But this comes better to our discourse, of Gold and Glasse, and some others upon the 28. of Iob, where speaking of Sapience, hee saith, that nothing can compare with it, nor Gold it self, nor Glasse. This Earth then, so excellent, and incorruptible, is not this vile and grosse Element, that we trample on, and cultivate to draw there hence our nurtriture and sustentation, but that whereof it is spoken in the 21. of the Revel. clear and transparent: I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, and the holy City was of pure Gold, like unto pure Glasse, and the streets thereof were of shining and resplendent Gold: See how hee doth liken more then once Gold and Glasse, which is produced by the depurations of Fire: for that is the last action thereof, having therein no power but to refine and depure, as he doth Gold. Which the Sun produceth in long millions of years: To the imitation of that, the speculative understandings are forced by means of fire, to extract out of the corruption of these inferior elements, and their compounds and incorruptible substance, which was to them a modell and pattern of that, whereto the whole universe should at last bee reduced: from hence we here draw from Soot a representation and image of the works of nature, upon vapours and exhalations, whence Meteors are formed, and impressions from the middle Region of the Air, Water holding place of the waterish, and oil of the fiery, and inflamable, which oil is altogether impure, to bee adustible and unprofitable to the procreation of this Virgin Earth: called by some the Philosophers Stone, which so many ignorant avaricious men have sought for, but could not find because they sought it with blind eyes, darkened with a sordid desire of unlawfull gain: to make themselves on a sodain richer then another Midas, who at last got nought, but the ears of an Asse, and did not cherish it to praise and admire God in his admirable workes following that which is said in the 37. of Job, consider the wondrous works of God, for we cannot doe a greater pleasure to a workman, then to mark attentively, to admire and magnifie his works; nor a greater reproch then to scorn and slight them: And of such the Apostle in the 4. to the Ephes. speaketh thus, They have their thoughts obscured with darknesse, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, in respect of blindnesse of their heart: Take then this Oil so extracted from Soot, and repasse it three or four times upon Sand; for it is one of those, that lasteth very long. And after the extraction of the Water and Oil, and the Calcination of the earths, that shall remain in the bottome of the vessell, cast your water thereon, and put the matter to putrifie ten or twelve dayes in dung: then draw back the water by distillation calcining at the end thereof the Earths seven or eight houres by the fires flame. Put again the water upon the Earths, putrified, distilled, and calcined, reiterating as abovesaid. For by means of water and fire, the Earths will be calcined, untill they have drunk up and retained all their water: or the greatest part: which will be done at the six or seventh reiteration. This done, give it the fire of sublimation, and it will elevate it self a pure earth, clear and Crystalline fastened in the Center. The water hath great proprieties and vertues, but this Earth hath yet more, whereof I will endeavour to speak more at large. There may be also Salt extracted by the dissolutions of its water and glasse, of the Earths that shall remain after the elevation of the said Virgin Earth. For every private thing by its proper humidity doth perform nothing but vitrificatory fusion, saith Geber. And there are here three: two volatiles, water, and oil, and the third fix’d and permanent; which is congealed, namely Salt: which beyond all other moistures expects the conflict of fire, saith the said Geber. For there is nothing more moist, and more unctuous then Salt, nor that better endures fire: Also all metals are nought else but fusible salts; whereunto they are easily resolved: common Salt melteth also, after it hath been recalcined, and dissolved, three or foure times, whereof wee will speake more plainly in its place.
I have here a little extended my self upon Soot, as upon a Subject, where rare secrets appear remarkable; & the same upon charcole, made of stone, and of that vitrification of sky colour, that remains of Iron whereof wee see great heaps in furnaces and forges, and being so dry, yet there may be water, and oil drawn therefrom: wee will yet say the same concerning Soot: Fire burning wood, or other adustible matter, chaseth away the waterish humidity, therein contained, and feeds it selfe with oil, or aereall substance. The terrestriall part, which are the ashes, remaining in the bottom calcined, where the Salt resides, which thereby being separated by the washings, and dissolutions of the water, the remainder is nought but slime, which is drawn away by frequent ablutions, and the Sand remains at the last proper to be vitrified; observe in respect of one of the excrements of fire, which is not contented therewith, but by its impetuosity, and heat tending naturally upwards, carries on high with violence a part of the subtiliated substances. Coupelles. pag. [86]. The little ashen pot, wherein goldsmiths melt and fine their metals. Let us adapt this to the Coupelles.
