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
simul In the same place he calls this Sallabrum the Medium of joyning Tinctures the middle between two Extreams between hard and soft between Luna and the Spirit between the Body and Spirit As the Menstrual Blood is the Medium between the Sperm of the Male and Female so this our Salt pag. 1085. Sallabrum he calls thundring Salt illuminating Stone and fatness of the Eagle pag. 1087. Sal Alembrot the Stone Bore Borax and fatness of the Eagle pag. 1097. Tincar Borax This Sallabrum or Saline Labrum is by Paracelsus made of these Salts Niter Sal gemme common Salt and Alcali Guido used these four following in his reduction of Metals into Mercury Common Salt Alcali Sal armoniac and Salt of Tartar pag. 23. Thes Chym. Thomas Aquinas took the same Salts as Guido for his Labrum Salis. The Affinity which I observe between the Salts of Paracelsus Gemme and Common I perceive also between the Salt of Tartar and Alcali of Guido but the foundation of the Receipt is not grounded upon these four Salts Paracelsus was sometimes satisfied with Niter and common Salt fused and resolved together per deliquium Nor does the Mystery of the Receipt lie in the Wax in the room of which if you chose any oyley thing else you will not err Instead of the same he sometimes used Linseed-Oyl in the Water of the sixth gradation but of this hereafter From the Receipts we observe 1. That these Menstruums are simple Vegetable Menstruums of the Fifth Kind dissolved in Acids Dissolve any of them in common Aqua fortis and you will have a Menstruum of this Kind but take away the Acid and it will be a Vegetable Menstruum again as it was before 2. That these Menstruums are by reason of the Acidity both sooner made and do more powerfully operate than the said Menstruums of the Fifth Kind 3. That they are not always made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but also with any common Oyley Matter provided it be undertaken by an Artist expert in the Method of making the Spirit of Philosophical Wine 4. That these Menstruums do by their own strength without any addition of Common Argent vive reduce Metals and Minerals into running Mercury 5. That Metals dissolved in these Menstruums and sublimed are properly enough called Philosophical Mercuryes because as Common Mercury sublimate so these are most easily resuscitated into running Argent vive The Eighteenth Kind Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Vegetable Sal Harmoniack and Acids not tinging 87. The Aqua fortis of Isaacus Hollandus Cap. 122. Oper. Min. pag. 397. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. MAke an Aqua fortis with an equal quantity of Sal Harmoniack and Sal Niter dry the Sal Niter to a dry Powder then mix the Sal Harmoniack discreetly among the Powder of the Sal Niter so as to be well mixed together and incorporated one with the other then distil not luting the Receiver close to the Beak before it begins to distil for if you lute the Receiver at first to the Beak of the Alembick there are windy wild Spirits in the Matter which would break the Receiver but having distilled a little while lute the Beak without fear and distil the Water according to Art Annotations BEsides the Philosophers Vinegar there is a Sal Harmoniack under the Name of which is comprehended the Spirit of Philosophical Wine the root of all Menstrums being concentrated dried in an Arid and sublimed into an admirable Salt This present Kind treats of this Salt not common Sal Armoniack dissolved in common Acids not tinging We have also made indeed Philosophical Menstruums before of common Sal Armoniack by the help of Philosophical Vinegar or an Acid mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but the Menstruums of this Kind are stronger than they the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being sublimed into a Vegetable Sulphur or Mercury is made better as being acuated either with an Alcali or some fixed Arid and for this reason being dissolved in an Acid it yields also a more noble Menstruum Isaac in our Receipt mixeth Vegetable Sal Harmoniack with so much of Sal Niter for the Vegetable Salt to be by subsequent distillation dissolved in the Mineral Acid of Sal Niter but because this way of dissolving is by reason of the sudden ebullition of the oyley and acid too dangerous he durst not therefore lute the Receiver close to the Beak but the like effervescence appearing in the distillation of common Sal Armoniack and Sal Niter we must prove that by Sal Harmoniack Isaacus meant not the Common but Philosophical which we prove first by the Vse of the Menstruum Of which saith Isaack thus Dissolve your Sol in the Water made and put it in Balneo with a glass Alembick upon it kindle the Balneo no more than that you may endure your hand in it and lute the Receiver very firmly to the Beak and a little hole being made above in the Alembick put a glass Funnel therein whereby other Aqua fortis may upon occasion be poured in and keep the Balneo in that heat aforesaid a day and a night and when you see your Aqua fortis brought to a small quantity by distilling as it was when you dissolved the Sol in it pour to it new Aqua fortis ' and let it gradually distil a day and a night in Balneo and ' when it is thick again pour Aqua fortis again to the Matter doing in all respects as before repeat it three times always pouring to it new Aqua fortis but the third time distil it dry to siccity then let the Body cool and take the Receiver from the Beak and stop it firmly with wax remove the Alembick from the Pot and then take a Drachm or Scruple of the Matter out of the Pot and put it in a glass Phial pour common distilled water to it and set it on a Fornace in Ashes and let the water boyl half an hour Then let it cool of its own accord and stand a day and a night and a Powder will settle in the bottom of the Vessel pour off the top of the water gently and the rest evaporate with a lukewarm heat to dry your Powder Being dry take it out and heating a silver Plate put a little of your Powder upon it and look earnestly whether the Powder fumes not if you perceive it fume have a care of your self for the fume may kill you c. pag. 397. of the same Volume Then he goes on Cap. 24. saying Then put your Matter or Powder in it the subliming Vessel with a large and clean Alembick upon it very well luted so as to be certain that no Spirits can pierce the luting for they are subtil beyond description and should they penetrate and you receive the fume you would die Lute also a large Receiver to the Beak of the Alembick and let the luting be in every place throughly dry Then put Fire under the Fornace first a
IX Vegetable Menstruums compounded made of Simple Vegetable Menstruums and Things tinging being first fixed 51. The Circulatum majus or Metallick Acetum acerrimum of Paracelsus 137 X. Vegetable Menstruums compounded made of Vegetable Menstruums compounded and Metallick Bodies 52. The Neapolitan Menstruum of Lully 144 53. The Pretious Menstruum for Pearls of Lully 146 54. The Mercurial compounded Menstruum of Lully 147 55. The sweet Spirit of Mercury of Basilius 148 56. The incalcinated Menstruum of Parisinus 149 XI Vegetable Menstruums compounded graduated made of the compounded Vegetable Menstruums impregnated with the Influences of Heaven and Earth 57. The Etherial and Terrestrial Waters of Metals of Lully 154 XII Vegetable Menstruums compounded most highly exalted made of compounded Vegetable Menstruums graduated 58. The Ethereal and Celestial Limes of Lully 163 XIII Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Matter of Philosophical Wine only 59. The Green Lyon of Ripley 172 60. A Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop of Ripley 174 61. A Menstruum made of Red Lead of Ripley 179 62. The Simple stinking Menstruum of Ripley 181 63. The Menstruum of Sericon of Ripley 182 64. The Green Lyon of Roger Bacon 192 65. The Green Lyon of Paracelsus 198 66. The Stinking Menstruum made of the Gum Adrop and Common Vitriol of Ripley Ibid. 67. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol and Nitre of Lully 199 68. The Water calcining all Bodies of Lully 201 69. The Stinking Menstruum for reducing Metals into Argent vive of Lully 202 70. The Stinking Menstruum made of Azoquean Vitriol Common Vitriol and Nitre of Ripley Ibid. XIV Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Acid or Saline Essences of Salt 71. The Water or Oyl of Salt of Paracelsus 211 72. The Water of Salt by another Description 214 XV. Simple Mineral Menstruums made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and Acid Spirits as Aqua fortis Spirit of Nitre c. 73. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Paracelsus 222 74. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Trithemius 223 75. Vinegar mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Basilius Ibid. 76. The Spirit of Salt of Basilius 225 77. The Spirit of Salt of Guido Ibid. 78. The Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully Ibid. 79. Aqua fortis mixt with the Spirit of Wine of an Anonymous 226 XVI Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar and Volatile Salts as Common Sal Armoniack Urine c. 80. The Oyl of Sal Armoniack of Guido 229 81. The Water of Sal Armoniack of Isaacus 230 XVII Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar and fixed Salts non tinging as well vegetable as mineral 82. The Aqua comedens of Paracelsus 233 83. The fixative Water of Trithemius 234 84. The Aqua mirabilis of Isaacus 235 85. The resuscitative Water of Basilius Ibid. 86. The Water of Sallabrum of Paracelsus 236 XVIII Simple Mineral Menstrums made of Vegetable Sal Harmoniack and Acids not tinging 87. The Aqua fortis of Isaacus Hollandus 240 88. The Aqua Regis of Ripley 244 89. The Kings Bath of Basilius 245 90. A Philosophical Water for the solution of Gold of Basilius Ibid. 91. The most strong Aqua fortis of Paracelsus 247 92. The Aqua Regis of Guido Ibid. 93. The Aqua Regis of Lully 248 XIX Mineral Menstruums compounded of Philosophical Spirit of Wine and Acid Spirits not tinging Spirit of Vitriol Butter of Antimony c. 94. Spirit of Vitriol mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Lully 251 95. The Butter of Antimony mixt with the Spirit of Wine of Basil 253 96. The Water of the fourth Gradation of Paracelsus 254 97. The Water of the sixth Gradation of Paracelsus Ibid. XX. Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and other tinging things Vitriol Cinabar Antimony c. 98. The Oyl of Vitriol of Basilius 261 99. A Menstruum of Basilius made of Hungarian Vitriol 293 100. The Mineral Menstruum of Isaacus 294 101. The stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol and Cinabar 294 102. The same Ibid. 103. The stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol Cinabar and Nitre 295 104. The stinking Menstruum of Lully made of Vitriol Nitre Alume Tartar c. 296 105. The dissolving Water for the Red of Isaacus 297 106. Another 298 107. Again another 299 108. A dissolving Water of Isaacus for the White 299 109. Another 299 110. A Red Water shining Day and Night of Isaacus 300 111. Another 301 112. Again Another 303 XXI Mineral Menstruums Compounded made of Simple Mineral Menstruums and Mercury the rest of Metals and other tinging things 113. The Spirit of Venus or Spirit of Verdigreece of Basilius 306 114. The Water of Paradise of Isaacus 310 115. The Mercurial Vinegar of Trismosinus 312 116. The Mercurial Water of Trismosinus Ibid. 117. The Mercurial Water of Albertus Magnus 313 118. The Mercurial Water of Paracelsus 315 119. The stinking Menstruum of Lully 316 120. The Mercurial green Lyon of Ripley 317 121. The stinking Lunar Menstruum of Lully 317 122. The stinking Solar Menstruum of Lully Ibid 123. Philosophers Vinegar made of the Mercury of Silver of Isaacus 318 XXII Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philosophers Vinegar and other Simple Mineral Menstruums and things tinging being first fixed 124. The Menstruum of Venus of Isaacus Hollandus 322 125. A Menstruum of Vitriol of Isaacus Hollandus 324 126. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus 332 127. The Oyl of Vitriol shining by Night of Trismosinus 335 128. The Circulatum majus of Ripley 337 129. The Metallick Acetum Acerrimum of Ripley 338 130. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus made of Sulphur 339 XXIII Mineral Menstruums compounded made of Mineral Menstruums compounded and Metallick Bodies and other tinging Things 131. The Oyl of Mars and Venus of Basilius 346 132. The S irit of Vniversal Mercury made of Vitriol of Basilius 347 133. The Oyl of Mars and Venus acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Sol of Basilius 351 134. The Spirit of Vniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Luna of Basilius 353 135. The Spirit of Vniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Luna of Basilius 354 136. The S irit of Vniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Sol and Mars of Basilius Ibid. 137. The Spirit of Vniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphurs of Sol Mars and Antimony of Basilius 355 138. The Spirit of Vniversal Mercury acuated with the Sulphur of Mars Jupiter and Saturn of Basilius Ibid. 139. A compounded Mercurial Water for the red Work of Isaacus 356 140. The Philosophers Water made of three Spirits of Isaacus 357 141. The compounded Water of Silver of Lully 358 142. The stinking Lunar Menstruum acuated with the Essence of Sol of Lully 360 XXIV Mineral Menstruums compounded of vegetable and mineral Menstruums mixed together 143. The Vegetable â—ire dissolved in the calcinaâ—ive Water of Lully 363 144. 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
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
