and thy worke thereby perish for Socrates saith bruise them in most strong vineger and seeth it vntill that it be thick and take heed that thy vineger do not turne into a fume and perish or vanish Of the Fires THe Philosophers in their Books have chiefly put two fires a dry and a moyst for the dry fire they call it the common fire of any manner of thing combustible that will burne but the moist fire they call the hot venter Equinus which may be Englished the Horse belly but rather it is Horse dung wherein remaining moystness there doth remaine heat and the moystnesse once consumed it ceaseth to be hot and this heat doth remain but in a little quantity or but five or six dayes but this heat may be kept a longer time by sprinkling him with urine and salt oftentimes for of this fire Pithagoras saith the fire of the belly of a Horse hath property not to destroy Oyle but to augment it by reason of his humidity whereas other fires doe destroy it for their heat Also Senior saith dig up a grave and lay the Wife with her husband in the paunch or belly of a Horse or rather in Horse dung untill they be freely with their good wills married and conjoyned together Also Alphidanus saith hide thy medicine in a moyst horse dung which is the wise mans fire for the fire of this dung is hot and moyst and obscure having within it humidity and a holy light and therefore there is none like to this in all the world but only the naturall fire of a hot mans body that is in health and this is the secret cause of the strife of the Sea and not fully combust bloud of man and the bloud of the red wine is our fire the Regiment of our fires is such that the medicine to white must be put into the moyst fire untill the full compliment of whitenesse and that the heat must be lent and continuall from the beginning untill the colour of whitenesse appearing in the vessell for the lent fire is the conservation of humidity whereupon Pandolphus saith Brethren know that the body is dissolved with the spirit whereunto it is mixed by a most lent decoction and so the body is thereby made spirituall with the spirit Also Astavus saith the lent fire doth send forth the spirits of life the excessive fire doth not make equall the Elements but rather it wasteth the humidity and destroyeth all things therefore Rasis saith in his high worke take heed in thy sublimation and liquefaction lest that when you set your fire on fire the water also do ascend to the top of the vessell for if it be so then it being cold it will stick there and so thou canst not make thy Sulphur nor open thy Elements because it is necessary that every one of them in their sphericall or spirituall motion be very often thrust downe and lift up for only the temperate fire is inspicive and perfective of mixtion Therefore Botulphus saith a lent fire which is called a cleare fire is the greatest cause of true operation in the Elements Also Rasis saith it is our light fire as in an Egge that is nourished untill the body be derived and the tincture drawne forth for by light decoction the fire congealeth the water and draweth forth the humidity of the corruptive part and the combustion of drinesse is prevented Also all the benefit of this worke is in the temperatenesse of the fire therefore alwayes take heed of a greater fire that thou come not before thy time to solution for that bringeth to desperation wherfore Rasis saith take heed of the intention of the fire for if it be set on fire before the time then it is made Red before the due time which doth not profit and that he may shew thee the time of decoction He saith the solution of the body and the congelation of the spirit must needs be made with light decoction of the fire and with moyst putrification in forty daies Also heare Hortulanus saying know ye that in mingling them together it behooveth you to mingle the crude quick sincere and right Elements together upon a soft fire and to take heed of the intention of the fire untill the Elements be joyned together Bonellus saith also by a temperate heat the body is made sweet and convenient Be of a constant minde in thy work and do not labour in or upon divers matters or things proving sometimes this matter and sometimes another for in the multitude or diversity of things thy Art consists not nor is finished for there is but one subject or medicine one vessell one regiment and one disposition thereof for all the mastery doth begin in one manner of fashion and endeth in one manner of mantion yet the Philosophers did put many works and crafts thereof for the honour and hiding and prolonging of this Art as to seeth to mingle together to rost to sublime to grind to break or beat assunder to congeale to adâ—quate or make even in quality to putrifie to make white to make red of which things yet there is but one Regiment which is but to decoct onely Therefore crush it assunder and seeth still that thou be not weary also Rasis saith seeth without intermission Do not hast or cease at any time from thy worke nor go about to practise or use the sophisticall bounds of thy works but onely intend to the compliment of this worke also Rasis saith it is most sure for thee to apply thy worke diligently nor do thou leave off thy worke being as it were a tree cut downe from the bowes be thou therefore stedfast and of a long continuall minde and will in the Regiment Shut most close thy vessell and cease at no time for there is no generation of things but by a continuall motion exclusion of ayre and heat temperate Study and marke also when that you are in your worke all the signes that shall appeare in every decoction and remember them for they be necessary for the workman to the compliment and fulfilling of this worke for it is necessary to continue the worke and moderate the fire therefore all these things disposed as aforesaid put the vessell with the medicine in the moyst fire so that halfe the vessell be in the fire and the other halfe without to this intent that every day it may be looked upon and within forty dayes the overpart or outside of the medicine shall appear black like Tarr and that is a signe that the yellow body is truly turned into Mercury therefore Bonellus saith where that you do see blackness appeare to that water know ye that now the body is liquefied and that truly is the same that Rasis saith the disposition of our Stone is one that it be put in his vessell and that it be throughly sodden untill all do rise and ascend dissolved Also in another place continue upon him a temperate heat untill that it
