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Basilius Valentinus
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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.
Author: Basilius Valentinus
Translator: Daniel Cable
Release Date: August 17, 2008 [EBook #26340]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OF NATURAL AND SUPERNATURAL THINGS ***
Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Josephine Paolucci and the
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_BASILIUS VALENTINUS_,
A
BENEDICTINE MONK,
OF
_NATURAL & 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_.
Whereunto is added, Frier _Roger Bacon_, of the _Medicine_ or _Tincture_
of _Antimony_; Mr. _John Isaac Holland_, his Work of _Saturn_, and ALEX.
VAN SUCHTEN, of the _Secrets_ of _Antimony_.
Translated out of _High Dutch_ by DANIEL CABLE.
_LONDON_,
Printed, and are to be Sold by _Moses Pitt_ at the _White Hart_ in
_Little Britain_, 1671.
_BASILIUS VALENTINUS_,
A
BENEDICTINE MONK,
OF
_NATURAL & 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_.
Translated out of _High Dutch_ by DANIEL CABLE.
Whereunto is added
ALEX. Van SUCHTEN
OF THE
SECRETS of _ANTIMONY_.
Translated out of _High Dutch_ by _D. C._ a Person of great Skill in
_Chymistry_.
_LONDON_,
Printed, and are to be sold by _Moses Pitt_ at the _White Hart_ in
_Little Britain_, 1670.
_Basilius Valentinus_,
OF
_Natural and Supernatural Things_.
CHAP. I.
Because I have at this present undertaken to write of the of the first
Tincture, the Root of Metals and Minerals, and to inform you of the
Spiritual Essence, how the Metals and Minerals are at first spiritually
conceived and born corporally; it will be necessary first of all to
utter, and to acquaint you by a speech, that all things consist of two
parts, that is, Natural and Supernatural; what is visible, tangible, and
hath form or shape, that is natural; but what is intactible, without
form, and spiritual, that is supernatural, and must be apprehended and
conceived by Faith; such is the Creation, and especially the Eternity of
God without end, immensible and incomprehensible; for Nature cannot
conceive nor apprehend it by its humane reason: This is supernatural,
what Reason cannot apprehend, but must be conceived by Faith, this is a
Divine matter, and belongs to Theology, which judgeth Souls. Moreover,
there appertains to supernatural things, the Angels of the Lord, having
clarified Bodies, doing that by the permission of their Creator, which
is impossible for any other Creature to do, their Works being concealed
from the Eyes of the World, and so likewise are the Works of the
Infernal Spirits and Devils unknown, which they do by the permission of
the most High God. But above all the great Works of God are found and
acknowledged to be supernatural, not to be scann'd and comprehended by
Humane Imaginations; such is in especial the great Grace and Mercy of
God which he bestows upon Mankind out of his great Love, which indeed no
man can apprehend or know, and other great and wonderful works which he
hath manifested divers manner of wayes by Christ our Saviour and
Redeemer, for the confirmation of his Omnipotence and Glory: As when he
raised _Lazarus_ from the dead, _Jairus_ his Daughter, the Ruler of the
Synagogue, and the Widows Son of _Naim_. He made the Dumb to speak, the
Deaf to hear, and the Blind to see, all which are supernatural, and
_Magnalia Dei_; so also was his Conception, Resurrection, Descension,
and Ascension into Heaven, too deep and mysterious for Nature; all which
is only to be obtained by Faith.
There belongs likewise to supernatural things, the taking of _Enoch_ and
_Elias_ into Heaven, the divine rapture of St. _Paul_ in the Spirit into
the third Heaven. Moreover, many supernatural things are done by
Imagination, Dreams, and Visions; many wonders are done by the
Imagination, witness the speckled Sheep by the speckled Rods laid in
their watring places. God warned the wise men of the East by an especial
Dream not to return again to _Herod_; likewise their three Persons,
their three Gifts, Presents, or Offerings, and the supernatural Star,
have all their peculiar and mystical meaning.
Nor was that Dream which hapned to _Pilates_ Wife natural, who unjustly
adjudged our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to death. The Vision of the
Angels which appeared to the Shepherds at the Birth of Christ, and to
the Women at his Sepulchre, who sought his Body where they had laid it,
cannot be accounted Natural.
There are many other supernatural things done at several times by the
Prophets & Saints; so was the voice of the Ass speaking to _Balaam_,
contrary to the common course of Nature; as also _Joseph_'s
Interpretation of Dreams. And so God by his Angels preserves us
oftentimes from infinite Evils, and delivers us out of manifold Dangers,
impossible for Nature to do.
All this & many others belong to Theology, and to Heaven, whereunto the
Soul is to have regard. Now follows the supernatural things of the
visible Works of God, as we see them in the Firmament; to wit, the
Planets, Stars, and Elements, which are above our Reason, only their
Course and Motion is observed by speculation and reckoning, which
belongs to Astronomy; it is a visible but incomprehensible Being,
performing its operation in a Magnetick way, out of which likewise
divers admirable things are found and observed, which are altogether
supernatural; understand it thus, that the Heaven operates in the Earth,
and the Earth affords a correspondence with the Heavenly. For the Earth
hath also its seven Planets, which are operated and bred by the seven
Celestial, only by a spiritual Impression or Infusion, even as the Stars
operate all Minerals. This is done incomprehensibly and spiritually, and
therefore it is to be accounted supernatural, even as two Lovers, their
persons are visible, but their Love one to the other is invisible:
Humane Bodies are tangible and natural, but Love is invisible,
spiritual, intangible and supernatural, comparable to a Magnetick
Attraction only; for the invisible Love which is attracted unto it
spiritually by the Imagination is, accomplish'd by the desires and
fruition. In like manner when the Heaven hath a love to the Earth, and
the Earth hath a Love, Inclination, and Affection towards Man, as the
great World to the lesser, for the lesser World is taken out of the
greater, and when the Earth by the desires of its invisible Imagination
doth attract unto itself such a Love of the Heaven, there is thereby an
Union of the Superiour and Inferiour, as Man and Wife are accounted one
Body together, and after this Union the Earth is impregnated by the
Infusion of the Heaven, and begins to conceive and bring forth a Birth
sutable to the Infusion, and this Birth after its Conception is digested
by the Elements, and brought to a perfect Ripeness and this is reckoned
among the supernatural things; how the supernatural Essence performs its
operation in the natural.
Among the supernatural things are likewise reckoned all Magical and
Cabalistical Matters which depend thereon, arising out of the Light of
true knowledge, not those which proceed from Superstition, Conjuration,
or unlawful Exorcisme, such as the Sorcerers use; but I mean in this
place such a Magick as the Wise men had that came out of the _East_, who
by Revelation from God, and by true allowable Art judged rightly; or
such an one, as those of old had before us, usual among the _Egyptians_
and _Arabians_, before Writing was found, they noted, observed, and
reserved by Signs, Characters and Hieroglyphicks. Such Blessings may be
used, which Christ the Son of God used, as the Scripture saith; He took
little Children, laid his hands upon them, and blessed them. But
whatsoever is contrary to God and his Word, ought justly to be rejected,
and not to be tollerated, because they are not Godly, but Diabolical.
But those Supernatural things which oppose not God and his Holy Word,
belong unto Magick, and do the Soul no prejudice.
As concerning Visions which Holy Men of God have often seen, it is
reason they should be reckoned among those things which are not Natural;
for whatsoever man speculates and comprehends by the Mind, is
Supernatural; on the contrary, whatsoever he can take, see, and hold is
Natural.
Let us consider the third part of Natural & Supernatural things in
Physick, the Virtues and Powers of each; this Medicine of every thing
must first be driven out of a visible, tangible, natural Body, and be
brought into a spiritual, meliorated, supernatural operation, that the
Spirit which at the first was infused and given to the Body to live,
might be released, that it should operate and penetrate as a Spiritual
Essence, and Fire, having its Vent-holes left that it might burn and
have no opposition, which might suffocate, suppress, or hinder the
burning Life; whereas otherwise, if the separation of the Soul and
Spirit from the Body should not first be done, there could not succeed
any operation either effectual, profitable, or necessary; for whatsoever
is visible, to be felt, and inseparably in a Body, that is Natural and
Corporal; but so soon as there is a separation, the living departs from
the dead, gaining its perfect operation, and the natural Body being
separated, the spiritual Essence is free to penetrate, becoming a
spiritual and supernatural Medicine. In brief, all things (none
excepted) which we can touch and handle, are natural, but they must be
made supernatural, if you would prepare them for Physick; for the
supernatural only hath a living power in it to operate, the natural hath
only a dead tangible Form. For when _Adam_ was made, he was dead, having
no life of any virtue, but so soon as the operative quickning Spirit
came to him, then he manifested his living virtue and power by
supernatural admiration, so that in every thing there is the natural
and supernatural united in one, and bound together in their habitation,
that every thing might be perfect; for all created things in the world
are some supernatural, only what concerns the Soul and spiritual
matters, and some are natural and supernatural, with what concerns the
Elements and Firmament, as likewise the Minerals, Vegetables, and
Animals, which is known and found, when they are separated one from the
other, that the Soul departs out of the Body, and the Spirit forsakes
its Soul, leaving the Body an empty habitation.
Moreover, you must understand and consider, that the great and little
World are made and formed of one first Matter, by an unsearchable
Almighty Essence, at that time in the beginning, when the Spirit of God
moved upon the Water, who was from Eternity without beginning. The great
World, as Heaven and Earth, was first, then was Man, the Little World,
taken out of the greater; the Water was separated from the Earth, the
Water was the Matter whereon the everlasting Spirit of God moved; the
Little World was formed of the noblest Earth, as its Quintessence, by
the Aquosity which yet was in the Earth, and all was only Natural; but
after the breathing in of the Divine heating Breath, immediately the
Supernatural was added; so then the Natural and Supernatural were knit
and united. The great World is perishable, yet there will be a New Earth
or World; the Little World is Eternal, the Great, Created, Dissoluble
world will again be brought to nothing, but the little world will be
clarified by the Spirit of God, because he possesses it, making a
Celestial clarified water out of the aforesaid Earthly water; then it
will follow, that the first matter will be turned into the last, and the
last matter will become the first. Now the reason why the great world is
perishable, is this, that the Spirit of God hath not his dwelling or
habitation in the great world, but in the little world; for Man is the
Temple of the Holy Ghost, if he do not wilfully defile himself, adhering
to the Hellish Fire, which makes a breach and difference. For he
remaines in the little world, which he formed after his own similitude,
and made him a consecrated Temple; otherwise there is every thing in
the little world which is to be found in the great, as Heaven and Earth
with the Elements, and what depends thereon, or appertains thereunto.
We find also that in the first Creation, which was performed of nothing,
three things arose; to wit, a Soulish, Spiritual, Invisible Essence,
which represented a Mercurial Water, a Sulphurous Vapour, and a Terrene
Salt; these three gave a compleat and perfect, a tangible and formal
Body to all things wherein especially all the four Elements are
contained, as I have already mentioned in my Writing where I treat of
the Microcosme.
But that I may yet give a little more information of Natural and
Supernatural things, as well spiritual as corporal: We find that the
_Canaanitish_ Woman was cured of her Flux of Blood which held her
twelve years, only by a bare touch, when she touched the Garment of the
Son of God, her Disease being natural, but the Medicine or Cure was
Supernatural, because by her Faith she gained help from the Lord Christ.
Likewise we have an excellent, high and supernatural Miracle in the
three Children, _Shadrach_, _Meshach_, and _Abednego_, who were cast
into the fiery Furnace, by the Command of King _Nebuchadnezzar_, yet by
God wonderfully delivered, and not consumed, _Dan. 3_.
So also the Confusion of Tongues, and Infusion of divers Speeches at the
foolish structure of the Tower of _Babel_, which should have reached up
to Heaven, is esteemed for a Supernatural Miracle. And so was that a
Supernatural Sign, when the Children of _Israel_ did lap water as Dogs
do, when a small Number at Gods Command, fought against the
_Midianites_, Judg. 7. 6. So the sending of the Dove by _Noah_ out of
the Ark, when she brought an Olive Branch in her Bill, a Sign of Mercy,
and a Divine Supernatural Message.
When the Holy man of God _Moses_ struck the Rock with his Rod, that the
hard Rock yielded Water, is beyond humane Reason; so was the turning of
the salt water into sweet and drinkable, supernatural. As also the dry
passage of the Children of _Israel_ through the Red Sea; and the Budding
of _Aarons_ Rod, are all supernatural. In brief, the Resurrection of
Christ the Eternal Son of God out of the grave, for all the Tomb-stone,
his appearing to the two men going to _Emas_, his revealing himself to
his Disciples when the Door was lock'd, are all Divine and Supernatural.
Divers Examples more might be recited out of Divine Writ, which for
Brevities sake I omit.
Among Supernatural things are accounted all Mineral Signs, as the
Appearance of Spirits, Representations, Pigmies appearing diversly and
numerously, giving notice of good or bad Luck, Ruine or Riches; so also
those Figures, Shapes, or other works found in the Ores of Metals, as of
Men, Fishes, and other Creatures, so formed and represented by the
imagination of the three first Principles, then ripened and fully
digested by the Earth, and other Elements. Hereunto appertain the
Monsters of the Earth, and such things as are found within the Earth at
certain times of a wonderful form and shape, but not at all to be found
when that time is past, yet appear again and are to be found at some
other time.
Hereunto also belong all Visions and Appearances performed by Water,
Glasses, Cristal, or other means, as also those done by Sigils and
Characters, which yet are so various, some being only Natural, yet
affording Supernatural appearances or sights; but the others which are
performed by Conjurations, are neither Natural nor Supernatural, but
Diabolical, belonging unto Sorcery, and are prohibited all good
Christians; so likewise all those Means which oppose Holy Writ, Gods
Word and Commandments, are to be rejected and refuted by true Natural
Cabalists; I say this, because a certain distinction and sure order
ought to be found of the Natural, Supernatural, Unnatural things.
In like manner there appertains unto Supernatural things, all the
Water-Spirits, as the _Syrens_, _Succubi_, & other Water-Nymphs, with
their Relations, as likewise the Terrestrial Spirits, and those which
inhabit the Air, who sometimes are heard, seen, or perceived, sometimes
foretelling Death or other Disasters, sometimes they discover by their
Apparition Riches and good Fortune in certain places, and the Fiery
Spirits appertain here also, which appear in a fiery shape, or like a
burning Light; all these are Spirits having untangible Bodies, yet are
they not such Spirits as the right Hellish Spirits, who hunt after mens
Souls as an Eternal Jewel, even as the Infernal _Lucifer_, the Devil and
his Dependents do, who were ejected with him; but these are such Spirits
which are above Nature, set before Men for admiration, and are only
maintained by the Elements, whereby they are nourished and fed; but when
this Earthly world shall cease, they also shall decay and vanish with
it, because they have no Souls to be saved. I will say no more hereof at
present, but refer the opening of such Circumstances more at large to
another opportunity, where I shall particularly treat of Visions and
Spiritual Appearances, which are esteemed Unnatural by most part of the
World, yet truly are Natural, but they are found to be Supernatural in
their Operations and wonderful Qualities.
That I may further confirm my Assertion, I say likewise, that there are
many things to be found in Physick, which yield and manifest their
workings supernaturally in a Magnetical way, operating only by an
attractive spiritual power which is attracted to it by the Air; for the
Air is the _Medium_ between the Physick and the Hurt or Distemper, even
as the _Magnet_ ever doth direct and turn it self towards its Polestar,
though the star be many thousand Miles distant from it, yet the
spiritual operation and sympathy between them is so prevalent, that it
is attracted together at so vast a distance by the _Medium_ or middle
Band of the Air; but because this attractive power is only known unto
people in general, or as a thing common, it is therefore become
customary, and is so esteemed, there being no notice taken of any
further Secret whence this operative Faculty hath its Source or
Original: In like manner Hurts and Distempers may be healed and cured,
though the Patient and Physitian be very far distant one from the other;
not by Charmes, Exorcismes, or other unlawful prohibited means, which
are opposite to God and Nature, but by such means wherein the attractive
Magnetick Virtue lies to accomplish it. As when a wounded person goes a
Journey, leaving the Weapon wherewith he was wounded, or else of his
Bloud which issued out of the wound with his Physician, wherewith he
proceeds rightly and by orderly means, as is usual in dressing a wound,
without all doubt he shall be absolutely cured, this is no Witchcraft,
but the cure is performed only by the attractive power of the Medicine,
which is carried to the Sore by the means of the Air, wherewith it is
mundified, that it may perform the Spiritual Operation.
Some will think these hard sayings, and impossible in Nature, and many
will say it is contrary to Nature, whereby many will be excited to
dispute it, and raise Arguments one opposite to the other, whether it be
Natural or no, whether it be possible or no, or whether it be Sorcery: I
will thus resolve them, that this Cure is natural, but as it operates it
is supernatural & spiritual, because it is performed meerly by an
attractive incomprehensible means, and that this manner of Cure is no
Sorcery: I affirm it hereby, that it is not mixt or accompanied with any
Sorcery, nor with any other unnatural Means, contrary to God the
Creator, or his holy and saving Word. But it is only Natural, out of its
supernatural, invisible, incomprehensible, spiritual, and attractive
power, which received its Original from the Sydereal, and performs its
Operation by the Elements.
Lastly, I likewise approve this Cure to be no Sorcery, because the Devil
rather delights in all Mischief to Mankind, than to assist any manner of
way for their benefit, which yet is impossible for him to do without
Gods permission. Much more might be written of this Magnetick Form, but
I chuse rather to be silent; referring it till I come to treat of the
Natural Miracles of the World.
The grosser sort of foolish Wits, who imagine themselves to be wise
Philosophers, and all others who are not in their perfect senses, know
no difference in this case, but the wise and truly discreet well know
how to distinguish betwixt that which is natural and that which is
supernatural.
For do but observe this comparison, to be proved by a gross Example, how
many Creatures are there which dye absolutely in the water, so that no
life is left therein, but so soon as the pleasant Summer appears, the
natural heat gives a new life, & the Body quite restored in the same
substance as it was before in its living Motion; even as an Herb, which
dies in the Winter, but in the Spring it manifests it self anew. The
death of these things is to be esteemed natural, but the return of a new
life in its knowledge is supernatural; but because we are accustomed to
all these things, the least part of us consider what is worthy of
further Meditation in this case, letting both natural and supernatural
go away together.
