I have likewise revealed it to others, who have also done the same, but onely in small quantities hitherto. But some of them have bestowed much pains about it, and to prepare it in a greater quantity; and that principally, because ’tis certainly manifest that no small benefit lies herein hidden. Nay if it were no otherwise profitable than barely thus, that it may be turned into Gold, and of this I am certain, (’twere worth while.) For if the said Mercury be but rubbed upon a piece of Gold, it makes it white, and being then put upon the Coals, it separates indeed from it, but yet leaves it tinged of a higher and deeper Colour. If this Labour be ought repeated, the Gold will become weightier. And hence may easily be conjectured, that if it were adjoyned to a pure Golden Calx, it would in a short space of time easily pass into good Gold. Neither is there any doubt, but that if any one did but know the manner of rightly handling such a Mercury, he would obtain some notable thing out of it, because all the Philosophers do in their Writings promise so much good of Saturn. They generally affirm that Lead is (inwardly) far beyond Gold. How many Philosophers are there that reach the preparation of the universal Work from thence? See the Universal Work of Isaac Holland, Paracelsus his Heaven of Philosophers, The great and small Countryman, &c. Many do expresly write, that all things which the Philosophers do seek for, are to be found in Lead; Hereupon they called it Leaprous Gold. And some Philosophers do write, that in Mercury are all things that are sought for, haply they mean not the Common, but such an one as is drawn out of Metals. But we’ll even let pass this Mercury of Saturn, and see whether or no we cannot find a better Mercury, and such a one as is of greater moment. In the mean time the said Mercury of Saturn will fly about, and bring good news to the Lovers of Truth, viz. that GLAUBER is now in the way, to triumph, by the help of God, over all his Enemies.

We will therefore go on to search out, whether or no there is not another and better running Mercury than that to be found, which comes out of Lead. When I did somewhat more accurately search into Nature’s secrets, I clearly saw, that all things which live and doe in growing take an encrease, do proceed or come forth by the Sun’s operation, insomuch that such fruits as are nearer hereunto are the more excellent, and by how much the farther off any are from it, by so much the vilder be they. As for example in Wine; by how much the nearer it is to the Sun, so much the nobler is it; and by how much the farther it is from it, so much the vilder is it.

The same may be observed in the generation of Metals, viz. that in the hotter regions there is a greater quantity of Gold, and of Silver, than in the colder Countries. This is well known, and out of all dispute: So then when I saw that the hot beams of the Sun, together with the cold and refreshing light of the Moon, did not onely ripen Gold, but also those excellent Wines, and the best tasted Fruits, yea and the most contemptible Herbs, and that it gave to all things their most acceptable Savour; well did I conclude, that if a convenient Matrix, or suitable Magnet were exposed to the hot Sun-beams, and to the cold light of the Moon, that might day and night receive their Operations; It could not possibly be, but that the Seeds of those (viz. of Sol and Lune) insinuating themselves into such a Magnet, will pass into most excellent Fruit, and obtain a perfect maturation. I did once make trial to see whether it would be so or no, and having artificially prepared Gold and Silver, opened them, and brought them to a Magnetical attractive vertue; and being well mixed, I exposed them to the Sun and Moon, to see and try what would proceed thencefrom. Then afterwards, supposing them to have stood long enough at the Sun and Moon, I put them into a small Glass Retort, and placed it in Sand, and separated (by distillation) all the moisture from the Golden and Silver Magnet, that it had attracted from the Air. I got indeed a sweet Water, but yet not without Vertues. But having administred a stronger fire to this Magnet, I drew therefrom an astringent Liquor, resembling a golden yellow Colour, and like to Gold. I again exposed the said dried Magnet to the beams of the Sun and Moon, that it might by them be impregnated, and that I might see whether or no a Second, and more Births would be produced, answering in all respects to the former. I doe not doubt of them, I confess but that they will be of a like property and nature as their Father and Mother are, or indeed be more fair and excellent than they be: For that first-begotten off spring brought with it self into the World a far more excellent fairness than its Father had.

Farther, bringing this Birth of Sol and Lune to a more accurate trial, that so I might find out its vertues and efficacy, I first of all perceived, that there lay hidden therein (though as yet so Volatile) a Medicine of great moment. And dealing with it upon a certain time, and putting a little of it by chance upon Gold, I found that it made the Gold white; and rubbing the said Liquor many times upon the Gold, it did at length produce (or show forth) the live Mercury that lay hidden therein, which said Mercury thus living and visible, I extracted out of this same Liquor; but it is better not to vivifie it, but to take it as ’tis born, and so fix it and make it constant. And now, I suppose, that such a Mercury as is extracted out of the Air, by Gold and Silver, being not so much corporeal as spiritual, is to be accounted of as the true Mercury of the Philosophers.

But if now any will object and say, that this Mercury doth not proceed forth from the Air, or that it is not extracted out of the beams of Sol or Lune by the Magnetick Gold and Silver; such a one may even say what he pleaseth, but in the mean time he will not get the things he fisheth for. Besides, I do not matter it so much, viz. whence it ariseth, provided I can obtain the same; If it did proceed out of the Gold and Silver, it were not therefore to be rejected, but it would be altogether better than that which is made out of gross Lead, nay haply it might become a Tincture, did but any one know how rightly to handle it.

It is a usual Proverb, that the Apple falls not far from the Tree, and each thing follows the Seeds of its proper and peculiar nature. By how much the nobler the Tree is, by so much the more worthy is the Wood thereof. The younger sort sing over the same Song as the old ones doe. Now these Proverbs do declare, that the Fruits are so much the more excellent, by how much a better nature the Tree is of, and this is a sure rule: And therefore it necessarily follows, that such a Mercury as is drawn by Gold and Silver out of the Air, or doth proceed barely from Gold and Silver must needs be far better than that which hath its rise from Lead: And herein I acquiesce. Let every one take from thence what best likes him, I was willing to leave to such as come after me, those things which I met withall of so great moment.

And as concerning the Medicinal Vertues of this Golden Mercury, I doe give this caution about it, that if it be used as it came over at first in the distillation in Medicine, because ’tis as yet immature, and but newly born, it may work too strongly upon the Body of Man. It is therefore better that it be fixed with some corporal well-opened Gold, and so ’twill effect those things which a Universal Medicine is onely able to perform. I confess that hitherto I have not brought it to any constancy or fixity, because I have not had time of rightly handling it: In the mean while there are others that will set about this labour, and will in due time manifest more things concerning it. Let every one be content therefore with this present discovery, viz. that a truely live and running Mercury may be extracted, not onely out of the soft and volatile Metals, and consequently unripe ones, but also out of the ripe Metals. And seeing that most Men doubt much of the truth of such a thing, I could not omit the affirmation of the same, as being a most true thing: He that listeth may make trial of the same. ’Tis enough for me to have shown you the way. Let others likewise publish something, that so the truth which hath been so long supprest hitherto, may at length spring forth out of the darkness into light.

And now, at last, let’s come to treat of Wine, and examine what an harmony and familiarity there is in it with Gold and Man.

CHAP. XII.

Sheweth how great harmony, familiarity, and love, there is in Wine, with Mankind and Gold.