The drye is a Sandy earth or ashes 〈◊〉 of all salt by reason of the washing of Waters and is called by the Chymists Terra damnata or Damned earth Because it hath no other force but that which is drying The mâ—yste which is called vnsauorie Phleame is pestered with all Sulphur and Mercurie hauing no odour or taste or other vital vertue which can onely moysten without any other force at all And as these are of no force so doe they onely possesse passiue qualities and vnprofitable But Ayer the thyrd Element cannot be separated by it selfe but doth eyther vanish into ayre or else remayneth mixed Sulphur and Mercury and doth more chiefely cleaue vnto Mercury which is so spiritual that the most experte woorkeman cannot separate the same from it selfe alone but doth alwayes passe away into aire with the aire or vapour of that thing whereof the separation is made to which aier Mercury is straitely combyned that it can neuer be separated from the same without it be done by the great industry of a skilful workeman who knoweth that Mercury or salte Armoniack volatile is so conioyned with aier or with the aiery parts that it doth also breathe away with the aiery parte and with the same is reduced into spiritual Water which is knowen to be the mercurial water by the sharpe sower and vehement which springeth from the Mercury or salt armoniack of nature spirituall The which the workeman séeking to separate conioyneth this spiritual liquor with a Christalline salt naturally fixed from the which he separateth that aiery liquor by Distillation which by that separation is vtterly spoyled of all force and remaineth an vnsauory aiery liquor for because that Mercuriall spirite possessing the nature of volatil Salt remaineth fixed with his proper Salt with the which hée hath the most chiefe analogie and proportion And thus the Philosophers testify that nature is delighted with nature Thus we sée how the Elementary aier is to be separated from that Mercuriall spirite namely by bringing the Eâ—â—ment of aier into water deuoyde of taste and by cutting the Mercuriall spirit into the salt of his proper preheminence Furthermore hereby it appeareth that Mercury is a certaine aiery thing or aier it selfe and yet somewhat more then the elementarie aier which wanting the spirit of Mercurie is a simple aiery liquor of no vertue or power but simplie to moysten and penetrate And so the actiue qualities doe belong to the beginnings Salt sulphur and Mercurie and the passiue to the Elements This thing wée haue made plaine before by the example of Wine and Water of life These things are therefore spoken that all men may sée by the Anatomie and resolution of things that the element of aier cannot be separated by it selfe alone neyther is it so to be séene of any but of the true Philosophers and by such as are most conuersant in this art Thus certaine demonstration is made of the visible bodies of things procreated both out of the séedes and beginnings and also out of the elements albeit in the resolution of the bodies thou doest not discerne the visible bodies of the séedes put a parte by themselues But it is an easie matter to discerne the seuered partes of those thrée beginnings and also of the Elements in the which partes of the thrée beginnings the vertues and powers of actions wherwith the séedes are indued are included and mixed together Whereby it commeth to passe that their bodies are filled together with the vitall forces and faculties of the Astrall and spirituall séedes as the receptacle of thâ—se vertues But the Elementall bodies haue only passiue qualities the which elementall bodies a wâ—rkeman cannot onely separate by themselues but can also bring them to nothing in such sorte that the passiue and materiall Elements being separated there shall onely remaine those thrée Hypostaticall Formall and Actiue beginnings salt sulphur and mercury which being drawen into one body do make a mixed body which the Philosophers call a fifth or a fourth Essence which is frée from all corruption abounding with quickening spirits whereas contrariwise the sole elements separated from those thrée beginnings doe bring nothing but impurities corruptions and mortification In this Chymestry is to be extolled that imitating nature it rateth Elements and their beginnings by which all the partes of a compund body are anatomized and made manifest And yet those naturall substances are not said to be begotten by such separations as if they were not before neyther yet as bring before are they corrupted by the arte of separation but they were in compounde and after separation they ceased not to bee and to subsist And as the thrée beginnings are coupled together by the benefite of an oylelie liquor ioyning them in one so the thrée Elements Ayer Water and Earth are combyned together by the comming in of Water as a meane For water by her analogie and conuenience partaketh both of the naâ—ure of aier and of earth whereby it commeth to passe that one while it is easily turned into aier another while into earth and so it combyneth both the extreames In things that haue likenesse an alteration is easily made For by reason of likenesse and consent aier made thicke with colde passeth into water and water made thinne becommeth aier and water also made grosse and thick becommeth earth euen as earth also made thinne passeth into water and is chaunged Wherefore forsomuch as aier and earth two extreames are fitlie ioyned together by a thyrd which is water a meane betwéene them both Aristotle did more than was néedefull to appoynt a quaternarie number of Elements out of the quaternary number of the fower qualities Hote Colde Drie Moyst Howbeit it cannot be denied but that he had great probability hereof as is to be séene in his second booke of the generation of liuing creatures where he goeth about by many reasons to prooue that it is most necessary for the production of things to appoynt a fourth element namely Fyer hote and drie But forsomuch as Moses in the first Chapt. of his Genesis wherein he sheweth the creation of all things maketh no mention of Fier it is more conuenient that we leaue it rather to the opinion of the diuine Prophet then to the reasons of an Ethnick Philosopher And therfore wée acknowledge no other Fier then Heauen the fiery Region which is so called of burning Therefore it ought to be called the fourth formall Heauen and essential element or rather the fourth essence extracted out of the other elements bicause it is indueâ— with far more noble vertues then the most simple elements For the Hermeticall Philosophers deny that there is a quintessence because there are not fower elements from whence there may be drawen a fifth essence but thrée onely and no more out of which a fourth may be extracted So great is the power of this fourth essence that it mooueth sharpeneth and mightily animateth the bodies of the thrée principles and of the
spred and distributed into the liuer hart and braine by diuers degrées of concoctions circulations that at the length they are changed into spirits natural vitall animal mercurial sulphurus and saltish ethereal and spirituous by reason whereof man is preserued and continueth in his state vnto his predestinated time hereof also may be gathered and vnderstood the original and generation of the thrée humours which come both from the mixture of these beginnings and also of the Elements Which are no lesse different and varying one from the other whether it be in perfection or in imperfection then are those thrée beginnings different in the degrees of perfection The first of the profitable humours whereof we are purposed to speake is that Chylus or white Iuice which is effected and perfected in the stomack and in the vaines next adioyning especially in the mesaraic vaines by the first concoction the same Chylus consisting of those three beginnings but as yet very impure whereof the first beginnings of nourishment are and the same is the first digestion and seperation of the pure from the impure of those thrée formal beginnings and of the thrée material elements The second of the profitable humours is blood arysing out of the Chylus which is a good iuice being of the first degrée of the concocting heat of the liuer and of the vaines whereof commeth a second concoction and seperation of the pure from the impure notwithstanding of the formal and matertal essence which is far more subtil and noble then the first concoction and seperation The third of the humours is that which after sundry reterations of the circulations made by the much vital heate of the heart doth very farre excéede in perfection of concoction the other two which may be called the elimentary or nourishing humour of life and radical Sulphur the which is disperced by the arteries throughout the whole body and is turned into the whole body and is turned into the whole substance thereof out of the most perfect concoction of all the other which is the third and is called the assimilation or resemblance of the nourishment or nourished It is certaine that this humour is most especially partaker of the puritie of the thrée beginnings and doth resemble the rectified animal Aquauita which is seperated from al passiue element of the animal wine that is to say of the blood For the blood which we haue already said to be the second profitable humour and by vs compared to pure and refined wine is freed from the greater part of his terrestrial tartar whose thrée beginnings also doe exceed the Chylus in puritie Out of which thrée beginnings by a third concoction and digestion the Sulphurus animal Aquauita the aiery and most subtil spirit together with the Salt depured and made thinne with diuers circulations also and natural concoctions are extracted The which being so extracted that which resteth in the blood as also in wine is water without sauour or tast and a Sulphurus tartarlike and impure feces which procéed from out of the material elements In blood such are these cold moyst mercurial fleame yealow hote dry and Sulphurus choller and melancholy or black choler not cold but hote dry and saltish which are the ecremental parts of those more pure substances And yet the same lye not altogether vnprofitable for that they retayning somthing out of the actiue qualities both of the thrée beginnings and also of the elements doe serue for somewhat so far forth as they are material For choller in that it is introsulphurus most hote and bitter especially that which is of the gaule ouerflowing in the capacity or place of the bowels prouoketh the facultie expulsiue to cast out But the fleame which is sower mercurial is profitable to stirre vp fermentation and appetite Whereunto also melancholy is not vnfit which is as it were the dregges of the humour of blood hauing a certaine analogie and similitude with vineger made out of wine For it serueth for the first concoction of meates through the vertue of a certaine internal and vitriolated fier lying hid in such a sharpe humour which being stirred vp and set on edge with the heate of the stomack doth readily and quickly confect and destroy the meates and doth with so great force consume and deuour sometime when it doth superabound that many times it bringeth a doglike appetite And those excrements which are altogether superfluous and a burden to nature will confirme the truth hereof The which excrements are such as are seperated partly from these thrée beginnings and partly from the elements namely the mercuriall vapours the Sulphurus breathings and the saltish exhalations which passe through the skinne by sweates euen as Mercury and Sulphur doe vanish away by an infensible transpiration If such seperation of excrements be made by little and litle without any violence they doe prolong a happy age euen to extreame decrepity But if on a sodaine and with a more violent force of some more vehement motion or sicknesse as of inflamation or of a burning feauer they be thrust out then they shorten age and doe hasten old age or else doe cast headlong into vntimely death by soundings and faintings Moreouer if such kinde of excrements be retained in the body and are stayed by some impediment from their outgoing by reason of some external cause as the coldnesse of the weather which doth harden and thicken the skinne or by reason of cooling dyet briâ—ging obstructions or other infirmities of the body which are impediments they become the séedes and rootes of sundry and infinite effects The same is to be said of the most vile and filthy excrements and of the grosse dregs of the elementary matter together vnprofitable terrestrial and filthy For out of watery crude and thinne excrements out of excrements aiery and windy finally out of the more grosse and earthie or most stinking excrements how corrupt soeuer they be yet there are bewrayed in either of them certaine prints of their defects which the more pure substance of the three beginnings procreated from the which the impure at the length are separated If any man wil make trial of the due Anatomie of these things as amongst others of vrine which in sickenesses is diligently viewed and obserued he shall finde therein a great quantitie of Mercurial liquor sharpe subtil and pearcing which wil dissolue the most solid and hard bodies as also he shal finde great plenty of a sulphurus essence conceiuing flames that I may say nothing of the body of Salt which is euidently enough to be séene in that great plentie of Salt which is extracted from the same The which Salt hath so great sharpnesse biting and coroding force and vehemencie that it is more forcible and strong than all other salts of nature These things are most true and euident to be séene in the Writings of Chrystophorus Parisiensis a most famous Philosopher who hath taken great paines in setting foorth
