or second Experiment being both of the same strength then distil in hot Ashes with an Alembick and Receiver well luted which being all distill'd add new Salt to it again observing the same weight as before of the Salt as well as Water then distil again as before and this same way distil four times to every distillation adding new Salt as before and distilling in Ashes and so will you have a Mercurial Water fit for all Physical Operations Then take common Mercury washed with Vinegar and Salt and strained through a Goats Skin put it in a Vessel and if there be one Ounce of Mercury add four Ounces of the aforesaid Mineral Water and having put on a blind Head in Ashes let it boyl gently and it will in a short time be all dissolved empty the dissolution into another Vessel warily that if any Terrestreity be left in the bottom it may be separated from the said dissolution as a thing of no effect you may this way dissolve as much Mercury as you will Then take the aforesaid Mercury dissolved and putrify thirty Days in Balneo or hot Dung which must be changed every ten Days that the heat may endure and not be extinguished having putrify'd remove the Vessel and putting on an Alembick to with an Urinal and Receiver well luted distil all the Water in Balneo and the Mercury will remain in the Vessel white as Snow then pour to it so much of this Water which you now distilled as to be four Fingers above it the rest of the Water keep in its Vessel well stopp'd in a cold place then putting a blind Head upon its Vessel and sealing the Joynts putrify a Natural Day then taking away the blind Head and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver close luted distil in Ashes and increase the Fire that the Soul may pass over into its distilled Water lastly distillation ceasing let the Vessel cool take away the Receiver and keep it well stopp'd for that which is distill'd therein is the animated Spirit but to the matter remaining in the Vessel that is the Urinal pour again of the distilled Water so much as will swim four Fingers above it and having put on a blind Head putrify as before and taking away the blind Head by turns and putting on an Alembick with its Receiver wherein you kept the other part of the animated Spirit the Joynts being well luted distil again by Ashes and lastly increase the Fire for the Soul to go over into the distilled Water as before then the Vessel being cold keep the animated Spirit in the Receiver as before well stopp'd and to the matter remaining in the bottom pour again new Water as before and putrify as before distilling in Ashes pour the Spirit into the same Receiver where you kept the other thus repeat the Magistery till the Body remains dead black and void of all moisture which you will prove by this sign take a little of this black Body or Earth and lay it upon a hot Plate and if it fumes not nor flyes away from Fire then take that Earth and put into a little Glass-Globe wel luted and the Mouth well stopp'd set in a reverberating Fire the space of twenty four hours then remove that calcined Earth and put it in hot ashes very well stopp'd to prevent the attracting of any moisture Then take the animated Water and rectify it seven times in Ashes which animated and vivifyed Water divide into two parts whereof one we will use for the vivisying of the Earth the other for the dissolving of Sol and Luna Then take one part of the said Water and know the weight of the Earth reserved before grind first put it in an Urinal then pour upon it of the aforesaid Water a fourth part of its weight and joyning a blind Head to it well luted set the Vessel in Balneo not to touch the Water of the Balneo but for the matter to be heated by the vapour only and so let it remain four days then having taken away the blind Head and put on an Alembick distil in Ashes with a gentle heat like that of the Sun and an insipid Liquor will flow over which cast away as nothing worth then again imbibe with a fourth part of the animated Spirit as above digesting as above and distilling the Liquor by Ashes as above This Magistery thus repeat till the whole Body hath re-assumed its Liquor or Soul and remains white as Snow which Body take out dry and grind being ground put it into a small Cucurbit strongly luted with lutum sapientioe and the Mouth of the Cucurbit stopp'd with Cotton and set the Vessel in a Furnace of Ashes but take notice if the Fire be too violent the matter will turn into Oyl and cannot be sublimed besides there will be danger of breaking the Vessel as has happened to us and therefore we are willing to advise you to continue an easy heat till the matter be sublimed This also observe that this way of subliming may also be done in the Fire of an Athanor but then the matter will not be sublimed in less than the space of three or four days which sublimation will indeed be most white as the Scales of Fish or as Talk Then warily take out the Magnesia the first matter of our common Mercury our Sal Armoniack our Sulphur which keep in a small Cucurbit well stopp'd in Ashes warm as the Sun but that which remains in the bottom and cannot be sublimed cast away because of no efficacy its precious Seed being vacuated Here he dissolves Mercury with calcined Jupiter upon an Iron Plate per deliquium with which he cohobates the Vegetable Salt of the first or second Experiment Salt of Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or sublimed into a Vegetable Sal Armoniack in equal weight yet by degrees through an Alembick instead of this Menstruum may be taken the Vegetable Heaven of Lully with this Menstruum he dissolves common Argent vive and reduceth it into a white Oyl out of which Oyl he draws the animated Spirit repeating the Work till the Earth of the Mercury remains black fixed and without fume on a hot Plate This exanimated and reverberated Earth he revivifies by imbibing it with a fourth part of the animated Spirit seven times rectify'd till it becomes white and volatile which then he sublimes into a Mercurial Sal Armoniack the making of which differs not from the antecedent Descriptions of the Sal Armoniacks but if it be mixed with four parts of Lully 's Vegetable Heaven that which is call'd the incalcinated Menstruum is made from thence and so much the stronger as that Sal Armoniack is stronger than the Oyl of Mercury but if this first matter of Mercury be circulated according to its time you will make a Menstruum deserving the Name of Mercurial Heaven Guido prepares the incalcinated Menstruum not from common Mercury but the Mercury of Metals Sol or Luna 47. The
will remain in the Vessel upon Fire in the Form of an Oyl but being removed from the Fire will suddenly be congealed But dearest Son Let not the Prolixity of time be irksome to you in dissolving and congealing this Matter so often to take away Corruption which remaining it can never be joyned with its Spirit extracted from the most precious and its nearest Individual which is the best Wine freed from all manner of Humidity and Corruption Then Circulate it in a Circulating Vessel and so reduce it into a Quintessence and it will forthwith embrace its Spirit this Circulation we perform'd at first in thirty days but afterwards compleated the same in forty days which Circulation was much better than the the first because the longer it is circulated the more is it purify'd and adepted for any of our Physical Operations which order when need requires you also must observe Menstruums of this kind may be divers ways made not only out of the Alcali of Tartar but other fix'd Alcalies may be also taken instead of that as proves the following Menstruum 26. The Simple Vegetable Menstruum produced from the three Individuals of Lully In Experim 25. TAke Aqua Vitoe so acute as to burn a Linnen Cloth which transmit again through an Alembick that it may be perfectly rectify'd Then take the Salt of Celandine Salt of Mans Blood Salt extracted from Honey as you have them above in their Experiments all which Salts put together in an Urinal Cucurbit and upon every Ounce of those Salts pour four Ounces of the aforesaid Aqua Vitoe cover it with its Antenotorium blind Head then having a little time digested put on an Alembick with a Receiver annexed lute the joynts well and distil in Ashes suffering the Salts to go over together with the Water If any thing remain pour to it again its distilled Water and when all is come over pour in new Salt again to wit one Ounce and pass it through the Alembick as before Thirdly add again another Ounce of Salt as above and distil repeating this Magistery three times every time adding new Salt These things being done Circulate this Water in a Vessel deep and narrow the space of fifty Natural Days but observe that the Vessel respire not Circulation being finished you will in the bottom of the Vessel see a Sediment like the Urine of a sound Man which will be white empty the Water warily into another clean Vessel and be careful that the Sediment pass not over with the Water but remain in the bottom of the Vessel stop the Vessel of the Circulated Water so as not to respire and keep it in Balneo The preparation of the Salt of Celandine is in the Fourth Experiment Then take the Ashes of Celandine gathered in the Month of May at full Moon with its Roots and Flowers and put them in a Glass Vessel and thereto pour the water of Celandine distill'd in Balneo that you may from thence extract a Salt and let the matter boyl two hours in a most soft Fire of Ashes empty the dissolution into another Vessel but dry the undissolved Earth and when the Vessel is cold grind it pouring again new water upon the Ashes as before make it boyl and decant the dissolution as before This Magistery repeat till you have extracted all the Salt which is the Mercurial part of that Individual then take all those dissolutions and filtre them that they may be purged from Terrestreity then distilling by Balneo congeal for the Liquor being gone over in the bottom of the Vessel will remain a Mercury or Salt of a white colour which Salt you must dissolve and by turns congeal three times and by this means you will have extracted the Mercury out of this matter which hath virtues almost innumerable in acuating the Vegetable Spirit drawn from Wine and hath the power of dissolving all Metals with the preservation of their Vegetative and Germenative Form The fixed Salt of Man's Blood is thus prepared in the Eleventh Experiment Take Blood drawn from found and cholerick men and put it on a clean Table and so let it dry that the Phlegm may be separated from it then take the Blood grind it very well and put it into a Glass Body and with a slow Fire distil the water which being distilled keep apart and having augmented the Fire a little but not too intensely lest the Salt perhaps should sublime let only the moisture and superfluous Oyl exhale till it will distil no more then the Vessel being cold take the burned Earth put it into a Vessel stopp'd close to keep it from respiring for in respiring it would vanish away into Smoak set the Vessel in a reverberating Furnace but the heat must be exceeding temperate that the Salt of the Matter which is volatile and not fix'd may not exhale and that the Vessel may not by the violence of the Fire be broken as hath hapned to us and let the matter stand in that degree of heat the space of two days and it will be calcin'd which done let the Vessel cool and being cold open it and upon the calcined matter pour its own Phlegm that is the water which you distill'd at first let it boyl upon ashes two hours that some part may be dissolved and that which is dissolved decant into another Vessel and again with new water do as before and thus repeat till you have extracted all the Salt then draw off the water by distillation in Balneo and in the Vessel will remain the Salt as white as Snow of a great many virtues and if you acuare the Vegetable Fire with it it will without doubt dissolve the two Luminaries with the conservation of their Vegetative Form And with it may be made a most excellent Aurum potabile to preserve the radical moisture in men and expel many diseases The Third Experiment teacheth the preparation of the Salt of Honey after this manner Take new white Honey together with the Comb put it in a Glass Vessel to putrifie the space of sixty days then distil c. Then take the Earth Caput mortuum which remained in the Urinal and being perfectly ground put it in an Earthen Vessel made of Valentinian Chalk or of that which Crucibles are made of or if you cannot have this Vessel put the same Earth between two Crucibles one joyned to the other and very well luted then set them in a reverberating or Glass-makers Furnace and there let them stay four or five days so will the Earth be white but if you do this work in a reverberating Furnace have a care that the Fire be not too violent for so would the Earth evaporate and if the Fire be too weak it will never be calcined a moderate heat therefore is requisite thus no such error can happen as we have met with for when we began this work we lost all the Earth by the violence of Fire but to the purpose this Earth being calcined as
a Retort and administer Fire till Mercury vive is gone over into the Receiver sublime again as before with the same new Matters then as before vivify by a Retort thus repeat the Magistery four times Then take this Mercury thus prepared and make it boyl with Philosophical Aqua Vitoe being dryed press it through a Goats Skin Then take this Mercury and put it in Vessels three Aludells which must be firmly and strongly joyned together and covered on all sides with strong lutum sapientioe then prepare a Furnace in which these Vessels may be fitly placed so as that they may all have equal heat but the Receiver must by no means feel the Fire so also the Beak of the first Vessel through which the Mercury is to pass must be out of the Furnace Then give Fire to the said Vessels so as to be red hot both within and without then put in the Mercury through the Pipe on the outside of the Furnace and presently stop the Mouth of the Pipe with Cotton and by the sharpness of the Fire part of the Mercury will in a short time distil into the Receiver but one part in the likeness of Water separate the Water from the Mercury and keep it but that which remains quick cast again into the said Vessel as before so oft till it be through the sharpness of the Fire all converted into Water empty the Receiver every time into another Vessel and keep it well stopp'd Then take of this Water four Ounces and of the Oyl or Salt of the first Experiment Salt of Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine one Ounce make it go over together with the said Salt distilling that Water in Ashes with a most gentle heat at first then in the end increasing the Fire till more will not distil Then take new Salt or Oyl of the same first Experiment and joyn it with that Water a little before distilled and make it go over again distilling by Ashes as before but this Magistery you must repeat five times mixing one Ounce of the said Salt or Oyl of the first Experiment every time with three Ounces of the said Water distilling as before in Ashes with the same degree of Fire and the same weight as before as well of the Water as of the Salt or Oyl And by this means will you by the help of God have a Mineral and Vegetable Water united together which hath the power of dissolving Mercury and all Metals especially the two Luminaries For the multiplication of this Water you must proceed thus Take one Ounce of Mercury purged and five Ounces of the said sharp Water now prepared joyn these two together in a small Cucurbit lute it well then will the Mercury be forthwith dissolved which dissolution put in a little Urinal with an Alembick and Receiver the Joynts well luted distilling in Ashes and it will all come over into a Water some Terrestreity of no moment being left in the bottom of the Vessel Then may you this way multiply the saâ—d Water as much as you will viz. by taking five parts oâ— it and one of Mercury purged dissolving first and distilling through an Alembick as before He revivisies Mercury sublimate to be purged after the common way by the Oyl of Tartar and quick Lime being now purged to digests it in Aqua Vitae that is Philosophical for common Spirit of Wine would be here of no effect wherein this digestion with Philosâ—phical Aqua Vitae much of the permanent unctuâ—sity sticks to the Aâ—gent vive altering it exceedingly then he puts it into divers Aludels joyned together and to the Receiver and made red hot in order to be converted into a Mercurial Water The way of distilling by Vessels red hot I find in many places to have been much in use among the Adepts but whether they contrived this way for the abbreviating or more exquisite way of operating or for what other cause I know not Basilius Lib. particularium in particul Solis distils not Mercury but Gold often extinguished in the Philosophical Aqua Vitae through a hot Vessel into a red Liquor Take of Aurum fulminans saith he one part of the Flowers of Sulphur three parts calcine with a gentle Fire till the Sulphur be consumed the red hot matter extinguish in the Spirit of Wine acuated with some drops of the Spirit of Tartar the Vegetable Menstruum made of the Salt of Tartar decant the Spirit and the powder dry at the Fire to which being dryed add again three parts of the Flowers of Sulphur calcine and quench as before This Work repeat six times that the powder of the Gold may be made like Butter soft and fat which must be carefully dryed because it melts with a little Fire this powder being a little heated put into a Retort with a Pipe and made red hot and the Pipe being presently stopp'd distil the red drops falling into good Spirit of Wine put before into the Receiver If the Gold being divers times extinguished in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is made soft and fat why might not this be also done in common Mercury digested according to the Receipt in the same Spirit of Wine But suppose Lully propos'd it only to himself to reduce Argent vive into a common acid Liquor yet does he out of this with the addition of the Salt of Tartar of the first Experiment make a Vegetable Menstruum of the Fifth Kind with which he dissolves common Argent vive and reduceth it into a Mercurial Water then he dissolves common Mercury by this Mercurial Water and draws it off so as to remain in the Form of an Oyl which Oyl of Mercury being dissolved in the Vegetable Heaven he circulates and being circulated calls it the incalcinated Menstruum If instead of the Oyl of Mercury you take crude Mercury reduced into the true first matter of Mercury and acuate the Vegetable Heaven with this Mercurial Sal Armoniack you will make the same yea a much better incalcinated Menstruum The way of making the Sulphur of Nature of common Argent vive is this following The Mercurial Sal Armoniack or Mercury of the Mercury of Lully In Experim 18. TAke Mercury being twice sublimed with Vitriol and Salt put the sublimate upon an Iron Plate being first very well pulverized add to it two Ounces of Tin calcined then set it in a moist place and it will be dissolved sublime again and lay it upon an Iron Plate as before and it will be all dissolved and thus may you dissolve as much Mercury as you please then take this Water and rectify it seven times in Ashes or till it will yield no more Terrestreity then distil it in Balneo with an easie heat and distil one part of ten which is of no use being Phlegm which it contracted in the moist place then know the weight of the Water remaining in the bottom and to every four Ounces put one Ounce of the Vegetable Salt of the first
