be well advised that Saturn is easily reduced from its Calx but Jupiter most difficulty Therefore let him be careful that he err not in exposing Saturn after its first Pulverization to too great a Fire and so reduce the Calx into Body before it is perfected For he needs Temperance of Fire and that leisurely augmented by degrees with Caution until it be confirmed in its Calx proving not so easily reducible that a greater Fire may be administred to it for compleatly perfecting its Calx Likewise he must be careful that he err not in Jupiter by reason of its difficult Reduction so that when he intends to reduce its Calx he find it not reduced but in its former condition or turned into Glass and thence he conclude its Reduction impossible For We say if a great Fire be not administred in the Reduction of Tin it reduceth not and if a great Fire be administred it doth not necessarily happen that it shall be reduced but 't is possible it may be converted to Glass And that is because Jupiter in the profundity of its Nature hath the fugitive Substance of Argentvive included which if kept long in Fire flies away and leaves the Body deprived of Humidity so that it is found more apt for Vitrification than to be converted to the Fusion of a Metallick Body For every Thing deprived of its proper Humidity gives no other than a Vitrificatory Fusion Whence it necessarily follows that the Artist must hasten to reduce it swiftly with the speedy force of a violent Fire for otherwise it is noâ— reduced Therefore let him practice therein and he will come to the Knowledg thereof The way of Calcination of these two Bodies which is performed by the Acuity of Salt is that Quantity after Quantity of Salt be very often cast upon them in their Fusion and permixed by much agitation with a Rod of Iron over the Fire until by mixtion of the Salt they be turned into Ashes And afterward by the same way of Perfection the Calxes of them are perfected with their Considerations But in this also there is difference in the Calcination of these two Bodies For Lead with the first labours of Calcinatitn is more easily converted to Powder than Tin yet the Calx of it is not more easily perfected than the Calx of Tin The Cause of this Diversity is because Saturn hath a more fixed Humidity than Jupiter Of Venus and Mars the way of Calcination is one yet diverse from the former by reason of the difficulty of their Liquefaction And it is this either of these Bodies reduced into Plates must be heat red hot but not melted For by reason of the great Quantity of Earthiness in them and the large Measure they have of adustive and flying Sulphureity they are easily this way deduced into Calx And that therefore is because by reason of much Earthiness mixt with the Substance of Argentvive the due continuation of Argentvive is disturbed Therefore Porosity is caused iâ— them through which the Sulphureity passing may fly away and the Fire by that Means having access to it burn and elevate the same Whence it comes to pass that the Parts are made more rare and through Discontinuity of the Rarity converted into Ashes The Experience of this is manifest because Plates of Copper exposed to Ignition yield a Sulphureous Flame and cause pulverizable Scales in their Superficies And that therefore is because from the Parts more nigh a more easie combustion of Sulphur must necessarily be made But the Form of the Furnace of this Calcination is the same with the Form of the Furnace of Distillation only that this must have one great hole left in the Crown of it whence it may free it self from Fumosities And the Site of Things to be calcined must be in the midst of the Furnace that the Fire may have free access to them round about But the Vessel must be of Earth made in the form of a Porringâ—r or deep Dish The way of Calcination of Spirits is that to them approaching to Fixation be administred Fire gradually and very leisurely increased that they fly not until they be able to sustain the greatest Fire Their Vessel must be round every way closed and their Furnace the same with this lastly mentioned With a like Furnace and like Vessel every Thing is likewise calcined Yet We are excused from greater Labour than what must be imployed in preventing their Flight because other Things unless Spirits and what is nigh to the Nature of Spirits fly not CHAP. XV. Of Solution and its Cause NOW We intend to speak of Solution Solution is the Reduction of a Dry Thing into Water Therefore We say that every Perfection of Solution is compleated with subtile Waters and especially the acute and sharp and saline Waters having no Feces as is Distilled Vinegar Sowre Grapes Pears of very great sharpness Pomegranets and the like of these distilled The Cause of the Invention of this was the Subtiliation of those Things which neither have Fusion nor Ingress by which was lost the great Vtility of fixed Spirits and of those Things which are of their Nature For every Thing which is dissolved must necessarily have the Nature of Salt or of Allom or of their like And the Nature of them is that they give Fusion before their Vitrification Therefore Spirits dissolved will likewise give like Fusion And since they in their own Nature agree with Bodies and each with other Fusion being acquired they must by that necessarily penetrate Bodies and penetrating transmute the same But they neither penetrate nor trasmute without our Magistery which is this viz. that after Solution and Coagulation of the Body to it be administred some one of the Spirits purified not fixed and that so often sublimed from it as until it remain with it and give to it a more swift Fusion and conserve the same in Fusion from Vitrification For the Nature of Spirits is not to be vitrified and to preserve the Mixture from Vitrification as long as they are in it Therefore the Spirit which more retains the Nature of Spirits more defends from Vitrification But a Spirit only purified more preserves than a Spirit purified calcined and dissolved therefore there is a necessity of mixing such a Spirit with the Body For from these results good Fusion and Ingress and firm Fixation But We are able to prove by the Works of Nature that Things only holding the Nature of Salts Alloms and the like are Soluble For considering We find in all her Works no other things to be dissolved but them Therefore whatsoever are dissolved they must necessarily be dissolved by their Nature Yet because We see all Things truly calcined to be dissolved by Reiteration of Calcination and Solution therefore We by that prove that all Calcinates approach to the Nature of Salts and Alloms therefore must necessarily be themselves attended with those properties But the way of Solution is twofold viz by hot Dung
OF Things perfecting and corrupting Metallick Bodies Chap. 1. Page 3. Of the Stone of Philosophers c. Chap. 2. Page 5. Of Things helping Preparation and of their Cleansing Chap. 3. Page 6. Of Preparing and Meliorating Bodies in General Chap. 4. Page 9. Of the Preparation of Tin in Special Chap. 5. Page 21. Of the Preparation of Saturn or Lead Chap. 6. Page 14. Of the Preparation of Copper Chap. 7. Page 15. Of the Preparation of Iron Chap. 8. Page 16 Of the Preparation of Gold Chap. 9 Page 17. Of the Preparation of Silver Chap. 10. Page 17. Of the Properties of the greater Elixir Chap. 11. Page 18. The Conclusion of this Book Page 20. II. Of the Sum of Perfection Or of the Perfect Magistery The First Book The Preface dividing this Book into Four Parts Page 22. Part I. Of the Division of Impediments Chap. 1. Page 25. Of the Impediments of this Work from the part of the Body of the Artificer Chap. 2. Page 26. Of Impediments from the Part of the Artists Soul Chap. 3. Page 27. Of External Impediments hindering the Work of this Art Chap. 4. Page 29. The Conclusion of the First Part containing the Qualifications of the Artificer Chap. 5. Page 30. Part 2. OF the true Reasons of Men simply denying Art Chap. 1. Page 34. That it is not possible c. that Art can imitate Nature in all Differencies of Properties of Actions Chap. 2. Page 39. A Confutation of the Reasons of Men simply denying Art Chap. 3. Page 42. Divers Opinions of those who suppose the Art to be Chap. 4. Page 49. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Sulphur Chap. 5. Page 51. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Arsnick Chap. 6. Page 53. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Argentvive c. Chap. 7. Page 54. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Spirits to be fixed with Bodies c. Chap. 8. Page 55. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in White Lead or Tin c. Chap. 9. Page 57. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Black Lead or Saturn Chap. 10. Page 59. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in the Mixtion of hard Bodies c. Chap. 11. Page 60. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in the Mixtion of hard Bodies c. Chap. 12. Page 61. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Extraction of the Soul Chap. 13. Page 62. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Glass and Gems c. Chap. 14. Page 62. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Middle Minerals Vegetables c. Chap. 15. Page 63. Part. 3. Of the Natural Principles of Metallick Bodies according to the Opinions c. Chap. 1. Page 65. Of the Natural Principles of Metals according to the Opinion of Modern Philosophers c. Chap. 2. Page 66. The Division of what are to be spoken of Sulphur Arsnick and Argentvive c. Chap. 3. Page 69. Of Sulphur Chap. 4. Page 69. Of Arsnick Chap. 5. Page 72. Of Argentvive or Mercury Chap. 6. Page 73. Of the Effects of the Principles of Nature which are Metallick Bodies Chap. 7. Page 74. Of Sol or Gold Chap. 8. Page 75. Of Luna or Silver Chap. 9. Page 77. Of Saturn or Lead Chap. 10. Page 78. Of Jupiter or Tin Chap. 11. Page 79. Of Venus or Copper Chap. 12. Page 80. Of Mars or Iron Chap. 13. Page 81. Part. 4. OF the Division of Things to be spoken with an Insinuation of Perfection c. Chap. 1. Page 83. Of Sublimation why invented Chap. 2. 86. What Sublimation is and of the Degrees of Fire c. Chap. 3. Page 88. Of the Feces of Metallick Bodies to be added to Spirits in their Sublimation c. Chap. 4. Page 91. Of Covering the Fire in Sublimation Chap. 5. Page 93. Of Errors about the Quantity of Feces and the Disposition of the Furnace c. Chap. 6. Page 95. Of what Matter and Form the Sublimatory is to be made Chap. 7. Page 99. Of Sublimation of Mercury or Argentv Chap. 8. Page 102. Of Sublimation of Marchasite Chap. 9. Page 105. Of the Vessel for subliming Marchasite Chap. 10. Page 106. Of Sublimation of Magnesia and Tut. Chap. 11. Page 110. Of Descension and the way of purifying by Pastils Chap. 12. Page 112. Of Distillation its Causes Kinds c. Chap. 13. Page 114. Of Calcination of Bodies and Spirits its Causes c. Chap. 14. Page 120. Of Solution and its Cause Chap. 15. Page 126. Of Coagulation and its Causes divers wayes of Coagulating Mercury c. Chap. 16. Page 129. Of Fixation and its Cause c. Chap. 17. Page 136. Of Ceration and its Cause Chap. 18. Page 139. III. Of the Sum of Perfection or of the Perfect Magistery The Second Book The Preface dividing the Book into Three Parts Page 141. Part 1. THat the Knowledge of Perfection of this Art depends on the Knowledge of the Nature of Spirits and Bodies c. Chap. 1. Page 142. Of the Nature of Sulphur and Arsnick Chap. 2. Page 143. Of the Nature of Mercury or Argentv Chap. 3. Page 145. Of the Nature of Marchasite c. Chap. 4. Page 148. Of the Nature of Sol or Gold Chap. 5. Page 150. Of the Nature of Luna or Silver Chap. 6. Page 153. Of the Nature of Mars or Iron Also of the Effects of Sulphur and Mercury c. Chap. 7. Page 154. Of the Nature of Venus or Copper Chap. 8. Page 157. Of the Nature of Jupiter or Tin Chap. 9. Page 162. Of the Nature of Saturn or Lead Chap. 10. Page 166. Part 2. THat of every imperfect Body and also of Agentvive the Medicine must necessarily be two-fold viz. one for the White the other for the Red Chap. 1. Page 171. That every of the Imperfect Bodies ought to have its peculiar Preparation Chap. 2. Page 174. That the Defect of Imperfect Metals ought to be supplied by Medicine but their Superfluity removed by Preparation Chap. 3. Page 176. Of the Preparation of Saturn and Jupiter Chap. 4. Page 179. Of the Preparation of Venus Chap. 5. Page 183. Of the Preparation of Mars Chap. 6. Page 184. Of the Mundification or Cleansing of Argentvive Chap. 7. Page 186. That five different Properties of Perfection necessarily constitute a most perfect Medicine c. Chap. 8. Page 187 Of Preparations to be adhibited to the Medicine that it may acquire the due Differencies of Properties Chap. 9. Page 189. Of the differences of Medicines c. Chap. 10. Page 191. Of the Medicine of the First Order dealbating Venus Chap. 11. Page 193. Of Medicines dealbating Mars Chap. 12. Page 197. Of Medicines citrinating or colouring Luna 13. Page 198. Of the difference of the Properties of Medicines of the Second Order Chap. 14. Page 202. Of a Medicine Lunar and Solar for imperfect Bodies Chap. 15. Page 204.
