Seeing therefore that without salt nothing can exist or live, and that the life of all things consisteth in salt alone, as is witnessed by daily experience; Wherefore do Fools think Salt to be a thing of so small moment? I answer, That this happens because very few know what Salt is, what Powers and Virtues it exerteth, and what is reconded in its inward Penetrals: As is said a little before, I compare salt to a Carrier, because he carrieth or conveyeth all those things which are put to him, whether good or evil, thither to where they are to be conveyed, without any labour or trouble, but committing the care to him, who taketh all the burden.
In like manner, Salt being mixed with good things, which administer a good nourishment, assisteth the nutritive faculty, and is the conveyer, helper, and strengthener of the adjoined nutriment: Being mixed with venomous and hurtful things, it encreaseth and confirmeth the Venom with great detriment to the Body, insinuating it into the Passages and Members, into which, without salt, the Venom could not have penetrated; therefore with the good it is good, and with the evil it is evil, and being addicted to neither part, is subservient to both, according to the will of the Artist, making good the vulgar Proverb, Salt and Wine quicken the wit: That is, when mixed with good things, they be moderately used. So also the contrary is true, if it be said, that Salt and Wine deprave the Wit; which I could demonstrate by many Examples, which for brevity sake are here omitted. Nevertheless, that I may be the better understood, I will instance in two things: As I said but now, if Salt be mixed with good subjects, containing a good nourishment, such are Bread, Flesh, and Herbs, the same are rendered fitter for nourishment, if daily experience may be credited, which no man will deny. Why therefore should not the contrary be likely, that it should render an evil thing yet worse, and corrupt it more, if it be associated with it. As for example, Common Argent-vive is esteemed Poison, and indeed truly, and is rendered obnoxious to a greater or lesser poisonous quality, according as it shall undergo this or that Preparation. If one swallow half an ounce of it, it operateth nothing in the Body, and passeth away without hurt; but being sublimed with salts, and exalted in its venomous quality, being exhibited in the weight but of two, three, or four grains, is sufficient to kill a man.
In the same manner Orpiment, as digged out of the Mountains, performeth nothing of good in an humane Body, exciting frequent and intolerable vomitings and stools, if given in too great quantity; nevertheless one, two, three, or four grains of the same may be taken without any danger, causing easie vomits and stools; but being exalted by sublimation with common salt, becometh so hurtful a Poison, that being drank, it forthwith killeth Men and Beasts. So also it is with white Arsenick, which being sublimed with Salt, obtaineth such a poisonous nature, as is commonly known, although the cause of that evil be known to few, as the said Examples do sufficiently declare. I will yet add one thing over and above, for the sake of the Ignorant: They who have been versed in the Labours of the Fire, know those things, and want not my teaching, although their number be very small, but of the Ignorant and Unskilful it is large enough. Arsenick and Cobolt are indeed most vehement Poisons, but nevertheless are not hurtful to the Body, if they be taken in their corporal form; but being exasperated by sublimation with Salts, and reduced into a more fugacious nature, arrive to that vehemence, that they are able to kill a man only by their odour. Those who have mixed Arsenick with Vitriol and Salt-petre, for the preparing of graduating Waters, as they call them, have experienced the Truth of this. Such Waters are so vehemently poisonous, that they smite the Heart with a trembling of any one that taketh in their odour by the Nose, and also extreamly debilitate the Brain. That vulgar Proverb, which saith, That Salt corroborateth the Heart and quickeneth the Wit, is true, when wholesom and healthful things are associated with it; but if things unwholesom and poisonous be adjoined with it, it doth the quite contrary, suffocating the Heart, and weakening the Brain, both which I my self have found.
