the Regions above but truly by forbearing to Flie. Salmon In this our Art are two Principles which spring from one Root and which are the subject of our Stone viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur of which the one is Volatile and superior the other fixt and below from the Conjunction of which often repeated is made the true and Philosophical sublimation and fixation And that is the fixation when the Body receives the Tinging Spirit and takes from it its Volatility this is done by frequent Reiterations till a Calx of perpetual duration is produced and will remain for ever in the Fire But in the very beginning of this work the substance of the Stone which in it self is most fixed by a Spirit not fixed or Volatile as Sea Water acetum radicatum and such like is to be made Volatile And by this means it will be more fit to be cleansed of its Filth or Rust which in metals is a most certain sign of Imperfection V. Hermes If therefore you shall deliver it out of its Imprisonment or Cage or Straights then afterwards you shall Order and Govern it according to the number of days I shall note to you according to Reason and then it shall be a Companion to thee and by it thou shalt be made great and powerful Salmon That is the fixed Body is to be lifted up by sublimation and to be so often repeated till the Volatile is made fixed or fixed with it But this is not to be done hastily or all at once but by little and little and by degrees Lest by too great a haste you break the Vessel or come to some other hurt God himself made all things in Number Weight and Measure that is in due and just proportion as well in respect of Time as Matter If you proceed wisely in this Case you will receive the fulness of your expectations VI. Hermes Extract from the Sun Beams the shadow and the sordid Matter by that which makes the Clouds hang over it and Corrupts it and keeps it from the Light because by its Torture and Red Fiery Heat or Redness it is Burned Salmon The shadow always goes along with the Body walking in the Sun Now that a clearer Light may appear through the Body without any shadow the Body must be opened made thin and dissolved which is the Patient by the Spirit or Sun-Beams which are the Agent the living Fire by whose Power it is brought to a Calx and the Corruptible part is Burnt up and destroyed or made fit to be separated VII Hermes Take this Redness Corrupted with the Water which resembles the Matter holding the Fire as in a live Coal from it As often as you take this Redness Corrupted in Water away from it so often you have the Redness Purified then will it Associate it self viz. become fixed and Tinged in which 〈◊〉 it will rest for ever Salmon That is Our Magnesia which is sown in our Philosophick Earth is to be Corrupted or Putrefied and then to be Digested Coagulated Sublimated Incerated and Fixed This Magnesia or Redness is thus made pure by separation and then it becomes Dissolved Digested Coagulated Sublimed Incerated and Fixed and Tinged being first lift up into the highest Heavens and then Buried again in the deepest Earth that therewith it may arise and in the same have a Habitation and be fixt for ever The Water is the Spirit the Redness is the Soul or Tincture and the Earth is the Body Now the Spirit is the Life of the Soul as the Body is the Clothing or Habitation thereof so that the Body is a substance fixed dry and containing both the Spirit and the Soul The Spirit Penetrates the Body the Body fixes the Spirit the Soul conjoyned Tinges of its own Color whether it is White or Red. VIII Hermes Return the Coal being extinct in its life to the Water in the thirty days I note to thee so will you have a Crowned King resting upon the Fountain or Well but drawing it from the Auripigment and wanting the Humour or Moisture Now have I made the Hearts of the attentive who hope in thee glad and their Eyes beholding thee in the hope of that which thou possessest Salmon The Life of the Coal is Fire which being removed from it is like a Dead Body nor in a Coal only but in all other things it is Fire that excites or stirs up the Life comforts it and conserves it Yea the Essence of Life is nothing else than Pure Naked Unmixed Fire not that which is Corrupting and Elementary but that which is Subtil Coelestial and Generating all things This in Metals is the Aqua Philosophica Oleaginosa Sulphurea and in this the Earth is to be raised up in the space of 30 days which is a certain Number for an uncertain By the Crowned King is meant the perfection of the Tincture The Well is the Fountain of the Philosophers inexhaustible out of which it draws the Auripigment or eternal Tincture but wanting indeed its moisture or running-Running-Water which is for so long time to be Digested and Boiled with Fires c. IX Hermes Now the Water was first in the Air then in the Earth restore thou it then to the superior places through its own meanders or passages and not foolishly or indiscreetly change or alter it and then to the former Spirit gathered in its Redness you must carefully and leisurly joyn it Salmon Convert the Elements and you shall have what you seek The Earth which is Cold and Dry agrees with the Water in one quality which is cold The Air which is Hot and Moist participates with the Fire which is Hot and dry and consequently the Earth with the Fire because of its Driness The Earth is the only true and first Element of the Stone which by a Philosophical Calcination is to be Burnt up and Rarified afterwards to be Dissolved in a Moist place into a Ponderous Water This by Sublimation is made more subtil and converted into Fire This Oyl by a most strong Fire into Ashes or a Red Rubicund Earth Thus the Dragon devours his own Tail and the Pelican with her own Blood nourishes her Young ones The Blood of the Pelican is this Red Spirit Now nothing is joyned together with it but that which before was separated from it This Mixtion of the Elements is not Corporeal but Spiritual not with Hands done but the work of the Metalline Archeus or Spirit which you ought well to know and then you will not long err from the Truth CHAP. V. A Dialogue between Hermes and his Son I. HERMES Know thou my Son that the fat of our Earth is Sulphur that Sulphur is Auripigment Siretz or Colcothar of which Auripigment Sulphurs and such like some are more vile or mean than others in which there is a difference or diversity Of this kind also is the Fat of Glewy substances to wit of Hair Nails Hoofs and Sulphur it self Oyl of Peter and the Brain or
Marrow which is Auripigment Of the same kind also is the Cats or Lyons Claw which is Sirezt The Fat of the White Bodies and the Fat of the two Oriental Argent Vives which Sulphurs are caught hold of and retained by the Bodies Salmon All these are only Various Names by which the Philosophers call the one thing and under which they Cloud it But the most Acute Ripley saith it is Argent Vive but not the Vulgar that without which nothing that exists is able to be If therefore there be nothing under the Sun in which this Argent Vive is not Our Hermes has not done absurdly to call it by these Names tho' possibly there may be some one thing which may contain more of it that which is more pure also generous and more ripe or perfectly digested than all the other things besides Authors say it is chieflly found in the Roots of Metals which Roots are in the Air and the Tops of the Mountains It behoves you therefore to have a perfect and solid knowledge of this Argent Vive before you attempt any thing in this Art And this is to be Communicated only to the Faithful Disciples of this Science Be diligent with your whole mind consider think ruminate volve and revolve meditate and reason with your self concerning it and through the Divine Assistance you will certainly attain to the knowledge there of II. Hermes I say more that this Sulphur does Tinge and Fix and is contained and held by the Conjunctions of the Tinctures Fat 's also Tinge but withal they fly away in the Body which is contained which is a Conjunction of Fugitives only with Sulphurs and Aluminous Bodies which also contain and hold the Fugitive Matter Salmon He distinguisheth here between the true and Philosophick Tincture and the Fictitious or Sophisticate The true is made of a Fixt and Incombustible Sulphur for which Cause also the Bodies are rendred fixt and Incombustible for every Transmutation is made subject to the nature of the thing Transmuting and not of the thing to be Transmuted it is needful therefore that you make choice of the best Sulphur for this Work The Vulgar is Forreign for that it is deficient Blackens and Corrupts having also a double superfluity viz. an Inflamable substance and an Earthly Faeculency Therefore you must find out another which is a simple Fire and Living and is able to Revivifie Dead Bodies to bring them to the highest perfection and to perfect them with the ultimate maturity Such a Sulphur saith Avieenna is not to be found upon Earth except in the Bodies of Sol and Luna In Sol indeeed is the highest of Perfection because it is more digested and decocted when therefore the Tincture is prepared with this Sulphur down below in the Bottom of Obscurity it is carried Gradatim up for the highest Glory with the greatest splendor of spirituality so that any Body whatsoever being melted with the Fire it Tinges and so firmly adheres to it that it cannot for ever be any more separated therefrom But the Sophisticate Tincture which is made from the middle Minerals from burning Sulphur Arsenical Aluminous and such like are not able to defend either Bodies upon which they are projected nor yet their own proper substance from the violence of Fire but together with the Bodies they flie away and by the force of Fire Vanish into Air. III. Hermes The order method managment and dis position of the Matter sought after by the Philosophers is but one in Our Egg. Now this in the Hens Egg is in no wise to be found But lest so much of the Divine Wisdom as is seen in a Hens Egg should be distinguished we make in imitation thereof a Compositum from the four Elements joyntly fitted and compacted together Salmon The Description of the Philosophick Egg is various which the Philosophers divide into four parts according to the number of the four Elements 1. Putamen the Shell which they make the Earth 2. Albumen the White which is Water 3. Pellicula the Skin which is Air. 4. Vitellus the Yolk which is Fire Some make only three parts thereof 1. Vitellus the Sulphur 2. Albumen the Mercury 3. Putamen the Salt Some again will have the Yolk to signifie Mars Sol and Venus and the White Saturn Jupiter Mercury and Luna and the Shell the Firmament and Earth or Combustible Ashes but to speak plainly the Shell represents the Philosophick Glass wherein the Skin the White the Tread and the Yolk answer to the four Elements Fire Air Water and Earth Or rather the Tread Yolk and White to the three pure principles Salt Sulphur and Mercury or Spirit Soul and Body that is Fixity Tincture and Subsistence IV. Hermes Now in a Hens Egg there is the greatest help that may be for herein is a nearness of the Matters in their Natures a spirituality and gathering and joyning together of the Elements and the Earth which is Gold in its Nature Salmon The Ovum Philosophorum or our Mercury has in it self whatever is necessary thereto We call it Our Mercury because it is reduced into one pure Homogene Body where is 1. A Propinquity of Natures as Earth Water Air and Fire or Salt Sulphur and Mercury 2. A Spirituality which is the formative faculty the hidden Work-Master which brings the Stone to perfection 3. A gathering together of the Elements for that the Earth is made Water and Air and Fire by Sublimation and they are made Earth again which Earth is Gold in its inward principle or Nature V. Hermes The Son saith to him the Sulphurs which are convenient or fit for Our Work are they Coelestial or Terrestial Heavenly or Earthly To whom Hermes answers some of them are Heavenly and some are from the Earth Salmon This is a short Dialogue between the Father and the Son Hermes makes answer to his Son concerning the Sulphurs that they are not of one or the same kind but that some are of a Heavenly and some are of an Earthly Nature yet he confesses both to be Sulphurs by the Heavenly is meant the Solar Sulphur and by the Earthly the Sulphur of Luna For Sol is a Body Masculine hot fixt red and incombustible which perfects Luna who is Feminine Cold Volatile White and Combustible exalting her to his own Glory and Splendor VI. Hermes The Son saith Father I think the Heart in the Superiors to prenote Heaven in the Inferiors the Earth To whom Hermes saith It is not so the Masculine truly is the Heaven of the Feminine and the Feminine the Earth of the Masculine Salmon The Heaven is the Masculine of the Earth and Earth is the Feminine of the Heaven Heaven or Sol which is pure fixt and incombustible Sulphur is the generating Seed and Mercury which is the Magical Earth is the Womb or Feminine principle receiving the Seed in which the Seed is keept nourished digested and brought to the Birth or Perfection Even that in which it obtains Spirit
Superior and Masculine Seed the Air or is the VVomb wherein the two Seeds are conjoyned The Air arises from Fire and Water as he Heaven from Fire and Air. Under the Appellation of Fire is comprehended the most pure substance of the Earth ascending with Fire and under the Name of Air the most pure Substance of Water The Belly or Wonib of Nature is a most pure Breath or Matter raised from all the inferior Elements converted into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Air in which is conceived by the help of Luna the Universal Seed of the Sun specificated also by the other Lights or Stars Hermes will have three Elements two under the Names of Sol and Luna the third under the Name of Ventus the Wind. The Earth is the Nurse of this Birth of the Air by whose Breasts it is Nourished whence it Sucks the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the more thick substance of the Inferior Water remaining yet in the Earth by which it grows and 〈◊〉 to its Substance and Perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 and Strength of a Man IV. Hermes This is the 〈◊〉 Fountain of all Perfection and its Power is Perfect and Intire if it be changed into Earth Salmon As if he should say this 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shew you is the Original and Fountain of all Arcanums and Mysteries the secret treasure of the whole 〈◊〉 But it is not brought to its Perfection till it is 〈◊〉 into Earth then indeed is its Power perfect and intire that is if the Soul of the Stone of which we have spoken before and which may be called the Wind or Air which is also the Life Virtue Power and Spirit be converted into Earth viz. a fixt Substance or Matter so that the whole Air Spirit Life and Soul of the Stone may be conjoyned to its Earth which is its Nurse and be all turned into Ferment As in making of Bread a little Leaven Ferments and Transmutes 〈◊〉 great deal of Meal or Paste so also must Our Stone be Fermented that it may be come Ferment to the 〈◊〉 Multiplication thereof That which the Wind does bear in its Belly must be converred into Earth then is the Work compleated which is done by a long and Unwearied Decoction not by evaporating but 〈◊〉 the Spirits till it becomes 〈◊〉 and in success of time is dryed into a Pouder or 〈◊〉 But the time will be long and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you must attend it with Patience according to the Matter you work upon Some things are remote from Perfection other things more remote and others most remote whilst other things are near to Perfection others neerer and some things nearest of all He that knows not these things before he begins his Work may afterwards deplore his Error with very great loss V. Hermes Separate the Earth from the Fire and the Subtile and Thin from the Gross and Thick but prudently with long Sufferance Gentleness and Patience and Wisdom and Judgment Salmon Hetherto he has only discoursed the Theory he now comes to shew you the Practical part shewing first the Purification of the Matter of the Stone You must do it gentlv by little and little not Violently but Prudently and Wisely after a Philosophick manner By Separating he means Dissolving for Dissolution is the Separation of parts Some will have it that by the Earth here he means the Lees or Dreggs of the Matter which is to be Separated from the Fire the Air and the Water and the whole Substance of the Stone that it may become Pure and free from any Putrefaction or Defiled Matter and this the Spagyrick Philosophers say is the first Operation or Preparation of the Matter or Parts of their Stone But some understand hereby the Separation of the four Elements and this doubtless is the thing if it be spoken of a Spagyrick and not Vulgar Separation Under the Appellation of Fire the two other are understood viz. Air and Water for the Fire cannot want or subsist without Air nor is the Air without Water for Air is made of Water by the Mediation of the Fire by which it is forced to Ascend upwards But as to the Earth it partly Ascends and is made Volatile and partly remains fixed below By separating the Earth from the Fire some will have it that he would have the Thick to be separated from the Thin not the Thin from the Thick because the Earth is thicker than the Fire But by separating the subtil from the gross is to be understood the subtilizing of the Thick Matter and Spagyrically to reduce that subtilized Matter into AEther or Spiritual Air. But this must prudently be done with gentleness long Suffering Patience c. that is according to the Laws of Art but gently even with a gentle Heat according to Natural Generation The Instrument of Nature and of the Spagyrists Fire without which the Work cannot be done This Fire is either Internal or External The Internal is proper to the substance or Matter and Naturally dwells within it which you must prudently stir up and Excite The External is either Violent or Temperated in four several Degrees The Violent is that with which some things are Calcined others Sublimed others as Metalls Liquified or Melted The Temperate in its several Degrees imitate or resemble Nature and are used for Putrefaction Digestion and Congelation or Circulatorily to dissolve and fix But Various are these kinds of Fire which are to be applyed according as the Subject requires and the Prudence of the Artist directs being continual without interruption from beginning to the End VI Hermes It Ascends from the Earth up to Heaven and Descends again from the Heaven to the Earth and receives the Powers and Efficacy of the Superiors and Inferiors Salmon Here is to be observed that though Our Stone be divided in the first Operation into four Parts which are the four Elements yet as we have already said there is but two principal Parts of it One which Ascends upwards and is Volatile and another which remains below and is fixed which is called Earth and ferment which Nourishes and Ferments the whole Stone But of the unfixed or Volatile part we must have a great quantity that it may Nourish the purified Matter of the Stone till it be made to Ascend is sublimed and subtilized then being thus subtilized and made Volatile it must be incerated with the Oyl extracted from it in the first Operation which is called the Water of the Stone and so often Boyled by Sublimation till by Virtue of the Fermentation of the Earth exalted with it the whole Stone again does descend from the Heaven to the Earth and remains fixed and flowing that is that the Corporeal be made Spiritual by Sublimation and the Spiritual be made Corporeal by Descension Here is a Circulatory Distillation admirably declared and the Construction of a Spagyrical Vessel to the Similitude of Nature It Ascends from the Earth i. e. from the inferiour part of the vessel to Heaven i. e. the
part which causes the Natures to ascend when it has lost its Occidental heat and waxes cold then the Natures are changed and become thick and descend to the center where the earthly Natures are joyned together which were subtilized and converted in their generation and imbibed in them IX And so the moisture joyneth together the parts divided But the Earth labours to dry up that moisture compassing it about and hindering it for going out by means whereof that which before lay hid does now appear nor can the moisture be separated but is held fast and firmly retained by dryness X. In like manner we see that whatsoever is in the World is held or retained by or with its contrary as heat with cold and dryness with moisture thus when each of them has besieged its Companion the thin is mixed with the thick and those things are made one substance viz. their hot and moist Soul and their cold and dry Body are united and made one XI Then it strives to dissolve and subtilize by its heat and moisture which is the Soul and the Body labours to enclose and retain the hot and moist Soul in its cold and dry substance And in this manner is their Virtues and Properties altered and changed from one thing to another XII I have told you the Truth which I have seen and my own self has done And therefore I charge you to change or convert the Natures from their Substances and Subtilties with heat and moisture into their Substances and Colours If you proceed aright in this Work you must not pass the bounds I have set you in this Book CHAP. XXVII The manner of Fixation of the Spirit Decoction Trituration and Washing I. WHen the Body is mingled with moisture and that the heat of the fire meets therewith the moisture is converted into the Body and dissolves it and then the Spirit cannot go forth because it is imbibed with the Fire II. The Spirits are fugitive so long as the Bodies are mixed with them and strive to resist the fire its heat and flame and therefore these parts can scarcely agree without a good and continual Operation and a steadfast permanent and natural heat III. For the nature of the Soul is to ascend upwards where its Center is and he that is not able to joyn two or more divers things together whose Centers are divers knows nothing of this Work IV. But this must be done after the conversion of their Natures and change of their Substances and matter from their natural Properties which is difficult to find out V. Whoever therefore can convert or change the Soul into the Body and the Body into the Soul and therewith mingle the subtil and volatile Spirits they shall be able to tinge any Body VI. You must also understand that Decoction Contrition Cribation Munidification and Ablution with Sweet Water are most necessary to the Secret of our Magistery VII And if you bestow pains herein you may cleanse it purely for you must clear it from its blackness and darkness which appear in the Operation VIII And you must subtilize the Body to the highest point of Volatility and Subtility and then mix therewith the Souls dissolved and the Spirits cleansed and so digest and decoct to the perfection of the matter CHAP. XXVIII Of the Fire fit for this Work I. YOu must not be unacquainted with the strength and proportion of the fire for the perfection or destruction of our Stone depends thereupon For Plato said The fire gives profit to that which is perfect but brings hurt and destruction to that which is Corrupt II. So that when its quantity or proportion shall be fit and convenient your Work will thrice prosper and go on as it ought to do but if it exceed the measure it shall without measure corrupt and destroy it III. And for this cause it was requisite that the Philosophers have instituted several proofs of the strength of their Fires that they might prevent and hinder their burning and the hurt of a violent heat IV. In Hermes it is said I am afraid Father of the Enemy in my House To whom he made Answer Son Take the Dog of Corascene and the Bitch of Armenia and joyn them together so shall you have a Dog of the colour of Heaven V. Dip him once in the Water of the Sea so will he become thy Friend and defend thee from thine Enemy and shall go along with thee and help thee and defend thee wheresoever thou goest nor shall he ever forsake theee but abide with thee for ever VI. Now Hermes meant by the Dog and Bitch such Powers or Spirits as have power to preserve Bodies from the hurt strength or force of the Fire VII And these thing are Waters of Calces and Salts the Composition whereof is to be found in the Writings of the Philosophers who have discoursed of this Magistery among whom some of them have named Sea-water Virgins Milk food of Birds and the like CHAP. XXIX Of the Separation of the Elements I. AFterwards take this precious Stone which the Philosophers have named yet hidden and concealed put it into a Cucurbit with its Alembick and divide its Natures viz. the four Elements the Earth Water Air and Fire II. These are the Body and Soul the Spirit and Tincture when you have divided the Water from the Earth and the Air from the Fire keep each of them by themselves and take that which descends to the bottom of the Glass being the Faeces and wash it with a warm fire till its black ness be gone and its thickness be vanished III. Then make it very white causing the superfluous moisture to fly away for then it shall be changed and become a white Calx wherein there is no cloudy darkness nor uncleanness nor contrariety IV. Afterwards return it back to the first Natures which ascended from it and purifie them likewise from uncleanness blackness and contrariety V. And reiterate these Works upon them so often till they be subtilized purified and made thin which when you have done render up thanks and acknowledgments to the most Gracious God VI. Know then that this Work is but one and it produceth one Stone into which Garib shall not enter i. e. any strange or foreign thing The Philosopher works with this and therefrom proceeds a Medicine which gives perfection VII Nothing must be mingled herewith either in part or whole And this Stone is to be found at all times and in every place and about every Man the search whereof is yet difficult to him that seeks it wheresoever he be VIII This Stone is vile black and stinking it costs nothing it must be taken alone it is somewhat heavy and is called the Original of the World because it rises up like things that bud forth this is the manifestation and appearance of it to them that seek truly after it IX Take it therefore and work it as the Philosopher has told you in the the Book
7 days then let it cool and strain all through a Cloth or Skin if all goes through the dissolution is perfect if not you must begin again and add more Mercury so long till all be dissolved XXI Separation is the dividing of a thing into parts as of pure from impure We take our dissolved matter and put it into the smaller Vessel which stands in the Cucurbite well luting to the Alembick and seting it in Ashes continuing the fire for a Week One part of the Spirit sublimes which we call the Spirit or Water and is the subtilest part the other which is not yet subtil sticks about the Cucurbite and some of it falls as it were to the bottom which is warm and moist this we call the Air. And a third part remaining in the bottom of the inner Vessel which is yet grosser may be called the Earth XXII Each of these we put into a Vessel apart but to the third we put more Mercury and proceed as before reserving always each principle or Element apart by it self and thus proceeding till nothing remains in the inner Vessel but a black pouder which we call the black Earth and is the dregs of Metals and the thing causing the obstruction that the Metals cannot be united with the Spirit this black pouder is of no use XXIII Having thus separated the four Elements from the Metals or divided them you may demand What then is the fire which is one of these four To which I Answer That the Fire and the Air are of one nature and are mixed together and changed the one into the other and in the dividing of the Elements they have their natural force and power as in the whole so in the parts XXIV We call that Air which remained in the bigger Vessel because it is more hot than moist cold or dry The same understand of the other Elements Hence Plato saith We turned the moist into dry and the dry we made moist and we turned the Body into Water and Air. XXV Sublimation is the ascending from below upwards the subtil matter arising leaving the gross matter still below as he said before in the changing of the Elements Thus the matter must be subtilized which is not subtil enough all which must be done through heat and moisture viz. through Fire and Water XXVI You must then take the thing which remained in the greater Vessel and put it to other fresh Mercury that it may be well dissolved and subtilized set it in B. M. for three days as before We mention not the quantity of Mercury but leave that to your discretion taking as much as you need that you may make it fusible and clear like a Spirit But you must not take too much of the Mercury lest it become a Sea then you must set it again to sublime as formerly and do this Work so often till you have brought it through the Alembick and it be very subtil one united thing clear pure and fusible XXVII Then we put it again into the inner Vessel and let it go once more through the Alembick to see whether any thing be left behind which if so to the same we add more Mercury till it becomes all one thing and leaves no more sediment and be separated from all its Impurity and Superfluity XXVIII Thus have we made out of two one only thing viz. out of Body and Spirit one only congenerous substance which is a Spirit and light the Body which before was heavy and fixed ascending upwards is become light and volatile and a mere Spirit Thus have we made a Spirit out of a Body we must now make a Body out of a Spirit which is the one thing XXIX Fixation or Congelation is the making the flowing and volatile matter fixt and able to endure the fire and this is the changing of the Spirit into a Body We before turned the dryness and the Body into moistness and a Spirit now we must turn the Spirit into a Body making that which ascended to stay below that is we must make it a thing fixed according to the Sayings of the Philo sophers reducing each Element into its contrary you will find what you seek after viz. making a fixt thing to be volatile and a volatile fixt this can only be done through Congelation by which we turn the Spirit into a Body XXX But how is this done We take a little of the ferment which is made of our Medicine be it Luna or Sol as if you have 10 Ounces of the Medicine you take but 1 Ounce of the ferment which must be soliated and this ferment we amalgamate with the matter which you had before prepared the same we put into the Glass Vial with a long Neck and set it in warm Ashes Then to the said ferment add the said Spirit which you drew through the Alembick so much as may overtop it the height of 2 or 3 Inches put to it a good fire for 3 days then will the dissolved Body find its Companion and they will embrace each other XXXI Then the gross ferment laying hold of the subtil ferment attracts the same joyns it self with it and will not let it go and the dissolved Body which is now subtil keeps the Spirit for that they are of equal subtilty and like one to another and are become so one and the same thing that the fire can never be able to separate them any more XXXII By this means you come to make one thing like another the ferment becomes the abiding place of the subtil body and the subtil body the habitation of the Spirit that it may not fly away Then we make a Fire for a Week more or less till we see the matter congealed which time is longer or shorter according to the condition of the Vessel Furnaces and Fires you make use of XXXIII When you see the Matter Coagulated put of the abovesaid Matter or Spirit to it to over top it two or three inches which digest as before till it be coagulated also and thus proceed till all the Matter or Spirit be congealed This Secret of the Congelation the Philosophers have consealed in their Books none of them that we know of having disclosed it except only Larkalix who composed it in many Chapters and also revealed it unto me without any Reservation or Deceipt XXXIV Calcination We take the known Matter and put it into a Vesica setting a Head upon it and luting it well put it into a Sand Furnace making a continued great Fire for a Week then the Volatile ascends into the Alembeck which we call Avis Hermetis that which remains in the bottom of the Glass is like Ashes or sifted Earth called the Philosophers Earth out of which they make their Foundation and out of which they make their increase or augmentation through heat and moisture XXXV This Earth is composed of four Elements but are not contrary one to another for their contrariety is changed to an agreement unto
an homogene and uniform nature Then we take the moist part and reserve it a part to a farther use This Earth or Ashes which is a very fixed thing we put into a very strong Earthen Pot or Crucible to which we lute its Cover and set it in a calcining Fornace or Reverberatory for 3 days so that it may be always red hot Thus we make of a Stone a white Calx and of things of an earthy and watery nature a fiery nature For every Calx is of a fiery nature which is hot and dry XXXVI We have brought things to the nature of fire we must now further subtilize the four Elements we take apart a small quantity of this Calx viz. a fourth part The other we set to dissolve with a good quantity of fresh Mercury even as we had done formerly in all the Processes of the aforegoing Paragraphs and so proceed on from time to time till it is wholly dissolved XXXVII Now that you may change the fixt into a Volatile that is Fire into Water know that that which was of the nature of Fire is now become the nature of Water and the fixt thereby is made volatile and very subtil Take of this water one part put it to the reserved Calx and add to it as much of the water as may over top the Calx 2 or 3 Inches making a fire under it for 3 days thus it congeals sooner than at first for Calx is hot and dry and drinks up the humidity greedily XXXVIII This Congelation must be continued till all be quite congealed afterwards you must calcine it as formerly being quite calcined it is called the quintessence because it is of a more subtil nature than fire and because of the Transmutation formerly made All this being done our Medicine is finished and nothing but Ingression is wanting viz. that the matter may have an Ingress into Imperfect Metals XXXIX Plato and many other Philosophers began this Work again with dissolving subliming or subtilizing congealing and calcining as at first But this our Medicine which we call a ferment transmutes Mercury into its own na-nature in which it is dissolved and sublimed They say also our Medicine transmutes infinitely imperfect Metals and that he who attains once to the perfection of it shall never have any need to make more all which is Philosophically to be understood as to the first Original Work XL. Seeing then that our Medicine transmutes imperfect Metals into Sol and Luna according to the nature and form of the matter out of which it is made therefore we now a second time say That this our Medicine is of that nature that it transmutes or changes converts divides asunder like fire and is of a more subtil nature than fire being of the nature of a quintessence as aforesaid converting Mercury which is an imperfect substance into its own nature turning the grossness of Metal into Dust and Ashes as you see fire which does not turn all things into its nature but that which is homogene with it turning the hetero gene matter into Ashes XLI We have taught how a Body is to be changed into a Spirit and again how the Spirit is to be turned into a Body viz. how the fixed is made volatile and the volatile fixed again How the Earth is turned into Water and Air and the Air into Fire and the Fire into Earth again Then the Earth into Fire and the Fire into Air and the Air into Water and the Water again into Earth Now the Earth which was of the nature of Fire is brought to the nature of a quintessence XLII Thus we have taught the ways of transmuting performed through heat and moisture making out of a dry a moist thing and out of a moist a dry one otherwise Natures which are of several Properties or Families could not be brought to one uniform thing if the one should be turned into the others nature XLIII And this is the perfection of the matter according to the advice of the Philosopher Ascend from the Earth into Heaven and descend from the Heaven to the Earth to the intent to make the body which is Earth into a Spirit which is subtil and then to reduce that Spirit into a Body again which is gross changing one Element into another as Earth into Water Water into Air Air into Fire and Fire again into Water and Water into Fire and that into a more subtil Nature and quintescence Thus have you accomplished the Treasure of the whole World XLIII Ingression Take Sulphur Vive Melt it in an Earthen Vessel well glazed and put to it a strong Lye made of Calx vive and Pot Ashes Boyl gently together so will an Oyl swim on the top which take and keep Having enough of it mix it with Sand distil it through an Alembick or Retort so long till it becomes incombustible With this Oyl we imbibe Our Medicine which will be like Soap then we distil by an Alembick and cohobate 3 or 4 times adding more Oyl to it if it be not imbibed enough XLV Being thus imbibed put fire under it that the moisture may Vanish and the Medicine be fit and fusible as the body of Glass Then take the Avis Hermetis before reserved and put it to it Gradatim till it all becomes perfectly fixt XLVI Now according to Avicen it is not possible to convert or transmute Metals unless they be reduced to their first Matter then by the help of Art they are transmuted into another Metal The Alchymist does like the Physitian who first Purges off the Corrupt or Morbifick Matter the Enemy to Mans Health and then administers a Cordial to restore the Vital Powers So we first Purge the Mercury and Sulphur in Metals and then strengthen the Heavenly Elements in them according to their various Preparations XLVII This Nature works farther by the help of Art as her Instrument and really makes the most pure and fine Sol and Luna for as the heavenly Elemental Virtues work in natural Vessels even so do the artificial being made uniform agreeable with nature and as nature works by means of the heats of Fire and of the Bodies so also Art work 〈◊〉 by a like temperate and proportionate fire by the moving and living virtue in the matter XLVIII For the heavenly virtue mixed with it at first and inclinable to this or that is furthered by Art Heavenly Virtues are communicated to their Subjects as it is in all natural things chiefly in things generated by putrefaction where the Astral Influences are apparent according to the capacity of the matter XLIX The Alchymist imitates the same thing destroying one form to beget another and his Operations are best when they are according to nature as by purifying the Sulphur by digesting subliming and purging Argent Vive by an exact mixtion with a Metalick matter and thus out of their Principles the form of every Metal is produced L. The power and virtue of the converting Element must
and manage it with much gentleness and patience attend in hope upon this most admirable quintessence And though the fire ought to be something augmented yet it must not be too much XVIII And beseech the Soveraign Goodness to prevent the Evil Spirits which haunt the Mines and Treasures of the Earth that they destroy not thy Work on cast a Mist before thine Eyes nor stupisie thy mind when thou shouldest view consider and perfect the Incomprehensible Motions of this Arcanum or Quintessence yet comprehended and shut up within this Vessel CHAP. XXXV Of the dark Violet Field in which is a Man of a Red Purple Colour holding the Foot of a Lyon red as Vermillion having Wings and as it seems would Ravish and carry away the Man I. THis Field of a Violet and dark Colour demonstrates that the Stone has obtained by a full and perfect Digestion the perfectly beautifulGarment which is wholly Citrine and Red formerly demanded of the Man with the Key in his Hand who was clothed therewith II. And that the compleat and perfect Degestion signified by the entire Citrinity has made her cast off her old Robe or Garment of Orange Colour III. The Vermillion Red Colour of this flying Lyon like the most pure and beautifulScarlet Colour in Grain which is the true native Cinnabar Red explicates the fullAccomplishment of your Work according to the exact and rigorous Laws of Nature and Art IV. And that she to wit the Stone Elixir or Tincture appears now like a ravenous Lyon devouring and swallowing up every pure metallick Nature or Body and changing it into its own true Substance into true and most pure fine Gold exceeding in fineness the Gold of Ophir or that of the best and richest Mines V. And she now removes this Man out of this Vale of Miseries here below into as it were a Sea of Happiness out of the discommodities and Unhappinesses of this Life into an immense Ocean of Ease and Content out of Poverty Disgrace and Contempt into a Kingdom as it were of Riches Honour and Glory VI. And lastly she removes far from him Infirmities Diseases and Death filling his Bones with Marrow and his Soul with Gladness giving him Strength Health and a very long Life VII And with her Wings she gloriously lifts him up out of the dead and standing Waters of Egypt which are the vulgar thoughts of mortal Men into a Paradise of Delights and Pleasures making him despise this Life with all the Riches Glories and Magnificence thereof VIII And causing him Night and Day to Meditate upon God and his Goodness to aspire after the Heavenly Enjoyments and to drink of the Delicious Springs from the Fountains of Everlasting Life where Rivers of living Waters flow making glad the City of Our God IX Praises be given to God Eternally even immortal Praises who has been gracious to us to give us to see this perfectly Beauful Purple this Papaveran Red this Tyrian Glory this sparkling and flaming Colour incapable of Change or Alteration for ever this so Desirable a Treasure X. A Glory a Treasure a Colour a Tincture over which the ZodiacalConstellations nor the Heaven it self can have no more Dominion or Power XI Whose Glorious and Bright Shining Rays not only seem to dazle the Eyes but even to communicate to Man a Heavenly Portion making him when he sees and knows it to be astonisht and to tremble amazing him with the stupendious thoughts thereof XII O Lord God Almighty give us we pray thee thy Grace that we may dread and love thy great and holy Name and by it he taught to use this so vast a Treasure well to the encrease of our Faith the profit of our Souls the benefit of our Fellow Creatures and to thy Glory and Honour now and for ever Amen CHAP. XXXVI Flammel's Summary of Philosophy I. IF you would know how Metals are transmuted you must understand from what matter they are generated and how they are formed in the Mines and that you may not err you must see and observe how those Transmutations are performed in the Bowels or Veins of the Earth II. Minerals taken out of the Earth may be changed if before-hand they be Spiritualized and reduced into their Sulphurous Argent Vive nature which are the two Sperms composed of the Elements the one Masculine the other Feminine III. The Male Sulphur is nothing but Fire and Air and the true Sulphur is as a Fire but not the Vulgar which contains no metallick Substance IV. The Feminine Sperm is Argent Vive which is nothing but Earth and Water these two Sperms the ancient Sages called two Dragons or Serpents of which the one is winged the other not V. Sulphur not flying the Fire is without Wings the winged Serpent is Argent Vive born up by the Wind therefore in her certain hour she flies from the Fire not having fixity enough to endure it VI. Now if these two Spermes separated from themselves be united again by powerful Nature in the potentiality of Mercury which is the Metaline Fire being thus united it is called by the Philosophers the flying Dragon because the Dragon kindled by its Fire while he flies by little and little fills the Air with his Fire and poysonous Vapours VII The same thing doth Mercury for being placed upon an exteriour Fire and in its place in a Vessel it sets on fire its inside which is hidden in its profundity by which may be seen how the External Fire does burn and inflame the natural Mercury VIII And then you may see how the poysonous Vapour breaks out into the Air with a most stinking and pernitious poyson which is nothing else but the head of the Dragon which hastily goes out of Babylon IX But other Philosophers have compared this Mercury with a Flying Lion because a Lion is a devourer of other Creatures and delights himself in his voracity of every thing except that which is able to resist his Violence and Fury X. So also does Mercury which has in its self such a Power Force and Operation to spoil and devastate a Metal of its Form and to devour it Mercury being too much influenced devours and hides Metals in its Belly but which of them so ever it be it is certain that it consumes it not for in their Nature they are perfect and much more indurate XI But Mercury has in it self a Substance of perfecting Sol and Luna and all the imperfect Bodies or Metals proceed from Argent Vive therefore the Ancients called it the Mother of Metals whence it follows that in its own Principle and Center being formed it has a double Metalick Substance XII And first the Substance of the Interior then the Substance of Sol which is not like the other Metals of these two Substances Argent Vive is formed which in its Body is spiritually nourished XIII As soon then as Nature has formed Argent Vive of the two after-named Spirits then it endeavours to make them
or dwindling away But if they be fed with heat and due moisture on their Trees then they prove Elegant and fruitful For heat and moisture are the Elements of all Earthly things Animal Vegetable and Mineral XXXV Therefore Fires of Wood and Coal produce or help not Metals those are violent Fires which nourish not as the heat of the Sun does that conserves all Corporeal things for that it is natural which they follow XXXVI But a Philosopher acts not what Nature does For Nature where she rules forms all Vegetables Animals and Minerals in their own degrees Men do not after the same sort by their Arts make natural things When Nature has finished her work about them then by our Art they are made more perfect XXXVII In this manner the ancient Sages and Philosophers for our information wroughr on Luna and Mercury her true Mother of which they made the Mercury of the Philosophers which in its Operation is much stronger than the Natural Mercury For this is serviceable only to the simple perfect imperfect hot and cold Metals But our Mercury the Philosopher's-Stone is useful to the more than perfect imperfect Bodies or Metals XXXVIII Also that the Sun may perfect and nourish them without diminution addition or immutation as they were created or formed by Nature and so leaves them not neglecting any thing XXXIX I will not now say that the Philosophers conjoyn the Tree for the better perfecting their Mercury as some unskilful in the nature of things and unlearned Chymists affirm who take common Sol Luna and Mercury and so unnaturally handle them till they evanish in smoak These Men endeavour to make the Philosophers Mercury but they never attained it which is the first matter of the Stone and the first Minera thereof XL. If you would come hither and find good and to the Mountain of the seaven where there is no plain you would betake your self from the highest you must look downward to the sixth which you will see afar off XLI In the height of this Mountain you will find a Royal Herb triumphing which some have called Mineral some Vegetable some Saturnine But let its Bones or Ribs be left and let a pure clean Broth be taken from it so will the better part of your work be done XLII This is the right and subtil Mercury of the Philosophers which you are to take which will make first the white work and then the red If you have well understood me both of them are nothing else as they term them but the practick which is so easie and so simple that a Woman sitting by her Distaff may perfect it XLIII As if in Winter she would put her Eggs under a Hen and not wash them because Eggs are put under a Hen without washing them and no more labour is required about them than that they should be every day turned that the Chickens may be the better and sooner hatched concerning the which enough is said XLIV But that I may follow the Example first wash not the Mercury but take it and with its like which is fire place it in the Ashes which is Straw and in one Glass which is the Nest without any other thing in a convenient Alembick which is the House from whence will come forth a Chicken which with its Blood will free thee from all Diseases and with its Flesh will nourish thee and with its Feathers will cloath thee and keep thee warm from the Injuries of the cold and ambient Air. XLV For this cause I have written this present Treatise that you may search with the greater desire and walk in the right way And I have written this small Book this Summary that you might the better comprehend the Sayings and Writings of the Philosophers which I believe you will much better understand for time to come The End of Flammel's Book ROGERII BACHONIS RADIX MUNDI Translated out of Latin into English and Claused By WILLIAM SALMON CHAP. XXXVII Of the Original of Metals and Principles of the Mineral Work I. THE Bodies of all Natural Things being as well perfect as imperfect from the Original of time and compounded of a quaternity of Elements or Natures viz. Fire Air Earth Water are conjoyned by God Almighty in a perfect Unity II. In these four Elements is hid the Secret of Philosophers The Earth and Water give Corporeity and Visibility The Fire and Air the Spirit and Invisible Power which cannot be seen or touched but in the other two III. When these four Elements are conjoyned and made to exist in one they become another thing whence it is evident that all things in nature are composed of the said Elements being altered and changed IV. So saith Rhasis Simple Generation and Natural Transformation is the Operation of the Elements V. But it is necessary that the Elements be of one kind and not divers to vit Simple For otherwise neither Action nor Passion could happen between them So saith Aristotle There is no true Generation but of things agreeing in Nature So that things be not made but according to their Natures VI. The Eldar or Oak Trees will not bring forth Pears nor can you gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles things bring not forth but only their like or what agrees with them in Nature each Tree it s own Fruit. VII Our Secret therefore is to be drawn only out of those things in which it is You cannot extract it out of Stones or Salt or other Heterogene Bodies Neither Salt nor Alum enters into our mystery But as Theophrastus saith The Philosophers disguise with Salts and Alums the Places of the Elements VIII If you prudently desire to make our Elixir you must extract it from a Mineral Root For as Geber saith You must obtain the perfection of the Matter from the Seeds thereof IX Sulphur and Mercury are the Mineral Roots and Natural Principles upon which Nature her self acts and works in the Mines and Caverns of the Earth which are Viscous Water and Subtil Spirit running through the Pores Veins and Bowels of the Mountains X. Of them is produced a Vapour or Cloud which is the substance and body of Metals united ascending and reverberating upon its own proper Earth as Geber sheweth even till by a temperate digestion through the space of a Thousand Years the matter is fixed and converted into a Mineral Stone of which metals are made XI In the same manner of Sol which is our Sulphur being reduced into Mercury by Mercury which is the Viscous Water made thick and mixt with its proper Earth by a temperate decoction and digestion ariseth the Vapour or Cloud agreeing in nature and substance with that in the Bowels of the Earth XII This afterwards is turned into most subtil water which is called the Soul Spirit and Tincture as we shall hereafter shew XIII When this Water is returned into the Earth out of which it was drawn and every way spreads through or is mixed with it as its
the water begins to whiten the whole Mass. XXVII A temperate heat working in moist Bodies brings forth blackness which having obtained there is nothing that you need fear for in the same way the Germination of our Stone does follow and forthwith to wit in the space of thirty or Forty days you have Gas or Adrop which is our Uzifer or Cinnabar and our Red Lead XXVIII Takeheed to defend your Glass from a Violent Heat and a sudden Cold make use of a moderate Fire and beware of Vitrification Beware how you bind up your matter mix it not with Salts Sulphurs nor the middle Minerals let Sophisters prate what they will Our Sulphur and our Mercury are found in Metals only XXIX 7. De Coagulatione Coagulation or Congelation is the induration or hardning of things in Calore Candido and the fixing of the Volatile Spirit The Elements are forthwith converted but the Congelation is no way impeded for those things which are Congealed in the Air melt or soften not in the Water for if so Our work would be destroyed and come to nothing XXX When the Compositum is brought to Whiteness then the Spirit is United and Congealed with the Body but it will be a good length of time before such a Congelation will appear in the likeness or Beauty of Pearls The cause of all these things is the most temperate heat continually working and moving the Matter Believe me also that your whole Labour is lost except you revivifie your Earth with the Water without that you shall never see a true Congelation XXXI This Water is a Secret drawn from the Life of all things existing in Nature for from Water all things in the World have their first beginning as you may easily perceive in many things The substance or Matter is nourished with its proper Menstruum which the Water and the Earth only produce whose proper Colour is Greenness XXXII Understand also that our fiery Water thus acuated is called the Menstrual Water in which Our Earth is dissolved and naturally Calcined by Conge lation when you have made seven Imbibitions then by a Circumvolution putrifie again all the Matter without addition beholding in the first place the blackness then the Whiteness of the Congealed Matters XXXIII Thus your Water is divided into two parts with the first part the Bodies are purified the second part is reserved for Imbibitions with which afterwards the Matter is made black and presently after with a gentle fire made White then reduce to Redness XXXIV 8. De Cibatione Cibation is the Feeding or Nourishing of our dry Matter with Milk and Meat being both administred moderately till it is reduced to the third Order you must never give so much as to cause a suffocation or that the Aqueous humour should exceed the Blood if it drinks too much the work will be hurt XXXV Three times must you turn about the Philosophick Wheel observing the Rule of the said Cibation and then in a little time it will feel the Fire so as to melt presently like Wax XXXVI 9. De Sublimatione Sublime not the matter to the top of the Vessel for without Violence you cannot bring it down to the bottom again by a temperate heat below in the space of 40 days it will become black and obscure When the Bodies are purified let them be sublimed by degrees more and more till they shall be all elevated or converted into Water XXXVII We use Sublimation for three Causes First that the Body may be made spiritual Secondly that the the Spirit may be made Corporeal aud fixed with it and become Consubstantial with it Thirdly that it may be purified from its Original Impurities and its Sulphurous Salt may be diminished with which it is infected subliming it to the Top as White as Snow XXXVIII 10. De Fermentatione Fermentations are made after divers manners by which our Medi cine is perpetuated Some dissolve Sol and Luna into a certain clear Water and with the Medicine of them they make the same to Coagulate or be Coagulated but such a Fermentation we propose not XXXIX This only is our Intention that first you must Break or Tear or Grind the matter to Atoms before you Ferment it Mix then presently your Water and Earth together and when the Medicine shall flow like Wax then see the above mentioned Amalgamation and put forth the same and when all that is mixed together above or on the top of the Glass being well closed make a Fire till the whole be Fluxed then make projection as you shall think fit because it is a Medicine wholly perfect Thus have you made the Ferment both for the Red and the White XL. The true Fermentation is the Incorporation of the Soul with the Body restoring to the same the Natural Odour Consistency and Colour by a Natural Inspissation of the separated things And as the Magnet draws Iron to it self so our Earth by Nature draws down its Soul to it self Elevated with Wind For without doubt the Earth is the Ferment of the Water and by Course or Turns the Water is the Ferment of the Earth XLI We make the Water most Odoriferous with which we reduce all the Bodies into Oyl with which Oyl we make our Medicine flow We call this Water a Quintessence or the Powers and it Heals or Cures all humane Diseases Make therefore this Oyl of Sol and Luna which is a Ferment most fragrant in smell XLII 11. De Exaltatione Exaltation differs a little from Sublimation if you understand aright the words of the Philosophers If therefore you would Exalt your Bodies sublime them first with Spiritus Vitae then let the Earth be subtiliated by a Natural rectification of all the Elements so shall it be more pretious than Gold because of the Quintessence or Powers which they contain XLIII When the Cold does overcome the Heat then the Air is converted into water so two contraries are made by the way till they kindly conjoyn and rest together after this manner you must work them that they may be Circulated that they one with another may speedily be Exalted together In one Glass well Sealed all this Operation is to be done and not with hands XLIV Convert the Water into Earth which will quickly be the Nest of the other Elements for the Earth is in the Fire which rests in the Air. Begin this Circulation in the West then continue it till past the Meridian so will they be exalted XLV 12. De Multiplicatione Multiplication is the thing which makes the augmentation of the Medicine in Color Smell Vertue and Quantity for it is a Fire which being Excited never dies but always dwells with you one spark of which is able to make more Fire by the Virtue of Multiplication XLVI He is rich which has but one Particle or Grain of this our Elixir because that Grain is possible to be augmented by one way to Infinity if you dissolve this our dry Pouder and make a