the seuerall parts of Vrines They which shal search diligently in the building and frame of mans body for another thing than the elements their qualities that is to say hote and colde moyst and drie namely for a mercurial liquor sulphur and salt indued with al kinde of vertures faculties and properties the thrée beginnings out of the which the colours tastes and odours and such other things of infinite varietie doe spring shal easily vnderstand that euery one of the beginnings by his temperature or the excurreth out of their consort doe procreat sicknesses of diuers sorts in the bodie as if sulphur doe too much excéed then it bringeth on inflamations and feuers of diuers sorts beside other stupefactiue and drousie affects which the stupefactiue sulphur stirreth vp out of the stupefactiue and drunken spirits which it containeth within the same and being excessiue spreadeth it selfe throughout the whole body The which is easily to be seen in such as drinke too much wine and in eating of bread that hath much darnel in it as also in the taking of Camphyre the iuices of Poppey of Henbane and of such like opiates which bring sléepe by their soporiferus Sulphurs and not by their cold quality Also they shal finde by their sower and sharpe vapours of Mercury that falling sicknesses Apoplexies Palsiâ—s al kindes of Catarres come from thence The which effects if they be accompanied with any poyson or maligne contagious spirits they cannot but must néedes bring on pestilential venemous and contagious diseases If they looke diligently into Salts they shal find that from them doe arise inward gnawings Impostums vlcers disenterie fluxes the Pemoxoides and such like so often as they runne out of their seates and are seperated from the other beginnings or doe excéed the measure of nature from whence also doe come great annoyances to the body as by their resolutioÌ„ the burnings of vrine stranguries and such like For according to the variety of Salts diuers kindes of vlcers impostumes and other diseases as diuers kindes of Collickes doe arise by their sharpe and sower spirit Also by the coagulation and congealing of these Salts are ingendered swellings stones and knots of the sinewes and an infinit sort of abstructions whereof many sicknesses doe arise The which coagulated Salts or tartar forsomuch as they neuer want their Mercury and Sulphur rude indigested and impure if they be out of measure and doe reach to the vppermost degrée of their malignitie they wil commixe according to their sundry natures and properties diuers effects the which notwithstanding wil séeke to come to the full sicknesse of the qualities and forces of euery of the beginnings which are also wrapped and infolded the one within the other And herein wee depart not from the opinion of Hypocrates which he hath shewed in his booke concerning the auncient medicine For he reiecting their opinion which tye the beginnings and causes of sicknesses to the elementarie qualities layeth other foundations namely Swéet Sower Bitter and Salt the which we reduce to those thrée beginnings of all things arrogating to euery of them their singular faculties and properties For what power or vertue soeuer is in the nature of Medicines and of sicknesses and doth moue and put it selfe in action the same is to bée reuoked to those thrée beginnings Yet notwithstanding I deny not but that some kindes of sicknesses may arise from the elementary qualities abounding in our body which do rather come of the excrements and feculent humours either retayned or superabounding and doe certainely rather arise out of such Elements than out of the beginnings For out of the abundance of ayerie and spirituous windes simply out of thinne waters and terrestrial feces or dregges we do sée diuers kindes of effects dayly to come yet notwithstanding such sicknesses haue no long continuance being such as may bée easily cured euen by Elementary remedies being either hote or cold moyst or drie As for example ayerie windes shut vp in the bowels and bringing forth the paines of the Collicke are with lysters dispersed and driuen away Surperfluous humidities and thinne water is consumned with drying medicines Inflamations comming of a terrestrial and simply grosse matter introsulphurus are extinguished by a simple cooling helpe And to conclude we wil say with Fernelius that some sicknesses are méerely secret and hidden which the same Fernelius as doth also Paracelsus affirme to be supernatural which sicknesse come from the influences of Stars wherin also is obserued somewhat which is diuine or at least more singular and peculiar than in common sicknesses Such are the astral and aiery effects which happen to some men more then to other by a certain singular influences of the Starres or constitution of the heauen or by the concourse of the euil Planets who are therefore diuersly affected by the sundry rootes natures and properties of their Ascendentes producing by their aspects and radiations conuenient fruites in fit times The secret and hidden causes of these kinde of diseases being such as we cannot easily reach vnto like medicines of the same nature which are indued with a hidden vertue are to be vsed And as there be Celestial spiritual and etherial effects so also they require spiritual and etherial remedies which may elsewhere be taken then from those thrée beginnings brought into a spirituall nature But wée haue stood too long vpon this point CHAP. XVI Wherein is shewed that the whole force of purging in Medicines in the Antimonial Mercurial and Arsenical Spirits according to euery of their seuerall natures AMong Minerals thrée kindes of spirits doe offer themselues to be viewed and considedered from their first original namely spirits Mercurial Arsenical and Antimonial which by their owne nature are truely simple formal fierie and of wonderfull qualitie and efficacie and of ready working Which are to be distinguished as differing among them and also as rising from the thrée beginnings different For the Mercurials as the most subtil vaporus aierie and waterie take their original from Mercurie the Arsenicals as those which are more prosperous or breathing more fierie hote and meanely volatile doe take their original of sulphur the Antimonials of al others the most grosse corporeat and terrestrial doe take their original from Salt The Mercurials doe borrow their Celestiaâ— spirits from the Sunne from the Moone and from Mercurie and are by them impregnated animated The Arsenicals doe receiue the spirits of Mars Venus euen as the Antimonials do contayne the spiritual properties vertues of Iupiter and Saturne By the which vertues of the Celestial euery of the beginnings being impregnated by the things most fitting for them by theÌ„ increased doe obtaine greater forces in euery of their kindes and a more corrected and temperate nature For the Mercurials as indued with more gentle and wholesome spirits doe get a more gentle nature medicinable and nourishing The Antimonials from the intermedials that is to say from things partly good and
subiect which cannot be seen And as the effects are diuers so are there diuers kindes of Saltes which according to their diuersitie haue diuers tastes and sundery properties of euacuations and clensings and diuers other faculties But among Salts that which is more bitter and néerest to the taste of Aloes or Gaule sheweth his proper working in purging the belly by siege Such Salts Chymists call Salt Niter or Niterous salts Saladine an ancient great Physition speaking of Salts saith thus There are foure famous kinds of Salt to wit the salt of bread that is to say Common-salt salt-gem salt-naptie and salt-Indiâ— And afterward he saith that this last is of all other the most bâ—tter sharpe and most violent and therefore of greatest force to purge And he saith that al Salt is as it were a spurre to other medicines with the which it is mingled for that it maketh them to worke more spéedily Lastly hée saith that all Salt bringeth foorth grosse Phlegmaticke humors Among Salts some are earthie some watery and some aierie or such as haue in them predominant eyther the Element of that earth of water or of ayre insomuch some of them are fixed are of the nature of earth other some are betwéene fixed flying and doe retaine a certaine middle watery propertie But Sal Armoniac is of nature spiritual as is also the common Armoniac of all other most flying ayrie And al Salt whether it be flying or fixed is no otherwise dissolued and commixed in waters than with the water of Water and if one be a dry water the other is moyst These thrée kindes of Saltes which lye hydden in the secret parts of things whether they be metalline vegitable or animal and which are principally seated in that element which produceth his generations out of the earth they do participat of the nature of the thrée beginnings For the common salte and that which is of the sea passing through the philter of the earth and boyled and digested with the heates of the bowels of the same earth doth participate of the nature of fixed and firme salt the father and original of all others But Niter being partly fixed and in part volatile doth participate of the sulphurus beginning of things euen as Sal Amoniac doth participate of the Mercuriall beginning spirituall and ayrie whose extreames to wit fixed and volatile of the sulphurus salt or the Niterus partaker of the volatile nature in part and partly fixed are coupled together by intercession By this straight and wonderfull bond of the thrée beginnings thrée diuers substances of Salts of sundry properties doe manifestly appeare like in essence but not in natures of qualities For beyond all expectation a good wittie Salt-maker wil extract out of a fat and fertile earth by washings these three kindes of Saltes namely the marine and fixed which is dissolued in lye made of ashes the Niterus by it selfe which is there coagulated or congealed and the Armoniac volatile ayrie flying in part out of the Lye and partly contained in both the Saltes and therefore hydden from the sences This may bée done by a skilfull Salt-maker albeit he were vtterly ignorant of all the mysterâ—es which here are hidden Which thrée distinct differences of Saltes as they are to be found in euery fat kind of earth so out of both the saltes namely the marine and fixed and the Niterus volatile they may be thenceforth separated For those Saltes being put into a retort together or apart by themselues with a receiuer first by the force of fire stilleth forth a Volatile Salt sower sharpe and Mercurial then with a greater heate commeth forth a Salt Sulphurus and Niterus and swéete the third Salt which is Salt vpon Salt fixed will not moue with any force of fier but remaineth