Part I (part 3 of 3)

Part I (part 3 of 3)

As for the weight of Silver, it may, in like manner as the Colour be given to Silver by Art, so that it shall be equal with Gold in weight: Which introduction of Colour and weight into ☽, the Philosophers have called closing of its Pores. For this is certain, that if any light Metals are melted together, that one filleth up the Pores of the other, and both come out of the Fire more compact and heavy, than they were before. For example: Take half an Ounce of Red Copper, and as much of good Tin, melt these together, and pour them out into a Bullet-mould, and you will see, that they will not be much more in Magnitude than one of them was before; for one Bullet of ♀ and one of ♃ may almost be put into the same Mould: From whence it appears, that one Metal hath an ingress into the other, and mends, and augments it in its weight and Colour; but what those Metals are which give weight and colour to Silver, you may easily guess. Nothing can tinge, but what is naturally Coloured, and nothing can better give weight, than what is naturally heavy: In which, ☿ and ♄ have the Preheminency, but in introducing Colour, Mars, Venus, and Antimony excel. But which way this introduction of colour and weight, into light and white Silver, is to be done, the following Process will teach.

But this the Ingenious ought to know, that it is no Art at all, that if the Iron made Red, and ☿ and ♄ made White, be mixed with ☽, yet they will not render it durable, red and heavy: But the Corroding ♄ will quite take away the Redness and Whiteness upon the Cupel: For what is not purged from all combustible Sulphur, cannot Sustain the Cupel, but will vanish with Saturn, and turn into Scoriæ: And seeing that we know, that ♂ and ☿ contain abundance of superfluous combustible Sulphur, and also that their incombustible Sulphur is not yet fixed enough, to refill the Corroding ♄ upon the Cupel, and therefore with him must vanish and come to nothing, for all that is able to abide the Cupel must be separated from all combustible Sulphur. Now we know, that ♂ and ☿ are not so, and therefore cannot abide the Cupel. For ♂ if he be made Red, and cast upon Silver, he doth not remain Red with it, but so much as enters the Silver, again becomes black Iron, and therefore can give no Colour to the Silver; and also ☿ flies away, and so leaves no weight to the Silver: Which Paracelsus hath sufficiently described in his Cœlum Philosophorum. So that if one melt unfixed Metals with Gold and Silver, and keep them together never so long in the Fire, yet notwithstanding the unfixed Metals, cannot be made fixed by the Gold and Silver, but every of them would again be found in the Examen, as they were before. But if one Metal should make the other better, they ought to be spiritually conjoyned, and so the Spirit of one Metal will improve the other. For all Philosophers testifie, that the Metals must first be reduced to their first Matter, that is, they must be brought into a spiritual being, before they can be transmuted into more Noble, by Art. But which way all Metals are to be spiritualized, and brought to their first Matter, is taught in my Treatise of the Three Principles of Metals, lately published, as also in the Seventh part of my Pharmacopæa Spagyrica, and its Appendix. Now if one would Meliorate, or improve, the imperfect Metals, the imperfect combustible Sulphur must first be Separated from them, that only the purest and incombustible part, viz. the incombustible Sulphur may remain; which may be done by several ways; as by Distillation, and Rectification, and also by Adustion, and Combustion, in which nothing perisheth, but the combustible and unprofitable part: But the incombustible Oyl still remains, and doth not perish by the Fire; and also by Solutions, Distillations and Rectifications, all the unprofitable Feces of the Metals are separated, and there remains only the clean Quintessence of the Metals, which are separated and advanced into a concentrated Medicine. This Separation of the unprofitable and combustible Sulphur, from the incombustible, as Old Philosopher hath notably expressed in these Verses.

_Est impossibile, Sulphur sine Flamma delere, Calcis adustibile, quod præstat fossa Mineræ._

_=Sulphur= impure, we can’t blot out, Till Circling Flames play round about Our Oars and Calces; for then they This subtil Fire forthwith obey._

Here the Philosopher tells us, that every combustible Sulphur, may be burnt, and reduced into nothing, but no otherwise, than by a kindled and combustible Fire, by whose Flame nothing that is good, but only the superfluous and noxious Sulphur by which all the inferiour Metals are destroyed, is taken away. And therefore justly reputed imperfect, as long, and as often, until this unprofitable Sulphur is taken away from them, either Particularly, by Dissolving and Coagulating, Distilling and Rectifying, or else by an Universal fixed Mercury by projection, by which means the hurtful combustible Sulphur is fixed, and, without Combustion, transmuted into a nobler Metal. For this is very possible, that any combustible Sulphur, by an easie way and small Charge, and in a short time, viz. in one day, Particularly, may be so fixed, and made constant in the Fire, that, without being burnt, it may be able to endure the strongest Fire, the which is handled more at large, in my Three Principles of Metals. From hence it follows, that no imperfect Metal can be transmuted, with Profit, into a Perfect, before it be free’d from its combustible Sulphur, which may be done several ways. Now, he who hath a mind to get any good out of the imperfect Metals, must learn how to separate their unprofitable Sulphur, either by one means or other, as I have sufficiently taught. For in this, viz. in the Separation of the combustible Sulphur, from the incombustible, consists the whole Art; which every one ought to attend without other thoughts. Now after we have understood out of this Theory, in what the Melioration of the Metals consists, or how it must be effected, it is necessary to know the exact Practice, or Process, as the Operations succeed one another: For to this work belongs, not only Distillation and Rectification, to separate the pure from the impure, but also the most subtil and clean parts, after they are separated from their Feces, must be made fixed, subtiler, and constant, viz., so constant, that the Corroding ♄, may not overcome them, but against his Will, leave them constant upon the Cupel. This is one of the greatest Secrets in Alchymy, yet taken notice of but by few, and therefore few there are who reap any Profit. For the greatest part of Operators are persuaded, that if they had but Red Metallick Tinctures, that they could immediately tinge with them, but in the end they have understood, that more than unfixed Tinctures are required. It is an easie Matter, to make Red Tinctures out of Stones and Metals: But these are not permanent on the Cupel, without true Fixation, which the Philosophers call Perpetuation in the Fire. Nothing in the World can tinge, so that the tinged Metal can endure the Cupel, as long as the Tincture is still Metallick. For whatsoever is made out of Metals, and by a strong Fire may again be reduced into a Metal, cannot be called a true Tincture, for whatsoever yet contains a combustible Sulphur, perisheth upon the Cupel with Saturn, and nothing abides, but what is totally deprived of that. For even the Saturn contains much combustible Sulphur, therefore he so readily acts upon Sulphureous Metals, and draws them with himself in to the Cupel, which he cannot do to Gold and Silver. But because we also know this, that when by the help of common fixed Gold, a combustible and fugacious Sulphur is well united and fixed, that the combustible Sulphur adheres so closely to the fixed Gold, that it also remains fixed with it, and can never be separated from it. Now, if the weight and proportion be well adjusted, then the fixed Sulphur enters with the Gold into Lune, and Tingeth it into constant Gold. But if the conjunction of the Sulphur and Gold, be not well made, or too much of the Sulphur be put to the Gold, it takes away the Ingress of the Gold, so that it remains with the Saturn, and cannot enter the Silver. It is also to be observed, that if the Sulphur of ♂, ♀ or ♁ be legitimately united with ☉, and yet be not kept long enough together, it will produce no good; and therefore the Transmutation of Metals is not so easie a thing, as many imagine; it is not enough to make a Tincture; to fix it, is more; and to give an Ingress, is hardest of all. And these three things ought to be well known, if one would effect any good in the Transmutation of Metals.

Now that we may farther hear, which way Tinctures may be drawn out of the Red Metals, fixed, and made constant in the Fire, and how to give them an Ingress, I have undertaken to Reveal to the Lovers of Art. And none needs to doubt, but what I here Write are my own Inventions, which I have not only once or twice, but many times experimented, and always found good, although in small quantities, provided no accident hath hindered me. If a Glass break in the labour, or a Crucible runs out, by which one suffers loss, that is not to be accounted a loss, because it comes by accident and not from the Art, and therefore not to be imputed to the Art. If an Art be never so well described, and an Unskilful Workman intermeddle with it, the Work may be easily spoiled, and therefore the fault cannot justly be charged upon the Art, as it is too often done. I shall here acquit my self of this unjust charge, if out of a good Intention I here discover the Art, as I have often done, without concealing any Manual Operation, and hereafter shall not care what Ill Men say or judge of it, if any one, through his want of Skill, should lose his labour. I here Write nothing, but what I have often done my self, and found good; for what should move me to publish any false thing, that might seduce others to labour in vain, even when I am ready to dye? I never sought any Profit by any of my Writings, no, not when I was young, and might have occasion for it. And now, when both my Feet are in a manner in the Grave, and I am certain not to live much longer, although I am heart-whole, nor find I any dolour about me, yet my Limbs being weak, I am forced to keep in my Bed, where I Write this. I say, Why should I, so near my end, write any thing hurtful to my Soul? I write this for my farewel, to do good to the World, even as the Swan, when she is near her death, sings a pleasant Song, and such I would that every one should take these my last Writings to be. But if it shall please God, I hope this will not be the last; which is only a small Work, to shew the probability and verity of the Transmutation of Metals, and to help Skilful Chymists to great Riches. But if God shall yet spare my Life, I shall write of higher matters, and shew such a light to the blind World, as hath not yet been revealed by any Man. In the mean time, I desire the Ingenious very well to consider this particular, and to try his Fortune, every thing is easie to be done, and needs no beating of the Brain, for all the labour is clearly laid down, without any reserve, therefore I would have none be so arrogant, as to impute the fault to me, if he miss his Intention, but rather to himself, through his own unskilfulness or negligence. Yet this is also to be considered, That sometimes a true skilful and diligent Operator cannot imitate an easie thing, being hindered by the Almighty, who for certain Reasons keeps his Hand over it, and will not let every Man grow Rich.

_Now follows the Fundamental Process, how to make good Gold out if Silver, with profit, and how to separate, after a particular manner, good Gold and Silver, out of Iron, Copper, Tin and Lead._

℞. A pound of Steel Wier, more or less, according as you will begin your Work in a greater or lesser quantity, dissolve it in Spirit of Salt, filter the Dissolution, and abstract the Phlegm from the Solution, in Sand, for in the Abstraction there will come over no acidity, (because the Mars holds it after a Magnetick manner) but yet this is not without virtue, for it carries over with it self a very subtle Martial Spirit, of which a little put into ones Mouth, penetrates the Tongue, so that the taste thereof remains long after. And this penetrating taste and smell, is nothing else but the most subtle Narcotick Sulphur of Mars, which is set at liberty in the Solution, and carried over with the sweet Water, in the deflegming. It doth wonders in Internal Obstructions; and Externally it easeth all Pains, because it is Narcotick and Stupefactive; It serveth for Physicians and Chyrurgeons in many cases, but because I have already written of this, I need not here repeat it. And this you ought to note, that you draw not off the Phlegm to dryness, but the Solution of ♂ must remain in form of an Oyl. This sweet Oyl of ♂ is the Opake Tree of Virgil, from which he hath taught us to pluck its Golden Branches, and how this is to be done, he hath also obscurely hinted, but I here publish it plainly. Virgil saith, that those Golden Branches are the gift of Proserpina, but what was to be understood by this Proserpina, which the Heathens have said to be the Wife of Pluto, is not here expressed, but only this, that this Golden Branch was Consecrated to the Goddess Juno. He that will have the foundation of those Heathenish Gods, cannot better accomplish his Desire, than by Reading the last Edition of the Dictionary of Eight Languages, written by Ambrosius Callepine, for there he will find many curious secrets of the Ancient Poets illustrated. Now concerning Proserpina, many Philosophers and Chymists understand the Corrosive Oyl or Butter of Antimony, of which I have already made mention, although obscurely, in my Treatise De Sale Philosophorum, but shall here give it you more plainly. Now, it according to a due weight, you put some of this Proserpina to the Solution of Mars, and unite them well together, and then distil this mixture by a Glass Retort well Coated, there first comes over a certain unprofitable Humidity, then a white Oyl of Antimony, which is to be kept by it self, and when you see yellow drops begin to fall, you must then change your Receiver, then give a stronger Fire, and the Proserpina brings over with it self the Tincture of Mars, as red as Blood. This Blood-red Oyl of Mars and Antimony is the Golden Branch, plucked from the obscure Tree, which may easily be fixed into a particular Tincture, as we shall hear anon. Now when you have pulled one Golden Branch, you may also pluck a second and third, for they will easily follow. As for the manner of plucking more such Golden Branches, it is thus: You must dissolve the remaining ♂ with Spirit of Salt, and there will remain many Feces, but the Solution will be clearer and better than the first, although less in quantity: Now, after (as I told you before) you have put to it the due quantity of Butter of Antimony, for which purpose that which came over in the first Distillation will well serve, and when you have driven this over by a Retort as before, the Proserpina again brings over more of the Tincture in a Blood-red Oyl, which may as the first, be fixed into a Tincture. After this manner you may pluck many Branches, one after another, but it is not convenient, because the Solution of Mars is diminished by every Distillation, and at length your Branches would be very small, therefore it is better when you have plucked the first Branch, so go to another Tree, and thereto pluck a Golden Branch, for the Tree is not so precious, and you may collect the Trees from which you have pulled the Branches, and dissolve them in Spirit of Salt, and then pluck from them more Branches. Proserpina hath learned this spoiling and bearing away, of her Husband Pluto, for he stole Proserpina from her Parents, and carried her with him into Hell, and made her his Wife. N. B. Pluto carried Proserpina into Hell, but Proserpina doth the contrary, carrying the dead Bodies and Souls out of Hell. For she hath her Original only from the Spirit and Salt of the World, which Spirit and Salt of the World have power to carry the Souls of the dead Bodies out of Hell, as you may see in the Books of Philosophers which say.

Sal & Spiritus Mundi, ducunt Anima Mortuorum ex Orco.

The Salt and Spirit of the World, bring the Souls of the Dead out of Hell.

Let this suffice concerning the bringing over the Metallick Souls or Tinctures, which is done by Proserpina. But there is yet other ways to draw out the Tinctures of Metals out of Red Bodies, and they are chiefly to be had by means of our secret Sal Armoniack in a far greater quantity, than by the help of Proserpina, which is somewhat troublesome, but yet these are more easily and perfectly acquired by our Alcahest. Now, after we have heard how to draw Tinctures out of Metals and Minerals by the help of Proserpina, it is further necessary to know how to fix those Volatile Tinctures, so that they may not only endure the strongest Fire, to which they may easily be brought, but that is not enough, they must be made so fixed, that the Corroding Saturn may not have power to injure them upon the Cupel; if that be not done, these Tinctures can profit nothing to Metals. I have seen very many who very well know, how to Extract Tinctures out of Mars, Venus, Vitriol and Antimony, but they wanted the Fixation, the perpetuation upon the Cupel, and also Ingress, and therefore they could do nothing with them. These following ancient Verses are read by many, but understood by few, viz.

_Fixum si solves, faciesque volare solutum & volucrem figes, faciet te vivere tutum._

If thou dissolve that which is fixed, and render it Volatile,

And again fix the Volatile, thou shalt not want.

We have proceeded according to this Verse, in making the fixed Iron Volatile, although we have not yet again rendered the Volatile fixed and constant upon the Cupel. The Fixation requires but little Art, so that it may abide the Fire, but to make it abide the Cupel is a great Art, and cannot be done by idle talking, but by a fundamental knowledge, without which all is in vain.

Now concerning the Fixation of those Volatile Tinctures, so as to abide the Cupel, I have (thanks to God) often experimented, and have already communicated to some who are Curious, out of kindness, whose success I do not yet know. This Fixation cannot be effected without Common Gold, for when Gold in a liquid form according to a due proportion, is mixed and radically conjoyned with the Tincture, and cast into Hell to Pluto, and Pluto finds his dear Consort deeply in love with the Anima of Mars, or this Beautiful Hermaphroditical Youth, he burns with Jealousie, so that he bends them so close together, as they can never afterwards be parted by Saturn. But wheresoever one of these three goeth, draweth the other two with it. And because they are also constantly together, as if it were one Spirit and Tincture united to the fixed Body of Gold, therefore they have an easie admittance into the Chamber of the Queen Diana; for Diana doth by no means shut out her dearest King Apollo, but willingly admits him, and therefore she is recompensed with all the Treasures which he hath received from his true and Warlike Servant, Mars: And of this, by Neptunes help, she hath made her self a glorious and constant Red Garment, which neither Water nor Fire, nor the old and envious Saturn can spoil her of. Here I have Fundamentally described the Fixation of the Martial and Antimonial Tincture, clearly without any reservation, yet somewhat enigmatically, according to the manner of the Poets. He that doth but a little consider, cannot fail, but must comprehend it, if he hath but a moderate Capacity, except God shall prohibite him.

Now let us further see, what may be further done with our Red Oyl of ♂, and ♁, in Physick and Alchymy. When we powr upon this Oyl our Alcahest, and again draw off the Liquor by a Retort with a gentle heat, and at length give a stronger Fire, the most subtle and cleanest part of the Tincture will come over, and the grossest part will remain behind, which is an Universal Purge. The subtle part, may yet be made purer and nobler by Rectification, and this you may afterwards dulcify from its Salt, and dry the Anima Martis and Antimonij, then put it into a Glass, and with an easie Sand-Fire melt it into a Red Stone, for this Stone melts as easily as Wax, and hath as easie Ingress into all Metals, as Oyl hath into dry Leather. This Stone hath not its equal, for it is better than the Fire-Stone of Basilius, it is better than Butlers Stone, to which Helmont hath ascribed such Wonders. Of this Stone and its incredible Virtues, which it shews in Physick, I shall treat at large in the following Treatise. This Treatise shall Discourse of three unknown Fires, and Stones: First of the secret Fire of the ancient Philosophers, which is called the Fire of Artephius, by Virtue of which secret fire, is generated the vegetable, Animal and Mineral stone of Philosophers, and also particularly out of all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, their Quintessence, or highest Power, without the help of any common Fire, without Furnace, Glasses, or any other known Chymical Instruments, is to be obtained in a few hours, without any Labour or Cost: And also things incredible and unheard of are by it brought to pass; of which great Secret, no Philosopher hath hitherto made the least mention; as the before cited Treatise will sufficiently testifie. The second Fire is like to it, viz. the same with which the Israelites in old time did set fire to their Sacrifices, which their Priests, when they were to go into the Babylonish Captivity, did hide in a dry hole in the Earth; and many years after, when they were released from their Captivity, and returned, they found not a Fire, but instead of it a Viscous water, which they poured upon their Sacrifice, and it kindled it, as well as if it had been done by the secret heavenly fire, of which you may read more in the Maccabeus. This secret fire of the Ancient Caldeans is also comparable to the Æthereal fire, of which Meteors, Thunder and Lightning are generated, and also the Thunderbolts themselves, which are cast down upon the Earth, to the great astonishment of Mankind. Hermes hath very well said, that what is above is also below, which is proved by the secret Fire of the Caldeans. For by a light, plain and cheap Art, one may easily produce the same Lightning fire, together with the Thunder, here upon Earth; of which the following Book shall treat more fully. And therefore to that I refer the Reader. I could not but here touch a little at these three Principal Fires, by which are generated the three chief Jewels of the World, that the Enquirer after the Wisdom of God may know, what great Mysteries of God are to be imparted hereafter to the ungrateful World, before I publish this Book of Fires and Stones. Now to return to our particular, and see by what means our Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony may be Coagulated, after a nearer way, into a tinging Stone, with which Silver particularly, with all other inferiour Metals, may be Meliorated, that out of them may be had good Gold and Silver with profit. And also, how by it the Tinctures of Stones, both noble and ignoble, may be drawn out of them, and after the Tincture is drawn out, to incorporate it with Silver, and Colour it. And also, all precious Stones exalted in their natural Colour, and if their Colour be too high, it may be diminished, and the Stone rendred more precious, and how this is to be done, the following Practice will reveal. The second and easier way, how to bring our tinging Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony into an hard, sweet, and not Corrosive Stone, is this.

In the foregoing Appendix, I have said somewhat of the Coagulation of the sharp Spirits, of Metals and Minerals, and have proved, that such Coagulation is to be made by the help of Old, cold and dry Saturn, but because I did not there declare, how it is to be effected, I think fit to do it here, and it is thus. All Liquors or moist things, if they are to be dryed, then the moisture must be drawn off from the thicker part by an easie heat, and then the thicker part remains by it self, and is used according to its Appropriation, as we know, that Aloes, Myrrh, Opium, and all other Gums and Juices were thin at the first, and were inspissated into concrete Juices, by the Sun or Fire. It is true, such an Inspissation of vegetable Juices is easily done in this manner; but Mineral distilled Spirits, and Corrosive Oyls, cannot be thus dryed, for they will endure heat, but if you give too great a heat, they will fly away and not be thickned, as you may see in Oyl of Vitriol, which by it self can never be dryed, although it be never so long kept in heat. But if you will have it dry, you must add something to it which is more than dry, and hath also power to exsiccate moisture. We see in the baking of Bread, when we put water to the Flour, and mix them together to make Dough, and of that bake Bread, that the Flour, although it be dry, yet it cannot retain with it self the Water, in a hot Oven, for that perfectly flies away from the Meal by the heat, and if the Fire be encreased, all the moisture would be gone, and only the Meal remain in form of a dry Earth, having quite lost the form of Bread, because the Meal was not radically united with the water, and therefore they could not endure the heat together. If one take a dry Earth, Sand or Powder of a Stone, and put water to it, the dry Earth will imbibe the water, and to the Eye reduce it into Earth, but this is not constant. For if you distil this Earth by a Retort, all the added water will again come over, and leave the Earth alone, but this is to be understood of common water. But suppose, one should add a heavy Mineral water as ol. Vitrioli to a dry Earth, and should commit this mixture to the Fire, in hopes, that the dry Earth should retain with it self the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, and also reduce it into a dry Earth, it would prove a mistake, for the Oyl of Vitriol, in a sufficient heat, would wholly forsake the Earth, because the Earth is dead, and hath no Sympathetick, or Magnetick power, to conjoyn it self radically with the Oyl of Vitriol, so as to remain together constant in the Fire; but such an Earth, which by an innate Love draws the Oyl of Vitriol to it self, and endures with it in heat, or cold without Separation, must proceed from the same Original with it, for every thing loves its like, and hateth what is unlike to it. Now, because the Oyl of Vitriol proceeds from a Mineral kind, therefore it loves the Metals, but no common Earth or Stones, for it hath no affinity with them. Now if the Oyl of Vitriol be to be converted into an hard Mineral stone, it must be done by its like, to wit, by Metals, and by such Metals as are most nearly related to it, viz. the Metals that are yet imperfect, for all Metals and Minerals proceed from the same Root, and therefore they all love one another, yet one Metal loves Oyl of Vitriol more than another, and the immature Metals, better than the ripe ones. For although Gold and Silver also love Oyl of Vitriol, yet they do it by Compulsion, and not out of true Love, for they are very difficultly dissolv’d by it, because they have put off their vitriolick Nature in their Fixation: On the contrary, Mars and Venus have not yet so done, and therefore they easily assume the Oyl of Vitriol, and are dissolved by it, because it was driven out of their Body by the force of Fire, therefore one might say, that Mars and Venus were the true Metals, and easiest to Coagulate the Oyl of Vitriol and Antimony, and to fix them into a Stone, yet this is not so, for Mars and Venus are of a gross Nature, and have too much unprofitable Earth, which may easily be seen by their difficult melting in the Fire. Then what is to be done? Shall Saturn or Jupiter do it, both which are of an easie Fusion? Or shall Mercury do it, which is always Liquid? I answer, that Mercury cannot Coagulate, nor make fixed, because he himself is not fixed, nor Coagulated. Neither can Jupiter do it, for although he is fluxible and dry, yet he is easily transmutable by a small Fire, into an influxible Earth, which cannot again be reduced into a fluxible Metallick Body: What then, shall despised Saturn do it, (may one ask) who is unfixed himself? and which way is it then possible for him to fix a Body, which is more fluid than himself? To this I answer, that the Fixity is not the only cause of the Coagulation of the Oyl of Vitriol, for then this Coagulation might be easiest performed, by Gold and Silver, which, yet is not done, and therefore this Coagulation of Corrosive Spirits must be done by dry Metallick Subjects. Now we know very well, that among all the Metals Saturn is the driest, of which Paracelsus writes very well in his Book of Vexations, which I have already alledged, and confirmed in the foregoing Appendix, [viz. Pharmacopœa Spagyr. Pars 7.] It is also true, that a better Coagulator, of all Corrosive Mineral Spirits cannot be found, than old, cold, and dry Saturn; for by his great dryness he Coagulateth the moist Mineral Spirits; by his great innate sweetness, he dulcifies all Corrosives; and by his fluxible Sulphur, he renders all influxible Metallick Subjects, fluxible. Now we need nothing more to our Red Oyl of Vitriol, Mars and Antimony, but that it be Coagulated into a hard, sweet and fusile Stone, which Coagulation can only be done by Saturn, and by no other Metal or Mineral, which I have sufficiently proved in the before mention’d Appendix, and also in my Book of the Three Principles of Metals. Now we have sufficiently understood, that the Coagulation and Dulcification of our Red Corrosive Oyl of ♂] and ♁ into a fusile Red Stone, can only be done by the help of the Old, Cold, and, of all Fools, despised Saturn. Concerning the Nature and Property of Saturn, it would not be here amiss, to say somewhat of it: But because Paracelsus hath already sufficiently done it, in his Cœlum Philosophorum, and I have already confirmed it in the forementioned Appendix, I think it here unnecessary to add any more. Yet I cannot forbear to say this, that Saturn naturally contains yet a good quantity of the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, which doth not vanish in melting, nor cannot be easier perceived, than when other Metals are added to him upon the Cupel, how soon he swallows them, and draws them with himself into the Cupel, except Gold and Silver, which he cannot touch, because they have no radical Communion with him, but are cleansed by Nature from their superfluous Sulphur, for this devouring Wolf Saturn, can consume nothing, but the combustible Sulphur of Metals, but the incombustible fixed Sulphur and Mercury, he cannot touch, as appears in Gold and Silver. The ancient Philosophers painted Saturn, as an Old Man, with one foot on a Wooden stilt, having in one hand a Sythe or Sickle, and in his other hand a Child, which he puts to his mouth to devour it. By this they would intimate the devouring Nature of Saturn, which they have also expressed in these Words, Falx ejus Mordax est, he hath a sharp Sickle, beware of him, for he hath no mercy, which I have found to be true, not only by the Cupel, that he Corrodes and eats through them, for he Corrodes Sand and Stones, and reduceth them into a transparent Glass; if he doth this by his own Nature, what will he not do, when his Sythe is whetted by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol? Certainly he can do ten times more: I have experimented it, he that will know it, may also do the same: By him we wash and cleanse common Gold and Silver on the Cupel, but that Gold and Silver, which is still hid in the imperfect Metals, as Mars, Venus, and Jupiter, as also in the vile Minerals and Stones, which is still closely tyed to the combustible Sulphur, here the common Saturn is too weak and can make no Separation. On the contrary, ours can effect it very well, and therefore I commend him, for after his Sythe is whetted by the Corrosive Oyl of Vitriol, if then one handle any Metal, or Mineral with him in a Crucible, he will in a moment eat a hole through it, and run out; Nay, if one should put two or three Crucibles one into another, he would do the same, but if one cast somewhat before him, to satiate his Wolf-like Appetite, then he leaves the Crucibles whole, but doth what the Artist would have him, and is used as a tame Wolf, devours the Sheep no more, but keeps them from other devouring Wolves.

Before I could bring him to that pass, to prevent his biting, I tryed many sorts of Vessels to hold him, nay I have put him upon a Test made of bone Ashes. ’Tis true, he did not eat in, but remained fixt upon the Cupel like Silver, and would not Coppel, by which I perceived, that any common Lead, by help of the Red Oyl of Mars and Antimony, may in a very short time, not only be reduced into Gold and Silver, but also be fixed into a true Tincture, which I have sufficiently shewn in the foregoing Appendix, that some of the ancient Philosophers have made their tinging Stone out of Saturn. But setting this aside, because I yet never went so far, but I should not think it at all difficult, to make an universal Tincture, to transmute all the Metals into perfect Gold and Silver out of Saturn, with the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, if my weakness of Body would permit. But I concern not my self about that, but leave it to those that are younger, for I can easier come to an universal Tincture, by the help of the secret Fire of Philosophers, than by Saturn; but in the particular Transmutation of Metals, I have performed many things with the Stone of ♄, as the following Practice sheweth.

Now followeth the easie Coagulation of our Red Oyl of =Mars= and =Antimony=, into a Red, Sweet, and fluxible Stone.

℞. Some Pounds of common Lead, melt it, and pour it out into a long Ingot, and rasp as much thereof as need shall require; take of this a Pound of more, and put it into a Glass Retort well coated, pour to it half the quantity of the Red Oyl of ♂ and ♁, set it in a Sand Cupel, and give Fire gently by degrees, and there will come over no Red Oyl, but only a clear and insipid Water, and all the sharpness, with the Red Tincture, will remain with the ♄. If you break the Retort, you will find no Saturn, but this Red, Tinging, and easie melting Stone, of such Virtues as I have told you before. Now if you will make use of this Stone for the particular Meliorating of the inferiour Metals, as also for noble and ignoble Stones, you must powder it, and mix it with the Metallick Ashes, and melt them, and you will find the good Metal to be separated from the rest, the unprofitable part, and superfluous Sulphur, will turn into dross, and the purer part will settle into a Regulus, which you must blow off upon a Cupple, and you will find the Silver and Gold, which our Stone hath separated out of that Metal; for our Stone hath this Nature, to separate in the Fire the good from the bad, to turn the Good into a Metalline Regulus, and the inferiour into Dross. For Example, I have a mixture of Metals containing Gold, Silver, Venus, Mars and Jupiter together, I granulate this mixture, and mix them with our Stone, melt them together in a Crucible, our Stone only spoils the inferiour Metals, as ♂, ♀ and ♃, which it consumes into a Dross, but the purer as ☉ and ☽ it separates from this Dross, and precipitates them into a Regulus. But if this Regulus should not be fine enough at the first melting, you must Cupel it with Lead, neither doth all the ☉ and ☽ come out of this mixture at one melting, but some remains with the Dross, therefore you must again put this into a Crucible, and put to it some filings of Iron, and so melt them together, then the wild Sulphur will be destroy’d by the ♂, and so let the Gold and Silver fall by Cupellation. The Dross you must reserve, till you have enough to melt in a small Wind Furnace, and it will be again reduced into Lead, which you may again use for the same Labour; for the Reduction of this, I have invented a peculiar small Furnace, which may be carried from place to place, and also you may pour out the Dross after it is melted, without breaking any thing of the Furnace, so that you may use it very often, before the Hearth will need mending. What is here said of the Separating of Metallick mixtures, the same may also be understood of those Mixtures, which are yet in the Oar, for the Oars are as easily separated by our Stone, as the Metals. This is the use of our Stone, before its Tincture is yet fixed, and therefore not able to transmute ☽ into ☉. Presently you shall also hear, how it may be rendred capable to transmute any Silver, by Degrees, into good Gold. I think it fit, first to say somewhat, how by the help of our Stone one may attain great Profit from Gems. For the Gems have in them fixed Tinctures, which our Neptune can spoil them off and so incorporate them with the naked Diana, to make her a Golden Vest, which is done thus: ℞ The fragments of coloured Gems, viz. of Granates, Rubies, Saphirs, Hyacinths, Jaspis, &c. put a little of these into a good Crucible, and put to it three times as much of our Stone, cover it well, and melt it upon those Stones, and our Stone draws out the Colour of the Gems, and Colours it self yet deeper. With this Red Stone, if any filed ☽ be mixed with it, and melted, it draws the fixed Tincture to it and becomes Golden, so that in the Separation it yeilds much Gold, N. B. The fittest Silver for this work is, that which is precipitated by ♀ out of Aqua Fortis, yet you may also use that, which is precipitated by Salt water. If the work be well done, the Gems will be white, which you may use instead of small Diamonds, for the Fire doth not take away their hardness, N. B. If a Man hath Skill enough to take away the Colour from the great Gems, as Granates, and Hyacinths, he may acquire Riches in a short time; for afterwards you may tinge other white Stones into Rubies, by the help of this Colour, but this Labour requires an experienced Artist, but no Pratler: And this is sufficient for this time, he that delighteth in these Arts may Practise them, and try how God will prosper him in it. If he can but obtain the Extracting of the Gems, he needs no more, for one Gem, of a Drain, is worth more than several Ounces of Gold. After we have briefly understood, how to make good Profit with our Red coagulated Oyl of Antimony and Mars, before it is yet fixed, with the imperfect Metals and Gems: You shall also hear what it will do, when fixed. And this you must know, that if a Tincture very well prepared, can endure melting in the Fire, yet for all that, it may not be accounted fixed; for inasmuch as they are made out of unfixed Metals, they cannot themselves be fixed; if one should object, and say, that the Tincture was drawn out of fixed Iron, and therefore it must also be fixed, although the Antimony was not fixed: I answer, that Iron cannot be called fixed, although it doth not fly in the fire, for Saturn can still devour it, but this only is to be reputed fixed, which endures the Cupel, which neither ♂ nor ♁ doth. Therefore the Tinctures which are extracted out of them, cannot endure the Cupel before they are made fixed. For which reason the highly experienced Philosopher Paracelsus tells us, that we must not take common Iron to draw our Tincture, but such as cannot be again reduced into Iron, which we must seek in the green and blue Scoriæ, out of which Iron hath been melted by the strength of Fire, and are cast away. Because the Iron, and also every imperfect Metal, containeth two sorts of Sulphur, viz. a combustible, and incombustible; the combustible is melted by a strong Fire, into a dead Glass, but the incombustible remains unhurt, hidden in the said Glass, and may be drawn out of it by Art, and brought into a Tincture, that will endure the Cupel. I could cite Paracelsus for several other things, because he writes very honestly, but it is not here convenient. It would be very well, if some one would reprint this Treatise, for it is out of Print, that the way to the Truth might be shewn to them that err. And if none will do it, I shall do it my self, for it is commendable to preserve a lighted Candle, and not suffer it to go out. This is enough of the Fixation of Paracelsus, which is done by the great strength of common fire. Now we will also hear, how this Fixation may be effected by an artificial moist fire, much easier than by the former. In my Treatise lately published of the Three Principles of Metals, I have taught how any combustible Sulphur may be fixed in a very few hours, so that no Fire can any more hurt it. Now if such a quick Fixation of combustible Sulphur, can be done with a moist Fire, as I have shewn it may in the said Treatise, what may not be done, by the same Fire in the more fixed Metals, such as Iron? I have also shewn in the same place, that ♁, as well as common 🜍, may be made fixed in few hours, I have also said that ♁ and common 🜍, so fixed have no ingress into Metals. After that, I have also taught, how to procure this ingress by common Gold, if the Gold and the Sulphur be united, and then a fixing Aqua Fortis drawn from them, that then it can never be separated from the Gold, but that the Gold so preserves it upon the Cupel, that Saturn cannot enter it: Now if this may be done with common Sulphur and Antimony, why not also with Mars, which in its Nature approacheth Fixity? Therefore it behoveth, that we should fix our Tincture of ♂ and ♁, after the same manner being united with ☉, by the Humid fire, that both may be permanent upon the Cupel. For without this Fixation nothing of moment can be done. For if these Tinctures be added to Silver, and are not constant in the Fire, they with the Silver, become Metals again, vanish upon the Cupel with ♄, and leave the ☽ nothing bettered. Therefore nothing else is to be observed, but to bring into Perpetuation the prepared Tinctures of ♂ and ♁, by the addition of Gold, and the due Abstraction of the fixing Waters; and then the Tinctures remain with the Silver unseparable, and the devouring Saturn cannot hurt them upon the Cupel. Let this suffice concerning the particular Fixation of our Red Oyl of ♂ and Antimony. Now followeth, how to make an universal Coagulation and Fixation of this Oyl.

The PROCESS.

℞. Three or four Ounces of our Coagulated Oyl of Mars and Antimony, into a Red Stone by the help of ♄, grinde it into an impalpable Powder, and draw from it ten or twelve Ounces of strong Aqua Fortis, which hath been first abstracted from decrepitated Salt, and in which is dissolved half an Ounce of Gold: Secondly, and Thirdly, abstract from it again fresh Aqua Regia, but without Gold; then the Gold will radically unite it self with the Tincture of Mars and Antimony, and they will be constantly fixed together, by means of Aqua Regia. When this is done, pour upon it a good quantity of common Water, let it boyl for some hours, and it will draw out the sharp Spirits, which remained with the Tincture, this may be once or twice repeated, then dry it, and it is fit to tinge Silver into Gold. This Tincture melts as easily as Wax; the Saturn which is mixed with it, doth not hinder it, it is true, he goes into the Silver with the Tincture, but is easily separated by the Cupel. I could set down many more Dexterities, in the Preparation of this Tincture, but it would swell too much, it being already greater than I expected, for I only thought to have annexed this to the Appendix, as a Corollary, but it is grown bigger than the Appendix it self. Here should have been added, how this Tincture of Antimony and Mars, by the help of our Alcahest, might be made into a constant Tincture, easily and in great quantity, without Cost; so compendiously, that in three or four days time, a good quantity of Tincture may be made fit to graduate a great part of Silver into Gold: But the time will not allow me here to insist any farther on it, but must defer it the second Appendix, where the Reader will find greater Contentment. For this work is so easily done with the Alcahest without great Cost, that the most ordinary Mechanick may imitate it, and profit by it. There will come another World, when Art will flourish, and Pratlers perish. Take notice of this, for the time is at hand, Elias the Artist will soon appear, of this Read Paracelsus in his Book of Vitriol. At such a time there will be great changes in Europe, and chiefly in the German Empire, France and Swedland. For Elias the Artist, it may be, when he comes, will bring with him some Military inventions, and by his great Power establish the Fifth Monarchy. That in these times great Changes will be in Europe, is not to be doubted, for the Heavens do foretel it. God send us what is good, there being now nothing of good left, how then is it possible, it should remain longer in Peace?

OF ELIAS the ARTIST: OR,

What we are to understand by Elias the Artist, and what he is to reform in the World at his coming.

VIZ.

The true Spagyrical Medicin of the Ancient =Egyptian= Philosophers, which has been lost for above 1000 Years, and will be restored by him, and illustrated with many new Inventions, by rejecting much unprofitable Smut-work, and pointing out a nearer and better way to obtain good Medicines, with little Trouble or Charges; which true Medicine he will bring along with him, and declare the same to the present deceived World. Translated out of the =High-Dutch=.

Courteous Reader,

Towards the end of my last published Treatise concerning the Infernal Goddess Proserpina, I took occasion to mention, that probably soon after my Death, the long-since fore-told Elias Artista would appear, and bring along with him a great Light, to enlighten the dark World, enabling them to reject the Evil, and embrace that which is good: As likewise, that many great changes will happen in divers Kingdoms, and especially in the Roman Empire, where one Potentate will overcome the other, and make himself Master of his Dominions. I there also shewed what, Paracelsus hath declared concerning Elias Artista, and fundamentally confuted the groundless Opinion of some Persons concerning the same in my Fourth Part of the Prosperity of Germany, shewing that that Prophecy is not to be understood according to the Letter, and to be meant of some great Man in the World, but Magically; for the word Elias by transposition of Letters, makes out Salia, and so likewise doth the word Elisha, as I have formerly explained these words in my Treatise of the Nature of Salts. Elias Artista therefore according to the style of Philosophers, signifies extraordinary and unknown Salts, by which great and incredible things may be performed, and accordingly when manifested, will be the cause of great changes in the World.

These Salts were known to the Philosophers of old, who yet did not think fit any further to open themselves concerning them, than in declaring, that the Philosophers Stone must be prepared by them. Turba Philosophorum speaking concerning this matter, saith, This our Salt encreases the Redness in ☉, and whiteness in ☽, =and further=, if God had not created this =Salt= it were impossible to make the Elixir. It is probable, that the Philosophers who wrote concerning this wonderful Salt, had no knowledge of any other, supposing that this Salt only was proper to extract and prepare Tinctures. I must acknowledge there is no Salt in the World, that hath such virtue to encrease and exalt the Tincture in common as well as Philosophical ☉ and ☽, and that as it were in a moment, as soon as the Monarch of Salts is added to them. Neither doth our Salt only exalt, but it also joyns the King of Metals so indissolubly with his Queen, that no Art can separate them. A thing worth our wonder, that a Volatile white Salt should have the power to meliorate ☉ and ☽, and to exalt the same permanently. For to give some further light to the matter, I declare, that this Salt of which the Turba speaks, doth sublime white, and being dissolved in Water, gives a white Solution: It is white, and continues white both in and out of the Fire, and is altogether Volatile, for which reason I have called it my Secret Salt Armoniack; but as soon as it is join’d with ☉ or ☽ it becomes fix, and makes the ☉ and ☽ fixer than they were before, affording them a kind of plusquam perfection, and inseparable Conjunction. Let none think that this Salt of which I here speak, is like, or the same with that, which is made of Oyl of Vitriol and Spirit of Urine, of which I have treated in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopæa Spagyrica; for this our Sovereign Salt has no affinity with that, for as much as that Salt makes all things Volatile, and separates their purer part by Sublimation from the gross fæces, but this our white Salt, though it be unfixt it self, yet has the power to fix unfixt Metals, so as to endure the Test, provided always that the virtue of this unfixt Salt, be first fixed by its conjunction with ☉ and ☽. For the whole substance of this Salt (which the Philosophers have called a Bishop or High Priest) when ☉ and ☽ as King and Queen are inseparably join’d by it, doth not abide with the ☉ and ☽, but only by its hidden Tincture and Virtue, whereby it exalts all colours, the unprofitable body of the Salt separating from them, as soon as the Conjunction is made, even as a Priest, when he has join’d two Persons in Wedlock goes his way, having performed his Office. And indeed this inseparable Conjunction of ☉ and ☽, may well be compared with the Conjunction in Marriage performed by a Priest; for as when the Priest has join’d two Parties together in Wedlock, they must inseparably continue so till death; so likewise when the Metallic Copulation of ☉ and ☽ is performed by means of our Metallick High Priest, consecrated by Jupiter, then are their Bodies thence forward inseperable; the Water finds no ingress into them, the Air cannot pierce them, and Earth much less, yea, the strongest of all Elements, the Fire hath no power over them, but, like a Married Couple, abide together in all contrariety and adversity, and according to their Kind do multiply in infinitum, being supported with due Food and Nourishment; for we know, that except we be refreshed and strengthened with Meat and Drink, we can neither live nor multiply; the multiplying virtue in many and all Creatures proceeding from the Nourishment they take in. And the same we are to understand also concerning the Metallick Multiplication, for when ☉ and ☽ are permanently conjoined, by means of the Metallick High Priest, this alone is not sufficient in order to their multiplication, but they moreover must be supported with convenient Meat and Drink. And as Man at his first coming into the World is nourish’d with his Mothers Milk, in like manner the Philosophers do feed their ☉ and ☽ with their Mothers Milk, that is, with their first Essence, from whence they deriv’d their Original. Now we know that in contemptible Antimony, the first Ens of ☉, is copiously to be found, and may with ease be drawn thence, in the appearance of Milk, with which ☉ and ☽ are to be nourished in order to their Multiplication and Increase. The Nourishment then wherewith our conjoined ☉ and ☽ are to be refreshed, and disposed to a Multiplication in infinitum, is our Lac Virginis, Virgin Milk and Mercurial Water, which strengthens and increaseth the Procreative Seed in ☉ and ☽ both in quantity and quality. Wherefore also this feeding or inceration has always been recommended by the Philosophers, as a most necessary thing, whereby, as it were, a new life, and multiplying virtue is communicated to the inseparably united ☉ and ☽.

