of fire being converted into green or blew glass out of which some have extracted gold by common Aqua regis but without profit for the costs that have been expended have exceeded the price of the gold that hath been brought forth are to be preferred before others that have not undergone so great a force of fire But there be some that do affirm that a true tincture may be made out of that dross transmuting imperfect metals into gold but this I leave as being not experienced therein treating only of those things which experience hath taught me giving my testimony of the treasure that lies in iron which you cannot draw forth from thence by the separation of Antimony of which above so easie or by other wayes and mediums expecting your self the stronger so as to be the victor taking away the spoyle thereof for there is no one that shall not at some time finde himself the stronger so as to be able to dispense to that as he hath been dispensed to by others That old Saturne of a most vile aspect is the highest in the firmament and can do many things in metallicks without which we can do nothing that is of any moment wherefore deservedly is he to be honored above the rest But this separation may be practised not only about the abjected dross of metals but also about metals themselves if they may be procured at an easie rate as now in the time of war where in the space of thirty yeers such abundance of copper and tin hath been transported from elsewhere into great cities and sold of a low rate that the owners thereof have been coâ—â—ained to transport it with their ships to other places Now if any one had known this separation might not he have got great riches from thence as well as by the culture of the mines and withall reserve the metals and being preserved in separation to dispose of them for metallick uses viz. Ecclesiastical and martial as for the making of bels and guns by which means the greater part might have been keept in his own country which otherwise must be carryed into other Provinces with great loss by reason of the want of those that are skilled in metallick affaires But no wonder that so little is now done in Alchymy seeing most Chymists have no knowledge of metals which being wanting the Chymist is also wanting whether learned as unlearned for this knowledge is not got in the universities consisting in a profound speculation and daily practise Formerly amongst the Chaldeans Persians Arabians and Egyptians arts were more honoured then now amongst Christians choosing a magistrate out from amongst the wise men whose Kings brought up their sons in Philosophy Chymistry especially was very famous amongst the Egyptians by which they did get wealth and great riches so that Diocletianus the Emperour could not overcome them till he had burnt all their books In which time arts were had in great esteem as it appears by that annual salary of Alexander the great which he gave to Aristotle viz. four hundred and eighty thousand crowns by those 3000 associates which he joyned to him for the searching out of nature But now Thrasoes Sycophants and Morions wise men being neglected are honored whence this present calamity of so many countries and cities c. In brief arts and sciences are now so rare as is snow in hotter countries in the middle of summer For pride doth not permit honest tutoring and education seeking nothing but wealth and riches which if any one have he is honoured without respect of his worth and vertues Some have perswaded themselves that it derogates from their honour to bread up their sons in honest arts being content with a patrimony for the conservation of their condition But it often appears how a patrimony sufficeth when riches and wealth that have been ill gotten are taken away by some mishap at sea and land are for then they stand like butter against the sun when their riches is lost nothing remaines for the support of their lives who therefore are not in a little danger I wish the time would once hasten when vertues shall be embraced in stead of vices and children shall be educated in good arts for then so many calamities would not abound in the world nor spoiles or man-slaughters but men would live in peace and get their bread with the sweat of their brows without wronging their neighbour And this thou hast heard concerning the remaining honest mediums that conduce to the honest maintenance of a family without usury or fraud or the violence of the sword For those things which have been gotten by fraud and deceit or by war do for the most part perish as being contrary to the Scripture and the good of our neighbor It is better therefore to leave to every one his own and to get in the sweat of the brows according to the will of God an honest living that which may well be done by the way that I have now demonstrated although hitherto no profit hath come to me from these most secret arts for certain causes neither God willing shall I hope that hereafter there will yet I am contented with the knowledge of nature In the interim I hope I shall once again by the blessing of God see my most desired country where I may be able to labour and maintaine my houshold affaires honestly and then indeed I shall be able to set forth and publish something more and that more boldly For I am resolved to write a book the like to which was never seen very profitable for many men for the sustaining of life For as a woman with child desires nothing more then to be freed of her burden so also I that I may as a divine instrument be helpful to my neighbour according to the talent that God hath trusted me withal Now I lack nothing so much as time For every wise man may easily conjecture what great paines I have been at I will not say costs in this place where all things are most dear in searching out the secrets of nature only setting aside greater labours I will say yet one thing more and that sincerely I am consumed by serving others If I were given to covetousness I would practise but only one secret which I knew long since and I could thereby get great riches that which I will not do for my genius hath not suffered me to exercise things that are perfectly found out or any mechanick art like an ass that daylie carries hither and thither so many sacks but would that one secret being found out I should finde out another and indeed from another secret being found out already for alwayes one opens the gate to another That which hitherto I have done without ceasing and without any consideration of costs or labour for the good of my neighbour neither shall I cease God permiting until I come unto my desired way In the mean while I am resolved to serve