constantly in the bottome of the glasse All tastes are brought forth out of these thrée sundry Saltes common to that triple beginning of things so as we shall not néede to haue recourse to hot and cold moist and dry For they are procreated out of those beginnings alone Fixed Salt consider as it is simple and without commixtion maketh simply a salt tast A Sulphurus Salt also simply vnderstoode yéeldeth out of it a swéete oylely taste But Mercurial Salt in like sort conceiued by it selfe and apart representeth a sower taste All which tastes mixed together in equall proportions yéelde a pleasant and delightful taste without any sense or taste of any of the particulars These thrée beginnings cannot be found simple in a mixt body in such wise but that they haue some composition and do in mixture communicate their qualities together as may bée séene in sea-salt and salt-péeter out of the which may be separated not onely a salt and sharpe taste but also a swéete taste And it is certaine that in things sulphurus and oylely and also in Mercurial liquors there is to be found a coniunction of such tastes For this cause we affirme that all fixed Salt of a mixt body is very brinish and excéeding bitter the sulphurus of a fat and sweete taste and the Mercurial sower sharpe and fiery So that vpon these simple qualities salt swéete and sower which are to be found in all bodies minerall vegitable and animal all others tastes do depend And as touching the elementary qualities passiue which are as organical and instrumentall causes they little appertaine to this matter whether it be the terrestrial and drie passiue quality passiue coldnesse or whether it be the aiery moist vapor the which tastes of this sort or potent qualities procéedeth from these thrée beginnings do either further to this or that nature or else doe impaire and weaken them To make this plaine by manifest reasons and to lay it open before our eyes we will begin to intreat of mixed bodies the which notwithstanding according to the Elements are most simple CHAP. VI. IT is already said that tastes by a certaine priuate right are ascribed to Salts or to their spirits which euidently appeareth hereby that the differences of tastes are not produced but from the differences of Saltes or contrariwise the differences of Saltes are produced from the differences of tastes In the bosome of nature there are found almost so many kinde of Saltes as there are variety of tastes Digged or minerall and marine Salt is endued with a salt qualitie Niter with a bitter quality Allum with a sharpe Vitriol with a sower Armoniac with a sharpe and sower quality But swéete Saltes do manifestly appeare not onely in Manna and in Sugar but also in marine salt and in salt of Vitriol out of which they are to be seperated And as we haue said in euery of these salts these thrée first beginnings Salt Sulphur and Merucry are contained ioyntly together one aiery mercurial or spiritual the which is sharpe and sower the other earthly which is sower and bitter and the third oylely sweet which is a meane betwéene them
either because they had so learned from others peraduenture by tradition or else by experience obseruing the impressions formes and figures of their simples But they of more late time haue bene so rash of iudgement that they wil take vpon them to iudge of the faculties of simples by their taste and relish and thereby discerne and determine their first second and third qualities to the which afterward all the vertue of the saide simples was attributed But because they found not this an vniuersal rule alwaies and in all things and that it did deceiue therefore some fled to the secret and hidden properties arysing from the forme and the whole substance These and such like starting holes and subtilties haue brought vpon vs great incertainty and doubtfulnesse which way to discerne and find out those things which serue for our best good Tell me I pray you if you can how many bitter things there are in taste which neuerthelesse according to the edict of that rule are not hote at all Of this sort among others many moe is Opium and Cichory Againe how many sowre things are there which by their rule should be most cold which notwithstanding are most hote as the spirits of Vineger of Niter and of Sulphur How many swéet things are there in outward taste which in their internal substance are nothing at all contempered How many things are outwardly and at the first beginning of taste altogether vnsauory and without relish which inwardly and in faculty are most sharpe and byting Honey Cassia and Sugar are in their internal substance so hote and violent that out of them also may be prepared such dissoluers as are woont to be made out of Aqua Fortis or Aqua Regalis which can dissolue gold and siluer as spéedily as the other Lead yéeldeth out no taste to the tongue and yet his internall substance is a certaine sugared delightfull swéetenesse So outwardly Copper hath no relish and is of a ruddie colour but that gréene where into it is changed is most sharpe We might shewe of such examples almost an infinit number whereunto we must not rashly giue credit nor stand vpon taste nor leane to much vpon the exteriour qualities and temperament of things For if they be more inwardly and exactly examined then by that superficiary and slight maner of tasting and experimenting and that their inward bowels be diligently anatomized they shal be found farre otherwise and oftentimes different not onely in taste but also in odour in colour and in their whole substance But if so be a seperation be made of the thrée hypostaticall or substantial essential beginnings as of Salt Sulphur and Mercury then there will appeare a true and lawfull difference of tastes Because one and the same substance may containe in it seuerall tastes How then canst thou giue a safe iudgement of his properties and vertues As for example consider well of Guaiacum whose diuers vertues and properties therein contained thou canst not easily discerne by simple taste Neither canst thou alleage any certaine cause why it should be Diaphoretical that is to say apt to prouoke sweates which by the separation of the aforesaid beginnings thou canst attaine vnto For thou shalt find in his mercurial tartnesse in his oylie sulphurus and thinner substance that facultie to enforce sweate which is also in Iuniper in Boxe in Oake in Ashe and almost in al woodes and barkes as also in many other things but hereafter wée wil shewe the cause why those sharpe and sulphurus substances doe prouoke sweates But you may also extract out of the same bitterish Guaiacum a Salt apt for purgation and euacuation of humours The like is to bée said of Cinamom and almost of all other things For Cinamom hath facultie both to bind and to loose The opening force consisteth in his sulphurus oilie and thinne substance which being separated from his feces thou shalt find a substance of the nature of Allum wonderfully binding Also whereas Opium is bitter that commeth by reason of his Salt from the which being separated by his oile or narcotical Sulphur it becommeth purging no lesse than out of any other bitter thing as if out of Gentian Centorie such like the same Salt should bée separated and rightly prepared To these bitter Salts is giuen the name of Salt-gemme as a difference of other Saltes whereof there is great diuersitie of kindes as more at large shall be shewed in another place But nowe in fewe wordes I say that some Saltes are bitter some sweete some tart sowre sharpe austere pricking and brinish whose particular facultie is rightly attributes to the proper substance of the same Salt rather than to any other qualitie whatsoeuer the same be THE THIRD PART OF THIS Worke wherein is contained a small Treatise concerning the Seales and Impressions of things by Hermeticall Philosophers with much care and singular diligence gathered and brought to light ALl men follow not one way to attaine to a generall knowledge of all things The way of the Empericks is vncertaine for that it is traced in the darkenesse of ignorance These haue respect to the external impressions and to some inset qualitites especially to those which may be séen tasted and smelt Furthermore they haue great regard to the first qualities hote cold moyst and drie which they haue made the beginnings and first foundations of these faculties or vertues But the Hermeticall Phylosophers and Chymists leauing those bare qualities of the bodyes sought the foundations of their actions tastes odours and colours else where At the last by wittie inquisition they knew that there were thrée distinct substances in euery natural elemented body that is to say Salt Sulphur and Mercurie And these internal beginnings of things they called hypostatical vertual and ordinatiue beginnings For in these thrée hypostaâ—tical beginnings thâ—se foresaid vertual and sensible qualities are to be found not by imagination analogie or coniecture but in very déede and in effect That is to say tastes in Salt most chiefly odours in Sulphur colours out of both but most chiefely out of Mercurie because Mercurie hath the volatile Salt of al things ioyned vnto it For there are two kindes of salts the one fixed other volatile as shal be shewed anon Therefore salt is firme fixed and substantifying beginning of al things and therefore it is compared with the pure Element of Earth Because falt is not cold dry by his owne nature as it is holden of some that the Earth is the which qualities are the death of things but it is rather hote and endued with an actiue qualitie for that it is appointed to serue for the generation of all things Sulphur is compared to fire for as fire so sulphur doth quickly take flame and burne euen as also do al other things which partake of the nature thereof such as are Rosinie fat and oylie Mercurie by Analogie answereth the Ayre and Water For
not only that dry minerall water which is also called Hydrargire and Quick-siluer is called Mercurie but also euery water or actiue liquor endued with any vertue is also for the excellencie thereof called Mercurie The which Mercurie as we haue said may bée likened to either Element that is to say to Ayre and to Water to Ayre because when it is put to the fire it is found almost nothing but Ayre or a vapour which vanisheth away This if you please you may call a moyst actiue And it may bée compared to water also because it is running and so long as it continueth in his owne nature it is not contained in his owne listes but in the limmits of another which according to Arictotle is the definition of moyst These thrée beginnings I say are found in all bodyes as internal and necessarie substances for the composition of a mixt body For seeing the foresaid Mercurial volatile and spirituall humiditie cannot easily be conioyned with the earthie corporeat and fixed part by reason of that great difference and contrariety of either of them it is necessarily required that there should bée a meane and indifferent partaking of either that is as wel of the spirituall as of the fixed to conioyne both in one And this indifferent meane is Sulphur or oile which holdeth a meane betwéene that which is fixed and that which is flying For oyles are neuer so quickly so easily and so wel distilled as are waters because the substance of Sulphur or of an oylie bodie is tenax and retentiue and therefore most apt to combinde the other two to effect a good perfect and equal mixture To make the matter more plaine by example For as a man can neuer make good closing morter of water and sand onely without the mixture of lime which bindeth the other two together like oile and glue so Sulphur or the oily substance is the mediator of Salt and Mercurie and coupleth them both together neither doth it onely couple them to death but it doth also represse and contemperate the acrimonie of Salt and the sharpnesse of Mercurie which is found to bée very much therein Much like to the coniunction which the Spirite and quickening moyst radical maketh betwéene the soule and incorporeat substance and the body which very much differeth from the same Thus then it appeareth after what manner these thrée natures may consist in one together and so to be made a mixed and perfect bodie For as salt by it selfe a lone cannot