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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	blood_n	part_n	vein_n	2,409	5	9.8272	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60662	Medicina practica, or, Practical physick shewing the method of curing the most usual diseases happening to humane bodies ... : to which is added, the philosophick works of Hermes Trismegistus, Kalid Persicus, Geber Arabs, Artesius Longævus, Nicholas Flammel, Roger Bachon and George Ripley : all translated out of the best Latin editions into English ... : together with a singular comment upon the first book of Hermes, the most ancient of philosophers : the whole compleated in three books / by William Salmon ...	Salmon, William, 1644-1713.; Khālid ibn Yazīd al-Umawī, 7th cent.; Jābir ibn Ḥayyān.; Artephius. Liber secretus artis occultae. English.; Flamel, Nicolas, d. 1418. Figures hierogliphiques. English.; Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294. Speculum alchemiae. English.; Bacon, Roger, 1214?-1294. Radix mundi. English.; Ripley, George, d. 1490? Medulla alchimiae. English.	1692 (1692)	Wing S434; ESTC R183203	439,154	1,009

another Disease and seems to be only a cold watery Juice shed abroad under the whole Skin and substance of the Flesh arising in part from Obstructions as aforesaid in part from a Discrasie or weakness of the substance of the Blood so declining in its Strength as not to have ability to carry its Serum along with it to the Emulgent Arteries to be evacuated in its ordinary course by Urine III. It is caused either by too frequent and long giving of Hydragogues which by vehement drawing away of the watry Humour so mightily weaken the substance of the Blood that it is left so thick and its grumous parts so compact or congelated that the following generated Serum cannot easily mix with it to make it of one Substance or Consistency whereby in its passage through the Veins and Arteries lying in a separate state from the other parts of the Blood it soaks as it were through the Vessels and makes the habit of the Body cold and watry Or from Obstructions as aforesaid whereby the Blood becomes not only vitiated but also has time to let its se rous parts pass through the Pores and Plicatures of the Vessels to the Flesh and external habit of the Body IV. That there is no Plethory in a Cachexia is certain and nothing is more certain than that there is a Cacochymie and therefore care must be taken not only to open the present Obstructions but also to depurate the Blood and alter the habit of its Substance If it proceeds from taking too great a quantity of Hydragogues you must give Strengthners which are partly Sudorifick that as well as to make the Blood stronger they may so open the Pores of the Body as to cause a transfusion of the superfluous Humidities which infest the Flesh and Skin through them for which purpose this following mixture is of good use Take of our Antidote Bezoar Minerale ana fifteen Grains mix and make a Bolus to be given at Night going to Bed and let the Sick sweat gently upon it This ought to be given every day or every other day for four or five times in which space I have never known it fail to cure V. In the other case the chief business is to open the appendent Obstructions and remove the Discrasie of the Blood Many prescribe Blood-letting in this but in my Opinion that must be very pernicious because it still diminishes the Strength of the Sick which is already too much weakned and exhausts the Spirits now wasted and flagging In this case bitter Herbs by many are prescribed and the bitter Decoction has been found of good use Half a Pint of the Juice of Centory given Morning and Evening for a Week together has cured to a wonder VI. But because the squeamish Stomachs of several cannot be prevailed with to take such bitter and nauseous Doses and because in others the Obstructions are so obdurate that none of those ordinary Remedies nor yet any thing prepared from Vegetables will do any good we must have recourse to Things that are more powerful and of another Nature which shall have power to pierce to the most inward recesses of Nature Of this kind are mineral Waters but such especially as proceed from an Iron Mine of which the Sick ought to drink liberally and for some Weeks because those Waters being repleat with a ferrous Vitriol both powerfully open and also sweeten which is one of the chief Intentions of Cure VII Now because many can neither spare time to go to the Wells or by living remote cannot well compass to get thither we shall here prescribe other Remedies which no Place can fail of affording Take Filings of Iron white Tartar in Pouder ana make them into a Mass with Water which put into an earthen glased Vessel or wooden Bowl put it in a warm place till it is dry Powder it again and moisten with Water and and dry again repeating this five or six times This prepared Iron may be made up into Pills with a little Diacassia Or if the Sick cannot take Pills you may make a Tincture of it with White-Wine by digesting the White-Wine upon it for five or six Weeks And