of age as by diligent enquiry you may know experimentally and thence you will know why the Philosophers in preparing of their double Spirit kept to the Corrosive of the Salt Armoniack and preferred it before the spirit of salt And although my intent is not to speak of any thing else but what serveth to confirm my elucidation which hitherto hath been done to the full yet I cannot pass by because in the demonstration of the excellency of the Corrosive from the Salt-Armoniack the abovesaid golden flores of the blood-stone accompanied the rest to mention their great usefulness to the end that they as a Noble Treasure may be employed for the benefit of the diseased Take therefore the spirit of Wine wherein you have thrown the sublimed Salt-Armoniack mixt with the Gold-like flores decant it and poure on other repeating the same forth and forth till it be tinged no more Abstract all the spirit of Wine in Balneo NB in Balneo for in ashes or sand it will not come over of which you may consider further and in the bottom of the Cucurbit you will have a very fair salt of a very curious colour insomuch that the sight can hardly leave looking upon it and of a very strong Odour like unto Saffran which mix with the other flores which in the rectification of the Corrosive spirit remained in the Retort mix them well together and lay them in a Cellar for to dissolve and you will get a very fair Liquor far surpassing the choicest Gold in Colour and take good heed that when at last the drops begin to grow pale that you let them not come to the other but keep them by themselves for feavers but the first keep by it self for a rare Medicine especially being mixed with Gumme Armoniack and made up in pills in Hydrope quartanâ scorbuto plueritide renum calculo colicâ obstructione mensium Melancholiâ Hypochondriacâ affectibus ventriculi variis and many other grievous infirmities and it hath also vim anodynam somniferam by reason of its Gold and Saffran-like Tincture and Aromatical smel Whence you may perceive the great power which the Salt-Armoniack hath in opening and inverting of Metals for who should have thought that such an excellent Balsamick smell should be hidden in such a hard harsh and gross body as the blood-stone is if the Salt Armoniack had not discovered it unto us Therefore seek and you will find to the end that the hidden virtues of Nature may be manifested and thence much praise may redound unto the most holy Creator of these virtues CAP. VI. How the sweet Vitriol of Copper is to be distilled into a green Spirit THe Philosophers Writings manifesting that of Vitriol and Copper there may be made a green spirit of very great virtues there were alwayes found seekers of truth who took very great pains to obtain this Noble green Spirit and to delight themselves in its power and Virtue but when they saw that Vitriol however distilled will not yield such a green Spirit as the Philosophers Writings do promise they thought that the old Wise Men would not be understood of Common distillation but conjectured that by some sundry subtle way or by sundry unknown sleights such greenness is to be obtained and therefore they begun to invent all sorts of wayes how to attain unto their purpose And first there were some which that they might obtain a greenness took the subtlest Spirit of Vitriol and distilled it from some Vegetables so many times and so often untill by manifold Cohobation it carried along over the greenness of the hearbs and so pleased themselves with a greenness borrowed from Vegetables so setting their heart at rest which had as much efficacy as the Virtue of the adjoyned hearbs did extend it self Others when they saw that the greenness of the Vitriol will not ascend inverted it and forced it downwards and so with great shouting they conceived to have caught the truth of the businesse whereas in that manner part of the Vitriol falls through with it whereof the Liquor must needs turn green for the vehement vomiting which such a pretended green Spirit causeth sufficiently doth shew that the gross corporal Vitriol is in it in regard that it is and remaineth alwayes the quality of Vitriol to cause much vomiting Others followed the former who acknowledging this way of forcing per descensum too gross invented somewhat that hath some colour of a sundry so tearmed Philosophical distillation and of a sundry secret Philosophical Vitriol which is not common pretending that the Philosophers have not used common Vitriol nor Copper for this purpose but used their own proper hitherto unknown Vitriol which they made of the seed of all Metals and that this seed is a sort of round stones found in the fattest beds which as it is a sundry matter of a secret Vitriol so likewise that it must be distilled after a secret and no known way but that after this seed is impregnated by the Air with sufficient moysture so that it can Liquefie in water they purified that green Metallick juice which came thence from its Corporeousness by filtration and they interpreted filtration to be the Philosophers distillation and so they did not only violence to the word Distillation forcing it to be the same with filtration but also vented their feigned first matter or semen metallorum which yet by its right name is called Pyrites and indeed shewes it self to be such for to be the Matrix of the Philosophers Vitriol whereas experience witnesseth that such a pretended Philosophical Vitriol hath not the nature and quality which the true Vitriol of the wise hath viz. that it is sweet and procureth rest as a true domicilium veri anodyni Philosophorum but the pretended Philosophers Vitriol is as grosse violent bitter and nauseous as common Vitriol and indeed is none other but common Vitriol in regard that it hath the same rise with the common viz. from the fire-stone And as this pretended Vitr Phil. is false so is also their Distillation viz. Filtration meerly a feigned pretence and presumptious perversion of the words of the wise And this perverted Philosophical distillation else called Filtration yields a much more vehement greenness than that per descensum in which not all the Vitriol falleth through but only some small quantity but in the perverted Philosophical Distillation all runneth through the Filter and yet they vent it for such a curious and special Philosophical green spirit There were others and those best of all which remained in the genuine literal sence of Distillation and there they sought for it and in regard they could get no such greenness from the Vitriol by no manner of way they conjectured that the Philosophers added something unto Vitriol which they had concealed from us and therefore out of two several Retorts they forced the Vitriol and Saltpeter by quick and ready sleights into one Receiver where these two Spirits working into one another