Most people overpass, that natural custom which yet is supernatural, as
also monstrous Births, and those that bring signs and marks with them
into the world; which may all be natural, but manifest themselves
supernaturally, by the imagination which caused them: These supernatural
forms and customs, the Mother of the Child caused by intervening
thoughts, which unexpectedly happened to her, as it were by accident:
Even as we often see and find, that many Men naturally are born with
some gestures, which he can never leave, though he endevour with all his
might to do it. The natural gestures of these Men are natural, but the
conception in the Womb which caused the imagination of these things is
supernatural, and subject to what the Heaven imprints.
To conclude: I say, that none can defend the supernatural not to be true
by good grounds and reasons, except he have learn'd to know the natural,
which hath its original, and gained its shape from the supernatural;
after he hath learned this, he may evidence it by sure proofs, that he
will be conquerour over those, who will not believe what is
supernatural; and he will convince the opinions of those who dispute of
natural things, and yet know not the grounds, saving only a bare
pretence, much talk, tedious and unprofitable Debates.
CHAP. II.
_Of the first Tincture and Roots of Metals._
But now to come to my intent, and by Gods permission to accomplish the
same. I undertake to certifie of the first Tincture, Root, and
Generation of Metals and Minerals: Know that the first Tincture and Root
of all Metals, is likewise a supernatural, flying, fiery Spirit; which
preserves it self in the Air, seeking its habitation naturally in the
Earth and Water, wherein it can rest and operate: This Spirit is found
in all Metals, more abundant in other Metals than in Gold, because
Gold, by reason of its well digested, ripened, and fixt body, is tight,
close, and compact, and therefore no more can enter into its body than
is just requisite; but the other Metals have not such fixt bodies, for
their pores are open, and far extenuated, therefore the Tincture Spirit
can the more abundantly pass thorough and possess them. But because the
bodies of the other Metals are inconstant, the Tincture cannot remain
with those inconstant bodies, but must depart. And whereas the Tincture
of Gold is found in none more plentiful than in _Mars_ and _Venus_, as
Man and Wife, their bodies therefore are destroyed, and the tinging
Spirit taken out of them, which makes Gold sanguin, being first opened
and prepared, and by their food and drink it becomes volatile,
wherefore this volatile Gold being satisfied with its food and drink,
assumes its own bloud to it self, dries it up by its own internal heat,
by the help and assistance of the vaporous fire, and there is a Conquest
again, which is quite fix'd, makes the highest Constancy, that the Gold
becomes an over-fix'd Medicine, by reason of abundance of Bloud it
yields no Body, except another superfluous Body be again put to it,
wherein the abounding fix'd bloud may disperse itself, this additional
Metallick Body, by reason of the great heat of the fix'd Lions bloud, is
penetrated as by fire, and purged from all impurity, and forthwith
throughly digested to a perfect ripeness and fixedness: That first of
all the Servant brings the Matter unto Riches, because the Master
before could not spare any of his Cloaths to give away, seeing that
Nature had lent and endowed him with one Noble Suit only; on the other
side, the King, when he hath received his Aides and Contributions from
his Subjects, can then distribute possessions, and permanent Liveries,
that the Lord and Servant may remain both together; and do not think it
strange, that the King needs to borrow of his Subjects, because their
Bodies are unfix'd and inconstant, for they receive much, and yet can
keep but little Credit: But if the King can participate thereof, he will
the better overcome heat and Frost, than the Leprous Metals can; and
henceforth by this Receipt he becomes particularly a Dominator and
Conquerour of all other, with a great Victory and triumph of Riches and
of Health to long Life. I hope you have from the beginning sufficiently
understood concerning this Natural and Supernatural Advice, and the
first tinging Root of Metals and Minerals, whereon the Corner-stone is
placed, and where the true Rock is grounded in its kind, wherein Nature
hath placed and buried her secret & deeply concealed Gifts; to wit, in
the fiery tinged Spirits, which Colours they gained out of the starry
Heaven by the operation of the Elements; and they can moreover tinge and
fix that which before was not tinged and unfix'd, seeing that _Luna_
wants the Robe of the Golden Crown, together with the fixedness, as
likewise _Saturn_, _Jupiter_, and _Mercury_ do; and although _Mars_ and
_Venus_ need not this Rayment, but can communicate it to the other
five, yet I say, that they can perform nothing to attain any thing with
wealth without the Lion, because they are not sufficiently accomodated
with a fixedness of their _Mercury_, and a gentleness of their Salt,
except it be that the Lion overcome them, that they have triumphed on
both parts, and gained a remarkable Melioration altogether; this
Melioration lies concealed in their Signate star, or Magnet, out of
which all Metals have themselves received their Gifts.
Now I will proceed, and particularly step to the Birth and Generation,
how the or _Archæus_ manifests its power; pouring it forth, and daily
reveales it, whereby all Metallick and Mineral Forms are visibly
proposed, and made formal, tangible, and corporal by the Mineral,
intangible, flying, fiery Spirits: Understand therefore further, and
observe with diligence and care, that by forgetfulness you let not that
which is weighty pass away, nor yet neglect or overlook that which is
most profitable, and on the contrary observe the bare words at length,
passing over the Truth; for what I write herein, is undoubtedly held and
esteemed that the highest is undoubtedly by many esteemed for the
lowest, and the lowest for the highest Mystery, and is so to be reputed.
Now you must first know, that all Metals and Minerals of the Earth have
one only Matter and Mother, whereby in general they all received
Conception, gaining a compleat and corporal Birth. This Matter which
comes out of the Center, first of all divides it self into three parts,
to procure one corporal or certain form of each Metal. These three parts
are only fed in the Earth by the Elements, out of their Bodies, and
nourish'd till they be perfect. But the Matter which comes out of the
Center is imagined by the Stars, operated by the Elements, and formed by
the Earth: It is a Matter to be known, and the true Mother of Metals and
Minerals: It is such a Matter and Mother, whereof Man himself is
conceived, born, nourish'd, and made corporal: It may be compared to the
middle World, for what is in the great World is in the little World, and
what is in the little World is also in the greater; and what is jointly
in the great and little World is likewise found in the middle World,
which unites and conjoins the great and little world; it is a Soul which
unites and copulates the Spirit with the Body. This Soul is compared
unto water, and it is a right true water, but not so that it wets as
other water doth, but it is a Celestial water, dry, found in a Metallick
Liquorish substance; it is a Soulish water, which loves all Spirits, and
unites them with their Bodies, conducting them to a compleat Life;
therefore it is reasonably found out, and evidently proved, that Water
is the Mocker of all Metals, which are heated by the warm aerial Fire,
or Spirit of _Sulphur_, which by its digestion makes the Earthly Body
lively, wherein the Salt is evidently found, which preserves from
putrefaction so that nothing might be consumed by Corruption. At the
beginning and birth _Quick-silver_ is first operated, which stands yet
open with a subtile coagulation, because little Salt is imparted to it,
whereby he manifests a more spiritual than corporal Body; but all the
other Metals which follow out of its Essence, and have more Salt,
whereby they become corporal, do all follow this; so that I now begin
first with the Spirit of _Mercury_.
CHAP. III.
_Of the Spirit of_ Mercury.
Though I have a peculiar Stile in writing, which will seem strange unto
many, causing strange Thoughts and Fancies in their Brains, yet there is
reason enough for my so doing; I say enough, that I may remain by my own
experience, not esteeming much of others prating, because it is
concealed in my knowledge, Seeing having alwaies the preheminence before
Hearing, and Reason hath the praise before Folly; Wherefore I now say,
that all visible, tangible things are made of the Spirit of _Mercury_,
which excels all earthly things of the whole world, all things being
made out of it, having their Off-spring only from it; for all is found
therein which can perform all whatsoever the Artist desires to find; It
is the beginning to operate Metals, when it is become a spiritual
Essence, which is meer Air flying to and fro without wings; it is a
moving wind, which after it is expelled its dwelling by _Vulcan_, it is
driven into its _Chaos_, where it again enters, and resolves it self
into the Elements, where it is elevated and attracted by the Sydereal
Stars after a Magnetical manner unto themselves, out of love, whence he
proceeded before, and was operated, because it affects its like again,
and attracts it to it. But if this Spirit of _Mercury_ can be caught,
and made corporal, it resolves into a Body, and becomes a pure, clear,
transparent water, which is the true spiritual water, and the first
_Mercurial_ Root of the Minerals and Metals, spiritual, intangible,
incombustible, without any mixture of earthly Aquosity; it is that
Celestial water, whereof very much hath been written; for by this Spirit
of _Mercury_ all Metals, may if need require, be broken, opened, and
resolved into their first Matter, without Corrosive; it renews the age
of Man or Beast, even as the Eagles; it consumes all evil, and conducts
a long Age to long Life. This Spirit of _Mercury_ is the Master-Key of
my Second Key, whereof I wrote in the beginning; wherefore I will call;
_Come ye Blessed of the Lord, be anointed, and refreshed with water, and
embalm your Bodies, that they may not putrefie or stink_; for this
Celestial Water is the beginning, the Oyl, and the means, seeing it
burns not, because it is made of a spiritual Sulphur, the Salt Balsam is
corporal, which is united with the Water by the Oyl, whereof I will
afterwards treat more at large, when I shall write of them, and mention
them.
And that I may further declare what is the Essence, Matter and Form of
the Spirit of _Mercury_, I say, that its Essence is blessed, its Matter
spiritual and its form earthly, which yet must be understood by an
incomprehensible way; these are indeed harsh Expressions, many will
think, thy Proposals are all vain, strange Effusions, raising wonderful
Imaginations, and true it is that they are strange, and require strange
people to understand these Sayings; it is not written for Peasants, how
they should grease Cart-wheels, nor is it written unto those who have no
knowledge of the Art, though they be never so learned, or think
themselves so; for I only account them Learned, who next unto Gods Word,
learn to know Earthly things, which must be pondered and judged by the
Understanding, founded upon a true Knowledge, to distinguish Light from
Darkness, who chuse that which is good, and reject the evil.
It is needless for you to know what the beginning of this Spirit of
_Mercury_ requires, because it can in no wise help nor advantage you,
only take notice of this, that its beginning is supernatural, out of the
Celestial, Sydereal and Elementary, bestowed on it from the beginning
of the first Creation, that it may enter further into an Earthly
Substance. But because this is necessary which hath been declared to
you, leave the Celestial to the Soul, apprehend it by Faith, and let the
Sydereal likewise alone, because these Sydereal Impressions are
invisible and intangible, the Elements have already brought forth the
Spirit perfect into the world by the Nutriment, therefore let that alone
likewise; for man cannot make the Elements, but only the Creator, and
remain by thy made Spirit which is already formal and unformal, tangible
and intangible, and yet is presented visibly. So have you enough of the
first Matter, out of which all Metals and Minerals grow, and is one only
thing, and such a matter which unites it self with the _Sulphur_ in the
following Chapter, and enters into a Coagulation with the _Salt_ of the
fifth Chapter, that it may be one Body, and a perfect Medicine of all
Metals, not only to bring forth in the Earth at the beginning, as in the
great World, but also by help of the vaporous Body to transmute and
change, together with the augmentation in the lesser World: Let not this
seem strange to you, seeing the Most High hath permitted, and Nature
undertaken it.
Many will not believe this, esteeming it impossible, despise and vilifie
these Mysteries, which they understand not in the least, they may remain
Fools and Idiots till an illumination follows, which cannot be without
Gods Will; but remains till the time predestinate. But wise and
discreet, men who have truly shed the sweat of their Brows, will be my
sufficient witnesses, and confirm the Truth, and indeed believe and hold
for a truth all that which I write in this case, as true as Heaven and
Hell are preordained, and proposed as Rewards of good and evil to the
Elect and Reprobate. Now I write not only with my hands, but my Mind,
Will and heart constrain me to it: Those who are highly conceited,
illuminated, and world-wise, hate, envy, scandalize, defame and
persecute this Mystery to the utmost Rind, or innermost Kernel, which
hath its beginning out of the Center; but I know assuredly, there will
come a time, when my Marrow is wasted, and my Bones dried up, that some
will take my part heartily, after I am in the Pit; and if God would
permit it, they would willingly raise me from the dead; but that cannot
be; wherefore I have left them my Writings, that their Faith and Hope
may have a Seal of Certainty and Truth, to testifie of me what my last
Will and Testament was, which I ordained for the poor, and all the
Lovers of Mysteries, though it did not behove me to have wrote so much,
yet I could not refrain without prejudice to my Soul, but to drive a
Light or Flash through a Cloud, that the Day might be observed, and the
dark Night, thick and gloomy, rainy Weather expelled.
Now how the _Archæus_ operates further by the Spirit of _Mercury_ in the
Earth, or Veins of the Earth, take this Advice, that after the
spiritual Seed is formed by the impression of the Stars from above, and
fed by the Elements, it is a Seed, and turns it self into a _Mercurial_
Water, as first of all the great World was made of nothing, for when the
Spirit moved upon the Water, the Celestial Heat must needs raise a Life
in the cold watrish and earthly Creatures; in the great World it was
Gods Power, and the Operation of the Celestial Lights; in the little
World it is likewise Gods Power, and the Operation to work into the
Earth by his Divine and Holy Breath. Moreover the Almighty gave and
Ordained means to accomplish it, that one Creature had obtained power to
operate in the other, and the one to help and assist the other, to
perform and fulfil all the Works of the Lord; and so an influence was
permitted the Earth to bring forth by the Lights of Heaven, as also an
internal Heat, to warm and digest that which was too cold for the Earth,
by reason of its humidity, as unto every Creature a peculiar fashion
according to its kind; so that a subtile sulphurous Vapour, is stired up
by the Starry Heaven, not the common, but another more clarified and
pure Vapour, distinct from others, which unites it self with the
_Mercurial_ Substance; by whose warm property, in process of time, the
superfluous Moisture is dryed up, and then when the foulish property
comes to it, which gives a preservation to the Body and Balsam,
operating first into the Earth by a spiritual and sydereal influence,
then are Metals generated of it, as it pleaseth the Mixture of the three
Principles, the Body being formed according as it assumes unto it the
greatest part of those three. But if the Spirit of _Mercury_ be intended
and qualified from above upon Animals, it becomes an Animal Substance;
if it goes upon Vegetables by order, it becomes a Vegetable Work; but
if, by reason of its infused nature, it fall on Minerals, it becomes
Minerals and Metals, yet each one hath its distinction as they are
wrought, the Animals for themselves, the Vegetables, on another manner
and form by themselves, and so likewise the Minerals, each one a several
way, whereof to write particularly would be too tedious, and yield large
and various Narrations.
Many one may here demand and not without cause, how such a Spirit of
_Mercury_ may be procured, how to be made, and after what manner it is
to be prepared to expel Diseases, and change all the kinds of the meaner
and baser Metals, as if they were born in a little world, by
transmutation and augmentation of their Seed; many expect this with
impatience. I answer without concealing any thing, but will truly
discover as much as is permitted me by Gods Command, in manner and form
following.
_In the Name of the Lord_, Take a Red Quick-silver Ore which is like
unto _Sinople_ (or _Vermilion_) and the best Gold Ore you can get; grind
of each a like quantity both together, before they partake of any fire,
poure an Oyl of _Mercury_, upon it made _per se_, of common, purified
and sublimed Quicksilver, set it a month to digest, you have an Extract
rather Celestial than Terrestrial; distil this Extract gently, as in
_Balneum Mariæ_, the Flegme ascends over, the Oyl remaining at bottom,
being heavy, which in a moment receives all Metals into it poure thrice
as much Spirit of Wine to it, circulate it in a Pellican, till it be as
red as Bloud, and become so sweet that nothing may compare with it;
decant the Spirit of Wine to a Liquidness, poure fresh Spirit of Wine
upon it, this reiterate so often, till the Matter be exceeding sweet,
and transparent red as a a Ruby, then put all together, poure that which
ascended over upon white calcined _Tartar_, and distil it strongly in
Ashes, the Spirit of Wine remains behind with the _Tartar_, but the
Spirit of _Mercury_ ascends over. If this Spirit of _Mercury_ be mixt
with the Spirit of _Sulphur_, together with its Salt, and so brought
over jointly together, that they can never be separated, you have such a
work which if it come over, and it get its ferment with Gold by solution
according to a just measure and time appointed, and be brought to a
perfect ripeness, unto the _Plusquam_ perfection, nothing may compare
therewith, for prevention of Diseases, and poverty, and to a rich
excessive recreation of the Body and Goods. This is the way to obtain
the Spirit of _Mercury_, which I have revealed as far as it is permitted
me to do, by the Supremest Emperour; the Manual Operations are found in
the Work which I have revealed; you must wisely observe, that you may
not endure a Bath in Hell for me, by my true admonition to thee,
forasmuch as a true opening of the Door which leads to the Royal Palace,
is performed but with one Key, which cures all Diseases, be it
_Dropsie_, _Consumption_, _Gout_, _Stone_, _Falling Sickness_,
_Apoplexy_, _Leprosie_, or howsoever called in general: This Medicine
likewise cures all kinds of the _French Pox_, and all old Sores of long
standing, be it _Wolf_, _Noli me tangere_, _Tetter_, _Ring-worm_,
_Cancer_, _Fistula_, and corroding hollow Sores; all which I have
declared, and concealed nothing. Last of all, observe, that you do not
discover too much, or no more, because all Art hath its Original or
Source out of the Spirit of _Mercury_, which is refreshed and raised to
Life by the spiritual _Sulphur_, that it becomes Celestial, & with and
by the Salt they are made corporal and formal; but the beginning of the
Soul, of the Spirit, and of the Body, let it be and remain a Magnet,
even as it is, and can be acknowledged to be nothing else. This is the
summe in brief, that without the Spirit of _Mercury_, which is the only
true Key, you can never make Corporal Gold potable, nor the Philosophers
Stone. Let it remain by this Conclusion, be silent; for I my self will
at present say no more, because Silence is enjoyned thee and me by the
orderly Judge, recommending the Execution and further Search thereof to
another, who hath not as yet reduced the Matter into a right Order.
CHAP. IV.
_Of the Spirit of_ Copper.
The Star of _Venus_ is very difficult, and not well to be calculated, as
all _Mathematicians_ and _Astronomers_ will bear me witness; for its
course is found to be otherwise than that of the other six Planets, and
therefore its Birth is otherwise; for the Birth of _Venus_ possesses the
First Table, after _Mercury_, as for what concerns the Generation of
Metals. _Mercury_ makes active, but _Venus_ provokes, giving Lust and
Desire, together with the Beauty which gave occasion thereunto; though I
am accounted no _Astronomer_, nor do I give my self out for one, who
knows to calculate the Course of the Heavens; for I should spend my time
in my Cell in Prayer, but that the spare hours after my Devotion is
ended, may not be spent in vain, I have ordered and proposed it as my
aim and intent to exercise my self, and to spend those hours in the
knowledge of Natural things. So likewise it is not well to be reckoned
what arises, grows or proceeds from _Venus_ or whence she arose, grew,
or proceeded; for she is superfluously cloathed more than she needs, and
yet must want that which she needs most of all in her Constancy.