sense of the Receipt but never from Chymical Truth so long as you are guided by the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but here you must have a great care that you do not transmute as sometimes through inadvertence you may the false Receipts of deceitful Distillers into true ones an impossible into a possible a lye into truth and a wicked Man into a Philosopher Sometimes they impregnated common Sal Armoniack with a Tincture to make a Menstruum higher thus 81. The Water of Sal Armoniack of Isaacus Cap. 47.2 Oper min. pag. 460. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. TAke Sal Armoniack sublime it with Roman Vitriol one Pound of Sal Armoniack to two Pounds of Vitriol then grind upon a Stone the Faeces and sublime again then throw away the Faeces and sublime again with two Pounds of new Vitriol do as before repeating nine times pulverize the Sal Armoniack and put the Powder into a Glass pour upon it distilled Vinegar Philosophical or some Menstruum of the Fifteenth Kind so as only to be dissolved and no more than that the Sal Armoniack may be turned only into Water as yellow as Sol because the Sal Armoniack was sublimed by Vitriol and that produced the Tincture And this is that Water of Sal Armoniack which I promised before to teach you how to make From the Receipts we observe 1. That the Oyl or Essence of Salt becomes a stronger Menstruum by the addition of Volatile Salts 2. That this ought to be understood also of the Menstruums of the fifteenth precedent Kind 3. That these Menstruums are the same with the Vegetable Menstruums of the fourth Kind excepting only that they have an Acid added over and above 4. That these Menstruums are of most easy preparation being made by three cohobations only 5. That it is very difficult for a Man to err being experienced in the more secret Chymy for he that understands the practice of this Art will easily explain the Receipt of every Adept be it never so obscure either by the use or title or way of preparing for it is in a manner impossible not to draw some Light from one or other of the said three or direction enough to find the same Receipt more clear in the Writings either of the same or some other Adept And indeed though we sometimes meet with Receipts which in title way of preparation and use seem to be like the Receipts of vulgar Chymistry yet a Desciple of our Art will easily determine either for the approbation or reprobation of these Receipts For there are infallible Signs to distinguish a true from a false Menstruum this one following shall here suffice The quality of a good Menstruum is to dissolve Bodies either gently or violently and make them not only Volatile but fat also yea reduce them into a true Oyl either swimming upon or sinking under watery Liquors This Attribute of a Menstruum is inconsistent to any common dissolvent but proper to the Philosophical and to them alone being made of the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine which Spirit alone doth by its permanence make the dry Sulphur of a Metal both thinner and fatter That Menstruum therefore in the use of which are promised such things as cannot be performed by common Menstruums may be truly called Philosophical with a caution or two to be observed 1. That the Receipt must be of some known and not suspected Author not of every smoak-seller promising great and many things without a Foundation wherefore every Receipt wanting its Authority though it may seem like a true one yet we think ought to be rejected as suspicious 2. That the Receipt must not be alone described not in one but divers places by the same Author or at least most clear in its ingredients For the same Names have one signification with one but another with another Adept so long therefore as it is not known by collateral places what an Author means by his Matters such a Man's Receipts we declare uncertain 3. That the Receipt must import a competent Rule in operating that is declare whether Matters are to be volatilized in part or in the whole but whatsoever are more obscure and concise we lay aside as imperfect The Seventeenth KIND Simple Mineral Menstruums made of Philosophical Vinegar and fixed Salts not tinging as well Vegetable as Mineral 82. The Aqua Comedens of Paracelsus Lib. 10. Arch. pag. 37. BY Aqua Comedens Eating or Corroding Water we mean Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which must be drawn from common Salt so often till it is dissolved and comes over by distillation in the Vinegar Annotations THe Philosophical Vinegar or Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which you acuated with Volatile Salts in the precedent Kind is made stronger by the mixing of fixed Salts so called We have described several Vegetable Menstruums made with Alcali Salts in their fifth Kind which if prepared with Philosophical Vinegar instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine will produce Mineral Menstruums of this Kind though prepared another way with this only difference that they are made more slowly with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but with Philosophical Vinegar much sooner yea immediately if either Common or Philosophical Vinegar be joyned to the Vegetable Menstruums Aqua comendens or Eating Water is the third Menstruum that we have observed to be made of common Salt The first is in the fifth Kind of Vegetable Menstruums where common Salt being fused and resolved per deliquium is by Virtue of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine reduced into the Oyl or Essence of Salt which by being sometimes cohobated with the same Spirit becomes sweet and is transmuted into the Arcanum of Salt or Circulatum minus made of common Salt The second is in the fourteenth Kind where the aforesaid Oyl of Salt is left in its acid rather saline Essence The third which is taught in the present Kind agrees with the first except only that it is prepared not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but Philosophical Vinegar and so sooner than that and in use is stronger as a Mineral Menstruum Dissolve the Arcanum of Salt or Salt circulated in any Acid not tinging for example common Vinegar distill'd Spirit of Niter Sulphur Salt c. and it will produce the Eating Water by simple mixtion on the contrary if you weaken or take away the Acid of the Eating Water either by precipitating it with common Spirit of Wine common Water c. or digesting it by it self you will have the Arcanum of Salt or Water of Salt circulated That which has been said of common Salt is also to be understood of Niter Alume and all other Salts not tinging The Receipt of the Eating Water is clear of it self except that in the Latin Translation a Salis Nitri Spiritu is read amiss the German Authors own Writing having it a Sale communi Von gemeinen Saltz The Error it is requisite you should correct Menstruums of
this Kind are made not only of Mineral Salts not tinging but also of Vegetable Alcalies thus 83. The fixative Water of Trithemius Pag. 37. Aurei Veller Germ. TAke Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine described above in Numb 74. whereto add of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium half a Pound distil the Spirit throw away the Phlegm and dissolve the remaining Earth or Salt in the Spirit Keep the solution for the fixing of things but for volatilization the Salt of Tartar must be cohobated so oft till it ascends as the common Salt in the Eating Water Hereto is referred the Menstruum called 84. The Aqua Mirabilis of Isaacus Cap. 29. 2 Oper. Min. pag. 91. Manus Phil. TAke old Urine distil with a weak Fire then a stronger that whatsoever can may ascend rectifie the destillation taking away all the Fatness or Oyl till it leaves no Faeces behind it The Caput Mortuum left in the bottom calcine the space of two hours but without fusion of the Salt draw all the saltness from the calcined Matter with common Water evaporate the Liquor to a thin skin that the Salt may be Cristalized repeat sometimes that the Salt may be made most pure which dissolve in the distilled Urine Then take of this regenerated Urine six pounds of distilled Vinegar and Spirit of Philosophical Wine of each three measures of Common Salt two pounds of Sal Armoniack and calcined Tartar of each half a pound dissolve them all together into an Aqua Mirabilis The like Water almost hath Basilius but that he distils his through an Alembick the Description of which followeth 85. The Resuscitative Water of Basilius Pag. 81. Currus Triumphalis Antim TAke of the Salt of Mans Urine clarified and sublimed of Sal Armoniack and Salt of Tartar of each one part mix the Salts pour strong Philosophical Vinegar to them lute with lutum sapientioe digest the Salts for a Month in a continual heat then distil the Vinegar by Ashes till the Salts remain dry then mix them with three parts of Venetian Earth force them with a strong Fire through the Retort and you will have a wonderful Spirit for the making of Running Mercury out of Antimony The same Water we find also pag. 39. of his Manual Operations The Adepts have sometimes used some crude Oyley Matter instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine in making these Menstruums thus Paracelsus volatilized four Salts into a Menstruum of this Kind with Wax dissolved in Aqua fortis 86. The Water of Sallabrum of Paracels Libro de reductione Metallorum in Argentum vivum sive Tractatu 4. Rosarii novi Olympici Bened Figuli pag. 24. TAke notice there is no shorter Method of reducing Metals into Mercury known to us than that which we used in our Book de putrefactione quatuor Salium which we there called Sallabrum as thus each of those Salts as lower must be converted into a pure Water or Oyl per deliquium which being mixed in equal weight are called Lac Veterum or Milk of the Ancients Which Philosophical Milk put into a strong Receiver and distil the Spirits of calcined Vitriol calcined Alume and the best Niter ana five times upon it and the mixture will be called Flying Eagle carrying Metals in its Talons aloft such a Metal being sublim'd grind to powder from which draw the Spirit of strong Wine being poured to it the height of a Finger three or four times gently in Balneo and you will have a quick or running Metal as common Mercury Now the Eagle is made volatile thus To the Philosophers Milk acuated with the said Spirits or Eagle pour Wax being very well liquefied and purged about the thickness of a Finger distil the Phlegms together with the Spirits by a Cucurbit in Balneo which Matter must be cohobated so often till they are all coagulated or well mixed and you will have the Philosophers Borax which we wrote of in our Book de virtute Vitrioli wherein the Volatile Eagle absconded it self with its Feathers namely Spirits Now take the Calx of what Metal you please made of Aqua fortis one part of the Flying Eagle half a part mix putrefie nine days the longer the better then sublime the Matter upon Sand in a Cucurbit well luted and all the Metal you took will ascend wherewith proceed as before Sallabrum described in the Book mentioned de putrefactione quatuor Salium Take Sal Niter Sal Gemmoe common Salt Pot-Ashes an equal quantity of each dissolve every one by it self and purge it from all Terrestreity out of all being mixed together make a clear and transparent Water which again coagulate in a clean Vessel and you will find the Salt of another colour namely yellow penetrating and sweetning dissolving and fixing Love and esteem this Salt because there are many Secrets in it for it fixeth the Volatile and vivifieth the Spirit being dead and mollifieth the hard and friable and freeth from any Leprosie and Poyson sixeth Arsenick and moreover is the promoter of many famous works to a happy and desired End In the first place let us admonish you to beware of this and such like Menstruums for a Mystery lies in these Receipts which to observe is necessary lest you begin to doubt the Truth of them after many most dangerous Experiments tried in vain for you Beginners let this suffice that it is impossible for Wax or any other oyley Matter to supply the place of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine There would be no need of this Spirit in the whole Art if crude oyley things could perform the same as this most pure and most unctuous Liquor No man but he that is expert in the Method of preparing the Spirit of Philosophical Wine can make these Menstruums whereas all the rest may be made by any Ideot if he hath but the Spirit of this Wine given him The Adepts do in these Receipts both prepare and acuate this Spirit of Wine no wonder therefore that they either wholly omitted the Mystery or not sufficiently express'd it in their Compositions for which reason also these Menstruums do appertain to the preparation of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine rather than as all the rest to the Vse of this Spirit or compositions of these Menstruums nor should I have remembred them here had they not been detrimental to many men and that to my own knowledge The Name Sallabrum is given quasi Salis labrum or Salt-Cellar not that Salt is to be contained in this Vessel as Candelabrum or Candlestick is so called because Candles are set in it but rather because the Essence or Fire of some Metals or some Chymcial Light is either to be reserved or made in this Sallabrum as Alume is by Isaacus in Man Philosophor pag. 28. called Lucerna signifying a Lanthorn Concerning this Sallabrum Thomas Aquinas in Lilio Benedicto pag. 1085. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. Thus Adde labrum Salis quanta sit sexta duorum Conjunge poneque
several times dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and coagulated according to the Receipt in Numb 125 as Mercury is dissolved in the Water of Salt circulated in the Circulatum majus of Mercury This Vitriol being graduated in a close Vessel must be fixed into a most red Powder and being fixed then dissolved and coagulated in Philosophical Vinegar that it may again become volatile as Mercury being fixed in its own Circulatum is again made volatile by virtue of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine At last the Vitriol is to be Distilled into its Spirits Now by knowing the method it is manifest that the mystery of the Receipts consists in the Vinegar but to remove all scruple from these most excellent Menstruums we will prove by the very words of Isaacus himself that he meant not a common but Philosophical Menstruum Have not I taught you saith he how to draw all Metals through the Alembick so as to Distil wholly into Oyl leaving nothing but that alone does the strong Spirit of Vinegar and makes them Metals to be perfectly separated and rectified from their Feces within and without as I taught you and that the inside should be outward and the outside inward and then they are so resolved and subtil that the Elements cannot be separated one from another if you sought all the means in the world you would not be able to separate these Elements by reason of their subtility cleanness and resolution and when they have the subtil penetrating Vinegar with them they pass all together through the Alembick with the Vinegar but if you should put them to fire and any Spirit of Vinegar in sufficient quantity was present they the Metal and Vinegar would be forthwith fixed together and because the Vinegar is copiously in their clean open subtil Body they distil into Oyl and the Spirits of the Vinegar are fixed with the Body Now you must know thdt the Spirit of Vinegar is more Subtil than all things in the World yea a thousand times more subtil than the Quintessence of Aqua Vitae it cannot be contained in any Vessels but it is easily half fixed and therefore it easily fixeth the thing to which it is applied as it is demonstrated in the Vegetable Work where the Discourse is of Wine and the Nature of it where you will be sufficiently instructed what Vinegar is and the Spirit of it how all things are dissolved and ascend Cap. 77. 78. 2. Oper. Miner Pag. 477. Vol. 3. Theat Chym. You must know saith he elsewhere this is the greatest Secret in this Art for the middle parts of Vinegar are of so great Virtue as to be incredible by reason of their great Subtility for every thing they are mixed with becomes exceeding subtil and penetrable wherefore they make the Philosophers Stone a thousand times more subtil than it was before and more penetrable and the subtil parts mix themselves with the Stone for they are of one Nature and are both clean and subtil and are mixed together as Water with Water and it is a Medicine of that Nature as to make every thing fixed which it is mixed with and of its own Nature wherein it is and thus are the subtil parts of Philosophical Vinegar fixed in the Philosophical Stone and are made of one Nature with the Stone and they make the Stone as fusible as an Artist can wish as he oftentimes dissolves the Stone in Vinegar and congeals it for as many or few Spirits remain in the Stone the more fusible is the Medicine Wherefore I have taught my Son how to make his Stone so fusible as thereby to bring Mercury to Sol and Luna and it is a great Secret known to few peruse this Lecture diligently what vertue there is in Vinegar and what with the middle matter of Vinegar may be made Cap. 51. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 337. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. That Vinegar which is a thousand times more subtil than the Quintessence of Aqua Vitae or Spirit of Philosophical Wine The Spirits of which makes the Philosophers Stone a thousand times more Subtil That is of one Nature with it and fixeth every thing it is mixed with you your selves will say is no common Menstruum but another of more excellent quality Isaacus moreover dissolves and coagulates the Stone in this Vinegar so oft till it is converted into Oyl which will be no more congealed Cap. 51 59 107. of the same Book With the same Vinegar also he made Metals fat and transmuted them into Oyls thus he dissolved and coagulated Gold so often continually in New Vinegar till an Oyl was made thereof as red as blood as Cap. 54. of the same Book Sometimes also he did with the same Vinegar reduce Gold to the consistence of an excellent White Oyl out of which he then distilled a White Spirit and a Red Oyl apart and not immixible together so subtil as that he advised the Artist to have a care lest these Oyls should condense again by too much Rectification for then being forced with too strong a Fire the greatest part of them would by reason of their great Subtility penetrate the Glass and so be lost Cap. 126 128 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 406. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. Who can expect such and so great things from Common Vinegar The same Vinegar that dissolved the fix'd Metal Gold and divided it into Spirit and Oyl the Constitutives of the Stone out of Sol alone the same also is required to dissolve fixed Vitriol and distil it into Spirit and Oyl the constitutives of the Stone out of Vitriol alone of the making of which in the Third Book of Alchymical Tinctures That this Oyl of Vitriol shews light by night affirms Trismosinus who hath described the said Oyl thus 127. The Oyl of Vitriol shining by Night of Trismosinus Libro Gangeniveron sive novem Tincturarum in Tinctura prima TAke of the best Hungarian Vitriol twelve pounds grind and dissolve it in pure clean Water or Rain Water distilled let the Feces settle decant the Solution into a Glass Dish placed in a Brass Bason full of Sand put the said Bason in Balneo and draw off the Water to a thin skin let it cool and stand three days in a cold place and in the mean time you will find green Stones which take out the remainder draw off again to a thin skin and let it Cristallize and this seven times repeat put the Stones in a Stove of the same heat as the Sun in Dog-days and in such a heat they will turn into a White Powder The Vitriol being thus prepared put it in a Cucurbit with a long neck well Sealed in Ashes under which put a Lamp so as that the heat exceed not the Sun in March thus leave it till the Vitriol begins to be yellow being yellow the Fire of the Lamp increase one Degree and thus leave it ten days and nights or till it begins to be red then again increase the Fire in the Lamp another Degree and
