Arcanum II.

Being a Gift presented to rich Merchants, &c. that they may improve their Money and Estates without Usury.

Although I had determined to treat of this Arcanum, with other excellent uses of Salt-Petre in the emendation of Metals, in the [Third Part of The Prosperity of Germany]; yet for certain reasons I have deferred the publishing of that Book for some time; but considering my profitable Inventions of making Salt-Petre, and not doubting but that there will be found men who will put Salt-Petre to better uses than that of making Gun-powder, I could not forbear here to describe one good and profitable use of the said salt in the emendation of Metals, which is free for any boldly to experience, seeing that I have written the very Truth. He that shall follow the sence of my words, and hath some skill in metallick Labours, will not lose his pains, but will thence reap no contemptible profit. But if any man would perswade himself that such a work is to be done without labour and trouble, and great Masses of Gold to be obtained with idleness, he will be greatly deceived, not considering that this requires his putting his hand to the plough, and using great diligence.

I have described the following Operation openly and clearly; affirming, that it will succeed to the Operator, according to my description. If any shall erre in the performance, let him blame himself and his own ignorance, and not me. For in this process all things are plain, and to be understood according to the Letter, and may also be performed by an easie imitation.

The manner of the Operation.

R. of Copper one part, of Gold or Silver two parts, and of Regulus Martis three parts, all which melt together in a good and well-covered Crucible, taking great heed that no Coals fall into the Crucible and corrupt the Work. All being melted, and the cover taken off, yet warily that no Coals fall into the Crucible, cast in as much Salt-Petre, well dried and powdered, as there is of Copper and Regulus in the Crucible, to the melted matter, and again cover the Crucible, with the same caution about the Coals, which so put about the Crucible, that they may not lie upon its Cover, but it may be at liberty, to be commodiously lifted up with the Tongs for the inspecting the Mass in the Crucible. For if the Fire should be too great, the Salt-Petre would boil over the Crucible, and inferr loss. And this may easily happen, seeing that the Salt-Petre entring and working upon the Regulus and Copper, swelleth and riseth up. Wherefore it is necessary, that this Work should be done in such a Furnace, as I have described in the Fourth Part of my Furnaces, having its doors, by which the Fire may be governed, and rendered stronger or weaker.

After that the Salt-Petre hath imbibed the Regulus and Copper, and turned them into a reddish Scoria, which is wont to be done in the space of a quarter or half an hour, the lower door being opened, the upper one must be shut, that the Fire becoming stronger, may melt the Scoria, till they flow like water; which when you see, by lifting up the Cover a little, remove the Coals about the upper part of the Crucible, and take off the Cover, and having taken good hold of the Crucible with your Tongs, lift it out of the Furnace, and pour out the melted matter into a melting Cup or Cone, [Such a one is described by its Figure in the Fourth Part of Furnaces.] being first heat, and well smeared within with Wax; in the bottom of which, when cold, there will be a Regulus of pure Gold, which being freed from the Scoria, will be so much encreased in weight, as it hath attracted from the Copper and Regulus Martis, which will be the fiftieth part of the weight of the Gold.

The red Scoria, which have a fiery taste upon the Tongue, contain the Salt-Petre, Copper, and Regulus reduced into a Scoria; which if you would separate from the Salt-petre, as soon as you have parted it from the Regulus, put it again into the Crucible in the Furnace, put a Coal to it in the Crucible, which being well covered, let it again flow well for a quarter of an hour. In this Operation, the Coal or Coals put to the Metals, viz. the Copper and Regulus of Antimony, will separate them by precipitation from the Salt-Petre, so that they will become a Regulus together, and the fixed Salt-Petre will be separated, and rest upon the Regulus, from which being cooled, it may be removed by knocking it off. If the operation be rightly performed, you will recover almost all the Regulus and Copper: but little also of the Salt-Petre is lost, which hath now put on another nature, becomes fixt, and answereth in virtue to the salt of Tartar. NB. Because those Scoria cannot be so perfectly removed from the Salt-Petre by the Coals, but it still retaineth somewhat of the Copper and Regulus, which the Coals could not precipitate; they may be kept in some warm place, lest they be dissolved by the air, till you have a quantity of them; which being reduced by burning Coals, may yield their Metal. Of which more shall be said anon.

