the Sun Dastin spec pa. 98. THE COROLLARY Count Bernard Trevisane vowed to God that he would never in naked words or vulgar speech disclose the Weight Matter or Fires but onely in true Parables without either diminution or superfluity in imitation of the Wise men as in this Chapter Amongst others our English Ripley hath delivered things sufficiently obscured But the youngling Artist ought to ruminate and consider that what ever are nominated in the composition of the Weight must always be understood of two things only viz. of Water and Earth which are sometimes under Spirit and Body sometime under Mercury the Sun and Moon sometimes under Air and Poison nay under as many infinite other names concealed as the very first Matter But that those that seek might be directed into the right Path and Ripleys cloud disperst with the beams of the Sun let us attend the proportions which he hath disposed in these his own words Let the Bodies saith he be corrected or limated with an equall proportion of Mercury whence understand that the proportion of Earth and Water must be equall then he proceeds further and teaches that one Body of the Sun be joyned with two of the Moon in which words are understood two parts of Water to one of Earth He proceeds also farther and joyns four parts of Mercury to the Sun and two to the Moon whence observe that four and two make six parts of Mercury Water or Fire which parts are to be mixt with one part of the Sun and another of the Moon which since they constitute two parts of Earth there shall be a like proportion to the aforesaid six parts viz. of Water as one part of Earth to three parts of Water As appears from his following words viz. after this manner begin thy worke in figure of a Trinity and with this Key his other Aenigmaes of the weight in this chapter are unlockt Whence also the Parables of other Philosophers are disclosed while Book opens Book and the truth is from them scarce disciphered without a Vail For they always deliver things that be like and conceal the truth that they might deserve both to be said and be Philosophers But since in Number Weight and Measure all elementated Bodies of Animals Vegetables and Minerals are naturally united bound concatenated and compounded and by the Harmony of these all principiated Principles attain the perfection ordained by God and compleated by his handmaid Nature Not unfitly may this Trinity viz. of Number Weight and Measure be called the Golden chain by which as in all Animals to every Member is granted their speciall Form so by this Chain every Member is joined united and performs his Office Likewise also in Vegetables since Nature operates after one and the same manner we may presume in every Vegetable it s own proper weight may be particularly observed also the prefixt number of Flowers Leaves and also a due measure of Longitude Latitude and Profunditude Even as Minerals and Metals are also perfected in a fit proportion of the Weight of Elements pure or impure in a due measure of Time and certain Numbers By which bounds rightly disposed all things flourish but being inordinate and confused there is made a Chaos Imperfection and a Dissolution of the Compound For in their Concatenation and Connexion is rebuilt an admirable power of Art and Nature neither can Nature her self consist without these nor Art perform any thing Not enviously therefore did the Philosophers wonderfully conceale the Proportion of the Elements and the mixture of them in their operation as if this being known they had unvailed all things But as much as belongs to our purpose viz. the weight of the Philosophick Work these things onely are principally observed to wit Equals two to one three to one nine to one which when and how they are to be distinguisht our Dastin a famous Philosopher hath in these words clearly opened When thou dissolvest the Spirit ought to exceed the Body and when thou dost fix the Body to exceed the Spirit Who therefore knows the due time of Putrefaction to solution the time of Imbibition Desiccation Fermentation and Inceration shall with easie pains and small endevour from the forenumbred Proportions make choice of what is convenient for every time or season of the Work And he that hath known the Weight as Petrus Bonus saith hath known the whole Mystery and he that is ignorant of it let him leave digging in our Books CHAP. IV. The Philosophers Fire what TAke Water Proportionated Lullius in quality according to the Body which thou wouldst dissolve in such a manner as the unnaturall may not exceed the naturall heat for every complexionated thing is destroyed unlesse the Fire of Nature govern it There are three Humidities the first is Water the chief of resolvable things the second is Air and it is the mean between Water and Oil the third is Oil it self the cerative of all Elements and our finall Secret Lull practica fol. 175. Our Fire is Minerall and vapours Ponâ—anus not unlesse it be too much stirred up whose proportion must be known that-it may only stir up the Matter and in a short time that Fire without the Imposition of hands will compleat the whole work Ponta pa. 40. The Fire which we shew thee is Senior Water and our Fire is Fire and not Fire Senior pag. 29. Argent vive is a Fire burning Dardarius mortifying and breaking Bodies more then Fire Dardarius in Turba 113. I say with Lullius that this Water Vogel or Vive Argent is called Fire of the Philosophers not because inwardly it is of its own Nature hotter then Oil or the forementioned radicall moisture but because in its actions it is more powerfull then Elementary Fire dissolving Gold without violence which Fire cannot doe Vogel pa. 145. Let the Artist well consider what Lullius are the powers of Fire naturall unnaturall and against nature and what may be the friend or enemy of each Lull Codic p. 37. It is fit the heat be so much as Ventura that thou maist by sweating send forth the Water and let it be no way hardened or congealed because Gumme contrary to the Nature of other things sweats and is coagulated with gentle decoction Ventura pa. 113. Philosophers have four different Ripley Fires viz. Naturall Unnaturall against Nature and Artificiall whose divers operations the Artists ought to consider Ripleus pa. 38. The Fires meeting themselves Rosin devour one another Rosin pa. 265. The Spirit is a second Water of Scala which all the things forementioned are nourished every plant refresht and quickned every light kindled and it makes and causes all Fruit. The first Water being the Sun is Philosophically calcined that the Body might be opened and made spongious that the second Water might the better enter to operate its work which second Water is the fire against Nature by whose power the complement of this
Magistery is performed Scala pa. 125. We calcine perfect Bodies with Ripleus the first Fire naturally but no unclean Body doth ingredience our work except one which of the Philosophers is called the Green Lion which is the medium of uniting and joining Tinctures Ripl pa. 26. There is a certain Soul existing between Heaven and Earth arising from the Earth as Aire with pure Water the cause of the life of all living things continually running down upon our fourfold Nature producing her with all its power to a better condition which airy Soul is the secret Fire of our Philosophy otherwise called our Oil and mystically our Water Idem pa. eadem Our Mercury is made of perfect Albert. Bodies not imperfect that is with the second Water after the Bodies have been duly Calcined by the first Albert. pa. 19. This Fire is called Humour because Vogel in it as hath been said heat or the fire of Nature is hidden even as the heat of Animals in the Primogenian moisture Water since it is Heterogeneall to its Earth if sensible of the least heat will evaporate it being left and forsaken The Soul is no other then Oil Oil then Water Vogel p. 134. If any know to make choice of Flamelius such Matter as Nature delights and to inclose it rightly prepared in his Vessel and Furnace He and I saith Nature will forthwith doe the Work so he provide the requisite Fire Naturall against Nature not Naturall and without ardour Flamel pa. 123. We therefore call it Innaturall Lullius or not Naturall because it is not naturated of it self nor takes away any thing from naturated Nature nay it rather helps her by the Mediation of a moderate Exercise according to what Nature requires in her Reformations Lullius Codic pa. 24. Our Fire is Minerall is equall is Artepheus continuall it vapours not unlesse it be too much stirred up it participates of Sulphur it is taken elsewhere then of Matter it destroys dissolves congeals and calcines all things and it is Artificiall to finde out a compendium and without cost or at least very little it is also moist vaporous digesting altering penetrating subtill airy not violent not fuming encompassing containing onely one and it is the fountain of Life or which incircles the Water of Life and it contains the King and Queens bathing place in the whole Work that humid Fire shall suffice thee both in the beginning middle and end because in it the whole Art consists and it is a Fire Naturall against Nature and Unnaturall and without Adustion And to conclude it is a Fire hot dry moist cold think on these things and doe rightly without any thing of a strange nature The third is that Naturall Fire of our Water which is also called against Nature because it is Water and neverthelesse of Gold it makes meer Spirit which thing common Fire cannot doe this is Minerall Equall participates of Sulphur it destroys congeals dissolves and calcines all things this is penetrating subtile not burning and it is the fountain of living Water in which the King and Queen wash themselves which we stand in need of in the whole Work in the beginning middle and end but not of the other two except sometimes onely Join therefore in reading the Philosophers Books these three Fires and without doubt thou wilt not be ignorant of their sense and meaning concerning Fires Artephius pa. 31. Weigh the Fire measure the Dastin Air mortifie the Water raise up the heavy Earth Dastin spec pa. 202. By earnest consideration of Lullius things Naturall Innaturall and against Nature it behoveth thee to attain the Materiall and Essentiall knowledge of the temper through all his parts Essentiall and also Accidentall that thou maist know how to behave thy self in our said Magistery having so comprehended the said principles Lull Theor. fo 16. There are four principall Fires to be observed in respect of the Substance and Propriety of the four Elements Idem pa. 174. Although in our Books we have Lullius handled a threefold Fire Naturall Innaturall and against Nature and other different Manners of our Fire neverthelesse we would signifie one Fire from more compound things and it is the greatest secret to come to the knowledge of this Since it is no Humane but Angelick and heavenly gift to reveal Lull Testament pa. 78. Son our Argent vive or part of Lullius it is Water distilled from its Earth and the Earth in like manner is our Argent vive animated and the Soul is Naturall heat which stands bound together in the first Essence of the Elements of Argent vive Idem In the Structure of the Fire Trevisane some differd from others although they all aimed at the same scope namely that it should be made after this manner lest the fugient should first fly away before the Fire could any way bring forth the persequent thing Bernard Comes pa. 40. The Fire which we shew to thee is Scala Water and our Fire is Fire and not Fire Scala pa. 148. Raimond speaking of Fires in his Scala Compendium of the Soul saith It is to be noted that here lie contrary operations because as contranaturall Fire dissolves the Spirit of a fixt Body into the Water of a Cloud and constringeth the Body of a volatile Spirit into congealed Earth So contrariwise the Fire of Nature congeals the dissolved Spirit of a fixt Body into glorious Earth and resolves the Body of a Volatile Spirit fixt by Fire against Nature not into the Water of a Cloud but the Water of the Philosophers Scala pa. 126. The Water of which the Bath Basil Valent. of the Bridegroom ought to be made is of two Champions that is to be understood confected of two contrary Matters wisely and with great care lest that one adversary may vanquish the other Basil Valent. pa. 32. What ever actions they nominate Rosin know that these things are always done by the action of the heat of certain Fire which causes not Sublimation because it is so gentle nor may it elevate any smoke naturally by reason of its debility whence if it be such as may in a manner elevate and not elevate it is good Rosin ad Sarratant pa. 286. THE COROLLARY If any would rightly weigh the ayings of Philosophers in this Chapter the manner of their Equivocations would appear clearer then the Sun for as they have deciphered the second Work somewhere in the name of the first Work so in this Chapter they nominate the second Water the first Water and the third Water the second as it appears in Scala pa. 123. where it is said that the first Water the Sun calcines that the second might the better enter And again the second Water is Fire against Nature And Ripley utters like things also in his Preface But let every Artist know that the first Water is Phlegm only or unnaturall Fire because it
must be putrefied till the desired thing be obtained Afflictes in Turba But ye shall moisten this redness Nicares seaven times in the remaining Water or till it can drink all its Water then boil it till it be desiccated and turned to dry Earth then let it be put in a kindled Fire forty days untill it putrefie and the Colours thereof appear with the Ashes Nicares in Tarba 102. As the same thing is both an Dastin Embryo Infant Boy and Man passing from an incompleat Essence to a perfect Complement So also our Compound by increasing passes from one thing to another better thing and from incompleat Essence with its own Milk is carried forth to his complement of the Elixir And therefore all its Compound is of the form of the Elements Wherefore Morienus saith the disposition of that work is like the creation of a Man when as he is nourished of himself by increasing from day to day and from moneth to moneth till he hath attained his Youthfull age and in a certain time be compleated Dast spec pa. 150. The near cause of this fixation Lullius is a very little mixtion of both by their least parts so that the height of the Volatile may not excell the height of the fixt Body but let the vertue of the fixt Spirit excell the height of the unfixt according to the intent of fixation Son if thou understand this thou maist have the Treasure of Heaven and Earth It is required when the Body is so naturally augmented and nourisht by convenient moisture that then near the measure thou imbibe it with the more Water of its nutrition or augmentation according to the Weights revealed by Art to the conformity of principles and the quality of the Body given to be augmented and let it be decocted with a gentle Fire exsiccating the naturall heat and not exceeding untill it attain its perfect whitenesse Lullii Codic pa. 157. And note that after Imbibition Lullius they ought to be buried seaven days Therefore iterate the Work many times though it be tedious and the Weight in this must be every way observed lest the too much siccity or superfluous Humour spoile it in the operation as namely decoct so much by Assation as the Dissolution hath added and by Imbibition dissolve as much as hath been wasted by Assation wherefore thou shall sweetly and not hastily irrigate the Earth from eight days to eight days Idem If one Imbibition one Decoction Dastin one Contrition doth suffice they would not so much have iterated their sayings but therefore they did this that alwaies they might insist on the Work without divorce and tediousnesse Wherefore also they say Hope and so shalt thou obtain But when it is exsiccated then by another Course let it be delivered to insatiable Comestion that being by degrees between every Inceration burnt into Ashes it might try the power thereof Dastin Epist fo 4. THE COROLLARY Aristotle affirms in the first of his Physicks that the whole is not known without the parts in which it consists But the whole as it resents the nature of all its parts so the whole and the perfect are altogether the same Whence it follows that it is not sufficient for a Man to know the Subject of some Edifice that thence a House might be built unlesse he knew the particular parts and their Construction and Composition So likewise it would little conduce to the perfection of the Stone to have known onely the Subject and its Preparation unlesse after it bee prepared the Artist know how to bring it to Maturity then to nourish it and lastly to feed it even untill it attain a Degree above perfection Then the parts testifie of the whole and the whole of the parts the beginning of the end and the end of the beginning for what pity were it an Heire from the Kingly Stock should be born and none found that knew how to nourish it Therefore to nourish this our Infant we advise with Physicians that since he is of the Royall Stock and the most pure constitution he might not be delivered to any strange Nurse but might suck the Brests of his Mother who as she had before nourisht him in the Womb with her own Blood so being now come to Maturity he is to be nourisht and in a due proportion fed with the exuberated Blood circulated and rectified through the Mamillary veins And the medicinall measure of that Milk let it be weekly the fourth part of the weight of the Infant But let him keep this Diet for seaven Weeks till he be so Medicinally fed that while in a glassen Lodge ordained and firmly obserated by Physicians and Philosophers he be placed and reposed in a Bath and being lulled asleep his limbs dissolve and melt with sweat which by the help of Art and Nature and due governance shall resume their former shape renued and their strength so multiplied that now he desires Kingly food with which nourishment in a short space he will become a King stronger then a King and so stout in Battell that he alone being a most powerfull Conqueror will obtain the Victory against ten thousand Enemies Therefore seek this King whom who so hath for his Defence shall command all Sublunary things CHAP. VIII Of Fermentation BY the Testimony of all Philosophers Tauladanus there are three parts of the Elixir viz. Soul Body and Spirit The Soul is onely the Ferment or Form of the Elixir the Body is the Paste or Matter which two parts are to be drawn from Metals only to wit the Form from the Sun and Moon the Matter from Jupiter Saturn Venus and Mars as also Lullius affirms But the third part of the Stone is Spirit which since it is the Seat and Chariot of the Soul it doth pour the Soul into the Body and compounds and joins these two extremes with an indissoluble bond of agreement which Mediator being removed the Soul can never enter league with the Body For two extremes agree not well nor tarry in one place unlesse they are reconciled and confederated by the help of a mean This Spirit it nothing else then that liquor attenuating the Form and Matter of the Stone and reducing it to a spirituall Nature which Spirit is sometimes called of the Philosophers Heaven sometimes solutive Mercury sometimes menstruous Matter sometimes Quintessence and infinite other names Tauladan pa. 338. Unto thy Compound adde the Ripley fourth part the Ferment which Ferment is onely of the Sun and Moon And know that there are three Ferments two of Bodies in pure Nature which ought to be altered as we have told thee the third most secret which we now meditate is that first Earth with its proper green Water wherefore while the Lion thirsts make him drink untill his body be broken Ripley pa. 56. Take the fourth part of the Semita Semitae Ferment and let that Ferment be dissolved and made Earth like an imperfect