although possibly a Tincture may be made in much lesser time yet the longer the White-Wine stands upon the Matter were it a year or more the better it is Take of the Rust aforesaid eight Ounces White-Wine two Quarts digest five or six Weeks as aforesaid then decant the Tincture and upon the Faeces put more Wine repeating this Work so long till no more Tincture will arise Dose from a spoonful to three or four This Tincture you may if you please boil into a Syrup with Sugar VIII If you be in the Country where Tartar cannot be gotten it may do if you only take Scales of Iron from the Smith's Anvil and put into White-Wine The Wine alone will in time being in a warm digestion extract a most admirable Tincture for the purpose aforesaid and truly neither in appearance nor effects will it be much inferiour to the former Take Scales of Iron four Pound White-Wine a Gallon mix digest warm for two or three Months or more shaking the Glass once a day and keep it for use upon the faeces Dose from one spoonful to three or four in the Morning fasting Now here is to be noted that the Sick ought to lie in their warm Bed two or three hours after taking of it or if up to walk up and down or use some stirring Exercise for two or three hours following IX If the Cachexy be attended with vehement pain in any particular Part or Limb bleeding with Lee ches is of admirable use I remember once more especially I had a cachectick Person in cure who had so vehement Pain in his Shoulder that he could not lift his Hand to his Head I set a dozen Leeches to his Shoulder and he was cured of his Pain at once This method I have pursued several times with good success And sometimes where Leeches could not be gotten I have profitably applied Vesicatories which have abundantly answered expectation Yet this is to be observed That though they often are and may freely enough be applied to the Legs yet it is something dangerous to do it in a Dropsie lest they should bring an afflux of Humors upon the Part so great as to cause a Gangrene which yet a prudent Physician having this Caution may easily avoid X. In a Cachexia in Women where there is a great Obstruction of the Terms you ought not to provoke them 'till you have opened Obstructions of other Parts cleared the passages and prepared the Blood and Humors For Nature discharges not the Blood by the Veins of the Womb 'till the Crudities be in a great measure consumed and the Blood has recovered its inward Heat Life and Vigor And Crudities being 〈◊〉 and the Oeconomy of the Body restored what natural Evacuations were suppressed will return of their own accord XI I once had

if not inveterate Trembling Gout or any weakness of the Nerves and Joynts coming of a cold and moist cause by anointing the afflicted parts therewith and taking of it inwardly as shall be immediately directed for it does gently and by degrees as it were carry off the morbifick Cause and matter almost to a Miracel 9. This marvellous Balsam opens all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen being taken Morning and Evening for a Month together in a little Syrup or other convenient Vehicle It is held for a great Treasure and has many other singular Virtues not here necessary to be named lest we should prejudice its worth and Excellency 10. The way and manner of taking it In diseases of the Head Brain and Nerves give it in Rosemary or Juniper-water or in Canary For the Stone and other Diseases of the Reins and Bladder you may give in Rhenish-wine For the Colick and Diseases of the Bowels you may give it in Juniper or Cardamum-water For Palsies and weaknesses of the Nerves and Joynts you may give it in some Antiparalitick Wine First grind or mix it with a little of the yolk of an Egg to open its body and then mix it with the Liquor you would give it in 11. If the sick cannot take it so it may be made up into Pills with some fit Powder as of Zedoary Nutmeg Cinnamon Bay-berries Cubebs Winter-cherries or what the Physician shall think more fit and so gilded for by this means it will be taken without nauseating you may give the Balsam from half a Dram to two Drams according to Age and Strength and it may be given Morning and Night for a Month two or three together 12. And it is certain that this Balsam is one of the greatest specificks in the cure of the Palsie Scurvy and Gout that is transcending all other Medicaments but it ought to be constantly given in a due Dose and with those Advantages that it may not loath the Stomach so taken it performs more than any other Balsam It cleanses the whole body of all Impurities mundifies the whole mass of Blood heals all inward Bruises Wounds Ulcers or Excoriations whether in the Bowels or Lungs restoring decayed Nature and carrying off all its Faeculencies by Urine and Stool It is only Sold by the Author of this Work at his House at the Blue-Ball by the Ditch-side near Holborn-bridge and at Mr. John Harris's at the Harrow in the Poultry London Price 24 s. the Pound or 18 d. the Ounce AT the sign of the Archimedes and Spectacles in Ludgate-street near the West-end of St. Paul's lives John Marshall