7 days then let it cool and strain all through a Cloth or Skin if all goes through the dissolution is perfect if not you must begin again and add more Mercury so long till all be dissolved XXI Separation is the dividing of a thing into parts as of pure from impure We take our dissolved matter and put it into the smaller Vessel which stands in the Cucurbite well luting to the Alembick and seting it in Ashes continuing the fire for a Week One part of the Spirit sublimes which we call the Spirit or Water and is the subtilest part the other which is not yet subtil sticks about the Cucurbite and some of it falls as it were to the bottom which is warm and moist this we call the Air. And a third part remaining in the bottom of the inner Vessel which is yet grosser may be called the Earth XXII Each of these we put into a Vessel apart but to the third we put more Mercury and proceed as before reserving always each principle or Element apart by it self and thus proceeding till nothing remains in the inner Vessel but a black pouder which we call the black Earth and is the dregs of Metals and the thing causing the obstruction that the Metals cannot be united with the Spirit this black pouder is of no use XXIII Having thus separated the four Elements from the Metals or divided them you may demand What then is the fire which is one of these four To which I Answer That the Fire and the Air are of one nature and are mixed together and changed the one into the other and in the dividing of the Elements they have their natural force and power as in the whole so in the parts XXIV We call that Air which remained in the bigger Vessel because it is more hot than moist cold or dry The same understand of the other Elements Hence Plato saith We turned the moist into dry and the dry we made moist and we turned the Body into Water and Air. XXV Sublimation is the ascending from below upwards the subtil matter arising leaving the gross matter still below as he said before in the changing of the Elements Thus the matter must be subtilized which is not subtil enough all which must be done through heat and moisture viz. through Fire and Water XXVI You must then take the thing which remained in the greater Vessel and put it to other fresh Mercury that it may be well dissolved and subtilized set it in B. M. for three days as before We mention not the quantity of Mercury but leave that to your discretion taking as much as you need that you may make it fusible and clear like a Spirit But you must not take too much of the Mercury lest it become a Sea then you must set it again to sublime as formerly and do this Work so often till you have brought it through the Alembick and it be very subtil one united thing clear pure and fusible XXVII Then we put it again into the inner Vessel and let it go once more through the Alembick to see whether any thing be left behind which if so to the same we add more Mercury till it becomes all one thing and leaves no more sediment and be separated from all its Impurity and Superfluity XXVIII Thus have we made out of two one only thing viz. out of Body and Spirit one only congenerous substance which is a Spirit and light the Body which before was heavy and fixed ascending upwards is become light and volatile and a mere Spirit Thus have we made a Spirit out of a Body we must now make a Body out of a Spirit which is the one thing XXIX Fixation or Congelation is the making the flowing and volatile matter fixt and able to endure the fire and this is the changing of the Spirit into a Body We before turned the dryness and the Body into moistness and a Spirit now we must turn the Spirit into a Body making that which ascended to stay below that is we must make it a thing fixed according to the Sayings of the Philo sophers reducing each Element into its contrary you will find what you seek after viz. making a fixt thing to be volatile and a volatile fixt this can only be done through Congelation by which we turn the Spirit into a Body XXX But how is this done We take a little of the ferment which is made of our Medicine be it Luna or Sol as if you have 10 Ounces of the Medicine you take but 1 Ounce of the ferment which must be soliated and this ferment we amalgamate with the matter which you had before prepared the same we put into the Glass Vial with a long Neck and set it in warm Ashes Then to the said ferment add the said Spirit which you drew through the Alembick so much as may overtop it the height of 2 or 3 Inches put to it a good fire for 3 days then will the dissolved Body find its Companion and they will embrace each other XXXI Then the gross ferment laying hold of the subtil ferment attracts the same joyns it self with it and will not let it go and the dissolved Body which is now subtil keeps the Spirit for that they are of equal subtilty and like one to another and are become so one and the same thing that the fire can never be able to separate them any more XXXII By this means you come to make one thing like another the ferment becomes the abiding place of the subtil body and the subtil body the habitation of the Spirit that it may not fly away Then we make a Fire for a Week more or less till we see the matter congealed which time is longer or shorter according to the condition of the Vessel Furnaces and Fires you make use of XXXIII When you see the Matter Coagulated put of the abovesaid Matter or Spirit to it to over top it two or three inches which digest as before till it be coagulated also and thus proceed till all the Matter or Spirit be congealed This Secret of the Congelation the Philosophers have consealed in their Books none of them that we know of having disclosed it except only Larkalix who composed it in many Chapters and also revealed it unto me without any Reservation or Deceipt XXXIV Calcination We take the known Matter and put it into a Vesica setting a Head upon it and luting it well put it into a Sand Furnace making a continued great Fire for a Week then the Volatile ascends into the Alembeck which we call Avis Hermetis that which remains in the bottom of the Glass is like Ashes or sifted Earth called the Philosophers Earth out of which they make their Foundation and out of which they make their increase or augmentation through heat and moisture XXXV This Earth is composed of four Elements but are not contrary one to another for their contrariety is changed to an agreement unto
suum colorem album XIII Illa namque aqua fumus albus est ideo cum illa dealbatur corpus XIV Oportet ergo dealbare corpus rumpere libros inter illa duo id est inter corpus aquam est libido societas ut Maris Foeminae propter natura similis propinquitatem XV. Nam Aqua nostra viva secunda dicitur Azot abluens Latonem id est Corpus compositum ex Sole Luna per Aquam nostram primam dicitur etiam Anima corporum solutorum qusrum animas jam simul ligavimus ut serviant Sapientibus Philosophis XVI Quantum ergo pretiosa est magnifica haec Aqua Namque absque illa Opus non posset perfici Dicitur etiam vas naturae uterus matrix receptaculum tincturae terra nutrix XVII Et est Fons in quo se lavant Rex Regina Mater quam oportet ponere sigillare in ventre sui infantis qui est Sol qui ab ea processit ipsum parturiit ideo sese mutuo amant diligunt ut Mater Filius conjunguntur simul quoniam ab una eadem radice venerunt ejusdem substantiae naturae XVIII Et quoniam Aqua ista est Aqua vitae Vegetabilis ideo ipsa dat vitam facit vegetare crescere pullulare ipsum Corpus mortuum ipsum resuscitare de morte ad vitam solutione subli matione XIX Et in tali operatione vertitur Corpus in Spiritum Spiritus in Corpus tunc facta est amicitia pax concordia unio contrariorum id est Corporis Spiritus qui mutant invicem naturas suas quas recipiunt sibi communicant per minima XX. Sic quod calidum miscetur frigido siccum humido durum molli hoc modo fit mixtio naturarum contrararum frigidi scilicet cum calido humidi cum sicco at que admirabilis inter inimicos connexio I. THese Bodies thus dissolved by our water are called Argent Vive which is not without its Sulphur nor the Sulphur without the fixedness of Sol and Luna because Gold and Silver are the particular means or medium in the form through which Nature passes in the perfecting and compleating thereof II. And this Argent Vive is called our esteemed and valuable Salt being animated and pregnant and our fire for that it is nothing but Fire yet not fire but Sulphur and not Sulphur only but also Quicksilver drawn from Sol and Luna by our water and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Stone of Great price III. That is to say it is the matter or substance of Sol and Luna or Silver and Gold altered from Vileness to Nobility IV. Now you must note that this white Sulphur is the Father and Mother of the Metals it is our Mercury and the Mineral of Gold also the Soul and the ferment yea the Mineral Virtue and the living Body our Sulphur and our Quicksilver that is Sulphur of Sulphur Quicksilver of Quicksilver and Mercury of Mercury V. The Property therefore of our Water is that it melts or dissolves Gold and Silver and encreases their native Tincture or Color VI. For it changes their Bodies from being Corporeal into a Spirituality and it is this water which turns the Bodies or corporeal substance into a white vapour which is a Soul that is whiteness it self subtile hot and full of fire VII This water is also called the tinging or bloodcolour-making stone being the virtue of the Spiritual Tincture without which nothing can be done and it is the subject of all things that may be melted and of liquefaction it selt which agrees perfectly and unites closely with Sol and Luna from which it can never be separated VIII For it is joyned in affinity to the Gold and Silver but more immediately to the Gold than to the Silver which you are to take special notice of IX It is also called the medium of conjoyning the Tinctures of Sol and Luna with the inferior or imperfect Metals for it turns the Bodies into the true Tincture to tinge the said other imperfect Metals also it is the water which whiteneth as it is whiteness it self which quickeneth as it is a Soul and therefore as the Philosopher saith quickly entreth into its Body X. For it is a living water which comes to moisten the Earth that it may spring out and in its due season bring forth much fruit for all things springing from the Earth are educed through Dew or Moisture XI The Earth therefore springeth not forth without watering and moisture It is the water proceeding from May Dew that cleanseth the Body and like Rain it penetrates them and makes one new Body of two Bodies XII This Aqua Vitae or Water of Life being rightly ordered and disposed with the body it whitens it and converts or changes it into its white colour XIII For this water is a white vapour and therefore the Body is whitened with it XIV It behoves you therefore to whiten the Body and open its infoldings for between these two that is between the Body and the Water there is a desire and friendship like as between the Male and Female because of the propinquity and likeness of their Natures XV. Now this our second and living water is called Azoth the Water washing the Laten viz. the Body compounded of Sol and Luna by our first Water It is also called the Soul of the dissolved Bodies which Souls we have even now tied together for the use of the wise Philosopher XVI How precious then and how great a thing is this Water For without it the Work could never be done or perfected It is also called the Vas Naturae the Belly the Womb the Receptacle of the Tincture the Earth the Nurse XVII It is the Royal Fountain in which the King and Queen bathe themselves and the Mother which must be put into and sealed up within the belly of her Infant and that is Sol himself who proceeded from her and whom she brought forth and therefore they have loved one another as Mother and Son and are conjoyned together because they come from one and the same Root and are of the same Substance and Nature XVIII And because this Water is the Water of the Vegetable Life it causes the dead Body to vegetate increase and spring forth and to rise from Death to Life by being dissolved first and then sublimed XIX And in doing this the Body is converted into a Spirit and the Spirit afterwards into a Body and then is made the Amity the Peace the Concord and the Union of the Contraries to wit between the Body and the Spirit which reciprocally or mutually change their Natures which they receive and communicate one to another through their most minute parts XX. So that that which is hot is mixed with that which is cold the dry with the moist and the hard with the soft by which means
there is a mixture made of contrary Natures viz. of cold with hot and moist with dry even a most admirable Unity between Enemies CHAP. IX Of Sublimation Or the separating of the Pure from the Impure by this Water I. NOstra ergo dissolutio Corporum quae fit in tali prima Aqua non est nisi mortificatio humidi cum sicco humidum verò coagulatur per siccum II. Quia humiditas tantum siccitate continetur terminatur ac coagulatur in Corpus sive in terram III. Corpora igitur dura sicca ponantur in nostra prima Aqua in vase bene clauso ubi maneant donec solventur ascendant in altum quae tunc dici possunt novum Corpus aurum album Alchimiae Lapis albus Sulphur album non urens Lapis Paradisi hoc est convertens Metalla imperfecta in Argentum album finum IV. Tunc etiam habemus simul Corpus Animam Spiritum de quo Spiritu Anima dictum est quod non possunt extrahi à Corporibus perfectis nisi per conjunctionem nostrae Aquae dissolutivae V. Quia certum est quod res fixa non potest elevari nisi per conjunctionem rei volatilis VI. Spiritus igitur mediante Aqua Anima ab ipsis Corporibus extrahitur redditur Corpus non Corpus quia statim Spiritus cum Anima Corporum sursum ascendit in superiori parte quae est perfectio Lapidis vocatur sublimatio VII Haec sublimatio in quit Florentius Cathalanus fit per res accidas Spirituales Volatiles quae sunt de natura Sulphurea viscosa quae dissolvunt faciunt elevari Corpora in Aeram in Spiritum VIII Et in hac Sublimatione pars quaedam dictae Aquae primae ascendit cum Corporibus simul se jungendo ascendo sublimando in unam mediam substantiam quae tenet de natura duorum scilicet Corporum Aquae IX Proinde dicitur Corporale Spirituale Compositum Corjufle Cambar Ethelia Zandarith Duenech bonus sed proprie tantum nominatur Aqua permanens quia non fugit in igne X. Perpetuò adhaerens Corporibus commixtis id est Soli Lunae illisque communicans Tincturam vivam incombustibilem ac firmissimam praecedenti nobilicrum pretiosiorem XI Quia potest currere debinc haec Tinctura sicut Oleum omnia perforando penetrando cum fixione mirabili quoniam haee Tinctura est Spi ritus Spiritus est Anima Anima Corpus XII Quia in hac operatione Corpus efficitur Spiritus de natura subtilissima pariter Spiritus incorporatur fit de natura Corporis cum Corporibus sic Lapis noster 〈◊〉 Corpus Animam Spiritum XIII O Natura quomodo vertis Corpus in Spiritum quod non fieret si Spiritus non incorporaretur cum Corporibus Corpora cum Spiritu fierent volatilia postea permanentia XIV Transivit igitur unus in alterum sese invicem conversi sunt per Sapientiam O Sapientia quomodo facis Aurum esse volatile ac fugitivum etiamsi naturaliter fixissimum esset XV. Oportet igitur dissolvere liquefacere Corpora ista per Aquam nostram illa facere Aquam permanentem Aquam auream sublimatam relinquendo in fundo grossum terrestreum superfluum siccum XVI Et in ista Sublimatione ignis debet esse lentus quia si per hanc Sublimationem in Igne lento Corpora purificata non fuerint 〈◊〉 ejus partes nota bene terrestres seperatae à Mortui immunditia impedieris quominus ex his possis perficere Opus XVII Non indiges enim nisi tenui subtili naturâ Corporum dissolutorum quam tibi dabit Aqua nostra silento Igne procedis separando beterogenea ab homogeneis I. OUR Dissolution then of Bodies which is made such in this first Water is nothing else but a destroying or overcoming of the moist with the dry for the moist is coagulated with the dry II. For the moisture is contained under terminated with and coagulated in the dry Body to wit in that which is Earthy III. Let therefore the hard and the dry Bodies be put into our first Water in a Vessel which close well and there let them abide till they be dissolved and ascend to the top then may they be called a new Body the white Gold made by Art the white Stone the white Sulphur not inflamable the Paradisical Stone viz. the Stone Transmuting imperfect Metals into fine white Silver IV. Then have we also the Body Soul and Spirit altogether of which Spirit and Soul it is said That they cannot be extracted from the perfect Bodies but by the help or conjunction of our dissolving Water V. Because it is certain That the thing fixed cannot be lifted up or made to ascend but by the conjunction or help of that which is volatile VI. The Spirit therefore by the help of the Water and the Soul is drawn forth from the Bodies themselves and the Body thereby is made Spiritual for that at the same instant of time the Spirit with the Soul of the Bodies ascend on high to the superiour part which is the perfection of the Stone and is called Sublimation VII This Sublimation saith Florentius Cathalanus is made by things Acid Spiritual Volatile and which are in their own nature Sulphurous and Viscous which dissolve Bodies and make them to ascend and be changed into Air and Spirit VIII And in this Sublimation a certain part of our said first Water ascends with the Bodies joyning it self with them ascending and subliming into one neutral or complex Substance which contains the nature of the two viz. the nature of the two Bodies and of the Water IX And therefore it is called the Corporeal and Spiritual 〈◊〉 Cor jufle Cambar Ethelia Zandarith Dueneck the Good but properly it is called the permanent or fixed Water only because it flies not in the Fire X. But it perpetually adheres to the commixed or compounded Bodies that is to Sol and Luna and communicates to them the Living Tincture incombustible and most fixed much more noble and precious than the former which those Bodies had XI Because from henceforth this Tincture runs like Oil running through and penetrating the Bodies and giving to them its wonderful Fixity and this Tincture is the Spirit and the Spirit is the Soul and the Soul is the Body XII For in this operation the Body is made a Spirit of a most subtile nature and again the Spirit is corporified and changed into the nature of the Body with the Bodies whereby our Stone consists of a Body a Soul and a Spirit XIII O God how thro' Nature dost thou change a Body into a Spirit Which could not be done if the Spirit were not incorporated with the Bodies and the Bodies made volatile with the Spirit and afterwards permanent or fixed XIV For this Cause sake they have passed over into
