Metals being sick dead c. Fourthly For the Vnctuosity as well of the Metal as Menstruum Of both saith Ripley pag. 150. Medulloe Phil. There is some certain Similitude of the Trinity to be perceived in the Body Soul and Spirit of our Work The Body is the substance of the Stone the Spirit is the Virtue that is the Quintessence which excites Natures from Death and the Soul is to be taken for the Ferment which cannot be had but out of the most perfect Body Gold in Sulphur of Gold there is a Terrestreity for the Body and in Mercury Menstruum an aereal serenity for the Spirit and in both a natural Unctuosity for the Soul For they are all fermentable in the Unctuosity of the Body being mix'd and inseparably united with it throughout its most minute parts by which Soul is the Stone formed because nothing can be any way formed without it 7. That this Menstruum is called Vegetable Mercury produced from red or white Wine The Adepts have many Mercuries The First is Common Argent vive running or sublimed The Second is The running Mercury of Bodies extracted out of Metals by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine A Third is Any Salt Alkali especially fixed with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Lully calcines Celandine and from thence extracts a Salt of which thus Repeat this Magistery so often till you have extracted all the Salt which is the Mercurial Part of that Individual Celandine These things therefore being done take all these Dissolutions Lixivia's and transmit them through a Filter or Linnen-Cloth that they may be purged from Terrestreity then distilled by Balneo congeal and the moisture being gone over in the bottom of the Vessel will remain a Mercury or Salt of a white colour and by this means you will have extracted out of this Matter a Mercury which hath almost innumerable Virtues of acuating the Vegetable Spirit drawn from Philosophical Wine so as to have the power of dissolving all Metals with the conservation of the Vegetative and Germinative Form In Magia Naturali He calls Tartar calcined and impregnated with the Vegetable Menstruum by being four times distilled then resolved per Deliquium and coagulated by the Name of Mercury And saith he pag. 379 you wil have the Salt of Art or Testamentary Mercury without which is nothing done Sometimes the Salt or Caput Mortuum in the separation of the Elements called exanimated Earth he calls Mercury So in Exp. 6. The inanimated Earth of Vrine dissolved in Water filtred and coagulated he calls Mercury Then saith he Keep our fixed Sal armoniack our animal Sulphur our fixed animal Mercury Lay a little of which upon a Fire-hot-plate and if it melt as Wax without fume it is a sign you have Argent vive fixed and perfectly depurated wherewith you will be able to produce many Experiments This is that Mercury which hath afforded us most convenient relief The Fourth Mercury is either Vegetable or Animal of which saith Ripley in Pupilla pag. 300. There are more Mercuries than the two above-said Mineral the red and green Lyon namely the Vegetable and Animal Mercury because both may be extracted out of some Liquors as out of Blood and Eggs. Lully Distinct 3. Libri Essentioe in Figuris Tabulis Individuorum describes the Vegetables and Animals in which are found these Mercuries most readily There is saith he lastly this other Secret of Nature for the Artist of this Art to know and really have the knowledge of the Individuals in which our Mercury is found most easily Wherefore let the Artists of this Art know that our Mercury is found in every Elemented Body yet in some so remote as to anticipate the Life of Man before the Artist of this Art can possess it being extracted as is expedient Wherefore we do in that place reveal those things which contain it most nearly Of this Mercury saith Lully Libro Mercuriorum pag. 8. VVhen we say common Mercury we speak of that which the Philosophers understand and when we say vulgar we speak of that which the Rustick understands and which is sold in Shops Which Ripley in the 326th pag. of his Concordance thus expresseth VVhen I speak of Mercury understand Mercury more common than common The Fifth is The Spirit of Philosohical VVine which Lully in Exp. 3. calls Vegetable Mercury So saith he will you have a Vegetable Salt extracted from this Individual Honey which Salt is most precious and hath the power of acuating the Vegetable Mercury and dissolving the two Luminaries c. in Exp. 5. Salts he prepares out of Portulaca Apium Squilla c. with all which saith he you may acuate the Vegetable Mercury extracted out of VVine either joyntly or severally of which lower in the fifth kind of Menstruums The Sixth is The Philosophical Menstruum it self for our present Menstruum is called Vegetable Mercury produced from white or red Wine The Seventh is The animated Spirit or Air of every Body in the separation of the Elements which Mercury being a Fire or Oyl is called Sulphur in almost all Receipts The Eighth is Sal armoniack Vegetable Animal or Mineral the Sulphur of Nature which is also called our Mercury Mercury Sublimate and Philosophers Mercury Necessary it is we should observe these things in the following Descriptions of Menstruums except we would some times confound the things themselves with the Names The Third KIND Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Oyly Salts or such as can neither be called fixed nor volatile hitherto called Essential Salts such as are Sugar Honey Tartar of Common Wine and other Vegetables 10. The Mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus In practica Elucid p. 231. V. 6. Theat Chym. THe way of acuating this Celestial and Burning B Spirit of Philosophical Wine is to take of the Substances declared to you what quantity you will But we take the Substances of Flowers United that is the Substance of New Honey pag. 269. which we put in a Vessel to distill all the Aquosity through Y Balneo Marioe pag. 270. Then we pour in three parts and more of B upon that Substance prepared after this manner shutting the Vessel with its Cover called Antenotorium and put it in Putrefaction for the space of one Natural Day then with three Distillations by Z. Fire of Ashes pag. 270. we distill till we obtain all the Mercurial Part with the whole Juice of the Blessed Substance by that Method then repeat the aforesaid Magistery with New Substance of Flowers and making this Regiment four times at the end of which you have reduced B solutive from Power into Act by Virtue of the Manna of the Flowers United Now take a strong Glass Vessel able to hold as much Water as a common Pitcher with a Neck one span and a half long to which another Glass Vessel containing a fourth part only of the Pitcher must be joyned and well luted Into this Vessel put four Pounds of C the
Vegetable Heaven dissolved in a mineral Menstruum of Lully 364 145. Ice compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstr of Lully Ibid. 146. The Aqua mirabilis of Ripley 365 147. The stinking Menstruum acuated with the Sal Harmoniack of Lully 366 148. The stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully 366 149. The Spirit of Mercury made with Vitriol and the fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius 367 150. The mixt Menstruum of Paracelsus Ibid. THE PREFACE TO exempt Diana from being exposed Naked to the Petulant Lust of Vnsatiable Men as also to the Scorns and Contempt of the Ignorant as a Common Prostitute the Adepts have taken care not only to cloath but cover her almost with several sorts of Garments To this kind of Apparel Antiquity has been pleased yet not properly enough to refer an Allegory of the Procreation of Man deduced from the Analogy of Seed anciently received however ill applied to the Mineral Kingdom First They reckon Coition Secondly Conception Thirdly Impregnation Fourthly Birth Fifthly Nutriment If therefore no Coition no Conception without Conception no Impregnation without which no Birth can be premised Which Disposition the Ancient Morienus himself confesseth to have been derived to him from Antiquity Hermes whom they call Father of the Adepts in his Tabula Smaragdina hath described to us the Father Mother and Nurse of the Chymical Infant No wonder therefore that such an Ancient and Easie Doctrine as this should have found so easie an access to Posterity it would be besides the Intention and Scope to offer those things which might be inferred by us against this Analogy of Seed Here let it suffice to remember only that the greater part as also the more ancient Adepts comparing the Chymical Magistery to the Generation of Man did under the Notion of this Allegory call their Dissolvents Menstruums or Feminine Seed but the Things which were to be Dissolved Masculine Seed My Son saith Lully The Vegetable Menstruum is of the Nature of a Womans Menstruum because a Mineral Menstruum proceeds from it by Dissolution of Minerals and Metals and is made artificially as Nature requireth for it hath the property of an incorruptible Spirit which is as a Soul and hath the Conditions of a Body because it generates and produceth Seed as a Woman therefore we call our D. Dissolvent Menstrual Blood or Menstruum because it is Generative and Nutritive and makes the said C and C Metals grow and increase till they be converted into M Sulphur of Nature or Philosophers Mercury or into Q Tincture or Philosophers Stone for as Menstrual Blood perfects the Embryo by nourishing and altering one Principle into another and one Quantity into another and one Form into another yet the Principles and Quantities appearing in every Alteration under divers Forms differing from the first Forms themselves till a certain Substance appears in one entire Quantity dependent upon several Matters which is a Body with Spirit and Soul reduced into Action And thus it is with our Infant Philosophers Stone Lully Distinct 3. Can. 4. Lib. de Essentia When K. Colour appears yellow then let the Artist know that the Body of our Infant is formed made and compleatly organized and begins to be prepared for the reception of the vegetable Spirit into it and Nature continues in that preparation till the yellow K. vanisheth away and a red K. Colour appeareth and then may the Artist be assured that the said Infant is perfect both in Body and Soul so that he may let the Fire alone till it grows cold which being cold the Artist will find our Infant round as an Egg which he must take out and purifie for it is a hard Stone in the middle of many Superfluities as the Infant of a Woman appears after Birth Can. 11. Distinct 3. Lib. Essent and let him take and put it into some clean Glass Vessel c. 3 Distinct 3 Part Lib. de Essent Parisinus Ripley Espanietus and other later Adepts the Disciples of Lully had this Analogy of Seed from him being doubtless the most Learned of the Chymical Philosophers Of this living Heaven saith Parisinus Raymund speaks in his Third Book de Quintessentia in the Chapter beginning Coelum Mercurius noster Our Heaven hath the property of an incorruptible Spirit which is as the Soul of it and hath the Conditions of a Body in it generating and producing Seed as a Woman and herein it differs from the other Principles of the Art It is also sensual because it is apprehended by sense namely by sight taste and smell as is declared in the first Distinction in the Chapter which beginneth Proeterea est principium movendi scilicet corpus sive forma And a little after speakidg of the aforesaid living Heaven he saith And in this point our Understanding knows that D. his living Heaven or Dissolvent hath a Vegetable property the similitude of which R and S Gold and Silver do transmit into the Sulphur of Nature which is the Spirit of Metals or Stone or transforming Poyson according to the signification of Raymund which signification he useth in his Alphabetum figuroe arboris Philosophicoe and therein produceth this following Sentence in Capite de figura Quintoe Essentioe As the Vegetative part of the Mother or Nurse transmits her Likeness into the Son which she generates which property the Son retains so our Mercury The Intention of the Philosopher Lully is to demonstrate that the Philosophers Sulphur or Stone or transforming Poyson receives all its benefit by the excitation of the vegetative Virtue which is in this Divine Vegetative Heaven The same Author in the Continuation of his Doctrine saith And also the Understanding knows that the said Metals R and S Gold and Silver retain the property of Menstruum with which they extend their similitudes into exotick substances transmuting the said substances into their own kind which is the reason why we call it Vegetable Mercury as also because it is extracted out of Vegetables The same thing at the end of the said Chapter he speaks afresh And our Understanding also knows that principle is as a Woman conceiving the Mans Seed and bringing forth in the same form and virtue as it was in the beginning From whence we necessarily conclude that the Elements of this Stone namely Gold ought to be moved by vertue of a living Quintessence and the aforesaid Vegetable Heaven which way I have sufficiently proved and demonstrated Parisinus in Lib. 1. Elucidarii pag. 221. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. Ripley having the same Master as Parisinus expounds this Doctrine more briefly thus As an Infant in the Womb of the Mother does by the concoction of temperate heat convert the Menstruums into its own Nature and Kind that is into Flesh Blood Bones yea Life with all other Properties of a living Body so if you have the Water of Sol and Luna it will attract other Bodies to its kind and make their Humors perfect
the Lord Jesus Christ forbids Now have I opened to you much of the Secret to the Glory of the immortal God Paracelsus extracts his Essence of Philosophical Wine not out of Aqua ardens but out of Philosophical Wine it self Thus 3. The Spirit of Wine of Paracelsus Described Chap. 9. of the Third Book of Long Life pag. 64. YOur Wine being powred into a Pelican digest in Horse-dung and that the space of two Months continually you will see it so thin and pure that a Fatness which is the Spirit of Wine will of it self appear in the superficies Whatsoever is under this is Phlegm without any nature of Wine but the Fatness alone being put into a Phial and digested by it self is of most excellent energy for long Life Guido used the following Method little differing from the Paracelsian 4. The Essence of Wine according to Guido Described Pag. 1. Thesaur Chym. TAke White or Red Wine which is better distil by Balneo till the Matter remain in the consistence of Honey which being divided into two parts in a duplicated Cucurbit mixt with the distilled Liquor and joyn together again and after the digestion of six weeks a green Oyl will swim upon the Matter which separate through a Funnel From the Receipts we think these Things following worthy of Observation 1. That the Wine Red or White is not Common but Philosophical and that is the only thing that is obscure in these four Books to be understood not according to the Letter but by Analogy but Aqua ardens Aqua vitae Spirit or Essence of a Philosophical Wine are the proper Names of it 2. That the Aqua ardens of Philosophical Wine doth in some things agree with the Properties of Common Spirit of Wine namely it goes before its Phlegm in distillation it is rectified as the Common from its Phlegm Lastly being rectified it is known by burning Linnen Sugar c. 3. That this Aqua ardens doth by Circulation dayly lose its moisture and sharpness and is at length converted into a swimming Oyl the Essence and Spirit of Philosophical Wine But who ever reduced Common Spirit of Wine or Aqua Vitis by bare Circulation into an Oyl Who I say hath by continual Circulation brought that Oyl to Driness so as to be sublimeable as a volatile Salt and that not but by a strong Fire as Isaacus affirms himself to have experienced in the Description of his Vegetable Stone Of which lower in the Third Book 4. That the Oyl or Essence of Wine may be divers ways made out of Philosophical Wine 5. That not only the Time but also the Scent Colour c. of the Essence are varied according to the variety of Method The Essence of Lully is like Heaven that is of a Sky-colour the Oyl of Guido is green 6. That it hath not a Scent so fragrant unless it hath a Body especially a Metallick or Mineral dissolved in it 7. That this Heaven the first of all Menstruums is also a Medecine and is called the Essence or Specifick to a long Life 8. That it is called Heaven for several Reasons by Lully First Because it works Contraries like Heaven Our Vegetable Menstruum saith Lully the Celestial Animal which is call'd Quintessence preserves Flesh from corruption comforts things elemented restores former Youth vivifies the Spirit digests the crude hardeneth the soft rarifies the hard fattens the lean wasteth the fat cools the hot heats the cold dries the moist moistens also the dry One and the same thing can do contrary operations The Act of one thing is diversified according to the nature of the Receiver as the heat of the Sun which hath contrary operations as in drying Clay and melting Wax yet the Act of the Sun is one in it self and not contrary to it self Secondly Because like Heaven it receives the Forms of all Things As the universal Form the Macrocosmical Heaven hath an appetite to every Form so the Quintessence of Philosophical Wine to every Complexion whereby it is evidently manifest that the Quintessence of things is said to be of that complexion to which it is adjoyned if joyned to hot hot if to cold cold c. This therefore the Philosophers called Heaven because as Heaven affords us sometimes heat sometimes moisture c. so the Quintessence in mens Bodies at the Artist's pleasure c. Distinct 1. Lib. Essentioe To this Heaven we apply its Stars which are Plants Stones and Metals to communicate to us Life and Health Ibid. Thirdly Because like Heaven it moveth all things from power to act Therefore Heaven or our Mercury is the Cause and Principle moving G C Metals from power to act And in this point knows the understanding of an Artist that D our Heaven hath action upon C and C ruling and governing and reducing it into action as Heaven brings that which is in Elemental things by its own motion into action c. For we call it Heaven by reason of its motion because as the upper Heaven moves the universal Form and first Master and Elements and Senses to compound Elemented Individuals so D moves C and C and the four Elements to M the Sulphur of Nature or Philosophers Mercury or to Q the Tincture Distinct 3. de quarto principio Libri Essentioe 4. Because like Heaven it is incorruptible Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies by which our Stone is vivified therefore we call it Heaven and Quintessence and incombustible Oyl and by its infinite other Names because it is incorruptible almost as Heaven in the continual circulation of its motion pag. 145. Elucid Testam 5. Because it is of the colour and clarity of Heaven Heaven or our Mercury is the fourth Principle in this Art and is signified by D of an azure colour and line and is signified by that colour because it is celestial and of a celestial Nature as we said before in the description of it Dist 3. Lib. Essentioe This Essence Johannes de Rupescissa calls Humane Heaven for the following Reasons We ought to seek that thing which is to the four Qualities of which our Body is compounded as is Heaven in respect of the four Elements Now the Philosophers called Heaven Quintessence in respect of the four Elements because Heaven is in it self incorruptible and immutable and not receiving strange impressions but by the command of God so also the thing which we seek is in respect of the four Qualities of our Body a Quintessence in it self incorruptible so made not hot dry with Fire nor moist cold with Water nor hot moist with Ayr nor cold dry with Earth but is it a Quintessence able to work Contraries as the incorruptible Heaven which when it is necessary infuseth a moist Quality sometimes a hot sometimes a cold sometimes a dry Such a Radix of Life is the Quintessence which the most High created in Nature with power to supply the necessity of the Body to the utmost term which God hath appointed to our