bring this thing to passe euen so neither these two fluxible and mouing humors cannot without Salt by their nature compose a firme fixed and solyd body Moreouer Sulphur most néedes bée had as a Glue without the which the Mercurial liquor wil be swallowed vp by the drinesse of the terrestrial Salt and through the violence of the heate of the fire which by the Sulphur is contained But the Mercurial humour is as it were the chariot of the other two seruing to penetrate and to make the mixture easie and spéedy If there bée any man which through obstinacie or blockishnesse of wit doth not well conceiue and vnderstand this let him beholde and consider of the blood which is in mans body how in the same the whaye is as a chariot or mediator and combiner of the other two beginnings together as may appeare by the preparation and separation thereof Very fitly wée may vse this example in this place And hereafter by infallable and euident demonstration we wil shew after what manner the other two beginnings beside the whaye which supplyeth the place of Mercuries are in blood When Salt is predominate and beareth the swaye it produceth so many kinds of diuers Vicers and many other diseases beside that portion of salt which passeth through the reines and bladder by Vrines In like maner we haue already shewed how Sulphur or the oilie part is in the same blood This sulphur being exalted it causeth sulphurus exhalation as inflamatiōs from whence come so many kindes of Feauers So Mercurial sublimations raise Rheumes and Catarres with other diseases Mercurial Chymistes determine that there are sundry kindes of salt which as they are found apart in nature s◠also in all mixt bodyes That is to say common salt which the Sea by his secret 〈◊〉 pypes doth conuey through the earth Salt gemme also Allum whereof there are diuers kindes Vitriol Salt-Armoniac and Salt-Niter which men commonly call Salt peter Among these salts two are flying and are mixed with liquors after an insensible manner that is to say Niter Salt-Armoniac of nature Niter doth participate of sulphur and of the oylie liquor of things Armoniac partaketh of Mercurie or of the Mercurial humour of things And these foresaid salts which are found both in earthie and metallick substances are deriued through the benefite of rootes into hearbs plants and trées which because they are alwayes in the earth they retaine the nature most chiefly of fixed salt And after the same manner the nature of fixed salt is to bée sought for in rootes In flowers also and in leaues there is great store of the other two flying Salts which béeing such they easily vanish away and come to nothing when the flowers and leaues doe wyther and waxe dry But those plants and hearbes which take their nourishment from fixed salt are alwayes kept flowrishing and gréene and therefore they doe the more strongly resist the fainting heate of Sommer and the morifying cold of Winter Moreouer their Rootes standing déepe in the ground they doe the more easily withstand all external iniuries And when the Spring commeth and the Sunne sendeth foorth his heate entring into the signe of Aries piercing the earth with his quickning beames hée stirreth the same and causeth her to open her bosome out of the which at the last shée powreth foorth abundantly those two liquid beginnings whereof wée haue spoken before The liquor or Mercurial vapour which is lifted vp through the Rootes with Salt Armoniac of a volatile nature by a certaine wonderfull manner of nature◠distilling and ascending into the trunke vnder the barke at which time trées may easily bée disbarked raiseth vp quickeneth and adorneth with gréene leaues trees and plants now hanging downe their heads and halfe dead And the other kinde of volatile salt Nitre-sulphurus mixed with the more volatile sulphur and oyle of nature doth cloath and decke the whole earth euery wherewith sundry sorts of most beautiful flowers And yet wée must not thinke héereupon that one vaporous liquor which procéedeth out of the earth is not partaker of the other séeing the Mercurial liquor is not without his sulphurus nor the sulphurus without his Mercurial And this is the cause why in the vegetable nature wée doe sée that some doe put out their leaues and flowers sooner than other some Nature therefore hath most wisely distributed those beginnings into all things And experience doth teach that somethings doe partake of this
worthy the marking and admiration namely that two or thrée fiery coales and no moe put vnder a large vessel or chaldrone which may containe sixe gallons will heate the same wine and will procure the spirit of wine to distill when as by that small heate a much lesse portion of water cannot bée made blood warme But which is more to bée maruailed at and obserued when the same spirit of wine doth passe through the Colunrina as they terme it namely by very long cunduites and pipes of brasse reforsed fit for this distillation it doth so heate them as also a whole pipeful of cold water-besidâ— and farâ— enough from fire in the which the saide pipes are moystened that a man may scarce handle them The which is to bee attributed to the great heate which the spirit of wine giueth to the colde water passing through the foresaide pipes For when all the spirit of wine is distilled forth although thou put vnder the saide vessell a much more vehement fire yet thou shalt féele the heate of that water in the vessel contained to bée extinguished and cooled The which should put vs in minde what is the next cause and original of natural or connatural heate in vs for this heate is stirres vp in vs by the continual circulation of the quickening spirit of our blood When all this water of life is at last distilled forth by a certaine internal external and violent heate or else vtterly wasted by progresse of time then doth appeare the extinction of that quickening heate and cold death insueth But to returne to the matter After the extraction of the true Aqua-Vitae or spirit of wine which is the whole purity of those thrée substantial beginnings whole liquor representeth Mercury whose flame which it readily conceiueth sheweth the Sulphurus nature and the excéeding strong taste declareth the spirit of Salt Armoniac there remaineth great plenty of â—â—eame or of Mercurial water which as yet containeth some quantity of spirit of wine But the last remainder is no better then vnprofitable water which soone corrupteth in like manner after the extraction of the water of life which is truly spiritual from out of our blood there remaineth in our body that moyst and moystening liquor which is partly nourishing and partly excrementall as is saide afore Lastly there remaine ouer and aboue the former the Feces Tartarous residences and Niterus Sulphurus matter which containe many stinking Impurities as also greate plentie of Salt The impurities doe sufficiently shewe the impurities in the eyes and filthy stinkes out of the nosthrils where as diuers oyles are distilled out of the said feces by vehement fire And out of the very feces there is extracted Salt if they be calcined and the same is also fixed with his proper fleame as we haue shewed afore in the working of the same vegetable This Salt is made Volatil with Salt Armoniac flying contained in his own spirit or water of life procéeding as we haue already shewed In like sort in blood beside that spirit of life and Mercurial liquor which two may in very déede be seperated from blood it selfe and shewed to the eye after conuenient digestions in the heate of Balne Mary which resembleth the heate of nature that it may the better and more easily appeare how the same heate and the same nature in vs maketh the same seperations and operations I say beside those two a certaine soft consistence like liquor wil reside in the bottome wherein thou shalt finde many impurities to be séene and smelt if the same matter be dryed vpon a fire of ashes proportionable to the heate of a feauer and no greater This Niter-Sulphurus stinke is that which manifestly causeth in vs fiery meteors as wel in the vpper as in the inferiour part of the body and which bringeth forth innumerable passions and paines beside as is already shewed afore So also by the force of the fire Sulphurs and oyles thick and gluing like pitch may be seperated out of the feces and tartar of blood no lesse then out of wine so offensiue with stinke as thou art not able to abide the odour thereof whereof how many diseases may arise in our bodies euery man may easily coniecture This done there wil remaine ashes out of which a Salt is extracted the which by the vertue of the Salt Armoniac of nature may be made Volatil and the very same which Lullie calleth the greater Lunarie for the imitation of the vegetable work This worke is very admirable by which the true Numie the vniuersal Medicine and the true Balsam conseruing and restoring nature is made And this is the true and vital anatomie of blood which by manifest demonstration we haue shewed that it hath a great analogie proportion and resemblance with wine when as a true Phylosopher as wel out of the one as out of the other sauing that the one requireth greater artifice knoweth how to seperate waters of life méerely spirituall which are saide to be very forcible and strong and beside these Mercuriall liquors which are as wel profitable as hurtful which are also moystening and finally which knoweth how to extract vapors and exhalations fuming which are called out-flowings Now therefore if so be in wine which we easily vse to nourish our bodies and the same pure and cleare after the seperation of the spirit thereof we sée and behold so many vnkindly things and so impure how many more grosse impurities I pray you shall we finde in the Lées of wines cleaning to the caskes and in the grosse residence of the same They which knowe and vnderstand that great and excéeding blacknesse of wine lées which is manifestly to be séene in the calcination thereof and the sepreation of his spirit and of his oyle red blacke and stinking which is done by destillation they I say can giue cleare testimony and credibly informe what a great stinke there is in the Sulphur thereof and how great the acrimony and byting sharpnesse is in the same tartar or lées by reason of the Salt which is extracted out of the same and the oyle which is made by the resolution of the same Salt of tartar And trust mée in the feces of the same wine there are found beside the things already spoken those matters which are more grosse impure and stinking as they wel knowe who to calcine them into ashes which they call clanelated are compelled to goe out of the Cities into the fieldes and places further off by reason of their excéeding infection and stinke with the which they are wont to infect the places néere adioyning What maruaile is it then as is shewed afore if in our blood after the seperation of the true spirit there are found so many vnkindly tartarous stinking and Sulphurus impurities But what maruaile I say if more and greater impurities and stinkes are to bee found in diuers of the Heterogeneal parts of the Chylus or best matter digested in the stomach for nourishment from whence