Furthermore we are to know, that after common ☉ and ☽ by means of the Salt of Art, are inseparably conjoined and exalted in their colours; yet nothing can be performed with them, because they want an ingress into other Metals, which they have lost by their Conjunction, which therefore must be restored to them by means of our mercurial Water, which not only communicates Ingress, but also easie Fluxibility and Multiplication to the destroyed Bodies of ☉ and ☽. For when our ☿ Water is fixed in Conjunction with the fixt ☉ and ☽, then it is no longer a Volatile ☿, but is changed by the exalted ☉ and ☽ to a fixt Tincture. This done, if we would multiply this Tincture, we must add to it some of our Mercurial Water, and fix them together as before, which Multiplication we may repeat as oft as we please. For when once ☉ and ☽ are made irreducible and more than perfect, by means of our Salt of Art, we need never after to begin our Work a-new, but only mingle the fixt with the volatile in order to their Fixation; seeing that our Mercurial Water is in its inside better than ☉, for which reason also it turns the ☉ and ☽ when fixed with them into mere Tincture. Let no Man wonder why in this Operation we join ☉ and ☽ together, and not rather make use of ☉ alone, forasmuch as this ☽ hath no colour at all outwardly, though in its inside it be higher of colour than ☉ it self, both which Metals nevertheless, except their colours be exalted by the Salt of Art, and Inceration, without our Mercurial Water can never be changed into a true Tincture, because ☉ and ☽ have no mere Tinctures than is sufficient for themselves, but being exalted by the tinging Salt of Art, they are capable of colouring white Metals, but not before. Indeed ☉ alone without the addition of ☽ may be exalted by our Salt of Art, and Mercurial Water into a Red Tincture. In like manner also may ☽ alone be exalted in its whiteness by our Salt of Art, and ☿, one part of which exalted ☽ tingeth many parts of ♀ into good and fixt ☽♀, for our ☿ wherewith we incerate and multiply, may be fixed into a Red or White Tincture, according to the ferment we join with it, with ☉ it makes a red, and with ☽ a white Tincture. However the best way is to put ☉ and ☽♀ together in due weight and proportion, exalting them with the Salt of Art, by which means the whiteness in ☽♀ when join’d with ☉, becomes changed into Redness, of which mine Eyes are Witness. Of this Exaltation of ☉ into a high purple colour, and of ☽♀ into the highest whiteness, I gave an Ocular Demonstration to some of my Friends, before my Sickness, but none of them have since undertaken the Work, and my self by Sickness have been hindered hitherto.

Ovid excellently describes the preparation of this Tincture, where he tells us, that Jupiter, having chang’d himself into a Golden Rain, fell through the Tiles into the Lap of Danaë, (shut up by her Father Acrisius King of the Argives in a strong Tower) and got her with Child, of whom afterwards Perseus was born, who in process of time being mounted on the Winged Horse Pegasus, killed the Sea-Monster, delivering the fair Andromeda, whom he took to Wife; and afterwards vanquished the Gorgons, and made himself Master of the Golden-fruit-bearing-Orchard. In which Fable the whole Work is clearly and punctually described, but the reason why it is so little understood, is, because so few makes it their business to consider thereof, or put their hands to the Work. For attentively considering the matter, we find that the King of the Argives, in the sense of the Philosophers, is our Black Lead, whence we prepare our Snow-white Virgin Milk or Mercurial Water, which is the Beautiful Danaë, that becomes inpregnate by Jupiter’s Golden Rain. Archivum signifies a Treasury of secret and important Records, and no Subjects contains more secrets, than doth our Black Magnesia. What is more lovely to behold than Jupiter’s Golden Rain, whereby the fair Danaë becomes impregnate? And from whence does this Rain proceed, but from our Salt of Art, without which it were impossible for ♃ to change the ☉ into such a desirable Rain? What is the Beautiful Andromeda else, but Diana the Consort of Apollo, who is exposed to the Sea-Monster to be devoured, and is delivered by Perseus. And, in a word, the whole Work of preparing a Tincture from the foresaid Subjects is so clearly set down by Ovid, as it could not well be set down more clearly; and yet how little is it understood, by reason of the general Stupidity and inadvertency of the Readers. I have here discovered all the ingredients belonging to this Tincture, so as nothing remains, except putting hand to the Work, and begging God’s Blessing upon it: For no good thing was ever the effect of idleness: But Praying, Seeking, and unwearied Labour, are the Well-Springs of all useful Arts.

And herewith I shall conclude the use of the Salt of Art, in preparing the universal Tincture upon all Metals, transmuting the same into ☉ and ☽♀. I suppose it hath been sufficiently made out, that the foretold Elias Artista is nothing else, but this our Salt of Art, whereby the Redness in ☉, and Whiteness in ☽♀ are exalted into Tincture. Wherefore also this Salt, by those who know its use, has been called the Monarch of Salts: For every Species of things hath its Monarch, excelling all the rest of the same kind; upon which account, Paracelsus, who in his Life-time had not his Peer, obtain’d the Title of Philosophers, Physicians and Monarch of Chymists. Forasmuch therefore, as our Salt of Art hath not its like in the World, for working Wonders in Alchimy, it may well be call’d the King of Salts: Tho’ indeed there be one only Salt which excels him, as far as Elias excell’d his Servant Elisha: For as Elias went up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, leaving his Mantle to Elisha, so this Salt may more properly be compared to Elisha than Elias, because Elisha staid here beneath, and did not ascend to Heaven, as Elias did. Now the Chymists generally prefer that, which ascends by the force of the Fire, before that which stays behind, tho’ this Rule be not without Exceptions; for that which remains is not always to be rejected, because sometimes much good lies hid in it: As we may perceive in Elias his Ascension to Heaven, who left his Mantle behind, which was not without Virtue, as appeared when Elisha with it divided the River Jordan, going over dry-shod. The Chymists commonly call that which remains after Distillation, or Sublimation, Caput Mortuum, but without good ground, because in that which stays behind, often a great vivifying Virtue lies hid. This we may gather from the Virtue (as has been said) remaining in the Mantle of Elias, and in the dead bones of Elisha, which as soon as it touch’d the dead Body, raised it again to Life: If Elias his Mantle had been a dead thing, Elisha could never have divided Jordan therewith, nor could Elisha’s bones have raised the dead to Life, if they had been dead and without Power. Consider well what I have said, and you will find more in it, than I dare more plainly declare; remembring always, that Jordan is nothing else, but our ☿ Water.

Concerning the =Salt= of Art.

Having already heard, how by means of the fixative Salt of Art, common ☉ and ☽♀ may be prepared into a Tincture, for the cure of Men and Metals; it now remains to be declared, how, by means of the Volatilizing Salt of Art, most excellent Medicines may with ease, and small Charges, in a very short time be prepared, out of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals. We are here to take Notice, as has been already hinted, that the Property of our Salt of Art, is, to make the volatile Metallick Subjects fixt; of which fixative Property, notwithstanding it may in a few hours, easily and without Charges be devested, and a Power of Volatilizing all things introduced into it, instead thereof, by which, incredible things may then be performed, both in Physick and Alchimy. Of which Wonder-working Salt, the present World knows nothing at all, and probably nothing will be known of it, till God shall permit it to be revealed by Elias the Artist. What I know of it, I am willing to communicate for common Good, not doubting, but that God in his due time by means of Good men will reveal the rest. To volatize this fixative Salt of Art, is an easie thing to the Wise, but to the Ignorant altogether incredible; though it be no difficult thing to me, to make it credible and apparent, which if thou wouldest do likewise, proceed thus: Pour upon our Salt of Art, in due proportion good Spirit of Wine, which draw off by Distillation, and you will have a wonderful Spirit, of great Virtue; but you will find your Salt of Art so weakened, as it cannot be used again: But the Spirit of Wine, impregnated with the Virtue of the Salt, performs Wonders, that were never yet made known to the World, of which we shall hear more hereafter. For the Spirit of Wine in this abstraction hath its Virtue multiplied ten fold, so as it not only extracts the Essence of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, both easily and suddenly, carrying them over the Helm; but also extracts the Tinctures from ☉ and ☽, and all precious and common Stones, and brings them over. Of which Extraction and Separation of the tinging Soul from fixt and unfixt Bodies, no Philosopher hitherto hath divulged any thing. Let us now take a view of the great Secrets, which may be obtained by means of our Alcolized Spirit of Wine. Paracelsus had an Alcolized Spirit of Wine, which he called Alcohol vini, with which he did great things; but it is not likely, that his Alcohol vini was of the same Virtue, as mine here described; for if so, it could not have been so long concealed. However it be, we cannot deny Paracelsus the Title of Monarch of Physicians and Alchymists, though he may have been ignorant of our Salt of Art, with which our Alcohol vini is prepared; for no Body knows all things; and God bestows his Gifts, as best pleaseth him.

But to our return to our Alcohol vini, and the manner of using it. First we are to take Notice, that as for Vegetables and Animals, they are to be reduced to Powder, if they be dry, but if fresh, they need only to be a little bruised or chopt, and then pour upon them our Alcohol vini; if the Subjects be dry, we may digest a while before abstraction, but in Case they be moist, we may distil the Spirit immediately, which carries over with it all the Virtue of the said Vegetables and Animals, together with the Taste and Smell, and poured upon Flowers, and distill’d, sometimes brings over their Colours also, which hitherto hath been looked upon as very difficult, if not impossible. But before we make use of it upon Minerals, we must prepare them, for our Alcohol vini is not strong enough to lay hold on hard Minerals, and compact Metals, so as to extract their Essences, and therefore they must be first opened with Waters, that are not Corrosive, and afterwards be digested with our Alcohol vini and then distilled; which being performed in this Order, the Alcohol will carry their Essences with it over the Helm. This is the true Preparation of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, in order to the extracting of your Essences, by means of our Alcohol vini. But here we must observe, that this Preparation of fixt Metals, by opening of their Bodies, must be done with fixt Liquors, and not Volatile; for if the dissolvent were Volatile, it would come over in Distillation with the Spirit of Wine, and spoil all; because after Distillation, the Spirit of Wine must be separated from the Essence it hath brought over with it; now if the dissolvent, by being Volatile, should come over the Helm, it would remain with the Medicine, and consequently spoil it. We are therefore to remember, that this dissolvent must be Firey, not Corrosive, without any Smell or bad Taste: The dissolvent being as necessary to our Work, as is the Spirit of Wine it self: Wherefore he who intends to plant good Fruit, in this Gold-bearing Orchard, must be provided with both these Keys, viz. with a Menstruum, not Corrosive, to dissolve Metals and Minerals, and with a well prepared Alcolized Spirit of Wine, without which, he cannot obtain the Tincture of Metals.

Having thus spoken of the foregoing Preparation of Vegetable, Animals and Minerals, in general: I shall now proceed to shew in particular, how out of them most surpassing, and excellent Medicines may be prepared.

And first to begin with Vegetables; their Essences are to be distilled in Balneo, with a moderate heat, changing the Recipient when it is needful: For that which comes over, first is of another Nature, than that which distils next, and that again differs from that which comes last. There are some Vegetables, that first give their best part, and the worst last, whereas in others, the worst comes first, and the best stays till the last. For the rest, it is easily apprehended, that the Virtue of Flowers and Herbs; especially when green and tender, doth more easily yield to Distillation, and come over sooner than the Essence of hard Wood, which is more closely shut up in its Body. He that proceeds aright in this Work, will meet with great delight and Satisfaction, and bless God for the Communication of this Light. For our Alcolized Spirit of Wine brings over Vegetable Essences, of a most fragrant Odour, which common Spirit of Wine can never do: We may indeed extract Vegetables, and Minerals with common Spirit of Wine, but cannot carry the said extracted Essences over the Helm: Which extracts made with common Spirit of Wine, are not to be compared with those, which our Alcohol vini brings over with it, differing as much as the shell from the kernel. For our Essences, as soon as they are taken into the Body, penetrate it throughout, passing every where to find out their Enemies, and when found Attack, and put them to flight, which gross Medicines cannot perform. The like Virtue is also in those ☿ Salts, Tinctures or Souls of Metals, that come over in the flame of the distilled Spirit of Wine, which also penetrate the Body throughout, chasing their Enemies before them; and the Tinctures of Stones in the same manner prepared do the like. Which we must not so understand, as if the Alcolized Spirit of Wine were to be taken into the Body, together with the Tincture, for indeed it must be separated from it. As for instance, when I have brought over the Quintessence of Flints or Crystals, with our Alcohol vini, and have a mind to make use of it against the Stone in the Bladder or Kidneys, or Stones that are grown in the joynts, I must not exhibit this Essence, as it is mixed with the Spirit of Wine, for if so, the good effect, that might be looked for from the Essence, would be spoiled by the great heat of the Spirit of Wine, which is the reason the same must be separated from the Essence, before it can be given inwardly. Now this Separation cannot be done by Distillation, because both would come over together. Neither can the Tincture, or Essence of the Stone, be separated from the Spirit of Wine, by Precipitation. What is to be done therefore in this Case? The only way to attain our desire is, to kindle the burning Spirit, and let it flame away under a large and capacious Helm or Head, made for that purpose; by which means the Spirit of Wine is consumed in the flame, and the incombustible Essence of Crystal remains in form of a sweet and pleasant Oyl. We are also to note, that in this burning away of the Spirit of Wine, the Sulphur of Wine only is consumed, and the incombustible ☿ of Wine, being condensed in the Head, falls into the Receiver, in the appearance of a sweet Water. [see more of this instrument in the Sixth Part of Phar. Spagyr.]

N. B. We are to observe, that the most highly rectified Spirit of Wine, is much about half water, which water ascends with the flame, and is caught in the Recipient. Yet is not this ⛛ any common ⛛, but indeed a powerful ⛛ of Life, especially when the Spirit of Wine hath been rectified from Aromatical, or Medicinal Subjects, but even without this, it is of very good use, because the incombustible ☿ of Wine lies hid in it, and may be separated from it, by abstracting the said ⛛ in a very gentle vaporous Bath, which done, the ☿ of Wine stays behind, in the form of a white lovely Salt, full of heavenly Powers and Virtues: For which cause this Salt or ☿ of Wine, hath been always termed by the Philosophers, Heavenly Salt.

It is likewise to be noted, that after the ⛛ is abstracted from the Spirit of Wine, the said ⛛ is not devoid of all Virtue, as invisibly containing some part of the foresaid Heavenly Salt, especially if the Spirit of Wine in its Rectification, hath been impregnated with Spices, or other good Subjects: For according to the different impregnation of the Spirit of Wine, the Heavenly Salt, or ☿ of Wine, will be more or less powerful. Thus we have seen in what manner the Essences of Flints and Chrystals are to be prepared, with the help of our Alcohol vini.

When this Spirit of Wine Crystallized is kindled and burnt away under a large Head, the greatest part of the Essence of Crystals remains behind, in the form of a pleasant clear Liquor, which is the most Sovereign Medicine against all Diseases proceeding from Tartar, viz. Stone in the Bladder, Kidneys and other parts of the Body, which it dissolves, and carries off. But the most pure part of the Crystals mounts with the flame into the Helm, in form of a clear Water, which when abstracted in a vaporous Bath the ☿ of Crystals stays behind, in form of a lovely white Salt, which is of far greater power in the Stone, Gout, and like Diseases, than the fixt Oyl or Liquor, which remains in the Vessel after the Spirit of Wine is burnt away. In like manner, we may proceed with other Stones. Yet we are to understand, that all Stones have not the same Nature or Property: Thus we find Several sorts of Crystal, viz. some White, Transparent and clear, others White, but Opake and dark, also Green, Blew, Yellow, Red, and Black Crystals, all which by the help of Salts, are melted into Glass of several Colours. Amongst these Crystals are also reckoned. Flints, Pebbles, Gravel and Sand, which likewise suffer themselves with Salts to be melted into Glass. All these forementioned Stones, may with Alkalick Salts be melted, and afterwards by Deliquium be resolved into a Liquor, concerning which Liquors, I have treated at large in the Second Part of my Furnaces.

These Stones that suffer themselves to be melted, with the Addition of Alkalies, may also, with Lead-ashes, be reduced to transparent Glass. Whereas precious Stones, viz. Diamonds, Rubies, Saphirs, Jacinths, Granates, &c. are of a quite different Nature, which neither by Alkalies, nor Lead, can be run down into Glass: Wherefore also none have been found hitherto, that have been able from them to prepare any good Medicine, as not yielding to the most Corrosive Waters whatsoever.

N. B. And though indeed, I know a way to dissolve them without any Corrosive, yet do not I think it proper, to Communicate the same in this publick manner.

There is another sort of Stones, which are commonly found in Rich and fat Earth, and sometimes also in Rivers or Brooks, such as Lapis Judaicus, Lyncis and others, which being not very hard, may be dissolved in good Spirit of Salt, which Solutions are by some of our common Chymists used against the Stone, but without any good Success, forasmuch as the Body of the Stone is not at all meliorated by being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, but rather made worse; because by this means, there is no Separation of the pure from the impure. But if any Man will take the pains to reduce these Stones into Essences, in the way before specified, he will find them much more available in all sorts of Tartarous Distempers.

There are also several kinds of Lime-stone, which cannot be melted with Addition of Alkalies, or the Ashes of Lead, but by a strong Fire are burnt into Lime. Amongst which Lime-Stones, we may reckon the Ludus of Van Helmont, which like other Limestones, may be sublimed with our strong ♓, and afterwards reduced into a Liquor, of which I have treated elsewhere, and particularly in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica. Out of these Stones, after they have been first burnt into Lime, a most excellent Medicine may be prepared against all kinds of the Gout: Basil Valentine assuring us, that he with Essence of quick Lime, cured the Chancellor of the Emperour of Germany of the Gout: Which we may the rather believe, because Basil Valentine knew the way of separating the ☿ from the Spirit of Wine, by enkindling it; and hath also described an instrument of Copper, for performing that Operation: And knowing all this, he could not be unacquainted, that the Essence of Quick-lime, being united with Spirit of Wine, and afterwards meliorated, and putrified by burning it away, was separable from it, which he having reduced to Practice, obtained this excellent Medicine for curing of the Gout.

We are further to know, that there be other, and better Stones, to prepare an universal Medicine against the Gout and Stone, by means of our Alcohol vini, after they have been first burnt into Lime, viz. Oyster shells, which, being burnt afford a Lime that is very Caustick; and of a like Nature are all Sea-productions, viz. the Stones that are found in Spunges, all sorts of Coral, Pearl, and Mother of Pearl, all which may be reduced by Fire, into a Lime of great and excellent use.

But above all other Stones, I esteem those that are found in Beasts, Birds, Fishes or Man, which being reduced into a Calx, and their Essences extracted with our Alcohol Vini, may then be brought into a pleasant Liquor of great Use.

Amongst Fishes, the best Stones are found in Haddocks and Whitings, Crabs Eyes also are very good, but must be calcined before they can be of any good use in Physick; for without that, they are more proper to generate the Stone, than to expel it.

Having thus declared, how, from some Stones, good Medicaments may be prepared against the Gout and Stone both of the Bladder and Kidney; we will next shew, what kind of Stones are proper to be extracted with our Alcohol Vini, in order to the obtaining of true Tinctures for Men and Metals. For all Stones that have good fixt colours, are not therefore fit to have their Tinctures extracted; because some of the Precious Stones are too costly, though we should only make use of their Fragments. Some will not submit to any Operation, viz. Granates, Saphires, Rubies, Jacinths, Emralds, Turkoises, &c. though they abound with much fixt Tincture; whereas all those Stones which are high of colour, and suffer themselves to be dissolved, are proper for this work, because without preceding Solution, it is impossible to extract the Tincture from hard and compact Bodies: Wherefore we must make choice of Stones that are soluble, and abound with fixt Tincture, viz. Green and Red Jasper Stones, Lapis Lazuli, and the Black Magnesia which contain abundance of Solar Tincture. All Stones likewise that are high coloured, and break smooth like Glass, whether found on Mountains or in Brooks, are good for this purpose.

It was because of this Solar Tincture abounding in the Jasper Stone, that the Ancients preferr’d it before ☉, as containing a most high and excellent Tincture. A very rich Tincture may also be extracted from the Lapis Lazuli; and from the Black Magnesia, (which is not costly) a richer. Let us therefore take this despised Stone in hand, and see how easily its Tincture, by means of our Alcohol Vini may be extracted, and what uses it serves for, as well in Physick as Alchimy.

The PROCESS.

℞. One pound or two of black and ponderous Magnesia, pulverize the same, and dissolve it in our Universal Stone-Water, wherewith all hard Stones may be dissolved, and thou wilt have a Solution of a Grass-green-colour, filter it, and in case thou hast proceeded aright, the undissolved fæces will be of small quantity.

Now is thy Solution ready to have our Alcohol Vini pour’d upon it, in order to the extracting of its Tincture, and carrying it over the Helm.

N. B. That notwithstanding the Solution be at first of a green colour, yet the Spirit of Wine in Distillation comes over yellow as Sol. And when the Spirit of Wine is kindled under a large head, the pure Mercury of the Magnesia ascends with the flame, which is of great use in Physick; and a Blood-red Liquor stays behind, being not only a Tincture for the Bodies of Men and Metals, but also by means of the same may Crystals be tinged with several fair colours, so as to resemble Precious Stones in all things, except hardness. I dare not set down here the manner of applying this Tincture to white Metals, he to whom God vouchsafes this Tincture, will easily find out the use of it.

As to the Physical use, this Tincture opens Obstructions of the Liver, Spleen and Lungs: The white Mercury come over with the Flame is an excellent Medicine, strengthening the Heart, Stomach, Head and Reins, and a great Remedy against the Gout. In a word, he that is Master of this Tincture will find much more in it than I have here hinted.

In like manner, as hath been said of the Magnesia, we may proceed with other Stones, to extract their Tinctures, all which have different properties, according to the nature of the Stones from whence they are prepared.

We proceed now to shew, how by means of our Alcohol Vini the Tinctures or Essences of Minerals and Metals, without any preceding Solution, or other preparation, may be easily brought over. The way is thus:

℞. What quantity you please of any Sulphurous Marcasite, whether of ♂, ♀, ♃, ♄, ☽ or ☉, make them red-hot in a Crucible in a Wind Furnace, and then put them red-hot as they are, into my second Distilling Furnace, fitting a large Recipient thereto, and pour upon them to the quantity of about an Ounce of our Alcohol Vini, closing the Furnace again immediately; by this means the Spirit of Wine will enter into the Stones, yet because of the great heat will not long continue there, but ascend and carry over the Metalline Spirit with it; which done, pour upon them another spoonful of Spirit, which when come over, pour on another, repeating this as oft as shall be needful. After that the Marcasites or Metalline Stones are grown cold, they must be made red-hot again, and proceeded with as before, till a sufficient quantity of the Metallick Spirit be obtained. Then burn away the Spirit of Wine, and there will remain a glorious Essence of Metals, which thou mayest make use of, according to thy best knowledge. One thing I can assure thee, that this is the easiest way to obtain Metallick Spirits in quantity. And though the Process appears plain and simple, yet more may be discovered and attained thereby than many would imagine. I know what I write, though it may be every Man will scarcely understand me; which is very fitting, to the end these great Arcana may not be prostituted to the Unworthy. He, who cannot make Metallick Spirits according to this way, may dissolve the Metals themselves in proper Dissolvents, pour Spirit of Wine upon them, and distil their Essences, which he may then make use of, as his understanding shall guide him.

I have already declared, that Metallick Spirits, when pour’d together, do Meliorate one another. I shall add no more at present, having already declared too much to the Unworthy, and for those that fear God, they will be further assisted from above, and led to the desired end.

In like manner may the Essences of all common Stones, Pebbles, Metalline Stones, colour’d Earths, &c. be extracted without any foregoing preparation; for which God be praised for evermore. Amen.

In the same way we can obtain the Essences of many other Mineral Subjects, without any preceding preparation, especially of such as are Volatile, viz. Kobolt, Arsenick, Orpiment, Bismuth, Zink, Lapis Calaminaris, and the like Realgars, from which we may distil very poisonous, but withal admirable, Spirits, in order to the Melioration of Metals. We may also take the same course with compact Metals themselves, and distil their Spirits without any foregoing Solution, viz. we must file them small, make them red-hot, and put them into the Distillatory, and then proceed as before hath been said with the Marcasites, and the Metalline Spirit will come over with its natural smell, taste and colour, in which Spirits great wonders lie hid, but are of greatest use in Meliorating of Metals. Read what Paracelsus writes to this purpose in his Book called Vexatio Alchymistarum, where you’l meet with what will satisfie you in this matter. Consider well of what I have said, and thou wilt find more than I dare set down; for it is no small or common thing to obtain the pure Souls of Compact Metals, without any foregoing Solution of their Bodies.

N. B. Those Metals which are molten with Minerals, being filed, and proceeding with them as aforesaid, afford a Spirit higher in colour, and of a stronger smell than simple Metals. Take an instance from Brass, of which if you lay a piece upon a red-hot Coal, it will send forth a bad stench, or put Coals into a Brass Chafing-Dish, and you’l perceive the same; which bad smell proceeds from the Lapis Calaminaris which is joyned with the Copper, the said Lapis Calaminaris being a volatile and stinking Mineral. So likewise when ♀ is made white by the addition of Arsenick, it stinks much worse than when it is join’d with Lapis Calaminaris, as being much more poisonful. This stinking fume which proceeds from Brass, though it be a Spirit, yet is not without a Body, and may be called a spiritual Body, or Bodily Spirit. These fumes are hurtful to the Brain and Heart; and therefore a wise Man endeavours to catch this Volatile Spirit, and to turn it to a true fixt Tincture, fixing white Metals into a permanent Yellow; as the stinking fume of White ♀, made so by Arsenick, may be reduced to a Tincture, which will tinge Red ♀ into White.

I have said enough here, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. He, who desires to know more concerning those Metallick Odours, may read Braceseus; where he will find, that from them the Philosophers Stone, or highest Medicine against all Diseases of Men, and Metals may be prepared: Of which, elsewhere I may have occasion to treat further.

It remains now to discover, in what manner the Medicinal tinging Spirits, or Souls of Stones, are to be extracted, wherewith great Honour and Riches may be obtained in the Practice of Physick. The Process is the very same, as with the Marcasites; for when white Pebbles and Chrystals, or colour’d Stones, as Jasper Stones, Lapis Lazuli and the like, being first made red hot, have our Alcohol Vini poured upon them in a convenient Distillatory, the Spirit of Wine carries over their several Colours, which Tinctures are of great use in Physick. In this way, we may get a Spirit from Lime stones, which is most subtil, and strong of any other whatsoever.

As for Corals and Pearls, they are not to be made red hot (because their Virtue is destroyed by strong Fire) but only heated, and pour Spirit of Wine upon them, by which means the Spirit of Wine will bring over the Essence of Corals of a curious red Colour, and that of Pearls white as Milk.

The Stones that are found in Fishes, Crabs eyes, so called, need only to be pulverized, without heating them, and in abstracting the Spirit of Wine from them, we obtain all their Virtues, which Spirit of Wine being afterwards separated there from, as I have taught, or according to my new invention burnt away, we shall get the true Magistery of these Stones, being a pleasant Salt, full of Virtues, and without any thing of Corrosiveness. This Salt is the true Magistery of these Fish-stones. The like true Magisteries may, without the assistance of any Corrosive, be prepared of Coral, Pearls, Mother of Pearl, Cockleshells, and the Egg-shells of some particular Birds, as also of soft Stones, such as Lapis Lyncis, Judaicus, &c. Let no Body think strange, that I make mention here of Egg-shells, amongst the rest; seeing it is certain, that they have their Original from Stones, as Experience teacheth us, for when Hens are coop’d up in the Winter time, in places where they cannot meet with Sand, or small Stones, they lay Eggs without shells. Wherefore Egg-shells are not to be contemned, for when according to my Instructions they are reduc’d to Magisteries, they are of great use in curing the Stone and Gout: And are used with extraordinary Success, to hasten the Birth in Women, strengthning both Mother and Child, and helping to expel the After-Birth.

Swallows Egg-shells may easily be had, forasmuch as after they have hatch’d their young, they cast them out of their Nests, and afford an excellent Medicine against the Falling Sickness. The Egg-shells of the Wag-tail would be yet more effectual to this purpose, if they could be got, for no Bird is subject to the Falling Sickness, but it: For being caught, and running about with other Birds in the Winter, it’s oft seiz’d with the Falling Sickness, his Feet stagger, his Head and Tail tremble, and at last falls on his Back, but continues not so long, for rising again, he plucks out some of his Feathers, and thereupon immediately recovers, and runs about, eats and drinks as before: Of whose Feathers, since their Egg-shells are not to be got, a Magistery may be prepared against that Distemper.

They who know, that great Virtues are contained even in natural superfluities, will not wonder at my treating here of Egg-shells and Feathers. Some great Philosophers have set down the way of making the Philosophers Stone of them; amongst the rest, a certain Author, writing concerning Mans hair and Egg-shells, concludes thus: Though these matters may seem to be very strange and absurd, yet who is there that knows all things, &c?

Many other Subjects might be hinted, from whence Magisteries may be prepared, but I think it needless, he who sets upon the work will easily find many more, than I have mentioned. I shall only, by the way, take notice, that the common Magisteries of the Apothecaries Shops, are no Magisteries, but mere dead, unprofitable Powders.

We now proceed to the Preparation of Vegetables and Animals, which being of different Natures, must also differently be prepared. As for Instance, Opium (which is a tough Juice, and cannot be pulverized) must be cut in thin slices, and laid on a Tin Plate before the Fire, or any other convenient way, to be dried, and then powdred; which done, we must pour upon it some of our Alcohol of Wine, and after a short digestion distil it, by which means we shall get it’s most subtil Essence; and, if afterwards we burn away the Spirit of Wine, part of this Essence will ascend with the Mercurial Water, and other part stay behind. The former of these, viz. the Volatile Mercury of Opium is so powerful, that when only smelt to, it is of better effect than the common Laudanum Opiatum taken in substance. The Red Liquor, which remains behind in the Cup or Dish after the Spirit of Wine is burnt away, may be taken inwardly. That which remains in the Glass Body after Distillation is of no great use, and may be cast away; yet if any one will take the pains to dissolve it in common ⛛, filter, and after reduce it to the consistence of Pills, perhaps he will not find it much inferior to the common Laudanum Opiatum. The Oyl which remains in the Cup is of very excellent Virtue, as having past the Purgatory Fire of the Spirit of Wine, whereby it is much corrected: Wherefore also we find, that this Oyl is wholly devested of that loathsome Smell that is in Opium. But yet the Mercurial Virtue, which ascends together with the Flame, is far better than that which stays behind, not only in Virtue, but because being in the form of a clear ⛛ without Taste or Smell, it may with the more ease be taken by the Sick. The said Oyl may also with Saffron, and the Narcotick 🜍 of the Vitriol of ♀ be thickned and reduced to the Consistence of Pills.

This Medicine is of great use, for such as are in pain, and want their due Rest, removing the one, and procuring the other: And no Body can be ignorant, how necessary Sleep and Abstinence are, to preserve Health, as well as to remove Diseases.

According to this way, we may extract the Virtues of all vegetable Subjects, and greatly exalt, as well as correct them, where need is.

N. B. Henbane and Tobacco, this way prepared, afford Narcoticks not inferior to Opium. Aloes, Myrrh, and Saffron handled in this manner, make an Elixir Proprietatis, ten times better than that described by Paracelsus, or Helmont: For our Alcohol Vini brings over only their purest Essence, which is afterwards yet further exalted through the Flames of the Spirit of Wine. According to this method, a Man may prepare from Vegetables excellent Cordials, Cephalicks, strengtheners of the Stomach, Nephriticks &c. which in their effects will far exceed the Common. Only we are to observe; that when we have a mind to prepare an universal Medicine, we need not to meddle with Vegetables or Animals, which are Grandfather Demogorgons green Cloak, forasmuch as a little piece of his Heart, is far more valuable than his whole Cloak; wherefore he that would prepare an universal Medicine, of greater Virtues than all Vegetables and Animals contain, let him take to Task a part of this Demogorgons Heart. Concerning which, if the Reader desire further to be satisfied, let him peruse a Treatise of the incomparable Philosopher Joannes Bracescus, of the Tree of Life; where he may be informed, who this Demogorgon is, what his clothes, and what the inmost Blood of his Heart are.

Now by the way, to speak a little of this Demogorgon, we are to understand, that the Ancients always described their universal Work, not plainly so, as to be apprehended by every one, but wrapt up in Riddles and Allegories; all of them pointing to this Demogorgon, who has his Seat in the Center of the Earth, having a rusty Colour’d, and green Cloak cast about him; which in plain terms, is nothing else but the Central Fire, which God, when he created the World, placed there as an everlasting vivifying Fire; by means of which quickening Fire, not only Metals and Minerals are produced, but also all Herbs, Plants and Trees: Upon which Account, the ancient Philosophers have described this Demogorgon, to be the Grandfather of all the Heathen Gods, that is Metallick Subjects, and an Upholder of, and Provider for all things that are within, as well as without the Earth; for all things proceed from one Original, viz., this Demogorgon. Concerning which, See the Twelfth Treatise of Sendivogius.

Metals and Minerals, are as it were the Shirt, or inmost covering of Demogorgon, whereas Vegetables and Animals, are but his Cloak, or upper Garment. The Ancients have writ much concerning this Demogorgon, attributing to him, not only the Generation and growth of Stones and Metals, but declaring him to be the Father of those living Spirits, which are often found in the Mountains, where Mines are, especially of ☉ or ☽, about which, if the Reader desire to be further satisfied, let him read George Agricola his Treatise concerning Subterraneous living Creatures.

To return then to our Demogorgon, I say, there are found some contemptible Minerals, in which all the Virtues of Vegetables and Animals lye concentred, which Minerals take their Original from the purest Heart-blood of Demogorgon: Such Minerals as these we are to take in hand, if we would prepare an universal Medicine against all Diseases, as well as a Tincture, to meliorate all white Metals with great Gain and Profit. We are also to observe, that such an universal Medicine, may easily, with little Charges, and in few days, be prepared: For the Minerals themselves cost little or nothing, the Dissolvent is very cheap, and the burning Spirit is not Chargeable, so that an Universal Medicine, to meliorate Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, may be made with the Charge of an Angel, which, certainly, is a strange and wonderful Compendium. All this may be done with the help of our Spirit of Wine Alcolisatus, without which, the Essence of these Minerals cannot be brought over, nor be made perfectly sweet and fine, without enduring the Purgatory of its refining Flames: Wherefore, also our Elias Artista, or Salt of Art, wherewith we acuate our burning Spirit, and make such a wonderful Menstruum of it, may well be called the Monarch of Salts. And to demonstrate, that such a Medicine prepared of Metals or Animals, with the help of our Salt of Art joyned with Spirit of Wine, is not only able to cure all the Diseases of Men and Metals, but also of Vegetables, appears first from hence, that an universal Medicine can scarcely, or at all be prepared without the Concurrence of Vegetables and Animals: For which reason the Philosophers say, that their Stone is Vegetable, Animal and Mineral; if then the universal Medicine be made up of these three, we must conclude also, that it is Master and Commander over them. The use of this Medicine in the several three Kingdoms, is as follows. When by means of our Tartarized Spirit of Wine, thou hast brought over the pure Essence of a Metal or Mineral, and separated the Spirit of Wine from the Metallick Essence, by burning it away, then the said Essence stays behind in the Cup or Dish, wherein the Spirit of Wine was burnt away, and may without any other Preparation be made use of, for the Cure of all curable Diseases. But when we have a mind to make use of this Essence, for the meliorating of Metals, we must first ferment it with common ☉ or ☽, for without this, the Soul or Quintessence of Metals can have no ingress into Metals, so as to unite with them in a Fire of Fusion. We are also to note, that when this Metallick Essence is fermented with Sol, it becomes a Solar Tincture, but when with ☽, it only affords a white Tincture. It is also to be observed, that when we take two parts of ☉, and one of ☽ for our ferment, we shall have a Red Tincture, and so on the contrary, if we make use of two or three parts of ☽, to one of ☉, it will only be a white Tincture, because the predominant Metal determines the Tincture. But he who hath once obtained a well prepared Quintessence of Metals, will easily know the ferment and way of applying it, for a due application is of great moment in this matter. I have known some, who had extracted good Tinctures from ♂ and ♁, but understood not the way of fermenting them, that is of joyning their ferment without their Tinctures; neither did they understand the Inceration, that is, the way to give to your Tinctures easie Fluxibility and Ingress, so could not arrive at their desired End. Were the World worthy of it, I could set down an easie, cheap and short way, to extract much ☉ out of ♀, by which means every one that is somewhat skilled in Distilling, Melting and Cupelling, might have a Rich and inexhausted Mine in his own House, but it is much better to be silent, than to strengthen Men in their Pride and wickedness.

But to return to the Medicinal use of our Tinctures, we are to take Notice, that the Red Oyl, which remains after the burning away of the Spirit of Wine in the Cup, is fittest to make a Metallick Tincture of: But the ☿ or Celestial Vitriol, which mounts with the Flame of the Spirit of Wine, is the most proper Medicine for human Bodies: For this pure Mercurial ⛛ is the true and best ⛛ of Life, wherewith, not alone Men, but also other Animals, yea and Vegetables too, may be cured of all Diseases, and Evils incident to them. And forasmuch, as the highest Medicine of Vegetables is the Nourishment they draw from the Earth, the warmth of the Sun, and fruitful Rain, and that on the contrary a dry and barren Soil, and want of the cherishing heat of the Sun and Rain, are the Death of all Vegetables, it is apparent that there can be no better Remedy to keep off the Death of Vegetables, than this our sweet cherishing, and vivifying ⛛ of Life, or Celestial Salt: For when any Seeds of Vegetables are steeped therein, and set only in Sand, they immediately shoot up and grow: And having this effect upon Vegetables, we have the less reason to doubt of its cherishing, and vivifying Virtue on human Bodies, as indeed there cannot be a better Medicine to rid the Body of Man, of all manner of Diseases than this Universal Blessed ⛛ of Life, or heavenly Rain ⛛. When we attentively consider Nature, we find, that the Life and growth of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, is Originally from the Air, or an Airy volatile Spirit. Thus we can make all hard Stones and Metals grow as it were in a moment, by means of such a volatile Spirit, concerning which, I have spoken in the Second Part of my Furnaces.

This sudden growth of Stones and Metals, I have many years since shewed to some of my Friends, who greatly admired the same, but could not comprehend that reason thereof. Now therefore, to satisfie the Searchers after truth, I declare, that all growth, whether in the Microcosme, or Macrocosme proceeds from a Spirit, or Volatile Salt, arising from two contraries, viz. an Acid and an Alkali; for when an Alkali, and an Acid Spirit meet, they cause an Effervescence, during which, there proceeds from them both a very subtil Spirit, which has the Nature and Property to make all things grow. If a Man takes this Spirit inwardly; it procures and preserves health; if it be joyn’d to an Herb, it makes it to grow and shoot up suddenly. With this Spirit we can make an Herb grow from its Seed in the midst of Winter, (but it must be in a warm Room,) so as it may be seen to grow; which my self have performed more than once. And to make it appear, that this swift growth only proceeds from a volatile Spirit, produc’d by the strife of two contraries, I’le give this instance; pour one Pound of Oyl of Vitriol, upon one or two Pound of calcined Tartar, not at once, but by degrees, and at several times, and it will cause a great strife and Effervescence, cover the Cucurbit with its Head, and give Fire in a Sand Furnace, by which means a very subtil volatile Spirit comes into the Receiver. If before this Work be undertaken, a Stone hath been dissolved by the calcined Tartar, and a Metal in the Oyl of Vitriol, then the Spirit, which proceeds from them, will be much more powerful; because the Virtue both of the Stone and Metal comes over with the Spirit. In this manner may a volatile Spirit be had from all Acids and Alkalis.

