occult than the Perfection consisting in a Metal But if they otherwise argue That Species is not changed into Species we again say They lye as they are more accustomed than to speak truly of these Things for Species is changed into Species in this manner viz. when the Individual of one Species is changed into the Individual of another We see a Worm both naturally and by natural Artifice to be turned into a Flye which differs from it in Species and a Calfe strangled to be turned into Bees Wheat into Darnel and a Dog strangled into Wormes by the putrefaction of Ebullition Yet we do not this but Nature to whom we administer doth the same Likewise also we alter not Metals but Nature for whom acording to Art we prepare that Matter for she by her self acts not we yet we are her Administrators And if they by another Reason thus argue and strengthen their own Sophisticate Opinion saying Nature perfects Metals in thousands of years but you cannot extend your Life so long We say that Nature acting on her own Principles according to the Opinion of Philosophers perfects them in Thousands of Years but because We cannot follow those Principles therefore whether Nature perfects these in a Thousand Years or in more or fewer or in a moment their Perswasion determines not That We cannot imitate Nature in her Principles We have already in the precedent Negative Discourse sufficiently abbreviated declared and in a more compleat Speech in the Subsequent will demonstrate Yet according to the Opinion of some Wise and Discerning Men Nature suddenly perfects her intended Work viz. in one Day or in a shorter Time Although this should be true yet We cannot imitate Nature in the Principles as We have sufficiently proved as a Thing most manifest Therefore the remainder of this Argument We confess graâ—ting the whole to be certainly true And if they say from the Site of one or more Stars Perfection is given to Metals which Site We know not To this We answer We have no necessity to know this Site because it is not a Species of Things Generable and Corruptible but from the Individuals of it is made Generation and Corruption of something every day whence it is evident that the Site of Stars is every day the Perfective and Corruptive of one or other Species of Individuals Therefore it is not necessary to expect the Site of Stars yet it would be profitable but it is sufficient for Nature only to dispose for she her self being Wise disposeth her Work by the convenient Sites of moveable Bodies Yea Nature cannot perform her own Motion without the Motion and Site of Things moveable Therefore if you dispose the Artifice of Nature and consider whatsoever shall fall in from the Contingents of this Magistery the Work will be duly perfected by Nature under a due Site convenient for it without any previous Consideration thereof For when We see a Worm deduced to a Being from a Dog or other putrefiable Animal We do not immediately consider the Site of the Stars but the Dispositions of the surrounding Air and other Causes besides that perfective of Putrefaction From such a Consideration We sufficiently know Worms to be produced into a Being according to Nature for Nature finds out a Site convenient for her self although unknown by Us. Also If they say Perfection is given in an Instant and Our Preparation is not made in an Instant And hence conclude That Our Magistery cannot be compleated by Artifice therefore the Art is not We say their Heads are fatuate and void of Humane Reason and they themselves more like to Beasts than Men for they conclude from Premises having no Affinity with that which is related Therefore this way of arguing An Ass runs ergo Thou art a Goat signifies as much as theirs And that for this Reason Although Preparation be not made in an Instant yet that hinders not but that the Form or Perfection may be given in an Instant to the Matter prepared for Preparation is not Perfection but a disposing to receive the Form Moreover If they say that it is easier to destroy Natural Things than to make them by Artifice and that we can scarcely destroy Gold and thence conclude it to be impossible to make the same We answer That so saying they conclude not of a necessity by which We are compelled to grant Gold cannot be made For seeing it is difficultly destroyed and more difficultly made but is not impossible that it may be made of which difficulty We assign this Reason viz. Because it hath a strong Composition it must needs have a more difficult Resolution and therefore is difficultly destroyed yet hence they think the Construction or Making of it impossible because they know not its Artificial Destruction according to the Course of Nature Perhaps they have by Tryal proved it to be of a strong Composition but of how strong a Composition have not tryed Thus most dear Son We have presented to you and refuted the Phantasies of Sophisters Therefore now 't is expedient We should according to Our Promise pass to those Things that are to be determined touching the Reasons of Men