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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	cold_a	hot_a	moist_a	5,424	5	10.2024	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20900	A breefe aunswere of Iosephus Quercetanus Armeniacus, Doctor of Phisick, to the exposition of Iacobus Aubertus Vindonis, concerning the original, and causes of mettalles Set foorth against chimists. Another exquisite and plaine treatise of the same Iosephus, concerning the spagericall preparations, and vse of minerall, animall, and vegitable medicines. Whereunto is added diuers rare secretes, not heeretofore knowne of many. By Iohn Hester, practicioner in the spagericall arte.; Ad Jacobi Auberti De ortu et causis metallorum contra chymicos explicationem brevis responsio. English	Du Chesne, Joseph, ca. 1544-1609.; Du Chesne, Joseph, ca. 1544-1609. De exquisita mineralium, animalium et vegetabilium medicamentorum spagyrica praeparatione et usu. English. aut; Hester, John, d. 1593.	1591 (1591)	STC 7275; ESTC S109966	94,663	138

that cum acida muria being prepared and Alcolisated you shall according to art draw forth his greene spirit in Balneo vntill the menstrua be no more greene seperat it in Balneo and that which remaineth dissolue in a moist place and it will come to a cleere oile which must bee circulated with vini dulcedine that it may take awaye all the sharpnes of the menstrua and then you shall haue a most excellent medicine to heale all the aforesaid vlcers if it be mingled with butter Out of coper also calcined and reuerberated with the proper menstrua of vitrioll that it may bee couered 10. fingers there is drawne a cleere blue vitrioll they being circulated together in Balneo 15. dayes And then the menstrua being seperated by distillation in ashes This vitryoll of coper being made sweete with conuenient washings rubisied by calcination is good to cure all maling vlcers and to take a way the hardnes if it be put into a fistula that is hardned with a tough skinne and to take away all prowd flesh without paine it helpeth the flesh that groweth in the neck of the blather if it be mingled with any conuenient plaster and put in as it ought to be with a wax candell Misi chalcitis Calcanthum vulgare Sory and the rest of that sort may in like maner be prepared to cure all maligne vlcers very effectually to clense all fistulaes without byting or paine for by these meanes they shall loose their corrosiue quallitie burning nature or strength Of Leade Chap. 5. LEade is of a cooling quality as Galen saith in his 9. booke of simples and therefore it is good for hollow cancred and rotten vlcers either by it selfe or mixed with certaine other thinges whereof Ceruse and red lead are made by art which the phisitions vse against the inflāmation of the eies when they would refrigerate drie repell or binde therof they make their vnguentes with colde waters They are also put into vnguentum album rasis citrinum diapompholygos it is put also into plasters called by their names as of ceruse and red lead These are destitute of all maner of byting and the phisitions vse them to close vp vlcers withall Many do vse onely a plate of leade to drie vp vlcers other some vse burnt lead which doth more effectuallie drie vp vlcers and is more cōmodious for those that are rebellious according to Galén his iudgement But by this praeperation following which is better it is made more excellent to dry and heale all maner of maligne woundes and inueterat vlcers which preparation is made after this maner following Take lead well calcined out of the which with distilled vineger Alcalisated and prepared as it ought to bee y●e shall draw out the essence in Balneo and this ye shall do so often times vntil all the lead be dissolued and by these meanes let it be purged from his leprosie and all impurities Then seperate the menstrue in Balneo and that which remaineth in the bottom of the vessal dissolue againe in Alcoole vini tartarisato and circulate all together certaine daies to take away the sharpnes of the menstrue and by these meanes you shall make of lead a most sweete sugar and temperat most friendly to our nature seruing for many infirmities This in a moist place is dissolued into oile a most excellent medicine to heale all maner of maligne vlc●rs in short space Of the same is made a most precious balme against the paines and inflammations of the eies so that it be first well dulcifyed prepared The like ye may make of tinne whereof among the old phisicions there was no vse that I knowe of Moreouer you may so deale with tucia litarge the true cadmia spodium and pompholix all which may be well prepared made so gentle that without any byting they will take away the spottes and ouergrowinges of the eies asswaging the inflamacions and great paines of the same curing all vlcers without paine and close them vp Balsamum saturni TAke the aforesaid salt of lead being dulcerated with the spirit of wine and circulat it 15. da●es