who both turns and grinds makes and sell's all sorts of Glass Instruments as Perspective Glasses Telescopes Microscopes Horoscopes Sky-Opticks Reading Glasses from the smallest size to 20 Inches Diametre Microscopes according to Mr. Leewenhoeck Also Microscopes of the said Marshall's Designing a singular Invention for the advantage of Light the like of which were never yet done before Also Spectacles for all Ages Cristal Prisms Speaking Trumpets and all other sorts of Optick Glasses for brevity sake not here named SALMON'S Practical Physick The First BOOK CHAP. I. Of ACHES of all sorts I. For an Ach proceedings of Cold in any part of the Body TAke Oyl Olives Venice Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber four Ounces Volatile Salt of Amber six Drachms melt and mix them together for a Balsam and anoint the place well there with Morning and Evening for eight or ten days more or less as occasion requires Salmon II. For an Ach in the Joints Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana one Ounce Oyl of Wormwood three Ounces Volatile Salt Armonicak two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam It is excellent being anointed with all Salmon III. For Aches in the lower parts of the Body Take Palm Oyl Turpentine Oyl of Amber and Anniseeds of each one Ounce mix melt and make a Balsam Salmon IV. For an Ach in the Bones Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber and Juniper Berries of each two Ounces and two Drachms Camphier two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam Salmon V. An approved Searcloth for all Aches Take Burgundy Pitch one pound Oyl Olive six Ounces Wax four Ounces white Frankincense two Ounces powdered melt them in a Pipken stirring all well together and Boil to a Consistency then pour out all into a Bason or Pan of Water then anoint your Hands with Butter and make the Plaster into Rolls VI. An Excellent Ointment for the same Take the Gall of an Ox White-wine Vinegar Palm Oyl Aqua Vitae of each a like quantity boyl them gently on a Fire keeping it scum'd till it grow clammy and with this bathe well the part by rubbing it in before a Fire with a warm Hand Morning and Evening still laying a Linnen Cloth upon it VII For Ach in the Bones and the Gout Take of the best Aqua Vitae and Oyl of Amber of each a like quantity mix them well together and anoint the part well with a warm Hand before the Fire and bind on it a Linnen Cloth Morning and Evening VIII For the Joynt Ach and the Gout most Excellent Take the Juice of Sage Aqua Vitae the Oyl of Bays Vinegar Mustard and of an Oxes Gall of each a like quantity put them all together in a large Ox Bladder Tye it fast and chafe it up and down with your Hand during one hour and half then keep it for your Use and anoint the griev'd part Morning and Evening IX A Process against all Aches in the Back Hips Sides Knees or any part of the Body Take first Pil. Mirabile one Scruple to Purge now and then and take them in Syrup of Roses after Purging procure Sweat thus Take Guaiacum one Ounce and a half the Root of Enulacampane one Ounce boyl them in a Pottle of small Ale till half be consumed then drink thereof a quart in a Hot-house and Sweat often Then in the House bathe all the Body with this Oleaginous Balsame Take Oyl of Amber Oyl of Turpentine of Foxes of Excester and of Chamomil of each a like quantity and mix it well with some Brandy And if the Pains and Aches fall out to be most painful in the Night as many times they do Then at Night let him take this Potion Syrup of Poppy three Drachms Syrup of Betony one drachm and a half Waters of Bugloss and Sage of each an Ounce mix them well together X. This Cured a Man perfectly when he was Lame over all his Body Take the Gall of an Heifer for a Man and the Gall of a Steer for a Woman Brandy of each a like quantity then bath it well upon the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie till the Fit be gone XI Aches from a hot Cause Take Spring Water two quarts Sal Armoniack Nitre of each four Ounces mix dissolve and keep it for Use Bathe the part with it then anoint with Oyl of Poppy Seed

also may be corroded first But in Children Ladies and thin Skinn'd People it will make an Eschar or raise a Scab of it self without any Blistering afore-hand This Scab is the true Seat of the Extracted Poyson wherefore it is found pretty thick and the Skin only superficially corroded which is a thing worthy to be considered and may possibly be the reason why it is sooner separated than any other Scabs raised by Art for in thirty or thirty six Hours it has fallen off by the help only of a Spatula without any precedent Scarification It may be used without any or with but a very little pain if to the Anti-pestilential Plaster you add a little Basilicon or Treacle XIV This Ointment following excellently promotes the falling off of the Eschar Take Honey Goose-grease Turpentine Gum Elemi ana one Ounce Soot six Drams Yolks of two Eggs Mithridate four Drams Oyl of Scorpions enough to make an Ointment If when the Scab is fallen the Tumor be not enough abated you may raise a second