continue the drye fire whereupon Rosarius saith with a dry sire and a dry calcination rost the dry untill that it be made like Cynaber Whereto from thenceforth put nothing neither Oyle or vineger or any thing whatsoever it be untill it be rosted to a compliment of Rednes and of a truth the more Redder that the medicine is made the more stronger it is and of more power and that is more rosted will be more Redder and that which is most rosted is most precious therefore with a dry fire burne it without feare untill that it be closed most redly whereupon a Philosopher saith in continuing the Red seeth the white untill that it be cloathed in purple and beauty but some have it continue the Red and the white untill it be cloathed in purple cloathing do not cease although the Red do a little slack to appeare for the fire being augmented as I sayd before after white of the first colours appeareth a mean Red when among these colours shall appeare a yellow but his colour is not continuing for after that it be perfect Red will not much tarry to appeare which appearing be thou certaine that thy worke is perfect for Hermes saith in Turba Philosophorum between white colour and Red there appeareth only but one colour viz. Citrine which is yellow but it varieth more or lesse also Maria saith when thou hast true white thou then afterwards shalt have a false yellow and afterwards a perfect Red And then thou shalt have the glory of the clearenesse of all the World The first manner of Multiplication of our Medicine ELixir is multiplyed by two manner of wayes that is to say by solution of heat and by solution of drying by solution of heat is thus Take the medicine and put it into the vessell of glasse and bury it in our moyst fire seven dayes or more untill that the Medicine be dissolved into water without any troublousnesse appearing in it But the solution of drying is that that shall take the vessell of glasse with the medicine and hang it in a brass pot having a straight mouth in boyling and let the mouth be close that by the vapour of the boyling vapour ascending the medicine may be dissolved And note that the same boyling water must not touch the vessell of glasse with the medicine by the space of three fingers and this solution is made strongly in one day or two or three After that the medicine is made and dissolved take it from the fire to coole to fix to congeale to harden or dry and so let it bee very often dissolved for the oftner it be resolved so much the more perfect it is whereupon Bonellus saith when that our brasse is turned and very oftentimes reitterate it is made better then it was before and such a solution is a subtiliation of the medicine and his vertuous sublimation whereupon the oftner it is sublimate or subtiliated so much oftner it getteth a greater Virtue and a greater tincture and coloureth more abundantly and the more it shall make perfect and convert and turne the more whereupon in the fourth solution it shall get so much virtue and tincture that one part shall be able upon 1000. of Mercury cleansed that it shall convert it into Gold or Silver better then that which is taken out of the Mines of the Earth Whereupon Rasis saith the multiplication of this goodnesse dependeth wholely on the often reitteration of the sublimations and fixation of the perfect medicine for the oftner that the order of this compliment be reitterated so much more doth increase the nourishment thereof and the vertue and strength thereof is augmented for the oftner then was wont that thou shalt sublimate and dissolve the perfect medicine so much the more oftner thou shalt win and gaine at every time to cast one upon 1000. as if at first it fall upon 1000. the second time it will convert 10000. the third time it will be cast upon and convert 100000. and the fourth time upon 1000000. the fift time upon an infinite For Merodus saith know ye for certainty that how much the more and oftner our Stone is dissolved so much the more is the spirit and body conjoyned together and of this for every time the tincture is multiplyed The second way of multiplication is another way the medicine is multiplyed by fermentation for the ferment to white is pure Silver and the firment to red is pure Gold therefore cast one part of the medicine upon ten parts or twenty of the firment and all such shall be medicine and put it upon the fire in a Vessell of Glasse and shut it well so that no ayre may enter nor passe forth and let it be dissolved or sublimated so often as thou wilt and as thou doest the first medicine and one part of the second medicine shall receive as much as one part of the first medicine Whereupon Rasis saith now have we fully made our medicine hot and cold dry and moist equally temperate whereof whatsoever we doe put to it shall be of the same complexion that it is put to therefore conjoyne or marry him that he may bring forth fruit like unto himselfe But yet doe not conjoyne or marry it with any other thing to convert it but with it that it was in the beginning whereupon it is written in Speculum this spirituall earth which is the Elixir must be first in his owne body from whence it was taken at the beginning of his solution that is to marry his earth and it being so rectified and purified by his soule to conjoyne it by conjunction of his body from whence it had its beginning also it is sayd in the Booke called Gemma salutaris the white Worke hath need of a white firmentation whereby when he is white with his white firmentation and when he is made red in his red firment for then that white earth is firment of firment for when it is joyned to Luna all is firment to cast upon Mercury and upon every body being unperfect mettle to make it Luna And with the red thereof must be joyned Sol and that is medicine upon Mercury and Luna to make it Sol Also Rasis saith it behooveth that he be mingled with wite and red quicksilver of his kinde and that it be contained and kept that it fly not away wherefore we bid that quicksilver be mingled with quick-silver untill that one cleare water be made of two quicksilvers and not to make three mixtures untill every one of them be dissolved into water but in their conjunction put a little of the Worke upon much of the body as upon foure and in a certaine time it will be made in the nature of powder which is of red or white colour and this powder is Elixir compleate And truely the Elixir must be of a simple powder also Egidius saith to 25 Stones of solution put solution and to solution desiccation and put all to the fire