Long ago, when I was young, being occupied with Arsenical Waters of this kind, it often happened to me, that those strong saline Spirits had almost put out my Candle. Again, on the contrary, I have found, when I have mixed corroborating subjects with Salt, that it hath encreased their strengthening Virtues, and exalted them in a wonderful manner. Therefore it is not without reason that Paracelsus teacheth, That Gold exerciseth no power or virtue in the humane Body, but by the Spirit of Salts, which insinuate the virtues of Gold into the Members, and augmenteth them. Here some may say, Seeing that other Metals exert their powers in humane Bodies without Salt, Why should not Gold also do the same, if it hath any virtues? I answer, That this is the reason of the difference, because the other Metals being reduced into small Particles, by filing, do act in the humane Body, by reason of their own Vitriolate Salt, which they retain in melting, more easily admitting solution in the Stomach, and performing their Operations, by reason of that natural acidity, which Operations would be exasperated by the addition of Salt. But that the imperfect Metals effect nothing of good in the body of Man, is witnessed by Tin and Copper, in a Vessel of which, Wine standing all night, and then drank, causeth Vomitings and Cholical pains, as also Palpitations of the Heart; in exciting of which, Copper exceedeth Tin, which doth not so frequently excite Accidents of this kind, especially that which is not adulterated with Bismuth or Tinglass, but is pure and unmixt. Lead being swallowed, drieth, and cooleth too vehemently: But the filings of Iron are used medicinally, not without great profit, because they kill and expel the Worms in Children; and its Crocus is also wont to be mixed with astringent Medicines with Fruit. Silver being filed and taken, is of no use in the humane Body, because it hath in it self no salt, with which Iron and Copper are endowed. Nevertheless, being prepared with Salt, it obtains an entrance into the Members of the Body, and expelleth all hurtful Humours, and strengtheneth the Brain. But being bitterer than Gall, it is so ingrateful to the Palate, that it is more difficult to be taken than Vitriol it self. Gold, the most eminent among all the Metals, in purity and nobility in its own nature, possesseth no Salt, and therefore hath no Operation at all in the Body, whether it be taken in filings, or reduced to a subtile powder; for the acidum of the Stomach is not of so great power, that it can enter and dissolve Gold as it dissolved Copper and Iron, but dischargeth it with the Excrements in the same form in which it was taken. Hence the Unskilful have been so bold, as to exclude Gold from a medicinal use, as a thing destitute of all Virtue, and altogether of no use; an errour truly not Philosophick, but foolish, proceeding from meer unskilfulness and ignorance, seeing that Experience doth altogether testifie the contrary. He that believeth no Virtues to be in Gold, may by an easie experiment find the contrary, if he shall dissolve it in Spirit of Salt well cleansed and rectified, and shall drink a little of this Solution mixed with Wine or Beer, or any warm Broth or Gruel, for he shall perceive a very swift and healthful Operation,calling out all Superfluous fæces, according as they shall offend, either by Vomit, Stool, or Sweat, or Urine, without any weakening of the Body, but evidently confirming its strength, as I have shewed in my Book entituled, The Consolation of Navigators, in few words, by reason of the shortness of time, which did not allow me to treat of this matter more at large. Nevertheless I here assert, that a solution of Gold of this sort by Spirit of Salt, is able to perform very much in Medicine, although by reason of its ingrateful relish, it is not much to be esteemed: For seeing the spirit of Salt, with which the Gold is to be dissolved, ought to be very strong from this corrosive Liquor, without which the Gold cannot be dissolved; first, this incommodity ariseth, that its use is unpleasant, it blacketh the Lips and edgeth the Teeth; to which may be added, that a great quantity of Liquor is required for this solution, and the acidity by degrees bringeth loathing to the sick, and sometimes the sick cannot bear the sharpness. Moreover, if this solution be taken in Broth, it hindereth its operation, and wanteth the desired success, of which it is not destitute when drank in Wine or Beer. For this reason this Medicament, which in itself is very noble, and of great moment, is difficultly admitted into use. But because we have said that Gold without Salts is able to operate nothing at all, its whole solution consists in such a menstruum which is neither corrosive, nor of an unpleasant relish, nevertheless openeth the Gold, and rendereth it apt to become a very wholsom Medicine; which endowments I have found in no other thing but my Sal Mirabile, which being void of all corrosion and unpleasantness, is it self an excellent Medicament, and conciliateth a pleasant sweetness to all things which it dissolveth: For when it dissolveth Gold, it doth not stain the lips and hands with any colour, like other solutions, which are made by Aqua Regia, or spirit of salt; neither also doth it astringe like other solutions, but is of pleasant use, and exerteth its gift by a noble Operation. I have tried many admirable things with this Salt, and at length obtained a solution, or rather an extraction of Gold, green as Grass, and is a very wholesom and most noble Medicament: For he who hath brought Gold to a greeness, hath performed much, in praise of which, many ancient Philosophers call it The Blessed Viridity. But what this greeness may effect in Medicine, belongs not to this place, seeing that I intend here to treat of nothing but Salt, and to prove it to be the Beginning and End of all things, and that it encreaseth and exalteth the powers and virtues of all things.
