very white like the finest talc to be washed with cleer water in a glass edulcorated and dryed which melted with a stronger fire gives a green glass in which no gold appears yet separable by way of precipitation with the filings of iron and copper from which it recovers its ancient colour but without profit by reason of the wast the tinged spirit is to be taken away from the tincture which is a very soveraigne medicine in many grievous diseases Although thou maist suspect this not to be the simple tincture of Sol but of nitre and tartar mixt be sure that the quantity of nitre added not to exceed suppose that tincture of Tartar and nitre I pray what waste is there since that is so good a medicine by it self and I am perswaded this tincture of Sol to be better then those set down in the second part That Ruby may be so used by it self with the proper vehicles seeing it is a soveraigne medicine of it self or else exposed to the aire and resolved to a liquor for the medicine is not less then its tincture because gold in it self and the purer part of Antimony are made potable without corrosives Wonderful is the power of salts in metals to be destroyed perfected and changed by fusion for it happened to me one time making this Ruby placing two other crucibles also with metals by this containing gold with the prepared Regulus of Antimony for easily two or three or more crucibles may be placed in this furnace to be ruled with one fire which cannot be done in a common furnace by that means about to put in a certain salt in the crucible next to the crucible of gold that by a mistake I cast it into the crucible with gold onely whence so great a conflict arose that there was danger of boyling over therefore forced to remove it out of the furnace presently with tongs and to effuse it supposing that the Ruby was lost by my rash putting in of salt therefore I would only keep the gold And I found the effused mass red like blood purer then a ruby but no gold but white graines like lead dispersed here and there in the salts separable for the smalness not by the solution of salts which separated by the solution of water with red tincture like blood remained in the bottome of the glass which afterward for fusions sake together I placed in a new crucible in that furnace but willing to try the fusion I found the crucible empty and all the gold vanished a little excepted sticking on the top to the crucible and the cover which I took away and melted for experience sake in a new close crucible but all
will be necessary to add more coales untill they be throughly kindled in the inner parts afterward let the fire be kindled by degrees that the types may grow cold but not altogether but so that you may touch them and presently besmeare finely the sifted ashes mixt with water with a pencil to stop up the chincks arisen for burning the haire and smoothing the types then again makeboth parts after thou hast framed the first hole in them for a Tunnel clean by being wary left any foul thing fall upon them and carefully binde them with iron or copper wier and very wel lute over the joining with clay prepared with haire and put on an earthy tunnel and the type on the top of dry sand And thou oughtest in the mean while thou burnest and preparest the type to melt the metallick mixture that it may be powred on the hot type the metal well melted put on a sear-cloth which burning powre out melted metal into the burning type being wary lest coales or some other thing fall into the crucible and be powred with the metal into the type spoiling the glass then let the glass cool of it self in the type if the matter be not mouldred in the cooling And though it do moulder in the cooling which indeed would be lessened it behooves that the cast glass be presently taken out of the type and covered over with a hot earthen or iron vessel that it may coole under it which otherwise cooling shut up in the type not able to moulder is broke in pieces but soone after you shall perceive what be those mouldering metals And this is the common way and the best of melting if so be thou art exercised there are also other wayes first when types are made of wood or lead agreeing to the glass to be printed the sand in the finest powder of tyles or other earth as is the custome of copper smiths and th is way only serveth for lesser glasses The third way best of all but hardest to one not exercised is as followes make a waxen type with a cylinder to be placed between two boards as is aforesaid of the first way which put upon the globe for to shape it and let it be hardned in the cold then take it away and spread the following mixture with a pencil which see that it be dryed in the shadow then apply the clay prepared with haire the thickness of one or two fingers broad then take away the waxe from the earthen type make a round hole in the earthen type with a knife coming even to the wax which done place neer that coale fire the type bending down and the melted waxe will run through the hole into which powre hot not burnt metal c. that liniment which is anoynted on the waxe must be very wel prepared lest while the wax melt it fall and melt away with the wax nor let the waxe pierce the earthen type and spoyle it Now the liniment follows Burn clay well washt in an earthen furnace even till redness afterward bruise it and take away its finest part with washing of water so that thou take the finest dust which dry and again burn with a strong fire after grinde the dust with rain water and salt Armoniack sublimated upon a stone as painters use to make their colours bring it to the just consistence of a paint and mixture will be made salt Armoniack keeps that fine powder lest it melt away with the waxe but prepared earth makes a tender and fine fusion Metallick mixture for the matter of the glass THere are diverse of these mixtures of which one is alwayes better then the other which by how much t is the harder by so much the glass is the better and by how much the harder the metal is by so much the better it is polisht nor doth the hardness of the mixture suffice but its whitness is required for red proceed from too much copper becoming black from too much iron or duskie from too much tin doth not make the true representations of things but changeth the shape and colour of them for example sake too much copper makes shapes too red and so of the rest let therefore the metallick mixture be very white but if burning glasses are made it is no matter what colour it be of if so be that the mixture be hard I will set down one of the best â„ž of copper plates the thinnest beaten to pieces one part of white Arsenick a quarter first moisten the plates with the liquor of the salt of Tartar and make a bed upon a bed with plates and Arsenick powdred by sprinkling this on them until the crucible be filled to which powre to the oyle of flax as much as sufficeth to cover the copper and Arsenick which done put to the cover with the best lute then place the crucible the lute being dryed in sand so that only the upper part of the cover may stick out and administer fire by degrees at first little Secondly somewhat stronger till at length it be hot that all the oyle may evaporate in the mean time the oyle shall prepare the copper and retaine the Arsenick and shall make it enter into the plates like oyle piercing dry leather Or place the crucible upon a grate and put fire on it which administer by degrees until the oyle evaporate in the boyling Lastly when it shall coole break the crucible and thou shalt finde the copper of diverse colours especially if thou shalt take Orpin in stead of Arsenick twice or thrice increased in bigness and friable â„ž of this copper one part and of latton two parts melt it with a very quick fire and first indeed the latton to which afterward add the friable copper powre out the mixture melted and thou shalt have a very hard metal unfileable yet not so brittle but like steele of which diverse things may be shaped serving in stead of iron and steele instruments take of this hard metal the third part of the best tin without lead one part effuse it and the matter of looking glasses will be made This mixture is a hard white metal making the best looking glases but if this labor seem tedious take of copper three parts of tin one part of white Arsenick half for the matter of looking glasses which are fine but brittle as well in the melting as polishing therfore carefully to be handled I must here set down a thing worthy to be observed and knowen to few false is the opinion of many especially of those who attribute knowledge to themselves of the proprieties of metals in the second part of subtile spirits mention is made of the pores of metals for experience witnesseth that those subtile spirits as of hartshorn tartar soote and sometimes those sulphureous of salts and metals do evaporate through pewter vessels which at the first time no man conceives for whose sake this discourse is made Make two bals of Copper and two of pure Tin