may be supplied with the Alkalies of Honey Celandine and the rest of the Individuals named by Lully with which the Adepts did also sometimes acuate their Spirit of Wine as shall be declared below in tht Fifth Kind of Menstruums But these things make also against the Literal sense of our Receipt and do prove that the Salts of the Vegetables not the crude Vegetables themselves were taken in the Receipt But though he made choice of Tartar because of the strongest Alkali to be from thence prepared yet did he not for the same reason intimate that Celandine the Flowers of Rosemary Herb Mercury red Lilly and mans Blood were better than the rest because with these he proceeds another way for he separates the Elements from them with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine from which he takes only the Fire or Oyl which he circulates with the Spirit and so acuates it as is clearly enough evident in secunda Tabula Individuorum But because Honey surpasseth not only its own collateral Individuals but also the Tartar it self for he saith that the Spirit of Wine in Tartar hath one but in Honey two free Operations and therefore attributes his peculiar process to Honey namely by distilling the whole Comb the Honey together with the Wax with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick Now between both processes of Honey and the rest of the Individuals our Receipt keeps a middle station If Honey be volatilized as to the whole substance it becomes thereby a Magistery which being joyn'd to the Spirit of Philosophical Wine yields us a Menstruum of the Third kind But the Fires or Oyls of Celandine of the Flowers of Rosemary common white and red Wine c. are by separation of the Elements made with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Essences which being added to the said Spirit of Wine do not alter but multiply it rather because an Essence is added to an Essence that is the second to the first Spirit of Philosophical Wine But if Celandine the Flowers of Rosemary as also the Vegetables of our Receipt be distilled with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine it does extract and elevate all their Vnctuosity with it self rejecting the aridity of them being more simple subtil volatile and less loaded with dry Particles than the Vnctuosity of crude Honey and so by being circulated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine it is made indeed a Magistery yet more inclining to the nature of an Essence and therefore less dry and less altering the Spirit of Wine than that of Honey and so being now deservedly united with the aforesaid Spirit it makes a Menstruum different from the Menstruums of the Third Kind So the Literal Sense of our Receipt does hitherto stand unmoved But not to derogate from the Authority of the Author and his own Commentator Lully it is necessary to suppose that the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being distilled upon the aforesaid Vegetables he did sometimes out of the remainder prepare an Alkali by calcination and acuate his Spirit with it and so make a Menstruum of the Fifth Kind From these and the like Receipts we observe 1. That Wine Lunaria Nigrum nigrius Nigro the Matter of the Menstruum of Vegetable Mercury or Soul of Metals is not Common but Philosophical Wine nor that the Spirit of this Wine is the Common but Philosophical Aqua ardens 2. That a Menstruum of this kind is the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine acuated that is tempered with the common Vnctuosity of Vegetable Oyls Mix digest and distil any common distilled Oyl with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and you will obtain a Menstruum of the Second Kind much sooner yea you will make the same in a moment if you mix the Essence Spirit of Philosophical VVine with the Magistery of an oyly Vegetable 3. That one oyly Vegetable Saffron or Macis of so many is sufficient for the acuation of the Spirit of Philosophical VVine nor yet will you err if you take Triacle which Spirit of Triacle made with this Spirit of Wine will be a Menstruum of this kind 4. That these Menstruums are Medecines 5. That these Menstruums made out of meer Vegetables are properly called Vegetable Menstruums tho' some which we call Vegetable Menstruums compounded are by reason of the addition of Metals or Minerals sometimes by the Adepts called Mineral Menstruums so Lully in the 34th Experiment calls his Circulatum majus made of Gold and Silver the true Mineral Menstruum But we distinguish them from the Mineral Menstruums because they are corrosive being prepared with the acidity of Miâ—eral Salts But these are most sweet without any Corrosive and do kindly dissolve things that are to be dissolved 6. That a Menstruum is call'd the Soul of Metals Soul is diversly taken among the Adepts First For perfect Metal Gold or Silver So Arnold in Flore Florum Philosophers call the Soul a Ferment because as the Body of man can do nothing without its Ferment or Soul so is it in the thing propounded for Ferment is a Substance which converts other things into its own Nature And you must know there is no Ferment except Sol and Luna that is Gold and Silver appropriated to those Planets c. Ferment therefore must be introduced into the Body because it is the Soul thereof This is that which Morienus said except you cleanse the unclean Body and make it white and infuse a Soul into it you conduce nothing to this Magistery Secondly For Metals and other things volatilized with a Philosophical Menstruum So Lully calls Gold and Silver volatilized in the preparation of his Circulatum majus Menstruum or animated Spirit Take saith he the animated Spirit of Sol and the animated Spirit of Luna joyn them together c. So the Tinctures of Gold and Silver volatilized by a Menstruum as also of imperfect Metals are by him called Souls So in the 20th Experiment he hath the Animal Water of Saturn in the 21th Experiment the Soul of Mars Yea separating the Elements from all things he calls the tinged distilled Liquors Souls or animated Spirits because by them is the dead dry and fixed Earth again revivified volatilized and reduced into a Sal harmoniack See the Revivification of the Salt of Tartar by its own Water in the Volatization of it given in the Second Experiment Thirdly For Menstruums themselves For Menstruums are the Souls of Metals by which the Metals otherwise dead are animated and revivified so Lully of this our Menstruum the Soul of Metals pag. 195. Comp. Anim. Transm Otherwise saith he Metals cannot be dissolved unless they be animated with a Vegetable Menstruum by the power of which Resolution is made in things resoluble And in Elucid Testam pag. 145. Aqua vitoe is the Soul and Life of Bodies by which our Stone is vivified So also Ripley in Libro Mercurii pag. 108. saith The Sperm of Metals is also called Metallick Aqua Vitoe because it administreth life and health to
c. 2. That these Menstruums are called Circulatums because they were by the ancient Philosophers Circulated for the space of thirty or forty sometimes sixty Days 3. That these are called the greater Circulatums to be distinguished from the less Circulatums being less excellent the greater having greater strength and communicating tincture to things that are dissolved in them 4. That these Circulatums are the first Beings or graduated Essences of Metals and Minerals and amongst things Volatile nothing can be more excellent than they they being exalted from a fixed Essence or Astrum into a much more Noble Essence called an Arcanum 5. That these Circulatums are Medicines or Medicinal Arcanums 6. That these Circulatums ore most red Sublime the Stones saith Paracelsus till they come to redness He extracts the tincture of Lily out of Antimony reverberated to a Purple or Violet Colour but makes the Soul of Metals out of Sulphur reverberated of which thus What Hermes said that the Soul alone is the means of joyning the Spirit to the Body was not impertinently spoken For Sulphur being that Soul and maturing and excocting all things as Fire it will be also able to bind the Spirit with the Body and incorporate and unite them together so as from thence to produce a very Noble Body The vulgar combustible Sulphur is not to be reputed the Soul of Metals but the Soul is something more than a combustible and corruptible Body and therefore cannot be burned by any Fire being all Fire it self and indeed it is nothing else but the Quintessence of Sulphur which is extracted out of Sulphur reverberated by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and is of a red Colour and clear as a Ruby Which is indeed a great and notable Arcanum to transmute white Bodies and to coagulate running Mercury into fixed and tested Gold Accept this as commended to you to make you Rich and you have reason to be content with this only Secret for the transmutation of Metals Lib. 1. de gener rerum Nat. pag. 87. If Mercury Antimony and Sulphur fixed by reverberation and the Spirit of Philosophical Wine drawn off be red and diaphanous as a Ruby it follows that the same Bodies volatilized with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine do become more red From hence we observe that the Menstruums of Diana are of divers Colours sometimes white milky and opake sometimes most clear sometimes again most red and most transparent so that the Arguments of Bernhard denying the diaphaneity of Menstruums may be easily resolved Where Fools saith he do out of the less Minerals extract corrosive Waters into which they put any sort of Metals and corrode them for they think that therefore they are dissolved by a Natural solution which solution indeed requires permanence together that is of the dissolvent and the dissolved that from both as from the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result I tell you truly no Water dissolves a Metallick Species by Natural Reduction but that wh … remains with it in matter and form and which the dissolved Metals are able to recongeal which happens not in any sort of Aqua fortis but is rather a defiling of the Composition that is the Body that is to be dissolved Nor is that Water pertinent to Bodies in solution which remains not with them in congelations Mercury is of this sort and not Aqua fortis or that which Fools esteem Mercurial Water clear and diaphanous For if they divide and obstruct the Homogeneity of Mercury how will the first proportion of the Feminine Seed stand and be preserved Pag. 60. Epist ad Thomam The Elixir and Azoth he goes on that is the Vital Spirit Spirit of Life Philosophical Aqua vitae and fugitive Soul animated Spirit are not diaphanous nor transparent nor clear as the Tear of ones Eye nor any dissolving Spirit Pag. 94. Ejusd Epist Which cannot be done in a diaphanous clear and transparent Liquor because if the aforesaid Elixir and Azoth that is Spirit and Soul had or could shew any diaphaneity the Earth would now in proportion have dismissed the Water and separated it self from it whereas otherwise it would have inspissated and coagulated the parts of it caused an opacity in the Elixir and Azoth and made the Metallick Form to stand congelable For in restringing fixed Metallick Species the restringer must of necessity act upon the restringible and the congealer upon the congelable which cannot be done in the aforesaid diaphanous and clear Water otherwise it is in Vegetables in which a simple and diaphanous Water is by decoction inspissated in those Vegetables which notwithstanding vanisheth and evaporates at length by the Tryal of Fire because it is not permanent and fixed in the Composition not having an Earth Naturally Homogeneous to it in Composition with it as Argent vive has which Earth is indeed the cause of permanent fixion in things Homogeneous wherefore simple Water cannot by congelation be fixed with Vegetables as Mercury with Metals If therefore Mercury hath received diaphaneity in the Philosophers Work it will remain in the quality of an irrestringible substance and will not be congealed upon Laton as to a Metallick Form Species and Proportion which carries the congelation of it self neither with it nor in it as Water does Earth which Earth as aforesaid is indeed Mercurial and the first cause of inspissation coagulation and fixation If therefore that Water remains not in Metallick Proportion how can the like Species be produced from this Composition They therefore that think so to extract a clear transparent Water out of Mercury and work many wonders by it are in an Error for suppose they can make such a Water yet would it be of no advantage to the Work nor to the Nature and Proportion of it nor could it restore or erect a perfect Metallick Species for so soon as Mercury is altered from its first Nature so soon is it excluded from being an ingredient to our Philosophical Work because it hath lost its Spermatick and Metallick Nature By these things therefore it is known what Truth your Opinion contains and wherein it is contrary and absurd you asserting it to be necessary in order to perfect the great Elixir to have a Gum in which are all things necessary to it containing the four Elements and is a most clear Water as the Tear of an Eye made Spiritual which causeth Gold to be a meer Spirit For one Body penetrates not another but a pure Spiritual substance congealed is that which penetrates and tingeth a Body Be it as you say my Honoured Doctor that Natures are not joyn'd without a Gum or Oyly Matter c. Had Bernhard disputed only against every Mercurial Water not permanent made diaphanous with Aqua fortis or any other vulgar Menstruum and not also against the most clear Mercurial Water of Thomas de Bononia then the Arguments aforesaid had been of great strength but now the objections against the limpidity of
unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine with things Oyly Dry-oyly Oyly-dry and purely Dry and reduced them to divers Kinds of Vegetable Menstruums in which we have exhibited Menstruums every way absolute and perfect in Smell Taste and Colour incomparable dissolving without hissing or effervescence and permanent with things dissolved Now follow in order those which are called Mineral Menstruums which though they be of a stinking Smell of an acid or corrosive Taste and for the most part of a milky and opake Colour and dissolve Bodies with very great violence and corrosion yet nevertheless having the same Spirit of Philosophical Wine as the Vegetable Menstruums for their Foundation are therefore as permanent as they yea better than they as to the abbreviation of time for the acidity of Mineral Salts for which corrosive or acid Menstruums are called Minera lcannot destroy the Nature of the Spirit of Wine nor the Nature of the Vegetable Menstruum but by corroding makes the particles of dry Bodies more apt to unite themselves with the Oyly Spirit of Philosophical Wine but if that acidity be taken away it becomes that which it was before namely either the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or a Vegetable Menstruum The method which we used in the Vegetable Menstruums we will as near as we can observe also in these Mineral Menstruums In the Vegetable we extracted from the Philosophical Wine an Aqua ardens from which we did by Circulation separate an Oyl or Essence of Wine which is our Spirit of Wine which then by acuating divers ways we reduced into the precedent Kinds of Vegetable Menstruums but in the Mineral we will begin with Philosophical Grapes the Matter it self of Philosophical Wine which is elsewhere called Green Lyon Adrop c. Though the Discourse of this Matter appertains not to this place yet if any thing presents it self to us either in the Receipts themselves or elsewhere which may tend to a more clear manifestation of it we will not conceal it but on the contrary have determined to illustrate and explain things so as not only to make you more assured of the use and necessity of this Spirit promised to you but moreover also that you may have some certain notions beforehand of its Conception Substance Nativity c. For the elucidation of this Receipt we will propound some other Receipts of the same Matter that being compared together they may be made the plainer In the first place we will propose a Menstruum made indeed not of the Green Lyon it self but of the Green Lyon dissolved with an acid and reduced into a certain Gum. 60. A Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop of Ripley Libro accurtationum Pag. 381. TAke Adrop that is the Green Lyon which we spoke of before and dissolve it in distilled Vinegar for the space of seven Days shaking well the Vessel which the Matter is in three times dayly then empty the dissolved Liquor and distil through a Filtre three times from its Faeces till it be clear as Cristal and evaporate the Vinegar with a gentle Fire till it be thick as Bird-Lime which you cannot stir by reason of its Viscosity and being cold take it out of the Vessel and keep it and again make more of it and this do till you have twelve Pounds of this Green Lyon or Adrop reduced to the Form of a Gum then have you the Earth extracted from the Earth and the Brother of the Earth Then take a Pound of that Gum and put it in a Glass Vessel of the bigness of a Bottle well luring the Joynts of the Alembick with Glew made of the white of Eggs and Filings well mix'd together This Receipt in the Treatise of the Philosophical Adrop which is in the sixth Volume of Theatrum Chymicum and inscribed to an anonimous Disciple of the great Guido de monte but differs not from the Books of Ripley namely the present de Accurtationibus and the Clavisaureae portae the greatest part of which is ascribed to the Famous Dunstun Archbishop of Canterbury is altogether the same as to the Sense though these Words run better in the Translation thus Now take three Pounds of the aforesaid Gum put it into a Distillatory able to hold about two Measures and putting on an Alembick lute the Joynts with luting made of Ale the white of an Egg and Wheat-Flower Pag. 552. Volum 6. Theat Chym. Which is confirmed with the Process or Receipt of the Clavis aureae portae were thus Put three Pounds of this Milk thickned or Gumn'd into a Glass Pag. 257. Clavis aureoe portoe and distil in a Sand Furnace and let the Sand be the thickness of two Fingers under the Vessel and so round about even to the middle of the Vessel or till the Matter be covered put a Receiver to it making at first a gentle Fire but not luting the Receiver till the Phlegm be gone over and this continue till you see fumes appear in the Receiver white as Milk then increasing the Fire change the Receiver stopping it well that it may not evaporate and so continually angment the Fire and you will have an Oyl most red as Blood which is airy Gold the Menstruum foetens the Philosophers Sol our Tincture Aqua ardens the Blood of the Green Lyon our unctious Humor which is the last consolation of Man's Body in this Life the Philosophers Mercury Aqua solutiva which dissolves Gold with the preservation of its Species and it hath a great many other Names And when first the white fumes appear continue your Fire twelve Hours in which space if the Fire be strong will all the Oyl be distilled which keep well stopp'd to prevent respiring This Menstruum differs from the precedent for asmuch as in this the Green Lyon is dissolved in Vinegar but in that it is all distilled alive but they are both clearly enough described in themselves yet the Matter of the Menstruum remaining more obscure and less intelligible to the Reader we have found out four Reasons in Ripley why it is called Green Lyon First saith he by Green Lyon the Philosophers means the Sun which by its attractive Virtue makes things Green and governs the whole World Tract de Adrop Phil. Pag. 547. Volum sexti Theat Chym. and else where The Green Lyon is that by which all things became Green and grow out of the Bowels of the Earth by its attractive Virtue elevated out of the Winter Caverns whose Son is most acceptable to us and sufficient for all the Elixirs which are to be made of it for from it may be had the power of the white and red Sulphur not burning which is the best thing saith Avicenne that Alchymists can take thereby to make Gold and Silver But these Words may suffice a Wise Man to know and obtain the Green Lyon Medulla Phil. Pag. 139. Secondly It is moreover also called Green because that Matter is as yet sharp and unripe that is not yet fixed or perfected by Nature as
sufficient information of all things from Artists of the more secret Chymy Alchymists and Operators so also to be more instructed by the same in the way of correcting the Spirit of Wine Basilius in his Elucidat 12. Clavium Where he made the following Menstruum spoke of such a graduated Vitriol not common 99. A Menstruum of Basilius made of Hungarian Vitriol In Elucid 12. Clavium IF you have obtained such a highly graduated and well prepared Mineral called Vitriol most humbly beseech God to give Understanding and Wisdom for the success of your Intention and when you have calcined it put it into a Retort well luted Distil it at first with a slow Fire then increase it and the White Spirit of Vitriol will appear in the form of a horrid Fume or Wind and passeth into the Receiver so long as any of the same Matter is in it And take Notice that in this Wind are hidden all the Three Principles proceeding from one and the same Habitation it is not necessary therefore to be always diving in pretious Things because by this Means a nearer way to the Mysteries of Nature lies open and is obvious to all Men apt to learn Art and Wisdom Now if you can well and purely separate and free this Expelled Spirit by the way of Distillation from its terrene Moisture then will you find in the bottom of the Glass Treasure and the Fundamentals of all the Philosophers hitherto known to few which is a Red Oyl ponderous as Lead or any Gold whatsoever as thick as Blood of a burning and fiery quality which is the true Fluid Gold of the Philosophers which Nature compacted of the Three Principles in which are found Spirit Soul and Body and it is Philosophical Gold that Spirit of Philosophical Wine excepted with which the Dissolution of it is performed c. Cinabar the Adepts sometimes added to the Vitriol thus 100. The Mineral Menstruum of Isaacus Pag. 59. Manus Philos TAke of the Roman Vitriol calcined to Redness and Cinaber an equal quantity mix and pulverize then pour Aqua Vitae to them distill and cohobate upon the Caput Mortuum three or four times The same Menstruum hath Lully in Magia Naturali but instead of the Caput mortuum he takes new Species in every Rectification 101. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol and Cinabar Pag. 371. Magiae Naturalis AFter the Fourth Distillation of the Water aforesaid Aqua Vitae or Ardens made of Philosophical Wine Distill seven times with an equal weight of good Cinabar and Vitriol putting in new things every time constantly and drying the Matter of the Stone Vitriol and Cinabar well in every Distillation before you pour in the Aqua Vitae c. 102. The same Stinking Menstruum of Lully Epist Accurtatoria Pag. 327. THe Vegetable Stone being Distilled the Vegetable Menstruum or rather Aqua ardens or the Spirit of Philosophical Wine till the Water is free from Phlegme and that commonly is in the fifth time take an equal Weight of Vitriol very clear and of the best Cinabar mix and grind them well together dry the Matter in the Sun till all the moisture is exhaled then cast in your Water and Distil first with a gentle Fire and strong in the end as the custom is in preparing the Philosophers Acute Water and then the Spirits or Quintessence of Vitriol and Cinabar which do principally make the Mineral Stone Mineral Menstruum do mix and joyn together with the Spirit of the Quintessence of Aqua Ardens which Spirit is the Vegetable Stone and this continue ten Times beginning after the fifth five times after the fifth Rectification of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and so continue the Distillations five times with those Bodies Vitriol and Cinabar And you must remember to make the things thorough dry before you put them into the Water so that all the Water all the Phlegme must be dried up evaporated and the Spirits remain which must be joyned together because of the strength of the Aqua Ardens and every Distillation you must put in new things To Vitriol and Cinabar he sometimes added Niter thus he made this call'd 103. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of common Vitriol Cinabar and Niter In Clavicula Pag. 299. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. TAke of Roman Vitriol calcined to Redness three Pounds of Salt Peter one Pound of Cinabar three Ounces grind all together upon a Marble then put the Matter in a thick and strong Body Cucurbit and pour Aqua Vitae seven times Rectify'd upon it and put it in Horse Dung fifteen days the Vessel being well Sealed Then Distil with a soft Fire till you have all the Water in the Receiver then increase the Fire till the Head Alembick be red then strengthen the Fire till the Head Alembick be white then let the Vessel cool take away the Receiver Seal it very well with Wax and keep it for occasion Take Notice that the Menstruum ought to be seven times rectify'd by Distillation every time casting away the Feces before it be made use of Besides the Ingredients of Aqua Fortis and Cinabar he sometimes adds also Tartar calcined thus 104. The Stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol Niter Alume Tartar and Cinabar In Experimento 26. TAke Aqua Vitae so hot as to burn a Linnen Cloth then take Vitriol free from all Phlegme so as to Boyl upon Fire without Liquefaction Vitriol calcin'd the common way the best Sal Niter Roch Alume dephlegmed and dried one Pound of all the aforesaid of white Tartar calcined and Cinabar of each half a Pound grind and sift every one severally through a Sieve then mix and put the Matter into a Retort pouring the aforesaid Aqua Vitae upon it put a Receiver to it the Joynts being very close and the Luting first thoroughly dried The Receiver must be large as those wherein Aqua Fortises are commonly distilled Now the Luting being dried make a gentle Fire at first till the Retort grows warm then continue the Distillation in this degree that you may pronounce ten words between each drop of the Distilling Water and when it will Distill no more with that Degree of Fire increase the Fire so as to return the Distillation again to the same ten Words as at first and this degree continue till the Distillation increaseth again and lastly increase the Fire with Wood covering the Retort round about with Tiles above that it may have a Fire of Reverberation but this observe the Retort must first be strengthened on all sides with strong Luting before this Distillation is begun and when the Distillation is begun and when the Distillation is it ought to be placed in a convenient Fornace with an open Neck but it would be best and most commodious in this Work if the Receiver of this Distilling Water could be handsomly set in a Bason full of cold Water but if that cannot be you must at least lay Linnen Cloths dip'd