colours spoken of before untill it comes to bee red and will presently turne into a stone This have I seene done in a short time and hee that knowes it not let him know that he walks blindfold I have told you the work in plaine words and how I did it and saw it wrought so I did it and had the reward and it is no fallacy seeing that I am a witnesse to it for which I prayse and blesse God which gave me sufficient of knowledge science riches honour and state which let me never forget If thou wouldst have a division of this into 100. parts and so ad infinitum it must bee done before it hath firmentation or hardnesse and then your worke will be certaine Take an earthen vessell covered and in it put your quicksilver and when it begins to runne over drop in your Elixir otherwise you cannot keep it for running over Of Gold one part being purged by Aquafortis with foure of quicksilver washt and foure of what is spoken of before joyned with great Art with one of your Elixir and put it apart in a crooked glasse or retort and let it feele a fire of coals ten dayes together untill they be all mixed together And if you will make a further progression put into an earthen pot 100. graines of quicksilver and put it over a flaming fire and when the quicksilver begins to smoake and flie away in fume cast in one part of your Elixir and then cover it Then let it coole and it shall prove a very soveraigne medicine 100. parts of quicksilver according to the finenesse of it this shall convert into Gold But if you desire to make experience and see the operation upon lead you shall there find it as well neither doth it stay there for its ingression retains that faculty to turne all mettals into Gold to every thing it is to be applied and it converts every thing into a well complectioned nature halfe a graine of this taken into the mouth makes the party strong the weak and feeble it makes so lusty that no man was ever more healthy and time which is pretious to all brings those that take it sound to their Graves The best of Bests invites from his supreame dwelling place the most unfortunate of all joyning together two extreames after which we shall see him in his greatest dignity and Majesty which now is most distant from it say nothing till thou seest the water produce that which is afterward turned into fire but if thou seest that play then hide not what else thou knowest for it is worth full eight hundred yeeres for being come to that passe then thou shalt know the worth of it Then shall be accomplisht the fatall time to see my treasure and my selfe and myselfe inclosed or containe my selfe I shall not be obscured and thou shalt remaine with my gift that in this darknes thou shalt see such a light where a World shall bee represented The second Treatise of Alphonso King of Portugal concerning the Philosophers Stone THe past worke of the most pure stone is so infinite in multiplying that it is never weary to give and to give more such a likenesse hath it to its workmanship But if you would know another way to seperate the foure Elements know that this following Treatise understood will teach you to do it with more brevity and security Two ounces of gold well refined with one of silver very fine and pure melted in clay and this mixture being filed very small and with purged Mercury ground untill it be well incorporated one into another Then put such a quantity of common salt so well mixed as that the body may be well conglutinated Take a glasse bottle subtilly to mix these so that no unclean thing may come to it though never so little and then upon a small fire so worke it as that the Mercury may consume or vanish in its own fume Then you may presume the Gold will remaine being a body that will endure the fervency of the fire Wash the matter of this mixture in pure fountaine water so that after many washings the water may remaine many times clean and retaine its sweetnesse of taste then weigh the matter that remains and if you find it heavier than it was at first grind it againe with Salt enough and put it to the fire againe as before Thus I tell you you must doe your worke and in a very soft fire and when it comes to bee of its first weight that which then remaines will bee a matter spungeous and subtle and so well disposed and prepared that you may use it in any Physicke And now you must make a preparation with sublimed Mercury Copperas and Salt well washt for our Physick and reall conjunction gives it afterwards his life grinding it with Salt very small Then in a glasse Bottle which hath his receiver put it to make his distillation But know that within the receiving glasse you must put water and place the bottle in a strong furnace and make a fire of coales under it and letting it seeth or boyle softly and it will turn quick or living and be much subject to corruption and with this worke securely and