Blood and Flesh viz. Fixity Tincture and Substance The Earth or Mercury is the subject or receptacle of all the Coelestial Radiations VII Hermes The Son saith Father which of these is more worthy one than another whether is the Heaven or the Earth The Father answers Both want the help of one another but a Medium is proposed by precepts But if thou shalt say that Wisdom or the Wise Man does Rule or Command among all Mankind to this Hermes The indifferent or ordinary things are better with them because every Nature delights or desires to be joyned in Society with its own kind We find even in Wisdom it self that equal things are joyned together Salmon If by a Magical Matrimony the Heavens and the Earth are Conjoyned neither seems to be more worthy for as the Earth cannot Generate without the Heavens so neither can the Heavenly Influences multiply themselves without the Earth But there is a mean proposed which he explicates in the following Paragraph which is the making the one equal with the other viz. by bringing forth a new Off-spring out of both which shall excede Sol himself in perfection because it is more than perfect and able to make the imperfect Bodies or Metals perfect which Sol himself cannot do and is also able to make the most imperfect Bodies more than perfect by multiplying their Tincture a thousand times more than what they had Originally by Nature which is performed by Precepts saith Hermes that is by Art And since every Nature Delights to be joyned with its own kind you must be sure to joyn Metalline Bodies only with Metalline Principles for Water joyned with Water cannot be separated no more can Silver being joyned with Silver or Gold with Gold that is to say their Seed VIII Hermes The Son saith But what is the mean among them To whom Hermes answers To every thing in Nature there are three things from two 1. The Beginning 2. The Middle 3. The End viz. First the profitable and necessary Water Secondly the Fat or Oyl Thirdl'y the Foeces or Earth which remains below Salmon By the Beginning he me ans the Deundation of the first Principles for the Prima Materia must be prepared and made fit for the Operation the Middle which are the Operations of the Work from the Beginning to the End the End which is the Perfection or consummation of the matter these are the three things from the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury Or possibly by the three things from the two he may mean the Spirit Soul and Body i. e. Fixity Tincture and Substance from the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury being in Conjunction Other Interpret it thus by the two things he means Heaven and Earth which cannot be Conjoyned without a Medium which is the Air no otherwise than Soul and Body which cannot be Conjoyned in one Body without the Spirit to Unite them The Spirit then is the Legitimate Mediator of the true and perfect Conjunction whether Natural or Supernatural By the Heaven is understood the Soul By the Earth the Body By the Spirit the Uniting Principles these indeed are the three things from the two i. e. the two Principles Sulphur and Mercury the Spirit being Latent in them both But however Our Hermes lest he should not be understood has explicated them himself viz. the profitable Water the Fat Oyl the Foeces or Earth By the Water is meant the Mercury by the Fat or Oyl the Sulphur which by the Mediation of the Internal or Latent Spirit are United into one Body and make the Foeces or Earth IX Hermes But the Dragon dwells in or Inhabits in all these things And his Houses are the darkness and blackness in them and by them he Ascends into the Air from his rising which is their Heaven But while the Fume or Vapour remains in them they are not perpetual Permanant remaining or fixt Take but away the Fume or Vapor from the Water and the blackness from the Fat or Sulphur and Death from the Foeces and by Dissolution you shall possess a Tryumphant Gift even that in and by which the Possessors Live Salmon We have spoken now concerning the Heavens and the Earth and their Matrimonial Conjunction by a Medium viz. the Air or Water which we also call the Spirit for the Water is nothing but the Air Coagulated and the Air is the Vital Spirit running through and peircing all beings giving Life and Consistency to every thing the very Agent which Ties the Particles of all Matter and Bodies together and without which every Body and Metal would fall to pieces and become nothing but Dust and Ashes even the smallest of Atoms And this Spirit is that which moves and sills all things It is the Philosophick Heaven which in its prime Resolution or putrefaction is wonderfully defiled so that like the most Poisonous Dragon or Serpent it destroys all things it touches from whence it is said to have its House in Darkness and Blackness and to possess Blackness and Clouds and defilements and Death it self So long therefore as the Heaven shall be thus infected it is impossible for it to return to its Pristine Nature Simplicity Purity Fixity and Permanency By the Dragon then is signified this Black Matter Ascending into Air which is difficultly done by Reason of its thick glutinous and Ponderous Body which would not tend upwards unless it be first resolved by Force and Power of the Fire in a Philosophick Glass into an Aereal and Vaporous substance being thus Dissolved by a frequent Ventilation of the Air or Spirit it will be perfectly purged and recover its Primaeval Nature of Heaven which is the thing sought after CHAP. VI. The Several Operations by and Various Matters of which the Stone is Composed I. HERMES Now the temperate Fat or Sulphur which is the Fire is the Medium or Middle Nature between the Foeces and the Water and the through Searcher of the Water The Fat 's are called Sulphurs for between Fire Oyl and Sulphur there is so little difference that there is a propinquity or nearness because as the Fire does Burn so also does the Sulphur Salmon He here makes the Fire to be the Medium between the Sulphur and the Mercury which Fire we have before declared to be both Internal and External The first is Innate in the Principles and Essential the latter Elemental and Accidental it is the through Searcher of the Water that is the stirer up of Internal Life and Efficacy so that the Internal Fire may properly be called the Spirit of the Matter which disposes the Particles of it to their Change But the difference between this Fire or Spirit and Oyl or Sulphur is so little that we want fit Words to express it but it is like the Spirit to the Soul which are inseparable But this is to be understood that of Sulphurs such only are to be chosen which are the more near in their principles the Sulphurs of Minerals are
the Water and the Fire dwelling therein which does contain its own Water drawn from the Four Elements and their Waters This is not Water in its form but Fire containing in a strong and pure Vessel the Ascending Waters lest the Spirits should flie away from the Bodies for by this means are they made Tinging and Permanent or Fixed Salmon That is the Mercury and the Sulphur dwelling in the Salt or the Spirit and the Soul dwelling in the Body which is our Stone The Fire saith he contains its own Water drawn from the Four Elements That is the Sulphur contains the Mercury drawn from its Original Fountains This is not Water in Form but Fire Nor is it Quick-Silver in form but Sulphur nor Spirit in form but Oyl or Tincture containing the Clouds and Ascending Waters which are of a dry consistency or Body sticking to the sides of the Glass lest they should flie away in sublimation from the Bodies by this means being often iterated at least three times but if it be six or seven times it is yet better the Spirit enters into and peirces and penetrates the Body in Order to its Fixation which at length is perfected which the highest Fixation and Tincture by the Fixing Oyl or Sulphur VII Hermes O Blessed Water in the form of Sea which Element thou dissolvest Now it behoves us with this watery Soul to possess a Sulphurous Form and to mix or joyn the same with our Vinegar Salmon Great is the Virtue and Power which dwells in the Aqua Philosophica from whence it is caled Blessed For as common Water washes away the Filth from things and cleanses them outwardiy so this our Elementated Water not only Dissolves Bodies but also Washes away and Cleanses them inwardly from all manner of Defilemens and Impurities and being joyned with the Philosophick Vinegar brings forth from them their incombustible Sulphur which by projection tinges and transmutes all imperfect Metals into most pure fine Gold and Silver This Water is the Key of the Art by which the Bodies are oftentimes to be opened that is they are to be Dissolved and by the same to be again Coagulated to be made more noble pure and perfect So that no Foot-steps of Death Blackness Corruption or Imperfection may any more remain in them The preparation of this Water is known but to a few nor do many attain to it because the Well is Deep out of which it is drawn nor do the Vulgar Chymists understand it But whatever you do you can do no great Matter without the help of Nature and tho' Aqua Fortis and Aqua Regis and such-like are usefull in their places to dissolve and Tear Bodies into Atoms yet are they Alien and far from the true Aqua Philosophica which has the Power to enter into the insides of Metals whereas they only divide them into many Superficies And therefore say the Philosophers the preparation of this Water is not to be Learned of Masters but it must be taught by the Dictates of Nature her self VIII Hermes For when by the Power of the Water the Compositum also is Dissolved you have the Key of the Restauration then Death and Blackness flie away and Wisdom proceeds on to the Finishing of the Work Salmon This Water does not Tear or Gnaw Bodies into Pieces and Bits but it Radically Dissolves them and reduces them into their Prima Materia as they were in their Original Generation Of this Nature are those Fountains Springs in Hungaria which have a Faculty of Transmuting what Iron soever is cast into them into good Coper and those other Fountains into which if any Wood be cast so as it remains but some certain time by the Lapidescent Virtue of the Water it is transmuted through its whole substance into Stone which Memorable and well known Powers and Operations of Nature in these particular things are in part a demonstration or at least an Argument to persuade one to the belief of other Operations and Transmutations in the Metalline Kingdom Ignis Azoth say the Philosophers are enough for the whole Work Learn therefore from Nature the preparation of this Azoth or Water of the Philosophers which Water being prepared does with a simple Operation through the help of Nature gently boyling in a soft Fire bring the work to a conclusion and perfect the same This Operation indeed or simple Coction is that which opens the Door into the Chambers of Life making Putrefaction and Death and blackness and darkness to vanish and flie away This Water and this Fire tho' simple and simple in their Operation yet are they hid and known but to a few for that they lead into the most recluse and abscondite recesses of Nature CHAP. VII The Operations of Nature in the Aqua Philosophica as in a Seed I. HERMES Now know my Son that the Philosophers chain up the Matter with a strong chain or band when they make it to contend with the fire because the Spirits in the washed Bodies desire to dwell therein and to rejoyce there In these habitations they vivifie themselves and dwell therein and the Bodies hold or contain them nor from them can they ever be separated Salmon The Bodies before they can be 〈◊〉 united with the Spirit and joyned one to another in a strong Confederation must first be purified and washed with Azoth and 〈◊〉 for the washing is that which puts an end to the blackness and the purification is made and continued till the White Elixir is made perfectly white and till the red is made perfectly red being thus cleansed and purified the Spirit out of a natural propension is drawn to the Bodies in which being ardently inflamed it immediately commixes with them and they are conjoyned with an indissoluble conjunction under the Chains of which they remain inseparable for ever Now this conjunction is not made by chance but from the meer affinity which is between the Bodies and Spirit for they both proceed from one fountain and principle though of the two the spirit by reason it vivifies and holds the Particles of the Bodies together is much the more noble the more excellent and most powerful Agent II. Hermes Then the dead Elements are revived and the Compositum or 〈◊〉 Bodies are tinged and altered and by wonderful operations they are made permanent or fixed as the Philosopher saith Salmon The Domicils of themselves remain dead but the Inhabitants in them are alive Now the Bodies of the Metals are the Domicils of their Spirits which when they are received by the Bodies their terrestrial substance is by little and little made thin extended and Purified and by their Vivifying Power the Life and Fire hitherto lying Dormant is excited and stirred up For the Life which dwells in the Metals is laid as it were asleep nor can it exert its Power or shew it self unless the Bodies be first Dissolved Exalted and turned into Spirit for that the Spirit does only Vivifie being brought to this
else is understood but the Magnesia of Saturn now Saturn by the Greeks is called Chronos that is Time in which all things are produced and the Magnesia it self which is the Mother and the Generatrix of our whole Work VI. Hermes But when we Conjoyn the Crowned King to our Red Daughter and in a Gentle Fire not yet too great or hurtful she does Conceive and will bring forth a faithful and excellent Son which she does feed with a little Heat and nourishes the permanent or fixed Matter making it to abide even the greatest Fire Salmon The Queen or the Red Daughter of the Philosophers is Luna to wit the Metalick or Philosophick Luna which now puts on the Masculine Nature by being Conjoyned to our Sol our Crowned King and she brings forth a Son which the Philosophers call their Mercury This is wonderful that the Parents who before were the Nurses and Feeders are now by the same Nursed and Fed but it is so in this Our Work It is nourished with a gentle Heat not in the Vulgar way of Decocting answerable to that of the Heavenly Fire or Sun And it is fed 10 or 12 times with its proper Food and Drink which is the Mercurial Bread and Water by which it grows increases and is brought to perfection resplendent in Glory like the most sparkling Fire This Son ought indeed to be fed to Satiety even so many times till it neither Hungers nor Thirsts any more then is it Tinged and Fixed for ever VII Hermes But when you send forth the Fire upon the Leaves or enfoldings of the Sulphur the Boundary of Hearts does enter in above it is washed in the same and his Putrefied and stinking Matter is extracted then he is altered or changed and his Tincture by the help of the Fire remains Red as Flesh. Salmon Every thing which lives lives by Virtue of its inward Fire or Heat and Sulphur contains within it a hidden Fire which by the External Fire is excited and stirred up Life made manifest begins to live and that which before was hid in the Sulphur now exists and is made manifest it is the business of the Fire not only to Vivifie but also to Depurate and Segregate the things which are Heterogene till being separated there appears at length in the Foeces a most pure and Rubicund Tincture of the Color of Flesh newly Killed and Bloody This is the Blood of the Green Lyon which the Philosophers speak of and it is said to be Green not for any external Green Color but from its Viridity or strength of Life The Tincture is like Bloody Flesh new Killed or Blood yet flowing and moist which then is said to have attained the Degree of perfection And as Flesh is nothing but Blood Coagulated abounding with a ful vigorous and perfect Spirit so also Our Tincture is nothing but the Coagulated Blood which Blood is the boundary or satisfaction of Hearts even the Blood of the Green or Virescent Lyon vastly repleat with a Fountain of Vital Spirits VIII Hermes But Our Son the begotten King doth take his Tincture from the Fire And Death and the Sea and Darkness fly away from him Salmon Now if you know what this Tincture is Our Hermes here tells you very plainly that it is made and remains Red by the help of the Fire and again Our Son the begotten King Sumit Tincturam exigne doth take his Tincture from the fire from whence plainly it is taken the fire is that strong Fortitude or invincible strength which brings forth this Tincture or true Viridity of the Lyon Whatso ever tincture flies away from the Fire is Immature and imperfect nothing can be right and perfect but what can endure the strongest Tryal of that Element and therefore by consequence the Tincture is to be so long nourished by the Fire till it comes to the height of Perfection And thus our Stone which before viz. in its beginning lay in Death and was drowned in the Sea or Waters and surrounded with Darkness which was the Corruption of the Matter is by the Power of the Fire with a gentle Coction assimulated to the Nature of the Fire and at length wholly turned into Fire where it dwells as in its proper Matrix or Element and in the same only rejoyces and is delighted till by length of time it is converted into a Quintessence the true Philosophick Tincture and so Triumphs over Death the Sea and Darkness as having really Conquered them becoming a Medicine for the Bodies both of Metals and Humane kind IX Hermes The Dragon flies from the Beams of the Sun who observes the Holes or passages where they enter in and our Dead Son Lives The King comes from the Fire and rejoyces with his Wife laying Open the hidden things and Obscured Virgins Milk Salmon The Dragon here signifies the Earth which is Black blacker than Black Now Serpents and Dragons delight rather in places under Ground Holes of Rocks and obscure Dens than abroad in the Open Air and Light of the Sun and therefore they avoid the shining Sun viz. the Spirit of the Fire This Dragon must be inclosed in a Vessel little and round well defended and Luted and close stopped up and then exposed to the Heat of the Sun for one Philosophick Month or space of 40 days in which time it is destroyed the parts being wholly Dissolved by the deadly stink of which the King's Son happens also to be Killed Both being therefore slain and put into another clean Glass are put in the Heat of the Sun for other 40 days or other the like Heat and in that space of time the Dead Son by little and little is revived and restored to life but the Dragon by the same heat being vehemently over born is wholly Consumed and Reduced to nothing Now the King seing the Heat of the Sun to be too weak to Work a Total deliverance from the Poyson of the Dragon prepares a Bath for himself and his Son to wash in in the mean time the Virgins Milk is brought to its Whiteness with which the Son is Copiously Fed and the hidden Tincture is brought to light and advanced to the height of its Glory X. Hermes Now the Son Vivified or made to Live is made a Warior of the Fire and superexcellent in his Tinctures for the Son has got the Blessing having also the Root of the matter in him Salmon The Father can never Desert the Son for the Son is of him and from him participating of his Life and substance and is like unto him in all things and by this new Generation is made patient and strong able to endure the most vehement and lasting fire without the least Diminution or hurt to its substance The Son has got the Blessing that is the Tincture and Fixity of parts And the Root of the Matter is in him that is the Prima Materia the Aurifick Seed out of which the Golden Tree of the Philosophers is said to
and Water too soon it will not be Levened If it lies too long it will be over done so in our Work if you be too hasty you will perform nothing at all If too long and with too Violent a Fire you will hazard the breaking of your Vessel and by an over Volatility frustrate the fixity of your Medicine The making of Cheese is Famous for almost every Housewife can tell you how easie it is to ruin or spoil all how good soever your Milk and Rennet may be if you be unskilful in the Art If the Milk be too hot or too cold or the Rennet be too much or too little or the Coagu lum lies too short a time or too long you may spoil your Cheese and miss the Perfection or Goodness which therein you seek after These are Familiar examples and need no farther exposition The Matter therefore is first by our Ferment corrupted and brought into a blackness by Death but not such a blackness out of which it cannot be recovered but so that in the Course of the Fermentation the Mass of the Confection may pass through the mutation or changes of all the Colors Now Heat working at the first in humidity brings forth the blackness but Heat working in the dryness causeth Whiteness and in the White the Citrinity and wonderful deep Redness These Varieties of Colors are caused only by the Ferment in a proper and fit heat so that the Corruption of one is the Generation of another and the Ferment becomes the Ferment of the Ferment as the Philosophers speak He who cannot taste the Sapor of Salt will never attain to this desired Ferment of Ferments which is the Soul even before Fermentation If therefore this Ferment be not well prepared your Magistery will be nothing worth and know that this Fermentum is taken only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Luna that is from Gold and Silver and converts the other Bodies into its own Nature Therefore it behoves you to know how to introduce this Ferment into Dead and imperfect Bodys that is to make Ingression because it is the Soul and this Soul gives to them Life and Perfection so that together with this living and perfect Soul they are made alive and perfect and one perfect Body II. Hermes The certain Color of the Golden matter for the Red and the Nature thereof is not sweetness therefore of them we make Sericum which is Ixir the Ferment and of them we make Enamel of which we have Written Salmon Altho' it does not here sufficiently appear what our Author means by Sweetness and Sericum yet afterwards he so explains himself that we may guess at it and that it is the Golden Ferment for the Red the adumbration whereof he gives us under the Mask of Encaustum or Enamel and truly by Figures 〈◊〉 and Tropical ways of speaking he has been pleased to deliver himself through this whole Work I suppose he uses the Similitude of Sweetness here in respect of Leven for that Leven is not Sweet III. Hermes And with the King's Seal we have tinged the Clay and in that we have put or placed the color of Heaven which augments the sight of them who can already in some measure see Salmon By the King's Seal is meant the Virtue Power Character or Tincture of Gold which tinges Lutum the Clay that is the Mercurial Mass or Earth which is now but one thing and a Secret drawn out of the Fountains of the Wise for which reason it is by some called Sigillum Sapientum Also Sigillum Hermetis and Sigillum Mercurii This is the thing which many have sought after in vain and could never find that is the outward turned inward and the inward parts turned outwards that which was below raised up and that which was above laid down below the Superiors and Inferiors the Heavens and the Earth joyned together in one Globe or Mass and digested together in one till they produce the heavenly color the light of Sol which gives such as have Eyes to see the happiness of seeing a Fountain inexhaustible an Eternal Spring the permanent and endless Treasure IV. Hermes Gold therefore is the most pretious Stone without Spots also temperate which neither Fire nor Air nor Water nor Earth is able to corrupt or destroy the universal ferment rectifying all things in a middle or tempe rate Composition which is of a Yellow or true Citrine colour Salmon Our Hermes here confesses plainly that the Philosophick Gold is this most pretious Stone without blemish and incorruptible and differs as much from vulgar Gold as Leven does from the Paste or Yest from the Ale or Beer which is made by it For as clear well-wrought Ale cannot change other Wort into Ale nor Levened Paste leven another Mass of Meal and Water till it 〈◊〉 brought to the perfection of Leven so neither can vulgar Gold which is the product of Mercury and Sulphur transmute or change any other body into its own Purity Tincture and Fixity No This is only the work of our Stone Elixir Tincture the true Philosophick Gold V. Hermes The Gold of the Wise Men boiled and well digested with a fiery Water makes Ixir Salmon The Gold is to be exquisitely boiled as much as you please with a fiery water and digested This fire is found no where more perfect better or more powerful than in Minerals and their Roots which Roots the Philosophers say are in the Air And the Gold is Spiritual Gold not the body of vulgar Gold unprepared This Aqua Ignea is nothing else but the Mercury of the Philosophers drawn from its Mineral Root This Water is the Mother which does dissolve the Gold conceived in its Belly being digested and nourished there for forty Weeks at the end of which digestion like as in the hour of a mans Nativity the Soul i. e. the Tincture arises but not first nor quickly In this point is all the hazard but this being past there is no more peril the danger is wholly over VI. Hermes For the Gold of the Wise Men is more weighty or heavy than Lead which in a Temperate or due composition is the ferment of Ixir and contrariwise in a distemperature or undue Composition the distemperature or hurt of the whole Work or Matter Salmon Our Gold the Off-spring of this great Work is much heavier than Lead because of its Weakness Volatility and Intemperature Our Infant is of a most strong and temperate Composition healing the Infirmities of its proper Parents and tinging the Mercury of all Bodies whatsoever into the best and most pure fine Gold By this is understood the Vital Roots of the Minerals into which if the Bodies be reduced they are made apt or fit for a new Regeneration so that from the same you may have the true Tincture of the Philosophers VII Hermes For the work is first made from the Vegetable Secondly from the Animal in a Hens Egg in which is the greatest assistance and the constancy of the Elements
take this quantity weigh it exactly and add to it as much moisture as it will drink up the weight of which we have not determined Then work them as before with the same Operations of a first imbibing and subliming it This Operation is called Albification and they name it Yarit that is Silver or White Lead III. When you have made this Compound white add to it so much of the Spirit as will make half of the whole and set it to working till it grows red and then it will be of the colour of Al 〈◊〉 Cinnabar which is very red and the Philosophers have likened it to Gold whose effects lead to that which the Philosopher said to his Scholar Arda IV. We call the Clay when it is white Yarit that is Silver But when it is red we name it Temeynch that is Gold Whiteness is that which tinges Copper and makes it Yarit And it is redness which tinges Yarit i. e. Silver and makes it Temeynch or Gold V. He therefore that is able to dissolve these Bodies to subtilize them and to make them white and red as I have said that is to compound them by imbibing and convert them to the same shall without doubt perform the work and attain to the perfection of the Magistery of which I have spoken VI. Now to perform these things you must know the Vessels for this purpose The one is an 〈◊〉 in which the parts are separated and cleansed in them the matter of the Magistery is depurated and made compleat and perfect VII Every one of these Aludels must have a Furnace fit for them which must have a similitude and figure fit for the Work Mezleme and some other Philosophers have named all these things in their Books shewing the manner and form thereof VIII And herein the Philosophers agree together in their Writings concealing the matter under Symbols in many Books but seting forth the necessary Instruments for the said four Operations The Instruments are chiefly two in number one is a Cucurbit with its Alembick the other is a well made Aludel or sublimatory IX There are also four things necessary to these viz. Bodies Souls Spirits Waters and of these four does the Mineral Work and Magistery consist all which are made plain in the Books of Philosophers X. I have therefore omitted them in mine only touching at them and created of those things which they over-passed with silence which what they are by the sequel of the Discourse you will easily discern but these things write I not for the Ignorant and Unlearned but for the Wise and Prudent that they may know them CHAP. XXV Of the Nature of Things appertaining to this Work Of Decoction and its Effects I. KNow then that the Philosophers have called them by divers names Sometimes they call them Minerals sometimes Animals sometimes Vegetables sometimes Natures for that they are things natural and others have called them by other names at their Pleasures or as they liked best II. But their Medicines are near to Natures as the Philosophers have taught in their Books for that Nature comes nigh to Nature and Nature is like to Nature Nature is joyned to Nature Nature is drowned in Nature Nature makes Nature white and Nature makes Nature red III. And Corruption is in conjunction with Generation Generation is retained with Generation and Generation conquereth with Generation IV. Now for the performance of these things the Philosophers have in their Books taught us how to decoct and how decoction is to be made in the matter of our Magistery This is that which generates and changes them from their Substances and Colours into other Substances and Colours V. If you err not in the begining you may happily attain the end But you ought to consider the seed of the Farth whereon we live how the heat of the Sun works in it till the Seed is impregnated with its influences and Virtues and made to spring till it grows up to ripeness This is the first change or transmutation VI. After this Men and other Creatures feed upon it and Nature by the heat that is innate in Man changes it again into Flesh Blood and Bones VII Now like to this is the Operation or Work of our Magistery the Seed whereof as the Philosophers say is such that its progress and perfection consifts in the fire which is the cause of its Life and Death VIII Nor is there any thing which comes between the Body and the Spirit but the fire nor is there any thing mingled therewith but the fire which brings the Magistery to its perfection this is the truth which I have told you and I have both seen and done it CHAP. XXVI Of Subtilization Solution Coagulation and Commixion of the Stone I. NOW except you subtilize the Body till it becomes water it will not corrupt and putrefie nor can it congeal the Fugitive Souls when the fire touches them for the fire is that which by its force and spirit congeals and unites them II. In like manner the Philosophers commanded to dissolve the Bodies to the end that the heat might enter into their Bowels or inward parts So we return to dissolve these Bodies and congeal them after their solution with that thing which comes near to it till all the things mixed together by an apt and fit commixtion in proportional quantities are firmly conjoyned together III. Wherefore we joyn Fire and Water Earth and Air together mixing the thick with the thin and the thin with the thick so as they may abide together and their Natures may be changed the one into the other and made like and one thing in the compound which before were simple IV. Because that part which generates or ferments bestows its virtue upon the subtil and thin which is the Air for like cleaves to its like and is a part of the Generation from whence it receives power to move and ascend upwards V. Cold has power over the thick matter because it has lost its heat and the water is gone out of it and the driness appears upon it This moisture departs by ascending up and the 〈◊〉 part of the Air has mingled 〈◊〉 self with it for that it is like unto it and of the same nature VI. Now when the thick body has lost its heat and moisture and that the cold and dryness has power over it and that their parts have mixed themselves by being first divided and that there is no moisture left to joyn the parts divided the parts withdraw themselves VII And then the part which is contrary to cold by reason it has continued and sent its heat and decoction to the cold parts of the Earth having power over them and exercising such dominion over the coldness which was hidden in the said thick Body that by virtue of its generative power changes the thick cold Body and makes it become subtil and hot and then strives to dry it up again by its heat VIII But afterwards the subtil
in due proportion by a due and temperate decoction in the bowels of clean inspissate and fixed Earth joyned with an incorruptible radical humidity whereby it is brought to a solid fusible substance with a convenient fire and made maleable III. But Imperfect Minerals are made of a commixtion of pure Argent Vive and Sulphur without due proportion or a due de coction in the bowels of unclean not fully inspissated nor fixed Earth joyned with a corrupting humi dity whereby are brought forth Metals of a porous substance and though fusible not sufficiently or so perfectly maleable as the others IV. Under the first definition are concluded Sol and Luna each according to their perfection Under the second Saturn Jupiter Mars and Venus each according to their imperfection in which that which is manifest must be hidden or taken away and that which is hidden must be made manifest and brought into operation which is done by preparing them by which their Superstuities will be removed and their defects or imperfection supplied and the true perfection inserted into them V. But the perfect Bodies as Sol and Luna need none of this preparation yet such a preparation they must have as may subtilize their parts and reduce them from a Corporality to a fixed Spirituality that from thence may be made a fixed Spiritual Body in order to compleat the Great Elixir whether White or Red. VI. In both these viz. the White and Red Elixirs there is no other thing than Argent Vive and Sulphur of which one cannot act nor be without the other It would be a foolish and vain thing to think to make this Great Elixir or Tincture from any thing in which it is not this was never the intention of the Philosophers though they speak many things by similitude VII And because all Metalick Bodies are compounded of Argent Vive and Sulphur pure or impure by accident and not innate in their first nature therefore by convenient preparation 't is possible to take away their impurity the end of preparation is to take away Superfluities and supply the defects VIII For we have considered the substance of Metaline Bodies perfect and imperfect to be but one viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur which are pure and clean before their commixtion and by consideration and experience we found the Corruption of Imperfect Bodies to be by accident but that being pre pared and cleansed from all their Superfluities Corruption and fugitive Uncleanness we found them of greater brightness clearness and purity than the naturally perfect Metals not prepared by which consideration we attained to the perfection of this Science IX The Imperfect Bodies have accidentally Superfluous Humidities and a Combustible Sulphureity with a Primary Blackness in them and corrupting them to gether with an Unclean Faeculent Combustible and very gross Earthiness impedeing Ingress and Fusion Therefore it behoves us with artificial fire by the help of purified Salts and Vinegars to remove superfluous accidents that the only radical substance of Argent Vive and Sulphur may remain which may indeed be done by various ways and methods according as the Elixir requires X. The general way of preparation is this 1. With fire proportional the whole superfluous and Corrupt humidity in its essence must be elevated and the subtil and burning Sulphureity removed and this by Calcination 2. The whole Corrupt substance of their superfluous burning humidity and blackness remaining in their calx must be corroded with the following cleansed Salts and Vinegars till the Calx be White or Red according to the nature of the body and is made clean and pure from all Superfluity and Corruption These Calxe are cleansed with the 〈◊〉 Salts and Vinegars by grinding imbibing and washing 3. The whole 〈◊〉 Earthiness and Combustible gross Faeculency must be taken away with the aforesaid things not having Metallick Fusion by commixing and grinding them together with the aforesaid Calx depurated in the aforesaid manner Forthese in the Fusion or Reduction of the Calx will remain with themselves the said uncleanness and gross Earthiness the Body remaining pure XI Being thus cleansed it is Meliorated thus First This Purged and Reduced Body is again Calcined by Fire with the Salts as aforesaid Secondly Then with such of these as are Solutive it must be Dissolved For this Water is Our Stone and Argent Vive of Argent Vive and Sulphur of Sulphur abstracted from the Spiritual Body and subtilized or attenuated which is Meliorated by confirming the Elemental Virtues in it with other prepared things of its own kind which augment the Colour Fixion Weight Purity and Fusion with all other things appertaining to the true Elixir XII The Salts and Vinegars for this work are thus prepared and cleansed Common Salt and Salt Gem as also Sal Alcali and Sandiver are cleansed by Calciing them and then casting them into hot water to be Dissolved which Solution being Filtred is to be coagulated by a gentle fire then to be Calcined for a Day and a Night in a moderate fire and so kept for use XIII Sal Armoniack is cleansed by Grinding it with a preparation of Common Salt cleansed and then subliming it in an high Body and Head till it ascends all pure then dissolving it in a Porphyrie in the open Air if you would have it in a water or otherwise keeping the sublimate in a Glass close stopt for use XIV Roch Alums or Factitious or other Alums are cleansed by putting them in an Alembick and extracting their whole Humidity which is of great use in this Art The Faeces remaining in the Bottom Dissolve on a Porphyrie in a moist place or in water and then again extract and keep it for use XV. Vitriol of all kinds is cleansed by dissolving it in pure Vinegar then Distilling and Coagulating Or first abstract its Humidity over a gentle fire the Faeces Caleine and Dissolve per deliquium or in their own water filtre and Coagulate or if you please the water and keep it for use XVI Vinegars of what kind or how acute and sharp soever are cleansed by subtilization and their Virtues and Effects are Me liorated by Distillation With these Salts and Vinegars the imperfect Bodies may be prepared purified meliorated and subtilized by the help of the Fire Glass and Borax are pure and need no preparation XVII Out of the Metalline Bodies we compose the Great Elixir making One substance of many yet so permanently fixed that the strongest or greatest force of Fire cannot hurt it or make it flie away which will mix with Metals in Flux and flow with them and enter into them and be permixed with the fixed substance which is in them and be fixed with that in them which is incombustible receiving no hurt by any thing which Gold and Silver cannot be hurt by XVIII Hence we define Our Stone to be agenerating or Fruitful Spirit and Living water which we name the Dry water by Natural proportion cleansed and United
and inflamable substance with due proportion This Calx grind to a most subtil pouder wash it with Vinegar till water will come from it free from blackness Again 〈◊〉 it with more Salt and Vinagar and grind and then calcine again in an open Vessel for 3 days and nights Take it out grind it subtily and long and wash it with Vinegar till it is cleansed from all uncleanness This done dry it in the Sun Add to it half its weight of Sal Armoniack grinding it long to an impalpable substance Then expose it to the Air or set it in Horse-dung to be dissolved To what is undissolved add a new clean Sal Armoniack thus continuing till the whole be made water Esteem and value this water which we call the water of fixed Sulphur with which the Elixir is tinged to infinity II. Venus is a Metalick Body livid pertaking of a dusky redness subject to ignition fusible extensible under the Hammer but refusing the Cupel and Cement It is in the profundity of its substance of the color and essence of Gold and is hammered being red hot as Silver and Gold is It is the medium of Sol and Luna and easily converts it nature to either being of good conversion and of little labour III. It agrees very well with Tutia which citrinizes it with a good yellow from whence you may reap profit we need not labour to indurate it or make it ignitible therefore it is to be chosen before other imperfect Bodies in the lesser and middle Work but not in the greater Yet this has a Vice beyond Jupiter that it easily grows livid and receives foulness from sharp things to erradicate which is not an easie but a profound Art IV. Copper therefore is unclean Argent Vive mixed with Sulphur unclean gross and fixed as to its greater part but as to its lesser part not fixed red and livid in relation to the whole not overcoming nor overcome It s volatile Sulphur is evident from its sulphurous fume and loss of quantity by frequent fluxing and combustion Itt fixt Sulphur is evident from its slowness of fusion and induration of its substance And that there is an unclean red Sulphur joyned with unclean Argent Vive is evident even to the senses V. When the fixed Sulphur comes to fixation by heat of Fire its parts are subtilized but that part which is in the aptitude of solution of its substance is dissolved the sign of which is the exposing it to the vapours of Vinegar which makes the Aluminosity of its Sulphur flow in its Superficies And being put into a saline liquor many parts of it are easily dissolved by Ebulition this Aluminosity by a saline watriness and easie solution is changed into water For nothing is watery and easily soluble except Alum and what is of its nature This understand also of the body os Iron VI. But the blackness in either Venus or Mars created by the Fire is by reason of the Sulphur not fixed much indeed in Venus but little in Mars and it approaches nigh to the nature of fixed Sulphur Hence it is evident that fusion is helped and partly made by Sulphur not fixed but hindred from Sulphur fixed This he certainly knew to be true who by no art of fusion could make Sulphur to flow after its fixation But having fixed Argent Vive by frequently repeating the sublimation thereof found it apt to admit good fusion VII Hence it is evident that those Bodies are of greater perfection which contain more of Argent Vive those of lesser perfection which contain lesser Therefore study in all your Works to make Argent Vive to exceed in the Commixtion And if you could perfect by Argent Vive only you would have attained to the highest perfection even the perfection of that which overcomes the Works of Nature For you may cleanse it most inwardly to which purification nature cannot reach VIII This is manifest for that those Bodies which contain a greater quantity of Argent Vive should be of greater perfection arises from their easie reception of Argent Vive into their substance and we see Bodies of perfection amicably to embrace each other IX Out of what has been said it is also apparent that in Bodies there is a two fold sulphureity One indeed included in the profundity of Argent Vive in the begining of their mixtion The other supervenient from other Accidents The one of them may be removed with labour but the other cannot possibly be taken away by any Artisice or Operation of the Fire to which we can profitably come it being so firmly and radically united therein And this is proved by experiment for we see the aductible sulphureity to be abolished or destroyed by fire but the fixed sulphureity not so X. Therefore when we say Bodies are cleansed by Calcination understand that to be meant of the earthy substance which is not united to the Radix of their nature For it is not possible by Art or force of fire to cleanse or separate what is united unless the Medicine of Argent Vive has access XI Now the separation of an earthy substance from its compound which in the root of nature is united to a Metal is this Either it is made by elevation with things elevating the substance of Argent Vive and leaving the sulphureity by reason of its conveniency with them of which nature are Tutia and Marchasite because they are Fumes part of which has a greater quantity of Argent Vive than of Sulphur XII The proof of this you may see when you joyn those things with Bodies in a strong and sudden fusion for these Spirits in their flight carry up the Bodies with them and therefore you may elevate them with them Or else by a Lavation or Commixtion with Argent Vive as we have already said For Argent Vive holds what is of its own nature but casts out what is alien or forreign XIII The preparation of Venus It is manifold one by Elevation another without Elevation The way by Elevation is that Tutia be taken with which Venus well agrees and that it be ingeniously united therewith Then put it into a Vessel of sublimation to be sublimed and by a most exceeding degree of Fire it s most subtil part will be elevated which will be of most bright splendor Or it may be mixed with Sulphur and then elevated by sublimation XIV But without sublimation it is prepared either by cleansing things in its Calx or in its Body As by Tutia Salts and Alums Or by a Lavament of Argent Vive as all other imperfect Bodies are XV. The Preparation or Purgation of Venus also is two-fold viz. one for the White and the other for the red for the White it is thus Take Venus calcin'd by fire only as aforesaid ground fine 1 pound Arsenick sublimed 4 ounces Grind them together and imbibe the mixture 3 or 4 times with water of Litharge and reduce the whole with Sal
there is a mixture made of contrary Natures viz. of cold with hot and moist with dry even a most admirable Unity between Enemies CHAP. IX Of Sublimation Or the separating of the Pure from the Impure by this Water I. NOstra ergo dissolutio Corporum quae fit in tali prima Aqua non est nisi mortificatio humidi cum sicco humidum verò coagulatur per siccum II. Quia humiditas tantum siccitate continetur terminatur ac coagulatur in Corpus sive in terram III. Corpora igitur dura sicca ponantur in nostra prima Aqua in vase bene clauso ubi maneant donec solventur ascendant in altum quae tunc dici possunt novum Corpus aurum album Alchimiae Lapis albus Sulphur album non urens Lapis Paradisi hoc est convertens Metalla imperfecta in Argentum album finum IV. Tunc etiam habemus simul Corpus Animam Spiritum de quo Spiritu Anima dictum est quod non possunt extrahi à Corporibus perfectis nisi per conjunctionem nostrae Aquae dissolutivae V. Quia certum est quod res fixa non potest elevari nisi per conjunctionem rei volatilis VI. Spiritus igitur mediante Aqua Anima ab ipsis Corporibus extrahitur redditur Corpus non Corpus quia statim Spiritus cum Anima Corporum sursum ascendit in superiori parte quae est perfectio Lapidis vocatur sublimatio VII Haec sublimatio in quit Florentius Cathalanus fit per res accidas Spirituales Volatiles quae sunt de natura Sulphurea viscosa quae dissolvunt faciunt elevari Corpora in Aeram in Spiritum VIII Et in hac Sublimatione pars quaedam dictae Aquae primae ascendit cum Corporibus simul se jungendo ascendo sublimando in unam mediam substantiam quae tenet de natura duorum scilicet Corporum Aquae IX Proinde dicitur Corporale Spirituale Compositum Corjufle Cambar Ethelia Zandarith Duenech bonus sed proprie tantum nominatur Aqua permanens quia non fugit in igne X. Perpetuò adhaerens Corporibus commixtis id est Soli Lunae illisque communicans Tincturam vivam incombustibilem ac firmissimam praecedenti nobilicrum pretiosiorem XI Quia potest currere debinc haec Tinctura sicut Oleum omnia perforando penetrando cum fixione mirabili quoniam haee Tinctura est Spi ritus Spiritus est Anima Anima Corpus XII Quia in hac operatione Corpus efficitur Spiritus de natura subtilissima pariter Spiritus incorporatur fit de natura Corporis cum Corporibus sic Lapis noster 〈◊〉 Corpus Animam Spiritum XIII O Natura quomodo vertis Corpus in Spiritum quod non fieret si Spiritus non incorporaretur cum Corporibus Corpora cum Spiritu fierent volatilia postea permanentia XIV Transivit igitur unus in alterum sese invicem conversi sunt per Sapientiam O Sapientia quomodo facis Aurum esse volatile ac fugitivum etiamsi naturaliter fixissimum esset XV. Oportet igitur dissolvere liquefacere Corpora ista per Aquam nostram illa facere Aquam permanentem Aquam auream sublimatam relinquendo in fundo grossum terrestreum superfluum siccum XVI Et in ista Sublimatione ignis debet esse lentus quia si per hanc Sublimationem in Igne lento Corpora purificata non fuerint 〈◊〉 ejus partes nota bene terrestres seperatae à Mortui immunditia impedieris quominus ex his possis perficere Opus XVII Non indiges enim nisi tenui subtili naturâ Corporum dissolutorum quam tibi dabit Aqua nostra silento Igne procedis separando beterogenea ab homogeneis I. OUR Dissolution then of Bodies which is made such in this first Water is nothing else but a destroying or overcoming of the moist with the dry for the moist is coagulated with the dry II. For the moisture is contained under terminated with and coagulated in the dry Body to wit in that which is Earthy III. Let therefore the hard and the dry Bodies be put into our first Water in a Vessel which close well and there let them abide till they be dissolved and ascend to the top then may they be called a new Body the white Gold made by Art the white Stone the white Sulphur not inflamable the Paradisical Stone viz. the Stone Transmuting imperfect Metals into fine white Silver IV. Then have we also the Body Soul and Spirit altogether of which Spirit and Soul it is said That they cannot be extracted from the perfect Bodies but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving Water V. Because it is certain That the thing fixed cannot be lifted up or made to ascend but by the conjunction or help of that which is volatile VI. The Spirit therefore by the help of the Water and the Soul is drawn forth from the Bodies themselves and the Body thereby is made Spiritual for that at the same instant of time the Spirit with the Soul of the Bodies ascend on high to the superiour part which is the perfection of the Stone and is called Sublimation VII This Sublimation saith Florentius Cathalanus is made by things Acid Spiritual Volatile and which are in their own nature Sulphurous and Viscous which dissolve Bodies and make them to ascend and be changed into Air and Spirit VIII And in this Sublimation a certain part of our said first Water ascends with the Bodies joyning it self with them ascending and subliming into one neutral or complex Substance which contains the nature of the two viz. the nature of the two Bodies and of the Water IX And therefore it is called the Corporeal and Spiritual 〈◊〉 Cor jufle Cambar Ethelia Zandarith Dueneck the Good but properly it is called the permanent or fixed Water only because it flies not in the Fire X. But it perpetually adheres to the commixed or compounded Bodies that is to Sol and Luna and communicates to them the Living Tincture incombustible and most fixed much more noble and precious than the former which those Bodies had XI Because from henceforth this Tincture runs like Oil running through and penetrating the Bodies and giving to them its wonderful Fixity and this Tincture is the Spirit and the Spirit is the Soul and the Soul is the Body XII For in this operation the Body is made a Spirit of a most subtile nature and again the Spirit is corporified and changed into the nature of the Body with the Bodies whereby our Stone consists of a Body a Soul and a Spirit XIII O God how thro' Nature dost thou change a Body into a Spirit Which could not be done if the Spirit were not incorporated with the Bodies and the Bodies made volatile with the Spirit and afterwards permanent or fixed XIV For this Cause sake they have passed over into
parte aquae nostrae facta sunt spiritus in aêra scandentes ibique corpus compositum ex mare foemina ex Sole Luna ex illa subtillissimanatura mundata per sublimationem accipit vitam inspiratur à suo humore VIII Id est à sua aqua sicut homo ab aêre quare multiplicabitur deinceps ac crescet in sua specie sicut res omnes caeterae IX In tali ergo elevatione sublimatione philosophica conjunguntur omnes ad invicem corpus novum inspiratum ab aêre vivit vegetabiliter quod est miraculosum X. Quare nisi corpora igne aqua attenuentur quousque ascendant in spiritus quousque fiant ut aqua fumus vel Mercurius nihil fit in Arte. XI Illis tamen ascendentibus in aêre nascuntur in aêre vertuntur fiuntque vita cum vita ut numquam possint separari sicut aqua mixta aquae XII Ideoque natus in aēre sapienter dicitur quoniam omnino spiritualis efficitur XIII Ipse namque Vultur sine alis volans supra montem clamitat dicens Ego sum albus nigri rubeus albi citrinus rubei filius vera dicens non mentior I. PUT the refore the perfect Bodies of Metals to wit Sol and Luna into our Water in a Vessel Hermetically sealed upon a gentle Fire and digest continually 'till they are perfectly resolved into a most precious Oyl II. Digest saith Adfar with a gentle Fire as it were for the hatching of Chickens so long 'till the Bodies are dissolved and their perfectly conjoyned Tincture mark this well is extracted III. But it is not extracted all at once but it is drawn out by little and little day by day and hour by hour till after a long time the Solution thereof is compleated and that which is dissolved always swims a top IV. And while this dissolution is in hand let the Fire be gentle and continual till the Bodies are dissolved into a viscous and most subtile Water and the whole Tincture be educed in colour first black which is the sign of a true dissolution V. Then continue the digestion till it becomes a white fixed Water for being digested in Balneo Mariae it will afterwards become clear and in the end become like to common Argent vive ascending by the Spirit above the first Water VI. When therefore you see the Bodies dissolved in the first viscous Water then know that they are turned into a Vapour and that the Soul is separated from the dead Body and by Sublimation brought into the order of Spirits VII Whence both of them with a part of our Water are made Spirits flying up into the Air and there the compounded Body made of the Male and the Female viz. of Sol and Luna and of that most subtile Nature cleansed by Sublimation taketh Life and is made Spiritual by its own humidity VIII That is by its own Water like as a Man is sustained by the Air whereby from thenceforth it is multiplied and increases in its own kind as do all other things IX In such an ascension therefore and philosophical Sublimation all are joyned one with another and the new Body subtilized or made living by the Spirit miraculously liveth or iprings like a Vegetable X. Wherefore unless the Bodies be attenuated or made thin by the Fire and Water 'till they ascend in a Spirit and are made or do become like Water and Vapour or Mercury you labour wholly in vain XI But when they arise or ascend they are born or brought forth in the Air or Spirit and in the same they are changed and made Life with Life so as they can never be separated but are as Water mixt with Water XII And therefore it is wisely said That the Stone is born of the Spirit because it is altogether Spiritual XIII For the Vulture himself flying without Wings cries upon the top of the Mountain saying I am the white brought forth from the black and the red brought forth from the white the citrine Son of the red I speak the Truth and lye not CHAP. XIII Of the beginning of the Work and a Summary of what is to be done I. SUfficit ergo tibi corpora in vase in aqua semel ponere diligenter claudere vas quousque vero separatio sit facta II. Quae vocatur ab invidis conjunctio sublimatio assatio extractio putrefactio ligatio desponsatio subtiliatio generatio c. III. Et totum perficiatur magisterium Fac igitur sicut ad generationem hominis omnis vegetabilis imponito semel matrici semen bene claude IV. Vides ergo quomodo pluribus rebus non indiges quod opus nostrum magnas non requiret expensas quoniam unus est lapis una medicina unum vas unum regimen una dispositio ad album rubeum successivè faciendum V. Et quamvis dicamus in pluribus locis ponito hoc ponito istud tamen non intelligimus nos opportere nisi unam rem accipere semel ponere claudere vas usque ad operis complementum VI. Quia haec tantum ponuntur à philosophis invidis ut decipiant ut dictum est incautos Nunquid enim etiam haec ars est Cabalistica arcanis plena tu fatue credis nos docere apertè arcana arcanorum verbaque accipis secundum sonum verborum VII Scito verè nullo modo sum ego invidus ut caeteri qui verba aliorum philosophorum accipit secundum prolationem ac significationem vulgarem nominum jam ille absque filo Ariadnae in medio amfractuam Labyrinthi multipliciter errat pecuniamque suam destinavit perditioni VIII Ego vero Artephius postquam adeptus sum veram ac completam sapientiam in libris veridici Hermetis fui aliquando 〈◊〉 caeteri omnes IX Sed cum per mille annos aut circiter quae jam transierunt super me à nativitate mea gratia Soli Dei omnipotentis usu hujus mirabilis quintae essentiae X. Cum per haec inquam longissima tempora viderem neminem magisterium Hermeticum obtinere posse propter obscuritatem verborum philosophorum XI Pietate motus ac probitate boni viri decrevi in his ultimis temporibus vitae meae omnia scribere sineere ac veraciter ut nihil ad perficiendum lapidem philosophorum possis desiderare XII Dempto aliquo quod nemini licet scribere quia revelatur per Deum aut magistrum tamen in hoc libro ille qui non erit durae cervicis cum pauca experientia faciliter addiscet XIII Scripsi ergo in hoc libro nudam veritatem quia paucis coloribus vestivi ut omnis bonus sapiens mala Hesperidum mirabilia feliciter pos sit ex arbore hac philosophica decerpere XIV Quare laudetur Deus altissimus qui posuit in anima nostra hanc benignitatem cum senectute longinquissima dedit nobis veram
