A Corollary.
Well-meaning Reader,
In this small Treatise I have in few words revealed great Secrets, such as were known to no Man before me, except Paracelsus, who very briefly speaks of the chief of them. And Helmont, touching the great Virtues of that, hath writ many things. And since my Sal-Armoniack performs the same in all Operations, which Helmont ascribes to his Alcahest, I am able to ascribe somewhat more to my Sal-Armoniack, than he ascribed to his Alcahest, yea, many things, which may profitably be performed by the benefit thereof, among which the chief is this, viz. that by help of it all Metals and Minerals may be reduced to their first Matter, that is, into a Spiritual Mercury, which is the highest Magistery in Chymistry.
I, in this little Book, have onely prescribed a few ways of preparing Medicaments, and that in a Laconick-Style, became I writ these things in my Sick-bed. Indeed I could willingly and gladly forbear Writing, both now and heretofore; for by all that ever I writ, I never gained one half-peny. But Christian Charity inflamed me to consecrate this great Arcanum, and the fruitfull use thereof, (before I dye, knowing in the Grave nothing can be done) and to publish the same for the good of Mankind remaining in the Earth; being full of great Hope, there will not want some Religious Spagyrists conscious of Piety, that will prove themselves faithfull disposers of this bequeathed Gift, and heal the Diseases of the Poor gratis. But if the great troop of Malignant Spirits presume to abuse the Practicers of this most noble Art, they may find Nemesis ready swiftly to punish them.
Every one, as he pleaseth, may prepare most present Medicaments. For all Herbs, the way is almost one. Also in respect of Animals, Minerals, Metals and Stones, you will find but little difference. Every Man may himself more profoundly search into the Art. For my own part, I am at present so weak, as Strength faileth me to proceed farther in this discourse. Therefore, by every good Man, I shall be readily excused, because I have given sufficient occasion of searching into other high Secrets. If this my benevolent Communication suffice not any Man, he may himself search farther elsewhere. For it is easier to add to things already found out, than to become the first Authour of new Inventions.
I had purposed in this little Book to signifie the most fruitfull use of my Secret Alcalisate Spirit of Wine; which is so great a Secret, as no Man before me did ever discover to the World; but my Sickness hath prevented and hindred the doing of that. If God prolong my Life, that may be done in another small peculiar Book.
Truly, I highly prize my secret Sal-Armoniack, yet I more esteem the use of my Spirit of Wine Alkalizate; that being a Spirit of so great potency, as from all Minerals, Metals and Stones, it extracts a most pure Tincture, and by Alembeck brings the same over the Helm with it self. What shall I say? Even fixed Gold it self cannot resist it, but suffers it self without a Corrosive (like sweet Water coloured yellow with Saffron) to be drawn upwards. In a word, this Alkalizate Spirit of Wine is an admirable Instrument for a Physician, of it to prepare efficacious (yea incomparable) Medicaments; and he may easily acquire abundance of it, and that for no more charges, than after the common manner any other common Spirit is prepared. He that seeks shall find. Wherefore rise from your soft Pillows, and with smutted Hands touch black Coals, and accurately give heed to the institutions of Art. For with Idleness, Eating, Drinking, and playing on Musick, you shall never approach to great Mysteries. I would have you always think of this that is now once spoken. It is indeed impossible for a most unskilfull Man to believe or comprehend, how great things may be prepared by help of this burning Spirit.
About the end of the Preface of this Treatise, I mentioned some few things touching the same; viz. that of good burning Spirit, with little labour and no great cost, in a very easie way a true universal Medicine for humane and metallick Bodies might be made. This I would have no Man to doubt of, but to account of as most true. For I now ready to be laid in my Grave, have great need to be very carefull how I divulge any thing, unless such pure verity as experience hath taught me. If the most wise God will prolong my Life untill the next Summer, and enable me to write out of Bed, my purpose is to publish some other new wonderfull Works; but if in the mean while I be taken away from the number of the living, then (candid Reader) kindly accept of these few things here written.
This being thus imparted to all diligent Chymical Operators (whom I here salute and bid farewell) I wish a Divine Benediction in this Life, and Eternal Glorification hereafter. Amen.
Glory to GOD onely.
The End of the Seventh Part.
THE
FIRST APPENDIX
TO THE
SEVENTH PART
OF THE
Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.
In which is contained, how many, yet greater, Secrets may be prepared by the Alcahest, or Secret Sal-Armoniack, than those which are mentioned in the Seventh Part of the Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, viz. how Vulgar Mercury may be firmly fixed, and rendred totally constant in Fire, within the space of three Days. Also an Explanation, how by the benefit of it may easily be acquired the Mercury of Wine, as the highest Medicine of the World. Likewise, that the Secret Fire of the Wise, otherwise called the Fire of Artephius is the supreme Secret of Secrets: Together with a Revelation of other admirable Secrets, of which the Authour hitherto hath made no mention to any Man.
To the Well-meaning READER.
I could not forbear to signifie to the Lover of divine and admirable Works, the Reason of my former omission or silence; namely, why in a little Treatise of mine lately published (which is intituled The Seventh Part of my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa) in which I treat of my Secret Sal-Armoniack or Liquor Alcahest, I so suddenly broke off the Thread of my Writing begun, before I had any thing largely discoursed of the eminently excellent Vertues thereof, which it manifests not onely in Medicine, but also in Transmutation of Metals. Therefore, the Reason of my abrupt Cessation was as follows.
Before I had compleatly finished the afore-mentioned small Treatise, I was assaulted with a grievous Disease, which incredibly prevailed more and more daily, insomuch as I totally despaired of recovering my Health, and therefore thought it necessary, that whatsoever was then written (how imperfectly soever) should for the sake of the Poor and Diseased be committed to the Press. But so soon as by the mercy of God, I was in some small measure recovered, I perused that little Book, and presently discerned, that the most powerfull faculties and virtues which that laudable Liquor is able to exercise and manifest both in Medicine and Chymistry, were scarcely in any-wise treated of, but almost wholly omitted in the same Book. Hence many conceited Men perswade themselves, that my Secret Sal-Armoniack cannot be of so great Energy or Virtue, as Helmont ascribes to his Liquor Alcahest; especially because He, in the Coagulation of Mercury, saith, that the same (when his Liquor Alcahest hath been but once abstracted from it) is so fixed, as a pound of it being tried by Cupell, leaves behind, after Trial, fourteen Lotones of good Silver; which indeed is not to be esteemed a vile Experiment, viz. that by so very little Labour (as is one onely abstraction of the Alcahest, which may be done in a few hours) such a volatile, and that the sole Deluder of all Alchymists should be transmuted and nobilitated into a fixed Metal, tractable and perseveringly sustaining every Examen of Fire; and that by mediation of such a substance, as the Liquor Alcahest, which per se is no other than a volatile Salt. Nevertheless, it is found, that the same may be done, and that not onely common Mercury, by our Secret Sal-Armoniack (which otherwise rendreth all fixed Metals volatile, and separates the most pure Souls or Tinctures of them from their gross Bodies, and carries the same over the Helm with it self) is transmuted into Silver; but also the same is endued with a Faculty of transmuting other imperfect Metals into good and constant Gold. The Truth of which Assertion I have not gathered out of the Writings of other Authours, but have learned the same by the continual Industry and Experience of my proper Inquisition; and therefore am able so much the more confidently to assert somewhat my self, touching the same, to every ingenious Man.
But that you may know the Reason why Volatile Mercury, by my Secret Sal-Armoniack also volatile, is rendred fixed and constant in Fire; you are to understand, that this onely is effected by the cleansing power and virtue of our Salmiack: for in Vulgar Mercury is somewhat ingenited by Nature, which makes the whole Body of it volatile. Now if any one doth well understand how to separate that therefrom by an Artificial cleansing, the flying Mercury no longer remains volatile, but assumes to it self an hard fixed, tractable and Metallick Body; in which kind of Purification to be made, our Salmiack performs the office of a Master. Whence happens such a speedy fixation of Mercury; touching which we, in the following Praxis, shall more amply treat and demonstrate the same, viz. that so swift a Coagulation of volatile Mercury into Gold and Silver constant and abiding in Fire, is not to be accounted a vile work of small value, but to be esteemed as one of the principal Arcanums of Nature. This needs no proof, because by the sentence of all experienced Men it is long since notoriously known, that this noxious Deluder Mercury, by its volatility, hath deprived some thousands of unwary Alchymists, not onely of their Gold and Silver, but also of their Houses, Lands, Towns, Vineyards, Fields, Meadows, Gardens, and all their other Goods, carrying the same with it self up the Chimney, and leaving them nothing but an heap of broken Pots, Cucurbits, Glasses, Soot, Dust and Ashes, instead of the wealthy Spoils and rich Reward they thirsted after with vain hope. But as he hath evilly intreated the unskilfull and unwary Slaves and Drudges of Chymistry, so he hath dealt well with experienced and wary Philosophers, who (after they had observed his Inconstancy, and learned to amend the same) were such as he was constrained to obey, insomuch as they could subdue, bind and fix him. This is no Fiction or fabulous Tale, but a Truth which may be proved by many hundred true Histories, declaring, that in various parts of the World have lived those who were able to fix Mercury into a constant permanency.
Of the more ample Use of our Salmiack.
Having in the precedent Treatise omitted the best and most worthy use of our Salmiack, (viz. that by the benefit of it Mercury might be so purified, as to be very easily fixed into a Red Body fixt and constant in Fire) I was incited and moved thereby to commit this Appendix to the Press; especially because in doing the same, I could also upon every opportune occasion notifie several other profitable Secrets, which may be perfected by help of that; as here following you shall perceive, they being inserted one after another.
Therefore incline your Ear to hear what admirable Effects our Salmiack is able to manifest both in Medicine and Alchymy.
First, Our Secret Salmiack not onely purifies Metals, and separates the pure part from the unprofitable gross Bodies of them, but the Volatile parts it carries upward with it self; and afterward suffers it self to be again fixed [with them] into fixed Tinctures, as already in the precedent Seventh Part of our Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, we have very sufficiently proved, as well as in our Treatise of the Three Principles of Metals; but also it is endued with a power of carrying over the Helm the most fixed Gold, without any Corrosive, like to a yellow sweet Spirit, and of converting the same into true Aurum Potabile: for such Aurum Potabile, without a Corrosive adhering is found to be, not onely an efficacious, sweet and famous Medicine for humane Bodies, but also a true Tincture for transmuting imperfect Metals into better.
It is indeed a very great Question how such Gold can be a Tincture for other more vile Metals, since common Gold (according to the Opinion of many Philosophers, and the experienced truth of the matter) per se contains in it self no more Tincture than is sufficient for it self, and without prejudice to its own virtue or nobility is able to communicate no good to other Metals. Nevertheless, Philosophers more acute, narrowly sifting the matter, have found that vulgar Gold, by the assistance of Art, may be destroyed, and its inside turned outward, but its outside inward: for such destruction Philosophers have called Exaltation, intimating, that the Exaltation or Melioration of Gold must be made in the Sign Aries; to which assertion I could never assent, but always believed and urged the contrary, inveighing earnestly against Toletanus, who writ Animadversions upon that good Philosopher of ancient Repute Bracescus, as if he had been a dull and obstinate Man, teaching in his Treatise of the Tree of Life, that the Universal Medicine might be prepared of vulgar Mars; for it not a little troubled me (after by a previous and continued study of reading and perusing the best Authours, I at length by the Grace of God, in my search found and learned the way of making such a Tincture and Medicine) that the said Toletanus did so unhandsomely heighten his Style against the laudable Bracescus, and contemned the famous Industry of that man, insomuch as I have, in some of my Writings (although with a certain Zeal, which I ingeniously confess was unseasonable) chastized this Zoilus, because he with an impertinent Presumption did so rashly and arrogantly attempt to oppose and contradict that, which he himself had not sufficient Experience of. But it happened, that afterward such an Exaltation of Gold fell into my hand unexpectedly. Whence, seeing such an Exaltation of Gold to be true, I repented my own folly. Wherefore now I openly confess, that by the help of our secret Salmiack I have very often elaborated such an Exaltation of Gold in the mineral Aries; although in a very small Quantity, finding that to be sufficiently imbibed with the Colour of Gold, whensoever onely two or three Grains of such exalted Gold were mixed with a whole Pound of common Water. But in metallick Transmutation, during these days of my indisposedness, I could never yet try any thing further. If the most wise God, shall be pleased to restore and raise me out of my sick Bed (as I hope this next Summer he will) I will not omit to try what the aforesaid exalted Gold is able to effect in the Transmutation of Metals. In the mean while I am perswaded, that it will prove an amply potent Tincture for Mercury and Luna, and thence I divine because two or three Grains of such exalted Gold do tinge a whole Pound of Water with a golden Colour that the same must be done with Mercury and Luna. Therefore no man hath cause further to doubt, that common Gold, by the help of our Salmiack in Aries, may be reduced into some one true and fixed Tincture; as here following (God willing) shall be shewed more at large.
Of the more largely fruitfull use of our Sal Armoniack in Medicine and Alchymy.
My Preface to the seventh Book of my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, mentioneth how the Mercury of Wine may be separated from any pure burning Spirit, and perform the Office of an universal Medicine healing men and metals. But since in such a manner of preparing the Medicine as I there prescribed, very little Mercury of Wine will be gotten, not enough to satisfie those, that desire more abundance, because from one Pound of Spirit of Wine, scarcely three, four or five Grains of most pure Cœlestial Salt are extracted; which nevertheless is not to be esteemed so exceeding small a quantity, if any one shall with a more accurate search of his mind well weigh the incredible medicinal Vertues thereof, which it manifests and exerciseth against humane and metallick Diseases; insomuch as (in either Faculty) in the whole nature of things you shall find no Medicament like unto it. Certainly it is a true Cœlestial Medicine, in the form of a certain white sweet Salt, for if one onely Grain of it be taken into the Body of a Man diseased, he will thereby be notably comforted in all his Members, and amend and find himself better in a moment. I must needs confess, that I have not long since found out the Preparation of the same (during the long continuance of my Disease) by various Speculations; and when by reason of my Sickness I could not rise out of my Bed to prepare this noble Medicine my self, I committed the same to the hands of my faithfull and trusty Friends to be by them prepared, but in a very small quantity: For I caused not above two or three Pound of Spirit of Wine to be burned, and thence could not acquire much Mercury; nevertheless I found so much therein, as sufficiently to content and satisfie my mind as well in Medicine as in Alchymy; believing, as I have above mentioned, that no Medicine more excellent than this can be found in the whole nature of things. Moreover, every one may consider with himself, how great Salubrity such a Cœlestial Medicine may bestow and confer on the sick Bodies of Men, as often as he accurately weighs with himself the Subject (viz. Wine) of which this Medicine is prepared. For it is known through all parts of the World far and nigh, that under the Sun is not given a more excellent Cordial Subject, than good and pure Wine; although that abound with many inefficacious Humidities, and other Tartarous Feculencies, whereas on the contrary the Mercury thereof is most pure, or a sweet Cœlestial Salt is extracted from good Spirit of Wine deduced to the highest purity. But some one may say, what Spirit of Wine? If in that such a noble Mercury be latent, and the same as it is in it self be given for comforting the Sick, what need is there, that it being kindled should be burnt; and why may not (without that labour and charge) its volatile Salt be received in a Refrigeratory? In answer hereunto let him know, that Spirit of Wine is almost all a mere Sulphur, and therefore is easily inflamed and devoured with the Flame, as is common to every Sulphur, viz. that so soon as it is set on Fire, it consumes it self, and leaves behind it no other than Ashes and a fixed Salt; but the Mercury which adhered to the Sulphur, is dissipated in the Air with the Flame, unless it be taken in a Cold Receptory, in which it may cool and condense it self. Indeed we for certain know, that no one of all the three Principles of Vegetables, Animals and Minerals is totally pure, but it always invisibly bears about it self some small part of the other two Principles, as may best of all be seen in combustible Entities, such are Wood and other Vegetables; for they being kindled and set on fire, the Sulphur is onely burnt, but the other two parts, viz. the fixed Salt, and the volatile Mercury remain free from Combustion. As for Example, if you burn Wood, an Herb, or any other kind of Vegetable, the Sulphur onely perisheth, but the Mercury adheres to the sides and walls of the Chimny. If you thence separate the Ashes and other Filths, which fly together upwards, you will obtain a white volatile Salt, altogether like the Animal volatile Salt of Urine, except in this onely, that this volatile Salt savours of Adustion. The fixed Salt is extracted out of the Ashes by Elixiviation of common Water. Moreover Animal Entities being burnt, viz. the Bones of any Animals; the Sulphur is onely burnt, but the volatile Salt flies away, and almost no fixed Salt remains in the Ashes. Lastly, common mineral Sulphur being burnt, almost all the Sulphur vanisheth into Air like a Flame, and together with the Flame an unburnable Mercury ascends, in form of an heavy Corrosive Oil, which by Chymists is vulgarly called Oil of Sulphur, and is received in Glass Campanes; nevertheless that Oil is by Philosophers named the Mercury of Philosophers, because such Oil is easily transmuted into a sweet Fusile Stone, of which my lately published Treatise of the Salt of Philosophers makes some mention. From all which you may clearly gather, that there is no Sulphur found so pure, but that it is impregnated with some small part of Salt and Mercury; also you can find no Mercury, in which is not incited some part of Salt and Sulphur; and in like manner no Salt, to which a little Sulphur and Mercury adheres not. Which being thus, why may there not latently be in Spirit of Wine an incombustible Salt and Mercury? And as Spirit of Wine duely rectified according to the Precepts of Art, is found to be the purest of all other Sulphurs, and endued with no Feculencies; so also necessarily, when that Sulphur is kindled and burnt, with the Flame must needs ascend as it were an unburnable Substance, which may be received in a Refrigeratory for amending humane and metallick Bodies. Whosoever cannot comprehend and believe these, he truely and condignly may be called a Blockhead, although by his Flatterers (men very indiscrete) he be accounted even the Eighth of the Wise men, or a second Paracelsus.