Magistery needs not a Speech occult nor wholly manifest Therefore We shall treat of it in such Words as may not be hid from the Wise but to Men of mean Capacity it Will be most profound and Fools shall be absolutely debarr'd from Entrance therein Which We intend here in one and the same Discourse But returning to Our Purpose We say That those who posite this Art in Spirits are manifoldly divers Some affirm That the Stone of Philosophers must necessarily be made of Argentvive others of Sulphur and of Arsnick in affinity to it others of Marchasite some of Tutia and Magnesia and not a few of Salarmoniac And of those who say it is in Bodies some will have it in Lead others in every of the other Bodies so likewise some in Glass some in Gems others in the Diversities of Salts Allomes Nitres and Boraces and some in every kind of Vegetables And every one of these Supposers is adverse to the other according to his Supposition and being adverse to these he believes himself to be simply adverse to the Art And for the most part We find either of these Sects void of Reason CHAP. V. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Sulphur Some supposing to find this Art in Sulphur imploy their whole Labour in Sulphur and being ignorant of the Perfection of the Preparation they leave the Preparation it self uncompleat for they conceit that Cleansing and Purifying only will be a Preparation of Perfection But this is done by Sublimation therefore brought to their Intention as they think because they judge that Sublimation only in Sulphur is the Perfection of its Preparation and likewise in its Compeer viz. Arsnick they are induced to the like Judgment Therefore coming to Projection which is with Intention of Alteration they see that to be burned and vanish and not long to abide in Bodies and those Bodies to be left more unclean than they were before Projection of their Matter upon them Now seeing this Delusion in the Compleatment of their Work and that in a long time whereas before they concluded in their Minds that this Science was to be found in Sulphur only but now having not therein found it they argue it is impossible to find it in an other Thing wherefore being not found in this or that they conclude 't is no where to be found The Confutation of the precedent Reasons TO these We briefly answer and say that in this they understand little and are less Wise because they suppose Sulphur only to be the Matter of Our Stone If this their Supposition were true yet in the way of Preparation they are deceived because they conceit Sublimation only to be sufficient For they are like to a Child who from his first Nativity unto Old Age is shut up within an House not thinking the Latitude of the World to be extended beyond the Latitude of his House or beyond what he can with his Eyes see in the House So they having not imployed their Labour in many Stones could not discern from which Our Medicine should be extracted and from which not from which also abstaining they might spare an abundant Labour of their Hands Therefore what Labour would be perfective or not perfective they are deservedly ignorant But why was their Work defective We say because they left the burning Property and Flight in the Sulphur both which do not only not perfect but also dissipate and destroy CHAP. VI. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Arsnick and their Refutation BUt others judging this Stone must necessarily be found in the same and in its Compeer Arsnick and more profoundly intent on the Consummation of the Work do not only by a Sublimation cleanse the burning Sulphureity but also endeavour to remove the Terrestreity leaving the Flight or Volatility in it These in like manner coming to Projection find a Delusion in it because their Medicine adheres not stably in those very Bodies but successively and by little and little vanisheth leaving such a Body in its former Condition Hence these also condemning Art argue like the former and to them We answer as We did to the First affirming the Art and that We know it to be because We have seen and touched the Verity thereof CHAP. VII The Reasons of Men denying Art supposed in Sulphur Argentvive Tutia Magnesia Marchasite and Salarmoniac with their Re efutation OTher some more profoundly see into the Work and cleanse their Subjects taking away both Flight and Adustion and they make it fixt and earthy having no good Fusion in Heat of Fire but a vitrificatory Fusion only whence in Projection it cannot mix with Bodies Therefore they also argue as the first and to these We answer as to the first Because they left their Work imperfect not knowing how to compleat it For the Ingress which is the Vltimate Perfective they knew not how to search out In all other Spirits likewise is the same way of Preparation except that in Argentvive and Tutia's We are excused from greater Labour than Remotion of their Adustion for these have not an adustible and inflamable Sulphureity but only Volatility But Magnesia's and Marchasites have every kind of Sulphureity Marchasite more and Magnesia less yet all have Flight or Volatility Argentvive more and Sal-armoniac less but Sulphur yet less than its Compeer and fourthly Marchasite less than it fifthly Magnesia less than that and lastly Tutia least of all But either of these partaking more or less of Volatility some Experimentators by reason of this Flight have been vehemently deceived in the Operations of their Preparations and in their Projections likewise Therefore these also argue and condemn the Art as others supposing it in Sulphur and to these We answer as to those supposing it in Sulphur CHAP. VIII The Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Spirits to be fixed together with Bodies and their Refutation THere are Others also endeavouring to fix Spirits in Bodies without any other precedent Preparation but Delusion perplexing them hath on them likewise brought Sadness and Desparation and they are compelled thence to believe that this Science is not and consequently to argue against it For it is a Cause of Disturbance and Incredulity in them that in the Fusion of Bodies they lose their Spirits which cannot adhere to the same Bodies but flie from the Asperity of the Fire the Bodies only remaining therein because they cannot bear the Pressure of the Fire's Violence by reason of Volatility which is not removed from them Likewise Delusion sometimes happens because with those Spirits Bodies do also fly away and this is when the not-fixed Spirits inseparably adhere to Bodies in their Profundity because the Sum of the Volatile overcomes the Sum of the Fixed Whence also they likewise as the first argue and we to them likewise as to the first answer Therefore this turns wholly to their Reproach Sons of Learning if you would convert Bodies then We say if
strong and firm Composition And Metals have great affinity each with other yet the perfect perfects not the diminished by its Commixtion For if Gold be mixed in fusion with Lead this Lead becomes not Gold but vanisheth from the Mixtion and is burnt the Gold in the mean while stands the Tryal So likewise in instancing the other it falls according to the Common Course But according to our Magistery the Perfect helps the Imperfect and the Imperfect in our Magistery by it self is Perfected without the Administration of any Extraneous Thing And through GOD they alter each other and are altered and they perfect each other and are perfected and one only by it self is perfected without the help of another CHAP. VIII Of Sol or Gold WE have already given you in a General Chapter the Sum of the Intention of Metals and here we now intend to make a special Declaration of each one And first of Gold We say Gold is a Metallick Body Citrine ponderous mute fulgid equally digested in the Bowels of the Earth and very long washed with Mineral Water under the Hammer extensible fusible and sustaining the Tryal of the Cupel and Cement According to this Definition you may conclude that nothing is true Gold unless it hath all the Causes and Differencies of the Definition of Gold Yet whatsoever Metal is radically Citrine and brings to Equality and cleanseth it makes Gold of every kind of Metals Therefore we consider by the Work of Nature and discern that Copper may be changed into Gold by Artifice For we see in Copper Mines a certain Water which flows out and carries with it thin Scales of Copper which by a continual and long continued Course it washeth and cleanseth But after such Water ceaseth to flow we find these thin Scales with the dry Sand in three years time to be digested with the Heat of the Sun and among these Scales the purest Gold is found Therefore We judg those Scales were cleansed by the benefit of the Water but were equally digested by heat of the Sun in the Dryness of the Sand and so brought to Equality Wherefore imitating Nature as far as we can we likewise alter yet in this we cannot follow Nature Also Gold is of Metals the most precious and it is the Tincture of Redness because it ringeth and transforms every Body It is calcined and dissolved without profit and is a Medicine rejoycing and conserving the Body in Youth It is most easily broken with Mercury and by the Odour of Lead There is not any Body that in act more agrees with it in Substance than Jupiter and Luna but in Weight Deafeness and Putrescibility Saturn in Colour Venus in Potency indeed Venus is more next Luna than Jupiter and then Saturn but lastly Mars And this one of the Secrets of Nature Likewise Spirits are commixed with it and by it fixed but not without very great Ingenuity which comes not to an Artificer of a stiff neck CHAP. IX Of Luna or Silver HAving premised the Chapter of Sol We come now to speak of Luna by a common name called Silver Therefore We say Silver is a Metallick Body White with pure Whiteness Clean Hard Sounding very durable in the Cupel extensible under the Hammer and fusible And it is the Tincture of Whiteness and hardens Tin by Artifice and converts it to it self and it is mixed with Sol and breaks not but in the Examination it perseveres not without Artifice He who knows how more to subtiliate it and after subtiliation to inspissate and fix it associated with Gold it remains with it in the Test and will in no wise forsake it Being put over the fume of acute Things as of Vinegar Salarmoniac c. it will be of a wonderful Celestine Colour And it is a noble Body but wants of the Nobility of Gold and its Minera is found determinate but it often hath a Minera confused with other Bodies and that Silver is not so noble It is likewise dissolved and calcined with great Labour and no Profit CHAP. X. Of Saturn or Lead OF Lead we likewise treat and say Lead is a Metallick Body livid earthy ponderous mute partaking of a little Whiteness with much paleness refusing the Cineritium and Cement easily in all its dimensions with small Compression extensible and readily fusible without Ignition Yet some foolish Men conceit and say that Lead in its own Nature is much approximated to Gold But because they are stiff-necked and void of all Reason they cannot conceive of the Truth of Things most subtile as it is in it self but judg of them according to Sense And because they see it ponderous and mute and not to putrifie they believe it to be much nigh in Property to Sol but this is wholly erroneous as by the following shall be by us manifestly proved at large Also Lead hath much of an Earthy Substance therefore it is washed and by a Lavament turned into Tin Hence it is manifest that Tin is more assimilated to the Perfect Lead is in like manner burnt and made Minium and it is put over the Vapours of Vinegar and made Ceruss And although it is not much approximate to Perfection yet of it by our Artifice we easily make Silver and it keeps not its proper weight in Transmutation but is changed into a new weight All this it acquires in our Magistery Lead also is the Tryal of Silver in the Cupel the Causes of which We give CHAP. XI Of Jupiter or Tin THerefore not omitting to discourse of Jupiter We signifie to the Sons of Learning that Tin is a Metallick Body white not pure livid and sounding little partaking of little Earthiness possessing in its Root Harshness Softness and swiftness of Liquefaction without Ignition and not abiding the Cupel or Cement but Extensible under the Hammer Therefore Jupiter among Bodies diminished from Perfection is in the Radix of its Nature of Affinity to the more Perfect viz. to Sol and Luna more to Luna but less to Sol as shall be clearly declared in the following Jupiter because it receives much Whiteness from the Radix of its Generation therefore it whitens all Bodies not White yet its vice is that it breaks every Body but Saturn and most pure Sol. And Jupiter adheres much to Sol and Luna and therefore doth not easily recede from them by Examen or Tryal of Cupel In the Magistery of this Art it receives a Tincture of Redness and that shines in it with inestimable Brightness It is hardned and cleansed more easily than Saturn And he who knows how to take away its Vice of breaking will suddenly reap the fruit of his Labour with joy For it agrees with Sol and Luna and will never be separated from them CHAP. XII Of Venus or Copper OUR intended Discourse now is of Venus or Copper It is a Metallick Body livid partaking of a dusky Redness ignible or sustaining Ignition fusible extensible under the Hammer but refusing the Cupel and
the former we shall here following declare with their Causes and with easie Experiences by which you may manifestly know that our Discourses have not erred And these Experiments will be well known to you CHAP. II. Of Sublimation why invented THerefore prosecuting our purpose We speak of Sublimation The Cause of the Invention of which was because our Ancestors could not nor can We nor shall they who come after Us find any thing that can be united with Bodies but Spirits only or any Thing that can contain in it self the Nature of Body and Spirit and We see these cast upon Bodies without Mundation or cleansing of them either not to give perfect Colours or totally to corrupt burn blacken and defile And this according to the Diversity of the same Spirits For some are burning as Sulphur and Arsenick and Marchasite and these indeed totally corrupt Others burn not as every kind of Tutia yet these give imperfect Colours and that they do for a twofold Cause One is because the adustive unctuosity of Sulphur of the property of which it is which is easily inflamed and by Inflamation blackned and consequently blackens is not removed or taken away from them But the other Cause is Earthiness which likewise is not separated from them For in these in which a perfect Colour is not given Earthiness is a Cause making it livid Also Adustion may create a livid Colour Therefore We were constrained to cleanse these from their burning Vnctuosity and from the Earthy Superfluity which they all have And this We could effect by no Magistery but by Sublimation only For when the Fire elevates it always elevates the more subtile parts therefore it stirs not the more Gross Hence it is manifest that Spirits are cleansed from their Earthiness by Sublimation which Terrestriety impeded Ingress and also gave an impure Colour But being sublimed as Experience makes sufficiently manifest to your Sight they are freed from that Impurity For you see them more splendid and more pervious and more easily to enter and penetrate the Density of Bodies and not to impress a foul Colour as before Also that Adustion may be taken away by Sublimation is manifest by Experiment for Arsnick which before its Sublimation was evil and prone to Adustion after its Sublimation suffers not it self to be inflamed but only recedes without Inflamation and the same you may find in Sulphur if you will make Tryal And because in no other Things than in Spirits We saw Adherency to Bodies with Alteration We could have no other Cause to be excused from them but were necessarily constrained to prepare the same for their purification which is made by Sublimation Therefore there was a necessary Cause of the Invention of this Sublimation the whole Order of which We purpose to declare without Diminution CHAP. III. What Sublimation is and of the Degrees of Fire in it to be observed VVHerefore We say Sublimation is the Elevation of a dry Thing by Fire with adherency to its Vessel But Sublimation is diversly made according to the Diversity of Spirits to be sublimed For the Sublimation of some is made with strong Ignition of others with moderate and of some with a remiss heat of Fire Therefore when Arsnick or Sulphur are to be sublimed their Sublimation must necessarily be made by remiss Fire because they having their most subtile parts uniformly conjoyned with the Gross their whole Substance would ascend without any Purification yea blackned and combust Therefore that the Artificer may seperate the unclean Earthy Substance he hath a necessity to find out the Dispositions of two Kinds viz. the Proportion of the Fire and Mundification with commixtion of the Feces because Commixtion with the Feces comprehends the Gross Parts and holds them depressed in the bottom of the Sublimatory not suffering them to ascend Whence also it is necessary that the Artificer should apply to his Sublimation a threefold Degree of Fire One proportionate in such wise that by it may ascend only the Altered and more Clean and more Lucid until by this he manifestly see that they are cleansed from their Earthy Feculency The other Degree is that what is of the pure Essence of them remaining in the Feces may be sublimed with greater force of Fire viz. with Ignition of the Bottom of the Vessel and of the Feces therein which may be seen with the Eye The third Degree of Fire is that unto the Sublimate without the Feces a most weak Fire be administred so that scarcely any thing of it may ascend but that only which is the most subtile part thereof and which in our Work is of no value because it is a thing by Mediation of which Adustion is made in Sulphurs Therefore the whole Intention of Sublimation is that the Earthiness of the Sublimate being removed by a due administration of Fire and likewise the most subtile and fumous part of it which brings Adustion with Corruption being cast away to Us may be left that Part which consists in Equality which makes simple fusion upon the Fire and without any Adustion flying from the Fire without Inflamation thereof That what is most subtile is Adustive is proved by most evident Arguments For Fire converts to its own Nature every of those things which is of affinity to it because it is of affinity to every adustible Thing and to the subtile adustible it is of greater affinity and yet more of affinity to what is more subtile therefore also most of affinity to what is most subtile Likewise the same is proved by Experience because Sulphur or Arsenick not sublimed is most swiftly inflamed but of the two Sulphur more easily Yet either being sublimed is not directly inflamed but flies away and is extenuated without inflamation yet with a precedent Fusion By these therefore it is manifest that our Discourse is most true CHAP. IV. Of the Feces of Metallick Bodies to Be added to Spirits in their Sublimation and of the Quantity and Quality of them BUT the Probation of the Administration of Feces with their Proportion is that such Matter be chosen with which the Spirits to be sublimed may best agree and wherewith they may the more profoundly be mixed because that Matter with which they are more united is more potent in Retension of the Feces of Spirits to be sublimed than that with which they are not so united The Probation of this is rational enough and manifest But the Probation that the Addition of Feces is necessary is because Sulphur or Arsnick to be sublimed if they be not conjoyned with the Feces of some fixed Thing would necessarily ascend with their whole Substance not cleansed And they who are exercised in Sublimation do by Experience know We say true Also the Probation that the Administration of such Feces is necessary with which Things to be sublimed may agree and be united intimately is because if the Feces be not permitted with them through their least parts then the same happens as