Womans Work and the Play of Children III. Go to then my Son put up thy Supplications to God Almighty be dilligent in searching the Books of the Learned in this Science for one Book openeth another think and meditate of these things profoundly and avoid all things which vanish in or will not endure the Fire because from those adustible perishing or consuming things you can never attain to the perfect matter which is only found in the digesting of your Water extracted from Sol and Luna IV. For by this Water Colour and Ponderosity or Weight are infinitely given to the matter and this Water is a white Vapor which like a Soul flows through the perfect Bodies taking wholly from them their blackness and impurities uniting the two bodies in one and increasing their Water V. Nor is there any other thing than Azoth to wit this our Water which can take from the perfect bodies of Sol and Luna their natural Colour making the red Body white according to the Disposition thereof VI. Now let us speak of the Fire Our Fire then is Mineral equal continuous it fumes not unless it be too much stirred up participates of Sulphur and is taken from other things than from the Matter it over-turns all things dissolves congeals and calcines and is to be found out by Art or after an Artificial manner VII It is a compendious thing gotten without cost or charge or at least without any great purchase it is humid vaporous digestive altering penetrating subtile spirituous not violent incombustible circumspective continent and one only thing VIII It is also a Fountain of living Water which circumvolveth and contains the place in which the King and Queen bathe themselves through the whole Work this moist Fire is sufficient in the beginning middle and end because in it the whole Art does consist IX This is the natural Fire which is yet against Nature not natural and which burns not and lastly this Fire is hot cold dry moist meditate on these things and proceed directly without any thing of a forreign Nature X. If you understand not these Fires give ear to what I have yet to say never as yet written in any book but drawn from the more abstruse and occult Riddles of the Ancients CHAP. XV. Of the three kinds of Fires of the Philosophers in particular I. TRES proprìe habemus ignes sine quibus ars non perficitur qui absque illis laborat in unum curas sus cipit II. Primus est lampadis is continuus est humidus vaporosus aêreus artificialis ad inveniendum III. Nam lampas debet esse proportionata ad clausuram in hac utendum est magno judicio quod non pervenit ad artificem dura cervicis IV. Quia si ignis lampadis non est geometricè debitè proportionatus aut per defectum caloris non videbis signa in tempore designata atque prae nimia mora expectatio aufugiet tua aut 〈◊〉 ardore nimio flores auri cemburentur laborem tuum iniquè deflebis V. Secundus ignis est cinerum in quibus vasrecluditur Hermeticè sigillatum aut polius est calor ille suavissimus qui ex vapore temperato lampadis circuit aequaliter vas VI. Hic violentus non eft nisi nimium excitetur digerens est alterans est ex alio corpore quam à materia sumitur unicus est est etiam humidus innaturalis c. VII Tertius est ignis ille naturalis aquae nostrae quae vocatur etiam contra naturam quia est aqua nihilominus ex auro facit merum spiritum quod ignis communis facere non potest VIII Hic mineralis est aequalis est de sulphure participat omnia diruit congelat solvit ac calcinat hic est penetrans subtilis incomburens est fons aquae vivae in quo se lavant Rex Regina quo indigemus in toto opere in principio medio fine IX Aliis vero duobus supradictis non sed tantum aliquando c. X. Conjunge ergo in legendis libris philosophorum hos tres ignes proculdubio intellectus eorum de ignibus non te latebit I. WE have properly three Fires without which this our Art cannot be perfected and whosoever works without them takes a great deal of Labour in vain II. The First Fire is that of the Lamp which is continuous humid vaporous Spiritous and found out by Art III. This Lamp-fire ought to be proportioned to the enclosure wherein you must use great Judgment which none can attain to but he that can bend to the search thereof IV. For if this Fire of the Lamp be not measured and duly proportioned or fitted to the Fornace it will be that either for want of heat you will not see the expected Signs in their limited times whereby you will lose your hopes and expectation by a too long delay Or else by reason of too much heat you will burn the Flores Auri the Golden Flowers and so foolishly bewail your lost Expence V. The Second Fire is Ignis Cinerum an Ash heat in which the Vessel hermetically sealed is recluded or buried Or rather it is that most sweet and gentle heat which proceeding from the temperate Vapours of the Lamp does equally surround your Vessel VI. This Fire is not violent or forcing except it be too much excited or stirred up it is a Fire digestive alterative and taken from another body than the matter being but one only moist also and not natural VII The Third Fire is the natural Fire of our Water which is also called the Fire against nature because it is Water and yet nevertheless it makes a mere Spirit of Gold which common Fire is not able to do VIII This Fire is Mineral equal and participates of Sulphur it overturns or destroys congeals dissolves and calcines it is penetrating subtil incombustible and not burning and is the fountain of Living Water wherein the King and Queen bathe themselves whose help we stand in need of through the whole Work through the beginning middle and end IX But the other Two above-mentioned we have not always occasion for but only at some times X. In reading therefore the books of Philosophers conjoin these Three Fires in your Judgment and without doubt you will understand whatever they have wrote of them CHAP. XVI Of the Colours of Our Philosophick Tincture or Stone I. QUoad Colores qui non nigrefacit dealbare non potest quia nigredo est albedinis principium signum putrefactionis alterationis quod corpus penetratum mortificatum jam est II. Ergo in hac putrefactione in hac aqua primò apparet nigredo sicut brodium saginatum piperatum III. Secundò terra nigra continuò decoquendo dealbatur quia anima horum supernatat ut remor albus in hac albedine uniuntur omnes spiritus sic quod denuò aufugere non possunt IV. Et
be of a ripe or perfect Age. CHAP. XXI Of the Secret Operation of the Water and Spirit upon the Body I. AUdi hoc secretum Custodi corpus in aqua nostra Mercuriali quousque ascendat cum anima alba terreum descendat ad imum quod vocatur terra residua II. Tunc videbis aquam co agulare seipsam cum suo corpore ratus eris scientiam esse veram quia corpus suum coagulat humorem in siccum sicut coagulum agni lac coagulat in caseum III. Et sic spiritus penetrabit corpus commixtio fiet per minima corpus attrahat sibi humorem suum id est animam albam quemadmodum Magnes ferrum propter naturae suae propinquitatem naturam aevidam tunc unum continet alterum IV. Et haec est sublimatio coagulatio nostra omne volatile retinens quae facit fugam perire V. Ergo haec compositio non est manualis operatio sed ut dixi naturarum mutatio earum frigidi cum calido humidi cum sicco admirabilis connexio Calidumenim miscetur frigido siccum humido VI. Hoc etiam modo fit mixtio conjunctio corporis spiritus quae vocatur conversio naturarum contrariarum quia in tali dissolutione sublimatione spiritus convertitur in corpus corpus in spiritum VII Sic etiam mixta in unum redacta se invicem vertunt nam corpus incorporat spiritum spiritus verò corpus vertit in spiritum tinctum album VIII Quare ultima vice inquam decoque in nostra aqua alba id est in Mercurio donec soluatur in nigredinem deinde per deeoctionem continuam privabitur à sua nigredine corpus sic solutum 〈◊〉 ascendit cum anima alba IX Et 〈◊〉 unum alteri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 se amplecte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non potuerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 separari tune 〈◊〉 reali concordantia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum corpore 〈◊〉 unitm permanens X. Et haec est solutio corpo ris coagulatio spiritus quae unam eandem habent operationem XI Qui ergo noverit ducere praegnantem facere mortificare putrefacere generare species vivificare lumen album inducere mundare Vulturem à nigredine tenebris quousque igne purgetur coloretur à maculis ultimis purificetur adeo majoris dignitatis erit possessor ut Reges eum venerentur I. HEar now this Secret keep the Body in our Mercurial Water till it ascends with the white Soul and the earthy part descends to the bottom which is called the residing Earth II. Then you shall see the Water to coagulate it self with its Body and be assured that the Art is true because the Body coagulates the moisture into dryness like as the Rennet of a Lamb or Calf turns Milk into Cheese III. In the same manner the Spirit penetrates the body and is perfectly commixed with it in its smallest Atoms and the body draws to its self his moisture to wit its white Soul like as the Loadstone draws Iron because of the nearness and likeness of its nature and then the one contains the other IV. And this is our Sublimation and Coagulation which retaineth every volatile thing making it fixt for ever V. This Compositum then is not a mechanical thing or a work of the Hands but as I have said a changing of Natures and a wonderful connection of their cold with hot and the moist with the dry the hot also is mixed with cold and the dry with the moist VI. By this means also is made the mixtion and conjunction of body and spirit which is called a conversion of contrary Natures because by such a dissolution and sublimation the spirit is converted into a body and the body into a spirit VII So that the natures being mingled together and reduced into one do change one another and as the Body corporifies the Spirit or changes it into a Body So also does the Spirit convert the Body into a tinging and white Spirit VIII Wherefore as the last time I say decoct the body in our white water viz. Mercury till it is dissolved into blackness and then by a continual decoction let it be deprived of the same blackness and the body so dissolved will at length ascend or rise with a white Soul IX And then the one will be mixed with the other and so embrace one another that it shall not be possible any more to separate them but the Spirit with a real agreement will be united with the body and make one permanent or fixed substance X. And this is the solution of the Body and coagulation of the Spirit which have one and the same operation XI Whoso therefore knows how to conjoyn the principles or direct the work to impregnate to mortifie to putrifie to generate to quicken the Species to make white to cleanse the Vulture from its blackness and darkness till he is purged by the fire and tinged and purified from all his spots shall be possessor of a treasure so great that even Kings themselves shall venerate him CHAP. XXII Of the Signs of the end of the Work and the perfection thereof I. QUare maneat corpus in aqua donec solvatur in pulverem novum in fundo vasis aquae qui dicitur cinis niger haec est corruptio corporis quae vocatur à sapientibus Saturnus AEs Plumbum philosophorum Pulvis discontinuatus II. Et in tali putrefactione resolutione corporis tria signa apparent scilicet color nigèr discontinuitas partium odor foetidus qui assimilatur odori sepulchrorum III. Est igitur ille cinis de quo philosophi tanta dixêre qui in inferiori parte vasis remansit quem non debemus vili pendere IV. In eo enim est Diadema Regis Argentum vivum nigrum immundum à quo nigredinis debet fieri purgatio decoquendo continuò in nostra aqua donec elevetur sursum in album colorem qui vocatur Anser Pullus Hermogenis V. Quia qui terram rubeam denigrat albam reddit habet magisterium ut etiam ille qui occidit vivum resuscitat mortuum VI. Dealba ergo nigrum rubefac album ut perficias opus VII Et cum videris albedinem apparere veram quae splendet sicut gladius denudatus scias quod rubor in ista albedine est occultus VIII Ex tunc non oportet illam albedinem extrahere sed coquere tantum ut cum siccitate caliditate superveniat citrinitas rubedo fulgentissima IX Quam cum videris cum tremore maximo laudabis Deum optimum maximum qui cui vult sapientiam dat per consequens divitias secundum iniquitates eripit ac in perpetuum subtrahit detrudendo in servitutem inimicorum sui laus gloria in saecula saeculorum Amen I. WHerefore let our body remain in the water till it is dissolved into a subtil
with moisture you may have a blackness by fire XXXII But here you must have a blackness which comes from the perfect Metallick Bodies and lasts a long space of time nor can be destroyed in less than the space of five Months after which immediately follows the desired whiteness if you have this you have enough but not all XXXIII The blueish and yellowish colours signifie that solution and 〈◊〉 is not yet finished and that the colours of Our Mercury are not as yet well mingled and rotten or putrified with the rest XXXIV This 〈◊〉 them and these colours plainly demonstrate that the matter or composition begins to rot or putrifie and resolve into powder siner and smaller than the Atoms in the Sun the which is afterwards changed into a permanent or fixed water XXXV This dissolution by the AEnigmatick Philosophers is called Death Destruction Perdition because that the Natures change their form and from hence they raised so many Allegories of Dead Men Tombs Sepulchres c. XXXVI Others have called it Calcination Denudation Separation Trituration and Assation because the Compositum is changed and reduced into most small Atoms and parts XXXVII Others have called it Reduction into the first matter Mollification Extraction Commixtion Liquefaction Conversion of Elements Subtillization Division Humation Impastation and Distillation because that the particulars of the Compositum are melted brought back into seed softned or meliorated and Circulated within the Glass XXXVIII Others have called it Ixir Iris Putrefaction Corruption Cymmerian darkness a Gulf Hell Dragons Generation Ingression Submersion Complexion Conjunction and Impregnation because that the matter is black and waterish that the Natures are perfectly mixed and now subsist one by another XXXIX For when the heat of the Sun works upon him they are converted first into a Powder or into a fat and glutinous Water which feeling the heat flies on high to the top or head with the Vapour or Fume with the Wind and Air. XL. From thence this wa ter drawn out of the matter or Compositum descendeth again and in descending reduces and resolves as much as may be the rest of the Compositum continually doing so till the whole be like a black Broth somewhat fat XLI A while after this water begins to coagulate or thicken somewhat more growing very black like to Pitch Lastly comes the Body and Earth which the Obscure Philosophers have called Terra foetidae XLII For then by reason of the perfect or compleat putrefaction which is as natural as any can be this Earth stinks and yields a smell like to the Scent of Graves filled with rotten and putrified Carkases not yet perfectly consumed XLIII This Earth was called by Hermes Terra foliata but its true and proper Name