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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44608	Aurifontina chymica, or, A collection of fourteen small treatises concerning the first matter of philosophers for the discovery of their (hitherto so much concealed) mercury which many have studiously endeavoured to hide, but these to make manifest for the benefit of mankind in general.	Houpreght, John Frederick.; Flamel, Nicolas, d. 1418.; Ripley, George, d. 1490?	1680 (1680)	Wing H2941; ESTC R31127	85,086	301

is understood that Mercury the much commended Tree must be taken who hath in his power indissolvably Sol and Lune and then transplant him into another Soyl nearer the Su● that thence he may gain amicable utility in which thing Dew doth abundantly suffice for where he was placed before he was so weakned by wind and cold that little Fruit was expected from him where he long stood and brought forth no Fruit at all For indeed the Philosophers have a Garden where the Sun as well morning as evening remaineth with a most sweet Dew without ceasing with which it is sprinkled and moistned whose Earth bringeth forth Trees and Fruits which from thence are planted who also receive descent and nourishment from the pleasant Meads And this is done daily and there they be both corroborated and quickned and do not fade and this more in one year than in a thousand where the cold infects them Take them therefore and night and day cherish them in a Stilla●ory upon the Fire but not with a Wood Fire or Coal ●●re but in a clear transparent Fire not unlike the Sun which is never hotter than is requisite but should be always alike for a Vapour is the Dew and the Seed of Metals which ought not to be altered We see Fruits if they be too hot with no Dew they abide on the boughs without perfection but if heat and moderate moisture sustain them on their Trees then they prove elegant and fruitful for heat and moisture are the Elements of all Earthly things Animals Vegetables and Minerals Therefore Coal Fires and Wood Fires help not Metals those are violent Fires that nourish not as the heat of the Sun doth which also conserveth all corporal things because it is natural which they follow But a Philosopher doth not what Nature doth for Nature hath created all Vegetables Animals and Minerals in their own degree where Nature reigneth I will not say that men after the same sort by Art make Natural things when Nature hath finished these things then by Humane Art they are made more perfect After this sort old Philosophers for our information laboured with Lune and Mercury her true Mother of which they made the Mercury of the Philosophers which in his operation is much more strong than Natural Mercury for this is serviceable only to the simple perfect imperfect cold and hot Metals but the Philosophers Stone is useful to the more than perfect and imperfect Metals Also that the Sun may perfect and refresh them without diminution addition or immutation as they were created of Nature so he leaveth them neither doth he neglect any thing I will not now say the Philosophers conjoyn the Tree for the better perfecting their Mercury as some unskilful of things and unlearned Chymists do who take common Sol and Lune and Mercury and so ill-favour'dly handle them till they pass away into Smoak and they endeavour to make the Philosophers Mercury but they never attained to that that is the first Matter of the Stone and the first Minera of the Stone If they will come thither and find any good then to the Hill of the seven where there is no Plain they would betake themselves and from the highest they have need to look downwards to the sixt which they shall see afar off In the height of this Mountain they shall find a Royal Herb triumphing which some have called Mineral some Vegetable and Saturnal but let the Bones be left and let a pure clean Broth be taken from and thus the better part of thy work is done And this is the right and subtle Mercury of the Philosophers and is to be taken of thee and first the white work he will make and after the red if thou have well understood me both of them are nothing else as they call them but the Practic●● which is so light and so simple that a Woman sitting by her Distaff may perfect it as if she would in Winter put her Eggs under a Hen and not wash them because Eggs are put under a Hen to sit upon without washing them and no more labour is required about them than that they should be every day turned that the Chickens may be the better and sooner hatched to the which enough and more than enough is said But that I may follow the example first wash not the Mercury but take it and with its like which is Fire place him in the Ashes which is Straw and in one Glass which is the Nest without any other thing in a convenient Alimbeck which is the House and then thence will come forth a Chicken which with his Bloud shall free thee from all Diseases and with his Flesh shall nourish thee and with his Feathers shall cloath thee and keep thee warm from cold Therefore have I written unto you this present Treatise that you may search with the greater desire and walk in