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A92903 A new light of alchymie: taken out of the fountaine of nature, and manuall experience. To which is added a treatise of sulphur: / written by Micheel Sandivogius: i.e. anagram matically, divi Leschi genus amo. Also nine books of the nature of things, written by Paracelsus, viz. Of the generations growthes conservations life: death renewing transmutation separation signatures of naturall things. Also a chymicall dictionary explaining hard places and words met withall in the writings of Paracelsus, and other obscure authors. All which are faithfully translated out of the Latin into the English tongue, by J.F. M.D.; Novum lumen chymicum. English. Sędziwój, Michał, ca. 1556-ca. 1646.; French, John, 1616-1657.; Paracelsus, 1493-1541. Of the nature of things.; Dorn, Gerhard, 16th cent. Dictionarium Theophrasti Paracelsi. 1650 (1650) Wing S2506; Thomason E604_3; Thomason E604_4; Thomason E604_5; ESTC R203736 79,289 151

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OF THE NATURE OF THINGS NINE BOOKS Written by Philipp Theophrastus of Hohenheim CALLED PARACELSVS The Titles of the Nine Bookes of the Generations Growths Conservations Life Death Renewing Transmutations Separations Signatures of Naturall things London Printed by Richard Cotes for Thomas Williams at the Bible in Little-Britain 1650. NINE BOOKS OF THE NATVRE Of Thing Written by Philipp Theophrastus of Hohenheim called PARACELSUS To the honest and wise man John Winck Isteiner of Friburge his most intimate friend and dear brother Theophrastus Paracelsus wisheth all health IT is most fit that I should most intimate Friend and dear brother satisfie your friendly and daily requests expressed in your frequent Letters to me and seeing that in your last Letters you do earnestly and courteously invite me to you if it were convenient I cannot dissemble with you yet by reason of many hinderances I cannot but as for your other request viz. that I should give you some clear Instructions I cannot deny you but am constrained to gratifie you therein I know the honesty of your mind and that you do willingly hear or see any thing that is new or wonderfull in this art I know also that you have spent good part of your estate and life in it Because therefore you have expressed much good will and brotherly fidelity towards mee I cannot forget either but am constrained to be thankfull and if I never see you more to leave a brotherly legacy to you and yours as a remembrance of of mee For I will not here only answer and cleerly instruct you concerning those points only of which you have asked me but wil also dedicate a Book to you which I will call Of the Nature of things and will divide it into nine little books In this book I will satisfie all your requests and further then you demanded although haply you will much wonder and perhaps doubt whether all these things are true that I shal write But doe not so yea beleeve them not to be speculations and theories but practicall and proceeding from experience And although I have not tryed all of them my selfe yet I have them from and have approved them by others and know them by that kind of experience as also by the light of nature If in some places you cannot understand mee what I shall say and in some processes require of me further explication write to mee privately and I will declare the matter more cleerly and give you sufficient instruction and intelligence Although I beleeve you cannot well misunderstand what I shall write seeing I know you are so well qualified and gifted by God with arts and a good understanding Moreover you have known my mind and meaning and therefore will quickly and easily understand me Now I hope and do not doubt that you will respect this present worke commended to you and esteem of it according to its worth and not at all divulge it but keep it in great secresie for your selfe and yours as indeed it is a hid and great treasure an excellent gem and pretious thing which is not to be cast to swine i.e. Sophisters and contemners of all good naturall arts and secrets who are worthy neither to read them much lesse to have know or understand them And although this book bee very little consisting of few words yet it is full of many and great secrets For I do not here write out of speculation and theorie but practically out of the light of nature and experience lest I should burden you and make you weary with many words c. Wherefore most deare friend and loving brother seeing I have wrote this book out of love to you alone and to no body else I beseech you that you will keep it as a thing of value and a a great secret and not let it goe out of your hands as long as you live and at your death bequeath it in like manner to your children heirs that they also may keep this book secretly which also I shal particularly desire of them that they wil not let it goe out of your family at any time and be made publique so as to come to the hands of Sophisters scoffers who contemn all things which are not agreeable to them and indeed detract from them These are pleased onely with what is their own as indeed all fools are wont to bee whom their owne toyes onely please not anything which is anothers hating all kind of wisdome Wherefore they account wisdom as folly bec nothing doth thē any good they know the use of nothing As one workman cannot use the instruments of another so a foole can use no weapons better then his owne sticke or boughes and there is no sound pleasanter to him then the ringing of his own bell Wherefore most dear brother be you faithfully admonished as I have entreated you and do what I have enjoined you which I hope you will and you shall doe what is right and well Farewell with the protection of God Dated at Villacum in the year 1537. OF THE NATVRE Of Things THE FIRST BOOKE Of the generations of Naturall things The generation of naturall things is twofold THe generation of all