tittle of Apothecaries professing that and yet follow the Trade of Marchandise and not of honest and good men which are dilligent in their Arte to whom this our labour pertaineth and to whom these our studies and admonions are dedicated for the health of many and for their praise and profite The auncient Physitians and men of the best sort delt more warily and prouided better for themselues had this arte in great honor and therefore in their owne houses they prepared medicines with their owne hands And wée also for our owne partes would bee loath that some of our secrets should bee cast before these Hogges and therefore wée commonly prouide that they bée prepared in our Laboratorie at home by a kilfull workeman whome wée direct and appoint for that purpose Not that wee might make thereby the greater gaine to our selues but for the honour and praise of the Arte and to our friends good the which all those know that know vs and haue receyued the benefite from vs. But for this time these shall suffice For the Patterne of Furnaces and glasses apt and méete for Distillation buy Maister George Bakers Booke our Countryman And if thou be desirous to procure glasses of all sortes for this Arte thou mayst haue them at the Marchants hand which sell such in their houses néere the Poultery in London THe winde Furnace must haue a hole beneath one foote déepe inwarde and one foote and a halfe vpward and at that height a grate shall be layed wherein the coales of fire must lie Also at that height make another mouth where at thou shalt put in the saide coales of fire and aboute the same raise vp the walles round about ten Inches in height and there also lay two barres of Iron to set the Panne vppon either for Balneum Mariae or for a dry fire To make thy nourishing Balnâ— TAke chopt Hay and water and put it into an earthen Pan then set ouer it a Trencher with a hole in the middest to answere the bottome of the glasse which must come within two Inches of the water Concerning Hermes Seale and the making of diuers closiers of glasses FIrst thou shalt know that of all fastnings or closing vp of Glasses that no vâ—pours nor spirits goe foorth the Seale of Hermes is most noble which is done in the manner following First make a little Furnace with the Instruments belonging It must haue a grate in the bottome to make fire vppon In the middst of the Furnace shall be a hole to put in the ende of a narrowe necked Glasse so that the third part of the glasse be emptie And if the hole of the Furnace be greater then the glasses necke close vp the hole with claye on euery side round about so as the mouth of the glasse haue some libertie Let thy fire be as farre from thy glasse as thou canst and when thy coale fire is readie put the Glasse néerer and néerer by little and litle till the mouth of thy glasse waxe red as it were ready to melt Then take the red hote tonges and therewith wring or nippe the toppe close together whereby it shall be so closed as if it had no vent 〈◊〉 or came so closed out of the Glasse-makers shoppe But take héed when you haue so done that you pull it not too suddenly out of the fire least the sâ—dden colde cracke the glasse and marre all Therefore abate it by little and little and not at once And when thou wilt open the glasse take a thridde dipt in brimstone or waxe and wind it 6. or 7. times about the necke of the glasse where thou wouldest haue it to breake and set it on fire with a small waxe candle and when it is burnt powre a drop or two of cold water vpon it and it will crack in the saâ—â— place that thou maist take it off Concerning the maner of making Lutes wherewith to close glasses THe ordinary Lutes wherewith to stop vessels of glasse against faint vapours are these Take quick lyme beaten to â—oulder as fine as may be and searsed temper it with the white of egs Or else mix wheat flower with the white of egges spred them vpon linnen cloath and wrap it diuers times about the mouth or ioynts of the glasse Other Lutes called Lutum Sapientiae made for the defence of stronger vapours either to parget and lute the body of the glasses or to stop their mouthes or loose their ioynts which are to be wrought cleare smooth and without knots or bladders in maner following Take potters earth with a forth part of shorne floxe added to the same an eigth part of white ashes with a forth part of dry horse-dung All these wel beaten together with an yron rod. This is the right composition of Lutum Sapientiae There be that doe adde to this composition the poulder of brick and of the scales beaten from yron finely searsed And for the more conuenient drying of vessels so luted and fenced you shal bore certaine holes in a wodden forme into the which put the neckes of thy glasses that their bottomes and bodies may be dryed the better Another most excellent Lute for the like incloser is made of glasse and Vermilion of each like quantitie pouldred and searsed then incorporated with vernish and a little oyle of Linséede and making the whole like a soft poultesse which is to be spread on a fine linnen cloath wrap it about the mouth ioynts of the glasses and so suffer them to dry in the Sunne Which albeit it is a long worke yet it is most sure For this will serue against the strongest vapours that are Also to compound a Lute wherewith to make your Fornace that it may not riue or chap take chalke and potters clay and a quantity of sand wrought together with wollen 〈◊〉 and horse-dung incorporated as afore Thus courteous Reader I haue shewed thée such secrets in this Art as neither Quersitanus Isacus Hollandus nor any other Phylosopher haue before published in print to my knowledge but haue come to my hands in paper and parchment copies If thou be industruous doest tread the right Hermetical path thou shalt by the meanes of these helps so plainly set before thine eyes without Hieroglyphicks and Riddels to do thy selfe and thy countrey good Thus wishing to thée as to my selfe good successe in all thy godly indeuours I commend them and thée to the Lord. FINIS Genesis 1. 2. Eccle. 3. 19. Acts 17. 28. 1. Thess 5 23 Heb. 4. 12. Gen. 1. 16. Wisd 11. 17 2. Pet. 3. 10. 13. Apoc. 21. 5. Psal 14. 1. Rom. 1. 20. Col. 2. 8. Gen 30. 37. Iob. 9. 26. 28 37. 38. 39. 2. Cron. 9. 2 Mat 12 4. Eccle. 38. Luke 14. verse 5. Num. 11. 29. Lact. lib. de Ira Dei cap. 10. Plin. lib. 2. cap. 7. Sen. lib. 4 de benet cap. 7. Thomas lib 9 super 2. lib. de coelo Plato in Timaeo Gen. 1. Metaph. 5. Cap. 1. 1. Thes 5. 23. Heb. 4. 12. Lib. de remed 7. cap. 3 Lib. colleâ— 15. Lib. 2. de virtute simp medi. ad Eutrapi Tetr 1. serm 2. cap. 43. 4. 6. Ter. â— serm 1. cap 24. In lib. de metho meâ—â— cap. 9. Li. de medidica cap. 30. Ter. 1. Ser. 2. Cap. 156. Cap. 157. Cap. 161. Lib. 7. de re medica Coll lib. 15. The Heauen of Philosophers Venus and Mars are Copper and Iron The greene Lyon Sol and Lana Gold Siluer Lib de Aurora Lib. de sâ—â—â—â—bus Hip. lib. de Antiq maedicina All things naturally loue Salt Salt the Balsam of nature Salt hath life in it is animal Salt is also vegetal Salt the original matter of pearles and corall Salt the fier of nature The effects of Salt in the earth The effects of Salt in the aier Salts minerall Salts of diuers kinds Stirring waters Nature accordâ—â—h with nature Salt is fusible Salts may be extracted out of metalls A Figure of the Trinitie Phree distinct natures in Salt Two salts appeare in the 〈◊〉 of salt-peter Two flying parts of salt-peter Sulphur of Nature The Mercurial part of salt-peter The cause of ferment is sowernesse Vitriolis of the nature of Copper The spirit of Vitriol fixeth Mercurie Body soule and spirit A practise A good purgation of bad humours Gold tryumpheth in earth in aier and in fire The incorruptibilitie of gold maketh it the best Medicine to helpe a corruptible body The wonderful effects of potable gold Bathes and waters artificial The Chymical ministries Balsam is in euery thing The spirit of wine The Christal of Tartar The good effects of the spirit of wine B. M. signifieth Balneum â—arie A Balsam Radicaâ— Potable gold 1. Phlegme 2. Mercury 3. Sulphur 4. Salt Elements passiue Actiue Elâ—ments A Medicine particular and general 〈…〉 Crude wines breede the stone Helleborâ— poisonfull Transplanting of herbs helpeth their nature Obiection Answerâ— Galen Lib. 13. Method Syrach 38. 4 A Dissoluing water Copper is red without and greens within Narcotical is Stupefactiue Taste odour and colours Salt of 2. sorts Salt defined Salt and earth Sulphur and Fire Mercurie Ayre and Water Mercurie a moyst actiue Sulphur the meane to ioyne salt and Mercurie Three natures in one Salt causeth Vicers in the body Saltes of diuers sortes Mercurie is properly extracted from leaues Sulphur out of Seedes Salt out of wood and rootes A mixture of the 3. beginnings Salt the root of the other beginnings Bitter things doe purge Salt extracted out of bitter things Salt in vrinâ— Purgers Dissoluing liquors Dissoluing liquor Dissoluing spirits Obiection Answere The spirit of vitriol and his vertue A remedy against feauers Obiection A remedy to stoppe fluxes The fixing of quick-siluer Mercurie of the Phylosophers The right spirit of Vitriol good against the falling euil A remedy for Gangrena eating vlâ—ers Water for the Ophthalmie Water to ease the gout A remedy against obseruations and to breake the Stone Gangrena â—ured Causes of the Stonâ— Sal-Armoniac a coagulator and a dissotuer The cause of dogge-like appetite Choller rustie yeallow and greene The Philosophical cause of Meteors c. The cause of madnesse Phrensie and such like Salts of diuers kinds in mands body The stopping of the pores procureth sicknesse Spirit of wine The water of 2. degree Mercurie An Oyle Sulphur Fyer The Feces Salt Earth A most precious Elixir Hippocrates bagge is like the bagge where through Hypocras runneth
one ounce thou shalt finde the volatile Salt Armoniac to be conioyned with the sharpe fixed Salt and that which shall be distilled from the same will become altogether without taste or a little swéetish the volatile Salt Armoniac being gone through the passage in the fixed Salt So that the said ounce of Salt Tartar is increased by one scruple or more of volatile Salt increasing the quantitie of the other fixed Thus that volatil Salt Armoniac which vanisheth out of the Vinegar with the watry and aierie substance is retained by passage in the proper fixed Salt and there abioeth and by his absence dispoyling the distilled liquor of all sowernesse the which is therefore of no vertue or of lesse efficacie then pure and simple water Hereby it appeareth how litle ferment is néedful to a great quantitie of paste to acuate and augment the same as Phylosophers speak without the which the elementary water wil haue no sharpenesse For if that Salt Armoniac be wanting as touching the force and vertue thereof water hath neither tartnesse nor taste at all Therefore a Hermetical Phylosopher Phisitian which is wel acquainted with the liuely anatonie of things wil teach that the sharpe sower and attenuating taste of vineger and the dissoluing facultie thereof ariseth herehence because tart things whether they be waters or iuices are mixed and infused with salt Armoniac and that therefore Vineger not onely in regard of the tarnesse thereof but also that most thin spirituous sower essence of Salt doe pierce into the most inward parts euen of the hard bodyes And if it shewe foorth any cooling effects it commeth thereof because the sulphurus and fierie qualitie of the wine that is to say the Aqua Vitae is seperated without the seperation whereof it can neuer bée made vineger and can at no time yéelde any taste of Aqua Vitae And that sharpenesse by which it burneth is the chariot or carrier away of the elementarie and colde water by the which it is carryed and pierceth into the most inward and secret partes as wée haue learned by often experience that in that water the same sharpnesse is contained and most néerely conioyned therewith Nowe as we haue shewed that the sower and mercuriall liquor of things doth borrow that tartnesse from a certaine Armoniac salt and volatile which ariseth from the fixed euen so the sulphurus and oylie liquor doth receiue and taketh his vertue from no other thing than from that swéete Niterous sulphurus salt which borroweth the same from fixed salt so that in the fixed salt and out of that salt that mercuriall sowernesse and sulphurus vertue doe spring and doe receiue their fruits therefro as from the roote and first originall As also héere it is to be noted and to be wondred at that a tryple substance is seuerally to be extracted out of one and the same Essence from whence all things created do sucke and drawe their faculties vertues and properties and that the same doe so subsist in one and the same subiect that two others are to be produced from one other And the same thrée essences when they are separated and coupled together againe and vnited are then inriched and increased with wonderfull vertues and faculties and haue gotten excéeding perfection The which the more often that they be separated and vnited the more perfect and high degrees of power and force they obtaine in such wise that it is to bée reputed the vniuersall and most excellent Medicine of all others CHAP. VIII Concerning the excellent goodnesse of Salt in Medicine according to auncient prescription IT is manifest in the Writings