which he calls the less Medicines so that which was in Paracelsus most difficult to be understood by others became more clear to me than any thing else and so I obtained the End sooner than the Beginning Yet the Joy from thence accrewing fell shorter than expectation for having tried several Experiments in vain I came to understand that these Menstruums of Paracelsus contained something abstruse and unknown to be understood not in the least according to the Letter whereupon examining them more exactly and comparing their Qualities with the Nature of the Liquor Alkahest I found a vast difference between it and them for it is said There is one Liquor Alkahest and that universal but many are the Menstruums of Paracelsus that indestructible that destructible that not mixing with Bodies these abiding with them that preserves the Virtues of things these alter them that ascends after the Essences of things in destillation these before their dissolutions c. I was at a stand sometime which part to take one while I wish'd for one indestructible Liquor rather than many destructible Menstruums supposing that one better than many another while changing my Mind I desired the Menstruums as sufficient for many Uses I knew before Truth overcame at length enabling me now to demonstrate the most if not all the Medicines of Paracelsus in Guido and Basilius On the contrary I perceived the Arcanums of Paracelsus commonly so called as prepared by that Liquor Alkahest or the like to be more and more different yea contrary to the Authentick wherefore as to the Preparation of Medicines I began to abstain yea desisted from further enquiring into the obscure Matter Preparation and Use of that Liquor Alkahest namely that which I find described in one place of Paracelsus as a Medicine but not in the least as a Menstruum Which Obstacle being removed I found an easie way from Paracelsus to Lully Basilius and other Philosophers of the same Faculty who I saw agreed all unanimously in confirmation of the Paracelsian Menstruums yea Light adding Light to Light appeared so clear that their preparation variety simple and literal sense shewed themselves all at once one only Word remaining unknown yet expressing the universal Basis of all the Adepts and that is Spirit of Wine not Common but Philosophical which being known and obtained the greatest Philosophical Medicinal Alchymical and Magical Mysteries of the more secret Chymy will be in the power of the Possessor In no Books of the Adepts hitherto known of me have I found any thing rare that owes not its original Being to this Spirit so that I dare affirm that whatsoever Chymical Spirits lower and higher fixed and volatile are able to do the very same and more will this our Spirit perform This it was that moved me to employ all my Study and Endeavours turning over every Stone in quest of the Spirit of this Wine and continually ruminating upon those abstruse and variously disguis'd Terms whereby they clouded it as the Key of all Philosophy behold the Fame of your great Name welcom'd me to Wilde the Metropolis of Lithuania and observing that You in expounding Natural Philosophy abstained from all manner of Intricacy and as the first and only Person indeed using a plain and candid Series of Words in applying common Examples of Vulgar Chymistry I rejoyced with my self thinking What could not this great man do if Master of the more secret Chymy I resolved with my self therefore to take a Journey into England for your sake alone that I might confer with you about the Menstruums as well as Medicines and other Secrets of Paracelsus from whom also I promised to my self very great Assistance in some other things not yet known Nor indeed has my hope deceived me for besides the easie admission common to all Strangers and Foreigners you have been pleas'd to vouchsafe me a more free Access received me courteously and commended my Studies and thereby rais'd my Mind to greater Things Which Favours do oblige me to Dedicate this part of my Studies to you your self Earnestly and Humbly beseeching you kindly to accept it and continue your Love and Friendly Countenance to him that is and ever will be Your Honour 's Most Obedient Servant J. S. W. TO THE STUDENTS OF THE MORE Secret Chymy UNder Heaven is not such an Art more promoting the honour of God more conducing to Mankind and more narrowly searching into the most profound Secrets of Nature than is our true and more than laudable Chymy This is it which shews the Clemency Wisdom and Omnipotence of the Creator in the Creatures which teacheth not only Speculation but also Practice and Demonstration the Beginning Progress and end of things which restoreth our Bodies from infinite Diseases as by common means intolerable to pristine health and diverts our Minds from the Cares and Anxieties of the World the Thorns and Bryars of our Souls to Tranquility of Life from Pride to Humility from the Love and Desire of worldly Wealth to the Contempt thereof And in a word which raiseth us from earth to heaven Yet for all that may we say of it with the same truth that amongst all the Arts which have yielded any benefit or profit to the World there is none by which less honour has hitherto accrued to God Almighty and less utility to mankind for lest a Science of so great dignity and utility should be too common or ill managed by the ignorant and impious the prudent Possessors of the same made it their business so to describe it as to make it known to their Disciples only but exclude unworthy altogether from it But in process of time the Adepts arriving to a greater perfection of Knowledge and Experience invented sometimes one someâ—imes another shorter Method in their Work altering Fornaces Fires Vessels Weights yea and the Matter it self who being thereby also constrain'd to make new Theories and Terms of Art according to the new invented Practice it happened that the Scholar of one Adept understood not the new Theory much less the practice of another which also sometimes happened to the Adepts themselves those especially which were under the document of some certain Patron in some particular Method and Process for they had not the power of discerning further than they had learnt whereupon they commonly suspected all the Notions of other men especially those that differed from theirs though in themselves good and right as fallacious and contrary to Nature or applied other mens Theories Sentences and Terms of Art unknown to themselves to their own private Process with which they were acquainted as I shall by many Examples elsewhere declare by which very thing they involved this Art in such a Chaos of obscurity that hitherto neither Masters nor Scholars have scarce had the power of communicating any benefit to the learned World It is to be wondred at but rather lamented to see such imperfect Philosophical Systems as have been hitherto bequeathed to us by the Masters
Mercury and other things synonymous to the Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or things prepared by the same Spirit Vegetable Sal Harmoniack Philosophical Vinegar c. For this Spirit of Wine being prevaricated the Adepts knew that all the rest though never so plainly discovered to the Sons of Art could not contribute the least benefit to the Reader Wherefore I fear not the indignation of the Adepts nor the Anathema's which they thundred out against the Betrayers of their Secrets having herein done nothing more but to speak ingenuously less than they themselves I have according to my capacity methodically digested those things which were here and there confusedly dispersed but added nothing of my own and so expect neither Honour nor Thanks from you but this only that I may know if our Studies please and I shall supply those things that are here wanting and desired somewhat more largely for I will not refuse to assist you yet further by the industry of my Studies So that nothing remains but upon our bended Knees to return most humble Thanks to the Father of Lights in vouchsafing us this Art by the Writings of his Servants and the High Priests of Nature without which it would be beyond the power of man to arrive to so great a degree of Knowledge Now celebrate with me the Urns of our pious Masters who have for the Welfare of Mankind rather dispersed than buried their Talents and may you oblige your selves to the same good Office if you have any of their Writings not yet published Finally It is my earnest Suit to the Adepts now living that they would please to employ themselves freely in expounding Nature correcting Philosophy and Medicine And lastly refuting all the deceitful Sects of Philosophers as well in the Academies as private Schools for the advancement of the Glory of God being singularly eminent in this Art So be it The First Book OF MENSTRUUMS RIPLEY Cap. 2. Medullae Philos Chym. We will here demonstrate the clear Practice how such Menstruums as be Unctuous and Moist Sulphureous and Mercureal well agreeing with the Nature of Metals wherewith our Bodies are to be artificially dissolved may be obtained London Printed for Tho. Howkins in George-Yard in Lombard-Street 1685. The Translator to the Reader YOur Business it is not mine otherwise than as a Reader to judge of this Work but the ample and publick Encomiums of Learned Societies beyond the Seas already declaring their Sentiments of its Rarity and Excellency are convictive Authorities far beyond my Opinion and therefore I shall be silent only this I think necessary to let you know that our Author having little spare time himself left his Latine Impression to be by others corrected which has been the cause of many Errors and indeed in some Places so gross that the Author himself could scarce retrieve his own Meaning This to prevent in the English Translation he has been pleased to use all Care to have it exactly import his own Mind I must also tell you that though I have taken no small pains in endeavouring to make this weighty Work speak true and perfect English yet my Copy not being punctually observed you will find many small Mistakes besides the Errata's inserted at the latter end of the Book which you may please as you read to correct Farewel G. C. A Catalogue of Menstruums I. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Philosophical Wine only 1. THE Heaven Essence or Spirit of Wine of Lully 1 2. The Essence Soul or Spirit of Wine of Rupescissa 9 3. The Spirit of Wine of paracelsus 11 4. The Essence of Wine of Guido 12 II. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and the hottest Vegetables Herbs Flowers c. being Oyley 5. The Anima Metallica or Lunaria Coelica of Lully 16 6. The Aqua Vitae of Paracelsus 21 7. Another Ibid. 8. The Aqua Vitae of Ripley 23 9. The Compounded Aqua Vitae of Ripley Ibid. III. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Oyley Sals as Sugar Honey Tartar Common c. 10. The Mellifluous Heaven of Parisinus 31 11. The Spirit of Honey of Lully 34 12. The Spirit of crude Tartar of Guido 36 13. The Spirit of crude Tartar of Paracelsus Ibid. IV. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Volatile Salts as Sal Armoniack Salt of Blood Urine c. 14. The Spirit of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus 38 15. A Water of Sal Armoniack of Trismosinus 40 16. The Gelative Sulphur of Lully Ibid. V. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Fixed Salts of Vegetables and Minerals not Tinging 17. The Coelum Vegetabile of Lully 46 The Volatile Salt of Tartar of Lully 48 18. The Spirit of Wine of Basilius 52 19. The Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius 54 20. The Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius 55 21. The simple Spirit of Calx vive of Basilius 57 22. The Tartarized Spirit of Wine of Basilius 58 23. The Vegetable Acetum acerrimum or Ignis Adepti of Ripley 59 24. The Aqua fortissima of Rupescissa 60 25. Vegetable Mercury acuated with the Salt of Tartar of Lully 61 26. The simple Vegetable Menstruum produced from 3 Individuals of Lully 62 27. The Circulatum minus or Water of Salt circulated of Paracelsus 65 28. The sweet Spirit of Salt of Basilius 70 VI. Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit and Tartar of Philosophical Wine 29. The Coelum Vinosum of Parisinus 73 30. The Coelum Vinosum of Lully 76 Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Parisinus 78 Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully 80 Vegetable Sal Harmoniack of Lully 81 Another 83 Animal Sal Harmoniack of Lully 85 Vegetable Sal Harmoniack made by the Accurtation of Lully 89 Another 90 31. Coelum Vegetabile of Lully circulated 92 32. The less Vegetable Menstruum of Lully 93 33. The Vegetable Menstruum per deliquium of Lully 94 34. The Vegetable Mercury of Lully 95 35. The rectify'd Aqua Vitae of Lully 96 36. The Circulatum minus of Guido 97 37. The Animal Heaven of Parisinus 98 VII Vegetable Menstruums compounded of the aforesaid Simple Menstruums 38. The Circulatum majus of Guido 103 39. The Menstruum acutum of Guido 104 40. The Coelum majus of Parisinus 105 VIII Vegetable Menstruums compounded of Simple Vegetable Menstruums and Common Argent vive or other Metals 41. The Ignis Gehennae of Trismosinus 110 42. The Alchymical Mercury of Ripley 113 43. The Exalted Water of Mercury of Ripley 114 44. The Glorious Water of Argent vive of Lully 115 45. The incalcinated Menstruum of Lully 115 46. The Mercurial Water by three Vessels of Lully 116 The Mercurial Sal Harmoniack or Mercury of Mercury of Lully 119 47. The Menstruum of Guido for Pretious Stones 122 48. The Lunar Menstruum of Lully 123 49. The Circulatum majus or Acetum acerrimum of Lully 124 50. The Circulatum majus of Parisinus 126
so the Liquor or Essence of Vitriol or Copper is called Wine of the first Metal Cap. 12. Lib. 3. de Vita longa pag. 65. Being now instructed by the light of these Premises let us come nearer to the Spirit of Wine of Lully which we shall find like an Oyl swimming upon its Phlegms deduced not from the Common but Philosophical Aqua vitae by Circulation But all other Essences being made by the belp of some certain Essence this first Essence of Wine alone must by its own virtues emerge its self out of its own foeculencies and impurities In this respect the making of Philosophical Wine red or white renders the work of all the most secret Chymistry most difficult and abstruse of which we shall by the Blessing of God clearly and truly treat in a particular Book namely our Fifth Our purpose at present is to prosecute the Vse of this Wine in the making of Menstruums where we find Aqua vitae the first and weakest of all Menstruums which being by circulation alone reduced into an Oyl is made much more excellent than before Lully 's Receipt is clear enough yet however we thought it advisable to confirm at least if not illustrate it with the Receipts of other Adepts Johannes de Rupescissa a Scholar of Lully had so great an esteem for the first Distinction of his Master's Book of Essence that he made it his own with a little alteration He hath described the Spirit of Philosophical Wine after this manner 2. The Essence Soul or Spirit of Wine of Johannes de Rupescissa described Chap 5. of his Book de Quintessentia REpute me not a Liar in calling Aqua ardens a Quintessence and saying that none of the modern Philosophers and Physicians have attained to it Aqua ardens being commonly found every where for I spoke true of a certain for the Magistery of a Quintessence is a thing occult and I have not seen above one and him a most approved Divine that understood any thing of the Secret and Magistery of it And I affirm for a truth that the Quintessence is Aqua ardens and is Aqua ardens And may the God of Heaven put prudence in the heart of Evangelical Men for whom I compose this Book not to communicate this Venerable Secret of God to the Reprobates Behold now I open the Truth to you Take not Wine too watry nor Wine that is black earthy insipid but noble pleasant savoury and odoriferous Wine the best that can be found and distill it through cooling pipes so oft till you have made the best Aqua ardens you can that is you distill it from three to seven times and this is the Aqua ardens which the modern Physicians have not acquired This water is the Matter out of which the Quintessence which we intend principally in this Book is extracted because when you have your noble water you must cause such a Destillatory to be made in a Glass-makers Furnace all entire of one piece with one only hole above by which the water must be put in and drawn out for then you shall see the Instrument so compleatly formed that that which by the virtue of Fire ascends and is distilled into the Vessel through the Pipes may be again carried back in order to ascend again and again descend continually day and night till the Aqua ardens be by the will of God above converted into a Quintessence and the understanding of the Operation is in this because the best Aqua ardens that can be made hath yet a material mixture of the four Elements therefore it is by God ordained that the Quintessence which we seek for should be by continual Ascensions and Descensions separated from the corruptible composition of the four Elements and this is done because that which is a second time or oftner sublimed is more pure and glorified and separated from the corruption of the four Elements than when it ascends only one time and so to a thousand times and that which is by continual ascent and descent sublimed comes at length to so great an altitude of Glorification as to be almost an incorruptible Compound as Heaven it self and of the Nature of Heaven it is therefore called Quintessence because it is in reference to our Body as the Heavens in respect to the whole World almost after the same manner so far as Art can imitate Nature in a near and connatural similitude Circular Distillation therefore being for many days made in a Vessel of Circulation you must open the hole which is in the head of the Vessel which is indeed suppos'd to have been seal'd with a Seal made of Lutum Sapientioe compounded of the finest Flower and the White of an Egg and of wet Paper most carefully pick'd and mix'd to prevent the least exhaling And having opened the Hole if the Odour which ought to be super-admirable above all the Fragrancies of the world which shall seem to have descended as it were from the sublime Throne of the most glorious God be so great that setting the Vessel in a corner of a house it shall by an invisible force with the fragrancy of the Quintessence which is wonderful and highly miraculous attract to it self all people that enter in then have you the Quintessence which you heard of to which none of the modern Philosophers and Physicians except him that I excepted before have so far as I have been able to understand attained But if you find not the Odour and Influence of attracting men as I said seal the Vessel as before and bring it to the heat above described in order to compass your desire by Sublimations and Circulations namely in finding out this Quintessence so glorified into an Odour of inestimable fragrancy and savour glorified to a wonder and the influx of attraction before expressed and not only so as to yield a wonderful Scent but also to raise it self more fully to a kind of incorruptibility it hath not that heat in your mouth which Aqua ardens hath nor that moistness that is such an Aqueity flowing because the acute heat of the Aqua ardens and its watery moistness is by Sublimations and Circulations wholly consumed and the Terreity will remain apart in the bottom And the Heaven as well as Stars of which this our Quintessence is compounded both as to Matter and Form are not as that which is compounded of the four Elements but there is but little of it glorified so much even to the highest fill'd with so noble a form that the power of Matter cannot aspire to any other Form and so remains uncorrupted till the Composition be destroyed by command of the Creator Nor is the Quintessence which we seek altogether reduced to the incorruption of Heaven as neither is Art equal to Nature yet notwithstanding it is incorruptible in respect of the Composition made of the four Elements because should it be altogether incorruptible as Heaven it would absolutely perpetuate our Body which the Author of Nature