natural things is twofold Naturall and without Art and Artificiall viz. by Alchymie Although in generall it may bee said that all things are naturally generated of the Earth by means of putrefaction For Putrefaction is the chiefe degree All things proceed from putrefaction and first step to Generation Now Putrefaction is occasioned by a moist heat The cause of putrefaction is a moist heart For a continuall moist heat causeth putrefaction and changeth all naturall things from their first form and essence as also their vertues The power and nature of putrefaction and efficacy into another thing For as putrefaction in the stomach changeth and reduceth all meats into dung so also putrefaction out of the stomach in a glasse changeth all things from one form into another from one essence into another from one colour into another from one smell into another from one vertue into another from one power into another from one property into another and generally from one quality into another For it is evident and proved by daily experience that many good things which are wholsome and medicinable become after putrefaction naught unwholsome and meer poison So on the contrary there are many bad unwholsome poisonous and hurtfull things which after their putrefaction become good lose all their unwholsomnesse and become wonderfull medicinable because putrefaction produceth great matters as of this wee have a most famous example in the holy Gospel where Christ saith Unlesse a grain of Wheat bee cast into the Earth and be putrefied it cannot bring forth fruit in a hundred fold Hence also we must know that many things are multiplyed in putrefaction so as to bring forth excellent fruit For putrefaction is the change What putrefaction is and death of all things and destruction
and proved Why is a seal put upon Letters but that there is a certain bond which it is lawfull for no man to violate For a seal is a confirmation of Letters whence they are of all men accounted ratified Without a seale an Acquitance is void and of no force After the same manner many things are marked with few letters names or words as books which being writ upon the outside but with one word doe presently shew what is contained within The same rule also there is for glasses and boxes in Apothecaries shops all which are discerned by peculiar names or papers put upon them Unlesse that were done who could discern so many Waters Liquors Syrups Oyles Powders Seeds Unguents c. and all simples After the same manner doth the Alchymist in his Elabatorie mark with names and papers all Waters Liquors Spirits Oyles Flegms Crocus Alcali and all species that thereby hee may when there is occasion make use of any of them and know them without the help of which his memory could never bear them So also may all houses and buildings bee marked with numbers or figures that the age of every one of them by the first sight of the number may presently be known These and other things that are marked I was willing to shew to you that these being comprehended I might bee the better understood by you in the rest and so the signification of every thing might bee the more plain and clear Of the Monstrous Signes of Men. MAny men are brought forth deformed with monstrous marks Divers monstrous signes or Markes or signes so one abounds with one finger or Toe another wants one The fingers of some grow all together in the mothers womb Another hath a wry foot arm or neck c. and brings it with him out of the womb Another hath a bunch in his back so also are Hermaphrodites born i. e. they which are both Male and Female and have the members both of Man and Woman or else want both I have observed many of these monstrous signs as well in Males as in Females all which are to bee accounted for monstrous signes of secret evil ascendents Whence that proverb is made good The more crooked What monstrous signes shew the more wicked Lame members lame deeds For they are signes of vices seldome signifying any good As the Executioner marks his sons with infamous markes so the evil Ascendents impresse upon their yong supernatural mischievous marks that they may bee the better taken heed of which shew some marks in their forehead cheeks ears fingers hands eyes tongues c. being short or cutted Every one of these infamous signes denotes a peculiar vice So a mark burnt upon the face of a Woman or the cutting off her ears for the most part signifies theft the cutting off the fingers cheating Dicers the cutting off the hand breakers of the peace the cutting off two of the fingers perjured the pulling out of the eye cunning and subtile villains the cutting out of the tongue blasphemers slanderers c. So also you may know them that deny the Christian Religion by a crosse burnt in the soles of their feet because viz. they have denyed their Redeemer But that passing by these we may proceed to the monstrous signs of Malignants ascending you must know that all monstrous signes do not arise from an Ascendent only but offtentimes also from the stars of Mens minds which continually and every moment ascend and descend with the fancy estimation or imagination no otherwise then in the superiour firmament Hence either from fear or terrour of breeding Women many monsters or children marked with monstrous signes in the womb are borne The primary cause of these is fear terror appetite from which is raised the imagination If a women with child begin to imagine then her heaven by its motion is carryed round no otherwise then the superiour firmament every moment with Ascendents or risings or Settings For according to the example of the greater firmament the stars of the Microcosme also are moved by Imagination untill there be an assault whereby the stars of the Imagination convey an influence and impression upon the Woman that is breeding just as if any one should impresse a seale or stamp money Whence these signes and geniall marks are called Impressions of inferiour stars