it Then lute the Junctures in the Circuit of the Vessel and the Furnace least the Fire passing out there be an hindrance to the adherency of your Sublimation leaving only four small Windows or Doors that may be opened and shut in the Flat-Ring or Hoop aforesaid through which Coals may be put in round about the Sides of the Furnace Likewise four other holes must be left under them and between their Spaces for the putting in of Coals and six or eight lesser holes proportionate to the Magnitude of the little Finger which must never be shut that by them the Fire may commodiously free it self from Fumosities Let these last Holes be in the Juncture of the Furnace with the aforesaid Hoop But that Furnace is of great Ignition the Sides of which are to the height of two Cubits and in the midst whereof is a round Grate or Wheel bored full of very many small holes close together and strongly annexed to the Furnace with Luting The Superior part of these holes must be closer or smaller above but wider or more open beneath that Ashes or Coals may the more freely fall from them and the Grate be left continually open for the more free Reception of the Air. For the free and ample admission of the Air through the Inferior Holes is one Cause of great Ignition by the Furnace Therefore be exercised therein and you will find out the Secret But the Cause of so great Length of the Vessel is that a great part of it may stand up and be extended beyond the Fire and be kept cool that the Fumes of the Sublimate ascending may find a Place of cooling and adhere and not find a way of Flight and be exterminated This he well knows who hath sublimed in short Sublimatories wherein he found nothing of the Sublimate because by reason of the Shortness of his Vessel the Fire was equal in heat through the whole of the same Therefore the Matter to be sublimed always stood converted into the Substance of Fume and could not any where adhere but gradually vanish through the Pores of the Vessel Wherefore in subliming all Things the Vessel must the greater part of it be extended high above the Fire that the same extended Part may serve for a Refrigeratory But the Cause of Vitrification or Glazing the Vessel is that the ascending Fumes in the place of their Ascension may not find the Sides of the Aludel porous and penetrating them take their Flight Therefore the Place of their Ascension is vitrified that the Way of their Flight may be stopped But the Bottom of the Vessel is not Glazed because it stands in the Fire which would melt its Vitrification and that melting both the Bottom it self and Matter to be sublimed would also be melted and turned into Glass For the Property of Glass is to overcome all Things and convert them to it self Therefore all these Things and their Causes being considered Let your Fire be continued under the Vessel until you be assured by infallible Experience the whole is ascended The Experiment of this is the putting in a Rod of Earth well burned having a small hole in the end reaching almost to the middle thereof and answering to the quantity of the little Finger nigh the Matter of which the Sublimation is made And if any thing ascending adhere to the hole the Whole is not sublimed but if not then the Sublimation is ended By this same Exercise in all Things to be sublimed you may be assured of the End of your Work CHAP. XI Of the Sublimation of Magnesia and Tutia Also of Imperfect Bodies and of the Addition of Matter elevating them THe Intention of the Sublimation of Magnesia and Tutia is the same with the Intention of the last Sublimation of Marchasite For all these cannot be sublimed without Ignition Therefore they all have one Intention with the same Causes and the same Experiences and that hath one General Order Because it necessarily happens that whatsoever are sublimed with Ignition must be sublimed without Feces for in themselves they have enough yea too much Feces the sign of which is the difficulty of their Sublimation Likewise all Bodies diminished from Perfection are sublimed in the same Order and no difference of diversity is unless that in Bodies the Fire of Sublimation must be more vehement than in Magnesia Marchasite and Tutia And so likewise Bodies in their Sublimations are not diversified except that some need the adjunction of something else to elevate them others not But there is one special Consideration by Experience found good in the Sublimation of Bodies and that is that no great Quantity of the Body to be sublimed be at once put into the Bottom of the Vessel because a great abundance of Matter impedes Sublimation Also the Bottom of the Sublimatory should be flat not concave that the Body equally and thinly spread upon the Bottom may equally and much be elevated in all its Parts Bodies needing the Admixtion of Matters elevating are Venus and Mars by reason of the slowness of their Fusion Therefore Venus needs Tutia and Mars Arsnick and with these they are easily elevated because they mostly agree with them Wherefore after Consideration of them let Sublimation be made as in Tutia and in things like to it in Sublimation and let their Sublimation be disposed in the same Order with its Causes and Experiences CHAP. XII Of Descension and the way of Purifying by Pastills THe Intentions of Sublimation with all their Causes being already declared it remains that We now shew the way of Descension with its Causes and determinate and compleat Order likewise For there was a threefold Cause of its Invention One that when any Matter is included in that Vessel which is called a Chymical Descensory after its Fusion it may descend through the Hole thereof and by its Descent We be assured that it hath admitted Fluxing Another Cause that weak Bodies may by â—t be preserved from Combustion after Reduction from their Calxes For when We attempt to reduce weak Bodies from their Calxes We cannot reduce all their whole Substance at one time Therefore if that Part which is first reduced into Body should expect the Reduction of the whole a great Quantity of it would vanish by the Fire Wherefore it was necessarily devised that one part so soon as reduced might be taken from the Fire And this is done by a Descensory The third Cause of the Invention of it was the Depuration of Bodies from every thing extraneous For the Body descends in Flux clean and leaves every thing that is extraneous in the Concavity thereof Therefore Descension being invented for these three necessary Causes We will now determine the Method of it with its Instrument first denoted with its Causes In order to which We say that the Form of it must be such as its Bottom may be pointed and the Sides of it without Roughness equally terminating into the aforesaid Acuity or Point of
to this in the Vessel and Alembeck yet it differs in this viz. That in this must be taken an Iron or Brass Pan and that fitted to the Furnace as is said Afterwards upon the Bottom of the Pan within must be laid a Bed of Hay or Wooll or other such like Matter to the thickness of three Fingers that the Cucurbit may not be broken and with the same Hay or like Things the Cucurbit must be covered round about almost as high as to the Neck of the Alembeck and upon them many small Sprigs or Sticks spread and upon the Sticks weighty Stones laid which with their weight may depress the Hay or other like Matter with the Cucurbit and Alembeck and firmly and steddily hold them depressed upon the Bottom of the Pan that they be not moved or raised by the Water and that stirring be the Cause of breaking the Glass and Destruction of the Matter to be Distilled Afterwards upon the Hay and Sticks depressed with the Stones pour Water until the Pan be full This being done put Fire under and Distil until all be Distilled off The Disposition of that which is made by Descent is that a Glass Descensory be made with its Cover and that put in which is to be Distilled and then the Cover luted on and Fire made upon the Top or over it for its Distillation descends The Disposition of that which is made by Filter is that the Liquor to be Distilled be put into a Stone Concha and the wider part of the Filter put into the said Liquor even to the Bottom of the Concha but the narrower part of it hang out over the Orifice of the said Vessel And under that end of the Filter must be set another Vessel for receiving the Distillation Therefore when the Filter begins to Distill the Water with which it was moistned will first Distill off which ceasing the Liquor to be Distilled succeeds Which Liquor if it be not as yet serene it must so often be put into the Concha again and re-distilled as until it be Distilled most serene But all these Operations which are easie need no great Probation therefore I am willing to pass that over in Silence This is the Description of all the Vessels of every Distillation here now compleated by Us. CHAP. IV. Of Calcination as well of Bodies as of Spirits with its Causes and Methods AFter the Narration of Distillation We proceed to Discourse of Calcination Calcination is the Pulverization of a Thing by Fire through Privation of the Humidity consolidating the Parts The Cause of the Invention of it is that the adustive corrupting and defiling Sulphureity may be abolished by Fire Yet it is diversified according to the Diversity of Things to be Calcined For Bodies are Calcined and Spirits are Calcined yea other Things also extraneous from the nature of these yet with a diverse Intention And seeing there are imperfect Bodies of two kinds viz. Hard as Venus and Mars and Soft as Jupiter and Saturn all which are Calcined there was a necessity of Calcining them with a divers Intention viz. General and Special They are all Calcined with one general Intention which is that their corrupting and defiling Sulphureity may be abolished by Fire For so every adustive Sulphureity which could not be removed without Calcination is burnt away from every thing whatsoever And because the Body it self is solid and by reason of that solidity the occult Sulphureity concealed within the Continuity of the Substance of Argentvive is defended from Adustion therefore it was necessary to separate the Continuity thereof that the Fire freely comeing to every of its least Parts might burn the Sulphureity from it and the Continuity of Argentvive in the Body not defend it Likewise the common Intention in it is Depuration of the Earthiness For it is found that Bodies are cleansed by reiterated Calcination and Reduction as We shall shew in the following Special Calcination is of soft Bodies and with these two Intentions that through it there may be an Intention of hardning and firing which is attained to by an Ignitious Repetition of Calcination upon them of which it is expedient We should Discourse in the following Treatise For We find that they are manifestly hardned by that Ingenuity But the Cause of the Invention of the Calcination of Spirits is that they may the better be fixed and be the more easily dissolved into Water Because every kind of Things Calcined is more fixed than the not Calcined and of easier Solution and because the Parts of the Calcinate more subtiliated by Fire are more easily mixed with Waters and turned into Water And this you will find so to be if you be experienced The Calcination of other Things is subservient to the Exigency of the Preparation of Spirits and Bodies of which Preparation We shall speak more at large in the following But any of these Things or such as these is not of Perfectiâ—n Therefore the way or Method of Calcination is diverse by reason of the Diversity of things to be calcined For Bodies are otherwise calcined than Spiriâ—â— or other Things And Bodies diverse each from other are likewise diversly calcined For soft Bodies have one General way according to the Intention of Calcination viz. that both may be calcined by Fire only and by the Acuity of Salt prepared or not prepared both likewise Therefore the first Calcination by Fire only is thus prepared You must have a Vessel of Iron or Earth formed after the similitude of a Porringer the structure of which must be very firm and fitted to the Furnace of Calcination in such wise that under it the Coals may be cast in and blowed These being thus ordered you must cast in Lead or Tin into your Vessel which must be firmly set upon a Trivet of Iron or on three Stone-Columes and likewise surely fastned to the Walls of its Furnace with three or four Stones set in stiff between the Furnace-sides and the Vessel that it may not be stirred The Figure of the Furnace must be the same with the Form of the Furnace of great Ignition of which mention is made above and shall more fully be declared in the Following Therefore in that Furnace kindle Fire under your Vessel of Sublimation sufficient for Fusion of the Body to be calcined And when the Body shall by heat of Fire contract a Black skin upon it gather that off from it by a Slice or other fit Instrument of Iron or Stone that will not permit it self to be burnt to the Infection of the Calx This drawing off or taking off the Skin must so long be continued as until the whole Body be converted to Powder If it be Saturn a greater Fire must be administred until the Calx be changed into a Colour most yellow or red If it be Jupiter it must likewise be exposed and continued in the Fire until the Calx be changed into compleat Whiteness Yet in this We would have the Artificer to
and by boyling or hot Water Of both which there is one Intention and one Effect The Way of Dissolving by Dung is that the Calcinate be put into a Glass Vessel and upon the same poured of distilled Vinegar or the like double its weight and the Mouth of the Vessel well closed that nothing may respire and then this Matter with its Vessels set in Hot Dung to be dissolved and the Solution afterwards by Filter seperated But the not dissolved must be again calcined and after Calcination again in like manner dissolved until by repeating the Labour the whole be dissolved The Way of Dissolving by boyling Water is more swift and it is thus The calcinate must in like manner be put into its Vessel with Vinegar poured on it as before and the Orifice well closed that nothing expire then the Vessel must be set buryed in Straw into a Pan full of Water as in the Way of Distillation by Water We before appointed and afterward Fire kindled under it until the Water boyl for an hour This being done the Solution must be filtred and kept apart But the not dislsolved again calcined and again in the same manner dissolved until by repeating the Labour the whole be dissolved CHAP. XVI Of Coagulation and its Causes and of diverse ways of coagulating Mercury and of dissolved Medicines COagulation is the Reduction of a Thing Liquid to a Solid Substance by Privation of the Humidity But there is a twofold Cause of its Invention one is the Induration or Hardning of Argentvive the other Cause of Invention is the freeing of Medicines dissolved from the Wateriness with them admixed Therefore it is diversified according to the Multiplicity of things to be coagulated For Argentvive needs one Coagulation but dissolved Medicines another Yet there is a twofold Coagulation of Argentvive One by washing away its whole innate Humidity from it the other by Inspissation or thickning of its Humidity until it be hardned Yet it is a most difficult and laborious Work to congeal it even with the profoundness of clear sighted Industry Therefore We will declare the whole Ingenuity of its Coagulation Some thought the Ingenuity of its Coagulation was to keep it long in a temperate Fire who when they supposed they had coagulated it after removal of it from the Fire found the same to flow as before By which they were driven to amazement and wonder strenuously arguing that this was not possible to be effected But Others from Natural Principles supposing that every Humidity must necessarily by heat of Fire be converted into Dryness endeavoured with Instancy of Perseverance to continue the Conservation of it in Fire and by this Continuation they at last came to this viz. that some of these Men converted it into a White-Stone Others into a Red and others into a Citrine or yellow Stone which neither had Fusion nor Ingress and the Cause of these Diversities they could not judg of therefore cast it away Others endeavoured to coagulate it with Medicines and this they effected not but it proved a Delusion to them either because they coagulated it not or because it was insensibly extenuated or their Coagulation was not in the form of any Body And the Cause of the Diversity of these Things they knew not Others compounding Artificial Medicines coagulated it in Projection but their Coagulation was not profitable because they converted it to an imperfect Body and the Cause of this likewise could not see Therefore 't is expedient We should declare the Causes of these Things that the Artificer may come to the Magistery of its Coagulation Wherefore as is already sufficiently declared by Us the Substance of Argentvive is uniform wherefore it is not possible in short space of time by keeping it in a constantly continued Fire to remove the Aquosity thereof Therefore too much haste was the Cause of the first Error And being of a subtile Substance it recedes from the Fire therefore excessive Fire is the Cause of the Error of those Men from whom it flies It is easily mixed with Sulphur Arsnick and Marchasite by reason of Community in their Nature Therefore it appears to be coagulated by them not into the form of a Body but of Argentvive mixed with Lead For these being fugitive cannot retain it in the contest of Fire until it can attain to the Nature of a Body but through the Impression of Fire they fly with it therefore that is the Cause of the Error of those who so coagulate Likewise Argentvive hath much Humidity united to it self which cannot possibly be separated from it unless by Violence of Fire warily adhibited with Conservation of it it in its own Fire And they by augmenting this its own Fire as far as it can bear take away the Humidity of Argentvive leaving no part sufficient for Metallick Fusion which being taken away it cannot be melted And this is the Cause of their Error who coagulate it into a Stone not fusible In like manner Argentvive hath Sulphureous Parts naturally mixt with it yet some Argentvive hath more others less which to remove by Artifice is impossible Therefore seeing it is the property of Sulphur with Argentvive to create a red or citrine Colour according to its Measure the ablation or removal of that being made the property of Argentvive is by Fire to give a white Colour This is therefore the Cause of the variety of Colours after its Coagulation into a Stone Likewise it hath the Earthiness of Sulphur mixt with it by which all its Coagulations must necessarily be infected And this is the Cause of the Error of those who coagulate it into a perfect Body Therefore it happens from the Diversity of the Medicines of its Coagulation that diverse Bodies are creaated in its Coagulation and from the diversity of that likewise what is to be coagulated For if either the Medicine or that have a Sulphur not fixed the Body created of it must needs be soft But if fixed the Body must necessarily be hard Also if White white and if Red red And if the Sulphur be remiss from White or Red the Body likewise must needs be remiss and if Earth the Body is imperfect if not not so Also every not fixed Sulphur creates a livid Body but the fixed as much as in it lies not And the pure Substance of it creates a pure Body the not pure not so Also the same Diversity doth in like manner happen in Argentvive alone without the Commixtion of Sulphur by reason of the Diversity of Mundification and Preparations of it in Medicines Therefore an Illusion happens from the part of the Diversity of the Medicines so that sometimes in the Coagulation of it it is made Lead sometimes Tin sometimes Copper and sometimes Iron which happens by reason of Impurity And sometimes Gold or Silver is made thence which must needs proceed from Purity with Consideration of the Colours But Argentvive is coagulated by the frequent Precipitation of it with violence