appearing in their calcination whilest they are stirred and separating which if again reduced viz. calcined its better part by benefit of melting and the weightier sinketh the worser flowing on the top is changed into dross or glass And the separation of metal is done by the help of fire alone to the ignorant and unexpert incredible but consider gilt silver to be separated in fusion which is as it were corrupted by that common sulphur and the metallick species being lost it turns to black dross before in melting it forsake the gold which way also silver is separated from copper and this from iron Observe also that black and crude Antimony which reduced into ashes by calcination and melted is separated by a strong fire the purer parts descending pure and white like silver but the impure parts ascending changed into glass or dross which separation was never made without incineration although the Antimony stood long fluid Thou seest therefore the power of fire alone in melting metals wherefore believ thou that thy labor shal not be in vain if thou knowest how to help the fire Exercise thy self therefore in it for thou art sufficiently instructed and this furnace will help thee without which it is impossible to meddle with such things as experience testifies confirming my words Mention being made of metallick glasses which belongs to the perfection of metals I am forced to say something also of other Amausa or coloured glasses which are called Gemmes and are worn for beautifying which though it be not profitable yet it is a delightful labour which knowledge as well noble as ignoble have long sought not for gain but recreation sake erring from the true way although prolixly described in many tongues through ignorance of the art to render crystal or flint fusible and colouring it content with lead glasses made of one part of crystals or flints and three or four parts of minium or ceruss glass of no worth as not only very soft and unapt for polishing but also heavier then it ought by means of lead and having a yellow or green colour or every glass of crystal or flint and minium or ceruse by themselves viz. without the addition of other colours the lead gets a yellow colour hindering and altering other mixt colours therefore a good stone is not made this way of lead and flint but there may be of these Saturnine glasses Venice glass Ashes of Jupiter and colours being added to them be used diversly of the goldsmiths namely to colour gold otherwise of no moment Therefore I will give another preparation namely out of the flints c. crystals of Sol with minium and ceruse with metallick colours natural in colour and elegancy of excellent stones but not harder then glass for although crystal is harder then iron yet it is deprived of its hardness in some measure and is made like to glass yet so much hardness reserved as serves to write in another glass which glasses are easily polished in all things and by all most like hardness excepted to natural stones with which not only various kinds of stones be made and other gold silver and wooden works or pictures adorned but also diverse supellectils as salts hafts or hilts cups c. and also images and antiquities may be formed by fusion with gold silver and stones of impresses like to those cut out of gems by the hand of an ingenious workman most delightful They are made after this manner and first you must look for flints and crystals not coloured but very white gathered out of sand or streams which you must heat in a covered crucible and quench them glowing in cold water that they crack and may be pulverised otherwise they are so hard that when they are powdred they take part of the morter and so are defiled therefore it is worth your labor to handle them well Afterward â„ž of flints prepared and the purest salt of Tartar equal parts made in glased vessels but not in copper or iron equal parts mingle them and keep them to use And if thou wilt make this mass into a gem you must first mingle some colour what you desire afterward so long place it being put into a clean covered crucible scarce half full in a very strong fire till all the salt of Tartar hath evaporated and the flint together with the colour come into substance fusible like glass you must then put a smal clean iron wier and draw out a little of the melted mass for tryal whether it have stood long enough in the fire whether there be yet pustles and little sands or whether it being exactly melted it shall descend to the bottome which done you must take off the crucible and place it under some hot iron or earthy vessel that it may wax cold with the melted stone otherwise the mass will be broken in the crucible into very smal parts and would be unfit for greater works neither must you powre out the melted mass for fear of the attraction of aire ad pustles to arise thence But willing to make out of the mass by fusion not carving money or pictures thete is no need to leave the mass in the crucible to coole but presently to powre it perfect and hot into a copper morter nothing will stick to the crucible but all the mass will be poured out without any wast And this mass if thou wilt thou mayest powder or break into very smal bits for fusion and impression But the mass cooled in the crucible is to be taken by breaking the crucible and to be reduced into greater or lesser stones by cutting But melting for money or images you must place the money or image which you will imitate with the backside or hinder dart downward in an iron ring a fingers breadth broad of greater capacity then the money upon a stone or plaine wood and spread a little earth or fine sand or earth through a cloth namely as much as sufficeth to cover the type and upon this to put more of the best moistened with water like ashes of cupels and to impress it being most tenacious firmely to the type but warily lest the type be moved which done you must turn the ring and with a knife lift up the type and to take it lifted up with ones hands or tongs the image being left in the sand to be dryed by the heate of the Sun or fire Afterward casting the image place the ring with the image of sand impressed under a tile and adminster a strong fire that the whole ring with the sand and the image of sand may be very hot then take off the ring to see if the image have suffered any loss which if it have not you must put upon it so much of the aforesaid glass coursly beaten as sufficeth in the fusion to fill the image impressed on the sand which done put the ring again under the tile and administer the fire of fusion till the glasse melt in the ring to
which touch with a smooth iron and light with a handle being hot the ring taken first out of the furnace with tongs pressing the glass well to the type and then place it under a hot iron or earthen vessel to coole and being cold take image from the type which answers to it in all things if thou hast aright proceeded exactly representing the Carvers art or a seale impressed to a jewel which excellent work is most fit to faigne and represent antiquities and rarities The colouring of the aforesaid mass follows in which it is made most like to Gemmes IT behooveth that colours be taken from metals and minerals namely from copper iron gold silver Wismuth Magnesia and Granate of other colours I know nothing of certainty copper commonly makes a colour green like the Sea copper of iron grass-green Granate smaragdine colour iron yellow or Iacynth Gold the best skie colour Wismuth common skie colour Magnesia Amethystine mixt they give other colours E. gr Gold mixt with Silver gives an Amethyst colour Iron and Copper a pale green Wismuth and Magnesia a purple Silver and Magnesia various colours like an Opal Images are also made of diverse colours if the masses of diverse colours be broken into bits and mixt be put upon the type c. And if thou desirest an opac mass green red skie colour c. add a little calx of Tin darkning on which as on a Basis the colours insist For example in making a Turcoise stone or a Lazulus mingle to the Azuremade of the silver Marcasit or Zafora to colour the mass the calx of tin that they may melt together and before the impression be made put upon the type some