Bowels but even from the Brain it self Salmon VII Alterative Remedies for the same Nothing is better than our Powers of Rosemary Amber and Spir. Antiasthmaticus given as directed in our Phylaxa Salmon CHAP. III. Of AGVES I. A rare Secret to Cure all Agues whatsoever TAke Venice Turpentine half an ounce incorporate it with as much Camphire and Mastick beaten into fine Powder as will make it into a Plaister then take of it and spread it on a piece of Sheeps Leather cut round and lay it on the Stomach and Navel pretty warm a day before the Fit cometh Probat II. Against an Ague Take Posset-drink a pint and half put into it nine heads of Carduus boyl it 'till half be wasted to every quarter of a Pint put in a quarter of a Spoonful of gross Pepper stir it well and take half a Pint an Hour before the Fit cometh and be sure to Sweat him in his Bed upon the taking of it III. A Plaister against an Ague Take a piece of Leather pricked full of Holes spread it over with Venice-Turpent and on that spread all over Rue and Frankincense beaten into Powder of each a like quantity then bind it to the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie 'till the Fit be gone IV. Against a Tertian Ague Take at the coming of the cold Fit half a Pint of expressed Juice of Germander for Germander is styled by Physicians the Scourge of a Fever V. Against all burning and pestilential Fevers Take of the Herb Fluellin cut small and infuse it twenty four Hours in White Wine then Distil it and drink of this Distilla ion with three four five or six Drops of Oyl of Vituol in every Draught when Thirsty This hath cured Old and Young that took it VI. An Excellent Process to Cure all Quotidian Tertiane Pestilential and Burning Fevers and Agues Take Aloes three drachms Myrrh one drachm Saffron half a drachm Sugar three drachms beat them well together then infuse them in a pint of White Wine over Night and give it two several Mornings half a pint at a time to purge with And for ordinary Drink when-thirsty use this Take White-Wine-Vinegar half a pint rose-Rose-water Conduit or Fountain Water ana one Pint seeth them together with a Pound of Sugar VII Sleep to procure in an Ague If he want Sleep Take Syrup of white Poppy one ounce distilled Water of Lettice Sal Prunella 15. grains mix them and take it at Night for Sleep cools the Body and prevents motion and Motion is one of the principal Causes of heat VIII An Ague with a sore Mouth to Heal. If the Mouth be sore take of red Sage grosly cut one handful of French Barley beaten Roach Allom ana one ounce Boyl all these together in a pint and a half of Spring-water then duleifie it before it be cold with Honey and therewith wash the Mouth and gargle the Throat IX Against a new Ague Take one drachm of pine Tobacco in the Leaf infuse it all Night in half a pint of White-Wine then strain it and drink it fasting two Hours after it This will purge Phlegm and Choler throughly X. Against a burning Feaver Take Water distilled from Wall-nuts a Week or two before Mid-Summer and give of that Water one ounce and a half at a time an Hour before the Fit It Cures XI An Excellent Julep in all Fevers Take poppy-Poppy-water four ounces of prune-Prune-water Juice of Oranges Syrup of Gilly-flowers two ounces a few drops of Spirit of Vitriol mix them and let the Patient drink two or three spoonfuls at a time often XII A Specifick against all manner of Agues Take Quin-quina or Jesuits Bark two Drachms beat it into Powder just about the time of using it Infuse it in a good Draught of Claret or other Generous Wine for the space of two Hours then give the Patient both Liquor and Powder at once as they lye in Bed Some advise to give it as the Fit is coming others as the Fit is going off the latter way is best if the Sick be very weak Salmon XIII Another Remedy for the same If you give my Catharticum Argenteum to forty fifty sixty or one hundred Drops according as the Patient is in Age and strength as I have directed in my Phylaxa Medicinae Lib. 1. Cap. 3. and continue it for five or six times taking it will go near to Cure any Ague whatsoever more especially if after such universal Purging you give either my Guttae Vitae or my Volatile Laudanum in such due Dose as in my said Phylaxa is prescribed about three Hours before the coming of the Fit so as the Sick may be in a good Sweat about the coming of the cold Fit by this means used five or six times the Ague goes off and comes no more I scarce ever fail of Curing an Ague by this method Salmon XIV Agues Cured by another Medicine I have Cured hundreds of Agues exactly by the former method except only that instead of the Catharticum Argenteum I have used either my Tabulae Emeticae or Vomiting Lozenges Or my Vinum Emeticum and sometimes some other proper Emeticks and Catharticks alternately But before either Quin-quina or Opiates be given if you would do like an Artist you ought to premise Universal Cleansers Salmon XV. A violent burning Feaver with Vomiting and Bloody Flux Where the Disease has been long the Patient wasted and brought as it were to Death's door there is nothing in the World better than our Pulvis Antifebriticus mentioned in Phylaxa Medic. Lib. 1. Cap. 45. You may give it to half a drachm or a drachm in any convenient Vehicle an Hour and half before the coming of the Fit Salmon XVI Agues chiefly Quartans Cured by the following Arcanum Rolfinc Lib. 5. Sect. 6. Cap. 12. Take Leaf-gold a drachm dissolve it in Aqua Regis Glass of Antimony a drachm dissolve it in Aqua Fortis Quick-silver six Drachms dissolve it in Aqua Fortis mix these Solutions together and Distil them by an Alembick cohobating twelve times at last to the Powder left in the bottom put Spirit of Wine which abstract from it six times then Calcine it upon a Tile or in a Hascican Crucible in a Circulary Fire so have you one of the best Remedies for an Ague chiefly a Quartane yet commonly known Take of this Powder six Grains Scammony twelve Grains mix for a Dose give it in the Morning the day before the Fit or in the Morning the same day if the Fit falls towards Night Salmon XVII Riverius his Ague Frighter Take Flowers of Antimony thrice sublimed with Sal Armoniack and Dulcified Perlucid Hyacinth Glass of Antimony ana half an Ounce Aqua Fortis made of Nitre and Alum 4 Ounces Praecipitate the said Antimony in the said Water Again Take Quicksilver revived from Cinabar six Ounces Aqua Fortis made of Nitre Alum and Vitriol q. s. in which dissolve and praecipitate the Mercury Take also fine Leaf-Gold one
I commend my Angelus Mineralis or my Piluloe Anglicoe if given according to the Directions in my Phylaxa Medicinoe Lib. 1. cap. 42 53. For they not only stop the Flux of Matter to to the part hinder the generation of new but also dispose the whole habit of the Body and all Humors thereof to a healing temper XXIX If there be an inward Aposteme Nature commonly breaks it yet things proper for the same ought to be given for which purpose some commend Anisated Balsam of Sulphur When it is broken and become an Ulcer it is clearly and fully cured by taking for some time or continuance Antimonium Diaphoreticum or Bezoar Minerale or some other more effectual refined Medicine made of Antimony whose Elixir Magistery Essence or Powers will perform things wonderful although they seem incredible to most not only in curing this Disease which is dangerous and hard to be cured but also other like Distempers which may at any time seize the Viscera XXX Some Men commend the Juice of Water-Cresses as also the Juice of Garden Cresses strained and drank for the speedy breaking of inward Apostemes in the Body This is good Take Mustard-seed grind it well with Water then with a sufficient quantity of Water wash out the Virtue from it which Water sweeten with Honey and drink it XXXI To ripen also an external Tumor you may apply a Cataplasm made of Water cresses and Garden-cresses beaten up with Hogs Lard A Cataplasm also of Goose-dung fresh and hot or of Pidgeons or Hens dung will do the same Or this Take Cresses cut and bruised well Goose dung Hens dung Pidgeons dung ana one handful Goose-grease eight Ounces with Pouder of Aron-Roots make a Cataplasm See my Synopsis Medic. Lib. 3. cap. 24. sect 30. CHAP. XIV Of the THRVSH I. 'T Is certain That every Thrush has its rise from a morbifick Acid and that is the true Reason they are so frequent in Children and in Children rather than in those of riper Age and this is first caused either from ill Milk in the Nurse spoiling the Stomach of the Child or from a natural Weakness of the part and sharpness of Humors there which curdling the Milk breeds or encreases the acid Humor so much 'till it comes to that acidity as to corrode the Skin so that the Mouth and parts adjacent seem as if it was a part scalded and in some as if it was scalded and the Skin rubb'd off II. The first thing therefore to be considered in the Cure is to absorb the acid Humor and that with all the speed that may be For the soreness of the Mouth though it be bad enough yet is not that which indicates the greatest danger inasmuch as the acid Humor may be carried down into the Bowels and do the same thing there at least cause gripings sharp prickings of the Bowels and sometimes a vehement Flux if not a bloody Flux which does not always go alone but are many times attended with dire Symptoms as Convulsions Fevers and the like III. It is also to be noted That where this acid Matter or Spirit extravagantly prevails in little ones by reason of the softness and ductileness of the parts the said acid penetrating and through a thousand Intricacies acscending up to the Brain being volatilized by the infant-heat and subtilty of the Spirits it strikes upon the Ventricles of the Brain and seizing as it were upon the Substance of the Brain contaminating all the animal Spirits with its acidity it forthwith causes an Epilepsie And this is the true ground of this Disease which so often and so much afflicts Children which might easily be preyented in the beginning were but care timely taken to depress the acid and sweeten the juvenile Juices IV. The next thing is to expel the Excrements or Matter contaminated with the acid We must not only correct or absorb the acid Humor but the Matter affected therewith must be expelled for otherwise it will lie both in the Bowels and Vessels and there corrupt or grow sowre again and indeed it easily resumes its former state V. The acid is corrected with Alcalies and such indeed are best which may best and with most ease and the least danger be given to Children Such are impalpable Pouders of Crabs Eyes Pearls Corral Salt of Tartar Lapis Haematitis Antimonium Diaphoreticum Bezoar Minerale Cinnabar of Antimony which last being levigated into subtil Powder is a most absolute thing Out of these things you may make the following Prescriptions or the like VI. Take impalpable Pouder of Crabs Eyes from one Scruple to half an Ounce Syrup of Poppies two Drams mix for a Dose Or this Take Bezoarticum Minerale one Scruple Syrup of Poppies or of Planiane enough to malax it for one Dose Or this Take Antimenium 〈◊〉 ten Grains Cinnabar of Antimony one Scruple All being in fine Pounder let them be given in a little Milk Or this Take Bezoar Minerale Cinnabar of Antimony in impalpable Pounder ana fifteen Grains mix for a Dose And some of these things are to be taken Morning and Night for four or five days These Doses are for elder Persons but if for Children you must diminish the Dose accordingly Ex. Gr. Take Bezoar Minerale four Grains Cinnabar of Antimony eight Grains mix for a Dose Or this Take Salt of Tartar eight Grains Cinnabar of Antimony six Grains mix them VII To carry off the morbifick Matter the vulgar Physicians commonly purge Children with Syrup of Cichory with Rheubarb and it may do indifferent well But Purges which cool the Body are here to be chosen Take Manna half an Ounce Extract of Cassia one Dram mix for a Dose Or the Manna may be made into a Syrup with Water and the Cassia dissolved therein Or two or three Drams of Cassia with two or three drops of Oil of Anniseeds may be given dissolved in Milk Or this Take Sena from half a Dram to a Dram Liquorice bruised half a Dram Anniseeds one Scruple bruised infuse twelve hours in a gentle heat in two Ounces or better of Water strain out and sweeten with Manna Or this Take Sena Liquorice bruised half a Dram Anniseeds Caraways ana ten Grains infuse as before in Water two Ounces for twelve hours strain and dissolve therein Cassia extracted from half a Dram to a Dram and give it for a Dose But if it be to be given to one of riper years you must double treble or quadruple the Dose according to Age and Strength VIII Fat and oily Things take off the edge of the acid but Opiates do it much better For this purpose you may give from ten to fifteen or twenty drops of my Guttae Vitae in any thing the Child drinks at bed-time I have found it very prevalent It not only blunts the points of the acid and dulls the edge of the sharp Homor but gives Nature rest and ease 'till she can recruit her self again as also it puts a present stop
to the flux of the Humor to the sore or raw parts Elder Persons may take my Laudanum Volatile from three to six Grains beginning with the smaller Dose first They that cannot swallow a Pill may take ten or twelve Grains of my new London Treacle in any fit Vehicle These things thicken the fluid acid so that it cannot approach with that violence to the diseased parts IX But whereas Opiates strangely disagree with some People my Tinctura ad Catarrhos answers all the Intentions both of sweetening and stopping the flux of the said Humour and it may be given even to Children with a world of safety and security from half a Dram to one or two in any proper Liquor which the Child will take See it in my Phylaxa Medic. Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sect. 2. c. X. If an Epilepsie or Convulsion be present or feared you may give with it from ten Grains to fifteen or twenty of Cinnabar of Antimony or from six Grains to twelve of the native Cinnabar levigated into a very subtil Pouder purging presently after with some of the things before named XI If the Child be taken with a vomiting withal it certainly shews the foulness and dissaffection of the Stomach and then you must cleanse it with the most innocent Gilla Theophrasti or the Salt of Vitriol given to fifteen or twenty Grains which has this Property in it not only to cleanse the Ventricle of the sharp and acid Humor causing the Thrush but also even to heal the places already raw And in those of ripe years it is a most admirable thing if given from two Scruples to a Dram in Broth or some such-like XII Sylvius de le Boe saith be prefers a metallick or mineral Sulphur fixt above all in comparison of which nothing saith he that I have hitherto tried does so kindly certainly speedily and safely restrain those vicious effervescencies But what those Sulphurs are or how in his sense to be prepared he has no-where told us I am well satisfied that the Sulphur of Antimony if well made is a most admirable thing But then it must be given to Men and not to Infants Truly I cannot tell whether it may safely be given to Children in any Dose whatsoever or no especially as it is now made There is a Sulphur of Antimony that I know which may be so prepared as it may be given to little ones without danger but that is no where to be sold that I can tell of XIII Among the rest of the ordinary Remedies Lac Sulphuris is no mean thing and it may be given to Infants as well as to elder Persons with a very great advantage XIV Topicks must be also used to the mouth throat and afflicted parts among which elder Persons may use this Take white Vitriol Roch Alum one Scruple Plantane or Spring-water four Ounces mix dissolve and sweeten with Sugar for a Gargarism But Children to whom it cannot so easily be used must have the juice of baked Turneps to wash withal or swallow down or the juice of Parsneps baked with Milk These things are Balsams in their kind and besides their healing Property have a faculty of sweetning and taking off the edge of the acid XV. Moreover you may if you please sweeten these Juices with Honey or Syrup of Roses both which still contribute to the healing of the sore and raw mouth And if the Child has discretion enough it ought to hold the same in its mouth for some time And to these things you may add Syrups of Violets Jujubes Liquorice Lettuce juice of Purslane c for that they all blunt as it were the edge of the sharp Humor and withal contribute to healing XVI But that which is more observable and remarkable but only for Persons of ripe years is the use of Spirit of Wine or pure Brandy for that only held in the mouth and sometimes Gargled with for two or three minutes at a time and that four or five times a day and then spit out certainly heals and cures the afflicted parts to a miracle And though it may smart much at first it is vehement but for a while viz. for the first two or three times using of it afterwards it is easier and at length the parts are as it were pleased and refreshed with the use thereof and in the end it perfectly heals them And this it does not do only from its balsamick Property but also as it is an Alcaly and absorbs the acid in the Ulcer XVII Sylvius commends the Yolk of an Egg mixt with a little rose-Rose-water and Sugar for that it draws to it the acid Humour that hurts the Stomach and so by degrees 〈◊〉 the parts affected and promotes the falling of the Thrush you may use it as the Turnep and Parsnep-Juice Concerning both which Juices you are to note this That they correct the evil Ferment both in Stomach and small Guts whereby the acid effervescency is hindred and the Disease the sooner cured XVIII While the Thrush is ripening to wit gradually falling from the afflicted parts a new Cuticle grows under it and covers the place and although this follows of its own accord by the Benefit of the Medicines now commended yet it will be promoted by Syrup of Red Roses Honey of Roses and the like Also Powder of fine Bole Terra Sigillata Crabs Eyes c. mixt with fair Water and Sugar or Honey and held for some time in the mouth promote the healing XIX This is also observable That as in the curing of other Ulcers Driers are used so on the contrary much spitting is good here as if the Patient was in a Flux for then it is cured with the more speed and ease In other Ulcers things that temper the acid Acrimony and then dry are used In this you must use such things as may temper the said Acid but withal moisten XX. AEtius commends Galls beaten and boiled in Water the strained Decoction made into a thick Syrup with Honey being rubbed upon the place it is good Others commend a Decoction of Cinquefoil Roots You may also if you please use the Leaves too A Decoction of Savory in Wine is said to do it in two or three days If it be malignant Hercules Saxonia used Lixivium of Tartar or Vitriol-Water by which he conquered them Joel first washes the part well then lays on this Take Honey of Roses half an Ounce Oil of Vitriol one Dram mix and make a Liniment This he says is a present Remedy whether in old or young XXI Goclenius advises for a Thrush in children this Take Roch Alum Sugar ana half an Ounce boil in Plantane water add Juice of Mulberries a sufficient quantity mix and wash the mouth often with it But Riverius saith that the best and only Remedy is Spirit of Vitriol or Sulphur if there be no Inflammation which in those that are grown may be used alone Dip a little Cotton bound to the end of a stick in it and give
in this I think Galen was wholly in the wrong I am clearly of the contrary Opinion for the curdy part of Milk is only Nutritive and the greatest part of it dissolves in the Stomach into a chylous Juice God Almighty Himself seeing it the best and most innocent Nourishment even for Infanes as soon as they are Born And who dares to doubt His Wisdom whilst the oily and serous parts of it cool moisten open cleanse and make slippery the Passages XIX Now things are said to open rather in respect to their emollient attenuating and discussive Qualities than to their Diuretick because there are many things-which powerfully open Obstructions that provoke not Urine at all amongst which are most bitter Herbs and Plants which open by a Specifick Virtue as Centory Wormwood Hops Gentian Carduus Camomil and Carminatives which do it by a discussive property such are Angelica Southernwood Parsly Smallage Anniseed Cuminseed all the sorts of Pepper Cloves Nutmegs Fennelseeds Caraways Carotseeds c. And Emollients which do it by their softning and making slippery such are Oil Olive Mallows Marshmallows Lillies Spinage boiled Onions Garlick Leeks c. But the true great and chief of all Openers is Iron and the aperitive Preparations thereof which do that in a Day which none of the others will do in a Month for which purpose I commend my Tinctura Martis as one of the most famous things in the World to which may be added Tinctura ad Chlorosin an approved thing for opening the most obdurate Obstructions XX. The Matter being prepared the next thing is to cleanse the Vessels and Passages of slime filth matter sand or gravel which does or may obstruct the Passages of the Urine and this is properly done with Diureticks of which kind of Medicaments Authors admirably abound We shall not here tell you all that has been said upon that Subject but rather give you an Abstract of the choicest and most approved Experiments of that kind Take of our Tinctura Stomachica two Dra. Juice of Garlick one Dram White or Rhenish-wine six Ounces mix for a Draught I have often proved it with good success Or this Take Juice of Onions two Ounces Juice of Hydropiper half an Ounce White or Rhenish-wine eight Ounces mix for a Draught I gave this to one in extremity a Woman that had not made Water in eight or nine Days it made her make Water and gave her ease in less than an hour Take Onions four Ounces bruise them Anniseeds Caraways ana two Drams bruised Infuse them all Night in White-wine then squeeze forth the Wine and let the Sick drink it it is a singular Experiment XXI Sennertus commends Lignum Nephriticum and Lapis Nephriticus and so does Experience too Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Spring water two Pound infuse 'till the Water is blewish for twenty four or forty eight Hours then decant for three Doses Or thus Take Raspings of the Wood two Ounces Spring-water White-wine ana one Pound digest for forty eight Hours then decant or strain out the clear for use for three Doses Or thus Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Winter-Cherries bruised one Ounce White or Rhenish wine two Pound mix digest forty eight Hours and strain out for use XXII Or you may draw forth the Tincture with our Spiritus Universalis after this manner Take Raspings of Lignum Nephriticum two Ounces Spiritus Universalis one Pound digest twenty four Hours so will a substantial Tincture he drawn decant and filtre to the filtred Liquor put Alchool of Spirit of Wine one Pound digest twenty four Hours more so will the Sulphur of the Wood be drawn into the Wine which you may decant leaving the Spiritus Universalis at the bottom with which you may perform the like again Dose one Dram to two in any convenient Vehicle as Waters of Onions Parsley or Hydropiper Mead White or Rhenish-wine or the like The Lapis Nephriticus is seldom given inwardly if you do it give the levigated Pouder from one Scruple to half a Dram or two Scruples in Syrup or other fit Liquor But the usual way of using the Stone is to wear it as a Jewel being tied to the Wrist or Arm or hung about the Neck or Hip. I once knew a Lady which experimented the truth of this as long as the Stone was tied to the brawn of her Arm she had ease and voided much Gravel continually upon making Water but as soon as the Stone was removed the Gravel stopt and the pains returned and that she might be sure this was the effect of the Stone she oftentimes laid it by for experiment sake and the stoppage and pains in some few Hours would return upon the taking it off and again upon the putting it on she would have as sensible ease and freedom of passage as before XXIII Trallianus Lib. 3. Cap. 39. saith The Herb Peony in Pouder drunk with honied Wine is an excellent thing against obstruction of Urine caused by a Stone so hard as not to be broken But the Tincture drawn from the Herb with our Spiritus Universalis as above directed and then with Spirit of Wine being drunk with the said honied Wine is much more effectual After the same manner you may make a Tincture of Golden-Rod which will be no less effectual for that the Crude Herb had been proved in this case in innumerable Persons as Carolus Piso saith with happy success XXIV Zacutus Lusitanus Praxis Lib. 2. Observ. 58. saith A Man sixty Years old of a cold Constitution was cured of the Stone by Purgations made of Turpentine which he took divers ways and a daily use of a Decoction of Lignum Nephriticum by which he voided red Gravel and a Stone and was well for two Years together His Disease afterwards coming upon him again Clysters Ointments Fomentations Plasters Phlebotomy Baths were all used in vain his Urine being retained eighteen Days he began to be afflicted with the Falling-Sickness by Fits and the Sick was given over as desperate at length he took Oyl of sweet Almonds with drops of Natural Balsam I suppose he means Balsam of Peru it made him void a clammy Humor by Stool and small Gravel by Urine and continuing the use of the said Remedy he voided with Bloody Urine a Stone of the bigness of a Date-stone of a purple colour long round rough and very hard and now making Water very freely he took a greater quantity of the Oyl of sweet Almonds viz. to three Ounces and the Balsam to the quantity of half an Ounce and in the space of ten days he voided sixty five Stones hard and of the bigness and shape of Vetches And with this Remedy alone he was preserved for the future for he used every Morning to take half an Ounce of the Oyl with six drops of the said Balsam by which he voided gravelly Urine and lived many Years By this Balsam Avenzoar saith he cured a Scrivener who was at
Death's door with the Stone If you cannot get the true Balsam Zacutus advises to use instead thereof Stacte which is the precious droppings of Myrrh and comes out of the East-Indies also from Peru which saith he works rare effects In the same Observation he saith That he had many times driven out great Stones that were firmly fixed in the cavities of the Kidnies by the Water distilled out of Green Tobacco which he gave the Patient to drink XXV Platerus in Lib. 2. of his Observations tells us He cured one of the Stone with this Julep Take Pellitory-water one Ounce Fennel water bean-flower-Bean-flower-water Julep of Roses ana half an Ounce mix them giving the Patient to drink after a decoction of Pease Bean-shales Parsly Roots and Restharrow-Roots Another he cured by giving 1. A Clyster 2. A Narcotick 3. Pellitory and turpentine-Turpentine-water ana half an Ounce by which the Stone got into the Bladder and then into the Yard and there stopt he sate in a Bath and a little after pissed it forth And by the taking of this following Pouder twice a Week a Spoonful at a time a Patient of his voided many Stones and the continued use of it prevented the pain Take Liquorice in Pouder half an Ounce dried Peach-kernels one Ounce Anise and Fennel-seeds ana two Ounces Winter-Cherries one Dram Gromwel-seeds half a Dram Crabs-Eyes two Drams Sugar-Candy one Ounce and a half make a fine Pouder He drank after it a decoction of Pease Parsley and Bean-shales with Butter and a little Salt And in Lib. 3. of his said Observations he commends this Take Turpentine two Ounces Honey one Ounce Yolk of one Egg grind them in a Mortar together 'till they are white then add White Wine pellitory-Pellitory-water bean-flower-Bean-flower-water ana one Ounce and a half Syrup of Limons or Juice of Citrons one Ounce mix them Dose one Ounce and a half The Sick took also these Pills Take Cyprus Turpentine half an ounce Sugar-candy two Drams with Syrup of Limons make Pills Dose one Dram at a time drinking after a decoction of red Pease but while his pain was great he gave him an Opiate and sometimes a cleansing Clyster of Whey Yolks of Eggs Turpentine and Honey Platerus gave this to a Patient thrice which had his Urine stopt Take Turpentine five Drams Yolks of Eggs two Honey one Ounce Wine four Ounces By the use whereof he avoided so many Rags that he wrote to him That a torn Shirt came out of his Bladder Thus was he cured and lived many Years after sound and with the same kind of Potion he cured a French Minister who voided the Stone with the first Dose XXVI I cured a Man after he had been twelve Years troubled with the Stone and Gravel with this mixture Take Venice or Strasburgh Turpentine four Ounces Oyl of sweet Almonds six Ounces Honey two Drams melt and mix them well together it opened the Passages made him presently piss freely and brought away a great quantity of Sand and small Stones He took it Morning and Evening half an Ounce or better at a time for three Months drinking after it arsmart-Arsmart-water and was perfectly cured so that for many Years after he had not the least Pain or Symptom Another I cured with this Take Strasburgh Turpentine eight Ounces Yolks of four Eggs grind them together in a Mortar 'till they are white then add Oyl of sweet Almonds four Ounces and mix them well by grinding Dose an Ounce Morning and Evening drinking a Glass of Mead after This he continued for eight or ten Weeks it continually brought away Sand and large Gravel and he was perfectly cured Salmon XXVII Bartholinus tells us That he found no ease by any Diuretick except Bean-shale-water which brought away Gravel so that saith he more may be attributed to it in bringing away the Stone than to Millepedes And saith he Egg-shells are given with singular success after the Chickens are Hatched either to break or expel the Stone this Lithontriptick being reckoned among Secrets of this kind For this purpose Ludovicus Mercatus commends the Flower and Seed of Star-Thistle as a thing highly in request for purging and cleansing the Reins and Bladder daily experience saith he still confirming it giving two Ounces of the distilled Water in the Morning Fasting but an Essence of the whole Plant as we have taught in Chap. 5. Sect. 35 and 37 aforegoing is much better XXVIII Augenius in his Medicinal Epistles Lib. 12. Ep. 1 and 2 saith He has cured near six hundred of the Stone by this following Syrup giving three Ounces at a time with six Ounces of the decoction of Eringo for fifteen days together five hours before Dinner Universals being premised Take Saxifrage Knee-holly Eringo Lovage Restharrow Anise Fennel Parsly Grass ana half an Ounce Horse-Radish Roots two Ounces Leaves of Betony Burnet Marsh-Mallows Nettles Penny-royal Rocket Calamint Knot-grass Pellitory of the Wall ana M. qu. Winter-Cherries twenty Sebestens fifteen Seeds of Basil Burdock Parsly Seseli Millet ana three Ounces Bark of the Bay-Tree Root Liquorice ana three Drams Water five Quarts boyl 'till three Quarts only remain strain and with Honey two Pound Sugar four Pound make a Syrup and aromatize it with Cinnamon one Ounce Nutmegs half an Ounce Probably it may do good there is no Argument against Experience yet it looks like a hotch-potch of all together XXIX Crato in Consiliis saith That he prefers Eringo Roots candied or steeped in White-wine and Syrup of the Juice of Speedwel before all though saith he I am not Ignorant that the Roots of Brier and Restharrow do much good when the Stone is manifest And for the pain in the Kidneys caused by the Stone there is nothing saith he better than a Decoction of Speedwel or the Inspissate Juice thereof But an Essence of the Plant crude as we have directed in Chap. 5. Sect. 35 and 37 much transcends them both XXX Fresh Oyl of Hasle-nuts by expression given to three Ounces at a time every day for some time is commended as an excellent thing and a certain Physician attests That by the daily use thereof he has seen several Stones voided The same probably may be done with expressed Oyl of sweet Almonds as also with the expressed Oyl of Wall-nuts but more with the expressed Oyl of Orange Limon or Citron Kernels Outwardly also to anoint with this following Oyl it is of good use Take Oyl of Scorpions four Ounces Oyl of bitter Almonds one Ounce Palm Oyl six Drams Oyl of Juniper-berries half an Ounce mix them and anoint the region of the Loyns therewith Morning and Evening XXXI With this following Remedy I have done almost Miracles in expelling Sand Gravel and Stones out of both Reins and Bladder Take Balsamum Copaybae or as we call it Capivi four Ounces Yolks of Eggs four Oyl of sweet Almonds Honey ana three Ounces Oyl of Juniper berries one Dram Grind all together in a Glass Mortar 'till they are perfectly mixed and
Compounds you may see in our Phylaxa Medicinae Lib. 1. and 2. Salmon LXI In a hot Cause and Constitution Barbet gives this Take Roots of Al theae one Ounce Liquorice two Drams Mallow-Leaves M. ij Melon-seeds half an Ounce boyl them in Barley-water in a Quart of the Colature dissolve Syrup of Corn Poppies two Ounces raw Crabs-Eyes bruised one Dram mix them Dose two Ounces three or four times a Day Or thus Take rose-Rose-water Strawberry and purslane-Purslane-water ana one Ounce Prophylactick-water Cinnamon water ana half an Ounce raw Crabs Eyes bruised one Scruple Laudanum Opiatum two Grains Fernelius his Syrupus de Altheae one Ounce mix them and let it be given by Spoonfuls LXII In a cold Cause and Constitution Take Roots of Rest harrow white Saxifrage ana one Ounce Liquorice half an Ounce Goats blood six Drams Crabs-Eyes bruised Nutmegs Cinnamon ana one Ounce Saffron three Drams Cloves two Drams Strasburgh Turpentine one Pound Spirit of Malmsey-wine five pound the Ingredients being cut and bruised digest fourteen days then distil in B. M. Dose one Ouuce Fasting and twice or thrice a day besides Barbet also saith That Cochinele being taken in fine Pouder in Rhenish-wine to one Scruple is a pleasant and sweet Medicine and of great efficacy LXIII Deckers advises the following Pouder Take Mustard-seed Tartar Vitriolate ana one Dram and a half Crabs-Eyes Salt of Bean-stalks of Broom of Rest-harrow of Pidgeons Dung ana one Dram mix and make a Pouder Dose from one Scruple to half a Dram in parsly-Parsly-water The Tincture of the Nephritick Stone is also very good but it is no where described but Moebius has this preparation Take Pouder of the Nephritick Stone put upon it rectified Spirit of Salt digest and there will be a green Tincture Dose from six Drops to twelve or twenty in Wine or proper Water Seeds of Violets are very convenient because they purge and expel the Stone especially if they be used in an Emulsion and is called by Schroder the Nephrocathartick Emulsion it is much commended both by Crato and Hartman and is a good thing against suppression of Urine LXIV Spiritus Acetosae Mineralis Take Tartar Vitriolate one Ounce Julep of Roses one Pound cinnamon-Cinnamon-water four Ounces mix them Dose two Ounces 't is an excellent thing Or Take Tartar Vitriolate one Ounce radish-Radish-water one Pound Juice of Limons two Ounces Syrup of Corn-Poppies and de Altheae ana one Ounce Crabs-Eyes two Drams mix them Dose two Ounces Also Spirit of Juniper-berries affused upon Rob of Elder and Juniper and digested becomes of a pleasant red Colour and in Taste like Malmsey-wine and is truly a Medicine of great efficacy So also a Nephritick Liquor made of Nitre and Sal Gem calcin'd and dissolved per deliquium is a Nephritick of singular use LXV The Urinary Laudanum of Michael Take Spanish Juice of Liquorice dissolved in winter-cherry-Winter-cherry-water one Ounce and a half Camphire one Dram Saffron four Scruples Winter-cherries half an Ounce Gum Tragacanth Mastick ana one Dram and a half Laudanum Opiatum two Drams mix them It is much commended for a peculiar Quality of provoking Urine opening Obstructions and expelling the same Michael his Nephritick Liquor Take Lynx-stone Jews-stone Nephritick-stone Sponge Crystal Crabs-Eyes ana q. v. dissolve them in rectified Spirit of Salt filtre the Solutions and distil to dryness so have you at bottom a coagulated Nephritick Liquor LXVI 〈◊〉 his Lithontriptick Pouder Take Crabs-Eyes prepared Goats-blood prepared ana one Dram and a half Jews-stone Nephritick-stone ana one Dram Pikes-Eyes Millet-seed ana two Scruples Crystals of Tartar half a Dram Salt of Tartar one Scruple mix and make a Pouder Dose from half a Dram to one Dram in any appropriate Water LXVII Forrestus his Decoction which some say exceeds all other things Take Red Tares three Ounces Barley hull'd two Drams Seeds of Marsh Mallows Mallows ana three Drams of the four greater cold Seeds ana one Dram fat Figgs nine Sebestens seven Liquorice scraped six Drams fair Water one Pound and a half boil 'till half be consumed then strain for an Apozem These Pills also are esteemed Take Pouder of Millepedes Crabs-Eyes Jews-stone ana one Dram Turpentine two Drams mix and make Pills Dose from half a Dram to one Dram every Morning Fasting Deckers his Apozem is yet better Take spring-Spring-water three Pound red Vetches hull'd Barley ana two Drams Liquorice bruised Juniper-berries bruised ana one Ounce Seeds of Daucus Violets white Poppies Nettles Mallows ana half an Ounce fat Figgs nine Sebestens seven boil to a Quart strain and dissolve therein Syrups of Corn Poppies of the five opening Roots of Diacnicu ana one Ounce and a half Spirit of Sal Armoniack one Dram mix them Dose six Ounces twice or thrice a Day dropping into it at taking 2 or three Drops of the Juniperated Balsam of Sulphur LXVIII The same Deckers commends this Mixture Take parsly-Parsly-water two Ounces Fennel and treacle-Treacle-water ana one Ounce Spirit of Vinegar half an Ounce Crabs-Eyes one Dram Oyl of Juniper-berries six Drops Spirit of Nitre one Scruple Laudanum Opiatum two Grains Syrup of the five Roots or rather Syrup of Corn Poppies one Ounce mix them If the same be great this Emulsion may be given Take Hull'd Barley boil'd 'till it cracks two Ounces sweet Almonds blancht Violet-seeds ana half an Ounce white Poppy-seeds one Ounce with a sufficient quantity of Barley-water make an Emulsion to twenty four Ounces of which add Diacodium Syrup of Corn Poppies ana one Ounce mix them He also commends to all the Spirit of Sal Armoniack given in Rhenish-wine or some Diuretick Spirit or Water as a Specifick Medicine not only to prevent but to cure the Stone if brittle or easie to be broken Universals being given before-hand LXIX Junken Medicus Pars 2. Sect. 1. Cap. 18. prescribes this Take Strawberries fresh gathered a Gallon Winter-cherries half a Pound Horse-Radish Roots scraped two Pound Daucus-seeds half a Pound Juice of Birch or Birch-wine twenty four Pound mix and distil in B. M. Dose frome one Ounce to three with Syrup de Althaea half an Ounce sweet Spirit of Nitre ten or twelve Drops Or thus Take ripe Strawberries four Pound Winter-cherries two Pound Malaga-wine two Pound juniper-Juniper-water of Parsly-roots ana two Pound Ground-Ivy white Saxifrage-roots ana one Ounce Peach-kernels two Ounces digest in a Vessel close stopt for a Month then distil Dose from a Spoonful to four in the Morning Fasting it is said both to preserve from and cure the Stone Again Take Crabs-Eyes Sperma Coeti ana half a Scruple Volatile Salt of Amber six Grains mix for a Dose and to be often repeated Or thus Take Wild Bryar Seeds half an Ounce Crabs Eyes pure Nitre ana one Ounce mix them Dose one Dram. Or thus Take Crabs Eyes one Scruple Volatile Salt of Amber six Grains Laudanum Opiatum one Grain or two mix them for a Dose Again Take Malaga-Wine one Quart Opium in pouder Salt