then seperat the menstrue by distillation and put on fresh and circulate it againe putting thereto a fittewaight or quantity of the salt of tartar cristalline and you shall haue a balme sweeter then sugar which will meruellously preuaile against all maligne vlcers and diseases of the eies The making oile of lead told me of a learned D. of Germanie TAke leade calcined and set it in a strong fier to vitrifie then beate it to powder and draw away his essence with distilled vineger as is shewed afore then vapor away that viniger vntill it come to the thicknes of hony then while it is hot put it into a retort of glasse and distill it with a gentle fire vntill ther appeare certaine white fumes then chāge the receauer and augment the fier according to art vntil all the fumes be come forth the which is the oile of satu●ne This ye shall rectify many times the which is thus to be vnderstoode Calcine dissolue vapour and distill as ye did afore but if it happen that all the matter be not dissolued ye shall take that powder that remained in the bottome of your matters and drye it in a crusible then grinde it on a stone and dissolue it in fresh vineger and distill and vapour as afore is said then if thou wilt make another oile thereof to beautify the face and to drye vp olde vlcers and to distroy fistulaes Take the said powder after the oile is distilled from it calcine it and dissolue it with fresh vineger and vapour it away to the thicknes of honye then let it coole and one part will turne to salt being very white in the bottome the oile will be yellow and swim on the top the which yee shall power of into another glasse for it is the sweete oile of saturne the which if one drop be put into faire water it wil be turned like milke the which is vsed to beautify the face and is called lac virginis Then if yee will vse the salt that remained in the bottome to bewtify take the quantity of a small nut and dissolue it with the iuice of lemondes and there with annoint the face slightly Also if yee rectify the said oile in Balneo there will come forth an aqua vite more stronger then of wine the which serueth to dissolue gold after it is throughly calcined that being done there will remaine in the bottome of the glasse a white matter hauing an oile swimming thereon of a yellowish coloure the which being dronke is singular good against spasmus and sincope The first oile not being rectifyed is good to whiten scares cicatrises against burnings and noli me tangere and herpes The rectifyed oile is good against cancres and such like sores This salt is by nature cold and drie and is vsed with good successe in hot and moist bodies

there is very great difference betweene the Astachum whereof you vndiscreetlie speake and the riuer or sea crabbe But you will say there is no great regard to be geuen vnto words and that these kindes of shell fish for the most parte are confounded among them selues Let it be so this I would also speake by the way because I see you doe lacke them and that our disputation might be both more euident you thinke it two waies absurd that the eies of crabbes calcined should be prescribed in a quartane because that by their drith and sharpenes they increase the discase O subtile argument and worthie of such a Phisicion We are not ignorant my Aubertus that the continent cause or matter of the quartane ague is the very iuice of melancholie which by his proper causes being gathered much together that it cannot be ruled by the naturall heate at length putrifieng it inflameth this feuer This melancholie humor the Phisicians make double the one naturall which is as the fex and slime of bloud the other adust which is as it were the congeled tartar or ashes of certaine burnt h●mors and that commeth speciallie of yellowe coller and melancholie adust although sometime it come of burnt flegme if we credite the Arabians Therefore seeing that the melancholicke humor which is colde and drie is the matter of these feuers we will confesse with you the couse of them to be partly cold and drie but that it is increase● by the vse of all drie and sharp things we denie as false For whereas this humor by nature is gro●se sh●●e and tough and that abounding speciallie in the spleene Mesenterium and vseth to be gathered about the Hipochondria or sides and by successe of time to be indurate truel●e there is no learned Physician that doubteth but that it is to be mollified digested rarefied made thinne and cutte but those thinges which for this purpose are of least force are mollifying which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and those which are o● a greater force whotte and thinne to the seconde o● thirde degree are called of the Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latinists rarifying which with their heate and meane drith doe dissolue and disperse mollifie and digest all the hardnes of the spleene and greeued bowels The timelie vse of which medicines chieflie is both requisite