prepared gold then spread and put upon this the aforesaid glass and the fusion and impression being made let be made thence having golden veines like lapis Lazulus very delightful But there must be calx gold is not loosing its splendor in the fire such as is made by Mercury or that which better is precipitated out of Aqua regia of which above Of the preparation of the colours for colouring the mass of flints and Crystals THe plates of copper often heated are quenched in cold water of which more in the fifth part from three to six grains of it may be mixed to â„¥ j. of the mass for a sea green colour Iron is reduced into crocus by reverberation of which from four to ten grains are added to the mass for a yellow or Iacynth colour Silver is dissolved in Aqua fortis and precipitated with the liquor of flints after it is edulcorated and dryed whereof from one to six grains added to â„¥ j. of the mass they make mixt colours Gold is dissolved in Aqua regia edulcorated and dryed precipitated first with liquor of flints whereof from grain four to ℈ ss mixt with one ounce of the mass make a most elegant Saphire And if from three to six of that soluble ruby made of the nitrous gold and silver of iron be added to â„¥ j. of the mass they make a very polite ruby Magnesia pulverised whereof from six to fourteen grains to â„¥ j. of the mass make an Amethyst Marcasit dissolved in Aqua regia precipitated with the liquor of flin â—s let be edulcorated and dryed whereof from one to five grain to â„¥ j. of the mass give a Saphire but not comparably so polite as one made with gold But being unwilling to calcine Marcasit let him take Zafora and mingle to â„¥ j. from five to ten graines Granates of Bohemia or Oriental pulverised add from six grains to ℈ j. to â„¥ j. of the mass for little green stones like to the natural smaragd or emrald other things which remaine of the mixture of the colours are to be learned by experience To what uses coloured flints and crystals are appointed is not here to be treated of one use being excepted which I set down for the eys which are weakened by too much watching the heate of fire and smoake see thou have a waxen type circularly round of the bigness of a dish or trencher The Optiques are wont to call such lentes to which put the best clay well mixed with haire anoint the waxen type with oyle and exactly apply the best prepared earth of crucibles and durable in the fire the thicknes of a finger which dryed perforate in some part that the waxe being melted by the fire may flow forth afterward burn the type in an earthen furnace being burnt fill it with prepared glass and place it in a winde furnace till the glass melt which at length cooled take off the type by attrition and there shalt thou have the crystal resembling the force of the type which afterward thou must make and polish like spectacles in an iron dish on both sides and take cover it wrought with a strong iron wier and thou shalt have a good crystalline lent bought for smal price which otherwise is scarce made of crystal of so great a bigness And if thou wilt thou mayest colour the glass green very pleasant to the sight and fit the foot to it for greater benefit And the glass doth not only make in this for the multiplication of light in the night time that you may see a thing afar off in a chamber but also for the fixing and calcining minerals by the sun beams and melting of metals multiplying of pictures like a hollow glasse and also so to compare it for other uses with a hollow looking glass which doth the same of an equal bigness which the hollow glass nor is there any other difference of them but reflexion This glass instrument is made likewise another way and by less cost labor if it be of a polisht looking-glass if 2. great orbes are cut out with a diamond and if they are somewhat softened with fire and are left there so long in the heate untill they shall stick like waxe very close to the stone which done let them be cooled again which afterward taken out will represent the forme of a hollow glass to which it behooves to fixe a leafe on the convex part And these glasses do the same that a hollow metallick looking glass doth the reflexion excepted which is not so strong as of the hollow glass And although the glasses are sooner broke yet they are very fit for the making of the following instrument And they are bound together by strong wier applyed across on the concave part and a hole is cut in the brim with a diamond on one side of the bigness of a pea to which is put an Ascent then the crevises are exactly closed in every place with the best lute which done a silver or copper ring is to be tyed about it holding those glasses straightly so that the instrument may be fitted to the foote all which well done those strong wiers are separated or cut off with which the glasses were bound at first namely neer the copper ring afterward it
is infused with very pure Aqua vitae through a funnel as much as is required for the filling it up the instrument being filled the Ascent is shut up which is to be laid up to use and this instrument is better then the hollow glass especially if it have in its diameter the breadth of one foote and may be applyed to prospective pictures it doth excellently represent and multiply them Behind which if you place a candle in the night it gives so much light in the chamber that you would think it came from the Sun It doth also many other things which here are omitted as superfluous And you may gather the dispersed light in the aire in the night time with it so that you may read the smallest writing Such and others of the like things may be done by this furnace all which to set down would swell the book too much Other things of the metals examination and purification by fusion in another place Take this Reader which is given to thee in good part at another time thou shalt have better and do not mistake my writings as if I did reprove the examinations of metals by the Ancients fusions and separations who only would communicate my opinion and yeild my assistance for further proceeding for I know that dealers in metals giving too much credit to their small probes when they finde nothing do contemn oares as barren often abounding with gold and silver yet when he John Mathes sayes expresly in his Sarepta that minerals oftentimes tryed in a smal quantity do yield no gold and silver which in a great quantity yeild a great deale wherefore â—redit is not alwayes to be given to such probes often deceiving as experience testifies But this not only in those minerals which are digged out of the earth but also in those clayie and sandy minerals abounding with silver and golden flames out of which neither by the less nor greater probes nor ablution nor Mercury is drawn with gaine that thin and fiery dispersed gold which by some waters is done without fire easily for I know such mines are found neer many rivers of Germany and many places in other Nations of Europe out of which honest gaine without much cost and labor may easily be gotten Neither are they dreams which I have spoken parabolically of the perfection of metals for it is possible by art to help nature in the perfecting things There is therefore no more need of any thing then of knowledge therefore the nature of metals being known and their properties they are easily separated purged and perfected But what I have written of the universal medicine I have done for the aforesaid causes which have made me believe the thing not as professor of the Art The other things of coloured red glasses and looking glasses I have added because they are easily prepared by this furnace as sometimes necessary in some works Other things of the handling metals are not without cause now omitted which happily may be sometime delivered in another place wherefore now we end FINIS THE FIFTH PART OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACES WHERE It is treated of the wonderfull NATVRE OF THE FIFT FVRNACE ALSO Of the easie preparation of the Instruments and Materials belonging to the foresaid four FVRNACES Most profitable for Chymical PHYSITIANS By JOHN RUDOLPH Glauber LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes for Tho Williams at the signe of the Bible in Little-Britain 1652. THE FIFT PART OF PHILOSOPHICAL FURNACES Of the preparation of the Furnace AS concerning this of which though I made no mention in the Preface for it was not my resolution to mention it in the last part because I was purposed only to treat of the instruments as wel earthen as those of glass and also of the other necessary things belonging