and keepe the fume and take heed that nothing flye from it tarry and dwell nigh the Vessell and behold and observe the marvellous working how it shall be removed from colour to colour in lesse then an houre of a day untill that it commeth to the marke or prick or butt of whitenesse or rednesse for it will soone melt in the fire and come all into the Ayre for when the fume doth fill the fire it will enter into the body and the spirit will then be pulled together and the body will then be fixed cleare white or red Then divide the fire suffering it to coole and be cold For and if one of these doe fall upon 1000. or Mercury or any other body it turneth it into the best Gold or Silver according as his firment is prepared wherefore it doth appeare that he who doth not congeale quick-silver that will suffer the fire and joyne it to pure Silver he desireth no right way to the white worke and he who doth not make a red quicksilver that can sustaine all fire and joyn it to meer gold he taketh not the right way to the Red worke for by solution and fermentation the worke or medicine may be multiplyed into an infinite and note that the Elixir giveth a very light fusion or melting even like wax whereupon Rosarius saith our medicine necessarily ought to be of a most subtile substance and pure adherence cleaving to Mercury of his nature and of a most thin and easie liquefaction as water also in the booke which is named Omne datum optimum when the Elixir is well prepared it ought to be melted upon a burning plate or upon a burning cole even as wax melteth for that thou dost in the white doe it in the red for the same is the operation of both as well in the multiplication as in the projection Geber the Philosopher doth beare witnesse in his fift Booke and tenth Chapter that there be three Orders of Medicines of the first Order is that which is cast upon imperfect bodies and doth not take away the corruption but imperfection for it doth give tincture but that tincture doth go away in examination The medicine of the second Order is that which is cast upon imperfect bodies and doth give tincture to them in examination for after the examination the tincture doth remaine but all the corruption of the bodies is not cleare taken away for ever by that medicine In the third Order the medicine is that which is cast upon imperfect bodies and taketh away all their imperfection and corruption and from corrupt Mineralls it bringeth them into incorruptible But the two first of these medicines being left off we will speake something of the projection of this medicine of the third degree The perfect medicine truly is cast 1000. or upon more according as the medicine is prepared or advanced by dissolution sublimation and subtilliation but because so little that is so little is cast upon so little by reason of the littlenes thereof it should not be lift up before his virtue be fulfilled Therefore the Philosophers made their projection diversly wherefore this is the best way Let one part be cast upon a hundred of Mercury and all is medicine and it is called the second medicine and let every one part of this second medicine be cast upon a hundred of Mercury and all is medicine and is called the third medicine and is made 1000. yet againe let every part of this third medicine be cast upon 1000. of mercury and it shall be medicine and all shall be the best Luna or Sol And note that the third and the second may be so much dissolved and subtilliate that it shall receive a greater vertue and that it may be multiplyed in an infinite after receive and make projection first multiply 10. into 10. and it will make 100. and 100. by 10. multiplyed will be 1000. c. But how the projection ought to be made shall be now taught Put the body upon the fire in a Crucible also if it be a spirit tepescat let it do like luke-warme water and cast the Elixir into it as is aforesaid moving it well and very soone when the Elixir is liquefied and hath mingled it selfe with the body or with the spirit remove it from the fire and thou shalt have by the grace of God gold and silver according as the Elixir is prepared In short therefore it appeareth by the premisses that our worke doth consist in the body of Magnesia finished that is of Sulphur the which is called Sulphur of Sulphur and Mercury which is called Mercury of Mercury Therefore as it is aforesayd with one thing that is our Stone with one part that is to say seething and one disposition that is to say first making of it blacke secondly with making of it white thirdly with making of it red and fourthly with making of projection all the whole mastery is finished Of the other part of the false Alchymists and they who doe beleeve them by their distillations sublimations calcinations conjunctions seperations congelations preparations dissolutions manuall contritions and other deceptions saying that it is by a similitude onely called an Egge and teaching another sulphur from ours and another Mercury from ours and that it may be drawne from some other thing or effected by some other then our light fire These be all either deceivers or mightily abused For by what and how many soever names it bee called it is but one and the same thing Also Lucas sayth Doe not thou passe or regard for plurality of compositions in nature which the Philosophers diversly set downe in their Bookes for certainly there is but one thing in all the World wherein the spirit we seeke for is to be found of any profitable and comfortable use with which every body is coloured for in the Philosophers diversity of names and compositions they but cover and hide their Science FINIS A Treatise of Florianus Raudorff of the Stone or Mercury of the Philosophers In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost A short Declaration of the Great Matter CHAP. 1. KNow yee that our Medicine is made of 3. things viz. of a body soule and spirit There are 2. bodies viz. Luna and Sol Sol is a tincture wherewith imperfect bodies are tinged into Sol and Luna tingeth Luna for Nature produceth or bringeth forth only its like as a man a man a horse begets a horse c. Proved by Examples We told and named it with names namely the bodies that serve to our worke which of some are called Ferment for as a little leaven leaveneth the whole masse so Luna and Sol turne Mercury as their meale into their nature and vertue CHAP. 2. YOU may say if Luna and Sol have a prefixed tincture why doe they not tinge imperfect mettalls Answer A babe though borne a man doth not mans actions it must first bee nourisht and bred to an age so it is with
incombustible with this oyle wee imbibe our medicine which will bee like soap then wee distill by the Alimbeck and receive the fumes which come over and put it on againe three or foure times if it hath not enough then put more of this Oyle to it being thus imbibed then put fire under that the humors may come away and the medicine be firme and fusible on the body of the glasse Then we take Avis Hermetis which we reserv'd formerly and put it to it by degrees till all be made fix CHAP. 37. Laus Deo ACcording to Avicen it is impossible to convert mettals unlesse they be reduced to their first matter But by Arts help they are converted into other mettall we know that Artists do like Physitians purging first the corrupted matter which is obstructive to mans health then Cordials are ministred which restore health so good Artists must proceed in like manner by converting of mettals first Mercury and Sulphur in metals are purged whereby they strengthen the heavenly elementall parts in them according to their desired preparation of metals then nature worketh further and not Art but instrumentally helpeth and then is seen that she really maketh Sol and Luna For as the heavenly elementall vertues worke in naturall vessels even so do the Artificiall being made uniforme and as nature worketh through the heat of fire and stars the same Art effecteth by fire if temperate and not excessive for the moving vertue in the matter for the heavenly vertue in it mingled at first inclinable to this or that is furthered by Art heavenly vertues are