Amicum four Ounces Pulvis ad Ulcera two Ounces mix and apply it and let it be drest at first twice a Day afterwards once a day Salmon XIII For that which the Vulgar call an Ague in the Brest viz. an Inflammation First Purge with our Family Powder then apply a Cataplasm of baked Turnips for twenty four Hours after bathe it with our Powers of Amber and in four or five Days it will be well Salmon XIV Another for an Inflammation of the Breasts Universals being first premised as Purging with the Family Powder c. Apply outwardly our Balsamum Amicum or if you please anoint with Balsamum de Chili Morning and Evening Salmon CHAP. VIII Of Abortion or Misearriage I. Abortion more dangerous then a Timely Birth IT is not only more dangerous but more painful by reason of the violent divulsion of the Immature Foetus whence it is that many Dye and such as escape it is not without dangerous Symptomes vehement Pains Fevers c. It is not unlike to unripe Fruit which is difficully pulled off the Tree whereas was it full ripe it would drop of its own accord whether it was ripe or no which is the true cause of a mature or timely Birth The danger is the more if the Foetus be in the sixth seventh or eighth Month and the Woman be of a weakly Constitution for that healthy Women never miscarry without eminent Danger II. Bleeding by the Womb not always a sign of Abortion This is evident for that some Women have their Terms all the time of their going with Child and I have known some that have had them from the third Month to the last after they had been stopt 3 Months without danger and therefore Midwifes ought to be very discreet in making Judgment For though a Woman with Child may void much Blood by the Womb yet it may be no Miscarriage but either be a natural Flux as it is to some Women or only foreshew a Danger which ought by proper Means to be prevented Therefore Midwifes ought diligently to examine the Matter excluded whether it be Blood or Flesh or Seed or Faetus which by washing it in Water will easily be discerned and Judgment may be made accordingly whether there be an Abortion or no. III. A History of a Woman that Miscarried A Woman gon with Child fourteen Weeks Miscarried First much Blood came away then the Membranes and Faetus Two days after the Woman fell into a high Feaver due means was used and sufficient Cleansers but the Placenta or After-burthen stuck so fast that it could by no means be removed all the while she voided a filthy Cadaverous stinking Matter and sometimes pieces of Flesh on the tenth Day she died IV. A Spirit to prevent Abortion Take Spirit of Wine one Gallon Balaustians Pomegranates Peels Oak-bark of each four Ounces Opium two Ounces mix dissolve the Opium digest all together for six or seven days then add to it a Gallon or five Quarts of fair Water Distil in an Alembick and draw off five Quarts of Liquor which Dulcifie with white Sugar and keep for use Dose four or five Spoonfulls two or three times a day Salmon V. Another for the same much stronger Take of the former distilled Spirit a Gallon Catechu Cortex Peruvianus both in Powder of each a Pound mix digest shaking it twice a day for ten or twelve days then keep it for use Dose from one Spoonfull to two or more Morning and Evening it will scarely ever fail Salmon VI. A Powder for the same Take Antimony Diaphoretick Pearl red Corral in fine Powder Levigated Powder of Crabs Eyes ana two Scruples Balaustians in Powder Nutmegs ana five Grains mix for a Dose to be given Morning and Evening Salmon VII Another Powder for the same Take Blood stone Mastick Olibanum ana fifteen Grains make all into a fine Powder for one Dose to be given Morning and Evening in a Glass of Tent. Salmon VIII An Emplaster for the same purpose Take Blood-stone in fine Powder half an Ounce Mastick Frankincense Olibanum of each an Ounce Sumach Balaustians in Powder ana two Drachms Galbanum two Ounces Pine Rosin Venice Turpentine enough to make a Cerecloth which apply to her Belly and continue the use of it 'till the seventh Month or time of Birth Let it be laid on the Belly and on the Loyns on each side the Back-bone being left bare and every ten or twelve Days it may be changed IX A most excellent mixture for the same Take of our Guttae Vitae one Ounce see it in our Phylaxa Lib. 1. Cap. 9. and our Tinctura ad Catarrhos four Ounces mix them Dose one Spoonfull every Night going to Bed in a Glass of Ale Tho' there be evident signs of Abortion yet this will prevent it I have proved it above a hundred times with success Salmon X. A Plaster from Riverius If the Child be not severed from the Cotyledous apply this Take Olibanum in Powder two Ounces the Whites of five Eggs stir them together over the Fire always keeping stirring that they may not run to a Lump adding also a little Turpentine that they may not stick too much Lay it upon Tow and apply it to the Navel as hot as it can be endured twice a day Morning and Evening for three or four days in the mean Season also let her wear an Eagle-stone or a Stone found in the Heart or Womb of a Hind under her Arm-pits XI A Cataplasm to comfort the Womb. Take Crumbs of Houshold Bread two Pound Camomil Flowers a handfull Mastick Olibanum of each half an Ounce in Powder Nutmegs Cloves in Powder of each an Ounce Rose-Vinegar two Ounces Tent or Malmsey-wine a sufficient quantity Boyl all over a gentle Fire to the consistence of a Pultice put it into a Bag or folded Cloth and apply it hot to the bottom of the Belly XII A Cataplasm to prevent Abortion Take of our Balsamum Amicum two Ounces of our New London Treacle one Ounce mix them and with Powder of Rue make it of a consistency apply it warm to the Belly Salmon XIII Prevention of Abortion A Woman who had miscarried four or five times and dispaired of ever having a live Child I Cured by the following Remedy Take Rheubarb four Ounces slice it thin Anniseeds Caraways bruised of each two Drachms put all into a large thin Rag with a stone in it and so tie it up which put in a Gallon of Ale in a Stone or Glass Bottle after it has stood three or four days drink of it This she drank of all the time of her going with Child and she went her whole time out chearfully and well I have prescribed the same to several other Women with the same Success Salmon XIV An Observation worth noting Consider whether there be a real Miscarriage or no viz. whether the Faetus be actually excluded or only fears of it If it be actually done you must abstain from Astringents and things
Use of Limbs I. IN many people here in England there is a loss of the use of their Limbs the most part caused by taking great Colds and sometimes it is the effect of the Palsie the like may happen in the West Indies but though in those hot Countries it is possible to proceed from such a Cause yet it is oftner and more generally known to proeeed from the Belly-Ach and that kind of Belly-Ach which proceed from dryness and Costiveness of Body II. If it proceeds from taking of Cold though Sudorificks are commonly used yet they ought rather to be used after a Legitimate purging and clensing the Body let the Sick first take our-Pilùlae Mirables from a Scruple to a dram And repeat the same for 2. or three times with due Intervalls between each Purging as of two or three days or more as they are in Age and strength III. After sufficient purging and cleansing the Body let the Patient sweat well with new London-treacle for 3. or 4. times or oftner as you see occasion and be very cautious that the Sick takes no Cold again and in the time of sweating Frictions ought to be used to the helpless Limb with course Cloths that as by the Diaphoresis the nervous juice becomes depurated and clean so also by the rubbing the natural Spirits may be called back again IV. After Sweating the weak Limbs are to be bathed alternatim with Powers of Amber and Powers of Juniper and in strong robust Bodies and where the Skin is very thick with Oyl of Amber pure and simple for some few daies and then afterwards with Powers of Amber c. V. If it be caused from a Palsie there ought to be some gentle Purging but with such things as more particularly carry off the cold glutinous and clamy Humour which has devolved upon the Nerves among which our Vinum Catharticum is none of the meanest if it be a strong Man and in the flower of his years you may with caution give the former Pilulae Mirabiles if he complains of a fulness and heaviness in his Stomach give him One Two or Three Doses of our Impetus Mineralis and you shall find a wonder succeed VI. But during all this you must sweat oftentimes and powerfully by giving our Vinum Catharticum inwardly and provoking the Sweat with Spirit of Wine in Hartman's Chair if you have such a one using Frictions withal as before directed VII Outwardly let the paralytick Limbs be well anointed Morning and Evening with this following Oyntment Take Chymical Oyl of Rosemary and Anniseeds of each an ounce Volatile Sal Armoniac in fine Powder half an ounce Palm Oyl half a pound mix them for use Rub it well in before a good Fire VIII Inwardly let the Sick take every morning this Take our new London Treacle Volatile Sal Armoniack ana Five grains mix it with pulp of Figgs and give it an hour after the taking of it give this Take our Spiritus Cosmeticus half an ounce Powers of Rosemary half a drachm Spiritus Antiastmaticus Twenty Drops mix and give it in a Glass of Sack or Ale and give the same at Night continuing this course for a month together IX But when it proceeds from the dry Belly Ach as for the most part it does in the West-Indies this following method is necessary to be pursued First Give the following Clyster R. Chicken Broth a pint Honey or Salt half an ounce Tinctura Aurea One Ounce or instead thereof boil two ounces of the Pulp of the bitter Gourd in the Broth then exhibit the clear Liquor warm if it comes away without any apparent effect repeat it again X. Then purge with our Pilulae Mirabiles two three four or six times as need requires with intervals between each Purge but for poor People who cannot go to the charge of these Pills or if they be not to be had use this Take a large quantity of Peach Leaves bruised viz. about fourty handfuls Pulp of the bitter Gourd Six ounces boil all in a gallon of Water to two Quarts strain and sweeten with Sugar and Honey Dose from half a pint to a pint according to Age and Strength This Purge at due intervals is to be repeated three four five or six times as you see need XI This done the Bowels and all the pained Parts and lamed Limbs are to be bathed with Powers of Amber Morning and Evening or with Oyl of Turpentine two ounces mixed with Hogs-lard Eight Ounces XII Lastly In the loss of the use of Limbs proceeding from what cause soever this following Drink must be constantly used and no other without which a perfect Cure cannot be expected Take Juniper Berries well bruised Seeds and all Four Ounces Fountain Water a Gallon boil all to Three Quarts or Five Pints strain out the clear and put to it of Spirit of Wine Four Ounces sweeten with White Sugar and drink it as your ordinary Drink This Dyet will seldom or never fail the desired end which is to restore the Sick to the perfect use of their Limbs and without which it can scarcely be done Salmon CHAP. XI Of the Cholick or Belly-ach I. To Cure the Belly-ach in a Child Take the best Brandy a Quart Cinnamon Cortex Winteranus ana half an Ounce Annifeeds an Ounce and half Rheubarb very thin sliced or grosly bruised two Ounces mix and in a gentle heat of a Bath make a Tincture Dose from two Spoonfulls to eight alone by it self or sweetned with Sugar but to Children give it sweetned with Sugar and mixed with a little Ale It is a thing not to be 〈◊〉 and which I have proved almost a thousand times Salmon II. Where a continuing and long lasting Belly-ach has been with a 〈◊〉 Flux I have Cured 〈◊〉 by the following Diet Drink Take strong Ale a Gallon choice Brandy a Pint Rheubarb thin sliced four Ounces Anniseeds bruised I Ounce Tie them up in a loose thin Rag with a Stone in it and put them into the Ale and Brandy and let the Sick continually drink of it I have used it in several Cures of Patients and never found it fail Salmon III. For the Cholick accompanied with a Quartane Ague Take Butter of Antimony rectified from Regulus of Mars 'till it is clear You may give of this from two drops to five in our Aqua Bezoartica Salmon IV. For a Pocky Cholick or the Belly-ach in Pocky Habit of Body This is difficult to be remedied and many times not without much trouble and sometimes danger to the Sick this following is of wonderful use Take Crude Antimony Sal Armoniack of each as much as you please reduce them into an Impalpable Powder then sublime so will you have red Flowers Take of these Flowers à Gr. iij. ad vj. Of white Proecipitate well edulcorated à Gr. iij. ad 8. Mix them and with Balsam de Peru a sufficient quantity make a Mass for one Dose of Pills 'T is a wonderful Medicine and not enough to
and speedy suffocation if the congregated Matter be from Phlegm which refuses Repercussives And Humours extravasated sticking in the Flesh whilst thick cannot flow therefore they are to be made Fluxile with hot Remedies If one taken with a Quinsey do saith Wallaeus in the beginning of the Disease gargle with Spirit of Wine all Inflammations will cease in about three hours time XXIII There has been a great noise made in the World about the use of a Swallow's Nest but the Virtue truly lies in the Dung which is found in the Nest And because the Dung is full of nitrous Salt 't is possible it may have a specifick Virtue against this Disease and though it is sharp yet it is withal discutient and therefore may be proper where the Disease arises from thick Phlegm The Tincture of it may be made with Wine or Spirit of Wine and Water and a Gargarism made thereof to be used four five or six times a day hot XXIV Scultetus commends this highly in the beginning of any Quinsey whatsoever Take Plantane Water three Ounces sharp Wine-Vinegar one Ounce Sugar two Drams Saffron in Pouder half a Dram mix and make a Gargarism to be often used XXV Platerus commends the Juice of Tree Ivy swallowed slowly from three Drams to half an Ounce for that it both digests and repels Sennertus saith that the Decoction of the inner Rind of the Hazle or of the Barberry-wood is excellent So also a Decoction of Alder flowers and Leaves with Jews-Ears sweetned with Honey of Roses for a Gargarism An Infusion of Mustard-seed in Wine is also an approved thing XXVI Outwardly Things also ought to be applied to induce the ripening such as this Take of our Antidote one Ounce Hens Dung Turpentine Saffron ana one Dram mix them and apply it hot Or this Take a roasted or baked Turnep split in balves moisten it well with Balsam of Amber and apply them on both sides the Jaws warm But the old Remedy you know is Album Graecum dried poudered and mixed with Honey to be applied as a Cataplasm outwardly and to besmear the parts withal inwardly XXVII Some affirm that the Ashes of an Owl burne in an earthen Pot being blown into the Throat are a specifick against a Quinsie softning it to admiration and breaking of it Others commend as a great Secret this Take Nitre half an Ounce Cream of Tartar one Ounce white Sugar two Ounces make each into a fine Pouder and mix them which put upon the Part leisurely to dissolve there or make a Gargarism therewith with this following Water Take Juice of Housleek one Pound Sal Armoniack half an Ounce dissolve and filter through brown Paper XXVIII I commend this following as a thing I have had great Experience of Take Wine half a Pint Tinctura Stomachica a spoonful mix and give it for a draught It dissipates the Inflammation and by its heat it discusses the Tumor at three or four times using provided it be used at the beginning If used afterwards it does good either discussing the swelling or hastning the maturation it is certainly one of the best of Remedies in this kind but at first it seems to set on fire the whole Mouth and Throat afterwards it is more moderate XXIX Among the number of the rest of the Things which I cannot enough commend our Spiritus Anticolicus has place In Extremity the Parts ought to be smeared or moistened with it with a Rag alone or you may mix a spoonful of it with three four five or six spoonfuls of Wine and gargle with it often warm viz. five or six times a day XXX When a Quinsey is in beginning the only thing and truly the best of Remedies is to take about one ounce of our Spiritus Cosmeticus in a Glass of Sack this given two or three times is indeed an admirable Remedy for it not only discusses or dissipates the Tumor but it brings on a most necessary Diaphoresis by which not only the afflux of new Matter is prevented but the Disease and all its Relicks perfectly cast off CHAP. XVI Of Deafness I. YOu ought to consider whether there be a perfect deafness or a difficulty of hearing only If the deafness be perfect so that the Patient can hear nothing no not the very beating of Drums nor the noise of Guns or Cannon the Tympanum or Drum of the Ear may be supposed to be broken and therefore the Disease to be incurable In this case you ought to attempt nothing for you will reap nothing but Disgrace But if with much gaping hollowing or making a noise the Patient can hear you there is hopes and you may hopefully make a trial II. If Deafness is either attended or begun with Pain it is either through a sharp Vapour or Matter offending the Part In this case according to the Rule of Hippocrates Sect. 4. 〈◊〉 48. you ought to evacuate by vomit For Diseases as he saith in another place are to be discharged by the part next to them and to be drawn out by that part that has a passage nearest to them In Libro de Affectibus he advises That if pain arises in the Ears to wash in much hot water and apply a fomentation to the Ears that the Phlegm may be attenuated and the pain eased but if it cease not yet an emetick Potion is then best to be used III. There are many kinds of Vomits prescribed by Physicians as the Vinum Benedictum Vinum Antimoniale Aqua Benedict a Rulands and a great many more of that kind which without doubt may be profitably given But there is no Vomit which I ever met withal has out done nay scarcely equalled my Caetharticum Argenteum which may be given from two Scruples to a Dram in a little Posset-drink or Ale or in place thereof you may give from four to six Grains of our Impetus Mineralis in a little Conserve or Syrup taking a large quantity of warm Broth after it IV. Now this is to be understood when the seat of the Phlegm and cause of the Pain is above but if it lies lower or vomiting does no good cooling things must be dropt in and that actually cold as Juice of Plantane Fumitory and the like and a Potion or Pills must be given that purge downwards Our Vinum Catharticum is here of excellent use if you give a Potion but if the Sick loaths a Potion and you desire to use Pills our Pilulae Mirabiles are admirable given from twenty Grains to half a Dram If any thing can be said to exceed them it is the Pilula Lunaris given to six Grains which I have several times given with success even in this case See these Medicines in my Phylaxa Med. Lib. 2. Cap. 59 61 62. V. You ought also to consider whether the Pain and Deafness proceeds from a hot or cold cause though what proceeds only from those simple Intemperatures seldom lasts long yet you ought to have some respect to them because hot
a cachectical Patient who formerly had the Pox but had been well of that Disease some years but fearing there should be yet some Relicks of it desired I should proceed in the Cure as if it had been the Pox nor could I prevail with the Man to admit of any other Cure At length I fumed him with the following Troches Take artificial Cinnabar six Drams Myrrh Amber Mastick Olibanum Cloves Nutmegs ana half an Ounce Mercurius Dulcis two Drams with Spirit of Wine make thirty two Troches for eight Fumigations I fumed him three or four times and took away all his swelling without any sensible fluxing and he became perfectly well But one thing which was very remarkable in this Cure was That an old Pain of the Spleen which he had been troubled withal for twenty two or twenty three years was totally and perfectly removed and much of the Disease went away by Urine XII A confirm'd Cachexy is without danger and may be cured in short time by Sudorificks only the Cause principally proceeding from a Debility of the Blood and noble Parts charged either with too great Acidities or an aqueous Matter which is sent into the Habit of the Body For this purpose a Tincture of the opening Crocus Martis or the Crocus Martis it self is profitably given and Grulingius saith for this purpose it excels all other Remedies because it strengthens so powerfully For internal Sudorificks which may also absorb the Acid we commend Bezoar Mineral from six to sixteen Gr. our Angelus Mineralis from six to twelve Grains Pilulae Angelicae from one to two Scruples or a Decoction of Guaiacum after the usual manner the Patient being in a Stove or Bed XIII Barbet saith that the watery Matter is first gathered in the Face and Limbs and if the tumid Parts be prest with your Finger that they are not so full as in a true Dropsie and that the cause of it is from the lymphatick Vessels being compressed broken or some other way obstructed whereby the natural Motion of the Lympha is himdred and so thrust into the fleshy and skinny Parts But all this we cannot concede unto nor do we believe that ever the Rupture of the lymphatick Vessels were or can be the Cause thereof but this possibly may be sometimes a Cause the two great thinness of the Lympha and the weakness or laxness of the Vessels containing it whereby it has an emission through their Pores and Plicatures into the fleshy Substance of the Body XIV If the Sick be of a cholerick habit of Body if they sweat in a Stove Chair or Bagnio it ought to be with a gentle heat If they be melancholly the heat must be greater but if phlegmatick the heat must be most intense that the Humors may be melted and the preternatural Gelly dissolved without which it can never pass away by sweat And this is of use chiefly in Virgins where the Disease proceeds from Grief drinking cold Water eating unripe Fruit or other hetrogene Things But in hot Constitutions and such as have been used to eat and drink hot Things whereby the Liver is made exceeding hot and dry and much Choler abounds in the first and second Region viz. in the Veins of the Liver Spleen and Mesentery and in the greater Veins and Arteries Baths are much more proper than Stoves and such-like because they moisten whereas a dry sweat irritates the Atribilious Humor XV. Being come out of the Bath you may anoint the Belly Feet Legs and other swoln Parts with the following Unguent Take tops of Elder Dwarf-Elder Doves-foot musked Cranes-bill Mustard Rocket Camomil ana two Ounces Palm-oil one Pound boil well strain out by pressing then add distilled Oils of Amber Anniseeds and Juniper ana three Drams mix them to anoint withal and inwardly give a Dram or two or more of our Aqua Bezoartica or good cinamon-Cinamon-Water XVI Catharticks are adjudged by most to be of evil consequence being given to cachectick Persons because they hurt the Liver and weaken the Ferment of the Viscera This is true it they be often or long given as we noted at Sect. 3. above for they destroy the Patient the 〈◊〉 and weakned Parts being extreamly hurt and more weakened thereby but Lenitives may be given and repeated with Strengthners between and sometimes stronger Purges provided there be pretty long intervals between and many times Corroboraters of the Bowels be given in the interim to support and restore their tone XVII Quercetanus commends this Pouder Take fine Filings of Iron one Dram Feculi Ari one Dram Essence of Coral Pearl Pouder of Amebrgrise ana half a Ounce Amber prepared Cinamon ana four Scruples Sugar q. s. mix and make a Pouder It is a good Thing for pale and depraved Colours Cachexies in Men Women and Maids whether young or old the Body being prepared and purged for some time before hand Schroder commends his Chalybeated Salt for the same purpose See it in my Seplasium Lib. 1. Cap. 16. Sect. 13 14 15. Lib. 2. Cap. 14. Sect. 4 5. XVIII Or this Take Filings of Iron sprinkle them with Waters of Wormwood Ash or Scurvy-Grass wherein their Salts have been dissolved leave them so long till all is converted to Rust or Crocus of which take six Ounces burnt Harts-horn prepared Magisteries of Coral and Pearl ana one Dram and half Cinamon Crystals of Tartar ana one Dram Sugar a sufficient quantity mix and make a Pouder Dose one Dram. XIX Sennertus commends this Wine Take Filings of Iron three Ounces and half White Wine two Quarts infuse them together in a Boltbead a Month in a warm place shaking it three or four times a day Dose five or six Ounces at a time in the Morning fasting and lying two or three hours in Bed after it or otherwise walking and stirring two hours after it As often as you pour out one Glass you must put in another till half the Rust or Crocus seems spent then you are to cease and put in no more Our Tinctura ad Chlorosin is also of experienced Use. XX. If the Patient finds any pain in the Abdomen or Belly you ought to bathe the Part with Powers of Amber twice a day Or with this Take Palm-Oil four Ounces Oil of Anniseeds half an Ounce mix and anoint with it Or this Take Palm-Oil four Ounces Oil of sweet Fennel-seed of Oranges ana two Drams mix and anoint with as before CHAP. XIX Of the STONE in the Reins 1. AS this is a Disease with which many are afflicted so it is of as hard and difficult Cure for which variety of Medicaments are instituted The cause of which is this That those things which do some good and cure them to boot yet do others no good at all and sometimes make them worse for which Reason sake we shall make it it our Business here to examine variety of Authors and hear what they all say II. It is a Disease like the Colick but it is
Medicines that break and expel the Stone they ought not to be used once or twice only but oftner 'till the obstruoted Passages be opened And while they are given the Reins and Bladder ought to be helped with Baths Fomentations Unctions c. that they may operate the better Liquors also that are of thin Parts such as White and Rhenish-Wines must be given now and then with internal Emollients and Laxatives and Things slippery to make the Passages easie and open and qualifie the Acrimony of other Medicines XLVII To a nephritick Person vomiting Blood Maebius durst not prescribe Things to force the Stone lest when the Vessels are unstopt they should open wider and by farther vomiting of Blood Life should be endangered He gave therefore 〈◊〉 Hartshorn for several days in fresh Broth and fomented the Part with Camomil-flowers c. so his vomiting ceased and the Stone fell into the Bladder and afterstuck in the neck of his Bladder Then he gave his Anodyn-salt in Decoction of Mallows fomented his Privities with mucilaginous Things and anointed the Part with Oil of white Line-Tree within six hours he voided a Stone as big as a Bean and was restored to perfect Health XLVIII Spirit of Turpentine is a good Thing against the Stone but before it be used Lenitive Purgers should precede at least before it be continually and daily used It is a great Medicine and has a dispersing Power penetrating deep purifying the Bowels and healing them dissolving coagulated or hardned Tartar and expelling it by Urine Yet in the use of Turpentine it self in substance purging before-hand is not needful because it has in it self a cathartick Virtue especially if mixt with Rheubarb in Pouder as Crato in Scholtzius Cons. 152. advises It helps by its temperate heat whereby it befriends the Parts destin'd to Concoction for which Reason it is good for those that are troubled with the Stone You may see in Amatus Lusitanus Cent. 1. Obser 63. the History of a Monk who every Morning for several Months swallowed a piece of Turpenttne as big as a Nut and so was cured both of Stone and Gout when all other Medicines would do no good XLIX When the Stone is voided though all danger is over yet you ought for two or three days following to use Abstersives and Cleansers and Healers that the Reins may be perfectly cleansed and healed for which purpose nothing can be better than a Bolus of Turpentine made after this manner Take Turpentine one Dram and half Rheubarb Nutmegs Liquorice all in Pouder ana half a Dram mix and make a Bolus After which an Emulsion of sweet Almonds in Barley-water or Broth or Decoction of Pease may be profitably drank L. How great a Medicine Turpentine is is not easie to be declared it being a volatile Alcaly mixt with a small quantity of a volatile Acid but the Alcaly very much over-powering It purifies and sweetens the whole mass of Blood and Humors after a most wonderful and admirable manner and after such a way as 't is possible no other Medicine except of the Family of Turpentine as all natural Balsams are upon Earth can do besides For it momentarily enters into the whose Mass of Blood purifies it sweetens it and dissolves all its Coagulums entring into its Substance with its whole and entire Body where by its resolutive Power it does that which neither Spirit of Wine can do by its subtilty nor Spirit of Nitre Vitriol or Sulphur can do by their Acidity nor other volatile Salts can do by their penetrability being indeed and intruth one of the most absolute Antissorbuticks Antiphthisictiks Antispasmadicks Antiarthriticks Antepilepticks and Antinephriticks yet to this day discovered to the World LI. So that if a Physician knows rightly how to prepare and use that alone Medicine he knows a Thing which will do more than a whole Apothecary's shop beside it It is a Medicament which is a natural piece of Chymistry being only a dissolution of sand rocks or gravelly Bodies by the mighty Power of the plastick Spirit of the Plant which destroys the antecedent petrifactive Spirit of the Matter of which it was made viz. Sand Gravel Stones Rocks c. and by a living Alembeck to wit the Body of the Tree and all its Limbs is digested raised exalted and subtilized purified and made volatile and lastly impregnated with a mighty Spirit in direct antipathy and opposition and vastly superiour to the petrifactive Spirit as being not only able to do but also undo that which the said petrifactive Power can never do or accomplish again LII Nature has done so much already towards the perfection of this Medicine that little remains to be done by Art yet something it wants to be fitted effectually for so universal an use as it is design'd for and without which it will not perfectly answer the desired End of which we may in some other place discourse more at large This we could not even for Piety sake avoid the speaking of here considering that some thousands of times in about twenty six or twenty seven years Practise we have made use of it with admirable success LIII If in the Stone in the Reins the Sick pisses much Blood and often the case is hazardous because two opposite Intentions occur and it is a difficult thing to find a Remedy in Art to perform opposite Intentions or Operations viz. to open and stop dissolve and bind break and consolidate at one and the same time In this case you must set aside all other Remedies and have recourse to vitriolick Bath-waters or Waters running from Iron Mines for that their Virtue is most excellent there being no safer or better Remedy to be thought of for such Waters expel violently and efficaciously and are therefore Lithontriptick and yet as being impregnated with Vitriol they eminently stanch Blood strengthen all the Viscera and cool the Liver Spleen and Reins LIV. But because every one has not the liberty or conveniency of going to the Wells at Tunbridge or other Springs coming off of Iron or vitriolick Mines we shall here shew a Way of making those Waters artificially to perform the same Intention which is thus done 1. Take fair Spring-water six Quarts Salt Vitriol or Crystals of Mars one Dram mix dissolve and filter through brown Paper so have you a Water in Virtue and Effects like that which runs off from the natural Iron-Mines 2. Or thus Take spring-Spring-water a Gallon Sal Armoniack one Dram Scales of Iron one Ounce mix and digest for some days in a gentle Sand-heat 'till the Water begins to colour then filter and keep it for use 3. Or thus Take spring-Spring-water a Gallon Spirit of Wine four Ounces Spirit of Vitriol two Drams or better mix them for use These artificial Waters may be taken from a Pint to two Quarts or more but by degrees and a little warm or made into Posset-drink using moderate exercise and fasting 'till the Water is out of the Body They purge