the right way and I have comprehended this small Work in a Summary that you might the better comprehend the sayings of the Philosophers which I perswade my self you will better understand hereafter FINIS CLAVICULA OR A little Key of Raymond Lullie Majoriaane Which is also called APERTORIVM the Opener In which all that is required in the Work of ALCHYMY Is plainly declared CLAVICULA OR A little Key of Raymond Lullie Majoricane WE have called this our Work Clavicula or the Little Key for without this Work none is able to understand what we have wrote in our other Books in which we have fully declared the whole Art although with obscure words by reason of the Ignorant I have written many and large Books under divers Sections and obscure terms as appeareth in our Testament where we have handled of the Natural Principle where all things are set down that belong to this Art yet under the Hammer in the proper phrase of Philosophe●s Item in our Chapter in the Philosophers Argent vive and in the second part of the Testament of the Exuberation of Physical Mines and in our Book of the First Essence of the Quintessence of Gold and Silver afterwards in other Books also made by me where● the whole Art is compleatly set down but we have hidden the Secret as much as we could But seeing that no man without this Secret can enter the Mines of the Philosophers nor make any thing that can profit him therefore by the help of the Almighty whom it hath pleased to reveal unto me this Secret I will declare this whole Art without any fiction And therefore see that you do not reveal this Secret unto the wicked but unto your entire Friends though you ought not to give it to men being it is the gift of God who will give it to whom he pleaseth and whosoever shall have it shall have an everlasting Treasure Although Luna receiveth her clearness from Sol of these two the whole Mastery dependeth but seeing Metals cannot be transmuted as Avicen witnesseth in the Minerals unless they be

fiery that it will vanish out through the Glass reddish or Rubie-like Make projection with it on what Metal thou wilt and thou shalt have most fine Gold better than the Natural Gold Laus Deo c. Mercurius albus rubeus ex Mercurio vulgi per se soluto fieri potest tanquam ex Mercurio Vniversali Age Deo mihi gratias E. B. c. TRACTATUS DE LAPIDE Manna Benedicto c. Tractatus de Lapide Manna benedicto c. IN this Book thou hast a most faithful and plain Manuduction to the greatest and most noble Secret of Nature Enjoy them in silence bless God and do good unto thy Neighbour and Successor as I do hereby to thee thou finder of this Book I have resolved with my self to write this short Treatise having been not only an eye-witness but also an actor of such high Mysteries of Nature as the World is not worthy of and the Wise of the World do scarce believe Which discourse may be of singular use to such as God shall please out of his infinite mercy to bestow the knowledge of this Stone upon to make the Stone of the Wise men so called or the Philosophers Stone which shall be of much use and benefit to those who are not yet capable of making the Stone it self for it shall illuminate the understanding of all that read it more than all the Books they shall read For it shall set down the Basis and Foundation wherein the wisdom of all the Philosophers doth lye I except none yet not so as to name that which no man durst in so plain words that every fool or lewd fellow may understand it as he may his A. B. C. when he reads it for that were to make my self accurs'd Whosoever thou be that readest this let me advise thee rather to fix thy mind and Soul on God in keeping his Commandments than upon the love of this Art which although it be the only nay all the wisdom of the World yet doth it come short of the Divine wisdom of the Soul which is the love of God in keeping his Commandments Yet let me tell thee he that shall have the blessing to make the Stone and find this Writing he shall see such Mysteries in Nature as shall make him of a wicked a good man or else a very Devil incarnate But I am perswaded it shall never be permitted to come to the hands of any but whom God knoweth fit for it and such as shall never abuse it Hast thou been covetous prophane be meek and holy and serve in all humility thy most glorious Creator if thou resolve not to do this thou dost but wash an Aethiopia● white and shalt waste an Earthly Estate hoping to attain this Science There is no Humane Art or Wit can snatch it from the Almighty's hand nor was it ever nor I am perswaded ever shall be given but to such as shall be of upright hearts Remember what King David saith The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom a good understanding have they that do thereafter and so if thou think to attain this wisdom which is the top of all wisdom and indeed Angelical wisdom and yet dost not fear the Lord thou dost give King David and in him the Holy Spirit the Lye which be far from every Christian heart But let me conclude my Preface with this If God bless thee with the Stone and thou have the enjoyment of this little Script and dost make that use of it