Mineral Mercury and hangs it in the air for a Year to be his Etherial Water The Caput mortuum of the Limus desertus he dissolves in the other part of the Water reserved and Buries it in the Earth for his Terrestrial Water In Compendio Animae transm pag. 208. Volum 4. Theat Chym. He adds also the Waters of common Mercury and Silver to the rest the Mercury Water is thus made Take of common Mercury one Ounce and dissolve it in the dissolving Water aforesaid in the digestion of I. Ashes distil through a Filtre regard not the Faeces but keep the second left in the bottom after distilling through an Alembick The Water of Luna is thus made Take one Ounce of the purest Silver dissolve it in what quantity of the dissolving Water you please distil through a Filtre and cast away the first Faeces then distil through an Alembick in the digestion of H. Balneo and keep the second Faeces you must keep the second Faeces of all the Waters in their own Vessels every one by it self Moreover in Compendio Animoe he divides not the distilled Waters into equal parts as in Libro Essentioe but draws off the dissolutions of Metals by distilling one half for the Terrestrial Water and distils the other half for the Etherial Water You must indeed saith he be cautious in resolving the Limus because you are to make two Waters or parts of every Limus distilling one half of the Limus which you must keep apart because the Terrestrial Water is made of that first part and you must likewise distil the other half part which the Aerial Water is made of which is hung in the Air as aforesaid for a Year Pag. 209. Volum 4. Theat Chym. The Waters made by the latter method are more compounded than those of the first the first were prepared promiscuously with the Lunar Menstruum the second not so for the Water of Lead is made by the Lunar Menstruum of which Water of Lead is made the Water of Copper of this Water of Copper is made the Water of Tin from the Water of Tin he prepares the Water of Iron but the Water of Gold is made with the Lunar Menstruum to which is added half of the Water of Iron O wonderful mixture I will not say confusion of Metals yet doubtless the most acute Philosopher had reasons for it This method is also in Lapidario Cap. 9. sequentibus From the Receipts we observe 1. That the Etherial Waters are the Essences of Metals exposed to the influences of the Heavens for a Year 2. That the Terrestrial Waters are the Bodies of Essences dissolved in their own Menstruums and Buried for a Year 3. That the Essences of not only Metals but the whole Mineral Kingdoms do by such a method yield Etherial and Terrestrial Waters 4. That these Waters acquire their principal Virtues by being impregnated with the Stars of Heaven The Adepts held divers Opinions concerning the Influences of the Heavens Some would have the Situations Aspects and determinate Times of the Planets to be highly necessary to this Work but others thought the contrary Amongst the Affirmers let us hear Thomas Norton an English Adept who thus in the Sixth Chapter of his Ordinal Pag. 99. of Theat Chym. Britannicum THe Fifth Concord is known well of Clerks Between the Sphere of Heaven and our subtil Werks Nothing in Earth hath more simplicity Than th' Elements of our Stone will be Wherefore they being in Work of Generation Have most Obedience to Constellation Whereof Concord most kindly and convenient Is a direct and fiery Ascendent Being Sign common for this Operation For multitude of their Iteration Fortune your Ascendent with his Lord also Keeping th' Aspect of Shrews them fro And if they must let or needly infect Cause them to look with a Trine Aspect For the white Work may Fortunate the Moon For the Lord of the fourth House likewise be it done For that is Thesaurum absconditum of Old Clerks So of the Sixth House for Servants of the Werks Save all them well from great Impediments As it is in Picture or like the same Intents Unless then your Nativity pretend Infection In contrariety to this Election The Virtue of the mover of the Orb is formal The Virtue of the Eighth Sphere is here Instrumental With her Signs and Figures and parts aspectual The Planets Virtue is proper and special The Virtue of the Elements is here material The Virtue infused resulteth of them all The first is like to a Work-man's Mind The second like his Hand ye shall find The third is like a good Instrument The remnant like a thing wrought to your Intent Make all the Premises with other well accord Then shall your Merits make you a great Lord. Amongst the Denyers is Lully himself Who thus we say not that it is the business of an Artist to operate with the Figures and Images of Heaven by the knowledge of their motions as many Philosophers affirm But it is enough for you to know the influence of the Celestial heat informed by the Figure of the Heaven and Stars by reason of which Virtues are infused into Matter being aptly appropriated which receives them by the Natural Industry of an Artist with resolution which is done by Art imitating Nature c. And in this Point the Philosophers have been mistaken in reprehending those Men that knew that the Celestial Virtue is too common to every elemented Nature for by its great Nobleness it takes determination at any time because in things mixed it is influenced as well by Art as by Nature and this is done by reason of the Natural Virtues which are the subject and proper detainer of it in such a manner as that it receives such a Virtue according to the properties of the Matter and its Kind which afterwards effects such things by Nature as are reputed for a Miracle In like manner let every Artist take Notice that Nature cannot operate but by the succession of the least particles nor also can it receive any Virtues but by the succession of its operation nor can they also do all at once nor can the Constellations suffer the Station of any time punctually in a certain Virtue which may not be immediately varied And it being also granted that it might the time of Constellation is so small by reason of the Circles of revolution as that it may sooner pass from one Virtue to another c. Lib. Essen dist 1. Pag. 18. An ingenious Artist saith Paracelsus will by diligent animadversion be able to prepare Metals so that being guided by true reason he may promote the perfection of transmuting Metals by his own work or conduct better than by Courses of the twelve Celestial Signs and seven Planets which therefore to observe will be superfluous as also the Aspects the ill or good times day or hour the prosperous or unhappy State of this or another Planet which cannot help much less hurt in the
pass it all over as before and thus repeat this Work of distillation four times in every distillation adding an Ounce of the said Salt to that Water Then will you have at length a Mineral Water vegetated and acuated with the augmentation of Virtue and Power proceeding from the said most precious Vegetable Salt without which is nothing done Our Annotations upon the Receipts are 1. That the Menstruums of this Kind are simple Vegetable Menstruums of the sixth Kind dissolved in Acids Take away the Acidity and it will be a Menstruum again of the sixth Kind 2. That these Menstruums are better made of Aqua fortis it being an Acid stronger than the rest yet that they may be also made of any other Acid less strong as distill'd Vinegar Spirit of Salt Sulphur c. 3. That these are the best of all the simple Mineral Menstruums both in the facility of making and excellency of Virtue 4. That it is much at one whether the Metal be first dissolved in common Aqua fortis and then the Vegetable Sal Harmoniack added or the said Salt first and then the Metal 5. That these Aqua regisses differ from the common in that they dissolve all Metals promiscuously Silver as well as Gold and reduce the same not into a Calx but Oyl which cannot be said of common Aqua regis 6. That Metals dissolved in these Menstruums and sublimed become the greatest Poysons belonging to this Art The Nineteenth KIND Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philosophers Spirit of Wine and Acid Spirits tinging Spirit of Vitriol Butter of Antimony c. 94. Spirit of Vitriol mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully Epist accurtatoria pag. 327. THE Spirit of Vitriol is more dry and thick than the Spirit of the Quintessence of Aqua ardens and great affinity there is between the Spirit of Vitriol and the Nature of Gold because they are both derived from the same Principles with Minerals The Spirit therefore of Vitriol being joyned with the Spirit of Aqua ardens inspissates it and makes it suddenly adhere to Gold so as to be fixed with it and believe me this is a very excellent way of Abbreviation Annotations THis Difference you may observe between the Simple and Compounded Mineral Menstruums The Simple dissolve only but the Compounded do both dissolve and tinge things dissolved for they are in a wonderful manner exalted by things tinging and made many degrees better so as to have enough to serve themselves and others also and therefore may deservedly be called graduated as well as graduatory Waters Hitherto we have treated of the Simple In 〈…〉 Nineteenth Kind we are to consider them as Compounded of two Spirits Oyley and Acid tinging as in the prescribed Receipt of the Spirits of Philosophical Wine and Vitriol mix'd together and intimately joyned by two or three distillations The Preparation is most easie in which notwithstanding it will not be impertinent to take notice of this one thing that both Spirits must be without Phlegm and exquisitely rectified according to the Advice of the following Anonymus A burning Oleity is made out of Wine therefore it participates with Sulphur and herein is indeed the greatest virtue of the Metallick Nature which it drew and conceived from the Earth and as this Oleity the Spirits that is are much more agil than the Spirits of other things therefore their Virtues are much more agil than the Virtues of other things but yet you must know that those Spirits as saith the Text of Alchymy and as indeed the truth is which come out of Vegetables and Animals conduce not to Alchymy as they are in a Vegetable Nature but it is requisite for them to attain to a Metallick Nature by many depurations and distillations and then they are serviceable to it Therefore is there one only stone and one foundation necessary to the Art namely the Metallick virtue though sometimes Vegetable and Animal things are taken yet they do not remain in a Vegetable or Animal Nature but are transmuted into a Metallick and Sulphureous Nature which contains a Metallick Virtue Whereupon said Ferrariensis cap. 20. suarum Quoestionum It is impossible to coagulate Argent vive without Sulphur or something that hath a sulphureous Nature because Sulphur is the coagulum of Argent vive and if there be sulphureities in Wine having a burning faculty it argues there is a Metallick Nature in it wherefore some do operate in Wine and Gold or Silver to extract out of the Wine it s most subtil Spirit strengthning the virtue of Gold with it that so the Spirits may be fixed with it by which consequently the Tincture of the Gold is dilated and multiplied and of a certain there is a very great coherence or participation between the Spirits of Wine and the Spirits of Gold they being both of a hot Nature and therefore the Spirits of Wine are inseparably fixed with Gold yet it is to be noted that the Spirits of middle Metals as Vitriol c. are of larger fixation and more nearly allied to Gold both springing as it were out of one Fountain namely out of the Mines of Metals than the Spirits of Wine which proceed from a Vegetable Nature though the Spirits of Wine are more agil and subtil Some therefore do compound the Spirits of them so as to joyn the Spirits of Vitriol with the Spirits of Wine to inspissate one with the other and to make them more easily united to Gold But he that intends to operate with these things must take the strongest Spirits and the purest Matters so that the Spirits must be exactly purified before they are fixed with Gold or Silver Anonym de Principiis Natur. Arte Alchym pag. 30. Syntagm Hermon Rhenani Not only the rectified Spirit of Vitriol but every Acid Spirit is here effectual provided it be tinging and mixed with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine thereby to be made a Menstruum of the same Kind 'T is thus made 95. The Butter of Antimony mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Basilius Pag. 88. Currus Triumphalis Antim TAke of Common Mercury most purely sublimed of Antimony equal parts grind mix and distil by a Retort which retains the Spirits three times rectifie this Oyl with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and it is prepared and of a Blood-colour in the beginning it was white and thickens as Ice or melted Butter This Oyl hath done many wonderful things yet the Virtue Faculty and Operation of it hath always appeared making an ill thing good This Composition though given by Basilius as a Medicine not as a Menstruum yet is by Paracelsus in Libro de Gradationibus described as such 96. The Water of the fourth Gradation of Paracelsus Libro de Gradationibus pag. 131. TAke of Antimony one pound of Mercury Sublimate half pound distil both together with a violent Fire through an Alembick and a redness willl ascend like Blood thick which tingeth and graduates any Luna into Sol and
and that so oft till all the Gold is come over but this Distillation ought to be done in a low Cucurbit with a flat bottom put the Golden Water which came over in a cold place to cristallize separate the Water from them Guido made the Volatile Vitriol of Gold out of Gold sublimed The Gold he sublimed thus Take of Gold calcined twelve times with three parts of Cinabar or of Leaf Gold four Ounces of the Oyl of Salt the Menstruum described in Numb 76. twelve Ounces dissolve in ashes Draw off the Oyl of Salt from it several times putrifie for a Moneth then distill and all the Gold will be sublimed of a Red Colour in the tenth or twelfth Sublimation but if it will not be sublimed joyn all together and draw off the Phlegme in Balneo to the remainder add of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium four Ounces gradually and force it with a stronger Fire and the Gold will ascend Red with the Menstruum and be precipitated in the bottom of it decant the Water from the Gold upon which kindle Rectified Spirit of Common Wine eight or nine times to take away all the Acidity of the Oyl of Salt Pag. 11. Thesaur Chym. With Gold thus sublimed he prepared the graduated Vitriol of Sol by the following Method Take of Gold sublimed four Ounces and a half pour to it Radical Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine the height of three Fingers digest three days in Balneo decant the Vinegar and pour on new till all be dissolved which draw off in Balneo but beware of too much put it in a cold Cellar and the Vitriol of Gold will be cristallized of a Ruby or Granat Colour more or less beautiful according to the Method of Operating from which decant the Liquor again to be drawn off to a thin Skin till you have five Ounces of the Vitriol Pag. 19. Thesaur Chym. The same way also he prepared the Graduated Vitriol of Luna Pag. 31. as also of Mars Pag. 36. But Jupiter Pag. 42. Venus Pag. 45. and Saturn Pag. 49. he calcin'd onely and reduc'd them with the aforesaid Vinegar into Graduated Vitriols out of all which Vitriols may Menstruums of this Kind be distilled as Basilius his Spirit of Venus Isaacus distilled the Spirit of Saturn out of the Graduated Vitriol of Lead thus 114. The Water of Paradise of Isaacus In Opere Saturni TAke of Saturn ten or fifteen Pounds which no other Metal is mix'd with beat it into thin Plates and have a Bottle half full of Vinegar lute put it in a warm Balneo and every three or four days scrape the Saturn that is calcined from the Plates gather about five or six Pounds of it grind this calcined Saturn Ceruse with distilled Philosophical Vinegar upon a Marble so as with a Pencil to serve for a Picture then take a Stone Jugg and therein pour Distilled Vinegar to the calcined Saturn leaving a third part of the Jugg empty mix very well stop it with a Glass or Stone Stopple set it in Balneo stir it five or six times a day with a Woodden Slice or Spoon stop it again nor heat the Balneo more than that you may endure your hand in it let it thus stand 14 days and nights then pour off the clear and pour new Vinegar to the Calx not yet dissolved mix proceed as before repeating till all the Calx of Saturn is dissolved put the Saturn being thus dissolved in Balneo evaporate the Vinegar with a slow Fire the Saturn will be reduced into a Mass which move to and fro till it be dry it will be of a Honey Colour rub it on a Marble with Distilled Vinegar like Soap put it again in the Stone Jugge being very well mixed in a warm Balneo the space of five or six days stir it every day with a Woodden Slice stop the Glass let it cool pour off what is dissolved into another large Stone Jugge pour other Vinegar to it mix very well put it again in Balneo pour off and thus proceed till nothing more will be dissolved which you may try by your tongue for if the Vinegar be sweet it is not enough dissolved or put a little in a Glass Cucurbit and let it evaporate if any thing remains all that will be Gold is not dissolved and that which remains in the Jugge or Feces if they be sweet upon the tongue and you find yet something in the Cucurbit that is not enough dissolved you may dissolve it by pouring new Vinegar to it These Solutions coagulate as before dissolve in Distilled Vinegar as before these Coagulations and Solutions continue till no more Feces remain in the bottom but are all things dissolved into a clear and limpid Water then is Saturn free from all its Leprosie Melancholy Feces Blackness and Superfluities and is pure as now being exempted from all filth fusible as Wax and sweet as Sugar c. Take half of the Purged Saturn put it in a Stone Jugge and pour to it four Pounds of Distilled Vinegar put on an Alembick and distill the Vinegar in Balneo but the Alembick must have a hole in the top through which pour new Vinegar distill as before pour on new and draw off and that till the Vinegar be drawn off as strong as it is poured on then is it enough because the Matter hath imbibed as much of the Spirits of the Vinegar as it needs and as much as it can retain Take the Jugge from the Fire and the Alembick being taken off put the Matter into a Glass that can endure the Fire put an Alembick to it put it in a Copel with Ashes in a Fornace make first a gentle Fire increase it by degrees till your Matter goes over of the Colour of Blood and thickness of Oyl sweetness of Sugar and of a heavenly smell if the heat diminisheth keep it while the Matter distills increase the Fire till the Glass begins to be Fire hot keep it in this heat till nothing more distills let it cool by it self take away the Receiver and stop it very well with Wax beat the Matter Caput mortuum in an Iron Mortar with a Steel Pestle and then grind it upon a Marble with Distill'd Vinegar Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine put it in a Stone Jugge two parts full distill by Balneo pour on new Vinegar distill as before repeat till the Vinegar distills with the same strength as it was poured on let them cool distill the Matter in a strong Glass upon Ashes as before first with a gentle Fire then alstronger as you did before a Red Oil will go over as before c. beat the Matter and proceed again till the Matter will retain no more of the Spirit of Vinegar in the Distillation in Balneo then take the Matter distil what will distil in a glass Cucurbit upon Ashes till you have distilled the Matter into a Red Oil which is the noble Water of Paradise by