and greatlie commended in quartanes So the barke of the Ashe and of Cappars the roote of Brionia the wilde Cowcumber Walwort and Ireos all whotte and drie some euen in the third degree being taken they mollifie and driue away all hardnes or being applied outwarde doe dissolue and consume the harde spleene So may I fay of Amoniacum bdellium opoponax galbanum which although they be all whotte and drie euen Barbers know that they haue a great force to mollifie and digest Seeing then mollifying and rarefying things are conuenient to cure the quartane as all men confesse being taken in season thinke it not so absurde or ridiculous my Iacobus if ani● doe also vse the ashes of the eyes or sometimes of the heads of Crabbes or for lacke of them Creuisses For the ashes of those shell fishes speciallie of the eyes haue great force to extenuate and dissolue that fex of the melancholie humor which those whom you call Paracelsians doe name tartar congealed But if you doe so much abhorre these calcinations which we often vse and doe aske why we doe it learne this Auberius out of Galen in the eleuenth booke de simpl medic faculs whereas speaking of salt he vseth these words Salt burned digesteth more stronglie then vnburned by how much the bodie is made more subtile rcceiuing his qualities of the fire Also he writeth in the same book those medicines which consist of thinne partes haue more force then they of grosse partes although they had like qualitie because they pearce better for which cause onely wee vse calcined Crabbes to loose those feces and tartarous humors For by calcination the salt of things is drawen out and salt must be dissolued with salt onely if you doe well vnderstand it and so you shall learne that diseases are not to be cured with cōtraries but like with like although as yet you perceiue not the reason Otherwise how could you say that the stones of spunges burnt glasse Goates bloud dried the ashes of Cocles Lapis Iudaicus calcined or the bone of a cuttle with so great force coulde helpe the stone or grauell of the reines I know you will flie to the Asses sacred anchore namelie of secrete qualities which notwithstanding reason it selfe teacheth to be done with the salt which doeth dissolue them and expel them by vrine what will you then say of the hedge sparrow that laudable medicine of auncient Physicians for the same disease whereof Paul Aeginet lib. 3. cap. 45. where he leaueth it thus written This saith hee pouthered whole with salt and often eaten rawe driueth out the stones that are alreadie growen by vrine and letteth thē not to growe againe afterward but if it be burned whole with his feathers all his ashes by it selfe or with a little pepper dronk with old wine hony it worketh the same effect Thus you see how the ancient Physiciās did vse the ashes which you call absurd and in what diseases euen in curing the stone of the reines whose matter is also such a grosse humor that with heat it groweth to a stone How much more Crabbes calcined preuaile against that disease is noted of Hollerius Mathiolus and a thousand times hath beene proued by certain experience Neither will I passe ouer among other medicines which are vsed for this disease Christall which is the chiefe Christall I say calcined in a reuerberatorie out of which after is drawen his salt of whose dissolution in a moist place is made a most excellent oile very profitable to put away all obstructions of the bowels Wherefore you may not thinke it so ridiculous that a medicine should be taken out of the calcined eyes of Crabbes neither so to spue out your bitter poison against it This will I also adde out of Galene and the opinion of all the auncientest that the Crabs them selues calcined euen by the propertie of their whole substance are marueilous effectuall against the biting of mad dogges And Galens wordes which he reporteth of his master Pelope doe shewe that madnes to be a most drie infection It is not without cause saith hee that the Crabbe being a waterie creature should helpe them that are bitten of a mad dog in whom it is to be feared least they should fall into a most drie disease that is madnesse Nowe there remaineth that I should speak of the sharpnes which you finde in the calcination of Crabbes which as you say doeth increase the quartane But I feare least by those wordes the learned may thinke you vtterly ignorant what a sharpe tast is For it is easie for vs to shewe that the ashes of Crabs