that here is set down thou shalt see that which is not fit to be written yet I have set down in part what thou shalt see hereafter as thou shalt read pray and study pray with a faithful and earnest heart study with an honest heart and leave the issue to God to whom be Glory Amen The folly of the Students in this Noble Science and Art is this they set their minds and intentions on nothing but making of Gold and Silver and so they fall into this errour that Gold and Silver must be the ground-work of this goodly piece but that is false yet will I not now stand to disprove it for that were tedious it is sufficient that I vow upon my Soul it is not so nor any such matter yet it is true that it hath a true Golden and Metalline Nature But to proceed briefly know that the changing of imperfect Metals into Gold and Silver as it is the chief intent of the Alchymists so it was scarce any intent at all of the Ancient Philosophers and although it be to be done by this Art yet it is but a part and indeed the least part of the benefit that cometh by the Art yet I deny not but the possession of Gold and Silver is a great blessing especially got in this way because it freeth a man from want and being beholden to others as also that a man may do good to others to the poor and oppressed nay it is a happiness in this World to possess much but yet I affirm it the least happiness that cometh by the Philosophers Stone if the full use thereof be known Gold and Silver are goodly things and the enjoyment of them very delightful to covetous and wicked-minded men who do not trust in God and know him as they ought but a true searcher of this Wisdom is content as the Apostle saith with meat drink and cloaths viz. a competency I have a little exceeded in my exclamation against Riches because I know it befits not a wise man to love them when thou hast read all that I have set down thou wilt not value Wealth as thou wilt other Knowledge herein set down and contained for by the full knowledge of it the whole wisdom of Nature is to be grasped and embraced yea not only infinite Wealth and perfect Health a far greater blessing than Wealth but also the knowledge of all Animals Vegetables Minerals the Radix and Root of all which is the true Root of all Philosophy nay more of all the seven Liberal Sciences which in their full perfection are to be known by the knowledge of this Art and without it not one can be perfected nay more the artificial making of all precious Stones better than the Natural and of what greatness you please as Rubies Carbuncles Diamonds Jacinths Pearls Topases Saphirs Emeralds c. But this is not all for by the perfection of this Art which very few have attained unto all Natural Magick may be known all that Spirits can do except velocity may be performed by a true Philosopher though to ignorant men it seemeth supernatural all that is natural may be done by this Art wicked Spirits may be commanded and driven away in a word whatever is sublunary may be done by it All these things were known to Adam in his Innocency who had this Art in the highest perfection This man our first Father was in his inward parts or internal man made according to the

doth manifest a Conjunction of the Male and Female or rather of the four Elements Orange colour then doth shew that the Body hath not yet had sufficient digestion and that the humidity whereof the colours of Black Blew and Azure do come is but half overcome by the dryness When dryness doth predominate then all will be white Powder It first beginneth to whiten round about the outward sides of the Glass the Ludus Philosophorum doth say that the first sign of perfect whiteness is the appearing of a little hoary circle passing upon the Head shewing it self round about the Matter on the outward sides of the Glass in a kind of Citrine colour THESAVRVS Sive Medicina Aurea A plain and true DESCRIPTION OF THE Treasure of Treasures OR THE Golden Medicine THESAVRVS Sive Medicina Aurea MAny and great are the Secrets of Nature and concerning them and the way to attain them the wise Philosophers have writ much but in a very dark and Aenigmatical stile so that very few are those that attain to any thing of their desires by them but on the contrary after much time labour and cost in vain expended in the search of them are forced to give over at last and surcease their further inquiry and instead of the desired satisfaction conclude from their lost labours that the Books of the Philosophers are only fabulous and writ to deceive the unwary and those that thirst after so great a Treasure But I vow unto thee by Almighty God that what they have wrote is a real Truth though delivered in so dark and dubious a way that few are able to understand and receive benefit from them I do therefore attest the truth of their Medicines as well for the transmutation of the baser and imperfect Metals into Gold and Silver as for the benefit of Humane Bodies and healing all Bodily Diseases till God calls for the Soul and this above all the Medicines of Galen and Hippocrates But because many great lovers of Knowledge and this Science have so often failed of obtaining the