denying the Art from Things given or on Supposition Which being duly examined We shall then come to determine those Things which are Principles of the Intention of Nature the Essence of which We shall more sufficiently discourse of in the following But after that Determination We shall also speak of those Things that are the Principles of Our Magistery Yet in treating of the First We make an universal but in the following a singular Discourse of every one of the Principles But now for the present We first betake Our Selves to the Reasons of Men denying the Art from Things given and their Refutations CHAP. IV. Divers Opinions of those who suppose the Art to be VVE find very many Men with a diverse Intention supposing this Art Some indeed affirm that this Art and Magistery is to be found in Spirits but others in Bodies some in Salts Allomes Nitres and Boraces but others in all Vegetable Things And among all the aforesaid some partly well and partly ill others altogether evil judging of this Divine Magistery commit that their Judgment to Posterity Yet from the multiplicities of their Errors We have gathered the Truth and this hath happened to Us with difficult and laborious conjectural Wariness and long and tedious Experience with the Interposition of great Charges for their Error hath very often disturbed the Disposition of Our Mind and Reason and almost inferred Desperation Be they therefore blasphemed to Eternity because they have left to their Posterity Blasphemies and a Curse and by their Error brought the same on Men Philosophising For they left not behind them after their Death Verity but a Diabolick Instigation rather and I shall be accursed if I Correct not the Errors of those Men and teach the Truth in this Science which this True Art rather requires For this
OF Things perfecting and corrupting Metallick Bodies Chap. 1. Page 3. Of the Stone of Philosophers c. Chap. 2. Page 5. Of Things helping Preparation and of their Cleansing Chap. 3. Page 6. Of Preparing and Meliorating Bodies in General Chap. 4. Page 9. Of the Preparation of Tin in Special Chap. 5. Page 21. Of the Preparation of Saturn or Lead Chap. 6. Page 14. Of the Preparation of Copper Chap. 7. Page 15. Of the Preparation of Iron Chap. 8. Page 16 Of the Preparation of Gold Chap. 9 Page 17. Of the Preparation of Silver Chap. 10. Page 17. Of the Properties of the greater Elixir Chap. 11. Page 18. The Conclusion of this Book Page 20. II. Of the Sum of Perfection Or of the Perfect Magistery The First Book The Preface dividing this Book into Four Parts Page 22. Part I. Of the Division of Impediments Chap. 1. Page 25. Of the Impediments of this Work from the part of the Body of the Artificer Chap. 2. Page 26. Of Impediments from the Part of the Artists Soul Chap. 3. Page 27. Of External Impediments hindering the Work of this Art Chap. 4. Page 29. The Conclusion of the First Part containing the Qualifications of the Artificer Chap. 5. Page 30. Part 2. OF the true Reasons of Men simply denying Art Chap. 1. Page 34. That it is not possible c. that Art can imitate Nature in all Differencies of Properties of Actions Chap. 2. Page 39. A Confutation of the Reasons of Men simply denying Art Chap. 3. Page 42. Divers Opinions of those who suppose the Art to be Chap. 4. Page 49. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Sulphur Chap. 5. Page 51. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Arsnick Chap. 6. Page 53. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Argentvive c. Chap. 7. Page 54. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Spirits to be fixed with Bodies c. Chap. 8. Page 55. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in White Lead or Tin c. Chap. 9. Page 57. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Black Lead or Saturn Chap. 10. Page 59. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in the Mixtion of hard Bodies c. Chap. 11. Page 60. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in the Mixtion of hard Bodies c. Chap. 12. Page 61. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Extraction of the Soul Chap. 13. Page 62. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Glass and Gems c. Chap. 14. Page 62. Of the Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Middle Minerals Vegetables c. Chap. 15. Page 63. Part. 3. Of the Natural Principles of Metallick Bodies according to the Opinions c. Chap. 1. Page 65. Of the Natural Principles of Metals according to the Opinion of Modern Philosophers c. Chap. 2. Page 66. The Division of what are to be spoken of Sulphur Arsnick and Argentvive c. Chap. 3. Page 69. Of Sulphur Chap. 4. Page 69. Of Arsnick Chap. 5. Page 72. Of Argentvive or Mercury Chap. 6. Page 73. Of the Effects of the Principles of Nature which are Metallick Bodies Chap. 7. Page 74. Of Sol or Gold Chap. 8. Page 75. Of Luna or Silver Chap. 9. Page 77. Of Saturn or Lead Chap. 10. Page 78. Of Jupiter or Tin Chap. 11. Page 79. Of Venus or Copper Chap. 12. Page 80. Of Mars or Iron Chap. 13. Page 81. Part. 4. OF the Division of Things to be spoken with an Insinuation of Perfection c. Chap. 1. Page 83. Of Sublimation why invented Chap. 2. 