Life And I said that the most High created the Quintessence which is by the Art of man extracted from the Body of Nature created by God And I will name it by its three Names attributed to it by the Philosophers It is called Aqua ardens Anima or Spiritus Vini and Aqua Vitoe And when you have a mind to conceal it call it Quintessence because this is its Nature and this is its Name the greatest Philosophers have been willing to disclose to no man but caused the Truth to be buried with them And that it is not moist as the Element of Water is demonstrated because it burns which is a thing repugnant to Elementary Water That it is not hot and moist as Ayr is declared because dry Ayr may be corrupted with every thing as appears in the generation of Spiders but that remains always uncorrupt if it be kept from expiring That it is not dry and cold as Earth is expresly manifest because it is exceeding sharp and heats extreamly And that it is not hot and dry as Fire is apparent to the Eye because it infrigidates hot things and wastes and eradicates hot Diseases That it conduceth to incorruptibility and preserves from corruptibility I will demonstrate by an Experiment for if any Bird whatsoever or piece of Flesh or Fish be put into it it will not be corrupted so long as it shall continue therein how much more will it therefore keep the animated and living Flesh of our Body from all corruption This Quintessence is the humane Heaven which the most High created for the preservation of the four Qualities of mans Body as Heaven for the preservation of the whole Universe And know of a certain that the modern Philosophers and Physicians are altogether ignorant of this Quintessence and of the truth and virtue thereof But by the help of God I will hereafter declare to you the Magistery of it And hitherto I have taught you a Secret the Quintessence that is the humane Heaven Cap. 2. Lib. Essentioe 9. Lastly That many Receipts more obscure and otherwise intelligible by no man are by these illustrated The Second KIND Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and the hottest Vegetables Herbs Flowers Roots c. being Oyly 5. The. Anima Metallica or Lunaria Coelica of Lully Described in Composit Animae Transmut pag. 193. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. FIrst you must know that the Matter of our Stone or of all the Stones of the Philosophers together with Precious Stones which are generated or compounded by Art is this Metallick Soul and our Menstruum rectify'd and acuated or the Lunaria Coelica which among the Philosophers is called Vegetable Mercury produced from Wine red or white as is clearly manifest being revealed to us by God in our Figura Individuorum Distinct 3. Libri Quint. Essent c. But first it is expedient to draw our Menstruum by Art from Death that is the Impurities and Phlegm of Wine by the Office of an Alembick and to acuate it in distillation with pertinent Vegetables such as are Apium sylvestre Squilla Solatrum Carduus Oliandrum Piper nigrum Euphorbium Viticella or Flammula and Pyrethrum an equal quantity of all and pulverized Then the Menstruum must be circulated continually for the space of ten days in hot Dung or Balneo Marioe Annotations THE Vnctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine attracts none but the Vnctious natural Essences of Vegetables as we shall observe below in the Book of Medecines Essences being thus extracted as also all other Oyly things crude or expressed and all distilled of both Kingdoms Animal and Vegetable this Spirit of Wine doth by simple digestion divide into two distinct parts two Oyls or Fat 's whereof one is the Essence of the thing the other the Body The Essence so made we named the Second Spirit of Wine Both Essences this by Division and that by Extraction prepared are by longer digestion made one with the aforesaid Spirit of Wine For those things which are of one and the same purity and of a symbolical Nature are easily mix'd together and that inseparably and so an Essence made by an Essence is joyned to that Essence And if we protract Digestion further one of the Fat 's namely the Body less Oyly and therefore left hitherto is at length received also into a symbolical Nature by reason of which mixtion not only is the Spirit multiplied but also made fitter for the Dissolutions of dry things because the Particles of this Body less Oyly incline to dryness concerning which way we treat in this Receipt in the Prescription of which the Oyl drawn out of Oyly Vegetables is by distillation together with the Spirit of Philosophical VVine circulated into a Magistery or double Essence Natural and Artificial of which lower in its place by which the Spirit of Wine is multiplied and made more homogeneous to dry Bodies There is the same Menstruum but a little otherwise described in his Natural Magick pag. 358. thus Take Nigrum nigrius Nigro and distil ten or eight parts of the same in a Glass-Vessel and in the first distillation you must receive only one half this again distil and hereof take a fourth part and the third distillation you must take in a manner all and so distil that part eight or nine times and it will be perfect but not rectified under one and twenty Distillations Take of this VVater a quarter of a pound and acuate the same by distilling it with the Vegetables which are Apium Sylvestre and so of the rest of which was spoken above in Anima Transmutationis in the Chapter which begins First you must know c. And then put it into a Vessel of Circulation in hot dung or in the remains of a Wine-press with the preservation of the Species Which water is also one of the things without which nothing can be effected in the Magistery of this Art That Menstruum which ought to be drawn from the Death of Wine by the Office of an Alembick acuated with the said Vegetables and at length circulated is the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which is by these degrees so exalted as to be by Lully deservedly called the Matter of all the Stones of the Philosophers and vertuous Stones that is Precious Stones Anima Metallica and Lunaria Coelica which also is called Vegetable Mercury deduced from Wine red or white The Matter of which this Menstruum is made is called Wine in the former Receipt the Menstruum must be extracted from the Death of Wine But in the latter it is called Nigrum nigrius Nigro To these two Lully adds a third synonimous pag. 1. Test novissimi Take red Wine which we call the Liquor of Lunaria and Nigrum nigrius Nigro By which synonimous Terms none but a Fool can understand Common Wine for the common Spirit herefrom distilled is altogether insufficient to perform such and so great things yea all the Arcanums of the more secret Chymy which
thus done 28. The Sweet Spirit of Salt of Basilius Lib. Partic. sub Sulphure Solis Rep. 12. Clav. TAke of the Spirit of Salt wholly dephlegmed one part of the best Spirit of Wine free from all Phlegm or the Sulphur of Wine made as I shall tell you lower the Description of which we lately had in the precedent Pages one half part fit an Alembick well luted and distil strongly so as that nothing remains To the Distillation add one other half part of Spirit of Wine and distil and that repeat three times putrefie fifteen days or till it become sweet which must be done in a gentle Balneo thus will you have the Spirit of Salt and Wine without any corrosion for extractions But though this Menstruum may deserve its Praises yet it can scarce be reckoned amongst Menstruums of this Kind where we discourse not of acid Spirits but fixed Salts it must therefore be considered as an Appendix of the circulated Salt to the Illustratino of which it will not a little conduce From the Receipts we observe 1. That by Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Wine the Adepts did not in the least intend Common but Philosophical Aqua ardens for Common Aqua ardens will never perform that which is desired in these Receipts and it being granted that it seems to perform yet Menstruums so made cannot be Menstruums of the Adepts but Common of no efficacy or esteem in the more secret Chymy 2. That Basilius has indeed sometimes used common Aqua ardens for his Menstruums but never by it self but mixed with Vegetable Sal Armoniack or Philosophical Salt of Tartar that is with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine volatilized which Salt being brought into a liquid substance by virtue of this Spirit is his Menstruum for he separates again from thence the Spirit of Common Wine either by Flame or by quick Lime 3. That the greater quantity of Sal Armoniack is joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine the stronger are these Menstruums made wherefore Basilius his Menstruums of this Kind from which all the common Aqua ardens is separated are to be reputed among the best 4. That these Menstruums are the Magistery of fixed Salts by Paracelsus call'd the less Circulatums or Arcanum of the Alkali of Tartar Beans Wormwood as also common Salt Alom Nitre c. 5. And therefore that these Menstruums are Medecines 6. That these Menstruums may be made several ways as these out of the Sal Armoniack of Lully by the method of Paracelsus his Circulatums and so on the contrary provided the Alkalies or fixed salts be volatilized and distilled together with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine through an Alembick 7. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is not easily mixed with these Salts but by certain degrees First He extracts the Tincture or Soul from them that is the more unctuous parts which being more volatile than the rest are then easily distilled into a volatile Tincture or to use Luly's phrase into the animated Spirit then the remaining Earth being now fixed by the same means is again volatilized by absorbing the said animated Spirit by degrees and sublimed into Sal Armoniack 8. That these Sal Armoniacks are sublimed with a very strong fire 9. That these Salts are called Harmoniack by reason of the Harmony ar Perfection of their mixtion So have you saith Lully the formal Harmoniack mixtion of all the Elements wherefore wonder not if we call it Sal Armoniack for so it is called because of its exalted and sublimed property the pure and first Matter of Nature Lib. Mercur. pag. 155. 10. That the volatile Salt of Tartar the volatile Salt of Wormwood Carduus Benedictus c. common volatile Salt by Paracelsus call'd Sal enixum are rightly term'd Sal Harmoniacks Philosophical Vegetable Mercuries and Sulphurs of Nature c. 11. That the Spirit of Salt Nitre Vitriol Aqua fortis c. are by being cohobated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine made sweet The Sixth KIND Simple Vegetable Menstruums made of the Spirit and Tartar of Philosophical Wine 29. The Coelum Vinosum of Parisinus made of the Salt of Philosophical Wine In Appendice Eluc Pag. 271. Vol. 6. Theat Chym. TAke the Philosophers first Matter called Chaos Vegetable Mercury the Philosophers Wine distil its Spirit ardent and Watery Element Phlegm in its convenient Vessel as we shall teach in its proper place till its Body remain in the bottom like melted Pitch which by two distillations wash with its Watery Element then pour its Spirit to it four Fingers above it mixing the Matter well till it be well united and set the Vessel to distil in Balneo with an easie heat then put it into Putrefaction six Days in a convenient Vessel and distil in Ashes the animated Spirit then take other Spirit ardens and that being poured to it put it again into Putrefaction six Days and so repeat this Magistery till you see that the Spirit has imbibed and extracted the Soul out of the Body an infallible sign of which will be when you see its Earth hard and dry for then may you be assured that the Body is for its health-sake dead which you may vivify and make incorruptible and it will no more fear Death nor Corruption in this World Now take the aforesaid Body first weigh it then put it in a convenient Vessel and pour to it an eighth part of its Spirit animated Spirit which extracted its Soul then put your Vessel in a Fire of digestion which we shall speak of afterwards and continue the Fire till you see that the Earth hath imbibed its Liquor then open your Vessel put on an Alembick and gather that little sweat which will have the taste of hot Water Imbibe now your Matter for a second time with a seventh part of the aforesaid Spirit which contains the Soul and proceed in the methodizing of the aforesaid Magistery Now for a third time imbibe with a sixt part for a fourth time imbibe with a fifth part for a fifth time imbibe with a fourth part and do not multiply the weight of the aforesaid Spirit but continue it so observing the aforesaid Method till the Matter which hath drunk up its Spirit and is again united with its Soul be white Take now the aforesaid Earth and put it in convenient sublimation the lower part of the Vessel being luted below the Matter and make the pure part sublime from the impure and so will you have our Mercury which is clear and shining as a Diamond This is that which the Philosophers do by divers Metaphors call the first Vegetable Matter Sal Armoniack our Mercury our Sulphur of Nature whereas notwithstanding 't is one and the same thing Take the other Simple Spirit which you first extracted out of your Chaos that which hath not extracted its Soul and make it more pure and subtil by the way following Take of the Vegetable first Matter Sal Armoniack which you made before one Pound and put
well as perfect Metals from power into action And though I may seem not to have delineated to you the Form of the Glass yet I know and do remember that I left some of them at your House and many other of our Cucurbits which are every one good Govern your self according to your discretion we having sufficiently manifested to you the way of Truth in this Chapter From the Receipts we observe 1. That the Menstruums of this seventh Kind differ from the former simple Menstruums not in matters nor in ways of making but in the weights and use of the Ingredients 2. That these Menstruums tinge not their dissolution which is the property of compound Menstruums Every Vegetable Mercury contains indeed its own tinging Sulphur in its Bowels sufficient both for it self and others as will be demonstrated in the third Book but especially in the fifth nevertheless we affirm that every Spirit of Philosophical Wine wants Tincture as being not acuated with things more tinging The Eighth KIND Vegetable Menstruums compounded of Simple Vegetable Menstruums and common Argent Vive or other Metals 41. The Ignis Gehennoe of Trismosinus made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Mercury Sublimed Pag. 7. Aurei Velleris Germ. TAke of Alum calcined Nitre of each two parts of Salt decrepitated one part mix take of this mixture and Mercury sublimed of each one pound sublime by the Law of Art mix the sublimation with new mixture of Salts and sublime and that repeat three times To this Mercury thus sublimed and pulverized pour the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and draw it off in Balneo to an oleity cohobate sometimes and the fourth time will ascend the Mercury together with the Spirit of VVine rectify the distillation till it leaves no Faeces and it will be a VVater burning like Hell-Fire This VVater rectify again in Ashes till it ascends without leaving any Sediment lastly distil through a Paper seven times double in Balneo and you will have a VVater truly Spiritual which keep in a Vessel close stoped by reason it is very Volatile Annotations THe Kind immediately antecedent is indeed computed in the number of the greater Circulatums or Vegetable Menstruums compounded because the Menstruums of that Kind do in the power of dissolving excell the other Simple Menstruums but not in Tincture which that as well as those do want but we will now offer those which shall be better they will not only dissolve but in dissolving moreover tinge the things dissolved in them and so make them better they will not only extract the Essences of things but transmute whole Bodies into Magisteries Amongst these the Vegetable Mercurial Waters made of common Argent vive and simple Vegetable Menstruums have priority for many of the Adepts being so taught by Experience have called common Argent vive the open Metal for it is sooner dissolved than the other Metals and does by its aridity more temper the unctuosity of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine than the individuals hitherto used in the antecedent Kinds of Menstruums As concerning this matter hear the Philosophers and above the rest the great Paracelsus Prince without question of all the Adepts who saith If you intend to convert Metals into a Magistery and tinge the whole Body altogether into an Essence you must take the chief and open Metal to which all the rest have affinity in Nature and putrify it in its own Matrix which is situated in VVater and is call'd the Mother of all Metals Paracelsus his Circulatum minus made of common Salt purge it from superfluities and reduce it into its liquid first being that is the Metallick Acetum acerrimum the primum Ens of Mercury Lib. 10. Arch. Cap. 3. pag. 37. As a temperate Essence he goes on is drawn out of Herbs as out of a Vine for example by which very Essence the like Essence may be extracted out of all sorts of Herbs and Roots so as that the Mercury of VVine shews not its own Nature but the Nature of that with which it is essentiated for the like reason out of Metals and Minerals the like Mercury or Spirit is extracted out of the open and middle Metal Mercury Lib. 10. Arch. pag. 39. Mercury vive is the Mother of all the seven Metals and ought deservedly to be called the Mother of Metals for it is an open Metal Libro de rebus naturalibus pag. 87. VVherefore call to mind those things which have been said before of half perfect Natural Things among which Mercury vive is one which is not brought into compaction but left in liquidity Besides you must know that every generated thing which is open as Argent vive is like an open House into which every Man that will may enter for so lies Mercury open that every Physitian may take what he will from it but it is not so with Gold Silver Tin c. for that Gate is shut by coagulation till opened dissolved and reduced into the first matter by Art which Metals have indeed many impediments such as are not in Mercury for it is open and wants nothing but the direction of preparation Tract 2. lib. 2. de morbis metallicis 723. Basilius agrees with Paracelsus saying In the beginning of Generation the first of all is Argent vive being open and loosely coagulated because it hath little Salt communicated to it and therefore is more Spiritual than Corporeal the rest of the Metals being derived from its Essence have more Salt and therefore are made more Corporeal Lib. de rebus natural supernat Cap. 2. Chortalassaeus affirms the same saying Argent vive is of divers Colours white skyish ash blackish one slow another swift yet in it self an open Metal and hath a Body easily transmutable Cap. pag. 359. Volum sexti Theat Chym. In searching for Sulphur despair not saith Sendivogius I tell you by all that 's sacred it is in Gold and Silver most perfect but in Argent vive most easy Pag. 213. lib. de Sulphure Of the antient Philosophers I will add Arnold who in Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Rosarii saith The Medicine is as well in Metallick Bodies as also in Argent vive as to Nature because they are found to be of one Nature but indeed in these Bodies harder in the Argent vive nearer but not more perfectly In Argent vive alone it is found more easily and more nearly not more perfectly it being the Father of both those Luminaries and all things fusible for they are all derived from it and therefore are they all resolv'd into it because Nature embraceth its own Nature more amicably and rejoyceth with it more than with that which is Heterogeneous For in it is the facility of extracting that subtil substance Among the Metals there is none that sooner mixeth with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and is more easily altered than Argent vive wherefore the Adepts esteemed it as an open Metal all other Metals and Mineral Bodies are with