yea a third with the said Magnetical Arsenical Emplaster and then proceed as before Lastly heal up the Ulcer with Emplaster de minio or some other healing and drying Plaster but make not too much haste to heal it lest the poisonous Humor not yet wholly evacuated should cause either a new Disease or Death XV. Buboes arising from a Venereal Cause have the Pocky virulency affecting the Spermatick Vessels whether the Praeparantia or Deferentia through which the malignity rises and insinuates it self partly through the whole Mass of Blood and partly into the parts adjoyning and so into the Glandules themselves infefecting them If the Bubo be fiery and like an Erysipelas there is a Cholerick Cause if like an Oedematous Tumor it is conjoyned with Phlegm if from an acid Acrimony from Blood or Blood mixt with Phlegm joyned with a malign Spirit XVI If there be no hopes of bringing the Tumor to Suppuration after due Purging you may apply Empl. de Ranis cum Mercurio notwithstanding all that Barbet says against it but if there be hopes of Maturation it will be then Imprudence for that it will cause the Venom to revert inwards to the great danger of the Patient as both Reason and Experience teach XVII If the Bubo be feared to be Malignant from its green Colour or Blackness or Inflammation such as come from adust Blood turn'd black or Melancholy joyned with malignancy and putrefaction or virulent Choler there will be danger of a Gangrene and Mortification In this case you must defend the places round about with Repercussives and Repellers but not the Bubo it self XVIII In a Bubo whether from Plague or Pox beware of Bleeding it is one of the most pernicious things can be done for it hinders the rising of the Tumor and in the Plague hastens Death in the Pox it disseminates the 〈◊〉 and Poyson through the whole Mass of Blood and Humours with a Vengeance Epiphan Ferdinandus Hist. 17. saith That he knew some who just upon the appearing of the Bubo by letting of Blood and Purging have fallen into a stubborn Pox if not incurable XIX If they are caused from thick tough and cold Humours they are ripened with a great deal of difficulty and require a long time of Cure for Nature not being strong enough to drive the Matter quickly outwards it lies between the Peritonaeum and the 〈◊〉 whence it perpetually sends Vapours to the Liver and sometimes causes large Sinus's and many other Symptoms where by the Mass of Blood is miserably Infected and so sends its Polutions to the outward parts of the Flesh and Skin XX. Hildanus Cent. 5. Obs. 65 gives a strange relation of a Bubo A certain Person saith he had a Bubo in his right Groin who deferred opening of it 'till the malignant Matter fell upon the fourth and biggest Nerve of all that moves the Hip upon which there was violent and constant pain in the Hip attended with Convulsions a continual Feaver c. after which followed a Pining Leanness and great Weakness Many things both inward and outward were tryed but in vain for the Bubo did scarcely appear outwardly the Groin only was hard with very little pain for the violence of the pain in the Hip had as it were drowned it At length the Bubo was broken by help of a Caustick out of which in six or seven days time there ran above ten pounds weight of Matter after which with great difficulty he was cured XXI This following has been applied with Success to draw out the Poison Take Diachylon Compositum one Ounce and a half Mithridate roasted Garlick roasted Onions ana two Ounces Figgs three Ounces Galbanum and Ammoniacum strained Leven Mustard-seed of each an Ounce Palm Oil Oil of Amber ana half an Ounce mix and make a Cataplasm In a cold Bubo for Suppuration this Take Linseed-meal two Pound old Cheese one Pound Jelly of Hogs Legs q. s. mix boil them together and make a Plaster XXII If there be any hope of Suppuration 't is certainly best to induce it with all means that may be lest more grievous Symptoms and Diseases spring up 't is positively against the Principles of Art to dissolve it for Nature has disposed the Matter from the Blood and Liver and whole Body to those parts to be cast forth where the malignity and virulent Matter runs out which otherwise being detained within by discussion or Repellers the Matter reverts to the more noble Parts infects again the whole Mass of Blood and Humours so that the latter end of this Man is much worse than his beginning whence comes falling off of the Hair Nodes Tophs Gums Nocturnal Pains Leprosies Pustules sore Head putrid Scabs Serpigines Herpes Cancerous Ulcers affection of the Periostion rottenness of the Bones and an hundred other affrightful Symptoms XXIII Guilielmus Fabricius Cent. 6. Obs. 68. saith That he had often found the benefit of a Vesicatory of Cantharides in a Pestilential Bubo for it draws the Poison to the out-parts Take sower Leven one Ounce Cantharides finely poudred twenty Mithridate two Scruples mix and make a Cataplasm to be applied four Inches round the Tumor Also in a malignant Bubo you may apply Diachylon cum Gummi mixt with black Soap whereby most stubborn Buboes are Suppurated and if Hens Dung be added it will be so much the better CHAP. XVIII Of the Cachexia I. THE Cachexia is the very same Disease which Physicians call a Leucophlegmatia and is the forerunner or rather the beginning of a Dropsie and called by some a white Dropsie It is a Lazy Disposition and Habit of Body with Pursiness uneasiness of motion and sometimes shortness of Breath with difficulty of Breathing coldness softness and smoothness of the Skin with other concurrent Symptomes arising from Obstructions of the Liver or Spleen with the Meseraicks and other Viscera II. It can never be said to be incurable because it is properly but the beginning of