joined with a volatile Alcalie and such are the Spirit of Wine and Essence of the Blood Dose from ten to twenty or thirty or forty Drops in any convenient Liquor It opens all manner of Obstructions in any part of the Body provokes Urine powerfully and is an admirable good thing against the Disury and Ischury viz. where the Water comes scalding and by drops or where it is totally supprest IX I have found much good in this following for bringing away Sand Gravel or any mucous Matter obstructing the Urine Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Oleum Petroleum one Ounce Oleum Anisii Baccarum Juniperi ana half an Ounce Millepedes prepared Earth-worms prepared pure Salt of Tartar volatile Sal-Armoniack ana three Drams mix them Dose from six Drops to twelve or more in a Glass of Ale Wine or Mead. Sometimes I prepared it thus Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Oleum Petroleum one Ounce Oil of Limons Caraways sweet Fen nel-seed ana half an Ounce Crabs Eyes Goats Blood prepared volatile Sal-Armoniack volatile Salt of Amber ana three Drams strong Tincture of Thebian Opium made with the best rectified Spirit of Wine an ounce and half mix them Dose from ten Drops to twenty thirty or more according to age and strength in any proper Vehicle X. This is a thing I have often experienced with good success Take of our Spiritus Universalis two Pound brui sed Onions eight Ounces Parsley bruised four Ounces digest twenty four hours strain out by pressing then pass it through a Filter Dose from half a spoonful to a spoonful or more in a Glass of Ale Mead Wine or Parsley or Arsmart-water Or thus Take common Spirit of Wine a Quart bruised Onions Aniseeds Parsley roots ana six Ounces mix digest three days strain filter and keep it for Use Dose three or four spoonsuls in any fit Vehicle XI Laurenbergius Riverius and others mightily commend this as a thing almost infallible Take pure Salt of Tartar one Ounce parsley-Parsley-water a Quart mix dissolve and filter it two or three times through brown Paper that it may become clear then put into it the fresh outward Rind of Orange peels so much as to colour it of a Citron-colour viz. about two Ounces after three days decant the clear and keep it for Use The Dose is a spoonfull or more in half a Pint of White or Rhenish-Wine or Wine in which Mustard-seed or Horse-Radish-root has been infused XII This is commended by some for to expel the Stone in the Bladder Take Millepedes prepared Bedugar or Sponge of the Briar bush seeds of purple Violets ana one Ounce Species Lithontripticae two Drams mix them make a Pouder Dose two Drams in ten Ounces of a Diuretick Decoction mixt with two Drams of Spirit of Juniper It was given at five in the Morning for some time and a little after a great quantity of reddish Urine came away with flakes like Scales of Fishes which was the Coat or Crust loosned from a larger Stone and by the continual use thereof the Sick was freed from his Disease XIII This has been approved of Take a Hare with young calcine it to Ashes these Ashes mix with an equal quantity of Sugar Dose two Drams in any convenient Vehicle as Syrupus Nephriticus mixt with a Glass of White or Rhenish-Wine But Arnoldus de Villa nova took a Hare and fill'd the Bolly with the skin Saxafrage Millet Lapis Lyncis Lapis Judaicus Lapis Spongiae Cinkfoil and golden Rod and then calcin'd it of which he gave a spoonful in a Glass of Wine every day it broke says he and forced away the Stone in the Reins and Bladder XIV I have often given this following Medicine with incredible success Take Strasburg Turpentine two Ounces Hercules noster half an Ounce Bezoar Minerale Crabs Eyes Millepedes prepared ana q. s. mix and make Pills Dose two Drams twice a day drinking after it the following mixture Take Rbenish-Wine eight Ounces Syrupus Nephriticus an Ounce Potestates Litbontripticae fifteen Drops mix for a Draught This I have also proved with good Success Take Balsam of Peru half a Dram Oils of Nard and Mastich ana ten Drops Oil of Juniper six Drops Lapis Judaicus prepared Crabs Eyes fifteen Grains mix and give it in White or Rhenish-Wine or a Decoction of Millet XV. If by these or some of the Medicines mentioned in the former Chapter the Sick receives no benefit you must come to manual operation how that is to be performed whether by the Apparatus minor or major we have taught in our Synopsis Medicinae Lib. 3. Cap. 16. Sect. 7. 8. to which we shall refer you But there is another way of taking out the Stone which is thus The Artist puts his Finger up the Anus and moves the Stone to the fore-part of the Belly and then by a hole cut in the Musculus Rectus according to the Duct of the Fibres above the Os Pubis he takes out the Stone by the help of the Lapidillium or a pair of Forceps The Operation being performed this way a dripping of the Urine need never be feared and besides a larger space is allowed to take out the Stone in However this Operations is not without its danger besides the trouble for if the Lips of the Wound made in the Bladder be not united to the Muscles of the Abdomen an Exulceration of the Bladder follows which both makes much pain and creates an Ulcer more incurable than the Stone it self Roussetus commends cutting in the Groin especially for Children and is approved by Hildanus in larger Stones which cannot be brought to the Perinaeum it being there taken out with less pain and danger of an Hemorrhage The healing of the Bladder is not extraordinary because it has fleshy Fibres by the help whereof and the innate heat the Wound is the more easily cured XVI Some inject by a Catheter into the Bladder thinking thereby to break the Stone for that the Medicines are not altered in their passage nor lose any thing of their Virtue as those do which are given by the mouth but reach the Stone immediately I have injected Opiates with good success for giving ease If the Liquors be sharp they ought to be such that breaking the Stone they may not hurt the Bladder as Waters made of the Ashes of Scorpions Parsley-roots Kneeholm Crabs Eyes Pellitory of the Wall Pigeons dung c. Baverius injects Petroleum in which Lapis Lyncis has been boiled and strained forth embrocating at the same time with a Decoction of Mallows He says it wonderfully breaks the Stone in the Bladder Or you may inject with this Take a small Lixivium of Pot-Ashes one Pound crude Opium two Drams mix digest twenty four hours then strain out the Liquor for use CHAP. XXI Precipiolum The Universal Medicine of PARACELSUS WHat we have aenigmatically delivered in our Doron Medicum Lib. 1. Cap. 27. concerning the universal Medicine of Paracelsus by reason of
Sons of Learning wonder not for we have not concealed it from you but have delivered it in such Language as that it may be hid from evil Men and that the unjust and Vile might not know it But ye Sons of Doctrine search and you shall find this most excellent gift of God which he has reserved for you Ye Sons of folly impiety and prophaneness avoid you the seeking after this Knowledge it will be Enimical and destructive to you and precipitate you into the State of Contempt and Misery This gift of God is absolutely by the Judgment of the Divine providence hid from you and denyed you for ever XIV A solar Medicine of the third Order It is made of Sol dissolved and prepared after the manner of Luna in Chap. 46. Sect. 11. aforegoing to which you must add of Sulphur dissolved 3 parts of Arsenick one part as afterwards is shewed through all things doing as in the place now cited is directed and it will be a Medicine tinging every Body and Mercury it self into true Sol or better according to the way now shewed Read and peruse what we shall direct and thereby you will be able to tinge to Infinity if you have understanding and erre not by the ambiguous sayings of the Philosophers XV. The Ferment of Sol for the Red. The Ferment of Sol is made of Gold dissolved into its own Water Aqua Regis and decocted and prepared by the directions in Chap. 46. Sect. 16. aforegoing So will you have the Ferment of Sol for the Red which keep for use XVI The Ferment of Ferments upon Mercury for the Red. Dissolve Sol in its own water which we shall hereafter teach i. e. Aqua Regis to this Gold dissolved 1 ounce add Sulphur 2 ounces dissolved in the same Water together with it Mercury 3 ounces also disolved Let all these be truly dissolved into most clear Water which being mixt decoct for one day that they may be Fermented then draw off the Water 15 times each time cohobating Incerate with Yellow Virgins Wax that is with half its Weight of Oyl of Blood or Oyl of Eggs then project upon crude Mercury as you see requisite Here note that if you perfect this Medicine as we teach in our third Order in Chap. 47. Sect. 21.22 c. following of the Congelative Medicine of Mercury you will find by Reiteration of the Work and by Subtilization thereof that one part will tinge infinite parts of Mercury into most fine and high Gold more Noble than any natural Gold whatsoever CHAP. XLVIII Of the Alchymie of Mercury I. ARgent Vive which is also called Mercury is a Viscous Water in the Bowels of the Earth by most temperate heat United in a total Union through its least parts with the substance of White subtil Earth until the humid be contemperated with the Dry and the Dry with the humid equally There fore it easily runs upon a plain Superfices by reason of its watery humidity but it adhers not although it has a Viscous humidity by reason of the dryness of that which Contemperatesit and permits it not to adhere II. This is also as some say the matter of Metals with Sulphur and easily adheres to three Minerals viz. Saturn Jupiter and Sol but to Luna more difficulty and to Venus more difficulty than to Luna but to Mars in no wise but by Artifice Hence you may collect a very great Secret For it is amicable and pleasing to the Metals and the Medium of conjoyning Tinctures and nothing is submerged in Argent Vive unless it is Sol. Yet Jupiter and Saturn Luna and Venus are dissolved by it and mixed and without it can none of the Metals be gilded It is fixed and the Tincture of Redness of most exuberant perfection and fulgid splendor and receeds not from the Commixtion till it is in its own nature But it is not our Medicine in its Nature but it may sometimes help in the Case III. Of the Sublimation of Argent Vive This Work is compleated with its Terrestreity is highly purified and its Aquosity wholy removed We remove it not by adustion because it has none so the Art of separating its superfluous Earth is to mix it with things where with it has not Affinity and often to reiterate the Sublimation from them Of this kind is Talck and the Calx of Egg-shells and Calx of white Marble as also Glass in most subtil Pouder and every kind of Salt prepared for by these it is cleansed but by other things having affinity with it unless they be bodies of perfection it is rather Corrupted because all such things have a Sulphureity which ascending with it in Sublimation corrupt it And this you may find to be true by Experience because when you sublime it from Tin or Lead you find it after Sublimation infected with blackness Therefore its Sublimation is better made by those things which agree not with it but it would be better by things with which it does agree if they had not Sulphureity Wherefore this Sublimation is better from Calx than from all other things because that agrees little with it and has not Sulphureity IV. But the way of removing its superfluous aquosity is that when it is mixed with Calces from which it is to be sublimed it be well Ground and commixt with them by Imbibition untill nothing of it appear and afterwards the Wateriness of Imbibition removed by a most gentle heat of Fire which receeding the Aquosity of Argent Vive receeds with it yet the Fire must be so very Gentle as that by it the whole substance of Argent Vive ascend not V. Therefore from the manifold reiteration of Imbibition with Contrition and gentle Assation it s greater Aquosity is abolished the residue of which is removed by repeating the Sublimation often And when you see it is most white excelling Snow in its whiteness and to adhere as it were dead to the sides of the Vessell then again reiterate its Sub limation without the feces because part of it adheres fixed with the Feces and can never by any Art or Ingenuity be separated from them Or afterwards fix part of it as we shall teach you and when you have fixed it then reiterate Sublimation of the part remaining that it may likewise be fixed VI. Being fixed reserve it but first prove it upon Fire if it flow well then you have administred sufficient Sublimation but if not add to it some small part of Argent Vive sublim'd and reiterate the Sublima tion till your end be accom plished for if it has a Lucid and most white Color and be porous then you have well sublimed it otherwise not therefore in the preparation of it made by Sublimation be not negligent because such as its cleansing shall be such will be its Perfection in projecting of it upon any of the imperfect Bodies and upon its own Body unprepared VII Yet here note that some have by it formed Iron
if not inveterate Trembling Gout or any weakness of the Nerves and Joynts coming of a cold and moist cause by anointing the afflicted parts therewith and taking of it inwardly as shall be immediately directed for it does gently and by degrees as it were carry off the morbifick Cause and matter almost to a Miracel 9. This marvellous Balsam opens all obstructions of the Liver and Spleen being taken Morning and Evening for a Month together in a little Syrup or other convenient Vehicle It is held for a great Treasure and has many other singular Virtues not here necessary to be named lest we should prejudice its worth and Excellency 10. The way and manner of taking it In diseases of the Head Brain and Nerves give it in Rosemary or Juniper-water or in Canary For the Stone and other Diseases of the Reins and Bladder you may give in Rhenish-wine For the Colick and Diseases of the Bowels you may give it in Juniper or Cardamum-water For Palsies and weaknesses of the Nerves and Joynts you may give it in some Antiparalitick Wine First grind or mix it with a little of the yolk of an Egg to open its body and then mix it with the Liquor you would give it in 11. If the sick cannot take it so it may be made up into Pills with some fit Powder as of Zedoary Nutmeg Cinnamon Bay-berries Cubebs Winter-cherries or what the Physician shall think more fit and so gilded for by this means it will be taken without nauseating you may give the Balsam from half a Dram to two Drams according to Age and Strength and it may be given Morning and Night for a Month two or three together 12. And it is certain that this Balsam is one of the greatest specificks in the cure of the Palsie Scurvy and Gout that is transcending all other Medicaments but it ought to be constantly given in a due Dose and with those Advantages that it may not loath the Stomach so taken it performs more than any other Balsam It cleanses the whole body of all Impurities mundifies the whole mass of Blood heals all inward Bruises Wounds Ulcers or Excoriations whether in the Bowels or Lungs restoring decayed Nature and carrying off all its Faeculencies by Urine and Stool It is only Sold by the Author of this Work at his House at the Blue-Ball by the Ditch-side near Holborn-bridge and at Mr. John Harris's at the Harrow in the Poultry London Price 24 s. the Pound or 18 d. the Ounce AT the sign of the Archimedes and Spectacles in Ludgate-street near the West-end of St. Paul's lives John Marshall who both turns and grinds makes and sell's all sorts of Glass Instruments as Perspective Glasses Telescopes Microscopes Horoscopes Sky-Opticks Reading Glasses from the smallest size to 20 Inches Diametre Microscopes according to Mr. Leewenhoeck Also Microscopes of the said Marshall's Designing a singular Invention for the advantage of Light the like of which were never yet done before Also Spectacles for all Ages Cristal Prisms Speaking Trumpets and all other sorts of Optick Glasses for brevity sake not here named SALMON'S Practical Physick The First BOOK CHAP. I. Of ACHES of all sorts I. For an Ach proceedings of Cold in any part of the Body TAke Oyl Olives Venice Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber four Ounces Volatile Salt of Amber six Drachms melt and mix them together for a Balsam and anoint the place well there with Morning and Evening for eight or ten days more or less as occasion requires Salmon II. For an Ach in the Joints Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana one Ounce Oyl of Wormwood three Ounces Volatile Salt Armonicak two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam It is excellent being anointed with all Salmon III. For Aches in the lower parts of the Body Take Palm Oyl Turpentine Oyl of Amber and Anniseeds of each one Ounce mix melt and make a Balsam Salmon IV. For an Ach in the Bones Take Palm Oyl Turpentine ana two Ounces Oyl of Amber and Juniper Berries of each two Ounces and two Drachms Camphier two Ounces melt mix and make a Balsam Salmon V. An approved Searcloth for all Aches Take Burgundy Pitch one pound Oyl Olive six Ounces Wax four Ounces white Frankincense two Ounces powdered melt them in a Pipken stirring all well together and Boil to a Consistency then pour out all into a Bason or Pan of Water then anoint your Hands with Butter and make the Plaster into Rolls VI. An Excellent Ointment for the same Take the Gall of an Ox White-wine Vinegar Palm Oyl Aqua Vitae of each a like quantity boyl them gently on a Fire keeping it scum'd till it grow clammy and with this bathe well the part by rubbing it in before a Fire with a warm Hand Morning and Evening still laying a Linnen Cloth upon it VII For Ach in the Bones and the Gout Take of the best Aqua Vitae and Oyl of Amber of each a like quantity mix them well together and anoint the part well with a warm Hand before the Fire and bind on it a Linnen Cloth Morning and Evening VIII For the Joynt Ach and the Gout most Excellent Take the Juice of Sage Aqua Vitae the Oyl of Bays Vinegar Mustard and of an Oxes Gall of each a like quantity put them all together in a large Ox Bladder Tye it fast and chafe it up and down with your Hand during one hour and half then keep it for your Use and anoint the griev'd part Morning and Evening IX A Process against all Aches in the Back Hips Sides Knees or any part of the Body Take first Pil. Mirabile one Scruple to Purge now and then and take them in Syrup of Roses after Purging procure Sweat thus Take Guaiacum one Ounce and a half the Root of Enulacampane one Ounce boyl them in a Pottle of small Ale till half be consumed then drink thereof a quart in a Hot-house and Sweat often Then in the House bathe all the Body with this Oleaginous Balsame Take Oyl of Amber Oyl of Turpentine of Foxes of Excester and of Chamomil of each a like quantity and mix it well with some Brandy And if the Pains and Aches fall out to be most painful in the Night as many times they do Then at Night let him take this Potion Syrup of Poppy three Drachms Syrup of Betony one drachm and a half Waters of Bugloss and Sage of each an Ounce mix them well together X. This Cured a Man perfectly when he was Lame over all his Body Take the Gall of an Heifer for a Man and the Gall of a Steer for a Woman Brandy of each a like quantity then bath it well upon the Wrist a little before the Fit cometh and let it lie till the Fit be gone XI Aches from a hot Cause Take Spring Water two quarts Sal Armoniack Nitre of each four Ounces mix dissolve and keep it for Use Bathe the part with it then anoint with Oyl of Poppy Seed
preventing Abortion and then use Forcers Loosners and Forcers lest any of the Membranes or after-Birth or any part of it or other foetid and putrid Matter should be left behind by which the Woman would certainly Perish But if the Child be not Dead nor expelled but only a Danger and the foetus retreats then you ought to use restingents and things above directed that Abortion may be prevented and the Child preserved Salmon XV. A Medicine after Miscarriage If part of the After-birth should remain and a continual Flux of Blood for some Months should accompany it the most Excellent Sylvius has restored the sick by three ounces of the following Decoction taken twice or thrice a day Take Bistort-root three Ounces Marjoram Pennyroyal ana a handful Water White-wine of each a sufficient quantity Strain and Sweetten with Syrup of Mugwort a Tenth part Cinnamon-water a Twentieth part By Virtue of this a piece of the After-birth as big as ones Fist was voided and the Flux of Blood stopped and cured CHAP. IX Want of Appetite I. IF want of Appetite proceeds from a cold Cause or cold Flegm afflicting the Ventricle or Stomach 't will be necessary to give a proper Vomit and then such things as may heat and corroborate it II. A Vomit evacuating Flegm and cold and watery Humours Take our Pulvis Argenteum 10. grains mix it with the Pulp of a rosted Apple and give it in the Morning fasting drinking warm Broth or Posset-drink after it The third day repeat the same Dose III. Then to warm comfort and restore the Stomach Take our Tinctura Stomachica from half a Spoonful to a Spoonful in a draught of Ale or Wine Morning Noon and Night a quarter of an Hour or more before eating it does Wonders and restores the Appetite tho lost for many Months I have proved it many Hundreds of times for these Twenty five or Twenty six Years together Salmon IV. Salt Meats are also good because they iritate and provoke the languid Faculties of the Stomach Salts also have an inciding and attenuating Virtue and next to these such things as have a volatile heat and sharpness as Mustard seed Onions Garlick Leeks Shellots c. V. When Flegm disaffects the Ventricle that is tough thick and viscous whereby the Appetite seems to be almost destroyed it will be necessary that you use Medicines of another Nature viz. such as are acid sharp and cutting for that these things not only separate the offending Matter from the Tunicles of the Stomach but also prevent Putrefaction and the Generation of the like for the future VI. For this purpose Spirit of Vitriol is most commended by some and 't is doubtless a good Medicine but ought to be cautiously used to dry Bodies lest it induces a Consumption VII But in fuller and moister Bodies it is not only safe but very profitable more especially if the Anorexia or want of Appetite proceeds from Choler Yellow or Green abounding in the Stomach VIII In this case I commend my Spiritus Aperiens and Syrupus Diasulphuriis see them in my Phylaxa Med. Lib. I. Cap. 14. Sect. I. and Lib. 2. Cap. 36. Sect. I. given the first to 30. 40. 50. or 60. or more Drops in a Glass of Ale the other in all the drink the Sick drinks to a Spoonful more or less as they can Affect it and to take it assidiously for ten Fifteen or Tweny days together they are Medecines that seldom fail of their effects and are beyond my Commendation Salmon IX I always adjust the Medicaments for cure according to the Causes where there is an exceeding Coldness of the Stomach my Tinctura Absinthij is beyond compare so also Elixir proprietatis sine Acido To these things add our Aqua Bezoartica and Tinctura Corallorum Composita given in Wine X. If the want of Appetite is restored by taking Acids it is a Sign that the Acid Humour in the Stomach is Languid debile and weak but if not or it rather is hurt by it it is a sign that it is too Rampant and Vigorous and therefore Alcalies as Tincture of Tartar Volatile Sal Armoniack or our Spirit Antiasthmaticus ought to be given and other like Volatile Salts Bezoar Mineral in our Syrup Volatilis is of good use in this case Salmon XI The loss of Appetite which arises from decay of Strength or old Age is seldom or never cured unless it proceed from a Cold cause in which case Volatile Sulphurs and Spirituous Things are proper but things that dry too much must be cautiously given The Stomach may be Anointed with Oyl of Mace or you may use this Take Balsam of Amber one Ounce common Oyl I dram mix them XII If there be neither Sickness nor weakness nor old Age present and yet the Person complains that he never comes to his Food with a Stomach or eats with an Appetite the only way to restore such an one is to let him fast till he is a hungry for long want of Victualsand emptiness insuch always breeds an Appetite XIII In Women especially such as have Gross Bodies want of Appetite is cured if not with Child by proper Emeticks and Catharticks For the first of these I commend our Cartharticum Argenteum given to a dram in a Glass of Ale For the latter either our Family Pills or our Family Powder both of which may be taken 2 or 3 or 4 times with due intervals Salmon XIV If it happens in a Woman with Child all or most of the Preceeding Courses must be avoided and other Courses taken The juices of Oranges and Lemons with white Sugar may be daily taken for some time so also Canary made acid with juice of Limons and if heat also abounds a Decoction of Tamerinds sweetned alone or mixt A Syrup or Infusion of Rheubarb is of good use XV. Want of Appetite in Consumptive People is of dangerous Consequence some commend as the best thing Elixir Proprietatis given in wine it may be good for a little Season but long it must not be taken left it also induce the Consumption The best thing which I have found by my large experience is Our Tinctura Stomachica given to a spoonsul 2. or 3. times a day in a large draught of new Milk And altho the ingredients thereof heat Violently yet by reason they are of thin Substance and parts their heat is quickly discussed and so do no harm Salmon XVI If Sickness at Stomach and want of Appetite proceed from worms as sometimes it does Our Tincturo Absinthij or Infusion of Worm-wood in Rhenish Wine or Canary is good Salmon XVII Galens Antidotus Thespesiana for want of Appetite Take Smallage-seed xij drams Myrrh Anniseed Opium ana vj. drams White-Pepper V. drams Parsly-seed Long-pepper Spicknard Cassia-Lignea ana iv drams Castor Saffron Flowers of Juncus Odoratus ana iij. drams Cinamon ij drams Honey 1 pound make an Electuary dose the quantity of a Hazle-Nut at Bed-time in a little Drink CHAP. X. Loss of the
be praised But if the Patient be Young or Weak you must proportionably lessen the Dose You may give it in the Morning Fasting and let the Sick beware of taking Cold. Salmon V. The Cholick with a vehement Catarrb and Cough Where the Griping of the Bowels is with Costiveness of Body which is for the most part accompanied with a great Cough and Catarrh there is no better Remedy upon Earth than our Spiritus Anticolicus of which the Sick may take half a Spoonful every Morning and Evening in a Glass of Ale or Wine and if it be vehement in all the Drink they take Salmon VI. The Cholick with a violent Flux of the Belly downwards and a vehement Catarrb upwards I have several times seen this preternatural Flux though it be not common Once I remember I had a Patient afflicted therewith and in a most deplorable Condition I Cured him by giving a Spoonful or Spoonful and half of my Tinctura ad Catarrhos Morning and Evening in a Glass of Ale and in a Weeks time he was perfectly well See it in my Phylaxa Med. Lib. 2. Cap. 9. Sect. 1. Salmon VII One Purge saith Rolfincius given with Judgment in the Cholick does that alone which ten Clysters will scarcely reach especially in the Cholick pain from Obstruction of the Excrements above the value It was observed when a Patient had thirty Clysters given him without any benefit that another Physician gave him an Ounce and half of Manna with two Ounces of Oyl of sweet Almonds in fat Chicken Broth and eased the Patient of his pain We in the West-India's in this case where the Constipation is great give a strong Decoction of the bitter Gourd or bitter Squash made in Water which effectually does the Cure at once if given in the beginning of the Disease Pulp of Colocynthis here will do the same In the West-India's where Peach-Trees are plentlful the Disease is Cured by taking three or four times Syrup of Peaches or by taking a very strong Decoction made of the bruised Leaves of the Peach-Tree Salmon VIII Sometimes when Clysters are given they come not away but almost suffocate by reason of their ascension be ing stopt by much Wind in this case if one two or more Clysters do not come away you must either put up a very sharp Supository or recall them with a small Clyster made of a strong Tincture or Decoction of Pulp of Colloquintida IX Where the Cholick proceeds from a kind of Glassy Phlegm weak Clysters may not be given made of Oyl Hiera and the like these though in a gentle Cholick may do some good yet in a violent one can do nothing rather mischief In this case nothing less than a strong Clyster made with our Tinctura Aurea see Phylaxa Lib. 2. Cap. 5. will do any good After the Clyster has been taken and is come away let the Patient be three or four times Purged with our Pilula Mirabiles see Phylaxa Lib. 2. Cap. 59. and he will be so perfectly Cured that the Disease will no more recur from that numerick Cause Salmon X. In a vehement Cholick with Obstruction of the Courses I gave the following things 1. I Purged the Sick well with my Pilulae Mirabiles thrice 2. I gave the following Powder Take Livers and Galls of Eeles dry them and make them into Powder Dose from one Drachm to two in white Wine Salmon XI A Venereal Cholick There is no better Medicine upon Earth then to give every day for a Week together if it has been of long continuance our Vinum Herculeanum a Sack Glass full at a time three or four times a day The way of making it see in Phylaxa Med. Lib. 1. Cap. 47. Sect. 15. It is much beyond all the the Spicy and Aromatick Things in the World Salmon XII A Clyster against the Cholick Take Decoction of Juniper Berries a Pint Spiritus Aureus one Ounce Aqua Benedicta four Ounces Oyl of Olive two Ounces mix them this works in a small time but which is admirable even before it works the pain ceases Salmon XIII Another Clyster for the same Take Decoction of Dates made in Mutton-Broth a Pint Vinum Emeticum five Ounces mix for a Clyster it gives ease almost in an Instant and brings away the morbifick Cause or Matter after a wonderful manner Salmon XIV Rondeletius saith that Castoreum and Euphorbium are of good use if the pain be constant and stir not from its place yea he estimates them not only as a present but as the ultimate Remedy If you take six eight or ten Grains of Castor in Wine and drink a little after it it will quickly Cure And five or six Gr. of Emphorbium may be Infused and taken the clear Infusion in the same quantity and manner XV. If the pain be in the upper part of the Belly above the Navel Clysters seldom do any good for they never reach the Morbifick or offending Matter yet sometimes even in these cases when the pain is very violent and the Humours crude Clysters may be given but they ought to be made of strong Attractives such as the afore-mentioned XVI This Clyster has done much good Take fat Broth a Pint Aloes dissolved two Drachms Turpentine one Ounce and a half or two Ounces Truly it is a Medicament not to be despised I remember once above all the rest of the times I used it I recovered a young Lady even from the Jaws of Death with it The Sick had been three daies and three Nights tortured with incessant Pain Clysters of most kinds had been given by an Apothecary by the Prescript of a Physitian moreover there had been given previous to those Aromatick Bolus's bitter Decoctions and lastly Opiates but all in vain nor could the Opiates do any good for that they constipated the Bowels much more which were before costive and so rendered the disease to all appearance uncurable so void of true Medical Sense or Knowledge were those Men of great names which had been before concern'd with her In short they neither gave her any Ease nor made her go to Stool so that what with the Anguish and Pain she was given over and lay for dead In this state and Condition a Gentlewoman then present moved that I might be sent for which was accordingly done when I came thither I viewed my Patient no appearance of Life could be discerned so that I had but small encouragement to act however being entreated by her grieved Parents I was perswaded even for their satisfaction The Apothecary was sent for and gave me an account of all that was done I could not forbear blaming the Physitians for acting so preposterously against the rules of Art as to prescribe Opiates in a Cholick with a strong constipation of the Bowels The Apothecary could no waies take their part but was of my Opinion But the business was now what was most fit to be done nothing could be given by the Mouth for her Teeth seemed to be set
Strain out and digest again separate the thinner part and with its own Salt or Salt of Tartar in the former proportion by digestion purifie and perfect the Essence by another forty days space of time I astly adding three or four Ounces of white Sugar to every Pint or Quart keep it close stopt for use Dose from twospoonfuls to four six or eight according to age strength It purges well and carries off the morbifick cause to a Miracle but it ought to be taken three four or six times as the exigency of the Disease requires This is a specifick in a Cholick beyond most other things and withal very safe Salmon XXXVIII Among Carminatives or Discussers of Wind I commend from a very long and large Experience our Powers of Anniseeds Powers of Caraways of Juniper-berries Limons Cloves Nutmegs Rosemary and the like Out of these the following Compositum may be made Take Powers of Cloves Nutmegs ana one Ounce of Anniseeds Carraways ana an Ounce and half of Juniper two Ounces of Limons and Rosemary ana two Ounces and a half mix all for the Uses afore-mentioned Dose half a spoonful in a Glass of Ale or Wine Salmon XXXIX This is also certain from a very great Experience That as vehement Cholicks are often caused from a cold tough viscous Phlegm sticking to the Stomach and Guts and Wind thence arising so that not only the said Wind may be gradually discussed by the assiduous use of the said Potestates or Powers but also by the use thereof that viscous Phlegm adhering to the Tunicles of the Stomach and Guts will be by degrees incided corrected and removed Salmon XL. But though these Aromatick Potestates are admirable in the precited case and so powerfully resist the Cause yet it is my Opinion That nothing exceeds my Spiritus Anticolicus being profitable to all the intentions of the Cure for that it not only corrects hoth Phlegm and Choler and discusses Wind when bred but also hinders it from breeding It not only discusses Wind or condenses it but prevents its new extention or rarification again I could produce several Histories of this Cure performed by this Medicament alone XLI Some after all other Remedies have failed have been cured by a Decoction of Guaiacum and its Bark And several Histories of Cures performed by it are extant but the most eminent is that of a Bath-keeper of Vienna after he had been tortured with a most vehement Cholick for nine months and used a great number of things to no purpose his Disease still increased upon him and by drinking of Spaw-waters was still exasperated He was married to a young Wife and she was also afflicted with the same Disease and dead of it He feared the same fate and began to be convulsed in his whole Body so that his Physicians began to fear that the Disease was or would be translated to the Genus nervosum or nervous Stock and so cause a Palsie Having stopt his Convulsions by other Medicines he gave him Guaiacum Wine according to the Advice of Amatus Lusitanus Cent cur 32. to cause him to sweat which he did for five days and was perfectly cured Germ. Eph. An. 3. P. 487. This Cholick the Physician judg'd from phlegmatick Humours the Seminaries of Wind which being dissolved by that diaphoretick Wine were spent by Sweat Some Laxatives were also given between whiles XLII In a Cholick proceeding from a hot cause hot things whether for inward or outward use must be avoided lest an Inflammation be caused In this case purging Waters clarified Whey with Sena and Syrup of Violets drank plentifully are given with good success and outwardly to the Bowels Willis advises to Fomentations of a Solution of Nitre or Sal-Armoniack as in pains of the Gout and sometimes as Septalius reports of simple cold Water XLIII If the Cholick be caused by hard Excrements hindring the passage of the rest of them and of Wind Emollients must first be used and afterwards sharp things to irritate the faculty Sennertus XLIV I had a Patient that for Four Months had been troubled with an almost Invincible Colick at length he desired my help I only gave him my Spiritus Anticolicus two Drachms at a time in a Glass of Wine and made him sweat upon it and by the using of about two or three Ounces thereof he was Cured XLV A Man about sixty Years of Age mightily complained to me of a grinding pain in his Groin which always seized him just at Night and this had continued with him for three or four Months the Constitution of the Bowels all this while being as it should be for he was neither Costive nor Loose from whence I conceived it to be rather a Flatulency in the Muscles of the Abdomen than in the Colen and so it proved for I caused him Morning Noon and Night to bathe the Part afflicted with Powers of Amber and this alone in about a Weeks time without taking any thing inwardly cured him XLVI I have several times cured an Inveterate Colick with loss of the use of Limbs by giving Turpethum Minerale so as to raise a Flux which has sometimes lasted twenty Days or more for by this means the peccant Matter lodged and as it were rooted in the Nervous System which could not be removed by other Medicines is taken away For the Mercurial Particles by diffusing themselves every way dissolve divide and dissipate the morbifick Matter into almost insensible small Particles and at length wholly expell them And this I experienced in a miserable Lame Patient whom I Cured by this means even while this present Book was in Writing LXVI I am of opinion that Catharticks mixt with Opiates are of good use I have used this following with a wonderful success Take Extract of fine Aloes Extract of Colocynthis of each twelve Grains Laudanum Volatile Nostrum five or six Grains mix them for a Dose It is true the Purge works not presently by reason the Opiate is mixt with it and therefore I give it over Night but it commonly works by the next daynoon yet this is very observable That the Patient does not feel himself as if he had taken a Purge but lies very quietly and pleasantly all Night the Physick not disturbing him griping him nor making him sick and when it does work it is with a great deal of pleasantness without any pain at all and by this silent way as it were of carrying off the Humour the Paroxysm is many times presently at an end XLVII If the Pain as I said before be not in the Bowels but in the Muscles of the Abdomen from what cause soever it does not so much matter it is sometimes cured by a Vesicatory applied upon the part or a little below the Navel and this is often done with very great success But you must by no means lay it upon the Navel lest Convulsions or Swooning follow by reason of the commerce of the umbilical Vessels and the Heart For a man