To demonstrate this further, that the growth of all things proceeds from the strife of two contraries, take this instance: Dissolve some Iron or Copper in Spirit of Salt, or Oyl of Vitriol, draw off the Flegm, in which Distillation none of the Acid Spirit will come over; because it is joyn’d and concentred with the Metal, animating and disposing it to shoot up and to grow swiftly, so as the eye may perceive it grow, like a Tree with a Body, Boughs, Branches, and Twigs. Take this Spirit of Salt or Vitriol, concentred by the ♂, as soon as you have taken it out of the Furnace, whilst it is yet warm, and break it into little Bitts, about the bigness of large Pease (if you should suffer it to grow cold, it would by attracting the Air, suddenly run into an Oyl per deliquium.) These pieces of animated ♂ must be joyned with its contrary, for which you can choose nothing better than a Liquor of Flints prepared in the same manner, which I have taught in the second part of my Furnaces. The Glass, wherein you put this Liquor of Flints, must be of the same wideness at the top, as at the bottom, and about an handbreadth high, and fill’d with the said Alkalious Liquor, to which, put your Acid concentred by the ♂, laying the pieces orderly a thumbs breadth from one another, and place the Glass, where it may not be shaken or jogg’d. As soon as these contraries are thus joyned, they begin to act upon one another; but forasmuch, as the one of these contraries is concentred by the ♂, and become hard, it cannot mingle it self with its adversary, or destroy it, so they only vex and anguish one another, in doing which, a warmth ariseth between them, and the one contrary pusheth the other to shoot and grow; the hard and dry part, viz. the animated ♂ drawing so much moisture from its contrary, the Liquor of Flints, as makes it heave and begin to grow in form of a Plant, with Root, Stock, Branches, and Twigs, very pleasant to behold, the growth being very swift, so as within an hour and an half, or two hours at the most, the whole Glass is fill’d with little iron Trees, which grow harder and harder, and when they are hard enough, (which will be in the space of twenty four hours) then the Liquor of Flints must be let out from it through a hole, left on purpose in the bottom of the Glass, and the Plant, or little Tree, remains. If we desire to make a more pleasant sight of it, we may take several Metals, and make them grow up like a Tree; ♂ affords a dark brown, Venus a green, ♄ ♃ and ☿ a White and Grey, ☽ a Blew, and ☉ a Yellow Colour. Minerals also give different Colours from Metals; Lapis Calaminaris grows not into Trees, but into the resemblance of Mountains and Rocks of a White and Greyish Colour.

If we have a mind to make Stones to grow, we proceed thus, first we melt the Stone, whether White or Coloured, into a transparent Glass, and pour it forth into a Copper Bason, where it will flow broad and thin, and will be the fitter to be broke into as small pieces as we desire. Which peices we place as before in a flat bottom’d Glass before described, which must be full of an Acid Spirit mixed with water, so as it may neither be too sharp, nor too weak; for if it be weakned with too much water, it will not retain strength enough to make it grow; and if the Acid be too sharp, it will dissolve the Alkalized Stone, wherefore great care must be taken, as to this particular.

N. B. The Magnesia gives a Blood-red Tree, and much more beautiful than any of the Metals: Only observe, that Metals may be made to grow with less trouble than Stones.

From what hath been said, it appears beyond dispute, that the growth of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals (Stones not excepted) proceeds from two contraries. I could easily make this out more amply and fully, but having treated of the same in other parts of my Writings, I shall let it rest here.

An Appendix or COROLLARY.

I have in the foregoing Treatise declared the use of the Salt of Art, both in Physick and Alchimy, and have set down nothing, but what my self have experienced. What I have writ concerning our Alcolized Spirit of Wine, is also the very truth: And tho’ what I have here set down might seem to suffice; yet I cannot, before I conclude this small Book, but mention a much greater Gift of God, than that of which I have spoken here, viz. that God hath vouchsafed Mankind, for preserving their Health, a Subject, wherein the Powers and Virtues of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, are summ’d up and united together; which Subject may be had in all places for nothing, and however contemptible it may seem to the ignorant, yet it is the matter of the highest Medicine in the World. Every Man can have enough of it from himself, needs therefore not to go to another for it. Adam and Eve our first Parents brought this matter with them out of Paradise; yea, every one brings it along with him from his Mothers womb.

Let no Man imagin, that I speak here of Urine, or Mans Dung, it is something else, and more despised than either of them, so that a proud Man will scarcely light upon it. I say, if a Man know this Subject, and how to make use of it in Physick, he may well account himself happy, as needing nothing of all that is in the World besides, in Case he hath only strength, place, and convenience to prepare the same. The Subject costs nothing, and the Preparation requires neither Glasses, Coals nor Furnace. I commend this Subject to Physicians above any other in the World, the Preparation being easie, and without Charges, and may be finished in few days: So that the knowledge of this Subject, and its easie Preparation, ought not to be look’d upon, as an invention of Man, but as a wonderful, and undeserved Gift of God, reserved only for those, who despise the World with all its Vanities, renounce the Devil and all his Works, and avoid the Company of wicked Men, his adherents.

Of the Three most noble STONES generated by Three Secret FIRES. AND

_First, Of the Stone of Philosophers, which is prepared by the Secret Fire of the Wise._

Secondly, of the upper and lower Thunder-stone, how they are generated above, by the Meteorological Fire; and below, by the secret Artificial Fire. And,

Thirdly, How the =Lapis Ignis=, or Fire-stone of =Basilius=, is to be prepared out of =Antimony= by Art.

And how these Three most noble Stones of the World, are to be used in Physick and Alchymy. Translated out of the =High-Dutch=.

Reader,

In the end of the Appendix to the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, I have made mention of Three Fires, which are not Common, but unknown to the World. By which are generated three wonderful Stones, which I did intend to publish. First, of the secret Fire of Philosophers, commonly called the Fire of Artephius, because Artephius a very ancient Philosopher did first write of it, who was also envious like others, and would write nothing of it, till he came to be nine hundred Years old which way the Philosophers Stone was to be made by this Fire. These Writings have been long tossed up and down the World, before any could be certain, whether or no this miraculous Fire could be found in Nature. At length some Philosophers attain’d its knowledge, and published it for the good of the World. But because, those Philosophers were very obscure in their Writings, the Art could not be made common, but remaineth secret to this hour: So that one of a Thousand among the now reputed Philosophers, (who have fill’d the whole World with their unexperienced Writings) scarcely one is to be found, who know any thing of it. And because this secret Fire was called by the true Philosophers, Ignis Philosophorum, it would have becomed them, to know somewhat of it. Helmont the most experienced and learned Philosopher of his time, although he had studied long in the Universities, yet he doth not Glory in any Arts he there learned: But on the contrary, he saith, that Physick, as it is taught in the Schools, is of no value. And, that not the Universities, but the Fire, made him a Philosopher. And therefore, he calls himself a Philosopher by the Fire. And without doubt, our secret Fire was known to him, as appears by his excellent Writings. For his Elementum Ignis Veneris, to which he attributes so many Virtues, could not well be made, without this secret Fire. A Quintessence may be drawn out of Venus, but that will not effect, what the Red Element of the incombustible Sulphur can. Paracelsus, in his Book of Sulphur, writes, that an excellent Elementum Ignis may be made out of common Sulphur, which he so highly commends, that he dares to say, that except a Physician hath this Element of Fire, (that is the fixed Quintessence of Sulphur, among his Arcanums, he cannot rightly be reputed a Physician, but a Money Catcher, and Robber of the Sick. In my lately published Treatise of Sulphur, I have also described an Elementum Ignis, which is certainly a very excellent Medicine against all Cold Distempers, but this is not yet fixed, but combustible, but the Element of Fire ought to be incombustible. For as long as a Medicine made out of Sulphur is still combustible, and subject to blacken Silver when touched with it, it cannot be reputed the true Elementum Ignis Sulphuris. For the true Element of Fire of Sulphur doth not make Silver black, but tingeth it with a constant Golden Colour, which cannot be washed off. As also, the Element of Fire ought to be of this Nature, to enter a Red hot Plate of Silver without fume, as Oyl sinks into dry Leather; and to tinge it Yellow. Also, it ought to tinge common ☿ into Gold, when added to it in a due heat. This Quintessence of Sulphur, also must not be burnt by the Fire as other Oyl, but remain incombustible. Therefore, the Philosophers have called it an incombustible Oyl, a permanent Water, Aurum potabile, &c. When it hath those Virtues, then it can perform what Paracelsus attributes to it, viz. Wonders both in Physick and Alchymy; and by this, Aristotle and his followers (who assert, that the Species of Metals cannot be transmuted) are quite out of Doors.

It is true, Aristotle also saith, that the Metals cannot be transmuted, if they be not first reduced to their first matter, of which I have sufficiently treated. This our fixed Oyl of Sulphur transmutes the Metals without any precedent reduction of them to their first matter. For our secret Fire hath taken away whatsoever was pernicious or combustible; so that only the purest and incombustible part remains, by which such great things in Medicine and Alchymy are performed, that it refuteth all those who speak against it; although many Impostors by their cheats, from place to place, have given occasion to speak evil of the Noblest of Arts; which hath had an ill effect heretofore upon my self.

An History of the Poisonous Tayl of Common Alchymy.

_Here follows a large Historical Digression of some great Abuses which the Author some time underwent, but pertaining nothing to the scope of this Treatise, I will not trouble the Reader with it._

Now concerning our secret Fire, it is not made of Coals or Wood, or other combustible Matter, but compounded of certain Fiery Waters, which burn, but not like other Fires without the Glass, but always within the Glass; wherefore Artephius, as the first Author of the secret Fire, useth these words. Our Fire is Mineral, Equal, Continual, it Vapours not unless it be too much stirred up, it partakes of =Sulphur=, and is taken elsewhere than from the matter; it pulleth down all things, dissolveth, congealeth, and calcineth, it is artificial to find; it is a short way without cost, at the least with small cost; it is moist, vaprous, digestive, altering, piercing, subtile, Airy, not violent, not burning, compassing or environning, containing but one, and it is the fountain of living Water which goeth about and containeth the place, when the King and Queen hath themselves.

This is Artephius’s Description of the Fire of Philosophers. Pontanus hath also wrote of this Fire, to whose Epistle I refer the Reader for the more easie introduction to it.

Artephius hath here plainly enough described the Matter, and the Mercurial Water, and Pontanus hath confirmed it. He to whom God will give it, will easily comprehend it; but Artephius and Pontanus teach nothing, but how to ripen the Stone of Philosophers compounded of Gold, Silver, and Antimony, by this secret Fire. But because several others as well universal as particular are to be easily prepared by this our Fire, I think fit to say somewhat of it. Our Fire, maturates whatsoever is put to it, whether Vegetables, Animals, or Minerals, and therefore our Fire, as also the Matter of the Philosophers Stone it self, is called Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral; as also a natural, non-natural, and supernatural Fire. He who is not satisfied with this may read Artephius himself, where he will find more of this our secret Fire.

Now having understood what Artephius and Pontanus have written of our secret Fire, I could not but describe it somewhat more openly, to shew the Artist a nearer and easier way to obtain it. I Glauber can truly affirm this, That in my young days I have travelled many Countries, and diligently searched for an Experienced Philosopher, that might teach me some good. But I no where found my desire, but I often found some diligent Physician, who following Crollius, Hartman, Beguinus, and other Experienced Physicians, prepared their own Medicines, by which they gained Honour and Wealth, and were therewith content. Some of them had indeed read Artephius and Pontanus, but had not light enough to understand them. I have also endeavoured to frequent the elaboraories of Princes, to learn something there. Indeed I found Processes enough there, which were sent from great Men. By following of which, and working in Arsenick, Orpiment, Cobalt, Cinabar, Mercury and the like Minerals, I drew a great deal of Poison into my Body, till at length I grew weary of it, and therefore set my mind upon Spagyrick Medicines, by which I have found many curious Secrets, and gain’d a sufficient Livelyhood. But yet at the same time, I attentively read the Writings of the Philosophers, and out of them learned many good things, chiefly Basilius, Braceseus, Neusementius and the like good Authors; but the secret Fire of Artephius, or the proper Agent, I could not Learn, I have often Discoursed of it with Learned men, but always found, that they understood less of it than my self. For they had not read the Ancient Philosophers, but had spent their time in getting of Money, and sending their Receipts to the Apothecareis Shops. But after a light was enkindled in me from above, and I began to know this secret Fire, I began to have an aversion to the tedious, and troublesome work with Glasses, therefore I set it all aside, and now find my self more at ease, by this Capital work, for I make no further use of Furnaces, Glasses, or Coals, but can now do more and greater things in half a Nutshell or Eggshell, than I could before, with all my Furnaces, Glasses and Coals, for which I give incessant thanks to God, who is the giver of all Good. This I was willing to add, viz. that our Fire is hard to be found, but easie to be made, when known. Concerning the Matter, it is not always the same, but may be taken after several ways, yet according to the true proportion of the Fire, for this is all in all, the proper Agent must be only excited by our Fire, and carried on to the promoting of the Maturation of our Matter; for the proper Agent is here as much concerned, as the fire it self, for that alone could not work sufficiently to prepare an unripe Mineral by it self, without the help of the proper Agent, in so short a time, into a Tincture constant in the Fire, or universal Medicine. Now whoever hath a mind to do any thing with our secret Fire, must have constancy of mind, tarry at home, and beg assistance of God, whose Blessing he must wait for with Patience.

Now concerning the farther use of our secret Fire, it is thus, that all Vegetables, as Herbs, Roots, Seeds, Woods, &c. and all Animals, none excepted, together with all Minerals and Metals, may without Cost, be easily brought into excellent Medicaments, particularly. For our Fire Maturates the purest Anima, or Quintessence of all things. Poysonous Subjects are converted into Medicine, sowr and bitter into pleasant and sweet. The immature is ripened; and our Fire can be better compared with nothing, than with the Sun, which gives Life to all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, and makes the imperfect, perfect, nothing excepted. In fine, Our Fire is the greatest and most noble in the World, the Sun excepted: But God is above all, the Lord of the Creation. But what need I say much of the Melioration of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, by our secret Fire, I have said enough, if I should say more, it would render it too Common.

But thus much it will be necessary to add, viz. what the Subjects are, which are the most easily wrought upon by our Fire. Among Vegetables, Wine, and what pertains to it is the best; Among Minerals, Antimony and Mercury, which is our living Gold; Among Animals, Man, and what appertains to him. You have your own choice to chuse, which you will, you have sufficient Advice, and want nothing more, but the Blessing of God, without which all is in vain.

Here followeth the Composition, or Preparation of our secret Fire.

Three Heathenish Deities command this our secret Fire, viz. Apollo, Diana and Pluto. Apollo affords the warm Sun-shine. Diana gives the cooling and refreshing Night. And Pluto gives his Fiery Hellish Rain. That you may better understand it, Apollo gives Wine three times, Diana Milk twice, and Pluto his Hellish Fire once. Out of these three Gifts, our Fire is prepared. This is the true Preparation of our wonderful Fire. To speak of this more amply, is not convenient; we must not cast Pearls before Swine, which way this Fire is to be used to any Subject, is sufficiently discovered to a Man thereunto elected by God. But there are many, who having no dependency upon God’s Blessing proceed after an evil and cheating manner, so that those Alchymists, or Gold-makers, are become a scorn to the Country, and no Man cares to dwell by them, lest their great and continual Fires should bring damage to his Neighbours, and this not without reason. For in making Oyl of Vitriol after the common way, a Fire is kept ordinarily for forty or fifty hours, which is a very tedious Work; but the Adepts can force over a Pound of Oyl of Vitriol in an hours time, with very few Coals, which thing I have already touched in my Writings, and shall say more of it in my Second Appendix. I have recommended this compendious way of making Oyl of Vitriol and Sulphur, to some Men; but they adhered so close to their old lingring way, that they were regardless of a better, notwithstanding that the Oyl of Vitriol, and the Acidum of Sulphur, are the Basis or Foundation of all the common Hermetick Medicine, for all other Mineral Spirits are by them acquired easily and plentifully. That Mineral Acid which is plentifully found in Vitriol and Sulphur, is the only Agent whereby Nature Maturates the yet volatile and unripe Minerals in the Earth. And also all Tinctures, which are fixed and constant in the Fire, are by the hand of the Artist prepared by this, yet with the Addition of its Compeer, the external Fire. This universal Acidum is our Horse-dung, and the Stygian water, in which Jason drowned his Dragon and made him fixed: But when I here mention Jason’s Dragon, it comes into my mind what happened to me, when I once attempted to make such a Dragon, which vomited out Fire, and a black poysonous Smoke, out of Sulphur and Saltpeter: And because this History, may serve as a warning to many, who may incur much danger oftentimes by the common Alchymy, I will here insert it. A little before I became Bed-ridden, I had undertaken to steal from the ever watchful Dragon, that Golden Fleece which he hath in his keeping, and because this fierce Dragon will part with nothing before he be half slain, or at least, laid to sleep, therefore I was busied in this work, and had made a mixture of Sulphur, Niter and Tartar, and also another of Salter-peter, Antimony and Tartar, each apart in an Earthen Pot, in order to Fire them for Detonation. And although I had ordered, that one Pot should first be detonated, and then the other, that the Smoke might not be too great, yet this was not done, but they were fired both together, which caused such a great, black and stinking Smoke to ascend the Chimney, that when the Neighbours saw it, they thought the House had been on fire, and cryed out, Fire, knocked at my Door, to come in to quench it, when there was none, notwithstanding this was not done in my dwelling House, but in a House remote from all others, so that it could have done no hurt to any else, if it had been burnt down, but they not being satisfied got Ladders and looked down the Chimney, and seeing no Fire there, they then said, it was Witchcraft. Out of this History, one may see what a dangerous Toyl the common Alchymy hath. This work to kill the Dragon, and to spoyl him of his Golden Fleece, is one of the pleasantest that ever I did in Alchymy, except the secret Fire. For when the Sulphur, Salt-peter, Antimony and Tartar, are denotated together, and sublimed with Sal Armoniack, the Golden Fleece riseth in a curious Golden Colour, and tingeth the Head, and Receiver with all sorts of Colours, like unto the Rain-bow, or a Peacocks Tail, and also one sees the Foot-steps of the scaly Dragon most gloriously in the Head; which Neusementius hath excellently described, in a few French Verses, and hath omitted almost nothing which belongs to this Work: And because I here write of this sort of Work, it will not be amiss, to add those Verses. Concerning this, Medea thus exhorts Jason in Ovid.

_Pervigil ecce Draco, squamis crepitantibus horrens, Sibilat & torto pectore verrit humum._

Which Neusementius hath thus rendred into French.

Voy le Dragon veillant de fureur forcenè Qui d’escaille bruyante a le corps entournè Dont le gosier sifflant fumeè & feu deserre Et qui par replis tors va baliant la terre De sa large poitrine en la poudre imprimant Les sinueux sillons, qu’il trace incessament.

And may thus again be put into Latine.

_Adspice squamosum tumidumq; furore Draconem Semper in excubias aures frontemque minacem Vibrantem, & nullo claudentem lumina somno Qui crista linguisq, tribus præsignis, & uncis Dentibus horrendis, patulo de gutture Flammas Sibilat, & fumis atratis inficit auras, Adspice multiplices Gyros quos ponderè Caudæ Insinuat Terræ, cum longa volumina ducit Perque superficiem reptat, cum pectore lato Verrit humum, relegens eadem vestigia semper._

And in English may sound thus,

_Behold this scaly Dragon swel’d with Ire, His Crest doth brandish, with a dreadful Brow; Nere closeth Eyes, nor Ears, nor yet retires From dismal noise, and horid Teeth to shew: From his broad Throat flames issue out Black fumes infect the Air about. Behold the Rings, which his encircled Tail Casts on the Earth, whilst he doth form his Coil; With his broad Breast he creeps upon its Face Sweeping the ground, always in the same Trace._

Here in few words the Philosopher describes the whole Work, how to spoyl the Dragon of his Golden Fleece. But only to those, who easily understand these Verses, whose eyes God hath opened, and are already pretty well skilled in this Art. But to the unexpert all remains dark. Reading only will not do it, but you must put your hand to the Work, if you will attain to any thing. I have, for several years together, read, sought, and laboured in vain, before I found the right way of obtaining this Golden Fleece. And when at length I became Master of this Art, I could not but admire that it was so easie a thing, and yet so difficult to be learned out of Books. Paracelsus and Neusementius write the plainest of this, of which two expert Men, I first learned this Art, but afterwards I found a more Compendious way, so that I can now perform the whole Work, with the Charge of one Ducat [or ten Shillings] in a very short time. But I must leave it to others to do, being yet detained in my Bed by my sickness: So that I can do no more, than to shew to others by my Writings and Instructions, the ready way to the Land of Promise.

_Of the Second Fire, and its marvelous Fire-stone, which is generated by it._

We know, that Fire generates Stones, every one according to its Nature. The secret Fire of the Philosophers, engenders the Philosophers Stone, which is a universal Medicine for Men and Metals, as we have already heard. That the Meteorical fire, from whence proceeds Lightening and Thunder, generates also Stones, is known to all, for the Air procreates the same things, which are found upon the Earth. Therefore Hermes in his Smaragdine Table hath very well said, That whatsoever is beneath is also above, and what is above, is also beneath, by which, marvellous things are done. We know, that Frogs and Grashoppers and the like, which are procreated in the Air, have fallen down with the Rain. I have read in a certain Historian, that once a Calf fell down with the Rain.

Anaxagoras, a famous Philosopher, prognosticated in his Life-time, that after he was dead, a great Stone should fall down from the Air, to the Earth, which also came to pass. We also know, that sometimes great pieces of Iron have fallen down, not compact, but sticking one part to another like drops. And also, every Body knows, that Stones are cast down by Thunder and Lightening, which Stones are formed and concentrated by the Lightening, and so have assumed the Nature of a Stone; for in the Lightening is hid a very miraculous Property seeing that Lightening is a Fire of quite another Nature, than our common Fire, which breaks in pieces all hard things which resist, but toucheth not what maketh no resistance. It hath very often happened, that the Lightening hath broken a Mans Bones, without hurting his flesh. We have also known, that it hath melted the Sword in the Scabbard, and left the Scabbard whole. This Stone generated by Lightening, hath quite another Nature than common Stones, for it is not transparent like a Pebble or Sand-stone, which melt in the fire. Neither hath it the Nature of transparent and hard Gems, which do not melt in the fire, and yet keep their Lustre, neither can the fire reduce it into Lime, as it doth a Chalk-stone. In a word, it can be compared with no Stone in the World. Its shape is also wonderful, for it is generally sharp at both ends, but yet they are not all of one Figure or shape, they are generally smooth on the outside, and of a milky Colour, and reddish within. I have one which is Triangular like a Star, and if you turn it, ’tis like a Heart, of which I never saw the like. I have also one which is Cole-black, which is rough both within and without, it is a wonder to me, that this Stone will not strike fire with Steel, notwithstanding it is generated by fire. We may also by Art make Lightening out of Iron or Steel, in which also is generated a strange Stone. The Thunderbolts love all things which are combustible, especially Gun-powder, for the Lightening it self proceeds from Saltpeter and Sulphur, and that is the reason, why it so often strikes into Towers, where Gun-powder is kept, and also it useth to strike Old Oak Trees, which contain Sulphur and Saltpeter, also upon Church Steeples, but seldomer in the open Fields. I once saw in Germany, where the Thunder had stroke a Tower of Gun-powder, and although it was four square, yet it run so about it, and took out a piece of Stone-work all round, as if it had been cut out with Tools, because it could no where find entrance. Strange things are done by Lightning, it sometimes killing the Horse, and not hurting his Rider, and again killing the Rider, and not hurting the Horse, because it is no common Fire, but a concentrated Meteorical fire: It hath no resemblance of the fire of the Sun, much less of our common Fire, but our secret Fire of the Chaldeans hath some Agreement with it, because it is made of Iron or Steel, and Saltpeter: Therefore it cannot be much unlike the fire of Lightening, for that is also generated out of Saltpeter concentrated, and Sulphur. Steel is concentrated Sulphur, that hath also Power to concentrate Saltpeter, and so to generate this marvellous Fire. The Meteorical Thunder-fire is a terrible one, but our Steel-fire is more wonderful in its Essence and Operation, as we shall heer by and by, for incredible things are wrought by it, so that even the Stone of Philosophers, never so well prepared, is not to be compared with it. Query, whether this Thunderbolt which is cast down by the Lightening be of any Virtue, or whether it be a dead and unprofitable Stone? I answer: It hath been always reputed, that if a Thunderbolt be kept in any house or place, the Thunder and Lightening will never strike into it. Whether this be true, I cannot tell, yet this I know, that those who keep them esteem them highly, I my self have one, which I much esteem for its marvellous Figure, for turn it which way you will, it always represents a Star or a Heart. Many strange things are performed by this Thunderbolt. I have seen several Foresters break it into pieces of the bigness of a Pea, which they put into a Bullet-mold, fill’d up the Mold with melted Lead, and did believe, that they could not miss any wild Beast at which they should shoot it. I have also seen some Souldiers make such Bullets, and formerly believed, that they could pierce any thing with them, that otherwise they could not shoot through. I have also seen others, who have put pieces of this Stone into the pummels of their Swords, and believed, that this took away their Adversaries Courage when they should encounter them, and so they might easily Conquer them. These and the like things, I have seen done with it. But whether this be so or no, it is probable that there should be some ocult Virtues in those Stones. For seeing that all Stones are good for somewhat, why should this marvellous Thunderbolt only be good for nothing? Some cause Women in Labour to hold these Stones in their hands, to facilitate their Labour; they also say, that it encreaseth Womens milk, if it be put into their drink. Others put them into the hand to stop Blood. If one could do any good with it, one might easily, by the help of a certain Magnet, attract a great many of them from the Air, as you shall hear anon. Now again, to return so our Fire and Fire-stone, I affirm for truth, that our secret Fire and Fire-stone, in its Essence and Efficacy, is more wonderful than the Meteorick Lightning and Thunderbolt. For our Fire doth not burn or flame, but when we will have it, otherwise it is like a dead Black-stone, if you only keep the Air from it, it will remain a Stone as long as you please. If you put it into a Glass and stop it very close, and keep it under water never so many years, it will still remain Fire, and not be hurt. For our Chaldaick Fire, when once prepared, will not burn, but remain good for ever, if you keep it from Air and Water. It is sufficiently known, that the ancient Heathens put burning Lamps into their Vaults, of which Lamps I have seen many, that were digged out of Mines in Colen. Some of these Lamps were found in some burying Vaults burning, when they were first opened, but as soon as the Air touched them went out. But our Chaldaick Fire remains dead, when kept close, and is kindled by the Air. I call it dead, but it is rather a dormant Fire. This our secret Fire hath so strange a Property, that it is able at all times to attract Fire out of the Air, not only in the hot Summer, but also in the cold Winter Nights, when the Sun is farthest off. By the help of this Fire, I believe, I could at certain times light a Candle, either under or above the Earth. The Maccabees set their Sacrifice on Fire by this, and not with common Wood, or Coal, fire, as the Vestal Virgins in Rome were forced to feed it with Wood continually that it might not go out; if by chance or neglect it went out, those Virgins were buried alive; in so great esteem, had the Jews and the Heathens, their Fires.

Now as for the use of our secret Fire, no Man may be so bold as to discover the Power thereof to the World, for things incredible are to be done by it, which are better to be concealed, than made publick: Yet I will a little touch at it. The secret Fire of it self is of no use in Physick, but great Secrets may be prepared by it, both in Medicine and Alchimy. First, out of our fiery Mass may be driven a living Mercury of Mars, which is the most noble Subject to prepare an extensive Tincture, both for Men and Metals, for of all Mercuries of Metals, this is the best. When our Fire is melted into a thick water, and this fiery water poured upon a subtil Calx of Gold, and digested with it, it will attract the yellow Colour from the Gold, and leave it white, yet the Tincture is not yellow, but as green as Grass, out of which an excellent Medicine may be made; it is also profitable in Alchimy. For it is also of this Nature, that if you put a Solution of Gold and Silver into it, they will be joyned together without Precipitation, which is not usual to be done. One may also squirt this fiery water, by peculiar Springs, to a great distance, and thereby fire any Combustible matter. If you will, you may also shoot this our Fire in a dry form, out of great and small Guns, to fire any thing with it. I believe, that by the help of this, one might fire a great Canon under water, by which you may fright Fish up to the Surface of the water in deep Ponds, so that you may catch them with small Nets. One may also drive away all hurtful wild Beasts, as Bears, Wolves, Foxes, nay even Lyons, Tygers and Dragons, out of the Wilderness. One may also drive away High-way-Men, Murtherers out of their Ambuscades, and catch them. In a word, many strange things may be done with it, which for certain Reasons I dare not mention. The greatest and the best thing that may be done by this secret Fire, is the preparing of the Mercury of Mars, as also after a Magnetical manner to draw the Lightning which way one please. I have had this Fire now for above twenty years, and durst not own that I had Such a thing, now I am near my end, I was willing to let it be known, that there is such a Fire in Nature. If I did not fear, that malicious Men would abuse this secret Wonder-fire, I would have been plainer, but the time is not yet come for the doing those great things, but when Elias the Artist shall come, he will not fear to make great Alterations in the World, by the help of this Fire. He will establish much good, and abolish all that is evil, but I have said enough of this at this time. I have indeed told you here that it will be done, I do not desire, neither shall I live till it shall come to pass, for such great Changes will not be made with ease, but with great Zeal. God preserve the Pious, and shew them a way over the Mountains, where they may live secure from this Sodomitish Fire, Amen.

_Of the Third secret Fire, and the wonderful Stone that is engendered by it._

That pious Philosopher Basil Valentine, in his Triumphant Chariot of Antimony, teacheth, how to prepare a stone by Distillation and Rectification out of the purest part of Antimony, and calls it the Stone of Fire because this Stone is prepared by Fire out of fiery Subjects: And also because it expelleth all Diseases from the Body of Man, and consumeth them as common Fire doth Wood. He also saith, that this Fire-stone can transmute Silver into Gold, although in a small quantity. The highly experienced Philosopher Helmont, makes mention of almost such a Stone, which he saith, he saw in England with one Butler, and tells of wonderful things that the said Butler did with it. Now by reason of my diligent search into Nature and the Blessing of God, such a Stone hath fallen into my hands, with which I can do the same things in Physick and Alchimy, which Basil Valentine ascribes to his Fire-stone, and Helmont to Butlers Stone: I could not but leave to posterity, that it is possible to prepare this Stone out of Antimony. The Art consists in this, that you first bring the Antimony by Sublimation, Distillation and Rectification to the greatest Subtilty, and afterwards again concentrate this subtil Spirit into a hard Stone, which Stone when it is not fixed (being then useful in Medicine) is of a reddish Colour, and easily melted, and penetrates all Bodies. But if by it you would graduate Silver into Gold, you must first fix it, to abide the Cupel, but being once fixed, it will not then perform in Medicine what it would before. It is worth much more, when unfixed to be used in Physick, than when it is fixed for the tinging of Silver. For the health of Men is more precious than Gold or Silver. And with an universal Medicine, that will Cure all internal and external Diseases, you may get Gold and Silver enough. I have at this present time, but a very little of this Stone left, but am resolved in a little time to make a good quantity of it, that I may therewith serve my sick Neighbours. For it works strange things as you shall hereafter hear. This our Stone is so powerful in its working, that we dare not give it in substance, for one Grain of it serves for twenty Doses or more, and each of them hath power to expel from the Body whatsoever is hurtful. This Medicine opens all Obstructions, and you shall hardly find any other comparable to it. The best way to use it is to keep it whole, and not to powder it, and then it is fit to be used both inwardly and outwardly. If you will use it inwardly, then put a few bits of it into a Glass, and pour Spirit of Wine upon it, in which a little Sugar is dissolved, and so let it stand till you have occasion for it. If you will purge any Body with it, you must put a few drops of it into a spoonful of Wine or Beer, or any other Liquor, and give it to the Patient, and order him to be kept warm, then the Medicine will work in his Body, like fire upon Wood, and consume whatever impeded his health, and drive it out by all the Emunctories, viz. by Vomit, Stool, Sweat, Urine and Spitting, and leaves no impurity in the Body, and so it expels all Fevers and Agues, however distinguished. It also cures the Plague, Leprosie, Gout, the falling Sickness in young and old. It takes away all obstructions of the Body, viz. of the Liver, Spleen, and Lungs, it expels all ill Humours, contained in the Cavity of the Thorax and all other parts of the Body. This our Stone also opens the Obstructions of the Mesentery, carries off all Slime, and Salt watry Humidities. It cleanseth the Stomach and Guts from all pituitous and bilious Slime. It also draws all hurtful Humours out of the Brain, takes away noise in the Ears, Comforts the hearing and sight, takes away every Toothach in a moment, fastens loose Teeth, and hinders their fouling. It takes away all the Vices of the Throat, Mouth and Tongue, and suffers no uncleanness or foulness to abide thee. It is a pitty to see that no Physician hath a Remedy for the Toothach, but either pulling them out, or stopping them when hollow with Narcoticks or hot Oyls, which are indeed no cure: Now forasmuch as this Disease troubled People of all Ages, and few know any Remedy for it, I think it necessary to set down a never failing Cure. ’Tis true, most Toothachs may be put off by Purging, and need not so painful a Cure, as drawing. Out of Pity to those, who are troubled with the Toothach from their infancy, I here declare the Remedy. ℞. Of our Fire-stone, as much as a Pea, and put it into your Mouth, with half a Spoonful of Wine, keep it in your Mouth as long as you can, or so long till the Stone hath drawn your Mouth full of Rheume, then spit it out, and again put the Stone into your Mouth, with as much Wine as before, and keep it there till your Mouth is again fill’d with Rhume, then again spit it out, and continue doing this so long, till you have spit out half a Pint of Rhuemy Spittle, not reckoning the Wine. The next day again draw out the same quantity; do this every Morning fasting so long, till no slimy matter, but only a clear insipid water comes out, which is a certain sign that your Head and Brain is freed from all superfluous Moisture. When this is done, for a great while you will be free from all noxious Rhumes, or Salt defluxions, which fall from the Head to the Teeth, and there cause pain. This our Fire-stone doth not only draw all noxious Humours from the Head, but also out of the Stomack, Lungs, Liver and Spleen, and carries them out of the Body, by the Mouth, as well or better than any common Purge. But if the Body should be too full of ill Humours, so that our Fire-stone, should not be able to draw them all out that way, then you must take some of it inwardly extracted as before mentioned. But because this our Stone is yet unfixed, and therefore sometime causeth Vomits, and some are not able to bear Vomiting, therefore you may prevent it, by putting distilled Vinegar with Sugar upon the Stone, instead of Brandy, and so extract it, and this Extract will cause no Vomits, but only work by Stool: This is enough to be said for the Cure of the Toothach. But if Parents were sufficiently knowing, and careful of their Children, they might in their Childhood prevent the greatest part of this Mischief, by causing them daily to wash their Mouths, and behind their Ears, with cold water. But in those who are come to Maturity, our Fire-stone is the best of Remedies and never fails. It also cures the Scurvy in the Mouth, when little hot Pimples appear, and the decay or washing of the Gums. This Stone being held in the Mouth with Wine, also preserves Old Men from Apoplexies, Catarrhs, and the like. Let this suffice to be spoken concerning the Virtues of our Fire-stone, in the curing of internal Diseases. But because the Variety of Distempers is great, I will there set down the true way of using it, that none may err in its Application.

Of the true use of this Medicine in Diseases.

In all Fevers or Agues, let them be Quotidians, Tertans or Quartians, you must always give our Medicine two hours before the fit, and keep the Patient from the cold Air. In the Plague, Pleurisie and other hot Fevers, you must not delay the using of this Medicine, but as soon the Patient is taken, give him a Dose of our Medicine, let it work with him in a warm Room. And if the Disease abate not, give him the next day another Dose more or less, according to the condition of the Disease and the Patient. And you must beware of Bleeding, if the Patient be strong enough to endure a Purge, but if the Patient should not have sufficient strength, and yet the heat encrease, then you may abate the heat by taking away a little Blood, but not too much, that the strength may not be exhausted with the Blood, and the evil yet remain in his Body, for by Purging, only that which is hurtful is expelled, and the good remains.

In the Epilepsie, you must use this Medicine only every other, or every Third day, as long as there shall be occasion.

In the Stone of the Kidneys and Bladder, once in a Fortnight.

In the Dropsie, once a Week.

In the Cholick, once after you have used a Clyster.

In the Leprosie, once a Week.

In the Gout of all sorts, once in three or four Days, until the pain is gone.

In Obstructions of the Lungs, Liver, Spleen and Mesentery, once or twice one after another.

In the Venereal Disease, you must use it every Third day, and Sweat between whiles, till the Disease is gone.

In the Hypocondriack Melancholy, Scurvy and the like Distempers, which proceed from Salt and Cholerick Blood, you must take a Dose every Third day, till the Disease is gone.

In all sorts of Scabs and impurity of the Skin, which proceed from watery Blood, you must take it once or twice, and apply outwardly a fixed white Sulphur.

In the Dysentery or Bloody Flux, use it but once and it stays the Flux.

Of the outward Use of our Fire-Stone.

If our Antimonial Fire-stone be boyled for some hours in Sallad-oyl, it draws out of it many Virtues, so that being only outwardly applyed, it doth much good in Physick. The Oyl becomes red in the boyling, and if it doth not so, it is a sign, that it hath not been well boyled, but if it be well done, it will do what I here say. First, this Oyl is good to heal all fresh Wounds, and old Sores, if you dip Pledgets in it, and lay them thereon, and so keep it from the Air with a Plaister of Wax. It also cures all Bruises, being anointed with it, or a Cloth dipt in it, and laid over the Bruise. A little Cotton being dipt in it, and applyed to the Navel with a Nutshel, purgeth those, who are easily moved, as well, as if they had taken it inwardly: And if being so applyed, it should not work with Men, that are not easily moved, you may inject a Dram of it Clysterwise by a Syringe, and then it will open the Body, and carry all slime and filth from the Guts, and is certainly the best Remedy in the World against the Cholick. For it doth not only draw what is bad out of the thick Guts, as Clysters do, but also out of the small Guts, yea even out of the Stomach, to the ease and admiration of the Patient. This Oyl also applied to the Navel and Clysterwise, immediately helps Women, who are troubled with the Suffocation of the Matrix, for which Disease the World cannot afford a better Remedy. And without doubt this Oyl hath many more Virtues than I yet know, but time will discover them; for I have not had it long, but am resolved to have a good quantity of it made to serve the Sick: And no doubt, but in a short time this high Medicine of the Stone and Oyl, will be known to all Europe. For it will far outdoe the whole Galenick Apparatus of Medicine. Certainly those Physicians, who serve in Armies, should not be without this incomparable Medicine, which is of so small Carriage, and doth so great things. For one Ounce of this will make at the least a Thousand Doses, and so by consequence many may be cured by it. If every Chyrurgian in an Army, should have but half an Ounce of this Stone, for inward use, and some Ounces of the Red Balsome, for outward use, the Lives of many Souldiers would be saved, which for want of it must dye. The threatning of Armies is already over our Heads. God send us what is good for our Souls, and preserve the Pious from evil. And so we end this Book of the Firestones. If it please God, the Seventh part of the Prosperity of Germany shall shortly follow.

De Purgatorio Philosophorum: OR, A TREATISE concerning the Purifying Fire of the Wise Men.

_With which, the Philosophers cleanse their =Mineral=, =Animal=, and =Vegetable= Subjects, and exalt them to the highest degree of Purity, in order to prepare =Universal Medicaments= from them, for the Bodies of Men and Metals._

Which Purgatory Fire is Called =Ysopaica=, by the ancient Philosophers, that is, to say, the Art of washing with Fire.

_Together, with a subjoyned instruction, how, by means of the Salt of the World, out of all Metals and Minerals, a living =Mercury= may in quantity be prepared._

From the =High-Dutch= faithfully Translated into =English=.

Reader,

If any wonder at the Title of this little Book, let them know, it agrees very well with the Matter it treats of, forasmuch as all things that are cleansed with Fire, may truly be said to be purified by means of a Purgatory. There are indeed besides this, many other ways of cleansing as by Water, Lye, Soap, and other moist things; but that way cannot properly be called a Purgatory, nor any other, but what is done by Fire. I intend in this Book to treat of three sorts of Purgatories, viz. First, of the secret flaming Purgatory, or cleansing Fire of the Philosophers, made of Alcolized Spirit of Wine, wherewith they purifie the Souls of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, dignifying them thereby to enter their Heaven.

The other Purgatory God makes use of, to purifie his dear Children here in this Vale of Misery, to make them abhor sin, and fit them, after many afflictions, and torments endured, for a Translation with all Saints, into his heavenly Kingdom, there to behold his Face to all Eternity.

The Third Purgatory is, that of which the Christians of old have Writ, and is to this day still believed by the Church of Rome, viz. that the Souls of the deceased, when by the guilt of deadly sins, they are not immediately sunk down into the eternal Hellish Pains, are in this Purgatory cleansed of the pardonable sins they have committed in this Life, and are made worthy to enter into eternal Joy and Salvation.

Now what this Purgatory is, which no Person living is able to give an experimental and true grounded Account of, we will, if it please God, a little enquire into, after that we have first exposed to view, and unanswerably asserted the truth of the two foregoing Purgatories, which our eyes have seen, and our hands have handled.

Concerning the First Purgatory.

The First Purgatory, or cleansing Fire of the Philosophers, with which they prepare their Universal and particular Medicines for Cure of all Subjects of the three Kingdoms of the World, hath been most carefully concealed by them. I have indeed formerly, of Friendship and Goodwill, revealed this Fire, with its most profitable Use, to some Persons, by which means others unworthy have began to perceive something of it, and used their utmost endeavours to attain the full knowledge of this high Secret, and have so far succeeded, as to understand it in part, viz. the Use of common Spirit of Wine, which is a considerable ingredient of the said Philosophick Purgatory Fire.

But after all their serching, they never attained the knowledge of the Salt of Art, by which the Spirit of Wine is Alcolized, which is the best and chief ingredient of this Fire. Forasmuch then, as the Spirit of Wine is thus known, and will probably yet further be divulged; I have thought good to publish it my self, and to communicate the Secret to all. But as for the secret Salt of Art, whereby the Spirit of Wine is actuated and fortified, and is the proper Agent for Meliorating of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, and whereby they are brought to the highest degree of Purity, none hitherto have been able to entice it from me, and I trust that for time to come I shall be more cautious of communicating ought to false and wicked Men.