in which when they are stopt you may take them with a paire of Tongs stir them and cleanse them from the burnt water and then again put them into their own places wherefore also the Furnace must on the fore part be open under the grate that you may the better order the grate Also the grate must have above a covering of Iron or Stone with a hole in the midle thereof with a certain distinction which is to be filled with sand that the cover may the better and more fitly shut the hole and prevent the exhaling of the spirits which by this means will being forced go forth thorow the Pipe into the receivers after you have cast in the water which is to be distilled Of the Receivers Let the receivers be made of glass or of strong earth which may retain the spirits and such is Waldburgick Hassiack Frechheimensian Siburgic earth c. They are better that are made of glass if they are to be had and those especially which are made of strong and firme glass which may be smoothed about the joynts with a Smiris stone and so fitted that they may the better be joyned together and then they need not laving but how they shall be smoothed with the Smiris stone and be fitted shall be taught in the fifth part which treates of Manuals because by this means they are joyned so close that no spirits can go through the joynts otherwise you must close the joynts with the best lute such as will not let the spirits exhale which shall be taught in the book treating of Manuals The form of the recipient you may see in the delineation thereof As for the quantity thereof know that by how much the greater they are so much the better they are for then you need the fewer but the more by how much the lesser they are Let the superior orifice be larger then the inferior so that alwayes another receiver may with its inferior orifice be joyned to it and let the inferior orifice have a Diameter of three fingers breadth or thereabouts I mean in case the Diameter of the Furnace be of one span For a greater Furnace requires greater holes as also orifices of the receivers by which means a sufficient and due proportion of aire may be given to the fire or if the Diameter of the furnace be more then a span it must also have two or three pipes which being considered together should have a wideness answering the wideness of the third part of the Furnace for so great a wideness and so much aire is required if the fire burn freely and do its office to which vessels of the aforesaid proportion must be applyed that the fire be not choaked Now the figure that is annexed will teach the conjunction of the receivers as also their application to the furnace And in the first place the receiver stands in a threefoot stoole bored thorow in the middle that the neck of the first receiver may pass thorow to which is applyed a dish with a pipe receiving the dropping spirits To the first there is joyned a second and to that a third and so consequently viz. neer unto a wall or ladder so many as you please Let the upper receiver and indeed all the rest be left open To the lower as hath been said is joyned a dish with a pipe by which the distilled spirits run down into another certain glass vessel added thereunto which being filled is taken away and another is set in the place of it because that is set under it without luting and therefore may easily be changed And if you please to distil any thing else you must take away that dish with a pipe and make it clean and then joyn it close again that no spirit may breath forth to the work of the lower receiver And if that dish cannot be so closely joyned that nothing exhale pour in a spoonful of water for that doth astringe neither doth it hurt the spirits because in the rectifying it is separated Of Subliming vessels These you need not make of glass or of such earth as may retain the spirits as hath been above mentioned it is sufficient if so be they be made of good common potters earth and be well glazed within viz. of such a form and figure as appears by the annexed delineation Yet you must choose good earth that will endure the fire for the lower pots are so heated by the fire that they would be broken if they should not be made of good earth Now I will shew you in general the manner it self of distiling as also the manual necessaries in every distillation The manner of distilling In the first place let there be some burning coales put in which afterwards must be covered with more until the Furnace be full almost to the pipe which being done let not the uppermost cover be laid over its hole that the heat and smoke may pass that way and not thorow the pipe and receivers which will thereby be red hot and this will be a hindâ—ance to the distillation untill the fire be sufficiently kindled and the furnace be throughly hot then cast in with an Iron ladle of the water prepared for distillation as much as will cover the coales which being done stop the furnace very close by pressing down strongly the upper cover upon its hole or sand which is put in the lower part of the hole being a place made for that purpose Now let him that casts in any thing thorow the middle hole presently stop it with a stopple of stone and that very close for by this means all those things which were cast in will be forced after the manner of a thick cloud to break forth through the pipe into the receivers and there to condense themselves into an acid spirit or oyle and thence to distil into the dish set under through the pipe whereof they do yet distil down further into an other glass receiver The Coales being burnt out and all the spirits being come forth you must cast in more Coales and more materials untill you have got a sufficient quantity of Spirits In this way of distilling you may at your pleasure cease and begin again without any danger When you will make clean the Furnace you need do nothing else then draw out the Iron bars that ly on the cross bar that the Caput Mortuum may fall down which afterwards may be taken away with a fire shovel which being done you must put in the bars again and â—ay them on the cross bars as before upon which you must cast burning coals and upon them others until there be enough then on them all being well kindled cast your materials When you go to make clean the receivers and to begin to distil an other thing you need not remove them but only pour pure water into them viz. by their upper receiver by the descending whereof the other are purified And by this way not only out of vegetables
from it by the power of rectification so well as with lapis calaminaris This spirit doth perform many things in medicine as in Alchymie as also in other arts as you may easily conjecture but here is not opportunity to speak more of these things yet for the sake of the sick I shall add one thing to which few things are to be compared the plaine and short process whereof I would not have thee be offended at And it is this viz. Mix this spirit with the best rectified spirit of wine digest this mixture somewhile and the spirit of salt will separate the spirit of wine and will make the oyle of wine swim on the top the volatile salt being mortified and this oyle is a most incomparable cordial especially if with the said spirit of wine spices have first been extracted and with the said spirit of salt gold hath been dissolved For then in the digestion of this mixture the oyle of wine being separated attracts the essence of the cordial species and of other vegetables being extracted before with the spirit of wine as also the tincture of gold and so by consequence a most efficacious imcomparable and universal medicine for all diseases fortifying the Humidum radicale that it way be able to overcome its enemies for which let praise and glory be given to the immortall God for ever who hath revealed to us so great secrets Of the extrinsecal use of the spirit of salt in the kitchen I Said before that in stead of vinegar and verjuice it may be used as also in stead of the juice of Limons now it remains that I shew you how it is to be used and that indeed as wil for the sake of the healthy as the sick Let him therefore that will dress a pullet pigeons veale