And seeing that this is agreeable to Truth it self, and cannot be disproved by any man, it must necessarily be granted, that a Salt brought to the highest degree of Purity, (as mine is) must be far better, and more noble than any gross and impure Salt. Also because it amplifieth and exalteth the virtues of all Vegetables, Animals, and Minerals, and that Gold exceedeth in nobleness all other Creatures which are found under the Sun, it is easie to conjecture, that if the purest and most noble part of Salt shall be associated with Gold, that also a most noble Medicine must thence arise: For Salt and Gold, being the Off-spring of the Sun, are (as it were) immortal and incorruptible, and therefore afford help to all mortal and corruptible things, and defend them from putrefaction and corruption.
Nevertheless, I would not have any man perswade himself, that in these words I go about to assert any Immortality, my purpose tendeth not thither, seeing that I am not ignorant that there is no Medicine against Death. I would only signifie this, that from the association of Salt and Gold, there must necessarily proceed an excellent Medicament. If Salt carrieth and promoteth the Virtues of other things, wherefore also should it not promote and convey the Virtues of Gold? Truly there is found no Herb so abject, no Stone so vile, nor no Bone so contemptible, that doth not possess its own Virtues: Who then can deny that Gold, as the most Noble Creature of God (after the Sun and Salt, of which it is generated) should possess Gifts and Endowments, to be preferred to those of the more vile Creatures? That nothing of evil can proceed from two excellent subjects, to wit, Gold and Salt, every unskilful Rustick can understand; Wherefore then cannot those proud and idle Scoffers perceive it? I think it to be, because they would not be numbred among rude and ignorant Asses, if subscribing to my words, they should confess such a Medicine to be in rerum natura, and notwithstanding to be ignorant of its Preparation. But it were better for them not to envy those who have received such Gifts, nor to assault the Innocent with so many filthy Calumnies and Slanders, but to leave those things to them which exceed their own Capacities.
I now make mention of my Green-Lyon, whose wonderful Virtues are to be declared and manifested to the whole World; although I well know, that this Green-Lyon will not find fewer enemies than my white or red Aurum Potabile hath done: For the Devil can in no wise suffer, that any thing which is profitable to Mankind should be made manifest, therefore he useth all his power and arts to hinder the knowledge of the Truth, by casting stumbling-blocks in its way. What various Arts have been excogitated, to bring my Aurum Potabile into Contempt, and indeed by such a sort of men, who might easily think that I should not grant one drop of it to such haters of the Truth, although they should petition me for it.
And seeing those Pot-Companions could not ask it of me, they have endeavoured to extort it from me, under pretence of the sick, not that they would serve the sick, but only get an occasion of contemning it, and of bringing it into an Odium with the Sick, lest by it they should recover their former Health. Have they not taken counsel together in their Meetings, one offering this, another thing, so that by every way possible they might oppugn my Aurum Potabile? But, this Hatred and Envy, carried on against me with great study, I leave to the Divine Vengeance; and although many watery and obscure Clouds may endeavour to hide the Sun, and to overspread his warm and vivisick Beams with darkness, nevertheless they shall effect nothing; for at length being dispersed into vapours, and vanishing in Clouds, they will give place to the Solar Rays. There is nothing able to extinguish the Truth, which may indeed be prest, but never overcome, and is therefore like the Light, never wholly extinguished. The Air is never filled with so many dark Clouds, but at length they being dissipated, the Sun again appears to sight. By a like reason also the Truth at length freeth it self from the snares of lyes, and cometh forth into the Light: Therefore I may without fear propose the Truth, although there be many that can but ill bear my liberty of speech; for GOD is to be obeyed rather than Men and the benefits due to Good men are not to be omitted for the sake of those which are Evil.
Therefore (in the Name of God) I will go on in declaring the Virtues of my Sal Mirabile; because I have said in the precedent discourse, that Salt is the Rector or Disposer of all things, carrying their virtues conjoined with it self, to their due place; therefore it is not fit that evil and venomous things should be adjoined to it, but such as are good only, if any thing of good be expected from it.
But there is no Creature under the Sun more noble, excellent, and pure than Gold, nor which more resisteth the destruction of all the Elements, which without a true solution, as we have said, cannot render the Body of Man partaker of its Virtues, and all corroding solutions are found to be unfit to dissolve it; therefore such a solution is required, as may be performed by the help of a Salt which is not corrosive; therefore taking such a one in hand, we will see what good is to be expected from it.