one of the wonderful things of this World Sometimes they mixed Vegetable Salharmoniack instead of Vegetable Menstruum with Mineral Menstruums Thus 147. The Stinking Menstruum acuated with the Salharmoniack of Lully TAke of the vegetable G. Vegetable Mercury or Salharmoniack one Ounce put it in the Phial with a long neck wherein you put three Ounces of E before the Stinking Menstrumm in Numb 67. and presently stop it with its stopple sealed with common Wax that nothing may respire then distil in a hot Balneo the space of three Natural days into a clear dissolved Water As they added Salharmoniack to simple Mineral Menstruums so also to the same compounded 148. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with Vegetable Salharmoniack of Lully Cap. 14. Practicae Test Major Pag. 163. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. IN the power of A God take one Ounce of the Compounded Water of Silver described in Numb 141. distilled through an Alembick and put to it one Ounce of the vegetable G. Mercury or Salharmoniack dissolve c. Basilius mixed these Menstruums thus 149. The Spirit of Mercury mixed with Vitriol and the Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius Labore 3. Libri Revelat. TAke off this Oyl the first Matter of Metals made out of Venus and Mars or Spirit of Universal Mercury described in Numb 132. eight Ounces of the Spirit of Wine rectified to the highest the Menstruum described in Numb 19. five Ounces distil by a Glass Retort and that three times always with New Spirit so as that fifteen Ounces of the fiery Spirit of Wine may be joyned to the eight Ounces of Oyl Paracelsus made the following mix'd Menstruum for the Arcanum Lapidis or Antimony 150. The mix'd Menstruum of Paracelsus Cap. 6. Lib. 10. Archidon Pag. 39. WHoever desires to graduate his Metallick Heaven Antimony to the highest and reduce it to an Action must first extract the liquid primum Ens Coelestial Fire Quintessence of Mercury not of Sol as it is ill read in the Latine and the Metallick Acetum acerrimum the Circulatum majus of Paracelsus described in Numb 51. out of its life that is common Mercury by dissolving it with its Mother that is the Arcanum of Salt Salt circulated in Numb 27. and mix it with the Stomack of Anthion that is the Spirit of Viâ—riol the Menstruum described in Numb 98. and in it the mix'd Menstuum dissolve digest c. the coagulated Mercury of Antimony the Regulus of Antimony From the Receipts we observe 1. THat these Menstruums are the mixtures of divers Menstruums 2. And that they may be made of all Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums being mix'd together at the Artists pleasure 3. Yet that they are made the better the more tinging the Menstruums were 4. That these Menstruums do by Digestion become sweet and pure Vegetable Menstruums EPILOGUE THese are the things My Friends which I promised you the Menstruums of Diana hitherto by none but the Adepts described declared and rightly applied to Vse and are now by me so manifestly explained and distributed into their Kinds that they may be distinctly apprehended even by the meanest Chymists There are indeed many more Menstruums remaining for Diana has superfluity of Menstruums which I have not shewed you but I thought these sufficient as Examples to you You if you please may collect more and appropriate them to their Kinds But if it be our duty to respect the common Good I could wish you would communicate to me some of the more rare Manuscripts or Impressions of the Adepts if you have any in your Studies or Libraries that they may be of service not only to you but to all Mankind or at least signifie their Names to me that I may either buy or by entreaty borrow them of you or others especially you being already well assured that in Practical Books all Secrets depend upon the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but that in the Theoretick they are all most obscure being figurative and not in the least to be understood according to the Letter which if you keep longer in your Libraries will be dayly exposed to a thousand dangers and at length as nothing worth being mouldy and rotten become the Aliment of Time the Consumer of all things In the mean time despise not these Receipts of Menstruums offered to you but rather read and peruse them and every where endeavour to find out the Chymical Truth but those which you do not either understand or not esteem cast away as trivial for if one only Kind or any one Receipt of a Kind out of four and twenty please you it is sufficient for we will easily prove that by that one all the Secrets of the more Secret Chymy may be prepared If also you are pleased to object against the Authority yea Honesty and Sincerity of this or that Adept as Paracelâ—us Lully c. you may leave him and reject his Receipts making choice of any other in whom you may have greater confidence and we will prove all the rest by his Receipt Learn therefore the ways of making these Menstruums observe their Orders Degrees Matters Methods of Making the Virtues of Dissolving Tinging Multiplying themselves c. and you will acknowledge them to be the best Instruments of all the more Secret Chymy as Keys without which nothing and with which all the Secrets of this Art are opened and unlocked To make these Things which we have declared in the former Discourse of the Excellencies of the Menstruums more easie to you I will here contract into a Breviary and reduce them into twelve subsequent and infallible Conclusions I. That the Descriptions of these Menstruums are understood according to the Sound of the Letter THat the Receipts of this Book contain nothing occult but the Spirit of Philosophical Wine the Use only of which we promised to define you will easily vouchsafe us your Assent Nor yet is it too obscure but that it may be properly called an unctuous Spirit proceeding from the White and Red Wine of Lully the Constitutives of the Menstruum foetens The rest which seem more obscure are Terms of Art for the most part explained in the very Descriptions of the Receipts of things made and produced from this Spirit But the obscurity which a shorter or longer description of a Receipt causeth is by accident to be easily overcome and removed by any diligent Disciple of this Art II. That no one of the aforesaid Menstruums is prepared without the Spirit of Philosophical Wine AMong all these Menstruums of the Adepts imparted to you there is not one which has not the Spirit of Philosophical Wine for its Basis There are indeed Menstruums in the Receipts of which we meet not with the Name of this Spirit yet there it is lurking under the name of this or that Menstruum Other Receipts of Menstruums there are which do not take the Spirit of Philosophical Wine free but as it were settered that is any Common Oyl but when in the making of these
aforesaid and the Vessel cold take it out and grind it then pour the water which you distilled by Balneo to it and let the matter boyl two hours upon ashes and empty the water into another Vessel from the Earth which Earth you must dry with a gentle Fire Upon the same ashes pour new Phlegm and let it boyl as before decant by emptying and keeping as before the dissolution of the Body and thus repeat the Magistery till you have evacuated all the most precious Salt out of it and converted it into water Then take all those dissolutions and filtre them through a clean Linnen-Cloth which water you must distil by Balneo at length in the bottom of the Vessel will you have a most Precious Salt or Vegetable Mercury Which done know the weight of the said Congelation or Salt and pour to it a third part of the Water which you kept before and which you rectify'd seven times in Ashes the acid Water of Honey and stop the Vessel with its Antenotorium and set it in Balneo five Days then having taken away the Antenotorium and put on an Alembick you must with a temperate Fire by distillation exhale all the moisture that will distil and that will be insipid for the Earth hath received and in it self retained the Virtue and Acetosity of the Water Then again imbibe the Earth with new Water as before and repeat the Magistery by imbibing digesting and distilling so oft as before till the Earth hath attracted and imbibed all its Water And so by the help of the living God will you truly have the Vegetable Salt drawn from this individual which Salt is most precious and hath the power of acuating the Vegetable Mercury and dissolving the two Luminaries and all the other imperfect Metals And with this may Metals be reduced into their first Matter To these Salts requisite for this Menstruum of Lully I will add the fifth Experiment which teacheth to prepare Alkalies from Portulaca Marina Apium Sylvestre Squilla Euphorbium Pyrethrum Rosmarinus Herb Mercury Solatrum Oliandrum c. with all which you may acuate the Vegetable Mercury drawn from Wine either joyntly or severally This sort of Menstruums is made not only out of the Alkalies of Vegetables but also out of Mineral Salts such as common Salt Sal Gemmae Alum c. Thus it is made 27. The Circulatum Minus or Water of Salt Circulated of Paracelsus Lib. 10. Archidox TAKE the true Element of Water or instead thereof another Salt which hath not been as yet boyl'd to plain Driness or also Sal Gemmoe putrified pour two parts of the water mix'd with a little Juice of Raphanus to it putrefie in acurate digestion the longer the better let it afterward congeal and putresie again for a Month then distil in a Retort the remainder urge with a strong Fire that it may melt reverberate in a Retort with a continual Fire dissolve upon a Marble the water slowing from hence pour to it and putrefie again distil again even to an Oleosity joyn it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and that which is impure will fall down which separate but let the pure be cristalized in a cold place pour on again that which is distilled and cohobate so oft till a fixed Oyl remains in the bottom and nothing sweet goes over Digest moreover for a Month then distil till the Arcanum of Salt pass over through the Alembeck Nor let long labour grieve you for this is the third part of all the Arcanums which are hidden in Metals and Minerals and without which nothing can be made useful or perfect The same Circulatum hath Paracelsus described in his Treatise of reducing Metals into their first matter or running Mercury which is the fourth Treatise in Rosario novo Olimpico Benedicti Figuli which Description we thought good to compare with this that they may illustrate one another Take saith he Sal Gemmoe most finely pulverized put it in a strong Crucible and increasing the Fire by degrees melt the Salt being melted keep it so for the space of three Hours the Salt being cold pulverize it again and melt it in a new Crucible according to the aforesaid method and so proceed five or six times then to the pulverized Salt pour so much of the hot Juice of Raphanus that it may be dissolved mix the Salt and squeeze it with a little of the Juice with a wooden spoon in a wooden Vessel being dissolved strain it through a sleeve and set it apart add again a little of the Juice and repeat till all the Salt be dissolved coagulate or draw off the water by an Alembick reduce the Salt into Powder putrefie in Balneo six days then distil with an open Fire like Aqua Regis observing the degrees of Fire till nothing more ascends force it with a most strong Fire for an hour that it may be throughly calcined pulverize the Salt being yet hot very small on a Marble and let it be dissolved by it self in a moist place putrefie all that is dissolved in Balneo three days then distil gradually by the Rule of Art all the Liquor through an Alembick in Sand the remaining Body being well pulverized dissolve on a Marble putrefie and distil as before repeat this three times the remainder reduce into Powder and put in a Cucurbit to which pour these three distilled waters putrefie five days and again distil in Sand thus putrefying and distilling all the Salt will at length ascend through the Alembick except a little Caput mortuum to be cast away but the water distilled from the substance of the Salt putrefie for a Day and a Night and rectifie twice or thrice and you will have the water of Salt This Menstruum made of Sea-salt or Sal Gemmae Paracelsus made choice of before the rest of the simple Vegetable Menstruums as the best because according to his Doctrine it is the Matrix or Center of Metals and Minerals Because saith he being instructed by Experiments and having in other Books also made mention that the primum Ens or fifth Essence of the Element of Water is the Center of Metals and Minerals and having elsewhere also added that every product ought to dye in that in which it received life In a German Manuscript these Words are thus read Das ein iegelich frucht in seiner Mutter darinnen es das leben uberkommen sterben muss That is every Fruit ought to dye in the same Matrix in which it obtains its Life that afterwards it may receive a new Life better and so by the deposition of the old Body be reduced into the primum Ens or first Being The way therefore of extracting the Center of Water in which Metals ought to depose their Body will I here add This Menstruum we will explain by its Branches whereof the First is Oyl of Salt dissolved per deliquium In the first process he dissolves Sea-salt or Sal Gemmae in water mix'd with the Juice of
wherewith you will be able to accomplish many Experiments This is that Mercury which hath afforded us most seasonable succour as shall be manifested in the following Experiments To this exanimated Earth restore the animated Spirit by various imbibitions according to the ways described in the preparations of Vegetable Sal Armoniacks because saith Lully there is but one way and method in the animal as in the Vegetable nothing varying But the ways of making these Salts being very tedious we will for a conclusion add Lully's way of abbreviation The Vegetable Sal Armoniack made by the accurtation of Lully In Testam Noviss THis Sulphur of Nature may my Son with the help of God be wonderfully abbreviated and the way is this To take our liquid Pitch after the Phlegm is drawn off and put it into a Cucurbit in a Fire of the third degree and extract the Oyl till the Earth remains dry and burned My Son calcine as I have taught you and purify the Earth and to separate the Salt from it and upon it pour a forth part of the Spirit which is in the second Water distilled out of the Ritch and digest as above then drawing off the Liquor superfluous insipid and to be cast away pour again a fourth part digest and dry as before till the Earth be pregnant the sign will be that nothing more of the aforesaid Phlegm or Liquor will distil sublime and you will have the Vegetable Sulphur clean and pure and of the same Virtue with the first I charge you my Son with the fear of God not to reveal this most excellent way of abbreviation to any Man Parisinus in his way of making Vegetable Sal Armoniack declares the Oyl extracted out of the Pitch of Philosophical Wine to be superfluous and inconsonant Separate saith he all the superfluous unctuosities which do burn the perfect and precious Elements mix'd and latent in that Vegetable Matter and are repugnant to that composition and a little after After the separation of the superfluous unctuosity and aereal substance which blacks and burns the other precious Elements of this composition pour to it its ardent and celestial Spirit Yea Lully himself has in some Experiments before declared that Oyl as also the Phlegm of this Wine to be of no Virtue in the present Work nevertheless in this accurtation of Sal Armoniack he not only useth the said Oyl and indeed which you may wonder at for the abbreviation of a most tedious labour but also affirms that Sal Armoniack thus prepared is of the same Virtue with the rest Sometimes he used also the Water or animated Spirit together with the Oyl for present abbreviation thus Another Vegetable Sal Armoniack by the Accurtation of Lully Lib. de materia Vegetabili in practica septima TAke the best red Wine distil the ardent Spirit according to Art so as to burn Cotton after that the Phlegm upon the matter remaining in the bottom of the Alembick being thick as liquid Pitch pour the Phlegm half a foot above it let it boyl three Hours decant the tinged Phlegm pour on other repeating so oft till no more will be tinged if you have not Phlegm enough you must draw off the tinged Phlegms in Balneo which being evaporated a Vegetable Oyl will remain in the bottom of the Glass the tincture being drawn out of the Phlegm the matter will remain like a dry Earth upon this dry Earth pour of the ardent Spirit the height of four Fingers let it boyl two Hours that which is in the mean time distill'd pour again to the Earth let it settle two Hours then decant the animated Spirit from the Spirit or Soul of the Earth pour new Spirit upon the Earth doing as before three times The Earth being black and calcined put into a Glass with a long Neck and pour the Vegetable Oyl aforesaid to it digest in Ashes ten days then decant and put it into an Alembick to which add a fourth part of the ardent Spirit animated digest in a vaporous Balneo for twenty four Hours then continue the superaddition of the other three parts of the animated Spirit every twenty four Hours then distil away the superfluous insipid and useless Liquor gently by Ashes and augmenting the Fire by degrees sublime the Volatile Salt c. Hitherto of the various preparations of Vegetable Sal Armoniacks We will now proceed to the other part of the Coelum Vinosum namely the several ways of reducing these Salts into a liquid substance The Adepts did for the most part distil through an Alembick one part of Vegetable Sal Armoniack with three parts of the Aqua ardens to which Liquor they added again one part of the aforesaid Salt and distill'd and that they repeated three and sometimes four times to make the weight of the Salt and Water equal for the greater the quantity of the same Salt the stronger is the quality of the Menstruum then lastly they circulated the Menstruum thereby to make it more pure and excellent But though this Method was more in use among the Adepts yet either their curiosity or sedulity found out also other ways so instead of the Aqua ardens wherewith they prepared the Vegetable Sal Armoniack as well as the Menstruum they sometimes took Aqua ardens circulated or the Heaven or Essence of Philosophical Wine described in Numb 1. It is thus done 31. Coelum Vegetabile of Lully Circulated Lib. de materia Vegetabili in practica quinta TAke the best white Wine distil the ardent Spirit till it burns Cotton put this Spirit into a Circulatory two thirds empty strengthen the Mouth with Wax and Bury it in hot Dung with its Mouth downward for the Spirit to be circulated and digested the space of forty five Days or till it swims above more pure and clear in the Form of an Oyl see the Heaven or Essence of Philosophical Wine in Numb 1. having seen this sign take out the Glass warily and with a Needle perforate the Wax that the impure may flow out then suddenly turn up the Circulatory that the pure or more fine may remain which we call the ardent Spirit circulated which is of a most delicious Sent now take the residue from which the Spirit of Wine was drawn and distil the Phlegm and upon the matter remaining like melted Pitch pour the said Phlegm so as to swim four Fingers above it digest two days in Balneo decant the tinged Phlegm and pour on other and that repeat so often till the Phlegm will be no more tinged which is a thing useless in this operation Now the Earth calcine in a Reverberatory pulverize put it in an Alembick and imbibe with an eighth part of the ardent Spirit circulated digest in Balneo and distil some certain superfluous moisture by Ashes continue this imbibition digestion and distillation till the Earth be impregnated with the dry Spirit which was in the ardent Spirit circulated of which the sign will be if it doth almost all