by Urine cleanse the Reins and Bladder open Obstructions of the Urine take away sharpness of the Humors cure inward Ulcers strengthen the Stomach Liver Spleen Mesentery and Womb are prevalent against the Dropsie Cachexy Green-sickness and Scurvy and cure the pissing of Blood LV. Experience has for a long time taught us that strong Diureticks must be used with much caution for that they many times encrease the Pain force the Stone into narrow Passages excoriate the urinary Vessels and many times cause pissing of Blood which cause often times Faintings Swoonings Convulsions Epilepsies and the like In this case Lenient or Emollient Clysters are of singular use for by their discussive property they melt or dissolve the Humors clear the urinary Passages making way for Urine and Gravel A certain Physician had experience of this in his own Person who being in extream Torment had ease by taking three Emollient Clysters in one day the Gravel being loosned and the thick viscous Matter joyned with it being brought away with the Urine for several days together that thence-forth he never fell again into any such pain LVI Emollient Clysters may be made of Mallows Althaea-Roots Millet and the like but Faenugreek-seed is inferiour to none of them If also with the Clyster Turpentine half an Ounce opened with the Yolk of an Egg be added it will be so much the prevalent and efficacious Fontanus accounted the Millet seed given to one Pound or less is an excellent thing and kept it as a secret Dolaeus gives a Milk Clyster or one of Milk and Turpentine with the Yolk of an Egg but he advises against Salt being put in because it is apt to make them stay long LVII Doloeus out of Wedelius prescribes this following Opiate Take Sperma Coeti Crabs Eyes ana one Dram Cinnabar of Antimony one Scruple Volatile Salt of Amber four Grains Laudanum Opiatum half a Grain but I think one Grain or two to be better Troches of Alkakengi with Opium half a Scruple mix and make a Pouder for four Doses In the Fit saith he when the pain is violent an Emulsion or some Opiate will be good LVIII Out of the Fit saith the same excellent Man we must endeavour to extirpate the Coagulator and withal we must always have regard to the Stomach therefore Stomatick Medicines will be good some say there is nothing better either for the cure or prevention of the Stone than this following Antinephritick Take Seeds of Anise Parsly Dill Leaves of Saxifrage ana half an Ounce Juice of a Pike Crabs-Eyes Seeds of Hipps or wild Briar ana one Ounce mix and make a Pouder Dose one Dram at a time The following Pills are also of good use Take Venice Turpentine dried a little at the Fire two Drams Spanish Juice of Liquorice Pouder of the same ana half a Dram mix and make Pills as big as Pease which roul in Pouden of Millepedes Dose one Dram and a half at a time Morning and Evening LIX Some Physicians commend a Vomit for prevention to expel the tartarous Matter before it be derived either to the Reins or Bladder some give it in the Fit because Nature seems to shew the way by their reaching to Vomit This I found true by Experience in a certain Lady a Patient of mine who had lain Bed-rid fifteen or sixteen Weeks of this Disease and though many things were administred nothing did good 'till I gave her a Vomit which was Salt of Vitriol one Dram which gave her six Vomits and this I repeated for five days together it made a great revulsion and had so wonderful an effect that in fourteen or twenty Days she was restored to her perfect Health and though through the extremity of the pain she had Convulsion Fits and many returns of them in a day so that she was given over for dead yet after the first Emetick Dose those Fits ceased and her Pains wonderfully diminished the force of the Emetick being over I then administred Antinephriticks and Stomaticks such as Powers of Juniper Salt of Amber Ens Veneris my Tinctura Stomachica Syrup of Limons with some other things of like nature And without doubt Vomits conduce much to the Cure if there be a real Stone or other obstructing Matter for by straining much it helps the expulsion of the Stone or Gravel as sometimes it does to the delivery of a Woman in Travel by the violent commotion of the whole Body and compression of the Muscles of the Belly This method I have often taken with success and sometimes I have exhibited especially if the Sick was strong Vinum Benedictum or my Catharticum Argenteum with good success but I chose to give Emeticks to such as were apt and easie to Vomit and not otherwise Salmon LX. Barbet saith he has done more by Alteratives and Narcotick Medicines than by any others Clysters he also saith are very proper And because in his Praxis Lib. 3. Cap. 8. Sect. 8 he has given us an ample Catal gue of Antinephriticks I care not greatly if I transfer them hither Roots of Rest-harrow Eringo Grass Liquorice Orrice Parsly Smallage Drop-wort Marsh-mallows Onions Garlick Leeks Leaves of Mallows Maiden-hair Germander Arsmart Pellitory Camomil Ground Ivy Lovage Cresses Saxifrage Savin Golden-Rod Schaenanth Garlick Cloves Flowers of Elder Hops Seeds of Poppy Gromwel the four great cold Seeds Anise Fennel Carrots Daucus Carraways Barley broad Cummin Fruits as Winter-Cherries Straw-berries Figgs Juniper-berries Bay-berries Ivy-berries Woods as Hasle-wood Nephritickwood Guaiacum Sassafras Cassia Lignea Cinnamon Pine-chips Balsams as Turpentine viz. the Laricea Venice Cypress and Chio Balsams of Gilead Peru Tolu and Chili Capivi Balsam of Sulphur simple and compound with Oyl of Anniseeds or Juniper-berries Whey Tooth of a Boar Earth-worms Tartar and all its compounded Medicines Salts as of Tartar Bean-stalks Broom Pot-ashes Ash of Egg-shells of Amber Nitre Sal-armoniack Baths Crabs-Eyes Waters distilled out of the above-said Herbs and Roots Mineral Waters from Iron Mines Mineral Waters artificially made Spirits of Wine of Salt of Sulphur Vitriol Nitre and of Tartar both Acid and sweetned with Spirit of Wine and of Ammoniacum Nephritick Tincture of Mynsicht Syrups of Althaea of white and wild Poppies Diacodium Bizantinus Diuretick Oxymel of Quercetan Oils of sweet Almonds Anniseeds Amber and Turpentine of Carraways Dill Fennel Juniper-berries Nephritick Antidote of Quercetan Montagnana's Electuary Jaw-bone of a Pike Oyster-shells calcined To which we add also our Guttae Vitae Tinctura Martis Spiritus Universalis Antiscorbuticus Anticolicus Anodynus Aperiens Cosmeticus Potestates Baccarum Juniperi Carvi Crinum Humanorum Lithontripticae Pulegii Rosmarini Succini Terebinthinae Anisi Virtutum Elixir de Sulphure Proprietatis cum Acido Opiatum Ciroulatum minus Syrupus Chalybeatus Diasulphuus Nephriticus Sal 〈◊〉 Vitriolatunm Antidotus iostra Theriaca Londinensis 〈◊〉 Laudanum Volatile notrum Pilulae Lunares Miabiles nostrae Nephriticae Lau danum Volatile cum Aloe Manna Honey Mead and Metheglin Rhenish-wine All these latter
of Tartar ana two Ounces mix digest a Week or longer filter and keep it for use Dose one Spoonful This has been used with good success Take Cypress Turpentine one Ounce Balsam of Peru one Dram Pouder of Florentine Orrice-Roots Crabs Eyes ana two Drams Extract of Liquorice one Dram Volatile Salt of Amber half a Dram mix and make Pills Dose from half a Dram to a Scruple LXX Syrup made of Juice of Pellitory of the Wall with Honey is a Specifick in this Disease it opens all the Passages provokes Urine and that without any straining of the parts or pain and expels Sand Gravel or other Matter which obstructs the Passages Take of this Syrup four spoonfuls White or Rhenish-wine a quarter of a Pint mix for a Dose to be given Morning and Evening LXXI Where the Disease is extream and the Sick has not made Water for many days this following Liquor may be given Take Rhenish-wine Malaga-wine ana one Pound and a half Onions and Garlick bruised ana twenty Horse-radish-roots bruised four Ounces Juniper-berries bruised two Ounces Salt of Potashes half an Ounce mix digest four or five days then decant the clear Dose three or four Spoonfuls several times a day CHAP. XX. Of the STONE in the BLADDER I. BEfore we come absolutely to the matter in hand it is necessary to discuss the Point VVhether the Stone in the Bladder can be broken by Medicines or not That it may be broken many Physicians do affirm and bring in proof thereof their Experiences The reason they render for it is That Medicines may do it acting by their tenuity acidity asperity and their diuretick force Or that there is a dissolving Salt as well as a coagulating One which Virtues are not to be denied to Herbs Plants Metals Stones and minerals AEtius Lib. 2. tells us how Philagarius cured the Stone in the Bladder with Goats-blood and a Hedge-Sparrow mixt together Laurembergius cured one of a great Stone by the use of Millepedes A Jesuite at Rome cured a Printer's Son of the Stone with Millepedes rightly prepared Turrianus in Iatro Lib. 4. Pag. 262 saith He broke a Stone which was design'd to be cut by giving a little Pouder of Crystial to drink or the dissoluble substance thereof viz Calcin'd in a Potter's Fornace at least nine times and quenched in Nettle-water to be reduced to a Calx then put into a Cellar to melt per deliquium Rhasis Lib. 9. saith He cured a Stone in the Bladder of long standing with his Pills Horatius Augenius and his Father with some others cured several with the same Medicine Johannes Prevotius saith the Stone in the Bladder is broken by a Plaster of white Onions boiled and applied to the bottom of the Belly Hippocrates Galen Avicenna Dioscorides and others are of the same Opinion And the Author of this Work knew one who was appointed to be cut of the Stone by taking Diureticks was perfectly cured of which Horse Raddish was chief was perfectly cured so that for more than twenty five years since he has not been troubled with it And it is possible that a thousand more of these Examples may be urged II. To all these Things we answer 1. That all these Examples and thousands more of the like can be no Rule to conclude the thing because all the same Things have been used with all care and circumspection to others where the success has not been answerable 2. That it is probable that the Stones dissolv'd by the aforesaid Medicaments and such other like might be only sandy gritty Concretions friable and easily broken whereas we say had the Stone been great and hard like a Flint the Event would not have succeeded 3. We can bring also the Opinion Experience of many great Physicians to the contrary Hartman is of Opinion the Stone in the Bladder if it be confirmed and already come to some magnitude is scarcely cured by any other way than by cutting Barbet saith a crumbling Stone is seldom a hard Stone can never be wasted away or cured by Medicines Guarinonius saith that scarce ever any one saw the Stone broken by Medicines I could name multitudes of others of this Opinion but these may suffice And truly daily Experience to our Grief and the wretchedness of miserable Patients are as demonstrable and irrefutable Arguments of the Impossibility of Cure by Medicines without cutting Though Wincleras in Misc. curios An. 76. Obser. 102. saith he broke the Stone in the Bladder of a Boy 12 old and brought it away peace-meal by this Medicine Take purple Violet = Seed half an Ounce Waters of Strawberries Restbarrow Winter = Cherries ana q. s. make an Emulsion to which add Goats Blood two pound Hog = Lice prepared one Dram Species Lithontriptice half a Dram Spirit of Turpentine one Scruple mix them Dose two spoonfulfs often given which made it come away in pieces Probably this might be such a soft crumbling Stone as Barbet speaks of I have made trial two or three several times and the Experiment succeeded not possibly the Stones might be of a flinty Substance and therefore the Experiment not to be despised The last I tried it upon without success was cut of the Stone which being extracted weighed three Ounces and some odd Grains and was of a hard and marble = like substance III. Moreover when it is to be considered that the distance of Place is far and the ways by which the Medicines pass many and that if they be strong they carry large quantities of Matter from the whole Body to the Bladder and do more hurt by their acrimony and tenuity in scowring off the Lenter Mucus or slimy Matter which usually sticks to the Stone and serves it for a Bed whereby the Stone is made sharper and harder and thereby raises more intense pains than before But if they be weak they lose their Virtue before they come at the urinary Passages and Bladder whereby they do little or no good at all I say all these things being considered they still confirm me in my Opinion That if a Stone be large and of a flinty or Marble-like hardness or substance there is no Cure for the same by Medicines but by the Hand only of the Operator IV. Sometimes also we are deceived and think there is a Stone when indeed there is none as is recorded concerning a Noble-Man who after he had been tormented with pain and difficulty in making Water the Physicians and Chyrurgions doubted whether there was a Stone or no having used Medicines to no purpose he was cut for the Stone as is usual and was eased of his pain yet they found no Stone but a fungous Flesh in the neck of the Bladder which by degrees was consumed by convenient Medicines A like Example to this I can relate of a Patient of mine viz. Mr. S not long since one of the Shreiffs of the City of London who having been for some Months troubled with Pain and Obstruction of
the Gold Take the Gold which you have scraped out of the Retort and pouder it very small in your Glass Mortar with which mingle your Mercury by degrees or by little and little your Mercury will hardly mix with your Gold the reason is the Gold is full of the Praecipiolum and then it is time to separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury which is a Womans work when her Cloths are foul she washes them from their foulness The same way you must cleanse or separate the Praecipiolum from the Gold and Mercury as followeth XI When you have the sign that your Mercury will hardly amalgamate or mix with your Gold or that the Gold will not enter into the Mercury then pour on it the fairest Water distilled Water is best three Fingers breadth above the Sol or Luna and Mercury which wash together in the Mortar with a Pestel very well till the Water is blewish black then it is a sign that the Gold le ts fall its Tartar or Praecipiolum into the Water Pour off this Water into a Glass but be careful that not any of the Mercury goes off with it for this Mercury will no more mix with common fair Water than Oil and Water will mix Put more fresh Water upon your Gold and Mercury and wash it again 'till the Water is blew again pour it off as aforesaid Thus continue washing 'till your Water remains white Put this last Water to the other Waters in the Glass and cover the Glass very close that not any foulness may fall into the Glass XII The Praecipiolum being thus washed away the Mercury will again amalgamate with the Gold as Oil will dissolve Wax Take the Amalgama dry it upon warm Ashes very softly with a Sponge or on Paper and by a little heat that the Amalgama may be dry which put again into the Retort and distil it as aforesaid by Sect. 8. 9. so long 'till the Gold will hardly Amalgamate with the Mercury then separate the Praecipiolum as aforesaid by Sect. 10. 11. XIII Now observe I gave you a charge that you should keep your Glass close wherein you put your blewest Water which will be clear and a Pouder at bottom which is some of the Praecipiolum The clear Water pour off without disturbing it as soon as you can into another Glass Now when you see that your Gold will hardly mit with your Mercury or not without great trouble pour the same Water which you poured off from the Praecipiolum upon your Amalgama and wash it again 'till the Water is blewish as aforesaid which pour off and continue so doing 'till the Water is colourless by Sect. 11. XIV Then take the Amalgama again and dry it and repeat the same Work again by Sect. 12. 'till you have the sign which wash again with the aforesaid Water by Sect. 13. and you will find that your Praecipiolum will 〈◊〉 daily This distillation and washing you shall continue 'till the Mercury is freed from the Mercurium coagulatum or Praecipiolum XV. Observe that as the Water grows less you add to it as need requires fresh Water Now the sign when the Mercury has lost all its Sperm or its Tartar or Coagulum or Praecipiolum is That that Mercury will Eternally Amalgamate with the Gold so that they will always mix well together And if you should a thousand times Amalgamate that Gold and Mercury and as often distil the one from the other yet they will still Amalgamate again or mix And if you should wash them a thousand times with fresh Water the Water will be clear and not blewish As long as any Salt or Praecipiolum is in the Mercury you cannot distil two three or four times the Mercury from the Sol but it will be difficult to Amalgamate or mit the one with the other and when you will have it to mix you must wash it and then it will Amalgamate well again But when that the Salt or Praecipiolum is all separated from the Mercury it will Amalgamate or mit after a thousand distillations as aforesaid And if it be wash'd a thousand times the Water will always be clear XVI To prepare the Praecipiolum to a Medicine Pour the clear Waters from the Pouder which lies at the bottom in the Glass that no Water may be left on the Pouder put the Glass on a little warm Ashes that the Pouder may dry which will look blewish Yellow Put this Pouder into a little Cucurbit Glass or Bolt-head and distil off from it the Water of Eggs five or six times or so long 'till the Pouder becomes Red and distil off from it five or six times Spirit of Wine so is it fitted for Medicine Dostwo or almost three Grains XVII To make the Water of Eggs. Take a good quantity of Eggs boyl them very hard take the Whites and cut them very small and distil them in an Alembick per Cineres very softly 'till you have got all the Water from the Whites then take the Egg-shells calcine them put them into a Retort put upon them the former that is their own Water and distil per Arenam with a strong Fire put this Water upon Ashes again and distil it again Thus continue it five or six times so the Water will be fitted for the Praecipiolum XVIII The Philosophers Key which is the Sal Prae cipioli or Salt of the Mercury coagulate You may remember that I gave you Instruction that you should pour off the clear VVater from the Praecipiolum and you should make dry the Praecipiolum and bring it into a Medicinal red Pouder Or you should bring it into its first Matter which shall bring all Mettals principally its own Body into its first Matter which cannot be done without the Sal Praecipioli which is hidden in the VVater you pour off from the Praecipiolum That same VVater filtre through brown Paper and set the VVater to evaporate in a round Glass very softly in Ashes VVhen the VVater is evaporated away you will find at the bottom of the Glass a yellow whitish Salt which is Sal Praecipioli and the Clavis Philosophorum wherewith they do unlock the Lock of the Praecipiolum which brings the same into its first Matter If you know not this Salt you know nothing of the true Chymistry This Salt does decrease in the decrease of the Moon and increase in the full One Grain will purge very safely all Podagra's Struma's venerial and hydropical Humors with two Grains of the Praecipiolum prepared XIX To bring the Praecipiolum into its first Matter or slippery Water Take of the Salt p. 1. of the Praecipiolum p. 2. being dry first dissolve the Salt in warm Water and put it upon the Praecipiolum and evaporate it away very gently in warm Ashes with a very gentle fire then is the Praecipiolum with its own Salt put it into a little Retort nip up the neck of the Retort very close put it into Balneum
Vaporosum and let it stand 〈◊〉 Weeks in digestion or to putrifie and it will become a slimy Water Take the Retort open its neck and lay the Retort in a Sand-furnace and cover it with an earthen Pan fixing to it a Receiver well luted give first a slow fire then a stronger which continue till the Spirits be well resolved into water First the Spirits will come forth in white Clouds or in smoak and at last in red Clouds or smoak give fire so long till all the Spirits are come over in a clear white water and when you have this sign take the Receiver from the Retort stopping the said Receiver very well with Wax that no Spirits may fly away then let the Fire go out XX. The Matter which remains in the Retort take out and put it into a Bolt-head and stop it well and set it in a warm place then rectifie once the Spirits which are in the Receiver and keep them carefully Now observe this you remember that when the Mercury hath lost its Praecipiolum that the same Mercury will be as bright as a Venice Looking-glass Take of this bright Mercury one part of the Spirit aforesaid two parts put them into a Bolt head stop it very close and let it stand in a little warmth and the Mercury will mix with the Spirit then distil all through a Retort in Sand. Take again of the aforesaid Mercury which is clear as a Venice Looking-Glass p. i. of the Spirit p. ij put them into a Bolt-head and set it in a warm place and the Mercury will mix with the Spirit and dissolve then distil again in a Retort in Sand ut supra and it will come over in form of VVater this continue so long 'till all the one half part of the might Mercury is brought to a clear thin VVater which keep very close stopped with VVax Take the Pouder which I ordered to be kept in a Bolt-head and place it very deep in a sand Capel and give a strong Fire for twenty four Hours then let the Fire go out and take the Bolt-head forth and stir the Pouder with a wooden Stick and put it upon the half part of the clear Mercurial Water closing the Glass with Hermes Seal shake it and let it stand in digestion in a warm place for three or four days then pour off this into another Glass and pour upon the remainder of the Pouder the other half of the VVater sealing the Glass again and letting it stand ut supra for three or four days then put it to the former VVater and Seal up the Glass Hermetically letting it stand in Balneo Vaporoso eight Days after distil it through a Retort and if any thing remain in the Retort which will be very little pour upon it the Spirit again and distil it 'till all is come over Now is the Salt with its own Spirit and brought into its first Matter keep it well stopped XXI This is the VVater which the Philosophers have given divers Names to as their Horse-dung Balneum Mariae and Calx Viva and in Sum this is the Philosophers true Fire without which no true work can be done in Chymistry XXII The Philosopher has brought forth this Salamander which will never wast in the Fire the longer the stronger This Water will increase and multiply per Infinitum that is to say if all the Sea were Mercury it would turn the same into its first Matter First you must wash your Mercury with Salt and Vinegar divers times and at last with Water to wash away the Salt Then mix this Mercury with Calx Vive and Calcin'd Tartar and by Sect. 8. aforegoing distil it in a Retort in a sand Furnace and fix to it a Receiver fill'd almost half full of Water that the Mercury may fall into it and coagulate which dry and squeeze eight or ten times through Leather so will your Mercury be well purged and cleansed from all its filth and uncleanness XXIII This is the Mercury which you must use in the multiplying your Spirit or Astrum Mercurij Take of this Mercury p. i. of the Astrum Mercurij p. ij put them into a Bolt-head stop it close and let it stand in a warm place one Night so will the Mercury melt in the Spirit or Astrum Mercurij and turn into Water then distil it through a Retort Thus may you do by repeating the Spirit with fresh Mercury as long as you please XXIV This Water will dissolve Gold and Silver and all sorts of Stones and bring them over with it through a Retort Gold and Silver thus dissolved can never be separated one from another The reason is because they and all other Mettals are of the same Nature and have beginning from the same Water there is nothing in the World but has its beginning from it XXV Medicina Universalis the Universal Medicine Take of your fine Gold in Powder viz. the same which did remain when you made the Praecipiolum one part of your finest Silver two parts in fine Powder put each by it self into a Glass pour upon each the Astrum Mercurij so much as may overtop them a Fingers breadth stop each Glass very close and let them stand in a warm place for eight days and the Gold and Silver will be almost all dissolved into Water pour off this Water each by it self into a Glass and put more Water to the Gold and Silver which yet remains let it stand again eight days in a warm place and then pour off these Waters to the former Waters so will the Gold and Silver be dissolved into Water but there will remain some Foeces XXVI Take of both these Waters a quarter part and put them together into a Bolt-head so as three quarters may be empty seal it Hermetically digest it in an Athanor in a continual warm heat 'till it comes to a fixed red Stone or Pouder Before it becomes a red Pouder there will appear many Colours as Black then Green then Yellow lastly Red When it is very Red and a Pouder take the Bolt head and bury it in a sand Capel very deep and give Fire by degrees and at last a very strong Fire and it will melt like Wax Let it stand one whole Week but the longer the better then take it out and let it cool after break up your Glass and you will find a fird Stone or Pouder and Red as Scarlet XXVII Now you may remember that I bid you keep three parts of your Gold and Silver which were dissolved into Water put both these Waters together into a Retort distil them and both the Gold and Silver will go over with the Water through the Retort with which Water you shall multiply your Medicine Now take of your Medicine p. i. in fine Pouder and put it into a little Bolt head putting upon it twice as much of your Waters as of Gold and Silver Seal it again and digest it in an Athanor 'till it comes to a Red Pouder
the Water and the Fire dwelling therein which does contain its own Water drawn from the Four Elements and their Waters This is not Water in its form but Fire containing in a strong and pure Vessel the Ascending Waters lest the Spirits should flie away from the Bodies for by this means are they made Tinging and Permanent or Fixed Salmon That is the Mercury and the Sulphur dwelling in the Salt or the Spirit and the Soul dwelling in the Body which is our Stone The Fire saith he contains its own Water drawn from the Four Elements That is the Sulphur contains the Mercury drawn from its Original Fountains This is not Water in Form but Fire Nor is it Quick-Silver in form but Sulphur nor Spirit in form but Oyl or Tincture containing the Clouds and Ascending Waters which are of a dry consistency or Body sticking to the sides of the Glass lest they should flie away in sublimation from the Bodies by this means being often iterated at least three times but if it be six or seven times it is yet better the Spirit enters into and peirces and penetrates the Body in Order to its Fixation which at length is perfected which the highest Fixation and Tincture by the Fixing Oyl or Sulphur VII Hermes O Blessed Water in the form of Sea which Element thou dissolvest Now it behoves us with this watery Soul to possess a Sulphurous Form and to mix or joyn the same with our Vinegar Salmon Great is the Virtue and Power which dwells in the Aqua Philosophica from whence it is caled Blessed For as common Water washes away the Filth from things and cleanses them outwardiy so this our Elementated Water not only Dissolves Bodies but also Washes away and Cleanses them inwardly from all manner of Defilemens and Impurities and being joyned with the Philosophick Vinegar brings forth from them their incombustible Sulphur which by projection tinges and transmutes all imperfect Metals into most pure fine Gold and Silver This Water is the Key of the Art by which the Bodies are oftentimes to be opened that is they are to be Dissolved and by the same to be again Coagulated to be made more noble pure and perfect So that no Foot-steps of Death Blackness Corruption or Imperfection may any more remain in them The preparation of this Water is known but to a few nor do many attain to it because the Well is Deep out of which it is drawn nor do the Vulgar Chymists understand it But whatever you do you can do no great Matter without the help of Nature and tho' Aqua Fortis and Aqua Regis and such-like are usefull in their places to dissolve and Tear Bodies into Atoms yet are they Alien and far from the true Aqua Philosophica which has the Power to enter into the insides of Metals whereas they only divide them into many Superficies And therefore say the Philosophers the preparation of this Water is not to be Learned of Masters but it must be taught by the Dictates of Nature her self VIII Hermes For when by the Power of the Water the Compositum also is Dissolved you have the Key of the Restauration then Death and Blackness flie away and Wisdom proceeds on to the Finishing of the Work Salmon This Water does not Tear or Gnaw Bodies into Pieces and Bits but it Radically Dissolves them and reduces them into their Prima Materia as they were in their Original Generation Of this Nature are those Fountains Springs in Hungaria which have a Faculty of Transmuting what Iron soever is cast into them into good Coper and those other Fountains into which if any Wood be cast so as it remains but some certain time by the Lapidescent Virtue of the Water it is transmuted through its whole substance into Stone which Memorable and well known Powers and Operations of Nature in these particular things are in part a demonstration or at least an Argument to persuade one to the belief of other Operations and Transmutations in the Metalline Kingdom Ignis Azoth say the Philosophers are enough for the whole Work Learn therefore from Nature the preparation of this Azoth or Water of the Philosophers which Water being prepared does with a simple Operation through the help of Nature gently boyling in a soft Fire bring the work to a conclusion and perfect the same This Operation indeed or simple Coction is that which opens the Door into the Chambers of Life making Putrefaction and Death and blackness and darkness to vanish and flie away This Water and this Fire tho' simple and simple in their Operation yet are they hid and known but to a few for that they lead into the most recluse and abscondite recesses of Nature CHAP. VII The Operations of Nature in the Aqua Philosophica as in a Seed I. HERMES Now know my Son that the Philosophers chain up the Matter with a strong chain or band when they make it to contend with the fire because the Spirits in the washed Bodies desire to dwell therein and to rejoyce there In these habitations they vivifie themselves and dwell therein and the Bodies hold or contain them nor from them can they ever be separated Salmon The Bodies before they can be 〈◊〉 united with the Spirit and joyned one to another in a strong Confederation must first be purified and washed with Azoth and 〈◊〉 for the washing is that which puts an end to the blackness and the purification is made and continued till the White Elixir is made perfectly white and till the red is made perfectly red being thus cleansed and purified the Spirit out of a natural propension is drawn to the Bodies in which being ardently inflamed it immediately commixes with them and they are conjoyned with an indissoluble conjunction under the Chains of which they remain inseparable for ever Now this conjunction is not made by chance but from the meer affinity which is between the Bodies and Spirit for they both proceed from one fountain and principle though of the two the spirit by reason it vivifies and holds the Particles of the Bodies together is much the more noble the more excellent and most powerful Agent II. Hermes Then the dead Elements are revived and the Compositum or 〈◊〉 Bodies are tinged and altered and by wonderful operations they are made permanent or fixed as the Philosopher saith Salmon The Domicils of themselves remain dead but the Inhabitants in them are alive Now the Bodies of the Metals are the Domicils of their Spirits which when they are received by the Bodies their terrestrial substance is by little and little made thin extended and Purified and by their Vivifying Power the Life and Fire hitherto lying Dormant is excited and stirred up For the Life which dwells in the Metals is laid as it were asleep nor can it exert its Power or shew it self unless the Bodies be first Dissolved Exalted and turned into Spirit for that the Spirit does only Vivifie being brought to this
with the Water Salmon Our Hermes a little before has made mention of Ferment which he has in plain open and manifest Words declared to be Gold He now comes to demonstrate the necessity of Fermentation setting some of its Operations in Order The other Imperfect Bodies are the Meal or Dough and unless they be Fermented with their proper Leven which is Gold they cannot be brought into the property of the Leven or Gold but this Gold must be made spiritual and living and the Bodies must be Dissolved Sublimed and Putrefied before they can be mixed with the Ferment this being done viz. being made clean subtil and spiritual the Ferment or prepared Gold is to be mixed therewith making up the Earth with the Water that is the Body with the Spirit Now to bring the Bodies into this State to be fit to be joyned with the Ferment you must sublime them purifie them make a separation of the Foeces then conjoyn and mix all which are necessary in Order to this Fermentation The Ferment to the prepared Body is as the Soul to the Body or as Leven to Paste without which the Mass could not be levened IV. Hermes And you must Decoct and Digest till Ixir the Ferment makes the alteration or change like as Leven does in Paste Meditate upon this and see whether the Ferment to this Compositum does make or change it from its former Nature to another thing Consider also that there is no Leven or Ferment but from the Paste it self Salmon Now he teaches us the Art of Levening which is to Decoct or Digest till the Ferment makes an alteration or change like as Leven does in Paste This is a high point of Art and ought to be seriously considered even what the end of the intention is which is to produce or generate Gold and therefore as I said above Gold must be your Ferment As Leaven is to Paste so is this Gold or Ferment to Our Mercury which is the prepared Body And as Leven is made out of the same matter out of which the Paste is made so this Gold or Ferment is made out of the same prin ciples viz. Mercury and Su l phur which our prepared Bodies come from therefore Hermes bids you consider it and tells you plainly that there is no Leven or Ferment but from the Paste it self and therefore Our Philosophick Gold which is Ixir the Ferment must be prepared from the Philosophick Mercury and Sulphur in a fit proportion that when it Works it may purge out the Old Leven with all its effects which are uncleanness want of Tincture and want of fixity and so bring forth a regenerate matter even a new substance or body not according to the Old Leven but according to the Nature of the New which is wholly purity in the height of Tincture and the strongest fixity Now this Fermentum is said sometimestobe two fold viz. Fermentum Lapidis Aurifici which is from Gold and Fermentum Lapidis Argentifici which is from Silver This is a weighty thing and worthy to be seriously considered of and therefore advises us to meditate upon it except the Paste does receive the Virtues and Properties of the Leven into it self it cannot be Levened If it does it becomes by a sufficient Digestion absolutely the same thing with the Leven both in its substance and properties and all other respects V. Hermes It is also to be noted that the Ferment does Whiten the Confection or Compositum and forbids or hinders the Burning It contains holds or fixes the Tincture so that it cannot fly away and rejoyces the Bodies and makes them mutually to joyn and to enter one into another Salmon He says here that the Ferment does Whiten the Confection concerning which Ferment a great doubt does arise but it is easily solved Philosophically thus It is not Gold except it be first Silver Our Gold is the Tincture or Soul or Nourisher of the Work without which it can never be done nor is it made Silver unless it be first Mercury so that our Sol seems to appear with 3 Faces first Black which is the Putrefaction of the Mercury 2. White which is the change or transmutation of the black Mercury into a White body or Silver 3. Red which is also the transmutation of the White body or Silver into a Red Tincture or Gold so that you may see that this Fermentum not only Whitens the Confection but also keeps it from Burning and so fixes the Tincture that it cannot change vanish or fly away By rejoycing the Bodies he means a replenishing them with a fixed Tincture and a fixed substance to wit the Ingression of the Ferment into them by Projection but because the Ferment is not able to enter into Dead Bodies therefore they must be removed and made Alive by help of the Aqua Medians or Mediating Water which is the Aqua Philosophica which dissolves subtilizes and spiritualizes them which makes also a Marriage or Conjunction between the said Ferment and the White Earth And in every Fermentation you ought to take notice of the Weight of every thing If therefore you would Ferment the White Foliated Earth to the White Elixir that it may be projected upon bodies diminished from perfection you must take of the White or Foliated Earth three parts Of the reserved Aqua Vitae two parts Of the Ferment half part Now if you work for the White your Ferment must be so prepared that it may be made a White Calx fixt and subtil but if for the Red a most pure Yellow or Citrine Calx of Gold VI. Hermes And this is the Key of the Philosophers and the end of all their Works And by this Science the Bodies are meliorated and restored and the Work of them Deo annuente is performed and perfected Salmon This Art of Levening or Fermentation is that which he calls the Key of the Philosophers i. e. the Key which opens the Door into the Secrets and Mysteries of this whole Work Of so great Virtue and Power is this Work of Fermenting that he is bold to call it even the Key of the Philosophers that is the beginning middle and end of the Work both for the White and the Red so that by the Power and Efficacy thereof the Bodies may be Renovated and Exalted into a higher State of Perfection than what they are by Nature CHAP. XIII The Nature of the Ferment farther Explicated I. HERMES But by Negligence and an ill Opinion of the matter the Operations may be spoiled and destroyed as in a Mass of Levened Paste Or Milk turned with Rennet for Cheese and Musk among Aromaticks Salmon Without doubt an error may easily be committed in the Work of Fermentation if you have a a false Conception thereof or be ignorant of its Power whereby you may miss the end and be frustrate of your Expectations losing all your cost and time as is seen in the Levening of Bread if you trouble the Mass of Meal