This Labour, although it squares not with the capacity of the rude and unskilful, nevertheless it is easie to be done by those who have any knowledge in the melting of Metals. But all the manners of operating cannot be so accurately delivered, that every unskilful man should presently be rendered capable of understanding them; I write the Truth openly, and he that well understandeth me, may rejoice with profit. I write not to unskilful Tyro’s, but only to those who know how to handle Metals in the Fire. It may be here asked, Whether this augmentation of the Gold, ariseth from the Copper, or from the Regulus of Antimony? I answer, from both, but more from the Copper than from the Regulus. For there is no Copper or Antimony found, from which Gold is not elicited after the aforesaid manner, seeing that there is in both an invisible and spiritual Gold, nevertheless one containeth more than another; and being melted with Gold, give it forth to the same, which also attracteth it. Therefore as often as Copper, and Regulus of Antimony, and Salt-petre shall be melted together with Gold, so often will the Gold receive an encrease; so that this Labour being repeated eight or ten times every day, there will be an augmentation of the Gold not to be contemned, for besides all the Cost, it will afford the daily Gain of one Floren out of an hundred. (A Floren is 2 s. in Germany, about two and twenty pence value in our Money.) This is certainly a profit to those who will put their Money to Usury, much more honourable and safe than their trusting it in the hands of others.

But seeing that this Labour is to be performed in Crucibles, (and that too in large ones, if the gain aforesaid be expected) it doth not want its trouble and difficulties; for if a man will use great Crucibles, he can hardly perform the Operation above three or four times in a day; and if he use small ones, although it be ten or eleven times repeated in a day, yet the profit will be very small. I will therefore here appoint a way to do it without Crucibles, upon Hearths instead of Crucibles, which neither let out the melted matter by running over, or by their cracking or breaking, as Crucibles are wont to do, but alwaies remaining in the Oven or Furnace, save the trouble of putting in and taking out of the Fire. For Crucibles, how good soever they be, being exposed to the cold Air, by taking out, and thence being suddenly again put into a great heat, are very easily broken. From whence it is manifest, that great danger of losing some of the Gold attends the use of great Crucibles, so that their use is to be abstained from, altho’ the Work it self be of great profit. But good strong Hearths may be used for this Labour, without all danger; for as long as they are left in the Furnace, so long they are good, and the melted Mass doth not flow out. If I had not found out this way of working with Hearths, I should not have divulged this operation, which is as followeth.

The manner of preparing the Hearths or Tests.

An Iron Ring or Hoop is to be made, either square or round, of the thickness of one finger, and four fingers high (or deep) one side being a little narrower or lesser in compass than the other; being well smoothed or polished on its inside, having two ears or handles, whose magnitude and space will be known by the quantity of the matter which is to be daily handled. To prepare the Focus or Hearth, place your Ring or Hoop upon some smooth stone, and then put into it, so standing, your Earth, being first rightly prepared, (for this purpose our Stafford-shire Clay is excellent, as also for making of Crucibles to abide the Fire) so that it may a little exceed the upper superficies of your Hoop, force it down strongly with a broad Iron Hammer, by beating or knocking it in, and what riseth above the top of the Hoop, cut off with a Knife, that it may be even with the Ring; then remove it with the Ring, and strew upon the stone some fine sand, or rather the fine powder of broken Crucibles, upon which set the Ring, with the bottom upwards, that the other side, which before lay upon the stone, may be wrought in with the Hammer, as the first, so that the Ring or Mould may be exactly filled with the Earth. The Focus or Hearth being prepared in this manner, the larger side thereof is to be so excavated or hollowed away by a bowed or crooked Knife, having two handles, so that the rotundity declining from the Superfices of the Ring, even to its middle, where inclining it self, it may keep the thickness almost of a finger at the top or superficities of the Ring, and so it will become like a Vessel or Pan, having a round or spherical Cavity, such Hearths or Tests are wont to be prepared of Ashes, for the bringing of Gold and Silver to a purity in Metallick Mines, Mints, &c. at length that hollowed roundness is every where to be smoothed with a smooth and round Hammer or Mallet, and after the smoothing, the whole Test being inverted with the Hoop, is to be set upon a Board, without stirring it; if the inside of the Hoop or Ring were before besmeared well with Oil, it will the easier come off of the Test, which being exposed to the Air, and dried a little, is then to be set in the heat of the Sun or warm Furnace, that all the humidity being taken away, it may obtain its requisite dryness, before it be put into the Furnace to endure the Fire; for except it be very well dried, it will crack or chap in the Furnace, and be wholly unprofitable for this Work.

The Test being taken out of the Ring, and set by, the inside of the Ring is again to be anointed with Oil or Grease, for the making of another Test, of which so many are to be made as need requires, or the quantity of the prepared Earth will allow. The earth that was left in the hollowing of the first being mixed with the rest, whilst it is yet moist, serveth again, so that there is no waste or loss of the Earth. The same earth also serves for the making of the Covers or arched Roofs with which the Tests are to be covered, to keep the Coals from falling into the melted matter. NB. There is no need of having two Hammers, seeing that one sufficeth, having one end of a hands breadth, and smooth, and the other end round.

The way of making the Covers of the Tests, which are called Muffles.