Armoniack but all in vain And therefore at length after many frustraneous labours I begun more accurately to heed our Philosophers far-reaching words teaching that the Vitriol of the Copper must be made into a very highly volatil spirit consequently the Salt-armoniack it self because it is to performe this must first be turned into such an extraordinary volatil Spirit for how could the Copper possibly be transformed into such a very volatil spirit if that same which is to transform it so be not first it self such a volatil Spirit And therefore the Salt-armoniack must first be turned into a very volatilspirit and then by the means thereof the Copper turned into Vitriol But you must not think as I did at first but my endeavours proved addle to take natural or by art prepared blew Vitriol of Copper to sublime it with Salt armoniack and so turne it into a Spirit for this is as much lost labour as to take the Copper filed or calcined in regard that the spirit of Vitriol or any other corrosive spirit which made the Vitriol of Copper do not only not serve for this purpose but also are noxious and a great hindrance in so much that if one would according to our Philosophers Doctrine extract the Tincture or Sulphur either of Naturally grown or artificially made common blew Vitriol of Copper he must first dissolve the Vitriol in Water then precipitate the Metallick Substance with an Alcali and free the same quite from its corosive so that not the least of this remain with it and then he must afresh make this precipitated and dryed Calx into Vitriol by spirit of Salt Armoniack else he would get nothing for such difference there is betwixt the common and the Philosophers Vitriol as betwixt black and white as you will hear by and by Now concerning the transformation of the Salt Armoniack into a Volatil spirit the Reader must not think that the same is to be done after a common and known way or that such a way hath been known hitherto as that the Salt armoniack is to be distill'd with Wheat-flower as some do who perversely count the Acid water that comes over for the true spirit of Salt Armoniack it being nothing else but the acidity of the flower mixt with some atomes of Salt armoniack after which also soon all the Salt Armoniack followeth and sublimeth in its former weight for all Vegetables yield such a sowre spirit when they are distill'd Also the fiery urinous salt which is got by means of the salt of Tartar or any other Alcali is not that spirit which the Philosophers require for this work in regard that the same is but the smaller part of the Salt Armoniack but the bigger part remaineth in the bottome in so much that the foresaid salt is wrongfully called spirit of Salt Armoniack for the denomination of a thing consisting of two parts as the Salt Armoniack doth pertaineth alwaies and chiefly to the bigger or greater part as they are wont to say à potiori parte fit denominatio Now experience witnesseth that if you take a pound of Salt Armoniack and mix it with an Alcali that about three ounces or three and a half ounces do rise of the urinous Salt which indeed is no spirit but only a volatil Salt and more then twelve ounces remain with the Alcali in the bottom which twelve ounces as being the greater part merit rather the name of Salt Armoniack then those three ounces and a half which sublimed hence also the wise alwaies mean it of the greater part which remained in the bottom which they forced into a volatil spirit to serve their turne and the same experience hath taught me for I saw that the urinous Salt is uselesse for this matter not being able to produce that which the wise require and so sought and found it in the greater part viz. that the said greater part which after the separation of the urinous salt remains in the bottom with the Alcali being forced over by a strong fire according to Art you will get not only a Volatil but also a double spirit Very Volatil I say for it will come over in Balneo and is able to make other bodies to be very Volatil Double it is for when the Urinous Salt severed it self thereform it embraced then and united with the Alcali from which it is not to be severed but by a very vehement fire and then it forceth part of the Alcali over with it self because of its intimate union therewith in so much that without the same it cannot come over so there ariseth a double or satiated spirit which satiated its hungry corroding nature with the Alcali and so doth no more corrode other bodies nor seeketh to insinuate it self into them being satiated already with the Alcali as much as its corrosive had need of hence this double satiated very Volatil spirit is of a wonderful nature and unlocketh Metallick bodies after a far other fashion than the common corrosives do for these being hungry and desirous to satiate their corrosive do fall upon the Metals with great fury and noise and do corrode them and adhere unto them outwardly but this double corrosive being satiated already doth not corrode the Metal nor seeketh for to dwell with it as others do but doth mollify it and adhereth not outwardly thereunto nor performeth its operation suddenly like the others but gently in some dayes penetrating to the very inmost of the Metal and turning outward what was lock't and sealed up in its inmost center by the vertue of its double nature wherein the Metal melteth like ice in water Therefore be careful and diligent to make this spirit of the Salt Armoniack and be not dismayed therefore that much Labour is required for it and special care but think upon the end that the same will recompense thee with gladnesse and joy If you hit this right then you have overcome the greatest and difficultest point in this business and the rest will be but as it were a play or sport Take therefore this very Volatil Spirit and poure it upon the filings of fine Copper and in a close glasse-Vessel in a gentle heat digest it for manydayes and the Metal will leasurely melt in it and the spirit will be very green of the Metal continue this solution with fresh spirit untill your metal be all dissolved then coagulate it and you will get a very green Vitriol which as it differs from the common blew Vitriol in colour so likewise in Nature and Vertues for the blew Vitriolum Cupri is very bitter and nauseous in taste but this as sweet as sugar of Lead the other causeth vehement vomits but this strengtheneth Nature begetteth rest taketh away pain it may be given even to the smallest children and hath such Verture in Physick that it is to be admired The other being Calcined is a harsh and hard substance but this is fufile in the fire like wax it is almost like unto Rozin and may
and satiated Spirit or rather a Spiritual Salt and beeing of such a double nature it hath the precedency before all common and known Spirits and Corrosives and so openeth Metals and Minerals as no other Salt can do the like whereof I will give you a clear Demonstration at the end of this Chapter viz. of its great power to manifest that which is occult and therefore Basilius Valentinus saith well of the same The Salt-Armoniack is not the meanest key to unlock Metals and therefore is compared by the Antients unto a flying Fowl it is able with its swift Feathers to carry on high the Tincture and colour of Minerals and some of Metals and you will finde it of force sufficient to prepare and fit Metals for Transmutation for without preparation no Metal can be transmuted c. Note this Doctrine of Basilius for I have set it down not without cause Now although by this my demonstration you will be convinced that the name of a double and satiated Spirit is not undeservedly given unto the Salt-Armoniack and that this term is not newly invented by me but according to its real being hath been in the Salt-Armoniack although the name was not usuall hitherto yet you may further object if Salt-Armoniack be such a double and satiated Spirit why is it not sufficient of it self to reduce the Copper into a Volatile Spirit but there must be made another double Spirit of the Salt-Armoniack and the Alcali For answer know that the Spirit or rather Salt of Urine whereof the Salt-Armoniack consisteth is the only cause of it for it alwayes retains the nature of Salt and cannot