The white colour succeedeth the black wherein is given the perfection of the first degree and of white Sulphur This is called the blessed stone this Earth is white and foliated whererein Philosophers doe sow their gold The third is Orange colour which is produced in the passage of the white to the red as the middle and mixt of both and is as the morning with her safron-haire a fore-runner of the Sun The fourth colour is ruddy and sanguine which is extracted from the white fire onely Now because whitenesse is easily altered by any other colour before day it quickly faileth of its candor But the dark rednesse of the Sun perfecteth the worke of Sulphur which is called the Sperme of the male the fire of the Stone the Kings Crown and the son of Sol wherein the first labour of the workman resteth 65. Besides these decretory signes which firmely inhere in the matter and shew its essentiall mutations almost infinite colours appear and shew themselves in vapours as the Rain-bow in the clouds which quickly passe away and are expelled by those that succeed more affecting the aire then the earth the operatour must have a gentle care of them because they are not permanent and proceed not from the intrinsecall disposition of the matter but from the fire painting and fashioning every thing after its pleasure or casually by heat in small moisture 66. Of the strange colours some called out of time give an ill omen to the work as the Blacknesse renewed for the Crowes young ones having once left their nest are never to be suffered to returne Too hasty Rednesse for this once and in the end onely gives a certaine hope of the harvest if before it make the matter red it is an argument of the greatest aridity not without great danger which can onely be averted by Heaven alone forthwith bestowing a shower upon it 67. The Stone is exalted by Foure Digestions of the Stone successive digestions as by degrees and at length attaineth to perfection Now foure Digestions agreeable to the foure abovesaid Operations or Governments do compleat the whole worke the author whereof is the fire which makes their difference 68. The first digestion operateth First the solution of the Body whereby comes the first conjunction of male and female the commixtion of both seeds putrefaction the resolution of the elements into homogeneall water the eclipse of the Sun and Moon in the head of the Dragon and lastly it bringeth back the whole World into its ancient Chaos and dark abysse This first digestion is made as in the stomack of a melon colour and weak more fit for corruption then generation 69. In the second digestion the Second spirit of the Lord walketh upon the waters the light begins to appear and a separation of waters from the waters the Sun and Moon are renewed the elements are extracted out of the chaos that being perfectly mixt in Spirit they may constitute a new world a new Heaven and new Earth are made and lastly all bodies are become spirituall The Crowes young ones changing their fethers begin to passe into Doves the Eagle and Lion embrace one another with an eternall League And this generation of the World is made by the fiery Spirit descending in the forme of Water and wiping away Originall sin for the Philosophers Water is Fire which is moved by the exciting heat of a Bath But see that the separation of Waters be done in Weight and Measure lest those things that remaine under Heaven be drowned under the Earth or those things that are snatched up above Heaven be too much destitute of aridity Hic sterilem exiguus ne deserat humor Georg. 1. arenam Here lest small moisture leave a barren Soyle 70. The third digestion of the Third newly generated Earth drinketh up the dewy Milk and all the spirituall virtues of the quintessence and fasteneth the quickning Soul to the Body by the Spirits mediation Then the Earth layeth up a great Treasure in it selfe and is made like the coruscant Moon afterwards to ruddy Sun the former is called the Earth of the Moon the latter the Earth of the Sun for both of them is begot of the copulation of them both neither of them any longer feareth the pains of the Fire because both want all spots for they have been often clensed from sin by fire and have suffered great Martyrdome untill all the Elements are turned downwards 71. The Fourth digestion consummateth Fourth all the Mysteries of the World and the Earth being turned into most excellent leaven it leaveneth all imperfect bodies because it hath before passed into the heavenly nature of quintessence The vertue thereof flowing from the Spirit of the Universe is a present Panacea and universall medicine for all the diseases of all creatures the digestions of the first worke being repeated will open to thee the Philosophers secret Furnace Be right in thy works that thou mayest finde God fovourable otherwise the plowing of the Earth will be in vaine Nor Illa seges demum votis respondet avari Georg. a-vari Agricolae Will the expected Harvest e're requite The greedy High-shoot 72. The whole Progresse of the Philosophers work is nothing but Solution and Congelation the Solution of the body and Congelation of the Spirit neverthelesse there is but one operation of both the fixed and volatile are perfectly mixed and united in the Spirit which cannot be done unlesse the fixed body be first made soluble and volatile By reduction is the volatile body fixed into a permanent body and volatile nature doth at last change into a fixed one as the fixed Nature had before passed into volatile Now so long as the Natures were confused in the Spirit that mixed Spirit keeps a middle Nature between Body and Spirit Fixed and Volatile 73. The generation of the Stone is made after the patterne of the Creation of the World for it is necessary that it have its Chaos and First matter wherein the confused Elements do fluctuate untill they be separated by the fiery Spirit they being separated the light Elements are carried upwards and the heavie ones downwards the light arising darknesse retraits the waters are gathered into one and the dry land appeares At length the two great Luminaries arise and minerall virtues vegetable and animal are produced in the Philosophers Earth 74. God created Adam of the mud of the Earth wherein were inherent the virtues of all the Elements of the Earth Water especially which doe more constitute the sensible and corporeall heap Into this Masse God inspired the breath of Life and enlivened it with the Sunne of the Holy Spirit He gave Eve for a Wife to Adam and blessing them he gave unto them a Precept and Faculty of multiplying The Generation of the Philosophers Stone is not unlike the Creation of Adam for the Mud was made of a terrestriall and ponderous Body dissolved by Water which deserved the excellent name
to the Readers that unless the Father of Illuminations prompt or lend an Angels hand to guide the best principled Student may be lost in tracing its several Meanders and fall short of finding out its scattered ends Be wary then in the application of words for therein the Imagination is subject to many miscarriages being apt to twist and bow each Sentence to the various frame of its present Conceptions and the unwary discoveries it first makes Especially those words which appear to lie most naked for where the Philosophers seem to speak plainest there they have written nothing at all or else in such ordinary expressions have wrapt up some sense highly mysterious Generally fitting their discourse with Words that like the Delphian Sword will cut both ways or reach to a larger extension or latitude then some Conceptions can stretch them too intending and ayming at things beyond and sometimes below what we suppose those bare expressions discover In fine they have set before us a task for Explanation other then is used in our ordinary beaten track of Discourse which he that will well understand must first be master of the language of Nature having run through the discouragements of the tedious progress and laborious difficulty of joyning her Letters and spelling her Syllables T is true the dignity of this infallible Mystery lies open to many hard Censures and profane Scandals so well known I need not mention them but that thereby I shall endevour to remove and purge this pure and heroick Science almost generally contemptible from the dross and corruption of an Imposture Commonly we shall finde them most traduce it as false and deceitful who having the repute of Schollers pretend to have spent much time and industry in the search thereof and because it is drest in such variety of flourish and figurative Speeches that their shallow understandings cannot easily pierce into it their wilde unhappy Fancies like so many Tailors shops ful of various shreds of Conceits making up out of such changeable colours at best but a Fools Coat They profess all the discoveries thereof to be meer Chimeraes and it self a studied Fable But the Egyptians might as well deny light in the Land of Goshen because themselves lived in darkness or we if either of the Luminaries suffer defect to our view conclude that the Eclipse is Vniversal If these otherwise well accomplisht Men would but consider how many occult specifick incomprehensible and inexplicable qualities there lies dormant and obscured in Nature of which no absolute or true account can be rendered by themselves As the concatenation of Spirits their working without the Body the Weapon Salve the Sympathetical Powder the Vertues of the Loadstone the wonderful and never to be enough admired Secrets of Magnetick Philosophy and Natural Magick As also what Art it self is able to perform by the power of Mathematical conclusions in Geometry Numbers both mysterious and vulgar Perspective Opticks c. What famous and accurate Works industrious Artists have furnished these latter Ages with and by Weights Wheels Springs or Strings have imitated lively Motion as Regiomantanus his Eagle and Fly Drebler's perpetual Motion the Spring in a Watch and such like Self-Movers Things that seem to carry with themselves like living Creatures the principles of their own Motions and unallied to any outward Object except onely to set them going The Arts of Navigation Printing and making of Gunpowder which for the honor of our Countryman Roger Bacon I the rather mention who lived above a hundred yeers before we heard of its original from the German Monk and certainly knew its whole Composition but that his pious Thoughts finding it might prove so swift and devilish a destruction to Men Cities Castles c. would not suffer him to reveal the way of making it though he plainly discovered its Nature force and horrible execution as appears in the sixt Chapter of his learned Epistles De Secretis operibus Artis Naturae In a word what marvellous conclusions Art making use of Nature for an Instrument can perform without the help of so low and inferior assistants as Characters Charms or Spells and yet these have their several powers if judiciously and warily disposed and handled insomuch that no man that understands the safe and honest power of Art and Nature can justly asperse their Legitimate Children as though they were the off-spring or indeed had any relation to Diabolical Arts. From which few particulars I might infer many other wonders possible to be wrought which yet to appearance or probability are beyond the power of accomplishment and where the various productions of Nature Art or both have given the levity and infidelity of many mens Judgments the lie whose prejudicate thoughts would never beleeve a thing could be done till they found beyond evasion or denial it was done I say if such men would but seriously consider these and the like miraculous effects they might be of force sufficient to perswade the most doubtful amongst them that Art with the help of Nature may arrive at such perfection to work Wonders as far beyond these as these would be beyond their apprehensions had they never heard of them before nay to beleeve there is nothing incredible either in divine or humane things and yet they never become so happy Favorites as to be made privy to the mysteries of this Cunning. Another Error these curious Brains run into is That they look beyond Nature and often despise the Path for the Plainness thereof supposing it too vulgar to conduct them to such rare and intricate Wonders whereas they consider not that Nature in all her productions works plainly easily and without inforcement Briefly such ought to suspect as false all things that appear not feasable without it excel in subtilty or be rackt upon the Tenter And this is the Rock against which divers suffer shipwrack apprehending they ought to place the materials of this glorious and magnificent building in more remote and strange things then really it is Some again calumniate and scandalize this serious and divine work as a fictitious thing and they are such whose easie confidence forgetting the cautionary Items of the Philosophers beleeve all true they once finde Written And when after tedious and chargeable Chymical operations the expressions of the Philosophers seeming to look that way they finde no reality in the Experiments answerable to their expectations but all prove as defective in their production as the birth of Ericthonius was imperfect then in a discontented humor perhaps having been cheated to boot ruine with their good opinion of the thing all they have before undertaken But it is no wonder if they be at much expence that make use of many things What need is there of so vain a use of many Glasses so much blowing of the Coals such consumption of Fire and other impertinent and expensive preparations When the Philosophers tell us One Glass one Furnace one Fire and that an immaterial
and Ferment Gumm and our second Salsature bitter and sharp which by its Compound virtue and propriety got by the second digestion doth loose the whole body and after by another digestion hath a greater force And so thou maist understand that in our Magisteriall there are three proper Earths three Waters and three proper Ferments three proper Gumms three Salsatures three Argent Vives Congealing as in our Practise is manifest Lullii Theorica p. 109. Such a Matter must be chosen Tauladanus in which is Argent Vive pure clean clear white and red and not brought to perfection but equally and proportionably mixt by a due meane with such a sulphur and congealed into a solid Masse that by our discretion and prudence and our artificiall Fire we may attain its inmost purity that after the perfection of the work it may be a Thousand Thousand times stronger then simple bodies digested by naturall heat Tauladanus pag. 314. If we had Sulphur and Mercury from that matter upon the Earth Lullius of which Gold and Silver are made under the Earth from them we could easily make Gold and Silver with the propriety of their own nature Therefore there is nothing farther requisite but that we finde what is nearest to it of its own nature Mercury in all Elemented substances is one and the same which Mercury is indeed naturall heat which produceth as well Vegetables as Minerals although diversly according to the command of Nature And so our Mercury never is visible but intelligible only and so it is manifest that it is in every thing and every place hence common to all things Lullii Codicillus pag. 131. In our Stone there are the Sun Flamelius and the Moon vive and they can generate other Suns and other Moons other Gold and Silver to these are dead Flamelii Annotationes pag. 138. The Philosophers Stone is found Ros Philos created by nature and our Mercury viz. the matter in which the Philosophers Mercury is contained is that whjch nature hath a little wrought and framed in a Metallick form but yet left imperfect Ros Philos pag. 231. I saw a red Toad drinking the Ripleus juyce of Grapes even till his Bowels were burst Riplei Somnium Art following Nature will not Vogel use Argent vive alone nor Sulphur alone nor Argent vive and Sulphur together but the same Matter mixt and compounded of the same Principles which Naturâ— hath prepared for Art like a carefull Mother for her Daughter Anâ— hath conjoyned them from the beginning of the generation of Metals not otherwise as in Milk Butter Cheese and Whay But afterwards Art separates and sequester it and again joyns and digests iâ— being purified by the addition â— outward heat only Nature operâ—ting from within untill that ouâ—ward Sulphur be divided from the Argent vive Vogelius pag. 105. Think with thy self whereto Basilius Val. thou wouldst labour to bring our Stone then shalt thou know it flows from no other then a certain Metallick Radix from whence also Metalls themselves are ordained by the Creator Basilius Valentinus page 15. When I speak of Mercuriall water Clangor Buc. doe not understand Crude Mercury but the Philosophers Mercury of a Red substance drawn from Mineralls having the matter in themselves from Sulphur and Mercury and that Argent vive and Sulphur are one thing and proceed from one thing therefore whiten the Leton viz. Brasse with Mercury because Leton is of the Sun and Moon a compound Citrine imperfect body which when thou hast whitened c. Clangor Buccinae pag. 503. 