is Leton or Laten which must afterwards be whitened XLIV The Ancient Philosophers who were Cabalists have decyphred it in their Metamorphoses under the History of the Serpent of Mars which devoured the Companions of Cadmus who slew him by piercing him with his Lance against a hollow Oak which Oak you ought seriously to contemplate and consider CHAP. XXX Of the Man and Woman cloathed in an Orange coloured Gown in a Field Azure and Blue with their Motto's I. THe Man depicted in that Figure exactly resembles my self even as the Woman does lively represent Perrenelle But the representation to the life was of no necessity as to this work to figure forth a Male and a Female was all that our design required which answers to our Sulphur and Mercury II. It was the Painters pleasure to put our resemblance upon those Figures as he did in those kneeling by the feet of the Apostles Paul and Peter according to what we were in our youthful days III. These here then I made to be painted one a Male the other a Female to teach thee that in this second Operation thou hast truly but not perfectly two natures conjoyned and Married together the Masouline and the Feminine or rather the 4 Elements IV. And that the four natural Enemies the hot and cold the dry and moist begin to approach kindly one to another and by means of the Mediators or Peace-makers lay down by little and little the ancient Animosity or Enmity of the old Chaos V. Who these peace-makers are you must know between the hot and the cold there is moisture who is of the Kindred and allied to them both to the hot by its heat and to the cold by its moisture VI. And to begin this Conciliation you must as in the precedent operation first convert all the Bodies or the whole Compositum into water by Dissolution VII And afterwards you must coagulate this water which will be turned into black earth black even of the most black whereby this Peace and Union will be wholly and most happily accomplished VIII For the Earth which is cold and dry finding it self akin and allyed to the dry and moist which are Enemies will wholly conciliate and unite them IX Thus have you a perfect mixture of all the four Elements having first turned them into Water and afterwards into Earth I will hereafter teach you other Conversions into Air when it shall be made all White and into Fire when it shall be converted into a most perfect Purple X. Thus have you two Natures Conjoyned or Married together whereby the one conceives by the other and by this Conception the Female is Converted into the body of the Male and the Male into the body of the Female XI That is to say they are made one only body which is the Androgyre or Hermophrodite of the Ancients which they have called The Crow's Head or Nature Converted XII In this manner therefore I depict them here because you have two Natures reconciled which if they be order'd and managed wisely will form an Embrion in the Womb of the Vessel and afterwards bring forth a beautiful birth which will prove a most Powerful and Invincible King incorruptible and also be a most admirable quintessence XIII Thus have you the principal and most necessary Reason or Cause of this Representation The other Cause which is also well to be noted from the necessity of having two bodies for that in this Operation you must divide that which has been coagulated to give an afternourishment of the Milk of Life to the little Infant when it is born which is endued by the Living God with a Vegetable Soul XIV This is a rare and admirable secret which for want of 〈◊〉 right understanding has made Fools of all such as have erred in seeking after it but has made him wise who has viewed it with the Eye of his Mind XV. This Coagulated body you must divide into two parts the one of which shall serve for Azoth which is to wash and cleanse the other which is called Laten which must be whitened XVI He which is washed is the Serpent 〈◊〉 who takes his beginning or Original from the Corruption of the Earth gathered together by the Waters
be prostituted or bestowed upon unworthy Men who are naughty or swoln up with Pride or whose Souls are bound up in their Covetousness VIII I require not of you for this Secret a great Summ of Gold or Silver nor do I put this Secret in writing for you to bestow much Cost and Expences upon it nor do I for my self desire any reward these things agree not with the Philosophick Verity which professes that its Works are not chargeable and Expensive Morienus saith beware that you spend nothing in this Magistery of Gold And Dastine saith with the Value of one Noble is the whole Magistery performed IX Since then it is so in what thing is our Gold to be found Is it not in Mercury which is called Quick or living Gold Raymandus saith He that will reduce Quick-Gold into thin water must make it doe it and Work it by its contrary 〈◊〉 saith he Quick or living Gold has in its self four Natures and four humours or Elements And therefore saith he if you putrefie its Cold with its Hot and its Dry with its Moist you shall not only have the Humidity of all Bodies but you shall have a Menstruum which will dissolve Argent Vive for ever For the least part of Mercury being once dissolved the dissolved Mercury will always dissolve Mercury ad Infinitum X. Mercury may as well be called Quick-Gold as Quick-Silver for it contains them both If Air will make this separation we must put thereto divers contrary things as Roger Bacon saith in Speculo But this putrefaction cannot be done till it is dissolved in Water white as Milk putrifie that Milk 15 days in B. M. then separate its Element and cleanse its Earth and after that joyn it again in equal weight then is the Elixir made compleate for Saturn and Jupiter Quick Gold is Crude Imperfect and unfixt in every degree and yet it is accounted a Body altho' there be no fixation in it and therefore it may be much sooner brought to its first matter than any other of the Bodies that have any part of fixation in them for they must have much Labour and long time to separate them and bring them back into their fixt matter XI For saith Lully The Elements of Mercury may be dissolved and being so dissolved they may be separated There be some that think our Resoluble Seed or dissolved Menstrum is the water of Argent Vive made only by it self because it does dissolve both Metals and pretious Stones which we call Pearls and so it is Now how this dissolving Menstrum is made not only Raymund seems to shew but Roger Bacon in like manner in his Speculum Alchymiae where he saith put the Body which is most weighty into a Distillatory and draw forth thereof its Sweet Ros or Dew with a little Wind or Breath for betwixt every drop of Water comes forth a Breath as it were of a Man which is the substance of Argent Vive and which the Philosophers call our Mercury which if it be well putrefied before hand will then yield the more and Issue out forcibly as if it were Wild-Fire out of a Trunk especially when the Red Fume comes Thus have you one of our Argent Vives XII To the same thing Raymundus assents where he saith then have you that Argent Vive which is called Ours and so it is indeed one of Our Argent Vive altho' the intent of the same Philosopher in Libro Animae Artis Transmutatoriae Cap. 2. was touching another more noble and more excellent Water supposed by some to be Our Burning-Water drawn out of the Gum of Vitriol by the Virtue of which most Noble and Excellent attractive Water he did not only often dissolve the Body of Sol not as he doth it with the aforesaid Argent Vive commonly dissolved but also the same solar Body by force of that attractive Virtue is disposed in a more noble manner as I my self have seen done not only in the Metalline Elixir but also in the Elixir of Life as hereafter shall be declared Chap. 71 72. Sect. XIII It is fansied by an Experienced Philosopher that Mercury did speak and said I am the Father of Enchantments Brother to the Sun and Sister to the Moon I am the Water of Life drawn out of Wine i. e. out of the Wine of Mercury I kill that which was alive and make alive that which was dead I make Black and I make White and I carry in my Belly the Sol of Philosophers and therefore he that can joyn me after that I am dissolved and made the pure clear and Silver like Water called Lac Virginis with my Brother the Sun he shall tinge him with my Soul not only much more than he was before by an hundred fold but also if he be joyned with my Sister Luna he shall make all things fair and bright this Lac Virginis is a Silver-like Water somewhat thick CHAP. LXII A farther Discourse of the Philosophers Mercury I. OF this Mercury speaks another Philosopher thus when its Elements are separated and again joyned and mixed together by equal weight then is it made a compleat Elixir upon Saturn and Jupiter but its Elements cannot be separated until such time as it is dissolved and of this Metalline Water ought the Artist to draw the Tincture II. The Elements of Mercury being separated and again commixed by equal weight or proportion make the Elixir compleat with often dissolving and congealing of the Spirit which must be done upon a Marble Stone weighing the Body and then taking its weight of the Secret Salt grinding them together very subtil then putting them into Balneo that they may be dissolved which done take it out and make your congelatiin a dry Fire do so oftentimes and then c. III. And therefore to confirm this Raymundus saith O my Son Our Tincture is drawn out of one Vile thing and is decked finished and ended with another thing which is more Noble for we do Ferment it with Vulgar Gold He calls it Vile because he saith it is sometimes found in Vile places as in Old draughts also it is Vile because as Raymundus saith it is found not only in a filthy form and ugly shape but because it is in every thing of the which saith Albertus is made a Permanent or fixt Water IV. Here is to be Noted that Raymundus commands this Tincture to be drawn out of the Body of Venus which Tincture he does Ferment with the prepared Calx of common or Vulgar Gold V. And therefore saith Avicen it behoves you to have a great quantity of our Gold and of our Silver to the end that thereby the humours may be drawn forth viz. to have at the least sixty pounds weight which will be a sufficient quantity for your whole life He also saith the best Mercury is brought in skins from Mount Passulane Of this Mercury Geber saith you must labour in all your work to separate Mercury or as others
distinguished from it because in the Stone the pain continues 〈◊〉 in one place and in the beginning the Urine is clear but afterwards of a troubled Substance bringing forth with it at length Gravel Stones and such-like whereas in the Colick the Pain is different or in different Parts afflicting for the most part the Colon and in the beginning the Urine is of a troubled Substance afterwards more clear III. How Gravel which is the Progenerator of the Stone is bred there is various Opinions Spigelius by his Discourse seems to believe it to be bred in the Veins for he saith That he has found the Blood in the Veins full of small Gravel and if so it is natural for it to descend with the Substance of the Blood into the emulgent Arteries and from thence with the Serum to the Reins and Bladder IV. But by what Artifice Gravel is generated is another Question II care not greatly if I relate to you a singular Observation which I made whilst I was in the West-Indies In those Countries for clearing of Ground the People commonly lay all the Wood on heaps and burn it I did the like of Wood growing upon a very sandy piece of Land the Substance of the Earth under its upper Crust being a pure white Sand. I had very white and soft Ashes not inferiour in softness to our finest Wheat-flour or white Starch in which not the least appearance of Gravel or Sand could be discerned by any means Of these Ashes I had occasion to make a Lixivium sometimes for Expedition sake by boiling The Lixivum being decanted and the Ashes cast away I had the curiosity to view and by an exact scrutiny found them to be nothing but pure white Sand without any of the small and soft particles of Ashes which before the elixiviating of them made them feel like pure fine and soft Wheat-flour This I did 't is possible an hundred times and always produced the same Sand From whence I deduced these things 1. That those Trees which in those Countries are mostly of a mighty bigness chiefly Pine Oaks Hickeries and such-like Herbs Plants and the like growing upon such sandy ground have all their Nourishment and Substance from that Sand whether white red yellow or of what Colour soever 2. That by the plastick Virtue of the Plant the Substance of the said Sand is dissolved and fitted for the Norishment of the same Plant. 3. That the said Sand is dissolved into a moist Humor and it may be resinous or glutinous or aqucous consonant to the Nature of the same Vegetable the same kind of Sand which produces an Oak makes also a Pine Hickery Ash or other Plant growing upon the same For if they were not generated or produced of Sand the Earth being scarcely any thing else ten or twenry Foot deep in those Places Of what other Matter can they be made 4. That an Analysis being made by burning and elixiviation the whole Substance of the Plant in a manner resumes its prima Materia or first Matter again converting its Body into Sand and not into any other Principle 5. That the Extremity and Violence of the Fire has not power to destroy the Idea of the prime Cause but it still retains the same through all Vicissitudes and Changes even of the strongest Fire it self V. I. made also another Observation of the same kind of Trees Herbs and Plants growing upon the same kind of Land from their rotting Great Pine-Trees four or five Foot in Diametre and others being rotted upon the Ground although the rotten Wood at first become only light and chaffie then a Slime and Mud yet that Slime or Mud and Rottenness gra dually converted from that brown dark or black Colour and soft clammy mucillaginous and rotten Substance into a pure white Sand no ways unlike to the first Substance or that of which they were primarily generated all which things might clearly be discerned in many of them according to the differing Degrees and Times of Rotting or Putrifying as Nature had been several Years in performing that Work and Operation Those which were produced of white Sand reverted into white Sand again those of red Sand into red Sand c. VI. Out of what has been said it clearly appears that Things by resolution naturally return into the Matter of which they were first generated so that according to the Food and the Place or Matter that Food was generated from being again resolved in Man's Body is the Production of Juices Humors Blood Flesh and other Substances of the same So true and faithful is the Work of GOD in the Universe that as He cannot deny Himself so neither can the Things He causes to be produced lose their first Ideas and Potentialities though they never so often change their Forms and Appearances but will after a long race or course of Vicissitudes and Alterations return to their first Matter again VII And thus the first Cause of the Stone is to be sought into farther than the Parts in which it is generated or the natural Spirits possessing the same though I do not deny what Riverius says upon the point but that there may be a petrifactive Spirit which may be assisting in that Generation Both which considered may be the Reason that some People may be troubled with this Disease and some not VIII Gravel subsiding does not nocessarily indicate the Stone but sometimes the material Cause only thereof for multitudes of People that are perpetually free from the Stone do many times make much Gravel yet possibly it may signifie a Disposition to that Disease For if Gravel which used constantly to come away is afterwards suppressed and Pain is felt the Urine being clear and thin there is great danger that the Gravel may concrete into a Stone and when it is made again with Pain and Stranguary it is a sign there is a Stone generated IX Gravel which is bred in the Veins comes away with the Urine and is mixt with the Sediment but what is bred in the Kidneys Ureters and Bladder presently resides as the Urine is made Authors say it proceeds from adustion of the Humors bred in the Liver and Veins and sticks to the sides of the Pot nor does it sink to the bottom as that which comes from the Reins it also breaks by rubbing with ones Fingers and appears of a more saline Substance whereas the other neither yields to the Fingers nor can it easily be dissolved This Gravel of a saline Substance is dissolved in warm Urine and appears not whilst it is yet hot but the Urine being cold it coagulates and sticks to the sides of the Chamber-pot or Urinal not much unlike Tartar in a Cask of Wine or which is dissolved in hot Water which cooling again sticks to the sides of a Vessel so that the very Nature of this Gravel and Tartar seem to be much alike X. And this possibly may in a great measure proceed from the same Cause viz.