86. What Sublimation is and of the Degrees of Fire c. Chap. 3. Page 88. Of the Feces of Metallick Bodies to be added to Spirits in their Sublimation c. Chap. 4. Page 91. Of Covering the Fire in Sublimation Chap. 5. Page 93. Of Errors about the Quantity of Feces and the Disposition of the Furnace c. Chap. 6. Page 95. Of what Matter and Form the Sublimatory is to be made Chap. 7. Page 99. Of Sublimation of Mercury or Argentv Chap. 8. Page 102. Of Sublimation of Marchasite Chap. 9. Page 105. Of the Vessel for subliming Marchasite Chap. 10. Page 106. Of Sublimation of Magnesia and Tut. Chap. 11. Page 110. Of Descension and the way of purifying by Pastils Chap. 12. Page 112. Of Distillation its Causes Kinds c. Chap. 13. Page 114. Of Calcination of Bodies and Spirits its Causes c. Chap. 14. Page 120. Of Solution and its Cause Chap. 15. Page 126. Of Coagulation and its Causes divers wayes of Coagulating Mercury c. Chap. 16. Page 129. Of Fixation and its Cause c. Chap. 17. Page 136. Of Ceration and its Cause Chap. 18. Page 139. III. Of the Sum of Perfection or of the Perfect Magistery The Second Book The Preface dividing the Book into Three Parts Page 141. Part 1. THat the Knowledge of Perfection of this Art depends on the Knowledge of the Nature of Spirits and Bodies c. Chap. 1. Page 142. Of the Nature of Sulphur and Arsnick Chap. 2. Page 143. Of the Nature of Mercury or Argentv Chap. 3. Page 145. Of the Nature of Marchasite c. Chap. 4. Page 148. Of the Nature of Sol or Gold Chap. 5. Page 150. Of the Nature of Luna or Silver Chap. 6. Page 153. Of the Nature of Mars or Iron Also of the Effects of Sulphur and Mercury c. Chap. 7. Page 154. Of the Nature of Venus or Copper Chap. 8. Page 157. Of the Nature of Jupiter or Tin Chap. 9. Page 162. Of the Nature of Saturn or Lead Chap. 10. Page 166. Part 2. THat of every imperfect Body and also of Agentvive the Medicine must necessarily be two-fold viz. one for the White the other for the Red Chap. 1. Page 171. That every of the Imperfect Bodies ought to have its peculiar Preparation Chap. 2. Page 174. That the Defect of Imperfect Metals ought to be supplied by Medicine but their Superfluity removed by Preparation Chap. 3. Page 176. Of the Preparation of Saturn and Jupiter Chap. 4. Page 179. Of the Preparation of Venus Chap. 5. Page 183. Of the Preparation of Mars Chap. 6. Page 184. Of the Mundification or Cleansing of Argentvive Chap. 7. Page 186. That five different Properties of Perfection necessarily constitute a most perfect Medicine c. Chap. 8. Page 187 Of Preparations to be adhibited to the Medicine that it may acquire the due Differencies of Properties Chap. 9. Page 189. Of the differences of Medicines c. Chap. 10. Page 191. Of the Medicine of the First Order dealbating Venus Chap. 11. Page 193. Of Medicines dealbating Mars Chap. 12. Page 197. Of Medicines citrinating or colouring Luna 13. Page 198. Of the difference of the Properties of Medicines of the Second Order Chap. 14. Page 202. Of a Medicine Lunar and Solar for imperfect Bodies Chap. 15. Page 204.
OR OF THE PERFECT MAGISTERY Two Books The First Book The PREFACE Touching the Way of Describing this ART and of those that are fit DISCIPLES OUr whole Science of Chymistry which with a divers Compilation out of the Books of the Ancients We have abbreviated in our Volumes We here reduce into one Sum. And what in other Books written by Us is diminished that We have sufficiently made up in the Writing of this Our Book and supplied the Defect of them very briefly And what was absconded by Us in one Part that We have made manifest in the same Part in this our Volume that the Compleatment of so Excellent and Noble a Part of Philosophy may be apparent to the Wise Therefore Most dear Son know that in this Work the whole Operation of Our Art is sufficiently contained in General Heads with an Vniversal Discourse without any Diminution And he who shall operate according to this Book he shall through God with Joy find that he is come to the true end of this Art But you must also know that he who in himself knows not Natural Principles is very remote from our Art because he hath not a true Root whereon to found his intention And he who knows his Natural Principles and all Causes of Minerals yet hath not acquired the true End and Proficiency of this Art hath a more easie Access to the Principles of this Art than he who is ignorant in his Intention of the Method of his Work and is but a little remote from the Entrance of Art But he who knows the Principles of all Things and the Causes of Minerals and the Way of Generation which consists according to the Intention of Nature is indeed but a very little short of the Compleatment of the Work without which our Science cannot be perfect because Art cannot imitate Nature in all Works but imitates her as exactly as it can Therefore most dear Son We discover a Secret to you Viz. That