I purposed in my mind to communicate this supream Medicine to some candid Friends, that some present Medicine may thence be made, by the salutary help of which, I also in this my declining Age, and in the Diuturnity of my Disease, may be made partaker of some Relief, since I my self now sick in Bed, am able to prepare nothing.
Indeed I did formerly reveal this so very great Mystery to some of my old Friends, and that to the end that they being sound and in health might labour therein, and after their Work was ended (which might be compleated in Eight days) communicate to me, as an Offering of thanks, some small part of that Medicine, that my old infirm Body might be comforted; but their intent was far otherwise: For these rude men would not suffer me to participate of one Grain of the Medicine revealed, nor ever came within my Doors so much as once, after they were fully and plainly instructed in the Art by me taught; but passed by as if I had been a man wholly unknown and never seen by them. But this was to me a very just and truely deserved Recompence, because I being too credulous, did so vilely cast into the Mire the most noble Pearl of all Medicine, not considering the faithfull admonition of the supream Master: Beware of Men.
I must needs confess that it is not a Work for covetous men; because such thirst after nothing else, but a great Mass of Gold, and think this most noble Art to be no other than a rotten Thread. In like manner I do also confess, that common Spirit of Wine gives forth from it self but a very small quantity of such Cœlestial Salt; yet a great quantity of the same no man hath need of, because the power and efficacy thereof shews it self far and nigh. If any one be desirous to acquire to himself a greater quantity of this our Cœlestial Mercury, he may obtain his desire, if he make use of a good medicinal Restorative Subject, as Sulphur or Antimony fixed to a Redness, also Gold, Pearls, red Corals, cast Skins of Serpents, Boletus or Fungus Cervinus. If these and the like restoring or renovating things be extracted with Spirit of Wine and the same Wine burnt: because in doing that, with the Flame will ascend a most pure mercurial Salt, which must be received in a cold Recipient.
In like manner all Metals, when they are duely extracted with Spirit of Wine, do in burning give forth from themselves a volatile mercurial Salt, which may profitably be administred, as well in Medicine as in Chymistry. For the Salt of Saturn is a most present Pestilential Remedy; the Salt of Venus an efficacious Venereal Medicament, the Salt of Luna, a most excellent Cephalick, the Salt of Gold a famous Cordial, and the Salt of Mars an admirable Stomach Remedy, and a true Tincture, by the help of which vulgar Mercury and Luna may be tinged into Gold. But it cannot profitably be adhibited in metallick Labours, unless it be first reduced to a red Fixedness by the benefit of common Gold, being such, as after the first Preparation may be very easily fixed and rubified; although it all ascends in a white Flame, and the Preparation be from a red Subject. For it is fixed and waxeth red, if any one do from it but once abstract the Water of Saltaberis, as Paracelsus calls it. But if you ask what Paracelsus his Water of Saltaberis is, it is not my purpose at this time to publish and divulge that kind of Water. Helmont vastly erred, when he thought it to be the Water of Whites of Eggs, which it is not, but it is a Water preparable for a very small Price, as much as is sufficient.
In the mean while, no unskilfull Man is able to believe, with how great a property of purging, elevating and fixing the Flame of good Spirit of Wine is endued. Therefore, whosoever is desirous of knowing this, by putting his hand to the Work let him make Trial. The Flame of this burning Spirit renders all corrosive and bitter metallick Subjects sweet and pleasant; therefore Lully rightly said: The immature Bitterness is to be dulcified, that the whole Magistery may be obtained. Briefly I say, by the benefit thereof, so great good may be performed as is difficult to be believed, unless any one before he sets about the Work hath beheld the Event. In which at present we acquiesce, yet out of an abundance shewing this, viz. that, whensoever any man hath a mind to subtilize metallick Subjects by a burning Spirit (distilling or subliming them into sweet Salts or Tinctures) he is obliged by no necessity at all, to use no other than Spirit of Wine onely; because a burning Spirit of Corn, or extracted out of other Vegetables, will do the same. But whosoever would without Metals acquire a Sweet medicinal Mercury per se, he must prepare that of the Spirit of sweet Wine; because other Vegetables afford not so much mercurial Salt as may be had from Wine; which is to be kept in mind as a thing worthy of Observation.
Thus have I here clearly revealed as high a Medicine as ever was or can be found in the Nature of things; which no one of the Philosophers before me did ever presume to do. Indeed Albertus Magnus, and his Disciple Thomas Aquinas have written of it somewhat more clearly than others, yet so, as few Readers can follow the mind of them. For they do indeed make mention of Spirit of Wine, yet the Instrument under which it is to be burned, they did not in any wise express, or hint at. Basilius taught that the Instrument was to be made of Copper; yet this kind of Instrument is not every way conducible, but there is some defect in it. As for my self, I long sought with earnestness, before I could find a fit Instrument, in which I might receive this Cœlestial Salt and Mercury. Let others after me also make the like search, till they find. It is not my business at all times, to cast all things at the Feet of the unworthy. For I am forbid by the Fates, having already divulged more than enough. But whosoever is desirous of learning more touching this kind of labour, let him peruse Bracescus in his Treatise of the Tree of Life, touching our mercurial Water, where he may find things enough worthy of note to yield him content. Avicen indeed writes also excellently, but very briefly. Cosmopolita and Neusementius have writ somewhat more clearly in their Books, yet with so Philosophick a Character, as scarcely one among a thousand Readers shall there find what he seeks. More at this time touching this it is not lawfull for me to discourse; but of other things here to be treated of, let every one comment and meditate what he thinks good.
Of the further use of our Salmiack.
In my lately published Treatise of the three Principles of Metals, I shewed how by the help of Proserpina the Wife of Pluto, a tinging Oil of a sanguineous Colour might be distilled from the Vitriol of Mars, and thence be coagulated into a sweet Fusile Stone, by the benefit of which great things may be effected in the Transmutation of Metals and Gems. But what is understood by Proserpina I considerately concealed from the Reader, as well as the Coagulation of the red and white corrosive Oil of Vitriol into a sweet Stone, because at that time I purposed not to publish any thing more thereabout. After that Publication, certain Rivals of our Art came to me very earnestly intreating, that I would also reveal to them Proserpina and my Coagulation of Vitriol: These men by their perswasive Intreaties so softned my mind, as I was freely willing to gratifie them, but with this Condition, viz. that so soon as they had elaborated the whole Work, they should impart to me some small Portion of that Medicine, yet this promise of a thankfull acknowledgment hath not untill this day been fulfilled, wherefore I on the other hand fearing that so great a Secret (viz. how by the help of Proserpina the tinging Oil of Vitriol of a sanguineous Colour, tinging Luna into Gold, might afterward be coagulated into a Fusile Stone) should be exposed to publick view by those, that were so ungratefull to me, was resolved I would my self be the Publisher of so great an Arcanum, knowing always, that the Master is better able to discourse of his own Work, than the Disciple; not in the least doubting, but that by this Revelation or way of discovery, many Alchymists, reduced almost to the extream necessity of Irus, and ready to perish, will be able to recover themselves, and obtain their pristine repute among men. Therefore touching the Discovery of this Arcanum thus take it.
By Proserpina in the afore mentioned Treatise is understood the corrosive Oil of Antimony, or in defect of that Butter of Antimony, which (when added to Vitriol of Mars in like Proportion, and distilled by Retort) carries over with it self the Gold of Philosophers or Tincture of Mars, in form of a thick Oil of a sanguine Redness; which red Oil, when coagulated into a sweet Fusile Stone, will be very available in the Emendation of Metals, especially in tinging Luna into good Gold, as a little after you shall hear. These are briefly spoken touching the Antimonial Proserpina: Here following it shall be shewed by us, how our Secret Sal Armoniack may profitably be used instead of the Antimonial Proserpina, after we have premised the way of coagulating the red Oil of Vitriol into a Stone not corrosive, by help of which Metals may be amended variously. As to the Coagulation of the red and white Oil of Vitriol, and also of other corrosive Liquors, that indeed is very easie to accomplish, but hard to find out. For all Philosophers have very obscurely writ of this kind of operating, in such a Laconick manner: Dissolve and Coagulate. The Solution of Mars into Vitriol is made by the help of common Oil of Vitriol, or else by Spirit of Salt. But the Coagulation into a tinging Stone not corrosive is made by the help of old, cold and dry Saturn, because he it is, that understands how with his own most intent Coldness and Dryness to extinguish all humid coldish Fires, and to change them into hard Stones.
No one of the Philosophers hath writ more clearly touching the Coagulation of mineral Spirits, than Paracelsus, in that Treatise which is intituled the Heaven of Philosophers, being that in which he treats of the Nature and Properties of the seven Metals, and in the Fifth Chapter of Saturn, he thus speaks.
Canon the Fifth, touching the Nature and Properties of Saturn.
Saturn of his own proper Nature thus speaketh.
The six other Metals have cast me out for their Examinator, and have thrust me from themselves out of the Spiritual Place: They have given into my Mansion a corruptible Body, that I might be what they neither are nor desire to have. My six Brethren are spiritual, thence it is, that they penetrate my Body as often as I am burned in the Fire; and together with me they perish in Fire. Sol and Luna onely excepted, which are cleansed with my Water and wax proud. My Spirit is a Water softning the rigid and congealed Bodies of my Brethren. Yet my Body tends to the Earth; whatsoever is received into me, becomes also conformable to us, and by us is converted into one Body. It would not be profitable for the World, if it should know or could believe what are latent in me, and what I am able to effect. It would be more profitable for the World if it understood that, with me, which I am able to do: Then leaving all Arts of Alchymists, it would use this onely, which in me is, and by me can be done. The Coldness of a Stone is in me; this is the Water, by which I cause the Spirits of the six Metals to be congealed into one corporeal Being of the seventh, that is, to augment Sol with Luna.
These I have transcribed word for word out of Paracelsus, that by them it might be sufficiently manifest, that he knew how to perform the Coagulation of sharp mineral Spirits by cold and dry Saturn, because touching that he so evidently writes, as he that writes most plainly cannot describe the same more clearly, although there have been very few men, who did rightly understand this Prince of Philosophers, and could by his words learn the Coagulation of sharp mineral Spirits there touched, although in a particular Transmutation of Metals no method more easie can be given than by our Salt of Philosophers, which from red Oil of Vitriol is coagulated by cold Saturn. I will not pass over in silence, what Fruit may otherwise be reaped by the Benefit of this in the Emendation of ignoble and very pretious Stones; because by that kind of labour more profit may be gained by ten Fold, than in the Graduation of Metals into Sol and Luna; for our red Stone exalts all Gems in their Colours, and tingeth white Crystals into all kind of Colours; in which Work, there is not any of the Off springs of the Earth able to do the like. Wherefore the Ancient Philosophers more esteemed this Coloration of Stones, than the Art of tinging Silver into Gold; For such a Stone not onely amends Metals, but also graduates small Stones noble and ignoble, and tingeth them into better shapes and colours. For more excellency and good lies hid in despicable Lead, than any unskilfull man is able to imagine or can perswade himself to believe; because the Inside of it is no other than mere Gold, insomuch as Philosophers have called it Leprous Gold.
So soon as this impure Gold shall be impregnated with the Antimonial Oil of Vitriol, and both conjunctively coagulated together into a red Stone, thence must necessarily be made a Tincture for Metals, as well as for Stones. Much more should here be spoken touching our coagulated red Oil of Vitriol: But to what purpose is it to bring a sample of beautifull Colours before the Eyes of a blind man, being such as he cannot see, nor is able to judge any thing of. [See this Process plain in Proserpina.]
In the seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany, mention is made of a like Coagulation of sharp Spirits, wherefore I would refer every studious Lover of curious Arts to the perusal of that part. For what are here briefly treated of, are there more copiously handled, as every Reader may find, and apply to his proper Benefit. Time now admits not a more ample Discourse in this place, touching such sharp Spirits of Salt.
A Furthur Use of our Salmiack.
First, vulgar Mercury, by the help of our Secret Salmiack, may be so purified in the space of one Day, as the day following by one onely abstraction of the Water of Saltaberis, it may be coagulated into a red fixed Medicine. Which swift Mortification, Coagulation or Fixation, was highly esteemed by Paracelsus and Helmont. This Mercury, Paracelsus insignized with the Title of Coralline Mercury, and celebrated the fame with this illustrious Praise, viz. that in the whole Nature of things, there was not any Remedy more excellent for yielding relief in the Gout and French Disease; adding, that it recreates the mind of the Artist, because it hath entrance into Gold, and with the same is converted into Gold, and so not a few impoverished Alchymists may again be stored with Riches. But since the Death of this Philosopher, you shall not find that there hath been one or other of the Professours of Chymistry unto this day, who could prepare such a red fixed Mercury; the Reason hereof is, because none of the Sons of Art could comprehend the Water of Saltaberis, by which Mercury is to be brought to a fixed Redness, none I say, untill Helmont, that most learned Philosopher of our Age discovered himself, witnessing that he also could prepare such Mercury, which he insignized with the Name of Horizontal Gold, affirming it would sufficiently supply whatsoever the Physician and Chyrurgeon should need.
In like manner, that most expert Philosopher Nuysementius did write of such a Mercury, testifying, that two or three Grains of it onely being taken in some Consortative, would purge out all Impurities from the humane Body. Indeed Helmont expresseth this in other words, yet by them intimates, that it purgeth out all Filths from the Veins. Behold three famous men, serving instead of the Marpesian Columns of all Hermetick Philosophy and Medicine; for they have excellently writ of this Mercury; yet to the Inventions of these, none of their Successours have added any thing, but have been still and quiet, shunning the labour of preparing an Universal Medicine. During the eight Months I was detained in my sick Bed, by reason of my Infirmity, occasion was offered me of a more serious Meditation of such abstruse things, insomuch as I at length found the Water of Saltaberis, by the help of which I totally fixed Mercury, not indeed as Helmont saith into constant good Silver, but into very good Gold. Whosoever is seized with a desire of succouring the misery of the sick, he will do better for publick good, in using such a fixed Mercury rather for expelling the Cruelty of a Tyrannical Gout, and the French Disease, than for Gold making, unless so far as he hath need to use the same for necessary Aliments.
Whosoever desires to know more of this Coralline Mercury, or (according to Helmont) Horizontal Gold; let him peruse our little Treatise intituled the Seventh Part of the Spagyrical Pharmacopœa, where he may find not onely many Mercurys, which are not inferiour to this, but in many things excel it. Also there you are taught how a burning Spirit may be distilled from all Vegetables, and with such a Spirit, by kindling and burning it, the Mercury of Wine be separated from the Sulphur in flame, and that as a pure Cœlestial Salt be gathered in a fit Recipient, and administred against all Diseases, as a supream Universal Medicine. Also there is taught the way of purifying Mercury, and depriving the same of every loathsome Taste and Odour, in such wise, as it is rendred sweet and pleasant, like to Fire consuming Diseases, and for correcting every Cachexy of the whole Body. In like manner the same teacheth the way of preparing Mercury so, as it offers it self to be ripened by the Secret Fire of Atrephius into the highest Medicine, and that in a short time with little labour and charge.