to those four parts premised yet I am willing now in this part which I have judged to be the most convenient place for it for which I did before design another to discover the wonderful nature thereof as far as I may for the studious Artists sake And although I know that more in this part then in all my other writings especially the ignorant and unskilful will be offended yet I will not therefore pass it by perswading my self that by this means I shall do a work that will be most acceptable to the searchers of Art and Nature For I do devoutly affirm that this is the choicest of all my secrets that I confide in in which I have already seen wonderful things hoping that the divine benediction will some time or other be obtained upon the practice thereof And as for the structure thereof much cannot be said thereof because it is not built as other furnaces are but it is every where found extructed by Nature being ordained for no other works then those of Nature viz. for the making of any menstruum that shall dissolve gold silver and all other metals and minerals without any noise as also pretious and common stones and also glasses the original of which is the original of the Menstruum Now what and what manner of furnace that is that produceth this royal menstruum coming from the menstruum it selfe and that easily without any labour you may easily conjecture that it is not any common one by the help whereof other things are distilled that can yeeld such a menstruum that is not corrosive which certainly is not any common menstruum because there is but this one menstruum that I know which doth not partake of any corrosive quality that doth more then any or all other corrosive waters whatsoever For all corrosives whatsoever they are as aqua fortis aqua regia spirit of salt vitrioll allome and nitre cannot together and at once dissolve the close union of gold and silver and other most hard subjects that cannot be dissolved in waters though never so caustick This indeed is wonderful and stupendous that a thing every where found most vile and base should doe so great a miracle I know not what moved me to write of it knowing that I shall in this part offend not onely the wise by writing so openly but also the ignorant detractors and slanderers that will accuse mee of falsity And truly these considerations might justly have deterred me but that I knew I might doe a good work recalling many from their errors For many being perswaded that there is no other dissolving menstruum besides the aforesaid corrosive spirits but those are Chymists that are ignorant of nature yet the Philosophers with one consent say that those corrosive destructive spirits make a fruitless solution of metals For experience testifies that the solutions made by the help of aqua fortis and regia and other spirits colour the hands being that which a true Philosophical solution doth not and furthermore testifies that those viz. which colour the hands are not to be reckoned among the true Philosophical solutions but to be contemned as Malignant Wherefore I was willing to
operations unknown to the vulgar I thought it worth while to speak of the commendation thereof I shall at this time for brevities sake speak onely of the chymicall uses thereof reserving the rest for some other place and time PARAG. XVIII The separation of gold from silver without hurt to the jewels also the solution and separation of gold that containes silver and copper and the precipitation of gold from the water without any hurt to the water so as that it may serve for the same uses again wherefore this is the best way of separations which are done by a humid way reducing gold to the highest degree THe separation of gold from gilt silver by aqua regis is well known to Chymists as also the dissolving and separation of gold containing sylver and copper but it is seldom used for these following reasons viz. because that separation of gold from gilt silver viz. when the silver is not covered thick with gold doth not quit cost by reason of the cost and pains that is required for the making of the aqua regia Now the spirit of salt that is made this way is with costs Secondly although the gold be dissolved in aqua regia yet it is hardly separated again Some have precipitated gold that is dissolved in aqua regia with lixivium of salt of Tartar and being precipitated have edulcorated it and with borax have reduced it and because this calx when it feels this heat of the fire is kindled with a great noise they have mixed it with common sulphur and being mixed have calcined it to take away the cracking and kindling of it viz. before they have reduced it with borax This operation requires a great deal of diligence great labours and not small costs if thou wouldst not lose any of the gold wherefore it is not the best way Others have by the help of distillation separated the aqua regia from the dissolved gold but besides their labours and stenches as also the danger of breaking their glass have lost some of the Gold by means of the aqua regia Wherefore this way of separation also is not to be esteemed as good Some have precipitate the dissolved gold from the aqua regia with the solution of vitrioll and allome into a black powder which in the melting have been found mixed with iron and copper attracted from the vitrioll wherefore this also is an unprofitable way of separation But in our separation there are not such obstacles for the gold being dissolved in the spirit of salt there is presently put a certain precipitating thing to it and the solution being in a copper vessell where there is no danger of breaking vessels is set upon the fire to boil in the interim whereof a most fine gold is separated and precipitated the copper being left in the spirit of salt which you must decant off from the gold which you must edulcorate dry and melt afterwards and keep for your use By which means all things are done without loss or costs Which indeed of all humid separations is the best and most profitable whereby gold that contains copper and silver is dissolved Of which thing more in the fourth part of Furnaces PARAG. XIX The separation of gold from pure fat clay argilla sand flints and other mines which is sparkling spongeous and light which otherwise could not be separated either by the help of washing or with Mercury or by melting viz. by a certain easie way of elixation not without much gain THis Paragraph treats of a certain operation to be performed with spirit of salt whereby any one may in any part of the world where mountains rocks stones sand or pure fat clay are easily get an honest livelyhood more then that For in every part of the world may be found potters clay sand or flints that have subtile gold in them viz. invisible in clay and sand but visible sometimes in flints and stones when they are broken which if they be too hard must be heated red hot and quenched in cold water that they may clear and be brought to a powder by grinding or pounding by which means the gold is made more manifest in them There are sometimes found whole mountains full of those stones which have such a spirituall or subtile gold in them which is so subtile light and thin that it will not quit cost to melt them But by this way it is easily drawn forth with spirit of salt so that any one may privately honestly and plentifully get his maintenance Nâ—w you must have a knowledge of these stones of all which flints are best known in which being made red hot quenched and broken in water if there be gold it appears every where in all and each part thereof of a resplendent yellow and red colour which if it be ground to powder appears with a red colour which flints had not before they were made red hot in the fire these kinds of stones have also in them iron which yet is no prejudice to this business because only the gold is precipitated from the spirit of salt the iron being left in the water This is a very excellent and easie labour which in a great quantity of the matter may be practised with a great deal of gain so that by this means thousands of men may get their livelyhood without any prejudice to their neighbour Now this secret consists in two things viz. in a plentiful and most easie preparation of spirit of salt and a due precipitation PARAG. X. X. A new and unheard of proving of tough and stubborn minerals viz. of all and each whereby their nature and form is found out that which cannot be done otherwise by any vulgar way And this secret is especially for those places where there are abundance of mines For oftentimes there is found a stubborn mine of gold which if examined yeelds nothing but is left unlaboured in c. Sometimes there are found other things where there are not found mines of metals as white and red talc c. which being tryed after the common way yeeld little or nothing yet abound with gold and silver occult in them which cannot after any other way be separated with advantage THis trying or proving is far different from that vulgar made in tests and cuples especially being ordained for those tough and stubborn minerals that will not mix with lead of which if they will not be mixed with lead how shall we know their form and nature This secret therefore is very profitable and excellent for those especially which seek their fortunes in mountaines in the earth mines and stones For by this means their form although it be never so litle is easily found out which being known you may also know whether such things as clay sands stones c. may be operated in with gaine or disprofit Now this secret consists chiefly in the joyning of lead therewith For it is impossible to finde out the form of minerals and