But you must be advertised, that _Venus_ is cloathed with a Celestial
_sulphur_ which far surpasses the brightness of the Sun; for there is
more and more abundant _Sulphur_ in her than in Gold; but it requires a
knowledge what the Matter of that Gold _Sulphur_ may be, which is, and
rules so plentifully in Copper, and whereof I make so great a Cry: know
then that it is likewise a flying very hot Spirit, which can pass
through and penetrate, as also ripen and digest all things, as the
imperfect Metals into perfect, which the inexpert will not believe. And
here a Question presents it self at hand; _How the Spirit of Copper can
make other imperfect Metals perfect, and make them ripe, whereas in its
own Body it is imperfect and inconstant?_ For Answer, I say as I have
often said, that this Spirit cannot possess or inhabit a permanent Body
in Copper; for when the habitation is burnt by Fire, the Spirit goes
away with it, and must with impatience leave its Lodging, for it dwells
therein as a Sojourner; but it hath protection in the permanent fix'd
Body of Gold, whence no man can expel it, without the Warrant of an
especial Judge; for it is put into the inheritance as an Heir, and taken
Root by her permanent Body, that she cannot easily be expelled. The
Tincture which _Venus_ hath obtained, is in like manner found in _Mars_,
more powerful, high and Noble; for _Mars_ is the Man, and _Venus_ the
Woman, which I speak more of, seeing I write of them. This Tincture is
delivered in _Verdigreece_, and likewise it is found in _Vitriol_, as in
a Mineral whereof a peculiar Book might be wrote. In all these things a
combustible _Sulphur_ is found, and yet a _Sulphur_ which is
incombustible, this is a strange thing, one is a white Sulphur, the
other is red in the operative generation; but the true Sulphur is
incombustible, for it is a pure true Spirit, whereof an incombustible
Oil is prepared, and it is the same Sulphur which is made out of one
Root from the Gold-Sulphur.
I open many Mysteries, which ought not to be; but what should I do? to
conceal all is not answerable, but a measure is good in all things, as
you may observe in my last Advice of protestation; forget not my desire
therein.
This Sulphur may well be called the _Sulphur of the Wise_; for all
Wisdom is found therein, unto the _Mercurial_ Spirit; which excels it,
which together with the Salt of _Mars_ must be put together by a
spiritual Conjunction, that three may come into one understanding, and
be advanced to equal operations. This spiritual Sulphur proceeds in the
same manner and form out of the upper Region, as doth the Spirit of
_Mercury_, but in another manner and kind, whereby the Stars manifest a
separation in fix'd and unfix'd, in colour'd and uncolour'd things.
The Tincture consists only in the _Spirit of Copper_, and most of all in
that of his Bed-fellow; it is a meer Vapour, stinking and ill-sented in
its beginning; this Mist must be dissolved in the manner of a Liquor,
that the stinking, incombustible Oil may be prepared thereof; but yet it
must have and take its beginning out of _Mars_; this Oil unites freely
with the Spirit of _Mercury_, assuming all Metallick Bodies speedily
unto them, if they be first prepared in all points as I have advised in
my Keys.
I observe not the Order of the Planets, and not without just grounds;
for I observe the order of their Birth, by which I am directed; for
because _Venus_ hath much Sulphur, she is sooner digested and ripened
together with _Mars_, before other Metals; but because unconstant
_Mercury_ shewed them both too little assistance, therefore no room is
left him to work harder, by reason of the superfluous Sulphur, so that
they could obtain no melioration of their unfixt Bodies. Now I will
reveal a Secret unto thee, that Gold, Copper, and Iron have one Sulphur,
one Tincture, and one Matter of their Colour; this Matter of the
Tincture is a Spirit, a Mist and Fume; as aforesaid, which can
penetrate and pass through all Bodies, if you can take it, and acuate it
by the Spirit which is in the Salt of _Mars_, and then conjoin the
Spirit of _Mercury_ therewith in a just weight, purging them from all
impurity, that they be pleasant and well sented, without all Corrosives,
you have then such a Medicine, whereunto none in the world may compare,
being fermented with the bright shining Sun, you have made an entrance
penetrating to work, and to transmute all Metals.
O Eternal Wisdom from the beginning! how shall we thank thee for such
great Mysteries, which the Children of Men do no wayes regard, but are
despised by the greater number, to know what thou hast concealed in
Nature, which they see before their Eyes, and know it not; they have it
in their Hands, and comprehend it not; they deal with it, and know not
what they have, nor what they do, because the Internal is concealed. I
will yet reveal this unto thee in truth, and by the Love of God, that
the root of the Philosophical Sulphur, which is a Celestial Spirit, is
found with the root of the spiritual supernatural _Mercury_, as also the
beginning of the spiritual Salt, are in one, and found in one Matter,
out of which the Stone is made, which was before me, and not in many
things, though all Philosophers speak as if the _Mercury_, _Sulphur_,
and _Salt_ were each one a part by themselves and distinct, that the
_Mercury_ is found in one, the _Sulphur_ in another, and the _Salt_ in a
third; yet I tell you, this is only to be understood of their
superfluity, which is found to abound most in each, and may be used and
prepared divers ways particularly with profit, both for Physick and
transmutation of Metals; but the Universal, which is the supreamest
Treasure of Earthly Wisdom, and of all the three Principles, is one only
thing, and is founded and extracted out of one only thing, which can
make all Metals into one, it is the true Spirit of _Mercury_, and Soul
of _Sulphur_, together with the spiritual Salt, united together,
inclosed under one Heaven, and dwelling in one Body, it is the Dragon
and the Eagle, the King and the Lion, the Spirit and the Body, which
must tinge the Body of Gold to a Medicine, that it may gain power
plentifully to tinge his other Companions.
O thou blessed Medicine given by God thy Creator! O thou Celestial
Magnet of great attractive Love! O thou valid substance of Metals, how
great is thy power, how uninventive is thy virtue, how durable is thy
constancy? happy is that man on Earth who knows thy Light in truth,
which all the world takes no notice of; he shall not see poverty, no
Disease shall touch him, nor no sickness hurt him, till the appointed
time of death, and till the last hour predestinated for him by his
Heavenly King. It is impossible for all the tongues of Men to utter the
Wisdom which is laid in this Treasure of the Fountain, all Orators must
be silent and ashamed at it, yea terrified and not able to speak a word,
when they shall behold and discern this supernatural Glory, and I my
self am afraid when I consider that I have discovered too much. But I
hope to prevail with God by Prayer, that he will not charge it on me as
a deadly Sin, because I began the Work in his Fear, obtained it by his
Grace, and revealed it for his Glory.
O thou holy everlasting Trinity! I praise, honour, and magnifie thee
with Heart and Mouth, that thou hast revealed unto me the great wisdom
of this earthly World, next unto thy Divine Word, whereby I have known
thy Almighty Power, and supernatural Wonders, which Man will not
discern; I heartily beseech thee to give me more understanding and
wisdom, that I may bestow the use and profit thereof with a continual
Sacrifice of Praise before thee, unto the Christian-like Love of my
Neighbour, and to my own welfare both spiritual and corporal, in power
and virtue, that thy Name may be made glorious, honoured, and praised,
for all thy works in Heaven and Earth; and that my Enemies may know,
that thou art the Lord full of eternal Wonders, that they may repent and
be converted, and not be drowned in the falshood of Darkness. God the
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost help me, and all of us, from his heavenly
Throne, exalted above all Glory, Might, and Majesty, whose Wisdom hath
neither beginning nor end, and before whom all Celestial, Earthly, and
Hellish Creatures must tremble with fear, to him be Glory forever,
_Amen_.
O _Seraphin_! O _Cherubin_! how great are thy Wonders and Actions, look
graciously upon thy servant, and be entreated to be pacified that he
hath manifested this.
The Reader must moreover know concerning the Generation of Copper, and
observe, that it is generated of much _Sulphur_, but its _Mercury_ and
Salt are in an equality, for there is found to be no more or less of the
one than of the other, seeing then that the _Sulphur_ in quantity excels
the _Mercury_ and the Salt, thence arises a great coloured redness,
which possesses the Metal, that the _Mercury_ cannot perform its
fixation, that a fixt Body should be generated thereof. Observe and
understand it so of Copper, that the form of _Venus_ Body is so stated
as that of a Tree, which abounds in Rosen, as the Larch Tree, the Firr,
the Pine, Deal Tree, and other sorts of Trees more, the Rosen of the
Tree is its _Sulphur_, which it evacuates at sometimes by reason of its
superfluity, for it cannot bear it all; such a Tree which is tinged with
abundance of fatness, by the digestion of Nature and the Elements, burns
quickly and freely, and is not ponderous, nor so durable as is the Oak,
or other hard wood which is close and compact, whose Pores are not so
open, as those sorts of light wood, and wherein the Sulphur doth not so
predominate, but the Oak hath therefore the more _Mercury_, and a better
Salt than the Pine, Firr, and Deal trees have, and such wood doth not
float so well above the water, as the Deal, being bound & closed up
compactly, so that the Air is easily prevented in bearing it up. So is
it to be observed of Metals, and especially of Gold, which by reason of
its abundant, fixt, digested and ripe _Mercury_, hath a very close, fast
and compact, fixt and invincible Body, which neither Fire nor Water,
Air, nor any Corruption of the Earth can prejudice, that the consuming
power of the Elements can do them no harm; this fixedness & close
compacted Conjunction gives evidence of its natural ponderosity, which
cannot be evidenced in other Metals, which is to be observed, not only
by weighing it in the scales, but likewise you will find it thus: if you
lay but a scruple of pure Gold upon a hundred weight of Quicksilver, it
immediately sinks to the bottom, whereas all other Metals being laid
upon Quicksilver in like manner, float on the top of it, and sink not to
the bottom, because they are more open, that the Air or Wind can
penetrate them and bear them up.
Now what further concerns the Spirit of _Venus_ or Copper in Physick,
you must last of all take notice and observe, that it is throughout in
its virtue and power discerned to be very wholsom and beneficial, not
only that Spirit which lies in the first _Ens_, but also that very
Spirit which is found in the last Matter, its virtue, power and
operation is, that it is preferred before all other Medicines in the
Rising of the _Matrix_: It's like is not yet found particularly against
the _Falling Sickness_. This Spirit hath also received an especial gift
to dry the _Dropsie_ up; it preserves the Bloud from putrefaction,
digests all which is adverse to the Stomach, breaks the Stone, of what
kind soever it be. Externally in Wounds, this Spirit lays a ground to
heal: _Noli me tangere_ and all other Sores cannot defend themselves,
nor their ill Qualities, but this Spirit doth assault them, and prepares
a good ground for their Cure; externally it mundifies and searches out
that whereby the Medicine may operate, fasten, and make a beginning of
the Cure. Internally this Spirit penetrates through & through, searching
out all that is evil in the Body; even as doth the noblest Vulnerary
potion; No Imposthume can withstand this Spirit, but is reformed by it.
I say briefly, observe the Spirit of _Venus_ very well, it will manifest
it self to admiration both internally and externally, that many will
esteem it to be incredible & supernatural. Last of all, you must
understand that this Spirit of _Copper_ is a fiery Spirit, penetrating,
searching and consuming all evil Humours, and superfluous Flegme in Man
and Metals, and may in reason be accounted the Crown of Medicines; it is
very fiery and sharp, incombustible, but spiritual and unformal, and
therefore as a Spirit it can particularly help to make unformal things
fiery, digest and ripen them; and if you are a true Naturalist, I
recommend this Spirit unto thee; it will not fail thee in the least, in
any necessity of Health or Wealth, in case you observe it rightly, and
execute according to Justice. I hope my Call and Request will at last
take place, and have a hearing with those who regard Nature, and have
an earnest and longing desire to search out, and learn, whereby they may
whet their Wits, open their Eyes, and let their Ears hear, and learn
such a thing out of my Advice, which was never taken notice of, or
learn'd before, and is to be found in this Spirit of Copper, internal
and external. He that doth not observe, or truly understand my Writings,
will not fathom many Secrets, nor search out to purpose and in truth,
nor learn to advantage without me, therefore no Man can direct me, as
concerning the Spirit of Copper, except he hath beforehand inverted and
turned the Copper inside outwards, and truly learned all the Mysteries
of its internal Virtues, as I have done, if he can find out any thing
better, which I know not, I earnestly desire him not to conceal any
thing, so shall his instruction be well rewarded, with a thousand-fold
advantage, and recommend you herewith to the Highest Creator.
V_ain Reason cannot alwayes apprehend_
E_ach matter which_ Venus _can bring to an end:_
N_o man can find it presently in sence,_
V_ain Reason banns it far away from thence;_
S_uch a Spirit only can all things speed,_
_So that_ Mercury _be joyn'd with it indeed._
CHAP. V.
_Of the Spirit and Tincture of_ Mars.
_Mars_ and _Venus_ have a Spirit and Tincture as well as Gold and other
Metals, be that Spirit which is in each Metal never so mean and little.
It is undeniable and known to all, that many men have many minds, though
all men originally are of one first Matter, born and produced from one
Seed; yet have they divers different Minds, because the Stars have so
operated them, and not without cause; for the influences of the great
World operates the next to it in the little World; for all Opinions,
Natures and Thoughts, together with the whole complection of Man proceed
alone from one Influence of the Stars, manifesting themselves according
to the Course of the Planets and Stars, so that nothing can prevent, nor
can such Influences hinder it, when the Birth hath attained to the end
of its perfection.
As a man is naturally inclined to study; one delights in Divinity,
another in the study of the Laws, a third in Physick, a fourth will be a
Philosopher; moreover there are many Wits who are naturally inclined to
the Mechanicks; as the one is a Painter, another a Goldsmith; the one a
Shoomaker, the other a Taylor, a Carver, and so forth, divers and
innumerable; all this happens by the Stars influence, whereby the
Imagination is supernaturally founded & fortified, and whereupon it is
resolved to rest; as it is found, that what a man hath once conceived in
his Mind, and framed a foundation thereof, none can divert him from a
constant resolution and relying thereon, except Death, which at last
concludes all. So is it to be understood of _Alchymists_, who are set
upon the search of Natures Secrets, they intend not to cease, till they
have discover'd Nature, absolved it quite, and brought all to an end,
which cannot well be done.
Even so is it to be understood of Metals, according as the Influence and
Imagination is from above, so is the Form; and although the Metals be
called Metals in general, and are such, yet you have understood by the
various minds of men, which yet proceed from one Matter, that there may
be manifold and divers Metals, one hot and dry, another cold and moist,
a third assuming a mixt Nature and Complection to it self. Therefore the
Metal of _Mars_ being ordained in its degree by a gross Salt before
others in the greatest quantity, is found to have the hardest, ungentle,
strongest, and grossest Body, which Nature appropriated and granted to
it, it hath the least portion of _Mercury_, but more of _Sulphur_, and
most of _Salt_, hence, and from such a mixture or composition is its
corporal essence descended, and born into the world by help of the
Elements. Its Spirit is like to the other Spirits in operation, but if
you can know the right and true Spirit of _Mars_, I tell you truly, and
in true Wisdom, that one grain of its Spirit or Quintessence drunk with
the Spirit of Wine, strengthens the Heart, Courage, and Senses, so that
you shall fear no Foes; it raises up in him the Courage of a Lion, and
provokes a desire to hunt and fight at _Venus_ sports. When the
Conjunction of _Mars_ and _Venus_ are rightly placed in a certain
Constellation, they bring Fortune and Victory in Love and Affection, in
Battel and joy, remaining in unity though the whole World should be
against them: But because I am an Ecclesiastick under Church Government,
and dedicated my Soul to God, without provocation of humane desires, and
lusts of the Flesh, for they lead a direct way to Hell without leave;
but Gods Commands, Fear, and a rejection of Mans Will, which are
tollerated by his Commands, prepare a way to Heaven, if they continue in
the true calling upon, and in the true and right Faith of the only
Throne of Grace, Mediator and Patron _Jesus Christ_ our Saviour. All
Martial Diseases are expell'd, cured, and healed in an admirable manner
by this Spirit; such as are the _Bloody Flux_, the Disease or Menstruous
_Fluxes_ of Women, both white and red, and all other _Fluxes_ of the
Belly, and open _Sores_ in the Legs, or any part of the Body, together
with all those Diseases, both internal and external, howsoever they are
called, which bloody _Mars_ hath caused, which I omit to nominate
particularly, being well known unto the discreet Physician what Diseases
are subject to the jurisdiction of _Mars_. If the Spirit of Iron be
truly known, it hath a secret affinity with the Spirit of _Venus_, so
that both may be conjoined in one, both becoming one only matter, of a
like operation, form, substance and being, healing and expelling the
self-same Diseases, as also to bring the particulars of the Metals into
a change with profit, praise, and excess. But properly _Mars_ must be
observed thus with its virtues, that in his Corporal form he only hath
an earthly Body, which may be used in many things, for to stanch Bloud,
externally in Wounds, to graduate _Luna_, internally to stop or bind the
Body, which yet is not good at all times, and may be used both
internally & externally in mans Body, as likewise in Metallick affairs;
because without the true known means, which Nature hath in her secret
Closet, much profit cannot be gotten _per se_.
One thing more I must at present propose, that the Magnet and true Iron
perform almost a like benefit in Corporal Distempers, having almost one
kind of Nature in and with them, as it is with it in the Celestial,
spiritual, and Elementary Intellect, between the Body, Soul, and the
Chaos, out of which the Soul and Spirit went, the Body at last was found
out of the Composition.
How shall we now do? the gross dull-witted Lads will not apprehend it,
the middle sort of Wits will take no notice of what I write, and the
supernatural wits will descant too much upon it; I must find out a
remedy, and would willingly preserve all these over-wise-people to be
my Friends still. I will now teach, instruct, and presently inform you,
seeing that the Argument it self declares and pronounces its definitive
sentence, therefore the resolution lies open, and can be declared and
resolved, reserved nor directed to any other sentence of the
understanding, further than for it self.