Let no Man therefore imagine Spirit of Wine to be the secret Fire of Artephius, whereby some Minerals and Metals, without any foregoing separation of the pure from the impure, may without any diminution of their weight be changed into a mere pure Tincture. No in no wise, for no Spirit of Wine hath any such power. But as for what simple Spirit of Wine is able to perform, that we will here declare, and no more at this time. I doubt not but many will persuade themselves, that in having the Spirit of Wine, they are Masters of the whole Secret; but that’s a great mistake, he that questions it, let him read Artephius, Pontanus, and some few others who write of it, and he will find that a simple Spirit of Wine hath no resemblance with the Fire of Artephius.

For the Philosophers who write of it tell us, that their Fire acts as a proper Agent on its Patient, with an invisible Flame, continually, equally in one and the same degree, and at last changes it into pure Tincture. Which things cannot be said of Spirit of Wine, which doth not burn continually, equally, or invisibly, from whence it is apparent, that Spirit of Wine is not the Fire of Artephius, nor can be compared with it.

Now what this Fire of Artephius is, has been sufficiently declared by me, in my Treatise of the Threefold Fire, and therefore unnecessary to write more of it here. It remains only for me to declare, how Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals with the help of any burning Spirit, not only that of Wine, but of Corn, Honey, Fruits, Leaves or Grass may be most highly purified, and reduc’d to the Highest Medicines.

In my little Treatise of Elias the Artist, I have taught at large how to bring the Essences of Metals, Stones, Vegetables and Animals over the Helm, by means of an Alcolised Spirit of Wine, and to prepare universal Medicaments from them, to which therefore I refer the Lover of Art.

And will now proceed to declare, to how good purpose Spirit of Wine may be made use of in Physick. We all know that in general there are but two ways of cleansing impure things, viz. Water and Fire. Now Water can only take away those defilements that are outward and superficial, not being able to pierce to the Center; whereas Fire does not only purge the outside, but even that which is in-most, separating the impure for the pure, as hath already been mention’d.

We know also, that the Flame of Fire can consume nothing but its like, viz. the Combustible Sulphur, but cannot consume the incombustible Mercury, nor destroy, burn, or annihilate it, the Flames serving only to meliorate and exalt it. For the Mercury of all things can no way better be purged than by Fire, by which though it be driven away, yet may always be found again, as being incombustible.

For Mercury is the best and purest of the three Principles, forasmuch as it cannot be hurt by any Elements, not by the most violent Fire, much less destroyed, because it is throughout Homogeneal.

There are three things in the World which be incorruptible, the first of which is the Mercury of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, which, when by its Enemy the Fire, it is tormented, and driven from its Body, loseth none of its Virtues, but is only purified thereby. This incombustible Soul of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, is one of those three things in the World, which are fixed, constant, and unperishable in all trials and conflicts whatsoever.

The second thing which is constant, permanent, incorruptible and invincible is Truth, which cannot be suppress’d by any Lies or opposition whatsoever; Oppressed she may be, but not totally suppressed; for God himself is the Truth, and as God cannot be overcome, so neither can Truth.

The third and last incorruptible subject in the World, is the Immortal Soul of Man; for whatsoever Afflictions or Persecutions a good Man suffers from wicked Men, can not in the least hurt his Soul, but serve only to purifie, exalt, and enoble it. The more Gold suffers in the Fire, the better and purer it becomes, and as true it is, that the Soul by the adversities of time, becomes refined and graduated to the height of Purity, being by this Earthly Purgatory dignified and prepared for Eternal Glory.

But to return to our purpose, which is to shew that the cleansing of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, must be performed by their own Purgatory, viz. a common burning Spirit. We will begin with Wine, as being a very noble Creature, and see what good thing may be had from it, by means of its own Purgatory or Cleansing Fire, which without it could never have been brought to Light.

Now to speak fundamentally of this matter, we must first of all know, that several different Spirits lie hid in Wine, which also may separately be distill’d from it. As in the first place the known burning Spirit; next that Spirit which is distill’d from Crude Tartar, which is of a quite different nature from that which is distill’d from Wine, or its Lees, which being kindled burns away in Flame, consuming all the Sulphur, leaving nothing but the incombustible Mercury or Essential Salt behind, and that in a very small quantity, but of great Virtue; whereas the Spirit of Tartar which is distill’d by Retort, though it be much more subtil and penetrative than the burning Spirit, yet will not suffer it self to be kindled or burnt away, being otherwise of great use in all Tartareous Diseases, and obstructions of the Body.

There is also an Antinephritical Spirit distill’d from the fixed Salt of Tartar with distill’d Vinegar, which afterwards suffers it self to be sublimed, and being distilled yield a very strong Spirit, of which time doth not permit to treat at present. We will only, point out to you, by what means the most glorious Mercury and Essential Salt of Wine, may most easily be obtained, and what great things may be perform’d by it in Physick.

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℞. Of white Tartar well pulverised 1 l. Spirit of Salt 1 l. and half, mix these well together, and fill therewith the fourth part of a Glass Body, and pour on 3 l. of Spirit of Wine, lute the head on immediately, for when these two Antagonists, the Acid Crude Tartar, and Urinous Salt of Tartar meet, they furiously attack each other, and in their Conflict send forth a very subtil Spirit, and a glorious Essential Salt, which Mercury the Spirit of Wine when distilled carries over with it. When now this Spirit of Wine being kindled burns away, the Mercury or most pure Essential Salt is thereby loosened, and with the Flame goes over into the Receiver, where it is caught of the Phlegm, from which being separated by distillation in a Vaporous Bath ’tis fit for use. This Cælestial Salt of Wine is of wonderful Virtue, concerning which I have given a full account in some of my last published Writings.

Its Virtues are chiefly these; It has the Præeminence of all Medicaments whatsoever, in curing the Stone, Gout, and the like Tartarous Diseases. Moreover this Heavenly Salt penetrates the whole Body, opens all Obstructions, strengthens the Heart, Brain, and all Vital Parts; is a powerful Diaphoretick and Diuretick. Indeed any one may easily imagine, that a Quintessence of Wine, when purified by its own Purgatory, must needs exert wonderful effects, and be of great uses, in the hands of a skilful Physician; of which more hereafter.

Furthermore from Wine, by means of its own burning Spirit, may be separated an excellent Volatile Salt, after this manner. Dissolve the Oyl of Wine, which by distillation is got out of the Lees in a strong Spirit of Wine, so as the Oyl may be well united with the Spirit. This done, kindle the Spirit of Wine, and let it burn away under our great cooling Helm or Head, by which means the Mercury or Salt of Wine goes over with the Phlegm, and is caught by it.

In like manner out of that stinking Oil which is driven from Tartar by a Retort, and is of great virtue, (though for its loathsom scent it cannot be used) a very powerful Volatile Salt may be obtained, by burning away the said Oyl with a burning Spirit, which Volatile Salt by those Purging Flames loseth its loathsom smell, and may be made use of in Physick, as that before mentioned prepared from Wine.

According to this method of obtaining the Mercury of Wine, we may proceed with all other Vegetables, and separate their pure incombustible Mercury, by burning away their Oyls, with their own or any ether burning Spirit, by which means the Volatile Mercury is caught.

It is to be observ’d, that all Oyls distill’d from Herbs, whose flowers resemble Stars, do yield more Volatile Salt, than the distill’d Oyl of other Herbs. When these Herbs cannot be had fresh and green, we may take their Seeds, which yield more Oyl and Volatile Salt than the Herbs themselves. In like manner all Oyls, distill’d from Seeds, afford more Volatile Salt than those which are forc’d from Roots, Stalks, Leaves or Wood; the Seed always abounding with more Volatile Salt than any other part of the Vegetable; and that because God hath placed the growing and multiplying virtue of all things in their Seeds, from whence also the same is most easily separable for the use and service of Man. In particular, the Seeds of Annis, Fennel, Dill, Carway, Cumin, Cresses, Scurvy grass and Mustard afford much Volatile Salt.

So likewise all Excremental and Superfluous Egestions of Nature, such as are the Hair of Men and Beasts, the Horns and Claws of Beasts, the Excrements of Beasts and Birds, as also their Feathers, do abound with Volatile Salt. Amongst these we may also reckon Amber, Soot, and Smith’s Coals; when the stinking Oyl of any of these is burnt away, the remaining Essential Salt will procure the Physicians praise and honour, and the Patient’s help and ease.

The Seeds of Henbane and Tobacco do yield a very powerful Salt; so likewise do the distill’d Oyls of Spices, as well as those made by Expression afford a most excellent Volatile Salt being burnt away, by means of a burning Spirit, united with them. Yet would not I counsel any to burn away such precious Oyls, forasmuch as we have other Subjects, which cost us nothing, and yet yield a better Salt than any Spices whatsoever; for Minerals and Metals, when without a Corrosive they are brought into a strong Spirit of Wine, yield a much better Mercury, wherein all the virtues of Vegetables are concentred; and consequently are far more efficacious than any Vegetable Salt against all Diseases whether of Men or Metals.

In this way we may easily, and in a manner without labour or any considerable charges, procure a running Mercury from all Minerals and Metals; which Mercury of Metals suffers it self afterwards to be fixed into a true Tincture for Men and Metals, by means of its proper Agent and Secret ever-burning Fire, and this easily without any loss of weight, which cannot be expected from a common Mercury, and therefore we must be provided of a Metallick Mercury if we would do this feat. Mars, Venus, and Mercury are the best amongst the meaner Metals for this purpose, as yielding the best Mercury, but the Mercuries of Sol and Luna are the best of all. And it is a thing that deserves our wonder, that from such Compact Bodies, as those Homogeneal Metals are, which are accounted indivisible, a Volatile Mercury should be separated. Indeed had I not done it my self, I should hardly have been persuaded of its possibility. Resuscitative Salts are the only means to effect this Wonder, and whosoever knows in due manner to apply them to Metals, to him it is an easie thing, yea, Childrens play, in one days time, without toil or labour, to separate a running Mercury from all Metals and Minerals. There is one only Salt in the World, which has a power above others to revivifie Metals, costs nothing, and is every where to be had in abundance: This contemptible Salt the Philosophers have always concealed, saying, that it is cast out upon Dunghils, and as much beloved of the Wise, as it is hated and despised by Fools.

In this Salt greater secrets lie hid, than in the Salt of Art before mentioned, which cannot be had without toil and labour; but this our more secret Resuscitative Salt of Art doth far excell that, for it not only exalts and multiplies the colours of Sol and Luna as well as that, but also radically opens all Metalline Subjects whatsoever, separating their purest Mercury from the gross fæces, and brings it over with it self, which no other Salt in the World can do. There are indeed some other Salts to be found, which in some degree do resuscitate Metals, and separate a running Mercury, as Salt of Tartar, Urine, and the like, but are not comparable with our resuscitative Salt of Art, which, for all them, continues the undoubted Monarch over all Salts. There are very few to be found, who are able with so much ease and little charge to separate a running Mercury in quantity from Metals, and fix the same into a true Tincture. Wherefore we should make it our business to enquire into the nature of Salts, and learn to know their several uses; because in Salts great good lies hid, which few believe or apprehend. Plato indeed was of opinion, that something Divine was contain’d in our common Salt; and other Philosophers have not stuck to say, that in the Sun and Salt is All. He that doth not know what Fire and Salt are, knows nothing, and deserves not the name of a Philosopher.

And thus much shall suffice concerning Fire and Salt, and the great things that may be performed by them. He therefore who desires to approve himself a good Physician or Chymist, let him study the nature of Fire and Salt, and learn to distinguish them, for without this he’l never do any thing to purpose in either faculty.

To return now to our Spagirical Purgatory, and shew that the Philosophers by means thereof performed their greatest Arcana. Paracelsus alone, the Monarch of Physicians, gives us a sufficient Testimony hereof, when, treating of the Element of Fire, in his Book of Sulphur, he saith, That if a Physician have not amongst his Secrets the Element of Fire from Sulphur, he is not a Physician, but a-------- O my dear Paracelsus, thou art not to be blamed for thy zealous inveighing against those Lazy Lubbards, and if thy words be Authentick, ’tis to be feared that scarce one good Physician will be found in all Germany, forasmuch as the Element of Fire of Sulphur is utterly unknown. But this cannot be said, for that besides this Element of Fire, there be several other good Medicaments a Physician may prepare. Yet forasmuch as I have writ somewhat of it here, I hope it may stir up some to search after it, and so learn to prepare their Medicines by Fire; because whatsoever can without hurt or loss abide the Fire, the same must needs be very pure and good.

David to this purpose gives us a similitude of Luna, which must sometimes pass the Fire, before it attain its utmost purity. This art of cleansing things with Fire, was by the Philosophers of old termed Ysopaica, of which see Paracelsus.

It is to admired, that how black or smutty soever any thing be, after it is wash’d by Fire, it becomes snow white; which the Mercury driven by Fire from black Sulphur and Mars, is alone a sufficient proof of, in which whiteness the fairest Red lies hid. That Ysopaica, or the Art of Washing with Fire, and thereby changing Black to White, was in use amongst the Ancients, seems probable from David’s words, when he cries to God; Purge me with Hysop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter then snow: David here desires nothing else, than to have his Soul, which was cole black by Sin, washed and purged by the Fire of the Holy Ghost, and therefore by way of Comparison he mentions Ysopaica, or the Art of Washing black things white by Fire. In a word, this Art of Washing things snow-white by a Philosophical Purgatory Flame, appears to be the head skill of Philosophy, Physick and Alchimy.

And forasmuch as I have here made mention of Ysopaica, I hope I shall not be thought tedious, if I set down some more instances of cleansing black and impure things by Fire. For seeing this excellent and incomparable Art has for some hundred years been in a manner wholly lost, Paracelsus being the first that hath renewed the knowledge of it, I have thought good at present to restore this Royal Art to its former lustre and glory, wherewith it shone forth in the Schools of the Kings of Egypt, where those of the Blood Royal were taught and instructed in the same. In which Schools Moses also (as being the Adopted Son of Pharaoh’s Daughter) had his Education, being there instructed in all the Wisdom and Skill of the Egyptians.

In those times this Ysopaica, or Art of Washing with Fire was in great esteem and flourished, which was the cause of the great Riches and Puissance of the Egyptians, which continued till the Monarchy was made subject to the Romans; and yet even then, being Possessors of Ysopaica and Chrysopeia, they soon put themselves into a condition again of disputing their Liberty with the Romans, and rebelled against them; and though by the prevailing Power of the Romans they were still overcome, yet did they often reiterate their Revolt; until at last the Emperor Diocletian being informed that their Art of Chymistry was their inexhaustible Treasure, which still encouraged them to rebell, sent a great Army amongst them, with Orders to Ransack all Places for Books treating of that Art, and commit them to the Flames; which done, they quietly afterwards endured the Roman Yoak, which before, on every occasion, they were ready to shake off. By the same means also the said Art has been as it were totally lost, which I am not without hopes to restore again, and if Death should chance to prevent me, yet will it assuredly be done after my Death by Elias the Artist. I have indeed already in some of my last Treatises so plainly writ of this Art, that any one, who is any thing skilful in the Fire, may become Master of the Art.

To return then to Ysopaica, I say, I have already communicated the use of a Burning Spirit, by means whereof all stinking, impure, Vegetable, Animal, and easily inflamable Mineral Subjects, may be washed to the highest degree of Purity, with which great things may be performed, especially in Physick, and such as are impossible to be done by any known way. Indeed by this alone most profitable discovery, I have discovered a new World of Art, which for so many hundred years has been unknown; and I doubt not, but this way of washing with Fire will serve for a shining Light to lead Physicians to the true Spagyrical Physick.

Thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the moist fiery washing by means of a Burning Spirit; it remains now to declare in what manner the Compactest Metals, and Precious as well as Common Stones, may by a dry cleansing Fire be meliorated. For a Spirit of Wine is much too weak to pierce the Bodies of Compact Metals, and to wash them to a perfect cleanness; wherefore we are to look out for a stronger Wash-Fire, which may be able to Master the fixt as well as unfixt Metals. Now Art hands to us a certain dry Wash-Fire, wherewith the Ancients meliorated all Metals and Stones; but this dry Fire has never been published, neither know I any Author that hath writ plainly of it, save only Paracelsus in his Cœlum Philosophorum, where speaking of Mercury, he describes this flaming Wash-Fire, viz. ℞. Of Tartar part j. Sulphur p. ij. Nitre p. iij. being well mixed together, use them. Paracelsus calls this Composition a good fluxing Powder; but hints at other things, as appears by those words he places before the Description of the said Fulminating Powder, viz. Pulvis adole Verbenas, which words conceal a great Mystery, as will presently appear.

The Composition of Paracelsus may be meliorated by taking only one part of Sulphur, Tartar ij. and Nitre iij. and is a very good Wash-Fire. There be also many more and better Wash-Fires for to Purifie and exalt Metals, of which we shall hear anon. Follows now the use of the foresaid Wash-Fire.

And first it is to be observed, that to the end this Fire may have the better effect, the Ingredients must be pure, dry, and very well poudred, for by how much purer the Ingredients be, the stronger is the Fire. When therefore we have a mind to wash any Metal therewith, suppose impure Sol or Luna, we must file the same very small, and then mixing three or four parts of the said Powder with it in a Crucible, kindle the mixture with a red-hot Coal, and the Flame thence arising will consume all the impurities of the Metal, or separate them as dross, the pure Metals sinking as a Regulus to the bottom. And if the Operation be duly performed, the Regulus will be as fine as if it had pass’d the Cupel.

If we desire yet further to increase the strength of this Fulmen or Wash-Fire, we may take instead of Tartar half the quantity of the Saw-dust of dry Lime-tree, which affords a much stronger Flame than Tartar, and consequently better purges impure Metals. With this strong Fire we may in a moment purifie a small quantity of Sol or Luna if we please, in a Nutshel; which I don’t mention here as a thing of Profit, but only of Curiosity, and to shew the force of this Fire.

N. B. If we desire to make use of this Wash-Fire to Profit, we must not take a Common Nitre of Sulphur, but such a Sulphur as burns faster than the Common, and the Nitre must be purified, whereof more hereafter.

A Good Fulmen or powerful cleansing Fire for to purifie the Common =Mercury=, so as afterwards it may be easily fixed.

We are to know, that the Common Mercury contains in it self an extraordinary fiery Spirit, which hinders it from being a Compact Metal, and keeps it in continual Flux like a Molten Metal, and makes it so difficult a work to fix it: Now if we can but extinguish this Fire in him, he’l be easily reducible to a Compact Metallick Body.

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It is notorious, that always a greater Flame overcomes and swallows up the lesser; to extinguish therefore this Fire in Mercury, we cannot do better, than make use of a strong Fulmen, which Paracelsus hints with those words, Pulvis Adole Verbenas, as if he had said, Go Fulmen and burn the Wings of that Volatil Bird, that he may flie no more. But the Fulmen he there describes will not do it, a stronger must be made use of in that case. To this purpose I have made many trials in my Youth, but have found none better than the Fulmen of Jupiter, which takes as follows.

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℞. Of Crude Mercury and fine Jupiter each j l. melt the Jupiter in a Crucible, and when it begins to cool, pour the Mercury upon it, and the heated Jupiter will take to it self the Mercury, and become an Amalgama, which Amalgama must with dry and purified Nitre be ground upon a Stone. This done ℞. of the strong Fluxing Powder abovesaid, the same quantity as the Amalgama and Nitre, and grind them well together, and then the Mixture is ready for kindling. But the Operation must be performed in the open Air, where the Wind may carry away the poisonous Fumes. The Mixture may be put into a strong Earthen Pot, and after Detonation, there will remain a Mass difficult to Flux, which being Cupell’d, and separated by Aq. Fort. affords a considerable quantity of Sol and Luna, abundantly recompensing the cost and labour of the Operation. After that the Mixture is kindled, the Matter must be often stirred with a red-hot Iron, to the end that no part may remain unkindled, but that the whole Mass may be red-hot throughout.

Another Fulmen to graduate =Venus= into =Luna=.

℞. Of the foresaid Fluxing Powder of Sulphur, Tartar and Nitre, and grind with it iv Ounces of Mercury of Luna, and lay the same weight of thin Plates of Venus SSS. with your foresaid Composition, kindle the Mass, and the proceeding Flames will graduate some part of the Venus into good and fix Luna with considerable profit, the Operation being rightly performed. With the same Fulmen, ♂ may be graduated into ☉, and forasmuch as it doth not melt, it’s better than Venus for this way of working; Needles are best for this purpose.

Another Rapid Fulmen changing Iron and Steel into Good Gold.

℞. Of the abovesaid Fluxing Powder, iv or v ʒ, mix with it j ʒ or half an Ounce of Aurum Fulminans precipitated from the Aqua Regia, not with Salt of Tartar, but with Salt of Urine; with this Fulmen and Steel Needles make SSS. in a Crucible. Let not the Needles be above j ℥ weight, else the Fulmen will not be able to graduate them wholly into Sol. This Process well managed affords a good increase of Sol. It is also no contemptible Curiosity to see Needles chang’d to Sol, their pristine form remaining. I took once 20 or 30 Needles, which I put with their points up to the midst in the said Fulmen, their upper halves remaining untouch’d by it, and after Fulmination took out the Needles, the lower part of which was pure Sol, the upper continuing Iron, which I distributed amongst my Friends and Lovers of Art for a remembrance. The same may be performed with Nails.

Now though in this Gradation of ♂ there be no very great Profit, yet neither is there any loss; and besides the Curiosity of it, is a convincing demonstration that ♂ without deposing any Terrestreity, may have it’s whole Body changed into Sol.

N. B. The remaining Fulmen may with a little Nitre be melted down to a Regulus, by which means the Sol is recover’d, and so we have our graduated Needles for nothing.

N. B. When we have a mind to make use of the Fulmen of ☉, we had best place the Crucible, in which the Fulmen and Mars is, in a large glased Earthen Vessel, and as soon as it is kindled cover the Crucible, that the Fulmen may not fly abroad, or if any does, it may stick to the sides of the Pot, which being wiped off with a Feather, may be reduced with the remaining Fulmen in the Crucible, that there may be no loss.

N. B. It happens sometimes, when too great a quantity of ♂ is taken to be graduated to ☉, and the Flame too strong, that the Needles melt into one, especially if they be laid too close together.

N. B. In Case, the Needles should not in the first Fulmination be wholly changed to ☉, the Work may be repeated with fresh fluxing Powder. And if any one desires more Profit from this Operation, let him mix some of the Amalgama of ♃ and ☿ with the Golden Fulmen, and Fulminate with the same Needles, or thin Iron Wier, by which means the ☿ will better diffuse the graduating ☉, or Spirit throughout the ♂, and so more of it becomes changed into ☉.

N. B. He that would draw considerable Profit from this Operation, had best perform it in a close earthen Vessel, with a large Recipient fitted to it, for to catch the ☿, which may be used again, by which means that gain will be more.

N. B. For to make this Work yet more gainful, we may instead of the ☉ mix with the Fulmen of ♃ and ☿, some fine powdred Red, Brown, or black Pebbles, which are found in running Water, and break as smooth as Glass, and contain much Volatile ☉, grinding them well together. This Fulmen when kindled, drives the Volatile ☉ out of the Pebbles, and being received by ♃ and ☿ is fixed by them, by which means much ☉ and ☽ may be had out of ♃, ♀ and ♂. Out of these Pebbles with Aqua Regis much ☉ may be extracted, and tho’ the ☉ in them be Volatile, yet partly by means of the Aqua Regis, and partly by being precipitated with the Mercurial ⛛ out of ♃, and by Reduction it is fixed: Concerning which I have largely treated in the Seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany.

N. B. To work on these Pebbles with more Profit, we may when reduced to fine Powder, extract them with ⛛ in which common Salt has been dissolved, to which Extraction (which will be of a very high Colour) we must add some of the Resuscitative Salt of the World, every where to be found, and then abstract the Solvent from the Extract, by which means the Resuscitative Salt will make ☉ more Volatile, and separating it from the fixer Part, bring it over the Helm, in form of a yellow Liquor, which when mortified by a Lixivium, and reduced to a dry ☉, if then it be driven through a Retort, you will find a running ☿ Sol in the Recipient, in small quantity indeed, but of great Virtue; which by the Fire of Artephius may easily be fixed into an Universal Tincture for Men and Metals. A Lixivium may afterwards be poured on the remaining Extract, for to mortifie the Corrosive Spirits, and then distilled by Retort, it will yield some more Mercurial ☉. As for the fixt ☉ which was in the Pebbles, the same may be easily reduced, and will be good ☉, tho’ somewhat pale Coloured, the Salt of the World having carried some part of the Colour over with the ☿.

N. B. Our Resuscitative Salt of the World is a very wonderful Salt, for when joyned with the dissolved ☉, it not only brings over a running ☿, but part of the Colour of ☉ with it, wherefore also the said Mercurial ☉ affords a most glorious Medicine, when duely fixed. In the same manner you may get a tinging ☿ from ☽, but much better, and easier from a ☽, which lies Volatile in its own Matrix, and has never touched the Fire.

N. B. But this Mercurial ☽ doth not tinge into ☉, but only into ☽. In the same way a ☿ may be driven from all Metals, and in considerable quantity. The ☿ of ♂ and ♁ are the best; those of ♀, ♃ and ♄ are good also, but not so high colour’d, as that of ♂ which is the best. Now to make ☿ of ♂, we need not dissolve common ♂, and thence with Salt of the World drive a ☿; but it is better to take Iron-stones, which have never touch’d the Fire, and having extracted them, add to them some of the Resuscitative Salt of the World, which then distill’d will yield more ☿ than common ♂. In like manner much more ☿ may be had from ♄, ♃ and ♀ Oar than from the Metals themselves.

I remember, that, in my youthful years, I laboured two years continually with a Person of high quality, to obtain a ☿ of ♄, we tryed all manner of ways but got nothing. Whether it was for want of Experience, or that the Process given us was not true, or because God did not see it fit for us, I know not: But this I know, that we had no knowledge of the universal Resuscitative Salt of the World, making use only of common S. Armon, and its Volatile Spirit.

I have, in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœia Spagyrica, taught a way to draw a running ☿ from Metals, but in small quantity, whereas by means of this Salt of the World, much more is obtained. I say therefore, that if from my last published Writings, Men cannot discover the way of making the Mercuries of Metals in good quantity, it will be a sign to me, that God will not permit it, having plainly set down every thing, except the Resuscitative Salt of the World.

And I now say again, that the said Salt is no where to be sold, since enough may be had for nothing. God must reveal it, for Men will hardly do it. It is a mere Gift of God to know this Salt and its Use. Turba saith concerning it: If God had not created this =Salt=, it were impossible to perfect our Elixir. From whence we may see, it is no Salt prepared by Art, nor made with hands, but created of God of nothing. Consider well what is here said, and you’ll find Wonders. Cosmopolita speaks after this manner of this Salt, viz. Nature affords us a =Chalybs=, which can from the Rays of the Sun extract that, which many have sought and not found.

Other Philosophers speak of this Salt in these Words: The Spirit and Salt of the World, bring the Souls of the dead out of Hell. What is this Hell, but a Stygian Water, wherein we dissolve Metals, and after draw forth their Souls with the Salt of the World. Of which Spirit and Salt of the World, Nuisement hath writ a curious Treatise. I say therefore, that he who understands the due way of applying this Salt, for drawing the ☿ of Metals, has obtained the greatest Secret in the World, the said ☿ being easily fixable into a true Tincture.

I have known several, who could fix the ☿ of ♄ and ♁ prepared by others into Tinctures, but could not prepare the Mercuries themselves: And to this day, I do not know one Man that can bring a running ☿ from Metals, tho’ I have communicated the way of making the said ☿ to many, as it is set down in the Seventh Part of my Pharmacopœia Spagirica: But seeing so small a quantity prepared that way, they let it drop. It had been well, they could have been satisfied with that: But Men generally are of such a Humour; that if they cannot have all without Toyl or Labour, they presently despond and give over; but they that persevere to the end shall obtain the Crown of Honour.

Thus much shall suffice, by way of Parenthesis, concerning preparing the Mercuries of Metals in great quantity, by means of our Resuscitative Salt of the World.

Let us now return to our dry wash-Fire, and see, what further may be done with it. We know, that with a Rapid and violent Flame, the Volatile part of Metals is driven away, the fixt and grosser staying behind: As for Example. If I dissolve a Metal, or Mineral in Aqua Fortis, and afterwards add to the Solution some good Niter, by this means the Metal abides with the Nitre and shoots with it into Crystals, which from ♂ are Red, from ♀ Green, from ☿ and ♃ White, from ☉ Yellow. When now this Nitre is kindled, the Volatile part of the Metal sublimes from the grosser, and is better for Medicinal use, than the gross Body of the Metal.

N. B. But if to this Niter impregnated with a Metal, we joyn some Salt of the World; and then detonate it, the said Salt through the Flames carries the immortal Soul of Metals out from Hell, that is the ☿ of them, which afterwards may be fixed into Tincture. The said Nitre impregnate with Metal, and the Salt of the World, doth also, by means of a swift Flame draw the Colours from precious and common Stones, and introduceth others, and better into them again; which is a thing of great Profit to him that hath Skill of it. This is the speediest way of meliorating Metals, when by means of a Rapid Fulmen, as it were in a moment, we Separate the pure Soul, or incombustible 🜍 from the gross Metal: For in this quick Flame the superfluous 🜍 of the Metals is consumed, which ties the pure ☿ to the Metal, and makes the same difficultly separable from its gross Body.

In this manner a pure ☿ may in quantity be drawn from all Metals, and as much ☿ as is got this way, so much Tincture, for every ☿ of Metals is fixable into Tincture, which cannot be said of the common. And yet amongst these Metallick Mercuries, one yields a better Tincture than another, the ☿ of ♂ as hath been said being the best, tho’ that of ♄ be good also. He who is come so far as to be able to make the ☿ of any one Metal, with the help of the Salt of the World, may easily do the same with all the rest, and then try which ☿ is the best. I have tryed several, but found none better than that of ♂. For which Reason also sometime before my falling Sick, I bought up a great quantity of Steel Needles unfit for common use, with intention to make a great quantity of ☿ of ♂, but being seized with Sickness not long after, and continuing Bed-rid till now; my design was hindred. Now whether God will be pleased to raise me, that I may prepare a good quantity of the said ☿, for those that come after, I know not; for at present by reason of my Weakness, I have no hope to do any thing. And therefore have determined with my self, to manifest these and the like great Secrets to the World, as far as my Weakness will permit; that they who are Lovers of Art may know, and work them, or let them alone as they please: For it shall suffice me, to have discovered the wonderful Works of God to mankind, not at all concerning my self with the rest.

’Tis here to be noted, that the ☿ which by means of the Salt of the World, in the moist way is drawn forth from Aqua Fortis, or other like corrosive Liquors, is purer than that which, in the dry way is forced over with a strong Fire, yet both are good, and fixable into Tincture. It is also less trouble to bring over the ☿ of Metals in the moist way, than by a strong Flame. For when a Metal is dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and Salt of the World added to the Solution, then if by Alembick, you separate the Menstruum, part of the ☿ will come over with it, which, as before-mentioned, is to be separated from it: Afterwards drive what remains in the Alembick through a Retort, and the Salt of the World will carry more of the ☿ over, by which means a good quantity of ☿ will be obtained. For which God be praised, who hath shewed us his poor necessitous Children so near and strait a way to the Land of Promise. For I still say (as I always did) that nothing more excellent can be found, either in Physick or Alchimy, than the ☿ of Metals, all other Works being mere trifles in Comparison of it: Because such a ☿ well fixed, is not only the highest Medicine, but besides Tinges ☽ and ☿ into ☉. I have clearly and fully described the manner of it, Preparation, save only, that I have not named the Salt of the World, because it is such a vile and contemptible thing, and cast out upon Dunghils: And yet nothing in the World lives without it. No living Creature in or upon the Earth, Bird in the Air, nor Fish in the Water is sustained without this Universal Salt of the World. Concerning this Salt of the World, or true matter of the Universal great Stone of the Philosophers, an unknown Author in the Thirty fifth Chapter of his Book writes thus,

That the first Work of the Elixir, is every where to be found.

Concerning the true making of the Elixir, as to its first Work, the Philosophers say, that the true Matter is every where to be found; because it is in every Man, and found with every Man. Adam brought it with him out of Paradise, and when he died took it along with him to his Grave. And therefore an Allegory of the Wise men saith, that the said Matter is subtilized ☉, that is ☉ advanced to the highest pitch of mineral Virtue. Concerning this ☉ it is said: With our Gum and little ☉, we can buy much. And, Albertus in his Book of Minerals saith, and proves it, that ☉ is every where to be found: Because there is nothing made of the four Elements, in which, after its highest refining, ☉ is not to be found, and therefore they say it is every where to be found. The same Albertus also asserts, that a great Mineral Virtue is in every Man, especially in his Head between his Teeth: For that in his time, in old Graves ☉ was found in little longish Grains, between the Teeth of dead Men Skuls, which could not be, except the said mineral Virtue were in Man, which mineral Virtue is in the Matter of our Elixir. And therefore it is said, that the Stone is in every Man, and that Adam brought it with him out of Paradise, &c.

The Philosopher tells us here, proving it by several Authors, that the true Matter of the Elixir, as to the firstl Work, is to be found with every one: Concerning which Matter, much might be said, but it is better be silent for fear of the abuse of wicked Men. Yet I cannot but hint here, how it may be made out, that ☉ can grow in the Skuls of dead Men, as before-mentioned. It seems probable then, that these were the Skuls of such Men, who in their Life-time much used ☿, either taking it inwardly, or much handling it in their Trades. Now it being the Property of ☿, to mount upwards to the Head, and settle between the Teeth, we may suppose, that by length of time the Microcosmical 🜍︎ did Coagulate it into ☉. Let no Man think this impossible, for the 🜍︎ of Mans Dung hath a very great affinity with the Mineral 🜍︎, which no Body can better witness, than he to whom God hath revealed it, and who hath found it true by Experience.

The Reader by this time hath sufficiently perceived, how the Mercuries of all Metals may with ease be brought over, by means of the Salt of the World; as also, how the same may be had with the help of a Fulmen, or strong Flame of Fire.

Now he that is Master of these Mercuries, will not be far to seek, for the way of fixing them; for which there is no nearer way, than to maturate them to a Tincture, by means of Artephius his Fire, for all other ways are very tedious, concerning which fixation by the said secret Fire, the Reader will find more in other Parts of my Writings.

Herewith, then I conclude this First Part of my Purgatory, or cleansing Fire, with which all unclean black Subjects may be washed to the highest degree of Purity and Whiteness. If by chance, I should here have omitted one or other Circumstantial of the Work, (as I hope not) I shall, as it comes to mind, set it down in my following Writings. In the mean time Farewel, and remember the Salt of the World, learn to know it, and its Use, for so thou wilt be able to make the Mercuries of all Metals, which in value exceed all ☉ and precious Stones.

An Advertisement to the Courteous READER.

Forasmuch as in this little Treatise, I have revealed many Secrets, and particularly, the easie Preparation of a running ☿ from all Metals, and that a true Tincture cannot more readily be obtained, than from such a ☿, which with ☉ becomes fixed to a Red, and with ☽ to a white Tincture, and that this Fixation is most easily performed by the secret Fire of Artephius. And have also taught, how from all Vegetables and Animals, a most excellent ☿ of great Virtue may be prepared, by means of a burning Spirit; in all which I have writ nothing, but what I have wrought with my own hands. I know there will not be wanting some envious and ignorant Men, who will pretend it impossible to get a running ☿ from Metals: But it is no wonder, that this is counted impossible by those, that have not attained to great Skill and Experience in the Fire, who may well be compared to little Children, who when they hear any Body talk of the Great World, can form no other Notion of it, than of the place, or House where they have been educated; neither can such ignorant conceited Persons believe any thing, but what they have seen themselves. It is enough for me, that I know it to be true.

Now forasmuch as I have before declared, that this ☿ of Metals is the nearest way to attain an universal Tincture, for Men and Metals, and that out of Vegetables, Animals, and all other things, that admit a Separation of Elements, a ☿ may be had, as well as from Minerals and Metals, and from that ☿ a Tincture: I intend here for further Confirmation, to add the Testimony of an old Book, which with many words confirms what I have writ, concerning the ☿ of Minerals, Animals and Vegetables, and therefore have thought fit, to subjoyn the Conclusion of the said Book, as an Appendix to this Treatise, by which, those, who understand, will perceive that I have writ the Truth, concerning the ☿ of Vegetables and Animals. The Author is unknown to me, but that he was an experienced Philosopher appears from his Writings, which contain great Truths: These as they were gladly received by us, so we highly recommend them to all Learners, and Lovers of Art: Here follow the two last Chapters of the said Philosopher.

A Recapitulation: Or, Summary Repetition.

We have sufficiently explained to thee the thing, if thou hast rightly understood our words. And observe, Son, that the Operations we deliver in this Book, concerning the Composition of the Great stone, are more subtil than those, that Geber has delivered in his Summ: For he saith, that in different intervals of time, it is first sublimed, next fixed, afterwards calcined and then dissolved, and so of the rest. But as to this our Book, know, that the Distillation by Alembick we call Sublimation, and the Solution of Bodies, we likewise call Sublimation, because by this means the Earthly Body is lifted up into the Air, which is Heaven. Wherefore know, that when we dissolve, we at the same time do Sublime, Calcine, Purifie, Wash, conjoyn and separate. To this purpose, Haly in his Secret of Secrets tells us, that between the Solution and Conjunction, or the Matrimony and Union of Body and Spirit; there is no distance of time; because when the Body is dissolved, it is by that Solution joyn’d with the Spirit, and therefore he saith, that Solution and Conjunction are at the same time. This therefore is the Order of our Operation, which is done at once in one hour: When our Body is put to dissolve in Water, then presently it is solved and sublimed, and by being dissolv’d and sublim’d, the Body becomes united to the Spirit; and if any thing of an extraneous Nature be mix’d with the Body, the same will not be dissolved, but will remain in the bottom of the Vessel for to dissolve, and thus the Body becomes cleansed of the extraneous Matter, if any be in it; yet is it in some sort sullied, nor is it so clean and clear as it ought. Wherefore our Operations in making the Great stone, are more subtil than those contained in Geber’s Summ, because what he says is done at several times, is here done at once, and of a subtiler Matter; and after a subtiler manner. And when thou shalt see our work, dearest Son, then wilt thou know, that we have spoken the Truth, tho’ not before: And indeed, except thou shalt give good heed to it, and sharply consider of it, thou wilt scarcely perceive it to be so, because of the quick, subtil and short Operation. But be sure to avoid the fumes in this, as well as other ways of making the Stone, as far as is possible, which if thou shouldst take in, would greatly hurt thee, either at the very instant, or not long after, except thou hast Remedies at hand to oppose their Malignity, which thou oughtest always to be provided with, that as soon as any such thing is perceived, a proper Antidote may be taken.

CHAP. LVI.

From all that hath been said from the beginning hitherto, may be gathered by a piercing eye, that in our Operation our Bodies do not abide in the top of the Alembick, as the Bodies of Fools do: Of which Aros saith: The Bodies of the unwise, do only stick to the Cover or Head of the Vessel, and therefore they cannot effect any thing that is true. Hence also may be gathered, that Sulphurs are retain’d by 🜍, Bodies by Bodies, and Spirits by Spirits; and every imperfect thing is perfected by one thing, that is by ☿ alone, that is, by a substance, which is produced by our foresaid famous, excellent and glorious Magistery. Wherefore for a final Conclusion we say, that the Blessed stone is one, the Medicine one, to which nothing extraneous is added, nor taken from it, only its superfluities removed. Understand this, as Hortulanus saith: That, That is not extraneous, into which it must be changed, that is fixed, viz. ☉ and ☽. Therefore this stone is Mineral, because it is produced from all Mineral things. But because Hortulanus saith, that Hermes the Father of all Alchimists, was Possessor of the three parts of Philosophy, of the whole World, viz. Mineral, Vegetable and Animal: The true knowledge of which three Kingdoms, the said Hermes had joyntly, or severally in the work of the Sun; which parts are contained in one only Stone, viz. in ☿, that is under the name of ☿, because every thing of which the Stone is made, whether it be Animal, Vegetable or Mineral, is called by the name of ☿. We have also before shewed, how this Philosophy, or Science is compleated in the work of the Sun, by means of a Mineral ☿. Now to the end that this Science, or most excellent Point of Philosophy, may be perfect in every Point, we must see how this Stone may be had, by means of a Vegetable ☿, from Vegetables, and by an Animal ☿, prepared from Animals. And first, we will shew how the Stone may be made, with a Vegetable ☿: For except the Great stone might be made from many other things, besides those mentioned in the former part of my Discourse, that saying of Alphidius would not be true: That there be many other Subjects, which solve and congeal. And Hortulanus saith, the Philosophers have called every thing, the Stone, from whence the Four Elements may be separated, by our Chymical Artifice: Now this may be done, from every Vegetable and Animal; wherefore from every Vegetable or Animal, may the Great stone of the Philosophers be prepared.

The two last Chapters of this Anonymous Philosopher, contain a short Repetition of the Matters handled in his whole Book, wherein he asserts, that the Preparation of the great Elixir, he sets down, is far more subtil, excellent and Skilful, than that of Geber: Because the Operations which Geber doth successively, one after another, he shews, how they may be done all at once; for that when he dissolves, he at the same time, in the same Vessel, with the same degree of Fire, and in the same Furnace, doth also Sublime, Calcine, Cleanse, Wash, separate and conjoyn: Because, when the hard Body is put into the dissolvent, to be dissolved, it presently turns Black, and is throughly dissolved, calcined, sublimed and joyned with the Spirit. And I leave it to every judicious Person to judge, whether this way must not be very ingenious and Artificial, which at once, so easily and suddenly finisheth all these Operations, belonging to the work of the Stone. Neither was it without Reason, that the Author affirms, that the possibility of this Accurtation cannot well be believed, or apprehended by any, but those who have seen it.

N. B. Now that all these Operations may be done at once, my self can witness, as having before my Sickness performed the same with mine own hands. And however this may sound very strange to those, whose Experience never reached so far, yet is it an undoubted Truth with all those, whom God hath been pleased to illuminate, giving them the understanding and performance of this great (I had almost said, Holy) work.