to the forcible Heat of strong Fire For the Asperity of Fire easily removes it Aquosity And this work is best done by a Vessel of a great length in the sides of which it may find place to cool and adhere and by reason of the length of the Vessel to abide and not flye until it can be again precipitated to the Fiery Bottom of the same which must always stand very hot with great Ignition and the same Precipitation be continued till it be totally fixed It is also coagulated with long and constant Retention in Fire in a Glass Vessel with a very long Neck and round Belly the Orifice of the Neck being kept open that the Humidity may vanish thereby Also it is coagulated by Medicine convenient for it and that we will declare to you more plainly in the following And here likewise that we may declare our compleat Intention relating to it according as We have found by Experience We say that the Medicine of it is that which most nearly adheres to it in its profundity and before its flight is commixed with it throughout its least parts Therefore there is a necessity of collecting that from Things convenient to it or agreeing with the same Of this kind are all Bodies and Sulphur and Arsnick But because We see not any of the Bodies in its Nature to coagulate it but it to fly from them of how great conveniency soever they be We have therefore considered that no Body adheres to it in its inmost parts Wherefore that Medicine must needs be of a more subtile Substance and more liquid Fusion than Metals themselves are Also by Spirits remaining in their Nature We see not a Coagulation of it to be made that is firm and stable but fugitive and of much Infection Which indeed happens by reason of the flight of Spirits but the other from the Commixtion of the adustible and earthy Substance of them Therefore hence it is manifestly evident that from whatsoever Thing the Medicine thereof is extracted that must necessarily be of a most subtile and most pure Substance of its own Nature adhering to it and of Liquefaction most easie and thin as Water and also be fixed against the violence of Fire For this will coagulate it and convert the same either into a Solar or Lunar Nature Thus we have shewed you the Properties of the Medicine by which you may attain to it and this we have determined in a very proper Speech Therefore studiously exercise your self thereabout and you will find it But that you may not blame Us as if We had not sufficiently spoken thereof We say that this Medicine is extracted from Metallick Bodies themselves with their Sulphur or Arsnick prepared likewise from Sulphur alone or Arsnick prepared and it may be extracted from Bodies only But from Argentvive alone it is more easily and more nearly and more perfectly found because Nature more amicably embraceth its proper Nature and in it more rejoyceth than in an extraneous Nature And in it is facility of Extraction of the Substance thereof seeing it already hath a Substance subtile in Act. But the Ways of acquiring this Medicine are by Sublimation as is by us sufficiently declared And the way of fixing it is likewise shewed in its Chapter But the way of coagulating Things dissolved is by a Glass placed in Ashes up to its Neck and temperate Fire administred thereunto until their Aquosity vanish CHAP. XVII Of Fixation and its Causes and of the diverse ways of fixing Bodies and Sprits FIxation is the convenient disposing a Fugitive Thing to abide and sustain the Fire The Cause of the Invention of this Fixation is that every Tincture and every Alteration may be perpetuated in the Thing altered and not changed But it also is diversified according to the Diversity of Things to be fixed which are certain Bodies diminished from Perfection as Saturn Jupiter Mars and Venus and according to the Diversity of Spirits also which are Sulphur and Arsnick in one Degree and Argentvive in another but Marchasite Magnesia Tutia and the like of these in the third Therefore these Bodies diminished from Perfection are fixed by their Calcination because thereby they are freed from their Volatile and corrupting Sulphureity And this We have sufficiently declared in the Chapter of Calcination But Sulphur and Arsnick are fixed two ways viz. by Reiteration of their Sublimation in the Vessel Aludel until they remain fixed Therefore according to this the Intention of hastening the Fixation of them is that the Invention of repeating a manifold Sublimation in a short time be observed therein which Reiteration is made by two Aludels with their two Heads or Covers in the following Order that you may never ease from the Work of Sublimation until you have fixed them Therefore so soon as they have ascended in one Vessel put them into the other and so do continually never suffering them long to abide adhering to the sides of either Vessel but constantly keep them in the Elevation of Fire until the Elevation of them ceaseth For the sooner you can multiply the manifold Repetitions of Sublimation the more swiftly and better will you abbreviate the time of its Fixation For this Cause there was a second way of Fixion found out which is by precipitating of it sublimed into Heat that it may constantly abide therein until it be fixed And this is done by a long Glass Vessel the Bottom of which made of Earth not of Glass because that would crack must be artificially connexed with good Luting and the ascending Matter when it adheres to the Sides of the Vessel with a Spatula of Iron or Stone thrust down to the Heat of the Bottom and this Precipitation repeated till the whole be fixed The way of fixing Argentvive is the same with the way of Fixation of Sulphur and Arsnick and these ways differ not unless that Sulphur and Arsnick cannot be fixed if their most thin inflamable Parts be not separated from them with the subtile Artifice of Division by this ultimate way of Fixation But Argentvive hath not this Consideration therefore in this Method they need a more temperate Heat than Argentvive In like manner they are diversified because these must be elevated higher by reason of their slowness than Argentvive and also because they are fixed in longer time than it Therefore they require a longer Vessel for their Fixation than Argentvive The Fixation of Marchasite Magnesia and Tutia is that after the first Sublimation of them is finished casting away their Feces We reiterate their Sublimation so often returning what ascends upward to that which remains below of either of them until they be fixed The Description of the Vessels of these is already given CHAP. XVIII Of Ceration and its Cause CEration is the mollification of an hard Thing not fusible unto Liquefaction Hence it is manifest that the Cause of the Invention of this was that the Matter which had not Ingress into the Body for
Alteration by reason of Privation of its Liquefaction might be mollified so as to flow and have Ingress therefore some thought Ceration was to be made with Liquid Oyls and Waters but that is erroneous and wholly remote from the Principles of this Natural Magistery and reproved by the manifest VVorks of Nature For We find not in those Metallick Bodies that Nature hath posited an Humidity soon terminable but rather long durable for the necessity of their Fusion and Mollification because if she had insited in them an Humidity soon terminable it would necessarily follow that the Bodies must be totally deprived of it in one only Ignition Whence also it would follow that every Body could neither be hammered nor melted after one Ignition Wherefore imitating the Works of Nature as much as We can We must necessarily follow her Way in Cerating She Cerates in the Radix of fusible Things with an Humidity which is above all Humidities able to sustain the Heat of Fire therefore it is necessarily expedient for Us also to cerate with like Humidity But this Cerative Humidity is no thing better more possibly and more nearty found than in these viz. in Sulphur and in Arsnick nearly but more nearly in Argentvive Therefore We see not the Humidity of these to leave their Earth by reason of the strong Union which they have in the Work of the Mixtion of Nature But in all other Things having Humidity by Experience you will find that the same is separated in Resolution from their Earthy Substance and after Separation thereof that they are deprived of all Humidity Yet in the Spirits aforesaid it is not so Therefore there is no other Thing by which We may be excused from taking them in the Work of Ceration The way of Ceration by them is that the Sublimation of them be so often multiplied upon the Thing to be Cerated until remaining with their Humidity in it they give good Fusion Yet this cannot be effected before the perfect cleansing of them from every corrupting Thing But it seems better to me that the Oyls of these should be first fixed by Oyl of Tartar and every Ceration competent and necessary for this Art be made with them The end of the First Book of GEBER of the Sum of Perfection or of the Perfect Magistery The Second Book Of the Sum of PERFECTION OR OF THE PERFECT MAGISTERY The AUTHOR'S PREFACE Dividing this Second Book into Three Parts THe Discourse of the Principles of this Magistery being compleated We must necessarily according to Our Promise exactly prosecute the Intent of this Art in a Speech convenient and proper thereunto Which Intent is a Consideration of every Thing by which the Perfection of this Work may more manifestly be shewed And it is a Consideration of the necessity of Perfection of the Medicine viz. How it may be understood from what thing that may best and more nearly be extracted for the intire Perfection of the Imperfect And it is likewise a Consideration of the Artifices by which We may know whether the Perfection be compleat or not Therefore these Three being delivered the whole Knowledge of Perfection will be described according to the Exigency of Our Art The First Part of this Second Book Of the Knowledge of Things whereby the possibility and way of Perfection may be understood CHAP. I. That the Knowledge of Perfection of this Art depends on the Knowledge of the Nature of Spirits and Bodies c. IT is not possible to know the Transmutations of Bodies or of Argentvive unless the Knowledge of the Nature of them according to their Radixes be well impressed in the Mind of the Artist Therefore We will first notifie the Principles of Bodies viz. What they are according to their Causes and what Good or Evil they contain in themselves But afterward We will shew the Natures of all those Bodies with all their Properties viz. What are the Causes of the Corruption of them proving the same by their Experiences CHAP. II. Of the Nature of Sulphur and Arsnick THerefore first inferring the Nature of Spirits which are the Principles of those Bodies We say that Sulphur and Arsnick are a Fatness of the Earth as above is declared the Experience and manifest Probation of which you may gather from its easie Inflamation and the easie Liquefaction thereof by Heat For nothing is inflamed but what is oleaginous or melts easily by Heat unless it hath the Nature thereof Therefore Sulphur and its Compeer have an inflamable Substance and Earthy Feculency the Cause of their Corruption But they have a perfecting middle Cause viz. between this and that Earthyness in it is the Cause of Corruption because it neither hath Fusion nor Ingress and the Inflamable Substance likewise because it neither stands in Fire nor makes to stand and because from every kind of it it yields Blackness Therefore their middle Substance is the Cause of Perfection in them because by its Earthyness it is not hindred from Ingress which is perfected by good Fusion and by the Subtility of it its Impression is not easily removed for Flight Yet the Middle Substance of them is not the Cause of Perfection of Bodies or of Argentvive unless it be fixed Which being not fixed although its Impression is not easily removed yet it is not stably perpetuated Hence it is manifest that the Artist must necessarily divide the Middle Substance thereof But some have thought it impossible to divide the same by reason of its strong Mixtion And indeed they opposed their own manifest Works For they calcined Sulphur although not much so that it had neither Fusion nor Inflamation But that must necessarily happen by Division because Sulphur remaining in its Natural Commixtion must unavoidably be inflamed and burned Therefore by the Division of divers Substances in it 't is apparent that in the same Artifice the more inflamable part of it is separated from the Parts not inflamable For if it be possible by Calcination to come to the Removal of all Inflamable Parts in it they must necessarily confess from their own Natural Works that every Division of Parts is possible to be attained But because this depends on most subtile Artifice they thought it to be impossible Therefore from the above-premised it is evident that Sulphur is not of the Verity of Our Art but a part thereof And We have now brought you to the Knowledge of the Artifice by which it is possible to come to the Division thereof But in Arsnick because in the Radix of its Minera by the Action of Nature many inflamable parts of it are resolved therefore the Artifice of its Separation is easie Yet that is the Tincture of Whiteness but Sulphur of Redness Therefore it is needful that great Caution should be used in the Division of Sulphur CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Mercury or Argentvive IN Argentvive likewise there is a necessity of removing Superfluities For it hath Causes of Corruption viz. An Earthy Substance
Sulphur is manifest by this viz. that being mixt with Argentvive it transforms the same into a Red Colour and being sublimed with strong Ignition from Bodies so that the Substance of them ascends with that it creates a most Yellow Colour Therefore 't is apparent that when its Substance is pure it creates a pure Colour but when not pure an impure Colour But he who requires a sign of the Probation of its Yellowness wants his Sense because that is discerned by sight Therefore the most subtile Substance of Argentvive brought to Fixation and the purity of the same and the most subtile Matter of Sulphur fixed and not burning is the whole Essential Matter of Gold But in it is found a greater Quantity of Argentvive than of Sulphur wherefore Argentvive hath greater Ingress into it For this cause whatsoever Bodies you would alter alter them according to this Exemplar that you may deduce them to the Equality thereof The way to effect which We have now given For Gold having subtile and fixed Parts those Parts could in its Creation be much condensed and this was the Cause of its great Weight But by great Decoction made by Nature a leisurely and graduate Resolution of it was made together with good Inspissation and its ultimate Mixtion that it might melt in the Fire From the fore-going 't is evident that a large Quantity of Argentvive is Cause of Perfection but much of Sulphur is Cause of Corruption And Vniformity in Substance which through the Mixtion is made in Natural Decoction is Cause of Perfection but Diversity in Substance is Cause of Corruption And Induration or Hardning and Inspissation which is made by long and temperate Decoction is Cause of Perfection but the contrary of Corruption Therefore if Sulphur shall not duly fall upon that Argentvive diverse Corruptions must necessarily be inferred according to the Diversity of it For the Sulphur which falls upon it fixed may not be all adustible or all adustible and flying in the Nature of Sulphur or flying and not in the Nature of Sulphur or hold part of the flying and part of the fixed or in part hold the Nature of Sulphur and in part not or be all clean or half unclean or be of much or little Quantity of much excelling in the Mixture or of little Quantity excelled in it or neither overcoming nor overcome or white or red or between both Therefore from all these Diversities there was a necessity that diverse Bodies and the like of these should be created in Nature All which Diversities We intend to speak of with manifest Probations CHAP. VI. Of the Nature of Luna or Silver THerefore 't is now clear from the precedent that if clean fixed red and clear Sulphur fall upon the pure Substance of Argentvive being it self not excelling but of small Quantity and excelled of it is created pure Gold But if the Sulphur be clean fixed white and clear which falls upon the Substance of Argentvive pure Silver is made if in Quantity it exceed not yet this hath a Purity short of the Purity of Gold and a more gross Inspissation than Gold hath The Sign of which is that its Parts are not so condensed as that it can be equal in Weight to Gold nor hath it so fixed a Substance as that the Sign of this is its Diminution in Fire and the Sulphur of it which is neither fixed nor incombustible is the Cause of that Diminution But it is not impossible or improbable to give Judgment of the same as fixed and not fixed in respect of one Body or another For Luna's Sulphureity compared with the Sulphureity of Sol is not fixed and burning but in respect of the Sulphur of other Bodies it is fixed and not burning CHAP. VII Of the Nature of Mars or Iron Also of the Effects of Sulphur and Mercury and of the Causes of Corruption and Perfection BUT if fixed earthy Sulphur be commixt with fixed earthy Argentvive and both these be not pure but of a livid Whiteness the Quantity of the Superancy of which is Sulphur highly fixed of these Iron is made because the Superancy of fixed Sulphur prohibits Fusion Therefore hence 't is manifest that Sulphur by the work of Fixation more swiftly destroys the easiness of Liquefaction than Argentvive But We see Sulphur not fixed sooner to melt than Argentvive By these is manifested the Cause of Swiftness and Slowness of Fusion in every Body For what hath more of fixed Sulphur more slowly admits of Fusion than what partakes of burning Sulphur which more easily and sooner flows and this is clearly enough already declared by Us. But that the fixed Sulphur makes slower Fusion is evident by this viz. that it is never fixed unless it be calcined and no Calcinate gives Fusion therefore in all Things it must impede the same That it is not fixed unless it be calcined is manifest by the Experiment of him who would have fixed the same not calcined because he always found it to fly until it was turned into Earth the Similitude of which is of the Nature of Calx Yet this happens not in Argentvive because that may be fixed without being turned into Earth and likewise fixed with Conversion of it into Earth For by hastning to its Fixation which is made by Precipitation it is fixed and turned into Earth Also by the successive Sublimation of it often repeated it is fixed likewise and not changed into Earth but gives Metallick Fusion This is manifest to and proved by Him who hath experienced both Fixations thereof even to the Consummation of the Work by hasty Precipitation and also by the slow with continually repeated Sublimations For he saw and found it so as he saw it written by Us. And this therefore is because it hath a viscious and dense Substance the Sign of which is the Grinding of it by imbibition and mixtion with other Things For Viscosity is manifestly perceived in it by the much adherency thereof That it hath a dense Substance he that hath but one eye may manifestly see by its aspect and by poysing the immense weight thereof For it whilst it is in its own Nature excels Gold in weight and it is of a most strong Composition as is declared Therefore hence it is manifest that it may be fixed without Consumption of its Humidity and without Conversion of it into Earth For by reason of the good adherency of Parts and the fortitude of its Mixtion if the parts of it be in any wise inspissate by Fire it permits it self no further to be corrupted nor suffers it self by the ingress of a furious Flame into it to be elevated into Fume because it admits not rarefaction of it self by reason of its Density and want of Adustion which is made by combustible Sulphureity which it hath not Therefore by what is mentioned is found with an indubitate Invention the wonderful double Kind of two Secrets viz. one the Causes of Corruption of every of the Metals by