Artificers erre in this namely That they desire to imitate Nature in all Differences of the Properties of Action Wherefore labour studiously in Our Volumes and endeavour to ponder them very often in your Mind that you may acquire the true Intention of Our Words because in them you may find whereon to establish your own Mind and by them know how to escape Errors and in what you may be able to imitate Nature in the Artifice of your Work The Division of this First Book into Four Parts FIrst We intend briefly to set down all Impediments by which the Artificer is impeded in his Work that he cannot reach to the true End Also in this Part we will speak of the Conditions of the Operator of this Art Secondly We will dispute against the Ignorant and Sophisters who by reason of their own Ignorance and Vnskilfulness in their Search after the Magistery and the Proficiency of this Art damn the Art it self and contend that it hath no being or is not But in this part We set down all their Reasons and afterward most evidently confute the same so that it will be sufficiently evident to Wise Men that their Sophismes are void of Truth Thirdly We intend to Discourse of Natural Principles that are according to the Intention of Nature and in that Part We treat of the Way of Generation and Mixtion of them each with other in the Work of Nature and of their Effects according to the Opinion of Ancient Philosophers Fourthly We will demonstrate the Principles which are according to the Intention of this Our Work in which We are able to imitate Nature and the way of mixing and altering congruous to Nature with its Causes to be reduced to the Intent of Our Work The First Part of this First Book treating of the Impediments which hinder the Artists from attaining to the true End of this Art CHAP. I. The Division of Impediments THe Impediments incident to this Work are generally two viz. Natural Impotency and Defect of Necessary Expence or Occupations and Labours Yet We say Natural Impotency is Manifold viz. Partly from the Organs of the Artist and partly from his Soul From the Organ of the Artificer it is also manifold for either the Organ is weak or wholly corrupted And it is manifold from the Impotencies of the Soul either because the Soul is perverted in the Organ having nothing of Rectitude or Reason in it self as the Soul of a Mad infatuate Man or because it is Fantastical unduly susceptive of the Contrary of Forms and suddenly extensive from one Thing knowable to its opposit and from one Will to its opposit likewise CHAP. II. Of the Impediments of this Work from the Part of the Body of the Artificer WE have already generally determined the Impediments of this Work but now in this Chapter We speak in a more special manner and more plainly declare to you all those Impediments most fully yet with brevity Therefore We say if any Man have not his Organs compleat he cannot by himself come to the Compleatment of this Work no more than if he were Blind or wanted his Limbs because he is not helped by the Members by meditation of which as ministring to Nature this Art is perfected And if the Body of the Artificer be weak sickly and feaverish or like the Bodies of Leprous persons whose Members fail or of Men at the last point of Life or worn out with decrepit old Age he cannot attain to the Compleatment of the Art Therefore the Artist is hindered in his Intention by these Natural Impotencies of the Body CHAP. III. Of the Impediments from the part of the Artists Soul WE premised one Chapter in which we absolutely and manifestly declared the Impediments depending on the part of the Body of the Artificer It now remains that we briefly declare the Impediments from the Part of his Soul which mostly hinder the compleatment of this Work Therefore we say he that hath not a Natural Ingenuity and Soul searching and subtily scrutinizing Natural Principles the Fundamentals of Nature and Artifices which can follow Nature in the properties of her Action cannot find the true Radix of this most precious Science As there are many who have a stiff Neck void of Ingenuity in every perscrutation and who can scarcely understand Common Speech and likewise with difficulty learn Works vulgarly Common Besides these we also find many who have a Soul easily opinionating every Phantasie but what they believe they have found true is all Phantastick deviating from Reason full of Error and remote from Natural Principles Because their Brain repleat with many Fumosities cannot receive the true Intention of Natural Things There are also besides these others who have a Soul movable from Opinion to Opinions and from Will to Wills as those who suddenly believe a Thing and will the same without any Ground at all of Reason but a little after that another Thing and do likewise believe another and will another And these are so
