{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_26340/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_26340","id":"gutenberg_26340","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26340","summary":null,"tags":["Alchemy -- Early works to 1800","Antimony -- Therapeutic use -- Early works to 1800","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Category: Science - Chemistry/Biochemistry"],"text":"Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Josephine Paolucci and the\nOnline Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n_BASILIUS VALENTINUS_,\n\nA\n\nBENEDICTINE MONK,\n\nOF\n\n_NATURAL & SUPERNATURAL_\n\nTHINGS.\n\nALSO,\n\nOf the first _Tincture_, _Root_, and _Spirit_ of METALS and MINERALS,\nhow the same are _Conceived_, _Generated_, _Brought forth_, _Changed,_\nand _Augmented_.\n\nWhereunto is added, Frier _Roger Bacon_, of the _Medicine_ or _Tincture_\nof _Antimony_; Mr. _John Isaac Holland_, his Work of _Saturn_, and ALEX.\nVAN SUCHTEN, of the _Secrets_ of _Antimony_.\n\n\nTranslated out of _High Dutch_ by DANIEL CABLE.\n\n\n_LONDON_,\n\nPrinted, and are to be Sold by _Moses Pitt_ at the _White Hart_ in\n_Little Britain_, 1671.\n\n\n\n\n_BASILIUS VALENTINUS_,\n\nA\n\nBENEDICTINE MONK,\n\nOF\n\n_NATURAL & SUPERNATURAL_\n\nTHINGS.\n\nALSO,\n\nOf the first _Tincture_, _Root_, and _Spirit_ of METALS and MINERALS,\nhow the same are _Conceived_, _Generated_, _Brought forth_, _Changed_,\nand _Augmented_.\n\n\nTranslated out of _High Dutch_ by DANIEL CABLE.\n\n\nWhereunto is added\n\nALEX. Van SUCHTEN\n\nOF THE\n\nSECRETS of _ANTIMONY_.\n\n\nTranslated out of _High Dutch_ by _D. C._ a Person of great Skill in\n_Chymistry_.\n\n\n_LONDON_,\n\nPrinted, and are to be sold by _Moses Pitt_ at the _White Hart_ in\n_Little Britain_, 1670.\n\n\n\n\n_Basilius Valentinus_,\n\nOF\n\n_Natural and Supernatural Things_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. I.\n\n\nBecause I have at this present undertaken to write of the of the first\nTincture, the Root of Metals and Minerals, and to inform you of the\nSpiritual Essence, how the Metals and Minerals are at first spiritually\nconceived and born corporally; it will be necessary first of all to\nutter, and to acquaint you by a speech, that all things consist of two\nparts, that is, Natural and Supernatural; what is visible, tangible, and\nhath form or shape, that is natural; but what is intactible, without\nform, and spiritual, that is supernatural, and must be apprehended and\nconceived by Faith; such is the Creation, and especially the Eternity of\nGod without end, immensible and incomprehensible; for Nature cannot\nconceive nor apprehend it by its humane reason: This is supernatural,\nwhat Reason cannot apprehend, but must be conceived by Faith, this is a\nDivine matter, and belongs to Theology, which judgeth Souls. Moreover,\nthere appertains to supernatural things, the Angels of the Lord, having\nclarified Bodies, doing that by the permission of their Creator, which\nis impossible for any other Creature to do, their Works being concealed\nfrom the Eyes of the World, and so likewise are the Works of the\nInfernal Spirits and Devils unknown, which they do by the permission of\nthe most High God. But above all the great Works of God are found and\nacknowledged to be supernatural, not to be scann'd and comprehended by\nHumane Imaginations; such is in especial the great Grace and Mercy of\nGod which he bestows upon Mankind out of his great Love, which indeed no\nman can apprehend or know, and other great and wonderful works which he\nhath manifested divers manner of wayes by Christ our Saviour and\nRedeemer, for the confirmation of his Omnipotence and Glory: As when he\nraised _Lazarus_ from the dead, _Jairus_ his Daughter, the Ruler of the\nSynagogue, and the Widows Son of _Naim_. He made the Dumb to speak, the\nDeaf to hear, and the Blind to see, all which are supernatural, and\n_Magnalia Dei_; so also was his Conception, Resurrection, Descension,\nand Ascension into Heaven, too deep and mysterious for Nature; all which\nis only to be obtained by Faith.\n\nThere belongs likewise to supernatural things, the taking of _Enoch_ and\n_Elias_ into Heaven, the divine rapture of St. _Paul_ in the Spirit into\nthe third Heaven. Moreover, many supernatural things are done by\nImagination, Dreams, and Visions; many wonders are done by the\nImagination, witness the speckled Sheep by the speckled Rods laid in\ntheir watring places. God warned the wise men of the East by an especial\nDream not to return again to _Herod_; likewise their three Persons,\ntheir three Gifts, Presents, or Offerings, and the supernatural Star,\nhave all their peculiar and mystical meaning.\n\nNor was that Dream which hapned to _Pilates_ Wife natural, who unjustly\nadjudged our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to death. The Vision of the\nAngels which appeared to the Shepherds at the Birth of Christ, and to\nthe Women at his Sepulchre, who sought his Body where they had laid it,\ncannot be accounted Natural.\n\nThere are many other supernatural things done at several times by the\nProphets & Saints; so was the voice of the Ass speaking to _Balaam_,\ncontrary to the common course of Nature; as also _Joseph_'s\nInterpretation of Dreams. And so God by his Angels preserves us\noftentimes from infinite Evils, and delivers us out of manifold Dangers,\nimpossible for Nature to do.\n\nAll this & many others belong to Theology, and to Heaven, whereunto the\nSoul is to have regard. Now follows the supernatural things of the\nvisible Works of God, as we see them in the Firmament; to wit, the\nPlanets, Stars, and Elements, which are above our Reason, only their\nCourse and Motion is observed by speculation and reckoning, which\nbelongs to Astronomy; it is a visible but incomprehensible Being,\nperforming its operation in a Magnetick way, out of which likewise\ndivers admirable things are found and observed, which are altogether\nsupernatural; understand it thus, that the Heaven operates in the Earth,\nand the Earth affords a correspondence with the Heavenly. For the Earth\nhath also its seven Planets, which are operated and bred by the seven\nCelestial, only by a spiritual Impression or Infusion, even as the Stars\noperate all Minerals. This is done incomprehensibly and spiritually, and\ntherefore it is to be accounted supernatural, even as two Lovers, their\npersons are visible, but their Love one to the other is invisible:\nHumane Bodies are tangible and natural, but Love is invisible,\nspiritual, intangible and supernatural, comparable to a Magnetick\nAttraction only; for the invisible Love which is attracted unto it\nspiritually by the Imagination is, accomplish'd by the desires and\nfruition. In like manner when the Heaven hath a love to the Earth, and\nthe Earth hath a Love, Inclination, and Affection towards Man, as the\ngreat World to the lesser, for the lesser World is taken out of the\ngreater, and when the Earth by the desires of its invisible Imagination\ndoth attract unto itself such a Love of the Heaven, there is thereby an\nUnion of the Superiour and Inferiour, as Man and Wife are accounted one\nBody together, and after this Union the Earth is impregnated by the\nInfusion of the Heaven, and begins to conceive and bring forth a Birth\nsutable to the Infusion, and this Birth after its Conception is digested\nby the Elements, and brought to a perfect Ripeness and this is reckoned\namong the supernatural things; how the supernatural Essence performs its\noperation in the natural.\n\nAmong the supernatural things are likewise reckoned all Magical and\nCabalistical Matters which depend thereon, arising out of the Light of\ntrue knowledge, not those which proceed from Superstition, Conjuration,\nor unlawful Exorcisme, such as the Sorcerers use; but I mean in this\nplace such a Magick as the Wise men had that came out of the _East_, who\nby Revelation from God, and by true allowable Art judged rightly; or\nsuch an one, as those of old had before us, usual among the _Egyptians_\nand _Arabians_, before Writing was found, they noted, observed, and\nreserved by Signs, Characters and Hieroglyphicks. Such Blessings may be\nused, which Christ the Son of God used, as the Scripture saith; He took\nlittle Children, laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. But\nwhatsoever is contrary to God and his Word, ought justly to be rejected,\nand not to be tollerated, because they are not Godly, but Diabolical.\nBut those Supernatural things which oppose not God and his Holy Word,\nbelong unto Magick, and do the Soul no prejudice.\n\nAs concerning Visions which Holy Men of God have often seen, it is\nreason they should be reckoned among those things which are not Natural;\nfor whatsoever man speculates and comprehends by the Mind, is\nSupernatural; on the contrary, whatsoever he can take, see, and hold is\nNatural.\n\nLet us consider the third part of Natural & Supernatural things in\nPhysick, the Virtues and Powers of each; this Medicine of every thing\nmust first be driven out of a visible, tangible, natural Body, and be\nbrought into a spiritual, meliorated, supernatural operation, that the\nSpirit which at the first was infused and given to the Body to live,\nmight be released, that it should operate and penetrate as a Spiritual\nEssence, and Fire, having its Vent-holes left that it might burn and\nhave no opposition, which might suffocate, suppress, or hinder the\nburning Life; whereas otherwise, if the separation of the Soul and\nSpirit from the Body should not first be done, there could not succeed\nany operation either effectual, profitable, or necessary; for whatsoever\nis visible, to be felt, and inseparably in a Body, that is Natural and\nCorporal; but so soon as there is a separation, the living departs from\nthe dead, gaining its perfect operation, and the natural Body being\nseparated, the spiritual Essence is free to penetrate, becoming a\nspiritual and supernatural Medicine. In brief, all things (none\nexcepted) which we can touch and handle, are natural, but they must be\nmade supernatural, if you would prepare them for Physick; for the\nsupernatural only hath a living power in it to operate, the natural hath\nonly a dead tangible Form. For when _Adam_ was made, he was dead, having\nno life of any virtue, but so soon as the operative quickning Spirit\ncame to him, then he manifested his living virtue and power by\nsupernatural admiration, so that in every thing there is the natural\nand supernatural united in one, and bound together in their habitation,\nthat every thing might be perfect; for all created things in the world\nare some supernatural, only what concerns the Soul and spiritual\nmatters, and some are natural and supernatural, with what concerns the\nElements and Firmament, as likewise the Minerals, Vegetables, and\nAnimals, which is known and found, when they are separated one from the\nother, that the Soul departs out of the Body, and the Spirit forsakes\nits Soul, leaving the Body an empty habitation.\n\nMoreover, you must understand and consider, that the great and little\nWorld are made and formed of one first Matter, by an unsearchable\nAlmighty Essence, at that time in the beginning, when the Spirit of God\nmoved upon the Water, who was from Eternity without beginning. The great\nWorld, as Heaven and Earth, was first, then was Man, the Little World,\ntaken out of the greater; the Water was separated from the Earth, the\nWater was the Matter whereon the everlasting Spirit of God moved; the\nLittle World was formed of the noblest Earth, as its Quintessence, by\nthe Aquosity which yet was in the Earth, and all was only Natural; but\nafter the breathing in of the Divine heating Breath, immediately the\nSupernatural was added; so then the Natural and Supernatural were knit\nand united. The great World is perishable, yet there will be a New Earth\nor World; the Little World is Eternal, the Great, Created, Dissoluble\nworld will again be brought to nothing, but the little world will be\nclarified by the Spirit of God, because he possesses it, making a\nCelestial clarified water out of the aforesaid Earthly water; then it\nwill follow, that the first matter will be turned into the last, and the\nlast matter will become the first. Now the reason why the great world is\nperishable, is this, that the Spirit of God hath not his dwelling or\nhabitation in the great world, but in the little world; for Man is the\nTemple of the Holy Ghost, if he do not wilfully defile himself, adhering\nto the Hellish Fire, which makes a breach and difference. For he\nremaines in the little world, which he formed after his own similitude,\nand made him a consecrated Temple; otherwise there is every thing in\nthe little world which is to be found in the great, as Heaven and Earth\nwith the Elements, and what depends thereon, or appertains thereunto.\n\nWe find also that in the first Creation, which was performed of nothing,\nthree things arose; to wit, a Soulish, Spiritual, Invisible Essence,\nwhich represented a Mercurial Water, a Sulphurous Vapour, and a Terrene\nSalt; these three gave a compleat and perfect, a tangible and formal\nBody to all things wherein especially all the four Elements are\ncontained, as I have already mentioned in my Writing where I treat of\nthe Microcosme.\n\nBut that I may yet give a little more information of Natural and\nSupernatural things, as well spiritual as corporal: We find that the\n_Canaanitish_ Woman was cured of her Flux of Blood which held her\ntwelve years, only by a bare touch, when she touched the Garment of the\nSon of God, her Disease being natural, but the Medicine or Cure was\nSupernatural, because by her Faith she gained help from the Lord Christ.\n\nLikewise we have an excellent, high and supernatural Miracle in the\nthree Children, _Shadrach_, _Meshach_, and _Abednego_, who were cast\ninto the fiery Furnace, by the Command of King _Nebuchadnezzar_, yet by\nGod wonderfully delivered, and not consumed, _Dan. 3_.\n\nSo also the Confusion of Tongues, and Infusion of divers Speeches at the\nfoolish structure of the Tower of _Babel_, which should have reached up\nto Heaven, is esteemed for a Supernatural Miracle. And so was that a\nSupernatural Sign, when the Children of _Israel_ did lap water as Dogs\ndo, when a small Number at Gods Command, fought against the\n_Midianites_, Judg. 7. 6. So the sending of the Dove by _Noah_ out of\nthe Ark, when she brought an Olive Branch in her Bill, a Sign of Mercy,\nand a Divine Supernatural Message.\n\nWhen the Holy man of God _Moses_ struck the Rock with his Rod, that the\nhard Rock yielded Water, is beyond humane Reason; so was the turning of\nthe salt water into sweet and drinkable, supernatural. As also the dry\npassage of the Children of _Israel_ through the Red Sea; and the Budding\nof _Aarons_ Rod, are all supernatural. In brief, the Resurrection of\nChrist the Eternal Son of God out of the grave, for all the Tomb-stone,\nhis appearing to the two men going to _Emas_, his revealing himself to\nhis Disciples when the Door was lock'd, are all Divine and Supernatural.\nDivers Examples more might be recited out of Divine Writ, which for\nBrevities sake I omit.\n\nAmong Supernatural things are accounted all Mineral Signs, as the\nAppearance of Spirits, Representations, Pigmies appearing diversly and\nnumerously, giving notice of good or bad Luck, Ruine or Riches; so also\nthose Figures, Shapes, or other works found in the Ores of Metals, as of\nMen, Fishes, and other Creatures, so formed and represented by the\nimagination of the three first Principles, then ripened and fully\ndigested by the Earth, and other Elements. Hereunto appertain the\nMonsters of the Earth, and such things as are found within the Earth at\ncertain times of a wonderful form and shape, but not at all to be found\nwhen that time is past, yet appear again and are to be found at some\nother time.\n\nHereunto also belong all Visions and Appearances performed by Water,\nGlasses, Cristal, or other means, as also those done by Sigils and\nCharacters, which yet are so various, some being only Natural, yet\naffording Supernatural appearances or sights; but the others which are\nperformed by Conjurations, are neither Natural nor Supernatural, but\nDiabolical, belonging unto Sorcery, and are prohibited all good\nChristians; so likewise all those Means which oppose Holy Writ, Gods\nWord and Commandments, are to be rejected and refuted by true Natural\nCabalists; I say this, because a certain distinction and sure order\nought to be found of the Natural, Supernatural, Unnatural things.\n\nIn like manner there appertains unto Supernatural things, all the\nWater-Spirits, as the _Syrens_, _Succubi_, & other Water-Nymphs, with\ntheir Relations, as likewise the Terrestrial Spirits, and those which\ninhabit the Air, who sometimes are heard, seen, or perceived, sometimes\nforetelling Death or other Disasters, sometimes they discover by their\nApparition Riches and good Fortune in certain places, and the Fiery\nSpirits appertain here also, which appear in a fiery shape, or like a\nburning Light; all these are Spirits having untangible Bodies, yet are\nthey not such Spirits as the right Hellish Spirits, who hunt after mens\nSouls as an Eternal Jewel, even as the Infernal _Lucifer_, the Devil and\nhis Dependents do, who were ejected with him; but these are such Spirits\nwhich are above Nature, set before Men for admiration, and are only\nmaintained by the Elements, whereby they are nourished and fed; but when\nthis Earthly world shall cease, they also shall decay and vanish with\nit, because they have no Souls to be saved. I will say no more hereof at\npresent, but refer the opening of such Circumstances more at large to\nanother opportunity, where I shall particularly treat of Visions and\nSpiritual Appearances, which are esteemed Unnatural by most part of the\nWorld, yet truly are Natural, but they are found to be Supernatural in\ntheir Operations and wonderful Qualities.\n\nThat I may further confirm my Assertion, I say likewise, that there are\nmany things to be found in Physick, which yield and manifest their\nworkings supernaturally in a Magnetical way, operating only by an\nattractive spiritual power which is attracted to it by the Air; for the\nAir is the _Medium_ between the Physick and the Hurt or Distemper, even\nas the _Magnet_ ever doth direct and turn it self towards its Polestar,\nthough the star be many thousand Miles distant from it, yet the\nspiritual operation and sympathy between them is so prevalent, that it\nis attracted together at so vast a distance by the _Medium_ or middle\nBand of the Air; but because this attractive power is only known unto\npeople in general, or as a thing common, it is therefore become\ncustomary, and is so esteemed, there being no notice taken of any\nfurther Secret whence this operative Faculty hath its Source or\nOriginal: In like manner Hurts and Distempers may be healed and cured,\nthough the Patient and Physitian be very far distant one from the other;\nnot by Charmes, Exorcismes, or other unlawful prohibited means, which\nare opposite to God and Nature, but by such means wherein the attractive\nMagnetick Virtue lies to accomplish it. As when a wounded person goes a\nJourney, leaving the Weapon wherewith he was wounded, or else of his\nBloud which issued out of the wound with his Physician, wherewith he\nproceeds rightly and by orderly means, as is usual in dressing a wound,\nwithout all doubt he shall be absolutely cured, this is no Witchcraft,\nbut the cure is performed only by the attractive power of the Medicine,\nwhich is carried to the Sore by the means of the Air, wherewith it is\nmundified, that it may perform the Spiritual Operation.\n\nSome will think these hard sayings, and impossible in Nature, and many\nwill say it is contrary to Nature, whereby many will be excited to\ndispute it, and raise Arguments one opposite to the other, whether it be\nNatural or no, whether it be possible or no, or whether it be Sorcery: I\nwill thus resolve them, that this Cure is natural, but as it operates it\nis supernatural & spiritual, because it is performed meerly by an\nattractive incomprehensible means, and that this manner of Cure is no\nSorcery: I affirm it hereby, that it is not mixt or accompanied with any\nSorcery, nor with any other unnatural Means, contrary to God the\nCreator, or his holy and saving Word. But it is only Natural, out of its\nsupernatural, invisible, incomprehensible, spiritual, and attractive\npower, which received its Original from the Sydereal, and performs its\nOperation by the Elements.\n\nLastly, I likewise approve this Cure to be no Sorcery, because the Devil\nrather delights in all Mischief to Mankind, than to assist any manner of\nway for their benefit, which yet is impossible for him to do without\nGods permission. Much more might be written of this Magnetick Form, but\nI chuse rather to be silent; referring it till I come to treat of the\nNatural Miracles of the World.\n\nThe grosser sort of foolish Wits, who imagine themselves to be wise\nPhilosophers, and all others who are not in their perfect senses, know\nno difference in this case, but the wise and truly discreet well know\nhow to distinguish betwixt that which is natural and that which is\nsupernatural.