Take of that gold calx (which was precipitated with the oyl of sand) one part, and three or four parts of the liquor of crystals or of sand, mix the gold calx in a good crucible with the liquor, and set this mixture into a gentle heat, so that the moystness may evaporate from the oyl of sand which is not easily done; for the peble or sand, by reason of their dryness keep and hold the moystness, and will not let it go easily; it riseth in the pot or crucible, as borax or Allome doth when you calcine them; therefore the crucible, must not be filled above half, that the liquor together with the gold may have room enough, and do not run over the pot: and when it riseth no more, then strengthen the fire, till the pot be red-hot. The mixture standing fast, put a lid upon it, which may close well, that no coals, ashes, or other impurity may fall into it, and give it so strong fire in a winde furnace, that the liquor together with the gold calx may melt like water; keep it melting so long, till the liquor and gold together be like unto a transparent fair ruby, which will be done in an hours time or thereabouts; then pour it forth into a clean copper morter, let it cool, and then make it into powder, and pour spirit of wine upon it for to extract, which will look like unto thin blood: and will prove more effectual in use, than the above described Tincture.
The residue from which the Tincture is extracted, must be boyled with lead, and precipitated and driven off as you do oares, and you will get the remaining gold, which went not into the spirit of wine; but it is very pale and turned like unto silver in colour, which if it be melted by Antimony, it recovereth its former colour without any considerable loss in the weight. How the melting in crucibles, and boyling of the remaining gold is to be done, shall be more punctually set down in the fourth part; I know several other fine processes, for to extract the colour easily out of gold; but because the gold must be first made fit for it by melting in a crucible, and that it is not pertinent to speak of that operation here in this second part, therefore it shall be reserved for the fourth, where you shall be informed at large, not onely how to prepare Gold, Antimony and other minerals, and make them fit for extraction, but also how to reduce them into a transparent, soluble and fire-proof Ruby (which are none of the meanest medicines) and as it was done here with the gold, so you may proceed likewise with other metals and minerals for to extract their colours. And therefore being needless to describe each metals tincture by it self, all the processes of them shall be disclosed in one, viz. in that of gold. The book would grow too big, if I should describe them severally, which I count needless to do. Let this suffice for this Second part, that we have taught, how to extract out of the gold its colour after a common way. Which indeed are good medicines, but for ought I know of no use in Alchymy. But he that seeketh to have a true Tincture out of gold, let him endeavour first to destroy the gold by the universal Mercury, and to turn the inside outward, and the outside inward, and proceed further according unto art, then the soul of gold will easily joyn it self with the spirit of wine, and come to be a good medicine, whereof more in my treatise de auro potabili is handled. If one know the Chalybs of Sandivogius, which is well to be had, he might with little labour quickly get a good medicine: but because we shew our selves still ungrateful children unto God, therefore it is no marvel, that he withdraweth his hand from us, and leaveth us in errors.
What further may be done with the liquor of pebles.
Many more profitable things, as well in Alchymy, as in medicine, may be compassed by the oyl of sand; as for example, to make fair painting colours out of metals, which abide in all elements: Also to frame all sorts of transparent hard stones out of crystal, which in beauty are like unto the natural, yea fairer sometimes; also how to make many fair Amauses or Enamels and the like profitable arts: but they belonging not to this second part, shall be reserved for the fourth, where all such shall be taught very punctually with all the circumstances thereunto relating.
How by the help of this liquor to make trees to grow out of metals, with their colours.
Although this process in Physick may be of no great use: yet in regard that to a Chymical Physitian it gives good information of the condition of natural things, and their change. I thought it not amiss to set it down here.
Take of the above described oyl made of sand, pebles or crystals as much as you please, mix therewith a like quantity of the lixivium of Tartar, shake both well together, so that the thick liquor may not be perceived in the lixivium, but be throughly incorporated therewith, both being turned to a thin solution, and then your water is prepared, wherein the metals do grow.
The metals must be first dissolved in their proper corrosive Menstruums, and the Menstruum must be quite abstracted from thence again, but not too near, that the calx of the metal may not grow red-hot, whereby its growing vertue would be taken from it. Then take it out of the little glass-body, and break it in pieces about the bigness of a pulse, and put them in the above described liquor in a cleer bright glass, that the growing of the metals may be discerned through it; and as soon as the prepared metals are taken out of the glass body, they must be kept from the aire, else they lose their growing vertue. Therefore thus dry they must be broken in pieces, and laid in the bottom of the glass (wherein the liquor is) a fingers breadth one from another asunder, and must not be laid together on a heap. The glass must stand still in a quiet place, and the metal will presently swell in it, and thrust forth some bulks, out of which branches and twigs do grow, so finely, that one shall admire at it; and let none think that this growing serveth only for to please the eye, for some special thing is hid in it; for all sand or pebles, although they be white, invisibly containeth a hidden tincture or golden sulphur, which none without experience will be able to believe; for if for a time you digest the pure filings of lead in it, there will gold come to stick to the outside thereof (which gold may be washed off with water) and the lead will look as if it were gilded. Which gold came from no where else but from the sand or pebles, although they were white and clear, so that it could not be perceived in them. It sheweth also its meliorating vertue, when the metals do grow therein, and for a certain space of time are digested therewith. For it may be seen apparently, that the metals in the growing do increase from this liquor, and attract what is for their turn; which hence also may be perceived, that when but as much as the bigness of a pea groweth therein, it will grow twice or thrice as big, which is worthy to be considered of. Also the pebles or sand-stones are the natural matrixes of metals, and there appeareth a great sympathy between them, especially between the unripe metals and them; as if nature should say to such raw or unripe metals, return into your mothers womb, and stay there the due time, till you have attained there to perfect ripeness, for you were taken thence too soon against my will. Further, out of this liquor there may be made a good borras to reduce the metals thereby. There may be made also with this liquor fair glased and firm colours upon earthen vessels like unto Porcellan or China. Also by boyling it with water, a tender impalpable snow-white earth may be precipitated out of it, whereof there may be made vessels like unto Porcellan.
Many other useful things may be brought to pass thereby in mechanical businesses, needless here to relate.
Also the unripe and volatile minerals may be fixed and ripened thereby, so that not only they may be the fitter to be used in Physick, but also the volatile gold and silver contained in them may be saved thereby, whereof more in the fourth part.