desired Oyls may be drawn from them the reason why Vitriols alone made of Copper should be deprived of the said Priviledge cannot easily be apprehended It matters not whether Vitriol be graduated according to the method given in Numb 113. or according to the prescription of the present Receipt for the same Spirit and Oyl is produced either way Now this Oyl of Venus being made and diluted in common Water Iron is reduced into graduated Vitriol which must like the Vitriol of Venus be also calcined into a Red Colour and then distilled tnto a White Spirit and Red Oyl The Method of this Process is in Libro particul in particulari Martis thus Take off the Red Oyl of Vitriol one part of Spring-water two parts mix wherein dissolve the Filings of Steel filter the Solution warm then evaporate it gently to the comsumption of a third part and in a cold place you shall find Cristals sweet as Sugar the true that is graduated Vitriol of Mars from which decant the Solution then draw it off a little and in a cold place you will have New Cristals which gently calcine under a Tyle stirring them continually with an Iron Spatula into a Powder of a Purple Colour to which pour Philosophical distil'd Vinegar extract the Soul Tincture or Essence of Mars draw off the Vinegar and edulcorate the Soul This is that Soul of Mars which being dissolved in the Spirit of Mercury and united with the Soul of Sol tingeth Luna into Sol. But of these below The Vitriol of Mars being graduated and calcined into a Purple Powder in our Receipt is without the extraction of its Soul distilled into the Philosophers Mercury and Philosophical Sulphur the true Oyl of Mars and Venus the Menstruum next fore-going in Numb 131. Out of which to make the present Spirit of Mercury the Salt must be extracted out of the Caput mortuum with Philosophical Vinegar which Salt being mix'd with the Oyl of Mars and Venus and distil'd together through an Alembick is call'd the first Matter of Metals Basilius sometimes used the Salt and Sulphur of Sol instead of the said Salt extracted out of the Caput mortuum Thus 133 The Oyl of Mars and Venus acuated with the Sulphur and Salt of Sol of Basilius In Supplemento TAke of the Purple Coloured Gold the Crocus of Sol des Konings Purpur Mantel half an ounce of the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury the Oyl of Mars and Venus one ounce and half dissolve to which add of the Salt of Sol two drachms all being resolved into an Oyl rectifie it by a Retort that it may be clear and pellucid For the Spirit of Universal Mercury Basilius took Copper dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and cristallized into graduated Vitriol and with gentle calcination reduced it into the true Crocus or Red Powder of Venus But the Iron he dissolved in the Oyl of Venus distilled out of the said Crocus of Venus cristallized and calcined into the Crocus of Mars For the present Menstruum he requireth Gold dissolved in Balneo Regis described in Numb 89. and reduced into a volatile graduated Vitriol which then being dissolved in Distil'd Water he precipitates with three times as much of Argent Vive out of the Menstruum but the amalgame from thence produced he gently calcines under a Tyle into a Purple Powder or Crocus as to the making of which here only by the by but in the following second and third Books we shall treat more fully of it The way of making the Salt of Sol he has thus in Libro particul in particulari Solis described Take the White Body of Sol left in the extracting of its Soul the Essence extracted out of the Crocus of Sol with the sweet Spirit of Salt described in Numb 28. reverberate it gently for half an hour that it may be made corporal then pour to it the Corrosive Water of Honey well rectified which in a gentle heat will extract the Salt in the space of ten days All the Salt being extracted draw off the Menstruum from it in Balneo edulcorate the Salt by repeating Cohobations in common Distilled Water and lastly Clarify it with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and you will have the Salt of Gold Concerning this Water of Honey Basilius in Curra triumphali Antimonii Pag. 77. thus Out of sweet Honey may be made the strongest Corrosive and Poyson which is to most men a thing incredible The same affirms Paracelsus saying The like is to be understood in Honey which by its elevations is made much sharper than any Aqua Fortis and Corrosive and more penetrative than any Sublimate such a property of sharpness it hath not Naturally but by elevation which changeth this Honey into a Corrosive Libro 5. Archid. Pag. 18. and elsewhere Cap. 14. de Morbis Tartar Pag. 319. Honey of it self is innocent but in the third elevation becomes mortal The way of making this Water is not indeed in the Writings which we have either of Basilius or Paracelsus yet easily will a diligent Disciple learn the same by the Principles of his Art for either the Coelum Mellifluum of Parisinus must be dissolved in distilled Vinegar or some stronger acid or crude Honey cohobated in Philosophical Vinegar that is common mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine and the Process will be shorter and better But this Salt of Gold may be also made without the said Water of Honey provided the Menstruum be so corrosive as to dissolve the remaining Body of the Gold thus in Labore tertio Revelat. he reverberates the Caput mortuum of Gold the space of three days then calcines it with an equal weight of the Salt of Tartar which he washeth off with Distilled Water and extracts the Salt out of the dried Powder with Vinegar which drawing off the Vinegar he clarifies with the Spirit of Wine that is he dissolves filters draws off and cristallizeth it into the true Salt of Sol. In another place he extracts the Salt of Gold by the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury as in Elucidatione 12. Clavium where he affirms that the Philosophers Stone cannot be coagulated or fixed without this Salt and that he hath taught the way of making it in the fourth Key By the Philosophers Oyl of Mercury he means the Oyl of Mars and Venus not yet reduced into the Spirit of Vniversal Mercury or acuated with its own Salt and the more fixed part indeed of this Menstruum which he calls the Philosophers Sulphur not the more volatile part which is call'd the Philosophers Mercury With this Sulphur he dissolves the Soul or Crocus of Sol and converts it into potable Gold Libro de supernaturali Medicina Yet sometimes he would have us take the same Oyl of Mercury for the Oyl of Roman Vitriol the Menstruum described in Numb 98. So in Libro de particular in particulari Solis he reduceth the white Body of the King Gold left in the extraction of the Soul or Crocus
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
Salt of Tartar till it ascend by distillation in the Form of a Milky Liquor It is thus done 22. The Tartarised Spirit of Wine of Basilius In manal Operation THe first thing to be known is that the Philosophers Tartar wherewith the Lock is opened is not like common Tartar as most Men imagine but is another Salt though springing from the same Fountain This Salt is the only Key to open and dissolve Metals if prepared as followeth Take the Ashes of a fruitful Wine and draw a Lee or Lixivium as strong as may be out of them with hot Water which evaporate by boyling it to a driness that the matter may remain reddish which reverberate in a reverberating Furnace three days or thereabouts with an open Fire till it become white then dissolve it in spring-Spring-Water suffer it to settle decant the clear filter to separate the Faeces being filtred coagulate and you will have the white Salt of Tartar from which the true Spirit is distilled after this manner Take Spirit of Wine rectifi'd to the highest degree and altogether void of Phlegm described in Numb 19. and pour it to the Salt of Tartar in a Phial with a long Neck so as to be three Fingers above it lute an Alembick to the Phial fit a Receiver to it and digest with a gentle heat then draw off the Phlegm most softly and the Spirit of Tartar is opened by Virtue of the Spirit of Wine and by reason of reciprocal and admirable love they both ascend together the Faeces remaining if any be as also the Phlegm must be cast away thus will you have the true Spirit of Wine wherewith Aurum potabile is made This truly is a most Noble Menstruum so as for its excellency to deserve a higher Place than this among the Simple Vegetable Menstruums whereas it ought to have been more rightly transferred to the seventh Kind of Menstruums but it very much at present Illustrating the Menstruums of Basilius and so of greater utility here than there we will not remove it from hence yet will we add some examples more clear of such sort of Menstuums Thus it is done 23. The Vegetable Acetum acerrimum or Ignis Adepti of Ripley made of Tartar calcined Pag. 331. Concord Raym. Guid. TAke the Tartar of Wine and calcine it to whiteness Take of this calcined Tartar one Pound and being pulverized put it in a great Glass Cucurbit and pour to it half a Cup or a little more of the strongest Spirit of Philosophical Wine stop the Mouth very close and let them stand in cold Water twenty four Hours then put a Receiver to it and distil in Balneo with an easie Fire yet so as to be distilled which easie distillation must be continued till the Phlegm ascend which must be known by the taste then let it cool and again put new Spirit of Wine to the aforesaid Tartar the same quantity as before doing all things as before which work you must repeat fifteen times but when the Vessel is opened in every Imbibition above all things have a care of the suddain fume of this Ignis Adepti This work being in fifteen times compleat lay aside three ounces of this fiered Tartar for a part to multiply the Mercurial Oyl as lower will appear Take the other part of this fiered Tartar and distil it in Sand with a most strong Fire which Fire being so distilled hath a white Colour and is our Natura ignita our Mercury our Aqua Vitoe lastly the Key of our Science This Menstruum is the same as to the Ingredients and Virtue with the Vegetable Heaven of Lully but it must be Circulated like that Heaven in order to lose its milky and duskish Colour and acquire the diaphaneity and clearness of this This Receipt hath also Johannes de Rupescissa which it is convenient to compare with this especially he varying somewhat in Circumstances by dissolving per deliquium Tartar impregnated with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine before the distillation of it 24. The Aqua Fortissima and Vertuosa of Johannes de Rupescissa Cap. 43. Lib. Essentiae THe most Blessed God the Creator of Secrets hath made so many wonderful things in Nature that neither can our Understanding perceive some few excepted nor Tongue express the wonderful things of God without stammering and among the Secrets I will reveal to you a Water of Divine Action and the Magistery of it is to take the best white Tartar calcined and put it in an Earthen or Glass Vessel and pour to it the best Philosophical Aqua Ardens you can get put on an Alembick and distil the Aqua Ardens very weak then take it away being little or nothing worth except for washing of the Eyes or other parts Then take you Tartar and you will find it twice as strong and this you may prove each time by your Tongue put other Aqua Ardens to it again many times more because it will be every time strengthned above measure and you may bring it to so great a degree of strength that no created action can be compared to it But if you would make it a hundred times stronger grind it and put it upon a Porphyry or Marble to be converted into Water which then must be distilled through an Alembick There is yet another way of preparing this Vegetable Heaven not by sublimation of the Alcali nor cohobation but simple Circulation namely by digesting the Alcali of Tartar in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine till it swims upon the Spirit of Wine like an Ovl. It is thus done 25. Vegetable Mercury acuated with the Salt of Tartar of Lully In Prima Camera Individuorum dist 3. Lib. Essen IN the first Chamber is signified that our Mercury is in the power of H crude Tartar and in order to draw it out the Artist must put the said H into E that is in a Glass-Makers Furnace three Natural Days and there must be a great quantity of it because but little will be made from thence which H Tartar now calcined you must grind subtilly and put it into H of Arboris Philosophical into dissolution per deliquium upon a Marble in a very cold place and covered because of dust and H will be converted into T oleum per deliquium which T must the Artist distil through a Filtre in a Glass Vessel and the Artist having separated T from H will be able to extract our Mercury out of the said T two ways First by the Magistery of the Chapter beginning Non reputes me c. by Circulation like the Essence or Spirit of Wine of Lully Secondly by the Magistery of the Chapter Non proetermittam by the separation of the Elements of which not in this place Lully sometimes used the Salt of Tartar depurated instead of the Oyl of Tartar per deliquium as in the First Experiment You have saith be another sign more certain of the purification of this Individual the Salt of Tartar namely when this most precious Salt