\n\nFor do but observe this comparison, to be proved by a gross Example, how\nmany Creatures are there which dye absolutely in the water, so that no\nlife is left therein, but so soon as the pleasant Summer appears, the\nnatural heat gives a new life, & the Body quite restored in the same\nsubstance as it was before in its living Motion; even as an Herb, which\ndies in the Winter, but in the Spring it manifests it self anew. The\ndeath of these things is to be esteemed natural, but the return of a new\nlife in its knowledge is supernatural; but because we are accustomed to\nall these things, the least part of us consider what is worthy of\nfurther Meditation in this case, letting both natural and supernatural\ngo away together.\n\nMost people overpass, that natural custom which yet is supernatural, as\nalso monstrous Births, and those that bring signs and marks with them\ninto the world; which may all be natural, but manifest themselves\nsupernaturally, by the imagination which caused them: These supernatural\nforms and customs, the Mother of the Child caused by intervening\nthoughts, which unexpectedly happened to her, as it were by accident:\nEven as we often see and find, that many Men naturally are born with\nsome gestures, which he can never leave, though he endevour with all his\nmight to do it. The natural gestures of these Men are natural, but the\nconception in the Womb which caused the imagination of these things is\nsupernatural, and subject to what the Heaven imprints.\n\nTo conclude: I say, that none can defend the supernatural not to be true\nby good grounds and reasons, except he have learn'd to know the natural,\nwhich hath its original, and gained its shape from the supernatural;\nafter he hath learned this, he may evidence it by sure proofs, that he\nwill be conquerour over those, who will not believe what is\nsupernatural; and he will convince the opinions of those who dispute of\nnatural things, and yet know not the grounds, saving only a bare\npretence, much talk, tedious and unprofitable Debates.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. II.\n\n_Of the first Tincture and Roots of Metals._\n\n\nBut now to come to my intent, and by Gods permission to accomplish the\nsame. I undertake to certifie of the first Tincture, Root, and\nGeneration of Metals and Minerals: Know that the first Tincture and Root\nof all Metals, is likewise a supernatural, flying, fiery Spirit; which\npreserves it self in the Air, seeking its habitation naturally in the\nEarth and Water, wherein it can rest and operate: This Spirit is found\nin all Metals, more abundant in other Metals than in Gold, because\nGold, by reason of its well digested, ripened, and fixt body, is tight,\nclose, and compact, and therefore no more can enter into its body than\nis just requisite; but the other Metals have not such fixt bodies, for\ntheir pores are open, and far extenuated, therefore the Tincture Spirit\ncan the more abundantly pass thorough and possess them. But because the\nbodies of the other Metals are inconstant, the Tincture cannot remain\nwith those inconstant bodies, but must depart. And whereas the Tincture\nof Gold is found in none more plentiful than in _Mars_ and _Venus_, as\nMan and Wife, their bodies therefore are destroyed, and the tinging\nSpirit taken out of them, which makes Gold sanguin, being first opened\nand prepared, and by their food and drink it becomes volatile,\nwherefore this volatile Gold being satisfied with its food and drink,\nassumes its own bloud to it self, dries it up by its own internal heat,\nby the help and assistance of the vaporous fire, and there is a Conquest\nagain, which is quite fix'd, makes the highest Constancy, that the Gold\nbecomes an over-fix'd Medicine, by reason of abundance of Bloud it\nyields no Body, except another superfluous Body be again put to it,\nwherein the abounding fix'd bloud may disperse itself, this additional\nMetallick Body, by reason of the great heat of the fix'd Lions bloud, is\npenetrated as by fire, and purged from all impurity, and forthwith\nthroughly digested to a perfect ripeness and fixedness: That first of\nall the Servant brings the Matter unto Riches, because the Master\nbefore could not spare any of his Cloaths to give away, seeing that\nNature had lent and endowed him with one Noble Suit only; on the other\nside, the King, when he hath received his Aides and Contributions from\nhis Subjects, can then distribute possessions, and permanent Liveries,\nthat the Lord and Servant may remain both together; and do not think it\nstrange, that the King needs to borrow of his Subjects, because their\nBodies are unfix'd and inconstant, for they receive much, and yet can\nkeep but little Credit: But if the King can participate thereof, he will\nthe better overcome heat and Frost, than the Leprous Metals can; and\nhenceforth by this Receipt he becomes particularly a Dominator and\nConquerour of all other, with a great Victory and triumph of Riches and\nof Health to long Life. I hope you have from the beginning sufficiently\nunderstood concerning this Natural and Supernatural Advice, and the\nfirst tinging Root of Metals and Minerals, whereon the Corner-stone is\nplaced, and where the true Rock is grounded in its kind, wherein Nature\nhath placed and buried her secret & deeply concealed Gifts; to wit, in\nthe fiery tinged Spirits, which Colours they gained out of the starry\nHeaven by the operation of the Elements; and they can moreover tinge and\nfix that which before was not tinged and unfix'd, seeing that _Luna_\nwants the Robe of the Golden Crown, together with the fixedness, as\nlikewise _Saturn_, _Jupiter_, and _Mercury_ do; and although _Mars_ and\n_Venus_ need not this Rayment, but can communicate it to the other\nfive, yet I say, that they can perform nothing to attain any thing with\nwealth without the Lion, because they are not sufficiently accomodated\nwith a fixedness of their _Mercury_, and a gentleness of their Salt,\nexcept it be that the Lion overcome them, that they have triumphed on\nboth parts, and gained a remarkable Melioration altogether; this\nMelioration lies concealed in their Signate star, or Magnet, out of\nwhich all Metals have themselves received their Gifts.\n\nNow I will proceed, and particularly step to the Birth and Generation,\nhow the or _Archaeus_ manifests its power; pouring it forth, and daily\nreveales it, whereby all Metallick and Mineral Forms are visibly\nproposed, and made formal, tangible, and corporal by the Mineral,\nintangible, flying, fiery Spirits: Understand therefore further, and\nobserve with diligence and care, that by forgetfulness you let not that\nwhich is weighty pass away, nor yet neglect or overlook that which is\nmost profitable, and on the contrary observe the bare words at length,\npassing over the Truth; for what I write herein, is undoubtedly held and\nesteemed that the highest is undoubtedly by many esteemed for the\nlowest, and the lowest for the highest Mystery, and is so to be reputed.\n\nNow you must first know, that all Metals and Minerals of the Earth have\none only Matter and Mother, whereby in general they all received\nConception, gaining a compleat and corporal Birth. This Matter which\ncomes out of the Center, first of all divides it self into three parts,\nto procure one corporal or certain form of each Metal. These three parts\nare only fed in the Earth by the Elements, out of their Bodies, and\nnourish'd till they be perfect. But the Matter which comes out of the\nCenter is imagined by the Stars, operated by the Elements, and formed by\nthe Earth: It is a Matter to be known, and the true Mother of Metals and\nMinerals: It is such a Matter and Mother, whereof Man himself is\nconceived, born, nourish'd, and made corporal: It may be compared to the\nmiddle World, for what is in the great World is in the little World, and\nwhat is in the little World is also in the greater; and what is jointly\nin the great and little World is likewise found in the middle World,\nwhich unites and conjoins the great and little world; it is a Soul which\nunites and copulates the Spirit with the Body. This Soul is compared\nunto water, and it is a right true water, but not so that it wets as\nother water doth, but it is a Celestial water, dry, found in a Metallick\nLiquorish substance; it is a Soulish water, which loves all Spirits, and\nunites them with their Bodies, conducting them to a compleat Life;\ntherefore it is reasonably found out, and evidently proved, that Water\nis the Mocker of all Metals, which are heated by the warm aerial Fire,\nor Spirit of _Sulphur_, which by its digestion makes the Earthly Body\nlively, wherein the Salt is evidently found, which preserves from\nputrefaction so that nothing might be consumed by Corruption. At the\nbeginning and birth _Quick-silver_ is first operated, which stands yet\nopen with a subtile coagulation, because little Salt is imparted to it,\nwhereby he manifests a more spiritual than corporal Body; but all the\nother Metals which follow out of its Essence, and have more Salt,\nwhereby they become corporal, do all follow this; so that I now begin\nfirst with the Spirit of _Mercury_.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. III.\n\n_Of the Spirit of_ Mercury.\n\n\nThough I have a peculiar Stile in writing, which will seem strange unto\nmany, causing strange Thoughts and Fancies in their Brains, yet there is\nreason enough for my so doing; I say enough, that I may remain by my own\nexperience, not esteeming much of others prating, because it is\nconcealed in my knowledge, Seeing having alwaies the preheminence before\nHearing, and Reason hath the praise before Folly; Wherefore I now say,\nthat all visible, tangible things are made of the Spirit of _Mercury_,\nwhich excels all earthly things of the whole world, all things being\nmade out of it, having their Off-spring only from it; for all is found\ntherein which can perform all whatsoever the Artist desires to find; It\nis the beginning to operate Metals, when it is become a spiritual\nEssence, which is meer Air flying to and fro without wings; it is a\nmoving wind, which after it is expelled its dwelling by _Vulcan_, it is\ndriven into its _Chaos_, where it again enters, and resolves it self\ninto the Elements, where it is elevated and attracted by the Sydereal\nStars after a Magnetical manner unto themselves, out of love, whence he\nproceeded before, and was operated, because it affects its like again,\nand attracts it to it. But if this Spirit of _Mercury_ can be caught,\nand made corporal, it resolves into a Body, and becomes a pure, clear,\ntransparent water, which is the true spiritual water, and the first\n_Mercurial_ Root of the Minerals and Metals, spiritual, intangible,\nincombustible, without any mixture of earthly Aquosity; it is that\nCelestial water, whereof very much hath been written; for by this Spirit\nof _Mercury_ all Metals, may if need require, be broken, opened, and\nresolved into their first Matter, without Corrosive; it renews the age\nof Man or Beast, even as the Eagles; it consumes all evil, and conducts\na long Age to long Life. This Spirit of _Mercury_ is the Master-Key of\nmy Second Key, whereof I wrote in the beginning; wherefore I will call;\n_Come ye Blessed of the Lord, be anointed, and refreshed with water, and\nembalm your Bodies, that they may not putrefie or stink_; for this\nCelestial Water is the beginning, the Oyl, and the means, seeing it\nburns not, because it is made of a spiritual Sulphur, the Salt Balsam is\ncorporal, which is united with the Water by the Oyl, whereof I will\nafterwards treat more at large, when I shall write of them, and mention\nthem.\n\nAnd that I may further declare what is the Essence, Matter and Form of\nthe Spirit of _Mercury_, I say, that its Essence is blessed, its Matter\nspiritual and its form earthly, which yet must be understood by an\nincomprehensible way; these are indeed harsh Expressions, many will\nthink, thy Proposals are all vain, strange Effusions, raising wonderful\nImaginations, and true it is that they are strange, and require strange\npeople to understand these Sayings; it is not written for Peasants, how\nthey should grease Cart-wheels, nor is it written unto those who have no\nknowledge of the Art, though they be never so learned, or think\nthemselves so; for I only account them Learned, who next unto Gods Word,\nlearn to know Earthly things, which must be pondered and judged by the\nUnderstanding, founded upon a true Knowledge, to distinguish Light from\nDarkness, who chuse that which is good, and reject the evil.\n\nIt is needless for you to know what the beginning of this Spirit of\n_Mercury_ requires, because it can in no wise help nor advantage you,\nonly take notice of this, that its beginning is supernatural, out of the\nCelestial, Sydereal and Elementary, bestowed on it from the beginning\nof the first Creation, that it may enter further into an Earthly\nSubstance. But because this is necessary which hath been declared to\nyou, leave the Celestial to the Soul, apprehend it by Faith, and let the\nSydereal likewise alone, because these Sydereal Impressions are\ninvisible and intangible, the Elements have already brought forth the\nSpirit perfect into the world by the Nutriment, therefore let that alone\nlikewise; for man cannot make the Elements, but only the Creator, and\nremain by thy made Spirit which is already formal and unformal, tangible\nand intangible, and yet is presented visibly. So have you enough of the\nfirst Matter, out of which all Metals and Minerals grow, and is one only\nthing, and such a matter which unites it self with the _Sulphur_ in the\nfollowing Chapter, and enters into a Coagulation with the _Salt_ of the\nfifth Chapter, that it may be one Body, and a perfect Medicine of all\nMetals, not only to bring forth in the Earth at the beginning, as in the\ngreat World, but also by help of the vaporous Body to transmute and\nchange, together with the augmentation in the lesser World: Let not this\nseem strange to you, seeing the Most High hath permitted, and Nature\nundertaken it.\n\nMany will not believe this, esteeming it impossible, despise and vilifie\nthese Mysteries, which they understand not in the least, they may remain\nFools and Idiots till an illumination follows, which cannot be without\nGods Will; but remains till the time predestinate. But wise and\ndiscreet, men who have truly shed the sweat of their Brows, will be my\nsufficient witnesses, and confirm the Truth, and indeed believe and hold\nfor a truth all that which I write in this case, as true as Heaven and\nHell are preordained, and proposed as Rewards of good and evil to the\nElect and Reprobate. Now I write not only with my hands, but my Mind,\nWill and heart constrain me to it: Those who are highly conceited,\nilluminated, and world-wise, hate, envy, scandalize, defame and\npersecute this Mystery to the utmost Rind, or innermost Kernel, which\nhath its beginning out of the Center; but I know assuredly, there will\ncome a time, when my Marrow is wasted, and my Bones dried up, that some\nwill take my part heartily, after I am in the Pit; and if God would\npermit it, they would willingly raise me from the dead; but that cannot\nbe; wherefore I have left them my Writings, that their Faith and Hope\nmay have a Seal of Certainty and Truth, to testifie of me what my last\nWill and Testament was, which I ordained for the poor, and all the\nLovers of Mysteries, though it did not behove me to have wrote so much,\nyet I could not refrain without prejudice to my Soul, but to drive a\nLight or Flash through a Cloud, that the Day might be observed, and the\ndark Night, thick and gloomy, rainy Weather expelled.\n\nNow how the _Archaeus_ operates further by the Spirit of _Mercury_ in the\nEarth, or Veins of the Earth, take this Advice, that after the\nspiritual Seed is formed by the impression of the Stars from above, and\nfed by the Elements, it is a Seed, and turns it self into a _Mercurial_\nWater, as first of all the great World was made of nothing, for when the\nSpirit moved upon the Water, the Celestial Heat must needs raise a Life\nin the cold watrish and earthly Creatures; in the great World it was\nGods Power, and the Operation of the Celestial Lights; in the little\nWorld it is likewise Gods Power, and the Operation to work into the\nEarth by his Divine and Holy Breath. Moreover the Almighty gave and\nOrdained means to accomplish it, that one Creature had obtained power to\noperate in the other, and the one to help and assist the other, to\nperform and fulfil all the Works of the Lord; and so an influence was\npermitted the Earth to bring forth by the Lights of Heaven, as also an\ninternal Heat, to warm and digest that which was too cold for the Earth,\nby reason of its humidity, as unto every Creature a peculiar fashion\naccording to its kind; so that a subtile sulphurous Vapour, is stired up\nby the Starry Heaven, not the common, but another more clarified and\npure Vapour, distinct from others, which unites it self with the\n_Mercurial_ Substance; by whose warm property, in process of time, the\nsuperfluous Moisture is dryed up, and then when the foulish property\ncomes to it, which gives a preservation to the Body and Balsam,\noperating first into the Earth by a spiritual and sydereal influence,\nthen are Metals generated of it, as it pleaseth the Mixture of the three\nPrinciples, the Body being formed according as it assumes unto it the\ngreatest part of those three. But if the Spirit of _Mercury_ be intended\nand qualified from above upon Animals, it becomes an Animal Substance;\nif it goes upon Vegetables by order, it becomes a Vegetable Work; but\nif, by reason of its infused nature, it fall on Minerals, it becomes\nMinerals and Metals, yet each one hath its distinction as they are\nwrought, the Animals for themselves, the Vegetables, on another manner\nand form by themselves, and so likewise the Minerals, each one a several\nway, whereof to write particularly would be too tedious, and yield large\nand various Narrations.\n\nMany one may here demand and not without cause, how such a Spirit of\n_Mercury_ may be procured, how to be made, and after what manner it is\nto be prepared to expel Diseases, and change all the kinds of the meaner\nand baser Metals, as if they were born in a little world, by\ntransmutation and augmentation of their Seed; many expect this with\nimpatience. I answer without concealing any thing, but will truly\ndiscover as much as is permitted me by Gods Command, in manner and form\nfollowing.\n\n_In the Name of the Lord_, Take a Red Quick-silver Ore which is like\nunto _Sinople_ (or _Vermilion_) and the best Gold Ore you can get; grind\nof each a like quantity both together, before they partake of any fire,\npoure an Oyl of _Mercury_, upon it made _per se_, of common, purified\nand sublimed Quicksilver, set it a month to digest, you have an Extract\nrather Celestial than Terrestrial; distil this Extract gently, as in\n_Balneum Mariae_, the Flegme ascends over, the Oyl remaining at bottom,\nbeing heavy, which in a moment receives all Metals into it poure thrice\nas much Spirit of Wine to it, circulate it in a Pellican, till it be as\nred as Bloud, and become so sweet that nothing may compare with it;\ndecant the Spirit of Wine to a Liquidness, poure fresh Spirit of Wine\nupon it, this reiterate so often, till the Matter be exceeding sweet,\nand transparent red as a a Ruby, then put all together, poure that which\nascended over upon white calcined _Tartar_, and distil it strongly in\nAshes, the Spirit of Wine remains behind with the _Tartar_, but the\nSpirit of _Mercury_ ascends over. If this Spirit of _Mercury_ be mixt\nwith the Spirit of _Sulphur_, together with its Salt, and so brought\nover jointly together, that they can never be separated, you have such a\nwork which if it come over, and it get its ferment with Gold by solution\naccording to a just measure and time appointed, and be brought to a\nperfect ripeness, unto the _Plusquam_ perfection, nothing may compare\ntherewith, for prevention of Diseases, and poverty, and to a rich\nexcessive recreation of the Body and Goods. This is the way to obtain\nthe Spirit of _Mercury_, which I have revealed as far as it is permitted\nme to do, by the Supremest Emperour; the Manual Operations are found in\nthe Work which I have revealed; you must wisely observe, that you may\nnot endure a Bath in Hell for me, by my true admonition to thee,\nforasmuch as a true opening of the Door which leads to the Royal Palace,\nis performed but with one Key, which cures all Diseases, be it\n_Dropsie_, _Consumption_, _Gout_, _Stone_, _Falling Sickness_,\n_Apoplexy_, _Leprosie_, or howsoever called in general: This Medicine\nlikewise cures all kinds of the _French Pox_, and all old Sores of long\nstanding, be it _Wolf_, _Noli me tangere_, _Tetter_, _Ring-worm_,\n_Cancer_, _Fistula_, and corroding hollow Sores; all which I have\ndeclared, and concealed nothing. Last of all, observe, that you do not\ndiscover too much, or no more, because all Art hath its Original or\nSource out of the Spirit of _Mercury_, which is refreshed and raised to\nLife by the spiritual _Sulphur_, that it becomes Celestial, & with and\nby the Salt they are made corporal and formal; but the beginning of the\nSoul, of the Spirit, and of the Body, let it be and remain a Magnet,\neven as it is, and can be acknowledged to be nothing else. This is the\nsumme in brief, that without the Spirit of _Mercury_, which is the only\ntrue Key, you can never make Corporal Gold potable, nor the Philosophers\nStone. Let it remain by this Conclusion, be silent; for I my self will\nat present say no more, because Silence is enjoyned thee and me by the\norderly Judge, recommending the Execution and further Search thereof to\nanother, who hath not as yet reduced the Matter into a right Order.