altogether mingled The Stoickes contrarily doe affirme that whole substances are mingled with the whole but leauing these waues of slipperie opinions we will goe to the safe and quiet port And in this point we do allow the opinion of Aubertus who thinketh the elementes not to be mixed bodies essentially or in deede but in power which Galen witnesseth in the first book de methodo medendi where he writeth that the elements are to be mingled wholly with the whole onely by their qualities Of the second or proper matter of mettalles the opinion of many Philosophers is not agreeable but very diuers For some said the neerest matter of mettals is a moist breath as Aristotle some hold it to be a water drawē from other elementes which Agricola alloweth whose opinion our Aubertus agreeth vnto Other deeme it ashes moistened with water But the Chimist whose opinion Aubertus goeth about to ouerthrow saith quicksiluer is the matter of them some haue ioyned sulphur all which opinions are breefly and diligently to be examined by vs that the matter may bee more euident and that all men may vnderstand how vnworthely Aubertus others haue inue●ghed against so many famous Chimist philosophers Aristotle the prince of philosophers assineth a double matter of those things which are made within and vppon the earth by the supernaturall power and force that is a breath and a vapour by the mixture whereof in the bowelles of the earth h●ethinketh all are made and haue their originall and those hee d●uideth according to the diuer●e nature of the matter into two sortes that is into thinges to be digged and ●e●●allyne They are called fossilia because they are digged out of the earth and like vnto the earth that is digged neither are they liquable as all kind of stones which are made of a dry exhalation set on fier and with the heate consuming the moisture and in a manner burning it The other sort are metallyne whereof some are fusible and liquable because they draw neerer to the nature of moisture then of drith as leade and tinne and are so called because they are easelier molten then beaten On the contrary those that are to be beaten which are molten with greater difficulty as Iron whose next matter is a vaperous breath congealed by cold and groweth into mettall according to the opinion of Aristotle whom our Aubertus thinketh worthy to be reprooued For saith he it cannot come to passe in the nature of things that there may be a passage from one extreame or contrary into an other without any meane for it is euident that mettalles and breathes are of contrary qualities for these are very subtill and the other very grose Hereupon he concludeth in the originall of mettalles breathes and vapoures doe of necessitie first congeale into humors before they harden into mettalls This did he take out of Agricola but that excellent learned man Iacobus Scheggius in his cōmentaries vpon Arist Meteors doth sufficiently defend Aristotle being vnworthily reproued where he teacheth that the breath or vapor whereof water commeth is one that whereof mettalles concreteth is an other as also that wherof a storme groweth another for it is sometime more ponderouse and grosse then that whereof water groweth By which reason they propose a further distant matter of mettalles which say it is water thē they which say it is a breath when as the greatest part of meteors do growe vpon these breathes and vaperous matters raised vp out of the water and earth by the force of heate for so much as there is no fertility of the water or earth without heat for heate doth procre at these two as a first childe in whose nature the force of the parentes that is of the foure elementes is represented and as it were an ingendring power of them doth consent together two qualities working by a masculine force the other two suffering as feminine But either of them obaying the celestiall temperature as their father whereby these thinges without life are accustomed to be procreat by the instrument of the first qualities And this may be perceaued by the verie sence that so grosse vapors do often breake out in places vnder the ground that the diggers can not take breath and sometimes through the grosenes therof as Galen witnesseth are choked If they be so grosse who will iudge that mettalles and breathes are of contrary qualities but that they may grow into a sound matter of mettalles without any other meane as the ponderous vapor doth into a storme Furthermore as multitudes of people can testify if it hath rained copper and Iron and that stones and such other bodies do grow and are made in the vppermost aire how should these be engendred of water earth for whom there is no place to tarrie in the aire rather then of vapour and breath which both can pearce stay there for their thinnes and heate Wherefore it is certaine that mettalles rather haue their originall of breath then of water which breath because it is grosse doth also easely congeale But what needeth more of this when it is manifest to all Philosophers that all thinge haue their originall of that whereunto they may at last be reduced For all mettalles except the two perfect which by greater decoction haue their matter more compact and fixed are they not reduced into a breath of vapor in the examinatiō of the test or cople do they not vanish away into smoke Yes truly into smoke which is not turned into water or moisteneth but grosse because of the earthines mixed with it being cōgeled thickned with cold which by