Menstruum of Guido for Precious Stones Pag. 92. Thesauri Chym. TAke of the Vegetable Menstruum acuated described in the Seventh Kind in Numb 38. or Numb 39. four parts of the Oyl of the Mercury of Sol or Luna one part mix He elsewhere pag. 84. describes the Oyl of the Mercury of Metals thus Take of the Mercury of Sol a Description of which we shall have lower in the third Book three Pounds of the red Lyon Gold sublimed of the preparation of which in its place in the second Book twelve Ounces or equal weight mix very well put it in a Cucurbit with its Alembick lute well and increasing the Fire by degrees sublime and the Mercury will ascend partly quick partly in the form of a wâ—â—â—e or Ash-Colour'd Sublimate and about the lower part of the Glass of a citrine Colour mix the quick Mercury again with the Sublimate and again sublime and that so oft till all the Mercury is sublimed which being so sublimed put into Phials of a large bottom and in every one eight Ounces to putrify in Balneo six weeks and then six weeks in Balneo rorido and the sublimed Mercury of Sol will be resolved into a black Oyl which rectify through an Alembick first with a weak Fire then a stronger lastly most strong so will you have the Oyl of the Mercury of Sol. But besides Mercury that open Metal Menstruums of this Kind may be also made of the other Metals though more compact an Example of which we have in the Lunar Menstruum of Lully 48. The Lunar Menstruum of Lully In Experimento 24. TAke common Mercury and wash it with Vinegar when the terrestreity of it is taken away let it run through a Goats Skin then put it into those your Vessels of which you had a Form before in Numb 46. put the Mercury in those Vessels and distil with repetition till it turns all into Water as I taught you above then take four Ounces of this Mercurial Water and therein dissolve one Ounce of the Vegetable Mercury of the second Experiment Salt of Tartar sublimed or Vegetable Sal Armoniack made of the Salt of Tartar pass it through an Alembick together with the aforesaid Mercurial Water then in every four Ounces of the Water dissolve one Ounce of Mercury as before prepared that is Vegetable putrify eight days then distil by Ashes increase the Fire at last that so it may pass into that which was distilled in which dissolve half an Ounce of Silver cupellated then putrify three Days then distil in Ashes and lastly increase the Fire a little that all the clearness or whiteness of the Luna may go over by an airy resolution in this distillation He extracts not the whole Silver but the more Volatile part of it called in the ways of making Sal Armoniack animated Spirit by the Menstruum of three Vessels already described in Numb 26. with the Description of it there declared you may explain those things which are more obscure in the present Receipt He sometimes joyns the animated Spirit of Luna and the animated Spirit of Sol together and by circulation reduceth them into an admirable Menstruum after this manner 49. The Circulatum majus or Acetum acerrimum of Lully In Experimento 25. TAke the simple Vegetable Menstruum of three individuals described before in Numb 26. then take Luna calcine it with Mercury then take principal care to remove all the Mercury from the calcined Luna and the same way calcine Sol with Mercury then let all the Mercury be taken wholly from it these two Bodies put into Glass Dishes each by it self apart and to them each by it self apart pour clarifyed Honey mixing the Calxes of the two Bodies very well with the Honey upon Ashes so as to boyl then take the Honey from the Calxes by washing them in hot distilled Water and the Calxes will remain in the bottom of the Vessel then mix the Calxes with the Honey again boyling as before and mixing with a Spoon as before and thus repeat your Work three times as well in the Calx of Luna as Sol Then take these two Bodies being calcined and washed and put them into a Vessel of solution severally and pour upon them of the former coelificated Menstruum of the three individuals so much as will swim three Fingers above it cover the Vessel with a blind Head luting the Joynts well with wax gummed that it may no way respire set it in Balneo for a Natural Day so as to boyl gently then for two other Days put it upon Ashes and let it boyl gently as before then empty that part of Sol which was dissolved into another Vessel by it self which solution will be of a yellow Colour So also take out the dissolution of Luna by it self apart and pour it into another Vessel each of which dissolutions keep in each Vessel as before in Balneo but the dissolution of Luna will be of a Sea or Green Colour the undissolved Earth as well of Sol as Luna dry upon Ashes Which done pour again to each of the new circulated Menstruums and the Vessel being covered with a blind Head as before set it in Balneo and make it boyl gently as before and continue the same boyling upon Ashes lastly decant the dissolution of each Body as before into its Vessel wherein the other dissolutions above were kept by themselves apart But this Magistery you must repeat till all the Sol and all the Luna are dissolved these dissolutions putrify by themselves apart the space of forty Days after putrefaction put the dissolutions severally into two Urinals with Alembicks and Receivers stopp'd and the Joynts being well luted distil first the whole Menstruum in Balneo but the Bodies will remain in the form of an Oyl then again pour upon them so much of their Water lately distill'd as to swim three Fingers above the Matter cover the Vessel with a blind Head and putrify twenty four Hours then take away the blind Head and put on an Alembick with a Receiver and luting the Joynts distil with a gentle Fire in Ashes lastly increase the Fire somewhat that the air the animated Spirit may pass over into the Water last of all likewise force it with a stronger degree of heat till the Fire the Soul being more viscous ascends over into the air the Vessels being cold pour again the new reserved Water to the remaining Matter the animated Spirit of each Body being first luted in its Receiver to prevent respiring cover the Urinal again with a Hâ—nd Head putrifying as before and lastly distil in Ashes as before last of all as before increase the Fire thus repeat the Magistery till both the Bodies of Sol and Luna are by an airy revolution transmitted severally through the Alembick But if these Bodies will not entirely come over by distillation a little indeed will remain which keep for the rest of the Experiments then take the animated Spirit of Sol rectify it
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
again as before putrifying in a close Vessel in Balneo then upon Ashes and emptying the several dissolutions of Gold and Silver into their several Vessels as before If any thing remains undissolved dry and dissolve as before till all the remainder be fully dissolved then putrifie both dissolutions twenty Natural Days being putrifyed take the dissolutions and put them severally into their Urinals with their Receivers and having luted the Joynts well distil the Waters of both Metals in Balneo in the bottom of the Vessels will remain the Bodies like melted Honey or Oyl pour upon those Oyls again of their own Waters The Menstruum now drawn from the Oyls distilled only by Balneo so as to swim three Fingers above the Matter cover both Vessels with their Antenotoriums and putrifie for a Natural Day then take away the Antenotoriums and put on Alembicks lute well and distil upon Ashes lastly increase the Fire that the Soul or Element of Air may pass over into both their distilled Waters and last of all increase the Fire to the highest degree that the Element of Fire may pass into the Air But to the Composition of Luna this Redness or Fire is not necessary Distillation being compleated let the Vessels cool take the Receivers from them and keep them very well stopp'd that they may not respire and put distinct Schedules or Inscriptions upon them that when you have occasion you may not take one for the other Then again to the Earths of Gold and Silver left in distillation pour their Waters distilled by Balneo as before and having put an Antenotorium to it putrifie as before then distil by Ashes each Vessel having its own Receiver wherein you kept the Souls of those Bodies and thus repeat the Magistery till the Earths are exanimated and destitute of radical moisture Then take those Earths grind well and joyn them together then put them in a Glass Egg and keep them in hot Ashes till I tell you what to do with them Then take the animated Spirit of Luna and rectifie it seven times in Ashes then take the animated Spirit of Sol and after the same manner rectifie it seven times in Ashes the limosities remaining Earth which the Spirit of Sol will in every rectification eject keep very close being the Element of Fire in the form of an Earth Having rectifyed take the animated Spirit of Sol and the animated Spirit of Luna and joyn them together then Circulate in a large Vessel as that wherein we Circulated the simple Menstruum continue this Circulation sixty Days in which time you will have a true Mineral Menstruum not acid but made of Minerals as Mercury Gold and Silver by which you may operate innumerable Experiments Hereto ought to be referred the Menstruum which is called by Basilius 55. The sweet Spirit of Mercury of Basilius Cap. 3. Libri de rebus nat supernat TAke of Natural Cinabar or Oar of Mercury and of the best Oar of Gold equal parts to which being pulverized and mixed pour the Oyl of Mercury made of Mercury sublimed and putrifyed that is Oyl of Mercury sublimed alone no other Ingredients being added except the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or some Vegetable Menstruum without which it cannot be made digest them for a Month and you will have a Celestial rather than Terrestrial extraction draw off the extraction in Balneo and the Phlegm being taken away in the bottom will remain a ponderous Oyl dissolving all Metals in a moment to which add of the Spirit of Wine Philosophical or Fiery Spirit of Wine of Basilius three parts Circulate in a Pellican to a Blood redness and incomparable sweetness being Circulated pour it upon Tartar calcined to whiteness and distil the Spirit of Mercury with a strong Fire the Spirit of Wine remaining with the Tartar We must distinguish between this Spirit and another of the same Name lest one be taken for the other For Basilius prepared also a Spirit of Mercury from the white Spirit of Vitriol of which you may read in several places in the Book de particularibus especially in the particular of Luna a Description of which Spirit is lower among the Mineral Menstruums because it is acid But the other namely this our Spirit of Mercury is most sweet and fragrant which you have also in the particular of Luna as also in the seventh Chapter of the Book de rebus nat supernat where he dissolves the Crocus of Luna in the white Spirit of Vitriol as also in the most fragrant Spirit of Mercury Parisinus for Alchymical Tinctures made a Mercurial compounded Menstruum of his Circulatum majus and the first or middle substance of common Argent vive thus 56. The incalcinated Menstruum of Parisinus Cap. G. Apertoris TAke of the Circulatum majus described before in Numb 50. one Pound of Mercury prepared as we shall teach in the tenth Chapter two Ounces mix and observe that true putrefaction be made with this Menstruum But when first it is incalcinated that is mix'd with such Mercury it is no more used for Men's Bodies but only as Medicines for Metals now the said tenth Chapter is this as followeth Of reducing common Mercury into the first Matter or Middle Substance Now my Son we will give you full instruction and demonstration of decocting and reducing common Argent vive into its first Matter or middle substance and as in the foregoing Chapters we declared the way of reincrudating the two Luminaries so now we will demonstrate the ways and means of decocting the said Mercury First we will teach the way of distinguishing good Mercury from bad sophisticated and corrupted which way is to take common Mercury brought out of Spain in Skins sealed or if you cannot have this take any other and put a little of it in a Silver Spoon heated so as to make the Mercury evaporate and if the remainder of it be of a white or citrine Colour 't is good but if of another Colour bad and not at all sit for our Work because sophisticated Then take of Roman Vitriol two Pounds melt it in a glazed Vessel being melted add one pound of Mercury and as much of common Salt prepared stir and shake till they be all mix'd evaporating the moisture with such a heat as that of the Sun then take out the Matter grind and put it in a Sublimatory and sublime the Mercury by the usual degrees of Fire The Vessels being cold take out the sublimation to which being put into a Retort pour of the Vegetable Water without Phlegm Philosophical Aqua Vitoe rectify'd about three or four Fingers let it boyl in Balneo two Hours then distil in Ashes that the Vegetable Water may ascend then cover the Retort with Ashes and increasing the Fire the Mercury vive will ascend into the Aqua ardens decant the Water from the Mercury which again sublime with new Matters and that six times always casting away the Faeces But take notice that
upon it and shake it very often every Day for a Month a Week then separate the Vinegar by a Filtre and take only that which is clear without Faeces and put it in Balneo to distil and after the separation of the Vinegar you will find at the bottom of the Vessel a white or sky-Coloured Water which take and being put in a Bladder five double to keep out the Water dissolve it in Balneo into a cristalline Water put that Water in a Distillatory and if you will separate the Elements from it or distil the dissolved Water which rectifie in a Circulatory and the Earth which remained in the bottom in the distillation calcine till it grows like a Sponge and then is it very sit to reassume its Mercury separated from it that a new Generation may be made and a Son brought forth which is called King of Fire and which is so great in the Love of all the Philosophers Cap. 17. Philos Pag. 220. Of this Work Ripley made mention Cap. 4. of the same Book Pag. 194. Saying There is moreover another Work in Gum produced by Vinegar from red Saturn out of which is the separation of the Elements made after it is dissolved in Bladders The Menstruums of Gum Adrop which way soever made were called stinking Menstruums because of the stinking smell This Water saith Ripley hath a most sharp taste and partly also a stinking smell and therefore is called stinking Menstruum Assa foetida also is so called from the smell which our Mercury hath when it is newly extracted out of its polluted Body because that smell is like Assa foetida according to the Philosopher who saith That stink is worst before the preparation of this Water which after the circulating of it into a Quintessence and good preparation it is pleasant and very delectable and becomes a Medicine against the Leprosie and all other Diseases without which Gold vive you can never make the true potable Gold which is the Elixir of Life and Metals Adrop Phil. Pag. 548. Volum 6. Theat Chym. These Menstruums they called White Fume because of their white and opake Colour It is also called White Fume saith Ripley nor without cause for in distillation a white fume goeth out first before the red Tincture which ascending into the Alembick makes the Glass white as Milk from whence it is also called Lac Virginis or Virgins Milk In the same place Out of the red Fume or red Tincture otherwise call'd the Blood of the Green Lyon the Adepts did by rectification alone prepare two Mercuries namely red and white Upon this occasion saith Ripley I will teach you a general Rule If you would make the white Elixir you must of necessity divide your Tincture the Blood of the Green Lyon into two parts whereof one must be kept for the red Work but the other distill'd with a gentle Fire and you will obtain a white Water which is our white Tincture our Eagle our Mercury and Virgins Milk When you have these two Tinctures or the white and red Mercury you will be able to practise upon their own Earth or