communicative to their subjects as is seen in naturall created things chiefly in things generated by putrefaction where the astrall influences are apparent according to the matters capacity Artists do imitate herein destroying one forme to beget another and his proceedings are best when they are according unto nature as by purging the Sulphur by digesting subliming and purging Mercury vive by an exact mixture with the mettals matter and thus out of their vertues every mettals forme is produced The vertue of the converting Element must be predominant and the parts of it must appeare in the Element converted and being thus mingled with the Elementated thing then that Element will have that matter which made it an Element and hath the vertue of the other vert Element This is that great mystery in this Art Scito quod ejus principium est siout finis FINIS The names of the Philosophers Stone Collected by WILLIAM GRATACOLLE GOld Sol Sun Brasse of Philosophers the body of Magnesia a pure body clean ferment of Elixir Masculine Argent vive fixt Sulphur incombustible Sulphur red fixed the rubine stone kybrik a man greene vitrioll burnt brasse red earth the water that is distilled from these things is named of the Philosophers the taile of the Dragon a pure wind ayre life lightning the house the afternoone light virgins milke sal armoniack sal niâ—eâ— the wind of the belly white fume red water of sulphur tartar saffron water the white compound stinking water the filthinesse of the dead bloud Argent vive a Cucurbite with his Alimbeck the vessell of the Philosophers a high man with a Sallet the belly of a man in the midst but in the end it is called the foot or the feet or on the which feet or earth is calcined rosted congealed distilled or made still and quiet the shaddow of the Sun a dead body a crowne overcomming a cloud the bark of the Sea Magnesia black a Dragon which eateth his tayle the dregs of the belly earth found on the dunghill putrified or in horse dung or in soft fire Sulphur Mercury secondly in number and one in essence name in name a stone body spirit and soule it is called earth fire aire all things because he containes in him foure Elements it is called a man or beast that hath soule life body and spirit and yet some Philosophers do not thinke the matter to have a soule But as it is a stone it is called the water of Sulphur the water of the world the spittle of Lune the shaddow of the Sun a denne Sol Elephas white Jayre eyes of fishes Beyia Sulphur vine sharpe water milke vineger of life tears joyning water Urine the light of lights a marvelous Father Father of Minerals a fruitfull tree a living spirit a fugitive servant certore of the earth venome most strong vineger white gumme everlasting water a woman a feminine a thing of vile price Azot menstruous Brazill in nature Azot water the first matter the beginning of the world and mark this that Argent vive Mercury Azot the full moone Hypostasis white lead or red do all of them signifie but one thing our stone our brasse our water Iron Silver Lime whitenesse Jupiter Vermilion white after divers times and degrâ—es of operation And note that the Philosophers washing is to bring againe the whole soule into his body wherefore you may not understand thereby the common white washing is convenient to be done with vineger and salt and such like Also note that when blackness doth appeare then it is called dispensation of the man and woman between them and that the body hath gotten a spirit which is the tears of the vertues of the soule upon the body and the body doth revive the action of the soule and spirit and is made an Eagle and the meane of natures And note that white earth white Sulphur white fume Auripigmentum Magnesia and Ethell do signifie all one thing Also the stone is called Chaos a Dragon a Serpent a Toad the green Lion the quintessence our stone Lunare Camelion most vild black blacker than black Virgins milke radicall humidity unctuous moysture liquor seminall Salarmoniack our Sulphur Naptha a soule a Basilisk Adder Secundine Bloud Spearne Metteline haire urine poyson water of wise men minerall water Antimony stinking menstrues Lead of Philosophers Sal Mercury our Gold Lune a bird our ghost dun Salt Alome of Spaine attrament dew of heavenly grace the stinking spirit Borax Mercury corporall wine dry water water metelline an Egge old water perminent Hermes bird the lesse world Campher water of life Auripigment a body cynaper and almost with other infinite names of pleasure The Secret of Secrets and Stone of Philosophers IF thou desirest to bee so lucky as that thou mayest obtaine the blessing of Philosophers as God doth live for ever so let this verity live with thee The Philosophers do very properly say it tarrieth in the shell and containeth in himselfe both white and red the one is called masculine the other feminine Animall Vegetable and Minerall there is no such other thing found in this world that hath both power active and passive in it and also hath within him a substance dead and quick spirit and soule which to the ignorant the Philosophers do call it the most vile thing it holdeth in him the foure Elements contained in his skirts where he is found
and commonly of all men it may be bought for a small price it doth ascend by it selfe he waxeth black he descendeth and waxeth white increaseth and decreaseth by himselfe It is a matter which the earth bringeth forth and descends from heaven waxeth pale and red is born is dead riseth againe and after liveth for ever by many wayes it comes to his end but his proper decoction is upon a fire soft meane strong it is augmented untill they be sure it resteth quietly with red in the fire this is according to the vow of all good Philosophers called the Philosophers Stone read and read againe and every thing more cleare thou shalt never find and if hereby thou understandest not the matter thou shalt never otherwise know it or learne this Art Hermes saith the Dragon is not dead but with his Brother and his sister not by one but by both together note these things three heads and one body one nature and one Minerall and this is sufficient for them which have any aptnesse of understanding in this Science the Dragon is not mortified nor made fixed but with Sol and Luna and by none other as saith Hortulanus by mountaines in bodies in the plaine of Mercury and in these looke for it and this water is created and by concourse of these two is called water permanent of Philosophers Our sublimation is to seeth the bodies with golden water to dissolve to liquefie and to sublime them Our calcination is to putrifie and digest by foure days and to do no other wayes wherefore many be deceived in sublimation Thou mayest know that brasse which is the Philosophers Gold is their Gold and that is true but thou hast searched for greennesse thinking that brasse is a Leprous body which he hath for his greennesse wherefore I say unto thee that all that is perfect in brasse is that greennesse only that is in him because that that greennesse by our mastry is turned shortly into gold and of this thing we have experience and if thou wilt prove it we will give thee a rule Take therefore burnt brasse and perfectly rubified and breake and imboyle him with drinke seaven times as much as he is able to drinke in all the wayes of rubifying and