heavenly Bird even to the last moment of its Exit But I deprecate or wish a Curse from our Benefactor the great and Living God even to all the Sons of the Philosophers to whom it shall please God to give of the Bountifulness of his Goodness if they shall undervalue or divulge the Name and Power thereof to any Foolish or Ignorant Person or any Man unfit for the knowledge of this secret Salmon He teaches here that in the matter of the Stone is to be Conserved the Sea the Fire and the Heavenly Bird to the Perfection or Consummation of the Word by the Sea is understood the Humidity of the Mercury for that no Generation can be made in a dry but in a humid matter Therefore Mercury is to be Conserved in a Liquid form citrà tamen sui Corruptionem but without its Putrefaction for that hard things or Bodies as Raymund Lully saith receive not the Heavenly Virtue nor yeild to the heavenly Influences A Seal puts not its Print upon a hard Stone but upon soft wax so our matter by being made soft and Rarisied is made fit to receive the influx of the superior Bodies i. e. of Sol and Luna and is made to obey the Government of the Sun By the Fire and the Heavenly Bird is understood the twofold Fire the External and the Internal with both which it is to be conserved and nourished to the end of the Work III. Hermes Whatever any Man has given to me I have returned it again nor have I been behind hand with any or desisted to return an equal kindness even in this Friendship and Unity consists the chief matter of this Operation Salmon This not only demonstrates the Generous and Noble Spirit of our great Hermes but also the relation which the parts Composing this Magistery have one to another for saith he even in this Friendship and Unity consists the chief matter of this Operation IV. Hermes This is the concealed Stone of many Colors which is Born and brought forth in one Color only Understand this and conceal it Salmon By the many Colors here is understood the Black White and Red of which we have spoken before and tho' there may appear many other Colors in the course of the Operation yet those three are the chief of which the one Color which for ever remains is the Never fading Red than which nothing can be more noble or perfect this if thou attainest to be an Adept a true Son of Art be sure to hide and conceal it as here thou art admonished V. Hermes By means of it through the permission of the Omnipotent the greatest Disease is Cured and every Sorrow Distress Evil and hurtful thing may be Evaded and through the help thereof you may come from Darkness to Light from a Desert or Wilderness to a Habitation or Home and from straightness and necessities to a large and ample Fortune Salmon This Our Tincture Our Elixir Cures not only all the Diseases of Metals but all the cureable Diseases in Humane Bodies It gives also not only Health and long Life but removes Poverty and Want and the attendant Evils of a narrow and pinching Fortune It is indeed the great preservative against all the Afflictions Sorrows and Miseries of Humane kind of what Nature and quality soever It is Nectar and Ambrosia to all the Vital Powers through the Efficacy of which Nature is made able to contend resist and overcome all her adversaries CHAP. IV. A Continuation of the Explication of the First Operation I. HERMES Now my Son before all things Iadminish thee to fear God in whom is the Blessing of your undertakings and the Uniting and disposing of every thing which you Segregate put together or Design for this purpose Salmon This great Philosopher well knew that the only way to attain to the Mystery was to be acquainted with that Spirit which knew all things yea the deep things of God and to be acquainted with that Spirit was to feur God for so says the Holy Spirit it self The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the Knowledg of the Holy is understanding And therefore our Hermes advises us above all things to fear God in whom is the Blessing of this undertaking He shall not Err who becomes acquainted with and joyned to that Spirit which is the Fountain of all Knowledge and Wisdom For being United with that you are Centred into the very Root from whence all Wisdom and Knowledg spring and being Ingrasted into that Root the true understanding will grow up in you and fill you even as the Soul is filled with Life II. Hermes Whatever I speak or write consider it and reason about it in your mind I advise not them who are depraved in their Reason and Understanding nor the Ignorant or Insipid of Judgment Lay hold of my Instructions and Meditate upon them and so fit your Mind and Undestanding to conceive what I say as if you your self were the Author of these things I Write Salmon He here speaks to such as fear God not to be depraved in their understandings as all Profane and Wicked Men are nor the Ignorant who are unacquainted with the true Fountain of knowledge which is the Spirit of the Living God as he himself has instructed Chap. 1. Sect. 1. aforegoing nor to the Insipid of Judgment who has not Pondered nor Meditated upon these things You must Enter with your Spirit and Soul into the Center of Nature and there behold how all things are begun continued and perfected but you must first enter into that Universal Spirit which is the Former of all things which pierces through and dwells in that Central Root and by entering into that it will like as a Vehicle carry you into the same Root where all things are hidden and reveal to you the most abscondite Mysteries and shew you as in a Glass the whole work and all the Operations of Nature III. Hermes For to what Nature is hot if it shall be made cold it shall do no hurt or injury to it so in like manner he to whom Reason is become a guide does shut against himself the Door of Ignorance lest he should be securely deceived Salmon That is if the Spirit and Soul or hot Mercury and Sulphur be made more cold by a Conjunction with the cold Body you shall not do a miss but proceed rightly on in the Work and this you must apprehend by your Reason and the Nature of the thing He to whom saith he Reason i. e. the Spirit of knowledge is become a guide does shut from himself the Door of Ignorance i. e. open to himself the Door of knowledge leading into the Mysteries of this Our Philosophick Work IV. Hermes Take my Son the Flying Bird and Dround it Flying then divide separate or cleanse it from its Filth which keeps it in Death expel it and put it away from it that it may be made Living and answer thee not by Flying in
and Souls may be Purified Thou art Omnipotent O Lord God Almighty and canst do whatever thou pleasest CHAP. XVIII Of Argent Vive Tincture Order of the Operation and of the Fire I. THere is one thing which is to be wondered at viz. after what manner Carmine to wit Grana Nostra doth tinge or Dye Silk which is of a contrary Natue and tinges not a Dead thing and after what manner Uzifur to wit Our Vermilion doth tinge Vestem which is of a contrary Nature and tinges not Live or growing things II. For it is not Natural for any thing to tinge other substances not agreeable to their Natures If therefore you put into your Composition Red Gold you shall find in the Tincture a pure and perfect Red and if you put into it White Gold the most passive Red will vanish or go forth There is nothing indeed does tinge any thing but what is Consimilar to or like it self III. And I testifie to you by the Living God maker of Heaven and Earth that the Stone which I have described you have permanent or fixed nor are you kept from it by the Earth or the Sea or any other matter IV. Keep then your congealed Quick-Silver many parts of which are lost because of its subtilty Also the Mountain in which is the Tabernacle which crys out I am the Black of the White and the White of the Black I speak the Truth indeed and I lye not V. Now know that the Root of the Matter is the Head of the Crow flying without Wings in the dark and black of the Night and in the appearance of the Day from the Throat the fixing Spirit from its Gall the Coloring or Tinging Matter is taken from its Tail the desication or drying of the matter from its Wings the liquid Water and from its Body the Redness VI. Understand the meaning of the words for hereby is understood our venerable Stone and the Fume or Vapour thereof which is exalted lifted up or sublimed and the Sea eradicated and a Light shining VII You are also to note what Alums and Salts are which flow from Bodies if you put the Medicines or Matters of the Medicine in a just or true proportion you shall not fear to err but if you mistake the proportion you must add or diminish according as you see it tends to the emendation or performing of the Work lest a Deluge should come and overflow all drowning the Regions and overturning the Trees by the Roots VIII And tho the Matter be unknown yet consider these things how or after what manner these two Colors are distinguished or diversified by their Vapours look into the sweetness of Sugar which is one kind of sweet Juice and into the sweetness of Honey which is yet more intense or inward IX Except you make the Bodies spiritual and impalpable you know not how to putrefie Ixir or proceed on in the Work nor how the three Volatile Matters or Principles fight one against another and how they fail not each in their turns to devour one another till of two being left one only remains X. Be careful also how you increase your Fire tho it is not to be very small when you dry up the Water and take heed that you burn not the Matter because if the Vessel breaks it will be with a mighty impetus or force XI And unless the Matter of the Stone prove inimical one to another or contend and fight with and strive to destroy one another you shall never attain to the thing you seek after XII If you mix your Calx with Auripigment and not in a mean or due proportion the splendor and glory of the Operation will not succeed but if you interpose a medium the effect will immediately follow XIII Now know that it is our Water which extracts the hidden Tincture Behold the Example and understand it if you have once brought the Body into Ashes you have operated rightly XIV And the blood which is in the Philosophick Water of the animated Body is the Earth of the Wise to wit the permanent or enduring perfection CHAP. XIX That the Beginning of this Work is in the Blackness and Darkness and of conjoyning the Body with the Soul I. NOW it is that which is dead which you ought to vivisie or make alive and that which is sick which ought to be cured It is the White which is to be rubified the Black which is to be purified and the Cold which is to be made hot II. It is God himself who does create and inspire or give life and replenishes Nature with his Power that it might follow and imitate his Wisdom and act as an Instrument subservient to him III. Iron is our Gold and Brass or Copper is our Tincture Argent Vive is our Glory Tin is our Silver Blackness is our Whiteness and the Whitness is our Redness IV. From hence it appears necessary that we should have a Body purifying Bodies and a Water subliming Water Our Stone which is a Vessel of Fire is made of Fire and is converted into the same again V. And if you would walk in the true way you must persue it in the evident or visible Blackness for saith our Stone it is that which is hidden within which does make me white and the same thing which makes me White makes me also Red. VI. Conceal this thing from Men like as a word which is yet in thy Mouth which no Man understands and as the Fire Light or Sight which is in thine Eye I will not tell it plainly to thee thy self left by thy words thou conveyest my Breath to another to thine own damage This is the caution I give thee VII Now know that this our Work is made or compounded of two Figures or Substances the one of which wants the White Rust Ceruse and the other the Redish Rust Crocus Our Matters also are searsed thro our Sieves or Searses made of pure or clean Rinds and a most blessed Wood. VIII You are also to take notice that the Fire-stone of the Philosophers sought after wants Extention but it has quantity It behoves you therefore to support and nourish it on every side and to continue it as in the middle IX You must also conoyn the Body with the Soul 〈◊〉 beating and grinding it 〈◊〉 the Sun and imbuing it with the Stone then puting it into the Fire so long till all its Stains and Defilements are taken away let it be a gentle Fire for about seven hours space thus will you get that which will make you to live X. I also tell you that its habitation or dwelling place is posited in the Bowels of the Earth for without Earth it cannot be perfected Also its habitation is posited in the Bowels of the Fire nor without Fire can it be perfected which is the perfection of our Art XI Again Except you mix with the White the Red and presently bring or reduce the same into a perfect Water it
white Vapour a white Spirit and a wonderful Soul CHAP VII Of the wonderful things done by our Water in altering and changing Bodies I. QUare debemus per Aquam nostram perfecta corpora attenuare alterare mollificare ut deinde misceantur caeteris corporibus imperfectis II. Unde si aliud beneficium non haberemus ab illa aqua Antimoniali nisi quod readit corpora subtilia mollia fluida ad sui naturam sufficeret nobis III. Nam reducit corpora ad primam originem sulphuris Mercurii ut ex his postea in brevi tempore minus quà m in hora diei faciamus super terram quod natura operata est subtus in mineriis terrae in millibus annis quod est quasi miraculosum IV. Est igitur nostrum finale secretum per aquam nostram corpora facere volatilia spiritualia aquam tingentem habentem ingressum V. Facit enim corpora merum esse spiritum quia incerat corpora dura sicca praeparat ad fusionem id est convertit in aquam permanentem VI. Facit ergo ex corporibus oleum pretiosissimum benedictum quod est vera tinctura aqua permanens alba de natura calida humida temperata subtili fusibili ut cera quod penetrat profundat tingit perficit VII Aqua ergo nostra incontinenti solvit aurum argentum facit oleum incombustible quod tunc potest com 〈◊〉 corporibus 〈◊〉 VIII Nam 〈◊〉 nostra convertit corpora in naturam salis fusibilis qui dicitur Sal Albrot philosophorum omnium salium melior nobilior in regimine fixus non fugiens ignem IX Et ipse quidem est oleum de natura calida subtilis penetrans profundans ingrediens dictus Elixir completum est secretum occultum sapientum Alchimistarum X. Qui scit ergo hunc salem Solis Lunae ejus generationem sive praeparationem postea ipsum commiscere amicari caeteris corporibus imperfectis scit profectò unum de secretis naturae maximum viam perfectionis unam I. IT behoves us therefore by this our Water to attenuate alter and soften the perfect Bodies to wit Sol and Luna that so they may be mixed with other imperfect Bodies II. From whence if we had no other benefit by this our Antimonial water than that it rendred Bodies more subtil soft and fluid according to its own nature it would be sufficient III. But more than that it brings back Bodies to their first original of Sulphur and Mercury that of them we may afterwards in a little time in less than an hours time do that above ground which Nature was a thousand years a doing of under ground in the Mines of the Earth which is a work almost miraculous IV. And therefore our ultimate or highest Secret is by this our water to make Bodies volatile spiritual and a Tincture or tinging water which may have ingress or entrance into other Bodies V. For it makes Bodies to be meerly Spirit because it reduces hard and dry Bodies and prepares them for