Last of all, reserve this hereupon in this Chapter, that there can be no
House kept to stand in unity between the Married Couple, if the one of
them turn his Coach and drive to the East, and the other towards the
West, for they are not equal, so that they cannot draw the Coach
together in an equal weight, whereby there arises a great dissention and
hinderance, in obtaining that which was intended: but if true Married
People will carry on their House-keeping with a right subsistance, they
must be of one spirit, mind, judgment and virtue, to accomplish all
whatsoever is in their heart and mind, and that the one operate into the
other, if their Love and Truth shall be permanent; for want of one of
these things, the three principles cannot be truly together; for the
_Mercury_ is banisht, and too little by reason of the firmness and
constancy; the _Sulphur_ is too little, it cannot warm the Body of Love,
because it is very much extinct; the _Salt_ likewise hath not its right,
convenient, natural kind, but is too hard and too much, seeing it makes
a hard coagulation, is sharp and biting, because it doth not manifest it
self in truth and constancy. Even so it goes now in the World, which
goes astray, and is pregnant with such Vices, for the constancy is but
small, the Love little, and Truth as little.
I hope you will take this Philosophical Example in good part, because
_Syrach_ doth both praise and dispraise the goodness, truth, and
wickedness of a false Woman, and both after a different manner; and
herewith I bid _Mars_ Farewell, saying, that no man knows how to
distinguish the Sentence of one, much less of all things, but he who
hath in this point taken notice of them, learned and experimented their
Nature and Properties, and truly known and discovered them. God our
Heavenly Father, the Everlasting Power, proceeding from all beginning,
separate us so in the Form, that the terrestrial corruptible Body may
again attain unto, contain, and receive the Celestial, Spiritual and
Incorruptible Revelation. _Amen._
M_aist thou not know me alone indeed,_
A_nd procure a pure help for me in need;_
R_esolve then, and hear what I do speak or say,_
S_o shalt thou find what I can do for aye._
CHAP. VI.
_Of the Spirit of_ Gold.
The Clearness of Heaven hath now commanded me to govern my Pen, to
reveal a matter of valour and of permanency; for the Sun is a burning
and consuming Fire, hot and dry, wherein is concealed the right and true
virtue of all Natural things; this virtue of the Sun worketh
Understanding, Riches, and Health. My Mind is very much grieved, and my
Spirit is terrified within it self to discover it publickly, which was
not publish'd in common before, and to make it vocal, which was
concealed in the deep with great secresie. But if I consider in my
self, and enter into my Conscience, I could find no alteration, nor
catch at any thing to disturb my mind, or bring it to another
resolution, which might cause many Obstructions: Yet will I speak with
discretion, and write understanding, that no evil with may follow, but
rather that I may gain a grateful profit, which I have pourtrayed after
the manner and occasion, as the Philosophers before me have done.
Mark now, give your Mind perfect Thoughts, refrain all strange matters,
which are not serviceable to your speculation of Philosophy, but rather
cause a ruine of that benefit, which you pursued with so much diligence;
and know if you have a hearty desire and strong affection to gain the
Golden Magnet, that in the first place your prayer be truly directed to
God, in true Knowledge, Sorrow, Repentance, and true Humility, to know
and learn the three distinct Worlds which are subject to Humane Reason;
as, there is the Super-celestial World, wherein the right immortal Soul
hath its seat and residence, together with its first coming, and is
according to Gods Creation the first moveable Sense, or the first moving
sensible Soul, which hath operated the Natural Life from a Supernatural
Essence; this Soul and Spirit is at first the Root and Fountain, the
first Creature which arose to a Life, and the first Mover, whereof there
hath been so much Disputing among the Learned.
Now take notice of the second Celestial World, and observe it
diligently, for therein the Planets rule, and all the Stars of Heaven
have their course, virtue and power in this Heaven, performing that
Service therein whereunto they are by God ordained, and in this service
they operate the Minerals and Metals by their Spirit.
Go now out of these 2 distinct Worlds into the third, wherein is
contained and found what the other two have wrought, to wit, the
Super-celestial and the Celestial worlds; out of the Super-celestial
arises the Fountain of Life, and of the Soul; out of the other Celestial
world the light of the Spirit; and out of the third or Elementary world,
the invincible Celestial Fire, which yet may be felt, out of which, that
which is tangible is digested; these three Matters and Substances
produce and generate the Form of Metals, among all which Gold hath the
pre-eminence, because the Sidereal & Elementary Operation hath digested
and ripened the _Mercury_ in this Metal the more perfectly to a
sufficient ripeness.
And even as the Male-Seed is injected into the Womb, and touches the
_Menstruum_, which is its Earth, but the Seed which goes out of the Male
into the Female, is operated in both by the Sydereal and Elementary,
that they be united, and nourished by the Earth unto the Birth.
Even so understand it likewise, that the Soul of Metals which is formed
and conceived out of the _Chaos_ by an intangible, invisible,
incomprehensible, concealed, and supernatural, Celestial Composition of
Water and Air; afterwards it is further concocted by the Celestial
Elementary Light and Fire of the Sun; whereby the Stars move the Powers,
when its heat is perceived in the inward parts of the Earth, as in the
Womb, for the Earth is opened by the warm operating property of the
upper Stars, that their infused Spirit yield a nourishment unto the
Earth, that it may bring forth somewhat, as Metals, Herbs, Trees and
Animals; where each one in particular brings its Seed with it for its
farther augmentation and encrease: And as hath been mentioned, even as
Man is begotten spiritually and heavenly, Soul and Spirit, and by the
nourishment of the Earth in the Body of the Mother is formally brought
up to perfection; even so, and in like manner, is to be observed and
understood of the Metals and Minerals in all points.
But this is the true mystery of Gold, which I will make good to you by
an Example and Parable to certifie you, whereby the possibility of
Nature, and its Mystery is to be found after this manner.
It is evident, that the Celestial Light of the Sun is of a fiery Quality
and Essence, given unto it by a Celestial, fixt and permanent sulphurous
Spirit, by the most High God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, to preserve
its substance, form, and body; which Creature, by its swift motion and
course, is enflamed and kindled by the Air through that swiftness in a
continued manifestation of it; this inflammation can never be extinct,
nor decay in any of its power, so long as its Course last, or this
whole Created visible World shall remain and continue, because there is
no combustible matter at hand which is given unto it, by whose
consumption this great Light of Heaven should fall to decay.
Even so Gold is so digested, ripened, and made into such a fixt
invincible Nature by the Superiours in its Essence, that nothing can
hurt it in the least, because the superiour Stars have past through the
inferiour, that the inferiour fix'd Stars by the influence and donation
of the superiour, cannot in the least give place to its like, for the
inferiour have obtained such a fixedness and permanency from the
superiour; this you may well retain, observe, and take notice of as
concerning the first Matter of Gold.
I must yet produce one comparison according to the Philosophical custom,
of the great Light of Heaven, and of that little terrestrial fire here
daily kindled, and made to burn before our Eyes; because that great
Light hath a magnetick simulation and an attractive living power with
the small fire here on earth, but yet it is unformal and
incomprehensible, only it is found to be spiritual, invisible,
insensible and intangible.
It is to be observed and remembred, as experience manifests, and is
proved, that the great Light of heaven bears an especial sympathy,
affection and inclination to the little earthly fire, by means of the
spiritual Air, whereby they are both promoted and preserved from
Mortality; for behold, when the Air receives into it a Coruption, by
too great humidity attracted up by it, that Clouds are generated by
Mists, and farther coagulations, which hinder the Sun-beams that they
cannot have a reflection, nor get a right penetrating power. So likewise
the small terrestrial fire doth not burn so lively in dusky, dark, rainy
weather, nor manifests it self with joy in its operation, as it doth
when there is a fair, pure, serene, unfalsified heavenly Air; the reason
is, because the sympathy is bound and hindered by the obstruction of
those Accidents and the waterish Air, so that the attractive power is
grieved, that it cannot accomplish its compleat Love and Operation as it
should, for this hinderance brings the aquosity to the contrary Element.
Now even as the Sun, the great Light of Heaven, hath a peculiar
community and sympathy with the small terrestrial fire to attract unto
it, after a Magnetical manner; So also the Sun and Gold have a peculiar
understanding, and an attractive power and sympathy together; for the
Sun hath wrought the Gold by the three Principles, which have their
Magnets, being nearest related to the Sun, and hath gained the next
degree to it, for that the three Principles are found to be most mighty
and powerful therein, Gold immediately succeeds it in its corporal Form,
being composed of the three principles, and hath its beginning and
off-spring from the Celestial and Golden Magnet.
This is the supremest Wisdom of this world, a wisdom above all wisdom,
yea a wisdom above all Natural Reason and Understanding; for by this
wisdom is comprehended first of all Gods Creation, the heavenly Essence,
the Firmamentary Workings, the spiritual Imagination, and the corporal
Essence, it contains all qualities, and properties, and all whatsoever
sustaines and preserves Mankind. In this Golden Magnet sticks and lies
buried the resolution and opening of all Metals and Minerals, their
domination, as also the first Matter of their generation, their power
over health; and again, the coagulation and fixation of Metals, together
with the operation of expelling all Diseases: Take notice of this Key,
for it is Celestial, Sydereal and Elementary, out of which the
terrestrial is generated, it is both Supernatural and Natural, and is
generated Celestially of the Spirit of _Mercury_, Spiritually of the
Spirit of _Sulphur_, and Corporally of the Spirit of _Salt_; this is all
the way, the whole Essence, the beginning and end; for the Spirit and
the Body are bound up together in one by the Soul, that they can never
be separated, but produce a very perfect, durable Body, which nothing
can hurt. Out of this spiritual Essence, and out of this spiritual
Matter, out of which first of all Gold was made into a Body, and became
corporal, out of it is made a more true and compleat _Aurum potabile_
than out of Gold it self, which must first of all be made spiritual,
before a potable Gold can be prepared out of it.
This Spirit cures and heales the _Leprosie_ and the _French Pox_, as
being an over-fix'd Mercurial Essence, dries up and consumes the
_Dropsie_, and all running and open Sores, which have raged a long
season, it strengthens the Heart and Brain, makes a good Memory,
generates good Blood, brings Lust, Delight and Desires in humane
incitation unto Natural Affections. If the Quintessence of Pearl be mixt
with the Tincture of Coral, and be administred with an addition of an
equal quantity of this Spiritual Essence of Gold, the Dose of two grains
taken at once in a just observation, you may be bold & confident of the
truth, that no disaster of any Natural Distemper can harm you, or happen
to you, to the prejudice of your health, because the nature resides only
in the Spirit of Gold, to alter, remove and amend all weaknesses, so
that the Body shall be adjudged perfect and free from any Disease. The
Quintessence of Pearl corroborates the Heart, and make a perfect Memory,
of the five senses. The Tincture of Coral expels all poison, and evil
Spirits which fly from the good. So can the Soul of Gold in a Water turn
the spiritual Essence of the Pearl, and the Sulphur of the Coral united
in one, perform such a thing which otherwise Nature could not be
intrusted with, but seeing that Experience hath manifested it, and
confirmed the undeniable Truth, therefore this Cordial in this temporal
Life is, and ought in reason to precede all other Cordials with
admiration and admirable Effects, be they called by what name soever. I
am an Ecclesiastical person, obedient to the Ecclesiastical degree,
related to the _Benedictine_ Order by a Spiritual and Divine Oath, by
which Order with my internal Prayer, I obtain comfort and promises of
Gods Word, a refreshment to my Soul, but in a corporal temptation of my
weaknesses, and for my Brethren I have not found and used a better
corroboration by Gods Blessing, than these three Compounds united: God
give, bless, and increase this Virtue and Power unto the End of this
temporal World, which Man must change together with Death. O thou golden
power of thy Soul! O thou golden intellect of thy Spirit! O thou golden
operation of thy Body! God the Creator keep thee, and grant unto all
earthly Creatures, who love and honour him, the true understanding of
all Gifts, that thy Will may be done in Heaven and on Earth: This is
enough revealed at present concerning the Spirit of Gold, until the
coming again of _Elias_.
_Hereunto I add a short process:_
Take a Spirit of Salt, therewith extract the Sulphur of Gold, separate
the Oil of Salt from it, rectifie the Sulphur of Gold with Spirit of
Wine, that it be pleasant without Corrosive; then take the true Oil of
_Vitriol_, made of the _Vitriol_ of _Verdigreece_, therein dissolve
_Mars_, thereof make a _Vitriol_ again, and again dissolve it into an
Oil or Spirit, which rectifie in like manner as before with Spirit of
Wine, conjoin them, and abstract the Spirit of Wine from it, resolve the
Matter which remaines dry in Spirit of _Mercury_, according to a just
weight, circulate and coagulate it when it is fix'd and permanent
without Ascention, you have then a Medicine to tinge Man and Metals, if
it be fermented with prepared Gold.
CHAP. VII.
_Of the Spirit of_ Silver.
[Transcriber's note: Original heading had
Gold with a handwritten correction to Silver.]
The Tincture and spirit of Silver manifests its Colour of a Watchet or
Sky-colour, otherwise it is a waterish Spirit, cold and moist, not so
hot in its degree as that which is found in _Gold_, _Mars_, and _Venus_;
for _Luna_ is more phlegmatick than fiery, though it be brought by the
Fire out of its waterish Substance into a coagulation; and even as the
Metals gain their tinging Spirits and Coagulation, in like manner do
stones get their fixedness, and colour, as out of one Influence. A fix'd
coagulated _Mercury_ is found in the _Diamond_, therefore it is fixeder
and harder than the other stones, and cannot be so broken; so the
tincture of _Mars_, or the Sulphur of Iron is found in the _Ruby_, the
Sulphur of _Venus_ in the _Emerald_, the Soul of _Saturn_ in the
_Granate_; in Tin the tincture which is found in the _Topaz_; and
_Crystal_ is appropriated to common _Mercury_; in the _Saphire_ is found
the Sulphur and Tincture of _Luna_, but each one according to a peculiar
understanding, and according to its kind, and in Metals according to
their form and gender; for when the blew Colour is taken and extracted
out of the _Saphire_, its Rayment is gone, and its other Body is white
as a _Diamond_, wanting only the hardness that is in a _Diamond_; even
so when Gold hath lost its Soul, it yields a fix'd white Gold Body,
which by searching Students and young Artists is called fix'd _Luna_.
Wherefore you must now understand and observe, that even as I have
declared unto you concerning the _Saphire_, for your apprehension, even
so on the other side, you must learn to what purpose my Speech is
intended, for your Instruction concerning Metals.
For this blew Spirit is the Sulphur and the Soul, whence the Silver
receiveth its Life, both in and above the Earth, by Art, and the white
Tincture of the Silver upon white stands in the Magnetick form of an
everlasting thing, or Creature, wherein is likewise found the first
_Ens_ of Gold.
O ye high qualified Orators! where is your voice in this case to explain
this Mystery? And you conceited Naturalists, where is your Writings and
Advice of Reason? And you Physicians, Whither is your Opinion flown, to
fetch somewhat afar off over the Seas for to cure the _Dropsie_, and all
_Lunary_ Distempers? You will say, that this my speech is too dark for
you; is it so? then kindle the terrestrial Light, seek, and be not
ashamed to make acquaintance with _Vulcan_; and let nothing be irksome
unto you, so will you find by the assistance of the Eternal God, that
the Spirit of _Silver_ contains in it to cure and expel the _Dropsie_
quite alone, as the Spirit of _Gold_, and as that of _Mercury_ can expel
the _Consumption_ radically, or in the root, even so that the Center of
those Diseases cannot be found any more. But that _Luna_ in the veins of
the Earth is not furnished with such a hot substance or quality in its
degree, but is subjected to a Waterish Nature; this fault lies upon that
great Light of Heaven, which by reason of its Waterish influence, hath
implanted such qualities in the other Creatures, and Planets of the
Earth, than it hath in _Silver_. And albeit that _Silver_ contains a
fix'd _Mercury_, which is generated in it, yet it wants a hot, fix'd
_Sulphur_, truly to dry up and consume its Phlegme, whereby it hath not
obtained a compact Body, unless it be done afterwards by the art of the
Little World. And seeing that its Body is not compact by reason of the
abounding watery substance, its Pores therefore are not rightly
defended, nor closed to undergo the weight and endure a Battel with the
Enemies; all which Virtues are to be found in _Gold_, if it shall
overcome all Enemies, and endure all trials without defect.
All things are difficult in the beginning, but when they are brought to
an end they are easie to be understood and apprehended. If you do truly
observe the Spirit and the Soul of _Luna_, and learn to know it truly,
you may quickly compass the midst of the Work, how it shall afford the
end with profit; wherefore I will now propose to you an Example, and
instruct you by a Countrey-Rule, that you may apprehend it, and consider
of it, as Childrens Play, in a high and weighty Matter, that you may
search it out with advantage; as followeth:
A common Peasant casts forth (or sows) his Seed in a Field well dunged
and prepared, this Seed after putrefaction, sprouts forth of the Earth
by the operation and furtherance of the Elements, and sets before our
Eyes the Matter of Flax together with its Seed which it brings with it
augmented; this Flax is pluck'd up, and separated from its Seed; but
this Flax cannot be used and prepared for any work profitably, except it
be first putrefied and rotted in water, whereby the Body is opened, and
gains an ingress of its doing good; after this putrefaction and opening,
it is again dried in the Air and Sun, and by this coagulation it is
again brought into a Formal Being, that it may do future service. This
prepared Flax is afterwards buck'd, beaten, broken, peel'd, and last of
all dress'd, that the pure may be separated from the impure, the clean
from the filth, and the fine from the course; which otherwise could not
be done at all, or brought to pass without the preceding preparation;
this done, they spin Yarn of it, which they boil in water over the Fire,
or else with Ashes set in a warm place, whereby it is purified afresh,
whereby the filth and superfluities are fully separated from it, and
after a due washing the Yarn is dried again, delivered to the Workmen,
and Cloth weaved of it; this Cloth is purified or whitened by a frequent
casting of water upon it, cut in pieces by Taylors, and other people, so
converted to future services in houshold affairs, and when this Linnen
is quite worn out, and torn, the old Rags are gathered together, and
sent to the Paper-Mills, whereof they make Paper, which is put unto
divers uses.
If you lay Paper upon a Metal or Glass, kindle and burn it, the
vegetable _Mercury_ comes forth and flies away into the Air, the Salt
remaines in the ashes and the combustible _Sulphur_ which is not so
quickly consumed in the burning, dissolves to an Oil, which is a good
Medicine for dim and defective Eyes. This Oil hath in it a great
fatness, which is the Matter of the Paper, contained originally in the
Seed of the Flax; so that the last Matter of the Flax which is Paper,
must again be dissolved into the first Matter, which is the fat
Sulphurous Oyliness of the Flax-seed, together with the separation of
its _Mercury_ and _Salt_, that so the first may be made of the last, and
the ground-work revealed, so the Virtues and Operations known by the
first.