Hitherto I have variously treated of the manifold Use of our Alcahest; but since this kind of Doctrine may profit Junior Physicians, Apothecaries, Chymists, and other learned men more than Mechanick Artificers; I purpose here to subjoin some other Secrets also, which may be of use to the People, that so our Alcahest may become Onesimus the common Servant of many, and in this manner be verified what in the superior or precedent Treatise is mentioned, viz. that of despicable Urine all men of all Orders, when they will may reap profit, and sufficient Aliments. But, although Spirit of Urine alone, without the help of Oil of Vitriol, or some other Acid Spirit, cannot effect all that is to be performed, yet the labour of making Oil of Vitriol is not to be eschewed, since it is that which may be prepared in abundance with little charge, and almost no trouble. If any one be but a little more skilfull, than a common Chymist, then indeed he may prepare at least four pound for the charge of one Imperial. If you cannot perform this work, Oil of Sulphur offers it self, which is more conducive for preparation of the Liquor Alcahest, than Oil of Vitriol, and in a peculiar Furnace, of an hundred pounds of Sulphur, without any great trouble, you may easily prepare ten or twelve pounds of Oil, and that for a small charge.
Wherefore, whosoever would by the benefit of the Alcahest elaborate any thing to profit, he must first be provided of, and furnished with Spirit of Urine, and that some quantity, and also not a little Oil of Vitriol or Sulphur, ready for future use, that without any delay or hindrance he may happily proceed in his work begun, which without these he cannot absolve. If Spirit of Urine and Oil of Vitriol be to be bought by any one, his Alcahest will be too dear, of it to prepare much to profit, as by the following shall appear.
What is that which Pontanus saith to this? The whole body of Mercury, without any previous Separation of the pure from the impure, may by the help of the Secret Fire of Artephius be totally ripened into a fixed Medicine or Tincture, without any diminution of its weight. Touching which wonderfull fixation, I in my Sick-bed made a small trial, insomuch as now I am obliged to believe what Pontanus affirmed touching such a Secret Fire; openly confessing, that the same Secret Fire is more to be esteemed in Medicine and Alchymy, than all other great Secrets, which have ever been observed by Philosophers. Wherefore now, nothing grieves me so much, as that by reason of my great indisposedness, being always constrained to keep my Bed, I am able to make no further trial of the same.
This Fire converts all venomous Subjects into salutiferous Medicaments; fixeth all things that are volatile; renders all sharp and bitter things sweet and pleasant. In a word, this Secret Fire cannot more properly be compared to any thing, than to Titan or the Sun, whence all things draw their Life and Increase. For that Fire, first of Earth, Water and Air, produceth gross, bitter and harsh Fruits, then ripens them being unripe, and changeth them into sweet and pleasant Fruits, imitating the Sun producing sower Grapes, which it sweetens after its various Operations upon them. The same may be spoken of the maturation of vulgar Mercury, being such as per se (whilst it is as yet volatile) is to be esteemed an immature and bitter Fruit: but as soon as by our Secret Fire its Bitterness and noxious Venome shall be taken away, and it becomes fixed and able to abide the Examen of Fire, it is no longer a bitter Venome, but passeth into a salutiferous Medicament. Hence the worthy Lully cried out; If you dulcifie the bitter, you will have the whole Magistery. Which Dulcification our Secret Fire is able to compleat as perfectly as the Sun of all acid and harsh products of Trees, makes sweet, pleasant and salubrious Fruits. Pontanus witnesseth, that he had laboured in the true matter of the Stone, yet that he erred more than an hundred times, and that he should never have returned into the Royal way of Infallible Operation, if he had not read Artephius, and of him learned the Fire of the Wise. This indeed is a thing to be admired, that almost no Chymist imploys his Care, Study, Meditation and Counsel to seek out and find our Secret Fire, although to it there is scarcely given another like and second in all the things of Nature. Artephius did so clearly describe that Fire, as you would wonder that so few Searchers have ever comprehended his Mind. All other Philosophers, who were partakers of such a Fire, do with Artephius expresly write, that it burns continually in their Glass, and not so extrinsecally, in one degree. Whence indeed it is sufficiently manifest, that the same is not common Fire made of Wood and Coals. Therefore I do positively say, that our Secret Fire, in a short time, is able to transmute the whole of Mercury into a red, sweet and pleasant Tincture, and also to change both humane and metallick Bodies.
Yet further, Touching the most fruitfull Use of our Alcahest, bringing great Gain in Metallick Labours.
As we have heard that volatile common Mercury is fixed and rendred constant in Fire, by the help of our Alcahest; so it also in such wise fixeth other Minerals, and volatile Metals, as the same in Cupellating, leave behind both Sol and Lune, not without notable utility. But thence especially may you reap vast profit, if volatile Sol and Luna, extracted by Aqua Fortis out of Sand and Earth, be again totally fixed by help of that, in such a manner, as they in Fire fly not; but yielding, permit themselves to be melted as any other Sol and Lune. Metals, whensoever wrought upon by the help of Aqua Fortis, although they were fixt before, degenerate into another Nature, and are volatilized, so as with a strong Fire of Fusion they fly away to the Owners great loss. As for Example: If you dissolve Lune in Aqua Regia, and upon the same Solution pour common Salt-water, the Lune will be precipitated from the Water in the form of a white Powder, which if with other Water you well edulcorate and dry, you will have a Calx of Lune much more ponderous than the Lune was before. Which kind of increase ariseth onely from the sharp Spirits of the Salt, which the Silver hath drawn into it self so firmly, as by the benefit of Water they could not be totally separated, but remain in it, not onely whilst it is heated red-hot, but also in a strong Fire of Fusion, insomuch as the Lune shews it self not tractable in Fire, as any other Silver, but remains like a Stone in that vehement Fire, so as whilst it is flowing, those Spirits of the Salt carry away much of the Silver with them in fume; and part of it also penetrates into the Crucible. Wherefore such Lune precipitated with Salt, cannot be melted again and made ductile Silver without great loss and detriment, but appears intractable like a transparent Horn, whence also it is by Chymists called the Horn of the Moon; but I in my Writings name this Silver (as being that which is altogether volatile and fusible) the Mercury of Luna.
In the same manner also Saturn may be converted into a Liquable and volatile Mercury, touching the admirable and profitable use of which, I have writ, but not published, a whole Treatise, which is intituled, The Work of Saturn: but of this no more here. The Evening of the Day now approaching, admonisheth us to return to speak of our volatile Lune, and to shew the way of reducing that into fixed and soft or tractable Silver; which indeed by unskilfull Men is supposed to be a difficult Art, but by skilfull Men it is known to be easily effected with the great Utility of the Operator.
But some one may say, what need we about that imploy our principal Cares and Meditations, to render such precipitated volatile Lune into fixed and good Silver, since there are other ways of precipitating Silver from Aqua Fortis, viz. by the help of thin plates of Venus? To such a Man, I thus answer: They who commonly separate Sol from Luna, are in a great measure abused by that way of precipitation with Venus Plates; but they would never use that chargeable Precipitation, if they enjoyed the knowledge of any other more profitable. Chargeable, I say, is such a Precipitation to those that use it, because much Water must be poured into the Solution, for washing away or weakening the force of the Aqua Fortis, that the Lune may the more readily be precipitated by the Venus, and the Aqua Fortis also not dissolve too much of the Venus. By this separation the Aqua Fortis is lost, because it becomes Coppery, and unfit for a new use of separating. For one Mark of Silver costs in Aqua Fortis onely (not reckoning Labour and Workmanship) almost half an Imperial: wherefore our Belgian Refiners think it worth their while, if for separation of every Mark of Guilt Silver, they spend but two Holland Florens, or ⅘ of one Imperial, for otherwise they cannot gain much: Yet some of them will not precipitate their Lune with the help of Venus Plates, and so lost their Aqua Fortis, but by distillation abstract the Aqua Fortis, and afterward use it again. But this abstraction is difficultly performed, and is not void of danger. For the Glass breaking, the Silver is spilt amongst the Sand, so as the whole cannot be recovered again without some damage, and sometimes there is great loss. Wherefore such a way of separating, although you can save part of the Aqua Fortis, yet it is chargeable and also dangerous (when Aqua Fortis is to be prepared in a great quantity, as is wont to be done in metallick Mines of Gold and Silver, and also in Goldsmiths Shops) because it requires a filthy toil, sordid labour, great expence, and a continual tiresome and perillous trouble. I add perillous, and that deservedly; because those Operators, who frequently separate with Aqua Fortis, do very often become Peripneumonick, and diseased in their Lungs, by attracting with their breath the Acrimony of those Spirits into their Lungs, with which sharp Spirits the Lungs being touched, are hurt, and rendred obnoxious to Putrefaction, insomuch as among those Separators you shall very rarely ever find an old Gray-hair’d Master. For such Companions, even in their flourishing Age, are untimely hurried out of this life. But what are these feeble wretches able to doe, in withstanding the great Power of Destiny? Of Golden-Silver, Moniers know not how to make Money before they have separated the Gold from it, how great cost soever they be at for separating the same. About two years since I writ touching a certain Artificial method of separating Gold from Silver in abundance; but because I was taken sick a little after, and have continued discomposed almost ever since, I could not bring that laudable and most profitable Work of Separation to effect.
But afterward this my Infirmity continuing long, and I necessitated to keep my Bed, although troubled with no considerable sense of pain, could do nothing, but onely bend and incline my serious thoughts and meditations upon Nature and Art; then God and Fortune shewed me the way, by which every common Mercury may be fixed and rendred constant in Fire. Which sudden fixation of volatile Mercury, the Deluder of all Alchymists, gave me farther occasion of fixing other volatile Subjects also. But among others, I ordered trial and proof to be made of a volatile Calx of Lune precipitated with salt Water, that I might experimentally see, whether such volatile Silver might not be so bound up, as to suffer it self, like any other Lune to be melted without detriment or loss; the effect of which Trial or Proof succeeded according to my expectation. That indeed is a great Reward of a great Invention, insomuch as it supplies me with sufficient matter of asserting with Archimedes, It is an Invention worth the Milk of an hundred Kine. For this Fixation of volatile Silver will afford a famous Fruit of Utility in Alchymy, and especially in the Separation of Gold from Silver; because such a way the Separation of Gold from Silver may easily be made; viz. there being no need of the Solution of Silver by Aqua Fortis, but it is sufficient if the Silver be onely granulated, and the Sol which is in it extracted by Aqua Regia; because that being done, you will see all the Silver residing in the bottom. And although there should be half an Ounce of Gold in every Mark of Silver, yet you will need no more Aqua Regia, than onely so much as is required for the Solution of such a quantity of Gold; so as a diligent Man, in the space of one day, may very well separate an hundred Marks of Golden-Silver, for the charge of three Duckets. And this artificial method of Separating may not onely be used by the Separators of Gold from Lune, but you may thence also reap greater profit, whensoever you are desirous by the help of Aqua Fortis to extract Silver from Stones, Sand and Clay, and to precipitate the same with Salt: for this way all the Aqua Regis will be saved, that Aqua Fortis by the addition of Salt being turned into Aqua Regis, which will be most powerfully conducent for extracting Gold out of Sand and Stones, and for precipitating by a Mercurial Precipitation of the Gold from the Aqua Regia, and afterward that Aqua Regia may again be used with notable profit for extracting like Gold. Touching which gainfull Extraction, the Seventh Part of the Prosperity of our Country largely treateth. Here my intent was onely to publish an Artificial, and not chargeable way of separating Gold from Silver; which is such a method, as I believe the World never knew before.
Thus this new-invented Work of Separation is a most profitable Compendium, by the benefit of which every skilfull Man hereafter may with a good courage labour, and increase his Goods and Fortunes honestly: for I believe there cannot be invented any new Work more compendious than this we have here alledged, for the separation of Gold from Silver: wherefore we acquiesce in that. But if any one would be more prolixly instructed in this Artificial Separation, let him peruse the above-recited Seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany, where he may satisfie the hunger of his desires. Here you have the First Appendix on the Seventh Part of my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa: but in the following Second Appendix (God willing) I will discover yet greater Secrets, which may be perfected by our Alcahest, but were never yet manifested to the World. But at this time, courteous Reader, take in good part these few things here premised, and whatsoever excellent thing shall hereafter offer it self, the same shall be presented to thy Consideration.
Therefore, since (as is above declared and shewed) our Secret Alcahest is able to enrich Mortals with many kinds of gainfull Emolument, he is in no wise to be reprehended, that aspires to the knowledge of elaborating so excellent a Work, viz. how he should prepare for himself Oil of Vitriol or Sulphur, and that in abundance for a very small charge: for nothing hinders, but that four or five pounds thereof may be prepared for the charge of one Imperial. I need not mention how Spirit of Urine may easily be had and prepared in abundance, viz. so soon as one shall cause Urine mixt with Quicklime to ascend in a large distillatory Vesica. For if any one shall so prepare his Alcahest, eight or ten pounds thereof, after his work is done, will scarcely cost him one Imperial: wherefore he must needs gain much more, than if he should buy the same of others that sell it, for a great Price. In the mean while I doubt not, but that such a most easie Coagulation or Fixation of Mercury, as is made by help of this Alcahest, will excite not a few of the more unskilfull Readers, to the love of Learning from expert Artists, the Art of preparing the Alcahest in abundance.
A Recapitulation,
OR
More ample Declaration of the precedent Secrets revealed.
Well meaning Reader,
Here in this Appendix I do indeed treat of very few Secrets, but those are very great, (which may be acquired by our Alcahest,) the like of which no other Man before me did ever impart to the World. Now contemplate, and well consider with thy self this swift and not chargeable Fixation of Mercury, which so many famous and industrious Searchers have laboriously sought for many hundreds of Years now passed, as is known to the whole World. But the greatest part of them have sought in vain, and with a fruitless and unlucky endeavour miserably lost all their Patrimony and Fortunes, and become the Laughing-stock of other more happy Persons, being themselves Vagabonds, which cast an aspersion of Ignominy on the noble Art of Chymistry, and have rendred the same so odious every-where among the common sort, as no good Man (although he hath by most diligent search obtained some famous Medicine) dares to profess himself the Possessor of any Eminent Arcanum in Chymistry, lest he should give any occasion to Aristarchical Censurers of defaming him, and calling him a Gold making Animal. Assuredly it is very manifest, that in all Regions of Europe, and in every Age, have lived such Men most experienced, as have not onely transmuted Mercury, but other vile Metals also into good Gold, sustaining every Examen of Fire. But this was done very secretly, lest the Artists themselves should fall into the hands of Tyrants. Paracelsus, that most famous Monarch of all Philosophers, Physicians and Chymists, did indeed openly write of the Fixation of Mercury, but in a Character so abstruse, as in all my life I never saw one Man who could fix his Coralline Mercury, or present it to the sight of sufficient and certain Witnesses, except Helmont writing, that he could prepare such Mercury, as in Medicine would perform all whatsoever the Physician should have need of. But that the same Mercury (as Paracelsus testifies of it from his own Experience) enters into Gold and augments that, and exhilerates many impoverished Alchymists, restoring them to a more fortunate state; touching these Effects of the same, the worthy Helmont made no mention; yet he writ, that he did himself fix Mercury, by one onely abstraction of his Alcahest, in such wise, as of one pound he had left in the Cupella seven ounces of good Silver, which indeed is a famous Work in Chymistry and worth while; but Gold is better. Truly I must needs confess, that I have often tediously laboured to no purpose in this Work, and never could with any profit extract good Lune thence, onely I always had a little good Silver. Nevertheless afterward, when I lay Bed-rid, and by reason of my four years sickness, had consumed all my Goods gotten by Medicine, it pleased the most wise God to confer on me so great a Light, at by the Splendor of that I found the Royal way of operating rightly; and now I am able in a very few days to fix any common Mercury into a fixed red Powder, which fixed Mercury will undoubtedly perform Wonders in Medicine. For Paracelsus writes, that the dolorous Gout may be radically expelled by the benefit of the same. Helmont subscribes, that the same will perform all a Physician can desire and wish for. Wherefore, if the same be of so great efficacy (for I doubt not the truth of his Assertion) no Physician hath need of any other thing than this; because in what part soever of the World he resides, it will supply him with Aliments sufficient, and he will have no need to expose himself to the ignoble servitude and arbitrement of another, as the greatest part of other Mercenary Physicians are wont to prostitute themselves for hire. For by this Mercury onely he may acquire to himself Honour and Wealth enough, although he otherwise perform no great matter in Chymistry. In all Nations are found Men afflicted with grievous Diseases: of which no doubt is to be made, as a little after we shall hear. Wherefore it should be the onely care, study and endeavour of an honest and candid Physician to obtain such a fixed Mercury, in the mean while omitting all needless and vain Operations, together with all fruitless Disputes, without any Foundation, touching other unprofitable Remedies. Whensoever this is, there will be no need of Galenical Medicines, nor of the vain Pomp of so many withered, unprofitable and inefficacious Herbs, or so many painted Boxes, Pots and Glasses, with other frivolous Expences orderly placed in Apothecaries Shops.