c. in the first place put a sufficient quantity of spices of water and butter and then as he pleaseth a greater or lesser quantity of spirit of salt and by this means fleshes are sooner made ready being boyled then that common way an old hen though the flesh thereof be old is made as tender as a chicken by the addition of this spirit but he that will use it in stead of the juice of Limons with rost meat must put into it the pill of limons for preservation sake because it preserves it It is used in stead of verjuice by it self alone or mixed with a little sugar if it be too acid He that will stew beef and make it as tender as kid must first dissolve it in tartar and a little salt before he wets the flesh therewith and the flesh will not only be preserved but made tender thereby but to keep flesh a long time you must mix some water therewith and with weights press down the flesh that it may be covered with the pickle for by this means flesh may be preserved a great while After the same manner may all kinds of garden fruits be preserved as cucumbers purslaine fennel broom German capers c. and indeed better then in vinegar Also flowers and hearbs may a long while be preserved by the help thereof so that you may have a rose all the winter It preserves also wine if a little be mixed therewith A little thereof being mixed with milk precipitates the cheese which if it be rightly made is never corrupted being like to such cheese as they call Parmesan The whey of that milke dissolves Iron and cures any scab being washed therewith With the help of spirit of salt is made with honey and sugar a most pleasant drink not unlike to wine There is made also of certain fruits with the spirit of salt a very good vinegar like to the Rhenish vinegar Such and many more things which I wil not now divulge may be done with spirit of salt And thus have I in some measure taught the use of the spirit of salt which I would not have you take as if I had revealed all things for for brevities sake as also for some other reasons I have silently passed over many things Neither do I know all things my self but those things which I do know I have so far declared that others may from thence have hints of seeking further He that would describe all every power vertue thereof had need to write a whole volume that which is not my purpose at this time to do but may prehaps be done another time There shall also be shewed in the second part of this book some secrets which may be prepared by the help of this spirit as how it may be dulcified to extract the tincture of gold and of other metals leaving a white body which tincture is a medicine not to be slighted Wherefore now seeing it is manifest how great things this spirit can do every one will desire a good quantity for his houshold uses especially seeing most excellent spirits may be made after an easie and short way How an acid spirit or vinegar may be distilled out of all vegetables as hearbs woods roots seeds c. FIrst put a few living coals into the furnace then put upon them the wood that is to be distilled that it may be burnt out of which whilest it is burning goes forth the acid spirit thereof into the receiver where being condensed it fals down into another receiver resembling almost common vinegar in its smell wherefore also it is called the vinegar of woods And after this manner you may draw forth an acid spirit out of any wood or vegetable and that in a great quantity without costs because the wood to be distilled is put but upon a very few living coals and upon that another for one kindles the other and this spirit requires no more charges then of the wood to be distilled which is a great difference betwixt this and the common way of distilling where besides retorts is required another fire and out of a great retort scarce a pound of spirit is drawn in the space of five or six hours whereas in ours in the space of one day and that without any cost or labor may be extracted twenty or thirty pound because the wood is immediately to be cast into the fire to be distilled and that not in pieces but whole Now this spirit being rectified may commodiously be used in divers Chymical operations for it doth easily dissolve animal stones as the eyes of Crabs the stones of Perches and Carps Corals also and Pearle c. as doth vinegar of wine By means thereof also are dissolved the glasses of metals as of tin lead Antimony and are extracted and reduced into sweet oyles This vinegar being taken inwardly of it self doth cause sweat wonderfully wherefore it is good in many diseases especially that which is made of Oake Box Guaiacum Juniper and other heavy woods for by how much the heavier the woods are by so much the more acid spirit do they yeeld Being used outwardly it mundifies ulcers wounds consolidates extinguisheth and mitigates
inflammations caused by fire cures the scab but especially the decoction being made of its own wood in the same Being mixed with warm water for a bath for the lower part of the body it cures occult diseases of women as also malignant ulcers of the leggs This spirit therefore deserves some place in the shops i. e. it is unjustly rejected in the shops seeing it is easie to be made In distilling of wormwood and other vegetables there remaines in the bottome of the furnace ashes which being extracted with warme water yeelds a salt by decoction which being again dissolved in its own spirit or vinegar and filtred doth by the evaporating of flegme being placed in a cold place pass into a Crystalline salt which is of a pleasant tast not like unto a lixivium nor unto other salts that are dissolved in aire This salt is also more efficacious being reduced into Crystals by its proper Spirit then that which is made by the help of sulphur or Aqua fortis and oyle of Vitrioll and otherwayes which Chymists and Apothecaries use The spirit of paper and linen cloth PEices of linen cloth gathered and got from Sempsters being cast into the furnace upon living coales yeeld a most acid spirit which tingeth the nailes skin and hair with a yellow colour restores members destroyed with cold is good in a gangrene and erysipelas if linen clothes wet in the same be applyed thereto c. The same doth spirit made of paper viz. of the peices thereof The spirit of Silk AFter the same manner is there a spirit made of pieces of silke which is not so sharpe as that which is made of linnen and paper neither doth it tinge the skin but is most excellent in wounds as wel old as green and it makes the skin beautiful The spirit of mans haire and of other animals as also of horns OUt of horns also and hair is made a spirit but most fetid wherefore it is not so useful although otherwise it may serve for divers arts being rectified it becomes clear and to be of the odour of the spirit of urine It dissolves common sulphur and yeelds a water that cures the scab in a very short time Now for this business shreds of woollen cloth undyed may serve being cast in a good quantity into the furnace Pieces of cloth dipt in this spirit and hanged in vinyards and fields keep out Deer and Swine from coming in because they are afraid of the smell of that spirit as of a huntsman that waits to catch them The spirit of vinegar honey and sugar HE that will distill liquid things must cast red-hot coals into them as for example into vinegar in the furnace or if it be honey or sugar let them first be dissolved