And though this Discourse be gross and not subtil, yet you may learn
thereby to know what is subtile and secret; for that which is subtile
must be infused into the ignorant by course Examples, that thereby they
may be taught to reject the gross, and to embrace that which is subtile.
In like manner understand, that the first Matter of Metals must be
observed, known, and found out by the revelation of their last Matter,
which last Matter, as there are the perfect Metals, must be separated
and divided asunder, that it may plainly appear singly before the Eyes
of men. Out of which separation may be judged and learnt what the first
Matter was at the beginning, out of which the last was made. Accept of
this Advice concerning _Luna_ at present. I could have said more, but I
must desist at this time until another opportunity; and intreat you
heartily, admonishing you by your Conscience, that you observe all that
which I have revealed unto you, of all those Letters which are contained
in the middle between _Alpha_ & _Omega_, & that you keep all the
Speeches & Writings, that you may not undergo a denial of pardon for
your Sins, & a continued perpetual Vengeance for Eternity; which I at
last reveal unto you thus:
Take the Sky-coloured Sulphur extracted out of _Silver_, rectified with
Spirit of Wine, dissolve it according to its Quantity in the White
Spirit of _Vitriol_, and in the sweet-sented Spirit of _Mercury_,
coagulate them together by the fixation of the Fire, you have the White
Tincture in your Hands with all its Medicines; but if you can get all
their _primum Mobile's_, it is then needless, because you can perfect
the Work at once.
CHAP. VIII.
_Of the Soul or Tincture of_ Tin.
Good _Jupiter_ possesses almost the mean or middle place between Metals,
it being not too hot, nor too cold, not too warm, nor too moist, it hath
no excess of _Mercury_, nor of Salt, and it hath the least of Sulphur in
it; it is found to be white in Colour, yet one exceeds the other in the
three Principles, as it is evidently found in its dissection, the right
and true discovery of Nature. It is generated of such a composition and
mixture of the three first Principles, being operated, coagulated into
a Metal, and brought to the ripeness of perfection. _Jupiter_ is a God
of Peace, a Lord of Goodness, a Ruler and Possessor of the middle
Region; as concerning its State, Essence, Function, Virtue, Form and
Substance; for it holds the mean; no special Disease can happen, that
_Jupiter_ should cause any remarkable damage, if its Medicine be used a
little at once, not too much in quantity; it is likewise thought
needless, where its Medicines are not required, that they should be
administred in strange cases with a just Call, but we should rather
abide by those, where the Body and its Disease have an equal temper with
the superiour Stars and their assistance, in vertue, power, and
operation, and so accord together in their juncture, that there is not
found the least contrariety in the Operation, nor in the Operative
Nature.
_Jupiters_ Spirit is found not to be wanting in the least, in the
generation of Metals, as likewise no one Spirit of all the Metals can be
set backwards, because of necessity they accord together from the lowest
to the highest degree, and must agree together, as a Metal is perfect in
the great Earth, so should the transmutation & augmentation succeed in
the little world; understand it after this manner, that all the degrees
from the meanest to the highest Metal must be passed through in all
perfection, even as the Metals must finish their course, from _Saturn_
unto _Gold_, as concerning the permanency of Colour and Body,
notwithstanding that _Saturn_ possesses the highest place in the
highest Region, wherein the stars reign and perform their Course.
The generation of Tin in and above the Earth, is brought to light even
as Man is and other Animals, which are originally nourished and fed by
the Mothers Milk; there is no Diet to be found on Earth more fit for the
nourishment of all men than Milk; for its best part is chiefly an Animal
_Sulphur_, which yields the Nourishment. Even in like manner _Tin_ is
nourished by its Metallick _Sulphur_, which likewise feeds it with the
greatest acceptation, it assumes in and to it more heat than _Saturn_,
therefore is _Jupiter_ more digested & broiled, whereby its Body
likewise is more fixt and permanent in the degree of Salt.
He causes in his Dominion and Reign, that good Rule be observed, and
Justice done to all men in his Court. The Spirit of Tin is a Preserver
from all Distempers & Accidents whereby the Liver is consumed or put
into malady; its Spirit is naturally to be compared unto Honey in Taste,
its _Mercury_ being made volatile, gains a venomous quality; for it
purges violently, and penetrates through by force, therefore it is not
alwayes to be advised, that its opened _Mercury_ should be used alone
and simply, but if a Correction precede, there may an excellent benefit
succeed, being used in those distempers and diseases, which are
immediately subject to its Influence, that is, when its venomous
volatility is taken away, and set in a better and fixeder state, which
resists the poison.
The Vulgar Physician cannot understand this Description; for this Art
and knowledge proceeds not from the bare Talking, but from Experience;
the common Physician hath the foundation and egress in speaking, but our
Preparation hath its Rise from speaking, and then its foundation first
of all out of a certain trial, which manifests it by Experience, and
this is firmed upon hard Rocks by manual Operations, but the other
stands upon moving Reeds & Sand; wherefore in reason that which is
strong and immoveable, made by Natures hand, ought to be prefer'd before
bare Speeches, which proceed only from an inconstant phantastical
speculation, because the Work alwayes will praise the Master.
At present I do not indeed speak according to my own Poetical manner,
nor after such a way as I directed my stile, when I treated of the
wonderful generation of the seven Planets in my occult Philosophy, nor
after a Magical or Cabalistical manner and custom; much less do I
observe the method which teaches, and diligently marks the Mystical,
Secret and Supernatural Arts, to wit, of _Hydromancy_, _Æromancy_,
_Geomancy_, _Pyromancy_, _Nigromancy_, and the like: But my present
purpose and intent is directed to reveal Natures Secrets, that all the
Lovers of Art, and the Children which seek and desire wisdom, may by
Gods Grace, Blessing, and Permission, easily understand, observe, mark,
and likewise after diligent observation learn, & retain something that
is beneficial; this concerns the generation of Metals in two parts, in
the great and in the little World, as likewise what is the true Medicine
contained in the inward part of those Metallick and Mineral Forms, which
must be apprehended and made moveable by their dissection that their
first beginning may be made notoriously visible in three distinct
things; Then is Nature stript, and her secret parts discovered by laying
off her temporal Cloathing, and all the secret Virtues, Powers, and,
Operations revealed for Mans Health. My Persecutors, and, indiscreet
Physicians will now tell me, thou talkest much of Geese, and knowest not
a Duck; who knows whether all what thou writest be true? I will stick
where I am, and remain by what I have tried, and bears the sway among
all my Associates and Physitians; so shall I not be deceived, and am
assured that I shall not need to take paines to learn any new Matter. He
that is of such a resolution, may remain with the Ducks; for he is not
worthy of a roasted Goose, nor to learn what is concealed in Nature.
But this in truth I acknowledge, and confess it before the Supreme
Trinity, speaking it to the hazzard of that most Noble Ecclesiastical
Jewel, that all what I have wrote, and yet shall write in this point, is
all true, and shall be found to be no otherwise in truth: But that every
ignorant, or vulgar person, which are haters and persecutors of this
Mystery, do not well, fully, and clearly understand my Writings at
first; alas! that cannot I help; pray unto God for his Grace, and ye
Persecutors for pardon, labour without repining, read with
understanding, then will no Mystery be withheld from you, but will be
very easie for you to find out. I moreover admonish, that the finder of
this gift of God, above all things give thanks unto God day and night
without ceasing, with all reverence and due obedience, from the bottom
of his heart; because no Creature can yield sufficient praise which may
recompense so great a benefit; but Diligence is known by a right and
true industry according to our capacity. I have done my part, which I
hope to justifie before God and the World; for what my Eyes have seen,
my Hands felt, and apprehended by an undeceived Judgment, that shall no
man take from me in this Life; only Death, which is the determiner of
all things.
This my Speech hath indeed had no force to poure forth from it what is
written by me herein; but what I have done is not out of curiosity, nor
out of a desire of vain and transitory Glory; but I have been induced
thereunto by the Command of Christ the Lord, that his Glory and Goodness
in eternal and temporal Matters, should not be concealed from any man,
but to the praise, honour, and glory of his holy everlasting Name, that
it might be exalted, acknowledged, and revealed in his Majesty by reason
of his Highness and Almightiness, through the confirmation of his
wonderful Deeds! And secondly, I have been led thereunto by Love and
Charity towards my Neighbour, for his good as for my own, and to heap
burning Coals on my Enemies heads. And last of all, that all Opposers
may know, what erroneous waies others have gone against me, and whether
I am most of all to be condemned, or they adjudged most just in what
hath been written most truly of the concealments of Nature; & likewise
that the supremest Mystery may not quite be suffocated in darkness, nor
be drowned in overflowing waters, but be delivered out of the deep and
filthy mire of the Ideotish Crew by the right appearance of the true
Light, and obtain many witnesses by the spreading abroad of a sure,
true, and right Confession, who may follow me in the Writings of Truth.
In my Nativity of the twelve Signes in the Zodiack, _Sagitary_ and
_Pisces_ were allotted unto me; I was born under _Pisces_, for I was in
Waterishness before my Life, but _Sagitary_ set an Arrow to my Heart,
whereby I lost my Waterishness, and by the heat I became worthy of the
dry Earth; and although at the first the Earth was turned by the Water
into a soft substance, yet you must understand that the Water was
consumed by the heat of the drying Air, so that all the soft Matter of
the Earth went away, and by this drying up was dignified with a
Hardness; whereby thou Learner, and much Understander should carefully
observe and take good notice, that Tin is subject to all the four
Elements, as also to the other principal Planets; which Elements
received their Center from above, and are generated as others.
To conclude, I let you know, and give you to understand, that if thou
extract out of Benevolent _Jupiter_ its Salt and Sulphur, and lettest
_Saturn_ flux well with it, _Saturn_ assumes a fixt body unto it, purges
it self, and becomes clear thereby, there being a full change and real
transmutation of Lead into good Tin, which may be found to the height by
a durable infallible proof. And though you may think this to be false,
yet you must take notice, that seeing the Salt of _Jupiter_ only by its
Sulphur is made more corporal, yet likewise it hath obtained an efficacy
and power to penetrate _Saturn_, the basest and most volatile Metal, and
bring it to a melioration of its Equals, as you will find it in
reality.
CHAP. IX.
_Of the Spirit of_ Saturn, _or Tincture of_ Lead.
_Saturn_ to generate his Metal Lead, is placed in the upper Heaven above
all Stars, but he possesses the lowest and vilest degree in the
under-parts of the Earth, even as the supreme Light of _Saturn_ is
mounted aloft in the highest supremacy of all the Celestial planets, so
hath its Children of the lower Region succeeded it in Kind; and Nature
hath permitted that _Vulcan_ should conduct them to their like, if
_Saturn_ be content; for the upper light gives occasion thereunto,
having generated an unfixt Body of _Saturn_, penetrated with open pores,
that the Air can pass through this _Saturnine_ Body, that the Air can
keep it aloft, but the fire can quickly assault it, because the body is
not compact by reason of its unfixedness, so that it must decay, which
must be in all points observed by him that will attain to the search of
it; for there is a great difference between the fix'd and unfix'd
bodies, and of the causes of their Constancy and Inconstancy. And though
_Saturn_ hath an especial ponderosity above other Metals, yet observe,
when they are poured forth together, after their union in the Flux, the
other Metals alwaies settle at the bottom, even as it likewise comes to
pass in the pouring of _Antimony_ through with other Metals, whereby it
is evident, that the other Metals fall through equally, and are more
compact than _Saturn_, for it must give place and preheminence to the
other Metals, leaving the victory with them; for it must vanish and be
quite consumed with the unfixt inconstant Metals; in it all the three
properties of the three principles are most course; and because its Salt
is very fluxible above that of other Metals and Planets, so is its Body
more fluxible, inconstant, unfixt, and volatile, than any other
Metallick Body. As _Saturn_ steps to its regeneration, so know that in
like manner, as common Water is forced by the natural coldness, by the
change of the Heavens, whereby it becomes a coagulated Ice, in like
manner is it to be made evident, that by reason of the great coldness
which is found to be in the Salt of _Saturn_ above other Salts; _Saturn_
is also coagulated and made corporal; Ice dissolves into water by heat;
so likewise the coagulated _Saturn_ is made fluxible by Fire, it hath
most of _Mercury_ in it, but it is inconstant and volatile; it hath
least of Sulphur, and therefore according to its small quantity its cold
body cannot be made warm; it hath little Salt, but fluxible, otherwise
Iron would be more fluxible and malleable than Lead, if the Salt alone
could cause a malleableness and fluxibleness, because Iron contains more
Salt than any other Metal: Seeing then there is a difference to be found
in this point, you must therefore observe and remember the difference,
and how to distinguish between Metals.
All Philosophers have wrote as well as I, that the Salt gives the
Coagulation and Body to every Metal; and it is true; but to prove it by
an example, how and after what manner this Relation is to be understood:
Plume Allom is esteemed to be only a meer Salt, and is approved to be
such, which in this particular may be compared to Iron, that the Salt of
the Plume Allom is found to be a thing unfluxible as Iron is. On the
other side, _Vitriol_ likewise is a Salt, manifesting it self in a small
quantity, but fluxible and open, therefore its Salt cannot yield such a
hard congelation unto its appropriated Metal, as the other can; although
all the Salts of Metals grew out of one certain Root, and out of one
Seed, yet nevertheless you must observe a difference in their three
Principles, as also you must observe & remember, that a difference is
found in one Herb from the other, and likewise how man differs from
other Creatures and Animals in Qualities, Original, and the three
Principles; for one Herb is indued with more of this, another with more
of that kind, which in like manner is to be understood concerning Man
and other Animals. The Soul of Lead consists in a sweet quality, as also
doth the Soul of Tin, and sweeter yet, that nothing almost may be
compared to it, being first of all purified to the highest by
separation, that the pure be well separated from the impure, that a
perfect accomplishment may succeed in the Operation: Otherwise the
Spirit of Lead is by nature cold and dry, wherefore I advise, that it
be not much used by Men and Women, because it over cools Nature, so that
the Seed of both cannot perform their Natural Function; nor doth it much
good to the Spleen and Bladder, but in other cases it attracts
flegmatick Humours unto it, which raise up much Melancholy in Men; for
_Saturn_ is a Ruler, and such a _Melancholicus_, whereby a Man is
confirm'd in his Melancholy, wherefore its Spirit is used, for one
Melancholy Spirit attracts another unto it, whereby Mans Body is freed
and delivered from its infused Melancholy. Externally the Soul of
_Saturn_ is so healing, in all Sores old or new, Cuts, Thrusts, or
Accidents by Means or Nature, so that no Metal can do the like; it is
cooling in all hot, tumified Members; but Noble _Venus_ hath the
pre-eminence to mundifie and cauterize all putrid Sores, and to lay a
ground for their Cure, which have their access from within; for in her
essence she is hot to dry up, but _Saturn_ on the contrary is found to
be cold in his Essence.
The Celestial Light of the Sun is much hotter than the Light of the
Moon; for the Moon is much lesser than the Sun, and according to its
dimension and division it contains an eighth part of the greatness in
its Circle; if then the Moon in this her Magnitude of the eighth part
could excel the Sun, as the Sun excels the Moon, all Fruits and
Productions of the Earth must perish, and there would be a perpetual
Winter, no Summer to be found at any time: But the Eternal Creator hath
in this case well ordained a certain Order and Law for his Creatures,
that the Sun should give light by day, and the Moon by night, and so all
Creatures should be served. Those Children which are subject to the
influence of _Saturn_, are melancholy, churlish, continually murmuring,
as old covetous people, who do no good to their own Bodies, and yet
never have enough; they put their Bodies to much labour, torment
themselves with thoughts and whimsies, seldom recreate themselves, or
are merry with other people, nor do they greatly regard the natural love
of fair Women.
In brief, I tell thee that _Saturn_ is generated of little Sulphur,
little Salt, and much unripe gross _Mercury_, which _Mercury_ is to be
esteemed as a Froth that floates upon the Water, in comparison of that
_Mercury_ which is found in _Sol_; and is much more hot in its degree,
and therefore the _Mercury_ of _Saturn_ by reason of its great coldness,
hath not so quick a running Life as that which is made of Gold, wherein
more heat is to be found, whence that running Life hath its original:
Therefore in the inferiour world we must take notice of little _Vulcan_
in the augmentation and transmutation of Metals, as I have described
those three Principles of _Saturn_, as concerning their descent, nature,
and complection. And every one must know, that no transmutation of any
Metal can follow out of _Saturn_, by reason of its great coldness, only
and except to coagulate common _Mercury_; for the cold Sulphur of Lead
can qualifie and take away the hot running Spirit of the Quicksilver,
if the process be rightly ordered, wherefore it is not amiss to observe,
that _Mercury_ is so detained, that the Theory should agree with the
Practick, and meet together in a certain measure and concordance. You
must not therefore quite reject _Saturn_, nor in all points scornfully
neglect him, because its Natures and Virtues are known yet but unto few;
for the Stone of the wise hath the first beginning of its Celestial,
high-shining Colour only out of this Metal, and from the influence of
this Planet, the Key of Constancy is delivered unto him by putrefaction,
because the red cannot be made out of the yellow, except before-hand a
white be made out of the beginning of the black.
I could yet treat variously, and at large of many wonderful works of
Natural and Supernatural things. But because other Labours prevent me
therein, of making a longer Narration, I therefore put a Conclusion to
this Treatise at present, referring the other concerning the concealed
Secrets of Minerals until I have a purpose to write further, in a
particular Treatise of _Antimony_, _Vitriol_, _Brimstone_, _Magnet_, and
which in especial are endowed before others, and depend upon those, out
of which Gold and Silver have their beginning, middle and end, together
with the true transmutation particularly; which virtues and power they
have received out of one thing, wherein all these lie to be generated
invisibly concealed, together with all Metals; which matter is publick
before the eyes of all men, but because the vertues and powers are very
deeply buried and unknown to the most part, therefore this matter is
likewise esteemed as nothing, or of no value, and unprofitable, out of
ignorance; even as the Disciples of the Lord going to _Emaus_, their
eyes were opened at the breaking of Bread, that they knew wonder above
wonder, what the rich Creator hath placed in the vile creature, the name
is _Hermes_, who carries a flying Serpent in his Shield, having a Wife
whose Name is _Aphrodita_, who can know the Hearts of all men, and yet
all is one, and one only thing, one only Essence, which is common in all
Places, and known every where, every one grasps it with his hands, and
uses it in vile matters, and of small value; he values the vile at a
high rate, and that which is high he casts away; it is nothing else but
Water and Fire, out of which the Earth is generated by the help of the
Air, and is yet preserved. Praise be to the most High for his Gifts: At
present enough is revealed what my intent was to shew in this Treatise,
and so I depart hence; for in separation all is to be found.