of which many Philosophers have wrote many things and men have endeavoured much to give a full and rationall account of which could never yet bee done Yet they doe adhere and are impressed on the infants as the stars of the Mother whether frequent or violent doe rest upon the Infants or the Mothers longing is not satisfied For if the Mother long for this or that meat and cannot have it the starres are suffocated as it were in themselves and dye And that longing doth follow the infant all its life time that it can never bee well satisfied The like reason is there of other things of which we shall not hear Discourse any further Of the Astrall Signes of Physiognomy in Man THe signes of Physiognomy receive their original from the superior stars The Originall of Physiognomie this art of Physiognomy was greatly esteemed of by our Ancestors and especially by Heathens Tartars and Turks c. and other people amongst whom it was the custome to sel men for slaves and it is not yet altogether laid aside amongst Christians Yet together with it many errors crept in not yet taken notice of by any whilest every blockish ignorant fellow would take upon him without any manner of judgement to judge of any one Where it is worthy of admiration that those erours should never bee taken notice of from the workes deeds and abilities of the men Now if any one shall in this place argue against us saying that the signes of Physiognomy are from the stars and that the stars have no power to compell any one or stir him up he indeed doth not speake amisse but yet there is some difference in it which must be taken notice of because the stars compell some and others they doe not compell For here we must know who can rule or constrain the stars and who can be governed by them Therefore for this you must note that a wise man can rule the stars and not be subject to them The stars are subject to a wise man and are forced to obey him and not he the stars But the stars compell an Animall man that whither they lead him hee must follow just as a thief doth the gallows and a high-way robber the wheel the fisher the fishes the fowler the birds the hunter the wild beasts And what here is the cause of this but that such a kind of man doth neither know himself nor his own strength never considers or thinks that he is the lesser world and that he hath the universall Firmament with the powers thereof hid in him Wherefore he is called an Animall an ignorant man and a slave
have found Now after this manner may Quicksilver bee prepared out of all Metall viz. ☿ auri ☽ ♀ ♂ ♃ ♄ The reduction of Sublimate and the highest purging of it Now the raising again or restoring of coagulated Mercury is done by distillation in a retort for Quicksilver alone ascends into cold water the Ashes of ♄ ♀ or Sulphur being left behind Now the raising again or restauration of Mercury sublimed is done in seething hot water but it must first be ground very small so the hot water wil seperates it from it the spirit of Salt and Vitriall which it carries up with it the quicksilver running in the bottome of the water Now if this Quicksilver shall be again sublimed with Salt and Vitriall and revived againe in Hot water and this done seven or eight times it can never bee better purged and renewed And this may bee kept for a great secret in Alchymie and Physick and be much rejoiced in For by this means all the impurity blacknesse and poisonousnesse is taken away The reduction of calcined and Precipitated Mercury Mercury calcined can never bee restored againe without sublimation for unlesse it be sublimed after calcination it will never bee revived wherefore thou shalt first sublime it and then reduce it as other Sublimate The resuscitation of Azure Cinnabar Aurum vitae also of Precipitate that they may bee reduced into Quicksilver is thus Take either of these grind it small upon a marble make it up into a past with the white of an egge and sope then make pills of the bigness of Filbeards which put into a strong earthen gourd upon the month of it put a plate of Iron with many little holes in it and lute it on and distill it per descensum with a strong fire so that it may fall into cold water and thou shalt have the Quicksilver again The renewing of Wood that is burn Now the resuscitation and restoring of Wood is hard and difficult yet possible to Nature but without much skilfulness and industry it can never bee done But to revive it the processe is this Take Wood which must first bee a Coale then Ashes which put into a gourd together with die Resine Liquor and Oyle of that tree of each a like weight mingle them and melt them with a soft heat and there will bee a mucilaginous matter and so thou hast the three Principles of which all things are produced and generated viz. flegm fatnesse and Ashes The flegme of of Wood is its Mercury the fat its sulphur the ashes its salt The Flegm is Mercury the Fat is Sulphur the Ashes is Salt For whatsoever fumes and evaporates in the Fire is Mercury whatsoever flames and is burnt is Sulphur and all Ashes is Salt Now seeing thou hast these three Principles together put them in Horse-dung and putrefie them for a time If afterward that matter bee put in and buried in fat ground thou shalt see it live again and a little tree spring from thence which truly in vertue is farre more excellent then the former This Tree or Wood is and is called Regenerated Wood renewed and restored which from the beginning was Wood but mortified destroyed and brought into coales ashes and almost to nothing and yet out of that nothing is made and renewed This truly in the light of Nature is a great mystery viz. that a thing which had utterly lost its form and was reduced to nothing should recover its form and of nothing bee made something which afterward becomes much more excellent in vertue and efficacy then it was at first Algenerall rule for raising of things againe But to speake generally of the Resurrection and