470. The Philosophers Gold and Dunstan Silver are two principall Tinctures red and white buried in one the same body which Tinctures can never naturally come to their perfect complement yet they are separable from accidentall drosse and earthly lutosity and afterwards by their proper qualities in their pure Earths the tinctures red and white are found commixtable and the most fit Ferments for them so that they may in a manner be said to want no other thing Of this very Body the matter of the Stone three things are chiefly spoken viz. The green Lion Assa foetida and white Fume but this is inferred by the Philosophers from the Compound that they might answer the foolish according to their own folly and deceive them by the divers multiplicity of names But doe thou always understand one thing to be really intended although accidentally three things may be so called For the green Lyon Assa foetida and white Fume are altogether attributed to one and the same subject and are always coucht in one and the same subject untill by Art made manifest By the green Lyon all Philosophers whatsoever understood green Gold multiplicable spermatick and not yet perfected by Nature having power to reduce Bodies into their first matter and to fix volatile and spirituall things and therefore not unfitly called a Lyon By Assa foetida we understand a certain unsavory Odor exhaled from the unclean body in the first operation which may in all things be likened to stinking Assa foetida The reason why it is called white Fume is this In the first distillation before the Red Tincture ascends there arises a smoak truly white whereby the receiver is darkned or filled with a certain milky shadow whence it receives the name of Virgins milk Therefore where ever thou findest a substance endowed with these three properties know that it is the matter of the Philosophers Stone Dunstan pa. 3. Therefore let us take a matter Clangor Buccinae which will be Gold and which by the mediation of our skill is brought into a true ferment Clangor pag. 510. The matter of Metalls is a certain Rosarius Philos smoaky substance and it is the first matter of Metalls containing in it self an unctuous or oyly moisture from which substance the Artist separates the Philosophicall humidity which is fit for the work which will be as clear as a water drop in which is coucht the metallick Quintessence and that is placable Metall and therefore hath in it a meane of Joyning Tinctures together because it hath the nature of Sulphur and Argent vive Rosar Phil. p. 278. The thing whose head is Red Dastin feet White and eyes Black is the whole Mystery Dastin visio p. 2. Know that our Leton is Red Moriâ—n but not for our use untill it bee made White Morienus p. 38. When thou wouldst have Minerall Lullius Elements take not of the first nor last because the first are too much simple but the last too grosse When thou art hungry take Bread not Meal when thou wouldst make Bread take Meal not the Ear. Lullius Theori p. 34. There is a pure Matter which Eximedes is the Matter of Gold containing in it self the heat which gives increase and hath a power to increase and multiply in its kinde as all other things Eximedes p. 45. In our imperfect Metall
and in such a Water is inlivened inspired increased and multiplied in his specie as other things Therefore our Water is a Fountain fair pleasant and clear prepared onely for the King and Queen whom it very well knows and they it for it attracts them to it self and they remain two or three days to wash themselves in that Fountain viz. some moneths and these it makes to grow young and renders them very beautifull These three things mutually follow viz. Humidity Putridity and Blacknesse from whence the glassie house may be posited and subtilly sited untill the moist Matter included by little and little became putrid and black for the putrefaction begins together with the solution but the putrefaction is not yet compleat untill the whole Matter be dissolved into water Artephus pag. 9. One of the contraries exceeding Dastin destroies the rest whence the Earth is made Water when the watry qualities overcome it and on the contrary this Water must draw forth three things viz. a Spirit a Body and a Soule whence this Water is threefold in Nature which hath in it self Water Fire and Earth We divide the dissolved Stone in the Elements and wash it particularly that it it might be more subtilized and the better purified and that at pleasure the Complexion might be more firmly composed but we distill it very often as the Water and Air are clean without dregs and light without filth pure without contraries for then they wash more easily touch more plentifully and work more nobly For Art as Aristotle saith in like manner throws off all superfluities from its work as Nature doth For Fire extracts that which exists in the interiours of things and feeds on the sulphurity of them subtilizing and rarifying at pleasure And therefore we distill them that we might sweetly draw out their filth But we doe it sweetly and with inhumation lest the excessive Fire consume the sought for subtilties Whence in every distillation observe this sign that universally there be candour and purity in it and whatsoever drops forth unmixt put apart because the work is corrupt if thou doe otherwise Therefore we so much distill it untill it send forth no dregges unlesse happily white ones and this we iterate seven times that in their simple purity they might transcend the orders of the seven Planets For it is meet they be most pure and clean which by their purity should cleanse and perfect other things And according to the quantity of distillation they will be clear and according to the plurality of clearness they will cleanse and touch other things Whence it ought to be distilled seven times what is more is evil because as diminution hinders so augmentation corrupts In the fourth distillation follows the Lavement that its every Element might be rectified severally whence we distill the Water and Aire seven times by themselves But thou shalt distill all things with moisture because drinesse corrupts the work with combustion And the Philosophers advise that every distillation be always made seven days with inhumation meaning that inhumation be made seven days between every distillation Dastini spec pag. 96. It behoveth thee to exercise the Rosar Arnold separation of the Elements as much as thou art able to wash off the Water and Air by distillations and to burn up the Earth by Calcination untill there remain not any thing of the Soul in the Body unlesse what may not be perceived in the operation the sign of which will be when nothing shall be evaporated from the Body if a little of it be put upon a heated plate Rosar Arnold pag. 423. As an Infant exhausts all airy Massa Solis Lunae vapours in nine moneths and the menstruum turned into a milky form so in nine moneths the first work is performed viz. the second whitenesse because the whole is coagulated Neverthelesse the work is finished about six moneths according to the Experience of the Author but according to Balgus * Pag. 1â—9 in Turba in an hundred and ninety days Massa Solis Lunae pag. 275. Let not the water be suffered to stand when it is fit for operation because it receives its Curd into the bottome crudled or coagulated by the cold of the Aire and congealing drieth which hapned to one of my Companions who for the space of a year found it so but it was not distilled Massa Solis Lunae pag. 274. No solution ought to be made Rosar Philosoph without Blood proper or appropriate viz. the Water of Mercury which is called the Water of the Dragon and that Water ought to be made by an Alembick without the addition of any other thing Rosar Philos p. 223. The whole course of the work Roymundus Lullius endures for the space of two years whence the Stone is of one year and the Elixir of another to every new Artist who never made it but to every good and expert Artist who is subtile one year and three moneths are accounted sufficient For by what it is corrupted in like manner it is generated Lul Theo. p. 76. Accommodate well the Fire in Ventura the furnace and see that the whole Matter be dissolved into Water then rule it with a gentle Fire untill the greater part be turned into black dust Because when our Stone is in our vessell and our Matter feels our Sun it will presently be resolved into Water Ventura p. 129. Putrefaction is made with a Rosarius Philos most gentle Fire so that nothing may ascend because if any thing should ascend there would be made a separation of parts which ought not to be untill the Masculine and Feminine are perfectly joyned Rosar Philos pag. 261. The encompassing frigidity of Dastin the Aire the binding solidity of the Earth the dissolving heat of the Fire the impetuosity and restlesse motion of the Water and exceeding quantity of Multitude doe hinder Putrefaction as Aristotle saith But the calidity of the Air the subtility of Matter the gentlenesse of the Fire the stability of Rest the equality of Compounds the gravity of Patience the maturity of Time do necessarily induce and hasten Putrefaction yet so that the Air be tempered what is thick subtilized the Fire moderated Rest preserved Proportion adequated Patience strengthened and the time expected until Nature proceeding naturally shall have compleated her owne worke Dastin spec pag. 184. Our Water must be divided into Scala two parts whereof in one part the Body is congealed viz. with seven Imbibitions and Congelations but in the other part it putrefies and melts that the fiery Water abovesaid might be cast forth Scala Philos pa. 151. If the work in its managing be deduced to the finall red state by corruption before the due term of whitenesse which it may not be thou hast erred then for a remedy take away the rednesse with fresh white Water by imbibition and inhumation Idem There are three Humidities the Lullius first is
Water the second is Aire the mean between Water and Oil the third is Oil it self The Water is distilled to the likenesse or sign of perfect whitenesse which is transparent splendour and the shining clearnesse of crystall and he that attains to this Token hath the Philosophers Mercury dissolving all Bodies chiefly of the Sun and Moon because of the vicinity or nearnesse of Nature Lul Codic p. 119. In our whole Magisteriall there Lullius are three principall Spirits necessary which without the consummation of their resolution cannot be manifested and they are otherwise called three Argent vives and for Argent vive understand the Water in which the Tincture is carried Raymund Theor. p. 122. 24. If you will hear me I will truly Ripleus shew what is that Mercury chiefly profitable know therefore that there are three Mercuries which are the Keys of Science whom Raymund cals his Menstrua without which nothing is done rightly but two of those Mercuries are superficiall the third Essentiall of the Sun and Moon perfect Bodies when we first Calcine them naturally but no unclean Body is ingredienced except one which is commonly called of the Philosophers The green Lion which is the mean of joyning Tinctures With the second Mercury which is vegetable Humidity both the Principall Materiall and Formall bodies ought to be resolved otherwise they are of little moment And with the third which is Humidity very permanent and incombustible the unctuous Tree of Hermes is burnt into Ashes Ripley pa. 25. Sons of Wisdome there are Incertus three solutions the first is of a crude Body the second is of a Philosophicall Earth the third we put in Augmentation The Virgin is Mercury because it never propagated a body in the Womb of the Earth and yet it generates the Stone for us by resolving the Heaven that is it opens the Gold and bringeth forth a Soul Incertus de Chemia pa. 6. Metals are reduced to the first Ventura Matter when they are driven back to that first simplicity which their Elements had in their first Composition in which there were Spirits and Vapours by nature perfectible to the form of the Compound Vent pa. 12. By Argent vive is understood Ludus Puerorum the humidity of that unction which is the radicall humidity of our Stone Ludus Puerorum pag. 174. The Preparation of this Spirit is its subtilation which is performed Vogel by many distillations untill it hath gotten crystalline splendour and clearnesse Vogel p. 148. Keep the rectified Water apart Aristotle because that is the Mercury of the Philosophers the water of Life washing the Leton Aristotle pag. 366. The whole labour and tediousnesse Lull compendium is in this viz. the separation of the Elements and Sulphur Air cannot be divided from Metals unlesse by the twentieth twenty second or thirtieth distillation And the Fire may be divided from the Earth at the eleventh distillation and as many distillations as there are so many putrefactions and reiterations of Water and Air together to wit of our Menstruall water and every putrefaction requireth eight days or six continued so that the division of the Elements dures the space of an year but we have compleated it in seven moneths Lull compend pa. 281. The Alchymists have said that the Stone is compounded of two Waters viz. of one which makes the volatile Stone and the other which fixes and hardens it Idem Between every Calcination of Avicenna the Earth pour on water moderately to wit not much nor little because if much there 's made a sea of perturbation if little it will be burnt up into ashes But sweetly not hastily from eight days to eight days by watering decocting and calcining the Earth till it hath imbibed its Water therefore when the Earth shall not be white bray it together with its Water iterate and calcine it because Aroc and Fire doe wash the Earth and take away its obscurity from it for its preparation is always with Water and as the fitnesse of the Water shall be so also shall be the clearnesse of the Earth and by how much the more the Earth shall be white c. Avicenna pag. 420 421. He which knows not to extract Scala more things out of one is ignorant also to compound one thing of more Our separation is a separation of a watry or moist vapour or phlegme in Balneis a levigation of rarity a production of principles Scala p. 134. Imbibe Calx or Body oftentimes Geber that thence it may be sublimed and yet more purified then before because the Calx ascends upwards very difficultly or not at all unlesse holpen by the Spirit Geber lib. summae perfectionis pag. 573. The Vessell being fitly placed in Ventura the Furnace the Fire underneath must be continued then the Vapour of the Matter will ascend upwards into the Alembick most subtilly and the same will be turned into serene bright and cleare Water having the form of a water drop and the Nature of all the species of which it is generated and it descends again by the Crows beak that is the Neck of the vessell of the Alembick and this Water because it is subtile doth enter the Body and extract first the Soule afterwards it dissolves all that is left and turns it into Water Moreover know that all things which are sublimed are sublimed two ways some by themselves and some with others but our Mercury since it is a Spirit is sublimed by it self but our Earth since it is the Calx of the Body is not sublimed unlesse very well incorporated with Mercury Therefore beat or pound them together and imbibe till they become one Body because the Body ascends not unlesse incorporated with Mercury Ventura p. 141. Dissolve the Gold and Silver in Vogel Water of their kinde if thou know it Vogelius p 78. And this is the last Preparation Massa Solis Lunae viz. of Spirits often reiterated by Contrition and Assation with their Body untill thou see these things which thou desirest in it Massa Solis Lunae pag. 240. Sons of Learning know ye that Afflictes the whole Work and the Government thereof is not done but by Water with which mingle ye the body of the Magnesia and put it in its Vessel and close the mouth carefully and boil it with a gentle fire till it be made liquid for by the heat of the Water the whole will easily be made Water Afflictes in Turba p. 32. THE COROLLARY From a certain Minerall Masse coagulated lucid red ponderous being perfect Metall in the nearest power containing in it selfe vive spermatick Sulphur and vive immature Mercury multiplicable in it self with the most gentle fire of a Balneum or Bath is drawn forth a certain insipid phlegmatick Water which if it be again repoured on with its due proportion of Earth and in due season digested and abstracted by dissolving daily by little and little
