This Oyl expelleth all ill humors, not only by stoole and vomits, but also by urin and sweating, according as it doth meet with superfluities; and this very safely, and without any danger at all; whereby many diseases radically or perfectly may be cured.
Let no man wonder that I ascribe such great vertues unto this oyl, it coming from such a despicable stone, and its preparation requiring no great Art or paines, as those intricate deceitful processes do, that are every where extant in books quite filled up with them. And it is no marvel, that men are in love with such false and costly processes; for the most of them do not believe, that any good is to be found in things that are not in esteem; but only make great account of dear things, far fetcht, and requiring much time and paines for to be prepared.
Such men do not believe the word of God, testifying, That God is no respecter of persons, but that all men that fear and love him, are accepted of him. If this be true (which no good Christian will doubt) then we must believe also, that God created Physick or the matter of Physick as well for the poor as for the rich. Now if it be also for the poor, then certainly such will be the condition thereof, that it may be obtained by them, and easily prepared for use. So we see that Almighty God causeth not only in great mens grounds to come forth good Vegetables, Animals and Minerals, for the curing of the infirmities of mankind, but that the same also are found every where else. Whereby we perceive, that it is also the will of God, that they shall be known by all men, and that he alone, as the Maker of all good, may be praised and magnified by all men for the same.
I doubt not but that there will be found self-conceited scoffers, that will despise this so little regarded subject, as if no good thing could be made of it, because they could find nothing in it themselves. But be it known to them, that neither to me nor them all things have been discovered, but that yet many wonderful works of Nature are hidden to us: and besides that I am not the first that writ of Vitriol and its medicine. For the Ancients, our dear Ancestors, had always Vitriol in very great esteem, as the following Verse doth prove.
Visitabis Interiora Terræ, Rectificando
Invenies Occultum Lapidem, Veram Medicinam.
Whereby they would give us to understand, that a true medicine is to be found in it. And the same also was known to the latter Philosophers: for Basilius and Paracelsus have always highly commended it, as in their writings is to be found.
It is to be admired, that this Oare or Metallical seed, which may justly be called the gold of Physitians (in regard that so good a medicine can be made of it) is not changed or altered in the earth, like other things that grow in it, but keepeth always the same form and shape, until it cometh to the air, which is its earth or ground, wherein it putrefieth and groweth. For first it swelleth and groweth like as a vegetable seed doth in the earth: and so taketh its increase and grows out of the air, just as a seed of an hearb in the earth; and the air is not only its Matrix, wherein it groweth and doth increase like a vegetable, but it is also its Sun which maketh it ripe. For within four weeks at the furthest it putrefieth and groweth black: and about a fourtnight after it groweth white, and then green; and thus far it hath been described here: But if you proceed further Philosopher-like therewith, there will come forth to light at the last the fairest red, and most pleasant Medicine, for which God be praised for ever and ever, Amen.
Of the Sulphureous volatile and Acid spirit of common Salt, and of Allome.
The same way, which above hath been taught for the making of the volatile spirit of vitriol, must be likewise used in the making of the volatile spirits of common salt and allome.