Now let us hear what admirable Effects our fixed Mercury is able to manifest in Metallicks. Paracelsus writes, that it exhilerates every Alchymist reduced to a poor Estate, and hath ingress into Gold, and augments the same. My own Experience of this I am willing to impart to the Candid Reader, as far as I have proceeded hitherto. Therefore let the well meaning Reader know, that I found out this Art of Fixing Mercury no longer since than in March last of this Year 1667, and began to make proof thereof in the following Month of April; and so soon as I had found the Truth of it, I thought good to publish so great an Invention to the whole World. Yet in so short a space of Time, I could not search out all that was to be found, because by reason of my diuturnal Illness I was constrained to keep in my Bed; therefore I hastned the publication of so excellent an Invention, because I feared it would happen that the insalubrious Air of March or April should be my Death, and so all hope of divulging such a Secret be totally frustrated. Whatsoever I found in the same within that small space of time, I have here communicated.
I three several times perfected the Fixation of Mercury in a small quantity, and always found it every time higher and higher, and more and more beautifull. This fixed Mercury I cupellated with Saturn, but my Mercury remained fixed, without any Ingress made into the Lead, insomuch as from it self could give no Gold. Afterward I made another Trial, and then to my fixed Mercury I added a little common Gold, melting them into one Mass, I found that this Gold from the Mercury had increased it self more than half; the remainder of my Mercury had made no Ingress, but remained lying like a Red fixed Calx. Which kind of proof fully satisfied my mind, because the residue of my Mercury, which had not entred into the Gold, was not lost, but converted into an excellent Medicine. If it please the most wise God to restore me to my pristine health, as I hope he will in the next Summers heat, I shall not acquiesce in this proof onely, but further try whether I can of this Mercury yet make some further improvement. In the mean while I sing Praises to the Immortal God for so noble a Medicine against the dolorous Gout.
Thus, Reader, you have my Experience touching the Fixed Coralline Mercury. If I find any other more excellent Experiment of this (as I doubt not but I shall) I will ere it be long make thee partaker thereof in a following Second Appendix.
Whatsoever I have above prescribed touching the Mercury of Wine, as being an excellent Salt, and Supreme Medicine, I did sufficiently explain, except the Instrument to be made for burning the Spirit of Wine, which is not yet sufficiently expressed.
But here it is to be observed, that a burning Spirit extracted from Corn or other Vegetables, in no-wise yields so much Mercury, as Spirit of Wine doth, and especially if distilled from rich Rhenish Wine. In like manner also so much Mercury cannot be had from any sweet French or Spanish Wine, as from Rhenish Wine. So soon as by search I found the reason of this difference, I could from any burning Spirit made of Corn, extract as much Mercury, as from Rhenish Wine, insomuch as I now (praise and thanks be given to God) can easily be without Rhenish Wine and any other. The supreme Giver of all good Gifts, from his inexhausted Fountain of Grace, hath abundantly refreshed me with good things; let him yet instill more into me, that I may again distill the same into other of his needy and officious Servants, who with me endeavour to publish the Magnalia of God. Amen.
But proceeding yet further, we will briefly speak of the Secret Fire of ancient Philosophers, being that by which they ripened their Tinctures. Therefore, for a Conclusion, let the Lover of divine and natural Wisedom know, that such a Fire is not made of Wood or Coals, but is a Firey-water, such as gives forth from it self neither smoak nor flame. The same is not hindred or excited by external Fire, but in the Glass, (about the Subject you intend to fix and dulcifie) it always burns in an equal degree, and converts the immature and harsh into sweet and pleasant, fixed and mature; and also converts bitter Venome into salutary Medicine and Treacle.
Therefore, whomsoever God illuminates with so great Light, as to know such a Secret Fire, he will no more need to seek or desire any thing in Philosophy and Hermetick Medicine, but will offer up incessant Praises to God, as to the Fountain of all Good, because he will continually be mindfull of helping the Distresses of the Poor, and largely bestow on those Indigent Persons, out of the abundance to him accruing by the benefit of that most noble Gift granted to himself.
To the Supreme GOD alone be Praise and Glory for ever.
The End of the First Appendix.
THE
SECOND APPENDIX
TO THE
SEVENTH PART
OF THE
Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.
Wherein is treated of the further use of our secret Sal-Armoniack, for the meliorating of the meaner Metals, and more particularly of the profitable extracting or separating Sol and Lune from Jupiter. With a subjoyned information how by means of the Mercurial Water of Jupiter, Tinctures may be extracted in quantity not onely from Sol, but also from Mars and Venus, and all precious, as well as common Stones; and that (as it were) in a moment, without Fire or any considerable charge.
Faithfully Translated out of the High-Dutch.
Kind READER,
In my foregoing first Appendix of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, I promised a second concerning the further use of our secret Sal-Armoniack, that the ignorant as well as doubtfull might be fully satisfied of the truth. The reason why I rather choose to add two Appendixes to the said seventh Part, than to publish the secrets therein contained, under the title of the eighth Part, is because I have resolved not to go beyond the number 7 (in which something extraordinary lies hid) in any of my Writings. And forasmuch as I have already published six Parts of the welfare of my own Countrey; I intend shortly to add the seventh Part, which shall contain clear and full instructions, without concealing the least circumstance or manual operation how every one who is but a little skill’d in Fire, may with great profit extract from Sand and Stones, Sol and Lune, and thereby get a plentifull livelyhood in any part of the World. I have also at present in hand, the two last Parts of my Treatise of Furnaces, five of them being already in Print, that I may in that Piece also compleat the number seven: which two last Furnaces are extraordinary usefull; for in treating of the sixth Furnace I describe that Artificial Refrigeratory Instrument or Alembick, whereby the Mercury or Cælestial Niter of all Vegetables, Animals and Minerals is caught by kindling Spirit of Wine upon them, by which means the said Mercury is separated from its gross Body, and unprofitable part, and becomes highly exalted and purified. Which instrument the Philosophers have always carefully concealed. The seventh part of my Furnaces shall contain the description of a little Furnace in which with a very inconsiderable quantity of Coals and in a few hours, distillation may be performed by Retort, being such a Compendium as has never yet been published to the World. In which Furnace also the Tinctures of Metals may with the secret Fire of Artephius, or by the proper Agent of the matter of the Stone, in a short time be fixed and maturated. And if it shall please God to continue my Life a while longer, I intend to carry on these my following Works, viz. The Mineral Work, the wonder of the World, my Centuries, with other of my Writings, to the seventh number; but before I publish these I intend to Print some other Treatises, viz. Of the second Terrestrial, and third Cælestial Purgatory, and another concerning God and good and evil Spirits.
Now as to the second Appendix, I intend therein briefly, but fundamentally to declare the true gainfull particular as well as universal transmutation of Metals; yet not so, as that every lazy proud Lubber may become Master of these secrets, and thereby strengthen himself in his Pride and Debauchery, by no means: but they shall be so laid down, that those who have attained to some skill of managing Fire, may easily comprehend the same; yea the whole World will, I hope, have cause to rejoyce for this my faithfull Communication. And in case there be any that might not find clear and full satisfaction in this my Appendix they may read my other Writings, particularly those yet to be published, wherein they will meet with a further Elucidation of these secrets.
And as for those my good old Friends who never basely complied with the Enemies of Art and Truth, to them I am (as I always was) ready to communicate a shorter and nearer way than it is fitting here to expose to every Man.
Of the further profitable use of our secret Sal-Armoniack for the Melioration of Metals.
In the seventh part of my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, I have at large declared how our secret Sal-Armoniack is to be made together with the use of it in the preparation of many excellent Medicines, hitherto unknown. And because therein I did not discover all, I added to it an Appendix, treating concerning the use of the said Sal-Armoniack and other profitable secrets. But forasmuch as the virtues of the said Sal-Armoniack are great and unfathomable, I have thought good to add the second Appendix, which speaks of its use in meliorating the meaner metals. I intend therefore in this writing to discover great things, neither shall the Worlds ingratitude deter me from so doing. I shall begin with Saturn and Jupiter, and afterwards treat of the melioration of other meaner metals, viz. Mars and Venus, how by Art their corruptible and combustible Sulphur may be separated from them, and their purer part, (viz. Sol and Lune which are hid in them) extracted and made visible.
Lead and Tin, to outward aspect do much resemble one another, save onely that Jupiter is whiter, for which reason the Philosophers have called it white Lead, Antimony black Lead, and Bismuth gray Lead; because all of them like Lead, easily melt in the Fire.
Concerning Saturn and Jupiter (being the highest Planets in the Firmament) the Heathen Philosophers have writ much in their Fables: as amongst other things, that Jupiter drove his Father Saturn from his Kingdom, and made himself Master of it and other like Stories; in all which they obscurely hinted to us the transmutation of Metals. For these Poetical Fables though they seem trifling and foolish to those who have not attained to any considerable experience in Fire, so that of one thousand Readers scarce one reaches the true ground of them, (though ’tis known they were writ by men of great learning and experience) yet they whose understanding God enlightens find in them an hidden Treasure.
Now to the end I may not bury the Talent God has been pleased to bestow upon me, but improve it for the good of the World, I shall here discover the melioration of Jupiter and Saturn to the glory of God the Author of all good, and for the use of all mankind, without respect of Persons, whether they be Friends or Enemies: the good and virtuous will without doubt thankfully accept this my communication, and to the ungratefull and unworthy, this my well-meaning discovery of such profitable secrets will but heap Coals on their Heads. Wherefore it shall not repent me though it should come to the hands of my worst Enemies, as being sufficiently contented in this that I am any way instrumental in making known the wonders of God and nature to the World.
Thus in the name of God without envy or repining I proceed according to his command, to do good to Friends and Enemies, good and bad: if the wicked abuse any of these secrets, God in his due time will meet with them, and pay them in their own Coin. Follows now the nature and property of Jupiter and Saturn, according as they have been discovered to me by Fire.
Of the nature and property of Lead.
Saturn is an immature Metal, made up of much gross Mercury and little Sulphur which is impure. Its Salt much resembles Salt-peter, which is the cause of its coldness and easie fusibility. When its Mercury is purged from the impure Sulphur, it becomes like Gold in weight, and may by Art be reduced to the colour and fixedness of Gold. When its superfluous combustible Sulphur and nitrous Salt from whence proceed its ready fluxibility, and piercing and devouring nature are separated from it, all true Philosophers witness that there the Mercury of Lead may be turned to Gold, for they call Lead their leprous Gold. Now as the Leprosie in Man proceeds from a cold moist and over Salt Constitution of Blood, which corroding the Skin and Flesh produces such an abominable Scab upon the Body, especially in those parts where moisture most abounds, viz. about the Nose, Ears, Eyes, &c. but where the whole mass of the Blood is become corrosive, there it spreads over all the Body sparing no part, but filling it with Sores and Ulcers; so as at length where no potent Remedies are used to mortifie this malign corrosive humour, it destroys the Body and Death follows. To cure which formidable Malady, the Ancients made choise of fixed Gold, as not being subject to any corruption, which wise intention of theirs is very preposterously imitated by our Galenists, who when they find that their helpless and unprofitable Medicaments want the desired success about their Patients, and that small hope of saving them is left, betake themselves to Gold, Silver and Precious Stones, for to help at this dead lift. But let such as these remember that they will find it hard to answer these their proceedings one day, by which they onely post their patients out of the World: for what can the stomach of any man, but especially of the weak and sick do with the filings or leaves of Gold and Silver, or the Powder of Precious Stones? can we suppose that the Stomach can draw any virtue from those things, that the most corrosive Waters will scarce touch? But this hath been so often inculcated by others, that it is matter of wonder, that such foolish and fruitless ingredients have not been long since exploded and laid side, being indeed nothing else but the shame and reproach of Physicians; and all that can be said for them is, that they must be well paid for, and so help to make the Pot boil; without doubt when the promised Elias Artista shall come, he will put an end to all this unprofitable stuff, and instead therefore restore true powerfull Medicaments; to which good end I hope my Purgatory of the Philosophers, with the Sixth and Seventh Part of my Furnaces will not a little contribute. Thus it seems Truth must yet for a while be despis’d and oppress’d, till God, the truth it self, be pleased to raise up a mighty Hero to deliver it from Contempt, and Crown it with glory and honour.
It cannot be denied, but some experienc’d Philosophers, as Paracelsus and others have declar’d, that with Gold and precious Stones wonders may be done in Physick, when first they be reduced to potability; but have always condemn’d the use of their compact and fixt Bodies, which are insuperable by Fire it self, and therefore much more by the gentle heat of the Stomach. And indeed if those Physicians, who ignorantly make use of such gross and compact Bodies, did know the living Gold, Silver and precious Stones of the Philosophers, and the due application of them to the sick, they would by this means get more honour, and not be so injurious to their Neighbour, as they are, by exhibiting such unprofitable and hurtfull things for Remedies.
I cannot but on this occasion speak a word of the Leprosie and its cure; which being confessedly a Saturnine disease, may easily be cured by Saturnine Medicaments, such as are Black Lead, the Antimony of Wise men, or Magnesia of Saturn, being duely prepared. But to return to our Lead or Leprous Gold, and enquire how we may best rid him of his Melancholy Leprosie, and instead thereof restore to him a healthy sanguine complexion, which can no way better be done than by evacuating his sharp corrosive blood, or dulcifying of it. For, as has been said, Lead contains a sharp sal-nitrous Spirit, which corrodes and devours all hard things, which the Ancients have intimated by their portraying him with a sharp Sythe in one hand, and in the other holding a young Child, which he devours; wherefore also he is called a devourer of Infants, and a ravenous Wolf. Which ravenous property he expresses to the life, when on the Cupel he devours whatsoever is added to him, and therefore is called an unmercifull Father to his Children, because he devours and destroys them. According to all Philosophers and Astronomers he is the highest and first of all the Planets in the Firmament, upon which account the other Planets and Metals, viz. Sol, Luna, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and Mercury are call’d his Children, though improperly, for they are his Brethren, which he devours, swallows and destroys on the fiery Cupel, except Sol and Luna, which though he swallows as well as his other Brethren, yet can he not concoct or digest them, but is fain to vomit them up again, and they are so far from receiving any hurt in the Stomach of that ravenous Wolf, that they come forth much purer than before, leaving all their filth behind them. So that this devouring Glutton, notwithstanding the corrosive acidity of his Stomach cannot consume Gold or Silver, but robs them onely of their superfluous Sulphur, which is the corrupter of the Mercury in Metals, of which Paracelsus excellently writes in his Cælum Philosophorum, which I have quoted in my first Appendix concerning the use of the Alcahest.
Now that there is a great acidity in Lead, appears from this instance; because when it is melted, it pierces the Crucible, and runs through; and therefore Cupels have been invented, made of Bone-ashes, which he cannot eat through, but sinks like water into them. Yet there are also Crucibles made of Coal-dust and good Earth proportionably temper’d together, which can hold Saturn in Flux for a year together, without ever piercing them: of which more may be seen in my other Writings.