Our Author in his last Chapter concludes, that of all things from whence the Elements can be separated, the Stone of the Philosophers may be made; to the Truth of which, also I can set my Seal. For when about half a year since, I had recommended to an old Friend of mine, the manner of preparing the ☿ of Wine, and that the said Friend by reason of his business could not come to me, to overlook the Work himself, because he lived in another City, and I by reason of my Sickness kept my Bed: It was concluded by us, that a third Friend should come to my House, and carry on the Work, from the beginning to the end, which accordingly was done in three or four Days. But forasmuch, as in so short a time, we could not prepare any great quantity of the Spirit of Wine, we had but little to burn away, and consequently could not get much ☿, or Cælestial ☉. Now it happened, when we were separating the ☿, we had caught, from the Phlegme, that the Fire, by mistake was too strong, so that after the Phlegme was come over, we found the remaining Heavenly Salt, or ☿ of Wine in the bottom of the Glass molten to a Red stone, which could not be dissolved with common Water. Whereupon I ordered some Aqua Regis to be poured into the Glass, to dissolve the ☿, which presently succeeded, the Solution being Blood-red. But the ☿ being by this means spoyled, as to any Medicinal use, I resolved to try what it would do on Metals, and accordingly put a little piece of fine ☽ into the Red Solution, left it there two days, and then taking it out, found it changed into ☉ as far as could be judged by the Eye, or Touchstone. But because I could hardly believe, that ☽ could be so easily turned to ☉, I put it into a strong Aqua Regis, to see whether it would be dissolved in the same, as other common ☉, and put a piece of common ☉ with it, to try which of both would be first dissolved: Whereupon I found, that the Aqua Regis rather laid hold on the common ☉, than my transmuted ☽, the half of which was only dissolved, and I have the other Part still to shew. Which tryal made me so desirous of proceeding to another, that I got a new instrument prepared, for to make the ☿ of Vegetables and Animals, but have as yet been unable to undertake the Work, by reason of Bodily weakness, and for want of some faithful assistant. Yet am not without hopes, but that with the first I may make some further Tryals, all things being in a readiness for the Work, to which God be pleased to afford his Blessing, Amen.

From this Relation it is evident, that a Vegetable ☿ is able to meliorate Metals: That it excels for Physick cannot be doubted, and therefore the said ☿ may be called a Master in both Faculties. Now if a Vegetable ☿ will do this, what may be expected from a Metallick drawn from pure Metals, and brought over by the Spirit of Wine? Without doubt, much more than the ☿ of Wine alone, without any Metalline addition. If it please God, I intend to second this Treatise with another larger, concerning the ☿ of Metals. In the mean time, I here make an End.

OF THE Secret Fire of Philosophers.

_By which, They not only brought to Maturity their Universal Medicine, but also fixed particularly all the inferior Metals, into good Gold and Silver, with great Profit._

Written for the Sakes of all the Lovers of Divine and Natural Wisdom.

Faithfully Translated out of the High-Dutch.

Reader,

Seeing that in several of my Writings, I have made mention of the secret Fire of Artephius, which Pontanus very well called Proprium Agens, for no better name can be given it. I thought it convenient to publish this small Explication of it, that it may be known to those, who have not yet heard of it, not doubting, but by this discovery a great Light will be opened to all the Lovers of Metallick improvements: For almost all Philosophers, in their Writings, are dark concerning this; and yet without this, no great Matter is to be effected in Chymistry: Which daily Experience sufficiently testifies. Therefore I am resolved briefly to explain, yet fundamentally and plainly, by Gods help, this thing which hath been so long hid from the World.

Of the Secret Fire of Philosophers, by which they have maturated their Tinctures.

First you must know, that no Philosopher hath made any mention of it, but hath passed it over in silence, only that ancient Philosopher Artephius hath taken some notice of it, but so obscurely, that very few of his Readers, have been able to learn any thing from him. He saith, that himself, like others, had been covetous and envious, so as to write nothing of it; but after he was nine hundred years old, he first began to write of it. N. B. It is not credible, that he should have lived to that Age, but perhaps some Body hath added a Cipher to it. ’Tis like he was ninety years of Age, for the Ancients have often mistaken an hundred for ten. But be it as it will, he was the first, that said any thing of this Fire. Pontanus writes in his Epistle, that although he knew the true Matter, yet he erred two hundred times, and should never have obtained it, if he had not learned the secret from his Writings. The reason of hiding this Secret so long, hath been only the wickedness of Men, who seek not after these great things, that they might honour God, and succour the Poor, but rather, that by great Riches they might be able to enslave their Neighbours. But when such Men, who have forsaken the Vanities of the World, seek after them, God puts it into their hands, so that striving nor running in this helps nothing, but only Gods blessing. Observe this well, and thou wilt not err. If our eyes and hearts were not blinded by the Pride of the Devil, we should easily see and know, what Fire nature useth in the Earth, to bring Metals to Maturity: By which we might easily learn, what Agent the Artist wants to maturate and bring to perfection all imperfect Metals into Gold and Silver, as good as if Nature had done it in the Earth. Now when we open our eyes and look about us, we find nothing else, but an Acidum or Universal Agent, that is, the Sulphurous Salt of Vitriol, by which all Metals in the Earth are generated, so that some, by a long time are fixed, and some by a less time, partly remain unfixed, according as the Oars contain more or less of this Agent. And if by a strong Fire, one should melt this Metal out of the Oar, the greatest part of the Acidum, together with the Rocky part would come into a Cinder or Slate, but in the Metal, although it be melted and hammered, there yet remains some of the Agent, which the Fire, in the first melting, could not separate from it, especially when the Metals are yet crude; as if the Agent should say, I will not be separated from my Patient, for he cannot yet subsist without me, and also saith the Patient, I cannot yet suffer my Husband, or Agent to be separated from me, for we have not been long enough together. But when the melting Fire comes to it again, then no excuse will serve, but the stronger overcomes the weaker, and the Agent and Patient must part by force. Now what in this violent Separation, the one can carry away with it of the other, it leaves not behind, as we see when the Oar of Iron is melted, that the violent Fire, forceth away the Agent from the Patient, and converts it into Cinders, but yet these are not purely Cinders, for they have attracted a great quantity of the Mercurial Patient, viz. Iron, which is not turned into Cinders, for if they be melted again, you will have a good quantity of Iron out of the Cinders, and this may be done for several times. If the Agent and Patient had not a great Agreement, they would certainly have been more nearly parted in the first melting, and there would be no need of a Second or Third Fire, and if the Agent should be separated from its Patient, by the force of Fire against its Will, yet it cannot be exactly and wholly separated, but the Patient as the Female Mercury, doth its endeavour to retain as much as it can of its Agent, or dear Sulphurous Husband with it self, as we have sufficiently seen, that no melted Iron is found without its Agent or Acidum. Which appears, if upon a Plate of Iron, you pour a little Water, it presently Rusts, which could not be, if there were no Acidum in the Iron; for the Acid adhering so close to the Patient, the melting could not force it away. Now when Rain water falls upon it, the Acidum out of Love attracts it to it self, and works to its utmost Power, upon the Patient, so that it becomes Rusty.

Which doth not so happen to such Metals, as are already brought to sufficient Maturity, and therefore have no more need of the Agent, as Gold and Silver, for after they are melted, they do not Rust by Wet, for their Proprium Agens, or Vitriolick Salt, has done its Office, bringing its Patient to Maturity, and therefore is easily separated from its Patient in melting. Copper also, in melting, still retains somewhat of its Agent, and therefore easily Rusts, yet not so easily as the Iron, because it retains not so much of the Acid in melting, as Iron doth. Lead and Tin retain less of it, than Copper and Iron, and therefore do not so easily attract the moist Air and Rain, but only lose their Splendour by it. Gold and Silver retain but a very little of it, and therefore they cannot easily Rust, but being moistened with strong Corrosives, lose their glorious Luster: Mercury retaineth all its Proprium Agens, having lost nothing of it. It is also to be observed, that although Sulphur (which contains in it self a pure vitriolated Acid Salt) be an Universal Agent, by which Nature in the Earth generates and maturates all the Metals, yet notwithstanding every Metal hath besides Sulphur, a particular Proprium Agens, which assists the Universal Agent in its Action. Gold hath, besides the Universal Agent, somewhat of common Salt. Silver and Saturn have besides the Sulphur, and Vitriolick Salt, somewhat of Saltpetre. Mercury hath properly for its Agent, a subtil, fiery and concentrated Spirit of Saltpetre, which keeps him always fluid and current. And this is the reason, that Salts or Spirit of Salts, (as Spirit of Vitriol, common Salt, Saltpetre, &c.) do more easily dissolve such Metals as participate of their own Salts; for example, Silver, Saturn and Mercury participate (besides Vitriol) of a nitrous Salt, and therefore Spirit of Nitre doth easily work upon those three Metals, and dissolve them: For because these three Metals have a nitrous Salt in them, therefore the Spirit of Nitre hath a good Friend in them, which opens the Gates to it, and lets it in, for the Friend within corresponds with him which is without, as for Example: If an Enemy set down before a Town to take it, and hath good Friends within, that open him the Gates, he may easily enter, but if his Enemies that are within defend themselves, and resist him, he can do nothing, but must march off without it. Seeing that an Aqua Fortis made of Vitriol and Saltpetre, doth readily touch and dissolve only Silver, Saturn and Mercury, it comes to pass from their near Relation; but the reason why they touch not Gold, is, because it hath no affinity with them, for Gold hath no Spirit of Nitre, but of common Salt in it, but if you put a little common Salt to the Spirit of Nitre, it then easily dissolves Gold, becomes to be of another Nature, and then will not dissolve Silver, but Copper, Iron and Tin, because these Metals contain much spiritual Gold, and therefore are easily dissolved by this Spirit of Salt. Now because I have here shewn the reason, why an Aqua Fortis made of Vitriol and Saltpetre dissolves only Silver, Lead, and Mercury, and not Gold, and when common Salt is added to it, that it dissolves Gold and not Silver, it is for the same reason, that Salts dissolved in Water, and impregnated with the Universal Acid or Oyl of Vitriol, will as well dissolve the Metals, which are boyld in them, as their Spirits will. For Example: Suppose I had no Aqua Fortis, and yet would dissolve Silver; I could do it as well by dissolving Saltpetre in common Water, acuated with the true Oyl of Vitriol, but yet not so easily as Aqua Fortis, and if you should add a little common Salt to it, it would not touch Silver, but dissolve Gold. And suppose, I had no Oyl of Vitriol, and yet would dissolve Gold, I might do it by dissolving Saltpetre and common Salt with Allom in Water; yet not so well as by Aqua Regis. This is not said to that end, that I would advise you to dissolve Metals by Salts and Oyl of Vitriol, (for the distilled Waters are better than the undistilled Corporeal Salts) but that you may the better understand and comprehend with what Salt each Metal hath an Agreement to unite easily, that you may the better learn to know the Proprium Agens of each Metal, for if you will do any excellent thing, in the Metals by their Proprium Agens, you must first know them well, by which you will know, what every Metal Loves, and how it will be treated: Now we cannot learn this better, than when we consider, what Spirit, or Natural Agent was driven from the Metal by the melting Fire, which if it had remained longer in it, in the Earth, the Metal would have been maturated by it. We find, that in all Oars of Silver, Lead and Mercury, is found a nitrous Salt, which is driven from it by the strong Fire, now if such a Metal being immature, and not only taken too soon out of its Matrix, but also by the melting Fire deprived of its Fecundative Spirit, is to be made grow again to be meliorated, you must of necessity restore that to it, which the Fire hath taken away. Now because from Lead there is taken away a nitrous Spirit, besides common Sulphur, you must restore a nitrous Salt for its Agent. And because from Mars and Venus, a Vitriolick Sulphur was taken away, that must be restored to them again. And because from Jupiter, in melting, an Arsenical Sulphur and Spirit was taken away, you must restore it again to the dead Body, to revive it, and to make it grow. If from Gold its Sulphureous Salt be taken away by melting, which the Gold easily lets go for the reason already alledged, and yet you would maturate this Gold farther, and make it yet better than Nature hath done, you must put it into its Matrix again, uniting it with the Sulphureous Spirit of Salt, and so let it generate or grow afresh, and you will receive more than Nature hath given: For Nature can give no more, but a perfect Body, which if you will have yet more perfect, you must put it again into its Matrix, with its natural Agent, and by the help of external Fire, awaken or excite the inward natural Fire, that its Body may be maturated into a more than perfect Tincture. For Nature can give no more than perfect Bodies, viz. Silver and Gold: But if Art begins again where Nature left, it can make the perfect Bodies more than perfect, with this more than perfect Tincture, you may in a moment bring to perfection the imperfect Metals, if you put it to them in melting: To which perfection, a great many years would have been required, before their Proprium Agens could have brought them. For if you would maturate the imperfect Metals into Gold and Silver, by their proper Agents, it would require a long time, but yet it might be done with very great profit, for no other costs are required, but outward Fire, to keep the inward Secret Fire in continual Action; and this work of maturating the inferior Metals may be done in as great a quantity as you please, which makes the profit so much the greater, and this fixation requires no great Cost, for Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn cost but little, and the Agent may also easily be had, so that all the Expence is only the Fire, which yet will not be very chargeable neither, so that this Fixation may every year bring in great profit to him that well understands it. If I was younger I should not forbear to go about this particular Melioration of Metals in the whole, to do good with it to many thousand poor People, but my time is now past. God hath been pleased not to shew me this light till within this three years, in which I have lien in Bed, and so I can expect no great benefit by it, as having no Children who are fit to carry it on. But because I can do nothing more my self, I commit it to others, to whom I have already given a good insight; but to discover it more clearly and indiscriminately to the good and bad, being restrain’d by several Reasons I dare not do it. Now it yet remains to give a hint, how the perfect Metals, as Gold and Silver, must be ripened into a more than perfect Tincture, to make the imperfect Metals perfect by Projection.

Now here followeth a Fundamental Process, without any Legerdemain, how to bring Gold and Silver into a Tincture.

℞. Of Gold j ℥, of Silver iij ℥, dissolve the Gold in Aqua Regia, and the Silver in Aqua Fortis, pour these two Solutions together, and the Silver will attract the Gold, and they will both precipitate into a gray Powder, but if for want of Salt they should not easily precipitate, pour into them some Salt Water, for the Silver will not fall except there be Salt enough. When nothing more will precipitate, it is a sign that these two Bodies, like Husband and Wife, have embraced each other, and are united; then set the Glass in which they are in Sand, that the Liquor may boil, and those two Bodies will be the better united; stir it often, and let it stand so warm for 24 hours, then let it cool, and these two Bodies will grow up together like Herbs or Flowers, filter the Liquor from the Calx, and sweeten the Calx with Common Water, dry it and powder it well, then it is ready to be fixed into a Tincture with the Proprium Agens or Secret Fire. Now concerning the proper Agent of Gold and Silver, I say that it is a Mercurial Antimonial Water, which also Artephius Confesseth; To obtain which, proceed thus: first put the Conjunction of Gold and Silver into a clean Crucible, which put into a Coal Fire, so that the Gold and Silver may become warm in the Crucible, and yet not be red-hot nor melt, and the sharp Spirits which remained after Edulcoration will pass away in Smoak; when it Smoaks no longer, take it out of the Fire and let it cool, and weigh the Gold and Silver, and so you will perceive how much heavier they are than they were before, for so much have they taken from the Spirits of the Salts, which dried Salt Spirits must prepare the Antimony, our Secret Fire, or Proprium Agens to fix the Gold and Silver into a Tincture. For Example: We have dissolved and precipitated j ℥ of Gold, and iij ℥ of Silver, and after the exsiccation of the Calx, it weighs vi ℥, and so ij ℥ of the Spirits of the Salts are Coagulated with them, and make the increase. For this you must know, that Silver hath this Nature and property, if it be dissolved in Aqua Fortis, and precipitated with Salt it attracts much Spirit from the Aqua Fortis and Salt, which Water cannot wash from it; but Gold attracts not so much as Silver, for the Gold attracts Nitre, and the Silver Common Salt. I could easily shew the reason of this, but that it would be too tedious. Saturn attracts more Common Salt than Silver, and these Spirits of Salts are also a Proprium Agens to Mars and Saturn, as they are to Silver and Gold, and work upon Saturn and Mars, altogether in the same manner as on Gold and Silver, the only difference is, that the Tincture of Saturn and Mars is not of that extent as that of Gold and Silver, although both of them in this work have one and the same Agent: Now this Agent which is Spirits of Salts Coagulated, as well in Gold and Silver, as in Saturn and Mars, must first be brought into a Mercurial Water, before they can rightly act upon Metallick Bodies, by penetrating, maturating and meliorating them; to bring them to which, you must proceed thus: If the four Ounces of Gold and Silver have Coagulated two Ounces of Spirits of Salts, you must add to it two Ounces of very clean and well pulverised Regulus of Antimony, grind them very well together, put this Mixture into a Coated Retort, and distil the Mercurial, Antimonial Water, which will also carry over with it the Animæ of the Gold and Silver, in form of Butter of Antimony, yet of a high colour, for the Anima of Gold is highly exalted by the Antimony, or Mineral Aries. This red Solar Butter is the Secret Fire of Artephius, or the Proprium Agens of Pontanus, to bring the Gold and Silver into a Fixed Tincture, which Artephius hath used for Gold and Silver, but Pontanus (as appears by his Epistle) did not make his Tincture out of Gold, but out of Mars; for he calls God to Witness, that the matter of his Stone, out of which he prepared his Tincture, contained many Terrestreities and Superfluities, which he did not separate from it, and yet the Proprium Agens, together with what was good in it, viz. Iron, came to be a Tincture. Out of this sufficiently appears, that he did prepare an impure Metal, as Mars, into a Tincture.

And this is very credible, for such a fiery Agent which I have taught here to prepare, is as well a true Tincture it self, as the Animæ of Sol and Lune, and that so high that it is sufficiently powerful to penetrate, meliorate, and transmute hard, gross, and impure Metals and Bodies, by its tender, clean, Golden, Mercurial Power, and to reduce them into Tinctures. N. B. I would have none to doubt, but that such a clean, fiery, and Golden Agent, when it is used for the exalting and meliorating of clean Gold and Silver, will give a much higher Tincture than with gross and unclean Metals; for if Gold is inwardly so exalted and meliorated by this Antimonial Mercurial Water, it must needs give a far more extensive Tincture. Now how this our Mercurial, Antimonial, Saturnine Water, is to be applied to fine Gold and Silver, to exalt their Colours, and transmute them into Tincture, I shall here shew to the best of my knowledge, and it is thus. The two Ounces of Spirit of Salts, which were coagulated by the four Ounces of Gold and Silver, and by the addition of two Ounces of Regulus of Antimony, did again leave the Gold and Silver, by working upon and dissolving the Antimony, and did in the distillation carry over the most pure and tender Mercury of Antimony, together with the Tincture of Gold, in form of a Red Butter, for Antimony is of this nature, that it draws the colour out of Gold, and carries it up with it self in Distillation, which the Ancients called carrying the Souls of the Dead out of Hell. This Red Butter impregnated with the Anima of Gold, Artephius called his Secret Fire, and is the Proprium Agens of Pontanus, which doth not only maturate Gold and Silver into perfect Tinctures, but also Mars and Saturn, in their whole substance, without separating the pure from the impure. From the remaining Gold and Silver you must wash your Regulus of Antimony by the help of Salt Petre, then separate your Gold and Silver by Aqua Fortis, and you will have no loss but only of the Tincture of Gold, which the Oyl of Antimony hath carried over with it. Neusementius calls this his Solar Red Oyl or Butter of Antimony, but I call it my Mercurial Antimonial Aurifick Water, which name doth properly belong to it, which I thus prove. Take of this distilled Golden Mercurial Water, of Leaves of Gold and Silver, each equal parts, put them together in a fixing Glass, and set it in a Sand Cuppel, which is heated equally by a dull Harry, and kept in the same degree of Fire, and the Mercurial Water will dissolve the Gold and Silver, and they will turn together into a Stone. The Spirits of Salts after they have dissolved the Gold and Silver, together with the Mercury of Antimony, will separate themselves by degrees from the Mercury, because they are not of the same matter, therefore they cannot become a Tincture with the Gold, Silver, and Mercury, which Pontanus very well hints. This separation of the Salt Spirit from the Tincture requires its time, and will not be hastened. N. B. But if you know how to separate the superfluity of the Spirit of Salt from the Golden Butter, by a subtile Art, and then dissolve your Gold and Silver in it, you will gain a great deal of time in your fixation, for the superfluous moisture very much hinders, which the Ancients have hinted under a Fable, as the Learned Bracesous sufficiently admonisheth in his Treatise de Ligno Vitæ. This Salt Water is called by the Poets Minerva, concerning this you may read the Philosophers, and chiefly Bracesous, what he saith Minerva was, and you will find which way it must be separated from the Tincture. N. B. Be not in doubt, because Bracesous teacheth how to prepare his Tincture, not of Gold and Silver, but of Mars, for it may as well be made of Mars, only that is not so extensive as the Tincture made of Gold, otherwise the labour is the same, and differs not at all. I repeat this once more, that if you will shorten your labour, you must send away Minerva in peace, because she hinders the fixation. Some perhaps may wonder, what the Silver can contribute to this Tincture, because it is white, and hath no colour: I answer, that the inward parts of Silver are not white but red, and therefore may become a Tincture. After the same manner Saturn is not red outwardly, and yet with Mars becomes a red Tincture, as Silver doth with Gold. This I thought fit to say here concerning the Secret Fire of Artephius: If you will know more of it read Artephius, Pontanus, Paracelsus, Bracescus, Neusementius, Cosmopolita, and others, who have made mention of it, and you will there find larger Instructions.

Now as it is possible to transmute not only Gold and Silver, but also the other inferior Metals into Tinctures, by the Proprium Agens of Metals, so you may also fix into Gold and Silver, the inferior Metals particularly, with an incredible profit, for the inferior Metals may be put in in great quantity, with a cheap Agent, and so be maturated into Gold and Silver, which hitherto hath been known to very few in the World, but I do not doubt but hereafter it will be better known, by which many honest Men will be delivered from Slavery. For as you have already heard, the Proprium Agens of the inferior Metals is cheap, so that the imperfect Metals may be with small costs, by the addition of their Natural Proprium Agens, which was driven away in their melting, by the help of External Fire, maturated into the perfection of Gold and Silver. N. B. If you can have Metals yet in their Oar, that have not been in the Fire, and add to each of them their Proprium Agens, and put them in close Vessels into a fixing Furnace, and maturate them with a requisite heat, then the fixation will the sooner be done, than with those Metals which have been already melted; yet those Oars must be well washed and separated from their Mine-Earth, before you put them with their Proprium Agens to be fixed. N. B. This fixation of the unripe Metals into Silver and Gold, as also of Gold and Silver into a Tincture, by their Proprium Agens, may also be done by the humid way, if you dissolve your Metals in their proper Menstruums, and then digest them for a sufficient time. N. B. For such a moist digestion or fixation Vegetables are more fit than Minerals, and Animals fitter than both, yet all of them be made use of to fix both the common, and Metallick Mercuries, as well universally into Tinctures, as particularly into Gold and Silver. But for the course Metals and their Oars, the universal Agent, viz. Sulphur, Arsnick, with their Compeers, as Cobolt and Orpiment are the fittest. Gold and Silver have also their peculiar Agents, by which they are maturated into Tinctures, of which the Animal Agent is found to be the best, for it is of this nature, that it turns the inward hidden colours of Gold and Silver outwards, and renders them visible, which no other universal subject can do like it. For if you cannot bring outwards the inward colour of Gold and Silver, it is impossible to make Tinctures of them. For Gold and Silver, as nature hath produced them in the Earth, have no abounding colour to tinge other Metals withall, but no more than is required for their own perfection; but when they are exalted in their Colours by Art, they are able plentifully to communicate their Colours to other Metals, but else not. Now what kind of Animal Agent this is, by which the Exaltation of Colours may be made, I dare not make common; he that will know more of it, must enquire of Adam, who brought such an Essence with him out of Paradise. You may also read my fifth Century together with the Explication, where this Subject is treated of. Now as the Proprium Agens of the Metals, which is their Spirits, viz. Sulphur, Arsnick, Cobolt, Orpiment, and the like Metallick Spirits, are fixed with the Metalline Bodies, and with them become fixed Metals, because they are half Metals already, so on the contrary, Salts which also are good Agents to Maturate Metals, yet become not Metals themselves, as Sulphur, Arsnick, Antimony, Orpiment, Cobolt, Zinck, Bismuth, Lapis Calaminaris, and other Realgars or Metallick Spirits; for Salts do not participate of a Metallick Nature, therefore they cannot become Metals; but when they touch, dissolve, volatilise, and again fix Metals, it is only done by their Acidity, which is a kind of that Acidity which is naturally in Metals, and this is to be understood of Common Mineral Salts, as Common Salt, Salt Gem, Salnitre, Allome, Vitriol, and the like, which naturally grow in the Earth, in Stones, in Rivers, and also out of the Earth, which are dug out by Men and purified, and so imploy’d for several uses. These Salts have a great affinity with the Metals, but cannot become Metals. But the Vegetable and Animal Salts are of another nature and property, they associate themselves with Metals, because they somewhat participate, though but little, of the Metallick nature. The Animal Salts are principally Volatile, and make a good Sal Armoniack, which hath a great affinity with the Metals, as I have in my Writings sufficiently shewn. The Salts of Vegetables are altered in the Fire, and become fixt Alcalies, which are also of good use to Metals, as you may see in my Writings. But the Volatile Salt of Animals far exceeds all other Salts, in its virtue; for it makes not only all Metals, how fixed soever they are, wholly volatile, and separates the cleanest Tincture of Metals, Minerals, Precious and ignoble Stones, that is, it separates their immortal Anima from their gross and unprofitable Bodies, with which you may perform incredible things, both in Physick and Alchymy; But this wonderful Salt also makes the most subtile, as well good as bad Spirits, incredible quick, surmounting Human Understanding, visible, tangible, Corporeal and fixt, which concentrated and fixed Spirits, have ingress and egress through Doors lockt up, by which strange and incredible things may be done. So great a power hath the Almighty bestowed upon the Animal (chiefly the Microcosmical Salt) above all other Salts, which is known to few. For the Microcosmical Salt, and for want of that, the Volatile Salt of other Animals, Birds, Fishes, as also of Herbs and Woods have power to volatilise all fixed things, and again to fix the volatile. In which volatilising, the purer parts are separated from the grosser, the which being fixt again, you have a Tincture, and there is no nearer, easier, or cheaper way in the World to attain to true Metallick Tinctures, than by the means of Volatilising Salts. Take a similitude from the Spirit of Corn or Wine, so long as it is yet in the fæces of the Corn or Wine, it is little esteemed, but when it is driven out by Distillation, and cleansed by Rectification, and so exalted in its Virtue, then it is Esteemed, because much good may be done with it. So and no otherwise you must esteem of Metals, in which such rare Tinctures are hidden, which then are not esteemed, because few know what great things may be effected by them. The like great treasures are also hidden in great quantities, which by the Ignorant are not esteemed or sought after, notwithstanding that the Ancient Philosophers have highly recommended to us the Extractions, Distillations and Separations of the noblest Tinctures to be drawn out of gross despised Metals and Stones, yet their profitable Doctrines and Admonitions have taken with very few.

Basil Valentine confesseth in his Manuals, that the Work of the Philosophers can be compared to nothing better than to the known labour of making Spirit of Wine, which preparation is known even to Rusticks. The distillation and separation of the Tincture of Philosophers is as easie as to make Brandy, and yet it is done but by very few.

Paracelsus in his Cœlum Philosophorum, speaking of the Spirits of Metals, saith plainly, that it is so easie to make Gold and Silver, that it is not worth while to write of it. Virgil also sheweth, how easie a thing it is to pluck the Golden branches from the Opake Tree of Vitriol, and how easily they will follow one another, if you but hold forth your Hand, and when you have cropt one, be bids you also take a second. What could be said plainer? But yet I tell you, that these Golden Branches are much more easily, and in greater quantity to be obtained out of the Red Earth or Stones, than out of Metals; but he that will not believe it, may remain in the dark. It is enough for me, that I have plainly declar’d the truth to the ungrateful World, without any reservation. But our Sal Armoniack (I do not mean the Common) is a good Proserpina, which easily carries over the Tincture of Stones and Minerals. And he that will pluck these Golden Apple bearing Branches with profit, must very well consider after what manner to prepare his Proserpina, that she may touch and carry over only the cleanest Tinctures, and leave the gross Bodies behind. The Artist must also be sufficiently experienced, how to separate Proserpina or Minerva from the Extracted Tincture, for Minerva is a hinderance to the fixation of the Tincture. And this is the principal secret in this Mystery. For all Tinctures of Metals and Stones, after they are separated from their gross Bodies, by our Proserpina, they are volatile, and so remain till they are separated from our Proserpina. Although Proserpina is a two-fold Key, which both opens and shuts, makes volatile and fixed, yet this is to be observed, that there are but very few who know how to use this Volatilising and fixing Salt; and therefore I advise to separate it from your Tincture, and then fix your Tincture. But if God shall so favour you, as to shew you how to fix this Proserpina, or, to speak plainer, our secret Sal Armoniack, with this Tincture which it hath drawn out of Metals and Stones, both together without any separation into a fusile, red, penetrating, and tinging Stone, then you may for that bless God all your life, for you may have always plenty, without any want, for there is no richer particular, nor universal Tincture in the World.

For what can be a greater Art than by the help of our Sal Armoniack, in a few hours, to draw a pure Tincture out of gross Metals and Stones, to bring it over by Distillation, to purifie it to the highest by Rectifications, and then again to render those Volatile Tinctures in a few hours, fixt and constant in the Fire, so that by them you may immediately tinge the inferior Metals, particularly into good Gold? I Glauber truly say this, that this highly profitable Labour, to draw the Tinctures out of Metals and Stones, by the help of our Sal Armoniack, to exalt them, and again to fix them, requires hardly twenty four hours time from the beginning to the end. Which to the unskilful will seem incredible, but whether it be believ’d or no, is all one to me. It is the Will of God, that his great Gifts shall not come among the impious, but only remain among those, whom he esteems worthy of those high Secrets, and them who also will make good use of them. Virgil at first gave but a hint of it in few Words. Afterwards Cosmopolita did explain this great Work at length. Then Neusementius published it yet plainer, but the Work is most clearly and largely described in all its Circumstances, by the pious Brasescus, in his Dialogue de Ligno Vitæ, but it is received by very few, because the proud Toletanus despised this cheap Martial Labour, as if Mars contained no good at all, but that it was only to be found in Gold and Silver. I ingeniously confess, that I am acquainted with several good Secrets, by which one may reap Profit out of Metals, yet none of them is cheaper and easier, than the Work of Virgil upon Vitriol, or the Opake Tree, to break off the Golden Branches one after another, by the help of his Proserpina, or Eagles Wings, or Griffins Claws. But if one would reap good Profit by this Labour, he must be furnished with a good quantity of Griffins Claws and Eagles Wings, which also is easie to be had in great quantity, for I have sufficiently taught how to prepare them. Further, it is needful to know, after we have drawn the Tinctures, out of Red Metals and Stones, by our Alcahest, how to perfect them, because they are yet Volatile, no Metal can be meliorated by them, therefore they must be fixed before they can be used. This Fixation may be made in the space of six hours, so that these Tinctures retain their ingress and fusibility, so that if they are put upon a red hot Plate, they melt in a moment, enter and tinge as readily, as Oyl doth dry Leather; which all Tinctures do not, but must be brought to it by Art, but our Tincture only which is made by Volatile Spirits, doth it: The reason is this, all gross and fixed Bodies are naturally influxile, on the contrary, all Volatile Spirits again Coagulated into fixed Bodies, must of necessity be fluxible and penetrating. Observe this well, for it is plainly enough spoken. Concerning this, see the Epistle of Arnoldus to the Pope, and there you will find this Observation. Without this Secret Sal Armoniack, no good can be done in Alchymy. Thus I end my Explication of the Secret Fire, by which all Metals particularly and Universally, are maturated, with incredible Profit, to the perfection of Gold and Silver. Now it remains to give some hint, how these Secret Fires or Agents, separately by each Proprium Agens, may be after a peculiar manner, maturated into Tinctures. You have heard that common Sulphur is the Proprium Agens of Saturn, which becomes fixed with the Lead, and in this Fixation it also fixeth and tingeth its Patient the Lead, into ☉ and ☽. You have also heard, that Arsenick or Cobolt is the Proprium Agens of Tin, and that Arsenick the Agent is easily fixed by its Patient, Tin, and with the Tin becomes ☉ and ☽. And also, that the common ☿ is fixed into good Silver, with Lead. And all Volatile Realgars, as Orpiment and its Compeers, may be fixed into good Gold with ♂ and ♀, which is the naked Truth, of which I would have none to doubt, for I my self have several times performed these cheap Fixations, and because I am sufficiently satisfied in it, I dare satisfie others.

I have thought it unnecessary to describe, at large, all the Manuals which belong to this cheap Fixation of the inferior Metals, and also to the Coagulation of the Volatile mineral Spirits, into constant Gold and Silver. I have therefore published it as short (yet comprehensive enough) as I could, that you may speculate into it your selves, and then you cannot fail, except God prohibit you, which often happens to evil Men, which see easie things done before their Eyes, which yet they cannot imitate. Now to put an end to this business, and to prove that the Universal Agent, the common Sulphur, which is the Grandfather or Demogorgon of all Minerals and Metals, hath also its Proprium Agens, by which it may be maturated into a Universal Medicine or Tincture, I have thought fit to acquaint the World with this easie and cheap Fixation of Sulphur; chiefly, because I have already, some years since, treated of this easie Fixation of Sulphur, but I have not there discovered every thing so plainly, that every one may prepare it. But now I intend, God willing, to publish it so clear and comprehensive, that even any Mechanick may not only understand, but easily imitate it. I pray God to assist me in it, Amen. Some years ago I taught, how, by the help of my Sal Mirabile, to fix any common Sulphur, but chiefly, such as is yet bound up in Wood or Sea-Coals, and doth not so easily fly in the Fire, but is easier to be handled with a red hot heat, than the open Fluxile common Sulphur. This curious Work I have shewed to some Friends with my own hands, and highly recommended it to them, to take it in hand, and bring it to a good end, because I was certain, that it must become a rich, and far extending Tincture. But seeing the Sulphur would not presently be fixed, they left the Work: Whereupon I farther divulged this Work by writing, and made it common. Notwithstanding which, as yet very little hath been attempted about it, because every one is in haste, and hath not Patience to wait for a good end, not considering that every thing must have its time, and that haste makes waste. Must not the Plowman, when he sows his Corn into the Earth, to have an hundred fold encrease, wait the due time before he can have this Multiplication? Why should not then also a Chymist wait his time, for this profitable Fixation, that will recompense him a thousand fold? Now to return again to our business, to shew that any common Combustible Sulphur, which otherwise is an universal Agent for all Metals, to maturate them into Gold and Silver, hath also its own Proprium Agens, by which it is not only maturated into ☉ and ☽, but also into a true universal Tincture; and this is done only by certain Salts, that have Power to fix the Sulphur, and make it constant in the Fire. Cosmopolita minds us of this very well, when he saith, that Salt, in the conflict with Sulphur, gave him a deadly Wound, which is very true, and besides Salt or strong Spirit of Salt hath Power to fix it, if they be several times drawn off from it. How this is to be done, I have taught in my Three Principles of Metals. But such a Sulphur as is fixed by Aqua Fortis, is also quite killed, and its ingress into Metals is taken away, but may be restored to it again, so that it easily enters Metals, and tingeth them throughly. Paracelsus saith, you must reverberate the fixed 🜍, till it comes to be Red, and then draw out the Tincture, with Spirit of Wine, and then fix ☽ or ☿ with it into Gold. Neusementius teacheth to drown the Dragon in the Stygian Waters, that is to fix him, and when he is come to the highest degree of fixity, that then you must revive, or Volatize him again, and then fix him the second time, and then he hath a better ingress into Metals to tinge them. Bracescus teacheth also, to extract his fixed Sulphur, out of the fixed Scales of Iron, and to fix them into a Fluxile and penetrating Tincture. Cosmopolita teacheth it after this manner, viz. how to deliver Sulphur out of his Prison, and that he will give to his Redeemer a Crown of Three Kingdoms for a Recompence. Out of these, the true Fixation of Sulphur is sufficiently to be learned, and needs no farther instruction, but yet I cannot forbear here to set down my way, how to fix it, that the Artist may so much the easier attain his End. And this Fixation of Sulphur may be done after several manners.

And First in this: I have taught, how Sulphur may be fixed into a Red Carbuncle, persisting in the Fire, where I have treated of my Sal Mirabilis: It is true, this way of fixing is done without any cost, yet it requires a certain, tho no very long, time, which is the reason, that hitherto few have tryed any thing in it, and yet it is very difficult to come easier and cheaper to the Fixation of Sulphur; and besides, there is this advantage in fixing the Sulphur with the Sal Mirabile, that it retains its easie Flux and Ingress into Metals, which that fixed by Aqua Fortis doth not, but into an unmeltable Earth, which hath no ingress into Metals except it be procured by Art, which every one cannot do. Yet Neusementius hath clearly described it in these Words: When thou hast brought thy Subject to its highest Fixation, to wit, by the Abstraction of Aqua Fortis, (which Fixation he also clearly teacheth, when he saith, that you must drown the Dragon in the Stygian Waters, and so make him fixed) and after the Fixation make him Volatile again, that then he acquires his ingress, and is fit to tinge, which is so plainly exprest, that it is impossible to express it plainer, yet these excellent Writings, are written only supervacaneously, and understood and imitated but by few. I still add even to superfluity, one way more how to fix any Sulphur whatsoever, to do wonders in Physick. ℞. Sea-Coals, or in defect of them, Wood Coals powdered, good Saltpeter, Common Salt, and Oyl of Vitriol, of each a like quantity, put these four things into a Glass Retort well coated, fix a Receiver to it, and in an open Fire distil off all the Humidity, urge it at length with the strongest Fire, and a Green Liquor of Sulphur will come over, which the Ancients called the Green Lyon, which dissolves ☉, and when they are digested a good while, or the Green Liquor is often abstracted from the ☉, then they are fixed together, and the Liquor of Sulphur, together with the ☉, turns into a Red tinging Stone. N. B. If you will that the Sulphur shall not come over, but remain fixed behind, you may instead of the common Salt, which makes the Sulphur Volatile, put Saltpetre, which is of this Nature, as well as Oyl of Vitriol, to make any Sulphur fixed, but common Salt makes it Volatile. Jason killed or fixed the always watching Dragon with a strong Water of Saltpetre. Bracescus, Basilius, Paracelsus, Neusementius and others have done the like, he that will truly follow them; cannot err, but it is impossible to explain to the ignorant any thing, so that he may presently imitate it. You must yourself take the thing in hand, and proceed diligently, else nothing can be done: Let this suffice to be said concerning common Sulphur, which is an Universal Agent, to maturate all Metals, and it self is fixed with Metals, into ☉ and ☽; and also by Saltpetre and Vitriol is fixed into a true Tincture, as is here demonstrated. Here I put an end to the Explanation of the Agent, and Patient of Metals, how to fix them particularly into Gold and Silver, and Universally into Tinctures. It yet remains to give a small Explication of the Fixation of Sulphur.

A RECAPITULATION

Reader,

I have taught in this Book, what the Proprium Agens of Metals is, by which they are naturally maturated in the Earth, viz. That the Demogorgon or Sulphur, is not only the Father of all Metals, but also their Universal Agent, or Maturating Fire, by which all the Metals naturally in the Earth, and by Art out of the Earth are brought to perfection, and that also besides Sulphur, as the Universal Agent, the Metals have their particular, or proper Agents, which help to bring the Metals to perfection, as well as the Universal Agent. I have also taught, that the Volatile Spirits of Metals, or their proper Agents, do not only maturate their Metals, but also become good Bodies themselves with the Metals. I have also taught, how Sulphur, as a Universal Agent chiefly by Salts, may be maturated into a Tincture, which Fixation by Salts, must have its due time, before you can make it constantly fixed in the Fire, which length of time hath made many Artists forsake the Work, altho’ he knew, that of necessity it must come to a good Tincture. Impatience causeth this, that they cannot wait the true time of the Harvest. Wherefore impatient Men should not meddle with Alchymy, but rather think a Bottle of Wine, which is sooner done than a Combustible Fugitive Sulphur can be fixed. The learned Ancients have taught us, that Patience is the Root of all Sciences and Arts, wherefore then are Fools so hasty in their Undertakings? When all Philosophers Unanimously testifie, that all Festination proceeds from the Devil. Paracelsus hath taught how to fix Sulphur, by the help of a strong Aqua Fortis, by abstracting it from it four or five times. But I have taught, how to fix it by the abstracting of a strong Aqua Fortis, but once, in my Book of the Three Principles: ’Tis true, by this way it loseth its Fluxibility and Ingress, but this may be restored to it again, which for certain Reasons, I did not think fit to make known. Now being we know, that nothing fixeth but Sulphur, and that a Combustible Sulphur spoils the Metals, and makes them Black, and a fixed one hath no Ingress, but when that is given to it, it is fit to tinge the Metals, for whatever tingeth the Metals constantly, must it self be fixed, or else it would not endure the Cupel. ’Tis true, out of Mars and Venus, you may easily extract a Tincture, which yet doth not tinge constantly, except they be first truly fixed. Very many have thought, that if they could but incorporate a Crocus Martis with Silver, that of necessity it must become Gold, but they found themselves to be mistaken, for if Crocus Martis should be put upon Silver, it doth not tinge it at all, but again becomes Iron, and makes the Silver brittle. N. B. But if you know how to prepare a Red Sulphur of Iron, constant upon the Cupel, without returning to Iron again, and then draw out of this Red fixed Sulphur, its purest Anima or Tincture, you have a Colour to tinge all the Metals in the World. This is the Reason, that the Old Philosophers have so often inculcated, to destroy the Gold: So that it cannot be reduced into Gold again, and that then you would have the greatest of Secrets. But I could do nothing more with such a destroyed Gold, till I learned to give it ingress, for when it is destroyed it enters no Metal, but if you give it ingress, then it tingeth, so also neither Mars, nor common Sulphur can tinge, if they have no ingress which you may easily believe.