be reduced into a true Spirit hence it raiseth the Spirit of Salt Vitriol and other Corrosives which are true Spirits not in the Form of a Spirit but according to its own nature like a Salt yea by its Saltie nature turneth them also into Salt or into the shape of Salt so long as it is united with them But now our Philosopher as also Paracelsus and others before him require that the Copper shall come over not like a Volatile green Salt but like a very Volatile green Spirit as our Philosopher saith de Lithiasi Cap. 8. § 21. that it must be Cupri liquamen Volatile and in his Duumviratus he saith that the Spiritus Viridis ought to be insigniter volatilis to the end that the body of the Copper may be rightly prepared and fitted that it may yield its tincture afterwards and therefore it must be so forcibly torne assunder and reduced into the smallest atomes viz. into a subtle spirit for without this proceeding its anima cannot be got as he saith expresly loco jam citato d◠Lithiasi § 5. Non potest autem haberi ignis Veneris nisi cum plenaria NB Cupri destructione corporisque mercurialis ipsius Veneris Volatilisatione but the Salt Armoniack though it be a double and satiated spiritual salt cannot performe this although the vulgar Vitriolum Veneris or Cuprum limatum or ustum be never so often and so many times elevated therewith because it is but a dry salt but not a penetrating and attenuating spirit which is far more subtle and efficacious to unlock penetrate and spiritualize than salt though it be never so volatile Now although the Salt Armoniack be not such a double spiritual substance as to have power to do the Philosophers work and to reduce Copper into a subtle penetrating Volatile Spirit yet the nature and substance of the Salt Armoniack as being really a double spiritual salt hath given occasion unto the Philosophers though after another manner yet from the same ground whereof the Salt Armoniack consisteth to find out and to prepare another sort of satiated and double substance which alwaies is and remaineth a very Volatile and flying Spirit For they considered throughly the parts whereof the Salt Armoniack as being a double substance doth consist and they found that as I demonstrated above at large it consisteth of a fiery and of a corrosive substance but seeing that the fiery substance in its nature is no true spirit and consequently not serving their turne viz. to reduce Copper into a volatil Spirit therefore instead thereof they chose such a fiery salt as being distill'd is a true spirit and never ascendeth in the forme of Salt much lesse changeth the adjoyned corrosive into the forme of a dry salt as the salt of Urine doth To find out the same they considered the property and efficacy of the salt of Urine viz. that its nature is to mortify or satiate all corrosives by which vertue it doth precipitate metals dissolved in a corrosive eagerly falling upon the corrosive satiating it self therewith and so freeing the corroded metal from it and because they found that the same power yea more effectual resideth in the fiery fixed Alcalies they judged them fit for the purpose that as in the preparation of Salt Armoniack the fieriness of the Salt of urine doth satiate the corrosive so as to their purpose the Alcalies lay hold of the corrosive and that of them both there should arise a tertium duplicatum satiatum sal and consequently by distillation such a double spirit they also first distilled the Alcalia by a very strong fire according to art and found that they ascended not like a volatile Salt but like a true very subtle and penetrating spirit of mighty great power and vertue in Physick and therefore they mixt the Salt Armoniack with the Alcalies and the corrosive having more inclination to them than to the fiery salt of Urine presently associated it self with the Alcali leaving the salt of Urine and so making a new double satiated salt tasting neither of the Alcali nor of the corrosive but as a mixture of both as experience doth testify to this day Now because both the corrosive and the Alcali being forced over by fire turne into a true spirit it must of necessity follow that of this double salt no other but a true satiated and double spirit must come and experience it self confirmeth it that a very volatile spirit cometh thence having such a property as no other corrosive hath which fall upon the Metallick bodies with great fury and ebullition corroding them and adheering outwardly unto them seek to get their habitation therein but in regard that this double spirit is already satiated in himself and is of a double and mighty force therefore it openeth the metallick bodies in a clean other way than the common corrosives do for by vertue of its double and volatile nature it pierceth and penetrateth to the very inmost center of every atome of the Metals and turneth outwards all power colour tincture and vertue yea quickneth them and maketh them active which before lay hidden and dead as it were Now upon this elucidation you may say since in the Salt Armoniack there is no other corrosive but the Spirit of Salt whether it be not all one to make first the spirit of Salt and
to joyn it with the Alcalies and in this manner to get a double volatile spirit For Answer whereunto know that the Philosophers had reason yea were constrained to make use of the Salt Armoniack because that its corrosive though as to its first rise proceeding from Salt by reason of its union undergone with the fiery Salt of Urine where they did act into one another and change one another in their nature hath got another and far more excellent nature than it had before and hence the Philosophers were necessitated to acquiesce in the Salt Armoniack and thence got their corrosive And I must confesse that after I had learned to understand and know the ground and root of the Salt Armoniack I thought my self also that the Spirit of Salt might be used for this intent So I tryed it but could get no such spirit as I had from the Salt Armoniack whence it was apparent to me why the Philosophers esteemed alwaies so highly of the Salt Armoniack And therefore I desired to see and taste this corrosive naked and by it self and to trye its vertue whither alone and of it self it would shew it self more excellent and powerful than the common spirit of Salt and I took much pains about it trying many deceitful processes which promised the obtaining of this corrosive or sowre spirit amongst which the most fallacious and perverse is that which teacheth to mix Salt Armoniack with Wheaten flower and to distil it and so to get this desired corrosive the foolishnesse whereof I have shewed already in the former Chapter and is therefore needless to make any further mention of it And because I could not attain thereunto by the means of those big-speaking or boasting process-books and the like writings I searcht for it diligently and earnestly and with great care pondered and observed the nature of things untill I found it which in regard of its Simplicity I might have found out long ago and very easily if I had but stuck to Nature and its Simplicity and avoided the misguiding Writers which afford little truth but much confusion and error The ground for to obtain this corrosive consisteth in this that the fiery Salt of urine be first taken away and severed else it is impossible to get the sowre spirit alone for they dwell in each other This separation of the fiery Salt though it may be done by joyning of an Alcali unto the Salt Armoniack for streight by a