in water by which means they will be drunk up by the coales which being therewith impregnated must afterwards at several times be cast into the furnace and be burnt and whilest the coals are burning that which is incombustible comes forth And by this means you may distill liquid things in a great â—uantity Vinegar which is distilled this way is of the same nature as that which is distilled in close vessels But honey and sugar that are distilled after this manner are a little altered and acquire other vertues but how they shall be distilled without the loss of their volatile spirit shall be taught in the second part Also after this manner may all liquid things being drunk up by living coales be distilled Of the use of distilled vinegar many things might be said but because the books of all the Chymists treat abundantly thereof I account it needless to repeat what they have writ Yet this is worth taking notice of that the sharpest vinegar hath a great affinity with some metals which may be extractby the help thereof also dissolved and reduced into medicaments yea many things may be made with the help thereof as the books of all the Chymists testifie But there is yet another vinegar of which there is often mention made in the books of the Philosophers by the help whereof many wonderful things are performed in the solutions of metals the name whereof the ancients have been silent in of which I do not here treat because it cannot be made by this furnace but I shall treat of it in another part yet so that I incur not the curse of the Philosophers How spirits may be made out of the salt of tartar vitriolated tartar the spirit of salt tartarizated and of other such like fixed salts AS many Chymists as there hath been almost all have been of the opinion that a spirit cannot be drawn out of salt of tartar and other fixed salts For experience hath taught that by retort little or no spirit can be drawn from thence as I had often experience of before the invention of this furnace the reason of which thing was the admixtion of sand earth bole pouder of tiles c. for to prevent the flowing of salt of tartar being by this means dispersed But this is done through the ignorance of Authors who have been ignorant of the properties of salt of tartar For a stony matter as sand flint bole c. being mixed with salt of tartar feeling the heat of the fire and being made red with the same is joyned to it most closely so as no spirit can be drawn from thence but become a most hard stone For sand and such things that are like to it have so great an affinity with the salt of tartar that being once united can scarce ever be separated Yet it may be made by Art by the addition of pure sand or flint because the whole substance of the salt of tartar may be turned into a spirit in the space of one or two hours as shall be taught in the second part and it excels all other medicaments in vertue in curing the stone and gout And if by the regiment of art there be left any Caput Mortuum in that distillation it hath being dissolved in the aire a power to putrefie metals being prepared and mixed with it in the space of few hours so as to make them become black and to grow up like trees with their roots trunks boughs which by how much the longer they are so left become the better Of calx of lead being subtilized and of salt of tartar may be made a spiritus gradatorius of wonderful vertues as well in medicine as Alchymie There is made of the Caput Mortuum per deliquium a green liquor which doth wonderful things whence it is proved That Saturne is not the lowest of the planets Enough to the wise And so is Lac Virginis and the Philosophical Sanguis Draconis made SOmetimes there is found a certain earth or bole which hath no affinity with tartar which being mixed with salt of tartar yeelds a spirit but very little But in this furnace may all fixed things be elevated because the Species not being included in it but
water and proceed as before stirring it often untill that also come to be green this must be repeated so often until no water more will be coloured by standing upon Then let all the green waters which you poured off run through filtring paper for to purifie them and then in a glass-body cut off short let them evaporate till a skin appear at the top then set it in a cold place and there will shoote little green stones which are nothing else but a pure vitriol the remaining green water evaporate again and let it shoote as before and this evaporating and Crystallising must be continued untill no vitriol more will shoote but in warm aud cold places there remaine still a deep green pleasant sweet liquor or juyce which is the true sweet and green oyle of Vitriol and hath all the vertues above related But now this green oyle further without fire may at last after the preparing of many fair colours between be reduced to a blood red sweet and pleasant oyle which goeth far beyond the green both in pleasantness and vertue and is in comparison to it like a ripe grape to an unripe Hereof happily shall be spoken at another time because occasion and time will not permit me now to proceed further in it And therefore the Philo-Chymical Reader is desired for the present to be contented with the green oyle to prepare it carefully and to use it with discretion and doubtless he will get more credit by it and do more wonderfull things then hitherto hath been done by the heavy corrosive oyle The use and Dose of the sweet oyle of Vitriol OF this green oyle there may be taken from 1. 2. 4. 8. to 10. or 12. drops at once according to the condition of the patient and the disease in fit Vehicles in Wine or Beer in the morning fasting as other medicines are usually taken Also the Dose may be increased or lessened and as often reiterated as the disease shall require it This Oyle expelleth all ill humors not only by stoole and vomits but also by urine and sweating according as it doth meet with superfluities and this very safely and without any danger at all whereby many diseases radically or perfectly can be cured Let no man wonder that I ascribe such great vertues unto this oyle it coming from such a despicable stone and its preparaâ—ion requiring no great Art or paynes as those intricate deceitful processes do that are every where extant in books quite filled up with them And it is no marvel that men are in love with such false and costly processes for the most of them do not believe that any good is to be found in things that are not in esteeme but onely make great account of deer things far fetcht and requiring much time and paines for to be prepared Such men do not beleeve the word of God testifying That God is no respecter of persons but that all men that fear and love him are accepted of him If this be true which no good Christian will doubt then we must beleeve also that God created Physick or the matter of Physick as well for the poor as for the rich Now if it be also for the poor then certainly such will be the condition thereof that it may be obtained by them and easily prepared for use So we see that Almighty God causeth not oneâ—y in great mens grounds to come forth good vegetables Animals and Minerals for the curing of the infirmities of mankinde but that the same also are found every where else Whereby we perceive that it is also the will of God that they shall be known by all men and that he alone as the Maker of all