First, a Type or Mold is to be made of Wood, answering to the bigness of the Test, but not with one Handle, as those are made for the purifying of silver, but with two oblong Necks, and without Chaps or Chinks, which otherwise are wont to happen, that so the Cover may remain entire. Then to this wooden Mould the Earth is to be applied, and the Cover to be wrought in the usual manner.

Of the Figure of the Furnace.

The Furnace is so to be built, that it may have within-side the space of an hands breadth all round the Test from its Walls, for Coals, the Test standing in the middle; so that the magnitude of the Furnace is to be proportionable to that of the Test, and may be either round or square, provided it be built with good Bricks, or fit Stones, and Lute, or Earth rightly prepared. There ought to be at least a span between the bottom and the grate, which also ought not to be fastened to the Furnace, but standing upon four Feet, that it may be taken in and out by the foreside of the Furnace (when need requires) being alwaies open. Let the Furnace rise above the Grate the heighth of a span, being every way close, having no door. Upon this heighth of a span a hole is to be left of an hands breadth and heighth, by which the Test may be inspected, and the mixed Metals put in and taken out, and the Fire may have its passage. NB. But if the Test should be above a span over, which would also cause the Furnace to be the greater; then that hole being too little, would not allow a sufficient passage for the Fire; therefore the hole is to bear a due proportion to them. From this hole, nourishing the Fire by its ventilation, the Furnace is yet to be carried up the heighth of two spans, to its upper hole or top, where the Coals are to be put in. Moreover, an Iron Cover is to be made with hollow Superficies, with Iron Buttons, or little Knobs infixed, by which the Lute being put on, may stick fast; the Convex or upper part of the Cover must have a Handle, by which it may be lifted up when the Coals are to be put in, and afterwards put down again to shut the Furnace. See the Figure of this Furnace, in all its parts, at the beginning of this Continuation of Miraculum Mundi, noted at the top with [Pag. 62].

A, The Furnace, as it is working.

B, The lower part of the Furnace open.

C, The upper part of the same.

D, The Grate.

E, The Hearth or Test.

F, The Muffle that belongs to the Hearth.

G, The Cover of the Furnace, with which it is to be covered when the Coals are in and at work.

H, The Vent for the Smoak.

When you will work with the Furnace, first put in the Grate, and upon it the foot or prop made of firm Lute, and upon it the prepared Test, and upon the Test its Cover or Muffle, the foremost neck of which ought to come close to the hole on the foreside of the Furnace, and the hindmost neck to touch the back of the same. The foot also which supports the Test, ought to touch the fore-part of the Furnace, that the space between the Test and the Wall of the Furnace, may be well stopt or closed. Also, if the neck of the Cover or Muffle doth not fit close enough to the foremost Wall, the joints are to be well closed with Lute mixed with Hair, that the Fire may have no passage by them, but may pass through the hindmost neck of the said Cover, and under the Cover it self into the Test, and thence out of the foremost neck. If the Fire shall have any other passage by the foremost neck, the heat will not be Sufficient to melt the Metal. Therefore the chief Artifice concerning this thing, is the building of the Furnace in due form and proportion. An Iron door is to be fitted to the Furnace under the Grate, for the governing the Fire, by which it may be encreased or diminished, as need shall require. And the other hole in the superiour and fore-part of the Furnace, by which the Metals are put in and taken out of the Test, is also to have a door, that necessity requiring, the fire may be governed, and if too great, it may be restrained. To this also a little Chimney or Funnel is to be fitted, which may receive and carry away the noxious fumes of the Metals and Coals, that they may not hurt the Operator. All these things being rightly prepared, the Furnace being well dried, is to be filled with Coals, and to be covered with its Cover, a lighted Coal or two being put next the Grate, the doors are to be shut, that the Fire may kindle by degrees, by which the danger of breaking the Test, and its Cover, the Muffle, by a sudden heat, may be avoided. The Furnace, Test, and Muffle, being all red hot, the Metals (viz. the Gold which is to be augmented, and the Copper and Regulus of Antimony, from which the augmentation is expected) are to be put upon the Test with an Iron Ladle, the great door below, and the little one above, are to be opened, that the Fire growing more powerful, may forthwith melt the Metals on the Test, which being rightly melted, a little dry Salt-petre in powder is to be cast in upon them with an Iron Ladle, which will presently change a portion of the melted matter into a Scoria: When it flows no longer, but ceaseth from operating on the Metals, lying upon them like Dross, a little more Salt-petre is to be cast upon the melted Metals, which will again change part of them into Scoria. This Injection of Salt-Petre is to be continued so long, until the Scoria shall be no longer hard, but remain liquid like Water, which is a sign that the Salt-petre hath abstracted the Copper and Regulus of Antimony from the Gold, and its operation to be finished. And so much Regulus of Antimony and Copper is not to be put upon the Test, [I believe the word not is an errour of the Printer, in the Copy, and ought to be left out] that it, when a due portion of Salt-Petre shall be added, may be full to the brim, and the Coals not be burnt out in vain, in the empty Test, which is well to be noted. The fluid Scoria of the Salt-Petre, Copper, and Regulus of Antimony, are so long to be kept in Flux upon the Gold, as you think the Test can suffer it; for by how much the longer the Gold shall remain in its Flux, under these Scoria, so much the more of spiritual Gold it will attract from them, and render it corporeal; and the Gain will be so much the greater. Nevertheless, for the greater certainty sake, after the Scoria have lain ten or twelve hours in Flux upon the Gold, they may be taken out of the Test, to see whether the Test be yet strong enough to sustain them longer in flux, because in a continual flux they are wont to attenuate and perforate the Test with holes, especially if they were not prepared of good Earth, which is able to endure the Fire. Therefore, if you find the test yet strong and thick, and not perforated with holes, you may again add the Scoria to the Gold lying in the test, and keep them so long in flux, as you think the test will hold good. When the Scoria condense themselves, and flow with difficulty, a little fresh Salt-petre is to be added, by which being reduced to a thinner flux, they may give nourishment and encrease to the Gold, which in this operation hath the place of a seed, as the Copper and Regulus of Antimony supply the place of the earth, by affording aliment and augmentation to the Gold; the Salt-petre is in the stead of Rain, which moisteneth the Earth, and rendereth it fruitful; therefore by how much the longer the Gold lieth and groweth in this Earth, so much the more encrease it obtaineth. After the test is no longer fit to bear the fire, or you would leave working, open the lower door of the Furnace, and take off the Cover from the top, that the heat of the fire may be diverted from the test, and the Scoria grow thick, and the Gold under them hard, draw out the Scoria by degrees with an Iron Hook, from the Gold, that it may remain in the test intire, and in one compact Mass, and not be mixed with the Scoria, like Grains, and occasion loss. All the Scoria being taken out, the Gold is to be freed from the test with a thin sharp-pointed Iron, then taken out with the tongs, and weighed, to see what encrease it hath got.