animate it with the Water of Vegetable Mercury otherwise it can dissolve nothing And this is the Water containing all those things which you want and by Virtue thereof are Pearls made And this Vegetable Water being compounded doth by Virtue of the Mercury Mineral presently dissolve all Bodies and by reason of its Vegetability Vegetable Menstruum revivify every Body and by its attractive Virtue Symbolical Nature produce an Oyl from every Body and Mercury draws to it self its like that is the Mercury of a Body Of this Water saith Raymund in Compendio Art Transm ad Regem Robertum You know most Serene Prince that our Stone is made of nothing but Argent vive alone that is compounded of Vegetable and Mineral And therefore said the ancient Philosophers the Stone is made of one thing only that is Argent vive Viatic pag. 345. Mercurial Waters are called Ignes Gehennae by reason of this Fiery Nature of Argent vive the corrosive Specifick was because of the Mercurial Water call'd by Paracelsus Ignis Gehennae Libro de Specif Pag. 29. The Circulatum majus prepared from Mercury he calls a living Fire most extream Fire and coelestial Fire If you would bring into action saith he the Life of Antimony hidden in its Regulus you must resuscitate that Life with its like living Fire or Metallick Vinegar with which Fire many of the Philosophers proceeded several ways but agreeing in the Foundation they all hit the intended Mark c. Yet that Fire or Corporal Life in common Mercury is found much more perfect and sublime which manifestly proves by its flowing that there is a most absolute Fire and coelestial Life hidden in it wherefore whoever desires to graduate his Metallick Heaven the Arcanum Lapidis or Antimonii to the highest and reduce it to action he must first extract the first liquid Being as the coelestial Fire Quintessence and Metallick Acetum acerrimum out of the Corporal Life common Mercury c. Libro 10. Archid. Cap. 6. Pag. 39. Amongst the Deniers who judge Mercury to be of a cold Nature is first Bernhard illustrious for Learning as well as Linage saying Whereas Mercury is compounded of the four Elements they therefore being heated by the common and general Causes the Natural heat is excited by its own motion by such motion as this are the Fire and Air in Mercury moved likewise and by little and little elevated these Elements being more worthy than the Water and Earth of Mercury nevertheless moistness and coldness are predominant c. Lib. Alchym Pag. 766. Volum 1. Theat Chym. Argent vive being most cold may in a short time be made most hot and may the same way be made temperate with things temperate by the Ingenuity of an Artist Epist ad Thomam Pag. 57. Art Aurif Arnoldus de Villa Nova in the Book call'd Rosarium is observed to have declared that crude Mercury that is Argent vive which is by its Nature cold and moist may by sublimation be made hot and dry then by revivification made hot and moist like the Complexion of Men c. The said Arnold though a Reverend Doctor and Ingeniâ—us in other Sciences yet perhaps handled Experiments in this Art without the Doctrine of Causes but he saith that in the first Purgation the crude Spirit Argent vive is sublimed with the less Minerals and Salts and that Mercury it self which is in its Nature cold and moist may be made a Powder by Nature hot and dry as he saith this is indeed of no benefit to our Philosophical Work but suppose a Man may make such a Powder as he speaks of out of Mercury namely dry and hot by sublimation with saline Things yet these Purgations are vain and impertinent yea hurtful as to the perfecting of our Work c. And if it be said by way of instance that as by Purging the impurities of Mercury the said Arnold dryed it by sublimation so also as you say Thomas moistened it by revivification and made the Mercury hot and moist suitable to his own humane Body in Nature this indeed impedes not my Reverend Doctor nor impugnes the Truth of the Philosophical Art yea rather the Error appears in this Natural Art For as it is clear Arnold teacheth if you regard the sound of Words that Mercury being thus dryed by hot Water into which it is cast is revivifyed and he saith made hot and moist whereas when first sublimed it was hot and dry But what Philosopher can truly say that Mercury or any other Metal is by simple Water though never so hot and boyling changed as to its internal quality in Nature acquires moistness Natural to it self and so is revivifyed In this revivification therefore Mercury requires nothing forasmuch as common Water decocts not nor alters it because it enters it not and that which enters not alters not because every thing to be alter'd must first be mixed Some superficial impurities of Mercury such Water may indeed wash away from it but cannot infuse a new quality into it For such a Nature as Mercury had when reduced into Powder and mortified by sublimations such a Nature exactly will it keep being revivifyed by Water This I am willing to say with Reverence and Honour to the said Arnold but I consider and defend the Truth of Nature and Experiment About the end of his Epistle to Thomas But be it what it will it consists not with our Prudence to adhere to any Opinions of what Authority soever but to Truth alone in which respect we say Argent vive is neither cold nor hot yet that being of easier dissolution than the rest of the Metals it is most fit for this kind of Menstruums and that the Mercurial Waters prepared from it may by Chymical Liberty be called Hell-Fires though besides these Waters the Adepts call also other Menstruums Infernal Fire of which sort is the acetum acerrimum of Ripley in the Fifth Kind But the following Arguments taken out of the Text it self do prove that Arnold Lully 's Master was as to his reducing of Argent vive into the first Matter or Essence not sufficiently understood and misobserved by Bernhard taking Aqua servens for common boyling Water Arnold divided the Second Book of his Rosary into four Principal Works which are Solution Ablution Reduction and Fixion as appears by the first Chapter of the aforesaid Book Of the first Work namely the Dissolution of the Stone in the second Chapter thus You must dissolve the Stone Gold or Silver being dry and thick into Argent vive that it may be reduced into its first Matter and all this is done by Argent vive only it alone having the Power of converting Sol and Luna into their first Matter but Argent vive having a terrestrial and adustible seculency in it without inflammation and substance of aqueity you must of necessity take away that which is superfluous and supply what is wanting if you desire a compleat Medicine but
Menstruums as well of this as other Adepts are of no validity The same Earth which being less than well dissolved is the cause of opacity in Bernhard's permanent Menstruum the very same exactly dissolved is the cause of limpidity with Thomas inspissating and coagulating the Water as well if not better than if it had been less dissolved The diaphaneity of Menstruums is defended by Lully Parisinus and most of the Adepts Lully proclaims his Coelum Vinosum to be clear bright and resplendent as the Stars of Heaven In Test novis pag. 8. Of which very Menstruum Parisinus thus in Appendice Elucidarii pag. 273. Vol. 6. Theat Chym. Then will you see a Quintessence brighter and clearer than a Diamond which exceeds the splendor of the Stars so as to be doubted whether it be contained in the Glass or no. The Tenth KIND Vegetable Menstruums compounded made of Vegetable Menstruums compounded and Metallick Bodies 52. The Neapolitan Menstruum of Lully In Exper. 13. TAke Luna and calcine with common Argent vive that is by amalgaming and then grinding the Amalgame with common Salt prepared then evaporate the Mercury with a most gentle Fire then take away the Salt with hot Water distilled and so you will have Luna calcined Take the calcined Luna and pour to it four parts of the Mercurial Water described by the three hot Vessels before in Numb 46. and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium set upon Ashes so as to boyl gently and you will perceive a Green or Sea Colour which Liquor pour warily into another Vessel so that the Faeces be not disturb'd the Matter remaining at the bottom dry with an easie Fire like the heat of the Sun Then know the weight of the said Calx and pour again four parts of the said Mercurial Water upon one part of the said Calx and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium as above let it boyl again gently the dissolution pour into another Vessel as before and joyn it with the first dissolution but remember to keep the said dissolved Matter continually in Balneo till the whole Work of dissolution is compleated repeating the Magistery so oft 〈◊〉 the whole Body of Luna be fully dissolved and decanted over which has indeed hapned to us at the second time and set it in putrefaction fourteen Days Then put it in an Urinal with its Receiver and Alembick very well luted and distil in a Furnace of Ashes then increase the Fire that the Soul of the Body may ascend into its Water The Vessel being cold examine the weight of the Earth of Luna remaining in the bottom for I believe of one whole Ounce there will not remain above two Eights Drachms of the Body not dissolved the rest will be perfectly dissolved that is distilled But if more of the undissolved Earth remains then pour to it so much of its Water lately distilled as to be three Fingers above it and the Vessel being covered with an Antenotorium put it in Balneo for a Natural Day then taking away the Antenotorium and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver very close distil by Ashes at the end of the distillation increase the Fire as before This repeat till the whole Body of Luna be pass'd through the Alembick by an airy revolution and thus will you by the Help of God have a Menstruum with which you may dissolve Sol. Annotations HItherto we have by Argent vive acuated either the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or Menstruums made with this Spirit which had so good a faculty of dissolving that most of the Adepts being content with these Mercurial Waters desisted from inquiring after stronger Menstruums The Mercurial Water which Lully terms Glorious he saith is sufficient yea a proper Menstruum to make the Philosophers Mercury or Metallick Sal Armoniack out of all Metals and Minerals You must know saith he my Son that in the Truth and Faith of God no Sulphur of Nature of any Metal can be sublimed without this Water of common Argent vive Test Noviss Pag. 12. But in this Tenth Kind of Menstruums the Adepts made yet other Menstruums adding moreover divers Bodies according to the intended several uses to the aforesaid Mercurial Waters Lully to make a more Noble Menstruum for the dissolution of Gold added Silver to the Mercurial Menstruum If perhaps he wanted a Menstruum for Pearls he joyned Pearls with the Mercurial Menstruum If he had a mind to make Aurum potabile he prepared a Menstruum out of Gold and Silver as more suitable to this purpose yet with some Mercurial Menstruum and so of others as you will observe in the following Examples 53. The precious Menstruum for Pearls of Lully In Comp. Animoe transmut Pag. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. TAke the Liquor of Lunaria of the third or second rectification Philosophical Aqua ardens rectifyed pour it upon Argent vive so as to swim three Fingers above it and putrefie three Natural Days and a great part of it will be dissolved with the Water of Lunaria which decant and pour fresh Liquor upon the Faeces putrefie in Dung or Balneo and repeat till all the Mercury is reduced into Water then joyn all the distillations together and draw off in Balneo and when you see it in a manner thick so as to be half a Pound of the Water of Mercury and Argent vive Vegetable and Mineral putrifie six Natural Days then put in Pearls and they will within ten Hours be dissolved then exuberate them by the way which I taught in the exuberation of Metals till they be converted into a Sal Harmoniack or Sulphur Naturoe of Pearls whereof dissolve one Ounce in a Pound of its Menstruum aforesaid and distil four times then put in Pearls and they will in half a quarter of an Hour be dissolved by reason of the greater subtilty of the Menstruum As Silver is joyned to the Mercurial Menstruum made by the three Fire-hot Vessels for the Neopolitan Menstruum which may be so call'd because it was reveal'd to Lully at Neapolis by Arnold de villa nova so this Menstruum for Pearls is made of the Sal Armoniack of Pearls and the Mercurial Menstruum or Glorious Water of Mercury which if they be Circulated together a convenient time you will make thereof a Coelum perlatum 54. The Mercurial compounded Menstruum of Lully In Experim 34. TAke three Ounces of Luna and three Ounces of Sol calcine them severally with Mercury as in the former Experiments in the Neopolitan Menstruum then evaporate it from the said Metals being calcined put them severally in distinct solutory Vessels and put upon them so much of the incalcinated Menstruum described before in Numb 45. as will swim four Fingers above it cover the Vessel with an Antenotorium putrifie in Balneo two Days and two Days more in Ashes with a heat like that of the Sun decant the dissolution and dry the remainder being dryed pour upon them of the incalcinated Menstruum
Art of Natural Alchymy if otherwise you have a true possible process operate when you please but if there be any defect in you or your Operations and Understanding the Planets and Celestial Constellations will fail you Coelum Phil. Pag. 125. If they alledge saith Geber that the perfecting of Metals is from a certain situation of one or more Starrs which we know not we answer that we regard not this situation and motion nor also is it necessarily requisite for us to know it because there is not any species of things generable and corruptible but Generation and Corruption may be dayly and in every instant made from the individuals of it And it is therefore manifest that such a position of the Stars is every Day good and able to perfect and simply to corrupt all the species whatsoever of Individuals It is not therefore necessarily expedient for an Artist to expect the place of the Stars though it might be useful because it is sufficient for him only to dispose and administer the way of Nature that She who is wise may dispose the situations of those able Bodies agreeing For Nature can perfect nothing without the motion and position of the Planets Wherefore if you dispose and duly consider the Artifice of Nature whatsoever may be the contingents of this Magistery it will be perfected under a due position by Nature agreeable to it without the consideration of it For when we see a Worm produced from a putrified Dog or other Animal we do not presently consider the position of the Stars but the disposition of the ambient Air and other causes conducing to putrefaction besides that position And from such a consideration we know sufficiently that Worms are produced according to Nature For Nature finds convenient places for it self though we may be ignorant of them Summa perfect Lib. 1. parte 2. Cap. 11. Petrus Bonus of Ferraria hath the same Opinion of Influences As to the ninth reason saith he we say it is true that Forms are introduced into things below by the motion and light of Celestial Bodies and by their particular Positions and Aspects but it is not necessary for us to know nor can we know them but in a confused manner as in some things by the Sun who is the cause of the four Seasons of the Year Sowing Reaping and Planting being done at certain Seasons and in some Animals as Horses Asses and Hawks Conjunctions are made in order to Coition and Generation at some certain Periods of the Sun but in some these things are done at any time indifferently as in Man Pigeons Hens c. Wherefore if we would generate a Worm out of putrifying Flesh we do not consider any position of the Stars but only the disposition of the ambient Air and other causes of putrefaction Likewise if we put Eggs in Dung or such a like place for the production of Chickens the Form will be given at any time in the place and time predestinated by the Celestial Powers without our consideration herein After the same manner in the Generation of Lime and Vitriol and Gold and Silver or Sulphur and Ceruse and Minium and Cinabar likewise in the Composition of Theriacle and other Confections because these things may be done at any time and any hour for the Celestial Virtue is very common to all things and is circumscribed by the Virtues and Dispositions of those things which are the subject of it in things Elemented and the Elements themselves because as aforesaid the Celestial Vertues do operate in the whole Nature of things capable of Generation and Corruption continually according to the disposition of the Matter either properly or commonly Wherefore said Lilium The Work is not caused by the motion of the Powers above because it may be done at any time And Rasis in 70. in Libro Reprehensionis Time operates not any thing in this and adds because should time operate in it it would be of no esteem amongst the People If therefore all contingents in this Magistery concur rightly in their time their Form will be introduced under a due Position and Aspect of the Stars at the time prefixed in the Matter without any consideration herein And therefore said Plato According to the merit of the Matter are the Celestial Virtues infused c. But as to those things in which an accidental new and hidden Form is infused by the Celestial Powers as is manifest in Arte Imaginum Coelestium it is necessary for us to know and observe the determined Positions and Aspects of the Celestial Bodies according to the time proposed Because such a Form is imprinted by such alone and at such a time and no other as appears in the Books of Astrology concerning the Election of Hours Images and Wars Buildings Journey c. Wherefore Alchymy being no such Art therefore is it not expedient for a Man to know these things Margar. pretiosa Pag. 731 Vol. 5. Th. Chym. The Twelfth KIND Compounded Vegetable Menstruums most highly exalted made of compounded Vegetable Menstruums graduated 58. The Etherial and Celestial Limes of Lully for the making of Alchymical Tinctures In Testam Novissimo TAke the Sulphur of Gold the Philosophers Mercury made of Gold or Sal Armoniack of Sol put it in a Glass Vessel and pour to it as much as it weighs of the Celestial Vegetable Menstruum the Coelum Vinosum of Lully described in Num. 30. which you know already put it in digestion of Balneo six Days then distil by Balneo then pour on new Menstruum according to the weight of it and digest in Balneo six Days then set it in Ashes one Day distilling all that can be distilled and put it with the other distilled before And again pour on new Menstruum and digest and distil as before and continue the repetition of this Royal Magistery till all the said Earth or Sulphur is emptied of its Air which is done in two and twenty times if you know how to operate Then take all the distillations and put them in Balneo and distil the whole Menstruum and see if all the Air remains in the Form of a Liquor then will you know that the Earth is emptied of its Air but if not repeat with new Menstruum in Balneo digesting and distilling in Ashes as before three times and then will all our Sulphur be freed from its Air Then take the Air which you kept and upon it put its whole Menstruum which is that with which you emptied the Air and pour it upon the Earth of the Sulphur of Gold and put it in digestion in Balneo eight Days then distil all the Menstruum in the said Balneo for one Day and another in Ashes draw off all the Air and Fire as much as you can namely in another Receiver which you will know when the Air begins to change the reddish Colour Keep that Fire apart and again put the Air with the Menstruum drawn from it or with other and
that which is also called the Philosophers Oyntment made of the Earth united in one Kind but that which was call'd the Vapour of the Elements and put it by it self in another Glass Vessel well Sealed and put it in the Air near the other which you put for a whole Year Take the Menstruum with which you separated the Elements of the Sulphur of Luna and that Menstruum wherewith you separated the Elements of the Sulphur of Sol and put in every Vessel wherein is Menstruum of Luna and the Menstruum of Sol one Drachm of Sulphur or Vegetable Sal Harmoniack and set it in Balneo then in Ashes till you have made it all go over with every Menstruum by it self Then each Menstruum being thus rectify'd or animated put in a Glass Vessel Sealed by themselves in their Cages and hang them in the Air near the other for a Year Take the Oleagineity of Luna the first or first Air which is that which you drew from the Earth of Luna when you prepared it for the making of the Sulphur of Luna which we commanded you to keep and said it should be for the making of the Sulphur of Nature put it in a Glass Vessel Sealed in the Air and there it will be made a Fluxible and Virtuous Water of wonderful penetration And what we said of the white Oyl we say also of the red incerative Oyl of Sol. And now Son you have the Stone Menstruum divided into eight parts three in the Earth and five in the Air. Annotations THe Ten foregoing Kinds of Vegetable as well Simple as compounded Menstruums the Adepts made by tempering the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine with many sorts of dry Bodies and by such means produced Menstruums adapted equally for every use and permanent and inseparable they being of the same Nature with the things that were dissolved In the Kind immediately antecedent we shew'd you that all the aforesaid Menstruums whether simple or compound exalted with so great Labour to the highest degree by tempering them with dry things may be raised yet higher and augmented in their Virtues For what Art cannot do Nature can what the Earth cannot do Heaven can For Menstruums perfected by Art do by being exposed to the Influences of the Heavens attain to very great and incredible Virtues by Nature In the eleventh precedent Kind we had Menstruums for Pretious Stones made of the simple Elements of Metals In this twelfth he takes the Sulphur of Nature Sal Harmoniack or Mercury of the perfect Metals Sol and Luna instead of crude Gold and Silver and by exposing the Elements of them to the Heaven and Earth separates them much more Nobly for the best of all Alchymical Tinctures From the Receipts we observe 1. That Limes in their Compositions are indeed clear but Clouded with a wearisome multilocution and disguised by so great a variety of operations besides also in respect of time made most tedious on purpose to deter young and unadvised Practitioners 2. That these Limes differ from the former Etherial and Terrestrial Waters in fineness of preparation these Elements are of the Sal Harmoniack or Philosophical Mercury of Sol and Luna but those Elements of a crude Metal For said Lully Limes for Alchymical Tinctures ought to be of a purer Nature than those which are for Pretious Stones 3. That these Limes are Essences graduated exposed to the Influences of the Heaven and Earth and consequently are Medicines 4. That the Sulphurs Naturae of imperfect Metals do also by the same method yield Limes as strong in their kind as the Sulphurs Naturae of Gold and Silver in their kind Hitherto have we treated of Vegetable Menstruums now follow those which are called Mineral But before we proceed further we are to take notice that by Vegetable Menstruums are meant also Animal Menstruums For all the Vegetable Menstruums already alleadged are not called Vegetable in respect of Ingredients for besides Vegetables Animals also and minerals were made use of in their preparations but by reason of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine produced chiefly from a Vegetable unctuosity which Spirit if you knew how to extract out of some Oyly Matter of the animal Kingdom as the Adepts have more than often done You might with this Animal Spirit transmute the aforesaid Vegetable Menstruums into Animal Menstruums which nevertheless you cannot apply to Mineral Menstruums for though there are also in this Kingdom thin Oyls swimming upon watrish Liquors as Oyl of Petre Pit-Coals c. Yet these are extraordinary Oyls of this Kingdom produced either by exorbitancy or defect of Nature And therefore such Oyls as these the Adepts referred to both the Vegetable and Animal Kingdoms for they are of one and the same Nature whereas the Oyls of Minerals and Metals are more dry and masculine then to produce our feminine Seed or Menstruum Now to recite the parts of Animals and the way of extracting this Spirit of Philosophical Wine from them is not proper to this place but belongs to a peculiar Book namely our fifth treating more copiously of these things to be published in due time when God permits wherefore not mentioning Animal Menstruums we proceed to the Mineral or Acid Menstruums OF Mineral MENSTRUUMS The Thirteenth KIND Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Matter of Philosophical Wine only 59. The Green Lyon of Ripley Libro Accurt Pag. 383. TAke the Green Lyon without dissolution in Vinegar as sometime the Custom is put it in a large Earthen Retort which can endure the Fire and distil it the same way as you distil Aqua fortis putting a Receiver under it and luting the Joynts well that it may not respire then distil first with a gentle Fire till you see white fumes appear then change the Receiver stopping it well and distil with a great Fire so as Aqua fortis is distilled thus continuing twenty four Hours and if you continue the Fire the space of eight Days you will see the Receiver always full of white fumes and so you will have the Blood of the Green Lyon which we call Secret Water and Acetum acerrimum by which all Bodies are reduced to their first Matter and the Body of Man preserved from all infirmities This is our Fire burning continually in one Form within the Glass Vessel and not without Our Dunghill our Aqua Vitoe our Balneo our Vindemia our Horse-Belly which effects wonderful things in the Works of Nature and is the Examen of all Bodies dissolved and not dissolved and is a sharp Water carrying Fire in its Belly as a Fiery Water for otherwise it would not have the power of dissolving Bodies into their first Matter Behold this is our Mercury our Sol and Luna which we use in our Work Then will you find in the bottom of the Vessel Faeces black as Coals which you must for the space of eight Days calcine with a gentle Fire c. Annotations HItherto we have mix'd or tempered the