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IV.\n\n_Of the Spirit of_ Copper.\n\n\nThe Star of _Venus_ is very difficult, and not well to be calculated, as\nall _Mathematicians_ and _Astronomers_ will bear me witness; for its\ncourse is found to be otherwise than that of the other six Planets, and\ntherefore its Birth is otherwise; for the Birth of _Venus_ possesses the\nFirst Table, after _Mercury_, as for what concerns the Generation of\nMetals. _Mercury_ makes active, but _Venus_ provokes, giving Lust and\nDesire, together with the Beauty which gave occasion thereunto; though I\nam accounted no _Astronomer_, nor do I give my self out for one, who\nknows to calculate the Course of the Heavens; for I should spend my time\nin my Cell in Prayer, but that the spare hours after my Devotion is\nended, may not be spent in vain, I have ordered and proposed it as my\naim and intent to exercise my self, and to spend those hours in the\nknowledge of Natural things. So likewise it is not well to be reckoned\nwhat arises, grows or proceeds from _Venus_ or whence she arose, grew,\nor proceeded; for she is superfluously cloathed more than she needs, and\nyet must want that which she needs most of all in her Constancy.\n\nBut you must be advertised, that _Venus_ is cloathed with a Celestial\n_sulphur_ which far surpasses the brightness of the Sun; for there is\nmore and more abundant _Sulphur_ in her than in Gold; but it requires a\nknowledge what the Matter of that Gold _Sulphur_ may be, which is, and\nrules so plentifully in Copper, and whereof I make so great a Cry: know\nthen that it is likewise a flying very hot Spirit, which can pass\nthrough and penetrate, as also ripen and digest all things, as the\nimperfect Metals into perfect, which the inexpert will not believe. And\nhere a Question presents it self at hand; _How the Spirit of Copper can\nmake other imperfect Metals perfect, and make them ripe, whereas in its\nown Body it is imperfect and inconstant?_ For Answer, I say as I have\noften said, that this Spirit cannot possess or inhabit a permanent Body\nin Copper; for when the habitation is burnt by Fire, the Spirit goes\naway with it, and must with impatience leave its Lodging, for it dwells\ntherein as a Sojourner; but it hath protection in the permanent fix'd\nBody of Gold, whence no man can expel it, without the Warrant of an\nespecial Judge; for it is put into the inheritance as an Heir, and taken\nRoot by her permanent Body, that she cannot easily be expelled. The\nTincture which _Venus_ hath obtained, is in like manner found in _Mars_,\nmore powerful, high and Noble; for _Mars_ is the Man, and _Venus_ the\nWoman, which I speak more of, seeing I write of them. This Tincture is\ndelivered in _Verdigreece_, and likewise it is found in _Vitriol_, as in\na Mineral whereof a peculiar Book might be wrote. In all these things a\ncombustible _Sulphur_ is found, and yet a _Sulphur_ which is\nincombustible, this is a strange thing, one is a white Sulphur, the\nother is red in the operative generation; but the true Sulphur is\nincombustible, for it is a pure true Spirit, whereof an incombustible\nOil is prepared, and it is the same Sulphur which is made out of one\nRoot from the Gold-Sulphur.\n\nI open many Mysteries, which ought not to be; but what should I do? to\nconceal all is not answerable, but a measure is good in all things, as\nyou may observe in my last Advice of protestation; forget not my desire\ntherein.\n\nThis Sulphur may well be called the _Sulphur of the Wise_; for all\nWisdom is found therein, unto the _Mercurial_ Spirit; which excels it,\nwhich together with the Salt of _Mars_ must be put together by a\nspiritual Conjunction, that three may come into one understanding, and\nbe advanced to equal operations. This spiritual Sulphur proceeds in the\nsame manner and form out of the upper Region, as doth the Spirit of\n_Mercury_, but in another manner and kind, whereby the Stars manifest a\nseparation in fix'd and unfix'd, in colour'd and uncolour'd things.\n\nThe Tincture consists only in the _Spirit of Copper_, and most of all in\nthat of his Bed-fellow; it is a meer Vapour, stinking and ill-sented in\nits beginning; this Mist must be dissolved in the manner of a Liquor,\nthat the stinking, incombustible Oil may be prepared thereof; but yet it\nmust have and take its beginning out of _Mars_; this Oil unites freely\nwith the Spirit of _Mercury_, assuming all Metallick Bodies speedily\nunto them, if they be first prepared in all points as I have advised in\nmy Keys.\n\nI observe not the Order of the Planets, and not without just grounds;\nfor I observe the order of their Birth, by which I am directed; for\nbecause _Venus_ hath much Sulphur, she is sooner digested and ripened\ntogether with _Mars_, before other Metals; but because unconstant\n_Mercury_ shewed them both too little assistance, therefore no room is\nleft him to work harder, by reason of the superfluous Sulphur, so that\nthey could obtain no melioration of their unfixt Bodies. Now I will\nreveal a Secret unto thee, that Gold, Copper, and Iron have one Sulphur,\none Tincture, and one Matter of their Colour; this Matter of the\nTincture is a Spirit, a Mist and Fume; as aforesaid, which can\npenetrate and pass through all Bodies, if you can take it, and acuate it\nby the Spirit which is in the Salt of _Mars_, and then conjoin the\nSpirit of _Mercury_ therewith in a just weight, purging them from all\nimpurity, that they be pleasant and well sented, without all Corrosives,\nyou have then such a Medicine, whereunto none in the world may compare,\nbeing fermented with the bright shining Sun, you have made an entrance\npenetrating to work, and to transmute all Metals.\n\nO Eternal Wisdom from the beginning! how shall we thank thee for such\ngreat Mysteries, which the Children of Men do no wayes regard, but are\ndespised by the greater number, to know what thou hast concealed in\nNature, which they see before their Eyes, and know it not; they have it\nin their Hands, and comprehend it not; they deal with it, and know not\nwhat they have, nor what they do, because the Internal is concealed. I\nwill yet reveal this unto thee in truth, and by the Love of God, that\nthe root of the Philosophical Sulphur, which is a Celestial Spirit, is\nfound with the root of the spiritual supernatural _Mercury_, as also the\nbeginning of the spiritual Salt, are in one, and found in one Matter,\nout of which the Stone is made, which was before me, and not in many\nthings, though all Philosophers speak as if the _Mercury_, _Sulphur_,\nand _Salt_ were each one a part by themselves and distinct, that the\n_Mercury_ is found in one, the _Sulphur_ in another, and the _Salt_ in a\nthird; yet I tell you, this is only to be understood of their\nsuperfluity, which is found to abound most in each, and may be used and\nprepared divers ways particularly with profit, both for Physick and\ntransmutation of Metals; but the Universal, which is the supreamest\nTreasure of Earthly Wisdom, and of all the three Principles, is one only\nthing, and is founded and extracted out of one only thing, which can\nmake all Metals into one, it is the true Spirit of _Mercury_, and Soul\nof _Sulphur_, together with the spiritual Salt, united together,\ninclosed under one Heaven, and dwelling in one Body, it is the Dragon\nand the Eagle, the King and the Lion, the Spirit and the Body, which\nmust tinge the Body of Gold to a Medicine, that it may gain power\nplentifully to tinge his other Companions.\n\nO thou blessed Medicine given by God thy Creator! O thou Celestial\nMagnet of great attractive Love! O thou valid substance of Metals, how\ngreat is thy power, how uninventive is thy virtue, how durable is thy\nconstancy? happy is that man on Earth who knows thy Light in truth,\nwhich all the world takes no notice of; he shall not see poverty, no\nDisease shall touch him, nor no sickness hurt him, till the appointed\ntime of death, and till the last hour predestinated for him by his\nHeavenly King. It is impossible for all the tongues of Men to utter the\nWisdom which is laid in this Treasure of the Fountain, all Orators must\nbe silent and ashamed at it, yea terrified and not able to speak a word,\nwhen they shall behold and discern this supernatural Glory, and I my\nself am afraid when I consider that I have discovered too much. But I\nhope to prevail with God by Prayer, that he will not charge it on me as\na deadly Sin, because I began the Work in his Fear, obtained it by his\nGrace, and revealed it for his Glory.\n\nO thou holy everlasting Trinity! I praise, honour, and magnifie thee\nwith Heart and Mouth, that thou hast revealed unto me the great wisdom\nof this earthly World, next unto thy Divine Word, whereby I have known\nthy Almighty Power, and supernatural Wonders, which Man will not\ndiscern; I heartily beseech thee to give me more understanding and\nwisdom, that I may bestow the use and profit thereof with a continual\nSacrifice of Praise before thee, unto the Christian-like Love of my\nNeighbour, and to my own welfare both spiritual and corporal, in power\nand virtue, that thy Name may be made glorious, honoured, and praised,\nfor all thy works in Heaven and Earth; and that my Enemies may know,\nthat thou art the Lord full of eternal Wonders, that they may repent and\nbe converted, and not be drowned in the falshood of Darkness. God the\nFather, Son, and Holy Ghost help me, and all of us, from his heavenly\nThrone, exalted above all Glory, Might, and Majesty, whose Wisdom hath\nneither beginning nor end, and before whom all Celestial, Earthly, and\nHellish Creatures must tremble with fear, to him be Glory forever,\n_Amen_.\n\nO _Seraphin_! O _Cherubin_! how great are thy Wonders and Actions, look\ngraciously upon thy servant, and be entreated to be pacified that he\nhath manifested this.\n\nThe Reader must moreover know concerning the Generation of Copper, and\nobserve, that it is generated of much _Sulphur_, but its _Mercury_ and\nSalt are in an equality, for there is found to be no more or less of the\none than of the other, seeing then that the _Sulphur_ in quantity excels\nthe _Mercury_ and the Salt, thence arises a great coloured redness,\nwhich possesses the Metal, that the _Mercury_ cannot perform its\nfixation, that a fixt Body should be generated thereof. Observe and\nunderstand it so of Copper, that the form of _Venus_ Body is so stated\nas that of a Tree, which abounds in Rosen, as the Larch Tree, the Firr,\nthe Pine, Deal Tree, and other sorts of Trees more, the Rosen of the\nTree is its _Sulphur_, which it evacuates at sometimes by reason of its\nsuperfluity, for it cannot bear it all; such a Tree which is tinged with\nabundance of fatness, by the digestion of Nature and the Elements, burns\nquickly and freely, and is not ponderous, nor so durable as is the Oak,\nor other hard wood which is close and compact, whose Pores are not so\nopen, as those sorts of light wood, and wherein the Sulphur doth not so\npredominate, but the Oak hath therefore the more _Mercury_, and a better\nSalt than the Pine, Firr, and Deal trees have, and such wood doth not\nfloat so well above the water, as the Deal, being bound & closed up\ncompactly, so that the Air is easily prevented in bearing it up. So is\nit to be observed of Metals, and especially of Gold, which by reason of\nits abundant, fixt, digested and ripe _Mercury_, hath a very close, fast\nand compact, fixt and invincible Body, which neither Fire nor Water,\nAir, nor any Corruption of the Earth can prejudice, that the consuming\npower of the Elements can do them no harm; this fixedness & close\ncompacted Conjunction gives evidence of its natural ponderosity, which\ncannot be evidenced in other Metals, which is to be observed, not only\nby weighing it in the scales, but likewise you will find it thus: if you\nlay but a scruple of pure Gold upon a hundred weight of Quicksilver, it\nimmediately sinks to the bottom, whereas all other Metals being laid\nupon Quicksilver in like manner, float on the top of it, and sink not to\nthe bottom, because they are more open, that the Air or Wind can\npenetrate them and bear them up.\n\nNow what further concerns the Spirit of _Venus_ or Copper in Physick,\nyou must last of all take notice and observe, that it is throughout in\nits virtue and power discerned to be very wholsom and beneficial, not\nonly that Spirit which lies in the first _Ens_, but also that very\nSpirit which is found in the last Matter, its virtue, power and\noperation is, that it is preferred before all other Medicines in the\nRising of the _Matrix_: It's like is not yet found particularly against\nthe _Falling Sickness_. This Spirit hath also received an especial gift\nto dry the _Dropsie_ up; it preserves the Bloud from putrefaction,\ndigests all which is adverse to the Stomach, breaks the Stone, of what\nkind soever it be. Externally in Wounds, this Spirit lays a ground to\nheal: _Noli me tangere_ and all other Sores cannot defend themselves,\nnor their ill Qualities, but this Spirit doth assault them, and prepares\na good ground for their Cure; externally it mundifies and searches out\nthat whereby the Medicine may operate, fasten, and make a beginning of\nthe Cure. Internally this Spirit penetrates through & through, searching\nout all that is evil in the Body; even as doth the noblest Vulnerary\npotion; No Imposthume can withstand this Spirit, but is reformed by it.\nI say briefly, observe the Spirit of _Venus_ very well, it will manifest\nit self to admiration both internally and externally, that many will\nesteem it to be incredible & supernatural. Last of all, you must\nunderstand that this Spirit of _Copper_ is a fiery Spirit, penetrating,\nsearching and consuming all evil Humours, and superfluous Flegme in Man\nand Metals, and may in reason be accounted the Crown of Medicines; it is\nvery fiery and sharp, incombustible, but spiritual and unformal, and\ntherefore as a Spirit it can particularly help to make unformal things\nfiery, digest and ripen them; and if you are a true Naturalist, I\nrecommend this Spirit unto thee; it will not fail thee in the least, in\nany necessity of Health or Wealth, in case you observe it rightly, and\nexecute according to Justice. I hope my Call and Request will at last\ntake place, and have a hearing with those who regard Nature, and have\nan earnest and longing desire to search out, and learn, whereby they may\nwhet their Wits, open their Eyes, and let their Ears hear, and learn\nsuch a thing out of my Advice, which was never taken notice of, or\nlearn'd before, and is to be found in this Spirit of Copper, internal\nand external. He that doth not observe, or truly understand my Writings,\nwill not fathom many Secrets, nor search out to purpose and in truth,\nnor learn to advantage without me, therefore no Man can direct me, as\nconcerning the Spirit of Copper, except he hath beforehand inverted and\nturned the Copper inside outwards, and truly learned all the Mysteries\nof its internal Virtues, as I have done, if he can find out any thing\nbetter, which I know not, I earnestly desire him not to conceal any\nthing, so shall his instruction be well rewarded, with a thousand-fold\nadvantage, and recommend you herewith to the Highest Creator.\n\n    V_ain Reason cannot alwayes apprehend_\n    E_ach matter which_ Venus _can bring to an end:_\n    N_o man can find it presently in sence,_\n    V_ain Reason banns it far away from thence;_\n    S_uch a Spirit only can all things speed,_\n    _So that_ Mercury _be joyn'd with it indeed._\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. V.\n\n_Of the Spirit and Tincture of_ Mars.\n\n_Mars_ and _Venus_ have a Spirit and Tincture as well as Gold and other\nMetals, be that Spirit which is in each Metal never so mean and little.\nIt is undeniable and known to all, that many men have many minds, though\nall men originally are of one first Matter, born and produced from one\nSeed; yet have they divers different Minds, because the Stars have so\noperated them, and not without cause; for the influences of the great\nWorld operates the next to it in the little World; for all Opinions,\nNatures and Thoughts, together with the whole complection of Man proceed\nalone from one Influence of the Stars, manifesting themselves according\nto the Course of the Planets and Stars, so that nothing can prevent, nor\ncan such Influences hinder it, when the Birth hath attained to the end\nof its perfection.\n\nAs a man is naturally inclined to study; one delights in Divinity,\nanother in the study of the Laws, a third in Physick, a fourth will be a\nPhilosopher; moreover there are many Wits who are naturally inclined to\nthe Mechanicks; as the one is a Painter, another a Goldsmith; the one a\nShoomaker, the other a Taylor, a Carver, and so forth, divers and\ninnumerable; all this happens by the Stars influence, whereby the\nImagination is supernaturally founded & fortified, and whereupon it is\nresolved to rest; as it is found, that what a man hath once conceived in\nhis Mind, and framed a foundation thereof, none can divert him from a\nconstant resolution and relying thereon, except Death, which at last\nconcludes all. So is it to be understood of _Alchymists_, who are set\nupon the search of Natures Secrets, they intend not to cease, till they\nhave discover'd Nature, absolved it quite, and brought all to an end,\nwhich cannot well be done.\n\nEven so is it to be understood of Metals, according as the Influence and\nImagination is from above, so is the Form; and although the Metals be\ncalled Metals in general, and are such, yet you have understood by the\nvarious minds of men, which yet proceed from one Matter, that there may\nbe manifold and divers Metals, one hot and dry, another cold and moist,\na third assuming a mixt Nature and Complection to it self. Therefore the\nMetal of _Mars_ being ordained in its degree by a gross Salt before\nothers in the greatest quantity, is found to have the hardest, ungentle,\nstrongest, and grossest Body, which Nature appropriated and granted to\nit, it hath the least portion of _Mercury_, but more of _Sulphur_, and\nmost of _Salt_, hence, and from such a mixture or composition is its\ncorporal essence descended, and born into the world by help of the\nElements. Its Spirit is like to the other Spirits in operation, but if\nyou can know the right and true Spirit of _Mars_, I tell you truly, and\nin true Wisdom, that one grain of its Spirit or Quintessence drunk with\nthe Spirit of Wine, strengthens the Heart, Courage, and Senses, so that\nyou shall fear no Foes; it raises up in him the Courage of a Lion, and\nprovokes a desire to hunt and fight at _Venus_ sports. When the\nConjunction of _Mars_ and _Venus_ are rightly placed in a certain\nConstellation, they bring Fortune and Victory in Love and Affection, in\nBattel and joy, remaining in unity though the whole World should be\nagainst them: But because I am an Ecclesiastick under Church Government,\nand dedicated my Soul to God, without provocation of humane desires, and\nlusts of the Flesh, for they lead a direct way to Hell without leave;\nbut Gods Commands, Fear, and a rejection of Mans Will, which are\ntollerated by his Commands, prepare a way to Heaven, if they continue in\nthe true calling upon, and in the true and right Faith of the only\nThrone of Grace, Mediator and Patron _Jesus Christ_ our Saviour. All\nMartial Diseases are expell'd, cured, and healed in an admirable manner\nby this Spirit; such as are the _Bloody Flux_, the Disease or Menstruous\n_Fluxes_ of Women, both white and red, and all other _Fluxes_ of the\nBelly, and open _Sores_ in the Legs, or any part of the Body, together\nwith all those Diseases, both internal and external, howsoever they are\ncalled, which bloody _Mars_ hath caused, which I omit to nominate\nparticularly, being well known unto the discreet Physician what Diseases\nare subject to the jurisdiction of _Mars_. If the Spirit of Iron be\ntruly known, it hath a secret affinity with the Spirit of _Venus_, so\nthat both may be conjoined in one, both becoming one only matter, of a\nlike operation, form, substance and being, healing and expelling the\nself-same Diseases, as also to bring the particulars of the Metals into\na change with profit, praise, and excess. But properly _Mars_ must be\nobserved thus with its virtues, that in his Corporal form he only hath\nan earthly Body, which may be used in many things, for to stanch Bloud,\nexternally in Wounds, to graduate _Luna_, internally to stop or bind the\nBody, which yet is not good at all times, and may be used both\ninternally & externally in mans Body, as likewise in Metallick affairs;\nbecause without the true known means, which Nature hath in her secret\nCloset, much profit cannot be gotten _per se_.\n\nOne thing more I must at present propose, that the Magnet and true Iron\nperform almost a like benefit in Corporal Distempers, having almost one\nkind of Nature in and with them, as it is with it in the Celestial,\nspiritual, and Elementary Intellect, between the Body, Soul, and the\nChaos, out of which the Soul and Spirit went, the Body at last was found\nout of the Composition.