NB. That as long as the Test keeps firm and good, it were better not to take out the mass, but to be left upon the Gold in continual flux. This is a Labour not to be despised, seeing that the first Coals being burnt out, more are to be added only; so that this operation may be continued for some daies, without intermission, provided the Tests be well made, which also ought to be done if you expect any profit; of which you need in no wise doubt, if the operation be rightly instituted; especially if the Antimony and Iron, of which the Regulus is made, be good: For the more Gold the Antimony, Iron, and Copper shall contain, the more volatile Gold the fixed Gold which is melted under them, will attract to it self. But if you want such Metals as are rich in Gold, and are forced to be content with the common, the Gold will nevertheless get an encrease in the Operation. NB. When Metals containing Gold are to be had, there is no need to keep the first Scoria in so long a flux upon the Gold, seeing that presently after the Copper and Regulus of Antimony shall be turned into Scoria by the Salt-petre, they may be removed from the Gold with an Iron Hook, and new Metals forthwith added, and again reduced into Scoria by the Salt-petre. This labour of removing the Scoria, and adding fresh Metals, being long continued, will add the greater encrease to the Gold, because Copper, Iron, and Antimony contain much corporeal Gold, which in their reduction into Scoria, associateth it self with the Gold. Therefore when those Scoria are withdrawn, and new Metals added, it cannot be, but the encrease of the Gold must be greater than proceedeth from the first Scoria, in which only the spiritual Gold is rendered corporeal. The addition of fresh Metals, and the abstraction of the Scoria repeated 10, 15, yea 20 times a day, must necessarily give a great encrease to the Gold, if the Metals contain both corporeal and spiritual Gold. The abstracted Scoria may be reduced in a Test of the same Furnace (of which Tests there ought to be many in readiness) and the Copper and Regulus precipitated from them, and put to other uses, of which my other Writings every where make mention. And they are precipitated by the Powder of Coals, or Antimony. The way of precipitation is this; the Salt-petre hath absorbed the Sulphureous Metals, viz. the Copper and Regulus Martis, and changed them into Scoria. Now, if to these Scoria some other Sulphur be injected, which the Salt-petre coveteth more than the Copper and Regulus of Antimony, it layeth hold on that, by which those Metals which it had first absorbed, are dismissed, and fall to the bottom. But the Regulus and Copper cannot be so separated by precipitation, but that somewhat of them will yet adhere to the Salt-petre. These may be fixed together, that they may render Gold again in fusion, or the fixt Nitre may be extracted from the Scoria, with Rain-water, to be used for other Labours; as shall be taught hereafter. The residue of the Scoria will be yet of use to Potters, to glaze their Earthen Vessels. But if the Scoria and Salt-petre be not separated, but left together, they may be used with greater profit for the making of Salt-petre, or for the dunging of Land (of which we shall presently speak) than if they be separated. The manner of doing these things shall be described in their order. But first it seems good to me to exhibit a proof, by which every one may know the certainty of this matter, viz. that this work doth not only afford a profit to the Operator, not to be contemned, but also that the Gold doth obtain a true and certain encrease from the Copper and Regulus of Antimony, whereby the Work may be undertaken with the greater boldness and confidence; which I thus demonstrate. Take a small piece of silver, freed from its gold by Aqua fortis, that you may be sure there is no Gold in it: to which, in fusion, adjoin so much Copper and Antimonial Regulus, as being reduced into Scoria by Salt-petre, and again separated from the silver, may leave it malleable and ductile. This being dissolved in Aqua fortis, will leave at the bottom undissolved a reddish powder of gold, which it hath attracted to it self from the Copper and Regulus of Antimony. Now, so much as there shall be of this Gold, so much and no more corporeal Gold did the Copper and Regulus contain, which the Silver hath absorbed. The Scoria possess no more corporeal Gold, but yet abound with spiritual, which you may find by the following Experiment. Cover those Scoria put into a new Crucible with Powder of Coals, and set the Crucible into a small Wind-Furnace, that they may melt. In this melting, the Nitre will rather enter the Sulphur of the Coals, than that of the Metals; and associating it self to that, dismisseth the Copper and Regulus. Which being done, pour out the melted Mass into a Cone, and when it is cold, separate the Regulus separated to the bottom, which will be the same Copper and Regulus of Antimony which the silver hath deprived of their corporeal gold; which is demonstrated as followeth: Take a bit of Silver, cleared from its Gold, which join with the said Regulus by melting, and reduce the melted mass by Salt-petre into Scoria, as before, pour the mass into a Cone, and being cold, separate the Silver. This being dissolved in Aqua fortis, leaves at the bottom no reddish powder, as the first silver did. By which it clearly appears, that the Copper and Regulus of Antimony had yielded all their corporeal Gold to the Silver in fusion, which nevertheless can afford no gain, except the Labour be many times repeated with fresh Copper and Regulus. But because this repetition is wont to require no small quantity of Copper, Regulus of Antimony, and Salt-petre, to bring the silver to a golden nature; and moreover, every one knoweth not how to make profit of the Copper and Regulus, deprived of their Gold, or to put them to other uses, and that Salt-petre is not seldom sold at a great price, no great profit can accrue by this Labour to such. Nevertheless, they will obtain no small gain, who after the extraction of the gold, know how to use the Copper, Antimonial Regulus, and Salt-petre, which I have shewed in many places of my Writings. But those Metals being melted with Gold, and turned into Scoria by salt-petre, bring far greater profit than when wrought with silver. For somewhat of the silver is consumed, as well as somewhat acquired by it; but nothing of the gold is lost, if the Crucible be firm, that nothing run out. NB. If any gain be expected from silver, such Iron, Antimony, and Copper are to be used, as are pregnant with Gold, and to be often abstracted from the silver, and the metals themselves afterwards to be put to other uses, bringing profit, to say nothing of the Salt-petre, which may be made at a far cheaper rate (that it can be bought) by those who seek profit from Silver. I have instanced these Experiments, to demonstrate that every Copper, and every Regulus Martis contain somewhat of corporeal Gold, and being reduced into Scoria, do yield it to the adjoined Gold or Silver; and that nothing more can be extorted from them, except being reduced into Scoria by Nitre, they be for some time kept in Flux upon the silver, or Gold which is better, that their spiritual Gold may insinuate it self into the corporeal, and augment it, which the following Experiment sheweth.