Fire one of which is the Inclusion of a burning Sulphureity in the profundity of their Substance diminishing them by Inflamation and exterminating also into Fume with extream Consumption whatsoever Argentvive in them is of good Fixation But the other is a multiplication upon them of an exterior Flame penetrating and resolving them with it self into Fume of how great Fixation soever that in them is A third Cause of Corruption is rarefaction of them by Calcination for then the Flame or Fire can penetrate into and exterminate them Therefore if all Causes of Corruption concur such Bodies must needs be exceedingly corrupted But if not all the swiftness of Corruption of every Body is remitted according to the Remission of them The second Kind is Goodness which by it is considered in Bodies For seeing Argentvive for no Causes of Extermination permits it self to be divided into parts in its Composition because it either with its whole Substance recedes from the Fire or with its whole remains permanent in it in it is necessarily observed a Cause of Perfection Therefore praised be the glorious and blessed Most High GOD who created it and gave to the same a Substance and the Properties of a Substance which are given to none of the Things in Nature to possess that this Perfection might be found in it by a certain Artifice as We have found therein with near potency For it is that which overcomes Fire and by Fire is not overcome but in it amicably rests rejoycing therein CHAP. VIII Of the Nature of Venus or Copper WHerefore returning to our purpose We say that if the Sulphur be unclean gross and fixed as to its greater part but as to its lesser part not fixed red and livid in relation to the whole not overcoming nor overcome and this fall upon gross Argentvive Copper must necessarily be created thereof The Probation of all these is easie by things given from the Nature of them For when Copper is exposed to Ignition you may discern a Sulphureous Flame to arise from it which is a Sign of Sulphur not fixed And the loss of the Quantity of it by Exhalation through the frequent Combustion thereof signifies that it hath fixed Sulphur For from that is caused the slowness of its Fusion and Induration or Hardness of its Substance which are Signs of the Multitude of its fixed Sulphur And that there is Sulphur red and unclean conjoyned with unclean Argentvive is known by Sense therefore it needs no other Probation Therefore by Experiment you may attain to the whole Secret For you see every Thing by the Action of Heat changed into Earth with ease to be dissolved and reduced to the Nature of Water This happens by Reason of the Subtiliation of the parts by Fire Therefore a Thing more subtile in its proper Nature reduced to this Earthy Nature is more subtiliated thereby because it is more dissolved so that what are of a most subtile Nature are most and best dissolved and subtiliated Hence the Cause of the Corruption and Infection of these two Bodies viz. of Mars and Venus is apparent for it is by Sulphur of much Quantity fixed and by not fixed Sulphur of small Quantity in Venus but of lesse Quantity in Mars Therefore when the fixed Sulphur comes to Fixation by Heat of Fire its parts are subtiliated but that part which is in the Aptitude of Solution of its Substance is dissolved The Sign of which is the Exposition of these two Bodies to the Vapour of Vinegar for by that the Aluminosity of their Sulphur created in it by subtiliative Heat flowereth in the Superficies of them And if you put these two Bodies into a Saline Liquor many parts of them are easily dissolved by Ebullition And if you look into the Minera's of these two you will find a manifest Substance of Aluminosity to distill dissolved from them and in them to adhere which Aluminousness by the Saline Wateriness and easie Solution is changed into Water For nothing is found Watery and easily soluble except Allom and what is of its Nature But the Blackness in either of these two Bodies created by Fire is by reason of the Sulphur not fixed which is concluded in them much indeed in Venus but little in Mars and it approacheth nigh to the Nature of fixed Sulphur Therefore 't is not possible that such an Impression should be easily removed from Mars Hence it is now evident that Fusion is made from Sulphur not fixed and also Fusion is helped thereby but Fâ—â—â—â—n is not made from fixed Sulphur being rather impeded by the same There is no necessity to think that Fusion is not made and that Fusion is impeded by fixed Argentvive This he knows to be certainly true who by no Art of Fusion could make Sulphur to flow after its Fixation but having fixed Argentvive by frequently repeating the Sublimation thereof found it apt to admit good Fusion Hence therefore it is manifest that those Bodies are of greater Perfection which contain more of Argentvive but what contain less of less Perfection Therefore study in all your Works that Argentvive may excel in the Commixtion And if you can perfect by Argentvive only you will be the Searcher out of a most precious Perfection and of the Perfection of that which overcomes the Work of Nature For you may cleanse it most inwardly to which Mundification Nature cannot reach But the Probation of this viz. that those Bodies which contain a greater Quantity of Argentvive are of greater Perfection is their easie Reception of Argentvive For We see Bodies of Perfection amicably to embrace Argentvive Therefore from the precedent Discourse 't is evident that in Bodies there is a twofold Sulphureity One indeed included in the Profundity of Argentvive in the beginning of their Mixtion but the other is supervenient One of which is removed with Labour but the other cannot be possibly taken away by any Artifice performed by Fire to which our Operation can congruously and profitably come it being so firmly and radically united therein And this is proved by Experiment for We see the adustible Sulphureity to be abolished by Fire but the fixed Sulphureity not so Therefore when We say Bodies are cleansed by Calcination you must understand that to be meant of the Earthy Substance which is not united in the Radix of their Nature For it is not possible by the Art of Fire to cleanse what is united unless the Medicine of Argentvive hiding and contempering that or separating it from the Mixture have access Separation of an Earthy Substance from its Compound which in the root of Nature is united to a Metal is thus Either it is made by Elevation with things elevating the Substance of Argentvive and leaving the Sulphureity by reason of its conveniency with them as is Tutia and Marchasite because they are Fumes part of which is a greater Quantity of Argentvive than of Sulphur The Experience of this you may see when you shall joyn these with
in Tin is manifest by this viz. That the said Quantity is not seperated from it in Fume but it is of a Citrine Colour of much Yellowness the like of which is remaining below with what is in the Bottom which must necessarily be a sign of one of these three Things either that it hath none or a very small Quantity of Combustible Sulphur in it or that it hath much conjoyned in the nearness of its Principles to the Radix of its Commixtion But We are assured by the Odour thereof that it hath some Quantity and not a little but much because that Odour of Sulphureity is not removed from it in a short time Therefore We have considered with a consideration by which We are assured that burning Sulphur approaching to the Nature of fixed not burning Sulphur is uniformly commixt in the Substance of Argentvive Therefore when the Fume of it ascends it must necessarily ascend with the Sulphur not burning of the Property of which it is viz. to create Citrinity But that the Quantity of Sulphur not burning is greater in it than in Tin is affirmed by Us most truly because We see the whole Colour of it to be changed into Citrine but of Tin into White in their Calcinations Therefore in this to us is open the Way of finding out the Cause of this Work by which Jupiter in Calcination is more easily changed into an hard Body than Saturn but not sooner into slowness of Liquefaction than Saturn And that therefore is because the Cause of the Hardness of Nature is Sulphur and Argentvive fixed but the Cause of Liquefaction is twofold viz. Argentvive and combustible Sulphur One of which as to Perfection of Fusion is sufficient in each Degree thereof namely Argentvive with Ignition and without Ignition Therefore seeing in Jupiter is a large Quantity of Argentvive not truly fixed a ready swiftness of Liquefaction remains in it and is not easily seperated there-from The Cause of Mollification is also twofold viz. Argentvive and Combustible Sulphur And because the burning Sulphureity is more easily removed from Jupiter than from Saturn therefore one of the Causes of Softness being removed from it it must necessarily be hardned being calcined But Saturn because it hath both the Causes of Softness strongly conjoyned is not easily hardened Yet there is a Diversity in Softness by Argentvive and in Softness by Sulphur because Softness by Sulphur is Cessive but Softness by Argentvive is Extensive And this must necessarily be proved by Sight seeing We see Bodies of much Argentvive to be of much Extension but Bodies of little of little Therefore Jupiter is more easily and more subtily extended than Saturn Saturn more easily than Venus Venus than Mars Luna more subtily than Jupiter but Sol more subtily than Luna Therefore 't is manifest that the Cause of Induration or Hardning is fixed Argentvive or fixed Sulphur But the Cause of Softness is opposite The Cause of Fusion is twofold viz. Sulphur not fixed and Argentvive of whatsoever kind it is Sulphur not fixed is necessarily a Cause of Fusion without Ignition And you manifestly see the Experience of this by Projection of Arsnick upon Bodies difficultly fusible for it makes them of easie Fusion without Ignition And the Cause of easie Fusion is likewise Argentvive but the Cause of Fusion with Ignition is fixed Argentvive Therefore the Cause of Impediment of every Fusion is fixed Sulphur From what is now mentioned you may collect a very great Secret Namely That seeing Bodies of greatest Perfection are found to contain the greatest Quantity of Argentvive Bodies diminished from Perfection holding more of the Quantity of Argentvive must needs be more approximate to the Perfect Therefore it also follows that Bodies of much Sulphureity are Bodies of much Corruption Wherefore from the above alleadged it is now evident that Jupiter is mostly approximated to the Perfect seeing ir precipitates more of Perfection but Saturn less and Venus yet less and Mars least of that on which Perfection depends And otherwise they differ in themselves as to Medicine compleating and supplying the Defect and perfectly attenuating the spissitude of Bodies to their Profundity and covering the Cloudiness of the same under a Substance of splendent Brightness For the most perfective of Medicine is Venus but Mars less Jupiter yet less and Saturn least of all From these therefore by the Truth-telling Search of Labour according to the Diversity of Bodies divers Medicines are found out by Preparation For the hard Body that can endure Ignition requires one Medicine but the soft that abides not Ignition another That one may be mollified and attenuated in its Profundity and in its Substance equalized but the other hardned and its occult Parts inspissated Therefore it concerns Us now to pass from these to Medicines with manifest Experiences setting down the Causes of divers Medicines and what they leave diminished and what they deduce to compleatment The Second Part of this Second Book Of Medicines in general and of the necessity of Perfection of the Medicine perfecting all imperfect Bodies and from what Thing it may best and more nearly be exttacted CHAP. I. That of every imperfect Body and also of Argentvive the Medicine must necessarily be twofold viz. One for the White and the other for the Red yet that We are excused from these by one only most perfect Medicine WE prove that Spirits are more assimilated to Bodies than any other Thing in Nature by this viz. Because they are more united and more friendly to Bodies than all other Things Therefore We accordingly affirm that these Alterations of Bodies in the first Invention are their true Medicine And We have exercised our selves in every kind of Ingenuity that thereby We might transform every of the imperfect Bodies with firm Mutation into a perfect Lunar and Solar Body Wherefore We find that Medicine for them must necessarily be created Divers according to the divers Intention of Bodies to be altered And since Metals to be altered are of a twofold kind viz. Argentvive coagulable in Perfection and Bodies diminished from Perfection and these again manifold some being hard sustaining Ignition but others soft not abiding the same the hard are Mars and Venus the soft Saturn and Jupiter the Medicine perfective must likewise be manifold necessarily For although Mars and Venus be of one kind yet they differ in a certain special Property the one being not fusible but the other fusible Therefore Mars is perfected with one Medicine and Venus with another and indeed the first is totally unclean but the other not Also this partakes of a certain dull Whiteness but that of Redness and Greenness which do likewise impose a necessity of Diversity in the Medicine Also soft Bodies of the other kind viz. Jupiter and Saturn seeing they no less differ do necessarily need a divers Medicine likewise For this viz. Jupiter is clean but that not And indeed all these are rendred more mutable now made Lunar than Solar
Bodies therefore the Medicine of each of them must be twofold One Citrine changing into a Citrine Solar Body the other White changing likewise into a White Lunar Body Therefore since in every of the imperfect Bodies is found a twofold Matter viz. Solar and Lunar the Medicines perfecting all Bodies will in the Sum be Eight So also Argentvive is perfected into a Solar and Lunar Body therefore of the Medicine altering it there is a twofold Difference Wherefore all the Medicines which We have invented with their Totality for the compleat Alteration of every imperfect Body will be Ten. But We were desirous with constant and continued Labour and the industry of great Indagation to be excused from the Labour of these ten Medicines by the benefit of one only Medicine and with Our long and very laborous Search We found and with certain Experience made one Medicine by which the hard was softned the soft Body hardned the fugitive fixed and the foul illustrated with splendor ineffable and beyond Nature Nevertheless 't is here expedient we should particularly speak of all these Medicines with their their Causes and the manifest Experiences of their Probations Therefore first We will declare the Series of the ten Medicines and accordingly of all Bodies then of Argentvive and lastly proceed to the Medicine of the Magistery perfecting all Bodies yet with the Preparation imperfect Bodies need And least We should be carped at by the Envious as delivering an insufficient Treatise of Art We first of all here present a Declaration of the Preparations of all the imperfect Bodies assigning the Causes of the Necessity of their Inventions by which in our Artifice they are rendred apt to receive the Medicine of Perfection in every Degree of Whiteness and Redness and to be perfected by the same But after these shall be added a sufficient and congruous Narration of all the Medicines before-mentioned CHAP. II. That every of the imperfect Bodies ought to have its peculiar Preparation FRom what We have already discoursed 't is apparent that what Nature left Superfluous or Deficient in every of those Bodies that are imperfect hath been in part declared but here We intend in a more sufficient Discourse to compleat what We above omitted relating hereunto Therefore since it happens that the mutable Bodies of Imperfection are of a twofold kind viz. Soft and Ignible or burnable by Fire as Saturn and Jupiter and Hard and not Fusible or Fusible with Ignition as Mars and Venus the first indeed not Fusible but the other Fusible with Ignition Nature hath taught us necessarily informing that according to the Diversity of their Essences in the Radix of their Nature divers Preparations according to their Indigency must be administred to them There are two Bodies of Imperfection of one kind that need to be transformed viz. Lead which is called Black and by Art Saturn and Crashing Lead which is called White and in the Sentence of Art Jupiter which from the innate Root of their Nature are divers each from other in the Profundity of their occult Parts and likewise in their Manifest For Saturn is cloudy livid ponderous and black without Stridor or Crashing totally mute but