\n\nHow shall we now do? the gross dull-witted Lads will not apprehend it,\nthe middle sort of Wits will take no notice of what I write, and the\nsupernatural wits will descant too much upon it; I must find out a\nremedy, and would willingly preserve all these over-wise-people to be\nmy Friends still. I will now teach, instruct, and presently inform you,\nseeing that the Argument it self declares and pronounces its definitive\nsentence, therefore the resolution lies open, and can be declared and\nresolved, reserved nor directed to any other sentence of the\nunderstanding, further than for it self.\n\nLast of all, reserve this hereupon in this Chapter, that there can be no\nHouse kept to stand in unity between the Married Couple, if the one of\nthem turn his Coach and drive to the East, and the other towards the\nWest, for they are not equal, so that they cannot draw the Coach\ntogether in an equal weight, whereby there arises a great dissention and\nhinderance, in obtaining that which was intended: but if true Married\nPeople will carry on their House-keeping with a right subsistance, they\nmust be of one spirit, mind, judgment and virtue, to accomplish all\nwhatsoever is in their heart and mind, and that the one operate into the\nother, if their Love and Truth shall be permanent; for want of one of\nthese things, the three principles cannot be truly together; for the\n_Mercury_ is banisht, and too little by reason of the firmness and\nconstancy; the _Sulphur_ is too little, it cannot warm the Body of Love,\nbecause it is very much extinct; the _Salt_ likewise hath not its right,\nconvenient, natural kind, but is too hard and too much, seeing it makes\na hard coagulation, is sharp and biting, because it doth not manifest it\nself in truth and constancy. Even so it goes now in the World, which\ngoes astray, and is pregnant with such Vices, for the constancy is but\nsmall, the Love little, and Truth as little.\n\nI hope you will take this Philosophical Example in good part, because\n_Syrach_ doth both praise and dispraise the goodness, truth, and\nwickedness of a false Woman, and both after a different manner; and\nherewith I bid _Mars_ Farewell, saying, that no man knows how to\ndistinguish the Sentence of one, much less of all things, but he who\nhath in this point taken notice of them, learned and experimented their\nNature and Properties, and truly known and discovered them. God our\nHeavenly Father, the Everlasting Power, proceeding from all beginning,\nseparate us so in the Form, that the terrestrial corruptible Body may\nagain attain unto, contain, and receive the Celestial, Spiritual and\nIncorruptible Revelation. _Amen._\n\n    M_aist thou not know me alone indeed,_\n    A_nd procure a pure help for me in need;_\n    R_esolve then, and hear what I do speak or say,_\n    S_o shalt thou find what I can do for aye._\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VI.\n\n_Of the Spirit of_ Gold.\n\n\nThe Clearness of Heaven hath now commanded me to govern my Pen, to\nreveal a matter of valour and of permanency; for the Sun is a burning\nand consuming Fire, hot and dry, wherein is concealed the right and true\nvirtue of all Natural things; this virtue of the Sun worketh\nUnderstanding, Riches, and Health. My Mind is very much grieved, and my\nSpirit is terrified within it self to discover it publickly, which was\nnot publish'd in common before, and to make it vocal, which was\nconcealed in the deep with great secresie. But if I consider in my\nself, and enter into my Conscience, I could find no alteration, nor\ncatch at any thing to disturb my mind, or bring it to another\nresolution, which might cause many Obstructions: Yet will I speak with\ndiscretion, and write understanding, that no evil with may follow, but\nrather that I may gain a grateful profit, which I have pourtrayed after\nthe manner and occasion, as the Philosophers before me have done.\n\nMark now, give your Mind perfect Thoughts, refrain all strange matters,\nwhich are not serviceable to your speculation of Philosophy, but rather\ncause a ruine of that benefit, which you pursued with so much diligence;\nand know if you have a hearty desire and strong affection to gain the\nGolden Magnet, that in the first place your prayer be truly directed to\nGod, in true Knowledge, Sorrow, Repentance, and true Humility, to know\nand learn the three distinct Worlds which are subject to Humane Reason;\nas, there is the Super-celestial World, wherein the right immortal Soul\nhath its seat and residence, together with its first coming, and is\naccording to Gods Creation the first moveable Sense, or the first moving\nsensible Soul, which hath operated the Natural Life from a Supernatural\nEssence; this Soul and Spirit is at first the Root and Fountain, the\nfirst Creature which arose to a Life, and the first Mover, whereof there\nhath been so much Disputing among the Learned.\n\nNow take notice of the second Celestial World, and observe it\ndiligently, for therein the Planets rule, and all the Stars of Heaven\nhave their course, virtue and power in this Heaven, performing that\nService therein whereunto they are by God ordained, and in this service\nthey operate the Minerals and Metals by their Spirit.\n\nGo now out of these 2 distinct Worlds into the third, wherein is\ncontained and found what the other two have wrought, to wit, the\nSuper-celestial and the Celestial worlds; out of the Super-celestial\narises the Fountain of Life, and of the Soul; out of the other Celestial\nworld the light of the Spirit; and out of the third or Elementary world,\nthe invincible Celestial Fire, which yet may be felt, out of which, that\nwhich is tangible is digested; these three Matters and Substances\nproduce and generate the Form of Metals, among all which Gold hath the\npre-eminence, because the Sidereal & Elementary Operation hath digested\nand ripened the _Mercury_ in this Metal the more perfectly to a\nsufficient ripeness.\n\nAnd even as the Male-Seed is injected into the Womb, and touches the\n_Menstruum_, which is its Earth, but the Seed which goes out of the Male\ninto the Female, is operated in both by the Sydereal and Elementary,\nthat they be united, and nourished by the Earth unto the Birth.\n\nEven so understand it likewise, that the Soul of Metals which is formed\nand conceived out of the _Chaos_ by an intangible, invisible,\nincomprehensible, concealed, and supernatural, Celestial Composition of\nWater and Air; afterwards it is further concocted by the Celestial\nElementary Light and Fire of the Sun; whereby the Stars move the Powers,\nwhen its heat is perceived in the inward parts of the Earth, as in the\nWomb, for the Earth is opened by the warm operating property of the\nupper Stars, that their infused Spirit yield a nourishment unto the\nEarth, that it may bring forth somewhat, as Metals, Herbs, Trees and\nAnimals; where each one in particular brings its Seed with it for its\nfarther augmentation and encrease: And as hath been mentioned, even as\nMan is begotten spiritually and heavenly, Soul and Spirit, and by the\nnourishment of the Earth in the Body of the Mother is formally brought\nup to perfection; even so, and in like manner, is to be observed and\nunderstood of the Metals and Minerals in all points.\n\nBut this is the true mystery of Gold, which I will make good to you by\nan Example and Parable to certifie you, whereby the possibility of\nNature, and its Mystery is to be found after this manner.\n\nIt is evident, that the Celestial Light of the Sun is of a fiery Quality\nand Essence, given unto it by a Celestial, fixt and permanent sulphurous\nSpirit, by the most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, to preserve\nits substance, form, and body; which Creature, by its swift motion and\ncourse, is enflamed and kindled by the Air through that swiftness in a\ncontinued manifestation of it; this inflammation can never be extinct,\nnor decay in any of its power, so long as its Course last, or this\nwhole Created visible World shall remain and continue, because there is\nno combustible matter at hand which is given unto it, by whose\nconsumption this great Light of Heaven should fall to decay.\n\nEven so Gold is so digested, ripened, and made into such a fixt\ninvincible Nature by the Superiours in its Essence, that nothing can\nhurt it in the least, because the superiour Stars have past through the\ninferiour, that the inferiour fix'd Stars by the influence and donation\nof the superiour, cannot in the least give place to its like, for the\ninferiour have obtained such a fixedness and permanency from the\nsuperiour; this you may well retain, observe, and take notice of as\nconcerning the first Matter of Gold.\n\nI must yet produce one comparison according to the Philosophical custom,\nof the great Light of Heaven, and of that little terrestrial fire here\ndaily kindled, and made to burn before our Eyes; because that great\nLight hath a magnetick simulation and an attractive living power with\nthe small fire here on earth, but yet it is unformal and\nincomprehensible, only it is found to be spiritual, invisible,\ninsensible and intangible.\n\nIt is to be observed and remembred, as experience manifests, and is\nproved, that the great Light of heaven bears an especial sympathy,\naffection and inclination to the little earthly fire, by means of the\nspiritual Air, whereby they are both promoted and preserved from\nMortality; for behold, when the Air receives into it a Coruption, by\ntoo great humidity attracted up by it, that Clouds are generated by\nMists, and farther coagulations, which hinder the Sun-beams that they\ncannot have a reflection, nor get a right penetrating power. So likewise\nthe small terrestrial fire doth not burn so lively in dusky, dark, rainy\nweather, nor manifests it self with joy in its operation, as it doth\nwhen there is a fair, pure, serene, unfalsified heavenly Air; the reason\nis, because the sympathy is bound and hindered by the obstruction of\nthose Accidents and the waterish Air, so that the attractive power is\ngrieved, that it cannot accomplish its compleat Love and Operation as it\nshould, for this hinderance brings the aquosity to the contrary Element.\n\nNow even as the Sun, the great Light of Heaven, hath a peculiar\ncommunity and sympathy with the small terrestrial fire to attract unto\nit, after a Magnetical manner; So also the Sun and Gold have a peculiar\nunderstanding, and an attractive power and sympathy together; for the\nSun hath wrought the Gold by the three Principles, which have their\nMagnets, being nearest related to the Sun, and hath gained the next\ndegree to it, for that the three Principles are found to be most mighty\nand powerful therein, Gold immediately succeeds it in its corporal Form,\nbeing composed of the three principles, and hath its beginning and\noff-spring from the Celestial and Golden Magnet.\n\nThis is the supremest Wisdom of this world, a wisdom above all wisdom,\nyea a wisdom above all Natural Reason and Understanding; for by this\nwisdom is comprehended first of all Gods Creation, the heavenly Essence,\nthe Firmamentary Workings, the spiritual Imagination, and the corporal\nEssence, it contains all qualities, and properties, and all whatsoever\nsustaines and preserves Mankind. In this Golden Magnet sticks and lies\nburied the resolution and opening of all Metals and Minerals, their\ndomination, as also the first Matter of their generation, their power\nover health; and again, the coagulation and fixation of Metals, together\nwith the operation of expelling all Diseases: Take notice of this Key,\nfor it is Celestial, Sydereal and Elementary, out of which the\nterrestrial is generated, it is both Supernatural and Natural, and is\ngenerated Celestially of the Spirit of _Mercury_, Spiritually of the\nSpirit of _Sulphur_, and Corporally of the Spirit of _Salt_; this is all\nthe way, the whole Essence, the beginning and end; for the Spirit and\nthe Body are bound up together in one by the Soul, that they can never\nbe separated, but produce a very perfect, durable Body, which nothing\ncan hurt. Out of this spiritual Essence, and out of this spiritual\nMatter, out of which first of all Gold was made into a Body, and became\ncorporal, out of it is made a more true and compleat _Aurum potabile_\nthan out of Gold it self, which must first of all be made spiritual,\nbefore a potable Gold can be prepared out of it.\n\nThis Spirit cures and heales the _Leprosie_ and the _French Pox_, as\nbeing an over-fix'd Mercurial Essence, dries up and consumes the\n_Dropsie_, and all running and open Sores, which have raged a long\nseason, it strengthens the Heart and Brain, makes a good Memory,\ngenerates good Blood, brings Lust, Delight and Desires in humane\nincitation unto Natural Affections. If the Quintessence of Pearl be mixt\nwith the Tincture of Coral, and be administred with an addition of an\nequal quantity of this Spiritual Essence of Gold, the Dose of two grains\ntaken at once in a just observation, you may be bold & confident of the\ntruth, that no disaster of any Natural Distemper can harm you, or happen\nto you, to the prejudice of your health, because the nature resides only\nin the Spirit of Gold, to alter, remove and amend all weaknesses, so\nthat the Body shall be adjudged perfect and free from any Disease. The\nQuintessence of Pearl corroborates the Heart, and make a perfect Memory,\nof the five senses. The Tincture of Coral expels all poison, and evil\nSpirits which fly from the good. So can the Soul of Gold in a Water turn\nthe spiritual Essence of the Pearl, and the Sulphur of the Coral united\nin one, perform such a thing which otherwise Nature could not be\nintrusted with, but seeing that Experience hath manifested it, and\nconfirmed the undeniable Truth, therefore this Cordial in this temporal\nLife is, and ought in reason to precede all other Cordials with\nadmiration and admirable Effects, be they called by what name soever. I\nam an Ecclesiastical person, obedient to the Ecclesiastical degree,\nrelated to the _Benedictine_ Order by a Spiritual and Divine Oath, by\nwhich Order with my internal Prayer, I obtain comfort and promises of\nGods Word, a refreshment to my Soul, but in a corporal temptation of my\nweaknesses, and for my Brethren I have not found and used a better\ncorroboration by Gods Blessing, than these three Compounds united: God\ngive, bless, and increase this Virtue and Power unto the End of this\ntemporal World, which Man must change together with Death. O thou golden\npower of thy Soul! O thou golden intellect of thy Spirit! O thou golden\noperation of thy Body! God the Creator keep thee, and grant unto all\nearthly Creatures, who love and honour him, the true understanding of\nall Gifts, that thy Will may be done in Heaven and on Earth: This is\nenough revealed at present concerning the Spirit of Gold, until the\ncoming again of _Elias_.\n\n\n_Hereunto I add a short process:_\n\nTake a Spirit of Salt, therewith extract the Sulphur of Gold, separate\nthe Oil of Salt from it, rectifie the Sulphur of Gold with Spirit of\nWine, that it be pleasant without Corrosive; then take the true Oil of\n_Vitriol_, made of the _Vitriol_ of _Verdigreece_, therein dissolve\n_Mars_, thereof make a _Vitriol_ again, and again dissolve it into an\nOil or Spirit, which rectifie in like manner as before with Spirit of\nWine, conjoin them, and abstract the Spirit of Wine from it, resolve the\nMatter which remaines dry in Spirit of _Mercury_, according to a just\nweight, circulate and coagulate it when it is fix'd and permanent\nwithout Ascention, you have then a Medicine to tinge Man and Metals, if\nit be fermented with prepared Gold.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VII.\n\n_Of the Spirit of_ Silver.\n\n[Transcriber's note: Original heading had\nGold with a handwritten correction to Silver.]\n\n\nThe Tincture and spirit of Silver manifests its Colour of a Watchet or\nSky-colour, otherwise it is a waterish Spirit, cold and moist, not so\nhot in its degree as that which is found in _Gold_, _Mars_, and _Venus_;\nfor _Luna_ is more phlegmatick than fiery, though it be brought by the\nFire out of its waterish Substance into a coagulation; and even as the\nMetals gain their tinging Spirits and Coagulation, in like manner do\nstones get their fixedness, and colour, as out of one Influence. A fix'd\ncoagulated _Mercury_ is found in the _Diamond_, therefore it is fixeder\nand harder than the other stones, and cannot be so broken; so the\ntincture of _Mars_, or the Sulphur of Iron is found in the _Ruby_, the\nSulphur of _Venus_ in the _Emerald_, the Soul of _Saturn_ in the\n_Granate_; in Tin the tincture which is found in the _Topaz_; and\n_Crystal_ is appropriated to common _Mercury_; in the _Saphire_ is found\nthe Sulphur and Tincture of _Luna_, but each one according to a peculiar\nunderstanding, and according to its kind, and in Metals according to\ntheir form and gender; for when the blew Colour is taken and extracted\nout of the _Saphire_, its Rayment is gone, and its other Body is white\nas a _Diamond_, wanting only the hardness that is in a _Diamond_; even\nso when Gold hath lost its Soul, it yields a fix'd white Gold Body,\nwhich by searching Students and young Artists is called fix'd _Luna_.\n\nWherefore you must now understand and observe, that even as I have\ndeclared unto you concerning the _Saphire_, for your apprehension, even\nso on the other side, you must learn to what purpose my Speech is\nintended, for your Instruction concerning Metals.\n\nFor this blew Spirit is the Sulphur and the Soul, whence the Silver\nreceiveth its Life, both in and above the Earth, by Art, and the white\nTincture of the Silver upon white stands in the Magnetick form of an\neverlasting thing, or Creature, wherein is likewise found the first\n_Ens_ of Gold.\n\nO ye high qualified Orators! where is your voice in this case to explain\nthis Mystery? And you conceited Naturalists, where is your Writings and\nAdvice of Reason? And you Physicians, Whither is your Opinion flown, to\nfetch somewhat afar off over the Seas for to cure the _Dropsie_, and all\n_Lunary_ Distempers? You will say, that this my speech is too dark for\nyou; is it so? then kindle the terrestrial Light, seek, and be not\nashamed to make acquaintance with _Vulcan_; and let nothing be irksome\nunto you, so will you find by the assistance of the Eternal God, that\nthe Spirit of _Silver_ contains in it to cure and expel the _Dropsie_\nquite alone, as the Spirit of _Gold_, and as that of _Mercury_ can expel\nthe _Consumption_ radically, or in the root, even so that the Center of\nthose Diseases cannot be found any more. But that _Luna_ in the veins of\nthe Earth is not furnished with such a hot substance or quality in its\ndegree, but is subjected to a Waterish Nature; this fault lies upon that\ngreat Light of Heaven, which by reason of its Waterish influence, hath\nimplanted such qualities in the other Creatures, and Planets of the\nEarth, than it hath in _Silver_. And albeit that _Silver_ contains a\nfix'd _Mercury_, which is generated in it, yet it wants a hot, fix'd\n_Sulphur_, truly to dry up and consume its Phlegme, whereby it hath not\nobtained a compact Body, unless it be done afterwards by the art of the\nLittle World. And seeing that its Body is not compact by reason of the\nabounding watery substance, its Pores therefore are not rightly\ndefended, nor closed to undergo the weight and endure a Battel with the\nEnemies; all which Virtues are to be found in _Gold_, if it shall\novercome all Enemies, and endure all trials without defect.\n\nAll things are difficult in the beginning, but when they are brought to\nan end they are easie to be understood and apprehended. If you do truly\nobserve the Spirit and the Soul of _Luna_, and learn to know it truly,\nyou may quickly compass the midst of the Work, how it shall afford the\nend with profit; wherefore I will now propose to you an Example, and\ninstruct you by a Countrey-Rule, that you may apprehend it, and consider\nof it, as Childrens Play, in a high and weighty Matter, that you may\nsearch it out with advantage; as followeth:\n\nA common Peasant casts forth (or sows) his Seed in a Field well dunged\nand prepared, this Seed after putrefaction, sprouts forth of the Earth\nby the operation and furtherance of the Elements, and sets before our\nEyes the Matter of Flax together with its Seed which it brings with it\naugmented; this Flax is pluck'd up, and separated from its Seed; but\nthis Flax cannot be used and prepared for any work profitably, except it\nbe first putrefied and rotted in water, whereby the Body is opened, and\ngains an ingress of its doing good; after this putrefaction and opening,\nit is again dried in the Air and Sun, and by this coagulation it is\nagain brought into a Formal Being, that it may do future service. This\nprepared Flax is afterwards buck'd, beaten, broken, peel'd, and last of\nall dress'd, that the pure may be separated from the impure, the clean\nfrom the filth, and the fine from the course; which otherwise could not\nbe done at all, or brought to pass without the preceding preparation;\nthis done, they spin Yarn of it, which they boil in water over the Fire,\nor else with Ashes set in a warm place, whereby it is purified afresh,\nwhereby the filth and superfluities are fully separated from it, and\nafter a due washing the Yarn is dried again, delivered to the Workmen,\nand Cloth weaved of it; this Cloth is purified or whitened by a frequent\ncasting of water upon it, cut in pieces by Taylors, and other people, so\nconverted to future services in houshold affairs, and when this Linnen\nis quite worn out, and torn, the old Rags are gathered together, and\nsent to the Paper-Mills, whereof they make Paper, which is put unto\ndivers uses.