roasting him againe afterward make him to discend and his greene colour will be made red as cleare graynes and thou mayst know that so much redness wil descend with him that it wil tinckt Argent vive in some part with the very colour of gold and all this we approved for it doth worke very great operations yet thou canst not prepare the Stone by any meanes with any drinke greene and moist which is seene to be borne in our Minerals O blessed greatnesse which doth ingender all things whereby thou mayst be informed that no vegetable or fruit in budding will appeare except there be a greene colour wherefore Philosophers call it their bud and likewise they call it the water of purifying or putrifaction and they say the truth heerin for with his water he is purified washed from his blackness and made white and afterwards he is so made red whereby thou mayst learne to know that no true tincture is made but of our brasse seeth him therefore with his soule till the spirit be joyned with his body and be made one and thou shalt have thy desire Wife men have spoken of this in many names but know thou right well that it is but one matter which doth sticke unto Argent vive and to bodies and thou shalt have the true signes yet left thou shouldest be deceived heereby thou mayst know what Argent vive is to stick unto Argent vive doth stick to the bodies which is false for they think that they do understand that Chapter of Gebar of Argent vive wherein he saith when in searching in other things he doth not find by our invention any matter to be more agreeable unto nature then Argent vive of the bodies for this place is to be understood of Argent vive Philosophicall for that Argent vive only sticketh and tarrieth in and with the bodies and the old Philosophers could find no other matter nor can those which be Philosophers now invent any other matter which will abide with the bodies but Argent vive of the Philosophers for common Argent vive doth not stick to the bodies but the bodies do stick to that Argent vive and this is certaine by experience for if the Argent vive common be joyned with any bodies the Argent vive abides in his proper nature or flies away and doth not turne the body into his proper nature and therefore he doth not cleave unto the bodies and for this cause many be deceived in working in common Argent vive for our Stone that is to say Argent vive accidentall which doth advance himselfe far above Gold and doth overcome it and he doth kill and he doth quicken for thou must know that Argent vive father of all marvellous things of this our mastery is congealed and is both spirit and body and this is that Argent vive which Gebar did speake of the consideration of a very matter which doth make perfect is the consideration of a chosen pure substance of Argent vive but chiefly out of whom the substance of Argent vive may be drawne out is to be inquired of and we making answer do say that in them in whom it is out of them it may be drawne therefore Sonne consider well and see from whence that substance is and take that and none other if thou desire to come to knowledge I say unto thee for love of Christ that by no other means we can it finde now the Philosophers never might finde any other matter that would continue in the fire but that only which is unctuous perfect and incombustible and that matter when it is prepared as it ought will turne all bodes Minerall which it toucheth rightly unto most perfect Sol compleat and above all bodies Lune Seeth first with wind and afterwards without winde untill thou hast drawne out of thy subject or matter the venome which is called the soule that is it which thou seekest called the everlasting aqua-vitae for alldiseases the whole mastery is in the vapor Avicen Let the body be put in a fire kindled for forty dayes by elementall heat then in that decoction of forty dayes the body will rejoyce with the soule and the soule will rejoyce with the body and spirit and the spirit will rejoyce with the body and soule and they are made immortall and perpetuall without separation FINIS
such other unfruitfull matters whereas neither salts nor alloms doe goe into or be compounded in our worke but the Philosophers named it salts and allomes in stead of the Elements as Theophrastus saith But if thou desire to make the Elixir wisely and perfectly then learne to know the Minerall Roots and make of them thy worke for as Geber sayth thou shalt not finde the terme or end of the thing in the veines of the earth for sulphur and mercury which be the roots minerall and naturall principles that Nature doth make the foundation of her operations once as in the mineralls and chambers of the Earth be water viscous and a stinking spirit running by the veines and bowells of the Earth and of them doth spring a fume which is the mother of all mettalls joyned by a moist temperate heat ascending and verberating againe upon his upper Earth untill that by temperate decoction in the term of 1000. years is made a certaine naturall fixation as more plainly it doth appeare and so is made mettall as appeareth in the bookes of Geber Even so of Sol which is our Sulphur reduced into Mercury by Mercury is made a water thicke and mixed with his proper Earth by temperate decoction and from it riseth a fume of the veins of this proper Earth viz. of himselfe which afterward is changed into a water most subtle which is called Anima Spiritus Tinctura that is the Soule the Spirit and Tincture and when the same water is reduced upon the Earth from whence it came and sprinkled upon his owne veines it commeth into a certaine fixation and is made the Elixir compleat and so Art doth worke in a short time by the wit of man more then Nature doth work in 1000. yeares But yet wee doe not make mettall but Nature doth make it we doe not change mettals but Nature doth change them but we be Natures helpers or Ministers Whereupon Medus in Turba Philosophorum sayth That although our Stone being perfectly created in the Earth doth naturally contayne in himselfe tincture yet by himselfe he hath no motion or moving to be Elixir unlesse thereto hee bee moved by Art Therefore let us choose the naturall and next mineralls according to the words of Aristotle for Nature hath procreated all metalique bodies of a fume Sulphur and Mercury wherein thou shalt finde no Philosopher disagreeing therfore it behoveth thee to know the principles of this Art and the principall Roots thereof for hee that doth not know the right beginning shall never finde the right end thereof for Geber sayth in the beginning of his Booke Hee that knoweth nor our beginning in himselfe is farre from the attayning or understanding of this Science for hee hath not the true Root or ground whereon he should rayse this Art or Science or Worke also in another place he sayth It behoveth that our Art be found out by a naturall wit and a subtile soule searching forth the naturall principles and true foundations But although that a man may know his principles yet neverthelesse he cannot in this follow Nature in all things as Geber testifieth Sonne of this Art of Alchymy we doe open to thee a great secret Many Artificers in this Art doe greatly erre which do think to follow Nature in all properties and differences Therefore these things thus shortly passed over as is aforesayd let us come