exeat X. In digestione lenis coloris veluti balnei vel fimi temperatissima cum oper is instantia assiduetur per ignem super ipsum perfectio decoctionis XI Quousque putrescat resolvatur in nigrum postea elevetur sublimetur per aquam ut mundetur per hoc ab omni nigredine tenebris ut dealbetur subtilietur XII Donec in ultima sublimationis puritate deveniat ultimo volatile fiat album reddatur intus extra quia Vultur in aere sine alis volans clamavit ut possit ire supra montem id est super aquam super quam spiritus albus fertur XIII Tunc continua ignem convenientem spiritus ille id est subtilis substantia corporis Mercurii ascendet super aquam quae quinta essentia est nive candidior XIV Et in fine continua adhuc fortifica ignem ut totum spirituale penitus ascendat XV. Scitote namque quod illud quod est clarum purum spirituale ascendit in altum in aera in modum fumi albi quod lac Virginis appellatur I. NOW if afterwards you would multiply your Tincture you must again resolve that Red in new or fresh dissolving Water and then by decoctions first whiten and then rubifie it again by the degrees of Fire reiterating the first method of operation in this Work II. Dissolve coagulate and reiterate the closing up the opening and multiplying in quantity and quality at your own pleasure III. For by a new Corruption and Generation there is introduced a new Motion IV. Thus can we never find an end if we do always work by reiterating the same thing over and over again viz. by Solution and Coagulation by the help of our dissolving Water by which we dissolve and congeal as we have formerly said in the beginning of the work V. Thus also is the virtue thereof increased and multiplied both in quantity and quality so that if after the first course of Operation you obtain an hundred-fold by a second course you will have a thousand-fold and by a third ten thousand-fold increase VI. And by persuing your work your projection will come to infinity tinging truly and perfectly and fixing the greatest quantity how much soever VII Thus by a thing of an easie or small price you have both colour goodness and weight VIII Our Fire then and Azoth are sufficient for you Decoct decoct reiterate dissolve congeal and continue this course according as you please multiplying it as you think good until your Medicine is made fusible as Wax and has attained the quantity and goodness or fixity and colour you desire IX This then is the compleating of the whole work of our second Stone observe it well that you take the perfect Body and put it into our water in a glass Vesica or Body well closed with Cement lest the Air get in or the inclosed humidity get out X. Keep it in digestion in a gentle heat as it were of a balneum or the most temperate Horse-dung and assiduously continue the operation or work upon the fire till the decoction and digestion is perfect XI And keep it in this digestion of a gentle heat until it be putrified and resolved into blackness and be drawn up and sublimed by the water and is thereby cleansed from all blackness and impurity that it may be white and subtil XII Until it comes to the ultimate or highest purity of sublimation and the utmost volatility and be made white both within and without For the Vulture flying in the air without Wings crys out that it might get up upon the Mountain that is upon the waters upon which the Spiritus albus or Spirit of whiteness is born XIII Continue still a fitting fire and that Spirit which is the subtil being of the Body and of the Mercury will ascend upon the top of the water which quintessence is more white than the driven Snow XIV Continue yet still and toward the end encrease the fire till the whole spiritual subsistance ascend to the top XV. And know well that whatsoever is clear pure and spiritual ascends in Air to the top of the water in the substance of a white vapor which the Philosophers call their Virgins Milk CHAP. XIX Of Sublimation in particular and Separation of the pure from the impure I. OPortet ergo ut de terra inquiebat Sybilla exaltetur filius Virginis quinta substantia alba post resurrectionem elevetur versus coelos in fundo vasis aquae remaneat grossum spissum II. Vase de hinc infrigidato reperies in fundo ipsius faeces nigras arsas combustas separatas ab spiritu quintaessentia alba quas projice III. In his temporibus argentum vivum pluit ex aere nostro super terram novam quod vocatur argentum vivum ex aêre sublimatum ex quo fiat aqùa viscosa munda alba IV. Quae est vera tinctura separata ab omni faece nigra sic aes nostrum regitur cum aqua nostra purificatur albo colore decoratur V. Quae dealbatio non fit nisi decoctione aquae coagulatione Decoque ergo continuò ablue nigredinem à latone non manu sed lapide sive igne sive aqua Mercuriali nostra secunda quae est vera tinctura VI. Nam non manibus fit haec separatio puri ab impuro sed ipsa natura sola circulariter ad perfectionem operando verè perficit VII Ergo patet quod haec compositio non est manualis operatio sed naturarum mutatio quia nature seipsam dissoluit copulat seipsam sublimat elevat albescit separatis faecibus VIII Et in tali sublimatione conjunguntur partes subtiliores magis purae essentiales quia natura ignea cum elevat partes subtisiores magis puras semper elevat ergo dimittit grossiores IX Quare oportet igne mediocri continuo in vapore sublimare ut inspiretur ab aêre possit vivere X. Nam omnium rerum natura vitam ex aêris inspirationerecipit sic etiam totum magisterium nostrum consistit in vapore aquae sublimatione XI Oportet igitur aes nostrum per gradus ignis elevari quod per se sine violentia ascendat libere ideoque nisi corpus igne aqua diruatur ac attenuetur quosque ascendat ut spiritus aut ut argentum vivum scandens vel etiam ut anima alba à corpore separata in spirituum sublimatione delata nihil fit XII Eo tamen ascendente in aêre nascitur in aêre vertitur fitque vita cum vita omnino spirituale incorruptibile XIII Et sic in tali regimine corpus fit spiritus de subtili natura spiritus incorporatur cum corpore fit unum cum eo in tali sublimatione conjunctione elevatione omnia fiunt alba I. IT ought to be therefore as one of the
Sybills said that the Son of the Virgin be exalted from the Earth and that the white Quintessence after its rising out of the dead Earth be raised up towards Heaven the gross and thick remaining in the bottom of the Vessel and of the Water II. Afterwards the Vessel being cooled you will find in the bottom the black Faeces scorcht and burnt which separate from the Spirit and Quintessence of Whiteness and cast them away III. Then will the Argent vive fall down from our Air or Spirit upon the new Earth which is called Argent vive sublimed by the Air or Spirit whereof is made a viscous Water pure and white IV. This Water is the true Tincture separated from all its black Faeces and our Brass or Latten is prepared with our Water purified and brought to a white Colour V. Which white Colour is not obtained but by decoction and coagulation of the Water Decoct therefore continually wash away the Blackness from the Latten not with your Hands but with the Stone or the Fire or our second Mercurial Water which is the true Tincture VI. This separation of the pure from the impure is not done with hands but Nature her self does it and brings it to perfection by a circular Operation VII It appears then that this Composition is not a work of the Hands but a change of the Natures because Nature dissolves and joyns it self sublimes and lifts it self up and grows white being separate from the Faeces VIII And in such a Sublimation the more subtil pure and essential parts are conjoyned for that with the fiery nature or property lifts up the subtil parts it separates alwaies the more pure leaving the grosser at bottom IX Wherefore your Fire ought to be a gentle and a continual Vapour with which you sublime that the matter may be filled with Spirit from the Air and live X. For naturally all things take Life from the inbreathing of the Air and so also our Magistery receives in the Vapour or Spirit by the sublimation of the Water XI Our Brass or Laten then is to be made to ascend by the degrees of Fire but of its own accord freely aand without violence except the body therefore be by the Fire and the Water broken or dissolved and attenuated until it ascends as a Spirit or climbs like Argent vive or rather as the white Soul separated from the Body and by sublimation delated or brought into a Spirit nothing is or can be done XII But when it ascends on high it is born in the Air or Spirit and is changed into Spirit and becomes Life with Life being only Spiritual and Incorruptible XIII And by such an Operation it is that the Body is made Spirit of a subtil nature and the Spirit is incorporated with the Body and made one with it and by such a sublimation conjunction and raising up the whole both Body and Spirit are made white CHAP. XX. Of Digestion Sublimation and Separation of the Bodies for the perfection of the Work I. ERgo necessaria est haec sublimatio philosophica naturalis quae componit pacem inter corpus spiritum quod est impossibile aliter fieri nisi in has partes separentur II. Idcirco oportet utrumque sublimare ut purum ascendat impurum terrenosum descendat in turbatione maris procellosi III. Quare oportet decoquere continuò ut ad subtilem deducatur naturam quousque corpus assumat attrahat animam albam Mercurialem quam retinet naturaliter nec demittit eam à se separari quia sibi compar est in propinquitate naturae primae purae simplicis IV. Ex his oportet per decoctionem separationem exercere ut nihil de pinguedine ani mae remaneat quod non fuerit elevatum exaltatum in superiori parte sic utrumque erit reductum ad aequalitatem simplicem ad simplicem albedinem V. Vultur ergo volans per aerem Bufo gradiens per terram est magisterium VI. Ideo quando separabis terram ab aqua id est ab igne subtile ab spisso suaviter cum magno ingenio ascendet à terra in coelum quod erit purum descendet in terram quod erit impurum VII Et recipiet subtilior pars in superiori loco naturam spiritus in inferiori verò naturam corporis terrei VIII Quare elevetur per talem oporationem natura alba cum subtiliori parte corporis relictis foecibus quod fit brevi tempore IX Nam anima cum sua adjuvatur socia per eam perficitur X. Mater inquit corpus me genuit per me gignitur ipsa postquam autem ab ea accepi volatum ipsa meliori modo quo potest fit pia fovens nutriens filium quem genuit donec ad statum devenerit perfectum I. THIS Philosophical and Natural Sublimation therefore is necessary which makes peace between or fixes the Body and Spirit which is impossible to be done otherwise than in the separation of these parts II. Therefore it behoves you to sublime both that the pure may ascend and the impure and earthy may descend or be left at bottom in the perplexity of a troubled Sea III. And for this reason it must be continually decocted that it may be brought to a subtil property and the Body may assume and draw to it self the white Mercurial Soul which it naturally holds and suffers not to be separated from it because it is like to it in the nereness of the first pure and simple nature IV. From these things it is necessary to make a separation by Decoction till no more remains of the purity of the Soul which is not ascended and exalted to the higher part whereby they will both be reduced to an equality of Properties and a simple or pure Whiteness V. The Vulture flying through the Air and the Toad creeping upon the Ground are the Emblems of our Magistery VI. When therefore gently and with much care you separate the Earth from the Water that is from the Fire and the thin from the thick then that which is pure will separate it self from the Earth and ascend to the upper part as it were into Heaven and the impure will descend beneath as to the Earth VII And the more subtil part in the superior place will take upon it the nature of a Spirit and that in the lower place the nature of an earthy body VIII Wherefore let the white property with the more subtil parts of the body be by this Operation made to ascend leaving the faeces behind which is done in a short time IX For the Soul is aided by her associate and fellow and perfected by it X. My Mother saith the Body has begotten me and by me she her self is begotten now after I have taken from her her flying she after an admirable manner becomes kind nourishing and cherishing the Son whom she has begotten till he comes to
Calces of all Bodies may be so depurated and Citrinated that thereby they may become most pure Gold IX When also Argent Vive is dissolved then dissolve in it a little of the aforesaid Red Ferment and so put all into Kemia or a proper Vessel which firmly close up with a Philosophick Seal Then with a continual and easie or gentle Fire draw out the Charriot of the four Elements through the Depth of the Sea until the Floods being dryed up there appears in the Matter a bright shining substance like to the Eyes of the Fishes X. For by this Operation if you keep your Temperate Fire continually alive the Floods shall dry up with an exceeding drought and the dry Land or Earth shall appear as in the days of Noah the waters were dryed up from off the Earth and behold the Face of the Ground was dry And by lifting up the Rod of Moses and stretching out his hand the waters were dryed up and the dry Ground appeared in the midst of the Sea for so says David He Rebuked the Red Sea and it was dryed up he led them through the Depths as through the Wilderness XI And then by the Space of Forty days following it shall be Rubified as the Philosophers Demonstrate by the help of a Vehement Fire as the Nature of it requires continuing and remaining in the same strong Fire till it melt and flow like Wax whereby it will be able to transmute all Bodies into pure fine Gold XII And thus the White and Red Medicines are multiplied with their own proper humidities viz. only by the solution of the White Medicines in their own proper White and Red humours and by their Coagulation again of the same as necessity requires Thus have we explicated with singular plainess of Speech the Elixiration of Mercury per se or Argent Vive alone CHAP. LXVIII The second of the former Elixirs with Mercury and the Body Alchymick I. TO Elixirate with Mercury and the Body Alchymick Take One part of the most pure Kibrick quod est pater Mercurij omnium Liquabilium Sea water twelve parts in which dissolve the Kibrick being dissolved strain the water through a Linnen Cloth and what remains undissolved which will not go through put into the Vessel called Kemia set it over a gentle fire as it were the heat of the Sun untill there appears on the Top a Red Color II. Then put to it a quarter more of the sea-Sea-water aforesaid being kept in a very clean Vessel set it on a very gentle fire and dry it up again as you did before by little and little at a time III. For in this Work by so much less there is put of the Spirit and more of the Body by so much the sooner and better shall the Solution be made the which Solution is made by the Congelation of its water IV. And therefore as the Rosary saith you must beware that the Belly be not made over moist for if it be the water shall not receive or attain to its dryness V. This manner of Imbibition must be Observed and continued so long till the whole water by several Imbibitions shall be dryed up into a Body VI. This done let the Vessel be firmly and Philosophically Sealed up and placed in its proper Fornace with a mean or gentle fire which must not wax cold from the first hour you begin to set the same into the Fornace till you have made an end of the whole work VII And when the matter is sublimed then let it be made to Descend by little and little without Violence the fire being Artificially made or set over it which done let it be again sublimed as before VIII And so let the Soul of the Sun of the Vulgar the which Soul is Our unclean Oyntment the Spirit not yet conjoyned with the Body Ascend from the Earth to the Heaven and again make it to Descend from Heaven to the Earth till all becomes Earth which before was Heaven IX To the end there may be made a substance not so hard as the Body nor yet so soft as the Spirit but holding a mean disposition standing fixed and Permanent in the fire like a White peice of melted Wax flowing in the bottom of the Vessel X. The which White substance of a mean or middle consistency must be fed and nourished with Milk and Meat till the quantity thereof be increased according to your desire XI This Medicine being Fermented to the Red with a portion of Sol Dissolved in the water of the Sea by reason of separating the first the form from the Matter to the end that it may be in a more noble form than it was before when the first qualities did remain undivided and that it may be brought into a Purple Colour by the help of a strong and continual fire whereby is made the true Elixir both for the White and Red Work XII Now this Elixir be it White or Red shall be increased an hundred fold more both in Virtue and Goodness if its Quintessence be fixed with it and that then afterwards it be brought and reduced by the Fire of Nature into a thin Oyl the which must be done in a Circulatory Vessel for truly then the least drop thereof does Congeal a thousand drops of Mercury into the very greatest Medicine CHAP. LXIX Of the Vegetable Stone I. THe Vegetable Stone is gotten by Virtue of the Fire of Nature of the Composition of which fire we now intend plainly to treat and of the way how to work with it in every respect II. Its Composition is of four things as Raymundus saith in his Book of Quintessences It is a Composition of Sal Amarum which is Ignis adeptus a fire that is gotten without Wood or Coal and by an easie working does work against all manner of sharpness of Action of the Visible Fire like as if it were the fire of Hell and therefore altho' Wine be hot yet this water of Mercury is hotter for it is able to dissolve all Bodies to putrefie and also to divide the Elements which neither common Fire nor Wine can do III. Some think that this Fire of Nature is extracted or drawn from Wine according to the common way and that it must be rectified by often Distillations until its Flegm is wholly abstracted which hinders its Heat Virtue Strength and Burning But this when it is done to all advantages and its highest perfection which Fools call the pure Spirit and then put to the Calx of the Body never so well prepared yet will it be weak and ineffectual to Our purpose for Dissolution Conservation c. IV. The true and Pure Spirit is Our Silverish Spirit of Wine which is our Vegetable Mercury and the true water of the Philosophers Concerning which see in Ripley's secret Concord V. Wherefore since the vulgar Spirit or Wine is such it is evident that there is an Error in choosing of this Principle for the true Principle which is
of his natural Magick that there is a Salt made of the Lees or Tartar of Wine or Aquae Vitae called the Salt of Art and Mercury without which Salt saith he there is nothing can be done Also he begins his Practice with this Salt in the first and last Chapter of his Codicil XXIV Wherefore as the same Philosopher affirms among these things is this Menstruum one of the Secrets of this Art whose Virtue must be increased by a wise management of the Matter you must circulate this Menstruum in the Unctuous humidity in a Vessel of Circulation by rotation continually an hundred and twenty days in the hottest Fornace CHAP. LXX The Remaining Process of the Vegetable Stone I. HItherto the Process of the Vegetable Stone has been long and Obscure but that nothing may be doubtful to the prejudice of my professed Love to your Lordship I say that all these things spoken by Raymundus are covered with the Mantle of Philosophy Truly his intention is that there should be made a dissolution with the Spirit of Wine but that this Spirit of Wine should be joyned with another Menstruum resoluble without which Resolution can never be attained II. Here the two Spirits are joyned together the Vegetable Menstruum or White Oyl of Tartar and our Metalline Oyl III. And that Menstruum Resoluble is generated only of a Metalline kind for it is a potential or mighty Vapour being in every Metalline Body joyning together two extreams Sulphur and Argent 〈◊〉 IV. And so indeed after this sort Our water is a Metalline water which because it does savour of the Nature of either extream it therefore brings our Resolutive Menstruum into Act. V. Now how this Menstruum which is Unctuous Moist Sulphurous and Mercurial agreeing with the Nature of Metals and wherewith Bodies must be Artificially Dissolved may be had we will here shew by clear practice VI. Take the sharpest humidity of Grapes and in it being Distilled dissolve the Body well Calcin'd into a Redness into a Cyrstalline clear and Ponderous water the which Body Calcin'd into Redness is of the Masters of this Science called Sericon VII Now comes in the Practice of Pupilla of the dissolution of the Red Lyon for the Fire of Nature called also Red Lead Red Coral Sericon is of the Nature of Black Pepper Euphorbium c. of a hot biting and fiery Nature all which things are spoken only by way of Comparison VIII Then of this Crystalline water let there be made a Gum the which in Taste will be like to Alum This Gum by Raymundus is called Vitriol Azoth from which let there be drawn with a gentle Fire first a weak water with no more Taste or sharpness than simple Well water Fresher water there is none in Taste yet will it never Consume or Waste tho' it be used never so often nor will it be ever less in quantity IX And when the White Fume shall begin to appear change your Receiver and Lute it strongly that it breath not forth so shall you have our burning water Our Aquae Vitae and Resolutive Menstruum the which before was Resoluble a Vapour potential a mighty Vapour able to dissolve Bodies to Putrifie and to Purifie to divide the Elements and also to exalt theEarth into a wonderful Salt by the force of its attractive Virtue This is our Fire of Nature X. This water has a bitter sharp Taste upon the Tongue and also a kind of stinking Menstruum and because it is a water which is very Spirituous and Volatile therefore within a Month after it is Distilled it ought to be put upon its Calx When it is Affused upon the Calx it will without any external Fire boil if the Vessel be closely shut and it will not cease to Ferment or work till it be all dryed up into the Calx XI Therefore you must put no greater a quantity of it to the Calx but what may just cover it as it were and so proceed when the Fornace is dryed up to the whole Complement thereof as in the Operation of the Compound water and as the work requires XII And when the Elixir shall be brought into a Purple Color then let it be dissolved with the aforesaid Vegetable Menstruum into a thin Oyl the same Menstruum being first rectified and let the same by the Circulation of the Spirit of our water be fixed so will it have Power to transmute or change all Bodies into pure Gold and to Heal and Cure all Infirmities and Diseases in Man's Body ten thousand times better than all the Potions and Prescriptions of Galen or Hippocrates XIII This Elixir is the true Aurum potabile and no other for it is made of Gold Elementated and Circulated by the spirituous wheel of Philosophy and it is so wrought with the Air Gass potency or spirit of Mercury dissolved by its self sublimed and rectified as that the body of Gold by it may not only be curiously and exquisitely Elixirated but also that it may then afterwards be brought to such a perfection by this our Art as to be applied profitably to the most desirable work XIV Thus you may see we have hid nothing concerning this our desired Elixir of the Vegetable Stone I shall now proceed to that of the Animal Stone which is but a work of three days and in three days will be compleatly ended My advice to you is not to gather the Leaves of Words but the Fruits of Works the profit of the things sought after XV. And know that in this Work I have not so much affected the Curiosity of Language or Elegancies of Stile as the denudating the Essential Verity and exposing the very Power of Truth to your View which by reason of my haste I have now concisely done in few words CHAP. LXXI Of Our Animal Stone I. WE now come to reveal the most noble and High Secret of Secrets viz. the Mystery of our Animal Stone desired of all Mankind and the way and manner of its Elixiration But this Animal Elixir is neither from Wine as it is Wine nor from Eggs Hair or Blood as they are such things but only from the Elements And these Elements we ought to search out in the Excellency of their exceeding Simplicy and Rectification II. The Elements as Roger Bachon saith are the Roots of all things the Mothers of every thing yet the Elements of the said things do not enter into the Work of this Our Elixir but only by the Virtue and Commixtion of those Elements with the Elements of Spirits and Bodies of Metals III. Yet so indeed as Roger Bachon saith the Elements of those things aforesaid do so enter in as to pierce through tho' not to dwell there and to Accomplish this Our great Elixir IV. Notwithstanding among all those things which be Natural as all the rest be which Philosophers have taken there is one thing yet which is found more pretious more excellent more proper and more Natural
is Sol or Luna than a Terra Munda a pure Earth Red and White The whole Composition we call Our Plumbum or Lead the Quality of whose splendor proceeds from Sol and Luna III. No impure Body one excepted which the Philosophers vulgarly call the Green Lyon which is the Medium which Conjoyns the Tinctures between Sol and Luna with perfection does Enter into our Magistry IV. These Menstruums you ought to know without which no true Calcination or natural dissolution can possibly be done But our principal Menstruum may be said indeed to be Invisible or Spiritual yet by the help of our Aqua Philosophica secunda through a separation of the Elements in form of clear water it is brought to light and made to appear V. And by this Menstruum with great Labour is made the Sulphur of Nature by Circulation in a pure Spirit and with the same you may dissolve your Body after divers manners and an Oyl may be extracted therefrom of a Golden Color like as from Our Red Lead VI. 1. De Calcinatione Calcination is the Purgation of our Stone restoring it to its own Natural Color inducing first a necessary dissolution thereof but neither with Corrosives nor fire alone nor A. F. nor with other Burning waters or the Vapour of Lead is our Stone Calcined for by such Calcinations Bodies are destroyed for that they diminish their humidities VII Whereas in our Calcination the Radical humidity is Augmented or multiplied for like increases like he which knows not this knows nothing in this Art Joyn like with like and kind with kind as you ought every seed answers and rejoyces in seed of its own kind and every Spirit is fixed with a Calx of its own kind or Nature VIII The Philosophers make an Unctuous Calx both White and Red of three Degrees before it can be perfected that shall melt as Wax till which it is of no use If your water shall be in a right or just proportion with your Earth and in a fit Heat your Matter will Germinate the White together with the Red which will endure in a perpetual Fire IX Make a Trinity of Unity without dissention this is the most certain and best proportion and by how much the lesser part is the more spiritual by so much the more easily will the dissolution be performed drown not the Earth with too much water lest you destroy the whole Work X. 2. De Dissolutione Seek not that in a thing which is not in it as in Eggs Blood Wine Vitriol and the other middle Minerals there is no profit to be had in things not Metallick In Metals from Metals and by or through Metals Metals are made perfect XI First make a Rotation of all the Elements and before all things convert the Earth into water by dissolution Then Dissolve that Water into Air and then make that Air into Fire this done reduce it again into Earth for otherwise you labour in vain XII Here is nothing besides the Sister and the Brother that is the Agent and the Patient Sulphur and Mercury which are generated Co-essential substances The dissolution of one part of the Corporeal Substance causeth a Congelation of another part of the spiritual XIII Every Metal was once a Mineral Water wherefore they may all be dissolved into Water again in which Water are the four repugnant Qualities with diversity In one Glass all things ought to be done made in the form of an Egg and well closed XIV Let not your Glass be hotter than you can endure your naked Hand upon so long as your matter is in dissolution When the Body is altered from its first form it immediately puts on a new form XV. 3. De Dispositione Beware that you open not your Glass nor ever move it from the beginning of the work to the end thereof for then you will never bring your work to perfection Dry the Earth till it becomes thirsty in Calcination otherwise you Act in vain Divide the matter into two parts that you may separate the subtil from the gross or thin from the thick till the Earth remains in the bottom of a Livid Color XVI One part is Spiritual and Volatile but they ought all to be converted to one matter or substance And distil the Water with which you would Vivifiethe Stone till it be pure thin as water shinning with a Blew Livid Colour retaining its Figure and Ponderosity with this Water Hermes moistens or waters his Tree whilst in his Glass and makes the Flowers to increase on high XVII First divide that which Nature first tyed together converting the Essential Mercury into Air or a Vapour without which natural and subtil separation no future Generation can be compleated XVIII Your Water ought to be seven times sublimed otherwise there can never be any natural Dissolution made nor shall you see any Putrefaction like Liquid Pitch nor will the Colors appear because of the defect of the Fire Operating in your Glass XIX 4. De Ignibus There are four kinds of Fires which you ought to know the Natural the Innatural that contrary to Nature and the Elemental which burns Wood These are the fires we use and no others XX. The Fire of Nature is in every thing and is the third Menstruum The Innatural Fire is occasionally so called and it is the Fire of Ashes of Sand and Baths for putrefying and without this no Putrefaction can be done XXI The Fire against Nature is that which tears Bodies to pieces or Atoms which is the fiery Dragon violently burning like the fire of Hell Make therefore that your fire within in your Glass which will burn the Bodies much more powerfully than the vulgar Elemental fire can do XXII 5. De Conjunctione Conjunction is the joyning together of things separated and of differing Qualities or the Adequation or bringing to an equality of principles he which knows not how to separate the Elements and to divide them and then to conjoyn them again errs not knowing the true way XXIII Divide the Soul from the Body and get that for it is the Soul which causes the perpetual Conjunction the Male which is our Sol requires three parts and the Female which is his Sister nine parts then like rejoyces with like for ever XXIV Certainly Dissolution and Conjunction are two strong principles of this Science tho there may be many other principles besides XXV 6. De Putrefactione The Destruction of the Bodies is such that you are diligently to Conserve them in a Bath or our Horse-Dung viz. in a moist heat for ninty days Natural but the Putrefaction is not compleatly Absolved and brought to whiteness like the Eyes of Fishes in less than 150 days the blackness first appearing is the Index or Sign that the matter draws on to Putrefaction XXVI Being together Black like Liquid Pitch in the same time they swell and cause an Ebullition with Colors like those of the Rainbow of a most beautiful aspect and then
if not inveterate Trembling Gout or any weakness of the Nerves and Joynts coming of a cold and moist cause by anointing the afflicted parts therewith and taking of it inwardly as shall be immediately directed for it does gently and by degrees as it were carry off the morbifick Cause and matter almost to a Miracel 9. This marvellous Balsam opens all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen being taken Morning and Evening for a Month together in a little Syrup or other convenient Vehicle It is held for a great Treasure and has many other singular Virtues not here necessary to be named lest we should prejudice its worth and Excellency 10. The way and manner of taking it In diseases of the Head Brain and Nerves give it in Rosemary or Juniper-water or in Canary For the Stone and other Diseases of the Reins and Bladder you may give in Rhenish-wine For the Colick and Diseases of the Bowels you may give it in Juniper or Cardamum-water For Palsies and weaknesses of the Nerves and Joynts you may give it in some Antiparalitick Wine First grind or mix it with a little of the yolk of an Egg to open its body and then mix it with the Liquor you would give it in 11. If the sick cannot take it so it may be made up into Pills with some fit Powder as of Zedoary Nutmeg Cinnamon Bay-berries Cubebs Winter-cherries or what the Physician shall think more fit and so gilded for by this means it will be taken without nauseating you may give the Balsam from half a Dram to two Drams according to Age and Strength and it may be given Morning and Night for a Month two or three together 12. And it is certain that this Balsam is one of the greatest specificks in the cure of the Palsie Scurvy and Gout that is transcending all other Medicaments but it ought to be constantly given in a due Dose and with those Advantages that it may not loath the Stomach so taken it performs more than any other Balsam It cleanses the whole body of all Impurities mundifies the whole mass of Blood heals all inward Bruises Wounds Ulcers or Excoriations whether in the Bowels or Lungs restoring decayed Nature and carrying off all its Faeculencies by Urine and Stool It is only Sold by the Author of this Work at his House at the Blue-Ball by the Ditch-side near Holborn-bridge and at Mr. John Harris's at the Harrow in the Poultry London Price 24 s. the Pound or 18 d. the Ounce AT the sign of the Archimedes and Spectacles in Ludgate-street near the West-end of St. Paul's lives John Marshall who both turns and grinds makes and sell's all sorts of Glass Instruments as Perspective Glasses Telescopes Microscopes Horoscopes Sky-Opticks Reading Glasses from the smallest size to 20 Inches Diametre Microscopes according to Mr. Leewenhoeck Also Microscopes of the said Marshall's Designing a singular Invention for the advantage of Light the like of which were never yet done before Also Spectacles for all Ages Cristal Prisms Speaking Trumpets and all other sorts of Optick Glasses for brevity sake not here named SALMON'S Practical Physick The First BOOK CHAP. I. Of ACHES of all sorts I. For an Ach proceedings of Cold in any part of the Body TAke Oyl Olives Venice Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber four Ounces Volatile Salt of Amber six Drachms melt and mix them together for a Balsam and anoint the place well there with Morning and Evening for eight or ten days more or less as occasion requires Salmon II. For an Ach in the Joints Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana one Ounce Oyl of Wormwood three Ounces Volatile Salt Armonicak two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam It is excellent being anointed with all Salmon III. For Aches in the lower parts of the Body Take Palm Oyl Turpentine Oyl of Amber and Anniseeds of each one Ounce mix melt and make a Balsam Salmon IV. For an Ach in the Bones Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber and Juniper Berries of each two Ounces and two Drachms Camphier two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam Salmon V. An approved Searcloth for all Aches Take Burgundy Pitch one pound Oyl Olive six Ounces Wax four Ounces white Frankincense two Ounces powdered melt them in a Pipken stirring all well together and Boil to a Consistency then pour out all into a Bason or Pan of Water then anoint your Hands with Butter and make the Plaster into Rolls VI. An Excellent Ointment for the same Take the Gall of an Ox White-wine Vinegar Palm Oyl Aqua Vitae of each a like quantity boyl them gently on a Fire keeping it scum'd till it grow clammy and with this bathe well the part by rubbing it in before a Fire with a warm Hand Morning and Evening still laying a Linnen Cloth upon it VII For Ach in the Bones and the Gout Take of the best Aqua Vitae and Oyl of Amber of each a like quantity mix them well together and anoint the part well with a warm Hand before the Fire and bind on it a Linnen Cloth Morning and Evening VIII For the Joynt Ach and the Gout most Excellent Take the Juice of Sage Aqua Vitae the Oyl of Bays Vinegar Mustard and of an Oxes Gall of each a like quantity put them all together in a large Ox Bladder Tye it fast and chafe it up and down with your Hand during one hour and half then keep it for your Use and anoint the griev'd part Morning and Evening IX A Process against all Aches in the Back Hips Sides Knees or any part of the Body Take first Pil. Mirabile one Scruple to Purge now and then and take them in Syrup of Roses after Purging procure Sweat thus Take Guaiacum one Ounce and a half the Root of Enulacampane one Ounce boyl them in a Pottle of small Ale till half be consumed then drink thereof a quart in a Hot-house and Sweat often Then in the House bathe all the Body with this Oleaginous Balsame Take Oyl of Amber Oyl of Turpentine of Foxes of Excester and of Chamomil of each a like quantity and mix it well with some Brandy And if the Pains and Aches fall out to be most painful in the Night as many times they do Then at Night let him take this Potion Syrup of Poppy three Drachms Syrup of Betony one drachm and a half Waters of Bugloss and Sage of each an Ounce mix them well together X. This Cured a Man perfectly when he was Lame over all his Body Take the Gall of an Heifer for a Man and the Gall of a Steer for a Woman Brandy of each a like quantity then bath it well upon the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie till the Fit be gone XI Aches from a hot Cause Take Spring Water two quarts Sal Armoniack Nitre of each four Ounces mix dissolve and keep it for Use Bathe the part with it then anoint with Oyl of Poppy Seed
Salmon XII Another for the same Take Camphire two Ounces Spirit of Wine a pint mix and dissolve there with bathe the parts Afflicted Salmon XIII Another for the same There is nothing better in the World than to bathe the place afflicted two or three times a day which our Guttae Vitae mentioned in one Phalyxa lib. 1. chap. 9. sest 1. Salmon XIV For an Ach in the Shoulder Take Bole Armoniack Chalk ana one Ounce Spanish Oyl one Ounce Vinegar six Drachms Camphir half an Ounce or better Saffron 2 Drachms Mix and apply it hot with Tow twice a day Salmon XV. An Ach from a Vehement hot Cause Take Comfry Roots fresh gathered beat them till they are soft or a perfect Cataplasm then spread upon Leather and apply it 'T is an excellent thing Salmon XVI Another against Aches Take Balsam of Amber and anoint with it twice a day How this Balsam is made see in our Phylaxa lib. 2. now in the Press XVII Another for the same Take Oyl of Earth-worms one Ounce Oyl of Amber one Ounce mix them If this increases the Pain it proceeds from an hot Cause Anoint then with this Receipt Unguentum Populneum two Ounces Oyl of Poppies six Ounces in which dissolve Camphire two Ounces mix them for an Ointment Salmon XVIII For an Ach by a Fall There is nothing better then that you anoint the place hurt with Balsam de Chili twice a day rubbing it well in and keeping warm for that helps to disipate the Congregation of Humours Salmon XIX For an Old Ach. I have scarcely found any thing more effectual than first well to anoint for three or four daies with Balsam de Chili and then afterwards to apply Balsamum Amicum plaister-wise for a month together See them in my Phylaxa Salmon XX. Anothor for this purpose Make a Plaister of Tacamahaca and apply it Salmon XXI Aches from vehement hot Causes Take Oyle of the Yelks of Eggs one Ounce dissolve in it Camphire two Ounces and mix all with Oyl of Earth Worms one Ounce and anoint with it Salmon XXII To heal and strengthen weak Limbs of Children and those which cannot stand nor go Most wonderful and excellent to cure the Rickets Take juices of Sage sweet Marjoram Rosemary Time Chamomil Hysop Feverfew Lavender Balm Mint Wormwood Rue Winter-Savory and Bays of each Three Ounces put it in a double Glass the which stop well and paste it all over with Dough and set it in an Oven with Houshold-Bread and when it is drawn break off all the Paste and if the juice be thick break the Glass and put it into a Gally-Pot and when you use it take the quantity of Two Spoonfulls of it and put to it as much of the Marrow of an Ox Leg melt them together stir them well and add to it a little Brandy and Morning and Evening anoint well before a Fire the Child's Arms Sides Thighs Leggs Knees Feet and Joynts bathing it well in with a warm Hand Then give it some Syrnp of Rheubarb to open the Obstructions of the Liver and mingle it with Two Ounces of Mint-water mix it well and give it the Child fasting This will mightily strengthen the Limbs and make the Child to stand and go Probat XXIII For all Aches or Pains in the Nervous Parts arising from a Cold Cause Contusions c. There is nothing can take away the Preheminence from Balsam de Chili which may always be had at the Author's House at the Blue Balcony by the Ditch-side near Holbourn Bridge London because of its amicable and peculiar Faculty in strengthning the Nerves and dissolving or dissipating any inherent Matter I could give you I believe an Hundred Histories of Cures of this kind performed by this Medicine I have cured with it an Ach in the Hip or the Sciatica Anoint with it twice a day at least Viz. Morning and Evening and apply 〈◊〉 dipt in it over the part in the mean season Salmon CHAP. II. Of the Apoplexy 1. TAke of the best Aqua-vitae well rectified from Phlegm one Pint Oyl of Vitriol one Spoonful mix them and let him drink thereof one Spoonful first in the Morning and another last at Night Then let him Sweat in a Stove twice a Week and every time thereafter bathe him with Balsam de Chili This is Excellent II. For the Joint-ach and Numbness after an Apoplexy Take Six Spoonfuls of Dragon-water dissolve in it one drachm of Mithridate drink the same draught Three Mornings together fasting and sweat Two Hours after it This Cures III. For an Apoplexy or other like Fits Take a large quantity of Earth-worms gathered in the Mornings in May when they Generate put them into a Pail of Water for twenty four Hours that they may perfectly cleanse themselves This done take them out and dry them carefully upon a Marble Tile before a clear Fire being thoroughly dryed keep them in a dry place for use When you have Occasion to use them beat them into Powder in a large Brass or Iron Mortar and of this Powder take a Spoonful at a time Morning and Evening in a Glass of Wine four days before and four days after the Full and Change of the Moon it will perfectly Cure I lately cured one of an Apoplexy therewith and I know several others cured some Years since Salmon IV. An Errhine against an Apoplexy in the Fit I can propose no better than that of Deckers which exceeds all others and it is thus made Take Turbith Mineral one Ounce powder of Liquorice three ounces Flowers of Rosemary one ounce and a half mix into a most subtile Powder Of this Powder you may blow up from six to ten or twelve grains at a time Viz. from three to five or six up each Nostril It brings out of the Fit and used in the Intervals prevents it I have proved it in two or three several Persons Deck ers saith multumque pituitae viscidae educit cum successu praescribitur hic Pulvis in Apo plexia Epilepsia Lethargo Ca pitisquè affectibus soporosus omnibus nec non quibusdam capitis affectibus recentibus inveteratis vertigine gravedine c. Exec. med pag. 20. Salmon V. Strong Purging in an Apoplexy Authors commend purgeing but it must be with very strong Medicines as Troches Alhandal Scammony with Castor or Pil. Cochie one ounce as Rondeletius prescribes But in my Opinion nothing is better than my Pil. Mirabiles taken from a scruple to half a drachm See it in my Philaxa Med. Lib. 2. Now in the Press If Purgatives do nothing the Patient commonly dies Salmon VI. Strong Emeticks to be given Celsus saith Many things ought or may well be done in a dangerous Case which otherwise should be omitted Therefore it is Lawful to give Antimoniates in a large dose as Aqua Benedicta Vinum Antimoniale Infusion of Regulus Sal Emeticum Mynsichti and such like which evacuate great quantities of Phlegm and other Humours not only from the Stomach and
Ounce dissolve it in Aqua Regia All these three Menstruums with their Praecipitates put into a well Luted Retort and with a gradual Fire distil to dryness which repeat by Cohobation twelve times then wash the Powder five times with some Cordial Water and dry it put to it of the best Spirit of Wine a Quart and distil it from it in a well Luted Glass Retort Cohobating six times and the remaining Powder put into a strong Crucible well Luted which place in a Circulary Fire for three Hours remove it from the Fire and being cold burn off the best Spirit of Wine from it Dose à Gr. six ad twenty with Scammony from twelve Gr. to twenty five the day before the Fit or the same morning if the Fit salls towards night Salmon XVIII A most excellent Medicine against all sorts of burning Feavers There is nothing better in the World that I know of than my Febrifuge mentioned in my Phylaxa Lib. 2. now in the Press You may take about twenty Grains to thirty or thirty five Grains in a Glass of fair Water sweetned with Sugar or in Wine well sweetned just at the coming of the Heat and you may give another Dose about an Hour after and if the Heat be vehement you may give a third Dose in like manner 't will take off the Feaver as it were by Inchantment This Course being taken for two three or four returns of the Fit 't will at length certainly vanish If the Fever be Continent you ought to give it every Day 4 or 5 Doses a Day as before directed 'till the Feaver is wholly taken off 'T is one of the best of Antifebriticks I speak experimentally from I veryly Believe a Thousand Proofs the greatest of all which was made upon my own Person in the West-India's when it was supposed there was scarcely an Hour betwixt me and Death Salmon XIX Agues chiefly Quartans cured by our Aurum Vitae Cathartick in Phylaxa Lib. 1. Chap. 41. Sect. 1. Tho' I did always know this Medicine to be a very good Antifebritick yet my late Experience thereof since the Writing of that Book has much more confirmed me in the use of it I have Cured many Quartans with it of long continuance when the hopes of Cure were almost past by a declivity into other more dangerous Diseases Dose is from two Grains to twelve according to Age and Strength Let it be given in a Bolus over Night and a Purge the next Day or it may be given in the Morning Fasting in a simple Extract of Aloes Salmon XX. Another Remedy against all sorts of stubborn Agues Take of our Royal Powder in Phylaxa Lib. 1. Cap. 44. Sect. 1. from fifteen Grains to thirty or thirty five and mix it with the Pap of an Apple or a stew'd Prune or with a little Conserve of Roses or a little Syrup and so let the Sick take it early the Day before the Fit or the same Morning if the Fit comes towards Night Drinking warm Posset Drink or Broth liberally after it it is a good thing and scarely ever fails Salmon XXI A Tedious Quartan and Tertian I have oftentimes Cured Tedious Quartans and Tertians by giving half a Pint of the Crude Juice of Camomil an Hour before the coming of the Fit and repeating the same Dose for four or five Fits Salmon XXII A good Observation If in any Ague whatsoever when any Concoction though not perfect appears in the Urine then give a Purge on the Ague Day so as it may have done Working before the Fit comes viz. four or five Hours before the coming of the Fit you will find the Ague will never return any more after the Fit but will be quite removed as if done by Inchantation It has been often tryed with answerable Success In Tertians do it after the third or fourth Fit In Quotidians you may tarry longer In Quartans scarcely before the thirtieth Day And in this case we may fly to Antimonial and Mercurial Medicines especially if of long continuance For as the Matter lies in several places so chiefly in the Mesentery whence unless it be fetcht the Cure seldom succeeds as it ought to do If the Disease vanish not upon Purging I always give my Volatile Laudanum before the Fit Salmon XXIII Another method in Quartans and long continued Agues Take Water half a Pint Salt of Tartar 2 Drachms Oyl of Sulphur half a Drach Sena three Drachms Jalop in Powder one Drachm Make an Infusion for two Doses the next Day Purge also with this Take Calomelanos Scamony in powder of each alike mix them Dose from half a Drachm to one Drachm Salmon CHAP. IV. Of BLEEDING I. To stop the Bleeding at the Nose TAke Bole Armoniack stamp it finely to powder Ashes of an Old Hat of each alike mix them then blow up some of it with a Quill into the bleeding Nostril of the Patient and it stops presently Salmon II. Against Pissing of Blood Take Sheeps Milk highly praised herein above all Fasting four Ounces mix with it a Drachm of fine Bole Armoniack in Powder and one or two Grains of my Volatile Laudanum dissolved and so give it Salmon III. Against the Bloody-Flux and Pissing of Blood Take Conserve of Roses one Ounce Crocus Martis one Scruple Volatile Laudanum two Grains mix them well then take it on the point of a Knife in a Morning Fasting and do so three several Mornings together Salmon IV. Against spitting of Blood Take Mastick and Olibanum in Powder two Scruples of each Conserve of red Roses 2 Ounces Diascordium half an Ounce Guttae Vitae three Drachms mix them together and make an Electuary then take thereof Morning and Evening on the point of a Knife as much as a Nutmeg at a time Salmon V. A good Remedy against Bleeding at Nose I commend this Powder of Heurnius Take Seeds of white Henbane white Poppy ana one Ounce Blood-stone red Corral ana two Ounces Camphire two Scruples Terra Lemnia two Scruples mix them Dose half a Drachm or two Scruples Morning and Evening with Conserve of red Roses If Opium in fine Powder eight Grains were added 't would be so much the better Salmon VI. Another against Bleeding of a Wound If a Fuss-Ball tough and soft be cut into slices and squeezed hard in a Press those pieces applyed are sufficently able to stop any Bleeding especially if any Stegnotick Powder be strewed on So also the Fungus growing on a Birch Tree the Powder of Agarick being first strewed on the place Salmon VII Another for the same The Powder of Man's Blood is almost an Infallible Remedy strewed upon the place or if it be in the Nostrils blow it up with a Quill or put up in a Nasale the Mouth being held full of cold Water Salmon VIII A most effectual Remedy O I commend as one of the greatest Secrets our Aqua Regulata see it Phylaxa Med. Lib. 1. Cap. 1. Sect. 1. being applyed by washing the Part and then laying
means a great quantity of the acid Humor causing the Pain and coagulating the approximate Juices inducing the Deafness will be taken in a great measure away and that is done many times with one Blister which forty Purges and Vomits would not so well accomplish the Success of which having often tried this means I could not but commend to the Consideration of Artists XVIII Whatever Medicines you put into the Ear be sure they be warm unless some great occasion require the contrary but not very hot because the natural temperature of the Ear is cold and dry And be sure you put no new Medicine in 'till they are cleansed from the filth of the former The Sick ought to lie on the contrary side and the Medicament put in ought not to exceed four or five drops at a time The less unctuous the Medicament is so much the better for when it is gotten into the Labyrinth of the Ear it comes not easily out again Things more subtil and spirituous are much to be preferred in this case because they do their Work and then go away in Vapor XIX Dropping in Things into the Ears may do but syringing is much better provided it be done with a fit Instrument and a skilful Hand You ought not to syringe violently but leisurely lest by such a violence the Tympanum should be broke which would cause an incurable Deafness Moreover you ought to be very careful how you apply Topicks 'till Universals are premised though the afflux of the evil Humors be first abated XX. The passage of the Ear being very sensible you must be careful that you use not sharp Things yet Wallaeus boldly attempted the use of Unguentum 〈◊〉 and he saith that therewith he cured a sore Ear that ran with purulent Matter for the space of eight years And Petrus Johannes Faber saith That Nitre dissolved in strong Vinegar and often dropped into the Ears quickly cures any ringing or noise in them XXI Galen advises Opium dissolved to be put into the Ear and Paulus dissolves it in Milk for that purpose But these may be dangerous If an Opiate be required there is nothing better of that kind than our Guttae Vitae or Spiritus Anodynus for by reason of the heat of the Spirit and other Things joined with the Opium the Optate can do no hurt whereas otherwise it might stupifie and much encrease the Deafness and may destroy the Instruments of Hearing However Opiates of any kind must be given if the Sick be in danger of death by the Pain because the saving of the Life of a Patient is much greater than the Hurt should it be a total and perpetual Deafness XXII If 't is certain there is an Aposteme Authors say You may use Juice of Crowfoot 't is much commended but 't is scarcely safe because 't is very hot and corrosive If the Bone that is covered with the thin Membrane be comes carious after such Suppuration you must often drop into the Ear Spirit of Wine mixt with Honey of Roses Marcellus saith That Cows Milk two Ounces mixt with Honey one Ounce being dropt into the Ear and the Ear stopt presently with Wool or Cotton will wonderfully heal the Ulcer yea though it were cancerous XXIII Crato's Medicine for a Noise and Tingling of the Ears Take bitter Almonds blanched an Ounce White Hellebore Castoreum ana two Drams Costus one Dram and half Rue two Scruples Euphorbium half a Dram boil all in a sufficient quantity of Water for an hour over a gentle Fire then strain and drop of it warm into the Ear three or four times a day XXIV Sennertus advises to this Take Ox-Gall Goats Gall Juice of Onions ana four Ounces Vinegar Twelve Ounces mix and put them over a Chafing-dish of good live Coals and let the boiling Fume be taken up the Ear through a Funnel XXV A Deafness which had been of many years continuance I cured with the Powers of Anniseedss dropping them into the Ear but I purg'd the Patient four times with my Pilulae Mirabiles and drew several Blisters both behind the Ears and on other Places adjacent thereto XXVI A poor Man had lost his Hearing as some thought by the Pox falling into an Empericks hand he cured him by fluxing him with the following Medicine Take Turbith Mineral eight Grains Mithridate one Dram mix for a Dose It raised an effectual Flux which continued twenty four Days after which the Patient heard as well as ever he did in all his life Some may wonder at the Success because that some have wholly lost their Hearing or had it mightily depraved by this kind of Operation But this is not to be wondred at since that in some Bodies such Sulphurs abound as are not only able to fix the Mercury but also to condense or coagulate it which mixt with the Humors as it will be if much of it be used coagulates or thickens all the morbifick Matter contained in the part whereby the Organs or Passages are more firmly obstructed than before and a perpetual Deafness succeeds CHAP. XVII Of BUBOES I. A Bubo is a Swelling of the Glandules whether in the Throat Arm-pits or Groin and they proceed either 1. simply from the afflux of Humours caused by Cold or some other Matter 2. Or are complicate with Poyson and Venom as in the Plague or Pestilence and French Disease II. If it be a simple Bubo and indeed let it arise from what Cause soever whether simple or complicate if there be any hope of its breaking you must wholly desist from Purging and Vomiting for those Operations destroy the End of the Bubo since Nature thrustsout the offending Matter by those Emunctories and the nature of Vomiting and Purging is to draw from the Circumference to the Centre whereby the Bubo is hindred from rising and coming to its perfection In all these Cases Natures End in thrusting forth the Bubo ought to be promoted which is best done by a sudorisick means inwardly given and strong Attractives and Suppuratives mixed outwardly III. In order to this end you may give some few Gr. of our Laudanum Volatile or our Guttae Vitae or if for some particular Reasons Opiates are not to be given the Diaphoresis is to be promoted with Antimonium Diaphoreticum or Bezoar Minerale or with some more powerful Medicine as is Mercurius Sudorificus or our Angelus Mineralis or Angelick Pills or you may compound something after this manner Take of our New London Treacle twelve Grains Bezoar Mineralis sixteen Grains mix for a Dose Or this Take of our Antidote one Scruple Antimonium Diaphoreticum twenty five Grains mix for a Dose giving often one Ounce of our Aqua Bezoartica The Patient is to be covered down warm in his naked Bed and he ought to Sweat as long as he can well endure it or 'till Faintness after which let him cool gradually or by degrees Where Opiates are wholly useless give this Take Bezoarticum Minerale one Scruple Juice of Alkermes
the Gold Take the Gold which you have scraped out of the Retort and pouder it very small in your Glass Mortar with which mingle your Mercury by degrees or by little and little your Mercury will hardly mix with your Gold the reason is the Gold is full of the Praecipiolum and then it is time to separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury which is a Womans work when her Cloths are foul she washes them from their foulness The same way you must cleanse or separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury as followeth XI When you have the sign that your Mercury will hardly amalgamate or mix with your Gold or that the Gold will not enter into the Mercury then pour on it the fairest Water distilled Water is best three Fingers breadth above the Sol or Luna and Mercury which wash together in the Mortar with a Pestel very well till the Water is blewish black then it is a sign that the Gold le ts fall its Tartar or Praecipiolum into the Water Pour off this Water into a Glass but be careful that not any of the Mercury goes off with it for this Mercury will no more mix with common fair Water than Oil and Water will mix Put more fresh Water upon your Gold and Mercury and wash it again 'till the Water is blew again pour it off as aforesaid Thus continue washing 'till your Water remains white Put this last Water to the other Waters in the Glass and cover the Glass very close that not any foulness may fall into the Glass XII The Praecipiolum being thus washed away the Mercury will again amalgamate with the Gold as Oil will dissolve Wax Take the Amalgama dry it upon warm Ashes very softly with a Sponge or on Paper and by a little heat that the Amalgama may be dry which put again into the Retort and distil it as aforesaid by Sect. 8. 9. so long 'till the Gold will hardly Amalgamate with the Mercury then separate the Praecipiolum as aforesaid by Sect. 10. 11. XIII Now observe I gave you a charge that you should keep your Glass close wherein you put your blewest Water which will be clear and a Pouder at bottom which is some of the Praecipiolum The clear Water pour off without disturbing it as soon as you can into another Glass Now when you see that your Gold will hardly mit with your Mercury or not without great trouble pour the same Water which you poured off from the Praecipiolum upon your Amalgama and wash it again 'till the Water is blewish as aforesaid which pour off and continue so doing 'till the Water is colourless by Sect. 11. XIV Then take the Amalgama again and dry it and repeat the same Work again by Sect. 12. 'till you have the sign which wash again with the aforesaid Water by Sect. 13. and you will find that your Praecipiolum will 〈◊〉 daily This distillation and washing you shall continue 'till the Mercury is freed from the Mercurium coagulatum or Praecipiolum XV. Observe that as the Water grows less you add to it as need requires fresh Water Now the sign when the Mercury has lost all its Sperm or its Tartar or Coagulum or Praecipiolum is That that Mercury will Eternally Amalgamate with the Gold so that they will always mix well together And if you should a thousand times Amalgamate that Gold and Mercury and as often distil the one from the other yet they will still Amalgamate again or mix And if you should wash them a thousand times with fresh Water the Water will be clear and not blewish As long as any Salt or Praecipiolum is in the Mercury you cannot distil two three or four times the Mercury from the Sol but it will be difficult to Amalgamate or mit the one with the other and when you will have it to mix you must wash it and then it will Amalgamate well again But when that the Salt or Praecipiolum is all separated from the Mercury it will Amalgamate or mit after a thousand distillations as aforesaid And if it be wash'd a thousand times the Water will always be clear XVI To prepare the Praecipiolum to a Medicine Pour the clear Waters from the Pouder which lies at the bottom in the Glass that no Water may be left on the Pouder put the Glass on a little warm Ashes that the Pouder may dry which will look blewish Yellow Put this Pouder into a little Cucurbit Glass or Bolt-head and distil off from it the Water of Eggs five or six times or so long 'till the Pouder becomes Red and distil off from it five or six times Spirit of Wine so is it fitted for Medicine Dostwo or almost three Grains XVII To make the Water of Eggs. Take a good quantity of Eggs boyl them very hard take the Whites and cut them very small and distil them in an Alembick per Cineres very softly 'till you have got all the Water from the Whites then take the Egg-shells calcine them put them into a Retort put upon them the former that is their own Water and distil per Arenam with a strong Fire put this Water upon Ashes again and distil it again Thus continue it five or six times so the Water will be fitted for the Praecipiolum XVIII The Philosophers Key which is the Sal Prae cipioli or Salt of the Mercury coagulate You may remember that I gave you Instruction that you should pour off the clear VVater from the Praecipiolum and you should make dry the Praecipiolum and bring it into a Medicinal red Pouder Or you should bring it into its first Matter which shall bring all Mettals principally its own Body into its first Matter which cannot be done without the Sal Praecipioli which is hidden in the VVater you pour off from the Praecipiolum That same VVater filtre through brown Paper and set the VVater to evaporate in a round Glass very softly in Ashes VVhen the VVater is evaporated away you will find at the bottom of the Glass a yellow whitish Salt which is Sal Praecipioli and the Clavis Philosophorum wherewith they do unlock the Lock of the Praecipiolum which brings the same into its first Matter If you know not this Salt you know nothing of the true Chymistry This Salt does decrease in the decrease of the Moon and increase in the full One Grain will purge very safely all Podagra's Struma's venerial and hydropical Humors with two Grains of the Praecipiolum prepared XIX To bring the Praecipiolum into its first Matter or slippery Water Take of the Salt p. 1. of the Praecipiolum p. 2. being dry first dissolve the Salt in warm Water and put it upon the Praecipiolum and evaporate it away very gently in warm Ashes with a very gentle fire then is the Praecipiolum with its own Salt put it into a little Retort nip up the neck of the Retort very close put it into Balneum