be not weary Nine of these with three of the first composition joyned and well mixed and ground together and all these and the other put into a round glasse that hath a neck of a span or palme long and then stop the mouth very close for which purpose the mouth must not be made wide but narrow Thus I tell you the glasse must be and of a bignesse to hold the quantity of three begadas and according to the roundnesse of it so have a place fitted to put it in the fire that there the matter may be well joyned or masht together then will the tincture be made Forty begadas then shalt thou see the East adorned with the beames of the sunne when this worke shall be accomplished according to desire to change the present glasse into another which serves for the receiver of a Still which being close luted with lutum sapientiae on hot water which it must not touch The Fire must not bee of any great heat but moderate that it may worke its effect distilling its water in a perfect manner and then doe the same worke over againe joine the matter with great wisedome with this his distilled Water joine Mercury of an equall weight with the first matter Note my words which I will tell thee that now thou shalt come to putrifie it and after forty dayes put it into the Still keeping the same order as before for the glasse and the fire take this distilled water and in the place where it falls put in an equall weight of the first matter as aforesayd Doe this worke as at the first for it must be thrice reiterated from time to time receiving the water that the fire will give to the very last Think not the time light and though
you passe the forty dayes and more yet still keepe the water in a glasse bottle Change it from the receiving glasse into another and put it upon hot ashes and then thou shalt have or draw out a lighter element in weight called Ayre which you must subtily put into a bottle and stop the mouth of it very close with Hermes his seale and its necke also be carefull that you let not forth the aire Put in or to the glasse another receiver after having strongly luted it and make such a fire as that by his great heat the pot may distill this Element keep with carefulnesse for it is the Element of Fire and then thankes be to God in this worke thou hast separated the foure Elements After the division of this Chaos thou must now thinke of joyning them together againe for if thou meanest to joyne and make that world which was disunited the only matter which is in the bottome of the glasse must bee retayned or kept and softned by grinding and then the composition put into a glasse Let this glasse bee round bodied and long neckt which glasse or bottle you must fortifie by luting and set it upon the coales that it may have the force of the fire in such a maner that it may rise ten degrees Titans Wife of the beloved Bed and in this maner it wil be converted into a hard substance In another like glasse put this with a quarter of its weight of the reserved water and then stop the mouth of it well and put it in a brasse furnace or vessell and put it upon hot ashes and keepe such a fire to it as the matter may become dry as it was before This being done and the congealing and drying being past as I have said do the like again with its fourth or quarter part of that Royall water The infusion must be reitterated and the fourth time ended of doing the same work know that thou hast satisfied the drougth or drouth or thirst that this substance had after that water Hast thou not seen the earth when it wants raine how barren it shews no fruit to be seen but all looks like a fallow ground and every thing like to perish But if the rain falls to refresh it it makes it fruitfull for generation or increase and every seed that is sown in its proper time brings forth its fruit And continuing disperseth its watery power into all plants and trees and makes the fruit appeare on every bough even so goes this matter preparing the Ayre which you kept in the bottle you must give drink to five severall times the tenth part of its quantity at a time so that in all it must have halfe its own weight and alwayes at every time be dryed up Then on a Copper plate in a flaming fire try this matter if it will consume in smoake for you must presume it to be of the nature of the Ganimedes to flie up to Heaven but if it flies not upwards then it is not yet well done but you must give it more water and trye again whether or no it hath his true spirit Cause it to drink a quarter part of its weight that first it was of which will be the tenth part of the Aire and as you did it before so do it again then prove it upon the Copper Plate to trye if it will evaporate and smoake then turne againe to what you did before Then put the matter in sublimation and when you shall see it all rise up that which riseth not but remaineth in the bottome give it drink again according as is aforesayd prove it again upon the plate and so continually trye it till it riseth and then you shall be sure that in the bottome will remain a black earth like a dead body in the glasse As the Ganimedes went up to Heaven so thou shalt see this matter exalted It shall be demanded from the God of the earth by Jove from whom it was stolen it having been left with Demogorgon and shall be restored and if thou sublimate it oftentimes grinding it untill it come at last to be firme it will all remain in the bottome of the glasse To this matter there wants ingression because there wants the fourth Element therefore make this operation in a fire neither great nor little but when thou puttest it in its inflammation take the pot and be sure that not one drop or tittle of any foule thing comes to it before thou seest