Wee see that part of the lead, from thence goes away in smoak as in the fire, whence Soot is procreated, a part thereof is burned, namely its sulphurous part, and part grows tough within the coupelles almost in the manner of Glasse or varnish. Of the two first volatils, there is no account to be made thereof, for they goe and disperse themselves. But bray the Coupelles where this vitrification is as it were baked, wash them well with warm water, to depure them from their grosnesse and uncleannesse, then put them into a descensory with a strong expression of a bellows fire with the Salt of Tartar and Salnitre, and there will fall down through a Metalline: which being recoupled with new lead you will find more fine, without comparison then at first, and ever from that time forward, more and more, by reiteration as abovesaid. So that hee, that would take the patience to boil the lead on a regulated and continuall fire, that should not exceed its fusion, that is to say, that the lead should therein remain alwayes melted and no more, putting thereto a small portion of quicksilver or sublimate to keepe it from Calcination, and to reduce it to powder: at the end of a certain time, you shall find that Lamwell hath not spoken frivolously to say that the six grain is contained in power with lead, (that is to say) gold and silver, would multiply and increase themselves as the fruit upon a tree doth.
But to return to these oils of long durance, whereof he might make a large volume that would run through not all but a part: Let him draw from the Tartar of wine, of which the best comes from Mompellier, even that which adheres unto the Tun. Coups a ruer. pag. [87]. One which is very important, Tartar is one of the subjects, where those who practise in the fire, do find so many blows to cast. Take of this Tartar beaten into small powder and put it in a leaded earthen pot with clear fountain water, upon a Trevet or furnace, making it boil easily and scum the villainies and filthinesse off with a feather: the silver Crusts that shall afterwards arise, gather them with a head of Glasse, where these grosse moules destang, of mudd, so long till they rise no more, renewing the water by measure when it comes to diminish. Turn it by Inclination, and put a part, that which rests in the bottom in the shape of Sand. Put again the Crusts in new water, make them boil gently as before, and gather together the Crusts that shall rise up more clear and lucent then the first, separating their dregs and impurities, if there be any presented, and reiterate this six or seven times, till your Crusts be clear and shining as silver or pearls. Dry them in the Sun, or before the fire upon a linnen, and put them in a cornue with an open breech, and a graduate fire reinforcing it by smalls: and through the beak of the Cornue, there will issue as a smal rivolet of milk, that will resolve into oil with the Recipient. Passe it once again, or twice upon Sand, or salt of Tartar: which is done by calcining of Tartar, within a pot of Earth of Paris, not leaded in a fire of reverberation, or in Charcoles: afterwards dissolve it, with hot water and filter, and congeal it, and there will remain white Salt which will resolve it self into a liquor called the oil of Tartar; or after it is well calcined let it resolve to it self in moisture. This Liquor is of great efficacy to quench and root out all sorts of wildfires. But of the sands that remain in the bottom, without being unwilling to rise in Crusts: there will be extracted another more exquisite oil and lesse adustible.
Tartar may be governed after another fashion. Wee insist therein in this respect, because it shews to have I know not what agreement with Soot: for as Soot is an excrement of fire, so are Tartar and lees, the same of wine, that have great affinity with fire. Take then of Tartar in Powder within a leaded earthen vessell, and cast hot water there on stirring it strongly with a stick; and letting it rest a little, put out the water; with that which it hath gotten from the Tartar: which is after the form of slime within another dish: and put new luke warm water upon the Tartar: reiterating as aforesaid so many times that the water may come forth neat & clear; which will be perfected at the fifth or sixth time. And in the bottom there will remain the foresaid sand, which being dryed disolves it self within the distilled vinegar, and not into common water. Aqua vitæ likewise dissolves in a little space, when the one and the other would take no more. Wash that which remaines, with common water, then dry it slowly, and having put it into a Cornue with a sufficient good expression of fire graduating it by small pieces, there will be extracted an odoriferous oil, as of aspic. one of Raimond Lullius his secrets: which is one of his principall keyes, and entries into Metallick dissolutions. Take the foresaid evacuations, and elevate the Crusts as aforesaid. There are too many things to speak of Tartar, and that which wee have now set down is not vulgar, but the rarest of our experiments; Of vinegar, after that the clear shall bee distilled, and that the white fumes shall begin to appear, which is his adustible oilynesse, put the dregs that shall remain (for you must have a great quantity) in a cellar or other fresh place, and in five or six dayes there will be procreated small Crystalline little stones; separate them from their residences, by ablutions of common water, and dry them; and you shall draw thereout an oil of no small importance, so great certainly and admirable are the substances, which the art of Fire extracts from Wine.