or dwindling away But if they be fed with heat and due moisture on their Trees then they prove Elegant and fruitful For heat and moisture are the Elements of all Earthly things Animal Vegetable and Mineral XXXV Therefore Fires of Wood and Coal produce or help not Metals those are violent Fires which nourish not as the heat of the Sun does that conserves all Corporeal things for that it is natural which they follow XXXVI But a Philosopher acts not what Nature does For Nature where she rules forms all Vegetables Animals and Minerals in their own degrees Men do not after the same sort by their Arts make natural things When Nature has finished her work about them then by our Art they are made more perfect XXXVII In this manner the ancient Sages and Philosophers for our information wroughr on Luna and Mercury her true Mother of which they made the Mercury of the Philosophers which in its Operation is much stronger than the Natural Mercury For this is serviceable only to the simple perfect imperfect hot and cold Metals But our Mercury the Philosopher's-Stone is useful to the more than perfect imperfect Bodies or Metals XXXVIII Also that the Sun may perfect and nourish them without diminution addition or immutation as they were created or formed by Nature and so leaves them not neglecting any thing XXXIX I will not now say that the Philosophers conjoyn the Tree for the better perfecting their Mercury as some unskilful in the nature of things and unlearned Chymists affirm who take common Sol Luna and Mercury and so unnaturally handle them till they evanish in smoak These Men endeavour to make the Philosophers Mercury but they never attained it which is the first matter of the Stone and the first Minera thereof XL. If you would come hither and find good and to the Mountain of the seaven where there is no plain you would betake your self from the highest you must look downward to the sixth which you will see afar off XLI In the height of this Mountain you will find a Royal Herb triumphing which some have called Mineral some Vegetable some Saturnine But let its Bones or Ribs be left and let a pure clean Broth be taken from it so will the better part of your work be done XLII This is the right and subtil Mercury of the Philosophers which you are to take which will make first the white work and then the red If you have well understood me both of them are nothing else as they term them but the practick which is so easie and so simple that a Woman sitting by her Distaff may perfect it XLIII As if in Winter she would put her Eggs under a Hen and not wash them because Eggs are put under a Hen without washing them and no more labour is required about them than that they should be every day turned that the Chickens may be the better and sooner hatched concerning the which enough is said XLIV But that I may follow the Example first wash not the Mercury but take it and with its like which is fire place it in the Ashes which is Straw and in one Glass which is the Nest without any other thing in a convenient Alembick which is the House from whence will come forth a Chicken which with its Blood will free thee from all Diseases and with its Flesh will nourish thee and with its Feathers will cloath thee and keep thee warm from the Injuries of the cold and ambient Air. XLV For this cause I have written this present Treatise that you may search with the greater desire and walk in the right way And I have written this small Book this Summary that you might the better comprehend the Sayings and Writings of the Philosophers which I believe you will much better understand for time to come The End of Flammel's Book ROGERII BACHONIS RADIX MUNDI Translated out of Latin into English and Claused By WILLIAM SALMON CHAP. XXXVII Of the Original of Metals and Principles of the Mineral Work I. THE Bodies of all Natural Things being as well perfect as imperfect from the Original of time and compounded of a quaternity of Elements or Natures viz. Fire Air Earth Water are conjoyned by God Almighty in a perfect Unity II. In these four Elements is hid the Secret of Philosophers The Earth and Water give Corporeity and Visibility The Fire and Air the Spirit and Invisible Power which cannot be seen or touched but in the other two III. When these four Elements are conjoyned and made to exist in one they become another thing whence it is evident that all things in nature are composed of the said Elements being altered and changed IV. So