gentle heat it will totally be gone but yet this serveth not our business in hand for then 't is again mixt and satiated with the Alcali from which it cannot be separated bare and single in its nature but if it be forced according to art it forceth the Alcali to come along and so is not single in its Nature the reason is because that the Alcali it self also is of a salty nature as well as the corrosive and therefore their union is so accurate and their inclination unto one another so great that it is impossible to sever them because of the likeness or the sameness of their natures being both of a salty nature whence their tye is not soluble therefore in stead of the Alcalies other subjects must be taken such as are of no salty nature and yet being kept in the fire together with the Salt Armoniack have power to retain the corrosive and to dismiss the fiery Salt There are divers such subjects which will perform this yet still one better than the other for one attracteth or holdeth fast more of the corrosive than the other and the best of all is the Lapis Haemathites by the means whereof this sowre spirit is got best and in most quantity as the Mechanica will teach you for if you mixe the Salt Armoniack very accurately with the Blood-stone and distill it presently there cometh a great deal of the fiery urinous spirit and so much as there is loosened of the same so much of the corrosive is tyed unto the blood-stone and if at last you give a little stronger fire a part of the Salt Armoniack will ascend also in its unchanged and former nature but being of double vertue it carrieth up along the subtlest vertue and best flores of the blood-stone and thence is coloured so fair like an Orenge delightful to behold which after the distillation is finished make into fine powder and throw it in highly rectifyed spirit of wine and keep it till I teach you what further to do therewith The fiery Spirit that came over you may use in all points as they do other spirit of Salt Armoniack of an urinous odor for betwixt this and the other there is no difference but the corrosive or acid spirit you must seek in the Caput Mortuum into which this corrosive hath so insinuated it self and is so fast lockt up in it that although you force this Caput Mortuum with never so strong a fire yet you cannot get this corrosive yea not so much as one drop of it but if this Caput mortuum be duly purified the desired corrosive will come easily to light yea in Sand also to attain unto this beat the Caput Mortuum into very fine powder and throw it straight into good Spirit of Wine which will take into it self all the corrosive and the subtlest parts of the bloodstone which the corrosive laid hold on uniting it self therewith and you will see it presently tinged of a Gold-colour which decant and poure on other repeating this processe until no spirit more be tinctured then draw off all the spirit in Balneo and being all come over you will find in the Cucurbit a balsamic aromatick Salt for the most part smelling like Saffron which put into a luted glass Retort in a wind furnace and distil with a gentle fire and presently the corrosive which was in the Salt Armoniack will come over continue this distillation with a gentle fire till no drops more come then strengthen the fire by degrees and there will come very fair flores as light as down feathers glistering and of various fair colors as red of gold colour and many others very pleasant to behold take heed that you make not too much hast in the beginning nor exceed with the Fire for it will not be done with violence but requireth time for if you force it before the time all will be gone and you will get nothing and therefore I do give you fair warning The distillation being done rince off with your corrosive all the flores which are in the neck of the Retort and poure them together with the Corrosive in a glass Retort and abstract the Corrosive with a gentle fire and all the flores remain in the bottom and the desired Acid Spirit of the Salt Armoniack is in the Receiver clear and white of excellent Virtues and of as much greater power in its operation beyond the common spirit of salt as a strong well grown Man in comparison of a Youth of eighteen years
added It is also further here to be known that the double corrosive not only therefore le ts fall its Metal the Copper because that it comes over gently with the Spirit of Wine but also for this reason because the great sharpnesse and edge of the corrosive is blunted and abated by the Spirit of Wine insomuch that it is not able to hold the Metal any longer because it hath lost its strength or corrosivenesse whereof you may be convinced by this experiment that if you mix this green spirit with a sufficient quantity of Spirit of Wine and set it together in continued digestion for a competent time viz. for a great space of time of many moneths the Metal will also precipitate slowly and by degrees in forme of a very spongious light dust But this being too tedious the more expedite way is by cohobation for then you will far sooner attain to its period Now these cohobations being continued to sufficiency and performed as they ought and all the corrosive being got over you have then the true Crocus Veneris Martis Auri c. according to the Metal which you have taken of farr higher and nobler Vertues than all the Croci of the common Writers and however they be prepared yet they cannot be compared unto these for their Croci are dead bodies but here is a resuscitated and quickned body its soul being quite turned outwards and in its full lustre which you may perceive by the glorious splendour which this Crocus with its choicest colours leaveth in the head if peradventure it be driven over by too strong a heat Now by this light turned outwards this Crocus hath so great vertue as well for inward Medicine as externally to be used in plaisters salves and other sorts of exteriour Medicaments as hardly can be believed before it be experimented And therefore also I will referr it to the experience of the diligent searcher of truth who will find far more Vertue in it than he is able to conceive at present But to clear this I cannot forbear to mention why the antient wise Authours of the highly noble Chymia called these resuscitated and revificated atomes of Metallick bodies Crocus which signifies Saffran Now he that hath but a little Enquired into the Vertues of this Crocus revificatus by experience will quickly know the reason viz. because this Crocus Metallicus doth perfectly possess those Excellent Virtues of Saffron which is the King of all Vegetables and therefore called the Philosophers aroma or spice as our Philosopher de Lithiasi cap. 7. § 14. declareth adding that the Aroma Philosophorum by reason of its Golden Tincture is the surest preservative against the Stone For as Saffron 1. causeth rest 2. comforteth the heart 3. openeth obstructions 4. mollifieth and ripeneth that which is hard and unripe 5. healeth all that which is wounded and preserveth it from all Sympomes So likewise yea in a farr higher degree and with far more Efficacy this our Crocus Philosophicus causeth rest and appeaseth pain powerfully strengtheneth weak Nature openeth the most dangerous obstructions of all the Viscera yea stoppeth all Fluxes by vertue of the shining Anima turned outwards and as well in Tumours as Ulcers and wounds affordeth such quick help as no Mineral Medicines of the common Writers can parallel as the Reader having tryed it will find by experience I can also not omit