Restauration of Naturall things you must know that the chiefest foundation here is that that bee restored to every thing and made to agree with it which was taken from it in mortification and separated from it which is hard to bee here specifically explained Wherefore wee shall conclude this book and shall speak of these things more at large in the next book Concerning the transmutations of naturall things OF THE NATVRE Of Things THE SEVENTH BOOK Of the Transmutation of Naturall things IF wee write of the Transmutation of all Naturall things it is fit and necessary that in the first place wee shew what Transmutation is Secondly what bee the degrees to it Thirdly by what Medium's and how it is done What Transmutation is Transmutation therefore is when a thing loseth its form and is so altered that it is altogether unlike to its former substance and form but assumes another form another essence another colour another vertue another nature or property as if a Metal I bee made glasse or stone if a stone bee made a coale if wood be made a coal clay be made a stone or a brick a skin bee made glew cloth bee made paper and many such like things All these are Transmutations of Naturall things There are seven principal degrees of transmutation After this it is very necessary also to know the degrees to Transmutation and how many they be And they are no more then seven For although many doe reckon more yet there are no more but seven which are principall and the rest may bee reckoned betwixt the degrees being comprehended under those seven And they are these Calcination Sublimation Solution Putrefaction Distillation Coagulation Tincture If any one will climbe that Ladder he shall come into a most wonderful place that hee shall see and have experience of many secrets in the Transmutation of Naturall things The first degree therefore is Calcination under which also are comprehended Reverberation and Cementation What Calcination is and its kinds are For betwixt these there is but little difference as for matter of Calcination Wherefore it is here the chiefest degree For by Reverberation and Cementation many corporeall things are calcined and brought into Ashes and especially Metalls Now what is calcined is not any further reverberated or cemented By Calcination therefore all Metalls Mineralls Stones Glasse c. and all corporeall things are made a Coal and Ashes and this is done by a naked strong Fire with blowing by which all tenacious soft and fat earth is hardened into a stone Also all stones are brought into a Calx as wee see in a Potters furnace of lime and brickes Sublimation is the second degree and one of the most principall for the Transmutation of many Naturall things What Sublimation is and its kinds under which is contained Exaltation Elevation and Fixation and it is not much unlike Distillation For as in Distillation the water ascends from all flegmatick and watery things and is separated from its body so in Sublimation that which is spirituall is raised from what is corporeall and is subtilized volatile from fixed and that in dry things as are all Mineralls and the pure is separated from the impure Besides Sublimation many good vertues and wonderfull things are found out
all which coagulate Waters into snow and ice But the Coagulation of Fire which alone is here to bee taken notice of is made by an Artificiall and Graduall Fire of the Alchymists and it is fixed and permanent For whatsoever such a Fire doth coagulate the same abides so The other Coagulation is done by the Aetnean and Minerall Fire in in Mountains which indeed the Archeius of the Earth governs and graduates not unlike to the Alchymists and whatsoever is coagulated by such a Fire is also fixed and constant as you see in Mineralls and Metalls which indeed at the beginning are a mucilaginous matter and are coagulated into Metalls Stones Flints Salts and other bodies by the Aetnean fire in Mountaines through the Archeius of Earth and operator of Nature What things cannot be Coagulated Also wee must know that Fire can coagulate no water or moisture but only the Liquors and Juices of all Naturall things Besides also there can no flegm bee coagulated unlesse in the beginning it was a corporeall matter into which by the industry of a skilfull Alchymist it may return So also any mucilaginous matter or spermaticke slimynesse may by the heat of Fire be coagulated into a body and corporeall matter but never bee resolved into water again And as you have heard of Coagulation so also know concerning Solution viz. that no corporeall matter can bee dissolved into Water unlesse at the beginning it was water and so it is in all Mineralls What Tincture is and its kinds Tincture is the seventh and last degree which concludes the whole worke of our mystery for Transmutation making all imperfect things perfect and transmuting them into a most excellent essence and into a most perfect soundnesse and alters them into another colour Tincture therefore is a most excellent matter wherewithall Minerall and Humane bodies are tinged and are changed into a better and more noble essence and into the highest perfection and purity For Tincture colours all things according to its own nature and colour All things that are to be tinged must be fluid Now there are many Tinctures and not only for Metalline but Humane bodies because every thing which penetrates another matter or tingeth it with another colour or essence so that it bee no more like the former may bee called a Tincture Wherefore there are many and various sorts of Tinctures viz. of Metalls Mineralls Mens bodies Waters Liquors Oyls Salts all fat things and indeed of all things which may bee brought to flux out of the Fire or in the Fire For if a Tincture must tinge it is necessary that the body or matter which is to bee tinged bee opened and continue in flux and unless this should bee so the Tincture could not operate But it would bee as if any one should cast