Take of Copper, and Regulus of Antimony, deprived of all corporeal gold, by the addition of other gold, what quantity you will, melt them with gold, and convert the Copper and Regulus into Scoria, after the usual manner, with Salt-Petre, which keep in Flux upon the Gold for 6, 8, or 10 hours, and then pour all out into a Cone; the gold being separated from the scoria, and weighed, will shew what it hath gained in this operation. This encrease from the twofold matter added, viz. the Copper and Regulus Martis, is profit; which notwithstanding proceeds more from the one than the other, as this Experiment will prove. Take one part of silver, which holds no gold, and one part of Regulus Martis, being melted in a Crucible, reduce them, as hath been often said, by salt-petre, into scoria, and being well melted, pour them out into a small Ingot; which when cold, separate the scoria from the silver with a Hammer; the silver will be pure white, and of very easie fusion, but will contain nothing of gold. NB. If to the silver and Regulus of Antimony, you shall also add Copper, and then turn all into scoria by the help of salt-petre, and when well melted, pour them into an Ingot, so that the scoria flow upon the silver. This silver being separated from the scoria with a Hammer, or by lying a while in water, you shall find that part which was covered by the melted scoria, to be all over so gilt, that you can scarce rub it off with your fingers, which Gold hath adjoined it self to the Silver, chiefly from the Copper. For if more Gold had proceeded from the Regulus, the melted Silver would also necessarily have been gilded by that, which yet without the addition of Copper is not wont to be. Nevertheless, let no man perswade himself that the Regulus of Antimony being omitted, the same augmentation would happen, because the greatest part of the Gold proceeds from the Copper. For without the Regulus, the Copper would not suffer it self to be reduced into Scoria by the Salt-petre; so that necessity requireth, that all those matters should be conjoined in the said manner, to acquire any profit.