upon the Calx of Metals for the Philosophers say we need not care what substance the Earth is of c. Adr. Phil. p. 554. Vol. 6. Theat Chy. Roger Bacon made a two-fold Mercury thus 64. The Green Lyon of Roger Bacon A Raymundo Ganfrido in verbo abbreviato de Leone Viridi Pag. 264. Thesauri Chymici Baconis THe abbreviated most true and approved Word of hidden things being manifested I have in a short Discourse abreviated to you in the Work of Luna and Sol in the first place earnestly requiring the Readers not to expose so Noble a Pearl to be trodden upon by Dogs or Swine for this is the Secret of all the Philosophers Secrets the Garden of Delights Spices and all Treasures into which he that hath once entred will want no more Now that Word not without cause desired by many Men was first declared by our eminent Doctor Roger Bacon afterwards J. Fryer Raymund Jeffery Minister General of the Order of the Fryers Minors took care to explain the Word with as much brevity as I could to the Sons of Philosophy In the Name of Christ then take a great quantity of the strongest Vinegar diligently distilled through an Alembick in which dissolve a good quantity of the Green Lyon being dissolved distil through a Filtre and keep it in Glass Cucurbits well stopp'd If any remarkable part of the Lyon remains undissolved dissolve it with the aforesaid Vinegar and distil through a Filtre and being dissolved joyn it with the other Waters before reserved in the Cucurbits then take the reserved Waters dissolutions and distil them all in Balneo Marioe applying Alembicks to them well luted that the Cucurbits may not respire put Fire under and receive all the Waters which will be distilled but have a care that the dissolved Lyon be not altogether congealed in the Cucurbits but that it may remain liquid or soft then take all the Cucurbits and put all that is in them into one Cucurbit which lute well with its Alembick and put it in a Furnace of Ashes as is fitting and put a gentle Fire under because of the temper of the Glass and because of the Heterogeneous moisture which is in the Lyon to be rooted out And take notice that must be always done with a gentle Fire but when the Heterogeneous moisture is gone over strengthen the Fire by little and little and have an Eye continually to the Beak of the Alembick if a red Liquor begins to go over but if it does not yet go over continue the aforesaid Fire till it doth but when you see the red Liquor distil change the Receiver forthwith and lute it well to the Beak of the Alembick and then strengthen the Fire and you will have the Blood of the Lyon exceeding red containing the four Elements very odoriferous and fragrant after due putrefaction keep it therefore in a good Phial well stopp'd Then take the Blood and put it in a Phial close stopp'd to putrefie and digest in hot Dung changing the Dung every five Days there to be digested for the space of fifteen or sixteen Days and this is done that the Elementary parts may be dissolved and be fitter to be divided into the four Elements and that by distillation being putrify'd fifteen or sixteen Days take it out and put it into a sit Cucurbit to be distilled with a gentle Fire in Balneo Marioe but it is enough for the Water to boyl with the Fire take the Water distilled and the Faeces which you find at the bottom of the Cucurbit keep carefully the Water which you distilled distil seven times always reserving the Faeces which it makes with the other Faeces reserved before and so you will have a splendid Water clear and white as Cristal and very ponderous which is said to be the Philosophers Mercury hidden by all the Philosophers and
cleansed and purified from all its superfluities most choice and most pretious keep it therefore warily and wisely in a Phial well stopp'd Then take all the Faeces of the Mercury as I have said before reserved grind them well on a Marble with the Phlegm of distill'd Vinegar dry them in the Sun and grind again from time to time imbibing them with the Water of distill'd Vinegar upon the Marble and drying in the Sun and repeat the operations of grinding imbibing and drying till all the blackness and superfluity is driven out of the Faeces which you will know thus If the Faeces be red or reddish or citrine by the aforesaid imbibitions and ablutions then it is well done but if they be yet black repeat the contritions imbibitions and desiccations till you have the sign aforesaid and then keep them Then take a Glass Cucurbit wherein put the aforesaid Faeces above prepared with a good quantity of distill'd Vinegar and set it in a Furnace that is in Balneo Marioe put Fire under and continue it in course till the Faeces aforesaid be throughly dissolved by Virtue of the Vinegar and Fire and being well dissolved take the Cucurbit from the Fire and distil them through a Filtre as is fitting all that Water dissolution of the Foeces being thus distilled filtred put it in a new Cucurbit well stopp'd but if any considerable part remains in the Filtre to be dissolved take that part and set it again upon the Fire as you did the first Faeces in Balneo Marioe till it be dissolved that you may dissolve those Faeces which remained with the Vinegar as you dissolved the first Faeces in Balneo with Vinegar in a Cucurbit then distil through a Filtre as before and put it with the other Water distill'd before which you reserved then take that new Cucurbit in which you put the aforesaid Faeces dissolved and distilled before and lute it well with its Alembick set it on a Furnace in Balneo give Fire and distil as is fitting but have a care that the Faeces be not throughly dryed but let them be moist or liquid Then take down the Cucurbit from the Furnace put it upon Ashes sifted and well press'd and give it a gentle Fire for the tempering of the Glass and extracting the Heterogeneous moisture which it hath from the Vinegar and see often to the Beak of the Alembick if a Golden or Ruddy Liquor distills if not continue the Fire till it does being distilled presently change the Glass being very clean and lute it very well to the Beak of the Alembick then strengthen the Fire receive the Ruddy Oyl and thus continue the Fire till all the Liquor be distill'd and save the Faeces because they are the Fire but the Oyl aforesaid the Philosophers us'd to call their occult Sulphur which you must rectifie thus put it again in a Cucurbit put on an Alembick well luted then set it on a Furnace in Ashes administer a gentle Fire till it distils receive the Liquor which distills in a Bottle well stopp'd with the Beak of the Alembick and the remaining Faeces save because they are the Fire joyn that Fire with the other Fire reserv'd and so putrefie by distilling it seven times and reserving the Faeces it makes as I said before and so you will have your Air or Sulphur well depurated clear bright and perfectly purified and of a Gold Colour c. The Blood of the Green Lyon being Fifteen Days putrify'd Bacon cohobated Seven times by Balneo into a clear and ponderous Water which he call'd the Philosophers Mercury out of the Foeces left in the rectifications of this Mercury dissolved in distilled Vinegar he made a new Gum out of which he then distilled a Golden Liquor or ruddy Oyl which after the Seventh rectification he would have be the Philosophers Air or Sulphur well depurated clear and bright But Ripley used two ways in rectifying the stinking Menstruum or Green Lyon for either he divided the fresh Blood of the Green Lyon into two parts distilling only one half the distilled part he called white Mercury white Tincture Virgins-milk c. The other remaining part he calls the red Mercury red Tincture c. as it may be seen in his Book called Adrop Phil. in the place before alleadged or putrify'd the whole Menstruum the Blood together with the white Fume the space of Fourteen Days which after that he divided into three Substances a burning Water a Water thick and white and an Oyl of which at length he made a Vegetable Menstruum which is described by Lully in Potestate Divitiarum and by Ripley above in Numb 35. in his Vade Mecum Concerning these three Substances of the stinking Menstruum Ripley hath these following Sayings in his Book named Terra Terrae Philosoph pag. 319. where thus When therefore you have extracted all the Mercury out of the Gum know that in this Mercury are contained three Liquors whereof the first is a burning Aqua vitae which is extracted by a most temperate Balneo This Water being kindled flames immediatly as common Aqua vitae and is called our attractive Mercury with which is made a Cristalline Earth with all Metallick Calxes also of which I will say no more because in this Operation we want it not After that there follows another Water thick and white as Milk in a small quantity which is the Sperm of our Stone sought by many men for the Sperm is the Original of men and all living Creatures whereupon we do not undeservedly call it our Mercury because it is found in all things and all places for without it no man whatsoever lives and therefore it is said to be in every thing This Liquor which now you ought to esteem most dear is that Mercury which we call Vegetable Mineral and Animal our Argent vivo and Virgins-milk and our permanent Water VVith this Mercurial Water we wash away the Original Sin and pollution of our Earth till it becomes white as Gum soon slowing but after the distillation of this aforesaid VVater will appear an Oyl by a strong Fire with this Oyl we take a red Gum which is our Tincture and our Sulphur vive which is otherwise called the Soul of Saturn and Living Gold our pretious Tincture and our most beloved Gold of which never man spoke so plainly God forgive me therefore if I have any way offended him being constrained to gratifie your will Some great Mystery of Art is here discovered by Ripley for the revealing of which he fears the displeasure of not only the Adepts but of God himself Lully and others have indeed plainly enough declared to their Disciples though perhaps it may not appear to us being less instructed in the matter what our Green Lyon is what common Mercury more common to us than common Argent vive what the Azoquean Vitriol is and the Menstruum made thereof but Ripley affirms that no man ever spoke so plainly of
and do appertain not to this but to another Kind 3. That these Menstruums are by further digestion or cohobation made sweet and transmuted into volatile Arcanums less Circulatums or Simple Vegetable Menstruums of the Fifth Kind 4. That these Menstruums do dissolve Metals into Powder for the extraction of the Crocus or Sulphur of Metals and Minerals The way we will borrow from Ripley in the Vse of Stinking Menstruums Let us saith he proceed Pag. 145. Medul Phil. Chym. to practise upon the Calx of a Metallick Body duly calcined The Body therefore being prepared pour upon it so much of this compounded water in Numb 70. as to cover it half an inch and it will presently boil upon the Calxes of the Body without any external heat dissolving the Body and elevating it in the form of Ice together with the exficcation of it self which must be taken away by the hand of the Operator And the remaining Calxes being well dried again by Fire put so much water to them as before and proceed in all things as before continuing the same way of operating till all the Calxes be well dissolved which substance being well dissolved neatly separated and pulverized must be put into a good quantity of the rectify'd water of the Fire of Nature Spirit of Philosophical Wine that in that Vessel well stopp'd it may by the administration of external heat together with the excitation of internal heat be dissolved into an Oyl which will soon be done c. When the Menstruum of Sericon in Numb 63. is poured upon the aforesaid Calxes of Metals it begins to boyl up and if the Vessel be well stopp'd it will not leave working though no external Fire be administred to it till it be dried into the Calx wherefore you must not put a greater quantity of it than just to cover the Calxes In the same place pag. 171. For in this Operation the less of the Spirit and the more of the Body is put the better and sooner will be the dissolution which is made by the congelation of the Water You must have a care therefore as it is said in the Rosary that the Belly be not too moist because then the Matter would not receive driness And this way must be observed till all the water be dried up The same Place pag. 161. 5. That all the sharpness of this Metallick Powder may be wash'd away with sweet water That the Menstruums of the Adepts are permanent is manifest by the ways of making them but more clearly by the Vse of them in the Receipts of the following Books However Paracelsus seeming to have appointed the contrary by the present ablution of the Menstruum lest therefore you should fall into the greatest and most dangerous Errour of all the Adeptical Chymy we thought good to communicate to you an Observation or two about the permanence of Menstruums First That Aqua ardens the Philosophical that is is by digestion or circulation divided into Phlegm and Oyl swimming upon it as you observed in making the Essence or Spirit of Philosophical Wine You have taken also notice that the same Aqua ardens or same Oyl made of it is further concentrated and rejects the remaining Phlegm but that it self as a meer Oleosum remains with the inanimated Earths so called in the Preparations as well of Vegetable as Mineral Sal-Harmoniacks For it is impossible for the said Phlegm being the vehicle of the unctuous Spirit to abide with things dissolved much less be fixed with them they being so contrary to it wherefore the permanence of Menstruums but rather of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine is easie to be understood namely as these Menstruums are unctuous mixed with dry things not in the least diluted in their aquosities which do all separate themselves as useless in fixation Examples you will have in Lib. 2. De Astris Arcanis and often in Lib. 3. of Philosophical Tinctures Secondly These Menstruums do not presently or at the first time abide with their dissolutions For sometimes nay more than often we are forced to pour on and cohabate before any part of it will continue with the dissolved Body whereas in the mean time the rest ascends unaltered Thirdly Nor do the Menstruums persist with all things promiscuously but are united only to things homogeneous to them which in reason they should remain with Thus the Simple Vegetable Menstruums do continue with Essences but not with their relinquished white Bodies whereas the Compounded Vegetable Menstruums being sutable to these Bodies do dissolve them wholly in the making of Magisteries Fourthly Yea though every Menstruum is either an Essence or a Magistery and one Essence prepares another easily entring and mixing themselves radically one with another yet so long as they are of different kinds or degrees are they both separable again nor do they continue till one being newly extracted is raised to the same degree as the other then do they flow together at length into a mixture not to be separated by Art or Nature Fifthly As to these Mineral Menstruums you have observed that the Acidity of them admits of the same reason with the Phlegm or Aquofity of the Vegetable Menstruums so far as it is moist and therefore to be separated in the fixations of things But as it consists of the dry Particles of Mineral Salts but Salts they are dry things dissolved in Acids it will fall under two several Considerations In the first the Acidity of the Menstruum being perhaps in greater plenty than is necessary or sticking about the superficies of the thing dissolved is easily washed away with common Water But in the second the same Acidity being more artificially mixt and absorbed by the Aridity of the thing dissolved is made the cause of venenosity and now cannot be altered but by Vegetable Menstruums transmuting it Paracelsus commands the washing not of the Oyl of Salt but the sharpness of the Salt which penetrates not into the substance of the Metal and is easily washed away but the Vnctuosity of the Salt being throughly mixed with the unctuous Spirit of Philosophical Wine and now united to the Vnctuosity of the Metal common Water cannot touch nor separate But an Acid received into the bowels of an Arid he corrects again with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine that it may not become the cause of venenosity Yet there is a place in Paracelsus where he seems to have established a particular Decree against the permanence of Menstruums Many several ways saith he Lib. 4. Archid. de Essentia pag. 12. are found whereby the Quintessence may be extracted viz. by Sublimation Calcination by Aqua fortisses by Corrosives by Sweet by Sowr c. It may be done which way you please Where this is withal to be observed that every thing added by way of mixture to the Quintessence for the necessity of extraction must be again taken away and so the Quintessence remain alone not mix'd or polluted with any other Matters For