is not natured of it self nor takes any thing from natured Nature and that it is unfit to calcine or prepare any perfect Body but this Work belongs to Naturall Fire to wit that the perfect Body be calcined and prepared in that second Water or Naturall Fire that after it might be dissolved in the third Water or Fire against Nature But as they call their second Work the first because nothing enters into that Work which hath not been purified cleansed and purged in the first Work So also they will not here recite the first Water for their Water since it is onely Phlegme not entring the Philosophick Work But call the second the first and the third the second which industriously they doe that they might deceive and seduce the Ignorant Of the same sort was Artepheus also while he endevoured promiscuously to confound the name of Naturall Fire with the name of Fire against Nature in these words The third saith he is that Naturall Fire of our Water which is also called against Nature because it is Water neverthelesse of Gold it makes meer Spirit which common Fire cannot doe But with these Equivocations whoso is unexpert is easily induced into the greater Error But as the whole Theorick of Physick is comprehended in the Explanation of three things viz. Naturall Non-naturall and Contranaturall So that whole Hermetick and Divine Work is performed with Fire Natural not Natural and against Nature which Fires are of the Philosophers vailed in the name of Fire although to us they appear in form of Water clear pure crystalline which tortures calcines exanimates and inanimates the Physicall Body and at length renders it more then perfect which neither by the violence of common Fire nor virulence of corrosive Waters nor by the Spirits of any Animall Vegetable or Minerall can perform And he that knows not from our onely Subject to draw out separate rectifie and compound these menstruous Matters these Fires these Waters these Mercuries is ignorant of the Key of the whole Work Therefore in these must be the toil CHAP. V. The Rise or Birth of the Stone THE birth of the Earth is made Lullius by the way of invented Sublimation That the Earth hath conceived and drunk of the Water of Mercury as much as suffices you may discern and know it by its volatility privation of feces and dregges from the most pure Substance while it ascends after the manner of most pure and most white dust or of the leaves of the Moon or of splendid Talk But when thou seest the Nature of the most pure Earth elevated upwards and as a dead thing even adhere to the sides of the subliming Vessell then reiterate the sublimation upon her without the dregs remaining below because that part fixt with the dregs adheres and then no man by any mean or industry can separate it from them Lull Codic pa. 193. Son you may know that this Lullius is the generall head to all Sublimation of Mercuries Then take the pregnant Earth and put it into a Sublimatory vessell luted and well shut up place it in Fire of the third degree for the space of twenty four hours and sublime the pure from the impure and so shalt thou have the Vegetable Mercury sublimated clear resplendent in admirable Salt which we properly call Vegetable Sulphur Sal almoniack our Sulphur the Sulphur of Nature and many other names we impose on it Lull Test p. 4. The Water approaching that Semita Semitae is Argent vive in the Earth encreaseth and is augmented because the Earth is whitened and then it is called impregnation then the Ferment is coagulated viz. is joined with the imperfect Body Prepare it as hath been said till it become one in colour and aspect and then it is called the Birth because then is born our Stone which of the Philosophers is called a King Semita Semitae p. 441. Son it is a sign when it hath imbibed Lullius and retained four parts more of its Weight that if thou put a little on a heated plate of Gold or Silver it will all as it were fly away into smoke which if it doe not so reiterate it untill such a Sign appear Lull Test pa. 16. But to know this day of the Petrus Bonus Crisis and the Birth or Rise of the Stone which is the term of the whole consummation of the Work it is meet to foreknow the Indicating day since it is the very sign it self and things indicated are as it were things signified for there is the perfection or annihilation of the Work because in that very day nay hour the simple Elements arise purified from all filths which presently stand in need of Composition before they fly from the Fire and are turned into Earth that is in their fixation and not sooner nor later Petrus Bonus pa. 127. And when thou shalt see that Geber thing excelling in its whitenesse the whitest snow and as it were dead adhere to the sides of the subliming vessell then reiterate its Sublimation without dregs Geb in lib. Summae perfectionis pa. 169. When this Mercury arises the Ventura Sun and Moon ariseth together with it in its Belly Vent pa. 170. The Heaven is to be reiterated Scala so often upon the Earth till the Earth become Heavenly and Spirituall and the Heaven be made earthly and be joined with the Earth Scala pa. 121. Restore the vive Argent to the Vogel Earth and decoct it and as before sublime and that reiterate nine or twelve times always augmenting the Fire in the end untill the Earth with often sublimation and force of the Calcining Fire become White and more Spirituall part of it being made more subtill begin something to ascend from the bottome of the Vessell and to adhere to its sides But this purging of the Earth which is performed by Sublimation is altogether necessary before the Physicall Work begin Vogel pa. 228. The Argent vive exuberated Clangor Bucc that is the Body of the Earth passing together with the menstruous Matter through the Alembick and the Sulphur of Nature is the Spirit of Metals sublimated and turned into foliated Earth which is the first and neerest matter of Metals Clang Bucc p. 480. Therefore burn it with dry Fire Aristotle that it may bring forth a Son and keep him warily lest he fly away into smoke and this is that which the Philosopher saith in his Turba Whiten the Earth and Sublime it quickly with Fire untill the Spirit which thou shalt finde in it goe forth of it and it is called Hermes Bird for that which ascends higher is efficacious purity but that which fals to the bottome is drosse and corruption This therefore is Dust drawn from Dust and the begotten of the Philosophers the white foliated Earth in which Gold is to be sown Arist pa. 371. Gather carefully what thou findest Lullius in the middle sublimated lest
it fly away into Smoke because that is the approved sought for Good the better Best the white foliated Earth coagulating as the Rennet of a Lamb the Ashes of Ashes the Salt of Nature the begotten Infant the first and nearest Matter of Metals the first Subject in which are its proper Elements to wit of Natur'd Nature the moist and temperate Matter ought to be reduced and fixt till it flow with its Ferment like Wax without Smoke and endure all Fire Therefore labour with it to Silver and thou maist quickly begin the Magistery nor let it wax old without commixtion because thou maist not take it unlesse new made after the Birth with its Blood Lul Codic p. 117. If from Subliming little shall Dastin come forth and clean the Fire will yet be little Therefore let it bee encreast But if much and unclean the Fire is superfluous therefore let it be withdrawn But if much and clean then the proportion is found Dast spec p. 48. The Dust ascending higher from Rosar the Dregs is Ashes Honoured Sublimed Extracted from the Ashes but that which remains below is Ashes of Ashes inferiour vilified condemned Ashes a dreg and like drosse Therefore make a difference between its clear and limpid because when it shall ascend most white as Snow it will be compleat therefore gather it carefully lest it fly away into Smoke because that is the very sought for good the white foliated Earth congealing what is to be congealed Rosarius Arnoldi pa. 427. The Calx or Body must be often Geber imbibed that thence it might be sublimed and more yet purged then before because the Calx doth not at all or very difficultly climb upward assisted by the Spirit Geber lib. summae perfectionis p. 172. O Nature how dost thou burn Artepheus Bodies into Spirit which could not be done if the Spirit were not first incorporated with the Bodies and the Bodies with the Spirit made volatile and afterwards permanent Therefore the compound receives its cleansing by our Fire viz. by dissolving the humid and by subliming what is pure and white the dregs being cast forth as a naturall Vomit For in such a Dissolution and naturall Sublimation there is made a deligation of the Elements a cleansing and separation of the pure from impure so that the pure and white ascends upwards and the impure and earthy remains fixt in the bottome of the Vessel which is to be cast forth and removed because it is of no value by receiving onely a a middle white substance And in this is accomplisht our Philosophicall and Naturall Sublimation not in the Vulgar unfit Mercury which hath no qualities like these with which our Mercury drawn from the red servant is adorned Arteph fo 21. The first part abides not unlesse it be bound to the second in the same hour Idem It is fit that the end be restored upon its beginning and the beginning upon the end Idem When the Artist sees the white Soul risen let him join her immediately to her Body When the clean and candid Water shall be generated it is meet we join the Earth to it in the same Hour And according to Plato the Fierinesse Plato is contraried in the hour of coagulation And according to Dastin by the accesse of Cold the Water may well be turned into dry Earth Idem There is one and the same thing Margarita pretiosa in the Subject having all these properties and operations for while it remains in liquefaction by reason of Subtilty it is called Spirit without which Spirit there can neither be made Generation nor Conjunction of the Soul and Body Whence in the whole Magistery the Spirit actually rules untill the Soul and Body be generated but while it can fly from the Fire it is called a Soul but while it remains in the Fire and can persevere it is called a Body If therefore in the time of Generation the Soul shall stand in the Fire and his strength prevail through the force of the Spirit then she flies from the Fire and draws with her the Body to flight and the Workman remains frustrate of his purpose and expects that which hath been already come and gone and will never come hereafter and it seems wonderfull to him But if the strength of the Body prevail above the strength of the Soul then by equality of Spirit it is turned from Act into Habit then the Body retains the Soul altogether nor ever hath the power to fly from the Fire and the Workman hath his purpose which the Auncients had and then the Spirit remains always with them sometimes in Act and sometimes in Habit. But a quick and double insight is altogether necessary specially both in the end of Decoction and Sublimation that all the superfluities being whitened the Artist may see the wonderfull and terrible Candor and may presently obtain his joyfull and quiet rest after this Consummation of Labour for then by infrigidating the Moon the Sun is hidden in her Bowels and the East is joined to the West Heaven to Earth and Spirituall to Corporall whence is said in Turba Know ye that ye shall not Die the purple Colour but in Cold. And Hermes Whose Nature hath been hot if Cold find him it shal not hurt him And Avicen Know that he which hath evaporated all hath wrought well therefore make it Cold for then is manifest the hidden and the Manifest by infrigidating is hid And this Infrigidation or cooling is done with rest in which there is no operation of the hands since it is the end of operation Margarita pretiosa pa. 204. That Earth so mingled with Lullius Menstruous Matter is called Argent vive Exuberated which gather speedily and while it is new after its Birth put it in Water of Metals in digestion in a tripode of the Athanor Lull Test p. 21. This is our Mercury sublimed Dunstâ—â— and made fixt from the white altered Earth of Bodies arising first wonderfully by the power and help of the Water This is that Mercury in stead of which the Fools and Idiots assume that compounded of common Vitrioll and Sublimated with Salt in which they are grosly deceived Dunstan p. 18. Sublime the Body as much as Clangor Buccinae thou canst and boil it with clean Mercury and when the Body hath drunken some part of the Mercury subtilize it with a Fire quick and stronger as thou art able until it ascend in likenesse of most white Dust adhering to the sides of the Vessell in manner of Snow But the Ashes remaining in the bottome are dregs and the vilified drosse of Bodies and to be cast away in which there is no life because it is most light Dust which with a little blast vanisheth because it is nothing but bad Sulphur excluded by Nature Then the dregs being cast away iterate the Sublimation of the most white Dust by it self without its dregs till it be fixt and till it send out
poised in an equal ballance Idem pa. 447. Boil him at the warm Sun untill Dastin he hath dried his Water which being exsiccated pound him again with water to his Weight and boil him at the Sun till he be dried into a Stone doe this oftentimes till he hath drunk of his Water ten times his own quantity and become dry hard and red Dastin spec pa. 191. 134. Son it behoveth thee to mingle Lullius the Earths of the foresaid Sulphurs that is of Gold and Silver together and prepare them by giving them the fourth part of their Weight of the said menstrous Matter by digesting and drying as it is done in the Creation of Sulphur untill it hath drunk four parts of the said menstruous Matter and be disposed to Sublimation which thou shalt sublime in Fire of the fourth degree Lull Test p. 24. Take of the sincere Body one Dastin part and of the other Copper three and mingle them together with Vinegar Senior in Turba It is meet the Water exceed the Earth nine times that so in a Decinary number which is a perfect number the whole Work may be consummate But as Diostenes saith if too much of the Water be at once imposed it is not contained in the Earth but if too much be substracted it is not joined to the Earth Whence all the Water is not to be at once imposed on the Earth Therefore divide it into three parts and every of them into another third because so one may better fight against one then against a number of more Mingle the Hot with the Cold the Humid with the Dry and the mixt shall be temperate neither Hot nor Cold nor Moist nor Dry for one tempers another making the mixt adequate Dast spec pa. 177. 134. A man may be easily stifled in Basilius Valentinus great Waters and little Waters are easily exsiccated with the heat of the Sun so that they may be as nothing Therefore that the desired Work might be obtained a certain measure in the commixtion of the Philosophick liquorous Substance must be observed lest the greater overcome and oppresse the lesser Proportion by which Generation might be hindred and lest the lesser in respect of the greater should be too weak to exercise equall Dominion for great showers of rain hurt the Fruit and too much drought produces no true Perfection Therefore if Neptune have fitly prepared his Bath weigh well the permanent Water and consider with diligent care that thou doe not any thing too much or too little to him Basil Valent. pa. 42. Take of the red Water and Arnold White as much of the one as of the other according to weight and put them together in a Cucurbite made of Glasse strong and thick having a Mouth like an Urinall afterward the whole Water will be Citrine even soon enough and so will the true Elixer be perfected in respect of both viz. perfect Impregnation and true Coition Arnold in Comment Hortulani p. 34. Let the Queen born by nine Dastin Virgins decently attend the Bed-chamber of so great a King and so in progresse of time thou shalt determine unity from the denary number Dastini Epist fo 2. In this Magistery the Government Basil Valent. of the Fire ought to be observed lest the humid Liquor be too soon exsiccated and the Wisemens Earth too quickly liquified and dissolved Otherwise of wholsome Fishes thou wilt generate Scorpions in thy Waters Basilius Valentin pa. 10. What ever actions they nominate Rosin understand always that these things are done by the action of the heat of certain Fire which makes not Sublimation because it is so gentle nor ought it naturally to elevate any Smoke Ros p. 287. THE COROLLARY Lest perhaps Ripley and Dastin our Countrimen and most excellent Philosophers should in this Chapter seem to some to differ among themselves since Ripley takes equall parts and joins them in equall Wedlock but Dastin affirms the Water ought nine times to exceed the Earth that so in a Decinary which is a perfect Number the whole Work might be consummate I thought it worth my labour to reconcile this appearing contradiction As therefore he that well distinguishes teaches well so he that knows this distinction of time shall forthwith have the Solution of this doubt For Ripley first speaks of the first Composition in the second or Philosophick Work where the Earth and pure Water prepared exactly before must be equally joined in equall Proportion But Dastin utters that his Opinion of Imbibitions after the perfection of the second Work and so while they are distinguisht they are understood and that easily But what means Ripley in these words viz. That they should lie together six Weeks not rising all the while from the bottome of their Sepulchre this must be enquired and searched into since he affirms it a secret which hath deceived many That Conjunction is done that even as a Chicken is made of an Egge after Putrefaction so after this Conjunction and due Putrefaction we may attain the Complement of the Work Therefore we must know if any thing may be born by Putrefaction it is necessary it happen after this manner The Earth by a certain hidden and included humidity is reduced into a certain corruption or destruction which is the beginning of Putrefaction which ought to be nourisht with such a tempered heat as that nothing exhale from the Compound or be sublimed to the top of the Vessel but that the Masculine and Feminine the Matter and the Form Agent and Patient remain together The Water in the Earth and the Earth unseparated from the Water are contained together as the yolk of an Egge included in the inner thin skin till the time of Putrefaction loose the reins which will not be done sooner then in the space of forty days for as Nature hates sudden mutations or alterations so no Putrefaction is made but in a long time and appointed as Dastin elegantly said viz. The calidity of the Aire subtility of the Matter gentlenesse of the Fire stability of Rest equality of Compounds gravity of Patience and the maturity of Time doe promote and induce Putrefaction and therefore then also the Air is to be tempered the Thick subtilized the Fire restrained Rest preserved Proportion adequated Patience strengthened and the Time expected till Nature proceeding naturally shal compleat her own Work But that I may return to the purpose and adde Corollary to Corollary we must observe that in Preparation three parts of the Spirit are assumed to one part of the imperfect Body and at last about the time of the Birth three parts of imperfect Body are assumed to one of Spirit and this not once but often But in the second Work which of Philosophers is called the first first part is joined with part afterward three parts of Body to one of Spirit and that the oftner for Imbibitions and at length three of Spirit to one part of perfect Body