Therefore the whole Art to make Tinctures consists, first in making of the red Metals as Gold, Iron, and Copper, irreducible, then to extract their Tincture, and to give an Ingress. This labour is a very easie thing to the knowing, but incredible to the unskilful; for I have some years since, shewn to some Friends out of kindness the destruction and fixation of such Metals, together with the Extraction and Ingress, very plainly, and highly recommended to them this universal work; they have performed the fixation, but the Extraction and Inceration they have not done, although it is so easie that a Child of Ten years old may easily perform it. My hopes were, that when they had perfected it, they should give me some of the Tincture, but in stead of a recompence, they told me they could not do it, which was because God kept his hand over it. After the way that is here shewn, Tinctures may be easiest prepared out of red Sulphureous Metals and Stones, and I have a small quantity of it by me, which will tinge red, I made it before my Sickness, and keep it as a memorial to my Posterity. Some perhaps may ask, whether there be not a nearer way to prepare Tinctures for Metals, than by Extractions and Fixations, which require much time and Costs. I answer, ’tis certain there are nearer ways to fix Sulphurs in their whole substance without loss of weight, without any addition of Salts or Spirits of Salts, very easie and cheap, viz. by the Universal Coagulator into a Tincture, and by their particular Coagulators into Gold and Silver. Concerning the Coagulators I have already made them known, viz. that Lead is the Coagulator of Common Sulphur, and Vulgar Mercury, Tin is the Coagulator of Arsnick, and Cobalt, Iron and Copper are the Coagulators of Orpiment, Sandarach, and all other Realgars, and that Gold and Silver are the Coagulators of the Mercury of Antimony into a Tincture. Now concerning the Universal Coagulator, ’tis not a Malleable or fusible Metal, but only an immature Volatile Mineral, not much unlike to Lead Oar, and therefore the Philosophers have called it the Saturnine Magnesia, and this is not all one and the same, for it is found in different colours and figures, so that he who will use them must well understand their difference, that he may not take the wrong for his work, and so lose his labour. The Ancients have not revealed this Volatile Mineral, but kept it as a Universal Coagulator in the greatest secrecy, and that not without reason, because they maturated their Volatile Metallick Spirits and Tinctures by it. Yet the Volatile Tinctures may also be fixed, without this Universal Coagulator, but that requires much time; therefore they have used this Coagulator for an help, and so they could maturate the most Volatile Metallick Spirits into fixed Tinctures, in a short time, and this Compendium is the chiefest thing in the Chymical Art, see the Treatise of the Three Principles of Metals. Now to return again to Sulphur, and to demonstrate; that it may be easily made fixed in the Fire, which is thus: Take one part of Common Sulphur, mix it with three or four parts of Lead Ashes, put this mixture into a strong Earthen Cementing Box, lute it well with a good strong Lute that will not crack, when the Lute is dry, put it into a Cementing Furnace, or into such a Fire, that in the beginning will only melt the Sulphur, so that it may penetrate the Lead Ashes, and hide it self in them, and so be initiated to the Fire, then by degrees increase your Fire from day to day, till at length the Crucible become to be of a dark brown, then increase your Fire still more, and continue this so long till the Sulphur becomes quite fixed with the Lead Ashes, and constant in the Fire; and this will require eight or ten months time, during which time the Sulphur becometh fixed, and hath tinged and fixed its Body, the Lead as much as it could, for it is not possible for it to fix all the Lead after this manner into Gold and Silver, but only part of it, yet so that an hundred-fold profit is made of it, if you proceed rightly in the matter. The reason of the melioration of the Lead is this: If Saturn hath power to make a Combustible Sulphur, incombustible and fixed in the Fire, so that it neither fumes nor burns, then it is certainly as good and fit for tinging as another Sulphur, which is made fixed by much labour of abstracting Aqua Fortis from it. In this Fixation the Sulphur retains its Ingress, and therefore needs not to be given to it afterwards, for it had an Ingress when it was not fixed, and when it is made fixed it still retains it. This makes good that common saying of the Philosophers: If Sulphur shall first penetrate Saturn, and Saturn attracts it willingly by reason of its great dryness, and unites it self with it, then it is said that Nature rejoyceth in Nature. When it can be made red-hot with the Lead, then it is said, Nature overcometh Nature, but when the fixed Sulphur remains constant with the Lead upon the Cupel, then it is said, Nature retains Nature. This which I here declare so plainly, all Philosophers before me have kept very secret, but that I here reveal such great secrets, I have a reason for it, which is not necessary for every one to know. Now as we have here taught the fixation of Sulphur by Lead, after the same manner the fixation of Arsnick is to be done by Tin, which becomes fixed with it in the Fire, to the great profit of the Artist, it recompenseth him with Gold and Silver upon the Cupel; and this Work the Philosophers always kept very secret. Cosmopolita writes, that there is a small Fish in the Sea named Remora, which hath such power, that if it fits upon the Stern of the Ship, it causeth it to stand still, so that although the Wind fills the Sails, yet it cannot move. In another place, he calls this Fish Echineis, which if you read backwards, sounds Tin Ashes. Other Philosophers also write of this work of Fixing, that there are always two sorts of Birds in the Nest, or two sorts of Dragons in the Den, that one of them would willingly stay, which is the Body, but the other which hath Wings, would always fly away, yet at length it is by degrees so overcome by that which hath no Wings, that at last it endeavours no longer to fly. The same happens here to our Volatile Arsnick, that is, with the fixed Tin Ashes, the Volatile part Arsnick is always striving to fly away, but the Tin Ashes binds and keeps it, that it is forced to stay against its will, and also become fixed with its Companion. Now as we have here proceeded with Arsnick and Tin, and with Sulphur and Lead, after the same manner must be done with Orpiment, and Mars or Venus, but with Sulphur and the Mercury of Antimony, together with Gold and Silver, the fixation is performed after a peculiar manner, which fixation I have already declared, and therefore need not repeat it. This I would have noted concerning the Agents and Patients of Metals, but I am very well assured, although this fixation is very mean and easie in it self, that yet it will not easily be imitated, and that because I have made known so great a Secret in so simple and mean a Style. The World is full of Pride, and cannot give credit to such mean things, but rather looketh after high, tedious, and sophisticate things, which are worth nothing, if they are but set off with fine words; God will have it so, that these great Secrets may not fall into the hands of the Impious. Here, in the fixation of the Common Sulphur with Lead, and Arsnick with Jupiter, Orpiment with Mars and Venus, I have spoken openly, and hid nothing, yet I am certain it will not be taken in hand, partly because of the length of time required in the fixation, which will deter many from this work, many who shall read it will not be able to believe, that so easie a fixation hath been done, because none hath hitherto written of the like cheap way of Meliorating Metals, nor spoke so plainly as I have done. Many will take Exceptions at my Person, and say, if it was true what Glauber writes of the easie fixation of the inferior Metals, to transmute them into Gold and Silver, he would do it himself, and thereby make himself rich, and not publish things of so great a concern. To this I answer, that my great Age, and many weaknesses will not permit me to take such things in hand, by which nothing but Worldly Riches are acquired, which sometimes do Men more harm than good, which I never did nor ever will seek after. If others will do it, they may. I trouble not my self about the Mammon, but prepare my self for a happy passage into a more peaceable Life, where there is no strife nor misery, but everlasting Peace, and everlasting Light reigns perpetually. But in that I have discovered these great Secrets, by which those who seek after them, may become very rich, I have done it out of a good meaning, viz. that if many by this shall attain good means, that some of them at least may assist the poor out of their abundance. To this end only have I discovered these Lucriferous Secrets, and not at all to please the Proud and Covetous. But yet although I have described all plainly without any reserve of the Manuals thereunto belonging, I am very well satisfied, that God will keep his hand over it, and will not indifferently give his Blessing to all in it, but will so dispose it, that his gifts may not be misused. And therefore I am very well satisfied, that Art will remain Art, although it be never so clearly laid down before the Eyes of all Men. To whom God will give it, him I envy not, but wish him Gods Blessing with it, and earnestly exhort him, that when God hath blessed him, that he by no means forget the Poor. Amen.

A TREATISE CONCERNING The Animal-Stone: OR,

Of that Animal Matter or Subject which God ingrafted into =Adam= and =Eve=, as a Divine Portion or Patrimony in Paradise, and which he still retained after his Fall and Banishment out of Paradise, brought it with him thence, and after Death took it along with him to his Grave, or to the Earth from whence he was taken and made; What kind of Matter properly it is, and in what manner a true Universal Medicin may be made of it. Faithfully Translated out of the =High-Dutch=.

The PREFACE.

Curteous READER,

Having in some of my last Published Writings, and especially in my Fifth Century, treated of a certain Matter, called by the Ancient and Modern Philosophers, =The Philosophers Stone=, which Matter they say, God implanted in the first Man =Adam=, and which after his Fall and Banishment, he brought with him out of Paradise, and after his Death, took it along with him to his Grave, without revealing this Divine Patrimony and Portion to any of his Posterity; so that this great Treasure continued for some time hidden from the wicked World, until at length it pleased God to open the Eyes of some honest Men to know and discern this great Gift of God, which they also made known to others, though this communication of theirs was of little use to proud Worldlings, whose Eyes are only fixed upon outward Visibles, not minding the inward Invisibles. Wherefore none of them could believe, that so great a Treasure was hid in Sinful Man, as accounting nothing worthy their esteem, but Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones, and casting out upon the Dunghill as loathsom and contemptible what is far better than Gold or Silver.

And because some of my Enemies have slandered some of my Writings, as if they contained absurd and impossible things; to the end that none by their Lies and Slanders may be led aside from the way of truth, I am resolved to set the Truths I have written in a greater Light, and palpably to evidence before the whole World, that what I have taught, =viz.= that a Mineral Aurifying Virtue lies hid in Vegetables and Animals as well as in Metals, is no absurdity, but a great truth, to the shame and confusion of my envious Adversaries.

O thou Eternal Light, without the least mixture of darkness, Creator and Governor of Heaven and Earth, send down upon me thy holy Spirit, beam into my Soul a Ray of thy Heavenly Light, that it may enlighten my Heart, Brain, and Understanding, that I may write nothing but what may serve to thy Glory, the salvation of my Soul, and the enlightning of many thousands that wander in the darkness of Error. Amen.

OF THE ANIMAL-STONE.

In the Name of the most Holy Trinity, I undertake to communicate and declare to the dark wicked World, the great Wonder-works of God, and Mysteries of Nature, and that with so much clearness and evidence as never hitherto hath been done by any; so as not only the good, and such as are taught of God, but also the perverse Worldly Learned, or the most ignorant Rustick may comprehend, understand, and even handle with their Hands, that I have fundamentally declared and manifested the Mysteries of God and Nature, to the glory of God, and good of Mankind.

In order to perform the great Work I have undertaken, it is needful that we know first, what the thing is, we are to seek, and next, where we are to seek for it. The thing we seek for, is the Philosophers Stone, which affords the Possessor thereof health of Body, and an honest plentiful Maintenance. Now forasmuch as most of the Ancient and Modern Philosophers, a few only excepted, point us to Metals, and especially to fixt Sol and Luna, thence to procure for our selves this great Treasure, though they handle this matter with so much obscurity, that amongst an hundred thousand Seekers, scarcely one is found that attains to his desired End, most of them besides spending their Goods and Estates in the fruitless pursuit of this hid Treasure; whereof those in a great measure are guilty who persuade Men that Sol is the Subject of the Philosophers, and that all other matters are improper and unfit for their Work; But others again inform us, that this great Treasure may be obtained a nearer, easier, and cheaper way, without Sol or any other costly Subjects; Concerning which cheap, and every where to be found, Subjects, I have made mention in some of my late published Writings, and particularly in my Fifth Century, yet not so plainly as wholly to expose these Pearls to swine, for them to tread them under their Feet. And forasmuch as several ignorant and envious Persons have taken occasion to appear and contradict these my Writings, as if it were impossible to find Mineral Virtues in Vegetables or Animals, I am moved to stop the Mouths of these envious and ignorant Back biters, and to expose them to the Publick shame of the World. I confess I do not think these Slanderers worthy that I should take any pains to confute or convince them of their Error, because I am not to mind what such as they, but what honest Men, and what truth it self, speaks. But because this demonstration may be of use to undeceive and inform many Seekers after this Treasure, I suppose I shall do a good work, in giving this evident testimony to Truth, whereby not only the Mouths of Slanderers may be stopp’d, but the Eyes of the Deceived may be opened to discern the Truth.

We proceed then to hear the Verdict of Truth in this Matter, whether indeed such a Mineral Virtue be hid in Vegetables and Animals, as that the Philosophers Stone may be prepared of them. And first we will speak of Man, as being the Noblest of all Gods Creatures, and then proceed to the four-footed Beasts of the Earth, the Fowls of the Air, Fishes in the Sea, and all Creeping Things, and last of all to Trees, Plants and Herbs, to see what the Almighty Power of God hath laid up and hid in these for the use and welfare of Mankind.

As to Man, the most Excellent part of Gods Creation, whom God made a Ruler and Governor over all his Creatures in Paradise, we know that he was made very good, without the want of any thing that might conduce to his happiness or perfection, which goodness continued in him after his Fall, though much clouded and veiled. Forasmuch then as God hath been pleased to lay up in Man this great Treasure, to the end he might make use of it for his good and perfection, we must conclude, that the Divine Wisdom hath placed it so, that Man may always have recourse to it, and take thereof, (without any hurt to his Body) to the glory of God, and his own good. For had God placed this Treasure in the Flesh or Blood of Man, he would have been obliged to hurt and weaken his Body by cutting a piece of his own Flesh, or letting out his Blood, in order to prepare this great Medicin, which by this means would prove too dear, so that most Seekers would rather want the Medicin, than attain it this way. But God, who is the Eternal Wisdom it self, hath not been guilty of any such oversight in his Works, which are all perfect, and no fault to be found with them; and if Nature in any of her productions prove defective, that is not to be attributed to God, but to Satan, who whilst Man slept sowed the Tares amongst the good Seed, which the Master of the Houshold had sowed in his Field.

If it be so then, that God hath not laid up this great Treasure in the Flesh or Blood of Man, we may further enquire, where then we are to look for it? Certain it is, that God, our Heavenly and Wise Father, hath laid up this great Treasure in Man, where at all times, without any let, pains or trouble, he may come at it, and have it for nothing, viz. in the Superfluities of Nature, as Urine, Dung, Hair, Sweat, and Spittle. I say that in these despicable Excrements and Superfluities of Nature, God hath laid up a great Portion for Man, which he by reason of his Pride, blindness and hardness of Heart, cannot see or perceive.

Another Question that may be here demanded, is, In which of these Excrements this Treasure is most copiously to be found? To which I answer, that it may be had from any of them, but in the one more plentifully than in the other, but which is the most fit and proper for this Work, I dare not plainly set down at present, for fear of exposing and prostituting this Pearl to the Wicked and Unworthy, which all honest Philosophers have so highly forbidden. But this I will do, viz. most clearly demonstrate, by many instances, that out of all the Natural Excrements and Superfluities, whether of four-footed Beasts, Fishes, Creeping Things and all Vegetables, a Mineral Aurifying Virtue, that is the Matter of the Philosophers Stone, may be had, and that without cost and charges in all parts of the World, so that no body, how mean so ever he be, but may have enough of the matter for nothing, and needs not by his Poverty be deterred from undertaking this great Work, that affords Health and Riches to him that can bring it to an happy end.

I proceed now to those Proofs and Experiments that evidently make out, that in all things (besides Metals) a Mineral Virtue and Power is found, whereby the Philosophers Stone may be prepared. I shall begin first with four-footed Beasts, because I do think it fitting for several weighty Reasons, at this time to pass by the Mysteries that lie hid in Man, that they may not be exposed to the Wicked and Unworthy. Now these Excrements and Superfluities of four-footed Beasts as well as of Man are different, according to their diverse Passages and Places of Production, as Urine which makes its passage through the Bladder, Dung through the Guts, Sweat through the Pores of the Skin, Spittle through the Mouth, and the Hair or Wooll of Beasts, also through their Skin or Hide, and accordingly are of different Virtues and Powers. Upon this account we must conclude, that in the Sweat of Men or Beasts, there is not so great virtue as there is in Urine, the former being a suddain and almost instantaneous Generation, whereas the later requires some hours time before it can pass through its several Chanels, and be made fit for Natures separation. So likewise is Mans Dung a long while a passing through the Guts, which in Man and Beasts are much longer than in Birds or Fishes, to the end that the Dung might be the better putrified and digested; Thus we find by Experience, that the Dung of a Stork which passeth only through one short Gut, when it falls upon the Grass doth presently burn and scorch it, whereas the Dung of Men and Beasts laid to the Roots of Vegetables, or any way conveyed to the same, do strengthen and invigorate them, and are indeed the highest Medicin of Vegetables; as Country Farmers well know, who with the help of the Dung of Men and other Animals are used to cure their sick, barren, and overwrought Fields, Vineyards and Orchards, restoring them to their former strength and fertility. But though simple Rusticks be very well acquainted with the great virtue and use of Dung, yet our great Learned Men cannot believe, that in such a despicable Subject should be lodged such an Excellent Universal Medicin, capable to cure the Diseases of Men and Metals; and the reason is, because they love Pride and Idleness too well, will not put their hands to the work, contenting themselves with what they know already, without searching into endless Secrets of Nature. For this cause it is, that true Medicin and Alchimy are advanced to no higher degree of Perfection. Helmont complains of this negligence in Physicians, who leave the preparation of their Medicins to Apothecaries, declaring, that every Physician who desires to have good and rightly prepared Medicine must be both Master and Servant, that is, he must trust the Preparing of his Remedies to none but himself.

The present Subject I am upon, viz. the Excrements of Men and Animals puts me in mind of a Story relating to Paracelsus, which take as follows.

A Relation of what happened at =Vienna= between =Paracelsus= and some of the Imperial-Court Physicians.

Paracelsus being on a time sent for by the Emperor to Vienna, to cure some Persons of high Quality, whom the Imperial Physicians could not help, having successfully performed the Cures he was sent for, went to take his Leave of the Physicians, who earnestly intreated him to leave some of his noble Medicaments with them for a remembrance; whereupon Paracelsus answer’d, that he would fetch something for them; The Physicians, supposing he intended to bestow some part of his prepared Medicins upon them, with impatience expected his return, who soon after came to them, and set down on the Table before them a Silver Dish cover’d with another Dish. The Physicians were very desirous to see what Paracelsus had brought for them; at last one of them taking off the Cover, found a great Turd in the Dish, at which being exceedingly enraged, taking for granted that Paracelsus had done this to affront them, they all departed, and when some call’d them back, Paracelsus said, Let the Asses go, they do not deserve this great Secret, which I intended to communicate to them; And then added, He who doth not know what Mans Dung is, knows nothing, and Heaven and Earth are equally hid from him. With which words he sufficiently intimated, that a great virtue is hid in Mans Dung. Thus much shall suffice, by way of Parenthesis, to have spoken concerning Paracelsus his Opinion concerning the Superfluities of Nature, and particularly the Excrements of Man, we proceed now to speak of the Excrements of other Animals, and in particular of Sheeps Wooll.

An Experimental Demonstration, that a Mineral Virtue is hid in the Hair of Beasts.

℞. Of clean Sheeps Wooll iv Ounces, and pour upon it a like quantity of strong Aqua Fortis, abstract this Aqua Fortis wholly in Balneo, and the Aqua Fortis will dissolve the Wooll, and when abstracted, will leave behind a stinking Stone of a dark brown colour; afterwards dissolve in another Glass Body of Mercury j Ounce, and of the finest Sol iij Ounces, pour these Solutions of Sol and Mercury into the Glass wherein the dissolved Wool is, then abstract the Menstruum from the Metals, till nothing remain but a dry Stone in the bottom of the Glass, take this Stone and put it into a Glass Retort, and distill the Mercury from the Sol in a strong heat. N. B. The Mercury will not come over quick, but in the form of a Butter of Mercury, of great use for the healing of incurable Venereal Ulcers. If you pour some Water upon the said Butter, it will precipitate the Mercury in form of a white Powder, which being edulcorated and dried, is a good Purge in Venereal Distempers. But if you rectifie this Butter, and then pour it upon a pure Calx of Sol, the Butter will dissolve the Sol, and being afterwards digested for some time, the Mercury by means of the Saline Spirits of the Wool will be fixed with the Sol into a Stone, with it make a trial upon Metals, to see what it can do, and thou wilt find thy Labour richly rewarded; but if thou canst not hit it, then think, that it is not the will of God thou shouldst have it, and do not blame me, who have set down nothing but what I have performed my self. Now let us see what course we must take to recover our Sol; break the Retort, and take what was left at the bottom of it, which thou wilt find black as a Coal, in which black matter thou must look for thy iij Ounces of Sol, forasmuch as the Butter has carried but very little of the Sol over with it, which thou may’st separate from the black matter, as follows.

Melt good Nitre in a strong Crucible, and when it is in Flux, cast into it one piece of your black Matter after another, and the Nitre will burn away the Sulphur contained in the said Coals or black Matter, and the Sol melts down into a Body, pour forth the Nitre together with the Golden Regulus out of the Crucible into a Cone, and the Sol will settle at the bottom in form of a Regulus, which, when separated from the fæces, appears snow-white and brittle, much resembling a Regulus of Antimony; the fæces are of a red colour, and contain much good. This white Sol being expos’d upon the Cupel with Saturn to a fiery trial, a third part only of the Sol will be found remaining of the colour of good Sol, two parts being vapour’d away. The Question is now, What that white colour was, which evaporated on the Test? If thou say’st, that the Coals of the Wool, with the help of the Nitre, have rob’d the Sol of its colour, thou art not altogether out of the way, nor wholly in the right. If thou say’st, that there is no Mineral Virtue in the Wool, but that the Sol became white by the addition of Mercury, thou art not wholly out of the way neither; but this is not to be understood of the Common Mercury added to the Sol, but of the Mercury contained in the Wool, which has joined it self with the Sol; for Common Mercury cannot abide with Sol in a strong melting Fire, but flies away, leaving the Sol alone, as is well known to Chymists. If thou say’st, that there is a Mercurial Virtue in the Wool, which within a few hours so changeth the Common Mercury, that it is able to abide a melting Fire with Sol, then it will follow, that by means of the Salt which is in Wool any Common Mercury may in a short time be made capable of enduring not only a melting Fire, but the Cupel also. This I suppose is a plain and evident demonstration, that there is a Mineral Virtue in Animals, and especially in the Superfluities of Nature, which we will now proceed to demonstrate with another Experiment. Now if the Superfluities of Animals are able to do this, have we not reason to conclude, that the right Superfluity of the Microcosme will do the same much better?

Another Experiment to demonstrate, that a Mineral =Mercury= and =Sulphur= is contained in the Superfluities of Animals.

℞. Of filed or rasped Horns of Sheep, Oxen, Goats and Deer, but Harts and Goats Horns are the best, and the Horns of Wild Goats, and the Tusks of Wild Swine yet better; and the Horns of Fishes, which are commonly called Unicorns Horns, and the Elephants Teeth are the best of all for this purpose; but where these cannot be had, the Experiment may be performed with Goats or Harts-Horn. Dissolve ij Ounces or iij of either of these in a good Aqua Fortis which has been abstracted from decrepitated Salt, into this Solution put j Ounce of Sol, abstract in a Glass Body the Aqua Fortis from the Horn, in which abstraction the Sol becomes dissolved, and a brown Stone is left behind, which must be melted down in a cover’d and well luted Crucible with a blast, by which means the Horn will be turned into black fæces, and the Sol will fall white to the bottom, brittle as a Regulus of Antimony; from whence it follows, since this brittleness and whiteness of the Sol could not be caused by the Aqua Fortis, that the same must be attributed to the white Mercury and Sulphur drawn from the Horns. Whereby it clearly appears, that a Mineral force and virtue is hid in the Horns of Animals. What I have said concerning the covering of the Crucible with another, and well luting them together, is not without reason, for if the Crucible should be set open in the Fire, and continue there for some time, the Sulphur of the Horns would be kindled and consumed, and the Mercury would be revivified and fly away, and the Sol would remain unalter’d. For it is to be noted, that the Mineral Mercury and the Sulphur of the Horns are very tender and volatile, and are soon lost when the operation is not performed, as before hinted, in a close luted Crucible. This Experiment may be done in like manner, with the Superfluities of Fishes, viz. their Skales, Teeth, and the Stones or Bones that are found in several of them, and the effect will be found the same as before mentioned.

The same may also be performed, with the Feathers and Egg-shells of tame and wild Fowl. N. B. Egg-shells are dissolved with more ease than Feathers. ℞. The Egg-shells of Hens, Geese, or other Fowl, wash them clean, taking out the inward skin or film, then dry them, and abstract from them a Solution of ☉, and melt the remainder in a close covered Crucible, and you will find the same effect, as before.

If you have a mind to make the same Tryal with Vegetables, then take Tartar which is fitter for this purpose, than either the Wine it self, or the Wood of the Vine, instead of Tartar of Wine, you may take the Tartar that cleaves to the Vessels, wherein the juice of Crabs hath been keep, or the juices of any other sowr Fruit, or instead of Tartar we may take the Grounds of Wine, first dried. ℞. Any one of these, and abstract from it a Solution of ☉, melt the remainder as before in a close luted Crucible, and the ☉ will be found white and brittle, like to a Regulus of ♁ at the bottom.

From these Experiments it appears, as clear as the day, that a Mineral Virtue is hid in all things: Yet for more abundant Confirmation of this Truth I shall add some further Instances. The same proof may be done with dry or moist Herbs, or Wood, proceeding in the same manner as before hath been taught, with Wool, and we shall find the same effect. In particular, all sort of Corn, Rye, Wheat &c. afford a very good Tinture, they must be dissolved, and proceeded with as before mentioned, concerning the superfluities of Animals. If therefore Mineral Powers may be found in all Vegetables and Animals, on which Man feeds, and hath his growth and Sustenance, how can it be denied, but that the same Power must needs be in Man also? Wherefore it is beyond all doubt, that every Man carries the matter of the Philosophers-Stone (tho’ raw and unprepared) about with him.

To make this Truth to appear, with fuller and clearer Evidence, I am minded to give the ignorant a sensible Demonstration, that (without mentioning the right Subject of the Philosophers-stone) an universal Medicine for Men and Metals, may be had alone from the despicable and abominable Subject of Mans-dung.

℞. Six, eight or ten ℔ of some healthy Mans-dung, (it must be gathered without any mixture of Urin) and put it into a Glass-body, and pour upon it about the same quantity of rectified Spirit of Wine, stir them with a stick together, set the Glass, with a head fitted to it in Balneo, and abstract the Spirit of Wine, which has extracted the Mineral 🜍 and ☿ that was in the Dung, and brings it over the Helm: Which stincking Spirit of Wine must be burnt away under a large Refrigeratory Helm, by which means the stincking 🜍 of the Dung is consumed in the Flames of the Spirit of Wine, and the incombustible Mercurial Salt mounts up in the Flames to the top of the Helm, where it is caught, and is a great Jewel in Physick and Alchimy. If we have a mind rather to have our Celestial Salt in a dry Form, then we must abstract the Phlegm from it: Tho’ if we intend it for a Medicinal, it is better not to abstract the Phlegm (which is not wholly without some Virtue) but use them together. But if our intent be to make use of this incombustible Mercurial Salt, in order to Metallick Transmutation, then we must separate its Moisture, and mix the said Microcosmical Salt with ☉, and maturate the same to a Metalline Tincture. In a Liquid Form, the said Celestial Salt is an excellent Medicine for sick and weak People, as having great Sympathy with the Vital Spirit of Man, wonderfully strengthening the same, and in all Diseases performs whatsoever can be expected from an Universal Medicine; and is not in the least loathsome, being purged from all Stinck and ill Taste, by the Flames of the Spirit of Wine.

This Aqua Vitæ of the Philosophers performs also very wonderful things in the Vegetable Kingdom, for if the Seeds of any Herb be steeped for an hour in the same, and then laid upon a Trencher, or any board at some distance from one another, and covered over a Fingers breadth with Earth or Sand, being then exposed to the warm Sun, the Seeds immediately will begin to shoot and grow, even visibly to the Eye, which is very pleasant and curious. But those Seeds which are soft, are more proper for their speedy growth, than those that are hard: The Seeds of Parsley, Cresses, Fennel and Annis, which abound with much Volatile Salt, are the best for this Purpose. So that we see, that this Medicine prepared of Mans-dung is truly Universal, as curing the Diseases of all the three Kingdoms, viz. of Animals, Vegetables and Minerals. Wherefore if any one can find in his heart, to work upon this loathsome Subject, he will need no other, for that all lies hid in it, which gave one of the Ancients occasion to say,

Laudat Præsentem quælibet Herba Deum.

_Each Herb from Earth its head doth raise, Its present glorious God to praise._

I cannot, but repeat this great Truth once more, that the highest Medicine in the World is most commonly to be found in the most despicable Subjects, God having ordered it so, for to make known his Almighty Power; and that he regards the Welfare of the Poor, as well as of the Rich, willing that all should be helped and relieved, who do not by their own Pride, Laziness and Wickedness withstand so great Love and Mercy. Had Gods Will been to communicate this Treasure only to the Proud, Rich and Covetous, he would have laid up the same in ☉ and precious Stones, which the Poor cannot go to the Price of, but behold we find to the contrary, that God hath been pleased to hide this Treasure in such despicable and loathsome Subjects, as the Rich do scorn to meddle with, by which means a Door is opened to the Poor, to obtain that which, they reject and despise.

But to return to our Subject, and yet further to Evidence, that a Metallick Virtue is hid in Mans-dung, (tho’ it be not the true Subject, which the Philosophers point at in Man) and that much good may be done with it, as containing a very glorious 🜍 and ☿, I will add this Experiment, lay a Piece of Silver into a Chamber-Pot, wherein is Dung and Urine, let it lye there for some time, and the ☽ will attract the 🜍 or Animal Gold, that is in the Dung and Urine, and become colour’d like ☉, which is a sufficient Demonstration, that the matter of the Stone is hid in those Subjects. And forasmuch as it is notorious, that 🜍 is the Agent and ☿ the Patient: And that the 🜍 alone tingeth, and that ☿ is only tinged: Wherefore it behoves us to fix the 🜍, whereby it is fitted to tinge the ☿, bind and fix it: Which to bring about, much searching has been in the World, and still is, tho’ for the most part all in vain, very few Seekers going the right way, and therefore mist of their End, tho’ in their Search they have found many Arts, some good and others as bad. So we read, that one Bartholdus Schwartz a Benedictin Fryar having found in an old Book, that 🜍, the Father of Tincture, may be fixed with Saltpetre, was resolved to make a Tryal of it, but to no purpose, for the 🜍 and Nitre being kindled by the Fire, broke his Vessels, Furnace and all to pieces, whence he took occasion to consider further of the Matter, and invented that mischievous thing called Gun-powder, tho’ he fail’d of his fixing of 🜍: The Ancient Philosophers, many Ages ago, were not ignorant of that Composition, but would not Communicate the same for Fear of the abuse thereof: And called it a Basilisk, because it kills all things it looks upon. Others have set forth Nitre and 🜍 under the Notion of a watchful, never sleeping, and Fire-spitting Dragon, that guarded the Golden Fleece, which Jason by Medeas direction and Counsel cast into a deep Sleep, and so took away the Golden Fleece. Medea signifies diligent Study and Meditation, Jason the Artist, or Laborator, the Soporiferous Medicine given to the Dragon, the due Fixation of the Matter. Another Benedictin Fryar, Basil Valentine, had better Success in fixing 🜍 with the help of Nitre; which Fixation he hath recorded in his Writings, where he makes Saltpetre to speak thus: 🜍 is my best Friend, and withal my greatest Enemy, but when we are duely conjoyned, and made our Marriage Bed in Hell, after we have well sweat together, we cast off all our Impurities, for to beget Children of Wealth and Riches; and in our dead Bodies is found the greatest Treasure, which we bequeath by our last Will. These are the Words of Basil Valentine, wherein he exactly and plainly describes the true Fixation of 🜍, save only that he hath not named the Medicine wherewith the watchful Dragon is to be cast into a dead Sleep, and that for good Reason, because the whole Art and Master piece of fixing 🜍 with Nitre consists therein. And Paracelsus writing concerning 🜍 saith: Here with few words many may be helped, were it not against God, for God wills not that all should be Rich, and therefore doth not give the Goat as long a Tail, as to a Cow, for fear he should out of Pride beat out his own Eyes therewith: For when a poor Man grows Rich, it commonly makes him Proud, and as sharp as a Razor to others. These are the Words of Paracelsus, wherein he declares a great Truth, for God will not have all Men to be Rich, because of the great abuse of Riches, which is too common in the World. But to those, who are dead to the World, and look upon Riches, Money and Goods, as Dust and Smoak, and are Enemies to all sin and wickedness, to these God gives more than themselves desire or wish for, because he knows they will not abuse his Gifts. And so much shall suffice at this time, for my design is not at present to treat of the Fixation of 🜍, which I have elsewhere done at large, but only to prove and make out, that the Matter of the Philosophers-stone is to be found in all things in the World, which I think I have done already. Will any make a Tryal, and undertake the Work, ’tis free for him so to do, I have in this Discourse pointed out the right way, tho’ I have not revealed the right Matter: But if what I have here set down be well considered of, by the ingenious Seeker, it cannot be long hid from him: Farewel.

A Corollary: Or, Appendix to the foregoing Discourse.

I have in this short Treatise abundantly shewed and verified, that in all Vegetables and Animals, a mineral Virtue lies hid, which is able to Coagulate ☿ in Conjunction with ☉, into a Metal: And that I may be further helpful to the Lovers of Art, I intend here to deliver the whole manner, and Process of fixing ☿, by Excrements and natural Superfluities, to the end that every one, who reads and considers of it, may with ease attain to a true Tincture. In order to which, I am first to put the Reader in mind, what I have already hinted, that as these Superfluities of Nature, are different and various, so some of them are better for the fixing of ☿ than others: The best of all being, that which Adam brought out of Paradise, as a Childs Portion God had bestowed upon him, which I dare not name openly, but shall only set down here, how this Fixation of ☿ may be performed by means of the Superfluities of Animals.

I have, in the foregoing Discourse, declared the manner of Coagulating ☿ with the Wool, or Hair of Animals, so as to suffer himself to be fluxed with ☉ in a strong Fire, without evaporating, only to shew the possibility of it. But now shall set down, how the said Fixation may with Profit be performed, by means of an Animal Salt Armoniack. For certain it is, that in Man and all Animals, such a Secret Sal Armoniack is to be found, especially in Urine, Hair, Claws, Horns, Skins, &c. as also in the Blood, sweat and spittle of Man, which is of force to coagulate and fix Mercury.

N. B. The fasting Spittle of Man Coagulates running ☿, being stirred about with a Pestle in a Glass, or Stone Mortar, and so is made fit with Hogs-grease to be made into a Salve. Now after that common ☿ is thus Coagulated with fasting Spittle, if we mix it with Oyl or Butter, to make a Salve of it, we shall find that the ☿ will not unite with the same, but runs together and becomes quick as before, and only suffers it self to be joyned with melted Hogs-grease, but with the fat of no other Animal whatsoever; the Reason without doubt is, because Swine have a great affinity with Man and Metals. Thus we find, that Mans and Swines Blood have this Property, that if the Calx of ♄ be for some time boyled in either of them, the ♄ becomes white and hard like ☽; the Reason of which the Reader may be pleased further to enquire into. Mans Urine also has this Nature and Property, that at one only Sublimation it so Coagulates ☿, that when ♀ is rubbed over with it, it looks as well as if it were Silvered over. And the sweat of Man is partaker of the same Property, of Coagulating and Metallizing ☿, so likewise the Excrements of Man and Beasts, &c. But nothing does it more readily than Mans fasting Spittle, wherefore also Albertus Magnus saith, that the highest Mineral Power hath its Seat in the Head of Man, and especially between his Teeth, he himself having found, oblong Grains of ☉, between the Teeth of a dead Mans Skull; ’tis very probable, that the Person, to whom the same belonged, had taken ☿ inwardly, which naturally tending to the Mouth and Teeth, had been fixed there by the Mineral Virtue of the Microcosm into good ☉. Now if we see this happen thus in the Body of Man, what reason have we to doubt, but that the same Mineral Virtue may, without the Body of Man, not only fix ☿ into good ☉, but also reduce it to a true and perfect Tincture. Forasmuch then, as this is not only possible, but certain and unquestionable, I having wrought it with mine own hands, and knowing many other easie ways, by means of the natural Superfluities of Animals, to Coagulate and fix ☿, I am the rather inclined to Communicate the same to the World.

I will therefore in the name of God, for the good of Mankind, Communicate the way and Process, I my self at first made use of to Coagulate ☿, and that entirely from the Beginning to the End, and very plainly, not concealing any the least manual Operations. If any one from this Process here set down, chances, to find out a nearer and better way, I shall be glad of it, we know it is much easier, to correct and meliorate a thing already invented, than to invent it. What I here set down my own hands have wrought, what I have never done or tryed I cannot write, but leave it to those, who are further advanced herein than my self.

A PROCESS.

To fix ☿, by means of natural Superfluities into a true Tincture. ℞. Eight Ounces of Wool, Goats hair, filed Goats or Harts-horn, &c. dissolve any of these in a strong Aqua Fortis, at the same time dissolve, in an Aqua Fortis, that has been abstracted from decrepitated Salt, an Ounce of fine ☉, and two Ounces of ☿ in common Aqua Fortis, pour all these three Solutions together into a Glass Body, and abstract all the Aqua Fortis from the ☉ and ☿; this abstracted stincking Water pour again upon that, which remains in the Glass, and distil it off, repeat this Cohobation six or seven times, and the ☿ by this means will become united, and joyned to the ☉. This Conjunction put into a Glass Retort, and with a strong Fire drive the ☿ from the ☉, which will come over in the form of a thick red Butter, for the ☿ being so far fixed with the ☉, will not without great force be separated from it, especially when the Operator hath made use of a strong fixing Water, or Menstruum: However, by the violence of the Fire, he is at length forced to quit the ☉, in which Separation he carries the Soul of ☉ over with him, which makes the Mercurial Butter to be of a red Colour; which Mercurial Butter, or Water being rectified doth dissolve ☉, and with it may be fixed into a true Tincture.

N. B. This Solar Butter may be another way without ☉ be fixed into a Tincture, not necessary to be set down here. He that hath a List to the work may begin with the Fixation, that is performed with the help of ☉. The ☉ and ☿ that remains in the Retort, may be recovered, as follows hereafter; for certain it is, that much of the ☿ in this Operation continues with the ☉, the Violence of the Fire having been unable to separate it, tho’ it may indeed be done another way, whereby we are experimentally assured, that Animals have power so to bind the winged Youngster, as to fix him with ☉ into perfect Tincture, which Fixation would be easie, if the Horns and Hair of Animals did not for the most part turn to Coals which do much hinder Fixation: For when the Solar Butter is by the force of Fire driven from the ☉, the Coals of the Hair stay behind with the Fire of ☉ and ☿: Which Coals may either, like other Coals, by means of our wonderful Salt be fixed into Tincture, for the ☉ and half fixed ☿ do not hinder, but rather further and help Fixation: Or else, we may joyn to these Coals, a due Proportion of good Nitre, and so make of them the always watchful, and Fire-spitting Dragon, and with the help of the Narcotick 🜍 of ♂ and ♀ cast him in to a dead Sleep, kill and fix him into Tincture. For we must know, that this Animal 🜍 is incomparably better, than any Mineral or Vegetable 🜍 of Stone, or Wood-Coal. Or else with the help of a fulminating Powder, we may separate the half fixt ☿, from the half disanimated ☉, by which means the Nitre kindles the Animal 🜍 and consumes it, and then the ☿ being freed from the Bands of 🜍 must come over, carrying over with it the yet remaining Soul or Tincture of ☉, which the ☿ in the Preparation of the Solar Butter did not bring over: Thus the ☉ becomes more disanimated, and the ☿ (which comes over of a fair Purple Colour) becomes the more richly animated, which Purple coloured ☿ impregnate with the Soul of ☉, may either by it self, be fixed into Tincture, or we may extract the Tincture with the Spirit of Wine, and make use of it as an inestimable Treasure in Physick. But the best way is, with our wonderful Salt, to fix these Animal Coals impregnate with ☉ and ☿ like other Wood-Coals into a tinging Carbuncle.

N. B. This wonderful Salt must be prepared of Oyl of Vitriol and Nitre. This is the way I have followed to Coagulate ☿ with ☉, by means of Animal Superfluities. I must own that it is a troublesome Work, especially because of the Stincks, one is obliged to take in. Some Philosophers indeed make mention of a nearer and easier way to obtain an Universal Medicine from Animals: Wherefore he that doth not like the Process, may seek for a better, which if he chanceth to light on, he has reason to bless God therefore, whose Gift alone it is.

A PROCESS, To Sublime the Coals of =Sol=, =Mercury= and Animal =Sulphur= into Purple coloured Flowers, with the help of a fulminating Powder.

Set a well luted Glass, or earthen Body, in a subliming Furnace till it be red hot, then cast in so much Nitre as you think will be sufficient to kindle thy Coals with, and consume them, to which purpose, thou mayst put three times as much Nitre, as the quantity of thy Coals is. When thou seest that the Nitre is red hot and in Flux, then cast in upon the Nitre a piece of thy Coals as big as a Haslel Nut, and the Nitre will immediately kindle the 🜍 and consume it, and by this means set the ☿ free; for in the burning away of the 🜍, the ☿ is forced to leave the ☉, as not being able to endure so strong a Fulmination: And having by means of the Animal 🜍, so intimately united with the ☉, as to be very hardly separable, but yet by the force of the Fulmen being fain to leave it, he in his flight takes the Heart of ☉ along with him, and brings it over in the form of a purple Sublimate, which with the Oyl of Vitriol (but much better by means of the universal Coagulator) may easily be fixed into a Tincture. This throwing of the Animal Coals upon the Nitre, thou must continue till all thy Coals be consumed, and so thou wilt obtain a ☿ impregnated and tinged with the Soul of ☉, and the ☉ remains of a white Colour, being disanimated by the Nitre.