\n\nIf you lay Paper upon a Metal or Glass, kindle and burn it, the\nvegetable _Mercury_ comes forth and flies away into the Air, the Salt\nremaines in the ashes and the combustible _Sulphur_ which is not so\nquickly consumed in the burning, dissolves to an Oil, which is a good\nMedicine for dim and defective Eyes. This Oil hath in it a great\nfatness, which is the Matter of the Paper, contained originally in the\nSeed of the Flax; so that the last Matter of the Flax which is Paper,\nmust again be dissolved into the first Matter, which is the fat\nSulphurous Oyliness of the Flax-seed, together with the separation of\nits _Mercury_ and _Salt_, that so the first may be made of the last, and\nthe ground-work revealed, so the Virtues and Operations known by the\nfirst.\n\nAnd though this Discourse be gross and not subtil, yet you may learn\nthereby to know what is subtile and secret; for that which is subtile\nmust be infused into the ignorant by course Examples, that thereby they\nmay be taught to reject the gross, and to embrace that which is subtile.\n\nIn like manner understand, that the first Matter of Metals must be\nobserved, known, and found out by the revelation of their last Matter,\nwhich last Matter, as there are the perfect Metals, must be separated\nand divided asunder, that it may plainly appear singly before the Eyes\nof men. Out of which separation may be judged and learnt what the first\nMatter was at the beginning, out of which the last was made. Accept of\nthis Advice concerning _Luna_ at present. I could have said more, but I\nmust desist at this time until another opportunity; and intreat you\nheartily, admonishing you by your Conscience, that you observe all that\nwhich I have revealed unto you, of all those Letters which are contained\nin the middle between _Alpha_ & _Omega_, & that you keep all the\nSpeeches & Writings, that you may not undergo a denial of pardon for\nyour Sins, & a continued perpetual Vengeance for Eternity; which I at\nlast reveal unto you thus:\n\nTake the Sky-coloured Sulphur extracted out of _Silver_, rectified with\nSpirit of Wine, dissolve it according to its Quantity in the White\nSpirit of _Vitriol_, and in the sweet-sented Spirit of _Mercury_,\ncoagulate them together by the fixation of the Fire, you have the White\nTincture in your Hands with all its Medicines; but if you can get all\ntheir _primum Mobile's_, it is then needless, because you can perfect\nthe Work at once.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. VIII.\n\n_Of the Soul or Tincture of_ Tin.\n\n\nGood _Jupiter_ possesses almost the mean or middle place between Metals,\nit being not too hot, nor too cold, not too warm, nor too moist, it hath\nno excess of _Mercury_, nor of Salt, and it hath the least of Sulphur in\nit; it is found to be white in Colour, yet one exceeds the other in the\nthree Principles, as it is evidently found in its dissection, the right\nand true discovery of Nature. It is generated of such a composition and\nmixture of the three first Principles, being operated, coagulated into\na Metal, and brought to the ripeness of perfection. _Jupiter_ is a God\nof Peace, a Lord of Goodness, a Ruler and Possessor of the middle\nRegion; as concerning its State, Essence, Function, Virtue, Form and\nSubstance; for it holds the mean; no special Disease can happen, that\n_Jupiter_ should cause any remarkable damage, if its Medicine be used a\nlittle at once, not too much in quantity; it is likewise thought\nneedless, where its Medicines are not required, that they should be\nadministred in strange cases with a just Call, but we should rather\nabide by those, where the Body and its Disease have an equal temper with\nthe superiour Stars and their assistance, in vertue, power, and\noperation, and so accord together in their juncture, that there is not\nfound the least contrariety in the Operation, nor in the Operative\nNature.\n\n_Jupiters_ Spirit is found not to be wanting in the least, in the\ngeneration of Metals, as likewise no one Spirit of all the Metals can be\nset backwards, because of necessity they accord together from the lowest\nto the highest degree, and must agree together, as a Metal is perfect in\nthe great Earth, so should the transmutation & augmentation succeed in\nthe little world; understand it after this manner, that all the degrees\nfrom the meanest to the highest Metal must be passed through in all\nperfection, even as the Metals must finish their course, from _Saturn_\nunto _Gold_, as concerning the permanency of Colour and Body,\nnotwithstanding that _Saturn_ possesses the highest place in the\nhighest Region, wherein the stars reign and perform their Course.\n\nThe generation of Tin in and above the Earth, is brought to light even\nas Man is and other Animals, which are originally nourished and fed by\nthe Mothers Milk; there is no Diet to be found on Earth more fit for the\nnourishment of all men than Milk; for its best part is chiefly an Animal\n_Sulphur_, which yields the Nourishment. Even in like manner _Tin_ is\nnourished by its Metallick _Sulphur_, which likewise feeds it with the\ngreatest acceptation, it assumes in and to it more heat than _Saturn_,\ntherefore is _Jupiter_ more digested & broiled, whereby its Body\nlikewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of Salt.\n\nHe causes in his Dominion and Reign, that good Rule be observed, and\nJustice done to all men in his Court. The Spirit of Tin is a Preserver\nfrom all Distempers & Accidents whereby the Liver is consumed or put\ninto malady; its Spirit is naturally to be compared unto Honey in Taste,\nits _Mercury_ being made volatile, gains a venomous quality; for it\npurges violently, and penetrates through by force, therefore it is not\nalwayes to be advised, that its opened _Mercury_ should be used alone\nand simply, but if a Correction precede, there may an excellent benefit\nsucceed, being used in those distempers and diseases, which are\nimmediately subject to its Influence, that is, when its venomous\nvolatility is taken away, and set in a better and fixeder state, which\nresists the poison.\n\nThe Vulgar Physician cannot understand this Description; for this Art\nand knowledge proceeds not from the bare Talking, but from Experience;\nthe common Physician hath the foundation and egress in speaking, but our\nPreparation hath its Rise from speaking, and then its foundation first\nof all out of a certain trial, which manifests it by Experience, and\nthis is firmed upon hard Rocks by manual Operations, but the other\nstands upon moving Reeds & Sand; wherefore in reason that which is\nstrong and immoveable, made by Natures hand, ought to be prefer'd before\nbare Speeches, which proceed only from an inconstant phantastical\nspeculation, because the Work alwayes will praise the Master.\n\nAt present I do not indeed speak according to my own Poetical manner,\nnor after such a way as I directed my stile, when I treated of the\nwonderful generation of the seven Planets in my occult Philosophy, nor\nafter a Magical or Cabalistical manner and custom; much less do I\nobserve the method which teaches, and diligently marks the Mystical,\nSecret and Supernatural Arts, to wit, of _Hydromancy_, _AEromancy_,\n_Geomancy_, _Pyromancy_, _Nigromancy_, and the like: But my present\npurpose and intent is directed to reveal Natures Secrets, that all the\nLovers of Art, and the Children which seek and desire wisdom, may by\nGods Grace, Blessing, and Permission, easily understand, observe, mark,\nand likewise after diligent observation learn, & retain something that\nis beneficial; this concerns the generation of Metals in two parts, in\nthe great and in the little World, as likewise what is the true Medicine\ncontained in the inward part of those Metallick and Mineral Forms, which\nmust be apprehended and made moveable by their dissection that their\nfirst beginning may be made notoriously visible in three distinct\nthings; Then is Nature stript, and her secret parts discovered by laying\noff her temporal Cloathing, and all the secret Virtues, Powers, and,\nOperations revealed for Mans Health. My Persecutors, and, indiscreet\nPhysicians will now tell me, thou talkest much of Geese, and knowest not\na Duck; who knows whether all what thou writest be true? I will stick\nwhere I am, and remain by what I have tried, and bears the sway among\nall my Associates and Physitians; so shall I not be deceived, and am\nassured that I shall not need to take paines to learn any new Matter. He\nthat is of such a resolution, may remain with the Ducks; for he is not\nworthy of a roasted Goose, nor to learn what is concealed in Nature.\n\nBut this in truth I acknowledge, and confess it before the Supreme\nTrinity, speaking it to the hazzard of that most Noble Ecclesiastical\nJewel, that all what I have wrote, and yet shall write in this point, is\nall true, and shall be found to be no otherwise in truth: But that every\nignorant, or vulgar person, which are haters and persecutors of this\nMystery, do not well, fully, and clearly understand my Writings at\nfirst; alas! that cannot I help; pray unto God for his Grace, and ye\nPersecutors for pardon, labour without repining, read with\nunderstanding, then will no Mystery be withheld from you, but will be\nvery easie for you to find out. I moreover admonish, that the finder of\nthis gift of God, above all things give thanks unto God day and night\nwithout ceasing, with all reverence and due obedience, from the bottom\nof his heart; because no Creature can yield sufficient praise which may\nrecompense so great a benefit; but Diligence is known by a right and\ntrue industry according to our capacity. I have done my part, which I\nhope to justifie before God and the World; for what my Eyes have seen,\nmy Hands felt, and apprehended by an undeceived Judgment, that shall no\nman take from me in this Life; only Death, which is the determiner of\nall things.\n\nThis my Speech hath indeed had no force to poure forth from it what is\nwritten by me herein; but what I have done is not out of curiosity, nor\nout of a desire of vain and transitory Glory; but I have been induced\nthereunto by the Command of Christ the Lord, that his Glory and Goodness\nin eternal and temporal Matters, should not be concealed from any man,\nbut to the praise, honour, and glory of his holy everlasting Name, that\nit might be exalted, acknowledged, and revealed in his Majesty by reason\nof his Highness and Almightiness, through the confirmation of his\nwonderful Deeds! And secondly, I have been led thereunto by Love and\nCharity towards my Neighbour, for his good as for my own, and to heap\nburning Coals on my Enemies heads. And last of all, that all Opposers\nmay know, what erroneous waies others have gone against me, and whether\nI am most of all to be condemned, or they adjudged most just in what\nhath been written most truly of the concealments of Nature; & likewise\nthat the supremest Mystery may not quite be suffocated in darkness, nor\nbe drowned in overflowing waters, but be delivered out of the deep and\nfilthy mire of the Ideotish Crew by the right appearance of the true\nLight, and obtain many witnesses by the spreading abroad of a sure,\ntrue, and right Confession, who may follow me in the Writings of Truth.\nIn my Nativity of the twelve Signes in the Zodiack, _Sagitary_ and\n_Pisces_ were allotted unto me; I was born under _Pisces_, for I was in\nWaterishness before my Life, but _Sagitary_ set an Arrow to my Heart,\nwhereby I lost my Waterishness, and by the heat I became worthy of the\ndry Earth; and although at the first the Earth was turned by the Water\ninto a soft substance, yet you must understand that the Water was\nconsumed by the heat of the drying Air, so that all the soft Matter of\nthe Earth went away, and by this drying up was dignified with a\nHardness; whereby thou Learner, and much Understander should carefully\nobserve and take good notice, that Tin is subject to all the four\nElements, as also to the other principal Planets; which Elements\nreceived their Center from above, and are generated as others.\n\nTo conclude, I let you know, and give you to understand, that if thou\nextract out of Benevolent _Jupiter_ its Salt and Sulphur, and lettest\n_Saturn_ flux well with it, _Saturn_ assumes a fixt body unto it, purges\nit self, and becomes clear thereby, there being a full change and real\ntransmutation of Lead into good Tin, which may be found to the height by\na durable infallible proof. And though you may think this to be false,\nyet you must take notice, that seeing the Salt of _Jupiter_ only by its\nSulphur is made more corporal, yet likewise it hath obtained an efficacy\nand power to penetrate _Saturn_, the basest and most volatile Metal, and\nbring it to a melioration of its Equals, as you will find it in\nreality.\n\n\n\n\nCHAP. IX.\n\n_Of the Spirit of_ Saturn, _or Tincture of_ Lead.\n\n\n_Saturn_ to generate his Metal Lead, is placed in the upper Heaven above\nall Stars, but he possesses the lowest and vilest degree in the\nunder-parts of the Earth, even as the supreme Light of _Saturn_ is\nmounted aloft in the highest supremacy of all the Celestial planets, so\nhath its Children of the lower Region succeeded it in Kind; and Nature\nhath permitted that _Vulcan_ should conduct them to their like, if\n_Saturn_ be content; for the upper light gives occasion thereunto,\nhaving generated an unfixt Body of _Saturn_, penetrated with open pores,\nthat the Air can pass through this _Saturnine_ Body, that the Air can\nkeep it aloft, but the fire can quickly assault it, because the body is\nnot compact by reason of its unfixedness, so that it must decay, which\nmust be in all points observed by him that will attain to the search of\nit; for there is a great difference between the fix'd and unfix'd\nbodies, and of the causes of their Constancy and Inconstancy. And though\n_Saturn_ hath an especial ponderosity above other Metals, yet observe,\nwhen they are poured forth together, after their union in the Flux, the\nother Metals alwaies settle at the bottom, even as it likewise comes to\npass in the pouring of _Antimony_ through with other Metals, whereby it\nis evident, that the other Metals fall through equally, and are more\ncompact than _Saturn_, for it must give place and preheminence to the\nother Metals, leaving the victory with them; for it must vanish and be\nquite consumed with the unfixt inconstant Metals; in it all the three\nproperties of the three principles are most course; and because its Salt\nis very fluxible above that of other Metals and Planets, so is its Body\nmore fluxible, inconstant, unfixt, and volatile, than any other\nMetallick Body. As _Saturn_ steps to its regeneration, so know that in\nlike manner, as common Water is forced by the natural coldness, by the\nchange of the Heavens, whereby it becomes a coagulated Ice, in like\nmanner is it to be made evident, that by reason of the great coldness\nwhich is found to be in the Salt of _Saturn_ above other Salts; _Saturn_\nis also coagulated and made corporal; Ice dissolves into water by heat;\nso likewise the coagulated _Saturn_ is made fluxible by Fire, it hath\nmost of _Mercury_ in it, but it is inconstant and volatile; it hath\nleast of Sulphur, and therefore according to its small quantity its cold\nbody cannot be made warm; it hath little Salt, but fluxible, otherwise\nIron would be more fluxible and malleable than Lead, if the Salt alone\ncould cause a malleableness and fluxibleness, because Iron contains more\nSalt than any other Metal: Seeing then there is a difference to be found\nin this point, you must therefore observe and remember the difference,\nand how to distinguish between Metals.\n\nAll Philosophers have wrote as well as I, that the Salt gives the\nCoagulation and Body to every Metal; and it is true; but to prove it by\nan example, how and after what manner this Relation is to be understood:\nPlume Allom is esteemed to be only a meer Salt, and is approved to be\nsuch, which in this particular may be compared to Iron, that the Salt of\nthe Plume Allom is found to be a thing unfluxible as Iron is. On the\nother side, _Vitriol_ likewise is a Salt, manifesting it self in a small\nquantity, but fluxible and open, therefore its Salt cannot yield such a\nhard congelation unto its appropriated Metal, as the other can; although\nall the Salts of Metals grew out of one certain Root, and out of one\nSeed, yet nevertheless you must observe a difference in their three\nPrinciples, as also you must observe & remember, that a difference is\nfound in one Herb from the other, and likewise how man differs from\nother Creatures and Animals in Qualities, Original, and the three\nPrinciples; for one Herb is indued with more of this, another with more\nof that kind, which in like manner is to be understood concerning Man\nand other Animals. The Soul of Lead consists in a sweet quality, as also\ndoth the Soul of Tin, and sweeter yet, that nothing almost may be\ncompared to it, being first of all purified to the highest by\nseparation, that the pure be well separated from the impure, that a\nperfect accomplishment may succeed in the Operation: Otherwise the\nSpirit of Lead is by nature cold and dry, wherefore I advise, that it\nbe not much used by Men and Women, because it over cools Nature, so that\nthe Seed of both cannot perform their Natural Function; nor doth it much\ngood to the Spleen and Bladder, but in other cases it attracts\nflegmatick Humours unto it, which raise up much Melancholy in Men; for\n_Saturn_ is a Ruler, and such a _Melancholicus_, whereby a Man is\nconfirm'd in his Melancholy, wherefore its Spirit is used, for one\nMelancholy Spirit attracts another unto it, whereby Mans Body is freed\nand delivered from its infused Melancholy. Externally the Soul of\n_Saturn_ is so healing, in all Sores old or new, Cuts, Thrusts, or\nAccidents by Means or Nature, so that no Metal can do the like; it is\ncooling in all hot, tumified Members; but Noble _Venus_ hath the\npre-eminence to mundifie and cauterize all putrid Sores, and to lay a\nground for their Cure, which have their access from within; for in her\nessence she is hot to dry up, but _Saturn_ on the contrary is found to\nbe cold in his Essence.\n\nThe Celestial Light of the Sun is much hotter than the Light of the\nMoon; for the Moon is much lesser than the Sun, and according to its\ndimension and division it contains an eighth part of the greatness in\nits Circle; if then the Moon in this her Magnitude of the eighth part\ncould excel the Sun, as the Sun excels the Moon, all Fruits and\nProductions of the Earth must perish, and there would be a perpetual\nWinter, no Summer to be found at any time: But the Eternal Creator hath\nin this case well ordained a certain Order and Law for his Creatures,\nthat the Sun should give light by day, and the Moon by night, and so all\nCreatures should be served. Those Children which are subject to the\ninfluence of _Saturn_, are melancholy, churlish, continually murmuring,\nas old covetous people, who do no good to their own Bodies, and yet\nnever have enough; they put their Bodies to much labour, torment\nthemselves with thoughts and whimsies, seldom recreate themselves, or\nare merry with other people, nor do they greatly regard the natural love\nof fair Women.\n\nIn brief, I tell thee that _Saturn_ is generated of little Sulphur,\nlittle Salt, and much unripe gross _Mercury_, which _Mercury_ is to be\nesteemed as a Froth that floates upon the Water, in comparison of that\n_Mercury_ which is found in _Sol_; and is much more hot in its degree,\nand therefore the _Mercury_ of _Saturn_ by reason of its great coldness,\nhath not so quick a running Life as that which is made of Gold, wherein\nmore heat is to be found, whence that running Life hath its original:\nTherefore in the inferiour world we must take notice of little _Vulcan_\nin the augmentation and transmutation of Metals, as I have described\nthose three Principles of _Saturn_, as concerning their descent, nature,\nand complection. And every one must know, that no transmutation of any\nMetal can follow out of _Saturn_, by reason of its great coldness, only\nand except to coagulate common _Mercury_; for the cold Sulphur of Lead\ncan qualifie and take away the hot running Spirit of the Quicksilver,\nif the process be rightly ordered, wherefore it is not amiss to observe,\nthat _Mercury_ is so detained, that the Theory should agree with the\nPractick, and meet together in a certain measure and concordance. You\nmust not therefore quite reject _Saturn_, nor in all points scornfully\nneglect him, because its Natures and Virtues are known yet but unto few;\nfor the Stone of the wise hath the first beginning of its Celestial,\nhigh-shining Colour only out of this Metal, and from the influence of\nthis Planet, the Key of Constancy is delivered unto him by putrefaction,\nbecause the red cannot be made out of the yellow, except before-hand a\nwhite be made out of the beginning of the black.