The mortification of all Salts, and whatsoever is saltish, is the taking away, and distilling off the aquosity, and oylinesse, and of the spirit of them. For if these be taken away, they are afterwards called the dead Earth, or Caput Mortuum.
The Mortification of Gemmes.
The mortification of Gemmes, and Coralls, is to calcine, sublime, and dissolve them into a liquor, as Crystall. The mortification of Pearls is to calcine them, and dissolve them in sharp Vineger into the form of Milke.
The Mortification of the Loadstone.
The mortification of the Loadstone, is to anoint it with the oyle of Mercury, or to put it into Quicksilver, for afterward it will not draw Iron at all to it.
The Mortification of flints and stones.
The mortification of Flints, and Stones, is to calcine them.
The Mortification of Marcasites.
The mortification of Marcasites, Cachyma’s, Talke, Cobaltus, Zinri, Granuti, Zunitter, Unismut, and of Antimony is their Sublimation, i.e. that they bee sublimed with Salt, and Vitriall, then their life which is a Metallick spirit, together with the spirit of Salt, ascends. And let whatsoever remains in the bottome of the Sublimatory, bee washed, that the Salt may bee dissolved from it, and then thou hast a dead Earth, in which there is no vertue.
The Mortification of Realgar.