to that part of the worke artificiall many men doe write of the Stone named the Philosophers Stone but how or of what it is made no Philosopher did plainly and openly name for in these points divers men taught divers things whereas the truth doth consist in one thing onely but without doubt and without all errour we say that this Stone which is the root of our Art and privity or hidden secret of God and whereof many wise men did treat who did of it make and did knit many knots and so deceived many men in making them thereby fooles is none other thing but man and woman Sol Luna hot and cold Sulphur and Mercury and heere sticke downe your stake staying only and leaving to search further for any other stone or foolishly to consume thy money and to bring to thy soule heavy thoughts or sadnesse for what thou sowest thou shalt reape And forasmuch as this Stone is divided into two parts we will speake a little of the first part Sol and note that without it our worke cannot be done as I well prove by authority of learned Philosophers For Aristotle sayth of all things in this world Sol is most and it is the firment of white and red without which it is not done Also Hermes sayth There is no true tincture but of our Brasse that is to say Sol for all Sol is brass but all brasse is not Sol so all Sol is Sulphur but contrary for in it is nothing of the corruption of Sulphur but when it is made white in the worke then it worketh the operation of white Sulphur congealing and converting Mercury into Sol of the colour named Obrison in Latine therefore use alwayes the nobler member that is to say Sol for it is the kinde of kindes and forme of formes for it is the first and last in mettals and it is amongst them in their natures as the Sun is amongst the Stars but it doth concerne thee to understand well how to choose in what noble member materiam vel rem homogeneam amborum mundi Luminum that is a thing of that kinde which is a kindred to both the lights in the world that is to say Sol for Sol is homogeneam and the spirit hid and covered in that noble member without which the work is not done Wherefore Rasis sayth Doe not colour it untill his hid spirit be drawne out and made all spirituall and therefore worke thou nothing but that which is very light and of the most pure Sol which doth illuminate and lighten all lights and casteth away all darknesse of the night by his power viz. the superfluity of Mercury and other imperfect bodies when that it is cast upon them wherefore Geber saith in the Chapter of the Quintessence and Projection of the Stone this Sulpher lightning and easting forth his beames and shining abroad of his most cleare substance doth irradiate and giveth light not only in the day but also in the darknesse wherupon Pandulphus in turba Philosophorū saith my Brethren know ye that there is no body more precious or purer than Sol for as the Rubie hath in it selfe the effect of all precious stones so Sol hath in it selfe the vertue of all stones and Mettals ductible for it containeth in it selfe all mettals and coloureth and quickeneth them when he is most noble of them and of all bodies and the head and the best of them and consider this one poynt more that Sol is equall in the qualities and parts of it and it is of a compleat nature of the foure Elements
Euclides being a wise man counselled us that we should worke but in Sol and Mercury which joyned together doth make the Philosophers Stone whereupon Rasis saith white and red do proceed of one Roote no body of any other kinde comming between or meddling of the kind of Sol yet it being matter and forme absent all the effect is deprived quoniam ex materia forma sit generatio vera that is to say very true generation is made of forme and matter therefore it behooveth thee to know that no Stone or precious stone nor any other thing besides this Stone is convenient nor yet doth agree to this worke but thou hadst need to labor about the solution of the yellow body reducing it to his first matter wherefore Rasis saith we truly do dissolve Gold that it may be reduced into his first nature that is to say Mercury and when that they be brused asunder then they have in themselves tincture abiding wherefore Rasis in the flowers of Socrates saith make the marriage between the Red husband and the White wife and thou shalt have the mastery Also Merlyn saith in his Booke Candida si rubeo mulier sic mixta marito Mox amplectuntur complectaque concipiuntur Per se solvuntur per se quoque conficiuntur Et duo qui fuerant unum quasi corpore fiunt And truly our dissolution is no other thing but that the body be turned againe into moistnesse and his quicksilver into his owne nature be removed againe Therefore unlesse our brasse be broken and crushed asunder and ruled by himselfe untill it be drawn from his thicknes and that it be turned into a thin spirit this labour is in vaine whereupon it is sayd in the Booke called Speculum Alchymiae that the first worke of this worke is the body reduced into water that is to Mercury and that is that the Philosophers call solution which is the foundation of all the worke and it maketh the body of more liquefaction and of a more hid and privy subtiliation which said solution by little and little is done by contritions and light rosting wherfore Rasis saith the disposition of our Stone is that it be put into his vessell and be sod diligently untill all do ascend and rise up and be dissolved And it is spoken in Specula Philosophorum that the Philosophers Stone doth arise from a vile thing unto a more precious treasure that is to be understood that the sperme of Sol is to be cast into the matrix of Mercury by bodily copulation or conjunction and joyning of them together Also Pithagoras saith that when it is put together with his like and be mercurified it is a young tree bringing forth fruit for the soule the spirit and the tincture may from thenceforth be drawn out of him by temperate heat whereupon he saith you Artificers of Alchymie know you that their kindes cannot be truly transmuted unlesse that it be reduced into his first matter Also Geber saith all the whole thing may be made only of Mercury or Lune for when that Sol is brought into his first beginning by Mercury then nature embraceth his owne proper nature and then there is in it an easinesse of drawing forth his subtill substance wherefore Alfidius saith take things of their owne mindes and exalt them to their Roots and beginnings Also the Booke called Lumen Luminum saith that except that a man do cast the red with the fairnesse away he can by no means come to the Sulphur Lightning and Ruddiness Also Rasis saith in the seventh Chapter he that knoweth how to turne Sol into Luna hee knoweth also how to turne Sol into Sol wherefore Pandulphus in Turba Philosophorum saith he that hath wisely brought forth the venome out of Sol and his shaddow without which no colouring venome is ingendred and he that goeth about by any manner of wayes to make colouring venome without this he loseth his labour and enjoyeth nothing but sorrow for all his hopes The Vessell of our Stone is one wherein all the mastery is fulfilled and it is a Cucurbit or Gourd with a Limbeck round above and beneath plaine without any scapolis not too high whose bottome be round after the fashion of an Egge or of an urinall with plaine