But Farnner’s setting upon me with his calumnies and slanders, hath ministred unto me an occasion of answering, and of defending my self: Upon this occasion of my replying, there have sprung up, and come forth to the Light most excellent Secrets and Arcana’s of Nature. Surely I should never have so openly published my knowledge in natural things, but should have lain hidden in quiet, had not that Blood-sucker and secret Murtherer thrown me out of my tranquility by his venomous biting.
But that it may not seem a thing strange and absurd, that I write, that this Aurum Potabile of mine doth induce into the growing Herbs a golden Nature, it seems a thing expedient unto me, to confirm the business by some true Histories.
In the Hungarian and Transylvanian Chronicles, it is mentioned, That in those Countries, in which the soil or ground hath every where about in the Mountains, an aureous or golden nature, and from whence, for this Thousand years, even to this very day, much Gold hath been, and yearly is digged out by the GoldMiners, and been molten, and coined into Moneys, there have been oft times found such Vines, as have not only had their Leaves, but also the Grapes too gilded over, as it were, with Gold, just as if they had been artificially gilt. Nor is this an old Wife’s Fable, but a thing most certainly true, and which many have affirmed unto me for a most undoubted Truth, some of which Persons have had their Habitations in those places, and othersome of them do even live there at this day. About some six years since, when I lived in Franconia, it chanced, that a Vine to whose Roots I laid Gold opened, and reduced into its first Ens, produced Bunches of Grapes, whose Stones were gilded: Which Story I have mentioned more at large in the Consolation of Navigators. And but very lately a certain Nobleman of Hungary, told me for a most certain Truth, that not far from Cremnitz, being one of the Mountain Cities of Hungaria, a certain Husbandman found in his Vineyard a piece of corporeal Gold, above an Ell long, grown out of a Stone, and twined round about the said Stone, a little piece of which was given me by the said Nobleman, because of the Novelty and Wonders sake.
But put case that this were not true, which notwithstanding is very true and indubitable, as being a thing known to the whole World, that such gilded Grapes are often found in Hungaria and Transylvania; yet however, those things that I have mentioned, and attributed unto my Potable Gold, are most assuredly true.
Nor can I alleadge any other cause for these gilded Grapes and Leaves in Hungaria, but this, that the Earth there is impregnated with golden vapours, or with the not yet hardened and coagulated first Ens of Gold, and that aureous water being mixt with the Rain-water, insinuates it self into the Roots and from thence ascends up into the Boughs and Grapes, and in them manifests it self, and becomes visible.
Even thus also is it with my Aurum Potabile, (which is like to a spiritual Gold) if it be dissolved with common Rain-water, and be therewithal commixt, and the sand (in which the seeds of the Vegetables were sown) be moistened with that Liquor, the nutriment is attracted out of the sand by the Vegetable Herbs, and being attracted, renders them partakers of an aureous nature: And this experience testifies to be a thing most true; nor can it be otherwise.
By these few things here spoken, every body (as I suppose) will sufficiently enough perceive, that my Aurum Potabile is a most high Medicine for the Vegetables. Now we will likewise prove by some few but yet clear and convincing Arguments, that it is a most high Medicine for the Minerals too.
Of the Use of my Aurum Potabile in the melioration of the Minerals.
As concerning the bettering of the Minerals by my Potable Gold, thus stands the case: It is capable of exhibiting to those that are inquisitive after the transmutation of the Metals, and would make trial of the same, some most exact proofs of the possibility thereof, both in the moist and in the dry way.