of Galen and other Greeke Physitians as also in the Traditions of the Arabians and Latines with one consent that Salt is good and profitable not onely to season and sawce meates but also for Medicine Albeit in the dyet of sicke persons they commanded them to abstaine from salt things They defended the vse of Salt to be necessary for the curing of diuers diseases for that it hath vertue to clense to open to cut and to make shinne to moue sweates to further vrine and to prouoke vomit And in this manifold facultie and vertue it is more profitable than the most of other remedies For the proofe whereof we will bring certaine examples of some of the most auncient and famous Physitians First of all Aegineta concerning the facultie of Salt saith thus All Salt hath great facultie to drye and to binde Wherefore it consumeth all whatsoeuer is moyst in mens bodyes and compacteth the rest by binding For this cause it preserueth from putrifaction But burnt Salt hath greater force to resolue and consume Oribasius is of the same opinion Saltes saith he whether they be digged out of the earth or whether they come out of the sea haue like facultie and is mixed with two qualities that is to say of clensing and binding In this notwithstanding they differ that Saltes digged out of the earth are of a resoluing and consuming essence by reason that they are of more grosse parts and do more binde The same Oribafius saith also speaking of Aloes digged and marine salt haue all one force and are mixed of two qualities the one of clensing the other of binding But it is plaine that both kindes doe drie For the which cause it consumeth all humor in the body and thickeneth the solyde parts by binding Burnt salt hath greater force to clense but it doth not contract and thicken so much as the other The flower of salt hath thinner parts than burnt salt and is of a sharpe qualitie and much digesting Aetius hath also almost the same wordes sauing that hée addeth this concerning the froth of salt The flower of Salt saith hée is frothy cleaning to the rockes that are next adioyning and it hath by nature more thinne partes than Salt it selfe therefore it can much more attenuate and resolue but the rest of the substance cannot thicken as Salt doth Paulus Aegineta in the same Booke and chapter before quoted writeth that the same â—roth of Salt is the flower of Salt and is of more thinne parts and more consuming then is Salt it selfe but doth lesse compact By whch it doth euidently appeare that the science of Calcination of attenuation and of essences was not vnknowen to them of olde time For by the working and styrring of the sea they learned the Art of distillation by which they seperated the more spirituous from the more grosse euen as we sée the truth hereof to appeare in the experience of charming and working simple milke For by that meanes three sundrie substances are diuided one from the other namely Butter Curdes and Whaye Aetius speaking of cruditie and of those things which do helpe concoction according to the opinion of Galen and other Phisitians setteth before vs Saltes In the description whereof he putteth in one pound of salt of Cappadocea the which surmounteth the dose of all other the Ingredients
salt they dissolue againe with common water or with the proper water thereof which is better distilled from it before the Incineration of the matter that they may make the same cleane and pure and as cleere as Christall For they dissolue manie times they fylter and coagulate not to the vttermost poynt of drynesse but drawing out onely of that water twoo thirde partes and more by the pipe of the Alembick they afterward remooue the same from the fire that â—he salt therein contained and set in a colde place may growe into a christalline Iâ—e which is the most pure salt of the matter without all doubt This salt must be gathered together and separated with a woodden spoone And if there remaine any parte of the water let it bee vapoured againe and then putte into a vessell to stand in the colde ayre where will bée coniealed a christalline residence anew which must be seperated againe ouer and ouer so many times vntill more it can growe into a Iellie or Ise These kinde of Isâ—e recidences are the true beginning of Salts vital and qualified with admirable vertues And this salt hath in it still the other twoo substantiall beginnings Sulphur and Mercury For from the same the mercurial and sulphurous beginning the one swéete and vnctuous the other sharpe and Etheriall may yet bée drawen by a skilfull workeman the more fixed parte namely that of Salt remaining still in the bottome Saltes haue their corporall Impurities but the spirituall Balsam which lyeth hidde in them is the Chymicall salte knowen to a fewe Some of these Salts are bytter as wormeâ—ood some swéete as sugar some sharpe as vitriolls sower as Quinces or grapes by whose balsame they are nourished â—ostered and conserued These salts haue diuers spirites some resoluing some coniealing And as they haue diuers spyrits so do they worke sundrie and admirable effects CHAP. X. Wherein is prooued that the naturall and originall moysture in Saltes is not consumed by calcination but that the very formes do lye hidde in that constant and vitall beginning THe Naturall and originall moysture with the which Saltes are replenished as is aforesaid is not consumed with the force of fire and by Calcination For it shall be here shewed that all the more forcible tinctures and impressions and the property of things together with their most potent qualities and powers as tastes odours colours with the very formes themselues such like are concluded and do lie hid in that firme constant vitall beginning For the truth whereof I will deliuer vnto you certaine demonstrations oftentimes prooued and confirmed by my owne experience One I learned of a friend which lodged at my house who was the first Inuentor therof Another I receiued froÌ„ a most learned famous Polonian a skilfull Physitian aboue 26. yeers since This man was so excellently and phylosophically skilfull in the preparing of the ashes out of al the parts of any maner of plant with all the Tinctures and Impressions of all the parts of the plant and would in such wise conserue all their Spirites and the Authours of all their faculties that hée had aboue thirtie such plants prepared out of their ashes of diuers sorts conteyned in their seuerall glasses sealed vp with Hermes seale with the tytle of each particular plant and the propertie thereof written vpon the same So as that if a man desired to sée a Rose or Mary-gold or any other flower as a red or white Poppey or such like then would hée take the glasse wherein the ashes of such a flower was inclosed whether it were of a Rose a Marie-golde a Poppey a Gilly-flower or such like according as the writing of the glasse did demonstrate And putting the flame of a Candell to the bottome of the glasse by which it was made hote you might sée that most thinne and impalpable ashes or salt send foorth from the bottome of the glasse the manifest forme of a Rose vegetating and growing by little and little and putting on so fully the forme of stalkes leaues and flowers in such perfect and naturall wise in apparant shew that a man would haue beléeued verily the same to be naturally corporeat whereas in truth it was the spirituall Idea indued with a spirituall essence which serued for no other purpose but to be matched with his fitting earth that so it might take vnto it a more soly body This shadowed Figure so soone as the vessell was taken from the fire turned to his ashes againe and vanishing away became a Chaos and confused matter When I had séene this secret endeuouring with al my might to attaine to the same I spent much time about it but yet lost my labour But as touching the demonstration following I affirme vpon my faith and credite to be most certaine and haue often proued and experimented it by my selfe may easily be done by any man The Lord de Luynes Formentieres a man of great account both for his learning and office being noble and of all men singularly beloued long since departed this life with whom in his life time I conuersed with great familiaritie This noble man 〈◊〉 very great paines to search and finde out the most excellent secrets of nature but specially those which appertained either for the preseruatioÌ„ or for the restoring of health And séeking long to find such remedies for that he had languished in a crazed body a great while without any helpe and was iudged by Physitians to be past cure he was at the last holpen and wonderfully restored to health by one only Lossenge of a certaine Chymical electuary of great vertue which the Lady de la Hone a most noble and wise matrone gaue vnto him This Lossenge prouoked him to easie vomit by which he cast vp from his stomacke all impurity tough and discous like the whites of egs diuersly coloured in great quantitie by which hee was restored to health againe to his great ioy and comfort Hereupon he greatly desireth to know this secret the which he not onely obtained at the hands of that noble Lady but some others also no lesse vertuous by his own endeuour afterwards the which he vsed both for his owne health also for the good of others as need required in the way of Christian charity This man coÌ„ming out of France in the time of the ciuil wars conuersing with me applyed his mind to extract Salt out of mettals that thereby he might prepare a remedy against the stone dissoluing it with christall This Salt being mixed with the lye made with ashes of 〈◊〉 mettals by often powring warme water vpon the same drawing it through too and againe as women are wont to make their coÌ„mon lye shewed a proofe of his essence included in the lye after this maner The lye being strained through a Filter oftentimes very well clensed was put into a vessell of earth hauing a narrow bottom and a wide mouth which is called a Terime And
and comfort the same So the Salt of Guaiacine is by a speciall propertie solutiue as the mercurie thereof by his tartnesse doth testifie and the oyle or Sulphur thereof hath a purging force Out of the which thrée beginnings if the first two spirituall and more simple that is to say Mercury and Sulphur be extracted and according to arte and the fixed which is salt be also extracted and seperated and be after that brought into one bodie which the Arabians call Elixir it will be ioyntly together a medicine prouoking sweate altering concocting and purging Which tryple motion and operation commeth from one and the same essence of thrée vnited in one giuing most assured helpe in stéed of quicke-siluer against the veneril sicknesse or French disease The salt of Tartar is of the same kinde that they be which sharply do vite the tongue being also oily and sulphurus yea it is more sharpe than any other neuertheles if it be mingled with the spirit or sharpe oile of vitriole it can so moderate and correct his sharpenesse and byting spirit that of them both there may be made Ielly and thereof a swéete most pleasing delicate sirup which auayleth much against the gnawing and heate of the stomach and to ease al paines of the collicke All such Mercuries Sulphur and Saltes of Vegetables doe grow and arise from the mercurial and sulphurus spirits of the earth and from metallick substances but they are farre better swéeter and of more noble condition than their parents from whence they take their original There wil be no ende of writing if particularly should bée prosecuted the difference of all beginnings and their properties and faculties which the sea and the earth doth procreate That which is already declared may suffice to stirre vp the moâ—e noble wits to search out the Mysteries of nature and to follow the study of such excellent Philosophy Thus it is made manifest that these thrée biginnings are in Heauen in the Elements as in Ayre Water and in Earth and in bodies elementated as wel of Minerals as of Vegetables And now it resteth that it be shewed how the same be in Animals CHAP. XIIII Wherein is shewed that those three first beginnings are to be found in all liuing Creatures FIrst we wil beginne with Fowles whose first beginning is at the Egge For in Egges there are more plaine testimonies of the nature of Birdes