Vaporosum and let it stand 〈◊〉 Weeks in digestion or to putrifie and it will become a slimy Water Take the Retort open its neck and lay the Retort in a Sand-furnace and cover it with an earthen Pan fixing to it a Receiver well luted give first a slow fire then a stronger which continue till the Spirits be well resolved into water First the Spirits will come forth in white Clouds or in smoak and at last in red Clouds or smoak give fire so long till all the Spirits are come over in a clear white water and when you have this sign take the Receiver from the Retort stopping the said Receiver very well with Wax that no Spirits may fly away then let the Fire go out XX. The Matter which remains in the Retort take out and put it into a Bolt-head and stop it well and set it in a warm place then rectifie once the Spirits which are in the Receiver and keep them carefully Now observe this you remember that when the Mercury hath lost its Praecipiolum that the same Mercury will be as bright as a Venice Looking-glass Take of this bright Mercury one part of the Spirit aforesaid two parts put them into a Bolt head stop it very close and let it stand in a little warmth and the Mercury will mix with the Spirit then distil all through a Retort in Sand. Take again of the aforesaid Mercury which is clear as a Venice Looking-Glass p. i. of the Spirit p. ij put them into a Bolt-head and set it in a warm place and the Mercury will mix with the Spirit and dissolve then distil again in a Retort in Sand ut supra and it will come over in form of VVater this continue so long 'till all the one half part of the might Mercury is brought to a clear thin VVater which keep very close stopped with VVax Take the Pouder which I ordered to be kept in a Bolt-head and place it very deep in a sand Capel and give a strong Fire for twenty four Hours then let the Fire go out and take the Bolt-head forth and stir the Pouder with a wooden Stick and put it upon the half part of the clear Mercurial Water closing the Glass with Hermes Seal shake it and let it stand in digestion in a warm place for three or four days then pour off this into another Glass and pour upon the remainder of the Pouder the other half of the VVater sealing the Glass again and letting it stand ut supra for three or four days then put it to the former VVater and Seal up the Glass Hermetically letting it stand in Balneo Vaporoso eight Days after distil it through a Retort and if any thing remain in the Retort which will be very little pour upon it the Spirit again and distil it 'till all is come over Now is the Salt with its own Spirit and brought into its first Matter keep it well stopped XXI This is the VVater which the Philosophers have given divers Names to as their Horse-dung Balneum Mariae and Calx Viva and in Sum this is the Philosophers true Fire without which no true work can be done in Chymistry XXII The Philosopher has brought forth this Salamander which will never wast in the Fire the longer the stronger This Water will increase and multiply per Infinitum that is to say if all the Sea were Mercury it would turn the same into its first Matter First you must wash your Mercury with Salt and Vinegar divers times and at last with Water to wash away the Salt Then mix this Mercury with Calx Vive and Calcin'd Tartar and by Sect. 8. aforegoing distil it in a Retort in a sand Furnace and fix to it a Receiver fill'd almost half full of Water that the Mercury may fall into it and coagulate which dry and squeeze eight or ten times through Leather so will your Mercury be well purged and cleansed from all its filth and uncleanness XXIII This is the Mercury which you must use in the multiplying your Spirit or Astrum Mercurij Take of this Mercury p. i. of the Astrum Mercurij p. ij put them into a Bolt-head stop it close and let it stand in a warm place one Night so will the Mercury melt in the Spirit or Astrum Mercurij and turn into Water then distil it through a Retort Thus may you do by repeating the Spirit with fresh Mercury as long as you please XXIV This Water will dissolve Gold and Silver and all sorts of Stones and bring them over with it through a Retort Gold and Silver thus dissolved can never be separated one from another The reason is because they and all other Mettals are of the same Nature and have beginning from the same Water there is nothing in the World but has its beginning from it XXV Medicina Universalis the Universal Medicine Take of your fine Gold in Powder viz. the same which did remain when you made the Praecipiolum one part of your finest Silver two parts in fine Powder put each by it self into a Glass pour upon each the Astrum Mercurij so much as may overtop them a Fingers breadth stop each Glass very close and let them stand in a warm place for eight days and the Gold and Silver will be almost all dissolved into Water pour off this Water each by it self into a Glass and put more Water to the Gold and Silver which yet remains let it stand again eight days in a warm place and then pour off these Waters to the former Waters so will the Gold and Silver be dissolved into Water but there will remain some Foeces XXVI Take of both these Waters a quarter part and put them together into a Bolt-head so as three quarters may be empty seal it Hermetically digest it in an Athanor in a continual warm heat 'till it comes to a fixed red Stone or Pouder Before it becomes a red Pouder there will appear many Colours as Black then Green then Yellow lastly Red When it is very Red and a Pouder take the Bolt head and bury it in a sand Capel very deep and give Fire by degrees and at last a very strong Fire and it will melt like Wax Let it stand one whole Week but the longer the better then take it out and let it cool after break up your Glass and you will find a fird Stone or Pouder and Red as Scarlet XXVII Now you may remember that I bid you keep three parts of your Gold and Silver which were dissolved into Water put both these Waters together into a Retort distil them and both the Gold and Silver will go over with the Water through the Retort with which Water you shall multiply your Medicine Now take of your Medicine p. i. in fine Pouder and put it into a little Bolt head putting upon it twice as much of your Waters as of Gold and Silver Seal it again and digest it in an Athanor 'till it comes to a Red Pouder
and then put it again into the Sand Capell for to give Fixation and that it may melt as Wax as at Sect. 26. thus may you multiply your Medicine ad Infinitum and the Pouder will dissolve in any Liquor XXVIII To make the Astrum Horizontale or Aurum Horizontale viz. the Golden fix'd Praecipitate Take the most fine Gold to wit that which remains over in the working of the Praecipiolum dissolve it in your Astrum Mercurij as much as you will distil it through a Retort once or twice and your Gold will go over along with your VVater and will never be separated one from another for they are both of one nature XXIX Now take the Praecipiolum which is made dry not that which is made already into a Medicine put into a little Glass Cucurbit and put upon it your Golden Astrum Mercurii and distil from it three or four times very slowly but at last very strongly so will your Praecipiolum be a red and fired Stone as some call it or Pouder XXX The same may be done with Mercury purged it will fix the same into a red Pouder The same work may be done with Silver and with your Praecipiolum or with Quicksilver only cleansed No man can find out all the Secrets which are hid in this Philosophick Menstruum the true ALKAHEST of the Immortal Paracelsus The KEY of HELMONT and LULLY 31. TAke Quicksilver purified fix Ounces fine Gold purified with Antimony one Ounce make an Amalgama then distil the Mercury from the Gold mix the same Mercury again with the Gold and thus continue 'till your Gold will no more Amalgama with your Mercury but continue separate XXXII Then take the Gold grind it and put it into a clean Crucible and calcine it 'till it be almost red hot and then quench it in the best rectified Spirit of Vinegar when it is extinguished decant the Spirit from the Gold make the Gold dry heat it again and extinguish in the former Vinegar which work repeat six or seven times XXXIII Then dry your Gold and Amalgama it again with the former Mercury and distil again as at first and this do so long 'till the Gold will not Amalgama with the Mercury then calcine the Gold again and extinguish it in the former Spirit of Vinegar which work repeat as before six or seven times and as your Spirit decays or wastes add to it fresh Spirit of Vinegar-All these Operations you must so long continue 'till all the Semen Salt or Mercury coagulate is extracted out of the Quicksilver XXXIV Take then fresh Quicksilver and work in all things as before by Amalgagamating Distilling Calcining and Extinguishing in the said Spirit of Vinegar and continuing still with other fresh Quicksilver so long 'till you think you have enough from the Gold XXXV Then take this Spirit of Vinegar impregnated with the whole Essence of Gold evaporate it or distil it very softly off so will the Essentia Auri lye at the bottom like a yellow Salt which dissolve in fair rain-Rain-water distilled filtre and evaporate again softly then put it into a small Retort in a Sand-heat with an indifferent large Receiver give Fire by degrees and it will come over in a white Spirit like Smoak and Red like Saffron Being resolved into a red Liquor let the Fire go out and keep the Essence for use It is one of the greatest Medicines under the Sun three or four Drops of it are able to extinguish any Sickness curable The OPENING of SOL and LUNA XXXVI TAke of the Red Lyon twelve parts pulverize it well and grind it with one part of the Calx of fine Gold or Silver Put all into a small Bolt-head set it in Sand to the Neck which Neck must be very well Luted give the first degree of Fire for a Week the next Week the second degree the third Week the third degree and the fourth Week the fourth and last degree to a hissing so that if a drop of Water fall upon the Sand it may hiss XXXVII Then let the Fire go out and cut the Glass with a Ring take the Crystalline Matter like a Ring near the Neck of the Glass pulverize and grind it with its weight of the Calx of fine Sol or Luna as aforesaid pass the afore-mentioned four degrees in eight Hours to a hissing open the Glass as before and take the starry Crown which is the living Gold or Silver XXXVIII This Living Gold or Silver augment by digestion with a twelfth part of fine Sol or Luna at a time as often as you please or till you have a sufficient quantity of the same Take of this Living Sol or Luna a small quantity digest it in Ashes till it changes Colours viz. towards Red or White Earth Take then this Red or White Earth Amalgamate it with Living Gold or Silver and Calx digest again in a Glass Hermitically Sealed till it comes to a perfect Redness or Whiteness LIBRI PRIMI FINIS Clavis Alchymiae OR HERMES TRISMEGISTVS KALID PERSICVS AND GEBER ARABS All Translated out of the best Latin Editions into English and Claused for the sakes of the Lovers of Learning To which is Added A Singular Comment upon the First Book of HERMES the most Ancient of Philosophers By WILLIAM SALMON Professor of Physick The Second BOOK LONDON Printed for J. Harris and T. Howkins 1692. Clavis Alchymiae OR HERMES TRISMEGISTVS KALID ARABS AND GEBER ARABS All Translated out of the best Latin Editions into English and Claused for the sakes of the Lovers of Learning To which is added a singular Comment upon the First Book of Hermes the most Ancient of Philosophers BY WILLIAM SALMON Professor of PHYSICK The Second BOOK LONDON Printed for John Harris and Thomas Howkins 1691. Hermetis Trismegisti Tractatus Aureus The Golden Work of Hermes Trismegistus Translated out of Hebrew into Arabick then into Greek afterwards into Latin and now done out of Latin into English Claused and largely Commented upon By WILLIAM SALMON CHAP. I. The Preface Explicating in part the Prima Materia I. HERMES Even Hermes himself saith I have not in a very long Age ceased to try Experiments nor have I spared any Labour of mind But I obtained the knowledge of this Art by the Inspiration of the Living God only who esteeming me his Servant worthy did reveal and open the Secret to me Salmon There are three things which are certainly most necessary to the attainment of this knowledge I. An Unwearied Study 2. A Continued Experience 3. And the Divine Blessing going along with all Without these it is not probable any Man can attain the knowledge of this Secret There must be a diligent Study and a serious Meditation in the Soul concerning this thing Then these things thus meditated on must by experience be brought to ocular demonstration nor if you miss many times must you be weary with trying Lastly you must all along attend the Blessing of God for his assistance 'T is that Eternal
Spirit of God which goes through and pierces all things which generates and preserves that which is generated His Spirit of heat decocts and coagulates that which is thin rarifies that which is too thick warms the cold and raises up to life that which has been dead and buried II. Hermes Who has given to or bestowed upon rational Creatures the power and faculties of truly judging and determining not forsaking any so as to give them an occasion to cease searching after the Truth Salmon 'T is true that Adam before the Fall was adorned with the fulness of light and knowledge above all other Creatures shining like Sol among the Stars but after his Fall that prime perfection was much eclipsed and he was drove out of the Garden into a Wilderness among the Beasts which perish yet not without a promise of Restauration and remission of his Transgression by one Eternal Sacrifice through the diffluence and power of whose Spirit Man is put into a possibility of attaining a measure of the true and perfect knowledge and understanding even in this life III. Hermes For my part I had never discovered any thing of this matter nor revealed it to any one had not the fear of the Judgments of God or the hazard of the Damnation of my Soul for such a Concealment prevailed with me It is a debt I am willing to pay to the Just as the Father of the Just has liberally bestowed it upon me Salmon That is revealed them so as that the Sons of Art might understand them not to the Profane and Unworthy and Scoffers For the Oracle of Truth himself has long since told us It is not fit to give the Childrens Bread to Dogs though they may eat of the Crumbs which fall from the Masters Table Some Men the Scriptures of Truth have compared to Dogs yea Greedy Dogs Wolves Foxes c. These can never come to sit at the Table and feed of the Divine repast 'T is a Transgression against the Law of Nature which is the Law of God which deserves the Divine Vengeance for a punishment And such indeed is the revealing of forbidden Secrets to such to whom they do not belong And saith Raimand Lully Thou shalt reserve and keep that Secret which is proper only to God to reveal and thou dost justly conceal those things whose revelation belongs to his Honour otherwise thou shalt be condemned in the Great day as a Traytor to the Majesty of God nor shall thy Treason be forgiven thee IV. Hermes Now understand O ye Children of Wisdom that the knowledge of the four Elements of the Ancient Philosophers was not Corporally nor Imprudently sought into Which are through patience to be attained according to their kind which through their own operation are hidden or obscured You can do nothing except the matter be compounded because it cannot be perfected unless first the various Colours are throughly accomplished Salmon Hermes now begins to give a description of the Great Work which he calls the knowledge of the Elements but not of those Elements which are foolishly discoursed of in the Schools of the Peripateticks They speak of an Element to be Corpus Simplex but our Hermes saith They are not to be understood Corporaliter Ergò 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Spiritualiter Sapienter that is Spiritually and Wisely Thus the Principles of Art are said to be four Elements Earth Water Air Fire as Hermes indigitates but what these are in a Spiritual sense the Peripatetick knows not which the same Hermes interprets in another place the Soul Spirit and Body and which Paracelsus calls Salt Sulphur and Mercury Others make but two as the Agent and Patient Masculine and Feminine Sulphur and Mercury Others but one only viz. The Aqua Philosophica There are many other Names by which this Matter is called but the Subject or Prima materia is one only because it is as it were the Cardinal hinge upon which all the rest turn which the Philosophers explicate to be their Mercury which is the beginning the middle and the end of the Work and without which whoever labours labours in vain and yet it will do nothing without it be compounded because it cannot be perfected without its colours are throughly accomplished The Body and the Soul or the Salt and the Sulphur cannot be united in their most minute parts without the help of the Spirit which is Mercury Luna and Sol cannot procreate without the help of Mercury which extracts the Semen from both the Bodies and in the center of the Earth as its proper Vessel digests and perfects it Therefore Mercury does nothing of its self except something be added to it by which it may be mortified V. Harmes Know then that the Division which was made upon the water by the Ancient Philosophers is that which separates it or converts it into four other substances one into two and three to one the third part of which is color or has tincture to wit the coagulating humour or moisture but the second and third Waters are the Weights of the Wise. Salmon This Water to be divided is the same with the four Elements before spoken of viz. The Aqua Philosophica This must be divided into four parts viz. The one part into two adding three parts to one from whence arises seven parts He divides the differences of the Colors into two threes that is into three Red Spirits and three White which three Spirits have their rise from the one Aqua Philosophica and are resolved into the same again VI. Hermes Take of the humidity or moisture an ounce and half of the Southern Redness viz. Anima Solis a fourth part i. e. half an ounce of the Citrine Seyre in like manner half an ounce of Auripigment half an ounce which are eight that is three ounces Now understand that the Vine of the Wise Men or Tree of the Philosophers is extracted or drawn forth in three but the Wine thereof is not perfected till at length thirty be compleated Salmon He Essays to explicate the proportions of the Philosophick Ingredients under various Names for that which he calls the Humidity the Southern Redness Anima solis Seyre Citrinum Auripigment the Vine of the Philosophers and their Wine have no other signification but that the Aqua Mercurii should be seven times distilled which after the eighth Distillation the Compositum by the force of the fire is converted into Ashes or a most subtil pouder which by reason of its purity and perfection resists the fire neither wonder that eight parts and three ounces are equivalent for by the former Section the one part is divided into two to each of them there is added three parts which are the true and Philosophick Proportions called by Hermes the Weights of the Wise. VII Hermes Understand then the operation The Decoction doth diminish the matter but the Tincture does augment it Because Luna in 15 days is diminished in the Heaven and in the third
help of Vulgar Argent Vive And the Crow is the Infancy of the Work wherein the said Philosophick Mercury is United with its Solar Ferment The blackness of the Night is the Putrefaction thereof and the clearness of the Day its Resurrection into a State of Purity It flies without Wings being Born or carried by the fixt Nature and the bitterness in the Throat is the Death of the first Life whence is Educed the Soul which is the Red and Living Tincture taken from the Body And the Water is the Viscous Humidity made of the Philosophers Argent Vive which radically dissolves all Metals and reduces them into their first Ens or Water and also reduces common Quick-Silver into the same by a Simple Imbibition for ever VI. Hermes Understand and accept of this gift of God which is hidden from Ignorant and Foolish Men. This hidden Secret which is the Venerable Stone splendid in Color a sublime Spirit an Open Sea is hid in theCaverns of the Metals Behold I have exposed it to you and give thanks to the Almighty God who teaches you this knowledge If you be grateful be will return you the Tribute of your Love Salmon Fools and unlearned are excluded from the knowledge of this Mystery viz. Such as are unacquainted with the gift of God which is a measure of his Holy Spirit He calls it a Stone yet says it is a Spirit for was it not a Spirit it could not Penetrate and Tinge other Bodies by an absolute Unity and Conjunction Bodies and Matter cannot do this the most that they can do is but to touch one another in their Superficies for all matter is Dead and no Dead thing can penetrate into the property of another but only at most lie side by side with it And to make the matter the more sensible to your understanding he compares it to an open Sea for that this Spirit peirces Bodies and is joyned to them even as Water is joyned to Water or as the Salt Body thereof is joyned with its Aqueous parts It is hidden in the Caverns of the Metals that is if you seek for it in any thing that is not Metalline you stumble at the Threshold VII Hermes You must put the matter into a moist fire and make it to Boil which Augments the Heat of the Humour or Matter and destroys the Dryness of the incombustible Sulphur continue Boiling till the Radix may appear then Extract the Redness and the light parts till only about a third remains Salmon There are said to be three Species of Decoction 1. An external Fiery heat in Humido and is called Elixation 2. An external heat in Sicco which is called Assation 3. An internal natural heat in Humido called by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Maturity or the Ripening and perfecting heat Now which of these it is that Hermes speaks of is the question The first and the third differ in this The first is an external Fiery Heat The latter an Internal Natural Heat In my Opinion both are to be admitted The Natural Heat Internal is the Cause of Generation and without that the External Heat can do nothing Hence we conclude the Heat to be twofold 1. External to excite 2. Internal to perfect both which ought to be made in humido for all Generation is naturally made in Calido Humido in a moist Heat which Hermes calls Ignem Humidum as if he should say the Fire is twofold which you must use viz. External and Internal He seems to make his Coction double 1. In the time of Augmentation 2. In the Ultimate perfection or Maturity and so long this Fire is to be continued till the Radix does appear i. e. the Seed of Metals The same method that Nature takes in Generating Herbs and Plants she takes in Generating Metals whose Seed is extracted by the help of Art which Seed is only and truly the Philosophers Mercury in which all the Metals are resolved into their first principles and in which is imprest the Character or Power of Transmutation They all err who think to reduce Metals only into Crude Mercury and not into their Radix as Hermes speaks viz. into their Seeds which is the first Matter living in Metals and from thence Nature ever goes forward never back-ward till she comes to perfection VIII Hermes For this Cause-sake the Philosophers are said to be Envious or Obscure not for that they Grudged the thing to the honest or just Man to the Religious or Wise or to the Legitimate Sons of Art but to the Ignorant the Vitious the Dishonest lest evil Persons should be made powerful to perpetrate sinful things for such a fault the Philosophers must render an account to God Evil Men are not worthy of this Wisdom Salmon It appears that neither Hermes nor any of the other Philosophers did Envy or Grutch the true knowledge of the matter to the Pious Just and good Man but only to the Profane and Wicked they did not think it fit to give the Childrens Bread to Dogs for which Cause-sake they always keep the Prima Materia Secret and left it as a Legacy to the Legitimate Sons of Art but the manner and way of working it through all its various Operations they have faithfully and plainly declared to the least Iota or Tittle CHAP. III. The Names and First Operation Explicated I. HERMES Now this Matter I call by the Name of the Stone the Feminine of the Magnesia the Hen the White Spittle or Froth the Volatile Milk the Incombustible Ashes so that it might be hidden from the simple and unwise who want understanding honesty and goodness which notwithstanding they signified it to the Wise and Prudent by one only Name which is the Stone of the Wise or the Philosophers Stone Salmon There are various Names by which the Philosophers call it as Sol Gold Brass of the Philosophers Magnesia the pure Body clear Ferment Elixir Masculine Fixt Argent Vive Incombustible Sulphur Red fixed Sulphur the Rubin Kibrick Green Vitriol the Greenness Redness burnt Brass Red Earth the Water of Sulphur Aqua Mundi Spittle of Luna Shaddow of the Sun Eyes of Fishes Sulphur sharp Wine Urin Light of Lights Father of Minerals Fruitful Tree Living Spirit Venom most strange Vinegar White Gum Everlasting Water Aqua Vitae a Woman Man Masculine Feminine a Vile thing Azot FirstMatter Principium Mundi and therefore Argent Vive Mercury Azot Plentlunam Hypostasis White Lead Red Lead Water the Crow Iron Silver Lime Jupiter Vermilion Whiteness all signifie but one thing Our Stone but in diver times and degrees of Operation So also White Earth White Sulphur Ethel Auripigmentum Arsenick Chaos a Dragon Serpent Toad Green-Lyon Red-Lyon Camelion Quintessence Virgins Milk Radical Humidity Unctuous Moisture Sperm Sal Armoniack Hair Urine Antimony Philosophers Lead Salt a Bird Microcosmus Cinnaber do all signifie but one and the same thing II. Hermes Conserve therefore in this the Sea the Fire and the
tho' most Vehement and Fusory or in the strongest reverberation without the least Diminution Detriment or Corruption But the Mercury is fixed by the Spirit of the Sulphur not by its Corporeity the Corpo real Particles only give form and convey the Spirit to the Mercury which could not be brought to it in or by any other Vehicle By the Fire all the Heterogene or impure parts of the Mercury are destroyed the pure left behind and held fast by the Power of the fixing Spirit which otherwise without the assistance and help of that Spirit would have vanished also This Volatile substance it seizes upon changes or trans mutes and fixes that is brings over into its own property This tho' a Spirit contains in it the highest fixity and its Body being Opened is the Sulphur or Seed which must be sown in the Philosophick Earth or Mercury as we have often said that it may there Die and resume a new Body a thousand fold more in quantity than its own which by the enforming Power of the Energetick Spirit will be made to live spring up and grow to be a Tree of the first Magnitude bearing Golden Apples whose Seed will be and remain in its self for ever and bring forth a new to infinity of Generations It s perpetual new Substance or Body being made out of the Substance of the Mercurial Earth by the Power of the transmuting or Vegetating Spirit and Soul VI. Hermes And that which rests or remains upon a strong Fire is fixed and is also a strong Fire it self And that which in the heat of a strong or boyling Fire is corrupted or destroyed or made to sly is Cambar Salmon By Cambar also he means the self same thing to wit our Volatile Mercury in its Corruptible State or rather the Corrubtible and impure part thereof which must be corrupted or destroyed and made to fly away that that which is pure and will not fly may appear and remain but the purifying Fire must be known in which the great Secret of the Operation lies and without which nothing can be done which Fire as we have formerly said is two fold viz. Internal and External the latter being used only to excite the former VII Hermes And know ye that Our AEs Brass or Laton is Gold which is the Art of the premanent or fixed Water and the Coloration of its Tincture and Blackness is then turned or changed into Redness Salmon That is Our Gold or Stone or Tincture is the product of the permanent or fixed Water by which he means the Philosophick Mercury impregnated with the Spirit of the fixed and incombustible Sulphur And by this you may perceive he puts a difference between the AEs Brass or Laton which is made by this permanent Water and the Corpus aeris or Body of common Brass Now the Aqua permanens is that which contains in it self the Tinctures of all Colors Black only excepted which is taken away from it for that it is a sign-of imperfection and impurity By this Water alone Mercury is turned or changed into the true Red that is into the Tincture of Sol. But to take away its Corruption and to reduce it into the incorruptible and fixt Nature of Sol that must be done by Sol alone and not by any corruptible and Forreign Matter or Substance for that Sol contains in himself the Seeds of fixity and Tincture which no other Body in the World does besides But to make Sol do or perform these things its Body must be opened prepared and made fit for this purpose by Virtue of the Aqua permanens or Aqua Philosophica VIII Hermes I confess that through the help of God I have spoken nothing but the Truth That which is destroyed must be restored and renewed and from thence Corruption is seen in the Matter to be Renovated and from thence the Renovation appears And on both or either side it is the sign of Art Salmon He has 〈◊〉 erto been teaching you the first part of the Work which is the Destruction of the first Birth and Life concerning which he assures us he has spoken nothing but the Truth Our Mercury must be undone and unmade that is corrupted and destroyed and brought through Putrefaction into a pure and Limpid Water that it may be able to peirce the Metalline Bodies from which State by Conjunction with a pure fixt and incombustible Sulphur and by Virtue of a subtle living and fixing Spirit invisible without length breadth or thickness which Spirit is the Philosophick Fire it is to be renewed and regenerated the Water is to be dryed up the spiritual is to be made corporeal the thin to be made thick the Volatile to be made fixt and the changeable Colors reduced to a Unity and Permanency either White or Red according to the Order and Root of the Operation one and the same Mercury does corrupt and destroy the Bodies and again exalt perfect and fix them The Matter of Our Stone is but one and therefore nothing can be more Alien from the Art than to fetch it from many things Nature is not mended or made better but by a Nature of its own kind as Vinegar makes Vinegar so Our Art begins with Mercury and with the same Mercury it is Finished It is a kind of Proteus which creeping upon the Earth assumes the Nature of a Serpent but being Immersed in Water it represents a Fish presently taking to it self Wings it ascends a loft and flies like a Bird yet notwithstanding it is but one and the same Mercury with this the Artist does Work and with it he transacts all the necessary Operations of our Stone being fit and proper for them all viz. for Putrefying Distilling Coagulating Mortifying Vivifying Subliming and Tinging without which seven Operations you labour wholly in vain Till you have Putrefied the Matter you have not made one step in the true way but that being done you have accomplished the first sign of the Art as Hermes testifies CHAP. X. The Practical part of the Philosophick Work I. HERMES My Son that which is born of the Crow is the beginning of this Art Salmon The Crow is the Blackness and Darkness of the Matter being Corrupted Now nothing was ever Generated or brought to light which had not its beginning from blackness and darkness ex nocte Orphei i. e. from principles Invisible for so it is said concerning the Creation of the great World In the beginning when God Created the Heavens and the Earth the Earth was empty and void and darkness was upon the Face of the Deep and God said let there be Light and it was so From whence we may gather that Darkness was Prior to Light And so it is in this our Philosophick Work and altho' it is commonly thought that the darkness or Dark principle is taken for the true Seed of things yet it is no such thing but only certain Rudiments or rather the Domicil wherein the true Seeds of things
Body these three Vapor Blackness and Death are latent which three are also one The Caput mortuum must be dissolved for except the Body be dissolved there can be no Coagulation of the Spirits for the Solution of the impure and vaporous Body induces and brings forth more pure and Noble Spirits indued with a mighty Strength and Power And by means of this Solution a more perfect mixtion is made as of Water with Water which cannot be separated not like that of Sand with Sand whose Superficies only touch one another which is indeed no true mixtion And thus by making a dissolution of the Metalline Principle that which is not Metalline nor will dissolve nor mix with the dissolved Matter as the Vapor the Blackness and the Death or Putrefaction comes to be separated and removed whereby the Dead comes to Live and that which was in Captivity and Chains comes to be made free delivered and set at Liberty IX Hermes It behoves us therefore to chase or drive away and expel the Superexistent Fume or Vapor from the Water the Blackness from the Fat And the Death from the Foeces and this by Dissolution By which means we attain to the knowledge of the greatest Philosophy and the sublime Secret of all Secrets Salmon In these three that is in the One Composed of the three lie these other three the Fume the Blackness and the Death that is the want of Ponderosity of Tincture and of Fixity both which threes in their own principles are also but one thing to wit the Caput mortuum which is depurated and revived by Dissolution only And except the Body is Dissolved there can be no Coagulation of the Spirits as we have said before And therefore if you would remove the Fumes you must dissolve the Fumous or imperfect Body that it may mix with the Ponderating Spirit The Fat or Sulphur is cleared from the blackness by manifold Sublimations bringing forth the pure Philosophick White and Red Flowers which are the Tincture And the Death is expelled by the Mercurial or Metallick Spirit which gives the Eternal fixity CHAP. XII The Praxis exemplified from the Nature of Leven and Paste I. HERMES Now there are seven Bodies of which the first is Gold the most perfect the King and the Head of them which the Water cannot alter nor the Earth Corrupt nor Fire Devastate because its Complexion is Temperate or in a mean and its Nature direct in respect of Heat Cold Moisture or Dryness nor is any thing that is in it Superfluous Salmon The seven Bodies are the seven Metals the first of which is Gold and the most perfect of them Now tho' it be all that can be or is requisite to be in a Body truly perfect yet something more than perfect is designed by our Tincture For Sol of him self cannot tinge nor melio rate any other Body nor bring it to his own perfection therefore he is to be made more than perfect by Virtue of this Philosophick Tincture which opening his Body shall exalt it a thousand fold beyond the degree of its perfection making him able to transmute other Bodies into his own form fixity and likeness The other six Bodies are Silver Tin Copper Iron Lead and Quick Silver which last is also among the number of Spirits Now there is a difference between the Common and Vulgar Gold and our Gold say the Philosophers Ours 〈◊〉 the AEs or Electrum Minerale whose Composition comprehends in it self all the Metals according to this saying Omne Aurum est AEs sed non omne AEs est Aurum This AEs or Aurum is rightly compared to Sol who by the Testimony of Hermes next after God governs the World and Illuminates all things both Animate and Inanimate of whom well Sung Palingenius O Sol qui tempora mutas Et cum temporibus quicquid generatur in Orbe And as the Stars and all the other Planets receive their Light and Virtues from the Sun so also do all the other six Metals and Minerals receive theirs from Our Gold almost in like manner by the Emission of its Rays or Beams which is indeed its tinging Sulphur and multiplying and fixing Spirit All that is perfect 〈◊〉 Sol is its Viridity 〈◊〉 eternally generates 〈◊〉 multiplying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferment of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Elixir saith the Rosary the compleat Medicine the most depurated and digested Substance more than perfect and perfecting all other bodies whether perfect or imperfect making those that are perfect much more than perfect This is the true Philosophick Gold i. e. Gold in a mean or Gold after a manner more worthy more Noble and more Pretious than Vulgar Silver or Gold or any Gem or Pretious Stone Many have sought this AEris Viriditatem in Vitriol and Copper or Vulgar Brass but they erred and were deceived following the literal Discourse of the Philosophers and not their Sense For they ought not to have contemplated the Metals as they are Bodies but as they are redu-Ced into a most Subtil Spirituous and Celestial Substance II. Hermes Therefore the Philosophers bear up and magnifie themselves in it saying that such Gold in Bodies is like the Sun among the Stars most Light and Splendid And as by the Power of God every Vegetable and all the Fruits of the Earth are perfected so by the same Power the Gold and the Seed thereof which contains all these seven Bodies makes them to spring to be ripened and brought to perfection and without which this Work can in no wise be performed Salmon As Sol is among the Stars and other Planets and Vulgar Gold among the other Vulgar Metals and Minerals so also is our Gold which is the true Philosophick Tincture among the other Metals or Bodys reduced to a Spirituality and pure Tincture And as Sol in the Heavens is the Medium that perfects all Sublunary or Inferior things by his Beams Light and Heat So also Our Sol the true Seed of Gold and the Seminal Power of the Aurifick Principle is also the Medium which makes all the other seven Bodies not only perfect but more than perfect that they thereby may perfect other quantities of their own kind yet lying in imperfection viz. wanting Purity Tincture and Fixation All which is done by Virtue of its subtle Spirit Tincture and Fire Therefore say the Philosophers Our Gold is not Corporeal but a depurated substance in the highest degree and brought to an Astral or Heavenly Nature This is the Ixir Elixir or Fermentum the true Tincture and Spirit tinging and fixing all other Bodies and without which they cannot be perfected III. Hermes And like as Paste or Dough is impossible to be Fermented or Levened without Leven so is it in this case without the proper Ferment you can do nothing When you sublime the Bodies and Purifie them separating the filthiness and uncleanness from them or from the Foeces you must conjoyn and mix them to gether and put in the Ferment making up the Earth
and Souls may be Purified Thou art Omnipotent O Lord God Almighty and canst do whatever thou pleasest CHAP. XVIII Of Argent Vive Tincture Order of the Operation and of the Fire I. THere is one thing which is to be wondered at viz. after what manner Carmine to wit Grana Nostra doth tinge or Dye Silk which is of a contrary Natue and tinges not a Dead thing and after what manner Uzifur to wit Our Vermilion doth tinge Vestem which is of a contrary Nature and tinges not Live or growing things II. For it is not Natural for any thing to tinge other substances not agreeable to their Natures If therefore you put into your Composition Red Gold you shall find in the Tincture a pure and perfect Red and if you put into it White Gold the most passive Red will vanish or go forth There is nothing indeed does tinge any thing but what is Consimilar to or like it self III. And I testifie to you by the Living God maker of Heaven and Earth that the Stone which I have described you have permanent or fixed nor are you kept from it by the Earth or the Sea or any other matter IV. Keep then your congealed Quick-Silver many parts of which are lost because of its subtilty Also the Mountain in which is the Tabernacle which crys out I am the Black of the White and the White of the Black I speak the Truth indeed and I lye not V. Now know that the Root of the Matter is the Head of the Crow flying without Wings in the dark and black of the Night and in the appearance of the Day from the Throat the fixing Spirit from its Gall the Coloring or Tinging Matter is taken from its Tail the desication or drying of the matter from its Wings the liquid Water and from its Body the Redness VI. Understand the meaning of the words for hereby is understood our venerable Stone and the Fume or Vapour thereof which is exalted lifted up or sublimed and the Sea eradicated and a Light shining VII You are also to note what Alums and Salts are which flow from Bodies if you put the Medicines or Matters of the Medicine in a just or true proportion you shall not fear to err but if you mistake the proportion you must add or diminish according as you see it tends to the emendation or performing of the Work lest a Deluge should come and overflow all drowning the Regions and overturning the Trees by the Roots VIII And tho the Matter be unknown yet consider these things how or after what manner these two Colors are distinguished or diversified by their Vapours look into the sweetness of Sugar which is one kind of sweet Juice and into the sweetness of Honey which is yet more intense or inward IX Except you make the Bodies spiritual and impalpable you know not how to putrefie Ixir or proceed on in the Work nor how the three Volatile Matters or Principles fight one against another and how they fail not each in their turns to devour one another till of two being left one only remains X. Be careful also how you increase your Fire tho it is not to be very small when you dry up the Water and take heed that you burn not the Matter because if the Vessel breaks it will be with a mighty impetus or force XI And unless the Matter of the Stone prove inimical one to another or contend and fight with and strive to destroy one another you shall never attain to the thing you seek after XII If you mix your Calx with Auripigment and not in a mean or due proportion the splendor and glory of the Operation will not succeed but if you interpose a medium the effect will immediately follow XIII Now know that it is our Water which extracts the hidden Tincture Behold the Example and understand it if you have once brought the Body into Ashes you have operated rightly XIV And the blood which is in the Philosophick Water of the animated Body is the Earth of the Wise to wit the permanent or enduring perfection CHAP. XIX That the Beginning of this Work is in the Blackness and Darkness and of conjoyning the Body with the Soul I. NOW it is that which is dead which you ought to vivisie or make alive and that which is sick which ought to be cured It is the White which is to be rubified the Black which is to be purified and the Cold which is to be made hot II. It is God himself who does create and inspire or give life and replenishes Nature with his Power that it might follow and imitate his Wisdom and act as an Instrument subservient to him III. Iron is our Gold and Brass or Copper is our Tincture Argent Vive is our Glory Tin is our Silver Blackness is our Whiteness and the Whitness is our Redness IV. From hence it appears necessary that we should have a Body purifying Bodies and a Water subliming Water Our Stone which is a Vessel of Fire is made of Fire and is converted into the same again V. And if you would walk in the true way you must persue it in the evident or visible Blackness for saith our Stone it is that which is hidden within which does make me white and the same thing which makes me White makes me also Red. VI. Conceal this thing from Men like as a word which is yet in thy Mouth which no Man understands and as the Fire Light or Sight which is in thine Eye I will not tell it plainly to thee thy self left by thy words thou conveyest my Breath to another to thine own damage This is the caution I give thee VII Now know that this our Work is made or compounded of two Figures or Substances the one of which wants the White Rust Ceruse and the other the Redish Rust Crocus Our Matters also are searsed thro our Sieves or Searses made of pure or clean Rinds and a most blessed Wood. VIII You are also to take notice that the Fire-stone of the Philosophers sought after wants Extention but it has quantity It behoves you therefore to support and nourish it on every side and to continue it as in the middle IX You must also conoyn the Body with the Soul 〈◊〉 beating and grinding it 〈◊〉 the Sun and imbuing it with the Stone then puting it into the Fire so long till all its Stains and Defilements are taken away let it be a gentle Fire for about seven hours space thus will you get that which will make you to live X. I also tell you that its habitation or dwelling place is posited in the Bowels of the Earth for without Earth it cannot be perfected Also its habitation is posited in the Bowels of the Fire nor without Fire can it be perfected which is the perfection of our Art XI Again Except you mix with the White the Red and presently bring or reduce the same into a perfect Water it
will tinge nothing for it never tinges any thing Red but that which is White and while the Work is now perfecting add them to the light of the Sun and it will be compleated Regimine Marino as we have already declared and by this conjunction above your Stone will attain to its Beauty and Glory XII Thus have you a dry Fire which does tinge an Air or Vapour which fixes and chains the Volatile Matter binding the Fugitive in Fetters and also whitens expelling the blackness from Bodies and a fixed Earth also receiving the Tincture CHAP. XX. The Order of the Practical part of the Operation I. WAsh your Mercury with the Water of the Sea till you have taken away from it all its Blackness so will you accomplish your work to perfection in which rejoyce II. If you understand how a Resurrection is ac complished i. e. how the living Principle or Spirit comes forth from the dead Matter or Substance how that is made apparent which was hidden and how Strength is drawn forth through Weakness you cannot be Ignorant how to compleat and perfect this Work III. How Manifest and Clear are the Words of the Wise yet so as the internal Life and Principal is still hidden you understand them not perfectly by their Expressions IIII. Two Bodies equally taken from the Earth grind in the Oyl of the Decocted Matter and in the Milk of the White Volatile Now mighty and wonderful are the powers and force of these Bodies which are freely bestowed upon you through this whole Science which you shall possess and therewith a long and enduring Life V. Take by force the most Intense Wisdom from whence you must draw forth the Eternal perpetual or fixed Life of the Stone till your Stone is congealed and its dulness is vanished so will you accomplish the Life thereof sought after VI. Give therefore of this Life sufficienly to your Matter and it will mortifie it or bring it to putrefaction but repleat your Earth and it shall make it to live Spring Bud Grow Germinate VII Plant this Tree upon your Stone that it may not be in danger of the violence of Winds that the Volatile Iufluences or Bird of Heaven may fall upon it and by virtue thereof its Branches may bring forth much Fruit from thence Wisdom does arise VIII Take this Volatile Bird cut off its Head with a fiery Sword then strip it of its Feathers or Wings undo its Joynts and boil it upon Coals till it is made or becomes of one only Color IX Then put the Venom or Poyson to it so much as is enough to bury or cover it govern it now with a gentle Fire till your Matter is mortified or putrefied which done grind it with White Water and manage it rightly X. For we bought two Black Crows and we put them into a Paropsidem or Crucible or Cupel which we had by us and Eggs or Silver Gobbets came out White as Salt these we tinged with our Saffron of them we sold publickly two hundred times with which we have been made Rich and our Treasures are multiplied XI And whosoever you shall imbue or fill with the Powers thereof should they be hurt with the Poyson of Vipers or the Malignity of Brass or Verdigrise they shall be in no danger for that it quickens and revives the Dead and kills the Living It destroys and restores again it casts down that which is elevated and lift up and elevates that which is abjected and cast down and gives you a dominion over the Heavens of the Earth XII Now you must note that there are two Stones of the Wise found in the Shores of the Rivers in the Arms of the Mountains in the Bowels of the Floods and in the back parts of the Kings House which by instruction and prudent management may be brought forth Male and Female XIII By these being conjoyned and made complex or perfectly united into one consimiliar substance you will be made wiser you will see the reason of the Operation and the end of the Work Blessed God how great and how wonderful a thing is this XIV A certain Philosopher dreamed that the Kings Messenger came to a certain Podagrick and the Podagrick desired that he might go with him to whom the Messenger answered since thou hast the Gout how canst thou go with me for thou canst not walk XV. To whom the Podagrick answered Thou knowest that in the Root of this Mountain there is a certain Tabernacle bearing me then thither leave there the burthen so shall I be presently freed or delivered from my Gout XVI Then said he to me thou art not able to touch the foot thereof but going back he took him up and placed him in the Tabernacle the foot of which the Messenger said he was not able to touch And waking from his Dream he saw nothing Behold the Similitude XVII Another also saw in a Dream wherein it was said if any one truly should sit down by the way and should ask you whether you would think fit to do this thing would you do it He answered I know not the other said thar he should lie or generate with his Mother in the middle of the Earth then awaking he saw nothing Consider well this similitude CHAP. XXI The remaining Operations and conclusion of this whole Work I. BUT leading you to the knowledge of Phylosophy and exposing the Demonstrations thereof in a Philosophick manner we should make it the dirision and mockery of Women and the play of Children II. Take also the fresh Bark or Rind in the same moment in which you shall after another manner extract the matter or thing it self in the place where it is generated and put it into a Cucurbit and sublime it III. And that which is or shall be sublimed separate it for it is the Vinegar of the Philosophers and their Sapience i. e. their Salt IV. Then take this Vinegar and melt or pour it forth upon another Cortex Bark or Superfices of the Sea and put it into a Glass Vesica in which put so much of your Vinegar as may over top it the heighth of Four Inches this bury in warm Horse dung for Thirty One or Forty Daies V. This time being past take the Vessel forth and you will find it now dissolved and turned into a black and stinking Water more black and stinking than any thing in the whole World VI. Take then this very thing it self and very gently elevate it in its tabernacle till all the moisture is consumed so as no more will ascend this sublimed Matter keep carefully for your use VII Then take the Foeces which remain in the bottom of the Cucurbit and keep them for they are the crown and rejoycing of the Heart Die then the same and grind them and add there to fresh or new Cortex of the Sea that is say Mercury and grind them together drying them in a warm Sun VIII And the Waters from the same first sublimed
sink down to the bottom which diligently grind and dry and put them in the Crucible or Test of Ethel and sublime and the Matter being sublimed purely White as fine Salt keep it safely for it is the Auripigment and Sulphur and Magnesia of the Philosopers IX Understand now and see that you govern your Work with Wisdom and Prudence and make not too much haste X. Then take the Cucurbit put half way into lute and put into the same your dissolved black Water which you have sublimed that is to say nine parts and of this whitned Auripigmentum which you sublimed from the Ethel two parts XI I say that this opened or decocted Auripigment is immediately dissolved in the Water and made like to Water that nothing can be seen by mankind of a more intense fixt and perfect Whiteness nor any thing more beautiful to the Eye which the Philosopers call their Sal Virginis or Virgin Salt XII Put this into a little Vessel called a Cucurbit close well the Joynts which put upon a gentle Fire making it as it were but with two Coals at first and then adding two others and look into it to see how the Water ascends and descends XIII When you see the Vapour is consumed and nothing more will ascend of that which is elevated nor descend know that the Matter it self is now coagulated make therefore a more intense and vehement Fire for the space of three hours of the day XIV Then lastly take away the Fire or let it go out and the next day all things being cold open the mouth of your 〈◊〉 and take forth the Matter which is of a substance white sincere and melted or dissolved XV. This is your Substance sought after and now you have comethrough to the end of your Work manage it according to your Reason and Prudence for God assisting you may make of it what you please KALIDIS PERSICI SECRETA ALCHYMIAE Written Originally in Hebrew and Translated thence into Arabick and out of Arabick into Latin Now faithfully rendred into English By WILLIAM SALMON CHAP. XXII Of the Difficulties of this Art I. THanks be given to God the Creator of all things who hath made us renewed us taught us and given us knowledge and understanding for except he should keep us preserve us and direct us we should wander out of the right way as having no Guide or Teacher Nor can we know any thing in this World unless he teach us who is the begining of all things and the Wisdom it self his power and goodness it is with which he over-shadows his People II. He directs and instructs whom he pleases and by his long-suffering and tender Mercies brings them back into the way of Righteousness For he has sent his Angels or Spirit into the dark places and made plain the Ways and with his loving kindness replenishes such as love him III. Know then my Brother that this Magistery of our Secret Stone and this Valuable Art is a secret of the Secrets of God which he has hidden with his own People not revealing it to any but to such who as Sons faithfully have deserved it who have known his Goodness and Almightiness IV. If you would request any Earthly thing at the Hand of God the Secret of this Magistery is more to be desired than any thing else For the Wise Men who have perfected the knowledge thereof have not been wholly plain but speaking of it have partly concealed it and partly revealed it And in this very thing I have found the preceeding Philosophers to agree in all their so much valued Books V. Know therefore that Musa my own Disciple more valuable to me than any other having diligently studied their Books and laboured much in the Work of this Magistery was much perplexed not knowing the Natures of things belonging thereto Whereupon he humbly begged at my Hands my Explanation thereof and my Directions therein VI. But I gave him no other Answer Than that he should read over the Philosophers Books and therein to seek that which he desired of me Going his way he read above an hundred Books as he found or could get them the true Books of the Secret of the Great Philosophers But by them he could not attain the knowledge of that Mistery which he desired tho continually studying it for the space of a Year for which reason he was as one astonished and much troubled in mind VII If then Musa my Scholar who has deserved to be accounted among the Philosophers has thus failed in the knowledge of this Mistery what may be supposed from the Ignorant and Unlearned who under stand not the Natures of things nor apprehend whereof they consist VIII Now when I saw this in my most dear and chosen Disciple moved with Piety and Love to him by the Will also and Appointment of God I wrote this my Book near the time of my Death in which tho' I have pretermitted many things which the Philosophers before me have mentioned in their Books yet have I handled some things which they have concealed and could not be prevailed withal to reveal or discover IX Yea I have explicated and laid open certain things which they hid under AEnigmatical and dark Expressions and this my Book I have Named The Secrets of Alchymie for that I have revealed in it whatsoever is necessary to the knowledge of this Learning in a Language befiting the matter and to your sence and understanding X. I have taught four Magisteries far greater and better than the other Philosophers have done of which number The one is a Mineral Elixir another Animal The other two are Mineral Elixirs but not the one Mineral whose Virtue is to wash cleanse or purifie those which they call the Bodies And another is to make Gold of Azot vive whose Composition or Generation is according to the Natural Generation in the Mines or in the Heart and Bowels of the Earth XI And these four Magisteries or Works the Philosophers have discoursed of in their Books of the Composition thereof but they are wanting in many things nor would they clearly shew the Operation of it in their Books And when by chance any one found it out yet could he not throughly understand it than which nothing was more grievous to him XII I will therefore in this Work declare it toge ther with the way and manner how to make it but if you read me learn to understand Geometrical proportion that so you may rightly frame your Fornaces not exceeding the mean either in greatness or smalness with all you must understand the proportion of your Fire and the form of the Vessel fit for your Work XIII Also you must consider what is the ground work and beginning of the Magistery which is as the Seed and Womb to the Generation of Living Creatures which are shaped in the Womb and therein receive their Fabrick Increase and Nourishment For if the prima materia of our Magistery is not conveniently managed the