end of their desires in these Mysteries of Nature and not only failed as to the Accomplishment of their desires in full but also came short of knowing the principal subject and ground of Philosophical Secrets I have therefore thought fit to help them by this small Script as much as I may and save them the troubles of that search and by telling them in plain terms and words the true Matter enlighten and encourage their dubious minds to the farther search after what they desire for let them assure themselves it is no small advantage to be assured of the true Matter and ground-work or Basis of so great Arcana's and hereon great and innumerable blessings do depend I do therefore most faithfully assure thee that the true Subject of this Art is Quick-silver in a double manner viz. either Quick-silver Natural or Quick-silver of Bodies viz. the Bodies of Sol or Luna reduced to Mercury vive for many and strange things may be performed by either singly of themselves or else conjoyned The conjunction of the Mercury of Gold or Silver with the common Mercury or the Bodies or the Oyl of Gold and Silver dissolved in the Aqua Mercurii doth much hasten the operation of Medicines for Metals But we need not as absolutely necessary any more than the common Mercury or Quick-silver dissolved lightly either for Elixirs or precious Stones only small Natural Stones must be dissolved in the Mercurial Water so shall you have such Stones again as you dissolve and those of what bigness you please far exceeding Natural ones The next great Secret of Philosophers is the preparation of common Quick-silver or Mercury for common Mercury as Nature produceth it is not fit for such operations nor can they any way be performed by it for our Mercury is not the common Mercury or Quick-silver but is made of it by a true Philosophical skill it is not the white Mercury or Quick-silver but its subtle spiritual airie and fiery parts the earthy and watery being prudently separated For the manifestation of our Mercury the true Mercury of Philosophers first prepare the common Mercury by a due Philosophical preparation until thou hast separated and purged him from his two extremes or excrements Earth and Water dissolve it then after its purification into a Milkie Crystalline and Silver Liquor or Water which in three or four months is to be done being once dissolved thou mayst ever after dissolve more and more Mercury in fully fourty days for Mercury once dissolved dissolveth it self ever after infinitely And having dissolved it distill it perfectly until it have no Faeces in the Cornuae after Distillation bring it again to Putrefaction and when it is blackish distill it again so shalt thou have two Oyls a white Silver Oyl and thickish and at last a very red or Bloud-like Oyl which is the Element of Fire The white Oyl serveth for Multiplication or multiplying the white Elixir and for the making of all precious Stones by dissolving of small precious Stones in it for it will presently dissolve them then in a gentle heat of Ashes congeal them again and they far exceed any Natural ones both in lustre and virtue and hardness The red Oyl is for the multiplying the red Elixir even to an infinite height in projection which when it is by often multiplying or multiplication brought to a fixt Oyl then thou mayst do several Magical yet Natural and strange Operations by it To make the Elixirs thou must proceed thus When thou hast dissolved rightly the common Mercury which cannot be done before it be duly prepared for such a Philosophical dissolution when it is dissolved into a Milkie Silver Crystalline Liquor it will in the distillation leave some Faeces in which remains its more fixt part or Salt which thou must warily and wisely after a gentle and Philosophical Calcination extract and purifie to the highest Purification by which means it will be very white and clean then take seven ounces of the white Mercurial Oyl and dissolve in it as much of this Salt as it will dissolve until it will dissolve no more having so done put thy Liquor into a Philosophical Egg sealing it Hermetically and by due degrees of Fire congeal and fix it being fixed it is the white Medicine which fermented with Silver may be cast upon purged Venus which it will transmute into most fine Silver multiply it with the white Oyl c. If thou wouldst have it be a red Elixir put to it some of the red Oyl and by requisite degrees of heat congeal and fix it as before ferment it with Gold multiply it by the red Oyl and the aforesaid white Salt dissolve in it dissolve it congeal and fix it often until it will congeal no more so will it remain an Oyl which in its projection is almost infinite Endeavour not to multiply it any farther for fear thou losest it it is then so

