Furthermore this likewise is to be here known, that it is a most notable and a true experiment and artifice in Alchymy, that is, in the true melting of Salt, when the Agent of Salt, and the Patient, or Metal, are so thoroughly conjoined and mixed, as that the Agent is disperst throughout the Patient, that so the Patient may suffer the more, and consequently that that Patient Metal may be the sooner ripened and fixed. When a Flock of Sheep being in the Fold, see the Woolf coming, they are indeed all terribly affrighted, but are not all bitten and torn, and so a part of them feel the hurt and the other part remain free. But if the Woolf seizeth upon the Sheep in the open Field, and that the Sheep are scattered far and wide so that they cannot possibly flock together, they will certainly suffer more grievously.
For Example sake, when I would meliorate Lead by means of Salt, whether by the moist way by Spirit of Salt or by the dry way by dry Salts, if now I cannot radically conjoin the said Salts and Lead together, I do but little to purpose, because Lead and Silver, unless prepared by singular Ingeny and Skill, are not touched upon by Salt and its Spirit, and so suffering but superficially onely they are able to resist a long time. But being radically united unto Salt by the benefit of Art, so as that they cannot be distinguisht from each other, then they suffer in all their parts and die, which death is their melioration and life. He that desires to arrive at this Goal, must rise betimes, and use a most notable diligence, for sloathfulness hedgeth up the way of coming thereunto: Even I my self am no perfect Artificer, but wait upon the Omnipotent God, expecting what he will please to bestow upon me for time to come, and I live content with my present enjoyments. Thus likewise let another do.
But if now Saturn is to be used after another way and to serve instead of Earth to receive and multiply the metallick Seed, there’s no need of dissolving it in Salts, but it will be better to have it onely swell or puft up in them, and keep in such a positure as Earth is, conserving the Seed sown therein, in a moderate humidity and in the temperate heat of the Sun, which way is also a good one and commodious for the production of good metallick Fruits, and that by the help of Salt, as the following Process shews, under this title, namely,
The Fire and Azoth wash Laton.
Some of the Philosophers have called their Patient Laton, and their Agent Azoth. But what subject that is which they meant by the name of Laton there are many Opinions of Authours concerning it, in whose Writings may be seen, that the greatest part of them do intend thereby Saturn, but yet not the vulgar: and even so is it too concerning their Azoth, or Vinegar, that being likewise diversly accepted. But be it as it will, yet this is certain, that even in the common Saturn do many abstruse secrets lie hidden, (to say nothing of the more mysterious Saturn, did we but know how to get it out.)
All Philosophers do suppose, that the Heart in Saturn is better than that in Gold it self, and for that reason do they call Lead a Leaprous Gold, and say, that if it could be mundified by a true washing, some great matter would proceed thereout of. Many Men have very much busied themselves about this washing, but yet have not attained unto ought else, save that they have brought the Saturn into a white, fugacious, and liquid Body, concerning which labour I have made mention in this Treatise of metallick Cates and Sawces, and also in the [third Part of the Prosperity of Germany].
In my judgment, the common Saturn is a commodious Earth, for the reception of a metallick Seed, and for bringing the same unto multiplication Witness Paracelsus himself who tells us, that Saturn may be compared to the Earth, for all such things as it seizeth on it makes like it self, and turns them into Earth, viz. in the common Fire, for Paracelsus here intends that.
But now, if some metallick Seed be sown in Saturn, as being a commodious metallick Earth, and that such an Earth and such a Seed be moistned with a due metallick Water, and be exposed to the fruit producing and vivifying Sun, the earth together with the Seed, doth by reason of the moistning caused by the pouring on, or affusion of the mineral Water, swell up, and become porous, and receives and conserves the Water, so that the ripening Sun cannot dry up the Earth, and consequently burn up the Seed. And by how much the oftner the Earth is moistned with the mineral Water, and the Sun expelleth the said humidity, so much the speedier doth the Seed ripen, and attain to his maturity.
For like as the Husband-man when he is about to sow this Corn, chooseth such a ground, as contains a fat and tenacious mould, which may not be washt away with the Rain, nor suffer the due nourishment to be withdrawn from the Seed; for if the Seed be sown in Sand, a little Rain can easily wash away the Sand and Seed, and impede the faculty of growth, which in a fat and tenacious Soil is not wont to happen. For the Water or Rain should but onely moisten the Earth, that it may not be too closely comprest, but become porous and admit of the Rains penetrating unto the Seed: which when so, then is there hopes of the Seeds sprouting, in such a fat Earth which swells up by means of the Water, and of bringing forth its Fruit.
Even just after the same manner are the metallick Seeds to be sown, and ripened; and for Example sake, let us take the vulgar and common Saturn, (well mundified) for that Earth, into which we will sow such a Seed as having a great affinity with Saturn, loves to be augmented therein, whereby it may bring forth fruit. And like as the Seed of any Animal requires an Animal Matrix, as a Field or Earth to be multiplied in, and hath not any affinity with the common Earth: Even so likewise doth a metallick Seed require a metallick Earth, Matrix, or Ground, wherein it may germinate and be multiplied.