to relate the Eminent Vertues of the Spirit of Wine which carried over the double corrosive and is united therewith For in it is a double power or vertue first of the corrosive which in its nature by reason of its duplicity and containing an Alcali Volatil doth far exceed all Acid Liquors and therefore also is of great vertue in the Stone Secondly because of the splendour or radiation which this double spirit receceived from the Gold-like Anima of the Copper for although not the least pulvisculus of this Gold-like Tincture remained with this corrosive yet having received its radiation and kept it which is as it were by a seal deeply imprinted therein and thence exalted in vertue beyond what it was before of it self Therefore let this spiritus vini esurinus be commended to you in all cases in which you use Acida and Esurina and you will find with joy its great power in allaying all manner of unnatural heat beyond all known Acid Spirits Also its great Corrosiveness is much mitigated and abated by the Spirit of Wine and so safer for use than before and being fast and intimately united with the spiritus vini it quickly uniteth by the means thereof with the Archeus and performeth its operation with much expedition because that the Virtue of the spiritus vini is readily entertained and so the power of this excellent Acetum Esurinum penetrateth also with it and gently cooleth and refresheth the incensed spirits CAP. VIII How to extract the pure Anima or Tincture from the true Crocus Veneris and by what means WHen your Copper is brought so farr that first by volatilisation it is divided into the smallest Atomes and by the Volatil double corrosive rent asunder into impalpable dust and then in a gentle way totally freed again from all corrosive then and not before it is fit to yield its tinging soul and heavenly virtue unto such a Menstruum which is like unto its Anima in substance viz. which is of a like fiery Nature as the Tincture of the Copper is which is a meer fire and therefore called by our Philosopher and other Wise men the Element of Fire consequently cannot be extracted severed or radically opened but by a very Fiery penetrating vehement and sharply separating Volatile substance which alone hath the power out of the hard ligament of Metallick Coagulation performed in the Copper by Nature by a strong Magnetick Virtue eagerly to attract its like and by its great Fieriness to melt soften and open it to the very inmost ground root and Center such a Water or Menstruum it must be as toucheth nothing at all of the Body of the copper nor desireth to touch much less to dissolve the least of it yea hath no power at all to do so but barely and only falleth upon the Anima or Sulphur of the Copper as upon its like and receiveth the same into it self such a liquor you must look for in the Fiery principle as I discovered above in the second Chapter viz. in the nature of the Oyl which by the strong power of the Fire being turned into fiery Salt by Artificial operation must be translated from the seat of a fixed Salt into that of a Volatile penetrating Fiery spirit Now you may say since this Menstruum is such a Fiery substance why can it not by its strong power as well extract the Anima out of a common Crocus Veneris Auri Martis c. as out of that which hath been made Volatil whereby much labour expence and time might be saved in preparing of this Arcanum For answer
it very small and then poure upon it highly rectifyed Spirit of wine and set it to extract in a warme place that in this manner the extracted Tincture of the Copper should come into the Spirit of Wine and by means thereof and from the same obtain an Essential moysture and be changed into a penetrating oyl No you are out the Spirit of Wine is farr too weak being nothing but common Water for the most part for a whole pound of the strongest Spirit of Wine will not yield much above half an ounce of Essential Salt how then should such a far dispersed vertue be able radically to mollify this concentred substance of the Copper there is no parity at all betwixt them both but there is required a concentred spiritual penetrating fire for this purpose such as is all power Spirit and Life what should such a watry Vapour be able to prevail as the Spiritus vini is for the most part And although the Spiritus vini standing upon such a tinged Alcali in digestion is changed in colour and turneth very red yet it doth not follow therefore that this Tincture is from the Copper but is barely and only from the Alcali whereof it attracts some subtle atomes by which it is coloured which you may be assured of by this experiment viz. pouring spirit of Wine upon such a bare fiery Alcali which hath not been used for extraction of the Sulphur of Copper and setting it in digestion for then it will be as fairly coloured upon this as upon the other containing the few atomes Sulphuris Cupri Therefore it is very necessary and unavoidable necessity requireth it that if you mean to obtain this uoble Tincture of the Gold-like soul of the Copper the fiery material Alcali be first made Spiritual Volatil penetrating and active which is not to be done as most Readers do conjecture that the Alcali being a salt is to be distilled and forced over as they do other salts mixing them for to keep them from melting with Earth Lome or the like and so forcing them over by the strong power of fire into a vapour and spirit No such a sort of volatilisation doth not serve our turne for although the Alcali in this manner may be forced over into a Volatil spirit and the same also be of very great vertue in Physick yea far exceedeth all other Medicamenta Diaphoretica Incidentia Resolventia Deopilantia Maturantia Corroborantia which are to be found in any Apothecaries Shop as every one that will prepare and use it upon this my recommendation will find with admiration and great profit to the sick yet this serveth not for the extraction and Essential resolution of the Tincture of Copper because it hath been too much weakned in the distillation having left the most part of its natural fieriness with the Earth or Clay wherewith it is mixed for to fit it for distillation its fieriness having acted and consumed it self thereupon and so lost its former fiery power in so much that by such a distillation there cometh over a very effectual spirit for Medicine but very mild in tast and far too weak for our purpose But here the Alcali must be raised so as that it retain its fiery mollifying Vertue yea that it may become much more powerful and penetrating which is to be brought to passe by its like viz. by an other like fiery Alcali but that this is to be Volatil for if this were not Volatil it could not volatilize the other for none can give more then he hath himself or beyond what is in his power Such a Volatil Alcali must first be got by art from the same source from which the fixed Alcali is risen viz. from an Oylie Substance for a true Alcali can come from no other but from the Oyly Principium and therefore you must hold to the oyly ground and endeavour to turne the same into an Alcali Volatil Now if you would do it by force of fire you would get no Volatil but a fixed Alcali again and therefore it must not be done by such a violent way but by a friendly one such as is according to nature which way and unchangeable Law is this as I mentioned before as much as serves for our purpose that like delighteth in its like attracteth the same and uniteth the same with it self and changeth it into its own Nature Now if you will