Now that Water in or by which the blackness is washed away is the Sweat or Moisture of the Sun and Childrens Urine i. e. the Virgins Water The thing which I tell you is sufficient for you to know V. In like manner take the Water of the Water Mercury of Mercury and with it cleanse and purifie the Wind Fume or Vapor and Abolish the blackness Understand what this signifies and rejoyce therein VI. Also in the same manner take the blackness and Conjoyn it then have respect to the White and Conjoyn the Red so will you go through the thing desired and come to the end of the Work VII It is also to be noted that it is the Fire-Stone which Governs the Matter or Work by the good pleasure of God Boyl it therefore with a gentle Fire Night and Day lest the Water should be separated from it even till it becomes of a Golden Color Understand well what I say VIII That also which Congeals does Dissolve and that which does Whiten does in like manner make Red. IX I have made plain to you the nearest way that you may be easie and satisfied Understand therefore these things and Meditate upon them and you shall certainly attain to the perfection of the Work X. It is also to be noted that as Sol is among the Stars so is Gold among the other Metalline Bodies For as the Light of the Sun is joyned to the Lights and contains the Fruit of this Operation so in like manner Gold Meditate upon these Words and by the Permission of God you may find it out CHAP. XVI The Nature of the Medicine and Government of the Metals I. HERMES Moreover saith he that outwardly takes in this Medicine it Kills him but he that inwardly drinks it in it makes him to Live and rejoyce Understand what this means II. And as for this cause sake this Water is said to be Divine so it is said to be the greatest Poyson and it is preferred before all other things by so much as that without it nothing of the Work can be done III. It is also called Divine for that it cannot be mixed or joyned with any filth or defiled thing and this Water of our Stone purifies and cleanses the Natures of the Metals and washes away their defoedations or defilements IV. And as Sol Acts upon Bodies so also does this Water upon the Philosophick Stone Yea it penetates and sinks through it and is constant fixed and perfect V. This indeed is seen in Sol but it is to be understood that the Work may be made through all the seven Planets as first from Saturn then from Jupiter Mars Venus Mercury and lastly from Luna VI. The first is the government of Saturn to wit to cause Sol to putrefie or bring the Body to putrefaction which is done in the space of 40 days and nights The second is the government of Jupiter which is to grind or break the matter and in 12 days and nights to Imbue or moisten it which is called the Regiment of Tin VII The third is the government of Mars which is to induce Death or blackness or to separate the Spirit from the Body by which it is said to be changed The fourth is the government of Sol which is to Work away the Blackness and Poyson and is indeed to make it White VIII The fifth is the government of Venus which is to joyn the moist to the dry and the hot to the cold and to Unite them together in one This is the Dominion of Brass or Copper or the the making of the matter of a changeable Yellow The sixth is the government of Mercury which is to burn and is called the Dominion of Argent Vive IX The seventh is the government of Luna which is to Decoct or Boyl and make Hot and so to perfect the matter with the fixed Citrine Tincture in 25 days and this is the Dominion of Silver See here I have gone with you through the whole Work take heed therefore lest you err CHAP. XVII The Difference of the Ferments and Quality of the Spirit I. AND know that the White Body is made with the Whiteness and its Ferment is that which you already know Whiten therefore the Body and understand what I say II. Also in like manner you are to note that the Stone sought after has not its like or equal in the whole Earth It is both outwardly and inwardly of a Citrine Golden Color but when it is altered or changed it is made a Body dark and black like burnt Coals III. Now the Color of the Spirit taken from it is White and the substance thereof is Liquid as Water but the Color of the Soul thereof is Red. IV. But the Soul and the Spirit thereof is returned to it again and it doth Live and Rejoyce and its Light and Glory returns again and you shall see it overcome and Triumph And that which was even now Dead shall have Conquered Death and then it shall Live and arise from the Dead and Live as it were for ever V. Happy and Blessed therefore is he in whose Power the disposition of this Matter is who Kills and makes Alive and is Omnipotent over all for ever VI. I therefore advise you not to do any thing in this work till you get an understanding thereof For if you be Ignorant and void of true Knowledge you will err in whatsoever you do you will wholly Labour in Vain and your work will Perish VII So that thus mistaking in your Operation you blame presently your instructors the Philosophers and think that they have erred or taught you wrong when it is only your Ignorance and none understanding of their words VIII This then know and understand that the Day is the Nativity or bringing forth of the Light but the Night the Nativity or bringing forth of the Darkness IX Sol also is the Light of the Day and Luna the Light of the Night which God Created to govern the World X. But Luna does receive her Light of the Sun by Combustion and is dilated or enlarged therewith and by so much as she receives of the Light of the Sun or does contain in her of his Light by so much does the Nature of Sol bear Rule over the Nature of Luna XI If therefore you contemplate what I say and Meditate upon my Words you will find that I have spoken the Truth and you will understand the signification of all that I have said and the demonstration of the whole Matter XII Know then that the Spirit is enfolded or circumscribed within as it were its Marble House or Walls Open therefore the Passages that the Dead Spirit may go out and be cast forth from our Bodies then it will become beautiful which is only a Work or undertaking of Wisdom XIII Sow therefore O God thy Wisdom in our Hearts and Root out the corrupt Principles which lodge therein and leads us in the way of thy Saints by which our Spirits
and Souls may be Purified Thou art Omnipotent O Lord God Almighty and canst do whatever thou pleasest CHAP. XVIII Of Argent Vive Tincture Order of the Operation and of the Fire I. THere is one thing which is to be wondered at viz. after what manner Carmine to wit Grana Nostra doth tinge or Dye Silk which is of a contrary Natue and tinges not a Dead thing and after what manner Uzifur to wit Our Vermilion doth tinge Vestem which is of a contrary Nature and tinges not Live or growing things II. For it is not Natural for any thing to tinge other substances not agreeable to their Natures If therefore you put into your Composition Red Gold you shall find in the Tincture a pure and perfect Red and if you put into it White Gold the most passive Red will vanish or go forth There is nothing indeed does tinge any thing but what is Consimilar to or like it self III. And I testifie to you by the Living God maker of Heaven and Earth that the Stone which I have described you have permanent or fixed nor are you kept from it by the Earth or the Sea or any other matter IV. Keep then your congealed Quick-Silver many parts of which are lost because of its subtilty Also the Mountain in which is the Tabernacle which crys out I am the Black of the White and the White of the Black I speak the Truth indeed and I lye not V. Now know that the Root of the Matter is the Head of the Crow flying without Wings in the dark and black of the Night and in the appearance of the Day from the Throat the fixing Spirit from its Gall the Coloring or Tinging Matter is taken from its Tail the desication or drying of the matter from its Wings the liquid Water and from its Body the Redness VI. Understand the meaning of the words for hereby is understood our venerable Stone and the Fume or Vapour thereof which is exalted lifted up or sublimed and the Sea eradicated and a Light shining VII You are also to note what Alums and Salts are which flow from Bodies if you put the Medicines or Matters of the Medicine in a just or true proportion you shall not fear to err but if you mistake the proportion you must add or diminish according as you see it tends to the emendation or performing of the Work lest a Deluge should come and overflow all drowning the Regions and overturning the Trees by the Roots VIII And tho the Matter be unknown yet consider these things how or after what manner these two Colors are distinguished or diversified by their Vapours look into the sweetness of Sugar which is one kind of sweet Juice and into the sweetness of Honey which is yet more intense or inward IX Except you make the Bodies spiritual and impalpable you know not how to putrefie Ixir or proceed on in the Work nor how the three Volatile Matters or Principles fight one against another and how they fail not each in their turns to devour one another till of two being left one only remains X. Be careful also how you increase your Fire tho it is not to be very small when you dry up the Water and take heed that you burn not the Matter because if the Vessel breaks it will be with a mighty impetus or force XI And unless the Matter of the Stone prove inimical one to another or contend and fight with and strive to destroy one another you shall never attain to the thing you seek after XII If you mix your Calx with Auripigment and not in a mean or due proportion the splendor and glory of the Operation will not succeed but if you interpose a medium the effect will immediately follow XIII Now know that it is our Water which extracts the hidden Tincture Behold the Example and understand it if you have once brought the Body into Ashes you have operated rightly XIV And the blood which is in the Philosophick Water of the animated Body is the Earth of the Wise to wit the permanent or enduring perfection CHAP. XIX That the Beginning of this Work is in the Blackness and Darkness and of conjoyning the Body with the Soul I. NOW it is that which is dead which you ought to vivisie or make alive and that which is sick which ought to be cured It is the White which is to be rubified the Black which is to be purified and the Cold which is to be made hot II. It is God himself who does create and inspire or give life and replenishes Nature with his Power that it might follow and imitate his Wisdom and act as an Instrument subservient to him III. Iron is our Gold and Brass or Copper is our Tincture Argent Vive is our Glory Tin is our Silver Blackness is our Whiteness and the Whitness is our Redness IV. From hence it appears necessary that we should have a Body purifying Bodies and a Water subliming Water Our Stone which is a Vessel of Fire is made of Fire and is converted into the same again V. And if you would walk in the true way you must persue it in the evident or visible Blackness for saith our Stone it is that which is hidden within which does make me white and the same thing which makes me White makes me also Red. VI. Conceal this thing from Men like as a word which is yet in thy Mouth which no Man understands and as the Fire Light or Sight which is in thine Eye I will not tell it plainly to thee thy self left by thy words thou conveyest my Breath to another to thine own damage This is the caution I give thee VII Now know that this our Work is made or compounded of two Figures or Substances the one of which wants the White Rust Ceruse and the other the Redish Rust Crocus Our Matters also are searsed thro our Sieves or Searses made of pure or clean Rinds and a most blessed Wood. VIII You are also to take notice that the Fire-stone of the Philosophers sought after wants Extention but it has quantity It behoves you therefore to support and nourish it on every side and to continue it as in the middle IX You must also conoyn the Body with the Soul 〈◊〉 beating and grinding it 〈◊〉 the Sun and imbuing it with the Stone then puting it into the Fire so long till all its Stains and Defilements are taken away let it be a gentle Fire for about seven hours space thus will you get that which will make you to live X. I also tell you that its habitation or dwelling place is posited in the Bowels of the Earth for without Earth it cannot be perfected Also its habitation is posited in the Bowels of the Fire nor without Fire can it be perfected which is the perfection of our Art XI Again Except you mix with the White the Red and presently bring or reduce the same into a perfect Water it
Work will be spoiled and you will not find that which you seek after nor shall you bring your Work to perfection XIV For where the cause of Generation is wanting or the root of the matter and heat it self your labour will be lost and the Work come to nothing The same also will happen if you mistake in the proportion or weight for if that be not right to wit the proportion of the parts compounding the matter compounded missing of its just temperature will be destroyed and so you shall reap no fruit the which I will shew you by an Example XV. See you not that in Soap with which Cloaths are washt clean and white that it has its virtue and property by reason of the just proportion of its Ingredients which spread themselves in length and breadth and because of which they agree to the same end by which it appears that the Compositum was truly made and the power and efficacy which before lay hid which is called Property is now brought to light which is the quality of washing and cleansing in a proper Laver XVI But should the Ingredients have been put together without proportion being either too little or too much the virtue and efficacy of the Soap would be destroyed nor would it any ways answer the end desired for that that end or effect ariseth from the just proportion and mixion of each Ingredient The same you must understand to happen in the Composition of Our Magistery CHAP. XXIII Of the four principal Operations Solution Congelation Albification and Rubification I. BEgining now to speak of the Great Work which they call Alchymie I shall open the matter without concealing ought or keeping back any thing save that which is not fit to be declared We say then that the great work contains four Operations viz. to Dissolve to Congeal to make White and to make Red. II. There are four quantities partakers together of which two are partakers between themselves so also have the other two a coherence between themselves And either of these double quantities has another quantity partaker with them which is greater than these two III. I understand by these quantities the quantity of the Natures and weight of the Medicines which are in order dissolved and congealed wherein neither addition nor diminution have any place But these two viz. Solution and Congelation are in one Operation and make but one Work and that before Composition but after Composition those Operations be divers IV. And this Solution and Congelation which we have spoken of are the solution of the Body and the congelation of the Spirit which two have indeed but one Operation for the Spirits are not congealed except the Bodies be dissolved as also the Bodies are not dissolved unless the Spirit be congealed And when the Soul and the Body are joyned together each of them works its Companion into its own likeness and pro perty V. As for Example When Water is put to Earth it strives to dissolve the Earth by its virtue property and moisture making it softer than it was before bringing it to be like it self for the Water was more thin than the Earth And thus does the Soul work in the Body and after the same manner is the Water thickened with the Earth and becomes like the Earth in thickness for the Earth was more thick than the Water VI. Know also that between the solution of the Body and the congelation of the Spirit there is no distance of time nor diversity of work as though the one should be without the other as there is no difference of time in the conjunction of the Earth and Water that the one might be distinguished from the other by its operation But they have both one instant and one fact and one and the same work performs both at once before Composition VII I say before Composition lest he that should read my Book and hear the terms of Solution and Congelation should suppose it to be the Composition which the Philosophers treat of which would be a grand Error both in Work and Judgment Because Composition in this Work is a Conjunction or Marriage of the congealed Spirit with the dissolved Body which Conjunction is made upon the fire VIII For heat is its nourishment and the Soul forsakes not the Body neither is it otherwise knit unto it than by the alteration of both from their own virtues and properties after the Conversion of their Natures and this is the solution and congelation which the Philosophers first speak of IX Which nevertheless they have absconded by their AEnigmatical Discourses with dark and obscure Words whereby they alienate and estrange the minds of their Followers from understanding the Truth whereof I will now give you the following Examples X Besmear the Leaf with Poyson so shall you obtain the beginning of the Stone and the Operation thereof Again Work upon the strong Bodies with one solution till either of them are reduced to subtilty Also Except you bring the Bodies to such a subtilty that they may be impalpable you shall not obtain that you seek after And If you have not ground them repeat the Work till they be sufficiently ground and made subtil so shall you have your desire With a thousand such other like unintelligable and not to be understood without a particular demonstration thereof XI And in like manner have they spoken of that Composition which is after solution and congelation Thus. Our Composition is not perfect without Conjunction and Putrefaction Again You must dissolve congeal separate conjoyn putrefie and compound because Composition is the beginning and very life of the thing These things who can understand without being taught XII But 't is true that unless there be a compounding the Stone can never be brought to light There must be a separation of the parts of the Compound which separation is in order also to a conjunction I tell you again that the Spirit will not dwell with the Body nor enter into it nor abide in it until the Body be made subtil and thin as the Spirit is XIII But when it is attenuated and made subtil and has caste off its thickness and grossness and put on that thinness has forsaken its Corporeity and become Spiritual then shall it be conjoyned with the subtil Spirits and imbibe them so that both shall become one and the same thing nor shall they for ever be severed but become like water mixt with water which no Man can separate CHAP. XXIV Of the latter two Operations viz. Albification and Rubification I. SUppose that of two like quantities which are in solution and congelation the larger is the Soul the lesser is the Body Add afterwards to the quantity which is the Soul that quantity which is in the Body and it shall participate with the first quantity in virtue only Then working them as we have wrought them you will have your desire and understand Euclid his Line or Proportion II. Then
take this quantity weigh it exactly and add to it as much moisture as it will drink up the weight of which we have not determined Then work them as before with the same Operations of a first imbibing and subliming it This Operation is called Albification and they name it Yarit that is Silver or White Lead III. When you have made this Compound white add to it so much of the Spirit as will make half of the whole and set it to working till it grows red and then it will be of the colour of Al 〈◊〉 Cinnabar which is very red and the Philosophers have likened it to Gold whose effects lead to that which the Philosopher said to his Scholar Arda IV. We call the Clay when it is white Yarit that is Silver But when it is red we name it Temeynch that is Gold Whiteness is that which tinges Copper and makes it Yarit And it is redness which tinges Yarit i. e. Silver and makes it Temeynch or Gold V. He therefore that is able to dissolve these Bodies to subtilize them and to make them white and red as I have said that is to compound them by imbibing and convert them to the same shall without doubt perform the work and attain to the perfection of the Magistery of which I have spoken VI. Now to perform these things you must know the Vessels for this purpose The one is an 〈◊〉 in which the parts are separated and cleansed in them the matter of the Magistery is depurated and made compleat and perfect VII Every one of these Aludels must have a Furnace fit for them which must have a similitude and figure fit for the Work Mezleme and some other Philosophers have named all these things in their Books shewing the manner and form thereof VIII And herein the Philosophers agree together in their Writings concealing the matter under Symbols in many Books but seting forth the necessary Instruments for the said four Operations The Instruments are chiefly two in number one is a Cucurbit with its Alembick the other is a well made Aludel or sublimatory IX There are also four things necessary to these viz. Bodies Souls Spirits Waters and of these four does the Mineral Work and Magistery consist all which are made plain in the Books of Philosophers X. I have therefore omitted them in mine only touching at them and created of those things which they over-passed with silence which what they are by the sequel of the Discourse you will easily discern but these things write I not for the Ignorant and Unlearned but for the Wise and Prudent that they may know them CHAP. XXV Of the Nature of Things appertaining to this Work Of Decoction and its Effects I. KNow then that the Philosophers have called them by divers names Sometimes they call them Minerals sometimes Animals sometimes Vegetables sometimes Natures for that they are things natural and others have called them by other names at their Pleasures or as they liked best II. But their Medicines are near to Natures as the Philosophers have taught in their Books for that Nature comes nigh to Nature and Nature is like to Nature Nature is joyned to Nature Nature is drowned in Nature Nature makes Nature white and Nature makes Nature red III. And Corruption is in conjunction with Generation Generation is retained with Generation and Generation conquereth with Generation IV. Now for the performance of these things the Philosophers have in their Books taught us how to decoct and how decoction is to be made in the matter of our Magistery This is that which generates and changes them from their Substances and Colours into other Substances and Colours V. If you err not in the begining you may happily attain the end But you ought to consider the seed of the Farth whereon we live how the heat of the Sun works in it till the Seed is impregnated with its influences and Virtues and made to spring till it grows up to ripeness This is the first change or transmutation VI. After this Men and other Creatures feed upon it and Nature by the heat that is innate in Man changes it again into Flesh Blood and Bones VII Now like to this is the Operation or Work of our Magistery the Seed whereof as the Philosophers say is such that its progress and perfection consifts in the fire which is the cause of its Life and Death VIII Nor is there any thing which comes between the Body and the Spirit but the fire nor is there any thing mingled therewith but the fire which brings the Magistery to its perfection this is the truth which I have told you and I have both seen and done it CHAP. XXVI Of Subtilization Solution Coagulation and Commixion of the Stone I. NOW except you subtilize the Body till it becomes water it will not corrupt and putrefie nor can it congeal the Fugitive Souls when the fire touches them for the fire is that which by its force and spirit congeals and unites them II. In like manner the Philosophers commanded to dissolve the Bodies to the end that the heat might enter into their Bowels or inward parts So we return to dissolve these Bodies and congeal them after their solution with that thing which comes near to it till all the things mixed together by an apt and fit commixtion in proportional quantities are firmly conjoyned together III. Wherefore we joyn Fire and Water Earth and Air together mixing the thick with the thin and the thin with the thick so as they may abide together and their Natures may be changed the one into the other and made like and one thing in the compound which before were simple IV. Because that part which generates or ferments bestows its virtue upon the subtil and thin which is the Air for like cleaves to its like and is a part of the Generation from whence it receives power to move and ascend upwards V. Cold has power over the thick matter because it has lost its heat and the water is gone out of it and the driness appears upon it This moisture departs by ascending up and the 〈◊〉 part of the Air has mingled 〈◊〉 self with it for that it is like unto it and of the same nature VI. Now when the thick body has lost its heat and moisture and that the cold and dryness has power over it and that their parts have mixed themselves by being first divided and that there is no moisture left to joyn the parts divided the parts withdraw themselves VII And then the part which is contrary to cold by reason it has continued and sent its heat and decoction to the cold parts of the Earth having power over them and exercising such dominion over the coldness which was hidden in the said thick Body that by virtue of its generative power changes the thick cold Body and makes it become subtil and hot and then strives to dry it up again by its heat VIII But afterwards the subtil
where he speaks of it after this manner Take the Stone and no Stone or that which is not a Stone neither of the nature of a Stone it is a Stone whose Mine is in the top of the Mountains X. By which the Philosopher understands Animals or living Creatures whereupon he said Son go to the Mountains of India and to its Caves and take thence precious Stones which will melt in the water when they are put into it XI This Water is that which is taken from other Mountains and hollow places they are Stones and no Stones but we call them so for the resemblance they have to Stones XII And you must know that the Roots of their Mines are in the Air and their Tops in the Earth and they make a noise when they are taken out of their places and the noise is very great Make use of them very suddenly for otherwise they will quickly vanish away CHAP. XXX Of the Commixtion of the Elements which were separated I. NOW you must begin to commix the Elements which is the compass of the whole Work there can be no commixti on without a Marriage and putrefaction The Marriage is to mingle the thin with the thick and Putrefaction is to rost grind water or imbibe so long till all be mixt together and become one so that there be no diversity in them nor separation as in water mixed with water II. Then will the thick strive to retain the thin and the Soul shall strive with the fire and endeavour to sustain it then shall the Spirit suffer it self to be swallowed up by the Bodies and be poured forth into them which must needs be because the dissolved body when it is commixed with the Soul is also commixed with every part thereof III. And other things enter into other things according to their similitude and likeness and both are changed into one and the same thing For this cause the Soul must partake with the conveniency propensity durability hardness corporcity and permanency which the body had in its commixtion IV. The like also must happen to the spirit in this state or condition of the Soul and Body For when the Spirit shall be commixt with the Soul by alaborious operation and all its parts with all the parts of the other two viz. of the Soul and Body then shall the Spirit and the said two be changed into an inseparable substance whose natures are preserved and their Particles agreed and conjoyned perfectly together V. Whereby it comes to pass that when this Compositum has met with a body dissolved and that heat has got hold of it and that the moisture which was in it is swallowed up in the dissolved body and has passed into it into its most inward parts and united or conjoyned it self with that which was of the nature of moisture it becomes inflamed and the fire defends it self with it VI. Then when the fire would enflame it it will not suffer the said fire to take hold of it to wit to cleave to it i. e. to the Spirit commixt with the water The fire will not abide by it until it be pure VII And in like manner does the Water naturally fly from the Fire of which when the fire takes hold it does by little and little evaporate VIII And thus is the Body the means to retain the Water and the Water to retain the Oyl that it might not burn and consume away and the Oyl to retain the Tincture which is the absolute matter and cause to make the colours appear in that wherein otherwise there would be neither light nor life IX This then is the true life and perfection of this great Work even the work of our Magistery which we seek after Be wise and understand search diligently and through the goodness and permission of God you shall find what you look for CHAP. XXXI Of the Solution of the Stone compounded and Coagulation of the Stone dissolved I. THE Philosophers take great pains in dissolving that the Body and Soul might the better be incorporated and united for all those things which are together in Contrition Assation and Rigation have a certain affinity and Alliance between themselves II. So that the fire may hurt or spoil the weaker principle in nature till it be utterly destroyed and vanish away and then it turns it self also upon the stronger parts till it divests the Body of the Soul and so spoils all III. But when they are thus dissolved and congealed they take one anothers parts striving in each others mutual defence as well the great as the small and they incorporate and joyn them well together till they be converted and changed into one and the same thing IV. When this is done the fire takes as much from the Soul as it does from the Body nor can it hurt the one more than the other neither more nor less which is a cause of perfection V. For this reason it is necessary in teaching the composition of the Elixir to afford one place for expounding the solution of simple Bodies and Souls because Bodies do not enter into Souls but do rather prevent and hinder them from Sublimation Fixation Retention Commixtion and the like Operations except purification go before VI. Now understand that Solution is done by one of these two ways either by extracting the inward parts of things unto their Superficies an Example whereof we have in Silver which seems cold and dry but being dissolved so that the inward parts appear outward it is hot and moist VII 〈◊〉 to reduce it to an accidental moisture which it had not before to be added to its own natural humidity by which means its parts are dissolved and this is likewise called Solution VIII But as to Congelation the Philosophers have said Congeal in a Bath with a good Congelation This I tell you is Sulphur shining in Darkness a Red Hyacinth a fiery and deadly 〈◊〉 the Elixir the which there is nothing better a Lyon a Conqueror a Malefactor a cutting Sword a healing Antidote which cures all Infirmities and Diseases IX And Geber the Son of Hayen said That all the Operations of this Magistery are comprehended under these six things 1. To make fly ascend or sublime 2. To melt or liquify 3. To incerate 4. To make white as Marble 5. To dissolve 6. To congeal X. To make fly is to drive away and remove blackness and foulness from the Spirit and Soul to melt is to make the Body liqnid To incerate is properly to subtilize the Body To whiten is to melt speedily To dissolve is to separate the parts And to congeal is to mix joyn and fix the Body with the Soul already prepared XI Again To fly of ascend appertains both to Body and Soul To melt to incerate to whiten and to dissolve are accidents belonging to the Body But congelation or fixation only belongs to and is the property of the Soul Be wise understand and learn CHAP. XXXII That Our Stone
soft substance This is done with Ignition in their Fusion thus With Saturn or Jupiter the substance of Argent Vive or Sulphur fixed or of Arsenick must be mixed in their profundity Or they must be mixed with hard and not fusible things as the Calx of Marchasite and Tutia for these are united with and embraced by them and harden them so that they flow not till they are red hot The same thing is also compleated by our Medicine perfecting them of which hereafter XX. Fixation by removal of their fugitive substance This is done by calcination in a fire proportional to their substance In order to which 1. All their corrupting adustive substance must be cleansed from them as aforesaid 2. Then their earthy superfluity must be taken away 3. They must be dissolved and Reduced or compleatly washed in a Lavement of Argent Vive This is necessary and profitable XXI Saturn is specially hardened by a Calcination with the Acuity of Salt and by Talk it is especially dealbated as also by Marchasite and Tutia Calcine Saturn fluxed with common Salt putrefied stirring it continually with an Iron Spatula till it comes to Ashes Decoct it for one Natural day and let it be a little Fiery hot but not much then wash it with pure clean water and Calcine it for 3 daies till it be Red both within and without If you would have it to be prepared for the White Imbibe it with water of White Alum and reduce it with Oyl of Tartar or its Salt But if you would have it for the Red Imbibe it with the water of Crocus Martis and of Verdigrise and reduce it with Salt of Tartar as before This work Reiterate as often as need requires XXII The Calcination of Saturn and Jupiter Let a great Test or Calcining Pan be placed in a Fornace and put Saturn and Jupiter into it with as much common Salt prepared and Roch Alum Calcined being in Flux let the Metal be continually stirred with an Iron Spatula full of holes till the whole be reduced to Ashes which sift and set chem in the Fire again keeping them continually Red Fire Hot till the Calx of Jupiter is whitened or that of Jupiter is rubified as Minium XXIII The Regimen of Saturn and Jupiter for the White Take Saturn purified three Pound melt or add to it clean or purified Mercury twelve Pound stirring the whole that they may be mixed This mixture put into a Bolt-Head of a Foot in Length which place in the Athanor with a gentle Fre for a week Take purified Jupiter one Poind melt and add purified Mercury 12 Pound doing in all respects as before with Saturn In this weeks time you will have a Paste dissolved fit to be Fermented with the White Ferment Thus. XXIV Take of the White Ferment one Pound of the Paste of Saturn two Pounds of the Paste of Jupiter three Pounds These being dissolved mix through their least parts and set in putrefaction in a moderate Fire like as in dissolution for seven daies Then take them out well mixed and Strain or Squeeze their more Liquid parts through a Cloth The thick Matter remaining put into a Glass Seal it well up and place it in an Athanor for the time aforesaid which do thrice till it has Imbibed all the humidity Then put the Vessel with its Matter into a Fornace of Fixation for twelve daies which done take it forth and reduce it with things reducing so will you find that which our Ancestors found not without great Study viz. The Generated generating Prove this upon the Cineritium or Cupel with Lead and you will find the Body perfect in Whiteness perpetually generating its like XXV The Regimen of Saturn is also compleated if being prepared and dissolved I suppose he means in his dissolutive Water made of Nitre and Vitriol it be mixed with a third part of its Red Ferment dissolved also and then Distilling off the Water and Cohobating seven times Reduce it to a Body and prove it by its Examen and you will rejoyce in the bountiful Body which is generated XXVI White Medicines for Saturn also solar Medicines for Saturn Because the Medicines and the work are wholly or altogether the same as for Jupiter and that in the Chapter of Jupiter we have explicitely and largely declared the matter we shall refer you thither saying no more thereof in this place see Chap. 43. Sect. 16 17 18 19 20 21. following CHAP. XLIII The Alchymie of Jupiter I. TO prepare Jupiter Put it into a fit Vessel in a Fornace of Calcination and make a good Fusion stirring the melted Metal with an Iron Spatula full of holes drawing off the Scum as it arises and again stirring the Body and thus continuing till the whole quantity is reduced to Pouder or Ashes This Pouder sift and replace it in the Fornace again in the same heat of Fire stirring it often for 24 hours till its whole accidental and superfluous humidity is abolished with all its combustible and corrupting Sulphur Then often well wash it with common Salt cleansed and Alum purified and sharp Vinegar and dry it in the Sun or Air. Grind it again washing and drying it doing this so long till by the acuity of the Salts Alums Vinegar its whole humidity blackness and uncleanness is taken away This done add Glass in fine Pouder to it impaste the whole together and with a sufficient Fire make it flow in a Crucible with a hole in its bottom set within another so will the pure and clean Body descend the whole Earthy and Faeculent substance remaining above with the Glass Salts and Alums in which pure Body is an equal and perfect proportion Argent Vive and White Sulphur not burning Then Calcine this pure Body with pure and clean Sal Armoniack till it be in weight equal or thereabout being well and perfectly Calcined Grind the whole well and long upon a Porphyrie and set it in the open Air in a Cold moist place or in a Glass Vessel in a Fornace of Solution or in Horse-Dung till the whole be dissolved augmenting the Salt if need be This Water ought to be esteemed for it is what we seek for in the whole II. Tin is a Metallick Body White Livid not pure and a little sounding partaking of little Earthiness possessing in its Root harshness softness easiness of Liquefaction without Ignition not abiding the Cupel or Cement but extensible un der the Hammer Therefore Jupiter among Bodies diminished from perfection is in the Radix of its Nature of affinity to Sol and Luna but more to Luna and less to Sol. III. Jupiter because it receives much whiteness from the Radix of its generation it whitens all other Bodies which are not White but it has a fault that it breaks or makes brittle all other Bodies except Saturn and most pure Sol Jupiter adheres much to Sol and Luna and therefore does not easily receede from them in the examen or Tryal by the