oftentimes by it self in Ashes but be sure not to take away any of the Terrestreities which will every rectification remain in the bottom of the Vessel but rather pour back the distilled Water always to the same Faeces till you have performed the Work seven times compleat And observe the same order in rectifying the Water of animated Luna reserved before This done joyn these two Waters together which Conjunction is called the Conjunction of Father and Mother Male and Female Man and Woman And thus will you have the Menstruum majus the Animal Vegetable and Mineral being joyned together and these three reduced into one substance you must circulate sixty Days in a Vessel so luted as not to respire Circulation being compleated you will have the Menstruum majus brought to action the power of which is so great as not to be related This therefore is that admirable Menstruum which dissolves all Bodies with the preservation of their vegetative and transmutative Form This I say is that Menstruum containing in it such odour and fragrancy that nothing can be compared to it This lastly is the resoluble Menstruum which is by the Wise call'd by almost innumerable Names the Acetum acerrimum which converts Gold into a Spirit This is the Aqua Sicca Aqua Solis and Aqua Vitoe Parisinus made this Menstruum which he otherwise calls the greater Mercury or compounded Menstruum by this method 50. The Circulatum majus of Parisinus In Apertorio Cap. G. TAke of the best calcined Luna three Ounces of Sol also calcined according to Chapter H in which the Calcinations of Metals are after the common way described two Ounces to each being put by its self in its Glass pour of Circulated or the simple Quintessence acuated with Honey or the Coelum mellisluum described in Numb 10. the height of four Fingers the Vessels with their blind Heads put in Balneo two Days and in Ashes two more when you see the Waters in some measure tinged decant them and the dissolutions keep by themselves in Balneo well stopp'd to the undissolved Calxes pour again of E digesting decanting and repeating so often till the Bodies of Sol and Luna be reduced into a liquid substance then distil the Composition Dissolution of Sol and the Composition of Luna in Balneo and the Bodies will remain in the bottom of the Glass like an Oyl but to the Waters drawn from the said Luminaries in Balneo put Vegetable Sulphur according to the weights of the Sol and Luna and it will in the space of two Days be dissolved in Balneo so soon as the said Sulphur is dissolved in every of its Vessels pour every one to its Metallick Oyl but to avoid Error you must know that your dissolved Sulphur is that which we taught the preparation of in Chapter L namely that which is extracted out of Philosophical Wine otherwise called Sal Armoniack put the Vessels in Putrefaction eight Days then draw off the Waters in Balneo every one by it self then pour of new Water the height of two Fingers cover the Vessels with blind Heads and digest for a Day in Balneo then put on common Alembicks and distil the Waters gently in Ashes then increase the Fire that the air may also ascend into the Waters the Vessels being cold pour new Water to each remainder cover them with blind Heads digest in Balneo for a Night then distil in Ashes and this repeat as before till you have extracted all the Liquor of the two Luminaries keep the Earths and if a little of it be cast upon a red hot Plate and burns not it is an infallible sign because the said Earth is deprived of its Soul keep these two Earths mix'd together in digestion of Ashes for the receiving of their Mercuries the distilled Airs or Essences as we shall teach in Chapter L. in the way of making the mineral Sal Armoniacks or Metallick of Gold and Silver Now take the Liquors of both the said Luminaries that is their Souls or Mercuries already pass'd through an Alembick and joyn them together distilling through an Alembick in Ashes if any slimy Earth remains add it to the former Earths reserved and this do six times always removing the slimy Earth Take a large Vessel or Cucurbit with an Alembick made all of a piece in which pour your compounded Menstruum stopping the Mouth with a Glass Stopple luted with the white of an Egg quick Lime and course Paper which being dryed lute then with our Bitumen made of an equal quantity of Pitch Wax and Mastick and Circulate in a Sophical Balneo as we shewed you at Mr. Angelo's House in the Famous City of Venice when we made the simple Circulated Menstruum and let it be Circulating forty Natural Days which being expired you will see our Menstruum or Mercury clearer than Cristal and more odoriferous than any Perfume This Menstruum my Son hath the power of dissolving the two Luminaries and reducing them from power to action and you must know that by this alone yet with the addition of its red or white ferment you will by Circulation make particulars of great projection This is that which our Captain Raymund Lully in his Epistola Accurtatoria spoke of saying Having dissolved Sol and drawn the Water from it in Balneo then know the Gold is made Spiritual and irreducible into its former Body to which if you add a hundred parts of common Mercury it will congeal it into true Gold Moreover my Son if the said Gold congealed into a Gum be dissolved in some Water and given to a Patient of what infirmity soever he will in a very few Days return to his good temperament it removes whiteness of hair and all other signs of Old Age restores former Youth and preserves health even to the time prefixed by the Eternal God Know also that should I describe all the Miracles and indeed they may well be called Miracles and all the effects performed by this Mercury which as I remember I sufficiently declared to you by Word of Mouth and explained the various Sayings of our Captain in the Book of Quintessence then c. From the Receipts we observe 1. That these Menstruums are stronger than all the antecedent as being acuated with better arids or dry things and therefore do not extract the Essences but dissolve the whole Body into a Magistery 2. That these Menstruums are the Magisteries of Metals and Minerals and therefore Medecines 3. That they are made many several ways now known to us 4. That the Sal Armoniacks of Metals are made the same ways as Vegetable Sal Armoniacks 5. That every one of them is properly called Philosophers Mercury or Mercury of the Mercury of Gold Silver Iron c. sublimed the Mercury of Antimony common Sulphur c. sublimed because like common Mercury sublimed it is most easily resuscitated by hot Water or Vinegar into the running Mercury of Gold Silver Iron Antimony c. as we shall
new Arcanum of Salt Circulatum minus that the impure may be precipitated to the bottom but the pure turn'd into Cristals sublime the same in a close Reverberatory being sublimed turn it up continually till it comes to a redness this sublimation extract with the Spirit of Wine rectifyed to the highest Philosophical Wine seperate the Spirit of Wine by distillation the remainder the dry Tincture or Crocus of Mercury dissolve upon a Marble per deliquium and digest for a Month pour new Spirit of Wine to it digest for a time and distil Then will the Arcanum of the primum Ens or first being of Mercury rise over in a liquid substance which is by the Philosophers called Metallick Acetum acerrimum and in our Archidoxyes Circulatum majus And the same is to be understood of Antimony Gemms and all other Metals Annotations THere is a great difference between this and the precedent Kind though they both treat of Mercurial Waters The antecedent were made of crude Mercury This Circulatum of Paracelsus is indeed made of Mercury but first fixed The precedent were most clear these greater Circulatums are indeed most clear but also most red and so much better in their Tinctures than the precedent The Receipt we will consider as divided into its parts in the first of which Paracelsus sublimes Argent vive so often till it be made like fixed Cristal that is like mineral or common Cristal clear and transparent As this part is common so it less needs explaining In his Book De Renovat Restaur he takes only Mineral Gold or Antimony for the same Work which Bodies notwithstanding are more bound up than the open Metal Mercury and for this reason it may seem to be fit enough for dissolution in Circulated Salt without sublimation For the illustration of the Receipt we will add the Description of the said Book Take of mineral Gold or Antimony most finely ground one Pound of Salt Circulated four Pounds being mixed digest them together in Horse-Dung for a Month from thence will spring a Water wherefore the pure must be separated from the impure coagulate it into a Stone which calcine with Wine cenificated lenificated and separate again and dissolve upon a Marble Let this Water be putrified for a Month from it will be produced a Liquor wherein are all such Signs as in the primum Ens of Gold or Antimony wherefore we deservedly call it the primum Ens of those things It is no otherwise to be understood of Mercury and other things also In the second part he dissolves Mercury being so sublimed in Salt Circulated the primum Ens of Salt the Arcanum of Salt the Water of Salt Circulated Synonima's of Paracelsus his Circulatum minus putrifies or digests precipitates with new Circulated Salt filters and lastly reduceth it into Cristals or Philosophical Vitriol In the Receipt of Lib. de Renov he adds the weights of things Take saith he of mineral Gold or Antimony one Pound of Salt Circulated four Pounds and then digests and separates the impure from the pure and coagulates into Cristals Sometimes he dissolves Bodies by some mineral Menstruum which he draws off two or three times from them and sweetens them again by taking away all the acidity so far as he is able with common Water Thus he dissolves common Sulphur in the strongest Aqua fortis Paracelsus his Aqua regis to be described in the eighteenth Kind cohobates three times into a black Matter which he sweetens with distilled Water Libro de morte rerum For it is much at one whether Gold or Antimony be dissolved by the Circulatum minus only and reduced into a Philosophical Vitriol or whether Argent vive for the abbreviation of time be in the sublimation of it first impregnated with the acidity of Salts and so made more open for the Work and then mixed with the Circulatum minus purified by digestion and precipitation and lastly reduced into a Philosophical Vitriol or whether to make the time yet shorter Sulphur be mixed with a mineral Menstruum that is an acid and the Circulatum minus mixed together and then freed from the acid so as with the Circulatum minus to be made the same Philosophical Vitriol for which way soever Philosophical Vitriol is made it comes to one and the same effect but of these Vitriols hereafter in the Receipts of mineral Menstruums In the third part he sublimes the Stones or Cristals of the Mercury in a close Reverberatory that is a Philosophical Egg always turning it up till the Vitriol of the Mercury is at length fixed into a most red Precipitate This part the Sublimations of Sulphur and Antimony in a close Reverberatory will illustrate The strongest Aqua fortis being often drawn off from the Sulphur the remaining matter being made thereby black and then sweetned he reverberates that is sublimes in a close Reverberatory and being sublimed turns up the close Reverberatory or Philosophical Egg so oft and continually till it comes to a redness as Antimony saith he which will become first white sublimate then yellow thirdly red precipitate as Cinnabar which being obtained you ought to rejoyce for it is the beginning of your Riches This reverberated Sulphur gives a most deep tincture to any Luna reducing it into most excellent Gold and preserves a Man's Body in most perfect Health This reverberated fixed Sulphur observe is of so great Virtue as is not fitting to declare Libro de morte rerum pag. 95. The Reverberation of Antimony is in pag. 67. Chyr majoris hus Take of Antimony reduced into a most fine Alcool into Philosophical Vitriol with the Circulatum minus by the way of Mercury in the Circulatum majus or again into a black and sweetned matter by the way of Sulphur what quantity you will let it be reverberated in a close Reverberatory for the space of one Month continually turning up the Reverberatory till the matter will be no more sublimed and it will be Volatile and Light first White then Yellow then Red lastly of a Purple or Violet Colour The Antimony being thus fixed by sublimation he extracts the tincture by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which tincture he calls the most Noble most Precious and only not Divine Essence of Lily In the fourth part he dissolves Mercury being precipitated and extracted by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine per deliquium and digests with new Spirit of Philosophical Wine and cohobates till it ascends through the Alembick into the primum Ens or Essence of Mercury Mercury Circulated the Circulatum majus prepared from Mercury c. In the Receipt we observe 1. That Argent vive Antimony Sulphur yea Gold Silver and all the other Metals being dissolved in some simple Vegetable Menstruum then reverberated or by sublimation fixed dissolved per deliquium and distill'd into a liquid substance are Argent vive Antimony Sulphur Gold Silver c. Circulated or the Circulatum majus made of Mercury Antimony Sulphur
Menstruums as well of this as other Adepts are of no validity The same Earth which being less than well dissolved is the cause of opacity in Bernhard's permanent Menstruum the very same exactly dissolved is the cause of limpidity with Thomas inspissating and coagulating the Water as well if not better than if it had been less dissolved The diaphaneity of Menstruums is defended by Lully Parisinus and most of the Adepts Lully proclaims his Coelum Vinosum to be clear bright and resplendent as the Stars of Heaven In Test novis pag. 8. Of which very Menstruum Parisinus thus in Appendice Elucidarii pag. 273. Vol. 6. Theat Chym. Then will you see a Quintessence brighter and clearer than a Diamond which exceeds the splendor of the Stars so as to be doubted whether it be contained in the Glass or no. The Tenth KIND Vegetable Menstruums compounded made of Vegetable Menstruums compounded and Metallick Bodies 52. The Neapolitan Menstruum of Lully In Exper. 13. TAke Luna and calcine with common Argent vive that is by amalgaming and then grinding the Amalgame with common Salt prepared then evaporate the Mercury with a most gentle Fire then take away the Salt with hot Water distilled and so you will have Luna calcined Take the calcined Luna and pour to it four parts of the Mercurial Water described by the three hot Vessels before in Numb 46. and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium set upon Ashes so as to boyl gently and you will perceive a Green or Sea Colour which Liquor pour warily into another Vessel so that the Faeces be not disturb'd the Matter remaining at the bottom dry with an easie Fire like the heat of the Sun Then know the weight of the said Calx and pour again four parts of the said Mercurial Water upon one part of the said Calx and the Vessel being covered with its Antenotorium as above let it boyl again gently the dissolution pour into another Vessel as before and joyn it with the first dissolution but remember to keep the said dissolved Matter continually in Balneo till the whole Work of dissolution is compleated repeating the Magistery so oft 〈◊〉 the whole Body of Luna be fully dissolved and decanted over which has indeed hapned to us at the second time and set it in putrefaction fourteen Days Then put it in an Urinal with its Receiver and Alembick very well luted and distil in a Furnace of Ashes then increase the Fire that the Soul of the Body may ascend into its Water The Vessel being cold examine the weight of the Earth of Luna remaining in the bottom for I believe of one whole Ounce there will not remain above two Eights Drachms of the Body not dissolved the rest will be perfectly dissolved that is distilled But if more of the undissolved Earth remains then pour to it so much of its Water lately distilled as to be three Fingers above it and the Vessel being covered with an Antenotorium put it in Balneo for a Natural Day then taking away the Antenotorium and putting on an Alembick with a Receiver very close distil by Ashes at the end of the distillation increase the Fire as before This repeat till the whole Body of Luna be pass'd through the Alembick by an airy revolution and thus will you by the Help of God have a Menstruum with which you may dissolve Sol. Annotations HItherto we have by Argent vive acuated either the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or Menstruums made with this Spirit which had so good a faculty of dissolving that most of the Adepts being content with these Mercurial Waters desisted from inquiring after stronger Menstruums The Mercurial Water which Lully terms Glorious he saith is sufficient yea a proper Menstruum to make the Philosophers Mercury or Metallick Sal Armoniack out of all Metals and Minerals You must know saith he my Son that in the Truth and Faith of God no Sulphur of Nature of any Metal can be sublimed without this Water of common Argent vive Test Noviss Pag. 12. But in this Tenth Kind of Menstruums the Adepts made yet other Menstruums adding moreover divers Bodies according to the intended several uses to the aforesaid Mercurial Waters Lully to make a more Noble Menstruum for the dissolution of Gold added Silver to the Mercurial Menstruum If perhaps he wanted a Menstruum for Pearls he joyned Pearls with the Mercurial Menstruum If he had a mind to make Aurum potabile he prepared a Menstruum out of Gold and Silver as more suitable to this purpose yet with some Mercurial Menstruum and so of others as you will observe in the following Examples 53. The precious Menstruum for Pearls of Lully In Comp. Animoe transmut Pag. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. TAke the Liquor of Lunaria of the third or second rectification Philosophical Aqua ardens rectifyed pour it upon Argent vive so as to swim three Fingers above it and putrefie three Natural Days and a great part of it will be dissolved with the Water of Lunaria which decant and pour fresh Liquor upon the Faeces putrefie in Dung or Balneo and repeat till all the Mercury is reduced into Water then joyn all the distillations together and draw off in Balneo and when you see it in a manner thick so as to be half a Pound of the Water of Mercury and Argent vive Vegetable and Mineral putrifie six Natural Days then put in Pearls and they will within ten Hours be dissolved then exuberate them by the way which I taught in the exuberation of Metals till they be converted into a Sal Harmoniack or Sulphur Naturoe of Pearls whereof dissolve one Ounce in a Pound of its Menstruum aforesaid and distil four times then put in Pearls and they will in half a quarter of an Hour be dissolved by reason of the greater subtilty of the Menstruum As Silver is joyned to the Mercurial Menstruum made by the three Fire-hot Vessels for the Neopolitan Menstruum which may be so call'd because it was reveal'd to Lully at Neapolis by Arnold de villa nova so this Menstruum for Pearls is made of the Sal Armoniack of Pearls and the Mercurial Menstruum or Glorious Water of Mercury which if they be Circulated together a convenient time you will make thereof a Coelum perlatum 54. The Mercurial compounded Menstruum of Lully In Experim 34. TAke three Ounces of Luna and three Ounces of Sol calcine them severally with Mercury as in the former Experiments in the Neopolitan Menstruum then evaporate it from the said Metals being calcined put them severally in distinct solutory Vessels and put upon them so much of the incalcinated Menstruum described before in Numb 45. as will swim four Fingers above it cover the Vessel with an Antenotorium putrifie in Balneo two Days and two Days more in Ashes with a heat like that of the Sun decant the dissolution and dry the remainder being dryed pour upon them of the incalcinated Menstruum