fusion melting or dissolving that is it converts them into a permanent or fixed water VI. And so it makes of Bodies a most precious and desirable Oyl which is the true Tincture and the permanent or fixed white water by nature hot and moist or rather temperate subtile fusible as Wax which does penetrate sink tinge and make perfect the Work VII And this our water immediately dissolves Bodies as Sol and Luna and makes them into an incombustible Oyl which then may be mixed with other imperfect Bodies VIII It also converts other Bodies into the nature of a fusible Salt which the Philosophers call Sal Alebrot Philosophorum better and more noble than any other Salt being in its own nature fixed and not subject to vanish in fire IX It is an Oyl indeed by nature hot subtile penetrating sinking through and entring into other Bodies it is called the Perfect or Great Elixir and the hidden Secret of the wise Searchers of Nature X. He therefore that knows this Salt of Sol and Luna and its generation and preparation and afterwards how to commix it and make it homogene with other imperfect Bodies he in truth knows one of the greatest Secrets of Nature and the only way that leads to perfection CHAP. VIII Of the Affinity of our Water and other wonderful things done by it I. Haec corpora sic soluta per aquam nostram dicuntur argentum vivum quod non est sine sulphure nec sulphur sine natura luminarium quia luminaria sunt principalia media in forma per quae natura transit perficiendo complendo suam generationem II. Et istud argentum vivum vocatur sal honoratum animatum praegnans ignis cum non sit nisi ignis nec ignis nisi sulphur nec sulphur nisi argentum vivum extractum à Sole Luna per aquam nostram reductum in lapidem alti pretii III. Id est erit materia alterata luminarium mutata de vilitate in nobilitatem IV. Nota quod sulphur illud album est pater metallorum ac mater illorum Mercurius noster minera auri anima fermentum virtus mineralis corpus vivum medicina perfecta sulphur argentum vivum nostrum id est sulphur de sulphure argentum vivum de argento vivo Mercurius de Mercurio V. Proprietas ergo aquae nostrae est quod liquefacit aurum argentum augmentat in eis nativum colorem VI. Convertit enim corpora à corporalitate in spiritualitatem ipsa est quae immittit in corpus fumum album qui est anima alba subtilis calida multae igneitatis VII Haec aqua dicitur etiam lapis sanguinaris est etiam virtus spiritualis sanguinis sine quo nil fit subjectum omnium liquabilium liquefactionis quod multum Soli Lunae convenit adhaeret nec separatur ab eis semper VIII Est ergo affinis Soli Lunae sed magis Soli quam Lunae nota bene IX Dicitur etiam medium conjungendi tincturas Solis Lunae cum metallis imperfectis nam aqua illa convertit corpora in veram tincturam ad tingenda reliqua imperfecta est aqua quae dealbat ut est alba quae vivifisat ut est anima ideo citò corpus suum ingreditur ait Philosophus X. Nam est aqua viva quae venit suam irrigare terram ut germinet fructum producat in tempore 〈◊〉 nam ex roratu omnia generantur ex terra nascentia XI Terra ergo non germinat absque irrigatione humiditate aqua roris Maij ipsa abluit corpora tanquam pluviali penetrat dealbat ac facit corpus novum ex duobus corporibus XII Aqua illa vitae gubernata cum corpore ipsum dealbat convertens ipsum in
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
and then always augmenting the fire gradually for three days so will they be inseparably conjoyned This is a work of three days XVI Then again and lastly take one part of this mixture and project it upon a Thousand parts of another Body or Metal the nearer to perfection the better so the whole will be a most fine and perfect Body according to the kind and according to your intended work whether for the White or for the Red. XVII And all this is but the work of one day or rather but of an hour or of a moment for which wonderful work Praises be perpetually rendred to the Lord our God for Ever and Ever CHAP. LX. A Short Recapitulation of the whole Work I. OUR Tincture then is only generated out of the Mercury of the wise which is called the Prima Materia Aqua permanens Acetum Pilosophorum 〈◊〉 Lac Virginis Mercurius Corporalis with which nothing extraneous Alien or Forreign is commixed such as are Salts Alums and Vitriols II. Because from this Mercury alone the Virtue and Power of this our Magistry is generated and it so resolves every Metalline Body that it may be augmented or multiplied III. This our aforesaid Mercury is both the Root and the Tree from whence many and almost Infinite Branches Spring and increase IV. The first work for the making of this Elixir is sublimation which is nothing else but the subtilization of the matter of our Stone by which it is cleansed from all its supersluities V. The fixed and Volatile parts are not separated one from another but they remain United and are fixed together till they both may have an easie fusion together in the fire VI. Take therefore our aforesaid Mercury which in a Sealed Glass put into its hot bed for one whole Philosophick month which is 40 days till it begins in its own body to putrisie and be Coagulated and all its Humidity be Consumed in its self and also converted into a black Earth VII In this Sublimation is compleated the true separation of the four Elements VIII Because the cold and watery Elements is changed into a hot and dry Earth which is the head of the Crow the Mother of the remaining Elements IX Thus our work is nothing else but a transmutation of Nature and a Conversion of the Elements X. The Spiritual is made Corporal the Liquid is made thick and the water is made Fire XI Moreover the black Earth is imbibed with its own water and dryed so long till it is sufficiently cleansed and brought on to Whiteness XII Which then is called the White Earth foliated Sulphur of Nitre Sulphur of Magnesia and then there is a new Conjunction of Sol and Luna and a Resurrection of the Dead Body XIII When our Earth bearing Fruit is moistned with its own proper water it drinks it up in that its thirst with much greediness till it generates or is made pregnant and then brings forth Fruit an Hundred Fold XIV Now proceed farther with the White Earth augmenting or increasing the Fire 〈◊〉 it till by the motion of the Continual Heat it is digested and brought into the highest and most pure Red. XV. And now it is called our Red Coral Red Sulphur Blood our Purple Gold our burnt Crocus XVI This very Work repeat three or four times with new Materials and you shall have the most perfect Red Stone of the Philosophers Red as Blood it self with which you may tinge Mercury and all other imperfect Metals XVII But it behoves you to take of our aforesaid Sulphur three parts adding one part of fine Gold reduced into a subtle Calx and of the water thereof two parts these three mix subtilly till they become one Inseparable Matter these then digest in a proper Fornace till they become a Red Stone Operis Rogerij Bachonis Alchymici FINIS Georgij Riplei MEDVLLA ALCHYMIAE The Marrow of Alchymie Written in Latin by George Ripley Cannon of Bridlington which he sent out of Italy Anno 1476. To the Arch-Bishop of YORK Translated into English and now Revised and Claused By WILLIAM SALMON Professor of Physick CHAP. LXI The Preface to the Arch-Bishop of York I. I Shall endeavour Sir to explicate open and make plain to you the Secrets of Alchymie which I have attained to by my Travels through Italy and other Countries and Kingdoms for the space of Nine Years drawing Forth and Selecting the true Root and Marrow of Nature by a series of Experiences from its most inward Recesses and secret Habitations II. The which I am moved and compelled to from the singular Good-will entire Affections and Sincere Love which as well as in times past I now at present bear unto you And therefore shall faithfully tho' briefly declare the Secrets of this Art to you plainly and openly not Darkly and AEnigmatically as if it was done under a Shadow or Vail III. Such indeed is your Life your Works witnessing the same that you are as a healing Balm a Refuge of Defence and Shelter to the Church of God a Pillar of his Holy Temple for which Reasons I am obliged to reveal these hidden Mysteries and make known to you the abscondite Paths of Nature not to rejoyce your outward Man only by adding Health and long Life heaping up Treasures and external Honours and Applause in the World but to excite in you the highest Devotion to God Almighty that you might become good to all Men profitable to the Church a Father to the Fatherless and a Sanctuary to the Needy and Distressed IV. And in these things I am confident of you in whom is found such a Portion and Treasure of Vertue Prudence Piety and true Wisdom but most chiefly for that I know you to be such a one who has God always before your Eyes V. And therefore I speak truly and fervently and I will declare the Truth to you with all faithfulness according to the reality of my Soul I shall Elucidate the undoubted Verity and declare such things as with much Labour Care and Diligence I have sought out and obtained the knowledge of which I have seen with my Eyes and have handled with my Hands and which my own self has done And in this matter I will neither be tedious nor obscure lest that love which I profess to you should seem to be deficient or imperfect VI. Whatever I write I shall open the same briefly and plainly beseeching God that the matter whereof I shall entreat may become profitable unto you and that if you shall please to put the same into practice you may find the faithful experience thereof and not be deceived or spend your time in vain For we know certainly that of all transitory things Time is truly the most pretious VII Wherefore I write unto you honourable and dearly beloved Friend such things only as may be profitable making this humble suit unto your Excellency that the Revealed Secrets and Experiments which I send you in this little Book may not
read it to convince or over-come Mercury in commixing and conjoyning for he that cannot destroy Mercury or undoe it in its composure cannot repair or restore it nor may you work with it as Raymund saith till it is dissolved VI. And therefore it is said joyn not that which is Crude with that which is Decocted for of that only with the Ferment is made the Elixir which does congeal all manner of Argent Vive Wherefore as Raymund saith it is never congealed without a congealing Sulphur and being congealed you have a great secret for in the dissolved Decocted Mercury is a great and hidden Mystery VII Another Philosopher also saith that there is a certain subtil Fume which does spring forth from its proper Veins dispersing and spreading its self abroad the which thin Fume if it be wisely gathered together again and sprinkled upon its proper Veins or Matrix it will make not only a certain fixation of which thin Fume in short space is made the true Elixir but also cleanses the Impure Metals or Alchymick Body VIII As to the Tincture mentioned at Sect. 4 above it rather seems by other words of the said Raymundus that he drew it out of Quick-Silver and no other vile thing of which Mercury is made What is meant at Sect. 6. by not joyning the Crude with the Decocted is to be understood of not joyning Crude Mercury to the Decocted Bodies or Metals but to put to them Decocted i. e. dissolved Mercury And herein is hidden a great secret for Mercury being dissolved is an hot and moist Sperm but Crude it is cold and dry Saturn So that if you putrifie its hot and moist Sperm with its cold and dry Earth you will have Quick-Silver dissolved which is not Crude but Decocted Mercury So that in Crude Mercury dissolved is hidden a great Mystery And however it is dissolved by a Fire not natural or against Nature yet it must be mixed conjoyned fixed IX This Alchymick Body is called Leprous Gold wherein Gold and Silver are in Essence and Power but not in sight or appearance in its Profundity or Depth it is Airous or Spiritual Gold which none can obtain unless the same Body be first made clean and pure The which impure Body after mundification is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Sol and Luna Decocted by natural heat X. This Leprous Gold the Philosophers call Adrop or Adrup which Gold is the Philosophers Lead This Alchymick Body in his Concord he calls Venus in the lesser Work both for Gold and Silver because it is a Neutral Body and very easie to be changed to either and by this the sense of Sect. 4. and 8. aforegoing may be more easily understood The Earth the uncleansed Body is to be purified with its own Water and afterwards nourished with its Mothers Milk which is called the Sulphur of Nature XI The first Matter of this unclean Alchymical Body is a Viscous Water which is thickened in the Bowels of the Earth And therefore of this Impure Body as Vincent saith is made the great Elixir of the Red and White whose Name is Adrop or Adrup viz the Philosophers Lead From the which Raymundus commands an Oyl to be drawn from the Lead of the Philosophers saith he let there be an Oyl drawn of a Golden Colour if you can separate this Oyl wherein is Our second Tincture and Fire of Nature from its Flegm which is it watrishness and wisely search out the Secret thereof you may in the space of thirty days perform the Work of the Philosophers Stone XII This Oyl does not only make the Medicine penetrable being amicable and conjoynable to all Bodies or Corporeal things but it is also the hidden or Secret fire of Nature which does so augment the Excellencies of those Bodies to whom it is so joyned that it makes them to exceed in infinite proportions of goodness and purity So much as does appertain to the Work of Alchymiae which is only for the Elixir of Metals is now sufficiently opened which if you rightly understand you will find that no great cost is required to the performance of this Philosophick Operation XIII The Innatural Fire is Our Aqua Foetens or Sea-Water sharp peircing and burning all Bodies more fiercely than Elemental Fire making of the Body of Sol a meer Spirit which common Elemental Fire has not power to do XIV But this Elixir of Metals is not all that I intend to shew you the Elixir of Life is that which I chiefly designed infinitely exceeding all the Riches of this World and to which the most excellent of all the Earthly things cannot be compared And therefore I shall 1. Shew in the Mineral Kingdom the Elixir of Metals and that after divers manners 2. In the Vegetable Kingdom the Elixir both of Metals and of Life 3. In the Animal Kingdom the Elixir of Life only albeit the same Elixir of Life is most excellent for the transmutation of Metalls XV. There are three things necessary to this Art of which you ought not to ignorant viz. 1. The Fire wherewith The fire of Nature Innatural Elemental and which is against Nature destroying the special form of all that is dissolved therein 2. The Water whereby as in the Compound Water 3. And the thing whereof is made the congealed Earth as White as Snow Of all which in their proper order CHAP. LXIII Of the Mineral Stone and Philosophick Fires I. ON a time as I have learned there was an Assembly of Philosophers where the Matter of the Secret Stone and the Manner of working it was propounded Several spoke their Opinions but at length one younger in Years and as was thought Inferiour in Learning declared his thoughts and knowledge concerning that Secret I know saith he the Regiments of the Fires When they had heard what he could say they all as a mazed held their peace for a while II. At lenght one of the Company made answer If this be true which thou hast said thou art Master of us all and thereupon with one consent they gave him the Right Hand of Fellowship Whereupon they gathered that the Secret of this wonderful Tincture lay chiefly in the Fire III. But the Fire differs after several manners one Natural another innatural or preternatural another Elemental another against Nature The Natural Fire does come from the Influence of Sol and Luna and the Asterisms or the Sun Moon and Stars of the which are Ingendred not only the burning Waters and potential Vapours of Minerals but also the Natural Virtues of living things IV. The Innatural or Preternatural Fire is a thing accidental as Heat in an Ague being made Artificially and called by the Philosophers a moist Fire Our generating Water the fire of the first Degree and for the temperature of its Heat is called a Bath a Stew a Dunghil in which Dunghil is made the putrefaction of our Stone See Sect. 13. of the former Chapter where it is more amply