certain experience may daily be seene perceaued of those which work in fier and more easily also of the Philosophers in their sublimations The same doth Tutia Cadmia and Pompholix with other such like prooue which comming of the vapoures of mettalles sticke to the walles of the furnaces and shew them to be grosse in the mines neither do represent water by any meanes Let Aubertus therefore with his leaden argument hold his tongue which goeth about to ouerthrow Aristotles opinion neither let him iudge rashly of things which he knoweth not but credit those which haue experience know those vapors to bee most thicke whereof mettals are first congealed and without any other meane hardned But hauing ouerthrowen Aristotle let vs see what iudgement he will giue of other lerrned men and Philosophers as of Albertus magnus Geber and other Collars for by that name this our noble censor adorneth those excellent men whose opinions Aubertus refelleth in this point because they say that quicksiluer and sulphur is the next matter of mettalles and goeth about with certeine arguments to shew how they are out of the way First touching quicksiluer he saith it is not likely to be the propper matter of mettalles because it can not congeale into hardnes surely an excellent argument and worthy to bee often repeated of the author whereunto

they call sulphur is not the common sulphur which burneth with combustion of blacknes and adustiō is burned whereas their proper sulphur doth whiten rubify coagulat and finally make perfect that Chimicall quickesiluer which is commonly vnknowen into the substance of golde according to nature or of the philosophers stone and gold according to art And this is the true secret sulphur and the onely tincture and shadow of the sonne and the proper congeler of his quicksiluer which the Philosophers haue shadowed with diuers names their dark speeches and enigmaes whereby it appeareth Aubertus to haue farre erred and by all meanes to bee refused because he speaketh of a sulphur which he knoweth not and that the Chimick Philosophers are not to be blamed because they say quicksiluer and sulphur to be the matter of mettalls which do not vnderstand it of the common quicksiluer sulphur For they know that these things whereof they speake are not founde in the mettal mines in their verie nature but o● those two they say there is made a third mixture hauing the natures properties vertues of them that of it may be engendred any mettall according to the diuersitie of the composition digestion and place These shall suffice touching the next matter of mettalles which Aubertus would haue to be water wrought vpon by the other elements but he hath kept silēt the cause why he thinketh so being contented to say that it is set forth by others or that he hath found it in other mens writings which is the saying of a man that will proue his opinion by an other mans credit and not by reason as the true Philosophers doe But now the efficient causes call vs which the Philosophers make double and so many passiōs for heat and cold are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they haue power to moue moist and drie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for because they rather suffer any thing then worke and are said to be wrought vpon of the first qualities as of the most noble and higher in nature by whose worke forme is ingendred in thinges for the matter is not knowen by it selfe but by the chaunge which cannot be without suffering as neither that without touching the which by coniunction and cogelation and by introduction of act and forme is abolished But it is to be obserued that by the mixture of drie and moist the bodies are first called congealed then harde or soft of which congealed bodies there is a triple difference for it is either a watrie humor that is congealed or some dry earthly thing or a mixture of them both Also these some of them are molten some dried some moistened and some made soft But those thinges which are drye and fierie as hony and must will neuer be congealed and they which are moist airie predominant as all oily thinges Wherefore these also are not elements neither the matter of these sufferinges But of bodies which doe congeale and are hardened according to Aristotle some are affected by heate and some by cold by heate drying vp the humor by cold driuing out the heate Therefore those thinges that are congealed by heat by want of moisture are dissolued of cold which maketh the moisture to enter in againe as salt And those thinges which for lacke of heate are congealed are dissolued againe by heate entring in againe as mettals for whatsoeuer is dissolued melting is molten either by fire or water Whatsoeuer melteth by water must needes be congealed by hot drie that is fiery heate and those which fier melteth or whose congelacion in any part it doth dissolue as horne are congealed by colde for of contrarie effectes the causes be contrarie and because that