Here thou hast, benevolent Reader, Specimens sufficient for the trying the truth and certainty of this thing: It’s free for every man to enter upon the prescribed way with greater and longer Operations, that he may attain the desired profit.

What I have many times said, I say again, That this Operation is true, and brings great profit, provided it be instituted in a due manner. The Salt-Petre is the chief thing required in this Operation, which he that knows how to prepare with small cost, and understands what I have written, may boldly undertake the Work; but he that must buy it at a dear rate, I will not advise to meddle with it. He that cannot understand what I write, ’tis better for him to spare his labour and charge, and employ himself in those things which do not exceed his capacity.

It behoveth me now to shew the use and benefit which the scoria which are left in this Operation are of, that there may be no waste or loss. But the quantity of scoria in this Operation will be more or less, according as it shall be exercised. If good Antimony, Copper, and Iron, which contain corporeal Gold, may be had in plenty, and Salt-petre also cheap, the loss will not be great, if the scoria should not be altogether put to the best advantage. For if there be enough of the Copper, Regulus-Martis, and Salt-petre to be had, they are to be reduced into scoria, flowing upon the Gold, that with it they may leave the Gold contained in them. But here no regard is had to the spiritual or fugacious Gold which they contain, which is laid aside with the scoria, and new Copper and Regulus is put to the Gold, and the scoria again laid aside for other uses, so that in one and the same day, this labour of adding new matter, and as oft separating the scoria, may be repeated ten or twelve times. Whence it comes to pass, that the Gold is every time inriched, and attracteth more corporeal Gold from those matters in one day, than it could do in fourteen daies, if they contained only spiritual Gold. But on the contrary, a great quantity of Copper, Regulus, and Salt-petre are required for this labour, which if they cannot be had cheap, the charge will be the greater, seeing that those Metals which are pregnant with corporeal Gold, will abundantly compensate the charge, especially if benefit be made of the scoria, which we will presently shew. But if a quantity of the said matters be wanting, and vulgar Antimony and Copper be used for the extracting the spiritual Gold only, there will not be made so many Scoria; but it sufficeth, that the first scoria be left so long in flux upon the gold or silver, until they have yielded some augmentation to the same. And in the mean time, the addition of no other thing is required, but Salt-petre, of which a little is to be injected to the hardened scoria, to render them more fusile, and to cover the Gold the better with their flux. This way will not cost so much, besides a good quantity of Coals: Nor will the Work it self be so troublesome, seeing that it need be inspected only once in two or three hours, and any Boy may govern the fire. Or if the Furnace be so built, that (like a dull Henry) the Coals constantly sliding down, the fire may feed it self, the Operation may be continued night and day without any looking after. In the working the other way with Metals containing corporeal Gold, there is more labour and care, seeing that every hour the scoria ought to be removed, and new metals to be added. Therefore every man may chuse that which is most convenient for him.

Moreover, where neither Antimony, Copper, or Iron abounding with corporeal Gold, are to be had, the Operation may be instituted in another manner, and applied to the making of salt-petre in abundance, and with small costs. For after the Regulus and Copper, in flux upon the gold, are reduced to scoria, they are not to be removed, as otherwise they are wont, but the Copper with the Regulus must be precipitated from the Nitre, by the Powder of Coals, in which precipitation the gold taketh to it self the metal reduced into scoria, so that the fixt Nitre only is to be removed, which is afterwards to be put to other uses: And the Copper and Regulus, by the addition of new salt-petre, are again to be reduced to scoria, and to be precipitated from the Nitre by the Powder of Coals, and the Nitre again removed. So the Copper and Regulus will alwaies remain in flux upon the gold in the Test, and nothing but the added Nitre will be every time separated.

NB. This Labour doth not indeed draw forth so much gold as that which hath new metals added every time to the gold; but yet it excelleth that in which the Metals are kept in a continual flux upon the gold, without the addition of new; for as often as the Copper, with the Regulus, are burnt by the Nitre, so often the Nitre burneth and consumeth somewhat of their superfluous sulphur, and by how much the more the combustible sulphur is burnt and consumed, by so much the more the spiritual gold in it is dissolved, and adjoineth it self to the corporeal gold, to get it self a body.