turne and change your Oyly substance according to this immutable rule of Nature into an Alcali you must mix or unite the same with nothing else but an Alcali and keep them together for a sufficient time in a gentle heat and the fieryness of the Alcali will powerfully act into the subtle attenuated Oylie substance which you joyned thereunto and transmute the same and because it is of the like Nature property and substance in regard that the Alcali also rose from an Oyle therefore it changeth the same also by its strong fiery force into its nature and turneth the same from a subtle spiritual thin Oylie substance into a fiery salty Alcali and being done gently there is no violence offered to the Oylie principium as it happeneth when the fire per force turneth the Oyl into an Alcali therefore it remaineth in its former Volatlity insomuch that you have obtained an Alcali volatil But because these two are very intimately united and tyed to each other therefore if you begin to force your Alcali volatil by the strength of fire the fixed Alcali must also rise with it because of the similitude of Substance whereby they cleave to each other and are inclined to abide with each other for as before by reason of the uniformity of substance the oyly spiritual substance was changed by the Alcali into its salty Alcalical nature from such a ground as is according to Nature So now on the other side the fixed Alcali because of the great affinity betwixt them accompanieth the Alcali volatil and turnes together with it into a Volatile penetrating concentred spirit which is altogether power Fire Light and Life and in this manner you obtain that which is necessary for this our purpose viz. for the essential solution of metallick Sulphurs whereof to speak any more would be unnecessary and Superfluous in regard that our faithful well deserving Philosopher hath described the same clearly and expresly in divers places in his Relict Writings and the like hath been done also by the sharp-sighted and deeply Learned Raymund Lully where the Reader will find it with all circumstances and therefore remain but with these two Authors and do not seek for it further from any other and you will truly find so much iustruction in them as you shall need unless that by the just judgement of God the eyes of your understanding be blinded because of your pride covetousness and worldly pleasures for then you will truly not apprehend any thing of it but they would be sealed books and meere riddles to you Now this spiritual fire
be cut like a gumm for its balsamick soul is totally turned outwards by this secret double corrosive and therefore also doth it smell so fragrantly like Odoriferous spice especially being dissolved in spirit of Wine in which it will melt totally and very suddenly and digested for some dayes to say nothing of other many more properties for brevities sake Lo now what great difference there is betwixt the Philosophers Vitriol and that which commonly is made of Copper truly as much as betwixt white and black And as its vertue is great as for inward medicine so its efficacy is wonderful and not to be commended sufficiently in Chirurgy by reason of its Balsamick sweetness whereby in green wounds dangerous ulcers and incurable tumors it sheweth forth so great power that it shameth all commonly known oyntments balsomes oyles plaisters and poultises Of which I will prescribe you a plaister and an oyntment whose mighty operation you will admire and have reason to rejoyce at it in many dangerous Symptomes The plaister is composed in this manner Take Sulphur of Antimony such as above taught put it into a Phiol poure upon it Linseed-Oyl new drawn that it reach some inches over let it boyle moderately together for a whole day and the Linseed-Oyl will turn as red as blood and is the true Balsome of Sulphur in Chirurgie this Balsome put into a Copper vessel if you have one pound of it add unto it halfe a pound of Litharge in fine powder boyle it still stirring it about until the Litharge be dissolved then add of grease be it of Men Hogs Geese or Butter also c. according to your use half a pound and of the sweet Vitriol of Copper one ounce and a half and as much wax as is needfull for consistency and make it into a plaister which by reason of its great Virtues may well be called the golden plaister The Oyntment make thus Take of Honey well clarified four Ounces of the juyce of Polygonum latifolium twelve Ounces of the sweet Vitriol of Copper two Ounces boyle all gently together untill it be almost as thick as an Oyntment then add of the best Saffran made into fine powder half an Ounce take it straight from the fire mix the Saffran well with it so that it be very well incorporated therewith and it is done If in those cases where fat things may be used you will add some of the former Balsome of Sulphur and incorporate it well it will be so much the better And these two things being well prepared and rightly administred according to Art will be very useful for you in assisting the distressed and gain you much credit as you will know by experience CAP. V. A farther explication concerning the Vitriolification of the Copper and of the secrets of the Salt-Armoniack ALthough I have sufficiently described all that pertaineth to the preparation of the Vitriol of Copper yet the proposed matter may seem to the Reader partly obscure and partly impossible especially because I make mention of such a sorts of spirits such as double and satiated whereof hath not been heard nor read in any Author hitherto so that this my explication may peradventure be counted a fable as if I offered violence unto the Philosophers Doctrine when they do so highly commend the Salt Armoniack for to unlock and prepare Metals and Minerals perverting their words to another sense which they never intended For to prevent this suspition and to make the matter so clear and palpable to the Reader that he may see the bare and naked ground of this secret I will so digest and open unto him to the nature and whole substance of the Salt Armoniack that he cannot choose but agree thereunto and acknowledge the truth of the matter First let none take offence that I produce a new sort of spirits or that I name them by a new name in regard that the Salt Armoniack of its self is nothing else but a double and satiated spirit for else it could never have such great Virtues to fit and prepare Metals and Minerals and so readily elevate and take them asunder if it were not a satiated and double spirit which with a double force performeth what no single corrosive possibly can do But that the Salt Armoniack is a satiated and double Spirit the Mechanica will teach you for if you take the spirit of Urine which to speak properly is no spirit but only a fiery salt in regard that being rectified and severed from all Heterogeneous Phlegm it is and remaineth alwayes a Volatile and fiery salt and no spirit and poure it upon Vitriol the corrosive in the Vitriol will unite presently with this fiery salt and leave its Metallick Body wherein it dwelled before and so layes hold on this fiery salt having more inclination to this than to the metallick Body this Vitriol which is impregnated with the so called Spirit of Urine being put into a Retort and forced by fire presently there will appear a dry Volatile double salt tasting neither of spirit of Vitriol nor of spirit of Urine because they worked into one another and changed themselves on both sides which action and reaction may well be called saturation where