them that deal in minerals but spiritualized with a certain secret fire by which its proper body may be amended and exalted as to become partaker of a golden nature For such copper mines being melted and purged after the common way yeeld not gold but silver only whence it appears that they attaine to perfection not but by that secret fire of lotion or gradation For skilful Chymists have not only that common fire but also another by the help whereof metals are tryed and melted without the knowledge whereof metals cannot be rightly handled As for example in the common melting and burning of minerals which is done by a common fire the volatile part of the metal which is the spirit and vegetable life thereof is driven away by the force of that fire the more fixed thick part being left But if the more impure parts only be by any peculiar fire separated the gradatorious spirit being left with the body there is found a better and more excellent body then that which is melted in a violent common fire The greatest secrets lye in fire as being the strongest element but of these nothing is manifest to the vulgar Philosophers and Chymists In the dross that is cast away undergoing a greater force of fire there lyes something of what is perfect which is drawn from thence if they be melted againe after a peculiar manner which last operation is not but by a common fire But this amending of copper proceeds from a certaine fire that washeth purifieth and exaleth I have often tryed the mine of copper by both fires and I never found any thing but silver to be melted thence by that common fire as well after as before fixation and not gold but by that secret fire only gold and no silver As also tin tryed by the common way yeelds only silver but being reduced into ashes and dross yeelds not silver but gold as having passed the greater force of fire This therefore is to be ascribed to fire operating diversly according to the diversity of the regiment thereof Wherefore the differences of fires is to be known for one destroyes and the other digests and maturates metals one mundifies and washeth another penetrates heats exalts and transmutes metals into a better kind so that it may be truly said In gold and salt are all things Besides the hot and dry fires there are also found those that are cold and moist having no affinity with those by the help whereof nature doth as well in the bowels of the earth as out of the earth like an artist destroy and regenerate metals of which you shall see more amongst the Philosophers and I could say more if it were needful But why Mention made of unknown secrets begets envy Out of old cloth I will not make a new garment because there are some Authors of new books that know nothing but what they have read or heard As for my part I had rather be silent then publish secrets or write or repeat things already written For its all one to write secrees or common writ things viz. in this age Wherefore I thought it better to give others an opportunity of searching out secrets then to publish and communicate them to all indifferently Let it suffice therefore what hath been spoken of the difference of hot and cold fires by the help whereof metals are as well within as out of the earth generated and destroyed Of which I have decred more at large to treat in my book of the Original of Metals where what is here wanting shal not be omitted PARAG. XXXV The separation of silver from the tests which entered into them in time of trying without melting and without labour and costs THis is for those that want conveniences of melting their tests for the separating of silver which together with the lead entered into them in the time of trying And it is a very easie secret without costs and labour PARAG. XXXVI A cheap preparation or making of most fine earthen vessels like to the porcellane retaining spirits resisting the fire and to be made in any place of the world VVE can scarce be without those earthen vessels as in houshold affaires so in a Chymical elaboratory and Apothecaryes shops wherefore mention is made of them not without cause For the houshold affaires there may be made basons dishes cups pots c. For an elaboratory alembicks cucurbits retorts platters and other necessaries For Apothecaryes shops pots greater or lesser for syrups conserves electuaries and for waters of hearbs in defect of those of glass And such vessels may well be preferred before those of glass because they are not so soon broken and retaine any subtile and sharp humidities They are also to be preferred before pewter basons and dishes because they do as well in winter as smmer retaine their cleaness and more easily made clean without washing PARAG. XXXVII A confection of Allome exalting and fixing any colours especially requisite for scarlet and other pretious colours As also a preparation of a cauldron that shall be cheap and not alter colours THis allome is not to be sold because it is made by art of some certain minerals having this vertue as to be able to fix and exalt colours of any kind that they suffer no injury from the sun aire water which do otherwise alter colours to which business is required also a certain peculiar cauldron For diers of scarlet know that the scarlet die which is the best and most pretious of all colours is altered in copper cauldrons wherefore they are wont to cover them over with tin or to make them of tin But this our allome and our cauldron are far to be preferred before those vulgar although they are sold at a cheaper price wherefore this art is not to be slighted because much profit may redound to the possessours thereof PARAG. XXXVIII A certaine cheap preparation of colours for painting as of purple ultramarine vermillian c. but especially of a certain most fine white never yet seen most like the finest pearles also of a silver and golden colour THe aforesaid colours were yet never common nor could be made so plentifully and with so great profit as now c. whilest therefore these serve for the art of painting whereby for memories sake as well sacred as profane histories are painted it will not be amiss if they be taught because we can hardly want them And although it seem a mean yet it is a most useful art and also profitable because those colours are much used in many places whence much profit must of necessity redound to the possessours thereof The conclusion LET no man doubt of the truth of what hath been said in these Annotations For nature and art can do many things but our art is little in vegetables and almost nothing in metals and this is the reason that things never seen or heard seeme incredible and monstrous to the ignorant Wherefore I protest and protest againe that