N. B. As oft as you cast a piece of your Coals into the Vessel where the Nitre in Flux is, you must immediately clap on the Head again, that the ☿ may not fly away, but be caught therein. For the said ☿ is a great Treasure, and may easily be fixed into a fusible Tincture. Thus you have the whole Process, how by means of Animal superfluities I have handled ☿ with ☉, and what hath been the Success of it: He who shall venture to set upon this Work and finish it, will find much more than I durst set down here.

The nearest and easiest way to fix these Solar, Mercurial Animal Coals into a Tincture, according to my Judgment is, First to fix the said Coals, by means of a Fixative Sal Mirabile: Or else, to mix them with a Volatilizing Sal Mirabile, and by Retort distil from them a good graduating Water; we may also add to these Animal Coals such a Fixative water, as is employed to kill and fix the watchful Dragon or Basilisk. Every one may choose of these several ways, what pleaseth best: And if any thing by reason of the shortness of time hath been omitted here, the same will be discovered to the Laborator in his Work, if God does not hinder it, whose Blessing is all in all. Thomas Aquinas had the Art in twenty four hours time, to prepare an universal Medicine from natural Superfluities alone, without any Addition of ☉ or ☿, without Charges, Labour or Trouble, without breaking of Glasses, and without taking in any loathsome Smells. So likewise Avicenna, Albertus Magnus, Rhasis, Petrus Bonus, Joannes Lancinius Rupescissa, had a much nearer and shorter way, than here we have described, as appears abundantly by their Writings. These Authors took their Subject and putrified it in Horse-dung, and then with the Element of Fire, they fixed the ☿ with the ☉ into a Tincture, in which Labour they were much troubled with the loathsome smell of the Matter. Morienus tells us, that the Matter when in Putrefaction, sends forth a stinck like to that which proceeds from Graves, for indeed there is nothing in Man, which doth not stink extreamly, when brought to Solution or Putrefaction. When we dissolve these Animal Matters with Oyl of Vitriol, this stink is not so great, as when they are dissolved with Aqua Fortis, the same also may be said of Spirit of Salt, when ☉, ☿ and Wool are dissolved in the same, and besides doth more Volatilize the ☉ in order to Sublimation, or Fulmination than Aqua Fortis doth. If instead of the Common ☿ we take a ☿ of ♁ for this Work, it will in Fulmination carry more of the Tincture of ☉ over, and the purple Flowers proceeding thence, are much more readily fixed by the universal Coagulator, than those that are made with the Common ☿.

What this universal Coagulator is, I have elsewhere declared, the great use of it is very evident, in that volatile Tinctures can hardly be fixed without it: For this Coagulator makes all volatile Corrosive Metalline Spirits fix so as to be able to endure the Fire, which without it require a long time. And therefore, he who doth not know it, or the use of it, must needs find the fixing of volatile Spirits very tedious and troublesome, whereas those that know the use of it, may perform more as to the fixing of Tinctures in three days time, than others without it can do in a whole Year. For there is nothing in Nature so Volatile, which this Coagulator doth not fix, as Turba testifies, saying that if God had not created our Sal Armoniack, all Chymical Labour would be in vain. Which indeed is the very Truth: For without a good Sal Armoniack it is impossible to extract the Tinctures from Metals and Stones, or to purifie and subtilize them to the highest Degree; and without preceeding Subtilizing, there can be no ingress into compact Bodies: For the more that any Tincture is Subtiliz’d and Volatiliz’d, the more readily, after Fixation, doth it enter all hard and compact Bodies. Wherefore if God had not created this Coagulator, these volatile Tinctures, how high soever they might be in Colour, would be of no use for the Transmutation of Metals. Thus we find, that in Alchimy these two principal Keys are extremely necessary: The first opens, makes Volatile, and Purifies and gives Ingress; the other binds and fixeth the Volatile, so as to make it endure the Fire, without which Fixation all Volatilization is in vain. O the Pains that I have formerly taken for to fix ☿, ☉, 🜍 and other such like Volatile Metalline Spirits, whereas now it is most easie for me to do all this, and much more, with the help of my universal Coagulator, the knowledge and discovery of which must be fetched from the Principal Agent, or secret Fire of the Wise Men.

I cannot upon this occasion pass by discovering another Property that is found in our Animal Subject, viz. that it can in one distillation resolve all Metals, none excepted, into a running Mercury, which is a thing very wonderful, that fixt Gold and Silver should be so easily reducible to Volatile Mercury, seeing their Bodies are by nature kept in such strong bands. Of which Reduction of Metals to quick Mercury, no Person hath writ more clearly than Basil Valentine. The Ancient Philosophers have indeed writ much concerning the volatilizing of fixt Metals, but did never declare, that, by this Volatilization, they understood a reduction of them to running Mercury, for which reason this Art also hath been so little known. The Ancient Philosophers have recommended this volatilizing and fixing of Metals to us in these following Verses.

_Fixum si solvas, faciasque volare solutum, Et volucrem figas, faciet te vivere tutum._

Dissolve the fixt, and make it then to fly, And fix the Fledge, and thou shalt dwell on high.

With these few words the Philosophers have declared their whole Work, but without any further explaining of them; so that the manner of compendiously volatilizing and fixing of Metals has been left in the dark. But because the end of this wicked World draws nigh, God is pleased to reveal these Secrets to some of his Chosen, which Talent mercifully bestowed upon me, that I might not be guilty of concealing, I have in the Seventh Part of my Prosperity of Germany at large set down the way to Meliorate the meaner Metals, with the help of Animal Salt Spirits, and that so plainly, that every one may understand it, and the Poor (if they will put their hands to the Work) may have abundantly wherewith to maintain themselves.

Moreover these Superfluities of Nature are endued with this power and property, that in one days time they can destroy fixt Gold, that resists all the Elements, so as to be no more Sol, but will suffer it self to be melted into a green fusible Stone, which is of wonderful force and virtue in all Metallick Operations, of which it is not needful to speak more at present. If God thinks fit to bestow this Green Stone upon thee, he will not suffer thee to be ignorant what use may be made of it. I cannot, upon this occasion, but communicate something that is very wonderful. As I was on a time melting some of this Green Stone in a Crucible, it happened to run through the Crucible into the Furnace, where some Silver was run out a little before, with which the Green Lion joyn’d himself; and when I came by fusion to separate my Luna from the Green Sol Stone, or my destroyed Sol, I found that my Green Stone had never been throughly united with my Luna, the Stone continuing still green without any the least alteration, but my Luna was become black and brittle like Antimony, and went away upon the Cupel. Now, what more wonderful change can be imagin’d than to see white fixt Luna changed into black volatile Lead? Upon occasion of this wonderful Transmutation one of the Philosophers cries out, as struck with admiration; Nunquid Natura Retrograda? What is Nature then turn’d Retrograde? Mind well this point, consider of it, and you will discover wonders; for when Sol is so far destroyed as to be no longer Sol, then the greatest wonders may be accomplish’d by it. Yet know, that it is no easie matter so to destroy Sol, that it shall be Sol no more; the Ancient Philosophers unanimously declaring, than it is easier to make Gold, than to destroy it.

N. B. This Green Gold-Stone being kept for some time in the Fire, becomes changed to a red colour, which is also of great use, he who desires to know more of it, may seek for it, as my self and others have been fain to do.

N. B. The Salt of the greater World (I mean Common Salt) changeth the Metals that lie in it for a long time, into a hard Stone, as appears from this instance; Some Fishermen here in Holland, lately took up from the bottom of the Sea some Blocks of English Tin, whose outside was turn’d to perfect Stone, the inmost part of them still remaining Tin; Who knows, how many hundred years this Tin had lain at the bottom of the Sea, before this change was made; but if the Sea Salt of the greater World can perform this in a long time, the Sea Salt of the lesser World can destroy Metals in a very short time, for our Animal Salt can do more in a few hours time, than the Sea Salt of the Macrocosme can do in an 100 years.

Wherefore I recommend to the Lovers of this Art to study the nature of Salts and their use, if they intend to perform any thing Extraordinary either in Physick or Alchimy.

N. B. The Salt of the Microcosme hath also this property, that when it is put into Aqua Fortis it not only dissolves Sol but Luna also, and is an excellent way to extract the Gold and Silver that is in Sand and Stones, concerning which Extraction I treat at large in the Seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany.

N. B. Another virtue of this Microcosmical Salt is, that it extracts the Tincture of Gold, and leaves the Body thereof white. And if we afterwards take this impregnate Salt, and extract the Tincture of Gold from it with Spirit of Wine, and burn away the said Spirit under a Refrigeratory Helm or Head, then the Celestial Salt, or the Water of Life of the Philosophers, will be conveyed into the Glass Receivers, and is very sweet and pleasant, but withal so subtil and volatile, that the Air attracts and snatcheth it away, if it be not immediately pour’d out of the recipients, and carefully kept in a close stopt Glass.

N. B. At the bottom of the Cup or Dish wherein the Spirit of Wine, impregnate with the Tincture of Gold, hath been kindled and burnt away, you will find the Tincture of Gold in the form of a Blood-red, pleasant, fragrant, Aromatical Oil, which is true living Sol, and never stands still, but is in continual motion, perpetually changing from one form to another. In a word, it is the true living Sol of the Philosophers, which by Art is made of Common Gold, that is dead, which Living Philosophick Gold, fragrant Dragons Blood, Incombustible Oil, and true Potable Gold is without doubt the highest Medicin that is in the World.

N. B. In the foresaid manner we may also extract the Tinctures from Mars and Venus, as also from Antimony and Sulphur, and with the assistance of the flame of Spirit of Wine maturate them into most lovely, fragrant, incombustible Tinctures. For by means of our Microcosmical Salt all Metals and Minerals may be reduc’d to Potability, without the help of any Corrosive, in which state they are the most powerful Medicaments imaginable, to which the very best Remedies of the Galenists are not in the least to be compared. But no Man ever attained these Secrets that was afraid to smut his Hands with Coals, or that was not earnest in his Prayers to God for the discovery of these wonders; their Silk Clothes, Velvet Coats, Artificial Cant, and vain Aristotelical Philosophy, cannot produce any shell effects, but the Fire alone which is the effecter and displayer of Wonders. Wherefore no Man can come to be a true Philosopher save only by Fire, which alone hath the power to remove that which is evil, and to manifest and bring to light the inward concealed Good, which is true in an Earthly as well as Heavenly sense. I repeat it once more, that he, who doth not know Fire, and its hidden Divine Virtue and Operation, is a pitiful Philosopher, and doth not at all deserve that Title, for the Light is hid from him, and consequently all Nature appears vail’d and dark to him; which matter I have treated of at large in my Celestial and Terrestrial Purgatory.

Besides all that hath been said already, many other great, yea incredible, things may be performed with the help of Animal Excrements and Superfluities, and in particular the extraction of Silver and Gold out of Sand, Stone and Poor Oar, that is not worth the melting, as shall be at large declared in the Seventh Part of my Prosperity of Germany.

It may be said with truth, that never yet did any Man find out all the Virtues that are contained in thefts Superfluities of Nature, they being indeed greater than can be believed, which is the reason, why the Philosophers would never call these contemptible and loathsom Subjects by their own names, but have covered and concealed them under Metaphors and Allegories, that the great secrets contained in them might not be prostituted to the Proud unworthy World.

I do intend, God willing, with the first occasion to treat more at large concerning the nature and use of these Animal Superfluities in the Seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany, where I shall, amongst other things, demonstrate, that these Superfluities of Nature are not only able to exalt Sol and Luna in their colours, but also to augment them to infinity in quantity and quality; I shall also plainly discover the way, how from Sand and Stone and the meanest of Metals, Gold and Silver may be extracted, so that every one, that is but little acquainted with the managing of Fire, may, with little charges in his own House, entertain and keep going a profitable and rich Mine of Gold and Silver, for the comfortable support of himself and family, to which God be pleased to grant his Grace and Blessing. Amen.

THE INDEX.

In which P, with the Addition of 1, 2, or 3, signifies the first, second, or third Part; a the first Column of the Page, b the Second Column; and where neither a nor b occurs to the number of the page, the matter is obvious in that page by the Contents, or otherwise by the matter being treated of in all, or the greatest part of the page.

A

Acetum of Philosophers, like to their Sal-Armoniak, both having their rise from Common Salt, Part 3. page 33. b.

Adam brought the first matter of the Philosopher’s Stone out of Paradise, and again carried it to his Grave, P. 2. 72. b. Divers particular Transmutations of Metals, by the help of this Microcosmical subject, 74. b.

Air hindereth the fixation of any subject by the fire, P. 1. 200. a.

Alchymy what, its Agents are Fire and Salt, P. 2. P. 1. 410.

Alcahest corrects all poysonous Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, P. 1. 108. Its Vertues in Metallicks, 110. Its Preparation, 153. Its Use, 153. 163. _It dissolves all Stones, and even the very Glasses in which Solutions are made_, P. 2. 102. b.

Allom its moist fire to prepare, P. 2. b.

Amber to purifie by distillation, and again to congeal it into a transparent hard lump, P. 2. 64. a. P. 1. 73. a.

Animæ of Vegetables commended to Physicians, P. 1. 191. a. being conjoyned with the Animæ _of Minerals, are an excellent Medicine_, ibid. They are the Rays of the Sun coagulated, ibid.

Anima of Antimony and Gold, rubefie Lune, and make it a Tincture, P. 2. 69. a.

Anima of Gold to extract, P. 1. 204. b.

Animals poysonous to prepare into good Medicines by the Universal Menstruum, P. 2. 97. 101.

Antidote against Poyson, P. 2. 23.

Antimony well prepared is never given in vain, P. 1. 42. a. How to prepare it to purge onely downward, ibid. Its superfluous Sulphur to separate, 78. Antimony by long digestion, much of it becometh Gold, 43. b. Antimonial Wine or Beer to prepare of excellent Vertues, P. 1. 42. b. 43. a. Antimonial Cup, its Preparation and Use, 92, 93. Antimonial Flowers, Emetick and Diaphoretick to prepare, 8. a. 105. A Universal Medicine prepared of them, 106. Its Vertues, Use and Dose, 107. Antimonial Flowers how reduced into Regulus with its Uses, 110, 111. Antimonial Clyssus to prepare, 296. Regulus of Antimony to prepare, 78. a. Antimony reduced into a red Oyl or Panacæa _without distillation_, 44. a. Antimony or Sulphur so to ripen _that they may acquire Odours like Vegitables_, 51. Antimony contains much spiritual Gold, P. 3. 43. b.

Antimonial Sulphur to separate from its Mercury, and to make its Mercury into a Panacæa for the curing of all diseases, P. 2. 28. Antimonial Purge in all grievous diseases, to prepare, 59. Antimonial Panacæa, its Preparation and Use, 107. a. History of a wonderfull Cure wrought by it upon a Child, 109. b. It is a true Remedy against the Scurvy both by Sea and Land, 110. b. A Chyrurgeon on Ship-board or in a Camp may cure and preserve more Men with one single Ounce of this Panacæa than with a large Chest of Common Medicines, ibid. Golden Panacæa of Antimony how prepared, 133. b. Of Antimony and Silver, a good Medicine to prepare, ibid. Antimony, Arsnick, and Orpiment, as also the Sulphur of Vegitables to fix by Lutum Sapientiæ, 167. Antimonial Emeticks, to make work downwards onely, P. 3. 65. b.

Apoplexy cured by the volatile Spirit of Vitriol, P. 1. 17. b.

Aqua Fortis to prepare, P. 1. 29. a. It differs little or nothing from Spirit of Niter, 29. b.

Aqua Regia to prepare, 23. b. Aqua Fortis and Aqua Regis _to prepare in plenty for the dissolving of Metals_, P. 2. 13, 14. 66. a. P. 1. 425, 426. Aqua Fortis _at one distillation transmutes half its weight of Common Salt into Salt-peter_, P. 1. 415. b.

A Golden Aqua Vitæ to prepare, the like never described by any, P. 2. 150.

Aqua Saltaberis of Paracelsus fixeth and rubefieth all white Mercuries, 190. b. Helmont erred in taking it to be the water of Whites of Eggs, ibid.

Arcanums to discover is very injurious, 148, 190.

Arsnick and Orpiment to fix, 162. When fixed they tinge Copper white like Silver, ibid. Arsnick its nitrous Spirit to prepare, P. 1. 30. It graduateth Copper white as Silver, and malleable, ibid. Arsenical quality taken away from Mineral Oyls by Spirit of Salt, P. 2. 152. a.

Arms and Armour to preserve from Rust, P. 1. 182.

Of Arsnick, 319, 320.

Artificers, as Engravers, Painters, Dyers, Statuaries, and many others, may be benefited by the Authour’s Labours, 165. a.

The Astral Beams _penetrate to the Center of the Earth, and what they operate_, 117. How they beget the Central Fire of the Earth, 119. b. Astrums of the Metals, what, 367. b.

Aurum Diaphoreticum to prepare, P. 1. 385. Its Use and Vertues, 386. a.

Aurum Fulminans to prepare, P. 1. 23. b. _Being fired upon a Plate of Metal, tingeth it so that it will abide the Touch-stone_, 75. b. How to take away its fulminating quality, 416. b. P. 2. 39.

Aurum Mosaicum or Musicum to prepare for Limners, P. 2. 68.

Aurum Potabile, its Preparation, Vertues, and Use, P. 1. 97, 98, 99. The Authour’s white Aurum Potabile exceeds the former, P. 2. 133. a. How prepared, ibid. b. P. 1. 219. His Defence of his true Aurum Potabile, P. 1. 243, 244. Its Nature, Form, Properties, and admirable Vertues, 208. Experiment of its power in promoting the growth of Vegitables, 209. Description of its outward form, 211. b. It transmutes _Common Mercury, and other Metals, into Gold both by the dry and wet way_, 211, 212. It tingeth Sand into Gold, 216. b. Its Vertues and Use in Medicine, 213, 218. b. It Gildeth Silver by the help of Argentuive, 245. a. It changeth Mercury _sublimate into a Red Powder, gently purgative and Diaphoretick_, 243. b. How with Aurum Potabile to make a Ruby or Hyacinth, P. 1. 217. b. How to change the Colour of this Aurum Potabile _from white to red_, 220.

Another Aurum Potabile to prepare, P. 2. 167.

The Authour was so renovated in his old Age, as to have new black curl’d Hair, by the taking a small quantity of a certain Tincture, P. 2. 204. a. He complains that his Writings and Secrets brought him many troubles, P. 1. 170. b. 172. b. He never gained one half-peny by his Writings, P. 2. 186. a. He hath borrowed nothing from other Writers, but hath attained all his Secrets by his own Labours, 71. a. He wasted some pounds of Gold unprofitably in his younger years, in seeking for a Tincture, and finding a safer way for others, P. 3. 12. a. He was wronged by his Servants and Courtiers, P. 2. 148. b.

The Authour_’s opinion that the Stone of Philosophers may be made of Common Salt_, P. 1. 269. a. _He sowed Grain in bare Sand, and had it sooner ripe, than the same sowed in good Earth_, 388. a. He had a Patent from the States of Holland _for the improving of barren Land_, ibid. _He laments his being too liberal in the communicating of Secrets_, 223. a. _His being Calumniated, hath been the occasion of his more open publishing of his Secrets_, 210. b.

The Authour_’s account in what order he published many of his Works_, 248. a.

Of Azoth and Laton, or the Agent and Patient of Philosophers, P. 1. 396. The Authour attaining to the knowledge of this Agent or Secret Fire of the Wise, laid aside Furnaces, Glasses, and Coals, P. 3. 61. a. 62.

B

Bakers or Brewers, how they may supply the want of Yest or Barm, P. 1. 182.

A Mineral Balsam of Sulphur of exceeding great Vertues, P. 2. 126. b.

Balsam of Roses, and other Vegitables, consisting of their three Principles purified and again conjoyned, P. 1. 60, 61. a.

Barrenness in Men or Women to cure, P. 1. 266. a. 267. b.

Baths of Common water, 63. Of Sulphur, 65. Of the Dry Bath or Sweating Chair, ibid. Whence the heat of natural hot Baths ariseth, P. 2. 114. b.

An efficacious Bath for the curing of many diseases, P. 1. 189. b.

Of the Beetle or Scarabæus, the horned and Bull-like, also the round or Globular, their Signature, Properties, and Medicinal Vertues, 94. Hens feeding on the gray Beetles lay faster than those which are fed with Corn, P. 2. 95. b.

Bezoardicum Minerale to prepare, with its Vertues, P. 1. 8. b.

Beer, Ale, Wine, or Metheglin, to strengthen, 159. Being sowr to recover them, and render them drinkable, 159, 182. To preserve them in Summer from the fret, 286. a. Beer to make with Honey, which will keep ten or twenty years, 286. a. Beer _or Ale may be made in the hottest Climates, or Weather, of Concentrated Corn, where Water and Hops are at hand_, P. 1. 305. a. The Excellency of Beer so brewed, beyond the Common, ibid. b.

Birds so to intoxicate that they may be taken with ones hand, P. 2. 154. a.

Birdlime so to prepare, as not to be altered by heat or cold, P. 1. 182.

Bleeding immoderate of any kind, to stop, P. 2. 149. a.

Blood-letting not available in curing of rooted and stubborn diseases, P. 1. 245. a.

Borax, its Water turns Lead into Quick-silver, P. 1. 236. a.

A Delicate Bread to prepare, P. 2. 58. b.

Butter to make by the help of Spirit of Salt, which will keep long good, P. 1. 380. a.

Brandy to distill from the Lees of Wine, 292. b. To make Brandy _of all sorts of Corn, and to give it a relish like that made of the Lees of Wine_, 158, 159, 166. b.

C

Cabinet-makers may make Pear-tree or Cherry-tree to be like Ebony, P. 1. 180.

Excellent Cheese like Parmasan to make by the help of the Spirit of Salt, P. 1. 364. b. 379. b.

To kill Worms, and prevent holes in Cheese, 380. a.

Childrens being gauled with their Urine, to help, 13. a.

Chrystal to tinge with various Colours like pretious Stones, P. 2. 65. a. P. 3. 56. a.

Chrystals to dissolve in a certain Menstruum, with their Vertues, P. 1. 248. a. P. 3. 55. b.

Chrystals or Cream of Tartar to prepare, 38. b.

An Elegant Cinaber graduating Lune into Sol, P. 1. 374. b. N.B.

Collick to ease, 40. b. 54.

To Colour Hair, Bones, Feathers, &c. brown or black, 40. a.

Colours _for Painters, as Ultramarine, blue Smalt, Scarlet Lacca, Venice Ceruss_, &c. to prepare, 179. Smalt to make, as beautifull as Ultramarine, P. 2. 68. a.

Coals afford a sweet Mineral Oyl, P. 2. 125. b. 126. a. How it is to be distilled and rectified, ibid. It is equal to the Oyl of Peter, ibid.

The four Complexions described, P. 1. 388. a.

Confection of Alchermes Mineral, to prepare, 384.

Copper _to extract and render Corporeal, from such poor Oars as will not defray the charge of melting_, P. 1. 326, 327. P. 2. 18. P. 1. 293, 420, 425. Copper to transmute into Verdigrease, P. 2. 18. Into other Colours for Painting, 16, 77. a. Gold and Silver to separate from those Colours, 17. Copper dissolved in Aqua Fortis mixt with Silver, Iron, or Lapis Calaminaris, to reduce and render malleable, 42.

Copper _to make white as Silver, and graduate into Silver, yielding Gold_, P. 2. 68. b. P. 1. 419. To graduate into Gold by a Cement, P. 2. 68. P. 3. 71.

A Cordial to prepare, to be used in great and continual diseases, 115.

Corn of all sorts, how to be prepared, before its Spirit be distilled, P. 1. 57.

Corn to concentrate for the making both Bread and Drink on Ship-board in cases of necessity, 277, 278, 296, 303.

Corns of the feet to take away, P. 1. 181, 288. a.

Corrosives, as Oyl of Vitriol, Aqua Fortis, &c. to dulcifie, 405. b. P. 2. 68.

Crocus Martis to prepare, with its use, 328. a.

Crucibles to make, which will long endure the fire, with Lead, 69. a. 199. b. P. 1. 90.

D

Day and Night, Light and Darkness, what, P. 2. 86. b. 87. a.

Death, what it is, 86. b.

Decoctions of Herbs of no value in Physick, 113. a. _Their Decoctions in the Alcahest, or firey water, much to be esteemed_, ibid. b.

Demogorgon _perfects all Metals, both within and without the Earth, and is the secret Fire or proper Agent of Philosophers_, 69. b. It makes Saturn hard, and white as Lune, _as it becomes crude out of the Earth_, ibid. It makes Copper white, and hard as Steel, ibid. It makes Lune through black, and Sol exceeding hard, ibid. It makes excellent Looking-glasses, ibid. Demogorgon described, P. 3. 58. a.

How Dyers may give such a ground to their Cloth, that the Colours shall not be corrupted by Air, Sun, Vinegar, Urine, &c., P. 1. 180.

Dioclesian could not overcome the Egyptians till he had caused all their Books to be burnt, 185. b.

To Distill Spices, Seeds, Roots, Herbs, Flowers, &c. by the third Furnace, 59.

Distilling Instrument described for the plentifull making of acid Spirits, and the easie extraction of Metals from their Oars, 429, 430, 431.

A Diuretick and Nephretick extract, of excellent Vertues, P. 11. 112.

Drink very like to Wine, to make of Grain and Fruits, P. 1. 167. a.

Dropsie cured by the irreducible Blood of Gold, P. 3. 28.

A Dream may bring a man knowledge, P. 2. 145. a.

Men made Drunk with a very small quantity of the Spirit of Tobacco or Henbane, 154. a.

Drunkenness to prevent, and its Evils to cure, P. 1. 289. b.

Dungs of various use in Physick, P. 1. 248. b. Dung fattens the Earth onely by its nitrous Salt, 169. a. Humane Dung makes Flowers grow, but gives them an ill smell, P. 2. 125. b. Humane Dung to render sweet and Medicinal, 159. b.

E

Earthen Vessels to Glaze, P. 1. pag. 92.

Electuary compounded with Spirit of Salt, its manifold vertues, 287. a.

Separation of the Elements from the Chaos described, 255. a.

Elias the Artist, what, P. 1. 222. a. 350. a. P. 3. 52. a.

Elixir Proprietatis to prepare, with the volatile Spirit of Mars, P. 2. 152. b. Its use and manifold vertues, 153. It preserves both quick and dead, ibid. Elixir Proprietatis to prepare with Secret Sal-Armoniack, 179. b. Elixir Proprietatis far transcending that of Paracelsus or Helmont, P. 3. 57. b.

Embroiderers, how they may put durable Colours upon their Silk, P. 1. 179.

Enamels or Colours for Glass, to prepare, ibid.

Enemies to repell or take Captive without shedding of blood, 431. b. 437. b. 439.

Engravers and Statuaries Tools to harden, ibid.

Epilepsie or Falling-sickness, to cure, 16. b. 17. b. 21. a. 50. b. 53. a. 63. a. 265. b. The cause of the Epilepsie not known, 238. b.

Epistle to the Authour complaining of his writing too openly, P. 1. 421.

Eyes inflamed, the cure, P. 1. 13. a. 39. b. 237. a.

Erysipelas, the cure, 50. a. 288. a.

Essences of Vegitables to prepare, P. 2. 84. Essence of Ash-keys, an excellent Medicine to dissolve the Stone, 88. b. Essence of St. John_’s Wort, cures Wounds, Bruises, Obstructions of Liver and Spleen_, ibid. Essences of Tobacco and Henbane, heal diseases of the Womb, ibid. Essence _of Roses and Cinamon, a great refresher of a languishing nature_, ibid. Essence of Wine, 91. a. Essence of Pearls, Corals, and Stones, P. 3. 57. a.

Extraction of Pearls, Corals, Crabs-eyes, &c., P. 1. 44.

Extract Vomitive, 61. Purging, 62. Diaphoretick, ibid. Diuretick, ibid. Somniferous, ibid. Cordial, 63. Odoriferous, ibid.

An Extract of Corn of light Carriage, which may at any time be made into Beer, or used instead of Bread, 184.

F

Farner_’s Obligations to the Authour, for the keeping of Secrets communicated_, P. 1. 149.

Fevers not to be cured by cooling Remedies, 167. a.

Feathers to dye of any Colour, constant and durable, 180. P. 2. 149. a.

The Feathers of Eagles and Doves to prepare, for volatilizing Menstruums, P. 2. 170.

Fermentation of the Authours new, P. 2. 219. a. Of his Secret Ferment, ibid.

Fire common, its Excellency, 115. a. _Its knowledge the first step to the understanding of many Arcanums_, ibid. Fire _to extract out of any Wood or Herb whatsoever, and render it palpable and visible_, P. 2. 7. Fire to kindle into a flame from two clear Liquors, 2. Fire of the Vine to extract, 8. Fire to extract and concentrate out of Animals, ibid. Fires of Salts concentrated effect wonders, 19. Their particular Medicinal uses, 23, 24. They can doe more mischief in War than Gun-powder, 217. P. 1. 431. b. 437. b. Secret Fire or Agent-ripening Metals, 400. P. 3. 77.

Fires various and unheard-of, with their Uses, P. 2. 216, 217, 218. P. 3. 64.

The Secret Fire of the Chaldeans, of what prepared, P. 2. 69. a.

Fire of the Maccabees, what, 114. b. It joyns Gold and Silver, P. 3. 64. 8.

The Secret Fire of Philosophers, P. 2. 144. b. 219. It is called by three Names, but is either Oyl of Vitriol, P. 3. 20. a. or Oyl of Vitriol coagulated, P. 2. 184. b. It totally fixeth Mercury _into a Red sweet Tincture without any diminution of its weight_, 193. a.

The Fire of Artephius draweth out the highest power or Quintessence of Animals, Vegitables, and Minerals, without common Fire, Furnaces, or Glasses, and without Labour and Cost, P. 3. 48. a. Its Preparation, 62.

A Purgatory Fire which sweetens and purifies all Vegitable, Animal, and Mineral Subjects, P. 2. 159.

The three Principal Fires enable a Physician to prepare variety of Excellent Medicines against all diseases, 160. b.

Mineral Fires to extinguish by the Vegitable, and their corrosiveness converted into sweetness, 158.

G

Galenists err in their administring Gold and pretious Stones, P. 2. 198. b. 199. a.

Gangrene cured by Spirit of Sal-Armoniack, P. 1. 50. a.

Gardens, or Orchards to keep out Deer, Swine or wild Beasts, 192. a. To rid them of Worms and other Insects, 181. To prevent Spiders and other Insects from creeping up Fruit-trees, 9. b. 192. a.

Gems or pretious Stones to amend their Colours, P. 3. 50. a.

Gems or Artificial Stones to make of various Colours, P. 1. 82, 83. 412, 413. a. A Ruby or Emerald, 248. b. or Hyacinth, 217. b. Granats _to change into Rubies and pale Hyacinths, and other white Stones to exalt in their Colour_, P. 2. 212. b.

Glassy Colour to prepare like the Indian Porcellan, P. 1. 180.

Glass of Copper red, fit for the tinging or painting of Glass, 135.

Glass of Antimony to prepare easily, 14. a. Glass of Lead for the fluxing of Tin Ashes, to prepare, 39. 112. Glass is the Philosophers Lutum Sapientiæ, P. 2. 167. a.

Glasses to gild durably with the Colour of Silver, P. 1. 391. b. Glasses to hold volatile and subtile Spirits, 87. The way of grinding Glass-stoppers, ibid.

Gold living, how it differs from the dead, P. 2. 131. _Of its preparation and dissolution into tender Atoms, fit for Vivification and Medicinal use_, ibid. 139, 140. _How those Atoms are to be further opened and made volatile like a Vegitable_, 131. How the Stomach may be assisted so that it may dissolve Gold, 132. Gold when exanimated, flies the fire like Arsnick, 72. a. The Medicinal Carbuncle of Gold to prepare, 51. The Tincture of it swiftly promotes the growth of Vegitable Seeds, 52. Gold to be exalted in the Mineral Aries by the Secret Sal-Armoniack, 189. a.

Gold not to be reduced into three Principles, P. 3. 26. a. nor to have its Colour extracted by Salts, for the Tinging of Lune; but to be resolved by putrefaction, and made irreducible, ibid. How this is to be done, 27. a. after a Total blackness, 27. a. ariseth the Peacock’s tail, and Dragon’s blood, 28. a.

Gold its Tincture, with its Use, P. 1. 26. a. Another Tincture of Gold, or Aurum Potabile, with its Vertues, 265. It turns a Needle or pure Iron Wire into fine Gold, _by digesting in it_, 267. b. Gold with Silver to prepare into a fusile purple Stone, 384. To sublime into a Red Medicinal Salt, P. 2, 168.

Gold may be gotten out of every Herb, P. 1. 374. b. Demonstrated by the Authour in the preface of many learned Men, P. 410. a. 412. b. Gold dissolved in a Corrosive, and the Corrosive dulcify’d, becomes a Liquor, which may serve for an Aurum Potabile, and gilds Quicksilver, and other Metals, with a Golden Colour, 386. b. Gold to generate in Saturn, 397. b. To conjoyn with its Capital enemy Sulphur, and with Lune, 398, 399. Gold volatile in some Oars and coloured Flints, may be distilled into a gradatory Water, transmuting Mercury into Gold, P. 1. 426.

Gold and Silver to purifie, and separate from each other, P. 1. 147. a. 331. b. by Melting onely, 175. Gold _to separate from the imperfect Metals and Minerals onely by melting in a Crucible_, 177. Gold to separate from the imperfect Metals, 145, 146. a. _Gold and Silver to get out of old Tin or Pewter Vessels, the Tin or Pewter being preserved and amended_, 176. Gold impure to separate and purge by Antimony, 104.

Gold to extract with profit from Flints, Sand, Clay, &c., P. 1. 101. 371, 426. P. 2. 76. _An infallible way of proving whether they hold much or little Gold_, ibid. As also out of Granats, Agaths, Saphires, Rubies, Red Talk, _&c. which will not yield either to Lead, or sharp Waters, and to reduce it to a body_, P. 1. 422, 423, 426. P. 2. 12, 15. Gold to extract out of any Copper, 17, 18. Out of natural Vitriol, ibid. 65. b. Out of Sea-salt, 18. Out of poor Lead Oar, ibid. Out of all rude and stubborn Metallick Earths, 19. 67. Gold _and Silver Marchasites, how to get more Metal from them, than by the common way of Melting_, P. 1. 172. _How to fix them in three hours space, so that they shall yield a double quantity of Metal to what they would have done before_, 175.

Gold _to make out of Silver with profit, and Gold and Silver to separate after a peculiar manner from Iron, Copper, Tin and Lead_, P. 3. 46. Gold to separate from Iron or Copper by the Glass of Lead, P. 2. 40. From Regulus of Antimony without loosing the Regulus, ibid. From Copper, 43. From Arsnick, P. 1. 321. Gold, Silver, and Copper to extract from poor Oars, by Aqua Fortis or Spirit of Salt, P. 1. 360, 415, 425, 426, 427. _The same may be done with the Water of Salt, or Salt-peter, acuated with the Oyl of Vitriol_, ibid. How to precipitate, and reduce the extracted Metals, 416. Gold to augment by the imperfect Metals, P. 1. 178, 361, 362. Gold _and Silver to separate from each other, by a cheaper way than the common_, P. 2. 194. and both from Copper, 217.

Gout Pains, suddenly to ease, P. 1. 37. a. 288. a. Its Knots to dissolve, 50.

Gout to cure, 265. b. P. 2. 24. b. 58, 59. P. 3. 28. b. Many Gouty persons cured in a few years by the Golden Panacæa of Antimony, 110. b.

Gonorrhæa to cure, P. 2. 149. a.

Gravel to expell, P. 1. 37. a.

Grapes to have ripe sooner than ordinary, 183. Grapes _dried, or Raisons how to recover their sweetness, as when pluckt fresh from the Vine_, 284. b.

Griffin Phylosophick generated of the Lion and Eagle, 356. a. 406. b. 407. a.

Gunpowder found out by a Monk, Anno 1380, 433. a. The Authour thinketh the Monk did ill to divulge it, ibid. b. He speaks of another way to captivate Enemies without killing them, ibid.

H

Hair to Dye, as also Skins, Wool, Bones, with a purple or red Colour, constant and durable, P. 2. 149. a.

Hens delight in Salt, which makes them lay the more Eggs, P. 1. 169. a. They devour Sand and small Pebbles for the matter of Egg-shells, 284. a.

Quick Hedges to cause to grow up in half the usual time, 191. b.

Herbs to make grow up in a few hours space, P. 1. 200. b. P. 3. 59. a. To communicate to them the nature of any Metal, 210. a. Herbs various and unknown, to produce without Seed, 257. b. 289. a. P. 2. 49. The great errour of Galenists, in attributing the same vertues to Herbs in those Northern Climates, as were ascribed to them in the Southern, 217. a. The Herbs of cold Countries may be rendred equal in vertue to those of hot, by the Terrestrial Sun and Art, 217. b. Herbs to discover by an experiment, whether they are profitable or unprofitable in Medicine, P. 2. 23.

History of Gold made out of Sea-Salt, P. 1. 412. a. History of an Infant preserved from Corruption many years, in a certain Water, and at length turn’d into a Stone, 260. a. History of a Mountebank at Paris, kill’d by the Odour of a spirituous or volatile Poyson, P. 2. 85. a. History of a Country-man to whom a Doctor had prescribed Album Græcum, 159. a. History of Sigismund Wan, who built a Church and Hospital by Wealth obtained from separating the Gold and Silver from Tin, 201 a. P. 1. 371. b.

Hony to Ferment before the distillation of its burning Spirit, P. 1. 58. To take away its ungratefull Tast, and purge it from its hidden Impurities, so that an excellent Drink may be made of it, for small charge, serving instead of Wine, 286. a. P. 2. 56. Or a Metheglin with Spices, 57. a.

Hops to produce in plenty, P. 1. 191. b. To preserve the Hop-poles in the Earth, long from rotting, ibid.

Horns to soften, so that any Image may be printed upon them, 182.

Hovels of Grain, to keep Rats and Mice from running up the Posts, 192. a.

I

Iron to graduate into Gold by a Fulmen, P. 3. 71. N. B. By Sal-mirabils, P. 2. 49. To exalt it into Copper by the same, 50. All Iron contains Gold, both fixt and volatile, P. 1. 375. An eighth part of Iron changed into Gold, P. 1. 230. a. Iron to change into Gold, Silver, or Copper, by a Fulmen, 230. b. Iron to change into Copper according to Paracelsus, 240. a. 293. b. Iron _Tools changed into Copper, by length of time, in Mines of Vitriol_, 229. a. 234. b. Iron to separate from Copper, 326. b. Iron made as fusile and malleable as Copper, P. 1. 375. a.

Itch, or Scab, to cure, 364. b.

J

Jupiter and Venus beget Apollo and Diana, 401. b.

L

Land, poor and barren, to enrich without Dung, P. 1. 187, 189, 191, 193. b. 200. b. 405. a. 417. a. P. 2. 33. This Manure holds good twenty years, ibid. The manner of preparing this Manure of Common Salt and Lime, P. 1. 416.

Lead Oar, Course and not meltable, how to extract the Lead from it, P. 2. 18. Lead, or any Lead Oar, to reduce into Ashes, and thence to extract Gold and Silver, P. 1. 399. a. 414. P. 2. 36.

Lead easily separated from its Oar, by adding Iron in the melting, P. 1. 74. a.

Lead to amend by the graduating Extractions of coloured Flints, P. 2. 37. _How to reduce the Calx of Gold precipitated from the Lead, and washed, without any loss_, 38, 39. Of the nature and property of Lead, 198. It contains a sharp Sal-nitrous Spirit, 199. Lead to make hard like Iron, so that great Guns may be made of it, 199. b. The inward juice of Lead is sweeter than any Sugar, P. 1. 381. b. A white precipitate of Lead to prepare, 382. a.

N. B. Lead hath the power of dulcifying Corrosives, and thence grows so penetrant, that it will presentt run through three Crucibles one in another, P. 2. 200. a. To make it hard and white like Silver, P. 3. 89. b.

A red Stone of Saturn and Mars _to prepare, with its manifold Vertues in Physick and Chyrurgery_, P. 1. 382. b. It is the true Lapis Hæmatitis of the ancient Physicians, 383. a. _The red Sublimate ascending in this operation, is able by Sympathy, to cure at a distance, any Flux of blood whatsoever_, ibid. A white Stone to prepare of Saturn and Lune, 383.

Black Lead of Philosophers, what, P. 2. 217. b.

Leprosie, to cure, P. 1. 265. b.

Leather to make black, 180. 364. b.

Linnen Threads to make so soft, as to emulate Silk, 180.

Looking Glasses and Burning-Glasses, to make, P. 1. 79. The Metallick mixture for the same, 80. The manner of smoothing and polishing them, 81.

The Ludus of Paracelsus prepared by the Authour, with his Alcahest or secret Sal-Armoniack, for the Stone, p. 2. 180. b.

Lune to graduate into Sol by a singular Spirit, 68. b.

Lutes for the building of Furnaces, joyning of Receivers, and for broken Glasses, p. 1. 86.

Of the Lion or Lions blood, how to be prepared, and used in Medicine and other Arts, p. 2. 149. It cures the Leprosie and Pox, Ibid.

M

Madness and Melancholy hypocondriack, the cure, P. 1. 176.

Magistery of Pearl, Coral, &c. to prepare, 18. b. The abuse used in those Preparations, ibid. Of Egg-shells, with its vertues, P. 3. 57. a.

