Chap. II.
Of the first Tincture and Roots of Metals.
But now to come to my intent, and by Gods permission to accomplish the same. I undertake to certifie of the first Tincture, Root, and Generation of Metals and Minerals: Know that the first Tincture and Root of all Metals, is likewise a supernatural, flying, fiery Spirit; which preserves it self in the Air, seeking its habitation naturally in the Earth and Water, wherein it can rest and operate: This Spirit is found in all Metals, more abundant in other Metals than in Gold, because Gold, by reason of its well digested, ripened, and fixt body, is tight, close, and compact, and therefore no more can enter into its body than is just requisite; but the other Metals have not such fixt bodies, for their pores are open, and far extenuated, therefore the Tincture Spirit can the more abundantly pass thorough and possess them. But because the bodies of the other Metals are inconstant, the Tincture cannot remain with those inconstant bodies, but must depart. And whereas the Tincture of Gold is found in none more plentiful than in Mars and Venus, as Man and Wife, their bodies therefore are destroyed, and the tinging Spirit taken out of them, which makes Gold sanguin, being first opened and prepared, and by their food and drink it becomes volatile, wherefore this volatile Gold being satisfied with its food and drink, assumes its own bloud to it self, dries it up by its own internal heat, by the help and assistance of the vaporous fire, and there is a Conquest again, which is quite fix'd, makes the highest Constancy, that the Gold becomes an over-fix'd Medicine, by reason of abundance of Bloud it yields no Body, except another superfluous Body be again put to it, wherein the abounding fix'd bloud may disperse itself, this additional Metallick Body, by reason of the great heat of the fix'd Lions bloud, is penetrated as by fire, and purged from all impurity, and forthwith throughly digested to a perfect ripeness and fixedness: That first of all the Servant brings the Matter unto Riches, because the Master before could not spare any of his Cloaths to give away, seeing that Nature had lent and endowed him with one Noble Suit only; on the other side, the King, when he hath received his Aides and Contributions from his Subjects, can then distribute possessions, and permanent Liveries, that the Lord and Servant may remain both together; and do not think it strange, that the King needs to borrow of his Subjects, because their Bodies are unfix'd and inconstant, for they receive much, and yet can keep but little Credit: But if the King can participate thereof, he will the better overcome heat and Frost, than the Leprous Metals can; and henceforth by this Receipt he becomes particularly a Dominator and Conquerour of all other, with a great Victory and triumph of Riches and of Health to long Life. I hope you have from the beginning sufficiently understood concerning this Natural and Supernatural Advice, and the first tinging Root of Metals and Minerals, whereon the Corner-stone is placed, and where the true Rock is grounded in its kind, wherein Nature hath placed and buried her secret & deeply concealed Gifts; to wit, in the fiery tinged Spirits, which Colours they gained out of the starry Heaven by the operation of the Elements; and they can moreover tinge and fix that which before was not tinged and unfix'd, seeing that Luna wants the Robe of the Golden Crown, together with the fixedness, as likewise Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury do; and although Mars and Venus need not this Rayment, but can communicate it to the other five, yet I say, that they can perform nothing to attain any thing with wealth without the Lion, because they are not sufficiently accomodated with a fixedness of their Mercury, and a gentleness of their Salt, except it be that the Lion overcome them, that they have triumphed on both parts, and gained a remarkable Melioration altogether; this Melioration lies concealed in their Signate star, or Magnet, out of which all Metals have themselves received their Gifts.
Now I will proceed, and particularly step to the Birth and Generation, how the or Archæus manifests its power; pouring it forth, and daily reveales it, whereby all Metallick and Mineral Forms are visibly proposed, and made formal, tangible, and corporal by the Mineral, intangible, flying, fiery Spirits: Understand therefore further, and observe with diligence and care, that by forgetfulness you let not that which is weighty pass away, nor yet neglect or overlook that which is most profitable, and on the contrary observe the bare words at length, passing over the Truth; for what I write herein, is undoubtedly held and esteemed that the highest is undoubtedly by many esteemed for the lowest, and the lowest for the highest Mystery, and is so to be reputed.
Now you must first know, that all Metals and Minerals of the Earth have one only Matter and Mother, whereby in general they all received Conception, gaining a compleat and corporal Birth. This Matter which comes out of the Center, first of all divides it self into three parts, to procure one corporal or certain form of each Metal. These three parts are only fed in the Earth by the Elements, out of their Bodies, and nourish'd till they be perfect. But the Matter which comes out of the Center is imagined by the Stars, operated by the Elements, and formed by the Earth: It is a Matter to be known, and the true Mother of Metals and Minerals: It is such a Matter and Mother, whereof Man himself is conceived, born, nourish'd, and made corporal: It may be compared to the middle World, for what is in the great World is in the little World, and what is in the little World is also in the greater; and what is jointly in the great and little World is likewise found in the middle World, which unites and conjoins the great and little world; it is a Soul which unites and copulates the Spirit with the Body. This Soul is compared unto water, and it is a right true water, but not so that it wets as other water doth, but it is a Celestial water, dry, found in a Metallick Liquorish substance; it is a Soulish water, which loves all Spirits, and unites them with their Bodies, conducting them to a compleat Life; therefore it is reasonably found out, and evidently proved, that Water is the Mocker of all Metals, which are heated by the warm aerial Fire, or Spirit of Sulphur, which by its digestion makes the Earthly Body lively, wherein the Salt is evidently found, which preserves from putrefaction so that nothing might be consumed by Corruption. At the beginning and birth Quick-silver is first operated, which stands yet open with a subtile coagulation, because little Salt is imparted to it, whereby he manifests a more spiritual than corporal Body; but all the other Metals which follow out of its Essence, and have more Salt, whereby they become corporal, do all follow this; so that I now begin first with the Spirit of Mercury.