CHAP. XX.
How by the benefit of a certain Metallick Salt, from Venus her Son Cupid, or rather the true Mercury of Philosophers, may be prepared in the space of One Day, so, as to sustain the Trial of a Cupel: and indeed, it is neither Sol nor Lune, but a Tincture most ample for certain white Subjects.
As for the Method of Proceeding, I have willingly offered to the Sons of Art occasion of understanding That: but the thing it self is of so easie Operation, as even the Forgers of infamous Libels, and all the Brethren of Ignorance, would understand and perform the same, if any One in describing it should give them but a very little Light. It would be an unadvised thing to cast so noble a Pearl before Swine. Wherefore I must forbear to write fundamentally of it. Nevertheless, that the World may know such a Tincture is in the Nature of things, and may be prepared of Things of small value; I confess I thought it worth while to discover something thereof.
Recipe of irreducible fixed Arsenick, and of Mercury of Luna, of each eight ounces. Both which Species being diligently mixed, you will have a famous Cementing Powder, by help of which you may perfect this Arcanum, thus:
Recipe of Plates of Venus beat thin and cut small four ounces, which, with the Cementing Powder above mentioned, (making Lay upon Lay, as the manner is) into a Cementing Box glazed within, the Cover of which you must lute very well, and place that in a Cementatory Furnace; or (if you have not such a Furnace) upon a Chimney Hearth, putting so many Coals round about, as the Box may be covered well. Kindle the Fire above, and heat the Box leisurely, and keep it there red-hot among the Coals ten or twelve hours. Then let your Fire go out, and the Box cool: out of which, if you take your Cement, you will find, that the Volatile Spirits of Luna, taking the fixed Arsenick to themselves, have introduced the same into the Copper Plates, and procured to it the whiteness of Silver. This Cement, together with the Copper Plates mixed with salt Alcali or burnt Tartar, melt in a strong Crucible in a Wind-Furnace, and pour out the Mixture into a Cone. When cold, separate the Scorias from the Regulus, which will be white as Lune. Cupellate this white Venus with Saturn; then that, which is not Lune, will enter with Saturn into the Cupel, but the fixed Mercury remain above upon the Cupel. Granulate that, and dissolve it by the help of Aqua-fortis; then indeed the Luna will dissolve, but the Philosophick Sol, or rather Mercury of Philosophers, will remain in the bottom undissolved, like an Ash-coloured Calx. This edulcorated and reduced, passeth into an heavy Metallick Body; in Face, Colour, and Hardness very like common and known Lead, which by Spagyrists is called the Black Lead of Philosophers. This Black Lead hath sustained the Examen of the Cupel, yet it is neither Sol nor Lune. For if it had been Lune, the Aquafortis would have dissolved it; and if it had been vulgar Sol, it would have been infected with no Lead colour. Nor can it be Copper or Arsenick; because if it had been so, it could not have sustained the Trial of the Cupel. Therefore, according to the Fables of Poets, it must be Cupid, or the Son of Venm. When the Gods saw that Vulcan, or the Son of Jupiter and Juno, was born so very black and deformed, they took care to have him carried into the Isle of Lemnos, that there being washed by Apes (that is, by Men or Philosophers imitating Nature) he might obtain a better Form, be nourished and brought up to Man’s estate. Who afterward married Venus, of whom he begat Apollo. Whosoever desires farther Information touching this matter, let him read that Ingenious Treatise of John Bracescus, of the Tree of Life; where many great Arcanums are revealed, and the obscure Writings of Poets and Ancient Philosophers explained.
Here I have in few words divulged one of the greatest of Arcanums. I have not my self, as yet, by trial adhibited this Mercury of Philosophers, for the Transmutation of Metals. Nevertheless, as I have written, it is a very far extended Tincture for white Bodies, and this I have several times experienced; yet onely in white Glass: where one part of the Tincture tingeth one thousand parts with the redness of a Ruby, but the Glass keeps its own hardness. Now, if it could obtain the hardness of a Ruby, as well as its fair Colour, such a Tincture would be full as good, as if it could tinge Lune it self, or Mercury into Sol. For a good Ruby weighing but one ounce, is more esteemed than sixteen ounces or a pound of Gold. But this Glass, with how great Beauty soever it is tinged, still remains Glass, and cannot otherwise be used than to adorn certain Pictures and Images.
Note: If any one knows how to extract the Tincture from this coloured Glass, they will obtain a most excellent Universal Medicine. For, although this Mercury of Philosophers hath once passed the Trial of the Cupel, yet this happened onely by help of the Silver, which defended it from devouring Saturn; otherwise it had been consumed by it. But now it is separated by help of Aquafortis from the Luna, it is destitute of a Defender, and is constrained to enter again into its Mothers Womb, that it may there be ripened, and afterward new born. For all Sand or Flint, of which Glass is made, is the Matrix or Mother of all Metals. Glass is the Philosophers Lute of Sapience, or Seal of Hermes, with which all Volatile Mineral Subjects are so bound and fixed, as they can abide fixed, sustaining the force of Fire.
CHAP. XXI.
How, by the benefit of the Common Lute of Sapience, Sulphur, Antimony, Arsenick, Auripigment, and the Sulphur of Vegetables, may in a short time be fixed into fixed Medicaments.
Recipe any one of those Subjects, which you will; which if you dissolve either by the dry or humid way, in a sharp Lixivium, the Lixivium so far constringeth the Volatile Subject, as it will not, when heat red-hot continually evaporate. Such a Lixivium coagulate into Salt: If of this Salt you mix four or five parts, with one part of a liquable Flint or Sand, and put the Mixture into a Cementing Box well luted; set that into a Furnace of Cementation or Fixation to be fixed, the Sal-Alcali preys upon the Flint, and with it is converted into Glass. But the Volatile Mineral hides it self in this Glass, and is not driven thence by the violence of Fire, but suffers it self to be fixed into a fixed Tincture. After that, which was put in, shall be fixed, take your Box out of the Furnace or Fixation, and make the Glass flow well in a Wind-Furnace. This Glass, when poured out, will be Red in Colour. If you reduce this Glass to Powder, and by the help of Spirit of Wine extract the fixed Tincture, from this fixed Subject, you will have a most efficacious Medicine against all grievous Diseases, especially, if the Tincture hath been extracted from Antimony, or Common Mineral (not Vegetable) Sulphur. The Tinctures of Arsenick and Auripigment, are not so safe to be used in Medicine, but in Chymistry they are more profitable. For such Subjects cannot be fixed by any more easie Method, than is here discovered by me. And Paracelsus, Basilius and other Philosophers judge, that a Tincture drawn from fixed Sulphur or Antimony, will be admirably efficacious in Medicine and Chymistry.