than in any other thing The white declareth the ethereal Mercurie wherein is the séed and the etherial spirit the author of generation hauing in the prolifying power whereof chiefly the Bird is begotten For this cause it is marueilous that so many and so great dissoluing and attenuating vertues and faculties doe lye hid in the white of an Egge as in the ethereal Mercurie The yeolke of the Egge the nourishment of the Bird is the true Sulphur But the thinne skinne and the shell doe not onely conteyne a certaine portion of Salt but also their whole substance is salt and the same the most fixed and constant of al other salts of nature so as the same being brought vnto blacknesse and freed from his combustible sulphur but calcination it will indure and abide all force of fyer which is a propertie belonging to the most fixed salts and a token of their assured and most constant fixion This salt daily prepared is very fit to dissolue and breake the Stone and to auoyd it As these thrée principles are in the Egge so they passe into the bird For Mercury is in the blood and flesh Sulphur in the fat and salt is in the ligaments sinewes bones more in solid parts And the same beginnings are more subtil and aierie in birds than in fishes and terrestrials As for example the Sulphur or oily substance of birds is alwayes of more thinne parts thâ—â— that of fishes or of beastes The same may be sayd of Fishes which albeit they be procreated and nourished in the cold water yet doe they not want their hote and burning fatnesse apt to burne And that they haue in them Mercury and Salt no man well aduised will denie All terrestriall liuing creatures doe consist in like sort of these thrée beginnings but in a more noble degrée of perfection than in vegetable things they doe appeare in them For the vegetable things which the beastes doe féede vpon being more crude are conâ—â—cted in them and are turned into their substance wherby they are made more perfect and of greater efficacie In Vegetables there were onely those Vegetatiues which in beastes beside the vegetation which they retaine they become also sensatiue and therefore of more noble and better nature The Sulphur appeareth in them by their grease tallow and by their vnctuous oily marrow and fatnesse apt to burne Their Salts are represented by their bones and more solid and hard parts euen as their Mercuries doe appeare in their blood and in their other humors and vaporous substances All which those singular partes are not therefore called Mercurie Sulphurs and Salts because they consist of animal Mercurie of animal Sulphur and of Animal Salt without the coniunction of the beginnings But in Mercurals Mercurie in Sulphurus Sulphur in the Saltish salt doth rule and dominéere Out of the which thrée beginnings of beasts oyles diuers liquours and salts apt for mans vse both to nourish and also to heale and cure may by Chymicall art be extracted CHAP. XV. Concerning Man and the liuely Anathomie of all his parts and humours with the vertues and properties of his three beginnings NOw it remaineth that we séeke out and search in man those things in whom they shall be found to be so much the more subtill and perfect by how much he excelleth all other creatures in subtiltie and excellency For in him as in a little world are contained these thrée beginnings as diuers and manifold as in the great world but more spirituous and farre better For Pholâ—sophers cal man the compendiment or abridgement of the greater world And Gregory Nazianzene in the beginning of his booke concerning the making of man saith that God therfore made man after all other things that he might expresse in man as in a small table all that he had made before at large For as the vniuersal frame of this world is diuided into these thrée parts namely intellectual and elementarie the meane betwéene which is the celestial which doth couple the other two not onely most diuers but also cleane contrary that is to say that supreme intellectual wholy formal and spiritual and the elementary material and corporeat so in man the like triple world is to be considered as it is distributed into thrée parts notwithstanding most straightly knit together and vnited that is to say the Head the Brest and the Belly beneath The which lower belly compreheÌ„deth those parts which are appointed for generations and nourishment which is correspondent to the lower elementarie world The middle part which is the brest where the heart
like We might yet make these things more plaine lay the same more open by many reasons and examples but why should we ease you of that labour which we haue vndergon our selues by diliâ—eÌ„t reading searching and experimenting the things of nature with great expences before we attained our desire Accept my good wil in this which I fréely offer for some ease of thy paines and for thy profit And if it fit not thy humour taste for al men haue not one relish leaue it for those which shall better allow it FINIS THE SECOND part of this Treatise wherein is contained in some measure the practise of the Hermeticall Physicke CHAP. I. SAlt whereof hath bene spoken before at large is a thing of such qualitie and so excellent in it selfe that all creatures by a certaine natural instinct doe desire the same as a Balsam by which they are preserued conserued doe grow and increase They loue it and like it so wel I say that they long after it and doe drawe it vnto them by their breath and doe licke it with their tongue out of walles and old rubbish Byrdes as Doues and such like doe search after it with their beakes and wil if they can attaine it though out of â—eculent places which are made â—at by mens excrements and vertues What huge multitudes of fishes are bread and nourished in the Salt Sea The which being so apparant I wonder that men are of so peruerse iudgement that they knowe not or at least will not acknowledge the admirable effects of this radical balsam of nature And who wil not admire the vertual properties and qualities of Salt yea euen of that which is extracted out of liuing creatures which qualities are to be séene in making liquide in clensing in binding 〈…〉 preseruing from 〈◊〉 corruption and 〈…〉 Are not all these faculties and many others sufficient to proue that Salt is a thing animal And so much the rather because there haue bene some chiefe Phylosophers who haue affirmed the Magâ—es or Loadstone to be animate or indued with life onely because it hath power to draw â—ron to it How many faculties far greater then these yea and the same magnetical also do we find in Salt if we looke diligently and throughly into them What is greater and more admirable then the Salt of mans â—riâ—e which after conuenient preparation is made fit to dissolue gold and siluer which by this their simpathy and concordance â—o sufficiently declare and manifestly giue attraction and magnetical vertue occasioned or caused by their coniunction and copulation Who seeth not those admirable things which are to be discerned and which fal out in the preparation thereof and in the exaltation whether you respect so great variety of colours or the coagulations and dissolutions when the spirit returneth into the body and the body passeth againe into spirit Christophorus Parisiensis that great Phylosopher did not in vaine take the subiect herehence and begin the foundation of his worke Thus I hope I haue sufficiently declared that our Salt may be saide to be animate But that it may appeare also to be as vegetaâ— as it is animal that is to say that it is not depriued of the growing facultie it may hereby be demonstrated because it is the first mouing thing in nature which maketh to grow and to multiply and therefore serueth for the generation of all things so as with the Poets and auncient Phylosophers it may be said that Venus the mother and first beginner of al generation is begotten of the Salt spume or froath of the male the which also Athenaeus confirmeth For this cause Venus was called by the Greekes Aligene as affâ—anced to the Salt sea And also the generation of most precious pearles in the shels of fishes and of coral springing out of the bowels of hard stones and rockes in the sea spreading forth branches like a 〈◊〉 doe yet more and more confirme this sentence Theâ—â— are the â—â—fects which that fier of nature Salt bringeth forth yea euen in the middest of most cold water But let vs see also what it worketh in the earth The effects which it hath in the earth are these namely it heateth and maketh the earth fat it animaâ—â—th fortifieth and giueth power vnto it It increaseth and giueth a vegetating and growing vertue with séede into euery thing in the same For what other thing is it which 〈◊〉 the earth 〈◊〉 and bringeth to passe that one graine multiplyeth into a hundred but a certaine â—â—ercoration and spreading of 〈…〉 which commeth from cattle What other thing openeth the earth and maketh it to sproute â—n the beginning of the spring time after that the Sunne is exalted into the signe of Ariâ—â— which signe is the full of Saturn and the house of Mars signes altogether fâ—ery but the eleuations and sublâ—â—ations of the spirits of the said Salt and of the balsam of nature This is 〈…〉 and quickeneth which maketh to grow and which 〈◊〉 and ioyeth the medowes and the fieldes and which produceth that most ample and vniuersal vigor and vertue Who seeth not this in the very aâ—er also by the sublimations of the spirits of the 〈◊〉 nature of Salt which spirits being sublenated into aier in the said spring time doe fal againe in forme of a deawe vpon corne and all things that spring out of the earth And who seeth not that these deawes arysing from the earth and falling againe from the aier is a cause of vegetation and growing But that the dewe is the spirit of the foresaid Salt and indued with Salt they which thinke themselues great Philosophers against their wils and not without shame do confesse when they sée that the true Phylosophers doe extract out of the deawe a Salt which dissolueth corall and pearles no lesse then doth the Salt which is extracted out of common Salt out of Salt-Péeter out of Niter or out of other Salts which are prepared for the same end Furthermore the same Salt may rightly also be said to bee vegetall because it is manifestly found in all vegetables and because those things in the which it doth most abound haue the longer life and continuance and doe more manifestly shew forth the vegetable effects either in their owne proper nature â—or at such times as they are to serue for vse Salt also is well known to be metallick or minerall And all men knowe it the better so to be for that such sundry and diuers kinds of Salts are found in the bowels of the earth such are Salt Gem Allum Vitriol Salt niter and such others moe all which are of metallick nature or else doe participate much with the same But a Phylosopher knoweth how to 〈◊〉 this thing further and to find out the innermost 〈…〉 by the helpe of diuers strong waters which hee knoweth how to prepare which are nothing else but the spirits of the foresaide Salts which haue power to