This then is the Nature and Property of Saturn, he contains much, but impure Mercury, and a sharp corrosive Salt-peter Spirit; when he is rid of these, he affords good Gold and Silver, yet not alone and of himself, but with help of his Brother Jupiter, whose superfluous Sulphur kindles the Nitrous Spirit in Lead, and consumes it; so that by this enkindling, not onely the hurtfull Salt-peter in Lead, but also the superfluous Sulphur in Tin are both consumed and destroyed. This being done, if the Tin thus mixed with Lead be driven off on the Cupel, they will yield Gold and Silver enough for a competent livelihood.
If thou would’st be further assured that Lead contains a sharp Salt-peter Spirit, which by no other way can be taken from him, than by his enemy Sulphur, by whose means it is kindled and consumed, the following Experiment will give thee full satisfaction. Onely by the way note, that this consuming of the Nitre in Lead, does very much alter its Nature, making it hard, and of difficult fusion like Iron, so that great Guns may be made of it. Now the Experiment is this: Take of the filings of Lead three parts, of Brimstone in Powder one part, put them into a Crucible, surrounded with Charcoal, so as it may heat leisurely and by degrees; by this means the Brimstone will penetrate the Lead, and mortifie its Nitrous Spirit, which is the cause of its easie fluxibility, and at the same time the Sulphur becomes mortified also, which before was more fluxible than the Lead, but now by its union with the Lead, is very hard to be fluxed. This mortification or induration of Lead, with common Brimstone, affords no Melioration, and is onely here instanced, to demonstrate there is a Salt-peter in Lead, and that Salt-peter and Lead, which both are so very fluxible, do harden and mortifie one another. But now when the Salt-peter that is in Lead is kindled and consumed by the Sulphur that is in Tin, then one Metal meliorates the other, and the hurtfull superfluity of both is destroyed, viz. the Nitre that is in Lead, and the Combustible Sulphur in Tin, from whence necessarily a melioration must ensue.
That Sulphur kills the Nitre in Lead, and makes it hard, thou mayst yet be satisfied another way, viz. Take some ounces of Lead, melt them in a Crucible, and ever and anon cast in a little piece of Brimstone into it; continue this till thy Lead be become hard and influxible, by which means thou wilt be assured that there is Nitre in Lead. And that there is Sulphur in Tin, appears in that when it is joined with Lead, they kindle and consume one another.
If thou desirest yet further to be confirmed, that there is Nitre in Lead, which makes it melt so readily, and fret through every thing; then do thus: Take Lead and melt him red-hot in a Crucible, and immediately he will pierce the Crucible and run out; take another Crucible and put Lead into it also, casting, as soon as it is melted, small bits of Brimstone upon it, which will so mortifie the fretting Nitrous Spirit in Lead, that he will be no more able to pierce the Crucible, but will for a long time continue red-hot in the same.
If this demonstration neither will satisfie thee, that the fretting nature of Lead proceeds from a sharp Mineral Salt-peter Spirit, thou mayst further prove it thus: Abstract from two ounces of filings of Lead an ounce and an half of Oil of Vitriol or Spirit of Salt in a small Retort, in which operation the dry Lead will draw to it the sharp Saline Spirit, and that which comes over will be meer insipid Phlegm, retaining nothing of its former corrosiveness. The distillation performed, take thy Lead out of the Retort, and try whether it be become more sharp by the addition of the said Corrosive Spirit, but thou wilt find that the Lead has taken in the sharp Saline Spirit, coagulated it, and changed it into a sweet Stone, in which no manner of corrosiveness can be tasted or perceived. Now if this be true, that Lead can turn such a strong corrosive Oil into a sweet Stone, we need not wonder that he has a power to coagulate, hide, and make invisible his own in-born Saline Spirit. Concerning which matter thou mayst read more in a small Treatise of mine of the Principles of Metals, wherein speaking of the Coagulation of Saline Spirits, I observe that Lead has the nature and property of Coagulating all sharp and corrosive Saline Spirits. If this instance have not sufficiently instructed thee, thou mayst make another proof thus: Take the fore-mentioned Lead, acuated with Saline Spirits, and melt it in a tripple Crucible with a fire of Fusion, let it be red-hot in Flux, and thou wilt find that in a moment it will run through thy three Crucibles, which common Lead would never do, from whence it is clear as the Sun that the piercing, fretting quality which is in Lead, proceeds from the Saline Spirits coagulated in or with it. Consider well of how great use such a Lead, whose natural devouring Faculty or Sythe is so highly acuated by Art, might be in the work of Transmutation, if we knew to make good use of it. The Philosophers writing of Saturn’s sharp Sythe, express themselves in these words, Falx ejus mordax est, His Sythe is sharp or biting: which how it may be made much sharper by Saline Spirits, has now been said. A further enlargement might here be made concerning Saturn’s Sythe; but it shall suffice at present to have demonstrated, that his easie fluxibility, and fretting devouring nature, proceeds onely from a sharp Nitrous Spirit; which when Sulphur has consumed and burnt away, much Gold and Silver may be separated from him.
Of the Nature and Property of Jupiter, what he wants, and what he hath too much of, and how his noxious superfluities may be removed, so as on the Cupel he may yield his hidden Gold and Silver.
Tin by the Heathen Philosophers has been appropriated to the Heathen God (or rather Planet) Jupiter, who has the next place in the Firmament to Saturn; is by the Miners called White Lead, and like it melts with a small heat, and easily unites with his Brother Saturn, continuing together in a moderate heat; but they no sooner become redhot, but their Brotherly love is changed to enmity, not being able to endure one another in a strong fire, but each striving to get loose from the other, which yet cannot be without the loss of one or both of their lives; so that this their combat may well be compared to the fighting of the Peasants in Lapland, whose custome is when two of them are highly incensed against each other, to suffer themselves to be tied fast together, so as they cannot fly back or run away, and then fall to cutting and slashing one another so long with their knives, till the Death of one or both of them follows.
But to return from whence we have digressed. That Saturn and Jupiter are Brothers, the Heathen History informs us, relating that the four Brothers, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, their chief Gods, fell into discord amongst themselves which of them should be the greatest; which contest of theirs was at last by the mediation of the other Gods composed, they agreeing to divide the Empire of the World between them. And though Saturn were older than his Brother Jupiter, yet was he fain to content himself with the command of the Earth, whilst Jupiter took upon him that of Heaven, Neptune that of the Sea, and Pluto the Dominion of Hell. Which Division will not at all seem strange to those that understand Nature, who find that each Brothers lot was very correspondent and comporting with their nature. The Nature of Saturn much resembles the Earth, and he makes all things that he takes to him like the Earth; as appears from the fore-mentioned contest with his Brother Jupiter. But Jupiter, because inwardly he is very sulphureous and fiery, therefore is the Government of the fiery Heaven properly deputed to him, leaving Saturn to dig and moil in the Earth: Wherefore also the Ancients have represented him with a Spade in his hand, thereby intimating his Property of digging through or piercing all things: whereas they figured Jupiter with Thunder bolts, and fiery Lightning-flashes in his hand, whence came that Proverb, Procul à Jove, procul à Fulmine; Far from Jupiter, far from his Thunder-bolts.
Now that Tin contains much Sulphur, may be thus experimented: Take the filings of Tin and powder’d Nitre, mix and put them into a Crucible over the fire, and they will kindle and consume one another, so as nothing will be left in the Crucible. Or it may be tried thus: Melt some Tin in a Cruce, and when ’tis red-hot, cast in some Nitre upon it, which kindles the Tin, the flame carrying part of it away, and the rest is burnt to dross or fæces. But not to insist on this, it being very notorious that the greatest part of Tin is nothing else but combustible Sulphur, the remaining part being a solar pure Mercury: so that when this Sulphur is by art wholly separated from its pure Mercury, the same is easily ripened to Gold, by being joined with cold Saturn, which the following Praxis will abundantly make out.
’Tis worth our noting here, that this Sulphur of Tin doth not burn away, when the Tin without any addition is put to the fire, but doth then in the heat seize and lay hold of its own Mercury, burning and reducing the same to Ashes, which are very hardly to be reduced to a Metal without some addition: neither will Lead join with these Ashes, but thrusts them out from him, turning them to a white Glass; which is the reason why so few are found, who with profit can separate the Gold and Silver which is in it. Paracelsus in his Cœlum Philosophorum saith expresly that much Gold and Silver lies hid in Tin. We read also of others that have had the Art of it, and have thence extracted great treasures of Gold and Silver; amongst others Bruschius in his Description of Fichtelberg, gives us the History of a Citizen of Eger, on the Borders of Bohemia, some few miles distant from the City Nurnberg, who had the skill of separating the Sol and Lune which is in Tin to great advantage, having been enabled thereby not onely to build an Hospital and Church in the said place, but also richly to endow the same for the maintenance of twelve old Men and three Priests in the said Hospital. This Person, whose name was Sigismund Wan, suffer’d this Art to die with him, but withall left a Prophesie behind him that the said Art 200 years after should rise again, and be made known to the World. Which Prophesie though Bruschius in his foresaid description make no mention of, yet is undoubtedly true: and there is a Book in Manuscript, which is very common amongst the Miners and other Artificers belonging to the said Fichtelberg, which I have seen, and read in it the said Prophesie, though at that time being young and unexperienc’d in the nature of Tin, I little minded it. But since God has been pleased in this my far advanced old Age, without any thing of my seeking, out of his meer grace and mercy to reveal the said Art unto me, it hath given me occasion to call to mind what formerly I had read, and put me upon reading the said Book over again, where I found that his Prophesie was exactly fulfilled, for this Sigismund Wan died in the year 1467, from whence to this present year 1667, are just 200 years. This Prophesie being thus precisely accomplished, I thought fit to set down some part, of the said Bruschius his Relation, from whence it appears that God doth often impart such skill and knowledge to good and honest People, whereby they are enabled not onely to supply themselves, but also to make liberal Provision for the Poor. The words of Bruschius are these, Wohnsiedel has no extraordinary Buildings, besides a stately and richly endowed Hospital, which was built in the year 1467, by a Citizen of the place named Sigismund Wan, though at the time of his building the said Hospital, he was a Citizen of Eger. He had to Wife a Venetian Woman called Barbara, who had great skill in Alchymy, and in particular the Art of separating Gold and Silver from Tin, by which means he became very rich, and having no Children, built the said Hospital, constituting the Magistrates of Eger Guardians of the same, left them a great Summ of Money, with the Interest of which they maintain twelve old Men, and three Priests. Near the said Hospital, is a very fair Church built by the said Sigismund, where to this day a Picture is to be seen, containing the Pourctratures of the Founder and Foundress of the Church and Hospital, with the time and hour of their Deaths. This Sigismund lived at Eger the latter part of his life; and wrought his gainfull Work in the same House, wherein at present dwells Andrew Griffen.
Thus far Bruschius, from whose Relation it appears that there have been those who from the meaner Metals, and particularly Tin, have been able to separate Gold and Silver with great gain, so as to procure great riches thereby. We find also that in those times charity was more exercised than at present, when men instead of building Hospitals, are rather ready to convert them, with their Revenues to their own use. For which wickedness of this Age, God seems to withdraw his blessing from the Earth, so that Mines do not so much abound, nor are so rich by far as formerly. How many places in Germany have we known blest with Gold and Silver Mines, as also with Lead and Tin Mines, containing much Gold and Silver, of which nothing is to be found now? And this same Tin Mine from whence Sigismund Evan extracted so much Gold and Silver, has now for near 200 years yielded no Oar at all. About the same time also there was a very rich Gold Mine, in an adjacent little City called Gold Granach; which is in like manner wholly exhausted and lost. In the same Gold Mine, Antimony, also which is the Root of Gold, was found in that quantity, as from thence it was transported to all parts of Europe, but now very little of it is to be found there, and that which is found, contains no Gold at all, whereas that which was digged there before did abound with it. In like manner the Hungarian and Transylvanian Mines of Antimony so rich in Gold, which flourished about 200 years since, are now quite spent so as no more Antimony is to be found there. Since which time the rich Silver Mines in Jochems that have been discoverd, which yielded an incredible quantity of Silver, but did not continue long so, God, for the ingratitude and wickedness of men suffering it to sink away; of which many more instances might be given but these shall suffice.
But to return to our interrupted discourse. ’Tis well known that all unripe Metals, when by the violence of Fire they are melted and separated from their Oar, do send forth a poisonous Arsenical Exhalation; yea even after they are wholly separated from their Oar, they cease not to exhale poisonous fumes, though not comparable with those they send forth when they are first melted from their Oar: as appears particularly in Tin, for if Wine be over night put into a new Tin Pot, it will give a Vomit the next morning. Copper also does the like; but Lead not so much, or rather nothing at all: whereas Iron gently purges downward, is wholsome and opens obstructions; for Iron is onely endowed with a fix Sulphur, and contains no Arsenick, as Tin doth. Gold and Silver contain neither Sulphur nor Arsenick, and therefore the Wine that is put into them is not at all changed.
Seeing then that Tin has some Arsenick joyn’d with it, which causeth the foresaid alteration in the Wine, whereas in Gold and Silver it is not changed at all, because they are free from all fœtid cumbustible Sulphur and Arsenick; if we desire to rid Tin of its poisonous quality, and make it like Gold and Silver by removing its superfluities, we must do it by Art. We see that Mercury of it self is no Poyson, but becomes so when sublimb’d with Salts or otherwise joyn’d with them, by which means it becomes poisonous and volatile. This is notorious, and all Chymists believe and acknowledge it, and we have as much reason to believe, that the same is the case of Arsenick and Cobalt, viz. that Arsenick would be no Poyson of it self, but by reason of some saline Spirit joyn’d with it in the Earth. We find also that Arsenick when it comes first out of the Earth of a grayish colour is nothing near so poisonous, as it becomes afterwards by being sublimed with Salts, for to make it white and transparent. For though Salts in themselves be not poisonous, yet when Minerals are in certain ways prepared with them they turn them to Poisons, for every volatile Mineral that is joyn’d with saline Spirits is poisonous, but when the same Minerals are fixed, they lose their poisonous quality and become good Medicines, as may be seen in Arsenick, Cobalt, Orpiment and other poisonous volatile Minerals, which being fixed, by running them down with Salt-peter, may safely be exhibited against several Diseases. Which being so it will be easie to infer, that if we can fix the volatile Sulphur and Arsenick which is in Tin, we shall not onely take away its Poyson and make it medicinal, but also make it like Gold and Silver.
Let this then be laid as a sure foundation, that corrosive saline Spirits are the causes of all Poyson, making fix matters to become volatile and poisonous, and consequently that volatile immature metals, as Lead and Tin, when their corrosive Spirits are mortified or driven away, become fixed. It is well known that the combustible noxious Sulphur of Metals, is the sole cause of their imperfection, and that this combustible Sulphur has no greater enemy than Salt-peter, by which it is kill’d and destroyed, and yet no better Friend neither, which though at first sight it may seem contradictorioy, yet is very true; for when the Niter does consume the cumbustible Sulphur, it is indeed its enemy, but when by this Consumption of the naughty Sulphur, the incombustible solar Sulphur of Tin becomes purged from its heterogeneous mixtures, we shall find that indeed Niter is the friend of Tin, as setting the solar Sulphur of Tin free from the captivity of its noxious Sulphur, so as now it can unite with Gold and Silver, and become such it self, which before was impossible. Thus we see that the consuming and mortifying of the superfluous Sulphur, is the life and deliverance of the incombustible Sulphur, and the corruption of the one, the regeneration of the other. To which purpose Paracelsus speaks excellently, saying that Corruption makes things perfectly good, for by means of it the evil that hides and absconds the good, being taken away, the good manifests it self; Which is very true of Tin whose solar Sulphur being hid and held by its noxious Sulphur, the same must be taken away, before Gold and Silver can be extracted from it. Which separation of the combustible from the incombustible Sulphur, must not be done with common Niter, which is too vehement for the nature of Tin, and would destroy the good with the bad, but a more mild and proper Salt-peter must be taken, viz. that which is hid in Lead, which is powerfull enough to kindle and consume the superfluous Sulphur of Tin, and set its solar Sulphur free, as will appear from the following Process.
When therefore thou art minded to set upon this gainfull particular, and together universal Work, I would not have thee to be too covetous nor to begin with too great a quantity of Tin in hopes thereby to become rich of a sudden; but advise thee to begin with onely two or three pound of Tin, and try whether the Art be true or no, and if true what gain may thence be expected. And if thou find’st it to answer thy expectations, thou mayst then work in as great quantities as thou pleasest, but if thou find’st that thou canst not bring it to the desired end, thou must be content to go to School a little longer, and learn to be more a master of Fire; or else leave it off altogether concluding thou art not predestinated to this Work. It is not enough to think thou canst do it, thou must have the Art of it, else thy thinking will little avail thee. What I write here, is no other than the truth, of which the Reader may assure himself.