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
take this quantity weigh it exactly and add to it as much moisture as it will drink up the weight of which we have not determined Then work them as before with the same Operations of a first imbibing and subliming it This Operation is called Albification and they name it Yarit that is Silver or White Lead III. When you have made this Compound white add to it so much of the Spirit as will make half of the whole and set it to working till it grows red and then it will be of the colour of Al 〈◊〉 Cinnabar which is very red and the Philosophers have likened it to Gold whose effects lead to that which the Philosopher said to his Scholar Arda IV. We call the Clay when it is white Yarit that is Silver But when it is red we name it Temeynch that is Gold Whiteness is that which tinges Copper and makes it Yarit And it is redness which tinges Yarit i. e. Silver and makes it Temeynch or Gold V. He therefore that is able to dissolve these Bodies to subtilize them and to make them white and red as I have said that is to compound them by imbibing and convert them to the same shall without doubt perform the work and attain to the perfection of the Magistery of which I have spoken VI. Now to perform these things you must know the Vessels for this purpose The one is an 〈◊〉 in which the parts are separated and cleansed in them the matter of the Magistery is depurated and made compleat and perfect VII Every one of these Aludels must have a Furnace fit for them which must have a similitude and figure fit for the Work Mezleme and some other Philosophers have named all these things in their Books shewing the manner and form thereof VIII And herein the Philosophers agree together in their Writings concealing the matter under Symbols in many Books but seting forth the necessary Instruments for the said four Operations The Instruments are chiefly two in number one is a Cucurbit with its Alembick the other is a well made Aludel or sublimatory IX There are also four things necessary to these viz. Bodies Souls Spirits Waters and of these four does the Mineral Work and Magistery consist all which are made plain in the Books of Philosophers X. I have therefore omitted them in mine only touching at them and created of those things which they over-passed with silence which what they are by the sequel of the Discourse you will easily discern but these things write I not for the Ignorant and Unlearned but for the Wise and Prudent that they may know them CHAP. XXV Of the Nature of Things appertaining to this Work Of Decoction and its Effects I. KNow then that the Philosophers have called them by divers names Sometimes they call them Minerals sometimes Animals sometimes Vegetables sometimes Natures for that they are things natural and others have called them by other names at their Pleasures or as they liked best II. But their Medicines are near to Natures as the Philosophers have taught in their Books for that Nature comes nigh to Nature and Nature is like to Nature Nature is joyned to Nature Nature is drowned in Nature Nature makes Nature white and Nature makes Nature red III. And Corruption is in conjunction with Generation Generation is retained with Generation and Generation conquereth with Generation IV. Now for the performance of these things the Philosophers have in their Books taught us how to decoct and how decoction is to be made in the matter of our Magistery This is that which generates and changes them from their Substances and Colours into other Substances and Colours V. If you err not in the begining you may happily attain the end But you ought to consider the seed of the Farth whereon we live how the heat of the Sun works in it till the Seed is impregnated with its influences and Virtues and made to spring till it grows up to ripeness This is the first change or transmutation VI. After this Men and other Creatures feed upon it and Nature by the heat that is innate in Man changes it again into Flesh Blood and Bones VII Now like to this is the Operation or Work of our Magistery the Seed whereof as the Philosophers say is such that its progress and perfection consifts in the fire which is the cause of its Life and Death VIII Nor is there any thing which comes between the Body and the Spirit but the fire nor is there any thing mingled therewith but the fire which brings the Magistery to its perfection this is the truth which I have told you and I have both seen and done it CHAP. XXVI Of Subtilization Solution Coagulation and Commixion of the Stone I. NOW except you subtilize the Body till it becomes water it will not corrupt and putrefie nor can it congeal the Fugitive Souls when the fire touches them for the fire is that which by its force and spirit congeals and unites them II. In like manner the Philosophers commanded to dissolve the Bodies to the end that the heat might enter into their Bowels or inward parts So we return to dissolve these Bodies and congeal them after their solution with that thing which comes near to it till all the things mixed together by an apt and fit commixtion in proportional quantities are firmly conjoyned together III. Wherefore we joyn Fire and Water Earth and Air together mixing the thick with the thin and the thin with the thick so as they may abide together and their Natures may be changed the one into the other and made like and one thing in the compound which before were simple IV. Because that part which generates or ferments bestows its virtue upon the subtil and thin which is the Air for like cleaves to its like and is a part of the Generation from whence it receives power to move and ascend upwards V. Cold has power over the thick matter because it has lost its heat and the water is gone out of it and the driness appears upon it This moisture departs by ascending up and the 〈◊〉 part of the Air has mingled 〈◊〉 self with it for that it is like unto it and of the same nature VI. Now when the thick body has lost its heat and moisture and that the cold and dryness has power over it and that their parts have mixed themselves by being first divided and that there is no moisture left to joyn the parts divided the parts withdraw themselves VII And then the part which is contrary to cold by reason it has continued and sent its heat and decoction to the cold parts of the Earth having power over them and exercising such dominion over the coldness which was hidden in the said thick Body that by virtue of its generative power changes the thick cold Body and makes it become subtil and hot and then strives to dry it up again by its heat VIII But afterwards the subtil
part which causes the Natures to ascend when it has lost its Occidental heat and waxes cold then the Natures are changed and become thick and descend to the center where the earthly Natures are joyned together which were subtilized and converted in their generation and imbibed in them IX And so the moisture joyneth together the parts divided But the Earth labours to dry up that moisture compassing it about and hindering it for going out by means whereof that which before lay hid does now appear nor can the moisture be separated but is held fast and firmly retained by dryness X. In like manner we see that whatsoever is in the World is held or retained by or with its contrary as heat with cold and dryness with moisture thus when each of them has besieged its Companion the thin is mixed with the thick and those things are made one substance viz. their hot and moist Soul and their cold and dry Body are united and made one XI Then it strives to dissolve and subtilize by its heat and moisture which is the Soul and the Body labours to enclose and retain the hot and moist Soul in its cold and dry substance And in this manner is their Virtues and Properties altered and changed from one thing to another XII I have told you the Truth which I have seen and my own self has done And therefore I charge you to change or convert the Natures from their Substances and Subtilties with heat and moisture into their Substances and Colours If you proceed aright in this Work you must not pass the bounds I have set you in this Book CHAP. XXVII The manner of Fixation of the Spirit Decoction Trituration and Washing I. WHen the Body is mingled with moisture and that the heat of the fire meets therewith the moisture is converted into the Body and dissolves it and then the Spirit cannot go forth because it is imbibed with the Fire II. The Spirits are fugitive so long as the Bodies are mixed with them and strive to resist the fire its heat and flame and therefore these parts can scarcely agree without a good and continual Operation and a steadfast permanent and natural heat III. For the nature of the Soul is to ascend upwards where its Center is and he that is not able to joyn two or more divers things together whose Centers are divers knows nothing of this Work IV. But this must be done after the conversion of their Natures and change of their Substances and matter from their natural Properties which is difficult to find out V. Whoever therefore can convert or change the Soul into the Body and the Body into the Soul and therewith mingle the subtil and volatile Spirits they shall be able to tinge any Body VI. You must also understand that Decoction Contrition Cribation Munidification and Ablution with Sweet Water are most necessary to the Secret of our Magistery VII And if you bestow pains herein you may cleanse it purely for you must clear it from its blackness and darkness which appear in the Operation VIII And you must subtilize the Body to the highest point of Volatility and Subtility and then mix therewith the Souls dissolved and the Spirits cleansed and so digest and decoct to the perfection of the matter CHAP. XXVIII Of the Fire fit for this Work I. YOu must not be unacquainted with the strength and proportion of the fire for the perfection or destruction of our Stone depends thereupon For Plato said The fire gives profit to that which is perfect but brings hurt and destruction to that which is Corrupt II. So that when its quantity or proportion shall be fit and convenient your Work will thrice prosper and go on as it ought to do but if it exceed the measure it shall without measure corrupt and destroy it III. And for this cause it was requisite that the Philosophers have instituted several proofs of the strength of their Fires that they might prevent and hinder their burning and the hurt of a violent heat IV. In Hermes it is said I am afraid Father of the Enemy in my House To whom he made Answer Son Take the Dog of Corascene and the Bitch of Armenia and joyn them together so shall you have a Dog of the colour of Heaven V. Dip him once in the Water of the Sea so will he become thy Friend and defend thee from thine Enemy and shall go along with thee and help thee and defend thee wheresoever thou goest nor shall he ever forsake theee but abide with thee for ever VI. Now Hermes meant by the Dog and Bitch such Powers or Spirits as have power to preserve Bodies from the hurt strength or force of the Fire VII And these thing are Waters of Calces and Salts the Composition whereof is to be found in the Writings of the Philosophers who have discoursed of this Magistery among whom some of them have named Sea-water Virgins Milk food of Birds and the like CHAP. XXIX Of the Separation of the Elements I. AFterwards take this precious Stone which the Philosophers have named yet hidden and concealed put it into a Cucurbit with its Alembick and divide its Natures viz. the four Elements the Earth Water Air and Fire II. These are the Body and Soul the Spirit and Tincture when you have divided the Water from the Earth and the Air from the Fire keep each of them by themselves and take that which descends to the bottom of the Glass being the Faeces and wash it with a warm fire till its black ness be gone and its thickness be vanished III. Then make it very white causing the superfluous moisture to fly away for then it shall be changed and become a white Calx wherein there is no cloudy darkness nor uncleanness nor contrariety IV. Afterwards return it back to the first Natures which ascended from it and purifie them likewise from uncleanness blackness and contrariety V. And reiterate these Works upon them so often till they be subtilized purified and made thin which when you have done render up thanks and acknowledgments to the most Gracious God VI. Know then that this Work is but one and it produceth one Stone into which Garib shall not enter i. e. any strange or foreign thing The Philosopher works with this and therefrom proceeds a Medicine which gives perfection VII Nothing must be mingled herewith either in part or whole And this Stone is to be found at all times and in every place and about every Man the search whereof is yet difficult to him that seeks it wheresoever he be VIII This Stone is vile black and stinking it costs nothing it must be taken alone it is somewhat heavy and is called the Original of the World because it rises up like things that bud forth this is the manifestation and appearance of it to them that seek truly after it IX Take it therefore and work it as the Philosopher has told you in the the Book