common Gold The Philosophers Green Lyon therefore is green Gold Gold vive which is not as yet fixed but left imperfect by Nature and for this reason hath it the Virtue of reducing all Bodies into their first Matter and making those Bodies which are fixed Spiritual and Volatile Tract de Adrop Pag. 547. Thirdly It may also be called Lyon because as all other Animals give place to a Lyon so all Bodies yield to the power of Gold vive which is our Mercury Tract Adrop Pag. 548. Fourthly This Noble Infant is called Green Lyon because when it is dissolved it is cloathed with a Green Garment Yet out of the Green Lyon of Fools Vitriol is with a violent Fire extracted that which we call Aqua fortis in which the said Lyon ought to be elixirated Medulla Philos Pag. 139. These things spoken of the Green Lyon are also to be understood of Adrop being a Synonymous term of the same Matter Take saith Ripley Adrop that is the Green Lyon Now as to Adrop he declared as followeth Adrop saith he is Gold and Silver in power but not in sight as Rhasis saith and our Gold and Silver according to the Philosophers is not common Gold and Silver for our Gold and Silver are airy which in order to be well fermented ought to be joyned with the beloved common Gold Forasmuch as the Philosopher saith That Adrop in its prosundity is airy Gold and Adrop it self is called Leprous Gold And to these Sayings seems to assent Guido the Greek Philosopher speaking of the Mercurial or Menstrual Spirit the Spirit or Blood of the Green Lyon which is extracted out of the Natural Adrop by Art where he writes And that Spirit is Sol extracted out of the Philosophers Solary Water Arsenick and Luna And in the same place presently adds The Body is the ferment of the Spirit and the Spirit the ferment of the Body and the Earth wherein lies the Fire dries imbibes and fixeth the Water and the Air wherein lies the Water the Air which lies in the Water it ought to be read according to the Doctrine of separating the Elements washeth tingeth and perfecteth the Earth and Fire and so Guido's Saying that they tinge and perfect ought to be understood that the Stone the Menstruum drawn from Adrop or the Green Lyon is sufficient for the compleating of it self into an Elixir and that no Exotick or Heterogeneous Matter as he affirms is or ought to be introduced to it but all the parts of it are co-essential and concrete because the Philosophers meaning was to compleat that work in a short space above the Earth which Nature scarce perfecteth in a thousand Years under the Earth Unskilfully therefore according to the Opinion of the Philosophers as Guido saith do they proceed that seek to obtain a ferment from common Silver and Gold for our select Body For that Matter in which is Argent vive clean and pure not most is ill read throughly brought to perfection by Nature is as Guido affirms after compleat purification a thousand times better than the Bodies of Sol and Luna vulgarly decocted by the Natural heat of the Sun Concord Lully Guidon Pag. 323. A certain Philosopher saith He goes on Discoursing of the same Adrop A fume white is drawn from its own Mines which if rightly gathered and again sprinkled upon its own Mines will there make a fixation and so the true Elixir will in a short space of time be produced from it And certainly without those Liquors or Spirits that is the Water and Oyl of Mercury Menstruum this Alchymical Body which is Neutral or Adrop is not purged And that is the Alchymical Body which is called Leprous Body that is black at the beginning of the Work in which as saith Vincentius in his Speculum Naturale are Gold and Silver in power and not in aspect which in the Bowels of it is also airy Gold to which no Man can attain except the unclean Body be first cleansed which is without doubt after its compleat dealbation and then it is a thousand times better than are the Bodies of common Gold and Silver decocted by Natural heat The first Matter of this Leprous Body is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth Of this Body according to the Judgment of Vincentius is made the great Elixir for the red and white the Name whereof is Adrop otherwise called the Philosophers black Lead out which Raymund commands us to extract an Oyl of a Golden Colour or such like Raymund adds But this Oyl is not necessary in the Vegetable Work namely for the inceration of the Vegetable Stone because solutions and coagulations are there soon made and if you can separate it from its Phlegm and after that ingeniously find out the Secrets of it you will in thirty Days be able to perfect the Philosophers Stone For this Oyl makes Medecines Tinctures penetrable sociable and amicable to all Bodies and in the World there is not a greater Secret Medul Phil. Chym. pag. 131. Ripley hath here recited various Synonima's of this Adrop We for a time will follow the Green Lyon by the way of Philosophical Lead as we are directed by Ripley in these very Words First understand when Avecenn saith that Gold and Silver are in Lead by Power and not by sight and they are left by Nature crude and half cocted and therefore that ought to be perfectly supplyed by Art which is left imperfect by Nature and by way of a ferment digesting and cocting that which is left crude For a ferment therefore take perfect Gold for a little paululum not paulatim of their fixed substance those fixed Bodies will draw and convert much of Bodies not fixed to the perfection of Gold and Silver And thus will Art help Nature that in a little space of time that may be done above the Earth which is not in a thousand Years done under the Earth And by this means you will understand how Lead contains in it the greatest Secrets of this Art For it hath in it Argent vive clean pure odoriferous not brought by Nature to perfection And this Argent vive is the Basis and Ground-Work of our pretious Medicine as well for Metallick as Humane Bodies so as to be the Elixir of Life curing all infirmities Which the Philosopher meant saying There is in Mercury whatsoever Wise Men seek From this are the Soul Body Spirit and Tincture drawn Moreover also in this Mercury is the Philosophers Fire always burning equally within the Vessel and not without It hath also a great attractive Virtue and Power in dissolving Sol and Luna and reducing the same into their first Matter With this Mercury are to be dissolved the Calxes of the perfect Bodies in congealing the aforesaid Mercurial Spirit c. Pupilla Pag. 295. But have a care that you operate not with common Saturn because commonly it is said Eat not of the Son whose Mother is corrupted and believe that
inspissated into a Gum in taste like Alum is by Ripley in the Description of the antecedent Menstruum in Numb 62. called Lully's Vitriol of Azoth or Vitriolum Azoqueum Lully in practica Testamenti Cap. 9. Pag. 159. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. makes a Menstruum of B. C. D. By B. he meant the said Green Lyon or common Argent vive which as he says elsewhere is more common to Men than vulgar Argent vive B. saith he Pag. 153. of the said practica signifies Argent vive which is a common substance consisting in every corruptible Body as appears by the property of it c. By C. he intended common Niter C. saith he signifies Salt Peter which hath a common acid Nature and like Argent vive by the property of its strong acid Nature Pag. 154.4 Volum aforesaid By D. he understood Gum Adrop made of the Green Lyon D. saith he signifies Azoquean Vitriol which corrupts and confounds all that is of the Nature and Being of common Argent vive In the same place Both C. and D. he calls the purer mediums Cap. 58. Theor. Test pag. 96. You must know Son saith he our Bath you may wash the Nature of Phil Argent vive so as Nature could never do that is to make Argent vive a compleat Elixir But Phil. Argent vive and Metals being both in Nature and in your Work extreams and extreams not being able to joyn themselves without the Virtue of a middle disposition which is between the softness of Argent vive and the hardness of Metal because there is by reason of that middle disposition a Natural complyance which is the cause of Conjunction between Body and Spirit as it is in every thing generated or in capacity of being generated In Nature are many mediums whereof two are more pure and more viscous the Green Azoquean Vitriols with the stony Nature which is the Salt and Nature of Stones By the help my Son of this contemptible Matter is our Stone which we have so much sought for procreated c. With the other of these mediums C the stony Nature Salt Peter Salt of Peter or Niter we have no business at present but being solicitous of D. Gum Adrop or the Azoquean Vitriol of Lully it will be worth while to consult Lully himself Of which the Philosopher Cap. 59. Theor. Testamenti thus Son saith he the Azoquean Lyon which is called Azoquean Vitriol is by Nature made of the peculiar substance of common Argent vive which is the Natural Root from whence Metal is procreated in its own Mine By common Argent vive he meant not the Vulgar but Philosophical Argent vive the natural Root as well of Metals as Minerals When we say common Mercury saith he we speak of that which the Philosophers understand and when we name the Vulgar we speak of that which is known to the Country-men and sold in Shops Cap. 1. Lib. Mercuriorum which the following Synonyma's of this Mercury namely Chaos Nature Origo Green Lyon Argent vive Unguent Oyl Pasture and Liquor of great Value do also testifie in Cap. 45. Theor. Test pag. 75. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. This common Argent vive or Green Lyon must be purged from its Superfluities before the Aroquean Vitriol of Lully or the Gum Adrop of Ripley can be made of it You must saith he my Son being a Student of this Science be stedfast and not search after this or that because this Art is not perfected with many things and therfore we tell you there is but one only Stone that is Sulphur and one only Medicine namely the composition of Sulphur to which nothing is to be added only the Terrestrial and Phlegmatick Superfluities taken away because they are and ought to be separated from our Argent vive which is more common to men than Vulgar Argent vive and is of greater Price Merit and stronger Union of Nature from which and the first forms of it it is necessary to separate by the known degrees of separation all that belongs not to the Sal Armoniack of Metals c. Cap. 18. Theor. Test pag. 33. Volum 4. Th. Chym. We say there is but one only Philosophical Stone volatile not yet fixed or matter of a Menstruum extracted from the things aforesaid by our Magistery And therefore when it comes newly into the World you must not add any other Powder or any other Water nor anything incongruous to it more than that which is born in it being radical to its own Nature and the Mother of it which feeds and carryed it that is Sulphur which formed the Stone in a Celestial Colour But before you extract distil it the Stone throughly purge and cleanse it from all its Phlegmamatick Terrestrial and corruptible Infirmities which are contrary to its Nature because they are the death of it with which it is surrounded which do mortifie its vivificative Spirit Cap. 7. Theor. Test pag. 20 of the said Volum It is to be diligently noted that one of the two aforesaid Natural Principles Sulphur and Argent vive is more truly Natural in the whole and through the whole substance of it as well within as without and that is the pure Sulphur hot and dry introducing its form that is according to which the form of a Metal pursues a pure effect But the other Argent vive is unnatural that is inwardly natural and outwardly against Nature but the internal natural part is made proper and also con-natural to it self because it comes by its own Nature but the external part is added to it by accident and is to be naturally separated from it after the corruption Putrifaction of it wherefore it is manifest that such Argent vive is not in the whole substance of it natural in the first reception of it nor is depurated to the full unless it be depurated by the Ingenuity of Art C. 5. p. 10. Codicilli As to this Purification of Argent vive or the Green Lyon Ripley thus Wherefore saith he this Mercury the corrosive Spirit of common Vitriol is by Raymond called Our Fire against Nature Nevertheless the same thing happens in some measure to this Mercury the acidity of Vitriol as also to the other Vegetable Mercury or Green Lyon which is our natural Fire For both of them are hidden in the middle or center of their Bodies that is between the Phlegmatick Water on one side and Terrestrial Crassitude on the other side nor are they obtained without the great Industry of Philosophy and so those parts can avail us nothing except only their middle substance For saith Raymond We take neither of the first Principles because they are too simple nor of the last because they are too gross and feculent but only of the middle wherein is the Tincture and true Oyl separated from unclean Terrestreity and Phlegmatick Water Therefore saith Raymond thus The unctious Moisture is the near Matter of our Physical Argent vive pag. 289. Pupilloe Alchym Argent vive or the
the present Secret The Adepts have indeed in their Practicks described the use of Philosophical Wine without any veyl of Philosophy and amongst them Raymond and Arnold with some others have attained to the knowledge of the same but to use Ripley's expression in Medulla how it might be obtained they said not Wherefore they being silent Ripley the first and indeed the only man of all declares to us that the Key of all the more secret Chymy lyes in the Milk and Blood of the Green Lyon that is that the stinking Menstruum or the parts of it Mercury and Sulphur Virgins Milk and the Lyons Blood white and red Mercury being fourteen Days digested gently is the white and red Wine of Lully and other Adepts Nor was he satisfied in declaring this freely to us but adds Strength and Light to his Words in making a Vegetable Menstruum the Rectify'd Aqua vitae described by Lully in Potestate Divitiarum and by us in Numb 31. of the said stinking and corrosive Menstruum by which one only example he was pleased to teach us that all Vegetable Menstruums may be made of the said stinking Menstruum Lully's rectify'd Aqua vitae is made by divers Cohobations upon its own Caput Mortuum We may if we please proceed by another way or method Distil the Menstruum Foetens being fourteen Days digested and first will ascend the Aqua ardens then the Phlegm and in the bottom will remain a Matter thick as melted Pitch which are the Constitutive Principles of all Vegetable Menstruums Let us therefore desist from further pursuit of the said Green Lyon which we have pursued through the Meads and Forrest of Diana through the way of Philosophical Saturn even to the Vineyards of Philosophy This most pleasant place is allowed the Disciples of this Art to recreate themselves here after so much Pains and Sweat dangers of Fortune and Life excercising the work of Women and the sports of Children being content with the most red Blood of the Lyon and eating the white or red Grapes of Diana the VVine of which being purified is the most secret Secret of all the more secret Chymy as being the white or red Wine of Lully the Nectar of the Ancients and their only desire the peculiar refreshment of the Adopted Sons but the Heart-breaking and Stumbling-block of the Scornful and Ignorant But before we depart hence I will present you Paracelsians with another Dish and that not unsavory which is that the Virgins-milk or white Mercury otherwise the white Wine of Lully extracted out of the Green Lyon is by Paracelsus that Glue of the Eagle or Green Lyon so carefully sought for For Eagle and Green Lyon are to the Adepts Synonyma's of the same thing For thus Ripley before You will obtain the white Water which is our white Tincture our Eagle our Mercury and Virgins-milk Consequently therefore red Mercury or the red Wine of Lully is the Blood of the Red or Green Lyon For the same Lyon is called sometimes Green in his Youthful Estate sometimes red in his more grown Estate and therefore the Blood is sometimes said to be of the Green Lyon sometimes of the Red So Ripley in the Menstruum described in Numb 61. saith Take the Blood of the Red Lyon being most Red as Blood which is our Mercury and our Tincture now prepared to be poured upon its Ferment that is upon the Calxes of the purest Gold also elsewhere The Blood of the Lyon of a Rosey Colour But let us hear Paracelsus himself 65. The Green Lyon of Paracelsus Aurei Velleris Germ. p. 41. TAke distill'd Vinegar wherein dissolve the Green Lyon putrefie filtre the Solution draw off the Liquor in Balneo to an Oyliness this Oyl or Residue put in a Retort distil away the moisture in Sand with a gentle Fire Then increase the Fire and the Green Lyon being compelled by the strength of the Fire will yield his Glue or Air To the Caput mortuum pour its Phlegm the moisture drawn off putrefie in Dung or Balneo and distil as before and again will ascend the Spirits force it strongly and there will come a tenacious Oyl of a Citrine Colour Upon the Caput mortuum pour again the first distill'd VVater putrefie filtre and distil as before Lastly with a most strong open Fire and there will come over a Bloody Oyl which is otherwise called Fire The remaining Earth reverberate into whiteness c. Hitherto we have had the stinking Menstruums made of Azoquean Vitriol only yet sometimes the Adepts have added common Vitriol to it thus 66. The stinking Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop and Common Vitriol of Ripley Pag. 357. Viatici TAke and Grind the Gum made of Sericon with distill'd Vinegar and as much of Vitriol evaporated and first distil the VVater with a gentle Fire then with a strong receive the Oyl blood of the Lyon which separate from the VVater till you have the pure Oyl by it self Sometimes instead of common Vitriol they added common Nitre to the Azoquean Vitriol thus Lully in Practica Testamenti made his stinking Menstruum 67. The stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol and Nitre of Lully Cap. 9. Pract. Testam p. 159. Vol. 4. The. Chym. TAke one part of D D signifies Azoquean Vitriol which destroys and confounds all that is of the Nature and Being of common Argent vive pag. 154. and half a part of C C signifies Salt Peter or Nitre pag. 154. of the same Volume which being very well ground fifted and mixed together put in a Glass Cucurbit in a Furnace and putting on an Alembick in which the Spirits are by resolution distilled and condensed lute the joynts of the Vessels with linnen Cloath impasted and steeped in luting made of VVheat-flower and the whites of Eggs that the united properties of the three Mercuries namely Saltish Vitriolick and VVatry being joyn'd and united together may be preserved And observe that the said Powders put into the Cucurbit exceed not the weight of eight Ounces and to abbreviate the time put of the like Powder into two other Cucurbits according to the weight of eight Ounces in every Cucurbit and place them upon little long Furnaces so as I shall declare in the Chapter of Furnaces put not above three Cucurbits upon one Furnace for the Fire cannot administer equal heat to more as the mixtion of Nature requires and let the said Cucurbits be placed the distance of five or six Fingers one from another and let the bottoms of the Cucurbits be luted with Potters Clay mix'd well with hair put fine Ashes well sifted and pressed the thickness of five Fingers under them and to the Beak of every Alembick put a Glass Phial with a long Neck at the end because the Receiver of those Phials must not feel the heat of the Furnace nor the Water of the Phials flow back nor the Spirits recede or fly away Then must you provide a good quantity of Saw-dust whereof take two