fortis into the aforesaid Aqua vitoe digest eight Days This quantity of Aqua fortis is insufficient to dissolve three Pounds of the Spirit of Wine Ounces perhaps are to be understood for so many Pounds No Art is here required provided the Acid and Oyly be mix'd together In former times the Adepts used distilled Vinegar instead of Aqua fortis for this Menstruum thus 75. Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Basilius Cap. de Wein Essig in Repet Lapidis DEr Wein Essig Vinegarwine a single undeclinable Word is not the Philosophers Vinegar which is another Liquor viz. the Matter it self of the Stone because the Philosophers Stone is made of the Philosophers Azot but Vinegarwine is made of common Azot distilled common Vinegar and Spirit of Wine that is Philosophical And elsewhere Libro de particularibus de particul Veneris I spoke even now saith he Parabolically of this preparation in Libro Clavium in Repetitione Capite de Wein Essig where I said that common Azot Vinegar is not the Matter of the Stone but our Azot or first Matter extracted out of common Azot and Wine which composition is called the expressed Juice of unripe Grapes with which the Body of Venus is to be dissolved and reduced into Vitriol then into our Azot the first Matter of the Stone Philosophers Mercury Spirit of Mercury made of Vitriol c. which you must very well observe that you may be free from many troubles and dangers The Philosophers Mercury saith he Libro de Conclusionibus Sect. 2. de Vitriolo Philosophorum or first Matter of the Stone must be made by Art for our Azot is not common Vinegar but extracted by Virtue of common Azot Though therefore a Philosophical Menstruum may be made of common Azot or distilled Vinegar and the Spirit of Philosophical Wine as also sufficient and qualified for the dissolutions of some Bodies yet being less sharp especially in the Alchymical use of Metals and Minerals instead therefore of Vinegar the Adepts took Aqua fortis the sooner to finish their Operations You must know saith Isaacus Hollandus that our Ancestors laboured in the Art divers ways and yet came to one and the same end but their Stone made not projection always alike one making a deep another a strong projection as the Works Menstruums were sharp or of a deep Colour some sweat a long time with pains before they produced the Stone others shortned the time by sharpness of Wit as it is now done every day with sweat and pains Some of our Ancestors wrought three Years some four before they acquired the Stone for in those days Aqua fortis was unknown and they used nothing but distill'd Vinegar but now their Successors have found out Aqua fortis which hath much abbreviated the Work Cap. 6. Lib. 2. Oper. min. pag. 423. Volum 3. Theat Chym. Even at that time Bodies were to be opened slowly namely by calcination reverberation solution in our sharp Vinegar Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine which their posterity observing and considering quickned their Wits and found out Aqua fortis which did much abbreviate the way to them Cap. 77. Lib. 1. Oper. min. pag 358. of the same Volume To make the present Kind of Menstruums the Adepts dissolved this Spirit of Philosophical Wine not in Vinegar and Aqua fortis only but in any acid Spirit not tinging as of Salt Sulphur c. It is thus prepared 76. The Spirit of Salt of Basilius Lib. partic in particul Solis TAke of the Spirit of Salt accurately dephlegmed one part of the best Spirit of Philosophical Wine without any Phlegm or of the Sulphur of Wine half a part the Vessels being luted distil with a strong Fire so as that nothing remains If you add new Spirit of Wine to the distillation and digest for some time it becomes sweet It is therefore requisite to dissolve the Spirit of Wine in the Spirit of Salt without digestion lest the acidity or brackishness of this Spirit be lost Guido sometimes took his Circulatum either minus or majus instead of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine into which he distilled the Spirit of Salt 77. The Spirit of Salt of Guido Pag. 7. Thesauri Chym. TAke of the less Vegetable Menstruum in Numb 36. or the great in Numb 38. one Pound put it in a large Receiver Then take of common Salt or Sal Gemmoe of the Stone of Tripoly of each four Pounds distil in an Earthen Retort with an open Fire first gentle till all the Phlegm is drawn off then put the Receiver with the Circulatum to it and distil the Spirits till not a drop of the Oyl of Salt ascends and you will have an acuated Menstruum To make these Menstruums stronger they sometimes separated or drew off the Acid from the Oleosum that the Spirit of Philosophical Wine might remain in the form of Oyl or Ice thus 78. Aqua fortis mix'd with the Spirit of Wine of Lully In Elucidat Testam pag. 147. Artis aurifer TAke of Vitriol one part of Nitre one part of Alume a fourth part mix them all well together and distil with a gentle Fire till the Liquor is gone over then give a stronger and lastly most strong till the Alembick grows white for then is the Aqua fortis prepared Then take of the aforesaid Water one pound put it in a large Cucurbit and pour it upon four ounces of Aqua Vitoe Aqua ardens four times distilled and put an Alembick on with its Receiver then will it make great noises boyling exceeding violently without Fire and therefore the VVaters ought to be mixed by little and little Then put it into a less Cucurbit and put on an Alembick with its Receiver and distil the Water in Balneo that a Matter may remain alone at the bottom of the Vessel in the form of Ice pour back the water and distil again and this repeat nine times then will an Oyl or Matter like Ice remain in the bottom This Menstruum of Lully is clear and therefore requires not our Explanation But it is described by an Anonymous in Rhenanus thus 79. Aqua fortis mixed with the Spirit of Wine of an Anonymous Author Libro de Principiis Naturae Arte Alchym pag. 28. Syntagm Harm Joh. Rhenani TAke an equal Quantity of Niter and Alume distil the Phlegm till the strong and dissolving Spirits ascend and set before them new and clean distilled water and force the Spirits into it with a most strong Fire Then take the Spirits of Wine being well purged and artificially distilled in Balneo take four ounces of them to one pound of Aqua fortis put them into a large Cucurbit apply an Alembick to it stop and put it into cold water and let them boyl till they will boyl no more Then put it in Balneo and distil the water so that the Spirits may remain yet moist then pour the water first drawn off to them again and do as
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
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
which all Fixed Stones may be resolved and the Stone made perfect This Water of Paradise the Ancients call'd their sharp clear Vinegar c. Metals sometimes are not reduced into graduated Vitriols but by repeated Cohobation made Menstruums of this Kind Thus 115. The Mercurial Vinegar of Trismosinus Libro Moratosan sive Octo Tincturarum in Secunda Tinctura Pag. 79. Aur. Vell. Germ. TAke Argent Vive purged the common way put it in an Alembick whereto pour very sharp Vinegar Vinegar mix'd with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine described before in Numb 72. three Ounces of Vinegar to one Ounce of Mercury draw off six times in Balneo then force it to ascend into the Receiver being distilled rectifie it and it will be prepared Sometimes instead of Philosophical Vinegar he used the strongest Aqua Fortis described in Numb 73. 116. The Mercurial Water of Trismosinus Libr. Octo Tincturar in Tinct quarta Pag. 80. Aurei Vell. Germ. TAke of Roman Vitriol Sal Niter of each one Pound and a half of Vegetable Sal armoniack four Ounces of Tiles pulverized one Pound out of which distil Aqua fortis by the Rule of Art Take of Venetian Mercury sublimed you must have a care of its Venemous Fume four Ounces put it in a Cucurbit pour the said Aqua fortis to it draw off strongly that the Mercury may be well mixed with the Aqua fortis and it will be prepared Albertus Magnus prepared the same Mercurial Water thus 117. The Mercurial Water of Albertus Magnus Libro Compositum de Compositis Cap. 5. Pag. 937. Vol. 4. Th. Chym. TAke of Roman Vitriol two Pounds of Sal Niter two Pounds of Alume calcined one Pound being well ground and mix'd together put the Matter in a fit Glass Phial and having luted the Joynts very close that the Spirits may not evaporate distill Aqua fortis after the common way first with a weak Fire secondly a stronger thirdly with Wood that all the Spirits may go over and the Alembick turn white then put out the Fire let the Fornace cool and keep the Water carefully because it is the Dissolvitive of Luna keep it therefore for the finishing of the Work because that Water dissolves Luna separates Gold from Silver calcines Mercury and the Crocus of Mars c. This is the first Philosophical Water Common Aqua fortis and hath one Degree of Perfection in it Take of the first Water one pound dissolve in it two Ounces of Vegetable Sal armoniack pure and clear which being dissolved the Water is presently otherwise qualified and otherwise coloured because the first was of a Green Colour and the Dissolvitive of Luna and not of Sol and presently after the putting in of the Sal armoniack the Colour of it is turned to a Citrine and dissolveth Gold Mercury and Sulphur sublimed and tingeth a Mans Skin of a most Citrine Colour keep that Water Philosophical Aqua Regis apart Take of the second Water one Pound and of Mercury sublimed with Roman Vitriol and common Salt five Ounces and a half put it to the second Water by little and little gradually seal the Mouth of the Glass well that the Virtue of the Mercury put in may not suddenly exhale put the Glass in Ashes temperately hot and the Water will presently begin to work upon the Mercury dissolving it and incorporating and let the Glass stand thus in hot Ashes and in the dissolution of the Water till the Water appears no more but has wholly dissolved the Sublimed Mercury Now the Water acts always upon Mercury by the way of imbibition till it dissolves it totally But take notice if the Water cannot wholly dissolve the Mercury put in then lay aside the Mercury that is dissolved by that Water and that which is not dissolved at the bottom dry with a gentle Fire grind and dissolve it with new Water as before and thus repeat this Order till all the Sublimed Mercury is dissolved into Water And then joyn all the solutions of that third Water into one in a clean Glass and stop the Mouth of it well with Wax and keep it carefully This is the third Philosophical thick qualified Water in the third degree of Perfection and is the Mother of Aqua Vitae which dissolves all Bodies into their first Matter Take the third clarifi'd Mercurial Water qualifi'd in the third Degree of Perfection putrefie it in the Belly of a Horse to be well digested in a clear Glass with a long Neck well sealed the space of 14 days make it putrefie and the Feces settle at the bottom then will this Water be transmuted from a Citrine to a Yellow Colour which done take out the Glass put it in Ashes with a most gentle heat put on an Alembick with its Receiver and begin to distil by little and little a most clear clean ponderous Aqua Vitae Virgins Milk most sharp Vinegar drop by drop continuing constantly a slow Fire till you have distilled all the Aqua Vitae gently then put out the Fire let the Fornace cool and keep it diligently apart Behold this is Aqua Vitae the Philosophers Vinegar Virgins Milk by which Bodies are resolved into their first Matter which is called by infinite Names The Signs of this Water are these if a Drop be cast upon a Copper Plate red hot it will presently penetrate and leave a White Impression it smoaks upon Fire is coagulated in the Air after the manner of Ice and when this Water is distilled the Drops of it do not enter continually as other Drops but one is distilled one way another another way this Water acts not upon Metallick Bodies as another strong Corrosive Water which dissolves Bodies into Water but if Bodies be put into this Water it reduceth and resolves them all into Mercury as you shall hear hereafter Paracelsus made this Water by the following Method 118. The Mecurial Water of Paracelsus In Appendice Manualis de Lap. Phil. Pag. 139. TAke of Mercury seven times sublimed with Vitriol Sal Niter and Alume three pounds of Vegetable Sal armoniack sublimed three times with Salt clear and white one Pound and a half being ground together and alcolized sublime them in a Sublimatory nine hours in Sand Being cold draw off the Sublimate with a Feather and with the rest sublime as before This Operation repeat four times till no more sublimes and a Black Mass remains in the bottom flowing like Wax being cold take it out and being ground again imbibe it often in the Water of Sal armoniack prepared according to Art the Menstruum described in Numb 91. in a Glass Dish and being coagulated of it self imbibe it again and dry nine or ten times over till it will scarce any more be coagulated Being ground finely upon a Marble dissolve it in a moist place to a clear Oil which you must rectifie by Distillation in Ashes from all Feces and Sediment This Water keep diligently as the best of all Lully made his Mercurial Water
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