saith Rhasis Simple Generation and Natural Transformation is the Operation of the Elements V. But it is necessary that the Elements be of one kind and not divers to vit Simple For otherwise neither Action nor Passion could happen between them So saith Aristotle There is no true Generation but of things agreeing in Nature So that things be not made but according to their Natures VI. The Eldar or Oak Trees will not bring forth Pears nor can you gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles things bring not forth but only their like or what agrees with them in Nature each Tree it s own Fruit. VII Our Secret therefore is to be drawn only out of those things in which it is You cannot extract it out of Stones or Salt or other Heterogene Bodies Neither Salt nor Alum enters into our mystery But as Theophrastus saith The Philosophers disguise with Salts and Alums the Places of the Elements VIII If you prudently desire to make our Elixir you must extract it from a Mineral Root For as Geber saith You must obtain the perfection of the Matter from the Seeds thereof IX Sulphur and Mercury are the Mineral Roots and Natural Principles upon which Nature her self acts and works in the Mines and Caverns of the Earth which are Viscous Water and Subtil Spirit running through the Pores Veins and Bowels of the Mountains X. Of them is produced a Vapour or Cloud which is the substance and body of Metals united ascending and reverberating upon its own proper Earth as Geber sheweth even till by a temperate digestion through the space of a Thousand Years the matter is fixed and converted into a Mineral Stone of which metals are made XI In the same manner of Sol which is our Sulphur being reduced into Mercury by Mercury which is the Viscous Water made thick and mixt with its proper Earth by a temperate decoction and digestion ariseth the Vapour or Cloud agreeing in nature and substance with that in the Bowels of the Earth XII This afterwards is turned into most subtil water which is called the Soul Spirit and Tincture as we shall hereafter shew XIII When this Water is returned into the Earth out of which it was drawn and every way spreads through or is mixed with it as its

Operations of Alchymia are exercised by which we endeavour to perfect the imperfect Bodies and thereby to make them better than the perfect II. And forasmuch as Nature has handed down to us Imperfect Bodies only with the perfect it is our business to take the known matter which we have declared in these Chapters and by much Pains and Industry through the help of our art to make it even more than perfect III. If you be ignorant of the manner of doing or working What is the Cause Truly because that you see not after what manner Nature which sometimes perfects the Metals frequently or commonly operates IV. See you not that in the Mines by the continual heat which is in those Mineral Mountains the gross waters are decocted and so much inspissated as thereby through length of time to be made Argent Vive V. And from the fat of the Earth by the same decoction and heat is generated Sulphur and that by the same heat preserved and continued upon the same from the aforesaid things viz. Argent Vive and Sulphur according to their Purities and Impurities all the Metals are generated VI. And that Nature by a sole or only decoction does make or bring to perfection the perfect Bodies as well as all the Imperfect Bodies or Metals VII O great madness These things which I thus quaery about would you bring to pass and perfect by fantastick strange and imperfect methods VIII Now a certain Wise man saith You must necessarily err who endeavour to out-do Nature and to perfect the Metals yea more than perfect them by new and forreign methods of Operation invented in your dull and insensible Noddles IX And that God has bestowed upon Nature a right method a direct way which is by a continual decoction which the Insipid and Fools through their ignorance despise and scorn to imitate X. Also Fire and Azoth are sufficient for thee Again Heat perfects all things or all the Metals Moreover decoct decoct decoct and be not weary Make your fire gentle and soft which may always burn and endure for many days with a constant equal heat but let it not go out or decay for then you will suffer the loss of all XI In another place continue thy work with patience And again Beat or grind the matter seven times Then again You must know that with one matter to wit the Stone by one way to wit by decocting and in one Vessel the whole Magistery is performed and perfected XII And in another place The matter is ground with fire Also This work is much like or may be compared to the Creation of Mankind XIII For like as an Infant at first is nourished with food easily digested or Milk But for the strengthening of the Bones with stronger Food or Meat So also this Magistery At first you must feed it with a gentle Fire by the force of which Decoction whatsoever you desire is to be done XIV And although we always speak of a gentle fire yet notwithstanding you are always to understand it in this sense that according to