against Nature without which our Natural Fire could not subsist whereof we will say more in its proper place And these namely the Mineral and Vegetable Water being mix'd together and made one Water do operate contraries which is a thing to be admired for this one dissolves and congeals moisteneth and dryeth putrefies and purifies dissipates and joyns separates and compounds mortifies and vivifies destroyeth and restoreth attenuates and inspissates makes black and white burneth and cooleth begins and ends These are the two Dragons fighting in the Gulf of Sathalia this is the white and red Fume whereof one will devour the other And here the dissolving Vessels are not to be luted but onely stopp'd slightly with a Linnen Cloth and Mastick or common Wax For this Water is a Fire and a Bath within the Vessel and not without which if it feels any other strong Fire will be presently elevated to the top of the Vessel and if it finds no rest there the Vessel will be broken and so the composition will be left frustrated So much as this compounded Water dissolves so much it congeals and elevates is congealed and elevated into a glorious Earth And so it is the secret dissolution of our Stone which is alwayes done with the congelation of its own Water And because this Fire of Nature is added to the Water against Nature so much therefore as it lost of its Form by the Fire against Nature so much it recovers by the Water of Nature that our work by the Fire against Nature may not be destroyed or annihilated From the Receipts we observe 1. That the Menstruums of this kind being made of the very matter of Philosophical Wine or Philosophical Grapes are the first of all other Menstruums either Mineral or Vegetable 2. That the milky Liquor or Spirit Virgins Milk white Mercury the White Wine of Lully and the Glew of the Green Lyon called by Paracelsus the Glew of the Eagle are terms synonymous and that the Red Liquor Blood of the Green Lyon Red Mercury the Philosophers Sulphur and the Red Wine of Lully otherwise by Paracelsus the Blood of the Red Lyon are likewise Synonyma's 3. That the acid Mineral Menstruums are by digestion or further elaboration transmuted either into a simple Vegetable Menstruum or into the Heaven or Spirit of Philosophical Wine 4. That these acid Menstruums are to be distilled with very great caution by reason of the excessive effervescence of the Azoquean Vitriol or rather Spirit of Philosophical Wine which is in this Vitriol caused by the Acids 5. That Mineral Menstruums are the Heaven or Essence of Philosophical Wine dissolved in an Acid so that having acquired this Spirit you may make them ex tempore by simple dissolution 6. That the Menstruums even now prepared are presently to be used lest they perish 7. That Menstruums are by dissolving Bodies coagulated 8. That Metallick Bodies are by these Menstruums reduced into running Mercury 9. That these are called Stinking Menstruums because of their stinking smell By the smell alone we easily distinguish these from those fragrant Menstruums called Vegetable Thus the unsavoury smell of the Menstruum it self proves that Morienus used the Stinking Menstruum What is the smell of it saith King Calid by way of Question before and after the making of it Morienus answereth Before it is made the sent of it is strong and unsavoury but after the preparation of it it has a good sent according to that which the wise man saith This Water resembles the unpleasant smell of a Body dead and void of life for the smell of it is ill and not unlike to the smell of Graves He that can whiten the Soul and cause it to ascend again and keep the Body well and take away all obscurity from it and extract the ill savour out of it will be able to infuse it into the Body and in the hour of conjunction exceeding Miracles will appear Morien de Trans Metal p. 33. Geber also acknowledgeth himself to have operated with a mineral Menstruum Cap. 25. Summoe perfect The first natural Principles saith he out of which Metals are procreated are the Stinking Spirit that is Sulphur and Water Vive which also we allow to be called dry Water And in another Place at the end of his Book de Investigat he goes on We do by plain and open proof conclude our Stone to be nothing else but a Stinking Spirit and living Water which we also call dry Water being cleansed by natural decoction and true proportion with such an Union that nothing can be added or taken from it to which a third thing ought to be added for the abbreviation of the Work that is a perfect Body attenuated 10. That Adrop the Name of the Matter of these Menstruums signifies the Philosophers Saturn or Lead The first Matter of this leprous Body saith Ripley is a viscous Water inspissated in the Bowels of the Earth The great Elixir for the Red and for the White saith Vincentius is made of this Body whose Name is Adrop otherwise called Philosophical Lead pag. 132. Medul Phil. Chym. Our Stone saith Arnold in Speculo Alchym is called Adrop which is in Latine Saturnus in English Lead and according to the Trojans Dragon or Topum that is Poyson Septima Dispos Speculi pag. 596. Vol. 4. Theatr. Chym. I have shewed that the Philosophers gave it divers Names because of the diversity of Colours but as to their Intention they had one peculiar Name that is Roman Gold or Adrop or Stone above all the Stones of this world Quarta dispositio Speculi pag. 594. of the same Volume Laton and Azoth are together and never asunder but remain always joyned together but because of the diversity of Colours the Philosophers call'd them by many Names and as the Colours are varied and changed they imposed so many Names because Azoth among the Indians is Gold among the Hermians Silver among the Alexandrians and Macedonians Iron with the Greeks Mercury with the Hebrews Tin with the Tartars Brass with the Arabians Saturn and among the Latines and especially among the Romans Ognividon by an Anagram Dono G vini G signifying Philosophical Mercury or Sulphur aqueum But that none may err I say it hath one proper Name and is commonly called by men and every one knows the Stone Tertia dispos Specul p. 593. of the same Volume Some of the Adepts write not Adrop but Atrop by which Name they have been pleas'd to signifie the Matter of these Menstruums to be as it were the Gate of all the most secret Chymy for Atrop by the inversion of the Letters is read Porta a Gate Thus Robertus Valensis in Gloria Mundi pag. 305. That you may attain saith he to the true foundation I will once again repeat it to you and call it the first Hyle that is the beginning of all things it is also called the only Holy apprehend what Elements are in it by those which are repugnant the
stopp'd the Spirits will pass through and the Receiver will grow white and drops fall When the Spirits are setled put in three ounces more stopping the Pipe immediately proceed as before changing very often with wet Linnen Continue this Operation till you have water enough which stop very well that it may not evaporate it is the true Water and Mineral Bath for the King That Basilius as well as Isaacus used the Sal Harmoniac not common Sal Armoniac for his Bath the Vse of the same doth also prove Take of this Water three parts of the Calx of Gold one part mix them in a Cucurbit put it with an Alembick upon hot Ashes to be dissolved if it be not wholly dissolved pour out the Water and pour on new and that till all the Calx is dissolved in the water being cold white Faeces settle in the bottom which separate put all the water together and digest for a day and a night in Balneo then removing the Faeces digest the space of nine Days continually distil the Water that the Water may remain in the bottom like Oyl c. distil so often till all the Gold has pass'd through the Alembick In the same place This unctious Bath reduceth Gold and all other Metals into Oyls because it is made of the Oyly Spirit of Philosophical Wine concentrated and dryed in some Vegetable Alcali and Spirit of Nitre whereas on the contrary Sal Armoniack or common Aqua Regis cannot transmute Metals beyond its saline Nature for that Oleity which it hath not it cannot give Isaacus for want of a Retort with a Pipe perhaps not being at that time known sustained no small loss of Spirits in distilling this Menstruum which Basilius did by help of the said Retort endeavour to repair though that also not without some difficulty The later Adepts Crinot Trismosinus and Paracelsus observing the difficulty of distilling and the loss of Spirits made it better who by a plain but better method dissolved the Vegetable Sal Harmoniack in Spirit of Nitre or Aqua fortis without any loss danger or delay 91. The most strong Aqua fortis of Paracelsus Lib. 3. Arch. de separ Elem. pag. 7. TAke Sal Nitre Vitriol and Alume in equal parts which distil into Aqua fortis this again pour to its Faeces and repeat distil in a Glass which Aqua fortis clarify with Silver and dissolve Sal Armoniack in it That Paracelsus neither by Sal Armoniack meant the common is also demonstrated by the use of the Menstruum which he thus describes These things being done take a Metal reduced into Plates and there resolve it into Water in the same Water then separate by Balneo and pour on again this repeating till you find an Oyl in the bottom of Sol or Gold a purple of Luna a lazurine of Mars red and very dark of Mercury white of Saturn livid and lead Coloured of Venus altogether green of Jupiter yellow in the same place Whoever dissolved Metals promiscuously with common Aqua regis both Silver and Gold into an Oyl either purple or lazurine Not to say any thing of the reduction of all Metals into two Fat 's red and white the Essence thereof and the Dead Body It is therefore clear from the effect that Paracelsus dissolved Sal Harmoniack in Aqua fortis for his most strong Aqua fortis In making this Menstruum Guido adds the weight of the Sal Harmoniack which Paracelsus omits 92. The Aqua Regis of Guido Pag. 22. Thesauri Chym. TAke Vitriol common Salt and Nitre distil into Aqua fortis take one Pound of this four Ounces of Philosophical Sal Harmoniack and distil yet once Solomon Trismosinus sometimes dissolved Metals in commâ—â— Aqua fortis and to the solution added Sal Harmoniack Thus he volatalized Silver being dissolved in Aqua fortis with the aforesaid Salt Lib. 8. Tinct quinta pag. 81. Aurei velleris German Take of pure Luna four Ounces dissolve it in common Aqua fortis draw off the Phlegm to the remainder add six Drachms of Sal Harmoniack and pour on new Aqua fortis draw off again in Ashes to an oleity this repeat four times with new Aqua fortis then urge it strongly and the Luna will ascend together with the Aqua fortis Sometimes he volatilized Gold and Silver together with this Menstruum In Tinctura Regis Julaton pag. 16. Aurei veller Take of the filings of Gold of Sal Harmoniack each two Ounces to which put four Ounces of the best Silver dissolved in eight Ounces of Aqua fortis draw off to an Oleity pour on new Aqua fortis and repeat three times with new Aqua fortis and the Gold will ascend with the Silver through the Alembick Lully made his Aqua Regis by dissolving Vegetable Sal Harmoniack in the acid Water of Mercury sublimate 93. The Aqua Regis of Lully In Exp. 17. TAke Mercury being twice sublimed with Vitriol and common Salt prepared each time with new materials grind and if there be one Pound of sublimate take the whites of nine new laid Eggs which whites beat so long that it seems to be Water then mix the white with that sublimate and put it in a Retort with a long Neck joyn a Receiver to it very close giving it a Fire of Ashes at the beginning most gentle till it distils by that degree The distillation ceasing increase the Fire and at last give a most violent Fire and by this means part of the Mercury will turn into Water and part into running Mercury which running Mercury being gone over sublime again then grind and joyn it with the distilled Water and distil again as before repeating the Magistery till all the sublimate is gone over and converted into Water Wherefore you may the same way multiply it as often as you please always putting new sublimate to the Water and distilling till it be converted into Water Now take this Water put it in a small Urinal Cucurbit joyning a Head to it with a Receiver then distil by Balneo till the white seems to be gone over mixt with it which you will thus know take an Iron or Copper Plate upon which let one drop of the distillation fall if it boyls and seems to dissolve take away the Receiver joyning another very well luted and distil by Ashes and again by Ashes repeat this Magistery seven times And thus you will have a Mercurial Water which will serve you in many operations Take now one Ounce of the Salt of the second Experiment Volatile Salt of Tartar declared in Numb 17. and four Ounces of this Water the acid Water now distilled from Mercury sublimate mix them together and the mixture will presently be dissolved being dissolved distil by Ashes with a gentle Fire luting the Joynts well in the last place increase the Fire that all the Salt may with the Water pass through the Alembick then again put one other Ounce of the Salt into the same Water and by distillation
in Water upon the Receiver again and again oftentimes thus the Receiver may not be broken by the violence of the Spirits all which particulars mark well The Distillation being ended let the Vessels cool and keep the Receiver with the Water very close stopped Then take the same Mineral dried and prepared as before in the same order and measure which grind together and put into a Retort as before and pour the Water a little before Distilled upon it fit a Receiver to it the Joynts being very well Luted as before and having dried the Luting put Fire under the Distillation being compleated take again New Materials of the same Weight and put them again into a Retort with their own Water and Distil as before with the same Degrees of Fire which being done and the Vessel cold take away the Receiver and keep it carefully with its Distilled Water firmly stopped For you will have a Physical Mineral Water or Stinking Menstruum with its Form This Water hath the power of Calcining and at the same time dissolving all Metals with the preservation of their Vegetative Form Many Experiments we have herewith both seen and done Isaacus Hollandus to augment the strength of these Menstruums did rather add some tinging Minerals to the Vitriol than the Acidity of Niter and Alume Thus he prepared a Menstruum called 105. The Dissolving Water for the Red of the first Description of Isaacus Cap. 103. Oper. Min. TAke of Roman Vitriol six parts of Lapis Haematites Crocus Martis Cinabar Aes ustum Mineral Antimony of each one part being well dried mix and putting them into a Retort pour four Pounds of Rectify'd Aqua Vitae to them Distill and Cohobate three times upon the Caput Mortuum pulverized The following Menstruum being like this proves it to be of a sanguine colour 106. The Dissolving Water for the Red of the second Description of Isaacus Cap. 45.3 Oper. Miner TAke of Mineral Antimony Aes ustum Crocus Martis Cinabar of each two parts of Vitriol the weight of all being all dried and mix'd together pour to them of Aqua Vitae most purely rectified the height of two hands the Vessel being close luted digest in Balneo the space of ten days stirring the Matter three or four times every day that it may be the better incorporated with the Aqua Vitae these ten days being ended and an Alembick put on Distill with a gentle Fire but at last with a most strong Fire twelve hours together that all the tinged Spirits may ascend with the Aqua Vitae This process repeat always Distilling the Water with new Matters till it becomes Red as Blood To these two we will add also a third Menstruum of this sort 107. A Dissolving Water for the Red of the third Description of Isaacus Cap. 61.3 Oper. Min. TAke of Roman Vitriol Cinabar of each one part of Crocus Martis Lapis Haematites Aes ustum Verdegreece of each half a part calcine the Vitriol first If you have a mind you may extract the Tincture out of Mineral Antimony with Philosophical Vinegar and being separated from the Vinegar add it to the former Species as also as much Aqua Vitae twelve times rectify'd as sufficeth the Vessel being well luted digest in Balneo seven or eight times then having put on an Alembick and luted the Joynts well Distill with a gentle Fire two days then a stronger two days more then the space of three days that the Glass may be hot the Glasses being cold take out the Caput Mortuum which being well pulverized digest with the Distilled Water for the space of eight days then Distill the first day gently the second more strongly the third most strongly for the space of twenty four hours that the Glass may be red hot then let it cool the Distilled Water digest with new Matters and Distill as before and that to be three times repeated And as these Menstruums were for Red Tinctures so also he made some for White Tinctures thus 108. A Dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White Cap. 76.3 Oper. Min. TAke of Roch Alume Lapis Calaminaris of the Calx of Eggs an equal quantity pour to them as much Aqua vitae rectify'd from all Phlegme as sufficeth and distil as the Dissolving Water for the Red. 109 Another Dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White Cap. 48.3 Oper. Min. TAke of Roach Alume Lapis Calaminaris Calx of Eggs common Arsenick an equal quantity being all pulverized mix and to the Powder pour as much Aqua Vitae well rectify'd as to be the space of three hands above the Matter distil with a gentle Fire then a stronger lastly for twenty four hours so as to be red hot cohobate the distillation yet four times upon the Caput Mortuum reduced into Powder Many such Menstruums as these we meet with in several places of Isaacus in the Descriptions of which tho the Addition of Philosophical Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Wine be not always express'd yet that it is to be understood in all of them is evident by the former Receipts of Dissolving Waters The Menstruums following may be Examples in the first place that which is called 110. A Red Water Shining Day and Night of the First Description of Isaacus Cap. 153. Lib. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 528. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. TAke the Crocus of Mars Antimony as it is dugge out of the Mines Red Arsenick of each one Pound of Auripigment one Pound of Roman Vitriol three Pounds of Sal Niter as much as the weight of all the rest Grind all together into an impalpable Powder mix one bound of Sal Armoniack with them and being well mix'd put the Matter in an Earthen Vessel not glazed within such as can well endure the Fire and having put on an Alembick with a Receiver strongly luted distil Aqua Fortis as it should be first with a small Fire then increasing the Fire by degrees and a White Water will distil which being distilled the Alembick will begin to be Red or Yellow then presently take away the Receiver and add another soundly luted and increase your â—ire till a White Spirit goes over it is the Sal Armoniack which goes over last of all and strengthen the Fire so long till the Alembick be altogether clear When now the Red Spirit goes over nothing of Sal Armoniack goes with it and so soon as it is gone over the White Water the Spirit and dry Water or Sal Armoniack go over together then the Alembick becomes White within as if it was full of Snow and then increase the Fire till the Spirit and Water are driven through the Beak by Exhalation as a Man casts forth his Breath by force so the Spirit and dry Water do breath through the Pipe of the Alembick into the Receiver and increase the Fire and the Spirit and dry Water being gone over the Alembick becomes clean clear white and transparent then let it cool and take it from the Fire put the Water into a