\n\nI could yet treat variously, and at large of many wonderful works of\nNatural and Supernatural things. But because other Labours prevent me\ntherein, of making a longer Narration, I therefore put a Conclusion to\nthis Treatise at present, referring the other concerning the concealed\nSecrets of Minerals until I have a purpose to write further, in a\nparticular Treatise of _Antimony_, _Vitriol_, _Brimstone_, _Magnet_, and\nwhich in especial are endowed before others, and depend upon those, out\nof which Gold and Silver have their beginning, middle and end, together\nwith the true transmutation particularly; which virtues and power they\nhave received out of one thing, wherein all these lie to be generated\ninvisibly concealed, together with all Metals; which matter is publick\nbefore the eyes of all men, but because the vertues and powers are very\ndeeply buried and unknown to the most part, therefore this matter is\nlikewise esteemed as nothing, or of no value, and unprofitable, out of\nignorance; even as the Disciples of the Lord going to _Emaus_, their\neyes were opened at the breaking of Bread, that they knew wonder above\nwonder, what the rich Creator hath placed in the vile creature, the name\nis _Hermes_, who carries a flying Serpent in his Shield, having a Wife\nwhose Name is _Aphrodita_, who can know the Hearts of all men, and yet\nall is one, and one only thing, one only Essence, which is common in all\nPlaces, and known every where, every one grasps it with his hands, and\nuses it in vile matters, and of small value; he values the vile at a\nhigh rate, and that which is high he casts away; it is nothing else but\nWater and Fire, out of which the Earth is generated by the help of the\nAir, and is yet preserved. Praise be to the most High for his Gifts: At\npresent enough is revealed what my intent was to shew in this Treatise,\nand so I depart hence; for in separation all is to be found.\n\n\n\n\n_Of the Medicine or Tincture of_ Antimony_, as well to preserve Mans\nBody in Health, and to divert all desperate, and incurable Diseases, as\nalso to cure the Leprosie of Metals, to purifie and to transmute them\ninto the best Gold._\n\n_Written by that Noble and Learned Philosopher_, Roger Bacon.\n\n\n_Stibium_ or _Antimony_, as the Philosophers say, is composed of a Noble\nMineral Sulphur, which they accounted to be the black secret Lead of the\nWise.\n\nThe _Arabians_ call it _Asmat_ or _Azmat_; the Alchymists retain the\nName _Antimony_.\n\n_Addition._ The _Moors_ call it _Antimony_, others call it _Alabaster_,\nor _Tarbason_. By the _Arabians_ and _Spaniards_ it is called _Alcohol_.\n_Avicennae_ c. 7. calls it _Artemed_. _Alexius_ of _Piedmont_, in his\nseventh Book of Secrets, calls it _Talck_, even as _John Jacob Wecker_\nrenders it in his Books of Secrets; but _Talck_ is far different from\n_Antimony_. _Pliny_, Book 33. Chap. 6. of _Antimony_. _Dioscorides_\ngives a preparation of _Antimony_, Book 5. Chap. 39. They call it also\n_Stibi_, _Stimmi_, _&c._ The _Germans_ call it _Spies glass_, or as\n_George Fabricius_ would rather have it, _Spies glantz_. _Gerlandius_\ncalls it Black _Alcophil_, _Altofel_, or _Alirnu_, others _Cosmet_, and\nit is twofold, Masculine and Feminine.\n\nIt will lead us to the consideration of higher Mysteries, if we behold\nand discern that Nature wherein Gold is exalted, even as the _Magi_ have\nfound that this Mineral is by God ordained under the Constellation of\n_Aries_, which is the first Celestial Sign, wherein the Sun takes its\nExaltation, though this be not regarded by the Vulgar; yet discreet\npeople will know, and the better observe, that even in this place also\nthe Mysteries and Perpetuity may in part be considered with great\nbenefit, and in part discovered.\n\nBut some ignorant and indiscreet people think, that when they had\n_Antimony_, they would deal well enough with it by Calcination, others\nby Sublimation, and some by Reverberation, thereby to obtain its great\nMystery and perfect Medicine. But I tell you, that here in this place\nit availes not in the least, either Calcination, Sublimation, or\nReverberation, whereby afterwards a perfect extraction can or might be\ndone or effected with profit, to transmute the meaner into a better\nMetallick virtue; for it is impossible for you.\n\nBe not deluded; some of the Philosophers which have wrote of such\nthings, as _Geber_, _Albertus Magnus_, _Rasis_, _Rupecissa_,\n_Aristotle_, and many others: But observe this: Some say, that if\n_Antimony_ be made to a _Vitrum_ or Glass, the bad volatile Sulphur is\ngone, and the Oil which may be prepared out of that Glass, will be a\nvery fixt Oil, and will really give an ingress and Medicine of\nperfection to the imperfect Metals.\n\nThese words and opinion are good and true, but it will not be nor\nappear such indeed; for I tell you truly, without concealed speeches,\nthat if you lose any of the aforesaid _Sulphur_ in the Preparation or\nBurning, for a small fire may easily prejudice it, you then have lost\nthe true penetrating Spirit, which should make the whole Body of\n_Antimony_ to a perfect red Oyl, which should also ascend over the helm\nwith a delightful sent, and curious Colours; observe likewise, that the\nwhole Body of this Mineral, with all its Members, should be but one Oyl,\nand ascend over the helm without any loss of weight, excepting the\n_feces_.\n\nHow should the Body be brought to an Oil, or yield its pleasant Oil, if\nit be brought to the last being of its degree, for Glass is in all\nthings the utmost and last.\n\nYou shall likewise know that you shall not obtain that perfect noble Oil\nin the least, if it be extracted with corrected Vinegar poured upon the\n_Antimony_, nor yet by Reverberation; and although its various colours\nmay appear, yet is it not the right way; you may indeed get an Oil, but\nyou must know that it hath no part of the Tincture, or power of\ntransmutation in it.\n\n\n_Now we come to the Manual Operation._\n\nTake in the Name of God, and of the Eternal Trinity, fine and very pure\nMineral _Antimony_, which is fair, white, massie, and inwardly full of\nyellow Streaks or Veins, and likewise of red and blew Colours, and\nsmall Veins, this is the best; pound it to fine Powder, dissolve it by\nlittle and little in _Aqua Regis_, that the Water may conquer it. After\nSolution take it out immediately that the _Aqua Regis_ may do it no\nprejudice; for it will quickly dissolve the Tincture of the _Antimony_;\nfor our Water in its nature is like to the _Ostrich_, which by his heat\ncan digest Iron, and consume it to nothing; for the Water will consume\nit, and turn it to a Mud, that it shall remain only as a yellow Earth,\nand then is it quite spoiled.\n\nTake an Example hereof from Silver, which is dissolved, fair, pure and\nfine in these our Waters, but if it stand a night therein while the\nWater is strong and full of Spirits, I tell you, your good Silver will\nbe corroded to nothing in these our Waters; and though you would reduce\nit into a Massie Body, you cannot; for it will remain as a pale yellow\nEarth, and sometimes it will run together in the form of Horn, or of a\nwhite Horse Hoof, which you can by no Art reduce into a Body.\n\nWherefore you must remember to take the _Antimony_ out presently after\nthe Solution, precipitate and adulterate it according to the custom of\n_Alchymists_, that it may not be corroded with its perfect Oil by the\nWater, and burnt up to nothing.\n\n\n_The Water wherein we dissolve is thus made._\n\nR. _Vitriol_, a pound and a half, _Salt-Armoniac_ one pound, _Azinat_\none pound, _Salt-nitre_ a pound and a half, _Salt-gemme_ one pound,\n_Allom_ half a pound; these are the Ingredients which belong unto the\nmaking of the Water for the Solution of _Antimony_.\n\nTake and mix them well together; at first distil very slowly, for the\nSpirits ascend with greater violence than those of any other common\n_Aqua fortis_; beware of its Spirits; for their Fumes are very subtile\nand hurtful in their penetration.\n\nWhen you have adulterated the _Antimony_ well and purely from the\ncorrosive Water, then put it into a clean Vial, poure good distilled\nVinegar upon it, set it forty dayes and nights to putrefie in\nHorse-dung, or in _Balneum Mariae_, it will be bloud-red. Take it out,\nand see how much is yet to be dissolved, decant off gently the pure and\nclear, which is red into a Glass-Gourd, poure other Vinegar upon the\n_Faeces_ as before, that if any thing should yet remain therein, it might\nbe dissolved; this must be done four times in fourty days and nights;\nfor if any good be in the _Faeces_, it will be dissolved in that time,\nthen cast the Dregs away as unprofitable, being but Dirt, and to be cast\nto the Dunghill.\n\nPut all the Solutions in a glass-Gourd into _Balneum Mariae_, distil all\nthe tart Vinegar from it, pour it on again, or else pour fresh, if this\nbe too weak, it will quickly dissolve in the Vinegar; distil it again\nfrom it, that the Matter be quite dry; then take common distilled water,\nwash all tartness from it with the Vinegar imparted to the Matter, then\ndry the Matter in the Sun, which is of a very deep red, or else dry it\nvery well at a gentle fire.\n\nWhen the Philosophers find our _Antimony_ thus secretly prepared, they\nsay then that its external nature and virtue is inverted internally, and\nthe internal cast forth externally, henceforth becoming an Oil, which is\nconcealed in its innermost and profoundest part, till it be well\nprepared, and cannot any more be brought into its first Essence, untill\nthe last Judgment; and it is true, for so soon as it feels the force of\nthe fire, it flies away in a Vapour with all its parts, because it is\nvolatile.\n\nSome of the common Laborators, having thus prepared _Antimony_, they\ntake one part out because of its consumption, that they may the better\noperate it, they mix with it one part of _Salt-Armoniac_, one part of\nthe _Vitrum_ (with others _Titrum_) one part of the _Rebooth_ (with\nothers _Cadoli_) wherewith the Bodies are cleansed; this mixture they\ncast upon a pure _Luna_, and if there were eight Ounces of the _Luna_,\nthey found ten Drams of good Gold in the separation, and sometimes more;\nand by this work they gained wherewithal to bear their Charges, the\nbetter to attend upon, and attain unto the great Work. The ignorant\ncalled this an induction into the Silver, but that is false; for this\nGold is not brought into it by the Spirits, but every kind of Silver\nhath one Ounce of Gold more or less in the Mark (or 8 Ounces) for Gold\nis so united with the Nature of Silver, that it cannot be separated from\nit, either by _Aqua fort_, or common _Antimony_, as the _Gold-smiths_\nknow.\n\nBut when the aforesaid Composition is cast upon the _Luna_ in the flux,\nthen happens such a separation, that the _Luna_ doth freely let go the\nGold implanted therein into the _Aqua fort_, and is separated from it,\nletting it precipitate and sink to the bottom, which otherwise could not\nbe done at all. Therefore it is not an induction into the _Luna_, but a\nbringing out of it.\n\nBut we return again to our proposed Work; for we would have only the\nOil, which was only known to the Wise, and not to the Ignorant.\n\nWhen you have rubified the _Antimony_ very well according to the former\nDirections, you must have in readiness a Spirit of wine well rectified,\npour it over the red Powder of _Antimony_, set it four daies and nights\nin a gentle _Balneum Mariae_, that it may dissolve very well. And if\nthen any of it remain undissolved, pour fresh Spirit of Wine upon it,\nset it again into the Bath as aforesaid, all will be well dissolved; and\nif perhaps any more _Faeces_ remain, they will be very few, cast them\naway, for they are good for nothing. Put the Solution into a\nglass-Gourd, with a Head luted upon it, set it into _Balneum Mariae_,\nwith its receiver to take the Spirits, distil slowly with a slack heat,\ntill all the Spirit of Wine be come over, pour it in again upon the dry\nmatter, draw it off again as before; this pouring in & abstracting\ncontinue so often, till you see the Spirit of Wine ascend over the helm\nin various colours, then it is time that you follow it with a strong\nfire, then with the Spirit of Wine ascend red into the helm, and drop\ninto the Receiver like a bloody Oil, and the tender Body ascends like a\nred Oil, dropping into the Receiver; truly this is the most secret way\nof the Wise, the so much applauded Oil of _Antimony_; it is a noble,\nwell sented, virtuous, and powerful Oil, as you shall hear afterwards.\n\nBut here I will teach and instruct you poor Operators another way,\nbecause you have not the Means to attend the great work, not as the\nAncients did, with the separation of Gold out of Silver.\n\nWherefore take one part of the Oil, or half an Ounce of _Saturn_, four\nOunces calcined according to Art, pour the Oil upon the _Calx_ of\n_Saturn_, mixing it, set it ten daies and nights in the heat, into the\nsecret Furnace; every two days augment the fire one degree, according to\nthe capacity of the Furnace; after four days and nights set it into the\nthird degree of Fire, therein let it rest three days and nights, then\nopen the Door or Vent of the fourth degree, which must likewise continue\nthree days and nights; afterwards take it out, the _Saturn_ will be\nabove black, like unto Charcole dust, but under this black dust you will\nfind other Colours, throughout pure, red, yellow, which flux with\n_Venetian Borax_, you will find it converted into good Gold by the power\nof our Oil, so have you means again to set forward the great work.\n\nWe return again to our purpose, where we left off before. You have\nheard, and have been instructed how to abstract the Spirit of Wine with\nthe Oil over the helm into the Receiver, and to use it for the work to\nconvert _Saturn_ into Gold. But we will now hasten to the other work of\nthe Tincture, and give advice concerning it. It will therefore be\nnecessary to separate the Spirit of Wine again from the Oil, which do as\nfolloweth;\n\nTake the mixture of the Spirit of Wine, and of the Oil, set it into\n_Balneum Mariae_; distil the Spirit of Wine only from the Oil with a very\nslack heat, so that you may be assured that there is no more of the\nSpirit to be found in this most precious Oil, which you may easily try;\nwhen you see some of the drops ascend over with the Spirit of Wine, it\nis a sign that the Spirit of Wine is separated from the Oil, then\nremove all the fire from under the Bath, how little soever it be, that\nit may cool the sooner. Take away the Receiver with the Spirit of Wine,\nstop it very close, for it is full of Spirits which it hath retained\nfrom the Oil, as you will hear afterwards: But in _Balneum Mariae_ you\nwill find that blessed Oil of _Antimony_ red as Bloud; take it out, wash\nthe Lute off by gentle mollification, that nothing impure may fall into\nthat curious red Oil, when you take the head off; reserve it carefully,\nthat by no means it may receive prejudice, for you have a Celestial Oil,\nwhich in a dark night shines like a glowing Cole, and this is the\nreason, because its internal power and soul is cast forth externally,\nthe hidden Soul being now revealed, shining through the pure Body as a\nCandle through a Lanthorn, even so at the last day, these our invisible\ninternal Souls shall be revealed, and seen out of the Body, shining as\nthe clear Sun: So keep each apart, as well the Spirit of wine full of\npower, and wonderful in curing humane Distempers, as also the blessed,\nred, noble, celestial Oil, which transmutes all the Diseases of the\nimperfect Metals into the perfection of Gold; and the power of the\nspiritual Wine extends very far being rightly used.\n\nI tell you, you have obtained a Celestial Medicine, to cure all the\nDiseases and Distempers of Mans Body; its use is, as followeth;\n\n\n_In the Gout._\n\nGive three drops in a Cup of Wine fasting to the Party, just at the time\nwhen he feels the beginning of his misery, anguish and pain to come upon\nhim, the second and third, use it in like manner; it allaies all pain\nthe first day how great soever it be, and prevents Swelling; the second\nday it causes Sweat, which is very nasty, tough and thick, very soure in\ntaste, and of an evil sent, and most of all in those parts where the\nMembers are united and joined together by the Joints; and if you should\ngive none in the third day, yet will there be a purgation of the Veins,\nand of the Excrements, without any molestation or pain; is not this a\ngreat power of Nature?\n\n\n_In the Leprosie._\n\nAt the first time take six drops fasting, and cause the impure party to\nbe alone, free from sound people, in a place far distant, and\ncommodious; for all his Body will begin to send forth Fumes and Steams,\nlike unto a stinking Fog, and Vapours abundantly; the next will Scales\nand much Uncleanness fall from his Body; then let him have three drops\nof this Medicine, and let him take it in on the fourth day, afterwards\non the eighth or ninth day by the assistance of Gods Grace and Blessing,\nhe will be quite clean.\n\n\n_In the Apoplexie._\n\nLet one drop fall upon the tongue of the Patient, it will attract it\nforth immediately like unto a Mist or Fume, and restore the party again;\nbut if he were taken in the Body, or in the Members and Limbs, then give\nhim three drops at once in good wine, as you have been taught in the\nGout.\n\n\n_In the Dropsie._\n\nGive one drop in baulm water, or Valerian water six days together, the\nseventh day give three drops in good wine, and it is sufficient.\n\n\n_In the Falling Sickness, and its kinds, as Epilepsie, Catalepsie, and\nAnalepsie._\n\nIn the beginning of the Fit give the Patient two drops in Sage-water,\nafter three hours, give him three drops more, and it is sufficient. But\nif in case any thing should stir again, give him two drops, as hath been\nsaid.\n\n\n_In a Hectick._\n\nGive the party two drops the first day in water of Violets, the second\nday two drops more in good Wine.\n\n\n_In Agues._\n\nGive the party three drops in the beginning of the Fit, early in a\nmorning, in good distilled water of St. _John_'s wort, or of Succory,\nand the next day two drops more fasting.\n\n\n_In the Plague._\n\nGive the Patient seven drops in good Wine, let the infected party be\nalone, and let him sweat well upon it, by the Divine Assistance that\npoison will not prejudice him as to his Life.\n\n\n_For a prolongation of a healthful Life._\n\nTake and give two drops at the beginning and entrance of the Spring, and\nin the beginning or entrance of Autumn likewise two drops; every one\nthat so takes it, is freed, and well preserved from unhealthful and\ninfectious Air, except the Disease were by Almighty God ordained for the\ndeath of the party.\n\nWe will now step further to the Oil, and its Power, and shew how by it\nthe Diseases of the impure Bodies of the Metals may be cured.\n\nIn the Name of God, take very pure, fine, refined Gold, as much as you\nwill, or think to be sufficient, dissolve it in a rectified Wine, as is\nusual to make _Aqua vitae_; after solution of the Gold, set it a Moneth\nin digestion; this distil in a Bath very slow and gently, distil the\nSpirit of Wine divers times from it, so long till you see your Gold lie\nat the bottom like a Juice: This is the true way and meaning of some of\nthe Ancients, to prepare Gold. But I will shew and teach you a way much\nreadier, better, and more beneficial; that in stead of this prepared\nGold, you take one part of the _Mercury_ of Gold, as I have taught the\nmaking of it in another place; abstract from it its water of Airiness,\nthat it may be a subtle Dust, and take two parts of our blessed Oil,\npoure the Oil very slowly upon the Dust of the _Mercury_ of Gold, till\nall be in it, set it in a Vial well sealed, in the heat of the first\ndegree of the secret Furnace; therein let it stand ten dayes and nights,\nyour Powder and Oil will be quite dry, of a black gray colour. After ten\ndays give it the heat of the second degree, the gray and black colour\nwill by little and little become white, till at last it will be of a\nheavenly white, and at the end of the ten days it will begin to be of a\npure red, but let not this trouble you; for all these Colours proceed\nonly from the _Mercury_ of Gold, which swallowed up our blessed Oil,\nand now conceals in the innermost part of its Body; but our Oil will\nconquer this _Mercury_ of Gold by the power of the fire, and cast it\nforth from within, and the Oil will predominate over it with its hot red\nColour, and be continually outwards. And therefore it will be time,\nafter the expiration of twenty days, that you open the window of the\nthird degree, wherein the external white Colour and Power will by little\nand little enter in into the inward part, and the internal red Colour\nwill turn outward by the force of the fire. Keep this degree of heat ten\ndays without diminution or augmentation of it, you will see a Powder\nwhich before was white, to be now very red, but let not redness trouble\nyou, for 'tis yet unfix'd and volatile. And after these ten days are\nended, thirty days being in all expired, then open the last window of\nthe last degree of fire, keep it ten days in this degree, this high red\npouder will then begin to flux, let it stand so in flux the ten days,\nthen take it out, you will find at the bottom a very high, red,\ntransparent stone of a Ruby Colour, flux'd according to the form of the\nGlass, as is taught in the Treatise of _Vitriol_, wherewith you may make\nprojection. Praise God for such his high Revelation, and thank him for\never, _Amen_.\n\n\n_Its Multiplication._\n\nThe Ancient Wise, having found the Stone, and prepared it to a perfect\npower, and mutation of the imperfect Metals into Gold, have a long time\nenquired whether a thing were not to be found to augment the power of\nthe Stone; and they found two kinds of Augmentation, one of the power of\nit, so that the Stone may be brought much higher; of this multiplication\nyou will find direction in the Treatise of Gold. The other Augmentation\nis an augmentation of the quantity of the Stone, in its former power, so\nthat it receives no more, nor loses any thing of its power, though it\nincrease in weight, and augment more and more, that out of one Ounce\nmany Ounces arise and increase.