where he speaks of it after this manner Take the Stone and no Stone or that which is not a Stone neither of the nature of a Stone it is a Stone whose Mine is in the top of the Mountains X. By which the Philosopher understands Animals or living Creatures whereupon he said Son go to the Mountains of India and to its Caves and take thence precious Stones which will melt in the water when they are put into it XI This Water is that which is taken from other Mountains and hollow places they are Stones and no Stones but we call them so for the resemblance they have to Stones XII And you must know that the Roots of their Mines are in the Air and their Tops in the Earth and they make a noise when they are taken out of their places and the noise is very great Make use of them very suddenly for otherwise they will quickly vanish away CHAP. XXX Of the Commixtion of the Elements which were separated I. NOW you must begin to commix the Elements which is the compass of the whole Work there can be no commixti on without a Marriage and putrefaction The Marriage is to mingle the thin with the thick and Putrefaction is to rost grind water or imbibe so long till all be mixt together and become one so that there be no diversity in them nor separation as in water mixed with water II. Then will the thick strive to retain the thin and the Soul shall strive with the fire and endeavour to sustain it then shall the Spirit suffer it self to be swallowed up by the Bodies and be poured forth into them which must needs be because the dissolved body when it is commixed with the Soul is also commixed with every part thereof III. And other things enter into other things according to their similitude and likeness and both are changed into one and the same thing For this cause the Soul must partake with the conveniency propensity durability hardness corporcity and permanency which the body had in its commixtion IV. The like also must happen to the spirit in this state or condition of the Soul and Body For when the Spirit shall be commixt with the Soul by alaborious operation and all its parts with all the parts of the other two viz. of the Soul and Body then shall the Spirit and the said two be changed into an inseparable substance whose natures are preserved and their Particles agreed and conjoyned perfectly together V. Whereby it comes to pass that when this Compositum has met with a body dissolved and that heat has got hold of it and that the moisture which was in it is swallowed up in the dissolved body and has passed into it into its most inward parts and united or conjoyned it self with that which was of the nature of moisture it becomes inflamed and the fire defends it self with it VI. Then when the fire would enflame it it will not suffer the said fire to take hold of it to wit to cleave to it i. e. to the Spirit commixt with the water The fire will not abide by it until it be pure VII And in like manner does the Water naturally fly from the Fire of which when the fire takes hold it does by little and little evaporate VIII And thus is the Body the means to retain the Water and the Water to retain the Oyl that it might not burn and consume away and the Oyl to retain the Tincture which is the absolute matter and cause to make the colours appear in that wherein otherwise there would be neither light nor life IX This then is the true life and perfection of this great Work even the work of our Magistery which we seek after Be wise and understand search diligently and through the goodness and permission of God you shall find what you look for CHAP. XXXI Of the Solution of the Stone compounded and Coagulation of the Stone dissolved I. THE Philosophers take great pains in dissolving that the Body and Soul might the better be incorporated and united for all those things which are together in Contrition Assation and Rigation have a certain affinity and Alliance between themselves II. So that the fire may hurt or spoil the weaker principle in nature till it be utterly destroyed and vanish away and then it turns it self also upon the stronger parts till it divests the Body of the Soul and so spoils all III. But when they are thus dissolved and congealed they take one anothers parts striving in each others mutual defence as well the great as the small and they incorporate and joyn them well together till they be converted and changed into one and the same thing IV. When this is done the fire takes as much from the Soul as it does from the Body nor can it hurt the one more than the other neither more nor less which is a cause of perfection V. For this reason it is necessary in teaching the composition of the Elixir to afford one place for expounding the solution of simple Bodies and Souls because Bodies do not enter into Souls but do rather prevent and hinder them from Sublimation Fixation Retention Commixtion and the like Operations except purification go before VI. Now understand that Solution is done by one of these two ways either by extracting the inward parts of things unto their Superficies an Example whereof we have in Silver which seems cold and dry but being dissolved so that the inward parts appear outward it is hot and moist VII 〈◊〉 to reduce it to an accidental moisture which it had not before to be added to its own natural humidity by which means its parts are dissolved and this is likewise called Solution VIII But as to Congelation the Philosophers have said Congeal in a Bath with a good Congelation This I tell you is Sulphur shining in Darkness a Red Hyacinth a fiery and deadly 〈◊〉 the Elixir the which there is nothing better a Lyon a Conqueror a Malefactor a cutting Sword a healing Antidote which cures all Infirmities and Diseases IX And Geber the Son of Hayen said That all the Operations of this Magistery are comprehended under these six things 1. To make fly ascend or sublime 2. To melt or liquify 3. To incerate 4. To make white as Marble 5. To dissolve 6. To congeal X. To make fly is to drive away and remove blackness and foulness from the Spirit and Soul to melt is to make the Body liqnid To incerate is properly to subtilize the Body To whiten is to melt speedily To dissolve is to separate the parts And to congeal is to mix joyn and fix the Body with the Soul already prepared XI Again To fly of ascend appertains both to Body and Soul To melt to incerate to whiten and to dissolve are accidents belonging to the Body But congelation or fixation only belongs to and is the property of the Soul Be wise understand and learn CHAP. XXXII That Our Stone
fire for 40 days of Elemental heat and in that decoction of 40 days the Body will rejoyce with the Soul and the Soul will rejoyce with the Body and Spirit and the Spirit will rejoyce with the Body and Soul and they will be fixed together and dwell one with another in which Life they will be made perpetual and immortal without separation for ever CHAP. XXXV A farther Explication of this matter I. OUR Medicine is made of 3 things viz. of a Body Soul and Spirit There are two Bodies to wit Sol and Luna Sol is a Tincture where with imperfect Bodies are tinged into Sol and Luna tingeth into Luna for nature brings forth only its like a Man a Man a Horse a Horse c. II. We have named the Bodies which serve to this Work which of some are called ferment for as a little leven levens the whole lump so Luna and Sol leven Mercury as their Meal into their Nature and Virtue III. If it be demanded Why Sol and Luna having a prefixed Tincture do not yet tinge imperfect Metals I Answer A Child tho' born of humane kind acts not the Man it must first be nourisht and bred up till it comes to Maturity So is it with Metals also they cannot shew their power and force unless they be first reduced from their Terrestreity to a Spirituality and nourisht and fed in their Tinctures through heat and humidity IV. For the Spirit is of the same matter and nature with our Medicine We say our Medicines are of a siery nature and much subtiler but of themselves they cannot be subtil nor simple but must be maturated or ripened with subtil and penetrating things V. Earth of it self is not subtil but may be made so through moist water which is dissolving and makes an ingress for Sol that it may penetrate the Earth and with its heat make the Earth subtile and in this way the Earth must be subtilized so long till it be as subtil as a Spirit which then is the Mercury more dissolving than common water and apt to dissolve the said Metals and that through the heat of fire to penetrate and subtilize them VI. There are several Spirits as Mercury Sulphur Orpiment Arsenick Antimony Nitre Sal-armoniack Tutia Marchisits c. but Mercury is a better Spirit than all others for being put into the fire they are carried away and we know not what becomes of them But Mercury as it is much subtiler clearer and penetrative so it is joyned to the Metals and changed into them whereas the others burn and destroy them making them more gross than they were before VII Now Mercury is of such a subtil nature that it transmutes Metals into simple and pure substances as it self is and attracts them to its self But no Metal can be transmuted by any of the other Spirits but they burn it to Earth and Ashes which Mercury it becomes impalpahle and therefore is called Argent Vive VIII We take nothing else to subtilize Metals to make them penetrative or to tinge other Metals Some call it Argent Vive or a Water an Acetum a Poyson because it destroys imperfect Bodies dividing them into several parts and forms our Medicine is made of two things viz. of Body and Spirit And this is true that all Metals have but one Root and Original IX But why cannot this Medicine be made of two compounded together I Answer It may be made of all these together but they must be reduced into a Mercury which would be difficult of the shortness of Man's Life Therefore we take the next matter which are the two aforesaid things viz. Body and Spirit X. Some Philosophers say our Medicine is made of four things and so it is For in Metals and their Spirits are the four Elements Others say true also That Metals must be turned into Argent Vive Here many Learned and Wise Men err and loose themselves in this path Thus far of the matter of which our Medicine is made or with which it is ioyned Now of the Vessels XI The Vessel ought to resemble the Firmament to enclose and encompass the whole Work For our Medicine is nothing else but a change of Elements one into another which is done by the motion of the Firmament for which reason it must needs be round and circular XII The other or second Vessel must also be round and be less than the outward Vessel 6 or 7 Inches high called a containing Cucurbit on which you must place an Alembick or Head through which the Vapors may ascend which must be well luted with Lute made of Meal sifted Ashes Whites of Eggs c. Or of Meal Calx Vive ana j. part tempered with Whites of Eggs which you must immediately use Lute it so well that no Spirits may fly away the loss of which will prejudice your Work extreamly therefore be wary XIII The Fornace or Oven must be round 12 or 14 Inches high and 6 or 7 Inches broad and 3 or 4 Inches in thickness to keep in the heat the better XIV Our matter is generated through or by help of the heat of the fire through the Vapour of the Water and also of the 〈◊〉 which must be nourished be wise and consider and meditate well upon the matter XV. Now in order to this Work there is 1. Dissolution 2. Separation 3. Sublimation 4. Fixation or Congelation 5. Calcination 6. Ingression XVI Dissolution is the changing of a dry thing into a moist one and belongs only to Bodies as to Sol and Luna which serve for our Art For a Spirit needs not to be dissolved being a liquid thing of it self but Metals are gross and dry and of a gross nature and therefore must be subtilized XVII First Because unless they be subtilized through dissolution they cannot be reduced into water and made to ascend through the Alembick to be converted into Spirit whose remaining foeces are reserved for a farther use XVIII Secondly Because the Body and Spirit must be made indivisible and one For no gross matter joyns or mixes with a Spirit unless it be first subtilized and reduced into Argent Vive then the one embraces the other inseperably For Argent Vive meeting with a thing like it self rejoyceth in it and the dissolved Body embraces the Spirit and suffers it not to fly away making it to endure the fire and it rejoyces because it has found an equal viz. one like it self and of the same nature XIX Dissolution is thus done Take Leaves of Sol or Luna to which add a good quantity of pure Mercury putting in the Leaves by little and little into a Vessel placed in so gentle a heat that the Mercury may not fume when all is dissolved and the Mass feems to be one Homogene body you have done well If there be any foeces or matter undissolved add more Mercury till all seems to be melted together XX. Take the matter thus dissolved set it in B. M. for
it would neither move nor work for which reason you must consider and understand that all Metals are compounded of Mercury and Sulphur Matter and Form Mercury is the Matter and Sulphur is the Form According to the pureness of Mercury and Sulphur such is the Influence they assume XVII Thus Sol is engendred of most pure fine Mercury and a pure red Sulphur by the Influence of the Sun and Luna is made of a pure fine Mercury and a pure white Sulphur by the Influence of the Moon XVIII Thence it is that Luna is more pure than the other five Metals which have need of cleansing being cleansed they need but onely the pure Sulphur with the help of Sol and Luna Sulphur is the Form of Sol and Luna and the other Metals their other parts are gross matters of Sulphur and Mercury XIX Husband-Men know many times more than we do They when they reap their Corn growing on the Earth gather it with the Straw and Ears The Straw and Ears are the Matter but the Corn or Grain is the Form or Soul XX. Now when they sow their Corn then they sow not the Matter which is the Straw and the Chaff but the Corn or Grain which is the Form or Soul So if we will reap Sol or Luna we must use their Form or Soul and not the Matter XXI The Form or Soul is made by Gods help after this manner You must make a good Sublimate that is seven times sublimed the last time of the seven you must fublime it with Cinnaber without Vitriol and it will be a certain Quintessence of the Sulphur of that Antimony XXII When this is done take of the finest Sol one Ounce or of the finest Luna as much file it very fine or else take leaf Gold or Silver then take of the aforesaid Sublimate four Ounces sublime them together for the space of Sixteen hours then let it cool again and mix them all together and sublime again Do this four times and the fourth time it will have a certain Rundle like unto the Matter of the White Rose transparent and most clear as any Orient Pearl weighing about five Ounces XXIII The sublimate will stick to the brims and sides of the Vessel and in the bottom it will be like good black Pitch which is the Corruption of Sol and Luna XXIV Take the Rundle aforesaid and dissolve it in most strong Spirit of Vinegar two or three times by puting it into an Urinal and seting it in B. M. for the space of three daies every time pouring it into new Spirit of Vinegar as at the first till it be quite dissolved Then distill it by a filter and save that which remains in the Pot for it is good to whiten Brass XXV That which passed the filter with the Vinegar set upon hot Ashes and evaporate the Moisture and Spirit of Vinegar with a soft fire and set it in the Sun and it will become most White like unto White Starch or Red if you work with Sol which are the Form or Soul or Sulphur of Luna and Sol and will weigh a quarter of an Ounce rather more than less save that well XXVI Take an Urinal half a foot high and take of the firm body five Ounces of the Soul or Sulphur of Sol or Luna a quarter of an Ounce and of the Spirit four Ounces Put all of them into the Urinal and put on its head or Cover with its Receiver well closed or Luted Distil the Water from it with a most soft Fire and there will come off the first time almost three Ounces XXVII Put the Water on again without moving the Urinal and distil it again until no more liquor will distil which do 6 or 7 times and then every thing will be firm Then set the same Urinal in Horse-dung seven days and by the virtue and subtilty of the heat it will be converted into water XXVIII Distil or filter this water with stripes or shreds of Woolen-cloth a gross part will remain in the bottom which is nothing worth All that which is passed the filter congeal which will be about 4 or 5 Ounces and save it When you have congealed it three times melt ten ounces of the most fine Sol or Luna and when it is red hot put upon it 4 Ounces one Coppy said 13 Ounces of this Medicine and it will be all true and good Medicine XXIX Likewise melt Borax and Wax ana one ounce to which put of the former Medicine 1 ounce Put all these upon Mercury or any other Metal 3 pound and it will be most fine Sol or Luna to all Judgments and Aslays Thus have I ended this process in which if you have any practise or judgment and know how to follow the Work you may finish it or compleat it in 40 days XXX An Appendix teaching how to make Aurum Potabile Take Sal Armoniack Sal Nitre ana 1 pound beat them together and make thereof an AR Then take of the most fine Sol q. v. in thin leaves and cut into very small pieces which roul into very thin Rowls and put them into an Urinal or like Glass to which put the AR so much as to overtop it the depth of an inch XXXI Then nip up the Glass and put it to putrefie in Sand with a gentle heat like that of the Sun for 3 or 4 days in which time it will come to dissolution then break the Glass off at the Neck and pouring off the AR. easily and leisurely leave the dissolved Sol in the bottom and repeat this work with fresh AR. 3 or 4 times and keep the first water then put on a Helme with Lute and distil off in Sand Being cold break the Glass and take the Sol and wash it 3 or 4 times in pure warm water XXXII When the Sol is clean from the AR take of it and put it into the like Glasses with rectified S. V. 2 or 3 inches above it put it into putrefaction as before in Sand stoping the mouth thereof very close for 3 or 4 days then put the S. V. out which will be all blood red If any thing remains in the Glass undissolved put in more S. V. and let it stand as before Do this as long as you find any Tincture therein This is Aurum Potabile XXXIII But if you would have the Tincture alone distil off the S. V. with a very gentle fire and you shall find the Tincture at the bottom of the Glass which you may project upon Luna Gebri Arabis Summa The Sum of GEBER ARABS Collected and Digested By WILLIAM SALMON Professor of Physick CHAP. XXXVII An Introduction into the whole Work I. PErfection and Imperfection of Metalline Bodies is the Subject of this present discourse and therefore we treat of things perfecting and corrupting or destroying because opposites set near to each other are the more manifest II. That which perfects Imperfect Minerals is a commixtion of Argent Vive and Sulphur
soft substance This is done with Ignition in their Fusion thus With Saturn or Jupiter the substance of Argent Vive or Sulphur fixed or of Arsenick must be mixed in their profundity Or they must be mixed with hard and not fusible things as the Calx of Marchasite and Tutia for these are united with and embraced by them and harden them so that they flow not till they are red hot The same thing is also compleated by our Medicine perfecting them of which hereafter XX. Fixation by removal of their fugitive substance This is done by calcination in a fire proportional to their substance In order to which 1. All their corrupting adustive substance must be cleansed from them as aforesaid 2. Then their earthy superfluity must be taken away 3. They must be dissolved and Reduced or compleatly washed in a Lavement of Argent Vive This is necessary and profitable XXI Saturn is specially hardened by a Calcination with the Acuity of Salt and by Talk it is especially dealbated as also by Marchasite and Tutia Calcine Saturn fluxed with common Salt putrefied stirring it continually with an Iron Spatula till it comes to Ashes Decoct it for one Natural day and let it be a little Fiery hot but not much then wash it with pure clean water and Calcine it for 3 daies till it be Red both within and without If you would have it to be prepared for the White Imbibe it with water of White Alum and reduce it with Oyl of Tartar or its Salt But if you would have it for the Red Imbibe it with the water of Crocus Martis and of Verdigrise and reduce it with Salt of Tartar as before This work Reiterate as often as need requires XXII The Calcination of Saturn and Jupiter Let a great Test or Calcining Pan be placed in a Fornace and put Saturn and Jupiter into it with as much common Salt prepared and Roch Alum Calcined being in Flux let the Metal be continually stirred with an Iron Spatula full of holes till the whole be reduced to Ashes which sift and set chem in the Fire again keeping them continually Red Fire Hot till the Calx of Jupiter is whitened or that of Jupiter is rubified as Minium XXIII The Regimen of Saturn and Jupiter for the White Take Saturn purified three Pound melt or add to it clean or purified Mercury twelve Pound stirring the whole that they may be mixed This mixture put into a Bolt-Head of a Foot in Length which place in the Athanor with a gentle Fre for a week Take purified Jupiter one Poind melt and add purified Mercury 12 Pound doing in all respects as before with Saturn In this weeks time you will have a Paste dissolved fit to be Fermented with the White Ferment Thus. XXIV Take of the White Ferment one Pound of the Paste of Saturn two Pounds of the Paste of Jupiter three Pounds These being dissolved mix through their least parts and set in putrefaction in a moderate Fire like as in dissolution for seven daies Then take them out well mixed and Strain or Squeeze their more Liquid parts through a Cloth The thick Matter remaining put into a Glass Seal it well up and place it in an Athanor for the time aforesaid which do thrice till it has Imbibed all the humidity Then put the Vessel with its Matter into a Fornace of Fixation for twelve daies which done take it forth and reduce it with things reducing so will you find that which our Ancestors found not without great Study viz. The Generated generating Prove this upon the Cineritium or Cupel with Lead and you will find the Body perfect in Whiteness perpetually generating its like XXV The Regimen of Saturn is also compleated if being prepared and dissolved I suppose he means in his dissolutive Water made of Nitre and Vitriol it be mixed with a third part of its Red Ferment dissolved also and then Distilling off the Water and Cohobating seven times Reduce it to a Body and prove it by its Examen and you will rejoyce in the bountiful Body which is generated XXVI White Medicines for Saturn also solar Medicines for Saturn Because the Medicines and the work are wholly or altogether the same as for Jupiter and that in the Chapter of Jupiter we have explicitely and largely declared the matter we shall refer you thither saying no more thereof in this place see Chap. 43. Sect. 16 17 18 19 20 21. following CHAP. XLIII The Alchymie of Jupiter I. TO prepare Jupiter Put it into a fit Vessel in a Fornace of Calcination and make a good Fusion stirring the melted Metal with an Iron Spatula full of holes drawing off the Scum as it arises and again stirring the Body and thus continuing till the whole quantity is reduced to Pouder or Ashes This Pouder sift and replace it in the Fornace again in the same heat of Fire stirring it often for 24 hours till its whole accidental and superfluous humidity is abolished with all its combustible and corrupting Sulphur Then often well wash it with common Salt cleansed and Alum purified and sharp Vinegar and dry it in the Sun or Air. Grind it again washing and drying it doing this so long till by the acuity of the Salts Alums Vinegar its whole humidity blackness and uncleanness is taken away This done add Glass in fine Pouder to it impaste the whole together and with a sufficient Fire make it flow in a Crucible with a hole in its bottom set within another so will the pure and clean Body descend the whole Earthy and Faeculent substance remaining above with the Glass Salts and Alums in which pure Body is an equal and perfect proportion Argent Vive and White Sulphur not burning Then Calcine this pure Body with pure and clean Sal Armoniack till it be in weight equal or thereabout being well and perfectly Calcined Grind the whole well and long upon a Porphyrie and set it in the open Air in a Cold moist place or in a Glass Vessel in a Fornace of Solution or in Horse-Dung till the whole be dissolved augmenting the Salt if need be This Water ought to be esteemed for it is what we seek for in the whole II. Tin is a Metallick Body White Livid not pure and a little sounding partaking of little Earthiness possessing in its Root harshness softness easiness of Liquefaction without Ignition not abiding the Cupel or Cement but extensible un der the Hammer Therefore Jupiter among Bodies diminished from perfection is in the Radix of its Nature of affinity to Sol and Luna but more to Luna and less to Sol. III. Jupiter because it receives much whiteness from the Radix of its generation it whitens all other Bodies which are not White but it has a fault that it breaks or makes brittle all other Bodies except Saturn and most pure Sol Jupiter adheres much to Sol and Luna and therefore does not easily receede from them in the examen or Tryal by the
Cupel The Magistery of this Art gives it a Tincture of Redness that shines in it with inestimable brightness It is hardened and cleansed more easily than Saturn He who knows how to take away its Vice of breaking will suddenly reap the Fruit of his Labour with joy because it agrees so well with Sol and Luna and will never be separated from them IV. In Calcining Tin a Sulphureous stink arises from its Sulphur not fixed and tho it gives no flame yet it is not fixed for it s not flaming is by reason of the great abundancy of its Argent Vive preserving from Combustion So that in Tin is a two-fold Sulphur and a two-fold Argent Vive one Sulphur less fixed sending forth a stink the other more fixed because it abides with the Calx in the Fire and stinks not V. there is also a twofold substance of Argent Vive in it one not fixed and the other sixed because it makes a Crashing noise before its Calcination but after it has been thrice Calcined that Crashing ceases which is caused by its fugitive Argent Vive being flown away This is evident in Lead being wash't with Argent Vive and then melted in a very gentle fire some part of the Mercury will remain with the Lead and will give to it this stridor converting the Lead into Tin VI. On the contrary also Tin may be converted into Lead For by a mani fold repetition of its Calcination and a fire fit for its reduction it is turned into Lead but especially when by subtraction of its Scoria it is calcin'd with a great fire VII Now after the removal of these two Substances viz. Sulphur and Argent Vive from Jupiter you will find that it is livid and weighty as Lead yet partaking of greater whiteness than Lead and therefore more pure than Lead In which is the equality of fixation of the two compounding things viz. Sulphur and Argent Vive but not the equality of quantity because in the Commixtion the Argent Vive is super-eminent VIII Now if there were not in its proper nature a greater quantity of Argent Vive than of Sulphur Argent Vive would not easily adhere to it For which reason it adheres with difficulty to Venus but with much greater difficulty to Mars by reason of the small quantity of Argent Vive contained therein the sign of which is the easie fusion of the one and the difficult fusion of the other IX But the fixation of these two substances remaining approaches nigh to firm fixation yet is it not absolutely fixed which is evident from the calcination of its body and after calcination the exposing the same to the most strong fire for by that division is not made but the whole substance ascends yet more purified from whence it appears that the burning Sulphur in Tin is more easily separated than that in Lead And that because its corrupting Properties are not radical but accidental therefore they are the more easily separated and its mundification Induration and fixation the more speedy X. And because that after Calcination and Reduction we found in its fume a citrinity through the great force of fire we judged that it contained in its body much sixed Sulphur By these Operations you may find out the Principles of Bodies and the Properties of Spirits XI At Sect. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. of the former Chapter we have shewn the farther preparations of Tin which because they are so plainly expressed there are needless to be again repeated here Yet there are other special Preparations which are the following to wit by Calci nation by which its substance is more hardened which happens not to Saturn Also by Alums for these properly harden Jupiter Also by Conservation of it in the fire of its Calcination for by this it loose its stridor or Crashing and fraction of bodies likewise the which in like manner happens not to Saturn XII Calcine Jupiter as Saturn at Sect. 21. of the former Chapter with Common Salt purified and whiten its Calx for three days as in Saturn But see you err not in its Reduction for that is difficult unless it be made in the Fornace by Cineritium or Cement then it is done with ease But that you may not err joyn that Body which you would reduce in equal parts with that by which you make the reduction and co-unite the divided Calx But in Tinctures there is another consideration for the matrer tinging must be multiplied upon the matter to be tinged till the Tincture appear in the Body or Medicine XIII After you have found these two Leads and found their color and brightness with other things according to your desire possibly they may yet want Ignition then you must thus proceed Dissolve Tutia calcined and Tin calcined mix both Solutions and with that water imbibe the Calx of Tin time after time until the Calx has imbibed an eighth part of the Tutia then reduce it into a Body and you will find it to have Ignition and that good if not reiterate the same labour till due Ignition be acquired All Waters dissolutive of Bodies and Spirits we shall hereafter shew you every one of them according to their kind XIV With Talck or Mercury or pure Luna which is more profitable deduced to this by calcining and dissolving you may acquire the compleat Ignition and hardness of Saturn and Jupiter with incomparable brightness but Speculations in these things without practise is not very available XV. To Grind to Decoct to Inhumate to Calcine to Fuse to Destroy to Restore or Reduce and to cleanse Bodies are effectuall works with these Keys you may open the Occult Inclosures of our Arcanum and without them you shall never sit down at the Repasts of satisfactions XVI A White Medicine for Jupiter and Saturn prepared Take of fine Luna one Pound living Mercury eight Pound Amalgamate and waste the Amalgama with spirit of Vinegar and common Salt prepared until it acquires a Coelestial or Azure Colour Then extract as much of Mercury as you can by strongly expressing the mixture through a thick Cloth To this add Mercury sublimate double the weight of the Luna grind them well together then Decoct the mixture 〈◊〉 a Bolt-Head firmly closed for 24 hours Decoct the same again then break the Vessel and then separate that which is Sublimed from the Inferior Reddish Pouder But take heed of giving too great a Fire for that would cause the whole to flow into one black Mass. Put the Pouder upon a Porphyrie stone add to it two parts of Sal Armoniack prepared and one part of Mercury sublimed grind all very well together and imbibe the mixture with the Water of Sal Alcali or Sal Nitre if you cannot get the other or Salt of Pot-Ashes when imbibed Distil off with a gentle Fire the whole Water till that remains in the bottom is melted like Pitch Cohebate the same Water repeating this Work thrice Then
take out the Matter grind it on a stone and dry it very well Imbibe again with rectified Oyl of Eggs or with Sal Alkali or Oyl of Salt of Pot-Ashes or of Nitre or Tartar until it will flow with Ingress Project one part upon five parts of Tin prepared and it will be perfect Luna of the second Order without Error XVII Another White Medicine for Jupiter and Saturn prepared Take Talk Calcined and grind it with as much as it self of Sal Armoniack sublime it three or four times dissolve into Water and therewith Imbibe Luna calcined as you did in the former so often as until it has drunk in as much as its own weight is and give ingress to it with the Oyls aforesaid and project one part upon 10 parts of Jupiter prepared and it will be all fine Luna XVIII Another White Medicine for Saturn and Jupiter prepared Take Luna 1 pound dissolved in its own water made of Nitre and Vitriol to which add Talck calcined and dissolved 1 pound Distil off the Water cohobating 3 or 4 times congeal and incerate with Arsenick sublimed until it flow and have Ingress project 1 part upon 8 parts of Jupiter prepared and 't will be all fine Luna These three Medicines you may project upon Saturn prepared for the White but then the Saturn must be prepared and calcined for three days by Sect. 21. of the former Chapter XIX A Solar Medicine for Jupiter and Saturn prepared Calcine Sol amalgating first with Mercury as in Luna express the Mercury through a Cloth then grind it with twice so much as it self of common Salt prepared set the whole over a gentle fire that the remaining Mercury may receed Extract the Salt with sweet water dry the Calx from which sublime as much Sal Armoniack reverting the sublimed Salt four times dissolve it in A. F. made of Vitriol Nitre and Alum dissolve also Crocus Martis made by calcination or Copper calcined red joyn these Waters in equal parts draw off the Water by distillation and cohobate four times then dry the matter and imbibe it with Oyl of Tartar rectified as heretofore is taught until it flows as Wax and by projection will tinge four parts of Saturn or Jupiter into Gold Obrizon XX. Another Solar Medicine for Saturn and Jupiter prepared It is made with Sol dissolved as in the former and a like quantity of Verdigrise calcin'd and dissolved being both mixed and incerated by distilling and incerating with Sulphur prepared until it flow like Wax and tinge 8 parts of Saturn or Jupiter prepared splendidly XXI A third Solar Medicine for Saturn and Jupiter prepared for the Red. It is made of Sol dissolved Sulphur dissolved and Verdigrise dissolved mixt and prepared as in the last Sect and then increated with Oyl of Hair prepared or of Eggs for both are one one part of this projects upon 10 parts of Saturn or Jupiter prepared for the red and it will be most fine Gold according to its degree these Medicines only altering in the second Order XXII There is also another preparation of Jupiter by Sect. 22. of the former Chapter XXIII And in Sect. 23. of the former Chapter you have the Regimen of Jupiter for the White which generates or produces fine Luna such as being tryed upon the Test produces a Body perfect in Whiteness and perpetually generating its life CHAP. XLIV Of the Alchemy of Mars I. TO prepare Mars or Iron Calcine it as Venus with common Salt cleansed and let it he washed with pure Vinegar Being washed dry it in the Sun and when dried grind and imbibe it with new Salt and Vinegar and put it into the same Fornace as we shall direct in Venus for 3 days Esteem and value this Solution viz. The water of fixed Sulphur wonderfully augmenting the color of the Elixir II. The whole Secret of Mars is from the Work of Nature because it is a Metalick body very livid a little Red partaking of Whiteness not pure sustaining Ignition fusible with violent fire extensive under the Hammer and sounding much III. It is hard to be managed by reason of its impotency of fusion which if it be made to flow by a Medicine changing its nature is so conjoyned to Sol and Luna that it cannot be separated by examen without great Industry but if prepared it is conjoyned and cannot be separated by any Artisice if the nature of that fixation be not changed by it the defilement of the Mars being only removed Therefore it is easily a Tincture of Redness but difficultly of Whiteness And when it is conjoyned it is not altred nor does it change the colour of the commixtion but augments it in quantity IV. Among all Bodies Jupiter is more splendidly more clearly more brightly and more perfectly transmuted into a Solar or Lunar Body than other Bodies but the Work is of long labour though easie to be handled Next to Jupiter is Venus chosen of more difficult handling but of shorter labour than Jupiter Next after Venus comes Saturn which has a diminished perfection in Transmutation and is easie to be hand led but of most tedious labour Lastly Mars among all the Bodies of least perfection is in transmutation most difficult to be handled and of exceeding long labour V. And the more difficult any Bodies are of fusion the more difficult they are in handling in the Work of Transmutation the easier to be fused the easier to be handled and what diversity of perfections are found in any particular in the lesser or middle Works yet in the Great Work all Bodies are of one perfection but not all of a like easie handling or labour VI. Hence it appears that Mars or Iron is a commixture of fixed Earthy Sulphur with fixed earthy Argent Vive of a livid whiteness the highly fixed Sulphur predominating which prohibits fusion Whence it is evident that fixed Sulphur hinders fusion more than fixed Argent Vive But Sulphur not fixed hastens fusion more than unfixed Argent Vive By which the cause of speedy or slow fusion in every body is seen VII What has more of a fixed Sulphur is harder to fuse than what partakes of a burning fugitive Sulphur which appears because Sulphur cannot be fixed without Calcination and no Calx gives fusion therefore in all things it viz. fixt Sulphur must impede the same VIII The causes of the corruption of the Metals by fire are 1. The inclusion of a burning Sulphur in the profundity of their substance diminishing them by Inflammation and exterminating into Fume whatever fixed Argent Vive was in them 2. A Vehemency of the Exterior flame penetrating and resolving them with it self into Fume and the most fixed matter in them 3. The rarefaction of them by calcination the flame or fire penetrating into and exterminating them Where all these causes of Corruption concur those Bodies must be exceedingly corrupted Where they all concur not they are by so much the less corrupted IX The causes of the
goodness of Bodies is their abounding with Argent Vive For seeing Argent Vive for no cause of Extermination will be divided into parts in its composition because it either with its whole substance flies from the fire or with its whole substance remains permanent in it it is necessarily concluded to be a cause of Perfection X. Therefore Praised and Blessed be the most Glorious and High God who created it and gave it a Substance and Properties which nothing else in the World does possess besides that this perfection might be found in it by the help of Art as we have found therein with great power For it is that which overcomes Fire and by Fire cannot be overcome but in it amicably rests and rejoyces therein XI Mars is prepared either with sublimation or without sublimation with sublimation we endeavour to unite it with Arsenick not fixed as profoundly as we can that in fusion it may melt with the same but afterwards it is sublimed in a proper Vessel of sublimation the which is the best and most perfect of all other Preparations Mars is also prepared by Arsenick oftentimes sublimed from it until some quantity of the Arsenick it self remain For if this be reduced it will flow out white clean fusible and well prepared Mars is also prepared by fusion of it with Lead and Tutia for from these it flows clean and white XII To Indurate or harden soft Bodies Argent Vive precipitated must be dissolved and the calcin'd Body which you have a design to harden dissolved likewise mix both these solutions together and the calcin'd body mixed with them by frequent imbibitions c. continually grinding imbibing calcining and reducing until it be made hard and fusible with Ignition The very same may also be compleatly effected with the Calx of Bodies and Tutia and Marchasite calcined dissolved and imbibed The more clean these are the more perfectly do they change XIII To soften hard Bodies as Mars c. They must be conjoyned and sublimed often with Arsenick and after sublimation of the Arsenick assated or calcined with their due proportion of fire the measure of which we shall declare in our Discourse of Fornaces Lastly They must be reduced with the force of their proper fire until in fusion they grow soft according to the degree of the hardness of their Bodies All these alterations are of the first Order without which our Magistery is not perfected XIV Medicines dealbating Mars of the first Order That which dealbates it of the first Order is that which makes it to flow The special fusive of it is Arsenick of every kind But with whatsoever it is deal bated and fused it is necessary it be conjoyned and washed with Argent Vive until all its impurity be removed and it be white and fusible Or else let it be red hot with vehement ignition and upon it Arsenick projected and when it shall be in flux cast a quantity of Luna thereon for when that is united with it it is not separated therefrom by any easie Artifice XV. Or thus Calcine Mars and wash away from it all its soluble Aluminosity inferring corruption by the way of solution but now mentioned with Argent Vive then let cleansed Arsenick be sublimed from it and reiterate that sublimation many times until some part of the Arsenick be fixed therewith Then with a solution of Litharge mix imbibe grind and moderately calcine several times And lastly reduce it with the Fire we mentioned in the Reduction of Jupiter from its Calx so will it come forth white clean and fusible XVI Or Only with sublimed Arsenick in its Calx let it be reduced and it will flow out white clean and fusible But here observe the Caution we shall give in the Chapter of Venus concerning the reiteration of the sublimation of Arsenick fixing it self in its profundity from it Mars is likewise whitened after the same manner with Marchasite and Tutia XVII To prepare Mars Grind one pound of the filings thereof with half a pound of Arsenick sublimed imbibe the mixture with the water of Salt Peter and Sal Alcali reiterating this Imbibition thrice then make it flow with a violent fire so will it be white Repeat this so long till it flow sufficiently with a good whiteness XVIII The first White Medicine for Mars and Venus Take Silver calcined 1 pound Arsenick prepared 2 pound Mercury precipitate 1 pound grind them together and imbibe the whole with water of Salt Nitre Litharge and Sal Armoniack in equal parts I suppose there is meant Aqua Regis till it has drunk in its own weight of that water Then dry and incerate with white Oyl as in others until it flow and one part full upon 4 parts of Mars or Venus prepared XIX The second White Medicine for Mars and Venus Take Luna calcined Jupiter calcined and dissolved ana mix dry and increase with double their quantity of Arsenick sublimed until the Medicine flows well XX. The third White Medicine for Mars and Venus Take Luna calcined Arsenick and Sulphur sublimed and ground with it and then sublimed with a like quantity of Sal Armoniack This sublimation repeat thrice and then project 1 pound upon 4 pound of Mars or Venus prepared XXI A Red or Solar Medicine for Mars and Venus Take Tutia 1 pound Calcine or dissolve it in AF then with that water imbibe the Calx of Sol that it may drink in double its own weight of the same water Afterwards by distillation draw off the same water from it cohobating four times Lastly incerate with Oyl of Hair or Bulls Gall and Verdigrise prepared and it will be excellent But be sure to pursue the Operation according to our Directions otherwise you will labour in vain and in your heart understand our Intentions expressed in our Volumes so will you know truth from falsehood XXII To Calcine Mars Mars being filed is calcined in our Calcinatory Fornace until it is very well rubified and becomes a pouder impalpable without grinding And this is called Crocus Martis XXIII The Regimen of Mars Take of the Paste of Mars 2 pound of the Pastes of Venus and of Saturn ana 3 pound mix these without Ferment and decoct the mixture for seven days and you will find the whole dry Fix it and add to it half its weight of Litharge in powder which put into a Reductory Fornace so will you have a Mineral substance very profitable if you be wise CHAP. XLV Of the Alchymie of Venus I. THE Preparation of Venus Lay thin Copper Plates stratum superstratum with Common Salt prepared till the Vessel be full which cover firmly Lute and calcine in a fit Fornace for 24 hours Then take it out scrape off what is calcined and repeat the calcination of the Plates with new Salt as before repeating the Calcination so often till all the Plates are consumed For the Salt corrodes the superfluous humidity and combustible sulphureity and the fire elevates the fugitive
Nitre and Oyl of Tartar and you will find the Body of Venus white and splendid and fit for receiving its Medicine XVI The Preparation for the Red. Take filings of Venus 1 pound Sulphur 4 ounces grind them together Or cement Plates of Copper with Sulphur and so calcine wash the calcin'd with water of Salt and Alum and then with things reducing reduce it into a body clean and fit for the reception of the Red Tincture XVII Another Preparation for the Red. Calcine it with fire only and then dissolve a part thereof and likewise dissolve a part of Tutia calcin'd joyn both solutions and with the same imbibe the remaining part of the Calx of Venus 4 or 5 times Or you may make this Imbibition with Tutia alone dissolved provided that more of the Tutia than half of the Calx is be imbibed in the said Calx This done reduce with things reducing and you will have the Body of Venus clean and splendid which with a little help may be brought to an higher state if you have studiously penetrated into the Truth XVIII Another Preparation for the Red. Of Venus calcined per se or with the fire alone you may make an intense greenness called Flos Cupri vel Veneris Dissolve this greenness in Spirit of Vinegar and then congeal it afterwards with things reducing reduce the congelate which when reduced will be a Body fit for many Works XIX Medicines dealbating Venus of the first Order There is one Medicine for Bodies and another for Argent Vive and of Bodies one is of the first Order another of the second and another of the third and so likewise the first second and third of Argent Vive Of the Medicine of Bodies of the first Order we say there is one of hard Bodies and one of soft of hard Bodies there is one of Mars of which in the former Chapter one for Venus of which in this place and one for Luna of which in the next Chapter Of soft Bodies there is one for Saturn and another for Jupiter That of Venus and Mars is the pure dealbation of their substance but that of Luna the rubification of it with citrinity of a pleasing brightness which rubification is not given to Mars and Venus by Medicines of the first Order For being totally unclean they are unapt to receive the splendor of redness before they are fitted with a preparation inducing brightness There is one Medicine whitening Venus by Argent Vive and another by Arsenick The Medicine of Argent Vive is thus made First Argent Vive precipitated is dissolved then calcined Venus dissolved likewise These solutions are mixed and after they are coagulated they are projected upon the Body of Venus XX. Another way by Argent Vive Argent Vive and Litharge are dissolved a part and the solutions joyned together Calx of Venus also is dissolved and that solution joyned with the former and then coagulated together which projected upon Venus whitens it Or thus A quantity of Argent Vive is sublimed often from its body till part thereof remain with it with compleat ignition and this mixture is very often imbibed and ground with Spirit of Vinegar that it may the better be mixed in the profundity thereof then it is assated or moderately calcined and lastly fresh Argent Vive is in like manner sublimed from it and the remaining matter again imbibed and moderately calcined as before which work is so often to be repeated till a large quantity of Argent Vive reside in it with compleat ignition This is a good dealbation of the first Order XXI Another way thus Argent Vive in its proper nature is so often sublimed from Argent Vive precipitated till in it the same is fixed and admits good fusion This fused matter projected upon the Body of Venus peculiarly whitens it Or thus A Solution of Luna mixt with a solution of Litharge coagulated may be projected upon Venus but is indeed better whitened if Argent Vive be perpetrated in all the Medicines XXII The whitening of Venus with Arsenick of the first Order Take Calx of Venus from it sublime Arsenick by many Repetitions till it remains therewith and whitens it but if you be not well skilled in the ways of sublimation the Arsenick will not persevere in it without alteration Therefore after the first degree of sublimation repeat the work in the same manner as in the sublimation of Marchasite Chap. 40. Sect. 2.10 Or thus Project Arsenick sublimed upon Luna and then the whole upon Venus it dealbates it peculiarly Or first mix Litharge or burnt Lead dissolved with Luna and cast these upon Arsenick and project the whole upon Venus so will it be whitened and this is a good dealbation of the first Order XXIII Another way thus Upon Litharge alone dissolved and reduced project Arsenick sublimed and the whole upon Venus in flux it whitens the same admirably Or thus Let Venus and Luna be commixed and upon them project any of the above described dealbative Medicines For Luna is more friendly to Arsenick than to any of the other Bodies and therefore takes away fraction from it and Saturn secondarily and therefore we mix it with them Also we melt Arsenick sublimed that it may be all in a Lump which being broken we project piece after piece upon Venus We do it in pieces rather than in pouder because the pouder is more easily inflamed than a Lump and so more easily Vanishes before it can fall fiery hot upon the body XIV In like manner the Redness is taken away from Venus and it is whitened with Tutia But Tutia suffices not because it gives only a Citrine colour which is yet of affinity to Whiteness Any kind of Tutia is calcined and dissolved and the Calx of Venus also These Solutions are conjoyned and with them the Body of Venus is citrinated If you be well skill'd in this Work you will find profit Or thus Take Marchasite sublimed and proceed with it as with Argent Vive sublimed the way is the same and it whitens well XXV To make the White and the Red Medicines for Venus They are exactly made by the Rules or Prescripts delivered in Chap. 44. Sect. 19 20 21 22. aforegoing to which I shall here refer you for the Operations of those Medicines both for the White and Red in the Bodies of both Mars and Venus are one and the same XXVI To Calcine Venus Take Filings of Copper and put them to calcine either per se or with Arsenick poudred or with Sulphur being anointed with common Oyl calcine 3 or 4 days with a most strong fire strike what is calcin'd that it may fall from the Plates if you use Plates which again calcine The Calx beat fine re-calcine it till it is well rubified and keep it for use XXVII The Regiment of Venus and Saturn Take of the Paste of Venus 3 Pounds of Saturn 2 Pounds of the Ferment 1 pound Of these perfectly dissolved make
perfect Luna XIII The Regiment of Luna Dissolve and Coagulate it 7 times or at least 4 times and to it dissolved adjoyn the fixed Rubifying Waters which we shall declare and you will find the body aptly solar for it agrees with Sol and remains quietly with it In this Venus admirably well purged and dissolved may be a great help to you because a most clean tinging and fixed Sulphur may be extracted from it And I tell you that Mercury purified and fixed has power to palliate or illustrate the foulness of imperfect Bodies and fixed Sulphur extracted pure from bodies to tinge them with splendor XIV Hence you may gather a great Secret viz. That Mercury and Sulphur may be extracted as well from imperfect Bodies as from perfect For purified Spirits and middle Minerals are an help and very peculiar for deducing the Work to perfection XV. Another Regiment of Luna This is to reduce it to a more noble state Take Luna dissolved 3 Pounds of Venus dissolved 4 Pounds of Ferment dissolved 1 Pound conjoyn the dissolutions decoct them sor 7 days with gentle fire in a sealed glass as in Mars with their whole water then augment the fire leisurely for other 7 days and let it be as a fire of Sublimation For other 7 days give it fire yet stronger that the whole water may be fixed with it This pouder reduce in a small quantity and if it retains with it self part of the Mercury which you will easily perceive if you know how to calcine it is well indeed but if not put it again to be fixed until it is sufficiently fixt This must be reduced with red reducing Medicines so will you find your Luna tinged transmuted and fixed XVI The Ferment of Luna for the White It is made by dissolving Luna in its own Corrosive water and then boiling this water away to a third part it is to be exposed to the Air or set in B. M. or in Dung for certain days so will it be Oyl of Luna and Ferment which keep for the White Work XVII The Ferment of Ferments upon Mercury for the White Take of the Ferment of Luna which is its Oyl add to it twice as much of Arsenick sublimed and dissolved in water Quaer what Water then to both these add of Mercury dissolved as much as of the Arsenick mix the Waters set them over the fire for one day to be incorporated then draw off the water by an Alembick and cohobate fifteen times so incerating it will be fluid as fusible Wax Add to it as much Virgin-Wax melted commix them and project the mixture upon Mercury washed Quaere What is meant by washing here according as you see fit for that resolved is augmented in Virtue and Weight XVIII A Work upon Luna and Mercury Take Litharge Salt of Pot-Ashes mix and make a Cement Put the Cement first into a Crucible an Inch thick upon which put a Ball of the Amalgamation of Mercury and Luna upon which put the remainder of the Cement that the Ball may be in the middle Dry lute and set the Crucible in a gentle fire for half a day leisurely augmenting the fire and so continue its leisurely in crease from the Evening unto the dawning of the day with moderate ignition at last then take it out and prove it by Cineritium and it will be Luna in weight and surdity and much better in fixation XIX Another Work Amalgamate Luna with Mercury to which add as much Saturn as there is Luna put it into such a Crucible that a fourth part of it may be empty Affuse on it Oyl of Sulphur and decoct it unto the consumption of the Oyl Afterwards keep it for two hours in a moderate fire and there will be generated a black Stone with a little Redness This Stone prove by Cineritium and you will find your Luna augmented in Weight Surdity and Fixation XX. Another Work Take Luna amalgamated with Mercury Grind it with twice so much Metaline Arsenick to which a tenfold proportion of amalgamated Venus viz. That the Amalgamation of Venus may be 10 times as much as the whole Amalgama of Luna and Mercury mixed with the duple quantity of Arsenick grind the whole and fix Then reduce it into a Body and you will find a good augmentation XXI Of the Citrination of Luna or tinging its Body yellow Dissolve 〈◊〉 Philosophick Zyniar which is Verdigrise deduced from Venus prepared in the water of the dissolution of Luna Aqua Fortis to which adjoyn half so much as its self is of Mercury rubified by sublimation and in some sort fixed and dissolved to these add as much of Luna dissolved as the Zyniar Verdigrise is from which fermented for one day extract the water by distillation and cohobate 10 times then coagulate and reduce into a body and you will find it a good Work XXII Or thus Dissolve Zyniar 1 Ounce and our Crocus prepared with Mercury sublimate till it wax red 1 Ounce add as much Sal Armoniack and sublime it thrice from that Crocus which dissolve To which add of Luna dissolved 2 Ounces Then do as in the former incerating and reducing and you will find satisfaction XXIII Or thus Take of Crocus and Zyniar dissolved ana add as much Sol dissol ved incerate as before then coagulate to the coagulate add a fourth part of its weight of the Oyl of Salt-peter and project upon so much of Luna and will be a Tincture of a Citrine aspect XXIV Or thus Make a Water of our Zyniar and of our said Crocus and imbibe the Calces of Sol and Luna of each equal parts therewith until they have drunk in their own weight of it Then incerate with the Oyl of Sal Armoniack and Nitre and reduce the Mass into a Noble Body XXV Or thus Sublime Sal Armoniack from our greenness to which add Crocus and Zyniar from which well commixed sublime the Sal Armoniack and repeat it twice or thrice Then dissolve the whole to which add a third part of Gold dissolved incerate as before and congeal then project upon Sol 1 ounce Luna 2 Ounces mixed together and it will be good CHAP. XLVII Of the Alchimie of Sol. I. PErfect Bodies as Sol is need no preparation in relation to their farther perfection but that they may be more subtilized and attenuated we give you this Preparation Take Leaves of fine Sol which lay stratum superstratum with common Salt well prepared in a Vessel of Calcination Set it into a Fornace and calcine well for 3 days until the whole be subtily calcined Then take it grind it well wash it with Vinegar Quaer Whether Spirit of Vinegar or some other acid Spirit and dry it in the Sun Then grind it well with half its weight of prepared or purified Sal Armoniack and set it to be dissolved until the whole by help of the Common Salt and Sal Armoniack is reduced into a most clear water This is the pretious ferment for