Glass and stop it close Take the Caput Mortuum grind it to a fine Powder put it in pure clear Water for two hours let it settle pour off the clear and pour it upon pure clear Water again as before and let it boyl an hour as before then let it settle again add it again to the former cast away the Feces and that which you poured out the Solution evaporate and a yellow Powder will remain weigh it add as much Sal Niter and mix them together put them into a Glass pour your Distilled Water or Menstruum upon it put on an Alembick strongly luted all over adding a Receiver and leave it three days upon thee Fornace to Digest before you put Fire under then kindle your Fire and Distill first with a small Fire then sometimes a greater till the White Spirit is gone over then cease and you have a Red Water shining Day and Night which dissolves fixed Luna as Luna is commonly dissolved and it will take a Tincture as the purest Sol that ever was seen yea it tingeth all White Metals of the colour of Sol. 111. A Red Water shewing Light by Night of the Second Description of Isaacus Cap. 44. Oper. Min. Pag. 458. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. TAke of Roman Vitriol three Pounds of Cinabar Verdegrese Cerusse of each half a Pound of Crocus Martis Lapis haematites of each four Ounces of Sal Niter as much as the whole Mass five Pounds pulverize and mix them well together divide the Mass into three parts and of one part make an Aqua fortis which pour upon the powder of another part distill Aqua fortis again and pour it upon the third powder and distill Aqua fortis again which being done pulverize all the three Caput Mortuums Take the Water of Sal armoniack which I shall teach you below to make but we have already declar'd it in Numb 81. wherewith grind the aforesaid powder so fine as that a Painter may paint with it then dry it in your Dry Stove in glass Dishes being dried grind it dry upon a Stone and put it into an earthen Pot and pour the Aqua fortis before distilled upon it distill first with a gentle fire the space of twenty four hours then increase the Fire as yet 24 hours more then increase till it begins to shine then keep it in the same fiery brightness six hours more then let it cool take it away from the Fire and stop the Receiver well Then grind and pulverize the Caput Mortuum upon a Stone with Vinegar distilled and extract the Salt or Element of Earth out of the Feces put the Salt into a Glass pour yout Aqua fortis upon it the Alembick and Receiver being very close put the Glass in Sand in a Kettle with Water in Balneo distill all that will distill when no more distilleth let the Balneo boil a day and a night whether it drops or no Then let it cool remove it from the Fire put it in Ashes use first a weak Fire for 12 hours then increase the Fire yet 12 hours more then let it be moderately hot and let it be so for six hours then let it cool take it from the Fire and cover it well and having taken away the Feces or Salt grind them very small with Distill'd Vinegar put it into a Stone Jugge and a good part of the Distillation being poured to it put it in Balneo doing as was taught before see if it hath yet any Feces and make the Salt clear put it again in a Glass pour on the Aqua fortis again do every way as before three or four times and all your Matter or Earth will distill with the Aqua fortis then take it from the Fire stop close and keep it well For you have a pretious Water above all the Waters that ever I heard of and believe me in good faith I have seen and done also my self wonderful things with this Water This Water I have reduced to a Red Christalline Stone which would give light by night so as that my Friends might see to eat and drink by it Keep it well for use and esteem it as the most secret Water of all you have The Method of making such Shining Menstruums is better perceived by the following Water 112. A Red and Shining Aqua fortis of the Third Description of Isaacus Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 354. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. TAke of Vitriol clarified and purified from its Feces of Sal Niter an equal quantity distill an Aqua fortis out of them according to Art then take the Caput Mortuum out of the Glass and reduce it to a fine Powder then grind it upon a Stone then put it in common Distill'd Water and draw out all the Salt then filter it that you may have it clean from Feces congeal again and being congealed make it an impalpable Powder and put the Powder into a Glass and then pour that Aqua fortis again upon the Powder which you distill'd from thence and distill again all that will distill Then take out the Caput Mortuum again grind it to Powder as before and do in all things as before this Operation repeat till you have distilled all the Salt within the Aqua fortis Then have you an excellent Red Water shining by night like a clear Fire then rectifie that Water in Balneo oftentimes distilling and pouring on again so as at last to have all the Distillation in Balneo Then is your pretious Water prepared by which you may multiply and open your Philosophical Stone These Menstruums are little different yea almost the same with the former of Isaacus as to the Ingredients as well as Method of preparation but the addition of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which Isaacus prescribed in those Dissolving Waters must of necessity be understood in these his Aqua fortises for without this Spirit all these Waters would be common of no Vertue and Vse From the Receipts we observe 1. That all Tinging Bodies whatsoever being either naturally or artificially dissolved in an Acid and reduced into Salt or Vitriol by the help of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine do yield the present Menstruums by these two Methods either by repeated Cohobation or Simple Distillation but in this latter way it is necessary for the Salts or Vitriols of the said Bodies to be first graduated that is by various Dissolutions and Coagulations joyned with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and then distilled where Caution must be had lest in this gradation of the Vitriol the Acid be by Operations less necessary than convenient debilitated for so you will easily prepare Menstruums unexpectedly of the Eighth instead of this Kind 2. That these Menstruums differ from Menstruums of the Eighth Kind these being Acid but those Sweet Dissolve a Compounded Vegetable Menstruum of the Eighth Kind in Distilled Vinegar Spirit of Sulphur Common Aqua Fortis c. and you will immediately have a Menstruum of this Kind on
of Mercury and the Stinking Menstruum thus 119. The Stinking Mercvrial Menstruum of Lully Pag. 63. Testam Novissimi TAke of the Stinking Menstruum four Pounds and put in one pound of Mercury Vive put the Matter in Balneo or Horse Dung six days and it will be all converted into Water distil by Balneo and you will have a Mercurial Water truly Mineral Ripley followed his Master in the way of making the Mercurial Water as followeth 120. The Mercurial Green Lion of Ripley Pag. 310. Pupillae Alchymicae TAke Mercury sublimed with Vitriol and common Salt to the quantity of 20 or 40 Pounds in my opinion two or four ought to be read that you may have enough Grind it well into Powder and put it in a Glass Vessel very large and strong pour to it so many Pounds of the most strong Water the Stinking Menstruum is the strongest Water in the World Pag. 138. Medullae as there are Pounds of Mercury Shake them soundly together and the Vessel will become so hot that you can scarce touch it stop it well and let it stand nine days in a cold place shaking it strongly three or four times each day Which done put the Vessel in a Fornace of Ashes and with a most gentle heat distil away all the Aqua Vitae Menstruum which keep safe by it self then immediately add another Receiver well luted kindle a most strong Fire and continue it till all the Golden Liquor is wholly distilled The same ways as the Mercurial Waters are made may also be made Menstruums of this Kind out of the other Metals thus 121. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum of Lully In Experimento 29. TAke of the aforesaid Mineral Water described in Numb 104. as you have it in the former Experiment Numb 26. six or eight Ounces dissolve in it one Ounce of Luna which dissolution put into a small Retort to be distilled by Ashes which Distillation ceasing increase the Fire as much as possible and when no more moisture will with this degree of Fire distil cool the Vessel receive the Distilled Water wherein is the Soul of Luna and secure it from respiring Thus also Lully prepares the Water of Sol. 122. The Stinking Solar Menstruum of Lully In Experim 31. TAke the Aqua Fortis or Mineral Water described in Numb 104. as above and in every Pound thereof dissolve three Ounces of the Animal Salt prepared and fixed as you have it in its Sixth Experiment Which being dissolved dissolve therein two Ounces of Gold cemented as you know after that putrefie eight days then distill by Balneo Now that which remains at the bottom will be like melted Honey upon which Matter pour again some of its own Water distilled by Balneo so as to swim two fingers above it putrefie for a natural day then taking away the Antenotorium put on an Alembick with a Receiver so close as not to respire Distil by Ashes till no more will distil then increase the Fire a little that part of the Air may pass into the Water and lastly increase the Fire that also the Element of Fire may pass through the Alembick and when nothing will distil with this last degree of Fire cool the Vessel take away the Receiver with its Distilled Water and keep it well stopp'd Isaacus Hollandus made a Mercurial Water sometimes with the Mercury of Luna thus 123. Philosophers Vinegar made of the Mercury of Silver of Isaacus Cap. 99. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 492. Vol. 3. Th. Cym. TAke of the Calx of Luna one Pound of Sal armoniack which must be clear and transparent as Cristal without moisture a fourth part being ground put them in a Stone Jugge then take Philosophical Vinegar distilled five or six times from its Phlegme so as to leave no Feces empty the Vinegar into another Stone Jugge and having put on an Alembick place it in Balneo The Jugge which the ground Calx is in lute well to the beak of the Alembick and let the Luting be throughly dried Then make Fire under the Balneo and distil the Vinegar leasurely upon the Calx of Luna and so many Pounds as you have of the Calx of Luna so many four Pounds of Vinegar distil upon it and when all the Vinegar is distilled let it cool gently the space of three days before you remove the Jugge for if you remove it sooner the Vinegar Luna and Sal armoniack will run over and you will retain nothing so vehement is that Matter for Cold and Hot do come together and when you would remove it have a Glass Stopple ready fitted to the mouth of the Jugge or Receiver which you must presently lute to it that the Virtue may not evaporate Then set the Jugge in Balneo let the Fire be no hotter than your hand can well endure in the Water up to the Knuckles or then may be drunk without burning and thus keep it the space of six weeks Then let it be cold break it and presently lute an Alembick to the Jugge very firmly and put a Receiver to the Beak distil in a temperate Balneo whatsoever will distil and when now no more distils take it out and put it in Ashes lute the Receiver again to the Beak and first apply a gentle heat then sometimes a stronger till your Mercury begins to sublime with the Sal armoniack as white as Snow and hanging to the White Matter with clear Fibers then keep it thus till you see it sublimes not in the same heat to extract the Mercury purely out of the Earth Then let it cool take away the Alembick take out the Mercury being sublimed with the Sal armoniack which are sublimed into a Mass together which weigh that you may know how much Mercury you sublimed out of the Calxes of Luna for you knew how much Sal armoniack you put into the Jugge Then put the Sublimate again into a Glass and again sublime that you may see whether any Feces remain for you must repeat the Sublimation till no Feces remain Keep this Mercury till I teach you what to do with it You must know that in that Vessel wherein you sublimed the Mercury with the Sal armoniack is the Body commonly called Caput Mortuum or Element of Earth with its Oyl or Fire this take out and weigh that so you may the better know how much Mercury you sublimed also out of it for you knew how much of the Calx of Luna you had in the Jugge so you may certainly know how much you have out of it Then put your Salt or Earth into a Glass and pour Distill'd Vinegar upon it and dissolve it into a pure Water if it yields any Feces pour off the top gradually and congeal again till it leaves no more Feces then congeal again Then have you your Salt prepared with your Earth clear as Cristal Now take your Sublimed Mercury and Sal armoniack and your clear Salt and grind them together upon a Marble dry being ground put all the
part of the Kings Crown obtained a part dissolved with a part of Sol and Luna together and putrified in this Oyl eight days and nights is changed into good Gold Praised be God Annotations THo every Mineral Menstruum is able enough to dissolve any Body whatsoever yet the Adepts thought good to acuate them yet more by the addition of Metallick Bodies that they might the better dissolve and tinge their Dissolutions In the present Receipt Basilius dissolves Mars in the Spirit of Venus described before in Numb 113. reduceth it into Vitriol and at last distils it into a Compounded Oyl Sect. 2. Cap. 4. This Menstruum he calls Oyl of the Salt of Mars Now saith he I have taught you how to extract a clear Vitriol out of Venus and to distil its Red Oyl this Oyl dissolves Mars into Vitriol and being yet once distilled strongly by a Retort you will have a Noble Tinging Oyl or Salt of Mars which is a Subject that pays Tribute to the King and enricheth him This Oyl dissolves the Purple Spiritual Gold and brings it over the Helm c. The Process of this Oyl of the Salt of Mars c. being by its brevity too obscure will be not a little illustrated by the following Spirit of Mercury 132. The Spirit of Universal Mercury made of Vitriol of Basilius Labore 2. Libri Revelat. TAke Common Copper make Verdegrese of it after the common way grind it pour to it a good quantity of Distilled Vinegar Philosophical or Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine stir it well and the Verdegrease will be dissolved let the Feces settle and the Solution will be very pure clear and green Draw off the Vinegar in a Cucurbit to thickness and in a cold place a weighty Vitriol graduated to the highest degree will be cristallized which again dissolve in hot Water evaporate the Water till it be thick put it again in a cold place and the Vitriol will be again coagulated which solution and coagulation must be three times repeated and the purification of the Vitriol will be perfect Let the Phlegm evaporate from this Vitriol in a Calcining Pot and calcine it till it begins to be red that is enough Then take pure Flints calcine and being red hot quench them in Distilled Vinegar repeat some certain times till they be well calcined Then again calcine and when they are a little cool pour to them Philosophical Vinegar made hot and let them be gradually dried Of these little Stones thus prepared take one part of the Vitriol now calcined two parts grind and mix put the Matter in an Earthen Retort that will not suck up the Spirits or in a Glass Retort well luted put a large Receiver to it and the Vessel being well luted kindle a Fire by degrees the space of 24 hours then give a stronger Fire 24 hours more and the Green Spirits will come over White and the Fire being thus continued Red Drops at last Keep this violent Fire till all the Spirits and Drops are gone over then put the Distillation in a Cucurbit and the Vessel being very close rectifie it in Balneo with a most gentle Fire and the Phlegme will ascend but in the bottom of the Cucurbit will remain the Oyl of Vitriol red and ponderous This Work being finished Take pure Filings of Iron put them in a Cucurbit pour to them the said Oyl of Vitriol so as to swim above them add so much distilled Rain Water till you see that the Oyl dissolves the Iron then draw of the Phlegme by Disâ—illation and let the remainder cristallize in a cold place into pure Vitriol and thus are Mars and Venus joyned together This Vitriol calcine it under a Tyle and stir it with an Iron Hook into a fine reddish Powder This Powder put into a Glass Retort well luted and the Vessels being very close distil by degrees of Fire as you distilled the Oyl aforesaid and first you will have a White Spirit which is the Philosophers Mercury then a Red Spirit which is the Philosophers Sulphur an incombustible Oyl compounded of both the Tinctures of Venus and Mars never to be separated and this is the Blood of the Green and Red Lyon with which the King their Father ought to be nourished draw of the Plegms from this Oyl in Balneo and it is prepared for Gold to be tinged with it Take the Caput Mortuum which is of a Beautiful Crimson Colour grind it to a most fine Powder put it in a Glass pour Philosophical Vinegar distilled to it digest three days in a gentle heat to extract the Salt wherein lye the Treasures of the whole World without which Salt all labour would be in vain draw off the Vinegar in Ashes and the Salt will remain in the Glass to which pour the aforesaid Oyl of Venus and Mars in a Glass Retort and the Salt will be presently dissolved and then distil with the same violence as before and the Oyl will carry its own Spirit of Salt over with it which rectify once in Balneo and it will be ten times stronger than before and you have the incombustible Oyl of Mercury Sulphur and Salt issuing out of one root prepared this Oyl is the true first Matter of Metals and the true root from which Gold is generated This Spirit of Mercury ye searchers of Nature has been to my knowledge detrimental to many unwary men seeking after it either too inconsiderately or arrogantly which to prevent for the future I will somewhat more clearly manifest the Nature Qualities and Original of it Common Verdegrese reduced into Vitriol by Vinegar then three times dissolved in common Water and coagulated must be calcined to redness in an open Vessel that the superfluous Phlegm may be drawn away and made fitter for the ensuing Distillation But whoever calcined Verdegrese purified in Apothecaries Shops call'd the flowers of Verdegrese to redness without the diminution of its Virtues Who I say has distil'd a most Red Oyl out of this calcined Powder Verdegrese therefore must be dissolved not in common but Philosophical Vinegar in order to be not only purified but reduced also into Vitriol graduated to the highest In the 20th Kind Basilius distils the same Red Oyl of Venus ponderous as Lead or Gold thick as Blood and of a fiery quality that is of extream acidity out of Roman Vitriol being highly graduated that is either macerated or throughly dissolved in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine In the 21th Kind We took Notice that the same Vitriol of Copper or Verdegrese being purified with common Vinegar was reduced into a graduated Vitriol not indeed by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine alone but with the juice of Sowre Grapes that is mix'd with common Vinegar or some other stronger Acid and then distilled into the Oyl of Venus If Metals Minerals and all other Acids dissolved in acids and reduced into Vitriols be so graduated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or Philosophical Vinegar that the