saffron or any colour upon coagulated Water or Ice for so it would hot so suddenly tinge the Ice with its colour as if it were cast into other water And although it should tinge yet it would at the same time resolve the Ice into Water Wherefore those Metalls that wee would tinge must first bee melted in the Fire and bee freed from Coagulation And here wee must know that by how much the stronger fire is requisite for their melting so much the sooner the Tincture runs through them as Leaven penetrates and infects the whole masse with sowreness and by how much better the masse is covered and kept warm so much the better is it fermented and makes the better bread for ferment is the Tincture of Dowe and Bread Feces are of a more fixt nature then their Flegme Wee must also note that all feces are of a more fixed substance then the liquor of it is also of a sharper and more penetrating nature as you see in the spirit of Wine which is made of the feces of Wine and of Aqua vitae which is distilled out of the grounds of Beer and burns like spirit of Wine and is inflamed as Sulphur The preparation and Nature of distilled Vineger Also if of the feces of Vineger another Vineger bee distilled as commonly spirit of Wine is distilled there will bee thereby made a Vineger of so fiery and sharp a nature that it consumes all Metalls Stones and other things as Aqua fortis How the Tinctures of Metalls must be made Moreover it is necessary that Tinctures be of a fixt fluxil and incombustible nature so that if a little of a place of any Metall red hot bee cast into them they will presently flow like wax● without any manner of fume at all and they penetrate the Metalls as oyle doth paper or water a sponge and tinge all Metalls into white and red that is into Silver or Gold Now these are the Tinctures of Metalls which it is necessary must bee turned into an Alcool by the first degree of Calcination then by the second degree of Sublimation must get an easy and light flux And lastly by the degree of Putrefaction and Distillation are made a fixt and incombustible Tincture and of an unchangeable colour The Tinctures of Men. Now the Tinctures of Mens bodies are that they bee tinged into the highest perfection of health and all Diseases bee expelled from them that their lost strength and colour bee restored and renewed and they are these viz. Gold Pearles Antimony Sulphur Vitriall and such like whose preparation wee have diverfly taught in other books wherefore it doth not seem to us necessary here to repeat them Of Dying and Painting Wee shall write no more of Tinctures seeing every extracted colour may bee called a Tincture which doth indeed tinge things with a permanent colour which doe not go into the Fire or preserve colours fixed in the Fire All these are in the hand and power of the Dyer and Painter who prepares them according to his pleasure How many degrees of the Alchymists fire there be It is very necessary in this book to know the degrees of Fire which many wayes may bee graduated and intended and every degree hath a peculiar operation and one produceth the same effect as another as every expert Alchymist by the daily experience and exercise of the Art knows For one is as living and flaming Fire which reverberates and Calcines all bodies Another is the Fire of a Candle or Lamp which fixeth all volatile bodies Another is a Fire of coals which cements colours and purgeth Metalls from their dross exalts Gold and Silver to a higher purity whitens Copper and in brief renews all Metalls Another Fire is of an Iron plate made red hot in which the Tinctures of Metalls are proved which also is profitable for other things The Filings of Iron heat after one fashion Sand after another Ashes after another a Balneum Maria after another in which manifold Distillations Sublimations and Coagulations are done Balneumroris after another in which there are made many Solutions of corporeall things Horse-dung after
another in which the chiefest putrefactions and digestions are made The Celestiall fire And after another fashion works the invisible Fire by which wee understand the rayes of the Sun and that which is manifested by a glass or Crystall and shews it operations and effects of which Fire the Ancients wrote nothing at all and by this fire the three Principles of every corporeall thing may be separated This Fire is of such wonderfull force that by it Metalls may bee melted and all fat and fluxible things may upon the table without any Fire bee together with all combustible things reduced into coales and ashes Therefore after I have proposed and opened to you the degrees of the Art of Alchymie and the degrees of the Alchmyists Fire I will yet further shew and declare to you in generall various Transmutations of naturall things of Metalls first secondly of Stones and thirdly of divers things in generall The transmutation of Metalls therefore is a great secret in Nature and it can hardly bee done by reason of many impediments and repugnancies Yet it is not against Nature nor Gods ordination as many falsly affirm The Transmutation of Metalls into Silver and Gold But that the five lesser and impurer Metalls viz. ♀ ♃ ♄ ♂ and ☿ may be transmuted into the greater purest and most perfect Metalls viz. into ☉ and ☽ it cannot be done without the Tincture or philosophers stone Now seeing we have before sufficiently opened the secrets of Tinctures in the seven degres and described them there it is not necessary that wee spend any further labour in this but rather bee satisfied with those things which we have wrote in other books concerning the Transmutations of Metalls The Transmutation of Iron into Copper Now there are other Transmutations of imperfect and impure Metals as the transmutation of ♂ into ♀ which may bee done divers wayes If plates of Iron bee boiled in water of Vitriall or bee cemented with calcined Vitriall or being red hot be quenched in oyl of Vitriall These three ways Iron may be