their nature we see not a Coagulation of it to be made which is firm and stable but fugitive and of much infection Which indeed happens by reason of the flight of the Spirits but the other from the commixtion of the Adustible and Earthy substance of them XXI Hence then it is manifestly evident that from whatsoever thing the Medicine thereof is extracted that must necessarily be of a most subtil and most pure substance of its own nature adhereing to it and of liquefaction most easie and thin as water and also be fixed against the violence of fire For this will coagulate it and convert the same either into a Solar or Lunar nature Studiously exercise your self upon what we have spoken and you will find the Mystery out XXII But that you may not blame us as if we had not sufficiently spoken thereof we say that this Medicine is extracted from Metalick Bodies themselves with their Sulphur or Arsenick prepared Likewise from Sulphur alone or Arsenick prepared and it may be extracted from Bodies only But from Argent Vive alone it is more easily and more nearly and more perfectly found because nature more amicably embraceth its proper nature and in it more rejoyces than in any extraneous nature and in it is a facility of extraction of the substance thereof seeing it already hath a substance subtil in Act. Now the ways of acquiring this Medicine are by sublimation as is by us sufficiently declared And the way of fixing it follows But the way of Coagulating things dissolved is by a Glass in Sand with a temperate fire until their aquosity vanish XXIII The way of fixing Argent Vive is the same with the way of fixing Sulphur and Arsenick and these waies differ not unless that Sulphur and Arsnick cannot be fixed if their most thin inflamable parts be not separated from them with the subtil Artifice of dividing by this ultimate way of fixation But Argent Vive has not this confideration therefore in this method they need a greater heat than Argent Vive In like manner they are diversified because these Sulphur and Arsenick must be elevated higher by reason of their slowness than Argent Vive and also because they require a longer time to be fixt in and a longer Vessel for their fixation XXIV Of the Medicine Coagulating of Argent Vive It is taken from such matter as the matter it self is viz. as we have before declared and that is because Argent Vive seeing it is easily made to fly without any Inflamation may suddenly adhere to it in its profundity and be conjoyned with it in its least parts and likewise inspissate and conserve it in the fire by its own fixation until it be better able to sustain the force of Fire consuming its humidity and convert it by the benefit of this in a moment into true Solifick and Lunifick according to that for which the Medicine was prepared XXV But seeing we find not any thiug more to agree with it then That which is of its own nature therefore by reason of this we judged that with That the Medicine thereof might be compleated and we endeavoured by Art to make the Form of the Medicine agreeable to the same viz. That it be prepared in the method and way now mentioned with the instance of long continued labour by which all the subtil and most pure substance of it may be rendred perfectly White in Luna but intensly Citrine in Sol. XXVI Now this cannot be compleated so as to create a Citrine Color without the mixtion of a Thing tinging it which is of its own nature But with this most pure substance of Argent Vive the Medicine is perfected by this our Art which most nearly adheres to Argent Vive and is most easily fluxed and coagulates it for it converts it into a true Solifick and Lunifick with Preparation of that always preceeding XXVII The grand Question is from what things this substance of Argent Vive may best be extracted To which we Answer It must be taken from those things in which it is But according to Nature it is as well in Bodies as in Argent Vive it self seeing they are found to be of one Nature In Bodies more difficultly in Argent Vive more nigh or easily but not more perfectly Therefore of what kind soever the Medicine is to be the Medicine of this Pretious Stone must be as well sought in Bodies as in the substance of Argent Vive XXVIII But as to the Fixing of Argent Vive you must know that it may be done without being turned into Earth and likewise fixed with conversion of it into Earth For by hastening to its fixation which is made by precipitation it is fixed and turned into Earth Also by the successive sublimation of it often repeated it is fixed likewise and not changed into Earth but gives Metallick fusion This is manifest to and proved by him who has experienced both fixations thereof even to the Consummation of the Work both by the hasty precipitation and also by the slow with continually repeated sublimations XXIX This therefore is because it has a viscous and dense substance the sign of which is the grinding of it by Imbibition and mixtion with other things For Viscosity is manifestly perceived in it by the much adherency thereof That it has a dense substance he that has but one Eye may manifestly see by its aspect and by poising the vast Weight thereof For while it is in its own Nature it exceeds Gold in weight being of a most strong Composition Whence it is manifest that it may be fixed without consumption of its humidity and without conversion of it into Earth XXX For by reason of the good adherency of parts and the strength of its mixtion if the parts of it be any wise inspissate by Fire it permits it self no farther to be corrupted nor suffers it self by the Ingress of a furious flame into it to be elevated into fume because it admits not of Rarefaction of its self by reason of its density and want of Adustion which is made by combustible sulphureity which it hath not XXXI Hence is seen First The Causes of the Corruption of every of the Metals by fire which is 〈◊〉 From the Inclusion of a burning sulphureity in the profundity of their substance diminishing them by Inflamation and exterminating them also into fume with extream consumption of whatever Argent Vive is in them of good Fixation 2. From a multiplication upon them of an exterior flame penetrating and resolving them with it self into fume of how great fixation soever that which is in them is 3. From the Rarefaction of them by Calcination for that the flame or fire does then penetrate into and exterminate them Therefore if all Causes of Corruption concur such Bodies must needs be exceedingly corrupt But if not all the corruption is according to the number and proportion of the Causes which remain XXXII Secondly The Causes of
Goodness and purity of each Metal For seeing that Argent Vive for no Causes of Extermination permits it self to be divided into parts in its composition because it either with its whole substance receeds from the fire or with its whole remains permanent in it there is necessarily observed in it a cause of perfection For it is that which overcomes Fire and by Fire is not overcome but it amicably rests rejoycing therein possessing Perfection as we have found with an Approximate Potency XXXIII Of the Purification of Argent Vive It is cleansed two ways either by sublimation of which we have shewed the way already or by way of a Lavament of which the way is this Put Argent Vive into a Stone or Earthen Dish and pour upon it as much Vinegar as is sufficient to cover it Set it over a gentle fire and let it heat so far as you may well hold your Fingers in it and no more Then stir it about with your Fingers until it be divided into most small Particles in the similitude of Powder and continue stirring it until all the Vinegar be wholly consumed After which wash away the Earthiness remaining with Vinegar and cast it away Repeating this washing so often till the Earthiness of the Mercury is changed into a most perfect Coelestine colour which is a sign that it is throughly washed XXXIV Of the Nature of Argent Vive There is a necessity of removing its Superfluities for it has Causes of Corruption viz. an Earthy substance and an adustible watriness without Inflamation yet some have thought it to have no superfluous Earth and Uncleanness but that is vain and not true For we see it to consist of much lividness and not of whiteness we see also a black and Feculent Earth to be separated from it with easie Artifice by a Lavation as abovesaid But because we are by that to acquire a two-fold perfe ction viz. 1. To make a Medicine 2. To perfect it Therefore we must necessarily prepare the same by the degrees of a two-fold purification for two cleansings of Mercury are necessary One by Sublimation for the Medicine which shall be here shewed The other by a Lavament for coagulation which we have shewed at Sect. 33. above XXXV For if we would make a Medicine of it then there is a necessity to cleanse it from the foeculency of its Earthiness by sublimation least it create a livid color in projection and also to remove its sugitive watriness lest it make the whole Medicine fugitive in projection and to keep safe the middle substance thereof sor Medicine of which the Property is not to be burned but to defend from combustion and not to fly it self but to make sixed which is a perfection by manifold Experiences For we see Argent Vive more nearly to adhere to Argent Vive and to be more beloved by the same but next to it Gold has place and after that Silver XXXVI Wherefore bence it follows that Argent Vive is more friendly to its own nature but we see other Bodies not to have so great conformity to or unity with it and therefore we find them in very deed less to partake of the nature thereof And whatsoever Bodies we see more to defend from adustion those we judge to partake more of the nature of it therefore it is manifest that Argent Vive is the perfective and salvative from Adustion which is the Vltimate of Perfection XXXVII The second degree of its Purification is for its Coagulation And the washing away of its earthiness for one day only is sufficient for it the method of which washing we have largely declared at Sect. 33. aloregoing Being therefore so throughly washed project upon it the Medicine of Coagulation and it will be coagulated into a Solifick or Lunifick substance according as the Medicine was prepared From what is now said it is manifest that Argent Vive is not perfective in its nature but that matter is which is produced of it by our Art And so likewise is it in Sulphur and Arsenick Therefore in these it is not possible to follow nature but by our natural Artifice XXXVIII It is also undeniably manifest that bodies containing the greatest quantity of Argent Vive are bodies of perfection Wherefore it is to be supposed that those bodies are more nigh to perfection which more amicably imbibe Argent Vive The sign of this is the easie susception of Argent Vive by a Solar or Lunar body of Perfection For this same reason if a body altered do not easily receive Argent Vive into its Substance it must needs be very remote from this perfection spoken of XXXIX The preparation of Argent Vive Take of it one pound Vitriol Rubified two pounds Roch Alum Calcin'd one pound Common Salt half a pound Nitre four ounces Incorporate all together and sublime Gather the white and Dense and ponderous which will be found about the side of the Vessel and keep it for use Now if in the first Sublimation you shall finde it Turbid or Unclean which may be thro Carlesness sublime it again with the same Foeces and reserve it as before XL. The Regiment of Mercury It is done two ways 1. You must Amalgamate it well washed and purified as under directed 2. You must Distill it and thence make an Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Wine The first wav Take of Mercu ry 40 Ounces of Sol. of Luna of Venus of Saturn ana one Ounce melt these bodies first the Venus and Luna secondly the Sol thirdly Saturn Take all out of the Fire having melted them in a large Crucible and your Mercury in readiness made hot in another and when the said Metals begin to harden pouer in the Mercury Leisurly stirring the mixture with a stick setting it again on the Fire and taking it off untill they be all amalgamated with the whole Mercury This Amal gama put to be dissolved for seven days Extract the water with a Cloth make the residue Volatile giving Fire of Ignition This again imbibe with its whole water and put it to be generated and again to be dryed for forty days and you will finde a Stone which put to be fixed so will you have a Stone augmentable to Infinity In this Book we have expounded all things which we have written in divers Books XLI The sublimation of Mercury If you would perfectly sublime it you must add to every pound of it common Salt two pound and a half Salt-Peter half a pound mortify the Mercury wholly grinding it all together with Vinegar until nothing of the Mercury appear living in the mixture then sublime it according to Art It is a thing profitable XLII The Sublimatioa of Red Mercury Take one pound of it mix and perfectly grind it with Vitroil Nitre ana one pound and sublime it from them Red and splendid XLIII Out of all that has been said it appears with evident Demonstration that our Stone is procreated out
of the substance of Argent Vive But to unlock the Closure of Art you must study to resolve Luna or Sol into their own dry water which the vulgar call Mercury And it is so that a duodenary proportion of the solutive water may contain only one part of the perfect body For if with gentle fire you well govern these you will find in the space of 40 days the body converted into mere water and the sign of its perfect dissolution is blackness appearing on its Superfices XLIV But if you endeavour to perfect both Works the White and the Red dissolve each of the ferments by themselves and keep them This is Our Argent Vive extracted from Argent Vive which we intend for Ferment But the Paste to be fermented we extract in the usual man ner from imperfect bodies And of this we give you a general Rule which is That the White Paste is extracted from Jupiter and Saturn but the Red from Venus and Saturn But every Body must be dissolved by its self in the Ferment XLV Sulphur we have proved is corruptive of every kind of Perfection But Argent Vive is perfective in the Works of Nature with compleat Regiment So we not changing but imitating Nature in Works possible do likewise assume Argent Vive in the Magistery of this Work for a Medicine of each kind of Perfection viz. both Lunar and Solar as well of Imperfect Bodies as of Argent Vive Coagulable And seeing there is a twofold difference of Medicines one of Bodies but the other of Argent Vive truly coagulable we shall here discourse it XLVI The matter per se of this Medicine of every kind is one only already sufficiently known Take therefore that and if you will work according to the Lunar Order learn to be expert in Operating and prepare that with the known ways of this Magistery The intention of which is That you should divide the pure substance from it and fixt part thereof but leave a part for cerating and so proceeding through the whole Magistery till you compleat its desired fusion If it suddenly flows in hard Bodies it is perfect but in soft Bodies the contrary For this Medicine projected upon any of the Imperfect Bodies changes it into a perfect Lunar Body if the known Preparations have been first given to this Medicine But if not it leaves the same diminished yet in one only difference of Perfection it perfects as much as depends on the Administration of the Order of a Medicine of this kind But this due Administration not preceeding according to the third Order it perfects in projection only XLVII A Solar Medicine of the Second Order of every of the imperfect Bodies is the same matter and participates of the same Regiment of Preparation Yet in this it differs viz. in the greater subtilization of parts by proper ways of digestion and in the commixtion of subtil Sulphur under the Regimen of Preparation administred with the addition of the matter now known XLVIII The Regiment of it is the fixation of pure Sulphur and the solution thereof For with this the Medicine is tinged and with it projected upon every of the Bodies diminished from perfection it compleats the same in a Solar Complement as much as depends upon a Medicine of the Second Order the known and certain preparation of the imperfect body preceeding Also the same projected upon Luna perfects it much in a peculiar Solar compleatment THE SECOND BOOK OF GEBER ARABS CHAP. XLIX The Introduction to this Second Book I. THERE are two things to be determined viz. the Principles of this Magistery and the perfection of the same The Principles of this Art are the Ways or Methods of its Operations to which the Artist applys himself in the Work of this Magistery These ways are divers in themselves As 1. Sublimation 2. Descension 3. Distillation 4. Calcination 5. Solution 6. Coagulation 7. Fixation 8. Ceration All which we shall with much plainness declare II. The perfection consists 1. Of those things and from the consideration of those things by which it is attained 2. From the consideration of things helping 3. From the consideration of that thing which lastly perfects 4. And from that by which it is known whether the Magistery was in perfection or not III. The consideration of those things by which we attain to the Compleatment of the Work is the consideration of the Substance manifest and of manifest Colors and of the weight in every of the Bodies to be changed and of those Bodies that are not changed from the Radix of their Nature without that Artifice and the consideration of those likewise that are changed in the Radix of their Nature by Artifice with the consideration of the Principles of Bodies according as they are profound occult or manifest and according to their Natures with or without Artifice IV. For if Bodies and their Principles be not known in the profound or manifest properties of their Natures both with and without Artifice what is superfluous and what is wanting or defective in them cannot be known and our not knowing those would of necessity hinder us from ever attaining to the perfection of their Transmutation V. The consideration of things helping Perfection is the consideration of the Nature of those things which we see adhere to Bodies without Artifice and to make Mutation And these are Marchasite Magnesia Tutia Antimony and Lapis Lazuli And the consideration of those which without adherency cleanse Bodies such are Salts Allums Nitre Borax Vitriol and other things of like nature And the consideration of Glass of all sorts and things cleansing by a like nature VI. But the consideration of the thing that perfects is the consideration of chusing the pure Substance of Argent Vive and it is the Matter which from the Substance of that took beginning and of which it was created This Matter is not Argent Vive in its Nature nor in its whole Substance but it is part of it nor is it now but when the Stone is made for that illustrates and conserves from Adustion which is a signification of Perfection VII Lastly The consideration of the thing or certain Tryal and Examination by which it is known whether the Magistery be in Perfection or not arises from the consideration of 1. The Cupel 2. Cement 3. Ignition 4. Exposing it to the Vapours of Acid Things 5. Extinction 6. Commixtion of Sulphur burning Bodies 7. Reduction after Calcination 8. Susception of Argent Vive All which with the former we declare with their Causes from Experiences by which you may certainly know we have not erred CHAP. L. Of Sublimation Vessels Furnaces I. THe cause of the Invention of Sublimation was to unite Bodies with Spirits since nothing can possibly be united with a Body but a Spirit Or to find something that can contain in its self the nature both of Body and Spirit which being cast upon bodies without being first purified either give not
more subtil separation is made by distillation in Balneo than by a Distillation in Ashes or Sand. IX This is evident for Oyl distilled by Ashes is gross thick and foetid But that being rectified in Balneo the Oyl is separated into its Elemental parts so that from a most Red Oyl you have another most limpid white and serene the whole redness remaining in the bottom of the Vessel X. By this Operation we come to the determinate separation of all the Elements of every Vegetable and of that which from Vegetables proceeds to a Being and of every like thing But by that which is made by Descent we at tain the Oyl of every thing Vegetable determinately and of their like and by Filteration we accomplish the clearness of every liquid thing XI To Distil in Ashes You must have a strong earthen Pan and fitted to the Fornace like to the aforesaid Fornace of Sublimation with the same distance from the sides of the Fornace and with like Vent-holes upon the bottom of which Pan sifted Ashes must be put to the thickness of one Fingers breadth length almost and upon the Ashes the Retort or Distillatory must be set and covered round about with the same Ashes almost as high as to the neck of the Alembick Retort or Distillatory XII This done put in the matter to be distilled cover the Vessel with its Alembick the neck of which must inclose the neck of the Cucurbit or Vesica lest what is to be distilled should fly away Then lute the juncture and begin the Distillatiou But the Vesica Cucurbit Retort or Distillatory with the Alembick Head or Recipient must be both of Glass and the fire must be of strength according to the exigency or nature of the matter to be distilled and to be continued till all that should be distilled is come off XIII To distil in Balneo is like the former in a Cucurbit and Alembick save that you must have an Iron or Brass Pot fitted to the Fornace Upon the bottom of the pot within must be laid a Bed of Hay or Wooll or other like matter to the thickness of 3 Inches that the Cucurbit may not be broken and with the same the Cucurbit must be covered round about almost as high as the neck of the Alembick upon which lay sticks cross and upon them stones to hold the Cucurbit to the bottom of the Pot and keep it firm and steady that it be not raised by the Water nor be broken by its moving up and down Lastly Put in Water till the Pot be full which done kindle the fire and distil off the matter XIV To Distil by Descent You must have a Glass Descensory with its Cover and that put in which is to be Distilled and then the Cover luted on and fire made on the top or over it that the Liquor may descend XV. To Distil by Filtre Put the Liquor to be Distilled into an Earthen Stone or Glass Concha under which set another Vessel to receive the Distillation The larger part of the Filter put into the Liquor even to the bottom of the Concha leting the narrower part hang over the side thereof and over the under Vessel so will the Liquor fall down through the Filter in the lower Vessel without ceasing to the last drop Where note That if the Liquor be not clear enough the first time it must be so often repeated till it is as you desire it XVI The Distillatory Fornace is the same with the Sublimatory But Fire must be administred according to the exigency of things to be Distilled The way of doing which we have just now taught CHAP. LIII Of Calcination of Bodies and Spirits with their Causes and Methods I. CAlcination is the bringing a thing to Dust by Fire through an abstraction of its humidity holding the particles of the Body together II. The cause of the invention thereof is that the Adustive corrupting and defiling sulphureity may be abolished by Fire and it is 〈◊〉 according to the diversity of the things to be calcined for Bodies are calcined and Spirits are calcined as also other things foreign to these but with a divers intention III. And seeing there are imperfect Bodies of two kinds viz. Hard as Venus and Mars and Soft as Saturn and Jupiter all which are calcined there was a necessity of calcining them with a several intention viz. General and Special IV. They are calcined with one general Intention when that their corrupting and defiling Sulphureity may be abolished by Fire for every adustive Sulphureity which could not be removed without Calcination is thereby abolished from every thing whatsoever V. And because the Body it self is solid and by reason of that solidity the internal Sulphureity concealed within the continuity of the substance of Argent Vive is defended from Adustion therefore it was necessary to separate the Continuity thereof that the Fire coming freely to every its least parts might burn the Sulphureity from it and that the Continuity of Argent Vive might not defend it VI. The common inten tion also of Calcination is Depuration of the Earthiness for it is found that Bodies are cleansed by reiterated Calcination and Reduction as we shall hereafter shew VII Special Calcination is of Soft Bodies and with these two intentions that through it there may be an intention of Hardning and Fixing which is accomplished by an Ignitious repition of Calcination upon them and this is found true by Experience VIII But why the Calcination of Spirits was invented is that they may the better be fixed and the more easily dissolved in to Water for that every kind of thing Calcined is more fixed then the not Calcined and of easier solution and because the Particles of the Calcinated more subtilized by Fire are more easily mixed with Water and turned into Water IX The Calcination of other things is subservient to the Exigency of the Preparation of Spirits and Bodies of which Preparation we shall speak more at large in the following but these are not of Perfection X. The way of Calcination is divers by reason of the diversity of things to be Calcined for Bodies are otherwise Calcined than Spirits or other things And Bodies divers from each other are diversly Calcined Soft Bodies have one general way according to the intention viz. That both may be Calcined by Fire only and by the acuity of Salt prepared or unprepared XI The first Calcination by Fire is thus Have a Vessel of Iron or Earth formed like a Porringer which let be very strong and firm and fitted to the Fornace of Calcination so that underit the Coles may be cast in and blowed XII Then cast in your Lead or Tin the vessel being firmly set upon a Trivet of Iron or Stone and fastned to the Walls of the Fornace with 3 or 4 Stones being thrust in stiff between the Fornace sides and the Vessel that it may not move the form of the Fornace must be the same with the Form of
of Perfection if in the reiteration of their Cal cination and Reduction they loose nothing of their Goodness in respect of Color Weight Quantity or Lustre of which great care is to be taken in the manifold reiterations of these Operations if therefore by repeating the Calcination and Reduction of altered Metals they loose any thing in their differences of Goodness it is to be supposed you have not rightly persued the Art CHAP. LIV. Of Solution and its Cause I. SOlution is the reduction of a dry thing into Water and every perfection of Solution is compleated with subtile Waters such especially as are acute and sharp and Saline hav ing no Feces as Spirits of Vinegar of sower Grapes of acid Pears of Pomgranates and the like Distillod II. The case of this Invention was the Subtilezation of those things which neither have Fusion nor Ingress by which was lost the great advantage of fixed Spirits and of those things which are of their Nature For every thing which is dissolved must necessarily have the nature of Salt or Alum or their like III. And the nature of them is that they give Fusion before their Vitrification therefore Spirits dissolved will likewise give Fusion And since they in their own nature agree with Bodies and each with other Fusion being acquired they must by that of necessity penetrate Bodies and penetrating them transmute them IV. But they neither penetrate nor transmute without our Magistery or Art viz. That after Solution and Coagulation of the Body there be added to it some one of the Spirits purified not fixed and then to be so often sublimed from it till it remains with it and gives to it a more swift fusion and conserves the same in Fusion from Vitrification V. For the nature of Spirits is not to be Vitrified but to preserve the mixture from Vitrification as long as they are in it Therefore the Spirit which more retains the nature of Spirits more defends or preserves from Vitrification And a Spirit only purified more preserves than a Spirit purified calcined and dissolved Therefore there is a necessity of mingling such a Spirit with the body for from these there results good Fusion and Ingress and true Fixation VI. Now we can demonstrate by natural operation that things only holding the nature of Salts Alums and the like are soluble for in all nature we find no other things to dissolved but them therefore what things soever are dissolved must of necessity be dissolved by their nature or property VII Yet since we see all things truly calcined to be dissolved by reiteration of Calcination and Solution therefore we by that prove that all Calcinates approach to the nature of Salts and Alums and must of necessity be themselves attended with these properties VIII The way of solution is two-fold 1. By hot Dung and by boilng or hot water that is in Balneo of both which there is one intention and one effect IX To dissolve by Dung is That the Calcinate be put into a Glass Vessel up on which must be affused Spirit of Vinegar or the like double its weight Then the mouth of the Vessel must be so closed or stopt that nothing may go forth and the matter with its Vessel set in hot Dung to be dissolved and the solution afterwards filterated X. But that which is not yet dissolved must be again calcined and after Calcination in like manner dissolved until by repeating the labour the whole be dissolved as before which also filter XI The way of dissolving by boiling water is more speedy thus Put the Calcinate in like manner into its Vessel with Vinegar poured on it as before and the mouth being well clofed that nothing expire set the Vessel buried in Straw into a Pot full of water as in Distillation in Balneo then kindling the fire make the water boil for an hour which done decant the Solution and filtrate XII And that which is undissolved let it again be calcined and then again in the same manner dissolved which Work so often repeat till the whole is finished XIII The Dissolutory or dissolving Fornace is made with a pot full of water with Iron Instruments in which other Vessels are artificially retained that they fall not These are the Vessels in which every Dissolution is made XIV Bodies are in a twofold way brought to perfection either 1. By the way of Prepararion or 2. By commixtion of perfect Bodies with the Imperfect i. e. by Medicine prepared for the purpose XV. Now we say that the Body cleansed by the way of Calcination as aforesaid and Reduced must either be filed or Granulated thus being melted we pour it upon a Table-board full of small holes over cold water the water being well stirred while this is doing XVI The body thus granulated we put into our Dissolving water or AF. made of Nitre and Vitriol as to one half thereof or dissolve the filings of the same body in the said AF into a limpid water then add to it of Ferment prepared to a third part of its own weight Abstract the water and revert or cohobate it and repeat this 7 times After it is reduced into a Body prove it in its Examen and you will rejoyce for the Treasure you have found XVII And because we have treated of the perfect administration of Imperfect Bodies we should now give you the special true and certain Rule for every particular body but that being already done for Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus and Luna in their respective Chapters aforegoing where we treat of their Regiment we shall refer you thither XVIII Mercury also purified and fixed has power to take off or away the foulness of imperfect Bodies and to brighten or illustrate them And Fixed Sulphur extracted from bodies to tinge or colour them with splendor Hence you may learn a great Secret viz. That Mercury and Sulphur may be extracted as well from imperfect bodies rightly prepared as from the perfect Purified Spirits also and middle Minerals are a great help and very peculiar for bringing on the Work to perfection XIX The Dissolving Water or AF. Take Cyprus Vitriol 1 Pound Sal-Nitre half a Pound Roch Alum a fourth part Distil off the water with a red hot heat for it is very solutive and use it as we have before in several places taught This may be made more acute if in it you dissolve a fourth part of Sal Armoniack because that dissolves Gold Sulphur and Silver CHAP. LV. Of Coagulation and its Causes I. COagulation is the Reduction of a thing Liquid to a solid substance by deprivation of its moisture for which there is a two-fold Cause one is the Induration or hardening of Argent Vive of which we have already treated Chap. 48. Sect. 8. ad 23. The other is the freeing of Medicines dissolved from their Aquosity which is mixed or joyned with them and so is varied according to the kinds of things to be Coagulated II. The way of Coagulating things
is white a little livid crashing much a little sounding and something bright Of the Differences of which we have already spoken in their particular Chapters aforegoing XIV From which Causes of Difference according to more and less you must collect the order of the Preparations wherein we have shewed first The Preparation of Bodies afterwards of Argent Vive coagulable Now in the preparation of Bodies nothing of Superfluity is to be removed from their profound or inward Parts but rather from their manifest or outward CHAP. LIX Of the Medicine Tincture Elixir or Stone of the Philosophers in General 1. The five different Properties constituting this Medicine I. UNless every thing superfluous be taken away either by Medicine or preparation from imperfect Bodies viz. Every superfluous Sulphureity and every unclean Earthiness they cannot be purified so as that in Fusion they be not separated from the Commixtion after prolection of the Medicine altering them when you have formed this you have found one of the five differences of perfection II. Also if the Medicine do not illustrate and alter and alter into a White or Citrine Color according to what your intention is inducing a splendent brightness and admirable Lucidity Bodies diminished from perfection are not perfected to the utmost III. So also if it abides not Lunar or Solar Fusion it is not changed into perfection because it abides not in the Tryal but is altogether separated and receeds from the Commixtion which you may more amply determine by the Cineritium of which we shall speak hereafter IV. If likewise the Medicine be not perpetuated with 〈◊〉 firm alteration so that the Impression of Tincture and Finity is not permanent but vanishes in the Fire upon probation V. If it attains not to the weight of Perfection having the true ponderosity of Luna and Sol it is not firmly changed to a perfect compleatment of Nature for this weight is one of the signs of perfection Seeing therefore these differences of perfection are five there is a necessity that our Medicine should exhibit these Differences in Projection Also it is evident from hence That this Medicine must be prepared from Things having Affinity to Bodies readily altering and amicably adhering to them in their profundity But searching through Universal Nature we have found nothing which can do all this so well as Argent Vive prepared according to our Directions of which the true Medicine is made to the highest Perfection 2. The Preparations of the Medicine that it may give the aforesaid different Properties VI. Now since it changes not without the alteration of its Nature therefore it ought necessarily to be prepared that it may be mixed even in the profundity of Bodies viz. That its substance may be made such that it may be mixed even in the profundity of the Body alterable without separation for ever VII But this cannot be done without it be very much subtilized with certain and determinate sublimations as we have taught in Chap. 48. Sect. 3 4 5 6 7. aforegoing Likewise its Impression cannot be permanent unless it be fixed nor can it illustrate unless its most splendid substance be extracted from it according to Art with a fit fire VIII Nor can this Medicine have perfect Fusion unless great Caution be used in its fixation that it may soften hard Bodies and harden the soft And it can only do that when a sufficiency of its humidity is preserved proportionate to the necessity of the 〈◊〉 desired IX Whence it is evident that it should have such a Preparation as may make it a most fulgent and purely clean substance and fixed also but these things must be done with such great Caution in respect to the regulation of the fire and way of fixing that in removing its Humidity so much may be still left for compleat and perfect Fufion X. If by this Medicine you would soften Bodies hard of Fusion in the beginning of its Preparation a gentle sire must be adhibited For a soft fire is Conservative of Humidity and Perfective of Fusion XI There is also many other Considerations of the Weight with their Causes and Order The Cause of great weight is the subtiltv of the substance of Bodies and uniformity in their Essence By which the parts of them may be so condensed that nothing can come between And the Density of Parts is the encrease of weight and the Perfection thereof 3. The Six Properties of things from which the Medicine is extracted XII First They have in themselves an Earth most subtil and incombustible altogether fixed with its own proper Radical Humidity and apt for fixing XIII Secondly They have an airy and fiery Humidity so uniformly conjoyned to that Earth that if one be Volatile so is the residue And this same Humidity abides the fire beyond all Humidities even to the compleat termination of its own Inspissation without Evaporation inse parable from the Earth annexed to it with a compleat permanency XIV Thirdly The Disposition of their Natural Humidity is such that by help of its own Oleaginity in all differences of its Properties it contemperates the Earth annexed to it with such an Unctuosity and with such a Homogene and equal Union and bond of inseparable Conjunction that after the degree of final Preparation it gives a good Fusion XV. Fourthly The Oleaginous Property is of so great purity of Essence and so artificially cleansed from all Combustible matter that it burns not any Bodies with which it is conjoyned through their least parts but preserves them from Combustion Hermes Chap. 12. Sect. 5. aforegoing XVI Fifthly It has a Tincture in it self so clear and splendid White or Red clean and incombustible stable and fixed that the fire cannot prevail against it to change it Nor can Sulphurous Adustive or Sharp Corroding Bodies Corrupt and Defile the same XVII Sixthly The whole Compositum incerated with its final Compleatment is of so great Subtilty and Tenuity of Matter that after the end of its Decoction it remains in Projection of most thin Fusion like water andis is of profound Penetration to the greatest perfection of the Body to be Transmuted how Fixed soever it be adhering thereto with an inseparable Unity or Conjunction against the force of the strongest Fire and in that very hour by virtue of its own Spirituality reducing Bodies to Volatility 4. The Seven Properties of the Medicine it self XVIII First Oleaginity Giving in Projection Universal Fusion and Diffusion of the Matter For the first thing after Projection of the Tincture is the sudden and due Diffusion of the Medicine it self which is perfected and rendered Viscous with a Mineral Oleaginity XIX Secondly Tenuity of Matter or the Spiritual substance thereof flowing very thin in its Fusion like Water Penetrating to the Profundity of the Body to be Transmuted for that immediately after Fusion the Ingression thereof is necessary XX. Thirdly Affinity or Vicinity between the Elixir or Tincture and the Body to be Transmuted giving
substantiam Argenti vivi fixi etiam augmentat in eo suum nativum colorem pondus substantiam tincturam I. THE whole then of this Antimonial Secret is That we know how by it to extract or draw forth Argent Vive out of the Body of Magnesia not burning and this is Antimony and a Mercurial Sublimate II. That is you must extract a living and incombustible Water and then congeal or coagulate it with the perfect body of Sol i. e. fine Gold without allay which is done by dissolving it into a nature and white Substance of the consistency of Cream and made throughly white III. But first this Sol by putrefaction and resolution in this Water loseth all its light or brightness and will grow dark and black afterwards it will ascend above the Water and by little and little will swim upon it in a substance of a white colour IV. And this is the whitening of Red Laton to sublime it philosophically and to reduce it into its first Matter viz. into a white incombustible Sulphur and into a fixed Argent Vive V. And so the fixed moisture to wit Gold our Body by the reiterating of the Liquifaction or Dissolution in this our dissolving Water is changed and reduced into fixed Sulphur and fixed Argent Vive VI. Thus the perfect body of Sol resumeth Life in this Water it is revived inspired grows and is multiplied in its kind as all other things are VII For in this Water it so happens that the body compounded of two bodies viz. Sol and Luna is puffed up swells putrefies is raised up and does increase by receiving from the Vegetable and animated Nature and Substance VIII Our Water also or Vinegar aforesaid is the Vinegar of the Mountains i. e. of Sol and Luna and therefore it is mixed with Gold and Silver and sticks close to them perpetually and the body receiveth from this Water a white Tincture and shines with an inestimable brightness IX Who so therefore knows how to convert or change the body into a medicinal white Gold may easily by the same white Gold change all imperfect Metals into the best and finest Silver X. And this white Gold is called by the Philosophers Luna alba Philosophorum Argentum vivum album fixum Aurum Alchymiae and fumus albus And therefore without this our Antimonial Vinegar the Aurum album of the Philosophers cannot be made XI And because in our Vinegar there is a double substance of Argentum vivum the one from Antimony the other from Mercury Sublimate it does give a double weight and substance of fixed Argent vive and also augments therein the native colour weight substance and tincture thereof CHAP. V. Of other Operations of our secret Mineral Water and its Tincture I. NOstra igitur Aqua dissolutiva portat magnam Tincturam magnamque fusionem propterea quod quando sentit ignem communem si in ea est conpus perfectum Solis vel Lunae subitò illud fudi facit liquefieri conperti in suam substantiam albam ut ipsa est addit colorem pondus Tincturam corpori II. Est etiam solutiva omnium liquabilium est Aqua ponderosa viscosa praetiosa honoranda resolvens omnia corpora cruda in eorum primam Materiam hoc est in Terram pulverem viscosum id est in Sulphur Argentum vivum III. Si ergo posueris in illa Aqua quodcunque Metallum limatum vel attenuatum demittas per tempus in calore leni dissolvetur totum vertetur in aquam viscosam sive Oleum album ut dictum est IV. Et sic mollificat corpus praeparat ad fusionem liquefactionem imò facit omnia fusibilia id est lapides Metalla postea illis dat Spiritum Vitam V. Dissolvit ergo omnia solutione mirabili convertens corpus perfectum in Medicinam fusibilem fundentem penetrantem magis fixam augens pondus colorem VI. Operare ergo cum ea consequeris quod desideras ab ea Nam est Spiritus anima Solis Lunae Oleum Aqua dissolutiva fons balneum Mariae ignis contra naturam ignis bumidus ignis secretus occultus in visibilis VII Atque acetum acerrimum de quo quidam antiquus Philosophus dicit Rogavi Dominum ostendit mihi 〈◊〉 aquam nitidam quam cognovi esse purum acetum alterans penetrans digerens VIII Acetum inquam penetrativum Instrumentum movens ad putrefaciendum resolvendum reducendum aurum vel argentum in sui primam materiam IX Et est unicum agens in toto mundo in hac arte quod videlicet potest resolvere reincrudare corpora metallica sub conservatione suae speciei X. Est igitur solum medium aptum naturale per quod debemus resolvere corpora perfecta Solis Lunae mirabili solemni solutione sub conservatione suae speciei absque ulla destructione nisi ad novam nobiliorem meliorem formam sive generationem scilicet in lapidem perfectum philosophorum quod est secretum arcanum eorum mirabile XI Est autem aqua illa media quaedam substantia clara ut argentum purum quae debet recipere tincturas Solis Lunae ut congeletur convertatur in terram albam vivam XII Ista enim aqua eget corporibus perfectis ut cum illis post dissolutionem congeletur fixetur coaguletur in terram albam XIII Solutio autem eorum est etiam congelatio eorum Nam unam eandem habent opera tionem quia non solvitur unum quin congeletur alterum nec est alia aqua quae possit dissolvere corpora nisi illa quae permanet cum eis in materia forma XIV Imo permanens esse non potest nisi sit ex alterius natura ut fiant simul unum XV. Cum videris igitur a quam coagulare seipsam cum corporibus in ea solutis ratus esto scientiam methodum operationes tuas esse veras ac philosophicas teque in arte rectè procedere I OUR dissolving Water therefore carries with it a great Tincture and a great melting or dissolving because that when it feels the vulgar Fire if there be in it the pure or fine bodies of Sol or Luna it immediately melts them and converts them into its white Substance such as it self is and gives to the Body colour weight and tincture II. In it also is a power of liquifying or melting all things that can be melted or dissolved it is a Water ponderous viscous precious and worthy to be esteemed resolving all crude Bodies into their prima Materia or first Matter viz. into Earth and a viscous Pouder that is into Sulphur and Argentum vivum III. If therefore you put into this Water Leaves Filings or Calx of any Metal and set it in a gentle Heat for a time the whole will
be dissolved and converted into a viscous Water or white Oil as aforesaid IV. Thus it mollifies the Body and prepares it for fusion and liquesaction yea it makes all things fusible viz. Stones and Metals and afterwards gives them Spirit and Life V. And it dissolves all things with an admirable solution transmuting the perfect Body into a sufible Medicine melting or liquifying moreover fixing and augmenting the weight and colour VI. Work therefore with it and you shall obtain from it what you desire for it is the Spirit and Soul of Sol and Luna it is the Oyl the dissolving Water the Fountain the Balneum Mariae the praeternatural Fire the moist Fire the secret hidden and invisible Fire VII It is also the most acrid Vinegar concerning which an ancient Philosopher saith I bosought the Lord and He shewed me a pure clear Water which I knew to be the pure Vinegar altering penetrating and digesting VIII I say a penetrating Vinegar and the moving Instrument for putrifying resolving and reducing Gold or Silver into their Prima materia or first matter IX And it is the only agent in the Universe which in this Art is able to reincrudate Metallick Bodies with the conservation of their Species X. It is therefore the only apt and natural medium by which we ought to resolve the perfect Bodies of Sol and Luna by a wonderful and solemn dissolution with the conservation of the species and without any destruction unless it be to a new more noble and better form or generation viz. into the perfect Philosophers Stone which is their wonderful Secret and Arcanum XI Now this Water is a certain middle substance clear as fine Silver which ought to receive the Tinctures of Sol and Luna so as they may be congealed and changed into a white and living Earth XII For this water needs the perfect bodies that with them after the dissolution it may be congealed fixed and coagulated into a white Earth XIII But their solution is also their coagulation for they have one and the same operation because one is not dissolved but the other is congealed Nor is there any other water which can dissolve the Bodies but that which abideth with them in the matter and the form XIV It cannot be permanent unless it be of the nature of the other Bodies that they may be made one XV. When therefore you see the water coagulate it self with the Bodies that be dissolved therein be assured that thy knowledge way of working and the work it self are true and Philosophick and that you have done rightly according to art CHAP. VI. Of what Substance Metalls are to consist in order to this work I. ERgo natura emendatur in sua consimili natura id est aurum argen tum in nostra aqua emendantur aqua etiam cum ipsis corporibus quae etiam dicitur medium animae sine quo nihil agere possumus in arte ista II. Et est ignis vegetabilis animabilis mineralis conservativus spiritus fixi Solis Lunae destructor corporum ac victor quia destruit diruit atque mutat corpora formas metallicas facitque illas non esse corpora sed spiritum fixum III. Illasque convertit in substantiam humidam mollem fluidam habentem ingressum virtutem intrandi in alia corpora imperfecta misceri cum cis per minima illa tingere perficere IV. Quod quidem non poterant cum essent corpora metallica sicca dura quae nonhabent ingressum neque virtutem tingendi perficiendi imperfecta V. Benè igitur corpora convertimus in substantiam fluidam quia unaquaeque tinctura plus in millesima parte tingit in liquida substantia molli quam in sicca ut patet de creco VI. Ergo transmutatio metallorum imperfectorum est impossibilis fieri per corpora perfecta sicca nisi prius reducantur in primam materiam mollem fluidam VII Ex his oportet quod reventatur humidum reveletur absconditum Et hoc est reincrudare corpora id est decoquere mollire donec priventur corporalitate durâ siccâ VIII Quia siccum non ingreditur nec tingit nisi seipsum Corpus igitur siccum terreum non tingit nisi tingatur quia ut dictum spissum terreum non ingreditur nec tingit quia non intrat ergo non alterat IX Non idcirco tingit aurum donec spiritus ejus occultus extrahatur à ventre ejus per aquam nostram albam fiat omnino spiritualis albus fumus albus spiritus anima mirabilis I. THus you see that Nature is to be amended by its own like Nature that is Gold and Silver are to be exalted in our water as our water also with those Bodies which water is called the medium of the Soul without which nothing is to be done in this Art II. It is a Vegetable Mineral and Animal fire which conserves the fixed Spirits of Sol and Luna but destroys and conquers their Bodies For it destroys overturns and changes Bodies and metallick forms making them to be no Bodies but a fixed Spirit III. And it turns them into a humid substance soft and fluid which hath ingression and power to enter into other imperfect bodies and to mix with them in their smallest parts and to tinge them and make them perfect IV. But this they could not do while they remained in their metallick Forms or Bodies which were dry and hard whereby they could have no entrance into other things so as to tinge make perfect what was before imperfect V. It is necessary therefore to convert the Bodies of Metals into a fluid substance for that every tincture will tinge a thousand times more in a soft and liquid substance than when it is in a dry one as is plainly apparent in Saffron VI. Therefore the transmutation of imperfect Metals is impossible to be done by perfect Bodies while they are dry and hard for which cause sake they must be brought back into their first matter which is soft and fluid VII It appears therefore that the moisture must be reverted that the hidden treasure may be revealed And this is called the reincrudation of Bodies which is the decocting softning them till they lose their hard and dry substance or form because that which is dry does not enter into nor tinge any thing besides it self VIII Therefore the dry terrene Body doth not enter into nor tinge except its own body nor can it tinge except it be tinged because as I said before a thick drie earthy matter does not penetrate nor tinge and therefore because it cannot enter or penetrate it can make no alteration in the matter to be altered IX For this reason it is that Gold coloureth not until its internal or hidden spirit be drawn forth out of it bowels by this our white water and that it be made altogether a spiritual substance a
suum colorem album XIII Illa namque aqua fumus albus est ideo cum illa dealbatur corpus XIV Oportet ergo dealbare corpus rumpere libros inter illa duo id est inter corpus aquam est libido societas ut Maris Foeminae propter natura similis propinquitatem XV. Nam Aqua nostra viva secunda dicitur Azot abluens Latonem id est Corpus compositum ex Sole Luna per Aquam nostram primam dicitur etiam Anima corporum solutorum qusrum animas jam simul ligavimus ut serviant Sapientibus Philosophis XVI Quantum ergo pretiosa est magnifica haec Aqua Namque absque illa Opus non posset perfici Dicitur etiam vas naturae uterus matrix receptaculum tincturae terra nutrix XVII Et est Fons in quo se lavant Rex Regina Mater quam oportet ponere sigillare in ventre sui infantis qui est Sol qui ab ea processit ipsum parturiit ideo sese mutuo amant diligunt ut Mater Filius conjunguntur simul quoniam ab una eadem radice venerunt ejusdem substantiae naturae XVIII Et quoniam Aqua ista est Aqua vitae Vegetabilis ideo ipsa dat vitam facit vegetare crescere pullulare ipsum Corpus mortuum ipsum resuscitare de morte ad vitam solutione subli matione XIX Et in tali operatione vertitur Corpus in Spiritum Spiritus in Corpus tunc facta est amicitia pax concordia unio contrariorum id est Corporis Spiritus qui mutant invicem naturas suas quas recipiunt sibi communicant per minima XX. Sic quod calidum miscetur frigido siccum humido durum molli hoc modo fit mixtio naturarum contrararum frigidi scilicet cum calido humidi cum sicco at que admirabilis inter inimicos connexio I. THese Bodies thus dissolved by our water are called Argent Vive which is not without its Sulphur nor the Sulphur without the fixedness of Sol and Luna because Gold and Silver are the particular means or medium in the form through which Nature passes in the perfecting and compleating thereof II. And this Argent Vive is called our esteemed and valuable Salt being animated and pregnant and our fire for that it is nothing but Fire yet not fire but Sulphur and not Sulphur only but also Quicksilver drawn from Sol and Luna by our water and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Stone of Great price III. That is to say it is the matter or substance of Sol and Luna or Silver and Gold altered from Vileness to Nobility IV. Now you must note that this white Sulphur is the Father and Mother of the Metals it is our Mercury and the Mineral of Gold also the Soul and the ferment yea the Mineral Virtue and the living Body our Sulphur and our Quicksilver that is Sulphur of Sulphur Quicksilver of Quicksilver and Mercury of Mercury V. The Property therefore of our Water is that it melts or dissolves Gold and Silver and encreases their native Tincture or Color VI. For it changes their Bodies from being Corporeal into a Spirituality and it is this water which turns the Bodies or corporeal substance into a white vapour which is a Soul that is whiteness it self subtile hot and full of fire VII This water is also called the tinging or bloodcolour-making stone being the virtue of the Spiritual Tincture without which nothing can be done and it is the subject of all things that may be melted and of liquefaction it selt which agrees perfectly and unites closely with Sol and Luna from which it can never be separated VIII For it is joyned in affinity to the Gold and Silver but more immediately to the Gold than to the Silver which you are to take special notice of IX It is also called the medium of conjoyning the Tinctures of Sol and Luna with the inferior or imperfect Metals for it turns the Bodies into the true Tincture to tinge the said other imperfect Metals also it is the water which whiteneth as it is whiteness it self which quickeneth as it is a Soul and therefore as the Philosopher saith quickly entreth into its Body X. For it is a living water which comes to moisten the Earth that it may spring out and in its due season bring forth much fruit for all things springing from the Earth are educed through Dew or Moisture XI The Earth therefore springeth not forth without watering and moisture It is the water proceeding from May Dew that cleanseth the Body and like Rain it penetrates them and makes one new Body of two Bodies XII This Aqua Vitae or Water of Life being rightly ordered and disposed with the body it whitens it and converts or changes it into its white colour XIII For this water is a white vapour and therefore the Body is whitened with it XIV It behoves you therefore to whiten the Body and open its infoldings for between these two that is between the Body and the Water there is a desire and friendship like as between the Male and Female because of the propinquity and likeness of their Natures XV. Now this our second and living water is called Azoth the Water washing the Laten viz. the Body compounded of Sol and Luna by our first Water It is also called the Soul of the dissolved Bodies which Souls we have even now tied together for the use of the wise Philosopher XVI How precious then and how great a thing is this Water For without it the Work could never be done or perfected It is also called the Vas Naturae the Belly the Womb the Receptacle of the Tincture the Earth the Nurse XVII It is the Royal Fountain in which the King and Queen bathe themselves and the Mother which must be put into and sealed up within the belly of her Infant and that is Sol himself who proceeded from her and whom she brought forth and therefore they have loved one another as Mother and Son and are conjoyned together because they come from one and the same Root and are of the same Substance and Nature XVIII And because this Water is the Water of the Vegetable Life it causes the dead Body to vegetate increase and spring forth and to rise from Death to Life by being dissolved first and then sublimed XIX And in doing this the Body is converted into a Spirit and the Spirit afterwards into a Body and then is made the Amity the Peace the Concord and the Union of the Contraries to wit between the Body and the Spirit which reciprocally or mutually change their Natures which they receive and communicate one to another through their most minute parts XX. So that that which is hot is mixed with that which is cold the dry with the moist and the hard with the soft by which means