_Of the Medicine or Tincture of_ Antimony_, as well to preserve Mans
Body in Health, and to divert all desperate, and incurable Diseases, as
also to cure the Leprosie of Metals, to purifie and to transmute them
into the best Gold._
_Written by that Noble and Learned Philosopher_, Roger Bacon.
_Stibium_ or _Antimony_, as the Philosophers say, is composed of a Noble
Mineral Sulphur, which they accounted to be the black secret Lead of the
Wise.
The _Arabians_ call it _Asmat_ or _Azmat_; the Alchymists retain the
Name _Antimony_.
_Addition._ The _Moors_ call it _Antimony_, others call it _Alabaster_,
or _Tarbason_. By the _Arabians_ and _Spaniards_ it is called _Alcohol_.
_Avicennæ_ c. 7. calls it _Artemed_. _Alexius_ of _Piedmont_, in his
seventh Book of Secrets, calls it _Talck_, even as _John Jacob Wecker_
renders it in his Books of Secrets; but _Talck_ is far different from
_Antimony_. _Pliny_, Book 33. Chap. 6. of _Antimony_. _Dioscorides_
gives a preparation of _Antimony_, Book 5. Chap. 39. They call it also
_Stibi_, _Stimmi_, _&c._ The _Germans_ call it _Spies glass_, or as
_George Fabricius_ would rather have it, _Spies glantz_. _Gerlandius_
calls it Black _Alcophil_, _Altofel_, or _Alirnu_, others _Cosmet_, and
it is twofold, Masculine and Feminine.
It will lead us to the consideration of higher Mysteries, if we behold
and discern that Nature wherein Gold is exalted, even as the _Magi_ have
found that this Mineral is by God ordained under the Constellation of
_Aries_, which is the first Celestial Sign, wherein the Sun takes its
Exaltation, though this be not regarded by the Vulgar; yet discreet
people will know, and the better observe, that even in this place also
the Mysteries and Perpetuity may in part be considered with great
benefit, and in part discovered.
But some ignorant and indiscreet people think, that when they had
_Antimony_, they would deal well enough with it by Calcination, others
by Sublimation, and some by Reverberation, thereby to obtain its great
Mystery and perfect Medicine. But I tell you, that here in this place
it availes not in the least, either Calcination, Sublimation, or
Reverberation, whereby afterwards a perfect extraction can or might be
done or effected with profit, to transmute the meaner into a better
Metallick virtue; for it is impossible for you.
Be not deluded; some of the Philosophers which have wrote of such
things, as _Geber_, _Albertus Magnus_, _Rasis_, _Rupecissa_,
_Aristotle_, and many others: But observe this: Some say, that if
_Antimony_ be made to a _Vitrum_ or Glass, the bad volatile Sulphur is
gone, and the Oil which may be prepared out of that Glass, will be a
very fixt Oil, and will really give an ingress and Medicine of
perfection to the imperfect Metals.
These words and opinion are good and true, but it will not be nor
appear such indeed; for I tell you truly, without concealed speeches,
that if you lose any of the aforesaid _Sulphur_ in the Preparation or
Burning, for a small fire may easily prejudice it, you then have lost
the true penetrating Spirit, which should make the whole Body of
_Antimony_ to a perfect red Oyl, which should also ascend over the helm
with a delightful sent, and curious Colours; observe likewise, that the
whole Body of this Mineral, with all its Members, should be but one Oyl,
and ascend over the helm without any loss of weight, excepting the
_feces_.
How should the Body be brought to an Oil, or yield its pleasant Oil, if
it be brought to the last being of its degree, for Glass is in all
things the utmost and last.
You shall likewise know that you shall not obtain that perfect noble Oil
in the least, if it be extracted with corrected Vinegar poured upon the
_Antimony_, nor yet by Reverberation; and although its various colours
may appear, yet is it not the right way; you may indeed get an Oil, but
you must know that it hath no part of the Tincture, or power of
transmutation in it.
_Now we come to the Manual Operation._
Take in the Name of God, and of the Eternal Trinity, fine and very pure
Mineral _Antimony_, which is fair, white, massie, and inwardly full of
yellow Streaks or Veins, and likewise of red and blew Colours, and
small Veins, this is the best; pound it to fine Powder, dissolve it by
little and little in _Aqua Regis_, that the Water may conquer it. After
Solution take it out immediately that the _Aqua Regis_ may do it no
prejudice; for it will quickly dissolve the Tincture of the _Antimony_;
for our Water in its nature is like to the _Ostrich_, which by his heat
can digest Iron, and consume it to nothing; for the Water will consume
it, and turn it to a Mud, that it shall remain only as a yellow Earth,
and then is it quite spoiled.
Take an Example hereof from Silver, which is dissolved, fair, pure and
fine in these our Waters, but if it stand a night therein while the
Water is strong and full of Spirits, I tell you, your good Silver will
be corroded to nothing in these our Waters; and though you would reduce
it into a Massie Body, you cannot; for it will remain as a pale yellow
Earth, and sometimes it will run together in the form of Horn, or of a
white Horse Hoof, which you can by no Art reduce into a Body.
Wherefore you must remember to take the _Antimony_ out presently after
the Solution, precipitate and adulterate it according to the custom of
_Alchymists_, that it may not be corroded with its perfect Oil by the
Water, and burnt up to nothing.
_The Water wherein we dissolve is thus made._
R. _Vitriol_, a pound and a half, _Salt-Armoniac_ one pound, _Azinat_
one pound, _Salt-nitre_ a pound and a half, _Salt-gemme_ one pound,
_Allom_ half a pound; these are the Ingredients which belong unto the
making of the Water for the Solution of _Antimony_.
Take and mix them well together; at first distil very slowly, for the
Spirits ascend with greater violence than those of any other common
_Aqua fortis_; beware of its Spirits; for their Fumes are very subtile
and hurtful in their penetration.
When you have adulterated the _Antimony_ well and purely from the
corrosive Water, then put it into a clean Vial, poure good distilled
Vinegar upon it, set it forty dayes and nights to putrefie in
Horse-dung, or in _Balneum Mariæ_, it will be bloud-red. Take it out,
and see how much is yet to be dissolved, decant off gently the pure and
clear, which is red into a Glass-Gourd, poure other Vinegar upon the
_Fæces_ as before, that if any thing should yet remain therein, it might
be dissolved; this must be done four times in fourty days and nights;
for if any good be in the _Fæces_, it will be dissolved in that time,
then cast the Dregs away as unprofitable, being but Dirt, and to be cast
to the Dunghill.
Put all the Solutions in a glass-Gourd into _Balneum Mariæ_, distil all
the tart Vinegar from it, pour it on again, or else pour fresh, if this
be too weak, it will quickly dissolve in the Vinegar; distil it again
from it, that the Matter be quite dry; then take common distilled water,
wash all tartness from it with the Vinegar imparted to the Matter, then
dry the Matter in the Sun, which is of a very deep red, or else dry it
very well at a gentle fire.
When the Philosophers find our _Antimony_ thus secretly prepared, they
say then that its external nature and virtue is inverted internally, and
the internal cast forth externally, henceforth becoming an Oil, which is
concealed in its innermost and profoundest part, till it be well
prepared, and cannot any more be brought into its first Essence, untill
the last Judgment; and it is true, for so soon as it feels the force of
the fire, it flies away in a Vapour with all its parts, because it is
volatile.
Some of the common Laborators, having thus prepared _Antimony_, they
take one part out because of its consumption, that they may the better
operate it, they mix with it one part of _Salt-Armoniac_, one part of
the _Vitrum_ (with others _Titrum_) one part of the _Rebooth_ (with
others _Cadoli_) wherewith the Bodies are cleansed; this mixture they
cast upon a pure _Luna_, and if there were eight Ounces of the _Luna_,
they found ten Drams of good Gold in the separation, and sometimes more;
and by this work they gained wherewithal to bear their Charges, the
better to attend upon, and attain unto the great Work. The ignorant
called this an induction into the Silver, but that is false; for this
Gold is not brought into it by the Spirits, but every kind of Silver
hath one Ounce of Gold more or less in the Mark (or 8 Ounces) for Gold
is so united with the Nature of Silver, that it cannot be separated from
it, either by _Aqua fort_, or common _Antimony_, as the _Gold-smiths_
know.
But when the aforesaid Composition is cast upon the _Luna_ in the flux,
then happens such a separation, that the _Luna_ doth freely let go the
Gold implanted therein into the _Aqua fort_, and is separated from it,
letting it precipitate and sink to the bottom, which otherwise could not
be done at all. Therefore it is not an induction into the _Luna_, but a
bringing out of it.
But we return again to our proposed Work; for we would have only the
Oil, which was only known to the Wise, and not to the Ignorant.
When you have rubified the _Antimony_ very well according to the former
Directions, you must have in readiness a Spirit of wine well rectified,
pour it over the red Powder of _Antimony_, set it four daies and nights
in a gentle _Balneum Mariæ_, that it may dissolve very well. And if
then any of it remain undissolved, pour fresh Spirit of Wine upon it,
set it again into the Bath as aforesaid, all will be well dissolved; and
if perhaps any more _Fæces_ remain, they will be very few, cast them
away, for they are good for nothing. Put the Solution into a
glass-Gourd, with a Head luted upon it, set it into _Balneum Mariæ_,
with its receiver to take the Spirits, distil slowly with a slack heat,
till all the Spirit of Wine be come over, pour it in again upon the dry
matter, draw it off again as before; this pouring in & abstracting
continue so often, till you see the Spirit of Wine ascend over the helm
in various colours, then it is time that you follow it with a strong
fire, then with the Spirit of Wine ascend red into the helm, and drop
into the Receiver like a bloody Oil, and the tender Body ascends like a
red Oil, dropping into the Receiver; truly this is the most secret way
of the Wise, the so much applauded Oil of _Antimony_; it is a noble,
well sented, virtuous, and powerful Oil, as you shall hear afterwards.
But here I will teach and instruct you poor Operators another way,
because you have not the Means to attend the great work, not as the
Ancients did, with the separation of Gold out of Silver.
Wherefore take one part of the Oil, or half an Ounce of _Saturn_, four
Ounces calcined according to Art, pour the Oil upon the _Calx_ of
_Saturn_, mixing it, set it ten daies and nights in the heat, into the
secret Furnace; every two days augment the fire one degree, according to
the capacity of the Furnace; after four days and nights set it into the
third degree of Fire, therein let it rest three days and nights, then
open the Door or Vent of the fourth degree, which must likewise continue
three days and nights; afterwards take it out, the _Saturn_ will be
above black, like unto Charcole dust, but under this black dust you will
find other Colours, throughout pure, red, yellow, which flux with
_Venetian Borax_, you will find it converted into good Gold by the power
of our Oil, so have you means again to set forward the great work.
We return again to our purpose, where we left off before. You have
heard, and have been instructed how to abstract the Spirit of Wine with
the Oil over the helm into the Receiver, and to use it for the work to
convert _Saturn_ into Gold. But we will now hasten to the other work of
the Tincture, and give advice concerning it. It will therefore be
necessary to separate the Spirit of Wine again from the Oil, which do as
followeth;
Take the mixture of the Spirit of Wine, and of the Oil, set it into
_Balneum Mariæ_; distil the Spirit of Wine only from the Oil with a very
slack heat, so that you may be assured that there is no more of the
Spirit to be found in this most precious Oil, which you may easily try;
when you see some of the drops ascend over with the Spirit of Wine, it
is a sign that the Spirit of Wine is separated from the Oil, then
remove all the fire from under the Bath, how little soever it be, that
it may cool the sooner. Take away the Receiver with the Spirit of Wine,
stop it very close, for it is full of Spirits which it hath retained
from the Oil, as you will hear afterwards: But in _Balneum Mariæ_ you
will find that blessed Oil of _Antimony_ red as Bloud; take it out, wash
the Lute off by gentle mollification, that nothing impure may fall into
that curious red Oil, when you take the head off; reserve it carefully,
that by no means it may receive prejudice, for you have a Celestial Oil,
which in a dark night shines like a glowing Cole, and this is the
reason, because its internal power and soul is cast forth externally,
the hidden Soul being now revealed, shining through the pure Body as a
Candle through a Lanthorn, even so at the last day, these our invisible
internal Souls shall be revealed, and seen out of the Body, shining as
the clear Sun: So keep each apart, as well the Spirit of wine full of
power, and wonderful in curing humane Distempers, as also the blessed,
red, noble, celestial Oil, which transmutes all the Diseases of the
imperfect Metals into the perfection of Gold; and the power of the
spiritual Wine extends very far being rightly used.
I tell you, you have obtained a Celestial Medicine, to cure all the
Diseases and Distempers of Mans Body; its use is, as followeth;
_In the Gout._
Give three drops in a Cup of Wine fasting to the Party, just at the time
when he feels the beginning of his misery, anguish and pain to come upon
him, the second and third, use it in like manner; it allaies all pain
the first day how great soever it be, and prevents Swelling; the second
day it causes Sweat, which is very nasty, tough and thick, very soure in
taste, and of an evil sent, and most of all in those parts where the
Members are united and joined together by the Joints; and if you should
give none in the third day, yet will there be a purgation of the Veins,
and of the Excrements, without any molestation or pain; is not this a
great power of Nature?
_In the Leprosie._
At the first time take six drops fasting, and cause the impure party to
be alone, free from sound people, in a place far distant, and
commodious; for all his Body will begin to send forth Fumes and Steams,
like unto a stinking Fog, and Vapours abundantly; the next will Scales
and much Uncleanness fall from his Body; then let him have three drops
of this Medicine, and let him take it in on the fourth day, afterwards
on the eighth or ninth day by the assistance of Gods Grace and Blessing,
he will be quite clean.
_In the Apoplexie._
Let one drop fall upon the tongue of the Patient, it will attract it
forth immediately like unto a Mist or Fume, and restore the party again;
but if he were taken in the Body, or in the Members and Limbs, then give
him three drops at once in good wine, as you have been taught in the
Gout.
_In the Dropsie._
Give one drop in baulm water, or Valerian water six days together, the
seventh day give three drops in good wine, and it is sufficient.
_In the Falling Sickness, and its kinds, as Epilepsie, Catalepsie, and
Analepsie._
In the beginning of the Fit give the Patient two drops in Sage-water,
after three hours, give him three drops more, and it is sufficient. But
if in case any thing should stir again, give him two drops, as hath been
said.
_In a Hectick._
Give the party two drops the first day in water of Violets, the second
day two drops more in good Wine.
_In Agues._
Give the party three drops in the beginning of the Fit, early in a
morning, in good distilled water of St. _John_'s wort, or of Succory,
and the next day two drops more fasting.
_In the Plague._
Give the Patient seven drops in good Wine, let the infected party be
alone, and let him sweat well upon it, by the Divine Assistance that
poison will not prejudice him as to his Life.
_For a prolongation of a healthful Life._
Take and give two drops at the beginning and entrance of the Spring, and
in the beginning or entrance of Autumn likewise two drops; every one
that so takes it, is freed, and well preserved from unhealthful and
infectious Air, except the Disease were by Almighty God ordained for the
death of the party.
We will now step further to the Oil, and its Power, and shew how by it
the Diseases of the impure Bodies of the Metals may be cured.
In the Name of God, take very pure, fine, refined Gold, as much as you
will, or think to be sufficient, dissolve it in a rectified Wine, as is
usual to make _Aqua vitæ_; after solution of the Gold, set it a Moneth
in digestion; this distil in a Bath very slow and gently, distil the
Spirit of Wine divers times from it, so long till you see your Gold lie
at the bottom like a Juice: This is the true way and meaning of some of
the Ancients, to prepare Gold. But I will shew and teach you a way much
readier, better, and more beneficial; that in stead of this prepared
Gold, you take one part of the _Mercury_ of Gold, as I have taught the
making of it in another place; abstract from it its water of Airiness,
that it may be a subtle Dust, and take two parts of our blessed Oil,
poure the Oil very slowly upon the Dust of the _Mercury_ of Gold, till
all be in it, set it in a Vial well sealed, in the heat of the first
degree of the secret Furnace; therein let it stand ten dayes and nights,
your Powder and Oil will be quite dry, of a black gray colour. After ten
days give it the heat of the second degree, the gray and black colour
will by little and little become white, till at last it will be of a
heavenly white, and at the end of the ten days it will begin to be of a
pure red, but let not this trouble you; for all these Colours proceed
only from the _Mercury_ of Gold, which swallowed up our blessed Oil,
and now conceals in the innermost part of its Body; but our Oil will
conquer this _Mercury_ of Gold by the power of the fire, and cast it
forth from within, and the Oil will predominate over it with its hot red
Colour, and be continually outwards. And therefore it will be time,
after the expiration of twenty days, that you open the window of the
third degree, wherein the external white Colour and Power will by little
and little enter in into the inward part, and the internal red Colour
will turn outward by the force of the fire. Keep this degree of heat ten
days without diminution or augmentation of it, you will see a Powder
which before was white, to be now very red, but let not redness trouble
you, for 'tis yet unfix'd and volatile. And after these ten days are
ended, thirty days being in all expired, then open the last window of
the last degree of fire, keep it ten days in this degree, this high red
pouder will then begin to flux, let it stand so in flux the ten days,
then take it out, you will find at the bottom a very high, red,
transparent stone of a Ruby Colour, flux'd according to the form of the
Glass, as is taught in the Treatise of _Vitriol_, wherewith you may make
projection. Praise God for such his high Revelation, and thank him for
ever, _Amen_.
_Its Multiplication._
The Ancient Wise, having found the Stone, and prepared it to a perfect
power, and mutation of the imperfect Metals into Gold, have a long time
enquired whether a thing were not to be found to augment the power of
the Stone; and they found two kinds of Augmentation, one of the power of
it, so that the Stone may be brought much higher; of this multiplication
you will find direction in the Treatise of Gold. The other Augmentation
is an augmentation of the quantity of the Stone, in its former power, so
that it receives no more, nor loses any thing of its power, though it
increase in weight, and augment more and more, that out of one Ounce
many Ounces arise and increase.
The Augmentation or Multiplication is done as followeth; Take your Stone
in Gods Name, grind it to a subtile powder, add to it as much of the
_Mercury_ of Gold, as is taught before, put them together into a fine
round Vial, seal it hermetically, set it into the fiery Furnace,
proceeding as you have been instructed before, only this time is
shorter, for whereas before you had ten (thirty) days, now you need no
more than four (ten) days, otherwise the work is one and the same.