transmuted into very good and ponderous Copper which indeed flows well and hath its weight as well as any naturall Copper The Transmutation of Iron into Lead Plates of Iron may bee as it were reduced and transmuted into Lead so that it bee as soft as naturall Lead but doth not flow so easily and the processe is this Take Filings of ♂ and so much of the powder of Borax mingle them well together put them in a crucible and into a wind furnace let there bee made a strong Fire but so that the ♂ doe not flow but stand as it were in a Cement for a whole houre then encrease the Fire that it may bee red hot and flow then let the crucible cool of it selfe and thou shalt find the regulus of Lead in the bottome of the crucible soft and malleable as naturall Lead can be The Transmutation of Copper into Lead But to transmute ♀ into ♄ the processe is this First of all bring Copper with ☿ sublimate and fixt Arsenick to bee white yea as white as ☽ then beat it small Take this and the powder of Borax of each a like quantity and first cement it then let it bee melted into a regulus and thou hast a true regulus of Lead The Transmutation of Lead into Copper Now on the contrary it is easy to transmute Lead into Copper neither doth it require much pains and it is done thus Take plates of Lead strow them over with calcined Vitriall or Crocus of Venus cement them and then melt them and thou shalt see naturall Lead transmuted into good ponderous and malleable Copper A Metalline mixture like Gold Now if this Copper or any other Copper be beaten into plates and strowed Over with Tutia or Capri Celaminaris and be cemented and lastly melted it will bee transmuted into an excellent reddish Electrum like to Gold To make English Tin out of Lead If thou wilt turne ♄ into ♃ make plates of ♄ strow them with Salt Armoniack cement and melt them as abovesaid so will all the blacknesse and darknesse bee taken away from the Lead and it will be in whitenesse like fair English Tin Now as you have in briefe heard of some Mutations of Metalls so also know that there are Transmutations of Gemmes which indeed are various and in no wise like Oyl of Sulphur transmutes Gemmes For you see how great Transmutations of Gemmes there lies in oyle of Sulphur For any Crystall may bee tinged and Transmuted in it and in time bee exalted with divers colours as to bee made like to the Hyacinth Granat or Rubie To Transmute the Loadstone into great strength Know also that the Load stone may be transmuted into a tenfold greater power and vertue and it is done thus Take the Loadstone and heat it very hot in coales but so that it bee not fired which presently quench in the Oyle of Crocus Martis made of the best Carinthian Steel that it may imbibe as much as it can Thou shalt by this meanes make the Loadstone so powerfull that thou maist pull out Nailes out of a wall with it and doe such like wonderfull things with it that the common Loadstone can never doe Moreover in Transmutation of Gemmes you must know that the world is placed in two degrees of Tincture and Coagulation To transmute the white of an Egge into Amber of any Colour For as the white of an Egge may bee tinged with Saffron and then bee coagulated into a faire yellow Amber with the smoke of a Pine-tree into blacke Amber with Verdegrease into green like Lapis Armenius with green juice into Amber like the Emerald and with the Azure stone into blew Amber like a Saphir with the Wood called red Wood into red like a Granat or Rubie with a purple colour like to an Amethyst with Ceruse like to Alablaster So all Liquors especially Metalls and Mineralls may bee tinged with fixed colours and afterwards bee coagulated and transmuted into Gemmes How counterfeit Pearls are made So also may Pearles be made like true Pearles in form so that for splendor and beauty they can hardly bee discerned from the true And they are made thus Cleanse the white of Egges through a spunge as purely as may bee then mingle with it the fairest white Talke or Mother of Pearle or Mercury coagulated with Tinne and brought into an Alcool then grinde them all together on a Marble so that they become a thick Amalgama which must bee dryed in the Sunne or behind a furnace so long untill it bee like Cheese or a Liver Then of this masse make Pearles as big as thou wilt which hang upon the bristles of a Hog and being thus boared through dry them as Amber and then thou hast finished them If they are not beautifull enough anoint them over with the white of an Egge and dry them again and they will bee most
goodly pearls in form like the naturall but not in vertue In the like manner are Coralls made with which men endeavour to deceive one the other as with Pearle The processe is this How Counterfeit Coralls may be made Take Cinnabar grinde it on a Marble with the white of an Egge for the space of an houre then dry it as Potters doe their Earth then make it into what forme thou pleafest Afterwards dry them as much as may bee and noint them over with the white of an Egge as thou didst Pearle and dry them by themselves again So thou shalt have Corall like to the naturall in form but not in vertue A Golden or Silver vernish Thou must also know That the white of an Egge may bee of it selfe coagulated into most cleer Vernish in the coagulation of which Silver or Gold may bee strewed There are also many other and various Transmutations of Naturall things Whereof those which I know and have had experience of I will by the way set down and briefly declare to you How wood is made a stone And first of all know That any Wood if it bee put for a certaine time into the water of Salt Gemme is turned with much admiration into a Stone Coales of stones Also Stones in the Aetnean fire are transmuted into Coales which are called stony Coals Glew of skins Also Glew is boiled out of Skinnes Paper of Linnen-cloath Of Linnen cloth is made Paper Silke of Flax. Of Flax boiled in sharp Lie made of the Ashes of Wood is Silke