common Gold The Philosophers Green Lyon therefore is green Gold Gold vive which is not as yet fixed but left imperfect by Nature and for this reason hath it the Virtue of reducing all Bodies into their first Matter and making those Bodies which are fixed Spiritual and Volatile Tract de Adrop Pag. 547. Thirdly It may also be called Lyon because as all other Animals give place to a Lyon so all Bodies yield to the power of Gold vive which is our Mercury Tract Adrop Pag. 548. Fourthly This Noble Infant is called Green Lyon because when it is dissolved it is cloathed with a Green Garment Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools Vitriol is with a violent Fire extracted that which we call Aqua fortis in which the said Lyon ought to be elixirated Medulla Philos Pag. 139. These things spoken of the Green Lyon are also to be understood of Adrop being a Synonymous term of the same Matter Take saith Ripley Adrop that is the Green Lyon Now as to Adrop he declared as followeth Adrop saith he is Gold and Silver in power but not in sight as Rhasis saith and our Gold and Silver according to the Philosophers is not common Gold and Silver for our Gold and Silver are airy which in order to be well fermented ought to be joyned with the beloved common Gold Forasmuch as the Philosopher saith That Adrop in its prosundity is airy Gold and Adrop it self is called Leprous Gold And to these Sayings seems to assent Guido the Greek Philosopher speaking of the Mercurial or Menstrual Spirit the Spirit or Blood of the Green Lyon which is extracted out of the Natural Adrop by Art where he writes And that Spirit is Sol extracted out of the Philosophers Solary Water Arsenick and Luna And in the same place presently adds The Body is the ferment of the Spirit and the Spirit the ferment of the Body and the Earth wherein lies the Fire dries imbibes and fixeth the Water and the Air wherein lies the Water the Air which lies in the Water it ought to be read according to the Doctrine of separating the Elements washeth tingeth and perfecteth the Earth and Fire and so Guido's Saying that they tinge and perfect ought to be understood that the Stone the Menstruum drawn from Adrop or the Green Lyon is sufficient for the compleating of it self into an Elixir and that no Exotick or Heterogeneous Matter as he affirms is or ought to be introduced to it but all the parts of it are co-essential and concrete because the Philosophers meaning was to compleat that work in a short space above the Earth which Nature scarce perfecteth in a thousand Years under the Earth Unskilfully therefore according to the Opinion of the Philosophers as Guido saith do they proceed that seek to obtain a ferment from common Silver and Gold for our select Body For that Matter in which is Argent vive clean and pure not most is ill read throughly brought to perfection by Nature is as Guido affirms after compleat purification a thousand times better than the Bodies of Sol and Luna vulgarly decocted by the Natural heat of the Sun Concord Lully Guidon Pag. 323. A certain Philosopher saith He goes on Discoursing of the same Adrop A fume white is drawn from its own Mines which if rightly gathered and again sprinkled upon its own Mines will there make a fixation and so the true Elixir will in a short space of time be produced from it And certainly without those Liquors or Spirits that is the Water and Oyl of Mercury Menstruum this Alchymical Body which is Neutral or Adrop is not purged And that is the Alchymical Body which is called Leprous Body that is black at the beginning of the Work in which as saith Vincentius in his Speculum Naturale are Gold and Silver in power and not in aspect which in the Bowels of it is also airy Gold to which no Man can attain except the unclean Body be first cleansed which is without doubt after its compleat dealbation and then it is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Gold and Silver decocted by Natural heat The first Matter of this Leprous Body is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth Of this Body according to the Judgment of Vincentius is made the great Elixir for the red and white the Name whereof is Adrop otherwise called the Philosophers black Lead out which Raymund commands us to extract an Oyl of a Golden Colour or such like Raymund adds But this Oyl is not necessary in the Vegetable Work namely for the inceration of the Vegetable Stone because solutions and coagulations are there soon made and if you can separate it from its Phlegm and after that ingeniously find out the Secrets of it you will in thirty Days be able to perfect the Philosophers Stone For this Oyl makes Medecines Tinctures penetrable sociable and amicable to all Bodies and in the World there is not a greater Secret Medul Phil. Chym. pag. 131. Ripley hath here recited various Synonima's of this Adrop We for a time will follow the Green Lyon by the way of Philosophical Lead as we are directed by Ripley in these very Words First understand when Avecenn saith that Gold and Silver are in Lead by Power and not by sight and they are left by Nature crude and half cocted and therefore that ought to be perfectly supplyed by Art which is left imperfect by Nature and by way of a ferment digesting and cocting that which is left crude For a ferment therefore take perfect Gold for a little paululum not paulatim of their fixed substance those fixed Bodies will draw and convert much of Bodies not fixed to the perfection of Gold and Silver And thus will Art help Nature that in a little space of time that may be done above the Earth which is not in a thousand Years done under the Earth And by this means you will understand how Lead contains in it the greatest Secrets of this Art For it hath in it Argent vive clean pure odoriferous not brought by Nature to perfection And this Argent vive is the Basis and Ground-Work of our pretious Medicine as well for Metallick as Humane Bodies so as to be the Elixir of Life curing all infirmities Which the Philosopher meant saying There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek From this are the Soul Body Spirit and Tincture drawn Moreover also in this Mercury is the Philosophers Fire always burning equally within the Vessel and not without It hath also a great attractive Virtue and Power in dissolving Sol and Luna and reducing the same into their first Matter With this Mercury are to be dissolved the Calxes of the perfect Bodies in congealing the aforesaid Mercurial Spirit c. Pupilla Pag. 295. But have a care that you operate not with common Saturn because commonly it is said Eat not of the Son whose Mother is corrupted and believe that
inspissated into a Gum in taste like Alum is by Ripley in the Description of the antecedent Menstruum in Numb 62. called Lully's Vitriol of Azoth or Vitriolum Azoqueum Lully in practica Testamenti Cap. 9. Pag. 159. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. makes a Menstruum of B. C. D. By B. he meant the said Green Lyon or common Argent vive which as he says elsewhere is more common to Men than vulgar Argent vive B. saith he Pag. 153. of the said practica signifies Argent vive which is a common substance consisting in every corruptible Body as appears by the property of it c. By C. he intended common Niter C. saith he signifies Salt Peter which hath a common acid Nature and like Argent vive by the property of its strong acid Nature Pag. 154.4 Volum aforesaid By D. he understood Gum Adrop made of the Green Lyon D. saith he signifies Azoquean Vitriol which corrupts and confounds all that is of the Nature and Being of common Argent vive In the same place Both C. and D. he calls the purer mediums Cap. 58. Theor. Test pag. 96. You must know Son saith he our Bath you may wash the Nature of Phil Argent vive so as Nature could never do that is to make Argent vive a compleat Elixir But Phil. Argent vive and Metals being both in Nature and in your Work extreams and extreams not being able to joyn themselves without the Virtue of a middle disposition which is between the softness of Argent vive and the hardness of Metal because there is by reason of that middle disposition a Natural complyance which is the cause of Conjunction between Body and Spirit as it is in every thing generated or in capacity of being generated In Nature are many mediums whereof two are more pure and more viscous the Green Azoquean Vitriols with the stony Nature which is the Salt and Nature of Stones By the help my Son of this contemptible Matter is our Stone which we have so much sought for procreated c. With the other of these mediums C the stony Nature Salt Peter Salt of Peter or Niter we have no business at present but being solicitous of D. Gum Adrop or the Azoquean Vitriol of Lully it will be worth while to consult Lully himself Of which the Philosopher Cap. 59. Theor. Testamenti thus Son saith he the Azoquean Lyon which is called Azoquean Vitriol is by Nature made of the peculiar substance of common Argent vive which is the Natural Root from whence Metal is procreated in its own Mine By common Argent vive he meant not the Vulgar but Philosophical Argent vive the natural Root as well of Metals as Minerals When we say common Mercury saith he we speak of that which the Philosophers understand and when we name the Vulgar we speak of that which is known to the Country-men and sold in Shops Cap. 1. Lib. Mercuriorum which the following Synonyma's of this Mercury namely Chaos Nature Origo Green Lyon Argent vive Unguent Oyl Pasture and Liquor of great Value do also testifie in Cap. 45. Theor. Test pag. 75. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. This common Argent vive or Green Lyon must be purged from its Superfluities before the Aroquean Vitriol of Lully or the Gum Adrop of Ripley can be made of it You must saith he my Son being a Student of this Science be stedfast and not search after this or that because this Art is not perfected with many things and therfore we tell you there is but one only Stone that is Sulphur and one only Medicine namely the composition of Sulphur to which nothing is to be added only the Terrestrial and Phlegmatick Superfluities taken away because they are and ought to be separated from our Argent vive which is more common to men than Vulgar Argent vive and is of greater Price Merit and stronger Union of Nature from which and the first forms of it it is necessary to separate by the known degrees of separation all that belongs not to the Sal Armoniack of Metals c. Cap. 18. Theor. Test pag. 33. Volum 4. Th. Chym. We say there is but one only Philosophical Stone volatile not yet fixed or matter of a Menstruum extracted from the things aforesaid by our Magistery And therefore when it comes newly into the World you must not add any other Powder or any other Water nor anything incongruous to it more than that which is born in it being radical to its own Nature and the Mother of it which feeds and carryed it that is Sulphur which formed the Stone in a Celestial Colour But before you extract distil it the Stone throughly purge and cleanse it from all its Phlegmamatick Terrestrial and corruptible Infirmities which are contrary to its Nature because they are the death of it with which it is surrounded which do mortifie its vivificative Spirit Cap. 7. Theor. Test pag. 20 of the said Volum It is to be diligently noted that one of the two aforesaid Natural Principles Sulphur and Argent vive is more truly Natural in the whole and through the whole substance of it as well within as without and that is the pure Sulphur hot and dry introducing its form that is according to which the form of a Metal pursues a pure effect But the other Argent vive is unnatural that is inwardly natural and outwardly against Nature but the internal natural part is made proper and also con-natural to it self because it comes by its own Nature but the external part is added to it by accident and is to be naturally separated from it after the corruption Putrifaction of it wherefore it is manifest that such Argent vive is not in the whole substance of it natural in the first reception of it nor is depurated to the full unless it be depurated by the Ingenuity of Art C. 5. p. 10. Codicilli As to this Purification of Argent vive or the Green Lyon Ripley thus Wherefore saith he this Mercury the corrosive Spirit of common Vitriol is by Raymond called Our Fire against Nature Nevertheless the same thing happens in some measure to this Mercury the acidity of Vitriol as also to the other Vegetable Mercury or Green Lyon which is our natural Fire For both of them are hidden in the middle or center of their Bodies that is between the Phlegmatick Water on one side and Terrestrial Crassitude on the other side nor are they obtained without the great Industry of Philosophy and so those parts can avail us nothing except only their middle substance For saith Raymond We take neither of the first Principles because they are too simple nor of the last because they are too gross and feculent but only of the middle wherein is the Tincture and true Oyl separated from unclean Terrestreity and Phlegmatick Water Therefore saith Raymond thus The unctious Moisture is the near Matter of our Physical Argent vive pag. 289. Pupilloe Alchym Argent vive or the
Green Lyon is purified by common Vitriol as thus When the Argent vive is put in a dry Vitriolated Vapour Spirit of Vitriol which is a sharp Water it is presently dissolved by the Incision and Penetration caused by the sharpness being manifestly strong and in dissolving is converted into the Nature of Terrestrial Vitriol not taking a Metalick nor a clear Coelestial Form as appears after the evaporation of the said Water and the congelation of it in the form of Yellow Cristals which Yellowness proceeds from the sharp Sulphurous Terrestreity which was beyond measure mixed in the said Water by Atoms with an Homogeneous Universality and simplicity which simplicity was taken and bound by the said Terrestreity with the alteration of the Light Clarity and Lucidity into Obscurity c. Cap. 89. Theor. Test 141. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Son the thick Vitriolated Vapours from which Vitriol is produced is very sharp and pontick and therefore penetrates the parts of the Sulphur and Argent vive being depurated and penetrating tingeth that purify'd Matter congealing it into the Form of that Vitriolated and yellow Terrestrial Vapour which is mixed with them Wherefore what we have said is manifest that is This is the great Gate namely that the Terrestrial Virtues must not excel the Coelestial but on the contrary if you will have the thing desired Cap. 85. Theor. Test pag. 137. of the same Volume You may remember that you would put nothing with the Menstrual the Matter of the Menstruum but that which proceeded from it at the beginning of its mixtion for if you add an incongruous thing it will presently be corrupted by the incongruous Nature nor will you ever have that which you would have Gold and Silver and Mercury are dissolved in our Menstrual because it participates with them in proximity and vicinity of the first Nature and from hence will you extract a white Fume which is our Sulphur and the Green Lyon which is your Unguent and the stinking Water which is our Argent vive But it is requesite for the Green Lyon to be throughly dissolved in the Aqua Foetens or stinking VVater before you can have the said Fume which is our Sulphur which Sulphur is indeed the same way dissolved from the Body congealing the Spirit in the form of a dry Water which we call Stone and the highest Medium of all our Work which is the connexion and aggregation of both Natures that is of Body and Spirit Son This Water is called Aqua ignis or if you had rather Ignisaqua that undeclinable Word because it burns Gold and Silver better than Elementary Fire can do and because it contains in it heat of a Terrestrial Nature which dissolves without Violence which common Fire cannot do Wherfore we enjoyn you to make the Magistery of the hottest things you can get in Nature and you will have a hot Water which dissolveth all things Cap. 59. Theor. Test Pag. 98. Of the same Volume These Sayings Ripley comprehends in short thus These Words saith he may serve a Wise Man in order to know and acquire the Green Lyon But this Noble Infant is called Green Lyon because being dissolved it is Cloathed in a Green Garment Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools Vitriol is extracted by a violent Fire that Water which we call Aqua fortis Spirit of Vitriol in which the said Lyon ought to be Elixirated For all Alchymical Gold is made of Corrosives c. Pag. 139. Medulla Phil. This Argent vive Green Lyon Philosophers Lead c. being purifyed with Vitriol must be further matured or calcined into a red Colour Minium Lead calcined Sericon c. E. that is Vitriolated Azoth Pag. 15. Theor. Test the fourth Medium or Principle is a substance produced from its Mine and in it more near to the Nature of Metals which is by some called Calcantis and Azoth Vitreus Mercury Vitriolated or Azoquean Vitriol which is the Earth and Mine of Metals and is by another Name called Vrisius of shining white and red within Black and Green openly having the Colour of a Venomous Lizard immediately generated out of Argent vive the Matter aforesaid impregnated with the said hot and dry sulphurous Vapour of common Vitriol in its resolution congealed into a Lizard in which Azoth Vitriolated is the form and species of the stinking Spirit in its mixtion the Mineral heat of which is multiplyed which is the Life of Metal and is signified by E. Cap. 3. Theor. Testam Pag. 12. Volume 4. Theat Chym. And a little after In the Work of Nature is Argent vive but not such as is found upon the Earth nor will be till it be first turned into an apostemated and venomous Blood In the same place You must know Son that by Art and Nature Argent vive is congealed by an acute Water understand therefore Philosophically because if it were not sharp and acute it could not penetrate which is the first action in dissolution after which dissolution it is returned into an apostemated Blood by the mutation of its own Nature into another Son there are two things which ought to stick together by the agreement of contrariety one pure the other impure the impure recedes Fire being an Enemy by reason of its Corruption the other remains in Fire because of its purity being transmuted into Blood and this is our Argent vive and our whole Secret cloathed with a tripartite Garment that is black white and red and that alone we want for the purpose of our Magistery Argent vive containing all that is necessary for a Quintessence There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek for under the shadow of it lies a fifth substance for the substance of it is pure and incombustible and all of it is nothing else but Gold and Silver not common Metals but airy being in Mercury or the Green Lyon melted and fused within and without by Virtue of the Fire against Nature and afterwards purify'd and separated from all its Original Blemish and Pollution for that Gold which is incombustible remains fused and liquid and imparts its Golden Nature in the said Mercury c. Cap. 62. Theor. Test Pag. 103. Volume 4. Th. Chym. Out of this Philosophical Minium calcined Lead or Sericon only the Adepts sometimes distilled their Menstruums for Example the first of this Kind in Numb 59. Sometimes they dissolved this Minium in distilled Vinegar which being drawn off they reduced it into Gum Adrop or Lully's Azoquean Vitriol out of which they then distilled the stinking Menstruum or Menstruum foetens in Numb 60. Sometimes they dissolved Gum Adrop per deliquium first and then distilled it The thirteenth way of practising saith Ripley as it here appears is very curious and that is in Saturn Philosophical rubified in a Glass Vessel stopp'd to prevent respiration with a strong and continual Fire till it becomes red Take therefore that rubified Saturn and pour a good quantity of distilled Vinegar