A Process for to separate Gold and Silver with great profit from Tin.
Set on a Cupel under a Muffel one, two, three pound more or less of Lead, let it be red hot, then cast into it half an ounce, one ounce or an ounce and half of Tin, and you’l see the Tin mount above the Lead, and the Sulphur of the Jupiter will kindle the Salt-peter of the Lead, and turn to yellow Ashes, which still must be taken away with an Iron Instrument for that purpose, as long as any of the said Ashes, mount or appear on the surface of the Lead. When no more Ashes appear, then cast in a fresh quantity of Tin as before, turning the same to Ashes till no more rise. Continue so long with the incineration of fresh Tin, untill all the Lead and Tin be turned to Ashes. Then mix these Ashes with half as much of our secret Sal-Armoniack, and by Retort distill the Sal-Armoniack from it, which may serve again for the same Work. In this Distillation the Sal-Armoniack, draws to it the Sulphur of the Tin, and turns it to Fæces, and the pure part of the Lead and Tin are left in a Regulus at the bottom, which after Distillation may be beat from the Scoriæ: and because the Regulus of Lead in this operation proves somewhat flat and platy, we may lay it cross on an Anvil, and strike it crooked with an Hammer, and so the Scoria will fall from it, which are carefully to be kept, as being of good use, which will appear hereafter. If we desire to make a better separation of the Scoriæ from the said Regulus of Lead, we may put the said Regulus with its Fæces into a Crucible, and having given it a Fire of Fusion, pour out the Regulus into a Cone, and the Scoriæ will abide in the Cruce, as being of more difficult fusion than the Regulus. This Regulus of Lead, must again be set upon the Cupel, and when red hot, we must put Tin to it as before, incinerate the same and gather the Ashes, then mix them with Sal-Armoniack, distill and separate the Scoriæ from the Regulus as before. This labour must be so oft repeated till all the Lead and Tin be turn’d to Ashes, which will be in three or four times, after which onely a small Regulus will be left, which we must refine on the Cupel like other Lead, and thus the Gold and Silver which was in the Tin, will be left on the Cupel, which must be granulated, and the Gold and Silver separated from each other with Aqua Fortis.
The Scoriæ proceeding from this Work must not be despised, being more worth than the Gold and Silver which are left on the Cupel. This work being well performed, every pound of Tin will yield some Crowns in Gold and Silver, which richly pays both cost and pains. And he that has the skill to prepare the said Sal-Armoniack by a compendious way, may expect the greater profit from this Work. The Sal-Armoniack which comes over by Distillation, will serve for the same purpose again, nothing of it being diminished, but what abides with the Scoriæ, which by making a Lye of the Scoriæ may also be saved, by which means a wonderfull Salt is obtained, which abounds with many and great virtues; concerning which we intend (God willing) to treat at large in our third Appendix. I had intended indeed to speak of it here, but I find this Appendix is grown too big under my hands; and therefore shall refer the superlative great virtues of the said wonderfull Salt to my Third Book. Yet to the end, that the Lover of Art in the mean time, till my Third Appendix be published, may not altogether be ignorant of what great things may be performed by it, I have thought good to inform him, that I have often in my other Writings made mention of this Secret Sal-Armoniack, yet concealing its preparation, viz. in my Book of Dialogues, speaking of the Preparation of the Lion’s Blood. In my Treatise of Elias Artista I have called this Salt, Salt of Art, as also the Bishop and High Priest of Metals, and there at large informed the Curious, how by means thereof they may inseparably conjoin Gold and Silver. In other of my Writings I have given it other names. This wonderfull Salt of which I have treated in my Book of the Three Principles, shewing it to be that wherewith Jupiter changed him self into a golden shower, and got entrance through the Tiles into the strong Tower where Danae was shut up, thus beguiling her, and begetting on her Perseus the Destroyer of the Sea-Monster, and Deliverer of the Beautifull Andromeda, whom he took to Wife; and afterward vanquished the Gorgones, keepers of the Golden Apple bearing Orchard, &c.
This our Salt of Art is the Secret Chalybs of Sendviogius, wherewith he extracts the Tincture of Gold, and of it prepares the tinging Stone of the Philosophers. This our Salt of Art is also that Juno, to whom (as Virgil relates) the Golden Bough broke off by Proserpina from the Dark tree is consecrated: of which I have elsewhere treated more at large. This Salt also is our Proserpina the Goddess of Hell and Wife of Pluto, and is much more ready and handy in breaking off the said Golden Bough, than that Proserpina which by Distillation (with great toil and labour) breaks off her Golden Branches: for this our Proserpina performs it without fire, or any trouble to speak of, and offers it up to the Goddess Juno. Which ingenious and profitable Work I intend (God willing) to set down in my Third Appendix; wherein I shall communicate to the World a perpetual Minera of Gold and Silver, which every one without any great pains may in stillness work in his own house: For there is no easier way to extract the hidden Gold from all Metals in quantity and without fire, than by means of this our Goddess Juno, or Jovial Proserpina.
Let the Reader who desires to know further of these Poetical Fables, read the ingenious Ovid, and others who make it their business to treat of them: and in reading he will observe, that Jupiter is by them represented to be the God of Fire and Lightning, and Juno his Wife and Sister the Goddess of the Air; whence we may gather, that by the word Juno is to be understood a spiritual volatile moisture and watry Jupiter. Now the Artist who has Juno for his Friend and Advocate, may easily obtain from Phœbus great Treasures, as well for the health of the Body, as of outward Riches; and this is so easie to be done, and with so little charges, that I dare not be so bold to write more of it, lest the wicked and unworthy should smell out the rest.
Now forasmuch as this Appendix is swoln to a bigger bulk than I had intended, I shall refer the melioration of Iron and Copper, by means of our Secret Sal-Armoniack to our Third Appendix. And shall onely say thus much at present, that these two despised Metals, do afford more profit, and with less charge and trouble than Lead and Tin; which Process I intend to communicate in my next Appendix.
If any find the trouble and charges of Preparing our Sal-Armoniack too great, he may attempt the Work with common Sal-Armoniack sublimed; and if that do not fully answer his desire, he may afterward prepare ours, or get it of those that make it in quantity. If it please God that I live over next Summer, I intend my self to work this profitable Process of extracting Sol from Tin; as also to extract the Tinctures of Copper and Iron with our Alcahest, in great quantity, and to give the over-plus of Profit to the Poor for a Memorial to the World. In the mean time I have here at large declared how the superfluities of Lead and Tin are to be removed, in order to the separating of the Gold and Silver contained in them; and this without concealing any of the Manual Operations thereto belonging: though I question not but many who may attempt the same, will by mistaking some Point or other fail of their end. Above all, great care must be had that the Tin be not mixed with Copper or Regulus of Antimony, which will make the Ashes hard and irreducible; the Sal-Armoniack also must be well prepared, sharp and penetrative, that it may work upon the Tin-ashes, and make them fluxible and reducible to Metal. Neither must the Tin-ashes be suffer’d to lye too long on the Lead, but continually be taken away, for otherwise they will become hard and influxible. In a word, ’tis practise onely and experience can make a man Master of this Work, it being impossible to set down all particulars so clear and distinct, as that the unexperienced may not easily mistake. In case therefore this my Appendix should seem too dark to any one, let him have patience till my Third Appendix be published, in which I intend to communicate a much more easie Process for extracting Gold and Silver out of Lead, Tin, Iron and Copper.
There is also a way of turning fine Tin alone by it self into Ashes, by stirring it continually in an Iron Pot over the fire, which Ashes must be reduced with our Sal-Armoniack, and then turn’d to Ashes again and reduced, which must be repeated till the greater part of the Tin be turned to Scoriæ, and the Gold and Silver melt down to a Regulus, which being tested, leaves behind the Gold and Silver which was in the Tin, and the remaining Scoriæ, or Dross, are of greater value than the Gold and Silver it self. For he who knows to make use of these Fæces as a Magnet to attract the Gold from metalline Solutions, will get great profit thereby; the said Fæces being a main cause of my publishing this Treatise, because of their great and profitable use both in Physick and Alchymy; forasmuch as with their help not onely Gold and Silver, but also true Universal Tinctures may be extracted from Stones and Metals: So that he who knows the use of these Jovial Fæces may not onely richly maintain themselves, but also liberally communicate to the Poor. If God continue my life, I intend to undertake this profitable Work my self, and thence make some provision for the Poor; for I have already taken my leave of this wicked World, expecting with patience an heavenly Guide to conduct me to life eternal, which I earnestly pant after.
A Corollary, or Supplement to the foregoing Appendix.
We have seen in the foregoing Treatise, how with the help of Lead, the Gold and Silver which is hid in Tin may be extracted with our Secret Sal-Armoniack; which after it has separated the said Gold and Silver, doth still retain great virtues, as being become a true natural Magnet, able without much trouble or fire, to extract not onely from Gold, but also from the gross bodies of Iron and Copper their purest Tinctures, which in them are better, and in greater quantity than in Gold it self. Which Solar Magnet few Philosophers have known, or the use of it. Our Cosmopolita writes most clearly of the same in the following words: There is a Steel which can extract from the Rays of the Sun, that which many have sought and not found. And again, If our Steel copulate eleven times with Gold, the Gold thereby becomes weakned almost to death, and the Steel will conceive and bring forth a Son more famous than his Father. Nuysement also speaks of this Magnet, but sparingly and darkly, and Paracelsus yet more obscurely. Others who had the knowledge of it, make no mention thereof at all; fearing, ’tis like, lest the Art might grow too common, and be prostituted thereby: but without cause; for though a Man be able to extract the Tinctures of Metals, yet hath he not therefore the whole Art: for though the said Tinctures be of great use for the cure of all diseases, yet can they not display their virtues upon Metals, till they be fixed with Gold, and have obtained metallick ingress: but in Physick, as was now said, they are very usefull, before their fixation, and especially those which by our Magnet are extracted from Mars and Venus, for they purge all that is hurtfull out of the Body, not weakning as common Purges do, but strengthening it. They also purge by Sweat and Urine, and still all inward and outward Pains procure sweet rest, by reason of the Anodynous quality hid in Mars and Venus. So that these Tinctures of Mars and Venus before fixation may be used against all diseases with assurance of good success; and when fixed, they turn Silver into Gold. For our Magnet robs the Dragon (viz. Aqua Fortis, wherein Mars and Venus are dissolved) of the Golden Fleece he is keeper of, and, like another Jason, brings home the same, and with it restores his aged Father to youth again, and procures to himself vast and unmeasurable Riches. For these Tinctures do great wonders in both faculties. It is not long ago since I took some grains (which I had left of a former preparation) of one of these Tinctures, to see if thereby I might be somewhat refreshed, which indeed did perform all that could be expected from it, but having no more of it could not perfect my cure. Since which time I have had a great longing with the first occasion to prepare some more of it, because I found that upon taking that small quantity, my bald head began to be cover’d with black curl’d hairs, from whence I am verily perswaded, that had I had more of the like Tincture, it would have wholly renewed me; and therefore shall not be wanting to make use of the first opportunity to prepare more of it, both for my own health and that of others, and publish the wonderfull works of God throughout the whole World. And forasmuch as God of his free Grace has been pleas’d to bless me with the knowledge of this best and most powerfull of Medicines, though by reason of my weakness I am forc’d to keep my bed, and must patiently wait, till it shall please God to put me into a condition of preparing the same; yea though Death should prevent me from ever doing it, yet shall this be my satisfaction, that I have here informed the Lovers of Art, what wonder-working Tinctures lye hid in these despised Metals of Copper and Iron, and which may so easily with our Jovial Magnet be extracted.
But let him that undertakes to work with our secret Magnet, take heed that he do not make it too strong, lest instead of a Tincture, he draw the gross Bodies; for it often happens when the Magnet is too strong, that, together with the Tincture, it draws the gross Body, and especially of the Homogeneal Metals, in which the Tincture is so closely united with the Body, that it is very hard to separate them. A common Magnet draws Iron, together with its Tincture, but without separating the one from the other; but our secret Magnet draws from Iron (its Body being first opened) the Tincture onely, leaving the gross Body behind, because Iron and Copper are Heterogeneous Metals, in which the Tincture is easily separable from its Body, whereas Gold, which is Homogeneal, doth not readily part with his Tincture, the Body following its Soul or Tincture. Yea a common Magnet draws the whole Body of Iron, without separating the Tincture, even then when by Nature it is made Homogeneal and fixed like Gold: as we see in Granat-stones, which are rich in Iron (as those are which are brought to us from America, and especially from New-France, some in great pieces and others small like Sand) that they are greedily attracted by the common Magnet: and yet no Iron can be melted from them, forasmuch as neither Fire will flux, nor corrosive Spirits dissolve them; but their Tincture may easily be drawn from them according to the way I have set down in my Book of the Three Principles. In America are found great Mountains of such small Granats, which being Homogeneal, will not yield to Fire or Stygian-waters. And now lately I have seen some Mineral Earths and Stones brought from New-found-land, of which there are whole Mountains there, which never any Man that I know could make any profit of, though it be certain that every pound weight of them contains half a Crowns worth of Gold and Silver. But we need not trouble our selves to seek for Treasures in other Countries. God having furnished all parts of the World (none excepted) with Subjects that afford good and abundant Tincture, onely the Art of drawing them forth is wanting. We do not stand in need of Gold for to extract its Tincture, because we may have one as good from Mars or Venus, and with much more ease.
But if any Man has a mind to draw the Gold from such Waters, wherein it is imperceptibly scatter’d and dispers’d, let him put a small quantity of our secret Magnet into the said Water, and he will see all the said Gold presently gathered to it, and reduc’d to Visibility and Corporality, with great profit to the Artist. And because many such Waters abounding with Gold and Tincture, are found prepared by Nature to our hands, without charges or trouble, this short information here may to the skilfull open a door to great Treasures.
But to proceed and shew that there are such Magnets wherewith Tinctures may be extracted; and here first of all I will instance in my Jovial Sal-Armoniack here described, whereby the Tin turn’d to Ashes is reduced; for when the same Sal-Armoniack, impregnated with Tin, is dissolved in Spirit of Salt, it becomes such a Solar Magnet, which can and does extract the Tinctures from the Solution of Metals. For when a little of this Sal-Armoniack Water is poured upon the Solution of any Metal, shaken together, and set aside, the Magnet, as in a moment, attracts all that’s good in the said Solution, whether it be Gold or Tincture, to the bottom of the Glass of a purple or blood-red Colour, and the Solution becomes white. And yet there are many Magnets which are better than this of Sal-Armoniack impregnated with Tin, extracting the Tinctures from Metals with more ease, and better than that. The reason why I onely make mention of this, is, because it is the product of the Work here described, viz. the extracting Gold and Silver from Tin. And to the end I may evidence to all, that the said Magnet is of greater value than the Gold and Silver, which is got from the Tin; I shall say thus much, that it is impossible for the ignorant to believe of what great advantage this Magnet is to those that understand the use of it: for not onely may Universal Tinctures be extracted therewith for curing the Bodies of Men and Metals, out of Metals and Stones, and that easily and without charge; but it can also extract much Gold from those Metals and Stones, in which much volatile and spiritual Gold is hid, viz. Iron, Copper, East-Indian Zink, &c. and amongst Stones the red and yellow Pebbles, which are almost every-where to be found. Concerning which extraction of Sol from Sand and Stones, I have treated at large in my Seventh Part of the Prosperity of Germany. Now that our Magnet draws to it all Colours and Tinctures, not onely from Stones and Metals, but from Vegetables and Animals, and doth highly exalt the same, may thus be proved: Dissolve one ounce of Gold in Aqua Regis, pour the yellow Solution into a pound of common Water, and this yellow Colour will no more be perceived, then pour also some of our Magnet into the said Water, and all the Water will become blood-red, and being set aside, the Gold, which the Magnet hath attracted, falls to the bottom, highly exalted in Colour, and the Water remains white, having lost all its Gold, and may be used again for the like extraction of Gold or Tincture out of Stones and Metals in infinitum, without any impairing of its strength; so that I may well say, that never hath a more profitable invention been communicated to mankind.