made Feathers may be Spun. Also the feathery parts pulled off from quills and boiled in that Lie may bee spun and weaved like Cotton Any Oyle or Spermatick mucilage may bee coagulated into Vernish Any Liquor into Gumme c. All these are Transmutations of Naturall things of which Science wee have spoken enough and there-wee shall here make an end OF THE NATVRE Of Things THE EIGHTH BOOK Of the Separation of Naturall things The Chaos the Matter of the World IN the Creation of the world the first separation began from the foure Elements seeing the first matter of the world was one Chaos Of this Chaos God made the greater world being divided into four distinct Elements viz. Fire Aire Water and Earth Fire is the hot part Aire the moist Water the cold and Earth the dry part of the greater world What separation shall be here spoken of But that you may in brief understand the reason of our purpose in this 8 th book you must know that we doe not purpose to treat here of the Elements of all Naturall things seeing we have sufficiently discoursed of those Arcana in the Archidoxis of the separation of Naturall things whereby every one of them is apart and distinctly separated and divided materially and substantially viz. seeing that two three or foure or more things are mixed into one body and yet there is seen but one matter Where it often falls out that the corporeall matter of that thing cannot bee known by any or signified by any expresse name until there bee a separation made Then sometimes two three four five or more things come forth out of one matter as is manifest by daily experience in the art of Alchymie What Electrum is As for example you have an Electrum which of it selfe is no Metall but yet it hides all Metalls in one Metall That if it be anatomized by the industry of Alchymie and Teparated all the seven Metalls viz. Gold Silver Copper Tinne Lead Iron and Quicksilver come out of it and that pure and perfect What separation is But that you may understand what Separation is note that it is nothing else then the severing of one thing from another whether of two three four or more things mixed together I say a separation of the three Principles as of Mercury Sulphur and Salt and the extraction of pure out of the impure or the pure excellent spirit and quintessence from a grosse and elementary body and the preparation of two three four or more out of one or the dissolution and setting at liberty things that are bound and compact which are of a contrary nature acting one against the other untill they destroy one the other How many kinds of Separation Now there are many kinds of separation many of which are unknown to us those which wee have experienced out of elementary dissoluble naturall things shall in this place according to their kinds be described The separation of the Microcos me The first separation of which wee speake must begin from man because hee is the Microcosme or little world for whose sake the Microcosme or greater world was made viz. that hee might be the separator of it The body of man after death it twofold Now the separation of the Microcosme begins at his death For in death the two bodies of Man are separated the one from the other viz. his Celestial and Terrestial body i. e. Sacramental and Elementary one of which ascends on high like an Eagle the other falls downward to the earth like lead What the Elementary Body is The Elementary is putrefied consumed and becomes a putrid stinking carkase which being buryed in the earth never comes forth or appeares more What a Sacramentall Body is But the Sacramentall i. e. Syderiall or Celestiall all is never putrefied or buried neither doth it possesse any place This body appears to Men and also after death is seen Hence Ghosts Visions and Supernaturall Apparitions Whence the Cabalisticall art Hence by the ancient Magicians the Cabalisticall Art took it's beginning of which we shall treat more at large in the books of Cabalie After this separation is made then after the death of the Man three substances viz. Body Soule and Spirit are divided the one from the other every one going to its own place viz. it s own fountaine from whence it had its originall viz. the body to the Earth to the first matter of the Elements the soul into the first matter of Sacraments and lastly the spirit into the first matter of the Airy Chaos The separation of the Macrocosme What now hath been spoken of the separation of the Macrocosme the same also may bee understood in the greater world which the great Ocean hath divided into three parts so that the universall world is severed into three parts viz. Europe Asia and Africa which separation is a certain representation of three Principles Three parts of the World which can be separated from any Terrene or Elementary thing These three Principles are Mercury Sulphur and Salt of which three the world was made and composed The separation of Metalls The next thing to bee known is the separation of Metalls from their Mountains i. e. the separation of Metalls and Mineralls By vertue of this separation many things come forth out of one matter as you see out of Mineralls come