Praise and give thanks to Almighty God for his high Revelation, continue
in Prayer for his Grace and Divine Blessing in this Art and Operation,
as likewise for continuance of Health and Prosperity; withal let the
poor be recommended to your Help and Charity.
* * * * *
_Glory be to Almighty God._
_A Work of_ Saturn, _of Mr._ John Isaac Holland.
The PREFACE.
Courteous Reader,
_The_ PHILOSOPHERS _have written much of their Lead which is prepared
out of_ Antimony, _as_ Basilius _hath taught; and I am of the opinion,
that this Saturnine Work of the most_ _excellent Philosopher M._ John
Isaac Holland _is not to be understood of common Lead_, (_if the Matter
of the Stone be not much more thereby intended_) _but of the_
Philosophers _Lead. But whether the Vulgar_ Saturn _be the Matter of the
Philosophers Stone, thereof you will receive sufficient satisfaction
from the subsequent 17 Considerations or Documents. This is published
for the benefit of all the Lovers of this Art, because it expounds and
declares the Stone of Fire._ Vale.
_A Work of_ Saturn
_In the Name of the Lord_, Amen.
My Child shall know, that the Stone called the _Philosophers Stone_,
comes out of _Saturn_. And therefore when it is perfected, it makes
projection, as well in mans Body from all Diseases, which may assault
them either within or without, be they what they will, or called by what
name soever, as also in the imperfect Metals.
And know, my Child, for a Truth, that in the whole vegetable work there
is no higher nor greater Secret than in _Saturn_; for we do not find
that perfection in Gold which is in _Saturn_; for internally it is good
Gold, herein all Philosophers agree, and it wants nothing else, but that
first you remove what is superfluous in it, that is, its impurity, and
make it clean, and then that you turn its inside outwards, which is its
redness, then will it be good Gold; for Gold cannot be made so easily,
as you can of _Saturn_, for _Saturn_ is easily dissolved and congealed,
and its _Mercury_ may be easily extracted, and this _Mercury_ which is
extracted from _Saturn_, being purified and sublimed, as _Mercury_ is
usually sublimed, I tell thee, my Child, that the same _Mercury_ is as
good as the _Mercury_ which is extracted out of Gold, in all operations;
for if _Saturn_ be Gold internally, as in truth it is, then must its
_Mercury_ be as good as the _Mercury_ of Gold, therefore I tell you,
that _Saturn_ is better in our work than Gold; for if you should extract
the _Mercury_ out of Gold, it would require a years space to open the
body of Gold, before you can extract the _Mercury_ out of the Gold, and
you may extract the _Mercury_ out of _Saturn_ in 14 days, both being
alike good.
Would you make a work out of Gold alone, you must labour two whole years
upon it, if it shall be well done: and you may finish a work of _Saturn_
in 30 or 32 weeks at the most. And being both well made, they are both
alike good; _Saturn_ costs nothing or very little, it requires a short
time, and small labour; this I tell you in truth.
My Child, lock this up in thy heart and understanding, this [Symbol:
Saturn] is the Stone which the Philosophers will not name, whose name is
concealed unto this day; for if its name were known, then many would
operate, and the Art would be common, because this work is short, and
without charge, a small and mean work.
Therefore doth the name remain concealed; for the evils sake which might
thence proceed. All the strange Parables which the Philosophers have
spoken mystically, of a Stone, a Moon, a Furnace, a Vessel, all this is
_Saturn_; for you must not put any strange thing unto it, only what
comes from it, therefore there, is none so poor in this world, which
cannot operate and promote this work; for _Luna_ may be easily made of
_Saturn_, in a short time, and in a little longer time _Sol_ may be made
out of it. And though a man be poor, yet may he very well attain unto
it, and may be employed to make the _Philosophers Stone_.
Wherefore my Child, all is concealed in _Saturn_, which we have need of,
for in it is a perfect _Mercury_, in it are all the Colours of the
world, which may be discovered in it; in it are the true black, white
and red Colours, in it is the weight, it is our _Lattin_.
_Example._
The eye of a man cannot endure any thing that is imperfect, how little
soever it be, though it be the least Atome of Dust, it would cause much
pain, that he can rest no where. But if you take the quantity of a Bean
of _Saturn_, shave it smooth and round, put it into the Eye, it will
cause no pain at all; the reason is, because it is internally perfect,
even as Gold and Precious Stones. By these and other Speeches you may
observe, that _Saturn_ is our _Philosophers Stone_, and our _Latten_,
out of which our _Mercury_ and our Stone is extracted with small Labour,
little Art and Expence, and in a short time.
Wherefore I admonish you, my Child, and all those who know its name,
that you conceal it from people, by reason of the evil which might
thence arise; and you shall call the Stone our _Laton_, and call the
Vinegar Water, wherein our Stone is to be wash'd; this is the Stone and
the Water whereof the Philosophers have wrote so many great Volumes.
There are many and different works in the Mineral Stone, and especially
in that Stone which God hath given us _gratis_, whereof many strange
Parables are written in the Mineral Book.
But this is the true Stone, which the Philosophers have sought, because
it makes projection upon all the imperfect Metals, especially upon quick
_Mercury_, and moreover it makes projection upon all diseases
whatsoever, which may come into mans Body, as likewise upon all Wounds,
_Cancer_, _Fistulaes_, _open Sores_, _Buboes_, _Imposthumes_, and all
whatsoever can come externally upon mans Body, therefore this Stone is
not under the Mineral work, but under the Vegetable.
It is the beginning of the Vegetable Book, and the principal; this Stone
is called _Lapis Philosophorum_, the Mineral Stone is called _Lapis
Mineralis_, and the third Stone is called _Lapis Animalis_. This Stone
is the true _Aurum potabile_, the true Quinessence which we seek, and no
other thing else in this world but this Stone. Therefore the
Philosophers say, whosoever knows our Stone, and can prepare it, needs
no more, wherefore they sought this thing and no other.
My Child shall take 10, 12, or 15 pound of _Saturn_, wherein is no
mixture of any other Metal; laminate it thin, have in readiness a great
Stone Jugg, half full of Vinegar, stop the Jugg very close, set it in a
Lukewarm Bath, every three or four days scrape off the calcin'd _Saturn_
from the Plates, and reserve it apart, thus do so long till you have 5
or 6 _l._ of the calcin'd _Saturn_, then grind it very well on a Stone
with good distilled Wine-Vinegar, so as you may paint therewith, then
take two or three great Stone-pots, therein put the _Calx_ of _Saturn_
which you ground, poure good distilled Wine-Vinegar upon it, that two
parts of the Pot be full, stir it well together, stop the Pot close with
a polished Glass or Pebble-stone, set the Pots in a Bath, stir it four
or five times in a day with a wooden Ladle, lay the Glass or Stone
Stopple again over it, make the Bath no hotter than that you may well
endure your hand therein, that is, lukewarm; so let it stand fourteen
days and nights, then decant that which is clear into another Stone-pot,
poure other distilled Vinegar upon the _Calx_ which is not well
dissolved, mix them well together, set it 14 days in the Bath, again
decant it, and poure other Vinegar upon it as before. This decantation
and pouring on continue so long till all the _Calx_ of _Saturn_ be
dissolved, then take all the dissolved _Saturn_, set it in a Bath,
evaporate the Vinegar by a small fire, the _Saturn_ will become a powder
or lump. Or stir it about until it be dry, you have a mass or powder of
a dark yellow, or honey colour, then grind the powder again very finely
upon a Stone with distilled Vinegar; put it into a stone-pot, stir and
mix it well together, set it again into a Bath, which is but lukewarm
so let it stand five or six dayes, stir it every day from the top to the
bottom with a wooden Ladle, cover it again with the glass-Stopple, then
let it cool, poure off that which is dissolved into a great stone pot,
poure other Vinegar upon it, mix and stir them well together, set it
into the Bath as before, reiterate this decantation and pouring on so
often, till no more will dissolve, which try with your tongue, if it be
sweet, it is not enough dissolved, or put some of it into a glass-gourd,
let it evaporate, if any thing remain, it is not yet all dissolved which
would be Gold, and then what remaines in the pot are _Fæces_, and sweet
upon the Tongue; if you find any thing in the Gourd, it is not yet all
dissolved, then may you poure fresh Vinegar upon it, till all be
dissolved, then coagulate it as before, poure other Vinegar upon it,
stir it, set it again into the Bath, reiterate this operation of
solution and coagulation so long till you find no more _Fæces_ at the
bottom, but all be dissolved into a pure clear water, then is _Saturn_
freed from all its Leprousness, Melancholy, _Fæces_, and blackness,
being pure and white as Snow, for it is cleansed from all its
uncleanness, because its coldness stands outwards as _Luna_ doth, and
its heat is internal, fluxible as wax, and sweet as sugar Candy.
_Why is it as white as Snow?_
Because it is purified from all its impurities, and because its
coldness stands external as _Luna_ doth, and its heat is internal.
_Why is it sweet?_
Because the four Elements in it are pure, and separated from all
sulphurous stink and blackness, which _Saturn_ received in the Mine; it
is almost Medicinal, and like unto Nature: And because it is so pure, it
affords some of its internal virtue outwardly, as that of Sweetness; but
the heat is so covered with the cold, that it cannot put forth its power
externally by reason of the cold which is external (the heat of _Saturn_
lies internal, even as in _Salt-Nitre_) as doth the Taste, the Spirit of
Tasting is the most subtile in all things, as is taught more at large in
the Book of Vegetables, how the Air doth dilate it self from all Herbs
and Flowers externally; for the Spirit of the Air lies in the inward
part of all things; for God created nothing in this world but it hath
its peculiar Taste or Air, the Air and the Taste are one Spirit, the
Taste goes out of the Air, as Smoke from the Fire.
But how comes it to pass, that a thing which hath a sweet Air, is bitter
in Taste? The cause is, because the _Fæces_ of that thing are putrid and
stinking in the Elements, that is the Choler or Heat; for whatsoever is
unnaturally hot, hath a bitter Taste; the Air and the Taste are both one
Spirit, and as the Spirit of the Air presses outwards through a hot
thing, so doth the Air embrace the Taste about, and descends the subtile
Taste, that it should not be burnt by the vehement burning Choler, as
in the Herbal is at large express'd.
But the cause why _Saturn_ is sweet in Taste is, that it is almost pure
and clean, having scarce any unnatural heat in it, which can burn the
subtile Tast, therefore it hath the Taste externally, and the Taste hath
the Spirit of the Air lock'd up in it.
My Child, know what I said before, that a thing wherein is much burning
heat, the Air locks up the Taste therein, because the Taste shall not be
corrupted by the unnatural heat. So the Taste includes the Air in it,
when it issues forth from a thing which is externally cold; for the
subtil Spirits of the Air or Sent of a thing can endure no Cold, as we
see daily in Herbs and Flowers that they yield no Sent in the Winter, as
they do in the Summer; but they hide themselves in the Winter, and the
Spirit hath the Sent inclosed in it, and the Spirit of Sent or Air.
Behold a man that hath taken Cold, immediately he loses his Sent, and
his Tasting is diminished. Even so it is here with _Saturn_; it is quite
cold, so that the Taste manifests it self with the Spirit of Sent; for
the Spirit of the Taste hath the Smell in it. Look upon Sugar which is
well clarified from its _Fæces_, how sweet it is in Taste, yet it yields
no Sent, yet there is an extraordinary sweetness in Sugar. What is the
reason of this? Sugar is very cold externally, therefore is it white as
Snow, and of a sweet Taste; yet Sugar internally is hot and moist, of
the temper of Gold, and of such great virtue that it is called the
Philosophers Stone, as it is approved, and very prevalent to cure all
the Distempers of mans Body, as appears by its operation. The reason why
I say this, my Child, is, that you should altogether understand its
internal & external, and the Spirits which are in these things, whereof
we discourse; that thereby you should know Gods wonderful works, and
what wonders he works in these inferiour things, which are all made for
our use.
_What hath God in us, for whose sake he hath created all these Wonders,
and all these things?_
Wherefore, my Child, believe in God, love him, and follow him, for he
loves you, as he makes it appear, and manifests himself in all things,
as well in their Internals as in their Externals. O how wonderful is
our Lord and God, from whom all Wonders proceed!
_Now, my Child, why is_ Saturn _fluxible as Wax?_
By reason of its abounding _Sulphur_, which is therein; for I find no
fluxibleness or fusibleness in any thing saving in _Sulphur_, _Mercury_
and _Arsenick_, and all these three are in _Saturn_; so that _Saturn_ is
quickly fluxible, but all these three are cleansed with it from their
uncleanness. And do you not know, that the Philosophers call their Stone
_Arsenick_, and a white thing; and they say their _Sulphur_ is
incombustible; they call it likewise a red thing, all this is _Saturn_,
in it is _Arsenick_; for _Luna_ is principally generated of a white
_Sulphur_, as is plainly taught in the Book of _Sulphurs_, and all
_Arsenick_ is internally red as Bloud, if its inward part be brought
outwards, as is demonstrated in the Book of Colours, _&c._ _Saturn_
stands almost in the degree of fix'd _Luna_. So that in it there is a
red Sulphur, as you see, when its internal is placed outwards, it will
be red as a Ruby; there are no Colours but in the Spirits, so that there
is in it a red and a yellow Sulphur. In it is _Mercury_, as may be seen,
for _Mercury_ is extracted out of _Saturn_ in a short time, and with
little labour.
So that all three are in _Saturn_, but they are not fix'd therein, but
they are clean, pure, incombustible, fluxible as Wax; in it are all
things which the Philosophers have mentioned. They say, our Stone is
made of a stinking menstruous thing: What think you, is not _Saturn_
digg'd out of a stinking Earth? for divers are killed with the ill Sents
and Vapours where _Saturn_ is digg'd, or they live not long who labour
in that stinking black Mine, whence _Saturn_ is digg'd. And the
Philosophers say, our Stone is of little value, being unprepared; they
say, the poor have it as well as the rich, and they say true; for there
are not poorer or more miserable people to be found than those which dig
and work _Saturn_ in the Mine; and they say it is to be found in all
Towns and places, wheresoever you come _Saturn_ is there. They say it is
a black thing: What think you, is it not black? They say, it is a dry
water, if Gold or _Luna_ be to be refined upon the test, must it not be
done with _Saturn_? they must be wash'd and tried with it, as a foul
garment is made clean with Sope. They say, in our Stone are the four
Elements, and they say true; for the four Elements may be separated out
of _Saturn_. They say, our Stone consists of Soul, Spirit and Body, and
these three become one. They say true; when it is made fix'd for the
white _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth, then these three are one.
Whereby is to be observed, that the Philosophers have said true; they
concealed its Name for the ignorants sake, who are not their Children,
to keep them still in their Ignorance. Thus, my Child, the Ancients took
care to conceal the name of the Stone; now let us return to our purpose.
You have now _Saturn_ wash'd and cleansed from all its impurity, and
made as white as Snow, fusible as Wax, but is it not fix'd yet; we will
make it fix the _Mercury_ and Sulphur with its Earth.
Take a Glass-Vial, put half of your purified _Saturn_ into it, reserve
the other half till you have occasion to use it; lay a polish'd Glass
upon the mouth of the Glass, set it in a Cuple with sifted Ashes upon a
Furnace; or set it on the _Tripos_ of Secrets, or in the Furnace wherein
you calcine Spirits; give it Fire so hot as the heat of the Sun at
_Midsummer_, and no hotter, either a very little hotter, or a very
little cooler, as you can best hit it. But if you give it a greater
heat, such as you may keep Lead in flux, then your Matter would melt as
if it were Oil; and having stood so, ten or twelve days, its Sulphur
would fly away, and your Matter would all be spoiled, for the Sulphur
which is in your Matter is not yet fix'd, but is in the external.
Wherefore the Matter melts presently, and though it be clean, yet it is
not fix'd; wherefore give so gentle a fire to it, that it may not flux;
so keep it six weeks, then take out a little of it, lay it on a glowing
hot Plate, if it immediately melts and fumes, it is not yet fixed, but
if the Matter remain unmelted, the Sulphur is then fix'd which is
therein; then strengthen the Fire notably, till the Matter in the Glass
begins to look yellow, and continually more and more yellow, like to
powdered Saffron, then augment the fire yet stronger, till the Matter
begin to be red, then prosecute your Fire from one degree to another,
even as the Powder becomes redder and redder by degrees, so hold on your
Fire, till the Matter be red as a Ruby, then augment the Fire yet more,
that the Matter may be glowing hot, then is it fixt, and ready to pour
the curious Water of Paradise upon it.
My Child must know, that there are two ways of pouring on the Water of
Paradise; I will teach you to make and prepare both, then may you take
which you will; for the one is half as good again as the other.
My Child, you may remember, that I ordered you to reserve the one half
of the purified _Saturn_, which take and put into a Stone-pot, pour upon
it a bottle or more of distilled Wine-Vinegar, set a head on, distil the
Vinegar again from it in a Bath, the head must have a hole at the top
to pour fresh Vinegar upon the Matter, and abstract the Vinegar again
from it, pour fresh Vinegar again on, and again abstract it, this
pouring on, and abstracting or distilling off must continue so long,
till the Vinegar be drawn off as strong as it was when it was put in,
then is it enough, and the Matter hath in it as much of the Spirit of
Vinegar as it can contain; then take the Pot out of the Bath, take off
the head, and take the Matter out, and put it into a thick glass which
can endure the Fire, set a head on it, put it in a Cuple with Ashes,
which set on a Furnace, first make a small Fire, and so continually a
little stronger, till your Matter come over as red as Bloud, thick as
Oil, and sweet as Sugar, with a Celestial Sent, then keep it in that
heat so long as it distils, and when it begins to slack, then increase
your Fire till the Glass begin to glow; continu this heat till no more
will distil, then let it cool of it self, take the Receiver off, stop it
very close with Wax, take the Matter out of the Glass, beat it to powder
in an Iron Mortar, with a steel Pestle; and then grind it on a Stone
with good distilled Vinegar, put this Matter so ground into a Pot, poure
good distilled Vinegar upon it, that two parts be full, set the Pot into
a Bath with a head upon it, distil the Vinegar off, poure fresh Vinegar
again upon it, distil it off again: thus do so long, that the Vinegar be
as strong as it was when it was first poured upon it, then let it cool,
take the Matter out of the Bath, take the head off, take the Matter out
of the Pot, put it into a stronger round Glass which can endure the
Fire, as you did before, set it upon a Furnace in a Cuple with sifted
Ashes, set a head on, and a Receiver luted to it, then distil it, first
with a small fire, which augment by degrees, till a Matter come over red
as Bloud, and thick as Oyl, as aforesaid; give it fire till no more will
distil, then let it cool of it self, take off the head, break the
glass-pot, and take the Matter out, powder it again, and grind it on a
Stone with distilled Vinegar, put it again into the Stone pot, poure
fresh Vinegar upon it, set it into the Bath, and its head on, distil the
Vinegar from it, poure it on again as hath been taught, till the Vinegar
remain strong as it was.