parts and half a part of the husks of Grapes or the powder of dry Fire and mix it with the said Saw-dust and with this Composition fill your Furnace then light your Fire at both ends and let it burn for you must make no other Fire till you see six or ten or fifteen or twenty drops of Water distil and when twenty have distill'd make your Fire with small Wood dry and so by little and little make the Fire flame directly to the Matter and see when it distils that the Water be clear and when it is at fifteen Points and the Water clear and the fumes subtil continue that Fire equally And if you see it returned from fifteen to twelve Points or less strengthen the Fire and continue it according to the Point of its distillation and then thirdly strengthen your Fire one Point further and continue it till nothing more distills and then let the Fire go out stop your Furnace and let the Matter cool and if the Water be clear without any disturbed Colour or without muddiness take and keep it and stop the Phial with warm Wax that nothing may respire nor the Air enter because the Spirits which are subtil would presently be corrupted by the Air. Remember when you begin to make the Fire of dry Wood that your Vessels must be covered with the aforesaid Paste and wrapped about with Linnen Cloaths and the Phials well luted to the Beaks of the Alembicks with the same luting putting a Quill between the Beak of the Alembick and the Phial for whilst the Fire operates the Air will for the most part go out and respire when it hath not a Receiver to retain it for it is hot and the subject which retains it is not able to endure an exceeding heat and therefore it requires some place wherein it may respire when therefore you hear it blow open the Quill-hole for it O Father how have you made the practice thus tedious Son That you may be acquainted with all things both small and great and that you may have both a general and particular knowledge of Fires and other operations as also of all sorts of luting because it is not our intention to speak any more of them there being nothing difficult to the wise circumspect and intelligent and that you may hereafter say that the stinking Menstruum is at your command which is a mean thing by which all Bodies are in a short time converted into their first Nature and it is the pure and proper Original of a wonderful and most commodious thing but you must know how to apprehend it with a clear understanding c. The like Menstruum hath Lully in his Magia Naturalis which is called 68. The Water calcining all Bodies of Lully Magioe Naturalis Pag. 359. TAke of the Earth that is D. of Azoquean Vitriol five Ounces and a half and of the Water that is C. of Salt Peter and Niter two Ounces and a half the Sum of which is the weight of eight Ounces and being all mix'd grind the Matter fine upon a Marble then put it in a glass Vessel with an Alembick upon it and distil the whole substance first making a gentle Fire of Saw-Dust taking two parts of it and one part and a half of Coals small or ground and a little dry Bran and light the Fire and let it kindle of it self till it begins to distil from one Point to twelve twenty Points and then you must begin to strengthen the Fire with small Wood making the Fire of the Flame right under the Matter and so continue the Fire till it be returned to twelve or fifteen Points or also to fewer and then continue the whole Fire according to the Points of its distillation and after that strengthen the Fire one Point further and continue it till the Alembick loseth its Colour or no more distils then cease and let it cool gather the Water keep it in a hot and moist place and have a care that it respires not And remember to have a Quill in the luting of the Beak of the Alembick and the Neck of the Receiver that you may sometimes draw it out that the Receiver may have vent for the heat is there so quick that the Vessel containing the Matter cannot endure it wherefore it is requisite sometimes to be opened and sometimes shut Take notice that this Water though made of a contemptible thing hath the power of converting Bodies into their first Matter which being joyn'd to the Vegetable Virtue is of much perfection and must be put into practice presently after it is distill'd that the Spirit which is subtil and of a strange Nature may not be lost by the Air. The same Menstruum is described in Lully's Clavicula under this Title 69. The Stinking Menstruum for the dissolution of the Calx of Gold and Silver in order to the reducing them into Argent vive Cap. 15. Clav. Pag. 299. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. TAke of Vitriol two Pounds of Salt Peter one Pound of Cinabar three Ounces I do not understand by what Error Cinabar has crept in among the other Ingredients of this Menstruum for it is a constitutive not of this but of the following Menstruum for the dissolving of the Philosophers Stone especially Lully himself in Cap. 20. Claviculae speaking of the extracting of Mercury from a perfect Body having made no mention of Cinabar whereas notwithstanding in the same place he gave a Description of this Menstruum in these few Words saying Put of our stinking Menstrual made of two parts of red Vitriol and one of Salt Peter and let the aforesaid Menstruum be first distilled seven times and well rectify'd let the Vitriol be rubified and pulverized then put in the Salt Peter and Cinabar and grind all together then put the Matter in fit Vessels well luted to be distill'd let it be distill'd first with a gentle Fire as the Work requires and as they know how that have done it Let this Water be distill'd very often casting away the Faeces which remain at the bottom of the Cucurbit and so it will be your best distilled Menstruum Sometimes they added common Vitriol to the Azoquean Vitriol and Nitre It is thus done 70. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol common Vitriol and Niter of Ripley Cap. 1. Pag. 143. Medul Phil. Chym. TAke Vitriol made of the sowrest Juice of Grapes with the Fire of Nature and Sericon Azoquean Vitriol joyn'd together in one mass with Natural common Vitriol a little dryed together with the Sol Niter and out of these distil a Water which will first be weak and phlegmatick not colouring the Vessel which throw away Then will ascend a white Fume which will make the Vessel look like Milk which must be gathered till it ceaseth and the Vessel is returned to its former colour For that Water is the Stinking Menstruum wherein is our Quintessence that is the white Fume which is called the Fire
Stone of the Philosophers of the Sun of Metals the fugitive Servant the airy Stone the Thernian Stone Magnesia or the corporal Stone Marcasite the Stone of Sal Gemmoe the Stone of Children the golden Stone the Original of worldly things Xelis also by inversion Silex a Flint Xidar by the same inversion Radix Atrop by inversion Porta a Gate and it hath also as many other Names yet is but one only thing To Robertus Lully seems to incline who has been pleased to call every alteration of the Azoquean Vitriol or Matter of the Menstruums of this Kind the first Porta or Gate of the Work thus he call'd the dissolution of the Matter the first Gate In our whole Magistery saith he there are three principal Spirits necessary which cannot without the consummation of their resolution be manifested and they are otherwise called three Argent vives And because Resolution is so often used for the First Gate of our Magistery which we will declare the said Resolution is divided into three principal parts The first is Corporal and is called in the Latine Tongue Recfage that is Anagrammatically sacere G but by G he means Sulphur aqueum Cap. 5. The. Test pag. 115. Vol. 4. Theat Chym. or our Mercury Cap. 20. Pract. Test pag. 170. of the same Volume The second is spiritual and called Agazoph The third is spiritual and corporal and called Vbridrugat c. When the Matter in the Resolution of it appears black this Blackness for which some have call'd it Lead he would have to be a sign of the first Gate In the first Resolution saith he lies all the danger and therefore I give you notice that you must have the Sulphurs of simple Argent vives destroyed by heat in such manner and form as that their active property may not be expelled by extraneous heat and that it may not be separated from its moist Subject which appears wholly black full of a noble Spirit That Blackness demonstrates the sign of the first Gate leading into our Magistery and without it can nothing be done because it is the Fire of Nature which is to create the Stone and which cannot be manifested without the corruption of its Body Cap. 28. Theor. Test pag. 51. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Lastly He calls the Destillation of this Matter the first Gate also The way of preparing the Stony and fermentable Spirit is to take the Juice of Lunary and extract the sweat of it with a small and gentle fire and you will have in your power one of our Argent vives in Liquor in the form of a white water which is the ablution and purgation of our Stone and its whole Nature And that is one of the most principal Secrets and is the first Gate as you may understand by the Reasons aforesaid c. Cap. 9. Theor. Test pag. 21. of the same Volume Being perswaded by these and the like Quotations I may affirm that Atrop is to be written rather than Adrop because besides the Blackness or Philosophical Lead Atrop signifies the beginning or first Gate of the Work 11. That in the Adeptical Chymy are many Green Lyons to be necessarily distinguished one from another By the first the Adepts meant the Coelestial Sun governing the whole World The second is Argent vive more common to us than common Argent vive The third is called Argent vive dissolved into a Green Colour The fourth is Adrop Azoquean Vitriol Philosophers Lead c. A fifth is the Stinking Menstruum otherwise called the Blood of the Green Lyon A sixth is the Green Lyon of Fools Roman Vitriol Verdigreece c. The seventh is extraordinary namely common Mercury sublimed 12. That there are also many Saturns The first is common Lead the impurest of Metals and consequently the most remote of all in our Art which to prove by the Sentiments of the Adepts is a thing superfluous finding almost every where amongst the Adepts a solemn caution for us to beware of this devourer of Metals and Minerals Saturn Have a care saith Ripley to bring one Witness for all of operating with Saturn because it is commonly said Eat not of the Son whose Mother is defiled and believe me many Men err in Saturn Hear what Avicenne saith Saturn will be always Saturn yea operate not with the Earth of Philosophical Saturn which the Spirit of it has despised and left for the worst Sulphur c. Cap. 2. Philorcii pag. 188. The second is Adrop or Azoquean Vitriol whereof before A third is the first Colour or blackness of the first Work of which lower The fourth is Copper the first of Metals of which Arnold in Speculo Alchym disp 8. Pag. 605. Volum 4. Theat Chym. thus There were saith he Philosophers that placed our Science in the seven Planets and our first Planet is called Venus the second Saturn the third Mercury the fourth Mars the fifth Jupiter the sixth Luna the seventh Sol The Generation of Copper hath the first place after the universal Mercury saith Basilius Libro de rebus nat supernat Cap. 4. Of all those things saith Paracelsus which proceed from Salts there is none more nearly allyed to the Mineral Virtue than Vitriol the reason is because Salts are Minerals and all Minerals lie in one Mass and Ares Now Vitriol in the separation of Minerals is the last thing to which is immediately subsequent the generation of Metals whereof Venus is the first Lib. 4. Philos de Element Aquoe pag. 279. And a little after he saith The Marcasites and Cachymys being thus separated from the first Matter of Metals then follows the first Generation which is of Venus c. Besides by the separation whereby the nature of the Marcasites and Cachymys are expelled the generations of Copper do immediately concur imprint themselves and are coagulated together because it is the first Metal after the separation of the Marcasites and Cachymys in the same Book pag. 281. The Vitriol of Venus being the first of all things added or joyned to the Vegetable Mercury in the making of Adrop is called by Lully the first Male. This Fire saith he is that Property of the Mercury which you must endeavour to preserve from burning being the Tincture of Vitriol with which the Vegetable Mercury ought to be sublimed because it is the first Male of it and is the augmentation of our Tincture which is a great addition in virtue and power when it is joyned with the Tincture of Sol for if you know how to extract the Property of Mercury from Vitriol and Salt and make them friendly by conjunction which is done by gentle sublimations you will know one of the greatest Secrets of Nature and the true principal perfection Codicil cap. 92. pag. 202. So in many places of his Theoriae Testamenti majoris he means Vitriol by his Male in these especially The Fire of our Male pag. 50. The Virtue of the Male pag. 94. The Virtue of the Sperm of the Male pag.
and do appertain not to this but to another Kind 3. That these Menstruums are by further digestion or cohobation made sweet and transmuted into volatile Arcanums less Circulatums or Simple Vegetable Menstruums of the Fifth Kind 4. That these Menstruums do dissolve Metals into Powder for the extraction of the Crocus or Sulphur of Metals and Minerals The way we will borrow from Ripley in the Vse of Stinking Menstruums Let us saith he proceed Pag. 145. Medul Phil. Chym. to practise upon the Calx of a Metallick Body duly calcined The Body therefore being prepared pour upon it so much of this compounded water in Numb 70. as to cover it half an inch and it will presently boil upon the Calxes of the Body without any external heat dissolving the Body and elevating it in the form of Ice together with the exficcation of it self which must be taken away by the hand of the Operator And the remaining Calxes being well dried again by Fire put so much water to them as before and proceed in all things as before continuing the same way of operating till all the Calxes be well dissolved which substance being well dissolved neatly separated and pulverized must be put into a good quantity of the rectify'd water of the Fire of Nature Spirit of Philosophical Wine that in that Vessel well stopp'd it may by the administration of external heat together with the excitation of internal heat be dissolved into an Oyl which will soon be done c. When the Menstruum of Sericon in Numb 63. is poured upon the aforesaid Calxes of Metals it begins to boyl up and if the Vessel be well stopp'd it will not leave working though no external Fire be administred to it till it be dried into the Calx wherefore you must not put a greater quantity of it than just to cover the Calxes In the same place pag. 171. For in this Operation the less of the Spirit and the more of the Body is put the better and sooner will be the dissolution which is made by the congelation of the Water You must have a care therefore as it is said in the Rosary that the Belly be not too moist because then the Matter would not receive driness And this way must be observed till all the water be dried up The same Place pag. 161. 5. That all the sharpness of this Metallick Powder may be wash'd away with sweet water That the Menstruums of the Adepts are permanent is manifest by the ways of making them but more clearly by the Vse of them in the Receipts of the following Books However Paracelsus seeming to have appointed the contrary by the present ablution of the Menstruum lest therefore you should fall into the greatest and most dangerous Errour of all the Adeptical Chymy we thought good to communicate to you an Observation or two about the permanence of Menstruums First That Aqua ardens the Philosophical that is is by digestion or circulation divided into Phlegm and Oyl swimming upon it as you observed in making the Essence or Spirit of Philosophical Wine You have taken also notice that the same Aqua ardens or same Oyl made of it is further concentrated and rejects the remaining Phlegm but that it self as a meer Oleosum remains with the inanimated Earths so called in the Preparations as well of Vegetable as Mineral Sal-Harmoniacks For it is impossible for the said Phlegm being the vehicle of the unctuous Spirit to abide with things dissolved much less be fixed with them they being so contrary to it wherefore the permanence of Menstruums but rather of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is easie to be understood namely as these Menstruums are unctuous mixed with dry things not in the least diluted in their aquosities which do all separate themselves as useless in fixation Examples you will have in Lib. 2. De Astris Arcanis and often in Lib. 3. of Philosophical Tinctures Secondly These Menstruums do not presently or at the first time abide with their dissolutions For sometimes nay more than often we are forced to pour on and cohabate before any part of it will continue with the dissolved Body whereas in the mean time the rest ascends unaltered Thirdly Nor do the Menstruums persist with all things promiscuously but are united only to things homogeneous to them which in reason they should remain with Thus the Simple Vegetable Menstruums do continue with Essences but not with their relinquished white Bodies whereas the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums being sutable to these Bodies do dissolve them wholly in the making of Magisteries Fourthly Yea though every Menstruum is either an Essence or a Magistery and one Essence prepares another easily entring and mixing themselves radically one with another yet so long as they are of different kinds or degrees are they both separable again nor do they continue till one being newly extracted is raised to the same degree as the other then do they flow together at length into a mixture not to be separated by Art or Nature Fifthly As to these Mineral Menstruums you have observed that the Acidity of them admits of the same reason with the Phlegm or Aquofity of the Vegetable Menstruums so far as it is moist and therefore to be separated in the fixations of things But as it consists of the dry Particles of Mineral Salts but Salts they are dry things dissolved in Acids it will fall under two several Considerations In the first the Acidity of the Menstruum being perhaps in greater plenty than is necessary or sticking about the superficies of the thing dissolved is easily washed away with common Water But in the second the same Acidity being more artificially mixt and absorbed by the Aridity of the thing dissolved is made the cause of venenosity and now cannot be altered but by Vegetable Menstruums transmuting it Paracelsus commands the washing not of the Oyl of Salt but the sharpness of the Salt which penetrates not into the substance of the Metal and is easily washed away but the Vnctuosity of the Salt being throughly mixed with the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine and now united to the Vnctuosity of the Metal common Water cannot touch nor separate But an Acid received into the bowels of an Arid he corrects again with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine that it may not become the cause of venenosity Yet there is a place in Paracelsus where he seems to have established a particular Decree against the permanence of Menstruums Many several ways saith he Lib. 4. Archid. de Essentia pag. 12. are found whereby the Quintessence may be extracted viz. by Sublimation Calcination by Aqua fortisses by Corrosives by Sweet by Sowr c. It may be done which way you please Where this is withal to be observed that every thing added by way of mixture to the Quintessence for the necessity of extraction must be again taken away and so the Quintessence remain alone not mix'd or polluted with any other Matters For