And this is the difference of those Operations, of which a man may chuse which he pleaseth, or rather that which fits the matters, he hath at hand. Whichsoever he shall undertake, it will afford a profit not to be slighted, especially if he pay not too dear for his Nitre, or can make it himself at a cheap rate.

How Profit may be made of the Scoria* which remain after this Operation.*

It behoveth the studious of Art to know, that there is a difference in the scoria removed from the gold by the forementioned Operations. Those which are removed from the gold only remaining in the test, and in which the Nitre, Antimony, and Copper remain mixt, are metallick, from which the Copper and Regulus may be precipitated and separated, by the casting in of crude Antimony or Powder of Coals. The scoria from which the Metals are already precipitated in the test, are nothing but fixt Nitre. The scoria also differ, in which the Metals are precipitated by Antimony, from those which are precipitated by Coals; those partake more of sulphur, these less; for the sulphur of coals differs in its nature from the sulphur of antimony, and requireth that a difference be observed, and that either scoria being put to its due use, it may bring the desired profit. And this is the difference: When the Copper, with the Regulus-Martis, is precipitated by coals, that the Copper, with the Regulus of Antimony, is precipitated, but the Iron which was in the Regulus admitteth not of precipitation, but remaineth in the scoria; whence it comes to pass, that the Regulus, after precipitation, is found to be lighter than when it was put into the Crucible. Therefore what the precipitated Regulus hath lost, necessarily remaineth in the scoria; for which cause those scoria are of more hard and difficult fusion than those which remain after the precipitation with Antimony: For when the metals are precipitated by the casting in of Antimony, to one pound of scoria, an ounce, and sometimes more, of Antimony, is cast in, which precipitateth all the Copper and the Regulus attracted by the Nitre, and giveth a more ready fusion to the scoria. But nothing more plainly sheweth the difference, than the pouring of water upon the scoria, to make a lixivium. The scoria upon which the coals were cast, yield a clearer and sharper lixivium than those on which Antimony was cast. On the contrary, the Antimonial Scoria, by reason of the Antimonial combustible sulphur, are of a drier nature and property.

The best thing in both the scoria, is the fixt Nitre, which is to be drawn out of them by Water, and may be put to various uses, with no small profit.

In the first place, from those scoria a good Medicinal Tincture may be drawn by the affusion of spirit of Wine, of which mention is made in divers places of my Writings. Those scoria far excel all Dung, and also common salt-petre it self, in promoting of vegetation. Nevertheless, they are first to be made more temperate, because they are too fiery to be used alone. They also effectually promote the augmentation of Gold, and also the health of the humane body, by their most pure Essence extracted by the spirit of Wine.

They may without injury be called The Philosophick Dung, because they augment the growing power in Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, neither in Operations of this kind is there any Equal in the world.

Their smell is like that of humane Excrements; nor are they unlike to them in Aspect, but most efficacious in their use. There are many things of great moment yet lie hid in them, all which it is not for me to describe. Those things which I have hitherto written, I have often done with my own hands, and proved by many Experiments. What I deliver is not from hear-say, or the reading of others Books, being resolved to publish those things only, which an infallible Experience hath taught me, so that every man may boldly, and without any doubting, give credit to them.

Moreover, this fixed Nitre is endowed with the same virtue with other strong lixiviums: Nevertheless, it is more efficacious than that of any common Wood, inasmuch as Nitre exceedeth the fixed salt of Wood in its maturity. The residue of the scoria from which the lixivium is extracted, serveth for the glazing of earthen Vessels.

He that desireth to know more of fixed Nitre, may find it in my Furnaces, as also in my Pharmac. Spagyric. and especially in [The Explication of Miraculum Mundi]; where he will meet with many things worthy of admiration. For the Philosophick Dung, see the 35 Article of [The Explication of Miraculum Mundi], my [Apology against Farnner], and the Description of my Press for Wood, in this Treatise; in which places he may find those things which will abundantly satisfie him. Concerning this Universal (tho’ contemptible) subject Nitre, we will treat more, God willing, in the following [second part of Miraculum Mundi].

Here we have shewed the well-minded Reader, how by this one only Operation, he may encrease or augment his Gold, inrich his Fields with a fruitful soil, and preserve his health; so that there will be none who may not receive profit from it.