infusion If then thou seest it become like wax that it will rope then thou hast a vast great Treasure that thy estate shall be advanced to more than the riches of Midas 100. parts of Mercury put on the fire and when it begins to fume away then temper it with one of this matter and presume thou hast brought it to the perfect medicine And if another time thou dost the same worke one part of this applyed to 100 will turn likewise to the second medicine and one part of this is a great reward being applied to 100 parts of Mercury hot or any other mettal being melted making it becom Gold most high and sublime For which the Lord be praised FINIS The Booke of John Sawtre a Monke concerning the Philosophers Stone ALL things consisting of Naturall bodies aswell perfect as unperfect in the beginning of Creation were compounded and made of foure natures and those foure natures bee the foure Elements viz. Fire Aire Water and Earth the which God omnipotent did congelate mingle and married together in his masse of Poyse for in these foure Elements is the Privity hid of Philosophers and when their natures be comming and reducted together into one then they bee made another thing whereupon it appeareth that all things universall and variable bee of the foure Elements ingendred naturally and changed together whereupon Rasis sayth Simple generation and naturall permutation is the operation of the Elements but it is necessary that Elements be of one kinde and not divers for otherwise they have not action and passion together for as Aristotle sayth There is no true generation but of such as be convenient and agreeing amongst themselves Therefore doe not search that thing of nature that is not of nature or things not according to their nature for the Elder tree doeth not bring forth Peares nor the Thorne tree Pomegranats for we doe never gather grapes of Thornes or figges of Thistles for they offer no things but such as are like themselves nor doe they bring forth other fruit then their owne Therefore it is necessary that our medicine bee taken chiefly of such things as it consisteth in but there bee many men busying themselves and medling greatly and diversly therein that now a daies goe about to get the same medicine of dry stones and divers kinds of salts as of Sal alkali Sal. gem vitriol Sal-armoniack and allome cicory tutty attramentum saffron burnt brasse vitrioll Romane verdegris sulphur auripigmentum arsnick and
without any excesse or defect for by nature it hath part of heat and part of coldnesse part of drynesse and part of humidity for it is not corrupted nor corruptible by the Ayre nor by the Water nor by the infection of the Earth or by the force or violence of the Fire yet it moysteneth rectifieth and adorneth it because his complexion is temperate and his nature direct and equall therefore that Stone is best of all stones that is most concoct and nearest or most akin to the fire The second part of our Stone is called Mercury the which is himselfe and of the Philosophers is called a Stone and yet is no Stone Whereupon a certaine wise man whereas he speaketh of it faith this is a Stone and yet no Stone without which nature doth never worke any thing which both doth and drinketh up the worke and of it doth appeare every colour whose name is Mercury or Argent vive Whereupon Rasis saith of it a worke may be created so that the same worke may overcome all Natures it is friendly to all Mettles and the meane to joyne tinctures for in it selfe it receiveth that which is of its nature and doth vomit forth againe that which is strange or enemy to its nature for it is an uniforme substance in all his part Therefore this Stone is named of the Philosophers Minerall vegitable and Animall and also artificiall it is called Minerall because it is ingendred in the Mine and is mother of all Mettles or else it is called minerall because that when there is projection made upon it it is turned into Mettle and it is called vegitable for of the juice of three Hearbs mixed together in equall proportions that they stand in a moist fire forty dayes there will be growne forth thereof a Stone of the same colour and vertue of the minerall for the Hearbs be Mercury Purcelane called Portulaca Marina which yeeldeth Milke and Celendine it is also called animall or vitall because of himselfe without any other thing put into it his Elements being seperate and mixt together in equall weight and then set in a strong glasse with a little hole to take ayre at in the aforesayd fire within three moneths there will engender horrible Wormes whereof every one will slay one another untill that one onely will remaine which if the Master feed wisely it will grow and wax to the bignesse of a Toad whose forme is terrible and this Beast is by himselfe Elixir upon Saturne and Jupiter or it is called animall because it is made of a thing that hath life that is to say man For in old Hedges it is found of the putrifaction of mans dung and ordinately heated with a subtile Vessell of Glasse and therefore the Philosophers sayd our Stone is found in every man and that of the vilest thing and of a most vile price Wherefore Pithagoras saith this Stone is animall because it is apt to bring forth Children also he saith it is cast in Dunghils and therefore it is vile and rejected in the eyes of the ignorant man Also in the Booke which is called Speculum Alchymiae it is sayd this Stone is cast away in the street and is found in dunghills the which containeth in it selfe all the foure Elements and ruleth them and this Stone is artificiall for by mans wit it is knit together for certaine men make Mercury of Lead in this maner they melt Saturne six or seven times and every