dissolue and to bring metallick bodies into waters as is knowne to euery one I say that by this dissolution we may beâ—â—ld the 〈◊〉 simpathy of these Salts with the metallick nature For because they are like they wil be wel mingled together conioyned and vnited dissoluing his like and associating himselfe to his like For strong waters doe neuer worke vpon wood or vpon any oâ—her matter which is not of metallick nature As it was most truly said of a certaine great Phylosopher Nature loueth her like and delighteth in her owne nature And by another wittily thus spoken Easie is the passage of things one into the other which are one in likenesse Sulphur and other things which are of an oyle like nature are sooner and better dissolued with oyles as with the oyles of Terebinth and of Flaxe or Linsede which is most swâ—â—te then with that great force and most violent sharpnesse of strong waters which are nothing else but the spirits of Salts and by consequent doe disagrée with Sulphur which is a beginning contrary to the said spirits Here iâ— offered large occasion of 〈…〉 iâ— time and place would serue but I omit it Let vs returne to our Salt the which if I shal shew that it may be moulten and dissolued no lesse then gold and siluer with the force of fire and being cold againe may be congealed into a masse as metalls be then no doubt it wil euidently appeare that Salt is of a meâ—allick nature And this I say is to be doâ—e not onely in Salt which is sound in mines and in caues of the earth but also in the very Salt of the Sea But for so much as the same is better knowne to them that haue but meane skil in metalls then that I shal néede at this time to spend much labour about it I cease to speake any word more thereof Hereby it doth appeare very euidently that this opioâ—e of Aristotle is false where he saith that cold dissolueth the things which are congealed with heate and that those things which are coagulated by cold are dissolued by heate The which notwithstanding we grant to be true on the one part for that wée knowe well that Salt which is coagulated or congealed by the heate of the Sunne is dissolued in cold water But it must bée confessed also to be true that Salt by the vehemencie of the heat of fier is to be dissolued moulten and made fluxible and to be cast into a moulten lumpe as easily as metalls be Moreouer Salts may be extracted out of all calcined metals which are to be dissolued filtred and coagulated after the same manner as are other salts whether they be common and not moulten or whether they be moulten by the force of heate For it is known to a Chymist of smal practise that out of one pound of calcined lead tenne or twelue ounces of Salt may be extracted All which things doe sufficiently demonstrate and proue that the nature of Salt is metallick and that therefore metall is nothing else but a certaine â—uâ—il Salt By that which hath bene spoken it may easily appeare how Salt is animal vegetal and mineral and that it agreeth with that which all the Phylosophers haue decréed with one consent concerning the matter and subiect of the vniuersal Medicine And hereunto tend all other signes whereby they describe their foresaid matter albeit most abscurely All which things to agrée with the nature of Saltâ— as that 〈◊〉 is of smal estimation that it is to be found in euery thing 〈…〉 our selues the which is most plaine for so much as there is nothing compounded in vniuersal world out of the which and at all times Salt cannot be extracted CHAP. II. The three principles of all things are contained in Salt extracted out of the earth BVt to shewe now more particularly those things whereof we haue spoken generally namely that Salt doe participate with the animal vegetal and mineral nature wée wil vse a common example the which notwithstanding being exactly and diligently waighed and considered by a true Phylosopher is a notable mistery The which albeit it bee taken from out of the earth yet it may lift vp our eyes to heauen I meane to speake of Niter which men commonly cal Salt-Peeter I let passe the detestable and pernicious vse thereof inuented for the destruction of men And yet I must confesse that it deserueth great admiration in that it sheweth forth so great and incredible effects when as we being in these lower parts it representeth thundrings and lightenings as if they were in the aire aloft But it we should consider what it is and of what quality in his owne nature and composition what diuers faculties and qualities and effects there are in a thing so vile and so common it would no doubt make vs to wonder out of measure Niter is made and compounded of earth his mother which bringeth forth the same or it is taken out of old rubbish grâ—unds or out of places where stables for beasts haue bene or out of such kind of groundes which haue bene replenished with salt liquor or with the vrine of beastes rather then out of a leane hungry land washed with raine or by some such like occasion depriued of that radical humour It is most plentifully extracted from the ground where doue-houses are seated and out of Pigeons dung and this is the best Niter of all others the which is worthy the noting Whereby it appeareth that Niter doth participate with the excrements and vrines of liuing creatures For vrines are nothing else but a superfluous seperation of the Salt of vegetables by which liuing creatures are nourished and doe liue Whereby it euidently appeare how the foresaid Salt doth in kind participate with the nature animal and vegetable For as touching that which pertaineth to the mineral it is not much pertinent to our purpose to speake thereof sauing that wée thinke good to adde thus much that it is extracted out of the earth which is the reason why it is called Salt-Péeter when as more properly it should be called the salt of the earth But let vs goe forward Nature ministereth matter to Art whereof Salt-Péeter is compounded Art cannot make by it selfe no more then nature can make Salt-Péeter-pure and seperated from all terrestrilie and heterogeneal or vnkindly substance For that it may produce the same effects which the other produceth it must be prepared by the industry of workemen For these make choyse of conuenient earth and out of fit places to them well knowne and being filtered or strained with hote common water againe and againe through the same earth as lyes are vsually made with ashes it commeth to passe that a saltnesse or brinish taste is mingled therewith which is proper to all salts Of the which like or water so distreined if two thirds or theraboutes be vapored away by séething at the fire and then let coole the salt will be thickened into an
Philosophers which with one consent say Ignis azoc tibi sufficient Let Fire and the Matter suffice thée This onely Balsam is the vniuersal medicine to defend and conserue health if it be giuen with some conuenient liquor to the quantitie of one or two graines Great and admirable is the vertue thereof to restore our radical Balsam the which wée affirme to be the Medicine of diseases euen by the common consent of al Physitians But our Lullie and other Phylosophers are not content with this but procéeding further do dissolue the forsaid Phylosophical Sulphur in a conuenient portion of the spirit of wine rectified to perfection as afore and suffer them to be vnited and very well coupled together by way of Circulation in a Pellican Hermetically stopt or closed and within fewe dayes the water is made azure like or Celestial which béeing distilled is of force to dissolue gold and doth reduce it into the true Calxe of the Phylosophers into a precious liquor which itterated circulations and distillations can also passe by the necke of the Allembic or by Retort In the which working if thou procéede as thou shouldst thou shalt be able to separate from gold already phylosophically dissolued and animated thy phylosophical dissoluing which wil continually serue for newe dissolutions For very little is lost in euery dissolution And so thou hast the true potable golde the vniuersal Medicine which neuer can bée valued béeing inestimable nor yet sufficiently commended After the same manner thou shalt make the dissolutions of Pearles and of pretious stones most general remedies and deseruing to be placed among the chiefe if they bée dissolued after the order and manner aforesaid with a natural dissoluing Remedies I say which can much better confirme and strengthen our nature than if according to the common manner they bée onely powdred and searced as is wont to bée done in those our common preparations and cordial powders But some paraduenture wil say that these kinde of preparations are too hard or such as they vnderstand not or at least care not to vnderstand But this is a vaine obiection to preuent for excuse of their ignorance the difficultie of these preparations and the protract al time when as the thing is neither difficile nor long to them which know how to take it in hand These things are not to bée estéemed nor labour is to bée spared to attaine so excellent precious medicine which in so little smal a dose as in the quantitie of one or two graines can worke so great and wonderful effects which bringeth great commendation and honour to the Physitian and to the sicke perfect health and vnspeakable sollace and ioy But to conclude I wil say with Cicero in his Tusculans There is no measure of seeking after the truth and to be wearie of seeking is disgrace wheÌ„ that which is sought for is most excellent CHAP. VI. The way to prepare and make the Balsamick Medicine out of all things BY the foresaid preparation of sulphur Balsamick vegetable which wée haue before taught faithfully plainly and manifestly it is easie to vnderstand after what manner the same Sulphur may bée extracted out of euery mixed body In the wich bodie that I may summarily gather al things together there is first found a liquor without al odour or rellishing taste which is called Phlegme or passiue water Then commeth a liquor which hath taste colour odour and other impressions of vertual qualities which is called the Hercurial liquor And after that commeth foorth an oylie liquor which floteth aloft and conceiuing flame which is called Sulphur After the extraction of these thrée seueral moystures there remaineth nothing but ashes or dry part out oâ— the which ashes béeing wel calcined Salt is extracted with his proper Phlegme messhing oftentimes and powring water warmed vpon the foresaid ashes put into Hypocrates bagge and repeating this so often times til you perceiue a Salt water to come which hath a brinish taste after the same manner as women are woont to make their lye-wash This béeing done let the moyst be distilled and the salt wil remaine in the bottome The which salt notwithstanding in this first preparation is not made cleane enough nor sufficiently purified Wherefore the same distilled water is to be powred vp againe that the Salt may againe bée dissolued in the same the which so dissolued filter it or straine it through a bag oftentimes as afore til it be most cleare then coagulate it at a gentle heate And after this maner thou mayst extract a Salt cleare pure out of al vegetable ashes Vppon this Salt being put into an Allembic powre al his mercurial sharpe water let them be digested by the space of one or two dayes in the gentle heate of the Balme and then let them be distilled by ashes and so the water wil distil forth without taste or rellish Because whatsoeuer it contained of the volatile Salt wil reside in the bottome with his per fixed salt Goe forward therefore in thy working as before I taught thée concerning the wine Or if thou wilt not worke so exactly meshe vp againe al the mercurial liquor and make it passe through the foresaid Salt which wil take into it al that vitriol impression which that water shal haue and the water or liquor shal haue neither rellish nor taste but shal be altogether like to common water But if thou adde so much that the volatile part doe excéed the fixed that is to say that there be more of the volatile than of the fixed the which thou shalt easily know by waight because it wil be increased thréefold or by trial vpon a red hote copper or Iron plate when this matter béeing cast vppon the same vapoureth and passeth away in smoke then thou must sublime it and it wil become the Sal Aâ—moniack of the Philosophers so it pleaseth them to cal this matter which wil bée cleare and transparant like pearles Vppon this powdred matter thou shalt powre by little and litle the oylie liquor purified and thou shalt boyle this matter that of volatil it may be fixed againe Neuerthelesse that which shal be fixed shal be of nature more fusible than waxe and consequences wil more easily communicate with spirits and with our natural Balsam when it is seperated from his passiue water and passiue earth which are vnprofitable Both which matters the Phylosophers cal the passiue Element because they containe no propertie in them neither doe they shew forth any action And thus a body or nature is made wholely homogenical simple albeit there are to bée séene thrée distinct natures the which notwithstanding are of one or the same essence and nature And so a body shal bée compounded exactly pure out of those three hypostatical beginnings namely salt Mercurie and Sulphur The which Sulphur in some part is answerable to truely simple and Elementarie fire Mercurie to Ayre and to Water in like manner most