Dost thou desire to experience what our Magnet can doe in extracting the Colours of Vegetables and Animals? then proceed thus: Boil Brasile wood, Turmerick, or any like Vegetables in Water till it be coloured, filter it, and pour a little of our Magnet into the colour’d Water; shake it together, and the Magnet will draw all the colour from the Water to it self, which falls to the bottom in form of a very subtil Powder; the Water being decanted, and the Powder dried, affords an excellent colour for Painters; Brasile wood a brown red, Farnabock a light red, Dragons-blood a bright ruby colour, Turmerick a yellow, and Indigo a curious Sky-blew. Animals, as Cochenille, &c. may be proceeded with in like manner, and will afford far better Colours than they can of themselves, because our Magnet (as hath been said) exalts all Colours whatsoever. To try this thy self, thou may’st according to my foregoing instruction prepare it, and so find by experience the wonders it will perform in extracting the Tinctures of Metals, Stones, Vegetables and Animals; which if thou dost, thou wilt find more than I have here set down. And if thou hast no time to prepare the Magnet thy self, thou mayst have it of those who prepare it in great quantities: For because this wonder-working Magnet can do such great things, I have communicated the preparation of it to a very honest friend, to the end he might make it in quantity, and vend it for the good of the World, at a Rix-dollar per Pound. With this Magnet Wool, Linnen, Silk, Bones, Feathers, &c. may be dyed or painted far more fair and lasting than any other way now known: Chymical Physicians, with the help of it, may prepare the true Quintessence of Metals and Stones for the cure of all diseases: and it will assist the Philosophers to extract Universal Tinctures from all coloured Stones and Metals, with which they may throughly and lastingly tinge white metals to Gold, and Crystal to Rubies, Saphires, Jacinths, Emeralds, &c. according to their pleasure.
In a word, he who has this Magnet and knows the use of it, needs not to read any Chymical Books for all in all is comprehended in it, as in a short time will be manifested. This Magnet is so great a Treasure that the vastest Volumes cannot contain all its virtues, it is serviceable to all men; yea no subject can be found in nature, that can produce such wonderfull and usefull effects as this our secret Sal-Armoniack. Great Books have been written concerning the common Magnet which onely draws Iron, though indeed its nature and properties be also very wonderfull; for without it there could be no sailing by Sea in the Night time, whereas now it is all one to Marriners whether they Sail by Day or by Night: but how much more highly is our magnet to be esteemed, which not onely points out to Philosophers, Physicians and Chymists, the right way through the vast and wild Sea of Chymical Operations, to their desired Port, richly laden with the best of Commodities Gold and Tinctures, but also directs Mechanicks to new ways and inventions of obtaining wealth, never before known.
Indeed as there is a great difference between Mars and Jupiter, so also between these Magnets which partake of their natures. The common martial Magnet guided Christophorus Columbus to America, that new World abounding with Gold and Silver, besides many other profitable Commodites, but all this in a way hazardous and full of danger, many thousands having lost their lives as well by Sea as by Land in endeavouring to obtain these riches. For Mars with his Magnet onely loads and perswades to War and Blood-shed, whereas the friendly and peace-loving Jupiter, with his benign Magnet stirs up none to evil but onely to good, and directs us to a Land much more abounding with Gold than America, whence we may fetch the same in peace and quiet without fear of War or Blood-shed, and to the glory of God make known his Works of wonder to the ignorant.
And thus much shall suffice to have spoken concerning the extracting or separating of Gold and Silver from Tin, and the easie extraction of Tinctures from Stones and Metals, by means of our secret Sal-Armoniack. Now for a Surplus, and to pleasure the Sons of Art, I’ll take one turn more in the Philosophick Garden and gather some fair Flowers, to make a Garland in honour of the Adepts, that they may wear it in remembrance of me. The first of these Flowers is the white Lilly, the second the blew Violet, and the third the deep Purple Amaranthus, being the chief that grow in our Garden, of which I intend to twist my Garland.
The first, viz. the white Lilly appears in the beginning of our Work; the blew Violet in the midst, and the deep red Amaranthus in the end of it. That I compare the beginning of our Work to a Lilly, is not without reason, forasmuch as our mercurial Water is whiter than white, being called of Philosophers a white, whiter than white, because though it be a white colour, yet it excells all other whites, with its glistring brightness so far, that other white colours compared with it look very dim and dark. And because God hath bestowed upon the Lilly such afair glistring white, as no Flower can compare with it, therefore we compare our mercurial Water (the beginning of our Work) for its unparallel’d whiteness to the Lilly of the Field: of which our Saviour himself saith, That Salomon in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of them. For this cause also the Philosophers always termed the beginning of their Work a white Flower, as appears (among other instances) from an inscription engraven on two Candlesticks, belonging to a Cloister in Westphalia, made by a Monk and dedicated to the use of the Altar there in these words, Non ex Auro, nec Argento sed ex primo Artis flore sum factum. I am not made of Gold nor Silver, but of the first Flower of Art. These Candlesticks are white as Silver, but heavy as Gold; which may pass for a profit that the white in our work is termed a Lilly or Flower.
And that this our bright white Lilly doth far surpass all other white Flowers whatsoever, the Philosophers in Turba witness when they say, our Salt exalts the whiteness in Silver and the red in Gold; which indeed is the very truth, though it be not believed by the unexperienced, because at first sight it seems against nature, that one colour should die both red and white: yet that it is so, I here witness unto with my Pen, and hope shortly to make an ocular demonstration of it to all that are lovers of the wonderfull Works of God. In the mean time we may prove it thus, dissolve in Aqua Fortis some fine cupell’d Silver, and in another Vessel in Aqua Regis some fine Gold, pour a little of our mercurial Water into each of the Solutions, and the Silver will fall to the bottom white as Snow; yea rather will be whiter than that or any other thing in the World: and the Gold will be precipitated red like blood, and the Stygian Waters are rob’d of all the Gold and Silver that was in them, by the addition of our secret Sal-Armoniack Water, so as not the least grain remains with them. Thus Perseus, viz. the exalted Gold, has deliver’d Andromeda, viz. the white exalted Silver, from the Sea-Monster, viz. the Aqua Fortis, and taken the same to his Wife, that is, radically united with it. And that our jovial Sal-Armoniack will do this, I hope e’re long to demonstrate to the lovers of Art.
The Blind World may learn from hence, it was not without reason the Philosophers affirm that their secret Salt, exalts the red in Gold and the white in Silver. And that their Salt is a Sal-Armoniack, appears from their crying, O our Sal-Armoniack! O our Sea! for had it been the common, how could they have call’d it theirs? Turba saith, If the Almighty had not created this Salt, it were impossible to compleat our Elixir: Which words are alledged by Arnoldus de Villa Nova, who saith that Almizadir (a name the Philosophers give their secret Salt) is a Sal-Armoniack, as appears from his own words taken out of his Breviary of Alchymical Books, being a Letter of his to a Pope of Rome.
“To the most holy Father, e’re I acquaint thee that first of all the bodies must be reduced to their first matter. To understand which, thou must know, that the matter of all Metals, and their Sperm is a white fume decocted and thickned in the Bowels of the Earth, by a sulphurous heat; and according to the varieties of this Sulphur, and its quantity in the earth, divers Metals are produced; the matter of them all being the same essentially, and differs onely accidently. Above all things it is certain, that the Workman can do nothing here without Salt, no more than an Archer can shoot without a string to his Bow. Morienus expresses this more clearly, when he saith, Take the Phlegmatick and Cholerick, and grind the Sanguine with it, untill it become a tinging Heaven, &c. The Phlegmatick is cold and moist, viz. Mercury, the Cholerick is hot and dry, viz. Sal-Armoniack, and the sanguine is hot and moist, viz. Gold. Observe that Sal-Armoniack doth not give Colour, but Ingress, and prepares the matter and purgeth it, and then the Spirit being united with the Body, it hath ingress, and having conjoin’d these, it goes off. For this Salt is an unctuous fatness coagulated by the dryness of the fire, of a hot and subtil dry nature, which penetrating through all parts, dissolves Bodies, and is the conjoiner of opposites, and of all Spirits with their Bodies. For this Salt is a volatile Spirit, a generating Stone, and a helper towards the production of the Elixir; because if this Salt were not, the Elixir could never be dissolved, nor have ingress, neither would one thing be join’d to another, or have ingress into another. It is volatile, and yet join’d with Bodies, it is a Body which is hid in it. And therefore Avicenna saith, If you put it, viz. this Salt, instead of Fire, Air, or Sulphur, you will not err in your work, because it inclines it self to every nature and Almizadir; that is, Sal-Armoniack will alone do thy business. And in the Book of Aloms and Salts ’tis said, that if God had not created this Salt, the Elixir could never be perfected, and the study of Alchymy would be in vain. He therefore that works without Salt (as the Allegory of the Wise Men hath it) does not attenuate the dead Bodies in their Graves, and therefore can never expect a resurrection, &c.”
From this Letter of Arnoldus it appears fully, that their secret Salt is a Sal-Armoniack, though not the common. Concerning which Salt the Philosophers express themselves very differently. Our Cosmopolita cries out, O our Sal-Armoniack! O our Sea! and teaches also the preparation of it, though very darkly, where he speaks of the little fish Remora, of which we are told, that it is able to stop a great Ship under Sail in her course; and we know our secret Sal-Armoniack has the force to stop the Ships richly laden with Gold and Silver, sailing in the Sea of Stygian Waters, and to lead them whither it lists; from whence it appears that our Jovial Sal-Armoniack is the true Remora of the Philosophers.
I proceed now to the second Flower, viz. the blew Violet, which is likewise found in our Garden. We have heard how by means of our Jovial Sal-Armoniack, the colour of Gold and Silver is exalted, after it hath attracted them out of the salt Sea, wherein they were dissolved. But if the Solutions of both Gold and Silver be pour’d together in one Glass, and some of our Magnet be put to them for to attract the same, then the Gold which before was Blood-red, and the Silver which was so white, do together constitute a Violet colour, which is the second Flower growing in our Garden.
The third and most beautifull Flower of all that grow in our Garden, is the fair Flower Amaranthus, which of all other doth longest keep its colour; the white Lillies shed their Leaves as soon as they are ripe, and Violets in a short time wither and lose their colour; but the Amaranthus keeps her colour Winter and Summer. And the same may be said of our metalline Flowers, the Silver attracted by our Magnet is the white Lilly, which when joyn’d with our blood-red Gold, produces our blew Violet, and out of this Violet, by means of the Fire, is afterwards produced the fix and permanent Amaranthus. When a Philosopher knows where to find, and how to pluck these three Flowers, he may well wear them as a Garland of Honour. Thus much I have added to point out these Flowers to the Sons of Art, and to stir up a desire in them to pluck them for themselves. At the present, time doth not permit to add any more, wherefore I hope the Courteous Reader will accept of what he finds here, intending in my third Appendix, God willing, to speak more fully of other like Flowers, which with the help of our secret Sal-Armoniack, may with more ease and in greater abundance be gathered than those now mentioned. I intend also therein to treat of a far more profitable use of our secret Sal-Armoniack. For although our secret Sal-Armoniack, which by manual labour is prepared of two Contraries, viz. Oil of Vitriol, Spirit of Salt or other corrosive acid Spirits, and urinous Spirits, be of great use for the meliorating of Metals, and the preparing of many good Medicines, yet is all this but Children’s play, if compared with what may be done with our most secret Sal-Armoniack, which is not prepared by Art, but created of God, and may be had every where in abundance without money. Yea, the Philosophers say that all men have it, that Adam brought it with him out of Paradise, and after death took it with him to his Grave; which is the constant assertion not onely of Heathen, but also of Christian Philosophers, who have asserted the same with many arguments, amongst whom are Albertus Magnus and his Disciple Thomas Aquinas, who were holy and religious men, and therefore very far from obtruding lies upon the World. There are also many Writings of unknown Philosophers, who assert, that all both rich and poor, always carry the matter of the Stone about with them, yea, that they bring it with them, from their Mothers Womb: which though it may sound strange to the ignorant, because Man doth not appear in a mineral form, but in Flesh and Blood, yet sure it is that the mineral virtue is hid in him, for if it were not so Albertus could never have found Gold between the Teeth of dead Mens Skulls.
And for a conclusion, I Glauber do here protest, that this most universal Sal-Armoniack is able to change common Mercury in two or three days time, that it shall be no longer Quicksilver, nor whiten Sol Lune or Copper, but rather exalt them in their colours, and change them into true Tinctures. This Sal-Armoniack also has the power to fix (though it be unfixt it self) all volatile Minerals, viz. common Sulphur, Mercury, Antimony, Auripigment, Zink, Bismuth, Arsenick, Cobalt, Galmey, and other such like in twenty four hours, so as afterwards they will suffer themselves to be melted, without sending forth any smoak, and may be taken inwardly for the cure of many Diseases, concerning which I intend suddenly to give a fuller and further account. And therewith conclude this small Treatise of the wonderfull Powers and Virtues of our secret Artificial, and most secret natural Sal-Armoniack. The godly and upright will easily apprehend what is here written, but the ungodly never. In our third Appendix we intend to enlarge on these and the like high Secrets, and declare the further profitable use of our Mercury of Tin, as being the onely means, without troublesome or chargeable labour to obtain to an universal Medicine.
The End of the Second Appendix.
THE
THIRD APPENDIX
TO THE
SEVENTH PART
OF THE
Spagyrical Pharmacopœa.
Wherein is Treated of the Further Use of our Wonder-working Alcahest or most secret Sal-Armoniack. And more particularly, of the way to Extract the Tinctures of Gold, Iron and Copper; as well as of all precious and common Stones; and to introduce the said Tinctures again into other white Metals and Stones, so as permanently to colour and meliorate the same.
Faithfully Translated out of the High-Dutch Original.
Courteous READER,
In the fore-going Second Appendix to my Pharmacopœa Spagyrica, I promis’d the publishing of a Third Appendix, wherein I intended to communicate to the Lovers of Art, the remaining Vertues of our Secret Sal-Armoniack; but finding that my Candid publication of so many great and useful Secrets are so coldly and carelesly received by an ungratefull World, I have thought good to cover the same in silence. However that I may not be wanting to contribute what I can in this my Third Appendix, for the satisfaction of the ingenious Seekers and Lovers of Art, I design to conclude my Spagyrical Pharmacopœa with the Discovery of a Wonder-working new-found-Alcahest, which by its surpassing Virtues does far excell all those before-mentioned. Which new Discovery will without doubt be more acceptable to the Lovers of these Secrets, than to Treat further concerning the already Communicated Sal-Armoniack; which whosoever shall take the pains to prepare, will find much more than I have set down concerning it; and therefore think it not needfull to enlarge any further on that Subject, in the mean time neglecting things of greater and better concern. I say better things, because the discovering of this New-found Alcahest will afford more light by far to Seekers, than the former could: For which reason I have thought good to set all other things aside, for to Treat of the Alcahest which has not its like in the Universe, as I hope by God’s assistance in this Discourse to make out and demonstrate.
Now because I here write of an Alcahest or Wonder-working Sal-Armoniack, I think it not improper to explain the word Alcahest, and to make known the meaning and importance thereof, which may help us to discover the true Use and Vertues of the same. Some tell us that the word Alcahest, is a Corruption of the German word Algeist, that is to say, All-Spirit, from its very spiritual nature, and because it reduces gross Bodies to Spirit. Others by transposing of its Letters, make a Dutch word of it, importing hasty or swift running, flying, &c.
Now we know that among all Salts that are in the World, there is none to be found, which in Distillation or Sublimation doth sooner volatilize the most subtil part of Minerals, Vegetables, and Animals, and carry them over the helm, than a good Sal-Armoniack: Wherefore the said Name may well be given to it, by reason of its volatilizing all things, and carrying them swiftly over the helm.
