I had some Wine in a Vessel that became viscid or ropy and tenacious; for the amending of which, I sent for a Wine cooper, he pours it out (as is the usual custom) into another fresh vessel, and used thereunto all his art, that so he might better it. He passed it oft times through a long Pipe made of white plates, and perforated with many small holes, and many other means he used, even whatever he had knowledge of, but yet all he attempted was in vain, then at last he put into the Wine no small portion of salt, and shook them both together very strongly, but all in vain, insomuch that he left my Wine corrupt [as he found it] and out of all hope of restoring it.
But because there was too much salt thrown into the Wine, yea so much as that it might be perceived even by the tast, the Wine was rendred unfit to be drunk, though it should have [thereby] recovered its former clearness. So there remained nothing else to be done therewithall, save the extracting of its spirit by distillation. Yet nevertheless I had a good mind yet to try whether or no it could possibly be freed from that tenacity: to this end therefore I kindled some sulphurized rags, being sprinkled over with the mineral or oar of lead reduced into powder, and with that fume imbued I my Wine, as is the usual custom when Wines are through corruption degenerated from their good state or condition. I added thereto the oar of lead because that as the sulphur was burning the fume of the lead might penetrate the Wine and precipitate all the defilements to the bottom. But this experiment did not fadge. Then I took mercury and mixt it with sulphur after the aforeshown manner [in the foregoing Chapter] and dipt some rags therein and kindled them, hoping that the mercury being transmuted into fume would have ingress into the Wine. But yet it appeared quite contrary in the use, the sulphur indeed was consumed by burning, but the mercury would emit no fume, but was contrarily turned into a red powder, and stuck on to the burnt rags. After these burnings, (viz. of this mercurialized sulphur) often reiterated, the Wine did not smell of the Brimstone, as it’s usual to do, but of Musk or Ambergrease, and recovered its former clarity; but yet not fit to be drunk because of the overmuch quantity of the salt thrown thereinto.
Thus it happened unto me, the which thing others may consider of with a more accurate meditation, and may haply (from this history apprehend such things, as may in other matters be very profitable. For it is not in vain that I mention these things in this place. Enough is said to the wise. ’Tis sufficient that I have showed the way, if any one refuse to go in the same let him blame himself.
LXXXVI. How our moist fires of Salt are able after a sort to fix the yellow and common sulphur, so that it may be used with profit both in Medicine and Alchymy.
Take one part of yellow sulphur beaten into powder, and four or five times so much in weight of the con-centrated fire of salt peter, which spirit pour upon the said powder in a glass cucurbit, and abstract it thencefrom several times by an Alembick; this done, the sulphur in the cucurbit will get a red colour and become pellucid or transparent.
If it resolves in the air into a fat oil, the operation is well handled; if not the labour is to be repeated either with the self same fire or with more new, which is the better way. For the said fires are to be so often drawn off thencefrom untill it flow [or resolve] into a fat oil: An oil I say of sulphur which is endued with great virtues, not onely in Alchymy and Medicine, but may likewise be used in other arts with a great deal of profit. But especially it is an egregious Balsom, resisting all the sicknesses of the Lungs, and other putrifying corruptions, as shall be apparently evidenced in the following Centuries, more largely treating about these things.
LXXXVII. A way of turning Antimony into a snow-white medicament, by our moist fires of salts, and which is of safe and profitable use against the Plague, all Fevers, and other diseases.
When the Regulus of Antimony made per se without iron, and beaten into a powder is perfused or throughly moistened with the con-centrated fire of salt peter, and is for a while kept in warm sand; the moist fire burns the Regulus of the Antimony into a white powder. After that the whole shall be of a white colour, pour thereto common water, and it will imbibe or draw to it the fire of the niter, which will again be fitting for other labours, and perform the office of spirit of niter.
The white powder being by many washings rendred sweet, and then dried, performs the office of an excellent diaphoretick medicament and may with safety be used; it strongly resists the Plague, all Fevers and other diseases, that are to be expelled by sweat.