Principles about which Nature imploys her Actions are of a most hard and most strong Composition and they are Sulphur and Argentvive as some Philosophers say Wherefore being of a most hard and most strong Composition they are also of most difficult Resolution but this is that Inspissation or Thickning and Induration or Hardning of them each with other may be in such wise made that they may suffer Contusion and Extension by Malleable Compulsion and not be broken By this no other thing is meant than that in Commixtion of them each with other their Viscous Humidity is preserved by Successive Decoction in the Mine Therefore most Dear Son We give you this General Rule viz. that Inspissation of any Humidity cannot be made unless first with the Humidity be made an Exaltation of the Parts most subtil and also with the same Humidity Conservation of the Parts more Gross if the Humid in Commixtion exceed the Dry and a true Mixtion of the Dry and Humid that the Humidity may be contempered by the Dryness and the Dryness by the Humidity and both become one Substance Homogeneal in its Parts temperate between hard and soft and extensive in Contusion But this is not done unless by Diuturnal Mixtion of the viscous Humidity and subtile Earthiness through their least parts until the Humid become the same with the Dry and the Dry with the Humid And the Resolution of such a subtil Vapour is not suddenly made but very leisurely and in thousands of Years and that therefore because it is the Vniform Substance of the Principles of Nature For if Resolution of the superfluous Humidity from them should suddenly be made seeing the Humid differs not from the Dry by reason of the strong Mixtion which they have the Humidity of the Mixtion would be resolved with the Dryness and so the whole vanish into Fume nor could the Humidity be seperated from the Dryness in Resolution by reason of the strong Vnion which they have each with other Of this We see a manifest Experiment in Sublimation of Spirits for when in them is made a sudden Resolution by Sublimation the Humid is not separated from the Dry nor the Dry from the Humid being divided into all the Parts of their Mixtion but their whole Substance ascends or little of the Mixture is dissolved Therefore the successive diuturnal and equal Resolution of the subtile fumous Humidity is the Cause of the Inspissation of Metals But this Inspissation We cannot also make after this manner therefore in this We cannot follow Nature for We cannot imitate Nature in all Differences of Properties of Action Wherefore Our Intention is not to follow Nature in the Principles nor in the Proportion of mixable Elements nor in the manner of mixing them each with other nor in the equation of inspissating or thickning Heat all these Things being to Us impossible and wholly unknown Therefore it now remains that We set about refuting the afore-mentioned Reasons of Sophisters through Ignorance denying this most excellent Science CHAP. III. A Confutation of the Reasons of Men simply denying Art If they say We know not the Proportion of Elements and way of Mixing of them each with other also the Equation of Heat inspissating Metals and many other Causes and consequent Accidents of the Actions of Nature We grant the same Yet by reason of this they do not enervate Our Divine Science because they are Things We are neither willing nor able to know any more than they can reach to Our Work But We assume to Our selves another Principle and another Method of Generation of Metals in which We are able to follow Nature If they say Philosophers and Princes of this World have desired this Science and could not find it We answer They lie For some Princes though few and especially the Ancient and Wise Men found in Our Time have as is manifest by their Industry found out this Science but would never by Word or Writing discover the same to such Men because they are unworthy of it Therefore They not seeing any to possess this Science conceive an Error in their Minds and thence judge that none have found it Further if they phantastically argue affirming our Impotency that we cannot imitate Nature even in weak Mixtions as in the Mixtion of an Ass or Oxe therefore not in the strong We answer detecting their manifold Error that there is no necessity from their Way of arguing for Us to grant that our Art is not because they strengthen their Error and Phantasie from a Like or from a Greater to a Less in which is not contained Necessity but Contingency as in many things This also we shew by another way demonstrating that they assign no apparent Similitude between a weak Comixtion of Animals and the firm and strong Composition of Minerals For in Animals and other Living Things in which the Composition is weak there is not a perficient Proportion nor Miscibles of Proportion nor Qualities of Miscibles nor a Commixtion which follows from the Action and Passion of those Things each with other which is from the Aggregation of those first Qualities but there is according to the Opinion of Many a Soul which is from the Occult Recesses of Nature as from a Quintessence or from the first Mover And of this also we speak according to the Opinion of many and know not the Secret