before and that seven times continually distilling with a gentle Fire till nothing more will distil but the Matter remains like an Oyl in the bottom From the Receipts we observe these remarkable Things 1. That the Spirit of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an acid Spirit is a mineral Menstruum Our Aqua fortis our Vinegar distilled Vinegar Vinegar mixed with the Spirit of Wine our Spirit of Salt Sulphur c. 2. That the Spirit of the same Wine is with very great ebullition dissolved in an Acid and therefore you ought to be exceeding careful lest you pour too much of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine upon the Aqua fortis and vice versa For it would be more safe to distil the Aqua fortis upon the Spirit of Philosophical Wine as Paracelsus adviseth 3. That Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine may be taken instead of Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine or Spirit of Salt mix'd with the Spirit of Wine c. in Chymical Works especially 4. That the more these Menstruums are abstracted from the Acid debilitated in dissolution the stronger they are made 5. That the Adepts used also corrosive Menstruums or Aqua fortis There are some not only common ignorant Operators but Adepts also who not knowing the Preparation and Vse of these Menstruums have written against these corrosive Menstruums Fools saith Bernhard do out of the less Minerals make and extract corrosive waters into which they cast the Species of Metals and corrode them for they think them to be dissolved by a natural solution which solution doth indeed require permanence together that is of the dissolvent and the dissolved that from both as the Masculine and Feminine Seed a new Species may result Verily I tell you no water dissolves a Metallick Species by a natural reduction but that which continues in matter and form and which the Metals themselves being dissolved are able to re-congeal Which Quality is not in Aqua fortisses but is rather injurious to the Composition that is of the Body dissolved c. Yet thus they think they dissolve mistaking Nature but they dissolve not because the Aqua fortisses being abstracted the Body melts as before nor will that water be permanent to it nor is it to that Body as radical Moisture The Bodies are indeed corroded but not dissolved and so much the more alienated from a Metallick Species Wherefore such solutions as these are not the foundation of the transmutative Art but rather Impostures of Sophistical Alchymists who think this sacred Art lies in these things c. Epist ad Thom. de Bononia pag. 60. Artis Aurifer So in the Regeneration of Metals saith Sendivogius Vulgar Chymists proceed amiss they dissolve Metallick Bodies either Mercury or Gold or Saturn or Luna and corrode them with Aqua fortisses and other heterogeneous things not requisite to true Art then they joyn and force them together not knowing that man is not generated from the Body of a man dissected c. Tract 6. pag. 488. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Some do by Art corroding Waters make In which Metalline Species they calcine But then the Liquor doth the Earth forsake Nor by mans Skill together they will combine This way to Fools we leave for nothing fit But for to wast ones Thrist beware of it Page 41. of the second Part of the Marrow of Alchymy These and the like Expressions they reflect against our Mineral or Acid Menstruums whereas they were written by the Philosophers against Common not Philosophical Aqua fortisses In that Point saith Lully they ignorantly err imagining the Bodies of Metals to be dissolved and as I said before reduced to their first Matter or Nature with Common Aqua fortisses but if they had read our Books they would certainly know that these Liquors are repugnant to the intention of the Philosophers c. Comp. Anim. Transm pag. 19â— Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Parisinus a faithful Disciple of Lully explains his Meaning thus Those things that are objected by us against Aqua fortisses namely that they are of no efficacy in the Art and nevertheless are taught by Lully are to be otherwise understood For he this way puts a difference between the Vulgar and Philosophical Aqua fortisses c. And therefore Raymund rejecting sharp Waters means the Aqua fortisses of separation but not those of the Philosophers Cap. 6. Lib. â— Elucid pag. 206. Vol. 6. Th. Chym. But it would be meerly superfluous for us either by Authorities or Arguments to illustrate that which the Menstruums themselves will demonstrate The Sixteenth KIND Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar and Volatile Salts as Common Sal Armoniack Urine c. 80. The Oyl of Sal Armoniack of Guido Pag. 11. Thesaur Chymiatr TAke of the Oyl of Salt the Menstruum described in Numb 71. half a pound of Common Sal Armoniack four ounces Dissolve the Salt in the Oyl cohobate the Dissolution three times through an Alembick Annotations IN the attecedent Kind the Spirit of Philosophical Wine was dissolved in Acids Now to make these Oyley-acid Menstruums stronger the Adepts added to them Salts that is Arids dissolved in Acids and Cristallized In this present Kind they took Volatile Salts as being of easier preparation in the following fixed Salts because of stronger virtue In the Receipt of Guido there is nothing either difficult or dark unless you will object against the Ingredients which cannot be both common because Guido sublimes Gold Philosophically with this Menstruum Whatsoever also you read in the Books of Practical Chymy understand always according to the Letter we need not admonish you to except the Terms of Art if so that which is promised in the Preparation and use may be performed if not seek an Analogical sense not in the method and use of preparation but in the ingredients according to which Rule either the Oyl of Salt or Sal Armoniack or both ought to be Philosophical because Gold cannot be Philosophically sublimed with Common Menstruums The Oyl of Salt of Paracelsus as also the Spirit or Oyl of Salt of Basilius wherewith he extracts the Sulphur of Sol do prove the Oyl of Salt to be a Philosophical Menstruum Cap. 6. de Rebus nat supernat Probable it is that Guido meant the same Oyl for otherwise the Name of Oyl had been improperly attributed by a Philosopher to the thin and common Spirit of Salt But if you think rather that Guido meant the common Spirit of Salt by the Oyl of Salt you must by Sal Armoniack understand not the common but Vegetable Sal Harmoniack the Spirit of Philosophical Wine dryed with some Salt and then sublimed for so you might also make a Menstruum of the same if not of stronger Virtue a species of the following Eighteenth Kind But if both the Oyl of Salt and Sal Armoniack be Philosophical a Menstruum will be from thence produced yet stronger than both the precedent Here you may deviate from the true and genuine
Matter into a Glass Plate set it on a Tripos or our Calcining Fornace and there let it stand six Weeks and apply such a heat as if you would keep Lead melted without congealing Those six Weeks being expired let it cool then put it in a cold Cellar and cover it with a Linnen Cloth that no dust may fall in and in the space of six or eight days it will be wholly dissolved into a clear Water Now you must know this is the Philosopers clear Vinegar for when they write our Vinegar they mean this Water and when they say Philosophers Mercury they mean this Water and it is their Vinegar which they write or so wonderfully speak of From the Receipts we observe 1. That Metals and Minerals volatilized with Simple Mineral Menstruums are Menstruums of this Kind 2. That these Menstruums are the same with the Menstruums of the Eighth Kind dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums but differ from the antecedent Kind in being made not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but Philosophical Vinegar 3. That these Menstruums are the Essences or Magisteries of Things tinging dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums 4. That those Menstruums being Mineral or Acid are in Alchymical Processes better than the Vegetable Menstruums of the Eighth Kind because stronger 5. That the dissolutions of Metals performed by these Mercurial Menstruums have been by the Adepts sometimes called Amalgamations You must know saith Isaacus That this is the best Solution that ever was found in the World for herein is no error of Proportion and Weight For Nature errs not For when Mercury is dissolved it dissolves other Metals also as is rightly taught in other places Nor will it dissolve more than it is able nor will it receive more of a Body into it than its Nature can bear For whatsoever has no need of it it cannot dissolve And it is the best Amalgamation that can be found 2. Oper. Min. Cap. 103. Pag. 494. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. That Bernhard in Epistola ad Thomam treated not of a dry but of this moist Amalgamation I shall prove elsewhere 6. That the Menstruum of Venus Sol Luna c. is of the same Virtue as to the faculty of Dissolving with the Menstruum of common Argent Vive this Mercurial Menstruum has been indeed more in use than the other by some Adepts because of the more easie way of operating upon the Open Body of Mercury tho it be less powerful than the rest in Point of Tinging 7. That there are divers Kinds of Stinking Menstruums The Thirteenth Kind taught us how to distil the most Stinking Menstruum of all out of Atrop For there the Oyly Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being dissolved in Vitriol is in its Distillation purged from all its Putrid Feculencies but the Twentieth Kind treats of Menstruums less stinking being made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine now purified and sweet The present Kind produceth from the same Matter Menstruums of the same Name indeed but not of the same Stinking Savour Colour c. For Philosophical Vinegar is by reason of the perfect dissolution of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Diaphanous not of a Milky Colour but in the Distillation of a Menstruum it is made Milky because the Acidity of the said Vinegar being debilitated by the Aridity of a Body dissolved cannot retain the Vnctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine so well as before but in the precipitation of which the Distilled Liquor becomes Milky for this reason the Adepts sometimes added common Vitriol and Niter to the Azoquean Vitriol that the said Spirit might the better be dissolved In a word The greater quantity of Philosophical Vinegar or any other Mineral Menstruum stronger than this is made use of in the making of these Menstruums the less Milky and less Stinking will the Menstruums be because made not of the embrionated Stinking Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but of the same purified by Circulation and Distillation 8. That these as all other Menstruums are by Digestion made sweet and transmuted into Dissolvents of the Eighth Kind The Two and Twentieth KIND Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philsophers Vinegar and other Simple Mineral Menstruums and Things tinging being first fixed 124. The Menstruum of Venus of Isaacus Hollandus Cap. 82. 3. Oper. Miner I Will now Son teach you how to make the Stone which God gives us freely You must know it is made divers Ways but I will teach you the Way which I learnt from my Father Take of the Stone which God gives us freely the Vitriol of Venus as much as sufficeth which dissolve in Philosophical distill'd Vinegar let the Feces settle decant the Dissolution from the Feces warily and filter draw off the Vinegar with a gentle Fire that the Matter may remain dry being dried dissolve it again in Distill'd Vinegar decant filter and draw off and that to be four times repeated till no more Feces settle in the Solution Then distil away the Vinegar with a gentle Fire till the Matter becomes so dry as to flie away in the beating of it into Powder yet retains its Spirits Now it is prepared for Calcination You must know Son that this Matter is in its Nature Stiptick and Astringent partly volatile partly fixed and so dissolved in Distil'd Vinegar that it may retain the subtil Spirit of the Vinegar and be calcined together with the said Spirit made more subtil be better opened and dissolved for the Spirit of Vinegar dissolves well before all things The Vitriol being thus prepared Put it in a Glass Bottle or Egg lute hermetically but the Vessels must be fill'd that there may be no space for the Spirits to elevate themselves set it on a Tripos and there let it remain in a temperate heat to subtiliate it self Then take out the Matter and pulverize it put it in a Cucurbit put on an Alembick with a Receiver to it and so distil in Balneo whatsoever will distil it will be distilled in about 20 or 25 days Then lay aside the Distillation take out the Feces lying at the bottom of the Cucurbit grind them very fine upon a Stone put them in a Dissolving Vessel pour all the Distilled Water to them seal hermetically and it will be all dissolved in Balneo without Feces distil the Solution in a Cucurbit through an Alembick in Balneo with a moderate heat that all the Water may separate it self which keep very choicely continue the Distillation in Ashes that you may receive the Element of Air in the form of a very noble Citrine Oyl and this must be done with a strong Fire lay aside the Air by it self very well stopped near the Water The Feces being as red as Blood take out of the Cucurbit grind them to an Impalpable Powder upon a Stone put them in a Glass Bottle or Egge seal and set it 30 days and nights on a Tripos to be subtiliated with a temperate heat then take out the Matter grind
But here riseth some doubt in that the Red Colour of this Calcined Vitriol seems to be by Isaacus himself called Volatile not in the least fixed This Matter saith he will remain red for ever and not fixed for if it should be fixed it would be altogether corrupted for it must be Dissolved into Water and distilled through an Alembick Cap. 65. To disperse this Cloud you must know the meaning of Isaacus is that Vitriol calcined or by what way soever reduced into redness remains red but not also fixed â—â—ause it must be dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and Distilled through an Alembick For we find the like if not the same Phrase concerning the redness and fixity of the Philosophers Stone which will easily remove the aforesaid doubt When the Stone is perfect saith he it ought to remain in that State now and for evermore After Perfection it cannot be changed for better nor for worse but will remain a King for ever Wherefore if any Man has prepared the true Philosophers Stone no Multiplication follows after wheresoever Multiplication follows after Perfection there is not the Philosophers Stone nor is there a true Stone It may be a Medicine or other Stone of which sort are many wherewith Projection is made but it is not the Philosophers Stone which we here Discourse of When the aforesaid Stone is perfect and prepared it ought to remain in that State for ever Cap. 127. 1. Oper. Miner Pag. 407. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. As to the Permanence of the red colour in the Philosophers Stone he declares the following Notions In Multiplication saith he no blackness intervenes nor do any Colours of the World shew themselves nor any Whiteness nor in Sublimation does any thing shew it self besides redness nor in fixation does any Colour shew its self except its own that is an egregious redness For the Stone hath no other Colour but redness for it is one only substance one single matter and as the Heaven invincible You must also know tho it were sublimed it would not be deprived of all its fixity for when the Stone is made and prepared in the utmost vertue of it then can it not be changed out of its own Essence into another for if the Stone could be changed or drawn out of its own Essence into another Essence or Nature it would not be the Philosophers Stone nor one single Matter nor a glorified Body no no understand my Discourse rightly c. Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 355. of the same Volume Isaacus being perhaps perswaded of an unalterable constancy of redness observed in the Multiplication of the Stone of higher Degree or Kind concludes the Philosophers Stone to be altogether and absolutely immutable which Opinion to defend in every part he has sooner ventured to deny the volatilization it self of the Stone than give way to the a … ing of fixity in Multiplication You must know saith he if the Stone were sublimed yet would it not be deprived of its fixity Yea he has chosen rather to prevert his own Senses for he himself hath in the same place taught how to volatilize the Philosophers Stone with some shining Menstruum and the Sense of the Word Fix tho upon this Term depends one half of all the Operations in the more secret Chymy than relinquish this fallacy derived from a Paralogism The Stone saith he may be so often opened as aforesaid and after that sublimed and again condensed so as to unite its parts which we call Fixation we term it indeed Fixation but it is not Fixation but only Condensation so as that all the subtil parts of it are again forced into an Union joyntly together as they were at first and the Stone will again expect Fire and we may again make Projection with it as we did before Cap. 76. read 73 74 75. Chapters of the same Book What we have against this Opinion we will reserve for the Third Book in the mean time it will be requisite for you to observe this one thing That the Matter of Calcined Vitriol as also of the Philosophers Stone multiplied remains for everred but not fixed because either of them may be volatilized with Philosophical Menstruums But let them be how they will the Vitriol of Saturn fixed the same way by the same Author will prove that the graduated Vitriol of Venus calcined to redness in a close Vessel is fixed Take saith he a Glass Viol put in it one half of Purged Saturn Sugar of Saturn made not with common Distilled Vinegar but Philosophical reserve the other part by it self till you have occasion put a fit Glass to the mouth of the Viol and put the Glass in sifted Ashes in a Fornace of Tripos Arcanorum or on a Fornace wherein you calcine Spirits give it a Fire as hot as the Sun is at Mid-summer no more except by chance a little hotter or colder provided it be not so great as to melt the Lead for so your Matter would be liquid as Oyl and should it stand so the space of 12 days all the Sulphur would fly away and the Matter be corrupted for the Sulphur of it is not yet fixed and on the outside only and therefore the Matter is most easily melted and though it be pure yet is it not fixed wherefore the Fire must be so gentle as not to melt the Matter let it stand so the space of Six Weeks after which take a little project it upon a hot Iron if it presently melts and fumes it is not yet fixed but if it remains the Sulphur of it is fixed Then increase the Fire notably till your Matter becomes citrine and so continually till it grows red still increasing the Fire till it attains to the colour of Rubies increase till it is red hot and then is it fixed and prepared for Infusion with the Noble Water of Paradise the Menstruum described in Numb 114. Besides this there is indeed another way also of calcining Philosophical Vitriol which is done in an open Vessel thus graduated Verdigrese is calcined to redness before the Distillation of it in the preparation of the Spirit of Venus of Basilius as we have observed in the precedent Kind but this belongs not to this place for the Calx remains volatile not fixed which way of Calcining was invented meerly for the seperation of the Phlegme The third Branch consists in a new dissolution of this fixed Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar for which Reason this Vitriol is volatilized again and made fit for Distillation in the former Receipt this Solution is wholly omitted but more exactly described in the latter Process The fourth Branch is the single and frequent Distillation in the several ways of making all these Stinking Menstruums yet this excepted that out of this graduated fixed and again volatilized Vitriol the Spirit ascends not White but of a Saffron Colour because more Mature before the Red Oyl and lastly the White Spirit appears also being extracted out of the Salt or
consequently Dissolvents transmutable with the dissolved into a third substance different from both These Menstruums therefore are so far from being immutable that according to the Edict of the whole Crowd of Philosophers to wit The dissolution of the Body is the coagulation of the Spirit and so on the contrary nothing in the more Secret Chymy can be more infallible Now this permanence of Menstruums you have observed not only in the volatilizations of Menstruums but also in the fixations of some thus you had the fixation of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in the greater Circulatums of the Ninth and Two and Twentieth Kinds but you will find more in the Preparations of Medicines as well as Tinctures They were by an Analogy of the Ancients ill called Menstruums unless also they could be transformed into the substance of an Embryo and yield proper Nutriment and augmentation to the Infant The Spirit of our Wine is indeed an absolute Oleosum that is combustible but here being throughly mixed with Aridums it becomes incombustible and despiseth the violence of Fire It is also moist and so uncapable of fixation but the moister and thinner parts which it contains are separated in the work of fixation from the more Oyley Particles being now concentrated So you observed that in the Preparations of the Sal Harmoniacks or Sulphurs of Nature the Spirit of Philosophical Wine as also the Vegetable as well as Mineral Menstruums are partly reduced into insipid Water and partly sticking to the Matters left in the bottom and fixed But better Examples you will have both in the Second and Third Books IX That Menstruums are not satiated with dissolving but become rather more avidous and so are by Dissolutions augmented as well in quantity as quality THough the Spirit of our Wine is the Basis Root and Center of all Menstruums Medicines Alchymical Tinctures and Pretious Stones yet nevertheless doth it dissolve slowly yea only such Bodies as are homogeneous to it that is purely Oyley as it self is a pure Oleosum and associate the same to it transmuting into its own Nature and so multiplies its self by this means Now so soon as this Spirit is transmuted into an Arido-Oleosum it does under the name of a Simple Vegetable Menstruum dissolve Arido-Oleosums that is the Sulphurs or Tinctures of the Mineral Kingdom the pure Aridum being untouch'd and left in the form of a white Powder with which Essences the said Menstruums or Essences may indeed melt together but not in the least be satiated because there is an Addition and Multiplication of like Parts But the same Vegetable Menstruums being now compounded of the Simple do no more extract the Tinctures and Essences of Minerals but dissolve and transmute the whole Mass or Substance of these Bodies into an Oyl swimming above which is called a Magistery Now this being digested together with its Menstruum at length falls in is united and so multiplies the Compounded Vegetable Menstruum For an Example to young Beginners The Spirit of Philosophical Wine being a Menstruum of the first Kind and acuated with the Oyl of Nutmegs is hereby made a Menstruum of the second Kind or acuated with Honey if you would have a Menstruum of the third Kind distil either of those Menstruums with Common Sal Harmoniack and you will have a Menstruum of the fourth but if you desire one of the fifth Kind cohobate either of them with the Salt of Tartar and you will have the Acetum acerrimum of Ripley or with common Salt and you will make the Sal circulatum of Paracelsus Cohobate Mercury or any other Mercury or any other Metal through an Alembick with this Vinegar or Salt and you will transmute the Simple Vegetable Menstruums into the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums of the eighth Kind from which you will further prepare Menstruums of the tenth Kind by dissolving and volatilizing any other Metal in them The same Rule you have as to our Mineral Menstruums But the Common Menstruums cannot receive beyond their Capacity X. That these Menstruums are also Secrets of the Second Book YOu have in this Book observed that among the Vegetable Menstruums there is none but what is either an Essence or a Magistery and it will be more copiously demonstrated in the Book of the Preparations of Medicines You have also taken notice by the aforesaid Receipts of them especially being compared with the following Descriptions of Medicines that Mineral Menstruums are the same Medicines but mixed and dissolved with Acids XI That these Menstruums are likewise Secrets of the Third Book IT is now partly clear by the Receipts of them but will be more clear by the Secrets of the Third Book that the Simple Menstruums are the Philosophers Stones not yet fermented but the Compounded are Menstruums mixed with the Masculine Seed and therefore Volatile and Fermented Stones XII That these Menstruums are in like manner Secrets of the Fourth Book THat these Menstruums do gove Light by Night and consequently are perpetual Lights yield also Matters for Pearls Pretious Stones c. the Receipts themselves do shew which will be confirmed by the Fourth Book RIPLEY Cap. 13. Philorcii Without these Waters we do little Good in this Art but he that hath these Waters will without all doubt compleat the Art The End of the First Book ERRATA EPist Ded. pag. 5. l. 3. read these for that Ep. to the Reader p. 10. l. 10. r. have a mind to Preface p. 3. l. 20. for Vegetative r. Vegetable p. 8. l. 28. for Minerals r. 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