one another and by the Influence of Wisdom are converted the one into the other O Wisdom How thou makest the most fix'd Gold to be volatile and fugitive yea though by nature it is the most fixed of all things in the World XV. It is necessary there fore to dissolve and liquifie these Bodies by our Water and to make them a permanent or fixed Water a pure golden Water leaving in the bottom the gross earthy superfluous and dry Matter XVI And in this Subliming making thin and pure the Fire ought to be gentle but if in this Sublimation with a soft Fire the Bodies be not purified and the grofs or earthy parts thereof note this well be not separated from teh impurities of the Dead you shall not be able to perfect the Work XVII For thou needest nothing but that thin and subtil part of the dissolved Bodies which our Water will give thee if thou proceedest with a slow or gentle Fire by separating the things heterogene from the things homogene CHAP. X. Of the Separation of the pure Parts from the Impure I. REcipit ergo compositum mundationem per Ignem nostrum humidum aissol vendo scilicet sublimando quod purum album est ejectis foecibus ut vomitus qui sponte fit inquit Azinabam II. Nam in tali dissolutione sublimatione naturali fit Elementorum deligatio mun dificatio separatio puri ab impuro III. Ita ut purum album ascendat sursum impurum terreum fixum remaneat in fundo Aquae vasis IV. Quod est dimittendum removendum quoniam nullius est valoris recipiendo solum mediam substantiam albam fluentem fundentem dimittendo terram foeculentam quae remansit inferius in fundo V. Ex parte praecipuè Aquae quae est scoria Terra damnata quae nihil valet nec unquam aliquid boni praestare potest ut illa clara Materia alba pura nitida quam solam debemus accipere VI. Et ad hunc Caphareum Scopulum saepe numerò navis atque scientia discipulorum Philosophiae ut mihi etiam aliquando accidit imprudentissimè colliditur quia Philosophi saepissimè centrarium asserunt VII Nempe nihil removendum praeter humiditatem id est nigredinem quod tamen dicunt ac scribunt tantum ut possint decipere incautos qui absque Magistro aut indefatigabili lectura oratione ad Deum omnipotentem aureum hoc vellus avellere cupiunt VIII Notate igitur quod separatio diviso sublimatio ista absque dubio est Clavis totius Operis IX Igitur post putrefactionem dissolutionem horum Corporum Corpora nostra se elevant in altum usque ad superficiem Aquae dissolventis in colorem albedinis haec albedo est vita X. Nam in illa albedine Anima Antimonialis Mercurialis infunditur cum spiritibus Solis Lunae nutu naturae quae separat subtile ab spisso purum ab impuro XI Elevando paulatim partem subtilem Corporis à suis foecibus donec totum purum separetur elevetur XII Et in hoc completur nostra sublimatio philosophica naturalis XIII Et cum haec albedine infusa est in Corpore Anima id est virtus mineralis quae subtilior est Igne cum sit vera quinta essentia Vita quae nasci appetit sese spoliare à grossis foecibus terrestribus quae illi advenerant ex parte menstrualis corruptionis XIV Et in hoc est nostra philosophica sublimatio non in vulgari iniquo Mercurio qui nullas habet qualitates similes illisquibus ornatur Mercurius noster extractus à cavernis suis vitriolicis sed redeamus ad sublimationem I. THis Compositum then has its mundification or cleansing by our moist Fire which as Azinabam saith by dissolving and subliming that which is pure and white it casts forth or rejects its foecis or filth like a voluntary Vomit II. For in such a dissolution and natural Sublimation or lifting up there is a loosening or untying of the Elements and a cleansing and separation of the Pure from the Impure III. So that the pure and white substance ascends upwards and the impure and earthy remains fixed in the bottom of the Water and the Vessel IV. This must be taken away and removed because it is of no value taking only the middle white substance flowing and melted or dissolved rejecting the foeculent Earth which remains below in the bottom V. These Foeces were separated partly by the Water and are the Dross and Terra damnata which is of no value nor can do any such service as the clear white pure and clean Matter which is wholly and only to be taken and made use of VI. And against this Capharean Rock the Ship and Knowledge or Art of the young Philosopher is often as it happened also to me sometimes dasht together in pieces or destroyed because the Philosophers for the most part speak by the contraries VII That is to say That nothing must be removed or taken away except the moisture which is the blackness which notwithstanding they speak and write only to the unwary who without a Master indefatigable Reading or humble supplications to God Almighty would ravish away the Golden Fleece VIII It is therefore to be observed That this separation division and sublimation is without doubt the Key of the whole Work IX After the putrefaction then and dissolution of these Bodies our Bodies also ascend up to the top even to the surface of the dissolving Water in a whiteness of colour which whiteness is Life X. And in this whiteness the Antimonial and Mercurial Soul is by a natural compact infused into and joyned with the Spirits of Sol and Luna which separate the thin from the thick and the pure from the impure XI That is by lifting up by little and little the thin and pure part of the Body from the Foeces and Impurity until all the pure parts are separated and ascended XII And in this work is our natural and philosophical Sublimation compleated XIII Now in this whiteness is the Soul infused into the body to wit the mineral virtue which is more subtil than Fire being indeed the true Quintessence and Life which desires or hungers to be born again to put off the defilements and be spoiled of its gross earthy Foeces which it has taken from its menstruous Womb and corrupt place of its original XIV And in this is our Philosophical Sublimation not in the impure corrupt vulgar Mercury which has no properties or qualities like to those with which our Mercury drawn from its vitriolick Caverns is adorned But let us return to our Sublimation CHAP. XI Of the Soul which is extracted by our Water and made to ascend I. CErtissimum igitur est in arte ista quod Anima haec extracta à Corporibus elevari non potest nisi per appositionem
cordis dilectionem qua omnes simul ho mines ut mihi videtur amplector diligo verè amo XV. Sed ad artem redeundum Sanè opus nostrum citò persicitur nani quod calor Solis in 100. annis coquit in minerij terrae ad generandum unum metallum ut sepissime vidi Ignis noster secretus id est aqua nostra ignea sulphurea quae dicitur Balneum Mariae operatur brevi tempere I. IT sufficeth thee then to put the Bodies in the Vessel and into the Water once for all and to close the Vessel well until a true separation be made II. This the Obscure Artist calls Conjunction Sublimation Assation Extraction Putrefaction Ligation Desponsation Subtilization Generation c. III. Now that the whole Magistery may be perfected Work as in the Generation of Man and of every Vegetable put the Seed once into the Womb and shut it up well IV. Thus you may see that you need not many things and that this our work requires no great Charges for that as there is but one Stone there is but one Medicine one Vessel one order of working and one successive Disposition to the White and the Red. V. And altho we say in many places take this and take that yet we understand that it behoves us to take but one thing and put it once into the Vessel until the Work be perfected VI. But these things are so set down by the Obscure Philosophers to deceive the unwary as we have before spoken for is not this Ars Cabalistica or a secret and hidden Art Is it not an Art full of Secrets And believest thou O Fool that we plainly teach this Secret of Secrets taking out Words according to their litteral Signification VII Truly I tell thee that as for my Self I am no ways self-seeking or envious as others are but he that takes the Words of the other Philosophers according to their common Signification he even already having lost Ariadnes clue of Thread wanders in the midst of the Labyrinth multiplies Errors and casts away his Money for nought VIII And I Artephius after I became an Adept and had attained to the true and compleat Wisdom by studying the Books of the most faithful Hermes the speaker of Truth was sometimes Obscure also as the others were IX But when I had for the space of a Thousand Years or there abouts which are now passed over my Head since the time I was born to this day through the alone goodness of God Almighty by the use of this wonderful Quintessence X. When I say for so very long a time as a Thousand Years I found no Man that had found out or obtained this Hermetick Secret because of the obscurity of the Philosophers Words XI Being moved with a Generous Mind and the integrity of a good Man I have determined in these latter days of my Life to declare all things truly and sincerely that you may not want any thing for the perfecting of this Stone of the Philosophers XII Excepting one certain thing which is not lawful for me to discover to any because it is either revealed or made known by God himself or taught by some Master which notwithstanding he that can bend himself to the search of by the help of little Experience may easily learn in this Book XIII And in this Book I have therefore written the naked Truth altho clothed or disguised with a few Colours yet so that every good and wise Man may happily gather those desirable Apples of the Hesperides from this our Philosophers Tree XIV Wherefore Praises be given to the most high God who has poured into our Soul of his goodness and through a good old Age even an almost infinite number of Years has truly fill'd our Heart with his Love in which methinks I embrace cherish and truly love all Mankind together XV. But to return to our business Truly our Work is presently performed for that which the heat of the Sun is an hundred Years in doing of for the Generation of one Mettal in the bowels of the Earth our Secret Fire that is our Fiery and Sulphurous Water which is called Balneum Mariae doth as I have often seen in a very short time CHAP XIV Of the Easiness and Simplicity of this Work and of Our Philosophick Fire I. ET hoc opus non est gravis laboris illi qui scit intelligit atque non est materia illius tam chara cum parva quantitas sufficiat quod excusari quis possit ut ab opere manum suspendat II. Quia est adeo breve facile ut meritò dicatur opus mulierum ludus puerorum III. Age ergo gnaviter fili mi ora Deum lege assiduè libros liber enim librum aperit cogita profundè fuge res evanescentes in igne quia non habes intentum tuum in his re bus adustibilibus sed tantum in decoctione aquae tua ex luminaribus extractae IV. Nam ex ista aqua color pondus adducitur usque ad infinitum haec aqua est fumus albus qui in corporibus perfectis veluti anima defluit eorem nigredinem immunditiem ab eis penitus aufert corpora in unum consolidat eorum aquam multiplicat V. Et nihil est quod à corporibus perfectis id est a Sole Luna colorena possit auffere nisi Azoth id est nostra aqua quae colorat album reddit corpus rubeum secundum regimina sua VI. Sed loquamur de ignibus Ignis ergo noster mineralis est aequalis est continuus est non vaporat nisi nimium excitetur de sulphure participat aliunde sumitur quà m à materia omnia diruit solvit congelat calcinat est artificialis ad inveniendum VII Et compendium sine sumptu etiam saltem parvo est etiam humidus vaporosus digerens alterans penetrans subtilis aereus non violentus incomburens circundans continens unicus VIII Et est fons aquae vivae quae circuit continet locum ablutionis Regis Reginae in toto opere ignis iste humidus tibi sufficit in principio medio fine quia in ipso tota ars consistit IX Et est ignis naturalis contra naturam in naturalis sine adustione pro corrollario est ignis calidus siccus humidus frigidus cogitate super haec facite recte absque natura extranea X. Quod si hos ignes non intelligitis audite haec ex abstrusiori occulta antiquorum de ignibus cavilatione nunquam in libris hucusque scripta I. NOW this Operation or Work is a thing of no great Labour to him that knows and understands it nor is the Matter so dear considering how small a quantity does suffice that it may cause any Man to withdraw his hand from it II. It is indeed a Work so short and easie that it may well be called a
Womans Work and the Play of Children III. Go to then my Son put up thy Supplications to God Almighty be dilligent in searching the Books of the Learned in this Science for one Book openeth another think and meditate of these things profoundly and avoid all things which vanish in or will not endure the Fire because from those adustible perishing or consuming things you can never attain to the perfect matter which is only found in the digesting of your Water extracted from Sol and Luna IV. For by this Water Colour and Ponderosity or Weight are infinitely given to the matter and this Water is a white Vapor which like a Soul flows through the perfect Bodies taking wholly from them their blackness and impurities uniting the two bodies in one and increasing their Water V. Nor is there any other thing than Azoth to wit this our Water which can take from the perfect bodies of Sol and Luna their natural Colour making the red Body white according to the Disposition thereof VI. Now let us speak of the Fire Our Fire then is Mineral equal continuous it fumes not unless it be too much stirred up participates of Sulphur and is taken from other things than from the Matter it over-turns all things dissolves congeals and calcines and is to be found out by Art or after an Artificial manner VII It is a compendious thing gotten without cost or charge or at least without any great purchase it is humid vaporous digestive altering penetrating subtile spirituous not violent incombustible circumspective continent and one only thing VIII It is also a Fountain of living Water which circumvolveth and contains the place in which the King and Queen bathe themselves through the whole Work this moist Fire is sufficient in the beginning middle and end because in it the whole Art does consist IX This is the natural Fire which is yet against Nature not natural and which burns not and lastly this Fire is hot cold dry moist meditate on these things and proceed directly without any thing of a forreign Nature X. If you understand not these Fires give ear to what I have yet to say never as yet written in any book but drawn from the more abstruse and occult Riddles of the Ancients CHAP. XV. Of the three kinds of Fires of the Philosophers in particular I. TRES proprìe habemus ignes sine quibus ars non perficitur qui absque illis laborat in unum curas sus cipit II. Primus est lampadis is continuus est humidus vaporosus aêreus artificialis ad inveniendum III. Nam lampas debet esse proportionata ad clausuram in hac utendum est magno judicio quod non pervenit ad artificem dura cervicis IV. Quia si ignis lampadis non est geometricè debitè proportionatus aut per defectum caloris non videbis signa in tempore designata atque prae nimia mora expectatio aufugiet tua aut 〈◊〉 ardore nimio flores auri cemburentur laborem tuum iniquè deflebis V. Secundus ignis est cinerum in quibus vasrecluditur Hermeticè sigillatum aut polius est calor ille suavissimus qui ex vapore temperato lampadis circuit aequaliter vas VI. Hic violentus non eft nisi nimium excitetur digerens est alterans est ex alio corpore quam à materia sumitur unicus est est etiam humidus innaturalis c. VII Tertius est ignis ille naturalis aquae nostrae quae vocatur etiam contra naturam quia est aqua nihilominus ex auro facit merum spiritum quod ignis communis facere non potest VIII Hic mineralis est aequalis est de sulphure participat omnia diruit congelat solvit ac calcinat hic est penetrans subtilis incomburens est fons aquae vivae in quo se lavant Rex Regina quo indigemus in toto opere in principio medio fine IX Aliis vero duobus supradictis non sed tantum aliquando c. X. Conjunge ergo in legendis libris philosophorum hos tres ignes proculdubio intellectus eorum de ignibus non te latebit I. WE have properly three Fires without which this our Art cannot be perfected and whosoever works without them takes a great deal of Labour in vain II. The First Fire is that of the Lamp which is continuous humid vaporous Spiritous and found out by Art III. This Lamp-fire ought to be proportioned to the enclosure wherein you must use great Judgment which none can attain to but he that can bend to the search thereof IV. For if this Fire of the Lamp be not measured and duly proportioned or fitted to the Fornace it will be that either for want of heat you will not see the expected Signs in their limited times whereby you will lose your hopes and expectation by a too long delay Or else by reason of too much heat you will burn the Flores Auri the Golden Flowers and so foolishly bewail your lost Expence V. The Second Fire is Ignis Cinerum an Ash heat in which the Vessel hermetically sealed is recluded or buried Or rather it is that most sweet and gentle heat which proceeding from the temperate Vapours of the Lamp does equally surround your Vessel VI. This Fire is not violent or forcing except it be too much excited or stirred up it is a Fire digestive alterative and taken from another body than the matter being but one only moist also and not natural VII The Third Fire is the natural Fire of our Water which is also called the Fire against nature because it is Water and yet nevertheless it makes a mere Spirit of Gold which common Fire is not able to do VIII This Fire is Mineral equal and participates of Sulphur it overturns or destroys congeals dissolves and calcines it is penetrating subtil incombustible and not burning and is the fountain of Living Water wherein the King and Queen bathe themselves whose help we stand in need of through the whole Work through the beginning middle and end IX But the other Two above-mentioned we have not always occasion for but only at some times X. In reading therefore the books of Philosophers conjoin these Three Fires in your Judgment and without doubt you will understand whatever they have wrote of them CHAP. XVI Of the Colours of Our Philosophick Tincture or Stone I. QUoad Colores qui non nigrefacit dealbare non potest quia nigredo est albedinis principium signum putrefactionis alterationis quod corpus penetratum mortificatum jam est II. Ergo in hac putrefactione in hac aqua primò apparet nigredo sicut brodium saginatum piperatum III. Secundò terra nigra continuò decoquendo dealbatur quia anima horum supernatat ut remor albus in hac albedine uniuntur omnes spiritus sic quod denuò aufugere non possunt IV. Et
naturam retineat convertat in naturam albam XVI Quod si vis rubificare oportet coquere album istud in igne sicco continuo donec rubificetur ut sanguis qui nihil erit aliud quam aqua ignis tinctura vera XVII Et sic per ignem siccum continuum emendatur albedo citrinatur acquirit rubedinem colorem verum fixum XVIII Quantò ergo magis coquitur magis coloratur fit tinctura intentioris rubedinis XIX Quare oportet igne sicco calcinatione sicca absque humore compositum coquere donec rubicundissimo vestiatur colore tunc erit perfectum Elixir I. DIssolve then Sol and Luna in our dissolving Water which is familiar and friendly and the next in nature unto them and is also sweet and pleasant to them and as it were a Womb a Mother an Original the beginning and the end of their Life II. And that is the very Reason why they are meliorated or amended in this Water because like nature rejoiceth in like nature and like nature retains like nature being joined the one to the other in a true Marriage by which they are made one Nature one new Body raised again from the dead and immortal III. Thus it behoves you to join Consanguinity or sameness of kind with sameness of kind by which these natures will meet and follow one another purifie themselves generate and make one another rejoice for that like nature now is disposed by like nature even that which is nearest and most friendly to it IV. Our Water then saith Danthin is the most beautiful lovely and clear Fountain prepared only for the King and Queen whom it knows very well and they it V. For it attracts them to its self and they abide therein for two or three days to wit two or three months to wash themselves therewith whereby they are made young again and beautiful VI. And because Sol and Luna have their Original from this Water their Mother it is necessary therefore that they enter into it again to wit into their Mothers Womb that they may be regenerate or born again and made more healthy more noble and more strong VII If therefore these do not die and be converted into Water they remain alone or as they were and without Fruit but if they die and are resolved in our Water they bring forth Fruit an hundred-fold and from that very place in which they seem'd to perish from thence shall they appear to be that which they were not before VIII Let therefore the Spirit of our living Water be with all care and industry fixed with Sol and Luna for that they being converted into the nature of Water become dead and appear like to the Dead from whence afterwards being revived they encrease and multiply even as do all sorts of Vegetable Substances IX It suffices then to dispose the Matter sufficiently without because that within it sufficiently disposes it self for the Perfection of its own work X. For it has in it self a certain and inherent motion according to the true way and Method and a much better order than it is possible for any Man to invent or think of XI For this Cause it is that you need only to prepare the matter Nature her self alone will perfect it and if she be not hindred by some contrary thing she will not over-pass her own certain motion neither in conceiving or generating nor in bringing forth XII Wherefore after the preparation of the matter beware only lest by too much heat or fire you inflame the Bathe or make it too hot Secondly take heed lest the Spirit should exhale lest it hurts the Operator to wit lest it destroys the work and induces many infirmities as sadness trouble vexation discontent XIII From these things which have been spoken this Axiom is manifest to wit that he can never know the necessary course of Nature in the making or generating of Mettals who is ignorant of the way of destroying them XIV You must therefore join them together that are of one consanguinity or kindred for like natures do find out and join with their like natures and by putrifying themselves together are mixed together and mortifie themselves XV. It is needful therefore to know this Corruption and Generation and how the natures do embrace one another and are brought to a fixity in a slow or gentle fire how like nature rejoiceth with like nature how they retain one another and are converted into a white subsistencie XVI This white substance if you will make it Red you must continually decoct it in a dry Fire till it is rubified or becomes red as blood which is then nothing but water fire and the true tincture XVII And so by a continual dry fire the whiteness is changed removed perfected made citrine and still digested till it comes to a true red and fixed colour XVIII And consequently by how much more this red is decocted in this gentle heat by so much the more it is heightned in Colour and made a true Tincture of perfect Redness XIX Wherefore with a dry Fire and a dry Calcination without any moisture you must decoct this Compositum till it be invested with a most perfect red Colour and then it will be the true and perfect Elixir CHAP. XVIII Of the Multiplication of the Philosophick Tincture I. SI postea velis illum multiplicare oportet iteratò resolvere illud rubeum in nova aqua dissolutiva iterato coctione dealbare rubificare per gradus ignis reiterando primum regimen II. Solve gela reitera claudendo aperiendo multiplicando in quantitate qualitate at tumm placitum III. Quia per novam corruptionem generationem iterum introducitur novus motus IV. Et sic non possemus adipisci finem si semper operari vellemus per reiteratienem solutionis coagulationis mediante aqua nostra dissolutiva id est dissolvendo congelando ut dictum est per primum regimem V. Et sic ejus virtus augmentatur multiplicatur in quantitate qualitate ita quod si in primo opere receperit centum in secundo habebis mille in tertio decem millia VI. Et sic prosequendo veniet projectio tua usque ad infinitum tingendo verè perfectè fixe omnem quantamcumque quantitatem VII Et sic per rem vilis pretij additur color virtus pondus VIII Ignis ergo noster Azoth tibi sufficiunt coque coque reitera solve gela sic continua ad tuum placi tum multiplicando quantum volueris donec medicina tua fiat fusibilis ut cera habeat quantitatem virtutem optatam IX Est ergo totius operis sive lapidis secundi not a bene complementum ut sumatur corpus perfectum quod ponas in nostra aqua in domo vitrea benè clausa obturata cum cemento 〈◊〉 aer intret aut humidit as introclusa
with moisture you may have a blackness by fire XXXII But here you must have a blackness which comes from the perfect Metallick Bodies and lasts a long space of time nor can be destroyed in less than the space of five Months after which immediately follows the desired whiteness if you have this you have enough but not all XXXIII The blueish and yellowish colours signifie that solution and 〈◊〉 is not yet finished and that the colours of Our Mercury are not as yet well mingled and rotten or putrified with the rest XXXIV This 〈◊〉 them and these colours plainly demonstrate that the matter or composition begins to rot or putrifie and resolve into powder siner and smaller than the Atoms in the Sun the which is afterwards changed into a permanent or fixed water XXXV This dissolution by the AEnigmatick Philosophers is called Death Destruction Perdition because that the Natures change their form and from hence they raised so many Allegories of Dead Men Tombs Sepulchres c. XXXVI Others have called it Calcination Denudation Separation Trituration and Assation because the Compositum is changed and reduced into most small Atoms and parts XXXVII Others have called it Reduction into the first matter Mollification Extraction Commixtion Liquefaction Conversion of Elements Subtillization Division Humation Impastation and Distillation because that the particulars of the Compositum are melted brought back into seed softned or meliorated and Circulated within the Glass XXXVIII Others have called it Ixir Iris Putrefaction Corruption Cymmerian darkness a Gulf Hell Dragons Generation Ingression Submersion Complexion Conjunction and Impregnation because that the matter is black and waterish that the Natures are perfectly mixed and now subsist one by another XXXIX For when the heat of the Sun works upon him they are converted first into a Powder or into a fat and glutinous Water which feeling the heat flies on high to the top or head with the Vapour or Fume with the Wind and Air. XL. From thence this wa ter drawn out of the matter or Compositum descendeth again and in descending reduces and resolves as much as may be the rest of the Compositum continually doing so till the whole be like a black Broth somewhat fat XLI A while after this water begins to coagulate or thicken somewhat more growing very black like to Pitch Lastly comes the Body and Earth which the Obscure Philosophers have called Terra foetidae XLII For then by reason of the perfect or compleat putrefaction which is as natural as any can be this Earth stinks and yields a smell like to the Scent of Graves filled with rotten and putrified Carkases not yet perfectly consumed XLIII This Earth was called by Hermes Terra foliata but its true and proper Name is Leton or Laten which must afterwards be whitened XLIV The Ancient Philosophers who were Cabalists have decyphred it in their Metamorphoses under the History of the Serpent of Mars which devoured the Companions of Cadmus who slew him by piercing him with his Lance against a hollow Oak which Oak you ought seriously to contemplate and consider CHAP. XXX Of the Man and Woman cloathed in an Orange coloured Gown in a Field Azure and Blue with their Motto's I. THe Man depicted in that Figure exactly resembles my self even as the Woman does lively represent Perrenelle But the representation to the life was of no necessity as to this work to figure forth a Male and a Female was all that our design required which answers to our Sulphur and Mercury II. It was the Painters pleasure to put our resemblance upon those Figures as he did in those kneeling by the feet of the Apostles Paul and Peter according to what we were in our youthful days III. These here then I made to be painted one a Male the other a Female to teach thee that in this second Operation thou hast truly but not perfectly two natures conjoyned and Married together the Masouline and the Feminine or rather the 4 Elements IV. And that the four natural Enemies the hot and cold the dry and moist begin to approach kindly one to another and by means of the Mediators or Peace-makers lay down by little and little the ancient Animosity or Enmity of the old Chaos V. Who these peace-makers are you must know between the hot and the cold there is moisture who is of the Kindred and allied to them both to the hot by its heat and to the cold by its moisture VI. And to begin this Conciliation you must as in the precedent operation first convert all the Bodies or the whole Compositum into water by Dissolution VII And afterwards you must coagulate this water which will be turned into black earth black even of the most black whereby this Peace and Union will be wholly and most happily accomplished VIII For the Earth which is cold and dry finding it self akin and allyed to the dry and moist which are Enemies will wholly conciliate and unite them IX Thus have you a perfect mixture of all the four Elements having first turned them into Water and afterwards into Earth I will hereafter teach you other Conversions into Air when it shall be made all White and into Fire when it shall be converted into a most perfect Purple X. Thus have you two Natures Conjoyned or Married together whereby the one conceives by the other and by this Conception the Female is Converted into the body of the Male and the Male into the body of the Female XI That is to say they are made one only body which is the Androgyre or Hermophrodite of the Ancients which they have called The Crow's Head or Nature Converted XII In this manner therefore I depict them here because you have two Natures reconciled which if they be order'd and managed wisely will form an Embrion in the Womb of the Vessel and afterwards bring forth a beautiful birth which will prove a most Powerful and Invincible King incorruptible and also be a most admirable quintessence XIII Thus have you the principal and most necessary Reason or Cause of this Representation The other Cause which is also well to be noted from the necessity of having two bodies for that in this Operation you must divide that which has been coagulated to give an afternourishment of the Milk of Life to the little Infant when it is born which is endued by the Living God with a Vegetable Soul XIV This is a rare and admirable secret which for want of 〈◊〉 right understanding has made Fools of all such as have erred in seeking after it but has made him wise who has viewed it with the Eye of his Mind XV. This Coagulated body you must divide into two parts the one of which shall serve for Azoth which is to wash and cleanse the other which is called Laten which must be whitened XVI He which is washed is the Serpent 〈◊〉 who takes his beginning or Original from the Corruption of the Earth gathered together by the Waters
of the Deluge when the whole Composition was water XVII This Serpent must be slain or 〈◊〉 and overcome by the Arrows of Apollo by the yellow Sol that is to say by our fire which is equal too that of the Sun XVIII He who 〈◊〉 or rather the Washings which must be continued with the other half are the Teeth of that serpent which the Wife 〈◊〉 will sow in the Earth from whence shall spring up Armed Men who in the end shall 〈◊〉 themselves suffering themselves by opposition to resolve into the same nature of the Earth and the Artist to obtain his deserved Conquests XIX It is of this very thing that the Philosophers have 〈◊〉 written and so often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissolves it self it 〈◊〉 it self it makes it self Black it makes it self White it 〈◊〉 it self and makes it self alive again XX. I caused their Field to be painted Azure and Blue to shew that we do now but begin to get out from the most black darkness For that the Azure and Blue is one of the first Colours that the dark Woman let us see to wit moisture giving place a little to heat and dryness XXI The Man and Woman are almost all Orange colourd to 〈◊〉 that our Bodies or our body's which the Philosophers here call Rebis are not yet decocted enough and that the 〈◊〉 from whence the black Blue and Azure comes is but half vanquished by the dryness XXII For when the 〈◊〉 has got the Dominion all will be white and when it fights with or is equal to the moisture all will be in part according to these present colours XXIII The Philosophers have also called the Compositum in this Operation Nummus 〈◊〉 Arena Boritis 〈◊〉 Cambar Albar 〈◊〉 c. which they have commanded to make white XXIV The Womans Motto is as it were in a white Circle round about her body to shew that Rebis will become white in that very manner beginning first at the Extremities round about the white Circle XXV In Schola 〈◊〉 it is said That the Sign of the first perfect whiteness is the manifestation of a little Circle of hair which is 〈◊〉 over the Head and will appear on the sides of the 〈◊〉 round about the matter in a kind of a 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Colour XXVI The Motto belonging to the Male is Homo veniet ad judicium Dei That belonging to the Female is Vere illa dies 〈◊〉 These are not Sentences of Holy Scripture but only words which speak according to the Theological sense of the Judgment to come XXVII I have put them there not only for the Theological sense concerning the Resurrection which may serve them which only behold the outward Figures but know nothing of the Scientifick Mystery XXVIII But also for them who gathering together the AEnigmas and Parables of the Science and viewing them with Lynceus's Eyes are able to pierce in to the mysterious sense through the visible Objects XXIX Thus then Man shall come to the Judgment of God it signifies that to bring the Compositum or Matter to the colour of perfection it must be judged that is cleansed from all its blackness and Filth be spiritualized and whitened XXX Again Surely that day will be terrible Such indeed is the day of cleansing and purifying Horrour holds the body in Prison for the space of fourscore days in the darkness of the waters in the extream heat of the Sun and in the Troubles of the Sea XXXI All which things ought first to pass over before our King can become white arising from Death to Life to Conquer and overcome all his Enemies XXXII To make you understand something better this Allification or Whitening which is harder and more difficult than all the rest for till that time you may err at every step but afterwards you cannot except you break your Vessels I give you the following Explication CHAP. XXXI Of the Figure like Paul the Apostle cloathed with a White and Yellow Robe bordered with Gold holding a naked Sword with a Man kneeling by his Feet clad in a Robe of Orange Colour Black and White with his Motto I. VIew well this Man cloathed in a Robe intirely of a Yellowish White and see him as it were turning his Body so as if he would take the naked Sword either to cut off the Head or do some other thing to the Man kneeling by his feet clothed in a Robe of Orange colour White and Black who crys out Dele mala quaetion Blot out all the evil which I have done II. As if he should say Tolle nigredinem Take away from me my blackness which is a term of Art For Evil signifies in the Allegory Blackness as you may often read in Turba Philosophorum Deeoct it until it come to Blackness which will be thought evil III. But would you know what is meant by this Man taking the Sword into his hand Truly it signifies that you must cut off the Head of the 〈◊〉 to wit of the Man clothed in divers Colours kneeling IV. I have taken this Portraicture and Figure out of Hermes Trismegistus his Book of the secret Art where he saith Take away the Head of the Black Man cut off the Head of the Crow all which signifies no more than these few words Whiten our Black V. Lambspring that Noble German hath also used it in the Commentary of his Hierogly phicks where he saith In this Wood there is a Beast all over covered with Black if any one cut off his Head he will loose his blackness and put on a most white Colour VI. Will you understand saith he what that is The blackness is called the Head of the Crow the which being taken away at that instant comes the white colour which is as much as to say that when the Cloud appears no more this Body is said to be without an head These are his words VII In the same sense the Wise Men have also said in other places Take the Viper called Derexa and cut off his Head c. That is to say Take away from him all his Blackness VIII They have also used this Periphrasis When they would express the multiplication of the stone they have feigned the Serpent Hydra for that it is 〈◊〉 that if one Head be cut off there will spring up ten in the place thereof IX For the stone multiplies or encreases it self ten fold every time that they cut off this Head of the Crow that they make it black and afterwards white that is to say that they dissolve it anew and afterwards make it white again viz. They dissolve it anew and afterwards coagulate it again X. Observe also how the naked Sword is wreathed about with a black Girdle yet that the ends thereof are naked and bare and not wreathed at all XI This naked shining Sword is the stone for the White or the White-stone so often by the Philosophers described under this Form XII To come then to this perfect and sparkling whiteness you must
know what the wreath of this black Girdle signifies and follow that which they teach you which is the quantity of the Imbibitions XIII The two ends which are not wreathed about at all represent the begining and the ending for the begining it shews you that you must Imbibe it at the first time gently and sparingly giving it then a little Milk as to a Child new born to the intent that Ixir as Authors speak be not drowned XIV The like must we do at the end when we see that our King is fall and will have no more XV. The middle of these Operations is explicated by the fire whose wreaths of the said black Girdle at what time because our Salamander lives of the fire and in the midst of the fire and indeed is a fire and an Argent-Vive or Quick-silver which runs in the midst of the fire fearing nothing you must feed him abundantly so as that the Virgins Milk may encompass all the matter round about XVI The wreaths I painted black because they signifie the Imbibitions and by consequence the blacknesses For the fire with the moisture as I have often told you causeth blackness XVII And as these five Leaves or Rounds shew that you must do it five times wholly so likewise they let you know that you must do this in five whole Months a Month to every Imbibition XVIII And now you may see the reason why Haly Abenragel said The decoction of the Compositum or Matter is done in three times fifty days XIX It is true that if you count these little Imbibitions at the beginning and at the end there are seven whereupon one of the most obscure has said Our Head of the Crow is Leprous and he that would cleanse it must make it go down seven times into the River of Regeneration viz. of Jordan as the Prophet commanded Leprous Naaman the Syrian XX. Hereby comprehending the beginning which consists but of few days the middle and the end which is also very short And therefore by this Hieroglyphick I tell you that you must whiten your body which by kneeling begs that thing at your hands XXI For nature always tends to perfection and this is to be accomplished by the help of the Virgins Milk and the decoction and digestion of the Compositum which you shall make with this Milk which being dryed upon your body will tinge it into the same white Yellow or yellowish White which he who takes the Sword is cloathed withall and in which Colour you must make your Corsufle to come XXII The Vestments of the Figure of Paul the Apostle are bordred largly with a Golden and red Citrine colour XXIII Give praise now my Son if thou ever seest this for then by the good Hand of Heaven thou hast obtained a Treasure which you must then imbibe and tinge it by decoction and digestion so long till the little Infant becomes hardy and strong to encounter against both the water and the fire XXIV In accomplishing of this you must do that which Demageras Senior and Haly have called the putting of the Mother into the Infants Belly which Infant the Mother had lately brought forth XXV Now they call the Mother the Mercury of the Philosophers wherewith they make their Imbibitions and Fermentations And the Infant they call the Body the which the said Mercury is gone forth to tinge or colour XXVI I have therefore given you these two Hieroglyphicks to signifie the Albification for now it is that you have need of great help and here it is that all the World is deceived XXVII This Operation is indeed a Laborinth for here is presented a thousand ways at the same Instant besides that which you ought to go and prusue to the end of the Work which is directly contrary to the beginning to wit in coagulating what before you dissolved and in making that Earth which before was Water XXVIII When you have made it White then you have overcome the Enchanted Bulls which cast Fire and Smoak out of their Nostrils XXIX Hercules now has cleansed the Stable full of Ordure rottenness and blackness Jason has poured the digested Broth or Liquor upon the Dragons of Colchos and you have now in your power the Horn of Amalthea which tho' it be white may replenish you through the whole course of Life with Riches Honour and Glory XXX But to obtain this you must bestir your self and pursue the Work like Hercules wich invincible resolution for this Achelous this moist River is endowed with a most mighty force and often transfigures it self from one shape to another and now in a manner you have done all for that what remains is performed without any difficulty XXXI These transmutations transfigurations or changes are particularly described in the Book of the Seven Egyptian Seals where as also by other Authors it is said That the Stone before it will wholly forsake its blackness and become white to the appearance of the most shining or polished Marble and of a naked flaming Sword will put on all the colours that thou canst possibly imagine XXXII And that it will often 〈◊〉 it self and as often coagulate it self again and in the midst of those divers and contrary Operations which it performs by virtue of the Vegetable Soul which is within it at one and the same time it will grow Citrine Green Red but not of the true Red and become Yellow Blue and Orange colour even till that being wholly overcome by driness all these various colours shall Vanish and end in this adrable Citrine whiteness XXXIII Which last colour is that of Paul's Garment and will in a short time become like the colour of the naked Sword afterwards by means of a more strong and long digestion towards the end of the work it will be changed into a Red Citrine colour and at last into the perfect Red of the Vermilion where it will repose or fix it self for ever XXXIV Of this also be advised that the Milk of Luna is not like the Virgin Milk of Sol and that the Imbibitions of Whiteness require a more White Milk than those of the Golden Redness XXXV In this very matter I was in danger of missing my way and so I had done indeed had it not been for the Book of ABRAHAM the Jew And therefore for this reason I have made to be depicted for you the Figure which takes hold of the naked Sword in the proper and right colour for it is the Emblem of that which whitens CHAP. XXXII Of the Green Field with the three Resuseitants two Men and one Woman altogether in White Two Angels beneath and over the Angels the Figure of our Lord and Saviour coming to Judge the World cloathed with a Robe perfectly Citrine-White I. I Have depicted the Field Green because that in this decoction the Compositum becomes Green and keeps this colour longer than any other after the Black II. This Greenness demonstrates particularly that our Stone has a Vegetable
a Bird is made the Shell being whole until the coming forth or Hatching of the Chicken so is it in the work of the Philosophers Stone Of the Citrine Body and White Liquor with a temperate or gentle Heat is made the Avis Hermetis or Philosophers Bird. X. The Vessel being well and perfectly closed and never so much as once opened till the perfection or end of the work so that you see the Vessel is to be kept close that the Spirit may not get out and evanish XI Therefore saith Rhasis Keep thy Vessel and its junctures close and firm for the Conservation of the Spirit And another saith close thy Vessel well and as you are not to cease from the work or let it cool so neither are you to make too much haste neither by too great a heat nor too soon opening of it XII You must take special care that the Humidity which is the Spirit gets not out of the Vessel for then you will have nothing but a Dead Body remaining and the work will come to nothing XIII Socrates saith Grind it with most sharp Vinegar till it grows thick and be careful that the Vinegar be not turned into fume and perish CHAP. XLII Of the Philosophers Fire the kinds and Government thereof I. THE Philosophers have described in their Books a two fold Fire a moist and a dry II. The moist Fire they called the warm Horse Belly in the which so long as the Humidity remains the Heat is retained but the Humidity being Consumed the Heat vanishes and ceases which Heat being small seldom lasts above five or six days but it may be Conserved and renewed by casting upon it many times Urine mixt with Salt III. Of this Fire speaks Philares the Philosopher The property of the fire of the Horse Belly is not to destroy with its dryness the Oyl but augments it with its humidity whereas other fire would be apt to consume it IV. Senior the Philosopher saith Dig a Sepulchre and bury the WOMAN with her MAN or Husband in Horse-dung or Balneo of the same heat until such time as they be intimately conjoyned or united V. Altudonus the Philopher saith likewise you must hide your Medicine in Horse-dung which is the fire of the Philosophers for this Dung is hot moist and dark having a humidity in it self and an excellent light or Whiteness VI. There is no other fire comparable to it in the World excepting only the natural heat of a Man or Womans Body VII This is a Secret The Vapour of the Sea not burned the Blood of Man and the Blood of the Grape is our Red Fire VIII The Dry Fire is the Fire of the Bodies themselves and the Inflammability of every thing able to be burned Now the government of these Fires is thus IX The Medicine of the White ought to be put into the moist fire until the Complement of the Whiteness shall appear in the Vessel For a gentle fire is the conservation of the Humidity X. Therefore saith Pandolphus You are to understand that the Body is to be dissolved with the Spirit with which they are mixed by an easie and gentle decoction so that the Body may be spiritualized by it XI Ascanius also saith A gentle fire gives health but too much or great a heat will not conserve or unite the Elements but on the contrary divide them waste the humidity and destroy the whole work XII Therefore saith Rhasis Be very diligent and careful in the sublimation and liquefaction of the matter that you increase not your fire too much whereby the water may ascend to the highest part of the Vessel For then wanting a place of Refrigeration it will stick fast there whereby the Sulphur of the Elements will not be perfected XIII For indeed in this work it is necessary that they be many times elevated or sublimed and depressed again XIV And the gentle or temperate Fire is that only which compleats the mixture makes thick and perfects the work XV. Therefore saith Botulphus That gentle fire which is the White fire of the Philosophers is the greatest and most principal matter of the Operation of the Elements XVI Rhasis also saith Burn our Brass with a Gentle Fire such as is that of a Hen for the hatching of Eggs until the Body be broken and the Tincture extracted XVII For with an easie decoction the water is congealed and the humidity which corrupteth drawn out and in drying the burning is avoided XVIII The happy prosecution of the whole work consists in the exact temperament of the fire Therefore beware of too much heat lest you come to solution before the time viz. before the matter is ripe For that will bring you to despair of attaining the end of your hopes XIX Wherefore saith he Beware of too much fire for if it be kindled before the time the matter will be Red before it comes to ripeness and perfection whereby it becomes like an Abort or the unripe Fruit of the Womb whereas it ought to be first White then Red like as the Fruits of a Tree a Cherry is first White then Red when it comes to its perfection XX. And that he might indigitate a certain time as it were of Decoction he saith That the dissolution of the Body and Coagulation or Congeiation of the Spirit ought to be done by an easie decoction in a gentle fire and a moist Putrefaction for the space of one hundred and forty Days XXI To which Orsolen assents saying In the beginning of the mixture you ought to mix the Elements being sincere and made pure clean and rectified with a gentle fire by a slow and natural digestion and to beware of too much fire till you know they are conjoyned XXII Bonellus also saith That by a Temperate and Gentle heat continued you must make the pure and perfect Body CHAP. XLIII Of the AEnignia's of Philosophers their Deceptions and Precautions concerning the same I. YOu ought to put on Courage Resolution and Constancy in attempting this great work lest you Err and be deceived sometimes following or doing one thing and then another II. For the knowledge of this Art consisteth not in the multiplicity or great number of things but in Unity Our Stone is but One the matter is One and the Vessel is One The Government is One and the disposition is One. The whole Art and Work thereof is One and begins in One manner and in One manner it is finished III. Notwithstanding the Philosophers have subtily delivered themselves and clouded their instructions with AEigmatical and Typical Phrases and Words to the end that their Art might not only be hidden and so continued but also be had in the greater Veneration IV. Thus they advise to Decoct to Commix and to Conjoyn to Sublime to Bake to Grind and to Congeal to make Equal to Puttefie to make White and to make Red of all which things the order management and way of working is all one which is only to
Decoct V. And therefore to Grind is to Decoct of which you are not to be weary saith Rhasis Digest continually but not in haste that is not with too great a Fire cease not or make no intermission in your work follow not the Artifice of Sophisters but pursue your Operation to the Complement and perfection thereof VI. Also in the Rosary it is advised to be cautious and watchful lest your work prove dead or imperfect and to continue it with a long Decoction Close up well thy Vessel and pursue to the end VII For there is no Generation of things but by Putrefaction by keeping out the Air and a continual internal motion with an equal and gentle Heat VIII Remember when you are in your work all the Signs and Appearances which arise in every Decoction for they are necessary to be known and understood in order to the perfecting the matter IX You must be sure to be incessant and continual in your Operation with a gentle Fire to the appearing of the perfect Whiteness which cannot be if you open the Vessel and let out the Spirit X. From whence it is Evident that if you mannage your matter ill or your Fire be too great it ought to be extinguished Therefore saith Rhasis pursue your business incessantly beware of instability of mind and too great expectations by a too hasty and precipitate pursuit lest you lose your End XI But as another Philosopher saith Digest and Digest again and be not weary The most exquisite and industrious Artist can never attain to perfection by too much haste but only by a long and continual Decoction and Digestion for so Nature works and Art must in some measure imitate Nature CHAP. XLIV Of the Various Signs Appearing in every Operation I. THis then is the thing that the Vessel with the Medicine be put into a moist Fire to wit that the middle or one half of the Vessel be in a moist Fire or Balneo of equal Heat with Horse-Dung and the other half out of the Fire that you may daily look into it II. And in about the space of Forty Days the superficies or upper part of the Medicine will appear black as melted Pitch and this is the Sign that the Citrine Body is truly converted into Mercury III. Therefore saith Bonellus when you see the blackness of the Water to appear be assured that the Citrine Body is made Liquid The same thing saith Rhasis the Disposition or Operation of our Stone is One which is that it be put into its Vessel and carefully Decocted and Digested till such time as the whole Body ibe Dissolved and Ascended IV. And in another place he saith continue it upon a temperate or gentle Balneo so long till it be perfectly Dissolved into Water and made impalpable and that the whole Tincture be extracted into the blackness which is the Sign of its dissolution V. Lucas also assureth us that when we see the blackness of the water in all things to appear that then the Body is dissolved or made Liquid VI. This blackness the Philosophers called the first Conjunction for then the Male and Female are joyned together and it is the Sign of perfect mixtion VII Yet notwithstanding the whole Tincture is not drawn out together but it goes out every day by little and little until by a great length of time it is perfectly extracted and made compleat VIII And that part of the Body which is dissolved ever Ascends or Rises to the Top above all the other undissolved Matter which remains yet at Bottom IX Therefore saith Avicen That which is spiritual in the Vessel Ascends up to the Top of the Matter and that which is yet gross and thick remains in the Bottom of the Vessel X. This blackness is called among the Philosophers by many Names to wit The Fires the Soul a Cloud the Revens-Head a Coal Our Oyl Aqua vitae the Tincture of Redness the shadow of the Sun Black Brass Water of Sulphur and by many other Names XI And this Blackness is that which conjoyneth the Body with the Spirit XII Then saith Rhasis The Government of the Fire being observed for the space of Forty Days both to wit the White Liquor and the Citrine Body are made a Permanent or fixt Water covered over with blackness which blackness if rightly ordered cometh to its perfection in Forty Days space XIII Of which another Philosopher saith so long as the obscure blackness appeareth the WOMAN hath the Dominion and this is the first Conception or strength of our Stone For if it be not first Black it shall never be either White or Red. XIV Avicen saith That Heat causeth blackness first in a moist Body then the humidity being consumed it putteth off or loseth its blackness and as the Heat encreaseth or is continued so it grows white XV. Lastly by a more inward Heat it is Calcin'd into Ashes as the Philosophers teach XVI In the first Decoction which is called Putrefaction Our Stone is made all Black to wit a Black Earth by the drawing out of its Humidity and in that Blackness the Whiteness is hidden XVII And when the Humidity is reverted upon the Blackness again and by a continued soft and gentle Digestion is made fixed with its Earth then it becomes White XVIII In this Whiteness the Redness is hidden and when it is Decocted and Digested by augmentation and continuance of the Fire that Earth is changed into Redness as we shall hereafter teach CHAP. XLV Of the Eduction of the Whiteness out of the Blackness or Black Matter I. NOw let us revolve to the Black matter in its Vessel not so much as once opened but continually closed Let this Vessel I say stand continually in the moist fire till such time as the White Colour appears like to a white moist Salt II. The Colour is called by the Philosophers Arsenick and Sal Armoniack and some others call it The thing without which no profit is to be had in the Work III. But inward whiteness appearing in the Work then is there a perfect Conjunction and Copulation of the Bodies in this Stone which is indissoluble And then is fulfilled that saying of Hermes The thing which is above is as that which is beneath and that which is beneath is as that which is above to perform the Mystery of this matter IV. Phares saith Seeing the Whiteness appearing above in the Vessel you may be certain that in that Whiteness the Redness lies hid but before it becomes White you will find many Colours to appear V. Therefore saith Diomedes Decoct the Male and the Female or Vapour together until such time as they shall become one dry Body for except they be dry the divers or various Colours will not appear VI. For it will ever be black whilst that humidity or moisture has the dominion but if that be once wasted then it emits divers Colours after many and several ways VII And many times it shall be changed from
Colour to Colour till such time as it comes to the fixed Whiteness VIII Synon saith All the Colours of the World will appear in it when the Black humidity is dryed up IX But value none of these Colours for they be not the true Tincture yea many times it becomes Citrine and Redish and many times it is dryed and becomes liquid again before the Whiteness will appear X. Now all this while the Spirit is not perfectly joyned with the Body nor will it be joyned or fixed but in the White Colour Astanus saith Between the White and the Red appear all Colours even to the utmost imagination XI For the varieties of which the Philosophers have given various Names and almost innumerable some for obscuring it and some for envy sake XII The cause of the appearance of such variety of Colours in the Operation of your Medicine is from the extension of the blackness for as much as Blackness and Whiteness be the extream Colours all the other Colours are but means between them XIII Therefore as often as any degree or portion of Blackness descends so often another and another Colour appears until it comes to Whiteness XIV Now concerning the Ascending and Discending of the Medicine Hermes saith It ascends from the Earth into Heaven and again descends from Heaven to the Earth whereby it may receive both the superiour strength and the inferiour XV. Moreover this you are to observe that if between the Blackness and the Whiteness there should appear the Red or Citrine Colour you are not to look upon it or esteem it for it is not fixt but will vanish away XVI There cannot indeed be any perfect and fixt Redness without it be first White Wherefore saith Rhasis no Man can come from the first to the third but by the second XVII From whence it is evident that Whiteness must always be first lookt for after the Blackness and before the Redness for as much as it is the Complement of the whole Work XVIII Then after this Whiteness appears it shall not be changed into any true or stable Colour but into the Red Thus have we taught you to make the White it remains now that we elucidate the Red. CHAP. XLVI Of the Way and Manner how to educe the Red Tincture out of the White I. THe matters then of the White and Red among themselves differ not in respect to their Essence But the Red Elixir needs more subtilization and longer digestion and a hotter fire in the course of the Operation than the White because the end of the White work is the beginning of the Red work and that which is compleat in the one is to be begun in the other II. Therefore without you make the White Elixir first make the matter become first White you can never come to the Red Elixir that which is indeed the true Red Which how it is to be performed we shall briefly shew III. The Medicine for the Red ought to be put into our moist fire until the White Colour aforesaid appear afterwards take out the Vessel from the fire and put it into another pot with sifted Ashes made moist with water to about half full in which let it stand up to the middle thereof making under the Earthen pot a temperate dry fire and that continually IV. But the heat of this dry fire ought to be double at the least to what it was before or than the heat of the moist fire by the help of this heat the white Medicine receiveth the admirable Tincture of the Redness V. You cannot err if you continue the dry fire Therefore Rhasis saith With a dry fire and a dry Calcination decoct the dry matter till such time as it becomes in Colour like to Vermilion or Cinabar VI. To the which you shall not afterwards put to compleat it either Water or Oyl or Vinegar or any other thing VII Decoct the Red Matter or Medicine the more red it is the more worth it is and the more decocted it is the more red it is Therefore that which is more decocted is the more pretious and valuable VIII Therefore you must burn it without fear in a dry fire until such time as it is clothed with a most Glorious Red or a pure Vermillion Colour IX For which cause Epistus the Philosopher saith Decoct the White in a Red hot Furnace until such time it be clothed with a purple Glory Do not cease though the Redness be somewhat long before it appears X. For as I have said the fire being augmented the first Colour of Whiteness will change into Red Also when the Citrine shall first appear among those Colours yet that Colour is not fixt XI But not long after it the Red Colour shall begin to appear which ascending to the height your Work will indeed be compleat XII As Hermes saith in Turba Between the Whiteness and the Redness one Colour only appears to wit Citrine but it changes from the less to the more XIII Maria also saith When you have the true White then follows the false and Citrine Colour and at last the Perfect Redness it self This is the Glory and the beauty of the whole World CHAP. XLVII Of the Multiplication or Augmentation of our Medicine by Dissolution I. OUR Medicine or Elixir is multiplyed after a two-fold manner viz. 1. By Dissolution 2. By Fermentation II. By Dissolution it is augmented two manner of ways First by a greater or more intense heat Secondly by Dew or the heat of a Balneum Roris III. The Dissolution of heat is that you take the Medicine put into a glasen Vessel or boil or decoct it in our moist fire for seven days or more until the Medicine be dissolved into Water which will be without much Trouble IV. The dissolution by Dew or Balneum Roris is that you take the Glass Vessel with the Medicine in it and hang it in a Brazen or Coper Pot with a narrow Mouth in which there must be water boyling the Mouth of the Vessel being in the mean Season shut that the Ascending Vapours of the boyling water may dissolve the Medicine V. But Note that the boyling water ought not to touch the Glass Vessel which contains the Medicine by three or four Inches and this Dissolution possibly may be done in two or three days VI. After the Medicine is dissoved take it from the Fire and let it cool to be fixed to be congealed and to be made hard or dryed and so let it be dissolved many times for so much the oftner it is dissolved so much the more strong and the more perfect it shall be VII Therefore Bonellus saith When the AEs Brass or Laten is burned and this burning many times reiteated it is made better than it was and this Solution is the Subtilization of the Medicine and the Sublimation of the Virtues thereof VIII So that the oftner it is sublimed and made subtil so much the more Virtue it shall receive and the more penetrative