sides that it being made thin it may ascend and descend most freely and easily and let the Vessell be of such quantity that the fourth part thereof may containe all the matter and note that it is not of any other mettle but Glasse cleane which is a body full of light and shining every thing through it and lacking poores shewing also the colours in the worke appearing whereby the spirits passing may successively vanish away it must also be made right convenient and meet wisely that nothing may enter in by it whereupon Lucas saith let the Vessell be shut strongly with Lutum sapientiae that nothing may passe forth nor enter into it for if his dew should passe forth or some other strange humour should enter in all the worke should thereby lose his effect and although it is sayd by the Philosophers very often put it into his Vessell and shut it strongly yet sufficeth but once to put it in and shut it and in that thou hast fulfilled all the mastery for that that is more is done of evill Whereupon Rasis saith keepe it continually wisely shut and set it about with dew ever taking heed that this dew doe not passe forth into a Fume also in Speculum Alchymiae it is sayd the Philosophers Stone must remaine close shut in his Vessell untill it hath drunke up his humidity and that it be nourished perfectly with the heate of the fire till it be made white Also it is sayd in the Booke called Beneloquium even as there be in a naturall Egge three things viz. the Shell the White the Yolke even so there be in the Philosophers Stone three things viz. the Vessell the Glasse for the Egge shell the white liquor for the White of the Egge and the yellow body for the Yolke of the Egge and there becomes a Bird of the yellow and white of the Egge by a little heate of the Mother the Egge-shell still remaining whole untill the Chicken doe come forth even so by every manner of wise in the Philosophers Stone is made of the yellow body and white Liquor by mediation of a temperate heat of the mother the earthly substance Hermes bird the vessell still remaining whole and never opened untill his full perfection keep therefore the vessell diligently and wisely closed with Lutum sapientiae Philosophorum that the spirit do not passe forth Also Rasis saith keep the vessels with his tiolls and closures that thou mayest be able and strong in the keeping of his spirit also in another place shut thy vessell diligently and doe not in any sort make hast nor cease from thy worke also take heed that the humiditie do not pass out of the vessell
mettalls also they cannot shew their operation unlesse they be first reduced from their grosnes to a spiritualty nourisht and fed in their tinctures through heat and moistnesse For the spirit is of the same matter and nature with our medicine for wee say our medicine is of fire Nature and much subtiler but of themselves they cannot bee subtile nor simple for they must bee helped with subtile penetrating things Note earth of it selfe may not be subtile but must be made subtile through moyst water which is dissolving and maketh an ingresse for Sol that shee may penetrate the earth and with her heat she maketh the earth subtile and in that way the earth must be made subtile so long till it bee as subtill as a spirit which then is the Mercury more dissolving then common water to dissolve the sayd mettalls and that through the heat of fire to penetrate and subtiliate the mettalls CHAP. 3. IF you aske why is Mercury called a better spirit then others as there are sulphur orpiment arsenici salarmenic all these are called spirits also for being set into the fire they are carried away and wee know not what is become of them but this Mercury is much subtiler and clearer or penetrative then the other and mettalls are turned in it but the others burn them and destroy them make mettalls more grosser then they were CHAP 4. BUT Mercury is of such a subtile nature that he turnes mettalls into simples as himselfe is and draweth them unto him Note no mettall may be turned by any of the other foure spirits for if you put any of them to our mettle it turneth to ashes or earth but if you doe it to Mercury it will bee impalpable therefore is it called argent vive CHAP. 5. VVE take nothing else to subtilize mettles or make them penetrative nor to tinge other mettles some call it argent vive or a water an acetum a poyson because it destroyeth imperfect bodies and divideth into severall members and formes as you shall heare and is called by severall names CHAP. 6. YOU may say we doe not speake true that our medicine is made of two things of body and of spirit it is right sayd that all mettals have one root and originall CHAP. 7. VVHY can it not be made of two compounded together Answer 1. They may be made of all these together 2. They must be reduced into a Mercury which would fall difficult by reason of mans life therefore we take the next matter which are the two above sayd things viz. the body and spirit Some Philosophers say in their Bookes our medicine is made out of foure things and it is so for in mettles and their spirits are the foure Elements and others say true also saying mettalls must be turned into argent vive Heerein many learned and wise men doe erre and lose themselves in this path CHAP. 8. HAving spoken of the matter of which our medicine is made or joyned or generated now we will speake of the forme of the Vessells in which it is made CHAP. 9. Forme of the Vessell IT is requisite that the Vessell be likened to the firmament which encloseth and encompasseth all For our medicine is nothing else but a change of Elements one into another which is done by the motion of the firmament and so it must needs be round and circular CHAP. 10. VVE must speake also of the other or second Vessell and that also must be round and must be lesse then the outward Vessell two hand-breadth high called Cucurbite containing on the Cucurbite you set an Alimbeck through which the vapours ascend to the nose of the Alimbeck which must be well luted The Lute is made with meale sifted ashes white of an Egge c. or one part of meale one part of calx vive tempered with the white of Egges which you must lute withall quickly lute it well that no spirits may get away which if you lose any of them will prejudice your Worke mainely therefore be cautious CHAP. 11. Forme of the Oven THis Oven must be round foure hands high and two broad and one in thicknesse to keepe in the heate the better Having spoken of the forme of the Vessell and Oven now we will declare how our medicine is generated and nourished CHAP. 12. How the matter is extracted and cherished VVEE say that our matter is generated through the heat of fire and through the vapour of the water and also of Mercury and is nourished in this manner and to bring this matter into a just comparison it is requisite to prick up your eares and to open your reason and understanding that we may the better understand the following Chapters CHAP. 13. FIrst we will shew the order of the worke in the following Chapters 1. The first is called Dissolution 2. Separation 3. Sublimation 4. Fixation or Congelation 5. Calcination 6. Ingression CHAP. 14. What is Dissolution IS the turning of a dry thing into a wet one and you must know that dissolution belongeth onely unto 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 