time they draw it with Sal armoniacke dissolved afterwards they take of that Saturne three pounds and of Vitriol one pound and of Borax halfe a pound and then they do mingle altogether and put it underneath the Philosophers fire by forty naturall dayes and then it is made Mercury and there is no difference betweene it and naturall Mercury but that it doth not goe into our worke as naturall Mercury doth Know thou the clean from the unclean for nothing giveth that which it hath not for the clean is of one essence voyd of alterations the unclean thing is divers and of contrary parts and of a light or easie corruption therefore put in thy worke no strange thing nor let any thing goe into our Stone except such as is sprung from it neyther in part nor yet in the whole for if any strange thing be put into it it will by and by corrupt nor will that be made thereof which is expected Therefore purge the yellow body by the adustion of the fire and then thou shalt finde it purged and after that thou hast it well purged beat it most strongly and utterly and make it into thin plates and after beat them into leaves the thinnest that can bee possible as Gold-beaters doe and then so keep them but the white liquor hath more superfluities which must of necessity be removed for they bee faeculentiae of the Earth which is the impediment of melting and humidity fugitive which is the impediment of fixation The earthinesse feculentine is taken away thus put it into a mortar of marble or wood and adde to it as much common cleane dry salt and a little vineger and stirre them strongly about and rub it very strongly with a pestle of wood wisely that there doe appear nothing of the liquor and that all the salt be all black then wash all the matter with cleane hot water untill the salt bee resolved into water and then powre the same foule water away and then put it to the liquor of salt and vineger as thou didst before and doe this oftentimes untill the liquor bee made as cleane and shining as glasse or of the colour of Heaven And last of all put it into a thicke linnen cloth twice or thrice doubled and then straine it forth twice or thrice into a thicke vessell of glasse untill it bee dry the proportion of the parts is such for there bee twenty foure houres in a naturall day to which adde one and then there be twenty five this is wisedome for Geber saith in his fourth Booke and sixth Chapter Study in thy worke to overcome the quick silver in thy commixtion Also Rasis sayth Bodies be of a great perfection wherefore more quick silver is necessary and he saith that wise men hide nothing but the weight and quantities and this we may know because none doe agree with other in weight Therefore there is a great error for although the medicine be well preparate and well mingled together unlesse that there bee quantities thou hast destroyed all as to the verity and finall complement and that shalt thou see in the triall for when that the body transmuted bee put into cineration there it will be consumed late or soone according as little or much it is changed into equality of the proportions by right according to reason it will never be corrupted therefore no man can passe through it unlesse that hee bee a wise man that doeth all things according to reason and true subtilety and naturall wit
and thy worke thereby perish for Socrates saith bruise them in most strong vineger and seeth it vntill that it be thick and take heed that thy vineger do not turne into a fume and perish or vanish Of the Fires THe Philosophers in their Books have chiefly put two fires a dry and a moyst for the dry fire they call it the common fire of any manner of thing combustible that will burne but the moist fire they call the hot venter Equinus which may be Englished the Horse belly but rather it is Horse dung wherein remaining moystness there doth remaine heat and the moystnesse once consumed it ceaseth to be hot and this heat doth remain but in a little quantity or but five or six dayes but this heat may be kept a longer time by sprinkling him with urine and salt oftentimes for of this fire Pithagoras saith the fire of the belly of a Horse hath property not to destroy Oyle but to augment it by reason of his humidity whereas other fires doe destroy it for their heat Also Senior saith dig up a grave and lay the Wife with her husband in the paunch or belly of a Horse or rather in Horse dung untill they be freely with their good wills married and conjoyned together Also Alphidanus saith hide thy medicine in a moyst horse dung which is the wise mans fire for the fire of this dung is hot and moyst and obscure having within it humidity and a holy light and therefore there is none like to this in all the world but only the naturall fire of a hot mans body that is in health and this is the secret cause of the strife of the Sea and not fully combust bloud of man and the bloud of the red wine is our fire the Regiment of our fires is such that the medicine to white must be put into the moyst fire untill the full compliment of whitenesse and that the heat must be lent and continuall from the beginning untill the colour of whitenesse appearing in the vessell for the lent fire is the conservation of humidity whereupon Pandolphus saith Brethren know that the body is dissolved with the spirit whereunto it is mixed by a most lent decoction and so the body is thereby made spirituall with the spirit Also Astavus saith the lent fire doth send forth the spirits of life the excessive fire doth not make equall the Elements but rather it wasteth the humidity and destroyeth all things therefore Rasis saith in his high worke take heed in thy sublimation and liquefaction lest that when you