of divers diseases It also cures all violent and acute diseases as the Epilepsie Plague Feavers c. It provoketh the Menstrues of old and young chiefly if also extrinsecally it be rightly administred which way many are well cured who otherwise are like to perish miserably it warms and cleanseth the Matrix above all other Medicines and renders it fit to perform its office It preserves it also from all accidents of Sterility other very grievous diseases causing death It expels the water of the Dropsie by urine it rarifieth and dryeth up the superfluous moistures of the internall and externall parts like the Sun drying and consuming waters by which means the body recovers its prinstine sanitude of other diseases to write in particular it is not need because in all and every one without difference it may be used as a generall medicine in old as well as young This medicine doth not only restore but also conserve health till the predestinated time The Dose is from 3 graines or drop s to twelve or more but to children 1 2 or 3 with it s appropriated vehicle or in wine or beer to be administred dayly which Dose may be oftener in a day took respect being had to the sick party Thou mayst not be offended with the reproaches of the calumniator of this book of which the Divell with his filthy lyes is alwayes the Authour beleeving stedfastly that the time is neer when at length by the Divine wrath these Goats will be consumed like chaffe the sheep being not hurt for their meat recompensing their Master with milk and wool And so I make an end hoping to have pleased my Neighbour for without doubt who useth this golden medicine well shall doe well chiefly lifting up his heart acknowleding his sins to God the Giver and Creator of all good in filiall humility imploring his help and blessing which Omnipotent God and merciful Father that he would bestow on us his temporal blessing in this life with sound health and hereafter life eternal of his free grace Let us pray Amen FINIS OF THE Minerall Work THE FIRST PART Wherein is taught the separation OF GOLD Out of Flints Sand Clay and other Fossiles by the Spirit of Salt which otherwise cannot be purged ALSO A Panacea or Vniversall Antimoniall Medicine and the use thereof Invented and published in favour of the studious in the Chymick Art By JOHN RUDOLPH Glauber LONDON Printed by Richard Cotes for Tho Williams at the signe of the Bible in Little-Britain 1652. A Preface to the Reader THere will be some without doubt because the Edition of other peices of which I made mention in some former tractates a few years past hath been hitherto by reason of divers journeys and other various impediments neglected who will think having no knowledge of me that I am unable to perform my promise and there are others who knowing my condition and the contumelies of my enemies will fear that I being diverted from my purpose by these reproaches will make void my secret promises But I have resolved to stand to my promise that these men may see that I am neither moved nor altered with the taunts of the envious but that they may be convinced by reall demonstration of my secrets some of which I shall now for the publique good endeavour to communicate And although the ingratitude of the world be cause enough for my silence yet the uprightness of my heart would not permit me to conceal those things notwithstanding the malevolent and ungratefull Beside also the following reason moved me because there are some ambitious men who falsly boast of the knowledge of divers of my secrets wherefore some have been moved to think that mine are not mine own but the works and writings of others by which means I have been deprived of my due praise being attributed to another And this I have often found that one or other having by entreaties obtained a secret from me have afterward through ostentation ascribed it to themselves There are others also who fear not to reproach me and my writings as though they were trifles not attaining their desired end who rather then I who have written plain enough are themselves to be blamed for being ignorant how to work Such and other things might deter me but I would not omit the publishing of these writings for those mens sake who are pious and honest Wherefore I openly affirm that these things published by me are not only no trifles but most true and also my own and not the invention of another And I call him a lyer who shall boast himself the Authour without any of my help But of these enough Yet I would have the Reader know that for the meannesse of the stile I am not like many writers who more look after the flourish of words then the thing it selfe I rather seek that my neighbor may profit by me Whereforefor his better understanding I had rather be prolixe in words tedious to delicate ears then obscure brevity adorned with rhetoricall figures For I know that the studious in the Art doe affect a prolixe plain and distinct information or instruction rather then a Ciceronian or obscure And now in the Name of God I will begin my worke which is most profitable to all and will faithfully communicate and publish the same in that manner as it was found by me in my travell under the title of The Minerall Work divided into three parts In the first of which shall be taught how out of sand and golden flints corporeall golden may be drawn by the help of Spirit of Salt Which secret although it may seem small yet it is that whereby a knowledge of the true stones and true sand being obtained life may be sustained and also the cost laid out may be recompensed as shall be proved in the following parts In the second part shall be treated of the originall and generation of metals and also of the destruction of Minerals and Metals In the third part shall be demonstrated the possibility of metallicall transmutation by Nature and Art and that with divers reasons which demonstration is not unlesse I am deceived performed yet by any being the foundation of all metallick Philosophy and the Golden Crown of all my writings Which God grant I may perfect to the glory of his Divine name and the good of my neighbour Amen The first Part of the Minerall Work A most profitable process of the separation of gold out of flints sand clay red and black Talck and other Fossiles containing very subtile Gold thin and spongeous which otherwise cannot be separated either for its scarcity or the obstinacy of the Minerall by reason of the great cost to be bestowed viz. very easily with the spirit of salt KNow first good Reader that not all sand clay nor all flints and other Fossibles do contain gold but only some without the knowledge of which this secret availeth nothing And because the knowledge of these
the description is given in the 1 part of the Philosophical Furnaces and hereafter there shall be given a better if nothing hinder in the mean while use and enjoy these And if it happen so that thou canst not rightly perform all things of the aforesaid tractate blush not to learn the manual Operations which cannot be so exactly described from those that are experienced lest you hereafter unprofitably spend your labour and costs As for those stones know that very many of them are found in several places chiefly in those that are sandy and mountainous but in some more better than in others for there is seldom seen sand without flints and oft-times the sand it selfe though very little doth not want Gold But they are very likely to be found on the shoars of Rivers where the water washing away the sand from the flints they are found in great aboundance though they are not so easily known by their outside as those which were found clean in the sand because they are covered with slime Wherefore they must be broken with a hammer that that may be seen which is in them what may better appear if they be burnt and quencht in cold water For the stone retaining its whiteness where it is burnt and quencht doth contain nothing but acquiring a redness it shews there is something in it and the more red it is the better token it is N. B. But this is not to be understood of sandy stones waxing red in some part in the fire containing no gold but of flints out of which by a mutual percussion fire is brought forth which the more pure they are the purer gold do yeeld There are also flints out of which fire is forced by percussion being red in the fire which contain no gold but Iron which you may know by that clear redness before the burning which being burnt is changed into an obscure redness not shining and crude but the flints containing Gold being burnt doe acquire fair golden yellowness or reddish colour as if they were covered gold and that through the whole substance if they be broken in pieces And these give a pure gold but those other yeeld a red extraction like bloud yeelding not gold but the purest and malleable iron good in Chymick uses but chiefly for silver to be cemented and exalted for gold is seldome to be found in them that which is well to be observed lest thou draw out iron in stead of gold and so loose thy labour Also the best stones containing gold are those which are white and shining here and there throughout having in the whole substance green spots and lines red yellow skie-colored and brown There are also black flints out of which fire is forced by percussion having gold and iron which may be separated with profit yeelding sometimes plenty of ironish Gold which may in like manner be separated of which