the one satiateth feedeth and rests it self in the other both quietly dwelling together and in each other and therefore two being united there is virtus unita and their force so much the greater as they say virtus unita fortior for from this united Vertue proceedeth the great power which the Salt Armoniack hath in preparing of Metallick Bodies The foresaid double salt being examined you will find that its taste is no other then that of the Salt Armoniack and that it hath the same operation in Physick also Now after the same manner as you have heard of the spirit of Vitriol and the salt of Urine ariseth also the common Salt Armoniack and from the same ground only that instead of Vitriol they take common salt and instead of the salt of Urine they take common Urine that suffered no separation and other things which contain the like Volatil fiery salt as Urine doth as soon as these things are mixed together they presently work one into another each one layes hold of the other insomuch that this dry mixture being forced by fire the Volat il salt by reason of its Volatility is necessitated to rise but being intimately united with the salt it cannot rise alone but forceth the spirit of salt to go along and so both ascend as a double satiated spirit or spiritual Salt and if you doubt still whither it be so or no then take Spirit of Salt and Salt of Urine mix them together in such a quantity that you can perceive no taste of either but another or middle taste betwixt both then coagulate it and force it to ascend and you will have just such a Salt-Armoniack as is commonly sold whence you see plainly that common Salt-Armoniack is nothing else but a double
Mineral Sulphurs being for a long time united and boyled with a fiery Alcali as the same shall be faithfully demonstrated and taught afterwards indeed come forth meliorated and amended but in extracting of the Sulphur of Antimony the Alcali is but ground with the Antimony water poured on and in that moment that the Alcali impregnated with the sulphur doth run through the filter the Acidum may be put in and so the Alcali again severed from the sulphur Now what maturation or melioration can the sulphur of Antimony receive from the Alcali in such a moment of time which I leave to you to judge of But put case that you could not acquiesce in this know that there are yet other wayes to extract the sulphur so that the Alcali do not touch the same nor any other thing do act upon it and yet it doth readily rise from the Antimony as if you put thereupon its Acetum which will admit of no communion at all with the sulphur but presently associateth it self to the mercurial part of the Antimony and so the sulphur is set free from its Mercury and therefore riseth in a very gentle heat in colour like other common sulphur and not differenced at all from the common neither in colour smell tast volatility nor combustibleness only that it yields a fairer Light being burnt than the common sulphur doth being kindled and yet notwithstanding that it is so like unto common sulphur and hath not been touched nor extracted by any thing that could have meliorated the same but hath been readily dismissed from its Mercury this having been satiated by some more acceptable thing it surpasseth the common Sulphur for all that so much that it is to be admired that there is such difference betwixt them as to efficacy and virtue which only proceedeth from their different natures and that according to the first seed of these Minerals Nature hath bestowed a greater excellency upon the one than upon the other The same is also to be seen by our Philosophers Mechanica teaching that we shall extract a sulphur from Antimony such as to its outward appearance doth not differ from common sulphur only that it is a little greater and then with Mercury to make a Cinnabrium of it and sublime it seven times afterwards take half an ounce of it and let it hang into a barrel of wine for xxiv hours whereof for some dayes a spoonful taken every day will be of so great effect that it will be much wondred at and that such a a Philosophick Cinnabrium may without ending and diminishing of its virtue be used for this purpose being but sublimed again Now try the same with common sulphur in case that you cannot apprehend or assent unto my former proofe and you will find by experience that you will effect nothing with it but that the great prerogative and notable pre-eminency must be granted unto the Sulphur Antimonii by reason of its inbred more excellent Virtues which it hath and possesseth according to its inbred nature although in the outward shew they be very like to one another And herein lyes a great Mystery and excellent knowledge of the Metallick and Mineral Kingdom which hitherto for ought I have read and heard hath been cleared and opened by none and therefore shall not be passed over with silence For the nature of all Metallick and Mineral Sulphurs is like unto the nature and condition of the Stars yea the Mineral Sulphurs are true and expresse images formes and products of the Stars for as the Stars are fire and light so likewise the Sulphurs as those do warme and lighten so these and as those do quicken and can do no otherwise but to raise life for they are altogether light and life yea a source of quickning virtue so likewise the Sulphur can do no other but do good and warm lighten and make alive But to the end that the desirous seeker of Truth may truly understand this Mystery and rightly apprehend my meaning I do impart unto him according to my knowledge which God in his mercy hath granted unto me that all the Sulphura of the whole Metallick and Mineral Kingdom not one excepted are created of one substance viz. of the grosser thicker earthy or lower fire which is the Mother and first rise of them all and so are totally of one nature of one descent and of one substance even as the stars are of one and the same substance viz. created of the heavenly that is of the subtler fire and the Nature both of the Stars and also of all the Sulphurs consisteth chiefly in two Vertues in warming and lighting Now as the Almighty hand of the great God in the beginning created all stars of one matter and substance viz. of a subtle fiery Light and yet from the first beginning of their creation made the one more glorious more powerful and and more splendid than the other So the case is the same with the metallick and Mineral Sulphurs which God also created of one substance viz. of a grosse and earthy thick fiery Light but yet withal hath framed the one more glorious and far more vertuous than the other and so attributed unto each one its peculiar glory which it cannot exceed though it be perfected as much as is possible in so much that no Sulphur can take more vertue than hath been given unto it by the Creator in its first original formation And as you see that one star is much fairer and brighter than the other so likewise one Sulphur surpasseth the other as I have clearly demonstrated concerning the difference betwixt the Sulphur Antimonii and the Common that this latter cannot reach nor be advanced unto the glory and splendour in healing which the former hath though it be sublimed never so often And the same is also the condition of the Sulphur Antimonii compared to the Sulphur Electri mineralis immaeturi that although it is much more glorious as to its concreated splendour than the Common Sulphur yet can it not attain to that height and excellency which the Sulphur Electri immaturi hath viz. that by bare suspension from the neck it can suddenly loosen the Witchcraft no such a glorious splendour it is not endowed withal so that it is sufficiently evident that although these three be all combustible and volatil yet they are very unlike one another only because of their first generation wherein each got its peculiar splendour Power light and vertue Now as you see further that among the stars the most glorious is the Sun which far surpasseth all the other with its splendour light and vertue yea as the highly illuminated Teutonicus Philosophus Jacob Bohme in his book de tribus principiis as also de signatura rerum also de triplici vitâ and others more according to his wisdome and profound knowledge granted unto him by the Spirit of God teacheth the Sun is the root source and heart of the Stars whence they all did flow and