good may be praised and magnified by all men for the same I doubt not but that there will be found self-conceited scoffers that will despise this so little regarded subject as if no good thing could be made of it because they could finde nothing in it themselves But be it known to them that neither to me nor them all things have been discovered but that yet many wonderful works of Nature are hidden to us and besides that I am not the first that writ of Vitriol and its medicine For the Ancients our dear Ancestors had alwayes Vitriol in very great esteem as the following Verse doth prove Visitabis Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem Veram Medicinam Whereby they would give us to understand that a true medicine is to be found in it And the same also was known to the latter Philosophers for Basilius and Paracelsus have alwayes highly commended it as in their writings is to be found It is to be admired that this Oare or Metallical seed which may justly be called the gold of the Physitians in regard that so good a medicine can be made of it is not changed or altered in the earth like other things that grow in it but keepeth alwayes the same form and shape untill it cometh to the aire which is its earth or ground wherein it putrefieth groweth For first it swelleth and groweth like as a vegetable seed doth in the earth and so taketh its increase grows out of theaire just as a seed of an hearb in the earth and the earth is noâ— only its Matrix wherein it groweth and doth increase like a vegetable but it is also its Sun which maketh it ripe For within four weeks at the furthest it putrefieth and groweth black and about a fourtnight after it groweth white and then green and thus far it hath been described here But if you proceed further Philosopher-like therewith there will come forth to light at the last the fairest red and most pleasant Medicine for which God be praised for ever and ever Amen Of the sulphureous volatile and Acide spirit of common Salt and of Allome THE same way which above hath been taught for the making of the volatile spirit of vitriol must be likewise used in the making of the volatile spirits of common salt and allome The manner of preparing ALlome is to be cast in as it is of it self without mixing of it but the salt must be mixed with bolus or some other earth to keep it from melting with the spirit volatile there goeth also along an acid spirit whose vertue is described in the 1. part The Oyle of allome hath almost the like operation with the oyle of vitriol Also the spirit volatile of both these is of the same nature and condition with that which is made of vitriol and the common salt and allome do not yeeld as much as the vitriol unless both viz. salt and allome be mixed together and so a spirit distilled of them Of the sulphureous volatile spirit of Minerals and Metals and of their preparation SUch a penetrative sulphureous spirit can be made also of Minerals and Metals which in vertue goeth beyond the spirit of vitriol that of common salt and that of allome viz. after the following manner
give the substance or body of Mercury but onely its vertue But this gross preparation is no better then if they had ministred the running Mercury it self Neither have I ever seen that the use of Mercurius dulcis or of the gray coloured water was seconded with good success in killing of the worms But it is credible that it may be done by yellow or red precipitate in regard of its strong operation But who would be such an enemy to his childe as to plague and torture it with such a hurtfull and murthering medicine especially there being other medicines to be had which do no harme to the children as is to be found by iron or steel and the sweet oyle of vitriol And so much of the abuse of Mercury I hope it will be a good warning unto many so that they will not so easily billet such a tyrannical guest in any ones house whereby the ruine thereof of necessity must follow And that cure deserveth no praise at all whereby one member is cured with the hurt of two or three other members As we see by the pox when one infected member is cured by Mercury and that but half and not firme at all that all the rest of the body is endangered thereby for the future And therefore it would be much better that such crude horse-physick might be severed from good medicaments such used instead of them as may firmely safely and without prejudice to other parts perform the cure of which kinde several are taught in this book But in case that you have patients which have been spoyled by such an ill-prepared Mercury then there is no better remedy to restore them then by medicines made of metals wherewith Mercury hath great affinity as of gold and silver for when they are often used they attract the Mercury out of all the members and carry it along with them out of the body and so do rid the body thereof But externally the precipitated Mercury may more safely be used then internally in case there be nothing else to be had viz. to corrode or eat away the proud flesh out of the wound But if in stead of it there should be used the corrosive oyle of Antimony Vitriol Allom or common salt it would be better and the cure much the speedier and it would be better yet that in the beginning good medicaments were used to fresh wounds and not by carlesness to reduce them to that ill condition that afterwards by paineful corrosives they must be taken away But such a Mercury would serve best of all for souldiers beggers and children that go to schoole for if it be strewed upon the head of children or into their clothes no louse will abide there any longer In which case Mercury must by his preparation not be made red but onely yellow and it must be used warily and not be strewed on too thick lest the flesh be corroded which would be the occasion of great mischief Of Aqua fortis OUt of Salt nitre and vitriol taking of each a like quantity or if the water is to be not altogether so strong two parts of vitriol to one part of salt nitre a water distilled is good to dissolve metals therewith and to separate them from one another as gold from silver and silver from gold which in the fourth part punctually shall be taught The Aqua fortis serveth also for many other Chymical operations to dissolve and fit metals thereby that they may be reduced the easier into medicaments but because the spirit of salt nitre and the Aqua fortis are almost all one and have like operations for if the Aqua fortis be dephlegmed and rectified you may perform the same operations with it which possibly may be performed with the spirit of salt nitre and on the other side the spirit of salt nitre will do all that can be done with the Aqua fortis whereof in the fourth part shall be spoken more at large Now I know well that ignorant laborators which do all their work according to custome without diving any further into the nature of things will count me an Heretick because I teach that the Aqua fortis made of vitriol and salt nitre is of the same nature and condition with the spirit of salt nitre which is made without vitriol saying that the Aqua fortis doth partake likewise of the spirit of vitriol betause vitriol also is used in the preparation of it To which I answer that although vitriol be used in the preparation of it yet for all that in the distilling nothing or but very little of its spirit comes over with the spirit of salt