set your fire on fire the water also do ascend to the top of the vessell for if it be so then it being cold it will stick there and so thou canst not make thy Sulphur nor open thy Elements because it is necessary that every one of them in their sphericall or spirituall motion be very often thrust downe and lift up for only the temperate fire is inspicive and perfective of mixtion Therefore Botulphus saith a lent fire which is called a cleare fire is the greatest cause of true operation in the Elements Also Rasis saith it is our light fire as in an Egge that is nourished untill the body be derived and the tincture drawne forth for by light decoction the fire congealeth the water and draweth forth the humidity of the corruptive part and the combustion of drinesse is prevented Also all the benefit of this worke is in the temperatenesse of the fire therefore alwayes take heed of a greater fire that thou come not before thy time to solution for that bringeth to desperation wherfore Rasis saith take heed of the intention of the fire for if it be set on fire before the time then it is made Red before the due time which doth not profit and that he may shew thee the time of decoction He saith the solution of the body and the congelation of the spirit must needs be made with light decoction of the fire and with moyst putrification in forty daies Also heare Hortulanus saying know ye that in mingling them together it behooveth you to mingle the crude quick sincere and right Elements together upon a soft fire and to take heed of the intention of the fire untill the Elements be joyned together Bonellus saith also by a temperate heat the body is made sweet and convenient Be of a constant minde in thy work and do not labour in or upon divers matters or things proving sometimes this matter and sometimes another for in the multitude or diversity of things thy Art consists not nor is finished for there is but one subject or medicine one vessell one regiment and one disposition thereof for all the mastery doth begin in one manner of fashion and endeth in one manner of mantion yet the Philosophers did put many works and crafts thereof for the honour and hiding and prolonging of this Art as to seeth to mingle together to rost to sublime to grind to break or beat assunder to congeale to adâ—quate or make even in quality to putrifie to make white to make red of which things yet there is but one Regiment which is but to decoct onely Therefore crush it assunder and seeth still that thou be not weary also Rasis saith seeth without intermission Do not hast or cease at any time from thy worke nor go about to practise or use the sophisticall bounds of thy works but onely intend to the compliment of this worke also Rasis saith it is most sure for thee to apply thy worke diligently nor do thou leave off thy worke being as it were a tree cut downe from the bowes be thou therefore stedfast and of a long continuall minde and will in the Regiment Shut most close thy vessell and cease at no time for there is no generation of things but by a continuall motion exclusion of ayre and heat temperate Study and marke also when that you are in your worke all the signes that shall appeare in every decoction and remember them for they be necessary for the workman to the compliment and fulfilling of this worke for it is necessary to continue the worke and moderate the fire therefore all these things disposed as aforesaid put the vessell with the medicine in the moyst fire so that halfe the vessell be in the fire and the other halfe without to this intent that every day it may be looked upon and within forty dayes the overpart or outside of the medicine shall appear black like Tarr and that is a signe that the yellow body is truly turned into Mercury therefore Bonellus saith where that you do see blackness appeare to that water know ye that now the body is liquefied and that truly is the same that Rasis saith the disposition of our Stone is one that it be put in his vessell and that it be throughly sodden untill all do rise and ascend dissolved Also in another place continue upon him a temperate heat untill that it
set in Balneo Mariae continue the fire for a sennight then let it coole take the matter presse it through a cloth or skin if all goeth through then it is well if not begin againe in the vessell with more Mercury so long till it bee dissolved the dissolution in Summer is better then in Winter yet it matters not much CHAP. 19. SEparation is a dividing of a thing into its members and a separation of the pure from the impure we take our dissolved matter and put it into the smaller vessell which stands in the cucurbite set the Alimbecke upon well luted and set it in ashes wee make a continued fire for a sennight one part of the spirit sublimeth which wee call the spirit or water and is the subtilest part the other part which is not yet subtile sticketh about the cucurbite and some of it is fallen to the bottome which we call the ayre and this part we take warme and moyst and the third part remayning in the inner vessell is yet a grosser matter which stayeth in the bottome each of these parts we put into a vessell apart but the third matter wee put more Mercury to and proceed as formerly and alwayes each reserved apart and thus you must proceed in the inner vessell nothing remayneth but a black powder which we call the black earth which is the dregs of the mettalls which are an obstruction why mettalls cannot bee united with the spirit this powder is of no use CHAP. 20. Allegation or proofe YOU may whereas you have separated the fowre Elements from the mettalls or divided them and what is the fire then which is one of the fowre Elements also