of Sol with Philosophical Sulphur which is the second Principle in order and the Spirit of Mercury a little before call'd the White Spirit of Vitriol into pure and malleable Gold as it was before not in the least defective in colour and virtue Sometimes he acuates the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury with the Sulphur and Salt of other Metals Thus 134. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Luna of Basilius Libr. partic in particul Lunae THe Sulphur of Luna being extracted and edulcorated dry the remainder of the Calx of Luna to which pour the same Corrosive Water of Honey that you used for the Salt of Sol digest gently the space of four or five days that the Salt of the Luna may be extracted which you will know by the Whiteness of the Menstruum All the Salt being extracted draw off the Water of Honey edulcorate the Salt distilling and clarifying it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine The remainder left in extracting the Salt of the Luna edulcorate and dry then pour the Spirit of Tartar to it digest fifteen days and proceed as with the Gold and you will have the Mercury of Luna of which in the Second Book for here we use it not The said Salt of Luna hath excellent Virtues for the Body of Man of which I shall treat in a place more convenient In the mean time the efficacy of the Salt and Sulphur of Luna you will learn by the Process following Take the Lazurine Sulphur of Luna dissolved in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine rectified and coagulated put it in a Cucurbit pour to it double the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury made of the White Spirit of Vitriol In like manner take the Salt of Luna extracted and clarified which mix with three times the quantity of the Spirit of Mercury lute both the Glasses and digest gently in Balneo the space of eight days and nights have a care that none of the Sulphur and Salt be lost but let them be in the same quantity as they were separated from the Silver Putrifaction being ended mix both Dissolutions and distil c. He sometimes acuated this Spirit without Metallick Salt and Sulphurs only thus 135. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Luna of Basilius Libro particul in particul Lunae TAke of the Sulphur of Luna one part of the Sulphur of Sol half a part of the Spirit of Mercury six parts joyn them together lute well digest in a gentle heat and a Liquor will come over of a Red Colour distil through an Alembick so as nothing to remain This Spirit of Mercury he fermented not onely with the Sulphurs of the perfect Bodies but sometimes added to them withal the Sulphur of some imperfect Metal as Mars thus 136. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Mars of Basilius Libro partic in partic Solis TAke of the Sulphur of Sol and of the Sulphur of Mars equal parts of each of the Spirit of Mercury the heighth of two Fingers above them that the Matter may be well dissolved into a C … n Water of a Ruby Colour being mix'd distil through an Alembick that they may become one as they were 〈◊〉 first from one Stem keep it well that nothing may evaporate Besides the Sulphur of Mars he sometimes added also the Sulphur of Antimony thus 137. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphurs of Sol Mars and Antimony of Basilius Libro partic in particul Antimonii TAke of the Sulphur of Antimony two parts of the Sulphur of Sol one part mix Take of the Sulphur of Mars three parts of the Spirit of Mercury six parts being well luted di … that the Sulphur of Mars may be wholly dissolved therâ— cast in a fourth part of the Sulphur of Antimony and Sol â—ure again and digest till they be all dissolved then add another fourth part of Antimony and Sol repeating the Work as before till all be perfectly mix'd and the Matter made like a thick Red Oyl distil the whole through an Alembick Sometimes he fermented this Spirit after an unusual way namely without the Sulphur of any perfect Metal but meer imperfect onely thus 138. The Spirit of Universal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Mars Jupiter and Saturn of Basilius Libro partic in partic Mercurii Vivi TAke of the Soul of Mars two Ounces of the Soul of Saturn one Ounce of the Soul of Jupiter one Ounce dissolve them in six Ounces of the Spirit of Mercury being well dissolved distil them through an Alembick without any Sediment into a Golden Water like to the transparent Dissolution of Gold Tho these Menstruums of Basilius may well deserve the first place among the Dissolvents of the Adepts yet some of the Adepts made Menstruums not much inferiour to them Isaacus Hollandus not onely the better to dissolve Bodies but tinge them also deeper made his Menstruums of Tinging Menstruums and common Mercury but being satiated with the Tinctures Souls Sulphurs c. of Tinging Things Thus made he the Menstruum call'd 139. A Compounded Mercurial Water for the Red Work of Isaacus Cap. 43.3 Oper. Miner TAke Argent Vive purged with Salt and Vinegar which sublime with an equal quantity of Aes ustum Crocus of Mars Crocus of Venus and Lapis Haematites of Roman Vitriol the weight of all and a little Salt and repeat the Sublimation seven times every time with new Species and the Mercury will be sublimed for the Red. Take of Aes ustum Cinabar Crocus of Mars Venus Lapis Haematites Antimony equal parts of each of Roman Vitriol the weight of all mix and reduce to a fine Powder to which pour of Aqua Vitae compleatly rectifi'd Spirit of Philosophical Wine the height of two hands breadth digest in Balneo three days stirring the Matter daily then draw off the Aqua Vitae with a gentle Fire then increase the Fire gradually lastly force with a most strong Fire for the space of Twelve hours that all the Spirits may ascend This Work must be three times repeated with new Matters continually Take of this Water one Pound of Argent Vive sublimed for the red as much as sufficeth or you can dissolve distil and reserve Besides Mercury he sometimes added also Sulphur and Sal Armoniack sublimed for the red thus 140. The Philosophers Water made of Three Spirits of Isaacus Cap 10.3 Oper. Min. TAke of Roman Vitriol six parts of Lapis Haematites Crocus of Mars of Venus Cinabar Aes ustum Mineral Antimony of each one part dry well and mix put the Matter in a Retort and pour to it of Aqua Vitae rectifi'd Spirit of Philosophical Wine four Pounds distil and cohobate three times with the Caput Mortuum pulverized Divide the Water into two parts whereof save one in the other dissolve one Ounce of Salarmoniack sublimed to redness in Balneo which being dissolved dissolve one Ounce of Sulphur prepared
lastly also put in an Ounce of Mercury sublimed for the Red Work These three being dissolved in the Dissolving Water made of Aqua Vitae you have a Water which is deservedly called the Philosophers Water by reason of its admirable and secret Virtues the Miracles of which must not be described because not convenient for certain Reasons c. The Preparation of Sulphur Take of Sulphur Vivum 12 Pounds to which being pulverized pour distilled Philosophical Vinegar let them boyl gently in Balneo the Vessel being very close the space of three days decant the Vinegar being now tinged warily to the residue pour New Vinegar digest and decant and so often repeat till no more Vinegar will be tinged The tinged Matter distil gently in Balneo to the remainder of a fourth part from the residue you will in the space of three or four days in a cold Celler receive Cristals the graduated Vitriol of Sulphur like Niter clear as Amber and of the colour of Gold The remaining Vinegar evaporate into a Golden Powder then dissolve the Cristals and Powder in the aforesaid Vinegar and Cristallize and that so oft till the Sulphur leaves no Feces behind it This is a great Alchymical Secret for the Purging of Sulphur The Preparation of Mercury Take of Roman Vitriol by which the Adepts do more than often mean that which is graduated six or eight Pounds of common Salt two Pounds mix them together with three Pounds of Mercury purged with Salt and Vinegar sublime the Mercury and that repeat three times always with new Species keep the Mercury The Preparation of Salarmoniack Take of Salarmoniack three Pounds sublime it thrice with Roman Vitriol and Lapis haematites with New Matters every time Tho these Menstruums of Isaacus are not so much esteemed as those before of Basilius as to the Excellency of Preparation yet are they of no less but the same Virtue with those as to the quality of tinging for they are made of the same Sulphurs Crocusses and Essences of Mars Venus Sulphur c. as the compounded Mineral Menstruums of Basilius were made of Lully acuates the same Menstruums with Metallick Essences not indeed already made but to be made in the preparation of the Menstruum thus with the Stinking Menstruum acuated with Vegetable Salharmoniack he makes the Essence of Luna which being mix'd with the said Menstruum becomes a Menstruum of this Kind and is called 141. The Compounded Water of Silver of Lully Cap. 10. Practicae Testamenti majoris Pag. 161. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. IN the Power of A God take one Ounce of F clear Luna Pag. 171. well purged and refined And that Silver being well beaten extended with a Hammer into Leaves cut them into small pieces short and slender then divide them into two equal parts and take two dissolving Glasses the Form and Measure of which you will see in the Chapter of Vessels and in one of these two put one Ounce and a half of F. Menstrual Pag. 171. alleadged by us before in Numb 67. I mean the eighth part of the whole Menstrual then put in presently one part of F and be careful immediately to stop the Mouth of the Vessel with its Cover and lute the joynt well with the luting aforesaid in the Preparation of the said Menstrual or with clear and pure Wax which done put it in Balneo Mariae hot for three days that God may give you a happy day Then take F the Dissolution of the Silver and strain decant the Water into another clean Glass Vessel and incline the Vessel well and warily that the Earth of F may not be strained with the Water nor the Water troubled and stop the said Phial wherein you put the Water of F and keep it apart Then upon the Dissolving Vessel of that F which ought to be dissolved the other part of Silver to be distilled into a Menstruum put its Alembick which must be close and discreetly joyned with the luting aforesaid then place it upon Sifted Ashes and setting it on a Fornace kindle your Fire and distil put the Liquor in a Glass Phial and make a Fire of Saw-dust and when the Liquor is in a manner all distilled strengthen the Fire a little with Coals according to that which is used for the exact calcining of an Earth but keep it from too much heat for we have seen it done by the heat of the Sun understand this well unless you would be made a fool give this heat continually for eleven hours then stop the Fornace and go to sleep and in the Morning take your Calcinatory which is so called because of the property of its operation and put in the Menstrual often mentioned wherein G our Mercurial Pag. 171. or Vegetable Sal armoniack was dissolved see the Menstruum below in Numb 147. and you will see it operate and the fume ascend and the Metal calcined with Liquefaction but stop it better than before with its own stopple which goes in to the said Calcinatory and have a care of puting it into any other heat till it hath operated by its own Virtue and when it hath wrought and is quiet lute the joynt well with common Wax and being so luted put it in a hot Balneo Mariae three Natural days as you did elsewhere because it is so expedient Then distil the Water and calcine the Earth remaining in the bottom as aforesaid and repeat so oft till all the Earth is dissolved by this Method in the Form of a Liquor and the Dissolved Limus or Oyl by Art dissolved which is the Substance of a Body depurated by Water and carried by the Water of the Wind always keep apart and when it is all dissolved and distilled joyn them together then putrifie six weeks to be circulated in a temperate heat where the Vessel must be very well luted with its Cover and so ought the Figure of I to be done the composition or compounded Water of Luna Pag. 171. of the same Volume The same way sometimes he prepares the Essence of Gold with the Stinking Lunar Menstruum by addition of which he makes the same Menstruum more acute that is more noble 142. The Stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the Essence of Sol of Lully In Experimento 30. TAke the aforesaid Water wherein you have the Soul of Luna described in Numb 121. and dissolve in it two Ounces or one and a half of the fixed Salt of Vrine as you have it in its Experiment the sixth but produced by us in Numb 30. which being dissolved dissolve one Ounce of Gold in that Water putrefie eight days then separate the Water by Balneo and the Body will remain in the Vessel like melted honey upon which Matter pour back so much of the Distilled Water as to swim two fingers above it cover the Vessel with its Antenotorium and putrefie in Balneo the space of 24 hours then put on an Alembick with a Receiver lute the joynts well distil in Ashes lastly
increase the fire extreamly and that which comes over keep very close for it is the animated Spirit or Soul of the Gold From the Receipts we observe 1. THat the Menstruums of this Kind are more noble than those of the 20th and 21th Kinds there the Essences or Magisteries of Metals were dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums but here in the same compounded 2. That these Menstruums differ not from the Menstruums of the Tenth Kind but in the addition of Acidity dissolve a Menstruum of the said Kind in what Acid you will and it will be forthwith transformed into a Menstruum of this Kind 3. That these Menstruums are by Digestion made sweet again and Vegetable as before 4. That these Menstruums are not satiated but by their Dissolutions augmented as well in quantity as quality in infinitum 5. That the Spirit of Universal Mercury or first Matter of Metals of Basilius is by him also called Mercury duplicated wherein the Kings Mantle is to be dissolved Sect. 1. Cap. de Sulphure Mercurii Sect. 2. de Vitriolo Phil. and Sect. 2. Cap. 4. de Vitriolo Veneris In another place the Sulphur of Mars and Venus duplicated Sect. 1. Cap. 3. de dulph Martis Veneris In another place the Soul of Mars and Venus as in Particul Veneris 6. That this duplicated Mercury is made much better by adding the Kings Mantle the Crocus of Sol Luna and other Metals That the Menstruums of almost all Kinds are promiscuously called Philosophers Mercuries but of these more copiously and more exactly in the Third Book 7. That the Spirit of Universal Mercury of Basilius is the same with the Magisteries of Mars and Venus made after the Mineral way dissolve the Magisteries of Mars and Venus in the common Spirit of Vitriol and by this simple Dissolution you will make the same Spirit of Universal Mercury 8. That as Mars and Venus so also Jupiter and Saturn and the rest of the Metals may be made into the said first Matters that is of the same Virtues with the first Matter of Mars and Venus as to the faculty of dissolving But Mars and Venus are preferred for the excellency and exuberance of their Tinctures The Four and Twentieth KIND Mineral Menstruums compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums mix'd together 143. The Vegetable Fire dissolved in the Calcinative Water of Lully Pag. 363. Magiae Naturalis TAke of the Vegetable Water acuated the Metallick Soul of Lully described in Numb 5. one Ounce put it in a Phial with a long Neck into which you poured three Ounces of the Calcinative Water the Mineral Menstruum described in Numb 68. and suddenly cover the Phial with its Cover luted close with Wax then place it well in a Balneo the space of two Natural days and in that time the whole Vegetable will be converted into Clear Water Animadversions THe Adepts acuated the Spirit of Philosophical Wine divers ways and reduced it into several as well Vegetable as Mineral Menstruums in the antecedent Kinds Now in this 24th and last Kind of Menstruums they mix not either common Oyly or Arid or Acid Matters with the Vnctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine as they did in the aforesaid Compositions of Menstruums but joyn Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums already perfected together in order to make Menstruums of this Kind The like Menstruum almost is made by Luly and call'd 144. The Vegetable Heaven dissolved in a Mineral Menstruum of Lully Pag. 59. Testam Novissimi TAke of the Stinking Menstruum described in Numb 99. one Pound add one Pound or half a Pound which will be enough of Aqua Vitae most perfectly rectified Philosophical described in Numb 30. and acuated with the sublimed Salt of Tartar in Numb 17. or Wine Hold the Vessel in your hands and do not put it on the ground or any other place till the fury of the ebullition is over and it is a mixture of a Vegetable with a Mineral seal it with Wax and let it stand a day then put it two days in Balneo and distil in Ashes and you will have a limpid clarify'd and ponderous Water then put it in a Circulating Vessel very well sealed the space of sixteen days in Balneo conveniently till you return and see the Water well united and at the bottom of the Vessel in the form of a Cristalline Salt keep it The same Menstruum but of different weight he made elsewhere he added half a part of the Vegetable Menstruum to one part of the Stinking Menstruum in the antecedent but in the following Menstruum he takes more of the Vegetable than Mineral Menstruum 145. Ice compounded of Vegetable and Mineral Menstruums of Lully Pag. 68. Testam Noviss TAke of the Mineral G or Stinking Menstruum three Ounces and of Aqua Vitae rectifi'd and acuated with the Salt of Tartar four Ounces put them together in a Glass and distil nine times in Balneo and in that time it will be all converted into one as Ice Ripley mix'd vegetable and mineral Menstruums thus 146. The Aqua Mirabilis of Ripley Pag. 212. Philorcii TAke the Tartar calcined white as Snow grind it upon a Marble and incerate it with Aqua Vitae fortified with its Species as is premised with the Menstruum described in Numb 8. till it be as thin paste then put it in a Circulating Vessel and circulate the Water till it is wholly dried up in the Tartar repeat the same Work and so continue till it hath drank off the Water double its part and quantity in weight which done grind the Tartar and lay it upon a Stone or hang it in a Linnen Bag and put a Glass under to receive the droppings of it and this must be done in a place under ground till all the Tartar is distilled into clear Water out of which after Distillation and Coagulation is made a wonderful Salt of Nature which the Philosophers call Salt-peter and incombustible Sulphur properly the volatile Salt of Tartar which fixeth any Argent Vive But to have perfect Aqua Vitae requisite for this Work put Philosophical Wine in a Circulatory for a hundred days to be circulated with its Species and then extract Aqua Vitae out of it the Menstruum in Numb 23. because if you put to it as much Salharmoniack sublimed as Tartar one drop of it after it is perfected suddenly kills a Cancer in the Flesh of Man and if it be dropped upon ones hand penetrates it and dissolves every Body Without this Water we profit little in this Art and he that has this Water will not in the least doubt of compleating the Art But this Water is made twice as strong if an equal quantity of the Mineral Spirit which is the Philosophers acute Water the Green Lyon of Ripley in Numb 59. be added to it and then circulated upon the Tartar and upon the Sal harmoniack to spissity and then dissolved into Water which if done this Water will be of greater value than any Gold and