and then always augmenting the fire gradually for three days so will they be inseparably conjoyned This is a work of three days XVI Then again and lastly take one part of this mixture and project it upon a Thousand parts of another Body or Metal the nearer to perfection the better so the whole will be a most fine and perfect Body according to the kind and according to your intended work whether for the White or for the Red. XVII And all this is but the work of one day or rather but of an hour or of a moment for which wonderful work Praises be perpetually rendred to the Lord our God for Ever and Ever CHAP. LX. A Short Recapitulation of the whole Work I. OUR Tincture then is only generated out of the Mercury of the wise which is called the Prima Materia Aqua permanens Acetum Pilosophorum 〈◊〉 Lac Virginis Mercurius Corporalis with which nothing extraneous Alien or Forreign is commixed such as are Salts Alums and Vitriols II. Because from this Mercury alone the Virtue and Power of this our Magistry is generated and it so resolves every Metalline Body that it may be augmented or multiplied III. This our aforesaid Mercury is both the Root and the Tree from whence many and almost Infinite Branches Spring and increase IV. The first work for the making of this Elixir is sublimation which is nothing else but the subtilization of the matter of our Stone by which it is cleansed from all its supersluities V. The fixed and Volatile parts are not separated one from another but they remain United and are fixed together till they both may have an easie fusion together in the fire VI. Take therefore our aforesaid Mercury which in a Sealed Glass put into its hot bed for one whole Philosophick month which is 40 days till it begins in its own body to putrisie and be Coagulated and all its Humidity be Consumed in its self and also converted into a black Earth VII In this Sublimation is compleated the true separation of the four Elements VIII Because the cold and watery Elements is changed into a hot and dry Earth which is the head of the Crow the Mother of the remaining Elements IX Thus our work is nothing else but a transmutation of Nature and a Conversion of the Elements X. The Spiritual is made Corporal the Liquid is made thick and the water is made Fire XI Moreover the black Earth is imbibed with its own water and dryed so long till it is sufficiently cleansed and brought on to Whiteness XII Which then is called the White Earth foliated Sulphur of Nitre Sulphur of Magnesia and then there is a new Conjunction of Sol and Luna and a Resurrection of the Dead Body XIII When our Earth bearing Fruit is moistned with its own proper water it drinks it up in that its thirst with much greediness till it generates or is made pregnant and then brings forth Fruit an Hundred Fold XIV Now proceed farther with the White Earth augmenting or increasing the Fire 〈◊〉 it till by the motion of the Continual Heat it is digested and brought into the highest and most pure Red. XV. And now it is called our Red Coral Red Sulphur Blood our Purple Gold our burnt Crocus XVI This very Work repeat three or four times with new Materials and you shall have the most perfect Red Stone of the Philosophers Red as Blood it self with which you may tinge Mercury and all other imperfect Metals XVII But it behoves you to take of our aforesaid Sulphur three parts adding one part of fine Gold reduced into a subtle Calx and of the water thereof two parts these three mix subtilly till they become one Inseparable Matter these then digest in a proper Fornace till they become a Red Stone Operis Rogerij Bachonis Alchymici FINIS Georgij Riplei MEDVLLA ALCHYMIAE The Marrow of Alchymie Written in Latin by George Ripley Cannon of Bridlington which he sent out of Italy Anno 1476. To the Arch-Bishop of YORK Translated into English and now Revised and Claused By WILLIAM SALMON Professor of Physick CHAP. LXI The Preface to the Arch-Bishop of York I. I Shall endeavour Sir to explicate open and make plain to you the Secrets of Alchymie which I have attained to by my Travels through Italy and other Countries and Kingdoms for the space of Nine Years drawing Forth and Selecting the true Root and Marrow of Nature by a series of Experiences from its most inward Recesses and secret Habitations II. The which I am moved and compelled to from the singular Good-will entire Affections and Sincere Love which as well as in times past I now at present bear unto you And therefore shall faithfully tho' briefly declare the Secrets of this Art to you plainly and openly not Darkly and AEnigmatically as if it was done under a Shadow or Vail III. Such indeed is your Life your Works witnessing the same that you are as a healing Balm a Refuge of Defence and Shelter to the Church of God a Pillar of his Holy Temple for which Reasons I am obliged to reveal these hidden Mysteries and make known to you the abscondite Paths of Nature not to rejoyce your outward Man only by adding Health and long Life heaping up Treasures and external Honours and Applause in the World but to excite in you the highest Devotion to God Almighty that you might become good to all Men profitable to the Church a Father to the Fatherless and a Sanctuary to the Needy and Distressed IV. And in these things I am confident of you in whom is found such a Portion and Treasure of Vertue Prudence Piety and true Wisdom but most chiefly for that I know you to be such a one who has God always before your Eyes V. And therefore I speak truly and fervently and I will declare the Truth to you with all faithfulness according to the reality of my Soul I shall Elucidate the undoubted Verity and declare such things as with much Labour Care and Diligence I have sought out and obtained the knowledge of which I have seen with my Eyes and have handled with my Hands and which my own self has done And in this matter I will neither be tedious nor obscure lest that love which I profess to you should seem to be deficient or imperfect VI. Whatever I write I shall open the same briefly and plainly beseeching God that the matter whereof I shall entreat may become profitable unto you and that if you shall please to put the same into practice you may find the faithful experience thereof and not be deceived or spend your time in vain For we know certainly that of all transitory things Time is truly the most pretious VII Wherefore I write unto you honourable and dearly beloved Friend such things only as may be profitable making this humble suit unto your Excellency that the Revealed Secrets and Experiments which I send you in this little Book may not
be prostituted or bestowed upon unworthy Men who are naughty or swoln up with Pride or whose Souls are bound up in their Covetousness VIII I require not of you for this Secret a great Summ of Gold or Silver nor do I put this Secret in writing for you to bestow much Cost and Expences upon it nor do I for my self desire any reward these things agree not with the Philosophick Verity which professes that its Works are not chargeable and Expensive Morienus saith beware that you spend nothing in this Magistery of Gold And Dastine saith with the Value of one Noble is the whole Magistery performed IX Since then it is so in what thing is our Gold to be found Is it not in Mercury which is called Quick or living Gold Raymandus saith He that will reduce Quick-Gold into thin water must make it doe it and Work it by its contrary 〈◊〉 saith he Quick or living Gold has in its self four Natures and four humours or Elements And therefore saith he if you putrefie its Cold with its Hot and its Dry with its Moist you shall not only have the Humidity of all Bodies but you shall have a Menstruum which will dissolve Argent Vive for ever For the least part of Mercury being once dissolved the dissolved Mercury will always dissolve Mercury ad Infinitum X. Mercury may as well be called Quick-Gold as Quick-Silver for it contains them both If Air will make this separation we must put thereto divers contrary things as Roger Bacon saith in Speculo But this putrefaction cannot be done till it is dissolved in Water white as Milk putrifie that Milk 15 days in B. M. then separate its Element and cleanse its Earth and after that joyn it again in equal weight then is the Elixir made compleate for Saturn and Jupiter Quick Gold is Crude Imperfect and unfixt in every degree and yet it is accounted a Body altho' there be no fixation in it and therefore it may be much sooner brought to its first matter than any other of the Bodies that have any part of fixation in them for they must have much Labour and long time to separate them and bring them back into their fixt matter XI For saith Lully The Elements of Mercury may be dissolved and being so dissolved they may be separated There be some that think our Resoluble Seed or dissolved Menstrum is the water of Argent Vive made only by it self because it does dissolve both Metals and pretious Stones which we call Pearls and so it is Now how this dissolving Menstrum is made not only Raymund seems to shew but Roger Bacon in like manner in his Speculum Alchymiae where he saith put the Body which is most weighty into a Distillatory and draw forth thereof its Sweet Ros or Dew with a little Wind or Breath for betwixt every drop of Water comes forth a Breath as it were of a Man which is the substance of Argent Vive and which the Philosophers call our Mercury which if it be well putrefied before hand will then yield the more and Issue out forcibly as if it were Wild-Fire out of a Trunk especially when the Red Fume comes Thus have you one of our Argent Vives XII To the same thing Raymundus assents where he saith then have you that Argent Vive which is called Ours and so it is indeed one of Our Argent Vive altho' the intent of the same Philosopher in Libro Animae Artis Transmutatoriae Cap. 2. was touching another more noble and more excellent Water supposed by some to be Our Burning-Water drawn out of the Gum of Vitriol by the Virtue of which most Noble and Excellent attractive Water he did not only often dissolve the Body of Sol not as he doth it with the aforesaid Argent Vive commonly dissolved but also the same solar Body by force of that attractive Virtue is disposed in a more noble manner as I my self have seen done not only in the Metalline Elixir but also in the Elixir of Life as hereafter shall be declared Chap. 71 72. Sect. XIII It is fansied by an Experienced Philosopher that Mercury did speak and said I am the Father of Enchantments Brother to the Sun and Sister to the Moon I am the Water of Life drawn out of Wine i. e. out of the Wine of Mercury I kill that which was alive and make alive that which was dead I make Black and I make White and I carry in my Belly the Sol of Philosophers and therefore he that can joyn me after that I am dissolved and made the pure clear and Silver like Water called Lac Virginis with my Brother the Sun he shall tinge him with my Soul not only much more than he was before by an hundred fold but also if he be joyned with my Sister Luna he shall make all things fair and bright this Lac Virginis is a Silver-like Water somewhat thick CHAP. LXII A farther Discourse of the Philosophers Mercury I. OF this Mercury speaks another Philosopher thus when its Elements are separated and again joyned and mixed together by equal weight then is it made a compleat Elixir upon Saturn and Jupiter but its Elements cannot be separated until such time as it is dissolved and of this Metalline Water ought the Artist to draw the Tincture II. The Elements of Mercury being separated and again commixed by equal weight or proportion make the Elixir compleat with often dissolving and congealing of the Spirit which must be done upon a Marble Stone weighing the Body and then taking its weight of the Secret Salt grinding them together very subtil then putting them into Balneo that they may be dissolved which done take it out and make your congelatiin a dry Fire do so oftentimes and then c. III. And therefore to confirm this Raymundus saith O my Son Our Tincture is drawn out of one Vile thing and is decked finished and ended with another thing which is more Noble for we do Ferment it with Vulgar Gold He calls it Vile because he saith it is sometimes found in Vile places as in Old draughts also it is Vile because as Raymundus saith it is found not only in a filthy form and ugly shape but because it is in every thing of the which saith Albertus is made a Permanent or fixt Water IV. Here is to be Noted that Raymundus commands this Tincture to be drawn out of the Body of Venus which Tincture he does Ferment with the prepared Calx of common or Vulgar Gold V. And therefore saith Avicen it behoves you to have a great quantity of our Gold and of our Silver to the end that thereby the humours may be drawn forth viz. to have at the least sixty pounds weight which will be a sufficient quantity for your whole life He also saith the best Mercury is brought in skins from Mount Passulane Of this Mercury Geber saith you must labour in all your work to separate Mercury or as others
read it to convince or over-come Mercury in commixing and conjoyning for he that cannot destroy Mercury or undoe it in its composure cannot repair or restore it nor may you work with it as Raymund saith till it is dissolved VI. And therefore it is said joyn not that which is Crude with that which is Decocted for of that only with the Ferment is made the Elixir which does congeal all manner of Argent Vive Wherefore as Raymund saith it is never congealed without a congealing Sulphur and being congealed you have a great secret for in the dissolved Decocted Mercury is a great and hidden Mystery VII Another Philosopher also saith that there is a certain subtil Fume which does spring forth from its proper Veins dispersing and spreading its self abroad the which thin Fume if it be wisely gathered together again and sprinkled upon its proper Veins or Matrix it will make not only a certain fixation of which thin Fume in short space is made the true Elixir but also cleanses the Impure Metals or Alchymick Body VIII As to the Tincture mentioned at Sect. 4 above it rather seems by other words of the said Raymundus that he drew it out of Quick-Silver and no other vile thing of which Mercury is made What is meant at Sect. 6. by not joyning the Crude with the Decocted is to be understood of not joyning Crude Mercury to the Decocted Bodies or Metals but to put to them Decocted i. e. dissolved Mercury And herein is hidden a great secret for Mercury being dissolved is an hot and moist Sperm but Crude it is cold and dry Saturn So that if you putrifie its hot and moist Sperm with its cold and dry Earth you will have Quick-Silver dissolved which is not Crude but Decocted Mercury So that in Crude Mercury dissolved is hidden a great Mystery And however it is dissolved by a Fire not natural or against Nature yet it must be mixed conjoyned fixed IX This Alchymick Body is called Leprous Gold wherein Gold and Silver are in Essence and Power but not in sight or appearance in its Profundity or Depth it is Airous or Spiritual Gold which none can obtain unless the same Body be first made clean and pure The which impure Body after mundification is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Sol and Luna Decocted by natural heat X. This Leprous Gold the Philosophers call Adrop or Adrup which Gold is the Philosophers Lead This Alchymick Body in his Concord he calls Venus in the lesser Work both for Gold and Silver because it is a Neutral Body and very easie to be changed to either and by this the sense of Sect. 4. and 8. aforegoing may be more easily understood The Earth the uncleansed Body is to be purified with its own Water and afterwards nourished with its Mothers Milk which is called the Sulphur of Nature XI The first Matter of this unclean Alchymical Body is a Viscous Water which is thickened in the Bowels of the Earth And therefore of this Impure Body as Vincent saith is made the great Elixir of the Red and White whose Name is Adrop or Adrup viz the Philosophers Lead From the which Raymundus commands an Oyl to be drawn from the Lead of the Philosophers saith he let there be an Oyl drawn of a Golden Colour if you can separate this Oyl wherein is Our second Tincture and Fire of Nature from its Flegm which is it watrishness and wisely search out the Secret thereof you may in the space of thirty days perform the Work of the Philosophers Stone XII This Oyl does not only make the Medicine penetrable being amicable and conjoynable to all Bodies or Corporeal things but it is also the hidden or Secret fire of Nature which does so augment the Excellencies of those Bodies to whom it is so joyned that it makes them to exceed in infinite proportions of goodness and purity So much as does appertain to the Work of Alchymiae which is only for the Elixir of Metals is now sufficiently opened which if you rightly understand you will find that no great cost is required to the performance of this Philosophick Operation XIII The Innatural Fire is Our Aqua Foetens or sea-Sea-Water sharp peircing and burning all Bodies more fiercely than Elemental Fire making of the Body of Sol a meer Spirit which common Elemental Fire has not power to do XIV But this Elixir of Metals is not all that I intend to shew you the Elixir of Life is that which I chiefly designed infinitely exceeding all the Riches of this World and to which the most excellent of all the Earthly things cannot be compared And therefore I shall 1. Shew in the Mineral Kingdom the Elixir of Metals and that after divers manners 2. In the Vegetable Kingdom the Elixir both of Metals and of Life 3. In the Animal Kingdom the Elixir of Life only albeit the same Elixir of Life is most excellent for the transmutation of Metalls XV. There are three things necessary to this Art of which you ought not to ignorant viz. 1. The Fire wherewith The fire of Nature Innatural Elemental and which is against Nature destroying the special form of all that is dissolved therein 2. The Water whereby as in the Compound Water 3. And the thing whereof is made the congealed Earth as White as Snow Of all which in their proper order CHAP. LXIII Of the Mineral Stone and Philosophick Fires I. ON a time as I have learned there was an Assembly of Philosophers where the Matter of the Secret Stone and the Manner of working it was propounded Several spoke their Opinions but at length one younger in Years and as was thought Inferiour in Learning declared his thoughts and knowledge concerning that Secret I know saith he the Regiments of the Fires When they had heard what he could say they all as a mazed held their peace for a while II. At lenght one of the Company made answer If this be true which thou hast said thou art Master of us all and thereupon with one consent they gave him the Right Hand of Fellowship Whereupon they gathered that the Secret of this wonderful Tincture lay chiefly in the Fire III. But the Fire differs after several manners one Natural another innatural or preternatural another Elemental another against Nature The Natural Fire does come from the Influence of Sol and Luna and the Asterisms or the Sun Moon and Stars of the which are Ingendred not only the burning Waters and potential Vapours of Minerals but also the Natural Virtues of living things IV. The Innatural or Preternatural Fire is a thing accidental as Heat in an Ague being made Artificially and called by the Philosophers a moist Fire Our generating Water the fire of the first Degree and for the temperature of its Heat is called a Bath a Stew a Dunghil in which Dunghil is made the putrefaction of our Stone See Sect. 13. of the former Chapter where it is more amply
defined V. The Elemental fire is that which does Fix Calcine and Burn and is nourished by Combustible things VI. The fire against Nature which is a violent strong Corrosive destroying the special form of that which is dissolved therein is that which in Power Dissolves Frets Infects and destroys the generative Power of the form of the Stone it does Dissolve the Stone into Water of the Cloud with the loss of its Natural Attractive and special Form and is called Fire against Nature as Raymundus 〈◊〉 from its Operation for that which Nature does make this fire against Nature destroys and brings to Corruption unless there be fire of Nature put to it VII Here as Raymundus saith lies contrary Operations as in the Compounded Water for as the fire against Nature does Dissolve the Spirit of the fixed Body the Volatile Spirit is thereby constrained to retire into a fixed Earth a Congealed Earth as White as Snow VIII For the fire of Nature does Congeal the Dissolved Spirit of the fixed Body into a glorious Earth and the Body of the Volatile being fixed by the same fire against Nature is here again by the fire of Nature resolved into the Water of Philosophers but not into the Water of the Cloud and so by this means the fixed is returned back again into its wonted Nature of Flying and the moist is made dry and the ponderous is made light IX But yet he saith this fire which is against Nature is not the Work of Our Magistery but it is the fire which is purely Natural This he saith because he would shew us thereby the difference between the Mineral Elixir and the Vegetable and the Animal For that these three several Elixirs are made of three several Waters viz. Mineral Vegetable and Animal which serve for the Work divers ways X. And First we will Treat of the Mineral Elixir then of the other in order The Fire against Nature is a Mineral Water viz. the Humour or Tincture drawn out of Body of Venus Dissolved in its Mineral Spirit very strong and Mortal serving only to the Mineral Elixir XI This Mineral Water or Fire against Nature is drawn with fire Elemental from a certain stinking Menstruum as Raymundus saith and is made of four things It is the strongest Water in the World whose only Spirit saith he does wonderfully increase and multiply the Tincture of the Ferment for here Sol or Gold is Tinged with the Mineral Spirit the which Mineral Spirit is the strength of the most simple Sulphur without much Earthiness XII Thin Mineral Water is the dropping of Adrop or Adrup Venus which is the noble Tincture called the natural Roman Vitriol and which for the abundance of its noble Tincture is called Roman Gold XIII This some do call the Spirit of the Green Lyon others the blood of the Green Lyon wherein almost all Err and are deceived for the Green Lyon of the Philosophers is that Lyon by whose Virtue attractive all things are lifted up from the Bowels of the Earth and the Winter-like Caverns making them to Wax green and flourish whose Child for all the Elixirs are to be had from it is to us most acceptable and sufficient XIV The Child of Philosophers is generated of their Green Lyon of which Child is had the strength of Sulphur both White and Red Our two Sulphurs of Nature are the Gold and Silver of the Philosophers and their hidden Treasure XV. Of this Child of the Green Lyon of the Philosophers is drawn the strength of Sulphur White and Red but not Burning as Avicen saith which are the two best things the Alchymist can take to make his Gold and Silver of and this is sufficient to be said for the attaining the knowledge of the Green Lyon which is so called because that when he is dissolved he is streight ways adorned with a green Vesture i. e. When our Sulphur of Nature is dissolved in its own Menstruum which is the Virgins Milk it is clothed with this greenness and therefore called the Green Lyon XVI But of the Green Lyon of Fools this we say that from it with a strong fire is drawn Aquafortis in the which the aforesaid Philosophers Lyon of the Mineral Stone ought to be Elixirated and assumes its Name Raymundus saith it were better or fafer to eat the Eyes of a Basalisk than that Gold which is made with the Fire against Nature XVII And I say also that the things from whence the same Aquafortis is drawn is green Vitriol and Azoth i. e. Vitriol Natural not Artificial viz. the droppings of Copper called also Roman Vitriol Roman Gold by many of the Philosophers from the abundance of its noble Tincture the which Tincture must be Fermented with Common Gold XVIII How great and Secret a Virtue then and of what strength the Fire against Nature is evidently appears in the construction of the Body of the Volatile Spirit being by it vulgarly sublimed in the form of Snowy Whiteness Raymundus in the end of the Epistle of his Abridgment saith feed Argent Vive with this Oyl viz. with the Oyl wherewith the Spirit of the Quintessence is thickened c. XIX For want of such Natural 〈◊〉 the true and natural Principle not Artificial as Vincent saith made of Salts Sulphurs and Alums which cut and gnaw Metals is to be chosen lest in the end of your work you fail of your desire The Philosophers will you to Calcine Sol with Mercury Crude till it be brought into a Calx Red as Blood Here comes in the work of Sol and Mercury together brought into a dry Red Pouder and fixed but whether it is to be done with Mercury or Sulphur the Water of him is doubtful CHAP. LXIV The manner of Elixiration with the Fire against Nature I. TAke the first Sol Calcined with the first Water viz. the Mercurial Spirit very clean and brought into the Color of Blood in the space of 20 days in lesser time it is not to be done This Calcination cannot be so profitable as it would be unless Sol be first Mercurializ'd into such a thinness as it may cleave together to that to which it must be joyned in a 24 fold proportion viz. as 1. to 24. strain ed through a clean Linnen Cloth without any remain ing substance of the Gold II. I my self have seen it so ordered and done and then it may certainly in a strong Bolt Head well Luted on every side except on the Top boyling in a strong Fire for the space of 20 days be precipitated into a Red Pouder like Cinnaber all which I have seen performed Every particle of this Pouder you shall so fix as that if it be put upon a Red-Hot Iron Plate its Spirit shall not fume or fly away III. This Pouder Dissolve with or in our Fire against Nature being Dissolved abstract the Water of the Fire against Nature from it so long till the substance of the Pouder so Dissolved do remain in the Vessel as
thick as an Oyl which Oyl first with a soft fire and after with a stronger fix into dry Pouder IV. This Work is not to be done all at once but by little and little at a time till it goes through with it in the Color of Blood then will it precipitate into a Red Pouder called by the Philosophers Sericon Dissolve it with as much of Our Vegetable Sal Anatron the space of an hour then set it in Balneo in a long Receptory till it be clearly dissolved and becomes as it were a fine Wine which with the very softest heat make it to Evaporate and Congeal so will you have a pure Stone and of subtil parts V. Also if you dissolve this same Red Pouder of Mercury in Water or Spirit of Common Salt prepared as Bachon and Albertus have taught you shall have an Oyl or Salt of Gold which no Fire can destroy which will melt and tinge with a solar Color upon a Plate of Venus This Treasure carry always with you wheresoever you go Who knows not the Secret of this prepared Salt in Our lesser Works knows little of the hidden things of Alchymie VI. Try this fixt Pouder at Sect. 3. above for the fixation reiterate still the Work with the same Fire against Nature upon the same Pouder Ten times and it will be dryed up no more into Pouder but remain in a thick Oyl the which will turn Argent Vive and all Bodies into pure Alchymick Gold sufficiently good for all works of the Goldsmith but not for Medicine for Man's Body VII A Second way Gold is much more wonderfully Elixirated by the said Fire against Nature compounded with the Fire Natural after this manner Let Vitriol of the Fire of Nature made of the most sharp Humidity or moisture of Grapes and Sericon joyned together in a Mass with the Natural Mineral Vitriol called the Gum of Adrop or Vitriol Azoth made somewhat dry and with Sal Nitre be dissolved VIII First Ascends a Fair Weak Flegmatick Water which cast away Then a White Fume making the Vessel appear White like Milk which Fume must be gathered into the receiver so long till it ceases and the Vessel becomes clear of its own Color This water of the White Fume is the stinking Menstruum which is called Our Dragon against Nature This Menstruum if the said Dragon against Nature was absent would be our Fire Natural of which we shall hereafter speak in its proper place IX Raymundus saith this Water is made of four things 1. The Composition of Sal Amarum 2. Menstru um Foetens 3. Argent Vive which is a common substance in every Corruptible Body 4. Mineral Vitriol X. This compounded Water Mineral and Water Vegetable being mixed together and made one Water as aforesaid doth work contrary Operation which is wonderful it Dissolves and Congeals it makes moist and dry it putrifies and purifies it divides asunder and joyns together it destroys and restores it kills and makes alive it wounds and heals again it makes soft and hardens it makes thin and thick it resolves Compounds and Compounds again It begins the Work and makes an end of the same XI These two Mineral Waters Compounded together in one are the two Dragons Fighting and striving to gather one against the other in the Flood of Satalia viz. the White Fume and the Red and one of them shall devour the other And here the Solutory Vessels ought to be Luted but gently or closed with Linnen Cloth or with Mastick or common Wax or Cerecloth XII These two Dragons are Fire and Water within the Vessel and not without and therefore if they feel any exteriour fire they will rise up to the top of the Vessel and if they be yet forced by the violence or strength of the Fire they will break the Vessel and so you will lose all your Work XIII This Compounded Water aforesaid does Congeal as much as it does Dissolve and lists it up into a glorious Crystalline Earth This is our Secret dissolution of the Stone which is always done with the Congelation of its Water The Fire of Nature is here put to the Fire against Nature therefore as much as the Stone has lost of its form by the power and strength of the Water or Fire against Nature so much has it gotten and recovered again of its form by the Virtue of the Water or Fire of Nature But the Fire against Nature by the means of the Fire of Nature cannot be destroyed CHAP. LXV The Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body Dissolved I. THE Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body duly dissolved and prepared Take the prepared Body made with a thick Oyl put to it so much of the Compounded Water as may cover the same Calx i. e. Our prepared Calx with Our Vege table Menstruum by the depth of half an Inch. The Water will presently boil over the Calx without external dissolving the Stone and lifting it up into the form of Ice with the drying up also of the said Water II. The said Calx being so dissolved and sublimed into the form of Ice you must take away after this is done the residue of the Calx remaining in the Vessel undissolved shall again be well dryed by the Fire upon which put so much of the said Compounded Water as you did before dissolving subliming and drying till the Calx is wholly dissolved III. The substance thus dissolved subtily separated and brought into a Pouder must be put as thereafter shall be shewed into a good quantity of the Fire of Nature which is a Quintescence the same being first well rectified and the Vessel well stopp'd to the end that the means of the heat outwardly administred unto it procuring the inward heat to work it may be dissolved into an Oyl the which will soon be done by reason of the simplicity of the Water or simple Fire of Nature IV. And therefore when you have brought the said Pouder so dissolved sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water into an Oyl 〈◊〉 is our Menstruum Visible unto sight by putting thereto a good quantity of the aforesaid rectified simple Fire of Nature as before declared then abstract or draw away the said Water again from the same Oyl by Distilling the same in a moist Temperate heat so long till there remains in the bottom of the Glass a thin Oyl V. This Oyl the oftner it is dissolved with the said simple rectified Fire of Nature and the said Water Abstracted or Distilled by a Temperate heat so much the more will the said Oyl be made subtil and thin VI. With the said Oyl provided the Calx be the Calx of Sol or Luna you may incere the substances or Calces of other Bodies the said Bodies being first dissolved exalted sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water in manner and form of Ice aforesaid till that by the Inceration of the
said subtil and thin Oyl of Sol and Luna the said substances of other Bodies be made fixed and to flow like Wax VII With which flowing substance you shall not only congeal Argent Vive into perfect Sol and Luna according as you have prepared your Medicine but you shall also with the same fluxible and flowing substance transmute and change all such other imperfect Bodies as they were whose Calces were so sublimed and from whom at their first subliming or lifting up they took their beginning into Sol and Luna aforesaid VIII And this thin and subtil Oyl being put into Kemia its proper Vessel first sealed up to putrifie in the Fire of the first degree being moist it becomes as black as liquid Pitch The fire may then have its Action in the Body to corrupt it the same Body as before so opened IX Therefore it grows first black like melted Pitch because the bear working in this moist Body does first beget a blackness which blackness is the first sign of Corruption and since the Corruption of one thing is the generation of another therefore of the Body corrupted is generated a Body Neutral which is certainly apt declinable and applicable unto every Ferment whatsoever you please to apply it to X. But the Ferment must be altered together with the Alchymick Body and the whole substance of our Stone or Elixir must partake of the Nature of the Quintescence otherwise it will be of no effect XI And between the said sign of blackness and perfect whiteness which will follow the said blackness there will appear a green Color and as many variable Colors afterwards as the mind of Man is able to conceive XII When the present White Color shall begin to appear like the Eyes of Fishes then may you know that Summer is near at hand after which Autumn or Harvest will happily follow with ripe fruit which in the long looked for Red ness This is after the Pale Ashy and Citrine Color XIII First the Sun does perfectly Descend by its due Course from its Meridional height and Glory through its gross and natural solution into an imperfect Pale and Ashy Color shining in the Occidental parts of the West which is somewhat of a yellowish or Brick dust Color from thence it goes to the Septentrional parts of the Earth being of a Variable watrish blackness of a dark cloudy alterable putrefactive watrishness XIV Then it Afcends up to the Oriental parts shining with a more perfect Crystalline Summer-like and Paradisical White Lastly he Ascends his Fiery Chariot directing his Course up again to his Meridional Life Perfection and Glory there to Rule and Shine in fire brightness splendor and the highest perfection even in the highest most pure and Imperial Redness XV. When this aforesaid simple Oyl of the altered Body being in its Vessel duly sealed is by the Fire thus disposed what is there more than one simple thing which nature has made to be generated of Sulphur and Mercury in the Bowels of the Earth XVI Thus it is evident that our Stone is nothing else but Sol and Luna Sulphur and Mercury Male and Female Heat and Cold. And therefore to be more short when all the parts of our Stone are thus gathered together it appears plainly enough what is our Mercury Our Sulphur Our Alehymick Body Our Ferment Our Menstruum Our Green Lyon And what Our White Fume Our two Dragons Our Fires and Our Egg in which is both the Whiteness and the Redness XVII As also what is Man's Blood Our Aquae Vitae Our Burning Water and what are many other things which in this Our Art are Metaphorically or figuratively named to deceive the Foolish and unwary XVIII Also there is a similitude of a Tri-une shining in the Body Soul and Spirit The Body is the substance of the Stone The Soul is the Ferment which cannot be had but from the most perfect Body and the Spirit is that which raiseth up the Natures from Death and Corruption to Life Perfection and Glory XIX In Sulphur there is an Earthiness for the Body In Mercury there is an Aerealness for the Spirit and in them both a Natural Unctuosity for the Soul or Ferment all which are inseparably United in their least parts for ever From this Fermental Body the Stone is formed and without it it cannot be made XX. It is the peculiar property of Sol and Luna the which property appertains to the Stone it self to give the form of Gold and Silver And therefore the Elixir whether it be White or Red may be Infinitely augmented with the Fermental Oyl if you do cast the same upon Mercury it shall transmute it into the Elixir which Elixir must be cast afterwards upon the Imperfect Bodies XXI Moreover the said White Elixir is augmented with Mercurial Water and the Red Elixir with the Mercurial Oyl the which two viz. the Mercurial Water and Mercurial Oyl can only be had of Mercury dissolved of it self XXII See what the Scripture saith He stroke the Stone and Water flowed out and he brought forth Oyl out of the Flinty Rock We may Note the whole composition of the Elixir in these four Verses following XXIII He stretched forth the Heavens as a Curtain The Water stood above the Mountains This is the Water which does cover Our Matter and performs the dissolution thereof causing a cloudy Ascension That does walk upon the Wings of the Wind. This figures forth the sublimation of ourStone XXIV Who makes his Angels Spirits and his Ministers a flame of Fire By this is shadowed forth the rectification separation and disposition of the Elements Who has founded the Earth upon its Basis so fixt that it shall not be moved for ever Under which is described the fixation of the Elements and the perfection of the Philosophick Stone CHAP. LXVI Another way of Elixirating Gold by the Fire against Nature I. ANother way by which the Body of Gold is Elixirated by the power of the Fire against Nature through the help of the Operation of the Fire of Nature which is thus Dissolve the Body of pure Gold in the Fire against Nature the same fire being well rectified Arsenick Mercury sublimate as the manner is from which Gold being so dissolved into a Citrine clear and shining Water without any Heterogenity or Sand remaining let the water be abstracted till the Body does remain in the bottom of the Glass like a fixt Oyl II. Upon this Oyl affuse the said Water or Fire against Nature again and abstract again and this work so often repeat till the water or fire against Nature have no more sharpness upon the Tongue than common well-Well-Water III. This done draw such another new water or fire against Nature which Affuse upon the former Oyl and abstract in all respects as before is taught then Affuse upon this Oyl the water or fire of Nature well rectified and let it be double in quantity or proportion of the said Oyl of the Body so
dissolved and put it into a Vessel which stop well and set it in Balneo for seven days so will the water or fire of Nature become a Citrine Color IV. This water or fire of Nature by its attractive Virtue will draw away the Tincture from the fire against Nature as Raymundus saith in his practical Alphabet And altho' it is somewhat opposite to Nature to dissolve the Bodies with the fire against Nature yet if you know how to comfort the matter with the fire of Nature and by Balneation in 15 days to draw it from the blackness of the water or fire against Nature the which may be done as I have proved in 6 days you shall perfect the work and attain the desired end V. Let the aforesaid Natural Water or fire of Nature so tinged with a Yellow Color be always warily emptied and poured off from the aforesaid dissolved Bodies into another Vessel with a narrow Mouth that may be firmly stopped and then with more of the said fire let there be made in Balnco in the space of time aforesaid another quantity of the said Oyl VI. And so the same water being tinged with Sol or Gold let it be warily emptied and poured off as before and when the water of Nature will be tinged no more then it is a sign that the Tincture is all drawn forth from the dissolved Body by the Fire against Nature VII Put the Tinctures thus decanted off into a Glass Stillatory and with a soft or easie Fire abstract the Water or Fire of Nature from the same so long till you see in the bottom an Oyl to which you must put New Fire of Nature again well rectified and after the Matter has stood in Balneo for the space of 6 days then abstract the said water or fire of Nature by distillation VIII And let the work with the same water be repeated upon and from the said Oyl after the same manner so long till you have brought your Oyl of Gold to be most subtil and pure without any Foeculent grossness wherein let nothing of the water or fire of Nature be left behind but the substance of Gold only turned to Oyl IX This subtil and pure Oyl of Gold being put in Kemia or its proper Vessel and firmly sealed up may by the aforesaid Regiments be changed into the great Elixir as it is shewed before with the other simple Oyl made with the Compounded Water in the former practice at Sect. 8. Chap. 65. aforegoing X. But to proceed sublime Quick-Silver with Roman Vitriol and prepared or Calcined Salt and after that sublime it by it self alone three times from its Foeculent substance This done and the same made into Pouder put this sublimate Pouder into a fixatory Vessel and put thereto a certain quantity of your aforesaid Oyl of Gold but so much only as may scarcely cover the sublimate firmly close the Vessel and set it in a soft Fire till the Natures are perfectly joyned together XI This done grind it upon a Marble and Incerate it again with your said Oyl of Gold and after put it again into its Fixatory Vessel under a Fire of the first Degree as before and let the same Vessel stand twice as long as it did before to the Intent that the Natures may be firmly Compact and United together XII Now this Rule is generally to be Observed that the Vessel with the Matter in it to be fixed ought always to be set over the fire from time to time to be augmented and this Inceration to be continued still upon the Argent Vive sublimed until the same is perfectly fixed with the said Oyl or substance of Gold XIII The which must be proved upon a Plate of Silver Red Hot And if it be found fixed let it have for the greater certainty one Inceration more of the said Oyl which set under a strong fire for the space of three days then grind it with your Oyl upon the same Stone till it be as thick as an Oyntment which make perfectly dry with an easie fire and then let it be Calcined with a strong fire for the space of eight hours XIV Which done then Incerate it and dry it again with a soft or gentle fire oftentimes till it stands in the fire like melted Wax This Medicine will transmute Silver substantially and perfectly into fine and pure Alchymick Gold perfect to all the works of Goldsmiths but not to Medicine for Man CHAP. LXVII Two other Mineral Elixirs or Two other Processes of Mercury I. THere be many other Noble and Profitable Secrets in this Art or Mystery of our Mineral Stone viz. good Elixirs to be made out of Metalline Bodies of which Mineral Elixirs two are more excellent than the rest the first of which we shall handle in this Chapter Here comes in the Process or Practical Operation of Mercury mentioned Chap. 61. Sect. 13. aforegoing II. The first of these Elixirs is only in Mercury The second in Mercury and the White Body for the White Elixir and with the same to the Red too if you so please being prudently pursued and sought after III. The first manner to Elixirate only with Mercury is thus Dissolve Mercury only by it self into a Milky water with the which Mercury so dissolved you may dissolve so much more Mercury and so continually as long as you please IV. Put this into a gentle Fire to be Distilled so shall you have Our Virgins Milk White and Chrystalline wherewith all Bodies may be dissolved into their first Matter Washed and Purged V. This water is of a Silver Colour which if you fix with its Earthy Faeces Calcin'd and after that dissolved again in the quantity of its remaining water and then again Coagulated and Congealed which work is to be done upon a Stone you will have at length the Elixir of Argent Vive which will transmute all Imperfect Bodies to a perfect Whiteness VI. And so of this Mercurial substance is made a water permanent or fixt wherewith the Calces of all Bodies may be so depurated and Whitened as thereby to become the most pure and fine Silver VII And therefore as I have said before in the beginning of this work when Mercury is dissolved then are its Elements separable and after the separation of its Mercurial Liquor and that a competent putrefaction is performed after the same White Liquor there will Distill a Golden moisture or humour to which if you add a small quantity of the Ferment of the Gum of the aforesaid Elixirated White Stone that then the same White Stone with the said Golden humour shall be made the Red Stone which shall transmute Argent Vive and all Metalline Bodies into the finest and most pure Gold VIII Again if you take the aforesaid Red humour of Mercury and Dissolve in it a little of the aforesaid Red Ferment being made as aforesaid of the White Stone and then with the same Red humour of Mercury so Fermented with it self the
the beginning is the Resolutive Menstruum which is the Soul of Mercury and this Tincture is a very Oyl separate from its foul Earth and faint Water which as we know and according to the traditions of the Wise Philosophers is an Unctuous moisture which is the nearest Matter of Our Vegetable and Philosophick Mercury VI. The which Principle Resolutive Menstruum Near Matter or Unctuous Moisture Raymundus in Cap. 6. and Cap. 8. of his Clavis does call Black Blacker than Black The which Black thing or Matter I certainly know VII But since Raymundus saith that this Resolutive Menstruum does come from Wine or the Lees or Tartar thereof how is he to be understood Truly he himself unfolds the Mystery Our Water or Menstruum is a Metalline Water generated of a Metalline Matter only So that Raymundus speaks either of the Resolutive Menstruum or of the Resoluble Menstruum VIII This Menstruum springs from a Silver Wine which does Naturally make a dissolution of its own Sulphur It is apparent in the 11. Cap. of Raymundus that Our Mercurial and Radical moisture is not only Congealed into perfect Metal by Vapour of its hot and dry Sulphur but that also the same Metalline Water being so terminated in the form of a Metal after its Resolution in Ashes has power naturally of a Menstruum to dissolve Our Stone or Sulphur and change it to its Vegetable Nature without prejudice or hurt to its own Nature IX Wherefore he says that from whatsoever any thing does spring or grow by Nature that into the same it may again be resolved X. If he viz. Raymundus speaks of the first water or Resolutive Menstruum you are to understand that it is so as he speaks not a Metalline Water but after a certain manner for this water of the Resolutive Menstruum is both a Sulphurous and a Mercurial Vapour Ignis and Azoth and by reason of its Sulphurity it burns with the fire XI This Resolutive Menstruum is our Vegetable Mercury which is our Vapourous Menstruum and every burning water of Life Aqua Vitae ardens by whose attractive Virtue the Body of the Volatile Spirit being fixed by the fire against Nature is dissolved naturally into the water of Philosophers and exalted and lifted up from its Salt and Combustible Dregs into 〈◊〉 Mercurial and Natural substance which must be Fermented with the Oyl of Sol and Luna and then is made there of the great Elixir with which Mercurial substance we also counterfeit Pearls and Pretious Stones XII We see also that in Tartar dryed only in the Sun there are certain Mercurial Qualities shining and giving of light to the Eye but the kind of Metals is a Composition of Sulphur and Argent Vive And therefore if he means after this sort then the Resolutive Menstruum may be taken for a Metalline water for otherwise it is not Answered XIII Again Raymundus proves clearly to the contrary where he answers him who demanded of him in what is the Vegetable Mercury in Gold or in Silver It is saith he a simple Coessential substance the which is brought from its own Concrete parts and proper Veins to such a pass or point by the Dissolutive Menstruum that by Virtue of the simple and Co-essential substance they are able to multiply their similitudes in Mercuries which have none in themselves and are also apt Medicines for Mens Bodies and to expel and put away from them many Diseases to restore to the Old and Aged their former Youth and preserve them in Health so long a time as God has designed them to Live XIV This Coessential substance is Our White and Red Tincture by whom these Earths that are wanting are multiplyed in Tincture whereby they are made Elixirs to purge Metals and a Medicine for Man's Body XV. Therefore Our true Metalline Water is an Uctuous humidity of the Body dissolved to the similitude of Black Pitch Liquid and Melted and this Unctuous and Black humidity is called the true Resoluble Menstruum And because we shall afterwards demonstrate the true Resolutive Menstruum required in this Work we will here only declare from what principles and how the said Resolutive Menstruum is drawn XVI Our Metalline Water is separated from the Body of Lunaria which is its terminated and Radical humidity in the kind and Color of White shining Silver and its Body is Our black Sulphur Therefore see Chap. 63. in the Lunary Branch and in his Clavis where you will find the Radical humidity to be the true Mer struum wherewith the solemn dissolution of its own black Body is made XVII Raymundus doth say that an Unctuous Humidity is the last comfort and support to the Humane Body which what it is is manifest to the Philosophers it makes a noise or sound in the Vessel and is Distilled with a great deal of Art He also saith that Our Stone is made of the hottest Matter or substance in Nature And I say that Wine is hot but there is another thing which is much hotter than Wine whose substance by reason of its exceeding Airyness or Spirituosity is most quickly inflamed by the Fire XVIII And the Lees or Tartar and Dregs of this Unctuous humidity is gross like the Rinde or Bark of a Tree and the same Tartar is blacker than the Tartar of the black Grape of Catalonia for which cause it is called by Raymundus a Black more Black than Black By these Lees or Tartar and Dregs is meant the Lees of our Silver Wine separated from the Lunary Body XIX And because that this humidity is Unctuous therefore it better agrees with the Unctuosity of Metals than the Spirit drawn from Common Wine for through its Liquefactive Virtue Metals do Melt and are made flowing and moist in the Fire the which Operation truly the Spirit of Common Wine cannot do XX. For the Spirit of Wine how strong soever it be is comparatively but clear Flegm or Water whereas contrariwise in Our Unctuous Distilled Spirit there is no watrishness at all But this thing being rare in our parts as well as other Countries Guido Montanor found out another Untuous humidity which swims upon other Liquors which humidity proceeds from Wine which Raymundus Arnoldus knew with some others but they taught not how it should be obtained XXI Our Tincture in Distilling is separated both from the Flegm and its gross Faeces till it be like an Oyl and that is the Soul of Mercury which is Air and Fire separate from its two extreams and so it being an Unctuous moisture is the mean See the first and last Chapter of Raymund's Codicil XXII Notwithstanding Raymundus saith it must be drawn from Death and from the Faeces of Wine by rectification that it may be acuated in Distillation by hot Vegetable substances thereunto appertaining as Pepper Euphorbium c. for without these things he saith the Virtue thereof is not sufficient but by long time to dissolve Metals XXIII Raymundus saith in the end
And Gold is our Earth of all which we make Sericum which is our Ferment or Ixir Salmon He here divides the great Work into two parts viz. Vegetable and Animal which is a Philosophical fiction But the true Work is but one consisting of an equal and temperate mixtion of the Elements to a perfect fixity The Foundation 〈◊〉 this Work is laid in the Earth of the Gold of which 〈◊〉 Ixir Elixir or Ferment is made which is two fold 1. For Luna 2. For Sol. By the Ferment of Sol is understood the Seed of the Male and by that of Luna the Seed of the Female of these there must be made 1. A Conjunction 2. A Generation The Ferment of Sol is from Sol as Leaven is made of the substance of the Bread and as a little Leaven Ferments or Leavens a great quantity of Paste at least 〈◊〉 times its quantity so likewise a little Portion of this our Earth suffices to nourish and perfect the whole Stone The Ferment saith Avicenna reduces the Matter to its own Nature Color Sapor and Form reducing Power into Act. For it Whitens the Confection Multipies it makes it Spiritual Strengthens it makes it resist the Fire makes it contain the Tincture that it shall not fly away opens the Bodies and makes them with it to enter one into another and to be perfectly 〈◊〉 as Water with Water which cannot be 〈◊〉 and is the end of the Work Without this Ferment no Elixir can be made no more than Paste or Dough can be Levened without Leven And this Elixir is the Ferment of Ferments and the Coagulum of the Coagulum For it not only Ferments the Inferior and imperfect Bodies but also Gold it self making it from a perfect Body much more than perfect It is the most 〈◊〉 Mother which by how much the 〈◊〉 it is impregnated by so much the more it conveives and brings forth propagating its Off-Spring to an 〈◊〉 of Generations It is the only Key which opens and shuts the Gates leading to the Kingdom of the Mineral Treasure the Golden Mountain the Gardens of the Hespenides where all the Trees perpetually bear Golden Fruit. Without this Key it is not possible for any Man to attain to the perfection of this Art CHAP. XIV The Smaragdine Table of Hermes I. HERMES This is true and far distant from a Lie whatsoever is below is like that which is above and that which is above is like that which is below By this are acquired and perfected the Miracles of the One Thing Salmon That is to say the truth of this our Art is confirmed by Experience we know it to be truth by very matter of Fact and notwithstanding all the Sophisms and Logomachia of the Schools there is no Argument can stand against Experience The Waters of the Cataracts of Heaven above are like to the Waters below when the great Fountain of the deep is broken up and the Waters below are like to the Waters above There are two parts in our Stone a Superior part that ascends up and an Inferior part which remains beneath and yet these two parts agree in One. The inferior Part or Earth is called the Body or Ferment The superior part or Spirit is called the Soul or Life which quickens the Stone and raises it up The first must be dissolved and made Water like the Superior and the Superior must be coagulated and made Earth like the Lower that they may be united and become the Miracle of the one Thing then will it be evidently demonstrated that whatsoever is below is like that which is above and contrarywise Nor do they differ one from another but by Accident as Corruptible and Incorruptble Pure and Impure Heavy and Light Clear and Opake Agent and Patient Masculine and Feminine c. all which are Accidents not Substances Heaven or that which is above is Incorruptible where the pure Elements are made from a Corruptible matter elevated or lifted up in the Concavity of which Firmament the Body or Substance of Luna is Graduared Hence it is apparent that this our Medicine must resemble Heaven it self in Activity Penetrativeness and Incorruptibility nor must it work as the Elements in Natural Bodies which are as it were Dead and destitute of any Power or Action II. Hermes Also as all things were made from One by the help of One So all things are made from One thing by Conjunction Salm. That is as all things were made or came from One Confused Chaos by the help of One Omnipotent or Almighty God so Our Stone is born or brought fourth out of one Confused Mass by the help of one particular Matter or Thing which contains in it four Elements Created by the determination of God Here Hermes points forth the Universal Medicine in imitation of the Worlds Creation which is performed by one Universal Spirit and so by a Supernatural Experiment points forth this Our Natural Work It is the Opinion of many Philosophers that the Spirit of Natural things or the Spirit of Nature is the Medium between the Soul and the Body as being that which makes the absolute and firm Conjunction But the Opinion of some is though the Spirit may be said to be the more subtile Subsistance yet it can be no more separated from the Soul than Light from the Sun III. Hermes The Father thereof is the Sun and the Mother thereof is the Moon the Wind carries it in its Belly and the Nurse thereof is the Earth Salmon As living Creatures beget their Like or Kind so Gold generates Gold by the Virtue of Our Stone The Sun is its Father that is Our Philoso phical or Living Gold And as in every natural Generation there must be a fit and convenient receptacle with a certain likeness of kind to the Father so likewise in this Our Artificial Generation it is requisite that the Sun or Our Living Gold should have a fit and agreeable Receptacle or Womb for its Seed or Tincture and this is Our Philosophical or Living Silver i. e. Mercury which is the Mother thereof What Sol and Luna are in the Heavens above the same are Our Gold and Silver in Our Heavens below The Universal Masculine Seed is the Sulphur Nature the first and most Potent cause of all Generation And if Sol does Live it is necessary as Paracelsus saith to live in some things viz. in its own Radical Humidity and most pure and simple Air which contemperates the heat there of by its Humidity The Wind is the Air and the Air is the Life and the Life is the Soul which quickens the whole Stone And therefore the Wind Air Life or Soul must carry the Stone viz. bring forth Our Magistery which being brought forth it must be nourished by its Nurse which is the Earth for The Earth saith Hermes is its Nurse The Wind Carries it in its Belly by which the Universal Inferior and Feminine Seed is dilated through the Air and joyned to the Universal