Cupel The Magistery of this Art gives it a Tincture of Redness that shines in it with inestimable brightness It is hardened and cleansed more easily than Saturn He who knows how to take away its Vice of breaking will suddenly reap the Fruit of his Labour with joy because it agrees so well with Sol and Luna and will never be separated from them IV. In Calcining Tin a Sulphureous stink arises from its Sulphur not fixed and tho it gives no flame yet it is not fixed for it s not flaming is by reason of the great abundancy of its Argent Vive preserving from Combustion So that in Tin is a two-fold Sulphur and a two-fold Argent Vive one Sulphur less fixed sending forth a stink the other more fixed because it abides with the Calx in the Fire and stinks not V. there is also a twofold substance of Argent Vive in it one not fixed and the other sixed because it makes a Crashing noise before its Calcination but after it has been thrice Calcined that Crashing ceases which is caused by its fugitive Argent Vive being flown away This is evident in Lead being wash't with Argent Vive and then melted in a very gentle fire some part of the Mercury will remain with the Lead and will give to it this stridor converting the Lead into Tin VI. On the contrary also Tin may be converted into Lead For by a mani fold repetition of its Calcination and a fire fit for its reduction it is turned into Lead but especially when by subtraction of its Scoria it is calcin'd with a great fire VII Now after the removal of these two Substances viz. Sulphur and Argent Vive from Jupiter you will find that it is livid and weighty as Lead yet partaking of greater whiteness than Lead and therefore more pure than Lead In which is the equality of fixation of the two compounding things viz. Sulphur and Argent Vive but not the equality of quantity because in the Commixtion the Argent Vive is super-eminent VIII Now if there were not in its proper nature a greater quantity of Argent Vive than of Sulphur Argent Vive would not easily adhere to it For which reason it adheres with difficulty to Venus but with much greater difficulty to Mars by reason of the small quantity of Argent Vive contained therein the sign of which is the easie fusion of the one and the difficult fusion of the other IX But the fixation of these two substances remaining approaches nigh to firm fixation yet is it not absolutely fixed which is evident from the calcination of its body and after calcination the exposing the same to the most strong fire for by that division is not made but the whole substance ascends yet more purified from whence it appears that the burning Sulphur in Tin is more easily separated than that in Lead And that because its corrupting Properties are not radical but accidental therefore they are the more easily separated and its mundification Induration and fixation the more speedy X. And because that after Calcination and Reduction we found in its fume a citrinity through the great force of fire we judged that it contained in its body much sixed Sulphur By these Operations you may find out the Principles of Bodies and the Properties of Spirits XI At Sect. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22. of the former Chapter we have shewn the farther preparations of Tin which because they are so plainly expressed there are needless to be again repeated here Yet there are other special Preparations which are the following to wit by Calci nation by which its substance is more hardened which happens not to Saturn Also by Alums for these properly harden Jupiter Also by Conservation of it in the fire of its Calcination for by this it loose its stridor or Crashing and fraction of bodies likewise the which in like manner happens not to Saturn XII Calcine Jupiter as Saturn at Sect. 21. of the former Chapter with Common Salt purified and whiten its Calx for three days as in Saturn But see you err not in its Reduction for that is difficult unless it be made in the Fornace by Cineritium or Cement then it is done with ease But that you may not err joyn that Body which you would reduce in equal parts with that by which you make the reduction and co-unite the divided Calx But in Tinctures there is another consideration for the matrer tinging must be multiplied upon the matter to be tinged till the Tincture appear in the Body or Medicine XIII After you have found these two Leads and found their color and brightness with other things according to your desire possibly they may yet want Ignition then you must thus proceed Dissolve Tutia calcined and Tin calcined mix both Solutions and with that water imbibe the Calx of Tin time after time until the Calx has imbibed an eighth part of the Tutia then reduce it into a Body and you will find it to have Ignition and that good if not reiterate the same labour till due Ignition be acquired All Waters dissolutive of Bodies and Spirits we shall hereafter shew you every one of them according to their kind XIV With Talck or Mercury or pure Luna which is more profitable deduced to this by calcining and dissolving you may acquire the compleat Ignition and hardness of Saturn and Jupiter with incomparable brightness but Speculations in these things without practise is not very available XV. To Grind to Decoct to Inhumate to Calcine to Fuse to Destroy to Restore or Reduce and to cleanse Bodies are effectuall works with these Keys you may open the Occult Inclosures of our Arcanum and without them you shall never sit down at the Repasts of satisfactions XVI A White Medicine for Jupiter and Saturn prepared Take of fine Luna one Pound living Mercury eight Pound Amalgamate and waste the Amalgama with spirit of Vinegar and common Salt prepared until it acquires a Coelestial or Azure Colour Then extract as much of Mercury as you can by strongly expressing the mixture through a thick Cloth To this add Mercury sublimate double the weight of the Luna grind them well together then Decoct the mixture 〈◊〉 a Bolt-Head firmly closed for 24 hours Decoct the same again then break the Vessel and then separate that which is Sublimed from the Inferior Reddish Pouder But take heed of giving too great a Fire for that would cause the whole to flow into one black Mass. Put the Pouder upon a Porphyrie stone add to it two parts of Sal Armoniack prepared and one part of Mercury sublimed grind all very well together and imbibe the mixture with the Water of Sal Alcali or Sal Nitre if you cannot get the other or Salt of Pot-Ashes when imbibed Distil off with a gentle Fire the whole Water till that remains in the bottom is melted like Pitch Cohebate the same Water repeating this Work thrice Then
a commixtion through their least parts which keep in sufficient heat as in the White is said Extract the Water and what remains in the Cloth put into a well sealed Glass for 3 Weeks Then take it out and add to it a third part of its own reserved water and decoct by Chap. 42. Sect. 23. aforegoing which Work do thrice When it has imbibed all its proper Water put it in its proper Vessel and Fornace to be fixed When fixed with things reducing reduce it into a Body ready to be reduced and tinged XXVIII We more espe cially handling the Regimen of Venus do declare that you ought seven times or oftner to rectifie it when prepared and dissolved distilling off the Water and cohobating thereon each time which being coagulate thence make a most noble Greenness with Sal Armoniack dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar That greenness rubisie in a Vessel of Mars and again dissolve it to which solution adjoyn a third part of prepared and dissolved Luna afterwards extracting and cohobating the water of Ferment 7 times Then reduce this into a Body and you will rejoyce The Regimen of Mars is as of Venus but by reason of its foulness no great good arises from it XXIX Grind Luna amal gamated with Mercury with twice so much Metaline Arsenick Quaere Whether Regulus of Arsenick be not intended To which adjoyn a tenfold proportion of Venus amalgamated with Mercury Grind the whole and fix and reduce into a Body so will you have a pure White Metal XXX The first Dealbation of Venus Take Realgar 1 ounce Argent Vive sublimed 3 Ounces and half Tartar calcin'd 1 ounce grind and incorporate put them into a Bolt head a Foot and half high and its Orifice so wide as two Fingers may go into it lute it and set it over a Fire covered with a Cloth First make a gentle Fire for a quarter of an hour afterwards augment the Fire underneath and round about until the Fornace be very hot with Ignition when all is cold break the Vessel and take out what you find Metalline and make of this a great quantity XXXI A Second Dealbation Upon Tutia sublime one part of Mercury sublimate and two parts of Arsnick sublimed until it shall have ingress This clearly and very speciously whitens Veuus XXXII A Third Dealbation Take Mercury sublimate 3 Ounces Arsenick sublimed 2 Ounces dissolved with Litharge till they become 8 Ounces to these 8 Ounces adjoyn other 8 Ounces of Arsenick sublimed grind them together and flux them with Oyl of Tartar and there with you may whiten prepared Venus at pleasure XXXIII A Fourth Dealbation Grind Metaline Arsenick with as much of the Calx of Luna and imbibe the Mixture with the Water of Sal Armoniack and dry and grind then dissolve Salt of Tartar in the Water of Salt Nitre some suppose Spirit of Nitre with which Oyl imbibe the Medicine repeat this thrice incerating and drying and you will rejoyce XXXIV A Fifth Dealbation which is of our own Invention Imbibe Jupiter calcined washed and dryed so often with metaline Arsenick and hals so much Mercury sublimate as untill it flows and enters Venus which if first prepared it whitens speedily XXXV A Sixth Dealbation Vpon Tutia calcined dissolved and Coagulated sublime White Arsenick so that the Arsenick be 3 parts to 1 of the Tutia reiterating the sublimation upon it four times for it has Ingress With them mix half as much as the whole is of Mercury sublimate grinding and incerating 4 times with the Water of Sal Armoniack Nitre and Tartar ana Quere whether that may not be Aq. Regis with this when coagulated cement prepared plates of Venus and melt so will you have a very beautiful Body XXXVI A Seventh Dealbation Grind Venus calcined and incerated adding to it Arsenick sublimed and half a part of Mercury sublimate with which being well ground and mixed add a little of the Water of Sal Armonoick Quer. if not A. R incerating upon a marble after dry and sublime Revert the sublimate upon the Foeces again imbibing which do thrice the fourth time imbibe with Water of Nitre Spirit of Nitre and sublime what can be sublimed reiterate this Labor till it remains fluid in the bottom This in Copper prepared will be Resplendent with brightness XXXVII An Eighth De albation Upon the prepared Calx of Venus so often sublime Arsenick sublimate till some part of the Arsenick remaine with it in the strongest Fire That imbibed with the Water of Nitre Spirit of Nitre and lastly incerated with Water of Luna and Mercury precipitate and in the end with Oyl of Tartar Rectified until it flows wonderfully whetens Venus and enters the second order if you have operated right For I have else where said that if you obtain any part of Mercury precipitated in the mixture your Work wil be more splendid especially if the White Ferment dissolved with the Mercury dissolved after a certain fixation of it be added by the medium of Inceration by which you will find you have traced the high way it self Geber our Author here saith that the last 8 Sections are all proved Experiments the first 4 of them being Experiments of the Ancients by him again proved the latter 4 Rectifications of the Practises of the Ancients or rather Experiments of his Own All which he affirms to be absolutly true and by him proved so CHAP. XLVI Of the Alchymie of Luna I. THE preparation of Luna It is subtilized attenuated and re duced to a Spirituality in the same manner as hereafter in Chap. 47. Sect. 1. we shall teach concerning Sol. Therefore in all and every part of the Work do the same as we shall there teachwith Gold and this work of Luna dissolved is the Ferment for the White Elixir made Spitual II. It is a metalick Body white which pure whiteness clean hard sounding very durable in the Cupel extensible under the Hammer and fusible It is the Tincture of whiteness hardens Tin by Artifice and converts it to it self and being mixed with Sol it breaks not but in the examination it perseveres without Artifice III. He who knows how to subtilize it and then to inspissate and fix it associated with Gold brings it into such a State that it will remain with Sol in the Test and be in no wise separated from it being put over the fumes of sharp things as Vinegar A. F. or Salarmoniack and it will be of a wonderful Caelestine Color It is a noble Body but wants of the Nobility of Sol and its Minera is found determinate but it has often a Minera confused with other Bodies which Silver is not so Noble It is likewise dissolved and Calcin'd with great Labor and no Profit IV. If therefore clean fixed Red and clear Sulpher fall upon the pure substance of Argent Vive thereof is made pure Gold then in like manner if clean fixed white and clear Sulphur falls upon the substance of Argent Vive there
perfect Luna XIII The Regiment of Luna Dissolve and Coagulate it 7 times or at least 4 times and to it dissolved adjoyn the fixed Rubifying Waters which we shall declare and you will find the body aptly solar for it agrees with Sol and remains quietly with it In this Venus admirably well purged and dissolved may be a great help to you because a most clean tinging and fixed Sulphur may be extracted from it And I tell you that Mercury purified and fixed has power to palliate or illustrate the foulness of imperfect Bodies and fixed Sulphur extracted pure from bodies to tinge them with splendor XIV Hence you may gather a great Secret viz. That Mercury and Sulphur may be extracted as well from imperfect Bodies as from perfect For purified Spirits and middle Minerals are an help and very peculiar for deducing the Work to perfection XV. Another Regiment of Luna This is to reduce it to a more noble state Take Luna dissolved 3 Pounds of Venus dissolved 4 Pounds of Ferment dissolved 1 Pound conjoyn the dissolutions decoct them sor 7 days with gentle fire in a sealed glass as in Mars with their whole water then augment the fire leisurely for other 7 days and let it be as a fire of Sublimation For other 7 days give it fire yet stronger that the whole water may be fixed with it This pouder reduce in a small quantity and if it retains with it self part of the Mercury which you will easily perceive if you know how to calcine it is well indeed but if not put it again to be fixed until it is sufficiently fixt This must be reduced with red reducing Medicines so will you find your Luna tinged transmuted and fixed XVI The Ferment of Luna for the White It is made by dissolving Luna in its own Corrosive water and then boiling this water away to a third part it is to be exposed to the Air or set in B. M. or in Dung for certain days so will it be Oyl of Luna and Ferment which keep for the White Work XVII The Ferment of Ferments upon Mercury for the White Take of the Ferment of Luna which is its Oyl add to it twice as much of Arsenick sublimed and dissolved in water Quaer what Water then to both these add of Mercury dissolved as much as of the Arsenick mix the Waters set them over the fire for one day to be incorporated then draw off the water by an Alembick and cohobate fifteen times so incerating it will be fluid as fusible Wax Add to it as much Virgin-Wax melted commix them and project the mixture upon Mercury washed Quaere What is meant by washing here according as you see fit for that resolved is augmented in Virtue and Weight XVIII A Work upon Luna and Mercury Take Litharge Salt of Pot-Ashes mix and make a Cement Put the Cement first into a Crucible an Inch thick upon which put a Ball of the Amalgamation of Mercury and Luna upon which put the remainder of the Cement that the Ball may be in the middle Dry lute and set the Crucible in a gentle fire for half a day leisurely augmenting the fire and so continue its leisurely in crease from the Evening unto the dawning of the day with moderate ignition at last then take it out and prove it by Cineritium and it will be Luna in weight and surdity and much better in fixation XIX Another Work Amalgamate Luna with Mercury to which add as much Saturn as there is Luna put it into such a Crucible that a fourth part of it may be empty Affuse on it Oyl of Sulphur and decoct it unto the consumption of the Oyl Afterwards keep it for two hours in a moderate fire and there will be generated a black Stone with a little Redness This Stone prove by Cineritium and you will find your Luna augmented in Weight Surdity and Fixation XX. Another Work Take Luna amalgamated with Mercury Grind it with twice so much Metaline Arsenick to which a tenfold proportion of amalgamated Venus viz. That the Amalgamation of Venus may be 10 times as much as the whole Amalgama of Luna and Mercury mixed with the duple quantity of Arsenick grind the whole and fix Then reduce it into a Body and you will find a good augmentation XXI Of the Citrination of Luna or tinging its Body yellow Dissolve 〈◊〉 Philosophick Zyniar which is Verdigrise deduced from Venus prepared in the water of the dissolution of Luna Aqua Fortis to which adjoyn half so much as its self is of Mercury rubified by sublimation and in some sort fixed and dissolved to these add as much of Luna dissolved as the Zyniar Verdigrise is from which fermented for one day extract the water by distillation and cohobate 10 times then coagulate and reduce into a body and you will find it a good Work XXII Or thus Dissolve Zyniar 1 Ounce and our Crocus prepared with Mercury sublimate till it wax red 1 Ounce add as much Sal Armoniack and sublime it thrice from that Crocus which dissolve To which add of Luna dissolved 2 Ounces Then do as in the former incerating and reducing and you will find satisfaction XXIII Or thus Take of Crocus and Zyniar dissolved ana add as much Sol dissol ved incerate as before then coagulate to the coagulate add a fourth part of its weight of the Oyl of Salt-peter and project upon so much of Luna and will be a Tincture of a Citrine aspect XXIV Or thus Make a Water of our Zyniar and of our said Crocus and imbibe the Calces of Sol and Luna of each equal parts therewith until they have drunk in their own weight of it Then incerate with the Oyl of Sal Armoniack and Nitre and reduce the Mass into a Noble Body XXV Or thus Sublime Sal Armoniack from our greenness to which add Crocus and Zyniar from which well commixed sublime the Sal Armoniack and repeat it twice or thrice Then dissolve the whole to which add a third part of Gold dissolved incerate as before and congeal then project upon Sol 1 ounce Luna 2 Ounces mixed together and it will be good CHAP. XLVII Of the Alchimie of Sol. I. PErfect Bodies as Sol is need no preparation in relation to their farther perfection but that they may be more subtilized and attenuated we give you this Preparation Take Leaves of fine Sol which lay stratum superstratum with common Salt well prepared in a Vessel of Calcination Set it into a Fornace and calcine well for 3 days until the whole be subtily calcined Then take it grind it well wash it with Vinegar Quaer Whether Spirit of Vinegar or some other acid Spirit and dry it in the Sun Then grind it well with half its weight of prepared or purified Sal Armoniack and set it to be dissolved until the whole by help of the Common Salt and Sal Armoniack is reduced into a most clear water This is the pretious ferment for
more subtil separation is made by distillation in Balneo than by a Distillation in Ashes or Sand. IX This is evident for Oyl distilled by Ashes is gross thick and foetid But that being rectified in Balneo the Oyl is separated into its Elemental parts so that from a most Red Oyl you have another most limpid white and serene the whole redness remaining in the bottom of the Vessel X. By this Operation we come to the determinate separation of all the Elements of every Vegetable and of that which from Vegetables proceeds to a Being and of every like thing But by that which is made by Descent we at tain the Oyl of every thing Vegetable determinately and of their like and by Filteration we accomplish the clearness of every liquid thing XI To Distil in Ashes You must have a strong earthen Pan and fitted to the Fornace like to the aforesaid Fornace of Sublimation with the same distance from the sides of the Fornace and with like Vent-holes upon the bottom of which Pan sifted Ashes must be put to the thickness of one Fingers breadth length almost and upon the Ashes the Retort or Distillatory must be set and covered round about with the same Ashes almost as high as to the neck of the Alembick Retort or Distillatory XII This done put in the matter to be distilled cover the Vessel with its Alembick the neck of which must inclose the neck of the Cucurbit or Vesica lest what is to be distilled should fly away Then lute the juncture and begin the Distillatiou But the Vesica Cucurbit Retort or Distillatory with the Alembick Head or Recipient must be both of Glass and the fire must be of strength according to the exigency or nature of the matter to be distilled and to be continued till all that should be distilled is come off XIII To distil in Balneo is like the former in a Cucurbit and Alembick save that you must have an Iron or Brass Pot fitted to the Fornace Upon the bottom of the pot within must be laid a Bed of Hay or Wooll or other like matter to the thickness of 3 Inches that the Cucurbit may not be broken and with the same the Cucurbit must be covered round about almost as high as the neck of the Alembick upon which lay sticks cross and upon them stones to hold the Cucurbit to the bottom of the Pot and keep it firm and steady that it be not raised by the Water nor be broken by its moving up and down Lastly Put in Water till the Pot be full which done kindle the fire and distil off the matter XIV To Distil by Descent You must have a Glass Descensory with its Cover and that put in which is to be Distilled and then the Cover luted on and fire made on the top or over it that the Liquor may descend XV. To Distil by Filtre Put the Liquor to be Distilled into an Earthen Stone or Glass Concha under which set another Vessel to receive the Distillation The larger part of the Filter put into the Liquor even to the bottom of the Concha leting the narrower part hang over the side thereof and over the under Vessel so will the Liquor fall down through the Filter in the lower Vessel without ceasing to the last drop Where note That if the Liquor be not clear enough the first time it must be so often repeated till it is as you desire it XVI The Distillatory Fornace is the same with the Sublimatory But Fire must be administred according to the exigency of things to be Distilled The way of doing which we have just now taught CHAP. LIII Of Calcination of Bodies and Spirits with their Causes and Methods I. CAlcination is the bringing a thing to Dust by Fire through an abstraction of its humidity holding the particles of the Body together II. The cause of the invention thereof is that the Adustive corrupting and defiling sulphureity may be abolished by Fire and it is 〈◊〉 according to the diversity of the things to be calcined for Bodies are calcined and Spirits are calcined as also other things foreign to these but with a divers intention III. And seeing there are imperfect Bodies of two kinds viz. Hard as Venus and Mars and Soft as Saturn and Jupiter all which are calcined there was a necessity of calcining them with a several intention viz. General and Special IV. They are calcined with one general Intention when that their corrupting and defiling Sulphureity may be abolished by Fire for every adustive Sulphureity which could not be removed without Calcination is thereby abolished from every thing whatsoever V. And because the Body it self is solid and by reason of that solidity the internal Sulphureity concealed within the continuity of the substance of Argent Vive is defended from Adustion therefore it was necessary to separate the Continuity thereof that the Fire coming freely to every its least parts might burn the Sulphureity from it and that the Continuity of Argent Vive might not defend it VI. The common inten tion also of Calcination is Depuration of the Earthiness for it is found that Bodies are cleansed by reiterated Calcination and Reduction as we shall hereafter shew VII Special Calcination is of Soft Bodies and with these two intentions that through it there may be an intention of Hardning and Fixing which is accomplished by an Ignitious repition of Calcination upon them and this is found true by Experience VIII But why the Calcination of Spirits was invented is that they may the better be fixed and the more easily dissolved in to Water for that every kind of thing Calcined is more fixed then the not Calcined and of easier solution and because the Particles of the Calcinated more subtilized by Fire are more easily mixed with Water and turned into Water IX The Calcination of other things is subservient to the Exigency of the Preparation of Spirits and Bodies of which Preparation we shall speak more at large in the following but these are not of Perfection X. The way of Calcination is divers by reason of the diversity of things to be Calcined for Bodies are otherwise Calcined than Spirits or other things And Bodies divers from each other are diversly Calcined Soft Bodies have one general way according to the intention viz. That both may be Calcined by Fire only and by the acuity of Salt prepared or unprepared XI The first Calcination by Fire is thus Have a Vessel of Iron or Earth formed like a Porringer which let be very strong and firm and fitted to the Fornace of Calcination so that underit the Coles may be cast in and blowed XII Then cast in your Lead or Tin the vessel being firmly set upon a Trivet of Iron or Stone and fastned to the Walls of the Fornace with 3 or 4 Stones being thrust in stiff between the Fornace sides and the Vessel that it may not move the form of the Fornace must be the same with the Form of
them is thus You must sublime them so often upon the thing to be Cerated until remaining with their humidity in it they give good Fusion But this cannot be effected before the perfect cleansing of them from every Corrupting thing VIII And it seems better to me that these should be first fixed by Oyl of Tartar and every Ceration fit and necessary in this Art be made with them IX Our Philosophick Cerative Water is thus made Take Oyl Distilled from the Whites of Eggs Grind it with half so much of Sal Nitre and Sal Armoniack ana and it will be very good Or Mix it with Sal Alkoli and distil as before And the more you reiterate this labour the better it Incerates Or Conjoyn the aforesaid Oyl with Oyl of Tartar and thence Distil a White Incerative Oyl X. A Red Incerative Oyl is thus made Take Oyl of Yolks of Eggs or of Humans Hair to which adjoyn as much Sal Armoniack mix and distil Repeat this Distillation three times and you will have a most Red Incerative Oyl XI Oyl of Verdigrise is thus made Dissolve Verdigrise in Water of Sal Armoniack with the same coagulated mix Oyl of Eggs and distil the mixture which Distillation repeat thrice so shall you have Oyl of Verdigrise fit and profitable for Inceration XII Oyl of Gall it is made by Distilling an Oyl from the Gall as from human Hair doing in all things as in the former XIII I do not say that these Oyls can give a Radical Mineral Humidity as in Sulphur and Arsenick But they preserve the Tincture from Combustion until it enters or makes an Ingress and afterwards they fly in the Augmentation of the fire XIV After the Matter is Incerated it may be necessary to melt it which you must do in a Fusory or Melting Fornace This Fornace is that in which all Bodies are easily melted by themselves It is a Fornace much in use among Melters of Metals Also Aurichalcum is melted in this Fornace and Tinged with Tutia or Calaminaris as is known to such as have made Tryal CHAP. LVIII That Our Medicine is two-fold One for the White and One for the Red. Yet that we have One only Medicine for both which is most perfect I. WE Demonstrate that Spirits are more assinuated to Bodies than any other thing in nature for that they are more United and more friendly to Bodies than all other things so that we affirm that these alterations of Bodies in the first Invention are their true Medicines II. And as we have been exercised in all kinds in the tranformation of imperfec Bodies with firmutation into a perfect Lunar and Solar Body so we find that the Medicine for them must be divers according to the intention of the Bodies to be transmuted III. And since Metals to be transmuted are of a twofold kind viz. Argent Vive Coagulable in Perfection and Bodies diminished from Perfection and these again manifold some being hard sustaining Ignition as Mars and Venus others soft not enduring it as Saturn and Jupiter the Medicine perfective must also be necessarily manifold IV. And altho Mars and Venus be of one kind yet they differ in a certain special property the one being not Fusible the other fusible therefore Mars is perfected with one Medicine and Venus with another The first indeed is totally unclean but the other not the former has a Dull whiteness the latter that of Redness and Greenness all which force a necessity of a Diversity in the Medicine V. Also the soft Bodies Saturn and Jupiter seeing they less 〈◊〉 do necessarily require also a Divers Medicine the first of them is indeed Unclean the latter Clean and they are all rendered more Mutable now made Lunar than Solar Bodies therefore the Medicine for each of them must be two-fold One White changeing into a White Lunar Body and one Citrine changeing into a Citrine Solar Body VI. Since then in every of the Imperfect Bodies is found a two fold Matter Solar and Lunar the Medicines perfecting all Bodies will be in number Eight VII So also Argent Vive is perfected into a Lunar and Solar Body therefore of the Medicine altering or perfecting it there is a twofold difference so that all the Medicines which we have invented for the Compleat alteration of every imperfect Body will be in number Ten. VIII-However with constant and continued Labor and great search and invention we have been desirous to exclude the Use of these Ten Medicenes by the Invention and advantage of One Only Medicine and with our long and very Laborious search by certain Experience we have found One Medicine by which the hard was softned the soft Body hardned the fugitive fixed and the Soul illustrated with Splendor or Brightness ineffable and beyond Nature IX Notwithstanding it is here expedient that we should particularly speak of all these Medicines with their Causes and the evident experiences of their probations We will first then declare the series of the Ten Medicines fitted to all the Bodies then to Argent Vive and lastly proceed to the Medicine of the Magistery perfecting all Bodies yet with the preparation imperfect Bodies need X. And least we should be carped at by the Envious as Writing an insufficient Treatise of Art We here first of all present the preparation of all the imperfect Bodies assigning the Causes of the necessity thereof by which in Our artifice they are made apt to receive the Medicine of Perfection in every degree of Whiteness and Redness and to be perfected by the same and after these a Narration of all the Medicines before mentioned themselves The Preparations of Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus and Argent Vive here mentioned See Chap. 42. Sect. 14. ad 20. Chap. 43. Sect. 11. Chap. 44. Sect 12 13 14. Chap. 45. Sect. 12 13. Chap. 48. Sect. 33. The preparation of the Medicines see Chap. 44. Sect. 15 16 17. Chap. 45. Sect 18. ad 23. Chap. 46. Scte. 6. Chap. 48. Sect. 33. c. XI From what has been said 't is evident that what Nature left Superfluous or deficient in every of those Bodies that are imperfect has been in part declared and since it happens that the mutable Bodies of Imperfection are of a twofold kind viz soft and Ignible as Saturn and Jupiter and hard and not fusible with Ignition as Mars and Venus the first indeed not fusible but the other fusible with Ignition Nature has taught us That according to the diversity of Essences in the Radix of their Nature divers Preparations according to their Wants must be administred to them XII There are two Bodies of Imperfection of one kind viz. Lead which is Black or Saturn and Tin which is White or Jupiter which from the innate Root of their nature are divers each from other in the profundity of their hidden parts as well as in those which are outward XIII For Saturn is cloudy livid ponderous black without stridor or crashing totally mute But Jupiter