so of right may be called and is in truth the Father of the Stars in regard of their source and a King of them because of its great pre-eminence in splendour Even so in like manner the Metals and Minerals have also their King and Father which surpasseth them all and therefore is called Metallus primus sive Masculus which signifyeth as much as Pater metallorum by our highly guifted and profoundly learned Philosopher Helmont as also by Paracelsus which have by Gods blessing acknowledged the same yea seen perfectly with the eyes of their understanding that this Electum minerale hath the same relation to all the rest which the Sun hath to all other stars and so of right may be called the King of the Mineral Kingdome in regard that this proceedeth from it just as a tree springeth from its root and because that its splendour and light is so excellent in its wholesome vertue and operation that none of all the Metals and Minerals can do the like thefore its heavenly Tincture is set down in the first place among all the great Arcani Paracelsi as on Philosopher doth relate in his book and I have mentioned already in the former chapter as I have also shewn a little before how much it exceeds the Sulphur of Antimony in splendour which Sulphur yet is of so great efficacy that it is to be admired as our Philosophers quoted words have mentioned and therefore also this Mineral King is called by our Philosopher and Paracelsus the Quinta essentia of all members because that nothing doth so compleatly strengthen all the Members as this Royal Tincture hence also it is called by them Simpliciter secundum excellentiam Arcanum Tincturae because that the Tincture of life is especially and above all put into this Royal subject by Nature in which sence our Philosopher inter imperfectiora calleth it the highest and most excellent of all the wonders of Nature yea the greatest and most effectual means for long Life whereupon we most relie ad vitam longam saith he solus apex culmen spei and mirabilium naturae culmen which commendation doth not properly belong unto it till it be brought into its Arcanum that is till it be ripened compleatly digested and perfected and then it is the Sulphur Philosophorum above all other and although the Sulphurs of all the others be brought to the same maturity and fixation as the Sulphur of the Electrum immaturum yet those cannot shew forth such an excellent splendour and lustre as this because that each one presently from its first generation carrieth its determinate height and glory along which it is impossible to exceed it being contrary to the will of the Creator by whose Will all are made and who would have it so that such a Sulphur should light in this and such an other in an other glory to the end that in this manner the manifold Vertues and Lights which otherwise would remain hidden of the heavenly substance whereof these are the expresse stamp or print and from which these are flown might be made manifest and so man might wonder at the great variety of those mighty and innumerable powers of Nature and so be drawn on to praise the great God as Creator of all these Lights So that you hence clearly see the great difference among the perfected Arcana and that the name of Sulphur Philosophorum belongeth more to the one than to the other also that each one hath and may attain unto its of Nature determinated perfection and not higher and therefore also the Common Sulphur for whose sake we were necessitated to make this ddinction can but attain unto such a perfection as is attributed unto it by Nature viz. which is not so excellent as that of the rest but in the lowest degree of all and yet for all that yielding a true Panacaea as we have heard by Paracelsus his testimony and shall now understand further by the Mechanick Demonstration for the obtaining whereof you must know that the common Sulphur is a simple or single substance not united with a Mercurial body as other Minerals are but consisting of altogether Similar parts and being Similar all over consequently needeth no purification nor separation but only this that being altogether Volatil Unripe Combustible and partly Venemous it be maturated digested and made perfect and in case that it had been mixed with heterogeneous things that it be sublimed once or twice first and afterwards digested till to its maturity And the Common Sulphur and its maturation is not unlike unto a piece of flesh or meat wherein is great vertue to satiate and comfort man but being yet raw it must be first prepared by pertinent cooking that it may impart its vertue unto Man Even so Sulphur though it be of a great Balsamick Virtue yet it containeth also much of that which is contrary and hurtful unto our nature wherewith so long as the Sulphur remains so it doth kill more than it can quicken as I have had the experience of its virulency in my own self about ten years ago having then been thrown down by its stinking poyson that I was like dead and deprived of my interiour and exteriour sences for a whole hour whereof I was freed and restored again by an Antidote prepared of the self same And therefore its virulency ought to be removed or rather maturated and perfected by digestion For such Venom and death must not be taken away or separated from the Sulphur but perfected and introverted or shut up in death on the other side the internal hidden Light and Splendour is to be turned outwards as our Philosopher saith Sub Veneni seu Virulentiae custodiâ abditur ignis Vitalis Archeum in scopos desideratos placidissime deducens Now this maturation and perfecting by digestion is to be done in the same way as a piece of flesh is cooked that is enough viz. only by the heat and power of the Fire and it is not necessary but rather very hurtful to use heterogeneous corrosive Waters for this purpose as the Chymick Writers in their Tyrocinia Comments Processes and many other sort of Books do perversely teach for such corrosive things do pervert and spoyle the Sulphur so that it gets another nature for if without addition of such corrosives it be cooked only by the Fire it then retains its natural balsamick softning and mollifying moysture wherewith it ought to enlighten outwardly but the same is taken away from it by addition of acid and corrosive waters for they penetrate thereinto and make it harsh and quite other than it was created by bounteous nature and although they do think that by this way they may the sooner finish their work which also they do yet they do not consider the great hurt they do that by such Heterogeneous and contrary things they do quite alter pervert and spoyle its Nature Therefore follow Nature whose operations are all simple and plain preserving every thing