mettalles do melt by heat it is of necessitie that first they were congealed by cold as the efficient cause whereof none of the Chimist philosophers doth doubt although as Aristotle some time saith experience sheweth vs the contrary for salt is congealed by heate and may bee dissolued and molten by fier as I haue often tried and it is called fusible salt Neither Albertus Magnus that great Philosopher ought to be reprehended of our Aubertus because he referreth the power of making mettalles vnto heate when as Albertus doth not meane it of only heat as he thinketh Therefore it is to be knowen as Aristotle witnesseth thinges by meanes of colde to suffer rather then to worke because that cold is proper to the patient elements that is water and earth which both by nature are cold For they do not receiue cold from any other thing as they do heate but by taking away the heat they coole of their owne nature neither are they cooled by any externall cause as the aier and fier Wherfore albeit cold in mixed thinges hath an efficient force yet it preuaileth rather to corruption then to generation Therefore the Chimists are not to be reprooued although they say that nature needeth a heat vnder the earth for the procreatiō of mettals as a more effectuall efficient cause which may mingle alter dispose digest and concoct their matter at last with long tract of time frame it into gold as into his last end Neither are they to be reproued in this that they refer some force to the influēce of the heauenly bodies for Aristotle ●onfirmeth their opinion in his booke de coelo mundo and his booke of the causes of the properties of elements in these wordes For saith he the first beginnings mouing to generation and inducing forme in euery thing are the starrie and heauenlie bodies by their mouing and light For they are the first that moue moued of the intelligences to performe the nature of generation or corruption for the preseruation of kindes and of them is giuen forme and perfection and as hee said in an other place the sonne and man engendreth man nether doth Aubertus rightly conclude vppon this reason the art of Alchemy to be vaine if mettalles bee ingendred by force of the starres when as the Chimiste s can not haue the fruition of this heauenly power for they beleeue with the Philosopher that if formes bee put on vppon inferiour thinges by the motion and light of the heauenly bodies by their site and aspect the same by consequent to come to passe in mettalles but that is done as it were by a generall cause and farre off but they haue a neerer efficient cause as we said that is heate by force whereof mettalles congealed in the bowels of the earth are disposed digested made perfect These thinges thus declared we must see to what end Aubertus tendeth and what is his vttermost scope hee would haue the labour of the Chimistes which they take vpon them in making perfect of mettalles to be vtterly vaine and lost and he denyeth that copper tinne Iron or leade which of them are called vnperfect mettalles can by any art be made perfect and be turned into gold and siluer And first saith hee it is euident

those foure mettalles to bee perfect but we haue before shewed they are altogether vnperfect for many causes neither can it be denied but that by art and right preparation they are made much more perfect and excellent in their kinde Therefore Aristotle 4. met cap. 6. Iron saith hee wrought is molten that it becommeth moist and congealeth againe and no otherwise are they accustomed to make steele for the fex of the Iron setleth and is seperat into the bottom and when it is after made pure and cleane from his forces it becommeth steele but Iron is so much the better as it hath least excrements But let vs passe ouer authorities when we haue sufficiently approued this by philosophicall reasons by which we haue more then sufficiently shewed onely gold to be perfect all other mettalles to be vnperfect Moreouer Aubertus addeth that he might make the art of transmutatiō vnpossible Those things which are ma●e perfect and formed by art are artificiall but mettalles both by knowledge of the name and diffinition of the essence are naturall for they are mineralles saith he and haue their originall onely from a naturall beginning therefore they are naturall and that according to Aristotle For naturall thinges haue the beginning of their making in thēselues but those which are made by art not but haue it outwardly from some other and brieflie to end hee addeth that no naturall forme can bee put on by art whereby hee concludeth that there can be no artificiall mettalles Now therfore goe too it is our part to ouerthrow these argumēts and finally to proue the Chimick art to be true which imitating nature it selfe doth transmute mettalles we said before they were called vnperfect which were in motion to that forme whereunto they were last decreed and those perfect which haue attained the end of their motion And because gold is come