greater Treasure than was ever ordained by the good pleasure of the omnipotent God according to the course of Nature There is a way truly of arriving to an Universal Knowledge which we commonly call the Philosophers Stone and thou shalt find it in this my little Book little I say in words but great and high in substance also it containeth entirely every Science that is to say the beginning and ending Thou shalt find this my Book divided into four parts and thou mayst judge thereof after thou hast well understood it Farewell From Tresne May 12. 1453. FINIS This Epistle I have caused to be printed not for the signification thereof either as to quality or quantity but only to prevent the mistaking the one Epistle for the other and could I have found more Epistles between these two most excellent Authors I should not have hesitated their publication but conclude that they would have been as welcom to our English Philosophers as any either Ancient or Modern Writers Vale. W. C. Bibl. A brief Rehearsal of the Preparation of the Philosophers Stone REcipe 🜹 and sublime him from his Earthly substance and then dissolve him into his former substance then if it be to the Red Work take Sol if it be to the White Work take Luna and dissolve it in the said Mercury until they be both one Mercury which will not be without Putrefaction then separate the Elements and decoct them according to their due proportion Note this Sulphur Philosophorum is the Earth of the Elements calcined sublimed and fixed then it is coloured with either Sol or Luna according as thy Work is the which Sol or Luna is added to fresh or other Mercury after the order of Amalgama then fixing the Sulphur and the Elements and that new Sol which is called the Earth according to their due proportion the which Names of weight shall not be made mention of here for the love of him that taught it me and lest too common it should be for if it should be named in two Books then all the World would decay in Husbandry and Industry if not in Honesty which I pray God prevent Amen FINIS Books sold by Will Cooper at the Pelican in Little-Britain EIrenaeus Philalethes his Printed Works in number 15. viz. Introitus apertus ad occlusum Regis Palatium Idem in English called Secrets Reveal'd The Marrow of Alchymy in Two Parts Ars Metallorum Metamorphoseos Fons Chymicae Philosophiae Brevis Manuductio ad Rebinum Coelestem Methodica Enarratio trium Gebri Medicinarum Vade-mecum Philosophicum sive breve Manuductorium ad Campum Sophiae Experimenta de Praeparatione Mercurii Sophici An Exposition upon Sir George Ripley's Epistle to Edward the 4th King of England Idem upon Ripley's Preface to his Compound of Alchymy Idem upon Ripley's first Six Gates of his Compound Idem upon Ripley's Vision Idem upon his Recapitulation His Experiments for the Preparation of the Sophick Mercury The Philosophical Epitaph with Hieroglyphical Figuress Helvetius his Golden Calf with Figures Glauber's Extraction of Gold out of Stones Gravel Sand c. Jehi●r the three Principles or Originals of all things A Catalogue of Chymical Books in Three Parts The Principles of the Chymists of London in Two Parts Simpson's Philosophical Discourse of Fermentation Ripley Reviv'd or a Collection of six several Pieces of the famous Eirenaeus Philalethes Opus Tripartitum de Philosophorum Arcanis Lapis ex duobus corpore spiritu Mercurius resolvendus in aquam Cum aquâ Mercurii metalla resolvenda in primam materiam Qualibet res redigitur in primam materiam per principia unde ●rta fuit Reductio Metallorum in primam materiam quomodo fiat Aqua Mercurii metallis amica Aqua Mercurii est vapor igneus Fundamentum Lapidis Corpus per aquam Mercurii fit astrale Regeneratione● metallorum ignorantes abstineant à Ch●miâ Corpus Solis eligendum ad Chemiam A corpore perfecto res perfecta extrahitur Sulphur rubeum est in auro Aurum vulgi non est aurum Philosophorum quomodo hoc intelligendum Auri tinctura multiplicatur per aquam Mercurii Aurum Phi osophorum potentiale ●irtuale Ex corpore Solis perfect● nihil fit nisi reducatur ad primam materiam Luna metaphorica Prima materia quid Cognitio aqua Mercurii su●●mum est secretum Vt macrocosmus corrumpetur per ignem ita etiam microcosmus Philosophicus Corpus Solis corrumpendum per aquam Mercurii Nimina aqua Mercurii Ignis Bernhardi Loci Lullii de aquâ Mercurii Venter equinus Philosophorum est aqua Mercurii Aqua Mercurii est Ignis Philosophorum Aqua Mercurii quomodo praeparanda Praparatio aqua Mercurii difficilis Mercurius in aquam Sulphuream reducendus absque heterogeneis Mercurius solutus potest purgari Exemplum de vini distillatione Lullius peritissimus est in praeparatione aquae Mercurii Mercurius solutus solvit suum cor●us Vasa benè claudenda inpraparatione aqua Mircurii Processus in distillatione aqua Omnia metalla ex aquâ Effectus aqua Resolutio Mercurii maximum secretum Omnes Philosophi occultarunt confectionem aqu● Resolutio Mercurii non fit absque medi● Modi fals● resolutionis Mercurii Causa errorum in confectione aquae Haec optimè notan●a Aqua clavi● artis Varia appellationes aqua Mercurii Aqua Mercurii unde fiat Absque aquâ nihil fit in Chemiâ Sophista in Chemiâ vitandi * See this Instrument described in a Book called Ars Notoria Printed in Latine or English pag. 136. * So it is in the Latine though perhaps the words should be Vita Metallica that is the Water of Metallick Life that is of the Life of Metals a Bern. Trevisanus de Transmutatione Metallorum 4 libris impressus est cum Jo. Fr. Pi●i opere de Auro Ursellis 1598. 80.