Body and prepared after the same manner and order moreover joine and imbibe it with the aforesaid blessed Water for Ferment prepares the imperfect Body and converts it to its own Nature and it is not Ferment unlesse Sun and Moon Semita Semitae pa. 444. Give it fermented Ferment equally Rachaidibus elementated with every Element which is Gold give it the fourth part but which is first calcined and dissolved into Water Ferment is twofold white and red of which the Ferment of the Sun is the Sun and of the Moon the Moon But let the Ferment be the fourth part of our Copper Rachaidibus pa. 393. Thou wilt have no perfect Ferment Dunstan till it be altered with our Mercury from its first qualities into a new whitenesse between Putrefaction and Alteration Dunstan pa. 7. They who knew not Natures Lullius indigency thought this Ferment ought to be prepared with new menstrous Matter in which is Fire against Nature not perceiving the perdition of the Temperature from which the Body departs by reason of the burning Fire viz. against Nature Ferment to wit a Body as much as it is understood for Ferment is not prepared but with naturall Fire and Water of Mercury Lull Codic pa. 211. Take one part of Ferment and Rosar three of imperfect Body dissolve the Ferment in Water of Mercury equall to it boil it together with a most gentle Fire and coagulate that Ferment that it may be as an imperfect Body Rosar Philosoph p. 317. Take red Earth and form it Arnold into thin Plates or shaved Dust and put it in Water as hath been taught and it shall not be dissolved in it but onely calcined into red Dust which done remove the Water warily and put it into another Vessell like that in which it is so that the calcined Dust of red Earth may remain in its Vessell without Water and in the removed Water put white Earth and that shall be dissolved and so Water shall profit thee and shall not be spoiled Arnold in Cament Hortulani pa. 31. In the preparation of the Ferment Lullius before its last Fermentation we use vulgar Mercury not onely solemnly prepared viz. into Virgins Milk but as it exists in its Nature by the alone Sublimation to this that it might reduce the Body of Ferment to its simplicity and it may be the mean of conjoining Tinctures Lull Codic pa. 215. Let it be given to an insatiable Dastin Devourer afterwards it must be nourisht with grosser meat that compleat Digestion being received it may passe from the Mothers into the Fathers Kingdome Dast Epist pa. 6. As the Ferment of Gold is Tauladanus Gold of Silver is Silver so the Ferment of Iron is Iron of Copper is Copper and of Lead is Lead Therefore every Agent acts according to its form To some what we have spoken may seem new as if the Elixir could be made of all ignoble things which shall turn all other things as well noble as ignoble either into Mars or Jupiter or Saturn or Venus Which although it now seem new and incredible to many learned men and chiefly to Petrus Bonus a man of singular learning yet there is no necessary reason which forbids it may be done Nay if it were not done Alchymy had been lost and the Art of Chymistry might have been worthily called a Figment and a Fable For Nature hath established this Law viz. That as often as Actives are rigbtly joined with Passives Action and Passion doe immediately follow and the alteration doth always resent and savour of the nature of the Agent And as often as that which before had the strength and qualities of the Patient be so disposed that it can stoutly act it is necessary that the alteration be answerable and conformable to the Nature of the Agent from which it suffered Wherefore if ignoble Metals disposed to suffer or change by the action of Gold or Silver rightly disposed to Action it is necessary that noble Metals disposed to suffer should be changed by ignoble Metals skilfully disposed to Act. Tauladanus pa. 297. Let the Ferment be prepared Clangor Bucc that the powder may be white and subtill if thy intention proceed to white but if to red then let thy powder be of Gold prepared most Citrine and there shall not be other Ferment the reason is because those two Bodies are shining in which are tingent splendid Raies excelling other Bodies naturally in whitenesse and rednesse And if thou wouldst ferment white Earth divide that Earth into two parts one part thou shalt augment to a white Elixir with it s conserved Water and so it never ceases to be of it and the other part put into its Glasse that is the Furnace of its Digestion and increase the Fire to it untill by the force of the Fire it be turned into most red Dust even as dry combust Saffron And if thou wouldst that the most white Elixir have the Tincture of Rednesse transforming and tincting Mercury the Moon and every Body into the most true Sun or Solificous Body then ferment it s three parts with another part and a half of most pure prepared Gold and let the powder be most subtile with two parts of Solificous Water artificially reducing by Union by the least parts into one Chaos even unto the inmost part of the Body and place it in its Glasse in his Fire and decoct it that the most true bloody red Stone might shine forth Clang Bucc p. 529. There is no other Ferment but Lullius of the Sun or Moon And it is not Ferment untill the said Bodies be turned into their first Matter because it is expedient that Ferment be compounded of the Sun and the most subtile Earth Wherefore if thou knowest not how to reduce two perfect Bodies into their first Matter thou canst have no Ferment Lull Theor. p. 92. For this is Minerall that when Massa Solis Lunae thou putst Water on the Earth the White overcomes the Citrine and Red and whitens them into whitenesse of Silver Then the Citrine overcomes the White and Red so that it makes them Citrine above the Citrinity of Gold and then the Red overcomes the Citrine and White and reddens them into a Tyrian rednesse and when thou seest these rejoice Massa Solis Lunae pa. 212. THE COROLLARY As in this Chapter is clearly and plainly taught the excellent manner of Fermentation so to the unexperienced Reader this contradiction may appear between Raimund and Ripley in these words viz. whilst Raimund affirms two Ferments onely one of the Sun another of the Moon but Ripley addes a third which is called the Green Lion and the unclean Body which is also called Laton which Laton since indeed is no other thing then an imperfect compound Body of Gold and Silver according to Morienus that third of Ripley is clearly demonstrated to be no other thing then immature Gold and Silver and so they doe
not differ but agree in matter of Ferment though for immaturities sake it be signified by another name To this our Dunstan Archbishop of Canterbury seems to assent It is certain the Earth may be the Ferment of Water so it be fixt and the Water the Ferment of the Earth if contrariwise it be perfect and pure and this altogether without all help of Vulgar Gold and Silver Which words doe seem indeed to bring a new controversie amongst their opinions while some affirm the Elixir cannot be made without Vulgar Gold and Silver Again others affirm that Vulgar Gold and Silver is nothing usefull in our Work Let therefore Dunstans opinion intercede We must note saith he that ancient Philosophers did not use Vulgar Gold and Silver in this Work and therefore they said their labour needed no great Cost but might equally be performed as well of the Poor as of the Rich the Countriman as Citizen which would altogether differ from truth if it might not be performed without Vulgar Gold and Silver He thus taught therefore that we should take heed For although Gold and Silver may be subtilized and mingled with Tinctures and be reduced to lesser Elixirs yet the way according to the Doctrine of the Philosophers is not in them For their Gold and Silver are two chief Tinctures Red and White buried in one and the same Body which by Nature never attained their perfect Complement yet they are separable from their Earthly Lutosity and accidentall Drosse and then by their proper qualities so commixtible with Earths pure Red and White and are found so fit Ferments for them that they may no way be said to need any other thing In which words is described no other thing then Ripleys green Lion or their Gold not Gold unlesse in possibility while as yet immature Which always and onely is set apart and chosen of all Philosophers and those that understand for their first Matter Whence it is clearly manifest that neither Vulgar Gold nor Silver ought to be taken for the first Matter but yet it is doubtfull If why and when they are necessary for us to the Composition of the Elixir To which I answer from the authority of the Philosophers That they are so necessary as without them the Elixir cannot be perfected But yet not as they are Vulgar Gold and Silver but being so altered as that they may be reduced to their first Matter and while they are fixt by Nature may be made Volatile by Art and then at length while they are in such a Condition it shall be impossible for any Artist to reduce them again to Vulgar Gold and Silver after the manner of Goldsmiths because then according to the Turba the Body becomes incorporate as also Rosarius witnesseth He that knows so to destroy Gold that it be no more Gold has attained the greatest secret And when it is so prepared then it shall be the first proper Dish of which our Infant is nourisht and by Philosophers shall have the name of Ferment Which after the Stone be come to its perfect Rednesse and hath been nourisht with the Mothers Milk it ought to be joined with its red Earth for the accomplishment of the Elixir that it might render a more then perfect Tincture and might communicate its fixt Nature to the prepared Medicine which being specificated it might at length become perfect Therefore hence it appears That why and when Vulgar Gold and Silver are not necessary to the complement of the Work That therefore I may briefly reduce to one Harmony this appearing Controversie which the Philosophers understanding one another mutually deliver purposely in intricate terms in these words of Guido Montanus viz. Although the Philosophers Stone may be made even to Whitenesse and Rednesse without Vulgar Gold or Silver yet the Elixir cannot be made without Vulgar Gold or Silver altered and prepared as before But that I may conclude this Corollary always observe that after the Work of Winter is performed and thou shalt see the Sun exalted in Aries and that then the Philosophick Work be begun That in that very houre we ought to prepare Ferments because they need long Preparation and it would be the greatest inconvenience that when the King should hunger food should be wanting or that there should not be a Dish of Dainties prepared Therefore let every Artist be provident CHAP. IX Of Projection A Dry earthy Body tincts not Artepheus unlesse it be tincted and because it enters not therefore it alters not Therefore it tincts not Gold because the hidden Spirit thereof ought first to be extracted from its Belly by our white Water that it might become altogether spirituall Arteph fo 13. Many through ignorance have Ripley destroied their Work when they have made Projection upon impure Metall for their Tinctures by reason of Corruption doe not remain but vanish because they removed not from the Bodies those things which after Projection are brittle dark and black See therefore thou first Project thy Medicine on Ferment then that Ferment will be brittle as Glasse then cast that brittle Substance upon Bodies clean and very pure and presently thou shalt see them curiously coloured with Tincture which will abide all Trials So make three four or five Projections till the Tincture of thy Medicine begin to decrease then is there an end of making further Projection Ripley pa. 62. But the manner of Projection Avicenna is that thou Project one part of the foresaid Medicine upon a hundred parts of fused or powred Gold and it makes it frangible and the whole will be a Medicine of which one part Projected upon a hundred of any fused Metall turns it into the best Gold And likewise if thou work with the Moon But if the Medicine or Elixir should not have ingresse take of the Stone extracted in the first operation and of the foresaid Mercury a like quantity and mingle them together and incorporate them by grinding upon a Stone and then distilling in a Bath that they might the better be joined together then dry them Avicenna pa. 435. Son compound the Minerals Lullius which pertain to the Minerall Magistery by multiplying their vertue thus Take one part of the Powder or Dust viz. an ounce or pound and Project it upon ten parts of Amalgama made of one part of the Moon or Sun and five of Mercury and the whole shall be turned into Powder or Dust according to the condition of Dust and Project one of those ten parts upon other ten of Amalgama or simple Mercury so proceed by Computing and Projecting untill thou see the Matter turned neither into Dust nor Metall but into a hard frangible Masse and make triall of it viz. how many parts one part can turn into Metall and by this manner thou shalt necessarily finde the end of Projection otherwise thou shalt never finde it unlesse it be first converted into a hard frangible Masse as we told thee before Lull Test pa. 64. But
this is the greatest Secret Ventura that the vertue of the Medicine shall be also augmented in the Projection not onely in extensive Quantity but also in the vertue of Perfection and Goodnesse viz. If the Medicine be Projected in a due Proportion upon a Body and the whole be put into Fire and augmented by its degrees and be oftner dissolved and oftner coagulated till it be more fluxill then Wax Wherefore if in Projection the Medicinebe so much weakned that it cannot have ingresse any longer ingresse is given to it if part of the first Medicine be joined to it and it be decocted by dissolving and coagulating till it flow But by how much lesse the vertue of the Medicine is it is necessarily convenient to administer the Fire from the beginning and according to the degrees of Time by so much the more temperature But if there shall nothing remain of the first and most perfect Medicine which might be added which lest it happen to him the ingenious Artist must chiefly beware thence it will be fit to doe otherwise The third manner is according to Rosarius that a little part of the Medicine whether white or red be joined with the Stone or our Mercury which was never in the Work and let it be put to digestion as before and decocted by Putrefying Subliming and Fixing untill the whole become a tinctured Oil then again thou shalt have the perfect Stone and this is done in a few days and with lesse cost labour and hazard But always keep some part for Ferment as well of the White as Red and this wise Consideration shall excuse thee of much trouble Ventura pa. 195. Let one part of Medicine be Clangor taken and ten parts of putrefied Mercury so that Mercury be made hot even to Fumosity and then let the Medicine be cast upon it which will presently flow even penetrating the least parts then by a convenient Fire made strong let the flowing Mercury be gathered together of which let a little part be taken and let as much of his vive Mercury be put to the Fire and let the Weight be proved If the added Mercury shall notably recede then it affects the Medicine to its farthest parts But if the Body in the Body shall not be notably broken but that the Matter be yet frangible and too soft or hard then again take a little of this and as much of crude Mercury and in all things proceed as hath been said till thou have thy intent Clangor Bucc pa. 539. THE COROLLARY As the Provision of Citizens if it were not supplied by Country men would suddenly be wasted and in like manner the great Store of the Country men themselves quickly exhausted if after the Work of Winter viz. the Preparation of the Earth and winnowing of the laid up Corn it were not again delivered to naturating Nature and again laid up in her lap to putrefie dissolve and multiply In like manner also in the Philosophick Work whose included Matter is not easily found out whose mysticall manner of Preparation is not understood without infinite Lucubrations lastly whose Processâ— that it might be brought unto a degree above perfection though long difficult and hazardous before that the immense and infinite treasure be perfected No otherwise that being performed unlesse we shortly and with a little cost and trouble obtain the manner of multiplying would all that be speedily consumed which was gotten by long and unwearied industry Therefore take this for a Corollary that since it is manifest from what hath been said that Meâ—â—cine is to be multiplied two ways First in quantity and quality or else in quantity onely In quantity and quality it is done by dissolution and fermentation in quantity onely by Projection Thou must with all care and providence take heed lest through ignorance of the right form of Projection that Divine Work when it is now brought to its Complement and degree above perfection should be destroied Therefore he must know that upon whatsoever Body thou shalt first project the Medicine it will change it into Dust answerable to the nature of the Body on which thou didst Project it which indeed is Mysticall and to be wondered at If therefore thou desirest to bring thy Elixir to the Sun let thy first Proportion be made upon the Sun that in the Sun it may be specificated And so with the Moon to the Moon thou must thence proceed as hath been manifested clearly enough from the authority of most approved Philosophers CHAP. X. Multiplication EVery encreasing or growing Semita thing both Vegetable and Animall is multiplied in its kinde as Men Trees Grain and the like for of one Seed a thousand are generated therefore it is possible that things be infinitely encreast Semita Semitae pa. 438. But thou shalt multiply the Bacon Medicine thus After thou hast compleated it take notice on how many it fals which being foreseen again resolve and congeal it and in every Resolution the Tincture is doubled that if before its resolution one part fall upon a hundred afterwards it will fall upon two hundred Bacon fo 19. Medicine may be multiplied Scala two ways first by Dissolution and Reiteration of Congelation and this is its virtuall Multiplication in Goodnesse or Quality the second by Fermentation and this is its Multiplication in Quantity Scala 165. The Multiplication of Medicine Rosar is performed two ways one by the reiterated Dissolution and Coagulation of the Stone the second by Projection of the first Elixir Stone upon a Body either White or Red in such a Quantity that the same Body may also be turned into Medicine and then there may be put together to dissolve in their Water and menstrous Matter and so the first Elixir is the Ferment of such a Tincture and so doe Women that bake Rosar Philosophor pa. 347. The Augmentation in Goodnesse Clangor and Quality is to dissolve and coagulate the very Tincture that is to imbibe and exsiccate it in our Mercury Or thus take one part of the prepared Tincture and dissolve it in three parts of our Mercury then put it in a Vessell and seal the Vessell and cover it with hot Embers till it be exsiccated and become Dust then open the Vessel and again imbibe and exsiccate as before and how much the oftner thou dost this so often shalt thou gain some parts Or else take of the fixt Matter which tincteth that is of the prepared Tincture three parts and of the Philosophers Mercury one part and put it into a Vessel and seal the Vessel and put it among hot Embers as before and exsiccate it that it may be made Dust then open the Vessel imbibe and exsiccate it as before And the Water that is Argent vive or Mercury addes nothing to the Weight or to the Body unlesse as much as remains of the Metallick humidity Also Multiplication in Quantity is made by mixtion of the Medicine with vulgar