I cannot but here commemorate what some time happened to me in this Operation. When the Copper and Regulus-Martis were mixed by melting together, and reduced into scoria by Nitre, the matter thence proceeding was wonderful, appearing in variety of fair Colours, emulating a Peacocks Tail. Therefore when I saw such various colours, I presently thought with my self, whether that matter might not be fit for making a Tincture, which might change the imperfect Metals into Gold; seeing that I had read in some Philosophers, that there is more Tincture in Iron and Copper than in Gold, which gave me an occasion of considering whether this conjunction of Mars and Venus, might not be the Adultery spoken of by the Poets, or rather the Vitriol of the Philosophers; for this matter retaineth a very fair greeness, not only in the fire, but also out of it, as well wet as dry. Whence I began to perswade my self, that Iron was the Gold of Philosophers, Copper their Luna, and Antimony their Argent-vive, and Nitre to perform the Office of a Solvent or Bath, in which they are dissolved and digested. Being moved with all these things, that I might make a trial, according to my simplicity, I put all the said matters into a Glass, and committed it to Vulcan, (or the Fire) which being administred by degrees, all the matter passed together into a black colour; to which a very fair greenness, with variegated colours resembling the Tail of a Peacock, succeeded, which continued in the fire for some weeks. But seeing that it would not at all be changed, I being wearied with the tediousness, took the fair matter out of the glass, and put it into a Crucible, which I set in a Glass-makers Furnace, that I might perform this Operation with the less Labour: And after three daies I again took it out, and I found all the matter changed into a glass of a bloody colour, but not transparent. The Crucible being broken, I found in the bottom a little Regulus of an Iron-like colour, which being tested with Lead, yielded white Silver, which being dissolved in Aqua-fortis, left no Gold at the bottom. Being strook with admiration, I began to think whence that Silver should proceed, seeing that I did not expect Silver, but Gold; at length being satisfied in that, I was of opinion, that from this subject by one and the same labour, might be made both a red and a white Tincture; but I have not hitherto had time and opportunity to try the truth of the matter experimentally. Whatsoever I have here written, is only that I might afford matter to others who are desirous of seeking, by whose diligent searches some good may be obtained. This Admonition I also think necessary, That they who endeavour to bring any subject to a constancy in the Fire, by fixing, as the Chymists call it, that they lute and close well their Vessels, lest the Air (which is a great impediment to the Operation) should hinder the Work.

For Example. A Wood-coal, for the greatest part, consisteth of a fugacious and immature Sulphur, mixt with a few fæces, being put into an open Crucible, and set in a small Fire, it is presently burnt, and being all consumed, leaveth nothing in the Crucible, but a few Salt-ashes; but being put into a Crucible well closed and defended from the Air, and committed to a great Fire, and therein kept for many years, yet would lose nothing of its weight, colour and body, but would remain a black Coal, without any alteration. But on the contrary, if any Mercurial salt be added to the Coal in a due weight, and be enclosed with it in a crucible but one day, and kept in the fire, the coal will be changed into a red, fiery, heavy stone, more Metallick than Vegetable, whose admirable Virtues the Tongue cannot declare. Seeing therefore that from any fugacious and volatile Vegetable in so short a time a constant fixed thing may be made by Art, Why should not the same be made much better of some Mineral or Metal, which is much nearer to Fixity? And although these coals black the hand, nevertheless they contain much good, which he that knows how to come at, will by the same easily make his hands white again, and draw that from it which is more conducive to the health of Man’s Body, than from all the costly and fading things in the whole World. A Word is enough to the Wise. Although I have here shewed, that sulphurated Nitre is a true Medicine for Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, yet I would not be understood as if I affirmed there was no other, which is not my intention, seeing that if this Medicine were to be generally used for Vegetables, it would be too costly, [and there are other things described in this Book for that purpose, which are far cheaper] and I have shewed it only to the end that the wonderful Works of GOD might be manifest to those who are willing to try. For if any one will macerate the seed of any Vegetable in the Tincture drawn from sulphurated Nitre, by the Spirit of Wine, in a warm Bath, he may from that macerated seed produce a growing Herb, in a few hours space.

A Tincture of this sort will effect more in curing of Diseases, than a whole Apothecary’s Shop. But he that knoweth how to join some spiritual Gold with this Tincture, that the Gold may thence attract to it self nourishment and encrease, as a Vegetable doth from the Earth, will easily obtain a Universal Medicine. But if any think that I mean such a Medicine as changeth the imperfect Metals into Gold, in flux, he is mistaken, for that is to be attributed to the Stone of Philosophers only. But I call it Universal, as it is the chief Medicine of Animals, Vegetables, and Metals, which I intend alwaies to keep by me, ready prepared, that I may render others partakers thereof. I intend also this Winter to prepare a great quantity of the Universal Medicine for Vegetables, by the benefit whereof Grain may be made to grow in meer Sand, that so this Invention may become profitable to many men, provided they will but undertake the work: Not that I intend to prepare this of Nitre, which is too costly for the Dunging of Fields. For common Salt, which is abundantly cheaper, in a few hours, may be so changed, that losing its corrosive Nature and Property, it becomes plainly like Nitre in taste, figure, and virtue, but not inflamable, and excelleth the Dung of Cattel for dunging of Land. Neither let any man fear that this Preparation of common Salt requireth much labour or trouble, or is difficult to be done; for he that shall see the Operation but once, will easily be able to understand and imitate the same.