nitre and that by so small a heat it cannot rise so high as the spirit of salt nitre doth and the vitriol is added onely therefore unto the salt nitre that he may hinde its melting together and so the more facilitate its going into a spirit And for the more to be convinced of this truth the unbelieving may adde to such spirit of salt nitre as is made by it self a little of oyle of vitriol likewise made by it self and try to dissolve silver gilded with it and he will finde that his spirit of salt nitre by the spirit of vitriol is made unfit to make a separation for it preyeth notably upon the gold which is not done by Aqua fortis Of the sulphurized spirit of salt nitre THere can also be made a spirit of salt nitre with sulphur which is still in use with many viz. that they take a strong earthen retort which hath a pipe at the top and fasten it into a furnace and having put salt nitre in iâ— they let it melt and then through the pipe they throw peeces of sulphur of the bigness of a pea one after another which being kindled together with the nitre doth yield a spirit called by some spirit of salt nitre and by others oyle of sulphur but falsely for it is neither of both in regard that metals cannot be dissolved therewith as they are done with other spirit of salt nitre or sulphur neither is there any great use for it in physick and if it were good for any Chymical operations by the help of my distilling instrument might easily be made and in great quantity N B. But if salt nitre be mixed with sulphur in due proportion and in the first furnace be cast upon quick coles then all will be burnt and a strong spirit cometh over whose vertue is needless here to describe but more shall be mentioned of it in another place Of the Clissus AMong the Physitians of this latter age there is mention made of another spirit which they make of Antimony Sulphur and salt nitre a like quantity taken of each which they call Clissus and which they have in high esteem and not without cause because it can do much good if it be well prepared The inventor for the making thereof used a retort with a pipe as was mentioned by the sulphurized
with aurum fulminans he shall try the certainty from the often fireing of fresh aurum fulminans upon the same plate for he shall see that it is not the colour of the metal and outwardly gilded but deeply tinged Likewise one may try the certainty by a humid spirit if transformed metals are tryed whence the mutual action and passion of subtilized spirits plainly appeares for the power of spirits is very great and incredible to one not exercised and this gradation of inferiour metals Philosophers both ancient and modern doe not onely confirm but also diggers of minerals taught by experience that mineral vapours by penetration change courser and to purer metals Lazarus Ercker being witness that Iron is changed into a good natural copper in green salt waters and that he saw a pit in which iron nailes and other things cast in by the penetration of a cupreous spirit were turned into a good copper I do not deny that metallick dissolutions of some metals do stick precipitated to the plates and to make them of a golden silver oâ— cupreous colour for it is wel known that iron cast into a vitriol water not to be turned into copper but to draw copper out of the water of which thing we treat not here confirming the possibility of metallick transmutations by a tinging and piercing spirit therefore I againe maintain that great power is in metallick spirits look only upon course and oâ—â—ke earth and besides that clear and limpid water with which the clearer and more powerfull air proceeding from the water cometh from the earth Are not whole countries drowned with water sometimes Towns and Cities taken away cannot the aire destroy the strongest houses especially shut up in the earth shake the land for some miles and after ward demolish whole cities and mountaines with the death of men all which things are done naturally Wind artificially raised by Nitre threatens a far greater danger which no man can deny Although that corporeal Elements exercise so great power yet they cannot pierce metals without hurt nor stones and glass and things soon penetrated by fire Therefore not by an occult but a manifest power of Sun and fire which it hath over metals stones and glass which are easily pierc't by them without any impediment and why should not metals compact of a certain metallick subtile and piercing spirit be penetrated by help of fire and changed into another species As is already spoken of Aurum fulminans and aqua gradatoria Therefore there is no doubt of the possibility of the metallick tingent spirit changing courser metals into finer both by a dry and moist way For metals may be purified the same way that Tartar and Vitriol and other salts namely by the benefit of much water For it is manifest that vitriol is purged with iron and copper mixt with it namely dissolved and coagulated in much water so that it waxe as white as allum which purification is but a separation of metal from salt made by benefit of much water debilitating salt so that it cannot longer return mixt metal which is precipitated like some slime not unprofitable because the chiefest part of vitriol from which is the greennesse viz Copper Iron and Sulphur And as by help of separation metals are drawn from vitriol more perfect then salts so also to be taken from metals with the perfecter and better part is separated by help of precipitation as for Tartar it is purified by the addition of water but its better part is not precipitated as in vitriol but the courser part by reason of blackness and faeculency As for example Tartar by the often solution of the vulgar made with a sufficient quantity of water and coagulation made very pure and white because in every solution made with fresh clear water it alwayes becomes purer and not only by this means white Tartar but also red and feculent is reduced into transparent crystals and indeed very speedily by vertue of a certain precipitation whose limosity for obscuration sake of the salt of crystalline Tartar is nothing else but an unsavory thing dead and useless mixt with Tartar in its coagulation in Hogs-heads of wine and separated again by power of solution And these are the examples of the two salts of Vitriol and Tartar not in vain set down because they shew the difference in precipitation for in some metals by force of precipitation the courser part is separated but in other the better and choicer according to the prevalency of this or that part In vitriol the better part copper and iron is the least which is precipitated and separated from the courser and greater part viz. salt But in Tartar the courser and less part is precipitated and separated from the greater and better part clarified the like is in metals Therefore let every one be wary in separating and consider before whether the better or courser part of metal is to be precipitated without which knowledge no man can meddle with this business let also the workman be ware who expects any profit from his labour of corrosive waters as Aqua fortis Aqua Regia spirit of salt vitriol allome vineger c. in the solution from which no good proceeds as utterly destroying and corrupting all and each of them proving the same in these words From Metals by Metals and with Metals metals are made perfect metals are also purified matured