Reiterate this distillation in the Bath until the Matter hath no more
Spirit of the Vinegar in it, then take it out, set it in a glass-pot,
distil all that will distil forth in ashes, till the Matter become a red
Oil, then have you the most noble water of Paradise, to pour upon all
fix'd stones, to perfect the Stone; this is one way. This water of
Paradise thus distilled, the Ancients called their sharp clear Vinegar,
for they conceal its name.
My Child, I will now teach you other ways to make the Water of Paradise;
this is an easie way, but not so good, nor doth it that high projection
in humane Medicines, yet it cures all Diseases within and without, but
the other cures miraculously in a short time.
_The second way of preparing the Water of Paradise._
My Child, if you would make it after this manner, you must take the half
of your prepared _Saturn_ which I ordered you to keep, upon which poure
the half of your fix'd and prepared Water of Paradise, take the half,
put it into a Stone-pot, poure weak Wine Vinegar upon it, mix it well
together, then take two pounds of calcined _Tartar_, which is well
clarified by solution and coagulation, so that it leave no more _Fæces_
behind it, _Salt Armoniac_ one pound, which is likewise so clearly
sublimed, that no _Fæces_ remain after its sublimation, pound both
together to a Powder, put them speedily into a pot, and stop it close
immediately, or else it will run out; for so soon as the _Tartar_ and
_Salt Armoniac_ come to the Vinegar, they lift themselves up, and would
immediately run out of the mouth of the pot, wherefore stop the pot
presently, set the pot in a Vessel of Water, they will cool speedily,
otherwise if the cold and hot Matter should come together suddenly, they
would contest together, rise up, and become so hot, that the pot would
break for heat, if it were not set in cold Water; therefore take heed,
when you put the powders in, that you stop it immediately, and set it in
cold Water before you put the other Powder to it, then will they unite,
let them stand a day and a night in that Vessel, then take them out, set
them into a lukewarm Bath two days and nights, let it cool of it self,
take the Stopple off from the pot, and set a head on, set the pot in
sifted Ashes, upon a Furnace, distil with a small fire, and continually
greater till all the Vinegar be over, then augment your Fire notably,
till you see quick _Mercury_ drop out of the Pipe, when it ceases to
drop, then augment the Fire by little and little and drive it so long as
it drops; you may observe when it will leave dropping, if in the space
of one or two _Pater-nosters_ one drop doth fall, then augment the Fire
till the pot glow at the bottom, for twelve hours and when the _Mercury_
is over, then should the _Salt Armoniac_ sublime up into the head, and
the _Tartar_ remain with the Body of _Saturn_ at the bottom of the Pot,
which take out, put it into a Linnen Bag, hang it in a moist Cellar,
the _Tartar_ will dissolve, receive it in a Glass, the body of _Saturn_
remains in the Bag, take it out, and calcine it in a reverberating
Furnace three days and nights, with a great heat, as is taught
elsewhere, then extract the Salt out, as is taught in the Mineral Book.
You may make projection with the Salt, and coagulate your _Tartar_
again, it will be as good or better than it was, likewise take your
_Salt Armoniac_ out of the Head, it is good again, and if you could have
no _Salt Armoniac_, then take three pound of calcined _Tartar_, likewise
so clarified, that it leave no _Fæces_ behind, you then need no _Salt
Armoniac_, therewith may you likewise extract the _Mercury_ out of
_Luna_ and _Jupiter_, wherewith you may do wonders, as is taught in the
Miner. Book, where is spoken of the Quintessence of Metals.
Now my Child must know, that this _Mercury_ or Quintessence of _Saturn_
is as good in all works as the _Mercury_ of _Sol_, they are both alike
good, and herein all Philosophers agree. My Child, take this _Mercury_
of _Saturn_, so drawn out of the Receiver, put it into a Glass Box.
I have now taught you to make two sorts of the Water of Paradise; and
know, my Child, that the first way is the best; though it be made with
some danger, longer time, and more charge; for the Vinegar is all good,
yet the red Oil is the best; its time is alike unto the end, and though
it be more tedious before you obtain the red Oil, yet it fixes it self
in a short time, if it come to the Matter or fix'd Stone, into a simple
Essence in greater redness; but when the _Mercury_ comes to the fix'd
stone, it holds on a long time in ascending and descending before it
die, and when it is quite dead, it makes the red fix'd Stone again into
a fixt colour, so covering the red stone with its coldness, that the red
stone becomes white again, then must you boil it again gently with a
small Fire, till it begin to be yellow, prosecuting the Fire from one
degree to another, as the Colour is higher and stronger, and that so
long till it attain to a perfect redness, which requires a long time
before it be done, which is not requisite in the red Oil; for the red
Oil dies or coagulates forthwith the stone, the one fixing it self with
the other into a simple Essence, in a short time. Therefore I tell
thee, my Child, that the time of the Oyl is alike long in the end,
though it appear to be of a shorter time with the _Mercury_, but it is
equally long at the end of the Work, therefore I tell you the Art of
both Works, that you may the better understand the Art to make the Oyl
from the innermost Nature of the Stone, which is found afterwards.
The Oyl was unknown to the Ancients, for my Grandfather with his
Companions found it with great labour and length of time.
So there are two ways to dissolve the Stone, and to poure upon it the
clear water of Paradise. Our Ancestors called the Oyl their sharp
Vinegar; therefore, my Child, keep the Name private, and I will teach
you first of all how you shall join the _Mercury_ to your Stone, which
you extracted out of _Saturn_, to dissolve it; afterwards I will teach
you to bring over the helm that red Oil which you extracted out of your
prepared _Saturn_, into a fixt stone, to dissolve your stone.
My Child, weigh your fixt stone, take half as much of your _Mercury_,
poure it upon the stone in the Glass, cover the Glass again with a
polish'd Glass which may just fit it, set it in a Cuple with sifted
Ashes, make a small Fire like the Suns heat at _Midsummer_, and give no
more Fire to it, until the Water of Paradise or _Mercury_ become all a
dead Powder. And know, my Child, that the red or fixt Stone, which
before was darkned, when it hath drunk up the Water of Paradise, or
_Mercury_, or how you will call it, that it be a Powder between black
and gray, then augment the Fire from one degree to another, till the
Matter be perfect white, and when it is white, strengthen the Fire yet
more, from one degree to another, till it be of a dark yellow Colour,
then make it yet stronger, till it be of a perfect red; then rejoice,
for your Stone is perfect, and fluxible as Wax. Praise God, who gives
unto us part of his Miracles; and do good to the poor; you may see it
with your fleshly Eyes, and use Gods goodness miraculously in this
corrupt Life, for I tell you in good Charity, that if any one
principally attain to this Stone, that it is given, afforded, and lent
him from God. Whosoever hath this Stone, may live in a healthful state,
to the last term of his Life, appointed him by God, and may have all
whatsoever he desires on Earth.
He shall be loved and esteemed of all people, for he can cure them all
internally and externally of all Diseases which may befall them; but if
the Stone doth not so, it is false, and deserves not the name of the
Vegetable Stone, or Philosophers Stone.
Therefore my Child, if God give you this Stone, look diligently to it,
that you keep your self from offending God, that you make not this Stone
on earth to be your Heaven; govern and rule your self to Gods glory and
to the comfort of poor people, that Gods praise may be augmented, to the
defence of the Christian Religion, and to the relief of poor exiled
Christians I tell you, my Child, if you use it otherwise, God will
leave you here a little while to your own Will, but afterwards he will
speedily send a punishment, either you shall be struck dead, or die by a
Fall; or die some other sudden death, and go Body and Soul to Hell, and
be damned eternally, for your Ingratitude to God, who so graciously
vouchsafed you so precious and great a Gift.
Therefore, my Child, look carefully to it, so to govern your self to
Gods Glory, and the Salvation of your Soul, that the eternal Curse may
not fall upon you; and therefore I have left you this Writing as my
Testament. Enough hath been said to the wise, therefore look to your
self.
_The Multiplication of the Stone now perfected._
Now my Child, you may take the half of your Powder, put it into a Glass
and melt it, have in readiness a Mould made hollow, of Box-wood, great
or small as you please, it must be made smooth and even within with an
Instrument, anoint it with Oil Olive, and when your red Powder is
flux'd, poure it into the Mould, it will be a precious Stone, red as a
Ruby, clear and transparent, take it out of the Mould, and make
projection upon the imperfect Metals, and in the Body of Man.
Take ten times as much of prepared _Saturn_ as I taught you before, by
Coagulation and Solution, till it leave no _Fæces_ behind, then take
your precious red Powder out of the Glass, that two parts be full, set
it into your warm Bath, and let it dissolve: when any thing is
dissolved, decant off that which is clear on the top into another Glass,
poure other Vinegar upon it, let it dissolve again as before, decant and
poure fresh Vinegar upon it so often, till all be dissolved into a clear
Water, which is done usually in ten or twelve days, then set all that
which is dissolved into a Bath, and a head upon it, distil the Vinegar
from it again, and coagulate the Matter so long till it be dry and
shine, then put it into another Glass, which set upon a Furnace in a
Cuple with sifted Ashes, laying a polish'd Glass upon the Mouth of the
Glass.
My Child, know that your Matter is become fixt with the Stone in the
solution, make an indifferent hot fire in the furnace, so hot as the
heat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, or somewhat hotter; till the Matter
begin to be yellow, then go on with the Fire from one degree to another,
till you have a perfect yellow, then increase the Fire from one degree
to another, till you have a perfect redness, which is quickly done, in
half the time for the colour to come, and in the multiplication, but
operate as before in the beginning, and poure Paradise water upon the
Stone, as was taught you before in this Work, boil and mortifie it in
every point to a perfect redness as hath been taught.
Then may you again take half of it out, and make projection therewith,
and multiply the other half again in all points as abovesaid, so may you
always continue working.
Now I will teach you the other way, and the best that is to water your
red fixt Stone or powder with the red Oil, that it be fusible; you must
know how much your red powder weighs, then take half the weight of your
red Oil, to the full weight of the Stone, and poure it upon the red
powder, and when the Oil is poured into the Glass, you may set a small
head on, upon a Furnace in sifted Ashes, joining a Receiver to the Nose
of the head, make a small fire under it, as the heat of the Sun in
_March_, and no hotter; for there is yet some moisture of the Vinegar in
the Oil, that it may be abstracted, continue it in that heat, that can
perceive no moisture in the Head, then augment the fire a little, as the
heat of the Sun at _Midsummer_, and if there be yet more moisture in it,
you will perceive it in the head, but if you perceive it not in 6 or 8
days, then take the head off, and lay the polish'd Glass again upon the
mouth of your Glass, increase the fire, that you can scarce endure your
hand or finger in the Ashes an _Ave-Mary_ while, continue the fire in
that heat till the red Oil be all fixt with the Powder in the Glass,
which you may know thus;
Take a little of the powder out of the Glass, lay it on a glowing Silver
Plate, if the powder melts as wax, and penetrates through the Plate as
Oil doth through a dry Leather, and makes it Gold throughout, as far as
the powder went, then is the Stone finish'd, and if it do not this, you
must then let it stand in that heat till it do so without fuming.
Now, my Child, when the Stone is finish'd, take half of it out of the
Glass, put it into a Glass melting-pot, and melt the powder gently,
which should be done presently, for it melts as Wax; and being melted,
poure it into the Mould of Box-wood as aforesaid, it will be a red stone
clear and transparent as Crystal, red as a Ruby, then make projection
therewith, and set the other half again to multiply.
Then take in Gods Name twenty parts of _Saturn_, which is prepared by
Solution and Coagulation, till it leave no more _Fæces_ behind, as hath
been said at the beginning. Dissolve these twenty parts of _Saturn_,
dissolve by itself in a Glass with distilled Vinegar; likewise dissolve
the powder of your Stone alone by it self in a Glass with distilled
Vinegar, and when both are dissolved into clear water, poure both the
Solutions together into a great Glass, set it into a Bath, a head on,
and a Receiver to it, distil the Vinegar from it in the boiling Bath,
till the Matter be dry, then let it cool of itself, put it into a Glass,
lay a polish'd Glass over the mouth of the Glass, and set it into a
Furnace in a Cuple with sifted Ashes, make a fire under it like to the
Suns heat in _March_, till the powder be perfect white, which is quickly
done.
Then augment your fire from one degree to another, till the Matter
become yellower and yellower, to a perfect yellow; then increase it yet
stronger, from one degree to another, till it be redder and redder, to a
perfect redness; then poure your water upon the red powder with the red
Oil, or with the water of Paradise, or with the clear sharp Vinegar, or
call it how you will, doing in all points as hath been taught, till the
red powder flux like Wax upon a Silver Plate, without fuming,
penetrating it as Oil doth dry Leather, that it become good Gold within
and without; then render thanks unto God, be obedient to him for his
Gifts and Graces.
You may again take one half out of the Glass, and make projection,
setting the other half in again, as hath been taught, so may you work
all your Life-time, for the poor, and perform other duties to Gods
Glory, and Salvation of your Soul, as I have said before; enough to the
wise.
_Projection upon Metal._
Know, my Child, how and in what manner you must use this Stone, which
makes projection upon _Mercury_, and all imperfect Metals and Bodies of
_Mars_, _Jupiter_ and _Venus_, whereof make Plates glowing hot, whereon
straw the Stone, and lay Coals on for a season, that the Stone may
penetrate, but the Stones must be made quick with Gold, and _Jupiter_
also, which is very laborious, as is taught in the projection. But you
must project upon _Saturn_ or _Luna_, which need not be made quick, only
flux them, and cast one part upon a thousand parts, it will be a
Medicine, cast one part of these thousand parts upon ten parts, it will
be the best Gold that ever was seen on earth.
_Its Use in Physick._
This Stone cures all Leprous people, Plague, and all Diseases which may
reign upon Earth, or befal Mankind; this is the true _Aurum potabile_,
and the true Quintessence which the Ancients sought; this is what thing
whereof the whole Troop of Philosophers speak so wondrously, using all
possible skill to conceal its Name and Operation, as aforesaid.
Take of this Stone the quantity of a Wheat-corn, lay it in a little good
Wine in a small Glass, half full, or a quarter full, make the Wine warm,
the Stone will melt like Butter, and the Wine will be red as Bloud, and
very sweet in your mouth, as ever you tasted; for to speak
comparatively, it is so sweet in taste that Honey and Sugar may be
compared as Gall to it; give this unto the Patient to drink, lay him in
Bed, but lay not too many cloaths upon him, the Stone hastens forthwith
to the heart, expelling thence all ill humors, thence dilating it self
through all the Arteries and Veins of the whole Body, rousing up all
humours, the party will sweat, for the Stone opens all the pores of the
Body, and drives forth all humours thereby, so that the Patient will
seem to have been in the Water, yet will this sweating not make him
sicker, for the Stone expels only what is adverse to Nature, preserving
what is consonant unto it in its being, therefore the Patient is not
sicker or weaker; but the more he sweats the stronger and lustier will
he be, the Veins will be lighter, and the Sweat continues till all evil
Humours be driven out of the Body, and then it ceases.
The next day you shall take of it the quantity of a Wheat-corn, in warm
Wine again, you will go to stool immediately, and that will not cease so
long as you have any thing in your Body which is contrary to Nature, and
the more Stools the Patient hath, the stronger and lighter at heart will
he be; for the Stone drives nothing forth but what is adverse and
prejudicial to Nature.
The third day give the like quantity in warm Wine, as aforesaid; it will
so fortifie the Veins and Heart, that the party will not think himself
to be a Man, but rather a Spirit, all his Members will be so light and
lively, & if the party will take the like quantity of a Wheat-Corn every
day for the space of nine days, I tell you, his Body will be as
spiritual as if he had been nine days in the terrestrial Paradise,
eating every day of the Fruit, making him fair, lusty, and young;
therefore use this Stone weekly, the quantity of a Wheat-Corn with warm
Wine, so shall you live in health unto the last hour of the time
appointed for you by God.
What say you, my Child, is not this the true _Aurum potabile_, and the
true Quintessence, and the thing which we seek? It is a spiritual thing,
a Gift which God bestows upon his Friends, therefore, my Child, do not
undertake this Divine Work, if you find your self in deadly Sins, or
that your intent be otherwise than to Gods Glory, and to perform those
things which I taught you before.
I tell you truly, you may see the Work, or begin it, but I am certain
you shall never accomplish it, nor see the Stone, God will order it so,
it will break, fall, or some one Disaster or other will happen, that you
shall never see the Stone, or accomplish it. Therefore if you find
yourself otherwise, do not begin the work, for I know assuredly, you
will lose your Labour; wherefore deceive not yourself. Enough to the
wise.
_Its Use in External Diseases._
My Child, there are some people who have external Distempers on their
Bodies, as Fistulaes, Cancers, Wolf, or evil Biles, or Holes, be they
what or how they will, _&c._ give him the weight of one Wheat-Corn to
drink in warm Wine two days, as is taught before, the whole body within
and without shall be freed from all which is adverse to Nature, and you
shall deal with the open Sores thus;
Take a Drachm of the Stone, seeth it in a pottle of Wine in a Glass, the
space of two or three _Pater-nosters_, that the Stone may melt, the Wine
will be as red as Bloud, therewith wash the Sores morning and evening,
laying a thin Plate of Lead over, in a short time, as in ten or twelve
days the Sores will be whole; and give him every day the quantity of a
Wheat-Corn, in warm wine till he be well. If they be Fistulaes or other
concave Holes, that you cannot come at them, to wash them, then take a
Silver Syringe, and inject of that wine into them, it will heal home, as
aforesaid.
And if one had a pound of the rankest Poison in the world in his Body,
and immediately drink a Drachme thereof in warm Wine, the poison shall
forthwith evacuate by siege, together with all the evil Humors in his
Body.
My Child, here ends the most noble and precious Work which is in the
Vegetable Book; on whomsoever God bestows this Stone, needs no other
thing, in this World, therefore keep it as close and well as you can, to
Gods Glory, who grant that we may walk in his obedience, _Amen_.
* * * * *
_God is blessed in his works._
* * * * *
FINIS.
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