Jupiter white a little livid but crashing much and of moderate Sound yielding Brightness The Differences of which in their Profundity with their necessary Causes We intend to shew you with manifest Experiences From which Causes of Difference according to more and less the well disposed Artist collects the Order of Preparations We therefore according to Order first declare the Preparations of Bodies but afterward of Argentvive coagulable Yet first of one kind viz. Of Softness and after this of the other And accordingly the Preparation of Saturn and Jupiter of the first kind of Bodies shall be described first afterward the Preparation of the other shall follow according to their determinate Order For in the Preparation of Bodies nothing of Superfluity is to be removed from their profound Part but rather from the manifest CHAP. III. That the Defect of imperfect Metals ought to be supplied by Medicine but their Superfluity removed by Preparation A manifold Preparation may be adhibited to the Essence of Saturn and of Jupiter likewise according to the Degree of their manifold Approximation to Perfection or Elongation from it Therefore since of things indeed corrupting in their Profundity there is one Thing advenient from the innate Radix of their Nature and that is the Earthiness of Sulphureity and the Impurity of the Earth of Argentvive commixed with the essential Nature of them in the Beginning of their Creation and an other Thing supervenient after the first Mixtion of them inferring Corruption and this is a burning Sulphureity of the first kind and the Impurity thereof and a foul Substance of Argentvive therefore these are the Things corrupting the Substance of Perfection of Saturn and Jupiter One of these it is impossible to remove by the Medicine of any Industry it being of the first Order but the other may be removed with a little help The first indeed seems impossible to be extirpated because in the Principles of the proper Nature of Bodies of this kind the aforesaid were mixt into a true Essence and made one true Essence Therefore seeing it is not possible to remove the true Essence of any Thing in Nature the Thing it self remaining it is impossible to seperate these Corrupting Things from them For this Cause some Philosophers have thought the Art not possible to be attained to by This and We and indeed other Searchers of this Science in Our time have come to this very State viz. That We likewise could by no way of Ingenious Preparation illustrate Bodies with compleatment of their Brightness but happened that they were totally infected and blackned rather By reason of this We also as well as they were driven to Amazement and for a long space of time lay under the Shade of Desperation Yet returning to Our Selves and being perplexed with the immense Trouble of infinite Thoughts and Meditations We considered Bodies diminished from Perfection to be foul in the Profundity of their Nature and nothing fulgid or purely clean to be found in them because it was not in them according to Nature For that is not found in a Thing which is not in it Therefore seeing nothing of Perfection is found in them therefore necessarily also in the same nothing Superfluous remains to be found in Seperation of the divers Substances in them and in the Profundity of their Nature Wherefore by this We found somewhat to be diminished in them which must necessarily be compleated by Matter convenient for it and compleating the Defect Diminution in them is the Paucity of Argentvive and not right Spissation of the same Therefore Compleatment in them will be Multiplication of Argentvive good Inspissation and permanent Fixion But this is performed by a Medicine created of that For this Medicine when deduced into an Esse from Argentvive by the
Medicine cannot have perfect Fusion unless great Caution be used in its Fixation that it may soften hard Bodies and harden the soft For it is only such when a sufficiency of its Humidity is preserved proportionate to the Exigency of that Fusion which is sought Therefore by the fore-going 't is evident that such a Preparation should be administred to it as by which of it may be created a most fulgent and purely clean Substance Then it must be fixed but with very great Caution viz. the Artificer must be so well skilled in the Administration of Fire in the Way of its Fixation that he may only so far remove the Humidity as shall be sufficient for compleating perfect Fusion The way of effecting this is thus If you would by this Medicine mollifie Bodies hard of Fusion in the beginning of its Creation a gentle Fire must be adhibited For gentle Fire is Conservative of Humidity and Perfective of Fusion But if you would have it harden soft Bodies its Fire must be vehement For such Fire is Consumptive of Humidity and hindring Fusion And indeed it is expedient for every well minded Artificer to consider all these Rules Also there is a necessity of many other Considerations of the Weight with their Causes and congruous Order For the Cause of great Weight is the Subtilety of the Substance of Bodies and Vniformity in the Essence And by this the parts of them may be so condensate as nothing can come between and the Densation of Parts is the encrease of Weight and the Perfection thereof CHAP. X. Of the Differencies of Medicines viz. that some are of the first Order some of the second and others of the third THerefore it is evident that Subtility is necessarily required as well in the Preparation of Bodies as in the Way of perfecting the Medicine by the Artifices of the Work because of how much the greater Weight Bodies to be transmuted are of so much and greater perfection they are found in our Investigation by Art Wherefore our Discourse of Medicines will be rendred profitable if We declare the Differencies of all Medicines In order to which We say there is necessarily a threefold Difference of Medicines One is of the first Order another of the second and another of the third A Medicine of the first Order I call every Preparation of Minerals which projected upon Bodies diminished from Perfection impresseth Alteration which infers not a sufficient Compleatment but the altered Body happens to be changed and corrupted with the total Evaporation of the Impression of the Medicine thereof As is every Sublimation dealbative of Venus or Mars which receives not Fixation And of this kind is every Additament of the Colour of Sol and Luna or of Venus commixed and set in a Furnace of Cementation as Ziniar and the like For this changeth with a Mutation not durable but rather diminishing it self by Exhalation A Medicine of the second Order I call every Preparation which when it is projected upon Bodies diminished from Perfection alters them to some Difference of Compleatment altogether leaving the other Differencies of Corruption as is the Calcination of Bodies by which all that is fugitive is burnt away And of this kind is a Medicine colouring Luna perpetually yellow or perpetually dealbating Venus leaving other Differencies of Corruption in them A Medicine of the third Order I call every Preparation which when it comes to Bodies with its projection takes away all Corruption and perfects them with the Difference of all Compleatment But this is one only And therefore by it We are excused from the Labours of the Invention of ten Medicines of the second Order Therefore the Work of the first Order is called the Lesser the Work of the second the Middle but of the third the Greater Work And this Difference of all Medicines is sufficient CHAP. XI Of the Medicine of the first Order dealbating Venus ACcording to our Promise We intend to declare the Differencies of all Medicines of a determinate Order seeing there is one Medicine of Bodies and another of Argentvive and of Bodies one is of the first Order another of the second and another of the third and so of Argentvive likewise first of the first then of the second and lastly of the third Order And We will in a compleat speech and congruous Order first speak of the Medicine of Bodies but afterward of Argentvive Therefore touching the Medicine of Bodies of the first Order We say there is one of hard Bodies another of the soft Of hard Bodies one is of Venus another of Mars another of Luna That of Venus and Mars is the pure Dealbation of their Substance but Luna the Rubification of it with Citrinity of a pleasing Brightness For Rubification with apparent Brightness is not given to Venus and Mars by Medicine of the first Order because they being totally unclean are unapt to receive the splendor of Redness before they have been prepared with a Preparation inducing Brightness Therefore We will first speak of all the Medicines of Venus and afterward of Mars which are comprised in the first Order There is one Medicine whitening Venus by Argentvive and another by Arsnick By Argentvive the Medicine dealbating it is thus compleated First Argentvive precipitated is dissolved then calcined Venus dissolved likewise Both these Solutions are mixed in one and projected upon the Body of Venus after they are coagulated This Medicine whitens and cleanseth Venus Again otherwise Argentvive and Lithargiry are dissolved apart and the Solutions joyned together then a Calcination of the Body which is intended to be Whitened is dissolved likewise and that Solution joyned with the former and then coagulated together this Coagulate is projected upon the Body and that is dealbated thereby Otherwise a Quantity of Argentvive is sublimed often from its Body until part thereof remain with it with compleat Ignition Then this Mixture is very often imbibed and ground with distilled Vinegar that it may the better be mixed in the profundity thereof then it is assated or moderately calcined and lastly fresh Argentvive is in like manner sublimed from it and the remaining Matter again imbibed and moderately calcined as before And this Work is so often repeated as until a large Quantity of the Argentvive reside in it with compleat Ignition This is a good Dealbation of the first Order Otherwise Argentvive in its proper Nature is so often sublimed from Argentvive precipitated until in it the same is fixed and admits good Fusion This fused Matter is projected upon the Substance of Venus and that is peculiarly whitened Otherwise Luna and Lithargiry are dissolved apart and the Solutions conjoyned and with them the Substance of Venus dealbated But indeed Venus is better whitened if Argentvive be perpetuated in all the Medicines It is whitened by Arsnick sublimed thus the Calcinate of Venus is taken and upon that is repeated the Sublimation of Arsnick until it remain therewith and whiten it But if you be
is dissolved into a most Red Water that hath not its Peer Then so operate as you may give it Ingress into the Lunar Body These Processes are sufficiently demonstrated to you if you be a true Searcher of the perfect Work as We have described it For We seeing things of this kind profoundly and amicably to adhere to Luna have considered and it is certain that these are from its own Radix and thence it is that Luna is altered by them These Medicines which We have here inferred are all of the first Order Yet there may be manifold other Methods of these Medicines salving the Essence of Pigmental Things in the Variety of Methods For the Medicine of Argentvive is not in this first Order seeing it is not a Medicine altering Luna with one only Difference but altogether in total Compleatment Others have invented many Medicines yet one of these two necessarily happens viz. either they are constrained to create the Medicine of the same Things or of Things having the same Nature or else they compound a Medicine which with its Alteration is equivalent to that which it is not and which neither confers to the Clean nor to the Parts of the Clean until the Mover in the sublime Mobile of Nature rests uncorrupt CHAP. XIV Of the Difference of Properties of Medicines of the second Order NOW it is time We should pass on to Medicines of the second Order with a Discourse truly sufficient according to their Exigency and manifest Probations with true Experience Therefore seeing the Medicine of Bodies to be cleansed is one but of Argentvive perfectly coagulable another We will first of all compleatly declare the Medicines of Bodies and afterward the Medicine of the same Argentvive coagulable into a true Solifick and Lunifick or Solar and Lunar Body A Medicine of the second Order is that which doth indeed compleat imperfect Bodies but with one only difference of Perfection Yet seeing there are many Causes of Corruption in every of the imperfect Bodies viz. in Saturn a volatile Sulphureity flight of its Argentvive by both which Corruption must necessarily be induced and its Terrestreity therefore the Medicine is made so as it can indeed totally remove one of them or covering it adorn the same only leaving all other Causes of Imperfection Therefore forasmuch as in Bodies there is somewhat impermutable which is innate in their Radix and which cannot be taken away by Medicine of the second Order that Medicine which totally removes that from the Mixtion is not called Medicine of the second but of the third and greater Order And because We found Superfluities of things volatile to be removed by the way of Calcination and the Earthiness not innate abolished by reiteration of Reduction therefore there was a necessity of inventing a Medicine of the second Order which might indeed palliate or cover the innate and mollifie the hard and harden the soft viz. in hard and soft Bodies according to Compleatment not sophistical but perfectly constitute a true Solifick or Lunifick of imperfect Bodies Therefore seeing it is manifest that in Bodies only soft the swiftness of Liquefaction cannot be taken away by the ingenious Artifices of this Work nor the Impurity innate in the Radix of their Principles removed the invention of a Medicine necessarily happened that in projection could inspissate the Tenuity of them and inspissating harden the same to a Sufficiency of Ignition with their Liquefafaction and likewise in hard Bodies attenuate their Spissitude and attenuating deduce them to sufficient Velocity of Liquefaction with their own property of Ignition and palliating adorn the Clowdiness of Bodies of either Kind and transform the one into White and the other into Red most perfect This Medicine is not diversified from a Medicine of the third Order unless by the Imperfection of lesser Preparation And that it is not diversified from it self is manifest in the Projection of diverse Bodies and its Acceptation of Pigments but in the way of Preparation only For the Medicine inspissating the Tenuity of soft Bodies needs one industry of Preparation but attenuating the Spissitude of hard Bodies another These indeed need the Method of Consumptive Fire but those the Administration of Conservation of their Humidity CHAP. XV. Of a Medicine Lunar and Solar for imperfect Bodies WE now intend to compleat our Vniversal Discourse of the Medicine of this second Order with a certain and true determination And first We will describe the Lunar Medicines of all imperfect Bodies with the Differencies of their Preparations afterward the Solar with their proper Differencies likewise We have already proved in our Discourse that Sulphur is Corruptive of every kind of Perfection But Argentvive is Perfective in the Works of Nature with compleat Regimens Therefore We also not changing but imitating Nature in what Works it is possible for Us to follow her do likewise assume Argentvive in the Magistery of this Work for a Medicine of each kind of Perfection viz. Lunar and Solar as well of imperfect Bodies as of Argentvive Coagulable But seeing according to what We above-mentioned We have said that there is a twofold Difference of Medicine one of Bodies but the other of Argentvive truly coagulable We are hence induced to give a certain Narration of Bodies first and afterwards of Argentvive The Matter per se of this Medicine of every kind is one only and it is what is already sufficiently known Therefore take that and if you would work according to the Lunar Order We promised to shew learn to be expert in Operating and prepare That with the known Ways of this Magistery The intention of which is that you should divide the pure Substance from it and fix part thereof but leave a part for Cerating and so proceeding through the whole Magistery until you compleat its desired Fusion If it suddenly flow in hard Bodies it is perfect but in soft Bodies the contrary For this Medicine projected upon any of the imperfect Bodies changeth it into a perfect Lunar Body if the known Preparations have been first adhibited to this Medicine but if not it leaves the same diminished yet in one only difference of Perfection it perfects as much as depends on the Administration of the Order of a Medicine of this kind But according to the third Order a certain due Administration not preceding it perfects in Projection only A Solar Medicine of this second Order of every of the imperfect Bodies is the same Matter and participates of the same Regimen of Preparation Yet in this it differs viz. that in the greater Subtiliation of Parts by proper Ways of Digestion and in the Commixtion of subtile Sulphur with the Regimen of Preparation administred with addition of the Matter now known The Regimen of it is the Fixation of pure Sulphur and the Solution thereof as is known For with this the Medicine is tinged and with it projected upon every of the Bodies diminished from Perfection it compleates the same