The most part of the oils that wee have touched on, heretofore, being adustible, are by consequent of a strong and troublesome odour, as smelling the burnt, when they burn, you must therefore set them in the Sun certain dayes, that is to say, to dry them in the Sun, and in the Air, to take away from them this fiery smell: for recompence we will here treat of some rare ones and of good agreeable odour. And in the first that of Been, which prefumers use, hath neither colour, odour, nor savour: and therefore it is susceptible of all those which you shall apply thereunto. Being repassed upon Sand to take away the fatnesse, it would bee of long durance, and without an ill sent, but it is too dear. As for oils of Olive, rapes or long turneps, chenevy, sesamum, but is rare in these quarters: and other the like which are drawn by the press, by means of the heat of fire: what repasses soever there may bee, yet they never desist to be of a good odour, but so much lesse, according as they shall bee depured and by the same means of longer durance: Oils of Sage, Thyme, Pepper and other the like, drawn by an instrument proper thereunto, such artifices, are so divulged even unto Chamber maids, that I should bee ashamed to speak of: That of Benzoine is more rare, and lesse known, and more laborious to make. Take Benzoin thoroughly beaten to grosse powder, and put it into a Cornue with fine Aqua vitæ, which swimmeth thereover three or four fingers, and leave them so for two or three daies upon a moderate fire of ashes, that the Aqua vitæ may not distill, removing them every houre; this done, accommodate the Cornue upon the furnace with an earthen vessell full of Sand. Distill the Aqua vitæ, with a gentle fire, afterwards increasing it by degrees, there will appear infinite little aiguilles and filaments, such as in the dissolutions of lead and quicksilver. Lignum vitæ. The which sheweth sufficiently that Benzoin participates thereof: It whitens Copper, quickens Gold, and put in decoction of gayac, doth admirable effects, as also Tartar, which containeth much quick-silver. When then these veins or little aiguilles shall shew themselves, continue this degree of fire, and let them play within the Cornue a certain space, so long that all vanish away. In the interim have in a readinesse a little stick which may enter within the neck of the Cornue for these aiguilles will come thither to bring again as in an mouelle, and if you take them not away speedily the vessell will break when this Gumme or Mouelle shall bee all past, with a certain form of butter, which will cast it self afterwards within the Recipient, the oil will begin to distill fair and clear, of an hyacinth colour, and fragrant odour: after which reinforcing the fire, there will issue out another more thick and dark, which you must receive apart. This Gumme or white marrow, which you shall have drawn out of the neck of the Cornue, wash it with the Aqua vitæ which you distilled therefrom, in the beginning, which shall extract therefrom a tincture or Citrine colour, as Saffron, and shall leave the Gumme very white, and of a most agreeable smell, fit to make Pater Nosters of sents, of such a colour as you will please to give it: withdraw your Aqua vitæ by a bath, and in the bottome there will remain a yellow Tincture of a good sent likewise, which hath great proprieties and vertues. The black oil is, a soveraign balm against all hurts: and of the remaining earths a Salt of great efficacy. Thus you have of Benzoin five or six substances, a white Gomme, with its yellow Tincture, the two oils and Salt.
Aqua vitæ which is its principall manifestation, and without which nothing would bee done therein, there is also Storax, Calamint, Ladanum, Myrrh, and the like Gums, out of which oil is extracted by the means of the carriage of Aqua vitæ, and therein you must proceed as in Benzoin: But there are not so many things to mingle together: Out of Myrrh there is likewise extracted a liquor, very proper to take away all spots and marks remaining of scabs, or pox and other like accidents. Take hard Egs, and cleave them in the middle, take away the yellow, then fill the hollows with grains of Myrrh, and cover them again with the other half: Leave them three or four dayes in the clear and in the air, where the Sun comes not: and they will resolve themselves into a liquor like unto hony, or thick dew, frankincense likewise doth the same.
Out of Sulphure also there may bee drawn an adustible oil by opening it, with Aqua vitæ, and also by other wayes. For Sulphur hath in it two substances, the one inflammative, the other not, but aluminous and vitriolique: whence proceeds this liquor which is called oil of Sulphur: which hath yet greater properties and vertues then the oil of vitriol, which is more caustick and burning: as well against evill inward affections, as in Cankers and ulcers of the mouth, tooth ach, cankers, and other the like, where it works more moderately.
Take then first a match of Cotten yarn of the bignesse of your little finger and two els long, which you shall besmear with molten wax and with Turpentine, as to make waxe Lights.
Take on the other side a pot of Paris earth leaded, wherein you shall put a bed of sulphur enough grossely beaten, and thereupon lay a round of your foresaid matches, untill the pot be full, on the top whereof, you shall leave a little end of your Match to light it: (fine musket match is very good also). Put your pot under a chimney and hang thereupon an Alembic Cap, whose mouth should relate to that of the pot. But you must first besmear and crust over the clay to the thicknesse of a thumb: you must not join it just to the pot, but that there may be an inch opening betwixt them. Light the Match, and make the Sulphur burn, which will cast from it a small white fume, which will adhere within the Cap and from thence it will resolve into a liquor of peach color, that will fall into the Recipient, when you have to such an end, applyed it to the beak of the Cap: But this will do better in soft weather with south winds and d’aval, and not in dry weather.