thereof Therefore we cannot perform such Things as these although in them is a weak Mixtion because we know not how to infuse the Perfective which is the Soul Yet hence it follows that the Defect in us that we cannot compound or make an Oxe or a Goat is not from the Part of the Mixtion but through defect of Infusion of the Soul because as we know how to make a weak and more weak Composition so we also know how to make the strong and more strong imitating the Way and Course of Nature according to our Artifice In Metals is lesser Perfection than in Animals and the Perfection of them consists more in Proportion and Composition than in any thing else Therefore seeing in them is less Perfection than in the other now mentioned we can the more freely perfect these but the other not so For the most High and Glorious GOD hath distinguished Perfections each from other in many Forms And those Things in which the Composition which is according to Nature was weak are by GOD indued with greater and more noble Perfection viz. that which is according to the Soul and other things by him made of a more firm and more strong Composition as Stones and Minerals are indued with a lesser and more ignoble Perfection viz. that which is from the Way of Mixtion Therefore hence 't is evident that the Similitude of these Men is not good for we are not ignorant how to form an Oxe or a Goat in respect of the Composition but of the Perfective Form Because Perfection in an Oxe or in a Goat is more noble and more
endeavouring to perfect Bodies by Fire only were deluded in their Opinion because they knew not how to attain to that And these accordingly think the Art not to be All which we answer as the first CHAP. XIV The Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Glass and Gems and their Refutation THEY who posite this Art in Glass and Gems have found that Alteration cannot be made in Bodies by Gems and Glass because what hath not Ingress alters not But indeed neither Glass nor Gems have Ingress therefore alter not And when they endeavoured to unite the Glass with them which is difficult to be done they missed of their Purpose because they made their Bodies also Glass and by reason of this they concluded this Error to fall upon the whole Art and so argue that it is not To whom we answer they operated not in due Matter therefore unduly determining they cannot but condemn this Art according to their own Errors CHAP. XV. The Reasons of Men denying the Art supposed in Middle Minerals or Vegetables or in the Commixtion of any other Things THere are Others supposing the Art to be found in Salts and Alloms Nitres and Boraces who may indeed in these make Tryal but as we judg not find it in them Therefore although they should by their Experience find some small Vtility of Transmutation viz. by Dissolving Coagulating and Coacting yet that doth not enervate this Divine Art which is both necessary and known Nevertheless it is possible that in all these Things they may find some Alteration but that is very remote and exceeding Laborious and in all other Growing Things it is proved to be more Laborious to such Supposers Therefore they who possest this Art in all Vegetables do indeed determine what is possible but not to them who shall first fail in their Labour before the Work laboured can possibly be perfected Wherefore if such Men find not the Art by their Labours it must not be argued that the Art cannot by any Labours be found out All the before-mentioned Erroneous Persons determined one Matter of theirs to be the only Matter and supposed there was no other Matter besides that and these now do indeed condemn all the other But there are many Others and those almost infinite who ignorantly and without knowledg make a Composition of all or of some of these Things in a diverse Proportion and their Error is extended even to Infinity according to the Infinite Diversity of the Proportion of things mixable and the Infinite Diversity of miscible Matters And in both these Infinities they infinitely err sometimes through Superaboundance and sometimes through Diminution yet in these Correction is possible And we without prolixity or tediousness of Words resolve to insist upon these Infinities where we briefly treat of the Vniversal Science by which they will be able evidently to amend the Infinity of their Errors and correct them But at this time we must first discuss Natural Principles according to their Causes as we told you before and by a Commemoration of them The third Part of this First Book Of Natural Principles and their Effect CHAP. I. Of the Natural Principles of Metalick Bodies according to the Opinion of the Ancients WE now signifie to you that according to the Opinion of the Ancients who were of our Sect studious of Art Natural Principles in the Work of Nature are a Fetent Spirit and Living Water which is also named Dry Water These We grant and thus define the Fetent Spirit It is white in Occulto and Red and Black of either side in the Magistery of this Work but in Manifesto