a Potter or maker of Earthen Images a Carpenter without which neither the Palace can rightly be built nor the King therein preserved from Cold and the Injuries of Winds 15. Many men through Ignorance have destroied their Work when at the first they made Projection of the Medicine upon Imperfect Metals For on whatsoever Body thou first of all Projectest the Medicine that same is converted into a Frangible Masse and shall be an Elixir according to the nature of the Body upon which it is so Projected So as that if the Projection be made upon Jupiter or Venus it shall be a Medicine which not onely converteth other Imperfect Bodies into Jupiter or Venus but also reduceth Perfect Bodies to wit the Sun and Moon into Imperfect Bodies according to the nature of the Body upon which the Medicine shall first be Projected Which caused the most Learned Raimund struck with Admiration to cry out in these words What! is Nature Retrograde 16. He that would understand the sayings of Philosophers must not give credit so much to their Words as to the things they Treat of For the knowledge of Words is not to be taken from the manner of speaking because that the Matter is not subject to the Speech but the Speech to the Matter 17. Note that a short and broad vessell is requisite for distilling a Heavy Body or at least Water with its Saltnesse Because that by how much the Water is more Ponderous then the Body by so much ought the Vessell to be the broader and deeper through which the heat passeth more temperate and profitable to the Work 18. Great care is always to be had lest at any time from the first Conjunction to the Whitenesse the Matter should wax cold or be at any time moved by reason of imminent Danger 19. Let not a greater Quantity of the Matter be put into the Philosophers Egge then may fill two Thirds thereof at the utmost 20. It is to be noted that in Ablution or Calcination of the Earth although the Waters Imbibition or Exsiccation be made in Preparation by the temperate heat of the Bath yet its Sublimation or Rising is perfected by a swift fire of Ashes 21. The Philosophicall Work may be begun with an equall Proportion of Earth prepared and pure Water seven times rectified which are joined and put up in an Ovall Glasse Hermetically Sealed Afterwards let them be placed in the Philosophicall Furnace or Athanore and cherished with a most soft Fire whilst the Earth drinks up her Water and according to Ripley the Streams are dried up Then lastly let the dry Matter be comforted with seven Imbibitions and every Imbibition keep the following Proportion that so the Water may be a just Measure exceed the Earth nine times according to the Doctrine of Philosophers which cannot otherwise be done then by observing these Numbers But this secret was never as yet Revealed by any Body For Example If in the first Conjunction the Earth weigh 480 Grains then let so many be added to it of its Water which together make up 960 Grains and for the time appointed to the first Imbibition 240 Grains of new Water are required 300 to the second 375 to the third 468 to the fourth 585 to the fifth 732 to the sixth 940 to the seventh whereby the Imbibition is perfected and then proceed to Fermentation THE END Nil adeò parvum est tibi quin solatia praestet Saepéque Punctum unum grande Levamen habet ARCANVM OR The grand Secret OF HERMETICK PHILOSOPHY WHEREIN The Secrets of NATURE and ART concerning the Matter and Manner of making the Philosophers Composition are orderly and methodically manifested The Work of a concealed Author Penes nos unda Tagi The third Edition amended and enlarged To the Students in and well affected unto HERMETICK Philosophy health and prosperity AMongst the heights of hidden Philosophy the production of the Hermetick Stone hath of a long time been strongly believed to be the chiefest and nearest a Miracle both for the Labyrinths and multitudes of operations out of which the minde of man unlesse it be illuminated by a beam of Divine light is not able to unwinde her self as also because of its most noble end which promiseth a constant plenty of health and fortunes the two main pillars of an happie life Besides the chief Promoters of this Science have made it most remote from the knowledge of the vulgar sort by their Tropes and dark expressions and have placed it on high as a Tower impregnable for Rocks and Situation whereunto there can be no accesse unlesse God direct the way The study of hiding this Art hath drawn a reproach upon the Art it self and its Professors for when those unfortunate Plunderers of the Golden Fleece by reason of their unskilfulnesse felt themselves beat down from their vain attempt and far unequall unto such eminent persons they in a furious rapture of desperation like mad-men waxed hot against their fame and the renown of the Science utterly denying any thing to be above their cognizance and the spheare of their wit but what was foolish and frothy And because they set upon a businesse of damage to themselves they have not ceased to accuse the chief Masters of hidden Philosophy of falshood Nature of impotency and Art of cheats not for any other reason then that they rashly condemne what they know not nor is this condemnation a sufficient revenge without the addition of madness to snarl and bite the innocent with infamous slaunders I grieve in truth for their hard fortune who whilest they reprove others give occasion of their own conviction although they justly suffer an hellish fury within them They moil and sweat to batter the obscure principles of the most hidden Philosophy with troops of arguments and to pull up the secret foundations thereof with their devised engines which yet are onely manifest to the skilfull and those that are much versed in so sublime Philosophy but hid from strangers Nor doe these quick-sighted Censors observe that whilst they malign anothers credit they willingly betray their own Let them consider with themselves whether they understand those things which they carp at What Author of eminency hath divulged the secret elements of this Science the Labyrinths and windings of operations and lastly the whole proceedings therein What Oedipus hath sincerely and truly explained unto him the figures and intangled dark speeches of Authors With what Oracle what Sibyll have they been led into the Sanctuary of this holy Science In fine how were all things in it made so manifest that no part remains yet unveiled I suppose they will no otherwise answer my question then thus that they have pierced all things by the subtilty of their wits or confesse that they were taught or rather seduced by some wandring Quack or Mountebank who hath crept into a good esteem with them by his feigned countenance of a Philosopher O wickednesse who can silently suffer these Palmer-worms to
concerning it so plainly that nothing can be satisfactory to him that desireth more 12. Philosophers do usually expresse themselves more pithily in types and aenigmaticall figures as by a mute kind of speech then by woprs for example Senior's Table the allegorical Pictures of Rosarius the Schemes of Abraham Judaeus in Flamellus of the later sort the rare Emblemes of the most learned Michael Maiërus wherein the mysteries of the Ancients are so fully opened that as new Perspectives they can present antiquated truth and remote from our age as near unto our eies and perfectly to be seen by us 13. Whosoever affirmeth that the Philosophers grand Secret is above the strength of Nature and Art he is blinde because he knows not the Sun and Moon 14. As for the Matter of their Of the Matter of the Stone hidden Stone Philosophers have writ diversly so that very many disagreeing in Words do neverthelesse very well consent in the Thing nor doth their different speech argue the science ambiguous or false since the same thing may be expressed with many tongues divers expressions and a different character and also one and many things may be spoken after a divers manner 15. Let the studious Reader have a care of the manifold significations of words for by deceitfull windings and doubtfull yea contrary speeches as it should seem Philosophers vent their mysteries with a desire of keeping in and hiding not of sophisticating or destroying the truth And though their writings abound with ambiguous and equivocall words yet about none doe they more contend then in hiding their golden branch Quem tegit omnis Lucus obscuris claudunt convallibus Aen. 6. umbrae Which all the Groves with shaddows overcast And gloomy Valleys hide Nor yeeldeth it to any Force but readily and willingly will follow him who Maternas agnoscit aves geminae cui fortè Columbae Ipsa sub ora viri coelo venêre volantes Knows Dame Venus Birds And him to whom of Doves a lucky paire Sent from above shall hover 'bout his Eare. 16. Whosoever seeketh the Art of perfecting and multiplying imperfect Metals beyond the nature of Metals goes in errour for from Metals the Metals is to be derived even as from Man Mankinde and from an Oxe that species is to be fetcht 17. Metals we must confesse cannot be multiplied by the instinct and labour of Nature onely yet we may affirm that the multiplying virtue is hid in their profundity and manifesteth it self by the help of Art In this Work Nature standeth in need of the aid of Art and both doth perfect the whole 18. Perfect Bodies are endued with a more perfect seed and therefore under the hard bark of perfect Metals the perfect seed lies hid which he that knows to take out by the Philosophers solution hath entred into the high way for In auro Augar Chrysop lib. 1. Semina sunt auri quamvis abstrusa recedant Longius In Gold the seeds of Gold do lie Though buried in Obscurity 19. Most Philosophers have affirmed that their Kingly Work is wholly composed of the Sun and Moon others have thought good to adde Mercury to the Sun some have chosen Sulphur and Mercury others have attributed no small part in so great a Work to salt mingled with the other two The very same men have professed that this clear Stone is made of one thing onely sometimes of two otherwhiles of three at other times of four and of five and thus though writing so variously upon the same subject doe neverthelesse agree in sense and meaning 20. Now that abandoning all Cheats we may deal candidly and truly we hold that this entire Work is perfected by two Bodies onely to wit the Sun and Moon rightly prepared for this is meer generation which is by nature with the help of Art wherein the copulation of male and female doth intercede from whence an off spring far more noble then the Parents is brought forth 21. Now those Bodies must be taken which are of an unspotted and incorrupt virginity such as have life and spirits in them not extinct as those that are handled of the vulgar for who can expect life from dead things and those are called corrupt which have suffered copulation those dead and extinct which by the enforcements of the chief Tyrant of the world have poured out their soul with their bloud by Martyrdome fly a fratricide from whom the greatest imminent danger in the whole Work is threatned 22. The Sun is Masculine forasmuch as it sendeth forth active and inforcing seed the Moon is Feminine called the matrix and vessel of Nature because she receiveth the seed of the male in her womb and fostereth it by her monthly provision yet doth it not altogether want its active virtue for first of all being ravished with love she climbs up unto the male untill she hath wrested from him the utmost delights of Venus and fruitfull seed nor doth she desist from her embraces till that being great with childe she slip gently away 23. By the name of the Moon Philosophers understand not the vulgar Moon which also is masculine in its operation and in copulation acts the part of a male Let none therefore presume to try the wicked and unnaturall conjunction of two males neither let him conceive any hope of issue from such copulation but he shall join Gabertius to Beia and offer the sister to her own brother in firm Matrimony that from thence he may receive Sol's noble Son 24. They that hold Sulphur and Mercury to be the Matter of the Stone by the name of Sulphur they understand the Sun and common Moon by Mercury the Philosophers Moon so without dissimulation holy Lullius Cap. 62 Prioris Testam adviseth his friend that he attempt not to work without Mercury and Luna for Silver and Mercury and Sol for Gold 25. Let none therefore be deceived by adding a third to two for Love admitteth not a third and wedlock is terminated in the number of two love further extended is adultery not matrimony 26. Neverthelesse Spirituall love polluteth not a virgin Beia might therefore without crime before her promise made to Gabritius have contracted spirituall love to the end that she might thereby be made more cheerfull more pure and fitter for the businesse of matrimony 27. Procreation of children is the end of lawfull Wedlock Now that the Infant may bee borne more vigorous and gallant let both the combatants be clensed from every scab and spot before they both go up to their marriage bed and let nothing unnecessary cleave unto them because from pure seed comes a purifyed generation and so the chast wedlock of Sol and Luna shall be finished when they shall enter into Loves bed-chamber and be conjoyned and she shall receive a soul from her husband by imbracing him from this copulation a most potent King shall arise whose father will bee Sol and his mother Luna 28. He that seeks for a physicall
tincture without Sol and Luna loseth both his cost and pains for the Sun affordeth a most plentifull tincture of rednesse and the Moon of whitenesse for these two are onely called perfect because they are filled with the substance of purest Sulphur perfectly clarified by the skill of nature Let thy Mercury therefore have its tincture from both of these Lights for things must of necessity receive a tincture before they can give one 29. Perfect metals containe in them two things which they are able to communicate to the imperfect Tincture and Fixation for those because the are dyed and fixed with pure Sulphur to wit both white and red they doe therefore perfectly tinct and fix if they be fitly prepared with their proper Sulphur and Arsenick otherwise they have not strength of multiplying their tincture 30. Mercury is for imperfect metals fit only to receive the tincture of the Sun and Moon in the work of the Philosophers Stone that being full of tincture it may give forth other things in aboundance yet ought it before that to be full of invisible Suphur that it may be the more coloured with the visible tincture of perfect bodies and so repay it with sufficient Usury 31. Now the whole tribe of Philosophers sweat much and are mightily troubled to extract tincture out of gold for they beleeve that tincture can be separated from the Sun and being separated encrease in virtue but Spes tandem Agricolas vanis eludit aristis Vaine hope at last the hungry Plough-man cheats With empty Husks instead of lusty meats For it is impossible that the Suns tincture can at all be severed from his naturall body since there can be no elementary body made up by nature more perfect then gold the perfection whereof proceedeth from the strong and inseparable union of pure colouring Sulphur with Mercury both of them being admirably pre-disposed thereunto by Nature whose true separation nature denieth unto Art But if any liquor remaining be extracted by the violence of fire or waters by the Sun it is to be reputed a part of the body made liquid or dissolved by force For the tincture followeth its body and is never separated from it That is the deluding of Art unknowne to Artificers themselves 32. Neverthelesse it may be granted that tincture is separable from its body yet we must confesse it cannot be separated without the corruption of the tincture when as Artists offer violence to the gold or Aqua fortis rather corroding then dissolving The body therefore spoiled of its tincture and golden fleece must needs grow base and as an unprofitable heap turne to the damage of its Artificer and the tincture thus corrupted to have a weaker operation 33. Let them in the next place cast their tincture into Mercury or into any other imperfect body and as strongly conjoyne both of them as their Art will permit yet shall they fail of their hopes two wayes First because the tincture will neither penetrate nor colour beyond Natures strength and therefore no gaine will accrue from thence to recompence the expence and countervaile the losse of the body spoiled and of no value so Cum labor in damno est crescit mortalis egestas Want is poor mortals wages when his toyle Produces only losse of paines and Oyle Lastly that banished Tincture applied to another body will not give a perfect fixation and permanency to endure a strong tryall and resist searching Saturne 34. Let them therefore that are desirous of Chymistry and have hitherto followed Impostors and Mountebanks sound a retrait spare time and cost and give their minde to a work truly Philosophicall lest the Phrygians be wise too late and at length be compelled to cry out with the Osey 7. Prophet Strangers have eaten