the Regimen or mehod of the operation it is by degrees or by little and little to be augmented and increased even to the highest degree CHAP. LVII Of the Quality of the Vessels and Fornaces I. THE limits method way and manner of working we have even now determined it follows that we treat next of the Vessel and Fornace after what manner and with what matter it ought to be made II. When Nature with a natural heat in the metallick Mines does decoct it is true it performs this decoction without any Vessel Now though we propound to follow Nature in decocting yet we cannot do it without a fit Vessel for that purpose III. Therefore let us see first what kind of place that is where Metals are generated It is evidently manifest that they are produced in Mineral places and that the generating heat is in the bottoms of the Mountains where it is perdurable and always equal and whose nature is always to ascend which in ascending continually desiccates every where where it passes and coagulates the spissed or gross water hidden in the Bowels or Veins of the Earth or Mountains into Argent Vive IV. And if a mineral fat in the same place from such a like Earth shall be warmed and gathered together in the Veins of the Earth and it run through the Mountains it becomes Sulphur V. And as you may see in the said veins of the said place that Sulphur generated as is said of the fat of the Earth doth meet also with the Argent Vive as aforesaid in the said veins of the Earth so also it produces a thickning or inspissating of that Mineral Water VI. Also there by the said heat in the bottoms or bowels of the Mountains equal and perdurable through a very long space of time there is generated divers and several Metals according to the nature or diversity of the place VII This also you must know that in the places where Minerals are found there is always found a durable heat VIII From these things then we ought always to note that a Mineral Mountain is every where close to its self externally and also stoney because if the heat should possibly get out no Metals would be generated IX So also if we intend to imitate Nature we must necessarily have such a Fornace as may have some likeness or resemblance of a Mountain not as to its magnitude but as to its continued heat so that the imposed fire when it ascends may not find a way forth but that the heat may reverberate back upon the vessel containing in it self firmly closed up the matter of the Stone X. Which vessel ought to be round with a little neck made of Glass or some certain Earth like in nature or closeness of body to Glass Whose Mouth ought to be so stopped or closed up with Bitumen or other like Emplastick substance or otherwise Hermetically sealed up so as the least Vapour may not come forth XI And like as in the Mines the heat does not immediately touch the matter of the Sulphur and Argent Vive because the Earth of the Mountain is every where between XII So in like manner the fire ought not immediately to touch the Vessel containing in it self the matters aforesaid of our Stone But in another closed Vessel in like manner that is to be put that so the temperate heat may better and more conveniently touch both above and below and every where the matter of our Stone XIII Upon which account Aristotle saith That Mercury in the Light of Lights is to be decocted in a threefold Vessel and that the Vessel be made of the most firm and pure Glass or which is better of Earth having in it self the nature of Glass Of which kind is our late China and Porcelane Ware brought to us out of Persia China and other places of the East-Indies CHAP. LVIII Of the Colours Accidental and

defined V. The Elemental fire is that which does Fix Calcine and Burn and is nourished by Combustible things VI. The fire against Nature which is a violent strong Corrosive destroying the special form of that which is dissolved therein is that which in Power Dissolves Frets Infects and destroys the generative Power of the form of the Stone it does Dissolve the Stone into Water of the Cloud with the loss of its Natural Attractive and special Form and is called Fire against Nature as Raymundus 〈◊〉 from its Operation for that which Nature does make this fire against Nature destroys and brings to Corruption unless there be fire of Nature put to it VII Here as Raymundus saith lies contrary Operations as in the Compounded Water for as the fire against Nature does Dissolve the Spirit of the fixed Body the Volatile Spirit is thereby constrained to retire into a fixed Earth a Congealed Earth as White as Snow VIII For the fire of Nature does Congeal the Dissolved Spirit of the fixed Body into a glorious Earth and the Body of the Volatile being fixed by the same fire against Nature is here again by the fire of Nature resolved into the Water of Philosophers but not into the Water of the Cloud and so by this means the fixed is returned back again into its wonted Nature of Flying and the moist is made dry and the ponderous is made light IX But yet he saith this fire which is against Nature is not the Work of Our Magistery but it is the fire