Also they are melted into a yellow transparent glass, neither is there taught an easier way of reducing Antimony by it self into a yellow transparent glass, where crude Antimony is first sublimed, and being sublimed is melted into glass.
This sublimation serves instead of calcination, by the help whereof 20 pound are more easily sublimed, than by the help of the other one pound is brought into calx.
Neither is there here any danger of the ascending fumes, because when the Antimony is cast into the fire you may be gone, which is a safe, and easy calcination, whereas the common way requires the continual presence of the artist stirring the matter, who also takes out the matter when it is once grown together, and grinds it again; by which means he hath much to do, before the matter come to a whiteness; but by our way, the matter is at the first time made sufficiently white, and more than by that common way of calcination and agitation. I suppose therefore that I have shewed to him that will make glass of Antimony, the best, and hitherto unknown way; which being taught, I hope there is no man will hereafter like a fool go that tedious way of the Antients, but rather follow my steps. For by this way may any Physitian, most easily be able to prepare for himself vomitive and diaphoretical flowers, and also glass of Antimony per se.
Of those Flowers may be made oyls both sweet and corrosive, and other medicaments, as hath been above said of the spirit of salt, and shall afterwards be spoken in the Second Part.
Let him that will make Flowers of the Regulus, fairer than those which are made of crude Antimony, cast it being poudered into the fire, and in all things proceed as hath been said, and he shall have them, &c. for they are easily sublimed. Now, how the regulus is to be made after a compendious manner, you shall find in the Fourth Part. The scoriæ also are sublimed, so as nothing is lost. But he that will make Flowers that shall be dissolved in the aire into a liquor must add some calcined tartar, or some other fixt vegetable salt, and he shall have Flowers that will be dissolved in any liquor: but he that will make red Flowers as well those that are diaphoretical, as those that are purging, must mix iron, and he shall have Flowers like to Cinnabar: Let him that desires green, mix copper, if purple, lapis calaminaris.
And thus out of any mineral may be made Flowers whether it be fixed, or volatile; for it is forced to fly on high being cast into the fire. And these may be used diversly in Chyrurgery, in plaisters and unguents; for they dry, and astring potently, especially those that are made of lapis calaminaris. Neither are they to be slighted that are made of the golden, and silver marcasite. Those that are made of arsenic & auripigmentum, are poysonous, but are useful for Painters. Arsenic & auripigmentum being calcined with nitre, and then sublimed, yield Flowers that are safely to be taken inwardly, expelling all poysons by sweat and stool: For they are corrected two wayes, viz. first by the nitre, secondly by the fire in the subliming: they are not therefore to be feared, because that Arsnick was poysonous before the preparation thereof. For by how much the greater poyson it was before preparation, so much the greater medicine afterwards.
The Flowers of sulphur are taught in the Second Part, although they may also be made by this furnace, viz. the natures and properties thereof being known by an expert Artist, or otherwise it is burnt.
So also stones being prepared are brought into Flowers, and many other things, of which we need not say any thing, only let him that pleaseth make tryal thereof.
And now I suppose I have made plain, and shewed you clearly how distillation is to be made in this our first furnace; wherefore I will now end. He therefore that understands and knows the fabrick of the furnace (which he may understand by the delineation thereof) and the use thereof, will not deny but that I have done a good work, and will not disapprove of my labour.
And this is the best way of distilling, and subliming incombustible things. In the Second Part you shall find another furnace in which are distilled combustible things, as also most subtil spirits, &c. The first furnace serves also for other uses, as the separation of metals; of the pure from the impure; for the making of the central salt, and of the humidum radicale of them all. But because it cannot be done after the aforesaid way, by which things are cast into the fire to get their flowers, and spirits, but after a certain secret Philosophical manner, by the power of a certain secret fire, hitherto concealed by the Philosophers (neither shall I prostrate that secret before all); It is sufficient that I have given a hint of it for further enquiry, and have shewed the way to other things.