afterward They are very good flints also which being burnt retain a whiteness with veins green skie-coloured and such like neither are they dis-esteemed which burnt have black spots and not veins But the stones Quartzen and Hornstein although they in burning are not altered yet if there be seen before gold volatile and spiritual they by separation of themselves yeeld gold Gross and subtle sand having light and yellow gold yeelds in the burning a skie-coloured smoak and is exalted in color viz. brownish but that hath nothing which is not altered Subtle earth yellow or red passing through sand or a mountain like a vein contains also gold which is for the most part volatile and not mature flying away in reduction having ingress into silver and other metals and therefore for this reason conservable For thy better knowledge thou maist prove the stones with white fusile glass which thing is treated of in the fourth part of the Philosophical Furnaces that thou mayst not have cause to impute the fault of thy errour to me therefore I would have thee understand viz. that all stones containe not gold neither in all is it separable by the spirit of salt they are therefore to be known before they be applyed to the work Now follows the preparation of flints and the extraction of the gold contained in them by the spirit of salt FIrst the flints being made red hot in the fire they must be quencht in cold water after taken out and cooled be finely powdered N. B. When they are broken in a Mortar the better parts may easily be separated from the baser for while they are finely powdered alwayes the best part goes into red powder first the worser part thicker and harder containing little or nothing being left And if they be coursly powdered and sifted through a fine sieve the more subtle part like red powder goes through the sieve the unuseful part being left in the sieve like white dust which may be cast away and if yet some redness appeares it must again be powdered in a Mortar and the better part shal go into a red powder the baser part being left in the sieve hard and white which is to be cast away but you must observe that not all every of these flints are thus separable by powdering for some being beaten doe every where retain the same colour without any separation of the better parts which you must finely powder and extract in the whole substance But they viz. those separable are more easily extracted because all the gold contained in one pound for the most part may be gathered out of 3 or 4 ounces finely powdered and separated in the aforesaid manner so that it is not need to extract the whole stone nor to spend so much spirit of salt But sand and clay need not such a preparation but without a preparation being made before are extracted by the affusion of the spirit of salt â„ž then of the flints as aforesaid prepared and separated 2 3 4 6 pound to which being put into a cucurbit of glass whole undivided powre of the spiâ—it of Salt to the depth of 3 or 4 fingers breadth and place it in hot sand or Balneo that there the spirit of salt may be hot and may extract the Gold and so let it continue for 5 6 or more howres space untill the spirit tinged with a deep redness can extract no more And perchance at the first time though seldome it may not be tinged with so great a rednesse then must you decant that same imperfectly tinged spirit and powre to other flints after the manner expressed prepared in another cucurbit and place it with the flints in a moderate heat for to extract the gold which done poure it off again and poure it to fresh flints and doe so often untill it hath drawn to it a sufficient quantity of gold which afterward thou must keep untill thou hast gotten a greater quantity and all the Gold may bee separated at one time from it as afterward shall be said Which done poure to the reserved flints in
Balneum to digest 24 houres space till it be red and doe this the third time or so often till the spirit be no more coloured for then no more is to be poured on and that which is coloured is to be filtred with Cap-paper The rest of the flowers after the extraction as not requisite to this businesse are to be either kept by themselves or thrown away But the tinged spirit is to be abstracted out of a glasse cucurbit by an alembick to the half from the tincture which distilled spirit may again be used in the same work but the tincture left in the cucurbit is the medicine of which mention has beene made Now mention being made also of tartarised spirit of wine that I may satisfie the doubtfull concerning that I will here also give its description which is as followeth â„ž of tartar 20 or 30 pound put it in a large coated retort and place it in sand and distill the spirit off with a soft heat N. B. This work may better and sooner be performed by that instrument of our second Furnace and because it requires great and large receivers as being very penetrative thou maist first apply a tin or copper serpent to the neck of the retort instead of a receiver which is placed in a tub filled with cold water that the spirits being thereby cooled may be retained which afterward you must abstract to the halfe out of a glasse cucurbit by an alembick for the other half with black oil is unprofitable in this work and therefore to be taken away After that mingle the more subtile part distilled with half of the Caput Mortuum of the aforesaid spirit calcined to a whiteness and abstract it half again in a gentle Balneum out of a glasse cucurbit by an alembick the joints whereof are every where to be well closed and the calcined Tartar shall receive with it selfe the stench together with the phlegm only the purer part of the spirit and more subtle distilling forth which is again to be mingled with the other halfe of the Tartar calcined to a whitenesse and to be rectified by another alembick the Caput Mortuum may again be calcined to take away the fetidnesse that it may be used again And this is that tartarised spirit of wine with which the aforesaid tincture and essence is extracted and truly not only this but of all other metals which no other can doe And if it were lawfull I would write something more of its wonderfull force and vertue which it hath in purifying baser metals with which it hath a great affinity for it can separate the pure from the impure of which more in another place But when it is to bee used in mending of metals it needs not so much rectification as is required in the extraction of metallick medicines where you may draw it in plenty out of the dry lees of wine But there is also another tartarised spirit of wine which may also be used in this same work which is made after the following way Dissolve in a pound of the spirit of wine six ounces of crystall of Tartar which solution use in the aforesaid extraction in the same manner An Admonition I Desire thee not to be offended at the plainnesse of the preparation viz. of this medicine made out of a very meane thing and without much acutenesse of understanding say not to thy self if this be true that such a famous and excellent medicine can be gotten by such easie meanes what neede we so many various decoctions both pretious and nauseous bee prepared why is not this substituted in their places Certainly this should rather be used But who is so audacious as to dare to displease the multitude defending those kinds of decoction Surely none and there are few who are able to turn from their old custom An ancient custom therefore whatsoever need it hath of being amended yet prevails Would to God the time would come when Physitians would practise not out of avarice but out of charity which we owe to our neighbour which is desired by and full of comfort to the sick But for the vertue of so great a medicine I shall open to those that are younger and lesse skilful than my self not it to those who in yeers and learning doe goe before me but let every man enjoy his own judgement Of the vertues of this Medicine THis antimoniall tincture doth above all other medicines evacuate vitious humours insensibly purgeth impure bloud opens any obstructions of the liver Spleen Reins and the other vessels attracting to it all malignities and leaving no impurities behinde it And because it cleanseth the bloud it cures the Leprosie French pox and itch and other diseases proceeding from the impurity of the bloud By its penetrative and attenuative vertue it resolves all tartareous humours and evacuateth them viz. which ingâ—nder the gout the Stone of the Bladder and Reins but not the Stone perfectly coagulated onely it mitigateth its pain and hinders