fire for 40 days of Elemental heat and in that decoction of 40 days the Body will rejoyce with the Soul and the Soul will rejoyce with the Body and Spirit and the Spirit will rejoyce with the Body and Soul and they will be fixed together and dwell one with another in which Life they will be made perpetual and immortal without separation for ever CHAP. XXXV A farther Explication of this matter I. OUR Medicine is made of 3 things viz. of a Body Soul and Spirit There are two Bodies to wit Sol and Luna Sol is a Tincture where with imperfect Bodies are tinged into Sol and Luna tingeth into Luna for nature brings forth only its like a Man a Man a Horse a Horse c. II. We have named the Bodies which serve to this Work which of some are called ferment for as a little leven levens the whole lump so Luna and Sol leven Mercury as their Meal into their Nature and Virtue III. If it be demanded Why Sol and Luna having a prefixed Tincture do not yet tinge imperfect Metals I Answer A Child tho' born of humane kind acts not the Man it must first be nourisht and bred up till it comes to Maturity So is it with Metals also they cannot shew their power and force unless they be first reduced from their Terrestreity to a Spirituality and nourisht and fed in their Tinctures through heat and humidity IV. For the Spirit is of the same matter and nature with our Medicine We say our Medicines are of a siery nature and much subtiler but of themselves they cannot be subtil nor simple but must be maturated or ripened with subtil and penetrating things V. Earth of it self is not subtil but may be made so through moist water which is dissolving and makes an ingress for Sol that it may penetrate the Earth and with its heat make the Earth subtile and in this way the Earth must be subtilized so long till it be as subtil as a Spirit which then is the Mercury more dissolving than common water and apt to dissolve the said Metals and that through the heat of fire to penetrate and subtilize them VI. There are several Spirits as Mercury Sulphur Orpiment Arsenick Antimony Nitre Sal-armoniack Tutia Marchisits c. but Mercury is a better Spirit than all others for being put into the fire they are carried away and we know not what becomes of them But Mercury as it is much subtiler clearer and penetrative so it is joyned to the Metals and changed into them whereas the others burn and destroy them making them more gross than they were before VII Now Mercury is of such a subtil nature that it transmutes Metals into simple and pure substances as it self is and attracts them to its self But no Metal can be transmuted by any of the other Spirits but they burn it to Earth and Ashes which Mercury it becomes impalpahle and therefore is called Argent Vive VIII We take nothing else to subtilize Metals to make them penetrative or to tinge other Metals Some call it Argent Vive or a Water an Acetum a Poyson because it destroys imperfect Bodies dividing them into several parts and forms our Medicine is made of two things viz. of Body and Spirit And this is true that all Metals have but one Root and Original IX But why cannot this Medicine be made of two compounded together I Answer It may be made of all these together but they must be reduced into a Mercury which would be difficult of the shortness of Man's Life Therefore we take the next matter which are the two aforesaid things viz. Body and Spirit X. Some Philosophers say our Medicine is made of four things and so it is For in Metals and their Spirits are the four Elements Others say true also That Metals must be turned into Argent Vive Here many Learned and Wise Men err and loose themselves in this path Thus far of the matter of which our Medicine is made or with which it is ioyned Now of the Vessels XI The Vessel ought to resemble the Firmament to enclose and encompass the whole Work For our Medicine is nothing else but a change of Elements one into another which is done by the motion of the Firmament for which reason it must needs be round and circular XII The other or second Vessel must also be round and be less than the outward Vessel 6 or 7 Inches high called a containing Cucurbit on which you must place an Alembick or Head through which the Vapors may ascend which must be well luted with Lute made of Meal sifted Ashes Whites of Eggs c. Or of Meal Calx Vive ana j. part tempered with Whites of Eggs which you must immediately use Lute it so well that no Spirits may fly away the loss of which will prejudice your Work extreamly therefore be wary XIII The Fornace or Oven must be round 12 or 14 Inches high and 6 or 7 Inches broad and 3 or 4 Inches in thickness to keep in the heat the better XIV Our matter is generated through or by help of the heat of the fire through the Vapour of the Water and also of the 〈◊〉 which must be nourished be wise and consider and meditate well upon the matter XV. Now in order to this Work there is 1. Dissolution 2. Separation 3. Sublimation 4. Fixation or Congelation 5. Calcination 6. Ingression XVI Dissolution is the changing of a dry thing into a moist one and belongs only to Bodies as to Sol and Luna which serve for our Art For a Spirit needs not to be dissolved being a liquid thing of it self but Metals are gross and dry and of a gross nature and therefore must be subtilized XVII First Because unless they be subtilized through dissolution they cannot be reduced into water and made to ascend through the Alembick to be converted into Spirit whose remaining foeces are reserved for a farther use XVIII Secondly Because the Body and Spirit must be made indivisible and one For no gross matter joyns or mixes with a Spirit unless it be first subtilized and reduced into Argent Vive then the one embraces the other inseperably For Argent Vive meeting with a thing like it self rejoyceth in it and the dissolved Body embraces the Spirit and suffers it not to fly away making it to endure the fire and it rejoyces because it has found an equal viz. one like it self and of the same nature XIX Dissolution is thus done Take Leaves of Sol or Luna to which add a good quantity of pure Mercury putting in the Leaves by little and little into a Vessel placed in so gentle a heat that the Mercury may not fume when all is dissolved and the Mass feems to be one Homogene body you have done well If there be any foeces or matter undissolved add more Mercury till all seems to be melted together XX. Take the matter thus dissolved set it in B. M. for
an homogene and uniform nature Then we take the moist part and reserve it a part to a farther use This Earth or Ashes which is a very fixed thing we put into a very strong Earthen Pot or Crucible to which we lute its Cover and set it in a calcining Fornace or Reverberatory for 3 days so that it may be always red hot Thus we make of a Stone a white Calx and of things of an earthy and watery nature a fiery nature For every Calx is of a fiery nature which is hot and dry XXXVI We have brought things to the nature of fire we must now further subtilize the four Elements we take apart a small quantity of this Calx viz. a fourth part The other we set to dissolve with a good quantity of fresh Mercury even as we had done formerly in all the Processes of the aforegoing Paragraphs and so proceed on from time to time till it is wholly dissolved XXXVII Now that you may change the fixt into a Volatile that is Fire into Water know that that which was of the nature of Fire is now become the nature of Water and the fixt thereby is made volatile and very subtil Take of this water one part put it to the reserved Calx and add to it as much of the water as may over top the Calx 2 or 3 Inches making a fire under it for 3 days thus it congeals sooner than at first for Calx is hot and dry and drinks up the humidity greedily XXXVIII This Congelation must be continued till all be quite congealed afterwards you must calcine it as formerly being quite calcined it is called the quintessence because it is of a more subtil nature than fire and because of the Transmutation formerly made All this being done our Medicine is finished and nothing but Ingression is wanting viz. that the matter may have an Ingress into Imperfect Metals XXXIX Plato and many other Philosophers began this Work again with dissolving subliming or subtilizing congealing and calcining as at first But this our Medicine which we call a ferment transmutes Mercury into its own na-nature in which it is dissolved and sublimed They say also our Medicine transmutes infinitely imperfect Metals and that he who attains once to the perfection of it shall never have any need to make more all which is Philosophically to be understood as to the first Original Work XL. Seeing then that our Medicine transmutes imperfect Metals into Sol and Luna according to the nature and form of the matter out of which it is made therefore we now a second time say That this our Medicine is of that nature that it transmutes or changes converts divides asunder like fire and is of a more subtil nature than fire being of the nature of a quintessence as aforesaid converting Mercury which is an imperfect substance into its own nature turning the grossness of Metal into Dust and Ashes as you see fire which does not turn all things into its nature but that which is homogene with it turning the hetero gene matter into Ashes XLI We have taught how a Body is to be changed into a Spirit and again how the Spirit is to be turned into a Body viz. how the fixed is made volatile and the volatile fixed again How the Earth is turned into Water and Air and the Air into Fire and the Fire into Earth again Then the Earth into Fire and the Fire into Air and the Air into Water and the Water again into Earth Now the Earth which was of the nature of Fire is brought to the nature of a quintessence XLII Thus we have taught the ways of transmuting performed through heat and moisture making out of a dry a moist thing and out of a moist a dry one otherwise Natures which are of several Properties or Families could not be brought to one uniform thing if the one should be turned into the others nature XLIII And this is the perfection of the matter according to the advice of the Philosopher Ascend from the Earth into Heaven and descend from the Heaven to the Earth to the intent to make the body which is Earth into a Spirit which is subtil and then to reduce that Spirit into a Body again which is gross changing one Element into another as Earth into Water Water into Air Air into Fire and Fire again into Water and Water into Fire and that into a more subtil Nature and quintescence Thus have you accomplished the Treasure of the whole World XLIII Ingression Take Sulphur Vive Melt it in an Earthen Vessel well glazed and put to it a strong Lye made of Calx vive and Pot Ashes Boyl gently together so will an Oyl swim on the top which take and keep Having enough of it mix it with Sand distil it through an Alembick or Retort so long till it becomes incombustible With this Oyl we imbibe Our Medicine which will be like Soap then we distil by an Alembick and cohobate 3 or 4 times adding more Oyl to it if it be not imbibed enough XLV Being thus imbibed put fire under it that the moisture may Vanish and the Medicine be fit and fusible as the body of Glass Then take the Avis Hermetis before reserved and put it to it Gradatim till it all becomes perfectly fixt XLVI Now according to Avicen it is not possible to convert or transmute Metals unless they be reduced to their first Matter then by the help of Art they are transmuted into another Metal The Alchymist does like the Physitian who first Purges off the Corrupt or Morbifick Matter the Enemy to Mans Health and then administers a Cordial to restore the Vital Powers So we first Purge the Mercury and Sulphur in Metals and then strengthen the Heavenly Elements in them according to their various Preparations XLVII This Nature works farther by the help of Art as her Instrument and really makes the most pure and fine Sol and Luna for as the heavenly Elemental Virtues work in natural Vessels even so do the artificial being made uniform agreeable with nature and as nature works by means of the heats of Fire and of the Bodies so also Art work 〈◊〉 by a like temperate and proportionate fire by the moving and living virtue in the matter XLVIII For the heavenly virtue mixed with it at first and inclinable to this or that is furthered by Art Heavenly Virtues are communicated to their Subjects as it is in all natural things chiefly in things generated by putrefaction where the Astral Influences are apparent according to the capacity of the matter XLIX The Alchymist imitates the same thing destroying one form to beget another and his Operations are best when they are according to nature as by purifying the Sulphur by digesting subliming and purging Argent Vive by an exact mixtion with a Metalick matter and thus out of their Principles the form of every Metal is produced L. The power and virtue of the converting Element must
Decoct V. And therefore to Grind is to Decoct of which you are not to be weary saith Rhasis Digest continually but not in haste that is not with too great a Fire cease not or make no intermission in your work follow not the Artifice of Sophisters but pursue your Operation to the Complement and perfection thereof VI. Also in the Rosary it is advised to be cautious and watchful lest your work prove dead or imperfect and to continue it with a long Decoction Close up well thy Vessel and pursue to the end VII For there is no Generation of things but by Putrefaction by keeping out the Air and a continual internal motion with an equal and gentle Heat VIII Remember when you are in your work all the Signs and Appearances which arise in every Decoction for they are necessary to be known and understood in order to the perfecting the matter IX You must be sure to be incessant and continual in your Operation with a gentle Fire to the appearing of the perfect Whiteness which cannot be if you open the Vessel and let out the Spirit X. From whence it is Evident that if you mannage your matter ill or your Fire be too great it ought to be extinguished Therefore saith Rhasis pursue your business incessantly beware of instability of mind and too great expectations by a too hasty and precipitate pursuit lest you lose your End XI But as another Philosopher saith Digest and Digest again and be not weary The most exquisite and industrious Artist can never attain to perfection by too much haste but only by a long and continual Decoction and Digestion for so Nature works and Art must in some measure imitate Nature CHAP. XLIV Of the Various Signs Appearing in every Operation I. THis then is the thing that the Vessel with the Medicine be put into a moist Fire to wit that the middle or one half of the Vessel be in a moist Fire or Balneo of equal Heat with Horse-Dung and the other half out of the Fire that you may daily look into it II. And in about the space of Forty Days the superficies or upper part of the Medicine will appear black as melted Pitch and this is the Sign that the Citrine Body is truly converted into Mercury III. Therefore saith Bonellus when you see the blackness of the Water to appear be assured that the Citrine Body is made Liquid The same thing saith Rhasis the Disposition or Operation of our Stone is One which is that it be put into its Vessel and carefully Decocted and Digested till such time as the whole Body ibe Dissolved and Ascended IV. And in another place he saith continue it upon a temperate or gentle Balneo so long till it be perfectly Dissolved into Water and made impalpable and that the whole Tincture be extracted into the blackness which is the Sign of its dissolution V. Lucas also assureth us that when we see the blackness of the water in all things to appear that then the Body is dissolved or made Liquid VI. This blackness the Philosophers called the first Conjunction for then the Male and Female are joyned together and it is the Sign of perfect mixtion VII Yet notwithstanding the whole Tincture is not drawn out together but it goes out every day by little and little until by a great length of time it is perfectly extracted and made compleat VIII And that part of the Body which is dissolved ever Ascends or Rises to the Top above all the other undissolved Matter which remains yet at Bottom IX Therefore saith Avicen That which is spiritual in the Vessel Ascends up to the Top of the Matter and that which is yet gross and thick remains in the Bottom of the Vessel X. This blackness is called among the Philosophers by many Names to wit The Fires the Soul a Cloud the Revens-Head a Coal Our Oyl Aqua vitae the Tincture of Redness the shadow of the Sun Black Brass Water of Sulphur and by many other Names XI And this Blackness is that which conjoyneth the Body with the Spirit XII Then saith Rhasis The Government of the Fire being observed for the space of Forty Days both to wit the White Liquor and the Citrine Body are made a Permanent or fixt Water covered over with blackness which