up my strength 35. In the Philosophers work more toyle and time then cost is expended for he that hath convenient matter need be at little expence besides those that hunt after great store of mony and place their chief end in wealth they trust more to their riches then their own art Let therefore the too credulous Fresh-man beware of these pilfering pick-pockets for whilst they promise golden mountains they lay in wait for gold they demand bright ushering Sol viz. mony before hand because they walk in darknesse 36. As those that sayle between The Philo. Merc. Scilla and Charybdis are in danger on both sides unto no lesse hazard are they subject who pursuing the prey of the Golden fleece are carried between the uncertaine Rocks of the Philosophers Sulphur and Mercury The more acute by their constant reading of grave and credible Authors and by the irradiant Sun have attained unto the knowledge of Sulphur but are at a stand in the entrance of the Philosophers Mercury for Writers have twisted it with so many windings and Meanders involved it with so many aequivocall names that it may be sooner met with by the force of the Seekers intellect then be found by reason or toyle 37. That Philosophers might the deeper drown their Mercury in darknesse they have made it manifold and placed their Mercury yet diversly in every part and forefront of their worke nor will he attaine unto a perfect knowledge thereof who shall be ignorant of any part of the work 38. Philosophers have acknowledged athreefold Mercury especially to wit after absolute preparation of the first degree and Philosophicall sublimation for then they call it their Mercury and Mercury sublimated 39. Againe in the second preparation that which by Authors is stiled the First because they omit the First Sol being now made crude again and resolved into his first matter is Mercury properly called of such like bodies or the Philosophers Mercury then the matter is called Rebis Chaos the whole world wherein are all things necessary to the work because that onely is sufficient to perfect the Stone 40. Lastly the Philosophers do sometimes call perfect Elixir and colouring medicine their Mercury though improperly for the name of Mercury doth onely properly agree with that which is volatile besides that which is sublimated in every region of the work they call Mercury but Elixir because it is most fixed cannot have the simple name of Mercury and therefore they have stiled it their own Mercury to difference it from that volatile A straight way is onely laid downe for them to find out and discerne so many Mercuries of the Philosophers for then onely Quos aequus amavit Iupiter aut ardens evexit ad aethera Aeneid 6. virtus Whom just and mighty Jove Advanceth by the strength of love Or such whom brave heroick fire Makes from dull Earth to Heav'n aspire 41. Elixir is called the Philosophers Mercury for the likenesse and great conformity it hath with Heavenly Mercury for this being void of elementary qualities is beleeved most propense to receive influence from them and that changeable Proteus puts on and encreaseth the genius and nature of other Planets by reason of opposition conjunction
and aspect The like this uncertaine Elixir worketh for that being tyed to no proper quality it imbraceth the quality and disposition of the thing wherewith it is mixed and wonderfully multiplyeth the virtues and qualities hereof 42. In the Philosophicall sublimation The Philosophical sublimation of Mercury or first preparation of Mercury Herculean labour must be undergone by the work-man for Jason had in vaine attempted his expedition to Colchos without Alcides Alter inauratam nota de vertice pellem Principium velut ostendit quod Aug. Cry sop 2. sumere possis Alter onus quantum subeas One from an high a Golden Fleece displayes Which shewes the Entrance another sayes How hard a taske you 'l find For the entrance is warded by horne-pushing beasts which drive away those that approach rashly thereunto to their great hurt onely the ensignes of Diana and the doves of Venus are able to asswage their fiercenesse if the fates favour 43. The naturall quality of Philosophicall Earth and the tillage thereof seems to be touched by the Poet in this Verse Pingue solum primis extemplo à Geo 1. mensibus anni Fortes invertant Tauri Tunc Zephyro putris se gleba resolvit Let sturdy Oxen when the yeare begins Plough up the fertile soyle For Zeph'rus then dissolves the rotten clods 44. He that calleth the Philosophers Luna or their Mercury the common Mercury doth wittingly deceive or is deceived so the writings of * Chap. 4. pari lib. 1 perfecti Magisterii Geber teach us that the Philosophers Mercury is Argent vive yet not of the common sort but extracted out of it by the Philosophers skill 45. That the Philosophers Mercury is not Argent vive in its proper nature nor in its whole substance but the midle and pure substance thereof which thence hath taken its originall and made by it the grand Philosophers opinions being founded in experience 46. The Philosophers Mercury hath divers names sometimes it is call'd Earth sometimes Water in a divers respect because it naturally ariseth from them both The earth is subtle white sulphurous in which the elements are fixed the philosophicall gold is sowne the water is water of life burning permanent most clear call'd the water of gold and silver but this Mercury because it hath in it Sulphur of its own which is multiplyed by art it deserves to be cald the Sulphur of Argent vive Last of all the most precious substance is Venus the ancients Hermaphrodite glorious in each sex 47. This Argent vive is partly naturall partly unnaturall it being intrinsecall and occult hath its root in nature which cannot be drawne forth unlesse it be by some precedent clensing industrious sublimation it being extrinsecall is praeternaturall and accidentall separate therefore the clean from the unclean the substance from the accidents and make that which is hid manifest by the course of nature otherwise make no further progresse for this is the foundation of the whole worke and nature 48. That dry and most precious liquor doth constitute the radicall moisture of metals wherefore of some of the ancients it is called Glasse for glasse is extracted out of the radicall moisture closely lurking in ashes which will not give place unlesse it be to the hottest flame notwithstanding our inmost or centrall Mercury discovers it selfe by the most gentle and kindly though a little more tedious fire of nature 49. Some have sought for the latent Philosophicall earth by Calcination others by sublimation many among the glasing vessels and some few between vitrial and salt even as among their naturall vessels others enjoyne to sublime it out of lime and glasse But we have learned of the Prophet that in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth and the Earth was without form and void and darknesse was upon the face of the Deep and the spirit of God moved upon the Waters and God said Let there be Light and there was Light and God saw the Light that it was good and he divided the light from the darknes c. Josephs blessing spoken of by the same Prophet will be sufficient to a wise man Deut 33. Blessed of the Lord be his Land for the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In re quapiam eximium praestans Sweetness old transla Precious things new tran Apples of Heaven for the dew and for the Deep that lyeth beneath for the Apples of fruit both of sun and moon for the top of the ancient mountains for the Apples of the everlasting hills c. pray the Lord from the ground of thy heart my son that he would bestow upon thee a portion of this blessed land 50. Argent vive is so defiled by originall sin that it floweth with a double infection the first it hath contracted from the polluted Earth which hath mixed it selfe therewith in its generation and by congelation hath cleaved thereunto the second borders upon the dropsie and is the corruption of intercutal Water proceeding from thick and impure water mixed with the clear which nature is not able to squeeze out and separate by constriction and because it is extrinsecall it goes away with a gentle heat The Mercuries leprosie infesting the body is not of its root and substance but accidentall and therfore separable from it the earthy part is wiped off by a moist Bath and the laver of nature the watery part is taken away by a dry bath with the pleasant fire of generation And thus by a threefold washing and clensing the Dragon putting off his old scales ugly skin is renewed 51. The Philosophicall sublimation of Mercury is compleated in two things namely by removing things superfluous from it and by introducing things wanting the superfluities are the externall accidents which in the dark spheare of Saturne doe make cloudy ruddy Jupiter Separate therefore the blewnesse of Saturn coming up untill Iupiters purple star smile upon thee Add hereunto the sulphur of nature whose grain and leaven it hath in it selfe so much as sufficeth it but see that it be sufficient for other things also Multiply therefore that invisible Sulphur of the philosophers until the Virgins milk come forth and so the first gate is opened unto thee 52. The entrance of the Philosophers garden is kept by the Hesperian Dragon which being laid open a fountaine of the clearest water proceeding from a seaven fold spring floweth forth on every side the threshold wherein make the Dragon drink thrice the magicall number of Seven untill being drunk he put off his hideous garment may the divine powers of light-bringing Venus and horned Diana be propitious unto thee 53. Three kinds of most beautifull flowers are to be sought and may be found in the garden of the wise Damask-coloured Violets the milk-white Lilly and the purple and immortall flower of love Amaranthus Not far from that fountaine at the entrance fresh Violets do first salute thee which being
found in the whole practice of the Worke then the firme and justly weighed Motion of this Circle for it informeth the Philosophers Infant and inspireth Soul and Life into him 89. The Lawes of this Circles Motions are that it run about gently and by little and little and sparingly let forth it selfe lest that by making hast it fall from its measure and the Fire inherent overwhelmed with the Waters the Architect of the Work grow dull or also be extinguished that meat and drink be administred by turnes to the end there may be a better Digestion made and the best temperament of Humidum and Siccum for the indissoluble colligation of them both is the End and Scope of the Worke. Furthermore see that you add so much by Watering as shall be wanting in assation that Restauration may restore so much of the lost strength by corroborating as Evacuation hath taken away by debilitating 90. Digestion the last Circle Third Circle acteth with silent and insensible motion and therefore it is said by Philosophers that it is made in a secret furnace it decocteth the Nutriment received and converteth it into the Homogeneal parts of the body Moreover it is called Putrefaction because as meat is corrupted in the Stomack before it passe into Bloud and Similar parts so this operation breaketh the Aliment with a concocting and Stomack heat and in a manner makes it to putrefie that it may be the better Fixed and changed from a Mercuriall into a Sulphurous Nature Again it is called Inhumation because by it the Spirit is inhumated and as a dead man buried in the ground But because it goes most slowly it therefore needeth a longer time The two former Circles do labour especially in dissolving this in congealing although all of them work both 91. The Lawes of this Circle are that it be moved by the Feaverish and most gentle heat of Dung lest that the things volatile fly out and the Spirit be troubled at the time of its strictest Conjunction with the Body for then the businesse is perfected in the greatest tranquillity and ease therefore we must especially beware lest the Earth be moved by any Winds or Shewers Lastly as this third Circle may alwayes succeed the second straight-wayes and in its order as the second the first so by interrupted works by course those three erratick Circles id oe compleat one intire circulaton which often reiterated at length turnes all things into Earth and makes peace between enemies 92. Nature useth Fire so also The Fire of Nature and Art doth Art after its example as an Instrument and Mallet in cutting out its works In both operations therefore Fire is Master and Perfect Wherefore the knowledge of Fires is most necessary for a Philosopher without which as another Ixion condemn'd to labour in vaine he shall turne about Wheel of Nature to no purpose 93. The name Fire is Equivocall amongst Philosophers for sometimes it is used Metonymically for heat and so as many fires as heats In the Generation of Metals and Vegetables Nature acknowledgeth a three-fold Fire to wit Celestiall Terrestriall and Innate The First flowes from Sol as its Fountaine into the Bosome of the Earth it stirreth up Fumes or Mercuriall and Sulphurous vapours of which Metals are created and mixeth it selfe amongst them it stirreth up fire placed and snorting in the seeds of the Vegetables and addeth sparkles unto it as Spurres for vegetation The Second lurketh in the bowels of the Earth by the Impulse and action whereof the Subterraneous vapours are driven upwards through Pores and Pipes and thrust outwards from the Centre towards the Superficies of the Earth both for the composition of Metals where the Earth swelleth up as also for the production of Vegetables by putrefying their seeds by softning and preparing them for generation The third of the former viz. Solar is generated of a vappid smoak of Metals and also infused with the monthly provision grows together with the humid matter is retained as in a Prison within the strength of it or more truely as forme is conjoyned with the mixt body It firmely inhereth in the seeds of Vegetables untill being solicited by the point of its Fathers rayes it be called out then Motion intrinsecally moveth and informeth the matter and becomes the Plastes and Dispensator of the whole Mixture In the generation of Animals Celestiall Fire doth insensibly cooperate with the Animall for it is the first Agent in Nature but the heat of the Femella answereth Terrestriall heat untill it putrefie the Seed and prepare it The Fire implanted in the Seed Sol's son disposeth the matter and being disposed in formeth it 94. Philosophers have observed Threefold Fire of the Stone a three-fold Fire in the matter of their work Naturall not Naturall against Nature The Naturall they call the Fiery Celestiall Spirit Innate kept in the profundity of matter and most strictly bound unto it which by the sluggish strength of metall growes dull untill being stirred up and freed by the Philosophers discretion and externall heat it shall have obtained a faculty of moving its body dissolved and so it informeth its humid matter by explication Penetration Dilatation and congelation In every mixt body Naturall Fire is the Naturall Principle of Heat and Motion Unnaturall Fire they name that Vnnaturall which being called and coming extrinsecally is introduced into the matter wonderfull artificially that it may increase and multiply the strength of naturall heat The Fire contrary to Nature they call Against Nature that which putrefies the Compositum corrupteth the temperament of Nature It is imperfect because being too weak for generation it is not carried beyond the bounds of corruption such is the Fire or heat of the menstruum yet it hath the name improperly of Fire against Nature because in a manner it is according to Nature for salving the specifical form it so corrupteth the matter that it disposeth it for generation 95. It is more credible neverthelesse that the corrupting Fire called Fire against Nature is not different from the Innate but the first degree of it for the order of nature requireth that corruption precede generation the fire therefore that is innate agreeable to the Law of Nature performeth both by exciting both successively in the matter the first of corruption more gentle stirred up by feeble heat for to mollifie and prepare the body the other of generation more forcible moved by a more vehement heat for to animate and fully informe the Elementary body disposed by the former A double Motion doth therefore proceed from a double degree of heat of the same fire neither is it to be accounted a double Fire But far better may the Name of Fire contrary to Nature be given to violent and destructive Fire 96. Unnaturall fire is converted into Naturall or Innate Fire by successive degrees of Digestion and increaseth and multiplyeth it Now the whole secret consisteth in the multiplication