and separated from their vitiosioties by Nitre burning up the superfluous sulphur And all the aforesaid perfections of metals are but particular For every particular medicine as well humane as metallick purgeth separateth and perfecteth or amendeth by the taking away the superfluity For universal medicine worketh its perfections and emendations by strengthening and multiplying the radicall moisture as well of animals as metals expelling then by its own natural vertue his enemy But thou sayst excellent examples indeed are delivered by me but not the manner of doing them R. I have delivered more then you think although you don't perceive it for I am sure after my death that my books will be in greater esteem from which iâ— will appear that I have not sought vain glory but the profit of my neighbour to the utmost of my power But doe not seeing my freeness of writing think that you may wrest ma ny things from me For assure your self that although I have written many things for the publick good yet I intend not by this means to trouble my self For I cannot satisfie the desires of all men nor answer their Epistles nor inrich all men who neither am rich my self nor have sought riches For although I have gotten the knowledge of these things by Gods blessing and have tryed the truth of it in small quantity yet have I never made experience in great store for wealth sake contented with Gods blessing Therefore I would advice all illuminated by God that they fall not into this sinne of ingratitude but that they be mindful of the poore as
verdegrease of which one pound prepared after this manner doth not also exceed the price of halfe a Ryal A compendious and very easie way of distilling a very strong spirit of urine and that without any cost and paines so that twenty or thirty pints shall not exceed the price of one ryal being very excellent in medicine Alchimy and Mechanique affaires by the help whereof a most beautiful blew vitriol may be made out of copper being very profitable in Alchimy and medicine making silver so fusible that by the help thereof glass vessels as basons dishes and candlesticks c. may be so guilded as to be taken for silver A way of distilling the spirit of salt in a great quantity and that with smal costs so that one pound thereof will scarce exceed the price of 6. stivers being very excellent in Alchimy medicine other arts especially for the doing of these following things viz. the separation of gold from silver without hurt to the cups or other things also the solution and separation of gold mixt with copper and silver by the force of precipitation where the menstruum that is preserved may again be used for the same uses which separation is the easiest of all other humid separations whereby gold is reduced to the highest degree The separation of volatile sparkling gold out of sand c. very profitable without which otherwise it could never be separated neither by the helpe of washing nor by Mercury nor by the force of melting An Artificial secret and hitherto unheard of trying of stubborn metals finding out their tenaciousness which otherwise could not be found out for oftentimes there are found golden mines which are stubborn in which nothing is found out by that common way and therefore they are left unlaboured in and sometimes elsewhere where there are not found mines of metals there are found other things as white and red talc that yeeld nothing being tryed the common way or very little all which yet abound with gold and silver which may be separated this way A new and unheard of compendious way of melting mines in great plenty where in the space of one day by the heate of a certaine separating furnace more may be melted then by the common way in the space of eight daies where not onely costs are separed but where also is hope of greater gaine Another way for the better proving of things melted and a new way of separating silver from lead A very speedy way of melting minerals whereby they are melted in great plenty by the help of pit coals in defect of other coales The fixation of minerals sulphureous Arsenical Antimonial and others that are volatile which cannot be retained and melted by the force of fire by the help of a certain peculiar furnace with a grate so that afterwards they may by infusion yeeld gold and silver The melting of gold and silver that sparkles and is rarified out of sand pure clay flints c. by the help of melting The separation of gold lying hid in baser minerals and metals most profitable which cannot be done the common way A very quick Artificial and easie separation of melted gold and silver by the help of fusion so that in the space of one day by the help of one furnace some hundreds of Marks may be separated with far less costs and labour then that common way by cement and Aqua fortis The reduction of elaborated gold of chaines and other ornaments unto the highest degree also the separation of gold from guilded silver by the help of fusion by which means a hundred marks are more easily separated then twenty of the common way A certain way whereby more silver is separated from lead them by copper A separation of good gold from any old iron which although it be not a labour of great gaine yet it is sufficient for those who are contented with a few things A separation of gold and silver from tin or copper according to more or less The maturation of mines so that they may afterwards be able to yeeld more gold and silver then by the common way also the separation of gold and silver out of Antimony Arsenick and Auripigmentum The separation of the external sulphur of Venus that the son Cupid may be born The separation of silver from the cuples into which it enters in the tryal without melting or any other labour or cost The preparation of divers earthen things to be done in any part of the world like to the Porcelane that hold fire and retaine spirits A certain Allome exalting and fixing any colour especially requisit for scarlet and other pretious colours with a certain prepetual cauldron that doth not alter colours and is not costly A making of colours for painters as of purple gum ultramarine not costly and especially of that rich white never before seen like to pearl and Margarites also a peculiar colouring of gold and silver FINIS A Preface to the Reader WHAT moved me to annex an Appendix to those five books of my Philosophical Furnaces you may presently see in the entrance thereof which therefore I accounted superfluous to repeat Moreover my aime was to declare to the world how great and hitherto unknown and most profitable secrets God hath reserved for this age for the sustaining of our life not doubting but to provoke and excite many perverse men to a due thankfulness to God But the contrary fals out For the Appendix which you have seen hath begot great admiration in many as well learned as unlearned that God should reserve so great and hitherto unknown secrets to be revealed to this age who therefore have given God thanks But others and indeed very many have according to their usual manner derided the Appendix and have proclaimed the contents thereof for things impossible and lyes wherof even some that are scornful and slanderous being ignorant of nature and art have broke forth into these words It is a wonder that Glauber doth not teach how to make bread of stones since he hath taught the possibility of making wine out of water that husbandmen for the future may not be at so great labors Such sort of cavillations as these men have such devised in their meetings whereof some would seem learned and wise who by reason of too much wisdome folly know not themselves who indeed are blockish unlearned rude and proud asses although puffed up despising others far more skilful whose ignorance I do so much admire as they do my writings seeing now with open eyes the reasons of many mens silence to whom God hath given a singular knowledge of natural things who left nothing to posterity But it matters not much For it is impossible to please all as experience can witness from the beginning of the world till this day wherefore there is nothing strange But how ever it be yet it is no wonder that any one should take it ill that the ingratitude of wicked men should be a
