Recipe of Gold one ounce, and of Silver two ounces. Dissolve the Sol in Aqua Regia, and the Lune in Aqua Fortis. If you mix both Solutions together, one Metal will precipitate the other, and both settle to the bottom in the form of a Dark or Ash-coloured Calx. This Precipitate edulcorate and dry, and mix with the same half its own weight of our Eagles Feathers. Distil these in a Glass Retort with strong Fire: then will the Eagles Feathers take up with it self a white Water; in which, notwithstanding, is latent a red Tincture; but of an unpleasing Taste, and therefore not to be administred in medicinal Practice. Yet, if this fierce and horrible Water be mortified by the help of a Lixivium of Tartar, and afterward some white Glass broke small be melted in a Crucible with some such Salt, the Glass will be tinged by the Salt, with an eminent yellowness answerable to the Colour of Gold. That yellow Tincture may be extracted from the Glass, and used in Medicine; because it ariseth both from Sol and Luna, and therefore necessarily must be medicinal.
Note: That during the Distillation, the Glass vessel contracts divers Colours, partly red, and partly yellow; viz. as long as it stands in the Fire and is hot; but the Neck remaining out in the Air, continues white. Here is cause indeed of admiration, that by that mixture of divers Colours many and various Figures are represented, as Mountains and Valleys, adorned with Rocks and Trees, so artificially, as they seem to be the Work of a Painter. Some such Glasses painted, both by Art and Nature, I gave to some of my curious and ingenious Friends; who I believe have them yet to show. These Glasses are tinged well and throughly; sometimes through their whole Body, and that so firmly, as even the strongest Aqua Fortis or Aqua Regia, or any Corrosives cannot take off those Colours. Which indeed is a most strange and admirable thing, that even vulgar and corporeal fixed Sol and Luna should be rendred so volatile, as to be able to enter into the compact Glass, and tinge the same. Spirits have great power, are void of ponderosity, and when they tinge, the vertue of them is discerned far: even as the Spirits of men and other Animals are void of all heaviness or weight; which we clearly discern by this, viz. that a man living, is much lighter than when he is dead.
Moreover, Spirits cannot onely render fixed Luna volatile, and reduce it into red Bodies as Sol and Venus, which without any hurt of their form, and without increase or diminution of their weight, they can totally tinge with whiteness; but also Spirits can render the most fixt and most compact Gold volatile, and induce it into compact Lune, whereby that shall be tinged with yellowness, which is a thing very wonderfull. But that Spirits can induce Tincture into Glass, without hurt or augmentation of its weight, deserves greater admiration; especially because it is the common Opinion of putatitious Philosophers, that in Glass are no pores, yet the contrary of their supposition is true. For if it were so, as they perswade themselves, which way I pray could Tinctures be introduced into them?
Note: That Spirits do not onely induce Metallick subtile Tinctures into compact Metals and Glasses; insomuch, as by the help of white Spirits, yellow Sol, without destruction of its form or species may totally be tinged with whiteness; and white Lune by the mediation of red Spirits, be totally tinged with yellowness, and white Glass with various Colours resembling the Beauty of Jems: but they also extract fixed Bodies from other fixed Metallick Bodies. As we see, as often as we cast any mixture of Sol, Luna and Venus, (melted into a Mass) into those Spirits; the same Spirits extract the Luna and Venus from the Sol, without corruption or destruction of its form, so as the Sol, although this separation is made, doth notwithstanding remain compact and massy. We have such Spirits as these in our Possession, and can render the same fit for our purpose.
As for all other Spirits, which are various; viz. 1. Are Cœlestial and Divine. 2. Terrestrial and Diabolick. 3. The Spirits of the four Elements; these excel the former in power: for they cannot onely pass through Doors that are shut, but also through the hardest Stones and Rocks, and there at pleasure sport and perpetrate wonderous things. As you may learn from those that labour in Mines of Metals, where such Spirits inhabit, and stoutly defend their Treasures of Gold and Silver, from such as come to spoil them of the same; wherefore they invade the Miners, strike them, pault them with Stones or Dirt, blast them with venomous Vapours, and oftentimes kill many of them at once. What wonderfull things they in these subterranean Mansions are able to effect, is more than sufficiently known. In the Mansfieldick Mountains of Venus or Copper, the Spirits paint all kind of Figures, especially of Fishes; some of which I my self have seen. About 100 years since there was dug up a certain Image of Venus upon a black Fissile Stone, wherein Luther and the Electour of Saxony were so evidently expressed, as either of them might be seen kneeling before the Image of Christ crucified. Also another such Fissile Stone was thence dug up, in which was exactly figured John Baptist baptizing Christ in Jordan. But if our Spirits of Salt can induce Tinctures into the compact Bodies of Metals; and Elementary Spirits in their subterranean Habitations, can impress many and various Figures on Stones; what is that good Cœlestial Spirits shall not be able to effect? Did not these preserve the three Children in the Babylonian Fiery Furnace? Did not they bring Peter out of Prison; and the Prophet Habacuck to Daniel into the Lyon’s Den? Are not they able to bring in, and lead out? Cannot they render fixed palpable Bodies volatile, spiritual and invisible, and on the contrary render invisible Bodies visible and tangible?
Many things might here be spoken touching the Nature, Property and Difference of Spirits, but that they are not pertinent to our present purpose. If GOD permit, according as I have purposed, I shall ere long set forth a peculiar Treatise of Spirits. Here we have heard how Spirits can bring through shut Doors hard Bodies, and there render them corporeal and visible. Which may serve for Information to every Searcher into the Light of Nature.
CHAP. XXIX.
Yet one other Specimen of Probation by the help of Eagles Feathers.
That Artificer Lazarus Ercker, most famous for finding out the Veins of Metals, in his Book of Probations (or of finding out Veins) relates, that the Venetians hired certain men for wages, and sent them into Germany to gather of the glassy dark coloured Grains of Sand of the Rivers running by the Mountains, and to transport it to Venice. The same is done at this very day. And although this Exportation is prohibited by Law, yet they desist not, but clandestinely proceed. The common People of those parts perswade themselves, that Grains of Gold are contained in those Sands, and therefore by Edict every man is forbid, either to remove it thence, or to convert the same to his own use.
Indeed Lazarus Ercker added, that he had subjected such Grains of Sand to various Trials, but never found Gold in them; yet that he also understood, that the Venetian Artificers prepared of that Sand such beautifull Colours, as with them were in more esteem, than Gold it self. But I affirm, that Erckerus did not rightly know those Grains of Sand. For indeed there is little corporal Gold in them, but much spiritual Gold. If to those Sands the Eagles Feathers be added, they will carry upwards with themselves much spiritual Gold, which will be very conducent in Medicine. Such Grains are found in all the Sands of Rivers in all Regions of the World, and in the Gravel on the Shores of common Navigable Rivers: whence much good may be gained. Now these may suffice to be spoken touching the Eagles Feathers, for it is not convenient to divulge more.