of Naturall Fire which of it selfe is not able to Work above its proper strength nor communicate a perfect Tincture to imperfect Bodies for it is sufficient to it selfe nor hath it any further power but being multiplyed by the unnaturall which most aboundeth with the virtue of multiplying doth act far more powerfully and reacheth it selfe beyond the bounds of Nature colouring strange and imperfect bodies and perfecting them because of its plentifull Tincture and the abstruse Treasure of multiplyed Fire 97. Philosophers call their The Water of the Stone is Fire Water Fire because it is most hot and indued with a Fiery Spirit againe Water is called Fire by them because it burneth the bodies of perfect Metals more than common fire doth for it perfectly dissolveth them whereas they resist our Fire and will not suffer themselves to be dissolved by it for this cause it is also called Burning Water Now that Fire of Tincture is hid in the belly of the Water and manifests it selfe by a double effect viz. of the bodies Solution and Multiplication 98. Nature useth a double Fire in Fire is twofold intrinsicall and extrinsicall the Work of generation Intrinsecall extrinsecall the former being placed in the seeds mixtures of things is hid in their Centre as a principle of Motion and Life doth move and quicken the body But the latter Extrinsecall whether it be poured down from Heaven or Earth raiseth the former as drowned with sleep and compels it to action for the vitall sparks implanted in the seeds stand in need of an externall mover that they may be moved and actuate 99. It is even so in the Philosophers worke for the matter of the Stone possesseth his Interiour Fire which partly Innate partly also is added by the Philosophers Art for those two are united and come inward together because they are homogeneous the internall standeth in need of the externall which the Philosopher administreth according to the Precepts of Art and Nature this compelleth the former to move These Fires are as two Wheels whereof the hidden one being smitten of the sensible one it is moved sooner or later And thus Art helpeth Nature 100. The Internall Fire is the middle between the mover and the matter whence it is that as it is moved by that it moveth thus if so be it shall be driven intensly or remisly it will work after the same manner in the matter The Information of the whole worke dependeth of the measure of externall Fire 101. He that is ignorant of the degrees and points of externall Fire let him not set upon the Philosophicall Worke for he will never pull light out of darknesse unlesse the heats passe through their mediums like the Elements whose extreams are not converted but onely by mediums 102. Because the whole work Foure degrees of Fire consisteth in Separation and perfect Preparation of the foure Elements therefore so many degrees of Fire are necessary thereunto for every Element is extracted by the degree of Fire proper to it 103. The foure degrees of Fire are called the Fire of the Bath of Ashes of Coales and of Flame which is also called Optetick every degree hath its points two at least sometimes three for the Fire is to be moved slowly and by points whether it be increased or decreased that Matter after Natures example may goe on by degrees and willingly unto Information and completion for nothing is so strange to Nature as that which is violent Let the Philosopher propound to his consideration the gentle accesse recesse of the Sun whose Light Lamp indulgeth its heat to the things of the world according to the times and Lawes of the Universe and so bestoweth a temperament upon them 104. The first point of the The point of Fire Bath of heat is called the heat of a Feaver or of Dung the second of both simply The first point of the second degree is the simple heat of Ashes the second is the heat of Sand Now the points of Fire of Coales and Flame want a proper Name but they are distinguished by the operation of the Intellect according to intention and remission 105. Three degrees onely of Fire are sometimes found amongst Philosophers viz. of the Bath of Ashes and the hot Bath which comprehendeth the Fire of Coals and Flame the Fire of Dung is sometimes distinguished from the Fire of the Bath in degree Thus for the most part Authors doe involve the light in darknesse by the various expressions of the Philosophers Fire for the knowledge therof is accounted amongst their chief secrets 106. In the White Work because Four Elements of the Stone three Elements onely are extracted three degrees of Fire also do suffice the last to wit the Optetick is reserved for the fourth Element which finisheth the Red Work By the first degree the eclipse of Sol and Luna is made by the second the light of Luna begins to be restored by the third Luna attaineth unto the fulnesse of her splendour and by the fourth Sol is exalted into the highest apex of his glory Now in every part the Fire is administred acccording to the rules of Geometry so as the Agent may answer to the disposition of the Patient and their strength be equally poised betwixt themselves 107. Philosophers have very much set upon their Fire with a desire of Secrecy so as they scarce have been bold to touch it but shew it rather by a description of its qualities and proprieties then by its name as that it is airie Fire vaporous humid and dry clear star-like because it may easily by degrees be intended or remitted as the Artificer pleaseth Hee that desireth more of the knowledge of Fire may be satisfied by the Works of Lullius who hath opened the Secrets of Practice to candid minds candidly 108. Of the conflict of the Eagle Proportion and the Lion they write diversly because the Lion is the strongest animall of all others and therefore it is necessary that more Eagles concur three at least or else more even to ten to conquer him the fewer they are the greater the contention and the slower the Victory but the more Eagles the shorter the Battaile and the direption of the Lyon will more readily follow The happyer number of seven Eagles may be taken out of Lullius or of nine out of Senior 109. The Vessell wherein Philosophers The Vessels of Nature and Art decoct their worke is twofold the one of Nature the other of Art the Vessell of Nature which is also called the Vessel of Philosophy is the Earth of the Stone or the Femella or Matrix whereinto the Seed of the Male is received it putrefies and is prepared for generation the Vessell of Nature is of three sorts for the secret is decocted in a threefold Vessell 110. The First Vessell is made of a transparent Stone or of stony Glasse the forme thereof some Philosophers have hid by a certain Enigmaticall
description sometimes affirming that it is compounded of two peeces to wit an Alembick and a Bolts-head sometimes of three othertimes of the two former with the addition of a Cover 111. Many have feigned the multiplying of such like Vessels to be necessary to the Philosophicall Work calling them by divers names with a desire of hiding the secret by a diversity of operations for they called it Solutory of solution Putrefactory for putrefaction Distillatory for distillation Sublimatory for sublimation Calcinatory for calcination c. 112. But that all deceit being removed we may speak sincerely one onely Vessell of Art sufficeth to terminate the Worke of either Sulphur and another for the Work of the Elixir for the diversity of digestions requireth not the change of Vessels yea we must have a care lest the Vessell be changed or opened before the First work be ended 113. You shall make choise of a forme of the glassy Vessell round in the bottom or cucurbit or at least ovall the neck an hand breadth long or more large enough with a straight mouth made like a Pitcher or Jugg continued uncutt and thick in every part that it may resist a long and sometimes an acute Fire The cucurbit or Bolts head is called blind because its eye is blinded with the Hermetick seal lest any thing from without should enter in or the Spirit steal out 114. The second Vessell of Art may be of Wood of the trunk of an Oake cut into two hollow Hemisphears wherein the Philosophers Egge may be cherished till it be hatched of which see the Fountaine of Trevisanus 115. The third Vessell Practitioners have called their Furnace which keeps the other Vessels with the matter and the whole work this also Philosophers have endeavoured to hide amongst their secrets 116. The Furnace which is the The Furnace Keeper of Secrets is called Athanor from the immortall Fire which it alwayes preserveth for although it afford unto the Work continuall Fire yet sometimes unequally which reason requireth to be administred more or lesse according to the quantity of matter and the capacity of the Furnace 117. The matter of the Furnace is made of Brick or of fatt Earth or of Potters clay well beaten and prepared with horse dung mixed with haire that it may stick the faster and may not be chincked by long heat let the walls be thick of three or foure fingers to the end that it may be the better able to keep in the heat and withstand it 118. Let the form of the Furnace be round the inward altitude of two feet or thereabouts in the midst whereof an Iron or Brazen plate must be set of a round Figure about the thicknesse of a Penknife's back in a manner possessing the interiour latitude of the Furnace but a little narrower then it lest it touch the walls which must leane upon three or foure props of Iron fixed to the walls and let it be full of holes that the heat may be the more easily carried upwards by them and between the sides of the Furnace and the Plate Below the Plate let there be a little door left and another above in the walls of the Furnace that by the lower the Fire may be put in and by the higher the temperament of the heat may be sensibly perceived at the opposite part whereof let there be a little window of the Figure of a Romboides fortifyed with glasse that the light over-against it may shew the colours to the eye Upon the middle of the foresaid plate let the Tripode of secrets be placed with a double Vessel Lastly let the Furnace be very well covered with a shell or covering agreeable unto it and that alwayes the little doores closely shut lest the heat go out 119. Thus thou hast all things necessary to the first Work the end whereof is the generation of two sorts of Sulphur the composition and perfection of both may be thus finished â„ž Take a Red Dragon couragious The practice of Sulphur warlike to whom no Naturall strength is wanting and afterwards seven or nine noble Eagles Virgins whose eyes will not wax dull by the rayes of the Sun cast the Birds with the Beast into a clear Prison and strongly shut up under which let a Bath be placed that they may be incensed to fight by the warm vapour in a short time they will enter into a long and harsh contention untill at length about the 45 day or 50. the Eagles begin to prey upon and teare the beast to pieces this dying it will infect the whole Prison with its black and direfull poyson whereby the Eagles being wounded they will also be constrained to give up the ghost From the putrefaction of the dead Carcasses a Crow will be generated which by little and little putting forth its head and the Bath being somewhat increased it will forthwith stretch forth its wings and begin to fly but seeking chincks from the Winds and Clouds it will long hover about take heed that it find not any At length being made white by a gentle and long Raine and with the dew of Heaven it will be changed into a White Swan but the new borne Crow is a sign of the departed Dragon In making the Crow White extract the Elements and distill them according to the order prescribed untill they be fixed in their Earth and end in Snow-like and most subtile dust which being finished thou shalt enjoy thy first desire to the White Worke. 120. If thou intendest to proceed further to the Red adde the Element of Fire which is wanting to the White Work the Vessell therefore being fixed and the Fire strengthned by little and little through its points force the matter untill the occult begin to be made manifest the signe whereof will be the Orange colour arising order the Fire of the Fourth degree by its points untill by the helpe of Vulcan purple Roses be generated of the Lilly and lastly the Amaranthus dyed with the darkish Rednesse of bloud but thou mayest not cease to bring out Fire by Fire untill thou shalt behold the matter terminated in Reddest ashes and insensible to the touch This Red Stone may reare up thy minde to greater things by the blessing and assistance of the holy Trinity 121. They that thinke they have brought their worke to an end by perfect Sulphur not knowing Nature or Art and to have fulfilled the Precepts of the secret are much deceived and will try their Project in vaine for the Praxis of the Stone is perfected by a double Worke the First is in creating the Sulphur the other in making the Elixir 122. The Philosophers Sulphur is most subtile Earth most hot and dry in the belly whereof the Fire of Nature abundantly multiplyed is hidden Moreover Fire deserveth the name of the Stone for it hath in it selfe the virtue of opening and penetrating the bodies of Metals and of turning them into their own temperament and producing something like it selfe
wherefore it is called a Father and Masculine seed 123. That we may leave nothing untouched let the Students in Philosophy know that from that first Sulphur a second is generated which may be multiplyed in infinitum let the wise man after he hath got the everlasting minerall of that Heavenly Fire keep it diligently Now of what matter Sulphur is generated of the same it is multiplyed a small portion of the first being added yet as in the Ballance The rest may a freshman see in Lullius this may suffice onely to point at it 124. The Elixir is compounded of a threefold matter namely of Metallick Water or Mercury sublimated as before of Leaven White or Red according to the intention of the Operator and of the Second Sulphur all in Weight 125. There are Five proper Composition of the Elixir and necessary qualities in the perfect Elixir that it be fusile permanent penetrating colouring and multiplying it borroweth its tincture and fixation from the Leaven its penetration from the Sulphur its fusion from Argent vive which is the medium of conjoyning Tinctures to wit of the Ferment and Sulphur and its multiplicative virtue from the Spirit infused into the Quintessence 126. Two perfect Metalls give a perfect Tincture because they are dyed with the pure Sulphur of Nature and therefore no Ferment of Metals may be sought besides these two bodies dye thy Elixir White and Red with Sol and Luna Mercury first of all receives their Tincture and having received it doth communicate it to others 127. In compounding the Elixir take heed you change not or mixe any thing with the Ferments for either Elixir must have its proper Ferment and desireth its proper Elements for it is provided by Nature that the two Luminaries have their different Sulphur and distinct tinctures 128. The Second work is concocted as the First in the same or like Vessell the same Furnace and by the same degrees of fire but is perfected in a shorter time 129. There are three humours Three humours in the Stone in the Stone which are to be extracted successively namely Watery Airy and Radicall and therfore all the labour and care of the Workman is employed about the humour neither is any other Element in the Worke of the Stone circulated besides the humid one For it is necessary in the first place that the Earth be resolved and melted into humour Now the Radicall humour of all things accounted Fire is most tenacious because it is tyed to the Centre of Nature from which it is not easily separated extract therefore those three humours slowly successively dissolving and congealing them by their Wheels for by the multiplyed alterne reiteration of Solution and congelation the Wheel is extended and the whole work finished 130. The Elixir's perfection consisteth in the strict Union and indissoluble Matrimony of Siccum and Humidum so that they may not be separated but the Siccum may flow with moderate heat into the Humidum abiding every pressure of Fire The signe of perfection is if a very little of it cast in above the Iron or Brazen Plate being very hot it flow forthwith without smoake 131. â„ž Let three weights of Red Earth or Red Earth or Red Ferment and a double weight of Water and Aire well beaten be mixt together let an Amalgama be made like Butter or Metalline Paste so as the Earth being mollifyed may be insensible to the touch Add one weight and an halfe of Fire Let these be ordered in their Vessell the Fire of the first degree being most closely sealed afterwards let the Elements be extracted out of their degrees of Fire in their order which being turned downwards with a gentle motion they may be fixed in their Earth so as nothing volatile may be raised up from thence the matter at length shall be terminated in a Rock Illuminated Red and Diaphanous a part whereof take at pleasure and having cast it into a Crucible with a little Fire by drops give it to drink with its Red Oyle and incere it untill it be quite poured out and goe away without smoake Nor mayst thou feare its flight for the Earth being mollifyed with the sweetnesse of the Potion will stay it having received it within its bowels then take the Elixir thus perfected into thine owne power and keep it carefully In God rejoyce and be silent 132. The order and method of composing perfecting the white Elixir is the same so that thou usest the white Elements onely in the composition thereof but the body of it brought to the terme of decoction will end in the plate white splendid and crystall-like which incerated with its White Oyle will obtaine the help of Fusion Cast one weight of either Elixir upon ten weights of Argent vive well washed and thou wilt admire its effect with astonishment 133. Because in the Elixir the Multiplication of the Elixir strength of Naturall Fire is most aboundantly multiplyed by the Spirit infused into the Quintessence and the naughty accidents of bodies which beset their purity and the true light of Nature with darknesse are taken away by long and manifold sublimations and digestions therefore Fiery Nature freed from its Fetters and fortifyed with the aid of Heavenly strength workes most powerfully being included in this our fift Element Let it not therefore be a wonder if it obtaine strength not onely to perfect imperfect things but also to multiply its force and power Now the Fountaine of Multiplication is in the Prince of the Luminaries who by the infinite multiplication of his beams begetteth all things in this our Orbe and multiplyeth things generated by infusing a multiplicative virtue into the seeds of things 134. The way of multiplying the Elixir is threefold By the first â„ž Mingle one weight of Red Elixir with nine weights of its Red Water and dissolve it into Water in a solutory Vessell curdle the matter well dissolved and unite by decocting it with a gentle Fire untill it be made strong into a Rubie or Red Lamell which afterwards incere with its Red Oyle after the manner prescribed untill it flow so shalt thou have a medicine ten times more powerfull then the first The businesse is easily finished in a short time 135. By the Second manner The Practice of Multiplication â„ž what Potion thou pleasest of thy Elixlr mixed with its Water the weights being observed seale it very well in the Vessell of Reduction dissolve it in a Bath by inhumation being dissolved distill it Separating the Elements by their proper fires and fixing them downwards as was done in the first and second work untill it be a Stone lastly incere it and project it This is the longer but yet the richer way for the virtue of the Elixir is increased unto an hundred fold for by how much the more subtile it is made by reiterated operations by so much more both of superiour and inferiour strength it retaineth more powerfully operates 136. Lastly