which is purely Natural This he saith because he would shew us thereby the difference between the Mineral Elixir and the Vegetable and the Animal For that these three several Elixirs are made of three several Waters viz. Mineral Vegetable and Animal which serve for the Work divers ways X. And First we will Treat of the Mineral Elixir then of the other in order The Fire against Nature is a Mineral Water viz. the Humour or Tincture drawn out of Body of Venus Dissolved in its Mineral Spirit very strong and Mortal serving only to the Mineral Elixir XI This Mineral Water or Fire against Nature is drawn with fire Elemental from a certain stinking Menstruum as Raymundus saith and is made of four things It is the strongest Water in the World whose only Spirit saith he does wonderfully increase and multiply the Tincture of the Ferment for here Sol or Gold is Tinged with the Mineral Spirit the which Mineral Spirit is the strength of the most simple Sulphur without much Earthiness XII Thin Mineral Water is the dropping of Adrop or Adrup Venus which is the noble Tincture called the natural Roman Vitriol and which for the abundance of its noble Tincture is called Roman Gold XIII This some do call the Spirit of the Green Lyon others the blood of the Green Lyon wherein almost all Err and are deceived for the Green Lyon of the Philosophers is that Lyon by whose Virtue attractive all things are lifted up from the Bowels of the Earth and the Winter-like Caverns making them to Wax green and flourish whose Child for all the Elixirs are to be had from it is to us most acceptable and sufficient XIV The Child of Philosophers is generated of their Green Lyon of which Child is had the strength of Sulphur both White and Red Our two Sulphurs of Nature are the Gold and Silver of the Philosophers and their hidden Treasure XV. Of this Child of the Green Lyon of the Philosophers is drawn the strength of Sulphur White and Red but not Burning as Avicen saith which are the two best things the Alchymist can take to make his Gold and Silver of and this is sufficient to be said for the attaining the knowledge of the Green Lyon which is so called because that when he is dissolved he is streight ways adorned with a green Vesture i. e. When our Sulphur of Nature is dissolved in its own Menstruum which is the Virgins Milk it is clothed with this greenness and therefore called the Green Lyon XVI But of the Green Lyon of Fools this we say that from it with a strong fire is drawn Aquafortis in the which the aforesaid Philosophers Lyon of the Mineral Stone ought to be Elixirated and assumes its Name Raymundus saith it were better or fafer to eat the Eyes of a Basalisk than that Gold which is made with the Fire against Nature XVII And I say also that the things from whence the same Aquafortis is drawn is green Vitriol and Azoth i. e. Vitriol Natural not Artificial viz. the droppings of Copper called also Roman Vitriol Roman Gold by many of the Philosophers from the abundance of its noble Tincture the which Tincture must be Fermented with Common Gold XVIII How great and Secret a Virtue then and of what strength the Fire against Nature is evidently appears in the construction of the Body of the Volatile Spirit being by it vulgarly sublimed in the form of Snowy Whiteness Raymundus in the end of the Epistle of his Abridgment saith feed Argent Vive with this Oyl viz. with the Oyl wherewith the Spirit of the Quintessence is thickened c. XIX For want of such Natural 〈◊〉 the true and natural Principle not Artificial as Vincent saith made of Salts Sulphurs and Alums which cut and gnaw Metals is to be chosen lest in the end of your work you fail of your desire The Philosophers will you to Calcine Sol with Mercury Crude till it be brought into a Calx Red as Blood Here comes in the work of Sol and Mercury together brought into a dry Red Pouder and fixed but whether it is to be done with Mercury or Sulphur the Water of him is doubtful CHAP. LXIV The manner of Elixiration with the Fire against Nature I. TAke the first Sol Calcined with the first Water viz. the Mercurial Spirit very clean and brought into the Color of Blood in the space of 20 days in lesser time it is not to be done This Calcination cannot be so profitable as it would be unless Sol be first Mercurializ'd into such a thinness as it may cleave together to that to which it must be joyned in a 24 fold proportion viz. as 1. to 24. strain ed through a clean Linnen Cloth without any remain ing substance of the Gold II. I my self have seen it so ordered and done and then it may certainly in a strong Bolt Head well Luted on every side except on the Top boyling in a strong Fire for the space of 20 days be precipitated into a Red Pouder like Cinnaber all which I have seen performed Every particle of this Pouder you shall so fix as that if it be put upon a Red-Hot Iron Plate its Spirit shall not fume or fly away III. This Pouder Dissolve with or in our Fire against Nature being Dissolved abstract the Water of the Fire against Nature from it so long till the substance of the Pouder so Dissolved do remain in the Vessel as