\n\nThe Augmentation or Multiplication is done as followeth; Take your Stone\nin Gods Name, grind it to a subtile powder, add to it as much of the\n_Mercury_ of Gold, as is taught before, put them together into a fine\nround Vial, seal it hermetically, set it into the fiery Furnace,\nproceeding as you have been instructed before, only this time is\nshorter, for whereas before you had ten (thirty) days, now you need no\nmore than four (ten) days, otherwise the work is one and the same.\n\nPraise and give thanks to Almighty God for his high Revelation, continue\nin Prayer for his Grace and Divine Blessing in this Art and Operation,\nas likewise for continuance of Health and Prosperity; withal let the\npoor be recommended to your Help and Charity.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n_Glory be to Almighty God._\n\n\n\n\n_A Work of_ Saturn, _of Mr._ John Isaac Holland.\n\n\nThe PREFACE.\n\nCourteous Reader,\n\n_The_ PHILOSOPHERS _have written much of their Lead which is prepared\nout of_ Antimony, _as_ Basilius _hath taught; and I am of the opinion,\nthat this Saturnine Work of the most_ _excellent Philosopher M._ John\nIsaac Holland _is not to be understood of common Lead_, (_if the Matter\nof the Stone be not much more thereby intended_) _but of the_\nPhilosophers _Lead. But whether the Vulgar_ Saturn _be the Matter of the\nPhilosophers Stone, thereof you will receive sufficient satisfaction\nfrom the subsequent 17 Considerations or Documents. This is published\nfor the benefit of all the Lovers of this Art, because it expounds and\ndeclares the Stone of Fire._ Vale.\n\n\n_A Work of_ Saturn\n\n_In the Name of the Lord_, Amen.\n\nMy Child shall know, that the Stone called the _Philosophers Stone_,\ncomes out of _Saturn_. And therefore when it is perfected, it makes\nprojection, as well in mans Body from all Diseases, which may assault\nthem either within or without, be they what they will, or called by what\nname soever, as also in the imperfect Metals.\n\nAnd know, my Child, for a Truth, that in the whole vegetable work there\nis no higher nor greater Secret than in _Saturn_; for we do not find\nthat perfection in Gold which is in _Saturn_; for internally it is good\nGold, herein all Philosophers agree, and it wants nothing else, but that\nfirst you remove what is superfluous in it, that is, its impurity, and\nmake it clean, and then that you turn its inside outwards, which is its\nredness, then will it be good Gold; for Gold cannot be made so easily,\nas you can of _Saturn_, for _Saturn_ is easily dissolved and congealed,\nand its _Mercury_ may be easily extracted, and this _Mercury_ which is\nextracted from _Saturn_, being purified and sublimed, as _Mercury_ is\nusually sublimed, I tell thee, my Child, that the same _Mercury_ is as\ngood as the _Mercury_ which is extracted out of Gold, in all operations;\nfor if _Saturn_ be Gold internally, as in truth it is, then must its\n_Mercury_ be as good as the _Mercury_ of Gold, therefore I tell you,\nthat _Saturn_ is better in our work than Gold; for if you should extract\nthe _Mercury_ out of Gold, it would require a years space to open the\nbody of Gold, before you can extract the _Mercury_ out of the Gold, and\nyou may extract the _Mercury_ out of _Saturn_ in 14 days, both being\nalike good.\n\nWould you make a work out of Gold alone, you must labour two whole years\nupon it, if it shall be well done: and you may finish a work of _Saturn_\nin 30 or 32 weeks at the most. And being both well made, they are both\nalike good; _Saturn_ costs nothing or very little, it requires a short\ntime, and small labour; this I tell you in truth.\n\nMy Child, lock this up in thy heart and understanding, this [Symbol:\nSaturn] is the Stone which the Philosophers will not name, whose name is\nconcealed unto this day; for if its name were known, then many would\noperate, and the Art would be common, because this work is short, and\nwithout charge, a small and mean work.\n\nTherefore doth the name remain concealed; for the evils sake which might\nthence proceed. All the strange Parables which the Philosophers have\nspoken mystically, of a Stone, a Moon, a Furnace, a Vessel, all this is\n_Saturn_; for you must not put any strange thing unto it, only what\ncomes from it, therefore there, is none so poor in this world, which\ncannot operate and promote this work; for _Luna_ may be easily made of\n_Saturn_, in a short time, and in a little longer time _Sol_ may be made\nout of it. And though a man be poor, yet may he very well attain unto\nit, and may be employed to make the _Philosophers Stone_.\n\nWherefore my Child, all is concealed in _Saturn_, which we have need of,\nfor in it is a perfect _Mercury_, in it are all the Colours of the\nworld, which may be discovered in it; in it are the true black, white\nand red Colours, in it is the weight, it is our _Lattin_.\n\n\n_Example._\n\nThe eye of a man cannot endure any thing that is imperfect, how little\nsoever it be, though it be the least Atome of Dust, it would cause much\npain, that he can rest no where. But if you take the quantity of a Bean\nof _Saturn_, shave it smooth and round, put it into the Eye, it will\ncause no pain at all; the reason is, because it is internally perfect,\neven as Gold and Precious Stones. By these and other Speeches you may\nobserve, that _Saturn_ is our _Philosophers Stone_, and our _Latten_,\nout of which our _Mercury_ and our Stone is extracted with small Labour,\nlittle Art and Expence, and in a short time.\n\nWherefore I admonish you, my Child, and all those who know its name,\nthat you conceal it from people, by reason of the evil which might\nthence arise; and you shall call the Stone our _Laton_, and call the\nVinegar Water, wherein our Stone is to be wash'd; this is the Stone and\nthe Water whereof the Philosophers have wrote so many great Volumes.\n\nThere are many and different works in the Mineral Stone, and especially\nin that Stone which God hath given us _gratis_, whereof many strange\nParables are written in the Mineral Book.\n\nBut this is the true Stone, which the Philosophers have sought, because\nit makes projection upon all the imperfect Metals, especially upon quick\n_Mercury_, and moreover it makes projection upon all diseases\nwhatsoever, which may come into mans Body, as likewise upon all Wounds,\n_Cancer_, _Fistulaes_, _open Sores_, _Buboes_, _Imposthumes_, and all\nwhatsoever can come externally upon mans Body, therefore this Stone is\nnot under the Mineral work, but under the Vegetable.\n\nIt is the beginning of the Vegetable Book, and the principal; this Stone\nis called _Lapis Philosophorum_, the Mineral Stone is called _Lapis\nMineralis_, and the third Stone is called _Lapis Animalis_. This Stone\nis the true _Aurum potabile_, the true Quinessence which we seek, and no\nother thing else in this world but this Stone. Therefore the\nPhilosophers say, whosoever knows our Stone, and can prepare it, needs\nno more, wherefore they sought this thing and no other.\n\nMy Child shall take 10, 12, or 15 pound of _Saturn_, wherein is no\nmixture of any other Metal; laminate it thin, have in readiness a great\nStone Jugg, half full of Vinegar, stop the Jugg very close, set it in a\nLukewarm Bath, every three or four days scrape off the calcin'd _Saturn_\nfrom the Plates, and reserve it apart, thus do so long till you have 5\nor 6 _l._ of the calcin'd _Saturn_, then grind it very well on a Stone\nwith good distilled Wine-Vinegar, so as you may paint therewith, then\ntake two or three great Stone-pots, therein put the _Calx_ of _Saturn_\nwhich you ground, poure good distilled Wine-Vinegar upon it, that two\nparts of the Pot be full, stir it well together, stop the Pot close with\na polished Glass or Pebble-stone, set the Pots in a Bath, stir it four\nor five times in a day with a wooden Ladle, lay the Glass or Stone\nStopple again over it, make the Bath no hotter than that you may well\nendure your hand therein, that is, lukewarm; so let it stand fourteen\ndays and nights, then decant that which is clear into another Stone-pot,\npoure other distilled Vinegar upon the _Calx_ which is not well\ndissolved, mix them well together, set it 14 days in the Bath, again\ndecant it, and poure other Vinegar upon it as before. This decantation\nand pouring on continue so long till all the _Calx_ of _Saturn_ be\ndissolved, then take all the dissolved _Saturn_, set it in a Bath,\nevaporate the Vinegar by a small fire, the _Saturn_ will become a powder\nor lump. Or stir it about until it be dry, you have a mass or powder of\na dark yellow, or honey colour, then grind the powder again very finely\nupon a Stone with distilled Vinegar; put it into a stone-pot, stir and\nmix it well together, set it again into a Bath, which is but lukewarm\nso let it stand five or six dayes, stir it every day from the top to the\nbottom with a wooden Ladle, cover it again with the glass-Stopple, then\nlet it cool, poure off that which is dissolved into a great stone pot,\npoure other Vinegar upon it, mix and stir them well together, set it\ninto the Bath as before, reiterate this decantation and pouring on so\noften, till no more will dissolve, which try with your tongue, if it be\nsweet, it is not enough dissolved, or put some of it into a glass-gourd,\nlet it evaporate, if any thing remain, it is not yet all dissolved which\nwould be Gold, and then what remaines in the pot are _Faeces_, and sweet\nupon the Tongue; if you find any thing in the Gourd, it is not yet all\ndissolved, then may you poure fresh Vinegar upon it, till all be\ndissolved, then coagulate it as before, poure other Vinegar upon it,\nstir it, set it again into the Bath, reiterate this operation of\nsolution and coagulation so long till you find no more _Faeces_ at the\nbottom, but all be dissolved into a pure clear water, then is _Saturn_\nfreed from all its Leprousness, Melancholy, _Faeces_, and blackness,\nbeing pure and white as Snow, for it is cleansed from all its\nuncleanness, because its coldness stands outwards as _Luna_ doth, and\nits heat is internal, fluxible as wax, and sweet as sugar Candy.\n\n\n_Why is it as white as Snow?_\n\nBecause it is purified from all its impurities, and because its\ncoldness stands external as _Luna_ doth, and its heat is internal.\n\n\n_Why is it sweet?_\n\nBecause the four Elements in it are pure, and separated from all\nsulphurous stink and blackness, which _Saturn_ received in the Mine; it\nis almost Medicinal, and like unto Nature: And because it is so pure, it\naffords some of its internal virtue outwardly, as that of Sweetness; but\nthe heat is so covered with the cold, that it cannot put forth its power\nexternally by reason of the cold which is external (the heat of _Saturn_\nlies internal, even as in _Salt-Nitre_) as doth the Taste, the Spirit of\nTasting is the most subtile in all things, as is taught more at large in\nthe Book of Vegetables, how the Air doth dilate it self from all Herbs\nand Flowers externally; for the Spirit of the Air lies in the inward\npart of all things; for God created nothing in this world but it hath\nits peculiar Taste or Air, the Air and the Taste are one Spirit, the\nTaste goes out of the Air, as Smoke from the Fire.\n\nBut how comes it to pass, that a thing which hath a sweet Air, is bitter\nin Taste? The cause is, because the _Faeces_ of that thing are putrid and\nstinking in the Elements, that is the Choler or Heat; for whatsoever is\nunnaturally hot, hath a bitter Taste; the Air and the Taste are both one\nSpirit, and as the Spirit of the Air presses outwards through a hot\nthing, so doth the Air embrace the Taste about, and descends the subtile\nTaste, that it should not be burnt by the vehement burning Choler, as\nin the Herbal is at large express'd.\n\nBut the cause why _Saturn_ is sweet in Taste is, that it is almost pure\nand clean, having scarce any unnatural heat in it, which can burn the\nsubtile Tast, therefore it hath the Taste externally, and the Taste hath\nthe Spirit of the Air lock'd up in it.\n\nMy Child, know what I said before, that a thing wherein is much burning\nheat, the Air locks up the Taste therein, because the Taste shall not be\ncorrupted by the unnatural heat. So the Taste includes the Air in it,\nwhen it issues forth from a thing which is externally cold; for the\nsubtil Spirits of the Air or Sent of a thing can endure no Cold, as we\nsee daily in Herbs and Flowers that they yield no Sent in the Winter, as\nthey do in the Summer; but they hide themselves in the Winter, and the\nSpirit hath the Sent inclosed in it, and the Spirit of Sent or Air.\nBehold a man that hath taken Cold, immediately he loses his Sent, and\nhis Tasting is diminished. Even so it is here with _Saturn_; it is quite\ncold, so that the Taste manifests it self with the Spirit of Sent; for\nthe Spirit of the Taste hath the Smell in it. Look upon Sugar which is\nwell clarified from its _Faeces_, how sweet it is in Taste, yet it yields\nno Sent, yet there is an extraordinary sweetness in Sugar. What is the\nreason of this? Sugar is very cold externally, therefore is it white as\nSnow, and of a sweet Taste; yet Sugar internally is hot and moist, of\nthe temper of Gold, and of such great virtue that it is called the\nPhilosophers Stone, as it is approved, and very prevalent to cure all\nthe Distempers of mans Body, as appears by its operation. The reason why\nI say this, my Child, is, that you should altogether understand its\ninternal & external, and the Spirits which are in these things, whereof\nwe discourse; that thereby you should know Gods wonderful works, and\nwhat wonders he works in these inferiour things, which are all made for\nour use.\n\n\n_What hath God in us, for whose sake he hath created all these Wonders,\nand all these things?_\n\nWherefore, my Child, believe in God, love him, and follow him, for he\nloves you, as he makes it appear, and manifests himself in all things,\nas well in their Internals as in their Externals. O how wonderful is\nour Lord and God, from whom all Wonders proceed!\n\n\n_Now, my Child, why is_ Saturn _fluxible as Wax?_\n\nBy reason of its abounding _Sulphur_, which is therein; for I find no\nfluxibleness or fusibleness in any thing saving in _Sulphur_, _Mercury_\nand _Arsenick_, and all these three are in _Saturn_; so that _Saturn_ is\nquickly fluxible, but all these three are cleansed with it from their\nuncleanness. And do you not know, that the Philosophers call their Stone\n_Arsenick_, and a white thing; and they say their _Sulphur_ is\nincombustible; they call it likewise a red thing, all this is _Saturn_,\nin it is _Arsenick_; for _Luna_ is principally generated of a white\n_Sulphur_, as is plainly taught in the Book of _Sulphurs_, and all\n_Arsenick_ is internally red as Bloud, if its inward part be brought\noutwards, as is demonstrated in the Book of Colours, _&c._ _Saturn_\nstands almost in the degree of fix'd _Luna_. So that in it there is a\nred Sulphur, as you see, when its internal is placed outwards, it will\nbe red as a Ruby; there are no Colours but in the Spirits, so that there\nis in it a red and a yellow Sulphur. In it is _Mercury_, as may be seen,\nfor _Mercury_ is extracted out of _Saturn_ in a short time, and with\nlittle labour.\n\nSo that all three are in _Saturn_, but they are not fix'd therein, but\nthey are clean, pure, incombustible, fluxible as Wax; in it are all\nthings which the Philosophers have mentioned. They say, our Stone is\nmade of a stinking menstruous thing: What think you, is not _Saturn_\ndigg'd out of a stinking Earth? for divers are killed with the ill Sents\nand Vapours where _Saturn_ is digg'd, or they live not long who labour\nin that stinking black Mine, whence _Saturn_ is digg'd. And the\nPhilosophers say, our Stone is of little value, being unprepared; they\nsay, the poor have it as well as the rich, and they say true; for there\nare not poorer or more miserable people to be found than those which dig\nand work _Saturn_ in the Mine; and they say it is to be found in all\nTowns and places, wheresoever you come _Saturn_ is there. They say it is\na black thing: What think you, is it not black? They say, it is a dry\nwater, if Gold or _Luna_ be to be refined upon the test, must it not be\ndone with _Saturn_? they must be wash'd and tried with it, as a foul\ngarment is made clean with Sope. They say, in our Stone are the four\nElements, and they say true; for the four Elements may be separated out\nof _Saturn_. They say, our Stone consists of Soul, Spirit and Body, and\nthese three become one. They say true; when it is made fix'd for the\nwhite _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth, then these three are one.\n\nWhereby is to be observed, that the Philosophers have said true; they\nconcealed its Name for the ignorants sake, who are not their Children,\nto keep them still in their Ignorance. Thus, my Child, the Ancients took\ncare to conceal the name of the Stone; now let us return to our purpose.\n\nYou have now _Saturn_ wash'd and cleansed from all its impurity, and\nmade as white as Snow, fusible as Wax, but is it not fix'd yet; we will\nmake it fix the _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth.\n\nTake a Glass-Vial, put half of your purified _Saturn_ into it, reserve\nthe other half till you have occasion to use it; lay a polish'd Glass\nupon the mouth of the Glass, set it in a Cuple with sifted Ashes upon a\nFurnace; or set it on the _Tripos_ of Secrets, or in the Furnace wherein\nyou calcine Spirits; give it Fire so hot as the heat of the Sun at\n_Midsummer_, and no hotter, either a very little hotter, or a very\nlittle cooler, as you can best hit it. But if you give it a greater\nheat, such as you may keep Lead in flux, then your Matter would melt as\nif it were Oil; and having stood so, ten or twelve days, its Sulphur\nwould fly away, and your Matter would all be spoiled, for the Sulphur\nwhich is in your Matter is not yet fix'd, but is in the external.\nWherefore the Matter melts presently, and though it be clean, yet it is\nnot fix'd; wherefore give so gentle a fire to it, that it may not flux;\nso keep it six weeks, then take out a little of it, lay it on a glowing\nhot Plate, if it immediately melts and fumes, it is not yet fixed, but\nif the Matter remain unmelted, the Sulphur is then fix'd which is\ntherein; then strengthen the Fire notably, till the Matter in the Glass\nbegins to look yellow, and continually more and more yellow, like to\npowdered Saffron, then augment the fire yet stronger, till the Matter\nbegin to be red, then prosecute your Fire from one degree to another,\neven as the Powder becomes redder and redder by degrees, so hold on your\nFire, till the Matter be red as a Ruby, then augment the Fire yet more,\nthat the Matter may be glowing hot, then is it fixt, and ready to pour\nthe curious Water of Paradise upon it.\n\nMy Child must know, that there are two ways of pouring on the Water of\nParadise; I will teach you to make and prepare both, then may you take\nwhich you will; for the one is half as good again as the other.\n\nMy Child, you may remember, that I ordered you to reserve the one half\nof the purified _Saturn_, which take and put into a Stone-pot, pour upon\nit a bottle or more of distilled Wine-Vinegar, set a head on, distil the\nVinegar again from it in a Bath, the head must have a hole at the top\nto pour fresh Vinegar upon the Matter, and abstract the Vinegar again\nfrom it, pour fresh Vinegar again on, and again abstract it, this\npouring on, and abstracting or distilling off must continue so long,\ntill the Vinegar be drawn off as strong as it was when it was put in,\nthen is it enough, and the Matter hath in it as much of the Spirit of\nVinegar as it can contain; then take the Pot out of the Bath, take off\nthe head, and take the Matter out, and put it into a thick glass which\ncan endure the Fire, set a head on it, put it in a Cuple with Ashes,\nwhich set on a Furnace, first make a small Fire, and so continually a\nlittle stronger, till your Matter come over as red as Bloud, thick as\nOil, and sweet as Sugar, with a Celestial Sent, then keep it in that\nheat so long as it distils, and when it begins to slack, then increase\nyour Fire till the Glass begin to glow; continu this heat till no more\nwill distil, then let it cool of it self, take the Receiver off, stop it\nvery close with Wax, take the Matter out of the Glass, beat it to powder\nin an Iron Mortar, with a steel Pestle; and then grind it on a Stone\nwith good distilled Vinegar, put this Matter so ground into a Pot, poure\ngood distilled Vinegar upon it, that two parts be full, set the Pot into\na Bath with a head upon it, distil the Vinegar off, poure fresh Vinegar\nagain upon it, distil it off again: thus do so long, that the Vinegar be\nas strong as it was when it was first poured upon it, then let it cool,\ntake the Matter out of the Bath, take the head off, take the Matter out\nof the Pot, put it into a stronger round Glass which can endure the\nFire, as you did before, set it upon a Furnace in a Cuple with sifted\nAshes, set a head on, and a Receiver luted to it, then distil it, first\nwith a small fire, which augment by degrees, till a Matter come over red\nas Bloud, and thick as Oyl, as aforesaid; give it fire till no more will\ndistil, then let it cool of it self, take off the head, break the\nglass-pot, and take the Matter out, powder it again, and grind it on a\nStone with distilled Vinegar, put it again into the Stone pot, poure\nfresh Vinegar upon it, set it into the Bath, and its head on, distil the\nVinegar from it, poure it on again as hath been taught, till the Vinegar\nremain strong as it was.