selfe but mettalls are grosse and dry and of a grosse nature therefore they must be made more subtile the reasons why they must be subtillized CHAP. 15. THe first is our medicine must needs be subtile and mettalls cannot bee made subtile unlesse through dissolution being reduced into a water and ascend through the Alimbeck to be turned to water and spirit as you shall heare When it is come to that that all is ascended and nothing stayd behind and the feces are reserved for a further use as you shal hear hereafter CHAP. 16. THe second reason the body and spirit must be made indivisible and be one for no grosse thing mingleth with the spirit unlesse the grosse matter bee reduced to a subtility as into Argent vive then the one embraceth the other inseparably For if Argent vive perceiveth a thing like to it selfe then it rejoyceth and the dissolved body embraceth the spirit and suffers him not to fly away and maketh it durable for the fire and the spirit rejoyceth because he hath found his fellow therefore the one must be like the other and are of one nature CHAP. 17. Of Dissolution how to make it VVEE take leave of Sol and Luna thinly beaten very pure which we put into a good deale of Mercury which is made pure also then we put one after the other into Mercury in a pot in a heat not too hot that the Mercury fume not when wee see that no grosse thing is in it and is melted or streameth together then you wrought well but if there be any feces or settlement then you must adde more Mercury to it and doe as you did formerly and this is the first signe of dissolution that all bee streamy CHAP. 18. The Prosecution of this Matter VVEE take all the matter thus dissolved and
set in Balneo Mariae continue the fire for a sennight then let it coole take the matter presse it through a cloth or skin if all goeth through then it is well if not begin againe in the vessell with more Mercury so long till it bee dissolved the dissolution in Summer is better then in Winter yet it matters not much CHAP. 19. SEparation is a dividing of a thing into its members and a separation of the pure from the impure we take our dissolved matter and put it into the smaller vessell which stands in the cucurbite set the Alimbecke upon well luted and set it in ashes wee make a continued fire for a sennight one part of the spirit sublimeth which wee call the spirit or water and is the subtilest part the other part which is not yet subtile sticketh about the cucurbite and some of it is fallen to the bottome which we call the ayre and this part we take warme and moyst and the third part remayning in the inner vessell is yet a grosser matter which stayeth in the bottome each of these parts we put into a vessell apart but the third matter wee put more Mercury to and proceed as formerly and alwayes each reserved apart and thus you must proceed in the inner vessell nothing remayneth but a black powder which we call the black earth which is the dregs of the mettalls which are an obstruction why mettalls cannot bee united with the spirit this powder is of no use CHAP. 20. Allegation or proofe YOU may whereas you have separated the fowre Elements from the mettalls or divided them and what is the fire then which is one of the fowre Elements also CHAP. 21. ANswer We say that fire and ayre is of one nature which are come open together and mixed together and the one is turned to the other but it were hard to be understood if you should not bee instructed that the dividing of the Elements is brought to that that they have their naturall operation as in the whole so in the parts CHAP. 22. VVEE call that ayre which remayned in the bigger vessell because it is more hot then moist cold or dry the same you must understand also of the other Elements if they be not sought in particular they cannot properly bee understood but are left thus Hence Plato saith we turned the moyst into a siccity and the dry thing we made moyst and turned the body into water and aire CHAP. 23. VVEE say that sublimation is arising from below upward as wee see the vapors which fall on the ground and in the water are exhaled againe by the heat of the sun and the grosse matter lieth still below as wee have sayd at the changing of the Elements thus the matter must be subtiliated which is not subtile enough all which must bee done through heat and moistnes namely through fire and water CHAP. 24. Prosecution of the matter KNow that we must take the thing which remained in the greater vessell and put the same to other fresh Mercury that it be well dissolved and subtilized then we set it in Balneum Mariae for three dais as formerly but we mention not the quantity of Mercury only we leave it to your discretion as much as you have need that you may make it fusible and it be cleare like a spirit and note that you take not too much of the Mercury that it be not a sea then we set it againe into subliming as you did formerly doe it so often till you have brought it all through the Alimbecke then it is very subtile and one thing cleare pure and fusible then we put it againe into the inner vessell and let it goe once more through the Alimbeck and see whether any thing be left behind to the same more Mercury must be added till it become all one thing and yeelds no more sediment and be separated from all its impurity and superfluity CHAP. 25. Declaration I Tell you that we have made out of two viz. of body and spirit one onely thing as a spirit which is light and the body is heavy the spirit quickly and easily flyeth upwards but our worke is that the body which was fixed is now become volatile and riseth upward the which is against his nature Thus wee have made a spirit out of the body and a body out of the spirit one onely thing CHAP. 26. Of Fixation and Congealation HAving made a spirit out of the body which is a thing volatile now is it requisite to be made fix holding in the fire for we turned the spirit into a body viz. we turned the dry into a moystness and the moystness into a dryness now we must make it a thing fix'd and againe to turne the spirit into a body and that which formerly rose up to stay below and thus have we done according to the sayings of Philosophers reducing each Element into its contrary then you will finde what you seek after namely make the liquid thing dry and the dry thing to be liquid out of a fix a volatile and the volatile to bee fix and this can be done only through Congelation therefore we will turne the spirit into a body CHAP. 27. Coagulation and Fixation HOw is it done we take a little of the ferment which is made of our medicince be it either Luna or Sol and take but a little as if you have 100 lb. of the medicine take but 10 lb. of the ferment which must be foliated and this ferment we amalgamize with the matter which you had before prepared the same we put into a glasse Violl with a long neck and set it in a pot of ashes all which being set in the fit place then to the above said ferment 2 or 3 fingers of the spirit which is gone through the Alimbeck then wee put a good fire to it for three dayes then the dissolved body findeth its like then they embrace one another each keepeth to its like then the grosse ferment holdeth with the subtile ferment attracteth the same will not let it goe and the dissolved body which is now subtile keepeth the spirit for they are of an equall subtilty like one to another are become one thing and the fire never may separate them therfore is it requisite through this means to make the one like the other and thus the firment a biding place of the subtile body and the subtile body a staying place for the spirit that it may not flye away then we make fire for a sennight more or less yet so long till we see that our matter is congealed The time of this congelation is either prolonged or shortened according to the vessells or Ovens condition and of the fires either continuance or discontinuing CHAP. 28. A further proceeding in this matter VVHen you see that this matter is coagulated then put of the abovesayd matter so much to it that it be two or three fingers high over it as you know how it must