CHAP. 21. ANswer We say that fire and ayre is of one nature which are come open together and mixed together and the one is turned to the other but it were hard to be understood if you should not bee instructed that the dividing of the Elements is brought to that that they have their naturall operation as in the whole so in the parts CHAP. 22. VVEE call that ayre which remayned in the bigger vessell because it is more hot then moist cold or dry the same you must understand also of the other Elements if they be not sought in particular they cannot properly bee understood but are left thus Hence Plato saith we turned the moyst into a siccity and the dry thing we made moyst and turned the body into water and aire CHAP. 23. VVEE say that sublimation is arising from below upward as wee see the vapors which fall on the ground and in the water are exhaled againe by the heat of the sun and the grosse matter lieth still below as wee have sayd at the changing of the Elements thus the matter must be subtiliated which is not subtile enough all which must bee done through heat and moistnes namely through fire and water CHAP. 24. Prosecution of the matter KNow that we must take the thing which remained in the greater vessell and put the same to other fresh Mercury that it be well dissolved and subtilized then we set it in Balneum Mariae for three dais as formerly but we mention not the quantity of Mercury only we leave it to your discretion as much as you have need that you may make it fusible and it be cleare like a spirit and note that you take not too much of the Mercury that it be not a sea then we set it againe into subliming as you did formerly doe it so often till you have brought it all through the Alimbecke then it is very subtile and one thing cleare pure and fusible then we put it againe into the inner vessell and let it goe once more through the Alimbeck and see whether any thing be left behind to the same more Mercury must be added till it become all one thing and yeelds no more sediment and be separated from all its impurity and superfluity CHAP. 25. Declaration I Tell you that we have made out of two viz. of body and spirit one onely thing as a spirit which is light and the body is heavy the spirit quickly and easily flyeth upwards but our worke is that the body which was fixed is now become volatile and riseth upward the which is against his nature Thus wee have made a spirit out of the body and a body out of the spirit one onely thing CHAP. 26. Of Fixation and Congealation HAving made a spirit out of the body which is a thing volatile now is it requisite to be made fix holding in the fire for we turned the spirit into a body viz. we turned the dry into a moystness and the moystness into a dryness now we must make it a thing fix'd and againe to turne the spirit into a body and that which formerly rose up to stay below and thus have we done according to the sayings of Philosophers reducing each Element into its contrary then you will finde what you seek after namely make the liquid thing dry and the dry thing to be liquid out of a fix a volatile and the volatile to bee fix and this can be done only through Congelation therefore we will turne the spirit into a body CHAP. 27. Coagulation and Fixation HOw is it done we take a little of the ferment which is made of our medicince be it either Luna or Sol and take but a little as if you have 100 lb. of the medicine take but 10 lb. of the ferment which must be foliated and this ferment we amalgamize with the matter which you had before prepared the same we put into a glasse Violl with a long neck and set it in a pot of ashes all which being set in the fit place then to the above said ferment 2 or 3 fingers of the spirit which is gone through the Alimbeck then wee put a good fire to it for three dayes then the dissolved body findeth its like then they embrace one another each keepeth to its like then the grosse ferment holdeth with the subtile ferment attracteth the same will not let it goe and the dissolved body which is now subtile keepeth the spirit for they are of an equall subtilty like one to another are become one thing and the fire never may separate them therfore is it requisite through this means to make the one like the other and thus the firment a biding place of the subtile body and the subtile body a staying place for the spirit that it may not flye away then we make fire for a sennight more or less yet so long till we see that our matter is congealed The time of this congelation is either prolonged or shortened according to the vessells or Ovens condition and of the fires either continuance or discontinuing CHAP. 28. A further proceeding in this matter VVHen you see that this matter is coagulated then put of the abovesayd matter so much to it that it be two or three fingers high over it as you know how it must