four times and lastly calcine it by its own way for so administring you have sufficiently governed the most precious Earth of the Stone Then by the subtile Way of Ingenuity conjoyn a Quantity of the part above reserved with part of this prepared Earth through its least particles This being done with Intention of Elevation sublime it by the aforesaid way of Sublimation until the fixed with the not fixed be totally elevated Which if you see not again add a Quantity of the not fixed Part until enough be added for Elevation thereof Therefore when it shall be once all elevated repeat its Sublimation until by repetition of this Operation it be totally fixed When it shall be fixed again imbibe it with Quantity after Quantity of the not fixed by the Way to you known until the whole shall again be elevated Then a-again fix it until it have easie Fusion with its Ignition For this is the Medicine which transforms every Body diminished from Perfection and every Argentvive of what kind soever into a most perfect Lunar Body CHAP. XX. Of the Solar Medicine of the third Order THE Preparation of this Solar Medicine is made with the Additament of Sulphur not burning by Way of Fixation and Calcination perfectly administred with subtile Industry and by manifold repetition of Solution until it be rendred Clean. For by the perfect Administration of these preceding its cleansing by Sublimation will be compleated The Way of this Additament is thus Reiterate the Sublimation of the not fixed part of the Stone with this said Sulphur ingeniously conjoyning them until they be first elevated together and then fixed so as to abide in the Heat of Fire without ascension The oftner this Order of compleating the Exuberancy shall be repeated the more will the Exuberancy of this Medicine be multiplied and the more its Goodness augmented and the Augmentation of the Perfection thereof highly multiplied also We will here indeed in a brief compleat and known Speech to stop the envious Clamours of the Impious declare the whole Compleatment of this Magistery which thus take The Intention of it is that by way of Sublimation the Stone and its Additament may most perfectly be cleansed and accordingly by the Way of Ingenuity the fugitive fixed in them Afterward the Fixed made Volatile and the Volatile again fixed And in this Order is compleated the most Precious Arcanum which is above every Secret of the Sciences of this World and is a Treasure inestimable Do you dispose your self by Exercise to it with very great Instance of Labour and with continuance of immense Meditation For by these you will find it but without them not And indeed in Preparation of the Stone the Reiteration of the Goodness of Administration upon this Medicine may with Industrious Wariness be so far available as to enable it to change Argentvive into an infinite true Solifick and Lunifick and not need any thing more than its Multiplication Now let the High GOD of Nature blessed and glorious be praised who hath revealed to Us the Series of all Medicines with the Experience of them which by the goodness of his Instigation and by our own incessant Labour We have searched out and have seen with our Eyes and handled with our Hands the Compleatment thereof sought in our Magistery But if We have concealed this let not the Son of Learning wonder For We have not concealed it from him but have delivered it in such a Speech as it must necessarily be hid from the evil and unjust and the unwise cannot discern it Therefore Sons of Doctrine search ye and ye will find this most excellent Gift of GOD reserved for you only Ye Sons of Folly Wickedness and evil Manners fly far away from this Science because it is inimical and adverse to you and will precipit you into the miserable State of Poverty For this Gift of GOD is absolutely by the Judgment of Divine Providence hid from you and denyed you for ever Therefore having inquired into the Ways of all Medicines We prosecuting our intended Purpose must pass hence to those Things which make known the Perfection of this Magistery with the Causes of its Probations The Third and Last Part of this Second Book Of the Probations of Perfection CHAP. I. The Division of what follows OMitting manifest Experiences of which We make no mention seeing they are known and certain to all viz. of the Weight Colour and Extension under the Hammer which are discerned without any Sagacity of Industry We with Wariness make Tryal by the Experiences of Artificers Whether Projection of the Administration of this Art be a Compleatment with Verity inferring the same which are Cineritium or the Test called a Cupel Cement Ignition Fusion Exposition over acute Vapour Probation of Burning Sulphur by Mixtion Extinction Reiteration of Calcination and Reduction and the easie or difficult Susception of Argentvive Therefore We shall first speak of these according to Order and afterward keeping the same Order proceed to other things which We intend according to promise to declare with the known Causes of them CHAP. II. Of Cineritium why some Bodies abide in it but others not WE come first to speak of Cineritium with all its manifest Causes and of the Way of its Confection The Solar and Lunar Substance is only permament in the Tryal of Cineritium Therefore searching out the true Differencies of the Substance of these Perfect Bodies and likewise the Causes of the Cinerition We will make Tryal which of the imperfect Bodies more and which less abide in the Examen of this Magistery Yet by Us is already sufficiently declared the Secret of these two Bodies in the Profundity of their Substance And it is this viz. that their first Radix was a large Quantity of Argentvive and the purest Substance of it at first most subtile but afterward inspissate until it could admit Fusion with Ignition Therefore whatsoever Bodies diminished from Perfection have more of Earthiness they less abide in this Examen but what have less more Because these do indeed more adhere by reason of the subtilety of their Parts closely permixing and uniting them So likewise Bodies that are of greater Tenuity or on the contrary of greater Spissitude than those which consist in Perfection must necessarily be altogether seperated from the Commixtion For being not of the same Fusion therefore they are separated And indeed Bodies which partake of a lesser Quantity of Argentvive are more easily separated from the Commixtion Therefore 't is evident that seeing Saturn is of much Earthiness and contains a small Quantity of Argentvive and of an easie Tenuity of Liquefaction which are mostly opposite to the Perfection of a Cineritious Examen therefore of all the Bodies by the Artifice of the Cineritium it indures least in the Commixtion yea it is separated and vanisheth most speedily Wherefore seeing of all Bodies diminished from Perfection it most gives way and recedes by that it is more proper for
the Examen of our Magistery and the reason is because it sooner takes it flight and sooner draws every of the imperfect Bodies with it self from the Mixture Also by reason of this the greater Quantity of the perfect Body is preserved from the strong Combustion of the Fire of the Examen and therefore by the Tryal of Lead it is less burnt and more easily purified But because the Substance of Jupiter contains more of Argentvive and partakes of a lesser Quantity of Earthiness and of greater Purity and oâ—â— more subtile Substance of it therefore it is more safe in the Mixtion than Saturn and Venus because it more adheres in the Profundity thereof And this is the Cause why a larger Quantity of the perfect Body is absumed before Jupiter conjoyned can be separated from the Commixtion Yet Venus gives Fusion with Ignition but because its Fusion is slower than of a perfect Body therefore it is separated from the Commixtion yet more slowly than Saturn by reason of the Ignition of its fusible Substance But because it contains less of the Quantity of Argentvive and is of greater Earthiness and of a more thick Substance therefore it is more easily separated from the Mixtion than Jupiter because Jupiter more adheres in the Profundity than Venus Mars hath not Fusion and therefore is not permixed which happens by reason of Deprivation of Humidity But if it chance that it is permixed by Vehemency of Fire then because it hath not Humidity by imbibing the Humidity of Sol or Luna it is united thereunto through its least parts therefore although it hath much Earth and little Argentvive and wants Fusion yet it can by no slight Artifice be separated from them Therefore by this the Industry of the Artificer is dilated unto the true Rectification of every Body if he rightly know the Efficacy of That which We have writ But if he phantastically understand he knows nothing of the Truth thereof There are two Bodies of Perfection abiding this Tryal viz. Sol and Luna by reason of their good Composition which results from their good Mixtion and the pure Substance of them CHAP. III. Of the Tryal of the Cineritium or Cupel how it is to be compounded and used NOW We speak of the Way of making it which is thus Take sifted Ashes or Calx or Powder of the Bones of Animals burnt or a Commixtion of all or of some of them moisten these with Water and make the Mixture firm and solid with your hand and in the midst of it wrought into a round flatish Lump make a round and smooth Hollowness and upon the bottom of it strew a small Quantity of Glass beaten to Powder Then permit it to be dryed When dry put that Metal into the Hollowness thereof which you intend to try by this Examen and put Coals of Fire upon it and then with Bellows blow upon the Surface of the Examinable Body until it flows Upon which being in flux cast part after part of Lead and blow with a flame of strong Ignition Whilst you see it agitated with the Motion of strong Concussion it is not pure Therefore wait until all the Lead be exhaled If that be vanished and yet the Motion cease not it is not pure Therefore again cast Lead upon it and blow as before until the Lead vanish If it do not yet rest repeat the casting in of more Lead and blowing upon it until it be still or quiet and you see it clean and clear in its Superficies This being seen open the Coals and dissipate the Fire and then pour Water upon the Surface thereof For you will find it perfectly examined If whilst you are blowing this Examen you cast in Glass the Body will be the better and more perfectly purified because that takes away the Impurities and separates them Yet instead of Glass Sal Borax or a little Allom may be cast in In like manner this Examen of Cineritium may be made in a Crucible of Earth if the Fire round about it be blowed and upon the Surface also of the Crucible that the Body to be examined may the sooner flow and be perfected These being sufficiently declared We now pass to the Examen of Cement with its Causes and manifest and known Experiences CHAP. IV. Of Cement why some Bodies sustain it more and others less WE have said that some Bodies more and others less are burned by the Calcination of Fire viz. they which contain a greater Quantity of burning Sulphur more but they that contain less less Therefore seeing Sol hath a less Quantity of Sulphur than other Metallick Bodies it is not in the midst of all Mineral Bodies burnt by Inflammation of Fire And Luna next to Sol partakes of a less Quantity of Sulphur than the other four Bodies yet more than Sol. Therefore according to this it can less bear the Ignition of Inflammation for a long space of time than Sol and by consequence less bear Things burning by a like Nature but Venus less than it because it consists of more Sulphur and of greater Earthiness than Luna therefore can less bear the Inflammation of Fire Jupiter less also than Sol or Luna because it partakes of greater Sulphureity and Earthiness than either of them yet it is less burnt by Inflammation than Venus but more than Sol and Luna Saturn in its Commixtion by Nature holds more of Earthiness and Sulphureity than any of these now mentioned Bodies therefore it is sooner and more easily inflamed than all the said Bodies and by inflamation it is more swiftly burnt because it hath Sulphureity more nearly conjoyned and more fixed than Jupiter Mars is not burnt by it self but by Accident For when it is mixed with Bodies of much Humidity it imbibes that Humidity by reason of its own Want of the same and therefore being conjoyned it is neither inflamed nor burned if the Bodies with which it is Vnited be neither inflamable nor combustible But if combustible Bodies be mixed with it it necessarily happens according to the Nature of their Combustion that Mars is burnt and inflamed Therefore seeing Cement is constituted of inflamable Things the necessary Cause of its Invention is manifest and it was that all combustible Things might be burned And since there is one only Body incombustible that alone or what is prepared according to the Nature of that is kept safe in Cement Yet some abide more others less in Cement But which abide more and which less are known with their said Causes Therefore Luna abides Cement more but Mars less Jupiter less than Mars and Venus less than Jupiter but Saturn least of all CHAP. V. The Examen of Cement how it is to be compounded and exercised NOW We will declare the Way of Cementing Seeing it is known to Us that Cement is very necessary in the Examen of Perfection We say it is compounded of inflamable Things Of this kind are all blackening flying penetrating and burning Things as is
Vitriol Salarmoniac Flos Aeris and the ancient Fictile Stone and a very small Quantity or nothing of Sulphur and Mans-Vrine with like acute and penetrating Things All these are impasted with Virile Vrine and spread upon thin Plates of that Body which you intend shall be examined by this way of Probation Then the said Plates must be laid upon a Grate of Iron included in an Earthen Vessel yet so as one touch not the other that the vertue of the Fire may have free and equal Access to them Thus the whole must be kept in Fire in a strong Earthen Vessel for the space of three days But here great Caution is required that the Plates may be kept fire-hot but not melt After the third Day you will find the Plates cleansed from all Impurity if the Body of them was perfect if not they will be wholly corrupted and burnt in the Calcination Some expose Plates of Metal to Calcination without a composition of Cement and they are purified in like manner if the Body be of Perfection if not they are totally consumed Yet in this last Examen they need a longer space of time that are thus purified by the only inflamation of Fire than those that are examined by the Judgment of Cement And seeing the Nature of Luna differs not much from the Nature of Sol therefore by a certain necessary way of Administration it rests with it in the Tryal of Cement And there is no Separation of Bodies each from other in these two kinds of Tryal unless that be occasioned by reason of the Diversity of Composition of their Substances because thence results Diversity of Fusion and Spissitude and Rarity Which are indeed the Causes of Separation because by reason of the strong Composition of some their Substance is not corrupted by the Substance of the Extraneous Body seeing a Mixtion of them could not be made through their least parts Therefore in such a Commixtion they must necessarily be separated each from other without the total Corruption of the Essence of them Wherefore the compleat Administration of imperfect Bodies is discerned when they are by Ingenuity of Preparation found to be of the same Fusion Ignition and Solidity CHAP. VI. Of Ignition IT remains now that We treat of Ignition Having declared that Bodies of greatest Perfection with determinate Ignition are found to receive the Fire before Fusion of them therefore we here say if our Aim be to find out the compleat Alteration of them there is a necessity to bring such Bodies to their Fusion And before these Bodies of Perfection be fused to see them admit Ignition with inflamation of a pleasing Celestine Colour and this before their Ignition comes to the Whiteness of Fire which the Eye can in no wise discern Therefore 't is manifest that the perfect Ignition of them is before Fusion with intense Redness and not with Whiteness which the Eye cannot behold For if the administred Bodies be melted before they are red hot with Fire they are not in Compleatment And if they be made Fire-hot with labour and strong Expression of Fire their Administration is not true and this indeed if it happen in soft Bodies Because the same is only found in Mars For Ignible Bodies do not easily in the way of Preparation admit Ignition nor fusible Bodies the right Fusion which We find in Bodies perfect according to Nature If Bodies administred in their Ignition yield not Flame of a pleasing Celestine Colour their Administration is not compleat And if any part of the Weight Colour Beauty Ignition and the like be found diminished by reason of the Differencies of the Goodness of Preparation the Indagation of the Artist was not sufficient Therefore let him make a new Search until he find his Error with Ways of Operating corresponding to Divine Goodness CHAP. VII Of Fusion or Melting IN the Narration of Fusion We shall sufficiently discourse according to the Examen of all Bodies by the certain Ignition of them Therefore We say that Fusion with Ignition is the only Argument of Perfection yet not with every kind of Ignition but with Ignition in which the Body waxeth not altogether White and with Ignition in which is not made a dull paleness of Fire and in which the Body is not suddenly melted or flows not immediately after Ignition For when a Body flows with very small pressure of a weak Fire either â—â—â—â—out Ignition or with a palid Ignition a Body of this Preparation must needs be a Body of Imperfection some one of the imperfect Bodies in diminished Artifice And if a Body after Fusion be not suffered presently to cool and its Ignition be suddenly turned altogether into Blackness and by reason of that loseth its Ignition before it waxeth hard it is not a Body in Compleatment of what kind soever it be But this is to be imputed to softness and that it is one of the kinds of imperfect Bodies And if the Ignition of a Body before Fusion thereof be made with laborious and violent Expression of strong Fire and with a Ray of Brightness inestimable altogether White and shining it is not a Body of Perfection but a Body of Hardness altered Also if after Fusion thereof and when taken from the Fire it be suddenly hardned that it flow not the fulgent Ignition thereof remaining it is not a Body of Lunar or Solar Perfection of what kind and preparation soever the Body administred was but comes under the Nature of the Differencies of Mars Therefore by the abovesaid 't is evident that in fusible Bodies by the Experiment of them may be found a threefold Ignition before Liquefaction of their Substances viz. one Palid the other Red and Clear and the third most White shining with a Ray. The first is of soft Bodies the second of perfect Bodies but the third of hard Bodies as is proved by Reason and Experience He that desires to search out the Degree of all these Ignitions that he may compleat all fusible Bodies let him consider of the sufficiency compleat for the Perfection of Fusion and by considering recollect the difference of all the signs of the Degree of Fusion and so indeed he will find otherwise not This is offered to you for an Exemplar in all manners of Examination by us determined and to be determined And this may suffice to be spoken of Fusion CHAP. VIII Of the Exposition of Bodies over the Vapours of acute Things THerefore prosecuting our intended Discourse We now declare the Exposition of Bodies over the Vapours of Acute Things viz. of Things Sharp Saline and Sower We see Bodies of Perfection exposed over the Vapours of the said Acute Things either little or nothing at all to flower or to emit a most pleasant Celestine Flos. But the purest Gold flowreth not Yet Luna or Sol not pure We find to flower when exposed over the Vapours of Acute Things and to yield a most pleasant Celestine Flos yet that of Sol is more delightful