Matter into a Glass Plate set it on a Tripos or our Calcining Fornace and there let it stand six Weeks and apply such a heat as if you would keep Lead melted without congealing Those six Weeks being expired let it cool then put it in a cold Cellar and cover it with a Linnen Cloth that no dust may fall in and in the space of six or eight days it will be wholly dissolved into a clear Water Now you must know this is the Philosopers clear Vinegar for when they write our Vinegar they mean this Water and when they say Philosophers Mercury they mean this Water and it is their Vinegar which they write or so wonderfully speak of From the Receipts we observe 1. That Metals and Minerals volatilized with Simple Mineral Menstruums are Menstruums of this Kind 2. That these Menstruums are the same with the Menstruums of the Eighth Kind dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums but differ from the antecedent Kind in being made not with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but Philosophical Vinegar 3. That these Menstruums are the Essences or Magisteries of Things tinging dissolved in Simple Mineral Menstruums 4. That those Menstruums being Mineral or Acid are in Alchymical Processes better than the Vegetable Menstruums of the Eighth Kind because stronger 5. That the dissolutions of Metals performed by these Mercurial Menstruums have been by the Adepts sometimes called Amalgamations You must know saith Isaacus That this is the best Solution that ever was found in the World for herein is no error of Proportion and Weight For Nature errs not For when Mercury is dissolved it dissolves other Metals also as is rightly taught in other places Nor will it dissolve more than it is able nor will it receive more of a Body into it than its Nature can bear For whatsoever has no need of it it cannot dissolve And it is the best Amalgamation that can be found 2. Oper. Min. Cap. 103. Pag. 494. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. That Bernhard in Epistola ad Thomam treated not of a dry but of this moist Amalgamation I shall prove elsewhere 6. That the Menstruum of Venus Sol Luna c. is of the same Virtue as to the faculty of Dissolving with the Menstruum of common Argent Vive this Mercurial Menstruum has been indeed more in use than the other by some Adepts because of the more easie way of operating upon the Open Body of Mercury tho it be less powerful than the rest in Point of Tinging 7. That there are divers Kinds of Stinking Menstruums The Thirteenth Kind taught us how to distil the most Stinking Menstruum of all out of Atrop For there the Oyly Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine being dissolved in Vitriol is in its Distillation purged from all its Putrid Feculencies but the Twentieth Kind treats of Menstruums less stinking being made of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine now purified and sweet The present Kind produceth from the same Matter Menstruums of the same Name indeed but not of the same Stinking Savour Colour c. For Philosophical Vinegar is by reason of the perfect dissolution of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine Diaphanous not of a Milky Colour but in the Distillation of a Menstruum it is made Milky because the Acidity of the said Vinegar being debilitated by the Aridity of a Body dissolved cannot retain the Vnctious Spirit of Philosophical Wine so well as before but in the precipitation of which the Distilled Liquor becomes Milky for this reason the Adepts sometimes added common Vitriol and Niter to the Azoquean Vitriol that the said Spirit might the better be dissolved In a word The greater quantity of Philosophical Vinegar or any other Mineral Menstruum stronger than this is made use of in the making of these Menstruums the less Milky and less Stinking will the Menstruums be because made not of the embrionated Stinking Matter of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but of the same purified by Circulation and Distillation 8. That these as all other Menstruums are by Digestion made sweet and transmuted into Dissolvents of the Eighth Kind The Two and Twentieth KIND Mineral Menstruums compounded of the Philsophers Vinegar and other Simple Mineral Menstruums and Things tinging being first fixed 124. The Menstruum of Venus of Isaacus Hollandus Cap. 82. 3. Oper. Miner I Will now Son teach you how to make the Stone which God gives us freely You must know it is made divers Ways but I will teach you the Way which I learnt from my Father Take of the Stone which God gives us freely the Vitriol of Venus as much as sufficeth which dissolve in Philosophical distill'd Vinegar let the Feces settle decant the Dissolution from the Feces warily and filter draw off the Vinegar with a gentle Fire that the Matter may remain dry being dried dissolve it again in Distill'd Vinegar decant filter and draw off and that to be four times repeated till no more Feces settle in the Solution Then distil away the Vinegar with a gentle Fire till the Matter becomes so dry as to flie away in the beating of it into Powder yet retains its Spirits Now it is prepared for Calcination You must know Son that this Matter is in its Nature Stiptick and Astringent partly volatile partly fixed and so dissolved in Distil'd Vinegar that it may retain the subtil Spirit of the Vinegar and be calcined together with the said Spirit made more subtil be better opened and dissolved for the Spirit of Vinegar dissolves well before all things The Vitriol being thus prepared Put it in a Glass Bottle or Egg lute hermetically but the Vessels must be fill'd that there may be no space for the Spirits to elevate themselves set it on a Tripos and there let it remain in a temperate heat to subtiliate it self Then take out the Matter and pulverize it put it in a Cucurbit put on an Alembick with a Receiver to it and so distil in Balneo whatsoever will distil it will be distilled in about 20 or 25 days Then lay aside the Distillation take out the Feces lying at the bottom of the Cucurbit grind them very fine upon a Stone put them in a Dissolving Vessel pour all the Distilled Water to them seal hermetically and it will be all dissolved in Balneo without Feces distil the Solution in a Cucurbit through an Alembick in Balneo with a moderate heat that all the Water may separate it self which keep very choicely continue the Distillation in Ashes that you may receive the Element of Air in the form of a very noble Citrine Oyl and this must be done with a strong Fire lay aside the Air by it self very well stopped near the Water The Feces being as red as Blood take out of the Cucurbit grind them to an Impalpable Powder upon a Stone put them in a Glass Bottle or Egge seal and set it 30 days and nights on a Tripos to be subtiliated with a temperate heat then take out the Matter grind
it to Powder put it in a Dissolving Vessel pour to it the Element of Water above distilled seal and put it in Balneo to be dissolved as before distil the Solution through an Alembick in Ashes the Receiver must be put into cold Water increase the Fire by degrees till at length it be hot so let it continue five or six days and in the mean time will ascend the Element of Fire in the form of a Red Oyl suffer it to be cooling three or four days then take away the Receiver keep it very well stopp'd c. Annotations WE have had divers graduated Vitriols in the former Receipts which have yielded us divers Menstruums The Vitriol in this Kind is made better than all of them for it is made of Vitriol graduated in a close Vessel fixed according to Art and again dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar that by Distillation it may be made a better Menstruum than those before In the Ninth Kind of Vegetable Menstruums the graduated Vitriol of Mercury made of Mercury sublimed and Salt circulated is in a close Vessel reverberated into a Fixed Powder which Crocus of Mercury then volatilized with the Spirit of Philosophical Wine makes a Vegetable Menstruum If the same graduated Vitriol of Mercury be in a close Vessel reverberated into a Fix'd Precipitate and then dissolved not in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine but Philosophical Vinegar or some other Mineral Menstruum it will be thereby made a Menstruum of this Kind That which is spoken of the Vitriol of Mercury must be also understood of the present Vitriol of Venus in our Receipt where Isaacus dissolves the said Vitriol in Phiosophical Vinegar depurates and graduates which then he calcines that is fixeth upon a Triposâ— being fixed it must be dissolved in new Philosophical Vinegar and volatilized before the Distillation of it as appears by the Description of the same Menstruum elsewhere given 125. A Menstruum of Vitriol of Isaacus Hollandus Cap. 62. 2. Oper. Min. TAke a great quantity of Roman Vitriol 10 or 12 Pounds rather more than less as much as you will and dissolve the Vitriol in common Water let the Feces settle put the clear Dissolution in a Stone Vessel to be congealed till a thin skin comes over it then let it cool and stand three days a nd you will have notable Stones of a green colour clear as Cristal take out those Stones and put them in small Glass Vessels in a clean Balneo to dry the Balneo must have such a heat as is of the Sun in the middle of Summer and your Stones will be turned into a white Powder which Powder dissolve in common Distill'd Water and let the Feces settle decant the clear into a clean Vessel as before and let it be congealed as before this repeat till you can see no Feces left when you have thus washed and made your Powder white you may be assur'd your Vitriol is rightly prepared Now take the white powder of Vitriol put it in a Glass Vessel with a Neck pretty long and seal the Neck with the Seal of Hermes so that no Air can either pass out or in and then put it in a Plate with sifted Ashes upon a Fornace put fire under and put a Burning Lamp under the Fornace adding such a heat as the Sun yields in the middle of March and thus keep it till you see your Matter grow yellow and continue it in the same heat till it be perfectly ruddy then increase the Fire a little that is put under one Lamp more and thus continue it eight or ten days and then see whether your Matter begins not to be red if it begins to be red increase your Fire and so continue it eight or ten days But if you gain nothing in redness increase your Fire with yet one Lamp and so proceed gradually always one Lamp being kindled till your Matter be as deep a red as a Rose or Ruby it being now so deeply red suffer it even thus the space of eight or ten days in the same heat when you see your Matter remains in the same state take it out of the Plate with Ashes and empty it into another strong Glass pour a good quantity of Philosophical distill'd Vinegar upon it and put it in Balneo let it boil and stir it with a Woodden Spatula three or four times every day and thus continue it four days and nights then let it cool and pour off the clear and again pour on Distill'd Vinegar and that repeat three times then throw away the Feces and draw off the Vinegar through an Alembick in Balneo till your Matter become altogether dry pour on new Vinegar and do as before and that so long till no more Feces remain in the Dissolution Then congeal it into a dry Powder which put into a good thick Glass and putting on an Alembick with a large Head distil in order to obtain first Saffron Colour'd Spirits then a Red Oyl lastly white Spirits then let it cool take away the Receiver and keep that truly blessed Oyl which is in it Take away the Alembick and in the Pot you will find a Matter white as Snow and clear as Cristal c. The way of making of this Menstruum we will consider in its several Branches The first is concerning the choice of Vitriol which Reason requires as well as the antecedent Receipt to be graduated that is dissolved either in the Spirit of Philosophical Wine or Philosophical Vinegar and Cristallized for the Calcination of common Vitriol dissolved in common Water and purified in a close Vessel to a most red colour is altogether Impossible and of no Efficacy neither for nothing but the common Acid or common Spirit of Vitriol is extracted out of common Vitriol be it never so well purified and calcined Vitriol therefore well Purged in common Water is to be chosen according to the present Receipt but after that according to the antecedent well dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar that it may be thereby made graduated Vitriol and the fit Matter of this Menstruum The second Branch treats of the calcination or fixation of this graduated Vitriol into redness Corncerning which the former process was too obscure but the present or later clear enough This Calcination is the true and Philosophical way of fixing this Vitriol and that chiefly because citrinity and redness follow blackness and whiteness the true signs of volatilization as well as fixation of which Tho. Isaacus said nothing in both the Receipts yet other Adepts have mentioned these Colours in the fixing of Vitriol Take that Stone saith Ripley Cap. 7. Phil. Cupri Stillicidium the Green Lyon of Fools or common Vitriol graduated and put it being ground into a Philosophers Egg and proceed upon it by the way of Putrefaction as was declared in the Process of Rebis and continue the Stone upon the Fire till after blackness and whiteness it is turned into a red Powder which many call Vitriol Rubificated
But here riseth some doubt in that the Red Colour of this Calcined Vitriol seems to be by Isaacus himself called Volatile not in the least fixed This Matter saith he will remain red for ever and not fixed for if it should be fixed it would be altogether corrupted for it must be Dissolved into Water and distilled through an Alembick Cap. 65. To disperse this Cloud you must know the meaning of Isaacus is that Vitriol calcined or by what way soever reduced into redness remains red but not also fixed â—â—ause it must be dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and Distilled through an Alembick For we find the like if not the same Phrase concerning the redness and fixity of the Philosophers Stone which will easily remove the aforesaid doubt When the Stone is perfect saith he it ought to remain in that State now and for evermore After Perfection it cannot be changed for better nor for worse but will remain a King for ever Wherefore if any Man has prepared the true Philosophers Stone no Multiplication follows after wheresoever Multiplication follows after Perfection there is not the Philosophers Stone nor is there a true Stone It may be a Medicine or other Stone of which sort are many wherewith Projection is made but it is not the Philosophers Stone which we here Discourse of When the aforesaid Stone is perfect and prepared it ought to remain in that State for ever Cap. 127. 1. Oper. Miner Pag. 407. Vol. 3. Th. Chym. As to the Permanence of the red colour in the Philosophers Stone he declares the following Notions In Multiplication saith he no blackness intervenes nor do any Colours of the World shew themselves nor any Whiteness nor in Sublimation does any thing shew it self besides redness nor in fixation does any Colour shew its self except its own that is an egregious redness For the Stone hath no other Colour but redness for it is one only substance one single matter and as the Heaven invincible You must also know tho it were sublimed it would not be deprived of all its fixity for when the Stone is made and prepared in the utmost vertue of it then can it not be changed out of its own Essence into another for if the Stone could be changed or drawn out of its own Essence into another Essence or Nature it would not be the Philosophers Stone nor one single Matter nor a glorified Body no no understand my Discourse rightly c. Cap. 72. 