blackness if rightly ordered cometh to its perfection in Forty Days space XIII Of which another Philosopher saith so long as the obscure blackness appeareth the WOMAN hath the Dominion and this is the first Conception or strength of our Stone For if it be not first Black it shall never be either White or Red. XIV Avicen saith That Heat causeth blackness first in a moist Body then the humidity being consumed it putteth off or loseth its blackness and as the Heat encreaseth or is continued so it grows white XV. Lastly by a more inward Heat it is Calcin'd into Ashes as the Philosophers teach XVI In the first Decoction which is called Putrefaction Our Stone is made all Black to wit a Black Earth by the drawing out of its Humidity and in that Blackness the Whiteness is hidden XVII And when the Humidity is reverted upon the Blackness again and by a continued soft and gentle Digestion is made fixed with its Earth then it becomes White XVIII In this Whiteness the Redness is hidden and when it is Decocted and Digested by augmentation and continuance of the Fire that Earth is changed into Redness as we shall hereafter teach CHAP. XLV Of the Eduction of the Whiteness out of the Blackness or Black Matter I. NOw let us revolve to the Black matter in its Vessel not so much as once opened but continually closed Let this Vessel I say stand continually in the moist fire till such time as the White Colour appears like to a white moist Salt II. The Colour is called by the Philosophers Arsenick and Sal Armoniack and some others call it The thing without which no profit is to be had in the Work III. But inward whiteness appearing in the Work then is there a perfect Conjunction and Copulation of the Bodies in this Stone which is indissoluble And then is fulfilled that saying of Hermes The thing which is above is as that which is beneath and that which is beneath is as that which is above to perform the Mystery of this matter IV. Phares saith Seeing the Whiteness appearing above in the Vessel you may be certain that in that Whiteness the Redness lies hid but before it becomes White you will find many Colours to appear V. Therefore saith Diomedes Decoct the Male and the Female or Vapour together until such time as they shall become one dry Body for except they be dry the divers or various Colours will not appear VI. For it will ever be black whilst that humidity or moisture has the dominion but if that be once wasted then it emits divers Colours after many and several ways VII And many times it shall be changed from
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
thick as an Oyl which Oyl first with a soft fire and after with a stronger fix into dry Pouder IV. This Work is not to be done all at once but by little and little at a time till it goes through with it in the Color of Blood then will it precipitate into a Red Pouder called by the Philosophers Sericon Dissolve it with as much of Our Vegetable Sal Anatron the space of an hour then set it in Balneo in a long Receptory till it be clearly dissolved and becomes as it were a fine Wine which with the very softest heat make it to Evaporate and Congeal so will you have a pure Stone and of subtil parts V. Also if you dissolve this same Red Pouder of Mercury in Water or Spirit of Common Salt prepared as Bachon and Albertus have taught you shall have an Oyl or Salt of Gold which no Fire can destroy which will melt and tinge with a solar Color upon a Plate of Venus This Treasure carry always with you wheresoever you go Who knows not the Secret of this prepared Salt in Our lesser Works knows little of the hidden things of Alchymie VI. Try this fixt Pouder at Sect. 3. above for the fixation reiterate still the Work with the same Fire against Nature upon the same Pouder Ten times and it will be dryed up no more into Pouder but remain in a thick Oyl the which will turn Argent Vive and all Bodies into pure Alchymick Gold sufficiently good for all works of the Goldsmith but not for Medicine for Man's Body VII A Second way Gold is much more wonderfully Elixirated by the said Fire against Nature compounded with the Fire Natural after this manner Let Vitriol of the Fire of Nature made of the most sharp Humidity or moisture of Grapes and Sericon joyned together in a Mass with the Natural Mineral Vitriol called the Gum of Adrop or Vitriol Azoth made somewhat dry and with Sal Nitre be dissolved VIII First Ascends a Fair Weak Flegmatick Water which cast away Then a White Fume making the Vessel appear White like Milk which Fume must be gathered into the receiver so long till it ceases and the Vessel becomes clear of its own Color This water of the White Fume is the stinking Menstruum which is called Our Dragon against Nature This Menstruum if the said Dragon against Nature was absent would be our Fire Natural of which we shall hereafter speak in its proper place IX Raymundus saith this Water is made of four things 1. The Composition of Sal Amarum 2. Menstru um Foetens 3. Argent Vive which is a common substance in every Corruptible Body 4. Mineral Vitriol X. This compounded Water Mineral and Water Vegetable being mixed together and made one Water as aforesaid doth work contrary Operation which is wonderful it Dissolves and Congeals it makes moist and dry it putrifies and purifies it divides asunder and joyns together it destroys and restores it kills and makes alive it wounds and heals again it makes soft and hardens it makes thin and thick it resolves Compounds and Compounds again It begins the Work and makes an end of the same XI These two Mineral Waters Compounded together in one are the two Dragons Fighting and striving to gather one against the other in the Flood of Satalia viz. the White Fume and the Red and one of them shall devour the other And here the Solutory Vessels ought to be Luted but gently or closed with Linnen Cloth or with Mastick or common Wax or Cerecloth XII These two Dragons are Fire and Water within the Vessel and not without and therefore if they feel any exteriour fire they will rise up to the top of the Vessel and if they be yet forced by the violence or strength of the Fire they will break the Vessel and so you will lose all your Work XIII This Compounded Water aforesaid does Congeal as much as it does Dissolve and lists it up into a glorious Crystalline Earth This is our Secret dissolution of the Stone which is always done with the Congelation of its Water The Fire of Nature is here put to the Fire against Nature therefore as much as the Stone has lost of its form by the power and strength of the Water or Fire against Nature so much has it gotten and recovered again of its form by the Virtue of the Water or Fire of Nature But the Fire against Nature by the means of the Fire of Nature cannot be destroyed CHAP. LXV The Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body Dissolved I. THE Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body duly dissolved and prepared Take the prepared Body made with a thick Oyl put to it so much of the Compounded Water as may cover the same Calx i. e. Our prepared Calx with Our Vege table Menstruum by the depth of half an Inch. The Water will presently boil over the Calx without external dissolving the Stone and lifting it up into the form of Ice with the drying up also of the said Water II. The said Calx being so dissolved and sublimed into the form of Ice you must take away after this is done the residue of the Calx remaining in the Vessel undissolved shall again be well dryed by the Fire upon which put so much of the said Compounded Water as you did before dissolving subliming and drying till the Calx is wholly dissolved III. The substance thus dissolved subtily separated and brought into a Pouder must be put as thereafter shall be shewed into a good quantity of the Fire of Nature which is a Quintescence the same being first well rectified and the Vessel well stopp'd to the end that the means of the heat outwardly administred unto it procuring the inward heat to work it may be dissolved into an Oyl the which will soon be done by reason of the simplicity of the Water or simple Fire of Nature IV. And therefore when you have brought the said Pouder so dissolved sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water into an Oyl 〈◊〉 is our Menstruum Visible unto sight by putting thereto a good quantity of the aforesaid rectified simple Fire of Nature as before declared then abstract or draw away the said Water again from the same Oyl by Distilling the same in a moist Temperate heat so long till there remains in the bottom of the Glass a thin Oyl V. This Oyl the oftner it is dissolved with the said simple rectified Fire of Nature and the said Water Abstracted or Distilled by a Temperate heat so much the more will the said Oyl be made subtil and thin VI. With the said Oyl provided the Calx be the Calx of Sol or Luna you may incere the substances or Calces of other Bodies the said Bodies being first dissolved exalted sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water in manner and form of Ice aforesaid till that by the Inceration of the
of his natural Magick that there is a Salt made of the Lees or Tartar of Wine or Aquae Vitae called the Salt of Art and Mercury without which Salt saith he there is nothing can be done Also he begins his Practice with this Salt in the first and last Chapter of his Codicil XXIV Wherefore as the same Philosopher affirms among these things is this Menstruum one of the Secrets of this Art whose Virtue must be increased by a wise management of the Matter you must circulate this Menstruum in the Unctuous humidity in a Vessel of Circulation by rotation continually an hundred and twenty days in the hottest Fornace CHAP. LXX The Remaining Process of the Vegetable Stone I. HItherto the Process of the Vegetable Stone has been long and Obscure but that nothing may be doubtful to the prejudice of my professed Love to your Lordship I say that all these things spoken by Raymundus are covered with the Mantle of Philosophy Truly his intention is that there should be made a dissolution with the Spirit of Wine but that this Spirit of Wine should be joyned with another Menstruum resoluble without which Resolution can never be attained II. Here the two Spirits are joyned together the Vegetable Menstruum or White Oyl of Tartar and our Metalline Oyl III. And that Menstruum Resoluble is generated only of a Metalline kind for it is a potential or mighty Vapour being in every Metalline Body joyning together two extreams Sulphur and Argent 〈◊〉 IV. And so indeed after this sort Our water is a Metalline water which because it does savour of the Nature of either extream it therefore brings our Resolutive Menstruum into Act. V. Now how this Menstruum which is Unctuous Moist Sulphurous and Mercurial agreeing with the Nature of Metals and wherewith Bodies must be Artificially Dissolved may be had we will here shew by clear practice VI. Take the sharpest humidity of Grapes and in it being Distilled dissolve the Body well Calcin'd into a Redness into a Cyrstalline clear and Ponderous water the which Body Calcin'd into Redness is of the Masters of this Science called Sericon VII Now comes in the Practice of Pupilla of the dissolution of the Red Lyon for the Fire of Nature called also Red Lead Red Coral Sericon is of the Nature of Black Pepper Euphorbium c. of a hot biting and fiery Nature all which things are spoken only by way of Comparison VIII Then of this Crystalline water let there be made a Gum the which in Taste will be like to Alum This Gum by Raymundus is called Vitriol Azoth from which let there be drawn with a gentle Fire first a weak water with no more Taste or sharpness than simple Well water Fresher water there is none in Taste yet will it never Consume or Waste tho' it be used never so often nor will it be ever less in quantity IX And when the White Fume shall begin to appear change your Receiver and Lute it strongly that it breath not forth so shall you have our burning water Our Aquae Vitae and Resolutive Menstruum the which before was Resoluble a Vapour potential a mighty Vapour able to dissolve Bodies to Putrifie and to Purifie to divide the Elements and also to exalt theEarth into a wonderful Salt by the force of its attractive Virtue This is our Fire of Nature X. This water has a bitter sharp Taste upon the Tongue and also a kind of stinking Menstruum and because it is a water which is very Spirituous and Volatile therefore within a Month after it is Distilled it ought to be put upon its Calx When it is Affused upon the Calx it will without any external Fire boil if the Vessel be closely shut and it will not cease to Ferment or work till it be all dryed up into the Calx XI Therefore you must put no greater a quantity of it to the Calx but what may just cover it as it were and so proceed when the Fornace is dryed up to the whole Complement thereof as in the Operation of the Compound water and as the work requires XII And when the Elixir shall be brought into a Purple Color then let it be dissolved with the aforesaid Vegetable Menstruum into a thin Oyl the same Menstruum being first rectified and let the same by the Circulation of the Spirit of our water be fixed so will it have Power to transmute or change all Bodies into pure Gold and to Heal and Cure all Infirmities and Diseases in Man's Body ten thousand times better than all the Potions and Prescriptions of Galen or Hippocrates XIII This Elixir is the true Aurum potabile and no other for it is made of Gold Elementated and Circulated by the spirituous wheel of Philosophy and it is so wrought with the Air Gass potency or spirit of Mercury dissolved by its self sublimed and rectified as that the body of Gold by it may not only be curiously and exquisitely Elixirated but also that it may then afterwards be brought to such a perfection by this our Art as to be applied profitably to the most desirable work XIV Thus you may see we have hid nothing concerning this our desired Elixir of the Vegetable Stone I shall now proceed to that of the Animal Stone which is but a work of three days and in three days will be compleatly ended My advice to you is not to gather the Leaves of Words but the Fruits of Works the profit of the things sought after XV. And know that in this Work I have not so much affected the Curiosity of Language or Elegancies of Stile as the denudating the Essential Verity and exposing the very Power of Truth to your View which by reason of my haste I have now concisely done in few words CHAP. LXXI Of Our Animal Stone I. WE now come to reveal the most noble and High Secret of Secrets viz. the Mystery of our Animal Stone desired of all Mankind and the way and manner of its Elixiration But this Animal Elixir is neither from Wine as it is Wine nor from Eggs Hair or Blood as they are such things but only from the Elements And these Elements we ought to search out in the Excellency of their exceeding Simplicy and Rectification II. The Elements as Roger Bachon saith are the Roots of all things the Mothers of every thing yet the Elements of the said things do not enter into the Work of this Our Elixir but only by the Virtue and Commixtion of those Elements with the Elements of Spirits and Bodies of Metals III. Yet so indeed as Roger Bachon saith the Elements of those things aforesaid do so enter in as to pierce through tho' not to dwell there and to Accomplish this Our great Elixir IV. Notwithstanding among all those things which be Natural as all the rest be which Philosophers have taken there is one thing yet which is found more pretious more excellent more proper and more Natural