to the vttermost terme of his motion is formed according to the true intent of nature as we haue alreadie shewed therefore we hane concluded that alone to be perfect and all othe● that be in their motion to the forme of gold to be vnperfect whose perfection notwithstanding nature doth still prosecute in her bosome that she might conuert them although in long time into golde This can the diggers of mettalles testify which in one hundred waight of lead finde certaine ounces of fine siluer which is their great gaine So also in many copper mines there is found gold and likewise in siluer mines which when as such as are skilfull of these thinges perceiued or as often as they found any vnperfect siluer through indigestiō they vse to shut vp their mines and prouide that they be so let alone for 30. yeares or more vntill there bee made a perfect concoction by the heate vnder the earth So also writeth Plinius that there is siluer in golde by diuers waight in some the tenth part some nine and some eight In one onely mettall saith Galen which they call Albi●rarense the 26 part is found and therfore it is more excellent then other because it is according to the greater or lesse digestion of nature as may be iudged For when as digestion is complete then is found most pure and perfect gold Whereby it appeareth that albeit mettals be in a certaine terme of motion yet not to bee in the last and that they are in the way and passage to gold as to that which is only perfect For where any vaine of mettal is found neere therto is also foūd another wherupon after Pliny they are called mettals of the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one is sounde after another But Aubertus wil say to this If vnperfect mettals by longer decoctiō may be reduced into gold by nature why do not the diggers expect that time speciallie seeing if that should come to passe they should haue much greater gaine by the thing we answere there are certaine things which make the generation of mettalles diuers not onely in kinde but in properties and accidents according to the regions and places where they grow as also beastes are made diuers as writeth Aristotle 6. de animalibus For in Egipt Scorpions are not venemouse in other places contrary and wheat in time in some places doth degenerate into rye rye into wheat So is to be said of mettalles which although they be appointed of nature vnto their end that is that they should be gold notwithstanding by the diuersity of Regions and mines and their corruption some are brought to their degree of perfection that they become golde and some remaine in the path of imperfection according to the diuersitie of digestion or purifying For by weaker heate nature doth congeale some vndigested thinges as lead and tinne some with a superfluous and burning heate as copper and Iron and some contrariwise for want of heate and lacke of an agent doth not congeale as quicksiluer But nature it selfe bringeth forth siluer with a reasonable temporat heate but gold with a most temperate which needeth no workemanship to be made perfect as that hath attained the vttermost end and accomplishment For as Aristotle saith in his 2. booke de Coelo mundo that onely is good accomplishment that needeth no labour to make it good and all perfection of thinges consisteth in this point that they receiue their last accomplishment For so much then as the vnperfect mettals haue not attained to that last ende of perfection for the causes aforesaid therefore they lacke the worke of art by whose help following nature it selfe they are at length made perfect and attaine that last end whereunto they were ordeined of nature that is they become golde For as the Philosopher writeth 2. Ethicor. truely sometime art maketh perfect some things which nature cannot worke other some it doth follow So nature being holpen by art trees bring forth their flowers and fruites euen in the winter season and in cold countries which nature of it selfe could not do as is to be seene in the county palatines orchard at Hedelberge and in many other places but that which Aubertus saith that in the whole work of Alchemy nature doth vtterly rest and onely art doth moue the subiect it is most falsly spoken for by reason of nature being agent Chymia is a naturall worke for the matter in the selfe same stone which by decoction it desireth retaineth digesteth expelleth corrupteth engendreth and formeth in his time by the commandement of almightie God wherewith nature doth forme mettalles by the mixture of it but by reason of the ministerie I confesse Chimia to be an artificiall worke not that art doth corrupt engender and forme but thus farre onely that it ministreth all this vnto natures working which otherwise of it selfe it could not alone performe for nature worketh two manner of waies to engender golde one by it selfe and first of all when it doth engender gold in his proper mines and of his proper beginninges in which it is vnpossible for