and as their tongue is impure so is their whole body Colours of Clouds The same Signator doth signe clouds with divers colours by which the seasons of the heaven may bee foreknown Colours of the circle of the Moon So also he signs the circle of the moon with distinct colours of which every one is of peculiar interpretation So redness signifies that there wil be wind greennesse and blacknesse raine these two mixed together wind and rain the same in the sea is a signe of great storms and tempests clearnesse and a bright whitenesse is a good sign especially in the ocean For for the most part it signifies a quiet faire season Whatsoever the Moon portends by her signs shall come to passe the next day And so much for Naturall signes Now for Supernaturall signes they are things of a particular science as of Magical Astronomy c. and the like It is therefore necessary that you be skilled in them The kinds of Magicall Astronomie Hence also many other Arts proceed as Geomancy Pyromancy Hydromancy Chaomancy and Necromancy whereof every one hath its peculiar stars which stars doe so signe them after a supernaturall manner And you must know that the starres of Geomancy impresse their signs upon the earthy bodies of the whole Universe and that divers wayes For they change the earth and cause earthquakes and gapings they produce hills and valleys and bring many new Vegetables they produce also Gamaheaus with naked figures and images having wonderfull vertues and powers which indeed they receive from the seven planets as the But or mark receives the arrow from the Archer But how those signs and images of Gamaheaus may be known apart and what they signifie magically there is required a great experience and knowledg of the nature of things which can by no meanes bee here perfectly taught Here you must well note that the stone or every Gamaheaus cannot excell in the prperty and vertue but of one star and so be qualified but by one planet And although there bee two or more planets in earthly bodies as they are joined together in the superiour firmament yet one is repressed by the other For as one house cannot bear two Masters but the one thrusts out the other so also it is here the one rules the other serves Or as one that overcomes him that keeps any house casts him out by force and and sets himself as master of the house disposing of all things according to his pleasure and making the other his servant So also one starre expells another one planet another one Ascendant another one influence another one impression another one Element another For as water quencheth the fire so one planet destroyes the property of another and brings in its owne The same is after the same manner to be understood stood of their signes which are manifold and not only characters as many conceive but all those which are sound in the whole map of the planets i. e. whatsoever are of affinity with or subject to the planets What things are subject to the Sun But that you may the better understand mee by adding an example I would have you know that unto the planet of the Sun are subjected a crowne a scepter a throne and all kingly power majesty and rule and all riches treasures ornaments and furniture of this world What to the Moone Unto the planet of the Moon are subjected all husbandry navigation travelling and travellers and such things as belong to these What to Mars Unto the planet of Mars are subjected all fortifications armour coats for defence Ordnance of War spears and all weapons and whatsoever belongs to war What to Mercury Unto the planet of Mercury are subjected all Artists all Mechanick instruments and whatsoever is required to Arts. What to Impiter Unto the planet of Jupiter are subjected all judgments and rights the whole Leviticall order all Ministers of Churches ornaments of Temples all jewells and such like What to Venus Unto the planet of Venus are subjected whatsoever things belong to Musick as Musicall instruments venereall exercises loves whorings c. What to Saturn Unto Saturne are subjected whosoever work in and beneath the earth as Miners Pioners Bearers of the dead Diggers of Wells as also all instruments serving to either of these c. What be the signes of Pyromancy Pyromancy draws forth its signes by the stars of the fire in common fire by particular sparkes flames or noise c. in the mines by Coruscations in the Firmament by stars comets flashing and lightning and Nostock and the like in Visions by Salamandrine and fiery spirits What the signes of Hydromancy are Hydromancy gives its signes by the stars of the Water by their overflowings their scarcity discolourings commotions new streames the washings away of earthy things in Magick and Necromancy by Nymphs visions and supernaturall Monsters in the waters and sea What are the signes of Chaomancy Chaomancy shews its signes by the stars of the Aire and Wind by the discolouring destroying of all tender and subtill things to which the Wind is an enemie by bearing off the flowers leaves boughes and branches If the stars of Chaomancy are moved spirits fall from the superiour Aire and voices and answers are often heard Also Trees are pulled up by the rootes and Houses are thrown down There are seen Hobgoblins Houshold Gods airy spirits and Woodmen c. also a heavenly dew and manna falls upon Trees and Hearbs The signes of Necromancy Necromancy draws forth its signs by the stars of Death which we call Evestra which are prophetical spirits signing the body of the sick and dying man with red blue and purple spots which are certaine signs of death in the third day of their rising They sign also the hands and singers of men with a clay colour which are certain signs of change either good or bad When therfore the stars of Necromancy are moved then the dead shew some wonderful sign as Bleeding and voices are heard out of the graves tumults tremblings arise in the places where bones are laid and dead men appear in the form and habit of living men and are seen in Visions in Looking-glasses in Berills in Stones and Waters and divers shapes Evestra i.e. spirits give their signs by beating striking knocking falling casting c. where there is a great hurly burly and noise only heard but nothing seen all which are certain signes of death presaging it to him in whose habit they appear or to some in what place they are heard Besides these signatures many more may be reckoned up But seeing they bring with them evill hurtfull and dangerous fancies and imaginations and superstitions which may be an occasion not onely of some misfortune but also death I shall passe them over in silence They are prohibited from being revealed to us seeing they belong to the schoole of secrets and divine power Therefore now I shall put an end to this book FINIS