1. Oper. Min. Pag. 355. of the same Volume Isaacus being perhaps perswaded of an unalterable constancy of redness observed in the Multiplication of the Stone of higher Degree or Kind concludes the Philosophers Stone to be altogether and absolutely immutable which Opinion to defend in every part he has sooner ventured to deny the volatilization it self of the Stone than give way to the a … ing of fixity in Multiplication You must know saith he if the Stone were sublimed yet would it not be deprived of its fixity Yea he has chosen rather to prevert his own Senses for he himself hath in the same place taught how to volatilize the Philosophers Stone with some shining Menstruum and the Sense of the Word Fix tho upon this Term depends one half of all the Operations in the more secret Chymy than relinquish this fallacy derived from a Paralogism The Stone saith he may be so often opened as aforesaid and after that sublimed and again condensed so as to unite its parts which we call Fixation we term it indeed Fixation but it is not Fixation but only Condensation so as that all the subtil parts of it are again forced into an Union joyntly together as they were at first and the Stone will again expect Fire and we may again make Projection with it as we did before Cap. 76. read 73 74 75. Chapters of the same Book What we have against this Opinion we will reserve for the Third Book in the mean time it will be requisite for you to observe this one thing That the Matter of Calcined Vitriol as also of the Philosophers Stone multiplied remains for everred but not fixed because either of them may be volatilized with Philosophical Menstruums But let them be how they will the Vitriol of Saturn fixed the same way by the same Author will prove that the graduated Vitriol of Venus calcined to redness in a close Vessel is fixed Take saith he a Glass Viol put in it one half of Purged Saturn Sugar of Saturn made not with common Distilled Vinegar but Philosophical reserve the other part by it self till you have occasion put a fit Glass to the mouth of the Viol and put the Glass in sifted Ashes in a Fornace of Tripos Arcanorum or on a Fornace wherein you calcine Spirits give it a Fire as hot as the Sun is at Mid-summer no more except by chance a little hotter or colder provided it be not so great as to melt the Lead for so your Matter would be liquid as Oyl and should it stand so the space of 12 days all the Sulphur would fly away and the Matter be corrupted for the Sulphur of it is not yet fixed and on the outside only and therefore the Matter is most easily melted and though it be pure yet is it not fixed wherefore the Fire must be so gentle as not to melt the Matter let it stand so the space of Six Weeks after which take a little project it upon a hot Iron if it presently melts and fumes it is not yet fixed but if it remains the Sulphur of it is fixed Then increase the Fire notably till your Matter becomes citrine and so continually till it grows red still increasing the Fire till it attains to the colour of Rubies increase till it is red hot and then is it fixed and prepared for Infusion with the Noble Water of Paradise the Menstruum described in Numb 114. Besides this there is indeed another way also of calcining Philosophical Vitriol which is done in an open Vessel thus graduated Verdigrese is calcined to redness before the Distillation of it in the preparation of the Spirit of Venus of Basilius as we have observed in the precedent Kind but this belongs not to this place for the Calx remains volatile not fixed which way of Calcining was invented meerly for the seperation of the Phlegme The third Branch consists in a new dissolution of this fixed Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar for which Reason this Vitriol is volatilized again and made fit for Distillation in the former Receipt this Solution is wholly omitted but more exactly described in the latter Process The fourth Branch is the single and frequent Distillation in the several ways of making all these Stinking Menstruums yet this excepted that out of this graduated fixed and again volatilized Vitriol the Spirit ascends not White but of a Saffron Colour because more Mature before the Red Oyl and lastly the White Spirit appears also being extracted out of the Salt or
White Body Lastly These words following do prove that the same Menstruums may be also made of any other Metals But if you would extract an Oyl out of Metals as has been taught of Vitriol you must dissolve your Metal in Aqua fortis and make it precipitate and wash away the Saltness of it with common Water and being dryed put into a Glass with a long Neck and congealed and put upon a Fornace with Sifted Ashes make a Fire under it as for Vitriol till the Metal be alogether red and till the inside of it is turn'd outward Then dissolve it in Distil'd Vinegar as the Vitriol and Congeal till no more Feces remain Then distil and the Metal will wholly distil into a Red Oyl and it is the perfect Oyl of the Philosophers but the Projection of it is not so high as of the Oyl which was first Salt And the Oyl of every Metal you must Multiply with the Oyl of Vitriol as aforesaid And the Oyl is very easily made after the same manner out of Saturn and the Projection of it is very high Give thanks to God Work and remember the Poor dispense the gifts of God to your own Salvation Cap. 80. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 478. of the same Volume All Metals saith he Cap. 67. of the same Work even Jupiter and Luna will become red as blood for the inside of all Metals is red one more red than another When therefore they are brought to redness they must then be dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar and again congealed till they be free from any Feces and yet contain their Elements together perfectly for when they are brought to that pitch nothing remains save only Feces for the Earth the Caput Mortuum being made subtil and liquid is likewise dissolved when you have made it subtil by Dissolving and Coagulating so as that no more Feces remain Thus you may Distil it through an Alembick into a Red Oyl As you was here taught concerning Vitriol so must you also do with all Metals as also Mercury when it is dissolved in Aqua Fortis and precipitated the Saltness wash'd away and dried put it in a Glass as was said of Vitriol and done moreover so as was taught before concerning Vitriol And that which is here declar'd of Metal you may also do with Antimony and all other Minerals Open your Ears and hearken and open your Mind it was never heard that such a Work should be done with so little Pains Here I would advise you to take Notice of the difference between the Oyls of Vitriol and other bodies the like Oyl is produced from all Metals as from Vitriol yet with this difference that Vitriol in the Distillation of its Oyl leaves an Earth or Salt behind it wherewith the Spirit and Oyl of it are fixed into the Philosophers Stone but Metals and the rest of the Minerals not so they totally ascending into Spirit and Oyl no Earth Salt or Caput mortuum remaining whereby to be fixed into the Stone Vitriol therefore is that alone which hath all things in it relating to the Perfection of it self whereas the Oyls and Spirits of the rest are forced to borrow fixed bodies elsewhere for their fixations You must know saith he when you would reduce the Salt of Metals to an Oyl the same as hath been said of Vitriol the Elementary Earth of Metals will distil together with the Oyl red as blood but that the Earth of Vitriol does not the Oyl seperates it self from the Earth God hath vouchsafed such a blessing that the Philosophers Stone may be made of it alone without Addition translating all Metals into true Sol but the Oyl of it must be fixed with the Earth its own Earth or Salt but that is not so with Metals the Earth distils together through the Alembick and the whole Body is converted into Oyl translating all Metals into true Sol Herein do all the Philosophers agree An Oyl he goes on is also made of Mercury and of Antimony but their Earth goes over together and their whole Body turns into Oyl and remains an Oyl for ever and with this Oyl you may do wonderful things which here to recite would be too long You know also what is written of Antimony and the Oyl of it Yet must my Son know That the Oyl of Mercury is much better in all works wherein the Oyl of Antimony is used This is a Secret Cap. 69. and 70. of the same Work An Example That Metals wholly ascend into Oyl he brings in the following Chapter namely the 70th which we will name 126. The Circulatum Majus of Isaacus Cap. 70. 2. Oper. Min. Pag. 474. Vol. 3. Th. Chym TAke this Mercury the Metals sublimed in the Philosophical Menstruums aforegoing Dissolve it in Aqua Fortis with an equal quantity of Vitriol and Niter being Dissolved put the Solution in a Glass Vessel put on an Alembick set it in Sifted Ashes give first a gentle Fire Distil the Aqua Fortis from it then the Mercury will sublime upwards into the Alembick when it will sublime no more take it away take the Mercury out of the Alembick put it in a Glass with a long neck as you did with the Vitriol put it in a Vessel with Sifted Ashes light your Lamp under it so leave it till it be perfectly red as hath been taught of Vitriol Dissolve Congeal being clean Distil it into a red Oyl as hath been said of Vitriol but all the Mercury distils into Oyl so as to leave no Earth The Menstruum immediately antecedent in Numb 125 is in all things clear except the first Branch of it wherein is omitted the necessary Dissolution of Vitriol in Philosophical Vinegar before the Calcination of it into redness or fixation The first Menstruum of this Kind is imperfect not indeed in this but in another Branch insomuch as it is not therein declared that Vitriol must after the Calcination of it be again Dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar In this present third Tho it be said that it ought to be made according to the rule of the precedent Menstruums there is no mention at all made of Philosophical Vinegar yet without it Vitriol can neither be fixed into redness nor when fixed be again Volatalized or Distilled The Receipts therefore must be compared as often as the Adepts have either through too much fear or envy left us them imperfect It is enough if by comparing them together we can pick out their meaning or intention being not fully enough expressed in every circumstance the terms being either too obscure or altogether omitted Bodies in this Kind are to be fixed and then volatilized by Mineral Menstruums as Mercury and Antimony in the Ninth Kind are first fixed and then distilled in the greater Circulatums by vegetable Menstruums This light borrow'd from the said Ninth Kind will dispel all the Obscurities and Doubts of this Kind Vitriol therefore purged with common Water by Solutions and Coagulations must first be graduated that is
thus continue till the Matter be altogether red as a Ruby then increase the Fire yet ten days and the hidden part of the Vitriol is now manifest and prepared in its redness as a volatile Matter The redness thus remaining take the Glass out of the Ashes and the Matter out of the Glass and put it in a stronger Glass to which pour the best Vinegar well rectify'd stop it well set it in Balneo so let it stand four days yet stirring the Matter with a Spatula made of Haslewood three or four times a day let it cool decant the Vinegar into another Glass pour new upon the Matter digest in Balneo as before this repeat with new Vinegar three times the decanted Vinegar gently draw off till the Matter remains in the form of a Salt at the bottom to which pour new sharp Vinegar put it four days in Balneo as before to dissolve and let that be repeated till it be free from any sediment Then coagulate the Matter into a dry Powder and put it in a Glass Cucurbit with a wide mouth and a large Alembick day the Receiver in a Vessel full of Water lute the Joynts firm and distil with an open Fire but very gently the space of four hours after that strongly and the Spirits will ascend yellow which are called Air continue the Fire in the same degree till the Alembick begins to be red then slow the Fire that the Alembick may be of a blood colour then increase the Fire still that the Glass may be burning hot as a red hot Iron which keep in that heat till the Alembick be made of a Snow Colour then strengthen the Fire yet more that the Alembick may again be clear and transparent then let it cool remove the Receiver and pour the Oyl into a pure Glass which stop well and you will have the true Oyl of Vitriol shining night and day in dark places which keep well for your occasion But you must know there is a White and Beautiful Oyl found in the bottom which to its red Oyl c. This Receipt of Trismosinus agrees almost in all things with Isaacus his Description of the Menstruum made of Vitriol so that it seems to me to be borrowed of Isaacus especially because the same phrase of Isaacus of the volatile redness of Calcined Vitriol is retained Those things therefore which were observed before upon the Menstruum of Isaacus do also hereto relate but we added this because Trismosinus does more assure us that this Oyl shines in darkness concerning which quality of his Menstruum Isaacus was silent Ripley made Menstruums of this Kind this way 128. The Circulatum Majus of Ripley Pag. 395. Accurtationum THe time of true Putrefaction and Alteration is compleated in the space of Six Weeks but it may be done in a shorter time by half and that by the acuition of our Mercurial Waters that is the white and red Water the milk and blood of the Green-Lyon in Numb 59. with common Mercury sublimate which thus do Fix and Calcine the Mercury sublimate and dissolve it in our white or red Mercury of the said Menstruum so as to be all one true Water which Water being thus acuated hath the Power of putrifying and altering any Calx of Metals in the space of three Weeks and that because the two Fires namely of Nature and against Nature are then joyn'd together in that Water Common Mercury being dissolved in Philosophical Vinegar or any Mineral Menstruum and fixed either by Sublimation as the Circulatum majus of Paracelsus or Calcination as the Vitriol of Isaacus calcined to redness is then dissolved in a stinking Menstruum and distilled through an Alembick He reduced all other Metals and Minerals the same way as he did Mercury into the greater Circulatums thus 129. The Metallick Acetum acerrimum of Ripley Pag. 266. Clavis aureae Portae HAving therefore these two Mercuries the white and red of the Stinking Menstruum practice with them either upon their own Earth or Caput Mortuum of the said Menstruum or upon the Calx of Metals prepared for you need not trouble your self about the Earth provided the substance of it be fixed Take therefore any of them being white and ferment it thus For the White Work take the Calx of Luna and the altered Earth a Philosophical Calx made of the Mineral Menstruum of Luna in equal quantity grind them together and temper them with the White Mercury which we call Lac Virginis in the Description of the Green Lyon and sublime them very well keep and gather that which is not fixed that is so much as ascends white and sticking to the parts of the Glass as Mercury sublimate for this is that our Mercury made by sublimation out of the white altered Earth then grind it upon its own Calxes tempering distilling and subliming it with Lac Virginis till it be wholly fixed so as to be immovable by Fire This is the sublimed and fixed Mercury for which fools take that common Mercury sublimed with common Vitriol and Salt wherein they very much err put it into a Circulatory and pour Lac Virginis upon it till it be covered then let it be circulated and distilled through an Alembick An Example of making the altered Earth of Metals and the way of fixing the said Earth he hath given in Vitriol Take Vitriol calcined to Ashes common Colcothar grind it to a most fine Powder put it in an Vrinal pour Lac Virginis the White fume of the Stinking Menstruum to it till it be covered with it stop the Vrinal with a Linnen Cloth and let it stand eight days then add the same quantity of the former Milk repeating it from eight days to eight but when it will drink up no more let it stand in the cold well stopp'd till a Cristalline Earth appears in the superficies of it like Eyes of Fish Seperate this Earth from the thicker parts resided in the bottom and put it this graduated Vitriol made not indeed of the Spirit of Philosophical Wine nor Philosophical Vinegar but the Stinking Menstruum in a Philosophical Egg to digest calcine discreetly till it be perfectly fixed then increase the Fire till it be perfectly citrinated and still increase it that it may be Rubified in the form and colour of Sanguis Draconis Lastly For a conclusion we will add the Circulatum Majus of Isaacus made of Sulphurs which being most clear in the graduation fixation and volatilization of it will help to illustrate those things which have perhaps remained more obscure in the antecedent and make the Receipts in this Kind more clear 130. The Circulatum majus of Isaacus made of Sulphur Cap. 88.3 Oper. Min. TAke Hungarian or Spanish Sulphur ten or twelve pounds prepare it upon a Stone with Philosophical Vinegar distilled as Painters do their Colours pour a good quantity of the aforesaid Vinegar upon it put it in Balneo stir it well with a Woodden Spatula decoct it in a
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