And forasmuch as I have already spoken concerning several of these volatilizing Salts, calling the first Common Sal-Armoniack, the second secret Sal-Armoniack, and the third most secret Sal-Armoniack, I find my self destitute of a Name by which I might call this my New found Sal-Armoniack, except I should give it the name of Eagles Wings, which I am the rather inclined to do, because in some of my former Writings, I have by way of Allusion expressed the said Volatilizing Salts by the Name of Wings, comparing the first and weakest of them to the wings of a Dove, the second to those of a Raven, and the strongest of all to Eagles wings. And seeing the Sal-Armoniack of which I am now to Treat, is far more powerful than any of them all, I may well give it that name, and the rather, because Antient as well as Modern Philosophers have given the name of Eagles wings to common Sal-Armoniack; some of them, ’tis like, not knowing of any better. Thus Paracelsus sets down the way of volatilizing his unripe Mineral Electrum by means of the Spread Eagles wings; and in many other places of his Writings, he calls Sal-Armoniack an Eagle, because this Salt, of all Salts, as the Eagle of all Birds, takes the highest flight, and therefore also is called the King of Salts.
The Heathens attributed a Flying Eagle to their cheifest God Jupiter; and the Holy Apostle and Evengelist St. John, because in his Gospel he takes a higher flight than any of the other Evangelists, is represented with an Eagle standing by him, as being his proper Embleme. We also find in the Writings of Philosophers, the word Eagle is made use of by them to signifie any thing which by Art is exalted to the highest degree it is capable of; and therefore this Sal-Armoniack which in its flight excells all those before spoke of, exalting things to the highest top of Perfection, may well be styled the Eagles Wing. Pliny makes mention of a great and monstrous Bird called a Griffon, found in the Eastern parts of the World, and of that strength, as to be able to carry away an Armed Man on Horseback, Horse and all, to his Nest: which strong Bird is a good Embleme of the surpassing force of this our Eagles wing, which like the Griffon is also provided with strong Talons, with which it lays hold on heavy things, and carries them away with it, as we shall hear by and by. For every good Sal-Armoniack hath these two Vertues, of being sharp and piercing as well as volatile: the sharpness are its Talons, whereby it seizeth and lays hold of things; and its volatility, are the Wings with which it carries them away. Now the stronger these talons, and the larger these wings of Sal-Armoniack are, the more will thereby be effected: The Common Sal-Armoniack is the weakest of all, our Secret Sal-Armoniack is as strong again, and our most Secret Sal-Armoniack far excells them both; but this we treat of here, is by much the strongest and most active of them all, and therefore may well be compared to the King of Birds.
This same Sal-Armoniack may also with great reason be called Lucifer, as afording a bright-shining Light to Chymists, whereby they may discover great Secrets: For as the bright Morning Star in the Firmament, does go before the Sun, and gives notice of his rising, and therefore is called Lucifer, that is the Harbinger or Bringer of Light. And as the said Star doth not only Usher in the Day, but also shut the same, and bring on the Night, being therefore also called Vesperus; we shall find a fit resemblance of all this in our Philosophick Lucifer, forasmuch as the same makes known and discovers to us, the rising as well as setting of our Spiritual Sun, and is a double Key which shuts as well as opens.
But to shew more particularly that my New found Alcahest or Spiritual Sal-Armoniack, hath this resemblance with the Morning-Star, Lucifer; I say, that, as the said Star ushers in the Suns rising; so likewise our Sophick Lucifer goes before our Spiritual Sun, and ushers the same over the Helm. And as the Firmamental Sun, when it riseth above the Horizon, doth by its Light, and Vital heat quicken, vigorate and refresh every thing; in like manner our Philosophical Sun, or Spiritual Gold, when by means of our Lucifer, it is brought from under its earth or dark Chaos, quickens and rejoices whatsoever is contain’d within the compass of our Sophick Heaven.
And as in the Heavens the Sun’s rising follows soon after the appearing of the Morning-Star, following the same, as it were, at the heels; so likewise our Lucifer, when by the Artists, She is joyned with the dark Chaos, in which the Sophick Gold lies hid, and begins to feel the Fire, swiftly comes over (for such is the nature of an Alcahest) and brings tidings of the Philosophick Suns rising, which indeed follows it at the heels. Again, As the Sun of the Firmament, leisurely follows the Morning Star, not leaping forth all at once; so our Sophick Lucifer brings over Gold, not all at once, but gently and by degrees, at first appearing very little, and afterwards discovering it self more and more, till at last it shine forth in its full Meridian Glory.
Neither ought it to be thought strange, that I compare our Alcahest to Lucifer, our Gold to the Sun, and our Alembeck or Vessel to Heaven; seeing that others have done the same before me, and particularly Hermes Trismegistus the Father of all Philosophers, has made use of this Allegorical way of expressing himself in the description of his Universal Tincture, as may be seen in his Smaragdine Table at the latter end of Mirac. Mundi.
Thus the Reader may see how the Philosophers of old took pleasure to represent their high Secrets in Parabolical expressions; which may further be traced in Morienus his Description of the Universal Tincture, in Paracelsus his Book entitled Cœlum Philosophorum, which contains great Secrets concerning the Transmutation of Metals, but much in Symbolical, and Allegorical expressions.
But to return to our Alcahest, whose name imports a strong Spirit which lays hold of Heavy and fix things carrying them upwards with it self, that is Volatilizing them. The Eagle, as a King of Birds, seizeth Hens, Gees, Hares, &c. with his Talons, and carries them up to his Nest; but as for what Pliny writes of the Griffon, seems rather an Allegory than a true History, because Pliny among other things relates of this Bird, that with her strong Talons she digs up Gold from out of the high Mountains and Rocks, and makes her Nest with it: Now how improper this is for a Bird to make her Nest with Gold, and not rather with Feathers and other soft materials, is apparent enough at first sight. Wherefore we may safely conclude, that the Ancients by this great and strong Bird, have denoted to us a violent and high volatil Alcahest, such as ours is, which lays hold not only of the Spiritual, but also of the Corporal Gold which is in Metals, Stones and Rocks, and plucks up the same with its sharp Talons, and with its strong Wings carries up the same to the tops of Mountains, there to make her Nest. Thus we see how this Story may be verified: For indeed the Talons of our Alcahest are much sharper, and her Wings much stronger, than those of the Eagle or Griffon; for when we pour the same upon any colour’d Metals or Stones in a Glass placed in a heat of Sand, it presently lays hold of them, and digs up not only the fix Gold that is in them, but also all their fix and volatile Tincture, and carries it to the top of an high Mountain, that is the head of the Alembeck. Nor doth it only exert its power upon imperfect Metals, or upon Sand and Flints, which are of a Dissimilar and Heterogeneous nature, and therefore more easily separable, but shews forth also its surpassing strength, upon six Gold and hard precious Stones, which are Homogeneous and of very difficult Separation, penetrating their compact and shut-up Bodies, drawing from them their fixed Tinctures or Souls, and carrying them up to the tops of Olympus. Neither doth it only extract Tinctures from dissolved Metals and powdred Stones, but also from those that are whole and entire, robbing them of their Tinctures without destroying the frame and figure of their Bodies, which indeed is wonderful. And as it thus extracts these Tinctures, so it can wonderfully introduce the same again into other hard and compact Bodies: All which it performs by reason of its surpassing subtile and piercing nature; as being neither Earth, Water, nor Air, but a meer Fire, penetrating all things, and which nothing can withstand or resist.
Take this instance of it; Fill a Glass-body with Earth, Water, or Air, and you’ll find that none of them will be able to penetrate the Glass, but put Fire into it, and it will pierce the same without the least resistance. Wherefore the Philosophers speaking of our Secret Fire, say: Our Fire is stronger than the Common, because it turns Gold that is most fix into a meer Spirit, which common Fire can no way perform. All men know that Gold cannot be destroyed by any common Fire, whereas our secret Fire carries over Gold in form of a Spirit, as if it were a volatile Mercury: Judge then whether this be not a wonderful Fire, which as it were in a moment, makes fix Gold spiritual and potable.
We read in the Scriptures, that the Israelites forced Aaron, in Moses’s absence, to make them a Golden Calf for to Worship; and that when Moses was come down from the Mount, and saw the Children of Israel dancing about the Golden Calf, his anger was kindled against them, and burning the Calf with fire, he ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water, and made the Children of Israel to drink of it, Exod. 32. 19, 20. Now whether it was by Art, or by the immediate power of God that Moses so burnt the Golden Calf, that the Israelites could drink it down, we will not now dispute; thus much we know, that it could never be done with common wood or Coal fire. Besides, we know that Moses was not defective in any thing of Art or Knowledge, as having been educated and instructed in the Royal School of Pharaoh, in which true Philosophy, Astronomy, Magick, Alchimy, and Physick at that time greatly flourished. We read of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist St. John, a thing no less surprizng and wonderful, viz. that he turn’d Rods to Gold, and common Stones into Gems, which he distributed to the Poor; as is exprest in the Latin Hymn the Roman Church sings in honour of that Evangelist, on the Festival-day appropriate to him, I am not ignorant that some are of opinion that St. John could never do this by art, because he did not make use of the proper matter for Transmutation, but by the immediate power of God, which I will not now determine; only this I can say, and if need were, make an Ocular demonstration of it, that out of Wood, and other Vegetable and Animal subjects, none excepted, good Gold, abiding all proofs may be made, though with more ease out of one Subject than another. For indeed the Principles of Metals are as well to be found in Vegetables and Animals as in Minerals, though somewhat more remote and invisible, than in these. That Wood contains a Sulphur like to that which is found in Metals, none can deny, and I have demonstrated in many places of my Books; neither is it destitute of Mercury and Salt. Wherefore I here openly profess, by an impulse from God and Truth, that it is no hard thing for me, out of all Vegetable and Mineral Subjects to make good Gold, by means of our fiery maturating Spirit, to which in this Treatise I have given the names of Alcahest, Eagles wings, Griffons talons, and Lucifer.
The Ancient Philosopher Artephius, has not specified the time, in which his Secret fire can maturate the true subject of the Stone, and bring it to perfection. Pontanus saith it may be done in a short time, and with small charges. ’Tis probable that Moses scarce spent one day in burning the Golden Calf with the Sophick fire; neither is it likely that St. John made any long work, of changing Wood into Gold, and common into precious Stones. If Miriam, Aaron’s Sister, could in three days time compleat the Philosophers Stone from beginning to end, (according to the Testimony of Philosophers) why may not there such enlightned Persons be found at this day among good Christians that can do the same? The same God who gave this knowledge to Moses and Miriam, as also to the Evangelist St. John, he lives still, and ceaseth not by his Holy Spirit, to enlighten his Elect, without any Verbal Disputes, reading of Books, Labour, Weariness, or Charges, in all Divine and Eternal, as well as Temporal and Natural things, and to lead and conduct them to their desired end. Wherefore all ought in the first place to beg of God his Light, Understanding, and Wisdom, as Salomon did, and not to seek after vain and perishable Riches, by which means they would obtain much more than they ever can by their own willing and running. I John Glauber affirm it boldly, that with our secret fire, I can in the space of three hours, make pure natural fix Gold to be as volatile as any Spirit of Wine can be; and again in twenty four hours-time, turn the said spiritualized and exalted Gold, into a fix transparent, spiritual, sweet, tinging Carbuncle: and this in the way of Nature, to the wonder and astonishment of the ignorant Covetous Children of this world, that walk in darkness; and yet (as Christ saith) are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light.
Let this suffice what we have here spoken concerning the power and great vertue of our Alcahest, in preparing of Medicines and Universal Tinctures, viz. that whatever Metals, common or precious Stones, are put into it, it immediately does volatilize the same, and brings them over the helm, carrying them upwards, to what height we please; for sure it is that the higher Metals mount in distillation or sublimation the purer they are. When now such pure and ætherial Spirits, are again fixed, then they are no more gross Metallick Bodies as before, but Spiritual Bodies, and Bodily Spirits; to the Eye Clarified Bodies, but indeed and in truth Concentred Spirits, which penetrate all hard things whatsoever, pass through lock’d Gates, and take away what pleaseth them; and as they can without opening the door take out any thing, so can they in like manner bring in the same again. As for instance, I draw the Colour from Gold, and introduce the said Tincture into Silver, being a fix pure and white Body, in which this Metalline Spirit takes up its abode; and the pure body of Silver greedily attracts the Tincture, because she stands in need of it; neither indeed can the porous body of Silver, resist or keep out this piercing Spirit, but passeth through warming and tincturing her throughout, and filling her pores with Solar Tincture, communicates to her not only the colour and weight, but also the nature and property of Gold.
Take another Example: Extract with our Alcahest by Distillation the fix Tincture out of Granates (not pulverized, but whole as they come to hand, and that for reasons hereafter mentioned) which extraction may be performed in half an hours-time, because our Lucifer can pass through shut gates. When now thou hast caught this Tincture in our Hellish Spirit, then thou hast it at command, and it must obey thee. If then our fiery Magnet be able to extract the Tincture from hard Stones, without breaking, or destroying their bodies, it can as easily introduce the same again into any hard, white stony body, and colour the same, light or deep, as pleaseth thee best. For instance thou drawest the colour from Granates, which indeed do superabound with tincture, which renders them opacous, and therefore less esteemed; for we find that a Ruby being of a lighter colour, that is less abounding with Tincture than a Granate, is much more valued, whose Bodies nevertheless do in all things exactly resemble one another, differing only by reason of more or less Tincture. Indeed where the bodies differ in hardness and clearness, there the case is alter’d; but when the body is fixe, and can endure the fire, onely ’tis darkened by too much Tincture, this may easily be mended by art, onely by extracting or taking away some part of its Tincture, which will render it of a brighter colour. Which extraction of Tinctures, and the introducing of them again into pale or white bodies, may be practis’d upon all precious Stones, and to very great profit. For example, I draw, by means of our secret fire, the Tincture out of Gold or Granates, and Introduce the same into another white Stone, which must be fix, that is, such an one, which when made red hot, doth not become soft or fall to shivers, but retains its former hardness, as all those do which are called precious, because the fire can neither consume nor separate their parts, such as Diamonds, Rubies, Granates, Saphires, Hyacinths, Emralds, Topases, Chrysolites, Amethists, &c. All which are coagulated of one and the same water, and tinctured with the same colour; for though their colours differ, that proceeds only from the greater or lesser quantity or purity of their Tinctures, their colours, as well as their bodies proceeding from one principle. And the same must be understood of all Metals; for Gold has no better original than Iron or Copper, save only that by long distillation in the Earth, it is better purified and ripened. Observe only that in this operation you do not take Cristals, Beryls, or any other Stones which grow soft and crumble to pieces when they are made red hot.
Some Jewellers know with the help of Fire, to mend some precious Stones whose colours are not bright and clear enough: thus they burn away the colour that is in Saphires and Amethists, making them white like Diamonds, their colours being volatile, and therefore may be taken away by Fire, but they can not introduce other colours instead of those they have rob’d them of. Neither are they able to burn yellow Diamonds to a whiteness, notwithstanding that Art has been much sought after: But our Alcahest can easily perform this Master-piece, for as much as it, like a subtil piercing fire, can pass and repass through shut doors without impediment, whereas all gross, corporal things are fain to stand without. For which reason I have given our secret Fiery Spirit, the name of Lucifer, of which Artephius speaks thus: Our Fire is moist and dry, it pierces all things, dissolves, volatiliseth, and also fixeth them; it is natural, unnatural, and supernatural: For though Nature make Gold and Precious Stones in the Earth, yet doth it not afford us such a supernatural Fiery Spirit or Stone with which we at our pleasure can make Gold and Precious stones of Earth. Therefore it is Art that brings things higher and further than Nature can, and yet the Artist cannot go beyond Nature, except he have first learnt to know Nature and taken his Principles from her. Now we know that Spirits, whether they be hot or cold, light or dark, good or evil, are of more power and efficacy than gross Bodies, for which reason God, who is Light and Life, and his Adversary Satan, who is Death and Darkness, have so great power: Though indeed the Darkness hath no more power than the Light allows or permits it to have: For the Light rules over the Darkness, so as the Darkness can do nothing against the Light, of which matter I intend, God willing, to Treat further in my second and third Purgatory.
In the mean time we have here shewed, how by Art such powerful Spirits may be prepared, as can effect things supernatural; for which reason, amongst others, I have given our Alcahest the name of Lucifer: for Lucifer was in the beginning with God, an Angel of Light, whereas now he is cast into utter Darkness; so likewise our Incomparable Wonder-working Alcahest in its first preparation, is a bright Fiery Spirit of Light, but after its coagulation, it becomes a spirit of Cold and Darkness, binding all volatile Spirits, whereas before it made all fix things volatile and spiritual. Which that I may more fully evidence to the Ignorant and Incredulous, I shall give an Instance thereof first in Gold, and then in Precious Stones.