of either side tending to Redness Therefore in a brief and also a simply compleat and sufficient Speech We declare the Generation and way of Generation of each of these Yet We must so far enlarge and dilate our Discourse as to deliver a peculiar Chapter of each singular Natural Principle In general We now say that every one of these is of a most strong Composition and uniform Substance and that because the Earthy parts in them are through their least particles united with the Airy Watery and Firy so that in Resolution no one of them can be separated but each with all and every one is dissolved by reason of the strong Vnion which they have each with other in their least particles and that leisurely in the Mineral Bowels of the Earth by Heat condensed multiplied and according to the due Course of Nature equalized to the Exigency of their Essence according to the Opinion of certain Ancient Philosophers CHAP. II. Of the Natural Principles of Metals according to the Opinion of Modern Philosophers and of the Author BUt others say otherwise That Argentvive in its Nature was not the Principle but altered and converted into its Earth and Sulphur likewise altered and changed into Earth Whence they say that in the Intention of Nature the Principle was other than a foetent Spirit and fugitive Spirit And the Reason that moved them hereunto was this viz. because in the Silver Mines or in the Mines of other Metals they found not any thing that is Argentvive in its Nature or any thing that is Sulphur likewise but they found each of them separated in its proper Mine in its own Nature And they also affirm this for another Reason viz. because there is no transition as they say from Contrary to Contrary unless by a Middle Disposition Therefore seeing it so is they are compelled to confess and believe that there is no Transition or Passing from the Softness of Argentvive to the hardness of any Metal unless by a Disposition which is between the Hardness and Softness of them But in the Mines they find not any thing in which this Middle Disposition may be salved therefore they are compelled hence to believe that Argentvive and Sulphur in their Nature are not the Principles according to the Intention of Nature but another Thing which follows from the Alteration of their Essences in the Root of Nature into an Earthy Substance And this is the Way by which each of them is turned into an Earthy Nature and from these two Earthy Natures a most thin Fume is resolved by Heat multiplied in the Bowels of the Earth and this Duplicate Fume is the immediate Matter of Metals This Fume when it shall be Decocted by the temperate Heat of the Mine is converted into the Nature of a certain Earth therefore it receives a certain Fixation which afterward the Water flowing through the Bowels of the Minera and Spongiosity of the Earth dissolves and is uniformly united to it with a natural and firm Vnion Therefore so opining they thus said That the Water flowing through the Passages of the Earth finds a Substance dissolvible from the Substance of the Earth in the Bowels thereof and dissolves the same and is uniformly with it united until the Substance also of the Earth in the Mines is dissolved and the flowing dissolving Water and
Cement Therefore Venus as is declared in the profundity of its Substance pretends to the Colour and Essence of Gold and it is hammered being heat red hot as Silver and Gold is Therefore hence you may learn a Secret for it is the Medium of Sol and Luna and easily comes to convert its Nature to either and it is of good Conversion and of little Labour It agrees very well with Tutia which citrinizeth or Colours it with good Yellowness and hence you may reap profit For we are excused by it from the Labour of Induration or Hardning and Ignition of it Therefore take it before all other Imperfect Bodies in the Lesser and Middle Work but not in the Greater Yet this hath a Vice beyond Jupiter viz. that it easily waxeth Livid and receives Infection from sharp and acute things and to eradicate that is not an easie but a profound Art CHAP. XIII Of Mars or Iron BUT the Declaration of Mars and the whole Secret thereof is from the Work of Nature because it is a Metallick Body very livid a little red pertaking of Whiteness not pure sustaining Ignition fusible with no right fusion under the Hammer extensible and sounding much But Mars is hard to be handled by reason of the Impotency of its fusion which if it be made to flow by a Medicine changing its Nature is conjoyned to Sol and Luna and not separated by Examen without great Industry but if prepared it is conjoyned and not separated by any Artifice if the Nature of that Fixation be not changed by it the Uncleanness only of the Mars being removed Therefore it is a Tincture of Redness easily but difficultly of Whiteness And when it is conjoyned it is not altered nor doth it change the Colour of the Commixtion but augments it in Quantity Therefore among all Bodies Jupiter is more splendidly and more clearly more brightly