be done and put the fire to it as you did formerly till it bee congealed also and proceed so long in it till all the matter be congealed And know that Philosophers for the generallity have concealed the Congelation in their books and none of them as far as we can finde have disclosed it only Larikalix who hath composed it into many Chapters and produced it in the German tongue without any alteration which he revealed unto me without any reservation or deceit CHAP. 29. Calcination HAving treated of Congealation and Fixation now we come to the Calcination We take the known matter and put it into an Urinall and set a head upon it luting it well set it in the Oven of ashes make a continued great fire for a sennight then that which is not fix riseth into the Alimbeck which wee call Hermes his bird and that which remaines in the bottome of the glasse is like ashes or sifted earth called the Philosophers Earth out of which they make their foundation and out of it they make their increase or augmentation through heat and moystness this earth is composed of foure Elements but are not contrary one to another for their contrariety is changed or reduced to an agreement unto an uniforme nature then we take the moyst part reserve it apart to a further use which afterward must be put to it as you shall heare We take this earth or ashes which is a very fixed thing and put it into a strong earthen pot unto which we lute its lid and set it in a calcining Oven that the fire may beat on it above and below and that fire we continue for three dayes so that the pot is alwayes red hot we make of a stone a white calx and the things which are of water and earth-nature are of fire's nature for every calx is of a fires nature which is hot and dry CHAP. 30. Subtiliation of the foure Elements into the fifth essence VVEE have spoken of Calcination in which we have brought things to the highest subtility namely to fire's nature now we must further subtiliate the foure Elements we take a little quantity of this Calx viz. if we have 100 pounds we keep no more than the fourth part the other we set into dissolution with a good deale of fresh mercury even as we had done formerly and so follow from Chapter to Chapter from time to time as formerly hath been proceeded in CHAP 31. Changing Fire into Water NOw my dearest that you may change the fix into a volatile thing that is Fire into Water know that that which was of sire's nature is now become the nature of water and that which was fix is now become volatile and being made very subtile then we take 1. p. of this water and put it to the reserved Calx and we adde as much of the water unto that it go over it two or three fingers breadth over the Calx then we put fire under for three dayes long thus it congealeth sooner than at first for Calx is hot and dry and sucks in the humidity greedily this Congelation must be continued till it be quite congealed afterward we calcine it as formerly being quite calcined it is called the quintessence because it is of a more subtile nature than Fire and because of the transmutation formerly made CHAP. 32. The Philosophers Examples ALL this being done then our medicine is finish'd and nothing but the ingression is wanting that the matter may have an ingresse into imperfect mettalls Plato and many other Philosophers begun this worke againe with dissolving subliming or subtiliating congealing calcining as at first and that medicine which we call a ferment transmutes Mercury into its nature in which it is dissolved and sublimed Philophers say our medicine transmutes infinitely imperfect mettals and say that he which attaineth once to the perfection of it hath no more need of it to make any more but they speake it mystically in their expressions CHAP. 33. How our medicine transmuteth mettalls into Sol and Luna KNowing that our medicine converteth imperfect mettalls into Sol and Luna according to the nature and forme of the matter out of which it is made therefore know that wee now at second time say that this our medicine is of that nature that it transmuteth converts divideth asunder like fire and is of a more subtile nature than fire for it is of a nature of the quintessences as we sayd before therefore it converts Mercury into its nature seeing our medicine is of a converting nature as our body converts Mercury into its nature which is an imperfect body or mettall and the grossenesse of mettall it turneth into ashes or powder therefore our medicine is of a dividing separating nature as you see fire doth not turn all the world into its nature but only that which is of its nature and the rest it turneth to ashes CHAP. 34. Reason why a Spirit is made of a Body VVEE shewed by reall reason how a body is turned into a spirit and againe a spirit is turned into a body viz. out of a fixed this is made a volatile and of a volatile a fixed thing the earth is turned to water and aire and the aire into fire and the fire to an earth the earth into a fire and the fire is turned to aire and the aire is turned into water and the water is become an earth Now the earth which was of fire's nature is brought to the nature of quintessence Thus we have spoken of all the wayes of transmuting perform'd through heat and moystnesse and have made out of dry a moyst thing and out of the moyst a dry one otherwise natures which are of severall motions and of severall mansions could not be brought to one uniforme thing if one should bee turned in the others nature CHAP. 35. Accomplishment of Philosophers sayings WEE having brought the matter to the abovesayd points then have we done and wrought according to the Philosophers sayings when they say in their Books Rising from the Earth into Heaven and comming downe from Heaven into the Earth to that sense to make the body which is of earth into a spirit which is a subtile thing in his nature and then to reduce the spirit into a body which is a grosse low thing changing one Element into another as earth into water water into ayre ayre into fire then fire is turned into water and water into fire and that into a more subtile nature and quintessence Having thus done then are you come to the glory of the world be dutifull to God remember the poore CHAP. 36. Ingression TAke quicke Sulphur melt it in an earthen vessell well glazed being melted powr it forth into a Lie made of Calx vive and willow ashes let all these boyle in a kettle gently an oyle swimmeth on the top which take and keepe having enough of it we mingle it with sand distill it through the Alimbeck so long till it become