be done and put the fire to it as you did formerly till it bee congealed also and proceed so long in it till all the matter be congealed And know that Philosophers for the generallity have concealed the Congelation in their books and none of them as far as we can finde have disclosed it only Larikalix who hath composed it into many Chapters and produced it in the German tongue without any alteration which he revealed unto me without any reservation or deceit CHAP. 29. Calcination HAving treated of Congealation and Fixation now we come to the Calcination We take the known matter and put it into an Urinall and set a head upon it luting it well set it in the Oven of ashes make a continued great fire for a sennight then that which is not fix riseth into the Alimbeck which wee call Hermes his bird and that which remaines in the bottome of the glasse is like ashes or sifted earth called the Philosophers Earth out of which they make their foundation and out of it they make their increase or augmentation through heat and moystness this earth is composed of foure Elements but are not contrary one to another for their contrariety is changed or reduced to an agreement unto an uniforme nature then we take the moyst part reserve it apart to a further use which afterward must be put to it as you shall heare We take this earth or ashes which is a very fixed thing and put it into a strong earthen pot unto which we lute its lid and set it in a calcining Oven that the fire may beat on it above and below and that fire we continue for three dayes so that the pot is alwayes red hot we make of a stone a white calx and the things which are of water and earth-nature are of fire's nature for every calx is of a fires nature which is hot and dry CHAP. 30. Subtiliation of the foure Elements into the fifth essence VVEE have spoken of Calcination in which we have brought things to the highest subtility namely to fire's nature now we must further subtiliate the foure Elements we take a little quantity of this Calx viz. if we have 100 pounds we keep no more than the fourth part the other we set into dissolution with a good deale of fresh mercury even as we had done formerly and so follow from Chapter to Chapter from time to time as formerly hath been proceeded in CHAP 31. Changing Fire into Water NOw my dearest that you may change the fix into a volatile thing that is Fire into Water know that that which was of sire's nature is now become the nature of water and that which was fix is now become volatile and being made very subtile then we take 1. p. of this water and put it to the reserved Calx and we adde as much of the water unto that it go over it two or three fingers breadth over the Calx then we put fire under for three dayes long thus it congealeth sooner than at first for Calx is hot and dry and sucks in the humidity greedily this Congelation must be continued till it be quite congealed afterward we calcine it as formerly being quite calcined it is called the quintessence because it is of a more subtile nature than Fire and because of the transmutation formerly made CHAP. 32. The Philosophers Examples ALL this being done then our medicine is finish'd and nothing but the ingression is wanting that the matter may have an ingresse into imperfect mettalls Plato and many other Philosophers begun this worke againe with dissolving subliming or subtiliating congealing calcining as at first and that medicine which we call a ferment transmutes Mercury into its nature in which it is dissolved and sublimed Philophers say our medicine transmutes infinitely imperfect mettals and say that he which attaineth once to the perfection of it hath no more need of it to make any more but they speake it mystically in their expressions CHAP. 33. How our medicine transmuteth mettalls into Sol and Luna KNowing that our medicine converteth imperfect mettalls into Sol and Luna according to the nature and forme of the matter out of which it is made therefore know that wee now at second time say that this our medicine is of that nature that it transmuteth converts divideth asunder like fire and is of a more subtile nature than fire for it is of a nature of the quintessences as we sayd before therefore it converts Mercury into its nature seeing our medicine is of a converting nature as our body converts Mercury into its nature which is an imperfect body or mettall and the grossenesse of mettall it turneth into ashes or powder therefore our medicine is of a dividing separating nature as you see fire doth not turn all the world into its nature but only that which is of its nature and the rest it turneth to ashes CHAP. 34. Reason why a Spirit is made of a Body VVEE shewed by reall reason how a body is turned into a spirit and againe a spirit is turned into a body viz. out of a fixed this is made a volatile and of a volatile a fixed thing the earth is turned to water and aire and the aire into fire and the fire to an earth the earth into a fire and the fire is turned to aire and the aire is turned into water and the water is become an earth Now the earth which was of fire's nature is brought to the nature of quintessence Thus we have spoken of all the wayes of transmuting perform'd through heat and moystnesse and have made out of dry a moyst thing and out of the moyst a dry one otherwise natures which are of severall motions and of severall mansions could not be brought to one uniforme thing if one should bee turned in the others nature CHAP. 35. Accomplishment of Philosophers sayings WEE having brought the matter to the abovesayd points then have we done and wrought according to the Philosophers sayings when they say in their Books Rising from the Earth into Heaven and comming downe from Heaven into the Earth to that sense to make the body which is of earth into a spirit which is a subtile thing in his nature and then to reduce the spirit into a body which is a grosse low thing changing one Element into another as earth into water water into ayre ayre into fire then fire is turned into water and water into fire and that into a more subtile nature and quintessence Having thus done then are you come to the glory of the world be dutifull to God remember the poore CHAP. 36. Ingression TAke quicke Sulphur melt it in an earthen vessell well glazed being melted powr it forth into a Lie made of Calx vive and willow ashes let all these boyle in a kettle gently an oyle swimmeth on the top which take and keepe having enough of it we mingle it with sand distill it through the Alimbeck so long till it become