its increase but being not hardened or coagulated it attracteth and evacuateth it totally and fundamentally out of all parts it takes away also all Feavers and other diseases comming from the superfluity of humours It gently evacuateth the water between the skin by siege and urine In brief it strengthens and purges the principall parts and preserves them from all preternaturall accidents It is a most excellent preservative in the time of Pestilence and other contagious diseases and of them being caught it is a most absolute remedy expelling the disease suddenly from the heart and evacuating it In few words 't is of all others a most excellent Universall Medicine very profitable to both old and young and also very safe but warily to be ministred by reason of its strength with which it is endued which is most powerfull for it is as a great fire which extinguisheth the lesser Truly a better Medicine cannot be desired than this which is extracted of a very mean thing in a short space of time and with very small cost and pains I ingenuously confesse I never saw its like which I doubt not to be the best in the world Wherefore then do we seek any other but this viz. which excels in those things which are desired from the reall medicine But as it is most excellent yet I am certain that many deluded people will bee offended at it being prepared out of Antimony a mean and despised thing and after a plain way But 't is no matter For the world will be deceived looking after gay things disrespecting and despising mean things when all good things yea even when God himself doth rejoice in simplicity for which by wicked and proud men he is not sought unto But this is the effect of sinne by which man is so blinded that though he know not good when set before his eyes yet he is studious of evill Of the use and dose of this Medicine SEEing of all Medicines it is the most powerfull it had
need be warily used for a smaller dose is alwayes safer then a greater which therefore may after be given that which is to be observed in all diseases of young and old To children of 2 3 4 or 6 months old against the Worms Scabs Feavers and Epilepsie you need not give above half a drop with a proper vehicle which you may repeat three or four times a day it killeth the Wormes it emptyeth the stomach of evill humours it refresheth them and preserves them from scabbinesse and because it evacuateth evill and corrupt humours it preserveth them from the small pox and measels viz. if it be used every month but to children of 1 2 or 3 yeeres old you may give a drop and to children of 4 or 5 yeeres old a drop and a half to young people between 15 and 24 years may be given 2 3 or 4 drops To stronger bodies from 25 to 50 yeares 4 5 6 or 7 drops But the dose must be greater or lesse with a regard had to the sicknesse of the patient And in the Stone and Gout may be dayly administred in some drops of wine or beer viz. in the morning fasting unlesse the patient be very weak for then you may give it twice or thrice in a day and continue this till the cure be perfected where is to be observed that he must keep a temperate dyet In the Leprosie French-pox and Scurvy every morning may a dose be given and the disease shall totally bee rooted out Otherwise viz. the strength being too much wasted and weakened you may give only every other day viz. so long as shall be need In the Epilepsie it may be given dayly and also in the Dropsie In all Feavers two or three houres before the fit In the Plague it is to be given presently and every day to be repeated but for a preservative to be drunk every week once In all other internall affects it must be given dayly untill the declining of the disease but afterward by little and little the medicine is to be used till the disease be fully cured In externall as in fresh wounds by a blow thrust or shot broken bones c. every day once with a necessary extrinsecall application of a plaister In old Fistula's and Cancers it may be used once every day intrinsecally and extrinsecally the place affected may be cleansed with Minerall ointments For by this meanes every inveterate evill how desperate soever is throughly cured and pleasantly without all pain But although this be most pretious of all Medicines yet there is a menstruum not corrosive with which not only more easily than with the spirit of wine tartarised a Universall Medicine may be extracted out of Antimony and endued with better then the aforesaid vertues so that for the charge of one royall in three dayes time so much may be gotten as may serve to cure some thousands of men but also all vegetables animals and minerals and metals are radically dissolved and reduced into their first matter by which means not onely very great poisons are changed into most wholesome medicines but also bitter things are deprived of their bitternesse for by it things are so corrected that they doe no more provoke stool and vomit viz. which are very vehement Catharticks by Nature being changed into most excellent restoratives Also fetid things being corrected by it doe acquire a sweet odour And it doth not only which seems a wonder dissolve vegetables animalls and minerals with those things which come of them but also the very Glasses wherfore you must alwayes chuse the strongest glasses for digestion and solution or in the defect of such the weaker are to be changed every 6 houres And yet it is not at all altered by those things that it doth reduce and turn into their first matter medicinall neither in vertue nor colour for it alwayes keeps the middle place between pure and impure of which this falls to the bottome but that swims on the top of the menstruum which may again be used In briefe its vertues in preparing medicines cannot bee enough praised But it may bee compared with the Mercuriall water of Basilus Valentinus and the Alcahest of Paracelsus and Helmont which I judge to be the Fire of the Maâ—cabeâ—s turned into a thick water underground It is a perpetuall fire but not alwayes burning visibly it is a water permament not wetting the hands the Sope of the Wise the Philosophers Azoth and the Royall-bath Which Menstrue though I have known some yeares and have often used it with metallicks and by it have found out many secrets yet I never thought of its use in Physick untill being askt of one who was a great student of Helmont whether I knew the preparation of the liquor Alcahast of Paracelsus and naming some of the vertues of this liquor in preparing Medicines I began to be think my selfe and I observed that it was my secret Balneum that purifies minerals Wherefore I presently made tryal with vegetables animals for I knew the vertues thereof in metallicks and I found wonderfull and astonishing things in it which before were incredible to me I affirm and confesse therefore sincerely that all and every the invented medicines published by others and my self how rare and costly soever are most mean things in my estimation For this Vniversall Key was wanting to us For our vegetables and minerals hower by art macerated cannot bee perfectly resolved and therefore we hitherto have had but part of their vertues But now we need not much art labour and cost to reduce a whole body without corrosives into the first matter like in shape to some clear and excellent water of its own accord casting forth its superfluous terrestreity and becomming a most wholesome medicine consisting of the three purest principles that which cannot be done without this menstruum For what else could Physitians extract out of hearbs than syrups Electuaries Conserves and Waters with which preparations they were not amended but only qualified with the addition of Sugar or Honey because there is no separation made of the pure from the impure or good from bad For all are left mixt together in the Electuaries and Conserves but in the syrups and waters distilled there is only some part Extracts indeed by the spirit of wine are not to be disesteemed if rightly prepared but they are no better than their simples and besides want that which the spirit of wine cannotdraw out which remainder though being calcined for the drawing out the salt which is mingled with the extract yet that is not of much moment for fire destroyeth the vertue of hearbs so that fixed salts as crystallised do perform nothing in medicine those excepted which without combustion are made out of the juice of hearbs of which in the third part of our furnaces Philosophical But none dares extract the most strange or efficacious sort of hearbs for medicine because they in preparation are not corrected or amended But by