Having thus shown the Generation of Salt-petre out of every Kingdom, viz. of the Vegetable, Animal, and Mineral Kingdom; it now remains yet, briefly to shew what wonderful things the same doth effect in Medicine and Alchimy, which thing we do not find that ever any one of the Philosophers did perform, but kept all to themselves for secrets.
Forasmuch therefore as I have made a beginning of the thing already in the second part of this Book, where I spake of a certain moist separation; that is, I there delivered that it is possible to extract Gold and Silver out of all (yea even the most vile) Metals, by the benefit of a nitrous Water, so as that any one that will but set his hand to the work may thence get his sustenance most plentifully; it seems a thing necessary to finish what hath been already well begun.
Now forasmuch as I did in that place let pass the describing the manner it self of Extraction, a many Friends have much desired an illustration of the things there spoken, but I could not hitherto by any means satisfie their petition, because that the abundance of my imployments denied me the time of Writing.
Now therefore I have determined both to gratifie these and others by opening this most noble artifice, but yet so, as that I will reserve some things unto my self, that so all things may not be made so common to my Enemies. And if so be that any of my Friends desire a more plain explication, and desire an addion of the things I have omitted here, it will be an easie matter unto me to satisfie their requests.
This Art therefore doth not only conduce to this, viz. to extract fixt Gold and Silver out of all sand, earth, stones, yea and out of the more vile Metals (or Ores of Gold and Silver; (but also to extract the volatile and immature Gold, and Silver, and to make it fix, and that in such a compendious manner as that it will be a matter of (in a manner) no costs or labour: Nay more, if so be there cannot be had any poor Metals, Stones, or such like subjects that contain in them Gold and Silver (though even these are plentifully enough to be had in every part of the World): Yet nevertheless may that Art be exercised with profit, about even the imperfect Metals such as ♂, ♀, ♃, ♄, ☿, Calmei, Zink, Bismuth, Cadmia, Arsenick, Auripigment, Granates, Talk, Smiris, Hematitis, and such kind of Fossiles, are; and which contain ☉ & ☽, partly fixt, and partly volatile, and may be commodiously extracted by the help of a nitrous Water.
Besides too, most excellent Gold may be in like manner profitably separated out of all such things as are made by Art of Silver, whether they be gilded with Gold, or not, insomuch, that if there be but a most few grains contained in a large portion of Silver, they may be separated with gain. And if so be any be so minded to impregnate the separated ☽ again with Gold, that so it may again yield Gold by a following separation, he may most easily do so; yea, this operation may be so often repeated after this wise until all the ☽ pass (by Graduation) into Sol, which thing may be compared to a perpetual durable Mine-pit of Gold, and is perfected by the benefit of Salt-petre only; and therefore it both may and ought to be called and that deservedly a Store-house and comfort for mankind. For when we prepare that Salt-petre of medicinal Subjects, all the Salt-petre doth not put on the form of christals, but much of it abides permixt with the water, which water doth abound with a most notable nitrous virtue of thoroughly promoting Christallization, insomuch that the seeds of Rye, Wheat, Millet, Oates, Beech-wheat, and such like, when they are macerated or steeped therein some due time, afore they are sown in the Earth, do multiply themselves extraordinarily, so that we see 3, 4, 6, yea and sometimes 20 plants spring forth out of one single Grain.
With the same nitrous Liquor too, (so it be prepared of true medicinal things, may be made a most excellent Medicine (which may be in a manner compared with potable Gold, and by the help of which, great diseases and as it were incurable, are happily healed) and that in a few hours space.
Forasmuch therefore, as such a Kingly medicament (of which I have made some mention in the Second Part of my Pharmacopœia Spagyrica, where I treated of nitre) & such a most excellent & incomparable dunging of the Ground, may, together with the Salt-petre, be prepared & instituted; so most easily & almost without cost, (on which depends the health of the body, and fertility of the Ground, whether you respect Corn, or Wine, or Hops, or any other things, that man useth instead of Meat and Drink for the sustaining of Life; or else the extraction of ☉ and ☽ out of all the most abject Subjects every where found) may we not justly pronounce thus much of Salt-petre, that it is altogether profitable and commodious to all men; and therefore well worth the searching after, and the application to the use of Man.
Therefore like as by the help of Salt-petre, we see we are able to get all such things as an honest man seems to need, such as are Food, Drink, Health, yea and ☉ and ☽ too, and all this most plentifully and perfectly: so on the contrary, the use of this Salt-petre is very hurtful when it is used for evil, and this is sufficiently seen in the time of War. Yet nevertheless we should not esteem less of it than it really is, because of its being abused, but rather the benefits attending it (which are very many) should stir up our minds to make a diligent enquiry into it. The end of the World is at hand, and sundry things are detected, which the ancients reserved amongst the highest Secrets, but they are but little esteemed; some of them, I will here exhibit and show unto you.