and more perfectly transformed into a Solar or Lunar Body But the Work of it is of long Labour though easie to be handled Next to Jupiter is Venus chosen of more difficult handling but of shorter Labour than Jupiter Next after Venus Saturn hath a diminished Perfection in Transmutation is easie to be handled but of most tedious labour Yet Mars among all the Bodies is of least Perfection in Transmutation to be handled most difficult and of exceeding long Labour Therefore whatsoever Bodies are more remote from swiftness of Liquefaction they are found of more difficult handling in the Work of Transmutation Of this kind are Venus and Mars but what more more and what are most remote most Also those Bodies which partake of greater Lividness and Infection of the Earth are likewise found to be of greater Labour and less Perfection But whatsoever Diversities of Perfections were a little before determined by Us are found in the Artifice of the Lesser or Middle Work yet in the Greater Work all Bodies are of one Perfection but not all of one handling or labour It remains yet to be known what Facility and Difficulty of handling and what Brevity and Length of Labour are found radically in the Nature of Bodies Therefore have We here in a true Discourse described the Natural Principles of those Bodies which are according to the Intention of Nature and have likewise in several Chapters truly expounded what We determined of those Bodies and that according to the Opinion of those Men who could discern the Occult Things of Nature and according to our own Judgment also who attained to the Knowledg thereof by incessant Labour But now according as We promised it is expedient to supply the defect of this Art in setting down all the Principles of this Magistery in the last Part of this our First Book and to demonstrate the Perfection we have seen with its Causes according to the Exigency thereof The Fourth Part of this First Book touching the Artificial Principles of this Art CHAP. I. The Division of Things to be spoken of in this Part with an Insinuation of Perfection to be treated of in the Second Book THere are two Things that are to be determined viz. the Principles of this Magistery and the Perfection of the same The Principles of this Art are the Ways or Methods of its Operations to which the Artist applies himself in the Work of this Magistery These Ways are indeed divers in themselves For one Way is Sublimation and Descension another and Distillation is also one Way Calcination another Solution another and Coagulation another but the seventh Way is Fixation and the eighth Ceration Of all which We purpose to give singular Declarations Perfection consists of those Things and from the Considerations of those by which it is attained and from the Consideration of things helping and from the Consideration of that thing which lastly perfects and that by which it is known whether the Magistery was in Perfection or not The Consideration of those Things by which We come to the Compleâ—tment of the Work is the Consideration of the Substance manifest and of manifest Colours and of the Weight in every of those Bodies to be changed and of those Bodies that are not changed from the Radix of their Nature without that Artifice and the Consideration of those likewise in the Radix of their Nature with the Artifice and the Consideration of the Principles of Bodies according to their Profound Occult and Manifest and according to their Nature without Artifice and likewise with Artifice For if Bodies and their Principles be not known in the Profound and Manifest of their Nature with Artifice and without what is superfluous and what is diminished in them cannot be known and our not knowing these would of necessity hinder us from ever attaining to the Perfection of their Transmutation The Consideration of Things helping Perfection is the Consideration of the Natures of those Things which we see adhere to Bodies without Artifice and to make mutation And these are Marchasite Magnesia Tutia Antimony and Lapis Lazuli or the Lazure Stone And the Consideration of those which without adherency cleanse Bodies and they are Salt and Alloms Nitres and Boraces and which are of their Nature and the Consideration of Vitrification cleansing by a like Nature But the Consideration of the Thing that perfects is the Consideration of Choosing the pure Substance of Argentvive and it is the Matter which from the Matter of that took beginning and of that was created This Matter is not Argentvive in its Nature nor in its whole Substance but it is part of it nor is it now but when the Stone is made For that illustrates and conserves from Adustion which is a signification of Perfection Lastly The Consideration of the Thing by which it is known whether the Magistery be in Perfection or not in the Consideration of the Cupel Cement Ignition of exposing it upon the Vapours of acute Things Extinction Commixtion of Sulphur burning Bodies of Reduction after Calcination and Susception of Argentvive All which with