substantiam Argenti vivi fixi etiam augmentat in eo suum nativum colorem pondus substantiam tincturam I. THE whole then of this Antimonial Secret is That we know how by it to extract or draw forth Argent Vive out of the Body of Magnesia not burning and this is Antimony and a Mercurial Sublimate II. That is you must extract a living and incombustible Water and then congeal or coagulate it with the perfect body of Sol i. e. fine Gold without allay which is done by dissolving it into a nature and white Substance of the consistency of Cream and made throughly white III. But first this Sol by putrefaction and resolution in this Water loseth all its light or brightness and will grow dark and black afterwards it will ascend above the Water and by little and little will swim upon it in a substance of a white colour IV. And this is the whitening of Red Laton to sublime it philosophically and to reduce it into its first Matter viz. into a white incombustible Sulphur and into a fixed Argent Vive V. And so the fixed moisture to wit Gold our Body by the reiterating of the Liquifaction or Dissolution in this our dissolving Water is changed and reduced into fixed Sulphur and fixed Argent Vive VI. Thus the perfect body of Sol resumeth Life in this Water it is revived inspired grows and is multiplied in its kind as all other things are VII For in this Water it so happens that the body compounded of two bodies viz. Sol and Luna is puffed up swells putrefies is raised up and does increase by receiving from the Vegetable and animated Nature and Substance VIII Our Water also or Vinegar aforesaid is the Vinegar of the Mountains i. e. of Sol and Luna and therefore it is mixed with Gold and Silver and sticks close to them perpetually and the body receiveth from this Water a white Tincture and shines with an inestimable brightness IX Who so therefore knows how to convert or change the body into a medicinal white Gold may easily by the same white Gold change all imperfect Metals into the best and finest Silver X. And this white Gold is called by the Philosophers Luna alba Philosophorum Argentum vivum album fixum Aurum Alchymiae and fumus albus And therefore without this our Antimonial Vinegar the Aurum album of the Philosophers cannot be made XI And because in our Vinegar there is a double substance of Argentum vivum the one from Antimony the other from Mercury Sublimate it does give a double weight and substance of fixed Argent vive and also augments therein the native colour weight substance and tincture thereof CHAP. V. Of other Operations of our secret Mineral Water and its Tincture I. NOstra igitur Aqua dissolutiva portat magnam Tincturam magnamque fusionem propterea quod quando sentit ignem communem si in ea est conpus perfectum Solis vel Lunae subitò illud fudi facit liquefieri conperti in suam substantiam albam ut ipsa est addit colorem pondus Tincturam corpori II. Est etiam solutiva omnium liquabilium est Aqua ponderosa viscosa praetiosa honoranda resolvens omnia corpora cruda in eorum primam Materiam hoc est in Terram pulverem viscosum id est in Sulphur Argentum vivum III. Si ergo posueris in illa Aqua quodcunque Metallum limatum vel attenuatum demittas per tempus in calore leni dissolvetur totum vertetur in aquam viscosam sive Oleum album ut dictum est IV. Et sic mollificat corpus praeparat ad fusionem liquefactionem imò facit omnia fusibilia id est lapides Metalla postea illis dat Spiritum Vitam V. Dissolvit ergo omnia solutione mirabili convertens corpus perfectum in Medicinam fusibilem fundentem penetrantem magis fixam augens pondus colorem VI. Operare ergo cum ea consequeris quod desideras ab ea Nam est Spiritus anima Solis Lunae Oleum Aqua dissolutiva fons balneum Mariae ignis contra naturam ignis bumidus ignis secretus occultus in visibilis VII Atque acetum acerrimum de quo quidam antiquus Philosophus dicit Rogavi Dominum ostendit mihi 〈◊〉 aquam nitidam quam cognovi esse purum acetum alterans penetrans digerens VIII Acetum inquam penetrativum Instrumentum movens ad putrefaciendum resolvendum reducendum aurum vel argentum in sui primam materiam IX Et est unicum agens in toto mundo in hac arte quod videlicet potest resolvere reincrudare corpora metallica sub conservatione suae speciei X. Est igitur solum medium aptum naturale per quod debemus resolvere corpora perfecta Solis Lunae mirabili solemni solutione sub conservatione suae speciei absque ulla destructione nisi ad novam nobiliorem meliorem formam sive generationem scilicet in lapidem perfectum philosophorum quod est secretum arcanum eorum mirabile XI Est autem aqua illa media quaedam substantia clara ut argentum purum quae debet recipere tincturas Solis Lunae ut congeletur convertatur in terram albam vivam XII Ista enim aqua eget corporibus perfectis ut cum illis post dissolutionem congeletur fixetur coaguletur in terram albam XIII Solutio autem eorum est etiam congelatio eorum Nam unam eandem habent opera tionem quia non solvitur unum quin congeletur alterum nec est alia aqua quae possit dissolvere corpora nisi illa quae permanet cum eis in materia forma XIV Imo permanens esse non potest nisi sit ex alterius natura ut fiant simul unum XV. Cum videris igitur a quam coagulare seipsam cum corporibus in ea solutis ratus esto scientiam methodum operationes tuas esse veras ac philosophicas teque in arte rectè procedere I OUR dissolving Water therefore carries with it a great Tincture and a great melting or dissolving because that when it feels the vulgar Fire if there be in it the pure or fine bodies of Sol or Luna it immediately melts them and converts them into its white Substance such as it self is and gives to the Body colour weight and tincture II. In it also is a power of liquifying or melting all things that can be melted or dissolved it is a Water ponderous viscous precious and worthy to be esteemed resolving all crude Bodies into their prima Materia or first Matter viz. into Earth and a viscous Pouder that is into Sulphur and Argentum vivum III. If therefore you put into this Water Leaves Filings or Calx of any Metal and set it in a gentle Heat for a time the whole will
white Vapour a white Spirit and a wonderful Soul CHAP VII Of the wonderful things done by our Water in altering and changing Bodies I. QUare debemus per Aquam nostram perfecta corpora attenuare alterare mollificare ut deinde misceantur caeteris corporibus imperfectis II. Unde si aliud beneficium non haberemus ab illa aqua Antimoniali nisi quod readit corpora subtilia mollia fluida ad sui naturam sufficeret nobis III. Nam reducit corpora ad primam originem sulphuris Mercurii ut ex his postea in brevi tempore minus quà m in hora diei faciamus super terram quod natura operata est subtus in mineriis terrae in millibus annis quod est quasi miraculosum IV. Est igitur nostrum finale secretum per aquam nostram corpora facere volatilia spiritualia aquam tingentem habentem ingressum V. Facit enim corpora merum esse spiritum quia incerat corpora dura sicca praeparat ad fusionem id est convertit in aquam permanentem VI. Facit ergo ex corporibus oleum pretiosissimum benedictum quod est vera tinctura aqua permanens alba de natura calida humida temperata subtili fusibili ut cera quod penetrat profundat tingit perficit VII Aqua ergo nostra incontinenti solvit aurum argentum facit oleum incombustible quod tunc potest com 〈◊〉 corporibus 〈◊〉 VIII Nam 〈◊〉 nostra convertit corpora in naturam salis fusibilis qui dicitur Sal Albrot philosophorum omnium salium melior nobilior in regimine fixus non fugiens ignem IX Et ipse quidem est oleum de natura calida subtilis penetrans profundans ingrediens dictus Elixir completum est secretum occultum sapientum Alchimistarum X. Qui scit ergo hunc salem Solis Lunae ejus generationem sive praeparationem postea ipsum commiscere amicari caeteris corporibus imperfectis scit profectò unum de secretis naturae maximum viam perfectionis unam I. IT behoves us therefore by this our Water to attenuate alter and soften the perfect Bodies to wit Sol and Luna that so they may be mixed with other imperfect Bodies II. From whence if we had no other benefit by this our Antimonial water than that it rendred Bodies more subtil soft and fluid according to its own nature it would be sufficient III. But more than that it brings back Bodies to their first original of Sulphur and Mercury that of them we may afterwards in a little time in less than an hours time do that above ground which Nature was a thousand years a doing of under ground in the Mines of the Earth which is a work almost miraculous IV. And therefore our ultimate or highest Secret is by this our water to make Bodies volatile spiritual and a Tincture or tinging water which may have ingress or entrance into other Bodies V. For it makes Bodies to be meerly Spirit because it reduces hard and dry Bodies and prepares them for fusion melting or dissolving that is it converts them into a permanent or fixed water VI. And so it makes of Bodies a most precious and desirable Oyl which is the true Tincture and the permanent or fixed white water by nature hot and moist or rather temperate subtile fusible as Wax which does penetrate sink tinge and make perfect the Work VII And this our water immediately dissolves Bodies as Sol and Luna and makes them into an incombustible Oyl which then may be mixed with other imperfect Bodies VIII It also converts other Bodies into the nature of a fusible Salt which the Philosophers call Sal Alebrot Philosophorum better and more noble than any other Salt being in its own nature fixed and not subject to vanish in fire IX It is an Oyl indeed by nature hot subtile penetrating sinking through and entring into other Bodies it is called the Perfect or Great Elixir and the hidden Secret of the wise Searchers of Nature X. He therefore that knows this Salt of Sol and Luna and its generation and preparation and afterwards how to commix it and make it homogene with other imperfect Bodies he in truth knows one of the greatest Secrets of Nature and the only way that leads to perfection CHAP. VIII Of the Affinity of our Water and other wonderful things done by it I. Haec corpora sic soluta per aquam nostram dicuntur argentum vivum quod non est sine sulphure nec sulphur sine natura luminarium quia luminaria sunt principalia media in forma per quae natura transit perficiendo complendo suam generationem II. Et istud argentum vivum vocatur sal honoratum animatum praegnans ignis cum non sit nisi ignis nec ignis nisi sulphur nec sulphur nisi argentum vivum extractum à Sole Luna per aquam nostram reductum in lapidem alti pretii III. Id est erit materia alterata luminarium mutata de vilitate in nobilitatem IV. Nota quod sulphur illud album est pater metallorum ac mater illorum Mercurius noster minera auri anima fermentum virtus mineralis corpus vivum medicina perfecta sulphur argentum vivum nostrum id est sulphur de sulphure argentum vivum de argento vivo Mercurius de Mercurio V. Proprietas ergo aquae nostrae est quod liquefacit aurum argentum augmentat in eis nativum colorem VI. Convertit enim corpora à corporalitate in spiritualitatem ipsa est quae immittit in corpus fumum album qui est anima alba subtilis calida multae igneitatis VII Haec aqua dicitur etiam lapis sanguinaris est etiam virtus spiritualis sanguinis sine quo nil fit subjectum omnium liquabilium liquefactionis quod multum Soli Lunae convenit adhaeret nec separatur ab eis semper VIII Est ergo affinis Soli Lunae sed magis Soli quam Lunae nota bene IX Dicitur etiam medium conjungendi tincturas Solis Lunae cum metallis imperfectis nam aqua illa convertit corpora in veram tincturam ad tingenda reliqua imperfecta est aqua quae dealbat ut est alba quae vivifisat ut est anima ideo citò corpus suum ingreditur ait Philosophus X. Nam est aqua viva quae venit suam irrigare terram ut germinet fructum producat in tempore 〈◊〉 nam ex roratu omnia generantur ex terra nascentia XI Terra ergo non germinat absque irrigatione humiditate aqua roris Maij ipsa abluit corpora tanquam pluviali penetrat dealbat ac facit corpus novum ex duobus corporibus XII Aqua illa vitae gubernata cum corpore ipsum dealbat convertens ipsum in
parte aquae nostrae facta sunt spiritus in aêra scandentes ibique corpus compositum ex mare foemina ex Sole Luna ex illa subtillissimanatura mundata per sublimationem accipit vitam inspiratur à suo humore VIII Id est à sua aqua sicut homo ab aêre quare multiplicabitur deinceps ac crescet in sua specie sicut res omnes caeterae IX In tali ergo elevatione sublimatione philosophica conjunguntur omnes ad invicem corpus novum inspiratum ab aêre vivit vegetabiliter quod est miraculosum X. Quare nisi corpora igne aqua attenuentur quousque ascendant in spiritus quousque fiant ut aqua fumus vel Mercurius nihil fit in Arte. XI Illis tamen ascendentibus in aêre nascuntur in aêre vertuntur fiuntque vita cum vita ut numquam possint separari sicut aqua mixta aquae XII Ideoque natus in aēre sapienter dicitur quoniam omnino spiritualis efficitur XIII Ipse namque Vultur sine alis volans supra montem clamitat dicens Ego sum albus nigri rubeus albi citrinus rubei filius vera dicens non mentior I. PUT the refore the perfect Bodies of Metals to wit Sol and Luna into our Water in a Vessel Hermetically sealed upon a gentle Fire and digest continually 'till they are perfectly resolved into a most precious Oyl II. Digest saith Adfar with a gentle Fire as it were for the hatching of Chickens so long 'till the Bodies are dissolved and their perfectly conjoyned Tincture mark this well is extracted III. But it is not extracted all at once but it is drawn out by little and little day by day and hour by hour till after a long time the Solution thereof is compleated and that which is dissolved always swims a top IV. And while this dissolution is in hand let the Fire be gentle and continual till the Bodies are dissolved into a viscous and most subtile Water and the whole Tincture be educed in colour first black which is the sign of a true dissolution V. Then continue the digestion till it becomes a white fixed Water for being digested in Balneo Mariae it will afterwards become clear and in the end become like to common Argent vive ascending by the Spirit above the first Water VI. When therefore you see the Bodies dissolved in the first viscous Water then know that they are turned into a Vapour and that the Soul is separated from the dead Body and by Sublimation brought into the order of Spirits VII Whence both of them with a part of our Water are made Spirits flying up into the Air and there the compounded Body made of the Male and the Female viz. of Sol and Luna and of that most subtile Nature cleansed by Sublimation taketh Life and is made Spiritual by its own humidity VIII That is by its own Water like as a Man is sustained by the Air whereby from thenceforth it is multiplied and increases in its own kind as do all other things IX In such an ascension therefore and philosophical Sublimation all are joyned one with another and the new Body subtilized or made living by the Spirit miraculously liveth or iprings like a Vegetable X. Wherefore unless the Bodies be attenuated or made thin by the Fire and Water 'till they ascend in a Spirit and are made or do become like Water and Vapour or Mercury you labour wholly in vain XI But when they arise or ascend they are born or brought forth in the Air or Spirit and in the same they are changed and made Life with Life so as they can never be separated but are as Water mixt with Water XII And therefore it is wisely said That the Stone is born of the Spirit because it is altogether Spiritual XIII For the Vulture himself flying without Wings cries upon the top of the Mountain saying I am the white brought forth from the black and the red brought forth from the white the citrine Son of the red I speak the Truth and lye not CHAP. XIII Of the beginning of the Work and a Summary of what is to be done I. SUfficit ergo tibi corpora in vase in aqua semel ponere diligenter claudere vas quousque vero separatio sit facta II. Quae vocatur ab invidis conjunctio sublimatio assatio extractio putrefactio ligatio desponsatio subtiliatio generatio c. III. Et totum perficiatur magisterium Fac igitur sicut ad generationem hominis omnis vegetabilis imponito semel matrici semen bene claude IV. Vides ergo quomodo pluribus rebus non indiges quod opus nostrum magnas non requiret expensas quoniam unus est lapis una medicina unum vas unum regimen una dispositio ad album rubeum successivè faciendum V. Et quamvis dicamus in pluribus locis ponito hoc ponito istud tamen non intelligimus nos opportere nisi unam rem accipere semel ponere claudere vas usque ad operis complementum VI. Quia haec tantum ponuntur à philosophis invidis ut decipiant ut dictum est incautos Nunquid enim etiam haec ars est Cabalistica arcanis plena tu fatue credis nos docere apertè arcana arcanorum verbaque accipis secundum sonum verborum VII Scito verè nullo modo sum ego invidus ut caeteri qui verba aliorum philosophorum accipit secundum prolationem ac significationem vulgarem nominum jam ille absque filo Ariadnae in medio amfractuam Labyrinthi multipliciter errat pecuniamque suam destinavit perditioni VIII Ego vero Artephius postquam adeptus sum veram ac completam sapientiam in libris veridici Hermetis fui aliquando 〈◊〉 caeteri omnes IX Sed cum per mille annos aut circiter quae jam transierunt super me à nativitate mea gratia Soli Dei omnipotentis usu hujus mirabilis quintae essentiae X. Cum per haec inquam longissima tempora viderem neminem magisterium Hermeticum obtinere posse propter obscuritatem verborum philosophorum XI Pietate motus ac probitate boni viri decrevi in his ultimis temporibus vitae meae omnia scribere sineere ac veraciter ut nihil ad perficiendum lapidem philosophorum possis desiderare XII Dempto aliquo quod nemini licet scribere quia revelatur per Deum aut magistrum tamen in hoc libro ille qui non erit durae cervicis cum pauca experientia faciliter addiscet XIII Scripsi ergo in hoc libro nudam veritatem quia paucis coloribus vestivi ut omnis bonus sapiens mala Hesperidum mirabilia feliciter pos sit ex arbore hac philosophica decerpere XIV Quare laudetur Deus altissimus qui posuit in anima nostra hanc benignitatem cum senectute longinquissima dedit nobis veram
with moisture you may have a blackness by fire XXXII But here you must have a blackness which comes from the perfect Metallick Bodies and lasts a long space of time nor can be destroyed in less than the space of five Months after which immediately follows the desired whiteness if you have this you have enough but not all XXXIII The blueish and yellowish colours signifie that solution and 〈◊〉 is not yet finished and that the colours of Our Mercury are not as yet well mingled and rotten or putrified with the rest XXXIV This 〈◊〉 them and these colours plainly demonstrate that the matter or composition begins to rot or putrifie and resolve into powder siner and smaller than the Atoms in the Sun the which is afterwards changed into a permanent or fixed water XXXV This dissolution by the AEnigmatick Philosophers is called Death Destruction Perdition because that the Natures change their form and from hence they raised so many Allegories of Dead Men Tombs Sepulchres c. XXXVI Others have called it Calcination Denudation Separation Trituration and Assation because the Compositum is changed and reduced into most small Atoms and parts XXXVII Others have called it Reduction into the first matter Mollification Extraction Commixtion Liquefaction Conversion of Elements Subtillization Division Humation Impastation and Distillation because that the particulars of the Compositum are melted brought back into seed softned or meliorated and Circulated within the Glass XXXVIII Others have called it Ixir Iris Putrefaction Corruption Cymmerian darkness a Gulf Hell Dragons Generation Ingression Submersion Complexion Conjunction and Impregnation because that the matter is black and waterish that the Natures are perfectly mixed and now subsist one by another XXXIX For when the heat of the Sun works upon him they are converted first into a Powder or into a fat and glutinous Water which feeling the heat flies on high to the top or head with the Vapour or Fume with the Wind and Air. XL. From thence this wa ter drawn out of the matter or Compositum descendeth again and in descending reduces and resolves as much as may be the rest of the Compositum continually doing so till the whole be like a black Broth somewhat fat XLI A while after this water begins to coagulate or thicken somewhat more growing very black like to Pitch Lastly comes the Body and Earth which the Obscure Philosophers have called Terra foetidae XLII For then by reason of the perfect or compleat putrefaction which is as natural as any can be this Earth stinks and yields a smell like to the Scent of Graves filled with rotten and putrified Carkases not yet perfectly consumed XLIII This Earth was called by Hermes Terra foliata but its true and proper Name is Leton or Laten which must afterwards be whitened XLIV The Ancient Philosophers who were Cabalists have decyphred it in their Metamorphoses under the History of the Serpent of Mars which devoured the Companions of Cadmus who slew him by piercing him with his Lance against a hollow Oak which Oak you ought seriously to contemplate and consider CHAP. XXX Of the Man and Woman cloathed in an Orange coloured Gown in a Field Azure and Blue with their Motto's I. THe Man depicted in that Figure exactly resembles my self even as the Woman does lively represent Perrenelle But the representation to the life was of no necessity as to this work to figure forth a Male and a Female was all that our design required which answers to our Sulphur and Mercury II. It was the Painters pleasure to put our resemblance upon those Figures as he did in those kneeling by the feet of the Apostles Paul and Peter according to what we were in our youthful days III. These here then I made to be painted one a Male the other a Female to teach thee that in this second Operation thou hast truly but not perfectly two natures conjoyned and Married together the Masouline and the Feminine or rather the 4 Elements IV. And that the four natural Enemies the hot and cold the dry and moist begin to approach kindly one to another and by means of the Mediators or Peace-makers lay down by little and little the ancient Animosity or Enmity of the old Chaos V. Who these peace-makers are you must know between the hot and the cold there is moisture who is of the Kindred and allied to them both to the hot by its heat and to the cold by its moisture VI. And to begin this Conciliation you must as in the precedent operation first convert all the Bodies or the whole Compositum into water by Dissolution VII And afterwards you must coagulate this water which will be turned into black earth black even of the most black whereby this Peace and Union will be wholly and most happily accomplished VIII For the Earth which is cold and dry finding it self akin and allyed to the dry and moist which are Enemies will wholly conciliate and unite them IX Thus have you a perfect mixture of all the four Elements having first turned them into Water and afterwards into Earth I will hereafter teach you other Conversions into Air when it shall be made all White and into Fire when it shall be converted into a most perfect Purple X. Thus have you two Natures Conjoyned or Married together whereby the one conceives by the other and by this Conception the Female is Converted into the body of the Male and the Male into the body of the Female XI That is to say they are made one only body which is the Androgyre or Hermophrodite of the Ancients which they have called The Crow's Head or Nature Converted XII In this manner therefore I depict them here because you have two Natures reconciled which if they be order'd and managed wisely will form an Embrion in the Womb of the Vessel and afterwards bring forth a beautiful birth which will prove a most Powerful and Invincible King incorruptible and also be a most admirable quintessence XIII Thus have you the principal and most necessary Reason or Cause of this Representation The other Cause which is also well to be noted from the necessity of having two bodies for that in this Operation you must divide that which has been coagulated to give an afternourishment of the Milk of Life to the little Infant when it is born which is endued by the Living God with a Vegetable Soul XIV This is a rare and admirable secret which for want of 〈◊〉 right understanding has made Fools of all such as have erred in seeking after it but has made him wise who has viewed it with the Eye of his Mind XV. This Coagulated body you must divide into two parts the one of which shall serve for Azoth which is to wash and cleanse the other which is called Laten which must be whitened XVI He which is washed is the Serpent 〈◊〉 who takes his beginning or Original from the Corruption of the Earth gathered together by the Waters
or dwindling away But if they be fed with heat and due moisture on their Trees then they prove Elegant and fruitful For heat and moisture are the Elements of all Earthly things Animal Vegetable and Mineral XXXV Therefore Fires of Wood and Coal produce or help not Metals those are violent Fires which nourish not as the heat of the Sun does that conserves all Corporeal things for that it is natural which they follow XXXVI But a Philosopher acts not what Nature does For Nature where she rules forms all Vegetables Animals and Minerals in their own degrees Men do not after the same sort by their Arts make natural things When Nature has finished her work about them then by our Art they are made more perfect XXXVII In this manner the ancient Sages and Philosophers for our information wroughr on Luna and Mercury her true Mother of which they made the Mercury of the Philosophers which in its Operation is much stronger than the Natural Mercury For this is serviceable only to the simple perfect imperfect hot and cold Metals But our Mercury the Philosopher's-Stone is useful to the more than perfect imperfect Bodies or Metals XXXVIII Also that the Sun may perfect and nourish them without diminution addition or immutation as they were created or formed by Nature and so leaves them not neglecting any thing XXXIX I will not now say that the Philosophers conjoyn the Tree for the better perfecting their Mercury as some unskilful in the nature of things and unlearned Chymists affirm who take common Sol Luna and Mercury and so unnaturally handle them till they evanish in smoak These Men endeavour to make the Philosophers Mercury but they never attained it which is the first matter of the Stone and the first Minera thereof XL. If you would come hither and find good and to the Mountain of the seaven where there is no plain you would betake your self from the highest you must look downward to the sixth which you will see afar off XLI In the height of this Mountain you will find a Royal Herb triumphing which some have called Mineral some Vegetable some Saturnine But let its Bones or Ribs be left and let a pure clean Broth be taken from it so will the better part of your work be done XLII This is the right and subtil Mercury of the Philosophers which you are to take which will make first the white work and then the red If you have well understood me both of them are nothing else as they term them but the practick which is so easie and so simple that a Woman sitting by her Distaff may perfect it XLIII As if in Winter she would put her Eggs under a Hen and not wash them because Eggs are put under a Hen without washing them and no more labour is required about them than that they should be every day turned that the Chickens may be the better and sooner hatched concerning the which enough is said XLIV But that I may follow the Example first wash not the Mercury but take it and with its like which is fire place it in the Ashes which is Straw and in one Glass which is the Nest without any other thing in a convenient Alembick which is the House from whence will come forth a Chicken which with its Blood will free thee from all Diseases and with its Flesh will nourish thee and with its Feathers will cloath thee and keep thee warm from the Injuries of the cold and ambient Air. XLV For this cause I have written this present Treatise that you may search with the greater desire and walk in the right way And I have written this small Book this Summary that you might the better comprehend the Sayings and Writings of the Philosophers which I believe you will much better understand for time to come The End of Flammel's Book ROGERII BACHONIS RADIX MUNDI Translated out of Latin into English and Claused By WILLIAM SALMON CHAP. XXXVII Of the Original of Metals and Principles of the Mineral Work I. THE Bodies of all Natural Things being as well perfect as imperfect from the Original of time and compounded of a quaternity of Elements or Natures viz. Fire Air Earth Water are conjoyned by God Almighty in a perfect Unity II. In these four Elements is hid the Secret of Philosophers The Earth and Water give Corporeity and Visibility The Fire and Air the Spirit and Invisible Power which cannot be seen or touched but in the other two III. When these four Elements are conjoyned and made to exist in one they become another thing whence it is evident that all things in nature are composed of the said Elements being altered and changed IV. So saith Rhasis Simple Generation and Natural Transformation is the Operation of the Elements V. But it is necessary that the Elements be of one kind and not divers to vit Simple For otherwise neither Action nor Passion could happen between them So saith Aristotle There is no true Generation but of things agreeing in Nature So that things be not made but according to their Natures VI. The Eldar or Oak Trees will not bring forth Pears nor can you gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles things bring not forth but only their like or what agrees with them in Nature each Tree it s own Fruit. VII Our Secret therefore is to be drawn only out of those things in which it is You cannot extract it out of Stones or Salt or other Heterogene Bodies Neither Salt nor Alum enters into our mystery But as Theophrastus saith The Philosophers disguise with Salts and Alums the Places of the Elements VIII If you prudently desire to make our Elixir you must extract it from a Mineral Root For as Geber saith You must obtain the perfection of the Matter from the Seeds thereof IX Sulphur and Mercury are the Mineral Roots and Natural Principles upon which Nature her self acts and works in the Mines and Caverns of the Earth which are Viscous Water and Subtil Spirit running through the Pores Veins and Bowels of the Mountains X. Of them is produced a Vapour or Cloud which is the substance and body of Metals united ascending and reverberating upon its own proper Earth as Geber sheweth even till by a temperate digestion through the space of a Thousand Years the matter is fixed and converted into a Mineral Stone of which metals are made XI In the same manner of Sol which is our Sulphur being reduced into Mercury by Mercury which is the Viscous Water made thick and mixt with its proper Earth by a temperate decoction and digestion ariseth the Vapour or Cloud agreeing in nature and substance with that in the Bowels of the Earth XII This afterwards is turned into most subtil water which is called the Soul Spirit and Tincture as we shall hereafter shew XIII When this Water is returned into the Earth out of which it was drawn and every way spreads through or is mixed with it as its
shall the Tincture be made and more plentiful in quantity and the more perfect it is the more it shall transmute IX In the Fourth Distillation then it shall receive such a Virtue and Tincture that one part shall be able to transmute a thousand parts of the cleansed Metal into fine Gold or Silver better than that which is Generated in the Mines X. Therefore saith Rhasis The goodness or excellency of the Multiplication hereof depends only on the Reiteration of the dissolution and fixation of the perfect Medicine XI For so much the oftner the work is Reiterated so much the more fruitful it will be and so much the more augmented XII So much the oftner you sublime it so much the more you increase it for every time it is augmented in Virtue and Power and Tincture one more to be cast upon a thousand at a second time upon ten thousand at the third time upon one hundred thousand at the fourth time upon a Million And thus you way increase its Power by the number of the Reiterations till it is almost infinite XIII Therefore saith Meredes the Philosopher know for certain that the oftner the Matter or Stone is dissolved and congealed the more absolutely and perfectly the Spirit and Soul are conjoyned and retained XIV And for this cause every time the Tincture is Multiplied after a most admirable and unconceiveable manner CHAP. XLVIII Of the Augmentation or Multiplication of Our Medicine by Fermentation I. OUr Medicine is Multiplied by Fermentation and the Ferment for the White is pure Luna the Ferment for the Red is pure fine Sol. II. Now cast one part of the Medicine upon twenty parts of the Ferment and all shall become Medicine Elixir or Tincture Put it on the Fire in a Glass Vessel and seal it so that no Air go in or out dissolve and subtilize it as oft as you please even as you did for making of the first Medicine III. And one part of this second Medicine shall have as much Virtue and Power as Ten parts of the former IV. Therefore saith Rhasis Now have we accomplished our Work by that which is hot and moist and it is become equally temperate and whatsoever is added or put to it shall become of the same temperament and Vertue with it V. You must then Conjoyn it that it may Generate its like yet you must not joyn it with any other that it might convert it to the same but only with that very same kind of whose substance it was in the beginning VI. For in Speculo Terrae Spiritualis it is written that the Elixir is figured in the Body from whence it was taken in the beginning when it was to be dissolved VII That is to say to dispose Marry or Conjoyn that Earth revived and in its Soul purified by commixtion of its first Body from whence it took beginning VIII Also in Libro Gemmae Salutaris it is said that the White work needs a White Ferment which when it is made White is White Ferment also and when it is made Red is the Ferment of Redness IX And so the White Earth is Ferment of Ferment for when it is Conjoyned with Luna or shall be made a Medicine it is to cast upon Mercury and every imperfect Metaline Body to be converted into Luna X. And to the Red ought Sol to be joyned and it will become a Medicine or Tincture to project upon Mercury or upon Luna XI Rhasis also saith You must now mix it with Argent Vive White and Red after their kind and be so chained that it flies not away XII Wherefore we command Argent Vive to be mixed with Argent Vive until one clear water be made of two Argent Vive's Compounded together XIII But you must not make the mixture of them till each of them apart or separately be dissolved into water and in the Conjunction of them put a little of the matter upon much of the Body viz. First upon four and it shall become in a short time a fine Pouder whose Tincture shall be White or Red. XIV This Pouder is the true and perfect Elixir or Tincture and the Elixir or Tincture is truly a simple Pouder XV. Egidius also saith to Solution put Solution and in dissolutionput desiccation viz. make it dry putting all together to the fire XVI Keep entire the sume or vapour and take heed that nothing thereof flie out from it Tarry by the Vessel and behold the wonders how it changes from Colour to Colour in less space than an hours time till such time as it comes to the Signs of Whiteness or Redness XVII For it melts quickly in the Fire and congeals in the Air. When the fume or vapor feels the sorce of the fire the fire will penetrate into the Body and the Spirit will become fixed and the matter made dry becoming a Body fixt and clear or pure and either White or Red. XVIII This Pouder is the compleat and perfect Elixir or Tincture now you may separate or take if from the fire and let it cool XIX And first part of it projected upon 1000. parts of any Metalline Body transmutes it into fine Gold or Silver according as your Elixir or Tincture is for the Red or the White XX. From what has been said it is manifest and Evident that if you do not congeal Argent Vive making it to bear or endure the fire and then conjoyning it with pure Silver you shall never attain to the Whiteness XXI And if you make not Argent ViveRed and so as it may endure the greatest fire and then conjoyn it with pure fine Gold you shall never attain to the Redness XXII And by dissolution viz. by Fermentation your Medicine Elixir or Tincture may be multiplied infinitely XXIII Now you must understand that the Elixir or Tincture gives fusion like Wax for which cause saith Rhasis Our Medicine ought of necessity to be of a subtle substance and most pure cleaving to Mercury of its Nature and of most easie and thin liquifaction fusion or melting after the manner of water XXIV Also in the Book called Omne datumOptimum it is said when the Elixir is well prepared it ought to be made liquid that it may melt as Wax upon a Plate Red-Fire-Hot or upon Coals XXV Now observe what you do in the White the same you must do in the Red for the work is all one The same Operation that is in the one is in the other as well in multiplication as projection CHAP. XLIX Of the Differences of the Medicine and Proportions used in Projection I. GEBER the Arabian Prince Alchymist and Philosopher in lib. 5. cap. 21. saith That there is three orders of Medicines The First Order is of such Medicines which being cast upon imperfect Bodies takes not away their Corruption or Imperfection but only give Tincture which in Examination flies away and vanishes II. The Second Order is of such Medicines which being cast upon Imperfect Bodies tinge