Perfection Wherefore it is to be supposed that those Bodies are more nigh to Perfection which more amicably imbibe Argentvive The sign of this is the easie Susception of Argentvive by a Solar or Lunar Body of Perfection For this same Reason if a Body altered do not easily receive Argentvive into its Substance it must needs be very remote from the Compleatment of Perfection CHAP. XIII A Recapitulation of the whole Art HAving handled the Experiences of the Causes of the sufficiency of this Magistery according to the Exigency of our proposed Discourse it remains that We should now in one Chapter come to the Compleatment of this whole Divine Work and briefly speaking contract the dispersed Magistery into one Sum in general Heads Therefore We say the Sum of the whole Intention of the Work is no other than that the Stone known in its Chapters should be taken and with instance of Labour Sublimation of the first Degree repeated upon it for by this it will be cleansed from corrupting Impurity And the Perfection of Sublimation is the Subtiliation of the Stone by it until it can come to the ultimate purity of Subtilety and lastly be made Volatile This being done by the Way of Fixation it must be fixed until it can rest in the Asperity of Fire Herein consists the Measure of the Second Degree of Preparation The Stone is likewise administred in the third which consists in the ultimate Compleatment of Preparation and that is this You must make the now fixed Stone by the ways of Sublimation Volatile and the Volatile fixed and the Fixed Dissolved and the Dissolved again Volatile and the Volatile again Fixed until it flow and alter into Solifick and Lunifick with certain Compleatment From the Reiteration of Preparation of this third Degree results the Multiplication of the Goodness of Alteration of the Medicine Therefore from the Diversity of the Work repeated upon the Stone in its Degrees results the Diversity of Multiplication of the Goodness of Alteration so that among Medicines some transmute into a true Solifick and Lunifick Body of Perfection an hundred-fold as much as their own weight is some two hundred-fold some three hundred-fold some a thousand-fold and some to Infinity Therefore hence it may be known whether the Magistery consists in Perfection CHAP. XIV What Order the Author hath observed in treating of the aforesaid BUT that the Envious may not calumniate us We declare that We have not treated of our Science with a continued series of Discourse but have dispersed it in divers Chapters And this was done because if it had been delivered in a continued Series of Speech the just Man as well as him that is evil might have usurped it unworthily Therefore We have concealed it in places where We more openly speak yet not under an Aenigma but in a plain discourse to the Artist and indeed We have described it in such a way of speaking as is agreeable to the Will of the Most High blessed sublime and Glorious God and our own Mind who writ the same as it happened to be recollected or was infused by the Grace of his divine Goodness who gives it to and withholds it from whom he will Therefore let not the Son of Learning despair for if he seek it he may find the same with the Investigation of the Motion of his proper Nature not of Doctrine Because he that seeks by the goodness of his Industry finds the same but he who seeks the same following Books only will very slowly attain to this most pecious Art For We published this Art found by Us only for our selves only not for others although it be most true and altogether certain Therefore We invite to this Art the Prudent only and by Ingenuities taught by Us expose to them the way of Investigation For We writ down the same being found together with the Way of its Invention and the Ingenuities of Methods for none but our selves Wherefore let the well-minded Artificer exercise himself by those Precepts which We have delivered and he will greatly rejoyce when he hath found the Gift of the Most High God These may suffice to be spoken touching the Disquisition of this sublime Art The End of the Second Book of Geber Of the Sum of Perfection or of the Perfect Magistery GEBER The Arabian Prince and Philosopher His Book Of the INVENTION of VERITY OR PERFECTION CHAP. I. Of the six Properties of Things from which the Medicine is extracted WE have in our Volumes considered not only by the Secret Properties of Natural Principles but also by proper Experience and the truly certain Investigation of our Invention that those Things from which our Medicine is extracted have in themselves these Properties of Qualities in transmuting Bodies First they have in themselves an Earth most subtile and incombustible altogether fixed with its own proper radical Humidity and apt for fixing Secondly they have an Airy and Fiery Humidity so uniformly conjoyned to that Earth that if one be volatile so is the residue and the same Humidity abides the Fire beyond all Humidities even to the compleat Termination of its own Inspissation according to the Indigency of its Compleatment with Permanency inseparable from the Earth annexed to it without Evaporation Thirdly The Disposition of their Natural Humidity is such that by the benefit of its own Oleaginy in all differencies of its Properties it so unctuously contemperates the Earth annexed to it with Conversion of one into the other homogeneally and equally with such an Vnion and Bond of Conjunction of inseparability that after the Degree of final Preparation it gives good Fusion Fourthly This Oleaginy is of so great purity of Essence and so Artificially cleansed from every combustible or burning Thing that it burns not all Bodies with which it is conjoyned through their least parts but preserves them from Combustion Fifthly It hath a Tincture in it self so clear and splended white or red clean and incombustible stable and fixed that the Fire cannot prevail against it to change it nor sulphureous adustive or acute corroding Bodies corrupt and defile the same Sixthly The whole Compound incerated with its final Compleatment is of so great Subtilety and Tenuity of Matter that after the final Termination of its Decoction it remains in Projection of most thin Fusion like Water and is of profound Penetration unto the ultimate Compleatment of the Body permutable of how great Fixation soever it be And with its Vicinity or Affinity it adheres to its own like naturally with inseparable Consolidation against the Impression of Fire in that very Hour with its own Spirituality reducing Bodies to Volatility CHAP. XVI Of the Seven Properties of the Medicine THese being considered We find by Our Investigation several Properties of Things necessary and opportune in our Stone and they are these Oleaginy Tenuity of Matter Affinity Radical Humidity Clearness of Purity a fixing Earth and Tincture The first Property of Differencies of the Medicine is Oleaginy
be calcined Calcination is the Treasure of a Thing be not you weary of Calcination but study what We have said in Our Volumes For Imperfect Bodies are cleansed by Calcination and by Reduction of the Calcinate into a Solid Body or Mass Then is Our Medicine projected upon them and cause given to you of Joy CHAP. II. Of the Sublimatory Furnace LEt your Sublimatory Furnace be made after the manner as is before compleatly taught in Our Summe of Perfection touching the Sublimation of Spirits according to this Form In Sublimation of Sulphur the Cover of the Sublimatory must be made with a great and large Concavity within after the manner of an Alembeck without a Nose for otherwise the whole Sublimate may descend to the Bottom of the Vessel through too great Heat Because in the end of the Sublimation the Sulphur ascends not unless with force of Fire even to Ignition of the Aludel and if the Sulphur be not retained in the Concavity above seeing it easily flows it will descend again by the Sides of the Vessel to the very Bottom and so nothing will be found sublimed as is known to the Expert CHAP. III. Of the Distillatory Furnace THe Distillatory Furnace is the same with the Sublimatory But Fire must be administred according to the Exigency of Things to be Distilled The way of Distilling as well of Minerals as of Vegetables We have sufficiently described in Our Sum of Perfection CHAP. IV. Of the Descensory Furnace THe Descensory Furnace is made as before described and it is wonderfully useful to Us and to the Melters of Metals by Cineritiums and Cements For all Calcined Combust Dissolved and Coagulated Bodies are reduced by this Furnace into a Solid Mass Yea Cineritiums and Cements and Tests or Crucibles into which Silver is often Melted are put into this Furnace for recovering the Metal imbibed CHAP. V. Of the Fusory or Melting Furnace THe Fusory Furnace is that in which all Bodies are easily melted by themselves and it is a Furnace much in use among Melters of Metals for Coining Money also Aurichalcum is melted in these Furnaces and tinged with Tutia or Calaminaris as is known to the experienced CHAP. VI. Of the Solutory or Dissolving Furnace THe Dissolutory or Dissolving Furnace Is made with a Pan full of Water with Iron Instruments in which other Instruments are Artificially retained that they Fall not these are the Vessels in which every Dissolution is made And this is the Form of the Furnace and Vessels CHAP. VII Of the Fixatory Furnace or Athanor THe Fixatory Furnace must be made after the manner of the Furnace of Calcination and in it must be set a deep Pan sull of sifted Ashes But the Vessel with the Matter to be fixed being first firmly sealed must be placed in the midst of the Ashes so that the thickness of the Ashes underneath and above in the Circuit of the Vessel may be answering to the thickness of four Fingers or according to that which you desire to fix because in fixing one a greater Fire is required than in fixing another By this Furnace and by this Way the Ancient Philosophers attained to the Work of the Magistery which Men truly Philosophizing is known to be sufficiently demonstrated in Our Books and by those especially who are true Searchers of Verity This is the Figure of the Athanor Yet if any One can more ingeniously invent the like let not Our Invention retard him from so doing The Second Part of this Book Of Things to be prepared CHAP. VIII Of the Preparations of Middle-Mineral Spirits and Allomes IN this Chapter I will declare the Preparations of Spirits and first of Mercury which if you would perfectly sublime you must add to every pound of it two pounds and an half of Common Salt and half a pound of Salt-peter Mortifie the Mercury wholly grinding all together with Vinegar until nothing of the Mercury appear living in the Mixture and sublime it as you know because it is profitable Red Mercury is thus sublimed viz. One pound of it is mixed and perfectly well ground together with one pound of Salt-peter and one pound of Vitriol and from them it is sublimed Red and Splendid But Arsnick is sublimed thus viz. From one pound of the Filings of Venus half a pound of Common Salt and one quarter of a pound Of Allom calcined First mortifie these with Vinegar stirring them over a Fire until the whole be blackned and again imbibe and dry stirring as before and do this the third time then sublime the * Or White Matter Azymum and it is profitable Sulphur boiled in a Lixivium and dryed is sublimed with the same Feces as Arsnick except that instead of the Filings of Venus into the aforesaid Vessel is put Filings of Mars or the Scales thereof beaten to Powder Salammoniac is sublimed from Common Salt c. Tutia and Marchasite are sublimed as is declared in Our Summe of Perfection But Salts Allomes Boraxes and Vitriols are prepared as We have sufficiently Writ in Our Book of Investigation CHAP. IX Of the Calcination of Jupiter and Saturn JVpiter is specially calcined thus Let a great Test or calcining Pan be placed in a Furnace and Tin put into it with as much of Common Salt prepared and Roch Allom calcined When the Metal is in flux let it be always stirrred with an Iron Spatula full of Holes until the whole be turned to Ashes which first Sift and then set them in Fire again keeping them constantly Fire-hot until they be very well whitened then keep the same for use Saturn is calcined after the same manner as Jupiter but its Calx must be rubified as Minium and so kept CHAP. X. Of the Calcination of Venus and Mars VEnus is thus calcined In the aforesaid Furnace is put either the Filings of Copper or it by it self or with Arsnick pulverized or with Sulphur being anointed with Common Oyl and so it is calcined in three or four Days with most strong Fire Strike what is calcined that it may fall off from the Plates which again calcine also when the Calcinate is beaten re-calcine it until it be very well rubified and so keep it Mars being filed is calcined in the aforesaid Furnace until 't is very well rubified and become a Powder impalpable without touch And it is called Crocus Martis CHAP. XI Of the Calcination of middle Minerals ALL Atraments Salts Allomes and the kinds of Tutia are calcined in the said Calcinatory Furnace with Tartar and other Things with Fire moderate or strong according to the Exigency of Things to be calcined as is evident in Our Book Of the Investigation of the Perfect Magistery but all Bodies are calcined as in Our Testament CHAP. XII Of the Ablutions of the Calxes of Combust Bodies THe Ablution of all Bodies combust and calcined is thus made First you must have a large Earthen Vessel full of hot sweet Water With this wash any Calx of a Body calcined stirring
Cement Therefore Venus as is declared in the profundity of its Substance pretends to the Colour and Essence of Gold and it is hammered being heat red hot as Silver and Gold is Therefore hence you may learn a Secret for it is the Medium of Sol and Luna and easily comes to convert its Nature to either and it is of good Conversion and of little Labour It agrees very well with Tutia which citrinizeth or Colours it with good Yellowness and hence you may reap profit For we are excused by it from the Labour of Induration or Hardning and Ignition of it Therefore take it before all other Imperfect Bodies in the Lesser and Middle Work but not in the Greater Yet this hath a Vice beyond Jupiter viz. that it easily waxeth Livid and receives Infection from sharp and acute things and to eradicate that is not an easie but a profound Art CHAP. XIII Of Mars or Iron BUT the Declaration of Mars and the whole Secret thereof is from the Work of Nature because it is a Metallick Body very livid a little red pertaking of Whiteness not pure sustaining Ignition fusible with no right fusion under the Hammer extensible and sounding much But Mars is hard to be handled by reason of the Impotency of its fusion which if it be made to flow by a Medicine changing its Nature is conjoyned to Sol and Luna and not separated by Examen without great Industry but if prepared it is conjoyned and not separated by any Artifice if the Nature of that Fixation be not changed by it the Uncleanness only of the Mars being removed Therefore it is a Tincture of Redness easily but difficultly of Whiteness And when it is conjoyned it is not altered nor doth it change the Colour of the Commixtion but augments it in Quantity Therefore among all Bodies Jupiter is more splendidly and more clearly more brightly and more perfectly transformed into a Solar or Lunar Body But the Work of it is of long Labour though easie to be handled Next to Jupiter is Venus chosen of more difficult handling but of shorter Labour than Jupiter Next after Venus Saturn hath a diminished Perfection in Transmutation is easie to be handled but of most tedious labour Yet Mars among all the Bodies is of least Perfection in Transmutation to be handled most difficult and of exceeding long Labour Therefore whatsoever Bodies are more remote from swiftness of Liquefaction they are found of more difficult handling in the Work of Transmutation Of this kind are Venus and Mars but what more more and what are most remote most Also those Bodies which partake of greater Lividness and Infection of the Earth are likewise found to be of greater Labour and less Perfection But whatsoever Diversities of Perfections were a little before determined by Us are found in the Artifice of the Lesser or Middle Work yet in the Greater Work all Bodies are of one Perfection but not all of one handling or labour It remains yet to be known what Facility and Difficulty of handling and what Brevity and Length of Labour are found radically in the Nature of Bodies Therefore have We here in a true Discourse described the Natural Principles of those Bodies which are according to the Intention of Nature and have likewise in several Chapters truly expounded what We determined of those Bodies and that according to the Opinion of those Men who could discern the Occult Things of Nature and according to our own Judgment also who attained to the Knowledg thereof by incessant Labour But now according as We promised it is expedient to supply the defect of this Art in setting down all the Principles of this Magistery in the last Part of this our First Book and to demonstrate the Perfection we have seen with its Causes according to the Exigency thereof The Fourth Part of this First Book touching the Artificial Principles of this Art CHAP. I. The Division of Things to be spoken of in this Part with an Insinuation of Perfection to be treated of in the Second Book THere are two Things that are to be determined viz. the Principles of this Magistery and the Perfection of the same The Principles of this Art are the Ways or Methods of its Operations to which the Artist applies himself in the Work of this Magistery These Ways are indeed divers in themselves For one Way is Sublimation and Descension another and Distillation is also one Way Calcination another Solution another and Coagulation another but the seventh Way is Fixation and the eighth Ceration Of all which We purpose to give singular Declarations Perfection consists of those Things and from the Considerations of those by which it is attained and from the Consideration of things helping and from the Consideration of that thing which lastly perfects and that by which it is known whether the Magistery was in Perfection or not The Consideration of those Things by which We come to the Compleâ—tment of the Work is the Consideration of the Substance manifest and of manifest Colours and of the Weight in every of those Bodies to be changed and of those Bodies that are not changed from the Radix of their Nature without that Artifice and the Consideration of those likewise in the Radix of their Nature with the Artifice and the Consideration of the Principles of Bodies according to their Profound Occult and Manifest and according to their Nature without Artifice and likewise with Artifice For if Bodies and their Principles be not known in the Profound and Manifest of their Nature with Artifice and without what is superfluous and what is diminished in them cannot be known and our not knowing these would of necessity hinder us from ever attaining to the Perfection of their Transmutation The Consideration of Things helping Perfection is the Consideration of the Natures of those Things which we see adhere to Bodies without Artifice and to make mutation And these are Marchasite Magnesia Tutia Antimony and Lapis Lazuli or the Lazure Stone And the Consideration of those which without adherency cleanse Bodies and they are Salt and Alloms Nitres and Boraces and which are of their Nature and the Consideration of Vitrification cleansing by a like Nature But the Consideration of the Thing that perfects is the Consideration of Choosing the pure Substance of Argentvive and it is the Matter which from the Matter of that took beginning and of that was created This Matter is not Argentvive in its Nature nor in its whole Substance but it is part of it nor is it now but when the Stone is made For that illustrates and conserves from Adustion which is a signification of Perfection Lastly The Consideration of the Thing by which it is known whether the Magistery be in Perfection or not in the Consideration of the Cupel Cement Ignition of exposing it upon the Vapours of acute Things Extinction Commixtion of Sulphur burning Bodies of Reduction after Calcination and Susception of Argentvive All which with