by this meanes nothing can be gotten wherefore the work is to be done warily and with wisdome and industry You must have a care you burne not the Regulus of lead with too much fire when you reduce it into drosse for fear of attracting the gold from the iron and turning it into drosse And although this may by art be prevented yet we must not presently create every one Master of Arts it requiring diligence and daily exercise besides the reading of Bookes But this secret shall other where be communicated This admonition then I give that thou doe not impute thy errour if thou dost erre to me but to thy selfe for what I have written is true and doe not thence infer an impossibility of attracting gold by iron out of lead and of turning it into drosse which is no wonder to me though it may so seem to thee Which he who hath the knowledg of metals wil himself easily perceive But that thou maist be certain try the certainty after the following manner take two hundred lib. of lead of the lesser weight of the refiners put it on a test under a tyle adde eight or ten lotons of pure gold of tin two or three l. six or eight of iron viz. of the lesser weight make them flow together an houre to make drosse as examiners use to doe then poure it out and separate the lead from the dross viz. to cupell that which is eparated then weigh the grains of gold left and thou shalt finde half of it consumed by the drosse If this happen to corporeall gold and fixt how will it be with that which is newly extracted out of an imperfect metall therefore you must diligently search out the natures of metals and then such cases shall not seem incredible From hence then and other examples mentioned it appeares that that separation which is done by tests and cupels is not true and legitimate and consequently that another profitable separation of metals is to be sought because by this the greater part of gold and silver burns into drosse witnesse experience for which cause the former example was alleadged whither belongs the proof viz. how much gold the drosse hath attracted which is done as followeth â„ž the remaining black drosse to which adde a double weight of salt of tartar put in it a crucible filled but to the half for fear of boiling out and covered that nothing fall in under a tyle or among live coals one or two hours space to digest and a new Regulus of lead shall be precipitated which separated from the dross you may cupel and you shall finde new graines of gold attracted by the iron to the dross but now separated by the salt of tartar overcoming the rage of the iron And so you have heard from two examples how in the coction of the separation gold may be drawn out of the lead by tin and iron and that therefore there is need that gold be separated by the Antimonial Regulus out of the aforesaid metals and not by lead if you would extract the true substance with gaine N. B. Gold may likewise be separated out of the glass of lead being first dissolved with the ashes of tin with coal dust adding it in the flux and stirring it with an iron wier and also with common sulphur by burning it on it but the aforesaid way with iron is to be preferred before those two which spoyle the gold c. wherefore the remaining dross is to be gathered which by some abstracting furnace by other means may be tryed for to recover the spoyled or lost gold and silver And all these are alleadged to demonstrate that the gold in tin and iron is to be separated by the Antimonial Regulus and not by lead But how this separation may be perfected you shall here in that third part where we will treat of lead explained by Paracelsus in his book called Caelum Philosopherum and other artificial Chymical labors wherefore here we omit it being superfluous to handle one thing in diverse places In the mean while exercise thy self in lesser things that thou maist be more fit for greater when they shall be set forth But wonder not at my liberality in publishing so great secrets for I have reasons for it Such a burden is too much for me alone neither doth it profit the covetous to sell his goods to them which keep not their words nor pay the mony after they have obtained their art which hath happened to me Wherefore I have determined to communicate some secrets to all the world indifferently that the poor may receive some profit by them knowing that though I write plainly yet that al wil not at the first view obtaine their desires For some are so dull that they cannot imitate a work though often seen For some have often visited me to see my new maner of distilling which though it was sufficiently demonstrated to the eye yet they could not imitate it till with often perusals at length they have found the right path Others have left it as too hard a work when it would not presently succeed which if it happened to those who had an occular demonstration how much more difficult will it be and hard to them who have nothing but what they have heard or read Wherefore I am certain that though I should publish every one of my secrets yet could they not be performed by all men my coals and materials being left sufficing for my necessity Wherefore I fear not to publish the next opportunity offered diverse profitable and exeellent secrets viz. in favor of all and every one As for that spirit of salt necessary to this work you may finde it in the first part of my Philosophical Furnaces corrected and amended but the way of separation in the fourth part And so I finde this work published in favor of those who by war though honest men are reduced to poverty But what things are deficient in this little tract shall God willing be delivered in the next which shall follow in a short time largely and cleerly without fraud FINIS The Contents of the first Part. OF the structure of the first Furnace 1 Of the receiver 2 The manner of distilling 4 How the spirit of salt is to be distilled 9 Of the use of the spirit of salt 12 A distillation of vegetable oyles whereby a greater quantity is acquired then by that common way by a gourd still 13 The cleare oyle of Mastick and Frankincense 15 The quintessence of vegetables 18 The quintessence of metals and minerals ibid. A sweet and red oyle of metals and minerals 19 The oyle or liquor of gold ibid. Oyle of Mars 20 Oyle of Venus 21 Oyle of Jupiter and Saturne ibid. Oyle of Mercury 22 Oyle of Antimony ibid. The flowers of Antimony white and voltill 24 The flowers of Antimony diaphoretical 25 Of the external use of the corrosive oyl of Antimony ibid. The oyle of Arsenick and Auripigmentum 26 Oyle of lapis