be prostituted or bestowed upon unworthy Men who are naughty or swoln up with Pride or whose Souls are bound up in their Covetousness VIII I require not of you for this Secret a great Summ of Gold or Silver nor do I put this Secret in writing for you to bestow much Cost and Expences upon it nor do I for my self desire any reward these things agree not with the Philosophick Verity which professes that its Works are not chargeable and Expensive Morienus saith beware that you spend nothing in this Magistery of Gold And Dastine saith with the Value of one Noble is the whole Magistery performed IX Since then it is so in what thing is our Gold to be found Is it not in Mercury which is called Quick or living Gold Raymandus saith He that will reduce Quick-Gold into thin water must make it doe it and Work it by its contrary 〈◊〉 saith he Quick or living Gold has in its self four Natures and four humours or Elements And therefore saith he if you putrefie its Cold with its Hot and its Dry with its Moist you shall not only have the Humidity of all Bodies but you shall have a Menstruum which will dissolve Argent Vive for ever For the least part of Mercury being once dissolved the dissolved Mercury will always dissolve Mercury ad Infinitum X. Mercury may as well be called Quick-Gold as Quick-Silver for it contains them both If Air will make this separation we must put thereto divers contrary things as Roger Bacon saith in Speculo But this putrefaction cannot be done till it is dissolved in Water white as Milk putrifie that Milk 15 days in B. M. then separate its Element and cleanse its Earth and after that joyn it again in equal weight then is the Elixir made compleate for Saturn and Jupiter Quick Gold is Crude Imperfect and unfixt in every degree and yet it is accounted a Body altho' there be no fixation in it and therefore it may be much sooner brought to its first matter than any other of the Bodies that have any part of fixation in them for they must have much Labour and long time to separate them and bring them back into their fixt matter XI For saith Lully The Elements of Mercury may be dissolved and being so dissolved they may be separated There be some that think our Resoluble Seed or dissolved Menstrum is the water of Argent Vive made only by it self because it does dissolve both Metals and pretious Stones which we call Pearls and so it is Now how this dissolving Menstrum is made not only Raymund seems to shew but Roger Bacon in like manner in his Speculum Alchymiae where he saith put the Body which is most weighty into a Distillatory and draw forth thereof its Sweet Ros or Dew with a little Wind or Breath for betwixt every drop of Water comes forth a Breath as it were of a Man which is the substance of Argent Vive and which the Philosophers call our Mercury which if it be well putrefied before hand will then yield the more and Issue out forcibly as if it were Wild-Fire out of a Trunk especially when the Red Fume comes Thus have you one of our Argent Vives XII To the same thing Raymundus assents where he saith then have you that Argent Vive which is called Ours and so it is indeed one of Our Argent Vive altho' the intent of the same Philosopher in Libro Animae Artis Transmutatoriae Cap. 2. was touching another more noble and more excellent Water supposed by some to be Our Burning-Water drawn out of the Gum of Vitriol by the Virtue of which most Noble and Excellent attractive Water he did not only often dissolve the Body of Sol not as he doth it with the aforesaid Argent Vive commonly dissolved but also the same solar Body by force of that attractive Virtue is disposed in a more noble manner as I my self have seen done not only in the Metalline Elixir but also in the Elixir of Life as hereafter shall be declared Chap. 71 72. Sect. XIII It is fansied by an Experienced Philosopher that Mercury did speak and said I am the Father of Enchantments Brother to the Sun and Sister to the Moon I am the Water of Life drawn out of Wine i. e. out of the Wine of Mercury I kill that which was alive and make alive that which was dead I make Black and I make White and I carry in my Belly the Sol of Philosophers and therefore he that can joyn me after that I am dissolved and made the pure clear and Silver like Water called Lac Virginis with my Brother the Sun he shall tinge him with my Soul not only much more than he was before by an hundred fold but also if he be joyned with my Sister Luna he shall make all things fair and bright this Lac Virginis is a Silver-like Water somewhat thick CHAP. LXII A farther Discourse of the Philosophers Mercury I. OF this Mercury speaks another Philosopher thus when its Elements are separated and again joyned and mixed together by equal weight then is it made a compleat Elixir upon Saturn and Jupiter but its Elements cannot be separated until such time as it is dissolved and of this Metalline Water ought the Artist to draw the Tincture II. The Elements of Mercury being separated and again commixed by equal weight or proportion make the Elixir compleat with often dissolving and congealing of the Spirit which must be done upon a Marble Stone weighing the Body and then taking its weight of the Secret Salt grinding them together very subtil then putting them into Balneo that they may be dissolved which done take it out and make your congelatiin a dry Fire do so oftentimes and then c. III. And therefore to confirm this Raymundus saith O my Son Our Tincture is drawn out of one Vile thing and is decked finished and ended with another thing which is more Noble for we do Ferment it with Vulgar Gold He calls it Vile because he saith it is sometimes found in Vile places as in Old draughts also it is Vile because as Raymundus saith it is found not only in a filthy form and ugly shape but because it is in every thing of the which saith Albertus is made a Permanent or fixt Water IV. Here is to be Noted that Raymundus commands this Tincture to be drawn out of the Body of Venus which Tincture he does Ferment with the prepared Calx of common or Vulgar Gold V. And therefore saith Avicen it behoves you to have a great quantity of our Gold and of our Silver to the end that thereby the humours may be drawn forth viz. to have at the least sixty pounds weight which will be a sufficient quantity for your whole life He also saith the best Mercury is brought in skins from Mount Passulane Of this Mercury Geber saith you must labour in all your work to separate Mercury or as others
thick as an Oyl which Oyl first with a soft fire and after with a stronger fix into dry Pouder IV. This Work is not to be done all at once but by little and little at a time till it goes through with it in the Color of Blood then will it precipitate into a Red Pouder called by the Philosophers Sericon Dissolve it with as much of Our Vegetable Sal Anatron the space of an hour then set it in Balneo in a long Receptory till it be clearly dissolved and becomes as it were a fine Wine which with the very softest heat make it to Evaporate and Congeal so will you have a pure Stone and of subtil parts V. Also if you dissolve this same Red Pouder of Mercury in Water or Spirit of Common Salt prepared as Bachon and Albertus have taught you shall have an Oyl or Salt of Gold which no Fire can destroy which will melt and tinge with a solar Color upon a Plate of Venus This Treasure carry always with you wheresoever you go Who knows not the Secret of this prepared Salt in Our lesser Works knows little of the hidden things of Alchymie VI. Try this fixt Pouder at Sect. 3. above for the fixation reiterate still the Work with the same Fire against Nature upon the same Pouder Ten times and it will be dryed up no more into Pouder but remain in a thick Oyl the which will turn Argent Vive and all Bodies into pure Alchymick Gold sufficiently good for all works of the Goldsmith but not for Medicine for Man's Body VII A Second way Gold is much more wonderfully Elixirated by the said Fire against Nature compounded with the Fire Natural after this manner Let Vitriol of the Fire of Nature made of the most sharp Humidity or moisture of Grapes and Sericon joyned together in a Mass with the Natural Mineral Vitriol called the Gum of Adrop or Vitriol Azoth made somewhat dry and with Sal Nitre be dissolved VIII First Ascends a Fair Weak Flegmatick Water which cast away Then a White Fume making the Vessel appear White like Milk which Fume must be gathered into the receiver so long till it ceases and the Vessel becomes clear of its own Color This water of the White Fume is the stinking Menstruum which is called Our Dragon against Nature This Menstruum if the said Dragon against Nature was absent would be our Fire Natural of which we shall hereafter speak in its proper place IX Raymundus saith this Water is made of four things 1. The Composition of Sal Amarum 2. Menstru um Foetens 3. Argent Vive which is a common substance in every Corruptible Body 4. Mineral Vitriol X. This compounded Water Mineral and Water Vegetable being mixed together and made one Water as aforesaid doth work contrary Operation which is wonderful it Dissolves and Congeals it makes moist and dry it putrifies and purifies it divides asunder and joyns together it destroys and restores it kills and makes alive it wounds and heals again it makes soft and hardens it makes thin and thick it resolves Compounds and Compounds again It begins the Work and makes an end of the same XI These two Mineral Waters Compounded together in one are the two Dragons Fighting and striving to gather one against the other in the Flood of Satalia viz. the White Fume and the Red and one of them shall devour the other And here the Solutory Vessels ought to be Luted but gently or closed with Linnen Cloth or with Mastick or common Wax or Cerecloth XII These two Dragons are Fire and Water within the Vessel and not without and therefore if they feel any exteriour fire they will rise up to the top of the Vessel and if they be yet forced by the violence or strength of the Fire they will break the Vessel and so you will lose all your Work XIII This Compounded Water aforesaid does Congeal as much as it does Dissolve and lists it up into a glorious Crystalline Earth This is our Secret dissolution of the Stone which is always done with the Congelation of its Water The Fire of Nature is here put to the Fire against Nature therefore as much as the Stone has lost of its form by the power and strength of the Water or Fire against Nature so much has it gotten and recovered again of its form by the Virtue of the Water or Fire of Nature But the Fire against Nature by the means of the Fire of Nature cannot be destroyed CHAP. LXV The Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body Dissolved I. THE Practice with the said Compounded Water upon the Calx of the Body duly dissolved and prepared Take the prepared Body made with a thick Oyl put to it so much of the Compounded Water as may cover the same Calx i. e. Our prepared Calx with Our Vege table Menstruum by the depth of half an Inch. The Water will presently boil over the Calx without external dissolving the Stone and lifting it up into the form of Ice with the drying up also of the said Water II. The said Calx being so dissolved and sublimed into the form of Ice you must take away after this is done the residue of the Calx remaining in the Vessel undissolved shall again be well dryed by the Fire upon which put so much of the said Compounded Water as you did before dissolving subliming and drying till the Calx is wholly dissolved III. The substance thus dissolved subtily separated and brought into a Pouder must be put as thereafter shall be shewed into a good quantity of the Fire of Nature which is a Quintescence the same being first well rectified and the Vessel well stopp'd to the end that the means of the heat outwardly administred unto it procuring the inward heat to work it may be dissolved into an Oyl the which will soon be done by reason of the simplicity of the Water or simple Fire of Nature IV. And therefore when you have brought the said Pouder so dissolved sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water into an Oyl 〈◊〉 is our Menstruum Visible unto sight by putting thereto a good quantity of the aforesaid rectified simple Fire of Nature as before declared then abstract or draw away the said Water again from the same Oyl by Distilling the same in a moist Temperate heat so long till there remains in the bottom of the Glass a thin Oyl V. This Oyl the oftner it is dissolved with the said simple rectified Fire of Nature and the said Water Abstracted or Distilled by a Temperate heat so much the more will the said Oyl be made subtil and thin VI. With the said Oyl provided the Calx be the Calx of Sol or Luna you may incere the substances or Calces of other Bodies the said Bodies being first dissolved exalted sublimed and prepared with the said Compounded Water in manner and form of Ice aforesaid till that by the Inceration of the
the water begins to whiten the whole Mass. XXVII A temperate heat working in moist Bodies brings forth blackness which having obtained there is nothing that you need fear for in the same way the Germination of our Stone does follow and forthwith to wit in the space of thirty or Forty days you have Gas or Adrop which is our Uzifer or Cinnabar and our Red Lead XXVIII Takeheed to defend your Glass from a Violent Heat and a sudden Cold make use of a moderate Fire and beware of Vitrification Beware how you bind up your matter mix it not with Salts Sulphurs nor the middle Minerals let Sophisters prate what they will Our Sulphur and our Mercury are found in Metals only XXIX 7. De Coagulatione Coagulation or Congelation is the induration or hardning of things in Calore Candido and the fixing of the Volatile Spirit The Elements are forthwith converted but the Congelation is no way impeded for those things which are Congealed in the Air melt or soften not in the Water for if so Our work would be destroyed and come to nothing XXX When the Compositum is brought to Whiteness then the Spirit is United and Congealed with the Body but it will be a good length of time before such a Congelation will appear in the likeness or Beauty of Pearls The cause of all these things is the most temperate heat continually working and moving the Matter Believe me also that your whole Labour is lost except you revivifie your Earth with the Water without that you shall never see a true Congelation XXXI This Water is a Secret drawn from the Life of all things existing in Nature for from Water all things in the World have their first beginning as you may easily perceive in many things The substance or Matter is nourished with its proper Menstruum which the Water and the Earth only produce whose proper Colour is Greenness XXXII Understand also that our fiery Water thus acuated is called the Menstrual Water in which Our Earth is dissolved and naturally Calcined by Conge lation when you have made seven Imbibitions then by a Circumvolution putrifie again all the Matter without addition beholding in the first place the blackness then the Whiteness of the Congealed Matters XXXIII Thus your Water is divided into two parts with the first part the Bodies are purified the second part is reserved for Imbibitions with which afterwards the Matter is made black and presently after with a gentle fire made White then reduce to Redness XXXIV 8. De Cibatione Cibation is the Feeding or Nourishing of our dry Matter with Milk and Meat being both administred moderately till it is reduced to the third Order you must never give so much as to cause a suffocation or that the Aqueous humour should exceed the Blood if it drinks too much the work will be hurt XXXV Three times must you turn about the Philosophick Wheel observing the Rule of the said Cibation and then in a little time it will feel the Fire so as to melt presently like Wax XXXVI 9. De Sublimatione Sublime not the matter to the top of the Vessel for without Violence you cannot bring it down to the bottom again by a temperate heat below in the space of 40 days it will become black and obscure When the Bodies are purified let them be sublimed by degrees more and more till they shall be all elevated or converted into Water XXXVII We use Sublimation for three Causes First that the Body may be made spiritual Secondly that the the Spirit may be made Corporeal aud fixed with it and become Consubstantial with it Thirdly that it may be purified from its Original Impurities and its Sulphurous Salt may be diminished with which it is infected subliming it to the Top as White as Snow XXXVIII 10. De Fermentatione Fermentations are made after divers manners by which our Medi cine is perpetuated Some dissolve Sol and Luna into a certain clear Water and with the Medicine of them they make the same to Coagulate or be Coagulated but such a Fermentation we propose not XXXIX This only is our Intention that first you must Break or Tear or Grind the matter to Atoms before you Ferment it Mix then presently your Water and Earth together and when the Medicine shall flow like Wax then see the above mentioned Amalgamation and put forth the same and when all that is mixed together above or on the top of the Glass being well closed make a Fire till the whole be Fluxed then make projection as you shall think fit because it is a Medicine wholly perfect Thus have you made the Ferment both for the Red and the White XL. The true Fermentation is the Incorporation of the Soul with the Body restoring to the same the Natural Odour Consistency and Colour by a Natural Inspissation of the separated things And as the Magnet draws Iron to it self so our Earth by Nature draws down its Soul to it self Elevated with Wind For without doubt the Earth is the Ferment of the Water and by Course or Turns the Water is the Ferment of the Earth XLI We make the Water most Odoriferous with which we reduce all the Bodies into Oyl with which Oyl we make our Medicine flow We call this Water a Quintessence or the Powers and it Heals or Cures all humane Diseases Make therefore this Oyl of Sol and Luna which is a Ferment most fragrant in smell XLII 11. De Exaltatione Exaltation differs a little from Sublimation if you understand aright the words of the Philosophers If therefore you would Exalt your Bodies sublime them first with Spiritus Vitae then let the Earth be subtiliated by a Natural rectification of all the Elements so shall it be more pretious than Gold because of the Quintessence or Powers which they contain XLIII When the Cold does overcome the Heat then the Air is converted into water so two contraries are made by the way till they kindly conjoyn and rest together after this manner you must work them that they may be Circulated that they one with another may speedily be Exalted together In one Glass well Sealed all this Operation is to be done and not with hands XLIV Convert the Water into Earth which will quickly be the Nest of the other Elements for the Earth is in the Fire which rests in the Air. Begin this Circulation in the West then continue it till past the Meridian so will they be exalted XLV 12. De Multiplicatione Multiplication is the thing which makes the augmentation of the Medicine in Color Smell Vertue and Quantity for it is a Fire which being Excited never dies but always dwells with you one spark of which is able to make more Fire by the Virtue of Multiplication XLVI He is rich which has but one Particle or Grain of this our Elixir because that Grain is possible to be augmented by one way to Infinity if you dissolve this our dry Pouder and make a
Body these three Vapor Blackness and Death are latent which three are also one The Caput mortuum must be dissolved for except the Body be dissolved there can be no Coagulation of the Spirits for the Solution of the impure and vaporous Body induces and brings forth more pure and Noble Spirits indued with a mighty Strength and Power And by means of this Solution a more perfect mixtion is made as of Water with Water which cannot be separated not like that of Sand with Sand whose Superficies only touch one another which is indeed no true mixtion And thus by making a dissolution of the Metalline Principle that which is not Metalline nor will dissolve nor mix with the dissolved Matter as the Vapor the Blackness and the Death or Putrefaction comes to be separated and removed whereby the Dead comes to Live and that which was in Captivity and Chains comes to be made free delivered and set at Liberty IX Hermes It behoves us therefore to chase or drive away and expel the Superexistent Fume or Vapor from the Water the Blackness from the Fat And the Death from the Foeces and this by Dissolution By which means we attain to the knowledge of the greatest Philosophy and the sublime Secret of all Secrets Salmon In these three that is in the One Composed of the three lie these other three the Fume the Blackness and the Death that is the want of Ponderosity of Tincture and of Fixity both which threes in their own principles are also but one thing to wit the Caput mortuum which is depurated and revived by Dissolution only And except the Body is Dissolved there can be no Coagulation of the Spirits as we have said before And therefore if you would remove the Fumes you must dissolve the Fumous or imperfect Body that it may mix with the Ponderating Spirit The Fat or Sulphur is cleared from the blackness by manifold Sublimations bringing forth the pure Philosophick White and Red Flowers which are the Tincture And the Death is expelled by the Mercurial or Metallick Spirit which gives the Eternal fixity CHAP. XII The Praxis exemplified from the Nature of Leven and Paste I. HERMES Now there are seven Bodies of which the first is Gold the most perfect the King and the Head of them which the Water cannot alter nor the Earth Corrupt nor Fire Devastate because its Complexion is Temperate or in a mean and its Nature direct in respect of Heat Cold Moisture or Dryness nor is any thing that is in it Superfluous Salmon The seven Bodies are the seven Metals the first of which is Gold and the most perfect of them Now tho' it be all that can be or is requisite to be in a Body truly perfect yet something more than perfect is designed by our Tincture For Sol of him self cannot tinge nor melio rate any other Body nor bring it to his own perfection therefore he is to be made more than perfect by Virtue of this Philosophick Tincture which opening his Body shall exalt it a thousand fold beyond the degree of its perfection making him able to transmute other Bodies into his own form fixity and likeness The other six Bodies are Silver Tin Copper Iron Lead and Quick Silver which last is also among the number of Spirits Now there is a difference between the Common and Vulgar Gold and our Gold say the Philosophers Ours 〈◊〉 the AEs or Electrum Minerale whose Composition comprehends in it self all the Metals according to this saying Omne Aurum est AEs sed non omne AEs est Aurum This AEs or Aurum is rightly compared to Sol who by the Testimony of Hermes next after God governs the World and Illuminates all things both Animate and Inanimate of whom well Sung Palingenius O Sol qui tempora mutas Et cum temporibus quicquid generatur in Orbe And as the Stars and all the other Planets receive their Light and Virtues from the Sun so also do all the other six Metals and Minerals receive theirs from Our Gold almost in like manner by the Emission of its Rays or Beams which is indeed its tinging Sulphur and multiplying and fixing Spirit All that is perfect 〈◊〉 Sol is its Viridity 〈◊〉 eternally generates 〈◊〉 multiplying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ferment of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is the Elixir saith the Rosary the compleat Medicine the most depurated and digested Substance more than perfect and perfecting all other bodies whether perfect or imperfect making those that are perfect much more than perfect This is the true Philosophick Gold i. e. Gold in a mean or Gold after a manner more worthy more Noble and more Pretious than Vulgar Silver or Gold or any Gem or Pretious Stone Many have sought this AEris Viriditatem in Vitriol and Copper or Vulgar Brass but they erred and were deceived following the literal Discourse of the Philosophers and not their Sense For they ought not to have contemplated the Metals as they are Bodies but as they are redu-Ced into a most Subtil Spirituous and Celestial Substance II. Hermes Therefore the Philosophers bear up and magnifie themselves in it saying that such Gold in Bodies is like the Sun among the Stars most Light and Splendid And as by the Power of God every Vegetable and all the Fruits of the Earth are perfected so by the same Power the Gold and the Seed thereof which contains all these seven Bodies makes them to spring to be ripened and brought to perfection and without which this Work can in no wise be performed Salmon As Sol is among the Stars and other Planets and Vulgar Gold among the other Vulgar Metals and Minerals so also is our Gold which is the true Philosophick Tincture among the other Metals or Bodys reduced to a Spirituality and pure Tincture And as Sol in the Heavens is the Medium that perfects all Sublunary or Inferior things by his Beams Light and Heat So also Our Sol the true Seed of Gold and the Seminal Power of the Aurifick Principle is also the Medium which makes all the other seven Bodies not only perfect but more than perfect that they thereby may perfect other quantities of their own kind yet lying in imperfection viz. wanting Purity Tincture and Fixation All which is done by Virtue of its subtle Spirit Tincture and Fire Therefore say the Philosophers Our Gold is not Corporeal but a depurated substance in the highest degree and brought to an Astral or Heavenly Nature This is the Ixir Elixir or Fermentum the true Tincture and Spirit tinging and fixing all other Bodies and without which they cannot be perfected III. Hermes And like as Paste or Dough is impossible to be Fermented or Levened without Leven so is it in this case without the proper Ferment you can do nothing When you sublime the Bodies and Purifie them separating the filthiness and uncleanness from them or from the Foeces you must conjoyn and mix them to gether and put in the Ferment making up the Earth
Grate be continually open for the more free reception of the air which mightily augments the heat of the fire VII The Vessel is of the asoresaid length that the Fumes ascending may find a cool place and adhere to the sides otherwise was it short the whole Vessels would be almost of an equal heat whereby the sublimate would fly away and be lost It is also Glased well within that the Fumes may not peirce its Pores and so be lost but the Bottom which stands in the Fire is not to be Glazed for that the Fire would melt it nor unglazed would the matter go through it for that the Fire makes it rather to ascend VIII Now let your Fire be continued under your Vessel till you know that the whole matter is ascended into flowers which you may prove by putting in a Rod of Earth well burned with a Hole in its end through a Hole in the Head about the bigness of ones little Finger putting it down almost to the middle there or nigh the matter from whence the sublimate is raised and if any thing ascends and adheres to the Hole in the Rod the whole matter is not sublimed but if not the sublimation is ended IX That the Marchasite consists of Sulphur and Argent Vive it is sufficiently evident for if it be put into the fire it is no sooner Red Hot but it is Inflamed and burns also if mixed with Venus it gives it the Whiteness of pure Silver so also if mixed with Argent Vive and in its sublimation it yields a Coelestial Colour with a Metalick Lucidity X. To prepare the Marchasite Take the fine Pouder of the Mineral spread it an Inch thick over the Bottom of a large Aludel and gather the Sulphur with a gentle fire When that is ascended take off the Head or Alembick and having applied another augment the Fire then that which has the place of Argent Vive Ascends as we have before declared CHAP. XLI Of the Alchymie of Magnesia Tutia and other Minerals I. THE Sublimation of Magnesia and Tutia is the same with that of the Marchasite for that they cannot be sublimed without Ignition having the same cause the same Operation and the same General method likewise all imperfect Bodies are sublimed in the same order without any difference except that the Bodies of the Metals must have a more vehement fire than the Marchasite Magnetia and Tutia nor is there any diversity in Metaline sublimation save that some need the addition of some other substance to make them sublime or rise II. But in the sublimation of Imperfect Metaline Bodies no great quantity of the Body to be sublimed must be at once put into the bottom of the Vessel because much Metaline substance holds the parts faster and hinders the subliming also the bottom of the sublimatory should be flat not Concave that the Body equally and thinly spread upon the bottom may the more easily sublime in all its parts III. Such Bodies as need the admixtion of other substances are Venus and Mars by reason of the slowness of their fusion Venus needs Tutia and Mars Arsenick and with these they are easily sublimed for that they well agree with them Therefore their sublimation is to be made as in Tutia and other like things and to be performed in the same method and order as in the former Chapter IV. Now Magnesia has a more Turbid and Fixed and less inflamable Sulphur and a more Earthy and faeculent Argent Vive than the Marchasite and therefore the more approximate to the Nature of Mars V. But Tutia is the fume of White Bodies for the Fume of Jupiter and Venus adhering to the sides of the Fornaces where these Metals are wrought does the same thing that Tutia does and what a metalick Fume does not without the admixtion of some other Body neither will this likewise do VI. And by reason of its subtilty it more penetrates the profundity of a Metaline Body and alters it more than it does its own Body and adhears more in the Examen as by experience you may find and whatever Bodies are altered by Sulphur of Argent Vive will also necessarily be altered by this because of their Unity in Nature VII To prepare Tutia Pouder it very fine and put it into and Aludel and by strong Ignition or help of vehement fire cause the Flowers to ascend or sublime so is it prepared for use It is also dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar having been first Calcin'd and so it is also well prepared VIII Also it is certain that many necessary things for our purpose are extracted from Imperfect Bodies which need yet a farther preparation as first Ceruse which is thus prepared Wash it in Spirit of Vinegar and separate it from its more gross parts and the Milk coagulate in the Sun and it is prepared IX Spanish White Tin Putty and Minium are prepared after the same manner by dissolving them in Spirit of Urine and then filterating and coagulating in the Sun as before X. Verdegrise is dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar and rubified being gently congealed with the soft heat of a gentle fire and then it is prepared and made fit for the Work XI Crocus Martis is dissolved in Spirit of Vinegar and filtred This Red Water being congealed yields an excellent Crocus fit for use XII AEs Ustum or Copper calcin'd is to be ground to pouder and washed with Spirit of Vinegar after the same manner as we taught in the preparation of Ceruse So in like manner Litharge of Gold and Silver You may also dissolve these things again and they will be purer You may also use them either dissolved or congealed this is a profound Investigation XIII Antimony is Calcined Dissolved Filtred Congealed and ground to pouder and so it is prepared XIV Cinnabar must be sublimed from Common Salt once and so it is well prepared for use XV. The fixation of Marchasite Magnesia and Tutia You must after the first sublimation of them is finished cast away their foeces and then reiterate their sublimation so often returning what sublimes to that which remains below of either of them till they be fixed which must be done in proper subliming Vessels CHAP. LXV Of the Alchymie of Saturn I. TO prepare Lead Set it in a Fornace of Calcination stirring it while it is in Flux with an Iron Spatula full of Holes and drawing off the scum till it be converted into a most fine pouder Sift it and set it in the Fire of Calcination till its fugitive and inflamable substance be abolished Then take out this Red Calx imbibe and grind it often with Common Salt cleansed Vitriol purified and most sharp Vinegar which are the things to be used for the Red but for the White Common Salt Common Alum and Vinegar II. Your matter must be often imbibed dryed and ground till by the benefit of the aforesaid things the uncleanness be totally removed Then mix Glass therewith and cause
the pure body to descend that descending by means of a vehement heat the pure body may be reduced III. Calcine it again with pure Sal Armoniack as you do Jupiter and most subtily grind and dissolve it by the way aforesaid for this is the water of Argent Vive and Sulphur proportionally made which we use in the Composition of the Red Elixir IV. Lead is a Metalick Body livid earthy ponderous mute partaking of a little Whiteness with much paleness refusing the Cineritium and Cement easily extensible in all its dimensions with small Compression and very fusible without Ignition Yet some Men say that Lead in its own Nature is much approximated to Gold these judge of things not as they are in themselves but according to sense being void of Reason and not conceiving the Truth V. It has much of an Earthy substance and therefore is washed and by a Lavament converted into Tin by which it appears that Tin is more assimilated to the perfect It is also by Calcination made Minium and by hanging over the Vapour of Vinegar it is made Ceruse And tho it is not near to perfection yet by our Art we easily convert it into Silver not keeping its Weight in transmutation but acquiring a new Weight which it obtains by our Magistry It is also the Tryal of Silver in the Cupel as we shall hereafter shew VI. It differs not from Tin after repeating its Calcination to the reduction thereof save that it has a more uncleansubstance commixed of a more grose Sulphur and Argent Vive the Sulphur being more burning and adhaesive to the Argent Vive It has a greater Earthy 〈◊〉 than Jupiter which appears by washing of it with Argent Vive and more Faeculency comes from it by washing than from Jupiter and its first Calcination is easier performed than in Tin because of its Earthiness and because its foulness is not rectified as in Jupiter by repeated Calcinations it is a sign of greater impurity in its principles and in its own Nature VII It s Sulphur is not separated from it in fume but is of a Citrine Colour of much Yellowness the like of which is remaining below at the bottom which shews that it has much of a Combustible Sulphur in it and because the Odour of Sulphureity is not removed from it in a short time it shews that it approaches to the Nature of fixed Sulphur and is Uniformly commixed with the substance of Argent Vive Therefore when the fume ascends it ascends with the Sulphur not burning whose property is to create Citrinity VIII And that the quantity of its not burning Sulphur is more than in Tin appears for that its whole Colour is changed into Citrinity in Calcination but of Tin into White Whence the cause appear why Jupiter in Calcination is more easily changed into a hard Body than Saturn the burning Sulphureity being more easily removed from Jupiter than Saturn one of the causes of its softness is removed whence being Calcined it necessarily follows it must be hardened but Saturn because it has both the causes of softness strongly conjoyned viz. much burning Sulphur and much Argent Vive it is not easily hardened IX Bodies having much Argent Vive have much of Extension but such as have little Argent Vive have little Extension Thus Jupiter is more easily and subtily extended than Saturn Saturn more easily than Venus Venus more easily than Mars Luna more subtily than Jupiter And Sol more subtily than Luna X. The Cause of Induration or hardening is fixed Argent Vive or fixed Sulphur but the cause of softness is Opposite The cause of Fusion is also twofold to wit of Sulphur not fixed and Argent Vive of what kind soever Sulphur not fixed is necessarily a cause of Fusion without Ignition This is evident in Arsenick for projected on Bodies difficult to be Fused it makes them of easie Fufion without Ignition and the cause of Fusion with Ignition is fixed Argent Vive But the Impediment of Fusion is fixed Sulphur XI From hence it appears That seeing Bodies of greatest perfection con tain the greatest quantity of Argent Vive Those Imperfect Bodies holding more of Argent Vive must needs be more approximate to the perfect whence it follows that Bodies of much Sulphureity are Bodies of much Corruption XII From hence it is e vident that Jupiter is near to the perfect seeing it participates more of Perfection but Saturn less Venus yet less and Mars least of all And as to the Medicines compleating them it is clear that Venus is the most perfective of Medicine Mars less Jupiter yet less and Saturn least of all XIII Thus according to the diversity of Bodies diversity of Medicines are found out A hard Body that can endure Ignition re quires one Medicine but the soft that abides not Ignition another that one may be softned and attenuated in its profundity and equalized in its substance but the other hardned and its occult parts inspissated XIV There are three degrees which the Imperfect Bodies chiefly Saturn and Jupiter must obtain in order to perfection First Cleanness or Brightness Secondly Hardness or Densness with Ignition in fusion Thirdly Fixation by taking away their fugitive substance XV. They are cleansed viz. Saturn and Jupiter in a threefold manner 1. By Mundifying 2. By Calcination and Reduction 5. By Solution First By things purifying they are cleansed two ways either by reducing them into a Calx or into the Nature of Bodies reducing into a Calx they are purified either by Salts or Alum or Glass Thus when the Body is Calcin'd put upon its Calx water of Alums or Salts or Glass mixed with it and reduce it to a Body which so often reiterate till they look purely clean For seeing Alums Salts and Glass are fused with another kind of fusion than Bodies therefore they are separated from them retaining with themselves the earthy substance the purity of the Bodies being only left XVI Or thus Let Saturn or Jupiter be filed and mix therewith Alums Salts and Glass and then reduced into a body and this so often to be repeated till they be well cleansed They are also cleansed by way of Lavement with Argent Vive of which we have spoken before XVII The second way of cleansing Saturn and Jupiter by Calcination and Reduction with sufficient fire whereby they are freed from a twofold corrupting substance 1. One inflamable and fugitive 2. Another earthy and faeculent because the Fire elevates and consumes every fugitive substance And by reduction the same fire divides every substance of earth with its proportion See Sect. 1 2 3. above XVIII The third way of cleansing Saturn and Jupiter by Solution of their substance and by reduction of that likewise which is dissolved from them for that solution reduced makes them more clean than any other way or kind of preparation whatsoever except that by Sublimation to which this is equivalent XIX Induration or hardning of their