\n\nReiterate this distillation in the Bath until the Matter hath no more\nSpirit of the Vinegar in it, then take it out, set it in a glass-pot,\ndistil all that will distil forth in ashes, till the Matter become a red\nOil, then have you the most noble water of Paradise, to pour upon all\nfix'd stones, to perfect the Stone; this is one way. This water of\nParadise thus distilled, the Ancients called their sharp clear Vinegar,\nfor they conceal its name.\n\nMy Child, I will now teach you other ways to make the Water of Paradise;\nthis is an easie way, but not so good, nor doth it that high projection\nin humane Medicines, yet it cures all Diseases within and without, but\nthe other cures miraculously in a short time.\n\n\n_The second way of preparing the Water of Paradise._\n\nMy Child, if you would make it after this manner, you must take the half\nof your prepared _Saturn_ which I ordered you to keep, upon which poure\nthe half of your fix'd and prepared Water of Paradise, take the half,\nput it into a Stone-pot, poure weak Wine Vinegar upon it, mix it well\ntogether, then take two pounds of calcined _Tartar_, which is well\nclarified by solution and coagulation, so that it leave no more _Faeces_\nbehind it, _Salt Armoniac_ one pound, which is likewise so clearly\nsublimed, that no _Faeces_ remain after its sublimation, pound both\ntogether to a Powder, put them speedily into a pot, and stop it close\nimmediately, or else it will run out; for so soon as the _Tartar_ and\n_Salt Armoniac_ come to the Vinegar, they lift themselves up, and would\nimmediately run out of the mouth of the pot, wherefore stop the pot\npresently, set the pot in a Vessel of Water, they will cool speedily,\notherwise if the cold and hot Matter should come together suddenly, they\nwould contest together, rise up, and become so hot, that the pot would\nbreak for heat, if it were not set in cold Water; therefore take heed,\nwhen you put the powders in, that you stop it immediately, and set it in\ncold Water before you put the other Powder to it, then will they unite,\nlet them stand a day and a night in that Vessel, then take them out, set\nthem into a lukewarm Bath two days and nights, let it cool of it self,\ntake the Stopple off from the pot, and set a head on, set the pot in\nsifted Ashes, upon a Furnace, distil with a small fire, and continually\ngreater till all the Vinegar be over, then augment your Fire notably,\ntill you see quick _Mercury_ drop out of the Pipe, when it ceases to\ndrop, then augment the Fire by little and little and drive it so long as\nit drops; you may observe when it will leave dropping, if in the space\nof one or two _Pater-nosters_ one drop doth fall, then augment the Fire\ntill the pot glow at the bottom, for twelve hours and when the _Mercury_\nis over, then should the _Salt Armoniac_ sublime up into the head, and\nthe _Tartar_ remain with the Body of _Saturn_ at the bottom of the Pot,\nwhich take out, put it into a Linnen Bag, hang it in a moist Cellar,\nthe _Tartar_ will dissolve, receive it in a Glass, the body of _Saturn_\nremains in the Bag, take it out, and calcine it in a reverberating\nFurnace three days and nights, with a great heat, as is taught\nelsewhere, then extract the Salt out, as is taught in the Mineral Book.\nYou may make projection with the Salt, and coagulate your _Tartar_\nagain, it will be as good or better than it was, likewise take your\n_Salt Armoniac_ out of the Head, it is good again, and if you could have\nno _Salt Armoniac_, then take three pound of calcined _Tartar_, likewise\nso clarified, that it leave no _Faeces_ behind, you then need no _Salt\nArmoniac_, therewith may you likewise extract the _Mercury_ out of\n_Luna_ and _Jupiter_, wherewith you may do wonders, as is taught in the\nMiner. Book, where is spoken of the Quintessence of Metals.\n\nNow my Child must know, that this _Mercury_ or Quintessence of _Saturn_\nis as good in all works as the _Mercury_ of _Sol_, they are both alike\ngood, and herein all Philosophers agree. My Child, take this _Mercury_\nof _Saturn_, so drawn out of the Receiver, put it into a Glass Box.\n\nI have now taught you to make two sorts of the Water of Paradise; and\nknow, my Child, that the first way is the best; though it be made with\nsome danger, longer time, and more charge; for the Vinegar is all good,\nyet the red Oil is the best; its time is alike unto the end, and though\nit be more tedious before you obtain the red Oil, yet it fixes it self\nin a short time, if it come to the Matter or fix'd Stone, into a simple\nEssence in greater redness; but when the _Mercury_ comes to the fix'd\nstone, it holds on a long time in ascending and descending before it\ndie, and when it is quite dead, it makes the red fix'd Stone again into\na fixt colour, so covering the red stone with its coldness, that the red\nstone becomes white again, then must you boil it again gently with a\nsmall Fire, till it begin to be yellow, prosecuting the Fire from one\ndegree to another, as the Colour is higher and stronger, and that so\nlong till it attain to a perfect redness, which requires a long time\nbefore it be done, which is not requisite in the red Oil; for the red\nOil dies or coagulates forthwith the stone, the one fixing it self with\nthe other into a simple Essence, in a short time. Therefore I tell\nthee, my Child, that the time of the Oyl is alike long in the end,\nthough it appear to be of a shorter time with the _Mercury_, but it is\nequally long at the end of the Work, therefore I tell you the Art of\nboth Works, that you may the better understand the Art to make the Oyl\nfrom the innermost Nature of the Stone, which is found afterwards.\n\nThe Oyl was unknown to the Ancients, for my Grandfather with his\nCompanions found it with great labour and length of time.\n\nSo there are two ways to dissolve the Stone, and to poure upon it the\nclear water of Paradise. Our Ancestors called the Oyl their sharp\nVinegar; therefore, my Child, keep the Name private, and I will teach\nyou first of all how you shall join the _Mercury_ to your Stone, which\nyou extracted out of _Saturn_, to dissolve it; afterwards I will teach\nyou to bring over the helm that red Oil which you extracted out of your\nprepared _Saturn_, into a fixt stone, to dissolve your stone.\n\nMy Child, weigh your fixt stone, take half as much of your _Mercury_,\npoure it upon the stone in the Glass, cover the Glass again with a\npolish'd Glass which may just fit it, set it in a Cuple with sifted\nAshes, make a small Fire like the Suns heat at _Midsummer_, and give no\nmore Fire to it, until the Water of Paradise or _Mercury_ become all a\ndead Powder. And know, my Child, that the red or fixt Stone, which\nbefore was darkned, when it hath drunk up the Water of Paradise, or\n_Mercury_, or how you will call it, that it be a Powder between black\nand gray, then augment the Fire from one degree to another, till the\nMatter be perfect white, and when it is white, strengthen the Fire yet\nmore, from one degree to another, till it be of a dark yellow Colour,\nthen make it yet stronger, till it be of a perfect red; then rejoice,\nfor your Stone is perfect, and fluxible as Wax. Praise God, who gives\nunto us part of his Miracles; and do good to the poor; you may see it\nwith your fleshly Eyes, and use Gods goodness miraculously in this\ncorrupt Life, for I tell you in good Charity, that if any one\nprincipally attain to this Stone, that it is given, afforded, and lent\nhim from God. Whosoever hath this Stone, may live in a healthful state,\nto the last term of his Life, appointed him by God, and may have all\nwhatsoever he desires on Earth.\n\nHe shall be loved and esteemed of all people, for he can cure them all\ninternally and externally of all Diseases which may befall them; but if\nthe Stone doth not so, it is false, and deserves not the name of the\nVegetable Stone, or Philosophers Stone.\n\nTherefore my Child, if God give you this Stone, look diligently to it,\nthat you keep your self from offending God, that you make not this Stone\non earth to be your Heaven; govern and rule your self to Gods glory and\nto the comfort of poor people, that Gods praise may be augmented, to the\ndefence of the Christian Religion, and to the relief of poor exiled\nChristians I tell you, my Child, if you use it otherwise, God will\nleave you here a little while to your own Will, but afterwards he will\nspeedily send a punishment, either you shall be struck dead, or die by a\nFall; or die some other sudden death, and go Body and Soul to Hell, and\nbe damned eternally, for your Ingratitude to God, who so graciously\nvouchsafed you so precious and great a Gift.\n\nTherefore, my Child, look carefully to it, so to govern your self to\nGods Glory, and the Salvation of your Soul, that the eternal Curse may\nnot fall upon you; and therefore I have left you this Writing as my\nTestament. Enough hath been said to the wise, therefore look to your\nself.\n\n\n_The Multiplication of the Stone now perfected._\n\nNow my Child, you may take the half of your Powder, put it into a Glass\nand melt it, have in readiness a Mould made hollow, of Box-wood, great\nor small as you please, it must be made smooth and even within with an\nInstrument, anoint it with Oil Olive, and when your red Powder is\nflux'd, poure it into the Mould, it will be a precious Stone, red as a\nRuby, clear and transparent, take it out of the Mould, and make\nprojection upon the imperfect Metals, and in the Body of Man.\n\nTake ten times as much of prepared _Saturn_ as I taught you before, by\nCoagulation and Solution, till it leave no _Faeces_ behind, then take\nyour precious red Powder out of the Glass, that two parts be full, set\nit into your warm Bath, and let it dissolve: when any thing is\ndissolved, decant off that which is clear on the top into another Glass,\npoure other Vinegar upon it, let it dissolve again as before, decant and\npoure fresh Vinegar upon it so often, till all be dissolved into a clear\nWater, which is done usually in ten or twelve days, then set all that\nwhich is dissolved into a Bath, and a head upon it, distil the Vinegar\nfrom it again, and coagulate the Matter so long till it be dry and\nshine, then put it into another Glass, which set upon a Furnace in a\nCuple with sifted Ashes, laying a polish'd Glass upon the Mouth of the\nGlass.\n\nMy Child, know that your Matter is become fixt with the Stone in the\nsolution, make an indifferent hot fire in the furnace, so hot as the\nheat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, or somewhat hotter; till the Matter\nbegin to be yellow, then go on with the Fire from one degree to another,\ntill you have a perfect yellow, then increase the Fire from one degree\nto another, till you have a perfect redness, which is quickly done, in\nhalf the time for the colour to come, and in the multiplication, but\noperate as before in the beginning, and poure Paradise water upon the\nStone, as was taught you before in this Work, boil and mortifie it in\nevery point to a perfect redness as hath been taught.\n\nThen may you again take half of it out, and make projection therewith,\nand multiply the other half again in all points as abovesaid, so may you\nalways continue working.\n\nNow I will teach you the other way, and the best that is to water your\nred fixt Stone or powder with the red Oil, that it be fusible; you must\nknow how much your red powder weighs, then take half the weight of your\nred Oil, to the full weight of the Stone, and poure it upon the red\npowder, and when the Oil is poured into the Glass, you may set a small\nhead on, upon a Furnace in sifted Ashes, joining a Receiver to the Nose\nof the head, make a small fire under it, as the heat of the Sun in\n_March_, and no hotter; for there is yet some moisture of the Vinegar in\nthe Oil, that it may be abstracted, continue it in that heat, that can\nperceive no moisture in the Head, then augment the fire a little, as the\nheat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, and if there be yet more moisture in it,\nyou will perceive it in the head, but if you perceive it not in 6 or 8\ndays, then take the head off, and lay the polish'd Glass again upon the\nmouth of your Glass, increase the fire, that you can scarce endure your\nhand or finger in the Ashes an _Ave-Mary_ while, continue the fire in\nthat heat till the red Oil be all fixt with the Powder in the Glass,\nwhich you may know thus;\n\nTake a little of the powder out of the Glass, lay it on a glowing Silver\nPlate, if the powder melts as wax, and penetrates through the Plate as\nOil doth through a dry Leather, and makes it Gold throughout, as far as\nthe powder went, then is the Stone finish'd, and if it do not this, you\nmust then let it stand in that heat till it do so without fuming.\n\nNow, my Child, when the Stone is finish'd, take half of it out of the\nGlass, put it into a Glass melting-pot, and melt the powder gently,\nwhich should be done presently, for it melts as Wax; and being melted,\npoure it into the Mould of Box-wood as aforesaid, it will be a red stone\nclear and transparent as Crystal, red as a Ruby, then make projection\ntherewith, and set the other half again to multiply.\n\nThen take in Gods Name twenty parts of _Saturn_, which is prepared by\nSolution and Coagulation, till it leave no more _Faeces_ behind, as hath\nbeen said at the beginning. Dissolve these twenty parts of _Saturn_,\ndissolve by itself in a Glass with distilled Vinegar; likewise dissolve\nthe powder of your Stone alone by it self in a Glass with distilled\nVinegar, and when both are dissolved into clear water, poure both the\nSolutions together into a great Glass, set it into a Bath, a head on,\nand a Receiver to it, distil the Vinegar from it in the boiling Bath,\ntill the Matter be dry, then let it cool of itself, put it into a Glass,\nlay a polish'd Glass over the mouth of the Glass, and set it into a\nFurnace in a Cuple with sifted Ashes, make a fire under it like to the\nSuns heat in _March_, till the powder be perfect white, which is quickly\ndone.\n\nThen augment your fire from one degree to another, till the Matter\nbecome yellower and yellower, to a perfect yellow; then increase it yet\nstronger, from one degree to another, till it be redder and redder, to a\nperfect redness; then poure your water upon the red powder with the red\nOil, or with the water of Paradise, or with the clear sharp Vinegar, or\ncall it how you will, doing in all points as hath been taught, till the\nred powder flux like Wax upon a Silver Plate, without fuming,\npenetrating it as Oil doth dry Leather, that it become good Gold within\nand without; then render thanks unto God, be obedient to him for his\nGifts and Graces.\n\nYou may again take one half out of the Glass, and make projection,\nsetting the other half in again, as hath been taught, so may you work\nall your Life-time, for the poor, and perform other duties to Gods\nGlory, and Salvation of your Soul, as I have said before; enough to the\nwise.\n\n\n_Projection upon Metal._\n\nKnow, my Child, how and in what manner you must use this Stone, which\nmakes projection upon _Mercury_, and all imperfect Metals and Bodies of\n_Mars_, _Jupiter_ and _Venus_, whereof make Plates glowing hot, whereon\nstraw the Stone, and lay Coals on for a season, that the Stone may\npenetrate, but the Stones must be made quick with Gold, and _Jupiter_\nalso, which is very laborious, as is taught in the projection. But you\nmust project upon _Saturn_ or _Luna_, which need not be made quick, only\nflux them, and cast one part upon a thousand parts, it will be a\nMedicine, cast one part of these thousand parts upon ten parts, it will\nbe the best Gold that ever was seen on earth.\n\n\n_Its Use in Physick._\n\nThis Stone cures all Leprous people, Plague, and all Diseases which may\nreign upon Earth, or befal Mankind; this is the true _Aurum potabile_,\nand the true Quintessence which the Ancients sought; this is what thing\nwhereof the whole Troop of Philosophers speak so wondrously, using all\npossible skill to conceal its Name and Operation, as aforesaid.\n\nTake of this Stone the quantity of a Wheat-corn, lay it in a little good\nWine in a small Glass, half full, or a quarter full, make the Wine warm,\nthe Stone will melt like Butter, and the Wine will be red as Bloud, and\nvery sweet in your mouth, as ever you tasted; for to speak\ncomparatively, it is so sweet in taste that Honey and Sugar may be\ncompared as Gall to it; give this unto the Patient to drink, lay him in\nBed, but lay not too many cloaths upon him, the Stone hastens forthwith\nto the heart, expelling thence all ill humors, thence dilating it self\nthrough all the Arteries and Veins of the whole Body, rousing up all\nhumours, the party will sweat, for the Stone opens all the pores of the\nBody, and drives forth all humours thereby, so that the Patient will\nseem to have been in the Water, yet will this sweating not make him\nsicker, for the Stone expels only what is adverse to Nature, preserving\nwhat is consonant unto it in its being, therefore the Patient is not\nsicker or weaker; but the more he sweats the stronger and lustier will\nhe be, the Veins will be lighter, and the Sweat continues till all evil\nHumours be driven out of the Body, and then it ceases.\n\nThe next day you shall take of it the quantity of a Wheat-corn, in warm\nWine again, you will go to stool immediately, and that will not cease so\nlong as you have any thing in your Body which is contrary to Nature, and\nthe more Stools the Patient hath, the stronger and lighter at heart will\nhe be; for the Stone drives nothing forth but what is adverse and\nprejudicial to Nature.\n\nThe third day give the like quantity in warm Wine, as aforesaid; it will\nso fortifie the Veins and Heart, that the party will not think himself\nto be a Man, but rather a Spirit, all his Members will be so light and\nlively, & if the party will take the like quantity of a Wheat-Corn every\nday for the space of nine days, I tell you, his Body will be as\nspiritual as if he had been nine days in the terrestrial Paradise,\neating every day of the Fruit, making him fair, lusty, and young;\ntherefore use this Stone weekly, the quantity of a Wheat-Corn with warm\nWine, so shall you live in health unto the last hour of the time\nappointed for you by God.\n\nWhat say you, my Child, is not this the true _Aurum potabile_, and the\ntrue Quintessence, and the thing which we seek? It is a spiritual thing,\na Gift which God bestows upon his Friends, therefore, my Child, do not\nundertake this Divine Work, if you find your self in deadly Sins, or\nthat your intent be otherwise than to Gods Glory, and to perform those\nthings which I taught you before.\n\nI tell you truly, you may see the Work, or begin it, but I am certain\nyou shall never accomplish it, nor see the Stone, God will order it so,\nit will break, fall, or some one Disaster or other will happen, that you\nshall never see the Stone, or accomplish it. Therefore if you find\nyourself otherwise, do not begin the work, for I know assuredly, you\nwill lose your Labour; wherefore deceive not yourself. Enough to the\nwise.\n\n\n_Its Use in External Diseases._\n\nMy Child, there are some people who have external Distempers on their\nBodies, as Fistulaes, Cancers, Wolf, or evil Biles, or Holes, be they\nwhat or how they will, _&c._ give him the weight of one Wheat-Corn to\ndrink in warm Wine two days, as is taught before, the whole body within\nand without shall be freed from all which is adverse to Nature, and you\nshall deal with the open Sores thus;\n\nTake a Drachm of the Stone, seeth it in a pottle of Wine in a Glass, the\nspace of two or three _Pater-nosters_, that the Stone may melt, the Wine\nwill be as red as Bloud, therewith wash the Sores morning and evening,\nlaying a thin Plate of Lead over, in a short time, as in ten or twelve\ndays the Sores will be whole; and give him every day the quantity of a\nWheat-Corn, in warm wine till he be well. If they be Fistulaes or other\nconcave Holes, that you cannot come at them, to wash them, then take a\nSilver Syringe, and inject of that wine into them, it will heal home, as\naforesaid.\n\nAnd if one had a pound of the rankest Poison in the world in his Body,\nand immediately drink a Drachme thereof in warm Wine, the poison shall\nforthwith evacuate by siege, together with all the evil Humors in his\nBody.\n\nMy Child, here ends the most noble and precious Work which is in the\nVegetable Book; on whomsoever God bestows this Stone, needs no other\nthing, in this World, therefore keep it as close and well as you can, to\nGods Glory, who grant that we may walk in his obedience, _Amen_.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\n_God is blessed in his works._\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nFINIS.","title":"Of Natural and Supernatural Things: Also of the first Tincture, Root, and Spirit of Metals and Minerals, how the same are Conceived, Generated, Brought forth, Changed, and Augmented.","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":30374}