Magnesia is rich in a Metallick Tincture, P. 1. 353. How to prepare its Tincture with Alcohol of Wine, P. 3. 56. An Universal Medicine of it to prepare, with its use, P. 2. 150. P. 3. 33. With the Secret Fire of Philosophers, 39. b.

Magnetism, its admirable Power in attracting its like, P. 2. 29.

Magnetism of Metals, Salts, and Stones, P. 1. 342. P. 3. 40. a.

Magnet to attract a Universal Medicine or Mercury from the Air, P. 2. 137. 164, 165. a.

Another Magnet to attract the Astral, and vivifying Rays of the Sun, and to render them corporeal, palpable, and constant in the Fire, P. 1. 390.

Magnet attracting Water, its manifold uses, P. 2. 64. Magnet to attract from Gold, its Tincture, 165.

Malting, the differences, P. 1. 57. Malt, _its Fermentation, in order to distill from it a burning Spirit_, 58.

Mars or Iron to purifie by Saturn and Salts, 133. a. Mars and Venus _to conjoyn inseparably, and their Tinging blood to prepare_, P. 3. 31. b.

A Medicine to remove all Obstructions of the Bowels and Vessels, and strengthen the Stomach, to prepare, P. 2. 152. b. An Universal Medicine may be prepared in a few days for Ten shillings charge, P. 3. 58. a.

Megrim, cured by Spirit of Sal-Armoniack, P. 1. 50. a.

Medicines Universal, their excellency above particular, P. 2. 180. b.

Menstruum to extract the fixt Sulphur or tinging Anima of Metals, 21. Menstruum dissolving Copper mixt with Gold, and precipitating the Gold, 43.

Mercurius Vitæ, to prepare, P. 1. 8.

Mercury not cold, as the vulgar think, but hot and fiery, 137. b. 142.

Mercury precipitate red, to prepare, P. 1. 28. a. Yellow precipitate of Mercury, kills Lice, 29. a. Mercury abused in Physick, 28. b. Mercury to Coagulate into a hard body, 142. a. Mercury _to fix with the moist fires of Salts, so as constantly to abide the fire_, P. 2. 26, 27. To prepare into a Red Powder strongly purging, 28. Mercury Coagulated into a fixt white Body, 161. a. To purifie by a Fulmen, so as after it may be easily fixt, P. 3. 71. Common Mercury _purified and fixt into a Red Powder in two or three days_, 192. a. It enters Gold and augments it, 196. a. Common Mercury hath in it self no Tincture, P. 3. 16. _How it may acquire Tincture, and by preparation become the Mercury of Philosophers_, ibid. How to fix it by Animal superfluities, P. 3. 89. b.

Mercury of Antimony to prepare, either Purgative or phoretick, with its excellent use in Physick, P. 2. 161, 183.

Mercury of Saturn, and of Lune, to prepare, 127. a. P. 3. 15. They fix Common Mercury, ibid. Mercury of Saturn _may be distilled into a sweet Milk, and then coagulated into a Stone, which Coagulates_ Argent vive, P. 2. 116. Mercury of Saturn fixed into Gold, 137.

The Mercury of Metals is the Mercury of Philosophers, P. 3. 12. a. 69. b. Divers ways of extracting it, 12, 13. P. 2. 67. per se 158. Advise to seek Mercury in Saturn, and Sulphur in Mars, rather than in Gold and Silver, P. 3. 12. a. A Tinging Mercury to prepare out of Antimony, 14. Antimony yields more Mercury than Vitriol, ibid. A Tinging Mercury to prepare out of Mars and Venus, ibid. P. 3. 72. a. Out of Jupiter, 15. Mercury _to prepare out of Metals and Minerals, by the help of Tartar onely_, 14, 15. The Mercury of Metals to prepare by the Salt of the World, P. 3. 73. a.

The Mercury of Philosophers to prepare by the help of Secret Sal-Armoniack, P. 2. 182. The Mercuries of Jupiter and Mars, being conjoyned, are together instantly converted into fixed Gold, ibid. A Philosophick Mercury to prepare in great quantity, without charge, P. 3. 16. The Mercury of Philosophers being set at liberty, carries with it self its own Tinging Sulphur, 12. b. How to prove whether the Mercury of Metals be well prepared or not to give a Tincture, 13. The conjunction and fixation of the Philosophick Mercury with Gold, ibid.

Of the Mercury of Wine, P. 3. 55. a. Its Preparation, P. 2. 67. Its admirable Vertues, 189. P. 3. 68. b. _Experiment of turning it into a red Stone, which tinged Silver into Gold_, 75. b.

Metals, how generated, P. 1. 115. b. Metallick Mines discovered by various accidents, 120. How to find them by Art, ibid. The Hazle rod fallacious, ibid. Metals and Minerals have their birth from one Common Seed, 121. a. Metalline Seed _as capable of Multiplication, as the Vegetable and Animal_, 363. a.

Metals, how to separate, P. 1. 70. From each other by precipitation, 325. b. N. B. 334. a. To separate the courser Metals from each other, 72. Metalline Oars, how to prove what Metal they hold, 172. Metals may be purified in two or three hours time, 357. a. Metals to amend, and concentrate by Nitre, 201.

Metals imperfect, changed into more perfect, by the help of Salts, P. 1. 177, 178. P. 2. 11. How to be slain by their Enemies, and transmuted into better, ibid. Metals _fugacious and of no worth, to ripen by Common Salt and Fire, so as to yield Gold and Silver with profit_, 35.

Metals, how purified, P. 2. 117. a. Their Reduction into Calxes, as Crocus Martis, Minium, _Red Precipitate_, &c. no true purification, ibid. How to make Metals _grow up like Vegetables, before the Eye, to the length of a finger or more in the space of two or three hours_, P. 1. 178. P. 2. 59. a. Metallick Tree, with its parts, P. 2. 105. b. Magnesia grows up into a blood-red Tree, P. 3. 59. a.

Metals not to be spiritualized with Corrosive Waters, by distillation, 132. a. Metals, notwithstanding, may be depurated, and made volatile by distillation, P. 2. 127. b. Metalline Spirits coagulate and fix Mercury, 153. b. Metals are so destroyed by the Fulmen of Jove, that they cannot be again reduced into Metallick Bodies by melting, but pass into Glass of divers Colours, which Glass being again reduced by Art, yields much better Metals than before, P. 1. 201. b. Metals not to be amended but by Sulphur, P. 1. 375. a. Metals to distinguish, by the colour of their Fumes, and figure of their Motion, in the fire, P. 1. 272. b. 273. a. The Metals have divers names imposed upon them by the Poets, 401. a.

Metallick Tincture to prepare, P. 1. 204. a.

A Metallick _Medicament to prepare, profitable in all distempers of the Brain_, P. 2. 116. What is to be held concerning the perfection of Metals, P. 1. 72.

Minerals, of their kinds and difference, P. 1. 318. How to be tried, P. 1. 69. 322. P. 2. 22. a. Whether they may be transmuted into Metals, and into what, P. 1. 77. Minerals _poysonous, how to be corrected by the moist fire of Salt, and to be converted into good Medicine_, P. 2. 26. Minerals after they have been extracted with Aqua Regia _will still afford Salt-peter with profit_, P. 2. 12.

Mines _and Stones, that are poor in Silver and Copper to extract by a moist way_, P. 2. 14, 15. _Minerals stubborn and glassy, are subdued in the fire with fixed Salts_, P. 1. 332. b.

Mice delight in Salt, P. 1. 169. a.

Money, _how to improve it without putting it to Usury by a Metallick work_, 194. Gold more profitable to be used in this work than Silver, 197. b.

Mountains burning, not Hell, as some think, P. 1. 118, 119.

N

Niter or Salt-peter, its generation, P. 1. 309, 356. Of its use and benefit, 200, 359, 409. a. _It is a meer fire, whether it be in the form of a fixed Salt, or of a volatile Spirit_, P. 2. 114. a. How to make its fire appear visibly in a flame, ibid. Its cold and moist fire to prepare, P. 2. b. Niter agrees with all the marks of the Philosopher’s Mercury, P. 1. 167. b.

The River Nile aboundeth with Niter, _by which it enricheth the adjacent Country without Dung_, 185. b. The plenty of Niter in Egypt _was the cause of their transmutation of Metals_, ibid. The Niter or Salt-peter _of the Ancients was extracted out of Rocks and Stones, as the word_ Salt-peter signifieth, P. 1. 342. b. That Art is now wholly lost in Europe, ibid. Niter yet extracted out of Rocks in the East-Indies, ibid.

Niter wonderfully promoteth the growth and encrease of Corn, P. 1. 224. b. 359. b. _Fixt Niter hath no equal, in promoting the growth of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals_, 199. b. It giveth a better Odour to Fruits, than Dung, P. 2. 33. Niter _is capable of affording all things both for health and wealth_, 407. a. Niter brought in speaking of it self, 363. b. Its use in preparing of Medicines of Vegetables and Animals, P. 2. 99.

Niter acting in three forms, viz. the Lion, Eagle, or Griffin, dissolves all things in the World, P. 1. 406. b.

Niterous Fountains in Franconia proceeding from a Mountain of Stones containing Niter, cure many diseases, 343. b.

Niter the onely Medium of making the Metals Astral, 357. a. Niter to prepare by Art of an extraordinary strength, 357. b.

The Anima or Tincture of Niter Enigmatically described, P. 2. 120. a. _One drop of it is able to tinge a whole Glass of Water with a golden Colour_, ibid. P. 1. 315. b. N.B. 316. a. Its Preparation is more openly taught, P. 2. 169. Its Vertues, P. 1. 388. b. P. 2. 31. How to exalt it to the highest power and purity, 31. 40. a.

Niter to prepare of Dung of divers sorts, of Leaves of Trees, &c. P. 1. 338. Out of Lime and Wood, 339. Out of rotten Wood, 409. a. Out of Rocks and Stones, 340, 374. a. Experiment to try what Stones contain most Niter, ibid. b. Difference of Stones containing Niter, _and how they are to be known_, P. 1. 341, 344. b.

Niter to prepare in plenty out of Common Salt and Lime, 344. b. 416. Niter or Salt-peter _to make with little or no cost by its own Seed_, P. 1. 317, 335, 370, 417. b. 418. By its own Root, 410. b. 413. P. 2. 40, 41.

Niter how to extract and boil up, 345. The way of augmenting the crude Lixivium before boiling, 357. b.

Niter, when purified, shoots into long smooth Crystals of a sexangular Figure, and how it is to be brought to that purity, 274. b. 275. a.

Niter to fix, and thence to prepare a fiery Liquor or Menstruum, P. 2. 98. Ten pounds of Niter _may be extracted out of a hundred weight of Bones of Beasts, Birds, and Fishes_, P. 1. 310. a. Niter _may be made in great quantities out of the Flesh and Bones of_ Whales, Entrails of Stock-fish, &c. which are cast away, 313. a. Experiment of making Niter out of Bullock’s Blood, ibid. Necessary admonitions about the making of Niter or Salt-peter, ibid. 314. N.B. 315.

O

Oyls _of Vegetables to obtain in greater quantity than by a Common Still_, P. 1. 5. a. P. 2. 122. a. _One general Process for the Oyls of Vegetables, shewn by distilling the Oyl of Turpentine_, 123. b. Essential Oyls to exalt to a great subtilty, 119. b. Oyls fœtid, to make sweet and clear, P. 1. 6. a. Oyls warm, fetch Pitch and Rosin out of Cloth, 376. Oyls, how to be Coagulated into Balsams, 60.

Oyl of Amber to prepare, with its Vertues, P. 1. 52. Oyl of Arsnick and Orpiment, 9. 35. Oyl of Ashkeys, a sure Remedy against the Stone, P. 2. 122. a. Oyl or Butter of Antimony, 35, 36. Its external use, 8. b. Oyl of Harts-horn, 51.

Oyl of Lapis Calaminaris, with its uses, P. 1. 9. Oyl of Wine made by its help, ibid. Oyl or Liquor of Gold Corrosive, 7. a. Oyl of Lune, 51. Oyl of Mars, ibid. Oyl of Regulus Martis, 34. Its manifold vertues and uses, 34, 35. Oyl of Mastick, Frankincense and other Gums, 5. b. Oyl of Mercury, 7. Oyl of Metals and Minerals, red and sweet, 6. b.

Oyl-olive to distill, commonly called the Philosopher’s Oyl of Bricks, P. 1. 53. Its Vertues and Use, ibid. 54. Oyl of Saturn, and of Jupiter, 7. 36. Oyl of Soot, 52. Oyl of Sulphur, _styled the Mercury of Philosophers, because it may easily be transmuted into a sweet fusile Stone_, P. 2. 191.

Oyl of Talk, with Niter, P. 1. 33. Oyl of Tartar, 36. Oyl of Tin, it exalts Colours, 33. Oyl of Venus, 7. Oyl of Vitriol, sweet, to prepare, 21. Its Use and Dose, 22. Blood-red, with Spirit of Urine, 50. Oyl of Vitriol corrosive, to prepare, 17. Oyl of Vitriol _white, and red, to Coagulate into a sweet fusile Stone, having power in the transmutation of Metals, and Gems_, P. 2. 191. Oyl of Vitriol or Sulphur is the Agent of Philosophers, P. 3. 62. b.

Oyl of Zink, P. 1. 36.

Opium may be so prepared, that its very Odour will lay the outward senses asleep, P. 2. 153. b. Opium, Henbane and Tobacco to prepare into excellent Medicines, P. 3. 57. b.

P

Panacæa of Antimony, its preparation and general use, P. 1. 163.

Paracelsus caused humane Dung to be set before the Emperour’s Physicians, who required of him some Medicinal Experiment, P. 2. 159. b.

Paracelsus_’s Abbreviation of the Process of the Ancients in preparing the Tincture of Naturalists_, P. 1. 233. Projection of the said Tincture upon Metals, 234. Paracelsus with it cured the worst of diseases, 235. a. His Prophecy, 351. His Epitaph, 352. His Lion of the North is Niter, 350. a. Partnership pernicious in the Philosophick work, P. 2. 147. And trusty Servants very rare to get, ibid. Paracelsus _had thirteen Servants came under the Hangman’s Lash, and but one that he thought was honest_, 148. a.

Pearls to prepare into a Magistery, or white shining Powder, and to make the same of Mother of Pearl, or other Shells, P. 1. 18. b. Pearl Philosophick, to take with the Net of Saturn, 265. b. To draw it forth of Common Salt, P. 2. 5.

The Philosopher’s Stone not to be attained by the most acute Powers of humane reason, without the assistance of divine inspiration, P. 1. 185. b. Such Philosophers rare to be found, as will instruct others in their work, P. 2. 146.

The Philosophers _have prepared their Tincture of several Subjects, and by divers Methods_, 144, 145. a. The Authour’s opinion which way is the best, 146. b. 147. a. How a man ought to be qualified that will undertake the Philosophick work, 145. b. Pride hinders a man from knowledge, ibid.

Poyson consists in the excess of Cold, P. 2. 105. a.

Poysonous Animals and Vegetables reside and grow in cold and shady places, ibid.

Press described for extracting the juice or sap of Wood, for the making of Salt-peter, or the enriching of barren Land, P. 1. 188. How to convert the sowr juice of Wood into Salt-peter, ibid.

Printer’s Ink, to render very fair and good, 179.

Proserpine, what, P. 2. 191. a.

Purges work onely by their crudity and aversion to the stomach, P. 2. 17. a. b.

Purges of Vegetables not so safe as those of Metals, P. 1. 385. a. Purging Vegetables much corrected by Spirit of Wine, P. 2. 179. a.

Purge for strong people of Copper, P. 1. 41. a. Of Iron, for weaker, ibid. A purge prepared of Saturn, with its use and dose, 385. A purge of Lune or Silver, ibid. A purging Gold, ibid.

Putrefactions are made much sooner by Art than Nature, P. 1. 225. a.

Putrefaction of Vegetables is presently made in the stomachs of Men, 224. b.

Pythagoras_’s errour concerning the Transmigration of humane Souls, is true of the Metallick_, 358. a.

Q

Quintessence of Vegetables, to prepare, p. 1. 6. b. Quintessence of all Metals and Minerals, ibid. P. 3. 58. b. How to fix them into Tinctures with Sol and Lune, ibid. Their Medicinal use, ibid. A wonderfull Quintessence of Wine, _which dissolveth all things and bringeth their vertues over the helm_, P. 2. 63, 64.

R

Rapes, Radishes, and other things to make grow far larger and fairer than usual by planting their Seeds in their Roots, P. 3. 35. b.

Ripley’s Toad, mentioned in his Dream, what, P. 2. 217. a.

Rivers afford Stones rich in Gold and Silver, 81. a.

S

The Salt of the Ocean (as a Universal Agent) gives nourishment to all things which grow on the Earth, P. 1. 248, 249, 255, 256. P. 3. 33.

The Sea-water abates of its saltness the nearer it is to the North, ibid. Of the Precipitation of the Salt from Sea-water, and rendring it drinkable, 284. b. 285. a. Common Salt containeth spiritual Gold, which may be rendred visible by Art, 283. a. It preserveth both the living and the dead from Corruption, ibid. It conduceth much to the fatning of Hogs, and other Beasts, ibid. Common Salt kills Vegetables, as it is, but turn’d into a Lixivial Salt, promotes Vegetation, P. 1. 89.

Common Salt, _when throughly purified, always hath the shape of a Cube or Square_, P. 1. 274. a. How it is to be so purified, ibid. b. Salt _advanceth and conducteth the Vertues or Vices of what it is conjoyned with, whether good or evil_, 262. b. Examples proving the same in Mercury and Orpiment, ibid. Salt feigned to declare its own Vertues, 254. a. 274. a.

Common Salt may be transmuted into a burning Spirit, into true Salt-peter, P. 1. 193. b. 405. a. It may in a few hours obtain the Nature of Pot-Ashes, and serve for all uses to which they are put, as for Soap-boylers, Glass-makers, &c. 406. a. Salt is able to draw out the Anima of Gold, and leave its Body of the colour of Lead, and brittle and fugacious like Antimony, 258. a. Salt is the Symbol of Eternity, 254. b. It corroborateth the Heart more than Wine, 256. b.

The fruitfull nature of Salt _appears from the Multiplication of Fishes, beyond Birds and Animals_, P. 1. 257. b. Salt _and Fire transmute the vile Metals, into more Noble. An evident demonstration_, 434. The Salt _of the Microcosmick Sea, far more potent in the ripening of Metals, than the Salt of the Ocean_, 396. a. The Spirit and Salt _of the World being added to any dissolved Metal, and distilled, carries over the Tinging_ Anima _of the Metal_, P. 3. 18. b. Salts simple and compound, their excellency in Alchymy, 434. b. N.B.

Secret Sal-Armoniack, its description, preparation, and use, P. 2. 178. Its use in the amending of Metals, 198. It performs more than Helmont hath attributed to his Alcahest, 186. a. Divers Medicines for the Stone to prepare with it, ibid. Volatile Salt of Wine or Tartar, to prepare, P. 3. 69. a.

Secret Sal-Armoniack, of various preparations, P. 2. 209. a.

A wonderfull Sal-Armoniack to be prepared from the fæces of Tin, 202. b. It inseparably conjoyneth Gold and Silver, 203. a. N.B. It is a Magnet to draw Tinctures, 204. b. _Being dissolved in Spirit of Salt, it attracts Gold or Tinctures from Metallick Solutions, and precipitates them in form of a purple or blood-red Powder_, 205. a. It extracts and exalts the Colours of Vegetables and Animals, ibid. He that hath it, and knows its use, needs no Books, ibid.

A Spiritual Sal-Armoniack or Alcahest described, which can extract the Tinctures of all red Bodies, and again introduce them into white Bodies, without altering the figure of either, 209, 210. a. It maketh Gold as volatile as Spirit of Wine, in three hours space, 210. b. And again changeth it into a transparent, fixt, tinging Carbuncle, 212.

Sal-Mirabilis, its Original, P. 1. 223. Of its Name and Vertues, 224. Its Preparation, 225, 261. Of its outward Figure and Tast, 261. Enigmatical description of its Use, 254. Its use in Physick, Alchymy, and Mechanick Arts, 226, 227, 228, 262. Of its wonderfull power in the kingdom of Vegetables, 224. How it is to be prepared for that use, P. 2. 47. It restores Trees and Insects, half dead, to life, P. 1. 410. b., P. 2. 47. The use of Sal-Mirabilis _in dissolving of Metals, and preparing of Medicines_, P. 1. 264. P. 2. 48. Its Universal use in the emendation of Metals, P. 2. 50. How by it the imperfect Metals may be made perfect, ibid. _The Author by its help hath often tinged one end of an Iron Wyer, into Copper, and the other into Gold_, P. 1. 229. b.

Sal-Mirabilis to strengthen by its own Spirit, P. 1. 411. a. A graduating Spirit of Sal-Mirabilis, P. 2. 68. b. How to know if the Sal-Mirabilis be well prepared, 53. How by it any Grain or Seed may be encreased a Thousand fold, 54. How it is profitable for Vineyards, 54, 55. Divers profitable uses of it about Wines and Brandy, 55, 56.

Sal-Mirabilis _turns Water, Wine, Ale, and other Liquors into hard pieces, like Ice, in a few hours space_, P. 2. 44. It Coagulates all acid corrosive Spirits in like manner, ibid. It stops the head of a Fountain, ibid. Separates the phlegm from subtile Spirits, ibid. Congealeth the breath of Men into Ice, with other Operations, ibid. It betters all Wines as it were in a moment, 45. _How it may benefit those who travel in Winter, or sail on the Seas_, P. 2. 46. _How it mends Brandy made of Corn, so as to become equal to that made of the Lees of Wine_, ibid. The same by Vinegar, ibid. It amends Oyls, 47. It takes away Must or Stink from all Vessels, ibid. It preserves all kind of Fruits, Eggs, Onions, _&c. a long time from corrupting_, ibid. It turneth Wood into a Stone, ibid. How it dissolveth all hard Subjects, ibid.

Sal-mirabilis reduceth a Charcoal into its first matter _in the space of half an hour_, 48. How it renders the Vegetable Sulphur visible, ibid. Yields a Medicine but little inferiour to Aurum Potabile, ibid.

Salt of humane Dung among all Salts, onely generates putrefaction, P. 2. 159. b.

Salt-peter, see Niter.

Salt graduating Silver, to prepare, P. 1. 34. a.

Salt of Tartar to purifie by Flints, 153. b.

Salt-water takes the Salt out of saltish Flesh, or Fish, 37. b.

Of the Salt of Philosophers, _its preparation, use, and efficacy in Physick and Chymistry_, P. 3. 17. _It transmutes all imperfect Metals into Gold, and common Stones into precious ones; but hath no ingress into common Mercury_, 18. a. _It draws the Tinctures from red Subjects, and leaves the body white_, 19. a. Experiment of the red Salt or Stone of Philosophers _drawing the Tincture from Gold_, P. 3. 20. _It gave to Glass such a toughness, as it might be bowed like Steel-wyer, without breaking_, Ibid. _The Author restored by it from two years continual Sickness, to Health_, ibid.

The Secret Salt of Philosophers, (or their white Eagle) being dissolved in Common Water, renders the same able to glew Paper together, and makes inseparable Conjunctions, 31. b. 52.

The Salt of Art exalts both Sol and Lune into Tinctures, P. 3. 53. a. It both maketh fixt and volatile, ibid.

Sanguis Draconis and Salamander of the Philosophers, how produced, 28, 29. Its Inceration and Multiplication, 29. b. Sanguis Draconis to unite and fix, with Lac Virginis, P. 3. 31. a.

Satur _washed to the highest Whiteness, with Common Salt, is then a Bath for Metals_, P. 1. 402. a. The manner of preparing and using that Bath, 403, 404.

Seeds of Vegetables consist in a Lixivial Salt and Sulphur, P. 1. 89. b.

Silver to extract from poor Oars, by the moist way, P. 1. 425. Silver Calxes to reduce into a body without loss, ibid. P. 2. 14, 42. Silver to separate from Bismuth, and the Bismuth preserved, P. 1. 176. From old Copper, and the Copper preserved, ibid. Silver to exalt into Gold, in a few hours, 177. P. 2. 49. Silver to Transmute into Gold, P. 3. 44. b.

Silver is inwardly full of Tincture, P. 2. 144. a.

Silver, its Crystals to prepare, with their use, P. 1. 26. Its Tincture, ibid. Its green Oyl, with its use in Physick, Alchymy, and Mechanicks, 27, 391. b. The Silver Tree, 334. b.

Smiths Files, and other Tools, to make as hard as the best Steel, P. 1. 180.

Spots or Stains to take out of Cloaths, ibid.

Spiders under a year old, not poysonous, P. 2. 96. b. They will live three months without sustenance, ibid.

Spirits Terrestrial and Elementary, their great Power, P. 2. 171.

Spirits, what they are, and by what means they operate good or evil, P. 2. 23.

Spirit of Salt to distill without Retorts, with its use, P. 1. 3. 418. 283. b. Spirit of Salt, Salt-peter, or Aqua Regia _to acquire easily, so that one pound of it may be made with two or three pound of Coals, and needs no rectification_, 225, 374. a. Spirit of Salt serves for Kitchen uses better than Vinegar, 5, 10, 378, 379. Its great Vertues in Physick, 287. Spirit of Salt Tartarized, to prepare, 392. a. _It allays Thirst byond all other remedies, and is of many good uses in Physick_, ibid. Spirit of Salt, and Allom, volatile to prepare, P. 1. 22. The use of Spirit of Salt in Ships against Thirst, and the Scurvy, 284. The Spirit of Salt in Apothecaries Shops, of little worth, 283. a.

Spirit of Antimony, Tartarized, P. 1. 30. a. 41. Spirit of Corals and Sugar, red, to prepare, 53. Spirit of Salt of Tartar, and other fixed Salts, 11. Spirit of Salt of Tartar, with crude Tartar to distill, 44.

Spirit of Salt-peter, _white and acid, and red and volatile, to prepare, with their use_, P. 1. 23. Spirit of Niter Sulphurated, 29. a. Tartarized, 30. a.

Acid Spirit, or Vinegar to distill from all Vegetables, P. 1. 10. b. From Wood, in great quantity, 188, 189.

Spirit of Stone-Coals, P. 1. 30. b. It cures Scald Heads and all running Ulcers, ibid.

Spirit of Grape-stones, a Specifick for the Stone and Gout, 54. a. Spirit of Gun-powder, 32. Spirit of Hair, and Horns, 11. Of Man’s Hair, 52. It dissolveth Sulphur into a Milk, and may be fixt into a Ruby, ibid. Of Harts-horn, with its Vertues, 51, 52. Spirit of Honey, to prepare, 11, 52. Spirit of Sal-Armoniack, or Urine, to prepare, P. 1. 49. Its Vertues and Use, 50.

Spirits and Salts of Minerals, P. 1. 12.

Spirits of Metals and Minerals volatile, P. 1. 22. P. 2. 71. b. 162, 218. a. Spirit of Zinck, to prepare, P. 1. 23. Of the Dross of Regulus Martis, ibid. Spirit of Saturn, 36. It is a meer poyson, but of great power in Alchymy, P. 2. 164. a. Spirit of Jupiter, P. 1. 33. Spirit of Mars, with its Vertues, P. 3. 46. b. Spirit of Gold, and Silver, Tartarized, P. 1. 41. Spirit of Mercury Tartarized, ibid.

Spirit of Must, or new Wine, to prepare, P. 1. 53. Spirit of Paper, and Linnen Cloth, 11. Spirit of Silk, ibid. Spirit of Sugar, with its Oyl, 53. Spirit of Tartar, 36. Its Use, 37. Spirit and Oyl of Tartar joyned with Metals and Minerals, 38. Spirit of Vinegar, Honey, and Sugar, 11. Spirit of Sulphur, 54. Spirit of Vitriol volatile, with its vertues and use, P. 1. 17. P. 2. 237, 238. a. Sulphur of Vitriol Narcotick, use and dose, ibid.

A Spirit to be drawn from Wine (by the help of a secret Ferment) by which other Wines may be amended, P. 2. 153. b. From Tartar, by the same Ferment, 218. b. Spirit of Wine, to prepare, that will draw out the Tincture of Gold, 139. Spirit of Wine, by its flame, dulcifies all sowr and bitter things, 190. b. Spirit of Wine Alcolizate extracts the Tinctures of all things, and carries them over the Helm, is of admirable use for Physicians, and may be acquired as cheap as other good Spirit of Wine, 186. b. Spirit of Wine Alcolized with the Salt of Art, carries over the Helm the Essences of Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, P. 3. 54, 56. a.

Springs, whether salt or sweet, their Original, P. 1. 248. b. 249. The reason why some Springs are fresh and others salt, and why some are more salt than others, P. 1. 256.

Steel or Iron to Solder without Fire or Brass, onely by a Liquor, P. 1. 180. Stone of the Reins and Bladder, the cure, P. 2. 24. b. 58, 88. b. 95. a. 102. b. 122. b. P. 3. 55.

Stone of Fire of Basil Valentine, P. 3. 65. Its great power and vertues, ibid. Stones prepared by the Author, Tinging Metals, P. 3. 37.

Sulphur, burning, is the symbol of Death, P. 1. 254. b. Sulphurs kill all Corrosives, and reduce them to a sweetness, 386. b. Vegetable Sulphurs _perform it in one hours space, either in the dry or moist way_, ibid. Sulphur is the Original of all Metals, P. 2. 6. b. Every Sulphur _is brought to a Metallick state, by its own Agent, or Vitriolate Salt_, ibid. Sulphur, its cold and moist Fire, _to prepare_, ibid. Sulphur to fix, by the most Fires of Salts, 27. Common Sulphur to purifie by an acid Spirit, 124. b. Lac Sulphuris to prepare, 102. a. Sulphur of Antimony, Emetick, to prepare, P. 1. 30. b. Common Sulphur _to fix, in three days time, into a red tinging Stone_, P. 2. 214. The power of Sulphur in Coagulating and Tinging, 161. a. Sulphur of Tartar, of admirable vertue, ibid. It makes Gold white and brittle, P. 3. 26. b.

The Excellency of Sulphur, _when truly prepared, in Physick, Alchymy, and other Arts_, P. 3. 2. b. Sulphur _to wash and purge to a snow-like whiteness, and fix, to abide the fire_, 4, 5, 6. Its use, 7. Sulphur fixed, is the Unicorn’s Horn, _or true Bezoar of Philosophers_, 7. b. Nothing tingeth but Sulphur, 8. a. _It hath ingress into Metals, and amends them, by the help of the Salt of Metals_, 9. a. Of the Element of Fire of Sulphur, and its use, 3, 6. a. Its qualifications, 61. a. Sulphur to convert into a gradatory Water, P. 3. 9. The danger of operating upon some Sulphurs _to fix them, with the Authour’s advice to the Operatour_, 10. a. Sulphurs _in fixing, joyned with Gold and Silver, make them irreducible, but have both flux and ingress restored by the Salt of Metals_, 10, 11. Sulphur _may be fixt without the help of any external Fire, by the invisible Fire of Niter_, 11. b. The Sulphur of Philosophers held Captive in an obscure Coal, P. 1. 190. b.

The Sun (by the Medium of the Air) _is the principal Instrument of life_, P. 1. 389. a. Experiments to prove the same, ibid.

Sun Celestial and Terrestrial, their harmony with Wine and Man, P. 2. 130.

T

Tobacco rightly prepared and administered, effecteth great Cures, P. 1. 281. a.

Tapestry, its faded Colours to restore, 181.

Tartar to extract from the Lees of Wine, 292. a. Tartar afforded by other Vegetables besides Wine, 53. b. It causeth not the Gout or Stone, ibid. Tartar to purifie after divers manners, P. 2. 69. b. Tartar _truly purified, and conjoyned with Common Water, and pure Spirit of Wine, make good Wine, like the natural_, 140. a.

Thrush and other sore Mouths in Children, to cure, P. 1. 287. b.

Tin to purge from its superfluous Sulphur divers ways, P. 1. 130. a. To make Tin hard and white, like Silver, 180. Tin may serve for the writing of Letters, in case of secrecy, 273. a. Tin, its nature and property, how it may be washed, so as to yield Gold and Silver on the Cupel, P. 2. 200. Tin yields its Gold and Silver to Copper, or Regulus of Antimony, 69. a. A Process to separate Gold and Silver from Tin with gain, 202. The feces which are separated, are of more worth than the Gold and Silver, 203. b. Tin is fixed by Aqua Fortis, P. 1. 323. b.

Tincture of Antimony, P. 1. 51. Tincture or Anima of Antimony, to purifie, P. 2. 158. Tincture of Arsnick and Lune, 69. a. Tincture of Corals, to prepare, 170. Tinctures to extract from Gems, _and with them to tinge Silver into Gold_, P. 3. 50. a. Tinctures introduced into Glass, P. 2. 171. a. Tincture of Flints, to bring it over the helm and fix it, P. 2. 215. Tincture of Gold to prepare divers ways, 165, 166, 169. Tincture of Gold and Antimony, P. 1. 78. Of Gold per se, 79. Tincture of Gold, _to prepare, with the Oyl of Salt, its use and dose_, 288. b. With the Liquor of Flints or Pebbles, 47.

Tincture of Gun-powder, its preparation and use, P. 1. 32, 33. Tincture of Lapis Calaminaris, it is permanent in the fire, 34. a. Tincture of Pebble-stones, to prepare, 45. Its use in Physick, ibid. b. It abides the strongest fire, 46. a. Tincture of Metals, to prepare, P. 2. 67. Tincture of Mars found, 69. a. Tinctures of Metals to bring over the helm with Proserpina, P. 3. 46, 47. And to Coagulate them into a sweet fusile Stone, 49. To fix those Tinctures, 51. a. A Tincture or Universal Medicine _to prepare for humane and metallick Bodies by the help of a fiery_ Alcahest, P. 2. 213. Tincture or Anima of Common Sulphur, diaphoretick, to prepare, P. 1. 51. P. 2. 158. _No Tincture without Sulphur, nor no Sulphur fixt, without Salt, both those are found in Vitriol_, P. 1. 375. a. A true Tincture _may be made by Salt and Fire, for the Melioration of Metals_, 435. N.B.

Tincture of crude Tartar, P. 1. 50. Tinctures of Vegetables, to prepare, ibid. Of Sulphur, P. 3. 81. b. N.B.

Toad, Serpent, and some other poysonous Animals, are stript of their poyson, by a bare decoction, so that their flesh may safely be eaten, P. 2. 93.

Tooth-ach, eased by Spirit of Sal-Armoniack, P. 1. 50. An infallible remedy for the Tooth-ach, P. 3. 65. b.

Travellers and others who are much in the Weather, may be kept dry by Cloth dipt in a certain Varnish, P. 1. 181. Travellers to keep warm in cold weather, in Coaches or Waggons, by the help of an Artificial Fire, which may be kindled or put out at pleasure, P. 2. 114.

Trees made to grow up speedily out of Metals, by the Liquor of Sand, P. 1. 48, 178.

V

Vegetable Seeds contain much Volatile Salt, P. 3. 69. a. N.B.

Vegetables _venomous, to correct, and convert into good Medicines, by the moist Fires of Salts_, P. 2. 25. By Spirit of Niter, 101.

Vegetable Essences to prepare, 84. Their great Vertues, 85, 103, 104. Essence of Spices, 87. A Vegetable may be converted into a Metal, P. 1. 248. a. Vegetables _afford a common yellow Sulphur, in all things like to the Mineral_, ibid. Vegetables, their Concentration, 306. Of the different Salts of Vegetables, 308. b.

Vermin to discover by an Experiment, which are of most use in Medicine, P. 2. 23.

Vertues of things to discover by their Signature and Characters, P. 1. 270, 271.

Impotency of Venus, to help, P. 1. 266. a. P. 2. 55. b.

Vessel of Wood serving for Boyling, Distilling, &c. _as well as Copper, Iron, or Tin Vessels_, P. 1. 57. Vessel _of Wood for Bathing and Sweating, which may be kept hot at pleasure_, ibid. Their uses, in Boyling, Distilling, Bathing, Sweating, &c. ibid.

The Vine draweth an odour and savour from the Earth, beyond all other Plants, so that any savour may be communicated to it at pleasure by the skilfull, P. 2. 125. b. An Oyl of a sweet and strong odour, being put to the Roots of Vines, will cause them to bring forth Muscadel Grapes for ten years, 126. a. To cause Vines to grow in hard Rocks without Earth or Dung, P. 1. 192. a. Vines, and other Fruit-trees, to cause to bear much Fruit, 189. a.

Vinegar, the manner of making it, P. 1. 291. b. Vinegar to make of Grain, 166. b. Of Honey, 314. a. Vinegar of Wood, 188. It breaks Rocks and Stones, 192. b. Vinegar _of Wine and Beer, how to distinguish them from each other, although they be of equal strength_, 159. b. Vinegar to make of Wine, Beer, Metheglin, &c. by the help of Sal-mirabilis, without the heat of the Sun, P. 1. 406. a. Vinegar and Brandy to distill without fire, ibid.

Vitriol, _its great Vertues, when duly prepared, both in Medicine and Alchymy_, P. 1. 235, 236. Of the Species of Vitriol, _and how to prove its goodness, both for Alchymy and Physick_, ibid. The use of the Colcothar, and Oyl of Vitriol in Chyrurgery, 256. b. Errours and Abuses in preparing of Vitriol, 237. Of the red Oyl of Vitriol, 23. a. It cures the Scab, Scald-heads, Tetters, Ringworms, Ulcers, &c. 239. a. Of the white and green Oyl of Vitriol, ibid. Vitriol and Allom may be made out of Common Salt, P. 1. 406. a. Vitriol of Copper to prepare with Spirit of Sal-Armoniack, 50. Vitriol of Gold, to prepare, with its use, P. 2. 134. Vitriol of Lune, P. 1. 18, 51. Vitriol of Lune is the Vitriol of Philosophers, which Basilius appoints to be taken for his work, P. 2. 128. a. Vitriol of Mars and Venus to prepare, P. 1. 18. Vitriol is the Smaragdine Table of Hermes, P. 1. 411. b. Vitriol affordeth the Stone of the Wise, P. 2. 2. The preparation of its Fire, ibid. Divers ways of proving its goodness, ibid. Its use in Medicine, Alchymy, and other Arts, 3. Volatile Spirit of Vitriol, _to prepare, for the extracting and correcting_ Opium, 111. b. History of the great power of the Sulphur of Vitriol, ibid.

Ulcers, the cure, P. 1. 21. a. 40. b. 50. b. 382, 383. Of the Mouth and Throat, 265. a.

Urine may afford great profit, P. 2. 185. b. Its fire or fiery Spirit to prepare, 8. Spirit of Urine to prepare in abundance by the help of Calx-vive, 194. b. _Four, five, or six Pound of Spirit of Urine required to Coagulate one Pound of prepared_ Oyl of Vitriol _for the Secret_ Sal-Armoniack, 186. a.

W

Warts to take away, P. 1. 288. a.

Washballs, or fine Soap to make, far exceeding that of Venice, 181.

Waters Chalybeat to make at home of the same nature and vertues as Tunbridge or the Spaw-water, 286. b.

Water to concentrate, to quench thirst, and resist diseases, 282. b.

Water to preserve from stink and corruption on Shipboard, 284. a.

Water corrupted, and muddy, made sweet and clear, 285. a.

Wax, yellow, to make white, P. 1. 179.

Wine, its vertues and vices, P. 1. 298. b. It is prejudicial to be drank by Youth, ibid. It hath a great familiarity with Man, and Gold, P. 2. 139.

New Wines being fermented with Sal-mirabilis, _become fine in a months time, and have the tast and smell of Old Wines_, N.B. P. 1. 405. b. Wine to make of an incredible strength by Fermentation, 406. a. The Spirit in Wine, Beer, or other Liquors, is their preserver, 159. a. Wines to preserve from fretting in Summer, 286. a. Wines _grown brown or red by keeping, again made clear, 285. a. Wines poor and eager, to amend, 157, 158. To amend and strengthen small Wines _in such years as the Grapes are not sufficiently ripe for want of Sun_, 299. a. P. 2. 153. b. 218. b. The vertue of the Quintessence of Wine _in bettering of all Wines_, P. 1. 300. b. Wine, _Tenacious, or roapy and corrupt, how brought to its former state and purity_, P. 2. 27. Wines to preserve and amend by the Element of Fire of Sulphur, P. 2. 3. b.

To give to French Wines _the Smell, Tast, and Colour of Rhenish, and make it keep many years good_, P. 1. 286. a. Rhenish Wine to change into Muscadel by a certain Herb, P. 2. 125. a. The difference of Wines, P. 1. 299. a. Spanish Wines contain no Tartar, ibid. but afford a double quantity of Spirit, to what Rhenish Wine doth, ibid. Wine _to concentrate, or bring into a narrow compass, so that it may be carried from place to place with small charge_, 299. b. 300. Wines _may be made of the juice of Apples or Pears, having the relish of the natural, and but little inferiour to it in strength and durability_, P. 1. 166. b. 181, 183. Of Wine-Lees to make Brandy, Vinegar, Tartar, and Pot-ashes, 292, 293.

Wood to preserve long from rotting, P. 1. 189. Wood, its Sap or Juice to press out, for the making of Saltpeter, and other uses, 188, 189. Wood to prepare by Sal-mirabilis, _that it may long resist the Fire and Water_, P. 2. 52, 53.

Womens Skins to make of a beautifull whiteness, P. 1. 181.

Womb, an excellent Medicine to prepare for it, P. 2. 117. An Instrument to convey Medicines into the Womb, with its use, 118. a.

Worms, the cure, P. 1. 21. a. 41. a. 50. b. 364. b. A certain Remedy against Worms, _and the Fevers thence proceeding_, P. 2. 134. b. Another of no charge, 136. a. An History of a Child that had Worms, 136. How to make Worms creep out of the Earth of their own accord, 104. a. Worms to convert into good Medicine, by the Universal Dissolvent, 97. May-worms prepared by the Alcahest _or Liquour of fixt Niter, are a Remedy against the_ Gout and Stone, _also against the Impotency of_ Venus, 104. b.

Z

Of Zink, P. 1. 319.

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Transcriber’s Notes:

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